Here is a tried and tested natural cold & ‘flu remedy that gives ‘lemsip’ a run for it’s money any day of the week in my opinion…

½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 or more thin slices of root ginger
1 teaspoon honey
A generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Just place above ingredients in a mug, cover with boiling water and brew as a tea for at least 5 minutes. Add a little cold water if necessary, stir well and drink while hot.

Repeat up to 3 times per day.

Also, if your cold is particularly heavy (lots of phlegm, blocked sinuses or ears) avoid and refined sugar, cows milk products or fried foods until you’re feeling better.

Alex Boylan

Massage in Manchester
Acupuncture in Manchester

Some of the points which can help reduce the symptoms of the ‘stress headache’ are easily accessible and we can stimulate them ourselves using acupressure  massage. The first of the points we’ll talk about is LI-4 which is the fleshy bit on the back of the  hand, between the bones which extend into the thumb and index finger. Using the opposing hand and maybe a little moisturiser, ‘milk’ the point for at least a minute on both hands but ideally 2 or 3.

The next point is almost identical but it’s position is between the big and the first toe. Although not as fleshy, the point can still be ‘milked’ between your thumb and first finger. Do this on both feet and again at least 1 if not 2 or 3 minutes duration.

The last point’s can be found if you clasp your hands around the back of your head with your thumbs pointing downwards. Slide your thumbs down the back of your skull until they slide off into two fleshy hollows. For the majority of headache sufferers these will be tender and may even increase the pain going into the forehead but with some feeling of relief at ther same time. Using a pressure that is deep enough you can feel it, but light enough to be bareable, massage with short downwards strokes from the base of the skull into the fleshy bit. Continue these moves for as long as you like but ideally until you start to feel some sort of relief from your headache.

If you’re treating yourself at home why not increase the benefits by creating a relaxing atmosphere with candles, chill out music and following it up with a lavender oil scented bath.

If you would like to read some testimonials by clients who have been treated for headaches, please visit http://www.re-creation.org.uk/testimonials/headache-anxiety-arm-pain/

In clinical practice I have found that with a combination of careful nutrition, regular acupuncture treatment and Qi Gong exercise we can get excellent results even with severe cases of ME and CFS.

Click here http://www.re-creation.org.uk/testimonials/post-viral-chronic-fatigue/ to see some geniune testimonials of CFS sufferers who have been treated at re-creation in manchester.

Alex J.P. Boylan BSc(Hons) MBAcC

• Be realistic about what you can and cannot achieve
• Be honest about your emotions, let your feelings out, talk to someone.
• If you are struggling, get help. It is not a sign of weakness to admit that you cannot cope. It is a sign of strength to recognise that you need help.
• Ask honestly ‘Is it the situation/person that is causing me stress or is it reminding me of something/someone from my past?’.
• Realise that you can change your perspective on a problem. Ask ‘How can I change my thinking on the issue to be more positive/productive?’
• Focus daily on the bigger picture, give less importance to the small stuff and remind yourself that life is ultimately about joy, the joy of your connections with others and with the activities and simple things in your life that bring you joy.

Physically, stress impacts on our bodily systems . The main impact is on the nervous system. The central nervous system has two parts, sympathetic and parasympathetic . In ancient times when we roamed the plains, Humans had to get away from dangerous wild beasties rapidly. The sympathetic nervous system ,kicks in and gives the body what it needs to make its ‘flight’ from danger. Blood leaves the vital organs and moves into the limbs to enable a quick getaway and all unnecessary activity is ceased until the situation is safe again. This is marvellous for getting away from scary beasts but when the scary beast is your boss or the bills coming through the letterbox we cannot just run away. So stressful situations mean that the sympathetic system is switched on constantly and adrenaline is pumping, when this is a daily norm the nerves get weakened and burnt out. The parasympathetic nerves do act to calm the stress response and bring us into a relaxed state. However, in order to do this we need to learn to relax. I am constantly amazed by the blank faces when I ask my clients what they do to relax. It seems like madness to invest so much into getting the life we want but never stopping to enjoy it. To give so much to our external world but give nothing back to ourselves. The food we are consuming can also add to levels of stress, anything that is a stimulant will raise the stress response. This includes coffee, tea, salt,sugar and processed food. There is so much information available these days on the internet about healthy diets and stress relieving, soothing foods. If you are not sure what to do about your diet then educate yourself, it can be wonderfully empowering and give you a feeling of taking control.
Here’s some tips:
• Learn how to relax. Take a tai chi, yoga or pilates class. If you don’t fancy a class there are lots of websites with tips and ideas on how to relax.
• Try left nostril breathing to calm and relax you . Blocking off the right nostril with a finger and breathing long and deep through the left nostril you can change a stressful state of mind into a calm state within 3 mins… try it for yourself!
• Make time for relaxation every day and do not let anything encroach that. Be as dedicated to yourself as you are to your work/family/ friends.
• Cut down on those stimulating foods and eat more natural, wholesome healthy foods instead.
• Exercise regularly, this builds up strength in the nervous system so you can cope much better with stress.
• Make sure you get out into nature as often as possible. Nature is a marvellous help, not only for the sunlight and fresh air but also nature is a great teacher. We can watch a passing cloud and realise that all things do pass. We can delight in the seasons and also learn about death and rebirth. By letting go of what is past we can make way for something new to come into our life.

