Did you know you can increase brain health with ELDOA? Through intelligent and coordinated movement, you can improve the nourishment of the central nervous system and thus improve the function of the brain and spinal cord. Keep reading to learn more about how to increase brain health.
Fascia and Connective Tissue
If you read my previous blog post on fascia, you know that the brain and spinal cord are not just a mass of nerves floating around. Every single nerve is suspended in a matrix of collagen and contained in the fascia. The brain has three classic layers of connective tissue as a container. In this post, we will be discussing the outermost layer: the dura mater.
The Importance of Dura Mater
The dura mater is the outer “skin” that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. It holds the brain in place in relation to other body parts, including the cranium, spinal column, sacrum, and coccyx. Dura mater plays an important role in the regulation of the fluid that nourishes all of the central nervous system (CNS). The “blood” of the brain, known as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), is specially processed to be able to maintain the function of the nervous system at all times. The movement of this fluid, which is vital to brain health, is not controlled by the heart alone. Rather, it is controlled primarily by the fluctuation of tension and compression in the dura mater.1 This fluctuation also signals the cells responsible for producing CSF from the blood, letting them know when it’s time to make more.
The fluctuation of tension and compression in the dura mater affects the movement and production of CSF—two features that play a vital role in brain health.
How Does ELDOA Increase Brain Health?
ELDOA helps increase brain health by promoting an ideal balance of tension and compression around the brain and spinal cord. Since the dura mater is strongly attached to the bones of the cranium and spine, the position and coordinated movement of these structures is key to the movement of the CSF.2 The ELDOA method was specifically developed with this influence in mind. ELDOA founder and world-renowned osteopath, Dr. Guy Voyer, teaches how to use these exercises to normalize and improve the quality and function of the dura mater. One specific exercise in the group named the General ELDOA (which I often use with clients and in my group classes) is the best for promoting the movement and production of the CSF. It creates a fluctuation of tension and compression from the crown of the head to the tailbone in a controlled and repetitive pattern. This results in the healthy flow of CSF throughout the dura mater and supports the nourishment of the entire CNS, including the brain. This positive effect on brain function—and thus thinking and mood—is, I believe, one of the reasons people become so inspired and motivated by the experience of taking an ELDOA method exercise class.
Ready to give it a try and learn more about how to increase brain health? Sign up for ELDOA group classes here!
For more info, check out my previous posts on ELDOA for Athletes and ELDOA for Healthy Heart, Lungs, and Organ Function. Interested in receiving more in-depth info on the latest topics in nutrition and fitness? Sign up for my newsletter.
References
- Martins AN, Wiley JK, Myers PW. Dynamics of the cerebrospinal fluid and the spinal dura mater. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 35, No. 4 (1972): 468-473. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC494106/
- Whedon JM, Glassey D. (2009). Cerebrospinal fluid stasis and its clinical significance. Altern Ther Health Med 15, No. 3 (2009): 54-60. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2842089/
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