Meditation Releases Stress – BrainTap Gets You There

Bowen Therapy, BrainTap, Exercise, Nutrition Info / By

At Living Well Dallas, sleep disorders are one of the main issues we help people with.  It seems to be so prevalent these days.  We carry some great nutritional supplements to help with sleep.  We also have health coaches who can guide you on eating and drinking habits that can help with your sleep.  Bowen Therapy can also be very effective in helping down-regulate the autonomic nervous system, so as to get you to sleep better at night.  Getting enough exercise on a daily basis helps resolve issues if done consistently.

The practice of meditation has been proven to be very conducive to getting a good night’as sleep.  Here is an article that elaborates on this subject.  Also, did you know that at LWD we have a device called BrainTap that quickly and easily takes you into a meditative state? It even has several programs you can listen to that are specifically designed to help you sleep to your heart’s content.  Come in and sample it for free.  Just call 972-930-0260 and ask for your free initial demo of BrainTap if you have never experienced it with us before.

Bowen BOGO with Brenda Briscoe

Bowen Therapy / By

 

You got your kids and grandkids through another school year — now it’s time to take care of YOU! Get rid of that nagging pain issue before vacationing.

Buy a Bowen Session with Brenda and Get a Second One at 50% off!

Sale runs June 1 to June 30. 
Bowen Therapy session is $100.
Bowen plus LED light therapy is $150.
Offer is for two sessions of the same kind – half off the 2nd one.
 
The two sessions must be purchased together when you book your first one in June,
but you can use the second session in June, July or August.
Must be used by August 31.

How Physical Fitness Helps with Addiction Recovery

Exercise / By

Regular exercise isn’t a panacea that miraculously cures all physical and mental ailments, but doctors and experts agree that even a small amount of physical activity each day does improve the mental and physical damages caused by substance abuse. A growing body of research indicates that incorporating exercise into treatment recovery programs overwhelmingly benefits recovering addicts.  

How exercise helps

Regularly scheduled exercise provides an outlet that reduces stress and anxiety, replacing negative or harmful activities with positive ones through consistent structure. Exercise helps to restore and repair your body’s immune system and other systems damaged by substance abuse.

Exercise provides a sense of accomplishment and even pleasure, because it releases endorphins—neurotransmitters that help relieve pain and make you feel pleasure or euphoria. While drug use also releases these neurotransmitters, exercise provides a much a healthier way to feel their effects. Substance abuse disorders (SUDs) damage serotonin and dopamine receptors, and exercise can repair them, which renews their ability to boost your sense of well-being and emotional stability. Physical activity also activates galanin, a brain-based chemical that reduces some stress-related cravings.  

Exercise improves brain function by facilitating the repair and formation of additional neurons, improving communication between neurons, and increasing the production of blood vessels responsible for transporting oxygen to your brain.

Many recovering addicts struggle with sleeping, but exercise can improve your sleep, too. The National Sleep Foundation conducted a study that supports research suggesting that people sleep better and feel more alert if they engage in at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week.

Exercise: Think outside the box

The best thing about exercise is that it doesn’t have to include a membership to the gym—although if that’s your thing, go for it! But whether you’re pumping iron, taking a spin class, or hiking through the woods, talk to doctor before you start an exercise program.

You definitely want to take it easy on your body if it’s recovering from physical damage caused by substance abuse, and if you’ve lived a more sedentary lifestyle recently, you may want to consider alternative physical activities—like breathing exercises, meditation, or yoga—to start.

Yoga connects your body and mind by teaching and encouraging you to use meditation to tune into yourself, focus on the present, and release worries and struggles (even if only briefly). It provides an outlet to calm your mind and find alternatives that help you think your way past temptation and identify and address triggers or cravings. If you’re a beginner, look for a class in your area. Or practice yoga and meditation in your own home with these online resources from Yoga Journal.

Walk, run, or  hike. You’ll raise your self-esteem and increase your energy because you’ll be working on your mobility and flexibility, while lowering blood pressure and improving your circulation with even just low-impact cardio. An added bonus: Recent studies have shown that spending time in nature can change (i.e., heal) your brain.

Swimming provides another great way to exercise a body that’s in extensive pain or has suffered significant damage from SUD. Water provides a buoyant, low-impact environment in which to stretch and gently exercise with less pressure on muscles and joints. Water also provides a very soothing, relaxing environment.

Gardening is low impact and easily adaptable, and it requires that you spend time in the sunshine where you’ll get plenty of vitamin D, which boosts your immune system.  Its added bonus? When you plant and incorporate fruits and/or vegetables into your meals, you’ll eat healthier.

Dance invites you to get lost in the music and the beat. It’s liberating, gets your heart pumping, and increases energy and flexibility.

