A New Year. A New You.

Break the old posture habits that stress the body.

Now that you've been back at work for a few weeks, you may be noticing the return of a few aches and pains that the holiday season had dispelled. Before you lose all the relaxation benefits of your break, let's take action against the body stressors that come with having to work at a desk.

Do you spend a lot of time seated? Here’s what to do.

Sitting in the same position for extended periods of time can cause back and neck strain. It’s important to be aware of your seated posture to minimise strain. Here are the actions you can take:

  • Choose a chair with good lower back support.
  • Sit up straight.
  • Tilt the seat of the chair slightly forward, so that your knees are lower than your hips.
  • Hold in your stomach to support your back.
  • Keep both feet on the floor.

That's a good start! But there is more to do.

When we're focussed on our work (especially on a computer screen!), we tend to lose awareness of our posture. We stop fighting gravity, and we get so drawn into what we're doing or what we're reading that our posture alters considerably:

  • Shoulders slump down.
  • Backs round.
  • Necks stretch forward.
  • Chins jut towards our screen.
  • Arms become locked in position.

It's important to check in with our bodies regularly and re-adjust to a neutral posture that induces the least stress. So take frequent breaks to check your posture, and stretch! Set an alarm an alarm to remind you to check in with your body until you establish the habit.

Try these stretches for quick relief.

You can do them without leaving your desk.

  1. Are your shoulders hunching forward? Do you feel the strain across your back?
    Use exercise 1.

    2.  

  2. Do you tend to crane your neck forward towards your computer screen, with your chin pushed forward?
    Do exercise 2.

    3.  

  3. If you spend a lot of time typing or using a mouse, you may find that your arms become “locked” in this T-Rex position.
    Exercise 3 can help.

 

 

Poor Computer Posture - Ralph Dinkelmann - Body Stress Release Practitioner
Exercise for shoulder hunch - Ralph Dinkelmann - Body Stress Release Practitioner

Clasp your hands behind your back and pull your shoulder blades together.

Hold for 30 seconds.

Exercise for Chin Jut - Ralph Dinkelmann - Body Stress Release Practitioner

Sit up straight. Pull your chin back as far as you can, and hold this position for 30 seconds.

You’ll feel your neck muscles respond.

Exercise for locked elbows - Ralph Dinkelmann - Body Stress Release Practitioner

Stretch your arms out in front of you at shoulder height; palms up.

Then pull your fingertips towards the floor, and hold for 30 seconds.

For more on posture – standing, lying down, and seated on a sofa – click through to my blog “Tips to Minimise Back and Neck Pain”.

If you’d like to book your body stress assessment and treatment, please use the calendar below, or drop me a line by clicking the button on the green box below.

Book Appointment

Send Me a Message
Feel free to ask any questions you may have. Your message will be dispatched directly to me and I will answer as soon as I can.
Click Here to Contact Me

NOTE: Body Stress Release is not a diagnosis or treatment of any condition or disease. It is concerned only with locating and releasing stored tension, so that the body is assisted in its in-built ability to maintain and heal itself.  

How to use your holiday to relax and recharge

Everyone looks forward to the holiday season. At the end of a long work year, it promises the reward of care-free days, fun activities, family time, and celebration. With all that going on, it can be very easy to forget to actually rest. 

The holidays can be the most effective time for Intentional and mindful rest so factor in some time for each of these six ways to relax and recharge even as you celebrate.
 

6 Ways to Relax This Holiday Season

 

  1. Spend some time alone
     
    Especially important for introverts!
    If you don’t spend time preparing yourself mentally for socialising and stimulation, you’ll soon run out of energy and find that you’re not enjoying all those things you were looking forward to. Try to take time each morning to clear your mind and mentally prepare yourself.

    2.  

  2. Express your gratitude
     
    Showing gratitude causes your brain to release oxytocin - the feel-good hormone. So, let people know why you’re grateful to know them. A hug, an email, an action, a gesture, even your thoughts of gratitude will make you feel good

    3.  