Elaine is a qualified and experienced hypnotherpist and counsellor who has already guided many people to better health. She practices out of Re-Creation in Manchester city centre, to find out more please visit http://www.blissfulmind.co.uk/

“I originally came to visit Alex nearly a year ago, having suffered from chronic Cystitis for the best part of a year.

I  found I was taking antibiotics on a near permanent basis and was beginning to live in fear of the next sudden attack.  Conventional medicine was limited and with no explanation of why this was happening and not being able to make a GP understand quite how debilitating the attacks were, I began investigating acupuncture.

Alex took the time to listen carefully to my explanation of what had been happening to me and made me feel completely at ease.  I began regular sessions of acupuncture which I found thoroughly enjoyable and very relaxing.

Alex is remarkably knowledgeable and his determination to help and his confidence that he could permanently relieve me of my debilitating condition was hugely reassuring.  His treatment of my complaint wasn’t limited to the acupuncture  sessions themselves but also included lifestyle help and advice and recommendations of things to try to work in conjunction with the acupuncture.  Although I was initially sceptical, Alex was correct and I haven’t suffered from Cystitis since.

I would highly recommend acupuncture to anyone, whether it be for a specific ailment or even as a form of relaxation.  I will certainly visit Alex again if I have any problems in the future.” EB

Alex Boylan is the owner of Re-Creation ‘Natural Health Solutions’ http://www.massagemanchester.org.uk

For example, treating overdue mums to induce labour with acupuncture is something I actually have a very high success rate with but very rarely get to treat. It is also one of the most rewarding experiences to be the last resort, and to help facilitate the natural delivery that most mothers wish for.

The use of acupuncture/moxibustion for treatment of breech presentation is very well documented in the UK and is widely used by midwives as well as acupuncture practitioners. However, when talking about acupuncture to induce labour much fewer people are aware of this and it is rarely mentioned as an option to women by doctors or midwives.

Traditionally there are acupuncture points which are contraindicated during pregnancy, as they have a strong effect in descending Qi (energy) and it is these points we turn to when attempting to stimulate labour contractions. The points I’m reffering to are GB-21 (tops of shoulders), LI-4 (hand) and SP-6 (lower leg) and also UB 31-34 (small of the back). Although these are what you would call ‘empirical’ points for induction, in true Chinese Medicine style it is important to look at the personal condition of the client seeking treatment. For example, the reason that labour hasn’t yet started may be that the body is just not ready, through stress levels or commonly lack of sleep so it is important to address these imbalances before just trying to stimulate labour itself. If stress levels are particulary high (as they often are arounf this time) this affects the energy in the liver and the general flow of energy around the body can become a bit ‘stuck’, in this case adding P-6 (on the right wrist) and Liv-3 (left foot)  have a strong effect on correcting this. If it’s lack of sleep thats the issue then we need to look at soothing the Heart and Mind using points such as P-6, H-6/7 (wrist), bleeding  the tips of the ears and a personal favorite of mine Yintang (forehead). Once the client is a little more balanced, things can start to happen naturally or we can then start to stimulate the ‘empirical’ points.

I normally have  the treatment in two parts with the client sat up at first and add the aformentioned points but with the addition of Ki-3 (below Sp-6), and then use mild stimulation of those two points with an electro-acupuncture machine, and I also like to get good strong sensations on GB-21. These are kept in place for around 30 minutes, before the client is then seated in a stool with lower back exposed so the UB points can be used (20 minutes). It is normal for the patient to feel an increase in activity of the baby and the last lady I had in actually had a couple of strong contractions during the treatment! Treatment can be carried out daily if urgent, and should be continued up until the start of labour. I don’t know if it a coincidence but practically all women who have recieved this treatment off me have gone on to report successful and uncomplicated births.

Alex Boylan is an acupuncturist and bodyworker who works and teaches in Manchester UK.

Acupuncture Manchester

Massage in Manchester

Why are the benefits of standard massage only short lived?

You could argue that the fact the person is just returning to the situation that caused the problem and that a return to pain is inevitable. I would suggest that with a course of treatment working in all the correct areas, coupled with regular excercise and stretching we can achieve results that last weeks or months meaning that you can make it to that all important top-up treatment without returning to square 1. If we just concentrate on massaging the area where it is painful (eg. shoulders) then we are just working with symptoms and not the causing factors of the problem, so if we want to achieve lasting relief we will need a savvy therapist and a client who is willing to show a little patience.

So where should we be treating?

As with any good therapy session, there is no recipe as each and every client presents an individual and unique situation and should therefore be treated as such. However, there are specific areas we can explore to find resolution to the presenting sypmtoms. If we have a client who’s shoulders are hunched forwards, immediately we should be looking to a shortening of tissue in the chest area (pec major & minor) so this would be a really good area to start a treatment, not only softening the tissue but using lengthening strokes going from superficial to deep. Pec minor work is best done slowly and gently, combining it with breathing cues for the client.  This presentation would be typical for someone with pain across the tops of the shoulders (traps), because as the pecs shorten, the traps are pulled into an uncomfortable stretch.

For those with pain mainly between the shoulder blades we look to the tissues which are responsible for pulling the shoulder blades away from the midline and leaving the section between the shoulder blades and spine (rhomboids) stretched, overworked and painful. Again the pecs would be a good place to start, but more specifically we could look to musculature such as subscapularis and serratus anterior which are located around the front side and outside edge of the shoulder blade respectively. Subscapularis in particular can be a ‘challenging’ one for the client, but as with most areas that may cause the client discomfort- it brings its own reward following the work.

Some people may present with a distinct curve or hunch in the mid/upper back (kyphosis), and will most likely complain of aching around the mid-back or bra strap line. In this situation it is important to work into the diaphragm area and do work to ‘lift’ the ribcage.

Obviously there are many more areas that we may need to work, to gain a satisfactory result but I just thought I would highlight some of the less obvious connections. To put it in a nutshell, it is imperative to have massage done on the front of the body as well as the back when working with computer-related shoulder pain.

What can the client do to help progress?

The antidote to a sedentary lifestyle is to keep the shoulders, neck and back mobile by taking them through a few full ranges of movement before you start work, at dinner and when you finish in the evening. If this is coupled with a couple of sessions a week of exercise (swimming/gym) or even better, something that works on full body flexibilty such as Qi Gong or Yoga we can really start to see the maintenance of results following treatment.

All you need to be free of computer-related shoulder pain:

- A course of treatment addressing both the front and back of the body

- Monthly maintenance sessions

- Daily mobilty exercises/stretches

- Weekly exercise/flexibilty programs

by Alex Boylan owner of Re-Creation http://www.massagemanchester.org.uk

At the base of your spine there is a wedge shaped bone call your sacrum, upon which the whole spine is stacked all the way up to your skull. The part of the skull which is at the base at the back is a bone called the occiput. The  sacrum and the occiput basically have a very close inter-relationship which means that they mirror each others movement, and if one shifts in any direction the other will eventually move to keep the all important gravitational balance. So, if we put this into practice then if one day you slip and fall landing heavily on say the base of your back or onto your bum, there is a very good chance the sacrum could be knocked out of line. If the pain goes away without any treatment, then that means to compensate for this movement, the occiput will move and any tension caused by the fall will now be sitting at the base of your skull. Depending on other factors, this tesion could very well develop into headache causing trigger points which could appear most likely at the base of the skull itself or very commonly over one or both eyes! And that…is how your headache might just be a pain in the bum.

Working with any chronic complaint, taking a detailed case history and a careful physical assessment is hugely important and can lead to finding the root cause of an issue. Once we have an idea what the root cause is, we can treat  much more effectively and offer lasting relief from problems and not just tempory benefits.

Alex J.P. Boylan BSc(Hons) MBAcC http://www.re-creation.org.uk

I am one of those people who have had ALOT of massage. I practice what I preach, what can I say? In my wealth of experience of recieving, I too have sampled both ends of the scale, the good the bad and the one where I feel like a basted turkey. I’ll start by talking about the qualities we need to consider as massage therapists, to ensure the client is blown away by the treatment and if it’s their first sampling of your skills, the only question on their lips will be “Wow! What kind of massage was that!?”

Listen to the client

The consultation whether 2 minutes or 20 minutes should not be considered a mere formality, but is an opportunity for us to really listen to and get a feel  for the client sat before us. Where do they want the work concentrated, where have they had injuries, what experience of massage have they enjoyed, do they like the deeper pressure, do they have a senstive areas (most often feet/toes or front of neck)? The latter is equally as important as the others because even if we deliver a great massage but finish out by freaking them out…do you think they will want to come back? This is the first hurdle you will fall down at if you just have one routine or work to any routine for that matter. To actually deliver what the client has just asked for, the treatment will have to be an individual experience.

Observe the client

Observation of  the client is an equally important part of the consultation, as this allows you really fine-tune your treatment plan. How do they behave and talk? Are there any evident signs of high stress levels such as high pitch to the voice, talking quickly or seeming a little curt? This might mean that you add in a little 5 minutes extra relaxation work at the end to really round off the session. Physically how do they look? Do  they have the shoulders pulled right back in a ‘military posture’? If this is the case you immediately know that work will need to be done to open up the area around the thoracic spine, encourage the erectors to move laterally, and lengthening the rhomboids will bring great reward and benefit. Or are they shoulders forwards, collapsed chest with raised traps? In this case we obviously need  to spend more time opening up the chest, lengthening traps and encouraging the tissue back and downwards to gain any lasting benefit. Is there a head-forwards posture? Maybe if they’re comfortable with it you could try a little gentle lengthening of SCM and scalenes.

Use just a little oil/lotion, listen with your hands

I prefer to use lotion to oil, as rather than feeling greasy it is partially absorbed and gives the skin a silky texture which is really great to work with. If you do use oil, the worst thing you can do is slather it on as you would to baste a turkey and re-apply every ten minutes. All this does is create a barrier between you and the client, making it very difficult to feel tension patterns in the tissue and when you do try and do some slow specific work you will just end up sliding over the tissue and doing very little to release it. I tend to apply just a little lotion to the palm of my hand, and never directly onto the client and use the first sweeps of my hand to detect the tension patterns in the tissue and use the information to build my strategy. I always work slowly, first sinking to the level of the tissue I want to work with and then either stretching shortened muscle or working cross-fibre and muscles which are ‘locked long’.

Stay mindful

A good treatment is all about the connection between you and your client so enetering the treatment with a settled mind and remaining mindful between the treatment is paramount. It’s can be tempting at times to zone out and use repetitive strokes to while the time away, but staying focused on the tissues you are working with will bring much more benefit to your client and will work much more in your favour as you build a reputation as ‘the therapist to see’.

by Alex Boylan BSc(Hons) MBAcC  http://www.re-creation.org.uk

My first exeprience of the cleanse was difficult, mainly because of my lack of knowledge regarding vegan diet, which resulted in me starving myself unnecessarily and by the end of the cleanse I had actually lost a couple of stones!! So my first suggestions would be if you don’t normally eat like this, to plan out all your meals (including snacks) or you may be likely to either abandon the cleanse, just be hungry and depressed or both! Also not eating properly meant that the fasting part was particuarly difficult because by this time I was probably lacking nutrients and this left me feeling weak (and looking a bit rough apparently!)

Despite not feeling great I had come so far and was determined to follow through with the cleansing, which I followed to the letter. Drinking the olive oil and grapefruit mixture was easy as it was watery and just like drinking slightly warm grapefruit juice. The toughest part was drinking the last portion of epsom salts (which is the last thing you would want to drink first thing in the morning)! The actual results were a little disappointing as I only passed some (less than 10) tiny tiny bright green stones, and the acids I passed really burned my bum on the way out! By the time I was allowed to have a little something to eat and drink, already I was starting to feel pretty good with more energy than before. The book recommends having a colonic (colon cleanse) before and after each flush, but even before I’d looked at prices (£40-£70) or experienced one I’d decided this was a little excessive and had opted for just a follow-up one two days later. As it happens after 5 flushes and 4  colonics I’m still convinced just a follow-up colon cleanse is plenty for any man (or woman).

The day of the booking I went to see my colleague Ruth from Release Therapies in Leigh, and was VERY nervous to say the least. Luckily Ruth is very experienced and an absolute professional and I wouldn’t have been able to go through with it if she hadn’t been so calm and reassuring. The colonic itself is not at all painful, just very strange and I think I may have got a fit of the giggles for a few minutes, but that soon passed. For some reason I was expecting a rush of cold water up my bum, but the reality is its warmed exactly to body temp and you can barely feel it. By the end the truth is the experience had left me feeling a little violated and strange, but this was quickly replaced by feeling energised and with the clearest head I’d had in a very long time. The only other note I’ll mention is that you shouldn’t make the same mistake I did and try to rush off afterwards, take your time as you may need to go to the toilet once or twice at the end!

The second flush was perfomed around 3 months later. This time my diet had improved and I was able to eat more sensibly during the preceding week, so my energy was better going into the actual flush, however I had been left hungry on a few occaisions. Even during the fasting I had the energy to take my daughter to the park, but I wasn’t  good for much else later that evening. The flush itself again, was a little disappointing and I only passed around maybe 15 tiny green stones, but it was an improvement from the last time so I was encouraged to carry on trying. This was the only flush I didn’t follow-up with a colonic, and I have to say I didn’t feel as great as I had following the last time.

The third time was about 5 months afterwards, and by this time me and my partner Jen were eating vegan meals together reguarly so, my diet was even more sensible going into the actual cleanse and I wasn’t getting so weak or hungry anymore..but there was still a little room for improvement. The evening and morning of the flush had little to report other than I felt pretty good throughout and this time I passed around 30 small stones ranging from a tiny grain to about the size of a petit pois.

It may have been another 7 months until flush number four. This time I did it slightly differently, I planned out my next two flushes well in advance and made sure they were on a new moon (no moon), as apparently this is the best time to cleanse. The reason being is that when the moon is full out body retains too much water to cleanse effectively. In the week leading up to the flush I ate like a (vegan) King, and felt bloody fantastic even just from eating vegan for a day or two. By the time the fasting came I was feeling strong and energised and just carried on as usual, looking after kids, cleaning and tidying. This time the epsom salts kicked in right away for some reason and my bowels were completely clear by the time I went to bed that evening. I did actually make a mistake of not putting enough grapefruit in with the olive oil, and as I downed the mixture was acutely aware I was drinking oil and was VERY close to bringing it back up again!

The next morning, the floodgates opened. I passed stone after stone after stone! Ranging from sand like grains, to large rasins and even  a giant bugger the size of a squashed golf ball! I was shocked but relieved that I had carried on with it because I realised all those stones had been lodged inside of me somewhere causing me harm! I carried on passing large stones throughout the day, but again felt fantastic. My shoulders felt incredibly relaxed my spine felt supple and my energy was through the roof! (Colonics by this point are a very civilised 30 minutes afair) Little did I know that I was going to need ALL that energy….

The next flush was planned for about 5 weeks later. For about 4.5 of those weeks both my children and my partner had been struck down with swineflu, and my son was still waking several times a night anyways. So, I was going to work for about 10 hrs a day, doing all the housework when I got home, looking after all 3 of of them AND doing the nightshift. There was no way I would have made it that long without getting sick if I hadn’t cleansed previously! But I am only human and I was coming down with something by the time the next flush came around. I ached all over, I had a sore throat and didn’t feel great. It is not advised to go ahead with the flush if you are ill, but I went ahead anyway. Although I did actually feel much less ill in the days following the cleanse, nothing really seemd to work right, I barely passed anything (which may or may not be a sign that I was almost clear of stones), and I didn’t even seem to digest the olive oil properly. Needless to say FLUSHING WHEN ILL IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. The reason being is that you will overburden the lymphatic system with toxins, which it really doesn’t need when you are ill. I probably only got away with it because I had had such a good cleanse only a month previous.

I hope you find this article useful. If you follow the cleanse to the letter and take note of my ramblings then I am confident you will have no problems with the flush and will be taking huge steps to a healthier lifestyle.

If you would like to know more about colonics please contact Ruth Lloyd at Release Therapies on 07950 326677 or visit http://www.releasetherapies.com http://www.colonic-association.org/

This article was written by Alex J.P. Boylan owner of http://www.re-creation.org.uk