Why We Need Coaching in our Lives!

EXECUTIVE LIFE & PERFORMANCE COACHING

MEET YOUR COACH

Maeve has 20 years experience in the health industry, working within the nursing field worldwide right up to management level. She is Co-Founder of Escapada Health and Clinic Director of Escapada Health Clinic, Dublin. She has developed these businesses from start-up level to thriving health and wellness businesses.

Maeve is incredibly passionate about whole-system wellness which has lead her down the path of training with some of the most trusted and sought after executive and leadership coaches for behavioural and business change in the global market place. Maeve trained with Positive Success Group (PSG), who are recognised as thought leaders in neuroscience, emotional intelligence and human-behaviour systems; PSG is Ireland’s longest established coaching with neuroscience organisation.

* Escapada Coaching is a virtual service accessing clients worldwide

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WHY CHOOSE COACHING

A SAFE SPACE TO TAKE CONTROL AGAIN

We all have those times in life when everything gets muddled and we can lose ourselves, our direction and what is important to us

ESTABLISH YOUR CORE VALUES AND BELIEFS

The only way that each and every person is going to get better at what they do is through reflection.
Aligning to your true values is a crucial aspect of self-development

MOVE OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

Sometimes all we need is that nudge or support to push through your comfort zone and open a whole new world and chapter

REGAIN YOURSELF TO REGAIN PERFORMANCE

Individuals with high morale and self perception outperform their counterparts.
It’s not something you have to do but it’s something you should do

EMPOWER HIDDEN TALENTS

Explore blindspots or hidden wishes. Uncover aspects or skills about ourselves,
our behaviours and attitudes that we never knew

BETTER FOCUS, LESS STRESS, MORE CREATIVITY

Taking the muddle out, creating meaningful direction and goals

WHY CHOOSE ESCAPADA COACHING

Coaching with Escapada means coaching with the lastest neuroscience research and techniques. This approach, teamed with 20 years in the health industry and managing two businesses from start-up stage, gives a unique understanding of the key drivers of change for individual performance and health.  Leaders in the world of business, executive, and life coaching, often say the science most closely related to coaching is neuroscience, because it explains so much about human behavior, habits, and the achievement of goals. This is why a whole-system style of coaching is vital to coach on an individual basis and achieve individual success.

WHAT DOES NEUROSCIENCE HAVE TO DO WITH COACHING?

Everything. We are biological beings that have different evolutionary echos, different experiences, different cultural and social exposure which all drive our own unique set of values and belief systems. Coaching with neuroscience techniques honours that both genetics and the environment interact in the brain to shape our brains and influence behaviour rather than the old style linear approach to coaching. What this gives us is a very exciting and dynamic style to coaching that drives behavioural change that leads to long lasting transformation. So what does this mean for coaching clients:

A non-linear approach to coaching that will evolve, adapt and grow with their individual needs to evoke and activate transformation. 

“ Coaching can be challenging and uncomfortable but working through this is where the gold lies”

IS COACHING FOR ME?

One of the most common questions is ‘What is the difference between counselling and coaching?’. Counselling can be described as unravelling the past in order to move forward, whereas coaching can be described as unravelling and assessing the present in order to move forward. So the simple answer is, everyone can be coached however the agenda needs to be coachable rather than being more appropriate to counselling.

It is an exiting time in the world of Coaching. Covid 19 has asked us to adapt and be flexible in a very short time despite our evolutionary echos and belief systems. It has effectively opened up our minds to how different things can be and how quickly that can happen. Imagine applying this to self limiting beliefs and attitudes that we have in order to remove the obstacles or blocks that we can all carry? Health and wellness coaching, in particular, is emerging as powerful interventions to help people reflect, initiate and maintain sustainable change and transformation. 

Therefore,

Everyone from self-starters to CEOs, to a busy stay-at-home mom can benefit from coaching. 

Your coach will be your expert guide in helping you swim strongly through the ocean of life.  Coaching is a strategic and purposeful therapeutic tool to facilitate change. So what is holding you back?

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WHAT TO EXPECT & PRICING |

CHEMISTRY CHECK - 15 MIN | FREE

This is a free introductory phone consultation as the right match is absolutely key to the success of a coaching experience. We will also identify and address your individual needs and questions that you may have. 

THE ESCAPADA COACHING PROGRAMME - 60MIN X 4 | €560

The Escapada Coaching Programme, is designed to explore the full coaching experience to understand your motivations (and challenges) and create short and long-term strategies to achieve success. Bringing you through the latest neuroscience research and techniques, coaching is a powerful intervention to allow you to reflect, initiate and maintain sustainable change and transformation. Coaching can be described as unravelling and assessing the present in order to move forward using strategic and purposeful therapeutic tools to facilitate change and lead to transformation. 

Escapada Coaching is conducted via Zoom.

ESCAPADA COACHING FOLLOW UP - 60MIN | €150

These sessions are designed as a touchstone for clients who have been through the Escapada Coaching Programme. They serve as a check in/power session as required.

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WHY DOES MY ACUPUNCTURIST LOOK AT MY TONGUE?

ESCAPADA E-MAGAZINE

WHY DOES MY ACUPUNCTURIST LOOK AT MY TONGUE?

