Answer, Name and Contact Number via our contact form! Good Luck!

Q12: Will you be having turkey on Christmas day?

Q11: Who were Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar?

Q10: What is Bob Cratchit's youngest son calles?

Q9: What Christmas 'character' features on the Red Raven website?

Q8: Good King Wenceslas look out on the feast of whom?

Q7: Has Red Raven Therapy ever appeared on TV?

Q6: What are the two colours on the Red Raven Therapy logo?

5: On the 5th day of Christmas, what did my true love give to me?
WINNER: Jayne Morgan

Q4: How much does the 'Bliss Package' cost?

Q3: In Thai Foot Massage, what is the name given to the energy lines running through the legs?
WINNER: Samantha Brunsdon

Q2: Name one benefit of Indian Head Massage

Q1: From what country does Reiki originate?

Answer, Name and Contact Number via our contact form! Good Luck!


Merry Christmas and Nadolig llawen to one and all!·

From the 13th December we will be running our 12 Days of Christmas Competition!· Every day we will ask a question, the answer to which you can find on our website.· To enter, use our contact form to send us your answer.· Your name will be drawn from all entries which arrive by midnight and you could win a £10 therapy gift voucher!!

Christmas gift certificates can be bought here via PayPal.· You can have the certificate e-mailed direct to you.· Quick, simple and lovely!!· And great for a last minute gift!·

The other evening, I went for a run.· Yes!· Me!!· I have been thinking about it for a few months but for one reason or another, I didn't have the time, the weather was wrong or I was too hungry, or indeed, just didn't have the confidence to get my trainers on and pound the streets.· But, the other evening, everything fitted; I got home from work and still had a bit of energy left; the weather was calm and cool and I had built up some confidence from talking to a neighbour the day before, who also went out for the occasional run!· I had also been talking
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to two colleagues in the previous year who had taken up running in their forties and were benefitting hugely and really enjoying it.


So, I donned by trainers, joggers and hoodie and with mobile and house keys hooked to a lanyard around my neck and a bottle of water in my hand, I went out and just did it!!· I soon realised that the mobile and keys were going to get on my nerves, so I put them in one hand to balance out my water bottle in the other.·

Over the months that I had been thinking about it and generally procrastinating, I had done a bit of online research about how to go about it without killing myself.· All advice was basic, walk for a bit, run for a bit, walk for a bit, run for a bit. Nothing more complicated than that.· When I had talked to my colleague who was now planning to do a marathon she also said that she would run for a few minutes, walk for a few minutes, until she was running a few miles a night.· So, I did just that; I walked out of the front door, walked for a bit to warm up and jogged gently to the end of the street, than I walked a bit until I'd got my breath back and then ran until I felt I needed to walk.·

I really enjoyed myself!· I'm not sure how far I went, a couple of miles, by my husband's calculation, but we're going to cycle my route sometime soon to find out!· And the run, walk, run, walk method is really great; you achieve a little without feeling like you've done a lot and every time you go out, you can increase the running parts little by little!

I'm really impressed with myself as I expected to go 300 yards, hate it and turn back.· But I didn't!· And I'm really looking forward to doing it again sometime this week, when I have time and can fit it in around work, therapy and home life!

Give it a try!· Go to IntoJoggin - it's a blog for new joggers and you can add comments.· You don't need any fancy equipment except proper, well fitting trainers which I got from MOTI in Cardiff (they video your running posture to make sure you get the right trainers) and you can do it pretty much any time and place any where!· The only downside is, I think I'm going to have to use a bum-bag for keys and mobile next time, unless I can find a better alternative!· Eeek!

I did a little Tai Chi a few years ago, but due to work commitments and the time of the class I wasn't able to continue. But now, I'm back on the hunt for a class in my area. I have found two, but unfortunately they run during the day, which is no good for people that work 9-5, like me!

Tai Chi (also written as T'ai Chi, Taiji, Tai Chi Chuan, among others) is a slow-motion, moving meditative exercise for relaxation, health and self defense. Originally from China, Tai Chi has gained enormous popularity in America and throughout the rest of the world for its health benefits.

Doctors in the United States analysed 47 studies looking at the impact Tai Chi had on people with chronic health problems, like heart disease or MS. They found that it could improve balance control, flexibility and even the health of their heart.

Writing in The Archives of Internal Medicine, they said it also reduced stress, falls, pain and anxiety.

You may have seen large groups of Chinese people practicing Tai Chi in the local park, all moving together in the same direction, at the sae pace, looking extremely graceful.

A common misconception is that it is only good for the elderly. While it is a popular form of exercise among the elderly, particularly in China, tai chi has been found to be health-promoting for younger generations as well. In the July-August 2005 issue of the Journal of Paediatric Health Care, an article outlined an educational program that was implemented in a Boston middle school which involved tai chi and mindfulness-based stress reduction. The boys and girls who participated in the program reported the following benefits:
• Feelings of well-being, calmness, and relaxation

• Improved sleep
• Less reactivity

• Increased self-care and self-awareness

• Feelings of interconnectedness and interdependence with nature

Another study, published in the March 2006 issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine, also found that tai chi enhances functional mobility. In addition, this study found that tai chi also enhances regulatory T cell function. T cells are critical to the overall strength of your immune system.

I've been doing Yoga for a few months now. I am really enjoying it; the balance of increasing fitness, increasing flexibility and de-stressing is something you don't get in an aerobics class where you can't see the instructor for the seat dripping down into your eyes! Yuck! The class I go to is on a Saturday morning from 10.30am to 11.30am at Merthyr Leisure Centre. For £3 a class per week, it's a snip and far more economical than £36 per month for gym membership!

Many people think that yoga is just stretching but yoga is really about creating balance in the body through developing both strength and flexibility. This is done through the performance of poses or postures, each of which has specific physical benefits. The poses can be done quickly in succession, creating heat in the body through movement or more slowly to increase stamina and perfect the alignment of the pose.

There a a wide variety of yoga styles. Some are more aerobic and designed to heat your body up, some are more focussed on perfecting the pose.

Ashtanga Yoga: This type of yoga is sometimes called "power yoga" due to the primary focus being to create a powerful flowing movement. These types of yoga often include classic strength and stamina routines such as lunges and pushups, and are more often used by people who are seeking a more challenging workout. Ashtanga might be suited to a person who as successfully overcome a minor back injury for example.

Hatha Yoga: If you see a class described as Hatha, it will likely be a slow-paced stretching class with some simple breathing exercises and perhaps seated meditation. This is a good place to learn basic poses, relaxation techniques, and become comfortable with yoga.

Vinyasa Yoga: Vinyasa is usually a fast-paced type of yoga with lots of different poses. Other than starting with a sun salutation, no two classes will be alike.

