Post-Covid Recovery, Find Health & Joy !

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Did you know that I recently helped people with post Covid recovery ? Symptoms were shortness of breath and lack of energy. A few clients came to me to improve their situation. I used a combination of breathing techniques and Somatics. It worked wonders. The results were brilliant. Their breathing and energy dramatically improved.

I am a yoga teacher and Somatics Coach. I offer Somatics Rest & Restore classes in small groups or on a 1 to 1 basis. Want to de-stress ? Recover from Covid-19 ? Breathe better ? Boost your energy ? Feel more joy ? Read on to find out more...

I feel humble and am so honoured to be able to assist my clients: “I can breathe better and love the feeling of calmness and joy”. Beth «Thank you for welcoming me to this lovely restorative class which helped me to breathe properly again after Covid-19. I would recommend it to anyone in need to slow down and explore the benefits of proper breathing. » Karen

« I really enjoy the calming effect on my mind and the lengthening effect on my body. Pure bliss !« Gill.

« I have been doing the Somatic practice at home since you introduced me to it, and I really see the benefits. Thanks for making a difference to my life !! » Elisabeth Combining yoga breathing techniques with Somatics are a brilliant combination to assist the body heal & repair itself. It works wonders. It helped Karen, Nicola and others to breathe better & get some energy back when recovering from Covid-19.

Some came to me directly and some were referred by their osteopath. So how does this work and how can it truly benefit Covid-19 patients in their recovery?

A recent scientific paper reports: “The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic causes severe acute respiratory syndrome - initially described as lung inflammation, However, we now know that it can cause a wide range of symptoms in people of all ages ranging from no symptoms at all to systemic inflammation.

An excessive inflammatory phase called “cytokine storm” can occur in severely infected patients affecting their immune system, leading to tissue damage, organ dysfunction, erratic cardiovascular response, and altered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal response. Hence, excessive cytokine release increases the risk of mortality.

A new hypothesis and theory article has been published in the Frontiers in Medicine which focuses on the stimulation of the vagus nerve as a potential COVID-19 therapy.

Researchers are finding that the vagus nerve plays a crucial role in sustaining cardiovascular homeostasis and controlling inflammation. Scientists have found that vagus nerve stimulation by peripheral lipopolysaccharide lowers the inflammatory response in the central nervous system... They have explained that the autonomic nervous system controls the production of cytokines. This is done by regulating interactions with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which causes the release of anti-inflammatory hormones, i.e., glucocorticoid.”

“As the virus gets into the nervous system and into the brain, it creates inflammation within the body. Some patients with COVID-19 have had neurological symptoms, including headache, loss of sense of smell and taste, hallucinations, vivid dreams, meningitis, and even seizures or stroke.”

So, what is the vagus nerve and why is it so important? As I mentioned in one of my previous blogs, a higher vagal tone increases your health & happiness. Originating in the brain stem, it is one of the most important nerves in our body, and it’s the longest nerve of the autonomic nervous system travelling right through the chest and abdomen. It plays a fundamental role in our overall health and parasympathetic nervous system. The so-called “wandering nerve” is responsible for our rest and digest capacities to calm and soothe when under attack from a virus or life’s daily pressures.

It is deeply embedded in our autonomic nervous system and is one of the longest nerves. It is so vital as it has direct links to our brain, heart, lungs, gut and all of our organs. Now can you see how it can help to soothe and restore your body?

In my blogs “Breathe, Time to Pause & Reset” and “Freedom & Space: The best kept secret”, I spoke about how Somatics teaches us to take notice, release, and repattern addressing neuro-muscular skeletal imbalances. A little bit like NLP for the body. It helps address issues where your body may need rehabilitation to rediscover ease.

Somatics works on a deep level, soothing your nervous system by engaging with the parasympathetic nervous system. It directly acts on your vagus nerve, sending messages to your body to rest and heal itself. Somatics is a non-invasive technique, which empowers you to be in control to restore yourself to health.

Interestingly enough, scientists are currently experimenting with stimulation of the vagus nerve with their Covid-19 patients. Here is a short extract from Journal reference: Azabou, E. et al. (2021). Vagus Nerve Stimulation: A Potential Adjunct Therapy for COVID-19. Frontiers in Medicine:

“Recently, scientists have revealed that vagus nerve has shown significant results in COVID-19 patients. They believe it might reduce multi-organ dysfunction and have positive cardiovascular effects...At present, 2 studies are being conducted to assess the efficacity in COVID-19 patients, where scientists are using a device which is applied to the patient’s skin at the neck region over the vagus nerve to dispense periodic doses of VNS in a non-invasive manner. Researchers believe that this approach could minimise mechanical ventilation in COVID-19 patients.”

Click this link to read the full report

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210527/Vagus-nerve-stimulation-may-be-a-potential-adjunct-therapy-for-COVID-19.aspx

There are many ways to influence the vagus nerve. I have previously held a couple of workshops on the vagus nerve and am holding another one on 8th January 2022, when I will share tips, exercises and techniques with you, should you be interested to learn more. A healthy vagal tone will support you in having a balanced mental and emotional state, as well as improving your physical condition.

Stimulating this nerve leads to better mental health as it helps with stress reduction. It improves other ailments such as anxiety disorders, depression, mood disorder, heart disease, tinnitus, obesity, leaky gut, poor blood circulation, fibromyalgia, energy levels and more.

Somatics directly interacts with the vagus nerve. It invites us to relax, befriend ourselves, attune to the breath, and explore the subtle relationships between different parts of the body. We move slowly and mindfully turning our senses inward to connect to ourselves and feel what is happening within. As we learn to become quieter, we work to release tension, calm the nervous system and create more space in our body & mind. We start to experience ease, freedom and joy.

Somatics can not only ease backs, hips, shoulders, neck pain, tension headaches, sciatica… but it also restores your nervous system bringing balance back in the body.

So, whether you have suffered from Covid-19 or not, all in all, Somatics is an excellent antidote to the stresses of everyday life. It melts all physical and mental stresses away, leaving you feeling relaxed with a deep sense of wellbeing and renewed energy.

Somatics & some of the Key benefits:

Develop body awareness & mindfulness

Reduce anxiety & inflammation

Dissipate aches & muscular tension

Nurture & Soothe Body and Mind

Calm your body & nervous system

Assist your body to heal & rebalance

Lower heart rate & blood pressure

Improve sleep & digestion

Increase energy, focus and clarity

Enhance posture and ease of movement

Help to release trauma from within

Breathe, Move & Sleep better

Improve your mood & overall wellbeing

Feel healthier, calmer, happier!

I am holding a 2hr workshop on the vagus nerve on Saturday 8th January 2022 “Restoring health & joy”. This is open to all. No previous experience necessary. This will include theory, tips & practical exercises. Feel free to get in touch if interested.

In 2021, I am also holding a Somatics workshop on 21st November and a Restorative Yoga workshop on 4th December. I wrote a blog of Why Restorative Yoga is one of the best medicine. Feel free to join us in any of the workshops. Check details on the page Classes/Events.

To find out more about Somatics, check https://www.yogawithbelle.co.uk/why-somatics

To book a class or a workshop, simply email yogawithbelletw@gmail.com. You can also sign up for the newsletter to be kept informed of our yoga somatics classes and workshops and follow me on Instagram or Facebook for yoga tips, fun and wisdom.

Breathe, Time to Press Pause & Reset !

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So, Covid happened and what a turmoil this has been for all of us. For most of us, our lives have changed; for some more than others and we are still busy adjusting to our new lives and schedules. There have been so many disruptions. Things are still up in the air with a sense of uncertainty as this is new territory. This has been such a stressful time and has left many of us feeling exhausted. There may even be a sense of loss. The body needs to reset and recharge.

We live in a noisy toxic world with more chemicals and pollution than ever before. Stress and anxiety are high and more stress has been generated by the pandemic. Maybe you were already struggling with other challenges in your life ? We lead busy lives trying to juggle it all as we feel the need to keep going… often ignoring that inner voice within us asking us to “please press the pause button and rest for a while”.

We act like superheroes forgetting we are human beings. Action is required yet equally rest and recuperation is key for our wellbeing and that of others around us so we can carry on offering support without feeling depleted. How often do we stop and pause ?

Being in a state of high alert and continual tension can be a trigger for chronic fatigue and burnout. Our immune system weakens making us more susceptible to catch a cold or other viruses. The cells in our body need to repair and rebuild themselves. Two of the key ingredients needed are Oxygen and Rest.

If you are suffering from long Covid symptoms, or simply feeling lost, worried, stressed, or tired, your body is trying to talk to you. You need to slow down, rest and recharge. The mind can be bossy telling us to keep going…We, the mind, just need to allow this without feeling guilty. To detox and rest mind & body is not a luxury but is a must for our wellbeing.

Stress gets stuck in our bodies. We need to learn to release and let go at some point. There is a difference between proper rest and sleep. A lot of us suffer from sleep issues and if you are lucky to fall asleep at night, how often do you wake up in the morning not feeling refreshed ? To preserve our health and thrive, we need to listen. Plan some “Me time” and allow your nervous system to be soothed and nurtured. Allow for all tensions to melt away from your body.

This means no television, phone, or other gadget. No stimulus or distraction. Just to be by ourselves for ourselves in silence. I know this can sound scary but believe me, it is well worth it. It feels like bliss. Your body and mind will thank you for it. Rest & restore. Offer your body and mind what it needs. You may want to indulge in a bath or a walk in nature. Drink water. Do some gentle breathing and restorative yoga exercises.

The aim of Somatics and restorative yoga is to offer a nourishing, soothing practice to calm the nervous system down. We learn to switch from a fight and flight mode to rest and digest mode. I encourage students to listen to their bodies and reconnect within. If this is new to you, it is best to practice in a group with a teacher to guide you.

Should you wish to explore further, I am offering you the opportunity to do just that. I run weekly classes and offer workshops. Somatics or restorative yoga workshops to let go of everything to unwind, relax, reset, restore, rebalance. Check out www.yogawithbelle.co.uk/classes/events You can attend In person or online.

All welcome. No previous experience necessary. Somatics offers a mix of gentle movements and breathing. Most of it is done on the floor. All you need is a quiet space, a comfortable exercise mat, a small cushion and a blanket. Restorative yoga uses props like bolsters, pillows, blankets… to allow the body to feel fully supported and let go.

When you take time to take care of yourself, this is an act of love and kindness towards yourself and others as when you feel refreshed and restored, calm and happy, you are in a much better place to assist others around you. Here is what some of my clients said afterwards:

“I have never felt anything like this. I found my first experience with Somatics to be wonderful and am still feeling fantastic; It brought a connection between my mind and body that I have not experienced before, and one that I wish to explore further!”

“Amazing, I feel relaxed and grounded. I breathe easier”. “I feel a sense of inner calm”

To book a class or a workshop, simply email yogawithbelletw@gmail.com. You can also sign up for the newsletter to be kept informed of our yoga somatics classes and workshops and follow me on Instagram or Facebook for yoga tips, fun and wisdom.

Freedom & Space. The best kept secret !

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“I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky, I think about it every night and day, Spread my wings and fly away, I believe I can soar” R Kelly

“If I just believe it, there's nothing to it”

How I love that song by R Kelly. Well, I too can get that feeling of ease, freedom and glide… During my BWY teacher training, I came across Somatics. I went to a class and could not believe how I started to feel during and afterwards. A sense of ease and spaciousness within my body and deep peace within my heart. I wanted to find out more… I fell in love with this gentle practice which married itself so well with yoga and eventually trained as a Somatics Coach Educator.

Somatics is probably one of the best kept secrets. Yet, I love to share it with everyone as it feels SO good. Here are some of my clients’ feedback after class:

My husband always remarks on how my face glows with energy…

“Thank you very much Isabelle for the fabulous Somatics workshop. I am still feeling the benefit. My whole body feels balanced and free to move. No stiffness…wonderful! When I finish your sessions, my husband always remarks on how my face glows with energy!” VA

I arrived with headache & sore back. I left feeling great – no pain…

"I attend Isabelle’s Somatics class and arrived last week with terrible headache and very sore back after just an hour went home feeling great - no pain - excellent! Highly recommended”. SK

​ A good counterbalance to my busy life…

"Feeling much more relaxed, mellow... The body feels longer, flatter, heavier, more relaxed and more spacious... I like learning how to breathe and connecting with my body. A good counterbalance to my busy life." GH

My chronic back pain has just simply vanished…Amazing!

“I just wanted to drop you a quick message about the somatic course on Sunday afternoon with Isabelle. I wasn’t sure about it at first, as it wasn’t what I was expecting - and I was extremely tired and kept falling asleep! – but I really enjoyed it in the end and most importantly, my back pain / strained muscle pain in my side, which has been bothering me terribly for months and months (since at least springtime) has since vanished. It was at its worst on Saturday morning and now has gone. Amazing! I would love to do it monthly or quarterly to reset my body – or whatever it did! – if you were thinking of running it again.“ DR

Feeling a sense of inner calm and relaxed…

“Somatics has really helped with a sense of inner calm and relaxation”. AV

For more testimonials, pls check the page on www.yogawithbelle.co.uk

For me Somatics is about undoing stress from within to find wellbeing & peace.

Thomas Hanna, founder of Somatics says “As we grow older, our bodies and lives should continue to improve, right up until the very end” How interesting, when you hear so much of the opposite in our society, right ? “Oh it is your age, dear…”

Did you know you could teach your mind to mend your body ? “If you can sense it, you can change it”. Thomas Hanna. So, whether it is rehabilitation work, retraining of alignment, correcting posture, improving your range of motion, supporting the spine or simply looking to develop flexibility and strength, check out Somatics. Oh and there are many more benefits with this practice…

You will enjoy better alignment, better sleep, better breathing, reduce stress and tension, decrease pain, increase flexibility, coordination, balance, mind and body relaxation, improve posture & body image and have more energy…

As we age, our bones begin to degenerate, we lose mobility in our joints and our fascia tightens. That’s a fact. However, there is something you can do about it. You may suffer from tight chronic tension, achy muscles and joints, poor posture, stiffness, or fatigue... When we experience pain or discomfort, our bodies naturally contract and tense up in a fight, flight or freeze response.

These problems are not always due to structural weaknesses in the body but to sensory-motor amnesia which can be corrected. Just as you learn to ride a bike, you can learn get back in control of your body and transform areas of stress and tension stuck in the body –due to age, injury, trauma, bad habits or just everyday life. You can learn to feel good and enjoy wellbeing.

Somatics teaches us to take notice, release, and repattern addressing neuro-muscular skeletal imbalances. It is a little bit like NLP for the body.

I can teach you safe, gentle specific movements for the whole body. You will learn to breathe, regain balance, mobility, coordination and ease of movement. You learn to “stretch” or lengthen tight muscles in a subtle luxurious way – think like a cat stretch ! You will come out feeling taller.

Somatics can ease back, hips, shoulder, neck pain, tension headaches, sciatica…

Somatics is unique and deeply relaxing. It asks you to tune into your inner world of sensations to connect within allowing you to let go and come back to your natural balanced self. to calm the whole nervous system to bring you in a state of peace. You will come out feeling calmer and grounded. All in all, it is an excellent antidote to the stresses of everyday life.

Somatics helps you find ease and freedom of movement in daily life. It will also improve your performance in sports or yoga. Please note that this practice is mainly floor based postures … with mats, cushions and blankets. We like to get cosy and comfortable to give ourselves top quality “Me” time.

If you wish to improve your quality of life, stay fit, and strong to enjoy sport, gardening, grandchildren, travel etc. and feel good, pls get in touch. If you would like to move better, regain ease and freedom of movement and learn how to melt those tensions and undo bad habits, please contact me to try one of our somatics classes. I offer group and 1:1 tuitions - in person or online. No prior experience needed. Just come along with an open curious mind.

I will be delighted to teach you the tools to make positive changes which will reset your brain to muscle communication. You will leave with better flexibility, renewed energy, and sustained feelings of peace and well-being. It certainly has enhanced my quality of life since I started practicing and I don't intend to stop.

In fact, I love it so much I wish to share it with everyone. It is too good to find a sense of ease in your body and return it to its natural state so muscles function at their optimum level once again. The cherry on the cake, well, it simply leaves you feeling truly relaxed and free as a bird !!

To book a class, simply email yogawithbelletw@gmail.com. New courses running from 10th Sept. You can also sign up for the newsletter to be kept informed of our yoga somatics classes and workshops and follow me on Instagram or Facebook for yoga tips, fun and wisdom.