16-Months with Perrin's Protocol

Rachel Tobler
Feb 15
29 min read

Updated: Feb 17

Microscope image showing lymphatic vessels (red) in the brain's outer protective layer, called the dura. These vessels form a rich and complex network that helps drain waste from the brain. Credit: Dr. Onder Albayram.

The first weekend of September 2024 is when I met Dr Perrin for the first time. I had hoped that I was going to gain an osteopathically aligned tool to help my clients with lipedema and lymphedema, which did happen: But, I learned that his 35 years of research had very personal applications, and I chose into his protocols for myself, changed my business model, and began to offer his medical massage to clients in need. Since that time, I have monitored the news and found several independent studies that support his claims with recent research. You can find these article links at the end of this blog. This blog, though long, is segmented with headers detailing my journey during each 12-week cycle as well as the tools that I found helpful.

To begin Perrin's protocol, each client takes a combination of 4 surveys. For doctors who diagnose, there are 5 surveys: Each survey assesses the clients' pain and health patterns. Together, the data from these assessments along with an in-depth review of Personal Health History, and in-person physical checks combine and are assessed on Perrin's 10-point scale. This practice is valuable because it answers the question,

"Do my symptoms match Perrin's 35-years of research?"

No money or time is consequently wasted on a maybe-scenario. Incidentally, people with known lipedema and lymphedema may not score as qualifiers on the ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Long Covid, or Fibromyalgia targets, but Dr Perrin assures us as practitioners that it definitely applies. I have had the privilege of working with individuals who have been successful in decreasing the symptomology of these situations using the Perrin Medical Massage protocols in office and at home.

I personally qualified for his work scoring a 3, meaning that I had a history of "severe symptoms and signs for more than a year, resting most of the day (after work), with little cranial flow possible." When clients progress to a score of 10, they can be independent from in-office maintenance massage and only counselled to practice the daily twists (and bends) with an in-shower massage once a week. My score on his scale meant that I was functioning at 30% of possible.

WHAT DID THAT MEAN for my score of 3?

Each night I followed his Self-Help procedures. It was a 40-minute commitment that took a good month to master. Because of Perrin's research in 2025 that showed an increase of one more hour of REM sleeps each night, I began the self-help routine when my husband slept and counted the work as part of my own sleep time.
I received in-office Perrin Massage each week for myself. On that night, I did not do the at-home self-help work. I figured having a night off supported the long game of commitment.
In Perrin's training class, I learned that dry brushing with large makeup brushes was an option, so 5 days a week I used two, one in each hand, following the same movement pattern of his Self-Help (oil) massage.
Perrin advises that clients do at least one oil massage each week--I found it helped me assess my progress and it normalized the massage with practice. I did choose to do two nights of oil massages to replace a missed in-office visit--the second time without the counts or timer until I felt tissue change of warming, softening, loosening, or tissue plumping.
***Oil is never added to the lotion applicator or the brushes: Both are dry work. On my oil nights I started with the dry lotion applicator for my back and continued from that point to the other areas.
The nightly Self-Help procedures become their own litmus test. My spine's ability to twist was very limited in the first three 12-week cycles: it felt blocked, crunchy and uncomfortable. Then one night it was if it unlocked and my range of motion increased without pain.
Dr. Perrin commented that most people do not find his work until they have depleted their other options as well as their energy, scoring an average of 3 on his scale of 10. He followed that a person in this circumstance can expect 2 years of focus, the first year is system repair for function. The second is maintenance.

I realized from my other osteopathic-based training that the assigned twisting was reteaching my ribcage to drive fluid. While known, these self-help activities are stacked in a way that supports measurable progress and healing.

The breathing exercises support the vacuum effect of in-and ex-halation for the lymphatic drive to the thoracic ducts behind the clavicles and first rib.
The self-massage awakens the surface lymphatics and helps the overstuffed mega lymphatics to move their cargo.
The nasal bone hold loosens the stopper of the tub at the cribriform plate where it is now known that 50% of the glymphatic system drains from the head, relieving brain fog.
The head massage awakens the nervous system attention to the desired fluid flow to the neck.
The chest oil massage or dry brushing herds the raindrops of lymph forward in its progression via the gutter clean out that is worked by in-office massage.
The spinal massage does the same--improving circulation, nervous system attention, and joint function. When we help ourselves with the modeled lotion applicator, we are doing that, AND we are helping the top 4 ribs with their necessary pumping capacity of the lymphatic system, oxygenation, and carbon-dioxide off-loading which occurs with the 20-30,000 breaths taken daily.
The hot and cold of the contrast bathing creates our own cold- and heat-front for the storm of fluid movement we desire. At night, this 10-minute exercise can be done on the floor at the same time as the Active Head Rest with your knees up. For best results, make sure the books you choose do not cause your nose to lift or chin to tuck as these positions block fluid flow.
The Active Head Rest is your own at-home Cranial Sacral treatment and supports your progression to a score of 5 and more when the cranial flow is strong and palpable allowing brain fog to ease with improved glymphatic flow.

