I have been reading a fascinating book that presents a very fresh perspective on a very old topic…the importance of breathing well, to our health. We have all heard it before, but he presents very compelling evidence, in a riveting way, that has certainly had an impact on my awareness of the way I breathe.

James Nestor, the author of Breath, The New Science of a Lost Art, actually did experiments on himself….

How many of us are looking at screens right up until bedtime? I know I often do although I do feel better when I am doing other things- it can be a way to wind down and relax to some extent. However, it can negatively affect sleep, as even electric lights at nighttime can and does impact the length and quality of our sleep.

If we are stressed during the day, we are far less likely to have deep, fulfilling, sufficient sleep at nighttime. A stressed mind leads to a stressed body, and a stressed body doesn’t easily rest. It is stuck ‘on’ in a survival mode…it senses there is danger and it needs to stay alert…..

One of the reasons we can wake up during the night or early morning in particular, and struggle to get back to sleep, is because of a blood sugar drop i.e. we actually get hungry. When our blood sugar drops, the body will release adrenaline which helps mobilise stored glucose from the liver, called glycogen.

Of course, that adrenaline is not very helpful to our sleep. We then feel "wired but tired".

The currently popular low carb and intermittent fasting movements can both contribute to this issue…..

I find most of the women I work with need to hear and appreciate hearing me say things like:

Looking after kids is already a full time job- then you do paid work as well? It’s a lot you are managing, no wonder you are tired/exhausted etc

Women’s work doesn’t tend to be recognised or acknowledged, so we feel we have to do more and more...but look at everything you are doing.....

As women, mothers and/or wives, we tend to look after all the details of the family life and schedule, often including our husband/partner’s details. There is so much detail to keep track of in today’s world!

It’s ok to take time out just for you- the family revolves around you being ok, so take time to take care of you!……..

"If you can accept your body, then you have a chance to see your body as your home. You can rest in your body, settle in, relax, and feel joy and ease. If you don't accept your body and your mind, you can't be at home with yourself. You have to accept yourself as you are. This is a very important practice. As you practice building a home in yourself, you become more and more beautiful." Thich Nhat Hahn

As women we have a tendency to wake up in the morning and look at our tummies in the mirror and see how our weight is going today. We do it subconsciously, as if our weight is an indicator of how WE are doing.

But it’s a terrible indicator.

Our weight does not indicate our innate self worth to any degree, whatsoever.

And it doesn’t necessarily indicate our state of health either.

Are you perhaps lonely? Loneliness is being considered an epidemic in recent studies. Sure, many people have many online connections, but there is a tendency to have fewer real life face to face regular connections, poorer solid social networks. Social media is, of course, one reason but its been heading this way for decades in western countries……

How close are you sitting to your WIFI router right now?

I just had a client who was sitting right next to hers all day every day for work. ………

What do you do when you first wake up in the morning? I notice what I do when I first get up can affect my whole day! We don't always wake up feeling great (I don't), but here are 3 easy things that I do, and suggest for first thing in the morning, that are self-caring and can help us get off on the right foot.

Feeling fatigued? Reach for water instead of coffee. Our brains need to be well hydrated for clear thinking, and our bodies need plenty of water to work optimally.

We all know that chronic stress isnt good for us, that it can lead to anxiety, depression, weight gain, heart attacks, cancer, and all sorts of physical and psychological disorders.  We tend to think that stress is a necessary part of survival in these times, with financial stresses, health stresses, business stresses, parenting stresses vying for our energy. We tend to feel that stress is a given part of modern society, a necessary survival mechanism, and we feel trapped by it, and by default, by the situations we find ourselves in that apparently cause us to stress. It is certainly normal to feel stress, but is it actually necessary? 

Here are some tips for maintaining some simplicity, peace, calm, health and joy around this time of year. You can end 2017 feeling energised instead of exhausted because after all, it is holiday time for most of us. 

Do you get confused Googling your health concerns? 

Here I present some empowering information on how to look after your breasts, how to love them and take care of them. They enjoy touch, massage, movement, healthy clean food and specific foods