Channel Islands Edition
No.16
October/November/December 2017 Happy | Healthy | Inspired
The colour of the leaves in Autumn would be nothing without the feeling that accompanies it.
FEATURING
Loving Yourself Inside and Out Bees: a Barometer for Humanity Depression and Sugar Smartphones and WiFi: the Smoking of the 1950s
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
Lymphatic Cleanse – Love Your Lymph Catching a Cold is More of a Choice Than You Think! Training: Why the Pros Always Outweigh the Cons A Night in the Life of an Insomniac £3.00 Where sold
www.wellbeingworld.je
WellBeingWorld
WELCOME
Welcome WORDS: Beverley Le Cuirot, Founder and Editor
Welcome to our ‘Resilience’ edition. Resilience is rooted in a tenacity of spirit, a determination to embrace all that makes life worth living. It is the ability to handle adversity in such a way that whatever we are faced with, we come through it unharmed or even expanded by the experience. In this edition, our Expert Contributors examine the respective aspects of resilience in their own fields of interest, be this mind, body, work or planet – and share their hints and tips to help us face life’s challenges – whatever these may be – with courage and patience. When we have a clear sense of identity and purpose, we are more resilient, because we can hold fast to our vision of a better future. This also includes change – and there is a lot of that on the horizon. A lot is positively driven by the entrepreneurs in our community, and it is a great honour to introduce several of those in this edition; one such example being The Green Laundry Room, Jersey’s first (and so far, only) eco-friendly, professional laundry service. Gone are the days of the chemical smells of dry cleaned shirts and business suits, here is the dawning of a fresh new green day. And, staying with Resilience of the Planet and our Environment, we have discovered a new charity which redefines ‘Millionaire’ as a person who has made a positive impact on a million people; an environmental scientist and entrepreneur in Australia who has created a movement to raise the awareness of the harm done to all living things by EMFs (Electro Magnetic Fields); and, a company working hard to help us alleviate this risk.
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We also have a new fitness experience in town; and a new ‘Wellbeing Supermarket’ – both launching, very soon! Change is most definitely just around the corner … So much packed into this edition, bringing you the very best in all things health and wellness in Mind, Body, Fitness, Food, Family, Work, and Life generally. We also have our new Insight category, which expands with every edition as we reach far and wide to bring you the latest in thought leadership from around this wonderful world of wellbeing. Thank you, to all of our readers, for your amazing feedback, it makes our lives complete. Until next time, healthy regards,
Beverley beverley@wellbeingworld.je
Image courtesy of Green Laundry Room 3
CONTENTS
Contents
Building Resilience: Your Response Determines the Outcome
FEATURES
Loving Yourself Inside and Out Building Resilience: Your Response Determines the Outcome You Can’t Pour from an Empty Cup Channel Island Restaurants Listed in Good Food Guide Friendship is Vital. And it has No Best Before Date
PLANET
Laundry, Redefined. A Greener Future The New Definition of Millionaire Bees: a Barometer for Humanity
WHAT’S NEW
Change is Just Around the Corner ... Striking a Healthy Balance The Reducetarian Movement
WORK
A Healthy Employer is a Safe Employee Spotting the Signs – 10 Habits of Concealed Depression Mindfulness for Entrepreneurs The Future of Work
BODY
Turmeric – The Inflammatory Fighting Food Why Do You Need Life Therapy? Lymphatic Cleanse – Love Your Lymph Core Strength Will Help You Bounce Back How Acupuncture Can Help Your Back Pain
FITNESS
Training: Why the Pros Always Outweigh the Cons Fitness as a Lifestyle Exercise Builds Resilience Beyond the Gym Building a Resilient Spine with the TRX
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6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 37 38 40 42 44 46 48 50
Laundry, Redefined. A Greener Future
FOOD
Catching a Cold is More of a Choice Than You Think! Long Life: Japanese Style
MIND
What’s The Point? Depression and Sugar Demi Lovato on Mental Health Music as Presence
INSIGHT
Is Your Compassion Wearing You Thin? Logon to De-stress Smart Phones and WiFi – the Smoking of the 1950s? Insight: Ovarian Cancer Resilience on the Path to Recovery
WOMEN
Aisle – Alter - Hymn
MEN
Eating Disorders
FAMILY
The Health and Wellbeing of Children Cat Health Tips from Three of the World’s Oldest Cats
LIFE
Money Can Bring Happiness. But Only if it Buys You Time Being Well and Well Being Too Oft’ Offended? Try Choosing Not to be … A Night in the Life of an Insomniac
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52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88
BOOK CHOICE 90
WELLBEING BUSINESS DIRECTORY
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WELCOME CONTENTS
Change is Just Around the Corner ...
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Guest Contributors: Faith Canter - UK Jason Bawden-Smith – Australia Molly Knight Forde – Seattle, WA, USA Practitioners in Jersey & Guernsey: Andy Barnes, The Foodstate Company Dan Reis, Soulgenic Coaching David Kennedy, Jersey Sport Glenda Rivoallan, Soulgenic Joaquina Teixeira, Balance Julie Dryburgh, Life Therapist Kary Day, Jersey Uncovered Lorna Jackson, Health Point Clinic Louise Augré, Augré Physiotherapy
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Long Life: Japanese Style Louise Bailey, Healthhaus Marion Gorrod, Waitrose Pamela Pitcher, The Point Paul Deveney, Lido Physio and Spinal Clinic Paul James, Healthhaus Samuel S, on behalf of Silkworth Charity Group Dr Sian Wareing-Jones PhD, Jersey Alzheimer’s Association And the WellBeing World team: Lucy Sanderson Katherine Day Amber Blake Beverley Le Cuirot
The WellBeing World team (left to right): Lucy Sanderson, Katherine Day, Amber Blake, Beverley Le Cuirot
Thank You and Disclaimer: WellBeing World would like to thank all of our contributors, members and advertisers for making our magazine what it is; and to you, our readers, for your support. We aim to bring you properly researched information that enables you to make wise health decisions and which support your general health and wellbeing.
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Although every effort is made to ensure the veracity of published information, WellBeing World and its Directors and Publishers cannot be held responsible for the information contained herein or for the views and actions of individual contributors. All contributors are qualified to practice in their own fields of expertise. If in doubt, please consult with a medical practitioner before acting on health information received.
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FEATURES
Loving Yourself Inside and Out WORDS: Faith Canter
There’s a self-love revolution going on, and you can be part of it! There’s no membership fee, funny handshakes, or weekly weigh-ins. All you need to do is let go of needing to be like everyone else. Shall I tell you why? Because everyone else is trying to be like you. Everyone out there (unless they are part of the revolution already) is trying to be like everyone else (who is trying to be like you). It’s crazy. Everyone else thinks the next person along is the happy one. Every day I talk with clients who are trying to ‘fit in’, slim-down, be loved, or find that elusive thing which will make them happy. The thing is, though, none of the other stuff you do will have long term results if you don’t first embrace your love of self. As a nutrition and detox expert, I couldn’t understand why sometimes clients would come to see me yet not stick to the healthy and healing eating plans I advised. Or if they did, they wouldn’t do it long term, even though all the symptoms had gone away and they felt and looked lots better. What was going on? I’d give them all the tools for health and healing, yet they still didn’t always get the desired long-term benefit.
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So, I started to delve into why this was happening and, as with everything I write about, this meant looking within as well as out. It meant looking at my own journey of not only healing, but also eating disorders and body image issues. I realised there had been big shifts in my own healing each time I’d learned to love a little more of me.
The journey to self-love is a journey of self-discovery. It’s a magical, time-consuming, and empowering journey, and affects all areas of your life, not just how you feel about your body. It also affects career choices, financial freedom, your love life, and relationships with friends and family. If we are looking for a magic pill to ‘fix’ our lives, then embracing the love of self is the pill! Think of all that time and energy that goes into hating ourselves; think of all the time wasted; all the relationships that have suffered;
and all the things we haven’t experienced. All because of the way we think and feel about ourselves. Think of all that time spent surviving, rather than thriving. Think of the life we can live if we could just let go of all that. How much fuller, happier, and healthier our lives could be, if we embraced our self fully and completely. When we dislike ourselves and our lives, these thoughts and feelings allow us to easily slip into the fight or flight response. This in turn causes underlying stress and anxiety, and triggers our nervous system. I call this low level, underlying overthinking. This hinders the body’s ability to heal, makes us hold onto additional weight and toxins, and starts to break down the body’s natural healthy, healing responses and reactions to all sort of daily situations, hindering its ability to uptake nutrients, digest foods, fight off infections, recall conversations, and interfering with all manner of day-to-day activities. There is also a direct impact on our health at a cellular level; repetitively thinking these thoughts starts to reinforce these negative
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pathways in the brain, making it easier each time to slip into them again, and again, and again. It’s a bit like when we see a clear pathway cutting through a forest, where lots of people have passed before. It’s easy to find that path, stay on the path, and reinforce the path for the walkers who come behind us. If we keep following our negative thoughts, we’ll keep reinforcing this pathway and find it harder and harder to find the positive path, as that starts to become overgrown and more difficult to see. When resolving the crappy stuff which we are thinking about ourselves, we make space for new, amazing, and totally awesome stuff to unfold in our lives. We become open to seeing and
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embracing new possibilities which we may have been shut down to before. We have more energy for new possibilities, and we harness the power of love rather than the disempowered path of fear and loathing. I hope you can see now how incredibly powerful this ‘self-love stuff ’ really is. Because, without embracing the love of self, all that wonderful magical stuff you are doing physically may only be short-lived. But when we start loving, accepting, and nurturing what is, that’s when the mind and body rest in a state of harmonious healing, of accepting nourishment, and of reinforcing the greatest and best of who we came here to be.
When we love and accept what is, that’s when things change! We cannot change from a place of conflict; it must be done from a place of compassionate love instead. This is the same for all relationships, but never more important than with the relationship we have with our self. Faith is the Amazon best-selling author of ‘Living a Life Less Toxic’ and Cleanse’. Her latest book, ‘Loving Yourself Inside and Out’ has just been released!
More info: www.faithcanter.com
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FEATURES
Building Resilience:
Your Response Determines the Outcome WORDS: Louise Bailey, Personal Coach at Healthhaus
The definition of resilience is the ‘ability to recover quickly from difficulties and in these times of increasing stress it’s a word that is becoming more commonly used. Some of us appear to be naturally much more resilient than others, however, more and more research is proving that it is a pattern that can be learnt. Many employers are now investing in educating their workforce on it as they recognise the value of healthy and resilient staff. How you think, positively or negatively, can have a big effect on your body and your physical and psychological ability to deal with adversity, whether it be work stress, family bereavement, money worries or the everyday hassles of life. Life will always throw bad things our way and change happens whether we like it or not. It’s our individual reaction/emotional response to these
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situations that determine our outcome. Rather than being all doom and gloom, more resilient, positive thinkers will look at the situation realistically and either find ways to improve their outcome or accept it for what it is and move on. Less resilient thinkers may dwell on the situation, catastrophise the potential outcomes and become embroiled in negativity.
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We all know that eating well and keeping fit is key to good health but did you know that your mindset and attitude can actually make a difference too? In one study researchers found a link between negative emotions and a weaker immune response to a flu vaccine and people who have a positive mindset have been shown to respond better to medical treatment and recover more quickly from illness or injury. Unfortunately, we are not all natural ‘Pollyannas’ and some of us are more prone to being negative thinkers than others. I’m sure we can all think of at least one person who seems to moan about absolutely everything! When was the last time you paid attention to your own attitude and behaviours? Would people describe you as a glass half full kind of person or is your glass pretty empty? With increasing evidence to support the importance of a positive attitude as a critical tool to deal with modern day lifestyles and overcome adversity perhaps it’s time to evaluate your mindset. Thankfully, whether your glass is full or non-existent there are several factors we can all try to implement to improve our own resilience:
1. Keep fit — Exercise helps build resilience
in several ways such as helping you cope with stress, improving mood, boosting brain power and minimising inflammation in the body which protects against various diseases, remember that weakened immune system I mentioned earlier. Find an activity you love and get active.
2. Believe in yourself – Positive thinkers
often have greater belief in their own abilities. They set goals and then focus on the process of achieving them. Set yourself new achievable goals, take a positive approach to the challenge of achieving them and then enjoy the journey. Focus on the smaller steps necessary to achieve the goal and take pride in your own abilities and achievements on the way.
3. Take time for yourself – Go for that run/walk, take a yoga class, soak in the bath or join a social group. Whatever it is you
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like to do to relax - make yourself a priority. Your mind and body will thank you for it and reward you with more resilience.
4. Embrace change rather than fight it –
Stuff happens and sometimes we don’t like it. You can moan about it, get angry and concentrate on all the negative aspects which will leave you feeling upset and miserable. Or you can seek a positive, consider if there is anything you can do to improve the situation and/ or accept it for what it is and move on. Remember - it’s your reaction to the event that creates the outcome so don’t become a victim of your own negativity. A good way to practice dealing with change is to try new things and put yourself outside of your comfort zone - try that new gym class, volunteer, sign up for a course.
“Life will always throw bad things our way and change happens whether we like it or not.” 5. Develop a Strong Social Network (and I don’t mean have a gazillion Facebook friends) – Meet friends and
family face to face, talk, put away your phone and listen. Chat to other gym members, join a volunteer group, try a new hobby, or sign up for a course. Try to connect with like-minded (positive) people.
6. Be an optimist – Catch that negative
thought in your head before it escapes and ask yourself “what would an optimist think? It’s proven that a hopeful, positive mind is a more resilient one so try and imagine that glass full to the brim. And finally….
7. Laugh – Life is far too short so try not
to take it too seriously and hang on to your sense of humour no matter what. Laughter is infectious and can be a great healer so share yours and help others become just a little more resilient with you.
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FEATURES
You Can’t Pour from an Empty Cup. Take Care of Yourself First. WORDS: Ms R, Writer, Mystery Shopper (and very Lucky Lady!)
Did you know that in today’s modern world which is forever ‘on’, people spend more time on their digital devices (eight hours and 41 minutes a day) than we do asleep (eight hours and 21 minutes)? The relentless pace and pressure of day to day life certainly shows no sign of letting up and what’s worse, as a grown up, I can’t channel my inner child and simply run away to join the circus! However, at a really tough time, I didn’t abandon all hope – I just took a deep breath and the advice of a very good friend and handed myself over into the capable hands of the Ayush Wellness Spa expert therapists at the Hotel de France for a two night rejuvenating retreat. I was onto a promise with this one as their website said that it was a ‘place where time stops and mind and body restoration begins in a haven of peace and tranquillity’ and they weren’t wrong. It would be no exaggeration to say that whilst I barely crawled through reception, I left with a huge spring in my step really ready to put one foot in front of the other and take on the world. So how exactly did this miraculous turnabout take place? Firstly, there was an in-depth and detailed personal consultation with Doctor Prasanna (affectionately known as Dr P) a specialist consultant with over 20 years’ experience in healthy living, mind body balance, weight management issues and treating 10
chronic ailments through Ayurveda – a natural holistic form of healing that focusses on the rhythm of life being at one with the rhythm of nature. Dr P works with a team of both Indian and western therapists to customise herbal medicated treatment oils and therapies.
moving, always doing, always on the go – that was really bringing me down. Such a simple epiphany meant that I didn’t spend the following 48 hours thinking about the iPhone full of work emails or the plans for Christmas or the fact that I still hadn’t posted my best friends’ engagement card two months down the line. I quietened down those thoughts because I recognised and accepted that I truly needed some ‘me time’. Now this is the important bit because, with Dr P’s help, such an acknowledgment ensured I was then able to really enjoy and appreciate the incredible healing treatments
“And here, within the first hour of being cocooned away in such a caring and calming environment, was my first lightbulb moment.” And here, within the first hour of being cocooned away in such a caring and calming environment, was my first lightbulb moment. By talking through what I thought was wrong with me and my life (first world problems of course but enough to keep me awake in the small hours of the morning), I realised that it was actually the underlying issue of not giving myself permission to take breath – I’m always
that followed over the course of the two days. But first – food! I enjoyed a beautifully presented and satisfying lunch (prepared on the specific eating recommendations that came out of my consultation) out in the warmth of the sunshine flooding the peaceful terrace of the Garden View restaurant and then I stepped into sheer heaven.
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Every detail of these facilities has been created with nature in mind; beautiful stone and wood combine with open glass walkways to maintain the vast spacious air element and wherever you are, there is always the tranquil sound of gentle running water somewhere in the background. Although open and spacious, there are only six private treatment suites in the wellness centre ensuring you have undivided attention and the most luxurious of relaxation lounges means, tucked under a cashmere blanket, your eyes can remain closed as the rejuvenation process fully envelops you.
First up was a hot stone massage which, combined with specially blended oils, melted away the tensions which had built up in my shoulders and neck. Drifting in and out of sheer bliss in the soft glow of sandalwood candles, the one question that drifted fleetingly across my mind was: ‘Why on earth haven’t I done this sooner?!’
Additionally, the spa offers a 15m infinity pool, jacuzzi, sauna and steam rooms (with the obligatory cold plunge pool to reawaken the senses!) as well as separate water areas for a massage and warm baths experience.
An added bonus to the peace of mind I was thoroughly enjoying is that I have never slept so well – everyone booked into a retreat weekend is automatically offered a contemporary spa room which are all located within easy access of the wellness centre – making floating on cloud nine a little less conspicuous!
Promoting a balance of exercise, mindfulness and relaxation, Ayush is also complemented by Healthhaus at the Hotel – a premium membersonly gym (open to residents) which offers state of the art facilities, complete with climbing ropes, gymnastic rings, weight machines, a Pilates studio and dedicated spin room as well as an extensive free weights room, stretch area and Powerplate Zone. However, as I run regularly, I was determined my weekend of me-time wasn’t going to involve anything too exerting and, wrapped up in my Egyptian dressing gown, I headed off for a treatment.
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Day two saw a follow-up full body massage which really concentrated on working through the newly released pressure points and I finished up with a prescriptive refreshing facial that left me radiant – inside and out.
The weekend retreat finished with a final 15 minutes with Dr P who had prepared some lifestyle recommendations to help me build some wellness practices into the everyday life I was heading back to. The importance of breathing properly. Staying in the moment. Nourishing my body. Feeding my soul. A week before, I would have laughed and said: ‘Who on earth really has time for all of that?!’ But now – restored, rejuvenated, re-charged and rebalanced – I categorically know who does. Me!
The Rejuvenating Wellness Retreat offers a unique wellness experience that will leave you feeling refreshed from head to toe, bringing back your glow to leave you looking and feeling Revitalised, Relaxed and Reconnected. – 2 Nights stay in a double room with breakfast – Full use of our award winning spa facilities – 2 x Ayurvedic lunches in the Garden View Restaurant DAY ONE Ayurvedic Consultation Ayush Hot Stone Massage or Ayush Body Envelopment DAY TWO Ayush Full Body Massage Ayush Refreshing Facial From £370.00 per person - based on shared accommodation (2 people sharing a double room).
More info: www.defrance.co.uk
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FEATURES
Channel Islands Restaurants Listed in the Good Food Guide 2018 WORDS: Marion Gorrod Branch Manager, Waitrose St Saviour
The Good Food Guide 2018 includes 12 restaurant listings for the Channel Islands and includes a listing in the top 50. The Good Food Guide (GFG), published by Waitrose, is a guide to the very best restaurants and eateries across Britain and is highly regarded by chefs and diners. For the first time in five years, the guide has announced a new ‘number one restaurant’. The restaurant awarded the top spot in The Good Food Guide 2018 is Restaurant Nathan Outlaw in Cornwall. It has also achieved a perfect score of ten for the second year running. Bohemia in Jersey is the only restaurant in the Channel Islands to be featured in the guide’s top 50 restaurants, sitting just outside the top 10 at number 11 – it received a score of eight. A score of eight in the guide shows 'a kitchen cooking close to or at the top of its game. Highly individual with impressive artistry. There is little room for disappointment here.’ Speaking about Bohemia, Waitrose Good Food Guide editor, Elizabeth Carter said: “Steve Smith’s generous, adventurous food employs a fascinating range of technique, and when a dining room is run by prompt, interested and engaging staff, the whole experience seems flawless. There are more menu formats that there are days
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in the week and what arrives is dynamic and inexhaustibly creative to the last mouthful. From butter-roasted turbot to white chocolate coated popcorn mousse, their style of cooking refuses the easy cliche." Paul Le Brocq’s The Green Olive re-enters the guide this year after a calamitous fire forced a closure. The refurbished restaurant now boasts a score of 3 with the Good Food Guide commenting, 'Balancing the sort of mass appeal that most customers expect at this price point with dishes that stand out for the right reasons is extremely difficult, so what a pleasant surprise it is to find Green Olive getting it absolutely right.' Other Jersey restaurants listed in the guide include Sumas, Ocean Restaurant, Oyster Box, Green Island Restaurant, Ormer, Tassili, Mark Jordan at the Beach and Longueville Manor. In Guernsey the restaurants that were listed in the guide are La Fregate and Da Nello.
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A place in the guide represents a huge achievement, with each position earned by its score in The Good Food Guide, editor appraisal and strength of reader feedback. Speaking about the Channel Islands restaurants’ Waitrose Good Food Guide Editor, Elizabeth Carter commented:
JERSEY RESTAURANTS Sumas (cooking score 2):
‘Service maintains a tone of relaxed affinity, while chef Dany Lancaster supplies the modern British brio.’
