How is your skin performing this winter?

People are often confused about what their skin, and their bodies really need to look well and stay well. It's no wonder!

The beauty and health industry are now worth billions and it is in the interest of every company to say whatever it takes for you to buy their product and believe their message. You are valuable to them. You are worth money to them. Lots of money!
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Expensive chemically manufactured rubbish is passed off as age defying, wrinkle reducing wonder products. If it really worked, we would all be using them!

Over 100,000 tons of chemicals are produced every year and added to the beauty industry products. Much of it is NOT biodegradable and much of it is toxic to us and our environment. Never mind, if they bang the drum long enough and loud enough, people might believe otherwise and buy a product that could in fact cause more problems than it solves!

60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed through the skin. More people buy commercially produced skincare products now than ever before and yet one sees and hears of more skin problems, spots, reactions and allergies than ever before.

Returning to tried and tested ancient recipes, using natural ingredients and benefiting from the vitamins and anti-oxidants that lie within the raw product in its natural state is the key.

Packaging is NOT important, it’s what’s inside the packaging that is really critical.

Yet packaging is what sells a product in most cases. Most packaging has moved away from the dodgy PVC plastics and into PET safer plastics and in to glass where at all possible.

This is good news.

Many people do not know what to avoid in skincare products.

If I say to you simply avoid Petro-chemical based products and perfumes and items with the word “Paraben” do you know what I mean or why I say it? I spend ages explaining to people why well known over the counter creams are unable to help them with their problems because they are just petroleum based, cheap as chips, perfume laden toxic, irritating and skin suffocating lotions that cost pence to make and thousands of pounds to advertise to make you buy them.

Using vegetarian, (normally vegan) ingredients and applying modern techniques all combine to make a beautiful top quality product and simply packaged that does what it is supposed to do. Look at companies recycling policies and consider those companies that mass produce in plastic tubes by the millions and how these will end up in “land fill”,endangering our beautiful planet.

I use natural cold pressed Organic Olive Oil from a farm I worked on in Spain. The Olive oil is the best. It is grown high up on a mountain, fed by a mountain stream and not directly under a flight path!

I use top quality natural mineral rich Sea Salt from France in my products. I pay twice the price for our essential oils because we buy from a source where the oils have been regularly tested to check they are free of pollutants. Good companies should be happy to tell you what is in their products and why, not bamboozle you with modern fancy terms and newly made up words to describe some Frankenstein mix they have concocted.

Life can be simple and products are often better when simple. Using high grade essential oils is so much wiser than using perfumes in a product. It is more expensive but you do get all the advantage of the hormones associated with that plant and all the benefits its offers. Man-made chemicals can have side effects and cause skin reactions and much more.

Remember this. There is no “over there”. What we put in our waterways, rivers, seas etc. does not conveniently get lost somewhere else and not bother us again; If we pollute, it comes back to haunt us. The planet is round. What goes around, comes around.

We are polluting ourselves and our children in the end. I, for one, do not want that.

How about you?
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Linda Anousta

​For the better part of a year I have been sharing ways to increase your joy at work, I do hope that you are experiencing an increase in your joy quotient. As I look back over the topics that have been covered, there is a central theme of managing change, supported by how the small things can make a big positive difference. So, for this final chapter, I will continue with the change focus as it is so very important. 

So, for this final chapter, I will continue with the change focus as it is so very important.

Making a choice to develop the skills and qualities to become a ‘Change Maker’ can set you ahead for work and life in general. Do you feel that you are a Change Maker? I know that you are already one and what follows will allow you to appreciate yourself and thrive in any situation. There is a full profile you may take called The Change Maker Profile, available here, which will provide you with an in-depth assessment - 

https://www.thechangemakergroup.com/thechangemakerprofile

There are five roles to change making and they are:

Which are you? You may be a combination of two of three, but there will be one role that will attract you most. The important point here is that ALL of them are crucial for change to happen. No one role will make change happen: it is like an un-round wheel, very bumpy and inefficient.

There are three aspects to developing your Change Maker roles, they are:

• Conviction
• Confidence and
• Commitment

 
Conviction

This is your belief, certainty, faith, position, passion, sentiment or persuasion.
It is a strong feeling that you are able to achieve or attain a specific goal.
You can see it in your mind’s eye - you can almost smell and taste it.

It is the filter through which you see all your life, the opportunities, the focus, your raison d’etre. Your convictions will shape what you do, how you do it and why those around you respond as they do.
Have you thought about those things that you are convinced about?

It may well be that, rather like the relationship of the fish and water, it is so all about you that you haven’t given them much conscious attention.

A friend, partner or relation may be a help here. Ask them to note when you have particularly strong views about something. What gets you shouting to the TV?! What groups / hobbies / avocations really get you stirred up?

Conviction is a robust energy, it can make you feel ‘alive’ and if you are consciously aware of it and work / play with your convictions, you are unstoppable.

Confidence

Next is your confidence or self-esteem level, how would you rate yourself?

I am not talking about a braggadocios, bombarding personality (which like bullying is often trying to cover a very low self-concept) but that quiet, strong, self-assured feeling of, ‘I can’, ‘I am able’ or at least, ‘I will find a way’.

How to develop that? There are two main ways, best to do both at once! One is from the outside in - how do you look? Being neat, looking ‘cared for’, shoes clean, hair trim, all show that you have taken some trouble over your appearance. How do you move, walk and hold yourself? All these can help you to feel more confident on the inside.

The other is from the inside out – and that is more incremental. In the Mind Chi Basic 8-minute routine (www.MindChi.com) step number 4 is to take one minute to go over all your successes, big and small from the past 24 hours. Done every day you build up your success bank, you become more aware and realise all those things you can do and even do well!
 
Commitment

As David Lloyd George says ‘You can’t cross a chasm in two small jumps’!

Don’t make the decision to commit lightly, mull it for a while and then one day it will feel right, and you will commit. When you do it is often almost a relief – you have decided - you know where you want to end up. Even if you feel a bit scared, that too is a good motivator. However, if you really think ‘Oh nooooo!’ then return to the mull stage.

When you have committed, then tell people, they will ask you how you are progressing and even more, may make connections, introductions and share ideas to help you achieve your goal. People generally admire and respect a commitment. A great quote, sometimes accredited to Goethe, about commitment is:

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now."

Bespoke resilience strategies for the five Change Maker roles:

Blending the 8-steps of the Mind Chi Basic routine with the five roles of the Change Maker you will see below examples of things that often happen in the work place can either be a resilience booster or sucker. What is your environment like? What can you do to make sure that you have more resilience boosters in your day than suckers? How can you support your team members, how can they support you?

One of the great tenants of Joy@Work, is that frequently a small action will make a very positive outcome for yourself and for those around you. Very worthwhile I hope you feel. I wish you much Joy@Work, home and in life.

Vanda North, The Resilient Warrior

This is the penultimate in this series and as it falls at the start of a year, the topic is change!

New Year, new hope, new dreams, new expectations, new possibilities, maybe THIS year….
What if I said I can provide you with a formula which can guarantee your success, would you be interested?
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But before I do, let’s look at change. Change sometimes happens fast, usually circumstances around you have caused things to look very different – suddenly. You might win the lottery, or be involved in an accident and unexpectedly everything is changed. More likely it is the slow, slow, quick, quick, slow way. Sometimes you really do not notice it happening, except when you look back over a year and suddenly see the difference. Sometimes it speeds up and you are more aware of the pressures.

Sometimes you are the initiator of change, but probably you are mostly the recipient of change being done to you. All these factors make a difference as to how you feel about the change that is occurring.  The important point is that regardless, you still do have control, control over you and how you respond, and that can make it feel very different.

At this time of year, one activity I always do is to do a review of the past year – what happened?!
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It is only a year on, yet it can be amazing how surprising it can be. This is a great time for a map as you can see the whole year on one page and it brings it all together. You can group the information in any way that is most meaningful to you: maybe chronologically; or work, family, self, goals; or seasons of the year, any headings that work well for you. Here is an example of my review of 2017:   

​If you are wondering what PLURK is, it is a word we made up in my office years ago, because we all enjoyed our work so much it felt like play, but we wanted it to have more gravitas, so we combined work with play and got ‘plurk’! As I have done these maps for many years now, it can be wonderful to look back over the years like an all-time-at-once glance!
 
I also compare what I have achieved with my original goals map and mark it up to show where I am pleased and where I fell short. Then consider if it is important to focus more on that for the coming year, or has it dropped off in importance. Here is my 2017 marked up!

​Having looked backwards, the next is to plan forwards, and here is what will be important for me in 2018:

​Which all builds up to how do you achieve what you want to? How do you change in those areas that are meaningful and often very difficult? And here is the prescription: ADOCTA – an acronym standing for Actions; Do; Observe; Consider; Tweak and Actions, all in the direction of your overall goal.

How does this look in action?

