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ciren wellbeing Is detoxing really a good idea? Find out how to cleanse your body safely and gently
In this edition: Common herbs to warm winter colds l Pregnancy and post-natal Pilates l Craniosacral therapy for babies l Finding the good in grief l The charm of mobile therapy l Incontinence and acupuncture
Cover picture courtesy of gigbinder.com
The Yoga Q&A Our readers’ biggest questions answered
Spring 2016
Welcome! Welcome to the 2016 Spring edition of Ciren Wellbeing! In this edition, we decide whether or not to detox, take herbs to ward off winter colds, find out how Pilates helps new mums and craniosacral therapy helps new babies, begin to come to terms with grief, discover the charm of mobile therapy, answer your biggest questions about yoga, and learn about the science behind acupuncture and bladder control. We hope you enjoy reading this edition as much as we enjoyed creating it!
What’s inside? 1
The yoga Q&A Our reader’s biggest yoga questions answered
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Should I detox? How to detox safely and gently
3
Winter warmers Common herbs to warm winter colds
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Pregnancy and post-natal Pilates How Pilates supports your body through pregnancy and beyond
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Craniosacral therapy for babies Can craniosacral therapy help babies breastfeed better?
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Good grief An excerpt from Dipti Tait’s new book about losing her mother and dealing with grief
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The charm of being mobile What Min Bullingham enjoys about making home visits
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Let’s talk about wee How acupuncture affects bladder control
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Our contributors Contact details for all the therapists featured in this issue
Sarah & Ri Sarah Attwell-Griffiths, Acupuncturist (Lic Ac, BSc (Hons) Acu, MBAcC) Ri Ferrier, Craniosacral Therapist (BA (Hons), RCST)
Please get in touch We want Ciren Wellbeing to be an enjoyable and useful read, so we would love to know what you want to see in our next quarterly edition. We also welcome your comments on this edition. Please get in touch via email at sarah@ coriniumacupuncture.co.uk or riferrier@waitrose.com.
Are you a local CAM practitioner? We’re already looking for contributors for our next edition. If you are a qualified CAM practitioner serving people in the Cirencester area and would like to submit an article for publication, email sarah@coriniumacupuncture.co.uk.
The yoga Q&A Do I have to be flexible to do yoga? If you are stiff or inflexible, you are the perfect candidate for yoga! Yoga is extremely toning, calming, meditative, spiritual, healing and opening. Flexibility is only one aspect of it. Once you practice yoga for a while, you will naturally gain flexibility along with other benefits. Yoga is suitable for all body types, both men and women. How can yoga benefit me? People use yoga for many reasons, be they spiritual, for a workout or to de-stress. Yoga builds muscle strength, improves flexibility, helps prevent cartilage and joint breakdown, protects your spine, increases blood flow, drains lymph, promotes immunity, helps regulate your adrenals, lowers blood sugar, calms the nervous system, and encourages self-care and a healthy lifestyle. Yoga allows you to focus on connecting with your body and forgetting about the outside world for a moment. What comes from these moments can improve your day-to-day life exponentially.
that is practiced today. Most people practice asana, a part of the Yoga Sutra that is a program of physical postures designed to purify the body and build physical and mental strength and stamina. It also includes calming the mind, alleviating stress and improving circulation. What are the types of yoga?
different
Ashtanga: Synchronizing breathing with a progressive series of set postures, producing intense internal heat and a profuse, purifying sweat. Relatively fast paced. Vinyasa Flow: Smoothly flowing movements. Classes vary quite a bit, but expect Sun Salutations (like in Ashtanga) and a diverse sequence. Bikram Yoga:
Olivia Burgess Certified 200hr Ashtanga Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance UK Olivia has been practicing yoga for over 10 years. Four years ago, she found and fell in love with Ashtanga Vinyasa going on to gain her 200hr Yoga Teaching qualification in 2015. She teaches at Stroud Yoga Space as well as providing one-to-one classes in Gloucestershire. Her classes are suitable for all including beginners.