Ocean Restaurant (new chef/no score):
“An air of old-school ‘posh’ pervades the Atlantic Hotel, a high-profile holiday playground complete with spectacular sea views, subtropical palm trees and a Hockney-esque azure swimming pool - plus a swanky full-dress restaurant done out in maritime shades. Long-serving chef Mark Jordan is to step down in October 2017, to be replaced by Will Holland, from Coast in Pembrokeshire.”
Oyster Box (cooking score 3):
“An expansive room extending from a mosaic-tiled bar to gallery windows overlooking St Brelade’s Bay, with a broad terrace for outdoor dining, expresses the Oyster Box’s umbilical link to the sea, and seafood remains very much its centre of gravity.”
Green Island Restaurant (local gem):
“Named after a grass-topped rock off shore, Green Island beach is a corker, and this restaurant and beach hut is as much a part of the landscape as the golden sand.”
The Green Olive (cooking score 3):
“Steve Smith’s generous, adventurous food employs a fascinating range of technique” ~ Elizabeth Carter
Mark Jordan at the Beach (cooking score 3):
“Nautical trinkets, wicker chairs and seaside artwork create a backdrop that’s tailor-made for the holiday crowd as well as Jersey locals, and the cooking follows suit – although Jordan’s pedigree guarantees that even the signature burgers are a cut above.”
Longueville Manor (cooking score 5):
“Plenty of island produce makes its way into modern fusion cooking that retains a strong bistro element, brought off with appreciable verve and generosity.”
“Its career as a country house hotel under the Lewis family began in the early 1980s and hasn’t missed a beat, not least as a result of the long incumbency of Andrew Baird in the kitchens.”
Ormer (cooking score 5):
GUERNSEY RESTAURANTS
“Secreted on a narrow street in St Helier’s business district, Ormer is Shaun Rankin’s smartly impressive go-to venue for modern European cooking. With seating in mustard leather and blue suede, and a frontage opening out into the Jersey sunshine, the place has relaxation down to a fine art.”
Tassili (cooking score 5):
“Nicolas Valmagna makes a resourceful splash with contemporary Anglo-French cooking in a number of tasting formats - Land and Sea, Je' rriais ( Jersey produce all the way to a local cheese) and vegetarian - as well as a three-course carte.”
La Fregate (cooking score 4):
“All agree that the location of this extended 18th-century manor house is superb, set high on a hill overlooking the harbour. Longstanding chef Neil Maginnis sails confidently through the tricky waters of modern cuisine.”
Da Nello (local gem):
“With rough granite walls, exposed ships’ timbers and a lovely covered courtyard, this converted 15th-century building has bags of character to match its capably executed Italian food.”
*The Good Food Guide is published by Waitrose; the 2018 edition is the fifth GFG to be published by the supermarket. RRP £17.99.
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FEATURES
Friendship is Vital
And it has No Best Before Date!
WORDS: Lucy Sanderson
Once upon a time, it was easier to make friends than tie our shoelaces … If you’ve ever watched ‘The Secret Life of Five Year Olds’ you’ll know what we mean. As children, we find making friends easy, it’s just part of the process of meeting new people. Innocence and a low barometer for faking it, as well as not being judgemental whatsoever, gives kids the upper hand when it comes to making friends. The simplicity of conversation and behaviour allows children to be open and honest; it’s endearing and wouldn't it be wonderful if we carried on with those qualities into adulthood? In some instances, children might not want to make friends, like any human beings they sometimes don’t click, but they tend to make that pretty clearly too. There’s no offence taken and basically no nonsense. Children have got the art of making friends down to a T. As we grow older, we often retain those early bonds we’ve made with people. Some friendships span lifetimes and certainly, many that are made in nursery or school can last decades; a strong foundation for friendship being borne from the childhood sincerity we shared early on. Gradually over time, friends may come and go but we meet other, like-minded folk and tend to flit between friends according to our circumstances and geography. Funny though, a handful of those playtime buddies we met right at the start can still be playing a part in our lives;
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social media, mobiles and the efficiency of travel give us the opportunity to keep in touch. In our twenties, and thirties, even forties, many of us will have careers and lifestyles that take us away from ‘home,’ creating distance from our familiar circle of friends, but we adapt and make new ones, and the cycle goes on. New jobs, having children, the places we live and the other company we keep (such as pets!), are good examples of the ways with which we find opportunities to make friends. As we get older though, these chances can sometimes dwindle; we retire, partners and friends leave or sadly pass away, we might not be as mobile or eager to travel and our children will have (probably) left home and started their own families, with their own groups of friends. Then what? Later on in life, with all the baggage and changes we’ve faced throughout our lives, some people are left with a hole where their friends used to be. Loneliness is a topic we’ve covered in much detail in WellBeing World
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“Later on in life, with all the baggage and changes we’ve faced throughout our lives, some people are left with a hole where their friends used to be”
magazine and it’s a devastating feeling; not having the support of the people we care about. Humans are social animals – we love to be loved and we love to share our experiences with the ones we care about. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of knowing someone, somewhere cares about you and is thinking of you. One thing maybe, and that would be the close interaction and camaraderie we feel when our friends are part of our lives. According to an April, 2017 study sponsored by the National Institute of Ageing, as you age, friendship is thicker than water and older people derive more happiness from their friends than their actual family! Grandchildren are delightful little creatures, but your friends are in sync with your feelings and can empathise and provide support, as well as share in the ups and downs of life – we can see why the friendship link would be so vital. Friends impact our behaviour too, with respect to our habits … a non-smoking friend will encourage a smoker to give up, friends who eat well will share healthy meals and those who are in to walking and staying active will likely do so together. So, how do we go about making new friends when we’re older? There are plenty of ways to foster new friendships, even if you find yourself struggling with shyness or worry. Integrating with others doesn't need to be a difficulty if you aim in the right direction. For instance, if you are an introvert, you may seek friends online and start conversations in the comfort of your own home; finding people in your area who are a lot like you. Volunteering can be a fabulous way to immerse into new groups of
Creating a WORLD of Difference
people – if you don’t find the right fit, you are at least still making yourself busy and will find self-satisfaction at the notion of serving a purpose. Dog lovers can usually find new friends via their beloved furry companions; out walking, a simple hello to passers-by and other walkers can instigate conversation and lead to ways of meeting new people. Sometimes old school reunions can be fun, or interesting at the very least … there are many tales of reconnection and even romance from such events and get-togethers! If you’re a more confident type, getting out there is the absolute way forward. Heading to the same clubs and recreational centres as like-minded people can open up a whole community worth of new friends. Network marketing can be a fantastic way for people to make new connections and even earn more money! Speaking to family members and people you know about your quest to make new friends can be an obvious but sometimes overlooked resource – without speaking up and seeking, how will you know? Your newest BFF could be living just down the road …
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PLANET
Laundry, Redefined. A Greener Future. The Green Laundry Room is Jersey’s first (and so far, only) eco-friendly professional laundry service. In its creation, owner Kim Le Brocq aimed to rethink the entire laundry experience, from drop off to pick up. Gone are the days of the old inefficient and unreliable washer dryers and the chemical smells of dry cleaned shirts and business suits, here is the dawning of a fresh new green day. Kim spent 20+ years abroad and in the UK in senior Finance roles, and returned to Jersey five years ago to fill the position of COO at State Street Bank … but she always wanted to do something different. So two years ago she became joint owner of the Chateau Vermont Gym and Spa (now known as the eco-friendly Greenhouse Spa and Fitness). Kim then purchased Roseville Street Laundrette and set out to give it a 21st century makeover with some of the fastest, most energy-efficient machines
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in the world, along with eco-friendly laundry products and the new ground breaking wet cleaning technology (the eco-friendly alternative to dry cleaning), and the Green Laundry Room was born. Kim’s aim is to enable customers of the Green Laundry Room to save time and money, reduce their carbon footprint, and enjoy a totally redefined laundrette experience.
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Being a sustainable business remains one of the Green Laundry Room’s top priorities. In 2017, the Green Laundry Room has started to introduce practices of minimising waste through recycling everything they can, while adding a couple of other noteworthy products and procedures to help “waste” less. They are also becoming more transparent in their energy usage and according to Kim “they have only just begun”. We went to find out more …
good for the clothes, and colours don’t fade, lasting longer. It is also ideal for specialist clothing such as silks, suede, Ugg boots, leather, wedding gowns, bedding and floor rugs, etc. Even those marked as ‘dry cleaning’ only can be revitalised with wet cleaning, and clothing manufacturers are now adding ‘wet clean’ labels to ‘dry clean only’ tags. The Green Laundry Room uses only environmentally friendly soaps – free of harsh chemicals and fragrances commonly found in commercial laundry products.
The Green Laundry Room now has two premises (Roseville Street and Clos des Pas, Green Street) where in Roseville Street they have introduced LED light bulbs So what of the Future? As Kim says: “We have only just started our eco journey throughout; using significantly less energy and lasting and have a long way to go. We have found some ground up to 25 times longer. The water boiler is state of the art breaking technology which and energy efficient and they will cut the washing cycle to continue to work with local 20-30 minutes leaving your utility suppliers to become “We will continue to research colours much cleaner. Whites even more efficient. technology to recycle our most can be cleaned at much lower temperatures achieving the They are equipped with new precious commodity, water, and same results as boiling at 95 service washing machines with we will passionately educate our degrees for 60 minutes. This Eco Power technology which partners and customers on the will result in a blended saving are some of the most energybenefits of energy conservation as of our utility usage (gas, water efficient on the market. They and electricity) by 60%. reduce wear and tear, even on well as the benefits of using the most delicate laundry and eco-friendly products and soaps, “We have found some fantastic every machine is equipped whilst dispelling the myth Eco friendly detergents and with a delicate cycle that can that eco is expensive; it’s not; it’s bleaches which smell amazing; wash just about everything, and they are concentrated so from wool blankets to feather just more efficient.” we’ll be using significantly less duvets and pillows; even the than household detergents. We largest of items such as rugs will be introducing the detergent “auto dosing” technology and sleeping bags, in no time at all. ensuring that the correct amount of detergent is used for the wash and garments so limiting the amount of waste The Electrolux Wet cleaning machine and dryer is and excess. the exciting Eco future for professional clothes care to take over what Kim refers to as “the harmful dry “We will continue to research technology to recycle our cleaning process”. It is slightly less expensive than dry most precious commodity, water, and we will passionately cleaning due to the fact that it’s more economical. It’s educate our partners and customers on the benefits of environmentally friendly and there are no harmful energy conservation as well as the benefits of using ecochemicals like tetrachloroethylene (commonly known friendly products and soaps, whilst dispelling the myth as perchloroethylene or ‘perc’), which is used in the dry that eco is expensive; it’s not; it’s just more efficient.” cleaning process.
But why take the risk?
Wet cleaning uses non-toxic biodegradable soap and water and is said to get clothes cleaner than dry cleaning as it works with the fibres and doesn’t bake in the grime. It’s
Going green is one of the main challenges of the 21st century and using truly organic, chemical free harmless ingredients in our lives must be the way to go.
More info: www.greenlaundryroom.co.uk
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The New Definition of Millionaire WORDS: Amber Blake
I’m a huge advocate for the healing and therapeutic benefits of the ocean, so I’m sure you can appreciate my excitement when I discovered “Healing Waves – Ocean Therapy”, a local charity whose aim is to enable all individuals, regardless of their condition or disability to experience its therapeutic benefits and have a valuable experience of a life-time ... learning to surf! I met with founders, Max, Sean and Dom Booth to find out more. Here’s what they had to say:
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO SET UP HEALING WAVES OCEAN THERAPY?
Max - Seeing how much it benefitted each of the individuals we took into the water during their respite sessions, it left me in awe. Partnered with a bit more research online I knew we had to bring something like this to the Island.
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Sean - Max had approached me over a year ago after he had seen a documentary on YouTube about the benefits of surfing and ocean therapy. We had seen the results that being in the waves had brought some of our clients during session time. Once the first steps had been taken, we hit the ground running to make it happen this summer. Dom - Max, Sean and myself all share the same opinion
that we here in Jersey could and should be doing a fair bit more to assist certain individuals that may not be as fortunate as others, having unnecessary barriers in their way.
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WHAT IS YOUR MISSION?
Max - My mission and purpose in life
is to help others. The new definition of millionaire is a person who has made a positive impact on a million people.
Sean - We just want to help make people
happy. It's such a good buzz getting people into the water to play in the waves. The happiness and positivity it creates is infectious and there are grins plastered across everyone's faces while in the waves. We hope people remember those times and carry them forward in their everyday lives.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE?
Dom - To reach out to people who
may not know we exist and get people in the sea that perhaps have never had that experience before. One of our main ambitions is to have qualified volunteers using Jersey’s first wheelchair adaptable surfboard early next summer.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE FROM HEALING WAVES OCEAN THERAPY?
Max - I’m a dreamer and I would love to see the charity grow at a steady pace to a point where we could run all season long May through September. In my eyes it’s down to the general public, if the demand is there for it and sponsors/donations come our way then we will be able to continue in spreading the Ocean Therapy message. You can donate via our Facebook Page. Sean - More sessions, more inclusion and even cooler t-shirts!" Dom - Hopefully that board I've talked about!
More info: FB: Healing Waves – Ocean Therapy – or email: healingwavesoceantherapy@gmail.com
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Bees: a Barometer for Humanity WORDS: Jason Bawden-Smith
‘If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, nor more animals, no more man.’ ~ Canadian Bee Journal in 1941 Einstein famously said that if the bees disappear, we disappear. I want to briefly widen your view beyond humanity. Because EMFs (Electro Magnetic Fields) don’t only do damage to humans – they damage all living things. In particular, EMFs damage bees. And unfortunately, damage to bees has big repercussions for us – no living thing is an island, we are all interconnected. Bees are some of the hardest working creatures on the planet, responsible for pollinating about one-sixth of all flowering plant species worldwide, and approximately 400 different agricultural types of plants. Pollination is the process in which pollen from the male part of a flower is applied to the female part of a flower, allowing the plant to create a seed, nut or fruit – to grow new
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plants. Now, many plants can use the wind to pollinate, but more often than not, animal intervention is needed. Without bees, our everyday food supply would diminish: it’s estimated that at least one-third of our staple foods would no longer be available. Here’s the scary thing with regards to bees and EMFs. An experiment done in Sweden exposed some bee hives to mobile phone radiation for 10 minutes a day for 10 days, and others to none. The control hives, the unaffected ones, were fine. The bees from the hives exposed to the radiation eventually didn’t come back – leaving their queen, eggs and immature worker bees without food. The colonies eventually collapsed and the hives died.
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This experiment was repeated 83 times and the results were similar. Dr George Carlo, who headed the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association’s $25 million mobile phone research project, made this comment about bees: “The colony collapse disorder has occurred concurrently on four continents within a very short time frame. If the reason was biological or chemical, there would be a pattern of epidemic spread – we would be able to trace the spread of bee disappearance or Colony Collapse Disorder from a source similar to the spread of SARS a few years ago. That is not the case. The condition has hit each continent at roughly the same time. That would mean the cause has to have hit the continents at the same time as well. Mobile phones meet that criterion.”
What can we do? I invite you to visit emfwarriors.com where we have a library of the best free ‘one stop shop’ information for EMF knowledge on the planet. Our goal is to help explain complex issues in a simple, easy to understand way, while also allowing professionals to dive deep into big topics like quantum biology and electrical engineering. After visiting emfwarriors.com you will know what you can do personally to avoid the harmful effects of living in a technologically connected world. But what about the rest of the planet? Keep in touch with trends and share the message. If we all do our bit, even a little bit, a great army emerges.
Jason Bawden-Smith is an environmental scientist, entrepreneur, author and speaker. His achievements include sourcing and introducing technology into Australia that has reduced lead poisoning in Australia’s children and reduced the impact of excessive exploration and mining activities on the planet. He is currently concerned with the problem of today: our addiction to technology and withdrawal from the sun which is causing an epidemic of disease.
More info: www.emfwarriors.com
So what’s going to happen to our friendly bees when EMFs penetrate all natural environments all over the world? I think you can join the dots. Bees are a single point of failure for humanity. If they go, we go too.
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WHAT’S NEW
Change is Just Around the Corner … We are thrilled to be some sharing exciting news about a revolutionary new fitness and wellness centre in Jersey. Club Soulgenic will redefine the ‘whole-wellness’ offering to those of us in the Channel Islands who want to be able to get fit, eat right, wind down and power up. Achieve your optimum everyday wellbeing
The notion of ‘all round’ wellness is nothing new, but it’s hard to get right. We know Jersey is brimming with fitness facilities: gyms aplenty, Yoga and Pilates studios, as well as a whole array of other individual treatment and wellness rooms. So what makes Club Soulgenic special? Put simply, Club Soulgenic will be the Channel Islands’ first fully integrated fitness and wellness centre, addressing all of the elements each of us need to ensure our optimum everyday wellbeing. The beauty of the Club Soulgenic approach is that it makes such a broad range of essential wellness products and services easy to understand and
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access, all under one roof. Incorporating nutrition, general health, fitness and the all important mind and body connection, Club Soulgenic will have you covered.
A structured and balanced approach
Building a community encourages a camaraderie that many fitness centres fail to deliver. Class timetables can be confusing and the gym ‘experience’ can be daunting, or sometimes a bit uninspiring. Club Soulgenic has developed an ingenious group class fitness model that is both accessible and exciting.
WHAT’S NEW
Members will be able to book online, choosing from their signature Burn, Strong and Vibe sessions. These three sessions will ensure a weekly approach to your fitness that is structured and balanced. With a stylish interior, state-ofthe-art ambient lighting, great music and experienced instructors, it promises to be a whole body and soul workout unlike any other in the Island. Add in a wide range of other classes, all presented with a personal, engaging and supportive approach, and Club Soulgenic will certainly raise the bar from your generic fitness centre to a place which delivers so much more.
Putting the fun into fitness
New technology will also be implemented at the club, giving members a thorough insight into how they are doing and, most importantly, ensuring they’re working out at the right level to get results. Club Soulgenic has found a way to put the fun into fitness and the peace of mind into progress – you will track everything you’re doing to make sure it’s onward and upward!
A beautiful place to get fit, recharge and reset
Speaking to CEO and Founder, Glenda Rivoallan, we discovered that the changing scope of the fitness industry means exciting times for Club Soulgenic, who are delivering the whole package: “Jersey currently lacks a good groupbased class studio with a club vibe in town, somewhere that can offer a true ‘everything approach’ to wellness. And of course, with health and fitness time is an issue for everyone. We’ve addressed this by creating a multi-function town centre wellness venue that is convenient, and also a beautiful place to get fit, recharge and reset. From the signature Club Soulgenic fitness classes and programmes to tailoring the right health and nutrition advice for our members, we will provide the perfect backdrop to true wellness, all under the one roof (set in an impressive space over four floors). Club Soulgenic is a medley, a mixture; we’ve included all of the things that strike a chord with people who want to be the best they can be.”
The best coaches and wellness professionals
The Club Soulgenic mix doesn't end there. Unlike most fitness centres, the club will be offering flexible memberships ranging from single credits to annual memberships. The immersive classes will create a perfect timetable of workouts, while the highly skilled coaches will ensure sessions are both fun and rewarding. A strong team makes up the club staff, and across each floor members will find collaborations with the Island’s foremost wellness professionals. For instance, Dan Reiss will be providing expert fitness coaching for all members; Kit Chamier will be on hand for nutrition advice; and other designated specialists will support each and every class and service Club Soulgenic provides.
Nude Food
Club Soulgenic will also be home to Jersey’s favourite health and wholefood eatery, Nude Food. The centre will be a veritable feast of fitness and wellness professionals; a community that motivates and rewards its members on their journey to optimum health and wellbeing.
Exclusive pre-release memberships
Starting in October, Club Soulgenic memberships will be available on prerelease. The rewards are great for the initial buyers, with exclusive membership packages and offers released on a countdown as this innovative and ubermodern new brand blazes the trail toward opening day. Change is just around the corner and it’s called Club Soulgenic! We’ll certainly be staying tuned to the Club Soulgenic launch and suggest that you head over to their website and social media pages to do the same. Pre-release membership packages (with all the trimmings!) go on sale on 23rd October 2017. Don’t miss out!
More info: www.clubsoulgenic.co.uk
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WHAT’S NEW
Striking a Healthy Balance
Coming to Jersey mid-November – Watch this space! WORDS: Joaquina TeixeIra Store Manager
It is one of the contradictions of modern life that we have more choice than ever but less time to make decisions. Equally, more of us are striving to live a healthier existence but it’s becoming more stressful to achieve it. The number of people who exercise regularly is increasing but so too is the number of people suffering from mental illness. It is, of course, about finding the right balance: spending time to recharge our batteries as well as running them to the max. The ways to achieve equilibrium, and a general sense of wellbeing are numerous, and it’s sometimes a challenge to keep up with all the latest (and often contradictory advice) but ultimately it boils down to three simple concepts - being active, relaxed, and most importantly eating well. Although Jersey might perceive itself as a fit and active island, over 50% of our adult population are now overweight or obese. And while the proportion of adults in the Channel Islands eating five or more portions
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of fruit and vegetables a day is higher than the UK average, this is still only 33% of men and 40% of women*. When it comes to sleep this is something we don’t tend to prioritise very well, with nearly half of us getting less than six hours of sleep and four out of five people complaining they suffer from disturbed or inadequate sleep**. The third element of our lives which clearly influences whether we’re in balance or not is the food we eat to power our batteries. When it comes to filling ourselves up with the right fuel we are, at least, on the right track. A recent survey***, conducted
by Hitwise Competitive Intelligence & Consumer Insights, showed that online searches for nutrition rose a full 20% from 2014 to 2016, with word searches for ‘avocado’, ‘chia seeds’ and ‘almond milk’ being on the rise over the three-year period – confirming that the superfood trend shows no sign of abating. We think food really is the fulcrum to living a balanced life, as what we eat can help give us the energy to exercise, as well as help release a combination of hormones that allow us to relax and sleep well. That’s why we’re introducing a new experience on to the high street called Balance – the Wellbeing Supermarket.