In Chinese Medicine, it is believed that the appearance of your tongue is a reflection of your health and can be a powerful diagnostic tool. Tongue diagnosis is a very traditional and effective method, which has been used to diagnose diseases for over two thousand years. Knowledge of tongue diagnosis is one of the unique treasures of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Different areas of the tongue reflect the health of five corresponding organ systems: liver, lung, spleen, heart, and kidney. 

*It is important to note that tongue diagnosis is performed as part of a thorough health consultation and tongue diagnosis should not be used as a substitute for standard medical care or to diagnose potential health problems.

WHAT DO THEY LOOK FOR?

• Body of the tongue: The normal tongue body should be flexible, shape of the tongue should

  be suitable to mouth size (not too puffy or narrow)

• Coating: The tongue coating is the layer over the tongue. A normal healthy coating should

  be white, thin and allow the tongue body to be seen through the coating.

• Colour. A fresh red (not too dark, too red or pale)

• Have suitable moisture (not too dry/wet)

• Cracks in the tongue body can be an indicator of disease progression

  A Chinese medicine practitioner will look at each of these areas and any imbalances seen can further confirm diagnosis. Tongue diagnosis will be done in conjugation with pulse taking and a full consultation.

Tips 

Here are some key points to keep in mind if you're thinking of undergoing a tongue diagnosis.

• Some disorders don't show up on the tongue. It should also be noted that TCM practitioners do not rely on tongue diagnosis alone in evaluating a patient's health.

• In most cases, the tongue is examined for no longer than 15 seconds at a time. Extending the tongue for longer may cause changes in tongue shape and color (two crucial elements of tongue diagnosis).

• Before receiving a tongue diagnosis, you should avoid food and beverages that might discolor your tongue (including coffee, beets, and foods made with artificial food coloring). Consumption of vitamin C may also affect your tongue coloring.

• If you use a tongue brush as part of your oral hygiene routine, discontinue use of the brush for at least a full day prior to your tongue diagnosis.

HOW DO I LOOK AT MY TONGUE?

Make sure you have good natural light. The tongue body needs to be relaxed so only stick your tongue out for short intervals at a time. Make sure you haven't eaten or drank anything recently that will effect the colour of coating on tongue.

A SIMPLE AT HOME GUIDE

We do recommend completing tongue diagnosis with your acupuncturist but here are some simple things that you can tell about your health at home:

• Qi Deficiency

Presentation: Slightly pale tongue with red spots. May be swollen with teethmarks on the side
Symptoms: Fatigue, poor appetite, over thinking and worrying

What it means - qi is the life force that drives every activity in organic life forms, according to TCM. It’s thought that a sufficient amount of qi is required to maintain the yin and yang of your body. When a person’s qi is balanced and in harmony, they’ll benefit from health, well-being, and contentment. When one’s qi is deficient, pain, suffering, and illness may occur. Dependant on where the qi deficiency is, individuals have different symptoms related to that organ, for example, Lung qi deficiency - shortness of breath

• Diet

The majority of a person’s qi comes from the foods they choose to eat and the air they breathe, so we would obviously look at an individuals diet and make nutritional recommendations. Typically, a Chinese medicine practitioner would reduce/eliminate raw and cold food. Utilising heat to cook foods by steaming, grilling or roasting can build qi. It will also be recommended that junk food, fried foods and dairy be dramatically decreased or removed. Warming and qi nourishing foods such as grains, pumpkin, chicken as well as spices like cumin, cayenne and ginger should be consumed frequently

• Slow down!

While Western culture tends to reward and admire people who are always on the go and constantly busy, TCM advocates for the opposite. Slowing down one’s lifestyle and not doing many things at once, or multitasking, is often recommended to get one’s qi in balance.

• Regulate sleep!

Sleep is as important as diet and exercise. Our bodies need sufficient sleep in order to maintain or build qi. Sleep deprivation is one of the leading causes of qi deficiency.

• Dampness

Presentation: Swollen with teethmarks on the side and a thick white coating on the tongue
Symptoms: Fatigue, poor appetite, bloating and poor concentration

What it means: Dampness represents a condition existing within the body that is a reflection of dampness as it occurs in nature. Dampness arises from the body being affected in several ways. It can be due to either a problem arising from the inability of the digestive system to transport and transport fluids, or from the body being overwhelmed by external damp from the environment, (damp weather, damp living conditions, damp- producing foods). It can also arise as a response to an illness, or from the overuse of medication that promotes dampness, such as certain antibiotics. Phlegm is seen as a condensed form of dampness.

• Diet:
  Foods to resolve dampness include;
  Grains: Corn, barley, basmati rice
  Vegetables: Alfalfa sprout, button mushroom, caper, corn, pumpkin, radish, turnip,
  Fruit: Papaya, lemon, umeboshi plum
  Beans: Aduki, lentils,
  Fish: Eel, tuna,
  Herbs, spices: Aniseed, garlic, horseradish, marjoram, nettle, parsley, white pepper
  Beverages: Green tea, raspberry leaf tea, jasmine tea

• Foods to avoid in cases of dampness
  It is essential that those prone to dampness avoid excessive amounts of food that will contribute to promoting dampness in the body these include:
  Dairy products: milk, cheese, ice cream and all foods that contain high amounts of dairy products such as dairy milk chocolate. It is important to read food labels as some food (such as muesli) may contain high levels of milk powder. Yoghurt is perhaps the exception to the dairy food rule. Sheep and goat products are regarded as less prone to causing dampness. In dampness and phlegm, it is important to nourish the Spleen, which means that the consumption of raw, cold and processed sugary or fatty foods need to be limited to aid the spleen’s essential digestive function. 

