A homeopath friend of mine recently shared a post on social media. It was partly the inspiration for writing this blog. Here's what she said: 

"Have you noticed the really interesting discussion we are not having around corona virus?

You know, that discussion about our immune (or defence) system. That system we all have, that is built in to fight against unwanted pathogens.

Why aren't we talking about enhancing that and giving the body the best chance of fighting the virus should we come into contact with it? Why are we not talking about eating real food, exercise, mindfulness, vitamins and minerals, avoiding toxins and stress?

Please do yourself a favour and become your own health advocate. Get informed on the best ways of looking after you and don't be led by the fear-mongering media.

And just eat real food!"

(Thanks @chelsea_homeopathy for letting me share this.)

I've been boring my own family with my frequent comments along these lines for years!

Coronavirus and lockdown has served to highlight what I believe is a real problem:

How we are advised to look after our health.

Holistic practitioners have always known that health requires a whole body approach.

Holisitic health recognises that all parts of the body and mind are interconnected.

To treat one problem you treat the whole person.
​

Conventional medicine tends to focus on individual symptoms.

Those symptoms are then associated with a particular part of the body.  

You may see a specialist who will have an in-depth knowledge of that part or system of your body. The potential problem is that they may only see that symptom in isolation. Not as one interconnected part of the whole of you.

My clients frequently tell me they are passed from one specialist to another. Often without a positive outcome.

This way of breaking down the body into separate parts does not promote an understanding of the whole-body (i.e. holistic) approach to health.

The current message from the government is all about social distancing, face masks and washing hands.

Let me be clear that I agree that all of these things are important measures.

It's just that there would be a huge impact if we were all encouraged to boost our immunity naturally. We can do this alongside these other practical measures.

Making better choices everyday means you could improve your health during lockdown and beyond.

You'd probably have more energy and feel happier too.

What's not to like?

And the best bit is that it's not difficult. 

Eat real unprocessed food.

Learn how to get better sleep.

Manage stress.

Keep active.

That's it.

Take a read of a previous blog that explains a bit more of the science behind this. The book I mention below also explains how everything links together really well.

You need to work on all these areas to get the most benefit. That's because, like I said earlier, everything is connected.
​

Have you ever done that group trust exercise where you all stand in a circle? Everyone looks at the back of the person in front of them.

Do you know the one I mean? 

On the count of three, you all sit down on the lap of the person behind you. If just one person steps out of place or sits down at the wrong time the results are not good!

You might get part of the circle holding up briefly, but  it won't last.

You need everyone to be doing the right thing at the right time.

I may be stretching the analogy here, but you are a bit like the circle. 

Work on your food, sleep, stress levels and exercise and your circle will stay up!
​

Before I started this blog I revisited the book 'The 4 Pillar Plan' by Dr Rangan Chatterjee.  I got it earlier in the year but had only flicked through it until now.

I was so happy to find that his book is about exactly what I'm trying to say! He probably explains it a bit more clearly than me. ;)

His four pillars are: Relax. Eat. Move. Sleep. 

Chatterjee argues that doctors should be healing people by treating the root cause of their symptoms. Not just suppressing their symptoms. He recognises that current medical training doesn't teach this approach. He states:

"the future of medicine will be about more doctors being super-generalists, rather than super-specialists. Just as our understanding of the human body is evolving, so the practice of medicine will also need to evolve."

Hearing a medical doctor say what holistic practitioners have been saying for years is a wonderful thing!

Chatterjee explains how it's possible to reverse chronic illness by treating the reason for the disease and not just the symptoms.  [Check out his TEDx Talk, it's inspiring!]

He gives examples from his own practice where he is just as likely to give a 'lifestyle prescription' as a drug - it's all down to what the person in front of him needs. 

In this way he has helped countless people reverse chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high-blood pressure or irritable bowel syndrome. 

But this isn't just for people with a chronic health problem. It's for you and me and everyone else.

This quote sums it up:
​
"Good health occurs outside the doctor's surgery - not inside. Our lifestyles themselves are often the best medicine."

If you would like to take charge of your health then this book is a great place to start. It would be a great addition to your life whether you are already working with me or not.
​

1. Eat real food;
2. Improve your sleep;
3. Manage your stress levels; and
4. Get moving.

Addressing these four areas of your life will do so much more for your health and immunity than just relying on a face mask. 

The benefits to you will last longer than lockdown. If more of us take this approach it could save the NHS a lot of money.

Now who is going to send a copy to Boris? ;)

Take care, 
Sarah x

p.s. If you found this interesting you may also like to look at some of my other blogs. Here and here.
p.p.s. If you like the idea of what I'm talking about but you don't know where to start, then why not book a free 30-minute Discovery Call with me?

You can book in online here or drop me an email here. :)

Notes:
Dr Rangan Chatterjee, "The 4 Pillar Plan". Penguin, 2018
You may  be interested in some of his other books. I also have "Feel Better in 5".
​
The Circle of Trust analogy. It's a lot of fun to try this if you haven't before. Perhaps something for when we're allowed to be close to our friends again? ;)

I first wrote this blog a couple of years ago. It was in the lead up to Christmas when everything is even more chaotic than usual.

Our current social-isolation rules means life is quite different right now.

If you're anything like me this situation may mean that now is a good time to remind yourself of some good habits that will help you:

• feel more in control;
• be more productive; and
• give your immune system a boost.

I was inspired to write this post after reading the article 5 Ways to Simplify Today.

The author gives you five different ways you could try and simplify your day/week/life.

What I really like is that he suggests you pick only one of these ideas, run with it for a day and see how it goes.

It demonstrates an understanding that real people - you and me - can't change everything all at once.

It's something that takes time and effort and is a whole lot easier if we can do it a little bit at a time.
​

​Feeling in control isn't a superficial thing.

Having too much on without enough down time has consequences.

It can affect your immunity, your hormones and your sleep.

Here are some of the ways that I try and keep in control and focused.

I hope that you will be inspired to try one of these things. Or perhaps it will be a reminder to get back to  something that you used to do but have drifted away from recently. :)
​

​Keeping my focus is something I always have to work on. I'm finding it particularly challenging during lock down. How about you?

I always work from home so that isn't new for me. What I'm not used to, is having everyone else home all day too! I can't imagine what it's like having to home-school younger children.

If you don't need to imagine it because you are doing it, I think you deserve a medal. ;)

It's difficult to keep focused on my own tasks when there is so much else going on around me.

Things that I find help with focus:

• first thing in the morning (or before you go to bed), plan out your day. I use my bullet journal for this but anything will do.

• I try and have two lists on the go. One for the whole week, and then a new one for every day. I include work and personal tasks and tick off as I go along.

• when you know everything that you need to do it's easier to make sure you don't miss anything. You just have to remember to check in with your list during the day. ;)

• you could turn this into a big family planner for the week if you need to keep track of more than just yourself!

• by having a written list of my tasks it means my mind doesn't have to keep a mental note of everything. In turn, this means I can focus on the task at hand.

​

I love my iPhone. My life is pretty much on my iPhone.

I can transfer money. I can check my emails. I can access my work documents. I can check what school work my children have. Not to mention taking pictures of the dogs on our walk every day. I could go on.

Smart phones are fantastic things that can make our lives so much easier in so many ways.

But if we’re not careful, they can take over.

More than that, they can have a detrimental effect on your health and stress levels too.

You can read my blog post The rest & digest response and why it's so important if you want to find out more.
​​

3. Introduce a bed-time routine that doesn't involve your phone

You are probably familiar with the benefits of some ‘quiet time’ before bedtime - especially if you have children!

In our house when the children were little, this would mean bath-time and then story-time.

Inevitably on some days this wouldn’t happen. That was such a mistake! Trying to put over-excited children to bed is a stressful experience!

I think it’s the same with adults and grown up children too.

If I have my own version of bath-time and story-time before I go to bed, I will generally have a much better sleep.

Not letting my phone be a part of this bed-time routine is half the battle.

Try this -  use an alarm clock so you can put your phone outside of your bedroom at night.

I started doing this a few years ago. It seemed a big step at the time but now it's just what I do. It's very liberating once you get used to it.

My children have always had to do this too.

While we're on the subject of bed-time routines, here are some other things to try:

• avoid the news for a few hours before bed (or anything that is upsetting or scary!)

• if you watch something on TV before going to bed, try and do something mundane afterwards. This could be clearing up the kitchen or writing your to-do list for the next day. It will help your brain and body start to wind-down ready for sleep.

• a warm shower or bath before bed is wonderful way to prepare your body for sleep. Especially if you use some relaxing and calming essential oils. [note to self - I've not done this for a while, maybe tonight is the night!]

• have a good stretch - it feels great to do this before you get into bed.

• make sure your room is quiet, dark and cool. An eye mask is a great investment - I use one nearly every night.

​​

Small changes can have a surprisingly big impact on your life.

Why not pick one thing, try it for one day and see how you feel?

Perhaps you can talk about this with the whole family and decide on something that you can all try.

If it works for you, try committing to it for a week. And then longer.

Having some 'rules' in place will make a big difference and will soon become a routine.

It doesn't matter if you don't manage it every day, but if you have the 'rules' in place it will be easier to find your way back to them.

I hope there is something here that will inspire you to keep things simple and in turn improve your focus. If you manage a few of the ideas then hopefully a more restful sleep and a boosted immune system will follow. :)
​
Sarah x

Ps. Struggling to stay in control and a lack of good quality sleep are issues that often come up for my clients. Anxiety and stress are likely to be there too.

