Do you ever wake up exhausted, only to find yourself wide awake at 3 am? Or reach for sugar when you are already stressed? That might be cortisol at work.
Category archives: Lifestyle and General Health
Weight Loss Injections: Part 2. Risks, Myths, and How to Use Them Safely
Picking up from part 1 (read it here), which explored what GLP-1 weight loss injections are, who they’re for, and how they work, we now focus on the risks, realities, and practicalities — what to watch for, how to use them safely, and what truly supports long-term success.
Weight Loss Injections:The Inside Scoop, part 1
The talk around weight loss injections is as loud as the conversations about food noise right now (more on that later). From mainstream news and social media to whispers in coffee shops, these medications are probably the most asked-about topic I hear, second only to back pain.
Medical Screening: Don’t Miss Out
This isn’t my usual kind of post, but it’s an important one. It’s about health checks, speaking up, and not ignoring when something doesn’t feel right in your body.
Rediscover Your Voice
Most of us don’t pay much attention to our voice until something goes wrong. Your voice is more than just sound; it is a vital part of your identity and how you connect with others. Whether you are a professional speaker, teacher, or performer, or just gen pop being able to express yourself clearly is […]
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, the inside scoop
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a painful condition caused by compression of the median nerve as it passes through a narrow tunnel in the wrist. It’s often linked to repetitive movements, such as typing, using tools, or even hormonal changes.
The Link Between the Voice and Nervous System Health
The voice and the nervous system are often thought of as separate, but they are deeply connected. If you have ever felt your voice shake with anxiety or struggled to speak clearly under pressure, you have already experienced this connection.
From Midlife and Beyond: How Hormonal Changes Impact Your Muscles, Joints, and Bones
Menopause is a natural part of ageing, but it’s often associated only with symptoms like hot flashes and mood swings. What many don’t realise is that menopause can also significantly affect the muscles, joints, and bones. This section explores the musculoskeletal impacts of menopause and the emerging recognition of Musculoskeletal Syndrome of Menopause. What is […]
Piriformis Syndrome: Myth or Misunderstood Condition?
The deep, nagging ache in your buttock that sometimes radiates down the back of your leg is undeniably real. But is your piriformis muscle truly to blame, and does “piriformis syndrome” even exist?
Rethinking Mental Wellbeing: When CBT Isn’t Enough
What is CBT? Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is widely used in the UK to address mental health concerns like anxiety, depression, and OCD. Its popularity stems from its effectiveness, accessibility, and structure. CBT works by helping individuals identify and reframe unhelpful thoughts, which can lead to improved emotional responses and behaviours.
Subtle Signs Your Voice Is Under Strain
We often think of voice issues as something that only affects performers, singers, or public speakers. But the truth is, problems like hoarseness or even complete voice loss can happen to anyone. Vocal strain often builds up gradually, and the early warning signs are easy to miss.
Menstrual health; the 5th vital sign
The onset of menstruation is a physical and emotional event in a person’s reproductive life. Most will have their first period between the ages of 10 and 14, and depending on the type of contraception used, they will menstruate monthly until menopause typically around age 51.
5 mindful movement to ease joint stiffness
Where do you live? In your head, body or both? The reason I ask is that, as a health professional and movement teacher, I meet many people who live in their heads, and their body is just this thing hanging below their lower eyelashes, I kid you not!
SAD, prevention and management
If you’re in the U.K., it won’t have passed you by that the nights are drawing in (it seems a tad early to me); the shorter days remind me to welcome autumn, but I do so with mixed feelings. While I love the hues of the season and the prospect of wrapping up in cosy […]
It’s Mental Health Awareness Week.
Mental Health Awareness Week is a yearly opportunity to increase our understanding of mental well-being and stamp out the stigma. around mental well-being. This year’s theme is Anxiety and what we can do to prevent and manage it. Anxiety is the body’s natural adaptive mind-body reaction to perceived and genuine stress or future danger. It is […]
Baker’s cyst
Medically, a Baker’s cyst is called a popliteal cyst, a fluid-filled sac that causes tightness and a bulge behind the knee. It can be painless and go unnoticed until there has been increasing inactivity. When there is pain, it is usually worsened when bending or fully straightening or activity levels increase.
ADHD in Adults
ADHD is a developmental disorder and mental health condition that affects behaviour and is often thought of as a condition that only affects children. However, research suggests that around 4% of adults have this condition, but many are oblivious because it was not recognised in childhood.
Is mindfulness meditation making you feel like a failure?
And more anxious too? Pounding heart, heavy breathing, churning stomach and sweating hands can be some signs and symptoms of anxiety, along with the need to escape. It is a horrible, distressing experience, often accompanied by embarrassment and shame.
Emotional Needs: Your Non-Food Nutrition
At the end and beginning of the year, many of us reflect or carry out a life audit. It is a reminder that nothing can be taken for granted, including our physical and mental health. Thinking about our emotional needs at these times can be a useful tool, helping us understand where we feel nourished […]
Persistent Pain is a genuine condition
Pain is the primary reason people go to the doctor, but 1 in 3 general practitioners (GPs) reports feeling “unprepared” to treat pain. While this may frustrate you, it’s not their fault because, like most healthcare professionals (HCPs), we receive little or no training around the pain that doesn’t go away as expected during our […]