Sunday, June 14, 2009

Retaining Fluid

I've been treating a client for some months now with amazing results. She came to me initially because she had difficulty walking and was bent over with discomfort and weakness. She had severe edema (retaining fluid over her entire body, with the legs being the worst affected). 

My very first treatment was extremely moving, emotional and with unexpected results. She had great difficulty getting onto the massage bench and it needed two of us to assist her. She was weak and couldn't lift her arms any higher than shoulder height with difficulty. 

Following her first (basic) treatment to introduce Bowen to her body and allow it to start the healing process, I kept it very simple and minimal. We assisted her to sit up prior to getting off the table. She commented on how light she felt and raised her left arm to demonstrate. I will never, ever forget her face as it registered delight and amazement as her arm floated past her eyes and onwards way over her head. She gasped and said "I've not been able to do that for years" and then tried raising BOTH her arms in a similar manner. Both went up easily over her head. She promptly burst into tears and sobbed her heart out for about 10 minutes with unrestrained joy. 

It was a couple of months later that I was able to start treating her for lymphatic drainage to assist her body to rid itself of the excess fluid. Her legs were so swollen that her knees and ankles were basically non existent and her feet looked like little balloons with tiny toes sticking out the end. Similar to blowing up a rubber glove. After about two treatments and in between diligently following my suggestions for minimal but important exercise, we started to notice a marked difference in her body and especially in her legs. 

After a couple of months of treatment, I'm happy to say she needed to buy smaller trousers (as they were literally falling off her). Her whole body had reduced in size, her arms were now virtually normal and I could now feel muscle definition in her legs. Her knees, ankles and feet were clearly 'visible', with her toes no longer looking like they were stuck on the end of small balloons. She was walking better; able to turn over unaided and while still needing a walking frame was walking straighter and feeling lighter due to the loss of so much unwanted fluid.

If you have trouble with retained fluid in your body, consider Brilliant Living Solutions as we are trained for lymphatic drainage as well as Bowen.  Give us a ring now, don't delay!

Sunday, June 7, 2009

What IS Bowen Therapy?

Bowen Therapy may very well be one of the single most important complementary therapies to facilitate healing of the whole body. Bowen is a non-manipulative, non-invasive holistic treatment and soft tissue remedial therapy. The Bowen moves bring about profound and often remarkable results by penetrating to a deep cellular level, incorporating the body's unique ability to heal itself.

The release of dysfunctional muscle, skeletal or nerve states, toxins and old patterning, remove the restrictions on the body's ability to self-heal. Bowen moves allow the body to re-establish holistic balance and healing almost immediately. Since Bowen Therapy addresses the body as a whole unit and the cause of problems, rather than just the presenting symptoms, it embraces the physical, chemical, emotional and mental aspects of each person receiving a treatment.

The experience of the treatment is typically gentle, subtle and relaxing and it is these features that make Bowen Therapy so unique. Simply stated, Bowen Therapy allows and encourages the body to heal itself.

Bowen therapy strongly affects the autonomic nervous system, the system responsible for stress reactions and recovery responses. This results in decreased muscle tension and reduced nerve hypersensitivity. The parasympathetic nervous system is reciprocally restored which creates homeostasis at the cellular level, improving circulation and lymphatic drainage, reducing inflammation and aiding in the assimilation of nutrients and eliminations of toxins.

A treatment takes around 30-45 inutes with the work performed on the skin or through light clothing. 3-4 treatments at weekly intervals are often sufficient to achieve lasting relief from even long-standing pain, though more are sometimes required. The session initiates a cascade of beneficial changes that unfold over a few days.

Give it a try, contact us via our website: Brilliant Living Solutions to find out more or to make an appointment

Whiplash

A young 23yr old woman came to us one day after having had a car accident (rear-ender) as she was unable to work properly due to severe neck problems. 

She was so stiff and sore she was unable to bend her head forward to fill in our forms and could not turn her neck to either side at all - not a smidge! 

Fortunately, she was able to lay down on the massage bench and following some gentle Bowen moves to her back, neck and shoulders she was able to move her head from side to side and up and down. She still felt unsure and vulnerable, but by the next day she was totally free of any pain, discomfort or stiffness. She didn't need to come back for any further treatments.

Bowen is renowned for its gentle and non-manipulative treatment. Good for any age or situation. Contact us as soon as you can after any accident or operation to start the body back on its path of recuperation sooner rather than later. Check us out at Brilliant Living Solutions

Hormonal Issues

After learning the principals of hormonal Bowen, I started treating a few people who had previously come to our clinic and reported they experienced menstrual problems. 

It was an exciting time for them and for me as this type of treatment was new and unexplored. One client of note really stood out. 

She had presented with a number of issues, but most importantly had been told she needed to have a hysterectomy due to anemia from constant and heavy blood loss. She suffered from headaches, premenstrual cramps and PMS and was basically struggling constantly as her periods were so heavy they left her feeling depleted and tired. 

After approximately 5 treatments, performed at each menstruation and at ovulation, she reported that her last visit to the doctor had given her the all clear. She no longer required the operation and was no longer suffering from anemia. Her blood loss was now normal, regular, light and of a good healthy colour. She only suffered from mild headaches occasionally and the cramps and PMS were completely gone. 

No one was more happy about the outcomes than she was (besides me of course) and those results were consistent with many of the other women I treated who had not had such severe symptoms but nevertheless were putting up with issues that were now no longer a problem. Some of these included, irregularity, cramps, clotting, long periods with heavy blood loss, headaches, PMS, poor sleep and bad odour during menstruating. All successfully treated over a few months using non-invasive and gentle Bowen Therapy. Check out our website if you'd like to discuss your treatment: Brilliant Living Solutions