Channel Islands Edition
No.13 Jan/Feb/March 2017 Happy | Healthy | Inspired
If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?
FEATURING
Top Wellness Trends of 2017 Iceland – Hot on Women’s Rights Addiction in the Workplace The Art of Stress Free Living in Guernsey
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
To Detox or Not Visualise to Materialise. What’s the Deal with Vision Boards? How Acupuncture Works – Let’s Demystify It Going Against the Grey - Inspirational OAPs The South Coast Charity Challenge … and much more to Inspire, Relax and make you Feel Good!
£3.00 Where sold
www.wellbeingworld.je
WellBeingWorld
WELCOME
Welcome WORDS: Beverley Le Cuirot, Founder and Editor
Welcome to our ‘Connection’ edition. This edition is all about connection; connection with each other, with ourselves, with Nature, within the workplace, and with our friends and neighbours in the community. Last year saw many changes, not least of which in Europe and the USA; the common element a collective desire for change. Change can be a wonderful thing, it’s what makes humankind the force of nature that it can undoubtedly be. The problem is that with colossal change, groups within our society risk becoming disenfranchised. Let’s hope that now change is underway, a dignified and positive outcome will be driven by people who want to make things better; for if we can’t physically unite, we can at least be united in the art of human kindness. Our inspiration this month comes from the latest health and wellness trends, lifestyle medicine (a concept we feel has finally come of age), with the latest from the Netherlands, Iceland, and our very own Channel Islands. We have newly merged practitioner groups bringing their individual specialisms together in a connected whole; with important messages from the world of work. We have some soul-searching through ‘Mesearch’, the principle of self-reflection, vision boards and living a stress-free life in Guernsey.
supporting a local charity whilst enjoying the South Coast of Jersey. All for your enhanced wellbeing and inspiration. We are delighted that this edition will be officially distributed in both Jersey and Guernsey, and we look forward to welcoming more practitioners from our sister Island for the next edition. Meantime, we hope you enjoy the read. Until next time, healthy regards,
Beverley beverley@wellbeingworld.je
We show that ageing can be empowering, look at the latest in mindfulness, whilst exploring the benefits of physiotherapy, theta healing, and acupuncture. Tai Chi and connectivity, and fitness trends for the year ahead complete the picture. Not forgetting articles on healthy eating and the power of the wonderful and versatile cauliflower. Body Shaming (or not); Man Flu (perhaps yes); helping make the disconnect a little less painful when marriages break down; force-free grooming for dog owners; together with community matters, people power, and the benefits of
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CONTENTS
Contents
Top Wellness Trends of 2017
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Top Wellness Trends of 2017 Let Food be Your Medicine. Lifestyle Medicine comes of age How to Deeply Connect your Body with Nature To Detox or Not
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Old and Young, Going Dutch Tox City Iceland – Hot on Women’s Rights #wellbeingtourism.co.uk - right here, on our doorstep
WHAT’S NEW
Merger Creates New Health Care Agency Enabling Jersey Effortless Living with Shalbeck Centre
WORK
Release Your True Potential with Mindfulness Why Connection is Important at Work Diversity in the Workplace Letting the Power of the Herd Lead the Way Dyslexia – Decoding the Unseen Learning Disability After the Party is Over – Dealing with Addiction in the Workplace Put an End to Stress, Under-Performance and Chaos at Work
MIND
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall – A bit of‘Mesearch’goes a long way Visualise to Materialise. What’s the deal with vision boards? The Art of Stress Free Living in Guernsey
AGEING
Going Against the Grey. Inspirational OAPs Meaningful Connections in Later Life
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6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52
Old and Young, Going Dutch
BODY
We Care About the Whole Picture Surrounding Your Pain Find Your Rhythm with Theta Healing How Acupuncture Works – Let’s Demystify It
FITNESS
2017 Fitness Trends Tai Chi and Connectivity
FOOD
Start Your New Tomorrow, Today Cauliflower Power What Happened When I Gave Up Coffee …for 30 Days…
WOMEN
Body Shaming
MEN
Man Flu. Not Faking It!
FAMILY
Making the Disconnect a Little Less Painful Calling All Dog Owners! Force-Free Grooming Arrives
COMMUNITY
The Community Really does Matter at Waitrose Humankind : People Power! Win-Win = Fitness through Hiking My Flight to Happiness …
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54 56 58 60 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86
BOOK CHOICE 88 WELLBEING DIRECTORY
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#wellbeingtourism.co.uk - right here, on our doorstep
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Guest Contributors: Faith Canter – UK Toni Mackenzie – UK Bess O’Connor – USA Practitioners in Jersey & Guernsey: Alex Wiles, Jersey Mencap Bronwyn Gomes, Enable Jersey Dr Alessio Agostinis, Jersey International Mindfulness Centre Helen Ruelle, Mourant Ozannes Jason Wyse, Silkworth Lodge
Letting the Power of the Herd Lead the Way
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Julie Dryburgh Lorna Jackson, Health Point Clinic Louise Augré, Augré Physiotherapy Lucy Falle, The K9 Wellness Centre Mary Craig, Epona Nathalie Le Mottee, Healthhaus Nicholas Le Quesne (Advocate), Benest Corbett Renouf Paul Miller, Healthhaus Pippa Campbell, Pippa Campbell Health Valma Cameron, The Art of Living Guernsey
And the WellBeing World team (pictured below from left to right): Lucy Sanderson, Abigail Ali, 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.
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.
FEATURES
Top Wellness Trends of 2017 As the guys and gals at Mind Body Green have said, it certainly is an exciting time to be alive with so many ways, new and ancient, to enhance our lives. Plant-based food is moving from the side dish to the entree plate. Meditation is taught in Fortune 500 boardrooms. Starched suits have given way to breathable, bendable workout wear. We’re refocusing our priorities, individually and as a society, and we’re reaching for new tools to help us. The words wellness and wellbeing are on everyone’s lips, the world over, from fitness, nutrition, mindfulness and the planet, could it get any bigger? There are so many wellness trends hitting the highlights, here are our top picks …
Personalised Nutrition
Bio-individuality is key; forget one-size-fits-all eating, it’s time to eat according to our specific needs, with health coaches and nutritionists taking personalisation further than ever. We are all different sizes, shapes, and ages; we have different energy needs, so why would we think it right to eat the same? We’ll see more genetic and intestinal microbiome testing using home-kits to experts offering scientific services to tailor nutrition and fitness advice. The “personalised nutrition” approach is based on the idea that by “individualising” advice and support, each of us can, and will be motivated to, make the dietary changes necessary for our individual needs.
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Instead of providing generic advice such as “eat at least five portions of fruits and vegetables daily” or “eat two portions of fish, one of which is oily fish, per week”, a personalised nutrition approach uses information to derive specific advice and support relevant for the individual. And if that’s not enough to convince you, a study published last year by the University of Newcastle found that “personalised nutrition advice helped people to make bigger and more appropriate changes to their diets than the conventional healthy eating advice which was followed by our control group.” That’s enough to make us embrace our individuality.
Sobriety Rules
With more focus on health, the next challenge will be our drinking habits. Gone are the days when being ‘sober’ meant you are a recovering alcoholic. In recent years, the sobriety movement has presented itself as one solution for the growing dissatisfaction we have with our
lack of real, genuine connection and/or careers that don’t challenge and energise us. The popularity of trendsetting alcohol-free restaurants, cafes, even pubs, and nightclubs is growing; we have our very own Awakening Club in Jersey, and we’ll see even more of a shift toward mindful interactions and refreshing alternatives to alcohol. We’ve had Dry January and there is One Year No Beer, the alcohol-free movement which tens of thousands of people across the globe have already used to kick-start their new, alcohol free life, resulting in a massive boost of reclaimed time, productivity and achievement, energy, vitality and clarity, as well as deeper, more intimate and rewarding relationships as a result.
A Sensory Experience
Other trends will include multisensory wellness studios, with yoga-inspired experiences including sound healing, visualisation, scent and colour. According to Khajak Keledjian, the founder of Manhattanbased meditation studio, Inscape, “Meditation has also shifted, it used to be about spirituality but now people understand its benefits, the science, and how it can empower them to connect to their best selves, to live to their fullest potential, to be present. Multisensory experiences are immersive. By actively engaging the senses and the mind, we empower
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people to be fully absorbed in the present moment. That immersion allows for something to enter into a state of ‘being’ when often we are all in a state of “doing.” More and more studios will open in the years to come, appealing holistically to all our senses.
Affordable, Accessible Wellness Going Mainstream
In today’s age of organically sourced powders, boutique fitness classes, and exotic wellness retreats, investing in your health can be expensive. But, according to Mind Body Green, that’s about to change. As the average person’s interest in mind-body wellness continues to climb, industry leaders will keep exploring creative strategies to make healthy living as accessible as it is aspirational. Take wellness mecca, Whole Foods Market, they are actively making a shift toward high-vibe living at a lower price point with its new 365 brand that appeals to millennials looking to eat healthy on a budget. Whilst holistic wellness centres are carrying this trend beyond our plates and offering affordable ways to relax and re-connect. This will drive down prices and their services will be aimed at the mass market, everyday consumer. Wellness will become more affordable and accessible, and more everyday.
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Let Food be Your Medicine Lifestyle Medicine comes of age.
We have been most encouraged to hear of an increasing number of medical practices around the world and in the USA in particular, who employ qualified health coaches to work alongside the medical practitioners to help their patients with preventative healthcare. We are particularly encouraged, especially so as this was the original reason WellBeing World was established; to bring health and wellness awareness to a growing, and ageing population, encouraging us all to take responsibility for our own health and, where possible, delaying the need for medical care for as long as possible.
and community, are key factors in the development of disease and incidence of non-communicable disease or NCDs. Best case scenario, lifestyle medicine can reverse the disease process, and medical interventions
Working closely together in this way, the medical profession and health and lifestyle coaches will make a significant difference to our future health, particularly so if we also take personal responsibility to help ourselves. But is this really anything new? Back 400 years or so BC (before Christ), Hippocrates of Kos can be seen as not only the Father of Modern Medicine, but also the ‘Father of Lifestyle Medicine’. As well as establishing medicine as a profession, he was known to use lifestyle modifications such as diet and exercise to treat diseases such as diabetes, and is often quoted with "Let food be your medicine … “ as well as “Walking is man's best medicine". What is this, if not the origin of lifestyle medicine? And, long may it continue.
“Best case scenario, lifestyle medicine can reverse the disease process, and medical interventions and the need for drugs will reduce.”
Referred to as ‘Functional’ or ‘Lifestyle Medicine, it involves the use of lifestyle modification in the prevention, treatment and management of disorders caused by lifestyle factors, such as nutrition, physical inactivity, and chronic stress. There is overwhelming evidence that lifestyle factors such as poor dietary patterns, physical inactivity, tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption and psychosocial factors, e.g. chronic stress and lack of social support
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and the need for drugs will reduce. Worst case, it can slow down the progress of disease, prevent complications, and will also provide a calming of the mind, which in turn will assist the patient.
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How to Deeply Connect your Body with Nature WORDS: Bess O'Connor (article originally published in Spirituality & Health magazine)
The first step in connecting your body with nature is realising that you are nature – not separate from – but an integral part of it all. Your body is made up of all the same elements, minerals and energy that makes up the planet. Many quantum physicists and scholars believe that everything in the outer universe is a reflection of our consciousness and our body. The percentage of water on the planet, for example reflects the same percentage of water in our bodies, etc. And though it’s true we are naturebeings, we can still fall out of alignment with our natural selves. Wellness is essentially being in tune with nature and aligning ourselves with the inherent wisdom that is within us all. At a certain time of night, for example, we get tired. That’s the body’s natural circadian rhythm at work. Whether or not we choose to go to sleep at that time, however, is up to us. And not listening to our body’s (often blatant, but sometimes subtle) cues could be the difference between health and sickness. A new study also shows what everyone already knows and feels – that spending time in nature dramatically reduces stress and is even antiinflammatory. Researchers found that positive emotions experienced through nature, are linked to lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (proteins that signal the immune system to work harder).
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Connecting with ourselves, our body’s signals and the great outdoors are key to our optimal wellbeing. Here are 6 great ways to deeply connect your body with nature:
1. Change your mindstate.
Realise that nature is not just something on the outside in your environment, but a part of your very being. The same water that flows in the in the ocean runs through your bloodstream. The same vitamins and minerals in nature are the very substance from which your bones and body are built. The oxygen that we breathe is from a symbiotic relationship between humans and trees in which we both provide the necessary element for one another to live and thrive. The fire that burns to heat up our body is the same fire in any flame or even the sun. Through meditation and physically going outdoors, we naturally connect with our extended body.
2. Cloud- and star-gaze. Looking skyward can be a tool to transcend space-time reality. Many ancient civilizations looked to the stars for guidance and power. As above, so below. We are made up of stardust and learning about the stars can take us beyond the mundane and into supreme consciousness. Just like we used to do when we were children, cloud-gazing is a fun form of meditation. So again, look to the sky for that which is already within you, pure energy.
3. Go barefoot. Our skin breathes
and absorbs vitamins and minerals from the earth. If you go barefoot on the beach, for example, the negative ions from the natural salts in the sand and sea are said to have magnificent healing effects on the body. If you’re not near the sand, simply digging your feet into the dirt or soil can be of benefit. In short, let the skin of your feet touch the Earth, on the grass, soil or sand.
4. Moon gazing. We all look up at the moon at night being that it’s the brightest thing in the night sky. But have you ever looked … for a long time and felt the connection with the moon? We all know the moon is responsible for fluctuations in the oceans high and low tides. But did you know that the moon has a
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significant effect on our emotional state or “internal waters” as well? Not to mention a woman’s menstrual or “moon” cycle is directly affected by the moon’s waxing and waning.
5. Listen to your body. It’s really simple –
when you’re tired – sleep. When you’re hungry – eat. When you’re energised – move your body. When you’re in pain – listen up, ask “why?”, and nurture yourself. It may be that you need a massage, to stretch more or maybe to just slow down … you’ll know … just ask!
6. Get friendly with the elements.
Whether that means you take a swim in the ocean or go camping in the forest, simply put – get into nature. Study the different plants, flowers, animals and all of life’s creatures. Breathe the air in an area abundant with trees. Climb a mountain. Listen to the birds, the wind in the trees and all the sweet sounds of nature. Do meditative forms of movement such as tai chi, qi gong or yoga in nature. Imagine roots growing into the ground from your feet and your arms being the branches of the tree. Imagine you are a hawk in the sky…how would you feel and where would you go? Imagine you are any of your favourite animals and feel their energy in your body... because it is there. You are able to tap into any part of nature, because it is inherently in you. No matter how long you stay indoors, at a desk or under fluorescent lighting. The truth remains – you are nature and nothing can take that away from you. Bess O’Connor, a certified Ayurvedic and Holistic Health Practitioner, explores the heart of health at the core of alternative medicine, massage therapy, conscious movement, nutrition, meditation and other healing traditions.
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To Detox or Not WORDS: Faith Canter
Detoxes shouldn’t be quick fixes! In fact with quick fixes, research suggests that 97% of the people embarking on them put the weight back on and some! A detox should be nourishing and nurturing on all levels and reboot, rebalance and realign mind, body and soul. Then as a side-effect of great mental and physical health you’ll find you maintain a healthy weight without thinking about it. Detoxes are not just about diet either, they should be about all areas of life in unison. By this I mean when your mind, home and spirit are detoxed the body easily follows suit. I have
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put together my top tips for embarking on a healthy holistic detox this year. When you support the body properly to detox then it will be much more effective for you.
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So, here are my tips for a healthy, holistic detox, now and into the future … 1. Reduce the toxic load in your food. Replace processed
sugars and white foods (like bread, flour and rice) with wholemeal versions and stay clear of sweeteners, diet foods (full of chemicals) and fizzy drinks. 2. Reduce the use of toxins in your home and on your
body. Your body absorbs a lot of the toxins from its environment and roughly 60% of what you put onto your skin, through your skin, so replace these with natural alternatives or make your own. 3. Drink plenty of water (at least 2 - 3 litres every day and
more, if exercising). This will help your lymphatic system eliminate toxins. 4. Exercise regularly. This doesn’t need to be high impact
– just a minimum of 20 minutes, four times a week. This helps your body sweat out toxins. 5. Increase your intake of probiotic foods and drinks.
Like fermented (not pickled) vegetables, sauerkraut and kimchi and drinks such as kefir and kombucha: these are an amazing source of many billions of different probiotic bacteria. These bacteria help the body eliminate toxins, and balance good and bad bacteria and yeasts in the gut. 6. Increase your consumption of magnesium-rich foods
(leafy greens, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, fish, avocados, figs, bananas and whole grains). 7. Try to have as many Epsom salt baths as possible.
Epsom salts are high in magnesium and help to draw out toxins (and sooth aches and pains). 8. Consider regular massage, reflexology, saunas, steam
rooms or any other detoxifying therapies. These therapies stimulate the lymphatics, helping them to eliminate toxins through our skin and via our urine. 9. Take up body brushing. You can use a long-handled
brush or just your own hands and brush your body in the direction of the chest. 10. Don’t skip meals. Eating regularly means your body
can work more effectively, and when this happens you eliminate toxins better.
11. Make sure you are having at least one bowel
movement each day. Bowel movements are one of the body’s main ways to remove toxins. 12. Try daily rebounding (jumping on a mini trampoline),
as this helps stimulate the lymphatics.
13. Try not to use antiperspirants. These products impair
the body’s ability to eliminate toxins through sweating. 14. Try to get a minimum of eight hours’ sleep a night.
Your body does a lot of its detoxing during the night, so it’s important to give it enough time and energy to do this. 15. If you don’t understand the ingredients list in a food,
avoid it. Strange words on labels usually mean chemicals, and they will only add to your toxic load. 16. Look into the symptoms of a yeast imbalance in the
gut. When bad yeasts grow, they create an imbalance in the body. This produces toxins that the body has to deal with on top of the others. 17. Breathe deeply and fully into the lungs, stomach
and back, with purpose, as many times in the day as possible. This will help your body remove toxins from the respiratory system. 18. Swap your normal fluoride toothpastes and
mouthwashes for more natural non-fluoride versions. 19. Consume detoxing clays like bentonite or liquid zeolites. These bind to toxins and ensure they are expelled from the body rather than reabsorbed. 20. And, reduce your stress levels! High stress levels
lead to an overproduction of hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. When this happens many of the normal functions of the body are impaired and this can mean that not only are you not eliminating toxins, but you’re also storing these additional hormones.
Faith is the Amazon best selling author of ‘Living a Life Less Toxic’. Her latest book, ‘Cleanse – A Holistic Detox Program for Mind, Body & Soul’ has just been released!
More info: www.faithcanter.com
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Old and Young, Going Dutch
Humanitas: A progressive approach to housing for the elderly in the Netherlands WORDS and RESEARCH: Lucy Sanderson
One of the hottest topics at the moment is that of the ageing population and how we are best able to deal with housing and other issues concerning the welfare of the elderly. In the Netherlands, a maverick millionaire by the name of Dr Hans Becker, created a model of intergenerational housing that has become an important social service and community building organisation: Humanitas Apartments for Life. The Humanitas Apartments for Life were set up by the charismatic Dr Becker back in 1995. Initially opening in Rotterdam with 350 apartments in three complexes, the organisation has since grown to incorporate 3,000 apartments across more than 30 sites in the Netherlands and it has an impressive annual turnover of approximately £86million. The vast difference between a Humanitas home and that of a typical home for the elderly is that it addresses the housing problems faced by the elderly whilst also 14
alleviating some of the issues faced by student housing – two prominent sectors of society that struggle financially. Intergenerational housing, with students and the elderly living communally (medical and care assistance is on hand when necessary); an ingenious idea and one that has proven to be so successful that in October 2015, Hans Becker was appointed chief international expert of ageing care for China’s National Real Estate Managers Association. The Humanitas housing model has the emphatic support of the Dutch government and
reportedly, even the former Dutch queen and similar versions have been implemented as far afield as Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Could the UK work with a model for this kind of social housing construct? Driving the ethos behind the concept of intergenerational living is Becker’s dynamic philosophy, that happiness is tantamount to better wellbeing for the elderly, almost secondary to conventional ‘care’. He determines that issues such as loneliness are as detrimental to health and wellbeing as for instance, illness or disease.
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He also believes that independence breeds better health and by empowering people to remain reasonably independent, autonomous and connected to others in a communal way, encouraging and enabling a better quality of life. Being something of a maverick, within the apartment complexes of Becker’s Humanitas housing developments, bars and smoking rooms, beauty salons, games rooms and eateries, events such as film screenings, discos (not your average bingo night) and other amenities are available. Whatever residents want, within reason, Humanitas provides. This is Becker’s well documented ‘yes culture’ and the term recurs constantly in the various manifestos and reviews of Humanitas, along with several others like, ‘extended family’, ‘be your own boss’ and ‘use it or lose it’ – meaning to focus on what’s still working, not what’s not, and make the best use of it. Empowering residents and avoiding patronisation or ‘nannying’ is a big part of the Humanitas ethos and Becker’s rejection of conventional care homes is blatant and fierce (he is now 75 years old). He believes that focusing on illness and the negative aspects of ageing leads directly to faster degeneration, robbing people of their independence means robbing them of their life and ability to make their own choices. Obviously medical care is available when necessary, but it’s deliberately relegated to the background wherever possible. Intergenerational housing brings with it a whole new perspective of relationships between young and old, certainly for the better. Students facing the harsh reality of renting and living independently are often (in most countries, not just the Netherlands) overwhelmed by the cost of living and for some, the option of university isn’t on the table due to the funding, or lack thereof. By living at a Humanitas home, students avoid the high costs of rent as rent is free, in exchange for 30 hours of voluntary service in support of their elderly neighbours. Voluntary work consists of preparing and eating meals together, picking up groceries or supplies, providing company and even teaching new skills, such as social media. This
Creating a WORLD of Difference
brings about connection and a chance to talk and remain sociable (for young and old), avoiding the dread of loneliness and providing a platform to build relationships, which undoubtedly will benefit younger people too, especially if they’ve moved to a new place to study. This enlightening social construct works positively both ways as it is widely understood that volunteering is great for wellbeing and many Humanitas student residents report a truly profound experience from the connections they make with the people they act as ‘good neighbours’ to (the moniker given to students who volunteer and live at Humanitas). You can learn a lot at university, but how many people leave university armed with all important life skills?
He believes that focusing on illness and the negative aspects of ageing leads directly to faster degeneration, robbing people of their independence means robbing them of their life and ability to make their own choices. Imagine the possibilities if a Humanitas model was available to more people; deeper empathy working both ways, an abolishment of loneliness, wisdom and knowledge shared, important life skills such as responsibility and time management, cooking, cleaning and all of those other all things students need to be equipped with after they leave university. Consider the change in perception of our elderly; the notion of more sustainable communities has to begin somewhere and Dr Hans Becker has come up with a real two way winner in response to more than just an ageing population – something that as humans, once upon a time would have come naturally; caring for one another. 15
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Tox City WORDS and RESEARCH: Abigail Ali
3 million lives are lost prematurely each year to a silent, invisible killer claiming more people worldwide than AIDS, malaria, diabetes or tuberculosis; this is the ‘Airpocolypse’ of not so fresh air that is leaving us breathless. Let's throwback to 1950's London … 'The Great Smog' descends as cold weather calls for more coal to be burnt and slowly, the capital city was engulfed in a poisonous cloud of deathly smoke. The severe air pollution claimed the lives of almost 5,000 Londoners in just 4 days but its lingering poison affected the health of 200,000 for years to come. This catastrophe catalysed The Clean Air Act of 1956 which introduced measures to regulate coal as a heat source. By encouraging gas and electric, reducing harmful emissions by relocating power stations away from cities and increasing chimney height in urban townhouses, the city of London could breathe a little easier once more. This was an incredibly important milestone for both environmental and health cultivation however, in consideration that 40,000 people still die every year
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from the air which we breathe in the UK alone, the big smoke is still claiming its victims. However, unlike the 'smog' of the past the latest pollution knocking the air out of our lungs is a silent, invisible killer. So what is our poison? Benzene, the product of motor fuels, solvents and cigarette smoke is known as a human carcinogenic as scarily, long term exposure can cause leukemia. Equal in offence is Nitrogen Dioxide and PM 2.5* from vehicle, industrial and fuel emissions. Once inhaled and absorbed by the human body they can cause asthma, respiratory inflammation, nervous system damage, lung disease and an artillery of side effects from headaches to nausea, dizziness and decreased fertility. And if that doesn’t knock the air out of your lungs, a 10 year old study has shown that
a pedestrian would need to spend just 24 minutes in Oxford Street, London to draw in the pollutants of one cigarette … and air quality has declined since then! Recognising that tough challenges call for tough measures, last year The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan launched a hard-hitting plan to clean up London’s toxic air, proposing a new £10 charge for the most polluting vehicles in central London from 2017, followed by an even stronger crackdown on vehicles pumping out hazardous pollutants. He also called for the UK Government to seize the spirit of the 60th anniversary of The Clean Air Act of 1956, and pass new legislation fit for the 21st century. So what's the secret to fresh air? Take a look at Sweden as a shining
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example, these Europeans lead the way in breathing easily and probably sleep a little easier too in consideration of their minimal carbon footprint. Bioenergy represents 22% of Sweden's total supply of energy and with plans to invest over 100 million into solar energy this year, the Swedes aim to become 50% bioenergy efficient in the next 10 years. Stick that in the proverbial pipe and well, don’t smoke it actually. So how do we snub the smog? As environmental issues become more critical, our responsibility is more important than ever in terms of being proactive in making changes that are critical to the world in which we live. To reduce harmful emissions we could car share, walk or cycle, or use public transport more often as opposed to driving, and so we become the resolution rather than part of the problem. We can also go electric. In recognition of this crisis, Mitsubishi manufactured the iMiev, the world's first modern highway-capable mass production electric car, as well as the Mitsubishi Hybrid Outlander
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series, a plug-in hybrid with plans to manufacture more of the same design in 2017. More bike lanes are opening up in major cities and the issue is being addressed as an urgent matter of state to offer a healthier, safer environment to live in. There is no more crucial a time to take action than now, the poison cloud in which we live is unavoidable and without rapid change, we live in fear of the air which we breathe. It's not only in your lungs but it’s now in your hands too, to encourage, support and make that imminent change that can make your home, a breeze once again. As Ghandi once said "Think you're too small to make a change in this world, try sharing a tent with a mosquito."
*Particle pollution, also called particulate matter or PM, is a mixture of solids and liquid droplets floating in the air. Some particles are released directly from a specific source, while others form in complicated chemical reactions in the atmosphere. Particles come in a wide range of sizes. Particles less than or equal to 10 micrometers in diameter are so small that they can get into the lungs, potentially causing serious health problems. Ten micrometers is less than the width of a single human hair.
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Iceland - Hot on Women’s Rights. Taking girl power to another level WORDS: Lucy Sanderson
Iceland is a reasonably big place with a pretty small population of approximately 330,000 people and for the past six years, this little country has been top of the World Economy Forum’s Gender Gap Index, making it ‘the world’s best place for working women’. Like every country across the Western World, Iceland has its sights on better equality for women; an objective that was kickstarted by a fifth of the female population in Reykjavik back in 1975.
Whilst in 1970 the USA saw women marching and protesting for better equal rights in New York, around the same time, Britain saw a great protest in Leeds with some 20,000 women marching for better equality. These protests were the foundation of change for women and something of an instigator for other countries to get their girl power on.
Some 50 years after women's rights to vote (in the UK) were secured, it was equality in government, in the workplace and at home that was the focus of much needed address and change. A few years after the British and American protests, Iceland’s protest in Reykjavik saw 25,000 women march for better equality. Those numbers were staggering and impressive, but to add to that colossal impact, at the same time as the protest, some 90% of the overall female population of Iceland joined in by downing tools both professionally and domestically. Teachers, office workers, nurses, wives and mothers, all of them stopped doing their jobs, not even cooking or providing childcare. The ‘Women’s Day Off ’ protest meant that all of a sudden men had to drop what they were doing and collect their children from school or nursery, it’s also reported that Iceland’s shops ran
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out of sausages, being one of the few things most men could rustle up in the kitchen! Recollections from those who were present at the time say that children could even be heard in the background of the live news articles on radio and TV, as male presenters and broadcasters had to take their kids into work. Girl power was in full force and with this the powers that be had to take note.
Talking to The Guardian in a recent report about Iceland’s women’s rights, Thordis Loa Thorhallsdottir, a visionary business mover and shaker, and CEO of a tourism company, was on the streets that day in 1975: “I was 10 at the time, and I remember it very clearly, standing there with my mother. I can still feel the crowd and the power that was there. The big message was that if women don’t work, the whole community is paralysed – the whole society.”
That initial protest and strike in Iceland was the catalyst for major change, turning the country into a pioneer for women’s equality, from the household right into government. For the last 20 years out of 36, a female has stood as Prime Minister or President of Iceland. In fact, it was only a few years after the great protest in Reykjavik that Iceland appointed its first female leader. Vigdis (all Icelanders go by their first name) was Europe's first female president, and the first woman in the world to be democratically elected as a head of state (a Prime Minister is different, since 1944 Iceland has been a Republic and as such, has both a President and Prime Minister). Vigdis Finnbogadottir became president in 1980 and she puts her succession to that position very much down to the 1975 ‘Women’s Day Off,’ the name given to the mass protest and strike, "What happened that day was the first step for women's emancipation in Iceland," she says. "It completely paralysed the country and opened the eyes of many men.” Vigdis was far outside the cookie-cutter mould of convention, as a divorcee and single mother with an eclectic professional past, including television presenting, being a guide for the Icelandic Tourist Bureau and a member of an experimental theatre
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group; who knew that such a background could be the preset for President. In 2009, Iceland elected the world's first openly gay head of state and their first female Prime Minister, Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir, who had also followed a rather unorthodox path, starting as a flight attendant and union official before embarking into politics. Jóhanna was already in a civil partnership with her wife, Jonina Leosdóttir, (Iceland was also one of the first countries to legalise gay civil unions in 1996). Undoubtedly, it’s the political empowerment of women in Iceland that has made such a significant difference in regard to gender equality in other arenas; Iceland’s government is now practically 50% female. Women’s Day Off was originally held in Iceland in October 1975 and to mark the date in 2016, another strike took place,
Creating a WORLD of Difference
this time highlighting the gender pay gap. Cleverly, women used accuracy to convey their message; downing tools and leaving work at 2:38pm, the time they effectively stop being paid in comparison to their male counterparts. But, even with their forward thinking approach to gender equality, Iceland (like every other country) is still paying men more than women for the same merit. Although better than anywhere else in the world, Iceland still pays its women between 14% and 18% less than men for the same work, the percentage in other countries is markedly wider. With substantial influence in government, a progressive and fair approach to equality and a country that wants change, Iceland could very well be the first country to close the gender pay gap.
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#wellbeingtourism.co.uk - right here, on our doorstep
Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, Herm, Les Ecrehous, Minquiers and other smaller islands in the Channel collectively offer beautiful surroundings with plenty of places to immerse oneself in nature – surrounded by the power of the sea, there are beaches, country lanes, cliff paths, and miles and miles of inland walks. And it’s all here on our doorstep, work to beach just 20 minutes commute if that, and just one hour from the UK and the western coastline of France. Seen as a welcome retreat from the stresses of daily life, people are travelling from near and far to experience pure relaxation and beautiful beaches. Add to this the award-winning seafood dishes and friendly service, the wealth of spas and hotels, picturesque unspoilt rolling hills, and stunning cliff paths, and the burgeoning health and wellness industry, and it’s easy to see why the Isles are frequented by busy executives looking to escape the bustling grind of City life. But it’s not just city workers making the trip across the English Channel to experience a little piece of heaven. Water sports lovers, surfers, paddle boarders, walkers, Yogi’s, food lovers and many more make their way to the Islands to attend regular retreats; whilst the health and wellness community attracts thousands every year to experience the romantic stays in opulent country estates, historic manors, glamping under the stars, and a wide choice of hotels with extensive onsite spas.
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The benefits to body and mind of a trip to the seaside have been wellknown since the eighteenth century, when Doctors would prescribe trips to the coast to cure stress, grief and illness. Researchers have found that the sound of waves alters brain patterns, lulling you into a deeply relaxed state and rejuvenating both body and mind. This seaside boost is also known as “thalassotherapy”, first named by Hippocrates. While you’re sitting on the stunning coastline pondering the meaning of life, the heat of the sun in what have been proven to be the warmest Islands in the British Isles is working away at your endocrine system, releasing the body’s feel-good chemicals; and leisurely strolls on the beach are providing considerably more exercise than on a flatter surface, with your body constantly counterbalancing the uneven surface of the sand, working your calves, thighs, and gluteal muscles, without you even realising it. Seawater has been discovered to preserve the melatonin, tryptamine and serotonin levels in your brain, which can ward off depression. Studies have also shown that the vitamins, minerals, and amino acids in seawater produce antibiotic and antibacterial effects that promote immunity, with some researchers even claiming that bathing in seawater increases the elasticity of the skin and improves its outer appearance, due to the high magnesium content. Treating patients in or with sea water is very popular in France, where it has
Creating a WORLD of Difference
been used for more than 100 years to ease insomnia, stress, osteoarthritis and problems of the nervous system. If you’ve ever wondered why we always sleep more soundly after spending the day on the beach, it’s because of the sea air; charged with healthy negative ions that boost our ability to absorb oxygen, and balance levels of serotonin. In today’s society, thanks to computers, television and electronics, we’re surrounded by too many positive ions (free radicals). Shutting down your gadgets and increasing your exposure to negative ions will enhance your immune system, increase alertness and improve your concentration, which is why after a holiday you feel more alert, relaxed and energised. Picture yourself now, perched on far-stretching soft white sands, meditating to the harmonious sounds of nearby waves lapping the shoreline. The bright sunshine warms your skin as you take in vibrant green cliff paths nearby, framing the coastlines; it’s almost as though you can see the curve of the Earth before you, at the very edge of the seemingly endless horizon. Birds drift calmly in the sky, and you hear the trees rustling in the
soft sea breeze, from the promenade behind. You gaze calmly into the distance, as families stroll along the shallows, eager pups and small children in tow, and daydream about the many beautiful days like this you have yet to experience. Add to this the extensive and growing range of wellness practitioners in both Jersey and Guernsey offering healing therapies to swiftly soothe away your troubles, aches and pains – all within close proximity, and many of whom are recognised as WellBeing World member practitioners bearing the quality mark of this prestigious body; it soon becomes evident why the Channels Islands are the Islands of European Wellbeing. A break from the daily grind comes in all shapes and sizes – whether for residents or visitors. Some are fast-paced and others a little slower, in all cases the breathtaking scenery, cliff paths, country walks, delicious cuisine, heritage and culture, exciting watersports, rest and relaxation, sunshine hours, fresh sea air, friendly locals, and range of wellbeing practitioners, the Channel Islands are exactly what the Doctor ordered.
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WHAT’S NEW
Merger Creates Jersey’s First Health Care Agency Three established businesses in the health care and fitness sectors have merged to create Jersey’s first multidisciplinary health agency. Align, which has four founders, was formed from the merger of Back to Balance Chiropractic and Osteopathy and The Lido Wellness Centre, owned by Dr MarieChristine Dix, and Sports Massage Jersey, owned by Ciara Ahern. Personal trainer Nick Dingle has also joined the leadership team enabling the establishment of Align Fitness, along with HR professional and operations director Kelly Keating, who runs the day-to-day aspects of the new health agency. Based at Lido Medical Centre, Align offers a unique range of services that address multiple aspects of health, including the physical, emotional and chemical aspects of wellbeing, alongside the key concept of prevention. Dr Marie-Christine Dix said, “The merger of the three established and successful brands creates the opportunity to take into account the full picture of what constitutes good health. Offering techniques such as chiropractic and massage, combined with nutrition and fitness and taking care of the emotional and psychological
aspects of good health, presents a modern way to ensure we are all able to maintain good health. Kelly, Ciara, Nick and I will be joined by a number of specialists in various health related fields to ensure we can offer a tailored and all-encompassing approach to wellbeing. “Align is a new concept for Jersey, launched with the intention of helping Islanders change the way they think about health, and is complementary to the modern challenges we face today. Most of us tend to visit health care professionals when we are already experiencing pain and discomfort, but by applying a holistic and preventative approach we firmly believe that we can help patients to maintain health and prevent the onset of issues.” Align’s concept is a 360 degree approach to health which is reflected in its range of services: chiropractic and osteopathy, sports and remedial massage, acupuncture and dry needling, cognitive hypnotherapy and psychotherapy, craniosacral therapy and life coaching, and Align 1-1 Fitness.
More info: www.align.je
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WHAT’S NEW
Enabling Jersey Jersey Charity Transforms to Enable More People with Disabilities One of Jersey’s longest serving charities has re-launched as Enable Jersey – a positive name that reflects their vision to enable their Members by enabling the wider community. Founded in 1970, the Jersey Society for the Disabled was established to serve the needs of people with a disability living in Jersey, a job it has been doing without fanfare for over 46 years thanks to a team of dedicated volunteers. As part of a wider review overseen by the Society’s President, Bob Gaiger, the re-branding to Enable Jersey reinforces that attitudes towards people with a disability are changing. It shifts the emphasis towards working alongside and empowering them, an ethos that the charity’s future service developments will be based on. 24
Enable Jersey Development Officer, Bronwyn Gomes is championing the charity’s existing services and developing new projects to help people affected by disability: “The charity has always excelled in providing transport, social activities and grant-making - strengths we are looking to build on. We recently teamed up with Shopmobility and the Department for Infrastructure to pilot a new car lending initiative, in order to make our wheelchairadapted vehicle available to anyone who can make use of it. We’ve also developed an advice and signposting service for members, which includes help with understanding and
applying for benefits including Long Term Care. By providing this service we will gain an insight into the needs of people with disabilities, their families and carers, and this information will be used to inform future service development areas. We are keen to develop services that disabled people in jersey have a say in designing. With an estimated 13,900 people living with a disability in Jersey, and it being a minority group that any one of us could join at any time, the charity would also like to focus on raising awareness of disability issues. The message from the charity is that “Disability could potentially affect any one of us at some stage of our lives - disability issues should matter to everyone”.
WHAT’S NEW
It is indeed an exciting time for the charity. Recently appointed Chair, Jurat Sylvia Milner, is keen to increase opportunities for people with disabilities through the work of the charity. She commented: “Throughout my life, including in my own family life, I have had involvement with a very wide range of people including a number with significant disabilities. Each of us is entitled to a fair chance in life, and to have the opportunity to lead the very best lives we can.”
Leading the way in Discrimination Legislation
Enable Jersey recently hosted a conference which took place in January to inform discussions around the pending Disability Strategy and Discrimination Legislation: important legislation that will ensure the rights of persons with disabilities are protected through local law and policy. Over 90 people gathered to hear keynote speaker, Prof. Anna Lawson, an international leading academic in Disability and Human Rights Law and Equality from the University of Leeds. Professor Lawson spoke about the enabling power of the law, its significance for people with a disability and the impact on the wider community. It was a hugely popular and well received event; Enable Jersey aims to continue to create more awareness of disability issues in the future.
For more info contact: Bronwyn@enablejersey.org or call her on +44 1534 485 740.
Creating a WORLD of Difference
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WHAT’S NEW
Effortless Living with Shalbeck Centre… because Life is Not a Dress Rehearsal! Born out of a desire to bring effortless living to everyone, to enhance how you live and learn with ease – not just academic learning but allow you to discover the best you, Shalbeck Centre has recently launched in Jersey and Guernsey. We went along to find out more … Shalbeck Centre creates a space where you can receive what you need, helping remove any obstacles – emotional, physical or spiritual – so that your mind is opened to new possibilities and more options on how you could live your life. Just imagine, if you could do absolutely anything, what would you do? A quote often heard is ‘Life is not a dress rehearsal’, however, any performance requires many rehearsals to be its best and sometimes needs to be ‘tweaked’; how often have you thought ‘I’d do that differently, were I to do it again’?
