| Living with a chronic health condition can take its | | | | respiration deepens, blood pressure stabilizes and |
| toll - physically, mentally and emotionally. Physical | | | | light alpha waves are produced by the brain. This |
| discomfort, pain and fatigue are common | | | | is important, because when your body is able to |
| symptoms, and over time they can often lead to | | | | rest, your adrenals slow down and cortisol |
| feeling stressed, anxious or depressed. Medications | | | | production drops, giving your digestive, |
| prescribed to treat the symptoms often add to | | | | respiratory, circulatory and metabolic functions a |
| the mix. Potential side effects such as fatigue, | | | | much-needed break. |
| headaches or digestive upsets can be an additional | | | | People who experience chronic or even acute pain |
| nuisance. Additionally, your body's liver and kidneys | | | | can benefit from receiving Reiki. A study published |
| are under greater strain to metabolize and | | | | in Holistic Nursing Practice in 2006, by Anne T. |
| excrete the medications, which can also add to | | | | Vitale MSN, APRN, BC and Priscilla C. O'Connor |
| malaise and potentially decreased functioning over | | | | PhD, APRN, BC entitled, "The Effect of Reiki on |
| time. | | | | Pain and Anxiety in Women With Abdominal |
| The degenerative effects of stress | | | | Hysterectomies: A Quasi-experimental Pilot Study" |
| Increased stress levels activate the adrenal | | | | describes the use of Reiki in a controlled setting |
| glands, producing a constant state of "fight or | | | | to assist with post-operative pain control. It |
| flight." This is necessary when we are in a | | | | concluded that Reiki positively affected the |
| dangerous situation, as our body is gearing up our | | | | patients' ability to manage post-operative pain with |
| bodies to respond quickly to deal with whatever is | | | | fewer medications. Reiki was also given to a |
| confronting us. However, if this response is | | | | control group prior to surgery, and those patients |
| activated constantly in response to physical or | | | | experienced less anxiety regarding their procedure |
| emotional stress, it causes the levels of certain | | | | and had shorter surgery times. |
| key hormones, such as cortisol, to rise in your | | | | While channeling Reiki, I have seen how much it |
| body. | | | | soothes my clients. They consistently report |
| Cortisol is necessary for the regulation of blood | | | | feeling calmer, more relaxed and gently energized |
| pressure, supporting the immune function and | | | | at the end of their session. I have worked on |
| raising the body's inflammatory responses when | | | | people who were in acute pain and seen how it |
| needed. Normal secretions of cortisol are healthy, | | | | caused immediate and often long-lasting relief |
| but chronically high secretions of cortisol can | | | | from their symptoms. Anyone who has |
| cause higher blood pressure, storage of fat | | | | experienced the therapeutic effects of massage |
| around the waistline, increased amounts of insulin | | | | therapy can benefit from receiving Reiki. I have |
| in the bloodstream, impaired immune function and | | | | worked on clients with fibromyalgia, cancer and |
| elevated inflammatory responses to infection or | | | | who are HIV-positive, and they have told me how |
| injury. The effects of stress over time for | | | | much better Reiki made them feel. It helped ease |
| healthy people can potentially lead to the | | | | their discomfort, reduced their anxiety and |
| development of a chronic health condition. | | | | improved their quality of life. Reiki is not a cure-all |
| However, if you're already living with a chronic | | | | but like all complementary therapies, it helps to |
| health condition, it is especially important to | | | | facilitate and support the healing process within |
| effectively manage stress and seek supportive, | | | | the body. |
| healing relief. | | | | Adding Reiki to your treatment plan |
| How Reiki can help | | | | Reiki is increasingly being used in the clinical setting |
| Reiki supports your body's relaxation response to | | | | to provide relaxation and relief for a variety of |
| keep you feeling grounded and balanced. We all | | | | acute and chronic conditions. A number of |
| have "chi" or life-force energy flowing through us. | | | | hospitals and treatment centers are using it as an |
| Stress, illness and emotional turmoil eventually | | | | adjunct therapy to help patients cope more |
| take their toll on our physical and etheric - human | | | | effectively physically and emotionally from their |
| energy field - bodies, leading to a perpetual state | | | | illnesses, as well to help counteract some of the |
| of unwellness. | | | | harsh side effects of medications and treatments, |
| Like other forms of Eastern-based medicine, such | | | | such as chemotherapy. However, it is not meant |
| as acupuncture, Reiki works to clear blockages in | | | | to be a substitute for examination and care from |
| our human energy field that cause imbalances in | | | | a qualified medical professional. If you are living |
| the way our body operates. If the flow of | | | | with a chronic illness, I encourage you to partner |
| energy in your body is impeded, your body will | | | | with your physician or therapist to create a |
| eventually manifest that as a physical or | | | | treatment plan that includes allopathic methods if |
| emotional symptom. A Reiki session facilitates a | | | | needed, as well as other supportive, holistic |
| state of relaxation; clinical studies have shown | | | | approaches such as Reiki for mind, body and spirit |
| that when a recipient receives Reiki, their | | | | wellness. |