The Therapyroom Cambridge

Life Principle 2 - Breathing

2012-03-05T17:05:00.001Z

One of the most vital components to good health. Shallow poor quality breathing leads to a toxic body and chronic fatigue, tight neck muscles, lower back pain, headaches and many more dysfunctions within the body. Learn how to maximize breath for optimal health and vitality.

Stand up and take a deep breath in, whilst looking in a mirror. Where does the breath come from - chest, shoulders, neck tummy?

Now try and breath from your tummy only, help yourself by putting on hand on your chest (it shouldn't move) and one on your tummy. Does that feel difficult?

We are designed to take a breath in using the muscles of the diaphragm primarily (just above your tummy) and the muscles between the ribs and above the shoulders should only get involved when we are exercising hard.

Retraining to breath in the way we are designed will help every cell in your body work better.

Spend 5 minutes every day, lying on your back with your knees bent, just breathing in and out through your nose (or through pursed lips), just from your tummy.

It is worth writing down a small record of all the little niggles, like back and joint pain, headache, before you start doing this, revisit this list each week and check off any that aren't there any more - you'll be surprised!

Damien Clements - Integrated Health Practitioner

It’s Self-Injury Awareness Day...

2012-03-01T15:05:00.003Z

Not many people know that, as well as being St David’s day, March the 1st, is Self-Injury Awareness Day. The chances are that you know somebody who self-harms or has done so in the past, whether you are aware of it or not.
Self-harm can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, religion, race and culture - it is certainly not something that only affects teenage girls.
Statistics show that around 1 per cent of the population self-harm, with women more likely to do so than men. Recent British research suggests that 1 in 10 teenagers have self-injured, although it is important to remember that people who self-harm can be of all ages and do come from all walks of life

What is self-injury?

Self-injury, also often called self-harm, can be described as an act of non-suicidal, yet very deliberate damage against oneself. This is often done in order to cope with an overwhelming situation or emotion. It is not usually just a one off occurrence, but a repeated and regular behaviour. People who self-harm use many different ways to injure themselves: cutting and burning tend to be the most common forms of self-harm, but there are many others, too. Some people will deliberately hit their head; they might scratch or pick their skin, bite themselves, pull their own hair, interfere with wound healing, or they might use asphyxiation or take poisonous substances without suicidal intent. Not all self-injury results in physical marks or scars. Also, the physical severity of the injury does not usually relate to the amount of emotional distress that a person is in, although often an individual’s self-harming can become worse over time.

Why do people self-harm?

Although self-injury as such is not suicidal behaviour, it can lead to hospitalisation or in extreme cases, even death. Also, self-harming is not a condition in itself, but it is usually a symptom of underlying issues and it can also often be an indicator for other underlying mental health problems, such as depression. This doesn’t mean that people who suffer from depression self-harm, it tends to be the other way round: we know that people who self-harm are usually more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety and lower self-esteem than those who do not. As mentioned earlier, self-injury as such doesn’t usually start out as suicidal behaviour, however, it may lead to future suicidal thinking and some people who self-injure may indeed go on to attempt suicide in the future.

People self-harm for a variety of reasons, which are as varied as people themselves. Very often however, people who self-harm say that they do so in order to release tension and to cope with emotional trauma and overwhelming psychological pain. Some people state that they self-harm out of the need to gain control over painful emotions or situations where they feel very much out of control. Yet others report that they self-harm as a form self-punishment. In either case, it is impossible to generalise the reasons why people self-injure, and often the reasons and their behaviour can also change over time.

How can you help somebody who self-harms?

If you know somebody who self-harms, remember to treat them with the same kind of respect and compassion you would have for anybody else who is going through an emotionally difficult time.
Remember that self-injury is often a coping mechanism that people use to deal with emotional stress; it is not just a means of acting out or attention seeking and because of this, people cannot just stop self-injuring until they have alternative coping mechanisms in place. The road to recovery can be a very long and difficult one, and telling someone to stop self-injuring or asking them to make promises will most likely only make things worse.

How can counselling and psychotherapy help?

A good first step can often be to initially find an alternative to a person’s current behaviour that isn’t as physically damaging as the current one. For example, sometimes people who have previously cut themselves start using rubber bands to snap at their skin; this of course is only the substitution of one painful action for another and as such doesn’t achieve much. However, as the sessions progress, therapy can uncover the reasons as to why a person self-harms and teach them different ways of coping with a specific emotion or situation instead. Even where a person has been self-harming for years, therapy is usually immensely successful and can very soon lead a person to take the small steps necessary to change how they have so far been dealing with their difficulties.
Also, remember that if a family member or loved one self-harms, you might find it beneficial to talk to a therapist yourself to help you better cope with the situation.

About the author:

Christine Schneider is BACP accredited and UKRCP registered independent counsellor and psychotherapist, providing therapy for individuals, couples, families and small groups. She also provides supervision services for other counsellors, therapists and those in the caring professions.
Christine works mainly in private practice at The Therapy Room on Oxford Road in Cambridge and also provides corporate services as well as online and telephone counselling via Cambridge Therapy Centre. In order to book an appointment either contact reception at the Therapy Room, or if you would like to talk to Christine directly, please go to www.cambridgetherapycentre.co.uk

http://www.thetherapyroomcambridge.co.uk/Christine-Schneider%20.html?page=therapistView&therapistID=82

Which Therapy is best for YOU?

2012-03-01T14:27:00.002Z

Don't know who to see? Need guidance?

Book a free consultation with one of our fully qualified Integrated Health Consultants.Choosing a therapy that is best for you is never easy. That's why here at The Therapy Room we take an integrated and holistic approach.With a broad range of different therapies available we are able to discuss and then offer advice before mutually agreeing the best course of treatment.

For more information or to book a free consultation with one of our Integrated Health Consultants call us on 01223 314500 or email info@thetherapyroom.com

http://www.thetherapyroomcambridge.co.uk/index.html?page=index

Focus on Liina..........

2012-02-28T16:50:00.005Z

Liina specialises in body-mind therapy. Body-mind therapy helps you to become more aware of your own body. Together we can uncover reasons why some tensions have tendencies to repeat themselves. Your body never lies so it can be an effective guide to start healing yourself.

Liina uses shiatsu, reflexology, counselling, psychotherapy and hypnotherapy to help people with a range of ailments achieve a better quality of life.

If you would like to book a free 15min consultation with Liina or any other therapist at The Therapy Room please contact us:

01223 315400
info@thetherapyroom.com
http://www.thetherapyroomcambridge.co.uk/Reflexology.html?page=therapyView&therapyID=48

Thinking yourself healthy? Life Principle 1 - Thoughts

2012-02-27T15:13:00.001Z

Can the way you think influence your health? Well most of us would agree that if you don't feel happy then it often gives us a headache or tiredness, or tummy ache or some other symptom, and most people would also agree that happiness has something to do with what is going on in our brains - the way we think. So perhaps we all agree there is a link. This is actually backed up with quite a lot of research, which is easy to find if you 'google it'.

Wellness (health) is an integration of body, mind and spirit;

Awareness that everything that we

"think, feel, do" and "say, believe, value"

impact on our overall state of health and wellness.

Anything that helps build our awareness of thoughts that enter our head (we have 65000 per day according to Dr Deepak Chopra), and our ability to hang onto only the thoughts that serve us, will help us in any health goal.

Should do, can't, ought to, I'm not good enough, I don't deserve, and many others, are examples of thoughts that may be repeated in your mind over and over, reinforcing themselves. Think how this influences what you do, how much time you spend with yourself for yourself, thinking and feeling what you eat or drink, the relationships you choose.

This week be aware of when you say or think these things, and stop and say the opposite -

I'm not good enough - I'm good enough.

I don't deserve - I deserve...

It will be a small step, but great journeys start this way..

Tune in next week to see how Breathing influences our health in so many ways..

Damien Clements - Integrated Health Practitioner

The six life principles for health and happiness

2012-02-22T18:46:00.000Z

Our health comes down to a combination of actions associated with the 6 life principles that we do everyday without being very conscious of them. These principles are the foundation for our health. Doing them poorly over long periods of time results in lack of health, vitality, energy, self-esteem, image and eventually disease. Improving any or all of these will significantly improve health and vitality for us.

I will be covering one principle per week, and offering my insight into how it has worked for me and my clients, and how it can work for you, with practical tips you can use to help yourself.

Next week will begin with how our thoughts or our mind powerfully oversee our health.

How often do you think about what your body does for you, and what messages it is telling you, spend 5 minutes this week, in a quiet place and focus on your body - is there an ache, tension, discomfort, weakness, soreness? Write them down on a piece of paper - this will be very useful to refer back to when we start looking at the 6 life principles.

Damien Clements Integrate Health Practitioner

"Home fever" is the new hay fever...

2012-02-13T11:01:00.000Z

Our homes are a huge source of pollution, and are contributing to making us sick, from outgasing from carpets, curtains, paint, heating systems, dust, household cleaners, but the newest threat is from unseen EMG radiation from WiFi, DECT phones, mobile phone masts. They weaken the systems in our body and leave us open to many Read more here..
http://microondes.wordpress.com/2012/02/11/home-fever-is-the-new-hay-fever/

But what can we do about it?
Well here are a few tips -
1. Wire your internet access in your home, and switch of WiFi.

2. Get some house plants that mop up, our household pollution. Pick from some of these - AGLAONEMA treubii - Chinese Evergreen, CHLORPHYTUM comosum Vittatum - Spider or Airplane plants, Dracaena deremensis (Janet Craig), DRACAENA fragens - Cornplant, DRACAENA marginata, Epipremnum aureum (Devil's Ivy), FICUS benjamina - Weeping Fig, HEDERA helix - Engligh Ivy, Howea forsteriana (Kentia Palm), NEPHROLEPIS ex. Bostoniensis - Boston Fern, ORCHIDACEAE - Orchid, PHILODENDRONS, especially oxycardium - Heart-leaf, PHOENIX roebelenii - Dwarf/Pigmy Date Palm, SYNGONIUM podophyllum - Arrowhead plant, SANSEVIERIA, SCINDAPSUS aureus - Devil's Ivy, including Silver Pothos, Pothos Gold and Pothos Marble Queen, and SPATHIPHYLLUM clevelandii - Peace-lilly, White Flag.

