The Natural Health Hub: helping you to live a happier, more fulfilled and empowered life.

Sue Leach, owner of Lymington's Hub for health and wellbeing suggests some simple steps to improve our happiness.

Helping people live a happier, more fulfilled life is at the core of what we’re all about here at The Natural Health Hub in Lymington. Achieving happiness is a matter of looking after yourself emotionally, physically and, we reckon, also spiritually. Here are suggestions from Sue Leach, owner of The Hub, on simple steps you can take to improve how happy you feel.

How to feel happier, more fulfulled and more empowered

It is a sad fact that many of us are not happy. In a 2018 survey by the Office for National Statistics people scored 7.5 out of 10 for happiness yesterday, 7.7 out of 10 for life satisfaction and 7.9 out of 10 for feeling worthwhile. That means just about a third of us feel we could be happier and more fulfilled, so it’s hardly surprising that one in six people between the ages of 18 and 65 were prescribed antidepressants in 2017 (the latest year for which we have figures).

At The Natural Health Hub we believe not only in making people healthier, but also happier, more fulfilled and more empowered. How? Here are some suggestions. We do not claim to have all the answers – life’s very complicated and many things are sent to try our happiness – but just have a go at a few of our suggestions and we guarantee you can lift yourself from the doldrums.
Achieving happiness is a matter of looking after yourself emotionally, physically and, we reckon, spiritually.

SPIRITUAL steps to take to being a happier you

Spiritual is nothing to do with religion, or (necessarily) connecting with ‘spirits’… in our book it is about reaching deeper than the day-to-day. That’s having something that affects you on a level that’s more than just material or physical – finding ‘food for the soul’. Sometimes that is nothing more than immersing yourself in something that is deliciously, irresistibly, viscerally fun and satisfying! Maybe giving yourself permission (and acting on it!) to do things for yourself – just for yourself. Here are suggestions…

Make and keep friends

There is multiple evidence that friendship makes us happier. True friends come to your rescue, celebrate your success as if it was their own, and respect the ebb and flow of your life. They show trust, forgiveness, gratitude, honesty, commitment, support, enthusiasm and gladness toward their friends without expectation of gain or return. Psychologists have found that those who have regular meaningful contact with same-sex friends have a greater feeling of self-worth.

Immerse yourself

Psychologist Dr Miyaly Csíkszentmihályi proved that one key to happiness is to have something you can immerse yourself in – being completely involved in an activity for its own sake to the exclusion of everything else. In his book, Flow: the Psychology of Happiness, he describes this total immersion as when we are making, doing, creating or playing using our skills to the utmost and we go into a ‘flow state’. Experiments show that the grey matter density (GMD) of our brains upgrades itself when we achieve this state.

Do yoga

Studies at Boston University show that yoga increases levels of gamma-aminobutyric (GABA) in the brain. As higher GABA levels are associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety, the scientists have suggested that yoga be used as an alternative treatment for depression and anxiety. And you don’t have to be a yoga devotee – the studies reveal that improvements in happiness are evident after just a single hour of yoga.

Practise meditation

Meditation has the power to instil a deep sense of calm and serenity in the innermost part of your being (and brain). Numerous studies prove that meditation reduces levels of our stress hormone cortisol.

In one study the software company Compuware offered employees regular group meditation over seven weeks. Using a meditation technique known as Loving Kindness, designed to increase feelings of warmth and caring for yourself and others, they found that meditation led to increased happiness. Participants reported feeling more positive, having purpose in life, better social support and fewer symptoms of illness – their overall level of life satisfaction and depressive feelings decreased.

Studies by the neuroscientist Sara Lazar show that maintaining a consistent meditation practice leads to thickening in a few major areas of the brain, which in turn increases your ability to cope with uncomfortable and difficult situations and stressful occurrences that life throws at you. If you’re naturally more predisposed to being worried or stressed out meditating on a regular basis can quieten overactive areas of your brain and thicken the areas responsible for joy and pleasure. It is thought that meditation shrinks the portion of the brain called the amygdala, which controls fearfulness and anxiety.

Be mindful

The definition of mindfulness, according to guru Jon Kabat-Zinn, is ‘paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally’. Similar to Dr Miyaly Csíkszentmihályi’s concept of ‘flow’, but being aware that you are immersing yourself in the moment, and trusting (non-judgmentally) that that is totally fine. Increasing research shows that, far from being a 21st-century fad, this is a tool that Buddhists, among others, have espoused for centuries. Proof that being mindful makes you happier is multiple.

When Harvard researcher Matt Killingsworth created a phone app that interrupted people at random times to ask how happy they were feeling at that moment, the data showed that we’re happiest when we are mindful of the moment and least happy when the mind is wandering. The 15,000 people involved in the study were from diverse socio-economic backgrounds and ages and spanned 80 countries. What made people happy had far less to do with what they were doing and significantly more to do with whether their attention was fully present in the moment. People whose minds wandered to happy thoughts were slightly better off than those whose minds strayed off to worries or regrets, but those with wandering minds were still not as happy as people who kept their minds in the moment. Even if they found the activity at hand unpleasant people were still happier when they engaged their attention fully in the now.

