My Blog

I recently listened to a podcast by the wonderful Nicole Jardim and Dr Leonhardt about the condition I have POI- Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (or as it was previously called premature ovarian failure).   There were some points raised that I hadn’t thought about before and I’ve been processing since I heard them.   I remember being so shocked when I was diagnosed. I’d had years of blood tests, scans and exploration and everyone kept...

I’ve been really strict with diet and exercise lately. I had to tweak my hormones at the beginning of the year. My body needed the tweak but it doesn’t react well and I put on over a stone in a few weeks - oof… It’s soul destroying because WOW do I eat carefully and workout regularly. This “occult” weight gain drives many peri menopausal women insane. It doesn’t matter how many calories you...

We get asked this question A LOT. There is so much in the media about fasting and it’s benefits and, the research is pretty undeniable, most people either do the 5:2 fast or the 16/8 fast. But, whilst so many people feel amazing when they fast, many of our clients find that they are not losing weight or really struggle with symptoms like being “hangry” or have exacerbated brain fog. So why is...

These days it is rare to speak to a woman who hasn’t been prescribed a hormonal contraceptive of one sort or another. According to the World Health Organisation, over 100 million women are prescribed it at any point in time. That is a staggering amount. Let’s be honest, hormonal contraceptives are convenient and they have been part of the sexual liberation of women since their invention in the 1960’s. Whilst they are...

I often see clients who have been to see specialist menopause doctors in private practice, usually at great expense. Most of the time they have been recommended the body identical progesterone and oestrogen and sometimes even given testosterone. Now, all of that is FABULOUS (check out some of my other posts where I’ve talked about how horrendous the synthetic progesterone is for women’s bodies), but they are still feeling rubbish. Here’s why… In...

Claire Snowdon-Darling explains how to balance your hormones in this insightful video.   [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7-nhys4xbw[/embed]...

For decades we have been told that saturated fats and red meats are bad for us, too many eggs will cause high cholesterol or constipation and the best way to keep our weight healthy is to be sparing with cheese and butter. As for suet, dripping and tallow – well, that’s a heart attack waiting to happen. The emerging research in nutritional science shows us how wrong we are and how...

I’ve just recovered from Covid-19. It was a pretty grim and boring two weeks and, to be honest I was surprised that it took me that long to recover but I’m here and thankfully I have no signs of “Long Covid”. Although I’d hope I wouldn’t after thirteen years of looking after my adrenal glands (Post viral syndrome such as Long Covid can involve an adrenal response that causes symptoms of...

Have you seen the news today about vegan diets? Oxford university researchers, who have been tracking the health of people since 1993, have discovered that vegans are TWICE as likely to break a hip compared with non vegans. Why is this? Vegan diets are often lacking some key nutrients, vitamins and minerals that are essential for bone health. Number 1 - calcium. Yes there is calcium in greens, but there is a high percentage...

We wanted to blog about the Coronavirus and share the recommendations we are giving our clients to support themselves and their health during this time. In Kinesiology, we approach the body in 4 ways.   Physically Nutritionally Emotionally Electrically Supporting the Immune System Physically Thymus support: Rub or tap the Angle of Louis (see picture above) which is the location of the thymus gland and is important in promoting the production and maturation...

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a bacteria overgrowth in the small intestine. While bacteria naturally occur throughout the digestive tract, in a healthy system, the small intestine has relatively low levels of bacteria; it’s supposed to be at highest concentrations in the colon. It is estimated that 80% of IBS sufferers have SIBO. What are the symptoms? stomach or abdominal pain belching IBS bloating diarrhoea constipation ileocecal valve pain nausea unintentional...

Menopause is a natural process where a womans menstrual cycle stops. The hormonal fall out of this “change” is far reaching, especially in todays society where women are stressed and exhausted going into peri-menopause.  Symptoms of Peri Menopause can start mildly up to ten years before the menopause itself happens.  Premature menopause is when this process is initiated before a woman is forty....

IBS is a common reason for absenteeism from work and visits to the GP. It is a non-inflammatory bowel condition that the medical model is unable to offer much support with. What are the symptoms? Reflux Spasm pains in the gut Bloating Constipation Diarrhoea Wind Neck pain Shoulder pain Nausea Reduced hunger Poor digestion What are potential non medical underlying causes? Food Intolerance Lack of digestive acid or enzymes (hypochloridia) Structural imbalances such as Ileo-caecal valve malfunction Emotional Issues Livers in overwhelm Stress creating excess hormones to be dumped...

HPA Axis Dysregulation is currently considered a non medical condition. Functional practitioners often work with HPA Axis Dysregulation when clients have been repeatedly to the Drs and have had “normal” test results but still feel unwell....

Many people find they struggle to lose weight. As such obesity has become a major cause of diabetes and is reaching epidemic proportions...

Digestive issues affect a vast number of people. Everything from wind, upper digestive pain and problems with bowel movements would be considered a digestive issue....

  If you are experiencing IBS you may find you can really benefit from a clean diet that is full of whole foods and excludes processed foods and common sensitisers. However, you may also really benefit from giving your irritable bowels some extra support with supplementing. To discover the exact supplements that will be beneficial you can work with a Kinesiologist, a nutritionist or a naturopath but there are some supplements...

How to improve your gut microbiome in 10 steps Cut out processed food and refined carbohydrates – these foods cause the bacteria in our gut to produce endotoxins. Research shows endotoxins lead to inflammation, weight gain and even depression Follow the microbiome diet – this specific diet removes toxins from the bowel and creates the right environment for healthy gut flora Reduce toxic load from environmental factors such as toxic...

I know this only too well I have a condition which causes me to feel fatigued most of the time. If you experience chronic fatigue or low energy issues its so important to be really hot on feeding your body right. Reaching for the quick fixes cause more instability and leads to feeling really low or depressed. It's all about the #emotionhealthconnection It's so easy to reach for caffeine or sugar...

Many women suffer with hormonal symptoms thanks to an imbalance in the primary female hormone 'Oestrogen'. Where the medical model will look to the Pill, HRT or painkillers to control oestrogen symptoms, the Naturopathic model looks to diet, lifestyle and supplements to balance the endocrine system. What is Oestrogen? The term "Oestrogen" is an umbrella term for three hormones - estradiol, estriol and estrone. Estradiol is the most commonly measured type of estrogen for...

