Old Man

Effort

Have you ever worked hard to complete a jigsaw puzzle, perhaps a thousand piece one that has taken weeks to come together? And then you finish it and think, ok, done, now what? The satisfaction comes with the effort you put in, not necessarily the end product. Like when you've found all the edges and built the frame. Then you focus on the sky or the sea and gather all the blue and white pieces. I once completed a puzzle of an L. S. Lowry painting with the industrial rooftops and intricate 'matchstick men'. It took me forever but I was determined to separate one black chimney from the other and distinguish which row of endless windows belonged to which building. The finale highlighted a missing piece. I was devastated. I found it on the floor. I placed the last piece. Done. The moment of satisfaction lasted all but ten seconds and then I wanted to smash it all up and start again....

"Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment. Full effort is full victory."
Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948)

Picture courtesy of here

Controlling the Urge

Think about all of the weight loss remedies in the world, the weight loss clinics, the diets, the healthy eating plans. I'm sure you could name the following: Atkins, F-Plan, South Beach, Weight Watchers, Slimming World, SlimFast, Gastric band surgery, liposuction.....there are literally hundreds, some more drastic than others. How about a small procedure involving an implant in the ear, that controls the vagus nerve and subsequently controls the appetite, eliminating the desire to overeat?

My friend is having this procedure on the 4th May at the only clinic in the UK that offers it. Dr. John. B. Landale is based in Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire, he specialises in acupuncture and has been developing his methods since 1969. I will be tracking my friend's progress to see just how effective this is going to be for him. He has been overweight for many years, pretty much since his teens and is now approaching 40. He has tried many methods, but admits willpower and self discipline have always been his downfall. He then found out his friend had travelled to Dr. Landale to have this procedure and in the last ten weeks has lost about 30lbs in weight.

The vagus nerve extends from the back of the skull down towards the abdomen with various branches passing through the ears, voice box, heart, lungs and stomach. The nerve carries information from the nervous system to the brain and governs a range of reflex responses. Its effect on the digestive system contracts the muscles of the stomach and intestines, helping to process food and relaying information back about what is being digested. Dr. Landale's treatment involves selective stimulation of the nerve via a 'stitch' in the ear. The implant is placed at a very superficial level and the outcome should be that the brain informs the patient when they are actually full as opposed to when they think they are full. Food quantities will be reduced, resulting in a rapid weight loss that is neither threatening to one's health or energy levels. My friend used a good analogy to explain it; a car has a petrol tank, it can't become overflowing otherwise you would need to add on extra petrol tanks and why would you need extra when there is a perfectly adequate store of petrol already? The same applies to the body and this revolutionary treatment works on a physiological and cognitive level combined.

To be continued...


Picture courtesy of here

Strings to Bows

As a therapist its one thing having diplomas and certificates, but its another marketing oneself and working to portray the utmost professionalism. I've been a member of the Association of Reflexologists for five years and have recently joined the Federation of Holistic Therapists with a view to becoming a member of the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). As well as having public indemnity and malpractice insurance, an up to date First Aid certificate and gaining CPD (Continuing Professional Development) points every year, it takes some time out of the therapy room, to ensure clients will pick YOU.

Keeping clients however, is down to personality and skills. My tutor at the Middlesex School of Complementary Medicine said to me recently, "anyone can learn reflexology or massage, but it takes something special and unique to be a therapist".

While composing the right words to put in the 'About' section of this website, it was self-satisfying to write things like 'I have a diploma in this...' and 'a member of...', but I've come to realise that it can mean all or nothing. Obviously you want a massage from a professional, someone who has passed the exam and has had experience massaging many people. Someone who can be confident referring and is knowledgable of anatomy and physiology. Of course you want that, I do too when I'm on the receiving end of a treatment.

I've met lots of therapists recently who are fabulous and a few who, despite experience, do NOT instill me with the confidence or the desire to receive a treatment from them. I can only hope that, professional association and 'letters after my name' aside, clients will leave having had the most pleasant experience that I would wish for myself.

