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Tuesday, 12 February 2019

Article Source: http://www.dorothyhealthcoach.co.nz/2019/02/my-experiences-with-inclined-bed.html

A friend first told me about Inclined Bed Therapy (IBT), and Andrew K Fletcher, several years ago. She had had her bed raised for a reasonable period of time. I listened to my friend tell me how she had fallen down the stairs and hurt her foot, and it was fine by the next day. She believed this was due to sleeping on an inclined bed.

My First Trial

I watched a few videos on Andrew’s website, and then decided it was worth a go. I bought paving stones to put under my bed legs.

At first, lying on the slope felt a bit strange, and I seemed to slide down a bit, in fact everything seemed to slide down a bit – my pillows, sheets, and duvet. 

After a while I noticed that my ankles appeared to be swelling, and because I remember hearing through mainstream medicine, that in order to reduce swelling, one should RAISE the leg, I decided to lower my bed again.  I had trialled the inclined bed therapy for only about two to three weeks.

Oh, how I now wish I had persevered!

But no matter, fast forward a few years to a few months ago, when I had just set myself a goal to do endurance training at the gym.  I came across a face book post about this Inclined Bed Therapy. I felt prompted to revisit, and try it again.

 

Finding out More

 

First, I watched a post on face book - a video by Zalben Chiropractic Healing Arts (posted 8 June 2018).   Zalben Chiropractic Healing Arts Video

This video clarifies that Inclined Bed Therapy is not to be confused with an adjustable bed where you can raise the upper body while keeping the lower body level. Or even raise the lower body while keeping the upper body level.

From his comments, the following stuck in my mind:
“The single greatest thing I have done for my health is inclining my bed 6 inches to get a 5 degree tilt.....Nothing I have done, has made a bigger impact on my health....The benefits are mind boggling – your digestion, your assimilation, your elimination. All three of those processes are radically turbo-charged, by simply elevating the head of the bed....”

 

Second, I went to the website Inclined Bed Therapy https://inclinedbedtherapy.com  and read more.

 

I watched a 50 minute radio interview with Andrew K Fletcher, and learned more of the story and research behind this idea, and also that the ancient Egyptians used this same technique. Andrew shared how the idea came to him through his research on trees, how his mother’s varicose veins disappeared after trialing IBT, and how it can help people with paralysis.  This is a long interview (about 50 mins.) but worth the time if you want to know more of the background.

Radio Interview with Andrew Fletcher 

 

From the Inclined Bed Therapy web site, I also watched a You Tube video which features how a person who was paralysed for many years had begun to walk again, and how people with Multiple Sclerosis can be helped, and also features Andrew Fletcher and his struggles to convince the medical profession of the benefits of IBT    Watch Here

 

My Second Trial

 

About 3 months ago I decided to give it another try. I dusted off the pavers and put them under the legs of my bed at the head end. 

 

Doing the measurements

 

The video said to raise the head of the bed about 6 inches so that the slope of the bed is 5 degrees.

At first I put 3 pavers (height 13.5 cm or 5.3 inches) under the legs, at the head of the bed.

But somehow this felt too high.  So I measured the difference in height between the mattress at the head end and the foot end, and the difference was way more than 6 inches.

I realized that because the legs are further down the bed (not right at the top end) it was causing the slope to be steeper.

So I took away one paver on each side and did more measurements. Putting to use my knowledge of mathematics and trigonometry, I calculated that the slope was now about 5 degrees.

The slope depends on the length of your bed as well as the positioning of the legs.  To get the right slope, I put two pavers, 9 cm (or 3.5 inches) thick, under the legs which were positioned about 40 cm (or 5.75 inches) from the top end of the bed base.

For a standard size bed, say 6 ft you want to have the very end of the bed at the head end to be about 6 inches higher than at the foot.

 

Initial reactions

 

As before, within a few days, my ankles began to swell a little, and this may have been partly due to the incredibly hot weather at the time.

Around about the same time I shared on my face book page the video of the 50 minute radio interview with Andrew K Fletcher.  Next day I had a response from Andrew Fletcher himself. I took the opportunity to message Andrew and tell him about my swollen ankles. He replied, “There can be an initial shift of oedema towards the ankles. This usually clears after a few weeks.” 

And yes within a few more days, my ankles were fine. I also recall that I experienced a few random weird pains around the same time, and these too went away after a few weeks.

 

Benefits so far – after about 3 months of IBT

 

1. Varicose/Spider veins have improved considerably
2. No more muscle tiredness/soreness/inflammation after workouts at the gym. Before IBT I would use my athletic anti-inflammatory cream before and after my workouts to help loosen and relax my muscles. Now, I hardly use the cream at all.
3. My blood pressure is now lower than it has been for a good few years.
4. My digestion has improved. I have many food intolerances and previously I would have needed to use essential oils to aid digestion.Now, I hardly need digestive aids at all, provided I eat the foods that suit me.
5. My Endurance Training at the gym is going better than expected, and I’m increasing my distance surprisingly rapidly. One of the advantages of IBT is that it increases the level of oxygen in the blood.
6. In general I seem to be sleeping more soundly.
7. I seem to be more emotionally balanced, and feel less stressed.Again, I do not need the essential oils for stress and anxiety nearly so much.
8. I still have “off” days, however if I drink plenty of good water and avoid foods that do not suit me, I am fine.

 

Reasons Why IBT is Well Worth Trying

 

1. It is so simple, it is hard to believe.
2. Little or no cost – just a few dollars set-up cost, and no ongoing cost.
3. Nothing more to do. Once set up, there is no more work to be done, except enjoy discovering the benefits.
4. Long term benefits – Health benefits can show up after many months and years while continuing to use IBT
5. Many other people have received benefits – see the videos fromhttps://inclinedbedtherapy.com
6. Nothing to lose.
7. Members of the medical profession are unlikely to tell you about this, nor know about it. I suggest that you find out for yourself, and evaluate based on your own experience.
8. Andrew Fletcher whose engineering mind and independent thinking first brought this to the public attention wants to share his findings to help people, andis not motivated by money.