Some clients have their own version of a dramatic fight-or-flight response to either the at-home or in-office work. Ironically, challenging and resetting the overdrive of this Sympathetic Nervous System is the very reason that we need the work.

In this case, Perrin and other United States multi-licensed medical professionals recommend slower entrance to the work. Some each day is important guides Perrin. Single strokes even over clothing multiplied one-step at a time can better prepare the client for the full at-home protocol and the deeper in-office work.

On the other end of this neat bell curve are the clients who defy the research and feel immediately better with the full protocol both at home and in office. Most find that after a few hours or days of rest their body's signal appetite for the continuing work.

It was interesting to note my own relief and consequent appetite for the evening Self Care. The body likes habit and recognizes improvement on many levels, consequently it inspires both the appetite and the will to engage when the body is definitely tired.

FIRST 12-WEEKS--Score 3/10, Commitment: Daily at-home; Weekly in-office

I describe my first 12-week's progress as scuttle-butting several days a week from head pain or migraine. Instead of my decades-long weekend patterns and recovery. The reawakened toxin flow affected my mornings with some head pain, but it relieved with a little more face, neck and clavicular massage. A few times a week, I found that the Functional Range Conditioning or Upper Body Muscle Reset practices I've noted in earlier blogs were helpful in relieving intermittent muscle and joint discomfort.

Interestingly, I did have a pattern of cold sores from my nose, and I found that skin of my forehead above my nose turned red like a very light birthmark; it was unremarkable for any pain or discomfort, but it looked funnel shaped as the toxins were gathering for release at that primary pathway for 50% of the glymphatic volume. I was grateful that my situation was so much less visible that some of the metal and other successful detoxification images that Perrin shared during training.

Slowing down to follow Perrin's counsel to "Do Half" resulted in the feeling of screwing my head back onto my body which was consequently under a heavy shroud of improving lymphatic system work. It changed my focus and norm from the sprint to the reality of how tired I was on a day-to-day basis. Perrin was right--I did NOT have the high energy placebo response to his work--but I was able to let go of my normal fight-or-flight lifestyle pacing, start living in my body, align with the energy that I did have, and slog forward without missing a day of work.

I had already hired someone to clean my home to protect my muscle recovery requirements from my day-to-day work, but figuring out how to keep my work schedule and "do half" meant that I stopped all other exercise interventions as well as tennis and regular walks. I stopped rinsing my dishes before putting them in the dishwasher (if you do this, make sure to rinse the drain netting each week), left gatherings early, and allowed my husband to cover the rest of the household chores including the shopping many weeks. I was simply too tired. I did, however, consistently add in Perrin's Breathing Exercises to improve the function of my top 4 ribs--drivers of lymphatic movement. I was thrilled that my nightly shoulder recovery exercise was no longer necessary. Just 2-weeks into the Perrin Massage work. I was measuring better.

It has been a privilege and a kindness to have something as gentle as a warm-oil massage be the solution to years of pain patterns. It is empowering to take my health progression literally into my own hands with the responsibility for at-home work and maintenance.

12-WEEK Assessment Cycles--4 times a year:)

At the end of 12 weeks, it is time to reassess. I learned from my in-person interview with Dr. Perrin during his visit to Salt Lake City that there are 4 data points to consider:

Are you doing Better, Worse, or the Same? Better and worse both demonstrate progress in lymphatic system function. The answer of Same may mean we need to add another person to our team for talk therapy. Seriously, getting better means a LOT more housework maintenance in my case and can take some time to reason through the steps and value. A new resource comes to us via Heather Wilde, a certified Perrin Practitioner, and her team who offer chronic disease specialization including a licensed nurse practitioner and mental health counseling care.
As the need for Perrin Technique has already been established, the surveys are simplified. Each person Retakes only the PFRS Survey, or Profile of Fatigue Related States (Ray et al., 1992). This data point of 54 questions allows the client to determine if their situation is a score of 0, meaning Not at All, or more for a high score of 6, Extremely.

These 324 points possible are then compared to the baseline as well as each succeeding quarters' results. A higher number or symptomatic score is not a sign of reversing benefits. Often it is a testament to the efficacy of Perrin's treatment many months down the road.

