Published by Haywood Media
March/April 2011
www.wellbeingmagazine.co.uk
Informative l
inspiring
SLEEP Quality over
enlightening
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AYURVEDIC
approach to childhood imbalances
Quantity
HEALING HONEY
Chemotherapy & Arthritis
INTERVIEW:
A conversation with Dr John Demartini
s e i r o t s e f real li
MY BIG LEAP
NUTRITION
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FITNESS
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HEALTH
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TRAVEL
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ÂŁ1.00
where sold
READER COMPETITION
Spas at Mercure Hotels
T
ake a break from everyday life with an indulgent weekend or day spa treatment at one of our spas. Let off a bit of steam in our gyms, or simply relax with a pampering session.
Discover Spa Naturel Treat yourself at Spa Naturel with a beauty treatment and unwind with a steam or sauna. You can pamper yourself with a nail manicure, facial or massage. We also offer a range of innovative treatments like hot stone therapy. Some
feature thermal suites that are designed to enhance relaxation and well-being.
Get your Mercure Health and Fitness Membership to stay in shape Our health and fitness clubs are ideal for both the experienced gym lover or beginner. They offer state-of-art equipment, swimming pools and classes. Personal training is also available to help achieve specific targets. Discover our hotels & spas at mercure.com/spa
WIN A SPA BREAK FOR 2
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Win a 1 night stay for 2 persons, including a hearty breakfast and delicious 3-course dinner plus a 55 minute body massage and a 25 minute Decleor facial for 2 persons with full use of spa and fitness facilities. To enter send your name, address and telephone number to Mercure Competition, Wellbeing Magazine, 2 The Hall, Turners Green Road, Wadhurst East Sussex TN5 6TR or enter online at wellbeingmagazine.co.uk/competitions before 30th April 2011 Terms and Conditions For a full list of available locations visit wellbeingmagazine.co.uk/competitions. *Approximate average value of the package is ÂŁ250.00 per night and varies according to location. Subject to availability. The availability of facilities varies according to the location. Guests need to contact the hotel within 48 hours of reservation to book the spa treatment. Check in time 14:00. Check out time: 12:00 at the latest.
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CONTENTS Inside this issue...Mar/Apr 2011
Wellbeing Magazine HEAD OFFICE
Haywood Media 2 The Hall, Turners Green Road Wadhurst, East Sussex TN5 6TR
Tel: 0800 881 5375
www.haywoodmedia.co.uk
Spring is in the air, at last, so this month we have 3 simple steps to help you detox (page 8). With the launch of the flm Love Eat Pray on DVD we were inspired to speak to three women who share their career and life changing stories with us, we hope this inspires those who are perhaps looking to make a few changes this year. We also see the launch of the new West & Central London edition and Johnathon Martin, the new publisher, spoke to Dr John Demartini about his own thoughts on the subject of wellbeing (page 27). Enjoy & be inspired Rachel Branson
News
LOCAL NEWS News from your area ...
4
Features
Tel: 0800 881 5375
rachel@wellbeingmagazine.com
Hannah Rosalie
East Sussex Publisher
Tel: 01273 475402
hannah@wellbeingmagazine.com
Caroleann Block
20
MAKING SLEEP COUNT Quality over quantity.........................
East Kent Publisher
Tel: 01303 241134
caroleann@wellbeingmagazine.com
22
NUTRITION Good & bad additives...........................
6
DETOX Three simple steps................................
8
GARDENING Grow your own Parsley.......................
ANIMAL WELLBEING A cat’s healing purr...........................
Rachel Branson
Kent Publisher / Editor
10
Johnathon Martin
West & Central London Publisher
TRAVEL Target Le Touquet-Paris-Plage..........
Tel: 020 8987 0137
24
HELLO LONDON Conversation with John Demartini....
27
jam@wellbeingmagazine.com
Richard Branson
Website richard@wellbeingmagazine.com
Associate Travel Editors
Regulars
Frances Barnes & Nick Hordern
26 Tried & Tested 12 29 Therapy Rooms
HEALING HONEY Chemotherapy & Arthritis.................... MY BIG LEAP Real life stories...................................
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AYURVEDIC APPROACH Childhood imbalances.........................
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6
Contributors
Kate Arnold Pat Crawford Dr Lev G Fedyniak Wendy Rosenfeldt Charlotte Watt l
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27
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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.
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Š Wellbeing Magazine Ltd 2010
Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.
Wellbeing 3
LOCAL
NEWS
Wellbeing news from around your area...
WELCOME TO OUR SPRING ISSUE
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pring is finally here…doesn’t the air feel and smell so good? Really energising and uplifting. All those daffodils brightening up your day and surroundings. One of the best times of year to shake off the last of winter and perhaps think about making some kind of fresh start in your life, take on a new project or challenge, re-visit old plans made and not yet begun, make steps towards positive changes, seek out a better way of doing things to help yourself and others around you. And you’ll find the Spring season will help you achieve these things more than any other. Thank you to everyone who has said how much they like the magazine. It’s good to know that it’s been so well received across East Kent. Our second issue is full of interesting and informative articles. On page XX we feature the stories of three women who decided to change their lives quite dramatically for the better and in our Local News section you’ll find stories about women who have used their talents and experiences to start a business so they can share their expertise and help others. If you have a story to tell you think would inspire others, then please email me. I hope you’re looking forward as much as I am to lighter evenings and seemingly longer days stretching ahead of you; more time to do things. But in your busy life I hope you’re able to take time out for yourself to unwind, revitalise and re-charge. So sit back, relax and enjoy our Spring edition.
Caroleann
Publisher
caroleann@wellbeingmagazine.com
For more local news and events in and around Kent visit www.wellbeingmagazine.co.uk
4 Wellbeing
MAIDSTON
CELEBRATING ITS FIRS
T
he Maidstone Yoga Centre, run by Lin Craddock and her team of fully qualified teachers, is a dedicated Iyengar Yoga Centre and has been fully refurbished to provide a light and spacious environment. The studio benefits from an eco-friendly, fully sustained bamboo floor, a reinforced rope wall and a controlled heating and ventilation system. Ideally situated in the centre of Maidstone, it’s within easy reach of all public transport routes and offers free car parking. Lin says ‘Although requiring a lot of hard work from friends and family, the Maidstone Yoga Centre has been a project which has benefited from a positive energy from the very beginning. From finding suitable premises (no mean feat in itself!) to debating costs and negotiating leases, seemed all part of an organic process from my early teaching days. However, once refurbished we were all set to get going. Completed and opened in April 2010, the everyday running of the centre has become a way of life. My own practice usually starts at 5am, (something I have
Wellbeing news
NE YOGA CENTRE
ST ANNIVERSARY IN APRIL.
managed to maintain ever since the children were small), then it’s off to the centre by 8:30am. It’s a demanding schedule but somehow within the madness, everything flows. Like Yoga and the gate analogy, you have to go through the first gate to get to the second and once through the second there is no jumping to the last gate; it’s a gradual process. But everything seems to have slotted into its own pace and order. These last few months have been a settling in period, sorting out new systems and processes. It’s always busy here, from teaching some of the 14 weekly classes to advising new starters or sieving through endless paperwork. The centre runs on a heap of good will and continuous support from students, teachers, my patient family and Anna, who looks after all the admin and enrolments. We all have a genuine interest in helping
and caring for others and as well as promoting the Centre we have also enjoyed raising funds for the Bellur trust (Mr Iyengar’s charity) and local charities. In this current climate when shops and businesses are sadly closing, Yoga seems to remain forever popular. Our new venture I am hoping will provide a professional space for the teaching and learning of Iyengar yoga for years to come.’ They are planning to hold special events in April to celebrate their first year and hope it will become a regular annual event, raising funds for local charity. Lin and her team have helped many people find their way back to better health. All new visitors to the Centre are welcome. For further details of events and classes please visit their website www.iyengar-yoga. co.uk or call 01622 685864. You’ll find the Centre at Unit 3, The Broadway, Maidstone ME16 8PS.
