To recharge my batteries, my chum, Linda, suggested we take off for a week’s walking holiday in Marrakech, which although visually breathtaking, left me craving for an all-inclusive week at Club Med - with all the cakes and booze you can guzzle (take the hint, hubby).

Anyway, flying back from Marrakech and into Manchester Airport, I noticed Christmas is here once again, with shops full of lights and ‘Buy Now, Pay 2011′ posters going up. Okay, I know it’s mid October, so I should be used to this by now - but hey folks, wasn’t Christmas only last week - and what happened to last New Year’s resolutions?

Actually, this year, I did manage to keep my promise and get healthier and fitter - thanks to my mate Ken, who told me to get my ‘horsey rump’ into shape with one of those Mini Steppers which tones, firms and strengthens the leg and bottom muscles so hopefully as the fat slips off you are left with beautifully defined muscles underneath.

Guess what?  IT TOTALLY WORKS! Over the past year months, I’ve been working out just 20 minutes in the morning and I feel great, and full of the positive energy I need to get through my working day.

So, back to Christmas: Are you just going to trudge around the stores in the wet, blitzing your credits cards and munch on a bit of turkey leg, and later to later flop in front of the telly watching ‘Moonraker? - or are you going to get fitter and healthier like Willcox?

Maybe I’m being totally presumptuous and premature advising you to get in shape prior to the Christmas festivities? But I’ve discovered that anything worthwhile often needs to gather momentum before you see the benefits. Whether it’s starting a business, taking up a hobby, building a relationship - or getting into shape like me, the sooner you start focusing on what’s really important and beneficial to your mental and physical wellbeing can only be a good thing.

Joanne Willcox’s Guide to getting fit for Christmas:

Christmas shopping can leave you skint and starving! So, before you go on a mission to frazzle your credit cards, get into the routine of eating fruit - and always with a protein. Together, they’ll cleanse you whist providing the energy to lift M&S bags.

Got a bloaty tum from all those office parties? Don’t panic - book yourself a refreshing colonic to rinse your colon and help reset your metabolism. Colonics can help you lose weight faster too - up to 5 pounds a week. Hey, did someone say “new frock?”

Get away from all the post Christmas hullabaloo - and hiding your tum  in jogging pants. Book a 3-day Ultra Detox break at Crabwall Manor, Chester. You’ll lose weight, feel awesome and I guarantee - NO TURKEY!

JOANNE WILLCOX Colonic Hydotherapist has written various articles on health and nutrition over the years. She has three health clinics located in Chester, Liverpool and Wirral.

Telephone: 0845 055 6418

Email: joanne@joannewillcox.com

As a qualified Colonic Hydotherapist and Nutritionist, I’m forever educating people about healthy eating and lowering their Cholesterol.

It’s a medical fact that high cholesterol levels are very bad for your heart, so anything we can do to lower our cholesterol is a good thing. Don’t get me wrong, I drool at the thought of a nice sausage roll, bag of cheese and onion, and bacon butty, just like the next person.

In fact, after running 3 clinics, two children, a husband and a pony each day, I’m all for an easy life, which can usually mean convenient food stuffs. Who isn’t pulled towards the shiny, colourful packaged ‘naughty’ foods by a Tesco tractor beam? “Resistance is futile!”

Okay, Joanne - What’s Cholesterol?

Cholesterol plays an essential role in how every cell in the body works. It’s all a bit scientific, so all you need to know is that too much ‘harmful cholesterol’ in the blood will increase your risk of getting cardiovascular disease.

Harmful cholesterol levels can be caused by eating too many saturated fats and trans-fats, so it’s pretty much a no-brainer, that the biggest thing you can do is cut these ‘BAD FATS’ out of our diets.

Predominantly, saturated fats are animal fats, commonly found in fatty meat products such as sausages, bacon and fatty cuts of meat. You’ll also find them in full fat dairy products like full fat milk, cream and cheese (sob). Trans-fats are found in pastries, crisps, pies and biscuits (boo). So, next time you go shopping, take a gander at the ingredients label.

‘Good Fats’ means Lower Cholesterol

Try to replace your ‘Bad fats’ with ‘Good fats’ which are (you guessed it) Unsaturated Fats. These are commonly known as Monounsaturates and Polyunsaturates. These are usually found from vegetable sources, such as Olive Oil, sunflower oil, avocado and many nuts and seeds, and oily fish that are rich in Omega 3.

