A Natural First Aid Kit

Today I thought I would share with you what I keep in the house as a natural first aid kit/remedy kit.  These are easy to get hold of and very effective.

The big bottle at the back is Apple Cider Vinegar  - Used for a multitude of things!  I have a tablespoon of this in a mug of hot water with a teaspoon of honey if I feel I may be coming down with something.  This helps prevent my body from being in an alkaline state, where the viruses like to grow, and keeps me a little in the acid direction.

Pink Himalayan Sea Salt - I sometimes put a pinch of this in a litre of water to replenish my minerals after training.  This is a cheaper and more natural alternative than taking synthetic electrolyte tablets.

Cascara Sagrada - Now if, for whatever reason, there is a case of constipation in the house this is a wonderful natural supplement to use.  Never to be used for more than 5 days in a row as it can become addictive!!!

D - Mannose - This is for urinary tract infections - probably a topic all on its own and most certainly deserves to be discussed in further detail.  I would use this alongside a few other products to complete the process of getting rid of the infection.  A lot of females find that even after taking antibiotics they are still not clear of the problem, usually due to the nature of the UTI being ecoli based.  Again a very powerful and usually effective supplement to take.

S Boulardii - These are one of the probiotics I use.  The other would be Pro Bio by Synergistics Europe.  This should be taken at least twice a day for good effect.  It is important to remember that supplements are a form of food so must be taken on a regular basis for your body to remain in balance, otherwise you waste your time and your money.

Grapefruit Seed Extract - This is my all time favourite "magic medicine".  I disguise this in various forms for the kids as the taste is fairly vile.  I have used this to treat everything from an ear ache to a tummy upset.  I love this and if there was one thing I had to chose it would be this one.

The little nutri bottle on the right is a vitamin D supplement - important for the kids at this time of year and also a great boost for us adults.

GB (gaba) Calm - In my opinion the best sleeping tablet on the market.  GB Calm is something you can use every other night if necessary (be sure to check it is safe to use against any medication you may already be taking - especially if it is an anti-psychosis).  This gives you an immense RESTED sleep. 

I could not forget to include the good old Arnica and Tea Tree cream - effective for kids and adults.  Always good to make a little one feel better with some magic cream ;)

Finally -  Rescue Remedy - Use as and when your nerves need to be calmed down.

I hope this gives you a little insight as to what is out there and how to make the best use of them.  If you are looking for more info please just email me sam@perthshirekettlebells.co.uk 

 

How to loose the "Mummy Tummy"

Probably one of the biggest concerns about our bodies when we have a baby is how to loose the "Mummy Tummy".  

Even before you become pregnant this though can be there - lurking away in the background!

But fear not - it is possible to address this problem.

"How?  I'm already doing loads of crunches and it's not working".

And there lies the problem.

While crunches do tone your abdominals, they only tone the upper abdominals and are completely unsuitable if you have poor pelvic floor muscles or any form of abdominal separation (after having a baby) 

This results in a muscular imbalance between your stronger, upper and weaker, lower abdominals leaving you with a "pooch" in your lower tummy (you may have hear of this as doming)!

"So how do I flatten my tummy?"

You need to do exercises that engage your deeper, lower abdominals; exercises that are designed to strengthen you from the inside out.

Try the following 3 exercises to see if you can feel the difference.

Exercise 1: THE PELVIC-CORE STARTER 

The Pelvic Core Starter

• Start Position: Lie comfortably on your back on a firm surface. Keep your head relaxed. You may use a thin pillow or folded towel under your head if you like. Place one or two pillows under your buttocks. After a week or so try it without the pillows.
• Bend your knees and hips keeping your feet flat on the ground, hip width apart.
• Place two fingers of each hand on the top part of your knicker line, just inside your pelvis.
• Now, gently EXHALE and perform a pelvic floor contraction, as if you are trying to stop the flow of 1 or 2 drops of urine. Try to hold this contraction for 3 seconds. (Try slowly counting out loud, “O-n-e Mississippi, T-w-o Mississippi, T-h-r-e-e Mississippi”)
• Relax. Then perform 3 quick contractions, where you gently contract then relax your pelvic floor, remember to gently exhale with each contraction. (Try counting out loud, “One – Relax, Two – Relax, Three – Relax”)
• Now relax for 6 seconds.
• Do each set 10 times in a row, 3 times per day.

It should feel as if your abdomen is gently drawing in towards your spine, not bulging outwards as you contract your pelvic floor muscles. Don’t force it by pulling your belly button towards your spine; let it happen naturally. Remember to be gentle! Less is more. If you try too hard you will be working the outer layer of abdominals not your deeper core muscles.