1. What is your goal? - Please state your goal as the desired outcome, for example ‘I choose to attain and maintain my perfect weight of xxxx’ rather than ‘I don’t want to be fat’.
   Another important point is that it must be measurable – what by when, e.g. 114lbs by June 17th, 2018. Further, select the powerful action verb, such as ‘I choose…’. If you use ‘I wish…’, or ‘I will…’ you are not claiming the action as yours, now.
2. Your first Action - You know your goal and yourself, so what is an action that you need to take? Look at your current reality, where are you now? Decide on one small, or large step and how you will prepare to make it happen.
3. Now to Do it! - Your first step, take it! Do it!
4.  You need to Observe - What actually happened? You walked into the office and they had a large box of wonderful sweets, which you had decided you would NOT eat… is that what happened?
   Replay the mental video, what did you think? What did you do? Was it as you intended?
5. Next is to Consider those actions -  If you were able to stay away from the chocolates, look at what you did that enabled you to do that. If you weren’t, do not be tough on yourself, just look at where you need to shore up the banks to help it be easier for you next time. Every time assess, did this take you closer to your desired goal? If the answer is yes! Then continue in that direction, if no! Then what do you need to amend?
6. The Tweak step - Which leads to the next step, the Tweak. These steps are all small and interlaced, this makes them easier for you to do as you now think about how might you Tweak your actions for the next day. Do make this as much fun as you can, maybe your co-workers could start honking if they see you standing by the chocolate box, or they could hide them from you, or you can have carrot sticks at the ready as a substitute!
7. And ready for Action again!

You are ready to take the next action and move towards your ultimate goal. This is called an ‘iterative loop’, meaning that you keep repeating these steps until you get to the Consider step, and you feel that you have Completed your goal and can now CELEBRATE!!  Sometimes your life may have changed, and you may Consider that you need to amend or change your goal. However, if the goal is still valid and desired by you, then keep repeating this ADOCTA prescription and you are guaranteed success!

There you are!! The recipe for guaranteed success, the way you may be sure that you can make the changes that you want or need to make. The good part is that when you have this formula it is so easy to keep focused, it stops you from negatively judging yourself and allows you to almost dispassionately observe the next step to take. Remember, the journey of 100 miles starts with a single step. Good fortunes and please let me know if your successes.

The Resilient Woman Warrior

Vanda North

Flower remedies are healing solutions containing the energetic imprint of flowers, plants or trees which when taken can raise our own energy vibration making us feel better mentally, emotionally and subsequently physically.
Each emotional state we experience has its own unique frequency or vibration. With emotions such as anger and fear being low and emotions of love and gratitude being high. Our current emotion state directly affects our naturally high vibration state. Abraham Hicks quoted: ‘You don’t have to work at your higher vibration. Your higher, pure vibration is natural to you, but you have to let go of the thought which is holding your vibration down’.

Therefore, our natural energy vibration state is high but life and certain associated challenges and subsequent thoughts and emotions can cause it to drop. A significant drop can lead to some level of stress or depression. Also, when our energy vibration drops we can experience symptoms of physical illness (disease).

For optimal wellbeing, we need to keep our vibration as high as possible and flower essences containing the energetic imprint of flowers, plants and trees can assist with this.

New Year for many is a time of reflection, reviewing the past year and remembering significant moments both good and challenging. As the year comes to an end, events which have happened throughout the year may bring on a strengthened emotion and it’s the time to celebrate the positive and release the negative, New Year may be seen as an opportunity to detox and start a fitness programme, to make plans for the future year and promises to yourself (still often called New Years Resolutions).

Flower essences can subtly assist with any emotions which may arise during the New Year period, some ‘New Year’ remedies I’d suggest are: Agrimony, Crab Apple, Centaury, Gentian, Red Chestnut, Sweet Chestnut and Walnut:

Agrimony is a brilliant essence for self-expression and authenticity. It would be beneficial for anyone who puts on a cheerful face behind mental torment, someone who is good humoured but pretending everything is ok when it’s not. They really do not want to carry this unhappiness into the New Year.  This remedy will help these people to start the New Year expressing their true feelings and emotions. This will encourage authenticity, inner harmony and peace.

Crab Apple helps to remove any unwanted energies and emotions which have been taken on over the festive period.  A great one to use after being with lots of people. Crab Apple essence is very cleansing and is advantageous for anyone to use if they feel unclean or unhappy with themselves. It also bides well with any detoxing. Crab Apple is an aura cleanser.

Centaury is a heart opening remedy. It is also a remedy for overload caused by doing too much for others and being unable to say no. The remedy enables individuals to start the New Year with an open heart. It also helps with self-empowerment, restoring inner strength and self-worth whilst keeping positive qualities such as kindness.

Gentian is an essence for positivity and strength and is particularly useful when there is an underlying element of despondency brought on by a previous setback. It is helpful for someone who is entering the New Year feeling discouraged.

Examples of those who could benefit from taking Gentian would be a person who has applied for a job and hasn’t got it, or someone whose business idea is not working or is unhappy at work or has lost their job. It can be taken during any setback in which an anticipated event or situation has been failing to progress as planned.

The essence helps with working through and overcoming any setback bringing the positivity and strength to try again or find another way of doing something.
 
