STRESS LEVELS

It has been reported that stress is the biggest cause of time off work (back pain is 2nd). The scale of stress is classed in a scale of impact it has on both the person's mind AND body. Printed below are some of the causes and their impact levels:
Death of a Spouse-100. Divorce- 73. Death of a close family member 63. Jail term-63, Marriage-53. Loss of job-47. Retirement -45.Marital Reconciliation-45. Health problems in family - 44. Pregnancy - 40. Sex difficulties - 39. Gain a new family member -39. Business readjustment - 39. Change in financial state - 38. Death of a close friend - 37. Change line of work - 36Large mortgage taken out - 31. Foreclosure of mortgage - 30.Change in work status - 29. Son or daughter leaving home - 29. Trouble with in-laws - 29. Change in living conditions - 25. Revision of personal habits - 24. Trouble with boss - 23. Change in work hours - 20. Change in residence - 20. Change in recreation -19. Small mortgage taken out - 17. Change in sleeping habits - 16. Change in family reunions - 15. Change in eating habits -15. Vacation - 13. Christmas -12. Minor violation of the law - 11. Source: Holmes & Rhea - Journal of Psychosomatic Research. Source: Holmes & Rhea - Journal of Psychosomatic Research. is classed in a scale of impact it has both the persons mind AND body, printed below are some of the causes and there impact levels Death of a Spouse-100. Divorce- 73. Death of a close family member 63. Jail term-63, Marriage-53. Loss of job-47. Retirement -45.Marital Reconciliation-45. Health problems in family - 44. Pregnancy - 40. Sex difficulties - 39. Gain a new family member -39. Business readjustment - 39. Change in financial state - 38. Death of a close friend - 37. Change line of work - 36Large mortgage taken out - 31. Foreclosure of mortgage - 30.Change in work status - 29. Son or daughter leaving home - 29. Trouble with in-laws - 29. Change in living conditions - 25. Revision of personal habits - 24. Trouble with boss - 23. Change in work hours - 20. Change in residence - 20. Change in recreation -19. Small mortgage taken out - 17. Change in sleeping habits - 16. Change in family reunions - 15. Change in eating habits -15. Vacation - 13. Christmas -12. Minor violation of the law - 11.

TOUCH THERAPY TRAINING PROGRAMME REPORT.

In 2000 I, along with other therapists took part in the TTTP. It involved treating physically and mentally disabled children free and also training their parents to treat their children with massage. The system was that I would treat and record their progress once per week with the parents gently massaging twice per day. This was done in conjunction with the Coventry University who was researching into the effects of massage on the physically and mentally disabled. The report has now been published and the findings state (as we already knew) that massage in children has a very beneficial effect. 74 parents took part and 66 children were treated. Disabilities included cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, epilepsy and autistic spectrum disorders. Mainly long term in some cases multiple, life threatening or extremely damaging to the child's quality of life. Which would also encroach on the parent's quality of life also. The conclusion was that TTTP in a supportive environment appears to the potential to have a positive impact and this programme has provided a firm foundation for further development.


CAN I DIET WITHOUT EXERCISE?

The short answer is yes if you want to get fatter. If you diet without exercise you will lose muscle tissue as well as adipose tissue (fat). After a time you may well start to gain weight again this will be fat NOT muscle- so that at the end of the day you will have got a greater fat ratio than before you to diet in the first place. Unfortunately the word diet has been misused to mean a weight loss regime and not what it really means - an eating menu for life. Most people have heard that a good well balanced diet is essential to having a healthy life. But what is a good diet? What it really means is a varied amount of food that has vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates starch and sugars in a balance that your personal requirements need. Each person is different and therefore each diet will be different depending on your metabolism, work and exercise programme(s), health (digestive system), intolerance and possibly most important Will. Be careful of these quick loss diets- although they may work in the short term, they can take a toll on the body later on in life. (Because it's quick you will definitely lose muscle tissue as well!) Slow and steady are the best rules to follow.

IS THERE ANYTHING I MUST DO OR NOT DO BEFORE TREATMENT?

Treatment can be carried out without any prior preparation it is always better if certain things are done and, of course NOT done before treatment. Some of the MUST DOs apart from personal hygiene are try and remember what you have done since the last treatment. Where any aches or pains have been since last treatment. If you remember anything that may have happened in the past that may have caused, or made the problem(s) worse. Report any skin condition that may have occurred since the last treatment. I always advise keeping your GP informed of the problem and the progress of the treatment. (Although that is up to the patient).
Some of the MUST NOT DO things are try not to have taken any painkillers, especially just before the treatment. Have a heavy meal within one hour before treatment. Take alcohol before treatment. Have a HOT bath just before treatment, a shower or lukewarm bath is better (because of the inflammatory effect). Stop taking any medicine that your GP has prescribed for you without consulting them first.