Amitayus Wellbeing For Body And Mind

Fighting Fatigue

2011-10-17T23:05:00.000+01:00

As the evenings begin to draw in and the mornings are so much darker it is hard to wake up with a spring in your step and lethargy becomes a common winter problem.
There are a number of supplements available that can help you to combat your fatigue and these can be taken alongside making minor changes to your diet.
For example did you know that both Potassium and Magnesium are two minerals that are involved in energy production and clinical studies have shown that they can relieve symptoms of fatigue according to Viridian Nutrition.
Good sources of magnesium include wholemeal bread, nuts, cheddar cheese, white fish and eggs. Potassium rich foods include bananas, tomato puree, cauliflower, red peppers, chicken, and cheddar cheese.
B vitamins play a vital role in helping to improve energy levels and Amitayus Wellbeing reccommends Viridian's High Five B Complex which also includes Magnesium. This supplement is really beneficial to women who live highly stressful lives.
Co-enzyme Q10 in clinical trials has been shown to have a positive effect on the physical performance and energy capacity of the body.
Rhodiola is a herb that is renowned for its ability to boost mood enhancing chemicals in the brain including serotonin. Described as an adaptogen herb it enables the body to adapt to environmental and emotional stresses and strains. It is also said to help you to recover your strength after an illness.
If you are struggling to sleep because of fatigue then a boost in Calcium is said to help improve your sleep pattern.

Natural Remedies for Hayfever

2011-05-08T23:21:00.000+01:00

The Hayfever season is well and truely here for most suffers with sore throats, itchy noses and runny eyes the common symptoms. This condition mostly occurs in families where there is a history atopic allergy and often children with Atopic Eczema will also develop hay fever.

Traditional medication for hay fever usually takes the form of an anti-histamine tablet and spray, along with eye drops. If the hay fever is accompanied by Asthma then your GP may recommend a steroid inhaler. You may also find that if you suffer from Atopic Eczema that this also flairs up at this time of year and this often means increasing the use of steroid and hydro-cortisone creams to control the ‘itch-flare’ cycle.

Using herbs with anti-inflammatory properties during the hayfever season may help to reduce some of your symptoms. Quercetin for example is one of several bioflavonoids with anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine properties. It is thought that Quercetin works as an anti-inflammatory agent by deactivating the enzymes that produce inflammation. In addition it is thought to strengthen the cell walls that release the histamine in to the blood stream. Suggested dosage according to Viridian nutrition is 200mg three times a day.

If you find that your eyes are often itchy and sore with hayfever than Bilberry extract is said to help relieve itchiness. Viridian Nutrition combine Bilberry with the traditional remedy of Eyebright which is thought to soothe the eyes.

Vitamin C is also said to help reduce histamine levels and one study recently claimed that with the supplementation of 1g of Vit.C three times a day histamine levels were significantly reduced.

Nettles are a traditional herb that also have anti-inflammatory properties and are said to help relieve some of the symptoms of hayfever.

Many of the products discussed here can be found at our online store.

Amitayus Wellbeing

Fighting off the Common Cold

2011-04-12T13:00:00.000+01:00

As the weather flits backwards and forwards between hot and cold it becomes an ideal time for common cold viruses to breed and spread. So it is no surprise right now that so many people are fighting off colds.

Colds are short term, 'acute' infections. Typically they start with symptoms such as a sore throat, sneezing and a runny nose. More aggressive cold viruses can also give the sufferer mild aches and pains in the joints of the body and a raised body temperature. Colds can also turn in to sinus infections for some individuals. The good news is that with rest and treatment symptoms usually begin to clear up within 48hrs of an infection starting.

It is important to try to give the immune system as much help as possible in fighting off an infection and this means looking at natural remedies and healthy foods that are known immune boosters. It has been widely reported that sugars, fat and alcohol can have a negative effect on the immune system so in the first instance it is a good idea to eliminate these from your diet while you have a cold. Also make sure that you drink plenty of water to help your body balance its temperature, and eliminate infection. Dehydration from a lack of fluids will just make you feel worse and just add further misery to your symptoms. If you don’t like cold water from the tap, why not try some boiled, warm water with honey and lemon.

