camclub October Articles
October 2010
Mark Shields - Success is 90% confidence
Dounne Alexander MBE. FRSA - An URGENT Call to Action
Dennis Yentumi – 5 Steps to a balanced healthy lifestyle
Natural Therapy Pages –Herbal Medicine for Eczema
“Success is 90% confidence” said the captain of English Rugby.
“Success is 90% confidence”. These were the first words of wisdom that the rugby player Will Carling, shared with me when I met him some years ago. It was the autumn of 1998 and an evening that I will never forget and advice that has resonated within all the work that I do with my clients.
At age of 22 Will Carling was Britain’s youngest ever rugby captain leading the team to their most successful period ever - the World Cup final in 1991. In fact, it was in relation to this final that he continued his story. “We were 100% confident we would reach the final”, he said, “but when we got there we had not prepared and therefore lacked confidence and focus to actually win the game”.
The lesson learnt by his team was that success is down to 90% confidence. So, if you truly believe you can win, with the right preparation and focus you will increase your chances many times over. They were so focused and confident of getting to the final, they didn’t know what to do once they got there.
That story always stuck in my mind. The more I thought about it the more it made sense. The more I prepared and focused the more confident I became. The more confident I became the more successful I became. The more successful I became the more naturally everything seemed to flow and so forth.
I was lucky enough to witness this philosophy being echoed by other sporting greats such as Roger Black and Chris Akabusi. They had similar stories to tell and similar results to evidence. Now many years on, I have to say that, success is without doubt, 90% due to confidence. I embrace this philosophy in every aspect of my life and with all clients that I see in my clinic and achieve wonderful results.
Confidence and self esteem are at the heart of every success and every failure. Some of us have got it, some of us haven’t. Some people can stand and present in front of a large group and many of us shake and are terrified at the prospect of being centre stage. So, what is it that creates and limits our ability to achieve or fail? Why can some people play to the crowd and others prefer the anonymity of solace?
Confidence is known to be responsible for the majority of our success and failures and most definitely limits many individuals in their quest to climb up the corporate ladder. In fact many of life’s opportunities are missed or go unexplored due to our inability to even check them out in the first place or leave our comfort zone to explore other opportunities.
The coaching term for this is “limiting beliefs” or “limiting statements”. We focus on what we cannot do rather than what we can do. A lack of confidence goes hand in hand with low self esteem. I generally find one always accompanies the other.
Our thoughts affect our confidence
How we think and process information is key to our overall levels of confidence and self esteem. Naturally, if we are positive and upbeat this is reflected in how we feel and subsequently behave. I call this The Cognitive Thinking Cycle. This principle embraces a very simple set of dynamics. What you think impacts how you feel, and impacts how you perform. Simple isn’t it. Therefore if you focus on the positive of every situation rather than the negative you will achieve better results.
Let us look at the set of dynamics that affect our everyday thinking and overall state of wellbeing with particular reference to confidence.
Self Esteem
People with high self esteem generally feel good about themselves. They like and believe in who they are. They feel they are worthy of being happy and successful. They also understand not everyone is perfect and they embrace forgiveness when they make mistakes.
People with high self esteem experience and enjoy all that life has to offer. When our self esteem is strong we handle the challenges of life differently.
Low self esteem sufferers see themselves as negative, destructive, and limiting. They are often vulnerable, withdrawn and insecure. They are unable to find a positive edge on anything and are particularly self-critical.
Self Confidence
Self confidence is the energy that is created by your self esteem. People with high self confidence have an underlying self belief in all that they do. These people accept they are good at some things and not so good at others and they accept themselves and are happy and content with all that they have.
Self Acceptance
In my experience to raise your self esteem and confidence you first have to accept and embrace who and what you are. If you can accept you cannot be great at everything and acknowledge the things you are good at this provides a good starting point. The aim is to align your actions and results with your personal values and beliefs. For example, any women who have given up their career to have a family may at some point struggle to accept the life change. Some women can feel that people do not look at them as a person in their own right who has achieved success during another time in their life. My advice would be to look at the achievement of having your beautiful children – the most precious gift. Think about what they learn from you and how they look to you for guidance and in return what you learn from the experience of family life.
