Contact Joanne
Tel: 01280 844965
or email me here

Clinic in

Lovely Village

Location

30 Minutes From;

Milton Keynes

Northampton,

Oxford,

Less than

15 minutes

Banbury,

Buckingham,

Bicester,

Brackley

Jo Oliver Blog

Wecome to my blog/journal.

In our busy lives we seldom take the time to reflect on our day and yet the insights from taking a few minutes each day can be very powerful.

This page allows me to share a few of my personal insights around my own attempts to live a more natural, healthy and happier life.

New Year Offers with Jo Oliver
Hello, wishing each of you abundant health and energy to live your dreams this year.
New Year’s Eve can sometimes seem a bitter-sweet time of year , and I still haven’t found my perfect way to truly acknowledge this powerful time of year. I know I am not alone in feeling this way!

That being said I do love the energy of new possibilities that comes with each New Year. Anyone who knows me will know how precious I believe each life is. Living each day better than the last, learning from our challenges, and going for every new opportunity are some of the ways I honour my own precious gift of life.

End of year reflection
For the past week I have been spending some time reflecting on 2011, what was great about it, what I achieved, what I learned, what I am thankful for and who I have become along the way.
I think it is important to acknowledge how far we have come.
The miracles, blessing, obstacles and challenges we faced in 2011 are ALL equal “stepping stones” to destiny and offer us the chance to grow and transform.

As you turn your attention to creating exciting intentions for yourself in 2012, now is a timely reminder that without enough energy, well-being and health we will actually achieve very little.

The true goal of health is so that we can live our lives fully, for as long as possible.
In my experience in every individual situation there are many SIMPLE ways that you can improve your energy, well-being and health.

With this in mind I am excited to offer a Special 2012 Well-being Assessment.

This is a special over-haul assessment of your health as you start 2012. Because health is so much more than just the physical symptoms I will help you focus on what you need most. We will look at all the different areas of your health and identify what steps YOU need to take next.
This assessment will last 90 minutes and will include;

• A reminder Iridology assessment – are you supporting your inherited vulnerable areas?
• Reflex Touch – what is your body trying to tell you?
• Together we will go through a special questionnaire to help us identify which areas of your well-being needs further support.
• We will set some simple actions that you are willing to take
• You will receive your own 2012 well-being folder with some printed inspiration to keep and takeaway

I am confident that everyone will walk away with more knowledge about what they need to do next and you may choose to use this information by yourself or perhaps with a practitioner you already work with.

Learning the crucial knowledge of WHAT you need to do is only 50% of the solution. The other 50% is taking ACTION.

Having support, accountability and someone on your side makes all the difference to success as it helps you to take that crucial action. It is my hope that this assessment will help you decide if I am that person to help YOU through 2012. I have some exciting plans and range of options for how you can continue to work with me during 2012.

My win-win offer to help you take action now

My goal is to provide a range of support to those people who are a perfect fit for my work. Because my work is unique, it really does have to be experienced before you know if it is right for you.
Therefore I am making an exceptional offer – as a way of making it as safe and easy as possible for you to book in with me.

2 for 1
For every 2 people that book my assessment I will charge half-price. Obviously what I want you to do is encourage a friend, loved one or work colleague to book in with you.
They get to ‘try’ my work at a fantastic price, you get to have your assessment at half-price, and I get a chance to encourage those that are a great fit to continue working with me.
This means each FIRST Assessment (90 minutes) is just £17.50 if booked before 28.2.11
I am also looking to do FREE talks during 2012 to small groups– so if you know of a contact such as WI, Nursery group, gardening club, yoga teacher in the Brackley, Bicester, Buckingham, Towcester or Banbury area this will also qualify you for my half-price assessment.

Take Action
To book your assessment or ask any further questions please reply to this email or call me on 01280 844965
I will need to know the name and telephone number of your 2nd person.
Really looking forward to working with you during 2012

20 of 21 Tips to thrive this holiday season
Laughter Laughing is great therapy and helps to reduce tension and stress. There are even laughter workshops, if you want to have a chuckle with others. But just getting a giggle into your daily life can help. Try watching TV comedies, reading humorous columns in the paper, talking to friends who have a great sense of humour or simply keeping your eyes open for the funny side of life. Even a sticky posted alongside your computer monitor, reminding you to 'SMILE :-)'can do the trick. I know of people who decide that everything that happens in their day has to fall into either gratitude or humour – looking at the trials and challenges of our day in this way can transform your energy.
Also, here is an ‘old but good’ inspiring video – because laughing with a friend is even better………
http://www.andiesisle.com/foreverfriends.html

19 of 21 Tips to thrive this holiday season
Don't be afraid to ask for support At work and at home, ask for help when you need it, don't soldier on with ever-growing resentment. Delegate and share chores and don't make yourself into a workhorse while everyone else sits around taking you for granted. The answer lies in your own hands, so learn how to ask for what you want and you'll find that others are often glad to support you.

