Explore your unique Mind-Body connection with Mind-Body Therapy

What is Mind Body Therapy?

Mind Body Therapy explores the unique connection between your mind and your body. It does not instruct how this should be, merely explores how it is thus giving the individual the opportunity to experience their inner reality and the effect that it has on their own health and well-being.

We live in a judgemental society and have therefore learned to be judgemental of ourselves and our perceived failings, especially in regards to our bodies – often criticising them for the way they look and the way they function, getting particularly angry or scared when they start to express the symptoms of ‘illness’.

Sadly we are not taught in schools to understand and respect the incredible workings of our own human body, instead we learn to compare and criticise and so make life more difficult for the body to thrive. It is not until adulthood and often only after many years of unconscious self abuse that people find their way to Mind Body Therapy.

By understanding the relationship between the judgemental mind and the criticised body it becomes easier to learn healthier and more constructive ways of being within the self in order to remove or reduce the effects of symptoms, strengthen the immune system, increase resilience and generally return to a healthier and more balanced way of being.

What happens in a Mind Body Therapy Seminar?

The main focus of these seminars is the opportunity for self awareness within a genuine, safe and mutually supportive environment. It is primarily practical with the theory being delivered as part of the events going on around you. Psycho-drama is one of the many tools we use to enable those willing to share their problems to reach greater understanding and thereby find solutions that may otherwise elude them. By casting members of the audience as ‘actors’ in the problem, we are able to interact with the scene in a way not possible when it all remains in the head. Other techniques may involve art therapy, music and movement.

Above all it is the awareness of our shared human struggles that make these seminars so rewarding. It is not a case of ‘everyone else is sorted’ at all, in fact people the world over struggle with very similar problems of feeling overwhelmed, self sabotage, low self-esteem, addiction, avoidance and fear. By looking at the things we share as human beings, we notice how much kinder, understanding and forgiving we tend to be to others while simultaneously being critical and judgemental of ourselves for the self same feeling!

If you are truly interested in your own self, your own journey, your health, wellness and the unique way you relate to yourself then a mind body seminar is a great way to do some serious self work. If you are fascinated by people and the way they do what they do and the effect that it has on their health and wellness and you want to see in action the processes of change then this seminar is for you.

The next seminar is scheduled for 23rd/24th January in Cambridge follow this link for more details

Natural solutions for menopause symptoms

During the menopause there is a decrease in hormone levels that can result in a variety of symptoms, including fatigue, hot flushes, insomnia and night sweats, mood disorders and low libido. Decreased oestrogen levels can also lead to an increased risk of osteoporosis, where the bones become weak and are more likely to break.

Conventional treatment includes hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and, in some cases, antidepressants; however, HRT carries the risk of increased rates of breast and ovarian cancer, while antidepressants may cause weight gain, digestive upset and low libido. There is another way, however, and there is no need to suffer in silence and accept menopause symptoms as a part of life.

Herbal medicine is a comprehensive healthcare approach that has been used for many years to promote well-being. Herbal medicines, such as black cohosh, wild yam and red clover, have been particularly well studied with regards to their effects on menopausal symptoms as they contain phyto-oestrogens that can help negate the effects associated to decreased oestrogen levels. Other herbs have successfully been used to improve sleep, regulate mood and increase libido in menopausal women, including Ayurvedic herbs such as Shatavari and Ashwagandha.

If you’re interested in finding out more about how herbal medicine or Ayurveda could help you, you can book an appointment to see Lois Bradnam, our Medical Herbalist and Naturopath who specializes in women’s problems, including the menopause. Initial consultations cost £50 and personalized herbal remedies are priced at £6 per week. Alternatively, you can book a free 15-minute chat with Lois to find out more about her, as well as how herbal medicine can be of benefit during the menopause.

Functional Blood Chemistry - why should I bother when it is free at my GP's?

When interpreting blood chemistry lab results, there is a Functional Range and a Pathological Range. Test values that fall between the Functional Range and the Pathological Range are considered subclinical and can indicate the beginning stages of disease. They should be used as markers, indicating something that is not as good as it should be; or they can be a sign of a developing condition that is not bad enough to treat medically…at least not yet.

Most health practitioners today use only the Pathological Ranges and do not address the subclinical findings until they become a serious medical condition. The goal is to identify developing nutritional problems and prevent them from manifesting into a serious medical condition. This will help us on our path to true health and a better quality life.

Benefits of a Comprehensive Blood Chemistry Analysis

• Determine which nutritional, homeopathic and/or botanical products will best address your individual needs.
• Avoid wasting money on “The Supplement of the Month”. In other words, on products that provide nutrients that you are not deficient in and don't need to supplement.
• Provide nutritional protocols that address your deficiencies and help your body return to a healthy state.
• Provides early detection of emerging, life-threatening health conditions.
• It is an inexpensive way to determine how effective your nutritional program has been. Follow-up testing allows you to chart the effectiveness of your program and make precise adjustments when needed.
• Maintaining your blood marker values within the optimal ranges will allow your immune system to function better, allow you to utilize nutrients more efficiently and help you live a much healthier, happier and hopefully longer more vibrant life.
• It is essential to gather evidence from symptoms and health history in order to accurately make use of this analysis.

Book your free initial consultation here

Herbs during and after childbirth

If you’re opting for a natural birth without pharmaceutical pain relief then a herbal medicine birthing plan may be of interest to you. Herbs in the early stages of childbirth can help regulate contractions, ward off exhaustion and soothe pain, and they can also be used after birth to assist delivery of the placenta, soothe the perineum, assist with after-pains and promote the flow of breast milk.

However, certain herbs are not safe to take during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so it is important that you speak to a qualified herbalist. Dr Lois Bradnam specializes in women’s problems, infertility and pregnancy and has appointments available on Mondays between 3 and 7 pm. You can even pop in for a free, no obligation 15-minute chat to see if herbal medicine is for you!

If you are interested in finding out more, or would like to book an appointment, please call us on 01223 315 400 or email us. You can find out more about Lois and herbal medicine on her website.

Herbal medicine for high blood pressure

High blood pressure (hypertension) is something that affects many of us these days and the underlying cause is often unknown, although certain factors are thought to raise the risk of developing hypertension, such as older age, a family history of hypertension, excess salt in the diet, smoking and drinking alcohol.

It usually has no obvious symptoms and many people have high blood pressure without knowing so it’s important to get checked as, untreated, it can lead to serious diseases, including stroke, heart disease and kidney failure. In fact, it is recommended that all adults get their blood pressure checked at least once every five years.

If you suffer from mild hypertension but don’t yet feel ready to take pharmaceuticals, or if your GP has advised you to make lifestyle changes instead, herbal medicine may be able to help you.

Herbal medicine is a comprehensive healthcare approach that relies on the natural strength of herbal remedies to remove barriers to healing and promote optimum health by enhancing the innate wisdom of the body to heal itself. Several clinical studies have shown that herbs, such as hawthorn, lime blossom and motherwort, can have a beneficial effect on heart health and some herbs may even act in a similar way to anti-hypertensive drugs, but with fewer side effects.

If you would like to come in for a free 15-minute chat with one of herbalists and get your blood pressure checked, please call or email us to book an appointment.

Herbalists at The Therapy Room:
Lois Bradnam: Mondays 3–7 pm
Katherine Rouse: Fridays 9 am–1 pm

If you have persistent headaches, blurred/double vision, nosebleeds or shortness of breath, please visit your GP as soon as possible.

Ready for 2015