This year our Aura Yoga ‘Kula’ (community or tribe) opted for a decadent festive high tea at a local multi award-winning hotel, The Angel Hotel, Abergavenny, and what a fine dining experience it was! More
Yoga for ‘Hot’ Women is a Hatha Yoga practice specifically tailored to support, nourish and empower women through some of the many symptoms encountered at Peri-menopause, Menopause and Beyond.
This is a time of change, transformation, a metamorphosis as major shifts occur in our endocrine system, often a journey of self-discovery, leading to life-changing events. A time to slow-down, take stock and reflect on who we truly are and what we want from life.
“First find rest … If the body wants to slow down, you have to allow it to slow down for a while.” Geeta S. Iyengar author of ‘Yoga: A Gem for Women’.
I’ve been practicing yoga for four decades and have adapted my own yoga practice during chronic illness, grief, pregnancy, postpartum, as a busy working mother and now at peri-menopause.
Like ‘Jemima Shore Investigates’ I love to investigate, explore, watch, listen, read, learn and have gleaned so much knowledge, tried and tested various methods of yoga practice, plus other coping strategies that help me at this stage in my life. I’m keen to share my knowledge and experience, as a yoga teacher, practitioner, homoeopath and a woman, confident it will help to empower, nourish and support other women.
“Take advantage of the clarity of vision that is the gift of menopause and use that gift to let the second half of your life truly be your own.” Christiane Northrup, M.D., ‘The Wisdom of Menopause: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing During the Change’
I’ve become increasingly more aware of the many menopausal symptoms, approximately forty, and the impact they have on so many women who are suffering, often in silence, wondering what the hell is happening to them!
Yoga practice can help reduce some of the more undesirable effects of hormonal changes by helping to restore balance and harmony to the body and mind.
You will learn a variety of techniques to help cope with some of the many symptoms that can occur e.g. irregular and/or heavy periods, hot flushes, sweats, pelvic-floor issues, pains in the joints, mood swings, sleeplessness, anxiety, depression, panic-attacks, absentmindedness, headaches, palpitations, bone health, fatigue, loss of libido, vaginal atrophy, etc.
“You can use hot flashes as a personal wake-up call: “Wake-up! Something powerful is happening!” Use this changing time before it passes to access and study your old behaviours, sweat out what no longer works – poisons and toxins you have accumulated in your lifetime – and to let go of old hatreds and resentments. The more you use your hot flashes, the more skilful you become in transforming energy, and thus your life.” Ana Forrest, Yoga Teacher
We will also explore the importance of nutrition, exercise, relaxation, mindfulness, self-care and a variety of treatment options. The group will share their experiences and coping strategies so we can learn from each other which can be very supportive. We will also laugh, be sad, confused, hot, anxious, depressed sometimes. I will teach you to recognise, acknowledge and accept these emotions as part of the process as we journey through life. There is light at the end of the tunnel, even if you sometimes feel lost in the dark.
Do come and join us for Yoga for ‘Hot’ Women on Thursday 6.00-7.00pm at Plas Mawr Community Centre, Blackwood, for the next 5 weeks or for 3 weeks from next Tuesday Noon-1.00pm at Studio 54, Blackwood.
For more information check out my Classes page.
World Menopause Day is an international observance held on October 18 every year. It was initiated by the International Menopause Society, a UK based non-commercial organization that was created in 1978 during the second Menopause Convention that took place in Jerusalem.”
It is a worldwide awareness call for women who face health issues when approaching, during and beyond the menopause to discuss the many topics around this life occurrence.
All women will experience the Menopause. The Menopause is defined as a 12 month after your last menstrual cycle however, menopause can be induced by some gynaecology surgery or medication. The majority of women experience a whole host of symptoms several years prior to menopause, this is known as peri-menopause.
Peri-menopause is where I’m currently at and it started 5-6 years ago with irregularity in my menstrual cycle, brain fog, anger, fatigue, mood swings, weight-gain, etc. I’m in my 50’s but for some women peri-menopause and menopause occur in the 30+ age group or earlier. I recommend you visit your GP to discuss your symptoms but do some research beforehand and go prepared with a list of what you wish to discuss as a 10 minute maximum appointment time is common.
