Introduction to Nutrition and Health Coaching

 ... with Patrick Holford's zest4life

 

In a world of fad diets, quick fixes and conflicting information it is sometimes difficult to know what a healthy diet really is. Join Patrick Holford's zest4li...feIntroduction to Nutrition Programme and we will teach you the basics of good nutrition for health and weight management and how to apply them for yourself and others. You will learn via a combination of a 1 day intensive training programme combined with subsequent webinars and home study modules.

The syllabus comprises 12 modules, which encompass:
• What is Optimum Nutrition?
• Dietary Models
• Understand the science of weight loss
• Why diets don't work
• Low GL: Research and evidence
• How to follow the low GL eating plan
• Importance of digestion and its role in health
• Food intolerances explained
• Understanding: heart health, Diabetes, Stress, Immune System, Hormonal health

More info: http://www.zest4life.eu/See more

 

www.essentialsforhealth.co.uk

 

Key to Happiness: Keeping Busy Without Feeling Rushed

New research finds that, compared to past decades, fewer Americans call themselves very happy. But one subgroup is an exception.

Who among us are the most happy? Newly published resear...ch suggests it is those fortunate folks who have little or no excess time, and yet seldom feel rushed.
This busy but blissful group comprises 8 to 12 percent of Americans, making it “a small and unusual minority within the general population,” writes University of Maryland sociologist John P. Robinson.

According to his analysis, the happiness level of this group is 12 to 25 percent higher than that of those of most Americans. What’s more, while the general population’s happiness level is going down, theirs is increasing: 53 percent of people in this group called themselves “very happy” in a 2009 survey, compared to 48 percent in surveys from 1976 and 1982.

That’s just one fascinating nugget from a paper that contradicts a lot of conventional wisdom—including the assumption that, as they struggle with demanding jobs, financial pressures, and family obligations, Americans are feeling more and more time pressure.
Rather, Robinson reports, the percentage of Americans who describe themselves as “always rushed” declined significantly between 2004 and the end of the decade.

In a series of surveys in the 1980s and 1990s, around 34 percent of people consistently described themselves in that manner. But that number decreased to 28 percent in a 2009 University of North Florida survey, and in the 2010 round of the University of Chicago’s General Social Survey, it was down to 25 percent.

“The decline was found both among employed and unemployed respondents,” Robinson writes in the journal Social Indicators Research, “indicating it was not simply a function of higher unemployment.”

Nevertheless, Robinson believes the economic downturn played a role in this shift. He notes that, according to the annual American Time Use Survey, the average amount of time we spent shopping dipped from 5.5 to 5.0 hours per week between 2007 and 2012. During that same period, the amount of time spent we sleeping increased slightly (from 60 to 61 hours per week), as did television viewing (from 18.3 to 19.3 hours per week).

So feeling less rushed “may just reflect how Americans generally adapt by being less active in periods of severe economic downturn,” he writes.

“More worrisome,” he adds, “is the possibility that … the pace of life has progressed to the point that Americans may not have even noticed how much more hectic daily life has become.”
Either way, it’s worth noting that the percentage of Americans who call themselves “very happy” is also on the decline. This number stayed steady at around 33 percent of the population through the last three decades of the 20th century. But in the 2010 General Social Survey, “it dropped 5 points to 28 percent—its lowest level reported,” Robinson writes.

(We’re talking here about self-reported happiness; in the General Social Survey, people are asked whether they feel “very, somewhat, or not” happy. Robinson notes that their answer has been shown to closely track with other variables that determine one’s quality of life, including self-esteem, optimism and life satisfaction.)
So, feeling less rushed does not automatically increase happiness; if it did, those numbers would be moving in tandem, rather than in opposite directions. Rather, Robinson writes, surveys “continue to show the least happy group to be those who quite often have excess time.”

Boredom, it seems, is burdensome.

As noted earlier, a specific subgroup reports the greatest satisfaction: People who don’t feel rushed, but also report little or more “excess time.” Their high levels of happiness held steady even after a long list of demographic factors was taken into account, including marriage, age, education, race and gender.
Clearly, there’s much to be said for living a productive life at a comfortable pace.

 

www.essentialsforhealth.co.uk

Massage in Pregnancy Masterclass

The course is from 9 30 - 6 00 on 12th April 2013. 

The price of the course is £90.00.

It will be held at the British School of Shiatsu and the nearest tube is Finsbury Park -

full details on website.  

What will I learn on the one day Foundation in Massage and Pregnancy course?

This course is aimed at therapists who are not sure how much they eventually want to specialise in pregnancy work, but who would like to feel confident working with a client who becomes pregnant.

It covers the basic anatomy and physiology of the three trimesters giving an overview of the main changes for the mother and baby. It explores some simple antenatal exercises for the second and third trimesters and covers body positioning for the pregnant client, mostly work in the side position on the couch/table, but also exploring the option of all fours work. The role of mobilisations and stretches is explored in detail, along with how to adapt basic massage strokes in the different positions. Some work with the abdomen/baby in the third trimester is also covered. At the end of the day students will feel confident working with the healthy pregnant woman during the second and third trimesters.

Students wanting to enrol or find information:  http://www.wellmother.org

where there is, joining details and an explanation of how to book. 

Gill Tree
Managing Director
www.essentialsforhealth.co.uk

Massage for the sick and elderly

Being sick can often be a worrying and stressful time particularly when the illness is of a serious nature, for the person who is ill and for their family and friends. At such times close ones are having to cope with their own emotions around the persons illness and communication can become a little strained as people put on a brave face.

Being ill can therefore be an isolating experience. Illness can often disrupt our sleep, make us tense and can cause pain.  A simple massage will release endorphins, our body’s natural pain killers. It will promote relaxation and add to the quality of life of the sick person. Increasingly massage is being used in hospices for these very reasons.

For the elderly, physical touch, a basic human need, may have been reduced particularly if their partner has died. A simple massage can therefore bring much to the elderly as to those who are ill, remembering that massage can be an expression of care, love and acceptance.

The type of massage given will depend greatly on the nature of the illness of a sick person, or the state of health and physical strength of the elderly person. The clothed back massage on pages 150 may well be suitable or a simple face and foot massage from chapter three may fit the bill. It is important to discuss what the person would like to receive and what they feel comfortable with.

Remember that it is the quality of touch and the care and thought behind that touch that is particularly important at this time.

It may be that a seated hand massage which develops trust, communication and eye contact, is all that is required.

Gill Tree

Managing Director

www.essentialsforhealth.co.uk

Business Tips for the Aspiring Therapist- Selling

Selling Versus Relationship Building

Today I am going to broach the subject of Selling. I think quite probably your least favourite activity and why therefore you absolutely must read this email and take some action on it!

In the past I was never comfortable with the idea of selling and making sales calls. Although I did them, I really had to force myself to. I didn’t want to appear pushy, I couldn’t face the rejection of a “no”, I didn’t want to make people feel awkward, I felt awkward, it was too invasive……. Sound familiar?

Then I realised that this was all in my head and imagined! I started to ask when I made a call “is it ok for me to call?” and the resounding answer 95% of the time was “yes”

I started to imagine that whoever I was phoning was a long lost friend. It just made picking up the phone so much easier and when I started to think that these calls were more about building a relationship and seeing if we fitted what the potential client was looking for, I started really enjoying making them!

I then went on to record myself making the calls and this is what I learnt…

When they’re talking they’re buying!

For most of the call I was just asking the right questions and listening. Most of my tape recording was empty!

So think about the questions you can ask that will engage your potential client:

Why are you considering this therapy?

What health issues can I help you with?

What can I do for you?

How can I help?

You can also ask T.E.D...

Tell me a little about where you’d like help

Explain to me what you’d like to happen

Describe what it is you’re looking for

I am not suggesting that you ‘cold call’ people who have never contacted you.

What I am saying is an absolute must is that you do call and connect with:

·         People who have made enquiries about your services

·         People who are clients who you haven’t seen for a while

·         People  who came just once and you never saw again

·         People to whom you’d like to offer a course of treatments at a discounted price

So who are the next 10 customers you are going to call?

Gill Tree

Managing Director

www.essentialsforhealth.co.uk