On the earlier referred Bell Curve, it has been consistent across all of my clients to feel better and more independent in their lifestyle scores, even when the symptomology scores increase at times. This pattern demonstrates a successful progression of toxin release and renewed fluid flow. These survey numbers will eventually align with the progression of the lifestyle scoring. Until then the success of fluid movement helps us to move and feel better.
Body Checks--Confirmation of physical characteristics of non- or newly- functioning lymphatic flow. Perrin reminded me that improving physical signs will be followed with a feeling of better health, energy, and capacity. We are playing the long game. We must keep showing up for practice both at home and in office to be among those to claim the possible, research-based progression.
Lifestyle Alignment--Perrin's 10-point scale includes descriptors of symptom timelines, palpable cranial flow, energy for tasks, part- to full-time work, and exertion's effect on the client's symptomology. The client's opinion is a huge factor on scoring--each of us maintain personal expectations and values of different lifestyle activity. Freedom and satisfaction look different for all of us.

Mathematically speaking, clients can project a one-point improvement for each 12-weeks investment. However, I was in so much denial initially, that I needed the first 12 weeks to honestly assess my capacity without crashing before I was reliable in my self-reported lifestyle response. Of course, I do and can work part time, but l I had to assess my energy after my work hours. I allow this same grace period to my clients, and they often recognize their function moving multiple points up the scale after the first 12 weeks.

Another sidenote is that scores 1-4 identify "little cranial flow palpable." This is key for progression. The glymphatic system of the brain must be able to pump toxins from the brain for cleanup and clear thinking while we sleep. Brain fog is a BIG deal and is easily recognized after even a healthy person's shortened night's sleep. Matthew Walker in his book Why We Sleep clarified that even a one-hour deficit of sleep results in a brain that functions like someone who is legally drunk.

As fluid flow increases, inflammation and toxic tissue packing decreases. As a result, joints gain greater range of motion. During licensure, Perrin recommends osteopathic checks and interventions, referring specifically to the cranial plates, intra-orally as needed, as well as sacral function of the pelvis. He counsels that those in greatest need may not tolerate such changes for at least 6 weeks. I have learned with my clients that each of us winds up differently and consequently unwinds differently: Some have needed immediate mechanical checks and intervention, and most need these adjustments on a monthly basis. I was grateful to be prepared with the training for this desired support, curiously prepared.

SECOND 12-WEEKS--Score 5/10, Commitment: Daily at-home; Weekly in-office

SLEEP: My New Years' Resolution after studying Matthew Walker PhD's Why We Sleep was to reinstate 8-hours of time in bed--eyes shut and resting or meditating if not sleeping--and introduce a 17-minute nap each afternoon. That meant changing my work calendar so that I was able to walk through my schedule rather than sprint, preserving energy for the long game for my afternoon clients.

SKIN: I also realized that antiperspirant might not be making a lot of sense when I wanted my lymphatic system to release toxins through the skin and rehydrate. So, I opted into a health-store variety with the only ingredient, mineral salt. I noticed that Perrin's work rebalancing the body from Sympathetic fight-or-flight drive to Parasympathetic maintenance reset my capacity to sweat (and stink). Based on a nutritionist's counsel to use coconut oil like a lotion for its capacity to pull toxins through the skin and a clients' input for the use of a baking powder as an armpit scrub to clear scent, I was immediately able to remedy the situation and the toxin clearance before my shower and adding soap to the mix this episode has been both episodic and short-lived.

OXALATE: During the in-office massage, it is common to find salt-granule-sized crystals releasing from my clients' skin. The skin wants to help with the off-loading of Toxins. Sally Norton's book comes highly recommended in understanding this phenomenon.

MCAS: Hosting and attending Dr. Perrin's Utah Training at the end of January 2025 introduced Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, MCAS. There were literally only 2 slides, but it was a game changer. The symptomology was most easily summarized on images. I read several of them and found many similarities to my own functionality. Then when I read the MCAS eating suggestions, and I learned that I was eating something on the known high-histamine food lists every hour--I recognized the need to test this low-histamine eating plan. I have history of allergies, allergy-induced asthma, and autoimmune issues including Hashimoto's/Thyroid Dysfunction, and Celiac Disease/No Wheat Gluten--If the shoe fit--I was willing to try.

It takes time to clean out the digestive tube before it is wise to reintroduce foods. The MCAS food-elimination and reintroduction plan counsels 2-6 weeks pause before each food can be reintroduced once every 3 days. The calm that I felt in eliminating high-histamine foods was so compelling that I chose to continue for the 90-days and then a year with the hope for a cellular-level cleanout. For myself, I've determined that eating clean at home allows me some preparation to test the histamine foods when I'm visiting restaurants and friends. I make an effort to choose one item each time to test so my trigger is more easily recognized. Some foods I have learned are to be avoided like my gluten issues. Sugar that lights up all three addiction pathways in the brain is also in this category of avoidance for me.

