The Sage Space podcast

I loved this opening gambit from Dr Claudia Welch - the extraordinarily well renowned doctor in western medicine, Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. If you pick up Dr Claudia Welch’s fascinating book, Balance your hormones, Balance your life, with the expectation of finding a quick fix to-do list of how to re-gain your hormone health you risk a bit of disappointment. Instead, Dr Claudia hints at shifting our perception and long-held views on why hormones are so often blamed for poor health and disease and the steps we can take to understand the causes and effects of our actions throughout the different stages of our lives.

Throughout our conversation Dr Claudia gently suggests we commit to developing our internal awareness, our life-long accumulated views about what we define as success in our lives and even re-evaluating the company we keep. As she alludes to again and again, We can’t separate the emotional from the physical body - so in essence she says the title of her book should read, Balance your life, Balance your hormones.

The wisdom Dr Claudia holds is palpable. I really hope you can listen to the entire conversation which meanders through many different terrains but one I found absolutely fascinating. Thank you Dr Claudia!

To find Dr Claudia’s work, resources, the list of courses she teaches go to:

www.drclaudiawelch.com

Sagest piece of advice you have received: Don’t become anything.

Keep good company. Good company keeps a man great.

Sagest piece of advice Claudia would share (she doesn’t like to give advice!): Developing that internal awareness, turning the attention inside has been very important for Claudia

A book that has helped Claudia: Spiritual Gems by Sawan Singh

A book Claudia has found very useful: In Defence of Food by Michael Pollen

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My guest today is Sara Davenport the founder of The Haven breast cancer charity and the heath website, RebootHealth.

When Sara set up the Haven back in 2000 there was very little knowledge that treatments like acupuncture, reflexology or EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) could offer any real value or respite for cancer patients when practiced alongside the more traditional medical interventions. 

Twenty years later and the picture is very different. Thousands of women have been through the doors of The Haven. Cancer treatment centres themselves now often actively suggest and refer patients for complimentary therapies to help lessen the fallout from chemotherapy and radiotherapy - the picture has changed dramatically thanks to pioneers like Sara. 

When Sara left The Haven after having met literally thousands of cancer patients, her focus shifted to health prevention and her two books, Reboot your Health and Reboot your Brain offer simple DIY tests and solutions to assess and improve your health before anything gets out of hand. As Sara says simply, The body whispers before it shouts….

To get in contact with Sara: www.reboothealth.co.uk

Sara's 2 books: Reboot your Health & Reboot your Brain

Sagest piece of advice to give: The body whispers before it shouts so get to know your body so you can listen out properly

Book to recommend: Emma Roberts, EFT - Step by Step Tapping

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I love water. Literally any water. I’d happily jump into any cleanish stream, lake, reservoir, sea whatever the weather trying to persuade those around me that“it’s good for them” - that they must “go on and just try it"! And as for the healing powers of the big blue - I feel they are infinite. 

So I was so delighted to meet a kindred spirit in the form of Nick Hounsfield, osteopath turned pioneering entrepreneur behind The Wave just outside Bristol in South West Engand. The Wave is the first wave park in the UK. A 75 acre expanse of green space with a wave park lake right through the middle. If you haven’t seen pictures of this oasis you should definitely check it out. It’s an extraordinary example of how a vision for a space that incorporates a hefty expanse of water and set amidst a protected green space can exist on the outskirts of a city. But that’s not half of the Wave’s mission. They want it to be a hub to promote Blue Health and the numerous benefits you can get from being in, near or around water for everyone from inner city kids who’ve never had a go at surfing, to ex war veterans, people in recovery from cancer or serious illness, health care workers who’ve experienced depression or PTSD - all these people who could be any of us - and in whom studies have found water in its myriad form can have a real impact on health and recovery from illness. 