EXPLORE MORE

Hormonal Health | Why we need to care!

Whenever people hear the word "hormones," their minds are quick to jump to our reproductive hormones: oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. But in reality, our bodies host a network of around 50 different hormones that keep us functioning properly, which is why keeping them balanced is so important. In todays society, there is an epidemic of fatigue, stress related symptoms, mood swings, insomnia and fertility issues. You go to the doctor, have every blood test available and it all come back normal - sound familiar? We tend to forget about our hormonal health as it’s not something we see or think about. Maybe women, around their menstrual cycle, might think about it and usually men do too when their heads get bitten off. Rightly so of course! But our hormonal system is humming away throughout our bodies, throughout the month and requires love and attention. Hormonal imbalance symptoms is one of the most common issues that we see and treat in clinic.

Why there is a hormonal epidemic |

Modern day living has become a juggling act. Many modern women mistake the feeling of being under stress for having energy, that buzz that keeps us going. We look to the women who make every gym class, career woman and never misses a soccer game as the one I want to be - Super Woman. Sometimes this woman is so ‘pumped’ she doesn’t have time for breakfast but grabs her skinny latte instead or gets a hit of sugar around 3pm or even a healthy juice (cos that’s my bit done) and keeps on going. She runs from dawn to dusk and then low and behold, she can’t sleep because her mind is racing through the list of jobs she needs to do the next day.

In the microcosm of the world that is a woman’s body, it becomes normal for her to consistently outspend her energetic and nutritional resources. Between holding down job, social life, maintaining a relationship, caring for a family, a woman often blows the energy that she gets from sleep, good food and good company.

Her daily needs repeatedly outpace her daily intake of energy. So imagine the effect, if you are not sleeping or your food intake isn’t great - where is your energy reserve coming from? It’s like spending money that you don’t have - the money runs out, debt and it becomes a system that is unsustainable.

Why is this important for our hormonal health |

When we are constantly on the go, our bodies go into a state of stress. We may not necessarily feel stressed but our bodies recognise it as a state of stress because there is no down time, relaxation and we forget to simply, breath. When our bodies are like this, we release stress hormones so after some time our bodies start to feel minor events as critical events and a vicious cycle commences. This hormonal state makes the body hyper vigilant and stokes up our nervous system until it is hypersensitive. It is normal that we go through times of stress, for a day, a week or even a few months and our bodies have time to recover. When we go through stressful times, we get through them by using our “overdraft” from the bank and once the stressful time passes, we pay our bodies back and build back up the reserve. What tends to happen, is our bodies can go into longer periods of stress and it becomes prolonged. Further going into overdraft, with no periods of time to pay back, nourish and rebuild. An overabundance of stress hormones outweighs the nourishing effects of our sex hormones and leads to breakdown of bones, skin, muscle and brain tissue.

➩ Signs of Hormonal Stress/Imbalance 

• Mood Swings
• Insomnia
• Panic attacks
• Constant state of worry
• Skin changes during menstrual cycle 
• Irregular bowel habits
• Hot flashes or night sweats
• Irregular menstrual cycle
• Heart palpitations
• Low immunity

What You can Do about it |

When clients come to our health retreats or into our clinics, we work through their health issues using our four pillars of health:

Movement ⎮ Nutrition ⎮ Natural Medicine ⎮ Self Care

It is important to not get overwhelmed by the vast amount of information out there. We may know what is good for us but often struggle with the daily application of a healthy lifestyle. Whether it’s due to an overwhelming amount of information out there or being purely and utterly confused as to what is right for me, that’s where we want to step in and strip all confusion away in order find out what the individual needs and what is going to work for the client. Working through each individual person is the key to the Escapada model and key to achieving a balanced mindset to achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Where to start - Our Simple Lifestyle Tips |

Balancing hormones isn't a one-and-done task but rather a journey that requires you to know your body and practice self-care to keep your unique system happy.

1. De-Stress
The best way to quickly cut stress? Say no. If it doesn't give you joy or doesn't keep you smiling, think about saying no. Life is too short to let stress rule your day. How you do that, is very individual as we al;; need to ask ourselves - what is driving my stressful life. It might be a job that is unsustainable, toxic relationship, unrealistic goals. Take a step back, go sit by the sea and start writing down what’s causing you stress and how realistic is it to start reducing your stress levels

2. Nutrition
Let food be thy medicine. In terms of Chinese Medicine, nutrition is advised on an individual basis guided by thew symptoms that present in the body. However there are some really good general rules when it comes to keeping those hormones happy. If you eat properly and hydrate your body, it will often thank you with improved moods and healthy hormone levels. Focusing on a whole-food, plant-based diet with clean, grass- fed protein (if you're eating meat) will help your body detox and rebalance itself to function the way it was intended. Eliminating excess sugar and processed foods laden with chemicals will help to get the body started.