BUMPKINS BABY MASSAGE OPENS
K
elly and Helen opened Bumpkins Baby Massage in Ashford in January 2011. They are both qualified and experienced nursery nurses, bringing with them a combined total of 30 years’ experience working with babies and young children. This includes personal experience of the benefits of baby massage and positive touch. Touch is an instinctive form of communication between you and your baby from the moment it’s born. Baby massage builds on the human need for touch, and numerous studies have proven the benefits to both mother and child, which include relieving wind and colic, boosting your baby’ s immune system, helping digestion, improving circulation and respiration and many more. They are both keen to pass this knowledge on to
others and the Bumpkins Baby Massage Course is the result. Kelly and Helen’s experience and qualifications also include caring for sick/premature babies on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, nannying in private homes, first aid and they are also qualified Newborn Hearing Screeners. The Bumpkins Course consists of 5 weekly lessons where you can learn how to massage your baby. Lighting, music and fragrant oil burners are used to create a relaxing and tranquil atmosphere. Group or one-to-one sessions are available with home visits arranged to suit individual needs. For more information please visit their website: www.bumpkinsbabymassage.co.uk. The email address is: info@bumpkinsbabymassage.co.uk. Telephone : 01233 660 609/0781 579 8590.
Wellbeing 5
COLOUR Kate Arnold
C
This month Wellbeing’s Nutritional Therapist, Kate Arnold discusses good and bad colour in food.
olour and the appeal of various foods is closely related. Just the sight of food stimulates neurons in the hypothalamus. In trials, people presented with food to eat in the dark reported an important missing element for enjoying their meal: the actual sight of the food. For the sighted, the eyes are the first place that must be convinced before a food is even tried. This means that some food products fail in the marketplace not because of bad taste, texture or smell but because the consumer never got that far. Think how picky we have become with regard to the shape, colour and texture of our food and if any of you saw The Great British Waste Menu, on BBC1 a couple of weeks ago, what happens to so much of our food is that its just dumped because it does not fit into what we find acceptable. The sight and smell of food is vital to our digestion. We need the salivary glands to start working and good digestion starts with the eyes and the taste buds. Bland food is
6 Wellbeing
traditionally the food for people who are recovering from illness. Whilst visiting someone is hospital recently, the bland food epidemic so common in institutions was at the forefront of my mind. White macaroni cheese on a white plate followed by white ice cream in a white container failed to get my taste buds going. Not an ounce of colour anywhere and hardly appealing to the eye. There are three main classes of colour in foods: natural colours, browning colours, which are produced during cooking and processing, and additives. The principal natural colours, most of which, in refined form, are used as additives, are the green pigment chlorophyll, the carotenoids, which give yellow to red colours, and the flavonoids, with their principal subclass the anthocyanins, which give flowers and fruits their red to blue colours. There has been much interest in carotenoids in recent years especially in beta carotene - besides being a natural orange pigment (in carrots, mango etc) it is converted in the body to vitamin A and has antioxidant powers and may be beneficial in reducing the risk of some cancers.
Food additives Increasingly, food additive colours are based on anthocyanins derived from sources such as red grapes or beet but the first additive colours were the synthetic dyes. When synthetic dyes were discovered (mauve was the first, discovered in 1856 by the English chemist William Perkin) they were initially used in textiles, but by 1900 eighty chemical dyes were used in food in the USA. Chemical dyes have stronger colours than natural colouring agents such as cochineal. Many of these dyes were originally derived from coal-tar, and were commonly called ‘coal-tar dyes’. The term is still sometimes used although the dyes are no longer made from this source. Chemically, the dyes are azo dyes, that is they contain the azo group, which confers bright colours which vary in hue depending on the rest of the molecule. In 1937 the dye butter yellow (dimethylazobenzene) was found to cause cancer in rats. The other azo dyes became suspects and one by one they have been weeded out of the list of acceptable additives. Today a limited range of azo dyes are still used. Several years ago, the makers of M&M’s which contain
KATE’S GUIDE TO GOOD AND BAD ADDITIVES a variety of different coloured chocolate sweets, added blue to its pack. Apparently, the result of a vote by M&M fans. It does raise a few questions as of all the colours in the spectrum, blue is actually an appetite suppressant. Weight loss plans suggest putting your food on a blue plate. Or even better than that, put a blue light in your refrigerator and watch your munchies disappear! Colour in foods can be seen mostly in fruit, vegetables, salad and herbs and as we are all meant to be eating five portions every day, we could be eating a rainbow of different colours on a daily basis. Colour is of course added to foods, and only as recently as ten years ago, buying a strawberry yoghurt still meant buying a pink yoghurt that had never really seen a strawberry but was full of colouring. We have come a long way now and most shoppers are savvy to the horrors of brightly coloured foods. I think its still pretty obvious if there is an artificial dye in a food, as it will look unnatural but still check the label. You can get wonderful natural colours like turmeric, saffron etc. Purified raspberries, blueberries or strawberries give terrific colours. Even peas made into soup have a fantastic natural colour. Colour is also so important in children’s diet as it is hard enough getting the five portions of fruit and vegetables into their daily diet. Colour (natural not added!) can really help-children as we know love bright colours.
Kate Arnold 01323 737814 www.katearnoldnutrition.co.uk
Colours (E100 -E180) Good Riboflavin E101 Carotene E160 Bad Tartrazine E102 Coal or azo dyes E104-142 Caramel E150 Coal tar dyes E151-155 Aluminiun E173 Silver E174
Coloured foods and their health benefits
Green e.g’s artichoke, asparagus, beans, broccoli, celery, leeks, peas, pepper, sprouts, courgette, marrow, kale, spinach, spring greens. Benefits: phytochemicals inc lutein. Good for detoxing.
Preservatives (E200-290)
Red, purple and orange
Bad Sorbates E200-E203 Benzoates E210-E219 Sulpur-Sulphites E220-E227 Misc E230-E249 Nitrates E250-E252 Diacetate E262 Propionates E281-E283 Carbon dioxide E290 Good - there are very few good preservatives!
e.g’s beets, carrots, aubergine, pumpkin, squash, red cabbage, red peppers, sweet potato, tomato, yam, noni, pomegranates. Benefits: high in lycopenes. May help decrease risk of prostate cancer.
Antioxidants (E300-E321) Good Ascorbates E300-E304 Tocopherols E306-E309 Bad Gallates E310-E312 BRA E320 BHT E321
Emulsifiers, stabiliser and others (E322-E925) Good Lecithin E322 Nicotinic acid E375 Pectin E440 Bad EDTA E385 Carrageenan E407 Sulphuric acid E513 Potassium hudronxideE525 Sodium ferrocynadeie phosphate E535 Sodium injositate E631 Monosodium glutamate E621 Chlorine E925
Leafy green e.g’s Bok choi, cabbage, chicory, chives, endive, kale, lettuce, parsley, spinach, swiss chard, watercress. Benefits: good levels of magnesium and excellent for cultivating prebiotic activity in the gut.
Blue/Purple e.g’s bilberry, blueberry, elderberry Benefits: high in anythocyanins. Good for the heart, improve circulation and prevent blood clots.
White/Green e.g’s garlic, onions, leeks, celery. Benefits: high in allicin which is anti-viral, anti-fungal and antibacterial. Celery contains organic sodium which keeps fluids in joints healthy.
Orange e.g’s squash, pumpkin, carrots. Benefits: rich in beta carotene - a by product of vitamin A which aids cell growth.
Wellbeing 7
3 SIMPLE STEPS TO x o t e d Words Dr Sarah Brewer
Most people would benefit from a Detox after the Winter months. As well as helping you lose any weight you gained, it also helps to support your body’s own elimination systems after a period of excess. Detox is especially helpful for those who feel stressed, run down, tired all the time or have a tendency towards recurrent infections, headaches, poor concentration or digestive discomfort. Detox can involve fasting and colonic irrigation, however it should also include a pleasurable routine in which you adopt a healthier diet and lifestyle that can continue long-term. This means mainly eating fresh or dried fruit, raw or lightly-steamed vegetables, home-made juices, smoothies and soups. For protein, eat more pulses such as soy beans, chickpeas and lentils. If you want to eat meat, select fish and lean (skinned) chicken. Wholegrains such as oatmeal and brown rice provide fibre and energy. I usually add cottage cheese to my list of detox essentials (delicious with chopped pear and flaked almonds) along with probiotic yoghurts and drinks. These help to repopulate the bowel with bacteria that aid digestive health and play a role in boosting immunity. The yoghurt drink, Actimel, for example, contains the probiotic Lactobacillus casei which has been shown to
8 Wellbeing
boost cellular immunity in young, healthy women as well as middleaged adults. You can eat as much or as little of these foods as you like, and do not necessarily have to lose weight if you are within the healthy weight range for your height. Ideally, fruit, vegetables and meats should be organic and locally grown or reared so they are as fresh as possible. What you don’t eat is just as important as what you do. Avoid caffeine, added salt (sodium chloride), artificial sweeteners and alcohol. If you have previously consumed more than three caffeinated drinks per day, cut back gradually a week or two before starting a Detox so you do not experience caffeine withdrawal symptoms of headache, jitteriness and irritability. For fluids, drink water (usually mineral or filtered) and noncaffeinated herbal teas such as mint, camomile or rooibos. While following a detox, it helps to take a daily probiotic to boost immunity and digestive health. Other popular supplements to support a classic Detox include antioxidants, supplements to support liver function (eg milk thistle, globe artichoke) and supplements to aid digestion (eg psyllium, Aloe vera).