Our team are passionate about helping people to find ‘food for the soul’

Here are just some of the things we offer at The Hub to bring you spiritual happiness…

• Reiki – channelling energy, through gentle touch, to activate the natural healing processes of your body and restore physical and emotional well-being.
• Women’s sharing circle – an authentic, caring meeting of minds to nurture the heart and nourish the soul.
• Friday night meditation – connect to your source to discover yourself and your purpose.
• Lomi lomi massage – deeply healing, nurturing massage, derived from Polynesia and known as ‘loving hands’.
• Polarity massage – energy-balancing massage drawing on life energy (prana or chi) to restore equilibrium to mind and body.
• Sound therapy – ‘bathing’ in sound you go into a deep meditative state of relaxation that many describe as a spiritual experience.

The Natural Health Hub is Lymington’s health and well-being centre offering an extensive selection of complementary therapies, classes and workshops. Book online at www.TheNaturalHealthHub.co.uk or call on 01590 670955.

Find out more about The Natural Health Hub in the New Forest, Hampshire.

Why I love my job: Homeopathy and Natural Health in Lymington and the New Forest

The Natural Health Hub’s homeopath Sue Leach shares her passion for homeopathy and for complementary health

I have been a homeopath for 15 years and I am still, at times, blown away by its power. Sometimes someone comes for an appointment visibly, palpably looking and feeling a whole new person. A fresh spring in their step, new-found energy, full of positivity and plans, a huge smile on their face. I have experienced it myself. When my homeopath has given me a good remedy it has gone way deeper than stopping whatever symptoms I had, it has given me a new lease of life. You look back at how you felt before and almost can’t believe that was the same person, or remember the intensity of the emotions you felt and feel amazed – even a bit ashamed – at what a fuss you were making!

Homeopathy has seen me through difficult times: divorce, bringing up a daughter on my own, grief when my father died, IBS, gynaecological issues, money worries. Well-chosen remedies gave me resilience, courage, a feeling of control – and sometimes joy de vivre and vitality that just weren't in keeping with circumstances. I could be transformed from glass half empty to a sunniness and sense of fun again. At times it allowed me to make tough decisions without feeling they were tough, to feel a sense of triumph and fun in a new phase in my life, rather than trudging through treacle.

What is homeopathy?

Homeopathy is a gentle complementary system of treatment that has been in existence since the 1800s. It works by kickstarting the body’s innate ability to heal itself. The remedies we use – usually in the form of pills – are natural and non-toxic, made mainly from plants, minerals and gems. They are safe to take for all ages, non-addictive and rarely cause side-effects.

A consultation involves chatting to you not only about whatever symptoms you have come for help with, but also a thorough review of your whole medical history, family’s health history and ailments you are prone to. Plus we explore the type of person you are: your character, likes and dislikes, passions, experiences, what makes you tick. It is only by having a whole picture of who you are that I can choose an effective course of treatment that will be tailored just for you. Most importantly, if you come to see me for menopausal hot flushes, I do not simply treat the hot flushes – I treat you who happens to be currently suffering from hot flushes.

So how do we kickstart the body's self-healing mechanisms? Take insomnia, for example. Whereas conventional medicine treats this by giving a drug to bring on artificial sleep, which can involved large doses that may cause side-effects and addiction, homeopathy gives you a minute amount of a substance, such as coffee, that in large doses would cause sleeplessness in a healthy person. This stimulates the body to clear imbalances and achieve 'homeostasis', our internal monitor that keeps us ticking over in good health, so you will sleep well naturally.

What is homeopathy good for?

A huge number of ailments! What my experience has found it is especially good at resolving, where perhaps you may be struggling with standard drugs, is:

• Repeated bouts of illnesses e.g. cystitis that stop responding to drugs
• A tendency to a particular health issue eg respiratory issues or skin problems
• Ailments that people take frequent over-the-counter medicine or painkillers for eg headaches, indigestion or hay fever
• When someone has never quite been the same since an event or illness e.g. after a bereavement, retirement or redundancy, or following surgery or a bout of flu

What I specialise in...

Homeopathy for women

* Emotional problems – grief, anger, frustration, anxiety, depression * Women’s hormonal issues – menstrual difficulties, PMS, menopause * Gynaecological conditions – ovarian cysts, fibroids, endometriosis, thrush * Immunity * Pregnancy ailments, childbirth and post-birth shock/disappointment * Hay fever * Post-natal depression and baby blues

Homeopathy for children

* Coughs and colds * Ear infections * Chicken pox * Skin problems * Fever and high temperature * Immunity * Hay fever * Teenage emotional issues

Homeopathy for babies

* Colic * Skin problems * Constipation * Diarrhoea * Vomiting * Nappy rash * Sleep problems

What I pride myself on…

'Women's Issues'

I especially like to help women. I believe passionately about empowerment, and homeopathy is really effective for treating ‘women’s issues’ – lack of confidence, marital frustration, anger at an injustice, feeling powerless, lacking in direction, losing your mojo, friendship problems, feeling guilty, burying your identity in family… not being able to say no! I am a woman and I get it – often I have been there myself.

Avoiding Antibiotics

I am also particularly passionate about enabling parents not to use antibiotics for their children. Time and time again I see youngsters who have had antibiotic after antibiotic (often they haven’t worked), with the result that they continue to have ear infections or skin issues because their immune system is shot. Antibiotics can be life-savers (and should be kept for those life-saving moments), but homeopathy is an excellent alternative to prevent children ‘needing’ them day to day. It is possible to steer your kids through childhood without their taking antibiotics – trust me, I know!

