Category: Blog

Your body Your health Your choice

The word “Kinesiology” originates from the Greek word kinesis, meaning “motion”.

Specialised Kinesiology today resembles unification. It merges the original science, which dealt with the interrelationship of physiological processes and anatomy with respect to human movement. This knowledge is applied through manual muscle testing protocols. These protocols aid in identifying and balancing other structural, emotional, mental, and biochemical problems.

It uses proven techniques from multiple fields. These include Applied Kinesiology, Acupressure, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Naturopathy, and Homeopathy. Other fields are Psychology, Chiropractic, and Educational philosophies. Neuro linguistic programming and massage are also used, particularly principles from ‘energy medicine’ and quantum physics. Together, they form a modality that is flexible, completely non-invasive, and powerful. It effectively changes a client’s concept about their dis-ease or lack of wellbeing.

All our cells in our body are electrically connected to the neurology in our brain. This connection is made via the spinal cord and Central nervous system. So, the muscle testing protocol is really testing the brain response to stressors. It is not testing pure muscle strength.

How Kinesiology Works
Muscle monitoring is the key to Kinesiology. This is the act of monitoring changes within a muscle response through a lock-unlock reaction. Kinesiologists are trained to use this highly precise method. They find stress on a physical, mental, emotional, chemical, environmental and or situational level. Then, once the stress or stressors have been correctly identified and verified, we use the same technique. This helps us find the best options. These options are neurologically most appropriate and aim to help you in improving your quality of life.

Restoring well-being.
We humans are self-regulating systems, designed to heal ourselves. Sometimes, nevertheless, we can’t heal effectively on our own. In these circumstances, we need to seek assistance from a suitably qualified practitioner. Spesialised Kinesiology treats the whole person. It assesses and addresses all aspects contributing to health and wellbeing, or lack of that.
A Spesialised Kinesiologists aims to balance their client. They help clients regain their optimal state for healing by removing or reducing stressors and their effects. These stressors can be emotional, mental, bio-chemical, or physical in origin.

Kinesiology background
Dr. Goodheart D C is accredited as being the Father of Kinesiology. In 1964, he acknowledged that basic chiropractic adjustments often did not give full relief for physical disabilities. He discovered that the problem was related to muscle spasms that were not being released. A study of the original techniques of testing muscles. Kendall and Kendall (ref: Kendall, 1949) described these approaches. This study led to the primary diagnostic tool of muscle testing. They termed this Applied Kinesiology. Their discovery later included work from pioneers like Dr. Frank Chapman, Dr Terence Bennett, Dr John Thie, Gordon Stokes and Dr Paul Dennison. Today, Kinesiology has evolved into something far greater than just a health care system. It is a tool for Truth in the world.

Through Kinesiology you will feel….
• Healthier
• More balanced
• More energetic
• More self-directing

Kinesiology is known to help with a wide range of issues. Kinesiologists help with allergies, chronic pain, and compulsive behaviors or addictions. They handle dyslexia, ADD, ADHD, and eczema. Fear, phobias, and goal setting are also part of their focus. They help with headaches, migraines, and learning difficulties. Past traumas and recurrent infections are addressed too. Self-discovery, self-empowerment, sinusitis, sports injuries, and stress are included. It is important to understand that Kinesiologists do not diagnose or treat specific illnesses. They do not work according to the “medical model” of disease. They focus on balancing the body’s energy systems. This allows the body’s innate wisdom to heal itself. Kinesiology is complementary to orthodox medicine, and works with, not against it.

The most scientific way to determine your ideal weight is by calculating your body mass index; divide your weight in kg by your height x 2 in meters.

If your BMI is

• Less than 18.5 you are underweight
• Between 18.5 and 24.9 you are normal and healthy
• Between 25 and 30, you are overweight
• Over 30, you are obese

Obesity is worldwide busy taking on pandemic measures:

• 57% of SA women are overweight
• Teenagers in the USA buy a dress size two times bigger, than their mothers did at the same age
• There is a demand for bigger towels, aeroplane seats and even bigger coffins
• In England 1000 persons become obese on a daily basis
• A study done from 1986 – 2000, indicates that obsetiy has increased among women from 18% to 22%, and amongst men from 13% to 22%

What are we doing wrong

Are we eating more in terms of calories, no, calories intake has decreased. What you need to know about calories: 1 Cal = 4 kj; 1g fat supplies 9 Cal; 1g Alcohol supplies 7 Cal; 1g Protein supplies 4 calories and 1g Carbs (Sugar) supplies 4 Cal.

