I had a bit of a restless night. I usually sleep like a log. I have never had problems sleeping apart from the odd occasion. Last night I would wake and look at the time and then go back to sleep. This happened maybe 3 times.

When I woke this morning, my head was a bit foggy with a slight headache. Nothing major, I just knew it was a detox thing. I am very familiar with that feeling so everything was fine. The head thing cleared after a couple of hours and then I felt quite clear-headed.

7am

Lemon, ginger and warm water (same as yesterday)

8am –  on my way to work at the retreat

Juice number 1 – same as yesterday

Had a few hunger rumbles whilst massaging but nothing too embarrassing.

11.30am on the way home for lunchtime

Juice number 2 – same as yesterday

The only difference today is instead of my Superfood Powder I added a Wheatgrass shot.  I felt that because I was a bit detoxy this morning I would hold back the superfood powder.

Wheatgrass is a fantastic “superfood” containing many vitamins and minerals. It is a rich source of chlorophyll – Liquid sunshine. It improves the function of the heart, the intestines and the lungs, as well as detoxifying the blood and the liver.

2pm on my way back to the retreat

Nakd Bar

5pm on my way home

Juice number 3

Apple, carrot, celery, chard, parsley, cress, cucumber, broccoli, beetroot, courgette, lemon and ginger.

 

This juice is spicy!!

I just juice everything.

It’s a dirty red colour.

Beetroot is a fantastic blood builder and is rich in carotenoids. These act as antioxidants in the human body. Strong cancer-fighting properties. They also have anti-inflammatory and immune system benefits.

 

Tonight is Green Soup

 

 

 

• 2 tablespoons of ghee
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped (optional)
• ½ teaspoon of turmeric
• 1 teaspoon of coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon of cumin powder
• 1 large leek sliced
• 1 medium head of broccoli separated into florets
• 1 courgette chopped
• 1 large handful of greens like kale, cavalo nero, swiss chard,etc
• 1 bunch of parsley or mint or basil or a mix
• 1 litre of hot vegetable stock
• Handful of raw cashews (soaked if preferred)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

 

Heat the ghee in a large saucepan and on a low heat fry the onion until golden brown.

Add the chopped garlic with the turmeric, coriander and cumin powders. Fry for 2 minutes.

Add the chopped leek, broccoli, greens and courgette. Mix into the spices and fry for about 5 minutes.

Add the hot vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are soft – approx 15 minutes.

When they are cooked add the fresh herbs and salt and pepper. Liquidise in a blender with the cashew nuts (sieve the water out if you soaked them) or whatever you have to do the job.

 

I don’t feel as tired this evening as yesterday.

I am getting plenty of essential good fats, amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, water and enzymes.

The interesting thing is I haven’t really craved anything. I usually find that when I eat or drink in this case “Clean” I don’t tend to crave the rubbish I would otherwise eat. But remember I do these cleanses quite a lot so it doesn’t take my body and mind long to get into the groove of it all.

If you are new to a cleanse or detox you might find it hard going. Day 2 can bring up some serious cravings. You might feel very tired. Usually because you are not giving your body false stimulants such as sugar or caffeine to help “Fire” you up through the day. Don’t worry though, that passes. Your system re-adjusts and you will then start using your own natural resources, not the short-term drug-like “pick-me-ups”.

Thats Day 2. Looking forward to tomorrow.

Today the clocks went back an hour which gave us an extra hour in bed. This marks the official end of British Summertime.

I thought this would be a good time to clean up my system in preparation for the cold months ahead and to shift a few extra pounds that I accumulated in the summer months due to excessive living. (Barbecues, ice cream etc)

I am seeing A LOT of sick people around at the moment. Mainly colds, joint stiffness, digestive issues. It’s the feeling that something isn’t right. So, in order for me to get a good start on the next coming seasons I have decided to do a Juice, Smoothie and Soup 7 day cleanse. This formula works really well for me. I have tried just juicing, just smoothies and just soup but I tend to get bored and then I stray. I am going to document my 7 days and who knows, it might help someone else who is thinking of cleaning up their system. I get asked a lot about my cleanses and how they work so here is how I do this one and how I feel along the way.

