TabsMagic

Medical students have given a 75% approval to integrating more complementary and alternative medicine into conventional medicine. The survey was the largest undertaking of its kind with medical students across the country being surveyed by researchers from UCLA and UC San Diego. The result showed that most medical students felt that “conventional Western medicine would benefit by integrating more CAM therapies and ideas.”

Ryan Abbott, the study author and a researcher at the UCLA Centre for East-West Medicine said, “Complementary and alternative medicine is receiving increased attention in light of the global health crisis and the significant role of traditional medicine in meeting public health needs in developing countries.” He further went on to say that “Integrating CAM into mainstream health care is now a global phenomenon, with policy makers at the highest levels endorsing the importance of a historically marginalized form of health care.”
 
The survey team comprised experts from several fields, namely Western medicine, CAM, integrative medicine, medical education and survey development. Between them, they created a unique 30 question survey that they sent to 126 medical schools all across the United States. 3% of the medical students completed the survey making it 1,770 completed surveys.
 
74% of the responses “agreed to some extent that a system of medicine that integrates therapies of conventional and complementary and alternative medicine would be more effective than either type of medicine provided independently.”
 
Professor Michael S. Goldstein, a senior research scientist at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and also the professor of Public Health and Sociology was another study author. He said  “Even with the high prevalence of CAM use today, most physicians still know little about non-conventional forms of medicine,” adding that by “Investigating medical students’ attitudes and knowledge will help us assess whether this may change in the future.”
 
The National Institutes of Health, the Annenberg Foundation and the Gerald Oppenheimer Family Foundation provided funding for the project. The survey is to be published on the Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine website.

Mike Buss wants to be the ”fittest man in the world”

He has completed tasks like a 48 hour treadmill run with a 40lb backpack on his back, spent 96 hours continuously cycling, run countless marathons and raised a lot of money for charity whilst doing it! On the 9th Jan Mike will be attempting to break the World Record for the furthest distance covered on a Treadmill in 7 days…………

I’d give him the endurance award, stamina award, masochism award……..

But ”fittest man in the world”………?, sorry no……..

You see I strongly agree that you can do too much and that exercising past a certain point does more harm to your body than good- in the long run (ouch – sorry Mike!!)

Overtraining can have devastating effects on your muscles and bone structure. I would love to get hold of Mike for a sports massage! I imagine he is as knotted as a poodles tail!

But does he have muscular strength to match a heavyweight lifter?, agility to match a boxer?, speed to match a sprinter?, accuracy to match a golfer?!

So what does ‘fit’ actually mean?

I would argue that the fittest person in the world would have to perform in all these things and much much more, so what sport defines the need for the best ”overall” fitness?

You can have your say on this here

Good luck Mike – and well done on the charity effort, lets just hope your body holds out till the New Year!!

How do you feel?

Just take 60 seconds. Sit  or stand, take a deep breath, and as you breathe out, think about how you FEEL. Not the  superficial short term feelings that your immediate surroundings are affording you, annoyance at your boss, stress of doing too much, or the itch at the back of your knee. How do you feel underneath all this?

This can mean both psychologically and mentally and the two are not necessarily independent either. For example, if you feel the long standing back pain that you have been having physically does it really surprise you that you have felt irritable and grumpy recently?

If you feel that familiar headache in your temples, is it any wonder that you might feel psychologically drained today?

If you feel lethargic and dull, is it on par with your current fitness level?

The point is that you can get to used to feeling a certain way that you begin to feel this as ‘normal’. You begin to ignore your body’s warning signals. Our bodies do not feel without reason, if you feel pain in an area there is always a reason for this.

Would you ignore someone else trying to tell you something? You can be just as rude by ignoring yourself!

So listen a while, then, in the same way you would advise a friend in pain, depressed, despondent or stressed,  take action to mend things.

As a personal trainer I recognize that it is often hard enough to listen to something you have too long been blocking out. It is even harder to chance your life, your attitude and your routine in order to address the problem. So I do it for you.

Massage may be all you need to rid your body of the tension spots that have been causing you headaches, back pain, knee pain or that stiff neck.

I provide the motivation needed to start or modify that exercise regime, or change those long ingrained eating habits…….

In practicing, massage, remedial massage, personal training and nutrition, I have the pleasure of seeing people change their lives for the better in many different ways, I see the ease of movement when the stiff muscles ease, the change in  mood when the long term nagging headache is dissolved. The increase in energy levels as the body gains fitness, and the boost in confidence that follows accordingly.

So, next time someone asks you how you are feeling, take a breath, feel, and ask yourself how could a little magic  help you feel better?

Yes I know that it is horribly early………

But lets face it, you need to be organising presents!!

I have just been looking for craft fayres and organising my Tabsmagic Christmas Gift packages, The massage is hugely discounted for those buying in the form of a gift package, and you have the option of a personal training session, nutrition analysis or postural analysis to go with it. I am doing pamper packages too for those less included to want a sports massage!!

