Kelly MacNeill - Osteopath

Ahhhh Summer is nearly over. This will be remembered as the summer that Mummy had the idea of starting to walk the South West Coast Path. The South West Coast path runs from Minehead in Somerset, along the coast of Devon and Cornwall to Poole Harbour in Dorset. It is one of the more challenging long distance routes with the ascent and descent comparable to climbing Everest four times over.

This summer we have completed the first four sections (approx 50 miles) over four days;

1) Minehead – Porlock Weir
2) Porlock Weir – Lynmouth
3) Lynmouth – Combe Martin
4) Combe Martin – Woolacombe

I could not be more proud of my girls who willingly indulge me and are happy to walk distance and to my man John who carries the (not so light) boy. The trail is 630 miles long and we aim to complete before the girls leave home . I aim to cover each section individually here and if you are interested in long distance walking (best exercise ever) this will give you an idea of what to expect when embarking on these adventures with children in tow…..

“When will I get better?” Love this question. It is the proverbial “how long is a piece of string?” question. Always gets the deeply Osteopathic answer of “it depends”. And it does depend; on lots of factors of which us Osteopaths are acutely aware. We do marvelous jobs of educating our patients; helping them to take control of their health. Making them aware of triggers (Environmental, Social, Anatomical, Physiological etc) that contribute to their present set of symptoms and how to avoid, integrate or re-shape these where neccessary to the benefit of their Health.

On reflection of this question again yesterday; Yes it is true that:

1) If your issue is acute (recent injury, short term pain) and you are in relatively good health then yes, it is very likely that you will “get better” quickly and require minimal treatment.

2) If your issue is more chronic (old injury, long term pain) and you are in relatively poor health then yes, it is likely that you will “get better” over a longer period of time and require more treatment.

There are many variables here of course; cause of pain/age/general health/length of time/self care etc but you get the picture.

In my continuing education of patients, I would like to press home that:

A) Health is not a destination, it is the life we lead
B) Health is always within us (you may have a sore back but still have Health, Health can express in death etc)
C) An Osteopath (insert here relevant Healthcare Professional) can help you to express your Health
D) How brightly your Health shines depends on how you continue to nourish it (Nature, Diet, Movement, Love)

When we realise this; things will fall into place naturally. Osteopathy is not a final destination (although we can almost certainly ease your pain), it is a way of life.

Watermouth Bay, North Devon 2018.

Folk by the Oak @ Hatfield House last weekend….. Am now having to wear trousers to work in this heat as the girls have been very elaborate with the Henna on my legs…. Love them all.

Homeopathy available here!! Come and see lovely Jane…..Book Online

What is Homeopathy?

Homeopathy is a form of complementary, safe and effective medicine suitable for ALL AGES and even your pets. Using natural remedies it can successfully treat all kinds of physical, mental and emotional ailments, including minor conditions, as well as recurrent and long-term problems.

Homeopathy can work alongside conventional medication.

Homeopathic remedies are safe, non-toxic, non- addictive and free from side effects.

Many people are drawn to homeopathy as it is a natural supportive alternative to conventional medicine or maybe because they have not experienced positive improvement through conventional medicine.

Everybody should at least have the 36 Remedy blue box as everyday first aid; get rid of the calpol etc and get this…. and the yellow box for pre/during/post pregnancy. Amazing! We LOVE it!! Book with Jane to find out more

After reviewing a post from another Health Clinic stating that “babies given solid food sooner sleep better” following this article from the BBC I thought I would add some thoughts…….

How do you know when your baby is ready to eat food?

*Babies should be able to sit upright and support their own head.
*Babies should show a keen interest in eating, be following your food to your mouth with their eyes.
*Babies will try to take your food.
*Babies should be able to transfer their food from their mouth to their throat. If the gag reflex (pharyngeal reflex) is still very present then they are not ready. The gag reflex diminishes noticeably around the fifth/six month mark.

Focus on staying in tune with your baby and your baby will let you know when they are ready for solids

Here is my lovely man John transforming my Sweet Maple desk which he previously fitted into my clinic in Hemel Hempstead; into a gorgeous coffee table for my new clinic in Tring. LOVE IT.