Working in Harmony
A performance requires many parts working together in harmony and Shalbeck Centre is no exception. Its founder, Claire de Gruchy, wanted to create a team of therapists that offered services to ease the mind and body; to nurture you mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually, and be in a position to offer ongoing care from several dedicated therapists. Three particular
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therapists have been drawn to Claire’s vision and now Natalie Ward, Jacqueline Knight and Juanita Shield-Laignel are excited to be bringing their and her specialisms together.
Therapies to Nurture and Bring Out the Best in You
So how did they all start? Claire’s desire to be a therapist came after her son’s school performance repeatedly foxed his teachers. When his intelligence and effort didn’t match his grades, a friend suggested he may be demonstrating Neuro-Developmental Delay (NDD) and might benefit from following a Reflex Stimulation Programme and Johansen IAS Sound Therapy. Claire, like many, had never heard of NDD and it required regular visits to the UK, as there were no therapists in the Channel Islands at that time. Her son went on to achieve a Masters in Chemistry and a career as a Chartered Accountant; the Programmes having allowed him to release his potential!
WHAT’S NEW
Assessing Learning and Listening Difficulties, Nutrition, Counselling and Kinesiology
Many friends, on seeing her son’s performance significantly improved, wanted to know how? This set Claire on her new career and true purpose in life. After studying Biological Psychology with Open University, she followed extensive training to qualify as a Neuro-Developmental Therapist and a Johansen IAS Provider (the only one in the Channel Islands) and in 2003 Developmental Education Programmes was set up. Claire’s clients range from babies to adults with issues of learning or sound processing difficulties, coordination and postural imbalances, allergies, inflammatory conditions, phobias, anxiety or chronic long term cases. The complexity of chronic conditions led Claire, between 2010 and 2014, to train in Nutrition and Counselling and qualify as a Health Kinesiologist (HK). HK is a form of acupressure involving the use of crystals, magnets, essential oils, colour and many more therapeutic tools. Using an advanced HK technique, Claire is currently the only local HK therapist qualified in Dream Analysis, which helps a client make more sense of a dream or vision they have. She sees clients in Jersey every weekday (except Monday) and the first Saturday each month, and monthly in Guernsey at Avenue Clinic, St. Peter Port; she also offers Skype sessions.
Beauty and Holistic Therapies Combined
Natalie Ward, founder of Halo Holistics, is an experienced Beauty Therapist with a passion for skincare and holistic therapies, including Reiki and Reflexology. Combining the two, Natalie aims to have her clients feeling good on the inside and looking good on the outside. She also keeps up-to-date with all the latest beauty trends with Threading, a specialised
Creating a WORLD of Difference
form of facial hair removal, and LVL, the latest trend to Lift, Volumise and Lengthen eyelashes. She also wants to advise people, especially youngsters and those with problematic skin, on using the right skincare to get the best results. What better way to do this than to use a pure, safe and beneficial ABOVE, LEFT TO RIGHT: Natalie product that is vegan-friendly and Ward, Jackie Knight, Claire De kosher! Natalie and Claire are both Gruchy, Juanita Shield-Laignel Independent Consultants with Arbonne having looked for a range to suit their needs and those of their clients. Having sensitive skin, Claire was so pleased with the results of the Arbonne facial system and SeaSource Detox Spa range and wanted to share it with Natalie. Natalie, having used many quality products as a Beauty Therapist, had high standards to fulfil; she was not disappointed. She has found the Arbonne range far exceeds her expectations, bringing amazing benefits to her clients’ skin. In this way, her clients will feel more confident and ultimately more able to take their place in the world. Natalie sees clients on Mondays and Thursdays (with late night appointments available) and on the last Saturday each month.
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WHAT’S NEW
NLP, Hypnotherapy and TimeLine Therapy
Jacqueline, known as Jackie, is a Certified Practitioner of NeuroLinguistic Programming (NLP), Hypnotherapy and TimeLine Therapy. Jackie is also a Health Kinesiology Practitioner and able to identify the root cause of your issues and address them. Clients comment that Jackie is a very empathetic therapist, putting you straightaway at ease with her warmth and humour, and that they appreciate how she explains the process, so you understand what is happening. One client commented that not only did they overcome their biggest fear of standing in a room full of people to give a presentation, but Jackie also helped them find a style of presenting that worked for them, which in turn, built their confidence. Clients can choose to see Jackie on evenings by arrangement and the second Saturday each month.
Professional Writer, Artist and Holistic Therapist
Juanita began her quest for natural health and wholeness in 1993. Her journey started after receiving a box of essential oils with a book ‘The Art of Aromatherapy’. She is a Professional Writer, Artist and Holistic Therapist who founded local business ‘Healing Touch’ after completing extensive training in Anatomy & Physiology, Swedish Massage and Aromatherapy. She further qualified in Reflexology, Indian Head Massage, Nutrition and Reiki and has developed a distance healing regimen called ‘Distance Balance Healing’. More recently, through her love of words, art and healing therapies, she has created a series of beautiful ‘Healing Art Cards’ which can support the individual, on a daily basis, or as wished, with
“...to nurture you mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually, and be in a position to offer ongoing care from several dedicated therapists.” Affirmations and Reflections, in the pursuit of personal improvement. These can be purchased either directly from Juanita or via Shalbeck Centre. Juanita sees clients Wednesday evenings, Sundays and the third Saturday of each month, by arrangement.
Young Living Essential Oils, Certified Therapeutic Grade 100% Pure
Claire, together with Natalie, Juanita and Jackie, all use Young Living Essential Oils, Certified Therapeutic Grade 100% Pure, to work synergistically with their therapies and independently too. Young Living are one of the few companies that own their farms or work on a co-operative basis with an owner, to follow a ‘Seed to Seal Process’ so that every single bottle of essential oil can be traced back to where its contents were farmed. The vibrational frequency of Young Living Essential Oils are in tune with many of our body frequencies, thereby speeding up a client’s healing. A wide range of Young Living products can also be purchased through Shalbeck Centre. If you would like one of the Shalbeck Centre team to look after you and make a difference in your life, why not get in touch with them now.
Special Offers for WellBeing World Readers:
Pay £85 to reserve an Hour Session with Claire AND receive an Hour Session with either Natalie, Jackie or Juanita and take both sessions by 31st March 2017. REFER a Friend, and on payment of their session, you receive a further session, of your choice, at a 50% saving! Gift vouchers are available.
More info: www.shalbeckcentre.com
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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
WHAT’S NEW
Release Your True Potential with Mindfulness Using Your Emotional ‘Gears’ to Improve Your Approach WORDS: Dr Alessio Agostinis, Founder, Jersey International Mindfulness Centre
Since being very young we are told that there are things which are normal; walking and talking by a certain age, getting good grades at school, find the best possible partner and job with preferably activity-packed holidays … As a result, high value is placed, by society, on feeling good, winning, working and competing at 110% of our capacity; and the idea that the measure of a good life is one when we feel we are constantly ‘achieving’. In this article I hope to show you how mindfulness can help you to release your true potential by choosing the most helpful approach; this can free up energy, improve awareness and quality of experiences in life, helping you achieve a more non-judgemental, compassionate, connected and empathetic (neutral) approach to all that you do. A helpful model for many organisations, high-flying professionals, performers and athletes choosing to consider 30
mindfulness is by Paul Gilbert (2009) which shows that it is possible for us to approach tasks, think, and act in three separate emotion-regulation states (I like to think of them as the gears of a car); all have upsides and downsides: 1. Achieving (forward gear with the foot on the accelerator) 2. Threat (Reverse gear, still with the foot on the accelerator) and... 3. Soothing (Neutral gear – foot off the accelerator and reduced fuel consumption).
WHAT’S NEW
The Pros and Cons of the ‘Achieving’ Emotional Gear
The Achieving emotional gear is linked with chemicals such as dopamine (our feel- good information carrier). The benefit is that it keeps us productive, meeting targets, working hard to get pleasurable rewards and, therefore, keeps us feeling good. The downside is that it is comparable to driving a car in forward gear and with the foot permanently on the accelerator (without breaking). It is not sustainable and, eventually, we crash or burn out the engine (literally and metaphorically). When we do, we end up in an emotional ‘gear’/ state characterised by ‘Threatening’ emotional and physical experiences.
The Pros and Cons of the Threatening Emotional Gear
Threatening emotional and physical experiences include stress (bad stress), anxiety, depression, anger, frustration, fatigue, panic – basically anything that we find unpleasant (and we have a large list of things to choose from!). The downside of this state is that we do not enjoy this experience. Often we are told we should try to get back to Achieving by various means and when that works, great! However, if (when) it doesn’t, we fall straight back down into our Threatening gear and, the harder we try, the more we sink, making this state bigger and bigger – so we end up feeling worse. In nature we would call this fight, flight, freeze or submit. Interestingly both the Achieving and Threatening gears are states of higharousal (they both consume energy!). Our Threatening gear does have a really important benefit. Imagine for a second you could not feel any fear, pain, anxiety, panic, anger, etc. If you suddenly became unable to feel any of these things, the simple answer is that you would have no alarm bells in your ‘engine’ (yourself ) and you would
Creating a WORLD of Difference
simply cease to exist! These emotions that we continually fight are actually essential for our survival! So, what is one to do then?
The Pros and Cons of the Soothing Emotional Gear
As we force continuous activity in our Achieving gear, subsequently crashing into our Threatening gear and making it bigger, we are in a continuous state of arousal (what psychologists call a ‘doing’ mode). This causes us to disconnect; we become unable to control ourselves and we also isolate others (family, colleagues, etc). This is where the Soothing emotional gear comes in – I like to think of it as the neutral gear of a car. It is linked to chemicals such as oxytocin and endorphins (oxytocin is released when we stroke our pets, hug someone, connect meaningfully with others, and sleep – if you are in Achieve or Threat all of the time, you’ll have problems sleeping!). The Soothing emotional gear is therefore a ‘pit-stop’ to gather energies, to take a birds-eye view of the world, to connect and check
in on those around us (as well as ourselves); to take stock and reset our engine. Mindfulness training allows us to be in a state of awareness that is less judgemental – as a result we are better able to connect empathetically and with compassion. This in turn will allow us more access to the Soothing emotional gear and brings our world into better balance.
A More Connected Life
Mindfulness enables us to develop the flexibility to access the various gears as needed, to bring our chemistry into better balance, and help us experience better emotional states. The great opportunity is therefore that with some initial mindfulness training where we include both the meditation practice and the understanding of these important models, we can be more ‘neutral’ with the things we do and so develop a better emotion-regulation state. By being neutral (not trying to fix or force a better state) we grow a sense of connectedness with nature, with ourselves and our health, and with others who we love and care about – as well as those who cause reactions within us.
Soothing
Achieving
Feeling safe, relaxed, not wanting - just being, closeness with others, fun, play, kindness Content, safe, connected, allowing experience, caring (endorphins, oxytocin)
Go get, wanting, striving, succeeding Drive, excitement, pleasure, 'buzz', vitality, winning feeling (dopamine)
Threat
Seeking safety by running away, giving in, withdrawing, attacking self or others, shutting self off or rejecting others Anger, anxiety, aversion, isolation, depression (cortisol / serotonin)
DIAGRAM: Three important emotionregulation 'gears': drive (forward), threat (reverse) and sooth (neutral)
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WORK
Why Connection is Important at Work Directors and HR professionals alike are increasingly aware of the two-fold benefits provided by wellbeing programmes; a healthier, more engaged workforce and increased productivity, with more and more employers prioritising. According to the 2017 State of the Industry report, produced by Virgin Pulse, the large majority of employers (78%) recognise wellbeing as a key component of company strategy. Many have already invested (87%), or plan to invest, in a wellbeing plan, and 97% agree with the statement that employee wellbeing positively influences engagement. Chris Boyce, CEO of Virgin Pulse, said: “Until recently, employee wellbeing has been viewed as a ‘nice to have’, but with more and more research directly connecting employee wellbeing to business productivity and performance, business leaders are recognising it as a ‘must have’. The proof is in the data which shows that companies investing in employee wellbeing see lower turnover, less absenteeism, stronger stock performance and higher business productivity.”
But what is employee wellbeing? He continued: “Health and fitness is clearly the way to go to encourage a physically healthy workforce, however companies should be looking beyond
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wellness and health cost savings and evaluating employee wellbeing programmes in the context of the larger cultural and business value they deliver, such as increased employee engagement and retention, reduced safety incidents, decreased absenteeism and higher business productivity.
Chris Boyce added: “As organisations continue to focus on individual wellbeing as a positive driver of company culture, they are going to see happier, healthier, more engaged employees and better business results, across the board. That’s just good business sense.
A large majority of HR leaders view workplace culture as an important part of furthering employee wellbeing. 80% have programmes in place or plan to implement programmes aimed at improving culture in the workplace. Social connections and team support are critical in building, and sustaining, a culture of wellbeing, as is being heard and feeling in control of one’s working day.
“The best way to implement a robust programme that meets the individual needs of employees – while simplifying management and communication for employers – is to find a wellbeing vendor that has a hub embedded with their solution. A hub that provides a one-stop shop experience,” he concluded. The good news is that there is one such example locally in the Channel Islands in the form of the WellBeing Zone provided by WellBeing World’s sister company, WellBeing At Work.
More info: beverley@wellbeingworld.je
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Diversity, the buzz word of today but will it be gone by tomorrow? WORDS: Helen Ruelle, Partner, Mourant Ozannes
The world is a diverse place. In business and in the workplace, to reflect diversity is to be one step ahead. Recognising and reflecting diversity is a crucial part of the modern world; that society values people with different ideas and perspectives, as well as encouraging acceptance of all genders, sexualities, races, religions, ages and disabilities. This applies both in terms of the way businesses operate in striving to be equal opportunity employers but also in how we communicate and develop outside of the working environment and the relationships we have with others. But what is diversity? Is it the craze of the 21st century which will soon be overtaken by some other obsession, or is it here to stay, shaping the future and the way we all behave? Diversity effectively means difference. A difference in the way we think, operate, perform, process and behave as well as difference in terms of skills, experience, knowledge and communication. Difference makes us who we are as individuals and defines our very being. Without difference, we would all think, act, look and make decisions in the same way. Difference is healthy and creates a vibrant society to live and work in. Over our recent history, society has adapted, sometimes with a fight, so that women have become more prominent in the work place, employees have continued to work past the retirement age and diverse sexuality has been more widely accepted. In summary, the value of diversity and difference is becoming more greatly recognised. But diversity is so much more than gender or the colour of your skin or your sexual preference. It's about thought processes, where you come from, who you
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are, your background, what makes you you and being accepted for that. Society is coming to appreciate difference rather than viewing it as a detriment. That is no surprise given that study after study has shown the benefits which diversity brings to business including a more motivated work force, increased retention rates, client satisfaction and overall employee wellbeing. The bottom line is diversity is good for business and promotes a healthy
and inclusive working environment. It's no surprise that if you put a group of identical people together, they will come up with identical decisions; where's the challenge or business sense in that?
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Notwithstanding that diversity and equal opportunities generally is on the top of the agenda for many businesses, it has also had a much broader impact on our personal lives. We all make decisions based on our pre-conceptions or what is dubbed unconscious bias. It is well established that we are normally drawn to people who operate or think like us or come from the same school, ethnic background or place. We are human – it is easy to identify with someone or something similar rather than appreciating difference. We would view similarity as comforting, with difference as a challenge. However, how can we broaden horizons and provide greater self-awareness and understanding? The notion of diversity within business and training surrounding such areas has caused us to think twice about the decisions we make and how we make them, in an effort to recognise that just because someone undertakes a task in a different way, for example, doesn't mean the end result is any less effective. It has helped to deconstruct and challenge our preconceptions. So will the hype around diversity remain in the future? There is no doubt that in the years to come diversity will continue to shape both our professional and personal lives. It has become embedded both in the day to day management of businesses but also in education, the provision of goods and services, charities, clubs and voluntary organisations. Recognising and supporting diversity and difference is key for a successful business but also healthy for society as whole. If we are able to acknowledge our own preconceptions and appreciate the value in difference, we will all reap the benefits. Diversity as a concept is here for the long haul. However, the acceptance and inclusion of diversity and difference is likely to become part of the furniture of everyday life, being accepted as standard practice rather than standing out as the newest craze.
More info: www.mourantozannes.com
Creating a WORLD of Difference
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WORK
Letting the Power of the Herd Lead the Way WORDS: Mary Craig, Epona
Engaging with horses and nature in focused and reflective activity relevant to real life issues and authentic work situations challenges us. This is a positive thing. It brings out the best in us, shows strengths we may not be aware we have and increases our confidence. This approach is grounded in solid business principles, knowledge of human behaviour, understanding of team dynamics, human development, and creative approaches to conflict and change. The benefit of learning with horses is that they respond to honest and enthusiastic relationship, credible forward-thinking leadership, and to committed and engaging teamwork. Horses have an amazing ability to resonate with and reflect back to us our authentic self. It is not about horsemanship, nor do you ride the horse. Instead by partnering with horses in my programmes you will have the opportunity to clarify your vision, embody your commitment, expand your natural abilities, team effectiveness and organisational skills. 36
Horses are natural leaders, the herd is relationally responsible. Horses are born natural leaders trusting their senses, knowing their purpose and taking clear action. A horse herd is inclusive, everyone belongs, everyone is essential, everyone matters. Relationship is primary in the herd, it is based on trust, clear communication, and the importance of each horse’s place in the herd. Each herd, be it a family unit or business team must have a leader. However not all leaders are always leading in a safe, unpressured way. Their communication may be unclear, their direction indirect and changing and their pace unsuitable for all the herd members. These are causes that end with a result of stress and lack of wellbeing for individuals.
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When we look at wellbeing, maintaining it or achieving it, the relationships with all involved needs to be noticed and nurtured. This is the Art of Leadership. A good leader will achieve the goal with the wellbeing of the members being of paramount importance. Exploring and developing leadership skills with horses is so effective, they are the masters of leadership. Partnering with a horse, you will learn to lead with focus, intention, direction and movement toward your clearly defined goal. Facing challenges with the horses prepare you for challenges in your work. You will learn to recognise subtle opportunities for success that might otherwise go unseen, an important skill that will
"In our teambuilding development programmes our goal is to provide powerful teamwork experiences that guarantee a positive change in the team’s cooperation, engagement and possibly innovation." help you maximise success in your herd, family or business. In our teambuilding development programmes our goal is to provide powerful teamwork experiences that guarantee a positive change in the team’s cooperation, engagement and possibly innovation. This is so important in times of transition and times of conflict.
Confidence, Mutual Respect and Trust
The photos show some of the stages a fine young gentleman, Liam, progressed through; he was 15 years old at the time. On his first morning, he told me he would touch a horse next week. (He was coming for the mornings for 3 weeks). He did touch Bertie that first morning and he chose to work with Bertie for the whole programme. As his confidence grew, he went into the stable, and Bertie showed his appreciation of the effort by taking a drink. When Liam was ready to ask Bertie to walk with him, he had first to ask the horse to lower his head and accept the headcollar. Liam gently and carefully lifted it over his face and ears. Bertie’s expression shows he
Your team will partner with the horses in a variety of activities and challenges that require collaboration, cooperation, courage and creativity. Facing unfamiliar situations and tough decisions in working with the horses strengthens the cohesion and competency of your team. And it will be fun.
More info: www.epona.je
is comfortable with the thoughtfulness and kindness with which Liam did this. Liam had to believe in himself that he could lead Bertie in the yard or Bertie would not have moved a foot. There they are, Liam gently giving direction with a loose lead rope, no pressure, Bertie happily in step with him. And on our final day, Liam and Bertie trotting, the confidence had allowed the pace to pick up, and for them to be in the wide open space of the all-weather school, just the two of them, trusting each other. Bertie’s first career was as a racehorse, and now he has found his niche. I was given a wonderful Christmas present. Liam contacted me, came to visit and played some wonderful Christmas music on his trombone.
Founder of Epona, Mary Craig and her horses provide a retreat where wellbeing and personal development can be explored through Equine Assisted Learning. This year she will be providing group courses for leaders in her ‘Experiential Learning with Horses’ programmes and also Teambuilding Development for teams. She will also continue to provide personal confidential programmes for those who prefer.
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Decoding the Unseen Learning Disability
In the not so distant past, people suffering with dyslexia were often wrongly labelled as slow, or incapable of learning, when in fact nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is, someone who is dyslexic is incredibly able; they just learn some things in a different way. Although defined as a disability under the Equality Act 2010, dyslexia does not mean a lack of intellect or intelligence, dyslexic people are very able indeed. Einstein was dyslexic and his teachers described him as slow, unsociable and ‘mentally adrift in his foolish dreams’: well, we all know how wrong they were … but the fact is that there are literally thousands of well known, extremely intelligent and successful people who have dyslexia and with some 10% of the UK diagnosed with this learning difficulty, there’s a vast portion of the population who need a different approach to reading and writing. The common issue brought about by dyslexia is phonetic decoding; the problem in deciphering letter groups and how they fit into words and sentences. But muddling letters is only one of the symptomatic problems faced by someone who has this learning disability. Dyslexia affects some people more severely than others, one person’s symptoms may look different to those in someone else. Some dyslexics have trouble with reading and spelling whereas others may struggle to
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write or to tell left from right. With children, some might not seem to struggle with early reading and writing but later on they may find that they struggle with complex language skills, such as grammar and reading comprehension. Dyslexia can also make it difficult for people to express themselves clearly; finding the right words to say, or structuring thoughts into conversation. For some people, dyslexia can make it difficult to understand what they are hearing; especially with non-literal language such as sarcasm or jokes. There is a broad spectrum of severity and symptoms when it comes to dyslexia but the important thing is that it is more widely understood so that parents and teachers can identify and deal with the issues as soon as possible. Diagnosis opens doors to the right support and resources, not just for young people in school, but also for adults who may not have attributed their symptoms to dyslexia in the past. These days, dyslexia doesn’t need to hold anyone back from fulfilling their potential. Years of research shows that dyslexics’ brains function in a different way to those who don’t have
the learning difficulty and actually, they are adept at thinking outside the box, problem solving, creativity, art, sports, engineering, invention and architecture. The stigma which was once associated with dyslexia; that of inability, is thankfully now becoming something of a thing of the past. Nonetheless, students and people struggling without diagnosis can find the world a daunting place indeed. Stress and perceptual confusion only worsen the symptoms — the harder a dyslexic struggles, the more pronounced their symptoms become. This can lead to a lack of confidence and instil self-esteem issues that are more likely to be detrimental than the dyslexia itself. Many people who are open about their experience, feel that their dyslexia becomes less of a problem once they ‘escape’ school. Breaking free from the frequent written tests and reading aloud in class; the old ‘chalk and talk’ method of learning is not dyslexic friendly and so much of our Western education culture is based on reading and writing and learning from books and the ‘blackboard’. In real life, after school, we all use an array of other skills to forge our careers and lives. When it comes to work, filling out application forms and updating a CV can be a real struggle for someone who has dyslexia. The frustration in
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knowing, very well, that you can do a job, but can’t convey what you need to on paper, is something that many dyslexics know all too well. There are however places to go for support in this regard and many employers are open to providing other means of job applications to candidates who have learning difficulties. The British Dyslexic Association suggests advice for both interviews and employers that can open doors and communication. The fact is that we have a vast amount of technology and knowledge at our fingers tips, research shows which fonts and colours can help with dyslexia as well as giving us the ability to send voice messages and create image based instructions and communication. Before the advances in technology and better understanding of dyslexia, there were people breaking the mould in
terms of harnessing their ability over disability; some were even writers. Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, John Lennon, Keira Knightly, Steven Spielberg, Pablo Picasso, Agatha Christie, F. Scott-Fitzgerald, Thomas Edison and Mohammed Ali are all fine examples of dyslexic people who have achieved great success, in spite of their learning disability. As the most notable thinker, Einstein once said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Perhaps if Einstein hadn’t had dyslexia, he’d never have imagined the notion of his theory of relativity and changed the world forever. In 2017, we need more out the box thinkers than ever, so for anyone reading this who is struggling with dyslexia, follow your heart and your natural skills, there’s genius inside of you.
A few tips to encourage dyslexic friendly reading material:
• Where possible, try to avoid word on bright white paper, better to use cream or similar, with dark blue text.
• Fonts shouldn’t be complicated and words shouldn’t be underlined or italic. • Sans-serif fonts are reported to be best.
• Words should be typed at 12pt and larger and have sufficiency space between each letter and line. • Websites should be uncluttered and straightforward.
• Avoid justifying the edge of paragraphs.
More info: www.bdadyslexia.org.uk
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After the Party is Over – Addiction in the Workplace WORDS: Jason Wyse, Chief Executive Officer, Silkworth Charity Group
Now that the socialising that goes with the festive period is over for yet another year, this is the time where a lot of people consider new year resolutions, whether it be to get fitter and exercise more, eat healthier , drink less alcohol, etc. Whilst the motivation and enthusiasm is there at the beginning to see through these resolutions that have been set, life as we know still has to happen. We still have to go to work and we still have to attend to the daily chores of life. As the haze of the festive period lifts, we are then faced with the realities of normal every day living. For many, this is great because life is generally good, however for those that suffer with chemical dependency or those that tend to drink at harmful levels, it can be a very different story.
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I have heard many people using the expression ‘Dry January’, ie not consuming any alcohol during the first month of the year. People participating in this could be doing it because of over indulgence during the festive period or for some they may be doing it to just help them look at their own drinking patterns. The people I know who have spoken to me about Dry January have said how great they feel,
more alert, motivated, more energy and happier. This is very true, drinking less or no alcohol is going to have a positive effect on your body and mind, which ultimately will have a positive effect on those around you including your family and employers.
But it isn’t the answer if alcohol is an issue for you.
There are many white and blue collar workers that function every day with their addiction, some may not even be aware that they have an addiction problem because of the social acceptability around the use of alcohol and also the acceptance around certain drug use, for example, over the counter medication and medication that is prescribed by a doctor.
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Chemical dependency can be costly to any organisation when people are absent and performance is not at its best. Despite former myths and beliefs, dependency whether it be to alcohol, drugs, medication or any other is an illness. It affects the individual both physically and psychologically and therefore should be treated as a health issue. If drinking or self medication becomes a dominant part of a person's daily life they will find themselves absolutely powerless to stop the chaos, so why not put your hand out to help and provide them with the treatment needed. You have invested in these people so why not let us help you safeguard your investment.
However if an individual feels supported and non-judged they are more likely to feel more comfortable in speaking openly. It is not the employer’s responsibility to counsel or diagnose the individual however you can support and encourage them to get the appropriate help.
What are the Signs?
How Silkworth can Support
“Despite former myths and beliefs, dependency whether it be to alcohol, drugs, medication or any other is an illness. It affects the individual both physically and psychologically and therefore should be treated as a health issue.”
Some of the signs that someone may be suffering with a chemical dependency problem include: • Reduced work performance • Increase in absenteeism and poor time keeping • Alcoholic symptoms (shaking, obvious smell of alcohol, increased perspiration) • Unacceptable conduct • Changes in mood and behaviour
How to Approach Your Employee
As a professional organisation we are sure that you provide a good standard of care to your employees and also treatment and support where necessary. With fully trained staff, your Human Resources team is most likely to be well aware of those who are in need of assistance however it can be a difficult subject to broach. For many chemical dependant people, it is very difficult to admit that they have a problem and they may also feel shame and guilt because of the stigma attached to addiction.
Silkworth Charity group provides support to employers and employees through our psycho educational work place presentations. The aim is to give a better understanding around the illness of addiction whilst also sharing information on how assistance can be accessed for not only the employee but also the employee.
What the Employers Say
“We didn’t realise just how much support was available to not only the person suffering but also us as employers. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience with our team of managers who I know found the presentation extremely informative.”
Every Journey Begins with the First Step
If you would like to find out more about the programmes we offer please contact us on 01534 729 060 or by email to: info@silkworthlodge.co.uk
Did You Know?
• 14-20 million working days are lost each year in the UK from Alcoholism • 60% of workplace deaths, and 40% of accidents, are linked to alcohol • £7.3 billion a year is lost in lost productivity from alcohol alone. There are no statistics for illicit drugs however Public Health England estimates that drug use costs society £15.4 billion a year.
More info: www.silkworthlodge.co.uk
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Put an End to Stress, Under-Performance and Chaos at Work WORDS: Claire Boscq-Scott, The Busy Queen Bee
I discovered Feng Shui about five years ago; Rachel Elnaugh, the former Dragons Den star and entrepreneur was invited to Jersey as guest speaker at the ICSA Jersey Awards Dinner, and I had the great pleasure of picking her up from the airport.
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During our conversation, she mentioned Feng Shui. I had never heard of it so I did some research. Then one day I bought a book by Karen Rauch Carter called “Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life”. I loved it, I just couldn’t put it down. I also started to move things around in my office, my living room, my kitchen; the change was incredible, it felt so right. After that, I carried on with my search to understand more about Feng Shui and met Davina MacKail. She was a real inspiration and still is. I have the honour to have Davina as my coach and she has been incredibly instrumental in my current success. A couple of years ago, we spent a whole day together, training on the Yin and Yang concept and how I could bring Feng Shui into shops, offices, and workplaces, to help my customers bring a more positive energy into their working environment. Since then, I use the same principles when I go and help customers with their customer journey and I wanted to share some of it with you.
So, men buy and women shop! That’s because women are more likely to use their right brain (the limbic brain) and men their left brain (the neocortex brain). The right brain is the feminine energy, the Yin, dark, soft, caring, nurturing, receiving and intuitive; basically the creative thinking. Whereas the left brain is the masculine energy, light, rational, analytic and fact based; the logical thinking. A balance of both energies in your workplace (and indeed in your own life) is vital, creating a healthy environment. This will boost the happiness and productivity of employees, and of course, will make your customers feel at ease, wanting to spend time in your shop, spending more money … Without doubt it will be a more engaging experience for your customers. Walk the walk. Start with walking around your showroom, look at how the energy (the chi) and your customers flow through your space. What do you like or dislike? What can you see or smell? What are the first thoughts when walking into an area? Is it organised or full of clutter? Move any blocking fixtures or clutter. Make sure your aisle plan is welcoming and introduces them to as many interesting merchandise presentations as possible. Use angles to lead your customers around the store and delight them at each turn.
“ You can then make an assessment of the five elements in Feng Shui – water, wood, fire, earth and metal. They must all be represented and exist in balance for harmony.”
Shopping is all about an emotional experience – we buy things to make us and our loved ones feel better, in other words, we are shopping for an experience, not just a particular item. It does not matter if your customers know about Feng Shui or not; on a subconscious level we are all attuned to some energy movement and react to it accordingly. Your environment has a lot to do with how you feel, and how you feel has a lot to do with how productive you are. Neuroscientists across the globe have studied images of the brain in action and placed emotion in the driver’s seat, asserting that thinking is emotion-based, and while emotions form the basis of thoughts, the five senses – sight, sound, smell, taste and touch – fuel those emotions, wielding the power to persuade, relax and heal. In a study titled “Men Buy, Women Shop,” researchers at Wharton’s Jay H. Baker Retail Initiative and the Verde Group, a Toronto consulting firm, found that women react more strongly than men to personal interaction with sales associates. Men are more likely to respond to more utilitarian aspects of the experience — such as the availability of parking, whether the item they came in for is in stock and the length of the queue at checkout.
You can then make an assessment of the five elements in Feng Shui – water, wood, fire, earth and metal. They must all be represented and exist in balance for harmony. Take an elemental survey of each, this will ascertain whether your shop, office, workplace is “heavy” on some elements or “light” on others. To have a balanced workplace, you may wish to bring in more Yang to your premises otherwise everyone may be too relaxed and not doing much! After the last USA President’s inauguration, the Obamas famously ‘cleaned’ the White House and newly decorated each of the rooms based on Feng Shui principles to create a positive flow of energy and good vibrations, bringing a positive energy and balanced harmony to support the people who lived and worked there. It is a little early to tell if the new President will follow suit …
More info: contact@thebusyqueenbee.com
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Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
Self-reflection - a bit of ‘mesearch’ goes a long way. WORDS: Lucy Sanderson
It may indeed be that time where we take stock, vow to make changes and act on the opportunity of a ‘fresh start’ to coincide with the new year, but when it comes to selfreflection and personal growth, the date doesn’t matter a jot. Self-reflection is something we should all be investing in throughout the year; without it, how can we measure our progress or look back and see how far we’ve come (or not).
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We sometimes might not like what we find when we stop and reflect, but there is an inherent value in the honesty that comes with having a deeper understanding of who we are and where we’re going in life. More important, how we intend to get where we want to go can really only be achieved through self-reflection and positive action. The benefits of self-reflection and evaluation are scientifically proven to being tantamount to success and better wellbeing. Mindfulness about our behaviours and actions is based on self-reflection and openness to who we truly are; and what makes us feel happy and fulfilled. From self-reflection comes the opportunity for realisation and when we are in tune with our inner self, we can be better in tune with the world around us. Every successful, contented human being has moments of self-reflection, or ‘mesearch’. As Aristotle once said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” Self-reflection helps to build two components in regard to emotional intelligence: self-awareness and self-regulation. Being self-aware enables us to understand our strengths, weaknesses, the things that make us tick as well as helping us understand how we impact others. Self-regulation is the all important tool by which we can control or redirect our disruptive emotions and impulses and furthermore, help us to adapt to changing circumstances. By spending time practicing self-reflection and evaluation, we can nurture greater imagination and creativity, as well as systemic, non-linear modes of joined-up thinking and analysis. We harness greater empathy and integrity; continuous learning goes hand in hand with self-reflection and the more we understand, the stronger and more fulfilled we get. Embracing the notion of curiosity in general makes us more self-aware – why only be curious about the things and people that surround us and not be curious about ourselves and our ambitions? There is scope and opportunity beyond the realms of curiosity and selfreflection. Some might say that self-reflection is the catalyst for our minds and thoughts to become something; for our dreams and goals to be realised. As we pursue busier lives and better fulfilment, we tend to overlook the importance of pondering inwards. Sometimes we feel the need to keep our self-reflection cards close to our chest in order to action change or take stock, but other times we might feel the value of sharing our inner
thoughts and perceptions. There are some simple tools with which we can make self-reflection easy; including it as a part of a lifestyle that encompasses a holistic approach to better wellbeing. Diary or journal writing, for instance. By keeping a semi-regular diary (or daily, weekly – however often you feel the desire or need to note things down), recording the happenings and musings of your life and enabling the chance to go back and read it from time to time, is in itself an exercise of self-reflection. For people who like to practice mindfulness and/or meditation, selfreflection may be at its most open after a session of quiet time. Allowing thoughts to quieten and the frequency of ideas and busy energy to wind down, self-reflection can come at this most enlightening time in a way that is honest and calm. Self-reflection should and will (if done properly), evoke the problematic or less favourable aspects of ourselves and we need to be able to take these perceptions on board without letting them manifest as negative feelings. Self-reflection isn’t supposed to leave you feeling deflated, the idea is that it brings about a new lease on life, or changes in both professional and personal development. If you want to take a moment and practice self-reflection after you’ve read this article, then try answering some of these questions. Answer them honestly and allow them to give you food for thought, some clarity and a deeper understanding of where your strengths and weaknesses lie.
It’s no good answering in any way other than sincerely, as you cannot kid yourself:
1. Do I use my time wisely? 2. Am I taking anything for granted? 3. Do I adopt a healthy perspective? 4. Do I put enough effort into my relationships? 5. Which achievements am I most proud of ? 6. What advice would I give myself 5 years ago? 7. Do I get out of bed, ready to take on the day? 8. Do I fall asleep thinking negative thoughts? 9. What do I love about myself ? 10. What don’t I like about myself ? 11. Do I fear change? Why? 12. Am I living true to myself ? 13. What and who makes me happy? What makes me unhappy? 14. Am I living the life I really want? 15. What should I change?
Please feel free to contact us at beverley@wellbeingworld.je if you feel our WellBeing World expert practitioners can help point you in the right direction.
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Visualise to Materialise What’s the deal with vision boards?
If seeing is believing then vision boards enable a positive impact when it comes to mapping out the things we desire or want to achieve. The importance of setting goals and becoming the person who can achieve them is sometimes more difficult than we might appreciate.
Humans are busy creatures and it’s all too common for us to set our sights on a goal, go full steam ahead and then find that our goal has sunk into oblivion beneath the business of every day life. Visualisation is the starting block as far as goals are concerned and as George Bernard Shaw so aptly put it, "Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.” So therefore, we need to visualise in order to materialise our hopes, dreams and goals.
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Creating a vision board is considered to be a useful tool in establishing clarity, focus and an all important tangible reference for the things we want to accomplish. Whether goals include something in the immediate future or an aspiration decades away, a vision board is the perfect place to start. Needless to say, we don’t need to just take the word of the gazillions of people who are rocking their vision boards, this system of planning what we want has a tonne of scientific back up. Originally popularised by sports psychologist Richard Suinn, visualisation is a
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tool for positively preparing for skiers; those who visualised racing down hill showed brain and muscle activity and electrical impulses which matched the same reaction as a skier actually skiing down the slopes. The sporting arena is filled with people championing visualisation techniques, from Wayne Rooney to Andy Murray, Jessica Ennis-Hill to Johnny Wilkinson – all of them swear by using their mind to visualise their win. It’s clear that visualisation is no longer just an abstract concept associated with hippies or dreamers, but a quantifiable component of modern psychology when it comes to reaching our goals. The renowned Harvard University has its own revealing study in to visualisation, headed up by Dr Alvaro Pascual-Leone, acclaimed Professor of Neurology and Director of the Berenson-Allen Centre for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation. Dr Pascual-Leone taught two groups of people who had never studied piano, a sequence of notes, showing them which fingers to move and letting them hear the notes as they were played. Then members of one group, the ‘mental practice’ group, sat in front of an electric piano keyboard, two hours a day, for five days, and imagined both playing the sequence and hearing it being played. A second ‘physical practice’ group actually played the music two hours a day for five days. Both groups had their brains mapped before the experiment, each day during it, and afterwards. Then both groups were asked to play the sequence, and a computer measured the accuracy of their performance. Pascual-Lenone found that both groups learned to play the sequence and showed similar brain map changes. Remarkably mental practice alone produced the same physical changes in the motor system as actually playing the piece.
photos, paper clippings and your favourite written affirmations is enlightening as well as a great place to begin to envision goals and dreams. Placing the clippings on your board instils a ‘real’ feeling of working toward those things and it allows you to focus on what you want to achieve. You can work alongside a friend, add a cuppa or a glass of wine and heck, you could even make a party out of it! If scissors and glue, glitter and colours aren’t your bag, you might try one of the vast offerings online – vision board software is in abundance (even set up a quick Pinterest account for quick and easy access to a plethora of ideas and images to get your visual juices flowing). The law of attraction might seem a little mystical or far fetched to some people, but Oprah would disagree. The concept literally transpires as the notion of what you believe you can achieve can and will transpire to being what you achieve – you just have to firmly believe in it and positively convince yourself that what you want out of life is already yours. The same principle goes when creating a vision board; it’s no use having an inner monologue of disbelief or limiting thoughts – you must have a positive mental attitude about the things you add to your board and mindfully allow yourself to open up to those things as being more than just a pipe dream or a vague possibility. To put the positivity into your vision board, you must envision your goals as something you truly can succeed in reaching. New job, new car, better home, happy kids, a holiday in the Bahamas; everything you conjure up as a goal or desire should be added to your board. Any quotes that inspire you, people who you look up to or please you’d like to visit are all very pertinent ingredients – think big. You can do anything you set your mind to. Just be sure to set your mind towards goals that you can control, things that you can map out a route to. Life often throws us obstacles and unforeseen challenges, but by firmly believing in your goals and by being proactive about reaching them – the world you want for yourself is there waiting for you. Creating a vision board doesn’t have any set rules or regulations, its personal, pivotal and most of all, positive.
