As part of my New Year's Resolutions, I wanted to replace as many 'toxic' products with organic alternatives. With the press reporting in the past few weeks the link between parabens (used extensively in beauty and skincare products) and breast cancer, and revelations about leading cosmetic companies using lead in their lipsticks it seems a good time to elaborate on my own personal crusade!
We've long advocated and advised on the benefits of a diet of "real food" but what do we mean by that? Well, we mean foods that are fresh, natural and un-processed. Foods that you might have been able to get your hands on a thousand years ago. Before we invented oh-so clever ways of making non-foods and chemicals into something edible.
So much of our modern diet is made up of non-foods, chemical and processed ingredients that it is actually toxic to the body. The result of this is plain to see in our health and disease levels. We are at present the sickest most medicated we have ever been and it's our nutrition that has got us to this sad state.
I haven't made any New Year's resolutions for several years now - because I never keep them. But this year I feel more motivated to make changes for the better so I thought I'd give it a go. And perhaps sharing my progress will help me stay on track and reach my goals.
So what's so different this year? Well, I have a significant birthday coming up and they tell me "life begins" so it's an added incentive for change. Plus, over the last two years I have managed to address a few minor health issues that used to get in my way (and provide an easy excuse when I couldn't be bothered).
The importance of fitness and exercise is becoming firmly established advice given to expectant mums which is great news, it’s something we've been advocating for years now. As we’re fond of saying: Pregnancy (let alone labour!) is an endurance event and you should train as such.
Whether you are planning a pregnancy, are currently pregnant or have just had a baby, there are bound to be a whole host of questions that you are looking to answer. Over the coming weeks, we will endeavour to do just that!
things to consider before you dive into a new fitness regime
The big thing in the fitness industry over the last couple of years has been to jump on the “functional fitness” bandwagon. Bootcamp, P90X and Crossfit style workouts have soared in popularity emphasising as they do “big-bang” exercises like Olympic lifts, tyre flips, kettle bells etc, etc. These are all great things, compound lifting, training movements rather than muscles and the integration of core strength are all laudable goals and things I can get behind with just one little caveat: It must be suitable for the intended recipient of the exercise program.
You know the story, it's as old as the hills. Overindulge at Christmas, swear it'll never happen again and start an uber strict detox diet in January with all the best intentions. If you make it to February it's a miracle of willpower and self deprivation.
This year I'd like to suggest something different, something that is sustainable all year around and most importantly works!
Why a CHEK trained professional isn't like your regular PT
If you are signed up to our Facebook page or Twitter account then you may well have read the Yahoo! news piece that I posted the other day about the amazing results Olympian Jade Johnson has achieved working with the CHEK institute. In a nutshell; Jade was running herself into the ground, she was hormonally exhausted (what we commonly call over-training) due to a poorly designed training program that she had been following that took no account of her lifestyle or nutritional needs. Effectively she was being drained not trained and finally she had no reserves left to call upon and burned out. You can follow the amazing progress on the blog: http://www.jadedragonreturns.com/
Christmas is just one month away and no doubt your shopping is in full swing. Traipsing around crowded shopping centres and high streets, overloaded with heavy shopping bags can really take its toll on your body and your stress levels! So why not reward yourself with a relaxing back, neck and shoulders massage? It will ease muscle tension, aches and pains and soothe frazzled nerves, the perfect preparation for all the gift wrapping, cooking and entertaining still to come!
On Sunday 30th October, I joined 24,000 other runners for the Great South Run - the World's premier 10 mile road race. This year was my fourth attempt at the course but having had 6 months off through injury, I knew a personal best was unlikely.
Crossfit, functional training and the like are sweeping the globe becoming ever more popular. The selling point of these workouts is the emphasis on making training fun using explosive efforts, unusual challenges and what I call "big-bang" exercises; these use lots of muscles simultaneously, challenging stability and strength across multiple joints
Delicious and easy to make, a winning combination!
Delicious homemade fishcakes that are actually a lot easier to make than you might think. You can use any fish you like for the mix, in this recipe we’re going to use Salmon for the vitamin-D boost but you could easily substitute for Mackerel, Tuna, Crabmeat or anything else you fancy. These quantities will make you between six to eight fishcakes, enough for two or three people as a main meal with an accompanying salad.
Delicious, wholesome and sustaining, what else can you ask from a simple pancake that takes just a scant few minutes to knock up? If you’ve already tried our zucchini pancake recipe then you’ll love this variation. Sweet potatoes offer a more substantial feeling to this recipe and one of these pancakes is a great quick meal all by itself. Serve it with some Mackerel or Bacon with a little side-salad and you’re in for a real treat!
Half price postural assesments for all massage clients.
Sam and I strive to have a positive impact upon the lives of all our clients. This is why we teamed up in the first place; to use our complimentary skills to get better long term results for our mutual clients. It works and we want to do more of it!
To this end we will from now on be offering our fantastic assessment sessions with Neil for half of their usual price to everyone who comes in to see Sam for massage treatments.
An assessment comprises of: Postural analysis, muscle tension tests and core strength and coordination tests. We use all of this information to come up with a bespoke flexibility program and provide guidance about what sorts of exercises will help correct the imbalances that are so often at the heart of long term pain. It forms the foundations of all our training programs and is a uniquely powerful step in your health and fitness goals.
To ask for more information or to arrange an appointment please email
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or call us on 12393 233140.
advised
You know the story, it's as old as the hills. Overindulge at Christmas, swear it'll never happen again and start an uber strict detox diet in January with all the best intentions. If you make it to February it's a miracle of willpower and self deprivation.
Neil Dayus
15. February, 2012 | #
Shirley
03. November, 2011 | #
Shirley
03. November, 2011 | #
Ben
21. October, 2011 | #
Neil Dayus
08. September, 2011 | #
Shirley
08. September, 2011 | #
Shirley
05. September, 2011 | #
Neil
30. August, 2011 | #
Mrs A Seasons
30. August, 2011 | #
Ita
07. June, 2011 | #