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What Is Rebounding?
Rebounding is a type of aerobic exercise. It is performed by jumping up and down, either on the floor or preferably on a trampoline. Most people choose to use a mini-trampoline (as shown in the picture above).
What Are The Benefits of Rebounding?
Rebounding has been found to have a host of benefits, which include:
- Increased core and leg strength
- Increased cardio fitness and endurance
- Increased balance and stability
- Increased pelvic floor health
- Improved drainage of the lymphatic system
What Is The Lymphatic System?
Rebounding has been found to improve functioning of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system consists of a series of tissues, vessels and organs, including the spleen, small intestine and appendix. These are all connected in a body-wide network. A colourless, water-like fluid, called lymph, flows through this system.
The lymphatic system can be thought of as the sewer system of our bodies. It removes toxins and cell debris whilst also bringing nutrients to each cell. So getting this system to work effectively has huge benefits for healing and health.
How To Unblock The Lymphatic System
Unlike the circulatory system that is powered by the heart, the lymph system has no such engine. To move lymph around the body, the body needs to move. Unfortunately, in today’s world where movement has become more sporadic for the majority of people, human bodies are building up a toxin backlog. The sewage system is getting blocked.
Unblocking the lymph system can be facilitated in multiple ways but movement is the key to all methods. One of the best methods is exercise. Walking, running, swimming, biking and yoga, along with any other form of exercise that requires your muscles to work against gravity, all help the lymph to move around the system. Rebounding also does this very effectively and, unlike other forms of exercise, it puts much less strain and impact on the human body.
How Can Rebounding Help Heal Type 1 Diabetes?
As I have argued elsewhere, I believe that Type 1 Diabetes is a chronic stress response in the body. I believe it is a response to a system that is overloaded by toxins – physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. The body reacts by putting itself into a fight-flight response (see my article here on that). To provide an effective fight-flight response, the body restricts insulin to ensure that the system has enough glucose to power it through. Rebounding helps undo this toxic overload.
I first heard about rebounding as a tool for detoxification when I attended the Tony Robbins’ event, Unleash The Power Within. Whilst it piqued my interest then, I wasn’t completely taken by the idea. Then, I read ‘Radical Hope‘ by Dr Kelly Turner. This book contains stories of people who have healed themselves from various types and stages of cancer. One of the case studies in the book references a woman who was very fit and athletic throughout her life, regularly engaging in various forms of high-level exercise. However, when she got sick with cancer, she chose to focus on rebounding as her main form of exercise. Okay, now I was interested!
The Positive Effects Of Rebounding
I chose to invest in a rebounder (I got the Darchen 450 off Amazon and have found it to be fit for my purposes). When I started, I found it surprisingly challenging. Right from the start, I chose to do 20 minutes per day but I could only sustain that by letting myself bounce up and down without even getting my feet off the trampoline mesh. Over time, I have built that up and now bounce around like a kid at a party (safely, of course!) for my twenty minutes. My fitness has definitely improved!
I have also found another positive side effect of rebounding… I have improved my pelvic floor! Since having my daughter seven years ago, my pelvic floor has not been totally reliable. Anything to active or bouncy has left me running for the toilet on more than one occasion! I tried pelvic floor exercises for years with no improvement. I suspected that I might need to get something more serious done (surgery, perhaps) if this deteriorated further.
Sustaining The Habit of Rebounding
I have found certain tweaks have made it easier for me to sustain the habit of rebounding. Firstly, I make sure that I do it straight after my walk, first thing in the morning, whenever possible. When I’ve left it for later in the day, my motivation for it seems to evaporate. I have also found that have something to occupy me, such as someone to talk to or a good bit of music, keep me having fun so that the time passes quickly.
I am hoping that, over time, my rebounding may also aid my exhaustion. I have been having more and more periods of exhaustion over the last few months. I have heard that one cause of exhaustion is toxicity in the body – the body has to work harder in such less-than-optimal conditions. So I will wait to see if rebounding also improves my fatigue. It can’t make it worse!
Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie's special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical 'knowledge' and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.