Take two women who embark on an intense exercise regime together at a Crossfit gym for 3 months. One woman gets stronger, fitter and healthier. The other woman frequently injures herself, picks up colds she cannot shift, starts to experience sleep disturbances and nightmares and her body fat increases. Why such a difference in experiences? Current Health The response to exercise will depend on the health of the individual. If there is a chronic...

One of the first places IBS sufferers go to find relief from symptoms including symptoms including bloating, heartburn, digestive pain, wind, constipation and diarrhoea. is the FODMAP diet. What is a FODMAP diet? The FODMAP diet which was created in 1999 by Dr Sue Shepherd when she discovered through her PhD research that limiting FODMAP foods alleviated IBS symptoms in patients. FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols. In plain speaking, FODMAPs...

I have recently been given a "probable diagnosis" of a a rare condition called Sheehan's Syndrome It is "probable" because the actual tests for it are so awful I'm choosing not to put my body through the mill to have them, what I can say is that after 11 years of feeling mostly like I've been hit by a truck, this diagnosis really resonated and drew a painful line through everything...

[caption id="attachment_4502" align="aligncenter" width="461"] It's scary in that dark cave![/caption] In 2013 Ariana Huffington called for an additional Third Metric of wellness to be added to the existing metrics of money and power as a means to measure success. As a health practitioner I applauded this bold campaign and was so excited I wrote a blog about it.  As a business owner I know too well how easy it is to put...

Balanced Wellness are not just health experts. Our clients experience profound and deep transformation supported by our exceptional practitioners. Our clients are women who are ready to change their lives, their relationships, their health and their future. Our practitioners guide, support and encourage their clients to make deep lasting and profound change.At the core of what we do is Kinesiology - a fusion of bodywork techniques, emotional support and nutritional recommendations that...

When I got my first patch of rough, dry, sore skin I didn’t think much of it. I was 20, the doctors said it was pretty normal after a tonsillectomy and sent me away with a tube of Dovebet steroid cream. Then the patches started to spread. They appeared on my torso, under my arms, on my back, in my hair, on my neck – and the worse bit – on...

SunshineHaving left London when I was 5 years old, I grew up in rural Suffolk, a child of the 70s with the heat wave in 1976 being the hottest summer on record.  TV was limited to Play School after school and Swap Shop on a Saturday morning, which allowed my parents to have a lie in. My brother, sister and I would spend most of our free time exploring and playing in the great outdoors that was our adventure playground.  Our nearest friends were a cycle ride away, the nearest shop, a farmyard tuck shop, was a 15 minute walk across the fields.  Visits to friend’s birthday parties were a rarity. We made dens with sun loungers, climbed trees, played badminton of sorts over a make shift net made of garden string, painted pictures outdoors, ran amuck amongst the bales of hay in neighboring fields, and squealed with delight as our gorgeous English Pointer of a dog would tow my younger brother, sister and I across the lawn on his blanket, gripping it between his teeth until his gums bled, such was his devotion to us.

Snoopy

Sometimes all you need is a hug from the right person …

and all your stress will melt away.

For many secondary school and university students, May marks the beginning of a stressful time as exams begin. A racing heart, stomach cramps, headaches, migraines, forgetfulness, trouble sleeping, feeling irritable or tearful, loss of appetite or over eating are all symptoms of stress.  High levels of stress and anxiety before or during an exam can also reduce exam performance.  In addition to being prepared, the following can help to combat exam stress.

IBS. It is a big problem with a little name, and it is hideous. I know, I had first hand experience of this horrendous condition for over 20 years and I’m far from being alone. The current NHS statistics tell us that 1 in 5 people in the UK experience it at some point in their life with half that being diagnosed as “having IBS” That’s six million people. Despite the prevalence,...

Here is the case of a woman with what the Dr referred to as seasonal asthma and how Kinesiology helped her. The condition manifested with the client being very nasally, very congested with a blocked and runny nose. She was bored and frustrated with feeling lousy and wiping her nose constantly and her sense of smell was poor. She was also unhappy taking medication. How many sessions:  4 over a 6 month...

[caption id="attachment_4156" align="aligncenter" width="400"]acid-indigestion feeling the burn[/caption] We shout at the TV a lot. Adverts drive us bonkers. If it’s not the Actimel adverts promoting friendly gut bacteria (that contain high levels of sugar which bad bacteria feeds from) it’s the cosmetic adverts promoting youth as if being a woman past 35 is something to be shameful of. And don’t get me started on the shaving adverts… But there is one advert that makes us fume above all others. And that’s the acid ingestion / heartburn adverts.

[caption id="attachment_4208" align="aligncenter" width="560"] is this good for you?[/caption] It is a commonly held belief in the “health world” that eating our food, live and raw is the best way to get all the vitamins, minerals and enzymes we need. The raw food movement is at the forefront of great nutritional discoveries and is leading the way in challenging the standard western diet. The food can be amazing, we have some incredible...

[caption id="attachment_4152" align="aligncenter" width="455"] shes on a quest to enlighten women about poo and pubes[/caption] In this wonderful piece of footage Cameron Diaz and the presenter are discussing what a healthy log needs to look like. Check it out. To help the medical profession understand our bowel movements better, the Bristol Stool Chart was developed. And we can borrow it to get up close and personal with our own poop to understand...

