May/June 2011 - London - Wellbeing Magazine

Published by Haywood Media

May/June 2011

www.wellbeingmagazine.co.uk

Informative l

inspiring

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REDUNDANCY

INTERVIEW

Are you afraid of losing your job?

Tony Buzan

THERAPIES:

Healing Reiki

CHOLESTEROL: Making informed decisions

g n i v i v r u s not

THRIVING

NUTRITION

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FITNESS

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HEALTH

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TRAVEL

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COMPETITIONS

www.wellbeingmagazine.co.uk

CONTENTS

Wellbeing Magazine HEAD OFFICE

Haywood Media 2 The Hall, Turners Green Road Wadhurst, East Sussex TN5 6TR

Inside this issue...May/June 2011

Tel: 0800 881 5375

www.haywoodmedia.co.uk

Rachel Branson

AYURVEDIC APPROACH Childhood imbalances.........................

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THE HEALING TOUCH Reiki...............................................

rachel@wellbeingmagazine.com

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BE HERE NOW Making each moment count............

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News

LOCAL NEWS News from your area ...

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Editor

Tel: 0800 881 5375

Johnathon Martin

West & Central London Publisher

Tel: 020 8987 0137

jam@wellbeingmagazine.com

Hannah Rosalie

TRIED & TESTED Places to inspire............................

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East Sussex Publisher

Tel: 01273 475402

hannah@wellbeingmagazine.com

Features

INSPIRED ENTREPRENEUR Afraid of losing your job?................

NUTRITION Cholesterol..........................................

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FITNESS THROUGH THE AGES Exercise regardeless of your age......

caroleann@wellbeingmagazine.com

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THRIVING Not Surviving..................................

Website richard@wellbeingmagazine.com

East Kent Publisher

Tel: 01303 241134

GET FIT IN BODY & MIND Mind Body Spirit Festival.....................

GARDENING Grow your own Basil...........................

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Regulars

FRANCE - THE NEXT COUNTY On the trail of William the Conqueror.

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Richard Branson

Associate Travel Editors Frances Barnes & Nick Hordern

12 35 Therapy Rooms 38 What’s On BABY-LED WEANING The natural approach..........................14

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Caroleann Block

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Contributors

Kate Arnold Pat Crawford Lydia Davis Gisela Jcahniuk Jody Page Wendy Rosenfeldt Charlotte Watt Nick Williams l

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Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither the publisher nor its editorial contributors can accept liability to any party loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause.

We are unable to check claims made by advertisers are legal and truthful and that all products and services are safe, Wellbeing does not accept any liability in relation to advertisements placed.

© Wellbeing Magazine Ltd 2010

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Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

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LOCAL

NEWS

Wellbeing news from around your area...

Welcome TO WELLBEING MAGAZINE! How time fly’s when you’re having fun!

We only recently finished circulating the launch edition & here we are again with magazine number two. The feedback we’ve already received from readers, advertisers & members has been fantastic & further inspires us to bring you the best articles & features from the Capitals leading wellbeing centres & practitioners.

The world around us, through largely unwanted aggression, economic uncertainty & (sometimes self inflicted) illness is pushing us to re-examine what wellbeing means to us, both personally & collectively.

London is at the very forefront of mindbodyspirit & as perhaps the most influential city on earth we have a responsibility to both illuminate & lead the way.

As well as the captivating features in this magazine you can read further content on our website, www.wellbeingmagazine.co.uk/london.

More & more people are turning to the holistic community for answers, advice & strategies.

People have as great a need for wellbeing, peace & happiness as ever before & it is our hope that in these pages you will find some pointers, helping you realize more of your true nature & potential.

We hope you enjoy reading this edition & once you’re through reading these informing, inspiring & enlightening pages please visit the website for more of the same.

Please also take the opportunity of joining us in the new world mediums of Facebook (johnathon.martin) & Twitter (wbmaglondon).

We look forward to connecting with you again soon.

One law (love, awareness & wellbeing),

Johnathon

Wellbeing Magazine (West & Central London) Publisher

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Children’s Creative Wellbeing

Ask your child to draw “What Wellbeing means to you’ and we’ll send a goody bag to those whose pictures we publish.

The feature will appear in the September/October edition of Wellbeing Magazine London Please post all artwork along with the your postal address, email, childs name and age to Wellbeing Magazine London, 409, 560 Chiswick High Road, Chiswick London W4 5RR. Closing Date: 31st July 2011.

Pictures will not be returned unless a self addressed envelope is enclosed

n a z u B y n o T Inventor of ‘Mind Mapping’

OUR CONVERSATION WITH

K

nown as an awesome tool for improving memory, problem solving, goal setting, visualisation and communication, Mind Mapping is apparently used one way or another, by in excess of one billion people.

Tony Buzan has taken the natural way people think and created a useable tool. He has taught several political leaders, world record holders and top-level executives as well as writing or co-writing 121 books. He even taught Mind Mapping to Michael Jackson!

With a life long interest in this subject, Tony has created a tool, which gives structure & organisation to the web of associations in our brains. Mind Mapping promises to help you with absolutely anything you want to think about.

Q. What is your take on the word ‘wellbeing’?

This is a word with a broad meaning. It covers mind, body and spirit. It involves self, society and everyone in the world. I’ve lived my life around the concept of wellbeing and just thinking of the word makes me feel better. Wellbeing is the fulfilment of human potential and the fundamental goal for both individuals and society. Most versions of the word ‘utopia’ are based on visions of wellbeing.

I exercise for 1-3 hours, 5 times a week and practice various forms of meditation. I believe making ourselves our main hobby, reading books and magazines (especially this one) about wellbeing and having really good role models such as Nelson Mandela, Queen Elizabeth 1st, Steve Redgrave, Mohammed Ali and Morihei Ueshiba

Wellbeing news

Words: Johnathon Martin

(founder of Ikedo) helps a lot.

Mind Mapping has played a massive part in my own wellbeing and helped me live a happier, easier, more productive, creative and fun life.

Q. In a nutshell, what is mind mapping?

It’s a personal tool for improving memory, personal results and wellbeing. In your head, on paper or on a computer screen it’s a road map of your thoughts. It’s not linear, it’s curvilinear.

We use branches like a tree. We use colours, highlighters, codes and images making it easier for the brain to assimilate. To the untrained eye a mindmap could appear to be messy but to the owner or teams using it, the Mind Map works perfectly with their internal representational systems and thinking patterns.

Q. We’ve heard Mind Mapping as being like a ‘swiss army knife for the mind’. Why’s this?

It’s useful in all situations. Whatever you wish to think about, mind mapping can be applied as an appropriate thinking tool. It helps you to effectively be your own personal coach.

For further information on Mind Mapping & to download a FREE version of iMindMap please visit www. thinkbuzan.com To find out more about Mind Maps there’s a workshop in London on Saturday 4th June. For further information – www.stiglitzschool.org 0800 6899599

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LOCAL

EASTERN GARDEN

Natural Health Centre, Westbourne Grove

NEWS E MODERN DAY YOGA A vibrant young company, Yoga Team, are giving the proven benefits of yoga a new, modern and super convenient twist. Yoga Team delivers specialist classes direct to Londoners, from the ease and comfort of their own home. ‘The intention of Yoga Team is to offer clients a personalised approach to the practice, with targeted classes and a bespoke pace and content.

Our private classes and programmes are designed to support busy lifestyles, with a range of flexible booking options, and expert, relevant, inspiring instruction,’ says Katie Mutton, Yoga Team’s Founder.

Having worked extensively in the private and corporate sector, Katie has developed this highly professional service to enable individuals and corporations to fit Yoga into their schedules, to make the practice and all its possibilities possible!

‘We often laugh with clients, who say that they love having us on speed dial.’ With a team of now 20 instructors, Yoga Team is able to serve all London postcodes, offering a choice of 1-1, small group and corporate classes. Classes can be scheduled 7 days a week from 6am to 10pm.

For more information on their classes, and to receive your FREE complimentary consultation please visit www.yoga-team.co.uk or call 0800 033 7865.

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astern Garden recently relocated to 170 Westbourne Grove. The centre specialises in Eastern Bodywork and Massage and its new premises offer even more choice and comfort.

Eastern Garden provides an affordable variety of treatments, from Shiatsu in a purpose built luxury Japanese room with Tatami flooring and Shoji entrance to TuiNa, Acupucture, Five Element Aromatherapy, Shiatsu for Pregnancy, Hot/Cold Stone Therapy, Reflexology, Osteopathy, Deep Tissue Massage, and many more.

Before and after your treatment, green tea is served from traditional Japanese teapots, whilst in the background Japanese flute softly plays as aromatherapy oils scent the air, allowing the mind to gently unwind.

The centre also offers a choice of products including an in house range of Organic Five Element Aromatherapy Oils. Natural beauty therapies are also available.

Annual Membership is only £230. This gives you a monthly treatment and ‘a way of life for your mind and body’. The centre has a uniquely friendly and unpretentious atmosphere & at the heart of the Eastern Garden ethos is the Five Element Theory, creating balance for the mind and body.

With 20 expert practitioners - Eastern Garden seeks to provide a bespoke health programme for each of its clients.

All new clients receive a half price treatment for their first visit.

To make an appointment: 020 7727 0963 info@easterngarden.co.uk www.easterngarden.co.uk

triyoga coming to Chelsea

triyoga Chelsea, sister to Primrose Hill, Soho and Covent Garden. will be opening at the end of June at 372 King’s Road, SW3 5UZ, Beaufort Street is the cross street. Offering a wide range of yoga + Pilates mat classes as well as treatments..

The new centre will have three beautiful light studios, three treatment rooms, an organic café, a juice bar, a cool area to hang out with friends and a shop. www.triyoga.co.uk/chelsea

Ask Nina

Wellbeing news

Visit www.ninamadden.com to submit your question online With a background in Hypnotherapy, Time-Line® Therapy, NLP Therapy, and Coaching Nina Madden is a gifted therapist known for her unique formula combining vivid life experience, formal training, with years of client work, and an acute intuition to help her clients step into who they really are.

