Inflammation

Inflammation in the body can be present and happen for a variety of reasons. There can be inflammation in the body due to an autoimmune conditions. One can also have inflammation due to injury, surgery recovery, as well as biochemical inflammatory stressors (the things we ingest), one can also have higher inflammatory markers with increased physical as well as psychological stress. One way or another, our lives are full of inflammation. Some of the effects being increased body pain, chronic fatigue and insomnia, increased depression and mood disorders, gastrointestinal disturbances, weight gain or loss, and decreased immunity.

I would specifically like to talk about inflammation on the physical and biochemical level. When there is excess inflammation in the muscles and fascia, the nervous system can become static, and those tissues can become sticky, hard, and stuck in a matrix that functions best when fluid and flowing. What physical activity and movement can do to that stuck matrix is increase fluid exchange and metabolism of chemicals involved in daily body processes. It can create a state of "positive physical stress" in the body, that can increase nervous system adaptability, and chemically shift to a state of more fluidity and movement. It is in this state the the nervous system can best uptake and exchange vital chemical messages that the body, tissues, and nervous system need to survive. Motion IS lotion they say.

There can also be "positive stressors" in our biochemical world; think fasting, cutting something temporarily or permanently out of your diet. This can give our biome a reset. That said, I'd like to speak mostly to adverse biochemical stressors. Our entire world is FULL of them. One of the biggest is sugar. In regards to inflammation in the body, it is like pouring gasoline on a fire. In addition, in excess is can sap the organs of resources that would better be spent in metabolism and nervous system upkeep and protection.

In addition to sugar consumption, we as a whole, in my experience of feeling each of you on my table daily, drink far too little water. We are dehydrated. Our tissues are becoming crumbly, knotty, and fibrotic. I invite you to make a small commitment to yourself to increase your water intake by one glass daily.

There are other biochemical issues to consider such as: brain chemistry and support, autoimmune dietary considerations, blood pressure support and/or nutritional stressors. Check in with your Naturopath, Nutritionist, or MD about other biochemical areas you might do well to address.

This is by no means a full list or a complete discussion of these areas, but in regards to inflammation in the body, the above is a good place to start. And as you probably already know, soft tissue bodywork is a great supplement to all these things mentioned as it is a wonderful way to move things through and out of the body as well as creating homeostasis in your nervous system.

Now go get a glass of water and stretch!

You'll Feel Better in My Hands,

Stine