Category: thestresshacker

Posted on by — Leave a comment

A Final Farewell To Summer

Monday 22nd September saw the Autumn Equinox arrive and bid a final farewell to summer. Some of you might be feeling a little sad at this prospect and with good reason but more of that later.

I might be stating the obvious when I say that now is a good time to wear warmer clothes, layers, scarves and hats but many years ago I couldn’t stand the autumn or winter and I  found walking my lovely dog a chore.

I couldn’t quite let go of the notion that summer had gone and there I was stupidly still mincing around in summer clothes and sandals.

 

 

 

Nature is Peace


A dog is guaranteed to get you out in nature.

Once I sorted out my clothing and made a point of having a hearty breakfast before I took her out, I began to love being out in nature in all weathers and it’s where I find peace.

Finding ways to adjust and to be in sync with the changing seasons is more important for our mental health and wellbeing than we may realise.

According to TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) adapting our diet and keeping areas like the neck and kidneys warm, is essential to build a strong immune system – and to be able to head into the colder winter months feeling strong, healthy and mentally robust.

In autumn and winter many of us will find that the energy necessary to eat raw foods, salads etc outweighs the benefits. Instead a simple shift to eating  warm foods like porridge, soups, broths, stews and drinking more warm drinks  will help ward off colds and flu’s and go toward a stronger constitution.

Eating white foods in autumn such as pears, (cooked for some of us) radishes, porridge, butter beans (they’re great spiced up) onions  etc help fortify the lung and large intestine energies.

The lungs are affected by grief and sorrow and this time of year we can witness many endings, the end of summer, the end of leaves on the trees, and temporary end of growth in nature around us. In addition, the impending shorter, darker days can feel make us feel sad and gloomy, consequently  we may feel more tearful and weepy around this time. Here’s a bit of research on lungs and grief.

Given that acceptance is a big part of the healing process.

Accepting that we feel weepy and allowing ourselves quiet time to do just that and have a good cry can help purge the feeling and then we can get on with helping ourselves to feel better ,with it out of the way. Suppressing emotions, usually means they will bubble up somewhere else when we least expect it.

Autumn does have her gifts though. When we strengthen our lungs such as in a good yoga or qigong practice that involves opening and contracting the chest, we facilitate the process of ‘letting go’ which is a form of purging stagnant energy.

Repetition Builds Muscles

Much like decluttering your home, it feels good to make space in the lungs for new energy. A fresh supply of Qi can literally change your state both mentally and emotionally.

Another helpful way to declutter emotionally is to journal and write therapy letters. This time of year is brilliant to release old hurts and resentments.  Write a letter to whoever you are harbouring a resentment, or grudge toward and let rip, then see if you’ve any room for forgiveness. For more tips and a really funny skit about clutter check this out on thestresshacker.com

Remember of course that forgiveness does not condone someone’s behaviour or actions.

It takes courage to forgive people who have hurt you and taking some of the above steps to strengthen your lungs will give you courage to confront  issues and find ways to move forward.

Finally the autumn is a good time to end projects, tie up those loose ends, clear the clutter and generally begin to decelerate in life, it’s okay to take longer baths, get into bed with a good book earlier and give yourself a lot of loving and self-care.

As usual you will also find a huge supply of self-help audio programmes in the shop here and a few yoga classes here.

So wrap up, eat well, exercise, get out in nature and nurture yourself.

 

 

Posted on by — Leave a comment

MIND MANAGEMENT: MOVEMENT OR MEDITATION?

A few years ago I was teaching yoga in a local gym, when a student approached me seeking guidance on managing her anxiety. She asked which specific yoga poses could help her. Curiously, I inquired about her daily practice, only to learn that she felt too anxious to practice at all.

The purpose of any discipline, be it prayer, meditation, Yoga, or Qigong, is to connect with your inner self. This connection taps into an unwavering, peaceful presence that resides within you. By establishing a regular practice, ideally daily, it becomes easier to access this infinite source of calm.

The long-term benefits are profound. When you cultivate a sense of stillness and peace, it feels like returning home to a place you instinctively know you belong. You can carry this sense of calm with you as you navigate life’s journey.