Hi Nina I have a friend who is depressed and I have a question about NLP. Is it possible to overcome depression with NLP? Particular the concept that you ALWAYS have a choice how you deal with your emotions when the chemicals in your brain saying otherwise? Mind and body are one system, but does it depend on which is stronger at that particular time? Ben Hi Ben Yes it is possible to overcome depression with NLP, and many other therapies.

With NLP, you have the possibility to change your state. When you change your state, you change the chemical balance of your mind. With that you change your thoughts, and your interpretations of yourself and the world, as a result your behaviors change.

The world responds differently – and you feel better.

There are many valid reasons to be unhappy; not having enough money, not connecting with friends, being bored, lacking in direction, and feeling unloved to name a few. Perhaps your friend’s soul is screaming out for beauty, love and meaning?

With depression it is important to take a holistic approach to help her create beauty, meaning and love.

Dear Nina Last year I broke up with a lovely man I met on an internet. Now I feel that I might very well spend the rest of my life alone. The thought of getting back on the dating site and getting to know someone all over again leaves me cold. And as well as that I’m not sure I could trust someone with my feelings again as they were pretty badly damaged.

I live in a very small village where I know no-one, so evening classes and salsa lessons are not something I have access to. Thanks in advance. Gill Dear Gill We can easily loose self esteem when a relationship breaks down and it also sounds like you are isolated –further contributing to feeling alone.

The most valuable gift you can give yourself is the gift of self esteem. You had a good time with this person because of who you are, and because of what brought to the table.

Once you raise your self esteem, you automatically start to create the kind of life that you deserve, with friends, going to social events, achieving your goals, and enjoying your life.

Then you will be in a place to invite a partner to become part of your life, not look to him to provide a life for you.

For help on any of the issues contact Nina Madden at www.ninamadden.com or 07906 255 529 They’re only words...... but reflecting on each could be better for you than a salad lunch, jog round the block, 50 push ups or a 20 breath headstand....Om, Tao, Love, Awareness, Wellbeing, Be, Now, Beauty, Remember, Truth, Fit, Healthy, Awake, Alive, Prana, Chi, Energy, Peace, Happiness, Become, Realize, Choice, Power, Potential, Present, Eternal, Immortal, One, Sacred, Breathe, Yes, Connected, Inspired, Surrender, Authentic, Honest, Genuine, Harmony, Relaxed, Change, Transform, Grow, Natural, Zen, Tantra, Yoga, Meditate, Give, Share, Co-operate, Understand, Total, Whole, Namaste …Wishing you a great day every day.

Wellbeing 7

CHOLESTEROL Words Kate Arnold

T

he subject of cholesterol has been one of the most controversial health issues in the last twenty years.

There are over seven million people in England taking statins and this number is expected to rise steeply. If you are concerned about your cholesterol or going on statins I hope the below helps.

As an advocate of freedom of choice in all things, I would suggest arming yourself with as much information as you can and then making informed decisions that are right for you.

Some jaw dropping statistics There is widespread concern about the over prescription of certain drugs. We have seen this particularly with antibiotics in the last 30 years and now the numbers on statins are set to increase even further as the Government’s new health checks for the over-40s take effect. Analysis by the NHS Information Centre, which collects data on all drugs dispensed in England, reveals there were 48.5m prescriptions dispensed for statins in 2008, up from just 7m a decade ago.

The cost to the NHS was £238m in 1999 and increased steadily to a peak of £738m in 2004 before dropping again as many big-name brands came off patent. In 2008 the NHS spent £450.5m on statins.

Officials at the Department of Health said statins save around 10,000 lives a year. Statins, which can cost as little as 85p for a month’s supply, are

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prescribed to people who have had a heart attack, in order to reduce the risk of suffering a second, and to those who are calculated to be at more than a one in five risk of suffering their first heart attack in the next 10 years.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is an essential part of every cell structure and is needed for proper brain and nerve function. It is also the basis for the manufacture of sex hormones.

Cholesterol is manufactured in the liver and transported through the blood stream to the sites where it is needed. It is a fatty substance and because blood is mainly water it has to latch on to molecules called lipoproteins to travel around successfully. LDL’s are the major transporters of cholesterol in the bloodstream and because LDL’s seem to encourage the deposit of cholesterol in the arteries it is known as bad cholesterol. High density lipoproteins (HDL’s) on the other hand are considered to be good cholesterol because they carry the unneeded cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver where it is broken down for removal from the body. If everything is functioning as it should this system remains in balance. However if there is too much cholesterol for the HDLs to pick promptly or if there are not enough hdls to do the

job, cholesterol can form plaque that sticks to artery walls and may eventually cause heart disease.

What is the difference between serum and dietary cholesterol?

It is important to distinguish between serum cholesterol and dietary cholesterol. Serum is the cholesterol in the bloodstream, whilst dietary cholesterol is in food. While eating foods high in dietary cholesterol can raise serum cholesterol it is not the only source of serum cholesterol, because the body produces its own cholesterol. Cholesterol levels are greatly influenced by diet but they are also affected by your genetic make up. The consumption of foods high in cholesterol and or saturated fat increases cholesterol levels while a vegetarian diet regular exercise and the nutrients niacin and vitamin c may lower cholesterol.

What about the ratio between HDL and LDL? So now we know about good and bad cholesterol - there is an extra point to note - the ratio between good and bad is a crucial part of the cholesterol picture. The desirable LDL level is considered to be less than 2.6 mmol/L, although a newer upper limit of 1.8 mmol/L can be considered in higher risk individual. A ratio of total cholesterol to HDL, less than 5:1 is thought to be healthier.

Total cholesterol is defined as the

Are there any naturally occurring statins?

sum of HDL, LDL, and VLDL. Usually, only the total, HDL, and triglycerides are measured. For cost reasons, the VLDL is usually estimated as onefifth of the triglycerides. Don’t worry if you are confused - it is confusing.

Essentially you are looking at least at a 2:1, or 3:1 ratio of good to bad cholesterol. The government have set new standards for the overall cholesterol which should be 5.0 mmol/L (4.0 if you have CHD).

What are Statins?

Statins or HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors are a class of drug used to lower cholesterol levels by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which plays a central role in the production of cholesterol in the liver.

Increased cholesterol levels have been associated with cardiovascular diseases and statins are therefore used in the prevention of these diseases. Statins differ in their ability to reduce cholesterol levels. Mostly in my experience they do work however doses should be individualized according to patient characteristics.

The most common adverse side effects are raised liver enzymes and muscle problems. Certainly many patients I see have complained of muscle pains sometimes so bad they have had to change brands or come of them altogether. However it is not always the case, and often people can tolerate statins with no problems whatsoever.

Yes! The oyster mushroom, a culinary mushroom, naturally contains lovastatin. Some types of statins are naturally occurring, and can be found in such foods as oyster mushrooms and red yeast rice.

Randomized controlled trials found them to be effective but I am not advocating you go and eat loads of oyster mushrooms!

And even if it has, will a change of diet be beneficial? Like all debates, the one about cholesterol has two sides. You may want to read The Great Cholesterol Con by Dr Malcolm Kendrick although there are many other books about the “cholesterol myth”. These books look at the evidence on which present healthy eating dietary recommendations are based.

So where does this leave me?

Why do I need to take CoEnzyme Q10?

Co Q10 is a vitamin like substance present in all cells. The heart, liver and kidneys have the highest CoQ10 content. Coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone) levels are decreased in statin use; Some statins can reduce your CoQ10 levels by a staggering 40%. CoQ10 supplements are sometimes used to treat statinassociated myopathy. It is certainly a good idea to take between 30mg and 90mg of CoQ10 if you are on a statin. Circulating CoQ10 in LDL prevents oxidation which in turn helps prevents heart disease.

What’s the other side of the story?

Over the past couple of decades there has been growing concern about fats and cholesterol.

Governments have introduced policies based around the reduction of fat. The evidence is incontrovertible that if we do not, we are doomed to heart disease.

Despite the certainty implied by the propaganda, the debate continues in the medical journals, behind the scenes. Apart from those with a very rare disease, has cholesterol got anything to do with heart disease?

Well it probably leaves you confused.

But there is no need to be. If you have raised cholesterol do go and see your GP. Depending on the figure and the levels of good and bad cholesterol you may not be put on a statin anyway as GP’s tend to vary on their opinions on this. If you don’t want to go on a statin and are being pressured, ask your GP to give you a couple of months and see if you can bring it down through diet, but you will need expert help with this as it is not about cutting out fat. That could possibly be the problem with a lot of GP’s thinking diet does not work because it is left to the patient to dig around and do it themselves with the knowledge they have and often it doesn’t work simply because they don’t have the right information. It is not uncommon for me to see cholesterol levels drop from 12 to 5 mmol over a few months but you do need to know what you are doing. The fact that the average cholesterol level in London is 5.8 and in Southern Japan is 3.8 must tell you that diet plays a huge role in cholesterol levels.

If you would like to learn how to reduce your cholesterol safely then get in contact on 01323 737814. www.katearnoldnutrition.co.uk

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Wellbeing events

n i t i f t ge

BODY AND MIND The Mind Body Spirit Festival 2011

Curious about meditation? Keen to sample yoga or intrigued to explore your spiritual side? Visit the Mind Body Spirit Festival and enter a fascinating new world of discovery.

Taking place on May 25th – 30th at the Royal Horticultural Halls, Victoria, London, the 2011 Mind Body Spirit Festival brings together over 70 of today’s leading teachers, experts, authors and musicians in a six-day event designed to empower and revitalise your thoughts and body.

This year the Mind Body Spirit Yoga and Movement Workshops have been expanded to include a stellar line up of new and exciting experts, amongst them:- Leah Bracknell, former Emmerdale actress and yoga teacher who hosts ‘Yoga for Life’- Hatha yoga for everyone.