3 Simple Steps to Detox Step 1:
Select a wholefood diet supplying fresh fruit, vegetables, pulses, wholegrains and lean protein sources.
Step 2:
Drink water, juices, smoothies and herbal teas.
Step 3:
Take supporting supplements such as probiotics, antioxidants, milk thistle and globe artichoke. A classic detox is traditionally followed for ten days before adding in other foods you enjoy. To maintain the benefits long-term, continue to eat a diet that is as healthy and balanced as possible. In particular, continuing with a daily probiotic such as Actimel helps to provide an on-going immune boost.
Dr Sarah Brewer, is a medical nutritionist and author of The Total Detox Plan (Carlton Books)
Wellbeing advertorial
Urban Chi Download was created by Glyn Williams to make his gentle ‘Follow Along’ exercise DVDs available to a wider audience. They are exclusive to Glyn and available direct from the website: www.exercisefortheelderly.co.uk or www.exercisesittingdown.com. He believes you are never too late to start exercising. As an exercise coach, he has worked with thousands of people of all ages and from all walks of life. All the disciplines he teaches encourage increased mobility, deeper relaxation and general good health and he is a firm believer that whatever your age or fitness level, you can feel better, grow stronger and benefit from gentle exercise. As well as older clients, Glyn has also worked with stroke and muscle injury victims and no matter where they started from, all have seen some improvement in their overall health and fitness. He believes that health and fitness doesn’t have to be the exclusive domain of the under-50’s!
About the Seated Exercises Chi Kung DVD: This DVD guides you through a series of gentle but very effective exercises that you can do sitting down to follow at your own pace. Seated exercises are an excellent way for an elderly person to start exercising if they are either chair-bound or do not feel ready to exercise standing up. You can also benefit from these seated exercises if you are working in an office and spending much of your day sitting down. If you bring regular, gentle seated exercise into your life you can expect to experience all or some of these benefits: feel more energised and stronger, boost your immune system, become more mobile and flexible in your joints, develop stamina and endurance, become calmer and more relaxed, improve your overall health and wellbeing.
About the Free Chi Kung standing exercises DVD: “As a retired person I find practising these gentle exercises maintains my mobility, keeps me energetic, makes me feel young, stops me worrying. What more can I ask? Oh yes, I forgot to add, Glyn is an inspiring and happy teacher.” Jeanne Johnson, London “No doubt exercising while sitting down is the best way to combat the effects of prolonged sedentary posture. The exercises are safe and effective. In my opinion, movement is the main nutrient that we are deficient in, as a result of today’s lifestyle”. Dr Vesna Stekic, Chiropractor.BSc, DC.
The sets of standing Chi Kung exercises are suitable for everyone. You don’t need any experience of the Chi Kung exercise system to follow the exercises and gain all the health benefits they offer. If you practise these exercises regularly (we suggest three times a week working up to around 20 minutes) you will see improvements which can include: greater mobility and flexibility, improved balance and coordination, reduced risk of falling, increased stamina and endurance, a greater sense of calm and peacefulness, higher energy levels.
SPECIAL OFFER FOR WELLBEING MAGAZINE READERS Free Chi Kung standing exercises DVD when you purchase Seated Exercises DVD. Saving £14.99. Offer price is £14.99 + 95p p&p for both DVDs.To access the offer go to www.exercisefortheelderly.co.uk/wellbeingoffer.html Offer ends 31 April 2011. Or place your order by phone (01304 362563) and mention Wellbeing Magazine Offer.
Wellbeing 9
GET INSPIRED
y e l s r pa
GROW TO IMPROVE YOUR WELLBEING
F
orget laurel to crown the victor – the ancient Greeks crowned winners of major sporting events with parsley wreaths! Petroselinum has been used in herbal medicine for thousands of years. Hippocrates, regarded as one of the founding fathers of medicine - and his followers and students - made prolific use of both the curly and flat-leaved varieties. Today many of the attributes attached to parsley centuries’ ago have been scientifically proven. We know, for example, that it is especially rich in vitamins A and C and a range of minerals. During the Middle Ages, great use was made of parsley to ‘fix teeth’. Not as way out as it sounds because scurvy, caused by a deficiency if vitamin C, resulted in the gums becoming spongy - thus teeth either became loose or fell out. Around the same period, parsley was also prescribed for
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‘brightening dim eyes’ – and today we know that eyesight can be affected by a shortage of vitamin A! The benefits our Medieval forefathers perceived are still accepted and today we also use parsley as a diuretic and treatment for kidney stones. During the Middle Ages, the curly variety was sometimes used as a table decoration because it was said to absorb ‘unpleasant food odours’ – which is interesting because it is now recognised as a natural breath sweetener! Among many other modern claims, parsley is said to have beneficial effects on the digestive and circulatory systems and to help in cases of rheumatism and gout. The culinary uses of parsley are multiple! In fact, it is the most widely used of all herbs. We associate it as a garnish - sadly this use is sometimes abused in not-very-good restaurants
that adorn inferior food with limp leaves of parsley! Deep fried, the curly variety is delicious as an accompaniment for meat and fish dishes. Traditional parsley sauce is especially good with fish – but it is also delicious served with ham and goes well with broad beans too. The addition of parsley benefits almost any type of soup, casserole or stew – it is an essential ingredient in a bouquet garni and also good in a sachet d’epice. Chopped, it adds piquancy to potato salad and other cold dishes. It is almost impossible to go wrong! Pots of parsley – both the curly and flat-leaved varieties - can be bought at nurseries and garden centres and it is also sold ready-toharvest/use at farmers’ markets and in the supermarkets – but nothing can compare with growyour-own. Parsley grows well in this country – with one or two provisos. It needs warmth in order
Image courtesy of Suttons Seeds
Words Pat Crawford, for Hadlow College
Wellbeing growyourown to germinate – and even then, is slow - and unlike many herbs, parsley likes a fairly rich soil. It’s a good idea to start the seeds off on a windowsill that catches the sun. Because some seeds may fail to germinate, sow a few extra ones. Use 4inch pots filled with a rich compost mix. Some aficionadas advocate soaking the seeds in warm water before sowing – 3 or 4 to a pot. Place the pots in a warm, light position. Once the seedlings are about an inch tall, they can be transplanted. Harden the plants off and move to sunny locations outdoors - and a pot placed conveniently near the kitchen door will make it easy to harvest! Both types of parsley have attractive leaves and can make charming surrounds to herb gardens or flower beds. They also do well in pots and tubs – but parsley needs more water and feeding than most herbs and so pots will need regular attention. HADLOW, graded ‘Outstanding’ and one of the UK’s premier colleges, offers Degree, Further Education and Recreational courses in various branches of Horticulture including Medicinal and Garden Design. Telephone: 0500 551434 for information and advice.
Hadlow offers a wide range of career (including degree) and recreational courses for horticulturists and gardeners, including Medicinal Horticulture. Telephone: 0500 551434 for information.
