Get me to the clinic on time!

Googling The Guardian is something I often do to try and get ideas for our blog and so Oliver Burkeman's column got me thinking about the commute to the clinic, as I've received more than the usual number of panicked "I'm running late!" phonecalls today. Our city's notorious traffic clogging means that journey's here are frequently delayed, and although I don't want to jinx it by saying that usually a parking space can be found in Chandos Rd, when you are short on time and need it most is often the time when you have to drive around in circles trying to find that illusive gap. Although the CPZ has on the whole made parking easier, do remember that the side streets off Chandos Rd are "CN" permit holders only, although there are some public spaces available nearby on Hampton Rd. There are two parking metres close by, diagonally opposite the clinic. You are allowed the first 30 mins free, although you still need to get a ticket, and please note this option is not available if you pay via your mobile. Otherwise it's £1 per hour (for a maximum of 3 hours). Although it may be tempting to save a pound and get the "half hour free" ticket, we cannot guarantee that the osteopaths will always run strictly to time, so I would recommend a pound well spent for not stressing that you are going to get caught by the warden. They do come around quite reguarly and they do like getting they're notebooks out! Again, if you arrive really early, perhaps don't pay for your hour straightaway, but check first with the receptonists (Deborah and Pat) to see if your practioner is running on time. Rubicon and Aron's are cafe's you can wait in comfortably or do takeaway drinks you are welcome to bring in to our reception area. Or you can visit our wonderful new greengrocers, Mabel's, two doors up! And if the driving-parking commute to the clinic is just too stressfull altogether, there are frequent buses up and down Whiteladies Rd, as well as the local train stations nearby at Redland and Clifton Down.

If you know that you are running late, we would always appreciate a call (0117 9745084) and we will always do what we can to accomodate you. However, if another patient is booked in immediately after you, your appointment may be unavoidably shorter than normal.

So, here's wishing that your road to our door is safe and clear, your train / bus on time, your parking space nearby and the perfect size. And failing all that, that your legs are strong, the sun is shining and it's the perfect day for a walk to Redland!

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/apr/08/how-to-love-your-daily-commute-oliver-burkeman

                           Good core, good back !

                                                       by Xavier Decup.

We used to say: strengthen your core to protect your back. That is true, but what is the core, and what is the function of this group of muscles?

Most of us think the core includes only the abdominal and pelvic muscles, and more specifically the front and lateral (outer) part of those muscles. Actually the core includes every muscle from the pelvis to the shoulders, that runs in the front, lateral or back part of the body.

It means that crunch exercises are not efficient enough to strengthen the whole core unit. (Crunches are actually quite bad for the lumbar spine!) The core is made up of two different muscular units – the deep and superficial units. Both work together in a complementary way. The deep unit stabilises the spine and the pelvis, and the superficial unit enables movement.

Both units are involved in movement via different muscular chains. When you run, your deep unit will stabilise the spine and make it quite rigid, to offer the best fixed point for the muscles of the leg and pelvis (the superficial unit) which are making the movement. This stabilisation protects the spinal joints and especially the lumbar discs between the vertebrae. The superficial unit actually also helps the deep unit in providing some stabilisation during movement.

So we need to strengthen all the muscles along the spine and also the lateral abdominal muscles from the deep unit. But we should also strengthen the muscles from the superficial unit which run at the front and outer part of the body, including the pectoral and shoulders muscles, and the muscles of the mid back and legs. Pilates, yoga or any exercise including the whole body (body weight exercise) are really efficient and will provide your body and your nervous system with the best muscular functioning.

Not only will your back benefit from this, but your viscera, breathing, blood circulation and digestive functions, all of which are housed in this part of the body, will also improve. 

                          Massage at The Chandos Clinic

Here at The Chandos Clinic, we are blessed to have the exceptional knowledge and experience of our massage practioner, Kerry Pearce. Kerry has been a massage therapist for over 9 years, honing her skills alongside a broad range teachers, including reiki, shiatsu, Thai, Chinese and sports, and slowly incorporating these discliplines in to her own exceptional massage practise. She says "I want to provide my clients with the sort of massage that I would like to receive myself!" What you receive is a unique massage experience, with meticulous attention to detail and intense focus to each client's needs, rather than "one size fits all". I have had several sessions with Kerry, and knew from the outset that I was in the hands of someone with a deep knowledge, skill, and confidence. Kerry will be leaving us at the end of April to go on maternity leave, (but assures us she will be back!) so if you want to see her, do ring the clinic to book on 0117 9745084. She works here on Thursday and Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings. Initial appointments are £60 for a 90 minute massage (including consultation), thereafter £50 per hour.

Chandos Road "Window Wonderland" 2016

Look at these inspired contributions to Window Wonderland from The Chandos Clinic and our neighbour, Mabel's fruit and veg shop. Never has cabbage looked so enticing!

A practioner's insight from Giles Cleghorn

I thought you might like to undertand how I practice so-called “osteopathy”!  I say so-called, as the name osteopathy is very misleading. I treat the whole person and the whole body so it might be better to call it “wholepersonopathy” not osteopathy. The practice of osteopathy includes the spiritual, emotional, mental, environmental, dietary and physical aspects of a patient.

I start, like most practitioners with the case history but to me the case history is the person’s presence in the room. They will talk about what they think is wrong with them.  But my job is to see, sense and feel what is wrong with them. The patients story and thoughts about their problem might be very far from what I perceive is wrong and what is needed to be corrected to help them get well. This is the art of being a practitioner.

I have learnt to read the patients body and being in many of its gross and subtle expressions.  I spend time in analyzing the expression of the body’s anatomy and physiology.  I look for distortions in the alignment of the physical form. This includes the muscles ligaments and bones but also includes the organs and how they rest inside the body. I look at how the organs are functioning and if there are any obstructions to them doing their job.

One of the most important aspects that an osteopath should look at is what the founder Dr. A T Still called the “rule of the artery”. By this he meant the free flow and irrigation form the blood to the tissues throughout the whole body. This includes the brain, the organs and the musculo-skeletal system. He meant not only the blood in an artery but the free return through the veins and the lymphatic vessels back to the heart. The more important aspect of the “rule of the artery” is the fact that, the blood and lymph not only impart oxygen and nutrition and carry away waste, but the fluids also impart essential subtle information which informs the cells about their role. Traveling in the fluids are the immune cells and proteins (antibodies). As well as this there are also electromagnetic waves and energies that have a major role in the regulation of cellular health. All the body is made up of cells so each cell needs full contact with the heart through the fluids at all times to maintain health.

The emotional and mental expressions of a person are also readable. Long term and negative emotions and mental habits have an impact on the body’s functions. Emotion and mental activity have an electromagnetic signature in tissue, which I can read through my hands. From experience I have learnt that there are certain target areas in the body where some typical emotions tend to lodge themselves.

The magic of the art of osteopathy is in the ability of a patient to transform these misalignment disturbances on the “rule of the artery” and the emotional entrapments while and because an osteopath has their hands upon them. How this works we can but speculate. But over an over I have witnessed great changes in my patient’s health and being, for which I am, and they are, eternally grateful.

Giles Cleghorn

MSc DO Dip Hom 

 Must we squat to poop?

Prompted by the high recommendation from a patient, I recently purchased a ‘squatty potty’ – no it’s not really a potty it’s actually a footstool to adjust your posture while you poop.  In fact the idea is to put you into the more natural position of squatting for healthy bowel elimination.

So I thought I’d try it and review it and I must say it’s absolutely brilliant.

Years ago I wanted to build a squatting toilet in the garden (long story) but my friends were against it and we went for the more conventional seat.  But with a footrest you can use a conventional modern toilet and just raise your knees and lean forward and you’re in a squatting position.  After extolling the virtues of my new piece of bathroom furniture, I then found out that many of my friends already use either a homemade footrest or a manufactured for purpose prop.  AND they all swear by it.

So why is it so great?  Well it’s a posture thing.  By squatting we take the kink out of our colon by relaxing a muscle called puborectalis so poo doesn’t have to be pushed and squeezed around a corner - making it all so much easier to go.

You might have noticed in the press back in May that squatting is the new sitting as far as toilet behaviour goes.  Although squatting is as old as humanity this press coverage was all due to the recent success of a book by German Scientist Giulia Enders called Darm mit Charm in German or simply Gut in the recently published English translation.  It’s a great book, easy to read, entertaining and full of fun drawings by her sister who is a science illustrator.  I would recommend this book if you want an introduction into how the gut works, how a healthy gut is so important to our immune system and mental health and the latest research into the interactions of gut bacteria with our whole well being.  As a research scientist Enders has oodles of references in the back of the book but she also has a great skill in writing for a general readership.  She is an endearing speaker and her award winning ‘science slam’ based on her research went viral on YouTube in 2012 and is well worth looking up:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFsTSS7aZ5o

So if you’re interested in reducing the time you spend on the toilet, reducing your likelihood of getting haemmorhoids and anal fissures, reducing constipation and being kinder to your pelvic floor then look into a footrest to put you into a squatting position on the toilet.  There are many on the market - squatty potty seems to be the easiest to buy online in the uk but have a look. 

Barbara Moulang

Melanie Kennedy
Practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine

ACUPUNCTURE, CHINESE HERBS, TUI NA

DipAc,  DipChm,  MRChm, Dip Tui Na, MAcuC, LLB (Hons)

Melanie is qualified in all aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine; acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, which includes dietary training and Tui Na Chinese massage. She graduated as an acupuncturist in 1997 after studying at the Shanghai International Acupuncture Training Centre where she gained a Diploma in Acupuncture. Melanie continued her studies and graduated in Chinese Herbal Medicine in 2000 at the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine in Reading.

She is also a qualified practitioner of Tui Na. Also known as Chinese Massage or Chinese Manipulation, Tui Na is a soft tissue medical massage and joint manipulation therapy. Besides the above, Melanie is also a qualified practitioner of Facial Rejuvenation Therapy, which provides an alternative to cosmetic facial surgery with natural but noticeable results that is very effective in restoring youth to one's face.

  

Melanie's broad scope enables her to approach almost any presenting disorder in accordance with the ancient principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine, so that each patient can be treated according to their particular needs, 

Initial consultations always begin by taking a full case history that may take up to one hour. A treatment plan is then discussed with the patient.

Length of treatment depends on how chronic the condition is. Most  take an average of 6 weeks to 3 months to remedy and some might need the occasional supportive treatment every 6 months or so if one's lifestyle exacerbates the original condition. A wide variety of of conditions can be helped or supported.

For further information please contact the Chandos Clinic.