8 reasons to explore kinesiology for holistic health
Find out how kinesiology can benefit you, improve your health - and increase your vitality
There are so many holistic health practices to choose from, it can be hard to know what’s best for you. I’ve experienced many treatments over the years and I have benefited from all of them in different ways, from acupuncture, nutrition and homeopathy to rolfing, reiki, sound healing, cranio-sacral therapy, osteopathy and more. Yet it was kinesiology that really blew my mind and led me train and qualify in this fascinating field. Kinesiology works on so many levels, which allow the body (and mind) to heal from numerous conditions, resulting in successful outcomes. Here are eight reasons to explore kinesiology for holistic health.
Kinesiology encompasses numerous treatments in one
Kinesiology takes an ‘MCPE’ approach, which means we consider the Mental, Chemical, Physical and Energetic realms for truly holistic health. A kinesiologist has an enormous tool box of techniques in which to address each of these realms and support your health. As well as offering nutrition, food sensitivity testing and lifestyle advice, we use lymphatic reflex-point stimulation, acupressure and cranio-sacral techniques, EFT (tapping), Chakra balancing, Bach flower remedies and more. Each of these tools is a powerful stand-alone practice. However, with kinesiology you are likely to experience all of them in a session - or a series of sessions (depending on your health condition/s), which can lead to lasting health breakthroughs.
2. We muscle test to find the nutrition your body actually wants
Nutrition is one of the building blocks of good health. However, many of us in the western world are over-fed and under-nourished – and we frequently buy supplements, not really knowing whether we need them or not. Kinesiology removes the guesswork. A kinesiologist will muscle test specific (practitioner grade) nutritional supplements to see which ones your body responds to and requires.
Of course, it is best to get nutrition from food, however, much of what we eat (even fresh whole foods) is nutritionally lacking, due to intensive farming methods, long storage and transit times and poor quality soil. (In 1936 carrots contained 92% more calcium, 4 times more magnesium and 88% more iron than carrots grown in 1987 - and the situation has worsened since these figures were recorded).
Trace minerals, such as zinc, iodine, selenium and manganese, which were once easily obtainable from whole foods, are now deficient in the soil and the natural foods animals once grazed on – so they are subsequently frequently lacking in our diets (and bodies) too.
Yet vitamins, minerals, proteins, essential fatty acids and phyto-nutrients are essential for us to function efficiently, heal and repair. A deficiency in any number of nutrients can lead to health issues and illness. It is often necessary to support our bodies with supplements for a short time, especially when we are run down, or experiencing illness and poor health. A kinesiologist will test to see what nutrients your body actually requires, as well as recommend lifestyle and dietary adjustments. These nutritional supplements are taken for as long as required, but no longer.
3. We can check for food sensitivities
Have a hunch that something you are eating is upsetting your digestion? Or causing you to feel tired, sluggish or worse? A kinesiologist can carry out food sensitivity testing to see if specific items are problematic for you. Most often, we find these are wheat, refined sugar, table salt and cow’s milk. However, other foods can upset our systems too, especially if we consume them frequently (even items we view as healthy). Once eliminated (or replaced) for a short time, while we support your digestive system, gut microbiome and your body in general, through kinesiology treatments, these foods can often be reintroduced and enjoyed again (in moderation).
4. Healing the mind-body connection
Many clients are surprised that their emotions have anything to do with their health conditions. Yet when I ask someone what was going 6-12 months before their symptoms started, most often a big emotional event preceded them. It’s often something traumatic: a break up, bereavement, divorce, job loss or other upsetting event. Just acknowledging this and gently releasing any emotional charge is beneficial to your health.
The idea that the mind and body are somehow separate is based on a 400-year old assumption, that is way past its sell-by date. Recent research shows that the fascia, which surrounds every organ (including the heart and brain), muscle, bone, nerve, blood vessel, capillary and all the cells, is way more than just ‘connective tissue’. Fascia is alive with millions of sensory receptors, sending signals all around the body from head to toe. Additionally, much of the nervous system (responsible for the flight-fight-freeze response) lives within the fascia. It’s how and why we instinctively run or hide from danger, rather than stopping to think about it.
