Last weekend I took a class, one of many that I enjoy taking to stay up to date on what is new and interesting in the field of healthcare. I have always known that it CranioSacral Therapy is beneficial for everyone, not just those that are in pain. This class really brought that home for me.
For my clients (and for myself) I have heard many times that it is so relaxing and enjoyable and that it just leaves one with a wonderful sense of well being. I know that it is beneficial to release the small or large restrictions that we accumulate over time from the soft tissue that surrounds the head, neck, back and sacrum that comprises the Central Nervous System, but now I know that it also has a lot to do with how CranioSacral Therapy can benefit the brain. Now we have actual practical evidence of how beneficial it really is.
Elders have half the Cerebral Spinal Fluid as healthy middle aged adults. A number of years ago, Dr John Upledger, the founder CranioSacral Therapy and of the Upledger Institute where I have taken a most of my training commented that the “turnover” of Cerebral Spinal Fluid in middle aged adults may be only half of what it is in healthy young adults. Further research has shown that elders with Alzheimer’s and Dementia have half the amount of middle aged adults.
This means that when we are young and healthy we have an average of 800 ml a day of Cerebral Spinal fluid circulating in and around our brain, and vertebral column that helps keep our brain and spine healthy and well nourished. As we approach middle age, that is often reduced by half or 400 ml a day and in Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients it is as low as 200 ml a day.
How does that affect our bodies? The Cerebral Spinal Fluid helps to remove heavy metals across the blood brain barrier. When there is less flow of Cerebral Spinal Fluid there is more of a chance the toxins will become trapped and start to “clog up” the brain with plaque, tangles and other factors that can often lead to memory loss and overall decline which is typically found in Alzheimer and Dementia patients. This important cleansing or washing effect of the Cerebral Spinal Fluid helps to make sure that these harmful toxins do not accumulate and affect our brain tissue.
Add to this the fact that as we age, we can accumulate “pockets of inflammation” in the body that are the result of certain disease process that occur in the body such as Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and others. In some cases this inflammation that is ongoing in the body can accumulate and “overflow” across the blood brain barrier and also affect the brain. In many cases it was noted that patients with Alzheimer and Dementia had a previous history of one of these disease chronic disease processes.
Increasing the Cerebral Spinal Fluid may benefit Alzheimer’s and Dementia Patients. In 2008 a study was published in the American Journal of Gerontological Nursing called CranioSacral Stillpoint Technique: Exploring its Effects in Individuals with Dementia. It was reported that regular administration of the Stillpoint Technique had a beneficial effects over an extended period on patients with moderate to severe Dementia.
By increasing the volume of Cerebral Spinal Fluid, the CranioSacral Therapy Stillpoint Technique helps to calm the body and lower the body wide inflammatory response. Increased inflammatory response is a possible risk factor for Dementia and possibly other conditions.
Prevention with CST is the key for health. Treatment with CST helps stop the progress and can even possibly reverse symptoms of Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Call today to experience a relaxing CranioSacral Therapy session and help your brain and the rest of your body stay healthy by reducing harmful inflammation.