WHAT’S NEW
The name Balance was the obvious choice for our new store since it embodies a simple approach to life, food, fitness and the environment, all as part of your general wellbeing. As the saying goes, too much of anything is not good for you, so we’re all about striking the right balance.
thrown away. By signing up to OLIO and supporting its mission, as well as echoing its wellbeing values, we believe that we can help to create a world in which nothing of value goes to waste, and every single person has enough to eat – without destroying our planet in the process.
So, what does Balance offer Jersey customers over and above the current wellbeing offering? It all starts with a fun and relaxing environment to shop in, plenty of choice, inspirational products and some great information in store and online. We’re not about pushing one diet or lifestyle on to someone and will take the time to make you feel valued by listening to your needs and giving you useful information on our product ranges and suppliers.
We hope you will come and visit us at Balance which opens this autumn. More and more Islanders want to make healthy choices but, equally, more and more of
“We think food really is the fulcrum to living a balanced life, as what we eat can help give us the energy to exercise, as well as help release a combination of hormones that allow us to relax and sleep well.”
With one of the largest range of healthy foods in a dedicated store, conveniently located in the heart of St Helier, we offer customers the latest products and trends that are competitively priced, empowering you to make healthy choices.
Balance will also challenge established in-store and online experiences, and aim to reach outside of the traditional four walls of our physical store to bring something new to our Jersey customers. We are also part of the Alliance Tesco family which enables us to build on our established track record of delivering great service through an attentive and conscientious team.
us are starved of time. Balance will help restore the equilibrium by offering great choice of quality health foods, at affordable price, that will help you feel refreshed and ready to tackle whatever life throws at you. * Jersey Health Profile 2016 **Sleep Council “Toxic Sleep” survey 2011 ***Hitwise Clean Living 2017 Balance will be located in Walker House (1st floor), 8-12 Halkett Street, St Helier, and is due to open on 17th November 2017.
More info: www.balance.je
As well as our aim to play an active part in the community, we are proud to also support initiatives such as OLIO, a free app connecting people with their neighbours and with local shops so surplus food and other items can be shared, not
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WHAT’S NEW
What They Said "This book offers us a path towards a more ecological, sustainable, humane, and compassionate world while improving our own health and wellbeing." ~ Deepak Chopra
The Reducetarian Movement Less is Most Certainly More
WellBeing World has recently joined the Reducetarian Movement – a movement which has been gaining momentum since its inception in 2015. It’s not all-or-nothing, which is why we love it; instead, it promotes the idea of reducing our consumption of animal products, whilst living the life we want to lead. And at the same time, it seeks to celebrate the small changes in personal and institutional behaviour that collectively result in a significant difference in the world. It is also inclusive and can apply to everyone; meat-eaters, vegans and vegetarians can all be ‘Reducetarian’. The term "Reducetarian" was coined to signify a person who intentionally seeks to reduce his or her consumption of meat (as well as eggs and dairy), in order to improve their health, protect the environment, and spare farmed animals from cruelty. To promote awareness for the movement, the not-for-profit Reducetarian Foundation aims to host an annual conference and Founder Brian Kateman has very recently published his first book ‘The Reducetarian Solution’.
The book presents more than 70 original essays from influential thinkers on how the simple act of cutting 10% or more of the meat from one's diet can transform the life of the reader, animals, and the planet, and features contributions from such luminaries as Seth Godin, Victoria Moran, Joel Fuhrman, and Jeffrey Sachs. The Reducetarian Solution is a life – not to mention planet! – saving book.
More info: https://reducetarian.org
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“Full vegetarianism is a noble ideal, but many are intimidated by an illogical fear that it has to be a single major, all-or-nothing leap. Reducetarianism is a good, humane, environment-friendly, step-by-step approach to an ideal whose time will finally come." ~ Richard Dawkins "The Reducetarian Solution has transformative potential for our planet because it puts change within reach of everyone, not just the most zealous or the most committed. After all, no one is perfect, and given that, simply being better is the best any person can do." ~ Christian Rudder "The Reducetarian way shows us precisely how less equals more." ~ Robert B. Cialdini “Moderation in everything means being a Reducetarian in practice. By eating less meat, you’ll be doing your body, your planet, and your kids’ future a favour. And you’ll be proving once again that small steps can take us long distances." ~ Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and A Whole New Mind “There are some ideas that make such obvious sense that one wonders why they haven’t become universally adopted by now. Reducetarianism is one of them.” ~ Lawrence Krauss
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A Healthy Employee is a Safe Employee, and a Safe Employee is a Healthier Employee Building the Case for Employee Safety and Wellbeing at LANL
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution in the USA, engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. The company is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC – composed of Bechtel National, the University of California, BWX Technologies, Inc., and URS for the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. LANL has a proud history and heritage of more than 70 years of science and innovation, playing a role in some of the most transformational discoveries of the 20th and 21st centuries. The people at the laboratory work on advanced technologies to provide the best scientific and engineering solutions to the nation’s most crucial security challenges. It also has a long history of investing in employee health and wellbeing. Early on, they offered funding for employee recreation and morale. Over time, this was a gateway to
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LANL building an onsite Wellness Centre and hiring full-time staff to offer a robust corporate health promotion programme to meet employees’ wellbeing. But even with health awareness programmes and classes offered at the centre, employee participation varied. Many of these early initiatives focused on physical activity – a great start but often falling short of lasting behaviour change. Safety is a top concern at LANL. A number of employees work in and
around hazardous materials, and LANL wanted employees to adopt a 24/7 mindset where they come to and return home from work each evening healthy and safe. LANL’s two major challenges were: Build the case for a holistic health and wellbeing programme to help employees form healthier habits, and decrease the number of safety injuries on the job. To build his case to management back in 2012, Jamie Aslin, Team Leader of Ergonomics, Health, and Wellness at LANL, first recruited the help of LANL economist Steve Booth. Booth benchmarked the returns and engagement of other corporate health promotion programmes, and he was particularly interested to note that Virgin Pulse was transforming the company culture at numerous other organisations across the country.
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The two presented the results of their economic analysis to management, and in October 2013 secured support to proceed with a wellbeing programme for LANL. After selecting Virgin Pulse, Aslin oversaw the launch of the programme in January 2014. With Virgin Pulse, LANL was able to offer a simple technology platform that helps build good lifestyle habits through personalisation, tracking, positive feedback, education, rewards, and a hefty dose of fun. This empowered LANL employees to work on the areas of wellbeing they already wanted to improve, beginning with small, daily habits. Aslin and his team set out to enrol as many employees as possible. With a wide campus of dispersed employees, he was worried that participation may not be high. LANL used Virgin Pulse’s tailored campaign resources to communicate its new health and wellbeing initiatives. During the first month, LANL saw a 60% enrolment in the programme, and to date 67%.
Employees now take an active role in their personal health and wellbeing. Nearly a quarter of those enrolled from LANL use a nutrition tracking and education app as part of the programme, something Aslin called “a great resource that really helps employees build healthier eating habits.”
Team (SWAT) was created. A few initiatives of SWAT were to train employees on proper push/pull/ lifting techniques, ergonomics, and participate on the Slip Simulator – a kinetic learning experience teaching proper techniques when walking on slippery surfaces.
“Since 2007, the company has seen a 70% reduction in repetitive trauma.” Since 2014, Aslin has received over 100 success stories from the workforce. Employees are getting more activity, improving biometric measurements, and losing more than 100 pounds of body weight. Aslin also values the co-ordination that the programme has brought, and the ability to customise and integrate their different health and safety initiatives into the platform, supported by streamlined communications going out to employees. With employees engaged in building healthier habits, Aslin was able to further address safety at LANL. In 2014, a Safety Wellness Action
Since 2007, the company has seen a 70% reduction in repetitive trauma. It has reduced slips, trips, and falls by 68%, and has decreased push, pull, and lift injuries by 47%. The success of LANL’s safety programme, which includes a robust health effort, earned it the Star Award from the Department of Energy’s Voluntary Protection Programme in 2014. Today, LANL is used as a resource to other U.S. Department of Energy laboratories as a benchmark to provide guidance in building a business case of their own for employee health and wellbeing programmes.
More info: www.virginpulse.com
Creating a WORLD of Difference
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WORK
Spotting the Signs 10 Habits of People with Concealed Depression Depression is a serious mental illness that often goes unnoticed for years. There are people battling demons within themselves on their own. For most, our struggles and wounds are not something we easily open up about and tend to bottle things up. There are common habits in people are suffering with concealed depression. Searching for purpose
We all need a purpose in life however, people with depression are much more susceptible to the feeling of inadequacy, failure and anxiety therefore it tends to leave them searching for something that they can never appear to achieve in their own minds.
Seeking love and acceptance
People with concealed depression are not hiding their struggles to be dishonest they are just very protective over their own hearts. They want to be loved and accepted much like everyone else however, they struggle to let love in due to the fear of being hurt.
Over involved perception of life and death
People with depression will often seek answers to the many questions we have surrounding our lives and its purpose. They will often think about their own mortality during moments of despair moving from one bad mindset to another.
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Strange eating habits
They may not be able to eat much or at all. That being said there are some who find comfort in food and will over-eat when feeling their worst.
Bad sleeping patterns
Depression can have adverse effects on your sleep. Some may sleep for what seems like days, where others will barely manage to get any sleep at all.
Abandonment issues
Abandonment is terrible. If you have had someone walk out of your life it can have a devastating impact, this then makes it difficult to trust that others will not abandon you. People who have experienced abandonment will tend to be more defensive to protect themselves from losing anyone else.
Appearing happy
People with concealed depression have mastered the art at faking their mood. They do not want their inner struggles to appear on the outside and bring others down.
Silent cries for help
Whilst generally people with concealed depression will appear to be ok but at other times they may make silent cries for help. If you notice their cries and can help them in anyway then always do.
Trouble shutting of their brain
These people process everything at a faster pace. They over analysis every detail of their lives, the good and the bad which makes everything impact them on a much deeper level.
Thinking the worst
Whilst this is stressful it can be beneficial at times. Some believe that high intelligence can be linked to depression. They are able to respond to anything that comes their way. This makes them good problem solvers.
If you or someone you know is suffering from depression then please seek help or offer a helping hand. The world can be a beautiful place if you get the help you need nothing can stand in your way from a happy fulfilled life.
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Mindfulness for Entrepreneurs How to harness resilience WORDS: Glenda Rivoallan
“Fall seven times, stand up eight” ~ Japanese Proverb
To be an entrepreneur requires a combination of boldness and humility. It is a brave thing to say that you are going to develop something that the world needs; that you believe no one before you has ever thought of, seen or achieved. Getting there though, requires the humility to confront myriad small errors. The path to success is created via a thousand small alterations, each one only possible because the entrepreneur has their eyes and ears wide open and is able to adjust time and time again. Since starting up companies of my own, I have learned that to create something from nothing is difficult, really difficult. To be a successful entrepreneur requires resilience, lots of it. Living on months of next-to-no 32
sleep, wondering if your idea and creations, will even survive is not for everyone. When turned down for funding, a knock to whether or not the idea even has legs, let alone longevity is mentally and physically draining. However, entrepreneurs jump on the wild roller coaster ride of life where the tracks have not yet been fully built. Ask an entrepreneur and they will tell you they would have it no other way. With a vast number of elements working against the entrepreneur; challenging market forces combined with self-doubt can result in entrepreneurs being vulnerable to mental health issues. Often however, rather than showing vulnerability, entrepreneurs have practiced what social psychiatrists call impression management also known as "fake
it till you make it”. This however can come at a psychological price therefore it is so important that entrepreneurs develop the necessary protective qualities and behaviours to last the journey. Selecting a topic for study towards my Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) emerged from a personal interest in the ability of entrepreneurs to enact the notion of ‘resilience’ or indomitable spirit alluded to in the Japanese proverb above. What matters is not the setback, but what one does afterwards to recover and to move forward? What is it about entrepreneurs like Walt Disney, Henry Ford and Richard Branson that helped them succeed after failure? Why is it that some people buckle under pressure where others bend and ultimately bounce back?
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There are various coping strategies that can be enacted in the development of resilience and one such strategy which has enjoyed a tremendous surge in popularity in the past decade, is the concept of mindfulness. Defined by Kabat-Zinn as “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally” there is now a sizeable body of work linking mindfulness to psychological & physical wellbeing. Research suggests that maintaining focus, motivation & positive mental health are possible with improvements in mindfulness.
on the psychological resilience of entrepreneurs. Delivered by Dr Alessio Agostinis, participants undertook 8 weekly 2.5hour sessions and practiced mindfulness daily. Results at the post 3 months point indicated that mindfulness was a strong predictor of resilience. The intervention also made a significant contribution to an individual’s level of mindfulness thus showing support for developing mindfulness for entrepreneurs. Specifically, programmes that target the cultivation of resilience and
“I appreciate that for some people the question may remain whether mindfulness is just another fad not unlike the corporate culture fad or the organisational change fad.” Having studied mindfulness and integrated it into my daily work practice, I now consider it to be a powerful lifelong strategy. As paradoxical as it sounds, you’ve got to slow down sometimes in order to move at the speed your demands and ambitions require. As an entrepreneur and leader, you don’t want to keep pace; you want to innovate and push boundaries… you absolutely must reclaim mental and emotional territory from the stress of overwork and hyper connectivity that one encounters every day. My study piloted the effectiveness of an 8-week combined mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT) intervention
Creating a WORLD of Difference
mindfulness, appear to increase the ability of entrepreneurs to effectively manage the complex challenges and competing demands of the business environment. This was evident within participant impact statements, which cited the following benefits: • Positive habit forming through mindfulness practice, mindful learning/processes and positive thinking. • Improved resilience through improved emotional regulation, enhanced mood & coping skills, greater resourcefulness. • Healthy workplace behaviours through improved relationships, clarity of values and enhanced productivity.
My study suggests that as entrepreneurs become more mindful when mindfulness learning and processes permeates their strategy, they will become more resilient. It is hoped that the more resilient entrepreneur will develop an attitude of openness towards discussing problems or issues that could affect them. Paying greater attention to change and variation in work performance and personal resilience may encourage a greater work life balance. One would suggest that rather than see mindfulness as the panacea to all entrepreneurs’ problems and drains in resilience, that it is instead considered as a potential complimentary strategy alongside other coping mechanisms they invoke. I appreciate that for some people the question may remain whether mindfulness is just another fad not unlike the corporate culture fad or the organisational change fad. I feel the answer to that lies in ensuring that organizations avoid the temptation to deliver a commercialised, sanitised and whitewashed version of the practice, otherwise known as McMindfulness. Rather than see mindfulness as a technique to improve performance and make more money, retaining the ethical foundations of the practice by simply practicing mindfulness will change ones perspective on life cultivating compassion, opening their hearts and inspiring them to reduce suffering in themselves and others.
More info: Glenda@soulgenic.com
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The Future of Work There is a lot of talk about the future of work, from our jobs being taken over by Artificial Intelligence to the uncertainty of the freelancer economy. However, with change comes great benefits, and it's going to benefit women in the workplace more so than ever before. The idea of being a working mother can be discouraging for some women, a recent study indicates that working mothers put in an average of 80 hours per week between work, childcare and housework which clearly displays how hardworking and reliable these women really are. In comparison to men, women have always been underpaid, currently the gender pay gap stands at 9.4%. Over the last century women have worked hard to "fit in" with the work environments. Work hasn't changed enough to meet their needs until now and that is remote working and the growth of part-time roles over full-time. Women and men now have the choices that we've longed for, to choose how we work, when we work whilst not missing out on the important things in our own lives. A 2017 study found that remote working opportunities is a top priority for women. 76% of women surveyed said that the chance to work
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remotely was necessary if companies wanted to retain long term staff. Remote working has been around for the last decade or two however, it has slowly gained momentum in popularity as we move away from the culture that being seen in the office means more productivity. Everyone has their own working style and their own idea of a healthy and productive work/life balance. If employers are interested in getting the most out of their employees then they need to recognise this and give their employees this type of flexibility in their job. The digital transformations in the world of work will benefit all with more flexible ways of working making it easier to balance paid work and caring responsibilities. Technology has had a huge impact in the rise of the remote worker, with rapid growth of smartphones, powerful yet affordable laptops, and the reliability of WIFI together
with powerful communication and collaboration software, people can work from anywhere, at any time. These days, it seems we have more options than ever and as our culture shifts from the office worker to the remote worker more and more organisations are following in the footsteps of the companies like Amazon who have acknowledged that the traditional full-time schedule may not be a one-size fits all model and have brought in a flexible remote working program to benefit their employees. Employers are no longer dictating the trajectory of people’s careers, workers will look for what matters most to them i.e., work/life balance, companies that inspire and nurture their workers, and provide flexibility. Consequentially they will apply to work for companies that can offer this to them. Companies that want to stay ahead of the competition and provide a culture that puts workers’ interests first should consider remote work options. After all, it’s only a matter of time before the future of your company might depend on its remote work policy.
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Turmeric –
The Inflammatory Fighting Food Turmeric Latté Ingredients: • 250ml of almond milk (or whichever milk you prefer) • 1/2 tsp of turmeric • 1 tsp of honey (or coconut sugar) • 1/2 tsp of cinnamon • 1 tiny pinch of salt
Directions:
Place everything in a pan and stir well, bring to simmer for a minute and then pour into a mug to enjoy!
Fighting inflammation, illness and dieses with food has become increasingly more popular. Conditions from bloating to headaches or to a life-threatening illness they are all linked to inflammation. The awareness surrounding foods that fight inflammation has dramatically increased and so far, this year it has been a big year in terms of new products and continued research and development. One of the top trending super food products of this year has been Turmeric.
Arthritis is a very common problem and there are several different types, but most involve some sort of inflammation in the joints. Given that Curcumin is an antiinflammatory it's only natural that it can help alleviate the sufferings that arthritis brings.
Whilst most of us will think of Turmeric as the fragrant, yellow curry spice it has also been promoted as a relief aid for everything from general inflammation to diabetes to cancer. Curcumin, is the major antioxidant in turmeric. Curcumin has very interesting anti-inflammatory properties as it targets multiple steps in the inflammatory pathway, at the molecular level. It also has beneficial effects on several health issues, for example Curcumin is known to play a role in heart disease. It improves the function of the endothelium as it is a potent anti-inflammatory agent and antioxidant.
Researchers have also been studying curcumin as a beneficial herb in cancer treatment. It can affect cancer growth, development and spread. Studies have shown that it can reduce angiogenesis which is the growth of new blood vessels in tumours, metastasis (spread of cancer), as well as contributing to the reduction in cancerous cells.
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Turmeric is commonly available in powder form. You should aim to incorporate 40 – 60 g, three times a day. You can add it to sauces, soups or to drinks like milk and tea or a Turmeric Latté. Turmeric is also
available in capsule form. It is recommended that if taking the supplement form that you take the Curcumin supplement as this is the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory property in Turmeric. Turmeric really does seem to be the natural remedy we have been waiting for. Ultimately, when taking into account the large amount of deadly complications prescription drugs put your body at risk for, it is easy to see how taking therapeutic curcumin is superseding medicines. It does however, like most things come with its side effects and people taking certain medications should seek medical advice prior to introducing turmeric in their food or supplementing with it. Turmeric may interfere with anti-coagulants like aspirin and warfarin. It also can affect medications such as non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs. As with any herb or supplement, use as directed.
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Why Do You Need Life Therapy? WORDS: Julie Dryburgh Life Therapist at Align Health Agency
If everybody’s life went to plan we would all live in a state of perpetual contentment, however life rarely goes to plan. The body’s ability to cope in these situations is unique to each and every individual. Everyone needs that little extra help when handling some of life’s challenges. I am here to support people through these challenges in a way that is bespoke to them. In my many years as a Life Therapist I have worked with people with relationship complications, financial pressures, trauma, bereavement (both human and pet), physical and mental issues along with assisting people with everyday struggles and difficulties that we all face. These circumstances can leave people feeling lost and unfulfilled with their lives. My services provide people with the guidance, support and confidence to overcome these struggles and achieve a life that is best suited for them.
layer to find the source of the disharmony. This will enable the individual to reach the belief systems that are correct and true to how they want to live their life.
Many of the issues I also address are people’s own belief systems. These can be self-manifested, or belief systems placed upon them by others. From my experience, these are not helpful to individuals and can hold people back. I help reset these deep-rooted beliefs by taking away each
As a Life Therapist, helping people to find their sense of purpose and to embrace change is a wonderful part of what I do. Change doesn’t need to be tough, it is often simple and easy. It’s all about seeing change as positive and embracing it.
