Making it stick

Hi folks,

I don't think you'd appreciate me giving you another list of health tips right now, we're still enjoying all the Christmas left-overs & cranking up for new year! So here's a little help on how to make those new years resolutions stick (most resolutions fail in the first two weeks);

1. Think about all the positive accomplishments you made in 2010
2. Pick a resolution that really matters to you, then think about where it stems from.
3. Make this 'origin' of your resolution your Actual new years resolution.
4. Make sure its realistic & attainable
5. Break it down in to short term goals 
6. Aim but don't expect to blitz every goal, have a strong back-up plan
7. Reward yourself in different ways when you're doing well
8. Tell people at home & work your goals so they can encourage & help keep you on track.

So that's my recommended checklist, hopefully your resolution ticks all the boxes. Enjoy the festive period & ave a fantastic new year!!

James

Give yourself permission

Hi folks,

You know those mornings were your brain is already going a million miles an hour, planning every hour with jobs before you've even got out of bed? It is Christmas eve so i wont give you anything extra to think about this week, just to say do all the things you want to do this Christmas.

Most of us are health conscious & will feel guilty eating & drinking this next week. Yes it may add a few calories, but if it helps you unwind & enjoy the time off then that's important too. So my message this week is to make the most of time with friends & family, & enjoy all the festive treats - you've earned it.

Merry Christmas

James

Don't forget to empty your bins!

Hi folks,

Over this last week I have learnt about the importance of our lymphatic system. I am aware that most people have heard of this bodily function, but do not know any details & I feel it really is worth knowing about.

To keep it brief, plasma which is present in our blood is squeezed out of our circulatory system & passes between our cells. These cells take up nutrients & expel waste back in to the plasma. Our bodies now need to get rid of this waste & is ultimately transported upwards to the lymph nodes where lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) consume it.

The lymphatic system doesn't have its own 'pump' & so we can help the process manually through massage. This is just one of the big benefits of massage, here are some others:

• Increases blood flow (containing oxygen & nutrients)
• Increases recovery rate from exercise & injury
• Decreases tension & micro-spasms (occur in muscle tissue that can result in pain / trauma)
• Decreases blood pressure
• Stimulates organ function & relaxation

What it would be like if the dustbin men go on strike next week? This accumulation of rubbish can be what's happening inside us right now. Much of the waste that needs to be got rid of are toxins created through everyday elements such as general metabolism, poor nutrition, stress, & even exercise! So if you want healthier organs, skin complexion, emotions, & energy levels etc then massage may be able to help your body work more efficiently.

Contact me for more information or to arrange an appointment (as I am now sports massage trained) - you may need it if you're frantically hitting the shops this weekend, stressed out at work, festively over indulging, or just stuck for that last present idea!

James

'Ask the audience'

Hi folks,

This week I took the opportunity to chat with a chiropractor (Jackie), I've not had the chance to meet a chiropractor before so we got chatting. With us both being passionate about health and well-being our conversation inevitably got more complex.

Through my previous research of muscular-skeletal disorders I had formed the belief that many of the body's issues could be traced back to problems with our foundations - foot function (seeing as everything is stacked vertically on top of our feet, and we don't really look after our feet properly in our culture). After chatting with Jackie I learnt that my theory was often true but more importantly that I was overlooking strong movement pattern imbalances in the upper body that could also 'pull' the spine & pelvis out of alignment to cause pain. 

Two things you may take away with you:

1. I may have introduced those of you who are already body-aware and know a little anatomy to a deeper understanding of our bio mechanics and can apply this thinking to yourselves / your workforce.

2. Everyone can learn valuable lessons from not only swapping ideas with associates within your industry but from those in seemingly unrelated industries. This week I have discovered that developing my own lines-of-thinking leads to progress, but sometimes taking the 'blinkers' off and liaising with other professional opinions light up other paths offering a potential for greater progress.

Those of you completing a project or developing an idea, ask yourself "do I work in tunnel vision all the time?" if so then why not try getting a second opinion?

Have a great weekend!

James

Do things right - intead of 'not wrong'

Hi folks,

I know its late in the day & you just want to start your long trip home through Narnia so I'll keep this one reletively short. Us Brits, with our sarcastic sense of humour always seem to expect the worst or worry about 'not doing things wrong'. How about we focus on how to not just do things right - but brilliantly!

When faced with a new or challenging task we often steer it by trying to avoid the pit-falls, or things going typically wrong or failing altogether. This can be amplified by pressure from your boss & yourself, causing emotional stress to manifest in to our nemesis - muscle tension! Well if we're too busy stressing out about the obstacles, who's concentrating on the way forward?

Think of me on my snowboard. If I'm tackling a piste & I focus on a rock up ahead, what's going to happen? - yep....sore bum! Where as if I'm aware of it but focus on the direction I want to go, then I sail by it in style.

So what I'm saying is visualise your goal being a success then take the next step to achieving it. By all means plan ahead & acknowledge the dangers but stay focused on absolute success.

More workplace health tips next week!

James