Kundalini Yoga: "Kundalini" refers to the energy of the base chakra, which surrounds the base of the spine. The principle behind Kundalini yoga is that in freeing up this area, we can unleash the unlimited potential that lies within that energy center. Expect lots of core work on your abs and around the spine with Kundalini yoga -- and perhaps even more sitting than usual.

Yoga fits really well with Reiki, and even though one comes form India and the other from Japan, they both focus on holistic wellbeing, energy flows and have chakra energy centres in common.

We went for a cycle ride around Bute Park this afternoon.· I'd wondered around the Park back in my Uni day, as the halls of residence I lived in for a few years is just off the top of the Park.

Bute park is an easily accessible·56 hectare green haven in the heart of the city. It is flanked by the River Taff, Sophia gardens, Pontcanna Fields and Cardiff Castle. Cardiff's biggest city centre public park, was originally created as the private garden to Cardiff Castle by Head Gardener Andrew Pettigrew for the third Marquess of Bute between 1873 and 1901.· In 1947, a significant proportion of the grounds were given to the people of Cardiff by the fifth Marquess of Bute, along with Cardiff Castle and Sophia Gardens (further portions of land were purchased and leased by the council to create an extensive park).· The Victorian garden layout still exists, but since 1947 the park has been extensively planted with trees to form the Bute Park Arboretum.

All around the Park are wide paths, accesible for Sunday afternoon strollers, dog walkers, pram pushers, joggers and cyclists alike.· There was a real community atmosphere there today with people from all walks of life, cultures and languages taking their time to enjoy the good weather and a few moment of relaxation. The weather was glorious and it was really warm in the sunshine; some people were sitting down against big old trees reading books, some were sitting on the grass having a picnic, others were pushing children on bicycles newly released from the constraints of stabilisers!· Some people were rowing down the Taff amidts yells of 'Go on!' and 'Well done!', so there may have been a race on. There were signs around the Park guiding the runners of the half marathon held in the morning where to go and how many miles they had done.

All in all it was a realy lovely, relaxed afternoon with lots of fresh air, sunshine and a Burger King in the middle, finished off with an orange and chocolate cookie...purely for the purposes of maintaining energy, of course!

Yesterday, I went to an open day at a complementary therapy centre in Cardiff and had a taster session of 'Shiatsu'. I'd been interested in shiatsuit for a while, but knew very little about it. I was really impressed by the therapy and it's whole body impact. Here's an extract from the Shiatsu Society's description about Shiatsu:

"Shiatsu is a therapeutic practice that can support individuals in moving towards greater health and well-being.

Shiatsu is a relaxing treatment and can be beneficial for back pain, stress, headaches, whiplash injuries, neck stiffness, joint pain and reduced motibility and many sports injuries amongst other ailments.

Shiatsu is a Japanese word meaning "finger pressure". It is a new name for the oldest form of medicine - healing with hands. Everybody has the healing power of touch and responds to touch. It is a natural ability that people are now beginning to recognize again.Shiatsu uses hand pressure and manipulative techniques to adjust the body's physical structure and its natural inner energies, to help ward off illness, and maintain good health.

Shiatsu is characterized by its great simplicity. It grew from earlier forms of massage, called Anma in Japan (Anmo or Tuina in China) which use rubbing, stroking, squeezing, tapping, pushing, and pulling to influence the muscles and circulatory systems of the body. Shiatsu, by contrast, uses few techniques and to an observer it would appear that little is happening - merely a still, relaxed pressure at various points on the body with the hand or thumb, an easy leaning of the elbows or a simple rotation of a limb."

After a family bereavement, we decided to go to Pembrokeshire to visit family and do some chillaxation. We strapped our (newly acquired)bicycles on to the back of our trusty van and headed off.

We've only recently bought bikes. It was very much to do with my ever pressing need to fight the flab! So, with my £45 pink bike from Gumtree, matching pink helmet and, actually, matching pink hoodie which I bought in the Eisteddfod, I am now actively working to beat the bulge!!

We also managed to time it right and got the kites out just when there was no rain but a decent bit of wind! Having not flown a kite for a long LONG time, it was a real buzz to be yanked across the field and watch my husband climb the tree to rescue the big kite!!!

I'm not a big gym fan, so it's good to be able to do some other activities to get fit and loose a bit of weight. So, cycling, swimming, kite flying, poi spinning. What next? That jobbing club I was thinking about? I'll let you know!!

We visited the Edinburgh festival for the very first time this year, after a few years of 'promising to go'. After looking at the hike in flight costs, we decided to drive, so stayed in Lancaster on the way up and Liverpool on the way back.

We stayed in Kirkhill Mansion, about 10 miles outside Edinburgh. We had no trouble at all driving into the middle of festival-ville and parking. The car parks are plenty and costs are on a par with other UK cities.

We saw 5 shows, from pantomime, to Japanese 'comedy', to theatrical performances. The piece de resistance were the Japanese Taiko drummers and the Chinese State Circus. Who could believe that 3 people could make a whole church vibrate and that it was possible to unicycle with one foot!?!! We also saw some street performers and stalls doing excellent portraits and I was lassoed by a lovely knife throwing texan!

We're planning to go back next year and we're already planning our trip! If you haven't been you must go! Definitely something to add to your 'do before I die' list!!

So, what is emotional intelligence or EQ (emotional quotient)? Well, it's pretty much what it says on the tin. It's having intellect about emotion; both your own and others. It's about having the ability, either innate or through training, to understand why you or others act in a certain way; what makes you or others 'tick'; about the office politics, with the little 'p'! The book to read s that written by Daniel Goleman, who talks about EIQ as the missing link, the missing part of IQ. The concept has been around since the 1930s but
Read More seems relatively little used in the workplace.

Daniel Goleman identified the five 'domains' of EQ as:
1. Knowing your emotions.
2. Managing your own emotions.
3. Motivating yourself.
4. Recognising and understanding other people's emotions.
5. Managing relationships, ie., managing the emotions of others.

You can buy Daniel Goleman's 'Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ' at Amazon

You can take a mini, simple EQ test here: http://www.ihhp.com/quiz.php I did this quiz and was impressed by the simple but thought provoking response. The test only took a few minutes and the feedback gave tasty food for thought! There are lots of test around with varying degrees of detail and accuracy, so have a search around to fnd one that you feel comfortable with.

It is said that for various reasons and thanks to a wide range of abilities, people with high emotional intelligence tend to be more successful in life than those with lower EQ even if their classical IQ - intelectual quotient is average.

Here are some suggestions for developing your own EQ:

http://www.redraventherapy.co.uk/aboutus/blog.html/199-emotional-intelligence-july-2010.html

Reflexology, Thai Foot Massage, Reiki and Indian Head Massage can off set the effects of stress on the heart and the overall health of the body. Complementary therapy attempts to treat the body, mind and spirit as a whole system by getting to the root of the problem and not looking just at the symptocalmwaterms. It can help the body to reach a place of deep relaxation where it can balance the body systems.

