You know your body best!

Martha was having pain in her right ribs.  The pain was so severe that she went to her primary care doctor for help.  She was diagnosed with Costal Chrondritis and told to stop working and get rest.  She was given pain and anti-inflammatory medications.  The pain didn't let up even after 3 weeks of rest, so she went back to the doctor.  This time, the doctor ordered lab work to rule out liver dysfunction.

Martha did some homework and noticed that she may be suffering from inflamed Trigger Points in her ribs so she asked if she could get a massage to relieve some of the pain and loosen the muscles, to which the doctor said, "no" without an explanation.
 
Frustrated and in PAIN, she came in Bodywork. After a careful review of her medical history,  I started with Manual Lymphatic Drainage to move lymphatic fluid from the ribs which reduces swelling and pain.  During the session, Martha told me of scar tissue she had near her pubic bone from multiple surgeries that were causing pain in her left hip girdle.  Upon close examination, it was discovered that scar tissue was possible inhibiting the abdominal muscles resulting in increased pain in the ribs and hips.  This called for gentle work to release the fascia, a membrane surrounding each muscle, as well as the scar tissue.  She was in less pain at the end of the session.

Martha returned one week later.  This time the edema had reduced allowing more work on the scar tissue and muscular holding patterns.   Going slowly helps to release holding patterns and re-educate the fascia, muscles and release emotional holding patterns related to the surgeries and pain.  I encouraged Martha to stretch her abdominals and hips to further release the scar tissue and increase the healing time.

I followed up with Martha to find that it took 4 more days before the pain subsided.  We were both astonished that her primary care hadn't considered the scar tissue as a part of the problem.

The moral of the story:  You know your body better than ANYONE ELSE!  You live in it 24/7 and getting a second opinion can save you time, money and alot of pain!.  Had Martha done this sooner, she could have been back to work sooner with less pain!

Denial can be deadly when cancer is involved

This story is about my friend Cindy, her fight with inflammatory breast cancer(IBC) and my take on the whole situation.

I met Cindy in early 2000 when I went to see her for alternative therapy for a problem I was experiencing. Cindy was into natural healing and I was interested in doing things naturally. We became friends and colleagues in the healing arts and I learned a great deal from her as she guided me to various modalities of natural healing.

In 2007, a group of us were meeting in which we performed healing trades on one another. Cindy showed us a blemish she had on her right breast and asked us to help her with it. It was about the size of a half dollar. It looked BAD! I told her to see a doctor about it, to which she exclaimed that she had no insurance and wanted to heal it naturally.

Cindy's mother is a survivor of Inflammatory breast cancer, so there was a direct link to the situation. Her mother tried her best to get her to the doctor, but she resisted. I was frightened for her, but I knew I could only encourage her to seek help.

This went on for several months. The blemish on her breast got larger and started oozing. Again, our group told her to see a doctor, that she could go to any hospital and not be refused treatment, to which she continued in the same way. Finally, she contacted the local community hospital and was approved to receive assistance and treatment for her STAGE 4 CANCER! I was furious that she let herself get to that stage before getting help.

The next 3 years were very hard on all of us. Cindy was scheduled to have a double mastectomy. In and effort to be upbeat she and some friends threw a party to say “Good-by to her Ta-Ta's.” The party included a cake shaped like Boobies. She was very celebratory about the whole thing, she told everyone that she was saving one of the cake boobs for her sweetie to enjoy. I was disgusted with her denial of the situation, She was about to have both breasts removed and she was celebrating it? What was wrong with her? How could anyone in their right mind be so nonchalant about loosing something that makes you a woman? Part of her identity would soon be gone! I was angry and confused. Here was a friend that was denying the reality of her ailment and the possibility of loosing a part of her identity and joking about it. I started pulling away from her. I couldn't support her in her denial, so how was I going to keep my promise of being there for her through all this? I had to realize that this wasn't my problem and that my job was to be her friend and “TRY” to aid her in the best way that I could. I didn't know what that entailed, but I would soon find out.

A few weeks later she had the surgery. She tried to convince us all that it would be a breeze and that she would be okay. Oh, was she ever WRONG! She soon found out differently. The day after surgery, she called me from the ICU screaming. “Kim,” she said, “They had put maggots on me and they're crawling up my neck! They're going to kill me.” I tried calming her telling her that they were probably there to help with blood loss, but she was terrified that they would attached to her jugular and kill her! I called the nurses station and asked them to help her. I couldn't visit, I wasn't family so I had to wait. I called her mother and arranged to go with her to see Cindy. The next day, I was able to visit with her mother. The trauma was intense for everyone. Across from her bed was a table with little jars of maggots on it that would be placed on her throughout the day to assist with removing the stagnant blood from her surgical sites. Cindy was in extreme pain and cried uncontrollably. She shook like a leaf in the breeze. I felt helpless. Her mother stood by trying to calm her, but she had to leave, it was too much for her to bear. During the visit I was able to perform Quantum Touch to calm her down. I held her gently cradling her head close rocking her. I saw the drainage tubes, the maggots and the immense pain she was going through and all I could think is that didn't have to happen. If only she would have sought help before it got to stage 4. Her denial had really messed her up.

