Aberdeen Bowen Clinic

23/02/2026

It’s the ultimate frustration.
Doing “all the right things” and getting zero results, but here is the truth your fitness tracker and social media won’t tell you…
you can’t out train or out eat a dysregulated nervous system.

🧠 The “Survival Mode” Takeover

When your nervous system is stuck in a state of chronic stress (the “Fight or Flight” loop), your body stops caring about your fitness goals. It’s too busy trying to “survive” a perceived threat.
In this state, your body undergoes a massive re prioritisation of resources.
It diverted energy. Instead of focusing on nutrition absorption, tissue repair, and muscle recovery, your body shunts energy toward immediate survival.

Your gut shutsdown. Ever feel bloated no matter what you eat? Your weight is increasing even though you’ve had a total overall of your diet and exercise regime? Stress compromises your digestive enzymes and gut barrier.

Hormonal Chaos. Your body chooses cortisol over fat burning hormones. It’s not being lazy it’s keeping you safe and prioritising biological protection.

Immune & Cellular Resistance: When you’re constantly ‘switched on’ , your cells become less responsive to signals, and your immune system becomes reactive rather than protective.

In a nutshell your body doesn’t feel safe, it will not let go of stored energy (fat) and it certainly won’t prioritize repair. You aren’t broken, you’re just overwhelmed.
To see the physical changes you want, you have to address the internal environment first.
It’s time to move from survival to safety.

Does this sound like the missing piece of your puzzle? Let’s stop pushing harder and start healing smarter. 👇

PM me to book an appointment

21/02/2026

While working with me is not a cure, many of my MS clients have felt the benefit from hands on central nervous system work.
The hands on approach targets one of the most underlying issues in Multiple Sclerosis, chronic inflammation.
Living with a chronic condition keeps the body in a state of high alert (the Sympathetic Nervous System- “Fight Flight Freeze “).
Ideally we want to be in a Parasympathetic Nervous System (the “Rest and Digest” mode).

In MS, the immune system mistakenly attacks the myelin sheath. The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in CAP (the Cholinergic Anti-Inflammatory Pathway) a neural mechanism where the vagus nerve inhibits the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, acting as the efferent arm of the “inflammatory reflex”.
When the vagus nerve is stimulated, it releases acetylcholine. This neurotransmitter tells the immune system to dial down the production of pro-inflammatory cytokine. By “calming” the immune response, it may help reduce the frequency or severity of neuroinflammation. 

Hands-on vagal work also improves HRV ( heart rate variability), which is a marker of how well your body handles stress. 
High stress often triggers MS “pseudo-exacerbations.” By lowering cortisol levels, vagal therapy can help reduce symptoms like tremors and cognitive fog from spiking due to anxiety. 

A huge portion of the immune system lives in the gut. Since the vagus nerve controls digestion and gut motility it helps maintain the blood-brain barrier integrity.  Improved digestion, which is often sluggish in MS patients (gastroparesis or constipation), therefore reducing systemic inflammation rooted in the gut. 

For more information or to book an appointment please feel free to get in touch.

18/02/2026

Making your bed immediately might seem a harmless task but it could be harming your health and sleep quality not to mention it is very unhygienic 🥴!!!

Whether you like the thought of it or not your bed contains dust mites.
When you sleep, your body does two things that mites love- it sheds dead skin cells , which the mites feed on and releases moisture through sweat and breath which is how mites get water.
By the time you wake up, your sheets are a warm, damp buffet 😬
If you make your bed immediately, you trap that moisture under the blankets. This creates a dark, humid microclimate where dust mites thrive and multiply greatly. 
Dust mites don’t actually drink the water, we produce they absorb it from the air. Leaving the bed unmade exposes the sheets to fresh air and sunlight, which dries out the moisture. This causes the mites to dehydrate and die off. 
While dust mites don’t bite, they are a major source of allergens and poor sleep quality.
The health risks aren’t caused by the mites themselves but by a protein found in their waste 💩.

This post has come about because after only a month of leaving her bed spread fully back for a few hours my clients congestion issues and skin clarity have improved!!!

