"Balancing Act!" Given our education and social conditioning, it is not something that we have ever had to think about..........
We have not considered whether our energy needs balancing when we are feeling down or a bit unwell. Instead we are told to take a tablet, have a day off work, or pull ourselves together!
We all need to get back that feeling of being in control of our health and feeling good about ourselves and our lives.
Getting back in balance starts with a healthy flow of energy. Energy which is stuck, blocked, negative or badly-flowing is unbalanced and can make us feel tired, lethargic, irritable, depressed, stressed, unenthusiastic, unmotivated, unable to concentrate or remember things .
Our self-esteem and confidence may begin to suffer too, with small persistent health problems; which may appear. There may be a general feeling of disharmony, and relationships may begin to suffer. All of which has a knock-on effect and, very soon, other things may start going wrong for us, so we begin to feel worse and then things around us begin to get worse.
At some point we are forced to stop and think about why all this has happened to us. It is possible that it all started with being out of balance!?
Making yourself feel better is easy when you know how........, and then things don't look so bad. After a while, little things begin to improve, then big things, and then one day you wake up feeling brilliant. Even though some of your life's challenges are still there, with your newly balanced energy, they suddenly don't seem so difficult, in fact some of them don't even exist any more.
Getting back in balance brings with it improved health and well-being, energy, enthusiasm, motivation, self-esteem, confidence and many other positive qualities. It regenerates and rejuvenates every part of your body, mind and life and makes you 'come alive'.
What to do next........You could eat and drink healthily, breathe in fresh air, move your body, challenge your mind. But when you are at an all-time low, this is not easy. Something needs to inspire you to get moving. Perhaps you could change your attitude, stop being negative and get some positive thinking going. But how can you do this without help? You can turn to a doctor or therapist, go to the hairdresser or down tools and have a cup of tea. Everybody has there own coping strategy! It s about finding what works best for you.
Have you tried Complementary Therapies yet?
It is very difficult to find the time to find ‘balance and harmony of the mind and body’. Complementary Therapies can help release tension and stress and enable you to boost your immune system whilst improving your energy levels and general well-being.
Aromatherapy Massage and Indian Head Massage incorporates the use of “trigger points” or localised areas of tenderness and tightness in our neck, shoulders, and upper back that serve as red flags or reminders that we are entering into a cycle of muscle tension due to stress. Almost everyone has specific, localised areas that seem to flare up in these areas when they are tired, overworked, or experiencing negative emotions.
Reflexology is a massage and pressure therapy applied to the feet or hands, it treats the whole person and not just the symptoms helping the body return to its natural state of ‘homeostasis’. Reflexology can improve energy levels and promote a feeling of well-being. It is also believed to encourage the release of endorphins, the body's natural feel-good hormones, well documented in their ability to relieve stress.
Why not give it a try...............? You never know, it just might be the answer!
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Lupus & Reflexology
Lupus is an auto-immune disease that affects thousands and millions of people. It's predominantly a younger woman's disease - it strikes about nine times more women than men, and about 80 percent of these women are between the ages of 15 and 45. However, it can develop in anyone, at any age.
In lupus and other auto-immune conditions, the immune system goes into overdrive. It starts attacking some of the person's own tissues in the same way it would fight an infection. Unfortunately, there's no cure for lupus, but the right combination of medications may control your immune system.
Lupus appears in different ways in different people, so it can be difficult to recognise. Most commonly, a person with lupus will show various symptoms, often a combination of rashes, fatigue, painful or swollen joints, low-grade fever, loss of appetite, and weight gain or loss.
If your primary care doctor thinks you may have lupus, you'll probably get a referral to a rheumatologist/specialist. The treatment plan will depend on how severe your symptoms are, and which organs are affected.
As is true for other auto-immune diseases, there isn't an easy quick fix treatment. Your doctor may prescribe one or some combination of the following:
• Anti-inflammatories. These drugs lower fever, ease headache, reduce joint and muscle pain, and relieve inflammation. Anti-inflammatories include common over-the-counter drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen.
• Anti-malarials. Drugs used to treat malaria, act as mild stimulants, reduce inflammation, block ultraviolet light so it doesn't damage skin, lower bloodstream cholesterol, and change the acidity in cells.
• Steroids. These drugs are commonly used when symptoms don't respond to anti-malarials, or when the lupus is the organ-threatening type. Your body naturally produces these hormones, but in high doses they interfere with the inflammation and joint pain triggered by an overactive immune system. Steroid ointments such as hydrocortisone are useful for treating skin rashes.
• Chemotherapy drugs (immuno-suppressives). This class of drugs is used to treat serious cases of lupus in which major organs are affected. They're also useful in cases of severe muscle inflammation or stubborn arthritis.
Complementary Therapies- There are no proven alternative ways to treat lupus, although many complementary therapies can give your immunity a boost and lower your stress level. Mind-body techniques such as yoga and meditation may help you relax and feel more positive.
Reflexology is a non-invasive treatment suitable for all ages, reflexology is a safe and natural way to relax tension and help balance the whole body. Despite its soft touch Reflexology can induce profound levels of healing and is effective at addressing a wide range of conditions.
Reflexology is a specific pressure technique administered with fingertips, which works on precise reflex points on the feet. These reflex points correspond to every part of the body so stimulating these reflexes properly can help many health problems in a natural way, a type of preventative maintenance. Reflexology is a serious advancement in the health field.
Reflexology releases blocked energy and toxins, stimulates the circulatory system, relieves stress and tension and improves nerve function. It strengthens the immune system and restores and maintains a healthy balance in mind and body.
For those of you who suffer joint and muscle pain and fatigue with lupus, reflexology can help to reduce the pain a little and aid mobility within the joints, gently boosting energy levels giving a feeling of well-being.