Through the relaxation process the body is more capable of dealing with the stresses placed on it by daily living and those associated with work, family life, illness etc. Complementary therapy can gently nudge the body towards improved functioning of the system by improving lymphatic drainage and venous circulation, simulation to the nerve pathways, and muscle relaxation.

Sufferers of stress have noted that they feel a lot more relaxed and indeed tend to feel less stressed after a session of therapy. They have also noted a reduction in their stress levels as a result of the treatment

Reflexology is believed to encourage the release of endorphins, the body's natural feel-good hormones, well documented in their ability to relieve stress.


Coaching to Stress Less

The modern world is stressed to be max. If you need to find a way to deal with your stress and re-engineer your lifestyles to achieve a calm, healthy, well life, coaching can help. Coaching can help you explore methods of limiting stressful activities and find ways to help your body and mind to de-stress. You may want to explore on the stress busting activities or increasing physical activity to promote wellbeing. Whatever you decide is the right path for you, Coaching can help you map and travel that path

On Friday evening I ran my 4th Reflexology workshop for Merched y Wawr. Merched y Wawr is a welsh women's group, not unlike the Women's Institute, except that the main language is Welsh. I've run workshops in Cwmbran, Newport, Crickhowell and Aberdare. I run my workshops in this way: a general presentation about what reflexology is, it's history, what imbalances it can help to rebalance and then descripe and share the foot map with the group. I then ask everyone to find their particular reflexes on their hand and then to find the same reflex on a friend's hand. Everyone has really enjoyed learning about Reflexology and have found it useful to put their learning into practice. Also, many of the group have asked about their ability to help their friends, partners and grandchildren outside of the group. I'm certainly pleased to be able to share my learning with the group and also to help spread the wellbeing and the healing outside of the workshop.

Merched y Wawr have asked me to run 3 workshops at the National Eisteddfod this year at Ebbw Vale. I'll be doing my workshop in the 'learner's tent', so whether you're a Welsh speaker or a Welsh learner, you're very welcome to come alone and join in the learning

Knee pain can be related to overuse where small stresses are repeated a large number of times without allowing adequate recovery, for example running too much too soon, or excessive jumping. Or injuries can be acute where the injury is caused by an impact or twisting such as an anterior cruciate ligament injury. An overuse injury can also be considered to be acute if it is painful or inflammed.
Knee pain is commonly caused by doing too much too soon when you haven't exercised for a long period of time - especially high-impact aerobics; walking, running or jumping on hard surfaces or uneven ground; excessive running up and down stairs (When you walk upstairs you are putting pressure on your knees that is equivalent to four times your body weight, when running up the stairs it can be eight times your body weight).

Prevent knee pain by keeping the muscles that support your knees strong and flexible. Start out slowly. Walk before you run - before you engage in a strenuous high impact activity such as jogging or running, try walking for a week. If walking causes knee pain, you shouldn't be running. Warm up and stretch before working out. Give your body a chance to recover from exercise. If you do high impact activities take every other day off. Avoid running up and down stairs and full squats. Doing knee exercises to strengthen and stretch the muscles that support the knee are vital for knee pain and injury prevention. Proper footwear is also important, especially if walking or running on hard surfaces. Keep your weight under control. Reducing one's weight reduces stress upon the knee.

Reflexology is a valuable tool that helps with not only the pain associated with knee issues, but is also a means for keeping the knees strong and healthy.
These are the main reflex points on which I focus, when attending a client with knee weakness.

Knee Reflex: In order to strengthen the knee joint and to send healing energy to any injured area.
Location: a small, soft triangular section, about 1 inch below the ankle bone.

Spine Reflex: The spine is the main support for the entire body, taking some of the weight off the knees.
Location: inside portion of the feet, running from the neck of the big toes, to the edge of the heel (it follows the natural curve of the instep).

Adrenal Gland Reflex: The adrenal glands increase the body’s natural anti-inflammatory hormones, which seem to soothe problematic knees.
Location: situated directly on the top portion of the kidney reflex points.

You spend about 33% of your life sleeping. Are you sleeping with a good pillow? Using a cervical support neck pillow is important because it helps to align your head and neck for sleeping. This means better sleep, waking up pain free and having good posture while sleeping.

If you have neck pain (acute or chronic), have suffered from
a whiplash-type injury, wake up with a stiff neck or have poor neck posture, then ideally you should get a good cervical support neck pillow. A flat pillow is not going to cut it. Some pillows such as temperpedic neck pillows can end up costing a lot of money. Other orthopedic neck pillows made out of fiberfill, even buckwheat hulls can be a lot more cost effective and very comfortable for sleeping.

Below Source: Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 2010, 8:48 by Petri SaloArja HakkinenHannu Kautiainen Jari Ylinen

While neck strength training has been shown to be effective in improving neck muscle strength and reducing neck pain, “health-related quality of life” or “HRQoL” among patients with neck pain has been reported as an outcome in only two short-term exercise intervention studies.

Thus, reports on the influence of a long-term neck strength training intervention on HRQoL among patients with chronic neck pain have been not been completed. This study reports the effect of one-year neck strength training on HRQoL in females with chronic neck pain.

In this study, 180 female office workers, ages 25 to 53 with chronic neck pain were put into two groups:
• Group 1: a strength training group (STG) - this group performed high-intensity isometric neck strengthening exercises with an elastic band
• Group 2: endurance training group (ETG)- performed lighter dynamic neck muscle training
• Group 3: control group (CG)- received a single session of guidance on stretching exercises

Health-related quality of life was assessed using the generic 15D questionnaire at baseline and after 12 months.

The study found that training led to statistically significant improvement in the 15D total scores for both training groups (groups 1 and 2), whereas no changes occurred for the control . The STG improved significantly in five of 15 dimensions, while the ETG improved significantly in two dimensions.

Conclusions: One year of either strength or endurance training seemed to moderately enhance the Health related quality of life. Neck and upper body training can be recommended to improve health related quality of life of females with neck pain if they are motivated for long-term regular exercise.

Thai Foot Massage is a massage of the lower legs and feet that originated in Thailand about 2000 years ago. It has become an integral part of traditional Thai massage and has elements of Shiatsu, Reflexology, Chinese massage and Yoga incorporated into the massage itself. Thai Foot Massage involves hands on stretching and massage, along with the use of a stick to stimulate the reflex points. It is still taught by Buddhist monks in the temples of
Thailand.


Traditional Thai Massage and Thai Foot Massage compliment each other beautifully. Thai Massage balances the elements of the mind and body, while Thai Foot Massage stimulates the internal organs, giving the receiver an holistic treatment.


So what are the benefits of a Thai Foot Massage?
• improved circulation in legs and hands
• stimulates lymphatic drainage
• helps remove toxins
• helps boost the immune system
• reduces stiffness and improves flexibility


Other benefits include:
• detoxification of the immune system
• Accelerated physical healing
• Stress relief
• Improved sleep
• Stimulation of the mind

So, what exactly is 'First Past the Post'? We've heard a lot about it and heard a lot of people arguing against it....

