Moor mud – celebrity beauty starts at home

Sometimes the oldest and simplest products are the best.  Mud from the lowland moorland of Austria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia has been used for wellbeing for at least two thousand years – the Romans prized it for its health and strength promoting qualities and the Celts dunked themselves into the odd mud bath too.  Now ‘Moor mud’ has become the latest ‘must try’ treatment for celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Trinny and Susannah, Kim Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Palmer.

It’s thick and black (though odour free) and my first impression was one of mild distaste.  I was introduced to the Moor at the (now sadly defunct) Tyringham Hall naturopathic clinic around 15 years ago.  ‘Climb in and relax for twenty minutes,’ said the therapist, pointing at a bath full of murky black water.  ‘Honestly, it’s lovely.  Just make sure you have a little rest afterwards.’  I’m not really the mid-afternoon nap type but I obediently lay down in my room for the ‘little rest’ and didn’t wake up until sixteen hours later.  I felt fabulous – serene yet energised and my skin was soft and toned.  I’ve been hooked ever since and my son has grown up with mud rather than Matey in the bathtub.

Moor mud is unique because it has evolved over thousands of years (around 20,000 apparently).  Over 1,000 herbs, plants, grasses and flowers have decomposed into the waters, turning it into a nutritious soup of vitamins, minerals, plant-based hormones and other phyto-nutrients.

Central Europeans prize their mud highly for its natural healing ability and it’s used, not only as a beauty adjunct but also by medical doctors and vets.  A moor product is even used in Austrian casualty departments as a treatment for burns. 

Research has shown that the mud has a variety of benefits.  It can help to improve the circulation, it soothes tired and aching muscles and it can reduce swelling in painful joints.  Some claim that drinking it can calm and heal the gut; some even believe it can help infertility.

What is certain is that the ooze acts as a natural exfoliator and also hydrates the body.  Because the mud contains natural essential oils, fats and lipids, it is able to penetrate the skin with ease and many people swear it helps smooth away wrinkles and rejuvenate the skin.  I couldn’t make that claim but I do find that a course of mud masks softens the skin and has a distinct firming effect.

Of course the celebrities get their mud fix in top spas and the Dorchester now boasts a ‘Moor Mud Experience’.  But what I really love about the Moor is that it’s the ultimate DIY fix.  You really don’t need any fancy techniques or white-gowned therapists to anoint you – just slap the stuff on your face, slug it in your bath and, if you’re feeling really hardcore sip it instead of juice for breakfast.  Very Moorish.

Moor uses for mud

• Drink diluted (pasteurised) Moor mud before going to a party – it supposedly helps prevent hangovers.
• A Moor mud compress will soothe aching joints, muscular pain or sports injuries.
• Moor baths are deeply relaxing and excellent for soothing stress and insomnia.  For best results have a course of 21 baths (daily or every other day). Soak for 20 minutes then pat yourself dry.
• Use the face mask regularly for a natural ‘face lift’.  Even one treatment the night before a big day will tighten and tone the skin.
• Supposedly Moor water can aid weight loss, as it balances blood sugar levels and relieves cravings for sweet foods.  You can drink it, for the squeamish, take a supplement.

 

 Hydrating Herbal bath, £11.95 for 500ml; Earth Essence capsules, from £22.50; Moor Herbal Drink £19.95 www.moorbodycare.co.uk

 Moor Mud Experience at the Dorchester spa £95 for 55 minutes.  www.thedorchester.com

 Kerstin Florian Moor Mud masque, £25.75 for 133ml. www.kerstinflorian.co.uk

Electro-mesotherapy – holy grail or waste of time?

When I look in the mirror something blotchy, baggy and bleary gazes back in a rather unpleasant fashion.  So it’s small wonder that electro-mesotherapy sounded so appealing. The claims for this face and body treatment make it sound like the Holy Grail of skincare: ‘anti-ageing, wrinkle reduction, collagen regeneration, skin rehydration, skin firming and toning, body sculpting and cellulite reduction.’  It also promises to get rid of dark circles and bags under the eyes. Oh, and to reduce stretch marks.  Maybe it might like to sort out the recession and global warming while it’s at it.

Standard mesotherapy has been around for years – it involves injecting substances (generally skin-plumping and moisturising hyaluronic acid) into the skin.  It feels pretty uncomfortable and side effects (swelling, redness, itching, bruising) aren’t uncommon. However the new mesotherapy is altogether more sophisticated.  Needles are distinctly passé and electroporation is the new buzz-word.  An electrical field is applied to the surface of the skin which increases permeability of the cell plasma membrane.  This allows a serum painted onto the skin to be shunted into the epidermis without any need to puncture the skin.   Active ingredients include a brew of peptides, fruit and vegetable extracts and the old favourite hyaluronic acid.  Quite how anything that only reaches the epidermis (rather than the vital dermal layer) could really do the business puzzled me.  But, with no needles and no downtime afterwards, I figured I had nothing to lose but my wrinkles (dark circles, bags etc etc).

Harvey Nichols felt like a ghost store; the fashion floors virtually empty, the festive season frocks hanging forlorn on their plump hangers.  Its medi-spa however quietly hummed – even in tough economic times some things can’t be given up, and Botox is clearly one of them. 

Amreet Sehra, the spa’s assistant manager and ‘medical aesthetician’  likes to use electro-mesotherapy as part of a ‘bespoke’ facial.  ‘Mesotherapy is a great treatment but it can’t do everything,’ she points out. ‘So I like to combine it with other techniques.’  Funny, the literature promised the world and then a bit. 

She analysed my skin with a scary 3-D and ultraviolet camera, showing up every last blemish before cleansing, peeling and lymphatically draining my face (the latter with a machine that panted like a small asthmatic train).  Then the mesotherapy started.  It felt rather like being caught in the corner at a party and nuzzled all over the face and neck by a man with serious stubble.  Not painful but hardly an experience you’d want to linger over.  But this isn’t billed as a feelgood treatment – and if the results are great, who cares if it isn’t heaven on a couch?  At least you’re not having needles sunk in all over your face. 

At the end of my treatment, I certainly felt relaxed (a superb head, neck and shoulder massage completed the session) but did I look rejuvenated?  Amreet declared that my eyes looked ‘less tired’ and that I had ‘less wrinkles and fine lines.’  My jaw-line was also firmer, she attested.  To see the best results, however, she reckoned I would need a course of six sessions.

I asked a brutally honest friend for a second opinion ‘You look sort of pink and windswept,’ she said with a frown. ‘Actually (and don’t take this the wrong way), but isn’t it about time you had a facial?’   

Not quite the Holy Grail then. 

Viora Infusion Electro-Mesotherapy available at Beyond MediSpa, Harvey Nichols, London; 020 7201 8595; http://beyondmedispa.com 

Cost £100 (or £200 as part of the bespoke facial).

For nationwide availability call 0207 491 0150.

Electro-mesotherapy should not be used on anyone with a heart condition, who has a pacemaker or any metal pins or plates. 

btw, let’s be very clear here – the woman in the picture is NOT me!

Zero Balancing = zero stress

Good bodywork can soothe away the strains of modern life. It can unravel taut muscles, banish back ache and even soften emotional stress and psychological pain.  Yet many people flinch at the intimacy or the intrusiveness.  Lying butt-naked on the floor or having probing fingers diving under the ribs is a touch too far for those with a bashful disposition or a low pain threshold.

So three cheers for Zero Balancing, a highly effective bodywork system  tailor-made for the shy and retiring.

Zero Balancing was developed by Dr Fritz Smith, an American doctor, acupuncturist and osteopath who investigated a wide range of bodywork therapies and ‘energy healing’ techniques before concluding that the two approaches needed to be combined.  In 1973 he introduced his new form of therapy, describing it as, ‘a blending of Eastern and Western ideas in terms of body and structure. It brings energy concepts into touch, or body handling.’

It may sound esoteric but Zero Balancing is, in practice, one of the most down-to-earth therapies going.  Its practitioners train for two and a half years and are all already healthcare professionals in other disciplines.  In the UK, they tend to be doctors, nurses, osteopaths, chiropractors, physiotherapists and acupuncturists.

Sessions are delightfully pragmatic and very non-invasive.  You won’t have to spill out your deepest feelings; nor will you have to strip off your clothes.  I first experienced ZB about 17 years ago and was hugely impressed – but there simply weren’t that many practitioners around.  Now there are over 200 in the UK, and I visited Richard Walters, near Exeter, to refresh my memory.  We sat and chatted a little and Richard asked if there was anything that needed attention.  I had the usual neck and back strain of the habitual desk-wallah and my knee had turned nasty on me and I was limping badly.  Richard nodded and had me take off my shoes and sit on the couch so he could evaluate my spine. Then I simply lay back and relaxed for the rest of the session. 

The Zero Balance touch is quite deep (it works on the bone, rather than the soft tissue) but it’s not unpleasant.  Sometimes it feels a little like acupressure, shiatsu or osteopathy but it’s really quite unique.  

‘It doesn’t make demands on the body,’ says Walters. ‘We don’t have an opinion of how a body should be.  We just find places t,hat are tight and see what the body wants to do.’ 