[caption id="attachment_4143" align="aligncenter" width="450"]rachel-frederickson-weight-loss the biggest loser?[/caption] This week Twitter has been a wash with concerns about the winner of the popular US show The Biggest Loser winner, Rachel Frederickson, and her extreme weight loss. Rachel began the show at 260 pounds (18st5) and this week at the finale she weighed in at a staggering 105 pounds (7st5)! At 5’4 this is seriously tiny. I do not like shows like the Biggest Loser. I do like what they represent. I do not like what they are telling us - that weight loss is everything and it doesn’t matter how you do it – whether its spending all day exercising, working out when you’re injured or dehydrating yourself before weigh ins – as long as you get skinny you will be successful.
600px-Smiley_svgAs a nutritionist I have been strictly following a clean, organic, wholefood and alkaline diet for the past few years, lots of vegetables, chlorophyll and leafy greens. We know after all that dis-ease forms in acidic environments and most people’s internal environments are very acidic. This is due to a variety of sources from food, to outlook, to chemical load but reducing acid forming foods and alkalising the body is all the rage, and I reiterate, in many cases very, very important. But interestingly not in my case. It turns out that my internal environment is too alkaline and it’s been causing me some big problems.
Here is the case of a 5 year old boy with what we call ‘swinging bowels’ ie he would be constipated for upto a week at a time alternating with diarrhea that resulted in him having to wear nappies to school.  He had been referred to a paediatrician due to concerns over his size as he was both under height and underweight for his age.   He often refused to eat complaining of tummy ache, was pale in colour, had low energy levels and craved sugar all the time, trouble sleeping at night and getting up in the mornings, and was generally rather miserable.
  sorry I am learning that I'm becoming pretty good at some things. And there is one thing in particular that I'm really great at. Saying sorry. I'm not talking about the heart felt apology for something that has hurt or harmed another human-being or animal.  I'm talking about the unashamedly 'sorrys' that either begin or end almost every single sentence.
[caption id="attachment_3788" align="aligncenter" width="486"]stress can turn you into a real monster stress can turn you into a real monster[/caption] I remember the first time I experienced that nauseating, stomach churning, heart pounding, adrenaline rush for the first time, after stepping up into the big wide ‘glamorous’ world of the film industry.  It was my first job abroad and I had landed a nine month contract in the enchanting city of Prague.
[caption id="attachment_3633" align="alignleft" width="300"]A career in Kinesiology makes us this happy A career in Kinesiology can make you do this[/caption]
"Do you enjoy what you do? If not just stop, don't stand there and rot! " Ah the enlightened lyrics of Wham! For the next six days I get to be immersed in my favourite subject whilst teaching a Kinesiology intensive course with The Academy of Systematic Kinesiology. I am incredibly honoured to have the opportunity to teach this incredible therapy at the highest level and often need to pinch myself that this is my career.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] this test tube isn't helping our experiment[/caption] Calling all women for an experiment. What would your month be like if you rested on the first day of your period? Something strange happened to me this month. And it started 28 days ago. We are doing some serious DIY on our house and I spent the first day of my period doing manual labour in the garden. All day I was grouchy, short tempered and fed up. At the end of the day I was tired, delicate and tearful. And this pretty much describes the entire month that followed. What would have happened if I had rested up, sat in the sun, read a book, had a snooze? Would my month have been different?
[caption id="attachment_3414" align="alignleft" width="350"]saw its dangerous to look at cameras when using tools[/caption] I trap my middle finger in the spot light fitting that I am man handling down from the ceiling, scream out in pain and instantly burst into tears. It’s the umpteenth time I have hurt myself in the last month doing DIY. We are on a deadline to get our house up together so we can rent it out and it’s all hands on deck. I have cut, bruised, trapped, broken, knocked, blistered and landed on so many different parts of my body I’m starting to get the feeling I am not cut out for this kind of work. I stop loosening the ceiling spot lights and hold my throbbing finger. My partner likes a ‘bright’ room and has fitted 105 light fittings in this house. I have only loosened 12 of them.
[caption id="attachment_3382" align="aligncenter" width="578"]foot one small step for alternative health...[/caption]

I was giddy with excitement at last nights Third Metric event hosted by the Huff Post and the rather fabulous Arianna Huffington. I'd been invited on the premise that it was something to do with health but I wasn't quite prepared for what I was about to hear.

[caption id="attachment_3392" align="alignleft" width="319"]women-labels who am I again?[/caption] Arianna Huffington has called for a 3rd women's revolution. Women need to reclaim their lives because burn out is no longer an option. Success is no longer just about the money and power, it now includes wellbeing to As an alternative health expert the wellbeing thing I know about, I work with it, I teach it, and I believe I am pretty hot on walking my talk. But here's the problem. A year ago my business partner Laura and I expanded our business. We franchised out our brand and are in the process of opening a wellness centre so time has been a luxury I haven't had for the past 12 months and I have literally run myself ragged.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="630"] smells like.... an apple?[/caption] One of the biggest things I go on about in my clinic is getting clients to eat more fruit and vegetables. And I always recommend organic. Unfortunately our intensively farmed, pesticide treated soils aren't what they used to be. Fruit and veg no longer contains the levels of the oh so important vitamins and minerals that we need to keep our bodies doing their thing and this is contributing to the increase in illness and disease that we are experiencing. I also hear its not always possible to eat a 100% organic lifestyle and so I read with interest the study by Americas Environmental Working Group (EWG) who buy a load of fruit and veg each year and analyse the pesticide content so identify the good, the bad and the ugly.
Here is the case of a woman with IBS and headaches and how I used Kinesiology to support her. How many sessions: 6 over a 6 month period What I did in the clinic: The work has mostly been around reducing stress in her digestion and using Kinesiology techniques for rebalancing the intestinal system. I have also been supporting the endocrine system for the headaches to reduce the stress response in the body. We have also explored areas she “gut reacts” to.
Here is the case of a female endurance runner with high stress and how I used Kinesiology to support her. She runs her own Personal Training business and is married with 3 children. She presented with irregular sleep patterns, exercise induced asthma, poor digestion, low energy levels and hormone imbalances. How many sessions: 5 sessions over a 4 month period
What I did in the clinic: For high stress we supported her endocrine system with regular 'Endocrine Boosting'. I used a technique to correct a hiatal hernia as her stomach was positioned too high and was restricting her lung capacity, this improved the asthma and digestion.  This also helped her irregular sleeping.
Here is a case of a woman with night terrors and how we used Kinesiology to support her. She suffered with regular panic attacks at night which would wake her up and she would spend an hour on the toilet vomiting and having diarrhea. This had been a problem she experienced for many years. How many sessions: 3 sessions over a 3 month period What I did in the clinic: I worked on supporting the endocrine system and nervous system with a Kinesiology technique called an Endocrine Boost.  The jaw was very tight and we worked on releasing the tension in each session. We also worked emotionally with her fear of losing control.
Here is a case of a man with IBS and how we used Kinesiology to support him. How many sessions: 8 over a 2 year period What I did in the clinic: I have always worked on supporting his digestive system and utilizing Kinesiology techniques for the Ileo Caecal Valve. I have also supported his glandular system to minimize the impact of stress in his life. What he did at home: Cut out wheat and milk and changed his diet. He incorporated a protein and fibre shake into his diet also. This worked almost instantly and he felt much better. If he integrates too much wheat in his diet he becomes aware that his digestion needs further support and work.
kinesiology_lauraSo what is Kinesiology? It is a good question. And we, as practitioners, get asked that question a lot especially as it’s relatively unknown in this country. Kinesiology literally translated means ‘the study or science of movement’. There are a few different types of Kinesiology out there just to make things nice and confusing – Systematic Kinesiology, Applied Kinesiology and Three in One Kinesiology to name a few. We specialise in Systematic Kinesiology which was born out of the work of Dr George Goodheart in the 1960's who originally developed Applied Kinesiology.
Here is a case of a woman with high cholesterol / high blood pressure and how we used Kinesiology to support her. How many sessions: 4 over a 5 month period What we did in the clinic: I worked on rebalancing her endocrine and blood chemistry using various Kinesiology techniques. I also used therapeutic grade magnets for blood pressure rebalancing.  After 3 months her cholesterol had dropped considerably and BP had normalized. I also worked on balancing her liver meridian and we explored relevant emotions. What she/did at home: added gentle exercise into her lifestyle by swimming twice a week, she increased fat soluble fibre in her diet.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="525"] summer is coming and I shall be busy![/caption]

