Bean Bowls and other strange things that work

[flexuality]

I came across this quite by accident.

It really helps (as a bandaid but still) to very quickly calm down intense emotional reactions or the "fight or flight" repsonse.

It's actually something that Dr. V. Ramachandran uses when he works with autistic kids. (He has done some fascinating studies with autism).

In a nutshell (or rather a beanbowl! lol) :

Half -three quarters fill a large bowl with dried beans. Pinto and/or kidney beans work well.

When you feel really stresed, reactive or even just plain mad and upset, dip your hands into the beans and run them through your hands, ESPECIALLY over your palms.

It is AMAZING how this works.

My kids now use these and so do I and even Sol does on occasion too! Interestingly, my autistic daughter LOVES her bean bowl. :)

There is a rather long scientific explanation as to how and why it works, but I don't have time to post that right now, and it is kind of boring I guess, tho I find it fascinating. But then I am.......unusual. lol! :rolleyes:

[Ms. Ally Kat]

I've got one of those...what the heck do the kids call them...hackey sacks, a cloth sort of bag thing with some beads or something in it, that I squeeze and roll in my hand when I get a little stressed...same principle I guess

[flexuality]

I have some of those too.

I find that the beans themselves actually works better though. It's the coldness of them and movement across the palm that works.

When one is upset, reactive, etc., there is a slight elevation in the sweatiness of the palms that interacts with the amygdala and sets up the reactive state (or the fight or flight response).

This is why it is effective with autism - there seems to be an inability to naturally regulate this response, which is why we see autistic people doing things like rocking, head banging, hand biting etc. Those behaviours actually do the same thing that the beans do.

Even non-autistics tend to wring their hands when upset.

If you alternate the stimulation back and forth one hand at a time, you can actually access and kind of separate the emotion from the logic and see more clearly what is really going on with whatever reaction is happening.

It's fascinating stuff! (in my opinion :rolleyes: )

[Ms. Ally Kat]

hard to carry a bowl of beans around in your purse though

[flexuality]

True Ally....hehehe!

I have a ziplock bag of'em! :bigrin:

[flexuality]

I know eventually this is gonna turn into a food fetish thread or something lol!

I have another one that is weird, but works!

POTATOES!! :eek: :cool:

For the jumpy legs at night. (myoclonic jerks or something like that) Those involutary jerks that sometimes my legs used to do when falling asleep....would drive me batty when it was really bad.

A RAW potato placed about 3-4 inches from the lower back is an amazing trick to relieve those leg jerks.

My kids used to make all kinds of jokes about me sleeping with potatoes lol! Fortunately the need for potatoes subsided before I met Solomon! :tong: :rolleyes:

[darkeyes]

Well me has a bean! It works... tee hee :bigrin: :tong:

[kitten]

The sensory stimulation from the beans is amazing! We also use rice and/or sand in a large box or carry baggies around with us in case we are out of the classroom. One child loved dried, uncooked lima beans and rice mixed together.
I'll have to try the potato thing. Sounds like winner!

More small victories!

[flexuality]

The sensory stimulation from the beans is amazing! We also use rice and/or sand in a large box or carry baggies around with us in case we are out of the classroom. One child loved dried, uncooked lima beans and rice mixed together.
I'll have to try the potato thing. Sounds like winner!

More small victories!

I can't tell you the number of times the beans have been (pun not intended lol :) ) a lifesaver!

I made a mix too...pintos, kidney beans and dried peas. Looks colourful too. :) She'll now use them on her own too. My son asked for his own bowl! We've got'em in decorative bowls now around the house. :rolleyes:

[flexuality]

Well me has a bean! It works... tee hee :bigrin: :tong:

I'll probably regret this lol!, but. :eek: .....translation? :rolleyes:

[kitten]

Awesome idea!

Better than potpourri!

[darkeyes]

I'll probably regret this lol!, but. :eek: .....translation? :rolleyes:

Ya not kno wot ya bean is??? jeez!!! Guess!!! Mind blowin'!... :bigrin:

[Solomon]

is ok, i showed her hehehehee!! :bigrin:

[darkeyes]

huh..jus cos she ya wife!!! She shud b shown properly ..... :bigrin:

[Solomon]

lol! of that i have no doubt! :cool: