A spoonful of ....

I know the song says "A spoonful of sugar ..." however I've taken a spoonful of my own medicine.  Towards the end of last week the warning signs of 'burnout' started to rear its head again.  No matter how long I managed to sleep for I still felt completely spent.

THE WARNING BELLS BEGAN CLANGING

So taking some time off work; do you like my view for my coffee on Monday morning?

Oh yeah.

I'm so lucky to live near Bradgate Park so I walked up to Old John and enjoyed the solitary silence.  Watching Leicestershire slowly wake whilst doing yoga was freaking wonderful.  It certainly started the replenishment of my soul.

*  Laying on the sofa and leisurely reading magazines - massive tick.
*  Soaking in the bath with divine, aromatic bath oils and crystals - yummy.
*  Not watching the clock but letting the day slide along
*  Mini-me spa treatments; facial, head and foot massage, Reiki and meditation
*  Plenty of nourishing raw foods
*  Social Media shut down
*  Afternoon naps on the settee snuggled under a blanket
*  I got a wonderful massage to ease out the tension in my back
*  I treated myself to a manicure

Unfortunately, I still got the effects of a cold.  Plenty of Ribena, echinacea, herbal teas and eucalyptus inhalations.  I'm almost back to full fitness (and certainly much quicker than I anticipated) but I certainly still need more rest.  I believe in filling my cup otherwise how can I help fill the cup of others?

So tell me readers, do you recognise when you're heading towards 'burnout'.  Are you lucky enough to be able to put yourself first and replenish yourself?  What would be your ideal replenishment routine?

As always, thanks for reading and if you have any questions or comments, I’d love to hear from you below.

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I'm late ....

Firstly, may I apologise this blog post is a day late. I've been very busy at work and along with a bug, I've struggled to complete all my tasks. So rather than write the blog post I had planned here's another example of using all my holistic tools to speed recovery.

• ·         I've put myself first. I find this awkward to achieve, I like to serve and help others but I've come to realise I can't do this if I'm suffering from burnout. For me this has meant cutting down the physical exercise, taking time off work and going to bed ridiculously early for several consecutive nights.
• ·         massage. I know I'm struggling with a back issue that isn't going away with my usual Range of Motion exercises. I can't wait for my massage on Tuesday.
• ·         plenty of meditation
• ·         oodles of self Reiki
• ·         Prioritising my To Do list. Some items have been carried forward for days now but they're not essential. Some have been delegated and some simply deleted.
• ·         Crystals - I've been sleeping with them, carrying them round with me. Next up, a crystal bath pamper session.   Drinking crystal essences
• ·         nourishing foods. I'm normally quite a healthy eater but I'm craving carbs. So I've been listening to my body and tried to make healthy carb choices. (Although I'm not sure home-made apple cake is that healthy!!).
• ·         hugs. Snuggles on sofas with my boys are top medicine.
• ·         I'm sure I've got a mild version of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). I miss the sun.  I use my lamp every morning but yesterday I stood outside in the back garden leisurely sipping my Earl Grey tea in the afternoon sun.

So what other tips could you offer?

As always, thanks for reading and if you have any questions or comments, I’d love to hear from you below.

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Breast Cancer awareness month

October used to be a difficult month for me.  The promotion of Breast Cancer Awareness Month was a constant reminder of a painful and a scary experience for me.  However time (and counselling) has helped alleviate those raw feelings and allow me the hindsight to embrace Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Therefore this month’s blog post is a list of some of the active, holistic steps I’m taking to hopefully prevent the cancer returning.

 I have made daily life-style changes to boost my immunity.  I no longer take my health for granted and aim to eat healthily with a balanced, nutritional diet.  Exercise is a key part of staying healthy and following chemotherapy I struggled to be strong enough to walk the 5 mile Race for Life.  10 years later I’ve completed a triathlon and ran the Race for Life this year. 

Stress can be an immunity zapper and I did tend to worry and fret about anything and everything.  Using Reiki as a spiritual practice has allowed me to stop, take a breath and ‘see the bigger picture’.  I also use crystals, meditation, aromatherapy oils, massage and EFT to ensure I stay calm and relaxed wherever possible. 

Counselling was a life changer.  Admitting I wasn’t coping with constant, niggling worries of the cancer returning prevented my new life from evolving.  I contacted my Breast Cancer nurse who referred me to the local Hospice for counselling.  

One of the most important elements in the prevention of breast cancer is regularly checking your breasts! If you find a lump or thickening (or any of the symptoms in the picture below), pop to your GP and have it checked out.

Finally, I try to reduce the number of toxic products in my environment.  I use eco-friendly household cleaners (some home-made with essential oils).  The products I place on my body (as our skin absorbs a vast percentage of what we place on it) are based on organic, natural, and ethical health and beauty products.  I’ve found the Neal’s Yard Remedies range so amazing I am now a stockist of their products and use their products in my treatments.  You can find these products here:- https://uk.nyrorganic.com/shop/HeatherWinterton

As always, thank you for reading and I hope this advice helps someone lead a healthier, holistic life.  Any questions, please ask me in the comments below.

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Quick disclaimer; I am not a medical practitioner so therefore I’m not prescribing.  All of my blog posts are based on complementary therapies and not as a replacement for conventional medicine. 

Complementary therapies and Parkinson’s Disease

April is Parkinson’s Disease awareness month with UK Parkinson’s Awareness Week 15-21 April this year and this debilitating condition is a neurological disorder that my Dad suffers from.

My Dad has always been fit and well.  He’s never smoked or drank and kept himself fit as a self-employed plumber.  Approximately 20 years ago (yes, he was diagnosed young) his little finger started to tremor and after months of tests he was finally diagnosed with Parkinsons.  Luckily my father has always been a strong willed, determined person and I’m sure this mental toughness has aided his battle against this condition.

For an explanation of Parkinson’s Disease and further information, may I suggest you visit the Parkinson’s UK website www.parkinsons.org.uk

My father didn’t believe Reiki would help and this is just our personal experiences.  However, he was willing to give something different a try.  We find during a Reiki session that Dad’s tremor become less pronounced, his breathing becomes regular, pain relief increases and it helps alleviate any stress he may be feeling. 

Massage has also helped with his muscular tension and stiffness.  Relaxing oils such as Lavender, Chamomile, Neroli and Frankincense also seem to help. 

Here are some links to some of the websites I have found who provide information relating to Parkinson’s Disease:-

http://www.baseformula.com/blog/2012/08/qa-aromatherapy-advice-for-parkinsons-disease/

http://pdpatient.wordpress.com/2013/03/25/april-is-parkinsons-disease-awareness-month/

As always, thanks for reading and if you have any questions or comments, I’d love to hear from you below.

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Quick note; I am not a medical practitioner so therefore I’m not prescribing.  All of my blog posts are based on complementary therapies and not as a replacement for conventional medicine.  

At home facials

Treating yourself to an ‘at home facial’ is easy and you can often use products you already have at home.

Start by creating yourself a day spa atmosphere. You will need candles, relaxing music, slippers and something to keep your hair off your face.

Start by cleansing your skin. Using your usual cleanser, cleanse your eyes and lips first and then remove. Next cleanse the remainder of your face working from your neck upwards.

* TOP TIP * rather than using disposable cotton pads to remove cleanser, buy some muslin cloths. The grainy texture gently exfoliates and leaves your complexion soft and glowing.

Buff away dead skin cells using your exfoliater. If you haven’t got an exfoliater to hand, you can make your own using a mashed banana, oatmeal and honey. Work gently into your skin using circular motions but keep away from your eyes and lips. Rinse and remove using warm water.

Bill out your skin by massaging your facial oil into your face. Start at the neck and gently massage into your face using upward, stroking motions. Don’t use more than necessary and again keep away from the eyes. If you don’t have facial oil, organic sunflower or olive oil is an acceptable alternative. (Remember Sophia Loren claims the secret of her youthful looks is down to regular use of olive oil). Allow the oils to absorb into your skin whilst you spend 2 minutes concentrating on deep, relaxing breaths.

Now for the lovely mask. Apply to your skin following the instructions; again keep away from the eyes. For a home-made mask, mix half a ripe avocado with a couple of tablespoons of natural yogurt and blend together. You could always add a little honey. Leave on your face for approximately 10 minutes. Then rinse to remove.

Finally massage your usual moisturiser into your face using sweeping, upward motions.

Of course, if you prefer to have someone else give you a facial whilst you relax and enjoy yourself, arrange an appointment with me. I will complete a skin analysis prior to using only organic, aromatherapy products. These products smell divine and leave your skin feel soft, fresh and plump.

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