More factors that contribute to muscle cramps

I know previously I have talked about the benefits I get from spending time in nature (see >> Does nature restore you? - Part 1 & Part 2), [...]

In our day to day lives, during the times when we are deciding what to eat or whether to watch TV or take a walk, who is more likely to be around us, our family, friends, flat mates or a doctor?  Even for individuals living with a chronic condition who will probably only spend a few hours a year with medical professionals compared to the thousands of waking hours with family and friends. Recently researches discovered that women are more likely to survive breast cancer if they have a strong social network of friends and family, whereas those who are more isolated are twice as likely to die of the disease. University of Pennsylvania have found that good health is more likely if people see fewer doctors and more of their family and friends especially if they get their support and help.  They discovered that people are more likely to make healthier choices - like going for a walk over watching TV if they are around family and friends.  In addition people are more likely to go to the gym if they have someone to go with. Being part of a group e.g. family, friends, book club, tennis club, social group, religious/spiritual practice seems to aid our motivation to be healthier in terms of diet, exercise, smoking or drinking.  This could be because being part of a group enhances your sense of meaning in life, which in turn leads you to better take care of yourself.  Or it could be down to feeling a sense of responsibility towards other or even just wanting to fit in. References D A. Asch, and R Rosin, Engineering Social Incentives for Health, N Engl J Med 2016; 375:2511-2513 Kroenke, C. H., Michael, Y. L., Poole, E. M., Kwan, M. L., Nechuta, S., Leas, E., Caan, B. J., Pierce, J., Shu, X.-O., Zheng, Y. and Chen, W. Y. (2017), Postdiagnosis social networks and breast cancer mortality in the After Breast Cancer Pooling Project. Cancer, 123: 1228–1237. doi:10.1002/cncr.30440 Tarrant, M., Warmoth, K., Code, C., Dean, S., Goodwin, V. A., Stein, K., & Sugavanam, T. (2016). Creating psychological connections between intervention recipients: development and focus group evaluation of a group singing session for people with aphasia. BMJ Open, 6(2), e009652.  

I want to finish the series of blog articles on the mechanisms of healing by looking at what happens in the client's body. Independent medical research has shown that this range of frequencies will stimulate healing in the body, with specific frequencies being suitable for different tissues.   For example, 2 Hz encourages nerve regeneration, 7 Hz bone growth, 10 Hz ligament mending, and 15 Hz capillary formation. For example, it has been known for many years that placing an electrical coil around a fracture that refuses to mend will stimulate bone growth and repair.  In addition Physiotherapy equipment based on these principles has been designed to aid soft tissue regeneration, and ultrasound technology is commonly used to clear clogged arteries and disintegrate kidney stones. Both Zimmerman (1990) in the USA and Seto (1992) in Japan further investigated the large pulsating biomagnetic field that is emitted from the hands of energy practitioners whilst they work. They discovered that the pulses are in the same frequencies as brain waves, and sweep up and down from 0.3 – 30 Hz, focusing mostly in 7 – 8 Hs, alpha state.  Within the range of frequencies that will stimulate healing in the body. For me, all complementary therapies including Reiki work on the principle that they are stimulating the body to heal itself. References Zimmerman J, ‘The laying-on of hands, healing and therapeutic touch: a testable theory BEMI ‎currents’, Journal of the Bio-Electromagnetics Institute. Vol 2, 1990.‎ Seto A. et al., ‘Detection of extraordinarily large bio-magnetic field strength from human during ‎external ‎Qi emission’, Acupuncture and Electro-therapeutics Int. Jnl. Vol 17. 1992.‎