Got it? Once you feel confident about doing this exercise correctly, try doing it in different positions while sitting, standing and even walking instead of just on a mat. Then try to fit it in during your normal daily activities; such as while you cook a meal, wait at a traffic light or while checking your Facebook page.

 Exercise 2: THE HEEL SLIDER – “The Hovercraft”

The Heel Slider

• Start Position: Lie comfortably on your back with your knees and hips bent keeping your feet flat on the ground, hip width apart. You can use a thin pillow or folded towel to support your head.
• Place both hands on your tummy, and spread your fingers so that your thumbs are touching the lower part of your rib cage and the tips of your fingers are touching the sides of your pelvis. (See hand placement in the image above.) Only your legs should move while you perform this exercise so use your hands to monitor excessive movement.
• First, gently exhale and count out loud the entire time you do this exercise.
• Then contract your deep abdominal muscles by doing the “pelvic-core starter” exercise (exercise 1, above).
• Next, lift the heel of one foot ¼ inch above the floor. Slowly slide that heel just above the ground, like a hovercraft, as you straighten your leg. Keep your heel above the ground and then return to the start position by slowly gliding your heel ¼ inch, like a hovercraft, back towards your buttocks. (Do this slowly; it should take about 5 seconds or “Mississippi counts” to straighten your leg and another 5 seconds to return to the start position)
• Make sure you don’t wiggle your pelvis while you straighten and bend your leg!
• Repeat with the other leg.
• Do this 10 times on each leg and work up to 3 sets of 10.

Remember to continue gently exhaling or counting out loud while you do the heel slide in both directions.

Exercise 3: THE BRIDGE

The Bridge

• Start Position: Lie on your back with your knees and hips bent and hip width apart. You can use a thin pillow or folded towel to support your head.
• Your head and arms should be relaxed during the entire exercise.
• Put your weight on the heels of your feet and point your toes towards the ceiling so they are lifted off the floor.
• Next, gently EXHALE and count out loud as your do the entire exercise.
• Then lift your bottom off the floor, aiming for a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Hold this position for a count of 3 then slowly lower your body back to the start position. Repeat this 10 times.
• Work up to holding the bridge position for 10 counts, then repeat 10 times.

Aileen xxx

Pelvic Floor Problems - the Silent Epidemic

Hi Ladies,

There is a subject that I regularly get asked question on so I thought it would make a good topic for this weeks blog - Pelvic Floor Problems - the silent epidemic!

As most of my clients can testify, I recommend doing lots of "bottom toning" exercises to assist with improving your pelvic floor function rather than Kegels, for both pregnant and postnatal clients, and here is why:

• The pelvic floor is NOT designed to work in isolation.

• Doing isolated Kegels to an already tight set of pelvic floor muscles will only make it tighter, weaker and looser.  We want our pelvic floors to be strong and flexible.

• Doing movement-based pelvic floor exercise is 75% more effective than doing a Kegel alone.

• Sitting for prolonged periods tightens the pelvic floor muscles due to our tendency to "tuck" our tailbone under, therefore shortening the muscle.          
• The stronger the gluteal muscles, the stronger the pelvic floor as it helps keep our tailbone in correct alignment.

The YouTube clip below explains brilliantly the relationship between strenghtening your pelvic floor and glutes.

So the first thing to sort out is our posture.  Ideally you should be aiming to draw a straight line from your earlobe through your shoulder, hip knee, to the middle of your ankle (from a side on position)  Please refer to my previous post about posture if you require any more explanation of this.

But what sort of exercises can you do to help build that bum?

• Squats
• Lunges
• Curtsey lunges
• Calf raises
• Side step (with resistance band)
• Side lying leg raises
• Glute raises
• Glute bridges (postnatal only)

The list goes on and on!  If you are finding that these aren't intense enough add some weights or try a resistance band to really feel the burn!  And remember BRACE that core!

Good luck!

Aileen x

The Barefoot Shoe!

The barefoot theory has sparked many a debate on whether or not they are good for you or just another gimmick.   I am delighted to say that Matthew Wallden of Primal Lifestyle is here to help us understand a little more about the Vibram FiveFingers shoe.  Please watch and see what they are, why we wear them and where you can get them.  

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I have been a devoted wearer of the "fivefingers" for 6 years now and have trained on the Scottish hills and completed Triathlons in them.  As far as I am concerned they are a must.  I find them a great piece of kit for helping me increase my balance and performance.  They are equally as good for you even in everyday use.  LOVE THEM!

www.primallifestyle.com