3. Get an airtube headset for talking on your mobile phone. Do a search on Google for a selection of options.

4. For more advice book a free consultation at The Therapy Room here

LOAF for LIFE - your new source for real bread in Cambridge

2012-02-06T16:05:00.002Z

LOAF for LIFE joins first fifty bakeries using The Real Bread Loaf Mark

Cambridge Home Bakery ‘LOAF for LIFE’ is one of the first fifty bakeries around Britain to adopt The Real Bread Loaf Mark since it was launched in September 2011 by Real Bread Campaign ambassadors, and renowned Real Bread bakers, Tom Herbert and Andrew Whitley.

The Loaf Mark offers an at-a-glance assurance from a baker that a loaf was made without the use of any processing aids or other artificial additives.

Dr. Peter Voshol said: ‘I started to bake Sourdough breads for fun and hobby. After many enthusiastic responses and my own enjoyment I applied for Home-Bakery status. All of the loaves I bake are what the Campaign calls Real Bread. The Loaf Mark makes it easy for people to see that I am baking an honest crust.’

Real Bread Campaign co-ordinator Chris Young added: ‘It’s great that LOAF for LIFE is one of the first (home) bakeries in the country to sign up to the scheme. We still call for an Honest Crust Act that requires all bakers to declare everything that goes into a loaf, but for now The Loaf Mark is a quick guide to additive-free loaves.’

A survey carried out by Toluna for the Campaign found that more than 70% of Britons believe it’s unacceptable that an ingredient/additives list doesn’t have to be displayed for unwrapped loaves, and that processing aids don’t have to appear on any ingredients list. It also found that 85% of people said they thought a mark to show a loaf was additive-free would be useful.

Any baker can use The Real Bread Loaf Mark by signing an annual agreement that he/she will only use it to promote loaves made without the use of any processing aids or other artificial additives. The annual fee varies depending on the scale of the business, but for example it is only £10 for Campaign members running the smallest homebakeries; and for others it is included in the Campaign membership fee. The scheme is also open to non-members. Full details of The Loaf Mark scheme can be found at www.realbreadcampaign.org

Home Bakery ‘LOAF for LIVE’ started February 1^st 2012 baking Real Bread and specializes in sourdough breads to sell locally. Peter uses organic certified flour from the local Foster’s Windmill in Swaffham Prior.

The Real Bread Campaign is Part of the charity Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming, and is funded by the Big Lottery Fund’s Local Food programme. Membership of the Real Bread Campaign is open to everyone who cares about the state of bread in Britain, and any bakery can add additive-free loaves to the Campaign’s online Real Bread Finder directory.

For more information please contact Peter Voshol: pjvoshol@hotmail.com

www.thenatureofbeing.co.uk

February 3^rd 2012

Sugar should be controlled like alcohol...

2012-02-03T17:27:00.000Z

ScienceDaily (Feb. 1, 2012) — Sugar should be controlled like alcohol and tobacco to protect public health, according to a team of UCSF researchers, who maintain in a new report that sugar is fueling a global obesity pandemic, contributing to 35 million deaths annually worldwide from non-communicable diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
See Also:
Health & Medicine
Non-communicable diseases now pose a greater health burden worldwide than infectious diseases, according to the United Nations. In the United States, 75 percent of health care dollars are spent treating these diseases and their associated disabilities.
In the Feb. 2 issue of Nature, Robert Lustig MD, Laura Schmidt PhD, MSW, MPH, and Claire Brindis, DPH, colleagues at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), argue that sugar's potential for abuse, coupled with its toxicity and pervasiveness in the Western diet make it a primary culprit of this worldwide health crisis.
This partnership of scientists trained in endocrinology, sociology and public health took a new look at the accumulating scientific evidence on sugar. Such interdisciplinary liaisons underscore the power of academic health sciences institutions like UCSF.
Sugar, they argue, is far from just "empty calories" that make people fat. At the levels consumed by most Americans, sugar changes metabolism, raises blood pressure, critically alters the signaling of hormones and causes significant damage to the liver -- the least understood of sugar's damages. These health hazards largely mirror the effects of drinking too much alcohol, which they point out in their commentary is the distillation of sugar.
Worldwide consumption of sugar has tripled during the past 50 years and is viewed as a key cause of the obesity epidemic. But obesity, Lustig, Schmidt and Brindis argue, may just be a marker for the damage caused by the toxic effects of too much sugar. This would help explain why 40 percent of people with metabolic syndrome -- the key metabolic changes that lead to diabetes, heart disease and cancer -- are not clinically obese.
"As long as the public thinks that sugar is just 'empty calories,' we have no chance in solving this," said Lustig, a professor of pediatrics, in the division of endocrinology at the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital and director of the Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health (WATCH) Program at UCSF.
"There are good calories and bad calories, just as there are good fats and bad fats, good amino acids and bad amino acids, good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates," Lustig said. "But sugar is toxic beyond its calories."
Limiting the consumption of sugar has challenges beyond educating people about its potential toxicity. "We recognize that there are cultural and celebratory aspects of sugar," said Brindis, director of UCSF's Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies. "Changing these patterns is very complicated"
According to Brindis, effective interventions can't rely solely on individual change, but instead on environmental and community-wide solutions, similar to what has occurred with alcohol and tobacco, that increase the likelihood of success.
The authors argue for society to shift away from high sugar consumption, the public must be better informed about the emerging science on sugar.
"There is an enormous gap between what we know from science and what we practice in reality," said Schmidt, professor of health policy at UCSF's Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies (IHPS) and co-chair of UCSF's Clinical and Translational Science Institute's (CTSI) Community Engagement and Health Policy Program, which focuses on alcohol and addiction research.
"In order to move the health needle, this issue needs to be recognized as a fundamental concern at the global level," she said.
The paper was made possible with funding from UCSF's Clinical and Translational Science Institute, UCSF's National Institutes of Health-funded program that helps accelerate clinical and translational research through interdisciplinary, interprofessional and transdisciplinary work.
Many of the interventions that have reduced alcohol and tobacco consumption can be models for addressing the sugar problem, such as levying special sales taxes, controlling access, and tightening licensing requirements on vending machines and snack bars that sell high sugar products in schools and workplaces.
"We're not talking prohibition," Schmidt said. "We're not advocating a major imposition of the government into people's lives. We're talking about gentle ways to make sugar consumption slightly less convenient, thereby moving people away from the concentrated dose. What we want is to actually increase people's choices by making foods that aren't loaded with sugar comparatively easier and cheaper to get."

For more information and a free consultation click here

Immune Boosting tip no 6 - beat that Cold

2012-02-03T17:17:00.000Z

Blow your nose often - but the right way. Regularly blowing your nose avoids mucous from being sniffed back into the head. But avoid blowing hard, as the pressure can push the infected mucous back into the sinuses, increasing congestion and prolonging the cold; or into the ear canals, causing earache.

Staying warm and resting when you first come down with a cold or the flu helps the body to focus its energy on upregulating the immune system.

Gargling can moisten a sore throat and bring temporary relief. Try a teaspoon of salt dissolved in warm water, four times daily. An astringent gargle, such as tea (which contains tannins) will tighten the membranes and reduce an irritating tickle in the throat. Or use a thick, viscous gargle made with honey, sage and cayenne pepper all of which are slightly antibacterial or antiseptic. Steep fresh sage leaves with the cayenne in 100 ml of just boiled water for 10 minutes. Add about 50 ml of honey; you can also add a pinch of salt and some cider vinegar to help loosen mucous. Let the mixture cool to room temperature before gargling.

Hot liquids relieve nasal congestion, prevent dehydration and soothe the uncomfortably inflamed membranes of the nose and throat.

Steamy showers moisturise the nasal passages and generally relax the body.

A small dab of mentholated cream under the nose can open breathing passages and help restore the irritated skin at the base of the nose. Menthol, eucalyptus and camphor all have mild numbing ingredients that may help relieve the pain of a nose rubbed raw.

Sleeping with an extra pillow under the head will help relieve congested nasal passages.

Don't fly unless it is absolutely necessary. The change in air pressure will increase the stress on the upper respiratory system and may temporarily damage your eardrums.

For more information and a free consultation click here

Carrots: The Natural Aspirin?

2012-02-01T09:29:00.000Z

Studies show that carrots are a rich source of natural salicylates.

You know that aspirin is salicylic acid, commonly used for any type of inflammation.

The study showed that vegetarians have serum concentrations of salicylic acid as high as those of people ingesting 75 mg of aspirin a day, the amount in half of a baby aspirin.

Accumulating 'microplastic' thread to shores

2012-01-30T10:01:00.003Z

By Mark Kinver

Environment reporter, BBC News

Concentrations of microplastic were greatest near coastal urban areas, the study showed Continue reading the main story
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Microscopic plastic debris from washing clothes is accumulating in the marine environment and could be entering the food chain, a study has warned.

Researchers traced the "microplastic" back to synthetic clothes, which released up to 1,900 tiny fibres per garment every time they were washed.

Earlier research showed plastic smaller than 1mm were being eaten by animals and getting into the food chain.

The findings appeared in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

"Research we had done before... showed that when we looked at all the bits of plastic in the environment, about 80% was made up from smaller bits of plastic," said co-author Mark Browne, an ecologist now based at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

"This really led us to the idea of what sorts of plastic are there and where did they come from."

Dr Browne, a member of the US-based research network National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, said the tiny plastic was a concern because evidence showed that it was making its way into the food chain.

"Once the plastics had been eaten, it transferred from [the animals'] stomachs to their circulation system and actually accumulated in their cells," he told BBC News.

In order to identify how widespread the presence of microplastic was on shorelines, the team took samples from 18 beaches around the globe, including the UK, India and Singapore.

"We found that there was no sample from around the world that did not contain pieces of microplastic."

The smallest fibres could end up causing huge problems worldwide
Dr Browne added: "Most of the plastic seemed to be fibrous.

"When we looked at the different types of polymers we were finding, we were finding that polyester, acrylic and polyamides (nylon) were the major ones that we were finding."

The data also showed that the concentration of microplastic was greatest in areas near large urban centres.

In order to test the idea that sewerage discharges were the source of the plastic discharges, the team worked with a local authority in New South Wales, Australia.

"We found exactly the same proportion of plastics," Dr Browne revealed, which led the team to conclude that their suspicions had been correct.

As a result, Dr Browne his colleague Professor Richard Thompson from the University of Plymouth, UK carried out a number of experiments to see what fibres were contained in the water discharge from washing machines.

"We were quite surprised. Some polyester garments released more than 1,900 fibres per garment, per wash," Dr Browne observed.

"It may not sound like an awful lot, but if that is from a single item from a single wash, it shows how things can build up.

"It suggests to us that a large proportion of the fibres we were finding in the environment, in the strongest evidence yet, was derived from the sewerage as a consequence from washing clothes."

Immune tip no 5 - Use a neti pot when you have a cold

2012-01-26T09:58:00.000Z

One study found that a daily saltwater nasal rinse may be beneficial for colds. The participants who used saline nasal rinses (six times per day initially and TID during the rest of the 12-week study) had fewer nasal and throat symptoms, they were healthier, and fewer of them used medications to manage their symptoms than those who did not use the rinses. The nasal rinse was a standard 0.9% saline (sodium chloride) solution with trace elements and minerals in concentrations similar to those in seawater. (Sea Salt)

Method:

Mix a pinch of salt and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda in about half a pint of warm water. Use a bulb syringe (a neti pot) to squirt water into the nose. Hold one nostril closed by applying light finger pressure while squirting the salt mixture into the other nostril. Let it drain. Repeat two to three times, then treat the other nostril.

Hearts of Glass: Integrative Psychotherapeutic Approaches to Autism

2012-01-24T15:26:00.002Z

A person with autism is first and foremost, a person. Their needs are no different to the rest of us, especially the need for “connection”, and yet it is exactly this “connection” that is so difficult to achieve through the mask of autism. The presentation of many children with autism is one that removes opportunities for connection – the connections that are so important for the development of a sense of self, and for the development of personality.

In my work in the UK, I see a number of people across the whole range of autism who have poor self-awareness, poor self-esteem and a very fragile personality. Whatever our view of the causes of autism, the effects are very clear, and it is these effects that can be worked through using various psychotherapeutic approaches.

Key Principles

A major clue to opening up pathways of working lies in acknowledging the autism and its effects. Autism is characterised by problems in communication, social understanding, flexibility of thought and sensory integration. These characteristics can create a perception and perspective on the world that is very different to that of other people. If we add a learning disability to the profile, then those perspectives and perceptions will be altered yet further. The core deficits within autism are bound to lead to high levels of social and emotional stress. Understanding these perspectives is vital to successful therapy.

A second clue to successful working is understanding that whilst a person’s autism may be a major feature of that person’s life, there are other things going on for that person as well, as they do for other people. We all operate within an environment; we all have individual personality traits; we all have a genetic inheritance of some sort; and we all have an experience of life. Each of these things affects who we are, and how we react to things. In autism, the impact of these things may be distorted, but that does not mean we should discount them.

Thirdly, a therapist should understand that autism affects those around the individual perhaps at least as much as it does the individual themselves. An awareness of projection, introjection, transference and counter-transference is vital in unravelling the sometimes complicated relationships that can develop around the individual. Understanding a little about group dynamics and disrupted functioning can also be useful.

Other factors

In the UK, and perhaps in other parts of the Western world, we have a very medical and behavioural view of autism. The reliance on a medical perspective risks ignoring emotional stress. A solely behavioural approach risks becoming stuck in “symptom management”. A combination of the medico-behavioural perspectives risks over-reliance on anti-psychotic medication. An integrative and holistic psychotherapeutic approach can help to avoid these risks, and lead to very real and lasting progress.

Another factor involved in poor outcomes and overall prognosis is negativity. A doctor might say to a parent, “I’m sorry, but your child has autism…” A mainstream school might view the autistic child as “a nuisance”. Peers might view the child as “strange” or “odd”. Poor social functioning might create isolation and loneliness. And thus the child may develop a poor self-esteem, low confidence and motivation. These things can then lead to anger, frustration, depression and anxiety as the child grows up. The good news is that these emotional elements are all treatable using psychotherapeutic approaches.

And if we use other language to describe some of the key autistic behaviours, we can see how psychotherapy can help there, too. For example, autistic behaviours are often listed like this:

• A need for “sameness” and routine
• Rituals and obsessions
• Withdrawal
• Physical control – everything in its place
• Physical control – aggression
• Hyperactivity (or is it hyper-reactivity?!)
• Anger

If we call them defensive or reactive behaviours instead, then we can see how psychotherapy aimed at easing social and emotional distress can reduce these, and other, behaviours.

Autism affects those around the individual in various ways. This is sometimes overt, as in the case of a parent who quickly becomes depressed and/or frustrated. Sometimes the effect is more subtle, where these things happen over a longer period of time. But sensitive psychotherapeutic approaches can also benefit everybody within the autistic person’s network. And if the network functions well, it can only be good for the individual at the centre of it.

Useful Approaches

It is essential to build rapport with the individual. This can be done by paying attention to interests and key behaviours. It might be easier to achieve with clients who have a greater intellectual capacity, but it can also be done with people with severe autism and co-morbid learning disabilities, even if they are non-verbal. An approach called “Intensive Interaction” has been developed to enable the forming of connections with severely disabled people. It requires us to “switch off” our natural communication systems, and to mirror key behaviours, thus showing acceptance to the individual. Whichever approach we use, rapport helps us to enter into the world of the autistic person.

We can use the rapport to build up a perspective of the individual’s life – the current situation, the history, and perhaps even the hopes and dreams that the individual has.

Other useful approaches will almost always involve relaxation methods, and the provision of alternatives to negative behaviour. Relaxation helps to lower general arousal levels. For other clients, their perception of the world leaves them under-stimulated. Here we can provide exercise programmes and sensory integration therapies.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is often cited as being useful in autistic spectrum conditions, especially for those with Asperger Syndrome. CBT seeks to alter behaviour through changing the way we think about things. Neuro-Linguistic Programming has also been shown to be helpful here. The risk, however, of using CBT by itself is that we can miss the underlying emotional distress, and in some cases it can risk making the situation worse. This is because some people on the autism spectrum display repetitive negative thought patterns (sometimes called ‘ruminative’ or ‘catastrophic’ thinking) – we need to make sure that CBT does not simply exacerbate these symptoms.

The use of creative approaches (music, drama, art, play, story-telling etc) is useful right across the range of disabilities in autism. Such approaches enable emotional expression where previously it was impossible.

“Life-story” work enables the client to re-frame their perspective on life. Many people with autism and depression fixate on negative events in their lives, and effective Life-Story work helps to reconstruct the pattern into a more positive format.

Hypnotherapeutic approaches can also be used. The therapist needs to be mindful of the need for clear informed consent before engaging in direct work of this nature. But there may be one or two hypnotherapeutic techniques which can be used in the course of other therapeutic interventions. We have already talked about the usefulness of relaxation techniques. It might also be possible to use story work to guide imagination towards more positive ends.

Where necessary, a major factor in achieving more positive outcomes is in the use of social skills interventions. If much of the stress and anxiety in autism has its root in social dysfunction, then helping to improve social performance will remove some of this stress.

Other useful approaches will involve anger management and conflict resolution techniques. Anger in autism usually comes from conflict, and conflict usually happens at the point of interaction. We can do a lot to avoid such conflict by improving our understanding of the autistic heart and mind. But sometimes conflict is inevitable, and management techniques will be vital. Providing positive alternatives to anger can be helpful – as long as we do not forget that anger is a natural human emotion, and we all have a right to express it. Suppression will often only lead to further problems.

Psychotherapy at a deeper level, is more difficult, but progress can be made towards improving self-esteem and self-value, as long as the therapist is sensitive to the defences that people build around themselves. Bruno Bettelheim published a book called “The Empty Fortress”. Perhaps this was a mistake – the autistic “fortress” is far from empty. It is very well defended, but it is full of life, vitality and potential. All we have to do is to find a way into the box, remaining sensitive to the reasons that the defences went up in the first place. Some of those reasons have been shown to be pathological, and could well be improved through medical treatment, or physiological interventions (for example, dietary approaches). Perhaps the real challenge is finding the courage to offer holistic and integrative approaches that encompass all these factors, whether emotional or physiological, thereby helping people with autism to become much more integrated, and far less isolated. And part of that challenge might be working towards altering the low value that society places on disability and those living and working with it.

David Moat
Transpersonal Psychotherapist and Hypnotherapist
Training and Advice Consultant, Autistic Spectrum Conditions

01223 315400 or 07734420997
david@asdtherapy.co.uk
www.asdtherapy.co.uk

Competition Winners Announced!

2012-01-17T18:52:00.002Z

We would like to thank everyone that has entered our competition by 'liking' us on Facebook, we have had a great response. The lucky winners are listed below and can choose from one of the following therapies:

Osteopathic consultation & treatment x 2
Swedish Massage
Stress management session
Become assertive session
EFT Session (Emotional Freedom Technique)
Reiki
Acupuncture consultation & treatment x 3
Homoeopathy consultation & treatment
Kinesiological testing for food intolerance's & nutritional deficiencies
Quit smoking hypnotherapy
Personalised nutrition and lifestyle consultation

You can choose which therapy you would like to experience but please be aware the prizes will be dealt out on a first come first serve basis so please give us a call between 9 - 7, Monday - Friday to claim your prize.

Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for more information on health, therapies & other competitions at The Therapy Room. http://thetherapyroomcambridge.blogspot.com/

If you have any questions that you would like to ask any of our therapists, they all offer free 15 min initial no obligation consultations. http://www.thetherapyroomcambridge.co.uk/index.html?page=index

Winners:

Susie Turner
Charlotte Franks
Euphrosene Marce-Louise Labern
Sue Bibby
Mandy Howson
Julie Wickenden
Deryn Gant
JenBert Turner
Jon Coe
Pam Trebilcock
Steve Craker
Linda McEnhill
Christine Martin
Bill Morgan

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

The Therapy Room
25 Oxford Road, Cambridge, CB4 3PH
01223 315400
www.thetherapyroom.com
info@thetherapyroom.com

Immune tip 4 - what to do when you have a cold

2012-01-14T16:46:00.000Z

Drink plenty of fluids in order to maintain water balance and to thin mucous secretions.

Eat raw garlic, which has antibacterial and antiviral properties. Crush a clove or two and add to foods like soups and grains just before serving.

A warm, humid environment created by a humidifier may provide some comfort.

The key thing to remember is that the annoying symptoms of a cold are part of the natural healing process - evidence that the immune system is battling illness. For example, a fever is the body's way of trying to kill viruses in a hotter-than-normal environment. Also, the heat from the fever makes germ-killing proteins in the blood circulate more quickly and effectively. So a moderate fever for a day or two will actually speed up the recovery process.

Coughing is another productive symptom as it prevents infected mucous from reaching the base of the lungs and creating secondary infections.

Decongestants are generally not a good idea as they work by restricting the flow to the blood vessels in the nose and throat; but this in turn causes rebound congestion and stasis and more risk of secondary infection.

Case Study: How Kinesiology can help with Anxiety

2012-01-10T15:00:00.006Z

I’ve had a young boy who came to see me as he was so anxious before his kick boxing matches that he was sick every time.

Treatment: I let him think about last time it happened (which caused his muscles to weaken from the stress of that memory) and then I muscle tested what strengthened the weakened muscle. The treatment for him turned out to be a combination of:

· tapping messages around the temporal bone,
· pressing reflex points around solar plexus whilst holding emotional points on his forehead and
· acupressure points

I also showed him EFT so that he would have a tool to take home.

He later told me had a match a few days afterwards where he felt very confident and was not sick.

My treatments for anxiety are very individual depending on the client, but in most cases it involves using one or a few of the below techniques:

· sacro-cranial / dural membrane
· NEP – abdominal brain reflex points
· Solar plexus reflex points
· EFT
· Temporal tap
· Acupuncture points (for emotional work I prefer to hold the points with my fingers rather than using needles)

I also look at where in the body they store their anxiety (where they can feel it physically) to release the tension/block there, as wellas biochemical imbalances that can cause anxiety.

For more information please contact Maja Asell at The Therapy Room - 01223 315400

Boost your immunity tip 3 - The common cold

2012-01-05T16:06:00.000Z

Typically symptoms of the common cold include: sore throat, cough, sneezing, running nose, headache, fatigue, and a low-grade fever. The symptoms of the common cold tend to last for around a week.

Since colds are caused by more than 100 different viruses, antibiotics are ineffective as a treatment although they are sometimes prescribed to treat secondary bacterial infections (bronchitis, pneumonia).

Lifestyle Modification:

Lifestyle habits that may support the immune system and speed recovery include the following:

Drink plenty of fluids in order to maintain water balance and to thin mucous secretions.

Eat raw garlic, which has antibacterial and antiviral properties. Crush a clove or two and add to foods like soups and grains just before serving.

A warm, humid environment created by a humidifier may provide some comfort.

Coughing is another productive symptom as it prevents infected mucous from reaching the base of the lungs and creating secondary infections.

Decongestants are generally not a good idea as they work by restricting the flow to the blood vessels in the nose and throat; but this in turn causes rebound congestion and stasis and more risk of secondary infection.

Look out next week for what best to do if the cold already has hold of you!

For your chance to win 1 of 14 free treatments of total value of £800, simply press to 'like' our face book place page http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Therapy-Room/198293391331

DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS?

2012-01-04T16:52:00.002Z

DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS? Giving up smoking, weight
loss, learning to become more relaxed, want to work on having a healthier body
& mind or is just about time you dealt with that niggle in your back or
knee?

Well we are here to help! Not sure who to see? Call or email
us now to book your FREE initial consultation with one of our qualified
Integrated Practitioners.

01223 315400

info@thetherapyroom.com

Immune Tip 2 - Sleep your way to better immunity

2011-12-21T15:00:00.004Z

Sleep your way to better immunity During sleep our immune systems are most active fighting infection, viruses, colds and flu. We are designed to sleep more in the winter, and so wherever possible get to bed as close to 10pm as possible and sleep for at least 8 hours.

To optimise your sleep:

Turn off all electrical goods in your house (some need to be kept on obviously - like the fridge and freezer and central heating!)
Wind down in the evening from about 8pm
Do not eat within 2 hours of going to sleep, otherwise you will be still trying to digest and your immune system won't get its go.
Do not work late into the night, right up to going to bed, your stress and awake hormones will keep you awake.
Play some relaxing music, read a book, before bed
Use some lavender behind your head and knees

A good night sleep is most important during the seasons of coughs colds and chest infections, so your body is given a chance to do what is supposed to do - protect you from harm!#Cambridge

A treatment of Acupuncture is just one of the prizes you could win......

2011-12-19T15:07:00.002Z

THERE ARE 14 FREE TREATMENTS!! (PRIZES TOTALLING £800)JUST "LIKE" THE FOLLOWING PAGE:http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Therapy-Room/198293391331

Counselling support during the Christmas and New Year Holidays

2011-12-19T14:26:00.001Z

Counselling support during the Christmas and New Year holidays: Christine has a number of emergency online and telephone appointments available. If you need to speak to a counsellor over the holiday period, please go tohttp://www.cambridgetherapycentre.co.uk/news-blog/holidaysupport for further details.

Don't get a cold - get Zinc

2011-12-14T14:50:00.000Z

Each week through the cold dark winter we will be sharing our tips on how to boost your immunity to see off flu, cold and infections.

Starting with the use of Zinc - how to test if you need it and how much you need.

http://www.facebook.com/notes/the-therapy-room/how-do-you-know-if-you-are-deficient-in-zinc/10150406388211332

Welcome our new therapist Isobel Harper........

2011-12-13T15:46:00.005Z

Isobel is an Integrative counsellor, which means that she adapts her working style to meet the needs of each individual client. Her primary training approach was Psychodynamic. She is a kind, gentle and caring person and who provides a non-judgemental, calm and confidential environment to allow her clients to explore their feelings and issues.

You are the expert on your own life, Isobel will offer you the space for to explore your feelings and to be heard. By exploring your own inner feelings, values and beliefs, she believes that we all have the inner resources to challenge our beliefs, gain the clarity we want and to move forward making more informed decisions.

Counselling experience in addition to seeing clients at the Therapy Room; Isobel also works as a counsellor for CRUSE, the specialist bereavement charity and at the Cogwheel Trust in Cambridge. The Cogwheel Trust is a charity in Cambridge which sees clients whose 'life has slipped out of gear'. This has given her a wide and varied experience of working with all
issues.

A relaxing massage is just one of the prizes you could win..

2011-12-13T07:30:00.000Z

THERE ARE 14 FREE TREATMENTS!! (PRIZES TOTALLING £800)
JUST "LIKE" THE FOLLOWING PAGE:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Therapy-Room/198293391331

Win a Free treatment at The Therapy Room

2011-12-09T12:07:00.002Z

There will be 14 individual prizes totalling a value of £800, and winners will be notified via The Therapy Room Cambridge facebook page on January 16th 2012, with treatment choice allocated on a fist come first served basis.

Look out for details of the variety of treatment prizes that you could win, posted every few days, on this website, blog and our facebook page until the winners are announced on Monday January 16th 2012.

'Like us' now for your chance to win.

Bereavement in our Modern British Society

2011-11-29T18:05:00.005Z

There is nothing more certain in life than death (and probably a few taxes too!)…Yet as a ‘Modern British Society’ we are often unprepared for the bereavement journey when a loved one departs this life. We no longer have an official period of mourning and the number of times my
clients comment on this is, simply, staggering. As a ‘Modern British Society’ we seem to have lost that strong traditional method of saying goodbye and preparing for the next phase of life.
Clients often comment that, “people do not realise what I am going through; I have to act like nothing has happened”. My clients often talk of a wish to wear a black arm band or wear black for a year, as an outward sign that they are still in mourning for the loss of those dearly departed.
When we suffer bereavement; it is like an invisible cloak of isolation and loneliness which the outside world cannot see and therefore does not register. Life must go on and no matter how hard it can be…Life does go on.
Initially people rally around to help but soon our lives return to normal patterns, and people call less, assuming that the bereaved person is coping or it may be that they themselves find talking about the grief very difficult, and avoid contact.
The grief process can be a very long part of the bereavement journey. It is commonly thought that there are 5 stages connected with the grief process. These are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. I wholeheartedly agree with this but they do not come in order and often people can be in more than one stage at a time. Everyone is individual and the
bereavement journey is longer for some than for others.
During periods of bereavement, and through-out the 5 stages
of the grief process, family support is incredibly important. The grief process, however, is different for each person and your family will be experiencing loss at different stages of the grief process, this can cause a strain on relationships both inside and outside of the family.
Bereavement sometimes brings unwelcome feelings and counselling is the only place to safely explore these new feelings. The grief process may have 5 stages but it has no structure and no easy pathway to redemption; my clients have explored feelings connected with guilt, anger, and
relief, especially if the deceased had a long illness. Bereavement may also
bring to the surface pervious losses and how we coped with them. If they were
not dealt with then these latent, almost forgotten, feelings can become painful
again…Resisting such feelings stalls the grief process and the bereavement
journey.
Counselling helps at a time of bereavement because verbalising our feelings can help us to understand the depth of our feelings and the way that they are making us feel. By talking about our feelings in a safe, caring and empathetic environment we are able to explore how they really
make us feel and not how we think we should feel.

For confidential counselling contact Isobel Harper on 01223 315400 or 07967561031 or www.isobelharper.co.uk

MASSAGE & STRESS: A soothing massage can help you unwind, but that's not all

2011-11-21T18:16:00.001Z

Prolonged periods of stress can negatively affect many systems of the body.Stress has been shown to aggravate, or even cause, such problems as heart disease, gastrointestinal disorders, memory loss and decreased immune function. But it doesn't just contribute to physical ailments. Stress can drain the joy from your life, cause fatigue, and leave you less able to enjoy relationships, leisure activities & day to day life.The ones you love can become unfortunate victims of the stress in your life. You can find yourself left with no patience and less able to engage with the people you care about.Massage therapy is one of the best antidotes for stress. We know this is true on an intuitive level. If the hands of a friend or partner can soothe aches and pains and reduce anxiety, then imagine the effect of a therapeutic massage by a trained practitioner. The rituals of massage come as a welcome break from our busy lives: reduced lighting, soothing music, the pleasant fragrance of a mild oil or candle - even without massage, these things might help you relax! But coupled with the right massage techniques you will actually feel the stress leaving.Massage boosts the immune system, which can become compromised from extended periods of stress. Tension can build up in the muscles, causing a decrease in circulation and nutrient delivery to tissues.Manipulation of the soft tissue decreases muscular tension, increases removal of metabolic waste and promotes nutrient delivery to healing tissue. Knots in your muscles can inhibit your ability to perform regular, daily tasks. As other parts of your body try to compensate for the ache of a tight muscle, they also start to become tight and uncomfortable. Before long, an injury that began in your neck can trace to your shoulder, down your arm and into your wrist. The reaction chain can take innumerable forms, but none of them are pleasant.With a therapeutic massage, stress can be significantly reduced. This will increase energy, improve your outlook on life, and in the process boost your immune system function. Coupled with modest changes in nutrition and activity levels, massage can be the start of a profound change for the better in your health and well-being.

www.revivetherapists.co.uk

Cambridge RSI Clinic

2011-10-26T14:34:00.004+01:00

Cambridge RSI Clinic is the city’s first and only dedicated clinic for patients with repetitive strain injuries (RSI), work-related upper limb disorders and other wrist or hand pain.

The Clinic was started by Joy Haughton, a Registered Osteopath and former RSI sufferer, to give Cambridge patients fast access to evidence-based, effective treatment for frustrating wrist and hand problems. The clinic is based at The Therapy Room, a multidisciplinary health centre in Cambridge, and is therefore able to draw on the expertise of a number of highly experienced conventional and complementary health practitioners to create a tailored plan for each patient.
In addition to her training as an Osteopath, Joy Haughton also has a degree in Psychology from the University of Cambridge and has undertaken further study in ergonomics, neural rehabilitation and mindfulness to enable her to give thorough support with both the physical and emotional aspects of RSI. Joy has worked for a number of years with leading self-help psychologists and coaches, so is able to assist patients to make the changes that will make recovery long-lasting.

“Joy Haughton treated me for Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) from computer work. I was able to return to work very quickly and over time I recovered completely from what can be a permanently debilitating condition. I trust Joy as a practitioner who not only knows her discipline but who can also explain it to me so I understand what has happened and how I can prevent a re-occurrence. Instead of patching me up and dispatching me Joy found the root
cause of my problems and helped me correct it. The work Joy has done with me on not just muscles but also on nerves has meant my recovery has been much better than my ontemporaries with similar conditions. This is a level of knowledge which I haven't found in all practitioners. I hated going around my GP, but they simply didn't have the resources to help me like Joy did. I can't recommend Joy highly enough.” Ellie, Cambridge

For further information or to book an appointment, please
call 01223 315400 or email joy@abodythatworks.com.

BBC The One Show at The Therapy Room on Friday 16th September!

2011-09-15T16:50:00.001+01:00

Conquering disease…
An autumnal feature about the nation’s ailing horse chestnut trees brought the BBC’s One Show to the Therapy Room, Cambridge today for an interview with homeopath Carolyn Stevens.

Carolyn, whose busy and successful practice at the Therapy Room in Oxford Road caught the eye of researchers, explained how alternative medicines derived from the horse chestnut are used in the treatment of a range of disorders - from diseases of the circulatory system, such as varicose veins and hemorrhoids, to hyperactivity and developmental problems.

Carolyn said, ‘The horse chestnut, Aesculus Hippocastanum, is used in homeopathy and all kinds of herbal preparations and flower essences.’

‘The One Show team came to Cambridge because we have a beautiful collection of chestnut trees on The Backs which are suffering from bleeding canker disease.’

‘It’s sad and symbolic that the majestic chestnut tree which has helped us with blood circulation disorders over the years is itself bleeding to death.’

The feature will be broadcast in tomorrow evening’s show at 7 pm (16th September 2011)
They came to Cambridge to do a feature on the nation's ailing Horse Chestnut trees. They knew that the tree had uses in alternative medicine, so they came along to find out more and what the threat of losing these trees would have.

The BBC feature will be broadcast on 16th September on BBC One at 7 pm. Look out for the video here soon..

For more details please visit http://www.thetherapyroomcambridge.co.uk/oneshow

Why Metabolic Typing?

2011-07-21T07:33:00.000+01:00

Happy clients at The Therapy Room

2011-07-19T11:20:00.004+01:00

NB from Cambridge was desperate to loose weight and feel happy and healthy again. She wanted to get her stomach and bowels feeling normal and not being aware of the uncomfortable feeling all the time, after 5 years of suffering. Unbeknown to her she still had an H Pylori infection, that had been picked up previously by her GP but treated in effectively.

After a comprehensive assessment that included advanced lab testing, physical assessment, and a metabolic typing test, a customised nutrition plan was introduced, along with a specific protocol to eradicate an H-Pylori infection, Osteopathic treatment from Teddy Brookes, and Psychotherapy from Angela Lattimore.

NB says - (after) working with Damien Clements (for 6 months) I am very well and the H-Pylori test was normal no action - so I am clear.

I feel that thanks to you and the treatment you recommended me to follow has sorted out my stomach, which I am very grateful for.

"Why am I always in pain at the worst moments?"

2011-06-18T06:31:00.002+01:00

Sunday, June 5, 2011 - 19:40 — Joy Haughton

Your child's sick, your boss is demanding that report yesterday and the car engine's just blown up. You bend over to spit out your toothpaste - something you've done a thousand times before - and all of a sudden your neck spasms and you're in agony. 'Why me? And, why, oh why, now?' you may, quite reasonably, ask. Well, amazingly, it's not just the universe conspiring against you! Let's have a look at what's going on inside your body...

The traditional way of understanding pain tells us this happens:

1. Something bad happens to a part of the body

2. A danger signal gets sent

3. That signal produces pain

So, pain = harm. And probably pain is proportional to harm. So, bad pain = bad news.

Sounds sensible, but weirdly, isn't really true.

The latest pain research (here, for some great summaries) tells quite a different story, that goes something like this:

As, you can see, that's not nearly as linear, not nearly as simple. And at first it doesn't make nearly as much sense. But have a think about these examples - can you fit them into the traditional model? How about the newer one?

1. Phantom limb pain - there's lots of examples of people who've had amputations still feeling pain in the amputated limb. How does that work? Well if we throw out the idea of harm = pain and start to think of pain as something that's produced in the brain, it all makes a lot more sense. The brain uses a representation of the body to understand where various signals originate from and the representation of the amputated arm is still there, in the brain. So, if something else causes activity in that area, the brain will interpret that as pain in the arm - although there is no arm.

2. Obviously harmless activities becoming painful and therefore fraught with danger. How many times have you turned your head when driving? Or brushed your hair from your face? Even if you cared to count, you couldn't - such familiar activites are nearly subconcious in their execution. But when you're in pain, familiar activities seem terrifying. Turning your head must be harmful - it hurts so much. But why would an activity your body could previously do perfectly safely, without even thinking about it, suddenly become so dangerous? Usually, it's not. In fact, most pain conditions are helped by movement. But because we're so strongly conditioned to believe pain = harm, we shut down, stop moving and desperately try to stop any more 'harm' happening.

3. Not feeling pain because it's dangerous to. We've all heard the stories about people doing amazing things despite terrible injuries because they needed to get themselves out of danger. And what do they all have in common? They feel little or no pain until they've got the situation sorted. Their brain quite simply doesn't interpret the 'harm' signals from the body as pain because pain would distract from the more important 'get out of danger' actions. Sensible, but again, doesn't fit the harm = pain model.

So, next time you're in pain - particularly if it's an old, recurring pain - bear in mind that the pain you're feeling may have little or nothing to do with how much damage there is to your muscles, ligaments and bones and everything to do with what's happening in your brain. Context is hugely important, hence why sick children, dead cars and stressful deadlines makes pain so much more likely to happen and so much worse. Your brain is taking all of those 'danger' signals, adding them together and coming up with 'ouch!'

Over the next few months on the blog, I'm planning a number of entries about how pain works - and what to do about it. In the meantime, you're in pain and want some help with strategies to get your body - and brain - working again, then do contact me.

What is functional medicine?

2011-06-02T15:51:00.001+01:00

Is treating the symptoms of the disease always the best method of helping a person back to good health, or is restoring good function the best way to achieve good health, and beat disease?