  3. Do something you love
     
    Painting. Baking. Gardening. When is the last time you focussed on your hobby? A holiday is a fantastic time to get back to something you enjoy. You’ll relax, tune out thoughts of work, trigger your creativity and widen your horizons. 

    4.  

  4. Get outside
     
    Time spent outdoors has many health benefits: lowering your stress levels and your blood pressure. It even heightens your creativity! Try to get out into nature for the day or start a ritual after-dinner walk. It’s all about getting some fresh air and the exercise is good for you too.

    5.  

  5. Reflect a little
     
    Plan some thinking time at the end of the day to focus on meaningful achievements, personal accomplishments, people who inspire you and motivate you to achieve, and the “why” behind your work. These thoughts will refuel you - energising you when the new year begins.

    6.  

  6. Get a little help through body stress release
     
    A few sessions of body stress release will prompt your brain to work on stress areas in your body, encouraging it to heal itself of the aches and pains related to locked in tension. The holiday season is the perfect time! Not only will you get the most out of your time off, you’ll also be truly refreshed and ready for the new year.

 
I hope you have a very happy holiday. I hope you take the time to relax, rest, and recharge. Please give me a call if you’d like to kickstart the process with body stress release.

If you’d like to book your body stress assessment and treatment, please use the calendar below, or drop me a line by clicking the button on the green box below.

Book Appointment

Send Me a Message
Feel free to ask any questions you may have. Your message will be dispatched directly to me and I will answer as soon as I can.
Click Here to Contact Me

NOTE: Body Stress Release is not a diagnosis or treatment of any condition or disease. It is concerned only with locating and releasing stored tension, so that the body is assisted in its in-built ability to maintain and heal itself.  

Fibromyalgia - Body Stress Release - Ralph Dinkelmann Body Stress Release Practitioner

Fibromyalgia. Can body stress release help?

Fibromyalgia is notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat. It presents itself in symptoms which doctors consider to be subjective. As a result, there is no clear known cause, and a lot of frustration for fibromyalgia sufferers.

They symptoms of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia sufferers often report areas of tenderness (or trigger points). These are places on the body where even light pressure causes pain. Sometimes the pain caused by these trigger points may be described as a dull ache affecting many areas of the body.

Persistent experience of this pain - for at least three months - may point doctors to a diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

More symptoms of Fibromyalgia

People with Fibaromyalgia may also report:

  • fatigue
  • sleeplessness
  • sleeping for long periods without feeling rested
  • headaches
  • depression
  • anxiety
  • inability to focus or pay attention
  • pain or dull aching in the lower abdomen

It is believe these symptoms may be the result of the nervous system misinterpreting or overreacting to normal pain signals.

The causes of Fibromyalgia

Medical researchers and doctors have not yet pinned down the causes of fibromyalgia. They are, however, closer to understanding the factors that may work together to cause it.

The factors that cause Fibromyalgia are:

  1. Infections: Prior illnesses may trigger fibromyalgia or worsen the symptoms.
  2. Genetics: If you have a family member with this condition, you are at a higher risk for developing Fibromyalgia.
  3. Trauma: Physical or emotional trauma may lead to fibromyalgia. In fact, the condition has been linked to PTSD.
  4. Stress: Like trauma, stress can have long-reaching effects for months and years. Stress has also been linked to hormonal imbalances that may contribute to fibromyalgia.

Doctors don’t fully understand the factors that cause people to experience the chronic widespread pain associated with fibromyalgia. Some theories suggest it may be that the brain lowers the pain threshold. What once wasn’t painful, becomes very painful over time. Another theory suggests that the nerves and receptors in the body become more sensitive to stimulation. That means they may overreact to pain signals and cause unnecessary or exaggerated pain.

Treatment for Fibromyalgia

Commonly, pain medication, anti-depressants and anti-seizure drugs are used to manage pain in conjunction with lifestyle changes to reduce stress as stress, and how the body manages stress, appears to have a major impact on pain levels and quality of life.

Through body stress release, stored tension is released so that there is less of an overreaction to stressors. Those clients who have responded positively to body stress release treatments have required gentle releases, more often, along with active lifestyle measures to manage stress levels.

(Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/fibromyalgia)

 

If you’d like to book your body stress assessment and treatment, please use the calendar below, or drop me a line by clicking the button on the green box below.

Book Appointment

Send Me a Message
Feel free to ask any questions you may have. Your message will be dispatched directly to me and I will answer as soon as I can.
Click Here to Contact Me

NOTE: Body Stress Release is not a diagnosis or treatment of any condition or disease. It is concerned only with locating and releasing stored tension, so that the body is assisted in its in-built ability to maintain and heal itself.  

Stress Headaches - Ralph Dinkelmann - Body Stress Release Practitioner

Stress and Headaches

Tension headaches have become a way of life. We simply accept them as part of modern day living. We put up with the continuous dull ache. Pop pills when it becomes too intrusive. And - every now and then - retire to a quiet dark place to wait out a big one.

Imagine living headache free!

The first step towards a headache-free life, is uncovering the root cause of your headache. When it comes to tension headaches, investigating body stress is a good place to start. So let’s have a quick look at how the body responds to stress.
 

How the body responds to stress

The body’s reaction to stress begins in the muscles. Life’s pressures may cause the muscles in the neck to tense. Bad posture or prolonged sitting may put the muscles of the lower back under strain. If this stress is not released it becomes locked into the muscles and these will eventually seize up.

When the muscles tense up, nerves are compressed; causing headaches and blocking messages to the brain about the true location of the pain or discomfort. That’s why we’re not always aware of the real problem.
 

How to find the root cause of the problem

Body Stress Release gently stimulates muscles to take pressure off the nerves; re-instating communication pathways with the brain. This is why, after the first body stress release session, you may experience some discomfort. With the release of tension, the muscle will begin to adapt to its new suppleness and sensitivity levels. Feeling starts to return to the muscle, highlighting the true stress issue and - at the same time - beginning the healing process.
 

The importance of body stress release

Body stress in the muscles can cause sever pain and stiffness, but the problem doesn’t end there because muscles don’t work in isolation. They support organ function, the nervous system, blood circulation …. Tension and compression in the muscles can stand in the way of a healthy functioning body and give rise to potentially serious ailments.

It’s important to note that body stress release does not diagnose or treat specific ailments. All it does is identify sites of tension and boost the body’s own healing mechanism. In essence, it alerts the brain to stress areas so that the body can set about healing itself.

Frequent body stress release sessions can be preventative. Not only will these treatments help your body to find its natural balance, your practitioner will also recommend strategies for managing stress and building your body’s resilience and ability to self-heal.
 

Learn more about Body Stress Release

Would you like to find out more about the body stress release technique that will help you find the root cause of your headaches?

If you still have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’d love to be able to help you.
 

Try these easy stretches to relieve neck stress

In the meantime, instead of reaching for painkillers, why not try these simple stretches recommended by Dr James Hubbard on Reader's Digest. They're quick, easy and gentle. And they may help treat the true cause of your headache.

If you’d like to book your body stress assessment and treatment, please use the calendar below, or drop me a line by clicking the button on the green box below.

Book Appointment

Send Me a Message
Feel free to ask any questions you may have. Your message will be dispatched directly to me and I will answer as soon as I can.
Click Here to Contact Me

NOTE: Body Stress Release is not a diagnosis or treatment of any condition or disease. It is concerned only with locating and releasing stored tension, so that the body is assisted in its in-built ability to maintain and heal itself.  

Cold weather tension - Ralph Dinkelmann BSR

Is winter a pain in the neck?

Does your back hurt more in winter?

Do you get a sore neck?

Or stiff shoulders?

Even headaches?

That’s because your body is less active and “bracing itself” against the cold.

In winter; we shiver, hunch into our coats and scarves and huddle under our blankets to protect ourselves from the cold - tightening our muscles and scrunching our shoulders up towards our ears; creating increased muscle tension and tightness in the neck and shoulders and residual aches and pains in other parts of the body.
 