3. Movement
Nothing helps combat chronic stress like regular exercise. Already exercising? You may be doing the wrong kind of exercise for your body if you are not seeing results or feeling better after you do it. Think of the Yin/ Yang theory, if you are doing Crossfit (yang) 5 times a week, you may need to balance it out with some yin movement such as yoga/stretching. Or perhaps you are not moving enough, this can lead to stagnation in the body. The best way to start moving your body ASAP? Park your car at the far end of the parking lot and take the stairs. Any exercise is better than none at all, so start incorporating easy practices that force you to move your body throughout the day.

4. Sleep
Sleep encourages yin qualities and, like any other aspect of yin, it needs to be consistent and the right amount. But your body craves that reset time. Not getting at least seven to eight hours of sleep leaves your body with increased cortisol levels and in a state of unrest because it simply didn't have enough time to reset for the next day. In that state, your endocrine system can't keep up, and your parasympathetic nervous system can't do its job. In turn too much can increase excessive yin and leaves us sluggish and lethargic. Sleep is one of the most nourishing, restorative thing we can do.

5. Relationships
Keeping good company is paramount to your health. Over the course of our lives, many people come into our lives and many leave for many reasons. When we are surrounded by healthy and loving relationships, it release the happy hormones but on the flip side when we are near toxic or stressful relationships on a continuous basis, it release continuous stressful hormones. Examining the relationships that we are exposed to on a continuous basis is vital to our health and finding ways to heal relationships needs to be a priority or it may mean completely walking away. This also relates to the relationship we have with ourselves

6. Natural Medicine
Acupuncture has long been a popular treatment for infertility, but now, women are gravitating toward Chinese medicine for overall hormonal help.Among these acupuncture newcomers are women looking for natural ways to handle perimenopause and menopause; younger women challenged by the effects of synthetic birth control; and, basically, women who simply feel like their hormones are off-kilter. Acupuncture has none of the side-effects or toxicity found with Western medicinal approaches to balancing hormones and in many cases, a lot more effective.

Always remember that, at the end of the day, you are in charge of your own health care, and only you can make the choice to adjust your lifestyle to be more hormone-friendly. Making yourself a priority and realising that stress does major damage to your hormones can be the impetus that you need for a new approach at life. In many cases, foundational lifestyle changes need to be made for your hormone health to return to balance, and taking that first step is easier than you think.

GETTING TO KNOW Your Pelvic Health

Elaine Barry | WOMEN’S HEALTH PHySIO SPECIALIST

Often as women we may go through life dipping in and out of our connection with our pelvic health. It may start with menstruation, continue on through to our sexual health and possibly then into childbearing years. Many women may go through life never really deepening their connection to this part of their body and may only awaken to it as symptoms occur of declining pelvic health, potentially during the peri-menopausal/menopausal years.

Building your awareness and understanding of the basic functions of your pelvic floor, will help grow this connection to your pelvic health that ultimately, could be the missing link in improving the foundation of your basic womanly needs and overall health. 

The Pelvic Floor

A beautiful dome - shaped set of structures which spans out within the bowl of our pelvis, the pelvic floor separates the pelvic cavity above from the perineal region below. The levator ani muscles make up the main body of the pelvic floor,  combining with the coccygeus muscles and deeper hip muscles to contribute to the provide the multiple basic functions functions of the pelvic floor.

⇒ Organ Support

The pelvic floor provides support for our uterus, rectum and bladder as well as other abdominal organs. It is one of the Core Four; making up the floor of our abdominal canister with the abdominals at the front, the diaphragm at the top and the back muscles and gluteals at the back. It is integral with our respiratory system therefore, working in tandem with our diaphragm helping to resist rises in intra-abdominal pressure that occur naturally with functions such as coughing, sneezing, movement and lifting. 

⇒ Sphincteric Control

The support that our pelvic floor provides for our organs leads to a natural closing and opening control of the exit points of our bladder, the urethra, where urine comes out and the bowel, the rectum where faeces comes out. It allows us to expel waste products from the body and should be functioning well enough to prevent leakage but similarly allow us to release with ease. We should be able to go about our daily functions and activities without concern of losing control of our bladder or bowel.

⇒ Sexual & Reproductive Health

Pleasurable and pain-free sexual intercourse is inextricably linked with sensation and mobility of our pelvic floor. We can certainly hold onto trauma and even daily emotional stresses which can be reflected then in our ability to have and enjoy sex. Our sexual hormones particularly oestrogen influence how healthy our vaginal tissue is, the ability of the bladder to process information as it fills with urine and of course our bowel plays a vital role in ridding our body of excess oestrogen. Our pelvic floor plays a vital role in supporting a growing baby, delivering a baby through childbirth. It stretches amazingly during these processes and has the ability to recover and restore remarkably afterwards.

⇒ Lymphatic Drainage

With its natural pumping action is aids fluid and lymphatic drainage within the body and pelvis. 

stay in tune

Regular awareness through observing what is normal for us and then any changes to these normal functions can help us identify if our pelvic health may be beginning to change and possibly coming less than optimal. Even small, consistent changes to our daily habits may bring about symptom relief.

⇒ Vulvar and Vaginal Health
Increased sensitivity, skin changes or unexplained bleeding in the area of the vulva and vagina can be related to a number of general health changes in the body and a good gauge of not only hormonal health but overall health and may be a pointer towards more early detection of more serious complaints. 
Knowing the normal condition of your skin in the vulvar region and normal pattern to discharge and of course bleeding is essential so you can note subtle changes that your body may be going through. Skin irritation, itch and/or painful sensitivity which may be aggravated by relatively normal activities such as washing, wearing certain items of clothing, using a tampon or a menstrual cup and furthermore intimacy is always worth following up with your medical practitioner or pelvic health specialist physiotherapist.

⇒ Urination
Observing our urinary habits such as frequency. Six to eight times a day is ideal although this may vary with fluid intake. Irritants such as caffeinated drinks may interrupt the natural frequency of urine output and contribute to overactive bladder. The bladder should be able to hold up to one and a half  to two cups (300-400ml) during the day and at night up to 800ml. This should be reflected in the length of time we can hold our urine (3-4 hours) and how much comes out when we go. If we consistently see an increase in our need to urinate and how urgently we need to go we may need seek help to regulate this.
Leakage of urine bladder can happen in one third of women and this is not isolated to those who have had a baby. It may be associated with an overwhelming urge and not getting to the toilet quickly enough (urge incontinence) or with more dynamic activities like movement, exercise, coughing, sneezing or laughing (stress incontinence). 

⇒ Bowel Motions
Bowel motions certainly can vary between us, but aiming for a daily bowel motion without straining is the ultimate goal to protect our pelvic  floor integrity. Our bowel movements influence how our bladder behaves as these organs are so closely connected within the pelvic cavity. Chronic strain on the pelvic floor can occur while managing our bowels can lead to other issues of pain and discomfort in this area so getting this right is vital. 

Complaints of leakage of urine and possible wind/ faeces are more common than you think. It is always worth seeking help within the early stages as it is often indicative of underlying weakness or dysfunction of the pelvic floor. Pelvic floor physiotherapists are experts in this area and with a course of pelvic floor awareness training and exercise, research has shown great change possible and often full resolution of symptoms where this line of action is appropriate.

The pelvic floor is an adaptable, dynamic structure working in tandem with our breath and should be mobile like every other muscle. It adapts to the demands of daily living : shortening, tightening and weakening with sedentary living. It stays alive through sexual pleasure, exercise specific to its structures and also with the stretch and other movements we may choose with our exercise routine. Good bladder and bowel habits aswell as breath awareness and stress management all play a vital role in keeping your pelvic floor healthy.

Breathe deep and feel the love |

Your pelvic floor and diaphragm work in tandem with one another. As you breathe in your diaphragm descends and the pelvic floor should be able to lightly descend also. This helps to maintain a normal and functional mobility in the pelvic floor.

⟹ Try a breath awareness sequence such as this:

• Close your eyes, resting in a comfortable position and place one hand on chest, one hand on belly.

• Observe which is moving more

• Draw your awareness to the belly rising and falling

• Now draw attention to the your tailbone. As you breathe in imagine the tailbone floating downwards. As you breathe out, allow it rest back to starting position.

• Now send your attention to your sit bones. Imagine these two bones spreading away from one another, creating space across the pelvic bowl and pelvic floor.

• Finally come to rest awareness at the back passage opening, the anus. As you breathe in feel this area open, maybe visualising a flower in your minds eye. Don’t force or strain.

• Repeat each of these steps up to 10 times.

• Feel more relaxed in your pelvic region.

Respecting your pelvic health:

Growing your awareness, knowledge and attention to this area has the power to really change how we feel as women, drastically change our quality of life and really empower us. Start now by getting to know your body parts inside and out. Know how to name them, find them, where they are and how to use them to your benefit. Becoming atuned to any small shifts or changes and in particular catching them early will ultimately lead to better future health. Try not to ignore or put up with discomfort, pain, itch, dryness, leakage of any kind or a bladder or bowel that seems to rule your life. Like anything in our health repertoire its about being proactive and your pelvic health deserves this as much as any other part of your body.

- ELAINE BARRY | WOMEN’S HEALTH PHYSIO SPECIALIST

BOOSTING YOUR LIBIDO with Chinese medicine

Chinese Medicine & Low Libido

Defining sexual dysfunction is tricky, because we are all individual and have different feelings and expectations regarding what’s ‘normal’ for us, ranging from being highly sexual to rarely interested. However, issues may occur when your own level of sexual interest and function changes, or isn’t aligned with that of your partner. To a certain extent, it’s normal for sexual desire to wax and wane and a low sex drive is often the result of major life changes such as illness, having a baby, menopause or ironically from the pressure of trying to have a baby. When the solution is pills for men, an anti-depressant or injection for women, all with side effects, lets look at a more natural approach, that, yes, will take more time, but it will be so worth it with long lasting results.