“Many of the issues I also address are people’s own belief systems. These can be self-manifested, or belief systems placed upon them by others.”
More info: www.juliedryburgh.com
Creating a WORLD of Difference
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Lymphatic Cleanse – Love Your Lymph WORDS & RESEARCH: Katherine Day
‘Detox Diets’ have become increasingly popular of late, but is it this simple to flush our bodies of toxins? These detox packages, usually taking the form of herbal teas, target customers through promoting skinnier bodies and clear skin. However, it is actually very important to clear out and unblock our bodies, much like we clear out our houses and unblock its drains and pipes. The lymphatic system is our body’s drainage system, and as such it needs to stay clear to work properly. Comprising of a network of lymph nodes, vessels, ducts, the spleen, the adenoids, the thymus, and tonsils, this system travels throughout the body, removing waste from our cells and regulating our immune system. As we go about our day, Lymph fluid moves through our systems, propelled by muscle movement and our breathing. The fluid is transported through our bodies’ filtration points – the lymph nodes. The white blood cells contained in the lymph nodes identify and help to destroy harmful pathogens or toxins, and this is precisely how the lymphatic system helps to maintain a healthy immune system. But, in order to ensure that the waste products and fluid collected in the lymph nodes does not build up in our bodies’ tissues, the lymph fluid needs to flow freely through the body. Because the lymphatic system acts as a drainage system for our body, we do need to consider “unclogging” our bodies when embarking on a new health fix or diet, or even simply in our daily lives; the results of stagnant lymph flow contribute to a wide variety of health issues which can target most areas of our body.
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We will all recognise some of the common symptoms that indicate congested lymph drains: • stiffness • fatigue • itchy and dry skin • bloating • breast swelling with each cycle • holding onto water • brain fog • swollen glands • stubborn weight gain • chronic sinusitis, sore throats, colds or ear issues • cellulite • cold hands and feet So how can we put this right? Well, there are five main elements to the lymphatic cleanse, but as with any diet or cleansing program it is important to undertake your own research, to listen to your own body’s needs, and to consider your lifestyle.
1) Detox your environment
Over the last few years we have all become increasingly aware not only of the calories in an item of food, but also the chemicals it contains leading to a boom in organic diets. But, we also need to factor in the chemicals which are entering our bodies due to exposure through personal care products, air, and water.
Decreasing our chemical intake and increasing our intake or antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients can help prevent damage. Avoid the processed additives, chemicals, and artificial ingredients, instead opting for an organic, anti-inflammatory diet including green leafy vegetables, cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts), omega-3 fatty acids, and herbs and spices (such as ginger, garlic, and turmeric).
2) Stay hydrated
This seems pretty obvious and is a factor in various diets, but is important as lymph fluid is around 95% water. If our bodies become dehydrated the lymph fluid becomes thicker and thicker and is one of the most common causes of lymph congestion. Continuously sipping water throughout the day, avoiding the treacherous sugar-laden soft drinks, processed juices, and alcohol will help. Be careful not to rely too much on caffeine too, as this dehydrates the body. If you’re thirsty, the best drink will always be water.
3) Incorporate red and raw foods No, I do not mean a raw steak, rather raw fruits and vegetables and naturally red foods such as beets, berries, pomegranates, cherries, and cranberries.
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Fuelling our bodies with the wrong ingredients can contribute to sluggishness. A sluggish digestive tract can congest the lymphatic system. Naturally red foods, according to Ayurvedic medicine helps the lymph move freely, whilst raw fruits and vegetables help break down the build-up of toxins, and the fibre helps to keep the intestinal lymphatic system in tip top condition.
4) Move your lymph naturally
Laughter and deep breathing, which involve the movement of the diaphragm and abdominal muscles, helps move the lymph naturally, as well as dry brushing and lymphatic massage, which targets the flow in the skin-associated lymphatic tissue.
lymphatic system. By learning to understand our emotions and respond to and manage stress in a mindful and healthy way, the lymph will flow more smoothly. If we focus on our lymphatic system, to ensure that the lymph is flowing freely, this important system will, in turn, support the natural revitalisation and cleansing of our bodies, keeping us “bright eyed and bushy-tailed”. So make this your new rule - Love your Lymph.
5) Be mindful to help you cope with stress
Is it any surprise that stress can negatively affect our lymphatic system? Oxidation and lymph congestion increase when you are stressed, be it emotionally and/ or physically. Mindfulness practices can help you cope with stress and thereby reduce its toll on the body. Tai Chi and Yoga are proven to have had an effective and positive impact on the
“Laughter and deep breathing, which involve the movement of the diaphragm and abdominal muscles, helps move the lymph naturally” Creating a WORLD of Difference
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Core Strength Will Help You Bounce Back WORDS: Louise Augré, Augré Physiotherapy
Resilience:
1. the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. 2. the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity. We all want to bounce back from life’s little set backs, recover quickly from injuries and get back to ‘normal’ but sometimes our bodies and minds just aren’t quite as resilient as we’d like.
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Our experienced team at Augré Physiotherapy at the Lido Medical Centre are fully trained to deal with your injuries, can treat all musculoskeletal conditions and are determined to help you bounce back to an active lifestyle and doing what you love as quickly as possible. Our Physio Pilates courses, suitable for all levels from beginner to advanced, will help strengthen weaker muscles. Using the methods and teachings of Joseph Pilates, we provide an exercise programme that works on balancing and controlling movement and focuses on your core muscles to build up your posture, flexibility and strength. The core muscles act as the centre of the body, helping make every other part of the body more resilient. It’s not just the abs though, the pelvic muscles, mid and lower back, hip muscles, obliques and the muscles running down each side of your spice known as the erector spinae all define the core.
Our Pilates exercises fully support the back, keeping the spine in the neutral position while focusing on building strength and physical conditioning. For many of our clients, our classes are part of an ongoing rehabilitation process. Physio Pilates can help regain lost movement from a previous injury and help prevent future injury. It’s important for us to know how you think and feel about your injury. If you are not feeling very resilient, it may impact on how you get over it so a psychosocial assessment is an integral part of our physiotherapy. Negative thoughts are definitely a hindrance to rehabilitation so we make sure we start with a good chat to set out some short and long-term goals and to outline our strategies to help you reach them. We talk through the nature of the injury and the healing process and firmly believe you’ll get back on the road to fitness quicker with the help of one of our experienced and friendly team, listening and guiding you in the right direction.
So it’s important not to ignore these muscles and to try and build core strength and an evenly balanced core! We see many patients who’ve picked up an injury at work, those complaining of back and neck pain from bad posture, a result of too many hours sat in a chair not positioned correctly. Poor posture can overstretch the spinal ligaments and strain the discs and surrounding structures in the spine.
You’ll be put through a total body conditioning programme. We believe it’s a great way to reduce stress too and relax - the mind focus, centring and breathing involved produce similar effects to meditation and have an important role to play in ongoing pain management.
A strong core will help take the stress off your lower back so you’re less likely to pick up an injury or strain at your desk and doing those everyday jobs like putting the bins out or carrying the food shopping home.
No matter which muscles you are having problems with, we can help strengthen them and help put you in a better frame of mind so that you can spring back to what you love doing as quickly as possible.
More info: www.augrephysiotherapy.com
Creating a WORLD of Difference
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BODY
How Acupuncture Can Help Your Back Pain
WORDS: Lorna Jackson, 1st BSc (Hons) Acupuncture, BAcC, AFN
Back pain can affect anyone at any age and most people will suffer from it at some point in their lives. It is the UK’s leading cause of disability and one of the main reasons for work-related sickness absence. The condition affects more than 1.1 million people in the UK, with 95% of patients suffering from problems affecting the lower back. Back pain currently costs the NHS and community care services more than £1 billion each year (1). Most lower back pain is caused not by serious damage or disease, but by sprains, muscle strains, minor injuries, or a pinched or irritated nerve. It can also occur during pregnancy, or because of stress, viral infection or a kidney infection.
• Reducing inflammation, by promoting release of vascular and immunomodulatory factors (8, 9)
Your Treatment Plan
• Improving the outcome when added to conventional treatments such as rehabilitation exercises (14, 15).
After a thorough medical history and examination procedure treatment needs to address the underlying causes and any exacerbating factors.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is widely accepted as an effective treatment for back pain. From acute sprains to long-term chronic back pain, it can be a safe and natural way to treat pain and prevent recurrence. Certain acupuncture points have been shown to affect areas of the brain that are known to reduce sensitivity to pain and stress, as well as promoting relaxation and deactivating the ‘analytical’ brain, which is responsible for anxiety (2).
Acupuncture may help relieve chronic pain by: • Stimulating nerves located in muscles and other tissues, which leads to release of endorphins and other neurohumoral factors (e.g. neuropeptide Y, serotonin), and changes the processing of pain in the brain and spinal cord (3-7). 42
• Improving muscle stiffness and joint mobility by increasing local microcirculation, which aids dispersal of swelling (10). • Reducing the use of medication for back complaints (11).
• Providing a more cost-effective treatment over a longer period of time (12,13).
Massage
A combination of bodywork such as massage, acupressure, reflexology, relaxation, breathing and mindful awareness exercises are also a core strategy that has proven helpful for many people.
Other Lifestyle Factors
Creating restful sleep patterns, making sure you have the right diet, nutrients and nourishing eating habits are also key, as well as addressing any emotional issues that may be involved.
More info: www.healthpointclinic.co.uk
Please note the references 1-15 can be found in the Health Point Clinic website.
FITNESS
Training: Why the Pros Always Outweigh the Cons WORDS: Paul James Milon Expert at Healthhaus
Achieving your goals doesn’t happen overnight and when things aren’t going your way, despite your best intentions, you’ll need plenty of mental strength and perseverance to keep you on track. Building resilience in a gym or sporting environment is down to you, no one else. Whether you train alone or with a personal trainer, you’ll never achieve your goal without resilience.
Trust me, as someone who works in a gym, I’m not always up for a training session; I have to mentally push myself through it. My body may be capable of doing the session, but my mind isn’t.
I’ve known so many people who have given up on their training goals because they lack resilience, but it doesn’t have to be that hard.
In order to train, you need to mentally prepare yourself and weigh up the pros and cons: the pros will outweigh the cons and are the reason why you should train. If there
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is ever a day I don’t want to train, I repeat the pros to myself in my head and that’s what gets me to the gym. I put on some motivational music, repeat these pros to myself and I train. Once the session is over, the satisfaction I get from having done a session I didn’t want to do is better than the one I get from doing a session I did want to do, because I know I worked harder than normal to do it. I like to think that I have overcome some adversity in my life; I know people who have overcome a lot more then I have, but I can only talk about my own experiences. I wasn’t always the best behaved child at school due to circumstances in my personal life. I left school with limited qualifications and went to college on very low grades. I had to work through Highlands for 5 years, advancing through different levels of a Sports’ Course; I was so proud when I gained my Maths and English GCSEs at Grade C.
find that something for you; you could be a secret spinner and not know until you get on that bike and do the class! Facing challenges and adversity in my own life has improved me as an instructor, because I have developed emotional intelligence which helps me empathise with clients who come to the gym to train. I try to be the most positive instructor there is. I encourage clients to work as hard as they can and remind them that, just by turning up, working out and building up a sweat, they’ve achieved something. If they’re happy, then so am I! Job done!!
Despite some other personal challenges which nearly made me quit college, I finally left with an equivalent of an A at A-Level Standard for Sport and had also passed my Gym Instructor Level 2, my Level 1 Football and also had a Saturday job. Although I was faced with all this adversity, (people not believing in me, low selfconfidence, continually comparing myself to my friends who managed to achieve far higher grades than me and all the challenges in my personal life), somehow I found a way to knuckle down and get on with my work. I believe it was the college setup which helped me to achieve this; teachers were more relaxed and we could be ourselves, which was in total contrast to the regime of school and strict teachers, which I really struggled with. When you face challenges in life, you need to find something that helps you do what you need to do. For example, if you struggle to get to the gym because circuits bore you, find other classes that inspire and motivate you. Until you try, you will never
Creating a WORLD of Difference
My tips to overcoming adversity are: • Show people that they were wrong about you by doing something about it.
• Don’t let anything stop you from doing and achieving what you want to do. • Don’t put up barriers to stop you from exercising.
I know people with disabilities who do sport and go to the gym; they are a shining example to us all and a reminder that we alone are responsible for personal resilience. It really is that simple!
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FITNESS
Fitness as a Lifestyle WORDS: Katherine Day
Each new year we make promises of beginning diets and fitness regimes with the aim of releasing our new healthier selves. Yet, with the arrival of Autumn, we are often reflecting on how we simply have not achieved our optimistically set goals. Instead our coveted “bikini body” has been postponed for another year, although we often cling vaguely to the hope that there may still be time to achieve our elusive goal and become happier versions of ourselves in time for the Christmas party season, and that little black dress. Unfortunately, where these plans often fail is in our misguided belief that our attendance at the odd exercise class, or our sporadic visits to the gym are enough. While this may be the case for some lucky few, sadly for the majority, achieving our fitness goals, and healthier and better selves, is all about lifestyle, and more importantly serious lifestyle change. This point has recently been highlighted by celebrity fitness coaches and chefs, discussing healthier food options
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which are quick to prepare and low in calories, using vegetables in more and more inventive ways. One such celebrity is Joe Wicks, whose recipe books have been topping the non-fiction charts. These books have a selection of recipes, which when combined with the appropriate matching exercises can lead to a healthy balanced lifestyle. So now, in the 21st Century we have come to the realisation that rather than follow the next diet trend, it is far more important to consider your lifestyle. If you don’t change what you do, you can’t expect to change yourself. Therefore to be able to move forward you need to seriously
consider what has not worked in the past and change it. There is no point in promising that you will go to the gym five days a week if you work full time and often work overtime. It is far better to set achievable goals upon which you can build. Begin with an hour at the gym once a week, or a run once a week, or enjoy a weekly dance class or swimming session, and then add to this as the endorphins are released, and the exercise becomes a happy habit rather than a chore. Reward yourself when you stick to these action goals and habits, but not with naughty “treats” such as a sneaky trip to McDonalds on the way home from a gym session. This will only put you back a step. Consider instead a treat that will allow you to look after yourself – a point towards a massage or nail treatment, a long bath, or simply time put aside to read or watch a favourite programme.
“Exercise, the food with which we fuel our bodies, sleep, and mindfulness are all things we should consider when embarking on this journey.”
FITNESS
Achieving a healthier self is more than doing exercise and monitoring what we eat, it is about looking after our inner and outer selves. It is important to remember that what goes into our bodies, as well as our physical health, and our mental health are all contributing factors to a healthier lifestyle. This can only be achieved through a combination of supporting pillars which together support a good fitness regime and lifestyle. Exercise, the food with which we fuel our bodies, sleep, and mindfulness are all things we should consider when embarking on this journey. Becoming a healthier self is no quick fix, but a lifestyle change that requires forethought. Find an exercise that you enjoy, be it Zumba, running, dancing, swimming, cycling, walking or going to the gym, so that when you need to change into your exercise gear you are excited for your workout. Look after your mental health by taking up a mindfulness practice, perhaps yoga, tai chi, or even simple meditation, which enables you to relax and rebalance your body and not allow negative thoughts or experiences to take hold.
Creating a WORLD of Difference
An hour in a tai chi class, or yoga class can restore your balance, leave you feeling refreshed and energised. In fact, science has proved that your mind and body will benefit greatly from taking time out of your daily life to shut down and simply meditate. The advantages of meditation are endless, and mantras against anxiety or sinking into deep relaxation with yoga will help you feel centred. Slow and steady wins the race. It will be unlikely that we achieve our fitness goals by jumping in head first and taking on too much. Start small and build, and watch as you achieve the goals which previously seemed too far out of your reach. Your body will thank you for treating it with respect.
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FITNESS
Exercise Builds Resilience Beyond the Gym WORDS: Dan Reis, Soulgenic Coaching
Life, as you have no doubt experienced, is not always easy! And it's the same with exercise. It's all too easy for people to talk themselves out of doing regular exercise. My job is to get my clients to become independent of me in the long term, but we all know that embarking on a fitness journey has many challenges along the way. So what is it that makes some people stick with it whilst others quit early on? When I first started training for power lifting a little over five years ago, my online coach stated something I’ve never forgotten: that I “would need to learn how to be comfortable with being uncomfortable”. I didn’t know it at the time, but the qualities that I developed through power lifting would help me as much, if not more, outside of the gym as they would in it. It’s not just me, and it’s not just power lifting. Ask anyone whose day regularly includes a hard bike ride, endless lengths of the pool, an intense stretching session, or a 10k run, and they’ll likely tell you the same: challenges just don’t seem so difficult anymore. For instance, a tight deadline will seem less intimidating, relationship problems perhaps not so draining and last minute irksome changes to plans (such as travel) will be nothing to sweat about. Some people say that if you’re regularly exercising, you’re likely to be too worn out to care. What a load of nonsense! Research actually shows that physical activity boosts short-term brain function and heightens awareness and drive. Even on those down days (everyone needs a bit of rest), the exercise that has been undertaken is still having a positive effect the next day. Basically, people who exercise
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regularly and habitually push their body tend to confront daily stresses with an unflappable disposition. What a bonus in today’s frantic and fast paced world! Of course, there are also the traditional benefits of vigorous and regular exercise, like prevention and treatment of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and osteoporosis. Weight and body shape can be dialled up or down, and by having a strong ethos with respect to working out and pushing your limits, you build a strong heart and an even stronger mind. Look at the recent Super League triathletes in Jersey. The professional and personal endurance, and the sense of adventure, that these men and women exude is remarkable and inspiring. That takes pushing your limit to a whole other level. But you don’t need to run five-minute miles to reap the benefits off vigorous exercise. Simply training for your first half marathon or 'Tough Mudder' competition can also deliver huge benefits that carry over into other areas of life. In the words of Kelly Starrett, founder of the CrossFit movement, “Anyone can benefit from cultivating a physical practice.” The science backs him up too: a wealth of studies show that people who go from not exercising at all to even a modest programme (just two to three gym visits per week) report a decrease in a range of unhealthy habits such as stress, smoking, alcohol and caffeine consumption, and also feel considerably healthier. Win, win, win!
FITNESS
Some of you may be reading this and thinking “Well I don’t do ANY exercise at the moment … it’d basically kill me to do anything too intense …”. Well you don’t need to be an elite athlete, a fitness junkie or even someone who has ever pulled on a pair of sneakers to go from no exercise to some exercise. You can start slowly and take small steps and still feel the benefits from head (in your mind) to toe (through each and every muscle!), no matter what starting block you come out from! Why does any of this matter? Exercise isn’t just about protecting your health down the road, and it’s certainly not just about vanity. What you do in the gym makes you a better, higher-functioning person outside of it. The truth, simple as it may sound, is this: when you develop physical fitness, you’re developing life fitness too. The art of resilience!
So here are my top 10 things you can do to become a resilient exerciser with enough grit and mental toughness to make it through: 1. Be optimistic 2. Face your fears 3. Get social support 4. Have resilient role models 5. Maintain physical fitness 6. Keep your brain strong 7. Be “cognitively flexible” 8. Find your sense of humour 9. Find meaning in what you do 10. Reward yourself for successes along the way More info: www.clubsoulgenic.co.uk
“Well you don’t need to be an elite athlete, a fitness junkie or even someone who has ever pulled on a pair of sneakers to go from no exercise to some exercise.” Creating a WORLD of Difference
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Build a Resilient Spine with the TRX INTERVIEW with: Paul Deveney Founder of Lido Physio and Spinal Clinic
The TRX is becoming one of the leading tools for health practitioners around the world. With its gleaming versatility and scalability for all levels and ages; Paul Deveney and Georgina Sutton explore some different options to relieve Back Pain. We went to find out more.
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Spinal injuries often lead to instantaneous and lifechanging circumstances requiring convoluted pathways in rehabilitation. Developing resilience is essential in determining how spinal injury patients overcome this and take action to seek specialist rehab protocols. Not only can a spinal injury impact your functional status, preventing an individual from performing even everyday tasks, it can have a huge effect on your psychological wellbeing. Depending on where the spinal injury occurs can depend on the lasting affects you may experience. Many people can live a full and productive life after a spinal injury given the right treatment and support. Some spinal injury patients are reluctant to try physical therapy, especially during the first few months following the injury. It may seem impossible but a few simple movements can really help you heal.
step could be to join the TRX for Back Pain Clinics, specially created by Paul Deveney, Lido Spinal, and TRX Expert, Georgina Sutton, offering a scientific approach to rehabilitation. Identifying, analysing and recording injuries or pain using high quality assessment techniques allow them to provide you with an accurate diagnosis for your problem. Once this has been established they are then able to work with you to create a treatment plan that will return you to your normal function. Paul told us: “If you want to improve your spinal stability, proprioception, coordination, overall strength and core function; this programme is for you. We ensure your specially tailored programme optimises core function in multiple planes of motion assisting everyday function. TRX based rehabilitation is scientifically proven to reduce lower back pain, help patients with scoliosis and enhance flexibility and mobility by including multijoint integrated movements correcting postural faults and ensuring no further injury or pain. By leveraging the user’s own bodyweight and manipulating your own desired level of stability; this versatile tool is scale-able to any client, no matter what age or level of fitness. Most importantly the TRX tool can help retrain your motor patterns to prevent pain or injury from re-occurring, leading to positive functional, sustainable, outcomes.”
