Long known as the nerve that helps keep the parasympathetic nervous system functioning, it helps us coordinate digestion, rest, as well as function sexually. It starts in the brain stem and works its way into the inner ear, along the throat, around our heart and branches further into our digestive organs. There it helps coordinate the juices we need to break down our food as well as the blood vessels to absorb it,
I remember learning of a very famous osteopath in the United Kingdom, who wouldn’t treat obese patients unless they lost weight. Turning people away on their waistline is not how I run my practice, however, I do think it is important to get clear information out on how we can keep weight under control. There is no hiding that the more weight we’re carrying around the harder it is on our joints.
Acid reflux, bloating, troubles digesting fatty foods,blood sugar response, diarrhea, poorly formed stools, or constipation. Certainly the foods we eat compound these problems, but what about the way we move our bodies?
Compressions, tensions, torsions. The common thread winding through body misalignment is a decrease in space in the body. As mentioned last month,
Strain can have a large effect on our heart rate and blood pressure. It can be physical, caused by a fall or accident. It can be psychological, from a stressful childhood, your work environment, or a loss of someone you love. It can also be spiritual, by staying in a job or relationship you dislike instead of finding a way to do more of what you love to do with people who bring positive energy.
Preventative, Curative and Palliative
Preventative: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”
A younger body can bounce back up after a serious fall almost instantly, however, even an older, well aligned body is able to handle any physical strains much better than one out of alignment.
We wouldn’t expect our cars to last even 10 years without ever taking it to the garage. Fortunately our bodies have the ability to heal and adapt, but even so, a structural tune up is required every once in a while. Beyond this we can find help in the way we move each day. Before starting a new exercise routine,
People come into my office for a variety of reasons, but joint pain is definitely top of the list (Ok so maybe Osteopathy has something to do with bones). But the question we must always ask is why? Did it come from trauma? Was it repetitive strain from holding a posture too long, or doing too much of an exercise/activity?
There’s no question how important it is for us to be able to regulate our emotions. Holding on to fear, worry, shame, and other negative emotions is not only hard on the mind, but hard on our digestion. Be aware of how you eat; watching the news, eating while driving, or seeing something on social media that irks you or makes you feel as though your life is lacking (unfortunately it’s designed for this) only works to activate your sympathetic nervous system.
Every cell in the body is connected to the rest by blood and by nerves. A cell receives nutrition, puts out its waste, and sends out signals for what it needs through arteries, veins and capillaries. For more urgent matters, like having stepped on a nail, it uses the nerves so that the rest of the body can react quickly through muscles to minimize the damage.
Imagine a car with its wheels in alignment:
Now what happens when the car hits a pothole/speedbump,