18 of 21 Tips to thrive this holiday season
Pursue hobbies and interests Whether your passion is horse riding, knitting, Scrabble or singing - make sure you do more of it. Find the activities that absorb you so well that you lose track of time. That state is called 'flow', and it is wonderful for knocking stress on the head and leaving you refreshed and revitalised. How about making self-care your new hobby, you never get bored and the results are priceless!

17 of 21 Tips to thrive this holiday season
Declutter and tidy your surroundings Living in a messy environment can drag you down. Gradually rid yourself of unwanted possessions, and take five minutes to clear up your living area every night before you go to bed, so that you can start the next day in a tidier space. You will sleep better in a tidy relaxing bedroom and find it easier to create nourishing food in a kitchen that is organised.

16 of 21 Tips to thrive this holiday season
News break So much of what goes out on TV and radio news is sad and bad...and once you have caught up with world events, do you really need to hear the same items repeatedly? It can be especially useful to drop the late-night bulletin, which can prey on your mind when you are trying to sleep. Another of the favourite ways to relieve stress is to reset the radio alarm, so that instead of being woken on the hour with doom and gloom, you wake a minute or two later to pleasant music

15 of 21 Tips to thrive this holiday season
Include more vibrant alive herbs and spices into your daily meals rather than as ‘dead’ capsules. Spices ginger and cinnamon can be used as dried roots/quills or powders and added to foods and made into teas. Each herb has many uses but to give you an idea; Ginger is warming great for circulation, nausea and coughs and colds. Cinnamon will help balance blood sugar levels and hormones and is also good for colds. Fresh Parsley is very high in nutrients and a super food in its own right. It will also keep your breath fresh chew some at the end of a meal. Sage is an amazing herb used for sore throats, bleeding gums, decongestant, memory loss and foggy thinking.
Interested?
Look out for herb workshops with me in 2013 held at http://www.thenurseries.com/

14 of 21 Tips to thrive this holiday season
Sleep is vital, especially good quality sleep. Ditch the caffeine and sugar after 3pm. Dim the lights (candle light is best) and remove yourself from the t.v., phones and PC and instead read just before bed-time. Combine this with sleep herbs (also called nervines), warm baths with relaxing essential oils, meditation and relaxing treatments and you will start to build up reserves of energy. If you are out and about a lot (common at this time of year) then the evenings you are at home these tips become even more crucial. Tiredness and fatigue is your body asking for time to repair – will you listen?

13 of 21 Tips to thrive this holiday season
Take the time to breathe deeply and gently for several cycles.
It only takes a few deep, gentle breaths - in through the nose, out through the nose - to "feel" your breath moving throughout your abdominal area.

Now feel that you are breathing into your lower back. Gently, slowly, breathe into any areas of tightness from too much sitting (like I'm doing right now to relax my back).

Next, stand up and take a few deep, gentle breaths all the way down into your feet. Breathe in energy and lightness; breathe out fatigue and stress. "Feel" yourself breathing in that energy and lightness through the top of your head. Feel yourself exhaling the fatigue and stress through the soles of your feet.

12 of 21 Tips to thrive this holiday season
We are children of the Sun
Research is showing that this simple statement is true. Most of us spend too much time inside out of the sun and under artificial lighting. Long term this is causing problems for our body. Even in winter we should seek daylight as much as possible. Find ways to build up your daily minutes being outside such as lunchtime strolls, parking further away than you need, walking or cycling instead of short car journeys. This is also a free way to uplift your spirits!

11 of 21 Tips to thrive this holiday season
Including more vegetables in our meals is the easiest way to improve the diet
Use dips, sauces and dressings to make your veggies more interesting. Home- made dressings don’t take long to whip up and keep 4-5 days in the fridge. You control both taste and what is ‘added’. Raw salad, lightly steamed, or baked vegetables can all be improved and livened up this way! I have local grown vegetables, freshly picked in a box from Helen – catch her on the Brackley market stall on Friday. My regular clients receive recipes each week with ways to inspire them to use vegetables.

