Here comes the sun...
Welcome to our latest newsletter

It's another month on as we edge towards getting back to something like normality and, at last, the weather is starting to behave. While it's still not quite the heatwave we enjoyed last year, we need to be aware of the time we spend in the sun.

And now that travel has been given the green light, there's a very real possibility of getting some summer sun. That's why we've given some space to talk about skincare and SPF in this newsletter.

Needless to say, the better weather also brings other issues. For hayfever sufferers, they may have already started to feel the dreaded itchiness. We've some tips in this month's issue on how homeopathy can help with hayfever symptoms.

Finally, we're about to head into Mental Health Awareness week and so we look at how getting back outside can do wonders for your mind.

Enjoy the newsletter and, remember, if you need any help call our reception team on 01273 843780.

See you soon,

The Heeler Centre Team

Mental Health Awareness week: take a hike for self-care

This week, it’s Mental Health Awareness Week with a focus on understanding the importance of self-care and working on our mental health.

The theme for the week is Nature and the benefits of getting out in nature to improve your mental health and wellbeing.

According to mental health charity, Mind, bringing more nature into your everyday life has many benefits, including:

• Improving mood
• Reducing feelings of stress
• Helping you feel more relaxed
• Improving self-confidence and self-esteem
• Improving your physical health

And it's backed by science. A report from Harvard showed a strong connection between time spent in nature and reducing stress, anxiety and depression.

A 2015 study found that people who went for a 90-minute walk in a natural setting experienced different levels of activity in their brain than people who walked in an urban setting. Those walking in nature experienced lower activity in their prefrontal cortex - the part of the brain that is active when we obsess over negative thoughts and emotions.

As we have the benefit of living in Mid Sussex, we have an abundance of great places to walk and ways of getting outside. And another study published in Scientific Reports suggested that spending just 120 minutes a week in nature was enough to provide good health and wellbeing benefits.

There are plenty of activities to get more outside or bring the outside in, such as:

Growing and picking your own food. Planting vegetables in your garden or creating a growing space such as a window box with herbs is a great start. When available, getting out to a Pick Your Own farm is another great idea, or you could go foraging.

Bring nature inside. Even having a view of nature is good for your wellbeing, but you can re-create nature with potted plants and flowers in your home. You can even decorate your living space with natural materials such as wood, flowers and tree bark.

Finding new activities to do outside. We’ve already mentioned walking, and there are hundreds of trails and walks available in the local area. Of course, we’ve all got used to eating outside (even when it’s chilly) but how about making an evening outside in nature with a few drinks (hot or alcoholic!) and indulging in a bit of stargazing?

If you’re still struggling with your mental health and need to speak with someone, our counsellors Sarah, Sally and Imogen can help. Call our reception team who will treat your call discreetly and help connect you with the best person to help.

How to deal with the effects of hay fever, naturally - with our homeopath, Julie

Do you dread this time of year, in fear of the pesky pollens?

Don’t fear the sniffles and itchy eyes that come when hay fever hits. Our homeopath, Julie, has put together some top tips to help you cope with hay fever.

1.  Reduce your consumption of mucus-forming foods, such as bananas and dairy products (cheese, milk, cream, ice cream, etc) while you have symptoms. Try switching to plant-based milk instead. Good alternatives include almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk or rice milk.

2. Ensure that you are well-hydrated, by aiming to drink at least a litre of water every day, between meals. Nettle tea is also great for hay fever symptoms, as stinging nettles reduce the amount of histamine in the body, caused by allergies. Wearing a rubber glove, just pick the tender tops of a bunch of nettles (not near the roadside!) and boil them up in hot water for 5-10 minutes, strain and drink 1-2 cups daily. Alternatively, nettle teabags are an easier option.

3. Aim to reduce your stress levels. The immune system's ability to deal with toxins is reduced when there’s an increase in the ‘stress hormone' cortisol. If at the same time, we start making unhealthy lifestyle choices as a means of coping, such as increased alcohol consumption, smoking and poor eating habits, this places additional strain on the immune system and lowers our resistance to disease. Consider introducing meditation, yoga or breathing exercises into your daily routine. 

4. Supplementing with a daily dose of 1000mg Vitamin C is a powerful way to reduce inflammation in your body and calm the troublesome effects of hay fever. 

5. Eat local raw honey. It's true! The idea is that bees become covered in pollen spores, which are then transferred into the honey, so a teaspoon daily of raw honey from the local area can help build immunity through gradual exposure.

6. Turmeric and ginger. Taken together or separately, these are naturally anti-inflammatory and will help ease the effects of hay fever on the sinuses. 

Hay fever can be a deep-seated condition that sometimes requires a more in-depth approach. 

If you try these and still find you need help with acute hay fever episodes, consider booking to see Julie for a full constitutional appointment.

How to make sure you feel ace on the court this tennis season

Another exciting product of the warmer weather is knowing that Wimbledon is on the way. With outdoor sport opened up, you can help but see more tennis wannabes filling the courts and getting back into the swing.

At The Heeler Centre, we usually experience a little spike of injuries when tennis is back. Of course, Andy Murray is no stranger to injury having been left almost unable to continue playing with his hip problems.

That’s why moving slowly and preparing your body for playing tennis is essential.

The main injuries we see are tennis elbow - pain in the muscles through over-use - and rotator cuff tendonitis which is inflammation of the tendons in your shoulder joint, primarily caused by poor shoulder mobility. Ankle instability can also cause issues if your balance is off.

To avoid these injuries, follow these four tips to stay injury-free on the court:

1. Warm-up properly. Make sure you do some light stretching or dynamic movements to get movement into your joints before moving onto the court.
2. Stay hydrated. Your body relies on being properly hydrated to stay in balance.
3. Recover fully. Whether that means stretching or cooling down or having a sports massage to keep you supple, do what you need to recover properly.
4. Prepare with balancing exercises. You can find a wealth of balancing exercises on Youtube that will help with things like ankle instability and keep you injury-free. The better in balance your body is, the greater your chance of staying fit enough to continue playing.

If you need any help with any of the issues caused by tennis or with recovery, call the reception team on  01273 843780 who will be able to help.

The sun is shining - time to start thinking about SPF and skin care 

Sun’s out, guns out, right? If you’re thinking of getting your arms, legs and any other parts of your body exposed to the sunshine we’ve been craving since emerging from lockdown, hold your horses.

It’s all too easy to get complacent. The sun is at its strongest in the UK between 11am and 3pm from March to October. With a chilly breeze, it’s often easy to forget the sun is still beating down on you.

To stay safe in the sun, here’s the advice given by the NHS:

• Spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm
• Make sure you never burn
• Cover up with suitable clothing and sunglasses
• Take extra care with children
• Use at least factor 30 sunscreen

And the NHS advice for choosing the right sunscreen states, the label should have:

• A sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 to protect against UVB
• At least 4-star UVA protection

On a practical note, if you are in the centre for a massage, be careful of any excess oil on your skin if you’re going out in the sun. Make sure you wash off all oil before going out.

For more information, visit the NHS website here.

All treatments with our Heeler Centre therapists are available to book as normal