He points out that ZB has huge success in treating headaches, neck and shoulder pain and lower back problems.  ‘It can be a boon for elderly people who feel themselves tightening up,’ he adds.  ‘It can help with balance and stability. We also work well with frozen shoulders and with any chronic joint problems.’  There are very few contraindications for the therapy – Zero Balancers can even work with pregnant women (the session is held lying on your side) and even (using care) with people who have joint prostheses.

Most intriguingly Zero Balancing also helps people cope with times of emotional change or difficulty. ‘We hold a lot in our bones,’ says Walters. ‘It’s about who we are, not how we are.  Working on bone  touches our core, our identity and taps into deep childhood patterning.’ Walters has had marked success with children who suffer nightmares, and those who have bullying or self-esteem problems.

‘If you know who you are, at a deep level, you can shrug off pretty well anything, be that parents’ issues or peer pressure,’ he says. 

My session was delicious.  I found myself in an almost meditative state and came off the couch feeling different – lighter, easier in my body and preternaturally calm in my mind.  Best of all, as I walked away from Richard’s house I suddenly realised something had changed. I was no longer limping, no longer in pain.  My knee was just fine.

For more information and your nearest practitioner contact the Zero Balancing Association: www.zerobalancinguk.org; 0845 603 6805

Sessions generally cost between £30-£50 and you’re advised to have a minimum of three sessions.

Clear your clutter – kickstart your life!

Have just finished reading Millie Johnson’s chicklit novel A Spring Affair and it’s sent me on another purge.  This post is for Julie Eirios who asked for some tips for decluttering so, without further ado, this is the chapter on clutter clearing from my book Spirit of the Home.

Clutter.  Stuff.  Junk.  Piles of books, magazines and papers.  Closets and chests jam-packed with clothes.  Drawers full of bits – keys from forgotten locks; buttons from long-gone jackets; old receipts and notes; a dusty throat lozenge; a button; a few elastic bands.  Don’t feel guilty: we’ve all got it.  Everyone has junk, apart from those unreal robot-like people who live in glossy home magazine minimalism (and frankly, I’m sure they’ve got stuff too – they just have bigger closets!). 

You may be attached to your clutter or you may loathe it but, whatever your attitude, you need to clear it.  You’ve heard this before; you’ve read it in a host of magazine articles and in every book on feng shui.  So why this war on mess?  Surely we don’t want our homes to become impersonal empty wildernesses?  Well of course not.  But there is a world of difference between a home which reflects its owner’s personality in carefully chosen objects, magazines and books and one which is so jam-packed with stuff that your mind reels. 

First and foremost it is very hard to feel relaxed and comfortable in a home which is messy.  On a physical level, clutter attracts dust which makes many people sneeze or have other allergic reactions.  On a psychological level clutter irritates the mind; it reminds us of things which need doing, fixing, finishing, starting even.  When our home environment gets “out of control” we feel disordered in ourselves.  I find I become depressed and overwhelmed when my study becomes messy and disordered.  An hour or two’s ordering and a clear, clean desk makes my whole spirit feel lighter and work progresses as if by magic.  International space clearer Karen Kingston puts it this way:  “If you have a pile of papers in your room your energy automatically dips because you know it needs attention,” she says, “every time you walk into your home and there are things that need repairing, letters that need answering, junk that needs clearing, your energy can’t flow internally because of what is happening externally.” 

However mess and clutter don’t just affect us – they affect the homes we live in.  In the dictionary you discover that clutter means confusion, a confused heap, turmoil, din.  It is also a variant of “clotter” which means to run into clots.   Imagine your home as a body.  In our bodies, blood runs through our arteries, veins and capillaries.  If, for any reason (smoking, bad diet, too little exercise etc.) these blood vessels become furred and thick walled, the blood cannot pump effectively through the body.  If the blockage becomes too extreme, the blood cannot squeeze through.  Sluggish blood flow is one of the major causes of blood clots which, in turn, can lead to heart attacks or strokes.  In a house the equivalent to life blood is energy, or qi.  If the energy in your house cannot circulate easily, it becomes stagnant and sluggish, just like the blood.  Nothing affects this subtle energy as much as piles of rubbish or unfinished business.  So imagine that all those piles of papers and books, the broken tennis rackets and fishing nets, the drawers stuffed with old clothes are clogging up the arteries of your house.  The solution suddenly becomes really obvious:  clear them out.  Here’s how….

THE BIG TURN-OUT

There is no “correct” way of doing it.  Lots of books recommend you take it easy – do a drawer at a time or spend an hour a week.  Personally I don’t have the patience for that:  I’m a bit of a “plunge in and get it over with” type.  Every so often I have either minor or major purges.  Something will set me off:  I’ll trip over something or have no room to put a book on a shelf, or not be able to find a receipt.  My de-cluttering tends to be fast and furious – and very brutal.  But that may not be for you.    If this is new (or difficult) for you, take it easy.  The great thing about de-cluttering is that you can always do more. 

Identify all the problem areas.  Some will stand out like sore thumbs.  But it’s not a case of “out of sight, out of mind”, you need to go beyond cosmetic anti-clutter and check all those hidden places too:  behind the sofa; in your closets and cupboards; drawers and dressers;  attics, cellars and sheds.    It may not be noticeable on a physical level but psychologically it’s still clutter and, however subconsciously, you know it’s there and it’s affecting you. 

Decide which area you will tackle first and get prepared.  Wear old clothes and bring out a series of cardboard boxes or large trash-bags to sort thing into.  Some stuff is pure garbage and the only place for it is the trash.  Other things might be useful to someone else and so put them over into one box or bag.  Yet more may belong to other people.  Sort out everything and then dispose of it in whichever way you choose.  I find it helps a lot to think that my old junk will give someone else pleasure so I tend to give all my clutter to charity shops or advertise it on Freecycle.   A friend of mine has regular turn-outs and sells it all at a yard sale.  The money she makes allows her to keep up her hobby of rummaging for bargains.   She loves the pleasure of the hunt and wouldn’t give it up for the world but readily confesses that if she kept everything she bought, she would have no room to move.  Another friend who is a complete fashion victim, has a clothes sale at work about four times a year.  She sells off her old clothes to colleagues and so helps fund her next shopping trip. 

When the junk belongs to your family, I would suggest you give them a certain amount of time (a couple of hours?  A weekend?) to claim any belongings they really want.  After that, out they go.  Playgroups and nursery schools might be grateful for any old toys and games.  Clothes might be welcomed at a women’s refuge or a centre for the homeless. 

Still finding this hard?  Let’s go through the various kinds of clutter….

CLOTHES:  It’s tough getting rid of clothes.  “It might come back into fashion”; “I’ll be able to wear it when I lose weight” are two common excuses.  It’s not just women who hoard clothes either.  My husband cleaves to a t-shirt which he wore back in 1976.  He won’t let me get rid of his waterproof trousers although he rode his last motorbike twenty years ago.  Faded, hole-ridden shirts are sentimental because his mother bought them for him.   A certain amount of sentimentality is fine.  Keep the dress or shirt you wore for that first date of course; just don’t keep every dress and every shirt you wore for every date.  Ask yourself these questions:

• Have you worn it in the last two years? 
• Is it out of fashion?
• Is it too big or too small?
• Is it stained or ripped? 
• Was it an expensive impulse buy you now regret?

Any of these are good reasons to get it out of your life.  It won’t come back into fashion – at least not in the same way.  Trust me.  There will always be something slightly different:  the hem-line will be longer; the sleeves wider; the print will be carnations instead of roses.  You can’t win with the fashion business – they don’t make money from people hoarding clothes and anything less than twenty years old will never be fashionable (at least not for another twenty years and are you really prepared to wait that long?). 

OK, so you’re going to diet and get into those old clothes.  Great, but why not treat yourself to some new ones when you reach your ideal weight?  Use it as an incentive.  Clothes that don’t fit will always make you feel guilty and guilt is the very worst way to make yourself lose weight.  It doesn’t work.  So get rid of them, accept where you are at the moment and as those clothes become too loose, treat yourself to more.

MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS:   Pass on to friends (where I live we buy different mags and pass them round).  Or offer them to your local hospital, surgery etc.  Take them to a recycling centre if they’re really trashed.   If you tell yourself you keep magazines for the recipes, go through and cut out the ones you  want (be honest now – which will you really use?) and paste them in a cook’s notebook.  Do the same with gardening tips.  You have to realise one essential thing about most  magazines:  they repeat the same features every year so you won’t really be missing anything.  If you don’t believe me, check a few:  gardens are seasonal creatures and the same tips (planting bulbs, dividing perennials, choosing roses etc. etc.) crop up every year at around the same time.  House magazines will always run another feature on choosing a kitchen; doing up a bathroom; planning a conservatory (because they attract advertisers that way) so you won’t miss out if you throw away a whole back catalogue.  Women’s magazines are no different.  I wrote for women’s magazines for years and was regularly asked to write the same features again and again:  how to revamp your sex life; how to give your relationship a MOT and so on).

The only things that change are news and fashion.   If you’re a teenager you might need to keep abreast of the latest trend.  If you’re a grown-up you can catch up on the latest fashions at the hairdressers (much cheaper than buying all the mags).  But if you do buy the mags they will be out of date within three months – so bin them. 

