What happened to January already? Ann Whittle and I had a wonderful Introductory CranioSacral Workshop 27th + 28th January 2007. In the end we had a small group which meant changing the venue, but it all worked out very well. All participants plan to go on to do the professional training. My Continued Professional Development course this year will be an anatomy course looking at the cranium with one day in the dissection room! It's taken me a few years to pluck up the courage to do this, but curiosity has finally got the better of squeamishness. Thank you for sharing this email with your friends and colleagues. As well as forwarding to your friends, you may reprint any tip in your newsletters and message boards providing you include full authorship, copyright, and subscription information.

The body is an instrument, the mind its function, the witness and reward of its operation. -George Santayana _________________________  CranioSacral Therapy (CST)  :  Chronic Pain and CranioSacral Therapy “CranioSacral Therapy has proven to be a powerful complement to massage therapy in addressing chronic pain. While massage can effectively address abnormal somatic (body) patterns through the musculoskeletal system, CST approaches somatic disturbances through the craniosacral, fascial and central nervous systems. Chronic pain can range from mild tissue irritation to intense suffering and disability affecting an individual's entire body, psyche and life. What's more, the perception of pain often persists long after the injured tissue has healed. This can cause compensatory patterns that continue to maintain the sensation of pain, eventually leading to abnormal somatic and visceral [organ] changes that frequently mask the primary cause of the chronic pain. CST can be used to identify and help the body change core patterns contributing to chronic pain. It also effectively addresses its associated symptoms, such as musculoskeletal imbalance, trigger points, myofascial dysfunction, chronic fatigue, immune system dysfunction, autonomic nervous system dysfunction, elevated heart rate, high blood pressure, endocrine system dysfunction, stress, anxiety, hypothalamic dysfunction and sleep difficulties. Chronic pain has a multitude of causes, including congenital disorders, spinal disorders, musculo-skeletal imbalance, compensatory patterns, surgery, scar tissue, disease processes, trauma, infection, overuse, disuse and misuse. “The common denominator of conditions that cause chronic pain is irritation of the nociceptive (pain cell) endings, axons, or processing circuits causing abnormal activity that is interpreted as pain.” Recent research points to central nervous system adaptation as a common contributor to chronic pain. Body tissue often responds to pain through habitual muscle tension, postural distortion, diminished tissue mobility, thickening and congestion of the fascia, decreased blood flow to painful areas, a build-up of metabolic waste products, adverse strain on the peripheral, central and autonomic nervous system tissues, and an overall sense of fatigue. Can you recall a time you experienced a paper cut or were pricked by a thorn? Remember how sensitive your finger was to touch or perhaps to the slightest movement? The pain receptors in the area became easily stimulated, even with slight pressure. Yet, in a few days, the sensitivity decreased. With chronic pain, the sensitivity does not decrease. Entire areas of the body might stay in a state of overwhelming sensitivity and pain. Nervous system tissue reacting in this way is referred to as being “facilitated,” which means the pain cells and pain pathways are overly reactive. It's as though a magnifying glass is amplifying a vast and abnormal amount of sensory information into the area. This can then cause abnormal changes in the structure and function of the tissue innervated by the area of the affected spinal cord neurons, thus maintaining the sensation of chronic pain. The facilitated sensory input might even cascade into other regions of the spinal cord and brain. The overflow of signals can irritate brain regions, leading to the ongoing perception of pain and the symptoms that often accompany chronic pain. Disturbance of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system (sympathetics) often will lead to widespread bodily dysfunction. The sympathetic turmoil also contributes to chronic pain. “The sympathetics control the caliber of most of the vessels of the body. When the sympathetics are hyperirritable in a given area, in a given segment or in a peripheral distribution, there is a tendency for either exaggerated vasoconstriction or vasodilation [constriction or dilation of blood vessels]. This contributes to chaos and the perpetuation of pathology. When you control the blood supply to a given area, you control its life; you control its capacity for recovery, its capacity to survive and maintain its integrity as a tissue.” The vascular stress caused by sympathetic nervous system imbalance can lead to more tissue aggravation and pain signalling. Also, “the sympathetic nervous system is an important participant in the maintenance of splinting.” Splinting is one way the body tries to avoid feeling pain - by rigidly contracting the muscles so minimal movement will occur. In these many ways, the unbridled responsive region(s) of the central and autonomic nervous systems might maintain the feeling of pain. Normal tissue mobility is essential for this healing process, which is critical in addressing chronic pain. Enhanced mobility can help normalise vascular flow, decrease metabolic waste build-up, aid normal neural structure and function, de-facilitate affected spinal cord and brain areas, decrease adaptive body patterns that might be maintaining chronic-pain signals, and normalise autonomic nervous system function, thus decreasing abnormal strain on the associated somatic and visceral structures. All this can help the body decrease the enormous strain chronic pain places on it, and help free the body from related suffering. In this highly individualised way, CST might enhance the body's ability to naturally correct the imbalance and dysfunction that might be contributing to painful patterns. CST can assist the body in changing abnormal tissue-strain patterns residing in the depths of the brain and spinal cord, throughout the musculoskeletal system, and in the body as a whole. CST also can be used in combination with massage and other manual therapies as an effective treatment for chronic pain conditions. Reference: Tad Wanveer, LMT, CST-D; guest author for John Upledger, DO, OMM Dr Upledger asked Tad Wanveer, LMT, CST-D, to share his insights on CST