You’ll find all this ‘foodie goodness’ every day, in whole grain foods and those high in soluble fibre (bread, pasta, oats, brown rice, fruits and vegetables).

Please note, that ALL FATS - GOOD OR BAD - ARE HIGH IN CALORIES, so it’s just as important to watch your body weight as this will definitely help to keep your cholesterol to a normal level.

Equally important, being physically active will burn off fat and oxygenate your blood, which will help speed up your metabolism and improve overall digestion and internal processing of your food intake.

JOANNE WILLCOX Colonic Hydotherapist has written various articles on health and nutrition over the years. She has three health clinics located in Chester, Liverpool and Wirral.

Telephone: 0845 055 6418

Email: joanne@joannewillcox.com

My mother shakes her head and rolls her eyes - “Spreading yourself too thin Joanne” and I know she’s right.

(Certain) high achieving women are imploded with demands, both external and internal, and lack skills to filter them. These women complain that the first thing they sacrifice is their private time or private pleasures.

Those of us who don’t spend regular time alone to rest and recoup are likely to suffer from what psychologists call “privacy deprivation syndrome”.

Symptoms include: - increasing resentment, mood swings, chronic fatigue and depression. Sound familiar, sound grim? It is! Sufferers struggle through their day in a vacuum of unfulfilled exasperation…

Only to drop in to bed too emotionally depleted to sleep well at night. The smallest thing can set them off - bringing tears and tantrums - and not only from the children in the family. Soon work and personal relationships begin to suffer. Why? Because the never-refreshed are really not that much fun to be around.

The cycle may continue unabated until physical illness sets in… Remember the flu flux you had last year for five weeks? The two weeks you were laid up with lower back pain last summer? The sinus infection you couldn’t shake off last month? We don’t have to make ourselves sick before we can call a psychic time out! Unfortunately, for many women it is only when we do get sick that we allow ourselves dispensation for time and space alone. This may be how life is for you right now but it doesn’t have to stay that way.

Starting in September l am offering a Joanne Willcox Alternative three day package at my Crabwall Manor Hotel, Chester.

Olde world rooms, fluffy white dressing gowns and five star treatments for those in need of serious R&R. A three day detox juicing programme (juice only), three cleansing colonic treatments, yoga, beauty treatments, Pilates, walking, swimming, massage, solitude and well-deserved ‘Me Time’ will top up those low batteries and have you feeling ready and raring to go in no time!

lf you find yourself secretly looking forward to regular rendezvous with a hot water bottle and a ‘Nytol’ - then privacy deprivation syndrome is exacting a high price.

“Hi, what can I get you?” beams the lovely young (clueless) waitress. So i order my lunch - afterwards she whips up the menu and ask “Would you like the healthy option?” No, of course not, I’d rather have fat-laden, grease-dripping, thigh-growing option please darling.

After being on a detox programme for a few days and knowing what goes into these naughty foods (or scarily not knowing) will make you opt for the ‘healthy option’ forever!

This issue is all about eco - so I’m going to write about cleansing programmes. I’m just returning from a three day cleansing weekend, feeling eco, fabulous and slim. As you know I’ve started cleansing programmes at my Chester clinic. One day cleansing experience, three day cleansing weekend and ten day complete tissue cleanse. All at the Crabwall Manor Clinic - House of Rejuvenation.

Cleansing the Joanne Willcox way is about combination of proven methods to support the natural healing of the individual. The way we live today means that we inevitably take in toxic chemicals through the air we breathe and the food we eat. The desire to achieve and succeed at work- and personal relationships - too often leads to sleep disturbances and high levels of stress. Add to this a lack of exercise and a sedentary job, and the result is an exhausted body that isn‘t equipped to fight infections, aches, pains, and fatigue.

The approach I take flushes out the build up of unwanted chemicals and toxins that make us feel mentally and physically sluggish. We use pure water and nutritious food and juices to support the body’s natural defences and restore deficiencies. Through the Joanne Willcox Clinic you will be advised, guided and helped each step of the way towards restoring your body’s natural timing, improving breathing, sleeping and elimination.