I started my own research based on my symptoms and bought a Menopause Indicator Test from my local Wilko store. This test is rather like a home Pregnancy Test kit where you urinate on the device and the result is shown in the indicator window. The test measures the level of FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) which dramatically reduces in peri-menopause. My test result indicated that I am “on the change” as it’s commonly known.
I’m thankful and consider myself to be very fortunate that I seem to be embracing my mid-life transition and transformation well. I’m aware that many other women are not always in such a favourable position and are enduring real hardship managing their peri-menopause and menopausal symptoms, especially in the workplace, with little or no support. This needs to change and I’m hoping this local event will help sow the seeds of such change, offering information, inspiration, support and hope.
A year ago I attended a Menopause Café where all ages, genders, meet to discuss topics relating to the menopause over tea and cake. An open, respectful and confidential space where participants can express their views safely. No intention of leading participants to any conclusion, product or course of action. I continued attending the monthly group and enjoyed the experience that resulted in me feeling much more optimistic about midlife and beyond.
At the beginning of 2019 I began hosting Menopause Café Blackwood and it has become very popular. It’s a daytime event, meeting on the first Monday of the month 9.30-11.30am at The Potting Shed Café, Blackwood Garden Centre, NP12 0PN. I’ve settled on this time and venue for now as it’s so well attended. I tried scheduling the Menopause Cafe in the evening, but they weren’t so popular however many people contacted me to say they’d like to attend an evening event to find out more.
That’s when I decided to host an event to celebrate Womanhood for World Menopause Day.
The event isn’t just for those experiencing peri-menopause or menopause. All ages and genders are welcome as peri-menopause and menopause affects us all, either directly or indirectly, so I look forward to you joining us.
I’ve been very fortunate as so many local businesses and therapists have agreed to take part:
Aura Homoeopathy & Yoga with Geri
Anita Hughes Photography
Body Shop & Bloom
Eden Energy Medicine
Forever Living Aloe Juice
@Indigo Fairie – Alternative Healing
New Moon Tranquility – Aromatherapy, Reiki, plus so much more
Partylite – Soy Candles, etc.
Samantha Connell – Personal Training Instructor
There will also be short talks on Menopause, Mindfulness, Drumming animal journey and Homoeopathy.
Please spread the word and why not join us in the event at:
Studio 54, 54 High Street, NP12 1BB
on Friday 18th October 2019 6.00-8.00pm.
Free entry.
Charges for taster sessions and goods for sale.
(The local pay and display car parks are free after 6pm. Time restrictions apply to parking at local retail car parks.)
Free entry.
Where: Studio 54, 54 High Street, Blackwood, NP12 1BB
When: 6.00-8.00pm on Friday 18th October 2019
Information, Inspiration, Aromatherapy, Body Shop, Crystals, Eden Energy Medicine, Forever Living Aloe Juice, Homoeopathy, Professional Photographer – Boudoir & Christmas Packages, PT Instructor, Reflexology, Reiki, Soy Candles, Yoga.
There is a charge for taster sessions and goods for sale.
Head lice and nits are very common in children and their families. Apparently, they do not have anything to do with dirty hair and are picked up by head-to-head contact. [www.nhs.uk]. I also believe they can be picked up sharing brushes, combs, hats, helmets, clothing, bedding and towels of someone with head lice. The NHS website offer information, photos and videos to help your recognise and successfully treat head lice so please don’t panic.
I contracted head lice at school and in the past so have my children. I’ve tried many different methods to eliminate the headlice (tiny insects approximately 5mm in size or smaller if they’ve not long hatched) and nits (their tiny white eggs that stick to strands of hair) but by far the most effective treatment I’ve found is Delacet Head Lice and Nits Lotion. This is made from Tincture of Larkspur and Acetic Acid (Vinegar) and is available from The Homeopathic Supply Company [www.hsconline.co.uk].
According to Homeopathy Plus:
Tincture of Larkspur or Staphysagria is made from the herb Delphinium Staphysagria. It is also known as Larkspur or Lice-bane because of its herbal use in killing body lice. The ancient Greeks and Romans recorded using this toxic herb as a herbal medication for a variety of uses, including as a salve that worked as a remedy for bites, stings and lice.”
It is the most effective treatment for head lice I’ve ever used and witnessed working successfully time and time again. It is the only natural treatment which does not involve prolonged combing, applications on consecutive days.
It does need to remain on the hair for 2-3 hours and I find placing a shower cap over the hair as soon the Delacet lotion application is completed, helps prevent the lotion dripping and/or strands of hair straying. In fact, the instructions for use recommend using a shower cap but always supervise children and vulnerable adults during the treatment. Of course, it is also wise to carry out a skin patch test in case of sensitivity prior to using this product.
According to Delacet their lotion is made from a unique dual action flower extract used in Europe for decades due to its outstanding effectiveness after just one application and highlights the benefits as follows [www.delacet.co.uk]:
“Used successfully for over 50 years
No organophosphates
No detection combing required
No prolonged applications
Easy to wash out
Suitable for adults and children
Quick, simple, safe and effective
Disinfecting & conditioning properties
Excellent for dreadlocks & thick hair
Suitable for permed hair/extensions
Not tested on animals
Suitable for vegans
Packaging fully recyclable
Produced to GMP standards (ISO 9001)”
If you suspect head lice to be a problem in your hair or that of your child I recommend using a nit-comb for headlice detection as you only need to use a head lice lotion treatment if you discover head-lice in the hair. In my opinion by far the best product for the job is ‘Nitty Gritty’.
This is a revolutionary nit-comb made by mums. How does it work? “The NitFree Comb’s 33 round-tipped teeth go through your hair quickly and easily, and the ‘micro-spiral’ groove in each one gentle removes anything that’s attached to your hair … lice, nits and even unhatched ‘live’ louse eggs. The rounded tips won’t scratch your scalp – and just one NitFree Comb is all you need to check and treat the whole family.” [www.nittygritty.co.uk]
The ‘Nitty Gritty’ is larger than most nit combs on the market, including the ones that are often included in the main brands of head lice treatment. This larger nit-comb make is easier to handle and use as you work your way through the strands of wet hair with a liberal application of hair-conditioner applied. Wet combing the hair from the roots to the tips, focusing especially on the warmer areas of the scalp e.g. back of neck and behind the ears.
It is easier if you can separate the hair into sections and keep the sections you’ve checked away from those left to do. I find wiping the nit comb in white kitchen roll sheets or white paper very effective as you can see if any headlice and nits have been picked up in your trawl through the hair, I also rinse the nit comb in water to reduce contamination and the conditioner build-up make this a slippery task.
If I detect head lice I continue nit combing the whole head of hair and rinse off the conditioner. I then apply the Delacet lotion as directed and wash off with shampoo, then dry the hair as usual.
I trust you will find this information useful.
This weekend I organised for a small group of yoga students and I to try Yoga on Stand-up Paddle Boards (SUP) at Llandegfedd Reservoir.
The weather was perfect sunny, warm, clear skies and no wind. We parked our cars and walked down towards the reservoir we were all ‘blown away’ by the picture-perfect view. The undisturbed surface of the water beautifully reflected the sky and surrounding landscape, like a mirror. We all breathed the fresh, clean air, rich in prana and so energising. The location was perfect for the practice of yoga.
I was in full Alpha Female mode having organised our pose’ to meet, share transportation, arrive at the venue safely, sign-in and kit ourselves out with best fitting wetsuits and neoprene shoes. We all changed into our swimwear and wetsuits and received our safety brief from our instructor Kate Holly, of ‘Yoga with Kitty’ fame.
There were 13 in our group and 12 inflatable paddle boards which were lightweight and easy to carry the short journey to the water. One student shared Kate’s board. It was so warm and sunny that several of our group decided to ditch the wetsuits and wear just swimmers. Kate lead the way on her extra-large paddle board, and we all followed lying on our bellies, rowing with our arms. We were only a short distance from the shore and each paddle board anchored to a fixed rope so there was no fear of drifting off. I was the last to enter the water as I took photos to record the event. I then left ‘Little Miss Organiser’ on the shore as I switched to yoga student mode.
The water was surprisingly warm and refreshing but I had no intention of going in further than paddling to my knees to set-off and alight! We started lying on our backs, knees bent to relax and accustom ourselves to being on the water. I don’t usually suffer with motion-sickness, but I could feel the movement of the board and found this quite a challenge especially in the camel and standing sequence of postures.
I regretted having such a large breakfast. I had worn my wetsuit but was too hot and soon removed it to my waist, I also removed my neoprene shoes as found my movement was restricted in them on the non-slip surface of the board.
Sixty minutes into the session I really started to relax and enjoy myself, this was enhanced by my decision to remove my wetsuit as I found it quite cumbersome. A few students fell into the water but quickly and easily pulled themselves back onto their boards. Kate’s soft voice guided us through a lovely yoga sequence, with lots of reassurance, many tips to assist our enjoyment and modifications where necessary – “just keep the handle aligned with your belly”.
There were many other water-sports taking place that day and lots of noise as a result, but this only encouraged the practice of ‘Pratyahara’ (withdrawal of the senses), the fifth element among the Eight Limbs of the great yogic sage Patanjali’s Yoga.
The relaxation was total bliss.
Lying on the board, the gentle movement of the water was now cradling and lulling all my senses, the warmth of the sun on my face and body, I was totally in lost in the moment, no longer organiser, yoga teacher, mother, just ME! I really didn’t want the relaxation to end as I felt that I only truly accustomed myself to the whole SUP Yoga experience towards the end of the session, after I had removed most of the extra layers of clothing I had worn for fear of being cold.
We all thoroughly enjoyed the experience. What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday morning, we all breezed through the rest of the day. Several of us were keen to book to go again before the end of the season (mid October).
Do you fancy joining us? Namaste.
Shinrin-Yoku translates as Forest Bathing and originated in Japan in 1982. In Japanese Shinrin means “forest” and Yoku means “bath”. The Japanese governments incorporated it into the country’s health programme. The practice is to spend time in a forest atmosphere, breathing, observing, listening, connecting, in the company of others if you wish, no jogging or workouts required.’
I discovered recently that Monmouthshire Borough Council offer ‘walk and talk’ sessions outdoors to promote mental and physical wellbeing. Also, apparently Scottish GP’s are prescribing time outdoors in nature to improve patient’s wellbeing.
There was a great article published in The Guardian recently about Shinrin-yoku. “Shinrin-yoku was developed in the 1980’s in Japan. Although people have been taking walks in the country’s forests for centuries, new studies showed that such activity, enjoying sensory immersion in the forest, could reduce blood pressure, lower cortisol levels and improve concentration and memory.”
According to the World Economic Forum some benefits of Forest Bathing include:
I walk outdoors, in all weathers, whatever the season, regularly with a close friend of mine and often with my children. I’ve recently organised a 60 minute ‘walk and talk’ session prior to Menopause Café Caerphilly that I organise on a monthly basis. This evolved after I organised a group of 16 family, friends and yoga students to take part in a sponsored walk to the summit of ‘Pen-y-Fan’ (South Wales’ highest mountain) for a local charity, Hospice of the Valleys. We raised lots of money and had such an amazing time that the group wanted to continue walking on a regular basis. We often walk in the local woods but also enjoy other naturally healing environments, such as mountains and the stunning Welsh Coastline.
Prior to this month’s Menopause Café we enjoyed a 60 minute walk in woodland on such a beautiful, warm, sunny evening, surrounded by so many wild flowers, plants and trees. Some of us picked and ate wild raspberries too. Afterwards a refreshing drink was most welcome along with some tasty snacks, sat outside in the beautiful gardens of our venue, with so many picturesque views.
Cognitive impairment was one of our topics of conversation, (so many of us have forgotten where we parked our car on more than one occasion), fatigue, the role of progesterone plays in a woman’s menstrual cycle, the perils of dating later in life, and so much more. We discovered that Google Maps ‘app’ on our mobile phones allow us to pinpoint our location on arrival at our destination, which helps when you need to find your car again later!
I’m really looking forward to the next Menopause Café Blackwood at The Maes Manor Hotel, on Friday 9th August 2019 6.20-8.30pm.
This Summer I also intend to organise some outdoor Yoga and Mindfulness events so watch this space for details.
On the 2nd March 2019 our team of 16, AURA Yoga & Homoeopathy Crusaders, walked Pen-y-Fan in the Brecon Beacons, South Wales’ highest mountain at 828m. We joined 200 other keen participants on More
“Constipation is common and it affects people of all ages. You can usually treat it at home with simple changes to your diet and lifestyle.”
Often when a patient consults me for homoeopathic treatment they are surprised at the questions I ask during their first appointment, especially regarding their dietary preferences and habits. I’m very passionate about the impact food has on our health and wellbeing.More
