An operation on the female breast or even a complete removal is usually a profound event in a woman’s life. Not only the physical but also the emotional toll that such an operation can take should not be underestimated.

Regardless of whether the patient’s personal therapy plan includes a breast reconstruction or just optimal scar tissue healing, a coordinated scar therapy supports both the physical recovery and the patient’s self-esteem.

Every type of reconstruction technic can bring challenges. Patients using silicone for reconstruction often have difficulty to get used to the new unknown shape, firmness and temperature of the breast at first. When reconstructing with your own tissue however, one must be aware that several scars will be left on the body, as the tissue to be used will be taken either from the abdominal, groin or buttock area.

Both surgical methods usually require several procedures until a symmetrical appearance of the breasts is restored.

In order to support optimal breast reconstruction and good scar healing, scar treatment after a mastectomy or removal of breast cancer can be very useful for the patient and addresses various post-operative and post-traumatic symptoms simultaneously.

Advantages of scar treatment:

• The scar tissue becomes flexible and soft. Unpleasant pain, sensory disturbances and pulling sensations can be reduced. This also applies to the treatment of older scars!
• In addition to psycho-oncology, scar treatment can be a great help in coping with trauma. Through this therapy and the instruction for individual self-treatment, the body awareness for the affected area is strengthened and psychological stress is processed.
• In the development of this treatment, therapeutic methods were combined with relaxing massage techniques. Therefore the well-being of the patient is central and has a positive effect on the recovery at the same time.

Advantages for the patient:

• Before the treatment personal needs are clarified during a consultation and the treatment is individually adapted to the existing complaints and the patient’s wishes.
• Online scar-therapy coaching is also available for patients living outside the canton or further away. More information: https://www.oliviagrace.ch/en/scar-therapy-coaching/
• The scar therapy offered by Olivia Grace Therapies is recommended by various surgeons and clinics in central Switzerland and accompanies their patients on their way to mental and physical recovery.

Olivia Grace Schürpf will be happy to answer your questions about scar therapy at any time

In order to successfully recover from a serious operation, extensive rehabilitation is required. If possible, in a rehabilitation clinic or at home with ambulant therapies. But what happens after the end of this treatment phase? Patients often feel abandoned with their remaining complaints. Scar or strain related pain as well as adhesions or swellings are the most frequent complaints seen in our practice.

Olivia Grace Therapy offers patients customised online scar coaching after all surgical procedures. This offer is available in German and English and is especially suitable for immobile or patients outside the canton.

In order to increase the chances of success of a scar healing process, it is essential that patients treat the scar themselves on a daily basis.

Through a detailed diagnostic examination, the complaints and the needs of the patients are discussed and an individual treatment concept is put together for the patient at home. This includes the appropriate tools, products and instructions for mobilisation exercises. In follow-up sessions, progress checkups are carried out together with the patients and, if necessary, exercises are adapted.

Before the first session, the scar is photographed by the patient. The images will be analyzed by Olivia Grace Therapies and discussed during the coaching. No live images of the affected body parts are required during the online coaching.

Olivia Grace Schürpf is an expert for postoperative therapies and specialises in scar therapy for patients from the fields of oncology (especially breast cancer patients), orthopaedics and plastic surgery.

If you have any questions please contact us by phone or e-mail.  You are welcome to share this blog!

This blog is all about health. We find that maintaining our well-being should not necessarily only be a physical matter, but should also be fun and enjoyable. Health should not only be a phase or an extreme regime to lose a few kilos, but rather be an entire lifestyle. Today we talk about the weight loss hype, the difficulties of absorbing nutrients and report about a new sports and nutrition platform in Zug. For the latter, we held an exciting interview with Najomi Godenzi – owner of nature bound, personal trainer and food-enthusiast – and discussed her views on the food trend.

The beauty hype

You get a six-pack when you drink that protein shake from the advert. You can also get it if you stick on some electrodes, get “zapped”, take the right tablets and apply a specific body cream three times a day. Most likely the waist will also shrink if you don’t eat any carbohydrates at all – because they are bad. Well, at least that’s what the advertising says.

Statements like these are not only misleading, but can also trigger unwanted physical reactions. The hype about losing weight, a beautiful appearance and the glorious six-packs is a real jungle of offers, promises and edited media. As a non-professional it is important to critically analyse advertising and always focus on health as your first priority.

