[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.

We love this incredibly tasty and healthy RAW dessert by the wonderful Rebecca Kane at Shine on Raw Ingredients Base 1 ½ cups of ground almonds 3 Tbsp melted coconut oil ¼ cup agave syrup 1 Tbsp vanilla extract ½ teaspoon salt Topping 1 ½ cup cashew nuts – soaked for 4 hours ½ cup water ½ cup agave syrup 1 cup of fresh strawberries ½ cup of melted coconut oil 2 Tbsp vanilla extract Pinch of salt Equipment Food Processor Blender Directions Base Mix ingredients in a food processor Press into...

[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.

These raw chocolate brownies are just as sticky, chewy and delicious as the real thing, except these are guilt free (well almost). Best of all they only take around 10 minutes to make – what are you waiting for? Ingredients 1 ½ cups of walnuts 8 pitted medjool dates 1/3 cup of cacao or carob powder ½ tsp of vanilla extract Pinch of salt 2 tsp of water Equipment Food processor Directions Place the walnuts in the food processor and process...

This tastes like pesto pasta, honest! Ingredients For the Pasta 2 courgettes For the Pesto ¼  cup pumpkin seeds ¼ cup of pine nuts ½  cup olive oil 2 Tbsp lemon 2 cups lightly packed basil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tsp salt Equipment Spiraliser or vegetable peeler Food processor Directions For the Pasta Spiralise the courgettes or use the vegetable peeler to peel strips of courgette so you end up with a ‘tagliatelle’ style pasta For the Pesto Blend the ingredients in a food processor Pour the pesto...

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.

Ingredients 2 large tomatoes (carb) 1 desert spoon sun dried tomatoes (fat) Handful basil, coriander or parsley (whichever is your favourite) Pinch of Himalayan pink salt 2 soaked dates (carb) Pinch of cumin Handful of cashews (fat) A mugful of water Blend all the above in a powerful food blender - add more water if it needs to be thinner or more cashews if you prefer it creamier. Blend until its really...

This is such a tasty warming drink. Get a big mug to put in for maximum cuddling. Ingredients Almond Milk Vanilla Pod Raw Agave Nectar or Honey Cinnamon or Nutmeg Warm some almond milk and a vanilla pod in a pan with a Add in either raw agave nectar or raw honey once temp has been reached (to your taste). Remove the vanilla pod Sprinkle over a small amount of cinnamon and nutmeg. Delicious!...

Crunch away at these delicious posh crisp alternatives guilt free! Ingredients 1 bag of kale well washed (carb) 1.5 cups cashews (fat) Juice of half lemon (carb) Large pinch Himalayan salt Desert spoon of nutritional yeast In a food processor mix the yeast, salt, lemon juice and cashews until it makes a paste - add a little water if necessary. Coat your kale in the mixture. Pop your kale on a baking sheet and pop...

[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.

Here is a marvellous recipe for some very tasty wheat-free, dairy-free pancakes. Ingredients: - 250g spelt flour (a mixture of white and brown is nice) with a nice pinch of sea salt (carb) - 2 organic eggs, lightly beaten (protein) - 600ml approx organic almond milk (fat) Lightly whisk the spelt flour in a bowl to get rid of lumps, then add the eggs into the middle of the flour and whisk in. Add the milk slowly....

[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.

Could this be the best chocolate cake ever? We think so. Dark, moist and delicious with no wheat or dairy. Ingredients 2 Aubergines 300g Dark Organic Chocolate 50g Cocoa Powder 60g Ground Almonds 200g Clear Honey 2tsp Baking Powder 1/4 tsp Salt 3 Eggs Method Boil aubergines for 5 minutes, skin them and puree Add chocolate, stir until melted In a large bowl whisk together all the other ingredients until slightly bubbly Fold in the melted chocolate and aubergine in the large bowl with...

[caption id="attachment_2314" align="aligncenter" width="614"] Freedom from panic[/caption]

Written by Louise

How many times have you heard of women going to the doctors with one of the following symptoms: IBS, headaches, depression, lethargy, pre-menstrual tension, post-menstrual tension, all month menstrual tension! Skin conditions, panic attacks and stress to name but a few?  These are common ailments that the modern day woman is cursed with.

Have you ever been to the doctors and been told that you need to keep a record of what you eat to see if there are any "triggers" for the above symptoms or maybe you were sent away with a list of medication or even those wonderful antidepressants that are going to level out your hormones and make everything just perfect? (excuse my cynicism)!
[caption id="attachment_2325" align="aligncenter" width="425"] Protected Sex as taught by 'The Naked Gun'[/caption] Written by Louisa at Freedom451 author of The Husband Swap Shockingly for once in a blog, I'm not talking about my own preferences. Whether I do or don't like condoms is neither here nor there since I have an IUD (two babies is enough, thank you very much). Nor - equally shockingly - am I talking about a man. We've all heard the excuses - 'It doesn't fit'. 'It's less sensitive'. 'It ruins the moment'. and if he's really - ahem – cocky, ''They haven't made one big enough to fit me yet.' No, I'm talking about a very good friend in her 30s, who is highly educated about the dos and don'ts of sex...but who isn't using a condom. I’m talking about her and about us. Women.
[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.

[fusion_text] Here at Balanced Wellness we recommend Fresh clean filtered water Herbal teas, no caffeine including black tea or coffee Salads in the summers, warm cooked crunchy vegetables in the winter Seasonal vegetables and fruits where possible Organic where possible Brown rice – short grain is excellent for soothing the digestion Wheat free pasta Nuts and seeds Use houmous and spreads such as almond butter on oat cakes try coconut oil as a spread instead of butter and please never margarines or...

This incredible shake is perfect to women suffering with low oestrogen thanks to the mix of protein, soya and omega oils. If you are suffering with period problems, fertility issues or menopause difficulty that is specifically linked with low oestrogen, give this a go for 3 months, you will be amazed at the results. Start on the first day after your period finishes (or chose a day if your periods have...

[fusion_text] Diabetes and obesity is on the increase thanks to the excess sugar in our diets. Sugar can be found in Processed foods Cakes Biscuits Puddings Sweets Chocolate Icecream Desserts Fizzy drinks Alcohol Effects on the body include Raises insulin levels – can cause diabetes, hyperglycaemia Increases body fat and cholesterol Decreased overall energy Creates bad bacteria in the gut – yeast, candida, thrush, digestive problems Interferes with hormones Weakens eyesight Interferes with the absorption of protein Causes food allergies Skin conditions such as eczema / psoriasis Lowers immune Contributes to osteoporosis Sugar alternatives Avoid sugar replacements such...

[fusion_text] Many people are becoming intolerant to cows dairy. Cows dairy can be found in Milk (skimmed, semi skimmed, full fat) Cheese (cheddar, blue, etc) Butter Cream (single, double etc) Cottage cheese Yogurt Effects on the body can include Mucus forming Immune compromising Milk is designed to feed a calf until it is weaned. Then the mother pushes it away to eat grass. Humans are not designed to consume dairy. Humans loose the digestive enzyme lactase which digests milk when we are...

[fusion_text] Many people are becoming intolerant to wheat due to recent modification of the grain that has increased the gluten content. Wheat can be found in Bread (brown, white and wholemeal) Cereals Pasta Couscous Cakes Effects on the body include absorption block of vital vitamins and minerals bloating and digestive problems energy drain If you are looking for wheat alternatives here are our recommendations amaranth pearl barley buckwheat maize (corn) millet oats quinoa rice rye soya spelt (this is a wheat grain but the original unprocessed version) Make sure you do not replace your...