10 of 21 Tips to thrive this holiday season
The “to do” list!
Take a look at all the tasks on your "to do" list for the next week, really study the list. If there is something that you really don't enjoy, ask yourself why you are doing it? If the reason is simply because you always do, perhaps this is the year that you replace that task with something more pleasant, like a half hour of meditation! It's time to examine some of the items on your list that put extra pressure on you and see which of them can be eliminated. This takes some time, but it's worth it, as you will feel better not only this year, but every year going forward! There's no expiration date on spreading joy and love. Sending cards expressing New Year's wishes has become more popular in recent years, but we don't need to stop there! Instead of struggling to find time for friends to gather in December, plan an evening in January or February, when the pace has slowed. Invite people to your place for a potluck dinner, or organize a group outing to a concert followed by cocktails. The holiday decorations will be packed away, and your pace will be a little slower. Best of all your friends and family will LOVE the idea!

9 of 21 Tips to thrive this holiday season
To stop the ‘self-fulfilling prophesy’ in its tracks examine your past failures. To move forward you need to look at why you failed in the past so that you can avoid making those mistakes again
"There is a difference between interest and commitment.
When you're interested in something, you do it only when it's convenient. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results."

8 of 21 Tips to thrive this holiday season
Snow and zero temperatures forecast?

Cold feet? Achey joints? An old remedy is to add cayenne pepper powder to your lotion and rub in well. Careful to wash your hands well after! Adding cayenne to your meals will ‘warm’ your heart and improve circulation- if you dare!

7 of 21 Tips to thrive this holiday season

Yoga – breathe and move. Seane Corne really inspires me to practice each day. For Seane her daily yoga practice is a form of prayer an offering of her energy. She encourages all of us to stretch and move and become aware of our bodies. Experience, flexibility and body shape isn’t the point. Learning how to love our own changing body and how to stay healthy and feel good in our own skin is just one result of regular yoga practice. Most of us are not aware of our bodies. An advanced student is the one that is calm and accepting of their body. Moving the tensions and to feel to see what it is like to realign their bones. Beautiful and empowering.

Take a look here to hear what she says http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peBNUkSTvi0&feature=relmfu
And here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSopZGv9PeU&feature=related

6 of 21 Tips to thrive this holiday season
Sneak more vegetables into your favourite Dishes.
The longer things cook, the more the flavours become blended into something wholly new and rich. Use this principle to your advantage. Add minced veggies to your favourite chilli, stew, or soup recipe. Our family favourite comfort food is ‘mash’ and I use this to include other vegetables into our diet. With the cooler weather I often bake a selection of vegetables and season them well with different herbs and seasoning combinations. Cooked vegetables balance the cold of winter…

5 of 21 Tips to Thrive this holiday period
Peppermint is common as an after-dinner digestive aid for which it excels. But at home and in clinic we use peppermint as an energiser by drinking this tea in the morning. Peppermint does not contain caffeine so is a safe lift. It is also great for when we suffer feverish chills with the common cold and stuffy nose. Remember this is an aromatic herb so cover with a lid while you infuse, so that when you drink this delicious tea you also inhale the essential oils and vapours.

4 of 21 tips to thrive this holiday period
Gratitude
We are often told that one of the most powerful things you can do to improve your overall health and feeling of wellbeing is to cultivate an attitude of gratitude. There are many ways to do this including;
Get out a piece of paper and write “I am so happy and grateful that…” across the top. Now write the following questions, leaving space in between for your answers:

1. What is around me right now that I’m grateful for? The key here is to shift your focus from what you don’t have to what you do have

2. Who am I being that I’m grateful for? The key here is to shift from the physical “stuff” in your life to the positive “essence” inside of you. Look back on your day, your week, or your month. Where did you act from kindness, appreciation, generosity and/or love? When were you really present in the moment? When do you listen to your heart for answers

3. What will I be grateful for? Have you ever heard of “future gratitude”? This is where you are grateful now for things in your life that haven’t happened yet. How do you do that? Think about what would make you happy to have, be or do in your life. What would make your heart sing?