Newspapers need regular pruning too.  I remember a childhood friend’s house which had piles of newspapers stacked on the floor around each wall.  The place smelt musty and dusty – and the family never seemed happy.  Her father said he needed them for reference.  Nowadays with good public libraries and the internet, there’s no excuse for hoarding papers.  Take cuttings, if you feel the need, and file them neatly.  Then recycle the papers once a week.

PAPERS:  You can’t escape bits of paper.  Bills, receipts, notes, letters and circulars breed like rabbits.  But you can control them.  Always tick the box asking that your details do not go on mailing lists when you send off for products by mail order or enter competitions.  Put junk mail straight in the bin – or send it straight back saying you don’t want it and to take you off their list.  One useful tip I learned from a time management course is to open your post standing or sitting by your wastepaper bin.

Unless it needs a reply or is really useful put it straight in the bin.   Now you’re left with the (hopefully) essential stuff.  Here it helps to have a system.  In an ideal world, my time manager taught me, you will deal with every piece of paper as it arrives.  But who lives in an ideal world?  So buy some of those attractive storage boxes – or cover shoe boxes with fabric or paint.  You could have one for bills, one for tax receipts, one for letters and so on.  As they arrive put them in the relevant box.  But don’t forget to deal with them.  Once they’re dealt with either get rid of them or file them if need be. 

I would suggest every house has its own “essential papers” file, containing insurance policies, mortgage documents, investments, tax details, licenses and guarantees, etc., all neatly filed away.  Use box files or a filing cabinet for other essential reference material (but make sure it really is essential).  Go through your files once a year and check it’s still valid.  When I checked my filing cabinets there were faxes so old they had gone blank and stacks of out of date information.

BOOKS:   I’m not going to suggest you get rid of your precious library by any means.  Books can furnish a home and they impart knowledge, creativity, imagination and escapism.  But they do need to be kept in their place.  It’s worth investing in attractive bookshelves and making a feature out of your books.  Check that you need them all.  Reference books, classics, old favourites, sentimental tomes – fine.  But old pot-boilers you’ll never read again; holiday trash novels; out of date guides?  Give them to the charity shop and make room for more.

KITCHEN CLUTTER:  Kitchens are store-houses for clutter:  gadgets you never use; unwanted presents (fondue sets, waffle makers, woks etc.); burnt-out saucepans; non-stick frying pans which now stick; mugs you loathe?  We’ve all got them.  If they’re broken, bin them.  If you simply hate them, see if anyone you know would like them, or advertise in the local paper.  Or donate to a good cause.   Anything that’s chipped or cracked or broken simply isn’t hygienic – so in the bin with it.

MISCELLANEOUS:    Photos?  Spend an evening sorting out the ones you love and put them in albums or in a special box.  The ones where you look grim; the fifth attempt at that sunset; the hazy back of head shot?  In the bin.    Odd ear-rings?  You’ll never find the other one so bin them or give them to a children’s play-group for dressing up.  Old keys, odd fuses, screws, nails and so on.  Get rid of them – unless you want to put them tidily in a tool box.  Cosmetics?  You shouldn’t keep cosmetics for years – like medicines, they have a use-by date.  If you’ve had any skincare products over a year, bin them.  Ditto make-up you’ve had for more than two years.   Medicines?  Check their use-by dates and sling the old ones.

By now you should have acres of extra space.  Your home should be feeling clearer, more open, more expansive – and so should your thoughts.  However I’m willing to bet there are still some problems….

* Stuff that’s too expensive to throw out.  You don’t want it but it cost so much you can’t bear to think of getting rid of it.   OK, try to sell it.  Get some of your money back.  Or give it to someone who would really love it but couldn’t normally afford something like that.  Enjoy the warm feeling you get from helping someone else – an added bonus.

* Nostalgic, family things.  These are really ghastly.  The old heirloom you loathe and abhor but don’t dare get rid of because the family would be horrified or you would feel guilty.   Don’t feel guilty; just accept that it isn’t right for you.  Is there someone else in the family who would like it?  If no-one wants it, even when you threaten to chuck it, then is it really such a precious heirloom or are you just the mug who has been dumped with everyone’s collective guilt?  If so, sell it.  Treat the family to a celebration dinner with the proceeds.

* Unwanted gifts.  Some people say you should be brutally honest and tell the person that it’s not your taste but frankly I think that’s rude.  I confess this is one area I don’t deal with too well.  I keep the gift and even bring it out when the giver comes around.  However I do have quite a few “accidents” and sadly things do get broken and need to be thrown out.  A fudge, I know, but none of us is perfect.

If you get really stuck at any point, stop and think how wonderful your house would look without the clutter.  Close your eyes and imagine a home that feels free and easy and welcoming.  The Chinese sages say that when you throw out clutter you are making room for something new and exciting to come into your life.  Hold onto that thought as you bravely clear out the old to make way for the new.

Watsu – underwater shiatsu for physical and emotional freedom

Massage on dry land feels good but massage in water is simply amazing.  Watsu is the remarkable form of ‘water shiatsu’ which eclipses pretty well most forms of bodywork.  You lie back, cradled in the practitioner’s arms and are pulled, stretched and even undulated under water – until your body and mind are returned to you refreshed and renewed.  Practitioners and their clients claim watsu can reach the parts that other therapies can’t touch – it not only releases stress, pain and muscle tension but also has the ability to heal emotional pain.  Watsu is remarkably intimate and it is this intimacy, this inherent closeness which apparently can restore a sense of childhood innocence and joy.  

Watsu was developed by American poet Harold Dull.  Dull became fascinated with the Japanese acupressure therapy, shiatsu, and studied it in depth in both San Francisco and Japan in the 1970s.  However he also loved water and felt convinced that shiatsu would be even more powerful if combined with the healing properties of water.  His first attempts involved giving massage on a padded board set up in a hot tub but he soon realised that if he floated his client in warm water he could achieve far better, far deeper effects.  The easiest way to do this was by working on the body while cradling the head above water and he soon found that this highly intimate posture brought about its own therapeutic effects. 

Several of Dull’s students added their own twist on the story. Jahara Technique is performed much more slowly than watsu with the client held further away from the practitioner.  Floats are also used which makes the whole experience less intimate.  WaterDance was developed in 1987 and, like watsu, it begins with the client held above the water to be cradled, stretched and relaxed.  But then you are given nose clips and gradually and gently taken entirely under the water. WaterDance is quite incredible to watch – the client moves underwater more like a dolphin or a snake than a human, somersaulting, rolling and undulating in complete freedom.

Watsu feels as curious as it sounds.  My first session took place many years back with Pim de Gryff.  de Gryff  studied with Dull and was one of the first people to practice watsu in the UK.  The first thing that struck me as we walked into the pool room was the heat – it was warm, very warm (one of the reasons watsu is still relatively rare in the UK – we lack the climate for outdoor work and most of our pools are just too cold).  Before we entered the pool, Pim asked me a series of questions.  Watsu can be used safely on most people (whatever their age or size) but practitioners need to know whether clients are pregnant (certain moves aren’t used) or have spinal problems, implants or any serious health or psychological problems.  Some people who suffer from motion sickness may find watsu uncomfortable and it should not be undertaken when there are open wounds, skin conditions or infectious diseases. 

Having completed the health check we descended into the pool.  Pim took my head in his hands and asked me to lie back, relax and float.  The water felt lovely but it took some time before I really believed that my head wasn’t going to go under, however Pim twisted and moved my body.   But after maybe fifteen to twenty minutes, it was as if my body and mind decided to give in, relax and trust.   Time simply vanished and with it all sense of where I was, even who I was.  Some people say watsu feels like returning to the womb and I can understand what they mean.  All my everyday cares and concerns simply fell away and, in a paradoxical fashion, although my body was being intensely worked upon, at times it felt as if I had no body at all.

Most of the time watsu is delicious:  a wonderful sense of release came as Pym stretched, rocked and manipulated my body.  My spine arched and undulated like an otter’s as he freed its knots.  But at other times, I must confess, I was in agony:  I groaned and wailed while he undid painful tension in my hands and feet.  After nearly two hours I emerged from the pool quite frankly speechless.  I estimated I could bend almost two inches further than normal and my whole body felt liberated.  But what surprised me even more was that I felt emotionally moved and even quite tearful.  Being held so closely, particularly by a stranger, is simply not part of our culture.  It had felt like being a tiny child again, soothed and rocked by a loving parent.  Personally I found it a very gentle, comforting and healing experience however I could easily see that some people would find watsu just too confrontational. 

Later I visited Elaine Arthey.  Elaine has trained in Jahara technique and WaterDance as well as watsu and tends to use a combination of the three in her work.  ‘It depends what the person needs,’ she says. ‘Some people feel uncomfortable with the intimacy of watsu and so Jahara suits them better.’ She demonstrated the difference which is quite noticeable.  Jahara is performed very much slowly than watsu – it achieves an almost hypnotic effect with long sweeping movements.  But curiously it seemed less safe to me than watsu and I felt a sense of relief when Elaine brought my head closer in and cradled it to her for some watsu moves.  She even managed to introduce a little Waterdance.  Water is not my natural element – I swim poorly and have never liked having my face under water.  Yet to my surprise, I found myself being rolled through the water – UNDER the water.  It wasn’t exactly elegant and I certainly looked nothing like a dolphin or seal but I could see how liberating underwater bodywork could be.  For a moment you feel the possibility of grace, of moving free of gravity in another element. 