If these are things that you struggle with, why not book a free 30-minute Discovery Call with me and find out how I can help?

I'd love to hear from you. :)
​
Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash

​In this blog I share some of the small changes I've made over the years to try and improve my health by what I put IN and ON my body. 

If you are looking to introduce some positive changes in your life I hope this will give you some ideas. :)
​

I endeavour to live as  'clean' a life as I can but I'm not clean 100% of the time.

I wouldn't want to be either! I still drink coffee and alcohol and I love chocolate and home-made cake.

I'm sure I would be healthier if I never ate or drank these things, but I don't want to live a life denying myself of things that bring me happiness.

I do my best to limit these things and make 'good' choices most of the time. That way when I do want to enjoy a piece of cake or a G&T I can enjoy it and not give myself a hard time about it.

My aim is to make informed choices about what I eat, drink and put on my skin. ​
​

So when it comes to coffee at home (which of course is every coffee during lockdown!) I always buy organic coffee.

If I have cow's milk in my coffee, it will be organic cow's milk.

When I make a cake it will be with organic flour, butter and eggs. 
​
You get the picture.
​

Try and keep your food as simple and varied as possible:

• eat as much un-processed food as you can - cooking from scratch always makes this easier;
• check the ingredients list before you buy food - the fewer the better;
• eat as colourfully as you can - the more varied the colour of your food the more nutritious it will be!

​
When it comes to what you put on your skin, it's worth finding a company that you trust. Take some time to read about their values and ethics and their approach to formulating products.

This relates to skincare, sun care, sanitary products, household cleaning products and just about everything in your home. There is a lot of information out there if you want to find out more.
​

If you're interested in making other healthy changes in your life and you'd like to find out how I can help, I'd love to hear from you!

I take a down-to-earth approach to helping you make positive changes in your physical and emotional health and we start wherever you are in your life right now.

​Book in a free 30-minute Discovery Call now. :)

Take care,

​Sarah x

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Eat well to support your immune system. Photo by Anna Pelzer on Unsplash

Your immune system is what keeps you healthy and able to fight off a virus.

A healthy digestive system keeps your immune system healthy.

Here are some simple, everyday things that you can do to help. To be honest we should all be doing these things all the time anyway!
​

• Eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruit.
• Drink lots of water or herbal teas.
• Limit your sugar, caffeine and alcohol.

​

You might have read my recent post about fight-flight versus rest & digest. It explained how stress affects your body.

When you're stressed your body goes into fight-flight mode.

It stops doing the things that aren't essential at that moment to keep you alive.

Digestion and immunity are two of the things that get 'turned off'.

​If you stay stressed or anxious, they stay turned off. So taking steps to avoid getting caught up in the current panic is really important. 

I know that this can be easier said than done.

If you haven't already done it now is a really good time to turn the news notifications off on your phone. It's also a good idea to avoid watching too much news, especially before bed.

If you are finding it hard to avoid getting caught up in the panic then you might want to try the homeobotanical blend I talk about below.

If you would like some ideas about how to move from the fight-flight panic mode to the rest and digest calm mode, here are some links you might like to check out and here.
​

I feel a bit like a broken record as I am always talking about the importance of sleep. But it's because it's true!

Sleep is when your body heals and restores itself.

I'm sure you are well aware that when you are anxious and worried it is much more difficult to get a good nights sleep.

I have shared lots of sleep tips in the past which you might like to remind yourself of here.

​The key thing to remember is that you need to help your body get ready for sleep. Here are a few things you can try adding to your evening:

• give yourself time to unwind before bed (and avoid watching the news during the evening).
• make sure your bedroom is a good place to sleep, keeping screens of any sort and work things out.
• make sure it's cool and dark - sleep masks can be a real help.

​​

This is probably the single most effective thing that you can do to prevent picking up any virus.

I've heard a few people comment that they don't need someone to tell them how to wash their hands!

However, there is a difference to washing your hands well enough to get rid of a virus and the quick 'soap and rinse' that most of us do most of the time. Me included.

I have definitely spent a lot more time in front of the sink than usual. I hope it is a habit that I will keep up.

A colleague of mine shared this short post on the importance of washing hands with proper cold-pressed soap to help prevent the spread of viral infections.

Fiona makes her own organic cold-pressed soap in Colchester which I have been using for years. I have some in stock if you are interested.

You are not alone if you do feel like this. It is so easy to get caught up in the panic.

Today I made up an immune boosting, panic reducing blend of homeobotanicals. My family and I have just started to use it. 

It contains herbs such as echinacea and propolis that support your immune and help your body fight off viral infection. 

It also contains herbs such as scutellaria, avena sativa, peppermint and passiflora that restore a sense of calm and balance and support restful sleep. 

This blend is suitable for the whole family and is really easy to use.

Get in touch if you would like to find out more. :)

​Take care and look after yourself,

Sarah x

The blog post I wrote last month was about the autonomic nervous system and the difference between your fight-flight response and your rest & digest state.

In a nut-shell the blog explained that the rest & digest state (parasympathetic nervous system) is where your body should be the majority of the time. However, the typical multi-tasking, scrolling and generally stressed way of life that is so common these days puts your body into the fight-flight mode (sympathetic nervous system).

This is not a good place for your body to be on a regular basis. You can read it in full here if you'd like to.

This time I thought I'd give you a few ideas on things you might like to try that will help you be in your rest & digest state.

​I hope there is something here that appeals to you. :) 
​

I mentioned in the last blog how breathing can be a really effective way to help shift your body into its rest & digest state. 

I am still amazed how something so simple and so accessible to everyone can have such an impact on the mind and body. If you want a reminder of how to get started read the breathing tips at the end of my last blog.

I first learnt how to breathe properly when I started going to yoga. 

I've been going to a class almost every week for a few years now. I love it. 

I've found a Friday evening class which is all about de-stressing at the end of the week. 

There is a 15 minute relaxation with guided meditation at the end of the class. When I leave the class I am always in a rest & digest state!

If you're not already a yoga person why not give it a go? 

You are sure to find a class in a time, place and style to suit you. There are classes just for men or just for women, for anxiety, for easing chronic pain, for the less-mobile and that's just some of the classes available at The Manor Centre! Check out the timetable here.

Since we moved house (over 18 months ago now) I've developed a habit of standing in the garden when I let the dogs out soon after 6am every morning. I've realised that I quite miss doing it if it's not me that gets down to them first!

There's lots of research that shows the positive effect on your brain and body of being out in nature. Feeling the air on your skin, hearing the birds and looking at the sky helps to wake you up as well as kick-start your natural circardian rhythm.

Dr Rangan Chatterjee talks about the importance of getting outside in nature. He mentions the correlation between improved psychological well-being and spending time in nature and therefore the opposite - the more urbanized our environment, the worse our health. In fact much of what he writes about is about encouraging the activation of the rest & digest state as often as possible - exactly what I'm writing about here.

Here is a link to one of his blog posts on how getting out in nature can help reduce stress and anxiety.

He suggests being outside for at least 20 minutes every morning.

I like his idea about drinking your morning tea or coffee outside (leaving your phone inside though), or just looking out of a window if you can't easily get outside. Everyone can give that a try!

You can even incorporate a few deep breaths to get your day off to a great start!
​
​

​I've always had a fascination with watching the moon. As a child I can remember being in the car at night and watching the moon as we drove. I was always amazed as it seemed as though the moon was jumping around in the sky! 

I have a much better view of the moon from the house and garden since we've moved home. The short days and dark mornings of winter are made much more bearable by being able to gaze at the moon. It always feels especially magical when it's a full moon.

These days a lot of people think it's a bit weird to talk about watching the moon. I think this is just another sign of the disconnect we tend to have with nature.

Historically the moon had a big impact on life. For example, farmers would sow and harvest crops according to the moon. Did you know that the harvest moon is so called because it's brightness meant that farmers could harvest into the night using the light of the harvest moon?  You can read more about that here if you're interested.

We all know that we need to check the time of the tides when we go to the beach for the day (or need to get to or from Mersea Island!) but many people forget that the tides are driven by the moon too. 

If you're still not convinced of it's relevance today, just ask any teacher about the change in their pupil's behaviour around the full-moon!

Why not look out for the next full moon and take a few minutes to stand outside and just look? It's an amazing way to get connected to the cycles of nature and tune in to your rest & digest state. 

At the risk of repeating myself, while you're there why not take a few calming deep breaths too. ;)

If you're interested in finding out how working with me can help you spend more time in your rest & digest state please get in touch. I'd love to hear from you. :)

Sarah x

I spend a lot of time talking to my clients about the benefits of making small changes to their daily habits. I will sometimes set a challenge - turning off your phone notifications is one that ​crops up frequently!

​During a consultation I don't always have enough time to explain in any detail why these changes can have such a positive impact on your emotional and physical health so I thought I'd take the opportunity of going into a bit more detail now.

​In this blog post I'm just going to focus on two parts of something called the autonomic nervous system.  The sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.

You might not be familiar with the term 'sympathetic nervous system', but you probably will have heard of the 'fight-flight' response. 
 
The fight-flight response is created by the sympathetic nervous system.
 
It is the response that your brain sets into motion when it tells your body to get ready to deal with a threat. Really I should talk about the fight-flight-freeze response - where we are ready to fight whatever the threat is, run away to safety or freeze like a rabbit in the headlights.