Many of us tried to stay in touch, but her treatments and pain controlled everything. For the next few months she would come to my office to receive treatments. Using Quantum Touch to release the scars from the surgery and gentle techniques, she would get some relief. She complained of a pain under her breast bone that wouldn't quit. The doctors said that she was in remission and that it should recede, but it didn't. After months of continuous pain, her Oncologist had more tests run and found out that the cancer had spread behind her breast bone and could not be removed. She had to resume treatments to contain it or she would be in grave danger due to it being so close to her heart and lungs. She would most likely be on some form of chemotherapy the rest of her life. Even with all that, she tried to remain upbeat and resisted the fact that she was going to die from this malady. I think she did that so we wouldn't pity her.

I would call or visit, but it was hard to get in touch with her. I had to call her mother to get the latest report on how she was doing. She went deep into a depression.

During her remission, I went to one of her breast cancer support group meetings. I was trying to be supportive in whatever way possible. To say the least I was humbled. Each woman was at a different level of something, be it treatment, surgery or remission in her journey back to health. All were terrified of what was happening or had happened with the additional fear that the cancer would haunt them the rest of their lives. Eternally changed by a mysterious “thing” that had taken residence within them. They were totally engulfed in their treatments and tried to be hopeful of the future, but their faces told a different story.

During the final months she would come to my office for friendship, support and a loving massage. This cancer had taken our Cindy and given us someone we could hardly recognize. She lost all her hair and a great deal of weight. She was shrinking as her posture caved in to the monster. Here was a women in her mid to late 40's that looked 80 years old. She was being eaten alive with chemicals, pain and mutated cells and there was nothing any of us could do to change that.

All I could do was comfort and love her during our last few times together. I could share unconditional love with her during the massage. Touch with intention has a powerful healing effect and I was honored to be a part of this experience. It gave her temporary relief from the pain, helped her feel normal and soothed both of our souls.

July 2010, the cancer was victorious and we lost a dear friend. I hope that this story will help others to realize that our health is a gem and not to be ignored. Our body tells us when something is amiss and it is our responsibility to care for it lovingly, treating it with kindness, seeking proper treatment so as to regain the shimmer of the jewel it is, before it is too late.

Denial is not a river in Egypt, it is a mental blockage that can cost one their life.

Listening to Subtle Messages from Within

Our bodies are continuously vocalizing it's needs, wants and desires.  It has many ways of alerting us to it's needs.  It tells us when we are hungry, thirsty, need to rest, etc.  We are all familiar with these messages, but what are some other ways our body talks to us?
Oftentimes we receive messages from within that we aren't familiar with so we tend to ignore them.  Pain/discomfort is one that unless it is intense, we seem to overlook or ignore.  But the location and intensitiy of the pain is our bodies way of telling us something isn't right and we should take note.

We are Our Intake

Our lives are continuously being bombarded with information.  The 21st century is the age of information.  We are addicted to it.  We eat to it, drive to it, do almost everything with it in our presence.  It's always there.  On our cell phone, television, radio, newspaper, magazine, PC, etc.   

Have you ever thought about the content of the information you are engulfing daily?  How much of it is uplifting, affirming, encouraging?  Or is it condeming, destructive, death-dealing, down right difficult?  Ever notice how you feel after listening to either one?  What was the rest of your day/nite like?  How is your body responding to it?  Do you know?

Most are do not tune into the affects of external information, so what about the internal?  Our body is constantly talking to us, what is it saying?  What does it want for us or from us?

We need to tune into our internal dialogue in order to better understand ourselves and the impact of external information on us.  Did you know that one's blood pressure elevates with negative information and lowers with positive?

Our bodies are affected by EVERYTHING we take in.  So we may want to be aware of the amount of negative information we allow in our lives.

We've all heard the saying, "Take time to smell the roses."  By doing this we are in effect allowing ourselves time to enjoy the positive things in life.  Read uplifting books, enjoy sitting in the sun at lunch, take a walk around the neighborhood and visiting with loved ones.  It will improve your overall health and well-being.

While doing the positive things, note how your body feels.  Where did that headache go, and the pain in your (body part)?  Interesting how it works, but it does.  Try it and let me know your response.

Getting back to basics

The more technologically advanced we get, the more we need to return to simple things that work! Like, truly resting when tired and going to bed at a reasonable time. Unfortunately, we think we have to keep up with technology while our body is saying something else.

