Feeling Like a Kid

My daughter is losing her first teeth and a few days ago I listened as her father gave her the little talk about how her baby teeth were a trial set so that she could learn how to take care of her teeth and now she would have to take very good care of her permanent teeth because she would not be getting any more.  I think young bodies are somewhat analogous to baby teeth.  You had a trial body in your youth to practice on and now you have your permanent body to take good care of.  As we live through our fourth or fifth decades, we begin to notice that our bodies do not have the same resilience they once did.  Low quality food gives us indigestion; we just aren’t able to function very well on little sleep; it takes us longer to recover from exertion.  Many of us feel frustration or anger as our bodies seem to betray us or depression and despondency as we resign ourselves to never having the vigor of our youth.

 

The truth is that eating low quality food, not getting enough sleep, and exertion without rest and rejuvenation were never fine for your body, even in your twenties.  You still felt cranky when you didn’t eat right, and exhausted after an all-nighter.  Spend a little time with some college students on a Monday morning and see if you revise your memory of youthful resilience.  The difference is that a young person will forget how bad she or he felt by the time Friday rolls around again.  The older person will remember and be unwilling to repeat the Monday morning experience so soon.  Now as an older person, you have lost the tolerance for feeling bad.  You have the wisdom and experience to know that you prefer feeling good and that you can make choices that will lead you in that direction. This wisdom is a valuable gift, because now without youthful amnesia and resiliency protecting you from your mistakes, you must listen to your body and give it what it needs to feel good.

 

Most of us know that children need limits in order to maintain balance and health.  If a child stayed up until 2am and then was sullen and lethargic the next day, we would say, “Oh, you are feeling bad because you didn’t get enough sleep.”  If a child ate a bunch of sugar and then threw a temper tantrum we would say, “Too much sugar makes you feel bad.”  If a child has been indoors and still all day, we say, “Of course you don’t’ feel good, you need some fresh air and exercise.” We generally know that children shouldn’t have too much caffeine or drink alcohol.  And, they have the young resilient bodies!!  Why do we expect our bodies to behave differently in such circumstances?

 

Of course there are differences between young and older bodies.  Of course, your body changes as you get older.  Your insulin uptake system becomes more sluggish.  When you eat carbohydrates, particularly simple carbohydrates, your pancreas releases insulin into your bloodstream to drive that sugar out of your blood into fat stores.  A young body is able to clean the insulin out of the blood much faster than an older body.  An older person’s insulin is still driving blood sugar into fat for a longer time.  This means that carbohydrates turn into fat more readily in an older person.  So, it is true that a young person can eat more sugar without getting as fat.  A young person can have a diet higher in carbohydrates and burn them off as energy easier than an older person.  An older person needs to eat more complex carbohydrates and more protein and fats combined with carbohydrates to feel good.  But, so does a young person.  As we all know, a donut and a coke doesn’t help a person of any age feel good for very long.  And, no exercise and lots of junk food will make any person fat and unhealthy, regardless of age.

 

Your musculature and connective tissue also change over time.  Truth is, you have less human growth hormone and slower thyroid function as you age.  While a young person can exercise sporadically and overdo it with less soreness and faster recovery, an older person has to exercise regularly and wisely to keep limber and fit.  An older person has to pay more attention to getting enough sleep, keeping well hydrated, stretching regularly and dealing with injuries.  An older person generally has more scar tissue and fascial adhesion (see the article about fascia in the Basics section) than a young person, because he or she has had more injuries and more chronic stress.  Skilled fascial release and Neurosomatic therapy will rejuvenate these stressed tissues and relieve the pain that makes being active uncomfortable.  A regular stretching routine – like B3Dbody – will keep your joints and muscles balanced and flexible.

 

If you want to feel like a kid again, you have to take care of your body like we tell kids to take care of their bodies.  Get enough sleep.  You have less growth hormone, so you need to get your full measure of it.  Growth hormone is only secreted when you are deeply asleep. Eat a balanced, nutritious diet with few simple carbohydrates.  Exercise sensibly and regularly.  Drink plenty of WATER (not tea or coffee or soda or juice.)  Drink only small amounts of alcohol or caffeine. (I will elaborate on these topics in subsequent posts.)  