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), low libido and poor sexual function are often seen as an imbalance of Yin (female energies) and Yang (male energies)

In particular, as they relate to the Kidney organ-meridian system (which in TCM includes not only the kidneys themselves, but also the sexual organs and hormones). When the functioning of the Kidney organ-meridian, Kidney Yin and Kidney Yang are healthy and in balance, sexual vitality and performance are also likely to be strong. However, deficiency of Kidney Yang may dampen sex drive, and low levels of Kidney Yin may decrease stamina and performance (even if the desire for sex remains). Kidney Yin and Kidney Yang perpetually influence each other. All imbalances have different diagnoses in Chinese medicine and are treated with different combinations of herbs and regular acupuncture treatments.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO:

1. Movement

Women can often hold tension and repressed emotions in the pelvic area which can lead to stagnant sexual desire. Repressed emotions don’t disappear, instead, they reveal themselves in unhealthy ways and disrupt harmony in the body. The liver, in Chinese medicine, is believed to play the primary role in regulating and ventilating the flow of qi, blood, and fluids in the body's circulatory systems. The liver meridians regulate the menstrual cycle and circulate blood and hormones to and from the the uterus, ovaries, and sex organs. The Chinese medicine mindful movement Qi Gong, is an amazing movement to bring into your daily routine as there are many styles of qigong that are specifically targeted for circulation in these channels and to get the energy moving. It can help you restore your libido if you practise regularly. This qigong style is unique in that the sexual qi is quickly charged as you do the exercises, which involve shaking and vibrating the sexual organs. If your low libido comes from a place of deficiency rather than stagnation, there are numerous routines and sequences to slowly start building back up your energy and therefore build back up your sexual energy and desire. Overtraining your body can result in depleting already depleted reserves.

2. nourishing nutrition

Healthy sexuality depends on the healthy energy that you put into it, so all the attention we pay to sexuality revolves around good management of Qi (energy). You can’t put pour from an empty cup. In Chinese medicine when we look at treating low libido, we look at nutrition that will strengthen our kidney energy. This is where the real long term solutions come into play. Foods that strengthen kidney yin are red dates, black sesame seeds, seaweed, grains like barley & millet, walnuts, black beans, kidney beans, and veggies like string bean, sweet potato, tomato, water chestnut, yam, zucchini.

Herbs:
Maca is a root plant native to South America that is said to nourish the endocrine glands which produce and release sex hormones, so improving vaginal sensitivity as well as stimulating the hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal glands, which in turn support and balance hormones and so boost flagging desire. Add a teaspoonful of the powder to a smoothie or hot drink daily.
If depression and fatigue are responsible for low libido, tonic herbs like ginseng and ashwagandha help build stamina and energy, regulate metabolic rate and protect against mental and emotional stress.

There are also some foods that are known as natural aphrodisiacs. Figs, bananas and avocados are considered libido-boosting and also provide important vitamins and minerals that can increase blood flow to the genitals and promote a health sex life.

As a general rule eat ‘food of love’ - A vibrant, energising, balanced diet plays a major role in delivering the same benefits in the bedroom, while heavy, fatty foods will make you feel sluggish. We all know that food affects your mood, behaviours and most importantly your relationship and sex drive.

3. Treatments

Acupuncture |

Acupuncture is increasingly an applied treatment for numerous sexual health conditions, it has become a popular, natural treatment for improving libido without side effects. Taking a whole body approach to issues like low libido, acupuncturists understand that challenges with libido can be an indication of a deeper, underlying issue. Acupuncture works to restore optimal health rather than suppressing or masking a particular symptom and essentially encouraging your body to do its normal job and functioning - equilibrium.

Acupuncture increases your sex drive by:

• Improving circulation - Acupuncture promotes blood flow along the pathways that surround the reproductive and other organs that affect sex drive

• Balancing hormones—Acupuncture helps stimulate hormonal glands

• Relieving stress—Acupuncture can restore emotional balance and help you relax

• Your practitioner can also work with you on a range of individual dietary and lifestyle choices that may be preventing your body from being in its optimal sexual health status

Herbal Medicine |

Herbal medicine can be a wonderful way to support your body as your herbalist can combine herbs to make formulas and tonics specific to your individual needs. For example, formulas can be created to nourish your blood in combination with herbs to improve circulation which is vital for hormonal and sexual health. For women, herbs that help to regulate the menstrual cycle and support healthy female reproductive function include white Peony root and Dong Quai.

Tao Hong Si Wu Tang is a popular blood nourishing formula. They are often taken with female reproductive tonics traditionally used to tone and preserve the Yin (such as Rehmannia, Chinese Licorice and Ginger) and promote the flow of Qi (energy) and Blood to the ovaries, uterus and pelvis (such as tangkuei and Chinese Angelica root). Chinese medicine has a long tradition of using safe, gentle aphrodisiacs and may be all you need to get your sex life back on track.

At-Home Acupressure |

Acupressure can be a really lovely way to stimulate circulatory points but to also connect with your partner with touch. Touching is a powerful thing, especially in areas that relate to a holistic view of your partner and research shows that the act of physically touching your partner helps create intimacy and relieve stress. So get your favourite oils ready.

• Give a foot massage & incorporate these points

KIDNEY 1
On the sole, in the depression when the foot is in plantar flexion, approximately at the anterior third and the posterior two thirds of the line from the web between the 2nd and 3rd toes to the back of the heel.

SPLEEN 4
On the medial/inside aspect of the foot, in the depression distal and inferior to the base of the first metatarsal bone.

Gently massage Kidney 1 (KI1) and Spleen 4 (SP4), which are both located on the feet. These are considered very powerful points for balancing the subtle energies in the body while simultaneously promoting an increase in blood flow to the core of the body. Both of these points are directly and intimately connected to both the male and female reproductive organs. A foot massage will also give a quick boost of circulation and warmth to the feet, Chinese medicine maintains that cold feet means poor circulation and poor circulation makes it harder to orgasm. This may also give you a pass to continue wearing socks during sex!!

• Massage Stomach 30

Level with the superior edge of the pubic bone, 2 cun (roughly 2 finger- breaths) lateral to the mid-line. It can also be found halfway from the midline to the lateral border of the rectus abdominis muscle at that level. Stomach 30 (ST30) is right near a main artery, which again, helps to increase blood flow in the body. Slowly press on this pressure point for a few seconds, hold, and release.

4. Self Care

Join Forces |
In ancient Chinese medicine philosophy, yin and yang (night/day, hot/cold) is a concept of dualism, describing how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world, and how they may give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another. These interactions require a mutual interdependence and connection. Poor sexual health and low libido can often have roots in a lack of connection with your partner. This can happen for a variety of reasons, lack of time, stress, busy schedules with children etc. Make time for date night or allow space where intimacy and connection can happen.
From a Chinese medicine perspective, sex, in the context of a supportive relationship, is important. The Taoist sages would say that having sex connects us energetically to our partners. This is known as He Qi, which literally means “joining energy.” It refers to the way that in a good sexual relationship, both partners contribute energy to each other. By doing this, the Taoists believed that it was possible to use sex to increase lifespan and heal the body.

Sleep & Time |
Many of us have a hectic lifestyle that can lead to sleep deprivation. Being busy also makes it difficult to make time for sex and intimacy. People who balance work with caring for aging parents or young children are often left exhausted, which can lead to a reduced sex drive. It is like during from an empty cup. At times we all need to reflect where we can cut down on unnecessary stress or rushing around. Try and prioritise what needs to be done in the week, you may have more time than you think on your hands.

Stress Management |
No matter how healthy you are, being stressed out can affect your sex drive and decrease your kidney Qi (energy). Women are particularly susceptible to the effects that stress can have on one’s sex life, according to research. Try to manage the stress in your life with rituals and practices that resonate with you, such as mindful movement (yoga, Qi Gong), meditation, time for you. This also allows time for connection with yourself, as if this is lost than connection with others can be hard.

Where to Start - The Wheel of Life

Sometimes what stands in our way of moving forward is not knowing where to start. That's when it's time to take a "helicopter view" of your life, so that you can bring things back into balance.

This is where the Wheel of Life (or Life Wheel) can help. Commonly used by professional life coaches, it helps you consider each area of your life in turn and assess what's off balance. As such, it helps you to identify areas that need more attention.

How to Fill Out The Life Balance Wheel

When we score our satisfaction levels against each of the wheel categories, it gives us a great helicopter view of what is - and isn't - working for us in life. We rate our satisfaction with each category on the wheel by simply drawing a line. Then by rating the different segments for satisfaction, we will clearly see which areas of our life need attention.

Once completed the wheel will likely look 'bumpy'. We may then choose to set goals or create an action plan around the areas of life where satisfaction is low. You can use this tool regularly to check in and you will clearly see how you are progressing. You can then see your live becoming more balanced.

1. Brainstorm Life Areas

Start by brainstorming the six to eight dimensions of your life that are important for you. Different approaches to this are:

• The roles you play in life, for example: husband/wife, father/mother, manager, colleague, team member, sports player, community leader, or friend.

• Areas of life that are important to you, for example: artistic expression, positive attitude, career, education, family, friends, financial freedom, physical challenge, pleasure, or public service.

• Your own combination of these (or different) things, reflecting the things that are your priorities in life.

Or you can use the ones provided on this Wheel of Life example.

2. Write These Down on the Wheel

Write down these dimensions on the diagram, one on each spoke of the life wheel.

3. Assess Each Area

This approach assumes that you will be happy and fulfilled if you can find the right balance of attention for each of these dimensions. And different areas of your life will need different levels of attention at different times. So the next step is to assess the amount of attention you're currently devoting to each area.

Consider each dimension in turn, and on a scale of 0 (low) – to 10 (high), write down the amount of attention you're devoting to that area of your life. Mark each score on the appropriate spoke of your Life Wheel.

4. Join up the Marks

Now join up the marks around the circle. Does your life wheel look and feel balanced?

5. Think About Your Ideal Level

Next it's time to consider your ideal level in each area of your life. A balanced life does not mean getting 5 in each life area: some areas need more attention and focus than others at any time. And inevitably you will need to make choices and compromises, as your time and energy are not in unlimited supply!

So the question is, what would the ideal level of attention be for you in each life area?