I have become obsessed with my menstrual cycle. Not just in that usual way where we log the dates in our diary and maybe check the consistency (which lets be honest is enough). I mean totally, deeply and utterly engrossed in it. Clearly my interest was piqued a year ago when I wrote about difficult periods but this interest has deepened to become a way of really identifying with myself.

[caption id="attachment_2711" align="alignleft" width="312"]A struggling Endocrine can make you Sleepy, Sneezy, Grumpy and Dopey A struggling Endocrine can make you Sleepy, Sneezy, Grumpy and Dopey[/caption] Ever wake up stuck to the pillow? Lethargic, head achy, thinking you’re getting a cold and feeling really grumpy about it? Is this a common feeling? Then you may have an imbalance with your Endocrine System. This is my absolute favourite topic. Yes its up there with bowel movements as my ‘most talked about subject’ because nearly everyone I meet can relate to having a run down Endocrine system.
[caption id="attachment_2626" align="alignleft" width="352"] Merry Christmas with a good log[/caption] As a trainee Kinesiologist you quickly get used to discussing poo. It becomes a standard topic of conversation, frequency, style  colour, texture. These are all hot topics in the life of a practitioner. We aren't quite at the Gillian McKeith stage of actually examining a clients stools but we do like talking about a good loggy poo.

[caption id="attachment_2610" align="alignleft" width="328"] Bowel Bits[/caption] When I first introduce myself and my line of work I usually get strange looks. Firstly because people don’t know what I do - Systematic Kinesiology is virtually unknown in this country, my Dad checked the English dictionary and its not even in there! Secondly I specialise in bowels. That always gets an odd look or a nervous laugh. What do you say to a woman...

[caption id="attachment_2474" align="alignleft" width="318"] When busy ensure you have a good outfit[/caption]

There is a famous adage "if you want something doing, ask a busy person". That's me, busy and always doing stuff. I'm a doer - always have been, always will be, I've always got a stack of projects on the go and a few more waiting on the sideline

Not everyone is this way. I had a friend who had to stop her dance class when she was buying a house because it was too overwhelming.

I'm the opposite. A while ago we knocked down our house and I project managed the rebuild whilst running my clinic. At the same time I was teaching, participating in a a massive self development course, kept my network marketing business moving forward, fitted in 3 holidays and a nutrition diploma and found time for my family and a bit of retail therapy. This is not to say "I'm better than my friend - actually it's taken an awful lot of work for me to realise that my body has an overwhelm level and I have to listen carefully to it to make sure I'm not going to crash. What I want to do with this blog is give some guidelines to help those who don't stop.
[caption id="attachment_2396" align="aligncenter" width="465"] Could painkillers be the cause of the biggest hangover?[/caption] “Now the drugs don't work, they just make you worse” Well the Verve could be right. NICE have revealed today that ‘common painkillers such as aspirin, paracetamol and triptans could actually be the cause of the headaches' rather than relieving them.
[caption id="attachment_2279" align="alignleft" width="300"] "I have no problem with a jaw massage ma'am, I'm tough"[/caption] When I first met my partner he didn’t know how much his life was going to change. He never imagined that I would move in with 4 million shoes and totally take over his spare room, he didn’t plan on fitting a special drinking water filter in the kitchen and he certainly didn’t know how many supplements he would be eating on a daily basis. “A Kinesiologist? Whats that then” he asked politely on our first date. “Well it’s a bit like seeing a Chiropractor, Nutritionist, Acupuncturist and Counsellor all rolled into one” I explained. He seemed impressed, but then I was wearing a rather low cut top.

I'm having a really good day, actually I'm having a really good few weeks.