 

Your permanent body still has all the essential ingredients to feel wonderful and keep you very happy, but it takes some effort to keep it that way.  And, thankfully, unlike tooth decay, some unhealthy choices along the way are not irreversible.  If you start treating your permanent body right, it will heal and grow and be healthy.  In your twenties, you got an extra spurt of resilience so that you could make some mistakes and gain some wisdom and experience.  Now you can use that wisdom and experience to keep yourself healthy into your seventh, eighth and ninth decades.

Primate Bliss

Primate Bliss is a state of being.  It is the feeling of deep contentment and sense of self worth felt in the welcome physical contact of another being.  The body relaxes or “melts” into the touch and the person feels infused with a vital nutrient.  Nourishment is not taken or given, but created and enjoyed.  Bliss is in the present time and exists between those touching, but the individual is nourished by it continually.

 

Primate Bliss is not sex, though it may be combined with sex.  It is not found in massage or exercise or sleep or meditation.  We have all experienced Primate Bliss and most of us have not experienced it enough.  Many of us feel sad, unworthy and unloved or unloveable because we didn’t get enough as children.  Deep within our primordial psyches, we know that Primate Bliss is our birthright and if we don’t get it, we feel less than whole.  Part of my personal mission as a Warrior Fabulous is to make sure that I and my loved ones get enough Bliss.  Part of my professional mission is to support everyone else in getting theirs.

 

Why don’t we get enough Bliss?  Part of the answer is that our society doesn’t value it as a necessary nutrient.  (Though I decline to engage in wild conspiratorial rants — at least in this post — perhaps the commercial and political interests of our world do not place value on self-secure, happy individuals.  They would buy less and be less easy to manipulate.)   Part of the answer is that we as individuals do not take advantage of our opportunities for bliss as they arise.  We prioritize other activities over enjoying our bliss.  We give a quick perfunctory hug instead of enjoying a few seconds of present-ness as we touch someone we like.  We walk pulling a child along by the hand instead of enjoying the flow of Bliss as we walk along together.  Or we embrace a loved one, but meanwhile think about the next thing to do instead of being present and soaking up the nourishment to be found there.  Are we really in that much of a hurry?  If we could find those few seconds to be present in our  touch, it would be well worth the effort.

 

Sometimes injuries to the spirit get in the way of enjoying Bliss. Our grief or lack of confidence or sense of unworthiness gets in the way.  As a young adult I had a great load of grief.  I was so sad and felt so unworthy that I found it difficult to accept a hug.  I was sad one day and feeling tearful when a friend offered me a hug.  I accepted and started to push away after a few seconds when this friend held on to me even harder and refused to let go.  I could have easily freed myself, of course, but I didn’t really want to.  That simple pressure spoke so much to me.  I was valued; I was cared for; I was present; I was safe; I was not alone.   He held me for several minutes, patiently, with no agenda other than to be with me and give me comfort.  My initial reaction was one of almost panic, but then something melted in me and began to heal.  I was so starved for the nutrient of present touch that I didn’t take advantage of the friendship and comfort that was available to me.  It took this courageous friend to help me realize its importance.  Twenty years later as I write this the memory still brings tears of gratitude to my eyes.

 

In my present life, I consciously choose to share Bliss with each of my family members every day we are together.  I make time to hold and enjoy my children and husband and to be fully present in that touch.  It may be a busy day and we only share Bliss for a minute or two, but it happens.

 

So warriors, do you get enough present, nurturing, Blissful touch?  If not, it is time to start doing something about it.  Please post comments about your endeavors.        

Swedish vs. Deep Tissue Massage

The primary focus of Swedish massage is to increase circulation and promote general relaxation.  Swedish massage addresses the entire body (excluding, of course, the genitals and breasts).  An area of the body is lightly stroked to calm and warm the tissues as oil or lotion is applied.  The muscles are kneaded and stretched with a lifting/kneading stroke and then smoothed, lengthened, and drained of excess fluid with long, firm strokes.  Vibration or percussion may also be used to stimulate or release muscles. The limbs may be moved or shaken.  The process is repeated on each area of the body for an overall calming and rejuvenating effect. 