It’s powerful stuff.  While Elaine worked on me in the water it felt pleasant but almost negligible in its effects.  Once out on dry land I realised with a jolt that I had experienced an intense workout.  I was aching all over – in the best possible way and my back, which had been troubling me for some months, felt noticeably freer. 

Watsu and its cousins don’t just have novelty value:  research in America over the last twenty years has shown watsu to have a host of benefits. Water takes the weight off the vertebrae and relaxes the muscles so the practitioner can move the spine in ways that would be impossible on land.  The effect is far greater freedom and mobility in the body. Janet A, in her 70s, is a potter living and working in Suffolk.  ‘I have a long-standing back problem and will try anything to help it,’ she says, ‘Watsu is wonderful – you shut your eyes and could be anywhere, floating on the ocean in your own space.  You become completely unaware of the pool around you.  I think it definitely helps my back – it takes the pressure off the body and after a session I feel very light and relaxed.  I also have an extremely good night’s sleep.’  She has recently tried WaterDance:  ‘You wear a nose clip and go under for a few moments.  That too was wonderful – although I could see that some people might find the prospect of it frightening.’

Tests have also shown watsu influences the body in other ways too:  it decreases muscular tension, increases superficial circulation and lymphatic function; strengthens the immune system and can aid digestion and respiratory difficulties.  Hilary Austin who practices watsu in Corsham says it is ideal in the later stages of pregnancy when so many other forms of bodywork are contraindicated.  She says it provides a wonderful sense of relaxation and weightlessness – quite a gift for the last semester.

Many people find watsu helps insomnia and anxiety, that it can release deeply-held stress and improve posture.  In California it has been used successfully to help people with addictions and, paradoxically, it can even help people get over a fear of water.  Above all it has profound effects on an emotional level – particularly for those with intimacy issues.  Harold Dull insists that the close contact between practitioner and client is an essential aspect of the therapy; that it allows for the deep emotional healing that can take place.  Elaine Arthey says that many people find that the close, nurturing touch, brings up old memories.  You might remember a time of great happiness, of safety and security.  That can be very helpful, particularly for people suffering depression.  When the body remembers how it once felt, it’s easier to bring that feeling back into everyday life.’   She finds that clients who are undergoing psychotherapy or personal development work notice that the watsu seems to speed up the process.  ‘It works as a catalyst,’ she says.

Mari MacRitchie, who practices watsu in Glasgow (www.bodysense.co.uk) finds the therapy very therapeutic, and popular, with children who have physical or mental disabilities.  ‘If a child is normally confined to a wheelchair, it can be wonderfully liberating,’ she says.   One of her clients is five year-old Li from Clydeside.  Li has spina bifida and has been having watsu sessions with Mari MacRitchie every month since last summer.  His mother, Jane, feels they have helped him enormously.  ‘Li is confined to a wheelchair and it’s very hard for him,’ she explains, ‘He gets very frustrated and it affects his behaviour – he often has tantrums.  The watsu has a wonderful effect on him.   He goes really quiet and calm after a session and it lasts for quite some time.  I also feel it helps his concentration – it makes him more focused.  It’s difficult to quantify exactly how it’s helped him physically but I’m sure it has.  At the very least it’s released a lot of tension in his upper body.   He has a lot of stress too – even at his age he’s very aware that he’s different from other children. 

Best of all, when Li gets into water he’s like any other child.  His weight is supported by the water and he’s the same as anyone.  He loves it.’

Watsu sessions usually last one or two hours.  There is no set number of sessions:  some people have just one, others a course.

See the website www.waba.edu  for more information and practitioners around the world.

My verdict?  I love love LOVE this gentle nurturing water bodywork.  It isn’t for everyone but I’d urge you to try it if you get the chance.

What do you think?  Have you tried watsu or any other form of water therapy?  Heaven or hell?  Share your views by commenting below.

Cranial osteopathy – easing the trauma of birth

Cranial osteopathy is an absolute boon for new mothers.  This most gentle form of manipulation can soothe the trauma of birth and give their babies a head-start for a healthy happy life.  But what exactly is this wonder therapy and is it really such a miracle cure-all?

Cranial osteopathy is a very gentle, yet extremely powerful, part of osteopathy.  While standard osteopathy is generally known for its high velocity cracks and crunches, cranial work is so gentle you would barely know you were having it.  As the name suggests it involves manipulating the infinitesimal joints of the cranium or skull, known as sutures.  Although these sutures are so very tiny, they can become as traumatised or restricted as any joint in the body.  The osteopath seeks to ease any abnormalities, gently returning the bones of the cranium to a position of ease and comfort.

Although all osteopaths are aware of cranial work, many don’t choose to work in this way.  Peter Bartlett explains that some osteopaths avoid cranial techniques because they simply cannot work at such a subtle level.  ‘Put a hair under a page of a telephone directory and most people would be able to feel where it was,’ he says, ‘however the best cranial osteopaths could feel that hair through the whole telephone directory.’   Bartlett works a lot with babies who have had difficult births and says that a wide variety of behavioural and developmental problems can be ironed out with the treatment.  He tells of one baby which cried incessantly, only sleeping for half an hour at a time.  The parents were exhausted and worried sick.  After half an hour of treatment, the baby become quiet and immediately slept for two whole hours.  A few treatments later his behaviour was perfectly normal.   

The treatment is so subtle and the results so powerful that many people find cranial osteopathy hard to comprehend.  ‘People think it’s magic or faith healing, but it’s not,’ says Corina Petter, a cranial expert at the Hale Clinic in London. ‘This is firmly based on anatomy and physiology.  It relies on fundamental science.  If you know your anatomy you can feel the stress traumas within the body and release them.’ 

So why exactly is it so useful for babies?  ‘Few births are ‘easy’ for either mother or child,’ explains Phil Parker  who specialises in cranial work. ‘The mother’s pelvis and pelvic floor have to accommodate the turbulent passage of the infant, whilst the infant is forcibly squeezed (or more precisely wrung) out of the womb and then is subjected to a series of twists and turns as it passes through the birth canal to be ejected from the warm, comfortable womb into the (relatively) harsh, cold, bright lighted world.’

This is, of course, a totally natural process and in most cases the birth is fine, helped by the fact that the bones in a baby’s head are flexible and can easily overlap.  However various problems can arise.  At the first stage of labour, your cervix might not dilate quite enough and so the baby’s head could be forced repetitively onto the cervix and pelvic bones, causing trauma and stress.   

As your baby leaves the womb it undergoes a series of twists and turns which help to mould his or her head.  Problems can occur at this stage if the baby’s passage is either too fast (the head doesn’t have the time it needs to become properly moulded) or too slow (the head and body can get squashed and the baby can become very stressed).

When Mel Rowe had baby Martha, the birth was easy but very fast.  By the time Martha was four and a half months old, Mel was, to use her own words,  ‘desperate.’ Martha was crying relentlessly and had permanent colic.  She couldn’t keep down milk and never slept in the day. ‘I had heard wonderful things about cranial osteopathy and desperately hoped it would make a difference,’ says Mel, ‘but at the same time wondered if anything could.’   She took Martha to Phil Parker and after a few days Martha became much more settled.  A few sessions later the problems had vanished. ‘I was more than impressed,’ she says, ‘Martha became an incredibly happy baby.’

Forceps and vacuum (Ventouse) extraction can also cause trauma.  Even Caesarian delivery can present a number of problems.   In all cases, the cranial osteopath can gently align the bones of the skull into their optimum position – as if the baby had experienced an ideal birth.  When this essential framework is in place, so many problems simply disappear. It really does seem like magic.

However osteopathy can help far more than birth trauma.   Jenny Harris had a normal pregnancy and delivery but her baby Emily was floppy.  ‘Emily was just like a limp rabbit’ recalls Jenny. ‘She didn’t make a sound, not even to cry; there were no reflexes, barely any life in her at all.  We were shifted from doctor to doctor but basically they said there was nothing they or we could do for her.  They more or less said she’d be a cabbage.’  Fortunately Jenny knew about cranial osteopathy and she took Emily to osteopath Rex Brangwyn in Brighton.  ‘He didn’t hold out much hope but as he worked on her an incredible thing happened:  she cried for the very first time. I couldn’t believe it,’ says Jenny.  After that, he worked on Emily intensively – several times a week to begin with – and she came on in leaps and bounds. 

‘Em still has problems – it isn’t a total cure by any means and she still has special needs,’ says Jenny, ‘But I have no doubt that, but for Rex, she wouldn’t be running around and playing.   Cranial osteopathy saved Emily, I’m quite sure of that.’

In an ideal world all babies would have cranial osteopathy following birth – particularly if the birth is unusual in any way.  Fortunately this gentle wonder-treatment is becoming better known and recognized – many doctors are now realizing that cranial osteopathy can find solutions where drugs and orthodox medicine are unable to help.    Tina Longworth was initially surprised when her GP suggested she visit Phil Parker with her baby Marcus.  Marcus was suffering terrible nightmares following a meningitis scare which had put him through the trauma of a lumbar puncture in hospital.  He would wake five times a night screaming and arching his back. But after the first session Marcus only had one nightmare the whole week and, after the second session, they had disappeared completely.  ‘We were amazed and delighted,’ says Tina.

There is no doubt that a visit to a cranial osteopath is one of the greatest gifts you can give to your new-born baby but it could also be a perfect present for yourself as well.   Osteopathy isn’t just for babies – it works wonders for new mothers too.  Pregnancy and birth put undoubted stresses and strains on your body and an osteopath can help to put everything gently back into place.  Best of all, cranial osteopathy isn’t just effective – it also feels absolutely divine.   And the one thing every new mum needs is the feelgood factor –  both for her baby and for herself.

 

FACT FILE

COULD CRANIAL OSTEOPATHY HELP YOUR BABY?   Consider trying cranial osteopathy if your baby had a traumatic or difficult birth or if he or she suffers from any of the following: colic and other digestive problems; sleeplessness; learning difficulties; glue ear; persistent coughs and colds; hyperactivity.   It may also help if your baby is constantly upset, crying and wingeing.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?  It varies very much from practitioner to practitioner and according to which part of the country you live.  £35 -50 is about average although some clinics offer sliding scales or cheap treatment for babies.   You are unlikely to get treatment on the NHS although it is technically possible providing your GP is a fund-holder and sympathetic to osteopathy.

HOW MANY SESSIONS WILL IT TAKE?  It will depend on the problem. Generally expect to visit once a week at first; less often as the condition improves.

HOW DO I FIND A GOOD PRACTITIONER?  In the UK all qualified osteopaths have the initials D.O. or BSc. (Ost) after their names.  You can find your nearest cranial osteopath via the Sutherland Society   or  via the General Osteopathic Council

 My verdict?  A must-have for newborns.  I took my baby and it worked wonders for him and I recommend it to all new mothers.

Your thoughts?  Have you experienced cranial osteopathy – either for yourself or for your baby?  Did you rate it?  Share your thoughts and experiences by commenting below.

Avoid swine flu with commonsense and natural remedies

With the news that swine flu is now officially a pandemic, I thought it might be useful to look at some natural ways to boost your immune system and to help stave off the flu.

 RULE ONE:  Don’t panic. 

If you’re basically healthy, the flu doesn’t pose too many serious risks to health.  But equally don’t be daft.  If you feel ill, stay home.  If you can avoid large crowds, then that makes sense.  But don’t get overly anxious as that, in itself, can lower your immune system.  Take particular care with the elderly, very young and those with lowered immune responses.  If in doubt, stay home and seek medical help – if we are all sensible, we can stop the spread of this virus. 

RULE TWO: Good basic hygiene.

• Wash your hands frequently and use wipes or hand gel to clean your hands after you have left the toilet.  Wash your hands properly – as in good old fashioned rubbing and scrubbing – a quick rinse won’t do it.
• Get extra help with alcohol-based hand wipes or gels.  Use a big dollop and rub hands until dry.
• Wash your hands or use a hand wipe immediately before you eat a meal.
• Use clean tissues and cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze – bin the tissue after one use.

 RULE THREE:  Natural immune enhancers

• Get enough sleep.  So many people simply aren’t giving their bodies and that important immune system the opportunity to rest and replenish.  If you’re tired all the time, ten to one your immune system is under par too.
• Eat the best and most nutritious food you can.  Supercharge your diet with lots of fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables (berries are majorly high in antioxidants as are broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables).  If you’re strapped for time, get your 5 a day (minimum) from juices. 
• Avoid artificial sweeteners and additives – they don’t help your body one little bit.
• Exercise.  Don’t overdo it (that can punish the immune system too) but get out in the open and walk, cycle, run, dance, whatever.  Outdoor workouts are going to win over stuffy gyms for obvious reasons.
• Drink your two litres of water a day.  Keep your body hydrated.
• Meditate or practice mindfulness – just sitting and quietly becoming aware of the moment.  Sounds mad but these practices can help to keep you calm and relaxed, which in turn soothes the immune system.  If you’re tense and uptight your body will find it harder to resist viruses.  Yoga can help too.
• Visualise.  Again, sounds like madness but there are studies that show that you can boost your immune system by using visualisation techniques.  Imagining your body’s killer cells launching into action against viruses for example, in the guise of soldiers, or ninja warriors or whatever – this one is nice for children who might be scared of catching the virus as it gives them something to do.

 RULE FOUR:  Get a little extra help. 

Some supplements and herbs are proven immune enhancers.  They take a bit of time to build up (and aren’t a substitute for a good diet and healthy living) but can be an extra boost. 

 * 10 Day Get Well, Stay Well –  a combination of key vitamins and herbs with immune-supporting properties that gives a shot in the arm to the immune system.

* Host Defense by New Chapter – shown to increase human Natural Killer (NK) cell activity by up to 300 percent.  Contains a mix of organic mushrooms plus broad spectrum B-Glucans (also a mighty immune protector).

* Organic Chywanaprash by Pukka Herbs.  A traditional ayurvedic blend of fruit, spieces, herbs and honey – either spread over toast or dissolve in warm water.  Used as a daily tonic and for times when under stress.  Also soothing and calming which can’t be a bad thing.

* Astragulus:  a tonic herb that protects the immune system and can be a boon for anyone with immune-deficiency.  Don’t take if there is fever present. 

* If you have to fly or head out in crowds on the tube or train, try Flight Spray, a nasal hydrating spray that can help boost the immune system and prevent picking up bugs and viruses.   The ingredients (turmeric root and spearmint) provide an unsuitable environment for germs and viruses to reproduce.  You simply spray 2-3 blasts into each nostril and repeat as needed.

 All supplements mentioned are available from http://www.victoriahealth.com

 Hope this helps.  If anyone has any other ideas, please do add them in the comment box.  The more we can share thoughts and things that work, the better for all of us.  Thank you.

Dignified Disney – the picky parents’ guide to Walt DisneyWorld

‘Mummy, can we go to Disney?’ – possibly the six most dreaded words in the British language (at least in our house). We like to holiday in a nice villa in the South-West of France or chill out at a cottage in Cornwall. We loathe theme parks, hate rollercoasters and are allergic to plastic, glitter and oversized cartoon characters. Yes, we’re holiday snobs but we’re happy (and yes, OK, horribly bourgeois, smug) holiday snobs. We twitch at Disney ads and say bah humbug to pixie dust.

Yet I discovered, on a recent trip to Florida, that you CAN do Disney discrete and even Disney delightful. It is actually possible to stay in fabulous hotels and eat in top-class restaurants. The entertainment can be world-class (they get some truly great acts and A-list names). You can even enjoy excellent bespoke facials and massages in a pretty upmarket spa. Disney will never be gritty and ‘authentic’ but then not everyone wants gritty and authentic. Sometimes it’s actually quite pleasant to go on holiday and for everything to be easy and, well, nice. Let’s be clear that the level of service at Disney is sky-high. You simply don’t get grumpy staff and if you find a piece of rubbish, I’d be very surprised. I only saw one bug in the whole week I was there (which, come to think of it, is a little spooky).

I went to Walt Disney World with a mind so closed it was double-bolted. I was convinced I was going to loathe it and had my ‘cynical’ hat rammed so hard onto my head that it was giving me a headache. But, over the course of a week, I had to eat that hat. Disney isn’t for everyone but it IS possible to have a pretty civilised holiday here – if you plan carefully. So, here, with no further ado, is my advice to picky (yes, and snobby and smug) parents.

Where to stay
You can do Disney on a shoestring and plenty of people stay off-campus or in budget accommodation and have a great time. But this isn’t an option for picky parents. If you can afford it I would advise the following:

If you’re feeling totally selfish: The Grand Floridian Very elegant, refined hotel on the waterfront (with pristine white beaches that nobody seems to use as they’re all reclining by the pool). The spa is a stroll away and there’s fine dining in the various restaurants (Citricos highly recommended). Despite being very busy when I visited, it never seemed crowded or noisy – just serene and sorted. Transportation to the parks is easy – via monorail, water launch or bus. Probably the most grown-up and sophisticated of all the Disney hotels.

If you like the exotic and the artistic: Animal Kingdom Lodge. I was blown away by this huge hotel, modelled on a very wild (and upmarket) African safari Lodge. The architecture is amazing and the attention to detail quite extraordinary. This is one both arty parents and active children will love. The hotel looks out over the Animal Kingdom and you may be able to see giraffes or antelope from your room. The setting outside is all very tropical.
It’s lively with loads of extra activities for children (storytelling by the indoor fire pit for example) and great food (much with an African influence).

If you like laid-back and easygoing: Beach Club Resort. I stayed here and found it a friendly, bustling hotel with a lively atmosphere and a great pool complex. It’s got three acres of water around it but, even so, you need to grab a space by the pools early on. Fun slides and mini whirlpools keep children occupied for hours. This is classic laid-back American comfort at its best (my room service was fabulous – though not everyone reported the same level I had) and should be a great compromise if you want comfort and class yet still want your children to have a blast.

The Theme Parks

Magic Kingdom
It’s a must if you’ve got small children, and particularly girls. But let’s be honest, it is enormously crowded and you will have to queue for ages for many of the most popular rides. For tips on how to beat the queues and how to survive Magic Kingdom (and loads of other tips) check out my fellow blogger Linda Jones’ advice here .
However, there are some rather, er, magical bits.

I liked:
• The Haunted Mansion: this beats any old ghost train. You start off locked in a darkened room with suitably lugubrious staff (the only time I have ever seen a Disney ‘cast member’ not smiling!) and then are escorted into your seats for a tour through the Haunted Mansion. Some of the effects are breathtaking (looking down on a ballroom with ghostly dancers was truly stunning). Would not be suitable for very young or suggestible children as it really is pretty spooky.
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic: engaging 3-D show in a big old-fashioned theatre. Great for all ages.
• Peter Pan’s Flight: gentle swooping ride over the rooftops of London and into Neverland.
• The big firework display Wishes…..(though it gets hugely crowded).

Not my game (but you might like):
• Splash Mountain: a vertiginous drop involving a lot of water.
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: a runaway train roller-coaster. Good entry level rollercoaster apparently.
• Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique: where little girls can be transformed into princesses – expect HUGE amounts of glitter, lace and puffball satin. Wince and bear it. Boys can now get the Jack Sparrow treatment (suspect some girls might prefer that too).

Animal Kingdom
This really impressed me. The design is stupendous – incredibly well-thought out with huge attention to detail. Not remotely plastic and, at times, you could almost imagine you were in Africa or Asia (just without the bugs and no grinding poverty). Yes, it’s a confection but by heck it’s a clever one and I could have spent a lot of time here quite happily.

I really liked:
* Kilimanjaro Safari: an open-top vehicle takes you on a mini safari where, with very clever concealed enclosure devices, you feel as if you’re really going through the savannah, lurching down tracks and veering over wobbly bridges. The wildlife is pretty incredible and there’s an added extra – a frantic hunt to save a baby elephant (not real, don’t worry) from poachers. HUGE fun and brilliantly conceived.
* It’s tough to be a bug: you walk through the Tree of Life (a quite bizarre huge stone-carved tree) to the ‘root system’ for this 3-D and multi-media show about bugs. If you want the full-on experience (and aren’t scared of spiders!) sit in the middle (out on the edges, the 3-D isn’t as powerful and you miss some of the, er, attractions). Very very clever but watch out if young children are easily frightened.
* Finding Nemo – the Musical: clever and very original stage show using puppetry, dance and music. Children will love it and it’s bearable for adults though not quite up there with The Lion King.
* DINOSAUR: brilliant ride that takes you back on an against-the-clock adventure into the past. Amazing effects and some scary moments but, although you get thrown around a bit, it’s not a roller-coaster (halleluyah). I loved this one.

Not my game (but you might like):
• Kali River Rapids: white-water rafting – you get soaked.
• Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain: the ride that made me cry. Absolutely terrifying (to me) rollercoaster with a Yeti to boot.

Hollywood Studios

I found it quite hard to get a grip on this one as it doesn’t have the cohesion of, say, Animal Kingdom and to be honest it didn’t really rock my boat. But it depends what you’re into and what you’re prepared to do for your children.

I liked:
* The American Idol Experience.  I really thought I’d loathe this and would be wincing all the way through but actually it was very impressive and a lot of fun. The singers (all visitors who had auditioned earlier) were pretty incredible and the crowd gets whipped up into a frenzy by the compere and the judges (though the Simon Cowell-alike was pretty lame and seemed horribly staged). You get to vote for your favourite at the end.

Not my game (but you might like):
• Muppet*Vision: 3D multi-media show. A bit wobbly round the edges but children loved it as did their parent muppet-fans.
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: the big one. You drop 13 stories at random, so you never get the same ride twice. My fearless friends reckoned it was ‘awesome’. I sat outside and listened to the screams.
• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith: well, not live obviously! This was voted favourite rollercoaster by our gang – it’s fast and exciting (apparently) but smooth and great fun. I take their word for it.

Epcot

I would have liked to have spent more time here as there was plenty to explore and the pace is less frenetic than man of the other parks. Parents will feel a nice warm glow that their children are getting a bit of educational value from their trip. Picky parents can also pretend for a little while that this is all a dream and they’re really in France, Morocco, Italy or Norway.

I liked:
* Soarin’ – quite quite incredibly mind-blowing. You are strapped in and lifted up and then you become immersed in wrap-around visuals. You really do feel as if you’re hang-gliding over sea, mountains, fields etc – to the point where you lift your feet as you zoom down to the surface of the lake. Totally amazing but avoid if you get motion sickness!
* Turtle Talk with Crush: this is also quite remarkable, in a very different way. You get to talk to Crush (who’s on a big screen) and somehow (very clever) he talks back. Not a set-up but obviously some smart technology and a very quick-thinking Crush. Young children will be enthralled – and parents will laugh their heads off.
* IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth: very beautiful night-time firework display set to music.

Water Parks – Typhoon Lagoon

This was a bit of a revelation. If you have children ten to one they like water and mucking around and being active while you like to lie back (either frying in the sun or being sensible in the shade) with a glass of something in one hand and a good book in the other. Well, everyone gets their wish here. There’s a beach (pristine – no dog poo, no jellyfish, no bits of broken glass) with a bit wave that surges up and over every 90 seconds. There are exciting rides and quite places to curl up in a deckchair. They’ve thought of the lot here – you get a locker for all your stuff; you can hire towels or life jackets; you can buy a drink container and top it up as and when you want. There are even people around to take photos so you don’t get the camera wet. I could have parked myself here quite happily for a few days.

I liked:
* Castaway Creek: a circular waterway that meanders around the park – you pop into a ring and float quietly round in endless circles should you desire (or use it as a lazy way to get around the park).
* Typhoon Lagoon Surf Pool: those amazing six-foot waves. You can learn to surf here at certain times of the day – ideal if you’re nervous about children learning in the open sea.
* Shark Reef: learn to snorkel or scuba amongst tropical fish and real (small!) sharks. Again, a really clever idea as it’s totally safe.

Not my game (but you might like):
• Humunga Kowabunga: shoot out of the high speed tube at a ridiculous 40 mph.
• Crush ‘n’ Gusher: pretty intense water coaster with uphill climbs and vertiginous drops.
• Gangplank Falls: white-water rafting

I didn’t visit the other water park, Blizzard Beach but this also has a continuous flowing creek which circles the park, a large wave pool and a bunch of body slides, speed slides, raft rides and inner tube runs. The consensus is that this one is more suited to older children and teenagers while Typhoon Lagoon is more of an ‘all the family’ job.

Where to eat

All the hotels mentioned have a variety of restaurants and cafes and I was generally very impressed by the food on offer. Most have huge buffets for breakfast (Mickey shaped waffles with maple syrup and fresh fruit went down well). It’s worth hotel hopping though to try different tastes. I was expecting a lot of fast food and some mediocre menus but was blown away by the quality of most of the food. Many of the restaurants were serving food that was truly first-class – particularly the seafood, salads and the steaks (Americans really know how to do steak).

My favourite eating places included:

Spoodles at the Boardwalk Resort. Mediterranean inspired café and restaurant. I had breakfast here, sitting outside in the sun, overlooking the lake while a duck and ducklings waddled around hoping for leftovers. A hugely civilised way to start the day with superb oak-fired flatbreads, pancakes, crispy bacon and maple syrup. Fresh juice and great cappuccino.

The Flying Fish at the Boardwalk Resort. ‘New American’ cuisine with an emphasis on totally fresh and seasonal seafood. I had spiced calamari followed by the juiciest oak-grilled hand-harvested Maine scallops on a pea risotto. Heaven on a plate.

The Wave at the Contemporary Resort. You could be in New York or London at this smart, sophisticated and modern lounge and restaurant. The décor is minimal and (dare I say it, a bit bland) but the food is spectacular. The chef is hugely eco-conscious so you won’t find overfished species of fish and seafood. I had the most delicious sushi-grade tuna here, spiced and very lightly seared on a bed of sharp, tangy leaves. The puddings are out of this world.

Citricos at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. This large restaurant at the top of the Grand Floridian has an open to the restaurant kitchen and chefs who get totally over-excited about food. The steaks were sublime as was the swordfish (sweet and dazzlingly fresh). Madly civilised but warm and friendly. I would be happy to have this as my local restaurant and eat here all the time.

If you really want to push the boat out apparently Victoria and Albert’s (also at the Grand Floridian) is quite something. It’s won every award under the sun for its food, décor and service. Actually it sound a little over the top with harp music, strict evening dress code and ‘butler-style service’…no children under ten and reservations strictly required. Pricey too.

Also good:
• The Hollywood Brown Derby at Hollywood Studios. Great GREAT steaks.
• Chefs de France at Epcot. French brasserie style eating.
• Tusker House Restaurant at Animal Kingdom. Bustling buffet with African influences.. Fabulous design.
• Earl of Sandwich at Downtown Disney. Fresh salads and good subs and sandwiches – great if you’re in a hurry.

Not so great:
• Yak & Yeti in Animal Kingdom: nice idea – fast food with an exotic theme but my chicken was greasy and sickly.
• Tony’s Town Square at Magic Kingdom – noise level at migraine level and my meal was cold – twice.

The Grand Floridian Spa

It’s not bad, not bad at all. Given the amazing design at some of the Disney hotels and restaurants, I was a little surprised that they hadn’t pushed the boat out a little more and made it really spectacular. The changing and waiting areas are a little cramped and gloomy – it would be nice to have separate changing rooms rather than an open-plan room with lockers.
But the therapists are very friendly and warm, and obviously very well-trained. My Swedish massage was highly competent and very relaxing – it wasn’t the absolute best I’ve had but certainly worth a creditable 8/10.

I would have liked to have tried the Aurum Manus Massage, a first for the spa which uses warmed organic oils and semi-precious stones to stimulate the meridians (possibly a little hippy-dippy but sounds interesting) and also the Bamboo Harmony Massage which uses bamboo sticks of various sizes to massage the body.
I’d also be interested to experience the facials using ama la products (organic and fair trade products made in Germany).

I really had no idea that Disney had spas – and good ones – in their resorts. Worth going just for this really….

Shopping

Another surprise – Disney really does make some pretty desirable products. We fell in love with the Cook Shop in Downtown Disney where you can buy pretty tasteful Mickey-shaped accessories – fab teatowels, ice cube trays, colanders, glasses and bowls (with discrete logos). Great cookbooks and cooking ingredients too.

You can create your own T-shirt at the Haynes Design-a-Tee store – though be warned that certain themes just ‘aren’t Disney’ – no alcohol, no swearing and even divorce got a frown and a shake of the head.

Animal Kingdom has some rather fab safari Disney goodies – tasteful animal print bags and hats with discrete logos.

My favourites:
• Sparkly Mickey mouse stud ear-rings and Tinkerbell drop earings. Pretty tasteful bling.
• Disney FitFlops – black patent with mouse design on the soles of the sandals. Very cool.
• Mouse ear salt and pepper shakers
• Black patent and leopard print bag – deeply smart.
• Grunge Tinkerbell t-shirts.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com

I went on a Blogger’s trip to Walt DisneyWorld and would like to thank Sarah Hodson of Disney and also Digital Outlook and Think Parents for the invitation. 

For more great reviews of our trip vist the blogs of my fellow Disney 7

Becky at englishmum

Laura at Are we Nearly There Yet Mummy?

Linda at Have a Lovely Time

Lulu at Family Affairs

Alice at Dulwich Divorcee

Erica at littlemummy

You can read my own horribly cynical posts at Diary of a Desperate Exmoor Woman

Easing the summer misery of hayfever and allergies

Summertime and the living should be easy – but not for the 12 million hayfever sufferers in the UK.  Up to a quarter of the population will spend summer in misery, with watering eyes and a nose like a tap.  It’s not just hayfever – allergies in general are spiralling with a third of us likely to develop an allergy at some point in our lives.  Research shows that asthma, eczema and hayfever (allergic rhinitis) rates have increased up to threefold in the last five years.  Food allergies are amongst the fastest rising conditions – peanut reactions alone have trebled.  Most alarming of all is the sharp rise in cases of anaphylaxis – the potentially fatal severe allergic reaction. 

Although there are references to allergies stretching way back to the 2^nd century BC, the last forty years has seen an explosion in the number of people suffering, and an increase in the severity of their symptoms.  It seems that, not only fully-fledged allergies are on the increase, but also food intolerances and chemical sensitivities.  So why are we such an allergic society?  Are we really all becoming allergic to modern life? 

Allergy definitely appears to have a genetic link.  If one of your parents has an allergy you are 30 percent likely to have one too (though not necessarily the same one).  If both of your parents suffer, those odds rise to 50 percent. But other factors come into play.  The bottom line is that nobody really knows for sure and certain exactly why one person will suffer so badly while another gets off scot-free. 

What does seem clear is that allergic reactions are a product of our increasingly affluent and unnatural society.  Many experts point out that the rise in allergies appears to match the rise in a processed diet and the huge increase in pollution.  Is it purely coincidence, for example, that Britain has the highest allergy rate in Europe and also the largest market for fast food?  Professor Erika Jensen-Jarolim of the Vienna Medical University thinks not. ‘I feel that allergies are linked to lifestyle,’ she says, ‘and the rise in the number of allergic reactions is following the rise in bodily stresses caused by environmental pollution and the westernised style of living generally.’

Other experts favour the ‘hygiene hypothesis’. Dr Lyn Smurthwaite, from Asthma UK explains. ‘The ‘hygiene hypothesis’ suggests that high rates of allergies and asthma in developed countries are a result of our immune systems becoming unbalanced due to improved sanitation and hygienic lifestyles that no longer expose us to the same array of bacteria, viruses or parasites.’

The irony is that, while we think we’re protecting our children with a germ-free upbringing, quite the opposite could be true.  As medical columnist Dr Thomas Stuttaford says, ‘Over-protection of children from toxins….causes an oversensitivity to the effect of allergens. If a child’s immune system is occupied dealing with the dirt and grubbiness of a less-than-clinically sterile household it is not so likely to be as sensitive to allergens.’

Intriguing research at the University of Nottingham suggests that gut parasites in particular could hold the key.  Parasites such as hookworm have evolved to ‘turn down’ the immune response so they can survive inside their hosts.  This reduction in immune response may also reduce allergic reactions.  A study carried out in Vietnam found that children with the highest level of hookworm infestation were the least likely to have an allergic response to house dust mites.  So are they suggesting we cure our allergies with a dose of worm infestation?  Fortunately not.  The hope is that, if the link is proven, future drugs could mimic the immunological effects of hookworm infection. 

Professor Jensen-Jarolim also warns that indigestion remedies could be contributing to the increase in – specifically – food allergies.  The theory runs that the acid-reducing pills allow food that has only been partially digested in the stomach to enter the intestines, provoking an immune response. 

So, while we wait for the researchers to untangle the science, what can we do, practically speaking, to treat allergies?  Conventional medicine concentrates on dealing with the symptoms – usually via a combination of antihistamines, decongestants and/or corticosteroids.  These can be very effective – for example the new antihistamine Zyrtec (cetirizine HCI) resolves symptoms from both seasonal allergies such as hay fever and also indoor allergies (dust, dander, mould). 

But it can take time and dogged trial and error to find the best solution for you. Vicky Fraser, 35, from Devon was at her wits’ end.  Due to cycle 400km round Beijing for the charity REGAIN, she was finding training tough. ‘I could barely breathe and had a constantly runny nose.  I tried everything, conventional and alternative, but nothing worked. Fortunately my doctor was patient and determined and, in the end, a couple of courses of Predsol nasal drops plus Nasonex spray (a corticosteroid) sorted me out.  I also use a weird contraption, given to me in Finland, called a nose horn, that clears out your nose!’

Conventional medicine is clear that, while it can stifle the symptoms, as yet it can’t offer a cure.  However complementary therapies have a pretty impressive record in sorting out, not just the symptoms, but often the underlying cause as well.  Therapists can and do frequently talk in terms of cure.  ‘Acupuncture cures allergies from behind,’ says acupuncturist Maura Bright.  ‘We look at allergies as a symptom like any other and treat what we see in the person.’  It has particular success with hayfever. ‘Treatment can balance up the histamine levels so you don’t have such a runny nose and itchy eyes,’ continues Bright.  Clinical assessments indicate that acupuncture can also be very helpful in treating asthma. 

Homeopathy also has impressive (if not predictable) success with many cases.  Most homeopaths will treat a patient constitutionally (treating the whole person rather than the individual symptom).  Dr Andrew Lockie, author of The Family Guide to Homeopathy (Hamish Hamilton) says, ‘You have to strengthen the immune system and correct the imbalances.  If you can get people generally well-balanced their allergies will disappear.’  However many homeopaths will work isopathically, giving patients a vastly diluted dose of the allergen itself.  A report in The Lancet showed that patients who took a homeopathic potency of mixed pollens had far less problems with hayfever than those who took a placebo. Dr David Reilly of the Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital had determined which substance caused the allergies of patients, then created pills with these substances diluted to infinitesimal levels.  The study was repeated three times, with the same, impressive results.

Rosemary Lewis, 47, from Surrey, was hugely impressed with homeopathy.  ‘I am allergic to tree pollen but also to some grasses and pet dander.  I have asthma too which I am convinced is related.  I tried every over-the-counter remedy but nothing made any difference – in fact many medications made me drowsy and seemed to exacerbate my asthma.  I was sceptical about homeopathy and I went initially just to please my mother.  But it was incredible, as if someone had waved a magic wand.  It held for about six weeks and then he gave me a higher dose and that held for the rest of the year. My asthma improved too: I no longer need an inhaler. Now I go back a couple of times a year to get ‘fine-tuned’.  It doesn’t work for everyone but for me it’s been a bit of a miracle.’

If homeopathy is still a little too mystical for your taste, it might be worth investigating Enzyme Potentiated Desensitization (EPD) which is rather like a cross between homeopathy and standard immunisation.  It’s been in use in the UK for around thirty years yet remains little-known.  EPD uses a mixture of extremely dilute extracts of the allergen combined with beta-glucoronidase, an enzyme which activates the immune system to respond to the extract.  Doses are given every two to three months (by injecting under the skin or scratching the skin and putting the extract on it) and results are impressive – it’s generally about 80 percent effective and has been successfully used to treat hayfever, asthma, perennial rhinitis, urticaria and eczema.  However it cannot treat contact allergic dermatitis, drug allergies or insect sting allergies. 

