HAPPY NEW YEAR!  Make 2016 your Personal Best.

The New Year is well under way and we hope you enjoyed the festive break and feel rested and ready to take on what lies ahead! Your resolutions have been made, but as your New Year started as you planned? Chances are you didn’t plan for every eventuality! Everyone starts the New Year with good intentions, but the backlog of Christmas food, work pressures and lack of real motivation, may lead us to fall at the first hurdle! Instead of writing off this year’s resolutions, take the pressure of yourself and use the rest of this month to prepare yourself for the start of YOUR year!
Deferring till February 1st as the start of your New Year makes far more sense, the Christmas cake has gone, the last bits of coronation turkey have been thrown to the dog and the days are getting longer!

Ellen Goodman

Clean up & clear out!

For the remainder of the month try to clear the way for all the things you would like to happen in 2016. Create space in your diary, your mind and your home!

• Clear out your cupboards!
• Throw away old food!
• Delete ‘contacts’ on your mobile phone that you are no longer in ‘contact’ with!
• Give away old cookbooks that you never use
• Go through your wardrobes! If you haven't worn it in the last 6 months chances are you are not going to wear it again! (We collect unwanted items for Acorns Charity - ask me for a bag!) https://www.acorns.org.uk/
• Empty your inbox - Unsubscribe from emails that waste your time and fill your inbox!
• Make a list all the things you enjoyed doing last year – then plan to do more of them this year! – stick it on the fridge to help you stay on task!
• Book your holiday!
• Plan events for the year ahead!
• Make time for spontaneity!
  

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Be careful when 'pounding' the pounds

If the post Christmas blues and tighter jeans have made you consider exercise, think carefully about what you chose to do! The extra ‘Christmas weight’ can force many people out onto the roads to pound away the pounds, but is the simple form of exercise the best thing for our bodies?

Although running is a great all round aerobic exercise, it can involve a great deal stress and impact on the spine, so if there are underlying problems of the lower back, these could be aggravated whilst running. Low back pain could also occur due to running too far before warming up and may present itself in the form of a muscle strain or spasm with.

What should you do?

•    Ice pack and rest the area.
•    Stretching exercises alongside abdominal strengthening exercises are vital to restore the normal functioning of the lower back.
•    Seeking treatment from a Chiropractor who will use various techniques to increase recovery time such as: muscle release, mobilisation, manipulation alongside postural advice to minimise the stresses through the lower back.

How can I Prevent this occurring?

•    Warm up properly and cool down.
•    Gradually build up the speed of the jogging/running motion, and make sure the body is warm and ready before increasing the intensity.
•    It’s very important to develop and maintain abdominal strength so that the lower back doesn’t have to work too hard
•    Try performing a couple of these exercise from our video library https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKG64TeppQ8e_DWzHieTn0rKa_Cp_fu0L

If you are contemplating taking up running, or planning on increasing the miles you cover, it might be worth a visit to either our podiatrist Geoff Boldero or Chiropractor Kristine Hagen, as they both specialize in the mechanics of the foot and can advise on footwear and orthotics to help protect, ankles, knees, hips and the spine!

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Organic Facials

From January 12th 2016 we are delighted to announce that Sybil Watson will be offering Bespoke Natural Facials.  Sybil believes your skin looks its best when it is relaxed, well hydrated and has good circulation.  Working with Herbfarmacy natural products, and guidance from Georgie Britt, Sybil has designed her facials to incorporate neck and shoulder massage, reflexology and oriental facial massage.

The products have been carefully chosen and are both nourishing and calming to the skin, rich in plant and anti-oxidant botanicals and are subtle yet very effective.  Natural beauty products work with the skin not against it.  You should leave with radiant skin that is glowing and fresh.

Treatments are available on Thursday and Friday mornings as well as alternate Saturday’s.  (Other days and times may be available by mutual agreement).

As a special introductory offer we are offering25% off all Herbfarmacy facials until February 14th.

(VOUCHERS MAY BE BOUGHT NOW AND MUST BE REDEEMED BEFORE THE 14TH FEBRUARY)

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Juicing - the benefits

Juicing can be enormously beneficial for health, and can also help you lose weight as part of a balanced diet plan. Freshly made juice allows you to supercharge your intake of nutrients, vitamins and enzymes as well as giving your body a break from all of the chemicals you've been challenging it to process until now. 

Try this Green Juice out (makes 2 large glasses of juice):-

2 cucumber's
4 celery stalks
2 apples
1/2 lemon
1/4 inch fresh ginger
(Optional: a few spinach/kale/salad leaves)

You don't need to peel anything just cut into sizes that fit your juicer and juice! Sieve the juice and drink.

Just adding one green juice a day will start to alkalize your body and flood you with nutrients! For more information on this juice and juicing in general, contact The Cotswolds Juice Retreat www.thejuiceretreat.co.uk.

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