The ever popular Howard Napper, whose previous yoga DVD’s have notched up an impressive 3.5 million sales, will be ‘Unlocking the Mysteries of Longevity through Yoga’. Bodywork veteran Ken Eyerman presents ‘The Eyerman Technique’, a combination of his 30 year experience of yoga and Feldenkrais, whilst Maya Fiennes, daily presenter on Body in Balance TV, shares her unique style of yoga and meditation based on Kundalini

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yoga to bring the body to experience peace and happiness. All the way from the USA, psychotherapist Chris Linnares showcases ‘Diva Dance’ an exciting new dance method designed to empower women and build confidence that was initially developed to alleviate post natal depression and shed unwanted weight.

Amongst the Yoga and Movement presenters expect to also see: wild man of yoga and creator of Yogabeats, David Sye, Ya’Acov and Susannah Darling Khan with their extraordinary Movement Medicine, best described as an integration of physical, artistic, spiritual, shamanic and therapeutic practices. Lisa Sanfilippo with yoga against live music, Carolyn Cowan offering seated exercises, meditation and mantra, and finally Roxana Hewett and Mahasatvaa Sarita who will both be hosting tantra workshops.

Get fit in body and mind Other expert favourites include: Laura Day (from the USA), most notable for her work on developing ‘Practical Intuition’ and glowing celebrity endorsements from Demi Moore, Jennifer Anniston, Brad Pitt and Nicole Kidman. Dr Mark Atkinson ‘Journey to True Happiness’, Dr David Hamilton – ‘The Power of Contagious

Thinking’, Alexandra Watson - ‘Feel Happy & Confident’, Karen Kingston - ‘21st Century Space Clearing’ Saskia Fraser ‘Raw Food for Clarity & Energy’, and Barefoot Doctor ‘Taoist Energy Medicine’.

With a staggering 73 workshops in total, the Festival’s six day schedule offers a fabulous range of subjects ensuring there really is something of interest to everyone.

Entertainment at the Festival features an eclectic range of over 80 free performances and demonstrations including musical concerts, yoga, tai chi, dance and guided meditations, whilst the marketplace stalls provide the opportunity to sample new and established healing techniques, natural products, jewellery, clothing and all manner of retail goodies.

Mind Body Spirit Festival 25th – 30th May 2011 Royal Horticultural Halls, Greycoat Street, Victoria, London, SW1 2QD. Weekdays 11.00am – 6pm Weekend including the Bank Holiday Monday 10am – 7pm.

Visit www.mindbodyspirit.co.uk or call 0207 371 9191 for the full workshop programme, ticket information and purchase.

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GET INSPIRED GROW TO IMPROVE YOUR WELLBEING Words Pat Crawford, for Hadlow College

B

ASIL (Ocimum basilicum), an annual, is a fragrant and flavourful plant that has become our most popular culinary herb and one that is much appreciated by celebrity television chefs The essential oil of basil has been shown to inhibit the multiplication of various types of bacteria, some of which have become resistant to antibiotics and said to include staphylococcus, enterococcus, pseudomonas, and e. coli.

Eugenol, which is found in the essential oil, is known to have an anti-inflammatory effect by blocking the cyclooxygenase enzyme. Pharmaceutical products such as Aspirin and Ibuprofen work by blocking this same enzyme. Thus basil can help to relieve the symptoms of conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and some inflammatoryrelated bowel problems.

Basil is a good source of vitamin A which helps to prevent free radicals from oxidizing

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l i s a b

cholesterol in the blood stream and building up in the blood vessels. Magnesium, a mineral that helps the heart and blood vessels to relax and improves blood flow, is also present and this useful herb also contains iron, calcium, potassium and vitamin C. The word ‘basil’ is a Greek word that means ‘king’. The plant has been cultivated for thousands of years and it is believed to have been growing in the spot where Helen and St. Constantine are said to have found the Holy Cross - the reason why the Greek Orthodox Churches use it in the preparation of holy water.

Basil is also revered in the Hindu religion. Italian suitors demonstrated their love by wearing a sprig of basil in their hair - and English and Italian royal families added it to their bath water!

Basil is a wonderfully versatile ingredient. Good in soups, a few leaves add piquancy to salads and, made into pesto (crushed

basil, pine nuts and garlic) it is particularly delicious with fish.

Finely chopped fresh basil is a zingy addition to omelettes and other egg dishes and torn leaves make a refreshing and very ‘summery’ starter with slices of beef tomato and fresh mozzarella cheese – plus a few pine nuts and/or black olives.

Sprinkled with a light oil-andvinegar or balsamic vinegar dressing and served with a glass or two of chilled Pinot Grigio perfect for dining al fresco!

Basil is very easy to grow but it is very frost sensitive and so shouldn’t be sown outdoors until the very end of May/beginning of June. Seeds do well started off indoors on a sunny window sill. After about five weeks, the seedlings will be ready to prick out or transplant – but cooks who use the herb on a very regular basis often keep a pot handy indoors so that they can pluck leaves as and when.

Assuming seeds are going to be started indoors, fill a couple of pots with compost, water well

Tomato Piperade Piperade is a dish from the Basque region of southwest France. It is a cross between scrambled eggs and an omelette.

Serve it for brunch or as a snack.

Ingredients

and leave to drain. Place seeds on the surface of the compost – do not ‘sprinkle’ but space them evenly. Cover with a thin layer of compost. Some gardeners like to create mini-propagators by covering the pots with clingfilm.

The seeds will germinate most rapidly at a temperature of about 21-25 degrees centigrade.

In order to have fresh young leaves to harvest, it’s a good idea to sow seeds every four-five weeks. Growing basil without the use of pesticides means that it will only require absolutely minimal rinsing - one of the reasons celeb chefs buy organic - good because the leaves quickly go limp if dowsed in a lot of water.

HADLOW, graded ‘Outstanding’ and one of the UK’s premier colleges.

Hadlow offers a wide range of career (including degree) and recreational courses for horticulturists and gardeners, including Medicinal Horticulture.

Telephone: 0500 551434 for information.

300g British baby vine tomatoes 2 spring onion, cleaned and trimmed 1 green chilli, de seeded and finely chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped 4 large eggs 4 tablespoons single cream or milk salt and freshly ground black pepper 30g butter to decorate: basil, coriander or flat parsley leaves Olive oil bread to serve: 1 sandwich baguette 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions 1.Roughly chop the tomatoes. Chop the spring onions and put together with the chilli and garlic. Break the eggs into a bowl and whisk together with the cream.

Season with salt and black pepper.

2.To prepare the olive oil bread: cut the baguette in half lengthways and then in half widthways. Brush the cut side of the bread with olive oil. Heat a heavy based frying pan or griddle and toast the bread cut side down until crisp in the middle and charred at the edges.

3.Melt the butter in a heavy based or non stick frying pan. When foaming fry the spring onion, garlic and chilli for a minute.

Add the tomato and fry briskly for another minute. Now add the egg and, keeping a brisk heat, stir briefly until just set.

4.Serve the Piperade straight away on warm plates with a scattering of herbs and the olive oil bread on the side.

A THIRD OFF MEMBERSHIP TO

JustSlim If you’re struggling to lose weight, or even shift those stubborn last few pounds, JustSlim, the healthy weight loss plan designed by nutritionist and former GB athlete Caroline Pearce, will help you reach your goal. The intuitive programme combines your personal data, weight loss target and food preferences to create personalised menus and recipes. JustSlim will eliminate certain foods on request so all dietary requirements can be catered for. If you have a dairy or wheat intolerance, nut allergy or you are vegetarian, your plan will be designed to provide tasty alternatives either free from these ingredients or with appropriate substitutions.

JustSlim offers the perfect support for a busy lifestyle. You’ll eat six times a day to keep your metabolism high and you will receive the perfect balance of protein, carbohydrate and fat for your needs. JustSlim is based on simple, healthy recipes using everyday ingredients. Simply access your plan at www.justslim. net or opt for a daily email of what to eat and when. It’s easy and stress free!

Visit JustSlim.net and enter code WELLBEING1 to receive a third off membership. Plans cost from £9.95 per month but everyone can enjoy a free trial at www.JustSlim.net T&Cs 33% discount applies to all packages excluding joining fee (joining fee applies to the one month package only). Offer expires 31st May 2011.

Wellbeing 13

Baby-led weaning the natural approach for your baby Words Jody Page Baby-led weaning has become the latest trend, along with baby massage and baby yoga. For many mothers it provides an alternative method of weaning, instead of the traditional route of starting with purees then moving on to lumpy foods and finger foods Baby-led weaning (BLW) allows babies to learn appetite control naturally, so they eat when hungry and stop when full. It is thought that this may help reduce the chance of obesity later in life.

BLW involves offering babies a range of foods and allowing them to explore and select their foods and eventually self-feed.

Your baby will naturally put foods of a suitable size into his or her mouth, and if they accidentally take in too much, it will simply be spat out again.

Initially your baby might only touch and play with the food, before moving on to licking, tasting and finally eating some.

Be warned, this can be a messy

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process, so you might want to invest in a tray or messy mat, a floor mat and some ‘catch-it’ bibs first!

Once your baby has developed enough to grasp and pick up food and guide it to their mouth, they should be ready to chew and swallow it. It’s best not to place food in your baby’s mouth for them but rather let them explore it and take a gradual approach to becoming confident enough to try eating it.

How do I start?

Is it safe?

On the other hand, you might find that the BLW approach on its own suits you and your baby, so you may skip spoon feeding all together.

Gagging on food is a fairly common occurrence in BLW, and this can worry some parents, but it is simply a baby’s natural reflex to stop them choking on food which they can’t swallow. If you are apprehensive about this, it is a good idea to attend a first aid course aimed at parents. Constant observation is essential in any weaning method, so sit with your baby when they have any kind of food and ensure they remain safe.

You might want to combine an element of BLW alongside spoon feeding, particularly if you feel your baby needs a certain amount of food and you need to be sure of how much he or she has eaten. However if your baby is used to swallowing purees first, they may then be inclined to try and swallow larger foods, increasing the likelihood of the gag reflex coming in.