Just because we have a television doesn't mean we have to be watching it all hours of the night when we should be sleeping and renewing our body for a new day. Also, why is it we have to have the latest in "drinks"? Energy drinks are the rave, but what are they doing to our adrenals? Do you suffer from tiredness, fatigue, etc? Then you need rest, not caffeine or energy supplements. Are you familiar with Sympathetic overload? That's when your nervous system is working overtime because your adrenals are producing too much cortisol or stress hormones, which lead to the above conditions. So why would we want to further aggravate the situation with energy drinks or caffeine? We are and we are suffering for it. Is there a better way? What about water? You know, that natural stuff the all life depends on, even us!

Did you know that by the time you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated? Thirst is the last signal the body gives denoting a need for water. Thirst will come as a headache, muscle pain, high blood pressure, stiffness, allergies, fatigue and much more. In his book, "You're not sick, you're thirsty", Dr. Batmanjheldi explains "essential dehydration and the medical affects it has on our bodies.

I was astonished to find out that a lot of the "dis-eases" we are being medicated for are due to DEHYDRATION!!!! Check out the book, the info is enlightening.

I guess, what I'm saying here is that we need to begin rehydrating ourselves. But,is all water the same? Did you know that a lot of the bottled waters we consume are not good for you? I didn't until I was shown at a demonstration in Orlando recently. That's what interested me in reading books on hydration and alkalization. The information helped me to see that our bodies need to be alkaline in order to work efficiently.

Check out : http://www.anewu4ever.com/ to learn more about alkaline water and it's benefits. Going back to the basics can truly change you life and make it a whole lot better.

Since I started drinking alkaline water, I feel and sleep better, have increase energy and stamina; elimination issues are a thing of the past and an overall sense of well-being! Just by drinking alkaline water!!!!! What can it do for you? Give me a shout and I will get some for you and your loved ones. You will be glad you did, I am. My whole family feels better and so will yours. I can be reached at: 904 389-0030 or email me @ Kimberlyareaves@comcast.net for your free sample of alkaline water.

How much do you value your health?

We all take health for granted, until we become ill or are hurt and in pain. We usually go to the doctor and get meds that help but don't necessarily heal the issue. What would you do if you were told there wasn't anything the doctor could do for you? Would you accept that and allow yourself to stay in that condition or would you seek out other ways to regain your health?


I recently started working on a client that had knee problems. The mds couldn't find anything wrong with her so they gave her meds and sent her home. The knee pain made it difficult for her to get around. She started using a cane. This helped her get around, but the pain was taking its toll. When I met her, she was in terrific pain. I suggested alternative therapies such as massage and The BodyTalk System.

When she came to me, she was in excruciating pain throughout her entire body. How could knee pain do this, you ask? Within 2 weeks we both could see a difference. The stress in her body was reduced, her face wasn't straining from pain and her demeanor was improved. But we had a long road ahead of us.

As I worked on her, I noticed she was not only in pain but fear as well. She was afraid of the pain increasing with the work we were doing which made it difficult for her to "release" the tension in her body, thus causing her whole body to hurt. I realized that I had to help her release the fear before we could make physical changes. I gave her homework to do to help her understand the limitations she was putting on herself with the fear.

We continued treatment with great results. She now is coming in for therapy with a better demeanor. She is able to see the progress she is making.

The moral of the story is: Don't take NO for an answer. Seek out alternative and complementary therapies that work with you complete mind, body and spirit. You only have one body, so take the best care of it!

Thoughts are powerful

Following an auto accident or any other type of injury, we experience physical pain and more. Often times, we ignore the emotional component of our pain which can prolong the healing process. Our thoughts produce our feelings which produce the physical pain to some extent. I'm not saying that all pain is in your head, but that we have the power to "change" the way we think about our injuries in order to reduce the physical pain.
I learned this following many years of pain after a severe whiplash to the sides of my neck and head. I had a terrible headache with neck pain. I went to see my massage therapist before going to work. He did a wonderful job of releasing the tension so the headache disappeared. I was running a bit late to work and found myself "stressed" by the traffic. As I allowed myself to get perturbed by the situation, I found that my neck started to hurt again. My neck made it very clear that it didn't like my approach to a situation that I had very little control over and it was letting me know the only way it knew how to ...PAIN!
You see, I thought that I could get the traffic to move faster if I got angry, frustrated, upset and stressed about it moving slow. To my surprise, it only changed me! My body made it very clear that I was allowing a stressful situation to dictate my response and it didn't like it one bit.
I realized the error of my thinking and told my neck to calm down, that we would get to work when we could and that I wasn't going to let the situation affect me in a negative way. Once I did that and relaxed for the ride, the pain subsided. I got to work on time and had a wonderful time. If I had continued with the negative thinking about the traffic, I would have arrived to work hurting which would have had a negative effect on my work as well as my health.

My point here is to let you know that you have the power to control one thing... you! Our thoughts create so much of our life that we rarely realize that we have the power to change our perspective of things to a positive. By changing our thoughts we can change our pain too! Learn to listen to your bodies signals and change your response to them from negative to positive or neutral.