Feedback not Failure
It is important to accept that there is no such thing as failure. We only learn from feedback. For example, when you have finished a particular exercise and it does not go to plan you must look upon this as a learning experience and not failure. Then give yourself feedback. What did I learn from this experience? What could I have done differently? If faced with this again how would I change things?
Feedback is interpreted far more easily than failure. We should all accept feedback on our performance, to help us improve. Never look at it as failure because it is so limiting and final. Thoughts of failure drag us down and affect our self esteem and subsequently our confidence. Feedback is acceptance, failure is negative and limiting.
Knowledge is Power
So many people put a value on their personal success by what they have achieved. For example where they rank in their company, how being the top sales person is number one priority, how much they earn determines on their level of achievement and success and so forth. This is a common trap and one in which a lot of us fall into.
Remember the adage “Knowledge is Power”. Apply this to the above and reframe. Judge yourself by what you learn from life’s experiences as opposed to what you achieve. Look at every experience or period in your life and judge this period not by how much money you earned, but by how much you learned from the experience. Obviously money is important but the balance should be weighted by value in knowledge and experience gained rather than anything else.
So, in my view, Will Carling could not have been clearer. Confidence does breed success. To become successful first you need to get the foundations in place, be proud of who you are, and accept yourself for what you can achieve and learn. Your human potential is unlimited when you can have the confidence in yourself.
Article written by Mark Shields of the Life Practice UK – Specialists in Life & Business Coaching
Dennis Yentumi – 5 Steps to a balanced healthy lifestyle
Read the powerful message from Dounne Alexander MBE. FRSA, (founder of GRAMMA’S Herbal Foods; Joining Hands In Health ) and the inspiration behind nationwide petition ‘THE NATION SPEAKS – ‘NO! Not In My NAME’… set to rock the Government, plus safeguard the ‘natural’ health industry and entire UK population.
In 2009, Dounne experienced the very real nightmare that will face the majority of ‘small’ health businesses, producers and the entire country, when EU legislations come into force in April 2011. Dounne (61) who has been spearheading ‘Traditional Natural Healthcare’ for almost 3 decades and honoured by the Queen in 2007, with the MBE for her services to the British Food Industry…. was inspired to step up her ‘Joining Hands In Health’ campaign and launch this courageous challenge, when the grim truth behind why UK Regulators (ASA & MHRA) were pressing to ban her extraordinary product
Zara’s Herbal Tea . This unique tea healed herself and family dog (ZARA) from terminal cancer, and after 15 years independent research (on both humans & animals), proved to be completely non-toxic; effective on a wide range of other conditions and extremely beneficial for overall ‘whole body’ health. In 2008, the tea was finally approved by the Public Health Minister for use in hospitals and hospices. However, in May 2010, Zara’s Herbal Tea was forced off the market by the MHRA, who classified it as ‘A MEDICINE’, overturning Dounne’s own classification as a Herbal Food Supplement.
As a result, Zara’s Herbal Tea cannot be sold without a medical license (costing upwards of £250,000 obtained exclusively from the MHRA); scientific verification (costing over £5 million), plus toxicology test (costing over £100,000), which Dounne and the majority of small health producers would find impossible to afford. However, to be accepted as a Food Supplement, the MHRA insisted on the removal of 4 herbs ‘they’ considered to be medicinal. But, after lengthy discussions, it became apparent that their concern had nothing to do with public health or safety, but solely centered on obtaining ‘a license’ and the removal of a specific herb (the African Bush Willow) which posed a serious threat to the pharmaceutical industry. Dounne found private evidence that this herb had undergone over 20 years extensive (collaborative) research between British & American scientists … who confirmed it as one of the most powerful anti-cancer herbs (85 % effective on cancer tumours) and hailed as their biggest cancer breakthrough. A new ‘synthetic cancer-drug’ has been developed; approved by the American FDA and currently being trialed in hospitals throughout the UK. It was also noted that Zara’s Herbal Tea would be affordable to the public and far more cost effective for the NHS, (saving billions). Dounne refused to comply with the MHRA, as their demands went against her spiritual and traditional beliefs, plus would reduce the effectiveness of her product and business potential. Furthermore, in their haste to remove her products from the market, the MHRA were acting illegally because these EU Legislations does not actually come into force until APRIL 2011. Citing abuse of power, conflict of interest, bullying and unfair competition, she states, ‘It is hard to find any justification, other than the deliberate removal of ‘safe’ beneficial products to eliminate competition, in order to secure maximum profits for the Pharmaceutical Industry.
Dr. Irving Kirsh also confirms this in his new book, The Emperors New Drugs stating… “as long as the regulator (MHRA) in Britain is paid by the Pharmaceutical industry, we are not going to see fair play.” Investigative researcher (Martin Walker) author of The Fate of a Good Man also reveals;- “Despite being a department of the British Government, the MHRA is funded entirely by pharmaceutical companies and a percentage of staff and executives come from the pharmaceutical industry. The MHRA is also the largest pharmaceutically-funded enforcement and policing agency in Europe. They would happily subsidize the MHRA, as long as the industry itself retained control over its licensing, intelligence and information of adverse reactions to drugs, and the policing of the alternative health sector.”
Realizing that this would happen to thousands of health businesses (UK wide), Dounne promptly took her case to the European Parliament in Brussels and presented it to over 700 MEPs; plus sent an ‘open letter’ to the then Prime Minister (Gordon Brown); Opposition Leaders (David Cameron, Nick Clegg, Nigel Farage, Caroline Lucas), all members of the House of Commons, House of Lords and Regional Assemblies (Greater London, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales). With the exception of Baroness Howells of St. Davids, UKIP MEPs, a few MPs and Lords, no one else responded. Dounne says - “It is apparent that the Government, Opposition Leaders, Parliamentary Members and UK MEPs do not have the best interest of UK citizens at heart, nor the political power, will or influence in matters affecting us… where Europe and the Pharmaceutical Industry are concerned”. In response to the Government’s in-action, on 1st May 2010, Dounne launched this groundbreaking national petition THE NATION SPEAKS, “NO! Not In My Name”.
Seeking The Queen’s Intervention..
This petition has also provided a unique opportunity to personally appeal to the QUEEN to intervene on the nations’ behalf. Dounne believes the EU’s actions conflicts with the Queen’s Coronation Oath 1953, when her Majesty solemnly pledged ‘to govern the peoples of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, according to their ‘common-laws and customs’. This solemn promise is binding throughout her entire reign.
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Dounne’s Call To Action to the Health Industry!
WHAT CAN YOU DO? - You can choose to …
(a.). DO NOTHING and leave your life in the hands of our Government who care neither for you, your family, customers or the nation’s welfare, and who will continue to lie and outlaw everything you hold sacred.
OR
(b). STAND UP AND BE COUNTED: SIGN this ground-breaking petition TODAY and join over 35 million citizens ‘making history’, by actively safeguarding the future for generations to come. Help create customer awareness by distributing the petition leaflets; display posters prominently in-store and email this
‘CALL TO ACTION’ to all on your networks.
The POWER IS IN YOUR HANDS to stop this!
So please… Do TODAY - what your children & customers will be unable to Do TOMORROW - and leave a lasting legacy that we will all be proud of.
To sign this petition kindly visit www.joininghandsinhealth.org/cam.asp
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Dounne and her team will be at camexpo on 23 & 24th October 2010 (STAND 2715)… to
re-launch her famous Herbal Pepper Sauces & Herbal Seasonings; plus gather support for the petition.
For a deeper insight into this historic petition, please view the information below on the ‘Joining Hands In Health’ website. www.joininghandsinhealth.com
• Dounne’s inspirational appeal to the Queen (online from October 2010).
• The true battle with the ASA & MHRA to save Zara’s Herbal Tea. Read ‘Can Food Really Heal’ (health supplement), plus YOUR HEALTH Newsletter (issue 10, 11, 12).
• We Become Silent – The Last Days of Health Freedom (directed by Kevin P. Miller, narrated by Dame Judi Dench). Understand the tragic nature of these legislations with this award winning documentary.
• On The Edge – (SKY Channel television).
Live interview with Dounne Alexander MBE. FRSA (Founder of Gramma’s Herbal Foods and the Joining Hands In Health campaign) and Dr Robert Verkerk (Science Director of The Alliance for Natural Health), join forces to expose the dangers of the EU Directives.)
Dennis Yentumi – 5 Steps to a balanced healthy lifestyle
5 steps to a balanced healthy lifestyle for 2010
Laugh more, love more, and spend more quality time with loved ones!!
A balanced diet fits in with a balanced lifestyle consisting of healthy fats i.e. avocados, natural peanut butter and olive oil and little to no trans fats or saturated fats like butter, cakes and chocolate! Good sources of protein from chicken, eggs, fish, turkey and the occasional steak are essential as the building blocks for strong muscles and quality carbohydrates preferably with a low glycemic index such as whole wheat bread; brown rice and sweet potatoes. Now when it comes to green veggies go crazy as no person has ever blew the scales because of eating too much broccoli! Moreover this is one of the key sources of vitamins and nutrients the body needs in its raw and most abundant form coupled with fruits you should also indulge and get creative, an apple a day will keep the doctor away but gets pretty dry after a week. So why not try something new like blueberries, blackberries and cherries or pineapples, guava and star fruit. Variety they say is the spice of life so mix it up, now the most important element which makes all of this possible and keeps it all moving is the water you drink make sure you drink plenty of it and I mean a couple litres a day. Finally always remember you are only one meal away from a balanced diet so just keep it up and enjoy yourself.
Reduce the stress we burden our lives with as this only affects our health negatively. As the song goes, “don’t worry be happy”. In today’s 100mph lifestyle our lives and emotions hang on moments and situations that we have no control over so when things go wrong we get angry, frustrated, stressed and unhappy and all these things are counterproductive for our health. Let’s focus on ourselves a little bit more, slowdown when we can and make sure we take care of ourselves and those closest to us a lot more. In time this will allow us to have greater control on our lives whilst being a positive impact on those around us and as this grows the situations and issues once causing us stress will now be overcome by us having enough self control to affect our circumstances and benefit our own outcomes. Making less stressed and happy people and remember feeling great is infectious so pass it on!
Build lasting relationships is one of the foundations of any healthy lifestyle. This is something that we can all work lovingly and consistently to improve. Being open and developing real qualities in listening and communication will keep your healthy lifestyle balanced for all your days. Simply because it is one of the inbuilt human needs to love and be loved. But this should occur on all levels in all lives; absolutely we should work on our closest relationships first with this being our spouses, partners, children, friends, work colleagues and associates. Even the lovely guy or girl you see every day at the train station in the morning on the way to work. Often over looked is our work colleagues, strangely enough we generally spend more time with them than anybody else so why not look at improving these experiences. Foster trust, respect, care and support for each other through your actions and words, this could start with holding the elevator for a colleague that works on a different floor or genuinely praising a team mate when they have excelled. And remember you are not doing it for a thank you but for the positive impact it will have on their lives and the positivity is has already had on yours like I said feeling great is infectious pass it on!!