Plot the "ideal" scores around your life wheel too, perhaps in a different colour.

6. Take Action

Now you have a visual representation of your current life balance and your ideal life balance. Where are the gaps? These are the areas of your life that need attention.

And remember that gaps can go both ways. There are almost certainly areas that are not getting as much attention as you'd like. However, there may also be areas where you're putting in more effort than you'd ideally like. These areas are sapping energy and enthusiasm that may better be directed elsewhere.

Once you have identified the areas that need attention, it's time to plan the actions needed to work on regaining balance. Starting with the neglected areas, what things do you need to start doing to regain balance? In the areas that currently sap your energy and time, what can you stop doing or reprioritize or delegate to someone else? 

The Golden healthcare system for 2021

COVID-19 has cast a pitiless spotlight on the importance of preventative lifestyle approaches, and how our future health will depend on a new alignment between wellness and healthcare. In the past, these health models have been seen as two separate areas of health and well-being. Western healthcare standing as the clinical, cold face of sick based medicine and wellness as the warmer, very often trend led daily healthcare. So does this mean, finally, an exciting movement towards the convergence of healthcare and wellness.

At the Global Wellness Summit, 2020, experts discussed how the pandemic has provided painful, incontrovertible evidence that “we need to shift our healthcare system away from profiting from sickness and gear it towards preventing it” – forecasting that we will see a combination of functional and conventional medicine across community and economic lines, with telemedicine (and tele-wellness) playing a much bigger role. So, perhaps 2021 will be the year we start to shift the language and the focus of medicines towards an empowered preventative approach to healthcare.

Moving towards an Empowered Lifestyle Medicine:

Aaron Antonovsky, a professor of medical sociology, theories reject the "traditional medical-model division of separating health and illness". He described the relationship as a continuous variable, what he called the "health-ease versus dis-ease continuum. He coined the term Salutogenesis, which is a medical approach focusing on factors that support human health and well-being, rather than on factors that cause disease (pathogenesis). The word "salutogenesis" comes from the Latin salus = health and the Greek genesis = origin. Antonovsky developed the term from his studies of "how people manage stress and stay well". More specifically, the "salutogenic model" is concerned with the relationship between health, stress, and coping. In his 1979 book, Health, Stress and Coping, Antonovsky described a variety of influences that led him to the question of how people survive, adapt, and overcome in the face of even the most punishing life-stress experiences. Therefore, a shift in attention to the attributes or behaviours that support us through inevitable stresses rather than the treatment of the end result of stress - disease. Considering scientists have started to track that 95% of most illness are derived from stress, this appears a sensible empowering move.

An Empowered Structure for Lifestyle Medicine

When myself and Emilia set up Escapada, we had one absolute focus and passion, it is within your ability to create your own empowered natural toolbox that will support you throughout your life. We both come from a strong background of Western medicine and have the utmost respect for its diagnostics and acute medicine. But at the risk of becoming painfully repetitive, the gold lies in the integration of Western medicine and natural medicine, and the greatest gold lies in the concept that your daily lifestyle is your medicine.

Bruce Lipton, developmental biologist, whose pioneering research on cloned human stem cells presaged today’s revolutionary new field of epigenetics. Epigenetics is a new type of science that is growing in popularity and promise in the scientific world. It is the study of cellular and physiological traits, or the external and environmental factors, that turn our genes on and off, and in turn, define how our cells actually read those genes. So effectively the interplay of our bodies and imbalances, and the influence of external environment and more importantly lifestyle factors. So slowly but surely, science has started to track and provide a scientific language for the long standing health sciences and philosophies of Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda. The further we move forward with our careers, the more we gain respect for the long standing and solid nature of Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda. They don’t chop and change information, they live on solid principles and when adopted give individuals a life long individualised health and self care system with a preventative approach at its core.

moving Forward:

Let us make 2021 the year we start to reframe how we talk about health, how we think about health and start having meaningful conversations moving away from a sick based healthcare model to an empowered preventative healthcare model. Examine as individuals how we view our health, what it means to you and how empowered do you feel and trust that you can make informed decisions in times of imbalance. We urge you to feel empowered in starting to build your own empowered individualised healthcare system. We invite you to start using lifestyle and natural medicine as a first port of call, and only when needed, Western medicine. Start inviting other methods of treating imbalance into your life, for example, use acupuncture instead of antibiotics for your sinusitis, get your seasonal tune ups, adjust your eating habits as we move through the year.

Girr, at the Global Wellness Summit, predicted that while healthcare has been quite sterile, and “wellness has become the cool kid on the block,” that the future is an unprecedented convergence, where innovative, new models that bring health and wellness together symbiotically “becoming the global cultural north star.” She argued that new integrations will give healthcare the pleasurable, aspirational qualities of wellness while wellness will increasingly get the science-backed credibility of the medical industry–and the players and brands that execute on this (and it’s already happening) will “win big.” Having many years of experience of both medicines, Chinese medicine and Ayurveda have been winning big for many, many years, we are just waking up to it.

We hope you enjoy and feel empowered, as we continue to bring you the wisdom but simplicity of Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, it is the sum of all of these small adjustments that bring you the biggest strength and resilience.