The Importance of Routine

Its been two weeks since I last posted on Herts Holistic and this is due to no free time! Not a single drop. The school holidays have been great and I have been able to devote all of my time to my five year old son. We've had a road trip to Somerset, spent some time with family, shopped, lunched, been to the woods, the park, the cinema, martial arts Easter camp and spent a lot of time in the garden in the glorious sunshine!

However...

While enjoying a break from the usual routine, the time has flown by and for all the enjoyment we've had; the lie-ins, the lazy picnics and the fun, it is now time to return to that usual routine. From a selfish point of view, I'm looking forward to getting back to work, catching up with e-mails, writing my articles and generally getting back into my zone. Back to packed lunches, the school run, ironing uniform, homework and alarm calls. We all have to do it, we all have to work out the logistics of running a tight ship and making sure we work to the clock. The old saying "there are not enough hours in the day" always goes through my head as another day draws to a close. I'm a stickler for normality. I like the novelty of the first day of holiday or that Saturday morning feeling (apologies to those who work unsociable hours) but I also reach boredom very quickly and, especially where my son is concerned, there needs to be a plan in place. He also likes to be busy and have an agenda. "Mum, what are we doing today?" or "Mum, this is so boring" are phrases I often hear from him.

I guess the upshot of this musing, is that the dynamics of life are made all the more fruitful by children, yet all the more time consuming. Everything we do is generally geared around them. Enjoy the time. Enjoy the free time but also enjoy the 'no time', because obviously it passes all too quickly. Routine can be monotonous, but it can also be comforting and reassuring and we can set aside the free time and appreciate it all the more by having no time, most of the time!

Meat or Not?

This is a subject of huge debate and the personal choice we make for ourselves as to whether we include meat in our diet is easy to take for granted. I decided to give up meat when I was in my teens and I did pretty well for three years. Then one day the smell of a bacon sandwich changed everything. I've seen films like Fast Food Nation and I've recently discovered that almost 20% of greenhouse gas emissions are a result of meat production processes. The consumption of meat has tripled in the last 40 years but we rarely look at our plates and think about that peppered steak in its previous life or the veal or venison drenched in gravy.

From 23 to 29 May its National Vegetarian Week and it could be an interesting personal challenge to have a meat free week. Stock up on vegetables, rice and pulses instead, remember that you reduce your risk of cancers and heart disease by following a vegetarian diet. Introduce loads of greens: broccoli, sprouts, runner beans, cabbage and spinach. You could even pop them in a blender and make delicious, nutritious smoothies or soups.

I often make a fabulous soup, courtesy of Levi Roots, that contains roasted sweet potatoes, carrots, red onions, red peppers and tomatoes. Roast 2-3 of each in olive oil for about 40 mins, blend together in a food processor until smooth or chop roughly if you prefer the soup to be chunky. Add about 4cm of ginger, peeled and chopped, a teaspoon of ground cumin, half a teaspoon of paprika and a 400ml tin of coconut milk. Blitz again in the blender and then transfer to a saucepan. Add 800ml of water or stock, season as required, add a bay leaf, bring to the boil and then simmer for about 20 mins. Garnish with coriander and serve with crusty bread.

I'm going to attempt to have a meat free week and I'm pretty sure I can do it. Its like giving up anything whether it be alcohol, carbs or refined sugars, its not easy if you love those types of foods, but a brief period of detox and a good run of pure health foods will certainly alter how you feel both physically and psychologically.


Further Information: The Vegetarian Society

Events: NCT Ladies Night

On Friday 20th May, the North Hertfordshire branch of the National Childbirth Trust will be holding their annual Ladies Night of Indulgence. The event takes place at the Letchworth Centre for Healthy Living between 7pm and 10pm and entry is £5. This includes a glass of champagne on arrival, a goody bag, pampering sessions, shopping, a chocolate fountain for all to enjoy AND fashion shows at 8pm and 9pm. Herts Holistic will be there offering Indian Head Massage, Reflexology and Reiki.

The NCT are a charity offering support to parents from pregnancy through to early parenthood. My husband and I joined in 2005 and attended ante-natal classes in Royston where we met five other couples each expecting their first babies. One couple had conceived through IVF, another after six miscarriages. Almost six years on, we all remain friends and our children, now in their first year of school, continue to be friends too.