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Are you one of the one in four of us who suffers with any of the following; joint pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia, skin issues such as eczema or psoriasis, fertility issues such as endometriosis, inflammation of the bowel- diverticulitis, chronic IBS, colitis, chronns, ulcers, chronic reflux or gastritis? If so, you may want to read on and see how you can help them naturally…
When we suffer an injury or get an infection (bacteria, virus, fungus or other toxin), inflammation occurs when the body tries to protect us from this infection or trauma. In an attempt to heal itself, the body’s immune system releases antibodies and proteins, as well as increased blood flow to the damaged area- this then gives symptoms of inflammation, swelling & pain. In some diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis, or chronn’s disease, the immune system triggers inflammation when there are no invaders to fight off. This is what’s called autoimmune disease. The immune or defense system acts as if regular tissues are infected or somehow not like the other normal tissues which causes damage.
Inflammation can be either short lived (acute) or lasting longer than 6 months (chronic).
Acute inflammation goes away within hours or days. Chronic inflammation can last months or years and cause considerable pain in day to day life.
Chronic inflammation happens when this response lingers, leaving your body in a constant state of alert. Over time, chronic inflammation may have a negative impact on your tissues and organs.
When you have chronic inflammation, your body’s inflammatory response can eventually start damaging healthy cells, tissues, and organs. Over time, this can lead to DNA damage, tissue death, and internal scarring or adhesions.
There are a number of things that can cause inflammation & pain in the body:
1. Toxins in the system
Fungus or Candida- fungal or yeast overload in the body can give us symptoms of arthritis (joint pain, stiffness). Bacterial, viral or parasitic infection or heavy metal overload can also lead to inflammation- either in a particular area of the body or systemically. This is extremely common and something I deal with in clinic on a daily basis.
2. Leaky Gut
‘Leaky Gut’ occurs when toxins make their way in to the blood stream through the lining of the bowel & trigger inflammatory markers & killer cells in the body. This can lead to inflammation, arthritis, fibromyalgia, neuralgia & other common ailments that have inflammatory symptoms. (see previous blog on leaky gut here explaining what it is, how it can lead to your inflammatory condition and how it can be healed.
3. Trauma to the body
Previous surgery or accidental injury leads to the build up of scar tissue or adhesions. This can lead to chronic inflammation and pain in certain areas of the body. Although adhesions can be debilitating in terms of long term chronic pain, there are ways to reduce them within the body; therapies that deal specifically with scar tissue manipulation.
4. Food Intolerances
If your body is unable to digest certain food, but we continue eating the wrong foods, this can again lead to the lining of the gut becoming more permeable, leading to leaky gut (see link to post above). This can then lead to divertilculitis, colitis, chronns disease, arthritis, fibromyalgia & other autoimmune issues.
5. Stored Emotional Trauma
The emotional element of pain & inflammation is often over-looked. The emotions surrounding inflammation & pain are anger, frustration, resentment and general aggravation. Through BioKinesiology, your body will indicate whether there is an emotional element to your pain & inflammation. Using Australian Bush Flower Essences, we can help manage these destructive emotions & help the body to release them. (see blog here on what they are & how they help us deal with emotional element of our problem)
6. Deficiencies in vitamins & minerals
If your body is lacking in certain vitamins, minerals or oils, you can have symptoms of pain, stiffness or pain in joints such as carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, bursitis, restless legs, cramping. BioKinesiology can identify what is going on, what deficiencies are present and what you need to correct them.
Marie (56) came to me complaining of stiffness in her wrists, fingers and knees. It was suspected she had early onset arthritis and she was very worried about the prospect of this as her sisters & mother suffer with arthritis. Along with her joint pain & stiffness, Marie complained of IBS (irritable bowel) and her energy was not as good as it used to be. She felt her memory was declining somewhat and reported to feeling ‘foggy brained’ in the mornings in particular.
BioKinesiology works on a ‘Remove, Repair, Replace’ protocol. Removing any toxins that show, repairing digestive enzymes & gut lining & replacing any toxins with good bacteria to help the immune system & gut.
Marie was not digesting correctly and this led to fungal and candida overload in her system. Fungus often shows as contributing factor to joint pain. It can infiltrate our joints and cause symptoms such as pain & stiffness. Her lack of energy & ‘brain fog’ was also caused by fungal & candida overload. Marie was put on a course of natural supplements- oils & herbal capsules to clear this fungal overload for 6 weeks initially & this was then tweaked in her further 2 consultations. She altered her diet slightly for 3 months to help her body kill off these excess toxins.
At the root of any issue is our digestion. If our digestive enzymes (chemicals that break down the food we eat) are not working correctly, we will not only experience physical symptoms, but it can also affect our mental health. Marie was digesting her food, but not getting the most out of it. Foods such as carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes) and dairy (milk, cheese) were half digesting & this was allowing the fungus in her system to thrive, leading to worsening of symptoms. Thankfully she didn’t show for leaky gut, which meant a shorter time for her to get back to full health.
Marie showed as being deficient in Vitamin D and Omega 3 oils. Both of these are crucial for bone & joint health, inflammation & also are very important for hair, skin, nails & emotional health (hormone production). Vitamin D is not routinely checked in blood tests and is extremely important for our immune system, to aid in combating inflammation, our mental health and overall wellbeing.
In total, Marie came for 3 BioKinesiology sessions. She no longer has joint pain or stiffness, her energy is better, brain fog has disappeared. She has left me with an awareness of how she can be in control of her health, make better choices when it comes to her diet and recognise early when her body is ‘out of sync’. Healing is our innate ability; if we remove toxins & support our body with the correct nutrition, it can heal.
