“Best job in the world” – absolutely! We have two dogs, collie spaniel crosses, brother & sister. Sam has always been the seagull chaser, which is lucky as we live by the sea. Sarah was the ball catcher. When she was around 6 years old, Sarah started to change in personality and gait – she became grumpy, stiff walking and generally seemed ‘old before her time’. Dog massage As a qualified human masseur I attempted some techniques on her which she seemed to appreciate. I attended a basic introduction to dog massage workshop to learn if it was possible to adapt my human skills for a dog. That was it – I was hooked. I took and passed the diploma course and then gave up full-time work as surely nothing could be as rewarding as helping dogs to regain their quality of life. I set up my own dog massage and muscle therapy service called AchyPaw so that I could offer a personalised service benefitting both dog and owner. Not just arthritis It’s now over 5 years since I took that new career path and have treated many hundreds of dogs. I soon discovered that physical therapy is not just for dogs with arthritis, although that condition is wonderfully helped by massage and a sensible exercise programme. It is inclusive of all sorts of condition and ages. From the puppy who would like that extra bonding with their owner, a dog that has just had surgery, an epileptic dog, a senior dog who is simply slowing dog, dogs who had unfortunately had a leg amputated, an overactive dog who needs relaxation and even palliative care. Workshops for owners To achieve even more success and progress, the owner needs to be fully involved in the treatment plan. I always leave the Mums and Dads with ‘homework’ but hopefully this is not like school but enjoyable. That lead me to start designing and delivering Foundation workshops which teach people how to massage their own dogs. I’ve delivered introductory sessions, sessions for the agility dog, sessions for senior dogs and even sessions for puppies. These are in groups or one to one. It is heartwarming to see the dogs come into the workshop eyeing each other up at the start yet 45 minutes later they are all in snoozy pool in the middle of the room. So have I got the best job in the world? Absolutely! If you want to see more about what we do, you can read stories of many of the dogs I treat on my AchyPaw Facebook page or on my webpage of achypaw.com. Dr Les Ellam ACHY PAW SPECIAL OFFER! 10% off first session Offer telephone number 07544 844120 Offer website address http://achypaw.com Offer email address achypaw@gmail.com Social media addresses and hash tags http://www.facebook.com http://achypaw.blogspot.com http://www.twitter.com/achypaw
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Lin Bridgeford’s Osteopathy Tips Seeking help for injuries when they happen as well as regular Maintenance Osteopathic Treatment even when you feel quite well, can help you potentially avoid bigger problems, remain as active as possible, and retain your ‘vim and vigour’ throughout your life. Dealing with abuse The body is a magnificently intelligent ‘machine’ that is able to withstand a certain amount of abuse without apparent problems. This enables us to continue to function in a relatively normal manner even when our bodies are being compromised. Body Compensation When we have a minor injury the body compensates by moving or holding itself slightly differently to avoid pain and discomfort and within a few days we feel apparently better. Breaking down Due to the body’s ability to do this, we are often unaware of some of the issues until we start having aches and pains for no apparent reason. A build-up of various compensations over time can become too much and the body starts to give us symptoms as it loses its ability to compensate so well. We often call this ‘ageing’, and whilst things do change as we age, I see many people who feel old before their time because they are carrying around too many compensations for injuries that have been left untreated. Restoring balance By helping the body to correct and balance itself after injury and illness, we can create more room for compensation when needed and more possibility to feel vital, which should be our natural state. Lin Bridgeford DO KFRP MICAK MICRA FSCCO MSc Registered Osteopath & Kinesiologist & Yoga Teacher Aether Bios Clinic Saltdean 01273 309557 07710 227038 www.osteo-info.co.uk www.biosyoga.co.uk BIOS YOGA
SPECIAL OFFER! Free Yoga Class - Find out more AETHER BIOS CLINIC SPECIAL OFFER! Free 15 minute joint and spinal check, without obligation. Local osteopath and yoga teacher Lin Bridgeford puts us straight on the truth about Yoga - MYTH: YOGA IS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE 1. Flexible Even if you are stiff as a board to start with, your flexibility will increase healthily over time with regular yoga practice. Yoga builds flexibility, strength and balance; generally men have more strength and women more flexibility to start with. The benefits of yoga are individual and not limited to people who can bend themselves in knots! I often see more dramatic improvement in posture, life energy, confidence and general wellbeing in those who start off stiff and persist over time. 2. Fit and thin Some yoga classes are more active than others and may improve your fitness; and combined with healthier eating may help shed someunwanted fat, even that dangerous ‘visceral’ fat around the organs. 3. Girls Yoga was started by men and practiced by them exclusively. Yoga in the west was more female dominated and is now much more popular with men in recent years. 4. Young Yoga will help keep you looking and feeling younger. Find a class that suits your abilities and tempo and start to build flexibility, strength and balance to keep you younger! 5. Vegetarians who don’t drink coffee or alcohol Yoga is not a cult and does not require you to give up things that belong to your lifestyle and culture. You may find that you naturally make healthier choices as your body changes, though there is no need to become stiff in your life choices or follow a lifestyle unnatural to you. 6. Free from injuries or pain Yoga can be therapeutic and healing for injuries and pain. Be sure your teacher is aware of conditions affecting you so they can modify postures to suit you and help your recovery and pain relief. MYTH: YOGA IS 7. Serious I believe there should be an element of fun and light heartedness in yoga. 8. Slow and boring There are different styles of yoga, some gentle and slow, others dynamic and faster, though these can be made more accessible by starting with a gentle, slower approach and building up. 9. A religion Yoga teaches us to accept ourselves where we are, work within our limits and be in the present moment; being kinder to ourselves can help us be kinder to others. These are life skills, not religion! 10. Not a workout Dynamic classes like Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga can get your heart rate up and build fitness and strength; this may not be obvious in a beginner’s class that starts gently and slowly, leading you into better fitness. 11. Not for people who go to the gym already There are many forms of exercise that help physical fitness; Yoga is unique as a therapeutic system that helps improve health, heal injuries and balance mental stress; improves flexibility and builds strength, protects your spine and joints, releases tension and relaxes your nervous system, boosts immune and digestive systems, helps you sleep better. Yoga is an excellent cross training to compliment other sports. 12. Time consuming and needs to be done for an hour every day Any yoga is better than no yoga, even 5-10 minutes as a daily (almost!) routine will benefit your health, body and mind. BIOS YOGA SPECIAL OFFER! Free Yoga Class - Find out more AETHER BIOS CLINIC SPECIAL OFFER! Free 15 minute joint and spinal check, without obligation. Lin Bridgeford DO KFRP MICAK MICRA FSCCO MSc Registered Osteopath & Kinesiologist & Senior Yoga Teacher Aether Bios Clinic Saltdean T. 01273 309557 M. 07710 227038 www.osteo-info.co.uk www.biosyoga.co.uk Each year at the University of Brighton staff and students are engaged in a wide range of projects in partnership with our local communities.
Cuddly robot Dr Penny Dodds has been working with Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, leading an action research project to explore the introduction of PARO in our area. Invented in Japan by Professor Takanori Shibata, PARO is a cuddly robotic seal designed to improve the health and wellbeing of people with dementia and learning disabilities. Love and affection with PARO Initial findings from the research with dementia patients in Sussex show that PARO can be successfully used to promote feelings of love and affection. It also encourages emotional expression and social and verbal interaction, and helps to reduce stress, anxiety, agitation and aggression. For more information on the PARO project at the University of Brighton go to: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-sussex-39642790/robot-seal-helps-dementia-patients https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJq5PQZHU-I For more information on the University of Brighton's community engagement and business development projects go to: CUPP - University of Brighton Community University Partnership Programme https://www.brighton.ac.uk/business-services/research-and-development/keep-plus/index.aspx Thank you to Daryl Parsons, Enterprise Co-Ordinator and Liz Johnson, Knowledge Transfer Advisor Research, Enterprise and Social Partnerships at the University of Brighton. |
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