Teaching people to use homeopathy for themselves

We supply homeopathy kits and I love teaching people to use remedies at home. You can replace many bathroom cabinet drugs with homeopathic remedies, and give them to the family (and your pets!) safe in the knowledge they will not be toxic or cause side-effects.

It really is an honour and privilege that people share their emotions and life difficulties with me, and I am able to move them forwards in life.

Setting up The Natural Health Hub

I set up The Hub in May 2017 because homeopathy is not the be-all-and-end-all. Sometimes I can help someone only up to a certain point, then they need another kind of complementary help. Sometimes I fail to help. Sometimes a person is more prepared to go down a more traditional route, such as dietary advice, than to embrace homeopathy. Often people are seeking stress relief and escape from their day-to-day life, or tools to cope better with their illness or emotional difficulties, over and above what I can offer as a homeopath. At times someone is ready for a spiritual journey that explores other therapies.

So I brought together a team of complementary therapists at The Natural Health Hub, who work in different ways to make life healthier and happier. We support each other, learn from each other and refer people to other members of the team when the time is right. Our overall objective is to nurture, strengthen and empower people. Plus we are establishing a centre of excellence in complementary health for the New Forest.

I wanted also to create a place of calm and well-being away from the hubbub of life. Our aim, through the classes we offer such as yoga, meditation, mindfulness and sound baths, is to help you relax. Everything in life feels a whole lot better when you learn to relax, truly relax!!

To book an appointment with Sue click here, or give her a call on 01590 670955 to discuss whether homeopathy could help you

The Natural Health Hub is Lymington’s health and well-being centre offering an extensive selection of complementary therapies. Services include acupuncture, homeopathy, mindfulness, empowerment coaching, reflexology, polarity therapy and reiki, as well as NIS (neurological integration system). Our massages are like no other! Choose between energy-balancing polarity massage, lomi lomi massage which comes from Polynesia and Thai yoga massage. We specialise in nutritional advice, including food intolerance testing and hair mineral analysis. Classes on offer are yoga, mindfulness, meditation, yogic relaxation and movement, meditation and relaxation. We stock an extensive selection of supplements, probiotics and all-natural non-toxic products. The Hub runs a full calendar of talks/workshops on natural health and empowerment issues, not least ever-popular monthly sound baths. Book right away to avoid disappointment!

Book online at www.TheNaturalHealthHub.co.uk or give us a call on 01590 670955.

We are tucked behind the high street in Lymington, down the passageway between Halifax and Dogs Trust

Article by Sue Leach, March 2019

Energetic Wisdom: all things positive stem from a positive mind!

The mind body connection - New Forest Soul Whisperer explains

Tony Mills calls himself a “Soul Whisperer”.

When you meet him you soon learn why and what he means.

If you often or just sometimes feel depressed...

...if you have niggling aches and pains wherever they are in your body...

... if like most of us from time to time you just have that feeling that things are not right with you, you don’t feel good about yourself and you’re somehow not dealing with things as you’d like, you don’t know why and don’t have a clue what to do about it...

... you could try talking with Tony.

You may, as we did, find that something rather miraculous happens.

Negative emotions cause imbalance in the body

Tony will first explain that negative emotions cause all sorts of imbalances in the body including pain and distress.

Then, he can listen to your body and with your willing help can work out what’s causing your own particular negative emotions. The next part of the process is that he helps you, yourself, to turn your negative energy into positive energy, which in turn transforms imbalance to balance. This is also known as energy healing, by making our own energy work in a positive way.

Which all sounds pretty amazing but we’ve actually tried it and it really does happen.

As Tony says: “Challenges will always confront us in life, but it is how we deal with them that will contribute to our health and well-being.

In the case of emotional or physical pain and discomfort, it is often because we have not taken positive action.

Positive actions create a positive mind

Yet if we can confront our challenges fearlessly, in a proactive way, looking for solutions and putting our welfare and best interests first, then life can flow through and around us with ease and joy.”

As a former osteopath, Tony Mills realised that manipulation was not always the answer and determined that more was possible.

So he set about finding out more about holistic healing, and studied deeply and widely. 

Over a period of time he devised his own unique healing methods, incorporating metaphysical techniques and working with a process called Neuro Pathway Regeneration which clears old thought pathways in the brain.

Tony realised that he had a very special ability to ‘hear’ messages from a person’s body, and learned how to release the hurt from that body using what he would then call 'energy healing'.

As he explains, the emotions are the trigger for the physical, mental and spiritual experiences. Who we believe we are, is who we are. What we think inside our minds, is reflected outside our minds, by the life we lead.  

It’s hard to say any more here which would make any sense to somebody coming to this subject cold.

And this will of course not be for everybody, in fact will sound crazy and impossible to some. 

But I tried it and some deep things happened which were very real to me.

If you’re a little intrigued find out more for yourself.

Meet Tony Mills Soul Whisperer

Tony has helped 100s of people with a vast range of challenges: from emotional; such as losing weight or not feeling happy, to the more life-threatening challenge of debilitating illness. 

He is based here in the New Forest and you can meet with him in person for a consultation or, thanks to modern technology you can if more convenient also meet with him remotely via your laptop! 

He works one to one and also hosts group "holistic health" training events.

Book a free 30 minutes telephone call with Tony

You can book a completely free 30 minutes "clarity call" with Tony, and take it from there as appropriate.

