Who needs Ishta Spinal Touch?
Anyone who is experiencing stress, of whatever kind, is a potential recipient
for Ishta Spinal Touch.
Stress
It is commonly understood that human beings evolved in a dangerous world
and are equipped to deal with acute stress, such as that evoked by the sudden
threat that elicits the classic fight or flight response. When faced with
such a threat the body mobilises its resources by shifting brain energy into
the limbic system; an ancient part of the brain; and raising heart rate and
blood pressure. This pattern is highly effective in dealing with acute stressors.
It is, however, injurious to remain in a stress state for long periods of
time.
Unfortunately modern life provides high levels of chronic stress which we
are less able to handle successfully. In a later article we will explore
in some detail the effects of this inappropriate strain on our health. Suffice
it to say for now that there is help on the horizon in the form of Ishta
Spinal Touch.
Stressors
Although most people think of stress as being emotional in nature there are,
in fact, sixteen stressors that have been identified, only one of which is
truly emotional.
Pregnancy - For the nine months of pregnancy there are constant
nutritional and hormonal demands on the female body. As the foetus grows
the woman's centre of gravity is altered which puts additional strain on
the L5/S1 joint, viscera and whole of the postural muscles. For the partners
this is also a time of stress.
Infections - Infections put an immediate strain on the immune system,
especially the thymus gland, and in the cases were someone has reached the
stage of allostasis the thymus gland may have atrophied slightly which means
that the body struggles to deal with infections putting even greater strain
on the body.
Surgery - It may take two years to recover fully from surgery, especially
when performed under a general anaesthetic, this is the case even for what
might appear to be minor surgery e.g. knee repair.
Physical Trauma - Accidents and injuries don't just affect the local
area the whole body gears up to deal with the affects. In the case of serious
injury there may be organ damage or loss of blood.
Allergies - These are numerous and on the increase and put a constant
stress on the system. Common culprits are synthetic chemicals, from
pharmaceuticals, pollutants, food additives, pesticides, toiletries etc.
Immunological Reactions - Vary from rheumatoid arthritis to AIDS to
reactions to prescribed drugs and vaccinations. Ultimately they lead to an
impaired immune system that can go into overdrive/oversensitivity.
Severe Exertions - This can be overwork, physical or mental, e.g.
having to have 2 or 3 jobs to make ends meet.
Strong Emotions - Strong emotions of any kind can lead to an over
reactive system.
Malnutrition - Lacking a single vitamin or mineral, which is extremely
common even in the west, leads to a chemical reaction not being able to function
properly.
Severe Exposure - To heat, sun, cold or humidity is a stressor on
the system.
Sucrose - In any given situation the presence of sucrose in the system
will increase adrenalin production by as much as 400%.
Oxygen Free Radicals - The body produces oxygen free radicals, but
we are also exposed to an ever increasing number of them in our society.
These can be in the form of pollution outside and inside the home, pesticides
and additives in the food we eat, toiletries and cleaners we use. As we age
our bodies abilities to deal with these free radicals diminishes and so the
affects increase.
Dehydration - Everything takes place in the body in an aqueous
environment. If we are dehydrated then all the body fluids are more viscous.
This makes every activity more energy draining.
Nociceptor Activation - When there are derangements to the vertebrae
the nociceptors send "negative" signals to the brain which result in the
activation of the stress response.
Immobility - When we sit for more than three hours in total in a day
then scar tissue starts to form in the spine. This inhibits the free movement
of the facet joints, which in turn stops the proprioreceptors from sending
"positive" signals which switch off the stress response.
Gravity - If we are correctly aligned we are able to deal with the
constant affects of gravity. Once we are misaligned then the constant
gravitational field becomes a stressor on the system.