DAY 1

As soon as I got up I went to the kitchen and made myself a lemon and ginger in warm water.

I love this drink.

It helps keep my digestive system in order, clears out accumulated toxins and revs up my metabolism.

When it comes to digestive health and detoxification, lemon juice works similarly to the digestive juices found in the stomach by helping the liver produce bile and we all need that to emulsify fats. It reduces indigestion, acid reflux and fluctuating blood sugar levels.

I also use lemon juice when I have a gripey gallbladder (see my blog on travelling) Healthy Travel

Ginger really shines in its ability to boost digestive health. It’s a great detoxifier.It reduces stomach bloating, helps treat constipation and lowers inflammation.

I prepare the drink by squeezing half a lemon in a glass and then juicing a big piece of ginger (I like about 2 inches), and then filling the rest of the glass with warm water.I have been eating ginger for a long time so I can handle a lot of it, and my system loves it.  If you are not used to it then don’t use as much or you could even just slice it into the glass and it won’t be as strong. Fresh ginger is the way to go, not powdered.

My juicer is out the whole time I am doing this cleanse so it is easy to get to. I put a plastic bag into the receptacle that catches all the flesh and then empty it into my compost at the end of the day which means one less thing to wash up. I wash the other bits of the juicer at the end of the day. I don’t bother washing after each use. I am sure I would give up if I did it that way.

Juice number 1 

After my shower and getting dressed I’m ready for my first juice/smoothie. (smoojie)

Lime, apple, pineapple, cucumber and avocado

Juice the lime, cucumber, pineapple and apple then add to the blender with the avocado. You could put the pineapple and apple into the blender as well as the avocado if you want something thicker.

I use this juice/smoothie a lot during the cleanse.

It tastes lovely. Quite tangy.

Cucumber and lime are great cleansers. Cucumbers contain silica, a trace mineral necessary for keeping connective tissue healthy. This means your skin will glow.

The addition of an avocado makes this smoojie more filling and provides me with a balance of essential fatty acids (the friendly fats we all need).

If you are going to do this cleanse and you drink tea or coffee regularly then you might want to start weaning yourself off them before you start. Of course you can drink them through the cleanse but try to have them black. You may even find you don’t want as much coffee or tea. You are still giving your body a break from the big offenders such as processed foods, sugar, refined carbohydrates, dairy.

I love coffee. I don’t drink many cups a day but I do like it strong. Today I have had 2 cups of black coffee in the morning. I don’t tend to drink coffee in the afternoon. We will see what tomorrow brings?

Juice Number 2   11am

 

At about 11am I had the same juice but added ½ of a teaspoon of one of my favourite superfood powders by Natures Living.  I will increase the amount as the week continues. I don’t start full on because this powder can be quite detoxifying.  It is a supercharged cocktail of health containing green foods, sea vegetables, enzymes, bacterial cultures and algae.

2pm

On the way to work at the retreat I snacked on a Nakd Bar.

5pm

On the way home from the retreat I had another juice which I took with me in a flask.

Pineapple, celery, cucumber, spinach, lime, apple and avocado

Rich in potassium from the celery, also vitamin C and iron.

This is a great intestine cleanser and of course I’m boosting my immune system.

 

Tonight is soup time

I am going to have Butternut Squash soup

• 1 onion
• 1 medium butternut squash
• 2 large carrots
• 500ml vegetable or chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 190 C / Gas 5.

Peel and chop onion, squash and carrot into large chunks and place on a roasting tray. Sprinkle with oil, cumin seeds, salt and pepper and put in the oven for 20 – 30 minutes. The vegetables should be soft but not mushy and slightly caramelised.

In a large saucepan place the stock and roasted vegetables. Bring to the boil and simmer for a further 20 mins. When the vegetables are soft blend soup until smooth.

 

Overall I haven’t felt too bad today. I was a bit hungry mid morning into lunch time but I do enjoy feeling hungry. A lot of people don’t let themselves experience hunger. Think of your digestive fire like a bonfire. If you continuously add wood to it you will smother the flames, and you will need to stop adding and wait until it grows again before putting more wood on. Most of us are in the habit of eating too often. The fire never gets to come to full strength because it always has something new to digest. The practise of being hungry allows the fire to grow.

I haven’t really thought about food today which is great for me as I like to snack, especially on sugary stuff and carbohydrate.

My energy has been good.

When you do a cleanse like this you don’t get the blood sugar hunger that so many people are worried about. I hear it all the time “Oh, I need to eat so I can do my work etc” “I would be so weak”.

If this was the first cleanse you have ever done then yes you probably will feel peculiar. So maybe start on the weekend or when you have some time off and at least you will go through the harder part on your days off.

For me, I have done so many cleanses and diets that it doesn’t make much of a difference when I start.  Mind you, I have got a really busy week coming up, let’s hope I don’t eat my words. See you tomorrow.

 

 

 

I didn’t sleep very well the other night.

My lower back was very stiff and sore and so I tossed and turned quite a bit trying to get comfortable.

As I have gotten older my lower back plays me up a bit more. Maybe I am more aware of it?

Anyhow, this topic comes up a lot with my clients so I thought I would talk a bit about Joint Stiffness.

With me I usually know what the reasons are for my stiffness. And depending what kind of stiffness it is, the reason changes.

The other night I am sure it was due to dehydration, lack of movement the day before and eating to much of the wrong foods.

The day before I attended a talk/seminar all day which meant a lot of sitting. I also didn’t drink as much water as I normally would because I didn’t want to get up every five minutes and have to go to the loo, and my diet wasn’t fantastic. Sandwich and crisps for lunch and when I got home I nibbled on dips and doritos and still didn’t drink enough water. On top of all that, the lovely weather we have been having here in Lincolnshire took a turn for the worse. Cold and Damp!

 

Let’s start with dehydration.

The cartilage in our joints needs to be kept lubricated for cushioning and shock absorption. Many nutrients help this cartilage and it also needs to be filled with fluid.

As we age, the ability to keep our joints hydrated lessens. Taking joint-supportive nutrients will help, but you also need to keep your joints hydrated.

At first, increasing the amount of water you drink may not seem like its doing much other than making you go to the loo more often, but as the cartilage swells again and regains its ability to retain fluid, that urge will subside. A bit like watering a plant that has completely dried up. It takes a few times watering before the soil rehydrates and retains the much-needed water.

Lack of movement

My Mum is a very strong and fit 75-year-old lady. She puts it down to physically working hard on the farm every day. She hates it if she can’t get outside daily to do something physical, and when I mean physical I mean lugging bales of hay and walking miles up and down hills. She says that if she was to stop she would rust! There is something to that.

Movement is one of the essential keys to living life.

With movement comes a natural warming of the muscles and connective tissue. As the muscles are used, heat is created which keeps the tissues warm and in a flexible state.

When you are inactive, the heat doesn’t happen and the muscles begin to harden and the connective tissue glues together. This is when as my mum says, “you begin to rust”.

Often those who allow their muscles to harden and lose their flexibility begin to lose hope that they will ever return to the suppleness of their youth.

Whilst we can’t turn back the years there is a lot we can do to move our bodies to maintain our optimal health. Even if that is going for a walk or doing 10 minutes stretching every morning or evening.

So back to the other day. I sat on my bum way too long during the day and other than having a short 15-minute walk at lunchtime, that was it. I didn’t do any stretching, nothing. That didn’t bode well. I am finding that the older I am getting the more movement I need to do. I feel it straight away. That stiffness, you know what I mean!