Most parents choose to start on softer foods, which are easier for babies to chew on, and gradually progress to harder foods and those which require chewing or ‘gumming’ Jody Page, Director, Harmony at Home Ltd Kent www.harmonyathome.co.uk

Wellbeing children’s health Pros and Cons of baby-led weaning Cons: • Possible worries about gagging – book yourself onto a baby and child first aid course if in doubt • Other people may stare when eating in public • If your own diet is unhealthy, you may find it difficult to offer the right foods • It’s messy!

Pros: • No pureeing, blending, freezing or defrosting • Your baby can explore textures naturally in their own time • As you must watch your baby really closely this promotes good table interaction and you can also eat with your baby more easily, and eat some of the same foods, leading by

•

example The nutritional value of fresh foods is greater than those frozen and defrosted

Foods to try Cooked sticks/slices/ chunks of organic carrot, broccoli, sweet potato, potato, courgette, butternut squash, apple or other soft fruit and vegetables Raw slices/chunks of banana, avocado, peaches, pears, melon or cucumber Cooked rice

Cooked pasta, without sauce Cubes or fingers of bread/toast Breadsticks Grated or cubed cheese Pieces of cooked fish or meat Low sugar yogurt/ fromage frais Low sugar/salt breakfast cereal Cooked pulses Quorn/tofu in moderation

The following foods should be avoided for babies less than 12 months old: Honey Salt Shark, swordfish or marlin Goats and sheep’s milk Mould ripened soft cheeses

Over six months old you can try your baby with other foods too: Citrus fruits, strawberries and kiwi fruit

Wellbeing 15

THE NEXT COUNTY ...

ON THE TRAIL OF WILLIAM THE CON Words Nick Hordern Marking the 1100th anniversary of Normandy [911-2011], the Normandy Tourist Board invites Englishman Nick Hordern to “Trace his Norman Roots” only to discover Truth is stranger than Fiction

I

f, like me, you suffer from Ferry Fever and arrive half a day before check-in time, here’s an idea to help fill the waiting hours before embarkation. Have a Thalasso.

This is now an option at Brittany Ferries entry port for Caen, Ouistreham, where the newly opened Thalazur Spa offers thalassos you can sail through!

This year, France celebrates history: the 1100th anniversary of the Founding of Normandy in year 911 with a programme of medieval pageantry and other epochal events e.g. Jurassic Coast’s Villers-sur-Mer’s new museum commemorating dinosaurs! If ‘9/11’ has tragic twin-tower connotations, it is worth remembering that the Norsemen were the al-Qaeda of the day, so much so that King Charles the Simple of France signed an accord with Viking chief Rollo at Saint-Clair-sur-Epte in 911 that gave these ravagers Normandy, so long as they kept out of Paris. Rather like President Obama gifting Osama bin Laden New England to spare Washington DC, Chicago & LA. By the time William the Conqueror arrived in England, won the Battle of Hastings,

16 Wellbeing

depicted graphically in the Bayeux Tapestry, and was crowned in Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day, 1066, the Vikings had become more French than the French.

Calvados PR Tourist Director, Armelle le Goff’s regal invitation “To trace your Norman roots, Nick,” was politesse, and issued certainly without the expectation that I’d come up with any Norman ancestry.

I clambered aboard Brittany Ferries’ ‘Normandie’ and crossed overnight from Portsmouth to Caen.

Ouistreham, Caen’s port 15 kilometres north of the city, is celebrating the ferry company’s 25th anniversary of servicing this popular route since 1986.

From Caen, I continued due south on the N158 the 33 kilometres to Falaise, where I emerged before William’s bronze statue and a castle beyond, where the ‘Bastard’ drew his first breath in 1027.

There I met Mathias, a 6’6” Frenchman with a gentle manner. I recalled William was gigantic, too. From the castle, Robert the Magnificent, William’s father, espied Arlette washing her clothes in the fountain. Both

Caen-Abbaye des Hommes

17, she became his mistress and they sired William, who was proud of his sobriquet ‘The Bastard’. William inherited the Dukedom of Normandy, aged 6, his father died on a Crusade in the Holy Land. I entered the cell in the huge stone Keep where William was born and pondered the effect of this babe conquering England.

When in 1066 our English peasant forbears discovered their throne was seized by a foreigner, it is unlikely that a split identity heralded a sprint for the nearest psychiatrist’s couch. After all, at our level, it was merely exchanging one despot, benevolent or otherwise, for another – and at least this one brought a strong monarchy,

Nick’s Coat of Arms - Proof that Truth is stranger than Fiction

NQUEROR

Normandy?” he asked. “I have news from the College of Arms.”

“About Kate Middleton?” “No. Your great great grandfather, James Hordern. His marriage to Mary Radcliffe in 1827 links us to Knight Templar Robert de Ros and also our ancestor, his Harcourt cousin, who built a chateau. Both were linked by blood to the Dukes of Normandy.

The Ros line is extinct – ergo, we are the only surviving members of that family to carry on the connection”. Flippin’ heck ! I thought. Where’s the nearest shrink? In my cabin, the latest unveiled kin to William the Conqueror – conked out.

photo: Nick Hordern Ouistreham, Thalazur Pool

and introduced the impregnable French castle. With William came French manners which made English ways before the Conquest appear almost barbarous by comparison, new ideals of chivalry and honour, culture and a love of the arts, of which the Anglo-Saxons and Danes had very little. The softer Norman speech became the language of the upper classes, but above all, William brought realm expansion of a delectable neighbouring part of France.

At Caen, I visited William’s tomb at Abbaye des Hommes, where he was laid to rest in 1087 - but not in peace. French Revolutionaries ensured that of the great warrior and statesman there survives only a single

bone. My aching bones, from scrambling over battlements, were being pampered at Ouistreham’s refurbished 89-room Thalazur, a play on the Greek ‘thalassa’ or ‘sea’. I luxuriated in the warm sea water pool, and like the French extol the beneficial effects on the skin of seawater’s trace elements of magnesium, potassium, calcium sulphates and sodium. After a massage and high pressure jet water treatments, I had worked up quite an appetite.

Over an exquisite dinner hugely enjoyed by Spa guests with gusto, with the dunes backdrop of illuminated port holes of Brittany Ferries ‘Normandie’, my mobile rang. It was my nephew. “Are you still in

THALAZUR OUISTREHAM: Avenue du Commandant Kieffer, 14150 Ouistreham t.00 33 (0)2 31 96 40 40

Wellbeing Special Weekend Offer 177 Euros per person, including one night B&B (double), 2 treatments (1 hydromassant bath + 1 hydrojet), free access to sea swimming pool, sauna, hammam, Jacuzzi, gym CAEN TOURIST OFFICE: Place Saint Pierre, 1400 Caen t. 00 33 (0)2 31 27 14 14 www.tourisme.caen.fr VILLERS-SUR-MER TOURIST OFFICE: Place Mermoz t.00 33 (0)2 31 87 01 18 www.villers-sur-mer.fr BRITTANY FERRIES: www.brittanyferries.com or call 0871 244 1400 www.calvados-tourisme.com

Wellbeing 17

MID LIFE CRISIS

A life upheaval that affects many people

H

ow many people do you know that appear to be having midlife crisis of some sort? All men have a midlife transition just as all women have a menopause. This important phase of life, often involving powerful emotional upheavals can affect most people, men and women, through a large age range from 30 to 50.

What is a Midlife Crisis?

Just when you thought that you had your life mapped out, everything seems to be up in the air. This midlife transition, lasts about 3–10 years in men and 2–5 years in women. It can be triggered by many factors including extramarital affairs, menopause, the death of parents or other causes of grief, unemployment, realizing that a job or career is hated but not knowing how else to earn a living or children leaving home. The result may be a desire to make significant changes in core aspects of day-to-day life or situation, such as in career, worklife balance, marriage, romantic relationships, big-ticket expenditures, or physical appearance. For some folks it is particularly traumatic and it becomes a crisis; they feel cut adrift from anything they have ever

known, love, family, ambition. It may become a spiritual crisis or a call to discover what more is there to life. It may be a great source of jokes and amusement for some, but for those affected it can be quite debilitating.

In some ways, every man’s experience is different, but of course, there are many common strands to what men are feeling.

The NHS website recommends you see a doctor, and then goes on to say you will be prescribed antidepressants! For some men with a clinical condition this may be the best course of action. But if I am to go by the case-studies that I have seen, these clients were not ‘ill’.

These were simply men and women who were feeling rather cornered, crushed or uncertain of themselves.

Sometimes, they were tired of playing a lifetime of inauthentic roles or they were unsure of how to bring balance, wholeness or truth into their lives. Exhausted by litany of problems they had created for themselves, they were often looking for something deeper to life.

It needn’t be a crisis!

This area is under served by experts.

Your doctor may recommend drugs, psychologists may recommend

therapy but sometimes a more practical approach is beneficial.

We have few places to truly say it how it is; to be vulnerable and accepted. Not many men have a network of close friends to whom they can reveal their most intimate secrets. As a supportive confidant, a coach can bring you perspective to your life and your life situation. If we can be honest about our painful and confusing feelings, mid-life can be a time for reassessment and reappraisal, a learning period providing the opportunity to change.

We may become more interested in exploring parts of ourselves that we have lost touch with, develop a greater self-knowledge and sense of inner strength, and be less dependent on the approval of others.

We may cultivate a greater interest in spiritual matters and express hidden skills and creativity.

Whilst it can undoubtedly be a challenging time, there is an opportunity to feel wiser, and more able to sort out the important from the inconsequential. Perhaps one of the most important aspects of a midlife transition is the quest for the sacred. Rather than it being a crisis, in fact it can all feel very positive!

Lee, Great Life Coach www.greatlifecoach.co.uk 0845 402 1850

18 Wellbeing

Wellbeing detox

Ayurvedic Detox

Words: Loretta Heywood

H

ave you ever wondered why some diets work for some and others don’t and why some people can live on juices and raw foods and others would not survive even a day on this diet? Well the difference lies in our personality’s, body types ,digestion, metabolism, how many toxins we have already stored deep within our tissues and how we digest and assimilate food, thoughts and emotions. Even how we have related to the past and our life around us can effect how we assimilate and digest foods and emotions.