Maintain a healthy routine for long-term recovery

Regardless of what exercise you choose—or whether you mix in a variety of physical activities—incorporating even just 15 to 30 minutes of daily activity has innumerable benefits.

Exercise relieves stress, lowers blood pressure, facilitates physical healing, boosts your mood and creativity, reduces your risk of chronic disease, and even mitigates brain damage—a much healthier outlet to helping you better manage your triggers, cravings, and stressors as you recover from SUD.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Help for Neuropathy, Plantar Fasciitis & Restless Legs

Bowen Therapy, LED Light Therapy, Neuropathy / By

Listen to a Facebook Live talk about what’s working to resolve peripheral neuropathy, plantar fasciitis, and restless leg syndrome. This talk will be given by Brenda Briscoe, LMT and Beeben Russell of Russell Distributions.  You may have never been exposed to this information before. Brenda has been helping people with these physical issues for a long time, using her therapies. And Beeben can reveal the science behind the new equipment that is being used for relief of these and other conditions.

Join us on Tuesday evening, May 1, at 7:00pm on my page Living Well Brenda Briscoe to get some great news and encouragement about improving these conditions or totally resolving them.

Help for Migraines & TBIs

Bowen Therapy / By

Listen to a Facebook Live talk about some current methods that work for resolving migraine headaches and traumatic brain injuries.  This talk will be given by Brenda Briscoe, LMT and Beeben Russell of Russell Distributions.  You will learn information you have likely not heard before. Brenda has been helping people with migraines for over 18 years with her therapies, and Beeben can reveal the science behind the new equipment that is being used for relief of these and other conditions.

Join us on Tuesday evening, April 10, at 7:00pm on my page Living Well Brenda Briscoe to get some great news and encouragement about improving these conditions or totally resolving them.

 

How Can Exercise and BrainTap Help You Have Your Best Year Yet?

BrainTap, Uncategorized / By

Got the Holiday Blues?  Depression . . . Stress . . . Anxiety? This can be a very difficult time of year for many of us. But exercise and BrainTap Technologies can offer you HOPE (excerpt below from braintaptechnologies.com).

For many of the millions of people suffering from depression, stress, and unhealthy lifestyles, exercise can help. In recent years, many healthcare professionals have focused efforts on discovering the possibilities of using exercise as a form of treatment for depression. Due to the increased “feel good” endorphins that exercise releases, people tend to be happier and feel more relaxed after they workout.

Some people also use exercise as a form of distraction. Being able to take your mind off of what is causing stress, for even a short amount of time, can help eliminate much of the anxiety that comes along with stress, ultimately decreasing those stress hormones and bringing your body back into balance.

Exercise is a great way to stay level and balanced during the holidays, but the problem usually lies in the lack of time people have during these times. Fortunately, there is a solution!

Braintapping for 20-minutes a day can significantly decrease your stress, help you get back to and maintain a healthy lifestyle, drop those unwanted pounds, and help to increase endorphins allowing for a less stressful, more enjoyable holiday!

With BrainTap, the Just Do It! session, located in the Vibrant Health series, can help you get back on track with exercise so that you can live a longer, happier, and healthier life, starting today! Also, check out the Exercising is Energizing session located in the series, Habits of Naturally Thin People 01 – 15 and Exercise – Your Key to Lasting Health and Vitality located in Habits of Naturally Thin People 16 – 30 to get you started on the right track.

Don’t let the holidays get you down this year. Let BrainTap help you overcome the holiday blues. Check out their website at www.braintaptechnologies.com

If you like what you learn, we offer these at Living Well Dallas for the same cost as you pay through BrainTap Technologies’ website.  BUT, we give you more FREE  PROGRAMS than you would receive from them.  They make great Christmas gifts.  See all the different programs you can choose to listen too.  There is almost 800 of them!

To purchase or inquire more, call 972-930-0260.

5 Significant Benefits of Laser Skin Surgery

Uncategorized / By

Are you aware that Laser is an acronym that represents “Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation”? Laser surgery is a medical procedure that involves the use of a laser to cut through tissue as opposed to using a conventional scalpel.

With innovations in medical technology, laser surgeries have become vital in the treatment of different diseases. Basically how it works is that a laser beam produced by a laser light source is focused to treat tissues by heating cells until they burst; simultaneously sealing capillaries, small blood vessels, nerve endings, and lymphatic.  It is not as scary as it sounds.

Laser treatments are not new in the world of medical technology. They’ve been around since the 1980s. In this article, we’ll be discussing the significant benefits of laser skin surgery. So, outlined below are five reasons why laser skin surgery is such a great idea.