What you can do to beat neck and shoulder pain in winter:

  • Wear a warm (but lightweight) scarf
    If your neck is warm, you’re less likely to lower you head and scrunch up your
    shoulders.
  • Check your shoulders
    Make a conscious effort to drop them and focus on the feeling of relaxation in your shoulders.

This quick and easy exercise could help:

Sit up straight on a firm dining room chair, gripping the sides of the seat with your
hands. Lower your shoulders and lengthen your neck at the same time. Repeat this
stretch three times at least twice a day.

  • Follow these tips to protect you back and neck
    Changing only a few habits can relieve discomfort and also protect the spine for
    the future.

 

 

How can body stress release help?

Body stress release can help you develop a defence against the effects of cold weather.

We will identify precise sites of tension in your body. Then, through light yet firm pressure to these key areas, we’ll activate your muscles to release the stress and enable your body to heal itself. I’ll also help you grow your awareness of tension-causing habits and suggest ways, particular to your discomfort or pain and lifestyle, to relieve your pain and help protect you through the bracing winter months.

If you’d like to book your body stress assessment and treatment, please use the calendar below, or drop me a line by clicking the button on the green box below.

Book Appointment

Send Me a Message
Feel free to ask any questions you may have. Your message will be dispatched directly to me and I will answer as soon as I can.
Click Here to Contact Me

NOTE: Body Stress Release is not a diagnosis or treatment of any condition or disease. It is concerned only with locating and releasing stored tension, so that the body is assisted in its in-built ability to maintain and heal itself.  

BSR Technique Explained - Ralph Dinkelmann - BSR Practitioner

The BSR Technique Explained

How is body stress assessed?
What can I expect at a body stress release treatment session?

Finding body stress:

  1. You will be asked to remove your shoes. Other than that, you remain fully clothed.
  2. You will lie face down on a body stress release couch.
  3. The BSR Practitioner will activate the body’s biofeedback mechanism by moving your feet in a very specific way.
  4. He will then carry out a series of body stress tests by pressing lightly on various points and in specific directions while monitoring for body stress.
  5. Body stress at a particular site is identified when gentle pressure triggers a minute withdrawal reflex which the BSR practitioner observes in your feet. 

Releasing body stress:

  1. Once a site of stress has been located, the BSR practitioner performs releases.
  2. Using his thumb or a finger, he will administer a slight pressure or pulse to alert your brain to stored tension in that area.
  3. The brain will then command the body structures at that site to release the tension.
  4. Because the process is so precise, a forceful stimulus is not required. Gentle pressure is enough.

Learning about body stress:

  1. The body stress release practitioner will let you know where sites of tension exist in your body and the relevance of these.
  2. Knowing more will help you to understand the cause of your discomfort or pain, and help you to help your body heal itself.
  3. Recommendations may be made regarding your posture or exercise routine based on the assessment and release performed.
BSR Technique Explained - Ralph Dinkelmann - BSR Practitioner
Body Stress Release stimulates the body's natural ability to heal itself

After your first body stress release session:

  1. Your body will start healing.
  2. As one muscle releases, many related muscles may need to change their tone too.
  3. The body needs time to integrate these changes.
  4. Sometimes it will revert to old stress patterns.
  5. Once healing has occurred and the area is not re-stressed, the new released state should be more permanent.
  6. To encourage this healing process, three body stress release sessions are advised.

 
If you’d like to book your first body stress assessment and treatment, please use the calendar below, or drop me a line by clicking the button on the green box below.

Book Appointment

Send Me a Message
Feel free to ask any questions you may have. Your message will be dispatched directly to me and I will answer as soon as I can.
Click Here to Contact Me

NOTE: Body Stress Release is not a diagnosis or treatment of any condition or disease. It is concerned only with locating and releasing stored tension, so that the body is assisted in its in-built ability to maintain and heal itself.  

Body stress release. Do you need it? Ralph Dinkelmann - Body Stress Release Practitioner

Do you suffer from body stress?

When a health problem persists, in spite of a variety of treatments, one needs to consider whether the source of the condition has been overlooked. Dealing with symptoms will not resolve the situation if the cause is not addressed. If you suffer from any of the following, you may suffer from body stress:
 

  • Discomfort
  • Stiffness
  • Pain
  • Persistent illness
  • Continuous tiredness and listlessness
  • A prolonged feeling of not being 100% well

Who needs body stress release?

