OPTIMAL BLOOD FLOW:

THE MASTER KEY TO HEALTH
By Paul Fredrick

We all know too well that a nation’s economic strength relies on its infrastructure.

Our body’s health is no different. Just as a country, our body relies on its own infrastructure to maintain optimal function of its organs.

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But what is infrastructure? In the macro example of a country we have various types of infrastructure: electrical grid, highway system, internet, cellular networks, railroads, etc. In the human body, they are our Circulatory System (heart, vessels, and blood), our Nervous System (brain, nerves, and sensors), and our Lymphic System (glands, ducts, nodes, and lymph).

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When infrastructure becomes neglected, the entire system degrades, and many negatively-reinforcing loops are put in motion. If the condition is not remedied, this downward spiral can collapse the system completely and irrevocably. To prevent this, regular maintenance, repair, and regeneration is indispensable.

But how do we maintain and repair our anatomical infrastructure? The answer to this question requires an accurate understanding of the complex processes that keep us alive, and their hierarchies.

What do I mean by hierarchies? Well, the hierarchies are the maps of interdependency among these systems, and the dynamics of these interdependencies. In other words, when we look at one specific system, we need to identify which ones of the other systems it relies on, and which interventions will benefit the most systems by leveraging these interdependencies to propagate.

And when we apply this principle, the one system that stands out as the most responsive to intervention is our Circulatory System. This is because so many other systems rely on it. This means that a positive intervention on our Circulatory System will generate the most benefit, because it will be leveraged by other systems as well, and it will propagate throughout our entire organism, making the original intervention more efficient than any other.

Why is our Circulatory System so important? Because it transports the energy, the construction tools, and the building materials for our other systems to conduct their own maintenance and repair work. This is why we have to focus on maintaining and repairing our Circulatory System first.

Here are four types of interventions currently used to maintain, repair, and regenerate our Circulatory System:

1. EXERCISE
2. DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE
3. HYPERBARIC OXYGEN
4. PULSED ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS

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EXERCISE
Aerobic exercise is the most common way to condition our heart, the master pump of our Circulatory System. Just twenty minutes of sustained aerobic activity improves heart function and restores circulation in the capillaries. A brisk walk or a slow jog will achieve this goal. If you do this for the first time after a long sedentary period you will notice a generalized mild itch throughout your skin right after you’re done, especially along your limbs.

This is caused by the peripheral capillaries that have opened up thanks to the temporary increase in blood pressure. This sensation will only last a few minutes, but it is a great indication of the positive effects of your efforts. Some also experience temporary swelling of the hands and some stiffness, this is actually a good indication that the body is beginning to repair itself.

Anaerobic exercise is not as popular as aerobics, but it is equally important. An anaerobic activity is one that requires great effort to the point that our respiratory system is not able to supply a large enough amount of oxygen to keep the exertion going for longer than a few minutes, hence the name “anaerobic”. That’s why this type of exercise requires short spurs of high intensity exertion interrupted by short restful breaks to give our lungs time to catch up.

The magic of anaerobic exercise lies on its lasting benefits: our basal metabolic rate increases and stays high for 72 hours, even during rest and even during sleep. But the most important aspect of anaerobic exercise is its ability to stimulate production of human growth hormone and the triggering of angiogenesis.

This puts in motion processes of regeneration that actually build new tissue and new blood vessels. The most traditional form of anaerobic exercise is weight lifting, but in recent years we’ve seen the resurgence of other anaerobic disciplines like cross-fitness.

DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE THERAPY
This therapy is purely mechanic, but effective in stimulating peripheral and muscular circulation. The intense mechanical pressure exerted on our muscles also stimulates cells to release toxins, achieve proper hydration, and take-in necessary nutrients and oxygen. A typical session lasts 50 minutes, and it is popularly used among professional athletes post-performance to kick-start the tissue repair processes and speed up recovery.

HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY
The effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen are similar to those of Anaerobic Exercise, but they are induced artificially by enclosing the patient in an air-tight chamber which is then pumped with oxygen until it reaches a pressure of up to 3 atmospheres. Each session typically lasts 90 minutes, and it is repeated for five days a week to total 30 sessions or “dives”, then a two-week break followed by 10 more sessions.

