Health & Wellbeing

Health & Wellbeing All the healing effects of water

Wallace Nichols, the author of Blue Mind, asks us to consider what is our ‘go to’ water? Surprisingly, everyone can answer this. It might be the pond in your garden, the seaside, the open ocean, a favourite waterfall or a walk beside your local river. Wherever it is, we have a deep-rooted psychological connection with water. It is the single biggest feature of our planet, and our bodies, and is the essence of life itself. Being beside it has profound effects on our mood and sense of well-being. Water fires our imagination with its changeability, the mystery of what lies beneath and its colours and motion; all of which calm or excite us. When I first moved to Dorset, I missed the wide-open spaces and granite peaks of Dartmoor that had been my home for so long. Most of all, I missed the rivers that would race and tumble amid the boulders, sometimes with just a gentle murmur and at other times, in crashing, dramatic torrents of noise. I loved the different melodies that would accompany me along the many mossy watercourses. These were the soundscapes that denoted the place and its ambience. But over the years in the Vale, I have also come to love the River Stour. At first I found her deep, meandering silence disconcerting as she soundlessly wandered through the Dorset countryside. But now, I have come to know her moods, and in winter I watch in awe as her floodwaters creep up and over her banks until they make vast lakes that reflect the light and change the landscape in a matter of hours. On this watery day, however, I have veered away from her side to follow one of her many tributaries. Through a narrow, deep wooded, hidden valley, the Darknoll Brook twists and turns. It is a quaint and secretive burbling watercourse, sunken and dark in today’s stormy weather. Pleased with my discovery, I look for a place to sit for a while and find the perfect spot beside a cloud of gleaming snowdrops, newly opened and pristine. From here, I watch the steady raindrops create hypnotic, concentric circles on the surface of the stream as I listen to the approaching singular song of a kingfisher downstream. Despite these difficult days, a moment of calm and peace washes over me like the babbling water music over the sandstone. All is well. Dr Susie Curtin curtin.susanna@gmail.com Nature writer and qualitative researcher rewildingjourneys.com 46

David Stanton IAC ICPT ISOCS ISSUP

Senior Psychotherapist/Counsellor. Trainer and Mental Health Consultant.

Individual and Group face to face sessions; also via video on WhatsApp, Skype, Messenger and Zoom.

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Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, Self Esteem, Relationship problems, Family Dynamics, Bereavement, Eating Disorders, Substance/Alcohol Abuse, Addictions. Isolation, Loneliness, PTSD, Bi-Polar, OCD, Sexual/Physical Abuse, Self Harming, Death Anxiety, Sex Issues. Lack of Meaning & Purpose, Anger, Phobias, Gender, Sexuality, Social Justice. Conflict Resolution. Crisis Management.

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Please contact through the websites www.tatvacenter.com www.edas-addictionservices.com Or telephone - David 07 584 711 488.

Health & Wellbeing Pep up your brain cells with cayenne

We are now in the middle of our detox regime with three of us doing it seriously – me, my husband and a friend of my husband who is living with us. My husband and friend spend a lot of time telling me what date it is and how many days they have been ‘dry’ for. I suspect that there has been the odd bacon butty and cup of coffee that has sneaked in on the way to work, but they have both been good – on the whole. As a result, they are sleeping better, look about 10 years younger, have lost weight and are feeling perky; my husband leaping out of bed in the morning making a great amount of noise, much to the annoyance of the rest of the household. There have been many concoctions that we have had to take and much to their surprise, some have been delicious. Making all these concoctions, particularly a liver detox for three, takes a lot of time and is a very messy business and makes me very bad tempered. So our friend said he would make the next batch. He was intrigued that I use cayenne pepper tincture and was about to pour a liberal amount into the mix when luckily I stopped him. There can definitely be too much of a good thing and too much cayenne will see explosions from both ends. Cayenne, however, remains one of my lecturer’s favourite herbs. Energetically it is very warming, (wonderful in winter) and promotes sweating. It gets the system moving by stimulating the heart, dilating blood vessels and pushing heat out to the peripheral body. This action is good for the brain which can help with concentration and memory and its antioxidant and rejuvenating properties could help ward off senile dementia. It clears toxins from the gut and removes stagnant food waste which helps to relieve wind and indigestion. For us with our liver detox, it reduces the liver’s production of cholesterol whilst promoting the production of digestive fluids that help protect the gut. It is reputedly, a wonderful decongestant as it thins and clears catarrh and has been used for emphysema. It is also supposed to prevent cellular damage in the lungs. It has antibacterial properties so is good to take at the onset of a cold. You can also use it topically in ‘trauma oil’ as it will bring blood to the surface of the skin, which promotes healing.