 

The health benefits of regular full-body Swedish massage are enormous.  Increased circulation, lowered blood pressure, improved immune function and reversal of the effects of stress are the benefits of Swedish massage.  People who receive regular full-body Swedish massage find that they feel healthier, more energetic, less stressed, and are less susceptible to illness.  

 

The primary focus of Deep Tissue massage is to address specific tight muscles and to correct postural distortion caused by these tight muscles.  While many believe that Deep Tissue massage simply means heavy pressure, this is a misconception.  A practitioner may use very deep pressure without really addressing muscle tension patterns.  Conversely, a skilled practitioner may sometimes use a fairly light pressure in a precise manner to facilitate deep muscle release.  The primary stroke of Deep Tissue massage is a sustained linear stroke along the fiber direction of a specific muscle.  This stroke activates the stretch receptors of the muscle, giving it a signal to release. A Deep Tissue massage may also use static pressure in one spot to release muscles.  When skillfully applied to a group of muscles, Deep Tissue massage can “teach” the body to overcome dysfunctional muscle patterns and to adopt a more balanced and healthier posture.

 

Deep Tissue massage also has wonderful health benefits.  The release of habitually tight muscles relieves chronic pain and speeds the healing of  injuries.  Balanced posture improves organ function and athletic performance as well as addressing chronic pain.  Relieving the stress and energy drain of chronically tight muscles improves general health as well.  

 

Although different in focus, Swedish and Deep Tissue massage compliment each other extremely well.  Most practitioners use a combination of the two to promote general well-being and help their clients overcome dysfunctional muscle patterns.  In deciding what kind of massage to ask for, consider your goals in receiving massage.  Are you looking for health and wellness massage?  Do you have a specific complaint or painful area to address?  Or do you want a full-body wellness massage with a deeper pressure?  Let your massage practitioner know your needs and goals to ensure that you get the kind of work you want.  And, enjoy your massage!!

Massage and Pain

Lack of oxygen and spasm are the primary causes of muscle pain.  Initially, pain may be caused by an injury.  If the injury is minor, the sensation of pain will quickly diminish.  In any significant injury, however, once the sensation of pain is “turned on” it begins a cycle of reaction and counter-reaction called the pain-spasm cycle.  Muscles tense at the sensation of pain, squeezing blood vessels and reducing the oxygen supply to the muscle; thus causing more pain. Pain causes spasm; spasm causes pain.  The cycle is self-perpetuating and can continue far after the original stimulus (the injury) has ceased.  The initial pain caused by injury turns into pain caused and perpetuated by lack of oxygen.

 

Chronic muscle pain from stress or overuse is also related to the pain-spasm cycle.  Rather than an injury causing the initial spasm, anxiety or postural imbalance will cause muscles to maintain an unhealthy tension.  Again, the too-tight muscle inhibits blood flow and oxygen, the muscle feels painful, and the pain-spasm cycle begins.

 

Massage is particularly effective in ending the pain-spasm cycle.  The sensations of touch, pressure and vibration interfere with the body’s sensation of pain.  Direct pressure or vibration interrupts the pain-spasm cycle, giving the body a chance to “turn off” the pain sensation.  Then, kneading strokes increase circulation to relieve the root cause of the pain stimulus – lack of oxygen.  Slow, smooth strokes normalize muscle tone to keep the muscles from more spasm.  If an injury is still acute, draining strokes decrease swelling.  Deep tissue massage relieves spasm in the surrounding muscles, helping to prevent the pain-spasm cycle from beginning again.  If the spasm is caused by stress, the soothing strokes of massage help the nervous system return to a relaxed state, ending the spasm impetus.