What is it.....?

The candidate with the most number of votes in an election wins a seat in the House of Commons. The leader of the party which wins the highest number or seats, rather than the party with the highest percentage of the overall vote, is asked to form the government.

The Electoral Reform Society has this to say....


Arguments for....

• It's simple to understand and thus doesn't cost much to administer and doesn't alienate people who can't count.
• It doesn't take very long to count all the votes and work out who's won, meaning results can be declared a handful of hours after polls close.
• The voter can clearly express a view on which party they think should form the next government.
• It tends to produce a two-party system (see Duverger's Law), which in turn tends to produce single-party governments, which don't have to rely on support from other parties to pass legislation.
• It encourages 'broad-church' centrist policies.
• There is a close geographical link between voters and their member of parliament.
• People are often fearful of change and slow to adapt, thus as we've got it now, so we may as well keep it.
• Election spending is geared towards only a small portion of the country, keeping costs down for our cash-strapped parties.


Arguments against .....

• Representatives can get elected on tiny amounts of public support. In 2005, for example, George Galloway polled the votes of only 18.4 per cent of his constituents, yet ended up in the House of Commons. Only three MPs elected in 2005 secured the votes of more than 40 per cent of their constituents.
• It encourages tactical voting, as voters vote not for the candidate they most prefer, but against the candidate they most dislike.
• FPTP in effect wastes huge numbers of votes, as votes cast in a constituency for losing candidates, or for the winning candidate above the level they need to win that seat, count for nothing. In 2005, 70 per cent of votes were wasted in this way – that's over 19 million ballots.
• FPTP severely restricts voter choice. Parties are coalitions of many different viewpoints. If the preferred-party candidate in your constituency has views with which you don't agree, you don't have a means of saying so at the ballot box.
• Rather than allocating seats in line with actual support, FPTP rewards parties with 'lumpy' support, i.e. with just enough votes to win in each particular area. Thus, losing 4,000 votes in one area can be a good idea if it means you pick up 400 votes in another. With smaller parties, this works in favour of those with centralised support. For example, at the 2005 general election, the DUP won nine seats on 0.9 per cent of the vote, yet the Greens won no seats, despite polling almost 16,000 more votes than the DUP.
• With relatively small constituency sizes, the way boundaries are drawn can have important effects on the election result, which encourages attempts at gerrymandering.
• Small constituencies also lead to a proliferation of safe seats, where the same party is all but guaranteed re-election at each election. This not only in effect disenfranchises a region's voters, but it leads to these areas being ignored when it comes to framing policy.
• If large areas of the country are electoral deserts for a particular party, not only is the area ignored by that party, but also ambitious politicians from the area have to move away from their homeland if they want to have influence within their party.
• FPTP rewards organised minorities, deals ineffectively with the most disliked parties, ignores (and thus fails to deal with) views that don't look like challenging at the polls and can make certain areas feel neglected by the big political parties. Until 2009 Euro Elections it was the only electoral system in the UK to have elected representatives from extremist parties. A party can be despised by 49 per cent of an electorate and still win.
• Encouraging two-party politics can be an advantage, but in a multi-party culture, third parties with significant support can be greatly disadvantaged. In the 1983 general election, the Liberal SDP alliance won 25 of the vote, but gained only 3 per cent of the seats.
• Because FPTP restricts a constituency's choice of candidates, representation of minorities and women suffers from 'most broadly acceptable candidate syndrome', where the 'safest' looking candidate is the most likely to be offered a chance to stand for election.

Well.....it's 3 days until the election! And it's certainly hotting up. The TV debates have given this election a new and almost transparent edge which I have never seen in my lifetime before. I've enjoyed the debates and with my interest in neuro-linguistic progrmming, been very interested in the body language, the eye movements the spoken language and the speed of the replies and retorts. I'm unimpressed by Gordon Brown but he never was and never will be the polished orator that is David Cameron. He's a fumbler, a bumbler but that's not to say that he isn't a good accountant. It just seems that he made the wrong decisions as chancellor, probably with the help of a few other greedy business people and politicians, and then was propped up to the point of Prime Minister and fall guy just as smooth Tony Blair moved on to better things! I am definitely impressed by David Cameron's public speaking skills, even if there are a few Conservative policies that worry me - like the push for the establishment of more public schools and the scrapping of identity cards to name but a few.... I've been impressed to see Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats moving up the field and making it a real 3 horse race. I like what they have to say but since they've never 'done it before' we'll just have to guess as to whether what their manifesto says is deliverable, or maybe the country will put it's money where it's mouth is and give them chance to show us what they can do I'm worried that we may end up with a hung parliament and the potential financial implications that will have on the UK in the world financial markets too; could we find ourselves scrabbling around for the pennies like Greece? Well, whatever the thoughts, opinions, judgements and decisions of the nations, by Friday, the country may well be a very different place....

In 2004, after a period of illness I had a long course of acupuncture, both in Newport - Pembrokeshire and in the Vale of Glamorgan. The impact which acupuncture had on me was significant and it played a huge part in getting me back on my feet and back to the land of the living. My illness left me with ME / Chronic Fatigue type symptoms.

Acupuncture consists of the gentle insertion of fine, sterile, disposable needles into strategic points near the surface of the body. These points, which are so effective in treating disease, have been mapped by the Chinese over a period of two thousand years.


Many people experience a profound feeling of relaxation and well being during and after an acupuncture treatment, some people may experience some pain which lasts for a short time.

Acupuncture works by stimulating the flow of "Qi" or energy throughout the body. Where there is injury, the Qi gets stuck or becomes deficient. The insertion of needles helps bring the body's attention to the area and resume the free flow of energy.

Qi flows through a system of twelve major pathways or meridians. Each meridian is connected internally to a specific organ such as the lung or liver. The acupuncture points along these pathways can be used to affect a corresponding internal organ. When Qi in the meridians is balanced, the result is a state of wellbeing.

From a western medicine point of view acupuncture causes many physiological changes in the body including increased blood flow, stimulation of hormones and neurotransmitters, and stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system (allowing the patient to achieve very deep relaxation). Acupuncture invokes an analgesic effect by altering the body's own natural pain-relieving opiate system.

Acupuncture works surprisingly quickly. Most patients experience a great reduction in their symptoms after the first treatment.

If you would be interested in becoming a case study for me then please get in touch. The case study would consist of 2 treatments per week for 3 weeks. The 6 sessions would cost £75 - 50% off the usual cost of treatments!!

I am often asked whether reflexology can benefit arthritis sufferers. So, I have found some research which demonstrates it's positive effects:


Chi, J., "Effect of Foot Reflexo-massage on Rheumatoid Arthritis." 1996 China Reflexology Symposium Report, Beijing : China Reflexology Association, pages 93-94.