Fascia stiffens under stress (and other reasons). So instead of being flexible and fluid, and sliding and gliding as it should – to allow blood, lymph, nerve conduction and electrical impulses to flow, fascia can become stiff and static like velcro. If the fascia is impeded, those functions can’t happen as efficiently as they should - and pain, mental fatigue and physical illness can result. This is a direct effect of emotional stress impacting the body.
By releasing stress and emotional tension, using calming neuro-vascular points, acupressure techniques and Bach flower remedies, alongside lifestyle recommendations, such as drinking 1.5L filtered water daily and gentle exercise, we can help to free up the fascia, so your body can function optimally.
NB: The fascia also provides an anatomical and structural basis that aligns with the meridians and acu points and the flow of energy or ‘qi’.
5. Supporting detoxification through improved lymph flow
The lymphatic system also lives within the fascia – and forms part of the body’s cellular ‘waste disposal system’. In a kinesiology treatment, you will receive lymphatic reflex point stimulation, which helps to clear congestion and encourage lymph fluid to flow, so that it can do its job of feeding the cells and cleaning the body’s tissues of toxins and other cellular waste. This is another of the many ways that kinesiology can help your body to heal itself.
6. Better gut health
Numerous digestive issues can be supported and resolved with kinesiology, from IBS, acid reflux and indigestion to more serious issues, such as Crohns and colitis. Good gut health isn’t just about digestion; it can dramatically impact your mood for the better too. Calming neuro-transmitters are produced in the gut and sent to the brain via the gut-brain axis. However, when vital gut microbes are missing, this process can be disrupted (which is common if we eat a standard Western diet, such as cereal for breakfast, a sandwich or pasta for lunch and a pizza or readymeal for dinner). Research has shown that people with anxiety and depression are missing specific species of ‘friendly-bacteria’ for example bifida. Unfortunately, swigging they type of sugary probiotic shots available in supermarkets, won’t make much difference. In a kinesiology treatment, we test nutrients, such as black walnut, which can clear ‘bad’ bacteria (as well as candida and parasites). In follow up treatments, we will test pre and probiotics that will repopulate your gut with the appropriate ‘friendly’ bacteria.
7. Hormonal balance and improved mood
Whether you are experiencing fertility issues, an irregular cycle or painful periods, PMS, PMDD, PCOS or are going through peri or post menopause, kinesiology can support your endocrine system, to balance your hormones and alleviate symptoms. Again this will be through finding the vital nutrients your body may require, (but is not getting through your diet – or not absorbing well), as well as considering other aspects like blood glucose control and what may be spiking it. Blood glucose has a huge effect on the endocrine (hormonal) system and can be brought into better balance with kinesiology tools and treatments. We would also address stress and any emotional upsets as this can also contribute to blood sugar spikes, as well as balancing the ‘energy body’ with acupressure techniques. Stimulating specific neuro-lymphatic reflex points also helps your body to clear cellular waste and function better.
8. Clearing fears, phobias and limiting beliefs
As outlined at the beginning, kinesiology includes EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique, aka Tapping) as one of its many tools. In fact, EFT has long been a part of a kinesiologist’s toolkit, although it has since been taken out and used as a (very powerful) standalone technique. The places being tapped are all acupuncture points and there is much scientific research to back up EFTs efficacy. It can be used to clear phobias and fears, such as flying or exam stress, or reduce cravings for alcohol, smoking or foods you may want to stop eating. When used as part of a kinesiology treatment, we would also support your body with relevant nutrients to reduce cravings.
Studies have shown EFT is effective for weight loss. It can also be useful for identifying and clearing deeply held subconscious beliefs that may be holding you back or preventing you from pursuing dreams.
There is much more that this holistic practice can do to improve your health and enhance your wellbeing, whatever it is that you might be suffering from. If you would like to know more about how kinesiology can help you, book an appointment or a FREE 15-minute discovery call on 07979 861577.
Disclaimer: This post is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice provided by your doctor.