Each time the patient exits the chamber the artificially increased blood oxygen level quickly drops to the normal level. This sudden drop, which is harmless, is perceived by our homeostatic system as temporary hypoxia, which triggers the activation of stem cell activity and angiogenesis. This in turn puts in motion the regeneration of tissues that under normal conditions could not be repaired.

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PEMF THERAPY
Pulsed ElectroMagnetic Field therapy combines the stimulation of exercise, the mechanics of massage, and the stem cell activation of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, all in one modality. A strong magnetic field is pulsed at very low frequencies and applied to the affected areas, producing a powerful magnetic field that thanks to its pulsating frequency mechanically stimulates tissues at a very deep level inside our body. The strong magnetic field accomplishes three main actions at once:
1. it knocks out clusters of red blood cells that occlude capillaries,
2. it resets the electromagnetic field of all cell membranes within its range of flux,
3. it triggers the activation of stem cells

By clearing out the occluded capillaries, PEMF restores blood flow in the crucial areas where the actual nutrients and oxygen is delivered to the cells. At the same time, the magnetic pulse resets and restores the 70mV field necessary for the cell membranes to properly transfer oxygen and nutrients into the cytoplasm and excrete the waste products from the myriad of processes that continuously take place inside. By activating our stem cells, PEMF provides the genetic material containing the instructions necessary for the repair and rebuilding of new tissue.

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The protocol of PEMF therapy is similar to that of HyperBaric Oxygen: 5 sessions per week, for a total of 30 sessions, with the difference that each session can be as short as 20 minutes instead of the 90 minutes required in HBOT. This is because the high intensity of the electromagnetic field produces the desired effects very quickly. Alternatively, when there is more extensive tissue damage, the area to be treated can cause pain as the flux is applied, so in these type of situations the intensity of the flux is reduced and the length of the session is extended accordingly, usually to 40 minutes.

PEMF is a great diagnostic tool thanks to this property: we often have areas of tissue damage and do not feel pain, but when the pulsed electromagnetic field is applied to that area we are able to pinpoint with accuracy the location and extent of the damage. It is important to know that even when the flux is applied at a lower intensity and the patient doesn’t feel any discomfort, the pulsed flux is still doing its therapeutic work very effectively. In other words: “no pain, yes gain”.

AFFORDABILITY COMPARISON
When comparing the four types of intervention modalities that we can use to optimize and even supercharge our Circulatory System, we notice that some are more affordable than others:

EXERCISE
We can exercise for free. Aerobic activity doesn’t require any special equipment other than a good pair of hiking shoes. Anaerobics may involve the use of equipment, especially when it comes to weight lifting, but we can also achieve an anaerobic state through things like intense short running sprints interceded by short restful breaks. So exercise is by far the most affordable modality out of all four.

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MASSAGE
Deep tissue massage can cost around $100 per session. And yet, it is not the most expensive option.

HBOT
HyperBaric Oxygen Therapy sessions can cost thousands of dollars, but they may be covered by your medical insurance policy, if you have one. This is by far the most expensive modality of all four. This is because the submarine-like chambers are extremely expensive and only major hospitals can afford to buy them. Beware of home chambers aimed at the consumer market. Understand that they do not provide the sufficient pressure and oxygen levels necessary to produce the outcomes I have discussed in this article.

They may produce some beneficial outcomes, but I am not aware that these types of products have been scientifically evaluated. On the other hand, professional HBOT chamber installations like those you find in hospitals are overseen by physicians, they have been proven to work extremely well, and have a long track record of results that are nothing short of miraculous.

PEMF
Pulsed ElectroMagnetic Field sessions are in my view the most bang for your buck. As we’ve seen, they provide the benefits of all the three other modalities combined, and although a good PEMF generator can cost around $15,000 or more, it is in the low-cost range of medical equipment, and well within the reach of most small medical practices and chiropractors, and even the consumer market. Some of these machines are built like tanks, come with extended warranties, and will work without any problems for decades.

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Learn more about PEMF in this video interview with a registered nurse!