My allergist in Sacramento taught me that the body is like a chalice: it can receive and receive until it overflows. Some bodies are the same with known allergens and high histamine foods. The LOW Fodmap and low glycemic eating was not nearly as impactful as the MCAS list for me, although they both gave me information and began the cleaning process. I'm thrilled with the way my digestion has improved as I have removed foods from my diet that screamed WAR to my autoimmune system. I learned that the buildup pattern signaled me away from consistent exposure. After months of introducing a limited amount of dairy I realized that it just was not working in my favor--the bloating patterns rested when I reduced and eliminated the triggers.

It was at 18 weeks that I woke up curious--with some energy--and hope that more was going to be possible. With the renewed energy, we added activities as a family in the evening.

THIRD 12-WEEKS--Score 6/10, Commitment: Daily at-home; Every 2-Weeks in-office

SUPPLEMENTS: Initially, Dr Perrin suggested just a handful of nutritional supplements including vitamins B and C, Milk Thistle, and Fish Oils. During my second training I learned that this short list had expanded to 4 pages of supplements and their paragraph descriptions. It took me about a month before I was able to consider this definition of more. I found it important to have a nutritional counselor close to home to ensure that my progression was wise and balanced in combination with the supplements I already had in place.

Purchasing the supplements intended to support healthy cellular detoxification was a $300+ question with Amazon as my source. I've learned since then that SAMe may be a better fit for clients who have the MTHFR gene. My chiropractor and nutritional counselor checked into that for me via DNA testing.

I was not very scientific about the introduction of Perrin's supplements, introducing them all at once, but my body function remained constant without a shock factor. One nutritionist explained that nutritional supplements do not "fix" a problem. Instead, it loads the virtual medicine cabinet for the body to access needed elements. I did have hope that the additional support was going to be successful for the detoxification. Perrin's recommendations that can be requested from your Perrin practitioner are gentle and intended for the most sensitive and vulnerable of clients.

During this 12-week cycle, it took a few tries and very short walks, but I was able to add in more physical activity in the evening hours after my work schedule of 4-8 hours of in-office body work for my clients.

I was thrilled as weekdays were less burdened by pain patterns and weekends were no longer consistently migraine recovery times. I was able to contribute to the household better, though intermittently. I even felt like baking one weekend and inviting guests--my husband hid the muffins because they were so precious in our kitchen economy, and my energy slumped just as we sat down with our friends for games, but my Do Half was definitely increasing.

DIGESTION and Abdomen Massage: In January, Dr Perrin introduced releasing the diaphragm and the mesentery from the true pelvis. In my other osteopathic classwork, I learned that the Cistern of Chyli, located at L1 and 2, was the catch basin of lymphatic flow during our in-utero developmental months, before the introduction of the thoracic duct. It is a key downstream component of the systemic waste pathway, and mobilizing the lateral, ascending gutters of the abdomen at the hip bones assists lymphatic drainage. The direction of lymphatic flow leads to the clavicles where the thoracic ducts reintroduce this 10% of our blood flow, reduced to the fats and proteins left behind in the capillary beds and repackaged by the liver, to the heart. The thoracic ducts are the primary focus of both the self-care surface lymphatic and in-office medical/deep tissue massage, creating pressure to increase flow, so this stomach work helps.

A soft fluid-flowing abdomen better supports its role as a producer of hormone, neurotransmitter, and other signaling molecules, including 90% of serotonin, as well as contributory dopamine, and GABA. In support of this fluid flow, I added this abdominal work to each of my office appointments as well as my own nighttime routine. I want the positive impact of the gut and my brain working together.

After 8 or more weeks of this focus, my abdomen released adhesions--in this case these are hard or painful spots between muscles and digestive structures--the nightly abdominal massage freed me to sustain easier digestion and quicker recovery when my eating exposed me again to a fight-or-flight response to digesting high-histamine foods. Without the lower pressures from the abdomen, my ribcage began to move more comfortably for the night Self-Care Routine--it felt great to be able to consistently move smoothly during those twists.

After months, I found that with the change to MCAS eating and avoiding the high histamine foods, in addition to the wiser planning to keep my activities in alignment with my actual energy, better sleep, and the nightly self-care routine, I built physical and mental, even subconscious trust. My body no longer needed the deep brown visceral fat storage for my toxin stockpile. I felt the freedom of my mesentery/stomach organ's capacity to hang with gravity, roll and flow with movement, and I have marked the release the surface white fat even as I've gained weight via increased muscle built by doing the massage for others.

The body plays the long game. Intuitive Eating does an excellent job of teaching that short term diets only result in stockpiling fat in the long run. It takes time to build trust with the body mechanisms that it is safe to maintain better health norms rather than store up for the next fight-or-flight emergency or the boomerang back into old habits. The best question and guideline from this research are simplified as--Does what I am eating feel like renewed energy for activity, or does it bring the slump of being overworked, at-war, uncomfortable and from a nutrition standpoint underfed? There are some foods that just feel better and fuel me for the coming activity I choose. Certified Counselor, Tori Harrington, referred me to this work.