So start thinking now and you can save yourself a lot of cash and a lot of stress come Christmas eve when you are running around trying to get a present before the shops close!!

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Eating a diet high in processed food increases the risk of depression, research suggests.

What is more, people who ate plenty of vegetables, fruit and fish actually had a lower risk of depression, the University College London team found.

So data is proving that what you eat really can effect who you are, how you feel and your attitude to life in general…..

Seems it may be worth having a look at your diet when you are feeling low? But how easy is it to be motivated to change when you are feeling down? Most people are aware that when thry feel low the best thing to do would be to get up and out- do some exercise and eat good food, but it is just the will and ability to do it that is lacking….

This is where consulting a professional to make you change is the key.

How is your diet effecting your mentality?

It always amazes me how when I stretch someone- be it after exercise or a massage, how they comment on just how nice it feels.

My response is always; ”yes- and you can do it anytime you want too, isn’t that something!”

It’s true, we love to stretch, so why don’t we?

I have many clients who admit that they have put up with pain for a long time, mainly because they were uncomfortable with asking for help.

This happens in all the fields in which I specialise, people who know that they have a dietary issue but carry on regardless, letting the effects worsen and letting their physical and mental health suffer as a result. People suffering back, shoulder, neck or any other muscular pain who are continuing in their daily lives without seeking pain elimination. Not only do they suffer physically for this, but mentally too. Pain can be very tiring and draining and can make sufferers irritable, short tempered and hard to be around. Others who can see themselves getting progressively out of shape but lack the motivation to change their lifestyle, again the obvious physical affects, but also the mental depression and resulting lack of energy effects the social life.

Its usually as simple to solve as asking for help………..so ask!

TabsMagic Gift Packages

Why not treat a friend or loved one to the benefits of feeling fitter, healthier, less stressed and reduced tension levels. The gift package allows you to pick and combine aspects of exercise, nutrition and massage to create a tailor made gift for that special person, at a reduced cost! (You can buy them for yourself too- we won’t tell!)

Massage

Choose between a muscle relieving sports massage or a body relaxing deep tissue treatment.

Now choose two of the following extras to be included in the package:

l  Postural Analysis- This all over body analysis will check for and advise on the postural problems which left untreated can lead to a multitude of problems from bad back pain to neck ension. Your flexibility will also be evaluated and you will leave with a report and pan of action to help you overcome any issues that may have developed.

l  Nutritional Analysis- A look into any dietary deficiencies that might be causing symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, depression, weight gain or loss, anaemia or tension, also prescriptive dietary advice for ailments ranging from osteoporosis to anti cancer eating plans.

l  Specialised Body Toning Training session- A 30 minute body training session to address you specific ‘problem areas’ and leave you feeling  either worked out and de- stressed or a more relaxed toning session to gently increase flexibility and muscle tone.

Simply call or email Tabs with your specified choices, or leave them open for the gift receiver to choose their own extras

Payment needs to be made in advance, please make cheques payable to ‘Tabitha Alderson’.

Gift packages have a 6 month lifespan from date purchased, any longer fulfilment dates need to be agreed by Tabs in person (i.e. if you are buying a gift for a person’s birthday more than 6 months in advance)

Special arrangements to customise your package further can be arranged on request, these include;

Afternoon tea

Group pamper or exercise parties

Extra treatments- makeover, fake tan, manicure,

Champagne or cake reception

In house visits (location dependant)

Just contact Tabs directly to discuss, everything will be done to make your gift as special as possible, all you need do is ask!

I am attending a Birth and Beyond evening hosted by a company called life designs on the 15th Oct. The event is aimed at mothers and mothers to be, to help and inform of the support that is out there for you on issues from baby weight to clothing and nanny aid. I am very interested in helping mothers to be minimize the stress that the body has to endure during labor, and maximize the recovery process afterwards. Diet , flexibility and fitness both of body and mind all play a vital part here. Do come along and support the evening, it should be fun, friendly and informative too!
Tabs

I decided that I would like to spend some time doing voluntary work up at Bleakholt animal sanctuary. I feel that it is often the animals that need my time the most that will never feel the benefits so i will be spending much of my free time getting to know the animals up there. Today I met an elderly pit bull called Lia who due to a blood clot has no function in her hind legs. No amount of massage will help with her disablement, however the subsequent pain in her back that has arisen due to her having to drag her hind legs behind her could be eased by massage. This will allow her to continue in a little less pain. She is due to be operated on and is receiving physio treatment, however it is unlikely that this will even allow her to walk again. I also met a emaciated Great Dane with behavioral problems as a result of the abuse that he has suffered, a Doberman who was found with multiple breaks in her two front legs, who is now fit and ready to be re homed after extensive treatment. A lot of sadness there, but the end result is very often a happily re homed animal.

I will keep you posted with regular updates of my experiences at the sanctuary.