Red Chestnut is an essence for projecting positivity particularly useful for those caring for a parent or child or working in a caring profession. It is required when there is an element of fear about what may happen to a loved one. For example, carers looking after unwell relatives or a parent worrying about a child. This remedy ensures that negative feelings are not projected and encourages positive emotional states instead.

Sweet Chestnut is recommended for those who for whatever reason are feeling low and finding New Year very hard this year. These low feelings may be linked to bereavement and/or loneliness. Also, the financial pressures after the festive period can just be too much for some.
A person who can benefit from taking Sweet Chestnut experiences deep anguish and has reached the most extreme state of depression. They feel desperation, great fear and that all is lost. Sweet Chestnut encourages positivity and acceptance. It increases courage, strength and hope and helps the person find a peaceful place from which to look forwards.
 
Walnut is also an excellent remedy for change which may help with making the positive changes that you have planned for 2018. It is also very protective and will mean that you enter the new year with a strong energy field.
 
These remedies can be taken as drops in drinks or via an Aura Spray. The New Year can affect the emotional state of some people. Be kind to yourself, accept your feelings and do all you can to make steps to lift your energy vibration back to its natural high state, so the New Year period can be managed with ease and hopefully enjoyment.

Be well

Lisa Elmore 

January being the time for resolutions, I got to thinking about resolutions that I’ve made in the past.   I’ve done a few of the usual; get fitter, healthier, give up or take up something.  The one that stuck out, seemed a fairly humble one, however it is something so many people are struggling with. It was simply to sleep.   After a New Year’s Eve drinking expresso martinis, it was 5am and I was still awake, wired and tired.  The next day, my resolution formed into a more solid plan to learn to create better sleep habits for the year ahead.  

Resolving disturbed sleep is one of the greatest acts of self-care that you can give yourself, one well worth investing in.  If you have children you know how different they are when tired.  We are no different.  How well we sleep affects everything; weight, mood, happiness, learning, concentration…   Imbalances in hormone levels due to lack of sleep can lead to craving sugar caffeine and junk food.

Sleep is curative, the time when your body fights the baddies, & repairs the tears.   Sleep deficiency is linked to many conditions; common infections, early aging, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and obesity.  I recently read that in a few years we will consider sleep deprivation as much of a health problem as smoking.  But for now we seem to expect ourselves to carry on using drugs like caffeine to power through tiredness.

Bad sleep habits, like any other can be changed.   What keeps you awake at night?  What wakes you up?   Deal with these if you can.  Change the job, ditch the partner, or less drastic, wear ear plugs,  get better curtains or an eye mask if the light wakes you up.  Buy bed socks if your feet are cold.

Start preparing for better sleep during the day

Cut down on caffeine - some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others, if you do have problems sleeping you should aim to cut it out, start by cutting down and try to have no coffee after 12pm, and no tea after 3.

Try magnesium supplementation - especially if you regularly have coffee (even decaff), tea, alcohol, sugar, are stressed, experience insomnia or migraines.  Nearly everyone is deficient and this affects sleep in a big way, along with many other health issues, so is well worth taking seriously.

Get some Fresh air and Exercise - getting outside has long been known to be great for reducing anxiety, being a mental health boost and giving you essential doses of  vitamin D.  Research shows that exercise during the day increases total sleep time at night.  Studies also now show increased benefits to exercising when done outside.  So multi task your benefits by exercising outside.  Don’t exercise close to bed time though, some gentle stretchy yoga is fine but no heart raising cardio.

We are not robots we don’t have an off switch, like children we need good relaxing bedtime routine:  here are my top tips.

Chill out for an hour before bed if you can.  Dim the lights, and use no screens at least half an hour (preferably more),  before bedtime.    Have a warm bath or shower, paint your nails, do some gentle stretches, read a book…… We are all different….. Find out what relaxes you and do that.

Try some simple breathing and meditation techniques.   Meditation is not all siting in the lotus position chanting “om”.  Sometimes just lying comfortably in bed focusing on slowing down and deepening your breath is often enough to help you drift off.

I don’t recommend sleeping tablets, but there are several supplements that I am not averse to occasionally taking to establish good sleep patterns.  My favourites are Pasiflora, Melatonin, and Nytol herbal.  (For more about these or this topic in general, email me for a more detailed info sheet.

Treat yourself to a warm bed by investing in an electric blanket or a couple of snuggly hot water bottles. Getting into a cold bed is not nice ,  it undoes the hard work you’ve put into relaxing up until this point.  If you wake up cold in the night an all-night electric under blanket could be the answer.

And remember no screens in bed…. If you want to read get a book!

So this year will you make all the usual health and fitness resolutions?  Or will you commit to making some small practical changes to your life to allow yourself  the time and energy to make healthier  choices all year?