Are we eating too much fat. No, fat intake in our diet has decreased by 4% over 14 Years as a result of our consiousness of fat content and availability of low fat foods.

Are we less active. No, actually, we are equally active or inactive.

The cause of the obesity pandemic can be ascribed to the increased intake of SUGAR and STIMULANTS. Examples of sugars or simple carbohydrates are sweets, glucose, sucrose (white sugar), chocolate, cold drinks, energy drinks, smart drinks, cocktails, white bread, white flour foods ie, cake, biscuits, pastries, pasta, pies, etc. Examples of stimulants are mainly caffeine which abounds in coffee, tea, and cola drinks.

What happens when we eat simple sugars. The large amount of sugar is very quickly absorbed by the bloodstream after sugar is eaten. The body reacts immediately by releasing an abundance of insulin from the pancreas. Insulin’s function is to remove the sugar from the bloodstream into the muscle and liver cells where it is supposed to be used for energy. An excess amount of sugar (more than is required for immediate energy and to fill the muscle and liver storage cells), will be deposited in the adipose (fat) tissue under the influence of insulin.

Because an excessive amount of insulin was released, all sugar is immediately removed from the bloodstream (even good sugar originating from complex carbohydrates). The sudden radical drop in blood sugar is enterpeted by the body as a state of emergency, and two things happen as a result;

1. A sugar craving is caused, so that it is almost impossible not to succumb to the temptation to eat something sweet.
2. Adrenaline is released from liver stores, which causes blood sugar to be deposited back into the bloodstream in case energy is required to “fight or flee”.

The sugar originating from 1 and 2 above, is however not required for fighting or fleeing from danger (because there is not a real emergency), so that insulin is once again released to remove sugar from the bloodstream and convert it to fat for storage in the adipose tissue. The cycle repeats itself over and over, which is what we call an ‘insulin roller coaster‘

Ultimately, the pancreas becomes exhausted and ends up producing no or an inferior quality insulin, which is what we call Adult Onset Diabetes or Diabetes Type 2.

Stimulants like coffee, cola drinks, cigarettes, drugs, pseudo-ephedrines (appetite suppressants like Thins), also stimulate the release of adrenalin, which causes above cycle to repeat itself again.

In addition, it is estimated that 25% of people are insulin resistant. This means that they don’t have the natural ability to stabilise their bloodsugar levels. One of the reasons is a deficiency in essential micro-nutrients, of which chromium and essential fatty acids (Omega Oils) are most likely. Insulin resistant individuals should supplement on a daily basis with foods rich in chromium: whole grains, potatoes, prunes, peanut butter, nuts and seafood.

Sugar contains glycolic acid which acts as an exfoliator.

Here is an easy do it yourself recipe. All ingredients are available from Aromatherapy Worx and can be custom tweaked.

You will need a coffee grinder. Grind the solids, then add the oil.

2 tbs Oats + 2 tbs Sugar

10 drops of either of the following Essential Oils; Lavender (Calming), Geranium (Balancing), Tea Tree (Clearing), Peppermint (Cooling), Fennel (Congested). All of these oils contain Salicylic Acid which is fat-soluble and penetrates deep down in the pores. Then add 2 tbsp Almond Oil plus 1 tbsp of Wheatgerm Oil (Preservative).

Method

Grind the oats and sugar together into a fine powder. Add your favorite essential oils to your base oils, in this case; Almond Oil & Wheatgerm. Mix the oil with the powder and store in a dark glass jar. I used an empty marmite bottle. Viola! You have a facial scrub that can be used twice a week. Scoop some out and massage in circular motions outwards towards your ears for an added lymph drainage effect. Rinse with warm water. Apply a toner like Rose Water, Witch Hazel or Orange Blossom Flower and moisturize as usual.

You can make a mask with this basic recipe by adding 1 tbsp of kaolin clay or bentonite clay and leaving it to dry on your skin. Let me know if it works for you!

I have been in isolation now for 18 days due to the pandemic and I miss my little shop which I opened only 6 months ago!

As far as I am concerned, massage and the sale of essential oils should be an essential service during a pandemic. It has been integrated into the Health Care system as part of palliative care since the beginning of time. My reason for believing this is that massage and essential oils relieve stress and anxiety by releasing feel-good hormones, it relaxes and calms frayed nerves, it relieves pain by offering warmth to a badly circulated area. Massage and touch give comfort to those whose feelings and thinking are not aligned with health. Also, essential oils diffused in public places like hospitals helps to combat stale, bacterial and virus filled air. Some essential oils like Garlic, Lavender, Ravensara, Rosewood, Red Thyme, Cinnamon, Clove and Tea Tree oil are known for strengthening the immune system.

