Like a Phoenix Rising From The Ashes

“They are all so kind and I’m really pleased to say I’ve never bought any leads and I am found by people who want to work with me!

Roll back twelve months and Serena was about to go to sleep, ready for her last day as an employed Mortgage Adviser, having slogged her guts out for 15 months for a small IFA firm based in Clitheroe town centre… They had given her one weeks’ notice and hadn’t even considered offering her Furlough pay.

This was the wake-up call she needed to go selfemployed. It has been a rollercoaster, 12 months later she is still having to claim support but she is working hard to help her clients and is the happiest she has been in years… recently even forfeiting her beloved Pilates to finally secure an offer she has been pushing for weeks for a client and submitting a Full Mortgage Application for a relative who’s been house hunting for ages.

She loves to share her knowledge and give her best tips on her Social Media Sites to ensure you stay on the right side of your Mortgage Lender or to increase your ability to borrow:

• Never miss payments on ANY credit commitments • Understand the risks involved with any credit commitment - How long will this commitment last, are there any penalties if you pay off your commitment early, who is the lender, what interest rate will you be paying, how much will you pay overall?

• Make sure you have the correct insurance in place - It’s a requirement of a Mortgage Offer to have buildings insurance in place • Do you really need that Credit Card? Car on

Finance? The items you just put on said credit card? - Remember you still have to pay off your credit card and chances are you’ll be paying more for the item than it originally cost due to interest • Keep your credit history in good nick - Don’t utilise more than 50% of your Credit Card limit, maintain all your credit commitments, DO NOT take out pay day loans for any reason!

Every day is a busy day now… with a variety of cases to work through at different stages of the home buying process but knowing she is trying her best for her clients certainly makes her proud.

She has had over 70 five star reviews… Serena says

I can honestly say hand on heart I do my absolute best for all my clients and truly get the best feeling helping them I aim to provide the ultimate customer service experience by delivering the highest standards. As your Mortgage and Protection Specialist I will assist you throughout the home buying, moving or re-mortgage process to ensure you receive the right guidance and advice.

I’m always happy to answer questions and offer advice on mortgages and personal insurance. Please don’t hesitate to contact me.”

Serena Smith Mortgage Adviser Cert CII (MP) Mortgage & Protection Specialist E serena@mortgageswithserena.com D www.mortgageswithserena.com N 07480 045007 LFTI

HERBAL REMEDY FOR SHORT-TERM MEMORY

By Nicola Parker MNIMH

Rosemary is one of my favourite herbs. I grow it, I eat it, I put the essential oil in my bath. Yet there was no time in my life that I needed rosemary more than when I was doing my research project at university – on rosemary!

Rosemary has a reputation for assisting with memory and wisdom so I began using the herb to boost my brain power to help me focus while I burned the midnight oil. In the shop beneath my clinic we took on a product called Refreshall, our first herbal medicine tablet that was focused on improving short term memory. It contained rosemary, sage and ginkgo: three of the key herbs that have a traditional history of helping with the brain. With my research project on rosemary and its effect on memory filling up my mind, I decided to try using the Refreshall while exploring the science behind these three herbs, pulling apart the old wives tales to separate fact from fiction. Short term memory is the memory that we use to recall information we have recently learned. This could be names, phone numbers or anything you might need to memorise for a test. If your short term memory is poor, you may wander into rooms and forget why you have entered them or put things down in a ‘safe’ place before swiftly forgetting where that safe place is. Short term memory is also the type of memory that suffers as we age. Before looking to herbs, check your nutrition. The diet should have adequate amounts of protein and omega oils. Protein comes from meat, fish, eggs, pulses and nuts while oils come from regularly eating oily fish, nuts and seeds. If you are worried about someone whose memory is failing ask them what they are eating. If their appetite is low and their diet unvaried, try adding coconut oil and powdered pea protein to simple soups or porridge. These provide an essential nourishment boost of essential oils and proteins, fundamental for proper cognitive function, without asking them to eat larger meals or foods that they may find unappealing. Nutrition can be a potent medicine and as we get older, we become more likely to neglect it. If you still think that herbal medicine may be of some use, the three most talked about herbs, rosemary, sage and ginkgo, in the Refreshall actually came up looking really good when I dug around a bit more in the available research. Research on Sage indicates that it can improve mental performance very quickly, helping with short term memory recall in tests. Sage is an excellent remedy for hot flushes and is now my go to herb for assisting women with brain fog that accompanies menopause. Gingko assists with circulation to the brain. Just like any part of your body, your brain needs nutrients like a building site needs building supplies. Circulation to the brain is key to ensuring the brain is looked after. Look towards ginkgo especially if you suffer with cold hands and feet, indicating poor blood supply to the rest of the body.

Nicola Parker MNIMH

has a herbal medicine clinic located on the picturesque coast Morecambe Bay where she offers face to face and virtual appointments. For more information on the topics she writes about or to book an appointment, contact her clinic on 01524 413733 or via email at helpmebehealthy@gmail.com

Research indicates Rosemary may slow down degeneration of nerves making it ideal for protecting the brain. It works by stimulating nerve growth factor (NGF) which has been shown to have both protective and restorative effects on learning ability and memory. I love the fact that the modern research backs up the traditional uses of these three herbs. Sage is the word used to describe a person of great wisdom. Rosemary is reputed to have been worn by Greek scholars as an aid to memory. It is likely that Ginkgo leaves were originally tested for any memory restoring power because their leaves are shaped just like the human brain. I love this blend of modern research and traditional historic use. Refreshall is made by a British company called lamberts, grounded in scientific thinking. For this I’m glad, because swallowing a Refreshall tablet makes me look much more sensible than wearing a rosemary garland on my head to work each day.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH NICOLA, CONTACT HER CLINIC ON: 01524 413733