 

Taking medication is not an effective solution to chronic muscle pain.  Pain relievers or muscle relaxers will interrupt the pain sensation temporarily.  Meanwhile, feeling no pain, the person is likely to overstress or re-injure the painful area.  Usually the pain returns more strongly when the medication wears off.  Massage reduces muscle spasm and increases circulation, to relieve the root cause of muscle pain.  Though one massage may not fully cure a painful condition or injury, more circulation and oxygen will decrease the intensity of the pain. Each subsequent massage reduces pain further.  Regular massage “teaches” the muscles to maintain a balanced and healthy tone and keeps muscles well oxygenated, preventing muscle pain.  While medication may relieve pain, massage actually promotes muscle health.  Healthy muscles heal from injury faster.  Healthy muscles resist the detriments of stress.  Massage keeps muscles healthy and pain-free.

Fascia and Fascial Release Massage

Fascia is connective tissue, made of thin sheets of collagen, which wraps each muscle fiber, each group of fibers, each muscle, each group of muscles, and each limb.  Layers of fascia go from very superficial (directly under the skin) to very deep (inside joint capsules). Regular movement and good hydration keep fascia healthy.  When fascia is working correctly, it provides a flexible structural support to your organs and muscles.

When muscles are tight and circulation is sluggish, fascia becomes dehydrated and sticky.  The layers may stick together or fascia may stick to muscles or skin.  While the body heals from injury, fascia may become attached to scar tissue as it forms.  These “stuck places” are commonly called fascial adhesions, or simply adhesions.  Because they are frequently painful to stretch, these adhesions limit free movement and reinforce dysfunctional muscle patterns.  A person may feel a burning or tearing sensation as these adhesions are stretched.  If the adhesions are close to the skin, there may be a feeling of tension around the muscles or armoring of the whole limb.  A large area may feel too tender to touch.  This painful, restricted feeling discourages a person from using the full range of his or her muscles and thus these adhesions limit movement. As movement decreases, fascial adhesions become more solidified and muscle patterns become more entrenched.  Although one may receive thorough massage on the muscles, it may feel like there is something that isn’t being addressed.

Myo-fascial release is massage developed to address the problems associated with fascial adhesions. Myo-fascial massage is usually done without oil, so that the individual layers of fascia can be felt by the therapist.  Although there is a common perception that fascial massage is painful, there are many forms of fascial massage.  Some are very light to work on the superficial layers.  Others use movement to release adhesions in the joints and deep muscles.  Still others release fascial layers between muscles.  Though the breaking up of fascial adhesions can feel like a burning or tearing sensation, most fascial massage is not painful or uncomfortable. A skilled practitioner releases fascial adhesions gently and without pain.  People who receive fascial massage usually experience a sense of profound relaxation as long standing patterns of posture and movement open up to freer movement.  Many also feel a sense of emotional openness as these patterns release.

When combined with specific muscle work, fascial massage promotes more rapid progress toward postural balance and injury recovery.  Fascial massage addresses chronic pain patterns as well.  Releasing fascial adhesions relieves pain patterns that other modalities may miss.  Including fascial work in one’s massage regimen promotes an added sense of ease and freedom of movement to the other numerous benefits of regular massage.  If you are experiencing chronic movement limitations, stubborn pain patterns or areas of extreme tenderness, myo-fascial massage will release these restrictions and make your movement freer and easier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Massage and Circulation

For the healthy person, Swedish massage provides wonderful help to both blood and lymph circulation.  Massage relaxes tight muscles that constrict blood and lymph vessels, allowing these fluids to flow normally.  Kneading the muscles mechanically moves stagnant blood and lymph out of tissues and back into circulation.  Calming strokes act upon the nervous system to relax the smooth muscles of blood vessels, decreasing blood pressure and improving blood flow to the extremities.  Massage relaxes the muscles of the chest and neck, encouraging deep breathing.  Because massage moves lymph, it increases your immune response, helping to prevent disease or recover faster from illness.

 

Your body has two circulation systems: one for blood and one for lymph.  As we all know, blood brings nutrition and oxygen to all of your cells and removes waste.  Blood vessels release plasma into tissues during times of injury or stress.  This is the process of swelling, or inflammation.  This fluid released into the tissues is called lymph.  Lymph circulates in a separate system of lymph vessels and lymph nodes.  Lymph carries germs and old immune cells to lymph nodes where they can be disposed of.  Cleaned lymph then re-enters your blood stream near your clavicle.

