It’s a rhetorical question. Are you about to plunge into the perennial pitfall of making unrealistic New Year’s resolutions for the year ahead? While the start of a new year is an opportunity to press the reset button and may inspire a renewed sense of purpose or hope to begin new adventures. Many people make […]
Category archives: Lifestyle and General Health
Pillows, do we really need them?
Following on from the articles on sleep positions and mattress advice for pain-free sleep, the other question I get asked relating to sleep is “Do I really need a pillow to sleep well”?
Free radicals and antioxidants explained.
A simple way to think of free radicals is as waste products which built up and can harm the cells in the body. They are natural byproducts of the body’s many chemical processes, such as breathing and eating. Environmental toxins, household chemicals and cigarette smoke can also expose us to free radicals.
Calming the monkey mind
Mindfulness and meditation are everywhere; it’s being offered as a cure-all for everything from IBS and low-self esteem to help pain management and depression. There is good science to confirm the benefits, and growing research shows that when people train to be more mindful, they are rewiring the physical structure of their brain, but what […]
Zinc, the inside scoop
Zinc is an essential trace element involved in many crucial processes in our body including the optimal function of over 300 enzymes, facilitating digestion, strengthening the heart, metabolising nutrients, and maintaining our immune system and fighting free-radical damage.
Touch, the silent language of compassion, communication and connection.
Welcome to 2019! I wanted the first entry of this new year to be about something significant, meaningful and potentially life-changing. This entry is about the benefits and power of touch.
High blood pressure, explained
Studies estimate that one in four adults in the UK to have high blood pressure without realising it because it rarely has any signs or symptoms. Hypertension the medical term for high blood pressure, untreated it increases the risk of severe health problems..
Alcohol, the good, the bad and the confusing.
Alcohol is a Jekyll and Hyde character; inextricably linked with so many good events in most people’s lives. Many of the happiest times celebrated with a clink of glasses and a little (or a lot) of your favourite tipple. In contrast, how many times have you reached for an alcoholic drink due after hearing bad […]
Anaemia, are you at risk?
Do you struggle to get through the day? Or get breathless, sluggish and weak doing everyday activities? These could be signs of anaemia. Anaemia leads to poor circulation of oxygen around the body and sometimes causes complications, although it’s rare, anaemia that remains untreated can even become deadly.
Serotonin, why you need it?
Serotonin is sometimes called the happy chemical because it contributes to wellbeing, mood and happiness. Serotonin is widely believed to be a neurotransmitter although some scientists think it is a hormone.
Seasonal Affective Disorder; Winter depression, explained
The changes in seasons can affect us in profound ways, some people report feeling more cheerful when the days are longer, and the sun is shining. While others crave carbohydrates during the long, often grey UK winters.
Walking, are you getting the real benefits?
I was recounting a story in one of my classes recently about a man complaining about his struggle to find a parking space after a stressful drive to his “lovely health club”, where he jumped on a treadmill and walked for 30 minutes before driving home! Mmm, I know his part of the metropolis is blessed with […]
The Vagus Nerve, and your health
Like a super spy, the vagus nerve wanders around the body, reporting back to the brain subconsciously (secretly) with constant updates on what’s going on in our body. It is part of our protective stress response, noticing facial expressions, responding to people’s voices and monitoring our internal organs.
The Vagus Nerve, explained
The vagus nerve is the inner nerve centre leader, also known as the 10th cranial nerve or cranial nerve X. It’s the longest of the 12 paired cranial nerves in the body and has the most extensive distribution because it passes through the neck and chest into the abdomen. The vagus nerve controls the entire […]
Reasons to seek out osteopathic treatment
Following on from a previous post (osteopathic treatment is different) here are 5 more reasons the osteopathic approach to healthcare and wellbeing is different.
Teeth grinding and jaw clenching.
Nearly 30% of people experience teeth grinding and jaw clenching which is medically called bruxism. Almost 10% of those that grind do it so severely that their teeth are reduced to small stumps. Bruxism affects all ages groups, children to adults, causing severe tooth damage, jaw disorders, and headaches.
Osteopathic treatment is different, here’s why
On an almost daily basis, I get asked to explain what I do, not my occupation but what do osteopaths actually do? I suspect if I took a public survey the reply would be one of the following: “They crack peoples backs, don’t they? ” Or with a shrug of shoulders, “I’ve never heard of one of […]
Headaches, causes, red flags and treatment
Persistent and chronic headaches can be can affect every aspect of a person life; work, relationships, family and friends, and may disrupt social and travel plans at short notice. People living with frequent headaches are also at increased the risk of depression and other mood disorders.
Headaches and head pain explained
Approximately 50% of UK adults will have a headache each year, most of these are not dangerous, but they can debilitate and sometimes be a challenge to describe; the pain may be generalised involving the whole head or affect one part of the face, head or eye. Symptoms can vary from sharp and throbbing to […]
Feet, friends or foe?
Our feet are one of the hardest working parts of the body and under constant stress. It’s easy to take them for granted, they hang around at the end of our legs, trying to adapt to being jammed into a pretty but often ill-fitting shoe or being smothered inside socks and trainers. They may take […]