This great video explains why I believe and practice functional medicine to restore good function, at The Therapy Room http://www.functionalmedicineuniversity.com/public/740.cfm

Three Good Reasons to book on 'The Sick to your Stomach' workshop

2011-05-24T16:17:00.002+01:00

1.Get the most from your second brain -

Did you know the gut has more nerve endings than the brain, and that the gut responds to all different ‘feeding’ (taste, smell, sight, hearing, and stress) messages entering your body and relays back to your brain and body! Learn how and why

2. Unravel the cause from the symptoms -
The three main causes of disease are: Nutritional deficiencies, Toxicity and Stress. These can all manifest in a myriad of symptoms, that we all see in our practices. In the 'Sick to your stomach' workshop we will share effective tools to assess and understand the root of the symptom(s) or disease.

3. Discover simple tools to use for treatment -

Learn to use Food, Sleep, and Movement as important medicine, as well as a tool to augment or support any treatment.

----------------------
Course details:
Date/time: Saturday June 8th 2011, 10am to 6pm
Location:The Therapy Room, 25 Oxford Rd, Cambridge CB4 3PH.
Cost: £95, including refreshments, payable in advance. Payment will be required to book your place.
Please make cheques payable to ‘Damien Clements’ or phone 01223 315400 to make payment by debit or credit card.
Book your place by phone (01223 315400) or mail at the above address, there is a maximum of 15 students!

A health practitioners guide to the gut

2011-05-05T14:59:00.002+01:00

Feeling gutted, galled, having a gut feeling, no guts no glory, can’t stomach it...

Not only common phrases in the English language that describe a feeling somewhere in our gut or digestive system, but feelings that can be felt emotionally and physically that we can all relate to having experienced in our lives. The gut is the point of entry for anything we eat and drink, and serves as a barrier between our inner and outer environments. Just as it allows entry of nutrients, it also protects us against toxins and infections. Thus, it is not surprising that the gut has a major role in health and disease, and many occurring health problems may be related to our diet, toxins or the functioning of our intestines.

If you are a health care professional in complementary or traditional medical practice, we invite you to an exciting new one day course:

'Sick to your Stomach'

A health practitioners’ guide to functional physiology, assessment, and treatment.

Wednesday, June 8^th 2011

10am -6pm

The course will involve exploration of our own gut communication in theory and practice, as a foundation to enable the effective assessment and guidance of our clients and patients. We will also provide tools to aid in assessment and treatment, case studies and opportunities to work with fellow students in practicing in the use of these tools.

Questions that will be addressed are:

· What does the gut do, besides delivering our food and transiting the waste out?

· Why and how does it deliver messages to other organs and body systems including our brain?

· Why is the gut important to overall health?

· Can it really be related to seemingly unrelated disorders, like back pain, autism, depression, and many others?

· How can I assess whether my client or patient has a gut related issue that is the cause or the block to their healing?

· What can I do to help if they do have a gut issue?

This current course is the first of a series which will address allergies, chronic fatigue, menopause, weight loss.

The course is being led by:

Damien Clements BSc Hons, Certified Nutritionist, CHEK Practioner, CMTA

With more than twelve years of experience as an Exercise, Diet and Lifestyle Coach and working in the sports science field, Damien has helped many clients resolve the problems your clients might be currently experiencing - from back pain to chronic fatigue. His focus is on treating the person and not the symptom or problem that they are diagnosed with, but ascertaining the blocking factors to achieving improved function, and the root cause of the dysfunction.

As a CHEK Practitioner, and a clinical nutritionist he is uniquely qualified in the area of corrective exercise, and holistic health.

He make use of a comprehensive set of assessment tools including lab testing, and screening designed to uncover the underlying or root cause (Functional Health care). He works with a number of highly skilled professionals and together their aim is to help and support clients to achieve their health goals.

He currently runs workshops for the general public, on stomach problems, and has run courses on holistic assessment and treatment of back and joint pain.

Dr. Peter J Voshol

Peter is a scientist at the University of Cambridge with more than 15 years of experience in Integrative Physiology and Medicine. He received his PhD in medical sciences/physiology at the University of Groningen, NL. His interest is to integrate his expertise on nutrient metabolism and whole body physiology in the field of Obesity and Diabetes. He worked at the Leiden University Medical Center, NL and the Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School, USA and has published more than 70 highly ranked papers. Currently, he is a Senior Research Assistant at the University of Cambridge and Director of the Disease Model Core, Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge UK.

Besides being a scientist Peter is a student at the Taoist-based International Oriental College in Amsterdam and a qualified Wudang Health Sport Instructor. He gives classes in Fitness, Taiji (Tai Chi) and Qigong and is a qualified Chinese Chair Masseur. Furthermore, he learned from several Shamanic teachers in the Netherlands, UK and USA and uses this knowledge to enhance people’s Awareness of Being. He organizes and gives lectures/classes/workshops in Awareness and Shamanic Drum and Sacred Tool making. He is one of the initiators of ‘The Nature of Being’, a centre for Awareness and Being. During the workshop Peter will share his understanding of combining Western and Holistic knowledge.

Personal webpage: www.thenatureofbeing.co.uk

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Course details:

Date/time: Wednesday June 8^th 2011, 10am to 6pm

Location: The Therapy Room, 25 Oxford Rd, Cambridge CB4 3PH.

Cost: £95, including refreshments, payable in advance. Payment will be required to book your place. Please make cheques payable to ‘Damien Clements’ or phone 01223 315400 to make payment by debit or credit card.

Book your place by phone (01223 315400) or mail at the above address, there is a maximum of 15 students!

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2011-05-03T20:57:00.001+01:00

Sorry this is a test, it will be deleted shortly.

Theme of the week: "Can your diet in pregnancy make your baby fat?"

2011-04-27T14:20:00.012+01:00

To me, it seems rather obvious that one's diet during pregnancy will affect the unborn child. Anything you eat will be processed by the gut and substances, whether they are nutritious or not so nutritious, will be passed on to the foetus via the placenta. After all, the only way it has access to food is through its mother!

Plus, as a scientist in physiology and neuroscience, I know for example that certain nutrients (sugar!!) actually change the wiring in your brain, and, in the case of sugar increase your liking of sugar (yes this sounds a lot like how addiction works...). I don't know whether this happens in foetuses as it does in adults, as their brains haven't fully developed yet, but I imagine that what you eat during pregnancy might have an effect on your child's (brain) development, and on how your child deals with hunger and satiety later on in life.

Thus, I wasn't surprised to read about a recent study in which a link has been found between a mother's diet during pregnancy and her child's body fat level at the age of 6 or 9.
It made me think, though, that mother's (or I should say "parents", really!) are the main influence on their kid's health not only before, but also after birth, because they are (or should be!) cooking their daily dinners. So whether it happens before or after birth, a child's level of body fat will depend on what its parents are feeding it (ah, let's discuss 'nutritious' school lunches some other time!).

So, is it important to know whether a mother's diet also affects a childs fat levels before birth? Everyone knows that healthy food is important in general, and when pregnant in particular. I think mothers have a responsability to make sure that their unborn babies are not negatively affected by their mother's behavior, be it by drinking, smoking or the things they eat. I thought this was common sense, so I was shocked to read in the research paper that a mere 24-31% of all mothers included in the study were actually smoking during pregnancy...

Furthermore, I think to only study a child's fat levels is giving a rather limiting picture. I do realise that researchers need to start somewhere if they want to build a clear picture of how things work, but I also think that there's too much focus on fat, in the news, in commercials, fashion, health information etc.

What do you think?
Do we need more studies to tell us how important healthy food is? How important healthy behaviour is?
Should we focus on fat this much?
Why is it so difficult to behave healthily when there is so much information about how damaging certain behaviors (smoking, drinking, bad diet etc) are?
Are people deliberately ignoring this kind of information or is the addiction that strong?

Please share your opinions on this topic with us!!

For more background, you can read the article on the NHS website www.nhs.uk/news/2011/04April/Pages/pregnancy-diet-and-child-obesity.aspx
The original article is publised in Diabetes 2011, published online April 6.

Doctors 'often defy' their own treatment advice

2011-04-19T14:56:00.011+01:00

Doctors might not always advise their patients the treatment they would choose for themselves, according to research recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Given the option to pick from two treatments for themselves in a case of bowel cancer, the majority of doctors chose the treatment with least side effects and least chance of survival. Asked what to advise their patients, however, they would choose the treatment with the best chances for survival, but with more severe side effects.

I recently came across a piece of real-life evidence that doctors' own opinions do not always agree with standard protocol. A friend of mine who had had surgery to treat his oesophageal cancer was told the following by his oncologist: "As a medical professional following standard protocol, I would advise you to be sure and undergo another round of chemotherapy, but as a human being considering your chances and the severy side effects, I would advise against it."

Now this friend of mine did a lot of research on his own on treatment efficacy and side effects. He also was lucky enough to have a doctor who spoke openly about the difference between protocol and his own personal opinion, but a lot of doctors may not go that way. Some patients may have the time, energy and brains to do research on their own about their treatment options to be able to make educated decisions, but others may have to rely or want to be able to rely on the advice their doctors are giving them. Also, many people would not even think of questioning the authority of their doctors!!

Should we rely on our doctor's advice completely? After all, doctors have studied for years in order to reach their level of expertise and would therefore be expected to give a balanced advice about difficult decisions. However, it seems like a lot of doctors have also been taught not to get emotionally involved with their patients. They can avoid this by following standard protocol rather than treating patients like unique individuals and putting themselves in those patient's shoes.

Should doctors always follow standard protocol? Or should they risk getting more emotionally involved by imagining what they would do if put in their patient's situation...? Which way of working leads doctors to making the best decisions?

At The Therapy Room, our motto is 'treating people, not problems'. This means that we use a holistic approach and treat each person as a unique individual. We think it's important not to just treat symptoms, but look at the person as a whole and find the underlying cause as well. Each person has a unique background, and although something like a headache may look the same for a number of people, it's cause may be very different for every individual person. Therefore we think it is impossible to use a standard protocol for every person coming in with a certain problem.