“If you want to improve your spinal stability, Our physical health and proprioception, mental health are closely linked. When your physical coordination, health is affected by illness or injury, your mental health is overall strength and more vulnerable. When you experience a spinal injury, both core function; this the injury and side effects from medication can affect the way programme is for you.” you think and feel. Following a spinal injury, you may experience changes in mobility, functionality, your level of independence, employment and financial situations, the way you live day-to-day, as well as how you see yourself and relate to others. However, support information and effective treatment can help. Given the strong relationship between psychological and physical health; Lido Physio and Spinal Clinic offer a support system for those who seek an exercise programme with scientifically proven results. An individual’s personal 'resilience' comes with self-efficacy and resilient thinking, in turn resulting in positive health outcomes. The first
TRX is dedicated to scientific research and application in the field of health. Try this incredibly effective rehabilitation tool focusing on the human body as an integrated system and reap the benefits!
You’ll find the Lido Physio and Spinal Clinic at the Lido Medical Centre in St Saviour’s Road, St Saviour, Jersey. There’s lot of information on their website – or alternatively, feel free to give either Paul or Georgina a call to discuss your needs. T. 01534 639233 M. 07797 723353
More info: www.lidospinalclinic.com
Creating a WORLD of Difference
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FOOD
RESILIENCE:
Catching a Cold or Flu This Winter is More of a Choice Than You Think!
WORDS: Andy Barnes MD, The Foodstate Company
There is no other time of year when considering your resilience to illness and taking steps to support your immunity is so important. Winter is approaching and it is fair to say that most peoples’ mindset is to accept the inevitability of a cold or flu at some point. I believe you have far more choice in the matter, and the secret is boosting your immunity to become far more resilient.
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How do we do that?
Understanding why our immune system is compromised is different for each of us because we all experience a variety of influencing factors caused by nutritional deficiency, stress, negative emotions, diet, fatigue, poor digestion, etc. Suffice it to say, a lifestyle imbalance has occurred so here are some helpful ways to correct that imbalance:
10 Dietary Tips for Better Health 1. Consume animal protein as an occasional treat rather than a daily habit, including cow’s milk. Try goat’s milk instead
2. Eliminate all margarines and other inappropriately named “health spreads”
3. Consume 20% of your food in raw and ripe form,
including healthy juices and smoothies
4. Only consume organic free range eggs that haven’t been fed on chicken pellets 5. Only use cold pressed organic oils in glass containers.
Plastic containers contain chemical residues that are not helpful to the immune system
6. Add Shiitake, Maitake and Reishi mushrooms to the diet a few times a month, and whole organic brown rice and soybean products like tofu and miso 7. Green leafy vegetables are great for the immunity especially broccoli, cabbage, watercress and Brussels sprouts
8. Consume fresh organic fruits such as lemons, tangerines
(not oranges and grapefruit) apples, cherries, apricots, pineapple (the core contains enzymes that help the heart), grapes, figs, raspberries and cranberries
9. Consume at least one and a half to two litres of water daily 10. Reduce stimulant foods and eliminate refined foods
like sugar, white bread, non-organic pasta
Beneficial Foodstate Supplements
Foodstate nutrients are better absorbed, used and retained by the body than ordinary supplements, and provide a broad spectrum of essential nutrients that are in short supply in the food chain. Here is a list of supplements that are particularly associated with supporting the immunity:
1. A food based multivitamin, mineral and trace element providing a broad spectrum of vitamins, minerals and trace elements 2. Selenium: Selenium is desperately deficient in the soil and is important for immune support
3. Essential fatty acids: These important fats are required for many important metabolic processes involving the immune system
4. Multi Anti-oxidant with trace minerals: This contains many antioxidants including Zinc, Vitamin C and Selenium. Helps reduce harmful free radicals in the body that are damaging to the immunity
5. Probiotic bacteria: Proper digestion is fundamental to our health because if you are not digesting the nutrients in your food, even the finest diet is ineffective 6. Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) is known to help reduce inflammation
7. Bromelain: This enzyme helps reduce inflammation and supports heart function
8. Magnesium: 80% of us are magnesium deficient. This
mineral is required by every cell in the body, it removes waste products, supports bone growth, reduces stress, helps with energy release and proper nerve function
Understanding healthy living is 90% common sense, and above all food is to be enjoyed! So don’t become obsessed, but instead try to incorporate some of these suggestions in to your daily life. We all know of the basic guidelines to eat less fat, sugar and salt and to increase our fibre intake. Equally, try to get as much fresh food as possible – raw salad vegetables, fruit, lightly cooked leaf and root vegetables, and enjoy the wonderful feelings of vitality they impart. Despite the importance of healthy eating, we require 60 minerals for optimum health but only 8 are available in any quantity in food today, so incorporating food-based supplements is an effective way of filling in those gaps and keeping you resilient to disease.
More info: www.thefoodstatecompany.com
Creating a WORLD of Difference
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FOOD
Long Life: Japanese Style
Something from the Land, and Something from the Sea, Each Day
The Japanese have long been revered for their healthy life expectancy, which according to the World Health Statistics 2017 report remains higher than almost anywhere else in the world. So what is their secret?
Japan was the home of Misao Okawa who was once known to be the oldest person alive until her death in 2015 at the fine old age of 117 years and 27 days. Okawa said that sushi and sleep were the reasons why she lived so long. Sushi and sleep certainly; and a few other things too.
Sugar
Japanese people consume on average 48.8g sugar per day, compared with the British who munch through 100.4g a day. There is a vast amount of evidence which links sugar to weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. In Japan people tend to finish off meals with green tea or fruit rather than a sugar filled dessert. Dessert is something to be taken with coffee in the afternoon, if at all, and the portions are much smaller than in the Western World.
Seaweed
Seaweed is packed with disease-fighting antioxidants and can help you to lose weight; alginate, a compound found in seaweed, stops the body absorbing fat. Experts link Japanese health and longevity to a diet low in fat and high in fruit and sea vegetables such as seaweed.
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Walking
Harvard University reported that walking for two-anda-half hours a week could add seven years to your life. Driving in Japan is expensive, so a lot of the population rely on public transport or walking to get to where they need to go, they walk two to three times a day which dramatically reduces the time spent in cars.
Soy
The soy bean is a versatile and popular ingredient in Japanese cuisine used to make a wide variety of foods and flavourings. Soy bean has excellent health benefits from heart health to relief from menopausal symptoms.
Seafood
Japanese cuisine is predominantly seafood combined with seaweeds; this is extremely beneficial as it can reduce the risk of heart disease. Diets heavy in fatty fishes are also proven to elevate mood and prevent certain types of cancer and inflammation.
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The Food Guide
The government has also played its part. In 2005, the Japanese government published ‘the Japanese Food Guide Spinning Top’, created as a food and nutrition education tool to promote better dietary patterns. The spinning top resembles the well-known traditional Japanese toy, and is a rotating inverted cone divided from the top down into food group layers that depict foods primarily in cooked form. The order of the food groups is given by the recommended daily servings. At the top there are grain-based dishes (rice, bread, noodles and pasta), followed by vegetable-based dishes (including salads, cooked vegetables and soups), and fish, eggs and meat dishes. At the bottom are milk and fruit. A person running on top of the gyrating spinning top represents the importance of doing physical activity regularly to enjoy good health. The guide also recommends drinking plenty of water or tea, and a moderate consumption of highly processed snacks, confectionary and sugarsweetened beverages. The food guide is accompanied by a chart that indicates the recommended daily servings for each food group and illustrated with examples of foods and dishes to meet the recommendations.
The key messages are: • Enjoy your meals. • Establish a healthy rhythm by keeping regular hours for meals. • Eat well-balanced meals with staple food, as well as main and side dishes. • Eat enough grains such as rice and other cereals. • Combine vegetables, fruits, milk products, beans and fish in your diet. • Avoid too much salt and fat. • Maintain a healthy body weight and balance the calories you eat with physical activity. • Take advantage of your dietary culture and local food products, while incorporating new and different dishes. • Reduce leftovers and waste through proper cooking and storage methods. • Track your daily food intake to monitor your diet.
Creating a WORLD of Difference
“Everything from making exercise a regular part of our daily routine to mindful eating, to dimming the lights an hour before bed for better sleep, all can contribute to longevity.” Around a decade later, researchers at the National Centre for Global Health and Medicine in Tokyo investigated the effect on the country’s mortality rate. The team analysed food and lifestyle questionnaires completed by 36,624 men and 42,920 women aged between 45 and 75, with no history of cancer, stroke, heart or chronic liver diseases. Researchers found that participants who closely followed the food guide had a 15% lower mortality rate. Researchers concluded: “Our findings suggest that balanced consumption of energy, grains, vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, eggs, soy products, dairy products, confectionaries, and alcoholic beverages can contribute to longevity by decreasing the risk of death, predominantly from cardiovascular disease, in the Japanese population.”
Something from the Land, something from the Sea
The Japanese follow the practice of eating something from the land and something from the sea each day. This includes foods such as seaweed, bitter melons, tofu, garlic, brown rice, green tea and shiitake mushrooms. We can imitate these lifestyle factors in order to enjoy a longer, healthier life. Everything from making exercise a regular part of our daily routine to mindful eating, to dimming the lights an hour before bed for better sleep, all can contribute to longevity. We can learn a lot about how to be healthy from the Japanese; it really comes down to ‘eat real food’ and ‘exercise’. Simples.
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MIND
What’s The Point? WORDS: Pamela Pitcher - The Point
Have you ever asked yourself that question? If you have, you are not alone. From my perspective, ‘The Point’ is to feel great about you and the things you do!
When people lack confidence, the reason is the quality of their thinking. You can’t live a positive life with a negative mind. Happily, there are many mind techniques we can use to enhance the quality of our thinking and in turn enhance our performance. In other words, it’s important to change our inner game to change our outer game. If you’ve been thinking the same way for years, continuing to do ‘it’ will not bring the change you may be seeking in your personal life, career, sports, etc.
they have clarity of mind, a razor focus and strong selfconfidence. It’s the same in life, the more energy we put into something, the luckier we get. We can either allow life to happen to us or we can set our own course and create an amazing life for ourselves. Everything starts with a thought that is why it’s so important to have great thoughts. Once you have the mind tools to change your life, it’s up to you to change it. If you’re ready to make the ultimate shift once and for all, then you are ready to make all the changes necessary to live a great life.
“The voice inside our head can be crippling. We tend to talk to ourselves more harshly than we ever would talk to another. Why are we so hard on ourselves?”
The brain is like any other muscle, if it is not used, it atrophies. We need to learn to build our brain muscle and this doesn’t happen by simply reading a book or watching videos. Thought and action is required. We need to exercise our brains for a change by regularly challenging our negative thinking and expanding our perspective.
If we were to look at six professional athletes all of whom have equal physical skill in their chosen sport, the one that wins is the one with the stronger inner game. Typically
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I have changed my life from one of dysfunction to now one of celebration and it is my sincere desire to make that change happen for others. I believe that everyone deserves to live a life full of the stuff they love and that is why I created The Point. Point being, I’m at my best when I’m of service. What’s your point?
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Your Point of View:
The way we feel about ourselves depends upon our thinking patterns. Self-doubt breeds uncertainty and lack of confidence where we can’t be certain of our choices. This step provides important realisations of how you’ve been limiting your experience with patterns of thinking that no longer serve you.
The Point, Limiting Beliefs Limit Us
The Point is to Understand My Values
Our Values are our internal beacon, the direction of our personal journey. When we are not in tune with our Values, it’s as though someone else is driving our bus with no sense of direction. Tune into your Values and start driving your own bus in the direction you want to go – not the direction that someone else thinks you should be going.
Beliefs are not based on logic. They are a matter of faith. They are an acceptance that something is true, usually without evidence. They are huge influencers over our life. It’s common knowledge that if someone thinks they can do something, they will and if they don’t think they can, they won’t. With the right training it is entirely possible to break free of ruinous limiting beliefs.
The Point is to Live with Passion
The is NO Point to Negative Self-Talk & Critics
This is where you put all of your newly acquired selfknowledge to action. Action is the first step to change and without it you go nowhere. Knowledge without action is arrogance. We can all learn a powerful array of strategic techniques to increase our effectiveness, saving time & effort.
The voice inside our head can be crippling. We tend to talk to ourselves more harshly than we ever would talk to another. Why are we so hard on ourselves? Quite simply we’ve learned some damaging patterns of thinking. The good news is that we can change the way that we think leaving room for positivity and change. Overcoming these saboteurs is a crucial step to enhance our lives.
During this workshop, you will learn your unique formula for success. You will discern what’s integral for you to live a richer, fuller life. With clarity of purpose, you will know what you want and what you need in your life to be fulfilled.
The Point of the Power of Strategy
Tap into your personal power and create more of what you really want in life.
THE POINT
Is a step-by-step process I created, designed for people seeking uplift. I guide you through a powerful process to release old conditioning and negative thought patterns that trigger self-doubt. It’s a transformative programme to help you connect to your true self. You will break free of limiting beliefs and behaviours and discover newer, truer ways of being and thinking so you return to your life refuelled with clarity and focus. I invite you to join me.
More info: www.pamelapitcher.com
Creating a WORLD of Difference
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MIND
Depression and Sugar A dastardly duo, indeed.
WORDS & RESEARCH: Lucy Sanderson
Sugar is definitely not brainfood, especially if that brain is susceptible to depression; there is nothing sweet about this combination. The glucose in sugar is the catalyst and the obvious spikes in energy we get from eating sugar is what leaves the depressed brain somewhat frazzled. For sufferers of depression, food is a vital element, which can either help or hinder symptoms and in order to maintain a healthy balance and avoid fractious thoughts and behaviour then sugar should be kept at a minimum. Over-consumption of sugar triggers imbalances in certain brain chemicals, upping the chances of outcomes like symptoms of depression and anxiety. In particular, excess sugar has an impact on dopamine level; the neurotransmitter that fuels the brain's reward system, a lot like a strong narcotic. Since addiction and mood disorders are closely linked, it could be that sugar plays a role which is similar to that of cocaine in powering the mood-roller-coaster. Sugar is increasingly linked to cellular inflammation, which is associated to the onset of depression. Something known as the cytokine model of depression is caused by cellular inflammation; literally inflammation of the brain. With sugar being held very much accountable for inflammation of cells, this is widely thought of as a strong contributor to depression – meaning that the sugar we eat physically impacts the structure of our cells and makes way for issues with our mental health. If you suffer from depression, an anti-inflammatory diet is a good way to enhance your chances of better controlling and managing your symptoms.
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Reduce your sugar and carbohydrate intake – carbs have the same effect as sugar. No more doughnuts, however it’s not to say that any amount of sugar is damaging; our brains are dependent on sugar to function. Brain cells require two times the energy needed by all the other cells in the body, about 10% of our total daily energy requirements. That energy is derived from glucose (blood sugar), the brain's primary fuel. Sugar is not the brain's enemy – excess sugar is! Too much sugar is also the blame for the ups and downs we face when we consume too much of it, a bit like caffeine. The buzz from a load of sugar wears off to leave a sort of brain fog; it can effect sleep patterns and induce mood swings. These attributes are commonly noticed in children or adolescents that consume too much sugar – but as adults, we’re really no different. The highs and lows of sugar seem to fit seamlessly into our day to day lives with tea and coffee on tap throughout the day, snacks and even too much fruit and fruit juice (never mind the fizzy drinks too), until of
MIND
course, we crash. The cycle breaks and we notice that in fact, the negatives of the sugary diet totally outweighs the positives. For a person with depression, this effect is magnified tenfold. Dr Kathleen DesMaisons, leading sugar addiction expert, published a book called ‘Potatoes not Prozac’ in regard to the dangers of sugar. For people suffering from mental health issues such as depression, this book is a treasure trove of information on battling depression by implementing a more mindful and proactive approach to healthy eating. She alludes to the fact that we can get our ‘spark’ back without the need for a sugar explosion; that food plays an integral part in determining the management of our mental health. In short Dr DesMaisons tells a story in which sugar plays the villainous role; the cycle whereby sugar is a crux we often turn to for comfort, not realising that it’s already probably very prevalent within our bodies and we become addicted to the stuff. Once we’re in the
Creating a WORLD of Difference
cycle of sugar, our bodies and minds are taking a knock and we experience the highs and lows from our diet. People with depression feel it all the more and without understanding the effects of a poor diet, are exasperating an already unstable set of circumstances. On the other hand, perfect healthy people can induce and bring about symptoms of depression from consuming too much sugar. There’s basically no sweet outcome from eating too much of the sweet stuff.
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MIND
Demi Lovato and Mental Health WORDS: Katherine Day
Singer and actress Demi Lovato may only be 25 but she has already successfully overcome a large number of challenges which have defeated others, often older than herself. Bullied at school, Lovato also struggled when her career took off in her teenage years. At only 18 she entered a rehabilitation facility for physical and emotional issues after punching a female dancer whilst on tour with the Jonas Brothers. Lovato acknowledged that she had suffered from bulimia, had self-harmed, and selfmedicated with drugs and alcohol. This is a story that seems only too common with young adults thrust into the spotlight, however, it turned out there was more to Lovato’s story. Whilst in treatment Lovato was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. Since then, Lovato has become an important voice bringing noise and discussion to important conversations which had previously been silenced or ignored. Speaking out about mental health, as well as bullying, body image and positivity, and LGBT rights, Lovato has said that she wants “to use my voice to do more than just sing.” Her celebrity status allows her voice to be heard, and to bring attention to those voices which would normally be ignored. Working with companies and charities, as well as donating to charities and causes, Lovato uses her power to make a difference and created the Lovato Treatment Scholarship Program to pay
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treatment costs for mentally-ill patients. Lovato is very open about her struggles, and released her book Staying Strong: 365 Days a Year in 2013, and hopes to help others gain the strength and support they need as they face their own battles. ‘I think it’s very important that people raise the importance of mental health because it’s something that’s so taboo to talk about. The more people who know about it, the more people are going to be able to find solutions to what they are going through,” said Lovato to Women’s Health in an article earlier this year. Each day is a challenge, but Lovato is remaining positive and strong as she celebrated her fifth year of Sobriety in March. Continuing to raise dialogue and conversations around this taboo subjects to change stigmas and provide support and help, she says ‘it’s important to speak up about the thing you believe in.’ Demi Lovato may be bipolar, but she does not let it define her. And she wants to make sure that is not the case for anyone else.
MIND
Music as Presence
WORDS: Molly Knight Forde
I use playing the piano as one of my daily meditation practices because it requires total presence of body, feelings and mind. When everything is lined up, playing the piano becomes a profound event where deeper emotion moves me and I am part of something greater than myself. The execution of the notes can take months to bring up to tempo and perfect. I must zero in on four or five difficult measures of music that don’t seem to be working at speed and analyse what the physical problem may be. This professional level of playing requires the utmost efficiency of movement and tremendous relaxation. Too much tension will affect the sound, the flow and the tempo. I must have a Zen like presence to deeply notice the physical status of my body right down to the tips of my
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fingers and how they make contact with the keys. Playing the piano requires this kind of physical focus. If I can be present with each movement while engaging a listening feedback loop, I have a seemingly perfect system, but listening after the fact is too late. I need to be so present that my creative force goes ahead of my fingers and tells them exactly how I want to produce a sound to create any effect. My refined technique becomes the perfect vehicle for spontaneity and direct expression from the heart.
I can only do this if I am in the present moment. No performance, whether it is in my studio or before thousands of people is ever the same. I make small adjustments along the way depending on the piano, the hall, the audience and my state of being. A certain alchemy creates each musical event in live performance. I am part of a greater whole made up of interaction between the energy of the audience, the composer who lives through the piece of music, the music itself and me, the interpreter of that music. Because I play things that are already written, I have a goal to deliver that composer’s intent but through my heart and soul. I feel affinity with a certain time period in history, the Being Presence of the composer
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which supersedes time and space as well as my Being Presence which is brought forth together with theirs.
I am offered the chance to remember myself and engage my essence through the music.
If everything is just right, I soar from a place beyond any one aspect. I experience expansion when I am connected to the work of art, my heart and my audience. This is nothing less than sacred and brings about Presence within me.
I realise that if I am to remain in the present with each touch, within each phrase, I must vigilantly hold my attention and remain open to being affected by the music itself. I access both the physical and non-physical realms. My soul develops in profound ways because of my intention to be with what is happening.
In explaining all this Zen of execution and the active pulse of performance, both integral components in a professional musician’s life, there is one thing I have left out that should be pointed out. If any of this is to occur, I have to get out of the way. That part of me that critically judges myself or sizes up how good or bad I am in light of what others might think has got to be relegated to a miniscule corner of my awareness if not obliterated completely. Its noise is dimmed by my ability to remain within my divine higher self. This ability has come from years of wrestling with these two parts, recognising each for what they are and remaining present with both in order to learn more. My identification with the idea that I am not good enough manifests in nerves, fear and hesitation. It is the barrier to pure and spontaneous expression, the expression that touches my heart and the hearts of others. To become free of this barrier, I have immersed myself in staying present with a struggle which resembles the battle of the black and white magicians wielding their extraordinary powers over one another. Each success on one side incites the other to a new, more insidious means to vanquish the foe. Sometimes the black magician prevails on stage and to my audience it seems like a good performance, but to me it was a battle to unlock the prison door. Each time it takes me down, even if it lasts for a small part of a performance, I get closer to the purity of the moment. In a microsecond, the white magician must shake it off and continue its pursuit of excellence … not perfection.