Of course, as humans, we will still experience feelings of sadness, anger, and depression. Acknowledging these emotions is essential; they are part of the human experience. However, your practice allows you to move through these feelings more quickly. Embrace them after all, they are real and valid. With your discipline in place, you’re more likely to remain more positive as you move through the challenges of your day.

Can you take seven to ten minutes every day?

When you care enough about yourself to commit to a short time every day for your practice – whether that’s running, martial arts, or chanting – it becomes easier to remain centred, react less to external triggers, feel generally stronger and feel more in control of your life.

What you experience in your practice is eventually translated into every area of your life. For example, in the ancient art of Qigong, we learn to move slowly with relaxed breathing and in time we approach all our daily activities in the same way, thus gaining some self-mastery.

Over time we develop resilience as we realise that emotions are fluid; nothing stays the same forever, including how you feel in any given moment. Whilst we can’t escape illness, loss and life changing events we’re able to handle them in a more robust way.

Your Practice as an Anchor

Consider your practice as an anchor during life’s storms. Whilst many external circumstances are often beyond our control, building a daily routine fosters a sense of balance and inner strength that will serve you well throughout life.

Just before lockdown I started my  teacher training in Qigong which I’ve added to my regular yoga practice. I cannot sing it’s praises more highly; it is a remarkable practice and there is a huge body of scientific evidence to prove its efficacy.

It’s an easy practice to learn… you just have to keep practising.
YOGA AND QIGONG

If you would like to experience some of the wonderful benefits of Qigong. I am holding a mini-Yoga and Qigong Summer Retreat in a beautiful setting in Bromley, Kent. Contact me at sue@thestresshacker.com for more information.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

7 Surprising Ways to Protect Yourself

As we move into the colourful season of Autumn,  this is the right time to strengthen your defences and protect yourself by reinforcing your shield.

According to Qigong and Traditional Chinese Medicine, there is a protective force known as the Wei Qi (could be called the immune system too.) The yang energy flows on the outer layers of muscle and skin and controls the opening and closing of the pores that regulate temperature and sweating, this is the shield that helps you to protect yourself.

Protect yourself and strengthen your field to shield you from external pathogens and internal pathogens.

Protect and Shield Yourself

Obvious external pathogens are colds, flu’s and viruses but it may surprise you to know that internal pathogens are things like negative emotions and unhealthy thought patterns, we’re talking  FAGS!  fear, anger, guilt and shame. Banish those yucky emotions.

Since Autumn is a time of letting go and Mother Earth, is shedding layers and dying off, it’s actually quite normal to experience sadness and grief, weepy and low at this time of year.

As we say goodbye to the summer joys and all it’s warmth and prepare for the cold dark winter days ahead it can feel like grieving.

Other internal pathogens are poor attachments in the form of  bad habits or addictions that can return with a vengeance as we reach for unhealthy comforts. When you lose  your drive and feel rudderless this is also a call to action to strengthen and protect yourself.

So how do we combat this and strengthen our immunity? Luckily there are many ways, heres’ a few.

Keep Warm. A simple common sense approach to the changing seasons, such as protecting your body – especially neck/throat area – from wind and cold will help you. Plainly put, you’ve got to start wearing those extra layers even if that big yellow thing is still shining in the sky!

Disicipline. Find whatever way  works for you but  knuckle down and do some regular exercise, whether it’s jogging, an aerobic class, yoga or Qigong get into something that you can practice for a short time each day, ideally working up a sweat. By the way don’t wash the sweat off for at least 1/2 an hour because when you allow it to soak into the pores you strengthen your Wei Qi and  that’s your shield.

Nourishment. Ideally eat food that’s in season and nutrient rich with a variety of fruit, veg, nuts and seeds – the gut biome likes that! If you don’t know how to get your act together on the food front contact a good nutritionist

Stress Free. Reduce stress by practising relaxation techniques or listen to any of the programmes such as Yoga Nidra  available in the shop here at thestresshacker.com .

Sleep Well. Aim for seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep a night. Get into a routine, avoid visual stimulus for at least a couple of hours before you turn in. Clear your mind by writing a list of everything you have to do tomorrow and rise early to address your list.