16/02/2026

Understanding your Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) can help you understand what’s going on with your health and mental wellbeing.
Your ANS has three main states
💚 Ventral Vagal Activation: Your “Rest & Digest” State
This is your ideal state, when your ventral vagal nerve is active, you feel:
• Calm & Connected: You’re at ease, present, and able to connect with others.
• Safe & Engaged: The world feels safe, and you’re able to handle challenges.
• Empowered: You feel capable and can see the “big picture.”
💛 Sympathetic Activation: Your “Fight or Flight” State
When facing perceived threats, your sympathetic nervous system kicks in:
• Mobilized: You feel a surge of energy, ready to take action.
• Agitated/Anxious: You might feel overwhelmed, irritable, or restless.
• Frantic: It can feel like the world is chaotic, dangerous, and unfriendly.
🖤 Dorsal Vagal Activation: Your “Freeze” or “Shutdown” State
When “fight or flight” isn’t an option, your system might go into shutdown:
• Frozen/Numb: You might feel disconnected from your body and numb.
• Collapsed: Energy levels drop drastically, leading to feelings of helplessness.
• Shut Down: You might feel isolated, in despair, and unable to move forward.

If the think you are in the fight, flight or freeze state is is very important to try and get your body out of this state and improve your Vagal tone.
Why is Vagal Tone Important?
Your “vagal tone” is essentially the strength and efficiency of your vagus nerve – the superhighway of your ANS! A healthy vagal tone means you can easily shift into Ventral Vagal Activation (calm and connected) and recover more quickly from stress.
Improving your vagal tone can lead to:
• Better stress resilience
• Improved mood and emotional regulation
• Enhanced social connection
• Better digestion and overall physical health

Understanding these states is the first step. By practicing activities that stimulate your vagus nerve (like deep breathing, mindfulness, cold exposure, or humming), you can actively work towards a more regulated and peaceful nervous system!

If you would like help to do this please drop me a DM .

03/02/2026

It’s been a while since I introduced myself to new followers
I’m Paula & this is ME!!

❤️The Science: My business is built on the Central Nervous System. I look at your whole body and all the drives it- trauma, nutrition, stress, inflammation, scar release and physical pain.
No fluff, just facts.

❤️The Constant Learner: I spend a lot of my “free” time studying the latest research for my clients.

❤️The Balancing Act: I’m a mum of two. I love exercise and the outdoors, but I’m the first to admit that self-care often takes a backseat. I’m human, just like you! Sometimes it’s do as I say not as I do 🙈

❤️My destress - spending quality time with family, who are my world.
I am so lucky to have the support of my family. In particular my parents who do so much for me!
My friends are my “tonic”—they keep my nervous system healthy ❤️

My work is hard to describe, but my clients tell me how beneficial they find it.
There is no restrictions on age from new borns upwards. I also do alot of treatments with those dealing with difficult health diagnoses.
Clients that are unable to get out of bed or wheelchair based is also not an issue.
If you’re curious about what a session looks like, message me and let’s talk. 🌿

03/02/2026

The quickest lunch !
Lunch is the meal people struggle with most, especially if they are trying to get away from their normal ‘meal deal’ type food.

Quick sauté of mushrooms and spring onions, added shredded chicken ( leftovers), then added kimchi, bone broth and a handful of parley. Finish with a sprinkling of seeds for texture and to up the fibre.
This took 7 mins from start to finish. Could be eaten at home or taken to work in a food flask.
No nasties at all. 100% nourishing real food that fully supports your gut and nervous system 💪

06/01/2026

If you live in NE Scotland shovelling snow is becoming a daily chore and also a strenuous workout.
❄️💔

The combination of freezing temperatures (which constrict your blood vessels) and heavy lifting causes your blood pressure and heart rate to skyrocket.
For those who aren’t normally active, this can put a dangerous amount of stress on the heart so please be careful.

The amount of injuries I see from snow shovelling is crazy and if you do the below it will probably save you pain and money !! 🙈

Before you even pick up the shovel and leave the house warm up your muscles.
Spend 5 minutes doing light stretches that involve your whole body particularly your shoulders, back and legs.
I rarely see people at the gym going straight to the heaviest weights on the rack without a warm up, why is this any
different ?!?!
This gets your blood flowing and prepares your heart for the sudden spike in activity once you hit the cold air AND gets your muscles prepared.