Weak digestion, stress, and unsuitable lifestyles can all cause a build-up of undigested food particles in the digestive track which slowly ferment and become toxic. This may lead to digestive problems and then to other symptoms around the body. The toxins

block the energetic and physical channels manifesting as physical and emotional health related problems.

Panchakarma (5 actions of cleansing) is a traditional Ayurvedic system usually held in spas and retreats and has been tried and tested for thousands of years bringing deep change, and healing to many physical and emotional disorders by removing the toxins from the deeper tissues and organs leaving a sense of revitalisation, energy, happiness and renewal.

Having studied this system I have found that most if not ALL of our problems, both physical and emotional can be helped through two main forms of Ayurvedic treatment.

“Massage therapy” *snehana* (a healing massage) which releases both physical and emotional tensions and toxins from the body/mind leaving you able to make

better choices in life and a “Panchakarma Cleanse”.

When combining both you are removing the toxins as well as creating a shift and transformation to your whole being. This may give you a deep desire to be healthy and to change old habits, long after a panchakarma has finished. If going abroad or to a retreat is not a option then a Home Panchakarma Cleanse will be offered by most Ayurvedic therapists and adapted to suit your lifestyle.

Ayurvedic detox programmes are a fully holistic way to cleanse

and bring awareness to the physical and emotional body bringing us closer to who we really are - which are not usually achieved with quick fix diets.

Deep inside all of us is a desire to be healthy and happy.

Ayurveda gives us a tool for which we can re gain control over our own wellbeing and health on a daily basis bringing us closer to our true health and nature.

For more information on Panchakarma OR Personalised Detox – Dietary Plans ayurvedawest11.com

READER OFFER Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant Offers 10% for well being readers on Therapies and Personalised Detox Plans designed to reeducate you on how and what to eat, detox the system and kick start that diet you may have been putting off for months. Helping - Weight loss, fatigue, digestive, hormonal & skin disorders, anxiety, depression tension and stress. www.ayurvedawest11.com

Wellbeing 19

AN AYURVEDIC APPROACH TO

CHILDHOOD IMBALANCES Tu m m y A c h e s, W i n d a n d Po o r E l i m i n a t i o n

C

hildren’s reactions to food from breast feeding to starting solids can seem to be a mystery to many parents.

Why do they throw up after a feed, what gives them wind, why do they get constipated, or get diarrhoea so easily? A child’s metabolism is a delicate thing and being careful about the quality, quantity, time and place of food consumed will go along way towards preventing digestive imbalances.

The mother’s intake of food

20 Wellbeing

and overall state of wellbeing contributes to the quality of breast milk and how well a baby feeds. Kapha predominant food such as milk, ghee, almonds, rice and dates are good for creating abundant, healthy breast milk.

It is preferable to stir away from stimulating food such as chilli, onion and garlic, Vata increasing vegetables such as cabbage and lettuce and caffeinated drinks.

However it is not only what the mother eats that influences feeding but how she feels. If she is restless and anxious, the

baby will find it harder to settle on the breast and is more likely to have difficulties with wind. The Ayurvedic advice in most cases of babies with imbalances is that you treat the mother and then the problem with the child clears up.

For breast feeding difficulties it is important for the mother to pacifying Vata. This can be helped by her partner and extended family. She should be as rested as possible, avoid travel, favour a diet of warm, freshly cooked, easy to digest food and limit daily visitors

Wellbeing children’s health

Words: Wendy Rosenfeldt

wanting to handle the new baby. A gentle, warm, sesame oil massage for both the mother and baby will assist in balancing Vata and settling colic or wind.

Fennel tea, sipped throughout the day by the mother can also soothe digestive problems in breast fed babies.

When starting your child off on solid food it is important for it to be easy to digest. This does not simply mean mushy. Bananas and avocados squish up easily and can seem to be a good start for babies however they

are heavy in nature and while the baby’s digestive system is still getting used to food they can cause tummy aches and constipation. Mashed zucchini, stewed apples and cooked grains that are light in nature such as couscous or semolina are easy to digest. Freshly cooked food is ideal as it contains the most nutritional value. Food that has been cooked, then frozen and then reheated has less of its original life force and is less satisfying to eat.

If your child gets constipated easily ensure that their food is warm, light and soupy. A warm oil massage for your child before a bath can help relax the digestive system and keep your child regular. Soaked raisins, figs and prunes are also helpful for toddlers and older children.

Avoid bananas, potato and have avocado only in small amounts until the problem clears.

Children with a tendency towards diarrhoea should reduce Pitta increasing foods such as tomatoes, oranges, corn and spicy tastes. Favouring cooling foods such as zucchini, squash, coconut milk, cow’s milk and grains such as rice, couscous and semolina will also help to restore balance. If a child has had long periods of diarrhoea it is important to introduce food again slowly. Keep it plain

and light until your child has recovered; steamed basmati rice is gentle on the system and is a good food to start with.

Constipation is due to excess Vata while aggravated Pitta can result in diarrhoea. Looking at the bigger picture is an essential part of Ayurveda. Situations involving change, travel, excitement and overstimulation can create irregularities and imbalances in the digestive system. Emotions of anxiety, fear, anger or grief can also impact on how your child digests their food causing tummy aches or lack of interest in food altogether. Keeping a predictable routine of meals and bedtime, using Ayurvedic aroma oils and teas and spending time in nature can help to maintain balance in times of change or emotional upheaval.

Wendy Rosenfeldt is a Maharishi Vedic Health Educator, Maharishi Ayurveda (R) Consultant and teacher of Transcendental Meditation. Wendy gives personal Ayurvedic consultations and runs seminars in all areas of Maharishi Ayurveda specializing in women’s and children’s health.

For more information email wendy.rosenfeldt@invincibleaustralia.org w ww.wendyrosenfeldt.com

Part three in the July/August issue looks at Teething

Wellbeing 21

the healing touch Words: Lydia Davis

Reiki’s popularity as an alternative approach to healing for both adults and children continues to grow, despite being spurned by scientists, discovers Lydia Davis

I

n 1922, Dr Mikao Usui, a Japanese doctor, escaped the stress of a failing business to spend time meditating on the sacred Mount Kurama. It was here he claimed to receive enlightenment of a healing process that could help others by harnessing universal energy to restore the body, mind and spirit.

And so Reiki was born.

This simple approach to healing is being increasingly used in the West to improve health and mental well-being. It works on the basis that ‘universal life energy’ is channelled through the practitioner to the recipient through seven chakras, or energy centres, in the body. Illness is an indication that a chakra is blocked or unbalanced.

Reiki Master Kim Pierce, 42, explains: “When there is poor health, a practitioner looks for the source of energy disruption. Sickness is a body signalling that the natural flow of energy is disturbed and needs to be redressed.”

22 Wellbeing

Kim finds her clients usually arrive with “an intention”, a specific area they want healed; but this is by no means a prerequisite to Reiki, and she finds that “people come because they just have a general feeling that something isn’t right in their lives”.

Recipients assert that Reiki produces deep relaxation, and a tangible reduction in stress and depression. Practitioners also claim it can return focus to a person’s life, a belief reinforced by Kate Packwood. Kate, 43, used Reiki at a time when she felt overwhelmed by the combined pressures of a move abroad and raising a family.

She says: “I was at a point where I was feeling low and very isolated and looking for answers. I decided to let a friend give me a Reiki session and it completely exceeded my expectations. It offers a really attractive way of dealing with the world, a philosophy which while not necessarily easy to put into practice, offers a way to

make your life more settled and peaceful. I think it’s something you can do for your family, not just for yourself.”

Evidence suggests that Reiki can be highly beneficial for children, who tend to be more open to the experience than adults. Twelve months ago, Jessica Williams arranged sessions for her 11 year-old son, who has a mild learning disorder.

She describes the outcomes as remarkable: “Instead of placing demands on him and requiring him to perform in some way, his Reiki sessions allow him to see the strength he has within him. He comes out beaming with happiness, and we’ve seen massive improvements in his self confidence and abilities in school.”

Yet the therapy has suffered no small amount of scepticism: practitioners continually defend Reiki against the claim that it is nothing more than a placebo. In 2008, a review of randomized trials carried out

to asses Reiki‘s success in counteracting, amongst other things, depression, pain and stress, declared: “The evidence is insufficient to suggest that Reiki is an effective treatment.”

The results of the trials were published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice, and claimed there was no difference found in the response of patients treated with Reiki to those administered with a placebo treatment.

Independent research into Reiki is ongoing but some studies do counterbalance these allegations; in 2001, medical researchers at the University of Texas carried out a series of tests, and concluded that patients treated with Reiki attained a heightened state of relaxation, which reduced both anxiety and blood pressure.

But as Kim points out: “Even if you couldn’t scientifically prove Reiki, it’s unfair to reject it for that reason. Reiki is based in intuition. It’s about listening to our bodies and gut-feelings rather than living solely in the rational, and that’s something we can all benefit from doing more of.”

If you’ve ever considered practising Reiki, here is an overview of the three levels of training: Beginner’s Reiki: Level 1 or First Degree of Reiki teaches basic theory and enables beginners to heal through touch. Although this is primarily focused on self-healing, it also allows individuals to heal others. The training time is usually one to two days, but it must be regularly practiced to remain valid. The course at this level is often taken purely for self-development.

Second Degree, or Advanced, Reiki The second degree leads to a greater understanding of Reiki practice and requires three months of Level 1 practice before it can be started. The training includes additional healing and meditation techniques. When completed, the healer is able to practice ‘distance-healing’, that is, send Reiki by thought, without the recipient being present.

Third Degree Reiki or Master/ Teacher level This level is also known as the Master/Teacher level, and when completed, the student is referred to as a Reiki Master.