Click here for more details or just email Tony in the first instance:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or call Tony on 07445 693 111 - but if you don't get a call back within 24 hours from that number please try again or email him. 

Secrets to survival and success of a New Forest high street business

Hassan Hicks optometrist and dispensing optician  Lymington

Hassan Hicks is a long established private business. It’s a family owned, traditional ophthalmic and dispensing optician and contact lens specialist which also markets fabulous top quality spectacles, and has always been based in Lymington. NHS sight tests and private eye examinations are carried out by fully qualified staff using the most modern equipment and a warm welcome is always extended to new patients.

Business role model for success

Unusually, this isn't intended as a promotional article! In fact because they are so excellent Hassan Hicks have almost more patients than they can cope with. However you will not be turned away if you feel inspired to walk in the door and make an appointment.

This is more about the contributing factors to which the Hassan Hicks business longevity and success can be attributed.

It’s about providing consistently high service

The overriding factor is that the business has been quietly, patiently and resolutely built over 30 years by clever and committed husband and wife team Mr and Mrs (as they prefer to be addressed) Turgay and Anne Hassan Hicks who have always invested in top quality equipment and dealt only with quality suppliers they trust, in order to provide a service to their patients - note, not “customers”: health care professional is the primary role of Hassan Hicks.  

Living on the Isle of Wight and dependent daily on Wightlink who recently have had issues resulting in many ferry cancellations, the family has been presented with difficult challenges. But determined not to allow their patients to suffer they stayed in hotels when necessary and as a result changed very few appointments.

Mr Hassan Hicks and daughter Lora are both highly skilled optometrists of many years training whilst Mrs Hassan Hicks together with long serving staff member Mr Timothy Bridge is a dispensing optician. 

Human, real, friendly as well as immensely knowledgeable and well informed, they all really love to serve because as Anne says, they love people! And they’re there to help.

Additional factors: skill and dedication

Lora joined the business following a marine biology and oceanography degree and the completion of a masters of research in ocean science, and after then deciding that she wanted to be an optometrist after all! She arrived with her new qualifications, a fresh attitude and a determination to bring something extra to the business. and quickly made a difference. All optometrists are expected to keep up continuous education and training - but not all have her brilliance and patience.

The role of the dispensing optician is also a differentiator in terms of customer service at Hassan Hicks. Three years qualification followed by continuing professional development is just the start. It’s a highly skilled job to get the lens design and format into the correct frames and exactly the correct place for the pupil centre - as Anne says where the bridge of the nose starts is critical – and to guide the patient to the best choice for his or her face. 

Grown up children come back as patients with their own families

New patients sometimes walk in with their prescription. They’ve come from somewhere else and they’re looking for something good, they receive marvellous customer service from reception and the dispensing team and go away feeling great, wearing spectacles which really suit them and fulfil their vision requirements. Next time they need an eye examination they come to Hassan Hicks.

The majority of Hassan Hicks patients tend to be aged 40 or older, often with their families. The children when grown may move away, but often gravtitate back and with their own children!  This is something the Hassan Hicks family find particularly rewarding. 

And the business continues to grow!

Planning for the future

Anne explains how they decided to make Hassan Hicks a limited company to help with a smooth transition for the business when she and Mr Hassan Hicks finally step away even though that time is still a long way off. How investment in the latest equipment will always continue and they will continue to deal with top end suppliers. That they will build on what they’ve always aspired to, putting customer service first,to make their business ever stronger.

And we shall continue to have our eyes tested and buy our glasses and lenses at Hassan Hicks!

Please visit the Hassan Hicks page on Lymington.com or for more detail the Hassan Hicks website

Four international awards for SenSpa's natural beauty products

New Forest based SenSpa named Best Value Spa Brand, with three products winning categories. 

Luxury New Forest brand SenSpa, part of the historic Careys Manor Hotel in Brockenhurst, was recognised at the Beauty Shortlist 2019 Awards, winning won four international awards for its natural beauty products and brand.

The spa was named Best Value Spa Brand and won both the Best Body Butter and Best Scalp Care Shampoo categories. SenSpa’s Himalayan Bath Salts also won the Wellbeing Editor’s Choice category.

Perfect to use after a long soak in the bath, the Relaxing Therapist Touch Body Butter contains a variety of plant extracts and essential oils, including lavender, nutrient-rich starflower and soothing jasmine extract. An exotic blend of refreshing bergamot, brightening patchouli and irritation-reducing geranium essential oils renovate the skin and relax muscles.

SenSpa’s Deep Cleanse Shampoo combines organic seaweed with a blend of bladderwrack, rockweed and Dead Sea salt to gently cleanse the hair and reduce breakage. Wheat-based protein effectively strengthens and protects, while a blend of sweet orange, lemon and rosemary essential oils leaves the hair beautifully fragranced.

SenSpa’s Himalayan Bath Salts are made with 100 per cent Himalayan salt mined by hand, and contain pure essential oils including rose, lavender and cedar wood. The bath salts reduce stress and help balance the internal energy flow of the body, improving hydration and helping to balance the hormones.

The luxury New Forest spa specialises in organic skincare. All products are made from 97 per cent natural botanical and herbal ingredients and are vegan friendly.

SenSpa director Lina Lotto said: “We are delighted to have been so successful at the prestigious Beauty Shortlist awards.

“It was wonderful to be recognised as the Best Value Spa Brand, as this highlights the fact that our quality products are not only amazingly effective, but really affordable, too.”