All Bikram Yoga Beginning Series classes run for 90 minutes and consist of the same series of 26 postures, including two breathing exercises. Ideally practiced in a room heated to 40 째C with 40% humidity.
What is yoga?
practiced individually and held for long periods.
Iyengar Yoga:
The Yoga Sutra was collated about 2,000 years ago. It is a collection of 195 statements, serving as a philosophical guidebook for most of the yoga
Yin / Restorative Yoga:
Created by B. K. S. Iyengar, an alignment-based form of yoga that uses props (belts, blocks, etc.) which aid in performing postures. The postures are
A slow-paced style with poses held for five or more minutes, incorporating restorative postures that are good for de-stressing.
omlabyoga.co.uk info@omlabyoga.co.uk 07890 206476
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Should I detox? As a nutritionist with a nursing and research background, I was sceptical about the reported benefits of detoxification. I had read reports where scientists suggested that detoxes are a waste of time, emphasising that our bodies are able to eliminate toxins themselves. One popular quote is that all is needed is tap water and a good night’s sleep. I don’t entirely agree. While it is true that your body has the capacity to detoxify harmful chemicals, there are reasons why additional support may be needed to enhance your detoxification system: We are increasingly exposed to toxins, which can accumulate in fatty tissue. Researchers now link some environmental chemicals to health problems including obesity and type 2 diabetes. From time-to-time we all eat and drink more than usual, which creates an additional toxic burden. Not all of us have fully functioning detoxification systems. Some people have slight genetic variations which can make it harder for them to detoxify. If we’re not having a tip top diet, we can sometimes miss vitamins and minerals that our detoxification mechanisms need. 2
Thankfully, there is a lot you can do to support your body to detoxify naturally. Having seen clients make impressive recoveries following a detox, I am increasingly convinced that an occasional detox can bring about life-changing health benefits for some – but how do you choose a safe and effective cleanse? A gentle way to cleanse is simply to avoid and increase certain key foods for 5-7 days, and include juicing. I am a great fan of vegetable smoothies, which retain beneficial fibre. If you have health problems, talk to a health professional before embarking on a cleanse. AVOID: Refined carbohydrates (pastries/biscuits/white bread/ pasta/white rice), red and processed meat, sugar, alcohol. INCREASE: Fresh vegetables and fruit (colourful fruit and veg include the most beneficial plant chemicals), whole-food grains (quinoa, lentils, aduki/red kidney beans, etc.), healthy oils (avocados/cold-pressed olive oil/nuts and seeds), water (1.5-2 litres daily). JUICE: Have 1-2 juices daily. Combine the following ingredients in a juicer and drink immediately: 1 handful kale, 1/2 handful spinach, 1/4 cucumber, 1 apple, 1cm ginger root, fresh mint to taste, 1 tsp organic spirulina.
Helen Cooke
(MA, BSc, mBANT)
Nutritionist
Helen has worked in nutrition and integrative health for 25 years and takes an evidencebased approach to her work. She works alongside you as a ‘health detective’ to find the root cause of your illness. As a ‘foodie’ herself, she aims to equip and inspire you to make the necessary changes to your diet, always ensuring they are both nutritious and delicious. thesoulfoodcompany.org.uk helen@thesoulfoodcompany. org.uk 07905 383203 Contact Helen Cooke for information about how to conduct a safe cleanse or for advice about a cleanse programme that is personally tailored to your health needs (e.g. hormonal imbalance or stubborn weight problems).
Winter warmers Many of us are fighting off a second cold of the winter, or struggling with a persistent cough. Children are snuffly and pale. We know that unless there’s a bacterial infection the doctor is right not to prescribe antibiotics. How best to deal with these winter problems? Home remedies are effective and reassuring; it may be easier to reach for over-the-counter medicines which damp down symptoms but better to allow natural healing to take place with the encouragement of common medicinal plants, such as lemons, ginger and peppercorns.
winter aromatic spices: pepper, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and cardamom are strongly antiseptic. Add a slice of fresh peeled ginger to a cup of any herbal tea to enjoy its benefits. If you don’t fancy winter spices as a drink on their own, use them as mulling spices in wine, cider or fruit juice. Children may like warm apple juice with cloves and cinnamon.