Having reached this degree, a person is able to attune others to all Reiki degrees. The number of days taken to learn this degree is not definite, as most teachers require their students to serve an apprenticeship under them for a varying amount of time.

photos courtesy of

www.YourHandsCanHealSchoolOfReiki.co.uk

Wellbeing 23

IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP with meditation in your day

In addition to a regular meditation practice, here are a few simple changes in your routine that can go a long way to getting good zzzz’s every night.

No screens one hour before bedtime (and that includes mobile phones!!)

Good sleep is our first line of defense against the negative effects of stress because deep rest allows the body to re-balance and purify.

Do you recognise some of the following symptoms?

When we are well rested we are healthier, we don’t age so quickly and we are less likely to feel overwhelmed by everything on our to-do list. Quality sleep is an important part of staying well and being effective.

Unfortunately when we are under pressure and unable to deal with the demands of a day then we accumulate stress and a balanced sleep pattern is often the first thing to go.

Many people have heard about the powerful effects of meditation on improving sleep or getting rid of insomnia. My dear friend and renowned sleep expert, Dr Nerina Ramlakhan (author of “Tired but Wired, the Essential Sleep Toolkit”) considers meditation “to be the ultimate power tool for honing and creating brilliant sleep”.

•

• •

•

•

Difficulty getting off to sleep Waking up in the middle of the night and then finding if hard to get back to sleep Experiencing lots of intense dreams Finding it near impossible to get out of bed in the morning (even after six taps on the snooze button!)

Sagging energy levels in the middle of the afternoon that require caffeine or sugar to keep us going

So how does meditation lead to improved sleep?

Meditation works by allowing the mind and body to settle down so that within a few minutes the meditator is resting many times deeper than sleep. With meditation we are dissolving stress faster than we are taking it on board. As a result when we go to bed at night our sleep is more restful. Our body is free to rest rather than having to work hard to try and release stress.

Jillian Lavender is Director of London Meditation Centre and writes regularly about the effects of stress on the mind and body. She teaches a natural, scientific technique to eliminate stress and fatigue. www.LondonMeditationCentre.com

24 Wellbeing

the bright light of TV, computers and even mobile phones stimulates the brain leaving us excited and wakeful just when we are trying to quiet down the mind

Allow two hours after eating before going to bed firing up the digestive system late at night tends to keep us awake as our metabolism kicks into gear to digest our food. We also don’t digest properly at this time which causes weight gain and leaves us feeling sluggish the next morning.

They call them stimulants for a reason! caffeine, energy drinks and that triple chocolate pudding all overexcite the nervous system. Try limiting tea and coffee consumption to before midday.

The hours before midnight are worth twice the hours after!

If you are feeling sleep deprived then catch up on those extra hours by going to bed early rather than sleeping in till midday. The fastest way to re-balance the system and re-energise is to get an early night (and that means before 10.30pm!!)

WEALTH WORKOUT Words: Curly Martin

I want to offer you the chance to experience some wealth wellness coaching. Actually, it is more self-coaching as you not only do the workout; you also have to ask yourself the questions. So as you can see this is not an article in the normal sense. It will make you think and it will challenge you, only if you take part and fully engage, by this I mean, you find a quiet place, you find some quiet time and you find a working pen. Once these three things are in place you then need to answer the questions honestly, to your best ability, and do not censor your answers.

What does Wealth mean to you?

How did you decide what wealth means to you? Was is from your childhood, family beliefs, media, celebrities, community, etc.?

It is important that you fully understand where your ideas and beliefs about wealth come from because you may be repeating un-

resourceful behaviour and thought patters about wealth which no longer serve you well.

Cost of wealth Write a list of the sayings you repeat about money? Such as, ‘Money is the root of all evil’, ‘Health is better than wealth’, ‘Money isn’t everything’, ‘The best things in life are free’, ‘The rich know not who is his friend’, ‘Money doesn’t grow on trees’. Add your own to the list. Now from your list select a negative saying about money, one which you say often.

By having these sayings in your life, how, and by how much, has it cost you: • •

•

Personally? (lost friends, family, etc.)

Professionally? (missed promotions, job opportunities, etc.)

Financially? (debts, low wage, no investments, etc.)

I know that cannot have been a pleasant experience and

sometimes we have to look at the painful costs of behaviours to give ourselves some momentum to take action to change things.

Going back to my first question about the definition of wealth, I would like you to spend some time to answer this question truthfully.

What would you do, if you had unlimited wealth?

According to bestselling author, Timothy Ferris, in his book, The 4-Hour Work Week. Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere And Join The New Rich, ‘The objective is to create freedom of time and place and use both however you want.’

Most of us would have buying objects, houses, cars, designer gear, etc., but the usual end goal of owning

all these objects and goods, for most of us, is happiness. Buying happiness in a jar, car or bar!

In his book The Science of Success, Wallace D. Wattles states, ‘There is nothing wrong in wanting to get rich.’

My last wealth workout questions for you to think about are, How did that last sentence make you feel?

What did you say to yourself as you read it?

How has your reaction to this type of sentence affected your whole life?

Curly Martin 0800 191 0200 achievementspecialists.co.uk

Wellbeing 25

BE HERE NOW making each moment count

T

he title of this article is a homage to the seminal quote by Ram Dass, formerly Dr Richard Alpert, the Harvard psychology professor who turned his back on Western thinking to become a yogi and spiritual teacher.

His book titled ‘Be Here Now’ was his 1971 ‘countercultural bible’ that helped introduce a generation of hippies to Eastern philosophy. Still in print today, it stands as testament to the need for a more present, aware and nurturing mindset in the everyday commercial world.

I liked the psychedelic words and pictures of this book as a teenager but the idea of ‘living in the present moment’ didn’t awaken in me until passing out through years of depression and illness. I went to my first yoga class after realising that I never really existed in the present; I just spent time either gnawing on how the past had damaged me or worrying about the future.

And this was exhausting me. So I started a yoga course to find a way to try and ground or anchor myself in the now.

Two things became clear to me very quickly; that this was all about the breath (and mine felt stuck and difficult) and that our modern world is built to tempt us away from the present most

26 Wellbeing

Words Charlotte Watts of the time. Whether we are getting caught up in our brain’s tendencies to analyse, comment and criticise or that these traits are fuelling worry that keeps us speculating about the future, the huge front brains that make us human can also work against us

“The heart surrenders everything to the moment. The mind judges and holds back.”

— Ram Dass I had always suffered from an overactive and self-destructive mind and really wanted to be able to ‘let go’ and simply walk down the street with a free mind.

Over the years, yoga and its emphasis on breath and stilling the mind has given me the space to stop and find space when I need, recognise when I have gone off-track and be able to connect with the world around me to settle back in the present.

And I am not alone, this global need has shown itself in the success of Eckhart Tolle’s book The Power of Now which has sold over 3 billion copies since the late 1990s. Tolle was listed the most influential spiritual person in the world by the 2011

Watkins Review. This guide to becoming conscious of the ‘now’ has bought this fundamental cornerstone of Eastern philosophy into the Western mainstream.

“As soon as you honor the present moment, all unhappiness and struggle dissolve, and life begins to flow with joy and ease.” – Eckhart Tolle The popularity of the Power of Now shows that this stuff isn’t esoteric, it is a basic truth that if ignored can leave us feeling unable to cope and overwhelmed.

But what does living in the present actually mean?

Connecting with our more primal selves to actually notice what is going on around us rather than rush past To connect with our intuition and instinct to feel rather than think about what any given situation requires To accept that good things and bad things happen, but we learn, let go and move on To look for opportunities to feel joy, ease and peace in our lives and in our relationships with others

Wellbeing health I have several key things that work for me to find a bit of peace in all the noise: l Continually look at the world around you – noticing the little details of trees, buildings, situations helps to bring you out of the constant noise of your head. l De-clutter both in life and therefore your mind – lots of stuff just serves to keep us distracted and disengaged. l Find a bit of space daily – we can get into the trap of waiting until holidays or weekends to relax but our bodies and minds need to restore continually. This can be sitting on a bench in the sun, lying in the bath or anything that focuses you to stop and gather in. l Don’t feel you have to ‘do’ all

the time – we can lose the ability to ‘not do’, to move away from the constant stimulation and reactions to the world around us. This can be scary at first but focussing on the breath can help us centre into the silence. l Look to find the present moment in the most mundane activities – when washing up or doing the ironing, use the opportunity to let your brain rest and find the repetition action meditative.

Charlotte practises as a Nutritional Therapist and Yoga Teacher in Brighton – www.charlottewattshealth.com Learn to live in the present with Charlotte at Yoga Classes, Workshops and Holidays (see Yoga Holiday Feature Page 18)

A simple daily breathing practice of 10-15 minutes can help encourage your ability to connect to the present in daily life: 1) Sit or lie comfortably, allowing your chest to open, shoulders to drop and belly to rise and fall freely.

2) Simply observe your breath, don’t try to affect or change it, just step back and allow it to settle into a natural rhythm.

3) Bring your awareness from your front brain or mind and down into your belly and pelvis; imagine this connection down your spine into your pelvis or root.

4) Continue to breathe right to the end of each breath, with a soft jaw, face and throat – if thoughts arise, do not react or attach to them, simply ‘step aside’ and move back to the breath.

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Wellbeing tried&tested Tibits, London W1 www.tibits.co.uk Now a new favourite! Tibits is a fantastic vegetarian restaurant in a trendy car free street just off Regent St in the West End. The buffet was a delight to both eyes & tummy. The cool background tunes & excellent service, although you hardly needed any, made this an all round great dining experience. A Swiss concept destined to thrive here to London. Take away service available.

Croydon Hall, Somerset www.croydonhall.co.uk A beautiful period property set in the midst of the green British countryside a few miles from the beach. Croydon Hall host a range of meditation orientated workshops & is also open for retreat organisers & individuals looking for private retreats. The cuisine was excellent & the atmosphere was one of silence & calmness. Well worth the drive …

Tried & tested For you and your family...

