Bowenwork

Bowen Therapy for Fluid Flow

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.

The Movie Concussion

Brenda at LWD
Brenda Briscoe, Bowen Therapy Practitioner

I just saw the preview last night of an upcoming movie called Concussion, to be released in theaters in December.  Concussion focuses on the incredible true story of Bennet Omalu, played by Will Smith, a forensic pathologist who discovered a brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in a dead football star named Mike Webster.  Already, before its release, the movie is very controversial (read more here.)

Be sure to see this movie (watch trailer here), as it reveals the truth about the dangers of repeated concussions, especially as it relates to football.  THEN, when you watch it, think about the Bowen Technique and LED Light Therapy, because these are two extremely effective treatments for CONCUSSION .  Clients who have seen me for treatment soon after their concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI) have quickly realized very positive results.  Research has shown that LED Light Therapy works even when the TBI occurred years prior to treatment.

For treatment, call Living Well Dallas at 972-930-0260 to schedule an appointment.

How Does Bowen Therapy Reduce Stress & Anxiety?

The holidays can bring on more than a normal amount of stress, with family gatherings, work functions, crowded Brenda's pic in Jenny's officeshopping malls, meeting end-of-year goals, and the like.   How do YOU combat the effects of stress during what should be the most joyous season of the year?  There are many ways to get grounded and bring back a sense of normalcy and relaxation to your life.

One of those ways is through a fairly new (to the U.S.) bodywork modality called Bowen Technique.  If you have never had a session, or even heard of this remarkable technique, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

Bowenwork is done on a massage table, but it is not massage.  It removes blockages in meridians, or energy points, and improves the flow of chi, but it is not acupuncture.  Bowen therapy brings a slight irritation to the immune and nervous system, so that it stimulates those systems to initiate healing, but it is not homeopathy (although some people refer to Bowenwork as tactile homeopathy).  This modality improves the flow of lymphatic fluid, but it is not lymphatic drainage. 

So then what IS Bowen Therapy?  Technically, it is an osteopathic type of technique which is performed by varied therapists and practitioners, including massage therapists, chiropractors, physio therapists, physical therapists, nurses, energy workers, and more.  It involves gentle, rolling movements on the client’s skin (bare or clothed).  These moves communicate directly with the autonomic nervous system, giving subtle messages like, “Hey, remember when you used to be normal, healthy, and balanced?  Wouldn’t you like to be that way again?”  It sets the body up for deep, core healing at the cellular level.

Basically, these Bowen moves stimulate the proprioceptors in the muscles and tendons to respond in a new way to brand new neurological signals being sent to the brain and nervous system.  A body that has been injured or simply has imbalances, can get into a pain/spasm/pain cycle.  Bowen Therapy is perfect for breaking that cycle and down-regulating the autonomic nervous system.  In other words, it takes you from a fight or flight stage into a rest and relaxation response. 

Once you are in this alpha state, your body can respond more readily to the subtle signals so brilliantly delivered through Bowenwork.  In this state, migraines disappear, ankle sprains resolve, carpal tunnel symptoms are relieved, back pain is removed, and stress and anxiety are reduced.

One of the most common responses from Bowen therapy clients is that during the session they feel more relaxed than ever, and once the session is over, they feel rejuvenated.

LED Light Therapy for Concussion

Anodyne Professional modelConcussions are very prevalent these days  with so many children, as well as teens, engaging in full contact sports. The medical community offers very little in the form of treatment.  They tell the parents to go home and watch their child and look for changes in mood, behavior, headaches, nausea, dizziness, neck pain, interruption of sleep cycles, and cognitive functioning (memory, concentration, etc.). 

What if there were treatment outside of traditional medicine? Would it be worth it to go ahead and be proactive so that your child does not have to go through all these difficult symptoms and get behind in their school work and school attendance?

Have you ever heard of LED Light Therapy, also known as low level light therapy (LLLT)? Sometimes referred to as photobiomodulation, phototherapy, or photon therapy, LED stands for light emitting diodes. These are not your typical Christmas tree LED lights.  They are superluminous therapeutic diodes, which are embedded in pads for placing on the skin.  The most therapeutic LEDs are the red (about 630 nanometers) and near infrared diodes (890 nm). There are plenty of current clinical trial studies documenting the positive benefits of LED light therapy for symptoms of concussion and other traumatic brain injuries.

The good news is that the FDA has actually cleared LED light therapy for:

  • reducing pain, swelling, and inflammation
  • increasing lymphatic and blood circulation

There are two major physiological events that happen during a light session.  The LEDs stimulate the release of:  

  • Nitric oxide in the blood (dilates the blood vessels so more oxygen and nutrients are delivered to the cells)
  • Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the mitrochondria of the cells (for better cellular repair and cleanup)

You can find LED light therapy in some physical therapy clinics but more often in the offices of chiropractors and sometimes massage therapists.  As a Bowen Therapy practitioner, I use the Anodyne Therapy LED light system, which most of the current studies used in their clinical trials.  I include LED phototherapy in almost all of my sessions to enhance the benefits of the Bowenwork.  It has worked effectively for concussions, as well as other head injuries and headaches.

To pursue the possibility of using this forward thinking and effective treatment for you or your child, call 972-930-0260 to make an appointment with Brenda Briscoe at Living Well Health & Wellness or to ask more about the treatment.

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