Creating a WORLD of Difference
“I must have a Zen like presence to deeply notice the physical status of my body right down to the tips of my fingers and how they make contact with the keys. Playing the piano requires this kind of physical focus.” It wouldn’t even matter if anyone else heard it at that point because this presence with the music moves a deeper more vulnerable part of me; something one hopes can come across in a performance. More importantly, this vulnerability is revealed to me and I am transformed.
Molly Knight Forde is a professional classical pianist and spiritual mentor, teaching Awareness and Presence through music, meditation and expanded attention out in the world not just on the cushion. Her new book, Be Present, will be available very soon!
More info: http://mollyknightforde.com
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INSIGHT
Is Your Compassion Wearing You Thin? WORDS: Amber Blake
Often at times highly sensitive people - "the empath", feel an intense level of fluctuating emotions. This is in response to things occurring around them. Being an empath, you naturally carry a heavy load by absorbing energies of those around us. In particular the empath whether knowingly or unknowingly absorbs like a sponge the emotions and energies of others. Thus, leading to daily fatigue and exhaustion with no apparent reason. What makes this enervation worse is the inability to escape it. For the average person, spending some time on the sofa, relaxing and watching a movie, or a just getting a good night’s sleep is enough to leave them feeling refreshed, however as an empath you really have little escape from this exhaustion. The best way to manage it is often in nature, either a walk in the woods or escaping to the sea, taking a cold shower, or even meditation to really restore and re-energise our self. Mainstream culture believes that Empaths are nonexistent. That belief is possible to maintain if you are not an empath yourself however what this leads to is denial. As a result of this
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denial, unknowingly you keep “sponging” all kinds of emotional and mental energy from people around you. You use your sensitivity to help people in need, only to become incredibly over-burdened by their problems. Your thoughts, emotions, and feelings can all play havoc on your internal system, causing devastating consequences that can be debilitating. When we experience intense or prolonged anxiety, stress, or living an unhealthy lifestyle for example, too much or too little sleep, substance abuse, overworking, poor diet, stressful relationships, stressful family situations etc. we place excessive continuous demands on our adrenal glands.
“ You use your sensitivity to help people in need, only to become incredibly over-burdened by their problems. ”
INSIGHT
Our adrenal glands are small endocrine glands, approximately the size of a walnut, that are situated in the lower back area just above our kidneys. They are very powerful and beneficial when under stress, as they release hormones that help keep us alert, focused, and increase our stamina so that we are able to deal with pressure. However, when we overstimulate our adrenal glands, they will keep producing energy, which causes a conflict when we try to rest or sleep, as we will feel permanently wired and on high alert, known otherwise as the "fight or flight response" This results in-excessive stress on our adrenal glands, causing them to eventually burn out and malfunction. When our adrenal glands are not working effectively, we may feel constantly fatigued, run-down, irritable, anxious, dizzy, and overwhelmed. We may experience heart palpitations, sugar, or salt cravings, low or high blood pressure, and we will also find it very difficult to manage stressful situations. If we are well balanced by thinking positively, exercising, eating, and sleeping well then, our adrenal glands will not be easily overwhelmed. As miserable, hopeless and tiresome as this constant state of exhaustion may seem, there are ways to overcome this fatigue. As you begin to search for the magic cure which will give you that much needed relief, be patient with yourself and know that it will take practice and time to overcome a lifetime of feeling tired.
In adrenal recovery food has a big part to play. There are a number of foods that support adrenal function. They help replenish your adrenal energy therefore enabling your adrenal system to restore and return to full health: • Olives • Coconut • Avocado • Cruciferous vegetables (e.g. cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, etc.) • Fatty fish (e.g. salmon) • Chicken and turkey • Nuts, such as walnuts and almonds • Seeds, such as pumpkin, chia and flax • Kelp and seaweed • Celtic or Himalayan sea salt Another key element to overcoming over-worked adrenal glands is to ensure you are getting the correct vitamins and minerals. Sadly, due to soil depletion due to over farmed and un-healthy farming practices we are not always able to get the right amounts of vitamins and minerals required through our food that we once could. Therefore, we now need to ensure you are getting the following through either whole-food form or through supplements: • Ashwagandha • Holy basil • Fish oil (EPA/DHA)
• Magnesium • Vitamin B5 • Vitamin B12 • Vitamin C • Vitamin D3 • Zinc Finally, you must take measures to reduce your stresses and anxieties. We might not always have full control over some stressors in our lives, but we can however have control of our attitude towards them. To relieve adrenal fatigue, you can remove a great deal of inner stress by surrendering patterns of self-loathing and embracing self-compassion and self-love. Stop putting yourself down and give yourself the pat on the back you truly deserve. Create security, stability, joy, inner peace, be optimistic, and get a restful night’s sleep this will all contribute to rebalancing your adrenal glands. Make the effort to spend time with the people that you love and who make you feel good. The more that you spend time with them, the better that you will begin to feel. After all, as an empath you absorb the energies of your surroundings therefore surrounding yourself with these people will consequentially make you feel more positive and relaxed.
Treatment for adrenal fatigue involves reducing stress on your body and your mind, eliminating toxins, avoiding negative thinking, and replenishing your body with healthy food and positive thoughts.
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INSIGHT
Logon to De-stress. There’s an APP for that. WORDS: Lucy Sanderson
We’ve taken plenty of time to look at all of the ways with which we need to unplug and detox the digital. However, in terms of managing stress and overcoming anxiety or depression there are some smart ways online. With technology comes progress and although we oft jump the gun and hammer and tong our way into new products and services, we can sometimes do better to align ourselves with a little more consideration; then we can benefit from both progress and balance.
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INSIGHT
Take the convenience of mobiles for instance, we are able to set our daily goals by many an app, available at the click of a finger on our devices. We can order groceries, send cards and gifts, pick and book a holiday, message or email a friend, take and send photos as well as the other gazillion things we can do in a flash over the web. All of this convenience tends to breed more busyness and expectation to ‘perform’ and unfortunately in the midst of all this supposed time saving efficiency, we sometimes get lost amongst the chaos. Control/Alt/Delete and hey presto, install stress and away we go, buffering as we burn out… Cue therapist/s and the need to recharge and reset. The thing is, within the furore of speedy advancement online, there has sprung a whole host of resources to help us deal with stress – these really are apps worth having to hand. If need be, start by removing all the negative, time consuming apps on your device in order to make way for a virtual ‘breath of fresh air’ selection of digital therapies on your phone in their place. If (like my reluctant mother), you still hold onto a phone that is literally just that, a phone, there are ample online courses and sites that offer the same thing; digital therapy and answers to some of the stress related issues in your life. Simply a case of logging on to your computer or tablet and away you go. From online Computerised Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CCBT) to talk therapy (counselling), family therapy, behavioural activation and coaching for example, can all be found at your fingertips.
approach. There’s less strain on public funded therapy and actually, a cherry-picked decision on who or what works best for the patient. Computerised therapy offers 24/7 content in between designated sessions and can therefore provide ongoing support to those who need it. Although traditional human interaction and evaluation is undoubtedly satisfactory, there’s a lot to be said for the kind of technology used in today’s digital therapies. Cutting edge tech, augmented with natural language processing and artificial intelligence means that therapy can be even more personalised, generating precise results from patients’ responses and interactions. One UK online therapy site even features its results in comparison to NHS results; the benchmark is clear and the difference is staggering in terms of the higher recovery rates. At least a 10% betterment achieved online … This is not to dis the NHS, it simply affirms the suggestion of online therapy being a step in the right direction in regard to alleviating some of the financial strain on the economy caused by the ever mounting list of people who are suffering from stress related illness.
“If (like my reluctant mother), you still hold onto a phone that is literally just that, a phone, there are ample online courses and sites that offer the same thing”
In the spirit of self-care and being more responsible for our own health and wellbeing, taking steps ourselves to better manage stress before it turns into something more sinister is always the way forward. Therapy in any sense should not be relegated to last resort and so by reaching out online and maintaining some form of measuring our wellness, we’re actively doing our best to be the best we can be. The beauty of stress management treatments online is that if we feel the need for specific help, we can head to a myriad of different sites and online specialists to find the right kind without, a) costing the earth and b) not having to wait for a referral, which can take an eon in some regions of the UK. In terms of costs, with regard to digital therapy the economy is bolstered by the direct, proactive, online
Another somewhat more human aspect that is sometimes cause for concern when people are faced with the need for mental health treatment is of course, anonymity.
Irrespective of the wave of support in battling the stigma against mental health, some people are nonetheless embarrassed or reluctant to seek help. Online means anonymous in so far as that you don’t need to physically go to a therapist, sit in front of them and cry or blush or worry in any way about being seen in the waiting room, for example. Being able to talk online or type a conversation, opens up the way for candidness without the fear of judgement that many humans experience (especially those who are suffering from stress or depression, anxiety or phobias). Digital therapy is at the touch of a button, the click of a finger and available at any time to anyone, for virtually any problem. If you or someone you know would benefit from seeking help online, there are plenty of sites to visit. We looked up a handful and would suggest that you do your own research and even discuss it with your GP; in the meantime, you could start by checking out www. bigwhitewall.com www.iesohealth.com www.babylonhealth. com or www.plusguidance.com (a bit like WellBeing World specifically for therapists – great resource).
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INSIGHT
Smartphones and WiFi: the Smoking fo the 1950s? WORDS: Beverley Le Cuirot Founder & Director, WellBeing World
Cigarette smoking became populist in the 1950s; it was ‘cool, cheap, and socially acceptable’. Hollywood icons such as James Dean, Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich made it glamorous and sophisticated, and footballing legends, including Stanley Matthews appeared in ads, a Craven ‘A ’ cigarette in hand, with the quote: ‘the cigarette for me’.
At the time, such advertising was commonplace and often featured happy, healthy-looking, people. Vague associations with illness were well known, with ‘coffin nails’ being a slang term for cigarettes, yet smoking was still viewed as a harmless pursuit, and few were seriously concerned about the potential health implications. It was even seen as a useful stress-reducer.
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And yet, as early as 1951, pioneering work by UK scientist Sir Richard Doll and Austin Bradford Hill was published in the British Medical Journal making a link between smoking and lung cancer. Further evidence was produced and in 1954 their research on the smoking habits of the nation’s doctors convinced most remaining sceptics. Responding with a news conference, the British Minister of Health, Iain Macleod agreed that a link had been proven.
Still, for years, the tobacco industry was invincible and by the late 1950s around half of the population of industrialised nations smoked – in the UK, 80% of adults. 1994 was the turning point in the USA when Diane Castano, whose husband died of lung cancer, famously sued the tobacco industry. It grew to become the largest class action suit known at the time. Soon efforts to protect non-smokers from being exposed to secondhand smoking were championed by politicians in California. This led to the 1995 ban on smoking in most enclosed places of employment. By 2005 less than a quarter of the US population smoked cigarettes, and the trend has been the same in the UK.
INSIGHT
Why a Parallel with Smartphones and WiFi?
Modern lifestyle bombards our bodies constantly with Electromagnetic Frequencies (EMFs) from mobile phones, wifi, smart meters and dirty electricity – all of which is said to interfere with our body’s electrical systems, brainwaves and cell energy production. Dr. William Rea, founder of the Environmental Health Centre, said “Sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation is the emerging health problem of the 21st century. It is imperative health practitioners, governments, schools and parents learn more about it. The human health stakes are significant.” There are now more than 20,000 papers spanning five decades on the harmful effects of EMFs, and over 200 published scientists are lobbying the World Health Organisation (WHO) to reclassify EMFs from Class 2B (possible carcinogen) to 2A (known carcinogen). The World Health Organisation (WHO) concluded “that current evidence does not confirm the existence of any health consequences from exposure to low level electromagnetic fields, however, some gaps in knowledge about biological effects exist and need further research.”
Dirty Electricity – Real or Myth?
Electricity is a lifesaver for modern civilisation but research has brought to light the existence of clean and dirty electricity. Clean electricity is safe; dirty electricity, not so. It can be brought into our homes and offices from mobile phone chargers, computers, TV sets, dimmer switches, wireless technologies, energy saving devices, electrical wiring in walls, candescent fluorescent light bulbs, etc. Dr. Magda Havas an associate professor and researcher at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario has studied dirty electricity since 2003, her research suggests that when suffering from exposure to dirty electricity the symptoms are wide ranging and diverse, including sleep disturbances, muscle and joint pain, physical and mental exhaustion, migraines, light headedness, nausea, loss of cognitive function, irritability, anxiety, muscle spasms, numbness and tingling, pain in the lower extremities, and high temperature.
THE FIRST TEST CASE
The first winning case in favour of Phone use causing a Brain Tumour was awarded this year, setting serious precedent for people using their work phones all day. An Italian court awarded a man named Robert Romero roughly $7,500 yearly payments for life after he allegedly developed a brain tumour
Furthermore, Dr Havas’ research suggests that when dirty electricity is removed the following have been evidenced: improvement in the symptoms associated with MS, a diabetic's blood sugars stabilised, decreased breast cancer risk, the body's efficient use of calcium restored, appropriate melatonin distribution returned, improving sleep patterns. Awareness is increasing with a global ‘Precautionary’ approach applied to usage of our phones and wifi – using headsets for calls and switching off wifi at night. Israel and France are leading the way, banning wifi from schools to minimise exposure to children. Individual schools around the world are also recognising and starting to remove wifi even before Governments become proactive. Where the use of smart phones and wireless technology is essential, there are devices increasingly available to offer us protection whilst still enjoying today’s modern society; one of the most advanced EMF protections available is Blushield. Invented and developed by Mark Langdon in New Zealand during the last 25 years, with an investment of over NZ$ 2 million. The technology is now available in the Channel Islands through Blushield UK.
How Can Blushield Help?
When you plug-in a Blushield or switch on a portable it starts emitting a symphony of frequencies within the human responsive range. The body will then respond to the Blushield products rather than your wifi, smart meter or mobile phone. This is called sympathetic resonance. Blushield UK owners, mother and son partnership, Phyllis and Peter Graham have been amazed and humbled by the life-changing effects Blushield products are having on people suffering from Electro-Hypersensitivity (EHS). Dirty electricity is everywhere. Limiting or avoiding exposure to EMFs is surely beneficial for everyone.
from using his Telecom Italia phone three hours every day for 15 years. Repeated usage of the phone is said to have led to the development of a non-cancerous tumour, as well as the loss of hearing in one of his ears. The verdict is the first in trial court history to recognise the development of brain tumours from using a mobile phone.
BLUSHIELD
The product range includes plugin devices for different situations creating an EMF safe zone, or ‘Bluzone’. There is also a portable product to keep you safe when travelling and to avoid the EMFs you have no control over (wifi, towers and smart meters).
More info: www.blushield-uk.com
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INSIGHT
Insight: Ovarian Cancer
Cancer comes in various forms, whilst some are well-known, others are less so. Ovarian cancer is a type which has received less attention. Self-care is extremely important, but with the hustle and bustle of daily life it is something that quite often gets overlooked. This is especially true when it comes to seeing a doctor about an ache, pain, or illness. We often ignore a problem until it goes away, or becomes too big to handle. Sometimes, it is this that makes a curable cancer, untreatable. We all need to learn to listen to and respect our bodies and their limitations. It is important to know and watch for symptoms. Ovarian cancer has four primary symptoms. • Persistent stomach pain • Persistent bloating • Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly • Needing to wee more frequently
More info: www.ovarian.org.uk
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Other symptoms include changes in bowel movements, back pain, and extreme tiredness for no apparent reason. However, don’t panic if you have been experiencing these. Breathe. These are also symptoms for other, less serious, conditions. The important thing though is not to pass it off as nothing. Wouldn’t it be better to go to the doctor and discover you have irritable bowel syndrome, rather than wait and wait for it to go away, to then discover you have cancer. If your symptoms are persistent, severe, frequent, or out of the ordinary then book a doctor’s appointment. Make detailed notes of the symptoms you are suffering from, and track them.
Thankfully, there is a lot of information readily available to help women become aware of ovarian cancer. Thinking “I’m too young,” or even “I’m too old,” is no longer an excuse. It is important to remember that cancer does not choose “victims” based on age. It is an illness; women of any age can develop ovarian cancer, so we should all be symptom aware. Not necessarily for ourselves, but for the women close to us as well, be they mother, daughter, niece, sister, or best friend.
INSIGHT
Resilience on the Path to Recovery WORDS: Samuel S on behalf of Silkworth Charity Group
Resilience: an individual’s capacity to recover quickly from change, illness or misfortune. In human terms, it’s a property that gives us the ability to return to healthy form after an event or occurrence, which could otherwise have a negative impact on us. “But resilience following what?” Survivors of disasters, attacks or life changing accidents have proved they are resilient. “Do I have an understanding of this?” If starting again on a life, after events and experiences have altered its path, can make a person resilient, and so perhaps we too have something positive to share on the topic of resilience.
unmanageable. Yet if we simply loosen our vice-like grip on life’s handlebars, and let our natural intuition assist in guiding us, then we can start to achieve beautiful things.
On the path to recovery, other words seem to come to understanding more easily: persistence, faith or hope. However, resilience as a concept does ring true. The first steps we take after stopping drinking demand resilience— intent to put down the drink or the drug, and even if faltering, to show the capacity to change, adapt and grow. Whether we understand that or not, when we stop drinking that is the journey we embark upon.
Hope also gives us inner strength. Faith. Positivity. We can be affected by negative moods, especially in the winter months. Yet, as time progresses, these moments of hopelessness seem fewer and further between.
This change can also make resilience a strange concept, the way that stopping drinking works is by coming into contact or understanding with something greater than you. Hope, faith and connection to other people and to the universe come into your life, and replace the godhead that substances have become. Swapping a false god for a real one if you will. This is not to say the god of a defined religion, for many it is the wind, sea, earth, people, animals, thoughts, emotions, in short: the universe. Resilience in recovery comes from within you; it is not something that you set out to develop, rather it is something that develops as a result of basic actions and changes in the way you live and through accepting that life is going to be different. There comes a time in all of our lives when we go through experiences that we might have never thought possible. Undergo things that might previously have seemed totally
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To be fully resilient we must have a core shape to return to – a true form. Sobriety gives the chance to find yourself.
There are some factors that help live life to the full in sobriety: • Supportive and loving relationships, and both receiving and giving within them. It’s not only taking support and receiving love, but loving and supporting others that helps us to work towards equilibrium in our lives. • The ability to see life’s ups and downs as things to learn from and build upon positively. Life is full of ups and downs that give all of us an opportunity (welcome or not) to grow, to become more than we were previously. • Change and growth also come hand in hand with crisis, we learn the most and become greater when we are challenged. Again, this is not always easy to keep in the forefront of your mind, but through every challenge or issue, whether we wish to or not, we learn more about the world and ourselves.
INSIGHT
• Gratitude helps develop resilience. Much of life is coloured by our own perception of it, and so, to an extent, we can foster more goodwill in the world when we approach things with a positive outlook. Life is a process of perpetual evolution of the self, to try and shy away from this, or to avoid it, only seems to lead to difficulties. Something to frequently consider as illustrative of this is the myth of The Phoenix as while we may have our weaknesses, fallibilities and problems; while we may be consumed within fires of emotion, experience and events that can seem totally out of our control; while we may be engulfed in flames and burn to ashes – we are also continually created anew, and we rise again.
It is through this process of consumption and defeat, of acknowledging powerlessness, ceasing to fight and discovering acceptance. That time and again, we become aware of a strength, greater than anything we had previously imagined or experienced. This, is what makes us resilient – the acknowledgment that things will not always be okay; that we cannot always cope, but that if we keep on going, one day at a time, things will be okay once more.
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WOMEN
Aisle – Altar – Hymn
What are the true ingredients for a long and happy marriage? WORDS: Kary Day
It’s the tail end of summer, and that can mean only one thing – the wedding season, and the last three weeks have been no exception. Our little family has had the honour of witnessing the weddings of four wonderful young couples, and joined in the significant anniversary celebrations of another three couples. Each event has brought with it much love, laughter and created new and happy memories. But it also made me consider an important question, what is that special ingredient that can make a marriage so successful, long after the confetti has blown away, and the celebratory cake and champagne has been consumed?
The old joke of what three words sum up a new bride’s view of marriage – Aisle, Altar, Hymn – may perhaps have some resonance, but in fact it could all be something as simple as the “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus” concept, where, whether we are male or female, we are all wired differently, and those differences need to be considered.
Is it love? Understanding? Forgiveness? Humour? Compassion? Unselfishness? Or is it a mix of all these ingredients and much, much more.