Body stress release is for everyone from infants to the elderly, whether sick or healthy. As we are all subjected to the stresses of living, we all tend to accumulate stored tension, which results in a decline in the body’s efficiencies. Even babies have body stress after a difficult birth. So, everyone’s quality of life may be enhanced by being assessed for body stress and having it released from time to time.

Body Stress. Do you suffer it? Ralph Dinkelmann - Body Stress Release Practitioner
Your quality of life may be improved by body stress release

Find out if body stress release can help you

Book a consultation with me for a full assessment. At this consultation, I will:

  • Explain more about what body stress release does.
  • Take notes on your medical history and general lifestyle, including any discomfort you are experiencing.
  • Then, while you’re fully clothed and lying on a specially-designed body stress release couch, I’ll do a series of body stress tests. Wherever a stress site is discovered, a release will be carried out.
  • At the end of the session, I’ll explain what I’ve found and make suggestions on how to avoid overloading the body with stress. Ideally this consultation should be followed by two more appointments. Find out why here.

 

Body stress release and the health care spectrum

It’s important to note that body stress release is a complementary health care service in that it works alongside medicine - in co-operation, and not in competition. I will not diagnose or prescribe or treat medical conditions. I leave that to the field of medicine. What I hope to do is find and remove the tensions that may be standing in the way of your body’s natural ability to heal itself.

I have personal experience of the benefits of body stress release. If you're still wondering how this gentle treatment could help, please click here to read about how it helped me or book a consultation to experience it first hand using the calendar below.

Book Appointment

Send Me a Message
Feel free to ask any questions you may have. Your message will be dispatched directly to me and I will answer as soon as I can.
Click Here to Contact Me

NOTE: Body Stress Release is not a diagnosis or treatment of any condition or disease. It is concerned only with locating and releasing stored tension, so that the body is assisted in its in-built ability to maintain and heal itself.  

Consequences of body stress release - Ralph Dinkelmann - Body Stress Release Practitioner

Consequences of Body Stress

The consequences of body stress are far-reaching and varied. Untreated and prolonged body stress pushes your body to the point of stress overload. The stress becomes locked in to the body, manifesting as lines of tension. This tension compresses tissue; irritates and even blocks nerve pathways. As a result:

  • Internal organs may stop functioning optimally, leading to:
    • Illness
    • Discomfort or pain
    • Continuous listlessness and tiredness
  • Spinal nerve supply may be compromised, causing:
    • Stiffness
    • Posture distortion
    • Loss of flexibility
    • Numbness
    • Pain
  • You may also feel:
    • Tense
    • Tired
    • Lacking in energy and enthusiasm for life
  • Other common symptoms may occur, such as:
    • Headaches and migraines
    • Backache
    • Indigestion
    • Tingling and/or numbness in the arms and hands
    • Muscle cramping
    • Burning and painful feet

It is also possible for body stress to be present without suffering pain or stiffness. Have you simply come to accept as normal the sense of being less than 100% well?

While stress or tension remains stored in the body, the normal tone of the body is disturbed; decreasing its general efficiency and weakening its defence mechanisms. The body, therefore, becomes less and less able to deal with the stresses we experience daily, and we move further and further away from the optimum state of health.

Consequences of Body Stress - Ralph Dinkelmann - BSR Practitioner
Consequences of Body Stress - Ralph Dinkelmann - Body Stress Release Practitioner

Consequences of Body Stress in Babies and Children

It’s worth investigating body stress release in the following instances: 

  1. Does your baby:
    1. Cry for no reason?
    2. Cry when you lift his hips at nappy change?
    3. Suffer with constipation?
    4. Experience colic?
  2. Does your toddler:
    1. Refuse to walk and demand to be carried?
    2. Complain of sore legs?
    3. Walk with her toes pointed inwards?
    4. Wet the bed? Read more about BSR for Babies and Toddlers
  3. Does your child:
    1. Lack concentration and disrupt the class?
    2. Complain of unexplained aches and pains? Read more about BSR for Children and Teenagers 

Body stress release has proven helpful in relieving the stresses that could be at the heart of the problems listed above. Please give me a call if you’d like to find out how I can help.