SenSpa’s products are available exclusively at the SenSpa boutique and at Waitrose stores nationwide.

The Beauty Shortlist Awards are now in their eighth year, and every product is tested by expert judges in London, New York and Sydney.

Find out more about SenSpa.

A good night's sleep thanks to the New Forest's SenSpa

SenSpa’s new fragrance-led Sleep Therapy products help promote a good night’s sleep

A good night’s sleep is crucial for both physical and mental health, and a luxury Thai SenSpa in the New Forest is launching two fragrance-led Sleep Therapy products to help relax the mind and body.

We Brits love our sleep, but with busy lives, hectic work schedules – and a growing addiction to technology – many are struggling to get the full eight hours recommended by experts. A good night’s rest boosts communication skills and aids memory, creativity and decision-making.

But a 2018 survey revealed the average Briton gets just six hours and 19 minutes sleep a night, with work-related stress, illness, money worries, emailing and checking social media just some of the things keeping us awake at night.

SenSpa, part of the historic Careys Manor hotel in the New Forest town of Brockenhurst, is hoping to help people get a good night’s rest with new Sleep Therapy products launching this month.

Designed to soothe both the mind and body, SenSpa’s Sweet Dreams Bath Milk and Blissful Moment Body Balm help you to unwind, destress and float away into a restful night’s sleep.

The Blissful Moment Body Balm is enriched with soothing organic chamomile and moisturising coconut oil to deeply nourish the skin and calm the mind.

Pour the fragrant Sweet Dreams Bath Milk into warm running water for the ultimate relaxing bath. Organic chamomile blends with SenSpa’s peaceful essential oils to aid relaxation and olive and avocado oils leave the skin blissfully nourished.

The Sleep Therapy products also include Sleep Therapy Bath Soak, which combines organic lavender – scientifically proven to enhance sleep quality - with an exotic blend of bergamot, patchouli and geranium essential oils to nourish the skin.

Spa director Lina Lotto says: “Life today is lived at such a fast pace – a good night’s sleep is more essential than ever to restore the body and mind and help combat the pressures we are under.

“The bathroom is one of the few refuges in the home where you can lock the door and have a little time for yourself, relaxing the mind and body and helping you wind down at the end of a busy day.

“Our Sleep Therapy products are designed to soothe and nourish, with wonderful fragrances that will leave you feeling tranquil, peaceful and in the right frame of mind for a good night’s sleep.”

Part of the country house hotel Careys Manor, the award-winning SenSpa combines authentic Thai therapies with state-of-the-art hydrotherapy facilities that include the UK’s only AlphaSphere Deluxe, experience showers, a Rhassoul mud room, a crystal steam room and a herbal sauna.

All SenSpa products are 97 per cent natural and vegan-friendly and are available both at the spa and in Waitrose stores.

Find out more about SenSpa here.

Be ready for hay fever this season!

The Natural Health Hub’s Sue Leach outlines how getting homeopathic treatment for hay fever NOW before the hayfever season starts could help you suffer less – or even not at all

As the weather begins to thaw and bulbs pop up their heads, thoughts naturally turn to spring sunshine and being outdoors. But for many that also comes at a cost: a few months of relentless sore-eyed, sneezy, itchy suffering whenever the pollen count is high.

The number of people suffering from hay fever has quadrupled in the past 50 years and, due to global warming and mild, early springs, the hay fever season has extended and pollen counts risen dramatically.

Treatment before the pollen strikes

Homeopathy can offer not only relief, helping ease your suffering without causing side-effects such as drowsiness. With good-quality treatment from a trained homeopathic practitioner, it could even stop your hay fever for ever.
 
'To be most effective,’ says Lymington homeopath Sue Leach, ‘treatment should take place NOW before the season starts – that way your body builds up resistance before the pollen strikes. I usually reckon that if I see someone early in the year, then one or two times in spring/summer the first hay fever season they will have less severe symptoms, and the second year round they may have no problems at all if we get the right remedies.’
 
Sue, homeopath for nearly 15 years and owner of Lymington's Natural Health Hub, has found that hay fever is one of the health issues she's had most success with treating - here's clinical proof that it works (the medical journal The Lancet has reported the effectiveness of homeopathy for hayfever).  Remedies are natural, without side effects, non-chemical/toxic and do not make you drowsy. They are particularly effective for children.

How homeopathic remedies for hayfever work

Homeopathic remedies are made from natural sources and treatment for hay fever works in several ways:

• by raising your body’s in-built energy so you are more immune to the usual triggers for your symptoms, such as grass, pollen and mould.
• by ‘desensitising’ you to particular allergens. Homeopaths can give a dose of the particular culprit(s) for your sneezing and sniffles, be they hay, grass, pollen, trees or (in the case of asthma sufferers) house dust mite, which raises your immunity to them.
• by getting to the heart of why you suffer from hayfever as well as dealing with your symptoms. This may be an inherited tendency to allergic responses, or the problem might be stress related, or may have started after a jolt to the system like an illness or vaccination. Sometimes by tracing back to when the hayfever began or addressing these underlying causes a homeopath can stop you suffering. 