However, as I don't want to make this too long or in-depth I'll just refer to it as fight-flight. If you're interested in finding out a bit more about the fight-flight-freeze response take a look at this article called "Recognise your flight or flight (or freeze) responses". It gives a really accessible explanation and also some tips on how to take back control when you are in this situation. 

The parasympathetic nervous system creates a state of rest & digest.

It's the opposite of the fight-flight response and is all about being calm - allowing your body to 'rest' and look after itself by allowing things like the digestive system and the immune system to function properly.
 
It is not as well known as the fight-flight response which is a shame, as this is the one that is so important to our long-term emotional and physical health.

So if you remember one thing from reading this post please let it be the importance of being in the rest & digest state as much of the time as possible.
​

Picture this.

You're happily going about your day when you become aware of a threat to your safety. When humans first existed this threat might have been a wild animal attack but now it could be something like a car suddenly pulling out in front of you. The next bit happens in the blink of an eye.

It's a complicated process but here are some of the highlights. If you're not into details then skip ahead to the next section. ;)
 
Your senses detect danger. 
 
The part of your brain that helps you to process emotions (your amygdala) sends a distress message to the 'command centre' of your brain (your hypothalamus).
 
Your hypothalamus then initiates the following domino-effect of responses:
 

• it alerts your adrenal glands to the potential threat and they release the hormone adrenaline into your blood stream;
• the adrenaline circulates around your body and triggers a number of physiological changes;
• your heart beats faster pushing more blood to the muscles, heart and other vital organs so they can act quickly
• your blood pressure and heart rate increase
• the narrow airways to your lungs expand allowing more oxygen into your lungs more quickly
• the extra oxygen is sent to your brain so you become more alert and your senses get sharper
• glucose and fat is released into your blood stream providing additional energy to all parts of your body to get you ready to fight or flee.

 

When the surge of adrenaline from the initial stage of the fight-flight response has subsided your body decides if there is still a threat.
 
If there is, something called the HPA axis releases cortisol into your blood stream to keep it in the fight-flight state.
 
HPA stands for Hypothalamus, Pituitary Gland and Adrenal Glands. These are the parts of your body that are involved in another domino-effect message chain which results in the adrenal glands releasing the cortisol.
 
Cortisol continues the work of the adrenaline to make sure that you are still ready to react to the threat.
​

When the perceived threat has passed, the parasympathetic nervous system takes over. It lets the body know that it doesn't need more cortisol to be released thus allowing the body to return to the rest & digest stage.
 
Amongst other things it reduces your breathing rate, it releases digestive enzymes which are essential to digest your food properly (this was stopped during the fight-flight response), the airways to your lungs become narrow again, and your muscles relax.

​You might be thinking how clever your body is at having these systems in place to protect you or perhaps you're just thinking "what's this got to do with my lifestyle?". ;)
 
Your brain just wants to keep you safe and as a result it is often very cautious. It sees lots of the things that are common place in modern society as potential threats.
 
Your phone pings with a new notification. Threat.
 
You're worried about an interview or an exam. Threat.
 
You're getting close to a deadline and you don't know if you can get everything done in time. Threat.
 
It's the first day at your new job or school. Threat.
 
You get the picture.

​The trouble is that with every perceived threat comes the fight-flight response.
 
So if you've constantly got too many things on your to-do list or you receive notifications from emails, messages and social media all day, your body is constantly providing a supply of cortisol to help it deal with all these 'threats'.
​

First off, for most of us it's simply not a nice feeling when your body puts you in the fight-flight state. Your heart is pumping, you might feel sick, you start to panic, you might start sweating and you might not think straight.

Emotional problems.
 
This can be the start of problems like anxiety. Anxiety is a very personal thing, but put very simplistically it can happen something like this:
 
Your body starts to perceive everything that is just a bit of a challenge as a threat. You start to anticipate this horrible feeling and naturally you don't want to put yourself in that situation again. Your brain doesn't want you to put yourself in danger so it produces these responses to warn you of the dangers.
 
For some people the challenge could be going out and getting on the bus, for others it could be putting themselves forward for a new opportunity at work. Even just leaving the house in the morning can be a huge challange for some people.
 
Physical problems.
 
Here are just a few examples:
 
If there are constant surges in adrenaline for a prolonged period of time this can increase blood pressure and put stress on the heart and arteries. This in turn can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
 
The effect of the cortisol on your body can interfere in other hormonal responses in your body which can lead to weight gain and problems with periods or getting (and staying) pregnant.
 
Cortisol also affects sleep as it is part of the circardian rhythm. This is the way your body regulates hormones such as cortisol and melatonin so you feel tired in the evening and alert in the day.

​Cortisol levels should be higher during the day and then gradually reduce towards the evening. So every time you look at your phone or hear notifications during the evening you are causing peaks in your cortisol levels which will disturb your natural sleep cycle.

Managing your lifestyle is key. There are lots of small steps you can take to help reduce the number of perceived threats for your brain to deal with but there is one thing you can do right now to encourage your body back into the rest & digest state and it's really simple.
 
BREATHE!
 
Proper mindful 'belly' breathing. 
 
There are lots of apps, websites and books that can teach you about this but here are a few tips to get you started:
 
Close your eyes. Put one hand on your chest and the other hand on your tummy. Breathe in deeply through your nose. Try and count slowly to 4 and visualise filling the whole of your lungs. The hand on your chest should stay still but you should feel the hand on your tummy lift up. Breathe out through your nose, trying to breathe out for the same count as you breathed in. Use your tummy muscles to force out all the air from your lungs and feel your hand lower. Before your next breath in, try and pause for a few seconds, or as long as feels comfortable. Repeat!
 
You will gradually be able to take longer, deeper breathes and at the same time feel your body relaxing more and more with each out breath. If your mind still wanders, with your eyes still closed, focus on the point between your eye brows while you continue breathing.

​Give it a go, whenever you start to feel stressed and before you try and get to sleep at night. I hope it helps. 

I hope this blog post has been informative. Check out one of my other blog posts for some other simple ideas to help you find the rest & digest state.

​Sarah x


​Photo by Cody Black on Unsplash

Look forward to summer walks with the Hay Fever Prevention Plan. :)
​

You might be surprised to know that hay fever is actually defined as a chronic disease. That means it's there all the time.

So yes, your symptoms might be over with for this year, but no, your hay fever isn't gone. 

The symptoms you suffer with during the hay fever season are an acute flare up of a deep-seated chronic disease.

​In my experience as a homeopath, but also personal experience as a former hay fever sufferer, it is common to dismiss your hay fever as "just a bit of an inconvenience" each year. This is despite the fact that you know what a huge negative impact your hay fever symptoms cause you.

I imagine sufferers do that as they don't want to be to be known as the person that moans about a bit of sneezing and a runny nose as that's what hay fever is perceived to be by people that don't know better.

In 2018 a number of national newspapers ran stories on hay fever which offer support to this theory. Research reported in The Independent on April 22nd 2018,  found that one in five sufferers were so badly affected by their hay fever that they had to take time off work. However, a third of these people lied to their boss about why they needed time off as hay fever was not seen to be a legitimate reason to stay at home.

Anti-histamines are the most common conventional way to deal with symptoms of hay fever. As a homeopath it was particularly interesting (and actually quite a surprise) to see reported that of all those that use anti-histamines to manage their symptoms, 84% of them admitted that they still suffered.

Are you one of the many that take medication to suppress your symptoms but still suffer?

Perhaps you don't like taking medications but are fed up of suffering?

​If you answered 'yes' to either of these questions then this could be just what you're looking.
​

The Hay Fever Prevention Plan works by addressing your hay fever when it is dormant - that's why now is the perfect time to act.​​ 

| It’s a simple, structured and individualised plan. You follow the 5 week plan in Autumn and the New Year.

| It addresses the roots of your hay fever and starts to de-sensitise you to histamine, pollens and grasses.

| It builds over time – you can expect to see a big improvement next year but repeating the process again the following year will give even better results.

| It provides effective remedies to take during your hay fever season to avoid the need for anti-histamines and deal with any acute symptoms during the season.


Ultimately the plan gives you the chance to enjoy the summer again using an entirely natural approach. What's more, because of the way that homeopathy works, you're likely to see improvements in more than just your hay fever. :)

You will need a 90 minute Initial Hay Fever Consultation in the Autumn. At time of posting this costs £90.

You then need a 60 minute Hay Fever Follow up Consultation in January or February. At time of posting this costs £80. 

If you've already had an initial consultation with me then you will just pay for two Hay Fever Follow up Consultations.

So the full plan costs either £170 or £160 in total. This includes all of the homeopathic remedies that are part of the plan along with your Hay Fever SOS remedy for during your hay fever season and any other support remedies as appropriate.

As a former hay fever sufferer myself, I know what a difference this plan can make and I would love to help you make this change in your life. 

If you already know that now is the time for you to act then please click here to book your Hay Fever Initial Consultation with me. If you book before the end of September 2019 you will qualify for my special offer. :)

For those of you that would like a bit more information first then click here to book a free 30 minute, no obligation, Hay Fever Introductory Call with me, or send me a message.
🙂
Just think, if you take action now, next summer you could be walking through a field just like the one above and actually be enjoying yourself. :)

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Take care,
​Sarah x

​
My most significant achievement has been to do something about my anxiety and deep-rooted lack of self-worth. I started working on this about 10 years ago. Initially with counselling and then with homeopathy.

It was a big decision but it's been a life-changer. 