To put the positivity into your vision board, you must envision your goals as something you truly can succeed in reaching. New job, new car, better home, happy kids, a holiday in the Bahamas; everything you conjure up as a goal or desire should be added to your board.
So, you might not be aiming to win gold at 100m sprints, or fancy yourself as the world number one seed in tennis, or aim to play the piano like Mozart, but still, creating a vision board can work for you … this is how. Making a vision board is fun; arts and crafts aside, pulling together visual examples and stimulants from magazines,
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The Art of Stress Free Living in Guernsey A few years ago whilst living in Mauritius, Valma Cameron felt plain miserable.
“I was suffering terribly with rheumatism and having to take pills to control the pain,” she told us. ‘Then I heard about a workshop organised by the Art of Living movement and decided to give it a go.” The results were astounding. Valma discovered that by mastering a simple breathing regime, her health improved dramatically. On an Art of Living course, attendees learn the Sudarshan Kriya technique, which incorporates specific natural rhythms of the breath to harmonise the body, mind and emotions. It is effective for stress, fatigue and negative emotions such as anger, frustration and depression, leaving you calm, energised and focused.
The Art of Living Community is run by volunteers. People who have benefitted from the course give their time so that others might experience the same improvements in their health and wellbeing. “The courses are only nine hours in duration, run over a Friday evening and weekend mornings and at the end people are usually pleasantly surprised by the changes they see in themselves,” Valma said. The next Art of Living Happiness Programme is being held on Friday, 12th to Sunday, 14th May. The cost is £250, with an Early Bird ticket price of £200 for bookings in advance. Concessions are available.
“At the end of the weekend course, I had this incredible feeling of inner happiness,” Valma recalled. “The exercises seem very simplistic, you just take control of your breathing and carry out a brief 10-minute session every day, but it worked. When I came to Guernsey on secondment to work in Finance I was really pleased to find a branch of the Art of Living here. We meet regularly at Moores Hotel and run regular workshops too,” she added.
For more info or to book your place, email: Julie.artofliving@gmail.com or call Valma on +44(0)7781 448 319 48
AGEING
Going Against the Grey Inspirational OAPs prove the
re’s no expiry on fulfilling you
r dreams.
WORDS and RESEARCH: Abigail Ali
Have you ever found yourself wondering what else is out there for you? Have you considered a new beginning, a challenge, new relationship or contemplated an opportunity and caught yourself saying, ‘not at my age …’ Well, you wouldn't be alone. With expectations of settling down and relaxing into somewhat more demure activities, the view on the ageing population isn’t necessarily encouraging on beginning life's greatest adventure. But as we are all too aware of how precious our time on this earth is, shouldn't ageing be a catalyst to ‘carpe diem’ whilst there is air in our lungs and a beat in our chest? On the other side of the bridge board there’s an uprising of inspiring OAPs who are turning VIP by doing exactly this; taking one giant leap for the humankind regardless of the creek in their knees. These are the ‘renegreyeds’ – the ones who still dare to dream without letting their age get in the way of their future. Now, there's no doubt that for some, ageing can be a daunting prospect indeed; our bodies may not bend the way they used to, and the spring in our step may have become well, a little less ‘springy’. But instead of feeling discouraged by social expectations and conformities, we can instead believe that those golden years should shine.
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Recently grabbing headlines as the ‘World's Hottest Grandpa’ Deshun Wang, a Chinese artist, actor and now model, made his debut on the runway in Beijing at the wonderful age of 80. Met by the stunned and overwhelmed at his achievements, he summed up his overall life direction and told the New York Times “People can change their lives as many times as they wish, one way to tell if you’re old or not is to ask yourself, ‘Do you dare try something you’ve never done before?” This inspiring philosophy challenges the social misconception that there's an expiry date on living your dreams. With the average life expectancy rising to 79 for men and 83 for women, certain milestones and expectations are also granted longevity with more people studying, marrying, conceiving and most notably, dream chasing, later on in life.
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Devon resident, Joe Bartley, followed this new trend when the widowed 89 year old posted a seeking work advert in the local paper pleading “Save me from dying of boredom”. His post was met with a plethora of opportunities, job offers and even fan mail, with many applauding his gusto to hit the re-start button on his career when the option to stop is all too common. Now happily employed and celebrated for his ambition, Joe is proof that our lives are not to be defined by what happens to us, but how we react to it. Another OAP superstar, Harry Bernstein who is also widowed and struggling, found solace in words as he wrote to his lost beloved wife and since developed an aptitude and passion for writing. This helped him realise his dream and at 96 years old he published his very first book, ‘The Invisible Wall’ chronicling his childhood. The list goes on; skydiving grandpas, Everest climbing pensioners and go-getting grandmas like Tao PorchonLynch, who at 98, is an author, ballroom dancer, America’s Got Talent contestant and the current holder of the World's Oldest Yoga Instructor title. So whilst some might see the golden years as the end of the road, these individuals are living proof that we can in fact make our golden years another beginning and make our dreams come true at any age. But what is it that separates the go get’em dream chasers from those who
Creating a WORLD of Difference
accept they’ve had their day, resorting and resigned to the armchair of life? Fashionista Iris Apfel says it’s all in the attitude, something this designer, businesswoman and fashion icon has in droves. Like her husband Carl, who passed just days shy of his 100th birthday, the couple never considered age as a number but as a new challenge, she retorts in the documentary 'Iris' made about her remarkable life. It seems that growing older really doesn’t have to mean growing tired of dreaming; staying curious and inquisitive in what the future holds, or more importantly, the wonder in what it could hold for us. It is not only youth that can demand adventure; wisdom, experience and change and as they say, it’s not the years in your life, but the life in your years that count.
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AGEING
Meaningful Connections in Later Life WORDS: Beverley Le Cuirot, Founder, WellBeing World
The world is becoming increasingly crowded and, although people are even more connected than ever before, it can be a lonely place for many of us. We often equate being alone with being lonely, but you don’t have to be on your own to feel this way. Aloneness might mean solitary, but that doesn’t mean that you’re feeling sad, bleak or desolate. Loneliness is a feeling, and not always a logical one. The feeling of loneliness is an easy trap to fall into. The difference between the amount of social contact or intimacy that you have to how much you wish you had, can have long lasting negative effects on your mental wellbeing. Even when your life is full of social engagements and you have dozens of "friends", you can still feel lonely, as true feelings of relatedness and intimacy come from the quality of your relationships, and not from popularity.
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Persistent loneliness is not only emotionally painful, but can be more damaging to your health than many psychiatric illnesses. Lonely people often experience severe depression and anxiety, have poor immune and cardiovascular function, sleep poorly, plus show signs of early cognitive decline. Team the fact that 76% of our GPs are reporting that a fifth of all patients come to their surgeries because they’re lonely, with
AGEING
statistics highlighting over a million people in the UK feel chronically lonely, all or most of the time, and you start to see that the issue is larger than we might expect, placing an increasing burden on medical services for all.
are congregating, so you can get together with those who share your interests. This makes it much easier to identify a group, with which you will have something in common, a natural basis for beginning lasting friendships.
‘The Campaign to End Loneliness’ was launched in the UK in 2011, to help inspire people to take action to tackle the health threat posed by loneliness in later life. A community network of local, regional, and national organisations, as well as over 2,500 supporters, are all working together to raise awareness and fund progressive studies, effecting positive change on society in an attempt to tackle this silent health crisis.
Feeling unwell or lonely is not an inevitable part of ageing and it’s never too late to think about improving your wellbeing, as even the smallest changes can make a huge difference. If you’re feeling lonely, get out of the house and do something positive! Go and spend time with your family, or call up a friend. Don’t wait for others to initiate contact with you, be proactive and make an effort to include other people in your life. Once you have a friend or two, nourish those friendships with time and attention, and try not to be too concerned about whether you’re giving more than you’re getting at first, you can choose to spend more time with the friends who reward your friendship fairly once you’ve expanded your network a little.
Recent research shows that over time, chronic loneliness makes us more sensitive to negative social information, so that we remember less of the positive things that happened during an encounter with another person and come to expect negative experiences. So, because lonely people don't expect things to go well for them, consequently they often don't. Once the negative thoughts are banished, lonely people can begin to approach new relationships with a positive, optimistic outlook, learning to feel happier within themselves. If you’re persistent in challenging the inner voice that tells you to resign yourself to a life of loneliness, by showing up to events that take your fancy, being curious and kind to others, and joining those groups that you’ve meant to tag along to for a while now, the odds are definitely in your favour. Nowadays there are more tools than ever before to find out where the other photographers, knitters, or hikers
Creating a WORLD of Difference
Fundamentally, long-term loneliness isn't about being awkward, unlucky, or lacking opportunities to meet people. More than anything else, the cure for persistent loneliness lies in breaking the negative cycle of thinking that created it in the first place. There are different circumstances and situations that we all have to deal with, but underneath all of the differences that we may have, we all share feelings of pain, fear, sadness, love, and joy. When you start to understand that the human experience we share gives us more in common than our circumstances, we can start to feel a lot closer to other people and lead more fulfilling lives.
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We Care About the Whole Picture Surrounding Your Pain WORDS: Louise Augré, Augré Physiotherapy
Any injury that stops you exercising and maintaining an active lifestyle can really get you down and our experienced and friendly team at Augré Physiotherapy at the Lido Medical Centre recognise the importance of working on your frame of mind as well as the injury that’s put you out of action. Psychosocial factors and the pain you are feeling are often interrelated. Everyday we work with patients who may have been through some sort of personal trauma, whether it’s losing a loved one or being made redundant and we know these types of stresses really can have an impact on the pain they are experiencing. Our beliefs and emotional responses can all influence our response to pain, how we respond to treatment and how quickly we get over it. That’s why it’s important for us to get the ‘whole picture’ and address the psychological as well as the physical needs of all our clients. As all our consultations are confidential, it’s a chance for them to open up in a friendly environment and let it all out!
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“Mind over matter”
A psychosocial assessment is an integral part of our physiotherapy assessments. It’s important for us to know how you think and feel about your injury as that may impact on how you get over it. 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.
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We specialise in knees and shoulders which are prone to injury in all types of sport but we also work hard to help you avoid these sorts of injuries and to get you fit and flexible to enjoy the activities you love. Our Physio Pilates courses are based on the methods and teachings of Joseph Pilates who introduced his exercises to America in the 1920’s to help injured athletes and dancers safely get back into exercise and keep up their levels of fitness. The classes are suitable for all levels of fitness, ability and age and provide a form of exercise that works on balancing and controlling movement and working your core muscles to build up your strength, posture and flexibility.
It’s a total body conditioning programme and we believe it’s a great way to reduce stress too. You can relax, let the mind focus, and the centring and breathing involved produce similar effects to meditation and have an important role to play in ongoing pain management. Our physiotherapists have the ability to treat all musculoskeletal conditions so we can help fix whichever muscles you are having problems with, and help you get both your body and mind back to full strength as quickly as possible.
For many of our clients, our classes are part of an ongoing rehabilitation process. Physio Pilates can help you regain lost movement from a previous injury and help prevent future injury.
More info: www.augrephysiotherapy.com
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Find Your Rhythm with Theta Healing WORDS: Julie Dryburgh, Healing Practitioner
If there is something about your life that you want to change, Theta Healing can help you do that. Theta Healing empowers you to re-create your life exactly as you choose. It’s the term used to describe an alternative therapy based on a healing technique that allows you to reach a level of awareness to rapidly change your emotional, mental and physical reality.
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Every part of your body vibrates to its own rhythm. Even your brain has a unique set of brain waves called Beta, Alpha, Theta, Delta and Gamma. Beta brain waves are associated with normal waking awareness and a heightened state of alertness, critical reasoning and logic. As you go about your daily business your brain is functioning at Beta, however, higher Beta levels can result in stress, anxiety and even depression which are ranked as some of the most common health problems in today’s society. Alpha brain waves are present in deep relaxation. You are in the Delta frequency when you are in a deep dreamless sleep and in transcendental meditation. Not much is yet know about Gamma frequency. What is important is that when you are in the Theta frequency you are in a very powerful state. Theta is the realm of your subconscious mind
where you can find great inspiration, profound creativity and exceptional insight. However, it is also at this frequency that you store your most deep-seated programmes and beliefs, which can be life limiting. Theta Healing helps you to identify what these are and how to change them.
Theta Healing can change your life forever and does not demand anything from you other than your willingness to change and let go. Be the best version of you, you deserve it. It’s so simple, just try it.
More info: www.juliedryburgh.com
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How Acupuncture Works – Let’s Demystify It WORDS: Lorna Jackson, Health Point Clinic
Broadly speaking, acupuncture has three primary effects: 1 It relieves pain. 2 It reduces inflammation. 3 It restores homeostasis. Traditional acupuncture is based on the principle that illness and pain occur when the body’s qi, or vital energy, cannot flow freely. There can be many reasons for this; emotional and physical stress, poor nutrition, infection or injuries are among the most common. By inserting ultra-fine sterile pain-free needles into specific acupuncture points, a traditional acupuncturist seeks to re-establish the free flow of qi, to restore balance and trigger the body’s natural healing response. In other words promote homeostasis. Homeostasis refers to the body’s ability to regulate its environment and maintain internal balance. All diseases involve a disturbance of homeostasis, and nearly all diseases involve some degree of pain and inflammation. In fact, research over the last several decades suggests that many serious conditions like heart disease previously thought to have other causes are in fact primarily caused by chronic inflammation. If we understand that most diseases are characterised by pain, inflammation and disturbance of homeostasis, we begin to understand why acupuncture can be effective for so many conditions. Ultimately acupuncture is a remarkably simple technique that depends entirely upon one thing: the stimulation of the peripheral nervous system. A large body of evidence indicates that acupuncture points, or “superficial nodes” as they are more accurately translated, have an abundant supply of nerves. According to Chen Shaozong,
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“For 95% of all points in the range of 1.0 cm around a point, there exist nerve trunks or rather large nerve branches.” (1) The following is a list of mechanisms that have been identified so far:
Acupuncture promotes blood flow (AKA promotes a smooth flow of qi). This is
significant because everything the body needs to heal is in the blood, including oxygen, nutrients we absorb from food, immune substances, hormones, analgesics (painkillers) and antiinflammatories. Restoring proper blood flow is vital to promoting and maintaining health. Blood flow decreases as we age and can be impacted by trauma, injuries and certain diseases. Acupuncture stimulates the body’s built-in healing mechanisms. Acupuncture creates pain
free “micro traumas” that stimulate the body’s ability to spontaneously heal injuries to the tissue through nervous, immune and endocrine system activation. As the body heals the micro traumas induced by acupuncture, it also helps to soften any surrounding tissue damage left over from old injuries. Acupuncture releases natural painkillers.
Inserting a needle sends a signal through the nervous system to the brain, where chemicals such as endorphins, norepinephrine and enkephalin are released. Some of these substances are 10-200 times more potent than morphine! (2)
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Acupuncture reduces both the intensity and perception of chronic pain. Genetically the body is not
designed to be in chronic pain. It will do everything it can to get us out of pain. Acupuncture reminds the body how it should be functioning, and helps its powerful inbuilt pain relieving mechanisms kick into gear. It is a bit like jump-starting a car. You are not changing how the car works, or even adding anything to the engine. You are just giving the battery a little jolt so the car can run how it is supposed to. Acupuncture relaxes shortened or tight muscles. This in turn releases
pressure on joint structures and nerves, and promotes blood flow.
Acupuncture reduces stress. This is
perhaps the most important systemic effect of acupuncture. (2) Recent research suggests that acupuncture stimulates the release of oxytocin, a hormone and signaling substance that regulates the parasympathetic nervous
system. You have probably heard of the “fight-or-flight” response that is governed by the sympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system has been called the “rest-anddigest” or “calm-and-connect” system, and in many ways is the opposite of the sympathetic system. Research has implicated impaired parasympathetic function in a wide range of autoimmune diseases, including arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.
Ultimately acupuncture helps restore internal homeostasis through the simple act of piercing the skin with a fine, pain-free needle.
(1) Shaozong, C. Modern acupuncture theory and its clinical application. (Chapter 5 The Morphologic Relationship between Points and Nerves). International Journal of Clinical Acupuncture. 2001;121(2):149-158 (2) Dung HC. Anatomical features contributing to the formation of acupuncture points. American Journal of Acupuncture. 1984;12:139-143
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2017 Fitness Trends WORDS: Nathalie Le Mottée, Founder and Managing Director Healthhaus
Each year the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) - the largest sports medicine and exercise science organisation in the world produces a survey, which confirms or introduces new trends (not fads) that have a perceived positive impact on the industry according to international fitness professionals. 2017 isn’t set to disappoint; promising that you can achieve your best body yet with Sandbox classes (exercising while balanced on a surfboard, in turn balanced in a sandbox) or skateboard Pilates. Whilst all of these latest crazes really can inspire us to get fit and are undoubtedly fun it can be very confusing to know what you should be doing to help you achieve your goals. Each year the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), which is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organisation in the world produces a
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survey, which confirms or introduces new trends (not fads) that have a perceived positive impact on the industry according to international fitness professionals. The 11th annual report surveyed 1,801 fitness professionals, including personal trainers, wellness coaches, exercise physiologists, and academics. ACSM define a trend as ‘a general development through time that stays for a period of time (usually described as a behaviour change)’, whereas a fad comes and goes.
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So, here are ACSM’s top 5 trends
1. Wearable technology.
Wearable technology comes in many forms, including activity trackers, smart watches, heart rate monitors and GPS tracking devices. These have become increasingly popular over the last few years as they can encourage wearers to be more engaged in their fitness and wellbeing. Wearers can measure all manner of fitness parameters, track their progress, set reminders and compete with like-minded fitness technology fans. While there are always questions about accuracy, technology is advancing rapidly. Most of the big players are now developing smart glasses, which consist of sensors embedded into the frame of the glasses including gyroscopes, accelerometers and altimeters. Smart glasses will also have a heads up display showing real time data such as speed, cadence and heart rate. They will work alongside and app in which you will be able to access full training records and progression charts. Starting at around £400 they don’t come cheap!
for 2017
2. Body weight training.
This certainly isn't a new form of exercise but one that has remained popular over the years, and for good reason. Body weight training doesn’t just mean high intensity exercises such as burpees. It is suitable for all levels as the term encompasses general strength, balance and flexibility work too. Common body weight strength exercises are push ups, pull ups, squats and planks. Yoga and Pilates also count as bodyweight training, so there really is something for everyone. Body weight training is perfect if you’re strapped for cash as you don’t need equipment or a gym membership. Space isn’t an issue either as you can train anywhere from a park to a hotel room.
3. High-intensity interval training.
HIIT is famed for its calorie burning effect. It involves short bursts of high-intensity exercise (cardio, strength or a mix of both) followed by a short period of rest or recovery. Sessions are usually 30 minutes or less so are perfect for those who are tight on time. They are also great if you get bored easily as you are constantly changing exercises. HIIT training could be as simple as running as fast as you can for 20 seconds followed by walking for 40 seconds. Try doing this 10 times – make sure to include a warm up and cool down. Concerns have been raised about the suitability of HIIT for less well trained populations as people attempt programmes that are freely available online and geared towards well conditioned people. As long as the programme is tailored to an individual’s fitness level and ability and supervised by a fitness professional then injury and overexertion needn’t be a worry.