Caroline Sheldrick (MNIMH)
Medical Herbalist
The coneflower, Echinacea Caroline works in clinics purpurea, promotes the in Cirencester, Swindon, production of white blood cells Nailsworth and Stroud. so helps fight infections. Buy the best you can afford in tincture carolinesheldrickmedical herbalist.co.uk or fluid extract form, and if you have a bad cold or cough take cjsheldrick@gmail.com Lemon and honey makes a up to 10mL twice a day, along good drink for colds: lemon 01453 884 092 with 1g of vitamin C. A dose of is a cooling diuretic, lowering 5mL a day will help ward off temperature and helping the infections, and keeps many a A productive cough – one which body eliminate toxins. Dilute nurse and infant teacher free of brings stuff up – should be the juice of a lemon with 500mL colds all winter. Other encouraged during the Don’t be in a water with honey to taste, and herbs useful in colds day with expectorants rush to go back drink it freely. The flowers of are Elderflowers and (cough it up and dispose to work after a the European Lime tree (not the Mint which are easy to of it), and calmed down viral illness citrus fruit tree), Tilia europea, obtain as tea bags. Sage at night so you can make a pleasant hot drink which (Salvia officinalis) is sleep. If you have a dry cough A spicy tea even children enjoy. highly antimicrobial which persists for weeks, do see It will help relieve with cinnamon, and makes an effective a doctor or qualified medical ginger, symptoms of colds, gargle for sore throats, herbalist. cloves and flu and coughs, and especially the ones cardamom will encourage sleep. Viruses will remain dormant in which herald a chest stop a winter the body and start multiplying infection. Use fresh A spicy tea made cold in its again when our immune systems (2tsp/cup) or dried with cinnamon, tracks. weaken. Don’t be in a rush to go (½tsp/cup) leaves to ginger, cloves and back to work or school after a cardamom will stop a winter make a tea, strain it and gargle. viral illness; take at least a long cold in its tracks. Most of the Try not to swallow, its strong. weekend to rest and recover; eat, drink and sleep well. 3
Pregnancy and post-natal Pilates Just because you are pregnant shouldn’t mean that you have to give up exercise. The very nature of Pilates lends itself as an ideal exercise regime as long as the moves are modified and tailored to the needs of pregnancy. What is more, it can be an ideal opportunity to get to know other mums-to-be.
leasing stretches, aches and pains common in the lower back and shoulders can be eased, making everyday activities feel more comfortable.
The post-natal period can be emotionally and physically demanding. The most common issues for new mums are weak pelvic floor muscles and lower The Royal College of Obstetrics back aches and pains. Followand Gynaecology (2006) lists a ing months of pregnancy the abhost of benefits to be dominals are weak and gained from exercise Many Pilates stretched, which causes during pregnancy in- principles are a lack of stability for cluding “preparation for the back. Redressing specifically labour and assistance beneficial to the imbalances caused in post-natal recovery”. the demands by pregnancy, strengthMany Pilates principles of pregnancy ening the pelvic floor are specifically benefiand other deep core cial to the demands of pregnancy, muscles and re-educating muscle to preparing for the birth, and in pattern movements, is precisely aiding post-natal recovery. what the post-natal Pilates classes are all about. Pilates during pregnancy focuses on strengthening the core; a Being able to bring your baby trained pelvic floor can to the class enables cope better with labour you to enjoy the PiThe most and stretch more readi- common issues lates session alongside ly, minimizing the risk for new mums other new mums in a of tears or trauma. As relaxed environment. are weak pregnancy progresses What’s more, being unpelvic floor an increase in size and muscles, and der the care of a qualiweight puts pressure fied post-natal Pilates lower back on the spine and hips, instructor who underaches and and the lower spine in stands your needs will pains particular. By using ensure you get back to gentle spinal and pelvic full pre-pregnancy fitness safely mobility exercises along with re- and effectively. 4
Elizabeth Williams (BA Hons)