Spiced Parsley Falafel It’s easy to forget how simple falafel are to make, always a brilliant store cupboard standby. Great for picnics or feeding crowds, just double the recipe and shape into smaller balls. Ingredients 2 x 410g cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed 40g flat-leaf parsley 1½ tsp mild curry powder 1 large clove of garlic, peeled and crushed 1 medium egg 1 tbsp olive oil To serve: 8 pitta breads, toasted 1 beef tomato, sliced 1 avocado, sliced Salad leaves Greek yoghurt mixed with diced cucumber Recipe Time Preparation Time: 10 Cooking Time: 10 Serves: 4
1. Blend the chickpeas, parsley, curry powder, garlic and egg in a food processor until almost smooth and the parsley roughly chopped. Season well and divide into 8 balls. Flatten slightly into patties. 2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the patties for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. 3. Serve warm or cold in toasted pittas with tomato, sliced avocado and salad. Top with a spoonful of Greek yoghurt. Cook’s Tip If cooking for a crowd, make them into smaller patties and bake them in the oven at 180oC, gas mark 4 for 15 minutes to get them cooked all in one go and serve in mini pittas. Nutritional Information 675cals 28g protein 16g fat ( of which 3g sat’d) 110g carbs ( of which 6g sugar) 12g fibre 2.6g salt Thanks to www.thinkvegetables. co.uk for the recipe and image
Wellbeing 11
HEALING HONEY Few people are aware of the vast importance of the honeybee to our everyday lives. While most think of honey, it is estimated that thirtythree percent of everything that reaches the table owes a debt to the honeybee. Over 90 fruits and vegetables including apples, melons, nut crops, cherries, berries, avocados plus alfalfa and clover seed for cattle feed are dependent upon honeybee pollination. As well as the importance of pollination, honey and other bees products have been linked to an amazing array of health benefits. CHEMOTHERAPY PATIENTS
ARTHRITIS & JOINT PAIN
BOOSTING YOUR HEALTH
Patients experiencing the side effects of chemotherapy have been given hope in the form of a unique food supplement called LifeMel. Developed with over 30 years of research, LifeMel, made by honeybees, is proven in a number of cases to boost immunity before, during and after chemotherapy. A low white blood cell count or Neutropenia, a common side effect of chemotherapy, is a blood disorder that diminishes the number of infection-fighting cells which destroy bacteria in the body, leaving sufferers open to developing illnesses and facing the potentially life-threatening situation where they are no longer well enough to carry on with the treatment needed to fight their cancer. LifeMel is 100% natural and has been shown in a significant percentage of people to improve low white blood cell count. It is produced by honeybees in Israel, which are fed on a specific diet including selected herbs such as Siberian ginseng, echinacea and calendula. LifeMel costs £37.50 and is available through pharmacies and health shops nationwide. www.lifemel.co.uk
When Bill Flynn’s daughter developed an arthritic hip, he turned to his beehives for inspiration. He treated her condition with the reddish-brown scraps he collected from inside the hives, which emerged as an extraordinary means of curbing the pain of stiff joints. This chance discovery has earned Bill and his bees the thanks of thousands of people. This remarkable remedy is called Propolis - a sticky, antiseptic resin used by bees to seal and clean the inside of their hives.
Honey has long been known for its ability to destroy infectious bacteria. It has been recognized that Manuka Honey from New Zealand contains additional antibacterial properties not found in other types of honey, making it even more effective in treating infection. It also has more vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants than ordinary honey. Manuka Honey’s main claim to fame has always been wound care and treating even the hardest to heal infections such as MRSA and other antibiotic-resistant conditions. However, it’s important to know that Manuka Honey can also be used to treat other infections throughout the body.
For more research and information visit www.lifemel.com
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l Every dot of propolis is different because it is gathered by many bees from many plants in all sorts of places on different days. l Many beekeepers suck a small piece to soothe sore throats, mouth ulcers and coughs. l Propolis was highly prized by “The Father of Medicine” Hypocrates. l In recent medical trials, scientists have found propolis to have amazing properties: anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, antibiotic properties and it actually boosts our immune system. Flynns Bee Farms, Minster-on-Sea, Sheerness, Kent ME12 3SS flynnsbeefarm.co.uk 01795 874935
When taken orally, Manuka Honey is effective in treating conditions such as stomach aches, stomach ulcers, sore throats, strep throat, acid reflux disease, gastritis, heartburn, irritable bowl syndrome, etc. When mixed with water, Manuka Honey can be used to flush out the nasal passage way in order to heal sinus infections and/or ear infections. For more information on the benefits and research of Manuka Honey visit www.benefitofmanukahoney.com
How can I look after my garden and my back? tasks, which can lead to strains and inflammation.
•
Sometimes injuries are inevitable if you are requiring your back to perform tasks it is simply not equipped to do. However here are a few tips to help protect your back and indeed the rest of your body from damage during these frantic gardening months! Firstly and most importantly your body is a dynamic structure, it thrives on movement. It dislikes being static, which can lead to stiffness, and also it dislikes repetitive
So first tip – Multitask! Have lots of varied gardening jobs on the go so you can alternate between them. • Take plenty of breaks; remember repetitive heavy work can cause injury. • When lifting bend your knees and keep your back straight. Ask for help in lifting heavy objects. • More haste less speed! Half fill wheelbarrows or weeding buckets make more regular and lighter trips to the compost or rubbish bin. • Try to work evenly, for example when digging swap your feet on the spade to give even work to both knees and hips. • Ice any tender areas that night to reduce any inflammation building. • Remember to drink plenty of water and wear a hat if it’s hot. If you need any advice or a free spinal health examination, call The Centre Osteopathy & Complementary Health on 01303 230300
STOCKISTS OF A RANGE OF HONEY PRODUCTS Canterbury Wholefoods Jewry Lane Canterbury CT1 2JB Tel 01227 464 623 www.canterbury-wholefoods.co.uk Herbaceous 27 Oxford Street Whitstable CT5 1DB Tel 01227 277 799 www.herbsandremedies.com Whitstable Nutrition Centre 81 High Street Whitstable CT5 1AY Tel 01227 278 550 www.whitstablenutritioncentre.co.uk
Wellbeing 13
MY BIG
leap
The Stylist
When Lizzie Edwards found herself with low self esteem, an eating disorder and no direction, she decided to spend her last £1000 on a career coach. This turned out to be the best decision she could have made as she now owns a business as a Personal Style & Wardrobe Consultant, We talk to Lizzie about the circumstances leading up to that decision and her plans for the future.
At 33 I didn’t have a career and didn’t know what I wanted to do. I used to be a model and then went to university out of frustration and wanting to use my mind. Over the years I had worked in commercial media, garden design, florestry and finally found myself working in a health food shop. I felt that I needed to take a risk but knew I needed help as I was in a spiral of despair and in this horrible ‘ Hell Hole’. It took a huge leap of faith to spend my last £1000 inheritance on a career coach but Suzy Greaves seemed like the right choice for me. She helped me tackle my fear of what to do with my life and during the next few months supported by telephone coaching and lots of exercises, like having to ask my
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friends and family to tell me what they thought about me, I slowly started to improve my low self esteem and overcome my eating disorder and depression. The idea for my new business came quite quickly and the whole process seemed to move really fast. I enjoyed shopping and having had an eating disorder knew how some people felt about buying clothes and knew I could do something to help people. At the beginning it was hard work and in business you get peaks and troughs. Sometimes I would ask myself “who do you think you are to run be able to run this business? The first time shopping with someone terrified me. Then shopping with my first paying client. Although I had done the same things quite a few times with guinea pigs and friends, it felt much more scary as I really had to be good and deliver! The fear soon disappeared the minute we got shopping. All these things are normal now that they are a real example to me of how things are always more scary in your head than in reality, and the only way is to face the fear and do it! I also trained and invested
when I could to make sure I had the right credentials which gave the confidence to run my business. My mentor was Brenda Kinsel, an American stylist, I bought her book and then sent her an email. The timing was great as she was just about to do a conference so I signed up and joined the Association of Image Consultants. I still regularly attend conferences as running a business can be quite lonely so it is good to have people around who are happy to share their time and advice. Life is too short to just tick over, I took a risk but I really didn’t have anything to lose. I am now looking to the future and have plans to develop my work in the corporate world. Of course, I have my off days like anyone else - it is steep learning curve, and I have to keep facing things I think I can’t do. With Suzy’s help I have proved to myself time and again that I can do anything – it’s just up to me to believe it, and achieve it! I could never have done it without her. www.babetstyle.co.uk The Big Leap www.thebig-leap.com
The Author
When Keris Stainton wanted change, but no matter what she did or how she felt, she always seemed to end up back in what was basically the same job, just in a different company, she decided to contact life coach Suzy Greaves and has now become a published author. I was happily married with a gorgeous young baby, and my husband and I had finally managed to buy our own home, but I hated my job and was frustrated that I’d never managed to get a writing career off the ground. (I’d started writing a novel around ten years earlier, but hadn’t been able to finish it.) Mostly I was disappointed with myself. One morning before work, I was reading Paul McKenna’s book Change Your Life in Seven Days and, just a few pages in, found an allegory that began ‘Imagine you woke up one day in a land populated almost entirely by giants.’ It went on: ‘Do as you are told. It’s easier to get along if you go along. Don’t cry. Don’t fight. Study hard. Get a job. Do as you are told. Get married. Have children to support you in your old age. Do as you are told.’ Which is exactly what I’d always done. I’d been the good girl. I’d been conscientious. I’d studied and worked hard thinking
that eventually I would be rewarded, but instead I’d just been taken for granted. I got to the end of the story: ‘And then one day you wake up, and there is a tiny little creature staring up at you. She has awakened in a land of giants. And because you love her, you begin to teach her everything you’ve learned about how to survive in this land of giants. And so, the cycle continues ...’ And I started to cry. I had my own tiny little creature - who was, at that moment, being taken care of by someone else - and I didn’t want him to grow up with a mother who was disappointed in her life and too afraid to follow her dreams. I realised that simply reading selfhelp hadn’t been enough - I needed more direct assistance. I contacted life coach Suzy Greaves, who quickly helped me realise that, rather than being afraid of failure as I’d always assumed, I was actually afraid of success. I was also pinning all my hopes on having a novel published, which, should it ever happen, still might not necessarily mean I could give up my job. With Suzy’s advice and support, I remembered my teenage dream of being a journalist and, fairly quickly, got a commission from a national glossy magazine. I was worried that it was a fluke, but I also wondered if it could be the start of something. I started pitching to magazines and sold another article straight away. The payment for each article had been more than my month’s wages (I was working three days a week) and so, after discussing it with my husband, handed in my notice.