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...CONTINUED
4. Educated, certified, and experienced fitness professionals.
Personal training is becoming ever more popular as people realise the benefits of working with a professional who can: • Ensure that you are doing the correct type of exercise for your goals; so help you reach them faster. • Reduce the chance of you becoming injured while training. • Push you that little bit further. • Be that person who holds you accountable! This increased demand has caused a rise in the number of ‘cowboy’ trainers who have attended fast track courses or even some who believe their personal exercise experience qualifies them to instruct others. The best way to ensure that your Personal Trainer is properly certified is to check for their listing on the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) website www. exerciseregister.org REPs is a public register which provides a system of regulation for instructors and trainers, ensuring that they have qualified through recognised providers and that their CPD is up to date.
So whatever form of exercise you chose this year make sure you balance out the latest fitness craze with tried and tested methods to ensure that you get the results you deserve.
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5. Strength training.
So why is strength training (also called resistance or weights training) so important? Not only do stronger muscles mean that you’ll be able to carry out your activities of daily living, but in short, strength training improves your quality of life: You’ll burn more calories; the risk of developing osteoporosis and fractures will decrease; the risk of developing diabetes will decrease and you’ll be mentally stronger. Strength training also improves our self-esteem through the sense of accomplishment we get when we complete a hard training session or see how we’ve improved over time. Ladies, don’t worry, lifting weights won’t necessarily make you bulky as you don’t have the same hormones as men. If you see muscle bound women then be sure that they have worked very very hard in the gym and will have followed a super-strict diet! No matter your age or fitness level, it’s never too late to start strength training!
For more information about any of the above or to see how we can help you reach your health and wellbeing goals, please contact the Healthhaus team.
More info: www.healthhaus.co.uk
FITNESS
Tai Chi and Connectivity
Understanding our body in a busy world WORDS: Paul Miller, Chen Taijiquan Coach, Healthhaus
Taijiquan, often written as Tai Chi Chuan, Tai Chi or simply Taiji offers a solution to everyone. Regardless of age, health, ability and external looks, Taiji offers a lot more than just the slow flowing movements often referred to as ‘Moving Meditation’ that you see elderly Asian adults doing in a park on TV. Taiji places its focus upon the ability of the person learning, often referred to as the 'Player'. Movements within the forms are geared towards the mental focus, Strength and postural alignment of the player in an attempt to aid us towards being 'In the Moment' and connecting us to our higher self. Taiji has its roots, very firmly placed upon TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) beliefs that when the body is relaxed and aligned correctly that Qi or Our Life force can flow freely throughout the Jing Luo or Meridians (pictured within 2500 year old Chinese diagrams) within the body, helping us to strengthen, to overcome illness and other general complaints we might find ourselves experiencing.
It takes us away from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. Mobile phones are far away, no loud music or drill instructors either just a group of friends all working together, helping each other in understanding ourselves. I'll admit that, if you're after a quick fix then Taiji simply doesn't offer this, what Taiji does offer goes a little deeper. Many of the movements or forms in any of the five styles; Chen, Yang, Wu, Li or Sun are long and can have as many as 90 postures. Each posture can contain between five and fifteen linking movements which actually makes learning slow but very steady and progressive but always leaves you concentrating upon each breath, each turn of the wrist, each step to the side or leap.
Long gone are the classes where an instructor Learning Taiji tells us so much about our wearing a silk belt around the waist, expects bodies, often things we aren't even aware of. everyone in the class to follow his every Training each posture within the form places movement. Sure, Taiji has spinning, leaping, us in the moment in so much as where we are twisting, kicking and punching movements stood, how we are breathing and how we are but the player isn't expected to join a class and about to move. Just like meditation Taiji teaches be taken from beginning to end in a tiring us to clear our mind of the 'Hum drum' 'did I and exhausting 60 minutes where you leave turn the oven off ?', 'did and think 'what just I lock the front door?' or happened to me?' 'what time do I need to “Mobile phones are far pick up the kids?' away, no loud music or drill
instructors either just a group of friends all working together, helping each other in understanding ourselves.”
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FITNESS
Each and every movement should be demonstrated with precise detail and followed by the constant repetition of each movement until it's firmly imprinted upon the player’s memory. A typical class consists of basic fundamentals like foundation exercises which are geared towards teaching the player about correct posture, correct weight placement and the correct movement of the 'body as a whole'. A good teacher should help the players with 'correction' and this is achieved by working around the class whilst stood in posture. The teacher will adjust players postures accordingly maximising postural alignment and structural integrity thus minimising injury and the result is placed upon remembering where and how the posture was adjusted so that the next time a certain movement is practiced the player gets a feeling for how it should feel etc.
To say Taiji mimics Meditation is one thing however as Taiji regulates all systems within the body; digestion, respiration and circulation, you'd be forgiven for believing that 'Medication in motion' was more fitting. Taiji as a Holistic exercise can aid Depression, Anxiety, high Blood Pressure, Diabetes and weight gain, increase bone density especially in individuals with osteoporosis and helping others to move with more flexibility for those with Arthritis as well as helping prevent falls as we enter into old age. It gives us chance to appreciate our bodies, where they are in time and space at that moment and how they feel after the correct execution of a particular posture. I've been lucky to teach many people from the age of 6 to 92 and from all walks of life. No one person is the same, however the goal is often the same, and that is to learn more
about ourselves, to help to stave off illness and to prolong our lives. Now, in a world where we become more technologically advanced we seem to have become spiritually degenerated. What could be simpler than 'Listening to the body' instead of falling victim to the fast paced life we have become accustomed to? If you wish to learn more about your own mind and body and what it's actually capable of then I couldn't recommend Taiji enough. Do your research and always chat to your coach and be honest about your expectations based upon your abilities. Taiji can be very hard work but the benefits absolutely outweigh most other gentle exercise. Maximum effort produces maximum results, learning is always at your own pace but as with anything, the more you put in, the more you get back.
More info: www.healthhaus.co.uk
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FOOD
Start Your New Tomorrow, Today Pippa Campbell Health is the only qualified Certified Metabolic Balance® Coach in the Channel Islands who can help you identify your metabolism’s own personal requirements, setting your physiology free and restoring it to its optimal functionality.
Backed by 25 years of science Metabolic Balance a natural, multiaward winning weight management and health programme that uses logical analysis of an individual’s make-up, that aims to bring fast results, long term success and an invigorated lifestyle.
Feel Better in Your Day to Day Life A system devised in Germany, MB involves a one-off investment in YOU. It is recommended to anyone who simply wants to feel better in their day to day life. Whether to lose weight, increase energy levels, resolve health issues or a combination of all three, MB is not just a successful weight loss programme, but can bring benefits such as improved sleep, eradicate
eczema, reduce blood pressure, reduce cholesterol and kiss goodbye to cravings, lose puffiness and dark circles around the eyes, enjoy a better all over complexion, improve intestinal issues … the list is endless. There is very little that eating the right food for you won’t have a positive effect on, when it comes to health and wellbeing. Put simply MB is the ‘crème de la crème’ of all nutrition programmes, using advanced blood analysis to ensure everything you feed your body will keep you in the very best shape you can be.
New 21 Day Option
The cost for the full 3 Month Programme is £890, however if you
More info: www.pippacampbellhealth.com 66
want to lose weight with the support of Pippa’s expertise without the full MB commitment, put yourself on the right track with her new 21 Day Weight Loss Plan. At a price of just £249, which includes an initial full body analysis, tailored food plan, ongoing support and your final success breakdown, this approach will see you start to realise your full weight loss and overall health potential, while equipping you with the right tools to create a brand new way of managing your optimum body size and image. With the right direction, advice and support from the best in the business, you can start to change your body in just 21 days – forever. Logic and experience tells us we can’t always rely on the ‘old you’ to create the ‘new you’ alone. Get in touch and start creating your new tomorrow, today!
FOOD
Cauliflower Power
The all powerful, flowerful Cauli.
You could call it vegetable discrimination; as a powerhouse of goodness, the cauliflower hasn’t gotten the respect it deserves in comparison to the likes of kale, spinach or even its cousin, the broccoli. The fact is, the versatile cauliflower is a food force to be reckoned with in regard to its health benefits and with endless ways to whip up tasty, nutrient rich dishes this cruciferous vegetable should be a staple in any diet – veggie or not. ‘Going green’ is the usual advice in terms of the one of our five (or seven) veg that we’re meant to consume each day; although pale and white, the cauliflower should not be overlooked. Anyone who hasn't sampled the all-round awesomeness of cauliflower, most likely recalls it being served up soggy, mushy or slathered in cheese (still a favourite with any roast dinner)… These days, it’s quite well-known that boiling up veg reduces both the flavour and goodness. Cauliflower is no different and should be sautéed or roasted to ensure
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optimum deliciousness and health benefits. Its even great when grated – see our avocado-cauli combo recipe! From a whopping 77% of the recommended Vitamin C intake, Cauliflower also boasts a cornucopia of B vitamins: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 9 to be exact. Its abundant anti-inflammatory properties fight cancer, arthritis, IBS, heart disease and other inflammatory illnesses and it’s packed with protein as well as omega-3 fatty acids, the same healthy fats found in salmon and flax seeds, but with the added bonus
of practically no calories, only 27 to be precise! The sturdy floret packs a punch in fighting free-radicals, so is a big time immune booster – gobble up loads of it at this time of year. Cauliflower boosts heart health and is fabulous for good digestion; cauliflower is rammed full of antioxidants and its folate content (folic acid) means its brilliant for women having babies, or who are planning to get pregnant. Several recent studies have shown the cooking of raw cauliflower to significantly improve its ability to bind together with bile acids. Since bile acid binding is a well-documented method for helping regulate blood cholesterol levels, these studies point to potential cardiovascular benefits from consumption of cooked cauliflower. Cauliflower may be colourless but there’s nothing boring or bland about this noble vegetable.
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Of course, cauliflower wouldn’t be a flower at all, if it didn’t come in other colours… The usually unpigmented vegetable is also found in a rainbow of colours from green to purple to orange. As if the plainer, paler, original cauliflower wasn’t jam packed enough with healthy goodness, the coloured caulies have some significantly impressive health benefits; purple contain more anthocyanin and the orange ones contain more beta-carotene and 25% more vitamin A. The green ones provide an immune boosting 94%
of our recommended daily intake of vitamin C. The colourful cauliflower crop also makes the plate look interesting and rather beautiful, so there’s an added bonus too. To get the most from your cauliflower, there are literally a gazillion ways to prepare it – mash it, bake it, roast it, toast it, sauté it… One sure fire way of making it taste splendiferous is to add turmeric (and
if you haven’t heard – turmeric is like magic gold dust for our health), it tastes incredible too. We’ve popped some cauliflower power recipes here for you to try – but simply get online and type in cauliflower recipes and an infinite number of Google pages will pour out in front of you. Meat-free Monday could mean cauliflower floret banquet!
Easy peasy recipes:
Healthy Cauliflower with Turmeric
Or, ‘ave a go at the Avocado combo!
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
• 1 lb cauliflower • 5 tbsp low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth • 1 tsp turmeric
Mediterranean Dressing
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil • 2 tsp lemon juice • 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed or chopped • Sea salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Cut cauliflower florets into quarters and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their hidden health benefits.
2. Press or chop garlic and let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Heat 5 tbsp broth in a stainless steel skillet on medium heat.
4. When broth begins to steam, add cauliflower and
turmeric and cover. For al dente cauliflower, cook for no more than 5 minutes.
5. Transfer to a bowl. For more flavour, toss cauliflower
with the remaining ingredients while it is still hot. (Mediterranean Dressing does not need to be made separately.)
• 1/2 head cauliflower • 3 eggs, divided • Sea salt • Extra-virgin olive oil • 1 avocado, peeled and pitted • Juice of 1 lemon • Pinch red chilli flakes
Directions:
1. Grate cauliflower on a box grater. Transfer to a large bowl and mix with 1 egg and a large pinch of salt.
2. In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat olive
oil. Add 2 big scoops of cauliflower mixture to pan and shape into a round patty. Repeat to make a second patty. Let cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes, and then carefully flip. Cook 3 more minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. In same pan, fry remaining 2 eggs and set aside.
4. In a small bowl, mash avocado with lemon juice. Season with salt. Spread on top of cauliflower “toast.” Sprinkle with red chilli flakes. Top each with a fried egg. Serve immediately.
Serves 2
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FOOD
What Happened When I Gave Up Coffee (Gluten, Refined Sugar, Dairy, and Alcohol) … for 30 Days … WORDS: Beverley Le Cuirot, Founder, WellBeing World
I can hardly claim to have given up alcohol with my recent 30 Days to Healthy Living & Beyond Programme, as in actual fact, I gave up 15 years ago when a restructure displaced me from a job I loved (or I thought I did) and my father died a few weeks later. It was a tough time and I could have fallen badly, but I opted for alcohol-free clarity to decide on my next move, and so delicious New Zealand Sauvignon and ruby red Merlot, no more. I haven’t missed it. Coffee is a different matter. I used to drink a lot more when in the stressful job (the one I loved), many cups each day, indeed if it had been possible to take it intravenously I would have done so! This too, I have cut down over the years, limiting my daily intake to one or possibly two cups a day, when socialising or in meetings. Never at home, though, that was the province of good old Yorkshire Tea … I had also started to ‘treat’ myself with the odd piece of chocolate and although always preferring the brown variety, I did love the odd chunk of bread, not to mention
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pasta. So, when I decided to give the 30 Day Plan a try, I didn’t know what to expect. Having said this, I was ready for change, and so I threw myself into it. It wasn’t easy at first as it coincided with a bout of flu and I did suffer headaches, I told myself it was the flu, but I suspect the reality was otherwise. So I drank water, and more water to make sure I gave it the best shot. I am now 20+ days into the Plan and I am seeing numbers on the bathroom scales I haven’t seen in a very long time. This is a welcome bonus although not the main reason for my
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new regime. Much more importantly, my skin is glowing, I have more energy, and I sleep soundly every night, something that most certainly wasn’t the case previously. Over the years, I have learned from the many expert WellBeing World practitioners and also through study, research and copious reading. I have my emotional and mental wellbeing in check but I had admittedly been neglecting my physical health and fitness. I decided this was going to change and now I feel so good, I may never stop! So, what happened during the 30 Day Plan?
The First Few Days Hurt
Without doubt those first few days were painful; so much so I don’t plan to bring too many toxins back into my life after the Plan finishes. It’s just not worth it, I feel so much better without them. As well as the headaches, I was also initially exhausted. I wasn’t sure if this was down to my having the flu or the Plan, but listening to others on a similar path, it would seem that tiredness initially takes over (the body working hard to remove the toxins). The positive side is that sleep gradually improves, so much so that it is now the best I have enjoyed, a little like being on a miniholiday every night!
Feeling Great
My productivity also endured, and is now better than ever, although a word to the wise would be to start a programme like this during a quiet period, or better yet, at the weekend so you are fighting fit by the time you need to have your faculties together for important meetings and events. It also helps if your skin breaks out due to the removal of toxins, happily mine didn’t.
Others talk about sugar cravings however I am very pleased to say this wasn’t the case at all with the Plan I was on. I was eating healthy foods and taking all the necessary nutrients my body needed, so I didn’t feel hungry at all. The time passed quickly and I liked how the new-foundme was feeling.
Loving Herbal Teas
Herbal teas have become a real favourite and a treat I now really look forward to; whether I opt for the herbal tea on the Plan, peppermint, or even green tea, something I wasn’t at all keen on previously. Who would have known. Not only do I enjoy it, it is helping my digestion, clearing the excess fats through my system, and helping me to sleep, as I am no longer taking in caffeine during the afternoon. Sleep, as we all know, has so many benefits – so much so, it would be fair to call it one of the most essential discoveries of our modern times.
What Do I Miss?
I miss (or more accurately ‘think’ I miss) the social side of arranging to meet someone for a coffee, ‘relaxing’ with a coffee after a meeting or between meetings, when in actuality, it’s the habit of it, rather than the coffee itself. I can still meet friends and colleagues; I can still take refuge in a quiet café, I just order herbal tea instead. I’m not so sure I actually like coffee any more!
Will I Go Back to Bread, Coffee, Dairy …?
We all have our lives to live, so never say never, however everything will be in moderation. I’m planning to extend the Plan for a few more weeks, eating healthily, enjoying the wonderful new recipes I am discovering, and getting my body back in shape. Check in with me next time and we’ll see how it’s going…
For more info: beverley@wellbeingworld.je
“I can still meet friends and colleagues; I can still take refuge in a quiet café, I just order herbal tea instead. I’m not so sure I actually like coffee any more!”
Creating a WORLD of Difference
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WOMEN
Body Shaming
Strong women lift others up, not push them down.
WORDS: Lucy Sanderson
Ladies, we are our own biggest critics and now, with the fast and furious age of the internet and its constant stream of preened and perfect ‘impromptu’ Insta selfies and ‘just stepped out of the salon’ Snapchats, we seem to feel we have even more to live up to than we did in the yonder years of glossy fashion mags. Instead of a revolution in celebrating uniqueness, the internet and media has gone haywire in creating endless platforms for us to judge and be judged on what we wear and how we look. Body shaming is more prevalent than compliments and far too many people following suit, the threads of negativity and often, nastiness are far too common.
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Too fat, too thin, too tall, too small, too muscly … Lots of us are guilty of picking apart a celebrity’s look on the red carpet, giving our two pennyworth of thought on how they look – but with more profiles and pictures online for others to see, many people seem to take it as carte blanche to tear apart how other women look.
WOMEN
Body shaming is essentially a form of bullying and unfortunately it crops up as a commonplace narrative from women about other women from the high echelons of ladies with movie star status and celebrities to our very own ‘normal’ counterparts on the school run. But why do people do it? Body shaming really says more about the person doing the shaming than it does of the person being talked about and what it says is this – “I’m lacking in self-esteem and I’m in dire need for a bit of self-love …”. Much like bullying and other forms of harassment, body shaming someone online and in public can be illegal. Playboy ‘bunny’ Dani Mathers learnt her lesson the hard way. With her perfectly sculpted eye brows raised in such a way to convey disgust and mocking (and plumped lips hidden behind her hand as if in a gasp of both laughter and horror), this body shaming bully snap-chatted a photo of a 70 year old women who was showering at the gym. Worst of all, with it she wrote a comment, “If I can’t unsee this, then you can’t either.” Here’s a 70 year old woman, keeping herself fit, showering in a public shower area and, unbeknown to her, she is being photographed and displayed to the world via social media by a girl who thinks it’s OK to shame her. Thankfully, Ms Mathers is being charged with invasion of privacy and the full penalty that she could be facing is a $1,000 fine and six months in the clink. Already, the ex Playboy bunny has lost her radio presenting job and she’s also been banned from every fitness centre in LA. The shame is on YOU Dani Mathers. Recent Golden Globe winner, Emma Stone found herself a hot topic of body shaming online for
Creating a WORLD of Difference
being too thin, she hit back with an eloquence and honesty that sums up the situation well and conveys that even those who we might perceive to be immune from online babble and body shaming often aren’t: “I've seen a lot of comments that say, 'Eat a sandwich' or 'She looks sick.' I've been looking at myself in the mirror being mean to myself. I'm not sick. I eat sandwiches. In no way is it my intention to be a bad example. I've shamed myself for it. We shame each other online. We're always too skinny or too fat or too tall or too short.
disorder, but it certainly won’t be helping. Statistics actually show that the rise in eating disorders coincides synchronously with the rise in social media use, especially the rise in numbers of younger people online. It can hardly be seen as a coincidence that these two issues go hand in hand.
They're just confirming this feeling I have about myself. I'm trying to figure my body out. It bothers me because I care so much about young girls. We're shaming each other and we're shaming ourselves, and it sucks."
tall or short, long hair, short hair, black, white, brown and every other imaginable version of us – we are women and we should celebrate our uniqueness and value every inch of ourselves, and each other. Ladies, we have enough to contend with and it’s for us to nurture and cherish better relationships with ourselves and one another. So, from an anonymous quote from a fellow female, here’s to strong women: May we know them, may we raise them … may we be them.