3 female patients, ages 37. 50 & 62, with acute and chronic stages of rheumatoid arthritis were given 7 sessions of foot reflexology for one hour every other day. They were relieved of knee pain and joint swelling disappeared after 2-4 courses. It was found that foot reflexology can improve blood and lymphatic circulation, strengthen immune function, reduce ischemia and hypoxia of arthropathic limbs but should be used with caution or avoided in cases of uncontrolled acute inflammation.

REFLEX ACTION Reported By Kath Harper, LifeWise, Australia, May 1993

Thirty-five female patients were involved in the study. Group 1 was composed of ten patients with long term arthritic pain. Three of the lower back, two of the neck, three of the shoulder and two of the knees/hips. After 10 treatments all 10 patients noticed some relief with 6 patients showing no recurrence of pain over a period of thirty days.

TREATMENT OF KNEE ARTHRALGIA WITH REFLEXOLOGY: AN ANALYSIS OF SEVENTEEN CASES By Chen Guang-ming, Yang-Hua Clinic, Shen Zhen City

Eight females and nine males, aged 5 to 80 years old, received ten daily 30 - 45 minute foot reflexo-therapy treatment. Arthralgia (joint pain) was caused by trauma in 5 cases, and by arthritis in 12 cases. Results: eleven patients (64.71%), including the 5 trauma caused cases completely recovered. Four patients (23.53%) improved. Two patients (11.76%) were unaffected.

Zhi-xian, Ma and Jin-li, Zhang, "Foot Reflexology in the Treatment of Acromioclavicular Arthritis, (19)96 Beijing International Reflexology Conference (Report), China Preventive Medical Association and the Chinese Society of Reflexology, Beijing, 1996, p. 55

Forty-two cases of acromioclaviclar (shoulder) arthritis received thirty minute sessions of foot reflexology once a day for 15 days. At the finish, 8 were "cured," 20 were "distinctly effective" and 14 cases were "improved."

I lived in Japan from 1997-8 and when I came back to the UK, the book, 'Memoirs of a Geisha' by Arthur Golden hit the high street. I read the book way back when and then lent the book to a friend and never had it back. Another friend bought me a replacement book some years later, and recently, I've rediscovered and re-read the book. It's definitely one of the best books I've ever read and it takes me right back to Japan; the sights, sounds, language and culture.

In my hunt for Japanese based fiction, I found 'The Tale of Murasaki' by Liza Dalby. Liza's website says: "Murasaki Shikibu was an 11th-century Japanese court lady who wrote the long, psychologically astute work of literature called The Tale of Genji. This Japanese classic has been recognized as the world's first novel. Recounted in the voice of Lady Murasaki at the end of her life, Liza Dalby's novel, The Tale of Murasaki, is about this remarkable woman and her life in the Heian era, Japan's golden age of high aesthetics, sexual politics, and literary brilliance". It's an excellent book and definitely a good follow on if Memoirs of a Geisha has got you interested!

I also found 'Samurai William' by Giles Milton in an airport on the way out to Jamaica. I spent the whole holiday pouring over the book while sitting by the pool and only stopping to eat, swim and sleep!! The book chronicles the history of William Adams and his adventures: "In 1611 an astonishing letter arrived at the the East India Trading Company in London after a tortuous seven-year journey. Englishman William Adams was one of only twenty-four survivors of a fleet of ships bound for Asia, and he had washed up in the forbidden land of Japan. The traders were even more amazed to learn that, rather than be horrified by this strange country, Adams had fallen in love with the barbaric splendour of Japan -- and decided to settle. He had forged a close friendship with the ruthless Shogun, taken a Japanese wife and sired a new, mixed-race family. Adams' letter fired up the London merchants to plan a new expedition to the Far East, with designs to trade with the Japanese and use Adams' contacts there to forge new commercial links. Samurai William brilliantly illuminates a world whose horizons were rapidly expanding eastwards." The story is that told in the 1980s in the TV series, 'Shogun'.

I'm always on the hunt for new Japanese stories retold in English. If you come across one, please let me know!!

Just before Easter I had a call to say that my elderly grandmother had suffered a stroke. I remembered vaguely, from my reflexology diploma study days the anatomy and physiology parts which covered stroke. But I thought I should refresh my memory about the causes of and rehabilitation from stroke. The Stroke Association says: A stroke is what happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. Blood carries essential nutrients and oxygen to

the brain. Without a blood supply, brain cells can be damaged or destroyed and won’t be able to do their job.

Because the brain controls everything the body does, damage to the brain will affect body functions. For example, if a stroke damages the part of the brain that controls how limbs move, limb movement will be affected.

The brain also controls how we think, learn, feel and communicate. A stroke can also affect these mental processes.

A stroke is sudden and the effects on the body are immediate.

The NHS says:
There are two main causes of strokes:
• Ischaemic (accounting for 70% of all cases): the blood supply is stopped due to a blood clot.
• Haemorrhagic: a weakened blood vessel supplying the brain bursts and causes brain damage.

From my days working in the NHS, I remember that speed was of the essence when dealing with patients who had just suffered a stroke. The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has clinical guidance for the 'Diagnosis and initial management of acute stroke and transient ischaemic attack (TIA)' as well as a guideline in development for 'stroke rehabilitation'.

It's our second wedding anniversary tomorrow and I can't believe how the time has flown. It's been a very busy two years, what with moving house, starting up businesses, buying and selling a few cars and a few boughts of peculiar and unexpected illness thrown in for good measure!! So, we're treating ourselved to a bank holiday weekend full of nice things! Yesterday we had a half day spa at Nant Ddu Lodge. It's a beautiful place, just on the edge of the Brecon Beacons. You can swim in the pool and watch the snow falling at the same time. The food is great and there's plenty of it! We may even make it an annual event! Last night we had a family gathering to celebrate my mother in law's birthday with Chinese take-away and birthday cake!! Lovely!!! We may venture to the cinema today and tomorrow it's lunch at the fabulous Bunch of Grapes in Pontypirdd. It's a gastro pub situated behind B&Q and if you didn't know if was there, you'd never find it!!! We were taken there by some good friends and we've been itching for an excuse to go back! We also decided that this year we wouldn't do presents, just cards, but the cards have to be hand made. I've made mine today and my husband's been seeking moral support and creative advice at his big sister's house!!! I can't wait until tomorrow to swap cards. It's far more exciting that opening something bought from Tesco! Here's to more creative gifting and DIY cards!!! Happy Easter everyone!!!

I've always wondered why the financial year appeared so far out of sync with everything else; the calendar year, the school year etc etc.... So, I did a little research and it appears that maybe it's the financial yaer that's always been the same and everything else that's moved around it!!

