The Autoimmune Summit (free, online event!)

Learn how to prevent and reverse autoimmune disease at the world’s first free online summit all about autoimmunity! Nearly 40 experts in the fields of Functional Medicine, nutrition, and autoimmune disease will explain how leaky gut, genetics, and environmental triggers such as toxins, food sensitivities, infections, and stress all play a part in the development of autoimmune disease.

If that sounds like you, or you just want to learn more about preventing, treating, and reversing these conditions, The Autoimmune Summit is for you! The information you will learn will put you on the road to better physical, mental, and spiritual health. Plus, it’s FREE and online from November 10-17, 2014.

Join Amy Myers MD, author of The Autoimmune Solution, and educate yourself about more natural ways to treat autoimmunity. Diagnosed with autoimmune hyperthyroidism during medical school, her mission is to help others avoid dangerous conventional treatment and prevent and reverse autoimmune disease naturally!

Register for FREE now at the following link:

https://dm186.isrefer.com/go/summitreg/CHH/

The Autoimmune Summit is online and FREE from November 10­-17, 2014!

Here are a few of the incredible presenters:

With nearly 40 expert presenters sharing their wealth of knowledge, this invaluable (and FREE) resource is intended for you or someone important to your life!

Better yet, if you register today, you’ll have access to the following FREE GIFTS…

Watch the first talk of the summit:

And, download Dr Myers’ favorite 12 gluten-free and dairy-free recipes! These nutritionist-designed and doctor-approved recipes are simple, delicious, and easy to make.

Come listen to The Autoimmune Summit from November 10-17, 2014! Register for FREE at the following link today: https://dm186.isrefer.com/go/summitreg/CHH/

• Have you, a friend, or family member been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease?
• Do you have a family history of autoimmunity and want to learn how to prevent it?
• Or are you a healthcare provider who wants to better treat your autoimmune patients?
• Mark Hyman, MD, A Functional Medicine Approach to Autoimmunity
• David Brady, DC, ND, The Role of Infections in Autoimmunity
• Alejandro Junger, MD, How to Detox in the Modern World
• Jeffrey Smith, GMOs and Their Role in Leaky Gut, Inflammation, and Autoimmunity
• Sarah Ballantyne, PhD, The Problem with Grains and Legumes in Those with Autoimmunity
• Stuart Nunnally, DDS, A Biological Dentist’s View of Autoimmunity
• Jeff Bland, PhD, Why Autoimmune Disease is Not “Being Allergic to Yourself”a
• Dan Pardi, Sleep is More Important Than You Think. Here’s Why.
  • How your body uses sleep as a time for healing and repair
  • The affect of light and dark on your hormones
  • How adequate sleep increases physical and mental performance
  • Tips to reset your sleep cycle for optimal health and well-being

https://dm186.isrefer.com/go/summitreg/CHH/

Sacred World Music Concert for Meditation

 

This Thursday, November 6th

at 7:30pm - 8:40pm

 at the Centre for Holistic Health, 5A York Place, Edinburgh EH1 3EB. 




You are warmly welcome to attend this Intimate concert space in York Place Edinburgh for a serene evening of Mongolian Harmonic Overtone singing and sacred world music chants accompanied with Indian Harmonium, inspired from Tuva Mongolia and the mountains of Scotland.

Peter's beautiful singing of these soaring songs produces a musical experience of peace within, emotional integration and inner alchemy.

Tickets for this concert are limited due to the smaller size of this lovely intimate venue so please book through 0131 556 8440 Centre for holistic Health Edinburgh during office hours to assure your space.

Peter Govan has been singing locally and internationally for the last 17 years bringing inner wonder to audiences wherever he sings. He has a BA Honours in Art & Performance Arts and has been delighting audiences with his Overtone singing concerts also, and more recently teaching Freeing the Natural Singing Voice.

In 2010, Peter got through to the semi-final of Britain's Got Talent to a pleased Simon Cowell who said Peter had "quite a good voice". He has appeared to 3,000 people in the SECC Glasgow for Britain's Got Talent 2010 and has 14 CDs to his name, 2 of which were featured on the BBC and The Cannes Film Festival.

Peters CDs will be for sale on the night!

Alexander Awareness Week

In celebration of Alexander Awareness Week, the Centre for Holistic Health, an Edinburgh based alternative therapies centre, is opening its doors to the community with a complimentary Introduction to Alexander Technique Lesson, making this popular treatment more accessible. This session runs at 5a York Place Edinburgh on Sunday October 12th  from 10-4pm.

With the Alexander technique you can....

• Be poised without stiffness 
• Move gracefully with less effort 
• Be alert and focused with less strain

The Alexander technique is a simple and practical method for self improvement and self help.

• Anyone can benefit
• Poise, vitality and coordination improve 
• Breathing and speaking become easier
• Movement becomes lighter and more enjoyable

What happens in a lesson?

Using explanation and a guiding touch to help you re-discover balance and ease within yourself. You start by working with simple movements and positions such as sitting, walking or bending the knees which are basic to all activity. Through experience and self observation you learn how you can prevent or release it. This awareness enables you to change longstanding habits and function more efficiently and in time bring awareness and poise to anything that you do.

Interested? 

Then why not consider booking your complimentary introduction with Malcolm Hurst at the Holistic health Centre on Sunday, 12th of October, 2014. Malcolm had his first Alexander lesson some 30 years ago and having lessons helped him overcome longstanding, debilitating back pain. His early lessons were so powerfully and positively impacting that he decided to give up his work as a P.E. teacher in order to train to teach the Alexander technique.

 He says ‘I love the technique and it has been my privilege to work with many people who have sought its help. In an increasingly stressful world we all need to develop our personal resources to help us maintain our health and well being. The Alexander technique is a tool which has the potential to offer lifelong support’.

For more information, please visit the Facebook Event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/730562306981667/

Or call the Centre for Holistic Health on 0131 556 8440

Why Some People Are Testing Their Gut Terrain To Prevent Allergies

The prevalence of food allergy is rising at an alarming rate. New statistics show that there has been an 18% increase in allergies among children between 1997 and 2007. It has been thought for some time that changes in our environment are responsible for this dramatic increase. Now, a new study shows that one gut microbe is directly linked to development of allergies in children. Alterations to the microbial environment in the gut can strongly influence allergic responses to food.  It appears that one organism in particular, is essential in regulating intestinal permeability and directly protect against allergen sensitization.

Although the development of antibiotics has saved thousands of lives since they first were discovered, we have as a society over-used this wonder cure. Antibiotics would miraculously wipe out any bacterial infections that made us ill, but at the expense of destroying our very complex microbial systems.  We have trillions of bacterial cells that co-exist with us – which help the body in a myriad of ways – from digestion to immunity.

When we enter this world, we receive our first inoculation of bacteria from our mothers during the birth process, and from the birth canal.  Breast milk will also transfer our first critical species from mother to child.  Any interruption in this process, i.e. through Cesarean sections, antibiotics in early life or formula milk does alter the microbial environment for life.

The complexity of how these organisms benefit (or harm) or systems is enormous, but scientists are slowly beginning to unravel the functions of specific communities by looking at what happens to individuals who lack certain essential species.

Conditions that have been linked to altered gut bacteria include allergies, cardiovascular, gut and auto-immune conditions which have led many companies offering probiotic treatment.  But does it help?

It is the specifics that are important.  Taking the right probiotic is essential to getting results. Knowing what your gut terrain is like can make the difference between targeted treatment and just taking a guess in the dark. Testing the gut terrain can give very specific information about bacteria that may be missing - by evaluating targeted biomarkers, the GI Effects Comprehensive Stool Profile can reveal hidden conditions that other stool tests may overlook.

For more information, please contact the centre on 0131 556 8440 or info@centre4holistichealth.co.uk

Charmaine Shepherd B.Sc. Biomed., N.dip. Ac, MBAcC

As a teacher and therapist I am dedicated to helping individuals take control of their own health as I firmly believe in supporting the body’s natural ability to heal.

 

I originally obtained my degree in biomedical sciences 17 years ago and worked for several years in biomedical research before deciding to move into complementary medicine. I went on to study acupuncture for 3 years in Asia.

 

I qualified as an acupuncturist in 2005 after extensive training in Singapore, China and Thailand.Over the years I have also refined my practice of Taichi and Qigong and have recently qualified as a Qigong teacher. My Qigong training has taken me all over the world including Germany, Turkey and Canada.

30+ things you may not have known about your gut bacteria

On every scale of human interactions, be it a small gathering of people or a United Nations meeting, we divide mankind into friends, strangers or enemies. In the same way, our immune system discriminates the “micro” world that it comes into contact with. The body’s own components are viewed as friendly, but unknown or foreign structures are treated with suspicion and will evoke a response. Known enemies, however, will trigger a strong immune response to get rid of the irritant.

Our immune system, however, has to deal with the microbes that colonise our digestive tracts and there are trillions of these organisms. In fact, the body contains 10 times more foreign microbial cells than our own body cells, making us only one tenth human! These organisms are critical to our well-being by executing essential functions: digestion of our food, processing and exchanging nutrients, protection against infection. It would be impossible to live without them.

The truly friendly species are tolerated, even fostered by the immune system. Bacteria support the development and maintenance of the immune system and in turn the immune system helps protect these species from other less friendly invaders. It’s a win-win situation. We should love these little guys.

 

Here are 30+ things you may not have known about your gut bacteria:

1. The average body contains about 100 trillion symbiotic bacteria, outnumbering host cells by a factor of 10.
2. These organisms express 10 fold more unique genes than their host’s genome.
3.  The expression of genes from these organisms affects our body function in measurable ways.
4. The highest number of immune cells reside at sites colonised by these organisms.
5. Antibiotic use, changes in diet and elimination of prebiotic foods have resulted in higher rates of allergies in developed countries, as well as auto-immune and inflammatory disorders.
6. Complex communities of bacteria keep one another in check. The same species can be beneficial or damaging depending on the environment they find themselves in. I guess that is the same for human behaviour.
7. Under normal conditions, the gut of a fetus is thought to be sterile and the first exposure to microorganisms occur through the vaginal tract of the birth canal and subsequently the breast milk (and colostrum) of the mother. It is for this reason that both C-section births and bottle-feeding are linked to higher allergy rates in children.
8. The early colonization just after birth sets the stage for the development of the immune system in the long-term. The baby’s immune system is learning who are friends, strangers and enemies and this early information is critical for responses that the baby will bear for a lifetime.
9. Antibiotic use in mothers prior to pregnancy will negatively impact on the immune development of their children. 
10. Recovery of the microbiota after antibiotic use can take 6 – 12 months and some critical species may never recover. Antibiotics should be very carefully considered – especially in women planning to conceive.
11. One specific type of bacteria has been directly shown to protect against colitis in mice, human studies are under way. 
12. Research shows that early exposure to friendly microbes reduces the person’s risk of developing inflammatory diseases later in life. 
13. Studies performed in animals raised in the absences of live microbes (germ free sterile environments) show that the immune system of these mice have dysregulated responses leading to ailments such as asthma.
14. The same studies showed that these mice are susceptible to infection when placed back into a normal environment.
15. The microbial communities signal our immune cells when enemy bugs invade and play a critical role in protecting us from infection.
16. Our microbial friends produce chemicals that maintain the tight junctions (or gaps). Like the Great Wall of China, the gut wall has access points at certain intervals that control which substances will be allowed through the border (friends, enemies or strangers). When these tight junctions break down, larger molecules breach the body’s defenses resulting in an immune attack on otherwise innocuous substances (such as foods). The result is food allergies to even healthy foods.
17. The microbial populations regulate pathways that support a myriad of body functions. Failure of this regulation leads to inflammatory bowel disease, allergies, auto-immune conditions and metabolic syndrome.
18. The bacterial-induced suppression of inflammation is not only limited to the gut. The site of inflammation may be experienced far from the gut. Arthritis for instance, is an inflammatory response that results from the gut. 
19. Good bacteria prevent the growth of harmful species by both producing antibacterial substances and signals to alert our own immune cells to intruders.
20. Human studies have shown that broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment can allow domination of drug-resistant microbes that cause serious infection. 
21. Infections caused by multidrug-resistant bugs are on the rise. 
22. Studies show that the most effective treatment for colitis caused by Clostridium difficile is by replacing healthy bacteria.
23. One study showed that reduction of healthy bacteria after antibiotic treatment made individuals more susceptible to influenza and pneumonia. The same individuals showed lower levels of active immune components being created. 
24. Certain chemotherapy drugs destroy bacterial communities and lower resistance in patients being treated for cancer.
25. Germ free mice (mice in which all bacteria are absent) show much higher incidence of tumours. 
26. Both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC) are associated with genes that are critical in maintenance of the gut barrier and regulation of the immune response. In both conditions the complexity of the gut communities are markedly reduced.
27. Crohn’s disease is associated with bugs that create inflammation including Yersinia and Clostridium. These bugs subvert our own immune responses to generate response to healthy bacteria and even benign foods.
28. Some bacteria thrive in inflammatory conditions, using the nitrate by-products to survive, skewing the healthy balance even more.
29. Transferring the gut bacteria of mice with ulcerative colitis to other mice results in the recipient’s also developing colitis and subsequent colonic cancer.
30. Genetic sequencing of patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis shows the prevalence of specific inflammatory-inducing bacterial species. Researchers can control the development of RA in mice by manipulating their gut bacteria.
31. In mice, researchers have been able to induce multiple sclerosis (MS) by altering gut bacteria. For years researchers have known that the disease varied among genetically identical animals housed in different settings.
32. Gut bacteria provide protection against some inflammatory disorders including type 1 diabetes.
33. In animal studies, mothers passed on immunity against certain disease through passing on their microbial communities.
34. Liver and Intestinal cancer is inextricably linked to inflammation in the GI tract.
35. Microbiota has been shown to play an important role in the development of metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes, with altered communities resulting in an altered metabolism of the host. 
36. In mice, the above conditions are transferrable – simply by inoculating healthy mice with the gut bacteria of the ill mice. 
37. Mice that do not have certain species of gut bacteria grow obese faster than mice with healthy gut bacteria.
38. The gut bacteria are very sensitive to changes in diet. For instance, cruciferous vegetables contain components that signal important immune responses. 
39. Mice fed high saturated fat diets have altered gut communities that effect energy production and immunity.

 By Charmaine Shepherd  B.Sc. Biomed., N.dip. Ac, MBAcC

30 Second Challenge - Lunch!

Your 30 second challenge today?

Get lunch or coffee from somewhere different. Or just order something different.

This small action can help to get you out of your comfort zone and into the magic zone.

That would be where change happens....







30 Second Challenge - Lunch!

Who can be happy?

In this TED Talk, Bjorn Grinde talks about who can by happy, who can be successful, why evolution invented consciousness, and how to make the most of it.

Bjørn Grinde got his education in natural sciences, psychology, and anthropology from the University of Oslo, with doctoral degree in biology. He currently works as Chief Scientist at the Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Bjørn's main area of interest is our understanding of the human brain as shaped by evolution, and how this knowledge can help improve quality of life.




The Happiness Exercises app is now available for iPhone: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/happiness-exercises/id871241117?mt=8 Designed by Bjørn Grinde, programmed by Steinar Grinde

Happiness Exercises - on your phone?

Yes! The Happiness Exercises app is now available for iPhone: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/happiness-exercises/id871241117?mt=8

Bjørn Grinde describres happiness as, "The positive aspect of feelings, emotions and sensations are cared for by more or less the same nerve circuits, whether they are induced by love, art, finding a meaning in life, or tasting a cake; similarly, there are circuits generating negative feelings that are active whether you hurt your knee or are scolded by your boss. Your level of happiness, or well-being, can be defined as the net output of these mood modules. Happiness, in other words, is a term used for desirable states of mind."

What does the app do?

"the app focuses on a workout designed to improve well-being; that is, to affect your daily conscious experiences by elevating your mood."

Read more about the Happiness Exercises and the Happiness App here: http://grinde.wikispaces.com/happiness+exercise

The Happiness App was designed by Bjørn Grinde & programmed by Steinar Grinde

About Bjørn Grinde

I work as a chief scientist with the Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health. I started my studies in biology at the University of Oslo being interested primarily in this one organ of one particular species - the human brain. The interest led to further studies in anthropology and psychology, and to a research career focusing on what shaped this organ - the process of evolution. I believe that insight into the inherent tendencies laid down in the brain can help us improve mental health, quality of life, and happiness. An understanding of human nature should also contribute to the question of how to organize a society in order to offer both present and future people a chance to have a good life.

If I wasn't afraid I would...

Your 30 second challenge today?

Make a list of all the things you would do if you weren’t afraid of what other people would think.

 Remember there are no limits here.

So, the sentence starts:

"If I wasn't afraid I would....."

Now you complete that sentence.

 And you only have 30 seconds…. GO!





If I wasn't afriad I would...

How to stop stress fast!

Want a way to stop stress in its tracks? 

Often there is nothing that we can do to change external circumstances - or what is stressing us out - but we can alter our emotional response. One very simple but powerful technique helps to release distress and bring more coherence to heart rhythms and as a result quickly neutralizes the effects of stress. The Quick Coherence technique, developed by the Institute of Heartmath, takes only one minute to do once you’ve learned the technique.  If practiced frequently, it can have a huge impact on how the body responds to stress.

 

The Quick Coherence Technique

 

Step 1: Focus your attention in the area of your heart or the centre of your chest. You may place your hand over your heart to keep your focus there.  If your mind wanders, just keep shifting your attention back to the area of your heart while you do steps 2 and 3.

 

Step 2: Heart Breathing – as you focus on the area of your heart, imagine that your breath flows in and out of that area.  This helps keep your mind focused on the area of the heart allowing your heart and breathing rates to synchronise.  Breathe slowly and gently in through your heart (to a count of five or six) and slowly out through the heart (count five or six). Do not force the breath, just allow the breathing to be smooth and easy.  Continue to breathe until you find a rhythm that feels natural.

 

Step 3: Heart Feeling – as you continue to breathe through the area of your heart, recall a positive feeling.  Imagine a time when you felt good inside and try to re-experience it.  This may be a feeling of appreciation or care for a special person or pet, a place you enjoyed or an event. Allow yourself to feel this good feeling of appreciation or care.  If you cannot feel anything positive, don’t worry – just try to find the attitude of appreciation or care.  Try and sustain this feeling by continuing the Heart Focus, Heart Breathing and Heart Feeling.

 

The technique may feel a little uncomfortable at first, building coherence is a process and takes practice.  Just keep a genuine intention of creating a heart feeling.

 

Start by practicing the technique several times a day.  Make some notes about what commonly triggers feelings of anxiety, anger or stress.  With practice you can reset your system into increasing coherence.

 

By Charmaine Shepherd  B.Sc. Biomed., N.dip. Ac, MBAcC

Charmaine Shepherd is an acupuncturist and Coherence Coach, Director of the Centre for Holistic Health and Author of Is it all in your mind? 10 Steps to Resolving the Underlying Causes of Anxiety and Depression. Available on Kindle! helping people regain their health with the use of natural treatments.

Qigong Classes at the Yoga Stable

• 15 September - 15 December
• (No class on 20 October)
• Monday mornings: 9.30 - 10.30am
• Cost: £91/£78 conc for term
• At the Yoga Stable, 3a Montgomery Street Lane

Tai Chi is a form of moving meditation which helps bring about calm and peace of mind whilst dynamically, yet gently exercising the whole body. It focuses on relaxation as well as the cultivation of inner strength and harmony of both body and mind. The practice of this art brings us into balance with ourselves and those around us. It can be considered a form of ”inner” martial art.

The arts of both Qigong and Tai Chi emerged initially within China during the middle of the 19th Century, yet the principles upon which it is based go back into antiquity. Both Qigong and Tai Chi is now widely practised and taught in every major country of the world. Its principles and methods make it readily accessible to people of all ages and ability. In particular, it can be very helpful to those of advancing years.

Benefits of combined Tai Chi and Qigong:

• greater relaxation
• reduced stress
• improved health
• inner calm
• improved confidence
• greater ability to smoothly deal with change and life challenges
• increased joint flexibility
• Improved breathing
• Enhanced co-ordination

To book email Charmaine: shepherdcharmaine2@gmail.com

 

Charmaine Shepherd B.Sc. Biomed., N.dip. Ac, MBAcC

As a teacher and therapist I am dedicated to helping individuals take control of their own health as I firmly believe in supporting the body’s natural ability to heal.

 

I originally obtained my degree in biomedical sciences 17 years ago and worked for several years in biomedical research before deciding to move into complementary medicine. I went on to study acupuncture for 3 years in Asia.

 

I qualified as an acupuncturist in 2005 after extensive training in Singapore, China and Thailand.Over the years I have also refined my practice of Taichi and Qigong and have recently qualified as a Qigong teacher. My Qigong training has taken me all over the world including Germany, Turkey and Canada.

A nutritional and herbal approach to living with cancer workshop

Nutrition for the body and mind - taking back control!

Where: The Centre for Holistic Health, 5A York Place, Edinburgh
When: Sunday 31st August 2014. 11am - 3pm
Cost: £99.00

This workshop is designed to give an insight into the powerful properties of the food we eat, eliminate some myths about food and to give a balanced and holistic way of eating and using our food in a protective way. Call 0131 556 8440 to book your place.


By Jean R Dow B.Sc.(Hons), B.A.(Hons), M.Sc. graduated from the Scottish School of  Herbal Medicine in 2004 and has been practicing in Edinburgh, West Lothian and Glasgow since that time.

Jean works from a vitalistic philosophy and uses herbal medicine in a manner that supports the person’s own innate self healing, self regulating ability.

Jean also works closely with people living with cancer, supporting with herbal medicine and nutrition both during mainstream medical care (chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy) and/or after this has finished.  She has completed advanced nutritional qualifications with the Penny Brohn Cancer Centre in Bristol and also runs nutritional workshops teaching about the positive role of food for both the body and the mind with a particular focus on people living with cancer or chronic degenerative disease. To contact Jean, please call 0131 556 8440.

"I love what I do, Herbal Medicine is my passion and I love working with people."
 ~ Jean R Dow

Hypnotherapy Weekend Special in Edinburgh

We have an affordable Hypnotherapy Promotion for the rest of the summer! This Buy One Get One Half Price Hypnotherapy Promotion runs through August and September at 5a York Place Edinburgh at the weekends and costs £55.00 for an initial 90 minute session with the second 60 minute session half price!

Used either as a stand-alone approach or together with other techniques, Hypnotherapy uses deep relaxation to unlock the healing power of the unconscious mind to restore harmony both physically and mentally. It helps you access your natural intelligence focusing your unconscious mind on overcoming a variety of problems and limitations. It can also be used as a relaxation technique to help alleviate everyday stresses and strains.

The treatments are provided by Douglas Caird, a Hypnotherapist since 2003. You do not need to have anything specific in mind to have a session with Douglas. Some of the “specifics” which he is experienced in working with and which his way of working can benefit are:

• The effects of stress and anxiety and the need to relax;
• Pregnancy – from conception to post-birth;
• Feeling lost and overwhelmed by aspects of life and the need for quiet space to witness and consider;
• Dealing with change

This weekend offer is perfect for those who work during the week and would otherwise struggle to access hypnotherapy treatments. Patients must call into the clinic for an appointment on 0131 556 8440.

To take advantage of this Buy One Get One Half Price Hypnotherapy Promotion during August and September, please call 0131 556 8440 for an appointment at the Centre for Holistic Health, 5aYork Place Edinburgh.

Post-surgery pain and tenderness

The trauma of surgery greatly affects the energy flow in and around the body. My patient came to me for help with pain and tenderness following elective surgery.

The Patient

Female, early 40’s, recent breast enlargement and liposuction on abdomen.  Following post-surgery lymphatic drainage work (elsewhere), the client has remaining breast tenderness; abdominal lumps and tenderness, together with general muscle tightness in back, buttock and legs from the trauma of the surgery.

The Treatment

Due to the breast tenderness, the client is unable to lie on her front, so we have been using my on-site massage chair to do full back, neck, head and shoulder massage.  The positioning on the chair allows the client to be moved around more than is possible when lying on the massage couch which increases flexibility.

 

Following the back massage, we then transfer onto the massage couch to do abdominal, leg and front of body massage.

 

Results

 

The trauma of surgery greatly affects the energy flow in and around the body and we have been working with Reiki/energy work and Reflexology to improve this.

 

We have been working weekly and twice weekly to work towards getting the client back to work, which has now happened.

 

By Douglas Caird - Reiki Practitioner, Holistic and Therapeutic Massage, Hypnotherapy, Reflexology.


How I Work
I offer  individual sessions of each Therapy (Reflexology, Intuitive Therapeutic  Massage, Reiki and Holistic Hypnotherapy) and also encourage, where  appropriate, integrated and intuitive sessions where a combination of  techniques may be adopted and/ or a programme of sessions advised.   My strengths lie in facilitating a state of relaxed awareness where  you can feel safe to recognise and let go of tension and constrictions, and BE YOURSELF.

To book an appointment with Douglas, please call the Centre for Holistic Health on 0131 556 8440.

 

EFT & Dreams

Have you ever thought about using EFT on your dreams to see what emotional issues you may be carrying?  Often dreams are just your brain downloading the days events but sometimes it can be your subconscious trying to highlight emotional baggage.

To give an example, I had a dream the other night which involved me being under someone's power.  He totally disregarded my needs and ended up throwing my passport at me.  I woke up upset and emotionally confused.  

I decided to tap on what I could remember to see if this dream was trying to tell me something.  Upon tapping on "this strange dream" a memory of a manager I used to work for surfaced.  He never showed appreciation for any of my work and I felt totally undervalued as he promoted a temporary worker above me.  This totally fitted the figure in the dream and I then began tapping on the various aspects of working with this person.

After having tapped on this issue I felt now feel much lighter and quite grateful to that upsetting dream for highlighting the emotional baggage I've obviously been carrying.  

 

So the next time you have a bad or upsetting dream, try tapping on it and see what your subconscious is trying to tell you.

 

By Moira McFadyen - AAMET-adv, BFRP

 

I have always been a good listener and have a talent for problem solving. I then discovered EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and realized that by using this technique, I could help people on a much deeper emotional level.

I decided to specialize in Counselling and become an Emotional Freedom Technique Practitioner, specializing in helping people overcome the effects of stress and depression.

Over the past 8 years as a counsellor, I have helped numerous people achieve emotional freedom from depression and other emotional problems and regain happiness in their lives.

Click here for more information on EFT or contact Mo on 0131 556 8440.

The Evils of Sugar

No doubt you’ve come across the evil effects of sugar in the media lately. Sugar is a hotly debated topic at the moment, in particular added sugars which refer to sugars added during the food industry process (not naturally occurring sugars).

Historically, the worries about excessive sugar consumption have revolved mostly around obesity and dental caries. However, more recently there is mounting evidence that added sugar is much more dangerous than we thought. Now scientists are warning us that excessive sugar intake is a risk factor not only for obesity but also cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, dementia, cirrhosis of the liver, depression, cancer and other inflammatory illnesses.

We now have insight that eating too much sugar not only makes us fat, but also ages us prematurely and leads to chronic illness.

A recent study found that dietary sugars have significant influence on blood pressure, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels even if body weight was not a concern.  Researchers themselves were surprised to find the relationship between sugars and cardio-metabolic risk factors.

More worrying, another recent study has shown that the risk for death from cardiovascular disease rises exponentially for individuals who consume high levels of sugar.

Sugar is highly addictive (even more so than cocaine) and the habit can be very difficult to break.  The best strategy is to avoid sugar completely.  Initially, cravings will be intense but after 5-6 days the cravings will begin to dramatically reduce. Even small amounts of sugar will feed the sugar cravings so it is important to cut out sugar completely (apart from fresh fruit).

By naturally boosting the level of dopamine in the body (the neurohormone that is involved in the brain’s pleasure pathways) one can also help reduce the cravings for sugar.  To do this, I recommend a combination of 5-HTP, glutamine and chromium as well as vitamin B6 and vitamin C.

Giving up sugar is tough, but it is well worth the health benefits that you will gain.

By Charmaine Shepherd  B.Sc. Biomed., N.dip. Ac, MBAcC
Charmaine Shepherd is an Acupuncturist, Director of the Centre for Holistic Health and Author of Is it all in your mind? 10 Steps to Resolving the Underlying Causes of Anxiety and Depression. Available on Kindle!

Charmaine has a sensitive and holistic approach to health-care. She is dedicated to helping individuals take control of their own health. "I believe in supporting the innate healing ability of the body through the use of natural remedies, nutrition and lifestyle,” Charmaine Shepherd.

 

How to stay healthy during times of stress

 

We all know the saying “I am worried sick” but how does stress impact on our health? We all have been in situations where we felt that a situation was making us ill, for instance, working with a bullying boss or worrying about the health of a loved one.
Many illnesses are directly linked to be caused or exacerbated by stress, naming only a few:
 

·         Cardiovascular disease
·         Inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, eczema, skin problems, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
·         Digestive disorders
·         Headaches and migraines
·         Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
·         Fibromyalgia
·         Cancer
·         Immune system dysfunction
·         Diabetes
·         Hypertension

How can stress or our emotions contribute to the development and maintenance of these conditions? We have known for a long time that certain illnesses are linked to stress, such as experienced in a strained marriage, losing a job, financial worries, being unhappy in your job, caring for someone who is chronically ill or working for a difficult boss. Often there is no easy solution to the problem and we may feel powerless to change the situation.

Exciting new research has helped us understand how unmanaged stress can alter our genetic expression and thereby give us the tools to help prevent illness during times of mental and emotional strain.

Researchers have found that chronic stress changed the activation of genes in immune cells allowing for higher levels of inflammation. In both humans and animals, immune cells are released from the bone marrow every day. Stress produces more inflammatory cells which is meant to protect the body from threats such as viruses, but when the inflammation continues for long periods of time, it increases the person’s risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity to name just a few. In fact, researchers from the Ohio project found nearly 3000 genes were altered in mice that were placed in stressful situations.

In human studies about 400 genes have shown to be altered in individuals experiencing a low-grade sense of uncertainty or threat over a long period of time leading to significant effects on the body.

Worrying about stress isn’t necessary though, there are very simple techniques that you can use to alter the stress response and immediately halt the damage to the body. In fact, a little stress is good for the body, it can drive us to achieve our goals.  It is only when our emotional responses to stress becomes negative and the body becomes overwhelmed by stress, that our physiology changes to have a negative impact. For instance, the studies showed that situations that we feel we have no control over tend to have the biggest impact.

 

Often there is nothing that we can do to change external circumstances but we can alter our emotional response. One very simple but powerful technique helps to release distress and bring more coherence to heart rhythms and as a result quickly neutralizes the effects of stress. The Quick Coherence technique, developed by the Institute of Heartmath, takes only one minute to do once you’ve learned the technique.  If practiced frequently, it can have a huge impact on how the body responds to stress.

 

The Quick Coherence Technique

 

Step 1: Focus your attention in the area of your heart or the centre of your chest. You may place your hand over your heart to keep your focus there.  If your mind wanders, just keep shifting your attention back to the area of your heart while you do steps 2 and 3.

 

Step 2: Heart Breathing – as you focus on the area of your heart, imagine that your breath flows in and out of that area.  This helps keep your mind focused on the area of the heart allowing your heart and breathing rates to synchronise.  Breathe slowly and gently in through your heart (to a count of five or six) and slowly out through the heart (count five or six). Do not force the breath, just allow the breathing to be smooth and easy.  Continue to breathe until you find a rhythm that feels natural.

 

Step 3: Heart Feeling – as you continue to breathe through the area of your heart, recall a positive feeling.  Imagine a time when you felt good inside and try to re-experience it.  This may be a feeling of appreciation or care for a special person or pet, a place you enjoyed or an event. Allow yourself to feel this good feeling of appreciation or care.  If you cannot feel anything positive, don’t worry – just try to find the attitude of appreciation or care.  Try and sustain this feeling by continuing the Heart Focus, Heart Breathing and Heart Feeling.

 

The technique may feel a little uncomfortable at first, building coherence is a process and takes practice.  Just keep a genuine intention of creating a heart feeling.

 

Start by practicing the technique several times a day.  Make some notes about what commonly triggers feelings of anxiety, anger or stress.  With practice you can reset your system into increasing coherence.

 

By Charmaine Shepherd  B.Sc. Biomed., N.dip. Ac, MBAcC

Charmaine Shepherd is an acupuncturist and Coherence Coach, Director of the Centre for Holistic Health and Author of Is it all in your mind? 10 Steps to Resolving the Underlying Causes of Anxiety and Depression. Available on Kindle! helping people regain their health with the use of natural treatments.

 

 

Edinburgh Acupuncture Community Clinic Celebrates Its 7th Birthday!

For 7 years now, the community acupuncture clinic has made acupuncture available at affordable prices.

The Centre for Holistic Health, an Edinburgh based acupuncture and alternative therapies centre, runs the popular community clinic offering affordable acupuncture making this treatment more accessible. The multi-bed clinic runs at 5a York Place Edinburgh on Thursday mornings and costs £15 for a 15 minute session after an initial consultation.

 

Often, the people who need acupuncture treatment the most are unable to work and can’t afford it. The 15 minute treatments will cost £15 as opposed to the usual £35, making it available to many who had no access to this alternative therapy before.

 

The no-frills treatment means that more patients can be seen at one time, reducing the cost considerably. 

 

The treatments are provided by Charmaine Shepherd who is a member of the British Acupuncture Council. She believes that healthcare should be more accessible to all that need it regardless of their financial situation commenting, “we will try to accommodate as many patients as we can regardless of their situation.”

 

Multi-bed clinics have grown in popularity whereby patients have less privacy but greater access to treatment.  It may not be suitable to everyone, especially if the condition is complex and needs dedicated time.  However, most people enjoy the more social environment and connection with others.

 

Acupuncture is a component of traditional Chinese Medicine which uses specific points on the body to affect its physiological processes. It has evolved over more than 5000 years into a comprehensive system of healing that restores and maintains health on many levels. Acupuncture is rapidly gaining popularity in the west as an increasing number of scientific studies show evidence of the effectiveness of this treatment in a variety of conditions.

 

Although acupuncture is more commonly known for its effectiveness in pain management, it can effectively treat many ailments. Acupuncture has been surprisingly successful in treating hormonal imbalances, skin diseases, digestive disorders, stress-related conditions and has even been show to support cancer treatments.  

 

Patients must call into the clinic for an initial assessment of their condition. Not all conditions are treatable with acupuncture and if the case is complex, individualized care may be needed rendering the multi-bed system unsuitable.  Once an appointment is scheduled for a consultation, the acupuncturist will decide on the best treatment strategy for the condition.

 

For acupuncture relief in just 15 minutes for £15, call 0131 556 8440 for a consultation and come to the Acupuncture Community Clinic on Thursday Mornings at the Centre for Holistic Health, 5aYork Place Edinburgh.

 

Notes to Editors: The Centre for Holistic Health also offers: acupuncture, biofeedback, herbalism, EFT (emotional freedom technique), osteopathy, bodywork, reflexology, homeopathy, massage, reiki and Bach flowers. Available at our Centre located at 5a York Place, Edinburgh.

 

Contact details: Heather Blenkinsop, Centre for Holistic Health, 5AYork Place,Edinburgh,EH1 3EB Tel: 0131 556 8440 Email: info@centre4holistichealth.co.uk Web: http://centre4holistichealth.co.uk Photos available.

Worried Sick? How stress makes you ill by altering your genes (and what you can do about it)

We all know the saying “I am worried sick” but how does stress impact on our health? We all have been in situations where we felt that a situation was making us ill, for instance, working with a bullying boss or worrying about the health of a loved one.

Many illnesses are directly linked to be caused or exacerbated by stress, naming only a few:
 

·         Cardiovascular disease
·         Inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, eczema, skin problems, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
·         Digestive disorders
·         Headaches and migraines
·         Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
·         Fibromyalgia
·         Cancer
·         Immune system dysfunction
·         Diabetes
·         Hypertension

How can stress or our emotions contribute to the development and maintenance of these conditions? We have known for a long time that certain illnesses are linked to stress, such as experienced in a strained marriage, losing a job, financial worries, being unhappy in your job, caring for someone who is chronically ill or working for a difficult boss. Often there is no easy solution to the problem and we may feel powerless to change the situation.

Exciting new research has helped us understand how unmanaged stress can alter our genetic expression and thereby give us the tools to help prevent illness during times of mental and emotional strain.

Researchers have found that chronic stress changed the activation of genes in immune cells allowing for higher levels of inflammation. In both humans and animals, immune cells are released from the bone marrow every day. Stress produces more inflammatory cells which is meant to protect the body from threats such as viruses, but when the inflammation continues for long periods of time, it increases the person’s risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity to name just a few. In fact, researchers from the Ohio project found nearly 3000 genes were altered in mice that were placed in stressful situations.

In human studies about 400 genes have shown to be altered in individuals experiencing a low-grade sense of uncertainty or threat over a long period of time leading to significant effects on the body.

Worrying about stress isn’t necessary though, there are very simple techniques that you can use to alter the stress response and immediately halt the damage to the body. In fact, a little stress is good for the body, it can drive us to achieve our goals.  It is only when our emotional responses to stress becomes negative and the body becomes overwhelmed by stress, that our physiology changes to have a negative impact. For instance, the studies showed that situations that we feel we have no control over tend to have the biggest impact.

 

Often there is nothing that we can do to change external circumstances but we can alter our emotional response. One very simple but powerful technique helps to release distress and bring more coherence to heart rhythms and as a result quickly neutralizes the effects of stress. The Quick Coherence technique, developed by the Institute of Heartmath, takes only one minute to do once you’ve learned the technique.  If practiced frequently, it can have a huge impact on how the body responds to stress.

 

The Quick Coherence Technique

 

Step 1: Focus your attention in the area of your heart or the centre of your chest. You may place your hand over your heart to keep your focus there.  If your mind wanders, just keep shifting your attention back to the area of your heart while you do steps 2 and 3.

 

Step 2: Heart Breathing – as you focus on the area of your heart, imagine that your breath flows in and out of that area.  This helps keep your mind focused on the area of the heart allowing your heart and breathing rates to synchronise.  Breathe slowly and gently in through your heart (to a count of five or six) and slowly out through the heart (count five or six). Do not force the breath, just allow the breathing to be smooth and easy.  Continue to breathe until you find a rhythm that feels natural.

 

Step 3: Heart Feeling – as you continue to breathe through the area of your heart, recall a positive feeling.  Imagine a time when you felt good inside and try to re-experience it.  This may be a feeling of appreciation or care for a special person or pet, a place you enjoyed or an event. Allow yourself to feel this good feeling of appreciation or care.  If you cannot feel anything positive, don’t worry – just try to find the attitude of appreciation or care.  Try and sustain this feeling by continuing the Heart Focus, Heart Breathing and Heart Feeling.

 

The technique may feel a little uncomfortable at first, building coherence is a process and takes practice.  Just keep a genuine intention of creating a heart feeling.

 

Start by practicing the technique several times a day.  Make some notes about what commonly triggers feelings of anxiety, anger or stress.  With practice you can reset your system into increasing coherence.

 

By Charmaine Shepherd  B.Sc. Biomed., N.dip. Ac, MBAcC

Charmaine Shepherd is an acupuncturist and Coherence Coach, Director of the Centre for Holistic Health and Author of Is it all in your mind? 10 Steps to Resolving the Underlying Causes of Anxiety and Depression. Available on Kindle! helping people regain their health with the use of natural treatments.

 

 

Counselling & Psychotherapy with Bodywork

I was reminded today about how helpful bodywork can be when you are processing something in your life i.e. working through some kind of change, working though grief or maybe your body is having issues with i.e. an old injury resurfacing, sports induced injury. 

 

I have just come home after a session of bodywork with Sue.  I have had a few sessions before and last time I began to be aware of the area just below my shoulder blades and was aware of a feeling that they needed opening.  I remember saying to Sue “it feels as if my wings are trapped” and something needed to let them open.  She responded in my language although I can’t remember her exact words, but I knew then that Sue was the right person for me as she was able to accommodate my way of processing, emotionally and physically. 

 

Today, I realised how refreshing it was for me to be able to express what was coming up for me in my thoughts and awareness whilst having my shoulders worked on.  I had felt before the session that there was something stuck behind my shoulder blade that I needed removing.  I had been experiencing pain there for some time and running was aggravating it.  Whilst Sue was trying to open the area up a little I felt how unstable it was and it didn’t really want to let go of whatever it was protecting. 

 

I am going through a period of change and trying to move away from employed work to full time self-employment.  I am trying to create space to spend writing and dedicating more time to developing my future pathways.  In these periods in my life I need more time and space to be able to be more aware of my self in lots of ways, taking time to just be still, writing my thoughts and feelings, taking care of my body as well as observing myself in this time more fully.

 

We all need reminding that a little help from others at these times of change and transformation, are so important, more now, than at any other time.  I often suggest to my own clients to try some form of bodywork to help them with the therapeutic process as it adds another layer to your awareness and can help shift emotional affect in the body.  So I need to remind myself as well, as I work with attention to body in my work it is important that I look after my own body too.

 

My shoulder feels a little tender now but after the session, I have to remember now to give it a little compassion for whatever it is trying to release and have a little faith that it will happen in its own time, when my body is ready to release it.

For more information on Bodywork, click here.

By Kate Fletcher MCouns Pg Dip, Counsellor, Member of the BACP. Kate has experience working with all ages, including young people, in all areas of counselling. She is available for daytime and evening appointments. You can contact Kate on 0131 556 8440 or by email info@centre4holistichlealth.co.uk. To find out more about Kate's approach, visit: http://centre4holistichealth.co.uk/about-us/kate-fletcher/