Outwardly you wouldn't know the difference, but the change on the inside is enormous.

Truly life-changing. Health-changing too.

No more IBS. No more heading towards a stomach ulcer. No more constant state of high-alert just waiting for criticism.

I just remembered a thought that went through my head about 16 years ago. It's about something seemingly trivial, but is an example of how I lived in my head and in a near constant state of fight or flight when I wasn't at home with my husband or with some very close friends or family.

It goes something like this. It's in the final months of my first pregnancy. We're in the process of getting  all the things you need when you have your first baby. I find out about a Nearly New Sale for clothes and equipment for babies and children. For a moment I think "what a great idea". Then I think "but I haven't had the baby yet - what if someone asks why I'm there?". We never went.

It sounds ridiculous now, but I used to have this sort of constant questioning and belittling dialogue in my head most of the time. It wasn't the sort of thing I discussed with anyone as I didn't realise that it didn't have to be like that.

It's a horrible place to be. Really horrible.

But the good news is that it doesn't have to be that way.

Do you have any anxieties, self-doubt or negative ideas about yourself that stop you leading a happy and fulfilled life?

If you do then perhaps this is the time to be brave and ask for help.

The Spring is a great time of year to begin working on issues of insecurities and depression. Everything outside is coming to life and the days are getting longer.

Think about how good it would feel to approach next Winter without the weight of your past dragging you down.

If you would like to find out more about having a consultation with me to address your anxiety, depression and any other related symptoms, please get in touch so we can talk. Everything we discuss is confidential.

I offer a free, no obligation 30-minute Introductory Call so you can ask any questions you have and see if you think I'm the right person to help you through this.

If you think I am, we can book you in for your initial consultation or work out a package of treatment so that we can work together over the next few months.

You can reach me at info@sarahpearman.co.uk or you can give me a call on 07734 922129 (if I can't pick up I'll get back to you as soon as I can).

You can also book an Introductory Call here.

Sarah x

​Earlier this year, a common misconception about the contraceptive pill came to light. In fact several 'myths' about the pill were revealed.

As an alternative healthcare practitioner with a particular interest in women's health, I hope that bringing this story to light will encourage more women to explore all the options available when it comes to their hormones.

I urge you to read the article "Nine major myths about the pill - from cancer to weight gain"  by Holly Grigg-Spall published in The Guardian on 25th February 2019. I think it's likely that many of you will be surprised by what you read. 

I am especially interested in raising awareness about the second myth that Grigg-Spall discusses - Will the pill regulate my periods? 

I regularly come across women that started taking the contraceptive pill in their teens to help 'regulate' their heavy/painful/irregular periods. 

In fact, the bleeds you experience on the pill are not menstruation at all, but the response of your body to the 7 day withdrawal each month from the synthetic hormones that make up the pill.

Your own cycle has been completely suppressed.

In fact, Lara Briden, author of the Period Repair Manual actually describes the state of being on the pill as being like a "chemically induced menopause". 

I believe it's important for a woman to make decisions about her health from an informed position - knowing all the options available to her. Too often we only know about the mainstream options.

Is this something that affects you, or perhaps your daughter or a friend?

Are you struggling with symptoms linked to your hormones?

Heavy, painful or irregular periods?

Tiredness, nausea or headaches?

Acne or sleep issues?

Perhaps you are approaching the menopause?

If you would like to try a natural approach to balancing your hormones and any other related symptoms then I can help you. :)

I have put together a 6 month package to help you find balance in your cycle and feel in control.

The package includes:

• 6 consultations with me
• a herbal detox using easy to take homeobotanical drops
• all your homeopathic remedies
• herbal drops to support you throughout the six months
• email or phone support between appointments
• a Neal's Yard organic body lotion or shower gel with a specially formulated blend of essential oils to help give you a feeling of balance and clarity
• information about other options that I've learnt about over the last 15 years in relation to periods and contraception.

I offer a safe, calm and caring environment for you to talk and everything we discuss is confidential.

All of this will cost £349. 

However, for anyone who signs up by the end of April 2019 I can offer it to you at the special price of £299. 

This works out at less than £50 a month to help you:

• find your natural balance;
• address any symptoms linked to your hormones and;
• because of the way homeopathy works, you can expect improved sleep and a boost in your energy levels and sense of well-being too. :)

Payment by installment is possible.

If you're thinking - is this for me? - then contact me to arrange a free 30 minute Introductory Call so we can chat about your situation. If you prefer you can book it online.


What my clients have said after working with me. 

"I feel more balanced since my first appointment and calmer too."

"My period has settled into a regular pattern now and I feel fine when I have it. No more pain-killers and no bloating."

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sarah x

​Self-care has become a bit of a buzz word at the moment. I'm inclined to think that's a good thing though;  if enough people are talking about it maybe more of us will start to listen.

Here are a few ways you could show yourself some love this Valentines day.

1. Put your own oxygen mask on before you try to take on the world!

Anyone reading this post is likely to have multiple roles and responsibilities in their life.

However, we're also our own person.

To be the best you can be at all your other roles you need to look after you first.

Think about the aircraft safety talk - put your own oxygen mask on before you try and help anyone else with their own.

You shouldn't feel guilty about that, it's just common sense.


2. Try JOMO not FOMO!

The concept of the Joy Of Missing Out will help you to be a much happier and more content person than The Fear Of Missing Out. Honestly.

Try finding some time to think about what's important to you and and set yourself some personal goals.

Worrying about what everyone else is up to is more likely to make you anxious and unfulfilled.


3. Be perfectly imperfect.

Take some chances in your life - if you wait for everything to be perfect you're likely to be waiting a long time.

It's okay to make a mistake.

I used to really struggle with this. I know from experience that it can lead to a lot of pressure and anxiety.

I wouldn't blame someone else for making a mistake or if something wasn't quite perfect, would you?

Why should you give yourself that pressure? When you can accept that no-one is perfect it's a lot easier to feel happy with who you are. It also makes setting a few personal goals an easier thing to do as you're in a better head-space to take some risks.


If you are interested in finding out about the ways in which I can work with you to leave your anxieties behind and live your life to the full I'd love to hear from you. :)

You can book in for an Introductory Call now or just drop me an email.
​
​Sarah x

​I may well be a bit late in the day with this announcement - apologies.

However, I hope that it will be coming at just the right time for some of you.

I would like to offer you a very special package deal. :) 

This could be for yourself or you could gift it to someone that you care about.

It will give you the chance to focus on yourself and your physical and emotional well-being, giving you the best start to 2019. 

In the safe and calming environment of my practice room we will talk through your current situation and work out the areas that you want to see change.

We will also look back at your life to gain an understanding of how you got to where you are now.

Through a combination of homeopathic remedies and herbs along with small changes to your lifestyle and habits we will work together to get you to a happier and healthier place.

Do you have feelings of:

• Anxiety?
• Overwhelm?
• Relationship problems or breakdown?
• Grief or loss?
• A lack of confidence or not being enough?
• A lack of fulfillment? Being worn out and rundown?
• Or perhaps you're still affected by events from your past?

These feelings, along with any physical symptoms that might be accompanying them are all areas we can work on together.

This package of treatment will involve working with me over 4 months to give you the best start to 2019.

What is included?

• 4 homeopathic consultations 
• 2 additional sessions where we will have the time to discuss small changes to your lifestyle and daily habits. These sessions will be tailored to your needs and help you to get the most out of your treatment package
• a 30 minute telephone conversation to discuss your situation and book in all your appointments 
• homeobotanical herbal drops to support your treatment package
• a beautiful natural and organic candle that you can give as a gift if you are purchasing this package for someone else, or just enjoy yourself if the package if for yourself! 

​
All of this is available at the very special price of £180.

This special price is giving you a saving of over £120.

This package offer involves a lot of time with me, as such I am only able to offer this to 3 people.

Here are some of the things that previous clients have said about working with me:

"Sarah is kind, calm and empathetic and the whole experience of being treated over several sessions was effective on a physical and mental level."

"Sarah was incredibly approachable and instantly made me feel at ease discussing the problems that I was suffering from."

​
If you are interested in buying this package for someone else then please email me to discuss this further or to request an invoice. I will take care of the rest and make sure that you get a 'voucher' for the package along with the beautiful organic candle to pass on to the lucky person! 

Please keep reading for a bit more information about me along with the 'small print'.​
​

Firstly, thank you for your interest in working with me, or buying this package so that someone else can. :)

I work with people who are struggling with the symptoms of stress and worry which might also be affecting their confidence. Grief, loss or relationship problems in the past might well be in the picture. These emotional symptoms may well have led to physical symptoms too.

I use homeopathy and homeobotanical herbs alongside listening, empathy and practical advice to help you get back on track and be happier and healthier.

​Here is a link to my website in case you'd like to find about more.

I qualified as a homeopath in 2012 and I'm registered with the Alliance of Registered Homeopaths.
​
​

Hello. :)

I’m a bit of a Radio 4 junkie. There always seems to be something interesting to listen to and learn about.

While I got my lunch yesterday I was captivated by a short interview from the 1960's with a World War 1 veteran – one of the Voices of the First World War series of oral history.

It was one man telling his story of a torpedo strike. He survived without physical injury, but the psychological effects followed soon after and stayed with him for the rest of his life.

It is quite possible that it was one of the first times he talked about the emotional impacts of his experiences.

For me, the interview highlights the importance of having an opportunity to talk and  be listened to.
​

​I think it can be quite difficult to talk about things that are important.

Sometimes it can take a while to even realise that there’s something that you need to talk about.

Sometimes you know you need to talk but you just don’t know who will listen.

Not only do you need the opportunity, but you need to know that you will be listened to and that you won’t be judged for what you say.
​

I’m a great listener!

At the end of their initial consultation, my clients frequently tell me that it felt good to talk.

That they’d never had the opportunity to talk about ‘everything at the same time’ before.

The things that I frequently hear about in my consultations can pretty much be grouped into the following categories:

Issues from childhood and parents;

Humiliation or mortification;

Destructive relationships;
​
Loss.

These things might have happened decades ago, but they remain a powerful force. 

They might be the cause of anxiety, a feeling of 'never being good enough' or a fear of rejection.
 

It might have happened years ago, but you don't seem to be able to forget about it.

You might not have mentioned it to anyone else, or perhaps you mentioned it to your GP and all they could offer were anti-depressants.

I use natural and gentle homeopathic remedies and herbs to help you get through whatever it is that is affecting you.

Now might be the right time for you to talk. :)

If reading this makes you think of a friend or family member I would love for you to pass this on to them. 

If you'd like to find out more about working with me you can book a free Introductory Call, give me a call or email me. 

I look forward to hearing from you. :)

​Sarah

I think most people accept the importance of sleep. However, when it comes to prioritising sleep and doing what we can to aid good quality sleep, most of us could do better.

I am very grateful to say that sleep is rarely a problem for me. Despite this I still feel the benefits of a good bedtime routine. I have been actively working on mine for the last year or so. It doesn’t always go to plan, but the more I work on it the more of a habit it becomes.
​
As well as improving the quality of my sleep, the main benefit has been the feeling of calm that I now associate with going to bed. It’s a feeling I very much recommend!
​

Look forward to it! Set aside a bit of time to clean and declutter your bathroom and bedroom. Having a clean, clear space around your bed and in your bathroom make getting ready for bed a much more appealing experience. In turn, getting good quality sleep is so much easier.

• Step away from your screens! Decide on a time to say ‘goodnight’ to your phone, laptop, tablet etc. (I aim for 9:30pm every night – it doesn’t always happen but having something to aim for really helps). Cortisol is the hormone our body uses to regulate our sleeping patterns. Looking at your phone, and laptop and being literally attached to your smartwatch can play havoc with your cortisol levels. Having at least an hour of screen-free time before trying to sleep does make a difference.
• Reduce your blue-light intake. As well as having screen-free time before bed, the build-up of blue-light exposure during the evening also disrupts your cortisol levels. Try using the ‘night-shift’ function on all your screens to help reduce this.
• Go old-school, get an alarm clock, and make your bedroom a screen-free zone at night. If you get yourself an alarm clock, there’s no need to have your phone in your bedroom. It really does aid better sleep and, once you get used to it, allows your brain to ‘turn-off’ as it knows it can’t be disturbed during the night.
• Introduce aromatherapy into your bedroom. Essential oils can be very effective when used properly. You can use them in so many ways, for example skincare products, aromatherapy diffusers, pillow sprays and roll-ons. If you want some recommendations let me know!
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol after dinner. Find a more relaxing drink for the evening to aid sleep and help keep your body hydrated. My favourites at the moment are the Pukka Night-time blend or Echinacea and Elderberry blend.
• If you share a bed and your routine isn’t the same as you partner’s, then invest in a sleep mask and earplugs if necessary. They really can make a difference.
• Make an actual routine, stick to it for a week and see how you feel. Try and factor in an hour to your evening for this wind-down process. I used to watch TV to help relax but I’ve realised that now my bedroom is a much nicer place to be, my body and mind benefit so much more from time in my bathroom and bedroom before bed.
• My routine is broadly as follows. There aren’t many people that can stick to an exact routine every night but having something to aim for that you can adapt as you need to is really helpful.
  •  Make a cup of night-time tea to drink during the evening
  • Put my phone on the landing to charge at 9:30pm (ish!)
  • Start the relaxation aromatherapy side of my Lumie Bodyclock Alarm clock when I go upstairs
  • Get ready for bed - shower if I’ve got time and definitely if I’ve had a hectic day or still feel a bit wired; use an aromatherapy moisturiser (at the moment I'm using the Neal's Yard Create Body Lotion with added Lavender and Geranium essential oils)
  • Read for a while
  • Put Bear & Edie to bed downstairs 
  • Spritz my pillow with Goodnight Pillow Spray and check the alarm is set for the morning
  • Turn out the light
  • Sleep soundly till morning!

 

​I work with many people who have issues with their sleep. If you’d like to have a chat to discuss your sleep problems I’d love to hear from you. Book in for a free 30-minute Introductory Call now. :)
​

You might be interested in my blog post Keeping Things Simple. :)

​Sarah x

 
I don't know about you, but this extended winter that we're having has really put me into hibernation mode!

It also seems to have put me into 'eating mode'. Afternoons at around 4pm have become a bit of a low energy point leaving me thinking about tea and chocolate. 

An afternoon smoothie has become my afternoon pick me up life-saver!

They taste good, they are a great energy boost and they are full of great ingredients. My kids really like them too, so they are a winner all round. :)

I know a lot of people just chuck things in a blender and create something good, but I find I'm better following a recipe. I had to stock up on a few items, but now I have them I can have a smoothie in my hand in minutes.

My current favourites are from Deliciously Ella. The Blueberry and Banana Breakfast Smoothie, Mango and Cashew Smoothie and the Banana, Date and Almond Shake are regular 4pm favourites. The Chai Latte is amazing at any time of day and is a great alternative to coffee and the Date Shake, is perfect if you're craving something really sweet!

If you like the sound of these smoothies you can find the recipes on the Deliciously Ella app or on the website and there are lots and lots of healthy and very tasty ideas to choose from. As well as smoothies there are also great recipes for breakfast, main meals, salads, sides and sweets.

​Enjoy!

​Photo by Sara Cervera on Unsplash

I first wrote this blog a couple of years ago. It was in the lead up to Christmas when everything is even more chaotic than usual.

Our current social-isolation means life is quite different right now. In some ways it is more straightforward as for many of us, everything is based in the home. But if you're anything like me you might still need a reminder of some good habits that will help you:

• feel more in control;
• be more productive; and
• give your immune system a boost.

I don't know your situation or how lock down is affecting you but I hope you find at least one idea here that you can incorporate into your days to make life a little easier. :)

I wrote the blog after reading the article 5 Ways to Simplify Today.

The author gives you five different ways you could try to  help simplify your day/week/life.

What I really like is that he suggests you pick only one of these ideas, run with it for a day and see how it goes. 

It demonstrates an understanding that real people - you and me - can't change everything all at once. It's something that takes time and effort and is a whole lot easier if we can do it a little bit at a time.
​

It's not just about being organised

Feeling in control isn't just a superficial thing. Having too much on, not having any down time, and living every moment connected to your phone, can have an impact on your health.

It can affect your sleep, your immunity and your hormones. For women it can affect your periods too. 

If you want some ideas to get started, I’m going to talk about each of these areas (which tend to overlap) that I'm working on at home:

- doing one thing at a time

- managing screen time

- a better bedtime routine to encourage better sleep.


One thing at a time

This links to the first suggestion in the ‘5 Ways to Simplify Today’ article.

Even though I’m very aware of the importance of taking my time and not taking on too much, I can still be easily distracted if I’m not careful. One of my weaknesses is wanting to make the most of my time. While on the whole I consider this to be a good thing, the area I am trying to focus on is linked to screen time.

I will often find myself ‘just checking my emails’ while I’m trying to do something else.

Last week I managed to ruin two lots of poached eggs because I got distracted. I wish I’d seen the article a week earlier. ;)  

I really like the suggestion of giving your full attention to one task, whatever that task may be. If you have a lot on your to do list it can be quite challenging to do this, but I urge you to give it a go.

Even just for a couple of hours.

Since reading the article it has become my mission to do this every day.

When I do, I can sense my mind focusing more and I’m aware of a feeling of calm. I stop thinking about what I’ve got to do next. By giving ourselves permission to do one thing properly, we are in a much better place to do the next thing on our to-do list properly too. (And for me, to cook the perfect poached eggs!).

If you read this and think ‘I get all that but I just have too many things on my to-do list’, then I urge you to read point three in the ‘5 Ways’ article right now!
 

Screens

This is a such big thing! When I was the age my children are now, in fact even when I was in my twenties and thirties, screens were just not on my horizon. The advent of the Smart Phone has changed everything.

I love my iPhone. My life is pretty much on my iPhone.

I can transfer money, check emails, access my work documents, check my children’s school attendance as well as take lots of pictures of my dogs when we walk every day!

Smart phones are fantastic things that can make our lives so much easier in so many ways.

However, if we’re not careful they can take over and have a detrimental effect too.

The Blackberry Drop Down

I saw Jerry Seinfeld (an American comedian for those of you that don’t know) perform at the O2 a few years ago – 2011 I think. Part of his stand-up routine was about what he coined the ‘Blackberry Drop Down’.

Change the word ‘Blackberry’ for whatever phone you/ your partner/ your child/ your friend uses.

I imagine there won’t be many people reading this who haven’t either experienced, or been the perpetrator of the ‘Drop Down’!

Seinfeld was referring to when someone is distracted mid-conversation by a text or notification on their phone and ‘drops down’ their head to look at their phone and proceeds to ignore the person they had been talking to.

The ‘Drop Down’ is a real bug-bear of mine, and one I try hard not to commit!

Here are some things that you could try to help manage your screen time. 

1. Turn off the notifications on your phone

I no longer have email, news, facebook or Instagram notifications popping up every few minutes. It’s amazing the difference it makes to your focus and your stress levels (something I’ll explain in more detail in another blog).

I made one compromise and still have notifications of my text messages. However, I have a special sound for the important people in my life, so it’s only when I hear my son or daughters sound (and sometimes my husband!) that I will check my phone. I’ve trained myself not to look at my phone for any other messages until I’m ready to.

I also have notifications off on my laptop. I now check emails at various points during the day. This means I am in control of when I see them and deal with them.
 
2. Sacred (screen-free) time

I class meal times as family time. There are always times during the week when we can’t eat together as a family, but regardless of how many of us are there, I endeavour to make it screen-free.

The rule is supposed to be no phones or gadgets on the dinner table at all. However, if they have to be there (and this is usually only for my husband), they are supposed to be screen-down so they are not an obvious distraction.

I bring in screen-free time if we are doing a family activity together too - playing a game or watching something on TV together. To be honest it’s not usually the children that find this hard and sometimes it’s them that suggest the screen-free time so their Dad doesn’t get repeatedly distracted!

This links back to the first point in the article about keeping things simple, as well as the fourth point about fully being with someone. It’s hard work to manage these things all the time, but I believe that it’s important to have something to work towards. Especially when it’s something as important as nurturing the relationships we have with those close to us.
 
3. Winding down before bed-time (without your phone)

For those of you that have children, or have spent any time with young children, you are probably familiar with the benefits of some ‘quiet time’ before bedtime. In our house when the children were little, it would generally involve bath-time and then story-time.

Inevitably on some days (Christmas, birthdays, when friends were visiting) this wouldn’t always happen. I was then very aware of the consequences – trying to put over-excited children to bed is a stressful experience!

I think it’s the same with adults and grown up children too.

I find that if I have my own version of bath-time and story-time before I try and sleep, it is much easier to get to sleep and have a restful night. Not being distracted by my phone is an important part of this. 

As such, I am working on putting down my phone at 9:30pm. My children now have a set time that their phones need to be out of their rooms too. Most of the time even my older teenager can see the benefit in this!

It’s up to each of us how we structure this. I’m enjoying using aromatherapy in my pre-bedtime routine along with making some time to read my book. When I make the effort to have a warm shower as well, I really notice the extra sense of calm and relaxation that it brings me. Add in an aromatic body lotion,  aromatherapy spray or roll-on and I’m almost asleep there and then!

I still haven’t got myself an alarm clock*, so I do still use my phone for that. However, I’ve been checking out alarm clocks online, so very soon my phone will be joining the children’s phones on the landing too! 

*I first wrote this post a while ago and I'm happy to report that I've had an alarm clock for a couple of years. It gives me a great sense of freedom to leave my phone outside my bedroom at night, and having a sunrise alarm clock means that I wake up much more naturally.
 
One step at a time

None of these suggestions are particularly ground-breaking, but small changes can have a surprisingly big impact on your life.

Why not pick one thing, try it for one day and see how you feel?

Trying to do too much at once and struggling to sleep well are often things that come up in my consultations. Especially when there are also issues relating to difficulty with setting boundaries, anxiety and stress.

If you recognise any of these issues and would like to have a chat about how homeopathy could help, you can book a free Introductory Call now or just drop me an email. I'd love to hear from you. :)

Sarah x

Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash

I'm not always very consistent at making proper goals and sticking to them. I am constantly striving to get better at it (I should probably make that a goal in its own right!). However, my running goal is one that I did achieve. Better still, I kept at it and have every intention to keep going. 

​I was prompted to think about my running again after Bear and I had our very own 'medal hoard' at the beginning of September. Bear was awarded 3rd place in the Border Camp South competition (an event for people who own Border Terriers) for Best Female Border Terrier and I got a Personal Best in a local 10K event the next day. Two medals in two days!

My PB is nothing amazing compared to many of the runners at the event, but it is still my personal best and I am so happy to have achieved it. ​There are so many people out there doing amazing things all around us that it can be easy to dismiss the importance of our own achievements. I really believe that setting yourself a goal is such a good way of doing something positive for yourself, and giving yourself the opportunity to  shine - something that I think a lot of people struggle with.
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This time of year is a great time to set yourself a new goal, especially if you have children in education and this is a new start for them too. I would love to hear about any goals you want to set yourself - whatever it is. Sometimes the act of telling someone else makes it a bit more real and means you will be more likely to stick to it! I will also be very happy to give you some encouragement along the way. :)

As you are probably aware, I'm particularly interested in working with people who are struggling to get to where they want to be. This could be because of issues with anxiety or lack of confidence connected to something - or someone - that has affected you, a sense of grief or loss or anything at all. In my experience setting a personal goal can be a really useful way of feeling better about yourself whatever situation you find yourself in. I sometimes use goal-setting as part of a plan of treatment as, depending on the goal, it can be one way of taking responsibility for your own health and well-being.
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​I started running when I was 39. My mum developed severe osteoporosis in her 60s and it was distressing to see her suffering more and more as the years went on and not being able to do anything to help. I knew that high impact weight-bearing exercise was a good way to increase bone density and try and prevent osteoporosis, so I decided running was something I should do. Sport was not my thing when I was younger so this was a big challenge for me. I started using one of the 0-5K apps on my phone and about 6 months after starting the training, and a few months after I turned 40, I ran my first 10k event. 

I now run between 30 minutes and an hour every week. A few years ago I could only dream of being someone that could 'just go out for a run'. It didn't seem like something I could ever achieve. It wasn't easy at all but I'm so pleased I persevered. The first few weeks of the training programme were agony. Just running for two minutes even with the knowledge that after that you could walk for 3 minutes seemed an impossibility, not to mention very painful!

It was a mental challenge just as much as a physical one. I can still remember making myself think that with every step I was helping to keep osteoporosis at bay. I also found that there was a huge benefit in exercising outside. I used to try and multi-task while I was running - planning out the rest of the day or working through a problem.

I now see a real benefit in just running and giving my mind a bit of time off. I look around me and see what's going on and notice things that I might not normally notice. When it feels like hard work I still like to think that every step is keeping me a little bit further away from osteoporosis. I also try and remember to be proud of my achievement - it might be a small achievement in the grand scheme of things, but it's still my achievement.

If you are interested in finding out more about working with me, how I can help you, and possibly setting some goals for yourself, please get in touch using the form below and we can find a time to speak. I'm easy to talk to and a really good listener :)

You might also be interested in reading my posts on gratitude, anxiety and tips on de-stressing and slowing down. ​

​This post was inspired by a newsletter that I sent out soon after Mother's Day earlier this year. I talked about the fact that for many of us, it can be extremely difficult to cope with a specific day in the calendar if it reminds us of someone that is no longer with us. It could be Mother or Father's day, a birthday, anniversary, Christmas or anything else that acts as a trigger for you.

I received  some lovely replies to that newsletter which i really enjoyed reading. It made me think that it touched a chord with many of you, so I thought I would rework it as a blog post. I decided to focus on using gratitude to help get through a difficult time, which I hope you enjoy reading.

When my parents died it was a very sad and difficult time, but of course you can't make the assumption that losing a parent, or anyone, is always a sad thing. There could be any number of reasons why it's not. What is certain, is that whatever the situation, there will always be emotions involved. I feel that using gratitudes can be helpful to cope with any emotions, but also a helpful way to approach life generally. It's not just about facing times of difficulty, so I hope everyone will be able to take something away from this post.
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Gratitude is actually big business now. Many large companies have increased staff morale, leadership qualities and productivity, amongst other things, by incorporating gratitudes into their work model. It doesn't only benefit those in the workplace though.

Research has shown that being grateful has a positive impact on the central nervous system and can actually affect the molecular structure of the brain. The result is that we are happier, healthier, less stressed and we're also likely to sleep better. What's not to like? If you're interested in understanding a bit more, read this article by The Power of Ideas on the power of gratitude for more details.
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Eleven years on, I'm happy to say that Mother's Day is no longer a traumatic day for me. I often think about my mum, but Mother's Day is now a day when I am particularly grateful for having her be my mum and can enjoy happy memories of her.

For the last few years I'd been trying to use gratitudes to help get me through difficult times like Mother's Day without realising that they were a 'thing'! Now I know a bit more about it, I have worked gratitudes in to my daily life with more purpose.

I use the Best Self Journal​ most days to keep myself organised, and one of the nicest parts about using it is the space to write three things you are grateful for morning and evening. I now find that even on days when I haven't used the journal, I am much more likely to take a step back from whatever I'm doing, long enough to think about what I am thankful for. It has definitely put me in a more positive frame of mind, and more importantly I think, it's helped me become a more thoughtful person.

Of course this changes day to day. This morning when I went for a run through my local woods, I was grateful for the shade of the trees (it was about 28 degrees at 8:30am!), for my health so that I can run, for my running partner who gives me the incentive to keep up the running and for having somewhere as beautiful as Highwoods Country Park just a few minutes from where I live. 

At times like Mother's Day it may well get a bit more deep and meaningful. ​As I mentioned in my newsletter, I will sometimes find old photos to help me remember my mum and dad and be grateful for them. These are a couple of my favourites.