Pilates Instructor Elizabeth trained at the Pilates Institute London in 2004 and is an insured Pilates Instructor with a level 3 Diploma in Pilates Mat Work and Pre and Post-Natal Exercise Programming. She teaches ante/post-natal Pilates, general Pilates, and 1 to 1 sessions in the Stroud area. Elizabeth has 17 years’ experience in sports/fitness and holds a Sports Science degree. On graduating, she joined Champneys and became the Fitness Manager at the UK’s largest Spa, Champneys Springs. It was there that she started teaching studio classes. After having 2 children, she decided to continue teaching as a freelance instructor and has been specialising in Pilates for 12 years, and more recently in ante/post-natal Pilates. pilatesinstroud.com elizabeth@pilatesinstroud. com 07732 697991
Craniosacral therapy for babies Treating young babies and their mothers is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding experiences for craniosacral therapists. Young infants tend to respond very quickly and effectively to treatment and parents often bring along babies for treatment, suffering from colic, sleeping trouble and digestive problems. Being born is most definitely one of the biggest events of our lives – on a spiritual, emotional and physical level. Indeed many adults still hold trauma in their bodies from their own birth into the world (which can still be cleared at any age) but what I want to address here is the impact of birth on a new-born baby. How birth can impact on breastfeeding The compressive forces experienced during birth as a result of the passage through the pelvis and the tight fit in the birth canal can cause imbalance in a baby’s system, even in natural and apparently problem-free births. Certain situations (such as a fast birth, a caesarean, forceps) can also result in undue pressure placed upon the cranial nerves, particularly those that control the mouth, which in turn may impact on breastfeeding success. The three nerves of the cranium that affect breastfeeding are the
glossopharyngeal nerve (which controls the muscles of the pharynx), the vagus nerve (which controls the muscles of the soft palate), and the hypoglossal nerve (which controls the tongue muscle). Compression of any or all of these nerves can cause dysfunctional nursing (Hewitt 1999). Craniosacral Therapy offers a promising approach to solving difficult breastfeeding problems. It helps bring mothers and babies closer to the loving relationship that breastfeeding can be. What to expect in a session Listening to the mother’s story is the first important step in a therapeutic relationship. The types of questions that a craniosacral therapist may ask include: How was the pregnancy for you? How was the birth? How were the first few days with your new baby (awareness, ability to settle, suckling)? How are you all sleeping? What kind of support are you all having? Are there any concerns you have about parenting or about your child? How often does the baby feed? Do you notice a difference in the baby depending on your moods, diet etc.? Do you notice a pattern to your child’s discomfort (time of day, after meals, before meals)?
Ri Ferrier
(BA Hons, RCST)
Craniosacral Therapist Ri trained with Resonance Training and is accredited by the Craniosacral Therapy Association. She has also trained in the Beauty Way Native American Medicine path with Arwyn DreamWalker for the last 12 years. Ri offers sessions from Cotswold Academy in Cirencester. riferrier.co.uk riferrier@waitrose.com 07970 555348 Treatment is performed with babies fully clothed and usually treated on their mother or father’s lap. However treatment can still take place during breastfeeding, whilst being cradled or during sleep. It may require several sessions to notice an improvement, although most babies improve with one session. Contact Ri Ferrier to discuss any worries you have with your baby or pregnancy. 5
Good grief Death connects and surrounds us. It doesn’t matter who we are, what we do, where we come from, or how old we are, we are not immune to death and the loss it brings. Each of these ‘endings’ generates a label we call ‘grief’. However, grief is not just something that you go through when somebody dies: there are many other experiences that trigger grief. You may have to come to terms with a lifechanging health issue, or leave something or someone behind. It is not only loss that can bring about feelings of grief. Any change to a routine and way of life can do this. In her new book, Good Grief, Dipti Tait describes how she learned to surf the waves of grief rather than drown in sorrow. Good Grief will be available from March.
