Swedish Massage
The art of massage is probably as old as man himself, because to hold or rub an injured part is an instinctive reaction to the pain involved. The various massage movements exert an effect on the skin, muscle, blood vessels, lymphatic vessels and nerves.
Swedish massage may be defined as the manipulation of soft tissue for therapeutic purposes. When effectively applied this soothing massage quite often results in sending the patient to sleep. Massage has both a physiological and psychological effect.

• Increase circulation, lymphatic flow and oxygen to muscles;
• Relaxes/stimulates muscles and nerves;
• Aids digestion; Induces a sense of well being;
• Relieves stress and tension promoting relaxation;
• Relieves muscle fatigue, stiffness, pain and soreness;
• Prepare, warm muscles prior to specific activities and releases toxins from knotted muscles.

Reflexology
The main aim of Reflexology is to trigger the return of homeostasis (a state of equilibrium and balance). It is based on the principle that areas on the feet and hands relate to the internal organs and other structures of the body. The body is divided into 10 zones, 5 each side of the medial line from toe to brain to fingertips and vice versa. Each zone is an energy channel running through the entire body. Crystalline deposits can accumulate in the feet blocking the flow of energy within the channels. There are about 7000 nerve endings in the foot and by applying pressure to specific reflex zones, messages are sent via the nervous system along neural pathways thus, eventually bringing total balance back into the body by unblocking the energy channels.
Reflexology aims to stimulate creativity and productivity, acts as a preventative health care, reduce stress and induce deep relaxation and induce a feeling of well being.

Indian Head Massage
The principle of this technique is to balance the body's energy centres, by promoting physical and psychological well being and acting as a de-stressing programme for the whole body. It is a simple, safe and highly effective therapy. It has extended from working on the hair and scalp, to the face, neck and arms, back and shoulders. It encourages the natural healing abilities of the body.
This treatment produces a general relaxation within the muscles, breaks down fibrous adhesions, relieves neck and shoulder stiffness, increases circulation providing the brain with extra oxygen, stimulates lymphatic flow and encourages hair growth, creates a sense of calmness, reduce anxiety, improves concentration and alertness, helps to relieve mental tiredness edginess and depression.

Edwina qualified as a Podiatrist from Sussex School of Podiatry in 1991 and has worked in the NHS; she now works in private practice in Borehamwood and Shenley. Edwina is a State Registered Podiatrist, has a degree in Podiatry, is a member of the Chiropodist /Podiatrist Society (the main governing body in the country) and is HPC registered.

Edwina has a wealth of experience and deals in most aspects of foot-related problems. Problems that can be treated are as follows:

• corns;
• calluses;
• fungal infections;
• verrucae;
• minor nail ops (for in-growing toe nails);
• postural problems ie, arch pain, heel pain (insoles or orthotics are usually recommended).

Herbal medicine, or phytotherapy, uses extracts of whole plants to assist the body in its natural attempt to heal itself. Herbs stimulate the body's own healing powers and many have an affinity with a particular organ or system. Medical herbalists recognise that the body systems are integrated and so use a holistic approach to treat the underlying cause of a disease. Working holistically with the whole body, as well as with diet and lifestyle, they use herbal medicine to help bring a person back to a level of optimum health. Herbal medicine can be used alongside orthodox treatment as well as with other complementary therapies such as homoeopathy, acupuncture, psychotherapy, sports massage, osteopathy or chiropractic.

Almost any condition that may be treated by a GP can be treated by a medical herbalist. The following list is not exhaustive but common conditions seen by herbalists include:

• Skin complaints - eczema; psoriasis; acne; rosacea;
• Cardiovascular problems; poor circulation; angina; varicose veins; haemorrhoids; high blood pressure;
• Gynaecological problems/hormone imbalances; menstrual disorders, menopausal problems; premenstrual syndrome; infertility; prostate problems;
• Musculoskeletal problems; arthritis, gout, bursitis;
• Stomach, intestines and bowel disorders - peptic ulcers; irritable bowel syndrome; reflux disease;
• Infections; tonsillitis; cystitis;
• Respiratory conditions; coughs; colds; laryngitis; asthma;
• Nervous disorders - stress; insomnia; impaired memory; anxiety; mild depression; migraine;
• Immunity problems; autoimmune disease; allergies; frequent infections.

Christine graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Herbal Medicine and is a Member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH), the UK's leading professional organisation for practitioners of western herbal medicine. Established in 1864, NIMH is the oldest regulatory body for herbal medicine in the world and has a strict code of ethics and practice. All members have undergone a rigorous 3-5 year accredited training programme and must undergo continuous postgraduate professional development.

Christine previously held a longstanding career as a Biomedical Scientist and then spent a number of years as Head of Research and scientific grants applications assessor for a humane research organisation. Following this she was a senior manager in the NHS, overseeing the human scientific research ethics committees of North London, a position she left to pursue a life-long interest in herbal medicine. She has published papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals and is a Member of the Institute of Biomedical Science. Currently, she is studying for a PhD in herbal medicine at the University of Westminster, where she also teaches. In 2007 she was awarded the Nutricentre CAM prize for excellence in Herbal Medicine and the Phyto Products Award for Pharmacology. For more information on herbal medicine visit www.westernherbalcare.co.uk

In Pilates, quality is everything. Pilates is much more than a type of "exercise". Joe Pilates called his method, "Contrology". It is an approach to movement; and every movement is purposeful, targeting specific musculoskeletal groups. A few repetitions done correctly yield dramatically greater benefit than a hundred done incorrectly. And those benefits include improvements in strength, posture and body awareness. Pilates is also excellent as part of a rehabilitation programme after injury and for many other conditions.

Lisa first trained in classical ballet and qualified to teach in the I.S.T.D. Cecchetti Method. She has many years experience in teaching people of all ages and abilities. As a dancer with a knee injury and back problems, she first encountered Pilates with Gordon Thomson, and found that, not only did the problems diminish, but her posture, strength and technique improved also. Subsequently, Lisa trained in the Pilates Method with Anne-Marie Zulkahari and Hana Jones (both founding members of Pilates foundation UK) at the Training Centre for Pilates Excellence.
Lisa is committed to maintaining a high standard in teaching, and has studied with some of the most influential and renowned teachers in the field, including two of Joe Pilates' students, Mary Bowen and Ron Fletcher.

Lisa enjoys working with all kinds of clients, and being involved with the training of other teachers. She says, "One of the things I love most about being a teacher is seeing my clients progress and improve their quality of life. I want my clients to come away having learned something, and to have a sense of achievement from each session. My mission is to empower others with it and to pass it on."
With her experience comes patience and understanding, a terrific eye for detail, an ability to explain movements clearly, and getting clients to identify their limits and discover capabilities.
Lisa teaches private clients, 1:1 and 2:1, in her own studio in Borehamwood and runs small group mat classes. She intentionally keeps the numbers down so that each client gets more value from the class: more time from the teacher for individual attention and personal corrections.
For more information please log into www.lepilates.co.uk