Newsletter

There is a lot of research and scientific effort going on at the moment into understanding aging and the consequences of aging.  Most of this research is NOT concerned with extending lifespan but increasing our healthspan – that is reducing the length of time in later life when many people become chronically ill or frail….

In Yoga it is said that the nature of the mind is to become focussed on certain thoughts, desires and aversions.  This leads to samskaras forming in the individual mind.  This invariably leads to mental pain and distress. What is Mindfulness – “Paying attention on purpose to the present moment, without judgement” Jon Kabat Zinn MINDLESSNESS…

We are often told a “calorie is a calorie” and the way to get fit and lose weight is by controlling our calorie (or energy) intake. General advice is that men need about 2500 KCal per day and women about 2000 KCal per day – however these guidelines are anything but scientific – the Food…

One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight and become more healthy.  Yet every year more and more people become overweight or obese (in 2021 the % of overweight or obese adults in England and Wales was a massive 67%). There is a huge amount of data of the illnesses linked…

The majority of people – including the inactive, active and very fit – tend to define balance as the ability to “not fall over”. However balance is much more than not falling and lack of it can negatively affect a number of major bodily systems.  It is also connected with increased risk of a number…

We all look forward to the warmth and longer days of Summer.  However for some people Summer can be a real challenge with hayfever and/or sinusitis. Well Yoga has a cure (possibly) in the form of Kapalabhati kriya.  This brilliant technique helps to clean the cranial and facial airways and leaves the practitioner energised. Start…

Up until recently Yoga was seen purely in terms of flexibility and it’s benefits. There are 2 questions that are now emerging after recent research – Is Yoga JUST about stretching and flexibility? How beneficial is stretching to our mental and physical health? Besides stretching Yoga has strength work, core work, balance/motor skills, breath work,…

As a society we have become obsessed with comfort and keep ourselves ourselves in an environment that promotes this.  We have centrally heated homes, hot tubs, air conditioning, cars with temperature control, food constantly available (and delivered to our doors if needed), covered shopping centres, medical care on hand 24 hours a day and all…

Up until quite recently, the received wisdom was that high blood pressure (hypertension) was generally idiopathic (of unknown origin) in most cases.  Excess excess salt could increase any tendency to hypertension, but in general other foods had little effect. A number of studies dating from 2014 have now shown that excess sugar is as bad…

There are many traps to get caught in when practicing Yoga.  Some of the most common ones are becoming obsessed with “achieving” or “mastering” an asana (posture) OR perhaps losing ourselves in the physicality/sensualness of the practice OR perhaps just letting the mind drift with thoughts, hopes and dreams. Well a clever little technique to…