GETTING THE BEST OUT OF YOUR BOWEN TREATMENTS
You can help Bowen work for you by following this advice. There may be times when it is not possible to do all these things; be practical and do what you can within reason.
WATER
A Bowen treatment will generally affect the circulation of blood and lymph around the body and water is an essential part of these systems, so try and drink a glass of water (200ml or 1/2 pint) at least every couple of hours during the day.
Ideally you are aiming for around 2 litres a day but if you normally don't drink much water you will need to increase this gradually. You may want to start by diluting some fruit juice with water - try one third juice, two thirds water. It is also good to drink herb teas. They will count towards your 2 litres.
Also try to drink a glass of water before you come for your treatment.
TAKE IT EASY
Try to take things easy for 24 hours folowing your appointment, to help your body take full advantage of the treatment. Of course this is not always possible, so at least try to have an early night. Try to listen to your body and give it a chance to benefit from the treatment.
Avoid activities which might re-injure you - give your body a chance to recover!
MOVEMENT
If at all possible, please walk to and from your appointment; if you have to drive, try to allow time for a 5-10 minute stroll after the treatment, before you get into your car again, or park a few minutes away.
Movement assists the flow of blood and lymph around the body, so it is helpful if you do not sit for long periods (more than an hour at a time) during the day of your treatment; lying down to rest or sleep is fine.
During the day, stand up and walk around every hour or so to get yourself moving and reduce stiffness – you could go and get a glass of water. It only needs to be for a few moments. This will keep the fluids moving in your body and help Bowen to work better for you.
TIMESCALE
The ideal gap between Bowen treatments is 7 days. However, if you have a re-injury or a fresh problem develops within this time it is fine to have another treatment sooner. Please phone and talk about this with me if this happens.
PELVIC PROCEDURE
I will tell you when I do this. After the treatment, try not to sit cross legged, or cross your legs for the next 24 hours. It's not the end of the world if you do, but the aim of this procedure is to balance the pelvis, and crossing legs may undo some of the work.
TMJ (JAW) PROCEDURE
This is used to help with hayfever, headaches and migraine, neck and shoulder problems. It can create subtle changes to the bite, so please take care when initially chewing after treatment.
THIS PROCEDURE IS CONTRAINDICATED if you have had extensive work on your jaw or teeth, because of the possibility of the bite being affected. It is your responsibility to let me know about this, but I will always ask.
OTHER THERAPIES
You should not stop or alter any medication you are already taking.
Bowen mixes well with homeopathy, good nutrition and exercise. It is not advisable to start a new exercise regime soon after you begin Bowen because of the risk of causing a new injury.
Avoid mixing physical therapies, such as massage, osteopathy etc. This is because they may send conflicting messages to the body and reduce each other’s effectiveness, and it would also be impossible to tell which treatment is creating which effect. I would therefore ask you not to have any other treatments for at least a week before and a week after having Bowen. If you are in any doubt, please ask me.
You can help Bowen work for you by following this advice. There may be times when it is not possible to do all these things; be practical and do what you can within reason.
WATER
A Bowen treatment will generally affect the circulation of blood and lymph around the body and water is an essential part of these systems, so try and drink a glass of water (200ml or 1/2 pint) at least every couple of hours during the day.
Ideally you are aiming for around 2 litres a day but if you normally don't drink much water you will need to increase this gradually. You may want to start by diluting some fruit juice with water - try one third juice, two thirds water. It is also good to drink herb teas. They will count towards your 2 litres.
Also try to drink a glass of water before you come for your treatment.
TAKE IT EASY
Try to take things easy for 24 hours folowing your appointment, to help your body take full advantage of the treatment. Of course this is not always possible, so at least try to have an early night. Try to listen to your body and give it a chance to benefit from the treatment.
Avoid activities which might re-injure you - give your body a chance to recover!
MOVEMENT
If at all possible, please walk to and from your appointment; if you have to drive, try to allow time for a 5-10 minute stroll after the treatment, before you get into your car again, or park a few minutes away.
Movement assists the flow of blood and lymph around the body, so it is helpful if you do not sit for long periods (more than an hour at a time) during the day of your treatment; lying down to rest or sleep is fine.
During the day, stand up and walk around every hour or so to get yourself moving and reduce stiffness – you could go and get a glass of water. It only needs to be for a few moments. This will keep the fluids moving in your body and help Bowen to work better for you.
TIMESCALE
The ideal gap between Bowen treatments is 7 days. However, if you have a re-injury or a fresh problem develops within this time it is fine to have another treatment sooner. Please phone and talk about this with me if this happens.
PELVIC PROCEDURE
I will tell you when I do this. After the treatment, try not to sit cross legged, or cross your legs for the next 24 hours. It's not the end of the world if you do, but the aim of this procedure is to balance the pelvis, and crossing legs may undo some of the work.
TMJ (JAW) PROCEDURE
This is used to help with hayfever, headaches and migraine, neck and shoulder problems. It can create subtle changes to the bite, so please take care when initially chewing after treatment.
THIS PROCEDURE IS CONTRAINDICATED if you have had extensive work on your jaw or teeth, because of the possibility of the bite being affected. It is your responsibility to let me know about this, but I will always ask.
OTHER THERAPIES
You should not stop or alter any medication you are already taking.
Bowen mixes well with homeopathy, good nutrition and exercise. It is not advisable to start a new exercise regime soon after you begin Bowen because of the risk of causing a new injury.
Avoid mixing physical therapies, such as massage, osteopathy etc. This is because they may send conflicting messages to the body and reduce each other’s effectiveness, and it would also be impossible to tell which treatment is creating which effect. I would therefore ask you not to have any other treatments for at least a week before and a week after having Bowen. If you are in any doubt, please ask me.