Boost Your Immunity

Thoughts of fear and worry elicit emotions, often unexpressed, which in turn creates a physiological response in the body.  Research has proven that fear and related emotions can produce a chemical (TGF) that causes the fascia to thicken, increasing inflammation and compromising our immune system.  Fascia is the soft tissue that weaves throughout our entire body surrounding and supporting every single cell and structure in your body. The thickening of the fascia becomes solidified, like a “straight jacket” on the body and becomes a source of pain, dysfunction, and limitation, which may cause additional fear, further thickening the fascia, creating more restrictions/contraction in an attempt to protect against the unidentified threat.    

Authentic myofascial release stimulates a profound phenomenon.  It begins with “pressure electricity”. It is understood that the fascia is a crystalline structure, and when pressure is applied to a crystal, you create electrical flow.  After about 5 minutes or so, a biochemical change occurs with the sustained mechanical pressure into the body. Your body starts to release Interleukin 8, the body’s own natural anti-inflammatory agent, regulating the body's immune response. Next, a transition takes place similar to ice transforming into water.  The solidified ground substance of the thickened fascia becomes more fluid, restoring hydration and gliding of the tissue, decreasing pressure on pain-sensitive structures such as muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and organs.  This phenomenon allows for a dynamic state of equilibrium and optimal functioning within the body.  

A state of increased immune function and resiliency to disease and stress! 

This state is essential for reducing pain, increasing motion, and authentic healing. However, it does not usually occur in an orderly way.  Like nature, the body also goes through periods of chaos and order. We often refer to this chaos, as a healing crisis, which you may experience following treatment.  The healing crisis is energy in motion. Emotions do not want to be stuck in the body creating pain, they want to be liberated. When you are ready to release them, you are allowing your body and mind to let go of what it does not need so that reorganization and a higher state can be achieved. 

It’s important to get treated and treat yourself often with myofascial release principles.  Even more so when you are experiencing stress or fear. Prevent the development of the restrictions that the fear response in our body creates.  Below are additional suggestions to help boost your immune function:

1. Move

Take time to move your body such as a walk or a simple exercise routine to boost the immune system.  Exercise has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body. It may help flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways and prevent bacteria growth due to a rise in body temperature.  It also increases circulation of the body’s white blood cells that are responsible for fighting disease and slows down the release of stress hormones.  

2. Stretch

Take some time first thing in the morning to move and stretch from head to toe, such as a cat after a nap.  Sticky adhesions form between fascial layers that aren’t moved, which over time can limit range of motion and cause pain. You can’t force the fascia, so be gentle and patient.  Fascia works in slower cycles than muscle, both contracting and lengthening. To treat the fascia, gently nudge into a stretch, for roughly 5 minutes, relaxing into it slowly taking the slack out.  

3. Hydrate

The fascia is primarily water.  It works, moves and feels better when it’s wet and lubricated.  So drink adequate water. 

4. Rest

Take time to relax and get adequate sleep. Your immune system works hard while you snooze.  It releases proteins needed to fight off infection or inflammation. Depriving yourself of a good night’s rest may deprive your body of healing proteins

5. Nourish

Eat a diet that’s healthy and rich in plant-based foods. Get adequate vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that impacts the immune system.  Foods rich in vitamin C include red and green peppers, oranges, kiwifruit, broccoli, strawberries, brussel sprouts, grapefruit, tomatoes, and cantaloupe. 

6. Laugh

Laughter is the best medicine.  Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease. Shared laughter also brings people together and strengthens relationships. How to bring more laughter into your life?  Practice smiling, it’s contagious. Bring humor into conversation and share funny stories. Watch funny movies, TV shows or YouTube videos. Do something playful and silly!

7. Love

The opposite of fear is love. When we are in a space of love it strengthens our immune system. Research indicates that the protein carriers which strengthen the immune system rise exponentially when a subject is experiencing love.  Spend time reconnecting with the people and/or activities you love. When you are experiencing a fear response, allow it to subside by feeling into your body, allowing the areas of tension to soften and visualize something/someone you love. Love is one of the most psychologically potent experiences in human life that is also accompanied by physiological change as in nature. Nature needs love.  Life is able to sustain itself through the universal language of love!

Want some assistance in releasing your fascia? Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

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