Marie is just one case of how inflammation can be treated with BioKinesiology. I treat issues such as diverticulitis, colitis, eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, unexplained pain & inflammation on a daily basis.
The key is to get to the root cause of your issue; “What is causing your problem?” This is exactly what BioKinesiology does; gets to the root cause, removes it and supports the body in repairing itself.
Ideally, if you can get tested by going for a BioKinesiology session, we can pinpoint exactly what your body needs and what is causing your inflammation. But here are a few tips on what you could do in terms of diet, lifestyle & nutrition. (If taking any medications, check with your pharmacist before taking any supplements to ensure there are no contraindications). Getting a hold on chronic inflammation & pain does not happen overnight. It is an ongoing process but can be done in a lot of cases when the body is given the correct support nutritionally & emotionally.
1. Give up sugar– sugar makes the body acidic and inflammation is exacerbated in an acidic environment. Ideally, follow an alkaline diet. This will not only reduce inflammation, but will also help to reduce fungus in the system.
2. Give up gluten and wheat– Gluten is a protein found in wheat products and gluten and lectin (another protein in wheat) are well known for their inflammatory properties. Gluten intolerance also leads to leaky gut (see link on blog above).
3. Reduce your stress levels- cortisol, our stress hormone, is a potent anti-inflammatory hormone; it prevents the widespread tissue and nerve damage associated with inflammation. However, if our body is under long term stress, this can affect or cortisol production & response, leading to chronic inflammation. Although short term stress is something our body can deal with, prolonged cortisol secretion may have crippling effects, both physically and psychologically. In humans, stress-induced inflammation has been implicated in diseases such as osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, myopathy, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pelvic pain, temporo-mandibular joint dysfunction, chronic low back pain, sciatica, and more. If our cortisol production is not functioning properly due to long term stress, this can really impact our body. So stress really does add to your physical pain.
Something as simple as deep breathing a few times a day, some yoga, taking a bath, going for a walk for 20 minutes can significantly reduce stress levels.
4. Ground yourself!
Grounding yourself – standing/ lying on grass or the ground outside for 20 to 40 minutes daily is scientifically proven to reduce pain and inflammation. We are insulated off the ground in our footwear almost 24 hours a day! Connecting our body with the ground brings our energy back in line and we connect with source. Check out this amazing documentary for more information on grounding!
5. Anti-inflammatory supplements
The following are anti-inflammatory supplements. I would recommend testing to see which of these your body actually needs and always consult your doctor or pharmacist if taking prescribed medications.
Omega 3- A powerful anti-inflammatory. It must be taken not in combination with omega 6 and 9 though, as these can have a pro-inflammatory effect!
Turmeric- an ancient spice used for thousands of years for inflammation. Buy preferably with black cumin seed or black pepper to aid absorption
Vitamin D– Preferably in oil to aid bioavailability
Probiotics- Good bacteria from the Lactobacillus genus-Gasseri, Plantarum, Reuteri, Salivarius are all anti inflammatory- again, it really is best to see which good bacteria or probiotics your body wants specifically as there are so many types. Taking probiotics that your body may already have enough of may also be counter-productive as some can increase histamine and exacerbate symptoms of hay fever, sinus, allergies etc.
B Vitamins- Certain B Vitamins help with muscle pain, joint pain, ulcers, inflammation of tissues… Again, there are many B vitamins, so it is best to get tested to see which your body needs in particular.
Pycnogenol/ Pine Bark Extract
A powerful anti-inflammatory, which can help reduce widespread tissue inflammation. Subject to testing and not to be taken with certain medications
Medicinal Mushrooms- There are many varieties of these, (Reishi, coriolus, cordyceps, chaga, Lion’s mane, mesima) which come in capsule or powder form. These are very effective in balancing cytokines (inflammatory markers), Th1 and Th2 balance within the body when taken for a minimum of 2 months. These are effective for people with long term chronic inflammatory issues and are immune modulators, helping to increase the good immune cells and decrease bad or inflammatory cells. Again, the correct type needs to be identified to ensure it will be beneficial.
Spirulina/ Chlorella- Two ‘super foods’ available in capsule or powder form. These are powerful but gentle detoxers, chelating or pulling metals and other toxins from the system. They also help to alkalize the body which in turn helps inflammation & pain. Organic is always best to buy if at all possible.
Green drinking clay- A marine clay, this pure supplement is also a powerful alkalizer and detoxer and can also be used in a bath to draw toxins from the system. Available from New Vistas Healthcare in Limerick. Contact me for more information.
Zinc & Magnesium- Two very important minerals for repair in the body. Often overlooked, zinc is responsible for over 200 biochemical processes within the body and is essential for digestive health, steroid hormone production & for fighting toxins.
Magnesium is a relaxant, responsible for energy production & repair, excellent for muscle & joint pain.
Apple Cider Vinegar- Last but not least, this is the most readily available of all, and when taken daily, this wonder tonic helps to cleanse the system, reduce fungus & bad bacteria in the gut, and alkalize your cells. A powerful home remedy that has been used for centuries but is often overlooked! Also excellent to aid sugar cravings, high blood pressure, cholesterol & sinus issues!
All information from Midlands Kinesiology is for information purposes only and it does not intend to diagnose or recommend treatment to anyone. Always check with your GP or pharmacist before taking any supplements.
To enquire about BioKinesiology, contact Maeve here
Did you know? Up to 70% of clients I see have a fungal overload in their system! This is due to our high sugar intake nowadays and digestive enzymes not breaking our food down correctly!
BioKinesiology finds the root cause of an illness and helps you to heal using natural remedies. Why not follow us on social media for health tips!