FOURTH 12-WEEKS--Score 7/10, Commitment: 4 Days at-home; 1 of 3-Weeks in-office

DOMS: Because of the physical costs of my work week, Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness is nearly a daily pattern. My muscle soreness has set in either directly following my shift, at 9 p.m., or in the wee--3-5 a.m. hours in the morning interrupting my sleep. I finally decided to take my clients' advice, and I purchased a copper-wired grounding mat for my bed. I was more consistent using it daily than stopping everything for 2-3 times a week for a 15-minute session in an infrared sauna, and it was a great addition to my weekly habit of magnesium supplementation via soaking with the 20-minute Epsom Salt Bath. Now, I just use the grounding mat intermittently for my afternoon naps.

SLEEP: Head pain during sleep continued to be an issue--brain toxin cleanout is not a pleasant process. I realized that with fairly hypermobile joints everywhere else, that was likely normed in my cranial joints. Rolling from side-to-side eased pressure as the joints began to function better. Dr. Perrin recommends sleeping with a body pillow between the legs--with my hypermobile joints, it was important to have my knees and feet rest on the same pillow. This side-lying position allows the sacrum, between the hip bones, to swing with the occiput of the skull as it responds to cerebral spinal fluid flow from the brain and spinal cord supporting glymphatic toxin removal.

I also learned to hug a firm down-type pillow tucked in the side-lying armpit to prevent collapse of my shoulders that can block the fluid pulling action of the top 4 ribs and entrap of the nerves that can deaden an arm, another sign of fluid-flow interruption. When lying on my back, Perrin and my other instructors recommend a pillow under the knees to maintain hip alignment--this frees the coordinated swing of the sacrum with the occiput, necessary for cerebral spinal fluid flow and nightly detoxification. That pillow moves to the abdomen with feet off of the edge of the bed for stomach sleepers.

Additionally, I learned that the head, not the neck requires support, and only to the height that allows the head to be in full alignment with the spine--no nose-lifting or chin-tucking. The head support, only, is also true for side-lying. I found that a 1.5-inch memory foam pad folded in half built the bed up enough that my neck does not kink at an acute angle and supports my head alignment with my spine during the deepest sleep without sagging and consequently shocking the reawakening nerve which can trigger a muscle kink, neck and shoulder pain. The butterfly-wing shaped pillow like Bespillow has also been supportive at times. When lying on my back, I tip it against the headboard to only support my head, rather than round under my neck.

The migraine cycles, my symptom of crashing or shutting down, eased to monthly until I tried to lengthen my workdays or walked too frequently in the week for exercise--then the head pain became a daily activity. Pain patterns do help me identify my changing capacity and limit to my personal level of HALF, again.

SOMATO-EMOTIONAL: Somato (Body)-Mind connection has been termed Somato-Emotional. Often, I think of Perrin's detoxification effect like a swimming pool vacuum, just something that is quietly working in the background--if a little unpredictable in the way it eventually gets to the obvious pile of leaves in the deep end--my wish list of symptoms relieved. Perrin's Lymphatic massage cleans out the cells. As fat cells are cleaned out with restored lymphatic system function, it gives us an opportunity to no longer carry the weight of our physical and consequently emotional history with us.

In the Biology of Belief and The Myth of Normal, the authors explain the stress and emotional impact on our physical health. Even happy emotions produce hormones that become debris and need sweeping out of our body, ideally through the urinary track. I learned from these books that a single cell reflects the wellness of the whole organism. Both books are great reads or audio options.

It is impactful that Perrin's lymphatic massage affects both this system and consequently the winding up, now empowered unwinding of our body/pain/history. Sometimes I've noticed that an old pain pattern just popped up like a shadow visitor of my past. Rather than tightening up with fear or frustration at the renewed pain, which adds physical stress, I have learned to consider the pain's origin, emotional content of that memory or pain pattern, recognize the cost of that time, situation, or old injury and agree with it--"that was hard/ that hurt" so I and the healing process can move on to better function. These shadow reminders have often quickly dissipated. The body holds our personal history, and the subconscious mind needs agreement with its clean-up reality even as it is built to support our conscious choices and habits that often ignore pain and necessary healing periods.

Dr. Upledger, known for his cranial sacral work, clarified that cells are at least as effective as a plastic disc that we expect to hold the information of an entire symphony. A smashed thumbnail can record impact across years and change its growth pattern to continue to include the dent. Incidentally, my cracked toenail repaired and reformed recently from an injury that I sustained in elementary school nearly 50 years ago. Perrin's work goes deep as it cleans out our physical history and resets the lymphatic function for daily cleanup. Until then, we are physically carrying around all the costs of our story as highlighted in The Body Keeps the Score.

