Notes From Slides
- In this presentation I will be talking about:
- What is Inclined Bed Therapy
Inclined Bed Models
How does Inclined Bed Therapy Work
Benefits of Inclined Bed Therapy
Inclined Bed Therapy & Diabetes which is generally my research project where I will go over briefly my Hypothesis, the methods used, the results, discussion and finally my conclusion. - Inclined Bed Therapy is a new therapy introduced by Andrew Fletcher who was inspired by the way in which trees are able to pump sap up to the tops of their branches.
Fletcher theorizes that trees utilize the force of gravity to propel a kind of elevator that carries the sap up and down the trunks and through the branches which is a structure that is very similar to the network of veins and arteries in human beings. - After doing a lot of research Fletcher came up with a design of an inclined bed to take advantage of the benefits of gravity while allowing individuals to rest in a position that is still comfortable to utilize the force of gravity to improve the circulation of the body while asleep.
- He discovered that by raising the head of the bed between 4 and 8 inches, people can increase the gravitational force on their bodies while they are sleeping. This posture will create the opportunity for the body to improve circulation without causing discomfort allowing the body cells to heal and regenerate. This is the birth of Inclined Bed Therapy.
- These are models used for Inclined Bed Therapy by users of Inclined Bed Therapy as well as participants.
- These are also some models. There are many other models but I believe these are enough for the purpose of this presentation.
- According to many researchers, proper circulation is important for the growth of cells and maintenance of the many systems of the body.
Interestingly, sleeping on an inclined bed maintains blood flow and the ability of the lymphatic system to flush out the toxins that accumulate in the many networks of vessels throughout the body.
This is due to the force of gravity which alters density levels throughout the lymphatic system. - According to many users of Inclined Bed Therapy around the world, the benefits range from improvements in Pakinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, short term memory loss, heart conditions, blood pressure, respiratory problems, psoriasis, thrombosis, varicose veins, gastric reflux, edema, optic nerve damage, bladder infections, scoliosis of the spine, leg ulcer and diabetes complications. It also helps deal with sleep apnea, insomnia and even snoring.
After looking at these benefits, some of you might be interested in trying this out but a word of caution before trying this is to be easy on it. One should start from 3 inches inclined bed and then gradually after several weeks increase up to no more than 8 inches. - My project is to examine the effect of this Inclined Bed Therapy on diabetic individuals based on the Hypothesis that Sleeping on an inclined bed over a period of time will eventually decrease or normalize blood sugar levels.
13 individuals or volunteered participants registered of which 12 had been diagnosed by their health service providers to be diabetic and 1 was diagnosed as pre-diabetic. However, 1 participant quit due to personal reasons which made put the number down to 12 participants. The method was very simple. Interview with participants was conducted and participants were evaluated and monitored while sleeping on an inclined bed raised initially at 4 inches head up position and 6 inches after four weeks. FBS readings were taken from 5 participants and RBS readings were taken from 7 participants prior to using Inclined Bed Therapy and after one month of using the therapy.
- This is the FBS (Fasting Blood Sugar) group. None of these participants are on prescribed medication to control their blood sugar but they have been trying alternative ways to deal with their blood sugar levels. Readings showed that after one month of using Inclined Bed Therapy, 2 showed elevations in blood sugar levels while 3 showed reduction in blood sugar levels.
Investigating the 2 elevated blood sugar levels, Eltrine from was off from using inclined bed for a few days by attending a home away prayer retreat which was followed by one week of church feasting activity in her Church.
Kerson had to leave his home and stayed away for a few days to attend a family funeral. Funeral activities and ceremonies in Pohnpei involved participating in many food catering, meals and drinking of kava for almost a week. The two participants both admitted to have had anticipated and felt an elevation in their blood sugar levels from the activities. Lucy from the RBS group was on prescribed medication and had been missing on her doses a few days in a row during throughout the duration of the study. Anrak from the same RBS group was not on any medication but had not been watching much over what she ate. She mostly had oily and fatty meals. - This is the RBS (Random Blood Sugar) group. 5 of the 7 participants are on prescribed medication shown with arrows. 2 out of 7 showed elevations in blood sugar levels while 5 showed reduction in their blood sugar levels.
When investigating the 2 elevated blood sugar levels from this group, Lucy was on prescribed medication and but had been missing on her doses a few days in a row during throughout the duration of the study. Anrak from the same RBS group was not on any medication but had not been watching much over what she ate. She showed no attempt in trying to manage her blood sugar levels and was on mostly oily and fatty diet. - The results have indicated that Inclined Bed Therapy may improve efficacy in reducing blood sugar levels only in attempted measures. What this means is that it may help improve the effectiveness of any method to control blood sugar levels whether it is a prescribed medicine, herbal medicine or any other alternative ways to control blood sugar levels. It may not be effective in itself alone. However, further analysis and extended study should be required to validate this. Perhaps, one month was too early to provide us with final and most reliable conclusion. A more reliable duration of study may require at least 2 months.
- To conclude, Inclined Bed Therapy may help individuals who chose to take measures to control their diabetes ailment. It may improve the efficacy of any medicine or approach. However, Inclined Bed Therapy may not be effective in itself alone. It may not be effective with individuals who dare not change their lifestyles to control their blood sugar levels. Therefore, this kind of attitude shown on this slide with using IBT on Diabetes may not be appropriate. Just like any medicine and approach for diabetes control, Diabetic individuals need to incorporate sleeping on Inclined beds with medication, taking some alternative remedies and changing lifestyles by eating a proper diet and doing enough exercise.
Finally, in our part of the world on my island, our people cannot afford medication. Many people suffer from diabetes but they prefer alternative approaches because of financial difficulties. A thorough research should be conducted on the effectiveness of Inclined Bed Therapy on diabetes because it is very simple. It is very cheap. It is very affordable. It is very comforting and it may provide a new hope for the poor people in our country. Thank you very much.