I’d love to know what you think or if you have success with any of these tips.  Do feel free to get in touch.
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Wishing you a restful, energised, productive New Year!
 
“For a healthier, happier you”   
 
Fay  x

Wondering what to ask for this Christmas? Want something different but inexpensive? Ask for a Clear Quartz Crystal. This twinkling stone is the must have for your crystal collection. Known as the Master Healer, clear quartz will amplify any intention that you programme into it. It will also amplify the energies of other crystals.
For ongoing personal energy, carry Clear Quartz as a tumblestone or touch as needed for an instant lift.

Add Quartz crystals to bath water, or make an elixir to drink or splash on pulse points by soaking Clear Quartz crystals in water from first light to midday.

Put a Clear Quartz in your watering can to give your plants a wonderful boost.

In the workplace, use as a filter against negativity and to transform critical words.

Clear Quartz brings strength and clarity to the intellect, aiding concentration and memory retention, and filtering out distractions. Its hypnotic quality is conducive to sleep, helping one to understand the messages and lessons conveyed during the dream state.

I have heard tell that as an energy saver, Clear Quartz attached to the fuel line in a car is reputed to reduce fuel consumption.

It is thought to stimulate the immune and circulatory systems, enhancing energy flow and bringing the body into balance. It has been used to treat migraine headaches, vertigo, in stabilizing dizziness or motion sickness, and is believed to assist with metabolism, exhaustion, and weight loss.

Clear Quartz can soothe painful or injured areas, especially burns, by drawing away pain and eliminating blistering.

The list goes on and on……different shapes, inclusions, colours…..
But start small and get yourself a twinkling star, The Clear Quartz….Master Healer!
Wishing you all a Happy Yule and Prosperous and healthy New Year!
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Namaste Angie xxxx

And what do you use a colander for?

There are two main uses for a colander and all three can enhance your Joy@Work!

1. To SAVE the part you want.

The potatoes are rescued from the potato water in which they were cooking, and you are just left with the part you want to enjoy. What would happen if you metaphorically poured your work through a colander? Which would be the parts you want to keep and enjoy and what parts would you like to pour down the drain?

Please strain your work through this colander

KEEP:



THROW:

Now here is the really exciting part… have a few of your associates, work mates, colleagues, and friends do their colander ‘keeps’ and ‘throws’ and I can almost guarantee that some will want to KEEP what you want to THROW!!! So, strike a deal with them! Human nature is so complex that when you think you can get rid of the bits you don’t want, you may discover that you don’t really mind them as much!

Two important points here:

1. Become viscerally aware of what you do and don’t want and 2. Take some small step to act on it right now!

And, of course, if you have been following this Joy@Work series, you know that I am going to suggest that you concentrate on enjoying the parts you are keeping in your colander with greater focus. The other use of straining with a colander is:

2. Get rid of those lumps and bones!!
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Colanders may also be used for the exact opposite, very versatile! As I write the bones of a chicken are draining, leaving the lovely stock for further culinary delights! Next, observe when you want to keep the liquid and throw out what you were able to catch in your colander.
What might you consider here? Well, do you like/want to keep the atmosphere at your work place? And might it be that there is a person/people who you might dislike/want to throw? Or I don’t like/throw the place / journey / building /city, but I do like / want to keep the profession / salary / excitement?

When your brain has a clear image of some items sitting in the throw colander or pouring into the keep me bowl, it can start to focus on what to do about it. Otherwise it is so easy for you to experience vague discontentment and that does not cure its self, and worse still leads to strain and stress and reduced resilience – all things your trusty Resilient Woman Warrior is waging a war against!
3. Colanders for play!
Did you think I had made a mistake as the start when I mentioned the third way a colander might enhance your Joy@Work? It may not have been top on your list for uses for colanders, but it is PLAY! Isn’t there something rather whimsical and joyful about a colander? In the Marvelous Mind Chi Monday, on the facebook page (please do visit: https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=mind%20chi ) this week the picture was a pile of leaves and the reminder that play is so important for our total wellbeing and Joy. Here are a few uses of colanders: wind chimes; bath accessories holder; planter; sculpture; gift basket; lamps; hat for Chi!

Mostly, don’t pick holes in this metaphor! Oh! And I am reminded that my Mother was buying a colander once and commented to the shop owner that it was very inexpensive, ‘Ah!’ he said, ‘That is because it has holes in it!’ How will you employ your colander this week?
Your Resilient Woman Warrior, Vanda Joys to you and your colanders. 

Sorry there’s no such thing…you’ve upset the balance, now is the time to restore it!

‘Tis the season to be jolly – although much of this jolliness tends to be alcohol-induced! Jolliness is one thing, unfortunately the line between feeling merry and feeling grim is very thin indeed!

That’s because alcohol wreaks havoc on you – your immune system crashes, your digestion is shot and your body’s chemical balance is haywire!

We all know the best way to avoid a hangover is not to drink, (or at least be sensible) and the second-best way is to be prepared. If when you start drinking you’re already well hydrated and well fed, you’ll be better equipped to deal with the alcohol intake.
· Drink around 2 litres of water throughout the day and line your stomach by eating a good healthy meal before you go out
· Read my tips below now and stock up your ‘hangover first-aid kit’

But what if it really is just one of those nights?

· Don’t mix your drinks – that’s guaranteed to make things worse
· Alternate an alcoholic drink with some water
· Get some fresh air and drink a pint of water with some orange juice before going to bed, start your body’s rehydration now

You did your best but it’s only once a year and you wake up the next morning with

A thumping headache and parched mouth: caused by the dehydrating effects of alcohol, a ‘diuretic’ – meaning it speeds up the loss of water from your body.
Nausea, vomiting and indigestion: caused by the direct effect of alcohol, a poison - irritating the stomach lining.
Tiredness and lack of energy: caused by the lack of good ‘dream sleep’ as your body’s organs work hard to restore their internal status quo.

Hangovers happen when your liver is struggling to clean up the mess from too much alcohol and your kidneys are confused, sending you to the loo all the time. Your blood sugar will be up and down and all over the place. You’re dehydrated and fatigue takes over.

Award winning nutritionist, Barbara Cox is by your side to sympathise and pull you through the hangover from hell and out the other side! What to do and what to eat and drink…

• · Drink plenty of water (around 2 litres) throughout the day and…
• · Start your day with some lemon and ginger in hot water, you can get some great herbal teas, this’ll start to hydrate you and the ginger will ease your nausea
• · You need to get some vitamin C into you, so grab the orange juice or even better put your favourite fruit in the smoothie maker: bananas, blueberries or even a green veg like kale, they’ll all start boosting your natural sugars and potassium
• · Alcohol is really acidic and our bodies love to be alkaline, so you need to restore the balance. Go straight for a big salad lunch loaded with spinach, lettuce, celery, apples and tomatoes sprinkled with almonds - the good news is these foods will hydrate you at the same time!
• · Grab a nap, shutting down for just a few minutes gives your body time and energy to do its work
• · A big mug of peppermint tea or green tea in the afternoon continues with the rehydration and alkaline balance
• · Soup is a great option for you today as it’s easy to digest and is one of the best ways to get all the goodness and nourishment out of vegetables – go for a green soup, like my pea and watercress one with some rye or pumpernickel bread (Recipe below) *
• · Keep drinking the water…and avoid alcohol for a day or two to let your body recover

Oh and one last thing, give it time, you know it will go… so snuggle up warm and cosy on the sofa and catch up on some TV!

Have a happy & healthy festive season.

Barbara Cox

*Watercress Soup
Chop, fry, boil and blend
ü 1 onion
ü 1 clove of garlic
ü 2 potatoes
ü 200g watercress
ü 100g fresh peas
ü 200ml rice milk
ü Grated nutmeg
ü Ground black pepper
Simmer and serve

Has the Grinch stolen your Christmas? 
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It’s the most wonderful time of the year... well, not for everyone. The month of December can be a particularly difficult time of year for those dealing with family conflict, loss, break-ups, divorce, loneliness, mental health issues, stressful end-of-year deadlines, poor eating & drinking habits and increasingly, cold and dark winter days. From this list, it is easy to understand that the holiday season might feel not-so-merry and bright for everyone. According to the National Institute of Health, Christmas is the time of year when people experience a high incidence of depression. Research backs up the view that the festive season tops the list of the most uncomfortable times of the year, beating Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve and summer holidays. ​

Why, is the Grinch in full force during the season? Is it because of the dark winter weather that increases the incidence of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)? For some people, they get depressed at Christmas and even angry because of the excessive commercialisation of Christmas, with the focus on gifts and the emphasis on "perfect" social activities. Others get depressed because Christmas appears to be a trigger to engage in excessive self-reflection and mulling over the inadequacies of life in comparison with other people who seem to have more and do more. Still others become anxious at Christmas because of the pressure to spend a lot of money on gifts and thereby increasing their personal debt. Other people report that they dread Christmas because of the expectations for social gatherings with family, friends and acquaintances with whom they'd rather not spend time. And finally, many people feel very lonely at Christmas, because they have suffered the loss of loved ones. A huge three million older people dread Christmas due to loneliness.

Which options do we have for a less gloomy and better Christmas? 

• Be happy and talk openly about how you feel to family or friends. 
• Let go of others’ expectations. Set your own personal boundaries regarding money spent on gifts.  
• Choose only those social events you want to attend and actively enjoy each moment while you are there. 
• Reach out - become involved in giving in a non-monetary way through charities and worthwhile causes that help less fortunate people. Consider serving meals for the homeless during the Christmas holiday. Invite a homeless or lonely elderly neighbour to your home to share your Christmas dinner. 
• Avoid excessive introspection over Christmas issues. Feel and act in ways that make you break free from the past. 
• Learn to please yourself and be bluntly honest. Be grateful for what you have in your life, rather than focusing on what you do not have. 
• Eat, drink and be merry but in moderation. Actively choose to do interesting and fun things only; it does not need to imply any cost. 
• 
  

Empower Yourself 
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Lis Horwich  

Here is a little 'Thank You' quiz.  Think of your answers as Yes, No or Seldom - 

• How often do you hear someone say, ‘Thank you’?
• Do you hear it as often as you used to?
• When was the last time you received a thank you note?
• Was it: a card?  an email?  a hand-written note?  a gift of some sort?
• Were you surprised/pleased?
• Were you expecting it?
• How often do you say, ‘Thank you?’
• Do you say it as often as you used to?
• When was the last time you sent a thank you note?
• Was it: a card?  an email?  a hand-written note?  a gift of some sort?
• Was the recipient surprised/pleased?
• Were they expecting it?

Hmmmmmmm… did that stir up any thoughts or feelings in you?

I can remember that as soon as I could write, my very first letters were to say thank you for some gift I had received. It was compulsory! Recently, on both sides of the Atlantic I am hearing those two special ‘thank you’ words less and less. It seems that increasingly people do not express any appreciation for a gift or thoughtful act.Such a small act means so very much. It caused me to be deeply concerned about the health of ‘thank you’, I fear it may be critically ill!

Before it dies, let’s look at some ways to breathe new life into it and you too!

Let’s explore the concept and ways of saying and doing ‘thank you’.
 
What does it mean and where did it come from?

Thank you means a grateful feeling or acknowledgment of a benefit, favour, or the like, expressed by words or otherwise. ‘Thanks’ is used as an informal expression of gratitude, appreciation, or acknowledgment.

The history of the word thank can be traced back to about 9000 years from the Old English word "pancian" = meaning "to give thanks", which in turn derives from the Proto-German term "thankojan", which also spawned the Middle German term "danken" = meaning "to thank". Another history says that it is related to the Old English noun þanc, þonc, originally "thought," but by c.1000 "good thoughts, gratitude."

It is a term of respect and politeness for one human to another. It is also important to realise that some cultures do not have the habit of saying ‘thank you’ they are not being rude as we may consider. The Nepalese show the level of respect for a person by how they are addressed and the thank you is incorporated. In East Africa, a nod of the head is far more appropriate and in Thailand there are many levels of thanks, from ‘wai’ or hands in prayer position for small thanks to saying ‘Thank you’ which would be saved for ‘Here is a large bar of gold!’

Quite fascinating how something we take so for granted has a long and rich history.

Responses to the thank you
And if someone does say thank you to you, how do you respond?

☹ Do you brush it off, ‘Oh it really wasn’t anything!’ ‘What, this old outfit?’
These responses knock the air right out of the thankers message and positive thoughts. It is a thank you flattener. What does the thanker say to that? And they may not feel disposed to express their thanks again in the future.
☹ Do you look away and pretend you didn’t hear because it makes you feel uncomfortable?  Do you feel that deep down you do not deserve any thanks? Do you not know how to respond? (Read on, you soon will!)
😊 Do you light up and respond with appreciation for their thanks? ‘That is so very sweet of you’, ‘I really appreciate your noticing’.

How not to give thanks

It seems that everything can be used for good and bad, even a thank you!

There is the sarcastic ‘thank you’ really meaning the opposite and it cuts sharply. Then there is saying the thank you, you think the other person should have said for them in a passive, aggressive manner, for example as the door closes and you are trying to get through on crutches. ☹

The retaliation actions

If you are feeling hurt because you gave a gift or went out of your way to do something for someone and then you did not receive a thank you, not just once but several times, it can encourage the feeling of not wanting to give to them any more. Now is a chance to stop and think why did you give / do in the first place? Was it because you felt you had to, or because you wanted to?

If you felt you had to, in some way that may be conveyed to the other person and so you may indeed stop doing it. If you did it because you wanted to and they did not say thanks, then remind yourself that you did it because it pleased yourself and be happy with that.

Finally, there is one more retaliation action, it is the thought that you must give a gift of equal or greater value back to the original giver as a thank you. Here some consideration is important as that can be a cultural trait, so depending on the level of friendship and how often that might happen, you may wish to gently explain that for us a thank you is wonderfully sufficient!
 
Thank you etiquette

As thank you is a part of ‘good manners’, consideration and positive relationship building, there is a customary code of polite behaviour.