All cultures have had methods of detoxing fasting and cleansing, but in our sophisticated society we have either forgotten how or believe we don’t have time. By setting aside a period of time without rush or pressure we can restore the body’s natural balance and live healthily and happily.

How should the body cleanse?

In a nutshell- elimination happens through the colon - via the bile and liver system. Toxic gases are eliminated through the lungs.

A successful ‘detox’ involves:

Removal of foods likely to contain toxins and cause food allergies.

Rehydration with pure water.

Optional nutrition to assist bio-transformation of toxins without causing damage and free radical overload.

Intestinal cleansing through colonic hydrotherapy and massage.

Three day residential cleansing break.

A complete consultation and lifestyle assessment.

Two colonic irrigations

One massage, using personalised combination of organic essential oils.

A steam sauna

A body wrap using Dead Sea mud and Mineral Salts.

An ear candle session

Organic vegetable juices and food

Caster oil packs

Optional liver flush and supplementation advice

Optional extra treatments from the therapists at Joanne Willcox

Clinics e’spa treatments, hypnotherapy and counselling / psychotherapy.

We all love it to ourselves and our families to eat healthily - it is our duty to teach our children about health / nutrition -that doesn’t mean standing at the sink in socks and Jesus sandals listening to the radio peeling carrots. Why not treat yourself to a detox - and then you will understand the benefits.

Since the dawn of time, man has understood that food and drink can have profound effects on mental and emotional states.

The Healthy Kick
As all of us women know PMT, (Pre Match Tension my husband calls it!) ‘Kids kicking off,’ Husband being a pain in the arse! Nothing quite cuts it like a Toblerone, Gin and Tonic and a packet of Wine Gums, all at the same time, we automatically feel better!

When primitive tribes sought euphoria or oblivion, they had no man-made drugs; instead they fermented foodstuffs or the betel nut, and have harvested opium poppies and magic mushrooms. In today’s society we have forgotten what we once knew.

Doctors prescribe ever-increasing numbers of drugs, such as Ritalin or Prozac -for conditions that could possibly be simple nutritional deficiencies or food environmental sensitivities. Some children given doses of cod liver oil have shown rapid improvement in concentration and temperament.

Good for husbands too!
An another study at Kings College in London, patients suffering depression and schizophrenia   who were shown to have low folate levels were given Folic-Acid supplements every day and improved significantly faster than a control group given nothing.

Zinc supplements have helped sufferers of Anorexia Nervosa who frequently display zinc deficiency to start with. In almost every study of essential nutrients, particularly of Iron, Magnesium and the B Complex Vitamins - Mental disorders or malfunctions have been prominent among the symptoms of deficiency.

It seems extraordinary. The Western world is finally to understand that good nutrition is necessary for healthy bodies, but the realisation that we also need good nutrition for good mental health lags far behind. Even stress and a general state of feeling blue can be food related.

If you think your problems are all in the minds, don’t feel you have to limp through the rest of your life on the Crutch of tranquilisers’, anti-depressants or a sleeping pill - many of the answers lie in your own hands.

The hands that purchase, prepare and put food on your plate.

The Four Star Super-Foods:

Grapes, Buckwheat, Mullet, Oats, Wheat, Brewer’s Yeast, Molasses.

The Super Foods
Fruit - Apricots, Bananas, Dates, Oranges, Apples, Pears, Plums, Grapes, Peaches, Blackcurrants, Lemons, Figs, Strawberries, Raspberries, Raisins, Mangos.

Vegetables - Asparagus, Avocados, Aubergines, Beetroot, Cabbage, Carrots, Celery, Chicory, Water Cress, French Beans, Lettuce, Turnips, Onion Leeks, Mushrooms.

Grains - Oats, Barley, Rye, Wheat, Brown Rice, Buckwheat.

Seeds and Nuts - Almonds, Pecans, Walnuts, Hazelnuts, Peanuts, Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds.

Legumes - All dried beans - especially Soya beans and Peas.

Herbs and Spices - Garlic, Parsley, Lemon Balm, Lemon Verbena, Basil, Rosemary, Camomile, Fresh Ginger, Marioram, Thyme, Nutmeg, Juniper Berries, Liquorice.

Others - Cockles, Winkles, Shrimps, Oysters, Sardines, Liver, Lean Beef, Egg Yolk, Dark Chocolate.