The Miracle of Love, USA & Germany www.miracle.org

Samasati, Costa Rica www.samasati.com A yoga & nature retreat set high up in the hills of an untouched jungle, 5 miles from the coast in south east Costa Rica. Pura vida (pure life) … We have uncovered various interpretations of the word ‘samasati’ & they all seem to centre around ‘remember you are a Buddha’.

Daily yoga classes, meditation, exceptional weather, comfortable accommodation & simple jungle living make this the ideal resort for anyone wanting to merge with nature & realize the oneness of existence. Fancy going somewhere exotic, natural & off the beaten track ...groups & individuals welcome.

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God Realization, Self Realization, Love, Awareness & Truth…

These are just words yet The Miracle of Love guides you to quickly & directly experience their meaning. Having introduced ‘the meditation for the modern day’, residential courses are now held regularly in USA & Germany & run for 3 profound days. Want to explore & open yourself to find the essence of who you truly are ... well reserve your place right now.

Titanic Spa, Huddersfield www.titanicspa.co.uk Situated on the side of a valley just north of Manchester, Titanic Spa offers stylish self- contained accommodation & extensive spa facilities within a recently refurbished traditional textile mill.

The salt-water swimming pool & relaxation rooms along with the massage & heat exchange facilities left us feeling relaxed, refreshed & cleaned. If you’re heading north, Titanic Spa is a great place to stay.

Eastern Garden, London W11 www.easterngarden.co.uk www.nightingale-acupuncture-centre.co.uk We were invited to a thai yoga massage with big, strong, experienced & friendly Wendle. The massage was awesome - opening & stretching in a way that facilitated a deep relaxation & total letting go. The Eastern Garden team were extremely warm & inviting & their extensive team of practitioners focus mainly on Shiatsu & 5 Elements Aromatherapy. On leaving we were given some delicious oils & a membership package allowing us one treatment a month.

Hawaiian Lomi Lomi Massage, SW London www.hunaquest.com

Authentic Greatness, www.thejourney.com This workshop was given by Kevin Billett (Brandon Bays husband). The main message we received from Kevin’s presentation was ‘you have permission to be, do & have whatever you desire. You have permission to succeed &/or fail. You have permission to know or not to know.

You are an aspect of Being & therefore already totally FREE. You are unique, special & loved.

You are love & awareness. There is nothing missing. You already have everything you will ever need. You do not need anymore, if anything you need less... Powerful stuff …

Surely one of the most beautiful massages I’ve ever had! Zanna has to be one of London Towns finest masseuses. She knows the body as One, not as a sum of parts. Her long strokes remind you that the head, torso & limbs are all connected & the mind, body & spirit are all weaved together to create a marvellous beautiful YOU. Zanni is also a leading expert in holistic books & was kind enough to send us a copy of the enlightening childrens book ‘The Little Soul & the Sun’ by Neale Donald Walsh (author of Conversations with God) which my whole family now love. Aloha …

Liberating Company, London www.liberatingcompany.com Andy Harris from Liberating Company has an innovative approach to life coaching that combines various schools of thought and applies them in a methodically structured three day course. He examines and analyses all the elements of your life and enables you to focus your energy in the areas that are important to you. Over the three days he gives you the tools to address issues in a meditative and practical manner. I wholeheartedly recommend his courses to anyone wishing to liberate themselves from the clutter in their lives and was particularly impressed by Andy’s use of visual aids that added a splash of colour to the proceedings.

Down Hall Country House Hotel www.downhall.co.uk Looking for a quite weekend break, set in beautiful surroundings? then Down Hall, Bishop’s Stortford may just be the place for you.

Dating back to 1322, this impressive Italianate mansion is an historic setting. Take time to wander the 110 acres of surrounding woodland, parkland and landscaped gardens or sample traditional English Afternoon Tea in front of the roaring log fire. Why not enjoy a leisurely lunch or dinner in The Grill Room restaurant, serving modern English cooking prepared with fresh ingredients from our own vegetable garden?

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ARE YOU AFRAID OF LOSING YOUR JOB? Words: Nick Williams

M

any people lost their jobs in 2010 and I think many more are likely to do so in 2011. This can obviously be very scary. My invitation is to take it as an opportunity to stop and take stock, dig deep, ask new questions, and raise your sights, not lower them. Obviously one of the major reasons we work is for pay, and losing your work creates a necessity to earn money.

But the way you can create income today has never been so full of possibilities. Many people are being honest and saying to themselves, “I am losing a job that I never liked much anyway, but never had the impetus to leave. Now I have been pushed,

what new choices might I like to make?”

I left a secure but very unfulfilling corporate career selling computers to foreign banks twenty years to create work that was more meaningful to me. I now write, have become a best selling author, and travel the world inspiring, educating, coaching and mentoring others who feel a call to find and follow their own authentic life. Although my change was self initiated rather than forced upon me, I have learned a lot about making positive change through my own experiences and helping thousands of others create successful businesses around work they love.

Here are five tips that can help you use you to make losing your job, or the fear of losing your job, into an opportunity for greater happiness and fulfilment.

1. Begin to think of yourself a brand begin to break with the belief that your security comes from having a job with someone else. Your security always has and always will come from your own strengths, skill, experience, expertise, talents and abilities, even as an employee. This is always what you have been hired for, and the more you become aware of and understand what your strengths and passions are, the more secure you will become.

Being your own brand means understanding your own uniqueness, understanding how your unique adds value to others and then packaging your brilliance and finding the people

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who can benefit from your strengths.

2. Raise your sights, not lower them - rather than reacting through fear, you have an opportunity to think bigger, happier and greater ways.

An empowering way to do this is to ask yourself great questions. So take a pause and ask yourself questions like, “What would you love to do?, What dreams have I been neglecting that I could re-visit? What greater opportunities are beckoning me?

How have I been playing smaller than I am capable of?” Today, it has never been more possible to build work or a business doing work that you enjoy, have a passion for and

are good at. Indeed, I would even suggest that following your joy and passion are the new security, not sacrificing yourself doing work you don’t enjoy.

3. Be willing to pioneer - it can be tempting to think what you’ve always thought and do what you’ve always done. Especially as adults, we can find it hard to make new starts, to take steps in which we are beginners and lack confidence. We don’t like being less than competent. But this can be a great opportunity to pioneer and start a new phase, to pioneer, to take everything you have learned and become and start a new chapter.

To Be Or Not To Be: The Power Of Being Authentic In our daily lives, we face the challenge to either be who we think others want us to be, or simply to be ourselves. In writing, the answer might seem obvious and straightforward, but in actuality this is a much greater feat than we might expect. Why? Because to be our true selves, requires us to be hugely courageous.

It takes valor to let the veil drop and stand in our transparency. We have to face the fear that maybe someone won’t like who we really are without hiding behind the excuse of “well, that wasn’t really me anyhow.”

Of course it’s natural to have the desire to not feel humiliated but the irony is we run a far lesser risk of that when we are truly ourselves.

When we live from our authentic self we exude a different kind of energy, which makes us feel better about ourselves, and which silently inspires others to be themselves as well.

So what does authenticity mean and why is it so valuable? Firstly, being authentic simply means

asking ourselves the question, what is true for me now and can I live and speak from that place? Secondly, why be authentic? Because being authentic is the most powerful and liberating thing that we can learn to do and become. It means dropping the pretenses, shifting the paradigm that we have to be someone who we are not, and being brave enough to confront our own fears of revealing who we truly are. It might be scary in the process and perhaps the fear will never fully subside, but arriving in an authentic place from one moment and experience to the next, enlivens us.

We spend so much energy trying to pretend to be what we think others want us to be and constantly worrying whether they approve of us and will accept us into the tribe. The irony is most everyone is thinking this simultaneously so the truth is, people aren’t worrying about you, they are worrying about themselves just as you are. So what a relief it would be if we

could all let go. Of course this is easier said than done. It may not happen in a day but the more we begin to know who we are, how we feel, what we desire in our lives, the better we can design the life we have been wanting. Having the humility to look at our weaknesses and wounds is what gives us great strength and power. If we take responsibility for ourselves, we become self-empowered.

We do have a choice though. We can remain safe and hide behind the masks that keep us “protected.”

Or we can find the courage to move through the fear and step into our fullest potential, our true selves. The question is, what is the cost? What is the cost not to be who you truly are?

Are you ready to become the person you want to be?

Corinne Blum is a certified coach, mentor and movement therapist, she is also co-founder of Evolve Wellness Centre in SW7 www.evolvewellnesscentre.com www.corinneblum.com

Even a baby step in a new direction can initiate you and get you across a new threshold. Ask yourself, “What new chapter is beckoning you? Where are you being called to pioneer?”

4. Move in the direction of your dreams and fears - it is tempting to regard fear as a stop sign, but when you are pioneering and moving in the direction of your dreams, you are likely to experience fear, doubt and what call resistance. That’s actually a sign that you are right on track.

It is counter-intuitive, but you grow greater than your fears by facing them. You discover more resources within yourself by putting yourself

in unfamiliar territory. So be honest about what you know in your heart you’d love to do, but are afraid to do.

5. Get yourself great support - it can be hard to make significant positive change on your own. The gravitational pull back to old, habitual and familiar ways is always strong.

So consider getting coaching, mentoring, joining groups, reading inspiring books, listening to audio or watching video programmes that support you and feed your mind with new ideas, inspiration and information. You will evolve at the rate of the people that you spend most time with, so spend time nurturing

your inspiration and starving your resistance.

You have tremendous potential and talent within you. Now could be just the time to step up to an even richer, happier and more successful life.

Nick Williams has spent the last 15 years helping to illuminate the world of work. The author of six books, including the best selling The Work We Were Born To Do and most recently The Business You Were Born To Create. He is passionate helping people be happy and fulfilled in their work. www.inspiredentrepreneur.com, /www.facebook. com/entrepreneurclub

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FITNESS Words Gisela Jcahniuk

! s e g a e th h g u o r th

Our bodies are changing throughout our whole lives and, at each stage, will benefit from a different type of exercise for both a healthy mind and body, regardless of our age. While our exercise habits are best nurtured in childhood, it is never too late to start some kind of exercise regime. “The key is to know your own body, to be aware of its needs and to respond appropriately to its changes as you age� says Fabio Gomez of Integrated Training in London.