Exercise regularly, I hear a massive groan as a lot of people don’t want to go to the gym but you don’t have to because we are talking about a healthy lifestyle not bodybuilding. Regular exercise can take on many guises and ultimately its totally down to what you think is balanced and fits in with your lifestyle for life!….. Not just for Christmas or before you go on your summer holidays. Some people like yoga, Pilates or power plates; others prefer cycling, rock climbing or boxercise. You might not even want to leave your house and choose to use home workout videos or even your Nintendo Wii fit but as long as you get your heart rate up for 15-20 mins and break a sweat you’re on your way. The ultimate key or skill to all of this is consistency and that is why it has to become part of your lifestyle and something you do daily or with continual regularity! There is no rush as long as you are on the right track so take it slow if you like but just make sure it’s part of your lifestyle so you do it consistently like any other vital part of your life such as eating or sleeping.
Learn what you love should be the simplest step of all but is all too easily forgotten about, learn more about all the things you love most as it will fill your life with greater quality and happiness. Learn what you love transcends everything and applies to everything from your collection of matchbox cars to your professional occupation and right back round to your spouse or children. If you picked your children continually learn more about them in every way, what they like and dislike. Learn about their feelings, desires and emotions even what they want for their next Christmas or birthday present. Learn about your spouse or partner their inner most fears, previous difficult times in their lives, what it is that makes them feel most happy and even the name of their imaginary friend if they had one whilst growing up! Making learning about all things your most passionate about will enrich you regardless of what that may be, be it Liverpool football club, your wife and your daughter or how about your degree, your girls you go out with and your car you adore! This step will help you empower you by learning the right foods to eat and why; it will help you understand situations better to avoid stress and promote happiness. Learning will help your relationships improve as people you interact with will see you care more making relationships more harmonious; you will learn what form of exercise is right for you, your goals and individual situations which will come full circle giving you more confidence and desire to learn as you have now developed a balanced healthy lifestyle that you love and want to thrive.
Stay Healthy
DenYen
Herbal Medicine for Eczema
Herbal medicine is one of a range of natural therapies that are used to treat the symptoms or effects of ailments and conditions such as eczema. This reflects a growing trend for other sources of relief, with a move away from traditional medicine or drugs. Their efficacy is mirrored in the growing acceptance of herbal treatments by the medical profession.
What is Herbal Medicine?
Herbal medicine works on the principle of utilising plants – specifically plant extracts or portions of a plant – to reduce or alleviate symptoms of an illness or condition. Their efficacy often has a scientific basis, and is due to the plants primary chemical constituents. These are increasingly studied, in the hope of developing conventional medications for wider dissemination. Herbal medicine is still used extensively in the developing world, with many cultures using them alongside conventional Western medicine treatments. This includes Aboriginal, Chinese and Ayurvedic (Indian) traditions, each with its own specific herbal remedies for particular conditions and ailments.
What is Eczema?
Eczema, otherwise known as dermatitis, is a skin condition that is characterised by red irritated or itchy skin, much like a rash. It can appear anywhere on the body, though it commonly affects the face, scalp, hands, wrists, elbows and knee area. It does not have a known cause, but is thought to be triggered by a range of factors including genetics, contact with irritants, stress and diet; amongst others. There are two forms of the condition:
Atopic eczema – this form is thought to be allergen related, and often affects young children. Some known triggers include pet hair, dust mites and food - especially peanuts
Contact dermatitis – this form affects mainly adults, and is thought to be caused by contact with an irritant, or contact with an allergen
Conventional medication is centred on creams, including corticosteroids as well as oral antihistamines. Herbal remedies include the use of aloe gel, calendula cream, chamomile, rosemary and turmeric.
How Can Herbal Medicine Help Eczema?
Eczema needs to be treated with sensitivity as it can be aggravated by the use of certain herbs and remedies. It is important to consult an accredited and qualified herbalist when considering a course of treatment for eczema. In Australia herbalists are an unregulated profession, so ensure you consult a practitioner who is recognised by the relevant national association. They are able to vouch for the practitioner’s experience and qualifications.
FInd out about other effective natural eczema treatments.