Vitamin C and Zinc are now widely seen as the two main vitamins and minerals that can rapidly reduce cold symptoms. It is thought that Zinc interferes with viral replication which in turn helps the immune system to fight off a cold. Try boosting your diet with foods rich in Zinc and vitamin C; these include Pumpkin Seeds, Brazil Nuts (Zinc) and Oranges, Mangoes, Green Peppers (C).

Consider taking a Vitamin C supplement of 1000mg a day (timed release capsule), and 15mg of Zinc daily. Zinc Lozenges are said to be affective at the onset of a cold for managing those early symptoms.

Echinacea is a herb traditionally used to boost the immune system and is said to help fight mild viral infections. Elderberries and Marshmallow are old herbal remedies for coughs and colds, and this has recently been developed in to a new throat spray by Viridian Nutrition. This really soothing spray also contains Manuka honey which has powerful anti-viral properties. (See our Ebay shop for more info.)

Some of the old fashioned remedies really are the best and a steam inhalation using essential oils such as Eucalyptus, Tea Tree or Niouli is a great way to relieve sinus congestion. Just three or four drops in some hot water will help to relieve your symptoms.

With just a few adjustments to your diet and the addition of some immune system boosters you should be fighting fit in no time.

We are slowly putting together an online store containing some of your best loved supplements and those featured in my blog posts. Do take a look from time to time as we are doing our best to keep our prices below the RRP. Do feel free to leave comments on any of our stories or anything you would like us to stock.

http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/amitayuswellbeing

The Healing Power of Stones

2011-04-03T20:36:00.000+01:00

At some point in our lives most of us will have been drawn to a stone. Whether it is a walk by the sea, or next to a river, a small stone catches your eye. It might not even be pretty, but something about it draws you closer to it. You hold it in the palm of your hand and in that moment you make a connection.
For some of us that is a fleeting moment before the stone is skipped across the water, for others the temptation is there to put it in your pocket, clasping it close until you get home. Its new resting place might be a bookshelf or with a collection of other stones in your garden.
During meditation lessons we often work with stones when I am teaching my students about grounding. Stones help to connect us with the earth, they help us to find our centre. This can often be a powerful sensation and students have often expressed a range of connections with the stone, from feeling hot and cold sensations to seeing images of places that perhaps the the stone once belonged to. Stones can be used to help us connect with our emotions and help us to connect also with others who have held those stones before us.
If you feel drawn to creating balance and harmony with stones then you should consider trying a Hot Stone Treatment.
The earliest recorded use of stones as a therapeutic tool dates back approximately 5000 years ago to the Mayan Culture. Records also show the use of both hot and cold stones in China at around 4000 BC. Native American Indians have traditionally used heated stones as part of cleansing ceremonies in Sweat Lodges for example and stones were regarded by Shamans as ‘tools of the earth’.
The application of hot and cold stones is known as ‘thermotherapy’. This was documented in the 18th Century and later in the 19th Century, when Sebastian Kneipp, a German Naturopath experimented with the process of using hot and cold to improve the circulation of blood and lymph in the body. He used baths of alternating hot and cold with his patients to boost the circulation which in turn he believed helped the person to achieve optimum health.
The term ‘Geothermotherapy’ is used for the application of hot stones because Earth (geo) is used to deliver the temperature through the stones. You will find that the process of giving and receiving a Hot Stone Massage is a very grounding and earthing experience.
The hot stones used in a treatment are typically made up of volcanic ‘basalt’ rock which is able to retain heat for a long time. In order to boost the circulation and to reduce inflammation in an area we often use chilled stones as part of a treatment. Cold stones are often made from Marble although therapists who work with crystals might choose to use larger polished crystal massage stones for your cold application process.
A hot stone treatment is deeply relaxing and very grounding. Certainly most of my clients say that after a treatment they feel much more balanced. On a physical level the heat from the stones is very penetrative which allows the muscle to gently release and relax in a way that simply cannot be achieved in a traditional massage.
The stones seem to soak up all of your negative energy which leaves you feeling refreshed. After your treamtent is over the stones themselves are cleansed in water with aromatic oils. We can only guess the secrets that they keep.
For more information on Hot Stone Therapy treatments please visit my treatment site at
www.amitayus-wellbeing.co.uk .