Boundaries. Look at your boundaries make a note of who pushes them, or where and when your own boundaries weaken and you reach for your ‘fix’. Make a conscious decision to address them by writing out the ways you can deal with your boundary pushers for example learning  assertive skills. Make an alternative plan to avoid the people, situations, times and triggers that make you want to use your comforters, consider other ways to handle this.

Know Yourself Better. In order to establish good clear boundaries, it’s important to know yourself. One simple way to do this is to journal daily. Just write a couple of pages either last thing at night or first thing in the morning before you get up. No rules, just write whatever comes out… over time you’ll see a pattern emerge. Noticing this can help you start addressing the things that get in the way of you feeling strong and you’ll be able to help yourself.

Finally, if you struggle with any of the above enlist some experts and get a wellbeing team behind you.  Go and see a homeopath, get some acupuncture  to boost your immune system and clear stagnation. Find a life-coach or therapist to work through your mental and emotional blocks and lastly set clear goals and then  practice being present i.e meditation and mindfulness.

If you’re looking for a yoga and Qigong class, drop me a line meaI look forward to hearing your thoughts on taking steps to protect yourself.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Mistakes we make in relationships

Although I trained as a Psychotherapist and Yoga teacher back in the early 90’s, to keep the qualification, it is a requirement to continue my education in these fields this is called CPD (Continued Professional Development.)

Each year I choose a training,  workshop, study or webinar  to further my education and recently I attended a great CPD about the mistakes that we make in our relationships. I thought I’d share some of my learning.

Relationship Mistake No. 1

Stop trying to change your partner. Why? Because you can’t. It turns out that you’re not a God after-all and you’re not them, so you can’t change someone else.

When you really stop to think about it, it’s actually quite egotistical to think that we could have the power to change someone else?

A Truth

Whoever you’re in this relationship with, know this, they are unlikely to change. Even if a tactic you employ such as shouting or crying works, it will only be temporary and is unlikely to change their behaviour for good. Just think of all that wasted energy.

Here’s an interesting question, knowing that you can’t change them, how do you feel? Helpless? Frustrated? Angry?

The trouble with anger is that is often leads to blaming, victimising and even bullying and then you  still end up feeling bad or helpless.

The other place we can step into is a state of helplessness, which leads to victim thinking and behaviour.  So ultimately, trying to change someone or something that is beyond your control leads to us feeling bad.

It’s a choice

So what is the solution? Acceptance, if we are prepared to deal in the truth that this is the reality, this is what he/she/they are like, take it or leave it.  Can you accept them as they are?  Beneath your desire to change them, what did you originally love about them? Can you embrace that again? What is it that they do that you do like? Can you build on this?

Another thing that you can do to empower yourself, is to take your focus away from them and put the spotlight on you instead. What can you change about you? That’s where your power really is. Maybe it’s time to get into a better relationship with yourself. Explore your own interests, create new friendships, challenge your fears  and do more.

Take responsibility for your projections.

You probably wont like this next bit, but the very thing you want them to change or do differently, is the one area that you probably most need to look at within yourself, something you ought to be working on.

It’s the smoking gun scenario, i.e. when we point the finger at someone else, we usually have three fingers pointing back at ourselves.

When you make a shift in your own thinking and behaviour, it changes the dynamic of the relationship and then perhaps the other person will change a bit, in order to accommodate the change in you.

Stop victimising, stop blaming and start taking responsibility. It’s time for you to grow.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Protect, Preserve and Conserve Your Life Force Energy

Get cosy in winter

As this year comes to a close and we move into the darkest most quiet time of the year give yourself permission to sleep longer, nap more often and generally hibernate. In this way you will emerge into spring with more verve and energy.

Get cosy in winter

5 Top Tips for Surviving Winter

  1. Keep your lower back warm. Kidneys and adrenals appreciate the warmth. Wear an additional layer around your hips, perhaps a thick warm scarf. Use a warmed wheat bag on your lower back if you’re sitting for long periods of time.
  2. Keep hydrated with warm drinks – try the winter drink recipe if you think you’re going down with a cold.
  3. We’re closest to Mother Earth at this time and as such a time for reflection, write down what lessons you learned in 2023, what you don’t want to repeat and what you’d like more of.
  4. If you’re too sedentary get up and Shake The Tree. Stretch up onto tip toes and raise arms and hands above your head with interlinked fingers. Make the sound Aaaah as you bring your arms down by your sides. Rinse and repeat.
  5. Finally, develop a strong building block by improving the quality of your sleep. Turn all technology OFF and leave it out of the bedroom. If you ruminate a lot, then write your thoughts down before you go to bed. A warm bath/shower an hour before bedtime and when your body begins to feel chilly that’s your body’s way of telling you it’s bedtime.
Posted on by — Leave a comment

Get Organised And Save Time

Some friends and I were chatting recently and discovered something in common, namely a state chaos and a realisation of how much time is lost by attempting too many things at once.  I mean I’m talking, highly talented and skilled women here, so it was surprising to discover how many of us need to get organised in other ways.

We laughed about starting a hundred chores at the same time, okay slight exaggeration here, but…

Can you relate to this?

You start one task, for example clearing your desk, then you go to the kitchen to get a drink, open the fridge, notice the shelf needs a wipe over and end up cleaning out the fridge. Then you remember you’re half way through clearing up your desk, so go back to your desk. Then you notice an email that you should have responded to, start to reply and horror! Remember your were running a bath! Before long the whole place is in chaos! You need to get organised!

We agreed that having a number of tasks on the go feels really stressful. A messy environment equals a messy mind and definitely leads to feelings of agitation and stress. It triggers the inner critic too and before long, you’re berating and beating yourself up, which is very bad for your confidence and leads to poor self-esteem.

Does this or variations of it sound familiar?

But what if I told you there’s a cure for this, that in addition, you will have a nice little release of Serotonin, the drug that promotes internal happiness? Every time we get a reward, the brain releases a small amount of dopamine. Dopamine, a molecule that sends signals from our brain, gives us a temporary sense of pleasure.

When we increase rewards they build up and we eventually get a shot of Serotonin which gives us a deeper, longer lasting sense of pleasure and happiness.

It’s simply a matter of retraining your mind and re-conditioning your behaviours and that’s easier than it might sound.

The positive psychology of Neurolinguistic Programming helps us to get organised and encourages us to ‘Put Systems In Place’ again, this is not as complicated as it sounds.

For example; always putting your front door keys in the same place, will ensure that you wont spend 10 minutes searching for them with the “I’m sure I put them there” lament! It’s a system.

American Author Alan Lakein created the following to get us more organised,  read on now to discover how you can bring structure and simple systems to your tasks.

Cull the Chaos


1. Make a list with no more than seven tasks on it. Write A,B,C or D beside each task in order of priority i.e. the most important jobs will have an A next to them, then B and so on.

2. Start the first A job and complete it. Do NOT move onto any other chore until this first task is completely finished. Then you have the small pleasure of putting a BIG tick beside it and crossing it off of the list, and that’s your first reward and remember a reward equals a shot of feel good dopamine.

3. RINSE AND REPEAT! Do this and you’ll get organised.

 

When I discovered that multi-tasking is a myth,  that something has to suffer when you attempt to do two things at once, I worked even harder to stick to the above system. In a relatively short period of time I retrained my brain and my approach to tasks and have become addicted to feeling good!

Yoga Retreat

Oh, I almost forgot, if you’re in need of a reset and would like to experience a deeper state of peace and tranquility, there’s good news and bad news. The bad news is we are now fully booked for the March 2024 Yoga retreat but the good news is that we do have a couple of spaces available on our weekday Yoga Retreat 12 – 14 June 2023.

It’s held in the beautiful space of Florence House in Sussex, suitable for beginners and experienced yogis alike. Please feel free to contact me for more information or questions.

Yoga / Qigong Classes – Last Friday of every month – Bromley

Finally,  alongside the weekly online yoga and meditation classes, I’m now offering an in-person Yoga/Qigong class on the last Friday of every month, in Bromley at a great spanking new venue that has a fabulous cafe serving quality food and drinks, it is in the beautiful green space of Norman Park and has free parking. Beginners welcome. Please get in touch with me by phone or email if you would like to know more.

 

Posted on by — Leave a comment

My Top 10 Autumn Tips

Whilst we’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy the warmer weather, don’t be fooled by it, as late summer yields fully into Autumn the way we take care of ourselves now,  will dictate whether we have a cosy winter or one fully of colds and allergies.

As the leaves become crispy, dry out and fall to the ground, so will we unless we take sensible, self-care steps. Have a browse through my self-help tips to nurture yourself through to Winter and let me know how you get on.

My Top 10 Autumn Tips

My Top 10 Autumn Tips:

  1. Whilst we cling to the last of the late summer sunshine, remember that the air can be cold and drying, consider adding foods to your diet that are the opposite of cold, drying and still. Think of foods that are warm, stimulating and pungent such as garlic, onions, chives, black pepper, ginger, cayenne pepper, horseradish and mustards.
  2. Start the day with warm teas, slice some fresh ginger bring to the boil and cool to drink.Finish the day with a cosy cup of warm milk with a pinch of black pepper, a 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric and a little honey. It will give you a great night’s sleep.
  3. Although it’s a great time for clearing out your clutter  e.g. look at the sell by dates in your kitchen cupboards and take your unwanted items to the local donation hub or charity shop, it’s a bad time to set yourself up with big goals or deadlines.

    Autumn is a time of death, a letting go of things that no longer serve us.

  4. Instead, take the pressure off and slip slowly into the winter months by considering the equal and opposite; for example Autumn is chilly, blustery, with wind whipping up the leaves in swirls,  do the opposite, take  time to be still, create small spaces of quiet time to read and relax. It’s a great time to reintroduce  the practice of meditation. Take time to bathe in nature, wrap up warm and sit in your local park or take a slow quiet meditative walk.
  5. Emotionally this is again a good time for letting go of resentments and grudges. Remember though, that forgiving those who have hurt you, doesn’t necessarily mean that you allow them  back into your life. It does mean however that you can practice letting go by writing a therapy letters, journalling and even saying out loud “ I forgive you so-and-so  for… blah  blah …”   It really works, but don’t take my word for it, try it yourself!
  6. As well as being a good time of year for clearing out, it’s also a great time for creating clear boundaries. Are there people who don’t respect your boundaries? Take some time to consider how you will establish the boundaries, think about what you might need to do or say in this respect, so that you’re clear on how to move forward.
  7. As natural as it is for the leaves fall from the branches at this time of year, it’s all a good time to let the tears fall, go on, give yourself permission to let it go. You’ll likely find when you create time and the right environment, emotions will surface, especially sadness. Allow them space as this is the perfect time to release and clear space.
  8. As a yoga teacher I encourage the clearing of energy blocks in the body. As we practice bending, stretching, twisting, using breath and visualisation to release tension,  it brings a sense of freedom and space.  In this way we don’t somatise our ‘stuff’ or push our emotions even deeper into the body’s systems and organs. So don’t be rigid, bend and stretch daily. It’s one of the reasons that students feel so good after a yoga class.
  9. Now is the time to use more oils and balms to massage into dry skin. Try warmed sesame oil  rubbed into your feet or Vick rubbed into the soles of the feet, pop a pair of socks on and sleep like a baby!
  10. I’m going to share a secret, the best oils and balms come from Urbanveda and they have given a generous discount especially for  thestresshacker readers! So grab your discount on their fabulous products here thestresshacker20 . Also when you place an order they plant a tree!

Try This Autumn Meditation

Sit in an upright chair, close your eyes and allow your awareness to move down to your chest   ……. allow yourself a little time to tune into the quiet rhythm of your breathing ……..  then allow the breath to drop a little deeper down into your abdomen …….  and simply enjoy the deep sense of calm and relaxation that diaphragmatic abdominal breathing brings.

Rest here a while as you observe the miracle of life force and energy moving in and out of your body without you having to do anything at all.

Just Be.

Enjoy!

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Six Simple Steps To Self-Care

These tips for self-care will help towards achieving positive health and wellbeing. You’ve heard the expression ‘Charity begins at home,’  so does self-care. Let’s be honest if you can’t look after yourself and take an interest in your wellbeing, why should anyone else?

Successful people use simple mind hacks to boost their self-confidence while they sleep and feed their minds with personal development programmes and podcasts by day.

With the NHS creaking under pressure and GP appointments hard to come by, preventative steps to ensure our positive mental health and wellbeing  are more important than ever.

Tips for Self-Care

One Eastern approach to wellbeing is called Ayurveda, roughly translated as The Science of Life. I’ve loosely studied Ayurveda since 1984 by reading and attending courses but I feel as if I’ve just scratched the surface! It’s  a vast subject and one of the main things is to understand your constitution, also known as your doshic make-up.

A quiz can help you do this and it’s one of my favourite tips for taking better care of yourself so read on…

  1. Know yourself. Take the Dosha quiz here: Dosha Quiz
  2. As we move out of late summer, rethink your diet,  you’ll need to eat differently as the Autumn winds and damp weather take hold.  See my delicious recipe below.
  3. Keep negative thoughts at bay, use this  vibration meditation. Close your eyes, inhale slowly and on the exhale make the sound Mmmmmm. Feel the vibration on your lips and imagine it resounding around the inside of your brain. Do this for 3 minutes minimum. For a greater sense of calm try 7 or 21 minutes. It’s excellent if you suffer from insomnia,  obsessive thoughts and anxiety.
  4. Are you one of those people who feel irritated easily? Start the day with fresh lemon and warm water it’s cleansing for the liver and surprisingly, can calm your disposition.  If your digestion is feeling sluggish peel and slice fresh ginger, boil it and cool before drinking first thing in the morning. It feels very warming to the gut.
  5. If you have trouble sleeping, massage your hands and feet with warm sesame oil and go to bed wearing socks and light cotton gloves. Write down anything that could keep you awake . Make a list of all the things you have to do tomorrow, then forget about them until the morning. When there are things you need to get off of your chest, journal until you’re bored!
  6. Aim to bathe in nature at least once a week and preferably more often . Go for a walk in a park, woodland or  visit the seaside, blue and green are soothing for the soul.

Would you like to try a regular weekly online meditation class? 

I run a session at 8.30pm – 9.30pm on Wednesday evenings email me at sue@thestresshacker.com and I’ll send you details. Read some of the testimonies to hear what other’s say about it.

Recipe for Kitchari

Make the recipe below for yourself and see how nurturing it is. Let me know how you get on I love to hear your feedback.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup basmati rice 1 cup mung dal (split yellow) I also use red lentils as I find them much easier to digest and quicker to cook.
  • Approximately 6 cups of water
    Roughly 1 inch of fresh ginger, chopped or grated – it really is easier to peel with a teaspoon!
  • ¼ teaspoon of rock salt
  • 1 tablespoon of ghee
    1/2 tsp. coriander powder
    1/2 tsp. cumin powder
    1/2 tsp. whole cumin seeds
    1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
    1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
    1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
  • It’s a bit of a faff measuring this out every time you make it,  I make it up in bulk and keep it in a jar and I tend to pulp it into a powder in a pestle and mortar (except the ginger and fresh coriander.)
  • A handful of freshly chopped coriander
  • A handful of  assorted vegetables ( these are optional)
  • Preparation – takes no time.

Cooking Instructions:

  1. Thoroughly wash your lentils in a sieve, make sure the water runs clear through them and leave to one side.
  2. Place a heavy bottomed saucepan on a high heat, when it’s hot, turn it down add the ghee, let it melt and throw your spices in (but NOT the fresh coriander) stir them into the ghee until the seeds pop (If you haven’t pulped them) Do NOT let it burn.
  3. Next add the washed lentils and coat them in the spicy ghee mixture, then cover until they become soft. (Check from time to time that it’s not burning and add a little more water if necessary.If you want more of a soup, add more water and don’t add rice. If you want a more substantial meal, add less water and add your vegetables for about 10 mins or less if you like them al dente.

    Note:      If you’re adding some vegetables, wash and chop them into small chunks, you could use broccoli, courgettes, carrots, sweet potato, or some spinach or cabbage.
  4. Finally throw in a packet of 2 minute basmati rice (or a cupful that you might have already cooked) and stir in for 4 or 5 minutes.

In my opinion good cooking comes from tasting as you go along, after all you’ll be eating it so you’re the judge of it! If you’re feeling low or unwell, this is considered a ‘healing meal’ and is the perfect remedy for any body type or age group.  Enjoy!