Body shaming is a cycle that breeds a lack of empathy and sensitivity toward our fellow ladies; womankind needs to show more generosity of spirit and support, not mindless negative intention…
Furthermore, body shaming keeps alive stigmas and social division. It draws a line between the worthy and the unworthy; people who count and people who don’t count. The fact is, we are all worthy; big or small,
It may not be the cause of mental health problems such as eating disorders or body dysmorphic
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MEN
Man Flu Not Faking It!
Guys, you can now sneeze a sigh of relief and ask the missus for a hot toddy as there is scientific proof that your man flu is indeed for real. It’s a long running joke between the sexes that man flu is nothing more than an exaggeration from the fellas who can’t handle the sniffles. Men seem to get hit that little bit harder with the snotty, sneezy cold flu stick and they don’t half get some jibes about it from the ‘fairer’ sex. The reality of man flu was demonstrated in a survey carried out by the now defunct ‘Nuts Magazine’ in 2006. The poll of two thousand people found that 64 percent of all male respondents had gleefully skipped a day off work in the previous year thinking they had the flu, whereas only 45 percent of women respondents had done the same. This admittedly non-scientific survey also found that men generally complained more when sick, spent more on remedies, and were more likely to remain in bed until they felt better. At this point though, it was still believed that men were just being moaning Minnies.
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From the fun and frivolous 2006 Nuts Magazine poll to 2010, where scientists at Cambridge University suggested that the term known as man flu actually had some credence, noting that men may in fact be more susceptible to illness due to having lower immune systems. The study, carried out by Dr Olivier Restif and his team concluded that man flu was no myth and was likely to be due to the fact that men tend to ‘invest in their spirit of adventure at the expense of their immune system.’ Another study, carried out by Dr Amanda Ellison, a neuroscientist as Durham University, said that men really do suffer more
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with coughs and colds despite being accused of exaggerating symptoms to gain sympathy. She said men have more temperature receptors in the brain which causes them to experience the symptoms more acutely than women. More recent studies have actually shown that hormones play a big part in the severity of cold and flu-like symptoms, namely the hormone oestrogen. Hence the reason that women are more able to cope with illnesses like flu with a lot less of a furore, and a lot less sympathy than our male counterparts. In 2014, Scientists at Harvard University, led by Dr Lester Kobzik, an expert in bacterial pneumonia (the bacterial infection that develops from flu), found that his experiments with oestrogen in mice effectively tackled the symptoms and severity of flu. Dr Kobzik concluded that, “Female and oestrogen-treated male mice showed greater resistance to pneumococcal pneumonia; seen as greater bacterial clearance, diminished lung inflammation, and better survival.” The discovery was thought to be the start of further investigation as to whether or not oestrogen could be used to improve resistance to common and serious lung infections and prevent flu from developing into pneumonia. The 2014 Harvard study can be read in more depth in the medical journal ‘Life Sciences’. Last year, a reported study found in the American Journal of Physiology, showed that oestrogen (or lack thereof ) was the reason that men suffer more than women when it comes to inflammatory illnesses. The study didn’t prove that women who were exposed to the flu were less likely to get sick than men, the researchers, from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and School of Medicine, studied cells taken from the nasal passages
Creating a WORLD of Difference
of men and women. The research showed that inflammation, one of the immune system’s responses against infection, changes in the presence of oestrogen. The hormone actively slows down the replication of the flu virus in cells from women, but not men. Because of the fact that fast replication is the reason for the severity of acute symptoms of infection, inhibiting or hindering that process is a step in the right direction to getting better and battling the cold and flu bug. A team
“More recent studies have actually shown that hormones play a big part in the severity of cold and flulike symptoms, namely the hormone oestrogen. Hence the reason that women are more able to cope with illnesses like flu with a lot less of a furore, and a lot less sympathy than our male counterparts.” of Australian researchers even found that pre-menopausal women have a stronger immune response to rhinovirus infections, so fluctuating oestrogen levels can have an effect on the efficacy of oestrogen against infection. These studies show that there’s some precedent for investigating the connection between oestrogen and the immune system. Scientists have suggested that other viral infections like HIV, Ebola and hepatitis viruses could be tackled with oestrogen. Further research outside of a lab dish is needed, but it certainly sounds promising! So man flu does exist and it seems that the answer to the problem lies with the ladies. Pass the tissues, and the oestrogen…
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FAMILY
Making the Disconnect a Little Less Painful WORDS: Advocate Nicholas Le Quesne, Benest Corbett Renouf
The rise of alternative dispute resolution options such as collaborative law, mediation and arbitration along with the use of pre and post-nuptial agreements have proved that it is possible to part ways without irreparably destroying family relationships and depleting both parties’ wealth. 42% of UK marriages now end in divorce. However, the decision of spouses such as Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow to ‘consciously uncouple’ proves that splitting up does not have to end in acrimony and a bitter court room battle. A minority of people consider that to ensure that the disconnect is a little less painful one must instruct the most aggressive divorce lawyer available, for others the most important feature of their divorce is to separate in an amicable manner which sets the foundations for future family get-togethers.
Pre and post nuptial agreements
One option to ensure a ‘good divorce’ is entering into a pre or post-nuptial agreement. A post-nuptial agreement is a contract much like a pre-nup but is drawn up after a marriage and is designed to deal with what should happen to each partner’s assets after divorce. Pre and post-nuptial agreements are not automatically binding in Jersey but they are likely to be considered to be persuasive by the Jersey courts provided certain safeguards have been met. These include both parties having had independent legal advice, no unfair pressure having been applied by either party, both husband and wife having made full and frank financial disclosure and the agreement being broadly fair.
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Pre-marital agreements are useful in providing evidence of what property was brought into the marriage. This is called non-matrimonial property. It is therefore less likely to be divided equally, because it is not the product of your marriage partnership. Having evidence of what properties or savings were brought into the marriage, particularly if it is a short marriage, is very helpful.
Post-nuptial agreements can give a new lease of life to a marriage suffering problems, in that a party considering leaving the marriage can be given the comfort to stay by the relative certainty of an agreement. This is particularly the case where one spouse is about to embark on a potentially profitable new business venture but the trust in the marriage has broken down due to, for example,
“ It is clear that attitudes are shifting, in that society is beginning to recognise that a marital agreement is a good way of protecting a marriage, rather than being seen as an act of bad faith.” While pre and post-nuptial agreements are hardly romantic, they have been described as the ‘stitch in time that saves nine’ when compared to the potential fees incurred by a full blown court battle. Future hostilities can also be avoided by determining what happens to the family home, obligations to pay spousal maintenance and the division of assets while the parties are still communicating.
an extra-marital affair. The spouse will often seek a divorce rather than having to share any of the profits of the new venture in the event that the marriage breaks down at a later date. A post-nuptial agreement can therefore help to bolster trust within relationships such as these. It is clear that attitudes are shifting, in that society is beginning to recognise that a marital agreement is a good way of protecting a marriage, rather than being seen as an act of bad faith.
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Benest Corbett Renouf is Jersey’s fastest growing legal firm.
Collaborative Law
Another option for resolving matters without recourse to the court is collaborative law. Collaborative law deals with divorce and other family disputes with dignity, putting the control of the process in the hands of the parties instead of the courts. Both spouses agree not to make contested applications to court and each instruct a specially trained collaborative lawyer. Instead of negotiation through correspondence combined with court action, all negotiations take place in face-to-face four-way meetings with both collaborative lawyers and both clients in attendance and actively involved.
Creating a WORLD of Difference
Zoe Ball and Norman Cook, the poster couple of the 90s, announced their 18 year marriage was over on Twitter quoting lyrics from a Lionel Richie ballad: “We have come to the end of our rainbow”. Neither party showed a great deal of interest in chasing the metaphorical pot of gold at the end of that rainbow by way of battling one another in court. They also announced their decision to live next-door-but-one to each other for their children’s sake. The decisions taken by Zoe Ball and Norman Cook combined with the alternate dispute resolution methods now available show that there is another way to deal with relationship breakdown without recourse to the Court.
The reason for their growth is simple; they provide bright, commercial, responsive lawyers every time. First and foremost they are there for you. They know that any issue involving you, your partner, family or your children will be highly charged and very emotional, which is why they strive not only to support you personally but also to do everything they can to settle things in the most amicable and conciliatory way. Some of their services include: • Divorce • Financial settlements • Pre and post nuptial agreements • Children matters (residence, contact, and parental responsibility) • Adoption and surrogacy • Relocation • The threat of removal of children from Jersey
More info: www.bcrlawjersey.com Or call Advocate Nicholas Le Quesne on +44 (0) 1534 760 869.
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FAMILY
Calling All Dog Owners!
‘Force-free’ grooming technique arrives in Jersey A new trend in dog grooming, known as ‘force-free’ grooming, has arrived in Jersey in the form of K9 Tangle Stop, located at K9 Wellness Centre. Force-free dog grooming is carried out without neck and belly restraints, allowing the grooming experience to be more dog-led. Through time and training, its aim is to help dogs to become more comfortable with grooming. This can be particularly helpful for dogs who have health problems such as being overweight, suffering from arthritis, recovering from surgery or who are particularly young or elderly. It can also be beneficial for dogs who find the grooming experience stressful, allowing them to feel more at ease. All the usual grooming protocol is followed, with the key difference
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being that grooming is carried out on the floor for our four legged friends who suffer from anxiety, particularly during grooming. Dogs who are happy to sit or lie down on the grooming table and don’t attempt to jump off, are groomed on the table without straps. Importantly, this allows the dogs to sit and lie down when they need to, ensuring they can rest during what can be a long and onerous procedure. Without restraints, groomers are trained in appropriate handling and how to
understand dog body language to assist with force-free grooming. This is not to say that grooming with restraints is bad or cruel. Indeed, grooming with restraints offers many benefits, such as ensuring the dog does not fall or jump off the table. However, K9 Tangle Stop is taking a different approach to dog grooming focusing on the dog and reaching grooming-related comfort goals whilst ensuring their utmost safety. Force-free grooming is only just breaking through in the UK. Owner of K9 Wellness Centre and Hydrotherapy consultant, Lucy Falle, told us, “The opening of K9 Tangle Stop is an exciting new development in K9 Wellness Centre’s short 10 month history, allowing for a new and different
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About K9 Wellness Centre:
approach to grooming which we believe many of the dogs we treat and care for will benefit from. Whether your dog is fit and healthy, elderly and arthritic or recovering from surgery, many dogs can benefit from this new and relaxed grooming method. My business partner, Pooch Stylist, Hannah MadenAdams, is City & Guilds qualified at Distinction level meaning you can be confident you’ll receive a quality groom as well as a happy dog.”
In addition to an exclusive offering of ‘force-free’ grooming, K9 Tangle Stop also provides free essential health checks – key to ensuring the health and wellbeing of your dog – and is certified in Kind & Excellent Handling & Control. It is K9 Wellness Centre’s aim to become ‘Destination Dog’ as they continue to grow and extend their canine care services for the Island’s many dogs and dog owners.
The expert team of qualified hydrotherapists, physiotherapists, dog walkers and groomers at K9 Wellness Centre are committed to keeping dogs’ health and wellbeing at the heart of everything they do via their range of specialist canine services. They believe in a collaborative approach to canine treatment, working directly with doggy parents, veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses for the best outcome for our furry friends. They are fully insured and the first centre of its kind in the Channel Islands, offering a full range of competitively priced canine services, including: • Canine hydrotherapy and physiotherapy
• Force-free dog grooming
• Dog walking and dog day care • Canine Massage
• Canine weight management • Elderly canine fitness
They also have a shop with an array of doggy goodies, from food and treats, to toys and beds and much more. More info: K9 Wellness Centre’s Facebook page and www.k9tanglestop.com or call +44 (0) 1534 859 049.
Creating a WORLD of Difference
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COMMUNITY
The Community Really does Matter at Waitrose Since the five branches of Waitrose opened in the Channel Islands in 2011, they have collectively donated over ÂŁ350,000 for local charities and good causes in Guernsey and Jersey through the Community Matters scheme. Every month each Waitrose shop donates ÂŁ1,000 to three local good causes. Customers vote for the share each charity or project receives using green tokens. This unique scheme engages Waitrose customers and Partners, as all employees are known, by allowing decisions about which charities and causes are supported to be taken at local level. Not only does the scheme bring huge benefit to community groups by raising their profile but branches also invite the community representatives into the branch for cheque presentations which gives them
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the opportunity to network and forge links with each other. Waitrose is at the heart of the communities in which it trades, and beyond the Community Matters scheme there are many other ways in which support is given to the local communities and charities of Guernsey and Jersey via food donations, sponsorships and Partner Volunteering hours.
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Guernsey’s Victor Hugo Festival In Guernsey, Waitrose provided support to the Victor Hugo ‘Feeding the Poor’ event as part of the Victor Hugo Festival which was held to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the publication of Toilers of the Sea, a world famous novel written in Guernsey by Victor Hugo during his exile. A food donation worth up to £200 was made for participating infant and primary schools to provide a meal for the school children.
Partner Support in Jersey
Waitrose community ethos includes support for staff within each branch and an inclusive environment for all of their Partners. This included new Partner, Joe Bray, who undertook two years of work experience at Waitrose St Saviour where he soon became a valued Partner. He has experienced and overcome various difficulties during his life, including deafness. Joe recently won the ‘Pat Bougeard Achievement Award’ from Earsay, the Jersey charity which provides support to hearing impaired children, young adults and their families. This award recognises great achievements made by deaf children or young adults throughout the year and celebrates their accomplishments. The charity commented that ‘Joe winning this award is a testament to his hard work, perseverance, politeness and willingness to learn and succeed’.
Guernsey Bereavement Service’s Sunrise Walk
Waitrose also supported the Guernsey Bereavement Service’s Sunrise walk event, which saw islanders walking from Bordeaux or Jerbourg to the Market Square, St Peter Port, during dawn to symbolise new beginnings. Thanks to Waitrose and their food donation, the walkers were greeted with bacon sandwiches and warm refreshments upon their arrival at the finish line.
The Salvation Army received £962 from the Community Matters scheme – as it featured in the Community Matters boxes in both Guernsey branches during both October and November, helping them to provide Christmas dinner, gifts and activities for those who would otherwise spend Christmas alone. In Jersey the Red Houses, St Saviour and St Helier branches have also supported many worthy causes
“Waitrose is at the heart of the communities in which it trades, and beyond the Community Matters scheme there are many other ways in which support is given to the local communities and charities of Guernsey and Jersey via food donations, sponsorships and Partner Volunteering hours.”
Isolation Campaign benefits across the Channel Islands
Even in the busy the festive season, Waitrose has the community in mind; supporting the Rotary Club of Guernsey with the creation of 165 hampers for the club to buy and distribute to individuals and families in need near Christmas. The Guernsey branches came alive with festive music thanks to the Salvation Army band during December as part of Waitrose’s Christmas Isolation Campaign. The campaign is run every year with the aim of raising money to help those who might have otherwise gone without, receive food and gifts over Christmas.
throughout 2016. The Sanctuary Trust benefited from the Christmas Isolation Campaign with over £800 going to help the charitable trust which seeks to rehabilitate homeless men by aiding them in solving their problems, achieving their goals and moving them back into society. Since the Community Matters scheme launched in 2008 Waitrose has donated nearly £24 million from the profits of the business to over 70,0000 charities and community groups across the UK and Channel Islands, with many more set to benefit into 2017 and beyond.
About Waitrose in the Community
Treating people fairly supports the Partnership’s principles which underpin our business. It sets out our commitment to building stronger communities and to treating our Partners, our customers and our suppliers fairly. Supporting local communities is not only an important way for our business to give something back to the areas we trade in, but it is also an effective way to build customer loyalty and trust. As part of the John Lewis Partnership, Waitrose is owned by its employees who each receive an annual share in profits, ensuring an extra incentive to deliver a shopping experience that makes customers want to return. Since April 2016, Rob Collins, the Managing Director of Waitrose, has been Vice Chairman of The Prince’s Countryside Fund; the fund exists to improve the prospects of family farm businesses and the quality of rural life.
Creating a WORLD of Difference
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COMMUNITY
Humankind – People Power!
Less fighting, more uniting – we can change the world. WORDS: Lucy Sanderson PHOTOS: Sophie Anderson
There is something magical about the power of people when they come together for a common cause. With much separation and divide at the heart of some momentous change across the globe, we ought to remind ourselves of what can be achieved when we come together. It might be said that it was people power that swung the recent UK referendum and the US election … but what of the recent developments at Standing Rock – one of the most impressive displays of people power that the world has seen in years. Oddly, this issue didn’t get the recognition to be front and centre in the national media … but meanwhile, the real world kept turning. The Standing Rock protest was a matter of gargantuan importance in many ways; the camaraderie, humanity, generosity of spirit and the all important people power, are the elements that show how, when human beings come together, without violence or threats great things can happen. For those not familiar with the detail, The Standing Rock Sioux tribe opposed the Dakota Access Pipeline, which threatened their land, their lives and the life of the environment; a case of the indigenous
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people’s rights being ignored and a stereotypical issue of a big corporation stomping on the ‘little guy’. Only, the power of the Sioux tribe was about to grow… People from across the whole world stood with Standing Rock in order to make a stand for humankind; indigenous tribes from across the US and many of the central and southern American countries, as well as people from all walks of life and further afield than the Americas, all travelled to Standing Rock to stand together in quiet protest.
The result of the nonviolent protest was magnificent, with little political clout or media attention, the ‘protectors’ (their term, instead of ‘protesters’), halted construction of the $3.7 billion Dakota Access oil pipeline (“The Black Snake”). The protectors were subject to some horrific examples of cruelty and aggression by authorities during the protest, but stood peacefully and achieved their goal.
COMMUNITY
People power is a force to be reckoned with, since the world began, success from collective human spirit and unity has toppled oppressive governments, changed laws, won independence and much more. Whether the objective is small or large, communities of people can make the world of difference, if they are united. Jersey girl, Sophie Anderson is currently in the US and travelled to Standing Rock to stand with the people in protest: “The feeling I had being at Standing Rock was what I can only describe as being spiritually full. The thousands of people became one big tribe, feeding, providing shelter and supporting one another. Upon arrival we were briefed on direct actions as water protectors and the message was strictly non-violence. It was an honour to be amongst such extraordinary and inspiring people, all working in unity to peacefully resist corporate destruction of our planet.” Unity is the one thing that humanity needs to survive. Striving for a common goal within our family, at work, within our community, or on a larger scale to galvanise and mobilise a collective of people and uniting for positive progress or change is the awesomeness of people power. United we stand, divided we fall.
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Mahatma Gandhi is possibly the ultimate poster child for unity and people power. Galvanising millions to a peaceful protest to gain Indian independence from Britain, Gandhi inspired more than just his own nation. A devout Hindu, Gandhi did not use religious preaching in a divisive way; he was about peace, love and compassion. With that his message could inspire people from all religions. His ideas inspired people across the board, from British
Jersey was home to its own people power protest quite recently, in the name of a family whose family pet had been seized – there was a tricky legal situation and no real determination on how the case should be handled. When the family felt at a loss and unsure of how to proceed, the community got behind them, organising a huge walk, social media pressure (bringing some famous faces in to the cause) and ultimately ensuring the family’s voice was heard.
“We must become bigger than we have been: more courageous, greater in spirit, larger in outlook. We must become members of a new race, overcoming petty prejudice, owing our ultimate allegiance not to nations but to our fellow men within the human community.” ~ Haile Sellasie greats such as Charlie Chaplin, to the illiterate and desperately poor in India’s slums. Whilst many revolutionaries have bent the law or ethics for ‘the greater good’, Gandhi would not. When you are an advocate for unity, it is compassion for all humans and humanity that makes the bond strong.
It’s not to say that authorities bowed to pressure – we shall never know – but in terms of lifting the spirits of the people at the centre of the situation – that was a definitive win which made all the difference.
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COMMUNITY
Win:Win=
Fitness through Hiking, Supporting a Local Charity and Enjoying the South Coast of Jersey.