Rich in beta carotene, this soup is a wonderful deep purple colour and has a sweet taste to it. Experiment with the recipe by adding different types of root vegetables and different herbs and spices. Its very versatile! 1 red onion, peeled and diced (carb) garlic clove, peeled and sliced (carb) 1 large sweet potato (carb) 2 raw beetroot (carb) 3-4 organic carrots (carb) a pinch dried chilli flakes (optional) 1 tsp of cumin seeds 300ml...

This is so easy to make, delicious and relatively healthy. Serve with organic short grain brown rice and some organic green veggies. olive oil 2 garlic cloves , sliced a small fennel bulb , halved and chopped a pinch dried chilli flakes 1 tsp paprika 150ml white wine 1 x 400g tin plum tomatoes 300ml chicken stock 400g firm white sustainable fish, skinless, cut into chunks 250g cooked peeled prawns a bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large,...

This is SO delicious and simple to make! one pack of soft silken tofu 6 tbspns of xylitol 1/2 cup of carob powder 1/2 cup of cocoa powder (use raw cacao if you have it for extra goodness) 1/2 cup soya milk Blend all the ingredients together, put in a bowl and chill.. thats IT easy!! As a variation add in a desert spoon of peppermint essence or layer crushed rasperries on top..mmmm!!!...

We LOVE this, its like a gorgeous comforting veg stew mmmm For the soup: – please note this is the basic recipe you can add in ANY extra green veg that you fancy. Be creative and seasonal! 1 courgette cut in half lengthways and sliced into semi circles (carb) 1 leek cut in half lengthways and sliced into semi circles (carb) 1 brocolli de stemmed and cut into florets (carb) 1 pack of green...

Really easy! 2 apples 1 carrot Handful strawberries 1 orange Add this to a blender with a handful of strawberries and blend to your preference of smoothness and enjoy!...

Free from naughtiness, really easy and totally delicious! A packet of cashews (or almonds if you are blood group O) A punnet of strawberries (can be swapped or added with any berry fruit) 1 banana Chuck everything in a blender, if you would like it sweeter add agave nectar – its like angel delight!...

Makes 3 pizza’s 640gs Spelt flour 435mls water (warm) 6s Salt 6s Dried yeast Pinch of Sugar 60gs Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 pinches Oregano Method Dissolve dried yeast in a little of the warm water, add all the sugar and a small amount of the spelt flour until it resembles a wet batter. Cover and leave for 5-10 mins for the yeast to activate. Knead the mixture thoroughly til it is dough like leave for 30 minutes to rise Roll into...

These are DELICIOUS, you will not know they are free from 140g/5oz cold butter or Pure vegan spread, diced 225g/8oz plain spelt flour 50g/2oz ground almonds 50g/2oz golden caster sugar 1 orange, zest only pinch of salt 1 egg yolk 1-2 tsp cold water 280g/10oz good quality mincemeat (suet free if you are veggie) 1 egg, beaten icing sugar for dusting Preparation method Preheat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Rub the butter into the flour and add the almonds, caster sugar, orange rind and salt...

This is the recipe for our famous “wheat, dairy and syrup but NOT taste free vegan gingerbread”. They are delicious and make GREAT gifts! Preparation time : 20 minutes Cooking time : 10 minutes Total time : 30 minutes Makes: 25 gingerbread people Ingredients 125g butter (or soya spread if you are vegan) 100g dark muscovado sugar 3 tbsp maple syrup 325g spelt flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 2 tsp ground ginger 1 inch grated...

1 cup of quinoa 1 sweet potato 5-10 asparagus spears Handful of kale handful of chopped dried apricots or dried fruit ½ cup diced feta cheese (optional) Handful of toasted pine nuts Olive oil Freshly squeezed lemon Salt and pepper to taste Cook the quinoa in double the amount of water until the water is absorbed and the grains have swelled and the little thread appears. Peel the potato, cut into cubes and boil for 5-10 minutes until soft. Whilst...

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...