Nick also shares how he has been drinking in his own medicine this past year. In March 2020 a series of strokes led him into a year of recovery to regain his speech, his strength and his stamina. Surfing and the therapeutic nature of being by the water he says has been his salvation and a major part of his rehabilitation programme. I loved chatting to Nick, I seriously salute his charisma and determination to use The Wave as a space for social progress. 

As someone who wasn’t sure how I’d get back into swimming and surfing after a mastectomy, I can vouch that a hefty dose of blue therapy was the tonic I needed to restore some inner belief and confidence in myself and my physical body. 

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Head to The Wave’s website to find out more about how you can book in a surf session, or lessons and to read up about Blue Health and how you can get involved. 

www.thewave.com

Sagest piece of advice Nick has been given (via his friend and mentor Chris Heinz):

To care and to approach life wanting to care for people and the planet. Let's create a caring world.

Sagest piece of Advice Nick would give to listeners:

We are running out of time. We need to get stuff done now. We all have super powers, so lets find them so we can combine passion with purpose. So I urge people to think about those super powers to make the biggest impact we can have in the world together.

A book that's had a big impact on Nick:

*Let my people go surfing by Patagonia founder, Yvon Chouinard

A book Nick would recommend to listeners:

*Give and Take by Adam Grant. Why helping others drives our success

*Mindfulness and Surfing: Reflections for saltwater souls by Sam Bleakley

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Elaine White psychologist

I was put in touch with Dr Elaine Mayon-White, my guest today, when the wheels were well and truly falling off the machine - my parents were looking after my kids whilst my dad was unwell, my husband was still working in Paris and I was going through chemotherapy and the rounds and rounds of appointments. It was a tough time and, like all parents, I was really anxious about how my three boys were. AT that time they were 3, 5 and 8. What was going through their minds? Did they understand what was going on? We’d tried to explain to them about the cancer, why mummy wasn’t around a lot and why we’d had to move our whole life back from Argentina. I needed some advice and someone to ask whether they were on the right track. I had no idea what to look out for or whether this would just manifest years down the line. I got in touch with Elaine, a general psychologist, but also specialising in paediatrics and as well as reassuring me things would turn out ok, she was able to give me some invaluable advice about how kids can behave in times of stress and trauma. She also pointed me in the direction of books to read and material that might help them. As she says, you can’t protect your children from these incredibly difficult times in life, as this is after all, life. But you can make sure you’re gently feeding in the relevant information and often the emotional bonds created within a family can play such a positive role in their future lives. I hope you enjoy this episode. 

I’ve posted a list of the books and resources Elaine recommends in the show notes. As Elaine points out support for kids can come from so many different directions and we would do well to call it in when we need itf! I can say without a shadow of a doubt I was so fortunate to have the kids grandparents to look after and nurture them during this difficult time and my parents have often so graciously said it was a privilege to have that precious time with their grandchildren - even though the house needed a repaint when we finally moved out 18 months later! As ever thank you to Julia Ross for the music. Thank you for listening, until next time. 

To get in touch with Dr Elaine Mayon-White:

www.mayon-white-psychology.co.uk

Books & resources:

For younger children:

* The Huge Bag of Worries - Virginia Ironside

* Emoticon Series - Mike Gordan & Brian Moses

For teens and adolescents

* Macmillan online groups where teenagers can talk to each other

• CBT (Cognitive behavioural therapy)
• Mind over Mood by Dennis Greenberger & Christine A Padesky

Workbooks for teenagers 

Sagest advice she could give to listeners:

Be compassionate to yourself

Sagest advice she has received:

Be selfish 

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Today I’m sharing my conversation with the wonderful Jillian Lavender of The London Meditation Centre.

When I look back to 2016 and I was in the midst of gruelling chemo I can almost pinpoint the time when I began to get my head around what I was going through. It wasn’t that everything was suddenly alright but just that I began to feel able to ask myself some of the harder, more painful questions I’d been trying to ignore. And it was meditation that helped me in more ways than I can explain to look into the darkness and subsequently showed me the light at the end of the tunnel. 