 

Your lymph system doesn’t have a pumping organ, like the heart pumps blood.  Muscular action, particularly the action of deep breathing, pumps lymph.  Deep breathing compresses the major lymph reservoirs in your chest and keeps the lymph flowing throughout the system. When your blood and lymph are not flowing freely, your cells are not being properly nourished and your immune system is not doing all it can to protect you from disease.  It doesn’t matter how good your diet or supplements are if the nutrients aren’t getting to your cells and the wastes aren’t taken away.  Thus, free circulation of blood and lymph is a basic element of good health.  Regular massage helps keep things flowing and supports your overall wellness.

 

Other factors important to good circulation are regular movement and exercise.  Movement and deep breathing circulate your lymph.  Aerobic exercise strengthens your heart and moves blood vigorously through your blood vessels – bringing nutrients and oxygen to your cells.

 

Special, more delicate, massage techniques have been developed for people with diseases of the lymph system.  Lymphatic massage has been shown to be of great value to those suffering from diseases of the lymph system or from overexposure to toxins, even chemotherapy.  Lymphatic massage is also wonderful for a person recovering from a cold or flu.

Because massage acts so powerfully on the circulation system, some diseases of the circulation system can be made worse by massage.  Please share information about any health conditions with your practitioner.

Massage and Stress

We all know what causes stress and we all know that stress is bad for you. What you may not know is exactly how stress affects your body and how massage reverses the physiological effects of stress. Our bodies have a complex reaction to stress.  A “fight or flight” reaction of the sympathetic nervous system gears the body for heavy physical exertion.  Blood pressure increases and cholesterol is released into the bloodstream.  Breathing becomes rapid and shallow and heart rate increases.  Muscles tense and blood rushes to the extremities to be ready for action.  If the energy built up by the “fight or flight” reaction is released by heavy exertion, then the body naturally returns to the parasympathetic nervous system, the “rest and digest” state.  The parasympathetic system signals the body to lower blood pressure, slow and deepen breathing, slow the heart rate, relax muscles and direct blood into the internal organs to assist metabolic functions.

 

In our modern lifestyle, however, dealing with stress most often means sitting at the computer for long hours or simply waiting in traffic.  These sedentary activities don’t release stress.  Stress remains in our bodies as muscle tightness, high blood pressure, and a sense of fatigue.  Over long periods of stress without release, muscles and blood vessels become less elastic, arteries develop cholesterol placques, digestion becomes sluggish, sleep doesn’t feel refreshing, and we find it difficult to ever fully relax, even after exercise.

 

Massage counteracts the effects of stress in our bodies by stimulating the parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) system.  Calming strokes send a message to the nervous system that the body is safe.  Blood pressure and heart rate return to normal.  Breathing slows and deepens.  Digestion increases (tummy rumbles are frequent on massage tables).  Deep muscle strokes relax constricted muscle fibers and open blood vessels.  As a full body treatment returns muscles to a healthy tonus, the chest and abdomen soften and relax and the shoulders lower.  The internal organs have more room to operate and a better blood supply. As the energy held in tense muscles is released, one feels more energetic and exercise is more enjoyable.  The deep relaxation achieved with a full body massage allows one to rest comfortably and sleep is more rejuvenating. 

 

Massage acts as a natural bio-feedback mechanism.  With regular massage, our bodies learn how to return to the “rest and digest” state with more ease.  We are less likely to get stuck in the “flight or flight” stress reaction.  Hence, we actually learn to deal better with stress on a physiological level.  Since our resources aren’t wasted on keeping our muscles tense, and we are able to relax more completely when we rest, we have a renewed sense of energy. 

 

Regular massage is an excellent method for combating the effects of stress and enhancing one’s health.  Reducing one’s stress response feels good at the time and feels even better the next day.  Not only does massage feel fantastic, it is also fantastic for your health.

