Hello there!

Well it has been a while since I was on here that is for sure. I can’t believe that almost a year has passed since I last wrote! I figured it was time to touch base quickly and let you all know what is happening in this part of the world.

Life has been a bit all over the place with work I have to say. I have been majorly re-evaluating everything and trying to decide the best way forward; both for the business and life. This blog was obviously one thing that slipped and some of you who are subscribed to my newsletter may have noticed that I have not sent any out for a while – or maybe not :). Things were just beginning to feel a bit forced and creating content wasn’t really bringing me joy anymore. It was beginning to feel more and more like a challenge and one that I didn’t see the point in. Letting go of posting blogs and sending newsletters, along with the guilt I felt at first, was the start of wee changes with regards to my business and my mindset.

Enjoying some time out in nature with the dogs

So many of my endeavours have begun with me projecting in the future, out into the ether rather than focusing on the here and now. The newsletter in particular was one of those; I began it hoping that it would reach millions, sky-rocketing my business into an online success, never mind that I didn’t really have an online business to match. I also began it because I felt I had to and that it was expected of me but that gets exhausting after a while. It felt like it was time to give myself a break. Coming to that realization has been liberating and challenging in equal measure. I want to share the knowledge I have because I really believe it can help others and make a positive difference to their lives, I’m just not 100% sure how most days. Is putting energy into online content better or those face to face interactions?

So many ‘signs’ and ‘messages’ have come to me lately, from many different places, about being in the present moment and doing things because they feel right that I figure it may be time to listen. So, I’m trying to live a bit more in the now rather than my usual racing into what may come. I’m taking some time out, re-evaluating life in general and making some space. I am also working on doing things because they feel right and are life affirming rather than because they are expected or that they may bring me validation in some way. Everyone likes being validated I know and I’m no different but I could feel that what began in my head as something good to do for others quickly turned into something that may bring me validation or praise. This was even before I had put the project into practice.

The first of my updated books on Smashwords

I have still been teaching at the local Woman’s Centre which I always love and also , taking some time to cultivate a few skills. I have been working on connecting more with people despite my natural introvert tendencies, listening more and talking less. In my bid to do stay in the moment with positive action I have been giving away some of the print versions of my books to people I have worked with. It has felt good hearing the need and then gifting the books to people who will use them. The extra space on my bookshelf is very nice too. In doing so though it also highlighted some errors that were in the text, missed edits that needed rectifying. So I have begun updating my e-books which I created so long ago to ensure that the best copy of them is available online. It has been its own validation of sorts as I read the words over and realize that I wouldn’t change the content even 7 years later.

It has also made me see that the time has come to combine all this knowledge, in my e-books and in my head, into one. I can see that reflexology was a little ‘light’ on the ground in those earlier e-books due to my feelings of not being good enough so now it is time to add it in. Combining all my e-books and some extra information which I teach on my ‘Balancing Life’ course is my mission at the moment work wise, that and having my regular reflexology clients. It is a slow start and I’m yet to make a deadline for myself however everyday I am carving a little space for it. Wish me luck and hopefully I’ll be posting about its release before the year is out!

Arohanui

Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz

Winter Wellness – Part 6 – Lymphatic system

This will be the final part of my Winter Wellness series.  I hope you have enjoyed it and found it useful,  I’d love to hear from you if there is something else you want to know about or you think I could cover otherwise next week it will be back to recipes 🙂  This final ‘Winter Wellness’ post is taken from an article I wrote a while back on the benefits of Reflexology Lymphatic Drainage Treatment, which I’m trained in, and which came to mind as I had two calls last week about reflexology treatments in this area.

Getting some exercise with themselves before the next rain shower

It does read more like an article still than a blog post; I have tried to adapt it a bit ….. though no sense in re-inventing the wheel is there? 😉  Anyway, here it is in all its glory and if you are interested in treatments then it won’t be too long before I will have my clinic in one place again, as opposed to the home visits I now offer. Exciting times ahead!

Our health depends on many things but maybe two of the most important are the body’s ability to circulate blood and lymphatic fluid.  The importance of blood you likely know however the Lymphatic system is just as important as it is this system which helps defend the body against disease by clearing waste and toxins, by helping maintain fluid balance in the tissues and by absorbing fats from the intestines to transport back to the blood.  In fact it is a vital system in our bodies as without it our cardiovascular system won’t work and our immune system would be hard-pressed to cope.

The Lymphatic system is designed for transportation and as such it needs to keep moving.  There are fluids found between the cells or which actually seep out of the cells (intercellular fluid) which slowly begin to accumulate and must be returned to the cells and the blood stream to help maintain homeostasis in the body.  This is where the lymph system comes in; it gathers those fluids, checks it, filters it and then returns them to your blood via the subclavian veins just above the heart.  Unlike the circulatory system however (in which blood flows) the lymphatic system (in which lymph fluid flows) doesn’t have a pump and needs us to move our bodies in order to have the lymph fluid moving.  This system relies on movement of our muscles, their ‘milking’ action, and the changes in the thorax through deep breathing to keep it flowing.