The first one is in 1969 I think. My parents both worked in what was then Rhodesia (my mum was a nurse out there and my dad helped to run a school for local children on a Methodist mission). They met, married and my big brother and sister - the twins - were born out there. This is them all coming home to Britain for good on the ship SA Oranje. I don't know why, but I've always loved this picture, even though I wouldn't be around for another 5 years! ​

On their way back to England, 1969 
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Mum, Dad and Sophie - proud grandparents, 2003
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It's very simple to make gratitude a part of your everyday life. Here are a few pointers:

If you are interested in finding out more about working with me, and how I can help you, please get in touch using the form below and we can find a time to speak. I'm easy to talk to and a really good listener :)

You might also be interested in reading my posts on anxiety and tips on de-stressing and slowing down. 

​​Anxiety is defined as a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease. It refers to the physical and psychological symptoms that we feel when we are anxious. Anxiety is a very personal thing and we will all experience it differently, but symptoms such as nausea, an accelerated heart rate, difficulty sleeping, a feeling of fear, dread, or numbness, an overactive mind and a sense of restlessness are common.

​Anxiety is part of the ‘fight or flight’ response of the sympathetic nervous system – the way our body reacts to a perceived danger or stress. This response developed to help protect early humans from threats such as wild animals, by putting the body in a state of high alert to either fight the threat or flee. These days, it is far more likely to be triggered by pressures at work, home, or school. It should go like this – threat, response, recovery.

The trouble is, that for some people (1 in 6 people in any given week, according to the charity Mind), the reaction is being triggered so often that a state of anxiety becomes the norm. There is a lot of information available about the potential long-term effects of living in a prolonged state of anxiety. I came across an article which explains in a bit more detail how you need a balance between the two sides of the autonomic nervous system. It’s an interesting read and gives you a better understanding of the physiological side of anxiety.

This post is more personal - a snap shot of my own experience with anxiety. I want to share with you a bit of my own story in the hope of raising awareness of how anxiety can gradually take over, and that by talking about it, acknowledging it and being aware of why it is happening, you can beat it.
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I was a very anxious child.  In fact, I was an anxious teenager and an anxious adult too. I was very self-conscious and constantly worried about what people thought. I had some very good friends that I could trust and I had a lot of fun - I just worried too, and over-thought everything. I never really ‘did’ emotions when I was growing up. I had a secure and loving family, but discussing or displaying emotions didn’t really happen. I didn’t know what to do with my emotions, so I just kept them bottled up inside.

School was the biggest source of anxiety for me. Doing a talk in class was the absolute worst thing. I was very creative at finding ways to avoid doing the things that made me anxious, which was basically anything where I was in the spot-light.

My anxiety mainly manifested as nausea. For years I barely ate on a school morning. I can clearly picture myself in the kitchen before school with my mum, feeling so sick and dreading going to school. When I got there and I was with my friends, I was usually fine, but knowing that didn’t alter how I felt every morning.
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The crazy thing is that I just don’t think I realised what was going on at the time. I think I knew it was the worry about school that was making me feel so bad. I rarely felt ill at the weekend, well not until we all sat down to watch Open All Hours, Miss Marple, or some other Sunday night TV. It meant the weekend was almost over, and acted as the trigger for the anxiety to start all over again. 
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​Fast forward a few years to my first proper post-university job. Within a year or so of being there I had developed Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This had a big effect on my job and involved being sent to see the company doctor. I took the decision to find a new job - something more within my comfort zone and out of the anxiety-trigger zone. The anxiety was taking over.
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Another seven or eight years later, I had my first proper homeopathic consultation. The effects were incredible. It felt like all the layers of uncertainty and anxiety I had been carrying around with me since childhood were gradually falling away. It was such a subtle change that it was only at follow up appointments when I was questioned about certain things I’d mentioned before, that I would realise how much I had moved forward. I was still me, but those anxious thoughts and the almost constant inner dialogues were gone.
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I can now say with certainty and gratitude, that anxiety doesn’t rule my life anymore – it hasn’t for years. That’s not to say I’m never anxious, but now it’s just how it should be - a temporary state, not one that takes control. The way I experienced anxiety was unique to me. My homeopath asked about my childhood experiences and the triggers and manifestations of my anxiety to give me a personalised prescription. It changed my life.
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If you are interested in hearing more about how homeopathy’s individualised approach can help the symptoms of anxiety please get in touch - remember that anything we discuss is confidential.
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For a few tips on slowing down and taking control of your day right now, you can take a look at my December post :) 

​​If you’re reading this, then it’s likely that you are one of the 10 million people in the UK that suffers from hay fever. It’s also likely that you’d be really happy if you didn’t have to suffer anymore! This post will tell you everything you need to know about my Hay Fever Prevention Plan including:

•     The structure of the Hay Fever Prevention Programme;
•      What you need to do to make sure you get the results you want and;
•      How much it will cost you to say goodbye to your hay fever.

What is the Hay Fever Programme?
The Programme is a structured treatment plan, but because it’s homeopathic, it’s individualised to who you are and how your hay fever symptoms manifest. To get the full effect of the Programme you ideally need to repeat it twice before your usual hay fever season begins. Ideally this would be in the Winter and then again in the early Spring. However, most people don’t start thinking about their hay fever until this time of year, so it can be condensed so that you can start to get the benefits this year. The Programme is 5 weeks long, and you need to repeat that twice. If you book your appointment right away you can do these two repeats of the programme right away – so one appointment now in mid-March, and then another in 5 or 6 weeks. If you’re reading this after mid-March, then there are other ways of condensing the Programme so do still get in touch. As well as the appointments with me, you also get support during the hay fever season, with an extra ‘as and when’ remedy to use as necessary. You will also need a personalised blend of homeobotanical drops to use as part of the treatment.

At your first appointment, I will find out all about your hay fever – when it first started, how you have treated it, what your symptoms were in the last hay fever season and any key triggers for your symptoms. I will also ask about your medical history and a bit about you as a person. It’s very much like a normal initial consultation with me, but focused on your hay fever. I allow up to 90 minutes for this appointment. At the end of this appointment you will take away the remedies that you will need to take during the 5 weeks following your consultation.

The next appointment is shorter. I will see how you are generally and work out if I need to make any changes to the individualised part of your Programme. It is similar to a normal follow up appointments and I allow 30-45 minutes. At the end of this appointment you will take away the remedies that you will need to take during the 5 weeks following your consultation and your ‘as and when’ remedy to use during the hay fever season whenever you need it.

During the hay fever season, you should expect to have a big improvement in your hay fever symptoms. It is likely that you will still have some bad days (and possibly a bad week if you’ve suffered from hay fever for many years), however the intensity and the duration of the symptoms will have reduced. You can use your ‘as and when’ remedy whenever you need to. I will also check up on you to see how you are getting on and if you need any additional support.

What do I need to do?
For the Hay Fever Programme to give you the very best results, you need to commit to the Programme and make sure that you take your prescribed remedies as specified. You will need to take each remedy in the morning and the evening every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday for the 5 weeks. The remedies are easy to take – I will give you a set of small envelopes, each one labelled with a day of the week, which will hold several small medicated sugar pills. On the specified day, you will need to take one sugar pill in the morning, and another in the evening. It’s that simple.  The sugar pills dissolve under your tongue and they even taste nice! You just need to remember to avoid food and strong flavours (tooth paste, coffee etc) 15 minutes either side of taking the remedy. I will provide you with a remedy sheet which tells you what to take and when which you can also use to tick off each remedy as you take it. You might want to set up reminders in your mobile calendar too – whatever will work for you.

The Hay Fever Programme is designed to be preventative. This means that it is the out of season appointments that get you the best benefits in the hay fever season, but as I said, it can be condensed if you’ve left nearer to the hay fever season before getting in touch. It is recommended that you continue the programme for a few years to keep reducing the intensity and duration of your symptoms in the hay fever season – this is especially the case if you do the condensed version of the Programme.

How much does the Hay Fever Prevention Programme cost?
There are two ways you can pay for the Programme – 'pay as you go' or as a Hay Fever Package:

• 'Pay as you go'. The charge is just my normal appointment fee. If you are not a current patient then you will need one initial consultation and one follow up consultation plus your allergy homeobotanical medicine (currently £20.00 per bottle).
• As a Package. This means that you pay now for the whole package. The benefit to you is that you commit to the whole treatment and you get your homeobotanicals for free, along with full support during the hay fever season (including any other acute remedies that you may need at no extra charge).  Contact me for more details.
• Current Patients.  If you already see me as a patient then you will will just have two follow up appointments that are focused on your hay fever. You can still benefit from a Package deal.

What’s in it for me?

You can stop relying on anti-histamines. They don’t stop your hay fever, they just suppress the symptoms. At least they are supposed to, but many people find that they become less effective as time goes on. As they are available without a prescription we tend to forget that they are a powerful drug with a whole host of possible side-effects, especially if used long-term.

You get to enjoy summer again! Check out these comments from some of the people that have benefitted from this Hayfever Prevention Programme:

"Your hay fever programme has been amazingly effective! For the first time ever I can take the kids to the park in the evening during the hay fever season. I’m really pleased. It’s fantastic!”    

“When a friend suggested to try homeopathy for my hay fever I was sceptical. I had tried various alternative therapies before with varying degrees of success. To my great surprise I was practically symptom free after one course of targeted treatment for my hay fever related asthma!”