 

Introduction to Warrior Fabulous

Dictionary.com defines Warrior as “a person who shows or has shown great vigor, courage, or aggressiveness” and Fabulous as “exceptionally good or unusual; marvelous; superb” In Warrior Fabulous, the word warrior is first because fabulous is not a descriptor of the warrior. Fabulous is the inspiration of the warrior. The Warrior Fabulous is a person who listens to his or her best self and nurtures it in daily practice. The Warrior chooses to put her or himself first, knowing that an individual is of best use to the world when she or he is healthy and whole. The Warrior acts out of a belief that desire marks the path of wisdom. The individual’s wants and needs are to be trusted. Fabulous is what the warrior is and strives to unfold.

The concept of Warrior Fabulous arose in response to the relentless pressure one feels to pay attention to everything except one’s own needs. Bombarded with the demands of family, career and the constant distractions of media, many of us wander away from the simple grounded-ness of taking care of ourselves. It takes commitment, courage and daily dedication to putting oneself first to walk the path of the Warrior.

The tag line for Warrior Fabulous is: Thorough Dedication to Self-Embellishment. Why embellishment? Doesn’t that sound rather insubstantial or vain? Why not self improvement or self care? I use embellishment because the way of the Warrior Fabulous is not dutiful or admirable or expected. Most of us spend plenty of time being good and not being Fabulous. Maybe the path of Fabulous will include getting the tattoo you always wanted or taking a hang-gliding class or wearing evening wear to the grocery store or publishing the secret book of poetry you have been working on. The Warrior Fabulous transforms into his or her most outrageous fantasy self because there is no time to do anything else but be and strive for Fabulous. Why is there no time? You are going to die. For most of us it will be sooner than we would wish. For all of the minutes you have left in this lifetime, you have a choice of how to spend them. The Warrior Fabulous squeezes the juice out of every second and gives no time to self doubt or fear of trying. We will all die if we try or don’t try. The question is whether we will enjoy being Fabulous while we have time.

Though it takes serious commitment, the path of the Warrior is about simple daily choices. So often, people who are unhappy or dissatisfied look for a huge solution – a change of partner or job or body shape or state of health. The solution seems so huge, that a person gives up trying to improve, or even has an excuse for not feeling good and not changing anything. If you aren’t taking good care of yourself in the situation you are in, will you take better care of yourself with a change in your situation? First, make the commitment to take excellent care of yourself, no matter what your situation. Turn off the computer or TV and get to bed early. Choose to eat the apple and almonds instead of the cinnamon roll. Find the exercise that you enjoy and do it regularly. Tell someone your true feelings. Stop and take the time to think carefully about what you want before being pressured into a quick decision. VALUE YOURSELF IN EVERY ACTION. Make the commitment to enjoying yourself and all that your life provides you. Let yourself be drawn away from a chore to embrace the child who wants your attention. Wear something that you feel beautiful in. Forego the usual sandwich and spend the extra half hour making a delicious meal for just you. Spend a few minutes making your body comfortable. Push yourself to your physical limit and enjoy getting stronger. You may find that the huge solution isn’t necessary, or maybe you will still want that huge change even after you start taking great care of yourself. Either way, you will enjoy the life you create.

This blog is a collection of information, inspiration, instruction and thinking as I travel the path of Warrior Fabulous. I welcome your comments and suggestions.

Reflexes and Postural Distortion

In addition to the action of external forces, the brain has motor reflexes which can also have an effect on body alignment. The most important of these is the righting reflex; the reflex that keeps our eyes level. The righting reflex is crucial to our balance and depth perception and thus the brain prioritizes level eyes over aligned spine, or pelvis or cranium.

Although the righting reflex does the important work of keeping balance, if a person has a leg length inequality, scar tissue adhesions from a previous injury, or organ dysfunction, the righting reflex will cause the body to twist and turn to accommodate the postural imbalance and keep the eyes level. These twists and turns are the genesis of those persistent aches and pains. If the postural imbalance continues, the righting reflex will demand that the body assume those twists and turns again, even if the muscles are released. If a postural distortion is caused by the dysfunction of the viscera, tight eye muscles or a leg length inequality and reinforced by the righting reflex, the effects of even a skillful and rigorous deep tissue massage will not last. 

