Ilkley Complementary Therapies

10/08/2025

Golden glow: inside and out

Our Medical Herbalist, Julia Richards writes:

I recently attended a beautiful Haldi ceremony, a traditional prewedding ritual in South Asian culture where turmeric paste is applied to the bride and groom. It’s believed to bless them with joy, protection and glowing skin. The air was filled with love, laughter, a golden hue and other joyous colours.

Though Turmeric isn’t just for special occasions, it can:

Soothe joints & muscles –curcumin (a polyphenol) reduces inflammation.

Support digestion – curcumin + turmerones (essential oil) support bile flow and a healthy gut.

Boost Immune & heart health – curcumin’s antioxidant action protects cells. Turmerones aid immune balance and absorption.

Enhance mood and brain health – curcumin may support healthy brain function and mood by reducing oxidative stress and promoting BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor).

Easy ways to incorporate it into your diet:

Golden milk – warm milk (dairy or plant), ½ tsp turmeric + pinch black pepper + honey.

Smoothies – blend into your favourite combination of fruits and vegetables.

Everyday cooking – sprinkle on roasted veggies, eggs, yoghurt, fruit and add to soups, stews and curries.

Top tip: pair with black pepper and a little healthy fat (eg. olive oil / coconut milk/ yoghurt / avocado) for better absorption.

How do you like to use turmeric? We’d love you share in the comments

03/08/2025

August is UK Wellness month

Summer energy brings a burst of outward energy with longer days for socialising, getting things done and travelling. However, it can eave us feeling drained and out of balance if we don’t incorporate some selfcare activities into our schedule. August invites us to rest and replenish.

So, what does wellness mean to you?
Is nourishing food, moving your body, peace of mind, strong boundaries, an aesthetic work and home environment or something else entirely?

I like to think of wellness as the ongoing process of making intentional choices that support your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. Things to consider include:

Physical wellness
Nourish your body with whole foods, quality sleep, movement of any kind and restorative rest.
You'll feel energised and resilient to take on what matters most to you.

Mental wellness
Tend to your mindset, focus and learning. Mental rest is just as important as productivity.
You'll make better decisions, manage stress and stay open to new possibilities.

Emotional wellness
Understand, express and regulate your emotions instead of bottling them up.
You'll feel more balanced, calmer and connect better with others.

Spiritual wellness
Connect to something greater than yourself: nature; purpose; creativity; values; or a sense of inner calm.
You'll have a deeper sense of meaning and groundedness.

Social wellness
Surround yourself with people who allow you to be fully you and maintain healthy boundaries.
This will boost confidence, reduce stress and create a sense of belonging.

Environmental & lifestyle wellness
Shape your daily routines and physical spaces to support your wellness. What lighting, views, aesthetics, sounds, smells, textures and tastes energise and uplift or relax and calm you as required.

A balanced environment can regulate mood, increase focus or invoke calm and help make healthy habits sustainable.

This August start small. Check in with yourself. Choose one thing each week that helps you feel more whole, not more busy.

We’d love to know: What does wellness mean to you right now?

Share so we can inspire each other.

27/07/2025

Flowers, Wind, Moon and me: staying calm this season

Have you been enjoying the varied summer weather of sun, warmth, lite breezes and a sprinkling of rain?

Our Medical Herbalist. Julia Richards writes:
I've been appreciating walks in nature (because I’m only a fine weather walker) and savouring weekend evenings relaxing in the hot tub watching the sun go down and the moon and stars emerge with a lite breeze on my face. I’ve felt at ease this season, even though my work load is still full.

Reflecting on why I feel this way, I came across the Japanese concept of Kachō Fūgetsu which means to discover yourself when experiencing nature. Literally, it translates to ‘Flower, Bird, Wind, Moon.’ It’s about pausing, noticing and resetting to find yourself and our contentment in nature.

This summer consider embracing the concept by going for regular walks, lying under the moon and stars, sitting by an open a window, reading or journaling in the garden. Then take the time to notice:

Flower (Ka 花)
What’s growing in the garden, hedgerows, meadows or between cracks in the pavement. Reflect on how they remind us of the fleeting beauty of the present moment, growth and resilience.

Bird Chō (鳥)
Sit in your garden or park and bird watch and listen. Let birds in flight remind you to zoom out from your stress and take a broader view. Let birdsong inspire you to do something joyful.

Wind (Chō 鳥 / Fū 風)
Notice the sensation on your skin. Let it blow your worries away. Breathe deeply. Think about what you want to let go of and visualise the breeze carrying it away.

