Hello Everyone! I was sent something the other day which made me laugh and I’d like to share it with you:

Coronacoaster 

noun: The ups and downs of a pandemic - one day you're loving your bubble, going for long walks, baking cakes and pottering in the garden, the next you're crying, drinking gin for breakfast, eating party rings and missing people you don't even like!

I hope that made you smile! From my experiences talking to everyone ten weeks on this is pretty much where we are. Whether you are employed, furloughed, self-employed, homeschooling or any other scenario we are all coping the best we can. That’s why it’s really hard to start suggesting to people that they need to look after themselves. Everyone has enough on their plate just getting through the day without the dreaded subject of health creeping in to our daily routines. At the moment it’s early days to establish whether being in lockdown has made us as a country healthier or not, and if those that have taken up the mantle will continue when things go back to a sort of normal.

To be honest I’ve found the Thursday hand-clapping slightly odd. Don’t get me wrong the shared sense of community is amazing and if the doctors and nurses can hear it I’m sure they do appreciate the gesture. However the doctors and nurses I’m speaking to, some of them dear friends, have said the opposite. So here’s the next share and it’s an “ouchy” one:

“If we really want to support the NHS, we need to start taking responsibility for our health”.

Now I firmly believe this is true, but if we wait for the right messages from on high it will never happen, so sadly we have to plough our own furrow with this, and that can be hard.  But, and here’s the good news, it can be done and I’m so very proud of the 27 people that have been with me through lockdown following their Six-Week Challenges. All of them have passed with flying colours in terms of reversing disease. Most had high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and ten had pre-diabetes and now don’t – how amazing is that!

What can we learn from outcomes of the Covid crisis?

Essentially what we knew before. If you are obese, diabetic, have a poor gut microbiome and vitamin status you may not fare so well. But Corona aside (and yes wouldn’t that be lovely if we can put this to one side), these are issues anyway that will drive other health conditions. As those of you know who follow me, most of the Western Diseases find their roots into our bodies through inflammation and this has never been clearer during this pandemic. You might have noticed reading in the papers about cytokine storms? This is where the inflammatory response in the body is out of control.

However (and more good news) there is so much we can do before we get to this state. Many people are understandably scared and it takes a lot of courage to put up your hand and say, ok I need help. I think that’s the hardest part. When you realise you don’t have to be sick and there is much that can be done – well, that’s the easier part!

A new start for your health with Lifestyle Medicine

If you feel you’d like to make that first step and want a chat with me, I’m offering a free 10 minutes on the phone, Zoom, Skype or WhatsApp. It’s a good chance to have a chat and find out exactly what you need and what your goals are. I offer consultations for all sorts of conditions and price ranges. Some of the issues assessed can include:

• Vitamin Status
• The Gut Microbiome
• Trauma
• Sleep
• Stress
• Exercise
• and tailor making a diet that works for you for life

If you’d like to get in contact please call me on 01323 737814 or 310532. For more details please visit my website