REAL Exclusive Magazine Kimberly Burns, OTR/L, CLT - Perspectives - REAL Health

Boost Your Health:

3 Senses you should attend to more

By Kimberly Burns, OTR/L, CLT

Ism: Denoting a system, principle, or ideological movement or denoting a pathological condition. Your choice.
Kimism: Maximize health and well-being by combining two or more natural strategies!

We have so many great ways we can use knowledge of the body’s inner workings to heal and maintain wellness. When we look to our sensory systems and support our “involuntary muscles”, we reduce the work the body has to do on its own to run more efficiently and maximize health.

1. Proprioception is the body’s awareness of movement. We are not always aware of how our insides are working, especially the diaphragm. Jobs that require sitting, overhead reaching, bending for long periods of time contribute to a breathing pattern that does not benefit you. By learning Diaphragmatic Breathing, you can train your diaphragm to move in the correct manner influencing better health. You can easily incorporate this breath before you get out of bed in the morning and after you get back in for the night. I recommend diaphragmatic breathing to be done only when the body is not engaging abdominal muscles to reduce injury such as hernias and prolapsed bladders. What a good way to start and end your day knowing you have taken the time to care for yourself.

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2. The Vestibular sensations tell us how we are interacting with our environment, to be oriented in space and time and perception of gravity enabling us to do almost everything that we do in our daily lives. Our ability to maintain a calm but alert state is influenced by this sense. As gravity is continuously pushing us towards the earth, we need to support our body by going with gravity not against it. A fun way to do this would be to get outdoors and hang upside down from a tree or monkey bars at a park. It can also be done at home on a therapy ball. Downward dog is a good pose that supports rehydrating the spinal discs keeping us tall!

3. Smell is typically related to emotions. We smell something and feel happy, calm and peaceful. It can also make you sad or disgusted. Through inhalation of essential oils, the limbic system is influenced and can lead to a change in your body chemistry for better health and a positive mood. Adding the natural strategy of inhaling essential oils during your breathing practice will double the benefits. I like to start with Frankincense. Place a drop in your hand, rub together and inhale through the nose and exhale allowing the sensation to take over.

I always like to find ways to infuse wellness into all that I do. Being in real estate is no different. I met up with Laurel James who does aroma wellness along with interior decorating. We share the same passion of aromatherapy. I would like to share a brief word from her.

“Did you know our first sense entering a room is smell? Imagine how aromas affect your clients as a Realtor when selling a home! Why are aromas not considered in our living spaces when they can help us flourish? Many enhancing effects for our mood and health are supported with quality essential oils in our spaces. I am excited to teach individuals, Realtors, and design experts the uplifting aroma benefits for our environments with consultations and classes.

What affects our decisions to buy, decorate, or design our homes? In this fast changing world, what grounds us and keeps us thriving in our living spaces? If you are interested and want to know more, I am offering whole-life preliminary interior design consultations. With my studies of design psychology, humanology, and our vital need for a connection to nature, I integrate the home owners’ unique selves and needs into their living spaces. This process is collaboration between Realtors, builders, architects, and interior designers to streamline a great design process for the home owner and design team.”

Laurel James, Aroma Wellness & Interior Design Consultant

Stay tuned for next month when Laurel shares her article You + Nature = Home, where you will learn about the benefits of bringing nature into your home!

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^[3]Kimberly Burns, OTR/L, CLT, is an Occupational Therapist with over 14 years’ experience working with clients ranging from infants to the elderly. She has always had passion for wellness and what she could do at home for herself to manage pain and delay disease processes. Her recent certification in Lymphedema Therapy has provided her further incentive to focus her business around preventing disease and halting its progression. Kimberly Burns, OTR/L, CLT – (215) 499.0444 – Kim.Burns@SensoryIntuition.com ^[4] – www.SensoryIntuition.com ^[5].

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