A Great Blog

What Grandma Used To Say

2012-01-29T02:07:00.000-08:00

Granny used to say that a bath in Epsom Salts at the end of a hard day worked wonders! Was this just a quaint folk remedy or was there truth behind this rather effective approach, that many a welsh miner swore by?

When we exercise or do hard physical labour Calcium builds up in our system, as Calcium is used to tight our muscles. Magnesium is in essence it's opposite, as Magnesium relaxes muscle tissue.

Epsom Salt (Magnesium Sulphate) Soaks can be extremely
helpful for many muscular conditions and are often recommended.
Amongst many other functions Magnesium helps

nerve and muscle function
joint health
digestive processes
helps to reduce swelling / pain of muscle strain
relaxes
can be mood-elevating

Soaking in a nice warm (not hot) bath containing about 250g of Epsom Salts
once or twice a week can be an excellent aid to easing aches and
pains. If you do this last thing before going to bed you may have a
better night’s sleep.

Feet can also be soaked in a wash-up bowl of warm water
containing a few tablespoons of Epsom Salts if bathing is a problem.

N.B. contra-indication of using Epsom Salts is if you have High Blood Pressure, if in doubt consult your Doctor.

Epsom Salts can be found in most good pharmacies and health shops.
If you have difficulty locating them, please contact me.

Granny was right then, although I would say that Epsom Salt should really only be used externally.

TTFN

Cut Down on Fruit and Eat more Lard!

2012-01-27T04:50:00.000-08:00

Perhaps you may think that by creating the above title that I may have finally lost the plot.
well as bonkers as this statement may sound, there is in fact a certain method to what appears on the surface to be Madness.

Lard is a Saturated Fat, which for nearly 50 years has been labelled as being bad for us. However given that our brain is made of just Saturated Fat and Cholesterol it seems somewhat odd that it should be labelled as such. Coupled with the fact that so many other aspects of our system rely on Saturated Fat rather than unsaturated is again a puzzle. Every time we breathe, the lubricant that allows us to do that is ....saturated fat.
Mothers milk is 54% Saturated 46% Unsaturated. This is not a mistake. Our bodies need roughly a 50/50 split of Saturated and unsaturated fats. There is growing evidence that out very obsession with unsaturated and trans fats is possibly a major contributing factor to alzheimers, dementia and parkinsons, as well as many others.

Fruit Sugars (Fructose) quite literally make us fat.
if you were to consume 100g of glucose, your liver doesn't have to work very hard to process it, as glucose happily potters about in our blood stream. Of that 100g, about 4g-6g of that is 'held back' as Fat.
If however you were to consume 100g of Fructose, you liver have to run practically at full tilt to process it, and of that 100g, about 40g of it will become Fat.

Most fruit tend to be a combination of Fructose, Sucrose and Glucose.
A good portion of them tend to be mostly Fructose - hence 'Fruit Sugar'.

The new line of thinking is that Unsaturated and Saturated fats are good for you, as are vegetables - particular cruciferous one (broccolli, cabbage, then green ones etc). However Trans fats (fats that have been messed with) and High Fructose Fruits are a no no.

Hence my original title: 'Cut down on Fruit and Eat more Lard'

This leads me on nicely to my next seminars in Exeter and Bath on this very subject, and entitled appropriately enough: 'A New Look at Fat: The Good, The Bad, and the Zebra'

watch the Video, then book a place.

For details about the Exeter Seminar please contact me on 07811 518351

For the Seminar in Bath please contact philly@metabolics.co.uk

TTFN

Bowen Therapy Totnes

2012-01-20T06:13:00.000-08:00

What's the time Mr Wolf?

2012-01-13T05:39:00.000-08:00

Due to my little scatter brained self - I forgot to mention what time the CPD Workshop in Exeter was going to start on the 1st February.

So here is the Schedule:-

09.00 Registration
09.30 Start
11.00 Break (15 minutes)
12.30 Lunch
13.30 Part 2
15.00 Break (15 Minutes)
17.00 Finish

Please bring along a video camera and/or Mobile Phone that can do video if you have one.

To Book please call Holmedale Health Centre on 01392 454954, you can pay by card over the phone. Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements when booking.