'Healing' does not mean 'Cure''

2011-03-27T21:38:00.004+01:00

As a Complementary Therapist one always has to be careful of using the word 'healing' in any context for fear of misleading a client and giving false hope. Therapists according to current rules and regulations are NOT healer's. I absolutely agree with this. It is a bold statement that if allowed to become a truth just might lead to a God complex in the wrong hands.
However that doesn't necessarily mean that a 'healing' doesn't take place when a client enters a therapeutic space with a therapist. I firmly believe that it is my clients that do the healing for themselves. The human body has the capacity to heal itself if we give it the time it needs and with assistance from both conventional and complementary medicine.
In the years I have been a therapist I have encountered people with the same disease on the same treatment, while one gets better, the other falls in to decline. It is clear under such circumstances that other factors are at play here. The person's home life, their mental attitude towards the disease and ultimately their desire for life. A positive mental attitude goes along way when treating diseases such as cancer.
It is important to define what a 'healing' can be from a complementary medicine perspective. I think that in conventional medicine 'healing' is often confused with 'cure'. This is simply not the case with complementary medicine. We might define a healing as someone feeling more positive about life after a series of Reiki treatments, even though their illness might still be there. On one level they have healed emotionally even if they can't change their physical state.
The healing process is dependent on many factors some physical and some environmental. For example my nine month old daughter who was born premature has spent her whole life in hospital. She is fed her nutrition via a surgical line in her body and her milk is given through a nasal gastric tube. She is allowed outside of her hospital room for short periods of time when she is not wired up to her equipment. We have walks in the park and trips to coffee shops. The change of environment has had an amazing effect on her. She is happier in herself and is getting the opportunity to feel the sun on her skin and smell the blossom of spring. It is acknowledged by everyone involved with her care that her daily trips out are beneficial to her wellbeing. However I doubt that any medical professional would make the link between these visits out and any kind of healing process that might take place, mentally or physically.
Healing through complementary medicine is often subtle, but occasionally dramatic. It is not about curing, it is about allowing the client the space to develop an understanding of how their body, mind and emotions are all interlinked. By them making subtle changes in their perception of their 'self' they are able to stimulate the healing process.

Tell me again why Garlic is good for me!

2011-03-25T09:30:00.000Z

You will read in the press how Garlic is good for you and that you should add it in to your cooking and take it as a supplement. Most of the press that this member of the onion family receives is usually centred around its anti-viral and anti-fungal properties but there is now increasing research in to a much broader range of healing properties that this little onion might have.It is the Allin and Allicin compounds of Garlic that hold the power to fight infection. It is thought that Garlic is a natural anti-biotic which can help to combat respiratory, urinary and digestive tract infections.Garlic opens up the blood vessels and research shows that it can also lower the harmful type of Cholesterol that can be found in the body.
A research study recently reported that garlic and other vegetables in the allium family can have a protective effect against osteoarthritis.
If you are going to take Garlic as a supplement it is important to buy wisely as how the garlic is processed before reaching you the consumer is important. Cheaper products may not have all the beneficial effects you are looking for.
At Amitayus Wellbeing we recommend Quest Kyolic Aged Garlic. I personally have taken this on a regular basis and found that it has been great in times of stress in helping to support my immune system. Quest Kyolic Garlic is aged for up to 20 months to allow the natural compounds to reach their best. Unlike some Garlic capsules these are odourless and do not irritate the digestive system. Available in 100mg and 1000mg capsule format.
We will shortly be stocking Kyolic Garlic on our new Ebay shop which you can find at http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/amitayuswellbeing
For further reading on Garlic and its natural healing properties take a look at:

Herbs soon to be restricted and their benefits.