  1.    Less Pain and Blood

You’ve thought of getting a skin resurfacing procedure for a good while but can’t bring yourself to go through with it because you can’t stand the thought of blood oozing freely out of your body talk more of the sheer sight of it. I’m here to let you know that laser is the way to go. Laser procedures are relatively bloodless surgeries.  This is because the laser seals small blood vessels during surgery.  Just as laser surgeries are less bloody, they also involve less painful when compared to non-laser surgical procedures. The reason for this is because the laser seals nerve endings while it cuts through the skin, so less anaesthesia is required during the surgical operation.

  1.    Reduced Risk of Infection

Recuperating after surgery can be quite tedious. Our bodies become very delicate, making it easy or infections and diseases to gain access to our bodies. Having to treat an infection shortly after a surgical operation is physically and emotionally exhausting. That’s why you should opt for a laser procedure instead. During and after a laser skin procedure, the chances of getting an infection are quite slim, because the laser sterilizes as it removes diseased tissue, killing bacteria that cause infection.

  1.     Quick Recovery

Taking time off our regular routines to take care of our bodies is great. In most cases, if you’re due for a surgical operation, your boss could give you some time off from work. And if you have your own business, you could get someone else to run it for you. However, along with the line, if recovery takes longer than you anticipated, it could dampen your spirits. This is one of the reasons why people in recovery experience mood swings or get depressed. Getting a laser surgery will save you all the trouble because healing is rapid and there is less post-operative discomfort. You should be able to return to your normal activities in no time.

  1.     No More Knives

This has to be one the best reasons for choosing a laser procedure. Since laser surgeries involve the use of light beams to cut through tissues, there is no need for a knife during the procedure. If you have a genuine dislike (or fear) of sharp objects, you know the mere thought of being pierced with a knife sends chills down your spine; you’ll want to get a laser procedure.

Also, because laser beams are used in place of knives, the homeostatic effect of the laser beam and the improved visibility of the surgical field (for the surgeon) often reduce the duration of a procedure. So you get to get off the table early.  And then laser beams can remove unhealthy tissue without affecting or eliminating nearby healthy tissue. This procedure is so much safer than a scalpel could be.

  1.    Wrinkles?

Laser skin treatments are perfect for rejuvenating and restoring your skin to its youthful, healthy state. If you’re one to smile often, wrinkles and fine lines are going to become a thing on your face eventually. But laughing is too high an expression to be forfeited due to wrinkles. It’s why getting a laser procedure is a fantastic idea. You get to keep your smile and your youth. Everyone wins!

Please note: It is advisable to consult your doctor before deciding to undergo any surgical procedure.

8 Reasons to Start Using Chaga Mushroom

Nutrition Info / By

Chaga, which has a scientific name of Inonotus obliquus, is a species of mushrooms commonly used in traditional and alternative medicine for its richness in antioxidants and other compounds that are beneficial to overall health. It’s endemic in Asia, Russia, Canada, and Siberia and is known by many names including “King of Herbs” and “Mushroom of Immortality” for its immunity-boosting properties. They typically grow on birch trees and, with their increasing popularity, they are easy to obtain. Chaga mushrooms have cemented quite a reputation in medicine as it has been clinically proven to help prevent cancer and other certain diseases. Because of this, it has become one of the best superfoods available in the market. Here are some reasons why you should consider using them:

 

 

  • They are rich in antioxidants.

 

Antioxidants prevent or delay cell damage by neutralizing free radicals, which are harmful, free-floating byproducts of the body’s natural metabolic processes. Free radicals are chemically unstable, and antioxidants counteract them by donating molecules to achieve stability. As antioxidants are instrumental in reducing cell damage, it’s important to ingest them regularly through food, and Chaga mushrooms are one of its best sources.

 

 

  • They boost immunity.

 

The immune system is the body’s fleet of internal soldiers that fight against disease-causing organisms, so it’s imperative to keep it healthy. Chaga mushrooms not only improve immunity but also slow it down when it goes into overdrive. This is because Chaga mushrooms are natural Biological Response Modifiers (BRMs), which means they can regulate the immune mechanism.

 

 

  • They combat cancer initiation.

 

Biological Response Modifiers (BRMs) are used in immunotherapy and because Chaga mushrooms are natural BRMs, they are effective in supporting standard approaches to treating cancer by compensating for the undesirable side effects. Although the role of Chaga mushrooms in cancer remains subject to further scientific research, its established immunity modulating properties prove to be helpful in the battle against cancer.

 

 

  • They are antimicrobial.

 

The human body can only house and tolerate so much bacteria, and going over the bacterial threshold may ultimately cause certain illnesses. Chaga mushrooms increase the body’s capability of fighting off harmful microorganisms. In fact, one study revealed that the biological activity and chemical characterization of Chaga extracts show high antimicrobial activity.

 

 

  • They soothe ulcers.

 

Because Chaga mushrooms contain a substantial concentration of antioxidants and antimicrobials, they can soothe and even fully heal both external and internal ulcers. As a matter of fact, a study in 1951 that treated 50 psoriasis patients with extracts from Chaga mushroom yielded 76% completely cured subjects, 16% improved, and 8% unaffected. No harm from Chaga mushroom was documented among the treated patients.

 

 

  • They normalize blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

 

Elevated blood sugar and cholesterol levels may lead to more serious cardiovascular diseases like hypertension, coronary artery disease, and stroke. Chaga mushrooms contain Beta-D-Glucans that help keep blood glucose and cholesterol levels within normal limits. Beta-D-Glucans also give Chaga mushrooms the ability to modulate immunity. Chaga mushrooms also contain betulin and betulinic acid that can control cholesterol levels and have been found to possess antiretroviral and anti-inflammatory properties.

 

 

  • They help in stress and anxiety management.

 

Chaga mushrooms provide an inexpensive way to manage stress and anxiety. This is because chaga is regarded as a natural adaptogen, which is an herbal component that regulates the adrenals. The adaptogen in Chaga mushrooms manage stress and anxiety through hormonal control and balance, allowing the body to adapt to psychological and emotional strain.

 

 

  • They improve endurance.

 

Certain studies revealed that Chaga mushrooms increase energy stores in the liver and muscles, which enhances endurance in animals. This is because Chaga mushrooms contain complex sugars called polysaccharides that can reduce blood lactate, a chemical byproduct of muscular exertion that accumulates in the muscles causing fatigue. Chaga mushrooms have also been found to reduce urea in the blood, which also contributes to fatigue.

 

Chaga mushrooms are called “Mushrooms of Immortality” for a variety of medically proven reasons. It’s a quadruple-threat fungus that help the body delay breakdown, augment resistance, enhance adaptability, and improve endurance. Because of its richness in beneficial compounds like antioxidants, Beta-D-Glucans, and adaptogens, Chaga mushrooms are starting to become the next biggest superfood to take over the world and make it a healthier place.

Fascia Contracts

Bowen Therapy, Uncategorized / By

How does this happen? It’s because of the myofibroblasts, specialized fibroblast cells (they synthesize the myofibroblastsconnective tissue matrix). Studies of myofibroblasts in mechanobiology prove that they are significant to wound healing/tissue injury and fibrosis. “Myo” means muscle, thus their contractability.

They have an important role in wound healing (a really good thing). But they are also responsible for fibrosis (not such a good thing).

The thing that is important for us in understanding therapeutically what they are and what they do, is to note the fibrotic, rigid tissue, which does NOT need more stimulation. Fibrotic, rigid and often inflamed tissue is already contracting and overactive!

Fibrotic tissue (low back pain sufferers being a good example) with either overactive myofibroblasts or high density of myofibroblasts really requires less aggressive stimulation; it requires regulation achieved through intermittent soft tissue ‘stretch/stress’, at just the right dose. This has now been proved scientifically. 
Well, Bowen Therapy seems to give just the right dose.

Bowen Therapy for Fluid Flow

Bowen Therapy / By

Did you know that our bodies are more than 70% water? That being the case, fluid flow in our tissues is very important.  Moving the water in our tissues and doing it slowly leads to healthy hydrated fascia.

Stimulating the receptors and breaking adhesions has been thought to be the top priority in body work, but now researchers are finding that fluid dynamics are just as important, if not more. Moving the body’s fluid results in more lubricated tissues and, essentially, more mobility and ease.

Cells called fibroblasts are crucial players in this process.  A fibroblast is a type of cell responsible for making the Fibroblast-cellsextracellular matrix and collagen. Together, these form the structural framework of tissues in animals and play an important role in tissue repair. Fibroblasts are the main connective tissue cells present in the body.

Fibroblasts really like slow movement, as confirmed by clinical studies.  They respond positively, changing tissue structure. So, the slow speed of manipulation, which happens in a Bowen Therapy session, is extremely therapeutic. With Bowenwork, the intent is to push the water around, as the fibroblasts like it, so that the nutrients are distributed around the tissues, and the tensional forces are balanced.

Bowen Therapy’s slow and gentle manipulations cause the fluid in your cells to flow better and your fascia to be rehydrated, bringing quick, profound, and longer lasting resolution to pain and mobility issues than some other techniques that are deep and more invasive.

For a Bowen Therapy treatment with Brenda Briscoe, call 972-930-0260.

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