So, while there may not be a clear-cut explanation for the causes of allergy, it seems that it may no longer be necessary to simple suffer in silence (or loudly in the case of serial sneezers!).

Top tips for beating hayfever

1. Wear dark glasses and keep doors and windows shut
2. Check the pollen count at www.pollenuk.co.uk
3. Quercetin is a natural anti-histamine that will reduce inflammation. It works synergistically with vitamin C.  Products that combine the two include Country Life Aller-Max and Allergy Research Quercetin 300
4. Many people swear by a daily teaspoon of local honey – either straight from the spoon or dissolved in hot water.  It is said to act like a vaccine, delivering a tiny dose of the local pollen that is causing the problem.
5. Weleda’s Rhinodoron is a natural nasal spray that clears and moisturises the nasal passages.  Finnish nose horns aren’t available in the UK but you can achieve the same result, with Nasaline Nasal Irrigation System which rinses away pollen, dust and excess mucus. 
6. Pukka Peppermint and Pippali is an ayurvedic preparation designed to minimise the symptoms of hayfever.

 Check out www.victoriahealth.com for more supplements

Which allergy when?

The time of year in which your symptoms worsen can give clues as to the cause of your allergy:

• Winter – house dust mite allergy.
• Spring – tree pollen (particularly birch)
• Last week in May to first two weeks in July – grass pollen
• August to autumn – moulds

Resources

Action Against Allergy – www.actionagainstallergy.co.uk

The British Society for Ecological Medicine – www.ecomed.org.uk (for a list of doctors who use EPD)

The British Acupuncture Council: www.acupuncture.org.uk

The Society of Homeopaths:  www.homeopathy-soh.org

 

Talking point:  Do you suffer from hayfever or other allergies?  Have you tried any of these solutions and, more to the point, have they worked?  Anything else that has worked for you?  Do please feel free to comment and share your views below.

Walking – how to get fit, lose weight and live longer

Forget power yoga and Spinning.  Ignore boot camps and pole dance aerobics.  The best way to get fit and feel happy is to walk.  Walking is fabulous for your health, guaranteed to whittle away the pounds, unlikely to cause any injuries and it costs virtually nothing. 

For most of us walking generally implies a chore: whizzing the dog round the park in the pouring rain, trudging to work when the buses are on strike, gasping up the stairs when the lift is broken.  But now walking is being touted as possibly the very best way to exercise. The real joy of born-again walking is that almost anyone can do it almost anywhere.  Whatever your age, shape or state of unfitness, anyone can safely start a walking regime.  You don’t even need to shell out on expensive gyms or fancy equipment.  All it takes is a good pair of shoes coupled with firm resolve:  simply march out the door and hit the road.

WALKING – THE FACTS

Brisk walking (as opposed to a sedate amble) is an aerobic exercise which, when performed correctly, should raise your heartbeat to around 50 percent of its maximum.  It’s a whole-body activity that uses all the big muscles of the body (in the legs, buttocks, back and shoulders) in a repetitive fashion which, in time, makes your heart and circulatory system more efficient so more oxygen and nutrients can get around the body.  Brisk walking can burn up more calories than slow jogging and you don’t even have to race-walk like the Olympic athletes to get an effect:  researchers at the Institute for Aerobics Research in Dallas discovered that walkers get exactly the same benefits whether they walk at a normal pace (20 minutes a mile) or very fast (12 minutes a mile). 

 HOW MUCH AND HOW OFTEN?

Carol Hampton of the National Register of Personal Trainers describes the perfect fitness walking regime.  ‘Start off gently and build up to a regular three times a week for a minimum of half an hour a session.  You need to get to the point where there is perspiration and a raise in heart rate and the easiest way for most people to gauge that is the ‘talk test’.  In other words if you go with a friend you should be able to pass the odd word between you but if you can have a good gossip you’re not working hard enough.’

 PREPARATION

1.  Set a manageable target.  Don’t aim for the hills on your first attempt.

2.  As with all exercise avoid eating for around an hour before you set off.

3.  Drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise – if you’re thirsty you’re becoming dehydrated.

4.  Warm-up.  Carol Hampton suggests using an initial five minutes of gentle walking as a natural warm-up before pushing up the pace.

5.  After your warm-up a few minutes of gentle stretches can ease your body into the work-out. 

TECHNIQUE

1.  Keep centred:  imagine a straight line stretching from between your feet ahead of you down the road.  Keep your legs parallel to this line and your toes pointing directly ahead.

2.  Take the longest stride that is comfortable and let your arms swing naturally at the same speed.  Relax your shoulders.

3.  The heel of your leading foot should touch the ground just before the ball of the foot and toes.  As your heel reaches the ground, lock your ankle and shift your weight forwards with the knee bent.  Rock onto your toes and use the movement to push you onto the next step.

4.  Breathe from your abdomen, not your chest, inhaling and exhaling rhythmically and easily through the nose. 

LOSING FAT AND FIRMING UP

FAT-BUSTING:  The longer you exercise the more weight you stand to lose and so brisk walking is the perfect way to put off the pounds.

If you walked briskly for only 45 minutes four times a week you would automatically lose 10 – 15 pounds in a year without any changes to your diet.  A 10 stone person walking at an even 4mph will use 300 calories in an hour but add a few hills or a brisk wind and you’ll burn far more.  If you go to a gym, Lifestride treadmills really count the calories – striding up a 15 percent incline at 4.5 mph will slough off more than 500 calories in half an hour comparing very favourably to a 7mph jog on flat ground which will notch only 439 calories.

TRIMMING THIGHS:  Walking uses similar muscles to running (the quadriceps, hip flexors, calf muscles and gluteals) so you can expect to trim your legs automatically. 

UPPER BODY WORKOUT:  If you swing your arms (smoothly and rhythmically) you will also work the deltoids (shoulders), triceps, biceps, chest and stomach muscles.

HIPS AND BUMS:  Walking uphill is wonderful for working the large muscles of the thighs and buttocks (have you ever seen a climber with a big butt?)

HIKING FOR HEALTH – THE BENEFITS

 The evidence from research into fitness walking is unequivocal: the health benefits are enormous and varied.

• It helps your bones:  research at Tufts University in the USA has shown that walking has a pronounced effect on osteoporosis. Walking strengthens hip and leg bones while the whole body movement builds a stronger spine – without the dangers of joint injury caused by high impact.
• It helps your heart:  walking increases amounts of HDL (the ‘good’ cholesterol) – walking a couple of miles four times a week improves both heart and lung fitness.
• It improves your mood:  according to sports psychologists at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center walking combined with relaxation tapes (or simply repeating a positive phrase or counting your steps) can help stress and improve mood.
• It can prevent cancer:  researchers have found that walking at least two miles a day can reduce your risk of developing colon cancer by half.
• It can extend your life:  the Aerobics Center in Dallas found that walking two miles in about half an hour, three times a week, is enough to increase your lifespan by at least 2-3 years.

WALKING INTO DANGER?

Although walking is almost universally safe there are some points to remember.

1. Avoid walking in congested areas on days of bad air quality.  When ozone levels are high you could experience lung irritation and coughing if you exercise on polluted days.

2. Don’t kickstart your system with a slug of coffee before you set off.  Caffeine gets your heart pumping so it feels as if you are warmed up for exercise when you’re not – it dilates arteries in the central part of your body but not your arms and legs. 

3. Avoid walking with weights.  According to fitness expert Darryl Preston ‘the shoulder is one of the most unstable joints in the body and walking with weights makes it very susceptible to injury.’

4. Be seen, be safe.  Much of the safety advice is the same as for jogging or running.  ‘Tell someone where you are going,’ advises Carol Hampton, ‘or walk with a friend for safety.’ The old-fashioned walking accessory, a dog, can be a valuable precaution.  Make sure you’re wearing fluorescent strips if you walk at night in unlit streets.

5.  Don’t drink and walk!  According to Australian newspaper The Age  ‘loss of inhibitions, impaired vision, impaired brain function and slow reactions made ‘drink-walkers’ behave unpredictably, and left them less able to detect danger.’

WHAT TO WEAR

You don’t need fancy or expensive kit. The only really essential item is a good pair of shoes.  Dennis Janisse, a certified pedorthist (a shoe pharmacist) at the Pedorthic Center in Milwaukee says: ‘Walkers need cushioning under the ball of the foot at the metatarsal heads where they ‘toe off’.  Many walking shoes put softer materials there, or they are built with rocker-type soles to relieve some of the weight and pressure.’

You will find specialist walking shoes in sports shops.  But, putting aside the latest colours and styling, your ideal fitness walking shoes should be -

FLEXIBLE:  A walker flexes the foot at about 40 – 45 degrees as opposed to a runner’s 30 degrees.

WELL-FITTING:  Ideally shoes should come in differing widths for a precise comfortable fit.

ADAPTED FOR YOU:  Most of have bad walking habits which can be corrected with the aid of orthotics, inserts for your shoes which correct any imbalances.  A chiropodist can advise and fit them. 

My verdict:   Walking is simply fabulous exercise, one of the reasons why it features in pretty well all of my books.  Check out the list at Buy My Books…..