Latest technology discussed at wellness evening
Leach Pharmacy held its inaugural wellness evening at the Royal Alfred Marina Clubhouse, with informative presentations on micro-needling and the Energy Level Indicative Monitor (Elim).
Leach owner Tjaart Coetzee said the focus of the evening was on “Oom” Jan van Brummelen’s technological marvel, the Elim machine.
“I brought it into the pharmacy to be better to my customers. People come in and say how they’re feeling and ask what vitamins they can take.
“Our ladies are trained to advise customers, but what is nice about this machine is it will scan you and tell you exactly what vitamins you need,” Coetzee said.
Van Brummelen, a registered specialist holistic counsellor, said natural health became part of his life 12 years ago.
Testing children in school, he found many had chemical imbalances.
He also had a background in electronics, which helped in the development of the Elim machine.
“It’s not a clinical device – it’s totally different, it’s a holistic tool,” he said.
He said it was a pre-screening tool that his company sells to pharmacies.
In his holistic approach, Van Brummelen said he believed humans are spirit, soul and body, which all impact on each other.
Among the things the Elim measures is heart rate, but Van Brummelen stressed it was not an ECG.
“If you are healthy, your breathing, heart rate, brain waves and blood pressure should synchronise. That’s when you’re in ‘the zone’,” he said.
He spoke about the difference between conscious memory and subconscious memory.
“It’s important to write down your dreams because your subconscious is telling you something.
“Everything that’s saved in your subconscious will never be deleted.”
Van Brummelen also spoke about the fact we have an electrical brain as well as a chemical brain.
“Not just brain cells, but all cells retain memory. Emotional hurt will get stuck in all your cells.”
He recommended a book by Caroline Leaf, Switch on Your Brain.
“Stress is the single biggest factor in all disease. People used to talk about psychosomatic illness, but Leaf talks about 95% of disease starting in your mind.
“We look at subconscious stress and normal stress,” he said.
The initial test on the Elim machine at Leach costs R350, and each return visit is only R150.
Elizma van der Ryst from Placecol gave the presentation on micro-needling technology.
She said the device used was medical and could penetrate the skin up to 2.5mm, but as therapists they were only permitted to go 1mm into the skin.
Micro-needling uses acute inflammation to help skin heal and stimulate collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycans.
“Almost anyone can do needling treatments,” Van der Ryst said.
It is used for rough and uneven skin texture, acne scarring, sagging skin in need of firming, aged skin, stretch marks and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
She said it would take six to eight weeks before signs of skin regeneration are seen.