We would love to know what your opinion is! What do you think are the pro's and con's on both of these approaches? Please leave your comment here and help us get a good discussion going!

Read the complete post about this on www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13036508 .
We hope to be able to also post a link to the original article in Archives of Internal Medicine soon.

Spring Cleaning!!

2011-04-14T15:40:00.005+01:00

Last week Spring time finally peeked her sparkly fresh face around the corner, and immediately I could see that the sunshine and warm temperatures made people feel much better. I saw more smiles and more relaxed walks were being walked on the streets of Cambridge. Spring is an excellent time for cleaning, and I don't mean just the house! Your body and mind may welcome a treat as well after a long dark and cold winter. One way to start your personal Spring Cleaning is by getting your diet right. Not one diet is perfect for every person, so a personalised diet advice based on your own metabolism may drastically improve your energy levels or help you loose those extra winter pounds. Get a free consultation with our health and diet consultant now! Or get rid of the winter 'stuckness' by getting the flow going in our Taiji or Qi Gong classes. These two forms of martial arts are both active and gentle and will improve your energy levels and increase body awareness. Come in on a Wednesday afternoon and try your first class for free! Alternatively, you might get rid of those winter aches in a wonderful relaxing or invigorating massage or reflexology treatment. We have several well-trained massage therapists offering different kinds of massage, such as Swedish, sports and holistic massage as well as traditional Chinese chair massage and reflexology treatments. Let's not forget your mind though! Our excellent psychotherapists and hypnotherapists may be able to help you ease stresses or get rid of the last bits of winter blues. Even if you're not so fond of Spring just because it makes your nose run and your eyes itch, our homeopaths may be able to help you ease those allergy symptoms without the need of conventional drugs making you drowsy. So give yourself a treat and get yourself ready and relaxed for Spring time! Learn more about the therapies that we offer and find out which might be the right one for you. Detailed information about our therapies and therapists can be found on our website www.thetherapyroom.co.uk. You may also contact us for bookings or more information via email (infotherapy@gmail.com) or phone (01223 315400). We look forward to helping you with your Spring Cleaning!!

A Sinister Story of Soy

2011-03-08T12:18:00.000Z

As a vegetarian I am acutely aware of getting enough protein in my diet and, like many, I sometimes rely on soy-based alternatives. These products (which unhappily tend to resemble dog food) are quick, easy and convenient and take on the flavour of whatever you marinate them in, making them infinitely versatile and great for culinary flounders like myself! Recently, I ventured into the realms of veganism and, with some effort, I gave up my morning skinny no-whip sugar-free vanilla lattes in favour of soy milk. It took some getting used to – the taste was not so appealing and I found that the first few brands that I tried at home curdled with coffee, which wasn’t the most appetising sight first thing in the morning.

However, within a week or so I had thrown myself whole-heartedly and enthusiastically into the delights of vegan cooking. I used scrambled tofu in replace of eggs as a quiche filling; I slathered soya cream cheese on my dairy-free bagels; and I embraced soya yogurts as a great accompaniment to my morning muesli. I got off to a good start and noticed that, in my head, I felt healthier. This was perhaps in part thanks to the fact that on my vegan regime I was avoiding cakes and chocolate! However, before long I started to notice a few physical health complaints creeping in. I was constantly bloated and often felt nauseas in a way that only seemed to be alleviated by drinking fizzy drinks! By the end of the day I felt exhausted and sluggish and was suffering from stomach cramps – anything but full of vitality from my new ‘healthy’ diet.

It took me some time (3 months in fact) to point the finger of suspicion at the increase in soy products in my diet. At first, I thought it was down to a bad batch of nuts, then a possible intolerance to oats or gluten and even thought I may have a food sensitivity towards marmite! In fact, noting that my intolerance may be due to soy came about largely by accident. In my quest to discover what it was that was causing my health nose-dive I had started to keep a food diary. I diligently noted down everything I consumed and if my symptoms were bad (there were no good days) or worse. This led me to connect that on days when I didn’t have my morning soya yogurt and latte my stomach didn’t feel so tender and I felt remarkably better. The first day I avoided soy in my diet I notice a big difference: no bloating, cramps or nausea. I felt my mood lifted, my concentration was better and I felt healthier than I had for months. On my second soy-free day I was practically skipping down the street and I felt back to my pre-soy self!

My research into why I suffered these uncomfortable symptoms is on-going and I suspect that they were either due to the proteins or oligosaccharides in the soy-based products that I was not able to digest easily. Increasing them in my diet was likely putting a consequential strain on my digestive system and manifested as the range of symptoms I was experiencing.

It just goes to show you that all that glitters is not gold and what’s deemed healthy for one person may have significant unhealthy effects in another. After all, we are all different!

Cancer is a big killer, but no one tells you its linked to pollution?

2011-03-07T08:13:00.001Z

I am firm believer in health care and not disease treatment, and for me this has everything to do with our environment - both internally (inside our bodies) and externally (food, air, water). In order to build and maintain health we must be individually and corporately responsible for not poisoning ourselves - ignorance will not save us!
There are alot of questions we should all ask ourselves and the suppliers of our food and goods, before we buy them, and we should look towards supporting our environment if we want it to keep supporting us.

Havins survive cancer, biologist Sandra Steinberger wrote a book to expose its link to the environment -->
http://tinyurl.com/2uqgrwe

Are Naturopaths Nature Junkies?

2011-02-25T15:52:00.002Z

Sitting back in my chair and enjoying a short relaxing after-lunch break, I scan my eyes around the desks at my weekend natural medicine class. I see the usual suspects: bottles of mineral water, fruit, a few tubs of raw almonds and it looks like someone’s brought in pond algae but…what’s this - bottles of pills on everyone’s desks?! Poly-pharmacy is not something you’d expect from a natural medicine class. So why are these health enthusiasts supplementing themselves to the brim and why aren’t I?

It’s a steep learning curve starting out on a natural medicine course; and it’s even tougher when your background is in hardcore science – like mine is. You have to give up all your preconceptions with regards to current medical thought and launch yourself in to the sometimes weird but always wonderful world of ‘naturopathy’ – the concept that the body can heal itself through natural means. As you learn more and more about these amazing natural cures, you can sometimes find yourself convinced that you are in need of an ever-increasing number of remedies to combat the modern toxic lifestyle: digestive enzymes to make up for those lost in over-processed foods, detox supplements to rid the body of the nasty chemicals that make their way into our everyday diet and various pills and potions to encourage fleeting energy levels. Considering this, it is no surprise that some people feel genuinely better after taking these remedies, but surely not every person is in need of them – we’re all different after all. So to what extent are they feeding their bodies and to what extent are they simply feeding their minds? After all, belief is a powerful medicine indeed.

There is a growing body of evidence to show that feelings, such as stress, can manifest as physical problems. In fact, researchers have found a significant link between emotional disturbances and gut problems, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and they term this connection the ‘brain-gut axis’. This means that someone can experience digestive problems without actually having an identifiable illness. Instead, their anxieties lodge themselves in the gut and give rise to conditions such as bloating, constipation and diarrhoea – common symptoms of IBS. Specialists in the treatment of IBS, for example those at St. Mark’s Hospital in London, have found that dealing with the root cause of the problem, i.e. the mind, has a remarkable effect on the patient’s road to recovery. Thus, hypnotherapy has been used by Withington Hospital in Manchester as a viable treatment for IBS sufferers and boasted a 71% success rate.*

And it doesn’t just end there. The mind has been linked to cases of infertility and skin disorders as well as muscle cramps and menstrual problems. The effect of the mind on the body has also been highlighted in the placebo effect, where a patient believes they are receiving treatment but are in fact being given an ineffectual ‘remedy’, such as a sugar pill. In some cases, the patient will experience a clinically observable effect (such as a symptom or recovery) and, under these circumstances, it is the patient believing that something will happen that causes their body to exhibit a physical reaction.

It is often the placebo effect that is cited be sceptics when a person gains recovery thanks to a natural remedy and is used as a derogatory term to suggest that there is no scientific basis to the treatment. However, given the evident power of the mind to not only cure problems but also to cause them perhaps it is about time we focus more on helping the mind to help the body!

* Reported in the Daily Mail, 25^th January 2011

The Therapy Room is on Facebook!

2011-02-21T16:29:00.000Z

The Therapy Room has recently re-launched its Facebook page and it's jam-packed with lots of useful health-related news and comments. It's also got information on the therapies offered at The Therapy Room and photos of all our therapists.

It's a great chance for you to let us know what you think of The Therapy Room - so get Facebooking and let us hear your suggestions and ideas!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/The-Therapy-Room/198293391331

Integrated Health Assessment

2011-02-21T16:19:00.002Z

An integrated Health assessment is ideal if you really don't know where to start, have tried everything, or don't know what kind of therapy will be most beneficial for you. I am trained in several different aspects of complementary health care and have 12 years clinical experience. I be able to assess your current health and wellbeing and be able to advise you on the various options available to you, and what you can do to help yourself. Your assessment will be thorough and in depth and look at your health, diet, lifestyle, posture, fitness, happiness and coping abilities.

I will then be able to work with you to find the best possible course of action for you, working within your current abilities, often the treatment that is right for us is the one we are most reluctant to do! I can help you to overcome resistance to change and introduce you to the right therapies, therapists or further assessment to help you on your journey to a better way of life. This can really help reduce the frustration (and expense) of trying random therapies with variable results. Iwill be able to follow your progress, advise you on time scales and the results you can realistically expect.
Bookings must be made at least 4 days in advance, so intake forms can be sent to you prior to the assessment.

Revitalize yourself with Tai Chi and Qigong!

2011-02-21T16:18:00.002Z

Wudang Style Health Sports and Massages at the Cambridge Therapy Room
Revitalize yourself with Tai Chi and Qigong!