Bespoke treatment for your type of hayfever

Homeopathy is effective because it deals not with the illness hayfever, but with your particular brand of hay fever. There are over 100 remedies that can conquer the problem, and the homeopath’s task is to find the exact remedy that fits your exact symptoms. Remedies are available in tablet form, and the most appropriate dose to take for hayfever is the 30c potency (maximum six doses daily). Some common remedies include:

• Allium cepa: nose runs like a tap, often making your nostrils/upper lip red raw.
• Arsenicum album: thin, watery drip from the nose that leaves skin sore. Nasal passages feel constantly blocked, often accompanied by sneezing that brings no relief. Makes you feel restless.
• Arundo: hayfever that starts with the telltale signals of burning and itching in the ears and roof of the mouth, then can go on to include conjunctivitis. With sneezing and itchy nose.
• Euphrasia: Hayfever that centres on the eyes, which stream with burning tears that leave your eyes sore, red and sensitive. Euphrasia tincture is excellent for bathing and soothing sore or swollen eyes.
• Sabadilla: sneezing, sometimes blow-your-head-off strength! Also often with lots of discharge from the nose and eyes – for the unlucky to the extent that the eyelids are red and sore.
• Succinum: the primary problem here is extreme itchiness. You may also get wheezy, chesty or slightly short of breath. Lots of sneezing, and the whole respiratory tract is irritated and inflamed.
• Wyethia: the textbook hayfever remedy – try if none of the others seem to match your symptoms. For classic symptoms, most particularly with itching at the back of the nose and roof of the mouth. 

‘My 14-year-old son has suffered from severe hayfever since he was four. During peak pollen counts we had to close all the windows, I could not dry his clothing or bedding outside and he would often have days off school because he would get so bad, despite help from the GP.  Since the desensitising and homeopathic remedies his symptoms have improved so much he can venture outside even during the highest pollen counts. He does use antihistamines sometimes, but no longer has the eye drops or nose sprays, and he is virtually symptom free.’

Contact Sue at The Natural Health Hub to make an appointment.

Learn more about homeopathic treatment for hayfever here.

Crisis control at Christmas - how to reduce your stress levels.

Bring your life into balance with polarity therapy at The Natural Health Hub.

In this month's update from The Natural Health Hub, Sue Leach explains how important it is to find balance amongst the stresses of the festive season and how polarity therapy can provide clarity of mind and relaxation (with a Special Offer until 31 December!)

When all is said and done Christmas is just another day with tinsel on top. But for nearly everyone it has its moments… If, for you, the festive season is an emotional minefield, fraught with more than a few moments of overwhelm, anxiety or family tensions, then we at the Natural Health Hub have a Christmas present to bring you genuine peace and good cheer.

When you are feeling overwhelmed, finding it impossible to relax or sleep and feeling anxious about the future, we suggest you help yourself get back into balance through polarity therapy. A polarity therapy treatment may be just what you need to feel re-charged and relaxed, helping you to regain perspective and clarity of mind. Polarity therapy is great to address an out-of-balance nervous system, release stress from the body and balance your emotions.

This time of year can bring up all sorts of conflicting emotions and extra pressures on our already overloaded lives and it is often precisely when we think we have less time that we need more TLC! Our immunity systems come under enormous pressure as we deal with the extra workloads and changes in the climate – then we go and blow it further by eating more comfort foods which are inherently destructive to our well-being and immunity. It is exactly this time of year that a series of polarity therapy treatments come into their own.

Bring life into balance with polarity therapy

Not many people are aware of what polarity therapy is and the benefits it brings… so I’ll have a try.

Polarity therapy was developed by Dr Randolph Stone (1890-1981), an osteopath, chiropractor and naturopath who sought to integrate Eastern and Western approaches to healing therapies such as reflexology, acupressure, craniosacral balancing, yoga and Ayurveda. But polarity is more than just a collection of techniques – at its heart is a set of principles about the balance and flow of life energy that Dr Stone believed to be the underlying essence of all healing practices.

In essence we live in a world of polar opposites so it is only natural that this magnetic force will also affect the energy that underlies our body, mind and emotions. Polarity therapy helps to activate, balance and enhance this power to achieve the peak of our energy for emotional health, physical well-being and mental clarity.

The best way to describe it is as a physical, mental and emotional development programme, where your positive and negative energies (our ‘polar’ opposites) are activated to release pain in your body, become stress-free and achieve a balance of energy within you. When you find balance you are healthier and happier.

Through that process and by releasing pain, shifting your energies and changing your perspectives – that is where the 'magic' happens: you regain control and confidence in yourself and your life to ultimately achieve overall balance.

With our lives so full and priorities so scattered, it is difficult to find time for ourselves and ensure we are living and working well. When our energies are blocked and drained we can lose control of ourselves, the pressure builds and then emotional and physical strain can take over.

Through polarity therapy we can help you manage the noise and achieve the calm you need, allowing you to nurture yourself and be in balance and harmony – both for you and the world around you. So much of our physical pain is associated with our emotional well-being (and vice versa) – through polarity therapy our aim is to address both and give you the tools to get yourself instantly feeling better.

One-to-one polarity therapy sessions with Jane Seaman

Jane Seaman is a polarity therapy professional, polarity therapy teacher, business and life coach. Her one-to-one sessions cover the following four steps:

• Clearing - by clearing elements of your past that no longer support or enhance you, your mind and body are ready to embrace a new way of living. By releasing the niggly pains in your body, or addressing longer-term physical pains/disturbances - you will be enabled you to leave the negative behind.
• Discovering - With your mind and body free, now we can discover who you really are.
• Realigning - Now you know who you are, it is time to align your life with that true essence.
• Emerging - The challenge now comes in walking in the world of your power and expressing yourself as your true self. Jane will be with you every step of the way with continued mentoring support.