Saying goodbye mother
to
my
The night-nurse gently shook me awake and softly said, ‘It’s time.’ I nodded, slightly groggily, allowing the enormity of those two little words to sink in. I took a deep breath in and sat up, my eyes adjusting to the dimly lit room. The room was a familiar one: it was my mother’s bedroom. The one she had slept in since I
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was five years old. She had slept alone for the past 15 years, my mum was widowed – she had lost her husband, my darling dad to cancer. I had also been there with him as he passed away, which made me feel like quite the expert at saying good bye to a parent, but in this case, past experience doesn’t seem to be much comfort. I walked over to my mother’s bed on the other side of the room and looked down at her tiny sleeping frame. She was breathing, gently, but very deeply. Her breathing had changed ever so slightly from when I kissed her goodnight several hours before. I felt very contemplative as I thought about letting my mother go. I also thought about myself as a daughter. In a few moments, I would also have to let go of the idea that I am a daughter. My thoughts were gently brought back into the present moment by Comfort, which unbelievably, yet ironically was the name of the Marie Curie nurse who stood by my side. She held my hand and gave it a reassuring stroke and asked if I was ‘ready’. I paused for a moment deliberating this interesting choice of word. I decided it was a good word. If she had asked me if I was ‘fine’ or ‘alright’, this would have been odd, but for me to prepare for what was about to happen, of course I had to be ‘ready’.
Dipti Tait
(DHP, HPD, MNCH reg, CNHC)
Clinical SolutionFocused Hypnotherapist
Hypnotherapist, mother of two and author of ‘Good Grief’, Dipti owns The Cotswold Practice in Cirencester. She is also a hypnotherapy lecturer at The Clifton Practice in Bristol, a centre of excellence for Solution Focused Hypnotherapy Training. thecotswoldpractice.com 07818 050999
The charm of being mobile Min talks about what she enjoys about making home visits. The initial door step greeting is the most influential part for me as a Mobile Therapist. It begins with a friendly hello, warm smile or outstretched hand. I can then begin to admire the framed photos of children, chat about furniture or befriend the family dog. This enables me to quickly build the trust and rapport between myself and client ensuring a successful treatment ahead. Subtle enquiries, genuine interest in their lives and the establishment of common ground all reflect the genuine care that goes into my client visits. A true welcome is offered and it honours me to accept it. I believe the mobile service appeals most to those that work throughout the day or struggle to take time away from home, either because they can’t drive or have young children. Some feel more comfortable within their environments also and I have a wide range of clients from all walks of life. The flexibility in being mobile in this way enables me to pop by during baby’s nap time or arrive in an evening after the long business day. For some clients, treatments are purely to seek relief from aches and pains or the day’s stresses. If the case, once on my couch, I
can begin to negotiate knots and tension areas with my learned skills and techniques, knowledge and intuitive care. Most people seek improvement in some way, whether that’s a freer neck or back, progress made with an ongoing problem or some subconscious need. Some just require the gentle encouragement to appropriate actions for better lifestyle or to see the steps of opportunity ahead clearly. Some people simply require the confidence to make change and to feel worthy of doing so. As well as the obvious physical benefits to the treatments I provide, I have developed a heightened awareness of the human need to feel cared for and listened to. People wish to say that their ‘neck aches’ and their ‘back cramps up’. They want to tell you how hard it is raising a baby or that they’ve recently suffered bereavement. People wish to speak and to be heard. I do that. And I care. This is when the true meaning of holistic care comes in, as all of the varying factors come into play. This is where I step in with my smile, my trolley and my massage couch. Every client I visit will require something different from the last whether it’s a massage and a listening ear, soothing Reiki or help with a recent injury.