Since that summer day when I was given my personal sound, or mantra, it’s been like a faithful friend; as important as the twice daily brushing of my teeth, as synonymous with putting on my shoes each day. 

Jillian, a native kiwi, has been a meditator for over 25 years and long with her partner, Michael, she founded the London and New York Meditation centres and between them they have taught literally thousands of people to meditate. 

During our chat she talks us through the incredible benefits the simple technique she teaches can give whether you are going through a serious illness, feel mentally or emotionally wobbly or simply want to enhance your creativity or find some moments of calm and stillness in your life. 

This is such an important conversation for me to share and as ever we talk about some additional practical tips to get you through some tricky times. We recorded this just before Christmas before the UK went into another lockdown. 

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London Meditation Centre

https://www.londonmeditationcentre.com/learn-to-meditate/

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3 practical tips to get you through some tough times:

*sip hot water throughout the day to hydrate the whole physiology and flush out toxins

*rather than holding mental tension up in your head find ways to release that. Favourite thing to do is Morning Pages from Julia Cameron's book The Artists Way. Write for 3 pages and do a bit of a dump - don’t analyse or re read just get it out

*even if sleep is hard, find ways to rest. Rubbing herbalised oil on the feet very grounding and for removing toxins. Massaging feet and the tummy button will settle the nervous system and marma or energy points.

Book recommended to Jillian: A Woman's best Medicine by Nancy Lonsdorf - great intro into Ayurveda from a feminine perspective

Book(s) Jillian would recommend:

Why meditate....because it works by Jillian Lavendar (due to be released Spring 2021)

Catching the Big Fish by David Lynch where the author and film maker shares his perspective about creativity

A sage piece of advice Jillian has received:

"Its not the unknown we need to be afraid of.Its the ever repeating known that we need to be worried about"

If we are not keeping things innovative and not embracing change then things will get a bit rocky. Being able to embrace the unknown and embrace change is where we want to be in life because change is the one constant.

A sage piece of advice Jillian would give to listeners:

"Relax and enjoy" 

Perhaps when we are taking things too seriously.

We get a bit tight and caught up and finding those ways we can be easier on ourselves and easier on people is a good reminder. Very easy to get serious about stuff and when you get serious you tend to get attached and rigid and you hold on tight and it doesn’t serve us well. We need to be looking for more of that happiness as that's what life is about. 

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Today we’re talking about movement and the benefits of physiotherapy with one of the pioneers of oncology physiotherapy, Louise Malone. Often when I’m swimming or trying to do a handstand or even swinging from a tree I’ll have this flashback to when I couldn’t even lift my arm above my head. It sounds totally crazy. But after a mastectomy and many lymph nodes removed in my arm this was the reality and the road to recovery seemed impossible. But, oncology physio Louise Malone assured me it wasn’t. Louise has been working in the cancer field for the last decade. She started at a time when physio wasn’t given much importance or even thought to make much of a difference to a patients recovery. Ten years later and she can cite a wealth of research to prove that a movement plan and targeted physiotherapy doesn’t just physically improve peoples chance of a full recovery after cancer surgery, but is also crucial mentally and emotionally. 

She is determined to get the message out there and to reach as many people as possible - her advice, compassion and perspective is even more compelling at a time when many people can feel resigned to living with pain and limited movement. 

Louise has now set up her own practice on Harley Street.

Visit her website: www.louisemalone.com for more information and to join her free online classes

To book appointments with Louise email: [email protected]

To contact Louise:  [email protected] 

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy is also good place to start to find a physio locally

https://www.csp.org.uk/public-patient/find-physiotherapist/find-physio

But if you're looking for a more specialised oncology physio it may be worth going through your local GP or hospital.

Many of the cancer charities and organisations like Macmillan, The Haven may also have links and advice of who and how to contact these specialists

The sagest piece of advice Louise has ever been given:

Life is all about moments and if its a tricky moment it will pass and if its a wonderful moment you'd better grasp it as it will pass to

A sage piece of advice you would give to listeners:

Its important to acknowledge yourself and be true and kind to yourself.

