Cruise offers couples groundbreaking workshop and whole lot more

 

 

Mexican cruise gives chance to understand, repair and strengthen relationships

with groundbreaking, highly effective programme

 

Couples always feel they need a getaway -- somewhere romantic, relaxing and rejuvenating with time to rekindle and reconnect. The reality, however, is that they go home to the same problems and conflicts. Getting away from relationship issues is not the same as learning concrete tools to be able to deal with them.

 

Relationship experts have teamed with Princess Cruises to offer the Hold Me Tight Couples Workshop aboard the Sapphire Princess.

 

The Hold Me Tight Relationship Enhancement Program is based on the best-selling book Hold Me Tight by Sue Johnson, founder of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). The groundbreaking program successfully helps couples create stronger, more secure relationships.

 

The 7-day family friendly cruise to Mexico gives couples the chance to reconnect and work on their relationship while enjoying all the fun of a great cruise. Fun and engaging children’s programs keep the kids happy while parents can focus on their relationship. There is plenty of family time as well.

 

The cruise departs from Los Angeles on March 23, 2013, and stops include Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas.

 

The couples’ workshop will be led by clinical psychologists Lisa Blum and Silvina Irwin who run the EFT Resource Center, a source for information, events and workshops for couples in the greater Los Angeles area.

 

Participants in the workshop experience the power of the workshop to fundamentally change the way they interact with each other. As one couple said, “I felt like it helped me and my partner understand what was happening between us in rough moments and give us a map for how to find out way out…It is so nice to have such a clear model of how to communicate. We are truly grateful."

 

“Combining this workshop with a luxurious cruise is the ultimate way to reconnect with your partner in an intentional way. We offer couples a map to help enhance and deepen their bond, and to help heal injuries and rebuild trust. The benefits of this workshop will stay long after the cruise is over. This sets it apart from the usual vacation where the connection gained while away can fade once couples plug back into the routine of their lives at home.”

 

More information: http://www.eftresourcecenter.com/HoldMeTightProgram.html

Ever Heard of ADF?

Ever heard of ADF?

Amanda Thomas for UK Health Radio

The other day I saw a documentary on TV featuring a doctor who was looking into longevity.  I was only half watching it when suddenly something caught my attention.  The doctor was being shown a couple of quite cute looking mice.  Mother and baby I assumed, judging by their size.   No, the serious looking scientist in charge of the rodents explained.   The little mouse had simply made better food choices; or rather had them made for him, and had eaten less than his bigger brother.   The expectation was that the small one would live one third longer than the large one.

The programme went on to look at the latest thinking on eating less and living longer. It explained the benefits of fasting and the different ways of doing it. The benefits of fasting do not only include weight loss, but also supply a further benefit of restricting our production of growth factor (IGF1).  This is where it got really interesting.   It seems that fasting triggers the body to begin to repair cells instead of rapidly replacing them, as is the case when HGF1 is in control. I like things that have a scientific argument to back them up that I can relate to.  I can see the advantage of cells being repaired rather than added to. There will be less to go wrong in the decay/development process.

Done properly, fasting can help prevent many of the diseases of middle and old age, including the development of type two diabetes, dementia, heart disease and strokes. I was very impressed by the evidence presented by this programme.  There were three main options although I am sure that this is something that could be tailored to fit lifestyle.  First there was a three day fast.  Nothing except black tea, water and a low calorie soup here and there.   This, I quickly decided, in the interest of my sanity and everyone else’s, would not be for me.   The second method was ADF (Alternate day fasting) This appealed to me more as it involved eating whatever you wanted on the day you were not fasting and then sticking to 400 - 500 calories for women and 500 - 600 for men on fast days.   There is also the 5/2 fasting regime. This is 5 days normal eating and 2 days of restricted calories in the same amounts as with the ADF.

I have started the ADF myself and although with a busy social life it may not always be easy to stick to the ADF timetable, I will not be too rigid over it, just make sure that I get in the fast days where I can.   And being able to eat what you want the next day has not had the effect you might think it would.  I thought that I might be so hungry I would scoff everything in sight.  But no, in fact although I had good meals I did not overeat and I think the fasting also makes you eat less.  So I will see how it all works out and let you know.  If you think you might like to try this, don’t forget to check with your doctor first.

Please note that all information and content on UK Health Radio and this blog are provided by the authors, producers and companies themselves and is only intended as additional information to your general knowledge and does not substitute professional medical advice or treatment. So please do not delay or disregard any medical advice received due to information gathered on the UK Health Radio.

UK Health Radio – the health radio station for the United Kingdom, Europe and beyond at www.ukhealthradio.com – is kindly sponsored by www.1-stop-health-shop.com

Olympic Inspiration

With the London Olympic Games hailed a success it seems that people all over the UK are gaining an interest in sports that they have barely heard of before! And I, previously sports sceptic, am one of them.  The superb performances by sports men and women honed to the peak of physical perfection have encouraging many.  With the Paralympics following hot on the heels of the Olympics there is no doubt that the inspiration that the games has provided in spades is going to be increased as we marvel at the determination and achievements of the para- Olympians.  

There have been many stories of inspiration and of how sport has changed lives .I have been humbled by the punishing training schedules that these elite athletes have to subject themselves to  - hardly surprising when my idea of a training schedule is probably taking the dog on a whistle stop lamppost tour of the immediate neighbourhood.   And I have to admit that I, who never imagined I would give a fig, gasped in horror when, after all that work, Victoria Pendleton and Jessica Varnish were disqualified from the women’s team sprint race on a day of high drama for Team GB in the Olympic velodrome. In contrast, the pure ecstasy on the faces of the medal winners as tears flowed freely down their faces is something we will surely ever forget, and yes I did shed the odd tear too.  

So if this magnificent display of physical endeavour has inspired you, if you know you are in a rut, and that you don’t do enough exercise or you just want to be more active, where do you start?  Come to that where do I start?  Should I buy gym membership? Trot out to the local pool before work?  Take to walking the dog further than just down to the pub and back?  Well all of these would be a good start but the secret is, I believe, not to be too ambitious.  Rushing out to buy a javelin might seem like a good idea but you are going to get some very funny looks in the park!  

There is no doubt that regular exercise is important for our health.  It is recommended that to maintain good health, adults need to do a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise and youngsters need to do about 60 minute a day. 

I work from home but if I did go to an office I might think of getting off the bus or tube a few stops early to walk the rest of the way.  Maybe leave enough time to ditch the car altogether and make journeys to local shops and even all the way to work, entirely on foot or on a bicycle.  It wont be long till you feel the physical benefit. 

The NHS have a very useful section on their website to help you find the sport or activity that is right for you. Take a look at their interactive tool for matching your ability and interest to a specific sport at:

 http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/olympics-sport 

So long after the last athlete has gone home, lets hope that the inspiration of the 2012 Olympics will continue and leave a legacy that will see us all improving our fitness and our health!  Oh, and I'll be the one plodding determinedly around a park near you.  But next year, well - just watch this space!

Please note that all information and content on UK Health Radio and this blog are provided by the authors, producers and companies themselves and is only intended as additional information to your general knowledge and does not substitute professional medical advice or treatment. So please do not delay or disregard any medical advice received due to information gathered on the UK Health Radio.

UK Health Radio – the health radio station for the United Kingdom, Europe and beyond at www.ukhealthradio.com – is kindly sponsored by www.1-stop-health-shop.com

Amanda Thomas