3 of 21 tips to thrive this holiday period
Plan ahead. At this time of year we all indulge in less supportive but FUN foods. The fun foods not only derail weight loss but hamper our immune system and long term vitality. As everyone who knows me will tell you – I live by my 80/20 rule ie 80% supportive 20% indulgences. But sometimes at this time of year this seems difficult. This year I am planning ahead so I know ahead of time which meals are indulgences. Then I will make more effort with all the rest of my meals. I love this coaching comment from Holly Rigsby “Indulgences and Splurges are part of the holiday season. It’s not the DAY of a holiday event – but rather what you choose to do BEFORE – and more importantly AFTER that makes a difference”

2 of 21 tips to thrive this holiday period
Give yourself the precious gift of time

If this is the only one of the ways to relieve stress that you try, it will do you the power of good. Simply take a little time out from your regular routine every day, and do something that's just for you. It doesn't have to be a lot of time (although it's great if you can have the occasional day, weekend or even week away), but consistently allowing yourself time to relax and refresh body and spirit is a wonderful habit to develop.

28.11.11

1 of 21 tips to thrive this holiday period;

Drink more water! Just about every part of the body feels better when we drink enough water. Just do it! Drink it hot, room temperature, with a slice of lemon or not. Vortex, Reiki , bless it – or not. Start your day with a glass, have a glass 30-60 minutes before your meal, close your day with a glass. Get family and co-workers involved too! Try it for 21 days and see how you feel…..

27.11.11

Echinacea from my garden This morning I topped up my family bottle of cold and coughs herb formula. This time I chose;
Thyme and Liquorice syrup – the sweet taste is important for compliance with little ones! These herbs are anti-viral and great for a sore throat.
Boneset – this herb gets its name because it helps relieve the deep bone aches and pains of colds and flu- it is a useful herb for recurrent infections.
Elderberry – my favourite cold and flu herb. It contains powerful anti-viral properties and a great taste.
Echinacea – this mouth tingling herb will stimulate your immune system. Personally I only use small amounts of this herb.
Hyssop – Another great tasting anti-viral herb which relieves all the different types of cough.
Elecampane – Used for fatigue and general immunity. It also ‘resolves phlegm and relieves coughing’.
Sage – I include a few drops of this herb in my formula as my family tends to suffer with ’wet boggy tissues’ which small amounts of this herb really help.
The herbal world has hundreds of amazing anti-viral herbs this is just some I chose this morning.
Please remember that if you are a current or past client you can still purchase cold and flu herbal tincture from me. I will need to know any medications you are on.100ml £6 & 200ml £12 plus p&p if posted. Call or email me for more information and to discuss if I can prescribe herbs for you.

Coming up 21 days of FREE tips to help us get us through this manic period and still feel healthy and happy.

19.11.11
Do you get Health advice from the media?
If you do, chances are this is adding to your stress levels! Media articles just look for CONTENT to fill up space and catch our attention and so often use half-truths. Reading these types of articles can lead to panic.

I teach my clients some basic natural laws to follow – which are simple and easy. Then I encourage all of us to love what we eat, breathe and relate to as this is the biggest tool we can use to avoid stress and gives our body a sense of relief.

Learning to listen to what our own body needs is skills many people are never taught.
With practice we can develop our awareness so that we receive constant guidance. In clinic I share how we can become more aware of physical signs the body uses to ‘speak’ to us so that we make choices that enhance our vitality and health.
Our emotions and ‘sixth sense’ gut feelings are other languages we can learn to understand. In my job as a ‘healer’ I actually spend a lot of time teaching my clients to heal themselves. Learning the subtle body and energy language of own body is a lost art that I enjoy sharing and find endlessly fascinating.

16.11.11
Without warning I woke up Sunday morning with a viral stomach bug which had me flat on my back for 48 hours and ‘wobbly’ for the next 48 hours.
Most unusual for me – I had no appetite. This was not great as I had a huge wonderful box of local fruit and vegetables to play with. But no I couldn’t muster any interest in food.
After a while I craved carbs. Toast and potatoes to be exact. Now these are the foods that I try to avoid in my daily choices – strange isn’t it?
To be honest I just went with the flow. However now I am feeling better I am back craving salads and vegetables again – which is lucky as I have a mountain of them waiting to be used up.
This also means I have not been able to continue with my new exercise routine – but once my energy picks up it will become my top priority once again.

