Ahhh October - time to enjoy those chilly, dark evenings by the fire - usually. I guess this is global warming up front. My cannas are trying to flower and I've even been in the garden pruning. A first for me at this time of the year - usually. As most of you know I always take a course of supplements at this time of the year and I would recommend having a body MOT too. This year I'm taking a different supplement, Seagreens. This is an ecologically harvested arctic seaweed, rather than dredged. It contains a number of vitamins, minerals and micro-nutrients. Seagreens is said to remove pollutants and toxins, including heavy metals (so should help with allergies) from the body. It helps lower cholesterol, blood pressure and strengthens immunity, resistance and recovery. Sounds amazing, doesn't it. I've decided I've got nothing to loose trying it and only one bottle on my kitchen counter!! May the month of October be good to you.

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Health is a living process, a dynamic series of events; plateau's, turns and stops along the road toward wellness or illness. - Kristen Olsen

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CranioSacral Therapy (CST) : Immune System

“…… In my own clinical practice, I've been able to break fevers, alleviate chronic viral infections, prevent flu… the list goes on and on. All these results suggest an enhancement of immune function, which is exactly what I believe CranioSacral Therapy does. It moves cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and every other body fluid, especially the interstitial fluids. By whatever name, the fluids between cells must move in order to deliver molecules that not only nurture cells but also transport messages and patrol for antigens - all vital to strong immune function.

Physicians at Stanford University have also discovered that the exchange of CSF slows with age. While there is a complete turnover of CSF about four or five times a day in healthy middle-aged people, in the elderly that rate may be cut in half. In fact, the Stanford folks became so convinced that CSF turnover is important that they've placed shunts in a sample of nine patients with reduced turnover. They want to see whether the drainage of stagnant CSF enhances production and reduces certain substances in the CSF - and hence the central nervous system - that (the substances) are believed to contribute to brain deterioration and Alzheimer's disease.

I firmly believe CranioSacral Therapy can help maintain or regain the normal daily turnover of fluids, with all of its attendant health benefits.”

John Upledger, DO, OMM, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

An excerpt from Massage Today

“Someone recently asked me if I think CranioSacral Therapists give patients false hope. That's an excellent question that I'd like to address here.

It is my belief that everyone comes to a particular disease process in a unique way. Therefore, people with essentially the same diagnostic label may respond very differently to CST.

Given this variation and highly individual response to therapy, we must always assume that it may be possible to obtain positive results.

While we must remain cautious not to have or to give anyone unrealistic expectations, we should never limit that that might be possible.

We simply apply our work to the compensatory mechanisms in the body and observe how the body self-corrects or rebalances. It is the response of the body that informs our subsequent sessions.

So do we give patients false hope? Not at all. We give them hope.”

Ref: Massage Today

Massage : Research

Parkinson's Disease: Adults with Parkinson's Disease were assigned to receive massage therapy or progressive muscle relaxation twice a week for five weeks. The massaged group received higher physician scores on daily living activities and the participants rated themselves as improved in daily functioning, having more effective and less disturbed sleep.

Hernandez-Reif, M., Field, T., Largie, S., Cullen, C., Beutler, J., Sanders, C. Weiner, W.,

Rodriguez-Bateman, D., Zelaya, L., Schanberg, S., & Kuhn, C. (2002).

Parkinson's disease symptoms are differentially affected by massage therapy versus progressive muscle relaxation: A pilot study. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 6, 177-182.

The following is from the notes of Massage Therapist, John Slavin, PhD, LM, re a male client with Parkinson's.

Massage and Parkinson's Disease: A Few Lessons Learned

“We DID: treat him as a unique individual, deserving of our time and respect; treat him with love and empathy, realizing the golden rule is never more important than at times like this; and focus our attention on making him more productive and happy in his day-to-day life.

By treating him with compassion and allowing him to see every life has purpose, and health care is not something one does only when sick. I believe he realized subconsciously that hospitals and clinics are not always places one goes to die. Instead, he viewed our clinic and its peaceful spa ambiance as his home away from home, and his therapists as part of his extended family. I assure you we all felt the same way about him and his lovely wife. When he showed up for a treatment, he did not see it as treatment, but as a day out with friends and family. This gave him hope, and I saw it that day in his eyes - we all did. It has been said that if you don't want to work, find something you love doing and you will never work another day in your life. I say this applies equally to our current health care crisis: Find a health care team you love and you will never feel sick again”.

Ed. - We all know the NHS is in a precarious position with health care not always what it could be and threatened hospital closures. Recently Tony Blair said that we need to take responsibility for our health. It's much easier, and cheaper, to keep healthy.

Ref: Massage Today

So, if it's not 'asthma' you're suffering from, what is it?