Remember:
Alcohol, a depressant, is more destructive of vital brain nutrients than any other commonly consumed substance; it breaks down the Vitamin B complex and deletes the body’s stores of Magnesium, Zinc and Calcium - which are all vital to normal brain function.

We all know how we feel the morning after! Tea and Coffee - In excess, they can actually provoke anxiety, nervousness, depression and insomnia. They can also inhibit Zinc and Iron absorption.

As part of the digestion process, the food we eat travels through our small intestine. All of this is to make sure everything that should be absorbed will be and the rest passes out as waste.

But the big question is, how often should that happen? Whether it’s four times a day or four times a week if you’re comfortable, then that’s fine. But if you go less than once a week, things might need help moving along – but everyone’s different.

So regular is not as regular as you might have thought. But, we all know the system gets thrown out of whack from time to time. One day you’re constipated, the next you’re house bound with diarrhoea.
But what is diarrhoea? In short it’s when the motion is watery, as well as frequent. It’s mostly caused by tummy bugs, parasites, viruses and bad bacteria.

So what’s the best way to treat the runs? My advice is to just let nature run its course. And what is constipation? Constipation is when you go to the toilet infrequently, perhaps less than three times a week and you have to strain to go. It’s not an easy thing to pass the motion. What happens when you’re constipated is, instead of maintaining a moist, slippery stool; the colon absorbs too much water, leaving the stool hard, lumpy and stuck! And the longer it’s stuck, the more painful your predicament.

Time to resort to a laxative and not water - as it doesn’t give you a softer motion. It’s excreted in urine and no matter how much you drink; it still goes down in urine by and large.

But how can we stay regular? When it comes to going for number two, we should all look for the Goldilocks outcome - not too often, but just right.

But what’s the best way to be regular?

Have breakfast. A daily dose of dietary fibre, from unprocessed cereals, helps keep your poo in good shape.

Eat fruit and vegetables every day.

Drink six to eight glasses of fluid each day.

Exercise. Take time to go to the toilet.

And finally how should your poo look? Changes in consistency, or colour, shouldn’t be ignored. Sometimes the reason is simple; sometimes it can be more serious. But there’s one thing you should never ignore, if you see blood in the motion, you must get it checked out.

There’s no hard and fast rule about how often we should go, or what it should look like when we do, but you do need to be vigilant about any changes that occur from what’s normal for you. Most importantly, we all do it and there’s no shame in talking about it - especially to your doctor.

Anyway, having walked my buns off another 200 calories, I decided to take a break by the marina and grab an ice lolly. So, I’m queuing at the kiosk when I observe a gentleman wearing just cut-off denims and flips flops shout “Hey kids, do you want me to oil ya up?” to his three young daughters.

At first I thought, what a nice dad protecting his children - until he whips out an industrial sized bottle of Johnson’s Baby Oil! At this point, my jaw drops – “OH HELLO… WHAT PART OF DANGEROUS SUN BATHING - DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND?”

WOOO…WOOO…WOOO… the ‘Willcox Sun Burn Police’ race over to the gentleman to express my medical concerns. After a carefully worded chat about how he was about to ‘roast’ his children, he darts off to Morrison’s to purchase some Amber Solaire - HOORAH!

Incredibly, it seems that there’s still enormous ignorance regarding sun bathing. In fact, I know several men who think men can sun bath without sun block, because men have ‘different skin’ to us girlies – duh! Get with the programme boys; you really must take care of your skin. It’s such a beautiful gift and can make you look years younger if properly maintained.

Lately, I’ve been addicted to Channels 4’s ‘How to Look Good Naked’ with wonder boy Gok Wan (whom I had the pleasure of meeting at Liverpool’s Race for Life – whist queuing for a cuppa).

Anyway, Gok’s show has 100 women rate the latest skin care products. Great TV, but truthfully, drug store-available skin care products won’t give you the lasting results you desire. Trust me, I’m a professional. 90% of retail skin care products are pretty useless. So what about professional skin care treatments?

Microdermabrasion. This mechanical process blasts minute salt crystals on to skin, taking off a top layer to reveal a fresher look. Microdermabrasion is remarkable in the hands of a trained Aesthetician, but deadly when performed by a non-qualified person. Last week, I treated two ladies with soreness and grazing on the faces through uneven application. Their first - and last experience.