2011-03-24T08:14:00.001Z

Following on from the previous post regarding the Herbal Medicine Directive I wanted to talk about some of the herbs that are currently under threat and discuss some of their healing applications. It is important to take the opportunity to talk about them now because once the new legislation kicks in at the end of April what we say about some herbs and how we say it will be restricted! This seems quite ridiculous when there are hundreds of books out there written by experts that clearly indicate the healing applications of these herbs.

Echinacea (Echinacea Asteraceae) is one of the herbs under threat. The costs of licensing this herb is incredibly expensive, which means that some manufacturers are choosing not to apply for a licence which means we will lose one of our favourite herbs! Viridian Nutrition is planning on keeping its Echinacea Root and Leaf capsules, but is discontinuing its Echinacea Throat Spray. Quest Vitamins also appears to have dropped Echinacea from its product list. It is likely that those manufacturers who apply for a licence will at some point increase their prices to try and recoup some of their costs.

So why is Echinacea so threatened by the EU Directive? For a start it is not a native plant to Europe, it is in fact a native of North America. Widely used by the Native American Indians for its healing properties they have recognised for a long time that Echinacea increases the body’s resistance to infection. So how does Echinacea work? It is thought to stimulate the immune response, increasing the production of white blood cells, which in turn helps the body to build up resistance to infection. According to Suzanne Reed-Le Quesne it is one of the most powerful and effective remedies against all kinds of infection.

Hawthorn Berry is another herb under threat under the new directive. Used by the Greeks, Chinese and the Native American Indians it is recognised for its ability to promote good cardiovascular health and improves circulation. Hawthorn Berry should always be used with caution as some of the side effects are extreme including low blood pressure and vomiting. Hawthorn Berry can also interact with other prescriptive medicines. While there are many benefits to using this herb it is understandable that new cautions are being put in place with this particular herb. For more information on the safe use of herbs visit the www.mhra.gov.uk.

Amitayus Wellbeing For Body And Mind: Herbal Medicine Directive

2011-03-23T11:23:00.001Z

Amitayus Wellbeing For Body And Mind: Herbal Medicine Directive: "www.mhra.gov.uk"

Herbal Medicine Directive

2011-03-23T11:23:00.000Z

The new regulations for the control of some herbal medicines that are currently on our shelves come in to being from the 30th of April 2011. We all hoped that this would not come in to force but EU regulations are pushing some of our best used herbs off our shelves.

Under the herbal medicine directive certain herbal medicine products will no longer be available for purchase after this date without a manufacturers licence. A herb must have been in use for more than 30 years in the EU for it to be recognised for a licence. All herbs that have gone through the process carry the logo THR. During this transitional period you may find that some stock does not yet carry the logo if it has been purchased by the retailer prior to the above date. Equally some items that we stock might be ‘unlicensed’ if they are stock purchased prior to the above date also. In keeping with the directive our aim is to only stock licensed products from the end of 2011. We will do our best to source and stock your favourite remedies from those manufacturers who are choosing to licence a herb. Not every manufacturer will continue to stock Echinacea for example due to the high cost of the licence. Other herbs threatened include Uva Ursi, Dong Quai, Valerian and Red Clover. It is advisable to stock up now on your favourite herbs while you still can! You can find more information on the safe use of herbs at : www.mhra.gov.uk

Launch of New Treatment Room

2011-01-24T12:27:00.000Z

I am deligthed to announce that I will be returning to a new treatment room at Star Anise in Barwell in the Spring. My primary focus will be on offering Meditation, Reiki, Reflexology, Indian Head Massage and Hot Stone Massage. I am working on some exciting new ideas that I will be sharing with you all in the next few weeks.
Things to look out for: New dates for Reiki Training, Meditation Venues and our new Web Store for all our best loved vitamins and skin care products that we used to stock at our Atherstone Centre.