For example, if you have a habitual forward head posture, your eye muscles have become accustomed to holding your eyes up so that they remain centered. These tight eye muscles will cause headaches and fatique, but the righting reflex overrides that discomfort and demands that the eyes keep looking up. If a deep tissue massage releases your neck and chest, bringing the head back to a normal position, the eyes are now set too high. The righting reflex will now demand that the neck adjust to the posture of the eyes and the head and neck aches will return. Both the eye and neck muscles must be addressed to create a pain free posture.

The righting reflex creates a relationship between pairs of bones in the cranium and pelvis — the Lovett Reactor relationship. The temporal bones and iliums, the occiput and sacrum, the sphenoid and the coccyx all have an inverse relationship to each other. Ideally, they move in opposite directions to maintain balance and keep our eyes level as we walk. This normal movement stimulates the spinal cord and central nervous system and helps us feel balanced and confident as we perform our daily activities. If muscle over-tightness, skeletal mis-alignments, or scar tissue distort the Lovett reactor relationships, a person’s sense of well-being is severely compromised. Chronic pain is the result.

A thorough postural analysis and the application of Integrative Neurosomatic Therapy to the cranium, viscera, eyes and atlas combined with structural stabilization by a shoe lift( if needed) will successfully restore the correct Lovett Reactor relationships and help the righting reflex keep your balance without reinforcing your pain.

Six Dimensional Posture Charting

The basis of Integrative Neurosomatic Therapy is the six-dimensional posture chart. The measurements and analysis take 30-45 minutes and give the therapist and client a wealth of information about the body’s alignment and the opportunities for optimizing its function. The measurements are taken standing and lying down. The therapist measures for imbalances of joints of the spine, limbs and neck as well as within the skull and jaw.

The first piece of information gleaned from the six dimensional posture chart is whether the client has an anatomical leg length difference. A lower limb length inequality (LLLI) was once believed to be quite rare, but careful research has shown that over 40% of the population has a measurable LLLI of 5mm or more. A 5mm LLLI is enough to cause discernable musculoskeletal pain and distortion. A 4 mm LLLI can cause pain under the stress of injury or extra weight. Correcting for even a 2 or 3mm LLLI can improve athletic performance and endurance. An uncorrected LLLI is a persistent irritation and challenge to a person’s health and vitality. An uncorrected LLLI is a significant reason why musculoskeletal pain returns again and again a few days or weeks after treatment.

Once a possible LLLI is identified, it can be more precisely measured with an INT® lift kit and confirmed with a properly positioned x-ray. A simple full sole shoe lift can make a tremendous difference in the client’s structural stability. Once this stability is established, Integrative Neurosomatic Therapy to the muscles, viscera, atlas and cranium will eliminate structural mis-alignments and achieve lasting pain relief.

Whether or not a LLLI is identified for the client, the six dimensional posture chart will also indicate imbalances in the muscles, viscera, spine and cranium caused by injury, stress or dysfunctional movement patterns.

The chart will indicate the alignment of the spinal cord, its ligaments and fascia. By examining the relationship between the bones of the cranium, cranial base and pelvis, the Integrative Neurosomatic Therapist can determine if the spinal cord is stretched, twisted or sheared at the cranial base, spinal column or pelvis. Integrative Neurosomatic Therapy applied to the atlas, cranium and pelvis can correct these distortions, ease pain and restore postural stability.

Comparing the measurements of the torso and head in the standing and lying down positions can indicate whether the client would benefit most from Integrative Neurosomatic Therapy applied to the viscera or cranium. The Integrative Neurosomatic Therapist will also address the position of the atlas, muscles of the tempromandibular joint (TMJ), and muscles of the eyes.

The six dimensional posture chart is the first step in creating a powerful Integrative Neurosomatic treatment plan to eliminate pain and create lasting stability and well-being. Full function is usually restored in 6 to 8 treatments.