Wherever trees are chopped down, history has taught us that humans suffer from illnesses. Trees and plants are a necessary source of beneficial and synergistic healing agents that protect their species from pests. When their healing properties have been extracted, in the form of essential oils, diffusing these essential oils helps to ease the healing and speed up the recovery periods. Trees like Pine have been proven to have anti-bacterial properties and Vit. C, which in turn improves circulation by strengthening cell walls, Bay leaf have been used to treat digestive disorders, diabetes, Eucalyptus are used for respiratory relief clearing Sinus congestion due to its anti-viral properties, Myrrh has a drying effect on mucosae and wounds that are weepy, Frankincense when inhaled calms down breathing, Lemon is well known in the fight against scurvy, Sweet Birch is a strong painkiller when used topically, Cedarwood resists rot and an insect repellant, Cypress has a drying effect, Juniper is an antiseptic and diuretic, Cinnamon Bark is an antispasmodic relieving spasms, these are but a few that every household must keep on hand.

So, my time during lockdown has been very beneficial, researching the benefits and applications of essential oils, and how to use them effectively on myself and my immediate family. They not only kept the air clean; they also made our home smell beautiful.

PS: Essential oils are medicinal and under no circumstances to be ingested. Also, all oils must be diluted before applying topically.

Essential Oil diffusers available.

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Ingredients

1 kg cake flour
250 ml salt
375 ml water
30 ml cooking oil
Couple of drops of food colouring 
25 drops of either Lavender(Calm)add purple food colouring, Eucalyptus(colds & flu) add green colouring,Sweet Orange(Happiness) add orange food colouring.

Method: Mix salt and flour. Add water gradually whilst stirring the mixture. Knead and add the cooking oil & essential oils. Add food colouring. 
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. 

Medicinal herbs can provide natural, safe remedy to hundreds of common ailments.

Plants have been the basis for medical treatments through much of human history, and such traditional medicine is still widely practiced today. Written evidence of herbal remedies dates back over 5,000 years, to the Sumerians, who compiled lists of plants. A number of ancient cultures wrote about plants and their medical uses in books called herbals. In ancient Egypt, herbs are mentioned in Egyptian medical papyri, depicted in tomb illustrations, or on rare occasions found in medical jars containing trace amounts of herbs.

Among the oldest, lengthiest, and most important medical papyri of ancient Egypt, the Ebers Papyrus dates from about 1550 BC and covers more than 700 drugs, mainly of plant origin.

The earliest known Greek herbals come from Theophrastus of Eresos who in the 4th c. B.C. wrote in Greek Historia Plantarum, from Diocles of Carystus who wrote during the 3rd century B.C, and from Krateuas who wrote in the 1st century B.C. Only a few fragments of these works have survived intact, but from what remains scholars have noted a large amount of overlap with the Egyptian herbals.

Seeds likely used for herbalism have been found in archaeological sites of Bronze Age China dating from the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600 BC–c. 1046 BC). Over a hundred of the 224 drugs mentioned in the Huangdi Neijing, an early Chinese medical text, are herbs.

Herbs also commonly featured in the medicine of ancient India, where the principal treatment for diseases was diet. De Materia Medica, originally written in Greek by Pedanius Dioscorides (c. 40 – 90 AD) of Anazarbus, Cilicia, a Greek physician, pharmacologist, and botanist, is a particularly important example of such writings. The documentation of herbs and their uses was a central part of both Western and Eastern medical scholarship through to the 1600s, and these works played an important role in the development of the science of botany.

There are many forms in which herbs can be administered, the most common of which is in the form of a liquid that is drunk by the patient—either an herbal tea or a (possibly diluted) plant extract. Whole herb consumption is also practiced either fresh, in dried form, or as fresh juice. However different specimens of even the same plant species may vary in chemical content.