Personally, I’m not a fan, and neither is Dr Lowe of the British Association of Dermatology. Microdermabrasion is difficult to do evenly at best and easy to get wrong.

Glycolic Skin Peels. The medical big boys of the skin care world prefer Glycolic Skin Peel treatments over Microdermabrasion. It really is the future, as it can give you super clean, polished skin. Glycolic Skin Peels work chemically, and can give a far more evenly balanced complexion. In fact I treat a vast number of clients, sports personalities and celebrities (men and women) who have been thrilled with the results.

Glycolic Skin Peels are excellent, but only when administered under the trained supervision of someone like myself, a doctor, nurse or dermatologist. WARNING – DON’T MESS WITH YOUR SKIN AND MAKE SURE YOUR THERAPIST IS TRAINED.

Clinical Skin Care Products. All my clinics are qualified to administer and resell the Jan Marini skin care range. Results are fantastic, so call into Herbert of Liverpool for your free consultation. You’ll be amazed at the results.

Also, by the time you read this issue, my free online skin care consultation will be available at joannewillcox.com. Beautiful looking skin is just a click away.

You wouldn’t believe the number of people I meet who don’t drink any water, ever! Research shows that one in two people is regularly dehydrated. More than half our body is made up of water and we so need it to survive. In fact dehydration can affect almost every bodily function and cause impaired vision.

The brain is 75% water and can actually shrink if you are dehydrated! My Bank Manager really should carry a bottle of water with him at all times. This can also impair concentration, memory and reaction times, and bring on a headache. Strength, stamina, energy and control are diminished when you’re dehydrated.

Later keeps your bowels moving along nicely, too little will cause constipation Also we need water to support our immune system and dehydration means your skin can become dry and less youthful looking.

My advice is to get a juicer and start having a fresh juice daily. It’s so easy to get into this habit. Keep bottled water with you at all times and sip it throughout the day. Eat plenty of fruit.

Also vegetables and clear soups will add to your fluid intake. Remember to drink before you feel thirsty, thirst is an indication that you are already dehydrated. Replace caffeinated drinks with water and herbal teas. With winter on its way, it is an ideal time to try and make the switch to cosy comforting tea. Herbal teas are caffeine free, good news.

Opt for peppermint and fennel to aid digestion, to support the liver and for internal cleansing. If you really are struggling to go without that coffee fix try dandelion coffee as an alternative it’s delicious, honestly, I love it. It’s high in potassium and helps stimulate the liver and bile flow.

Are you dehydrated?
You can check your hydration levels by pinching the back of your hand, the skin should spring back into place immediately. If it does not you’re probably dehydrated. Also, look at the colour of your urine. If it’s a pale yellow colour, you’re well hydrated, whereas if your urine is dark in colour, it’s a sign of dehydration.

I recommend 2.2 litres a day for woman and that men need around 2.9 litres, rising to 4.5 litres for both sexes if you’re doing manual work in high temperatures. During pregnancy, a woman’s needs rise to 4.8 and 5.5 litres during breastfeeding. Some of this can come from foods such as fruit and vegetables, which are 8O- 95% water.

Essentially water removes toxins from your body giving you clearer skin, it’s the oldest beauty tip and available directly from your tap.

But while the likes of Cher, Naomi Campbell and Paris Hilton clamour for younger looking skin to boost their careers or grab the paparazzi’s attention, the Lady Mayoress, Hilary Clark, has a different reason for having regular Jan Marini glycolic peels.

“I’m representing the city seven days a week and meeting all sorts of people. I want to feel and look my best, it’s as simple as that,” explains the 52-year-old mum of two teenage daughters.

“Plus, before I did this I hadn’t worn make-up for ages; now I have to wear it all the time and to be honest it’s taken a toll on my skin. I don’t think I’ve ever had so many spots! “The peels help keep my skin at its best. And if they knock a couple of years off in the process, then all the better!”

The peels are administered by medical practitioner Joanne Willcox, based in the medical centre at the Herbert of Liverpool salon in Hanover Street. Derived from sugar cane the acid claims to loosen the glue-like attachments which layer the skin to reveal new, brighter, clearer skin beneath.