The body's response to these stressors is designed to increase circulation
rapidly, promote energy production and decrease non-essential activities,
so that we can deal with the immediate stressor. When the stressor has been
dealt with, the body returns to its homeostatic balance, the sympathetic
nervous system relaxes and the parasympathetic nervous system is switched
on. With the parasympathetics activated the body can begin to restore and
repair the body. When the body is able to deal with stressors this way, it
is said to be working within its elastic limits.
Imagine that your elastic limit is like a bucket. Any stressors which affect
us go into the bucket. Stress only becomes a problem when the bucket overflows,
that is you have gone beyond the elastic limit and stress has become a strain
on the body.
It doesn't matter what you empty out of the bucket so long as you empty
something out of it and get back within the elastic limits for your body.
Remember, exposure to one or two of these stressors for a short period of
time is not so detrimental. It is the over exposure to, or the accumulated
affect of several stressors at the same time, that results in strain on the
system.
Energy
Many people come to Ishta Spinal Touch because they are experiencing pain,
health challenges, physical unease or dysphoria. It is a fact that pain and
discomfort are profound motivators of human activity. It is important to
realise that Ishta Spinal Touch does not claim to heal, treat, or cure discomfort
or disease. We operate outside of the therapeutic model. What we do is to
remove the impediments to the free flow of your own innate healing abilities
so that the wisdom of your body can do its own healing.
So even though you may come into the practice room with pain and may leave
without it, the process that removes your pain and does the healing is the
energy inside yourself.
We can help you increase that energy by restoring your biomechanical
balance.
Stress and Balance
Because of the effects of stress, the body will tend to have greater muscle
tension on one side than on the other. The side with the greater tension
will tend to be more constricted, with possibly one leg pulled shorter than
the other and the pelvis twisted forward so as to pull the spine out of line.
Frequently there is a weight differential between the two sides so that if
you stood with your feet placed on two scales, one side might weigh five,
ten or even twenty pounds more than the other. Over the miles of walking
that a person does in a day this can add a considerably disproportionate
burden to your body.
The effect of this imbalance requires the use of much additional energy to
retain your proper relationship with the pervasive effects of gravity. This
quote by Roger Sperry, PhD Medical Nobel Prize winner for brain research,
1981 might help to explain the importance of an upright spine.
"Better than 90 percent of the energy output of the brain is used in relating
the physical body to the gravitational field. The more mechanically distorted
a person is the less energy available for thinking, metabolism and
healing."
This refers to someone in the physiological efficient posture. That means
if you are aligned correctly then you have less than 10% of your life energy
devoted to healing, metabolism, thinking, creativity etc.
If you are out of alignment you have even less than this!
It is self evident that if you can survive out of balance with gravity you
can thrive if that imbalance is removed. Regular Ishta Spinal Touch enables
a person to remain in that most favourable state for healing to occur.
The Alignment
The practice itself is a gentle hand's on procedure that has been safely
performed many hundreds of thousands of times. The alignment does not actually
involve the moving of vertebrae or any adjustment to the spinal column. It
does, however, cause an immediate equalisation of the muscle tension on either
side of the spine and symmetry is re-established.
The Effects of an Alignment
What can you expect to feel or experience when you have an alignment?
The first thing that most people notice is a feeling of relaxation. Nagging
pains and cricks almost miraculously disappear. This is not hard to understand
when you realise that the major cause of these discomforts is the unconscious
tightening of the muscles in the spine owing to stress. Some people literally
feel the energy flowing back to the extremities as the blockages are removed.
This might be experienced as a tingling or a rush of warmth. You might experience
colours more vividly, and enjoy the inherent music in the sounds of life.
You will certainly feel better balanced and more even in your stance when
you arise from the table, although it may take a little while to get used
to this!
One thing that you might not see, but which is readily observable, is that
there will be a reduction in your postural distortion. Coming back into balance
is a marvellous restorative tonic for the miseries that ensue from that
condition. Many people report that after they leave they feel calmer and
more able to handle the challenges of their daily lives.
So, who needs Ishta Spinal Touch?
We all do!
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