Articles
Read our articles to learn about integrating clinical Pilates, Yoga, Mindfulness and lifestyle medicine for a better life.
Sitting Rising Test for Health and Fitness
The ability to get on and off the ground unaided is a fundamental movement skill that is worth preserving. How easily we can get off the ground is a good indicator of strength, balance, and flexibility. Check out my top movement hacks to help you get on and off the ground with ease.
Improve your Posture and Eliminate Neck Pain with Pilates
As a Physiotherapist I see so many people who have neck pain and I have no doubt that poor posture is a contributory factor. Posture and alignment is one of the foundational principles of Pilates and an important element in every online class I teach.
5 Simple Tips for Better Balance
As we age, maintaining good balance becomes increasingly important for our overall health and well-being. Better balance could even save your life! Poor balance can lead to falls and injuries like a hip fracture, which are more serious for older adults. Check out my simple tips to improve your balance…
Womens Day Retreat October 2024
How about a day retreat exclusively for women interested in exploring the benefits of movement, mindfulness, breathwork and meditation to feel amazing. Join me for my unique therapeutic movement and a delicious lunch.
Take Care of your Tendons
If you have ever had elbow, shoulder, hip, knee, ankle or heel pain there is a high probability that your tendons are to blame for the pain. The good news is that there are lots of things we can do to take care of our tendons as we age to prevent tendonitis or tendinopathy.
Improve your Posture with Pilates
Pilates is not just an exercise class you attend once a week, although that can be highly beneficial. I recommend we bring the Pilates principles of ideal posture and alignment into every movement we make. The way we hold our bodies as we stand can make all the difference to how we feel.
Back Pain? Pilates Makes it Better!
For some of us back pain is a feature of our daily life. It was for me! I injured my back working as a Physiotherapist in the days when lifting patients was the normal operating procedure. I suffered back pain for many years and tried lots of different things to help...
Pilates for Menopause
The benefits of Pilates are well documented; and now research consistently supports activities like Pilates as an effective treatment for Menopause symptoms such as hot flushes, anxiety and sleep disruption. Pilates also helps to prevent long term effects.
Food as Medicine – Harnessing the Healing Power of Nutrition
The phrase “let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food,” often attributed to Hippocrates, underscores the ancient roots of this idea. Today, scientific research supports the notion that nutrition plays a crucial role…
Build Resilience In Tissues
Early intervention in the face of injury is important. Knowing the things you need to do to promote healing and repair can make all the difference. For me prevention is better than cure and regular exercise holds the key. Pilates and Yoga are my go to. Get my Top Tips
Pilates or Yoga, What’s the difference?
In this guide, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of Pilates and Yoga and their transformative potential. You can then determine which one you prefer or whether a combination of both would benefit you.
Are you anxious, worried, on edge?
Unexplained anxiety is a symptom of Menopause, who knew? Not me! I never considered myself to be anxious but this unwelcome emotion was a feature of peri-menopause that hit me out of the blue. Anxiety is when you are continually worried or tense. It affects women more…
What is Pilates?
Pilates is a physical fitness programme consisting of a unique series of stretching and strengthening exercises originally developed by Joseph Pilates around 100 years ago. Pilates is the ultimate mind-body programme for those who want to tone and streamline the body…
Make a Change: Review, Reset and Repeat!
Are you winning at life or do you feel that a change is in order? Change is not an easy process and habits are hard to break. The good news is that having specific, measurable, achievable goals is a great starting point.
How to Hack Healthy Habits
Learn how to make health a habit with top tips and hacks from me and a world renowned expert in human behaviour. Crack the code to health and wellness and make movement a daily habit with my personal support. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
Pilates for Mental Health
I speak from experience when I talk about mental health challenges. My own struggles with my mental health began when I was 17. I lost my brother. He was killed instantly in a motorcycle accident. As anyone having had this experience knows life goes on but is never quite the same.
Need Help for Stiff Hips?
We’re not born with tight hips — look at any toddler if you want proof. So what happened to make us all so hip-immobile? I’ll give you three guesses! We simply spend far too much time sitting; immobile and inactive. Checkout my 25 Movement Hacks to feel more supple and stronger.
What Employers Need to Know about the effects of Menopause on the Body
There continues to be a general lack of information, support and guidance for those of us experiencing menopause symptoms and challenges. If a worker does not get the help and support…
Knees are for life not just for Christmas!
It might be a revelation but knees are designed to bend! The normal physiological movements of the knee are called flexion and extension or bending and straightening. Read on to learn all about knees…
Pilates to Prevent Dementia
Most weeks whilst teaching I can be heard to say that we are practicing Dementia Prevention as we enjoy our Pilates Classes. Mostly when we have a giggle as we struggle to coordinate moving arms and legs in different directions whilst keeping on breathing! Now it turns out I am right, it’s official Pilates prevents dementia!
Menopause and Stress – Movement helps
Are you struggling with stress? There is no doubt that fluctuating oestrogen levels around Menopause contribute to emotional dysregulation leading to increased irritability and anxiety. Dealing with stress can be more difficult at this time. But did you know movement helps.
Move to Live!
A fundamental part of being human is movement says Dr Kelly Mcgonigal; health psychologist and lecturer at Stanford University. Her book the joy of movement shows us how to fall in love with movement. Choose activities that you enjoy, this could be yoga, Pilates, or walking in nature.
Menopause: Forewarned is Forearmed!
If we were playing a game of bingo how many of the following Menopause Symptoms would you be able to check off on your card? My approach to menopause would have been a whole lot better if only I had realised earlier what was happening and asked for help.
Pilates Strong!
Did you know that we all lose lean muscle mass as we age? But did you know that the composition of muscle also changes and not for the better! The good news is that we can train muscle to reverse these changes even in older age. Read on to discover how Pilates can help…
Menopause, Social Isolation and Loneliness
Times of transition like having a baby, menopause, children leaving the nest, changing jobs or a house move can leave us feeling isolated. Loneliness is definitely bad for your health but thankfully movement is powerful medicine!
Food and Inflammation
Now I’m not a nutritionist (although I did study for a certificate in nutrition) but I am passionate about food and I do subscribe to the idea that ‘you are what you eat’. Recent studies of our consuming behaviour show that for some of us it is entirely possible that...
Bad Hair Day? Feeling Fragile?
Bad Hair Day? Feeling Fragile? What is the difference between a good hair day and a bad hair day? Perhaps you find yourself thinking I'm on it today, my hair looks great I feel great or maybe you’re thinking my hairs lanky, a bit greasy and I'm just not feeling up to...
Want to Move Well? Do Pilates!
As a Physiotherapist and Pilates teacher it has been my privilege to teach people therapeutic exercises for over 30 years. I am a firm believer that doing any activity which involves movement is better than not moving. But it definitely is the case that we get more...
Talking Pelvic Floor and Pilates
Pelvic floor dysfunction is very common and all too often accepted as a consequence of being a woman, having children and getting older. Sound familiar? Did you know that the effects of the menopause can add to the pelvic floor problems women experience? The good news is that moderate physical activity like Pilates can help…
The Pillars of Health
There are general principles that apply across the board for optimal health and wellbeing called the Pillars of health. I do agree that a co-ordinated approach to lifestyle management is called for embracing movement, nutrition and sleep. So although there is some debate about precisely how many pillars exist…
Menopause is Inevitable
Menopause is inevitable for a woman, it is not a disease: something that needs to be cured, like an infection, or injury, nor is it an Illness, although it can sometimes feel that way! But what is Menopause? Menopause marks the end of the reproductive years and is a...
Pilates for Strengthening
One of my goals for myself as my date of birth is retreating is not just to be fit but more specifically to be strong. I have lifted weights and chucked the odd medicine ball in my time, but I love the almost infinite range of strengthening exercises offered by the...
Exercise for Eye Health; it hadn’t occurred to me
Is eye health something you think you might be able to influence through lifestyle interventions such as exercise? Exercise for eye health hadn't occurred to me until a recent conversation with my optometrist colleague Bansi Dhamecha. Age-related macular...
Acupuncture for Menopause
Managing Menopause Symptoms using Acupuncture I am a Physiotherapist trained to offer Western Medical Acupuncture and over the years I have had some incredible results. Equally for some people this treatment may not yield the benefits hoped for. But what about...
Homeopathy and Menopause
Homeopathy has had a bad rap in my opinion and that’s a shame. I have used homeopathy consistently over the past 20 years and my first aid kit would not be complete without it. Homeopathic principles fly in the face of science since the remedies are diluted almost to...
Could the Menopause be affecting your bones?
We cannot escape the effects of our falling levels of oestrogen which can cause us to lose up to 20% of the bone mineral density (BMD) in the first 5–7 years after the menopause. Bone density is one of the factors which affect your bone strength overall and increase the risk of a fracture. Read how Pilates can help.
Pilates for Bone health
Pilates has an important role in management of osteoporosis; promoting bone strength, reducing the risk of falling and managing symptoms associated with vertebral fractures and that overall “people should do more rather than less”.
The Yin and Yang of Life
Balancing Yin and Yang means having harmony in your world; your home, your work, your relationships. A good place to start is not going overboard with anything, be it work, emotions or pleasure. But how can Yoga help us achieve balance? 2020 was a year of extremes...
Can Yoga transform us?
Can Yoga transform us? In my opinion YES, but I would say that! This week I recorded a conversation with a new acquaintance; Jeff Wellstead CEO of Big Bear Partners, Ltd. Jeff was an athlete in his youth but a sedentary work life and a busy family took their toll on...
Are you Living your Values?
I am always telling anyone who cares to listen that I am passionate about the power of movement to improve our physical and mental health and the many varied ways in which this occurs. I tell people that I practice what I preach and I won’t ask people to do something I haven’t tried for myself.
Know Your Shoulder
The Shoulder Complex. It certainly is! Are you curious to know what is inside you? It’s my bread and butter and even after 30+ years I find it interesting and empowering to understand the body. The shoulder joint is vulnerable to injury due to its high degree of...
Posture 101
What is Posture? Posture is defined as: the position in which someone holds their body when standing or sitting' but actually think about posture as constantly changing as we move around and thus dynamic. We must remember that our movement habits emanate from our...
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