We all have highs and then of course we all have lows but I'm pretty certain my good mood isn't just a cyclical thing. I have recently rediscovered some soul enriching activities that are really helping me align to my core truth.
[caption id="attachment_2259" align="aligncenter" width="559"] Laura Knowles circa 1992[/caption] I am a teenager of the 90s. I have the photos of bad perms, red lipstick, waistcoats and enormous glasses to prove it. Aged 13 I was a cross between Deidre Barlow and Napoleon Dynamite much to my friends and family’s amusement. I grew up with New Kids on the Block, a Nintendo GameBoy and rubbish Australian Soap Operas. I also grew up with girl’s mags such as Just 17 and More. I remember being quite into More Magazine mainly because of the rude bit at the back. Position of the Fortnight and Sex Tips kept me rather entertained (even though at 15 the only way I spiced up my bedroom was putting up a new poster of Christian Slater.) This was my first introduction to sex and it was the closest thing I had to a ‘how to’ guide. I read it religiously. Fast forward 18 years, a load of failed relationships and a divorce, it’s only now that I’m finally starting to understand the true power of sex.
[caption id="attachment_2244" align="aligncenter" width="614"] Its the end of the world as we know it but with less CGI[/caption] "When the moon is in the 7th house and Jupiter aligns with mars. This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius" The hippies been singing about it since the 60's but so many people are still asking me what 2012 is all about so here we go.. On December 21 2012 The Mayan Calendar comes to an end and astrologically we move into the Age of Aquarius.
[caption id="attachment_2237" align="aligncenter" width="431"] To be a witch you need really good hair and a banana[/caption] Claire, her daughter and I are in Sweden on a bit of a jolly. We’ve come over to a tiny little island called Branno with no cars and a population of 800 residents to visit our friend. Louisa had an emotional shift a few months ago which she was unsure how to deal with and therefore we, her women, booked a flight and came over. We’re a bit like the A-Team.
[caption id="attachment_2209" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Nature is trying to show us something[/caption] I’m struggling. I can’t do it. I have started so many blog posts today and have finished none of them. What is wrong with me? My nearest and dearest could probably provide a good explanation, life has some what turned upside in the last few weeks. But putting my personal life aside, I still need to run a business, see clients and write entertaining blogs. So here we go. I’m going to stop trying to force and just go with the flow. Do you know what I really fancy writing about? How vegetables look like our bits.
[caption id="attachment_2185" align="aligncenter" width="384"] Home is not where the computer is[/caption] I've had bloggers block. In fact both Laura and I have. How wonderful for both of us to have it at the same time. Its not just a small case of "I don't have time to write and don't know what to write about" I mean full on, absolute non inspired totality of nothingness. This is an unusual situation for me as anyone who knows me will tell you I can talk for Britain and have an opionion about everything. But a block I have had. There have been many good ideas just nothing that I've been motivated enough to write about.
[caption id="attachment_2114" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Led Zeppelin serving humanity[/caption] Husband is changing career. For too long now his response to my daily question "how was your day dear?" was "boring". He is an IT manager so his regular hours and nice income have served us well particularly as being self employed my income can be sporadic. He loved his job, we used to say his pc should be the best man at our wedding so great was the bond between them, but after thirteen years his skills need updating and he realised his heart wasn't in it anymore. As my business took off and I got busier following my passion, his boredom became more obvious.
[caption id="attachment_2042" align="aligncenter" width="560"] My reaction to the Twitter Bush Haters yesterday[/caption] I was so angry yesterday. I watched ‘This Morning’ and the fantastic interview with Emer O'Toole discussing a topic very dear to my heart - To shave or not to shave, a women’s decision to grow her own body hair. After the feature I witnessed the most ridiculously negative onslaught at this gorgeous woman via social media. It was like the UK had turned into a bunch of pitchfork-welding villagers. I was waiting for someone to start chanting ‘burn her’ like some crazy Monty Python sketch. Seriously I was livid… over a bit of body fluff.
[caption id="attachment_2024" align="aligncenter" width="460"] The Grange Hill cast knew how to say no[/caption] No. It's a tiny word with huge meaning.  It can be the key to your liberation, it can improve your health, transform your sex life, revitalise relationships and help you regain control in your life. All this from two little letters. And yet we struggle to use it.
[caption id="attachment_1995" align="alignleft" width="265"] Wham knew it. Fun and sunshine, enough for everyone[/caption] I was verbally attacked by a woman at my Bootcamp class. The reason for this tirade of insult and anger is because I don't wear sun cream. She felt that because I lecture about health it was hypocritical of me not to wear sun cream. There are many reasons for this choice. Firstly I am fifth generation Indian and am blessed with skin that goes brown just by looking at the sun - of course I would burn if I was to lie out in it but I learnt my lesson a long time ago after a particularly nasty incident when I was 15 involving baby oil and a really hot day followed by sunstroke and needing to sit on a cold slide in a kids play park just to cope with the searing agony on the backs of my thighs. So these days I listen to my body, I sunbathe in 10 minute slots and alternate between sitting under parasols and having a nice siesta during a hot afternoon. Another reason is that I loathe, loathe, loathe most sun creams. If I use normal ones I end up with horrific prickly heat as my poor skin can't breathe under all that petroleum and paraffin. They use chemicals to stop the sun and as you may have heard me go on about before, chemicals cause us alot of problems. The Daily Mail actually ran an exposé about how sun creams are causing cancers because of the Endocrine disruptor chemicals in them.
[caption id="attachment_1969" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Clearly experiencing a period drama[/caption] Period Drama. No I'm not talking Downton Abbey or Upstairs Downstairs. Im talking about downstairs downstairs. Periods, menses, on the blob, having the decorators in, moon cycle. It has many names and usually causes the same reaction in us - that "here we go again" feeling.