Posted on by — Leave a comment

TEN TIPS FOR STAYING COOL

There are some interesting ways to keep cool during the summer heat and these are my suggestions

1. Use cooling herbs in your food such as coriander/cilantro and mint chopped into salads, soups, wraps and sandwiches. If you lack appetite, soups can be nourishing and served cold, think Gazpacho.

2. Foods such as coconut, cucumber and melon are cooling to the digestive system as well as refreshing to eat and drink.

3. Add coriander or/and mint sprigs to a jug of water overnight and cool in the fridge, sip throughout the day.

4. Type A people or (predominantly pitta dosha in Ayurveda) may need to cool down on the inside when you feel yourself becoming irritated and agitated. Cut down your To Do list down by half and remove the pressure, give yourself a break now and then!

5. Same as for No. 4 types, when you feel yourself becoming flustered and overheated try the ‘Cooling Breath’ Sitali or Sheetkari. ONLY do this in an unpolluted environment such as your bedroom with a window open (NOT for example near a busy road!) Sit upright. Stick your tongue out and roll it like a straw, then gently and slowly draw the breath inwards… then slowly and softly exhale through the nose. Repeat for 10 breaths. If you can’t protrude your tongue – don’t worry it’s hereditary – do this instead, bring your front teeth together and gently draw the breath in through the teeth it sounds a bit like ‘siiitth’ and exhale through the nose. Repeat for 10 breaths. It will cool your digestive and respiratory systems. NB you might belch or/and pass wind 10 minutes after, so make sure you’re among friends!

6. Keep a good quality bottle of Aloe Vera in the fridge and drink a shot glass every morning to cool down your digestive system.

7. Rub an ice cube on your pulse points when feeling overheated.

8. Keep a flannel in the freezer and place it over your forehead before going off to sleep.

9. It has to be said KEEP WELL HYDRATED! Drink plenty of water. Far better to sip throughout the day than to guzzle in sudden large quantities.

10. Keep your environment cool and clutter free, pull down the blinds and keep the curtains closed and windows open for a through breeze if possible.

I hope these tips help you to stay cool let me know how you get on.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Anxious About The Ukraine?

Is Your Anxiety Creeping Up?

I’ve had quite a few messages from people who are struggling with anxiety about the attack on the Ukraine and I doubt anyone could fail to be affected by it.

But here’s the thing, if like me you are highly sensitive it’s a bad idea to listen, read or watch too much of the reporting. It is a trigger for anxiety,  it really can have a negative and detrimental effect on your health and wellbeing.

Isn’t that just being ignorant?

I’m not being an Ostrich or selfish when I say that I limit how much of it I allow into my world. I have made myself  ill in the past with anxiety by worrying and feeling anxious about things I have no control over.

These are some of the things I advocate that will give you a sense of control (instead of panic)

Take Gandhi’s advice and “Be The Change You Want To See Happen In The World”  (Apparently he didn’t phrase it quite like that  but you get the gist) Practise being peaceful, in this way you lessen inner conflict?

  1. If you believe in prayer, pray.
  2. Quieten your mind and body with a simple meditation of bringing your attention to your breathing hundreds of times throughout the day. Given you’re a microcosm of the macrocosm Be Peace.
  3. If you actually want to do something, dig deep and donate even the smallest donation will be of help to the Ukrainians in their time of need.
  4. Remember the ‘golden hours’ that set you up for how you’re going to feel during the day, are the first hour in the morning and the last hour at night.  This is NOT the time for catching up on the news, lunchtime or sometime through the day is better.
  5. I went online to Etsy Ukraine.com  and purchased some digital products in an effort to support.
  6. Campaign when and where you feel able to.

If you need additional help to stay calm, relaxed and free from anxiety try  Stress Free With Confidence the hypnosis MP3 that will ease your stress.

Finally if you’re still feeling stressed consider doing some research on the wonderful Ayurvedic herb Ashwaganda. The benefits include helping to reduce inflammation, combat stress and anxiety, improve memory and  help balance blood sugar as well as boosting muscle strength. Personally I found it really helped improve the quality of my sleep.

Thats all for now and thank you if you’ve taken the time to read to the end.