Here are some things to consider:

How to receive a thank you

Remember that thank you, whether for a big or small act of consideration is given as a free gift of acknowledgment and appreciation, it is consequently only polite to recognise it.

The recognition can be a nod of the head, preferably while looking in the person’s eyes; might be a ‘You’re welcome’ or ‘My pleasure’ for a larger thank you. Depending on your relationship, you could bow or curtsey for fun, give the thanker a hug or a chatty response to show how you appreciate their noticing.

If you receive a written thank you, do you need to write a thank you for that?!

No! Otherwise it would never end – however, the next time you see the person, you may say that their card / email / note meant a lot to you.
 
How to give thanks

The first step is to be aware – aware of what others might be doing for you, holding a door open; making a cup of coffee for you; staying behind to wait for you, it might be a relatively small thing, or something that is done very often, nevertheless, it is still a consideration that the other person had for you and as such, deserved some recognition in the form of a thank you. So, say it! A smile, a thanks or thank you, or if you know them well and it is appropriate, a hug or a kiss.

I remember my Mother saying thank you to me every time I drove her to the shops, at that time, I didn’t feel it needed a thank you, I did it because I wanted to do it for her, now I understand and find myself doing the same if I am driven somewhere.

Keep constantly tuned as to who might be doing some small or large act of kindness for you. It is often those closest to you, who everyday give a sign of their love and respect for you by, in some way putting you first. And although the act might be repeated often, for example my husband usually makes me a cup of coffee in the morning, it is still most, actually even MORE, important to appreciate it fresh each day and say so.

If the act was done away from the person, they sent you a gift or a card, another reason for saying thank you is to let them know that you did receive it, otherwise they will be wondering.

Keep a thanks opportunity watchful eye and share one whenever you discover the opportunity.
 
The power of a targeted thank you

It may well be that someone at your work place, either ‘above’ or ‘below’ you is not quite self-confident and your taking the time to specifically notice and provide detailed and target thanks to them, can make all the difference in the world. Be very precise, really notice and comment on their efforts, even ask them to tell their story, it may have involved even more that you realised. Then lavish the thanks, here, some form of a written note that they can keep is even more beneficial.
 
It just remains for me to say thank you to you for reading my Joy@Work series, please contact me if there are any specific issues you would like me to address.

The Resilient Warrior Woman, Vanda 

​This is my favourite of the quartz family. Smoky quartz gently dispels any negative energy in a room, in the body or the mind replacing it with strength, positivity and calm.
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Smoky quartz will dissolve any fear and replace with confidence, concentration and focus and so aid with communication – fantastic for important meetings or speeches that need to be delivered – relieving stress.

Here are 6 essences for increasing positivity. Each works in a different way so have a read and see which resonate with you:
Gentian
Gentian is for despondency brought on by a known setback and is helpful for someone feeling discouraged who wants to give up on something.
Examples of those who could benefit from taking Gentian would be a person who has applied for a job and hasn’t got it, or someone whose business idea is not working or has lost their job. It can be taken during any setback in which an anticipated event or situation is failing to progress as planned.
​The essence helps with working through and overcoming a setback bringing the positivity and strength to try again or find another way of doing something.

Gorse
Gorse can be beneficial for a person who has given up and doesn’t believe things will get better. The remedy lifts energy vibration and encourages joy and vitality which helps to ignite passion for life.
Red Chestnut
Red Chestnut is particularly useful for those caring for a relative or working in a caring profession. It is required when there is an element of fear about what may happen to a loved one. For example, carers looking after unwell relatives or a parent worrying about a child. This remedy ensures that negative feelings are not projected and encourages positive emotional states instead.

Sweet Chestnut
A person who can benefit from taking Sweet Chestnut experiences deep anguish and has reached the most extreme state of depression which is often linked to bereavement. They feel desperation, great fear and that all is lost.
Sweet Chestnut encourages positivity and acceptance. It encourages courage, strength, hope and a peaceful place from which to look forwards.

Wild Rose
Wild Rose can benefit someone who has lost joy in life. They often just drift along through life’s experiences almost appearing bored. The essence encourages enjoyment of being alive ‘now’ and a more active and positive interest in themselves and others.

Willow
The essence Willow would be beneficial for anyone who is feeling sorry for themselves and may even blame others for everything going wrong. They may feel overloaded, resentful and possibly a victim of bullying.Willow encourages positivity and acceptance of others.

How to use Flower Essences
Flower essences are sold in small bottles available from many Health food shops and can be taken orally for as long as necessary by adding a few drops to a glass or small bottle of water.
Alternatively, flower essences can be placed in an aura spray which works directly on our energy field. I make these on a regular basis and can do a combination spray for ‘positivity’. If this is of interest, please do get in touch.

Lisa Elmore
Forest Therapies and Wellbeing