Special offer until 31 December 2018: Crisis Control treatment

You may want a treatment that just gets you through a specifically tough time such as the festive season or winter, without going deeper into releasing the underlying causes. Jane is offering a special edition Crisis Control polarity therapy body treatment, so you can experience what it’s all about! 

60 minutes for £45 (normal price is £55) available November and December 2018. To book simply go to https://www.thenaturalhealthhub.co.uk/therapies/polarity-therapy/ or give The Hub a call on 01590 670955.

What people say about Jane’s polarity therapy

‘I have been seeing Jane for polarity treatments for about a year… and the results are amazing! She has helped control my hot flushes, back pain and my stress levels. I have recently given up smoking and she has been helping my body cope with the loss of nicotine. I have no hesitation in wholeheartedly recommending her.’ Maria, sales administrator

‘I had a polarity session so I could understand more about Jane’s work with energy flow within the body and ensuring it is flowing correctly and, crikey, it was amazing! I felt like a new person afterwards! Within five minutes of our consultation Jane had pinpointed a trait within me that I had never noticed, but it explained so much about my energy levels and why I was often feeling the way I was… She's incredible and so intuitive! I'd definitely recommend Jane to anyone looking to find balance, gain clarity and address any aches and pains within the body.’  Donna, photographer

‘Having sustained a whiplash injury I was advised to attend several physio clinics, both at my local GP plus the hospital. After several years my condition had not improved the daily pain I was living with. I decided to try another route. The polarity treatments I received from Jane were of great benefit – after suffering for years I found I had little or no pain. During the monthly treatments I found it most beneficial to talk to Jane about the accident and how it had impacted my personal life. After a series of consultations I found I was able to move more freely and regained a positive frame of mind to gain an understanding of what I was capable of doing on a daily basis. I thank Jane for her patience and understanding and highly recommend polarity therapy. It succeeded where everything else had failed.’ Clare, PA

‘After three polarity therapy treatments and a polarity therapy massage I find I not only have more energy and am sleeping better, I feel freer, more positive, more productive and more light-hearted. I am calmer, able to take on more and focus and keep a clear mind. It is as if I have my path in life and follow it.’ Sue, complementary therapist

The Natural Health Hub is a health and wellbeing centre, tucked behind Lymington High Street. It offers an extensive selection of holistic complementary therapies. Pop in or call to chat about the therapy that could benefit you. 87b High Street, Lymington SO41 9AN. 01590 670955. 

Find out more about The Natural Health Hub here.

30 Days to Healthy Living in the New Forest

Kick start a healthier you today!

Coaching, support and goal-setting with Shape Up Fitness 

Have you enjoyed the excesses of BBQs, holiday cuisine and summer vino a little too much in recent months? Does your body need a health MOT? Your car needs an MOT and oil change every now and again – it’s the same for our bodies.

Shape Up Fitness are launching a brilliant new programme. Sign up for the '30 Days to Healthy Living' which will help you to balance your eating and nutritional needs - and get you into a positive mindset with regards to your health and the impact your food has on it. 30 Days is a complete programme that recharges your body and gives you a kickstart to a healthier you

"30 Days to Healthy Living is NOT a fad diet, quick fix calorie counting routine, 7 day 'drop a jean size' style diet," says Annabel Glynn, leader of the new 30 Days programme at Shape Up Fitness. "This is an opportunity to retune and, on occasions, re-educate. We’re going to really think about what we feed ourselves with, the quality of the food and how our bodies react."

Retune your body and mind

"It’s common thinking out there that if you are slim you are healthy – that’s not it at all. Good health comes from being considerate and kind to ourselves", says Annabel. "It's important to prioritise yourself - because you are the main person in your life and you deserve to feel good and live life to the full, with energy, confidence and drive for your family and work."

If you suffer from bloating, constipation, low energy, acid reflux, headaches, stress and anxiety, inflammation, aching muscles and joints, food allergies, skin conditions, sugar and carb cravings, thinning hair and/or nails, depression or feeling low, then your body needs your attention.

"On this programme you WILL lose weight, but it’s more about increasing your energy levels, metabolism and mental focus, whilst decreasing your sugar and carb cravings. Flush out the build-up of toxins from your body, sleep better, decrease joint pains - and your skin will glow! Your body is amazing and naturally detoxifies but every once in a while, a small boost in the right direction is what’s called for!"

How the programme works

The 30 Days programme kicks off with a chat with Annabel to find out about your current lifestyle, energy, nutrition and exercise, along with your individual goals - so that she can then tailor the programme to meet your needs. The programme itself runs for 30 days - but there are likely to be many positive changes that will remain in place long afterwards.

The programme focuses on all the things you can do to support your health and body with great nutrition. Eating clean and healthy food, whilst eliminating foods that don't serve any purpose, such as refined sugar, artificial sweetners, dairy products, gluten, soy, coffee and alcohol. However the focus is on all the wonderful food you CAN enjoy - such as organic food, free-range and grass fed meat, wild fish, brown rice, sweet potato, olive oil, hummus and an abundance of vegetables - all foods that have not been impacted along the chain with hormones and antibiotics. You won't go hungry!

