Yet another year has flown by and, looking back, how was 2016 for you? Did you achieve your work, health and lifestyle targets, or did you start well and gradually revert to old habits as the months passed by? Was it a typical year for you, or did major events change the balance? Regardless of how your year drew to a close, I’m here to help you start 2017 in a healthy, happy and positive frame of mind.

You are what you eat

Life in our household has been put on pause as we are moving house.  The process of getting the house up to scratch ready for sale was a long and arduous task and unavoidably, this had a knock-on effect on my goals for the year.  However, my business focus has been on learning and developing new skills through lectures and studying.  One area I have been particularly interested in is the importance of food to our overall health and the negative impact of toxicity and inflammation.  Starting 2017 with a healthy mindset could be your key to success this year.

Time to detox

I regularly detox throughout the year and I recently decided to try a new method; a Jason Vale 3 day juice detox that I could then recommend to clients.  In any detox, there is inevitably a period of feeling off-colour as the toxins begin to leave the body.  During this one, I had two days of feeling achy and generally under par, but overall the experience was easier than I expected.  The end result was worth a little pain, as afterwards I felt brighter and full of energy.   I will be factoring this into my goals for this year and would recommend it to anyone.  The thought of a detox is often harder than the actual process and this is living proof!

Allow yourself the odd treat

I’m an 80/20 person, so 80% of the time I eat very well, but occasionally I indulge in a little treat.  My weakness is Santiago, a delicious gluten-free cake from I Love Food in Berkhamsted.  What is your guilty pleasure?  If you eat well most of the time, the odd treat won’t hurt; it’s all about getting the balance right.

Think positive

A positive mind can lead to a positive outcome.  Try the Five Minute Gratitude Journal http://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Gratitude-Journal which comes as a book or an app.  Simply spend five minutes a day focussing on the positive aspects in your life, such as the things you are thankful for, the people you care about and what makes you happy, all of which you may take for granted.

Listen to your body

I can’t stress enough the importance of listening to your body.  If you feel any aches or pains, your body is trying to tell you that something is wrong.  Pain is caused by inflammation and from knee pain to high blood pressure, this originates either from your food and drink, or environmental chemicals.  Remember, 80% of your immune system is in your gut, so feed it with a poor diet of refined foods and things will start to go wrong.  Spot the signs; if you lack energy, notice aches and pains or catch a cold, it’s time to take action before things get serious.

A fully functioning digestive system will keep you feeling well, which in turn will help your focus and productivity.  A healthy start could mean a healthy year, look after your body and it will look after you!

Kath’s tips for a healthy new start

• Listen to your body and look after your digestive system. If you reach total exhaustion I can help to find your trigger; whether it’s food, stress, nutritional deficiencies or environmental chemicals.  At this stage your GP may be suggesting anti-depressants.  I will look at the root cause and it may just involve a little tweak to your lifestyle that could make the world of difference.
• Try a 3 day Jason Vale juice detox which includes a convenient app explaining exactly what to do. Just get in touch if you’d like some advice.
• Give the Five Minute Gratitude Journal a go and add some positivity into every day.
• Factor in some time to unwind in an Epsom bath at the end of the week.

Clinic news

I have recently completed a kinesiology workshop to add a new dimension to my practice and I’m so excited about it.  It enables me to identify the best fix for my clients using a new technique in muscle testing.  It works by tapping into the ‘body’s innate intelligence’, taking me directly to the heart of the problem, to show the underlying imbalance quickly and efficiently.  I can then establish exactly what the body needs in no time. It’s just brilliant!