Fiona Chapman is studying naturopathy and herbal medicine at the College of Naturopathic Medicine A walk around... with retired Dorset rights of way officer Chris Slade

FIFEHEAD MAGDALEN

Park near the church, which is at the upper, eastern, end of the village near the manor. Visit the church if it’s open, then walk south down the road for a quarter of a mile as far as a left hand bend. You carry on south along a footpath across meadows until you meet the parish boundary, the bendy river Stour. Here you join another footpath that takes you back up to the road about a furlong west of your car. That path can get a bit muddy at times so it might be wise to wear wellies if there’s been rain recently. Turn left and head west along the road through the village down Fifehead Hill until the road turns left. Join a footpath that takes you west across a couple of fields then join a path that takes you south to re-join the road near Factory Farm. Turn left and head north east along the road for a mile or so until you’re back at the car. You’ll have walked about four miles. If you have time, you might like to walk a furlong north up the road past the village hall and, on your left, enter and explore the 50 acre wood owned by the Woodland Trust. It is an important site for nature conservation and has bats, birds and butterflies as well as broadleaved trees and flowers. It’s a very popular walking spot for the local villagers. Halfway through the wood, you could join a footpath that takes you south to join the road near Manor Farm which will take you up Fifehead Hill and back to your car. If you’re into geocaching, a popular pastime, you’ll find an easy one, a ‘Church Micro’ not far from the church.

Health & Wellbeing Always space for coffee with a friend

Whilst I cannot claim to have written this story and you may well have read it before, I hope you’ll agree it is always worth re-visiting. The immediate and the urgent are not necessarily the most important. What may seem life changing today could well be forgotten tomorrow. We all need to check in with our priorities now and then. I hope you enjoy this story. Wisdom from a Mayonnaise Jar A philosophy professor stood before his class, picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks. He asked the students if the jar was full and they agreed it was. The professor then poured a box of pebbles into the jar and shook it lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor poured a box of sand into the jar, which filled up the gaps between the pebbles. He again asked the students if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous ‘yes’. The professor then poured two cups of coffee into the jar which were soaked up by the sand. The students laughed. ‘Now’, said the professor, “I want you to recognise that this is your life. The rocks are the important things your partner, your children, your family, your health, food and water. The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your education, job, house and your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff like television, toys, sports, hobbies. If you put the sand into the jar first, there’s no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your energy and time on the small stuff, you’ll never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Take care of the rocks first –the things that really matter. Set your priorities The rest is just sand.’ One student raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. ‘I’m glad you asked. “It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for coffee with a friend.’

Alice Johnsen is a life coach based just outside Sherborne. 07961 080513 alicejohnsen.co.uk

Six things you can do daily to help cope with wobbliness

Our newest columnist is psychotherapist David Stanton, who lives near Sherborne.

A reader wrote in with this question, as they, like many others, were feeling ‘wobbly’. They wrote: ‘What three daily exercises would David Stanton recommend for keeping our minds clear, calm and in good working order?’ Never ones to short-change our readers, here are David’s six top tips: 1. A daily walk; in whatever the weather! On the walk be observant and especially mindful of nature - birds, animals, trees, flowers, plants; also people, places and things. Achieving a daily walk will boost your self esteem and confidence; plus it will ground you. 2. Talk to a friend you trust and who is sensitive and compassionate. Tell them gently you don’t necessarily need advice; you just need them to listen to how you’re feeling. You’ll off-load your anxiety; they’ll feel good for helping you. It’s a win-win situation! 3. Observe HALT! Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired. If you’re feeling ‘wobbly’ think whether you’re feeling one or more of the above? If so, take action to remedy it. Don’t dwell in self pity; be pro-active in self care. 4. Do a gentle work out; then do a guided meditation (found on the internet) or do your own version if already a practitioner. Stretch your limbs and be mindful of controlling your breathing - maintain deep regular breaths, in through the nose; out through the mouth then sit or lie quietly and still, relax your body and meditate. This will calm you down and reduce the fear/anxiety/wobbliness! 5. Get creative! If you’re feeling ‘wobbly’ process what about - then express it in fun/interesting ways! Paint, draw, cook, sculpt, build, sing, dance, etc. Use any or all of these. Music is a wonderful distraction. Choose something that gives you nice memories, or that’s up-beat! Use your sense of humour creatively - I had a client who made a lifesize replica of her husband out of pots, pans and kitchen utensils! The photo still makes her chuckle! 6. Practice gratitude and acceptance. Give yourself a big pat on the back for surviving these weird times so far. Write down every good character/personality trait you have. Make yourself look attractive and desirable. Spoil yourself. Give to others – a phone call, kind word, compliment or small (maybe homemade) gift. This will take your mind off your worries and lift your mood – it’ll also help others. Remember, we’re all in this together.