Peter wants to help revitalize yourself by creating awareness of one's Being and Self. He applies Wudang Style Movement exercises to create and support this process. Wudang fitness I for flexibility and agility: a fitness class which starts relaxing and slowly picks up speed. You play with your own fitness and aim to build agility and flexibility. The Wudang Fitness rejuvenates and creates supple joints and muscles. The deep and relaxed breath will improve attention and concentration in your body. Wudang Taiji 13 for relaxed control in movement: Wudang Taiji 13 teaches you the three basic principles of Taijiquan as developed by Zang Sanfeng. You will create attention, balance and strength. Bamboo formula qigong for posture, relaxation and radiance: a series of 15 movements which are repeated 9 times. You strive to stand and move like Bamboo in the wind, strong, vital and flexible. It is a calming but graceful exercise to enhance stillness, awareness and balance in your body. All exercises are safe when performed correctly and can be practised by everyone of every age.
Furthermore he does a Traditional Chinese Chair Massage a comforting and relaxing massage which reduces stress and tension related discomfort, like headaches. A traditional method of chair massage which differs from Shiatsu-based chair massage in that the client is asked to take an active part in posture correction. With this the client also learns how to prevent discomfort and complaints due to a wrong posture. It is a comforting relaxing massage, reducing stress and tension related discomfort, like headaches. This massage is an ideal form to be used for onsite corporate sessions.
Peter Voshol holds a PhD in Medical Sciences and he is involved in research and education related to nutrient metabolism and integrative physiology in relation to Obesity and Diabetes at the University of Cambridge. Furthermore, he is a student of the International Oriental College in Amsterdam, NL (http://www.orientalcollege.org/). This is a strong Self-cultivation-based University for Daoist-based Chinese Medicine and Movement. He is qualified as an instructor in Wudang Health Sports (Wudang Fitness, Taiji and Qigong) and is a Traditional Chinese Chair Masseur working at the Cambridge Therapy Room, http://www.thetherapyroom.com/.
Movement classes are £8.- per hour class while the massages are £15.- for 20 minutes. Massages are Wednesdays 3-5 pm while the movement classes are 5-7pm. For information please contact Peter at pjvoshol@hotmail.com or call the Cambridge Therapy Room, 01223 315400 to make an appointment.

Homeopathy to Help Eczema

2011-02-21T16:17:00.000Z

Germany is the historic home of homeopathy, and this form of medicine is very well recognised there. In 2006, the Charité University Medical Centre published a 12-months study showing that homoeopathic treatment was as effective to influence eczema symptoms and improve quality of life (QoL) as conventional treatment. It also had less side-effect and was cheaper*.
In the UK, a lot of people have their first contact with homeopathy when seeking treatment for their babies and kids, because it is non-toxic. Eczema is a common issue and responses are very often positive.
There is very often a hereditary component. However, more and more children get diagnosed with this condition, and this shows that changing lifestyle has an important play as well.
The first approach in homeopathy is to support the eliminatory organs: improvements in diet, support to the liver and the large intestine may help with toxin elimination.
If there is an obvious trigger, such as trauma, stress or infection, the focus should be on them as they can put the immune system out of balance, triggering skin problems.
If you want to know more about how homeopathy can help with eczema, feel free to contact the Clinic for an appointment.

(*): This was reported in the Daily Mail of the 8th of June 2006.

GMO - How safe is the food we eat?

2011-02-21T14:51:00.001Z

Science and the advancement of it is responsible for a lot of things in this World to be thankful for: space exploration leading to a deeper and more profound understanding of the Universe in which we live; imaging systems that allow doctors to make non-invasive diagnoses; even mugs that change colour depending on whether the liquid in them is hot or cold can be seen as a plus. But, can we honestly say that genetically engineered so-called ‘Frankin-Food’ is one of them?

What is GMO?

GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism and is most commonly used to refer to edible plants, which have been modified to have certain traits. For example, a plant that is more resistant to cold or dry conditions or fruit and veg that packs a greater nutritional punch. These traits used to be acquired through breeding programmes but these methods can be time-consuming and complicated. In contrast, genetic engineering leads to a crop with the exact desired characteristic quickly and with little error. Largely, genetically modified crops have been hailed as the ‘answer’ to World food shortages as plants can be engineered to give better yields and be more resistant to disease or extreme conditions.

So what’s the problem?

Objection to GM food and products comes from a variety of sources; for example, environmental campaigners, religious groups, professional bodies and various scientists. Most notably, HRH The Prince of Wales has spoken out publicly against GM produce and established his own company to promote organic food and sustained farming that protects the UK countryside and wildlife. The main concerns relating to GMO are as follows:

- Harm to wildlife

In 1999, a study was published in the highly respected academic journal, Nature, which found that pollen from GM corn was deadly to a specific type of caterpillar (monarch butterfly caterpillars). In this case, the corn had been genetically modified to have a greater resistance to crop-damaging pests by producing its own pesticide; however, the toxin responsible for the pest resistance killed insects indiscriminately, including those that are harmless to crops. Greater numbers of these pesticide-producing crops could lead to a situation where some species or insect are at risk of extinction.

- Production of super-insects

GM opposition groups fear that insects will, in time, develop resistance to the pesticides produced by GM crops leading to the evolution of immortal super-insects. Far from being futuristic fantasy, this effect has already been observed in mosquitoes that have developed resistance again the now restricted insecticide, DDT.

- Non-GM crops could be contaminated

Cross-breeding between GM crops and non-GM plants or weeds is a real concern and has proved itself to be very difficult to control. In fact, the possibility of cross-breeding has been used as a defence by the numerous farmers sued by food giant Monsanto for patent infringements. Monsanto claims that farmers are in the habit of obtaining Monsanto GM seeds from unknown sources and have harvested crops from them without paying royalties to the company; however, farmers argue that their non-GM crops are being inadvertently cross-contaminated with GM crops planted nearby – an argument that has science and logic on its side!

- The risks to human health

The risks to human health are worryingly unknown or hotly debated. There is growing concern that introducing foreign genes into plants could have a negative impact on health once consumed. Several animal studies have been conducted to support this claim and have, controversially, found links between GMO consumption, cancer, infertility and digestive abnormalities. Furthermore, there is significant risk that, for example, introducing genetic material from nuts into crops could then induce allergic reactions in susceptible individuals if they were to eat that GM product. Couple that with the concern that cross-breeding between GM and non-GM crops cannot be effectively controlled and we have a very worrying an almost unavoidable situation!

How do I know if my food is GM or not?

The long and short of it is, unfortunately, that you don’t! In 2004, the EU brought in new regulations with regards to labelling of GM products. These new rules stated that all products originating from a GM source must be labelled as GM; however, foods produced using GM technology, crucially, do not have to be labelled. So, cheese produced using GM enzymes or milk, meat or eggs from animals fed on a GM diet do not need to be labelled. In addition, with the risk of cross-breeding between GM and nearby non-GM crops, it is even difficult to know whether those labelled as ‘non-GM’ are truly GMO-free!

Regrettably, it may be down to the test of time to tell us if GM produce is in fact really safe. In consideration that it would be extremely difficult to reverse the decision to allow GM produce into the food chain, I, for one, am very much hoping that it is!

EU Legislation Leaves a Bitter Taste for UK Herbalists

2011-02-01T14:42:00.000Z

As of May 2011 hundreds of herbal remedies used routinely in the UK will no longer be available under a directive aimed at harmonising UK law with that of the EU in response to concerns over adverse effects caused by herbal products.

The what?

The directive, passed in 2004 and known as the European Traditional Herbal Medicines Directive, plans to put an end to herbal practitioners prescribing unlicensed herbal remedies to their patients that have been made by a third party (i.e. by a herbal manufacturer or supplier). In addition, the directive also applies to prescription services, which prepare a specific herbal remedy for a specific patient at the request of a practitioner.

Many practitioners have come to be reliant on such services as preparing remedies in, for example, tablet or capsule format often involves either laborious methods or specialist equipment. However, as a result of this directive, practitioners would only be allowed to prescribe herbs to patients that had been wholly prepared on their premises. Obviously, such an aggressive legislation would not only have a disastrous impact on practitioners and the people they treat, it would also put many manufacturers and suppliers at risk of going out of business – something that is highly undesirable in these tough economic times!

Will all herbs be ‘illegal’?

The only third-party remedies that practitioners could continue to prescribe to their patients would be those that are licensed under the EU. Presently, only a small number of herbal remedies have obtained a licence. Why is this? Well, the Alliance for Natural Health (ANH) has estimated the cost of licensing to be between £80,000 and £120,000 per herb – something which may be affordable for single herbs with large markets (Echinacea being an obvious example) but, unfortunately, has meant many herbs (especially those used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda) have not been able to afford licenses.

Of course, no one would argue that the safe manufacture, prescription and use of herbal products is of paramount importance; however, this current directive risks the illegal supply of unregulated herbs and an increase in people buying herbs on the internet from sources that lack quality control and may even be mixed with conventional medicines. Such a scenario would put the public at significant risk rather than help to make herbal therapy safe!

So, what can be done?

Since 2000, the UK Government has held three consultations on the subject of giving herbal practitioners statutory regulation – all of which have been overwhelmingly in favour. By having statutory regulation (i.e. regulation of the profession that would ensure herbalists were properly educated and qualified), herbalists would acquire ‘authorised health care professional’ status. This would mean that they could continue to commission the manufacture of herbal remedies, made to an assured medicinal quality standard, for prescription to their patients. This would ensure that only those who have received adequate training would be able to call themselves ‘herbalists’ and would allow the safe, regulated continuation of herbal medicine within the UK and EU – a hugely popular form of alternative healthcare upon which many people are reliant in their daily lives.

To read more about statutory regulation of herbalists and the new European Traditional Herbal Medicines Directive, please refer to the ehtpa website: www.ehtpa.eu