TTFN

Bowen Therapy, Radio 2 and Whiplash

2012-01-12T02:28:00.000-08:00

Given that Bowen Therapy has a great reputation for sorting out Whiplash injuries, even the long standing ones, I couldn't help but comment on the latest media onslaught regarding Whiplash injuries and treatment.

This morning on Radio 2 the news announced that too many folk were claiming for whiplash injuries, and that the government should step in.
This I am afraid just goes to show how little insurance companies and the transport quango understand about whiplash in the first place.
I am sure they are right when they say that there are false claims, but at the same time the vast majority of whiplash injuries I treat don't manifest themselves until 6-9 months following an accident. It has been left untreated as the accidents were considered too minor. In other cases where the accident was severe enough to cause instant problem, it has been quite of a month or so before the patient actually receives any treatment - no wonder the claims run into thousands of pounds!
It is my opinion that any car incident regardless of how small - everyone should get some kind of therapy straight away ( I am talking within hours here, or as soon as is practical) whether or not they feel fine. As a preventative measure this could save insurance companies and the people involved an absolute fortune.
Just think about it - half a ton of metal hitting you at even 10 mph is going to give you a shock; physically, emotionally and psychologically.
It doesn't matter whether the car is damaged or not.
If there are family members in the car, particularly young children, just think of the instant emotional trauma that would go through your head, and I have also seen this happen to the driver of a car who struck a car containing children. The damage was minimal, but the driver was besides themselves with worry.
Payouts of thousands of pounds is unnecessary if you get treated asap. The longer you leave it, the layer of problems and compensation that the body has to deal with will increase.
Whiplash is not simply a neck problem, although many treat it as such. The movement of the head send a 'whiplash' type wave that runs down the spine - think of the head being the handle of the whip, ask yourself where does the 'crack' actually occur.... you got it down the other end. Hence for those folk who I'm sure we all know who have had long standing 'whiplash' for years, remaining unresolved, is in my opinion due to the fact that everyone is looking in the wrong place.
This is not some kind of radical new medical theory, it's just plain common sense - which I am afraid seems to be in short supply in certain quarters.

TTFN

Early Bird Discount for CPD in Exeter

2012-01-10T23:43:00.000-08:00

Only a few days left if you wish to benefit from the early bird discount for next months CPD course for therapists in Exeter on the 1st of February. Book before the end of working hours on Friday 13th January and the full price for the whole day, which includes a hot two course Lunch and refreshments plus CPD certificate will be yours for just £75.

Why so cheap you may ask yourself? Well the answer is simple - being a Therapist myself, I have not been immune to the last couple of years of tough times. Practically every Therapist I know has been having a hard time in their businesses, many of whom have had to change their careers.

So creating this one day course specifically for therapists, and how to get back on track for a successful business without breaking the bank, seemed like the least I could do.

Watch the latest in my series of strange videos, which will hopefully give you a little taster of what will be in store for the lucky attendees.....

Remember you can book directly and pay by Card by phoning Holmedale Health Centre on 01392 454954 or if you have any questions or special dietary requirements call me direct on 07811 518351 or email: info@bowenindevon.co.uk

I look forward to seeing you there!

TTFN

Therapy in Business, Exeter - Details

2011-12-30T03:27:00.000-08:00

Bowen Therapy Basics

2011-12-23T09:58:00.000-08:00

It is one of the best pieces of advice a fellow Bowen Therapist gave to me many years ago - get back to basics every so often and attend a 'Part 5 final level' in Bowen Therapy.

It has been a while since I last took part in one of these Practitioner final level courses. It can also be quite unnerving for the other attendees as they will almost all be new, and taking this exam for the first time.

I have to say it is unnerving for me too, as expectations are high, and I have been doing this for a good number of years now, so the pressure to not look bad or make mistakes is also high.

The idea of course is to learn. It always amazes me, that even though I perform Bowen Technique on patients nearly every day, that my 'position' and 'movement' needs polish. Each time I attend one of these courses, there is sure to be a move or two where I have drifted a bit, although this year I managed to be out of line by about an inch, which fortunately wasn't critical in this particular case, but could have reduced the effectiveness of the therapy in certain cases.

Hence why it is so important for me to get back to basics, regularly.

I never stop learning.

I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas, and I pray that the New year brings Prosperity and Peace to you and your families.

TTFN

Upcoming Seminar Videos in Exeter and Bath

2011-12-12T08:13:00.000-08:00

For those of you who wish to know a little more about the seminars I will be hosting next year in Exeter and Bath; a few video links that might give you a better idea of the subject matter we will be covering.

These lecture are open to everybody, but are aimed mainly at Therapists of any modality, as well as other medical professionals. I keep the terminology to a minimum, and the events are structured to be fun and entertaining, as well as informative and educational.

A New Look at Fat: The Good The Bad and the Zebra

Fat Seminar Video Link

A New look at Aminos: Sex, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll

Amino Acid Seminar Video Link

I hope these are useful.

From all here at the 'Bowen Therapy in Devon' clinics in Exeter and Totnes, I wish you a very merry Christmas, Drive safely, and remember that following all that christmas pud, and games of Twister - if your body starts to squeak, just think of the Bowen Technique! ;o)

TTFN

New Seminar Date for Exeter & Bath 2012

2011-11-30T09:42:00.000-08:00

Greetings all, and dare I say it 'Yuletide' ones at that.

Folk have been asking me for next years 'New Look at Anatomy' Seminar dates for next year. Well just to keep everyone happy, here they are (there may be more to follow):

Therapy In Business:Healing and/or making Money
Exeter: 1st February 2012
Bath: 29th February 2012

A New Look at Aminos: Sex, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll
Exeter: 7th March 2012
Bath: 2nd May 2012

A New Look at Fat: The Good, the bad, and the Zebra
Exeter: 4th April 2012
Bath: 30th May 2012

All the seminars taking place in Bath are being run by Metabolics. Please contact Philly@metabolics.co.uk for bookings at these events.

Seminars taking place in Exeter will be at Holmedale Health Centre. Please contact myself via email or contact the Centre by phone on 01392 454954.

TTFN

Bristol Anniversary

2011-11-14T07:29:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

Something somewhat unrelated to Bowen Therapy this time but I thought I would pop it in my blog anyway, because good news is the best form of advertising for any business.

It was our 11th Anniversary on the 11th November, so me and my wife decided to go to Bristol for the weekend. Spending a couple of nights at the Marriot and dining out at a couple of snazzy restaurants in the evenings.
Firstly I have to congratulate Bristol as a city, as everywhere we went the service was friendly and helpful, which these days seems to be a rarity. This applied to the Hotel, shops and eateries of all kinds including the average bod on the street when asking for direction in the pouring rain.

We pushed the boat out on the first night and went to the award winning Casamia restaurant in Westbury-on-Trym. This place is not your run of the mill dining experience. It is a taste sensation! Not for the faint of heart (or wallet) but worth it as a one off special occasion. Be warned that if you can't deal with 'a little bit of nothing on a big white plate' then you are in the wrong place. The presentation and theatrics coupled with singular mouthfuls of adventure are amazing, and after 8 (or 11) courses, small though they may be, we didn't go away hungry.

We wondered around Bristol centre the following day, and we were still talking about the food from the previous night. Saturday evening we dined at a little Italian near the Hotel called Picolina's.
Fantastic friendly Bar and restaurant staff ( as we hadn't booked, it was late, and we needed to wait for a table) great tasting food.

Another little mention goes to 'Tampopo' where we had lunch in Cabots circus. This is a multi asian fusion cuisine place, similar in style to Wagamamas. A little less frantic though, with some unusual dishes. Really tasty (considering it's a chain) and once again good friendly service. Well done Bristol!

TTFN

Bath Anatomy Seminar

2011-10-07T05:49:00.000-07:00

An exciting day was had by all at the latest in the New Look at Anatomy series held in Bath. This was the first in a series of seminars I am delivering in conjunction with Metabolics ( www.metabolics.com ). The next three seminars will be in February and May next year - 'Therapy in Business', 'A New Look at Fat: The Good, The Bad and the Zebra' and 'A New look at Aminos: Sex, Drugs and Rock n Roll'. These three seminars will be held in Bath at the Old Orchard Theatre and space will be limited to 16 delegates.
I am also looking into the possibility of holding another Anatomy seminar this year at the end of November depending on levels of interest in the Exeter area.
As with all my seminars they are designed to be informative, fun and visually entertaining - they are aimed at anyone in the Medical and Bodyworking world and I continually update the information in them as we make more discoveries. I cover important aspects of medical history and their continued influence on modern thinking, I discuss the realm of biochemistry and the fight or flight mechanism and it's relevance to physical presentations, and this all comes together with regard to the latest findings in anatomical research and function coupled with practical exercises and visual examples.
For further details on the Metabolics seminars please contact Philly Hill - philly@metabolics.com or contacts myself for other seminars in your local area.