If you have a question on mental health you’d like David to address, email newsdesk@ blackmorevale.net or contact him direct: David Stanton IAC ICPT BACP FDAP ISOCCS ISSUP. Senior psychotherapist, mental health supervisor, trainer and consultant. tatvacenter.com edas-addictionservices.com 07584 711488

Health & Wellbeing Jazz hands at the ready for a fun way to slim!

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Health & Wellbeing Treat your brain to some vitamin N

By Rachel Woods MSc Rachel is a coach, speaker and researcher of modern humans in nature.

. I know, it’s winter. Spending time outside might be the last thing on your mind. It can be wet, windy and yep, downright cold. But do you know what your brain is missing when you choose to stay indoors all day? Apart from an excuse to get yourself some new wellies, spending just a few minutes a day in a natural environment is great for your health. It can lower your blood pressure. Among other things. You can find colour and texture when you look for it. Focusing on the plants and trees in your environment helps your brain and lifts the spirits. All sounds a bit woo? Here’s a snippet of the science. In 2016 a group of Japanese scientists took 732 people into a woodland area for a 20 minute ‘nature immersion’. In short, wandering about in the woods. They discovered a significant reduction in blood pressure across the group, compared to a group in an urban setting. They also found an increase in the brainwaves associated with creative thinking and a reported sense of improved wellbeing and energy levels without exception. There are more studies around the world confirming these findings. Improved outcomes for surgical recovery, shorter stays in hospitals and better exam results for students studying in rooms with plants. Another demonstrates an increase in the ability to focus, even in children with ADHD. Not so woo. There are studies into something called ‘phytoncides’. Substances released by trees that appear to have a positive effect on our immune system and have the power to reduce oxidative stress. I’m told this is a very good thing. Here in the South-West, we’re lucky. Many of us have easy access to green spaces. If you struggle to get out, spending a few minutes looking through an open window to breathe fresh air and watch the clouds or notice pigeons going about their business, can help a little. In our history, 1% of our time as homo sapiens has been spent ‘urban living’. That’s 3,000 years out of around 300,000. The rest, we spent foraging and hunting. We function now in a digital, urbanised world with a brain (our operating system), that was designed to seek food, water and shelter and to keep us safe from sabre-tooth tigers. For 297,000 years, our base needs were met through natural resources. No wonder our brains respond positively to nature. We are made from the same stuff, whatever you believe about creation, we are of this world. It helps to understand this and find the things that satisfy our wiring. The nature around us is connected in ways we are only just beginning to understand. Our connection to it, is just as enigmatic. There are oodles of discoveries for science to make still. For now and for us… Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. Albert Einstein To begin with, we can all do more to appreciate and notice what’s there. See it, feel it. Get outside. If you can, get muddy, get wet, get cold for a bit. Be safe of course, but don’t shy away from temporary cold, damp discomfort. Your brain will thank you for it.

Make your own...

By Victoria Brunton of Naturally Kunewyk

This week I’m making a move away from natural cosmetics to a sustainable living tip. Beeswax wraps are the most fabulous alternative to cling film. A whopping 745,000 miles of cling film is used in Britain – a year! Enough to go around the earth 30 times. I don’t even want to Google how much the whole planet uses. So why beeswax wraps? They are re-usable and cut plastic pollution. Personally, I baulked at the cost of them a couple of years ago so I decided to make my own. Sticky to make, so you need a little bit of patience and best to keep children away while making these as the wax and resin are very hot.

You will need: 2½ tbsp beeswax pellets Heaped tbsp pine resin 1 tbsp jojoba oil Cotton fabric (washed) Paintbrush

Melt the beeswax, pine resin and jojoba in a glass bowl over a double boiler or microwave until fully melted. Lay out your fabric onto parchment paper, on a baking tray. Brush the liquid wax onto the fabric. Not too thick as it will clump. Once the fabric is covered, place the tray with the fabric in the oven for several minutes at 100C. Keep watching it until the wax is fully soaked through into the reverse. Remove from the oven, brush out any excess wax and then using a washing line, hang the fabric with pegs to dry. It only takes a couple of minutes to dry and there you have your finished beeswax wraps. This recipe gave me enough to cover a 26x10 inch piece of fabric. You can cut your fabric to your required sizes beforehand or after (For an added touch, use the zig zag finish from pinking shears). After each use, the wrap can be washed, dried and re-used. They can last up to a year each and then pop it in the composter!