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There's no way to sugar coat it...your skin takes a massive hit when you go through cancer treatment. You're being poisoned on the inside and there's nothing much left to nourish your skin. I didn't want to put yet more chemicals onto my skin but what to use? 

In this episode skin scientist Alexandra Soveral talks us through the proliferation and rise in acute skin conditions and why to really get the best from our skin we need to view it as another pillar of health. As she say's, our skin is a reflection of what is going on inside us - which is why our diet, mind, perspective on life and exercise are so important for healthy skin.

Be gentle on yourself if you are going through treatment for cancer, she says and recommends using gentle oils and moisturisers as well as a technique she wishes we were all taught at school....listen to find out more.

This is a fascinating chat for anyone looking to simplify their skin routine and move more towards a neutral approach.

Alexandra Soveral's book, Perfect Skin is loaded with tips and trick to make up your own skin concoctions.

Her website with details of her clinics in London and the US: www.alexandrasoveral.co.uk

The Sagest piece of advice you have ever been given:

Everything you need is within you

A Sage piece of advice would you give to listeners:

There's no such thing as a free lunch - if you want good skin put in the work

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Other natural skincare brands I have tried:

www.paiskincare.com

www.twelvebeauty.com

www.skinandtoniclondon.com

www.amalabeauty.com

And for Londoners the one stop shop for all natural beauty and skincare is without a doubt Content Beauty

www.contentbeautywellbeing.com

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Let's talk about hair.....

Or lack of it…..

Right at the beginning, before chemotherapy really digs in and tries to steal your soul, it takes your hair. For some of us our hair is entrenched in our identity, ourselves, our wellbeing. Why else the rhetorical “am I having a good hair day today”?

And so knowing you’re going to lose that hair cuts right to the core. So many questions to ask ourselves: Do I brave an ice cap? Go for a wig? Invest in pretty silk scarves?

This was when I turned to Jimo Salako, the visionary maestro who I knew would help me find the answers. Jimo has left his trademark cuts and styles across the magazine, film and art worlds. He’s directed films and set up his own photography magazine. In short if anyone can visualise how to make you look half decent with very little hair it’s Jimo.

In this podcast, this very modern sage, talks us through the emotional side of hair and the power it holds over us. He talks about styling wigs, the emotional support he gives his clients who have gone through cancer treatment and how for him its about looking at the entire person and not just the hair on top of the head.

And the cut he did for me? He was channelling Mia Farrow in Rosemary’s Baby, he said. Suffice to say, I walked out of the salon feeling a million dollars.

Enjoy listening.

The sagest piece of advice you have ever been given:

Do your own thing

A sage piece of advice Jimo would give to listeners:

Do what personally motivates you as I think thats where you find the real essence of creativity.

www.jimosalako.com

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Hello and welcome to the Sage Space Podcast!

My name’s Victoria Averill. 

Why this Sage Space project? Well this has been knocking on my door for the past few years. And yes I ask myself how it takes this long  to muster up the courage to just get on with it? 

I’ve been writing and radio reporting for many years from Africa, Latin America and now I’m back in Europe in France. Broadcasting other peoples stories I guess I never really thought about putting my own out there. But then I went through a pretty hellish year being treated for breast cancer. If you’ve been through it or you have family or friends going through it then you know what I’m talking about. There’s a big black hole that swallows you up. But there are also people who throw out life lines to you; who pick you up; offer you wisdom and advice that’s there for the taking. If you want it. 

I’ve hassled and harangued some of those sage souls who threw out the breadcrumbs for me to follow. And I’m taping our conversations. They are great people. Some of them I’ve known for years, some popped up just when I needed them whilst others I simply came across through social media and this is the first time we meet and chat. What an indulgence! But equally thanks to them I’m back in the saddle and looking for the big magic. I hope you enjoy.

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