"Thanks for your wonderful hay fever remedies. Thanks to them, I have not had ANY hay fever at all this year. It is as if there were no pollens in the air this summer!”
 
You’ve read all the details, so if you want to enjoy the summer then get in touch. Call or email me if you want to ask any questions, or book your first appointment now by using my on-line booking system. I look forward to working with you soon.
 
Sarah.
 

 
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​​Happy New Year!

We are now more than a week into 2017. How is it going for you so far? I attended a series of workshops in the last few months of 2016, and one of the themes that has really stayed with me is that 'small things can make a big difference'. I have been working really hard in the last few weeks to implement some small changes to make a big difference to my life.

If you sometimes feel that life is getting away from you, or that despite your good intentions you never keep your new year's resolutions, read on to get a couple of ideas about some of the small things you could do to get 2017 off to a fantastic start. And keep it that way.
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Planning

The biggest game-changer for me has been an emphasis on planning out my day. Until I got used to doing it, this was somehow a small thing and an enormous thing all at the same time! I'm still not doing it absolutely every day, but I do it most days, and when I do, I really notice the difference. I have found that it makes me feel in control of my day which is an amazing feeling! It means that there is no space for anxiety about getting things done or getting somewhere on time as you've planned it all out.

Now that might sound a bit dull to some of you, but it really isn't. As you get used to planning your day, you begin to have a much more realistic sense of what is achievable in one day.  I have also found that it has helped me to think about what is important to me. My daily plan isn't just a long list of mundane tasks. The idea is that you plan so that you get the essential stuff done, but you also factor in time for the things that you want to do. It can help you to think about what you don’t want in your life any more too.

So, 1-4pm on a Saturday might be set aside for family time. You don't have to decide in advance what it is you want to do if don't want to, but just setting aside that time (and planning the rest of your day realistically) means that family time will happen! You might choose to have an hour set aside in your evening, for reading/ watching tv/ spending time with your children/ social media or whatever it is that helps you relax. The key is, that by planning when you are going to do certain things, it allows you to take control of your day (and stops you wasting hours scrolling through facebook!).
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One thing at a time

Becoming more organised is key to taking control. I mentioned above that by planning your day you become more realistic about what is achievable in a day. Another thing is to become more focused.

​Multi-tasking used to be the thing that we were all supposed to be able to do - if you weren't juggling 5 different things at a time then you were a bit of a waste of space. I've never been good at multi-tasking (how can you ever get something done properly and to the best of your abilities and actually finish it if you're thinking about a load of other things at the same time?), and so I'm very relieved that single-tasking is the new big thing!

I think this approach applies to everyone regardless of whether you work or not. I read the article 'Why single-tasking can make everything better' by Lauren Laverne, last week which explains it all very nicely. Since I've been taking steps to plan and be focused I would totally support the findings that suggest single-tasking reduces stress, increases productivity and improves focus and decision making. If you want more of that in your life read the article here - it will take you 6 minutes!
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What do you want out of 2017?
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You might decide that being more focused and organised is a great idea so that you can feel more in control of your life. Fantastic. But do you know what you want 2017 to be about for you? Life really could get dull if it’s just about managing the family diary or your work schedule (or both).

Why not set aside an hour or so one evening this week (tonight would be great) to make yourself a list of some of the things you would like to achieve in 2017? You might have one big goal (being able to run 5k in 30 minutes. Or just being able to run 5k!) or you might have lots of smaller things (having a relaxing bath one night a week). Then think about what you’ll need to do to make it happen. The big things will probably require long-term planning, the small things might just need a bit of thought and organisation. Whatever your goals, try taking some small steps today to help you have the 2017 you really want to have.
 
Need some help?
If you like the sound of all that, but you’re not quite sure where to start or where to find the energy or motivation then I would love to hear from you! Homeopathy is at the heart of what I do, but I also offer homeobotanicals (more about them soon) and can advise on organic skincare and supplements and can suggest small changes to your lifestyle to help you get back on track. Book in online for a free 20 minute chat or drop me an email to find out more.
 
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Homeopathy Awareness Week runs from June 14th – 21st this year and focuses on skin conditions. I thought I would write a few words on this subject and look at how homeopathy’s holistic approach can be used to help skin conditions.

When we think about our health we might think about the various organs in our body such as our liver, our lungs or our heart. It can be easy to forget that our skin is our body’s largest organ and it has some very important jobs: it protects us, it keeps us warm, cools us down, plays a part in eliminating toxins and allows us to interact with the world. When someone has a problem with their skin, they often see it as an isolated problem, as though the skin is just the packaging around what’s really important - so if the packaging is torn it doesn’t really matter as it’s not going to affect what is underneath. That’s just not true. Our skin gives us a clue as to how healthy we are on the inside. If something’s not quite right on the outside, there’s probably something not quite right on the inside either.

This way of understanding the skin as an integral part of the body rather than just as an independent outside layer reflects the holistic approach used by homeopathy. As a homeopath I want to know not only about your skin condition but about your general health and wellbeing. I will then find the best remedy for you to address the imbalance of your body as a whole, rather than just treating you for a skin condition. In this way homeopathy will addresses the underlying problem rather than just dealing with the skin itself by way of a localised treatment.

A skin problem can be an indication of something more serious. As a homeopath finds out about all of your symptoms they are well placed to spot potential problems and would advise you to get any concerning symptoms checked out with your GP. Liver problems commonly show themselves on your skin and other conditions can be indicated when there is a skin complaint accompanied by other symptoms. An example of this is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) where excessively oily skin along with sometimes embarrassing facial hair growth and absent or infrequent periods could be the first indications of this condition in a teenage girl.

Remember to always look for a registered homeopath if you are thinking of trying homeopathy. A homeopath registered with the Society of Homeopath’s follows a strict code of conduct requiring them to practice safely by advising patients to go to their GP if there are concerning symptoms – for example if a patient seeking help for eczema was at risk of getting infected skin I would advise them to go to straight to their GP as if the infection did not clear up quickly it could lead to a serious infection of the blood.

I hope this article will prompt you to think in a different way about any skin problems you or someone in your family might be suffering with. It can be very difficult coping with skin problems that can be itchy, sore, and can make you feel self-conscious about your appearance. Try and think about it as your body trying to tell you something isn’t quite right and giving you the opportunity to do something about it. It could be caused by any number of things such as a food intolerance, stress, or a bad reaction to skin products or washing powder. Putting a cream on it so it goes away won’t actually get rid of the root cause, it just means that your body has to try harder to get your attention and let you know something isn’t quite right. In the meantime, I hope you all get the chance to let your skin safely soak up the vitamin D-rich sun rays this summer!

And if homeopathy just isn’t your thing I also sell a range of locally produced organic skincare products which can help you to cope day to day with your skin condition while naturally moisturising and protecting your skin. For more details check out my website.

If you are interested in discussing in more detail how you can get help with a skin condition feel free to contact me – all my contact details are on my website.

In 1690, John Locke the English philosopher and influential Enlightenment thinker wrote

"New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed, without any other reason but because they are not already common". 

These words are over 300 years old, but I think many people will agree with me that they stand the test of time. As an adult it is instinctive, and probably quite sensible, to be suspicious of something you know nothing about.

As a homeopath I come across many people for whom homeopathy is a new concept which is to be expected in a country where conventional medicine has become the norm. So, in an effort to allay the suspicions of anyone to whom homeopathy is something new I will give you a potted history of the origins of homeopathy in my own attempt at some enlightenment on the subject!

In the 4th century BC Hippocrates, widely considered as the Father of Modern Medicine, highlighted two ways of healing: the way of Similars - that 'like treats like' as used by homeopathy; and the way of Opposites - as used by conventional medicine (e.g. if you have a high temperature you are given something to lower it).

After Hippocrates death it was the way of Opposites which achieved greater popularity in Europe, and the way of Similars went underground as 'folk-medicine'. It made a brief appearance at the time of Paracelsus (1493-1541) when he recognised that poisons could have a positive medicinal benefit if the dose was reduced.

​Two centuries later, it was discovered again by Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843) a German physicist and translator.

Unhappy with the harsh medical practices of the day Hahnemann looked for a way to reduce the damaging side-effects associated with medical treatment. Hahnemann's breakthrough came while translating an article about the action of quinine in the treatment of malaria.

He was dissatisfied with the explanation given in the article and took matters into his own hands by conducting some self-experimentation. He discovered that by taking regular doses of the source of quinine - Peruvian bark - he developed the symptoms of malaria.

​When he stopped taking the doses the symptoms disappeared proving that he did not actually have malaria. He deduced that the reason why this substance was successful in curing malaria was that, in a healthy person, it produced the symptoms of malaria.

​This was the beginning of Hahnemann's discovery of homeopathy.

Over time and with much experimentation on himself and other willing healthy individuals he discovered that (as Paracelsus had realised centuries before) by reducing the size of the dose, the healing benefits of a substance were maintained while the side-effects were diminished.

On one occasion, a vial of medicine was dropped on the floor of his carriage. It remained there for some time being shaken by the unmade roads of the time. When he found it and used the medicine again he realised it was now even more effective. It is from this chance happening that he came across the notion of energising his medicines by shaking them - now known as succussion.

​Hahnemann took the long known principle of the way of Similars and organised it into a workable, methodical system of medicine. It is these methods of dilution and succession that are still used today over 200 years later.  

​If you are interested in finding out more about working with me, and how I can help you, please get in touch using the form below and we can find a time to speak. I'm easy to talk to and a really good listener :)
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