In 45BC Julius Caesar set the New Year at the Spring Equinox, at that time the 25th March., hence why we have 'SEPTember' (7th), 'OCTober', 'NOVember' (9th) and 'DECember' (10th). By 325AD at the Council of Nicea, the Equinox had wandered back to the 21st March, where it was set, but the Tax and Legal year remained the 25th

The reason why the end of the financial year is the 5th April goes back to the year 1751. In 1751 England had also become adrift with other countries in Europe with its calendar keeping. It was out of sync by eleven days, which made international trade difficult. It was clear that England had to adopt a new system and it moved from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar in 1751/2. The eleven days were taken out of September 1751 and the year ended on December 31st. 1752 began on January 1st.

Not everyone was happy with this decision and banks, one of the most traditional and conservative of all establishments, refused to fall in line. Not only did they not recognise that the year now began on January 1, they also refused to accept that the eleven days in September had been eliminated from their calendar. So, they regarded their year as starting on 25 March – which everyone else regarded as being 11 days further on – on the 5 April. And so it has been ever since.

Do you have a basic knowledge of Welsh? Do you fancy brushing up on old skills? What about joining Clwb Cloncan?!?

6 week course

Wk 1: Kick off / Bwrw Bant
Wk 2: Home & family / Cartref a'r Teulu
Wk 3: Work / Gwaith
Wk 4: TV & Cinema / Teledu a Sinema
Wk 5: Gwyliau / Holidays
Wk 6: Tea Party / Te Parti

Where: Edwardsville, Treharris, Merthyr Tydfil. CF46 5NG
Group: Between 6-8 people
When: Wed, 7.45pm - 9.15pm,
i) 14 Apr - 19 May
ii) 9 June - 14 July
iii) 1 Sept - 6 Oct

Cost: £38 (one off payment)

I've long since heard reflexoogists discussing their first hand experience and evidence of the positive affects of reflexology on the teeniest tiniest of baby feet! My reflexology teacher once told us that the smallest feet she's worked on was a 6 week old baby who was constipated. His little body's elimination processes were kick started within the hour! I've recently stumbled on a very interesting article written by Barbara and Kevin Kunz

http://www.reflexology-research.com/premature.html

Reflexology Impacts Premature Infants
by Barbara and Kevin Kunz

They called her the "poop" nurse, a title she proudly wore. We met her some twenty years ago, a nurse with an interest in reflexology. She worked at a Lubbock, Texas hospital and whenever there was a new born who had failed to defecate for the first time in a timely manner, she'd get the call. She'd apply a little reflexology and "get them to do what I want" as she put it.

Research shows a role for reflexology even smaller infants, the premature baby while a recent Daily Mail (England) article shows the impact of a simple touch to the foot.
The Daily Mail article of August 4, 2008 was titled "Premature Baby Survived Because Mother Tickled Her Feet." Tiny Emma Young was one pound, 3 ounces at birth with an under-developed heart that required surgery. The first time her breathing stopped nurses sprang into action, tickling her postage-stamp-sized feet. "Nurses and Emma's mother Angela Young were amazed to discover that by tickling the soles of the baby's feet jump-started her body and got tiny Emma breathing again." Emma Young's mother sat by her side tickling her feet literally dozens of times a day for 8 weeks. Emma overcame the problem at 15 weeks.

"Recently Emma celebrated her first birthday. At her age she has a normal weight and height.Š 'My daughter is alive thanks to her feet being tickled. It really is a miracle that she is still with us,' said Mrs. Young Š 'Now she has a great sense of humor - which must have been all the tickling we did to keep her alive. We still tickle her feet now, but it's just to make her laugh, and there's no better sound in the world for us than her giggling.'"

Emma is not alone as a premature infant with breathing problems. According to the Web site www.kidshealth.org, "Apnea is another common health problem among premature babies. During an apnea spell, a baby stops breathing, the heart rate may decrease, and the skin may turn pale, purplish, or blue. Apnea is usually caused by immaturity in the area of the brain that controls the drive to breathe. Almost all babies born at 30 weeks or less will experience apnea. Apnea spells become less frequent with age.Š "In the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), all premature babies are monitored for apnea spells. Treating apnea can be as simple as gently stimulating the infant to restart breathing."

A Chinese study demonstrates that reflexology helps with further problems experienced by the premature baby. Premature infants with a 32 to 36 weeks gestational age were randomly divided into treatment group of 35 and a control group of 34. A significant difference was found in sleep, sleep duration, weight gain compared to the control group (standard care) (Yuqi, Shao-ying, Ms Aw gold, "Touch with reflexology massage on the area of weight premature infants," Z hejiang Chinese magazine 2006 02)

© 2008 Kunz and Kunz

The research, which used functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to measure the brain activity of people undergoing reflexology, is the first study of its kind and offers tantalising proof that differences in the brain can be made by stimulating specific areas of the feet. The fMRI study, which took place at the University of Tohoku, investigated three reflex areas relating to the eye, shoulder and small intestine. As pressure was applied to each reflex area, the scientists were able to compare the fMRI imaging against the known region of the brain for each individual body part.

Somatotopical relationships between cortical activity and reflex areas in reflexology: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study (Tomomi Nakamaru, Naoki Miura, Ai Fukushima and Ryuta Kawashima)
Abstract
We examined the somatotopical relationship between cortical activity and sensory stimulation of reflex areas in reflexology using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Three reflex areas on the left foot, relating to the eye, shoulder, and small intestine were stimulated during the experiment. A statistical analysis showed that reflexological stimulation of the foot reflex areas corresponding to the eye, shoulder, and small intestine activated not only the somatosensory areas corresponding to the foot, but also the somatosensory areas corresponding to the eye, shoulder, and small intestine or neighboring body parts. Thus, the findings showed that reflexological stimulation induced a somatosensory process corresponding to the stimulated reflex area and that a neuroimaging approach can be used to examine the basis of reflexology effects.

Reflexology induces the relaxation of muscles and releases any obstructions in the flow of energy. Any tightening of the muscles due to pain or pressure can be eased away. Reflexology encourages the release of the body’s natural hormones, such as endorphins and these can induce an analgesic effect, reducing the pain from....
e.g. sciatica, headaches, shoulder pain, aching knees etc. Reflexology also moves the body into a relaxed state where its natural healing abilities can work at optimal levels. Many studies have shown that after a few sessions, the timing and position of the pain and the intensity of the pain is reduced. Reflexology is not a typical massage and you may feel slight discomfort as imbalanced reflexes are touched. Some people find reflexology extremely relaxing, so don't worry if you fall asleep during the treatment! Treatment usually lasts for approximately one hour and a few treatments may be necessary, as the benefits of Reflexology build up gently and gradually. The number of treatments will depend on your individual requirements. As with some other complementary medicines, where the body is being assisted in healing itself, some reactions may occur. You may feel lethargic or emotional; develop a cold or a skin rash. These reactions are temporary and a sign that the body is going through the natural healing process, clearing out toxins and working towards its own balance. Some people may have an instant positive reaction, with an increased feeling of vitality and well-being. Reflexology is very relaxing and I offer it to people of all ages, from babies to the elderly. If you live in Merthyr Tydfil, Caerphilly, Pontypridd, Aberdare or even Cardiff, you can easily access my Therapy Room, in my home in Edwardsville. I am just a stone's throw from the A470 and easy to find. You can access my location map here.