Herbal teas, or tisanes, are the resultant liquid of extracting herbs into water, though they are made in a few different ways. Infusions are hot water extracts of herbs, such as chamomile or mint, through steeping. De-coctions are the long-term boiled extracts, usually of harder substances like roots or bark. Maceration is the old infusion of plants with high mucilage-content, such as sage, thyme, etc. To make macerates, plants are chopped and added to cold water. They are then left to stand for 7 to 12 hours (depending on the herb used). For most macerates, 10 hours is used. Tinctures are alcoholic extracts of herbs, which are generally stronger than herbal teas. Tinctures are usually obtained by combining 100% pure ethanol (or a mixture of 100% ethanol with water) with the herb. A completed tincture has an ethanol percentage of at least 25% (sometimes up to 90%). Herbal wine and elixirs are alcoholic extracts of herbs, usually with an ethanol percentage of 12-38%. Herbal wine is a maceration of herbs in wine, while an elixir is a maceration of herbs in spirits (e.g., vodka, grappa, etc.). Extracts include liquid extracts, dry extracts, and nebulizes.

Liquid extracts are liquids with a lower ethanol percentage than tinctures. They are usually made by vacuum distilling tinctures. Dry extracts are extracts of plant material that are evaporated into a dry mass. They can then be further refined to a capsule or tablet. Nebulization is a dry extract created by freeze-drying. Vinegar’s are prepared in the same way as tinctures, except using a solution of acetic acid as the solvent.

Syrups are extracts of herbs made with syrup or honey. Sixty-five parts of sugar are mixed with thirty-five parts of water and herb. The whole is then boiled and macerated for three weeks. The exact composition of an herbal product is influenced by the method of extraction. Tea will be rich in polar components because water is a polar solvent. Oil, on the other hand, is a non-polar solvent and it will absorb non-polar compounds. Alcohol lies somewhere in between.

Sourced from the internet.

Diffusing essential oils is what is called Aromatherapy. A diffuser disperses the oil into tiny droplets that remain suspended in the air for several hours. This method reduces bacteria, molds, and fungus in a room and its furnishings as well as releasing the oxygenating particles and negative ions.

Do not use dispersing methods that heat the oils because heat changes the oil’s properties, reducing or eliminating the effectiveness. Contrary to common thought, Aromatherapy involves more than associating the scent with memories. When the droplets of essential oils come in contact with the hairs of the nose, the whole nervous system takes part in the action. Endorphins and neurotransmitters are released and antibody production increases, to name a few of the actions. Most oils work well when diffused. Sometimes diffusion is the most effective method. For example, if someone has a cold, inhaling vapor is the most direct way to support the upper respiratory system.

Essential Oil good for the upper respiratory system. Basil, Benzoin, Bergamot, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Myrrh, Red Thyme, Sandalwood. (Facial Steams works best)

Essential oils to use during Winter. Clove, Cinnamon, Nutmeg & Sweet Orange:

Cinnamon Bark – It is a warming oil; it helps to relieve aches and the chilling feeling in the immediate early stages of colds and flu. It also helps to resist seasonal infections.

Nutmeg – Strengthens your resistance to colds.

Clove – This is a powerful antiseptic, painkiller, antispasmodic (Whole cloves steeped in Vinegar and sprayed on surfaces for disinfection)

Sweet Orange – Antidepressant, antispasmodic, stomachic and mildly sedative.

Cajeput – Excellent in facial steams against colds and flu.

Eucalyptus – Excellent in a blend and rubbed on the soles of your feet.

https://www.livescience.com/amp/52080-essential-oils-science-health-effects.html

Inhalation: absorption and detoxification. Similar enzymes occur in the alveolar cells, modifying any chemicals absorbed through inhalation. There is almost a direct entry into the lung cells for lipophilic molecules in the essential oils as there is only one cell membrane thickness to traverse. This is why the effect of diffusers or simply breathing in fragrances added to bathwater can be substantial. Damage can occur to the lungs due to excessive use of certain chemicals in essential oils, but the actual concentration has not been worked out and very few studies are available (Cooper et al., 1995). The risk of respiratory cancer in workers after 5 years of exposure to industrial terpenes from conifers is greatly increased (Kauppinen et al., 1986). However, in another study, exposure to -pinene enantiomers for 20 minutes at 10–450 mg/m3 did not cause acute changes in lung function (Falk et al., 1990). Studies on the absorption of inhaled essential oil components are very rare, but one showed that 1,8-cineole was rapidly absorbed from eucalyptus essential oil, with plasma concentrations at their peak after 18 minutes (Jaeger et al.,1996). The direct entry of lipophilic components from essential oils via the olfactory mucosa is quite substantial and they can act like anesthetics very rapidly. Entry via the blood-brain barrier can also be substantial, especially in neonates and young children where it is undeveloped.