Peak Wellbeing

C'mon get happy...

2010-09-22T03:50:00.000-07:00

Be happy now – five things to do today

1. Connect
Delight in putting your time and energy into friends loved ones, and connect with those around you. Take your neighbour some flowers out of your garden, invite your friends for round for a cuppa, or join a local group who shares your interests.

2. Be Active
There’s nothing better to shake off a bad mood than getting physical. When you feel really pent up and about to explode, go and pound the pavement, clean vigorously, sprint like there’s no tomorrow or dance like you don’t give a damn. Relax as your shoulders stop hugging your ears, your mind focuses on something else and your breathing slows to calm your whole body. Soon you’ll be wondering what all the fuss was about, feeling serene and have a smile on your face.

3. Take notice
Have you stopped to appreciate the changing of the seasons? Have you noticed how crunchy the leaves are when you walk on them? It sounds simple, even childish, but do you remember how much fun it used to be, walking to school, stomping on the leaves and jumping in the puddles, rather than hurrying along, eyes to the ground, oblivious to nature and all it’s beauty.

4. Keep learning
Curiosity didn’t kill the cat, and you can teach an old dog new tricks, especially beneficial as older people show better health outcomes when they keep learning. It’s not just about formal learning, you don’t have to do any exams or write any essays if you don’t want to. Try learning a new recipe, the names of the stars and constellations, or how to make your own clothes.

5. Give
Our compassion, generosity and altruism contribute to our level of happiness. In his TED talk, The Happy Planet Index, Nic Marks cites studies where two groups of people were given $100 at the start of the day. One group was told to spend it on themselves, and the other group was told to spend it on others. Guess who gained a much better sense of wellbeing and was happiest at the end of the day? The people who spent it on others of course!

6. Be thankful *
Instead of focusing on what you haven’t got, be thankful for what you have got. Everyone reading this has a computer (or at least access to one), so I can therefore safely assume you have a roof over your head, a bed to sleep in, food in your belly and a license for your telly…
* No. 6 is a Bessie Bonus

We now stock the full range of Healing Herbs Bach Flower Remedies.

2010-09-09T09:23:00.000-07:00

As far as I’m aware, we’re the only people in Belper to stock the full range, and we’re happy to post them to you if necessary. When you’re feeling a little low, angry or tearful, remember there’s a flower remedy to help lift you.

Change of hours for Matt & the clinic

2010-09-09T09:12:00.000-07:00

Change of hours for Matt & the clinic
Matt is changing his hours as from next Monday, 6th September, to the following:
Mondays 10.30am – 6.30pm
Tuesdays 10.30am – 6.30pm
Wednesdays 8am – 1pm
Thursdays 10.30am – 6.30pm
Fridays 8am – 1pm.
In summary, he’s starting later on Mondays & Thursdays, earlier on Wednesdays & Fridays, and has added Tuesday morning in too.

The new clinic opening hours will reflect this, and will be:
Mondays 10am – 7pm
Tuesdays 10am – 7pm
Wednesdays 8am – 5pm
Thursdays 10am – 7pm
Fridays 8am – 2pm.
And remember, if we can’t answer the phone, we’re making tea or with patients (or have gone home for the evening/weekend), so please leave us a message, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

Again the website is still in the process of being re-vamped, and the new opening times will be part of this. Please bear with us.

Is Cancer a fungus?

2010-08-25T07:29:00.000-07:00

Part 2 will automatically load on the YouTube page (to the right) when you click on the video above.

Could this be true? Could cancer be fungus? Can the cure be as simple as sodium bicarbonate? From the research I’ve been doing this year to write these articles for you and the reading I do at home, this does ring true for me.

Further research suggests that up to 97% of cancer patients have an overgrowth of the fungus candida albicans, and cancer patient’s blood is 1,000 times more acidic than that of healthy people. Cancer (and any other disease) thrives in acidic conditions, and cannot survive in an alkaline environment. Sodium bicarbonate, when dissolved in water, is an alkaline solution.

Conventional doctrine dictates that candida is present because patient’s immune systems are low (it’s opportunistic). Dr Simoncini turns this theory upside down by theorising that it’s the candida that is the cause of tumours and the reason for their spread.

According to Dr Simoncini’s website [www.curenaturalicancro.com], his remission rate is up to 90%, using sodium bicarbonate to flush the tumours to radically alter their pH from acidic to alkaline. It’s performed using a catheter, so don’t try it at home! Within seven days there is no sign of the tumour, with patients also given a diet to follow. It’s no surprise to learn that the diet they’re given to follow is an anti-candida diet, which has many crossovers with an alkaline diet.

When you look at the stats for 5-year cancer survival rates in adults in the US treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy, it’s just above 2% for all cancers. 2%! I’m flabbergasted by this fact, and horrified as currently, this is the best conventional medicine can do. Many chemotherapy drugs work on cells that are actively reproducing, with no distinction between whether the reproducing cell is healthy or cancerous, so therefore destroys both. I guess the clue is in the title: ‘cytotoxic’, which means toxic to living cells.

If I had cancer, I know which treatment I’d use, and I’m not alone either. On Dr Simoncini’s website, he claims up to 75% of doctors would refuse chemotherapy if they had cancer due to it’s ineffectiveness and devastating side effects.

So if cancer is a fungus, what can be done to prevent it’s overgrowth? And how do you know if you’ve got it?
Common symptoms of candida/fungal overgrowth include lethargy, sugar & carbohydrate cravings, thrush/vaginitis, weight gain, food intolerances, migraines and depression. I know from personal experience how the sugar cravings can take over, how you feel powerless to do anything because you just feel so low and how hard it is to get rid of the condition completely. I’ve had all the symptoms listed above, and still I find it hard to stay on top of it and remain healthy. It’s also not a pleasant process to go through to get rid of it, as the ‘die-off’ can seem worse than the original symptoms, but once you’ve gone through it and come out the other side, you’ll have never felt better.

Staying off sugar and refined carbs (white flour, bread, rice etc) helps as the fungus feeds on sugar. Keeping to an alkaline diet is one of the best ways to improve your health overall, as stated earlier, cancer, fungus and other disease can’t survive in an alkaline environment. Detoxing the gut to kill off the fungus and boosting your intestinal flora with good bacteria (probiotic tablets, not the yoghurts as they’ve got sugar in) will ultimately replace the candida and leave you feeling energised, healthy and vibrant again.

Ta-Da! - Look what’s been knocked up at Peak Wellbeing.

2010-08-11T01:57:00.000-07:00

We’ve gained a changing area (pinched from Matt’s room) so now patients (those that do) can change before their appointment and are ready to go as soon as Matt is. Can’t guarantee it will make him run on time of course, but it will make things flow more smoothly.
A massive, Big, HUGE thank you to Alan Paul for all his hard work over the last few weeks. He’s done a sterling job, using reclaimed timber, recycled window frames and his old front door! He volunteered to build it for us at the patient forum (see update below) way back in March, and he’s now recovering on holiday in Jersey. A well-deserved break we say.

3 for 2 on Heavenly treatments with Val Tatlow in August & September

2010-08-11T01:56:00.000-07:00

Book three treatments from the list below and pay for just two during August & September with Val. The cheapest treatment is free, and it’s not in conjunction with any other offer.

Skin Care Facials using Eve Taylor Professional Aromatherapy Skin Care
Express facial 30 mins £20
Full facial with mask 1 hour £38
Luxury facial and mask 1.5 hours £48

Holistic Facial Massage
Relaxing treatment of face, head & neck 1 hour £38
Holistic Facial with back massage 1.5 hours £48

Reflexology 1 hour £35
To achieve balance, relaxation and stress relief.

Reiki 1 hour £35
A non-invasive, natural therapy, which can help to clear energy blockages and promote relaxation and healing. Can be used to support other modalities of treatment where hands on treatment may not be appropriate.

Hot stone full body massage
Full body or back treatment with hot and cold stones to ease away your aches and pains. A deeply relaxing treatment designed to suit your needs.
Back massage 30 mins £20
Full Body massage 1 hour £38
Deluxe full body incl head, neck and face 1.5 hours £48

HOPI ear candles 45 mins £30
Hopi ear candles (thermo-auricular therapy) with manual lymph drainages massage of head. Can help clear the head and alleviate the symptoms of sinusitus.

The prices and treatments above now reflect what Val is offering at the clinic, and she will now be practicing on Thursday afternoons from 12.30 onwards.

Website update coming soon - click here for latest prices.

2010-08-11T01:44:00.000-07:00

I’m very aware that the website is not up-to-date with prices, services offered or practitioners available and I’m working on getting it re-launched.
As it stands at the moment, the main changes are:

Matt's Standard Follow-up for Chiropractic Care is now 30 minutes for £40, not 20 minutes as stated on the chiropractic page.

Jeanne Heppell and Tracey Proctor are no longer practicing with us.

Val has changed her treatments and increased her prices, for details please see the offer above.

My prices have increased too (in line with the rent on the building being increased), and I'm no longer offering kinesiology.
Asyra Screening (1 hour) £60
Nutritional supplements and essential oil blends charged separately.
Aromatherapy Facial £41
(Includes personalised facial massage oil -1 hour)
Stress-busting Aromatherapy Massage £41
(Back, neck and shoulders - 1 hour)
Relaxing full body aromatherapy massage £54
(11/2 hours)
Deluxe full body aromatherapy massage £68
(Bliss from tip to toe - 2 hours)
Indian Head Massage £31
(45 minutes)

I hope to have it sorted by early to mid September, so in the meantime, please keep checking this latest news section and your emails for current information.

Goodbye Tracey, Room availability & Patient Forum update

2010-08-11T01:41:00.000-07:00

Goodbye Tracey
We said a sad farewell to clinical psychologist Tracey Proctor last week, who is moving back to her roots in East Anglia. She helped her patients at Peak Wellbeing with depression, anxiety, relationship issues and more, and will continue to do so in the Cambridge & Newmarket areas. She’s been with me from the beginning (almost), I’ve really enjoyed meeting her patients, getting to know them and watching them blossom (if only from seeing them for five minutes each week) and she will be sadly missed by us all.
She can be contacted via her website www.a-problem-shared.co.uk.

Room availability
We will soon have a room to rent in the clinic. I need to put the correct energy into the words I use and how I market it, which will take a bit more time than I have at the moment. I want to get it right so the right person comes to the clinic and we all gain from each other. I’ll keep you posted.

Patient forum update
Back at the Patient Forum in March, we hoped to have everything in place by the end of May. Well, true to form, we’re running late! The two main jobs, which were the changing area and the patient pack, (AKA Optimum health – booklet now available in reception, soon to follow online) have now been completed (phew!) and it’s just the extra info sheets left that need writing and designing. I’ll let you know as soon as I do…

Blood acidity imbalance linked to weight gain, premature aging and cancer

2010-07-22T04:28:00.000-07:00

How your acid/alkaline balance affects your health
Your blood pH has a very narrow range of around 7.35 to 7.45 and going outside of this range causes illness. Should it go below 6.8 or above 7.8, cells stop functioning and start to die, leading to fatality. It's serious stuff. Your body naturally buffers the pH balance by breathing out carbon dioxide, releasing alkaline bile, retaining sodium in the kidneys and removing calcium from the bones. This used to be sufficient until our modern lifestyle kicked in.

What causes acid imbalance?
The modern lifestyle has a lot to answer for, with stress being a primary factor, along with processed food, environmental pollution, candida and parasite (unfriendly bacteria) infections, tap water and many medications leading to acid build up.

So why is acid imbalance harmful?
When your body is more acid than alkaline, it’s not able to absorb nutrients and minerals as easily from your food, your cells produce less energy and aren’t able to repair themselves as well, your body’s ability to detox heavy metals is decreased, you’re more susceptible to fatigue & illness, and tumours can thrive in an acidic environment.

Acidosis:

Corrodes arteries, veins and heart tissues
Accelerates premature aging
Disrupts fat metabolism
Studies suggest that acidity levels in terminal cancer patients is 1,000 times more than in healthy people.
Slows oxygen delivery to cells
Leads to weight gain and diabetes

According to Dr Robert Young, Author of pH Miracle for Weight Loss, “Weight loss is not about fat grams, cholesterol, carbs or calories, it’s about acid.” When you look at the foods that are acidic, one of the worst offenders is sugar, in all it’s forms. This ties in with the sugar (fructose) theory of being the number one cause of obesity, which I wrote about in March (See What could possibly be worse for your health than smoking?). Your body stores acids in fat tissue to protect the liver and kidneys from acid damage, so by balancing your body’s pH level, you’ll naturally lose weight.

Acidic blood is thicker, with less oxygen and nutrients being transported to the cells. When the cell becomes deprived of oxygen, it either dies or becomes malignant. Cancer cells then thrive in this environment, as they get their energy through fermentation, a process that doesn’t require oxygen. Professor Felicia Kliment, in her book ‘The Acid Alkaline Balance Diet’, says ‘Clearly, the prevention of cancer should begin with removing from the body acidic wastes that turn normal cells into cancerous ones. If an individual is being treated for cancer, the removal of acidic wastes generated by toxic chemotherapy could prevent a recurrence.’

So what can we do to help ourselves?
Can you guess what I’m going to say?!! Avoid sugar and processed foods, eat lots of fruit & veg, don’t smoke or drink alcohol, manage your stress and drink plenty of alkaline water. You’ve heard most of that before, but until recently I wasn’t aware of the benefits of alkaline, ionised water. Clearly if we’re trying to tip the balance towards the alkaline side of the scale, one of the easiest things to do is make sure the water we drink is as health giving as possible. Did you know that most water filters make your tap water more acidic? I certainly didn’t, and tested it for myself just to make sure. I found that straight tap water was around pH 7.5, Brita filtered water around pH 6.5 and with my new alkaline water filter, it’s around pH 8.5. I know what I’ll be sticking with from now on!

I also regularly do a parasite cleanse, by using a herbal tincture or essential oil capsules. I support my body through this process by taking lots of vitamin C, friendly bacteria and digestive enzymes, as sometimes the “die-off” from the parasites can be an unpleasant experience.

When you look into the effects of acidosis in the body, it appears to be at the source of a whole host of degenerative diseases, and ties together much of the thinking around weight loss and wellbeing in general. I’ve always said it’s a full time job being healthy, and every time I write an article, I add to the list of things to do to keep me balanced. But like a very wise person once said, “If you haven’t got your health, then you haven’t got anything.”

Wishing you peace and good health,

Bess

We now stock Anti-Oxidant Alkaline Water Filter Jugs

2010-07-22T04:27:00.000-07:00

One of the simplest and easiest things you can do to optimise your health and bring balance to your acid/alkaline levels is to drink alkaline water. The jugs filter and ionise your tap water turning it into mineral rich, health promoting alkaline water with anti-oxidant properties. The jugs come with two filters (which will last you 3 - 4 months) and are available in the clinic for £47.75. All the water we drink in the clinic is now anti-oxidant, alkaline water, so next time you're in, ask for a sample!

Goodbye Jeanne

2010-07-01T09:29:00.000-07:00

"Dear Shiatsu clients past and present,

As some of you know I have been having some health problems over the last year and a half and I am not recovering as I would like. So I have decided to have a break from my Shiatsu practice until October to give myself some time and space to concentrate on getting well. I am therefore no longer practicing at Peak Wellbeing.
In October I will make a decision whether to carry on practicing Shiatsu or not, if I do continue it will be from my home in Duffield. I will e-mail you again to let you know my decision.

Anyone who would like to contact me my personal e-mail is jeanne.heppell@btinternet.com

I wish you a fulfilling and healthy summer

With warm wishes,

Jeanne Heppell"

Whilst I am sad to see Jeanne go, I know that it's in her best interests at this time, and I look forward to seeing her back to her vibrant, vivacious old self again. It will be hard to fill the void she leaves, there aren't many shiatsu practitioners around, and to find someone with Jeanne's experience, compassion and care makes it a nigh-on impossible task. I know her clients will miss her dearly, and will join me in wishing her a rapid return to full health and vitality.
Bess

Save 20% off Chiropractic Care

2010-07-01T09:26:00.000-07:00

20% OFF chiropractic care in July & August

During July & August we're offering 20% off First Chiropractic Consultations AND 20% off your next 30 minute follow-up appointment*. So if anyone you know would benefit from help with their back pain, headaches, sporting injuries or gardening strain, now's the time for them to get booked in and sorted out. Normally £75, first consultations are reduced to £60.
And if you're worried about what the new government's going to do with your money, or haven't been in for a while and have a niggling pain, then (again) now's the time to get seen to. 30 minute follow-up appointments* are reduced to £32 (normally £40).
Call 01773 827 347 or email bookings@peakwellbeing.net to book your appointment with Matt now.

*One reduced rate follow-up per patient.

Matt is now Bupa registered

2010-06-17T09:32:00.001-07:00

Matt is now Bupa registered
Our amazing chiropractor, Dr Matthew Pigden, is now Bupa registered. If you have Bupa health insurance, you need to have a referral from your GP or Bupa Consultant to be eligible to claim for chiropractic care.
We can either give you a receipt for each treatment, or invoice them direct on your behalf, depending on your policy.
Call 01773 827 347 to book your appointment with Matt now.

The Art of Surrender

2010-06-17T09:31:00.000-07:00

The art of surrender

I’ve been trying to write this article for weeks. I try to write every article for weeks. According to my (self-imposed) deadline, it should have been proof read and sent to you two weeks ago. I’ve never made my article writing deadline yet.

Alright, so it’s a self imposed deadline, and being self-employed I can do what I want, when I want (almost) but I just know that if I really tried my hardest to write this, what comes out won’t be any good. I’ll send it out and when I read it once it’s arrived in my inbox (so I know it’s arrived in yours), I won’t like what I’ve written. I’ll have gotten on my high horse and gone completely off topic. The tone won’t be right, I’ll have missed vitally important information or it’s just plain boring/unreadable.

So what do I do? I bow down to the universal wisdom, my hormones, my tiredness levels and surrender. I give up basically. I can’t do something when I can’t do something. There’s just no point trying.

So how did this article get written? When I surrendered, I trusted that there would be a time at some point this month that I would have the inspiration and energy to write it. And here it is, you’re reading the proof, it worked.

It's the same when I get a cold, or am tired, or just feeling a bit below par. I’ll go and have a lie down, or a walk, or do the minimum I can to get through the afternoon until I can go for a walk or get into bed extra early. If I’m lacking in energy that day, I don’t see the point in wasting any more of my resources trying so hard to do something that really, in the grand scheme of things, isn’t that important and can wait (just a bit longer). 15 minutes to half an hour spent recuperating means that I can function far better afterwards than I did before. If I were Prime Minister (Leader of the Universal Peace Party), my wining policy would be to make every work-place in the UK have a Rest & Relaxation Room.

Anyway, I digress. The art of surrender involves:

Listening to your body when it tells you it’s time to stop
Trusting that you will feel better for taking time out to have a power nap, listen to a relaxing piece of music or go for a refreshing walk in the park
Taking action and actually doing whatever it is your body is crying out for
Knowing that the time will come for the job to be done and when that time comes, the job will be done with joy, ease and grace.
Enjoying the moment and the beauty of life – seek and ye shall find…

Wishing you peace and good health,

Bess

Feeling lost and lacking focus? Stuck on the hamster wheel and don’t know how to get off?

2010-04-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

Sharper Life coaching can help you focus your energy and create your plan of action for a better life. In just a few sessions you'll get help with:

Combating stress
Boosting self esteem
Increasing your confidence
Overcoming depression
Beating phobias
Reducing panic attacks
Achieving personal challenges
Realistic goal setting
Inspiring motivation

or just generally improving your work life balance, well being, or any other area that's important to you.

Sharper life has helped hundreds of people near you across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. Through small steps, which are practical and do-able, you can quickly find new solutions to move forward with the life you want.

Using a variety of practical life-coaching techniques including hypnotherapy and Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), enables you to achieve your dreams. With time and support to achieve your goals you can learn how to repeat your success again and again, with new perspectives for your whole life. All sessions are held in a relaxing, supportive space where there's time to focus on you.

Sharper Life has moved into a new area as well, with sessions now running at Peak Wellbeing on the first Thursday of every month (Next time Hannah's here is Thursday 6th May). Hannah is offering a special initial 70-minute session for just £50. In that time you can really begin to make a difference to an area in your life, whether it’s personal, professional or financial.

To learn more or book a session please call Hannah on 07939 460 812 and she'll be happy to answer any questions you may have about the process and how she can help you. You can also visit her website at www.sharperlife.com.

About Sharper Life
Sharper Life is the company of Hannah Sharples who has successfully been helping individuals and groups grow their confidence, communication skills, achieve their goals and overcome personal challenges for over 5 years. Prior to that Hannah worked as a trainer and coach within the financial industry. The client base and coaching team of Sharper Life are growing due to huge demand across the Midlands.

About Hannah Sharples
In 2005 after achieving everything I set out to within the financial sector, I qualified as an NLP Practitioner and secured funding to set up Sharper Life. I trained with NLP School Europe, Paris and London, with whom I am currently studying for the NLP Master Practitioner qualification. I have had many private clients and created numerous courses, enabling me to put into practice the NLP techniques as well as incorporating other skills that are based in psychotherapy, EFT, (Emotional Freedom Technique) and counselling, to allow a holistic approach to suit each individual client.

Case Study of Mr R
Having suffered panic attacks for several years Mr R came for NLP coaching as the situation was now seriously affecting his work. Through a mixture of coaching and specialised techniques, including one just for panic attacks, the attacks reduced significantly after one session. With 4 more session we were able to work at continuing to eliminate the panic attacks completely and build-in feelings of calm for every day and for those situations that would have previously been overwhelming.

Case Study of Ms C
Having initially come for help with feelings of jealously we were able to quickly get to the cause of the problem and work at self esteem and confidence, as well as communication skills to enable a more successful relationship. After just 3 sessions Ms C agreed to become Mrs D and they have had a much more harmonious relationship!

Testimonials
“ I took the time today to really take a look at myself and start to effect change with the help of Sharper Life” T.Bacon, Derby

“During the coaching sessions I've been able to deal with issues I would never have thought I'd be able to look at in my lifetime, let alone accept and move forward from, with tools to deal with these deep problems, I'm amazed” A.D Derby

“After having my first child I felt a bit lost, like ‘me’ was a lifetime ago. Having fortnightly coaching sessions meant there was time for me, to focus on what I wanted for me as well as my family. I was able to reconnect with my old dreams, and plan how to pursue them around my family, making the most of each separately. Now I am able to enjoy my children and have a career – something I just couldn’t get my head round before, let alone organise! Thank you so much” S.P Belper

Are pesticides poisoning you?

2010-04-15T04:31:00.000-07:00

Are pesticides poisoning you?
Ok, so I know I was going to write about taking 15 minutes out each day, but my 15 minutes this morning was taken up by watching the shocking films below, and I just had to share them with you all.

Poisoned - New 60 Minutes Report On Pesticides - Part 1

Poisoned - New 60 Minutes Report On Pesticides - Part 2

The videos above focus on two pesticides, carbendazim and endosulfan. The good news is, endosulfan is banned in 62 countries, including the European Union. The first bit of bad news is, it’s still in use in India, Brazil & Australia (don’t eat any conventionally grown foods from these countries!). The second bit of bad news is that carbendazim is still widely used (although it has been in decline of late).
These chemicals can be fatal, and other hazards of these toxins include:

Hyperactivity
Tremors
Convulsions
Lack of coordination
Difficulty breathing
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhoea
And in severe cases, unconsciousness.
Many cases of sub-lethal poisoning have resulted in permanent brain damage from endosulfan.
Suspected hormone disruption effects which can lead to foetal defects.

So what is being done about the use of these poisons?
The European Parliament approved pesticide legislation last year, which states:

“Certain highly toxic chemicals will be banned [Good] unless exposure to them would in practice be negligible [define negligible], namely those which are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction, those which are endocrine-disrupting, and those which are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) or very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB).
For developmental neurotoxic and immunotoxic substances, higher safety standards may be imposed. [Surely these should be outright banned too?]
If a substance is needed to combat a serious danger to plant health, it may be approved for up to five years even if it does not meet the above safety criteria. [What about our health? What about the long-term effects of these chemicals on the plants, not to mention the delicate ecosystems (insects, rivers & streams, birds) that play an essential role?]
Substances likely to be harmful to honeybees will be outlawed." [Thank goodness!]

For me, although this legislation is a step in the right direction, it just doesn’t go far enough. I have this vision of the super-powerful chemical companies lobbying governments to approve all manner of poisons that haven’t been properly trialled or their long-term effects taken into consideration. I am clearly biased on these matters, and would prefer for no hazardous chemicals to be used ever, but I understand this is simply not possible at the present time.

So what can we do about it?
I like to use the ‘Peaceful World’ analogy here, as when we have a world full of peaceful people, we have a peaceful world. This means that action needs to be taken on an individual basis, which is then spread to more individuals, until we get to a point of critical mass and the minority becomes the majority.
So my advice is to buy organic. (Bet you didn’t see that coming!) I know it can be expensive, but when you use every part of every item of food you buy (broccoli stalks to make soup, chicken bones to make stock*), not only does it make it more cost effective but also more eco-friendly.
If you wish to avoid the supermarkets and their expensive, ‘freshly flown in from Kenya’ approach to organic food, there are plenty of veg-box schemes around. I personally use Trinity Farm in Cossall. They’re great value, local, organic & biodynamic, and lovely people to boot.
If you’re at all green fingered, you’re probably already growing your own. I’ve had my very first foray into growing my own salad this year. Everyday I watch with delight as the pots on my windowsill start sprouting, and I know that in a few weeks I’ll be enjoying super-fresh, organic salad that cost just a few pennies and only minutes of my time.

*Be Your Own Butcher! To get organic chicken breasts at the same price as non-organic, buy a whole organic bird and cut the breasts, wings and legs off yourself. You can boil up what’s left to make a delicious stock for gravy, soup, risotto…

Wishing you peace and good health,

Bess

P.S. In last month’s health-e-newsletter, I ended it by saying that the obesity epidemic is all down to sugar. Which of course isn’t true! There are many complex factors, including lack of physical activity and fast food. If you want an in-depth explanation about how sugar affects your health, I recommend the following video - Sugar: The Bitter Truth. I get so swept up and passionate about these things that I get a bit carried away at times. Forgive me!

The results of the patient forum are in!

2010-03-29T01:22:00.000-07:00

First of all, I’d like to say a big thank you to those who made it on Friday morning and to those who sent their suggestions in by email. I’m very pleased with how the forum went, we’ve got lots of ideas and lots of work to do to implement them.

The aims of the forum were:

To create an environment of positive feedback
To ensure all participants felt heard
To fully investigate all suggestions and their reasons to implement/not implement them
To put in place a workable plan to improve:

Patient satisfaction and retention
Efficiency of the clinic

For the benefit of all

We discussed many different suggestions people had, quite a few of which we have already implemented. At the end of January we increased the follow-up appointment time to 30 minutes, as 20 minutes just wasn’t enough for Matt to do what he needed to do with most patients. We have also built in one 30 minute break per morning/afternoon session. These breaks act as a buffer so that any delay is prevented from rolling over.

Matt is a very experienced, dedicated and holistic practitioner. He’s researched many different methods of diagnosis and brings in a wide range of techniques to treat you in the most beneficial way. He has an outstanding reputation that reaches far and wide, with many patients refusing to see anyone else but him.

When you consider that most chiropractors charge up to £29 per 15 minute follow-up appointment, without the range of skills or commitment to care as Matt, I think you will agree that the current price represents exceptional value for money.

Tiered pricing/Appointment duration system for follow-ups
One of the suggestions made at the forum was to introduce a tiered pricing/appointment time structure for the follow-ups. This means that for those patients with relatively little to treat will have shorter treatments at less cost.
With immediate effect, the following appointment times & prices apply (You’ll be pleased to know there’s been no price increase for 30 minute appointments)
Follow-ups
10 minutes £25
20 minutes £30
30 minutes £40
40 minutes £50
50 minutes £65
60 minutes £75

It will tie-in with the ‘Prescription pad’ idea, whereby Matt will recommend which additional information sheets (see patient packs below) you need to read, which supplements (if any) you need to take, how long your next appointment needs to be for and in how many days/weeks/months time. This ‘prescription’ will be given to you at the end of each session, so you know exactly what you need to do next to achieve your health goals.

Patient packs
A lot of what Matt discusses with his patients can be written down and put into a patient pack. The intention being that the less Matt talks, the less likely he is to run late! The packs will aim to answer many of the questions patients ask and give information on things such as the healing process, muscle testing, inflammatory response and much more. Additional sheets can be added according to the individual patient’s needs, including gall bladder/liver flushes, orthotics, flower remedies etc.

Other suggestions included a ‘Traffic light’ system in reception, where we can switch on colour-coded lights in Matt’s room that indicate when a patient is waiting in reception and when there is more than one patient waiting. We’re also going to add a changing area (by taking one side of Matt’s room) so patients can get ready before going in for their appointment.

The website will also be updated with the new appointment structure, prices, information sheets to download and more testimonials about Matt’s care.

There’s quite a bit of work to do, and we hope to have everything in place by the end of May. Please bear with us whilst we are making these changes. You will all be invited to another patient forum in six months to review how we’ve got on and what difference the changes have made.

Thanks again for your suggestions and continued support.

Wishing you peace and good health,

Bess

I wanted to share this testimonial with you as I think it sums up beautifully how Matt works and what makes him so exceptional.

I have been seeing Matt for over 5 years. I have traveled to Nottingham, Chesterfield and Belper to see him. Why? Because he gets me right: he fixes me. I don't understand what he does most of the time, I just trust him to make the right judgment about my body and let him get on with it.

Originally he was a recommended to me by Steve after I had a bad back and had to take three months off work. Of the serious injuries I have had - back, thigh strain and hamstrings, Matt has always managed to fix me.

Each time I have gone to visit him there has always been some waiting time. Sometimes an hour, sometimes two hours and sometimes I've even known him to be on time!

So how do you fix his inability to schedule? To be on time, to work his appointments so they run like clock work? The simple answer I feel is you can't, and these are the reasons why.

Matt is very talented at what he does, very dedicated, thorough and in touch with the human body with all its strengths and frailties.

When he has a patient in front of him, he doesn’t see them as money, as 20 minutes or 30 minutes. He sees someone with a problem who needs his help - and then his mind does what it does best, putting him to work on helping people. When he starts, things like time mean nothing, because he works in the present, the NOW. He doesn’t think who's next, what’s for tea, what time’s lunch etc. He is working in the very present moment, nothing else matters other than working with the patient in front of him and helping them overcome their injury or whatever they sought his help with.

Instead of viewing Matt’s time keeping as a problem, you should look at it from a different point of view - it is in effect a great strength, but you need to know how to sell the strength of his poor time keeping and turn it into a great positive for all his clients.

His time keeping is irrelevant because he just seeks to help, and be thorough. If I go to see someone for help, what would I rather have? Someone who runs on time, isn’t thorough about my problem, does the bare minimum and then wheels in the next client bang on time? Matt is not a train, he is a healer and he never knows what he is going to find or how long it will take him to begin the process of healing his patient.

Personally I prefer someone who will treat me with care and give my problem the time and care it deserves. Sometimes I've been in with Matt for an hour; sometimes I've been in with Matt for 10 minutes. Each time I trust he is doing his best for me to resolve my issues.

So I feel the answer is you need to make your (new) patients aware (and repeat to old patients) on bookings without being big headed or conceited in the way Matt works and the care he takes. Remind people that he may overrun because in treating a patient he is never sure how long it will take. Each patient and therefore each problem is unique. Your website should feature a section on Matt and contain 100's if not 1000's of patients and their case studies about the care he offered and what he did to help them. People can draw their own conclusions about how lucky they are in being a patient of Matt’s.

So when he's running late, and a patient is waiting, they should feel good that Matt is working hard to do the best for his patients. And next it may be their turn to have some extra time from Matt.

As long as people are aware of the reasons why he may be running late (he's caring for people and their problems with no regard for time because he’s a healer), then they should feel fortunate that soon this gentleman will be affording them the expertise and patience of his time.

That, I feel is the answer, for people to understand why he runs late. In order to see someone at the top of his game, this is the compromise that patients have to make, they need to allow time for him
a) Running late
b) Spending extra time with them.

Its all about perception - you have to turn his perceived negative (his time keeping) in to the great positive that it is - his care, dedication and excellence in chiropractic and healing.

A Walters, March 2010.

What could possibly be worse for your health than smoking?

2010-03-15T09:29:00.000-07:00

What could possibly be worse for your health than smoking?

Some experts suggest there is an everyday substance even worse for your health than tobacco. A substance that is far reaching, it can be hidden or the main ingredient in many foods. It is as pure and white as the driven snow, and sweeter than your sweetheart.

The substance is sugar. It comes in many different disguises and always tastes good. It’s not just found in the obviously sweet foods such as pop, cakes, biscuits and chocolate, but also in tomato ketchup, salad dressing, cereal, peanut butter, bread, pickle, baked beans, yoghurts and many, many, more everyday foods.

So how can you tell what to look for and what makes sugar so bad?
Check the ingredients of the foods you buy, you’ll be surprised at how many contain sugar and/or it’s disguised derivatives:Glucose/Dextrose (refined sugar)

Glucose Syrup/Corn Syrup (processed from corn)
Sucrose (white sugar)
Invert Syrup/Treacle (found in golden syrup, toffee, black treacle)
Lactose (milk sugar)
Maltose (found in germinating seeds such as barley for beer)
Hydrolysed Starch (just another description for sugar)
Fructose (fruit sugar)
Raw, Brown or Demerara Sugar

All the items in the above list are refined sugars, which are anti-nutrients. They deplete your body instead of nourishing it (giving ‘empty calories’), some would say in the same way a poison does. The raw plants are stripped of all their nutrients during the refining process.

Sugar is linked to all sorts of nasties, including -Immune system suppression

Hyperactivity, anxiety and difficulty concentrating
Premature aging
Alcoholism
Weakened eyesight
Yeast imbalance leading to thrush
Increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and obesity

It’s no coincidence that some sugar plantation owners during the slave era suffered type 2 diabetes (they were the only ones who could afford refined sugar), while the slaves themselves who chewed on the raw cane had no problems from it.

Glucose, lactose, maltose and fructose can all be found in nature. That doesn’t mean they’re ‘natural’ when refined and added to foods. They’re all found in whole foods, and when eaten as a whole food (a fresh, crisp apple), all the necessary fibre and enzymes are included for correct metabolism and absorption of all the goodness of that said food. That’s why whole foods don’t come with a list of ingredients.

Although no type of sugar is good for you, refined fructose has been implicated in some pretty serious crimes - obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardio-vascular disease, high blood pressure and lipid (cholesterol) problems. These diseases are collectively known as metabolic syndrome, and are the cause of the obesity epidemic we’re now facing.

Fructose is found in ice cream, fromage frais desserts, soya yogurts, cakes and ‘light’ foods. This refined sugar has the same long term effects on your body as alcoholism (alcohol is fermented sugar), only you don’t notice so much as you don’t get drunk. So next time you see someone with a beer belly (not just on men!), it means they’re likely to have a sweet tooth instead of/as well as high alcohol consumption.

What about brown sugar? Is that better for you than white sugar?
Sorry, but it’s bad news. Brown sugar has either been washed less than white sugar, or has had molasses added back into the white sugar to coat the crystals and give it a bit of a different flavour. So it’s still had all its nutrients stripped during the refining process and is no better for you than white sugar.

What about artificial sweeteners?
The news is even worse for artificial sweeteners. Aspartame, found in Canderel, diet colas, sugar-free fruit squashes etc, has had more reactions reported to the US Food & Drug Administration than every other food additive combined. Reactions included migraines, headaches, memory loss, hallucination, fatigue, nausea and vomiting to name just a few of the milder symptoms. Sucralose (E-number E955), found in Splenda, is linked with enlarged liver and kidneys, reduced growth rate, aborted pregnancy and diarrhoea.

So what can I use?
My personal approach is to avoid sugar all together. I’m not always successful at it, but once you cut it out, you realise how sickly doughnuts and chocolate are, and how sweet fruit and vegetables are. Suddenly I have a whole new appreciation for roast parsnips, sweet potato wedges and slow-cooked onions. Strawberries that have been warmed by the sun become like nectar, and pineapple is my version of a bag of penny chews.

If ever the mood takes me to do some baking, I’ll use xylitol to replace the sugar in the recipe. This is found in shops as Xylobrit, Xylosweet or Perfect Sweet. It’s not perfect, it has a laxative effect in high doses, but it has also been found to be good for your teeth (its used in sugar-free gum) amongst other benefits.

So now we’ve discovered the true source of the obesity epidemic and it’s nothing to do with fat. It’s all about the sugar. Phew, after all this technical stuff I need a break, and in the next article, we’ll discover the power of taking 15 minutes out everyday.

Wishing you peace and good health,

Bess

Uncover the truth about fats - the good, the bad and the ugly.

2010-02-18T06:39:00.000-08:00

It’s now becoming widely known that not all fats are bad, but do you know which to avoid and which are important to include in your diet?

The idea of a low-fat diet spread from America in the early 80s. Studies found that the less fat you ate, the lower your cholesterol levels and the lower your risk of heart disease. It was also assumed that a high fat diet lead to being overweight. Were those studies correct or flawed? Do we even need to revisit the studies when you just have to look around you to see the evidence?

So which fats are good fats, and which are the bad guys? And are there ugly ones too? Yes, and it gets even more confusing as good fats turn ugly, and the bad ones aren’t so bad after all…

Unsaturated fats, found in vegetable oils are widely considered as the good guys. Which is correct, to a point, but there are some issues. Here’s why:

There are two types of unsaturated fat. On an atomic level, it’s all to do with how many double bonds there are in the fatty acid chain, mono (meaning one) and poly (meaning many).

Poly-unsaturated fats are unstable and go rancid easily. Free radicals in the rancid oils have been shown to contribute towards premature aging, increase of heart disease and cancer and damage of organs.

Poly-unsats can be further divided into omega 6 and omega 3 oils, again classified according to how many double bonds there are. Most commercial vegetable oils contain high levels of omega 6 compared to omega 3, which is unfavourable (it should be equal, and poly-unsats should make up no more than 4% of your total calorie intake). High levels of omega 6 in the diet have been linked to increased tendency to form blood clots, high blood pressure, weight gain, inflammation and more.

Mono-unsaturated fats, such as olive and avocado are more stable and don’t go rancid as quickly. Extra virgin oils are pressed at low temperatures without exposure to damaging oxygen and light.

And then, in the making of margarine and spreads, when unsaturated fats are super-heated and hydrogenised, they turn into trans-fats. These are the ugly fats, which are toxic and to be avoided at all costs.

What about saturated fats, aren’t they the bad guys?
Nope, saturated fats, such as those found in lard, dripping, goose fat and butter aren’t the cause of many of our modern diseases. They play a vital role in bone health, protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins, enhance the immune system, lower Lp(a), which is a substance found in the blood that indicates the likelihood of heart disease, and are needed to help retain the benefits of omega 3s, amongst other virtues.

So what fats should I use in my cooking?
Butter is actually less likely to cause weight gain than olive oil or other commercial vegetable oils as it is directly absorbed for quick energy. This is due to its’ short-chain fatty acids, which are antimicrobial (helping maintain good bacteria in the digestive system), antitumoral and supportive to the immune system.

Extra virgin olive oil is great for pouring over salads, making up dressings, and cooking at moderate temperatures. It is rich in antioxidants, but don’t overdo it, as it’s longer chain fatty acids are more likely to contribute to fat build up.

Animal fats such as lard, beef dripping and goose fat are stable, useful for frying and bring lots of flavour. If you haven’t tried roasting potatoes in goose fat, I highly recommend it, they’re delicious! Some researchers suggest pork products may contribute towards cancer, others say that it is only the meat that does this, not the fat. Pork is a good source of vitamin D however, so I’ll leave that decision to you.

According to Dr Mercola (www.mercola.com), where I did most of my research about this article, all the following oils should be avoided; safflower (borage), corn, sunflower, soybean and rapeseed, as they contain too much omega 6 compared to omega 3. You are much better off eating the raw, fresh seeds, such as sunflower seeds, than using the commercially produced oils.

Flax seed oil has a much better omega 3 to omega 6 ratio, so is valuable when poured over salads but should never be heated.

Coconut oil has strong antifungal and antimicrobial properties and doesn’t contribute towards heart disease. It is very stable and can be used in baking.

We did as we were told, we reduced our fat intake, but obesity has increased and continues to do so. Why? Find out in the next article, when I’ll explain about the different types of sugar.

Ode to Matt

2009-08-24T03:05:00.000-07:00

He’s always late,
But he’s worth the wait,
If your back’s in pain,
You’ll be as right as rain,
If your head is reeling,
Come to Matt for healing,
If you’ve got no clue,
Matt knows what to do,
His style is unique,
With brilliant technique,
Though his timekeeping‘s poor,
I often bang on the door,
But he’s in no hurry,
So please don’t worry,
Cos everyone gets what they need,
And that is guaranteed.

Besslow's Hierarchy of Universal Needs

2009-05-07T09:55:00.000-07:00

The idea for this came from a client of my clinic, who I was talking to about the ANH group I run. She thought that Maslow’s hierarchy of needs was relevant, and worth discussing. So I thought about it, and decided to turn the pyramid on it’s head, start at the bottom, and reach to infinity. It’s all a process (See Deepak Chopra’s thread “Insights on Healing…” on the ANH forum), and as it only took about an hour from conception to upload, it will evolve as I get your feedback on it.
It was originally just going to be my pyramid on it’s head, but when I looked further into Maslow’s process, I discovered that later models include transcendence, which overlap with the universal process of increasing the peace. So then I decided to add Maslow’s pyramid to the bottom of mine, so that it became an integrated part, rather than a separate entity.

I'd love you to share your experience of this.

Peace

Bess

British No. 1 Mogul skier, Ellie Koyander recommends chiropractic care and Peak Wellbeing

2009-04-23T09:03:00.000-07:00

Why do people seek out Chiropractic care?
Chiropractic care helps improve the function of the nervous system, which in turn reduces pain, improves joint function and can help improve symptoms of ill health.

Who has Matthew helped this month?
Ellie Koyander, No. 1 UK Moguls and Freestyle champion, had a quick stop over in the UK between legs of the World Cup tour. Ellie came in with pain in the right lower back and left inner foot. After examining Ellie, we found her diaphragm to be in spasm, causing tension down the right side of her back, in turn altering pelvic position. The pelvic dysfunction caused the muscles in her inside calf to weaken.

So, from initial symptoms of inner foot pain Matt was able to trace the primary cause back to her diaphragm. What caused the diaphragm to tighten? Ellie commented "I had severe sickness from food poisoning whilst in Japan. I knew straight away my performance had deteriorated and found it hard to pull off landings from my back flips."

After making chiropractic adjustments to the lower thoracic spine, pelvis and mid-neck, combined with some soft tissue therapy to the diaphragm and inner calf, Ellie's symptoms significantly improved immediately.

How’s she doing now?
Ellie says "after a quick blast at an indoor ski centre, I could tell straight away that my body was functioning normally again. I’m off for intensive training in the States before the Australian competition season begins and it’s reassuring to know that I’m back to full function, thanks Matt"

Ellie has ranked highly enough for the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, but requires 10 more World Cup points for full qualification. She hopes to gain these in Australia. Good luck Ellie from all at Peak Wellbeing.

See you soon!

You can follow Ellie’s progress at www.elliekoyander.com

To find out more about how chiropractic care can help you, click here or call Peak Wellbeing on 01773 827 347.