For Hilary, a naturally shy woman among crowds, knowing she looks good also means a boost to her confidence. “This is a wonderful role and I’m very priviledged to do it”. Whether we like it or not image is very important so it’s important to me, representing Liverpool, that I look good whether I’m meeting schoolchildren or Desmond Tutu!”

Her determination to meet any challenge is particularly apt given that, as a breast cancer survivor, she has undergone two mastectomies. It was in autumn, 2003, just as her husband Paul was recovering from major heart surgery, that she discovered a lump in her breast.

She underwent a mastectomy but less than a year later discovered a second lump and again had surgery.

“Being ill knocked me, but it also changed both our outlooks on life. We realised that work isn’t everything and we also realised how lucky we were in what we had,” says Hilary.

Amid the flurry of official engagements Hilary, a jogger for 20 years, also tries to get to the gym as often as she can - and to Joanne’s treatment table, of course.

“At the end of the day it’s a hard job being a mum, running a house and maybe holding down a job - whether you work in an office, a factory or are the Lady Mayoress.

“So if you can, why not treat yourself to a little reward?”

According to Joanne, a medical practitioner for 25 years, interest in surgical and non surgical treatments has exploded over the last few years.

“They are so readily available and there is such a range now,” she says.

“In terms of the glycolic peels they are the equivalent to what you’d see on the programme Ten Years Younger without the surgery.”

Treatments cost £85 each and a course of six is recommended with the use of specialist Jan Marini products for two weeks before.

And Joanne’s other top tip for perfect skin?

“Exfoliate three times a week. It never fails.”

Article: Feb 13 2008 by Susan Lee, Liverpool Echo

My blond brain and body can finally take a break from trying to occupy my children’s holiday rota with exciting activities - “Fancy a bike ride, country walk - another bike ride?” With UK weather what it was, THANK GOD FOR NINTENDO WII AND GUITAR HERO, of which I’m sure I’ve given birth to a future rock chick screaming “Ruby, Ruby, Ruby” every minute (cotton wool, anyone?).

Funny things holidays. You always need another to get over the original! Prior to my action week off, I was frantically trying to tie up appointments by working almost 24/7. It seemed my client’s were also on the same mission. I was amazed how many of them were suffering from hyper-stressed, suffering from a cold, general tiredness and PMT (aka “don’t even go there, Mister”).

We take these symptoms as part and parcel of life, and of course, colonic, healthy diet, vitamin supplements and exercise can dramatically help. However, for certain ‘symptoms’ there doesn’t seem to be a readily available ‘treatment’, apart from the prescriptive given by your local GP.

Take for example, Asthma. My lovely hubby, Neil, suffers from bit of Asthma. In reality IT’S LIKE LIVING WITH ‘DARTH VADER’. When he gets stressed out or short of breath, he always reaches for ‘Mr Ventolin’ - his blue steroid inhaler. Sure, it works and sorts out the wheezing, but we both decided there must be a better long-term treatment.

We thought we’d try ‘Homeopathy’ as it’s touted as a treatment for a wide range of illnesses and ailments.

Homeopathy is about treating ‘like with like’. For example, if you have a runny nose, the homeopathic remedy will be something that naturally gives you a runny nose - only mega diluted. It acts like a vaccination. Remedies are very diluted - often one drop in a whole litre of water, so statistically you don’t even get one molecule of the substance in your remedy. The diluted substance is then dropped onto some sugar powder or on a sugar pill, which you dissolve on the tongue. The more dilute the solution, the higher the homeopathic potency.

Anyway, following our arrival at a Homeopathic clinic and a very lengthy consultation, my homeopathic practitioner was able to prescribe an individualised remedy, which took into account mental and physical aspects. He said that it was as if Neil’s immune system was ‘derailed’ and the remedy would get it back on track!

The Homeopath insisted he also check his lungs daily with a peak flow meter, and he noticed an immediate improvement, and went gradually off the inhalers, which was a pretty good too. Neil still keeps an emergency inhaler handy though!

Honestly, I was a sceptic, and I guess everyone will experience different results, but I was impressed. Neil snores too, so I’m looking for a treatment for that now - DOLLY PEG, ANYONE?

JOANNE WILLCOX Colonic Hydotherapist has written various articles on health and nutrition over the years. She has three health clinics located in Chester, Liverpool and Wirral.

Telephone: 0845 055 6418

Email: joanne@joannewillcox.com