TTFN

ACPIN Lecture @ RD&E

2011-09-27T07:27:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Hannah Graham of RD&E and Andy McKellar of Ships Physio for organising and setting up last nights lecture for Devon ACPIN at the Princess Elizabeth Orthpaedic Centre.
We had a full turn out of about 30 delegates, most of whom were Physios and NeuroPhysiotherapists.

I certainly feel honoured and privileged to have been asked to give the lecture, and judging by the initial feedback and questions - I think most attendees went away with much to think about.

For those of you who missed out on New Look at Anatomy CPD course in Exeter during the Summer, I will be delivering another one on the 5th October in Bath - for bookings please contact Philly Hill at Metabolics.

Philly@metabolics.co.uk

TTFN

Evening Lecture at Royal D & E - 26th September

2011-08-03T08:58:00.000-07:00

For those who are interested I will be giving an evening lecture on some of the latest findings in anatomy to the Devon ACPIN group on 26th September at the Princess Elizabeth Lecture Theatre, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. Registration is at 6pm for 6.30pm start.
Cost is £4.00 for ACPIN members, and £6.00 for non-members.

To book a place please contact Hannah Graham on 01392 408911 or email her : hannah.graham@rdeft.nhs.uk

Closing date for bookings is 19th September.

Look forward to seeing you there.

TTFN

More Anatomical Discoveries

2011-06-24T00:49:00.000-07:00

Greetings All.
It has been a pretty hectic week - dissecting bodies at Imperial College London and then holding the CPD course on the latest findings a day later at the Holmedale Health Centre in Exeter for a range of therapists.
Once again the dissection was overseen by Professor Kerry Davis, and held by Julian Baker who is the Principal at the European College of Bowen Studies. We were concentrating on the lower body this time, and looking at the fascial connections from the pelvis down the leg and the multiple links all the muscle have at the Sacrum - which seems to be more like a giant junction box for a surprising number of muscles.
One of the key discoveries we made was how the hamstring muscles are not quite built as they appear in the diagrams (surprise surprise). Particularly the Biceps Femoris muscle. We have tended to view this muscle as starting at the base of the pelvis and finishing at the head of the tibia rapping around the knee.
What we discovered was that the the Hamstring fascia actually starts at the sacrum and ends around the ankle at lateral maleolis - this has significant impact on how we view what hamstring does and the various whys and wherefore when someone gets a Hamstring strain for example.
All exciting stuff, and once again this new found knowledge will be put into practice at clinic.

TTFN

SHIPS Physio Testimonial

2011-05-24T09:25:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I delivered a relatively short lecture on some of the aspects I will be covering in the upcoming 'New Look at Anatomy' CPD course in Exeter on the 22nd June.
Within a few days I met the organiser of the event - Andy McKellar who is the principal at SHIPS Physio in Totnes, who specialises in Strokes, Head Injuries and Parkinsons. He was somewhat excited as he had experimented with some of the concepts within the lecture and applied them using his own physio skill set when treating patients. Below is the resulting written testimonial:

Bowen Therapy Devon as seen on TV.....?

2011-05-23T00:13:00.000-07:00

A short welcome to the new Bowen Therapy Devon YouTube Channel.

http://www.youtube.com/user/BowenTherapyDevon

Bowen Therapy in Devon animation - just a bit of sillyness

2011-05-11T09:57:00.000-07:00

Pennies & Pounds

2011-04-20T01:12:00.000-07:00

After a relatively minor car crash a year ago, I am even more keen to get across the importance of getting yourself treated following even slight incidents that may or may not result in any obvious injury.

This may seem like scaremongering, or even a way to generate more income for therapists. However this is not the case at all. In my case I was in a rear end collision where the back of my car was dented significantly, the resultant impact meant I also used my brakes to stop myself hitting the car in front, and my head was thrown backwards, then forwards at point of impact.