Thanks to a friend who was a student Chiropractor and is now a practicing Chiropractor near Edinburgh, I have developed an increasing interest in Chiropractic. I am a patient at the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic, University of Glamorgan, am a member of the Patient Involvement Group at the School and also am a volunteer lecturer at the School! The definition, which I have lifted from the General Chiropractic Council website states, "Chiropractic is concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on the function of the nervous system and general health. There is an emphasis on manual treatments including spinal manipulation or adjustment (World Federation of Chiropractic, 1999)." Personally, I benefit tremendously
both from the soft tissue treatments and the manual manipulations. I am impressed by the holistic view that these highly trained clinicians have and the anatomical and physiological knowledge and expertise that they develop through their training. I frequently have clients attending for reflexology and indian head massage who appear to have skeletal misalignments or are suffering from spinal problems. I always recommend that they attend WIOC due to their thorough consultation and subsequent treatment. There is undoubtedly much still to be done to see Chiropractic accepted within the NHS, but I for one will certainly support the profession to gain wider integration and also support the NHS to undoubtedly save significant monies through a broadening perspective and adoption of the holistic or 'wholistic' Chiropractic approach.

It's St Davids Day or Dydd Gwyl Dewi once again!! It's not quite the same celebrating St Davids day in the office; the girls never dress up and the guys never have leek fights! I was brought up in St Davids, so St Davids Day was quite a big deal for us as children! We used to dress up in our Welsh Lady costumes and head down to St Davids cathedral for a sing song and a story or two. Much of what I learnt about St Davids I've forgotten, much to my regret. Dewi was born near Capel Non (Non's chapel) on the South-West Wales coast near the present city of Saint David. We know a little about his early life - he was educated in a monastery called Hen Fynyw, his teacher being Paulinus, a blind monk. He founded a monastery at Glyn Rhosyn (Rose Vale) on the banks of the small river Alun where the cathedral city of St. David stands today. The monastic brotherhood that Dewi founded was very strict, the brothers having to work very hard besides praying and celebrating masses. They had to get up very early in the morning for prayers and afterwards work very hard to help maintain life at the monastery, cultivating the land and even pulling the plough. Many crafts were followed - beekeeping, in particular, was very important. The monks had to keep themselves fed as well as the many pilgrims and travellers who needed lodgings. They also had to feed and clothe the poor and needy in their neighbourhood. St David's Day, as celebrated today, dates back to 1120, when Dewi was canonised by Pope Callactus the Second, and March 1st was included in the Church calendar. After Dewi's canonisation, many pilgrimages were made to St. David's, and it was reported that two pilgrimages there equalled one to Rome, and three pilgrimages one to Jerusalem. March 1st was celebrated until the Reformation as a holy day. Many churches are dedicated to Dewi, and some to his mother Non.

Indian Head Massage is a treatment which has its roots in old Ayurvedic techniques involving work on the upper back, shoulders, neck, scalp and face. Various massage movements are used in and around these areas and an average treatment session will last approximately 45 minutes. The aim of Indian head massage is to release the stress that has accumulated in the tissues, muscles and joints of the head, face, neck and shoulders. A variety of massage movements are used to relieve accumulated tension, stimulate circulation and restore joint movement. IHM is also used to aid the condition and health of the hair, including stimulating growth, particularly when combined with the use of natural organic oils. Indian Head Massage is used by practitioners to help reduce stress and fatigue, increase mental clarity, and relax and rejuvenate the receiver. The Hindi word for head massage is "Champi" and aspects of the treatment have a long tradition in Indian families. Mothers would stroke their daughter's hair to promote its growth and health. Narendra Mehta - blind from the age of one - grew up in India and head massage was an integral part of his life. He came to England in the 1970s to train as a physical therapist and in 1978 returned to India to study the benefits and practice of champissage, extending it to include neck, shoulders and face. On his return to England, he developed a sequence of movements. There is no right or wrong way and sequence of movements vary from one therapist to another. Remember that Indian Head Massage is reduced by 40% on a Tuesday! One hour treatments are £15 instead of £25 very Tuesday!!!

I've been thinking about what I should do for my husband for our second anniversary in April. Both of us really enjoy complementary therapies and a bit of pampering. So, whilst I've got a few days holiday this week, I've been looking at the spa packages for our local spas. I started at the Ivy Bridge Spa in Fishguard and you may not think it's very close to Edwardsville, but it's local to my family! There are some great overnight accommodation / pamper deals available there. I also looked at St Davids Hotel and Spa, Cardiff Bay; Vale Hotel, Golf Spa Resort ; Mercure Holland House Hotel and Spa and Laguna Health & Spa. But, it seems that the overnight spa packages are better value for money. So, I'm going to have a look at Bath and the 'Thermae Bath Spa' and the Bath Priory. Ideally, we'd like a little lottery windfall which could take us to the Blue Lagoon in Reykjavik! The Blue Lagoon is a pool of geothermal seawater. People suffering from psoriasis benefit from the active ingredients: minerals, silica and algae exert in the water that has a beneficial and positive effect on the skin. So, I'll keep looking and if you have any recommendations for spas in the UK or nearby, then please do let me know!

It seems that the popularity of IHM is growing rapidly. The vast majority of my recent new clients have come for Indian Head Massage. Most of those new clients have been new to IHM, having never experienced it before.

My Google analytics page suggests that the most popular search or 'keywords' for the Red Raven website are: 'indian head massage', 'history of indian head massage', 'what is indian head massage'!

IHM is a very effective therapy and it is far more than just a 'head' massage. It focusses on the upper back, shoulders, arms, neck, head, ears and face. It's a great all round therapy and perfect for those people who hold tension in their shoulders, neck and jaw. During the therapy session, it is wonderful to see the positive visible impacts on my clients; tension releases, breathing slows, heart rate decreases and relaxation is achieved.

From March, a new special offer will be available; 'The Tuesday Treat', which will see all one hour Indian Head Massage treatments reduced from £25 to £15. That's an excellent saving of 40%!!

Last night I gave an introductory presentation / training session to Merched y Wawr Cwmbran. It was a really great evening and it was lovely to see so many ladies there.

Diolch yn fawr iawn i'r merched i gyd am y croeso cynnes iawn. Nes i fwynhau'n fawr iawn cwrdd a'r merched ac hefyd rhannu gwybodaeth am adweitheg, pwnc agos at fy nghalon.

I'm looking forward to my next Merched y Wawr evening will be on the 11th March in Newport.

I thoroughly enjoyed giving the lecture at the Welsh Instute of Chiropractic, University of Glamorgan on the 2nd February. For those of you who did not know, it was my first ever lecture and I was grateful for the 'not throwing of tomatoes and rotten eggs!' The presentation is accessible here. Please remember that this information may be current today but may not tomorrow; the law moves very fast and you must always ensure that you rely on the very latest statue.

Today I've been at the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic today once more, giving my second law lecture, focussing on 'Descrimination and Diversity'. You can access the lecture here....

I've been very lucky over the last few years to have been able to give Indian Head Massage treatments to young people. On every occasion, I have been struck by the positive impact that the therapy has had on the young person, in terms of their posture and general feeling of relaxation. Often we see teenagers hunched over their school desks or slouched at their PCs, so it is very important what we take a conscious move as parents and therapists to encourage good posture and self awareness of health at an early age. I ran a workshop at the International Forum for Child Welfare in 2008 when it came to Cardiff and was very pleased to be able to attend a presentation by a Carmarthenshire voluntary sector organisation, offering massage to school children (www.cycaonline.org/holistic-therapies). You can find out more about Massage in Schools here: www.misa.org.uk. When I first started providing therapies for children, I did some web research to find out what other services ere available in the locality. I stumbled upon Clover House in Bristol (http://www.cloverhouse.org/index.php) which is a holistic therapy centre for children. I am hoping to make links with the Centre and visit soon, to see what they do. I have worked in children's services both in health and local government for many years and am acutely aware of the issues around parental consent, child protection and Safeguarding. So I feel confident that with parental / guardian's consent and parents/guardians in attendance that giving these therapies is a positive move. I am also a magistrate, so I have been CRB and police checked for different roles at different times.

Last week I had a phone call from an Associate Director from the Sherman Theatre, asking if I would be prepared to offer some therapies and to have a discussion with a playwrite who was currently doing some research to get inspiration for new characters and new plays! I was, of course delighted and this evening, I had a lovely hour offering therapies and talking about myself to the lovely Sharon Morgan, who has appeared on our TV screens in many programmes such as Belonging, Torchwood, High Hopes, Pobol y Cwm and lots more! Sharon told me that she was on a 5 day course visiting a number of different people and places to gain inspiration and on Saturday she and 4 other playwrites will be locked in a room and will have to write up their ideas! The Sherman Theatre will be closing for a 12 month refurbishment shortly, and during that 12 months, the Theatre will be out on the road, performing the dramas, plays etc that will be developed from this course. I am really looking forward to the results and whether I can pick out a little bit of 'me'!!!

There is a wealth of evidence out there pointing towards the benefits of complementary therapy for babies, children and young people. Research conducted by the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine identified that massage had very tangible affects:
1. Facilitates weight gain in premature babies
2. Enhances attentiveness
3. Alleviates depressive symptoms
4. Reduces pain
5. Reduces stress hormones
6. Improves immune function
In the UK there are already organisations, centres and projects which are blazing a trail in the 'complementary therapy for Bright Young Things' arena. During my time working in the NHS, it was apparent that infant massage or 'baby massage' was gaining popularity and now, it forms a part of many parent-child development programmes and interventions. The benefits of baby massage are as as apparent for the baby as they are for the parent.
Baby Massage Benefits for Babies:
* Smoothes transition from womb to world
* Develops a feeling of love and security
* Develops body, mind, awareness and coordination
* Can help to reduce the discomfort of colic, wind and constipation
* Helps to regulate and strengthen baby's digestive and respiratory systems and stimulate circulatory and nervous systems
Baby Massage Benefits to Parents:
* Promotes bonding between babies and parents
* Enhances parent's confidence in dealing with baby
* Can help with postnatal depression
There is anecdotal evidence that Reflexology can help to relieve childhood illnesses such as
· Ear ache
· Sore throat
· Sleeplessness
· Hyperactivity
· Constipation
· Asthma
· Eczema
· Coughs & Colds
In 2008, I ran a workshop at the International Forum for Child Welfare when it was in Cardiff and was both in awe and inspired by a project running in Carmarthenshire, which sees complementary therapies used in particular comprehensive schools, focussing around the 'massage in schools' movement. They are already seeing the benefits in terms of pupils' stress levels and improvements in attention and concentration. Wouldn't it be something to see this as part of the curriculum in all schools?! The evidence suggests that the stresses and strains of growing, physically, mentally and emotionally, and the transition between the stages of growth could be eased quite considerably by complementary therapy interventions. If you are a parent, carer, child or young person, the information is at your fingertips and the professionals are within your reach. Seize the opportunity to broaden your horizons and reap the benefits for your children!

When I first qualified as a reiki practitioner I built up my confidence in giving treatments to my friends. At the time I was recovering from some kind of virus which left me with symptoms akin to chronic fatigue and I discovered that a work colleague suffered from ME and often had very bad periods when she could hardly bear to stay awake for more than a few hours a day and was constantly cold, wearing socks to bed in the middle of Summer. She lay on some big floor cushions which she had in her cosy meditation and relaxation room and I carried out the therapy kneeling on the floor. I conducted the treatment in the usual way, starting at the head on the front of the body, working down to the toes. From the beginning of the treatment she was telling me about feeling tingling and seeing colours. I continued the treatment, working from the back of the head down the shoulders and spine. Whilst over the sacral plexus I felt an extreme heat just above my knee, thinking that possibly I'd knocked over a cup of tea . But to my amazement and delight, it was coming from my friend's elbow! At the end of the treatment she felt warm all over, for the first time in ages and her face was a lovely pink colour, rather than the usual pale palour. I was so delighted to have had such a significant, positive and immediate impact on my friend. If you suffer from MC or CFS, I would be delighted to hear about your experiences of complementary therapy

Over the years that I have been practicing reflexology I have been delighted at the positive impact reflexology has had on clients suffering with 'backache'. The ailments have ranged from a twinge in the mid-back, to neck pain, an aching lumber region, sciatica and more. One particular client had been taking strong painkillers for some months to a maximum of 6 in a day. He had two reflexology session, two weeks apart. During the two weeks between his first and second treatment he took two painkillers in total! The relief was visible both in his posture, facial expression and even tone of voice. I have also had clients suffering sciatic pain who have responded well to reflexology. Between two and four treatments and the pain and discomfort has been significantly reduced and even disappeared in some cases. Other clients who suffer back pain and have come for reflexology have reported improved sleep, ability to walk for longer, less general stiffness and improved bowel and bladder function. I am continually impressed by reflexology's ability to improve people's back pain, often after only a few treatments

Happy New Year! Happy Calennig! Calennig is a Welsh word meaning 'New Year celebration/gift', though literally translates to "the first day of the month," deriving from the Latin word 'kalends'. The English word 'Calendar' also has its root in this word. The tradition of giving gifts and money on New Year's Day is an ancient custom that survives even in modern-day Wales, though nowadays it is now customary to give bread and cheese. Many people give gifts on New Years morning, with children having skewered apples stuck with raisins and fruit. The Calennig was a small decoration with a great history.