Asthma has reached epidemic proportions. One in every 13 people in the UK is a sufferer-perhaps you count yourself amongst them? Each year 180,000 people worldwide die from asthma and in recent years there has also been an alarming increase in the incidence of asthma amongst children…

But, despite its prevalence, all too little is known about it… What causes it? What can make it worse? What can you do to reduce - or even eliminate - attacks? What are the safest drugs to take? Does anything work in alternative medicine? Can diet play a part?

When you are diagnosed with asthma, the doctor really means that your symptoms in the main fall within a common grouping that allows him to label you 'asthmatic'. Certainly, your 'asthma' will have unique features that fall outside of the spectrum, but the majority of your symptoms are within the accepted classification.

Once conveniently labelled, the treatment can begin, and you are prescribed drugs to treat asthma. Unfortunately, the drugs don't treat your version of asthma, just a general consensus view of the disease.

Now, even The Lancet says it's time to drop asthma as a term. Asthma isn't a single disease; instead, the symptoms are a common manifestation that mask a range of possible causes, often allergic, says

the journal.

So, if it's not 'asthma' that you're suffering from, what is it? How do you identify the hidden causes of your symptoms? And what can you do to minimise their effects - and even rid yourself of them completely?

Reference: What Doctors Don't Tell You 9 September 2006

Life Coaching :

"You can be anything you want to be, if only you believe with sufficient conviction and act

in accordance with your faith; for whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve."

- Napoleon Hill

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Assert Yourself through Positive Speech

Negative speech reaffirms negativity whether personal, “I have a memory like a sieve”, or situational, “I have such noisy neighbours”. How we speak about ourselves is how others treat us and how we think and believe about our situation / environment is how it will be. Positive and assertive skills are not always instinctive, they often have to be learned.

Here are five ways in which to change negative to positive, timid to assertive:

1. Say `no' with a smile. Saying no to a request is acceptable, so respond with “I'd be pleased to …., but I'm unable to on this occasion”. Resist the urge to make a long and detailed excuse - you don't have to justify yourself. The less you say the more credible you are.

2. Don't use self-deprecating language. It's easy to fall into the habit of saying “I know I'm not very good at this, but…” or “I know I'm being a bit thick, but...” This implies you believe you are inferior in some way. Rather than re-phrase these self put-downs drop them altogether. Say something like “I want to be certain I understand this…”.

3. Never start a conversation with an apology. Do you hear yourself saying “I'm sorry if I'm taking up your valuable time, but…”, or “Excuse me…”? By dropping these phrases you will begin to assume a more assertive/positive manner.

4. Don't use approval-seeking language. Another form of self put-down is the approval-seeking behaviour indicated by the regular use of “Can I….”, “May I…” and “If I can just…” You're intimating that your request is of low priority or importance by suggesting that permission is in some way required for you to do something.

5. Be prepared to state your beliefs. An assertive and self confident person uses “I” statements in their conversation. “I'd like to hear that again” and “I'm borrowing this for a few minutes”. Adding non-verbal gestures such as a smile can reinforce this approach.

Reference: The Amazing Book of Everything

(Source: Tim Field)

What's Happening

The Fountain Centre, St Lukes, Royal Surrey Hospital, Guildford - a drop-in centre offering complementary therapies to those undergoing cancer treatment. The first 4 treatments are free and thereafter on a donation basis. Tel: 01483-406618

Help raise funds for The Fountain Centre. The Mini Annapurna Circuit Challenge 2006 - Wednesday 4th October - Sunday 22nd October. You will be given advice and support to help raise funds and get fit. For information ring 01483-406618/406629.

New Approaches to Cancer, Chertsey offer Yoga in Woking on Tuesday 1pm-2pm, Claygate on Tuesdays 3.30pm-4.30pm and Ashford Hospital on Thursdays 12.30pm-1.30pm and Friday 11am-12pm. Tel 0800-389-2662

Parents and Babies workshop. THIS HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

Indigo Children: If you are interested in learning more about them and how we can help them, Ann Whittle gives talks/workshops on these very issues. She will come to any group in the South of England for a nominal fee to cover expenses. Tel: 01252 834784 for more details.

Yoga for Pregnancy classes. Tel: Babs Lehner 01252-676956.

Farnborough Medical Lecture Society : Enquiries Mrs F Milne 01252-546006. Lectures begin again in October.

National Federation of Spiritual Healers. Camberley Healing Centre every Wednesday evening 7pm-9pm - Frimley Village Hall, Frimley Green. Tel: 01276-65779 for more information. No charge (donations accepted to cover hall costs).

About this newsletter - This is a free newsletter written and distributed by Patricia Spence at HandfulOfCherries.com. My intention is to inform, inspire and promote a holistic lifestyle.

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