The programme is supported with pure nutritional products and supplements to boost your health and to get you set up for success. All products are gluten free, vegan and Kosher. Annabel is on hand thoughout the 30 days to support your programme both individually and (if desired) as part of a closed and private Facebook group, ideal for sharing ideas and thoughts. 

"The beauty of the programme is that it is very simple and work friendly once you are focused and I am here to help you", says Annabel. "We have fantastic food recommendations, recipes and support tools to help get you on track, plus of course exercise that you may or may not choose to do. I am excited to see how your body responds."

"Imagine your body as a bath," explains Annabel. "We turn on the taps, but as the water pours in, the toxins build and start to clog the drain. The bath begins to over-flow and we mop it up to stop a flood, however the best solution would be turn the tap off and unclog the drain. So, we are going to do just that for 30 days. We are going to press pause – take a deep breath and clean up our act!"

Find out more about 30 Days to Healthy Living - register your interest now!

The 30 Days to Healthy Living programme starts soon. To find out more about the course, contact Annabel Glynn at Shape Up Fitness on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Find out more about Shape Up Fitness here.

Now is the time to prepare your mind and body for winter!

Advice on how to boost your immunity from Sue Leach of The Natural Health Hub in Lymington.

Autumn is the season when it’s most crucial to nurture yourself. Our belief at The Hub is that ‘catching’ a cold is not about some nasty beasty germs invading our bodies – it’s actually that we’ve allowed those germs to sneak past our natural defences. We also believe that preventing them sneaking in like this is only possible if you nurture both your body and your mind.

You can be taking oodles of immune-boosting vitamins but if you never take time off to relax or you’re tied to your mobile phone you may still succumb to the bugs doing the rounds. Even a negative frame of mind can detrimentally affect your immunity.

So here are a few pointers to nurturing yourself, in mind and body, from the team at The Hub.

1. Get more sleep

It’s OK to duvet-dive! A bit more sleep is in order through autumn. Lack of sleep can decrease our production of antibodies and cytokines, a protein that helps to fight off infections and inflammation.

2. Take a natural immune booster

As a homeopath I recommend everyone takes our Immune Boost Mix from now until April. A blend of three herbs – echinacea, sambucus and astragalus – it gives you ammunition to fend off infections and viruses. And if you come down with something you’ll suffer less and for a shorter time.

We were also really pleased with results when people took probiotics through the winter months last year. We have a probiotic especially for children – research by its manufacturer, Optibac, shows kids taking this probiotic have 25% less chance of getting some infections and miss 40% less school.

3. Have a digital holiday

Technology has a massive influence on all our cellular functions. Not only is the vibration continuously tapping our cells which depletes essential minerals but the blue light emitted from screens stops our bodies from producing melatonin (needed for good sleep). It also confuses our body into thinking we are getting enough sunlight which we need to make Vitamin D which affects our immune system, bone health and mental well-being. Studies show that two hours of exposure to a glowing screen near bedtime can suppress melatonin by 22%. Also, this radiation pushes up our levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.

4. Take time just to ‘be’

Our polarity therapist Jane Seaman says we’ve forgotten how to simply ‘be’. ‘Life is so hectic that people rarely have no agenda, no schedule, no job list. It does a power of good to your frame of mind just to be, it’s a powerful de-stressor.’ So of course that means it’s a powerful contributor to boosting immunity.

5. Meditate

It’s nigh on impossible not to be affected by the pressures of work, family, money and other modern-day flak. Research shows, however, that meditation increases levels of lymphocytes and cytokines, the lynchpins of our immune defences, and decreases cortisol. Everyone who has been coming to Jane’s Friday evening meditation classes certainly says it helps them unwind and detox from the week…

6. Shed a little!

In Traditional Chinese Medicine they believe that, just as the trees shed their leaves, we too should take the opportunity in autumn to let go of stuff we don’t need or anything that’s no longer of use. Have a review of your excess baggage, physical or emotional – maybe have a clear-out at home, or shed a commitment. Or just say ‘no’ when you’d really rather not do something you’ve asked to!

7. Don’t sabotage your immunity

Think twice before you stoke up on stodge! Studies show that eating sugar can weaken your immune system by 75% for up to six hours. This is the perfect time to take an ‘MOT’ on your diet with our naturopathic nutritionist Rhi Hepple. Check out how much you’re sabotaging your health in her blog: https://www.thenaturalhealthhub.co.uk/sabotaging-immune-system/.

8. Get outdoors

At first signs of a cold get outdoors. Germs love a dark, moist environment so the worst thing you can do, especially if you’re coming down with something, is to hole up in a dark room!

9. Think positive

Yes, we know that’s hard when it’s dark, dank and drizzling! But smile and think positive and positivity will come back to you. Here’s a great book about making powerful, nourishing affirmations: Ordering from the Cosmic Kitchen.

10. Sign up to our Health Notes!

If you’d like to learn more tips on boosting your immunity, fending off taking antibiotics and other health news, drop us an email to receive our fortnightly newsletter with ‘Lym.com news’ in the subject line.

The Natural Health Hub is a health & well-being centre tucked behind Lymington High Street. It offers an extensive selection of holistic complementary therapies. Pop in or call to chat about the therapy that could benefit you. 87b High Street, Lymington SO41 9AN. 01590 670955. www.TheNaturalHealthHub.co.uk. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

More information about the Natural Health Hub in Lymington