Set- backs are normal which is why I share mine here. I did very little for 48 hours and maybe that was just what I needed – I lean towards being a work-aholic. In the past I always had more time for creative time in my life such as music and drawing and just reading a great novel and I suspect this is another way I am being encouraged to get my life back into balance.
My work is my passion but my body needs regular movement and my emotions need creative play time. Sometimes it is easy to get caught up with food and supplements as the big healing – but of course it is really about individual balance. I will try to learn my lessons.

Chocolate-walnut torte
I just want to share to my regular clients that I made this gluten and sugar free dessert and it was a huge success. I shared with you the exact recipe in last week’s email support – which I didn’t completely follow. I used home-made date paste as my sugar-free sweetener which made my version moist – in the notes using agave it said it would be crumbly. It was fairly easy to make – I have one of those hand-wand blenders which has an attachment to grind the walnuts and dark chocolate and a whisk to whip the egg whites.
My spring-form pan is quite large so mine came out about an inch thick. My husband has been enjoying it all week, it made plenty and I had some tonight and really enjoyed it, I also shared it with a couple of friends and clients and the verdict was good. I can see all sorts of options to play with it and at this time of year walnuts are easily available. Again because of my lack of appetite I haven’t had as much as I would normally.
This cake is also high protein and contains healthy fat from the eggs and walnuts so is a winner all round. If you haven’t made it – have a go!

SSG

The rest of my time has been to complete the workbook and prepare for the first evening of the Spiritual Support Group – which I am really excited about.

11.11.11
Had to post today as it is such an awesome date! This week has turned out to be busy preparing for my first Spiritual Support group on 21.11.11.

There are so many different aspects to good health. Over the years I have found that many health issues relate to deep core issues. In many cases it seems that it is spiritual understanding that finally turns people around. My healing treatments really seem to act as a catalyst for spiritual awakening in many of my clients – an unexpected ‘side-effect’ of the reflex touch.
I see the Spiritual Support group as just another aspect of the healing support I can provide. As with all the support I provide my clients preparing this work always helps me as much as my clients. A wonderful working out of the spiritual truth that as you give you receive!

I also have a couple of reviews for this week;

Pukka Chamomile and Vanilla tea-bags.
These tea bags are available from supermarkets and convenient to use. I use them cool or cold for my daughter as her evening drink to help her relax enough to sleep. You could also use them to make ice cubes or add them as cold tea to evening smoothies.
Chamomile is a very famous and wonderful herb – not everyone enjoys the taste. Chamomile is bitter in taste which is why it is so good at cooling, relaxing and improving our digestion. Combining it with vanilla and other sweet spices allows this tea to be appreciated by those that object to straight chamomile.
Left to infuse for 20 minutes or longer turns chamomile a normal mild remedy into a much stronger one – however it will also taste much stronger so you will not be tempted to have too much. This is the beauty of herb teas – you get to taste your medicine.
Chamomile is a wonderful aid for IBS and you could certainly try this tea for a few weeks to see if it helps you.
Chamomile tincture is a very different remedy – there are amazing stories of its ability to help with stomach upsets and infections. However this is best left to a herbalist to formulate for you.
As always it is usually a combination of strategies that gets the best results always tailored to the individual.

Tooth Soap
Our teeth and mouth reflect what is happening in the rest of our digestion. In fact digestion starts in the mouth as I shared at some of my workshops earlier this year. So I am always interested to learn more natural healing methods to look after and improve this part of our body.
So I was fascinated to try the tooth soap that I first came across 2 years ago – but never got round to doing anything further. Actually I bought soap threads in error instead of the soap. These are a little tricky to get used to at first.
Very little research is out there on natural tooth care. We know that mercury fillings are a problem and that fluoride in our water and toothpaste is a potential hazard. So it was refreshing that someone finally came up with some simple solutions to prevent problems.
Tooth soap is actually what is says – a soap. Mine has some peppermint essential oil added and it is all natural. I have been using it for a month and straight away my teeth feel better. My slight bleeding has also stopped. My daughter is using it with no problems. My husband tried once and didn’t like it.
I want to do more research and see if I can come up with my own natural dental method for myself and my family. This will take a while but the results so far are encouraging. Of course if I think it is really good I will be sharing this with all my clients.

Exercise has been good this week. Food has been OK and certainly a lot less sugar than last week, but also I did not manage 70% fruit and vegetables a few carbs crept in such as potatoes and wheat. I am usually wheat-free but some weeks it creeps back in and this week was one of those.