WORDS: Alex Wiles, Jersey Mencap PHOTOGRAPHY: NienkeB Photography
Walking improves our physical and mental wellbeing; it is said to lower our risk of heart disease, improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels, help bone density and strengthen our all important core ... the list goes on. Not bad for an activity that has no charge and can be slotted into our ever-busy schedules. With miles and miles of cliff paths, free parking and stunning views, it’s a popular way to improve fitness. There are many amazing charitable walks in our beautiful Channel Islands throughout the year, all with the shared intent of raising vital funds for the charities we support, whilst at the same time helping our personal fitness, spending time with friends and colleagues, and enjoying the tremendous beauty of our green spaces and scenic coastlines.
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The all time favourite of mine is The South Coast Charity Challenge, a 15 mile sponsored walk which is held this year on Sunday, 21st May 2017, so there’s plenty of time to get some training in. This important annual fundraiser has been going for 10 years and in that time has welcomed over 5,000 participants.
COMMUNITY
"All the money raised is used to support children and adults with a learning disability in Jersey"
All the money raised is used to support children and adults with a learning disability in Jersey; it is the main fundraising event for this small charity which strives to achieve great things. Walkers can register at www.jerseymencap.org and are encouraged to raise money through sponsorship or donations. You will receive a fundraiser t-shirt to wear on the day of the event, and on the day you will also receive a free bag transfer, welcome refreshments at checkpoints throughout the course, and a courtesy bus transfer back with LibertyBus.
Feedback from participants in previous years has been really positive with many saying that having the opportunity to take in so many of bays along the south coast of Jersey is a real highlight. From the striking views from the top of Portelet Common as they head down to Ouaisne to the smaller, prettier bays from St Brelade to Corbiere, an amazing opportunity for a South Coast selfie! So pull on your trainers or hiking boots and support Jersey Mencap by registering for the South Coast Charity Challenge today!
More info: www.jerseymencap.org or email info@jerseymencap.org
Creating a WORLD of Difference
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COMMUNITY
My Flight to Happiness … WORDS: Toni Mackenzie, Bestselling Amazon Author
For years I thought about writing a book, but the time was never right. There was always a ‘but’, but there are already so many self-help books out there, but, but, but … Eventually I decided it was time to put my excuses aside, no other book had been written by me, sharing my own unique experiences, knowledge and acquired wisdom, and I knew that if I were to share this with as many people as possible, I could totally change lives.
the front, and imagining it listed on Amazon was an important part of the process for me. As I visualised it in this way, I began programming my mind to believe it was already written at this future time. I just had to put what I already knew in my mind onto the pages, and it began to flow.
The first step was to create a basic outline with my chapter headings and my second step was to design my front cover. Seeing an image of the cover of my book with my name on
Over the next two months I wrote four of the eight chapters – I was flying through it – but then life got in the way. I started to feel frustration, and I found myself mentally using a
word I really don’t like – ‘should’. I was telling myself I should be writing my book. Fortunately, I quickly caught myself and changed the word to could; which helped me to relax. Within a few months I was amazed to find my book was almost ready to be published. Before long the content was edited and polished, the interior was typeset with colour illustrations, and the full cover, including the all important back-side, was finalised and before long I received the first printed proof copy. I can do it. You can do it.
Former air-stewardess Toni Mackenzie is a Clinical Hypnotherapist, Psychotherapist and Mindset Coach in the UK. For the last 20 years, she has been helping people change the way they feel by changing the way they think. In her book ‘Your Flight to Happiness: A 7-Step Journey to Emotional Freedom’ she shares the seven most important lessons which helped her grow her wings and learn to fly solo after her metaphorical ‘Plane Crash’. Ready for take-off ? Enjoy your flight! More info: www.innerdepths.co.uk
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BOOKS
Book Choice
Great reads in harmony with our theme for this edition – Connection, Kindness and Empathy.
The Chemistry of Connection: Five Keys to a Richer, Happier, Fulfilling and Meaningful Life Author: Patrick Holford Publisher: Hay House UK (27 September 2016)
Are you feeling well connected? Are you having a good time, full of joie de vivre, or are you bored or in discomfort of one sort or another, be it emotional or mental anguish, stress or physical pain? Does life make sense, or do you have the feeling there's something else - another level of existence - but you don't know how to get there? We are physical, emotional, sensual, intellectual and spiritual beings, living on the Earth in a human society. This defines our five zones of connection, of being plugged into life's unfolding purpose. Acclaimed author Patrick Holford has spent the last 40 years exploring what it means to be 100 per cent healthy. In The Chemistry of Connection he shares his wisdom to help you feel fully alive and awake, connected on all levels and living a purposeful life. In this book you will discover how to: • Wake up from disconnection to connection • Improve your mental alertness and intellectual clarity • Open your heart and have love make your world go round • Resolve emotional and relationship difficulties • Explore philosophies that make life worth living • Connect with the five elements that make us and our world Includes practical exercises, meditations and contemplations, this book will enliven a deep sense of connection in all areas of your life.
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The Secrets of Enduring Love – How to Make Relationships Last Author: Dr Meg John Barker and Professor Jacqui Gabb Publisher: Vermilion (4 February 2016)
Dr Meg John Barker is a Public Engagement academic and Professor Jacqui Gabb an Associate Dean for Research, both at The Open University. The Secrets of Enduring Love focuses on what couples actually do to maintain, nurture and nourish their relationships – debunking myths, no, sex is not essential to happiness, and yes, your relationship can involve arguments and still thrive. Whether you are in a relationship, recently out of one, looking for a new partner, or thinking about the whole way you do relationships, this book will lead you to know your own needs, desires and expectations of a partnership. It is all you need to open yourself up to a future of enduring love. The reader is taken on a journey through different ways of doing relationships, focusing on the key themes which came out of the research: everyday acts of kindness and appreciation; the importance of home; communication and conflict management; sex and intimacy; incorporating others into the relationship (children, pets, friends, hobbies); and telling your own love story. One of the key messages from the research is that different things work for different people, and at different times in the relationship. For this reason the book focuses on the different practices that we might bring into our own relationships, helping us to recognise the small things which we may be already doing but which ordinarily go by unnoticed, and offering a helping hand to find out what works best for us.
BOOKS
Authentic - How to Be Yourself and Why it Matters Author: Professor Stephen Joseph Publisher: Piatkus (1 September 2016)
The hunger for authenticity guides us throughout our lives. People strive for joined-up living, where on the one hand what they say and do reflects what they think and feel, and on the other what they think and feel reflects who they are. Stephen Joseph has pioneered developments in research into authenticity, drawing on the solid science of positive psychology to develop what has become one of the gold-standard tests for assessing authenticity. His and others' findings reveal that when people are in relationships in which they feel accepted, understood and valued, they drop their defences. They naturally begin to examine themselves psychologically, accommodate new information and live more authentically. What's more, the latest studies reveal that it is authenticity that leads to true happiness.
In Authentic, Stephen Joseph presents his fresh and inspiring perspective on the psychology of authenticity alongside practical advice and exercises. Drawing on the wisdom of existential philosophers, the insights and research of psychologists, and case studies from his own and others' clinical experiences, he shows how authenticity is the foundation of human flourishing – as well as how the ideas relate to debates about the importance of happiness.
The Urban Monk Eastern Wisdom and Modern Hacks to Stop Time and Find Success, Happiness and Peace Author: Pedram Shojai, OMD Publisher: Rodale Books (1 March 2016)
We all struggle to discover satisfaction and contentment in the modern world and yet the more gadgets we buy, the more things seem to get worse. What are we all missing? What will it take for us to find our centres? Pedram Shojai shares how the centredness and calm of Zen masters is attainable in today's fast-paced world and guides readers to become "urban monks," who interact with demanding careers, families, and environments in a grounded way. Based on a lifetime of study, The Urban Monk uses Eastern medicine techniques (such as meditation) to help readers overcome a variety of painpoints, such as stress, fatigue, weight gain, negative self-image, and loneliness.
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BOOKS
The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World Authors: His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams Publisher: Hutchinson (22 September 2016)
Nobel Peace Prize Laureates His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have survived more than f ifty years of exile and the soul-crushing violence of oppression. Despite their hardships – or, as they would say, because of them – they are two of the most joyful people on the planet.
How Bad Do You Want It? Mastering the Psychology of Mind over Muscle Author: Matt Fitzgerald Publisher: Aurum Press (Paperback: 7 January 2016)
This book revisits some of the most extraordinary moments from the history of endurance sports to show how mental strength allows some athletes to perform at a level way beyond their physical limits – to will their body to do what was previously thought biologically impossible. Drawing on cutting-edge scientific research it suggests concrete habits and tactics we can use to cultivate our own mental strength, whilst providing thrilling accounts of some of the most inspiring and astonishing feats in sporting history. It describes a new 'psychobiological' model of endurance performance connecting the mind, body and brain. Compelling accounts from triathlon, cycling, running, rowing and swimming are viewed through the lens of this model shedding new light on what science has to say about mental fortitude in sports. Featured athletes include: Sammy Wanjiru, Jenny Barringer, Greg LeMond, Willie Stewart, Cadel Evans, Joseph Sullivan, Paula Newby-Fraser, Ryan Vail, Thomas Voeckler, Ned Overend, Steve Prefontaine
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In April 2015, Archbishop Tutu travelled to the Dalai Lama’s home in Dharamsala, India, to celebrate His Holiness’s eightieth birthday and to create this book as a gift for others. They looked back on their long lives to answer a single burning question: how do we find joy in the face of life’s inevitable suffering? They traded intimate stories, teased each other continually, and shared their spiritual practices. By the end of a week filled with laughter and punctuated with tears, these two global heroes had stared into the abyss and despair of our times and revealed how to live a life brimming with joy. This book offers us a rare opportunity to experience their astonishing and unprecedented week together, from the first embrace to the final goodbye.
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
ALIGN HEALTH AGENCY
Based at Lido Medical Centre, the newly merged Align Health Agency offers a unique range of services that address multiple aspects of health, including the physical, emotional and chemical aspects of wellbeing, alongside the key concept of prevention. Align’s concept is a 360 degree approach to health which is reflected in its range of services: chiropractic and osteopathy, sports and remedial massage, acupuncture and dry needling, cognitive hypnotherapy and psychotherapy, craniosacral therapy and life coaching, and Align 1-1 Fitness. W: www.align.je E: info@align.je T: +44 (0) 1534 789 367
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
Creating a WORLD of Difference
ALL CARE JERSEY
Like a lighthouse in stormy seas, All Care Jersey stands for strength, protection and peace of mind. Established specialists in the field of care, their well-trained experts can be trusted to look after your wellbeing and that of loved ones. Services include personal care, palliative care, Alzheimer’s and Dementia support, companionship, respite, recuperation, special needs support, short or long term care, housekeeping, shopping assistance, and much more.
W: www.allcarejersey.com E: contact@allcarejersey.com T: +44 (0) 1534 619 719
AVENUE CLINIC – GUERNSEY
Avenue Clinic is Guernsey’s largest multidisciplinary clinic, bringing together independent practitioners from professions including Osteopathy, Physiotherapy (Respiratory, Neurological, musculoskeletal and Vestibular), Speech and Language Therapy, Acupuncture, Shockwave Therapy, Sports Massage, Holistic Massage, Osteopathic movement rehabilitation, Movement and Strengthening classes, and Psychotherapy. Book by phone, email, or via the online booking system (see website). Patients from any practice are welcome, with or without a doctor’s referral. If you’re insured, please ask your insurance company if they require a doctor’s referral. W: www.avenueclinic.co.uk E: admin@avenueclinic.co.uk T: +44 (0) 1481 728 798 St Julian’s Avenue and at Indoor Cricket Guernsey 93
WELLBEING BUSINESS DIRECTORY
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
CLAIRE DE GRUCHY... ENHANCING LEARNING AND LIFE!
Claire de Gruchy, Founder of Shalbeck Centre in Jersey (see Shalbeck Centre), also sees clients monthly in Guernsey from Avenue Clinic, St. Peter Port. She is as passionate about helping children and adults to learn and live with ease. As a Licentiate of the Institute for Neuro Physiological Psychology, and the only Neuro-Developmental Therapist and Johansen IAS Provider in the Channel Islands, she offers a range of therapies including Neuro-Developmental Therapy, Johansen IAS Sound Therapy, and Health Kinesiology. W: www.shalbeckcentre.com E: claire@shalbeckcentre.com T: +44 (0) 7797 714 758
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BENEST CORBETT RENOUF
Balanced. Collaborative. Reassuring. Our Family Law team is committed to helping you resolve your relationship problems and disputes in an amicable and conciliatory way. We advise on a wide range of family law issues, including nuptial agreements, divorce and financial settlements, adoption, surrogacy and children law matters. Benest Corbett Renouf offers a dynamic variety of collaborative law, mediation and traditional court based solutions, and we can advise which method of resolution is the most appropriate for you. W: www.bcrlawjersey.com E: barbara.corbett@bcrlawjersey.com T: +44 (0) 1534 760 860
EILEEN HOLLAND AURA-SOMA®
Eileen Holland is a fully qualified Aura-Soma consultant & teacher with many years experience. Aura-Soma is a beautiful colour system, which is based on a self-selective, non-intrusive approach taking you on a journey of self-discovery. Choose from a splendid array of over 100 bottles of colour and light – appealing to and revealing the inner self. Eileen will then help you to explore your choices and significance. A compelling journey into the deeper aspects of the being. See this colour system for yourself – be inspired. Gift vouchers available. E: e7.holland@gmail.com T: +44(0) 1534 619 167
WELLBEING BUSINESS DIRECTORY WELCOME
ELEVATE
Home to Elevate Physiotherapy Clinic and Elevate Personal Training Academy, the dedicated team of Chartered Physiotherapists, Sports Therapist, Strength & Conditioning coaches and Personal Trainers, work with the world’s most exclusive technology. One of only 4 practices in Europe to use NASA technology, the Anti-Gravity Treadmills, this unique precision gives clients the ability to find the precise point where exercise becomes pain-free providing increased balance and confidence, regaining function faster and weight loss goals. Recognised by all private health insurance companies. W: www.elevate.je E: Physiotherapy Clinic – physio@elevate.je E: Personal Training Academy – info@elevate.je T: +44 (0) 1534 723 516
ENERGETIX
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. T: +44 (0) 1534 758 808 Up and Above, 50 Don Street, St Helier Order online at www.upandabovejersey.energetix.tv
ENGLISH AND MULLEY OPTICIANS
EPONA
Mary’s particular interest is in the detection and assistance of those who find reading challenging because of visual stress and dyslexia. Coloured spectacle lenses can help make text easier to see.
This experience can be educational and therapeutic and could be the greatest investment you make in yourself.
English and Mulley provide the highest optometric clinical care and apropriate spectacle and contact lens correction.
20 Hill Street, St Helier, Jersey W: www.englishandmulley.com T: +44 (0) 1534 730 099
Creating a WORLD of Difference
Mary and her horses provide a retreat where wellbeing and personal development can be explored. It’s not a riding experience, it’s being with the horses, no previous experience of horses is required.
W: www.epona.je E: mary@epona.je
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WELLBEING BUSINESS DIRECTORY
HEALTH POINT CLINIC
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)
HOTEL DE FRANCE
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. 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. 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 96
HEALTHHAUS
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. Healthhaus Express is a smaller, more intimate club with service and support values synonymous with Healthhaus. Using Milon it gives you a time efficient fitness solution that can be incorporated seamlessly into your working day. W: www.healthhaus.co.uk E: info@healthhaus.co.uk T: +44 (0)1534 614 800
JERSEY ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION
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. W: www.jerseyalzheimers.com T: +44 (0)1534 723 519
WELLBEING BUSINESS DIRECTORY WELCOME
JERSEY INTERNATIONAL MINDFULNESS CENTRE
The only Mindfulness centre in Jersey to actively develop, research, publish and implement its findings, the team at Jersey International Mindfulness Centre ( JsyIMC) is passionate about providing a superior customer experience and tremendous value for their customers. They provide client-tailored mindfulness courses to suit the needs of a wide range of groups for a wide range of issues, including: performance, sports, the challenge of exams, emotional intelligence, stress and health conditions management, and corporate wellbeing. W: www.jsyimc.co.uk E: mindfulness@jsyimc.co.uk T: +44 (0) 1534 852 953
PIPPA CAMPBELL HEALTH
Adopting a holistic, lifestyle approach to nutrition and personal training, Pippa Campbell is perfectly placed to help you meet your health and fitness goals - whatever they might be. Pippa’s ethos is to work with each client on an individual basis, assessing needs, discussing goals, and then creating a personalised plan. Pippa Campbell offers a fully equipped studio in a convenient location with free parking. Pippa has recently become the only certified coach in both Jersey and Guernsey able to support the Metabolic Balance system, a unique programme which relies on science and responds to your own unique metabolism to improve hormone balance and overall wellbeing. W: www.pippacampbellhealth.com E: pippa@pippacampbellhealth.com T: +44 (0) 7797 728 864 The Caesarean Tennis Club, Grand Vaux, St Saviour
Creating a WORLD of Difference
JULIE DRYBURGH
Julie has over 27 years experience working with clients and animals using a combination of advanced handson-healing techniques. She is an advanced professional in CranioSacral Therapy - specialising in Samoto Emotional Release; a Reiki Master and an advanced Theta Healing Practitioner. She is an Oracle Card Reader and a Spiritual Life Coach and also works with animals as an Animal Healing Practitioner. Using a combination of these modalities, Julie uses Healing Balance Therapy to balance mind, body and spirit. W: www.juliedryburgh.com E: julie@juliedryburgh.com T: +44 (0) 7797 742 347
SHALBECK CENTRE
Creating a space where you receive what you need, emotionally, physically or spiritually, opening your mind to new possibilities, nurturing you and helping you find more options on how you could live your life, the Shalbeck Team of dedicated therapists offer you a range of therapies including Enhanced Learning Programmes, NeuroLinguistic Programming, TimeLine and Hypno-Therapy, HK, Beauty Treatments, Reflexology, Aromatherapy, Reiki & Indian Head Massage, Nutritional Consultancy, and Testing for Allergies and Intolerances. W: www.shalbeckcentre.com E: info@shalbeckcentre.com T: +44 (0) 1534 485 158
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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
THE DIAMOND BODY PILATES STUDIO
Marilyn has a unique approach to teaching through her study of the Franklin Methode in Switzerland. The Franklin Methode was a three year study of anatomy in breathing and movement and with this knowledge she teaches Pilates on equipment designed by Joseph Pilates at her studio at Fort Regent. All classes and personal training is by appointment only. Suitable for both men and women regardless of age or ability. E: mwardpilates@gmail.com T: +44 (0) 1534 724 771 or Mobile +44 (0) 7797 717 803
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THE ART OF LIVING - GUERNSEY
An Art of Living course is based on the Sudarshan Kriya technique and incorporates specific natural rhythms of the breath to harmonise the body, mind and emotions. It is effective for stress, fatigue and negative emotions such as anger, frustration and depression, leaving you calm, energised and focused. The next Art of Living Happiness Programme is being held 12th-14th May 2017. The cost is £250, with Early Bird ticket price of £200 for advance bookings. Concessions available.
FREE WEEKLY MEDITATIONS, see website.
W: www.artofliving.org/uk-en/channel-islands-region E: julie.artofliving@gmail.com valma.artofliving@gmail.com T: +44 (0) 7781 448 319 (Valma) FB: The Art of Living Guernsey
THE K9 WELLNESS CENTRE
The team at K9 Wellness Centre is committed to keeping dogs’ health and wellbeing at the heart of everything they do via their range of specialist canine services. They believe in a collaborative approach to canine treatment, working directly with doggy parents, veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses for the best outcome for our furry friends. They are fully insured and the first centre of its kind in the Channel Islands, offering a full range of competitively priced canine services. W: www.k9tanglestop.com E: info@k9wellness.co.uk T: +44 (0) 1534 859 049 FB: K9 Wellness Centre