Energise Health

If anyone is looking for something fun to do in 2024, we'd love you to join us for a day of meditation, movement, tapping and more! 💜

Ella Carey Kinesiology
Malika Elouar

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Thank you!!

A HUGE thank you to everyone who made our well-being retreat possible and to everyone who was a part of it. We’ve raised over £567 for Action for Children. Thank you..

Clare Riddiford
Oxana Weber
Stephanie Evans
Louise Lee
Revive Prescribed
Angela Kiran

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** Well-being day! **

We’re really excited to see you all on Sunday! We’ll be following the Welsh Covid guidelines to keep everyone safe:

Please can you do a lateral flow test before you attend.

You cannot attend if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 or if you are waiting for a test result or if you have tested positive or if NHS Wales Test Trace Protect have asked you to isolate.

Please wear a mask, unless you are exempt.

On the day we will have marker cones to keep everyone 2m apart and we will keep the room well ventilated.

If you have any questions, please let me know x

Hello! As part of our well-being day, Dr Angela Goyal will be talking about skin health. Dr Goyal is a GP with an extended role in dermatology, a lifestyle medic and the founder of Inspired Medics.

Do you have any skin health questions you’d like her to talk about? Please pop them in the comments below! ⬇️

Hello! We’re really excited to see you on Sunday 14th November for a day of fun and relaxation.

Please wear something comfortable that you can move in, a water bottle, your health form and a yoga mat (if you have one. If not, please let us know and we’ll bring one for you!).

Let us know if you have any questions! 💙🧡💙

Would you like to tell your story in a book?!

We have a book being published (to raise money for charity) and would love to include some personal stories about how any of the following have affected your health and well-being. The stories can be anonymous if you’d prefer. A couple of paragraphs would be great.

Exercise
Eating healthily
Intermittent fasting
Nature
Social media
Relationships and social connections
Settings goals
Positive thinking
Gratitude
Sleep
Feeling empowered
Meditation
Mindfulness

Let me know if you’d like any more information 💖

Hello! A huge thank you to everyone for your interest in our well-being day, raising money for Action for Children!

All of the spaces have been reserved and we have a waiting list. If you can still make it, please could you kindly pay this weekend so that we can offer any spare spaces to those waiting on Monday.

Thank you! # # #

We’re really excited that tickets are now available for our Autumn well-being retreat! A day for you, to have fun, relax and refill your cup of energy!

The day includes movement, singing, yoga, meditation, talks, reflexology and massage.

Tickets are £40 with all profits being donated to Action for Children.

We’ve already had a huge amount of interest in the day, so if you’d like a space, please email [email protected] (or send me a dm) letting us know whether you have any dietary requirements and whether you have a yoga mag or would like us to provide you with one. Once your space is confirmed, I’ll let you know the payment details. Spaces will be first come first served!

Thank you! 💙🧡💙🧡💙🧡

Hello! I’m in the process of organising a well-being day, which may include a mixture of meditation/ yoga/cardio/ healthy food/ reflexology. There’ll also be some short talks. I was wondering what people might find interesting?! Some options are…

Skin care
The gut micro biome.. how our intestines affect our wellbeing
Superwoman syndrome
Habits and goals
Nature and health

Is there anything else you’d like to hear about? Thank you!

Life doesn’t always go to plan, and we may stumble on our journey. Depending on the magnitude of the fall, we may need to allow ourselves time to heal and recover.

Be kind to yourself and have faith that you will get back up again.

I’m busy preparing packs of affirmation cards! If you’d like one, let me know 🧡

Running in the Sun: Top Ten Tips for Keeping your Cool

Summer is upon us, the skies are blue and temperatures are soaring. It’s a wonderful time of the year to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. However, some runners may not agree. The heat can make even the fittest of athletes struggle. When running in this weather, the most important thing is to stay safe. Here are our top 10 tips to keep your cool:

1. Wear sunscreen. With the sun this strong it is absolutely vital that you wear sun cream. The sun’s UV rays can damage our skin, causing sunburn, skin aging and increasing the risk of skin cancer. Wear a cream with a high SPF and one which protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Make sure you apply the cream before you head out: most creams should be applied 30 minutes before any sun exposure, and they need to be re-applied every two hours

2. Wear suitable clothing. Aim to wear loose fitting sportswear in light colours. Go for technical fabrics which are lightweight, breathable and which wick sweat.

3. Hydrate and consider electrolytes. When you run in the heat you sweat. A lot. It is incredibly important that you stay adequately hydrated. Prepare yourself for your run by ensuring you’ve taken enough fluid on board before you leave the house and continue to hydrate as you exercise. When you sweat, you lose salts as well as water. It can be helpful to add electrolytes to your drink to replace some of this loss. There are many sports electrolytes tablets available – try a few and see which works for you.

4. Change your route. Use the Summer to try out trail running – if you opt for forest runs there’ll be some shade offered by the trees, and it may be cooler than running along an exposed path. If you don’t fancy the trails, try and choose routes which offer some protection from the sun.

5. Use a gym. If the heat really is too much, head to an air-conditioned gym. Use it as an opportunity to practice interval or hill training on a treadmill.

6. Slow your pace and run for shorter times. In the Summer there is the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. You mustn’t risk making yourself unwell. Be prepared to take your pace right down and to run for shorter time periods. Don’t aim for any PBs or intense training workouts. Keep it slow and steady and stay safe.

7. Run early in the morning or in the evening. If at all possible, try and avoid the midday sun. Aim to run before 10am or after 4pm when it will be cooler.

8. Keep cool as you run. There are several things you can try to keep cool as you run – hold your water bottle against the back of your neck, splash water on your head, or use a spritzer bottle to spray your face with water. Some runners like to go out with wet hair so that there is a cooling effect as the water evaporates.

9. Be aware. It’s a good idea to be aware of what symptoms you might experience if you’re overheating. Things to look out for include feeling faint/ lightheaded/ dizzy/ nauseous, vomiting, palpitations, heavy sweating or lack of sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, cramps in arms/ legs/ stomach, tiredness, weakness, headache, skin cool and moist/ clammy, rapid and shallow breathing, irritability, confusion, intense thirst. If you have any of these, you should stop running immediately and seek medical help.

10. Run with a buddy. Running with a buddy is always fun. It can be helpful to run with a friend in the Summer so that you can look out for each other and make sure you’re both safe. If you prefer to run solo, make sure you tell someone what route you’ll be doing and when to expect you back, so they know if any problems have arisen.

🧡🧡 Learn to say no, don’t take on too much and set your own boundaries 🧡🧡

Our time is precious and time is limited. If we take on too much, we can end up feeling overwhelmed and stressed, and not doing anything well. Before agreeing to do anything, it can be useful to ask yourself three questions:

a. Will I enjoy this/ will it make me happy?
b. Will it be beneficial?
c. Can I do it without it causing unnecessary stress?

There are some things in life that we have to do and we have no choice in the matter. However, there are other activities, tasks, projects or events where you do have a choice. Sometimes these can be fun and interesting, but if doing them means that you’re putting yourself under excess pressure, then think twice before you agree.

It’s important to learn to say ‘no’ without feeling the need to justify your reasons. It can be helpful to practise using phrases such as ‘thank you for the opportunity but I won’t get involved at this point in time’. That then leaves the door open if you change your mind in
the future. Once people understand the boundaries you set, they are less likely to try and push you into doing things you don’t want to do.

Today’s affirmation 🧡

There is so much good in the world- the beauty of nature, kindness shown by others, thoughtful deeds.

By training our minds to look for the good it encourages a positive mindset and can change the way we perceive the world 🧡

I’d love to know what goodness you’ve encountered today x

Hello everyone,

Hope you'll all well and enjoying the sun! We've had a sudden flood of interest into our learning modules! So far, we have:

First Aid for Mental Health

Sedentary Behaviour and Health

A module exploring Mindfulness will be available very soon, written by Dr Nita Davies, a GP with a specialist interest in Lifestyle Medicine.

We're delighted to say that the learning material for the current modules will be available for FREE over the Summer Holidays. If you'd like to be sent either/ both of them, please send me your email address.

Looking forward to hearing from you!
# # #

Hello! A few people have asked whether we have any positive affirmation cards for children. If we design and make them, would there be any interest?! Thank you! 🧡💙🧡

** Self Affirmation **

Self affirmations are positive statements that can help to improve your confidence and self-esteem, enhance motivation and encourage a positive outlook on life.

Some people choose a different affirmation each day, others prefer to keep one for a week. It can be incredibly beneficial if you read the statement out loud every morning, then reflect on it throughout the day. Affirmations can be even more powerful if you explore them in a bit more detail, for example, if you have the affirmation 'I am proud of myself', think about all the things you have achieved that make you proud.

We have packs of cards for £7, with 10% of any profits being donated to Barnardo's. If you'd like a pack, let us know!

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‘In a world where you can be anything, be kind.’ Jennifer Dukes Lee

Kindness is all around us. Sometimes we just need to make the effort to look for it. More importantly, we should all make a conscious endeavour to be kind. To other people, to ourselves and to the world.

For many individuals, life is hard. There is a widening gap between the rich and the poor in the United Kingdom (UK). The use of food banks has risen by a dramatic 73% over the last five years, with an estimated one in fifty households visiting a foodbank between 2018-20191, 2. One in four people will experience a mental health problem each year3, and statistics show that rates of loneliness have significantly increased over the last decade4. Despite the widespread use of the internet and social media, which theoretically enhances connectivity around the world, levels of community cohesion are low, and one in eight adults describe themselves as having no close friends5.

Work is often a source of stress and unhappiness for many individuals, and the World Health Organisation now recognises burnout as an ‘occupational phenomenon’ characterised by feelings of exhaustion, negativity, cynicism and reduced efficacy6. Modern life places many demands on our time, and it can be difficult to juggle all our commitments, creating feelings of stress and anxiety.

What the world needs now, more than ever, is for people to be kind. To show each other compassion and warmth. To bring happiness and joy to others. To do what benefits society and promotes the best interests of all around us.


What is Kindness?
There are many different definitions of kindness. The Cambridge Dictionary describes it as the quality of being generous, helpful and caring about other people, or an act showing this quality7. According to the Macmillan Dictionary, the word is derived from the old English word ‘kyndes’ and the Middle English word ‘kindenes’ and has its origins in ‘nation, produce, increase, noble deeds, courtesy’8. The great Greek philosopher, Aristotle, wrote that kindness is ‘helpfulness towards someone in need, not in return for anything, nor for the advantage of the helper himself, but for that of the person helped’ 9. Kindness is at the core of most of the world’s religions.

In its simplest form, kindness is characterised by behaviours which are performed in a selfless manner to improve the well-being of others and of the world.

Some scientists believe that it was kindness which primed the human species for language development. When early humans started to prefer cooperative friends and mates to aggressive ones, they started to become ‘tamer’. This was associated with the evolution of a variety of physical and biochemical characteristics which were essential for language formation10.

Kindness can be recognised by babies as young as six months old. Research has shown that infants take into consideration an individual’s actions towards others in evaluating that individual as appealing or aversive11. Babies prefer people who help others compared to those who hinder others or are neutral11. This capacity may play a role in forming the foundations of moral behaviours, and its occurrence at such an early stage in life supports the notion that social evaluation is a biological adaptation11.

Being Kind is Good for You
Acts of kindness benefit everyone – the ‘giver’, the ‘receiver’ and society as a whole. Research has shown that the performance of selfless acts may have positive heath benefits. A study looking at 1 790 adults aged between 57 and 85 reported that those who participated in voluntary activities had lower levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) in their blood12. CRP is an indicator of inflammation and is associated with chronic diseases such as hypertension, stroke and heart disease. Volunteering has also been linked to positive well-being, reduced symptoms of depression, improved self-ratings of health and better control of blood pressure reviewed in 12.

The significant and positive effects of kindness can impact many domains of life: practising kindness has been found to reduce social anxiety, it is associated with respect from others and may even reduce the severity and duration of the common cold13. In one study, 142 individuals with social anxiety were randomly assigned to conditions of performing kind acts, conditions to reduce negative affect/ mood or were in a control group. After four weeks, the group performing kind acts were reported to have experienced significant increases in positive affect/ mood, to have improved relationship satisfaction and reduced social-avoidance14.

Kindness also has a role to play in spending habits and well-being. Both children and adults who purchase goods for others, or give treats away, experience greater happiness than when they receive products themselves, illustrating the hedonic benefits of generosity15, 16.

Whilst self-care and self-kindness are fundamental components of well-being, interestingly, it has been shown that prosocial or kind behaviours towards others result in greater increases in psychological flourishing than do self-focussed behaviours, meaning that to boost mood it is important for people to treat others well as well as themselves17.

In the Healthcare System, kindness has been described as ‘an essential ingredient…because the emotion experienced by individuals when giving or receiving kindness can provide the necessary courage to take action’18. Kindness is associated with increased levels of the ‘feel good’ chemical dopamine, which plays a role in the experience of pleasure, reward and in motivation.



Implementing Kindness: The Ripple Effect
Some individuals seem to have an inherent desire and ability to be kind to others, it comes as second nature without conscious thought. This is likely the result of an incredibly complex interaction between their genetics, the social environment they grew up in and their current life situation. For other people, kindness isn’t an innate part of their being and it takes effort to perform kind behaviours. Kind acts do not need to be big, complicated or extravagant. It is often the ‘small’ behaviours which can make a difference to someone else. For those who are not ‘naturally kind’ people, it can be helpful to begin with simple acts such as offering to make someone a cup of tea, holding a door open, checking in on a friend or merely letting someone know that you appreciate them.

The wonderful thing about kindness is that is has a ‘ripple effect’ – the recipient of a kind act is likely to ‘pass it on’, so the spread of warmth and positive wellbeing is enhanced. Research has shown that individuals who receive acts of kindness experience higher levels of happiness than controls, and that they are nearly three times more likely to engage in prosocial acts than others19. It is evident that both givers and receivers benefit from kindness, and the effects may be long-lived. One paper reported that following a kindness intervention, there are short-term improvements in wellbeing, for example in parameters such as autonomy and competence, but even two months after the intervention has ended, receivers still continue to experience happiness and givers may be less depressed and more satisfied with their jobs and their lives19. Practising kindness is emotionally reinforcing and contagious19.

In additional to practising kindness towards others, it is important to recognise, acknowledge and to be grateful when you receive acts of kindness. It is all too easy to take kind acts for granted, but reflection on, and appreciation of, kindness can further increase psychological wellbeing and emotional resilience.

Summary
Kindness describes behaviours which are performed in a selfless manner to improve the well-being of others and of the world. Kindness has allowed the human species to evolve and has significant positive effects for the giver, the receiver and for society. Kindness can have a positive impact on a vast range of physical and psychological parameters, including blood pressure, depressive symptoms, emotional well-being and levels of anxiety. Most importantly, being kind spreads joy to others, and we should all strive to be the light wherever there is darkness.

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.
The 14th Dalai Lama

Human beings are creatures of habit. Many of our behaviours are carried out automatically without conscious decision making. Our daily habits have a huge impact on our mental and physical wellbeing and affect behaviours such as how active we are or what we eat.

Habits are actions which are routinely repeated in certain situations(1), for example washing your hands after you have been to the toilet. The strength of a habit will increase the more times it is repeated(1). If someone has had a cigarette every time they have gone to the pub for many years, they will tend to light up automatically the next time they visit their local.

Habits often have two effects on behaviour. The first is that certain environments can trigger certain actions, such as that described in the example relating to smoking. The second is that habits can become stronger than conscious intentions1 which means that individuals may automatically smoke in the pub even though they know it is bad for their health and they want to stop. It can therefore be difficult to change a long-established pattern of behaviour.

Many health goals will require breaking old habits and forming new ones. For instance, you may choose to cut out processed sugars and increase your vegetable intake. To achieve this goal, you will need to make a behaviour change and repeat the new behaviour over time(1). The formation of a new habit involves four stages, which are(1):

1. Making the decision to take action.

2. Taking that action

3. Repeating it - repetition is often the most difficult step and requires continued motivation and self-regulation

4. Repeating the action in a way that helps it to become automatic, which usually means carrying it out in a specific environment.

Some people suggest that habits can be established in 21 days, but it is more likely there is a wider window, ranging from 18 to 254 days(1).

When aiming to make healthier choices, the following tips for can be useful in the establishment of healthy, life changing habits:

· Think about why you want to make a change. You are much more likely to achieve your goals if your motivation has come from within yourself rather than from other people telling you what you should do1. You need to want to make a change.

· Ensure you plan well. Many people have good intentions to make a change, for example to exercise regularly, but those intentions often don’t get translated into action. Evidence shows that if you have a firm plan in place, you are more likely to succeed(1). So, rather than having vague thoughts, it can be helpful to plan to carry out a specific activity at a specific time on a specific day, and to make sure you have all the necessary equipment to do so. It is also important to have a Plan B in case you hit a problem(1). For instance, if you are planning to run, think about what you will do if it rains. Perhaps your Plan B would be going to the gym or doing an indoor workout.

· Do activities that you enjoy. You are more likely to stick to a new habit if it is something that gives you satisfaction or pleasure1.

· Be realistic. If you have unrealistic goals, you may lose motivation and healthy habits will fade. The best goals are those which are SMART - specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timebound. An example of a SMART goal for an overweight individual would be to lose 5kg over a period of six weeks.

· It is recommended that new behaviours are performed in a certain environment so that the environment becomes the trigger for the action. For example, every time you go to the canteen for a lunch break, choose an apple rather than a packet of crisps so the canteen becomes a trigger for healthy eating.

· Monitoring your behaviour is very useful as it allows you to identify any discrepancies between what you have planned to do and what you are actually doing1. You can then act on this to modify your actions if necessary. You will also be able to see your achievements, which is rewarding and provides positive, motivating feedback.

· Repeat, repeat, repeat healthy behaviours. It is known that habits result from repeating actions in certain environments. It is therefore vitally important that you repeat new behaviours so they become automatic and you don’t have to make a conscious decision to perform them.

· To break unhealthy habits, you need to disrupt the cue pattern. This involves avoiding the environments which trigger the behaviour and also self-programming to carry out different behaviours in those environments(1). If we re-visit the smoking example, an individual could try to avoid going to the pub, but if they do go, they could chew a piece of gum rather than have a cigarette.

Although humans are creatures of habit, we are conscious beings and we have the power to assess our behaviours and to make changes for the better.

References

1. Lally P and Gardner B (2013). Promoting Habit Formation Health Psychology Review 7:sup1;ppS137-S158

** Sedentary Behaviour and Health **

Hi everyone,

A huge thank you for your amazing support and encouragement for our launch of Energise Health! We are overwhelmed that so many of you have been so enthusiastic about our new venture, and that so many enrolled for our first learning module, Understanding First Aid for Mental Health. Thank you!

Our second module, Sedentary Behaviour and Health, is now available. Most people know that physical activity is good us, but few are aware that sedentary behaviour is an independent risk factor for chronic disease. It is possible for someone to fulfil their exercise requirements but also to be classified as ‘sedentary’ because of the time they spend sitting down.

Sedentary Behaviour and Health is suitable for anyone who is interested in understanding more about what sedentary behaviour is, what factors determine sedentary behaviour patterns, the impact it has on health and strategies to reduce sedentary time. It may be of particular interest to:

Fitness instructors
Personal trainers
Office workers
Anyone with an interest in health, fitness and wellness
Healthcare professionals

The module includes:

Course content approved by a medical doctor and personal trainer
Following successful completion of the unit assessment you will receive a certificate of completion
Time accreditation for CPD: 3 hours
**Bonus feature** Two videos from a yoga teacher demonstrating office-based chair-yoga activities to reduce sedentary time whilst at work

All this for just £10!

For more details, or to enrol, please email [email protected]

Energise Health

Hello and welcome to Energise Health! We can’t wait to be a part of your health evolution.

We are really excited to launch our first online learning module, Understanding First Aid for Mental Health.

• This module is designed for people who are interested in understanding more about mental health disorders, who want to learn how to recognise symptoms and who want to help individuals struggling with their mental wellbeing
• It comprises 5-10 hours of learning
• Following successful completion of the unit assessment you will receive a certificate of completion
• Course content approved by a consultant psychiatrist

We have a special introductory of just £10 for the module. For more details, or to enrol, please email [email protected] or send us a Facebook message.

Please share with anyone who might benefit!

Thank you! x

Hello and welcome to Energise Health! We are here to help you to make evidence-based lifestyle choices which will have a huge and positive impact on your physical and mental wellbeing.

Good health is not merely the absence of disease. It describes a state of physical, mental and social wellbeing which allows you to thrive and achieve your full potential.

At Energise Health we use a biopsychosocial approach to optimising our clients' health and wellbeing through our unique ENERGISE plan, which explores:

Exercise and Movement
Nutrition
Environment
Relationships and Social Connections
Goal Setting
Ideas and Mindset
Sleep
Empowerment

Our aim is to help you to feel healthier, happier and fitter and to provide the tools and knowledge to support you on your journey to positive wellbeing.

We would love to be a part of your lifestyle evolution!

It's now easier to send Energise Health a message.