This is a common state of affairs - within a few minutes I had neck and left shoulder pain. We call this whiplash. Being a therapist, I booked the closest appointment I could find, which ended up being a back and neck massage. I would have had Bowen Therapy if I could have found someone quick enough. So within an hour of the impact my body was being treated.

As it happens, I ended up with about 5 or 6 treatments over a 6 month period of Bowen Therapy which went through the insurance company - and I can assure you my body needed it.

So what is my point?

In my experience the majority of whiplash type problems occur 6-9 months following a minor car incident. The reason for this tends to be due to the fact that at the moment of impact, the shockwave will travel down the spine, and if there is braking involved, down the right leg.

Initially the recipient may have a bit of neck ache or maybe not for a day, but then they think nothing of it as it goes away, and in many cases, the vehicle itself may only have a minor dent in the bumper.

However the shock that has struck the body both physically, and we mustn't underestimate this, emotionally and psychologically. The shockwave, as I have already mentioned, ends up usually around the base of the spine, and also the tensional shock of applying the brakes on the right leg.

This will work it's way up the body over a period of months. Sometimes this will manifest itself as a bit of backache, but because it is so long since the accident no-one puts two and two together. 6 to 9 months down the line, the patient starts to experience neck pain, headaches and all the whiplash type symptoms. By then of course everyone has forgotten about the car crash.

My advice, is regardless of whether or not you feel hurt following a car accident, get some treatment of some kind ASAP. Err on the side of caution - even if there is no physical damage, how many of us can truly say that we aren't going to be affected in any way by being struck by a piece of metal weighing more than half a Ton travelling at 20/30 mph or more?

It can be a shocking experience in many ways; physically, emotionally and psychologically.

Why only get treatment when something is visibly serious? Small things given time can add up to big things - As granny always used to say: Look after the pennies, and the pounds will look after themselves.

TTFN

The Achilles Effect

2011-03-17T07:51:00.000-07:00

I had a conversation recently with someone who I hadn't seen for quite a while. He mentioned he had been off for some months as he had broken his Achilles Tendon - Ouch!

He had of course been going through the usual physio process which is great.

However I then asked him how his breathing had been, and of course he looked at me aghast and asked how I knew, as it has been troubling him for a while, and doctors have come up with nothing, he was starting to think it was something more serious.

The reason I asked the question of course was that the Achilles is not just a thing on it's own, it is part of a continuity of fascia and muscles known as the superficial back line. This in essence runs from the big toe all the way up to the back of our head. As an analogy imagine a giant elastic band stretched from your foot to the top of your neck. Now imagine what would happen if you cut that elastic band at the foot - thwack!

In real terms, your body is not built quite like that, but the effect of an Achilles breaking is not far off. The shock wave created will run right up the body, and in my experience the most common problem following such an injury is the patients breathing, quite literally the shock wave has taken their breath away.

If you apply this way of thinking with any Sports type injury, you may find a series of other little (or maybe not so little) problems, aches and pains you have been experiencing since the injury, you may find they are all connected.

TTFN

The Road to Damascus

2011-02-25T09:33:00.000-08:00

Hi Folks, Nothing at all to do with Bowen Therapy, however I though I would just mention that I have just hit 40 years old! EEK!

To celebrate this rather surprising revalation I decided to go to Syria and visit Damascus and many of the other spectacular archeological sites that this rather fantastic and welcoming country has to offer. I cannot recommend this place more highly as a holiday destination.

Interesting that while other parts of the middle east and north Africa were going mad, this rather progressive moderate Arab country was carrying on business as usual offering first class customer service, great food and a truly wonderful experience.

Archaeologically it is easily equal to the valley of the Kings and the the Pyramids of Egypt, but with the added bonus of being relatively unknown by western tourists - hence not too busy or hectic.

I can thoroughly recommend Nawafir Travel who I used for the 7 day tour; one of the largest Syrian based tour operators that offer considerably better value for money than our English counterparts for identical packages. www.nawafir-tours.com

They also provided an excellent freelance tour guide for a little extra who was worth his weight in gold called Fahed Omki. It is such a rarity these days to find superb customer service coupled with phenomenal local and historical knowledge.

