Old Ideas about Inflammation

Have you suffered from inflammation in the gut, joints, muscles, or lungs?  Perhaps you have felt stiffness or limited range of motion?  Do you have deep pain and tender spots along a line in the body?

We have learned a lot about inflammation over the last few years as marketing campaigns for health and wellness have urged us to decrease inflammation by eating anti-inflammatory foods, getting more rest, taking stress off of joints, changing emotional patterns, and more. Has this approach worked for you? Have you made progress?

New Ideas about Inflammation

What if inflammation was just a symptom, and the fatigue, malady, tension, and unease that is being experienced is the effect of the body winding up too tight?

In Tai Chi, we move through different movement patterns that spiral and stretch at the same time.  Our deep breathing is engaged, and our diaphragm is pulled and moved in all directions, as are our organs and fascia.  These movement patterns create space in the joints, lengthening of the spine, and ease of movement.  Participants in Tai Chi quickly experience feeling lighter, less sleepy, more emotionally balanced and revitalized.

One-on-One Sessions are Enlightening

With a client session this week, we evaluated the depth of pain she was experiencing in the “plantar fasciitis” she had been diagnosed with.  When we followed the pain, it went up the leg, over the hip, up her back, and to her shoulders.  So, the question then becomes, is it coming from the feet, or are the feet the result of challenges elsewhere?

This client had been resting her feet and trying to ice the inflammation for months, to no avail.  We decided to stay within the framework of a Touch for Health Balance as You Go protocol, the very first balance we learned in Touch for Health. 

What did we Discover about Inflammation?

Through the Touch for Health assessment of the muscles related to each organ system, we discovered that her feet and leg muscles were all functioning as they should.  What? How could that be with all the pain and inflammation? Instead, there were muscles in the upper body that were not engaging.  We rubbed a few NeuroLymphatic Points to re-engage those muscles, and along with those muscles working as they should, miraculously, the pain in the feet subsided. What does that say about inflammation?

To re-assess we had the client take a walk with all the muscles now engaged, she was able to put her heel on the floor and move through her foot.  This was something she had not been able to do for months.

Homework is Empowerment

We then discussed ways of empowering the tissue throughout the body to work together, and did the Seated Foot Exercises – Set A, found on my YouTube Channel in the Tai Chi Wellness playlist.  The pain throughout the body decreased to almost nothing, and her walking gait improved some more.

Lastly, we added a little spine rotation exercise to bring more space and flow to the center of the body, to the postural reflex patterns, and to the fascia and tendons, and in just a few more minutes we eliminated the pain to just a light sensitivity.

The Results are Clear

A miracle of speed and depth, the pain this person had been experiencing for months was reduced to a light sensitivity within an hour of our focus on releasing and letting go. 

How long will this last? That is a good question.  When the body finds a signal that you are listening to, it likes to keep messaging through that signal.  So, it may not be that the pain came back, but rather that things are out of balance and will need an adjustment to find harmony again.  Going to the exercises that you know work and respond the quickest can be helpful.  This new body wisdom provides self-care tools that can be instantaneous for relief, and this is self-empowering.

Was it Inflammation?

The question then is, was that inflammation that she was working with and had been diagnosed with, or was the tension in the body so strong that it tightened up the tissue to create the look of inflammation? Were rest and relaxation the response that could support unwinding the tension, or was a movement to re-educate the tissue the opportunity to create the fastest and most long-lasting results?

With my knowledge of how the body loves whole-body movement, and the language of love through movement like Tai Chi and somatic dance, I have witnessed countless instantaneous changes from students and clients. I am always in awe because as Kris Carr, award winning author of “Crazy, Sexy, Kitchen” says: “Listen to the body, it always knows the right answer.” With Touch for Health we have a way of listening to the signals and prioritizing how to bring balance and flow back for pain relief.

How can you take action?

Dr. Michelle Greenwell is a movement specialist who enjoys finding the pieces to the puzzle of pain and stiffness.  Her four decades of movement education and exploration have provided her with experience and tools to help others be their self-care advocate with actions that are available and successful.  A private session, message here, with Michelle can bring clarity and focus to the challenges at hand, as well as tools to continue the improvement at home with your care.  The A.M.E. for Greatness Project is a second approach that provides 9 sessions with three facilitators using different supports and educational tools to help release chronic challenges. Michelle’s online and in-person classes, workshops, and events are all designed with the bioenergetic wellness formula to help you through a group setting to get the relief and the healing you desire. 

What are you waiting for?  You deserve to live with energy and vitality daily enjoying the pleasures in life, without pain as your guide for how to live your day.  Take action today and join in with the programs.

Be sure to check out the Teas in the shop too, they offer intentions on each package and can help support the healing journey, as do the Books, Cards, and Videos in the shop. Many of the herbs found in the teas are supportive for symptoms of inflammation, and there is a small symbol on the right hand side to indicate the level of antioxidants available in the blend. Regular tea sipping can be a great addition to your self-care plan as the herbs support your wellbeing practice.

Do you want to learn more about Tai Chi, check out this episode from the podcast with Tai Chi Expert, Bill Douglas, on the Be Well with Dr. Michelle Greenwell podcast.

The post Do you have inflammation?  first appeared on Greenwell Center for Holistic Health.

Research Findings

In many studies that use CAM techniques to identify ways to improve conditions, they find that Complementary and Alternative Medicine can help provide a road map and a reduction in symptoms. In a review of a program noted here, they discovered that over 77% of people, or three fourths, who used CAM programs found an improvement in their symptoms and an approach to wellbeing.

Personal Experience

Dr. Michelle Greenwell understands these statistics. She too has found health and wellbeing in her own self-care due to the tools that she has studied extensively and added to her personal wellness program. Her background in Psychology (BA), CAM (MSc), and CIH (PhD) (Complementary and Integrative Health), as well as over four decades in the movement for wellness industry through dance and Tai Chi has provided her with a unique perspective to look at your situation and to offer suggestions and energy enhancing tools. Not stopping there, Michelle continues to expand her knowledge daily as she shares Tai Chi, dance, and wellness protocols with others.

Working one-on-one with clients in personalized sessions, she has supported musicians, seniors, children, sleep challenges, allergies, chronic neck, back, hip, knee, and foot pain, anxiety, carpal tunnel syndrome, headaches, digestive challenges and more. In group sessions both online and in-person, Michelle has provided a formula for wellbeing along with the group support to engage the class in fun and interactive activities that release the tension in the body, and provide focus and clarity of purpose. Her years of dedication and awards for publications and presentations have her work experienced around the world.

A.M.E. for Greatness Project

A very special program that she is a part of is the A.M.E. for Greatness Project. Combining the talents of three wellness facilitators using varying approaches, they provide 9 sessions with session notes and a recording, along with a monthly call, a discovery session, and a social group. Their unique approach provides different perspectives and support through the wellness journey. Activities for home care and follow-ups provide direct connection through the roughly three to four months of targeted attention.

Learn more…

To learn more, please check out the landing page on this website. They offered a huge discount to their Beta project participants, and are offering a similar discount to the second Beta project participants. This offer is available through the month of July, with a start date of July 11th for the first group gathering online.

Reserve your spot today, and consider a 20 min discovery call with Michelle to see how this is a fit for you and the challenges you wish to put behind you. Just click on the button on the right hand corner of the website.

If you want something different, you are going to have to do something different – Jack Canfield, Chicken Soup for the Soul

The post Join A.M.E. for Greatness Project for Holistic Wellness Solutions first appeared on Greenwell Center for Holistic Health.