Get up and go for a walk.

Being kind to your digestion

I usually know when I have not been kind to my digestive system. My system is quite sensitive so I can only go so far and then I get warning signs to slow down and usually lighten things up.

One of them is joint stiffness.

In Ayurveda, stiffness in the joints is sometimes a result of too many toxins in the body. Of course, Ayurveda believes that toxins are due to compromised digestion. This then creates stiffness and heaviness in the joints and if that stays there for a long time, the joints can become swollen and painful.

Yesterday I had quite a heavy diet. Bread, crisps (a lot of them) and a dip made from dairy. And to top it all off we have been having cold, damp weather which doesn’t help either.  Of course, this toxic build up doesn’t just happen overnight, it has been slowly accumulating and reflects the heavy diet I have been eating. I have been feeling it.

Change of season issues

In the winter, we tend to eat more. Food is fuel for our metabolism to keep us at normal body temperature. Have you ever felt cold if you have missed a meal?

This increase of heavier winter food can lead to the build-up of toxins. Sluggishness, extra pounds, poor sleep? Sound familiar?

This is also a funny time of the year. Sunlight is slowly returning. A warm day or two might plague you with congestion and upper respiratory conditions. It’s the warm days that tend to make you sick. After battling through the cold all winter, your body is unprepared for the sudden rise in temperature. As your layer of winter insulation begins to melt, it enriches your blood which tends to congests your circulatory system. This then leaves you vulnerable to Kapha disorders like respiratory congestion, sinus infections, and in my case, joint stiffness.

So, what am I going to do?

• Lighten up my diet with warm, light, drier foods. Spiced cooked apples for breakfast, Kitchari for lunch and then maybe a nourishing soup for dinner. No CRISPS!!!
• Do more exercise. For me this means walking. If the sun is shining then I’ll be outside, if it’s not then off to the gym I go. And of course, Gardening!
• Drink Kapha Tea. This tea is very invigorating. It has chilli in it so it is quite spicy. I love it.

• One supplement that I swear by for Joint Stiffness and pain is MSM Vital. MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is a sulphur containing compound that is used to improve immune function, lower inflammation and help restore healthy bodily tissue.

I have been taking it a long time in different forms.

This MSM product is very special.

Firstly, its organic. All Amaiva products are.

There are no anti-bulking agents in this product. You will be hard pressed to find another capsule/tablet of the same quality. It is processed at low temperatures which retain its benefits.

Added to it is Turmeric and Frankincense.

I can honestly say it is the best MSM based supplement I have tried and I have tried a lot.

You can also buy  MSM POWDER  which is very good as well. The taste is a bit bitter but if you mix it with juice then it’s OK.

Higher Nature is a fantastic British Company with very high quality products. Their customer service is excellent.

I hope you have found these ideas helpful. They seem to work for me.

Of course, if you do have pain related issues then please consult your health practioner.

I’m off for a walk.

Let’s talk about Waste Disposal, and no, I don’t mean arranging for someone to get rid of your husband. 😀

This blog is about Pooing and one of my best ever buys, the “Step and Go” or “Squatty Potty”.

My bowel movements have been hit and miss over the years due to several reasons.

One major reason is the number of diets I have been on.

I think I have done every diet known to man. I am a bit of an encyclopaedia when it comes to diets. If you want any information on a diet, then I am the one to ask for advice.

In fact, my best advice would be to sort your digestion out. (separate blog topic). Diets didn’t help my bowel movements that’s for sure.

Another reason is dehydration. For me this causes 

Constipation

Constipation can be debilitating.

Not only are you uncomfortable, it can lead to bloating, fatigue, heart burn, lower back pain and the list goes on.

The number of clients I see that believe it is normal to go to the toilet 2-3 times a week, or even less, is astonishing.

There is no way I could do that!

Sometimes, when things aren’t working well for me I might go 48hrs and then I feel terrible.

Just think, all that food (waste) that you haven’t gotten rid of is fermenting and rotting inside of you creating god knows what. YUK!

 

Squatting

So, to sort out my bowels movements, the first thing I started doing before my “great buy” was Squat.

I still do it.

If I have to bring on my daily bowel movement I squat for a few minutes. Sometimes before doing this I have a glass of warm water to help things along. It’s very effective, why not give it a try?

Squatting is the most natural posture to use for bowel evacuation.

Man, has always used the squatting position for resting, working and bowel movements. Small children instinctively squat to relieve themselves. You might think it strange because living in the West we are not taught to do this.

However, the human body was designed to function this way. Our ancestors performed their bodily functions squatting until the middle of the 19th century. Chair-like toilets had only been used by royalty. Then in the 1800’s, the throne-like water closet was invented. And the rest is history. From then on we were considered “Clean”.

The downside to this was our new posture for bowel evacuation. Sitting instead of squatting obstructs the waste passage through the colon. 

 

Advantages of Squatting

By squatting you eliminate faster, easier and complete. No straining! Which seems to be very common. Constipation can also be avoided by switching to a squatting posture toilet.

Gravity does most of the work. Your body weight presses against your thighs and naturally compresses the colon.

For pregnant women, squatting avoids pressure on the uterus when using this type of toilet.

Step and Go

Which now brings me to my  Step and Go

I like the name Squatty Potty which is another brand, but it is essentially the same product.

The height is important. It’s about 7”. When you sit on the loo you place your feet on either side of the bowl on the foot rests and it helps if you lean forward slightly. Things start shifting very quickly and before you know it you are 1kg lighter or there abouts.

It tucks under the toilet bowl when not in use so it doesn’t get in the way of a man having to stand up.

Since we have had this, my pooing experience is a pleasure.

No more waiting, and waiting.

No more straining.

No more feeling like there is still more to go.

Just a sense of satisfaction and ease.

I thoroughly recommend getting one of these. Even my husband loves it and he was sceptical. I don’t think they are expensive when you consider you will use it every day and you will feel much lighter and energised as a result of emptying your bowels properly. I wouldn’t be without mine.

Here is a Video about the Squatty Potty. It’s a bit wacky but you get the idea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A great deal of my work these days is as an Amnanda Therapist.

I have information about the origins of Amnanda and what the treatment programme consists of on my Amnanda Page.

But I wanted to share with you my personal experience of Amnanda.

I had been offered Amnanda a few times before I took the plunge.  At the time, I was pursuing a singing career that was going nowhere. As a person, looking back now I can see that I was perhaps quite stubborn and cynical about life and people. I was opinionated, quick to judge and came across as a bit stroppy. I thought I was happy and sorted so I didn’t need to change anything.

I now realise that what was really going on was my lack of self-awareness and I was allowing Fear to control my life:

Fear of being wrong, Fear of failure, Fear of being abandoned, Fear of the unknown.

Fear does funny things to you; it restricts you, it stops you growing, it narrows rather than widens your life view and keeps you in your comfort zone (even if that comfort zone isn’t necessarily good for you).

I was curious though. One thing about me is, I love to know about things, I will try anything once. In fact, I would say I was a bit of a fad diet and therapy junkie. I have read nearly every diet, self-help or therapy book on the market looking for answers.

Well, eventually I said ok why not? Let’s add Amnanda to the list.  

So back in July 2014 I started Amnanda.  I can honestly say despite the rollercoaster journey it took me on, looking back it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

I kept a diary during the Amnanda process so here is a summary of what happened to me.  It is my personal experience and everybody’s journey will be different based on who they are, their genetics, their life experiences to date and to an extent their openness to the whole process

 

The Monthy Treatments

I have always loved to have a massage so that part of the therapy was wonderful. The Amnanda massage is not like any other type of massage. The touch is different. Right from the very first month there is a strong nurturing feeling as soon as the therapist’s hands touch you. The treatment is incredibly relaxing and loving.  After my first treatment, I came over quite emotional. It felt as though my mum was hugging me and telling me everything would be alright.

This feeling of safety and nurturing happened each time I had the treatment but at the end my reactions would vary. Sometimes I was full of energy and wanted to jump off the table and take on the world, sometimes I would just lie there and enjoy the deep feeling of contentment.

One part of Amnanda that I did find very beneficial was the “chat” I had at the beginning of each session with my therapist.  We would review how the previous weeks had been. Sometimes I didn’t want to talk at all, but when I did, my therapist was always there to guide me and help me find the best way to self-heal and work through my problems my way.

I enjoyed taking the 2 teas during the 12 months. One is a Green Tea which works on the immune system and the other is Woman Vital which helps support the hormonal system, and the skin tincture which is taken for 2 of the 12 months definitely helped my skin and I’m sure made me look younger.

 

The Physical  

From the onset, I started getting little physical niggles that I hadn’t had for a long time, like a sore back and ankle. I have had quite a few falls in the past and hurt my back and ankle several times. Amnanda seemed to release these traumas and I started having familiar pains. That’s what Amnanda does, it releases physical issues you may have had in the past and that haven’t been processed properly. The release is not in a big way, just enough for you to handle at the time. The interesting thing is that the physical issue can come and go very quickly, sometimes even within 24 hrs.

During Amnanda I had a few sinus and throat problems, anything to do with my singing. My whole childhood was plagued with bronchitis and sinus so that wasn’t a surprise.

 

The Emotional

Before Amnanda I used to have a standard phrase that “I didn’t like people”. Everybody knew that about me. It was my way of not having to deal with anything or anybody and allowed me to keep my distance, especially from those around me who I felt took my energy without giving me anything back. The “emotional vampires” I call them.

However, very early on in the treatment process I found myself releasing this defence mechanism, becoming more tolerant of others, becoming less quick to judge them and more relaxed generally.  This was because I was losing my Fear based behaviours.

Another thing I noticed, was I started to feel as though I didn’t have to control everything and everybody around me. This was a safety barrier I had put up to keep me where I felt comfortable.  I didn’t TRUST. All that did was exhaust me. Slowly, Amnanda allowed me to have the confidence to change this behaviour, to let go, and not only to trust people but also to trust life itself.

There were also times where I just felt odd.  A bit teary, under energised, depressed, uncertain. In the past I would have been analysing like mad to work out the reasons for all of this and try to find cures. That was something I learnt about myself, while doing Amnanda, by analysing and trying to cure, I wasn’t letting myself feel. I let these odd feelings go and just put it down to Amnanda.

I began to release

 At the beginning of the emotional release, I started to feel a flow. Things seemed to be much easier. I didn’t feel that I was always “pushing sh***t uphill” as I used to say. I started to take constructive criticism on board. That was huge for me!!

Before, if anybody tried to help me by making suggestions I would get very defensive and shut down. Remember, I always knew best (I must have been a terrible singing student), I now wanted to learn and improve.

The Fear was going.

I’m not going to say it was all roses during my Amnanda journey. There were times where I dealt with a lot of anger, sadness and anxiety.  I went through a very rough patch but I always felt there was a light at the end of the tunnel drawing me forward.  In fact, I said that a lot in my diary at the time. I always felt as if I would be OK.

 

It changed my life

 After treatment 7 I decided to train as an Amnanda therapist.

Amnanda was making me feel soo good.  Then came the realisation that singing (and I quote from my diary) “has never made me feel like that!”

That was it. I made up my mind to go with the flow and give up singing!

And then I got sick. I got a terrible throat and chest and felt awful. My poor old sub-conscious was fighting me. But I couldn’t help feeling excited about the future. Scared but excited. How the hell was I going to do this? I’ve always been a singer. I’ve never done anything but be a singer. Ok, I had to work other jobs while I was studying, but my whole life was focused on singing. There were doubts, and times I felt like I was a failure by giving up.  But through all this, again, I have to say, I always had a deep deep feeling that everything would be OK.

 

And now:

I don’t get backache anymore.

I don’t wear glasses. I used to before Amnanda.

I am hardly ever sick with a throat or sinus infection and if I do get one it goes very quickly.

My skin feels great. I “look alive and vibrant” as one of my clients said.

It’s all good.

What have I learnt?

Here I am today. I love what I do. I find people very interesting. I love learning. I try to always have a positive outlook on things, I don’t judge, and I have purpose (“thank god” I can hear my husband say)

As a therapist. I have seen so many transformations happen with my Amnanda clients.  I have done over 200 treatments so far and travel to London once a month to visit clients there in their homes.

Amnanda is such a bespoke therapy. Everybody has a different journey, and experience changes that are relevant to them only.

I will probably refer to it a lot in my blogs because of the changes that I experienced.

Amnanda restored my true belief in myself. All the crap that had been clouding this disappeared to let my potential shine through. The fear has gone.

That is Amnanda.

 

When I was an opera singer I was quite paranoid about travelling to say the least. Would I catch anything from other travellers? Would the pillows and duvets in the Hotels/Apartments be duck down and therefore I would get allergies? Did I bring my nasal sprays, throat sprays etc. Will the air be dry in the theatres/hotels? Did that child in the seat behind me just cough? And the list went on and on.

Now that part of my life is behind me I relax. Literally!

Not only was it physically hard work to keep up with my routines and paranoia, it was also psychologically hard work.  I have never been so well since giving up singing. Mainly because I didn’t enjoy what I was doing. For years, I had been defined as Susan the singer, and I believed that was the only thing I did well. Once I let go of that and realised that I could do whatever I wanted I started my healing process. It took a long time and was painful as well. I felt like I was giving in or giving up and the stubborn part of me hung on to it for quite a while.

It was only after doing Amnanda that I gained the courage to take the plunge. I am now an Amnanda therapist and see transformations all the time in my clients. I’ll talk about Amnanda in another blog post.

So now when I travel I am much more relaxed about children coughing.

My expectations are always positive.

I like to be organised though, especially before I leave home. By being somewhat organised, it relieves the stress of what I dislike most – packing! I have a packing list which I have had for years and that takes the pressure off the suitcase/bag packing. On my list is clothing essentials, toiletries, important stuff like passport etc, I even have a miscellaneous column.  As I think of new things I add them, my list has become quite extensive now but I never forget anything.  I also have a “to do before I go” list which has things like turn the switches off, water plants, adjust heating etc. All of this makes my journey way less stressful and it doesn’t take long. I highly recommend it.

The other important thing I do is put on my energetic boundary shield and I always travel wearing my Jade necklace.

The shield is a very handy thing. If you are going to be around a lot of people or even one person in particular that sucks the life out of you then I recommend putting on a shield. All I do is go through the motions of putting on an invisible suit of armour, or even a cape depending on the situation. I put on the trousers, the jacket, and the helmet so that I’m fully covered. Then I am set. But you must remember to take that shield off at night before you go to bed. If you don’t then your energy will become stuck underneath it and you might feel very peculiar indeed. I’ve got a note on my bedside table to remind me. If I do forget I feel it a couple of days later that’s for sure.  I can recommend a fantastic book on the subject called Energetic Boundaries by Cyndi Dale.

 

As for Jade, it has the amazing ability not to absorb any negative vibration from the space around you. By wearing it, Jade can protect you from all negative vibrations that might be able to find their way to your energy field. Jade is also the stone of peace and calm. Nice energy to have don’t you think?

I bought my little Buddha when I was in Bendigo Australia visiting The Great Stupa of Universal Peace which is still being built. The Jade used for my little Buddha is a tiny chip from the Jade Buddha of Universal Peace which is going to be eventually housed there after its world tour which began in 2009. This is the largest Buddha carved out of Jade in the world. I cherish this necklace and the way it helps me feel.

Last weekend I travelled to Lille in France so I didn’t have to board an airplane. This is always a godsend because the altitude when flying always plays havoc on my digestive system. I don’t have the greatest digestive system because I abused it a lot when I was younger through diet and lifestyle, but at least now I have the education to know what works for me. I do take Triphala every night which is an Ayurveda supplement. I’ll talk more about digestion in another blog.

What I am aware of when travelling is drinking enough water. It’s quite difficult because you don’t know when you will need the loo but I don’t stress over that anymore. (That was another paranoia I had as a singer). In fact, since doing Amnanda I don’t stress over much anymore. I don’t worry about the hardness of the bed, the air quality (mind I’m not partial to pollution), getting enough sleep etc. I just try to enjoy each moment in my new surroundings and with the people I care about.

One thing I did do when I got to Lille was buy some lemons. You might find this piece of information interesting.  In the past I have had a few issues with my gallbladder. You know, that awful stabbing pain under the right ribcage., being nauseous.  Well every now and then my gallbladder gets a bit gripy if I eat the things it doesn’t like and don’t hydrate myself enough. And when I got to Lille the first night was a bit gripy. There are 2 things I do depending on the severity of it other than addressing my diet and hydration levels. If it’s not too bad I will squeeze half a lemon or even a whole lemon into a glass of luke warm water and drink it. Apparently, the pectin in the lemon is believed to help rid you of gallbladder pain. Well it works for me and has had for a long time. I also love drinking lemon juice so it’s no chore.  When I had my gallbladder issues I started taking a fantastic supplement  recommended to me called Quebra Pedra (stone breaker). It is also used for Kidney Stones. This herb has been used in South America to treat renal problems for generations. All I can say is it worked for me. The pain disappeared completely within a few days.

Now I’m not a doctor so please if you do have gallbladder problems or think you have, then refer to your health consultant before embarking on treating medical conditions.

Well, I think I have given you enough to mull over in this blog. I am sure there will be many more travel blogs from me in the future, so until next time. Bye.

The other day I scoured the Internet for blogs about 40+ women to do with health, spirituality, and positive lifestyle. Well, I must say there seems to be a shortage out there? Maybe I’m not looking properly, I don’t know. If anyone has any suggestions then I would be very interested. Fashion and beauty is covered very well in all age groups but that’s not really who I am. Sure,I like to dress well and look good but there is soooo much more to talk about in this diverse day and age.

I’m now 40+, love following blogs and vlogs and try to lead a healthy, spiritual, positive lifestyle with a lot of interests. I also work in alternative health and wellness. I have a healing therapy business in Lincolnshire UK called Eastgate Therapies specialising in Ayurveda Therapies and cooking, breath release therapy and Amnanda . I am going to endeavour to try and fill the gap and blog about health/spiritual ideas that work for me and also my clients. Surely I’m not the only person out there that is interested?

The reason why I was looking for these blogs was because I had a trip planned to France for the weekend and wanted interesting tips on what to pack in the way of health items, supplements, reading material,and anything else that would make my journey interesting and packing easier. It was that simple. After finding separate blogs on some of this stuff I gave up.

I travel quite a bit. It’s mainly to see my husband because he is an International Opera Singer. I used to be one to but that’s a whole other story that I will get into in time!!!!!

Anyhow, we have a rule of trying to see each other every 3 weeks. That time seems to work for us. If we wait any longer things get a bit irritable. So this weekend after a busy week of working at Essential Ayurveda Retreat  I am in Lille, France visiting him.

Ok, so back to the subject.

I am going to let you in on my varied ideas about this wonderful world we live in. I will link to interesting articles and books that I have read, make recommendations on supplements and nutrition, and anything else I can think of to help us all make positive life style choices.

I am not a doctor, so please if you have any medical issues, consult your health practitioner. I am only letting you know what works for me.

See you soon.