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.