When I recently questioned a delightful couple who invited me to share in their 60th wedding anniversary celebrations about the secret of their success, their answers were just five basic ingredients for a long and happy marriage
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WOMEN
COMMUNICATION
Don’t flood your partner with too much information. My own husband freely admits he listens to the first sentence only, and then the rest is filtered out as unnecessary embellishment. So perhaps the key to communication is to take a tip from the old Comedy Allo Allo. Say it clearly, concisely, ensure your partner is listening very carefully, and say it only once! Rather than say: “I am so busy, just this once could you please empty the dishwasher and reload it, because I can’t stand the fact that you always leave dirty dishes in the sink, it drives me mad, and perhaps while you are at it, you might consider taking the rubbish out so the dog doesn’t raid the bin again” … try the simple, “would you please help me by loading the dishwasher and emptying the bin”. This comes with no guarantees, but it might work.
PRAISE
DON’T CORRECT YOUR PARTNER’S FACTUAL ERRORS
This was one of my favourite pieces of advice I recently received. “Whether there were 50 or 70 guests at the wedding, has no bearing on the fact that you had way too much to drink at the reception”.
FOCUS ON THE LITTLE THINGS
It’s the everyday things, showing you care, having fun, and connecting with each other that can make or break a marriage. Therefore take the time to consider all the little things you can do to make your partner happy on a daily basis.
NOT FORGETTING … DATE NIGHT
My next piece of advice came from my newly married and gorgeous niece, who advocated Date Night. She quite correctly reminded me that early in a relationship couples are first and foremost friends. They talk to each other, share experiences and enjoy dates. This does not have to end after the marriage vows. Designate one night a week as date night. Spend an evening writing “date night suggestions” on pieces of paper, fold them and place them into a jar. Then one night a week draw on one of the suggestions and relive your early years of courtship.
“Whatever it is that delights the other, then that is what should be done. Give and take – and enjoy your time together.”
Be free with your praise of each other. After all, you get further with honey than you do with vinegar. But remember, while it is not wrong to frequently say “You are the best and I love you”, it might not be sufficient. Be more specific with your praise, for example “I love your dry sense of humour, you diffused that situation really well” or “you are really thoughtful with the kids, thank you”. The longer a couple stay together, the more we tend to take for granted these positive attributes in each other. They need to be celebrated.
INVENT AN IMAGINARY, VERY PROPER, BRITISH HOUSEGUEST
We all behave much better with each other, and are more careful about what we say to each other when we have guests in the house. Therefore why not create an imaginary British Houseguest, let’s call him Montgomery. The next time you feel like screaming at your spouse for, say, allowing the dog to feast on your new Jimmy Choo’s so the football game is not interrupted, avoid feeling deeply ashamed later by imagining poor old mortified Monty in the adjacent room overhearing your every word.
Creating a WORLD of Difference
TAKE THE GOOD WITH THE BAD
And finally, my own parents who have recently celebrated 54 years of marriage, and my parents-in-law who have celebrated 62 years of marriage remind me that you have to take the good with the bad. Remember, there will always be tough times, but the key to making a marriage last is to stick out the hard times and support your partner through thick and thin. At the end of the day we all know the three simple things we can do to keep our partner happy, clean out the chocolate bar wrappers from the car, seduce him/her before the kids wake up, empty the bins or iron the shirts. Whatever it is that delights the other, then that is what should be done. Give and take – and enjoy your time together.
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MEN
Eating Disorders It’s not just a girl thing.
WORDS & RESEARCH: Lucy Sanderson
Eating disorders have long been considered predominantly a women’s problem, but recent statistics from the NHS show an alarming number of men are now suffering from body image and eating related illnesses, and the numbers are on the rise. The NHS report a 70% rise in men being admitted to hospital suffering from a range of eating disorders, with anorexia and bulimia being the most prevalent. Eating disorders don’t discriminate; anyone can be effected and triggers can come in the form of all manner of things. There is some synergy between the sexes, in so far that eating disorders take hold with a tight grip and are associated to a myriad of similar other complications; OCD and the need to control, for instance, are commonly linked issues that people suffering from eating disorders also have to contend with. The instigators for women developing eating disorders is widely covered and popular culture and social media play their part; as they do with men. However, there are some interesting and rather worrying triggers that seem to be most likely a male related problem. Generally, with regard to weight and body image, a man is likely to wish for a sculpted and muscular physique. Whether that means bulked up muscle, or lean and defined, men aim to control and regulate their food alongside a programme for exercise which aims to get the results they want. No problem there and most men can achieve their desired look without any complication, as long as they’re informed, sensible and healthy about how they go about it. Understanding the issues that men face in respect of their body image is imperative to mitigating those rising numbers of sufferers. It’s all well and good promoting the
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fact that men should feel less stigmatised and/or more able to talk about their problems in relation to their mental health. But what about informing men about the issues that prompt eating disorders in the first place, It would seem that a large part of the problem is that men are falling into eating disorders without recognising that it’s really going on. For example, a man may embark on a weight loss or muscle toning mission. He might go to the gym, maybe even hire a personal trainer or train with a friend, he may well look up food to eat on the internet to see what nutrition is best to coincide with his new regime. Then it starts… Pop ups for quick fix meal replacement bars or drinks, easy ways to count calories and what things to cut out of your diet in order to get the ‘results you want’. The problem is, the results you want should never come at the high price of your health.
“Understanding the issues that men face in respect of their body image is imperative to mitigating those rising numbers of sufferers.”
Bodies that exercise need sufficient fuel to keep going; it’s not rocket science. By cutting out whole food groups, replacing meals with supplements and shakes, bars or juices and over exercising means that your calorific intake will simply not up to the job. The exercise regimen will become unsustainable and unavoidable consequences will start to become apparent. OCD is commonly linked to this extreme behaviour which starts the cycle of calorie counting, over exercising under-nourishing. Local
MEN
fitness and weight management coach, Cameron Elliott has seen this happen too many times. He says it’s a cycle which creeps up on people and that the dangers are more prevalent than ever before. The advertising for ‘quick fixes’ in respect to men’s weight is not realistic, and sometimes even misleading and without the proper information and guidance, men are thinking they’re being healthy when in fact they can be perilously unhealthy. Guys seeking the ideal form may also be tempted to use steroids. The aforementioned NHS study revealed that steroid use among young people quadrupled in the past year. The Home Office’s crime survey found the biggest rise in anabolic steroid use was among 16 to 24-year-olds, with an extra 19,000 taking the drug in order to attain their desired body image. ‘Shredding’ weight through steroids use is dangerous, that’s a fact.
Creating a WORLD of Difference
Becoming addicted to yet another negative element of weight management and body image is par for the course with drug use and all of the other pitfalls and dangers when it comes to men’s eating disorders. As Cameron so frankly put it, the best way to manage weight, get the desired body shape you want and remain healthy and fit is to exercise well, eat right for your type and be mindful about what paces you put your body through. A good personal trainer or coach can really enhance or speed up the process and will advise the sensible route to a good physique; a route which will lead to a long lasting balance and mindful approach to health and fitness as well as a fantastic body.
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FAMILY
The Health and Wellbeing of Children WORDS: David Kennedy, Jersey Sport
The health and wellbeing of children is at the top of any parent or guardian’s priority list. So when it comes to levels of activity, do we actually know how much young people should be doing? Physical activity for children is crucial for not only fun and enjoyment but has strong relations associated with health. Sport is linked to reducing the risk of over 20 different illnesses including cardiovascular disease and some cancers. Physical activity and sport also provides a platform for social and cultural benefits. There are strong relations between improved attainment, lower absenteeism and dropout rates from education. In February this year the World Health Organisation (WHO) produced their latest set of guidelines which showed
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that children and adolescents aged 5 – 17 should do at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily. Whilst this may sound a lot, the term "physical activity" should not be confused with "exercise", which is a subcategory of physical activity that is planned, structured, repetitive, and aims to improve or maintain one or more components of physical fitness. Recent data collected by Jersey Sport indicates that the main daily levels of physical activity in Year 4 pupils was accrued by walking to school, PE lessons
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and running in the playground at lunchtimes. Whilst this went some way to achieving the recommended targets, there was a clear indicator of the need for access to out of school sport and activity opportunities. Jersey Sports Autumn term courses provide a pathway for children to try new sports and have a taster into the skills and techniques of each individual sport. The courses give opportunity to move into clubs and associations, creating a clear path into the ladder of sport. All sessions are based around fun and enjoyment for children. There is also a competitive element as the weeks go on and an opportunity for children to progress by the end of the course. So if you find yourself with a child who would like to try out an activity for the first time then Jersey Sport’s website is the place to look. The Autumn term programme has been published recently and includes Boxing, Circuit Training, Dance, Squash, Badminton and Tag Rugby. The programme is an excellent way to introduce children to a wide range of sports and activities whilst having fun throughout. Similarly if you are looking to “outsource” the mindful occupation of your child’s October and Christmas activities then the website has a list of holiday courses that range from a mixture of sport-specific sessions and multisport day camps.
More info: www.jerseysport.je
Creating a WORLD of Difference
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FAMILY
Cat Health Tips from Three of the World’s Oldest Cats Is there a secret to longevity? The owners of these three cats, all over the age of 30, believe that there might be. We thought it worthwhile finding out more. Here are their stories, with some lifestyle hints and tips from Petplan veterinary expert Brian Faulkner. Lifestyle Lesson 1: Keep up the Attention and Affection
Scooter, a Siamese from Texas, pawed his way into The Guinness Book of World Records when he reached the age of 30 (the equivalent of 136 human years). He and his owner, Gail Floyd, lived an eventful life: together they travelled to 45 American states, with Scooter receiving plenty of attention from Gail and from strangers along the way, as he'd often perch in his favourite position on Gail's shoulder. She attributes Scooter's amazing longevity to staying active, explaining that his energy and playfulness didn't diminish as he aged. He'd wake her up at 6am every morning by jumping around on her bed, making the chirruping noises Siamese cats are well-known for and, if she had to go out, he'd be waiting for her at the door by the time she got home.
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Brian thinks there’s a secret to Scooter's fantastic 30-year innings: “Scooter is a good example of how far a healthy lifestyle can get you. Frequent, moderate exercise keeps muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments strong and supple, as long as it's not too strenuous. And it's good to get the heart rate up a little every day.” He also thinks all the love and affection Scooter received helped his wellbeing. “Boredom and loneliness affect animals as well as people. Like most pets, cats respond well to safe and meaningful relationships with humans, which is a key ingredient in keeping them happy and healthy.”
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Lifestyle Lesson 2: Mental and Physical Fitness
The accolade for the oldest cat on record goes to mixed tabby, Crème Puff, who lived to an incredible 38 years old – more than twice the average feline life span. In fact, her owner Jake Perry also raised the 34-year-old cat (known as Grandpa Rex Allen) who previously held the record. Jake has devoted his life to cats, adopting moggies for over four decades and, at one time, raising 48 simultaneously. While Jake is an extreme example of cat ownership, and not one that everyone can follow, it's clear that he sets store in giving his felines plenty of mental and physical stimulation. His cats have an electric model train running around the house to chase and stalk, and Jake's TV is permanently set to nature documentaries for them to enjoy. It's also interesting to note that all of his cats are neutered. When it comes to the point of neutering, Brian added: “While there's no hard evidence that neutered cats live longer, it's generally assumed they do because neutering can protect them against various diseases such as womb infections and mammary and ovarian cancers.” And Brian explains that while all cats like to lounge around, this can make them unfit and bored, and stimulation is the best option for their health. “You don't necessarily have to install an electric train,” he laughed, “but keeping your cat thinking with a moderate degree of chase games will keep it both mentally and physically fitter.”
Creating a WORLD of Difference
Lifestyle Lesson 3: A Good Diet is Key
In 1990, Liz and Ian Finlay found Nutmeg, a tabby cat, in the garden of their home in Tyne and Wear. At that stage he was five years old, scrawny-looking, and had abscesses on his neck from his life as a stray. The couple decided to give him the loving home he so desperately needed – and that was 27 years ago! Nutmeg proved himself to be a loyal companion and survived a serious illness, although as he aged he did end up with one deaf ear and was left with only three teeth. Liz and Ian believe that his long life could be down to the level of pampering he received over the years. 'We have no children, so we gave him his own bedroom. We always said, "He's not our cat, we're his humans" – and he never let us forget it.” They also credit his health into old age to his love of tuna and chicken, as they made sure to feed him a rich, varied diet while keeping an eye on his portions. Brian says a good diet is vital for a cat's health. “Having the right balance of good-quality calories to fuel your cat's lifestyle is key to avoiding obesity, as well as diseases such as diabetes and pancreatitis.” He explains that cats need to eat protein in order to get all the amino acids they need to thrive, but that portion control is important. “The key is getting just the right amount to be healthy without overworking key organs as they age.”
More info: www.petplan.co.uk
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LIFE
Money Can Buy You Happiness! But Only if it Buys You Time …
A study featuring people in the United States, Canada, Denmark, and The Netherlands has come to the conclusion that investing a bit of money to outsource the jobs we dislike can be real boost to our wellbeing and happiness. The reason behind the study was to ascertain the effects of delegating jobs or chores to free up time to do other things; things that we enjoy more. Results suggest that using money to buy time can protect us from the detrimental effects of time pressure on life satisfaction – in other words, being too busy means a lack of time to dedicate to the things that make us happy, so if we invest in time saving measures we’re on to a winner. Feelings of time stress are linked to lower wellbeing, including reduced happiness, increased anxiety, and insomnia. The study published in the PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America) shows that even those with more disposable income are not susceptible to spending on things like a cleaner or other domestic help that would alleviate time. Could it be to do with the all too familiar ‘being busy badge’ that we’re all guilty of wearing with flustered pride? The thing is, if we list the things that are important to us and then list the jobs we do day to day, or week to week 82
that are really a bug bear; cleaning, ironing, cleaning the car, weeding the garden, etc, it’s easy to see the amount of time and attached stress to these things on our to do list. By spending a fraction of our income on alleviating some of these things, we can spend more time doing the other side of the to do list of life; playing with the kids or grandkids, exercising or walking outdoors, gardening (the fun bit!), reading, relaxing in the bath, just sitting by the fire, cooking for fun … even setting up a side-line business, whatever you like to spend time doing. It really isn’t the luxury it might sound, especially if by hiring a cleaner for a couple of hours a week, you’re de-stressing a whole bunch, and taking that mountain of laundry to the laundrette will give you a sense of happiness that money literally CAN buy! There’s scientific proof that it’s a winner for our wellbeing and that’s a clean break from stress as far as we can see! The best things in life aren’t things, it’s time; time for fun, time for family; time for ourselves. And as granny used to say, life’s too short to stand at an ironing board …
LIFE
Being Well and Well Being WORDS: Dr Sian Wareing-Jones PhD, MA, BSc (Hons), Adv Dip Couns, MBACP, MACC, MNCS (Accred), Counsellor and Family Support Co-ordinator for Jersey Alzheimer’s Association
Because the word ‘wellbeing’ is a rather new addition to our vocabulary, hardly ever being used a decade or so ago, I have always been cautious in its use, believing that its meaning could still be rather ambiguous. So, at a recent hospital appointment, when I noticed that the WiFi patient login password was ‘Wellbeing’, and surrounded by ‘ill’ people, I thought this a strange choice and wondered if anyone else thought the same. In that context I wondered what most people’s understanding of the term ‘wellbeing’ might be. Did people consider ‘wellbeing’ as the opposite of ‘illbeing’, as the absence of illness, or was this accepted and experienced as something more subtle, less black and white maybe? So, with publications such as WellBeing World, ‘Wellbeing’ being a WiFi password, and some organisations now having Wellbeing Practitioners, what does all this mean?
WELLBEING IN ILLNESS
For myself, I am of the opinion that ‘wellbeing’ or ‘being’ well does not necessitate the absence of illness, but rather, that it is a person’s experience of an illness that reflects their state of being. I could, for example, have a
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broken leg, or have a terminal illness and still experience ‘wellbeing’. It is not my broken leg or my cancer that necessarily subjects me to the condition of ‘illbeing’, but rather I believe it would be how I am ‘being’ in my illness that will determine how ‘I am’. At such times I may, for example, discover something new from being cared for by someone and feel loved by them in their caring. I may find that my faith from earlier years is rekindled and through this find strength, confidence and hope. I may experience deeply satisfying conversations I never knew were possible,
LIFE
or I may find new friendships or a strength I didn’t know I had, all experiences that could warm my heart, inspire and encourage me and be a source of personal growth and maturity. Similarly, if I feel grief-stricken following the death of someone I love, this does not mean that I will necessarily fall from a place of ‘wellbeing’ in the midst of my pain and sadness. I believe that death and loss, illness and pain are essential parts of being human which we must all experience as we journey through life. But, in the midst of my darkness and pain and loss, I could also experience the comforts of friends and faith and community that may touch my heart bringing some deep and healing peace.
LIVING WITH THE SHADOWS AND DARKNESS OF LIFE
This might sound rather triumphalist or dismissive but this is not my intention. In such circumstances we should never try to convince ourselves we are not in pain, or bravely and stoically try to rise above our circumstances, feigning some sort of victory over them. As Moore suggests, people are ‘complicated, multifaceted and shaped both by pain and pleasure, success and failure’ and that life cannot be lived ‘without moments of darkness’. He suggests that, rather than attempting to eradicate these, we should ‘tend our souls in such times and be open to life’s unfolding’ (Moore, 2012). From my work alongside people with dementia and their families, I have seen that it is often this openness to, acceptance of, and living with illness, pain, sadness, or disability that is a pathway to wellbeing. I have also seen this beautifully manifest in my 14 year old granddaughter, who being ‘disabled’ by spina bifida, is one of the most ‘well’ and ‘able’ people I know and is a constant source of inspiration and hopefulness. Alongside this active acceptance of illness or disability it also seems that the pathway to wellbeing is easier to travel for people who maintain, or who are helped to maintain, a sense of purpose. Viktor Frankl supports this in his book Man’s Search For Meaning which he wrote when a prisoner in a concentration camp and in this quoted Nietzsche writing, ‘He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how’ (Frankl, 1946/2004). Others who I believe offer some further insight are Carl Rogers, who is considered to be the founder
of person-centred counselling (Rogers, 1961), Tom Kitwood, one of the first to develop person-centred dementia care (Kitwood, 1997/2011) and Jean Vanier (Hauerwas and Vanier, 2008) theologian, philosopher and founder of L’Arche, communities where people with and without disabilities live together. Rogers’ focus is on the therapeutic nature of relationships for wellbeing to which Kitwood adds the need for a sense of belonging or attachment, of inclusion, comfort, identity and occupation. Vanier’s philosophy amalgamates all these, evident in the 140 L’Arche communities worldwide, three of which I have been privileged to visit.
SHADOWS AS PLACES FOR GROWTH
At the back of my house I have a tiny garden, parts of which are constantly shaded while other areas get drenched in sun for much of the day. As I write, these sun- drenched places are a mass of vibrant, showy colour with bright-headed geraniums and fuchsias galore. All seems very well there. At first glance it might appear that life is not so sweet in the darker, shadowy places, yet here, there’s a different kind of life in abundance with its own riches that the sun- drenched places cannot yield. With equal, though different styles of nurturing, here there are swathes of lily of the valley and very soon the green heads of the hydrangeas will burst into their own, taking their time to maturity in their shadier environment.
WHAT WELLBEING MAY LOOK LIKE
There is a sense of abundance and ‘wellbeing’ in my garden in both its shady and its sun-drenched places. I have not expected these parts to flower, fruit and grow identically, but I have tended both with care, while not denying each parts’ limitations nor their potential. Equally, times of illness, or disability, pain or sadness can be like the shadowy places where ‘wellbeing’ can be a reality, though maybe muted for a while and maybe not with the full-colour vibrancy of the sunny side. Maybe then, the hospital have got it right in their choice of password. At Jersey Alzheimer’s Association we appreciate that a diagnosis of dementia can be difficult and that the disease itself can bring with it significant changes and sometimes a sense of ambiguous grief (Wiki, 2017). Because of this, and because we understand that everyone’s journey through dementia will be different, we offer a range of services and activities for people with dementia and carers.
More info: www.jerseyalzheimers.com or from our office in Hilgrove Street, St Helier, which is open 10.00 - 2.00 Monday – Thursday. REFERENCES Frankl, V. E. (1946/1904) Man’s search For Meaning. London. Rider. Hauerwas, S. and Vanier, J. (2008) Living Gently in a Violent World. Downers Grove, IL. IVP. • Kitwood, T. (1997/2011) Dementia Reconsidered. The Person Comes First. Maidenhead. Open University Press. • Moore, T. (2012) Care of the Soul. London. Piatkus. • Rogers, C. (1961) On Becoming A Person. London. Constable. • Wiki (2017) Ambiguous Grief. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambiguous_loss
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LIFE
Too Oft’ Offended? Try Choosing Not to be … How often do you feel offended by something someone says or does? Bad things happen every day, sad and tragic things are filtered through to us via TV, radio and online; every day we make a basic choice to either be offended or to be informed. There’s a difference. Being informed can instigate change and we can make change happen immediately, no matter what it’s for; starting with change and compassion. We cannot change what others say or do and we can’t impact them by being offended, so really, what’s the point? Choices to be productive, proactive and positive are the finest result from something that our conscience might have reeled back from or been stung by. Being angry, upset and offended are choices and the more we learn to manage how we respond to the things we find offensive, the better our lives will be. In the same way that you can’t please all of the people all of the time; you can’t go through a day without seeing, reading or hearing something that would potentially offend someone, somewhere.
