Three Wise Men

In the past few weeks I have had the privilege to hear three inspirational men speak.  They were the sort of speeches that make you stop in your tracks and think differently.

Geoff Thompson with BAFTA

The first speaker was Geoff Thompson.  Geoff was abused as a child and became a violent young man.  The turning point in his life came when he realised that he might lose his wife and his children because of his violent acts.  He has gone on to become a world famous martial arts teacher, a coach and inspirational speaker.  He has channeled his experiences into writing.  He has written forty books, five award winning films and three stage plays. 

At the start of his speech, Geoff passed around his BAFTA award and invited us to feel the weight of it – surprisingly heavy.  He said that this was the weight of the fear he used to carry around within himself and his way of exorcising that weight is through writing and sharing what happened to him.  Turning fear into art is an amazing alchemy.

The second speaker to inspire me was James Lafferty, a CEO at Coca Cola.  Apart from being a senior executive in some big brand multinational companies and working in some of the most challenging countries in the world, James has had some amazing life experiences.   He is someone whose inner strength is obvious and comes from his complete congruency with his beliefs and values.

James says ‘A principle is not a principle until it costs you something’.  We can all say that we believe strongly in a certain principle but when push comes to shove, how much are we willing to stand up for it?  If you say that you are anti-racist or anti-homophobic, what will you say if a friend or colleague makes a racist or homophobic comment?  How much do you value your principles?

I have to confess I have not met my third speaker, the designer Paul Smith, but I saw an excellent documentary about him.  I loved his energy, his humour and his creativity.  The phrase he used that struck me most was “There is inspiration in everything, if you can’t see it you’re not looking hard enough”.

Wishing you an Inspirational Christmas and a Creative New Year

Top Tips for Healthy Eating at Christmas

Top Tips for Healthy Eating at Christmas

Tip 1 – Eat slowly

Eating at Christmas is about socialising with family and friends.  It is not a contest for who can eat the most the quickest!  Watch your portion size and then eat slowly, really enjoying your food.  Stop when you are satisfied.  There are always left-overs at Christmas and nobody will notice if you leave something on your plate.

 Tip 2 - Eat your big meals as early as possible

The best time to eat a big meal is just after noon.  At that time your metabolism is working faster and you have the rest of the day to burn off the calories.

Tip 3 – Have a break before you eat your dessert

If you load Christmas pudding, trifle or other sweet things on top of your turkey and gravy it will take much longer for the sugar to digest and pass through your stomach.  During that time, the bacteria in your stomach will cause everything to ferment causing bloating, heartburn and wind.  Take time out to clear the table, have a walk, play a game or something else to let your dinner go down for at least an hour.

Tip 4 – Watch your alcohol intake

There are two problems with drinking alcohol.  The first is that the alcoholic drink and the mixers are empty calories – they are not giving you any nutrition.  The second problem is that alcohol acts as a dis-inhibitor.  After a couple of drinks you notice less about what you are eating and drinking and therefore you tend to eat more than you normally would. 

To avoid these problems drink plenty of water so that you are not thirsty.  Have a glass of water before you sit down to eat your Christmas meal and have a water ‘chaser’ if you are drinking in the evening.

Tip 5 – Be careful when you eat out

Eating out can be a challenge when you are establishing new, healthier eating habits.  There are some simple ideas that can help you.  Firstly, push away the bread basket and resist the temptation to eat before your meal arrives by sipping water.  Next, trade potatoes for another vegetable you enjoy.  Ask for sauce or gravy separately so that you can have a smaller amount.  Finally, don’t over-order or overload your plate.  If you are satisfied before your plate is empty either leave it or ask for a doggie bag.

Tip 6 – Take opportunities to exercise

The Christmas break can be a great time to get out for a walk with friends or members of your family.  Getting outside during the middle of the day is a great way to burn off some calories and boost your levels of vitamin D.  If the weather is not so kind, you could play a physical game indoors.  There are plenty of computer games that are fun and involve physical activity.  Or you could dig out that old game of Twister from the back of the cupboard.  Or how about just having a dance to some music?  If you’ve got young children they will love it.

Tip 7 – Enjoy yourself

Eating healthily over Christmas is not a punishment – feeling bloated and overweight in the New Year is!  The holiday period can be an opportunity to take time to cook and eat good quality food.  Enjoy it!

Happy Christmas and a Healthy New Year!

Spare a thought for men...

 ...on World Menopause Awareness Day.  I'm not talking about men who are the innocent (or not so innocent) victims of their female partner's mood swings!  I’m talking about the men who experience symptoms of the male menopause which is called ‘andropause’.

It’s easy to joke about this stage in men’s lives and talk about older men buying motorbikes or fast cars or developing new and unusual hobbies.  But some men experience frequent and intense symptoms similar to those experienced by women including hot flushes, mood swings, depression, low libido and erectile dysfunction.

So what’s going on?  Well, as men enter their 40s and move into their 50s and 60s, the balance of their reproductive hormones starts to change.  Levels of testosterone, which is important for a healthy heart and healthy bones, start to fall.  The balance of oestrogen and progesterone changes and this can lead to weight gain and aggressive behaviour.   The hormone DHEA (dihydroepiandrosterone) gives both men and women a sense of vitality, energy, drive and motivation.  Production of this hormone declines over time which can lead to a lack of stamina and wellbeing.

Most men will pass though the andropause with minimal symptoms.  But men who are experiencing these symptoms in a way that is impacting on their lives and relationships should seek medical advice.  There are medications that can help with individual symptoms including hormone replacement therapies.

Lifestyle changes, such as reducing alcohol intake, stopping smoking, improving diet, and exercising, will help to control symptoms.

There is a range of complementary therapies that can help to mitigate symptoms and support men’s health through this period.  Hypnotherapy has been shown to be particularly effective in helping women who experience hot flushes, particularly when hypnosis includes visualisation of cool images. 

Hypnotherapy techniques can also be used to help with weight control, sleep issues, mood swings and to manage stress.  Men can be taught self-hypnosis so that they can take control of their symptoms.  Hypnosis recordings can also be very effective.

You can find more advice at http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/male-menopause/pages/introduction.aspx

The Time of Your Life

October 18^th is World Menopause Awareness Day – a day designed to increase awareness of the issues women face during the years spanning the menopause.  Menopause is a subject that many women find it difficult to talk about openly so it is helpful to have a day when experts and medical professionals can give publicity to advances that are being made in the treatment and management of menopause symptoms.

Menopause is not an illness, it’s a natural phase, like puberty, that every woman goes through.   Like puberty, some women pass through it with minimal symptoms but others experience intense and frequent symptoms such as hot flushes, mood swings, weight gain, migraines and depression. 

For women who find the impact of menopausal symptoms on their health, their work and their relationships is unacceptable they may seek medical assistance through hormone replacement therapy or anti-depressants but these can have unpleasant side effects.  There are also potential health risks in taking these medications.

There is a range of complementary therapies that can help to mitigate symptoms and support women’s health through this period.  Among these, hypnotherapy has been shown to be particularly effective in helping women who experience hot flushes, particularly when hypnosis includes visualisation of cool images. 

Hypnotherapy techniques can also be used to help with weight control, sleep issues, mood swings and to manage stress and they are free of side effects.  Women can be taught self-hypnosis so that they can take control of their symptoms.  Hypnosis recordings can also be very effective.

The important thing for any woman considering her options for managing menopause symptoms is to be well-informed about the risks and benefits of the treatments available.  You can find more advice at http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Menopause/Pages/Treatment.aspx

The Feel Good Factor

Here in the UK we have been experiencing that rare, four yearly condition - Olympic Fever!  It has been fantastic to watch all of those passionate, hard-working young people striving to achieve their dreams.  Even the 10 O'Clock News has been a pleasure to watch as it was filled with images of joy and success.

I was going to write an inspiring blog about it all but someone else got there first.  Trevor Silvester of The Quest Institute has written a piece that says everything that I wanted to say so please take a moment and read this http://www.questinstitute.co.uk/1555/a-legacy-of-spirit/

I hope you are inspired!

Vicky and the Taboo Subject Part 2

So, in a plot twist in the Archers, it turns out that Vicky's missed period is not the first sign of menopause.  She's pregnant.  This is a surprise to both Vicky and her husband Mike and will no doubt give the script writers plenty to play with.

Many women experience irregular periods in the stage leading up to the menopause (that is the time when periods stop completely).  During this stage it is possible to get pregnant even if you are taking Hormone Therapy.  As a general guideline, women should wait for two clear years after their last period before stopping contraception.

If you are over 45 and taking the Pill for contraception, it may mask the early signs of the menopause and you may not be aware that your natural hormone levels are depleting.  If you are in a new relationship, it is best to use a barrier method such as condoms because of the risk of sexually transmitted diseases.  There are also a range of intrauterine devices (IUDs) or coils that you can consider.  There is a coil which releases progesterone directly into the womb and this can help if you are experiencing heavy bleeds.

Vicky and the 'Taboo Subject'

Vicky Tucker - Actress Rachel Atkins

Well done to Vicky Tucker in The Archers for raising the issue of menopause.  In recent years The Archers has dealt with many controversial issues including rape, abortion and drug abuse but women talking about menopause issues is a bit of a taboo.  

In fairness it was only a short conversation between two female characters, Vicky and Lynda.  Vicky was concerned that entering the menopause and starting to have symptoms might be a bit of a turn-off for her new husband who normally looks at her like ‘a boy in a sweetie shop’!  Lynda, not normally the sexiest of characters, reassured her that she and her husband still enjoy a very fulfilling sex life.

This short conversation provoked over 200 messages on the BBC Archers blog.  They ranged from being disgusted that the subject had been raised to serious comments about the nature of menopause.   But why is menopause still such a provocative subject?

Menopause is a natural stage in a woman’s life that can be compared with puberty.  It begins naturally between the ages of 45 to 55 and may last 15 – 20 years.  Menopause that occurs before the age of 40 is called ‘premature menopause’ or ‘premature ovarian failure’.   Menopause can also be precipitated by illnesses and medical interventions.

Some women think that if they take HRT they will not have to go through menopause but they are only delaying it.  At some time you have to stop taking HRT and at that stage you may get symptoms.

A significant percentage of women will pass through the menopause with minimal symptoms.  There are a number of factors that affect the nature of the menopausal experience.   Genetics is one factor and the experience of female relatives can give an indication of the timing and symptoms.  More important to having a good menopause experience are diet and lifestyle.  It’s never too early to start eating well, exercising and leading a healthy lifestyle in preparation for a better menopause.

And if you are having symptoms that concern you, you may want to consult your doctor.  You might also want to talk to your best female friend.