The basic conditions for a healthy lifestyle are: A lot of self-love, some exercise, conscious regeneration and a balanced diet.

The problem with the intake of nutrients

Due to increasing work-pressure it is not always easy to maintain a healthy diet. Our breaks usually suffer first from urgent deadlines and full work schedules. The result is fast eating and convenience food.

Our digestion begins in the mouth. By chewing, we do not only break down our food, but also split the nutrients into their individual components. This makes it easier for the body to digest and absorb food. In addition, increased chewing triggers a feeling of satiety in the brain after a short time and protects us from overeating. “Fast eaters” with tight schedules do not only suffer from a lower intake of nutrients, they also often overeat themselves.

Our recommendation: take lunch and snacks with you from home, plan at least 30 minutes for lunch, switch off the telephone and enjoy your food in the fresh air.  Conscious eating leads to less indigestion and the break outside will help you to stay focused in the afternoon.

Making health a lifestyle

First steps are difficult, but it is never too late to work on your good habits. Sport should not be a burden but fun and enjoyable. Already at a young age Najomi Godenzi had to learn the hard way how important a healthy lifestyle is. With the founding of nature bound, a local platform for sports and “foodies”, the 30-year-old from Steinhausen has fulfilled a dream.

Hello Najomi, please tell us something about yourself first:

“Hi! I’ve been a sports- and nutrition-enthusiast for a long time and love helping others. When I’m not in training, I like working on new recipes or spending time with my dog in nature. My passion for sports and a healthy lifestyle come from a history of depression and overweight, resulting in eating disorders. Today, I try to focus on the really important things in life and always try to have fun. That’s why I founded my nature bound platform a year ago to help other people lead healthy lifestyles.”

What does Nature Bound offer?

“The motto of my company is – bringing the fun back into fitness and food. My vision is to create a platform where people can come together and achieve their individual health and fitness goals in a pleasant, friendly and welcoming environment.

Most commercial gyms are crowded and intimidating, while many personal trainers do not understand the needs and goals of their clients. nature bound offers entertaining indoor and outdoor group classes and personal training as well as delicious culinary ideas. We also organise a monthly free “climb & wine” hike where you can get out into nature in a small community, breathe fresh air and get to know each other while exercising. And because it’s not always about a strict health routine, we also treat ourselves to a glass of wine with our meal.”

You are opening your own gym in Baar now -what does it offer?

“That’s right. Open house is on Saturday, 1rst of December 2018. Everyone is welcome to drop by to see the premises and to get to know me. From 3rd – 7th of December I will give 10 free introductory courses. In order to secure a place, participants must register with me directly via telephone or email.

Afterwards several times a week small group courses will take place with a limited number of ten participants. It is important to me that everyone who entrusts themselves to me receives my full attention and feels comfortable with me. Group courses should not lead to individual difficulties. If for example someone suffers from knee or back pain or does not dare to do an exercise, I can approach this together with the client. From Monday to Friday morning there is a HIT training from 6.30 – 7.15 a.m. which focuses on endurance as well as strength training. From Monday to Friday evening there are various training sessions, ranging from mobility and flexibility to hard 60-minute full-body training. I am convinced that there is something for everyone. But if you want to compete with others, you are out of place, here you are your only competitor.

If group training is not for you or if you have a specific goal in mind and can’t get any further on your own, then I also offer personal training. Together we determine what works best for you in your situation. Whether in sports or in nutrition.

The main philosophy is to have fun and get fit at the same time in a friendly, relaxed and competition-free environment.

My goal is to provide my clients with a full range of sports activities by teaming up with local trainers/instructors. Be it by joining nature bound or renting my gym. Interested parties are welcome to contact me!”

Do you personally follow a certain diet?

“I am a vegan and I try to divide my calories into approx. 15-20% proteins, 70-75% carbohydrates and 10% fats for each meal. I found something that works very well for my body type and that makes me feel good. Im a big believer in “everything in moderation” and little to no restrictions!”

What role does nutrition play in relation to sports for you?