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How’s about a bit of autonomy on our reactions and responses to things that we find offensive? Once we begin to choose to give the benefit of the doubt and respond to things with more tolerance and less offence, the world will become a better place. Well, maybe not the whole world, but certainly our own world anyway.
Being offended will, like anger or hate or jealousy, result in less happiness – not for the people or things we’re offended by, but for ourselves. Opt out of being offended and take a stand for the things you feel aren’t right. Choose to be positive, choose to live and let live and choose to make changes rather than mope and moan about them. It’s a much less offensive way to be.
“While conscience is our friend, all is at peace; however once it is offended, farewell to a tranquil mind.” ~ Mary Wortley Montagu
LIFE
A Night in the Life of an Insomniac WORDS: Amber Blake
I am one of the 33.6 million insomniacs in Britain today. Sleepless nights are drastically affecting the health of the nation and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. With the average night's sleep in 1910 being 9 hours per night and today's average being 7, as time goes on we are getting less and less sleep. Interestingly, women are twice more likely to have experienced insomnia than men. According to the National Sleep Foundation, experts speculate that the reasoning may be in relation to the female hormones. Sleepless nights and daytime sleepiness have been linked with hormonal changes in a woman’s life, which include pregnancy, menopause and the menstrual cycle. Up to 75% of women report sleep problems in comparison to the 25% of men. There is also a correlation between other mental health conditions being linked or connected with insomnia, at least 70% of people with depression also experience insomnia. In my personal experience, I developed insomnia before diagnosed depression and anxiety, the depression became more prevalent the less sleep I was
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getting, the coping mechanisms developed to manage your depression and anxiety are much more difficult to maintain when you've been awake all night. I have recently discovered that Insomnia can be hereditary. In a 2007 study, researchers found that out of the 953 adults who said they had insomnia symptoms or suffered from insomnia, 35% of those had a family history of insomnia. For the other 33.6 million insomniacs you will know the nightly torture that insomnia brings, the tossing and turning endlessly for hours, trying to get through each day can be grueling life. For those of you who are lucky enough to be able to sleep with minimal disruptions to your routine here is a small insight into the long night of an insomniac:
LIFE
10pm: Exhausted doesn't even come close to how I am feeling, it has been an exhausting day following on from a sleepless night last night and now it's time to think about going to sleep again 11pm: As the yawns become more frequent and my eyes become heavy it's time to turn out the light.
11:30pm: Still wide awake. I begin the
4-7-8 breathing technique hoping I will drift off within the next few minutes
Midnight: My mind wanders, I begin to
think about something that happened 10 years ago, 3 hours ago or something that could happen 5 years from now. My mind is a storm.
1am: My mind continues to wander, full of beautiful and unpleasant thoughts
1:30am: This is not working ... time
to try something else, I turn on the TV and browse YouTube for sleep guided meditations, sleep music anything to help distract my mind and send me to the land of nod.
2:15am: I have been listening to this guided meditation for 45 minutes now, the narrators droning voice is becoming irritating, I am not on a nice warm beach breathing in the fresh sea air. I am in my bed with insomnia striking at full force.
2:45 am: I look at my phone to check the time. Why, why, why am I still awake? 3:30 am: I accept that I am not going to sleep tonight so I fluff up my pillows, get warm and comfy and lie there, eyes shut waiting for it to be an acceptable time to get up. 7am: My alarm goes off. Did I sleep? I
must of, otherwise I wouldn’t be waking up now. I am going to need some serious caffeine to help get through the busy day ahead but not so much that I will be awake all night again tonight. Now, I'm sure if you are an Insomniac like me you have exhausted your resources by reading every "self-help" blog, article and studies out there to last you a lifetime. After experiencing Insomnia for quite some time I have found the odd tips and tricks which have helped me along the way.
HERE ARE A FEW WHICH MIGHT HELP YOU GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP: 4-7-8 Breathing Technique – Inhale
through your nose for a mental count of 4 seconds, then hold your breath for a count of 7. Exhale through your mouth for a count of 8 and repeat three times.
Lavender Oil – This is a well-known and
historic sleep aid. A few drops on your pillow can help with your sleep. Researchers found that lavender increased slow-wave sleep, the very deep slumber in which the heartbeat slows and muscles relax.
“Up to 75% of women report sleep problems in comparison to the 25% of men.” Review any medication – Some
medications can have negatives side effects one being insomnia. If you are on daily medication and experiencing sleep problems there may be a connection. Discuss this with your doctor and see if there are any alternatives available.
Eliminate stimulants - such as caffeine
and alcohol or aim to limit your intake e.g. no tea or coffee after lunchtime.
Get all your "worrying" out before bed – If like me you are a chronic
overthinker it is important to extinguish these thoughts before they keep you awake at night. Set aside some time, potentially after dinner to review the day and to make any needed plans for the next day. The goal is to avoid doing these things while trying to fall asleep. It is also useful to make a list of, say, work-related tasks for the next day before leaving work. That, at least, eliminates one set of concerns.
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BOOKS
Book Choice
Great reads to support your resilience at work and in life generally.
The Crisis Book 2017: Overcoming & Surviving Work-Life Challenges Authors: Rick Hughes, Andrew Kinder and Cary Cooper Publisher: LID Publishing (2 March 2017)
It seems that every day we encounter a "crisis" or difficult issue of some sort that affects our work. Such difficulties can come from within work (eg, a difficult client or boss, missing a target or deadline, rejection of a proposal or plan, feeling undervalued) or outside of it (eg, personal issues such as family, relationships, debt, alcohol). All have the potential to trigger stress, anxiety ... and lead to crisis mode. This practical book offers strategies and guidance to coping with and surviving a range of crisis moments and issues that affect our ability to perform at work. Written by expert coaches, the book helps anyone to develop a series of competencies in order to help us manage crisis points and improve our personal resilience. Rick Hughes and Andrew Kinder have been practicing therapists for over 50 years between them. Professor Sir Cary Cooper is one of the world's leading authorities on management, work and organisational psychology.
The Midlife Kitchen: Health-boosting Recipes for Midlife & Beyond Authors: Mimi Spencer and Sam Rice Publisher: Mitchell Beazley (4 May 2017)
Are you at a point in your life where health is becoming more of a priority? Are you confused by ever-changing headlines that contrive to make the simple act of eating a peril rather than a pleasure? The Midlife Kitchen has the answers. Midlife is not a time to be concerned with food fads and foibles, but rather a glorious opportunity to wrest back control of your eating in the interests of health, happiness and a long life. Taste must certainly come first, but with health firmly snapping at its heels, underpinned by well-established nutritional common sense. Busy lives require simple, sustaining recipes that incorporate health-giving ingredients without too much fanfare or fuss. This book is not about 'clean-eating' or super foods, detoxing or restriction. Instead, it is about building up a balanced and diverse diet, with less sugar, better fat and good carbs.
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BOOKS
Making Friends with the Menopause: A clear and comforting guide to support you as your body changes Author: Sarah Rayner and Dr Patrick Fitzgerald Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (2017 edition reflecting the new NICE guidelines)
Written with Sarah Rayner's trademark warmth and humour, this new edition of Making Friends with the Menopause has been updated to reflect the latest National Institute for Health and Care (NICE) guidelines on diagnosis and management of the menopause. Together with Dr Patrick Fitzgerald, she explores why stopping menstruating causes such profound chemical changes in the body, leading us to react in a myriad of ways physically and mentally. There is practical advice on hot flushes and night sweats, anxiety and mood swings, muscular aches and loss of libido, early-onset menopause, hysterectomy and more, plus a simple explanation of each stage of the menopause so you'll know what to expect in the years before, during and after. You’ll find details of the treatment options available and their pros and cons, together with tips and insights from women keen to share their wisdom on a subject many still find hard to talk about. Whether you’re worried about feeling invisible, weight gain or loss of fertility, or simply want to take care of yourself well, knowledge is power, and Making Friends with the Menopause will give you a greater understanding of the process, so you can enjoy your body and your sexuality as you age.
After the Shock: Getting You Back On the Road to Resilience When Crisis Hits You Head On Author: Becky Sansbury Publisher: Real Life Communication (30 June 2015)
When you hear the word ‘crisis’ what do you think? A dramatic car wreck. A critical medical diagnosis. Divorce. Job loss. Natural disaster. Death. What about the minishocks within those crises or the smaller events that regularly disrupt our lives? When crisis hits, large or small, we are thrown off balance. In After the Shock Becky Sansbury introduces a sustainable model to help you stabilise and move toward resilience. She connects people to hope. After working as a hospice chaplain, followed by work with professionals in career crisis, she determined that four factors give us balance, strength and support throughout our lives, but especially in shocking times. Like the four tires of a car, comfort, control, community, and connection to something bigger than self can provide both a base and a cushion for navigating the ruts and potholes of life. But that is not enough to move us on to resilience. In the overwhelming confusion of crisis we crave a space safe for focusing on our current experience, strengthened by crucial lessons from the past. We make both casual and far-reaching decisions based on assumptions that may no longer be authentic or lead to our desired future. We grasp for resources, often unsure of what we need.
Creating a WORLD of Difference
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WELLBEING BUSINESS DIRECTORY
WellBeing Directory You will find more WellBeing practitioners at www.wellbeingworld.je We print 5,000 copies and achieve +20,000 impressions online, per edition. If you’d like to advertise in the next WellBeing Directory or in WellBeing World magazine, please contact us for a rate card at info@wellbeingworld.je 92
WELLBEING BUSINESS DIRECTORY WELCOME
ARBRE CONSULTING
Arbre is a small HR Consultancy specialising in providing tailored support to businesses on all aspects of HR, on a retained or ad hoc basis. As well as advice and support in employment law, HR policy and procedure and recruitment, they offer one to one coaching and management training to help you make the most of individual and team potential.
W: www.arbre.je E: kate@arbre.je T: +44 (0) 7829 950 500
AYUSH WELLNESS SPA
Awarded ‘Best Spa in the South West UK & Channel Islands’ by the Good Spa Guide, Ayush Wellness Spa offers a combination of authentic Ayurvedic therapies and luxurious spa treatments. An Ayurvedic physician works with Indian and Western therapists to provide consultations and treatments and share with you the teachings of this timeless tradition enabling you to develop practices that will help restore and maintain mind and body. The concept is authentic in an environment that advocates a healthy lifestyle, enriching both physical and emotional wellbeing. W: www.ayushwellnessspa.com T: +44 (0) 1534 614 171 Hotel de France, St. Saviour’s Road, St Helier
Creating a WORLD of Difference
AUGRÉ PHYSIOTHERAPY
A small and friendly practice, Augré Physiotherapy is based at the Lido Medical Centre. Their experienced team of physiotherapists have the ability to treat all musculoskeletal conditions and each are qualified in their own sub-speciality of physiotherapy. They specialise in knee and shoulder complaints. They also offer Pilates and specialised Pregnancy Pilates led by a qualified Physiotherapist and Personal Trainer. Classes are limited to just five people and conducted in a fully equipped gym. W: www.augrephysiotherapy.com E: info@augrephysiotherapy.com T: +44 (0) 1534 280 010
CLUB SOULGENIC
Opening in January 2018, Club Soulgenic will be the Channel Islands’ first fully integrated fitness and wellness centre. Set in an impressive space over four floors, it will provide a range of products and services incorporating fitness, nutrition, general health and mind body. The club will include collaborations with the island’s foremost wellness professionals, providing a community that motivates and rewards its members on their journey to optimum health and wellbeing. Club Soulgenic. Your wellness rewarded. Register now. W: www.clubsoulgenic.co.uk
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WELLBEING BUSINESS DIRECTORY
ELAN VITAL MIND BODY HEALTH
Elan Vital Mind Body Health is a unique blend of therapies, techniques and diagnostic tools to support, guide and empower you on your journey to optimum wellbeing. Are you curious to learn how the delicate balance between physical and emotional health affects energy, mood and actions? Would you like to discover how to create more joy in your life, using consistent lifestyle changes? If you do, then you’re in the right place! Emma Cooper specialises in Health Analysis, Meta Kinetics and advanced Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). Experience clarity over confusion, calm instead of stress and reclaim a life of health and vitality.
ENERGETIX at UP AND ABOVE
Energetix combines sophisticated exclusive jewellery with the power of magnets. People wear the jewellery because they are fascinated by its radiance and want to have the power of magnets in their immediate vicinity all the time. All the jewellery and accessories have the same purpose, to give us moments of wellbeing in our daily life and each of these moments tells us we are on the right track. Designs for women, men, children and a great sports look.
W: www.elanmindbodyhealth.co.uk (from November) E: emma@elanmindbodyhealth.co.uk T: +44 (0)7700 812 726
T: +44 (0) 1534 758 808 Up and Above, 50 Don Street, St Helier Order online at www.upandabovejersey.energetix.tv
GREEN LAUNDRY ROOM
HEALTH POINT CLINIC
An eco-friendly ‘green’ business supporting the environment. All services are professionally handled with care by a friendly and efficient team. Perfect for environmentally savvy individuals and businesses looking for an eco-friendly, economical and efficient way to have your towels, sheets, pillowcases and other linens laundered. Wholesale laundry service available for gyms, spas, hotels, hairdressers and other local businesses offering the highest quality product at great prices. Two dedicated facilities in St Helier, Jersey: 1 Clos Des Pas, Green Street (parking available) – and Dolphin House, Roseville Street W: www.greenlaundryroom.co.uk E: kim@greenlaundryroom.com T: +44 (0) 1534 871 909
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Lorna Jackson Acupuncture 1st BSc (Hons), MBAcC, AFN. Traditional acupuncture is more than pain management, treating headaches or back pain, it is uniquely suited to modern life as physical, emotional and mental blocks are seen as interdependent. Acupuncture is safe, gentle and it can be used by everyone, including babies, during pregnancy, sports enthusiasts and the elderly. Lorna operates from her clinics in The Lido Medical Centre and Greencliff Chiropractic Clinic. Most private health insurers cover acupuncture treatment. Please check before treatment.
W: www.healthpointclinic.co.uk E: lornajackson@healthpointclinic.co.uk T: +44 (0) 1534 852 039 (Greencliff Chiropractic) T: +44 (0) 1534 859 348 (Lido Medical Centre)
WellBeing World brings together more than 160 categories of health and wellbeing, with a quick and easy online search for the practitioner, supplier or retailer to suit your needs. Check us out, now!
www.wellbeingworld.je
WELLBEING BUSINESS DIRECTORY
HEALTHHAUS
HOTEL DE FRANCE
Why not contact their membership team to arrange a tour of the club to find out how Milon training can be incorporated seamlessly into your day. Fit and healthy in just 35 minutes, twice every 10 days! They look forward to taking your fitness personally.
The Ayush Wellness Spa at the Hotel offers swimming pools, sauna, steam room, treatment rooms and an extensive fitness centre. Parking and Wi-Fi are free. A friendly but professional welcome is assured.
JERSEY ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION
JERSEY SPORT
Healthhaus is a boutique styled private members club for the discerning health conscious individual. With the pace and pressures of modern living, the vision at Healthhaus is to provide an effective and time efficient fitness solution leaving you the opportunity to indulge in a 360˚ approach to wellness.
W: www.healthhaus.co.uk E: info@healthhaus.co.uk T: +44 (0)1534 614 800
Jersey Alzheimer’s Association is a local charity for local people whose lives have been touched by dementia. We are here to help and support people with dementia, their families, friends and carers. Our aim is to ensure that all those who are directly affected by dementia are treated with dignity and respect, receive the best possible care and support in our community and enjoy the quality of life that every human being would hope for. For help and support please get in touch. Drop in for a cuppa. Hilgrove St, St Helier, Jersey. Mon - Thur 10am - 1pm or at other times by appointment. W: www.jerseyalzheimers.com T: +44 (0)1534 723 519
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A 126 bedroom four star Hotel conveniently located just outside of St.Helier. Dine in the informal brasserie style Garden View Restaurant overlooking award winning gardens or at the fine dining ‘Saffrons’ Restaurant, renowned for local produce prepared with healthy Indian spices.
St Saviour’s Road, St Helier, Jersey JE1 7XP W: www.defrance.co.uk E: general@defrance.co.uk T: +44 (0) 1534 614 000
Jersey Sport exists to lead, champion and enable participation and excellence in sport, whilst encouraging active living for all in Jersey. It offers a wide range of ways to be active; the activity referral programme helps people with an underlying health issue to access activity with the support of qualified instructors. Other programmes include walking football for older adults and a wide range of after school and holiday programmes for children. The team also run physical literacy programmes in schools designed to teach movement skills, and they deliver the schools swimming programme. W: www.jerseysport.je E: info@jerseysport.je T: +44 (0) 1534 449 617 Fort Regent, St Helier
WELLBEING BUSINESS DIRECTORY WELCOME
JERSEY UNCOVERED
Jersey Uncovered is a team of professional, registered Tourist Guides who have undergone stringent and comprehensive training together with written and practical examinations to achieve the nationally recognised symbol of tourist guiding excellence, the Blue Badge. Jersey Uncovered guides have a wide range of specialist knowledge and expertise, and are passionate about the Island in which they live. As well as walking tours and coach tours, castle tours, maritime and heritage tours, to name a few, Jersey Uncovered guides can offer you a bespoke Island adventure.
W: www.jerseyuncovered.com E: info@jerseyuncovered.com T: +44 (0) 7797 741 176
LIDO PHYSIO AND SPINAL CLINIC
Owned by local Physiotherapist, Paul Deveney, Lido Physio and Spinal Clinic welcomes you to our brand new, fully equipped suite and gym on the second floor of the Lido Medical Centre. We pride ourselves on treating all muscular, sports and spinal pain or injury. We combine the very latest in analytical technology with the highest quality Physiotherapy. Our range of services also include Sports Massage, Acupuncture and Ante-natal/ Post-Natal Physiotherapy with our qualified and experienced Obstetric Physiotherapist. W: www.lidospinalclinic.com E: admin@lidospinalclinic.com T: + 44 (0) 1534 639 233
Creating a WORLD of Difference
JULIE DRYBURGH
Julie is an experienced Life Therapist who has been working with clients for almost 30 years, helping them to achieve wellbeing and balance throughout their life by combining open dialogue and a variety of advanced hands on treatments. Julie is highly qualified in a variety of specialist techniques such as Craniosacral Therapy, Theta Healing, Reiki, Animal Therapy and Oracle Card Reading. By talking to you and applying these techniques, Julie provides a platform for you to achieve a balance between your physical, mental and emotional levels. W: www.juliedryburgh.com E: julie@juliedryburgh.com T: +44 (0) 7797 742 347
PAMELA PITCHER - THE POINT
The Point is to feel great about yourself! The Point is Pamela’s unique workshop methodology that empowers women by overcoming their self-sabotage patterns (thought-knots) and guiding them to discover their unique formula for success. She equips her clients with the tools to create the life they want because she believes that everyone deserves to live a life full of the stuff they love. Pamela also offers help to overcome a particular type of thought-knot, phobias. She offers private and group workshops. Pamela is a Master of NLP, Hypnotherapist with distinction, EFT Practitioner, certified motivational, social & emotional intelligence coach. W: www.pamelapitcher.com E: pamelapitcherconsulting@gmail.com T: +44 (0) 7700 702 213
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SILKWORTH LODGE
Silkworth Lodge is the only residential rehabilitation treatment centre in the Channel Islands. It is a nonprofit organisation, owned and administered by The Families in Recovery Trust, to support those with drug and alcohol dependency, together with their families. If you would like to find out more about the programmes we offer or even enquire about some of our fundraising events, please get in touch.
W: www.silkworthlodge.co.uk E: info@silkworthlodge.co.uk T: +44 (0) 1534 729 060
THERAPYBREAKS
Ann Marie Clarke of Therapybreaks practices at the Lido Medical Centre, Jersey. She provides psychotherapy, coaching, professional supervision and therapy breaks for individuals, couples and families. Psychotherapy can help with many life changes and challenges e.g. Stress, Work related problems, Depression, Anxiety, Loss, Eating disorders, Experience of abuse, Alcohol and drug problems, Parenting and Redundancy. Coaching supports you in discovering effective ways of living your life and achieving fulfilment. Ann Marie offers a free 30 minute consultation to assist you in deciding which is the best support for you. W: www.therapybreaks.com E: annmarie@therapybreaks.com T: Ann Marie +44 (0) 7797 770 059 98
TAP IT BETTER
Tap It Better is the brainchild of advanced practitioner Yolanda Sáez Castelló MSc and combines Emotional Freedom Technique and Thought Field Therapy for comprehensive treatment of anxiety, stress, phobias, physical pain, performance nerves and much more. Tap Away the Tiger workshops, Tapping In Schools and private/ family sessions also available. AAMET member and fully insured.
W: www.tapitbetter.com E: Yolanda@tapitbetter.com T: +44 (0) 7700 788 870 FB: www.facebook.com/justtapitbetter
THE FOODSTATE COMPANY
Naturally Good The Foodstate Company exists to provide the finest range of food-based supplements created in the most natural and healthy form available. Because their nutrients are created as foods you can be confident that your body can absorb, use and retain them naturally. At a time when farm soils are desperately deplete of the essential nutrients that give us our health, their foodbased supplements provide the perfect alternative to better health and a stronger immunity. Follow them on Facebook for daily health tips! W: www.thefoodstatecompany.com E: enquiries@thefoodstatecompany.com T: +44 (0) 1534 855 280