If your medications aren't controlling all of your signs and symptoms or if you're frustrated by lupus flares, you might turn to complementary and alternative medicine for solutions.
If you're interested in trying complementary and alternative medicine therapies, discuss these treatments with your doctor first. He or she can help you weigh the benefits and risks and tell you if the treatments will interfere with your current lupus medications.
Alternatively book an appointment at
Connect Physical Health Centre on
0161 434 6664
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Complementary Therapies and Fertility Treatments
There are more natural ways to help boost a couple's fertility to help them conceive.
Complementary therapies have become a popular choice for treating a broad range of ailments, as well as improving general health and wellbeing. But many people are unaware of the significant role they can play in improving fertility.
Here at Conncet Physical Health Centre, as well as tackling fertility problems,Complemenatry/Alternative Therapy Treatments can be used before,during and after pregnancy to reduce such ailments like, morning sickness, muscular tension and labour. These Therapies can also help both men and women who have problems associated with pregnancy, including infertility.
Reflexology is increasingly being used to help couples to conceive, and studies are taking place which show just how effective it can be. This is more of an issue these days, as women are deciding to postpone having a family until the mid-thirties or even later, when fertility levels have decreased significantly.
There are things you can do to help the process along. Reflexology is one option and invaluable in this area.
Reflexology is an excellent therapy for helping to balance the hormones involved and to cope with the emotional ups and downs of the process; it helps to optimise your health potential at this very important time. Hormones play a key role in fertility and pregnancy and can be affected by stress.
In a Reflexology treatment; pressure is applied to precise points on the feet which correspond to the different organs and parts of the body. Reflexology can detect imbalances in the body and bring them back into balance. By keeping your body in prime condition you can reduce the possibility of fertility issues. Reflexology brings you back into a balanced, healthy status quo, reducing stress through relaxation.
Complementary therapies; also focuses on nutrition, basic exercise and relaxation techniques to enhance couples fertility naturally. We find this combination works to give our patients an understanding of the fertility process on an emotional and physiological basis.
It can work alongside conventional medicine or other complementary therapies to help the body functions work more effectively.Fatigue and sleep disturbance is relieved through our other assosciated Complementary Therapies including Aromatherapy Massage. And it goes without saying that the whole session brings relaxation and a sense of well-being.
Give yourself Peace of Mind and book a treatment today!
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Complementary &Integrative Therapies
Sometimes referred to as Manual Therapy Techniques are used within our Manchester Central Clinic. Although techniques may differ, most forms of manual therapy practiced are aimed at restoring balance and optimal functioning of the neuromuscular system.
Thesetherapies can help you become more aware of your body and help you learn strategies to support healing. As you and your therapy work together to understand your symptoms, you may begin to experience a reduction of your pain problem, or greater freedom from the limitations that have led you to seek treatment.
Therelatively new science of mind/body medicine tells us that there is an intricate relationship between our thoughts and emotions and our physical bodies.
Research reveals that mental/emotional information is communicated within the body via the release of neuro-chemicals. Cells in the body have receptor sites for these neuro-chemicals, thus allowing many systems of the body to "listen in" on our inner conversations. These thoughts and experiences may become "imprinted" into our muscle system, the largest organ system in the body.
Most of us have gone through stressful periods in our life, perhaps noticing too that our bodies have become tense and our muscles tight. Complementary Therapies are an excellent way of influencing the mind/body connection to promote relaxation and support the healing process.
Complementary Therapies suchas Aromatherapy, Reflexology and Indian Head Massage are used within the Clinic to promote overall well being for the Mental, Emotional and Physical stresses. However, the following Manual Techniques are also used.
Rehabilitation Massageoften uses a technique called soft tissue mobilisation to loosen restricted areas. The body can also develop very sensitive and tender points or trigger points, which can originate from or be made worse by physical overload or emotional stress. Pressure points may be used to help ease the pain associated with these sensitive areas. For problems lying deeper in the joint structures, gentle joint mobilisation may be applied. It is important to remember, however, that most forms of bodywork are not intended to just treat the symptoms but to help address the underlying causes of our discomfort. Sometimes pain in one area may be initiated by a problem in another area or it may represent disharmony in the system as a whole.
To gain a more global perspective on your condition, I will ask questions about your activities and life style, and observe your body movements and posture.
Trigger Point Therapy is a technique whereby pressure is directly applied for a short period of time until the pain lessens. Knots arise from painful, irritated areas in muscles caused by accidents/injuries, everyday stress and tension; where lactic acid builds up causing decreased circulation, inflammation and pain. The pressure helps break up muscle fibres and releases toxins that have built up. Trigger Point Therapy has immediate pain relief.
Most forms of Compression Techniques and Postural Balancing are used at the centre of the Therapy sessions, this involves a light pressure application of the therapist fingers or hand on the muscle. As your muscle sensory receptors detect the pressure, they send signals to the central nervous system which in turn sends a message to reduce the tension in the muscle. As the tension releases, the muscle softens and the hand sinks deeper, finding the next layer of tension.
Exercise improves the overall functioning of the body and quality of life. Exercise therapy may decrease stress, pain, fatigue and depression. Staying active keeps joints, tendons and ligaments flexible, allowing you to move more easily and avoid injury. Regular work outs contribute to your mental well-being.Working out is a great way to help relieve stress and anxiety therefore, increases more energy and endurance for every day life.
Whilst every intention has been made to make this article accurate and informative it is intended for general information only. The information given in this article is not intended as a substitute for the advice of your doctor or a qualified medical practitioner. If you have any concerns regarding your health you should seek the advice of your doctor immediately.
To book a Complementary Therapy treatment; call Connect Physical Health Centre on 0161 434 6664
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