THE SOP POST March 2022

Finally, Spring is creeping in little by little. More birds singing, a few daffodils springing up in the verges and the sun, when it does shine, definitely has some warmth to it (through the kitchen window at least)! And yet with events of the last ten days, our yearning for the grey skies of the last month to be replaced by Spring has perhaps paled into insignificance while we simply count our blessings for the basics in life, such as food and shelter.

The news from Ukraine broke on the day the final Covid restrictions lifted (or 3 hours into it). It may have felt like one thing after another recently for many. Our empathy in times of others stress and sadness is a good thing but can also be a drain on our resources when it is in constant heightened demand. Mental health is a key factor in our ability to continue supporting and caring for others and so matters more than ever as our mental resilience is what helps us all get through tough times together.

So what can we do here at SOP to help you keep your emotional reserves topped up? While of course feeling somewhat helpless watching the tragic news unfold, we carry on as normal with our day to day routine focussing on the little things we can do and control. As ever our focus is keeping each patient's body as pain and injury free as possible which we hope in turn can help you maintain a positive frame of mind.

One of the most important things for keeping our bodies and minds in tip top condition is, of course, sleep. The right amount of it allows recovery and curbs anxiety. In our blog this month, Nicola gives us some advice on sleep (fitting also in the context of World Sleep Day on 18th March); with tips on how to improve the quality of our sleep; what the best position is to sleep in and how to create a good sleep routine. The clocks also go back at the end of the month so there's even a tip to overcome any sleep disruption this might cause for children.

Emma educates us about an often neglected area of our bodies - our feet. Shining a light on foot health to coincide with National Feet Week which runs 7th-13th March, Emma explains some common issues with feet and the connected joints and muscles, how to avoid them and tops this all off with some practical advice in the form of a simple exercise to try at home.

This month's FAQ in the "You Ask, We Answer" feature (where we answer the 12 most frequently asked questions at SOP) is answered by Nicola. A lot of her patients have been sent by a partner or friend and perhaps don't know exactly what an osteopath does. If this sounds familiar, just click on the link to our blog where you can read more about what an osteopath does or how one could help you.

It's then onto a snapshot of what the SOP team have loved this month. A neuroscience guru and how to minimise anxiety is an apt choice for this month. As usual we finish off with a tasty recipe to try - is a light and healthy miso salmon poke bowl. Salmon is a nutritional powerhouse so the more ways to include it, in our diet, the better as far as SOP is concerned. This one is delicious.

Finally some dates for your diary; a reunion in the diary for Monday 28th March (bookable on the website here) for those who came to the most recent WOMO course to catch up. If you would like to join in on the next course, the dates for June/July (Tuesday nights) are up on the website too and bookable here.

As ever we love to chat so please do let us have your feedback. Just drop us an email or message us on social media with your thoughts.

With very best wishes

Emma

The secrets of good sleep

Because osteopaths look at the body as whole when treating, making us great practitioners, sleep patterns often come up in case history questioning. This is because lifestyle factors have such an important role to play in the healing process.

We use our sleep time to recover and repair. Our immune system strengthens, allowing us to fight off viruses and bacteria, our brain function increases meaning that we suffer from less depression and lack of motivation, and we release hormones that build and strengthen muscle. We basically reboot!

What the foot?

With National Foot week this month, Emma writes about a much forgotten and abused part of our body, that once revived, has the power to heal low back pain, fix grumpy knees and hips, restore pelvic floor tone, improve jumping, walking and running power and even cure headaches!

FAQ #1 - How can I help you? I don’t know, my wife sent me!

It is often said that men, for some reason, do not seem to look after their health as well as women. Wives can become frustrated with their husbands because they prolong seeing their osteopath or other health care professional. They put up with the pain! Or they seek help reactively to pain rather than trying to prevent it. Nicola has written an article about osteopathy and how early intervention with aches and pains can help in the long run.

The team loves…

🎧 Listen
Tracey has been listening to another episode of the SOP favourite podcast "Feel better, live more" with Dr Rangan Chaterjee. In this episode Tracey recommends, Dr Chaterjee's guest is Dr Andrew Huberman, a professor of neuroscience. His lab's most recent work focuses on the influence of vision and breathing on human performance and brain states such as fear and courage. For his tips on how to reduce anxiety listen here.

👀 Follow
Tracey also recommends checking out Dr Andrew Huberman's instagram page @hubermanlab. Packed full of a the latest theories and findings in neuroscience. A fascinating read.

Recipe of the Month

Everyone loves a poke bowl (pronounced “pokey”) and I have made this with omega-3 rich miso salmon, yummy fresh veggies and edamame! Better than a boring sandwich for packed lunch and easily prepped in advance, let your kids pick their own veggies and see if they can get all the colours of the rainbow in.

Serves 4
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes

Miso Salmon Poke Bowl

• Ingredients

  • 4 salmon fillets (wild or organic if you can)

  • 2 tbsp white miso paste

  • 2 tbsp tamari sauce (or soya sauce)

  • 2 tbsp honey (or maple syrup)

  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)

  • 200 g brown rice

  • 1 carrot (grated)

  • 200 g edamame beans (frozen is fine)

  • 1 mango (cubed)

  • 1avocado (sliced)

  • 200 g sweetcorn (frozen is fine)

  • 200 g tenderstem broccoli

  • 1 romaine pepper (sliced)

  • 4 radishes (thinly sliced)

  • 4 tsp sesame seeds

  
  
  Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Rinse and cook the rice as per instructions and set aside.

  2. Place the salmon fillets into a dish lined with parchment or baking paper (this will save on washing up later!)

  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the miso paste, honey, Tamari and garlic and then brush ¾ of the mixture over the fillets.

  4. Put the salmon in the oven and check on it after 10 minutes, it may take longer to cook through if it is a thick piece.

  5. Whilst the salmon is cooking boil or steam the corn, edamame beans and the broccoli and set them aside.

  6. Slice the mango, pepper, radishes and grate the carrot if you haven't already.

  7. In a small bowl or lunch box build the poké bowl by layering in the rice followed by ¼ of each of the other ingredients.

  8. Finally add the salmon, drizzle the remaining sauce over the rice and sprinkle over some sesame seeds.

  
  Recipe Notes

  • Everything can be prepped the day before and kept in airtight containers in the fridge, making it super quick to knock together a packed lunch or supper.

  • For vegan or vegetarian, any vegetables, beans, nuts or protein can be used to make a poké bowl, and use maple syrup instead of honey.

  • Perhaps try eggs or leftover roast chicken and add in some kidney beans, black beans or chickpeas for extra fuel.

  • Gluten-free use Tamari soya sauce

  • Soya-free use coconut aminos and use kidney beans instead of edamame

Recipe and photography kindly contributed by Lucinda Miller at NatureDoc.