Moon (Getsu 月)
Watch the moonrise one night. Relish in the stillness of a moonlit night.

How will you embrace Kachō Fūgetsu this summer ? We’d love you to share in the comments.

20/07/2025

Feel good prescription: one joyful dance session, taken as needed.

Over the last few months our Medical Herbalist, Julia Richards has found herself at a string of events where dancing has taken centre stage – a wedding and numerous birthday celebrations. Each time, she's left feeling energised, brighter and more connected to friends and family.
It’s been fun AND a wellbeing boost as confirmed by recent studies at the Universities of Edinburgh and Sydney:

Physically
It’s resourceful way to incorporate movement into your day. It gets your heart pumping, muscles stretching and strengthening and improves coordination and balance – all beneficial for aging well. Plus, you may find it more fun than going to the gym!

Mentally
Dancing pulls you out of your head and into the music. It clears your mind, boosts your focus, and gets you fully in the moment.

Emotionally
Dancing moves the emotion through you. Whether you're shaking off stress or celebrating something big, it's a great way to shift your mood and release the happy feel good chemicals - dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins.

Socially
Dancing with friends sparks joy, laughter and fond memories.

You don’t need to go to an event to enjoy the benefits. Put on your favourite song or playlist and dance whilst doing housework, waiting for the kettle to boil or toast to pop, out in your garden or with friends in the park. Move however you like and feel the shift in your energy and mood.

When was the last time you danced just for the joy of it?

We’d love hear in the comments what you’re dancing to and the benefits it brings you.

13/07/2025

Tossing, turning
Arms and legs at every angle
Sheets in a tangle
Covers kicked, pillows flipped, water sipped
Yet still awake with patience clipped
Waking up tired, groggy and with energy zipped

Does this sound familiar in the recent bout of hot weather?
If you are struggling to get a good night’s sleep because your bedroom is too hot then here’s a few herbal teas to COOL you down and promote SLEEP. Sip at room temperature or with ice one -two hours before bed.

Limeflower – eases stress, anxiety and helps promote sleep especially if you suffer night sweats or nightmares.

Passionflower – sedative and effective if you can’t switch off your mind.

Lemon verbena – sedative and beneficial for low mood.

Lemon balm – eases stress especially if it affects your digestive system.

Rose – calming and supportive for heart felt emotional issues.

Chamomile – calming and eases digestive and hayfever / summer cold congestion.

Lavender - helpful when anxiety is affecting sleep or causing headaches.

TIP – you can also combine two or more herbs together. I love Limeflower, Passionflower and Lemon Balm together.

Others to try in the DAY to help cool and refresh you include:
Peppermint and Fennel - cooling and helpful for digestive issues.

Hibiscus – cooling and beneficial for cardiovascular issues.

Always check with a health professional before taking herbs as they may interact with your current medication or medical condition.

We’d love hear in the comments which cooling teas you enjoy and what your unique blend is.

06/07/2025

Feeling the Summer Buzz or the Burnout? Try a calming cup of Passionflower tea.

With lighter, longer days, summer can be uplifting, giving us more energy and motivation for activity and socialising. However, the downside it that it can also leave us feeling worn out if we don't intentionally take time to pause and reset.

That’s exactly what we explored at our Increase Calm workshop last Thursday at Ilkley Manor House. Participants sipped soothing herbal teas including Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) while learning simple, research-backed techniques like breathwork and acupoints to help shift from chaos to calm.

Curious about Passionflower?

This beautiful climbing plant helps:
Relieve stress and anxiety
Calm a racing mind
Support deeper, more restful sleep
Ease restlessness and irritability
Gently support your nervous system without grogginess.

A cup of Passionflower tea instantly helps to calm the mind and ease mental tension and could become part of your selfcare ritual for winding down.

Read more about the calming powers of Passionflower in my latest blog: https://www.enhanceone.com/single-post/herbal-spotlight-passionflower-passiflora-incarnata

29/06/2025

Selfcare Sunday: visit beautiful gardens and dine on seasonal freshly made food.

26/06/2025

🧘‍♂️ There are just a few more spaces available on Ilkley Complementary Therapies' Increase Calm workshop 🧘‍♂️
⏰ 6:30–9pm | 📅 Thursday, 3 July
🎟 Only £5 | Book here: https://buytickets.at/ilkleymanorhousetrust/1700116

Struggling with stress or overwhelm? Join the team from Ilkley Complementary Therapies for a relaxing evening at Ilkley Manor House focused on restoring calm and balance. Learn simple, effective tools to reduce anxiety, and techniques you can use every day. Take home a free sample bag of wellbeing goodies too!