“Nutrition is a key factor! Without the appropriate diet, you can spend hours in the gym or running in the woods and see little to no results. It is important to know what to eat before, during and after exercise. What you eat determines how well you sleep, how quickly you recover and therefore how much energy you have!”

This year you participated in the incredible Atacama Crossing race in Chile and completed 250km. Where do you get the energy you need for your sport?

“I make sure that I follow a healthy diet, drink enough water and plan my training and recovery time correctly. Training without recovery is counterproductive, so I focus on regular sleeping, stretching, massages and replenishing my energy in nature. But what is just as important is the true motivation – to find your personal drive – not what society or your environment expects from you. What gets you out of bed in the morning?”

How do you feel about isotonic sports drinks and protein shakes and where do you see issues?

“Isotonic drinks are not designed for daily use (you will find people drinking Gatorade for lunch) – the sugar content is extremely high to overcome the salty taste. Isotonic drinks are designed for top athletes and people who exercise intensively for at least 90 minutes or more. The same applies to protein shakes – if the average person has a healthy and balanced diet, he or she has no need for protein shakes. I would only recommend one if you are only consuming a fruit smoothie for breakfast or if you don’t have any possibilities to eat within an hour after a hard workout.

But be sure to choose healthy protein powders. Check for calories, fat and sugar. Since I can’t always go home right after training, I prepare a fruit smoothie with banana, almond milk and vegan “all-in-one” protein powder. This provides me with the necessary vitamins, minerals and probiotics and is super easy to digest.”

From December 2018, you can use the training facilities of Najomi Godenzi and nature boundat the new premises at Haldenstrasse 5 in Baar.

Further information and the latest news regarding courses, trial classes and individual trainings can be found on www.naturebound.ch and their Facebook page!

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Our upper and lower abdomen are home to various organs of the digestive, reproductive and lymphatic systems. It is incredible how so many structures can function and find themselves  located in such a limited space. About seven meters of intestine, ten other organs, a bundle of vessels, nerves are all tightly connected by different layers of fascia tissue that provide support and cover for all these structures. It is therefore understandable that an intrusion in this region of the body can lead to multiple system complications. In this blog, we would like to discuss the anatomy of this area, explain the effects of internal and external scars in the upper and lower abdomen and introduce different therapy options.

External scars

Depending on the type of operation into the abdominal cavity, up to nine or more layers must be cut through to reach the target organ. Such wounds require not only adequate initial care, but also professional postoperative therapy to support an optimal healing process. The aim is not only to regenerate the exterior scars, but also to prevent the adhesion of the different inner layers and the potential associated complications into the other systems. The treatment of a scar results in improved blood circulation and consequently greater flexibility that extends to the depth of the tissue. Pain and sensitivity ailments in and around the scar tissue are reduced as the treatment helps promote the growth of fine sensory nerves in the skin.

Endoscopic scars appear inconspicuous at first sight. However, they form an inner tunnel system of scar tissue and therefore require a lot of attention during therapy and home care so that they do not intertwine with surrounding structures or cause painful movement restrictions.

What to do with internal scars

The removal of an organ does not result in a hollow space. The operated region closes with scar tissue and can therefore stick or fuse with various surrounding structures if no therapy is provided. With treatment techniques working through the abdominal wall, adhesions can be loosened and subsequent complications can be treated gently.

Internal scars occur not only through surgical intrusion. Recurring inflammations in the digestive or urogenital tract can lead to micro-scarring and require external manual treatment. In this case, however, scarring is not the only problem. In diseases such as chronic bladder infection, the bacteria are deposited in the peritoneal area between the organs and flare up when the immune system is weak. Consequently, this can lead to repeated urinary tract infections. Such a situation can be prevented through regular therapy outside the acute phase.

Finding the right therapy for yourself

Depending on the operation or complication, different options for post-surgical therapies can be recommended. Ideally, you should request a personalized program that is interdisciplinary and comprehensive.

In the case of post-surgical oedema, it is recommended to incorporate several sessions of manual lymphatic drainage and then slowly integrate the treatment of the scar. After surgery of the abdominal cavity, correct breathing technique plays an important role in the internal healing process and can be learnt with breathing therapy exercises.

Content Copyright

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute and translate. No part of this website may be reproduced, duplicated or distributed in any form without the written permission of Olivia Grace Therapies.