People who need lymphatic repair include those who have long been stuck in their Fight-or-Flight self-protection or just-get-the-job-done--whatever it costs--gear. It is known that people who do not see a car crash about to impact their autos stay relaxed and can sustain less traumatic injuries in some situations. I use this in my favor on Roller Coasters--I keep my eyes shut and work on deep breathing exercises during the twists, drops, and turns. This practice has allowed me to stay with my family and avoid reawakening whiplash injuries from my past when I have felt confident that my neck and body were in a good position for this exposure. This eyes-shut practice overrides the normal sympathetic nervous system response of clutching and screaming.

Unlike my choice and ability to shut my eyes, our cells "see" the impact of our physical and emotional trauma if only through the chemical wash of stress hormones. The body is able to compact the effect, storing these toxins in our fat, but creates workarounds of the injured area, interrupting the body rhythm supports to that target. Even happy moments create chemically supported celebratory emotions. A well-functioning body naturally releases/ urinates these used chemicals and toxins rather than storing them as is necessary for the movers and shakers who just keep getting things done until they break.

As I have learned to recognize an old story and pain pattern, agree with the history and costs of a former injury or life stress and chosen to be willing to let the old wounds whether physical, emotional, or social heal, the pain can subside with little or no further intervention. Gratitude replaces malfunction for a body that did its best to support me through times of pain and loss.

Just holding an area or moving and stretching can increase circulation for correction when the deep-cleaning lymphatic work is already done. Normally this Somato-emotional process has been only a 1–24-hour process of conscious noticing.

LOWER-EXTREMITY: My legs, however, are furthest from the upper rib cage and thoracic ducts and have demonstrated the need for weeks and months of time to recover. I found my body reporting consistent irritation of the sacrum. Mechanical checks did not show dysfunction. Eventually, I narrowed it down to the Piriformis and glut Medius. With some simple crawling, clam shells, and planks, the pain pattern relieved as I used the muscle and improved its capacity for fluid flow.

My knees complained like firecrackers upon kneeling. I pray, so this was noticeable multiple times a day and for weeks on end. Knees are tightly wrapped with ligamentous tissue. They need us to hydrate. My instructor suggested that it was an irritated joint fat pad--related to toxin storage. With patience and the upper leg-muscle work noted above, this alleviated before 2 months' time.

My left heel has been similar in its report and recovery, but further from the heart has meant longer healing time necessary. I realized recently that it is having to learn greater mobility based on the improved range of motion of my rib cage, above. Daily practices have warmed and fed the area reducing pain patterns of time, location, and intensity. But WOW! it has taken patience and been painful across the five months. Getting Comfortable with the Discomfort of the healing process has been necessary. Measuring my progress as pain that is less intense, less frequent, and less long-lasting requires high emotional IQ, but it works.

FIFTH 12-WEEKS--Score 8/10, Commitment: Every 2-3 days at-home; 1 of each 4-Weeks in-office. My PFRS score was already less than 10% and aligned to a Lifestyle score of 10, but I chose to limit my pace and experience each stage of support.

As a practitioner, I have a lot of great examples and exposure to tools that work for my clients in their progression to greater health. The Ouraring tracking or other similar apps were one of these. I chose the Helio Band and free Zepp app to establish my own baseline of calorie intake as well as calorie burn compared to the energy built up to my rest hours. I gained a lot of respect for the costs of my work week and learned that taking it easy enough to recover each night helped me avoid both the low scores and the headaches that characteristically followed. It was amazing to end a workweek with energy, even higher energy after a long workday of 8 appointments on my Thursday.

Our family after-hour and weekend activities continued to expand. After 2 months of establishing my norms, I followed the App's advice to reintroduce solid foods for breakfast in addition to my protein shake and stopped the daily data tracking to off-load my to-do list.

We reinstated a robust evening calendar with friends and my 8-hour timer of sleep each night is still paying off in my work week as is a now 20-minute nap for mental and physical day-time resets. Both of these habits have been worth more than money or a magic pill or overeating to restimulate my mind food-addiction pathways.

My next sleep habit targeted early to bed, early to rise for the mind and body invigoration promised--It is an uncomfortable process, but the payoffs showed up within a few days with greater life satisfaction.

SUPPLEMENTS: After maintaining Perrin's Supplements across 2 12-week cycles, I began to test my body function without replacements one bottle at time. Magnet sticking to skin indicates metal toxins, so maintenance of related nutritional supplements can make sense.

As one of my qualifying symptomologies was Long Covid, when my instructor recommended the peer-reviewed research of Peter McCullough. His recommendation is found to have reduced and cleared the impact of the lingering spike protein. Do your own research. Counsel with your own physician. I found it helpful and did not need to do this more than 12 weeks. Each case is different.