My challenge this weekend is to make another wheat-sugar-dairy-free cake – as last week it got put in the bin! I am hopeful as I am following someone else’s recipe with only minor modifications.

6.11.11
Today is my day to REFLECT and PLAN for the rest of November. I like to reflect on the past week and month and find ways to continually improve not just my physical health but my life in general. It is too easy to get stuck in a rut and these days far too easy to sit and watch life through a screen of one kind or another. Don’t get me wrong I find both the internet and TV can be sources of inspiration, information and just plain good entertainment. But I also see people becoming more isolated and ‘life watching’ rather than ‘life living’. Maybe you agree maybe not!

Anyway all this week I am going to reflect upon getting more BALANCE in my current life – this changes with the seasons and the months and years. Whenever I feel ‘flat’ or ‘Stuck’ I know the balance in my life must be out somewhere. This week I actually feel really good and so this is more an exercise in reflecting what I can do to keep the momentum going through winter.

The changes that seem to be working for me include ensuring I get 60-70% of my food from vegetables and fruit. While I am not perfect my general day includes a large salad for lunch and cooked vegetables for dinner and trying to pair protein and produce for my snacks.

I also think that the past 7 weeks I have been preparing and sharing information with my clients on how we can reduce sugar and balance our candida levels. I have not been 100% perfect but have made continual changes to reduce refined sugar. My experiments in this area have generally been positive. However yesterday I did (try to) make a chocolate muffin which was sugar-free gluten-free and dairy-free and included healthy fat. Hmmm my daughter suggested it might be improved with chocolate chips next time and my husband just shook his head and couldn’t explain why, but felt they should go in the bin!! Have to say they looked quite good – but I did agree. My mum just exclaimed ‘Well they don’t sound like muffins at all’. Enough said.

Also I have been having my herbal tincture and super food powder every day. After about 12 years of taking herbs every day the last year or so I let them slip. But there is no doubt that taking herbs each day helps me – more energy, more upbeat and all round feeling better.

MOVEMENT has been lacking for years in my life. I sit for hours working –either with clients or computer work. I have tried for the past few years to set new habits around exercise and found myself in a continual stop-start-stop phase. However this last month this has really started to improve and I have a few ideas to help keep myself on track. In November this will be my main focus.

To me health and well-being have to include soul-work and spiritual growth. Again this month see’s the re-starting of the Spiritual Support Group which will once again keep me motivated and inspired to improve my own practice.

To create enough ‘space’ in my life I will cut back on my continual training, study and research. The past 5 years I have spent many hours each day learning from as many people and different approaches as I could find and afford. This has been an amazing journey but now I feel able to consolidate and narrow my line of research. This I hope will leave room for even more creative energy.

Lastly of course are family, friends, hobbies and home. These are outside the area that I am willing to share to the general public but you can be sure they will continue to be high on my priorities.

I plan to update here a few times each week. As client, friend or curious visitor you are very welcome to join me.

3.11.11
For those who don’t know me or how I work be you might be surprised that I share my bad days and struggles. But I have come to believe that it is only by learning to love, forgive and learn from our imperfections that we can truly heal.

None of us are really ‘experts’ or better than anyone else – instead it is our job to share the little bit of knowledge that we have gained and can share with others. It is my intention that by sharing my insights from my own struggles that I can inspire and help others.

Having got that cleared up today was a learning curve day for me. I found it interesting that when my buttons were pushed EMOTIONALLY my eating habits immediately changed as well. For me I wanted COMFORT and found this in toast and potato. As soon as I had these foods my emotions calmed.

The point of course is that life is always going to throw us continual curve balls – some believe this is how we learn and develop. Many of us women use food to cope. For me Carbs always seem to bring me comfort.

Trying to control situations and wanting them to turn out how we think is best is often responsible for creating inner tension and the last 24 hours I was given the lesson (again) that often there is an unexpected outcome that turns out to be better than the one I was trying to hold on to. Makes you understand why some people call life The Great Mystery!

Anyway I am grateful for the lesson and the carbs that grounded my emotions and I have managed to stay away from the remaining Halloween treats.

In between a very busy spell of clients I did manage to listen to two inspiring experts. The first was Lisa Nichols of ‘The Secret’ who I always find inspiring. Often we want to share our new way of living and thinking with our closest family which is not always appreciated. Lisa reminded me that Family is there to play the role of family in our life rather than cheer-leader or pupil or something that needs fixing!

The second expert was K.P. Khalsa a wonderful herbalist perhaps best known for his Yogi teas. He was sharing his insights into supporting people with fibromyalgia. I really Liked his THRIVE approach Touch; Herbs; Rest & rebalance; Immunity; Vitamins & Nutrition; Exercise. This is of course is exactly how I support ALL my clients.

That’s my round-up for the day.

2.11.11

Today started good with yoga stretches and a new November workouts of tabbatas which are new to me.
Then my email ‘broke’ and took an hour to fix – which put me behind. My hoover also ‘broke’ and I am not practical.
Despite this I had a great meeting with Nicky to discuss some ideas for my upcoming Spiritual Support Group. Busy with clients and office work I was still hit hard with sugar cravings through the afternoon. This might be in response to some stress around fixing my email or because I have had small amounts of sugar the last few days.

I had another small piece of cake – it didn’t help and left me craving more sugar.
Of course I know to expect this on one level – after all I really do know how bad sugar is and how it creates cravings – but guess it shows me just how ingrained my ‘bad habits’ around sugar are at times.

A late snack/early tea of banana, date, peanut butter blended with water and cocoa powder seemed to sort today’s sweet cravings. Strange how ‘real’ food naturally sweet seems to hit the spot far better!

I started on my new recipe to share at the end of the week for my clients. Fermented foods are a ‘new’ habit I am glad to have started – they help with sugar cravings and candida. The recipe this week I have high hopes will become very popular as it can be adapted in so many ways….

I am grateful for being able to walk my dog on a sunny morning with showers of gentle leaves gently touching our heads. Being grateful is something I am trying to focus on more in my life, especially as a few of the ‘expert’ interviews I have been listening to have spoken on the topic. I am grateful for all the great mentors I listen to each day – they always inspire, remind and uplift me!
The rest of my food included oats & berries, nakd bar and my veg-&-bean chilli for lunch - late tonight when I get back from Badminton club I will have some chicken, carrot sticks and dip.

1.11.11
Okay so although I refused any sweets last night from Halloween – today I did ‘sneak’ a mini mars bar!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I decided to copy a wonderful idea to save all the Halloween sweets for future craft projects and as treats for play-dates. Even with just ‘one’ a day my daughter has far too much.
I am teaching my daughter that once in a while is fine – but every day leads to problems. I am aware that NEVER being allowed sweets is equally damaging.
I had intended to trial a sugar-free banana chocolate muffin – had all the ingredients except the paper cases!!
This was back to school day and a return to a routine. I started with my full yoga and my body weights about 30 minutes in total. I also managed a 20 minute walk with my dog between clients.
However at the time of writing I feel I have still sat about too long the rest of the day and need to work on that.
Breakfast was oats and berries with coconut milk – followed by a nakd bar for snack. Lunch was chicken and salad (followed by mini mars bar). No afternoon snack. Dinner is warming as I type a warm bowl of veggie-and-bean chilli.
Listened to a great talk by Dr John Demartini on gratitude, read about a new way to make herbal cough sweets.
Also signed a petition where patients be allowed free complementary therapy in cases where the GP feels they cannot offer any more help.
Off to sort dinner and homework and more work later.

31.10.11

Not perfect today!
Started with 10 minutes of sprints this morning. Tick
No time for yoga just some stretches. Oh.
Breakfast was new. I had roasted some sweet potato and apple with cinnamon and walnuts in coconut oil. I had it cold with a blended banana and vanilla. It was ok…………………….
But the lack of protein left me craving for my nakd bar earlier than normal.
Teacher training day so Aimee had a play date. I was busy with client calls and emails and my office work. But I did make a vegetable and bean chilli for tonight (onions, peppers, mushrooms, celery, sweet potatoes, beans, seasoning and a tin of tomatoes. I will add some cheesy tasting nutritional yeast before serving) I had a salad with chicken for lunch – tick.
Then life got a bit crazy.
We had forgotten to buy a pumpkin for Halloween, needed to drop friend off and make sure all was prepared for school tomorrow.
Halloween it seems cannot happen without a pumpkin. For a while life as a busy mum who forgets important details like pumpkins put me in stress mode.
I had a slice of sugar laden cake before I even knew what I was doing. It happens sometimes and yes it used to be easier when I didn’t have those kinds of foods in the home.
Another day and again I am not perfect.
I did listen to an interesting interview about sprouting and did give advice to help a few local mums with sick children and discussed a possible future venture for my business.

Tonight after my veggie chilli – I may bake some sugar-free cookies and may listen to the next part of my course about reversing aging – in between Halloween activities. Or I might do nothing and enjoy having a Monday evening off – no clients on Halloween evening.
Tomorrow is another day and truthfully I am unlikely to be perfect. But I am very grateful for each of my imperfect days……..

My First Amazon review
The Richest Kids in America;How they earn It, How they spent it, how you can too, 31 Oct 2011
I got this book after hearing an interview with Mark Victor Hansen - otherwise I don't think the title would have appealed to me.
This book is all about normal kids who became rich through their own business ventures. What makes this book different is that it is written to encourage all children to learn how to become self-reliant and self-made.
Being self-employed and a mother I could really relate to these inspiring stories and tips. With such an uncertain future ahead for our children this book was an uplifting and inspiring read.

30.10.11
After a very eventful week (dad in hospital, birthday, half-term) today has been a wonderful chance to spend time on me. With husband out on a track day and daughter happily playing with friends I am making the most of no one needing me for a few hours.

For me, the biggest gift I can give myself is to prepare some short cuts for the coming busy week. Eating healthy is one of my top priorities, and like many people this is a work in progress and I accept the slips as part and parcel of life.

I just do not have an iron will, I am not a control freak, and I want to ENJOY my meals – life is about enjoyment right? Yet I also know that changes I have made to what I eat made the biggest improvements to my health and emotions. So I want to enjoy my food and yet remain healthy and I bet I am not alone…..

So I first sorted, cleaned and rearranged my kitchen so that it once again became a place that I wanted to spend time in. Funny isn’t it? How powerful clearing our space can be – how different we can feel. A trip to Ikea store doesn’t hurt either – that was yesterday.

I am working with my clients currently on exploring healthy desserts - ones that have zero refined sugar or chemical sweeteners. These desserts DO have calories, but they also have lots and lots of nutrients which our body can recognise and use.

One sugar alternative that I really like to use is date syrup. You make this yourself and it is super easy. Soak a mug of dried dates in water for a few hours (remove any stones). Then blend the soft dates with a small amount of fresh lemon juice and a bit of the sweet soak water. You can pop this in the fridge and it will keep for a week. Then you can just whip it out when you want to add a sweet note to a dressing or dip or when you want to whip up a sugar free dessert.

Making this ahead of time couldn’t be easier – and when you DO get the urge for a sweet it becomes that much quicker. I am planning on using mine to make the Lemon pudding I shared with my clients this week. Last week I made my own choc-orange energy bars with date syrup.

Dates are a mild laxative fruit with high-fibre content – so great for constipation. Because they digest quickly they are great for a quick burst of energy. Regular use of dates can help promote the growth of friendly bacteria in the intestines.

As well as my date syrup I will be making a sugar-free baked apple dessert to see if it is good enough to share with my clients next week. Salad dressings and a big pot of veggie chilli are also on my list to save me time next week AND provide some easy options of healthy foods.

21.10.11
I am just about to make my first batch of the ‘famous’ Harvest Soup. I hope it is as good as all the reviews indicate!
Here is the original recipe along with any changes I made.

Kristen Suzanne’s Harvest Soup from kristensraw.com
Yield 6 cups
1 cup water
1 large zucchini, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, quartered
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups carrot, chopped
2 dates, pitted
1 clove garlic
2 tsp Himalayan crystal salt
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup flax oil
Blend all of the ingredients, except for the flax oil, on high speed in your blender until really creamy (approximately one minute – I prefer this soup a tad warm and very creamy). Then, while the blender is running on low speed, add the flax oil. Continue blending, at a higher speed, for another minute or less. This will make it slightly warm. Enjoy!
Variations:
~Substitute olive oil for the flax oil
~Add 1/2 teaspoon coriander
~Add 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Jo’s changes;
I just put everything into my food processor except the olive oil which I added last.
I didn’t have onion powder so added a mild barbeque spice mix
I also added some nutritional yeast flakes – for a bit of creamy cheese appeal
While I washed up I gently heated the soup on the hob – not hot but warm so still technically ‘raw’.
Verdict
Yes I will be making this again – it was very quick to make and tasted great!

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