[caption id="attachment_2578" align="aligncenter" width="628"] Colonic therapy anyone?[/caption] Spring has sprung. Oh sun in the sky, blossom on the trees, you know how I feel. Forget the 'after Christmas bloats' in January - Spring is the perfect time to cleanse ourselves and have a good detox.
[caption id="attachment_1932" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Beauty in the good old days[/caption] In 1986 Morrissey wisely professed "some girls are bigger than others, some girls mothers are bigger than other girls mothers". Sounds obvious but we seem to have forgotten this fact. You may have noticed I'm interested by society stereotyping of how women (and men) "should" be. This is mostly because I (like millions of others) will never fit the parameters of what is considered "gorgeous" by the media. At my healthiest  I am a size 14, but for the majority of my life I was a 16/18 or sometimes even a 20.
[caption id="attachment_1847" align="aligncenter" width="496"] Vitamin D just feels sooooo good[/caption] I am solar powered. I know I am. The sun came out the other day and I ditched my mountain of work, sprawled out on a blanket in just my pants and enjoyed it. Heaven. Spring is coming and I am so ready for it. The sun makes me feel energised, light and happy and it’s magic Vitamin D that I have to thank.
[caption id="attachment_1732" align="aligncenter" width="468"] I don't want to sleep, I want to dance and sing on top of a mountain![/caption] I can’t sleep. Claire, my business partner, can’t sleep. I’m waiting for the time when we call each other at 3 in the morning for a chat. You see our beloved business has taken on a new direction and new energy and we’re just way too excited to sleep. Whirling minds, a rather large to-do list and a brand new clinic are keeping us awake in the small hours and creating lovely bags under our eyes. Always a good look for a pair of health professionals.
[caption id="attachment_1713" align="alignleft" width="500"] Opening the door to communication will open the door to the bedroom[/caption] There is a phenomenon sweeping through society, its affecting thousands of people (that's a conservative estimate) but it's unlikely you will hear about it because in general we are still stuck in the dark age of "keeping up appearances". This phenomenon is that people aren't having sex. I'm not talking about people in 25 year marriages or single people I'm talking about 30+ year olds in committed relationships or newly weds not being sexually active with their partner for months or even years. There are many possible reasons for this. The extreme view from one of my friend's is that its a natural wave of evolution, a way of limiting over population. Not sure if Darwin would agree but according to spiritual sexuality author David Deida men and women have three stages of evolution.
[caption id="attachment_1704" align="alignleft" width="350"] do I need drugs?[/caption] I read something crazy this weekend. Doctors have made an incredible discovery – apparently Special K cures depression! No not the Kelloggs cereal. Special K is a nickname for Ketamine, the general anesthetic and recreational hallucinogenic common on the drug scene. The researchers at the Ben Taub General Hospital in Houston Texas have discovered that Ketamine produces rapid relief for severely depressed patients. Well yes I bet it does. Ketamine is an anesthetic – its designed to numb the body and mind. Ketamine users describe the experience ‘as if the mind and body have been separated’ – does this sound like a cure for depression? Detaching from reality? What happens when the drug wears off? Back to square one. I understand that for someone on suicide-watch Ketamine could be a potential life saver. But what really worries me is if Ketamine becomes a regular ‘treatment’ for depression. And this could happen. Researchers said that if the initial clinical trial is successful, they will begin to test long-term effects, and if all studies yield successful results, it will be approved for use. If researchers would like to know the long term effects of Ketamine use, all they need to do is to look at the users on the recreational drug scene. Since Special K became popular there has been a sharp increase in young adults suffering from ‘Ketamine Bladder Syndrome’. Ketamine causes the bladder to shrink and it permanently damages the kidneys and ureter. I have read stories of 20 year olds having their entire bladders removed from Ketamine abuse. So this Ketamine cure for depression involves bladder rot. Nice.
[caption id="attachment_1697" align="alignleft" width="264"] Oh I simply LOVE the farmers market![/caption] I have a favourite morning. It's every first and third Friday of the month. I do the school run and then spend a blissful hour walking around my local farmers market. I love it, whatever the weather I'm there because I believe it's truly the best way to buy food. Farmers market food is fresh, its local and it tastes delicious. I now know the stall holders and have a chat with them whilst buying the Bream they caught yesterday or the tomatoes picked today and discussing all the things you can do with artichokes (ooh err). Yes you pay a little bit more but it's sustainable for the people putting in the extreme hard work. The food available means we are eating seasonally which is so much better for health. Asparagus doesn't grow here in February so it's not a good idea to eat it. We have lots of beetroot and squashes around, combined with dark leafy greens which means the large amount of folates, iron and beta carotene that's naturally occurring is what we need through the cold winter.
[caption id="attachment_1544" align="alignleft" width="409"] i'm not a fan of wearing deodorant... or clothes for that matter[/caption] Aren’t breasts wonderful? I mean really. Boobies. Babylons. Bazongas. Breasticles. Baps. They, and all the ridiculously creative words used to describe them, simply are the best. Curvy, round, splendid parts of our bodies that symbolise womanhood, motherhood and sexuality. I salute you. I felt the time was right to discuss our wondrous mammary hillocks (I discovered that phrase in an erotic fiction once and never forgot it) thanks to an interesting piece of research I saw today. Also a blog post that has the words boobies in it apparently gets more readers, I wonder if that’s true… Anyway the researchers at the University of Reading have been studying breasts and in particular breast cancer and have found traces of parabens in the tissue of tumours. Parabens are chemical preservatives used by the cosmetic and toiletry industry in all of our favourite products from face creams, make-up, perfumes to shampoos and deodorants.