🪏How to Shovel (And Save Your Back)

Do it with technique not just brute force

Push, don’t lift. Whenever possible, use the shovel like a plow. Pushing the snow to the edge of the driveway is much easier on your spine than lifting it.
The “Golden Rule” of lifting- if you must lift, bend at your knees, not your waist. Keep your back straight, your core engaged and your tail bone tucked under. Let your strong leg muscles do the heavy lifting. 💪

🌪️Avoid the “Twist”: Never throw snow over your shoulder or to the side by twisting your torso. Always pivot your whole body to face the direction you are throwing.

🪏Keep the load light, only take half scoops. Ideally use a small shovel.
Wet snow is incredibly heavy, don’t try to be macho man !

Take breaks. Shovel for 10-15 minutes, then rest for 5. Listen to your body, if you feel your back ‘twinge’ ….stop!
Most importantly if you feel chest pain, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, nausea stop immediately and if it continues seek medical help asap.

🪏 Happy Shovelling Friends 🪏

06/01/2026

This is me, pulling both my kids on their sledges today. It made me think about sharing some ‘tips’.
(I should have shared this info days ago - sorry!!)

Winter fun shouldn’t end with back pain😳🛷❄️

Pulling the kids on a sledge is actually a great workout, but if you’re hunching over or twisting awkwardly, you’re asking for a strain or worse.

First - Look at the setup

🗻Lengthen the rope if possible.
If the rope is too short, you have to lean forward or to the side. Use a longer lead so you can walk upright with the sledge a comfortable distance behind you.

🗻Add a handle if you don’t have one. Tying a small piece of PVC pipe or a sturdy wooden dowel to the end of the rope gives you a proper grip, preventing wrist and shoulder fatigue.

⛄️ Second - The Technique

Face Forward: Avoid walking forward while reaching behind you with one arm. This creates a “spiral” tension in your spine. Instead, keep your shoulders and hips squared as much as possible.

If you have a long enough rope, loop it across your chest (like a bag) or around your hips. This allows you to use your entire body weight and leg power to pull, rather than just your arm and lower back.
Always engage your core. Think about pulling your belly button toward your spine or image someone is about to punch your stomach and brace.
A tight core protects your lower back from sudden jolts if the sledge hits a dry patch or a bump or if your child jumps about.🙈

🚶‍♀️Be sensible and know your limits

❄️Switch Sides: If you are pulling with one hand, swap every few minutes to balance the load on your muscles.

❄️Walk don’t jerk or run.
Take steady, rhythmic steps. Avoid sudden lunges or jerks to get the sledge moving; lean into the pull gradually.

❄️If you are fatigued and your child / children are old enough - get them to walk short distances to give you a break!

Enjoy ❤️⛄️

06/01/2026

21/11/2025

I rarely share the above on social media, but I’m incredibly proud of this part of my business. It’s something I feel very strongly about and tonight’s message made me emotional.
I’m sharing not for self promotion but to spread awareness about disease prevention and management.
I constantly harp on about off label drugs. There’s solid, long standing research behind drugs such as Metformin, which has shown impacts cancer pathways.
It’s frustrating when people are told to just follow standard treatment plans without exploring other options especially when disease has progressed and the same treatment is suggested with the hope of a different outcome.

I sometimes question this section of my business as it’s the smallest part yet takes up the most time and energy.
It’s also occasionally met with condescending scepticism which can be draining and if I’m honest used to annoy me. Now I just have to accept you can’t live peoples lives for them and fear has a massive part to play in a lot of decision making.
My work with the central nervous system
Fight - Flight- Freeze has taught me that.
Messages like this remind me why I do what I do.
Tonight’s programme discusses a small part of a disease that is affecting so many and hopefully helps get this information into the main stream
( as well as highlighting I’m not a crack pot 😳).
The nhs is years behind the evidence and I can only hope more patients start questioning why they don’t have access to very cheap off label drugs that have shown benefit their health, prevent disease and possibly save their life.

🙏❤️🙏

08/07/2025

This is something I speak about all the time and I’m so delighted my client shared her experience 🩻
The muscles round your rib cage / abdomen/ pelvic floor can have a massive impact on your breathing and core muscles !

PM me for more info or to book an appointment 🙏