Min Bullingham
Mobile Massage Therapist and Reiki Practitioner
Min provides Swedish, deep tissue, pregnancy and Indian head massage, and Reiki therapy in and around Cirencester. Min achieved a Distinction in Level 3 Holistic Swedish Massage and is a qualified Reiki Practitioner. Her training is ITEC accredited and she is insured and registered with the Federation of Holistic Therapists. simplymobileholistictherapy. co.uk simplytherapies@gmail.com 07760 355267 I love what I do and I embrace the satisfaction in making a difference in the lives of people. I cherish the expression of heartfelt gratitude, words of thanks…even the friends made! I like to think I remind people to practice self-loving care. To see value in their lives and bodies. They say home is where the heart is. Perhaps it’s from the heart that we can be healed. 7
Let’s talk about wee There are some symptoms that many of us have and few of us talk about. With around a third of UK women experiencing symptoms of urinary incontinence in a given month (1), bladder control is a problem for more people than we realise. We asked local acupuncturists, Sarah AttwellGriffiths, whether acupuncture is a viable treatment option. Is there scientific evidence that acupuncture can help incontinence? Yes. I often see two types of incontinence in my clinic: over-active bladder syndrome (where you feel like you need to go urgently and often) and stress incontinence (where urine leaks out when abdominal pressure increases suddenly, e.g. when you cough or jump). Scientific studies provide good evidence that acupuncture is effective for over-active bladder syndrome. Animal studies have shown that acupuncture relaxes smooth muscle and so increases bladder capacity, and decreases a chemical in the brain (called c-Fos) that causes stress incontinence in rats (2). Who typically comes to see you with these symptoms? There doesn’t seem to be a ‘typical’ person. I find that symptoms affect both genders at all ages, including bedwetting teenagers, women after 8
pregnancy, men who have had prostate surgery, people in mid-life with other conditions that affect bladder function like multiple sclerosis, and even an athlete who found that a punishing training regime affected his bladder. What advice would you give people with urinary incontinence? The advice I give is informed by each person’s particular Chinese medical diagnosis. Many different things can affect bladder control, so what is good for someone whose symptoms are worse in cold weather (e.g. putting a hot water bottle on their lower abdomen) may be bad for someone who has a burning sensation when going to the toilet. Would you use Chinese therapies from acupuncture?
other apart
Again, it depends on the diagnosis and each person’s treatment will be tailor made specifically for them. For some, I may warm acupuncture points using a herb called moxa. For others, I might prescribe a specialist (organic!) tea from China, or suggest that they see a Chinese Herbalist and take herbs alongside acupuncture treatment. I may use Chinese dietary therapy and suggest what to eat, what to avoid, when to eat and how to prepare their food.
Sarah Attwell-Griffiths (Lic Ac, BSc Hons Acu, MBAcC)
Acupuncturist
Sarah holds a First Class BSc Hons degree in acupuncture and British Acupuncture Council membership. She offers daytime, evening and weekend appointments, online bookings and card payment facilities. coriniumacupuncture.co.uk sarah@coriniumacupuncture. co.uk 07825 360621 I may also prescribe certain Qi Gong exercises to practise at home.
(1) Best Treatments, Clinical Evidence for Patients from the BMJ. http:// www.besttreatments.co.uk/btuk/ conditions/1000143440.html#ref1 (Accessed 10.10.2006) (2) Urinary Incontinence Factsheet from the British Acupuncture Council. http:// www.acupuncture.org.uk/a-to-z-ofconditions/a-to-z-of-conditions/urinaryincontinence.html
Our contributors Acupuncture
Medical herbalism
Sarah Attwell-Griffiths
Caroline Sheldrick
Craniosacral therapy
Nutrition
Ri Ferrier
Helen Cooke
Hypnotherapy
Pilates
Dipti Tait
Elizabeth Williams
Massage and Reiki
Yoga
Min Bullingham
Olivia Burgess
coriniumacupuncture.co.uk sarah@coriniumacupuncture.co.uk 07825 360621
riferrier.co.uk riferrier@waitrose.com 07970 555348
thecotswoldpractice.com 07818 050999
simplymobileholistictherapy.co.uk simplytherapies@gmail.com 07760 355267
carolinesheldrickmedicalherbalist.co.uk cjsheldrick@gmail.com 01453 884092
thesoulfoodcompany.org.uk helen@ thesoulfoodcompany.org.uk 07905 383203
pilatesinstroud.com elizabeth@pilatesinstroud.com 07732 697991
omlabyoga.co.uk info@omlabyoga.co.uk 07890 206476
Are you a local CAM practitioner? If you are a qualified CAM practitioner serving people in or near Cirencester and would like to submit an article for publication, email Sarah at sarah@coriniumacupuncture.co.uk.
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