[caption id="attachment_1552" align="aligncenter" width="500"] seeing differently[/caption]

It's January and I really want to start the New Year feeling good so for 60 days husband and I are doing a totally holistic cleanse. I like to do the odd fast and cleanse from juice fasts at the spring equinox to eating mung beans for 40 days on the yoga teacher training so this is nothing new for me but my motives are.					
				
[caption id="attachment_1531" align="alignleft" width="170"] I'm not going out in that hoolie[/caption] I feel like a big lump of lard. This should not be happening. I am a fabulous Kinesiologist, Nutritionist and Yoga Teacher. Surely fit and healthy, spiritually evolved people (ahem) don’t feel like giant lumps? Well apparently they do when they completely let go over the Christmas holidays, ignore all their nutrition knowledge and eat double their body weight in cheese, biscuits and Cadburys Roses. Sigh. And here it is. January. The month sent to punish us for our chocolate sins. When the weather is blowing a hoolie, New Years resolutions are making us miserable, the detox has begun and we’re back at work. What a bummer. Okay so how can we cheer ourselves up? Here are my six top tips for surviving January...
My daughter turns 8 in January. Like millions of other parents I am dutifully arranging her party and making sure she feels special on her birthday whilst trying not to spend the GDP of a small country in the process. This year is different however, this year I'm excited about the day and I'm also sad because I cannot believe how quickly my beautiful little girl is growing up. This sounds really normal and you are probably wondering why I'd bother blogging about it except for me it's not. It's a brand new feeling. The last seven years have passed in a blur of "going through the motions" and plastering a big fake smile on my face as I carry in her cake. This time eight years ago I was thirty eight weeks pregnant and had that slightly desperate and fed up look of a woman about to give birth. I'd sailed through pregnancy which is an appropriate phrase as I was the size of an ocean liner but I was excited and ready for the big event. When my labour finally started I was two weeks overdue and I thought I was ready but nothing could prepare me for what lay ahead.
[caption id="attachment_1504" align="alignleft" width="346"] And I'm ready to leave the house[/caption] I've always been a bit scabby if I'm honest. Puberty kicked in at 13 and so did a face full of spots and a delightfully embarrassing flaky scalp. Head and Shoulders didn't shift it, Medicated Tar Shampoo that stank to high heaven didn't shift it, throwing a huge tantrum before school definitely didn't shift it and much to my dismay moving out of my terrible teens and into my 20s didn't shift it either. I've spent years brushing off my shoulders, avoiding black tops and spending a fortune on a rather glamorous hat collection. (it wasn't all bad.) So it is with ridiculous joy that I hear my faithful hairdresser say to me today 'your scalp is as clear as whistle'. I love my hairdresser. He has been with me 7 good years. Its one of the longest and most committed relationships I've ever been in. I would never cheat on him. I even trek up to London to see him and that's a biggy cause the London transport system and I do NOT get on. I trust Craig with my hair. This is equivalent to saying I trust him with my life. A womans hair is her crown and I now wear mine with pride. Yes Craigs dedication and care is partly responsible but so are the changes I've made in my life.
Laura and I were in a shoe shop (we are natural women with killer shoe collections) and a teenage girl entered the shop with her boyfriend. We smelt her before we saw her. She smelt of fake strawberries and other sweet childish stuff. She was actually orange and had obvious hair extensions, fake nails and more make-up than Madame Jojo's and it got us thinking. Is this what sexy is now? I asked husband for his opinion. Always an interesting place to start. He blames low grade mainstream porn mags like Nuts and Zoo magazine for telling guys that's what's sexy. But these guys are missing a trick too. It takes courage to stand out and say "that's not what I want" when society deems it to beautiful and without that on your arm you are apparently a loser. We are being told what's sexy but actually sex appeal is a transient often intangible force combined of many different qualities. I've done my research and it seems to be a combination of talent, personality, presence, style, poise, intelligence, humour and lifestyle choices not just body shape or facial attributes. Certainly no one mentioned fake tan and nails.
[caption id="attachment_1486" align="aligncenter" width="500"] my usual stress response[/caption] I’m sat in bed stewing over my stressed pregnant friend. A brave, clever, dynamic woman who is risking it all to set up a business and invest everything she has financially and emotionally to make it happen. We speak almost daily, we talk about pretty much everything - business, food, sex, Christmas trees, the important stuff. And each day I hear her cramming work in to the few precious hours she has before the babysitter goes home and mothering duties take over. And I hear her ridiculously high stress levels, I hear her worry, the constant planning and analysing, I hear the exhaustion and I feel powerless to do anything about it.
[caption id="attachment_1473" align="alignleft" width="378"]Claire slaying her MS beast in really good knickers Claire fighting her MS beast in really good knickers[/caption] The highlight of my week: "I can put my knickers on easily" says my client whilst standing up and doing me a demo. It was funny, but it actually made me cry with joy. This client is called Claire and is a pretty, bubbly, lovely young woman who was recently diagnosed with MS, not the one that comes and goes but the one that doesn't stop until it's taken everything you hold dear in your life and ravaged your body. I trained in physical disability so know only too well the effects this condition can cause. When Claire contacted me, it wasn't for an "out there" cure for MS, she wanted some food sensitivity testing as she had put herself on a radical diet that can possibly halt the progression of the disease. I explained that the work I do could also support her body nutritionally and emotionally and give her body the tools it needs to fight back and give the disease no reason to progress. This of course comes with no guarantee but it's better than waiting for the inevitable. Claire had a leg that was dragging a bit and stopped her running. It would have probably gone undiagnosed had a brilliant Physio not spotted it. By the time I met her she couldn't run, had some instability in the leg, tingly arms and a diagnosis. But she decided that wasn't going to define her. She is throwing herself into the jaws of the beast, determined to keep her life. Claire radically altered her life, she researched and requested an almost unknown drug, she works on positive thought programming, she is eating food which supports her body not depleting it, she is taking a lot of nutrition to give her poor nervous system the tools it needs to repair itself and more importantly we are working together as a team.
[caption id="attachment_1444" align="alignleft" width="517"]pink-flower-bush nice bush you have there[/caption] My friend recently returned from travelling the world. He pops over for a chat and mentions he is seeing a new woman who apparently I'll love because she does "fillers and laser hair removal". I laughed and told him he had been away a long long time and things had changed in the world. For a while modern grooming hadn't been making sense to me. Waxing was really painful, shaving left me prickly and with spotty ingrown hairs and Immac  (sorry Veet if you are under 30) stopped being on my shopping list when John Major was PM so it became obvious that I needed to find another way. And then I found her. An absolute goddess I met on a retreat. Sexy, funny, wise, talented. And hairy. Oh the fullness of her lady garden and armpit hair were quite inspiring and her courage and confidence was staggering. I wanted to be her and as a bonus think of all the money I'd save on grooming.
[caption id="attachment_1439" align="aligncenter" width="491"]baby snug as a bug in a funny coloured rug[/caption]

I am an aunty.

On 14th October 2011 my baby sister had a baby. He's a gorgeous little man and I'm totally smitten.

 

When my sister told me she was pregnant in February I offered my skills as a nutritionist to help her stay healthy. I am ridiculously passionate about supporting the body during pregnancy. It's got a huge job to do. The woman’s body is actually producing another person! This miracle never fails to amaze me. The body is incredibly clever and will prioritise during pregnancy. It will put the baby first before the mother so often deficient mothers will suffer with health problems during and after pregnancy whilst the child remains healthy.

just think, you too could be this happy eating broccoli!

I was invited round for dinner by some gorgeous friends of mine this week. They have a regular dinner club and I’m feeling rather privileged to make the cut and join them. As always I get the question ‘what do you eat?’ Hmm, good question. Over the last 20 years I have had some weird and wonderful eating habits. In my teens I was a so called vegetarian eating nothing but cheese. When I discovered the wonderful world of nutrition I became incredibly strict cutting out pretty much everything except brown rice and vegetables, then I became a raw foodist, a vegetable juicer, a blood group dieter, a pescatarian, I’ve cut out wheat, dairy, sugar, processed food, you name it I’ve tried it.