It won't be long I hope before I go back.

TTFN

Austin

Dissection at Imperial College

2011-02-10T01:54:00.000-08:00

Greetings all and welcome to my first post of the year.

It has been 3 years since the first ground breaking layered dissection at St.Georges Hospital Medical School (see post Jan 2008).

This year, another first, once again held by Julian baker - Director of the European College of Bowen Studies, under the watchful eye of Professor Kerry Davis - Head of Human Anatomy Imperial College London.

Our purpose this time was extending the discovery of the upper body by doing another layered dissection, but this time including the head, neck and jaw.

Once again I found the traditional anatomical illustrative references somewhat misleading, as they discount so much of what is intrinsically connected i.e. fascial tissue. The shear diversity of fascial tissues and layers is a study in itself, particularly around the head,cheek and jaw areas.

Ultimately we could have spent days if not weeks on this one area of the body as it is so complex.

What I took away from this dissection was how important the Facial and Neck muscles are for our ability to breathe. How even something like jaw ache or an ear infection could quite easily interfere with our breathing pattern and posture at quite a significant level, and if left unchecked could create a vicious circle of problems.

I must point out as before that it is only due to the incredible generosity of the individuals, and their families, who have given their consent for their forms to be used in the furthering of medical science that such educative dissections are possible. It has been once again an honour to have taken part, at what I have learned will be applied over the coming months in my Bowen Therapy Practice.

Finally a big thank you to Amanda Hermitage who organised this event, and also to Julian Baker whose never ending commitment to the furthering of our understanding of just how and why Bowen Technique works on the Human Body.

TTFN

Austin

Sports Injuries

2010-10-25T03:18:00.000-07:00

Another great weekend of learning with the rather marvelous Paula Esson - famous in the Bowen world for her work with the Leeds Rhinos Rugby team, who then went on to win the world championship. A professional sportswoman herself from the age of 15, Paula brings immense practical experience as well as her Sports injury rehabilitation expertise.

One of the key inroads that she seems to be making in recent years is with a successful multi-disciplinary approach to therapy and recovery, as well as structured preventative methods moving forward. The example of many professional sports stars who's injury rates plummet once under the watchful eye of Paula and her team of highly skilled therapists - preventing injuries happening in the first place being a preferred way, as opposed to a damage control approach.

Needless to say I learnt lots, and will be introducing some of these new skill sets into clinic practice.

TTFN

Outside the Comfort Zone

2010-09-30T03:20:00.000-07:00

Greeting All. Have just come back from two days of mind blowing training by the ever astounding Chris Astill-Smith of 'Metabollics'. What this guy doesn't know about Human Biochemistry probably isn't worth knowing. His approach is to apply this incredible knowledge into useful and practical application within the medical world. He classifies himself as a 'Functional Biochemist' and uses his expertise in Applied Kineisiology and structural manipulation to further to add to his amazing ability to track down the sources of the various ailments the body suffers from - sometimes this may be biochemical or nutritional, other times it may be neurological or mechanical. Needless to say he gets results. The teaching courses he delivers are still in my opinion some of the best delivered in our industry. It is never the same old stuff, and each time I am well outside my comfort zone, which pushes my learning ability.

You may ask what a Bowen Therapist is doing learning about Biochemistry. Personally I think the better educated and the more I can learn about how the body heals, or indeed what makes it go wrong, the better I become as a practitioner.

TTFN

Interesting Times

2010-05-19T08:25:00.000-07:00

Greeting All!
We have had to make some hard decisions of late. The end of April waived goodbye to both the Torquay and Ashburton clinics, with focus on the Totnes clinic for the time being. Thursday clinic will now be extended to 9pm which has proved extremely popular with workaholics. A second late evening may be on the cards if demand increases.
Our sights for the future are set on a new clinic, as part of a Doctors surgery in the bay area, and the possibility of having a satelite clinic in Exeter. Both of these will not be available until the end of July / early August.
I now host three radio shows on Riviera FM - two of them related to Health matters. Argentinian Tango being the third ( a little hobby of mine).
Due to the success of the Anatomy seminar I gave earlier in the year, I hope to be holding another one in Bristol sometime in the beginning of July.

TTFN