Explore, Experience, Explain (1): Thermometry

Some people write about their adventures, traveling across the icy Arctic, through the wild Amazon, over the boundless sea, or under. Today, I’ve decided to write about the vast unexplored terrain right inside my body. I prepared to navigate this uncharted territory by traveling only 15 miles from home, into the city of Providence, where I underwent a complete body health assessment and consultation, using state-of-the-art diagnostics.

As a writer for Rhode Island’s #1 healthy living magazine, I ‘m always finding there is so much more to explore, research, experience and explain with regards to well-being. After reading a book on bioregulatory medicine, touring Providence’s new BioMed Center and writing an article about both for RI’s Natural Awakenings magazine, I felt drawn to participate in this exploratory process. The process appears to be non-invasive, so why not be a guinea pig. I set up an appointment for January 2, filled out the requisite medical forms and followed through with the appointment.

What happened that day? A whole lot. Where do I begin? With a quick overview and the description of one of six tests. I’m analytical and I’m visual. I like to look at numbers and pictures, because they show me things. The graphic above shows a small sampling of the resulting data of energy signatures, which map the terrain inside my body. The data provides a glimpse of my AlfaVue Regulation Thermometry Report.

I tried to explain this test in my article with one sentence: “whole body regulation thermometry is an assessment that takes skin temperature readings at 119 points on the body, before and after stress, to assess circulation patterns and identify areas of vulnerability or dysregulation.” The stress part sounds a bit scary. In actuality, inducing stress had nothing to do with psychological battering or trotting on a treadmill. It was induced with exposure to a slightly colder temperature for ten minutes. I just stood there. The temperature readings were as quick as a when someone swipes a thermometer across the forehead. The resulting numbers and pictures are far more adequate than my one sentence in explaining thermometry, which was the first and most demanding of all the tests – simply stressful enough for the body to communicate relevant data, so doctors can see, interpret and explain the most significant findings.

What jumped out on this map of my body was a lymph system blockade (red bar on graph). This issue was confirmed by other types of tests administered that day. This is a symptom of being a passionate writer who will sit and spend hours absorbed in the work. According to Anne Lemons, “Prolonged sitting negatively impacts the lymphatic system as well as the heart, brain, and musculoskeletal system (1,2,3). If you sit most of the day for work, set a timer to get up every hour to take a short walk and move your lymph. As you may have heard it described, ‘sitting is the new smoking.'” Lymph vessels are activated by body movement; any activity that moves the arms, legs, and torso will help to move lymph.

The lymphatic system is a network of tissues and organs that help rid the body of toxins, waste and other unwanted materials. While there are numerous doctors trained to treat all the other body systems (neurologist (nervous), cardiologist (cardovascular), gastroenterologist (digestive), endocrinologist (glandular), a patient would be hard-pressed to find a lymphologist.

Understanding the critical role of the lymphatic system, the doctors at BioMed gave me a list of options for exploring and removing this blockade, many of which I can do myself, including dry skin brushing, rebounding for ten minutes per day at my health club, doing a detox regimen, taking a daily spore-based probiotic and adding a few herbal supplements. BioMed also offered me options to expedite the blockade removal process, including cranial/structural core distortion release (CSCDR), myofacial massage, hemosonic treatment and ozone therapy.

I plan to explore all of these options, one by one, to see which makes the most difference for me. I also plan to learn more about the lymph system and how it interacts with the other systems in my body. Once I get past the blockade, I can start to explore other areas of my internal terrain, because there is so much more to learn.

Read my recent article to learn more about bioregulatory medicine. The BioMed Center is hosting an open house on Wednesday, February 13, 4:30-6pm at 111 Chestnut Street in Providence.

Read what Anne Lemons recommends for lymphatic self-care.