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https://mindandmotiontherapy.co.uk/

Mind and Motion Therapy, Kendal (2025)

22/10/2025

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22/10/2025

When we look at the human body, it’s hard not to be amazed by the incredible systems that keep us alive and moving.

✨ 60,000 miles of blood vessels – That’s enough to wrap around the Earth more than twice! Your vascular system works constantly to deliver oxygen and nutrients where they’re needed most, and to remove waste products.

✨ 90,000 miles of sensations – Your nervous system is like the ultimate communication network. It sends signals at lightning speed, telling you when something is hot, cold, sharp, or soothing. It also plays a central role in pain – not always because of damage, but sometimes because the system itself becomes extra sensitive.

✨ 206 bones – Your skeleton isn’t just scaffolding. It protects organs, stores minerals, and gives your muscles something to anchor onto so you can move, lift, stretch, and run.

Together, these systems remind us that the body isn’t made of separate parts working in isolation. Everything is connected – your circulation, your nerves, your bones, and of course, your mind.

💡 This is why looking after your health means more than focusing on one area. Gentle movement keeps blood vessels open and strong. Calming the nervous system helps reduce pain and stiffness. Good nutrition supports bone strength and recovery.

Next time you feel in awe of the human body (or maybe frustrated with it!), just remember: you’re carrying around an incredible system of strength, sensation, and resilience every single day.

21/10/2025

🧠 The Amygdala – Why Actions Speak Louder Than Thoughts

I came across something recently that really struck a chord – the amygdala (our brain’s alarm system) doesn’t understand logic, it only learns from what we do.

This means if we constantly respond to a situation with avoidance, panic or frantic behaviour, the amygdala stores that away as “this is dangerous.” But if we keep showing up calmly – even when we feel nervous – over time it learns “this is safe.”

✨ Real-life examples:

Cross the road every time you see a dog → your brain learns “dogs = danger.”

Keep walking past calmly, even if you feel anxious → over time, “dogs = safe.”

Feel anxious in a shop but carry on shopping → your brain learns “this place isn’t a threat.”

Even the small things count: humming while washing dishes when you’re nervous, texting a friend instead of freezing, or sipping water when an intrusive thought shows up. Each little action sends the message: “life is carrying on, nothing dangerous is happening.”

And the same applies to scary thoughts. If we freeze, pace or Google, the brain thinks “this thought is dangerous.” But if we keep folding laundry, sipping tea, or just going about our day, the brain realises, “oh – just another thought. Not a threat.”

💡 Over time, our amygdala updates its learning: thoughts and feelings aren’t emergencies.

It’s not about fighting fear – it’s about gently retraining the brain through consistent, calm actions. Step by step, we can re-teach our nervous system what’s safe.

20/10/2025

🐻 Everyone, meet Brian! 🐻

Brian isn’t your average bear – he’s a life-sized teddy with a taste for adventure! For the next couple of months, he’ll be joining me on all sorts of escapades around the Lake District before heading back down south to his rightful home with friends.

The challenge? To see just how many adventures we can squeeze in and capture Brian enjoying the very best of the Lakes – from fells to forests, lakesides to coffee shops, and maybe even a few gym sessions if he’s feeling up to it!

Sometimes life can feel heavy, and it’s easy to forget the joy in simply being a little silly. Brian is here to remind us all that fun and laughter are as good for the body as they are for the mind. Whether you’re climbing a fell, going for a walk, or just sitting with a cuppa – finding the lighter side of life can be a powerful tool for reducing stress and tension.

So, keep an eye out – you might just spot Brian on his adventures (and yes, he does draw quite a few curious looks from passers-by 😅).

Here’s to some much-needed fun, laughter, and big bear hugs – because wellness isn’t always about the serious stuff! 💪🌈

19/10/2025

✨ Out of Sight, Out of Mind? Not When It Comes to Pain Relief! ✨

This photo made me laugh – I jumped for joy, but the camera mistimed it and cut off half my body! It reminded me of something I often see with clients: the tools you already have to help with stiffness or pain are sometimes forgotten when they’re out of sight.

We all do it — we only think of relief when discomfort flares up, and by then, we’ve forgotten the simple, powerful tools that can make a big difference. So here’s a little reminder:

🟢 Heat Therapy – A hot water bottle, wheat bag, or warm bath can help muscles relax, ease tension, and increase blood flow. Perfect when things feel tight.

🟢 Stretching & Mobility – Just 5–10 minutes a day can reduce stiffness, improve range of motion, and prevent little niggles from turning into bigger issues.

🟢 Self-Massage & Foam Rolling – Great for easing knots and boosting circulation. Even a few minutes on a tight area can bring relief.

🟢 Hydration & Nutrition – Water, balanced meals, and magnesium-rich foods (like spinach, nuts, seeds) help keep muscles supple and joints happy.

🟢 Movement Breaks – Sitting too long? Standing too long? Movement resets your body. Short, regular breaks can stop stiffness from building up.

🌟 Takeaway: Just because these tools aren’t always in front of you doesn’t mean they should be forgotten. Small, consistent habits can make a huge difference to how your body feels day to day.

So let’s keep those “missing pieces” in sight — your body will thank you for it! 💚

18/10/2025

🥦 Food, Muscles & Joints – Why Nutrition Matters 🥦

When we think about easing muscle tightness or joint pain, we often jump straight to stretching, massage, or exercise. But what we put on our plate has just as much impact as what we do in the gym or therapy room.

💡 Here’s how good nutrition can help:

✨ Reduces Inflammation

Certain foods (like oily fish, nuts, seeds, and colourful fruit & veg) contain antioxidants and omega-3s that reduce inflammation in muscles and joints. Less inflammation often means less stiffness and discomfort.

✨ Supports Muscle Function

Magnesium, potassium, and calcium are vital for muscle relaxation and contraction. Without enough of these minerals, muscles can cramp or feel constantly tight. Think leafy greens, bananas, beans, nuts, and dairy or fortified alternatives.

✨ Protects Joints

Collagen-rich foods (like bone broth, chicken, or collagen supplements) and vitamin C (berries, citrus, peppers) help maintain cartilage and connective tissue — keeping joints moving more smoothly.

✨ Hydration Counts

Even mild dehydration can make muscles feel tense and joints less cushioned. Water, herbal teas, and foods with high water content (like cucumber and watermelon) all help keep tissues hydrated.

✨ Balances Energy

Blood sugar spikes and dips can heighten the body’s stress response, which often increases muscle tension. Balanced meals with protein, fibre, and healthy fats keep energy steady and the nervous system calmer.

🌱 Takeaway:

Nutrition isn’t about a perfect diet or strict rules. It’s about supporting your body with the right building blocks so it can heal, move, and feel better. Small shifts — like swapping processed snacks for nuts or adding an extra portion of veg — can make a real difference over time.

Your muscles and joints aren’t just influenced by what you do — they’re also shaped by what you fuel them with.

17/10/2025

🌿 Massage & The Nervous System – More Than Just Muscles 🌿

When people think of massage, they often picture easing out knots or loosening tight muscles. But one of the biggest benefits of massage actually happens much deeper — in the nervous system.

Our bodies are constantly balancing between two states:
✨ Fight-or-flight (the stress response)
✨ Rest-and-digest (the recovery state)

Many of us spend far too much time stuck in fight-or-flight — stress hormones elevated, muscles tense, pain signals heightened. This is where massage can make a huge difference.

💆‍♀️ Here’s what massage does for your nervous system:

Switches you into recovery mode: Gentle, sustained touch activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping your heart rate slow, breathing deepen, and digestion improve.

Reduces pain sensitivity: When the nervous system feels “safe,” pain signals often quieten, reducing that constant ache or tightness.

Calms the brain: Massage can lower cortisol (the stress hormone) and boost serotonin and dopamine, improving mood and reducing anxiety.

Improves body awareness: By focusing attention on different areas, massage helps rewire the brain’s connection to the body — useful for managing neuroplastic pain.

Supports better sleep: A calm nervous system makes it easier to drift off and stay asleep.

🌱 Why it matters:

When the nervous system is soothed, the whole body has a chance to reset. That’s why massage isn’t just a luxury — it can be a powerful tool for pain management, stress relief, and long-term health.

Sometimes the best way to help tight muscles isn’t to push harder on them — it’s to calm the nervous system that’s keeping them tense in the first place.

16/10/2025

✨ The Amygdala – Why It Reacts the Way It Does ✨

Your amygdala is like the brain’s alarm system. It isn’t logical, and it doesn’t reason things out – it only learns from what you do.

When you respond to a signal calmly and carry on with normal behaviour, your amygdala eventually learns “this is safe.” But if you respond with avoidance, panic, or frantic behaviour, it marks the same situation as dangerous.

🔹 Real-world examples:

If you see a dog and cross the street, your amygdala learns “dogs = danger.” But if you walk past calmly, even if you feel nervous, over time it learns “dogs = safe.”

If you get anxious in a shop but continue browsing, your amygdala learns “being here = safe.”

Even tiny actions count: humming while washing dishes, sending a text instead of freezing, or sipping water when anxious. These are all safety signals for your brain.

🔹 Intrusive thoughts:
If a scary thought pops up, like “What if I lose control?”, your reaction teaches your amygdala how to interpret it:

Freeze, pace, or Google it → “This thought must be dangerous.”

Carry on with something ordinary → “Oh, it’s just a thought, life goes on, not dangerous.”

The more often you calmly carry on, the more your amygdala updates its learning: thoughts aren’t emergencies, and situations aren’t threats – because your behaviour keeps proving it.

💡 The takeaway? Your amygdala learns by repetition, not by reasoning. Every time you respond with calm action, you’re retraining your brain’s alarm system to choose safety over fear.

15/10/2025

🌋✨ Looking back through old photos always makes me smile, and my trip to Java has so many memories that still feel so alive. Wandering around the temples with the beautiful volcanoes as a backdrop was breathtaking – such history, such stillness, and such a reminder of how small we are in the grand scheme of things.

And then of course… there’s that photo. You know the one – the headless statue with me perfectly lined up so it looks like I’ve borrowed its body! 🤣 It still makes me laugh now. Sometimes the best memories come from those unplanned, silly moments that just happen naturally.

For me, this trip was about more than sightseeing – it was about connection, presence, and letting myself enjoy every part of the journey. That’s something I try to carry into everyday life too. Yes, we all have routines, responsibilities, and challenges, but sprinkling in lightness, laughter and curiosity keeps us balanced.

💡 A little takeaway for you today:

Make time to revisit your own happy memories – they’re powerful tools to shift your mood.

Allow yourself space to laugh, even at the silly things – your nervous system loves it.

Remember that life isn’t just about “getting through the days” – it’s about collecting these moments.

Here’s to good memories, laughter, and finding joy wherever you are – even if that means being the head of a statue for a day!

14/10/2025

Pain isn’t black & white

I’m sharing a black-and-white photo today — but when it comes to pain, things are rarely this clear cut. Pain is not simply about damaged tissue or a diagnosis. It’s influenced by a mix of factors, and the more we understand them, the better we can approach recovery and management.

Contributing factors to pain can include:

Biological: past injuries, inflammation, posture, sleep, fatigue, hormones.

Neurological: how the brain interprets signals, neuroplastic changes, nerve sensitivity.

Psychological: stress, anxiety, depression, self-criticism, fear of movement.

Social: relationships, support systems, workplace stress, financial pressure.

Lifestyle: nutrition, physical activity, alcohol, smoking, daily habits.

Environmental: weather, noise, living/working conditions.

Beliefs & experiences: what you’ve been told about your body, past medical interactions.

This doesn’t mean pain is “all in your head” — quite the opposite. It means your body is taking in information from all areas of life and your brain is making sense of it. Pain is real, but it’s complex.

The good news? With so many contributing factors, there are also many opportunities for change. Small adjustments across different areas — whether it’s movement, sleep, nutrition, stress management, or mindset — can all shift the experience of pain over time.

Healing isn’t black and white. It’s layered, personal, and always possible to improve.

📞 07452973130 | ✉️ info@mindandmotiontherapy.co.uk

🌍 www.mindandmotiontherapy.co.uk

13/10/2025

Laughter: a simple way to ease stiffness & tension

We often think of stretching, massage, or exercise for tight muscles — but one of the most overlooked tools is laughter. It’s free, always available, and it directly calms the nervous system.

When you laugh, your body lowers stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which means your muscles don’t feel the need to brace so tightly. At the same time, laughter boosts endorphins — your body’s natural pain relief. It also improves breathing, activates the vagus nerve, and helps your system switch into “rest & digest” mode. When your body feels safe, it lets go of stiffness.

Practical ways to use laughter for muscle tension:

Micro-bursts: fake or real laughter for a minute — you’ll feel the shift.

Laugh + movement: shake out your arms and shoulders while chuckling.

Funny audio: listen to a comedian or podcast while walking.

Social laughter: time with someone who makes you laugh has double the effect.

Reframe pain: give your ache a silly nickname — humour reduces fear.

Quick 3-minute reset:

30s of deep breathing.

60s of laughing (clip, memory, or fake laughter).

30s of shaking out shoulders.

60s of calm breathing, notice the release.

It may feel silly at first, but laughter genuinely changes the way your nervous system responds. Less stress = less tension = more freedom of movement.

Sometimes the best medicine really is laughter.

📞 07452973130 | ✉️ info@mindandmotiontherapy.co.uk

🌍 www.mindandmotiontherapy.co.uk

12/10/2025

An absolute blinder of a day out on the fells, a full 8hrs with a cloud inversion, it felt like I was in another world to myself all day - Epic.

Enjoy the views peeps, days like these don’t come along very often 🥰⛰️🙏☀️🙌❤️

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