Eat Right for Your Type : Wheatgrass The sprouting of wheat into wheat grass destroys the lectin that is problematic in wheat. Sprouting also beneficially changes the nutrient profile of this grain, resulting in a nutrient-dense, enzyme-rich superfood. Because of these factors, I [Dr D'Adamo] consider wheat grass to be an excellent addition to the diet for all blood types. As far as an amount, use your own judgement. Because of the concentrated nature of this food, a little goes a long way, so if you have not enjoyed wheat grass juice before, start with a smaller amount. Reference: dadamo.com

Life Coaching We're into the second month of the year already and how many good intnetions have gone by the way. If you're unhappy about an aspect (or several) in your life, doing nothing will change nothing and as the recent Boots advert, suggested “change just one thing”. (Small steps.) Below Blain Lee puts it in a nut shell and Og Mandino has some great advice. Any change, any loss, does not make us victims. Others can shake you, surprise you, disappoint you, but they can't prevent you from acting, from taking the situation you're presented with and moving on. No matter where you are in life, no matter what your situation, you can always do something. You always have a choice and the choice can be power.                         --Blaine Lee, The Power Principle How do I change? If I feel depressed I will sing. If I feel sad I will laugh. If I feel ill I will double my labour. If I feel fear I will plunge ahead. If I feel inferior I will wear new garments. If I feel uncertain I will raise my voice. If I feel poverty I will think of wealth to come. If I feel incompetent I will think of past success. If I feel insignificant I will remember my goals. Today I will be the master of my emotions.            -Og Mandino, “The Greatest Salesman in the World”

PARACETAMOL:  A deadly painkiller, even at the recommended dose Paracetamol - or acetaminophen as it's known in the States - is the most widely used painkiller in the world.  There's a pack in most homes, and you can always nip out to the local newsagents or general store if you do run out. For a drug that's so freely available, you'd imagine that it is safe.  And our drug watchdogs assure us that it is when taken at the recommended dose of 4g a day. It's not.  One study discovered that it caused liver damage in up to 44% of all participants who were taking it at the standard dose.  In fact, paracetamol has become the major cause of acute liver failure in the USA and Europe, a condition that will almost certainly kill the patient unless the diseased organ is replaced. Some of these cases have been the result of unintentional overdose - where perhaps one tablet too many has been taken - and fatalities have occurred at doses as low as 7g, just 3g above the recommended dose. Despite the evidence, you won't in anyway be surprised to hear that America's drug regulator, the Food and Drug Administration, isn't changing the way the drug is made so freely available, even after a `careful consideration' of the many fatalities. Reference: WDDTY Enews 4.1.07 (Source:  The Lancet, 2006; 368: 2395-6)

Aqua Detox Therapy           Detox and rebalance your body's systems Aqua Detox is an electromagnetic detoxification process carried out on the feet. This is a convenient and efficient therapy to clean and purify your body. The body accepts negative ions from the apparatus to rebalance the positive ions created through pollution, dietary toxins and stress.  The negative ions neutralise the positive ions, allowing cells to detoxify and accept nutrition more freely. (See website for client experiences and further information.) I have had clients reporting good results for reducing the side affects of chemotherapy.

What's Happening The next CranioSacral Therapy Introductory course will be in September 2007. Date TBA. The Fountain Centre, St Lukes, Royal Surrey Hospital, Guildford - a drop-in centre offering complementary therapies to those undergoing cancer treatment. The first 4 treatments are free and thereafter on a donation basis. Tel: 01483-406618 Help raise funds for The Fountain Centre. Mt Toubkal Challenge 29th Sept -7th Oct 2007. Trek to the top of the highest mountain in North Africa. ALSO, the Great Wall of China Challenge 9th-20th May 2007. For information ring 01483-406618/406629. Yoga for Pregnancy classes. Tel: Babs Lehner 01252-676956. Farnborough Medical Lecture Society : Enquiries Mrs F Milne 01252-546006. Lectures begin again in October.

Gift vouchers available for any value towards any treatment or combinations of treatments -      CranioSacral Therapy, Massage and/or Aqua Detox and Life Coaching.         Birthday discount of £5, on all treatments, during the week of your birthday. Please advise me on booking.

About this newsletter - This is a free newsletter written and distributed by Patricia Spence at HandfulOfCherries.com. My intention is to inform, inspire and promote a holistic lifestyle. Want to share this material with others?  Yes, you can!....forward this newsletter to your friends and colleagues. If you know someone who would benefit from reading this, go ahead and spread the word! Yes, you can!....reprint any tip on your website, own newsletter or message boards. Please give credit where it's due, and let people know where they can join the list if they want more! Thank you!

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