Sometimes freelance work was a struggle. At one point, I had to go and temp for a couple of weeks, which felt like a huge failure. As it turned out, I hated it so much that I spent my evenings pitching with a vengeance and haven’t had to temp since. Getting an agent and then a book deal - for two teen novels - was a big boost too. The first book - Della Says: OMG! - came out in May 2010 and the next book - Jessie *hearts* NYC - is out in 2011. What kept me going (and continues to keep me going) is being a good influence for my boys (I’ve since had another son, Joe). I want them to know that it is possible to do what you love in life and be good and successful at it. It may not feel like it at the moment - it didn’t to me back then - but you are in control. Find what you love to do and then take steps to make it happen. They don’t even need to be big steps; tiny steps will get you there too and they’ll stop you feeling quite so trapped in the meantime. I do credit the self-help author Martha Beck with giving me the tools to stick with doing what I love, even when it’s hard and of course Elizabeth Gilbert in her novel Eat Pray Love. My next goal is to earn a full-time wage from writing fiction. I still do some freelance journalism now, but I’d like to wind that down completely and concentrate on novels. As for the steps I’m taking to achieve that... it mainly involves writing 1000 words a day. Every day. www.keris-stainton.com The Big Leap www.thebig-leap.com
Wellbeing 15
Wellbeing mybigleap
The Diver was mainly by not fighting adversity and continuing to support the local community, for example we run a sponsorship program that helps local underprivileged people to become PADI Dive Masters. And
When Polly Wood finally left her stressful job working for an IBM business partner, feeling unhealthy, both mentally and physically, little did she know that seven years later she would be running a successful dive conservation business and living in Belize with her new husband Roland. I took a sabbatical from work, went travelling for over a year in which time I also worked as a PADI Diving Instructor in Fiji, which I loved! I then went back to the same job, but after another year or so, I decided that I wanted to make a long term change. I wanted to dive but at the same time help put something back into the environment. So, I came up with the concept of ReefCI where non scientists can come on trips, we train them to dive and/or the simple research methodologies and they help sustain us financially by assisting with the collection of the much needed data from the marine environment. Oh, and at the same time, they stay on a beautiful coral island in the Caribbean and have a great holiday. Initially the whole process of starting up an organization, agreeing
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on a concept, forming a website and then having the conviction and courage to actually leave my secure well paid job was very much outside my comfort zone! I moved to a country that was so totally different from my home country, I had to learn to live without the usual home comforts (for the first couple of years we constantly had water and electric outages!) Dealing with locals, legal issues‌‌.equipment breaking and having no money to get them fixed! The list was endless but how I dealt with it was to always stop, breath and then think about what I was going to do and then form a plan of action to deal with it. And never forget why you are doing it in the first place! There were lots of times that I felt like giving it up, especially during the initial 5 years. In the early days I told myself that I would give it 5 years and in that time I would work as hard as I could and not give up. Then by the end of the 5 year period everything started to get easier, I got a business partner, Jo who concentrates on the marketing and bookings and shares the load. Locally I gradually got accepted as part of a small town community, this
luckily during the years the extreme lows are usually accompanied by extreme highs, like swimming with Whale Sharks or witnessing a turtle nest hatch. And I never ever get complacent about how lucky I am to live and experience amazing things in such a beautiful country. My husband Roland, my business partner Jo and my family, who were also supportive even though they thought I was crazy at the beginning, are my mentors and support. My husband and I worked together for 5 years before we got together, so we began our relationship as good friends and he has seen me go through all of the tough times. He is the most honest person I know. I cannot imagine how I managed without the support and personal friendship of Jo and my family in England, who I speak to every weekend, especially my twin sister and my father and stepmother who run Woods restaurant in Tunbridge Wells and give me both business and personal advice and my Mother who is so standard driven with everything that she does. My husband and I have just bought a new boat in which we are setting up a sustainable deep water fishing business. ReefCI is going from strength to strength, I am now enjoying it, my main goal is to keep on sustaining what we are doing and not to forget to be standard driven. www.reefci.com
SOME HELPFUL INFORMATION NOW AVAILABLE What causes physical discomfort during pregnancy? What causes pubic symphisis pain? Your pelvis is in two parts and the pubic symphysis is the tough ligamentous junction which joins the parts together. The pain is partially due to the natural softening of the ligaments during pregnancy and the pressure of the baby’s head inside the pelvis. Pregnancy is a very physical experience; the body has to adapt to carrying up to 20lbs of amniotic fluid, placenta and baby. Poor posture, a history of back pain, can have a dramatic effect on how your body will cope with the postural changes required during pregnancy. What causes indigestion, heartburn or sore ribs? Between the 12th and 16th week of pregnancy the uterus begins to rise into the abdomen. The baby will have taken up most of the available space in the abdomen from about 30 weeks, this causes upward pressure on the diaphragm and crowding of the lower ribs.
How can Osteopathy help? Osteopaths work directly with your muscular skeletal system to improve your posture. This allows your body to function at the best of its ability during the course of your pregnancy and also help recovery after giving birth. We offer free spinal health examainations during or after your pregnacy and also free checks for your baby to asess any srains from the birth process. FURTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE FROM: The Hythe Centre of Osteopathy. www. osteopathycentre.com
Words: Wendy Rosenfeldt
AN AYURVEDIC APPROACH TO CHILDHOOD IMBALANCES
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aring for babies and young children can at times seem overwhelming. New parents often feel out of their depth when confronted by the ever changing health issues of their young child. Knowledge of Ayurveda and the theory of doshas is a useful tool for understanding your child’s physiology and the dietary and environmental influences on it. According to Ayurvedic wisdom everything can be understood in terms of the three governing principles of nature Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Vata dosha is like the wind and has the qualities of being light, dry, quick, changeable, cold and rough. It governs all movement in the universe and can be seen in the bodily functions of
18 Wellbeing
thinking, speaking, circulation and elimination. Pitta is like fire and shares its hot, sharp, intense qualities and the colours of red, orange and yellow. It is responsible for all processing and energy that takes place from the heat of the sun to the metabolism in our bodies. Kapha is comprised of water and earth and has its earthy qualities; slow, heavy, stable, moist and cold. It gives structure to the world around as well as our human bodies and provides lubrication and growth to our physiologies. Each one of you has a different proportion of the doshas in your nature and this gives rise to the great variation of people, their appearance, personality, likes and dislikes. A Vata predominant person
expresses the light, dry, changeable qualities of Vata in their slim build, wiry hair, enthusiastic nature and tendency towards dry skin. Pitta predominant people often have the colours of the fire in the hair and skin, have a warm body temperature and are passionate by nature. Kapha predominant individuals have a more emotionally stable nature, bigger build and better endurance than the other types. Their practical, hands on nature exhibits earthy Kapha’s qualities. Due to diet, lifestyle, climate and time of life you can develop too much or too little of the doshas resulting in imbalances. Ayurveda uses diet, daily routine and other activities to restore balance and good health.
Wellbeing children’s health Coughs, colds and runny noses Babies and small children seem the most susceptible to coughs and colds. Childhood is Kapha time of life when the qualities of heaviness, oiliness and growth are predominant. This is exhibited in their unctuous skin, lubricated joints and constant growing that takes place. The moisture and heaviness of Kapha is naturally balanced by a child’s active nature. While congestion and mucous indicate an excess of Kapha’s cold, sticky qualities they often originate from a Vata imbalance. Over stimulation, fatigue, travel, wind, cold weather and poor diet increase the light, dry, airy qualities of Vata and contribute towards dryness in the body’s tissues. Lack of rest and proper food compromises the body’s immune system and this is generally when you pick up a cold. The physiology reacts to the dryness of Vata by increasing Kapha, in the form of mucous or fluid. The best prevention is to keep Vata balanced and strengthen your child’s overall immunity. Due to their smaller physiologies a good routine of rest and meals is important for staying balanced. Limiting processed
food and ensuring that your child eats plenty of wholegrains, fresh fruit and vegetables will boost their immunity. Including spices such as such as cumin, coriander, turmeric, cloves and ginger in your family’s diet will make vegetables tasty and easier to digest while supporting the family’s immune systems. Vata is aggravated by cold, windy weather so make sure that your children rug up and keep their heads, necks and chests covered in cooler weather. Unless in warm climates, babies with little or no hair need their heads covered most of the year when they are outside as heat predominantly escapes through the head. A daily oil massage with warm sesame oil is great for immunity and pacifying Vata but should be discontinued if there is already a respiratory imbalance as the massage can push the impurities deeper into the physiology. If despite your best efforts your child comes down with a cold or the flu then continue with pacifying Vata but reduce foods that increase Kapha. Avoid Kapha increasing foods such as cheese, yogurt, chocolate, ice cream and potatoes if there is congestion. Milk should be taken in small amounts and boiled first to offset its cold,
mucous creating qualities. Barley, turmeric, cloves and leafy greens are useful for balancing the moisture of Kapha as they are drying in nature. A mixture of a quarter of a teaspoon of cold pressed (unheated) honey and turmeric powder can be given to a child a few times a day to help dry up mucous; smaller amounts can be given to toddlers. A Maharishi Ayurveda inhalation preparation made of essential oils including camphor, eucalyptus, clove and fennel is very useful for clearing congestion from the airways. Older children can inhale a few drops in boiling water while for younger ones a few drops can be mixed with sesame oil and rubbed into their chest. A drop or two mixed with sesame oil can be rubbed onto the breast of feeding mothers, just near where the babies nose is when they are feeding, so that congested babies can inhale while breast feeding. This solves feeding problems that often accompany babies with blocked noses as they can breathe through their nostrils while staying on the breast. Part two in the May/June issue looks at Tummy Aches, Wind and Poor Elimination.
Wendy Rosenfeldt is a Maharishi Vedic Health Educator, Maharishi Ayur-veda (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 www.wendyrosenfeldt.com
Wellbeing 19
A CAT’S HEALING PURR Words Dr Lev G Fedyniak
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e’ve always intuitively felt that a cat somehow knows when we’re not feeling well and even where it hurts. Got a headache and a cat just seems to wrap around your head. A stomach ache and a cat can’t seem to get off your abdomen. And purrs and purrs and purrs! It was always believed that a cat’s purr was relaxing or stress reducing and that that led to any number of healthful benefits. While that may be so, science has shown that the cat’s purr is much more than just relaxing. Science has known for many years that vibrations at specific levels or frequencies cause healing changes in the body. They can, for example, induce bone growth and regeneration. Bone fractures heal faster and weakened bones begin to strengthen and rebuild. Also, in the higher frequency ranges, the production of the body’s own natural antiinflammatory compounds increases thereby reducing joint pain and swelling. There is further evidence of muscle, tendon and ligament repair within these frequency ranges as well, which has led to some popularity in sports medicine and gyms around the world, especially in the former Soviet Union where so much of this research was conducted. It was also known through
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various veterinary studies that cats rarely suffer bone or joint related diseases, including hip dysplasia, arthritis and ligament problems. Even bone cancers, such as myeloma or osteosarcoma, are almost unheard of in cats. But it took researcher Elizabeth von Muggenthaler of the Fauna Communications Research Institute in North Carolina (FCRI), a specialist in the field of bioacoustics (the study of the frequency, pitch, loudness, and duration of animal sounds as it relates to the animal’s behavior) to put it all together. Nature tends not to select traits without this evolutionary
survival advantage and contentment purring just doesn’t make the grade. There had to be another reason and Muggenthaler set out to find it. She recorded and then measured the purr of 44 felids (members of the cat family) including cheetahs, ocelots, pumas, and domestic cats. Felines, from your house pet to lions and tigers in the wild, generally purr in the range of 20 to 140 Hertz (Hz). Some are as high as 150 Hz but the average housecat comes in at about 25 and 50 Hz. Research has already shown that exposure to frequencies at that same 20 and 50 Hz
Wellbeing animal health level induces increased bone density, promoted bone strength and fracture healing. There’s even a popular saying amongst veterinarians “If you put a cat and a bunch of broken bones in the same room, the bones will heal.” There is also substantial documentation that low frequency vibration induces pain relief and healing of tendons and muscles and cats purr at those very same frequencies. Remediation of other illnesses due to the cat’s purring ability is also being put forward. For example, respiratory problems associated with heart disease in cats are almost non-existent. In fact, respiratory problems resolve quickly once purring is activated. In effect then, by changing the frequency of their purring, cats may be fine-tuning their healing abilities which creates this distinct evolutionary advantage. It is this unique healing advantage that has probably given rise to the notion of cats having nine lives. They survive conditions that normally kill other animals, such as falls from heights. In a study of 132 cat falls with an average fall height of 5 ½ stories, 90% survived. The record height for a cat falling and surviving is 45 stories! The extrapolation of this research may prove vital. Dr. Clinton Rubin in a 1999 study discovered that such frequency exposure creates the robust striations of increased bone density, suggesting applications for osteoporosis, particularly in post-menopausal women and the elderly.
But it’s the cat’s “healing by association” that most people find interesting, that ability of a cat to sympathetically help cure illnesses in people simply by being around them. Studies have also shown that owners, especially senior citizens, who have cats have lower blood pressure and can live longer than humans who don’t own pets. Many individuals swear they can ease or completely eliminate their migraine headaches simply by lying down with a purring cat next to their head. Can’t hit that minimum recommended daily dose of bone-enriching calcium? Maybe grabbing the nearest cat and holding it close may just prove to be the answer to brittle-bones. Having surgery? Perhaps after coming home, keeping a cat nearby will reduce your recovery time. So, go get a cat. Keep it happy and purring. You’re both likely to be healthier and you’ll have a great friend who truly understands how you’re feeling.
Interesting facts about the anatomy of a cat n Cats have 220° field of view where humans only have 180°. n Cats’ sense of smell is 14 times stronger than that of humans. n Cats have 30 permanent teeth, while adult humans have 32. n Cats have 30 vertebrae, while humans only have 25. n Cats have 230 bones in their bodies, this is 24 more than humans. n Cats have a body temperature of between 101 and 102.2 °F (38 and 39 °C). n The lifespan of cats are usually between 15 and 20 years. n Cats have a heart rate of between 120 - 240 beats per minute. (This varies highly between different breeds cats) n Cats take between 20 - 40 breaths per minute in an inactive state. (This varies highly between different breeds cats) n The print on a cat’s nose is like that of a fingerprint of a human, each is unique. n Cats have a top speed of about 30 mp/h (48.28 km/h).
Dr Fedyniak runs the Jade Lion Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine clinic in Tunbridge Wells. DrLev@ JadeLionAcupuncture.com or 07852 870 030
Wellbeing 21
MAKE Quality SLEEPover COUNT Quantity Words Charlotte Watts
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t is possible that you can spend nearly two-thirds of your life asleep yet many people place less importance on this time than their waking hours. Easy to do, after all we are unconscious, yet the quality of this time has great influence over the quality of our waking hours. Sleep is all about recovery – physical, emotional and energetic. In order to function fully whilst waking, we rely on the immune facilities, detoxification, tissue and muscle healing and emotional processing that occur during the wee small hours. If this downtime isn’t respected, we may quickly see symptoms like fatigue, irritability, poor concentration and poor recovery from stress, injury and skin complaints. Lack of sleep, even at a small accumulative level can lead to craving sugar and stimulants as our bodies try to fuel up in the face of less vitally built-up energy. Indeed too little sleep has been associated with incremental weight gain through increased appetite for this very reason. Research has shown that it is not quantity, but quality of sleep that counts. Feel more rested and wake more refreshed with some simple solutions:
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Calm Brain, Better Sleep: Wind down for bed from 9pm – we can tend to ‘do’ rather than ‘undo’ late evening, often with a fear of coming down from stimulation like TVs and constant noise. Nourish a calm ‘alpha’ brain state ready for bed with a bath, reading non-thrilling books, listening to soothing music or a calm yoga practise or meditation. If worries keep you awake at night, write them down – accept that your brain may be on ‘constant alert’ from daytime stress and realistically ask yourself if there is really anything you can do to resolve the problem at that time. Rather than gnaw at things you cannot change, write them down so you don’t feel the need to hold on to them. Always kiss and make up with your partner before you go to sleep if you have argued – don’t take unresolved issues into your dreams.
Create Your Sleep Haven: Consistent bedtimes and length of sleep optimise sleep patterns best – aim to always get up at the same time, however poor your sleep in the night. Keep the bed for sleeping in only
(and making love). Create a safe, cosy haven for sleep - make sure the bedroom is quiet and restful and enjoy fresh clean sheets. Keep this space free from clutter and mess to encourage a clear, calm mind. Invest in heavy curtains - dark bedrooms create better sleep, as our pineal gland only produces the sleep hormone melatonin when it senses low light levels. Wear ear plugs if you are easily disturbed or your partner snores!
Nutritional Considerations: Have three regular meals - including protein at each – meat, fish, eggs, nuts, beans or goat’s cheese – to produce sleep hormones and regulate energy to not rely on the sugar or caffeine that can keep you awake later. If you wake in the night, have a bedtime snack – slow release carbohydrate foods like apples or oatcakes help prevent night blood sugar crashes that cause a stimulating adrenaline surge. A few stalks of celery can calm the nervous system – a potent traditional sleep remedy.
Wellbeing sleep Simple Evening Restorative Yoga Practise: Viparita Karani Lie with your legs up the wall, with your feet together and the back of your pelvis supported by a bolster or cushion that allows you to be free from the waist up. Hold your arms two feet away from your body, palms up and breathe calmly though your nose for 5 minutes, focussing on lifting the heart and keeping the jaw, throat and face soft to calm the nervous system.
Focussed Breathing Practise Lay or sit in a fully supported position with eyes closed. Release the jaw, forehead and eyes. Begin counting ‘one’ on the inhalation, ‘one’ on the exhalation. Continue counting the full breath cycle like this up to ten and then start again. If your mind wanders or you lose count, simply start again at one. You can also use this technique if you wake during the night. Sweet Dreams! Charlotte practises as a Nutritional Therapist and Yoga Teacher. BBC Freaky Eaters & GMTV Presenter/ coauthor of 100 Top Recipes for Happy Kids and 100 Foods to Stay Young www.charlottewattshealth.com
ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION Ed is a 35 year old family man who works full time. He was being treated for depression with anti-depressants and had recently just had his daily dosage doubled. Ed had been seeing a psychiatrist for over ten years. Ed was feeling very anxious/depressed when he referred himself to me. He had a secret debt which he had kept from his wife but who had just found out and was furious. Ed having been divorced once before didn’t want to go through being left alone again. He considered the whole situation as hopeless
and had the belief that he was both worthless and useless. As a result he suffered from insomnia and was stressed from his workload at work. Ed’s ex-wife had run-off with their ‘Best Man’. Ed had been very ill with a heart condition when he was born and wasn’t expected to survive. His mother seemed to have detached herself in readiness and neglected her nurturing responsibilities as a mother. Ed had decided as a child that he must be worthless. Ed had two wounds, main wound of being rejection showing up as
READER OFFER Aid sleep with your FREE ‘BREATHING FOR RELAXATION’ AUDIO A downloadable 15 minute guided exercise by Charlotte Watts to help you cultivate a calm approach to life. www.healthysupplies.co.uk and enter the code NHS02 into the search box.
Wellbeing case study panic attacks, the fear of being pushed away. And abandonment showing up as the fear of solitude. First we worked on his emotional state and brought down his anxious feelings to a manageable level using Emotional Freedom Technique. This would put him in a more resourceful state for clear thoughts to take place and could practice at home or when required. Using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), we then looked at Ed’s negative thinking styles and found he had two: “extreme thinking” and “mind reading” and looked at alterna-
tive positive thoughts. CBT is a self hep treatment which focuses on changing how we feel now, a practical form of psychotherapy. It gives people the tools to make changes. Ed began the process of un-learning unhelpful beliefs and learning to catch the negative thoughts as they occurred and after six weeks Ed was FREE from antidepressants, is still happily married, sleeps well and as has more of a work-life balance. Johnathan Brooks, PG Dip, CBT, MNLP, EFT www.spiritbearcoaching.com 01892-525029
Wellbeing 23
THE NEXT COUNTY ...
TARGET LE TOUQUET-PARIS-PLAGE FOR A HOLIDAY WITH A BRITISH ACCENT
Words Nick Hordern & Frances Barnes
“Sarkozy orders holidays at home!” ran the Le Figaro headline, reporting the French President’s current veto of vacations abroad for his political troops. “What hardship!” we thought. From Dover on SeaFrance, we hurried across the Channel to share Elysee Ministerial privations. Of course we’re joking, because no country on earth is more perfect for holiday-making than France.
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e targeted Le Touquet, not only synonymous with tourism but obligingly less than an hour from Calais on the celebrated Cote d’Opale – truly a Next County destination. Coincidentally, it was a former proprietor of Le Figaro, Hippolyte de Villemessant, who was responsible for launching Le Touquet as a resort in 1876. Some place-names put a smile on your face and Le Touquet is one of them, with its enchanting mix of beach, sea, pine forests and its unique atmosphere, at once cosmopolitan and familyfriendly. The very words conjure up an image of 30’s glamour, of stars and Royals like Noel Coward, Marlene Dietrich, Duke of Windsor, Ian Fleming - all
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habitués of the resort and still drawing admiring glances. View them at the 4-star Westminster Hotel & Spa’s Hall of Fame, where signed photos of celebrity guests are as much an attraction as fabulous Art Deco interiors, Michelin-starred restaurants and the famous oak-panelled English Bar. Enjoy a meal in the gastronomic restaurant “Le Pavillon” and its contemporary sister brasserie “Les Cimaises”, under the excellent Chef, William Elliott, a descendant of a Canadian WW1 veteran who stayed put in France. Elliott favours local produce and freshly-caught seafood, including lobster, turbot, sea-bass, and works with local market-gardeners in his eclectic vegetarian dishes. Sole meuniere washed down by a
white Bourgogne Aligote 2009 sent taste-buds orbiting. The “West” is northern France’s greatest luxury hotel, built on the site of a charming wood-built casino, and owes its name to the Duchess of Westminster, who sponsored the military hospital which was housed in the casino in the Great War. Built in 1924 and located in the heart of the most fashionable district of Le Touquet, it is close to the Palais de Congress and the beach, between sea, golf courses and pine forest. The hotel has 115 rooms/suites and is one of the last in a tradition of legendary destinations where service is attentive, discreet and efficient under the inspired stewardship of General Manager, Monsieur Grattepanche. The “West” contributes hugely
Wellbeing travel
Spa treats at the “West”
to the fascinating history of the resort which next year celebrates its official Centenary as a municipality (when it added “Paris-Plage”), its fame soaring exponentially during “The Roaring 20’s.” In fact, Le Touquet has a history well over 100 years. In 1855, Alphonse Daloz planted a pine forest in a desolate coast peopled only by wild animals. Now the La Foret Golf Course (one of three) charts its way through Daloz’ trees, as do families on horseback, hiking or cycling, inhaling the fresh pinescented coastal air. Today, this quintessentially chic resort offers fine hotels as well as affordable gites and B&B’s, starting at less than 50 Euros per night. Golf, polo, swimming, sand yachting, sailing, horse racing, riding, tennis (hosts of Junior Davis Cup), Le Touquet deserves its Title for Paradise for Sports. This January’s Endurospale, a world-class motorcycle and quad bike racing 2-day event, swelled Le Touquet’s less than 6,000 population to over 100,000! Here, For relaxation, too, you are spoiled for choice, with a selection of Thalasso Centres overlooking the sea,
not to mention the ‘West’ Spa, the epitome of glamour. Step into the foyer’s birdcage lift, all wrought-iron and retro (the ladies might expect Cary Grant to be there waiting to whisk them to dinner) and travel down a floor below the Michelin-starred Restaurants and English Bar. The Spa is an ultra-modern creation of cool, natural colours, wood furniture and stone walls; a partnership with therapy specialists Nuxe, who have acclaimed Spas all over France. It features a Sauna and Jacuzzi plus a heated indoor pool decorated with 20s murals. On offer are traditional therapies, as well as such novelty treatments as Ayurvedic and Californian massages and plant reflexology. A “Wellness for Men” programme features special Sports and Swedish massage. Treatment rooms are spacious and uncluttered, and there is even a Double Cabin, where couples can enjoy therapies together. Chromotherapy lights give cool changing colours, while soft soothing music and heated massage tables ensure you float into a relaxed beauty sleep.. ahead of that date with Cary Grant!