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Wellbeing fitness Kids: it’s playtime!

Get your kids into action – all general physical exercises will help with their physical and psychological development.

But don’t worry about having to motivate them… what more could a kid want! Take them out to play, to the park, playground or pool. Let them run, jump and climb. Walk with them and try to avoid leaving the little ones permanently in the pushchair – even a short walk is good exercise for them.

Teens to 20s: higher energy levels This is a time when our bodies are developing and our immune systems strengthening – which requires lots of sleep and natural energy boosts. These years are crucial for working out to strengthen muscles and bones combined with a diet rich in nutrients and proteins to foster growth. Doing something you enjoy takes all the pressure and thought out of exercise. Don’t forget to warm up and cool down to prevent pulls and strains.

30s to 50s: time for a routine You know what you want, who you are and you are more disciplined. But a busy life of career, home and family get in the way. No time for exercise?

It’s not true! It’s all about prioritising – and exercising should be up there with eating and sleeping. Walk to work, or put on some music when you get home and dance. Whenever possible, take the stairs at work,

bike or walk to the grocery store, and play with your children.

Fabio advises women to focus in particular on strength training: “As women of this age group gradually tend to lose their bone mass, they should concentrate on strength training to protect their bones and to improve their muscle strength at least two or three times a week.”

Try to do some form of aerobic exercise on a daily basis. Beginners should try to include stretching and flexibility exercises. Create clear workout goals and stick to them. Even 15 minutes of exercise a day can lead to immediate health benefits such as a stronger respiratory system, reduced stress and improved sleep.

Remember nowadays our lives happen around a computer in an unhealthy sedentary life.

40s and 50s: midlife crisis A 2008 study of two million people in 80 countries found that in middle age, there is the highest risk of depression – around 40 for American women and 50 for men. On the positive side, the data also suggests that your mood improves from the 50s onwards! One of the best ways to promote emotional wellbeing is to get your blood pumping – even a simple daily walk will do. And if any of your bad habits such as smoking or heavy drinking have continued into middle age, now is the time to kick them.

60s and onwards: let’s move!

Add years and improve your quality of life. Senior citizens can enjoy active bodies and good health well into their ‘80s and beyond. Talk with your doctor to find a diet and exercise plan that works for you, particularly if you have health concerns or chronic illnesses.

Workouts need not be overly structured and can concentrate more on flexibility and balance.

Aerobic and strength training exercises can continue as this benefits those suffering from various medical conditions more frequent in this age group.

Don’t overdo it! Incorporate cardiovascular exercise at least three days a week by walking or swimming. Avoid straining your heart. Weight exercises keep bones and muscles strong, preventing injury, promoting independence and improving mobility. If you cannot hold weights, try doing arm and leg repetitions without them. Work on touching your toes and nose, walking in a straight line and standing on one leg.

Remember, physical fitness should be an important part of all our lives, no matter what age or gender. After all, a healthy lifestyle is something that will not only help you live longer, but also help make your life more enjoyable.

Gisela Jcahniuk Integrated Training Ltd T: 020 7221 9871 info@integrated-training.co.uk www.integrated-training.co.uk

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THRIVING, NOT SURVIVING We live in uncertain times. After decades of reckless borrowing and overspending, we now face years of cuts and job losses. As if that wasn’t unsettling enough, the media seems determined to crank up our anxiety. Open a newspaper or watch the TV news on any given day and you’ll encounter a barrage of bad-news stories.

If you’re prone to worry, stress or anxiety, this makes it hard to maintain your mental equilibrium. But the key to facing tough times with strength and resilience is to separate the genuine challenges – especially those that directly affect you or your loved ones – from the melodramatic and made-up.

Even if redundancy is a very real prospect, or your business looks set to struggle, the way you face up to those challenges will determine the way they affect you. Cuts or no cuts: whether you thrive or barely survive is entirely up to you.

It’s all about perception Have you ever wondered why, when two people are facing exactly the same life stressor – redundancy, divorce, family conflict – one takes it in their stride while the other crumbles? It’s because the way these major stressors affect you is all down to the way you perceive them. My clients are always telling me, ‘My boss really stresses me out,’ or ‘My relationship makes me miserable.’

In fact, nothing can ‘make’ us stressed or miserable – only we have the power to do that. Coming back to our current economic travails, if you know your department has to make redundancies this year and you want to stress yourself out about it, think things like this: ‘They are bound to get rid of me – I just know it,’ or ‘If I lose this job, my life will be ruined!’

As you read those statements, you may well have felt a little shiver of anxiety – that’s because these ‘hot thoughts’, as they are known in cognitive therapy, cause an instant jolt of emotion. If I were your coach, I would help you identify these unhelpful thoughts and replace them with more realistic and constructive ones.

A quick tip: if you often think this way, write the thoughts down and then challenge them. Ask yourself, where is the evidence for this? Do you know with 100 per cent certainty your job will go, or are you just ‘fortune telling’ (predicting the future based on guesswork) or focusing on the negative (selecting the one negative fact and ignoring nine positive ones)?

Or try the ‘best friend test’. Would you tell your friend their life faced ruin? Of course not, so why be that harsh with yourself?

As one door closes…

Not to belittle the very real fear and anxiety that losing your job can cause, even if you do get made redundant, it’s unlikely to ruin your life. Think about it: do you really love your job? Very few people can honestly answer yes. So why not use some of your redundancy settlement to change your life? Start that business you’ve always dreamed of. Or retrain to do something that genuinely feeds your soul.

Downsize to take the financial pressure off and work part-time or for a charity. Ask your partner to shoulder more of the burden while you spend time with the kids – at least until the economy picks up again.

Look for growth areas (there are plenty right now, despite what you read in the papers). Green technology, for example, is a huge growth area in the UK. Start planning now: taking control of your life, being optimistic and seeing yourself as strong and resilient are some of the most powerful stress-busting tools at your disposal.

Life is miraculous, but short. Do you want to waste precious years feeling stressed, anxious or unhappy? Or live a life you love, thriving despite the challenges we all must face? It really is up to you.

As the Wellbeing Coach, Dan Roberts is an expert on health and personal growth. He coaches clients in north London and the City, and by phone/Skype on issues like stress, anxiety, confidence, career, relationships and all-round physical and mental wellbeing. Call Dan on 07766 704210 or visit www.danroberts.com

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Therapy

Wellbeing clinics & treatments

ROOMS

Welcome to the Therapy Rooms, where you will find solutions and ideas to support your health and wellbeing. We encourage you to contact our clinics and therapists to find out how, they can help you to improve your health, fitness and knowledge. Enjoy and be inspired.

Wellbeing

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Wellbeing clinics & treatments

Wellbeing 37

WHAT’S ON Diamond Light Tantra Events A whole range of events including a Tantra Taster Evening. www.diamondlighttantra.com // office@ diamondlighttantra.com // 08453882231

Olmaya Events Presenting The Demartini Method, The Power of Mind Mapping & The Privileged Leadership & Lifestyle Program. www.olmaya.com // info@olmaya.com // 0800 689 9599

Solitude Workshop - how our capacity to be alone develops and impacts on how we relate to others. www.hansmeijer.co.uk // info@hansmeijer.co.uk // 07900 896 192

Massage Courses Various CPD Accredited Massage Courses for beginners and experienced therapists - London/UK, Scotland and Ireland. www.gatewayworkshops. com // 020 8852 0742

Free Biodanza classes – every Saturday 21st May to 30th June 3 experienced Biodanza facilitators will give the “vivencias“ (the present

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moment lived fully) on different Saturdays.

Let go of tension and bring pleasure to life! www.biodanza4me.com// ruthstru@aol.com

Innergy Yoga Centre, W10 An evening of Kirtan chanting starting 7pm on Saturday 4th of June.

Friday 10th and 17th June: An evening talk on the technology of Yoga and the evolution of a more meaningful lifestyle. www.innergy-yoga.com // 020 8968 1178

Vibrational Healing Foundation 2 year diploma Course: The Vibrational Healing Foundation offers professional and fully accredited, part-time 2 year diploma courses qualifying in both Crystal and Energy Healing. www.vibrationalhealingfoundation.co.uk // VHFLondon@aol.com

Transcendence Tantra Training 3rd - 5th June: Deepening Love - Intimacy. Using tantra to deepen love and fulfilment in your relationship and become soulmates, connecting at the levels of sex, heart and spirit. www.tantra.uk.com // 07875 435104.

CYoga at 5 star Beautiful Eco Hoyan Wedre, Turkey : 14/09/11/ to 20/09/11 You shall experience deep individual attention and expertise from a world renowned “yogi” and the bliss of the location. www.facebook. com/pages/CYoga/107749892629283 // see@cyoga.co.uk

EQ Retreats Are you just getting through the day because you’ve too much on?

Waking up tired or dreading the day ahead?

Struggling to control your weight and do not have the time or energy to do anything about it?

EQ hold regular stress management workshops. www.eqretreats.co.uk // 0843 289 1675

Yoga Cruise – 7 day unique yoga holidays throughout June & July.

Join us aboard on a journey along the Mediterranean coast.

Practise Yoga in the middle of nature, surrounded by enchanting blue waters. www.yogacruise.net

For more events, talks & workshops taking place around the capital please check out

Loneliness and how to survive it.

Triumphant Events

Have you ever felt truly alone? Or did you feel you are not like other members of your family?

If your answer to either (or both) of these questions is ‘yes’, then this is the weekend workshop for you! info@MaidaValeCounselling.co.uk // 07775520989

Inner Space www.innerspace.org.uk

Inner Peace www.bkwsu.org/uk/kensington/index_html

www.triumphantevents. co.uk

Hay House www.hayhouse.co.uk

Allternatives www.alternatives.org.uk To promote your workshop, course or event on this page please call Johnathon now on 020 8987 0137 // 077 821 88222 or email jam@ wellbeingmagazine.com