My instructor's additional research on needed digestive supports, my personal definition of long covid unravelling, led me to Nature's Way DGL Ultra. After 3 months on this supplement, it was clear that the MCAS high histamine factors were not to be ignored. I have been grateful for the support along the way, but eating clean most of the time and following the guiding question of: How do I feel after I eat this--do I have energy to get up and go, or am I down for the count? Have been huge in my progress.

Eat to Live by MD Joel Fuhrman: the quality of nutrition in the calories that we do eat creates change and a playing field of health. I'm excited to continue my healing journey with his research and recommendations. I truly expect that my 60s can be healthier than my 40s and 50s. I'm willing to do what it takes to gain that edge.

Myofascial Release (MFR)--After checking my clients skeletal and muscular alignments, I recognized that the renewed underground lymphatic (river) flow had left an upper crust that was complaining. I applied skin rolling to stuck and painful areas, successfully restoring circulation pathways and health. This work can be painful as fascia houses the skill sets of reporting pain and location. Fascia is intimately woven throughout the body and into individual cells. It is the subconscious mind's personal world-wide web. This treatment is not necessary frequently, but the progress afterward is marked with restored lymphatic flow, reduced pain patterns, and greater mobility.

SIXTH 12-WEEKS--Score 9/10, Commitment: Every 2 days at-home (including once in shower); 1 in-office massage after 12-weeks. Daily Twists and Bends.

These last 12 Weeks have been filled with boundary testing. I found that the twice-a-week Perrin massage was challenging as I pushed for earlier sleep and earlier wake-up alarms after a full 8-hours sleep. I'm making progress and have learned to not sweat the small stuff--minutes or half hours after goal.

LIGHT THERAPY also took a front seat. I own Costco snap-it-together and plug it in Infrared Sauna. I actually sweat now, yeah! After a year of work this is a sign of repaired parasympathetic function, and I can stay in the box 20 minutes without needing extra time to recover from the heat exposure. I combine this weekly practice with Gua Sha stones which I use like the brushes for Perrin work, but I add in the arms and legs always sweeping towards the heart. I'm firm in my hold but the focus is surface circulation, NOT bruising. Almond oil is a recommended option when you are not sweating for smooth surface work, either hot or cold:)

I learned that different red-light therapies bring different results. Red Light (620-700nm) Penetrates the top 1-2 mm of the skin in the neighborhood of the deep mega lymphatics and is known to heal skin. Near-Infrared light (780-1200nm) penetrates several millimeters to assist muscle, joint and chronic inflammation, improving circulation. Neither of these cool-light therapies induces a sweat.

The 620-700 nm Red Light is absorbed by mitochondria, the energy creation mechanism of the cell. This therapy is fun to study, fairly inexpensive to acquire for at-home use, and easy to apply. I purchased 2 multi-level Red Light therapy lamps for larger direct skin coverage at one time. I'm loving doing my stretches in the red light. In the morning it wakes up the circadian rhythm. In the afternoon it can help with repair, and at night it has the added advantage of preparing our bodies for sleep. Do your research, start with short intervals as directed, and enjoy helping yourself without a lot of effort. Sitting there works, too.

D-Minder and My Circadian Apps are free and help me monitor the best time of day for direct sun exposure. I was surprised to learn that without sun exposure, our bodies are less likely to absorb the Vitamin D supplement. Again, getting outdoors is invigorating whenever you have the time, but these apps offer the added healing scoop of sunshine benefits correlated with time of day. Simply being outside before 10 and after 4 for 10-30 minutes can be a start. Then look to the apps to find the best vitamin exposure.

During the winter months, I have a record of Seasonal Affective Disorder--separation from the sun affects my energy and moods. I added the 10,000-lumen happy lamp to my morning routine while I prepare my breakfast. It's made a difference. I love that these light therapies are doable even for my clients who reasonably spend most of their days at rest. Sitting up in bed every 15 minutes when lying down or reclined and standing up from a desk or chair every 30 minutes to walk at least around the room/office/bed/home will improve a person's heart-rate variability.

I've learned, also, to honor the lower, hibernating energy levels of the winter months. Living in the high desert of the Wasatch front traps inversion and limits exposure to Vitamin D. Scheduling a long weekend in warmer and sunnier climates is a wonderful way to get acquainted with my desert-child self and be able to unwrap all of the layers.

BREATHWORK: Another practice that I intermittently incorporate is based on Tony Robbin's Power Breath Ratio--It is similar to the Box Breathing technique taught by counselors for stress management. After my capacity increased, I added in the fourth "side." I match my breathing to my heart rate and count 4:16:8:4. Four-count inhale, 16-count hold, Eight-count exhale, and Four-count hold, before I repeat.