CONTACTS SEAFRANCE: (0871 423 7119) www.seafrance.com/booking LE TOUQUET TOURIST OFFICE: (00 33 321 06 72 00) www.letouquet.com (FIGRA, March 23-27, 2011, International Festival of News Reporting)
WELLBEING SPECIAL OFFER ‘Romantic Getaway’ 285 Euros for 2
1 night, glass champagne, 3-course Dinner Brasserie ‘Les Cimaises’, B’fast
‘Golf Break’ 266 Euros for 2
1 night, Green Fees – other packages, meals/Spa – available upon request THE WESTMINSTER HOTEL & SPA: (00 33 321 05 48 48) www.westminster.fr QUOTE ‘WELLBEING’
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Wellbeing products HEALTHY BACK BAG The Health Back Bag is not only specially designed by doctor and chiropractor to contour the natural curve of the spine, but they also come in an array of colours and stylish fabrics including the Eco-friendly Earth bag (pictured) made of recycled PET (PolyEthylene Therephthalate). A polyester
material used for packaging materials, plastic bottles and containers is collected, sorted, and shredded into flakes which can then be heated and remanufactured. Recycled PET has been woven into tough and attractive textiles for the Earth Healthy Back Bags! Small £56, Medium £62 www.thehealthybackbag.co.uk
Tried & tested Wellbeing new products for you and your family...
T SPHERES
T Spheres - tranquility spheres are a new and delightful concept in personal massage.
Pocket sized rubber balls nfused with peppermint-andgrapefruit, or rose geranium aromas natural essential oils T Spheres offers comfort to tierd aching muscles, headaches or simply pleasure, travel or an addition to yogo and relaxation classes. This natural way to relieve pain from the body uses the two most scientifically researched alternative methods for stress relief.
The infusion of aromatherapy essential oils into purified, perfectly weighted organic rubber compound has never been accomplished before, making t spheres the only massage ball with both beneficial attributes. Each set comes with a spray-top reinfuser easy instructions on “how to use” in a travel bag. Available www.relax-uk.com
EAT PRAY LOVE DVD - Out Now If you have been inspired by our real life case studies on pages 16-18 then you will love ‘Eat Pray Love’ launched on DVD last month. Inspired by the book by Elizabeth Gilbert, the film, staring Julia Roberts, chronicals the journey of a married woman struggling to find direction and meaning
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to her life until she leaves her husband and sets off in search of her true identity. She starts her journey in Italy, travels to India and eventually finds meaning and love in Indonesia. A true romantic movie to inspire the soul. www.eatpraylove-movie.net
Wellbeing interview
HELLO LONDON A conversation with Dr John Demartini
Words: Johnathon Martin For the launch issue of Wellbeing Magazine London we wanted to bring you a big name. We wanted someone loved & respected by millions. We wanted to give you a star! So imagine our delight when Johnathan Martin, our new Publisher of the West & Central London edition caught up with Dr John Demartini.
D
r John Demartini has written 40 books, talked in over 60 countries to millions of people and is possibly one of the world’s biggest names in personal development & human behaviour. He travels and talks consistently around the world so a few days before our editorial deadline we were lucky enough to pin him down for a chat and find out his views on the subject of ‘wellbeing’ Q: What is your understanding of the word ‘wellbeing’? I love the word wellbeing. I prefer it to the more common concept of health. It represents WE, not I, WE‘llbeing, not I’llbeing. It represents wholeness, balance & action, not part-ness or reaction. When we place others high up above us or low down
below us they are not where they belong, which is equally centred and whole in our hearts, where the seer, the seeing and the seen are all one. Q: Do you have any specific advice for the modern day, city living person? It’s not so much what happens to you that matters as it is your perception of it. It’s perception that counts. How you see things. The quality of your life is based upon to the quality of the questions you ask. “How is whatever is happening in my life serve me? How can I relate to what’s going on around me in a way that I can live the best life possible?” Stress comes from being unable to adapt to your ever changing environment & when you begin expecting only one-sidedness from life – ups not downs, highs not lows,
light not dark, happy not sad. In reality - life contains both sides. Everything is in balance & meets in the middle, which is LOVE. The wise one’s know there’s always a balance of trade offs. It’s a question of working heartfully with gratitude with what you have & where you are.
are masters of our own health & wellbeing. People have become more self-reliant and less dependent on the magical or not-somagical little yellow pill. To find out more about Dr John Demartini & see his schedule of events please visit www.drdemartini.com
Q: What changes have you noticed recently in people’s attitude towards wellbeing? In the last decade people have started to take a lot more accountability for their own, fulfilment, health & wellbeing. More people have awoken to the fact that to a large degree we
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WHAT’S ON MARCH Thursday 17th March. 7.30-9.30pm. An evening of Numerology with the UK’s No.1 Numerologist, Jane Alton. (As seen on Sky TV). See your life in a whole new way. Places are limited. £10. Refreshments included. A New Leaf, Maidstone. Tuesday 22nd March. Tarot Enhancement Workshop. 7.30-9.30 pm. £15 including refreshments. A New Leaf, Maidstone. Saturday 26th March. 10am-5pm. Introduction to Indian Head Massage with Nic and Steven. Banyan Retreat, Ashford. Saturday 26th March. Mother’s Day Special Pamper Day-choose from express manicure or pedicure, Neals Yard Facial and other treatments. £10 each. 10am-4pm at The Organic Pamper Room, Hythe. Tuesday 29th March. Journey To Alantis evening workshop with David and Carole. 7.30pm-9.30pm. £10. Refreshments included. A New Leaf, Maidstone. Wednesday 30th March. Pamper Day and Evening. 10am-9pm. Choose from a range of spa treatments at £10 plus a
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20 minute Indian Head Massage, Thai Head Massage, Body Massage or Reflexology-all £5/£10. Enjoy some bubbly, organic cupcakes and special one-night only discounts on a range of Neal’s Yard products and Gift Vouchers. Thursday 31st March. An Introduction to Happiness. Workshop to introduce Transactional Analysis. 7.30-9.30pm. £10. Refreshments included. A New Leaf, Maidstone.
APRIL Saturday 2nd April. 10.30am-3.30pm. Crystals and crystal healing. A relaxing and informative workshop. £25. Refreshments included. Certificate of Attendance. A New Leaf, Maidstone. Saturday 2nd April. Mother’s Day Special Pamper Day-choose from express manicure or pedicure, Neals Yard Facial and other treatments. £10 each. 10am-4pm at The Organic Pamper Room, Hythe Tuesday 5th April. Evening of Astrology. 7.309.30pm. £15. Personal astrology chart and refreshments included. A New Leaf, Maidstone.
Wednesday 13th April. An evening of DivinationWater Scrying. 7.30-9.30pm. £15. Refreshments included. A New Leaf, Maidstone. Saturday 16th. The Power of Crystals Workshop. 10am-5pm. £55. Refreshments included. The Alternative Zone, 10 Station Road West, Canterbury. Tel 01227 807 767. Saturday 16th April. Want to be happy? – Jackie Peet explores the keys to personal happiness and identifies possible blocks to happiness we may place on our way. 9.30am-1.30pm. £40. Refreshments included. A New Leaf, Maidstone. Sunday 17th April. One day Tai Chi Qigong Workshop with Steven. 10am-5pm. Banyan Retreat, Ashford. Tuesday 19th April. Angel Cards Workshop. 7.30-9.30pm. £10 including refreshments. ADVANCE BOOKING ESSENTIAL. A New Leaf, Maidstone. Sunday 24th April. Drumming Circle with Echoes of Angels. 7-9pm. Banyan Retreat, Ashford. Saturday 30th April and Sunday 1st May.
Inspiration Of Atlantis. Full weekend workshop to awaken your Atlantean memories and dormant DNA. £151. Refreshments included. NB Bookings close on 23rd April. A New Leaf, Maidstone.
MAY Saturday 7th May. Colour Therapy Workshop. 10am-2pm. £25 including refreshments. A New Leaf, Maidstone. Sunday 8th May. Starts 10am. Retreat Day including Yoga, Meditation, Sophrology and Tai Chi Qigong. Banyan Retreat, Ashford. FULL DETAILS OF ANY OF THE ABOVE EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE FROM EACH VENUE A New Leaf Holistic Therapy Centre. Rear of 2 Church Street, Maidstone ME15 6QJ. Sarah. Telephone 01622 677253 The Organic Pampering Room above Posh Potions. 92 High Street Hythe. Suzanne.Telephone 077954 16818 Banyan Retreat. Lake House, Maidstone Road, Ashford TN26 1AR. Nic. Telephone 01233 714155
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.
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Wellbeing clinics & treatments
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