 
How I picture me in my bedroom
How I picture myself in my bedroom
I woke up this morning surrounded by mess. Clothes on the floor, overflowing boxes stacked by the wall, half packed suitcases everywhere. Who would have thought I owned so much stuff. I'm moving house next week, giving up my little rented flat in Haslemere to move back to Portsmouth to be closer to the clinic. I lay in bed ignoring the mess. If I ignore it maybe it’ll go away.
[caption id="attachment_1361" align="aligncenter" width="400"] hmm, this log needs some flaxseed oil[/caption] I love a good log. I love chocolate logs, I love tree logs, I love Startrek captains logs. But most of all I love a good bowel log. Its the holy grail of health. The first question I ask my clients in clinic, how are your bowel movements. I usually get the answer 'normal'. Always worrying. Normal in this country is once a week. Ouch. What I'm looking for from a healthy bowel is every time food goes in, food comes out. So if you're eating 3 meals a day you should be logging 3 times a day. And when I say logging I mean a good brown solid log. Not rabbit droppings (sounds like a grumbly liver) or cracked and broken (dehydration or maybe lack of oils) I'm smiling to myself whilst writing this. It amazes me how happy I am writing about poo.
[caption id="attachment_1347" align="alignleft" width="360"]Muffet, spider and protein shake oh my, you're bigger than my head![/caption] Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet ingesting her non-whey protein shake. Along came a spider and bit her on the boob. I am Miss Muffet and this is my story... So apparently we have biting spiders in the UK. They are stowing away on bananas and grapes from far off isles and then falling in love with our English spiders and making mean biting love child baby spiders with poor dental hygiene. In August I unfortunately got bitten by said spider and ended up with a septic walnut sized abscess and flu like symptoms. I dealt with it the same way any sane hardcore "natural medicine" guru would and went running to the doctors for some nuclear strength antibiotics to stop my boob going gangrenous. Two types of strong antibiotics and a few weeks later my abscess had gone and I was filled with joy but quickly noticed I wasn't feeling much better. I haven't had antibiotics for 4 years so I had taken necessary precautions I'd taken zinc, vitamin C, bifidophilus and antioxidants combined with green juicing but the Hiroshima-style effect of the drugs was far reaching. My stomach and small intestine have been in knots ever since and I've had headaches, low energy, poor immunity and felt rundown.
[caption id="attachment_1336" align="aligncenter" width="450"]sneezing tis the sneezon to be snotty[/caption] I'm car-less at the moment. This is a personal disaster on many levels. I get stranded at houses and need frequent rescuing. I'm relying on the kindness of friends and family to give me lifts making me feel like an inconvenient teenager. But worst of all, I'm back on public transport. I say 'back' because for 5 years I was a London dweller and train timetables, tube maps and standing in peoples armpits were part of my daily routine. I didn't mind, I was in my 20s, I had other things to worry about such as how i was going to afford yet another new dress from Oliver Bonas. But I haven't been on public transport in 18 months and I'm all out of practice.
[caption id="attachment_1332" align="alignleft" width="440"]carrot chewing this is how I picture my child[/caption] I know what kind of parent I'm going to be. I have it all planned out. I will be one of those idyllic mothers who sings in the kitchen, wears aprons even when she's not baking, is never too busy to play with lego and reads stories like they do on cbeebies. And most of all i will feed my children healthy, nutritious food, full of multi coloured vegetables, homemade soups and steamed fish. Sigh. I have not let the fact that I am an incredibly busy self-employed woman who can't sing for toffee and doesn't even own an apron get in the way of this wondrous image I have created. Until today. Today I have spent the afternoon watching the tortured face of my friend try to feed lunch to her very gorgeous, very wilful 18month old girl. She starts with meat balls. These are picked up, smeared across the table and then dumped on the floor. One made it into the mouth and stayed there for about 20 mins. Then there are the peas which are flatly ignored. Then yogurt. The spoon is pushed away again and again until the little mouth gives in and some strawberry goo makes it in and sits with the half chewed meat ball. My friend looks at me and pleads 'how do I get her to eat well?!'
So as a kinesiologist I spend a preposterous amount of my time around nutritional supplements, literally I'm surrounded by bottles and jars of different coloured and sized pills. I haven't always been fascinated by them. Up until I was 30 the most I'd ever taken was one of those delicious fizzy orange things that are supposed to be good for a hangover, but now they are a big part of my life So the big question I get asked a lot is why do we need them? Well here's the thing, since we started intensively farming in the 80's many trace minerals have been depleted from the soil meaning that basically our food isn't as packed full of the good stuff anymore. This has created what we kinesiologist's call "nutritional gaps So come on be honest,  hands up who eats:
  • 5 a day?
  • 10 a day?
  • Organic 10 a day?
  • Eats fast food or pre prepared food?
  • Has central heating or carpets in their house
Organic food. The posh looking food in the supermarket with a higher price tag. And as the recession has hit more and more people have opted out of buying organic. Actually organic is so much more than a posh label. Organic food is produced without artificial chemicals or genetic modification, and with respect for animal welfare and the environment. And importantly, studies show pesticides are damaging to our health.

A friend of mine sent me an email this morning "have you seen Kerry Katona in Heat magazine, she has put on so much weight!" I, like the rest of Britain, have been following the chaotic soap opera that is the ex-Atomic Kittens life and I logged on to take a look. Six months ago Kerry had a whopping £15,000 worth of surgery to loose 6 stone only to put...

As someone who makes her living as a "healer" I've always been  a bit negative about the word "cure". When I mentioned this to my friend she replied "why don't you like the concept of curing? Surely if you are healed you are cured, the objectives are the same." Well this got me to thinking so I thought id do some digging. Given that I am a self confessed geek I...

Hi my name is Claire and I'm a sugarholic. I've been (almost) clean for about three years but  every day is a new battle. I've eliminated a lot of different foods in my life but sugar was (and continues to be) the hardest. Surely something that tastes this good can't be that bad for you? Even the word feels good when you roll it around in your mouth! So why is it so hard? Firstly there is the unavoidable fact that beating a sugar addiction is not too disimilar an experience to coming off of hard drugs but there is also the problem that it goes by so many different names: glucose, fructose,sucrose, maltodextrin, lactose, the list is endless! But above and beyond all of that is the emotional connection we have to it. Sugar is used to celebrate all the good things that happen in our lives we have birthday cakes, big tins of choccies at Christmas, Easter eggs, ice creams on a sunny day, wedding cakes and christening cakes not to mention when we were little and fell over we were given the odd bit of chocolate or sweeties to make it all better.

News about wheat being bad for you is everywhere. These days all the big supermarkets stock wheat free this and gluten that but the truth is that most of us mere mortals aren't sure why it's so bad or what to eat instead. So here is a few facts. I often hear "people didn't have these problems years ago" that's true, here's why. Prior to the 1970's wheat was grown in relatively...