Stress, Wellness, and Pain Management–my chat with Jay Woodard on the theory and practice of Alphabiotics

JW: “Alphabiotics is the science of stress relief. It is a non-threatening, hands-on process that pulls the body out of an outer-reactive, inappropriate stress response state.  It is based on the science that shows that 90% of all disease is stress caused and that we all exist in an outer-reactive, inappropriate stress response state from day to day, with limited brain function (otherwise known as Fight or Flight).”

SV: “An outer-reactive, inappropriate stress state? Can you break that down a little?”

JW: “When we experience an event of high emotional content or pain and even the daily low-level pervasive stress, the brain locks into the dominant hemisphere and performs with limited function. That means that brain-function will be regulated mainly through that dominate side. There is a part of the brain called the locus coeruleus (in the pons) this is where the fight or flight response is generated. When we exist in a stress state this is the area that brain function is concentrated.”

SV: “So, Alphabiotics targets this ‘outer-reactive, inappropriate stressed state?’”

SV: “And how did you first get involved with Alphabiotics?”

JW: “I was introduced to Alphabiotics by my girlfriend, Lizzie. Her first alignment was a life-changing moment for her.  When I first witnessed the Alphabiotic process, I thought, OK, this makes sense but I don’t think I need it? I mean, I feel OK. But then, after I received it, I thought…well maybe I really do need this? I am one who suffers from a condition known as scoliosis. After a period of time my spine began to straighten and my body began to balance biomechanically. Another thing started to happen as well. I began to realize that my mind-body connection was strengthening and I was becoming more aware of myself and my surroundings.”

SV: “You talk about working in this atlanto-occipital space. Cranial-sacral work also has a goal of creating space in the atlanto-occipital joint. How might you compare some of the similarities or differences between the two?”

JW: “Well, I think the two processes are really crucial…I think that cranial-sacral work has immense, value…where I think the line is drawn on similarities is that the Alphabiotic process sends a high sensory input to the brain, causing  not a hemispheric shift, but hemispherical integration. Now, a lot of things can cause a hemispherical shift, and I guess the real test for any therapy is the degree to which it lasts, thus indicating cause correction. When someone leaves your office and comes back to see you, has anything changed? Are they still imbalanced? Even if an imbalance is physical, there are components which originate in the brain, and that is the aim of Alphabiotics. To begin true healing we must work on taking our body out of the stress state. Does cranial-sacral work focus on this? I don’t know, I don’t have enough experience with the work to say for certain, but I think the two works still go hand-in-hand. Alphabiotics isn’t intended to heal. Someone can’t come to me and say ‘Oh, I’m miserably unhealthy…fix me.’ Alphabiotics doesn’t deal in symptomology. It isn’t the end all. It’s the beginning step in the process. It is that modality which takes the string off the finger. That starts the unwinding….”

SV: “I’ve heard some buzz about this modality online…everything has skeptics of course…what can you say to someone who goes online to research this and sees things about clients who have had strokes or about this idea of an ‘Alphabiotic Church?’”

JW: “The Alphabiotic process is non-threatening.. and has never caused a stroke under any circumstance… in fact, Alphabiotics has been proven time and time again to aid those who have suffered from a stroke in the recovery process. Also, Alphabiotics is not a church, and never has been. It is a process that is based on hard scientific evidence, not doctrinal faith systems. Additionally, while it is now known as Alphabiotics, there is lingering evidence that points to this type of process having been used throughout the ages, quite possibly dating back several thousands of years, to accomplish the same goal… whole brain function. 

SV: “Off the topic of Alphabiotics. You are a self-proclaimed ‘super foods junkie?’ What super foods couldn’t you live without?”

JW: “So, my preliminary thoughts on super- foods is this: There are some fantastic super food supplements out there, but my number one single most crucial super food is vegetable juicing. The conversation nearly stops there for me. There is so much that can be gained from juicing alone, most of which we are unaware of…. I will talk to folks who eat vegetables day in and day out and the first thing I ask is: do you cook them? And they might say, ‘Well yeah, I steam my broccoli’ or what not, but at that point you’ve lost the attraction of eating as raw as possible. I don’t mean go out and eat a raw chunk of meat, that’s not the raw I’m talking about. The concept is eating food in its most natural state. That in itself is super food… it is where life begins. We consume the very same material that we are made of.”

SV “So your take is…we don’t necessarily need to go out and find this elusive Amazonian berry to be healthy, because where we are going wrong is by destroying food by what we do to it?”

Jay Woodard currently resides in Eugene, Oregon. He pursues a career in Alphabiotics working with clients to reduce stress, regain balance, and remain pain free. He is an avid runner, natural health expert, and self-proclaimed super foods junkie.