Botanical Bowen

04/03/2025

When the IT band becomes adhered to the vastus lateralis, this can create a loss of support to the pelvis, leading to low back pain. Most of us are familiar with traditional foam rolling for the IT band. With a minor modification, it can work well for addressing this adhesion. Here's a video of ITB rolling. https://www.rfr.bz/fb81f02 To modify it for our purposes, first, go much slower. Find tender/stiff spots and hold there until they soften. Second, foam rollers can be too hard for this. Try a tennis ball or a pool noodle. Third, only roll proximally (toward the hip). And lastly, when you are holding on a spot, alternately bend and straighten the leg. Bending your knee pulls the quad distally and rolling proximally helps create differential motion between the quad and the ITB.

29/01/2025

These words resonate deeply with the essence of Bowen Therapy.

Its gentle, holistic approach acknowledges the intricate connection between our body's tissues and our ever-vigilant nervous system.

Through its subtle moves and gentle adjustments, Bowen Therapy not only aids in physical healing but also aims to address the deeper imprints left by past traumas or tensions, to the best of your body's ability.

It focuses on soothing the nervous system to encourage deep relaxation where true healing can begin.

29/01/2025

Telomeres cap the ends of our chromosomes to keep our DNA from fraying, like the plastic tips on the ends of our shoelaces. Every time our cells divide, a bit of the telomere is lost, and once they get too short, the cell can die. That’s why telomeres are sometimes called the molecular clock of cells. Every year they get shorter and shorter, kind of like life’s fuse.

People eating more anti-inflammatory diets tend to have longer telomeres, and the greater the anti-inflammatory potential of the diet over time, the greater the potential to significantly slow down the rate of telomere shortening. Those with the most pro-inflammatory diets had almost twice the risk of accelerated telomere shortening.

The most pro-inflammatory food component is saturated fat, which is found in meat, dairy, eggs, and junk, along with cholesterol, trans fat, and other pro-inflammatory food components.

Fiber is the most anti-inflammatory food component. It appears that an increase of just 10 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories would equate to four fewer years of cellular aging. Now, of course, diets high in fiber and diets with significant amounts of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains go hand in hand. So, fiber just may be a marker of eating a lot of whole, healthy plant foods.
In How Not to Age, I cover every possible angle for developing the optimal diet and lifestyle for the longest, healthiest lifespan based on the best available balance of evidence.

Watch the videos “What to Eat to Prevent Telomere Shortening” at https://buff.ly/4ctCFQA and “Which Foods Are Anti-Inflammatory?” at https://buff.ly/33YvZLW.

How Not to Age is out now! Borrow a copy from your local library or order one today: https://buff.ly/48XNwiN

PMIDs: 23941862, 32103672, 29570620, 26354530

29/01/2025

The thoracic spine is notorious for having poor mobility. Regular stretching usually isn't good enough. Targeting the spine itself, as opposed to the muscles, is usually more productive. Try this. Roll up a towel until you get a roll about 4" in diameter. You can even put tape around it to get it to hold its shape. Lay on your back with the rolled towel under your thoracic spine (anywhere from about T4-T12) oriented left/right. Have something under your head for support. Lay there for a couple minutes, breathing into the area, then move on to another area. This helps open up the joints of the spine, stretching the ligaments, and bringing in good blood flow. Do it daily.

08/01/2025

Once upon a time, fascia was severely underestimated.

Previously thought of as basically just packing material, protecting our more important structures, it's now known that fascia plays a vital role in movement, immune function, and is our largest bodily organ, with the greatest capacity for sensation.

📸 Dr Jean Claude Guimberteau
✍🏻 The Body Mechanic, Inc.

08/01/2025

One of the most common reasons for limited dorsiflexion of the ankle is a lack of posterior talar glide. When the talus can't glide posteriorly, the front of the ankle jams when you attempt to dorsiflex -- like trying to close a drawer that has clothing hanging out of it. Using a strap to assist with posterior glide makes for a useful stretch. Here's a video of it. The guy shows to versions. Do the second one. Some use stretchy bands to do it, but I prefer a non-stretchy yoga strap. You can also do it from a kneeling position. https://www.rfr.bz/fad82e2

08/01/2025

Nice post from The Body Mechanic, Inc

If a muscle is REALLY tight, it's likely for one of two reasons: either the muscle is compensating for weakness elsewhere, or it's protecting you from something -- perhaps an entrapment or injury. If you or another really go to town trying to release one of these areas, you probably won't get anywhere with it... if you're lucky. If you DO manage to force the area to let go, you'll likely destabilize your body or possibly even get hurt. If an area doesn't seem keen on letting you in, you'd best get out.

08/01/2025

Having trouble externally rotating (turning out) one of your legs? That's one of the less intuitively obvious side-effects of this particular restriction between the erector spinae (specifically the iliocostalis lumborum) and the quadratus lumborum. It also creates low back tightness and pain. The hip it limits will tend to be the one on the same side as the restriction. A simple DIY that can sometimes help is to lay with a tennis ball under the erector, then slowly side-bend to the opposite side. Repeat this move multiple times up and down the interface between these two muscles.

23/12/2024

I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to all clients who have chosen to undergo Bowen therapy sessions with me throughout the year.

As a small business, I rely heavily on valued clients such as yourself, and I truly appreciate your loyalty and trust and any of you who have told others about me.

I look forward to continuing to help you with your Bowen treatments in 2025. Please note that I will be taking a brief hiatus until early January and look forward to resuming our sessions at that time.

11/12/2024

11/12/2024

11/12/2024

Don't like the thought of removing your clothes? Bowen Therapy can be done through light, loose clothing.

The gentle nature of Bowen Therapy means that direct skin contact is not always necessary for it to be effective.

We are trained to work with clients who are fully clothed, making it a comfortable and convenient option for those who prefer to remain dressed during the session.