Limited spaces available – book online via the link above or in person at Ilkley Manor House (weekends, 11am–4pm).

With funding thanks to Wharfedale and Silsden Community Partnership.

22/06/2025

Summer Solstice and Seasonal Selfcare

My weekend has mirrored the new season’s energy perfectly as I found myself at two milestone birthday parties in one day! Full of good company, delicious food and fizz, dancing and celebration, it was a reflection of the vibrant energy summer brings.

Yesterday’s Summer Solstice was the longest day of the year. Nature is at its peak. The outward energy can lead to burnout. Here's some tips for aligning high energy summer energy with sustainable wellbeing.

Embrace the morning light for a better night’s sleep
10-15 mins outside helps regulate your sleep, boosts alertness and balances hormones. Start your day outside: stretch, journal or sip your tea/coffee/smoothie whilst soaking in the early light.

Stay cool
Balance body and mind with cooling herbs, food and calming practices.

Coriander– cooling for digestion and inflammation.
Fennel – soothes heat-related bloating.
Chamomile – calms nerves and cools internal heat.
Hibiscus – naturally lowers body temperature.
Holy basil (tulsi) – balances heat and supports mood.
Cooling foods include: Cucumber, Courgette, Melons, Citrus fruits, Leafy greens, Coconut water (replenishes electrolytes) and yoghurt.

Connect and create with intention
Make time for the people, projects and experiences that bring you joy. Avoid over packing your calendar. Pause, check in with yourself and choose what truly lights you up so you can say yes to what energises you, not just things you feel obligated to.

Protect your energy
Rest isn’t optional.
Take mindful pauses between tasks instead of powering through.
Schedule screen-free time, especially in the evening.
Try saying no to what drains you.
Create mini moments of rest: sit in the sun, breathe deeply, eat and drink slowly.
Build in buffer time between social events or meetings.

I’d love to hear how you’re embracing the vibrant energy of summer whilst making space for rest and selfcare.

Why not join us for our Increase Calm workshop on 3 July, 6:30–9pm at Ilkley Manor House and learn practical tips to stay centred and calm during summer’s high energy days. Tickets are £5 and available via Ilkley Manor House website.

15/06/2025

When life throws everything at you in one week:

- Email not working on any device.
- Wifi calling down and I live where there's no mobile signal so needed phone for banking etc.
- - The usual Zoom & Teams chaos—no audio or no video.
And the last straw – my car broke down on a busy road en route to a friend’s birthday lunch which I disappointedly never made.

While waiting for recovery, with my stress levels rising I turned to the Ilkley Complementary Calm Toolkit. Here’s what helped me stay grounded:

1. Triangle Breathing – inhale for 3, hold for 3, exhale for 3 (repeat). It slows the breath and calms the nervous system.

2. Movement – I wandered around in a nearby field and did a few stretches. Gentle movement helps release adrenaline and lower cortisol levels.

3. Sensory grounding – a quick mindfulness scan: What could I see, hear, smell, taste, and touch? I noticed a sweet ladybird on a leaf—nature’s tiny reminder to pause and notice. This technique brings you out of your head and into the present.

Want to learn these techniques (and more) to use in real-life moments like this?

Join us for our Increase Calm workshop on 3 July, 6.30–9.00pm at Ilkley Manor House. Tickets are £5 and available on the Ilkley Manor House website or at the House.

Life won’t stop throwing obstacles in your way but you can learn to meet them with more calm.

12/06/2025

So excited to be offering this workshop in the beautiful setting of Ilkley Manor House.
Come, relax and take home new levels of calm !

🧘‍♂️ WELLBEING WORKSHOP: Increase Calm 🧘‍♂️
⏰ 6:30–9pm
📅 Thursday, 3 July
🎟 £5 | Available here: https://buytickets.at/ilkleymanorhousetrust/1700116

Join the team from Ilkley Complementary Therapies for an interactive wellbeing workshop on Thursday, 3 July, and take home a sample bag of products!

From 6:30-9pm, learn tools, tips, and techniques to use at home to reduce anxiety, stress, and overwhelm and increase feelings of calm.

Tickets are just £5 and can be purchased via the link above or in person at Ilkley Manor House when we open on weekends, 11am to 4pm.

This event will take place in the Housebody, which is on the ground floor of Ilkley Manor House. There are no steps to get into the Housebody but please note there are uneven flagstones.