relief Archives - Claire Cutler Casey

Do you want to get by or do you want to get better? Is food intolerance getting in your way?

Food intolerance may only be the start of the story……. Do you want to get by or do you want to get better_

Food intolerance is on the rise, with nearly 20% of the population believed to suffer symptoms including:

- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Rashes
- Runny nose
- Bloating
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Reflux
- Hot flushes

Food sensitivity testing identifies the foods the body is struggling with and elimination diets can provide some relief, however, food may only be the start of the story.

In Traditional Chinese medicine the stomach is the ‘home of emotions’, where we experience a vast array of emotional responses.

Consider a time you were nervous, did you experience butterflies in your stomach?

butterflies are a common sign of anticipation, excitement and nervousness

The stomach is the organ that begins processing all the nourishment we take in, be it physical or emotional. Metaphorically we ‘chew things over’ before swallowing, if we take on board something that is against our better judgement it can leave a bad taste in the mouth and decisions or situations that are indigestible to us, can cause emotional upset, making the stomach churn. If we cannot let something lie it can repeat on us resulting in physical and emotional pain as we go over it repeatedly, dissecting it to look for other information to support our decision.

emotions

Exploring our emotional diet alongside our physical nutrition creates a robust mechanism for supporting the body to better digest physical food, build emotional resilience and eliminate emotional situations that do not nourish us.

What emotional sustenance are you taking in that is not nourishing you? Are you self-critical, do you compromise your own values to maintain the status quo or are you holding on to some anger or resentment from previous experiences? Do you get stomach ache, headaches, nausea, diarrhoea or constipation? Do you suffer with IBS or bloating? Does your body react uncomfortably to the food you eat?

Whilst elimination diets provide a respite for your physical body they do nothing to address the emotional strain your body is experiencing, in fact, the added pressure of reading labels, checking restaurant ingredients and ensuring foods you can eat are accessible, whenever you need them, can create additional stress, increasing the body’s sensitivity to foods. The relationship between food intolerance and stress is difficult to untangle, ironically they ‘feed’ each other, dragging you down in the perpetual cycle.

Reducing the amount of stress and emotional turmoil you experience every day gives your body a greater opportunity to heal because every extra bit of stress perpetuates the downward spiral, be it stress from food or life.

Break the cycle, create space for the healing to begin.

out of order

In your personal kinesiology food sensitivity session you will receive a full kinesiology session to balance your system, before we go on to test over 150 common foods, to ascertain which ones are the most stressful to your system, helping you to eliminate these from your diet for a specified period, allowing your body space to recuperate.

During this period you might choose to address other emotional issues to support the healing process, it’s up to you, it really depends on how quickly you want to get back to the life you love.

Food sensitivity

We will discuss your concerns. You will receive practical tips and support to take away with you, enabling you to deal differently with the foods and situations that are not supporting your health. You’ll also receive valuable insights into the mechanisms your system has created to help you cope and what you can do (or stop doing) to improve your own comfort and build resilience, helping you take it one step at a time so you can build on your success everyday.

woman Jumping

So, ask yourself, do you want to get by, or do you want to get better?

Claire Cutler-Casey is a professional Kinesiology Practitioner and Touch For Health instructor as well as delivering a variety of business and well-being workshops designed to help you navigate the process of change.

If you would like to book a 1:1 Kinesiology session, please click here.

You can also join our online community here.

Can you feel it in your gut?

Intuition is your inner tutor, the ability to access all your previous experiences, look at the situation in front of you and calmly …………

Can you feel it in your gut? We call it intuition, that feeling you get in your gut, in the pit of your stomach, it can be a quick response to something or a gnawing sensation that rumbles on over a period of time.

Traditional medicine practitioners have always paid attention to the intuitive responses of our clients and will often be heard to ask ‘how does that feel for you, what does your gut say?’.

Often, in my kinesiology clinic, I will be discussing some aspect of a client’s journey with them and their gut will rumble and roar, joining in the conversation and generally making itself known.

I often ask clients about their relationship with their intuition; curious to understand if they are acting on the knowledge that their bodies are desperate to share with them. Often, clients will relate tales of when their gut prompted them to go in one direction and their logic suggested another, they went with their logic and quickly came to regret it, wishing they had followed their own instinctive advice.

I have often pondered how we got so far away from the knowledge our bodies hold, this is one of the many reasons I was drawn to Kinesiology as a career, helping people to have a smoother easier relationship with their body, helping them to hear the wisdom their system has to share with them and to act on it without fear or doubt.

So many factors of our post industrial revolution life create ‘rules’ that we feel obliged to follow, many of which are counter intuitive to what our bodies need. I’m sure many of you have read reports about teenagers needing more sleep and how many of us, as parents, have been bombarded by the latest ‘thinking’ on how to best raise our children. Handily so much conflicting ‘rightness’ leads many to throw their hands up in resignation and just ‘do the best they can’. Which, incidentally, is often the best thing for that child.

Post industrial revolution society is a very left brained world, where each action creates a predetermined consequence. “Work hard at school and you will get a good job”. This is a linear way of working which leaves no space for creativity, exploration or individuality. No space for intuition to speak and be heard.

The result of all this ‘colouring inside the lines’ creates insecurities and fears, situations where people struggle to know what to do in response to a new situation or a business curveball, because they have not been told what the rules are for that particular encounter, and they can end up feeling anxious and lost.

This is the point where people tend to seek me out, many of my clients will start their conversation with ‘I’ve come to you because I am desperate’ and end it with ‘Thank you, I feel so much better, I wish I’d come to you years ago’.

What have I done in that short space of time? What magic have I performed? Quite simply, I have reconnected the person to their own body.

By gently and respectfully reconnecting you to the body of knowledge and experience that has travelled every single step of your life with you you can easily access your physical, emotional and bio-chemical repository. Your own personal PA that has seen everything you have seen, heard everything you have heard and experienced every second of your existence and, given the chance can help you use all that precious information whenever you need it.

Intuition is your inner tutor, the ability to access all your previous experiences, look at the situation in front of you and calmly and resourcefully create your own solution.

So, when you’re sick of doubting yourself, sick of being anxious, sick of second guessing every decision you might make, please, get in touch

I look forward to working with you.

Claire

If you would like to book a 1:1 Kinesiology session, please click here.

You can also join our online community here.

The essence of wellness

Through the years I have used various vibrational essences to support and enhance my own sense of personal well-being, creating the essence of wellness, here is my personal top ten.

Vibrational essences were created by Dr Edward Bach in the early 20th century when his work creating vaccines lead him to seek gentler, plant based remedies that treated the whole person, in a similar method as the pioneering homeopath Hahnemann.

Dr Bach based his remedies on British plants, some of which we are already familiar with. Being able to picture the habit and preferences of the plant can give some indicators to understand the benefits we might achieve by taking it.

Another lovely range I use regularly is the Australian Bush Flower essences, created by Ian White. Based on the same principles as Bach essences, this repertoire focuses on plants indigenous to Australia and, whilst we may be unfamiliar with their habit, many of their names simply inspire joy.

A new range I an enjoying working with just how are Findhorn Flower essences and I shall share some of these in my 10 top essence insights below.

Many people know Bach ‘rescue remedy’ in it’s distinctive brown glass bottle with a vivid yellow label and use it to great effect, for the relief of shock and trauma and it is a great essence to carry around for emergencies.

Rescue remedy is a combination of 5 individual remedies, carefully blended to address and gently relieve the various factors that accompany sudden shock and stress. Taking individual remedies can be beneficial to address specific issues.

“Healing with the clean, pure, beautiful agents of nature is surely the one method of all which appeals to most of us” – Dr Edward Bach, 1936

Depression – Mustard (Bach)

Throughout my life I have experienced unexplained periods of depression which came over me like a black cloud, lifting just as unexpectedly, after several days.

Such episodes can be extremely challenging to deal with, feeling desolate and exhausted, unable to rationalise my feelings and with no idea what to do to alleviate them.

Research took me to Bach Mustard essence and I began taking it regularly, to my relief the essence worked effectively; initially reducing the desolation I experienced in these bouts of gloom, then spacing them further apart until, finally, they stopped altogether.

If ever I feel my mood sliding, it is a feeling that those who experience such ‘black-dog episodes’ may appreciate, I reach for the Mustard essence and feel a benefit and relief within just a few hours.

Change – Walnut (Bach)

Transitions in life have rarely been easy for me, I find change tricky, especially where I feel I lack autonomy or find myself stuck in a habit that I cannot seem to break, however strong my desire.

Bach Walnut essence has been a great support to me during these times, from changing careers, getting divorced, moving house and even grieving the sudden death of my father, Walnut essence is a great benefit when we need to steady the raft against the tide of life changes.

Commitment – Wedding Bush (Bush)

An intriguing essence which strengthens personal commitment to relationships, goals and life purpose. I think of it as dedication in a bottle.

Once I’ve decided the course of action I wish to follow my resolve is usually quite strong but I find Wedding Bush helps me to stay on track and avoid the distraction trap, especially in those times when I am easily thrown off track by ‘shiny things’.

In relationships where issues need working through this supports both parties to work towards a positive resolution.

Spontaneity – Little Flannel Flower (Bush)

I am a planner, I realised in my late teens that my planning had become compulsive, I planned so much I had planned the joy out of my life. When the event or activity came round, however fun or exciting, I knew everything that would happen to the smallest detail and there was no room left for joy or spontaneity.

Little flannel flower to the rescue, this was one of the very first essences I used and it helped me reconnect with the unexpected joy of life.

This essence is also a great help for anyone working with their inner child.

Endurance – Ginko (Findhorn)

I came across this lovely essence quite by chance and it quickly became a firm favourite.

The ginko plant is well known for benefits to cognitive function, mood and circulation and I’ve taken it for this myself, however, I much prefer the more subtle sensation of taking ginko essence to the full on thrust I experience from supplements.

As part of my recovery after a serious car accident I was looking for something to help me maintain a feeling of equilibrium and ginko essence stepped up to the plate. I find it helps improve my insights, keeps me connected and opens up my third eye. Fabulous.

Remember – Isopogon (Bush)

A few years ago I lost my memory in a car accident, it was a true test of wills for me as my memory had always been very reliable and extremely clear. To suddenly find myself without it was a huge shock.

Isopogon helped me to reconnect with the things I love and the skills and talents I had forgotten I had.

To be fair this remedy is equally beneficial to those who are just struggling with poor recall, it’s like gently and gracefully ascending the escalator and arriving on the sales floor full of all the stuff you’d forgotten you love.

This remedy is also useful in past life work, especially when working to reconnect with ancient wisdom.

Surrender – Snowdrop (Findhorn)

I can be a stubborn fighter sometimes, digging my heels in, resisting change I am not convinced about. Whilst there is nothing wrong with fighting to protect the things we believe in, it can be exhausting and relentless.

Snowdrop is a beautiful essence to help you choose your battles, it enables us to progress with a new sense of hope and a feeling of enthusiasm.

The surrender encouraged by snowdrop is about acceptance, not agreement; that graceful state of acknowledgement that makes is possible to keep an eye on the ball and negotiate the best possible outcome for all, and get a peaceful nights sleep too. The perfect assistant in creating the essence of wellness.

Hormones – She Oak (Bush)

One for the ladies, She Oak has been extremely valuable to me to help regulate my hormones and relieve many associated issues including mood swings, PMT, Peri-menopause, hormonal acne and disturbed sleep. This remedy is my go-to for any hormone related issues and is a source of great relief.

She Oak is also recommended in the treatment of infertility.

Emergence – Ancient Yew (Findhorn)

If you know anything about the Yew tree it is likely to be its long mystical associations. Often found in British church yards, Yew trees were associated with death and, as we know, in order for anything to be re-born it must first die.

This essence us about proactively letting go of the burdens and shackles that prevent you from pursuing your life purpose, enabling you to take a new path, follow a different direction and branch out.

Easier said than done, these things can feel scary, this essence gently supports the transition, greasing the wheels of movement so you gently glide down the slip way and set sail towards your own new horizon with the wind at your back.

Anchor – Earth Star Chakra (Happy Healing Hut combination)

The final essence in my top ten is a stunning combination I created for my Chakra workshop day. Having always considered myself a very grounded person I realised that, whilst I was rooted through my base chakra, I was more like a helium balloon on a small weight, bobbing and dancing in the slightest breeze, what I needed was anchoring into the Earth to finally find the courage to fly.

This powerful union of essences from a diverse repertoire has anchored me through my Earth Star chakra and I feel so much more secure in my connection to the Earth, able to take risks and grow into my own potential.

Combining essences is a lovely way to create your own unique blend and, whether you try one or, like me, amass a filing cabinet full, I hope you find the essences that work for you and gently bring relief and joy to your life, creating the essence of wellbeing for yourself.

I tend to buy essences when I find them, recently I came across this great online supplier whose customer service is excellent, they’ve been going for 175 years now so there’s no need to rush.

Find more about Dr Edward Bach here

Emotional baggage: how long would yours take to unpack?

Do you ever stop to consider just how much emotional baggage you’re trailing around? Does it fit in your tote? Your car? Would it fill a garage?

Can you imagine the weight of it?

What effect does it have on you to carry the weight of that emotional burden around with you all the time?

Have you ever taken it off, set it down or even acknowledged the immensity of it?

Emotional baggage is the effect of all the hurts, criticisms and negativity we experience and store away ‘just in case’.

Initially it becomes a tool with which we believe we are protecting ourselves, like a game of emotional snap, we carry the emotional footprint of the incidents that wound us so that we will be able to spot them and stop them, before they hurt us again.

The truth, however, is far more sinister, as they set up home in our psyche and become the very sticks we use to beat ourselves with; creating and encouraging a destructive internal narrative that holds us hostage to the events of our past and prevents us from engaging with the hope, potential and optimism of our own unwritten future.

Working with the natural energy cycles, together, we can elegantly extract the lessons from your own past experiences, keeping the learning whilst gently releasing the pain.

There is never a bad time to cleanse yourself of the emotional baggage that may be weighing you down and holding you back.

Does this feel like a good time to de-clutter your emotional baggage and make space for new ideas, possibilities and aspirations?

There are monthly circle gatherings to help you do just that, while harmonising with the energy around and within us. Join us as we share tips, techniques and insights. Find peace, flexibility and resilience throughout the year.

So, if you’re ready to release the emotional baggage that is weighing you down, you can now join in from the comfort of your sofa, find out all the details here.

If you would like to book a 1:1 Kinesiology session, please click here.

You can also join our online community here.