The lungs are the space of oxygenation. A burning match trapped in a closed bottle is snuffed out, once the oxygen is burned. Our lungs burn off toxins delivered by the circulation system. That is a much better value than storing the toxins in our fat cells. Holding for a 16-count allows for greater oxygen/carbon-dioxide exchange. The 8-count expels more CO2 than the 4-count O2 inhale. In the end, we have expressed toxins and assisted our organs with better oxygen exchange time: Genius. I love that especially when I am at rest, I can focus and do this exercise. The book and free APP Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown has additional insights and exercises. Focusing on breath during red-light therapy has been a wonderful combination, but I find myself using it when I am the passenger in a car or waiting for social events to start.

WOMEN'S HEALTH: Stacy T. Simms is known for her work and research on the female body that is inclusive of the changes during the menses cycle. Her book, ROAR, targets high-school athletes to perimenopause. NEXT LEVEL addresses perimenopause, menopause, and post menopause. She is holistic in her approach. Her research and directions are sound. It took me a few days after reding her book the first time to realize that my workday was my event and that I needed to IMMEDIATELY feed myself for recovery.

Her talking points on Hormone Replacement Therapy were just sustained by the government's catch-up recommendations. I have worked within and expanded my health care support team to find hormone therapy that is bioavailable. Even my thyroid medication--levothyroxine, I learned was making the blood test look good, but not accessible to my body for the intended improved function. Counsel with your own team, but find your questions, with Sims' work!

With the cold months and my personal slow down, walking has not endured as a daily or weekly activity, but I have added in some sessions of Asian Pilates to bridge myself into more active living. I started with the 7-to-12-minute practice using the Harna App. I did not immediately subscribe and eventually received nearly an 80% discount for my first 3-month subscription. I have experienced delayed onset muscle soreness from these short intervals--I am rebuilding strength and mobility. It feels great as I recognize movement that will help me with transitioning from bed to standing and reaching during my daily activities. These tools, like Qi Gong, Yoga, and Tai Chi, are wonderful slow movement exercises that help our fascia stretch and improve fluid flow for the lymphatic system.

During the last 12 weeks, I transitioned from regular self-care nighttime work to incorporate the coming self-massage in the shower. It is a great option for maintaining some kind of progress with this second session as the compliment of the now once-a-week evening routine.

SEVENTH 12-WEEKS--Score 10/10, Commitment: Daily Twists and Bends. Weekly Shower self-care session.

Twists and bends are a nightly practice intended for maintenance even after we graduate with a score of 10, and it's happened, so I do this as my closing practice each day. I had hoped to be more active after work, but I have found that Perrin has been hugely successful in helping me build a more mature relationship with my body and my actual energy levels. My migraine pattern has ceased. On vacation, I enjoy pickleball and 12-mile Mountain Bike Rides. It's nice to know that the daily strength training of my business pays off when I want to keep up with a younger crowd and play!

I now recognize signals to slow down more quickly, I adjust, and I avoid the cyclical crashing that has been my norm for decades. This is success. It is good. It is measurable. It is worth the investment. It is a new and improved life. With normal chemical and pollution exposures in the environment and our food, my husband and I intend to continue monthly Perrin Lymphatic Massages as well as Targeted/Osteopathic Manual Therapy sessions. The results are worth the investment.

BUT HOW ARE MY CLIENTS PROGRESSING? Perrin Lymphatic Massage does work in Utah:)

Of the 24 clients who have maintained the research-based pacing:

3 have scored 10 within 12-16 months, with beginning scores of 3-4.5.
4 have scored 9 within 10-14 months, with beginning scores of 2.5-4.5
3 have scored 8 within 11-15 months, with beginning scores of 2-4.5
4 have scored 7 within 9-16 months, with beginning scores of 2-4.5.
6 have scored 6 within 8-12 months, with beginning scores of 1.5-3.5
4 have scored 5 within 10-15 months, with beginning score of 1.5-3.5.

Two clients have reported great results with their medical progress, marked by before- and after- CT/MRI scans that demonstrated in one case the elimination of intracranial brain bruising/swelling, and for the second client these scans marked the cleanup and disappearance of swollen lymph nodes in the lungs. Both locations are beyond my direct touch, and I feel very grateful for their personal commitment and resulting progress.

I love learning that the application of Perrin's research has resulted with grandmas who are enjoying time with grandbabies, young adults who are sustaining more social engagement, as well as adults who are returning to greater activity and better employment/ endurance in the workforce.

Freedom to enjoy the lifestyle we choose is power! I wish you the greatest success in your own journey, and I'm happy to help. Cheers! Rachel

Here's the 3rd-Party Research that Supports Perrin Lymphatic Massage I promised: