Something New To Talk About!

Well as the summer months are upon us we often think of salads and healthy foods and hopefully weight loss. Certainly eating more raw food is beneficial as it contains enzymes that aid digestion. Often though even when we are aware of healthy eating, portion size and eating when we are not really hungry can be a problem and so the cycle goes on of over eating thus either putting on even more weight or simply not losing it as we would like to.

Our inborn instincts have a habit of making us feel there could be a famine so to stock up on food when it is plentiful. This is with us from our ancestors who had to hunt and kill for food and plant and tend to have a good harvest and many times they went hungry when a kill didn't happen or a crop failed. We however do not have this problem as Tescos or Morrissons rarely have a shortage of food and our credit cards seem not to run dry (mostly!). So our inborn instincts of eating to stock up on fat supplies in case of famine can be a real problem. So how can this be solved?

Well if we view our brain as the massively amazing computer it is and that it has this undesired program that has given us over eating problems, we realise that the program needs to be readjusted or re-written. This can be done with hypnotherapy as this wonderful therapy really can eradicate unwanted habits.

As hypnotherapy has had such bad press because of bogus stage hypnotists let me talk through what happens in a session:-

The hypnotherapist assesses the need of the client (basically why there are there and what they want to deal with and in this case to lose weight). After this has been done often finding core issues that have contributed to the problem, the hypnotherapist will talk through how she will get the client into the really relaxed state required for the treatment. There are many ways of doing this and one of them is to focus on the eyelids knowing that the eyelids are the easiest muscles in the body to relax, and then to imagine the eyelids getting heavier with relaxation, feeling them going more and more into a wonderful relaxed state. Eventually when this is done the eyes cannot stay open and they close! After this the relaxation is deepened to a point where the treatment can take place. From here on the hypnotherapist will deal with the core issues often by regression (taking the person back to when the problem started to occur and releasing the negative emotion attached to it). When this has been addressed (this might need a couple or so of sessions), then addressing the need to eat too much is looked at.

What is becoming popular is having a "Hypnotic Gastric Band", this is like as if the client is actually having a real gastric band fitted with the same physical constraint it brings. This along with instructions that overeating now is not desired and simply not needed and that just small healthy meals eaten slowly is what will be happening from now on is reaffirmed in the hypnotherapy session. After the treatments the client feels very differently about food and their relationship with it has changed for the better and they start to lose weight and are so much happier in themselves. Every now and again the client may feel the need to have a further session to deal with any bad habit that might have crept in but the frequency gets less and less as good healthy habits are taken on board and stuck to.

As you can see that even though obstacles can occur with our eating, they certainly can be overcome and we can start to really enjoy our lives feeling that much more alive and in control.

Enjoy your summer people and take care.

I will be posting more soon.

Karen

All ready for Spring!

Spring is a time of new life and growth. Our bodies are ready to take on change, so here are a few tips to make the transition a smooth one:

1. Just as we desire to clean out our homes in the spring time our bodies need a good cleanse this time of year. One way to detox is to have a few days on mainly raw foods including lots of sprouted seeds which are full of incredible digestive enzymes to aid a healthy digestion. The herb Milk Thistle will also help cleanse your liver after the long winter.

1. After a mainly inactive time for many in front of the TV it is time to get moving (not just with your Wii or going to the gym but out walking or jogging in the spring air). Being outside always keeps the mind more active and keeps us more in touch with nature. Just getting out in the garden planting and weeding gets our hands and souls more connected. 

1. Planning for creativity is important at this time of year even if the weather doesn't seem to be spring like the energy is returning. Writing or painting or even cleaning and changing rooms around can be inspiring giving a sense of change in our perception and passion.

1. Last but no means least renewing and strengthening our relationships whoever they are with. Reconnecting with long lost loved relatives or making sure we keep to and stick to commitments in our relationships will strengthen the relationship we have with ourselves, the need to honour and love the ones we love including us!

Happy Easter to everyone xxx

How to beat the winter blues...

After a long cold winter we often are depleted not only in sunshine but in vital nutrients as the cold takes its toll on our fragile immune systems. We often feel lethargic and low in vitality so here are a few simple tips to raise our energy levels to get ready for the life giving spring:-

1. Take care to make sure your food intake includes root vegetables including orange foods like sweet potatoes, orange and yellow peppers, carrots and squashes, these all contain beta carotene which converts to vitamin A in the body, a powerful antioxident.

2.Eat generous amounts of garlic as this contains the most effectual antiviral and antibiotic properties and also aids digestion.

3.Our skin often gets dry and dull after a cold winter due to wind and temperature. A good almond oil combined with lavender and chamomile essential oils rubbed into the skin twice a day will rehydrate and provide protection for the on coming summer.

4.Increase fluid intake as often due to more time spent in central heated work and homes we lack this vital nutrient "water"!

5. Finally get out more in the pre spring sunshine even if it is cold it will help the pituitary gland to increase serotonin production and will add to a lighter mood.

Look for more tips next time!