This means that if you lead a sedentary lifestyle your lymphatic fluid may not be flowing as it should and your lymphatic system may be hampered, causing toxins and waste to build up within our bodies. The more waste left in our system the harder our body has to work.  Our body is effectively running on a system of ‘tubes’ and ‘fluid’ so when toxins and waste clog these up we suffer!  Think of a river. When it is flowing it is clear and clean, when it is not flowing it begins to stagnate then it becomes a perfect home for bacteria and disease to build.  The Lymphatic system is no different.  At first it may be a sluggish feeling in the morning or a headache which we just can’t seem to find the cause of.  Eventually it can cause much more serious issues within the body such as swelling, arthritis, skin disorders and more.

Thankfully there are many actions we can take in our lifestyle to help the Lymphatic system work better and ensure that it is doing its job.  In using preventative measures, we can improve and promote our health and well-being while avoiding dis-ease in our bodies. As the Lymphatic system is important in this it makes sense to keep it flowing and healthy and it is important.  As a reflexologist of course the first thing I think of is to have a Reflexology Lymphatic Drainage Massage which will work on the lymphatic system while allowing you to relax and de-stress.   It is an excellent support to the Lymphatic system, especially if you have trouble with mobility and best of all it will help you feeling more relaxed and lighter at the end of a session.  It is a very unique and special thing to have.

There are some cases where having a Reflexology Lymphatic Drainage Massage is not recommended however and these include: cases of cardiac or renal impairment, first trimester of pregnancy, cases of Deep Vein Thrombosis, having high or low blood pressure or if the foot if injured in any way.  If you are not quite ready to treat yourself to a reflexology lymphatic drainage routine or you feel that it isn’t for you then there are many things you can do at home, in your everyday lives, to ensure that you are keeping a healthy lymphatic system which will help to have a good immune system too.  Try some of the following out:

Exercise– this will help to keep your lymphatic system flowing and moving as it ‘massages’ it into action.

Good Food– a healthy diet means that less toxins and waste products end up in your system. Eating over processed, sugary foods may over load the lymphatic system.

Drink plenty of water– the body needs water to keep everything working properly, including the lymphatic system.

Deep breathing– this ensures that your cells are healthy and oxygenated along with stimulating the lymphatic system.

Dry brushing– long strokes towards your heart for around 5 mins before a shower will stimulate the lymphatic flow.

Herbal teas– they are great mixture of hydration, favour and medicine (depending on what you have).

Use natural beauty products– means less toxins coming into your system via the skin which gives the lymphatic system less of a load.

Wear loose clothing– this lets the lymphatic fluid flow where as tight clothing tends to slow the whole thing down.

Hope this finds you having a great start to the week and ready for all there is to come.

Arohanui

Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz

Winter Wellness – Part 1 – Reflexology

After five weeks of recipes and with winter officially here in NZ I thought I would begin a ‘Winter Wellness’ series of blogs.  As the Chinese proverb goes ‘The superior doctor prevents sickness; The mediocre doctor attends to impending sickness; The inferior doctor treats actual sickness.’  So I thought I would share a few tools and give the opportunity for you to all become your own superior … or at the very least mediocre …. doctor and get on top of your health before any of those dreaded winter lurgies appear  … or reappear 🙂

Rainy day views

Each week over the next few weeks I will give a few suggestions for you to try. which can help you find some relief from winter lurgies or may help boost your immune system to keep them at bay completely.  These don’t replace medical advice of course, rather they can be used in conjunction with other techniques or medications you are using to help  bring your body back into balance and hopefully heal a little quicker.  Once your body has balance (we naturally want homeostasis in our bodies and the body strives for it at a physiological level) it has more energy to focus on healing and maintaining a healthy body.

Reflexology is a great tool for helping you bring your body back into balance and one that I love to use.  While I primarily give foot reflexology treatments to my clients, I know that this isn’t always the easiest option to use at home, by yourself, or when you’re out and about.  So for that reason I teach a lot of hand reflexology points during my workshops so that you can actually use this fantastic tool yourself.  The positive effects of hand reflexology are usually a little shorter lived than foot reflexology though thankfully it is easy to repeat as needed.  Best thing is that you can do some basic moves in the comfort of your own home.

Ingham Method Map

I thought a one page hand out would be the best way to share (click here to download a PDF version) and a little video (thankfully the sun came out so that herself could video me in the light) to help you along the way … including a bit of eye rolling from me as himself runs in and out of the bus and I thought that I wasn’t having my face filmed!!!  Excuse our low tech productions ….  not that much room for lighting and screens in our 1956 Bedford 🙂 If you feel there is something that isn’t clear then please let me know so I can do another ‘take’. The most important thing is that you are mindful of your own wellbeing.  Stop if  you’re feeling pain, go easy on tender spots, ease up if things feel ‘too much’ and if you are concerned then see a health professional

Hope this finds you happy, healthy and working those hands to your benefit!

Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz