Wini Thomas

Osteopath and Applied Kinesiology in Bedford, UK

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April 27, 2017 by Wini Thomas Leave a Comment

Summer Harvest – 1

Last summer I had the pleasure of looking after my friend’s gardens, allotments and animals whilst they went away on holiday.  As a result I got more than I bargained for.

I have always like the thought of being somewhat self-sufficient – well certainly when it comes to the food that I eat. I certainly got the taste (pardon the pun). One friend entrusted me to look after her cat Tori and not so cute pet snake Snowflake and her ‘girls’ Kowalski, Skipper and Private aka her chickens. If you haven’t guess yet, yes they are named after three of the penguins from Madagascar!! They produced the most wonderful fresh eggs everyday.

Then I looked after my friend’s garden complete with what I would call a ‘mini allotment’ adorned with raised beds and green house bursting with lettuce, tomatoes, courgettes, strawberries, cucumber, raspberries and blackberries. There was even an apple tree which I will indeed raid in the autumn.

Last but not least I took care of another friend’s allotment – it was huge and watering massive amounts of produce with just a watering can was no mean feet! Not only did I get lots of exercise and fresh air not to mention time for contemplation, the produce that I harvested was absolutely amazing. Fresh peas eaten straight from the pods – so sweet and full of flavour, courgettes, lettuce, beans, parsley, beetroot, swiss card, potatoes, spring onions just to name a fair few.

I can honestly say my daughter and I eat very well over that four week period both abundant and nutritionally rich produce. Not relying on the supermarkets for fruit and veg that have been sprayed with only knows what and flown thousands of miles just to grace our plates was great.

Although I didn’t physically plant the seeds myself, there is something to be said about growing and ‘picking your own’. I found it satisfying  knowing where my food was coming from. Above all knowing what love, care and attention that was given to those plants that had provided me and my daughter with such quality produce.  I felt truly blessed and full of gratitude.

 

Filed Under: Food, Wellbeing

February 14, 2016 by Wini Thomas Leave a Comment

Are You Feeling the Love?

Well unless you were hiding in a dark cave you would have seen that love is in the air, yes I’m talking about Valentine’s Day. The sun was shining and the birds were singling their love songs. Strolling to my local supermarket today allowed me to reflect on the concept of Valentines day and the celebration of love from a slightly different angle.

Love – ‘All you need is Love’ is in my opinion the basis of all human existence, but as I watched countless people – mostly men – reaching in among the rows of pre-prepared bunches of red roses, holding boxes of chocolates and for some lucky person a bottle of champagne, I asked myself what does it truly mean? To love? To be loved? These question sprung to mind but within all this frenzy toward conformity I asked the bigger question, ‘How many people actually take the time to love themselves’?

When I say ‘love oneself’ I don’t mean it from a vain or egotistically point of view, I mean Self Love. When was the last time you took the time to truly love yourself?

Our health is our wealth and without a good well balanced, mind, body and soul our  body will start to slowly break down.

So isn’t it time you showed the gift of love to yourself, not just on Valentine’s day but every day?

Here are a few examples of how you can implement Self Love today:-

  • Take a brisk walk to the shops instead of taking the car – Your heart will be racing with excitement.
  • Eat extra fruit and veg – Your digestion will be tied up in knots with joy.
  • Soak in a hot Epsom salt bath once a week – Your immune system will melt with the warmth of your care.
  • Sit quietly for about 10-15 minutes a day – Your brain will love you for it.
  • Challenge yourself and take up a new hobby – Your neurons will be happy to get connected.
  • Watch funny movies – Your cells will be jumping up and down with glee.
  • Exchange that a cup of coffee or tea for a glass of water – Your liver will be as happy as Larry
  • Take a stroll in nature without your mobile phone with only your thoughts to keep you company – Your mind will be full of love and gratitude.
  • Book an Osteopathic treatment (well it would be rude not to mention it🙂) – Your muscles and joints will be overcome with a feeling of peace, relaxation and liberation as you accept your physical body and commit to investing in its wellbeing.

Show love to yourself not just to the one that buys you flowers… Remember YOU are worth it!

Filed Under: Wellbeing

February 21, 2013 by Wini Thomas Leave a Comment

Anyone Ordered A Plateful of Beige?

I took my daughter to one of her friend’s birthday party the other day which was organised and held at a soft play centre which happened to be within a restaurant. It was great, while the mother’s chatted over copious amounts of cups of tea; the children played happily paying no attention to us whatsoever!

It was soon time for lunch, the kids had exhausted themselves and were clearly in need of refueling. The food, which as part of the package was brought out, platefuls of cheese in buns, chicken dippers, battered fish, corn on the cob and the obligatory chips of course! I looked around the table and said to myself ‘Where is the colour? What was presented before a table of at least 25 kids was only what I can describe as a sea of beige! Actually I tell a lie hiding among all this food was a glimmer of colour, and I don’t mean the bowl of tomato ketchup. Sitting there over shadowed by its counterparts was a small bowl and I mean small, containing about 10 pieces of fresh tomatoes and about half a sliced cucumber to share among 25 children. Clearly a token gesture or what!

As an Osteopath I am passionate about improving the health of my patients, I understand the benefits of good nutritious food and healthy food choices and as a mother I endeavour to provide healthy foods to eat for my child. Don’t get me wrong she would eat ‘junk’ food all the time given the chance, but there has to be a balance.

I am not a restaurateur, but I question “Would it really be that more expensive to provide a platter of fresh fruit and veg for example carrot and cucumber sticks, apple or orange segments, grapes and some slices of melon?” Some would argue that it’s not worth providing such foods as it is presumed that the children will not eat them. Or is it the restaurant’s economic bias that dictates what kind of foods is provided? Either way I think that children or parents should be given the choice. Yes I know that there are some very fussy children out there who won’t touch a piece of fruit let alone a carrot stick, but that is a small minority. I believe when children are sitting around a table with 25 of their peers and his/her mate tucks into a juicy grape or nibbles on a cucumber, there is hope, you never know that child may be inclined to try it themselves.

So I urge us parents when we are organising our kids parties and to the event managers who plan these parties, PLEASE let a platter of fruit and veg be the norm at children’s gathering not the ridiculed!

Filed Under: Nutrition

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