Consequences of Body Stress - Ralph Dinkelmann - Body Stress Release Practitioner
Consequences of body stress - Ralph Dinkelmann - Body Stress Release Practitioner

NOTE: Body Stress Release is not a diagnosis or treatment of any condition or disease. It is concerned only with locating and releasing stored tension, so that the body is assisted in its in-built ability to maintain and heal itself.  

Effects Body Stress - Ralph Dinkelmann Body Stress Release Practitioner

Effects of Body Stress

Stress is a feeling of tension. It may be emotional or physical and may arise from any event or thought that triggers frustration, anger or nervousness. It's your body's reaction to a challenge or demand.

In short bursts, stress is positive. It's what helps you avoid danger or meet a deadline. But - when stress lasts for a long time - it becomes harmful. There are two types of stress:

  1. Acute Stress is short-term and dissipates quickly. This is the kind of stress you feel when you slam on brakes, or argue with someone or bungee jump. It helps you out of dangerous and often occurs when you do something new and exciting.
  2. Chronic Stress last for a much longer period of time. You may experience it if you have financial problems, a troubled relationship or ongoing work-related issues; and you may become so used to its presence that you don't even realise it's there.

Left unmanaged, chronic stress may lead to a variety of health problems. 

The Effects of Stress on Your Body

Your body releases hormones in response to stress. These put the brain on alert. Your muscles tense in readiness to act. Your pulse rate quickens. In the short term, these reactions are good. They could save you. But, over time, they put you at risk for health problems, including:

  • High blood pressure
  • Heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Depression or anxiety
  • Skin problems
  • Menstrual problems

And - if you already have a health condition, chronic stress can make it worse.

Signs of Stress

Stress may cause many and varied physical and emotional symptoms. Here are just some of the signs that stress may be affecting you:

Effects of Stress - Ralph Dinkelmann Body Stress Release Practitioner

Causes Body Stress

Causes of Body Stress

It’s a little over a week into January, and I hope you’re still feeling the positive effects of the holidays. Before the year picks up pace, spend a little time thinking about what creates stress for you. If you’re aware of your personal stressors, you’re better able to manage them. Are you exposed to mechanical (physical) stress, chemical stress factors, and/or emotional and mental ones? How can you reduce or remove these?

Let's look at the 3 Types of Stress Factors that cause your body to store stress:

Emotional and Mental Stress

Emotional and Mental Stress Factors

Fear of the future, financial worries, competition in the workplace, difficult family relationships … these are some of the most common causes of emotional or mental stress. Are these creating stress in your life? Or do you struggle with ongoing mental strain: depression, anxiety, resentment?

When we shield ourselves from emotional and mental stress factors like these, we take on a defensive attitude which finds physical expression in the tightening of the diaphragm, jaw, neck and shoulders, and causes body stress.

Mechanical or Physical Stress

Mechanical or Physical Stress Factors

What are mechanical stress factors? And how do they cause body stress? They could be sudden and violent – a car accident, a severe fall or lifting a heavy load incorrectly. They could be milder – a gradual build up as a result of bad habits, like sitting incorrectly or doing the wrong exercise routine.

In short, when mechanical stress goes beyond the body’s ability to adapt, the effects may be stored as body stress.

Chemical Stress Factors

Chemical Stress Factors

Air pollutants; insecticides; food additives, colourants and preservatives; artificial growth hormones … the list of chemical stress factors in our daily lives continues to grow even though we may steer clear of tobacco, alcohol, and pharmaceuticals.

Chemical stress may manifest in severe headaches and nausea. It puts our bodies on the defensive, creating body stress.

Are you prone to one of these causes of body stress? Or a combination of two or three?

Now you've identified your stressors, you're better able to defend yourself against them. You'll be more aware of them and better able to consciously make decisions or take action to reduce their effects.