The most common hormone condition in women of reproductive age. PCOS affects 20 percent of women and can interfere with fertility by blocking regular monthly ovulation. PCOS is characterised by insulin resistance and ovarian cysts. 
What does this mean for someone who has PCOS?
Insulin resistance can cause weight gain as blood sugar levels become destabilised. Many people experience cravings because of this and find it hard to lose weight.
High insulin also leads to hormonal imbalance which in turn may lead to acne, lack of ovulation and unwanted hair growth.
Women with PCOS typically develop many small cysts on their ovaries resulting in a breakdown in ovulation which can cause fertility issues.
What can someone with PCOS do to support their health?
Symptoms can vary from one person to the next but there are lifestyle and nutrition changes that are effective in supporting the health of someone with PCOS. I will outline some of these here.
Manage stress: Stress can exacerbate symptoms of PCOS so noticing your stress levels and putting things in place to manage stress can be highly beneficial.
Eat low GI foods: These foods help to stabilise blood sugars which in turn support hormone balance.
Increase Fibre: Many women with PCOS have high testosterone levels. Fibre increases excretion of testosterone from the body.
Lower sugar intake: Sugar causes insulin to spike which drives high insulin, cravings and weight gain.
Optimise nutrition: Focus on nourishing whole foods and think of food as medicine.

Sarah Forristal is a Holistic Therapist who uses a combination of massage, reflexology and nutritional therapy to help women with hormonal issues.
A tailored treatment plan can be beneficial for someone with PCOS. Nutrition advice coupled with reflexology sessions can support stress levels and ensure the body is getting what it needs to balance hormone levels and manage symptoms.
For more information e-mail solaceholisticcentre@gmail.com or call/text 087 9510554

As we age it becomes more important to look after our bone health. Women develop osteoporosis more easily than men because of hormonal changes and nutrient malabsorption. How can we look after our bones to ensure that we remain strong and active?
Here are some recommendations for increasing calcium absorption through food and exercise:

• Get sufficient Vitamin D from sunshine. Our skin needs to be exposed to sunlight in order to make Vitamin D which is essential for bone health. It is recommended to expose around 20% of your skin to sunlight (avoiding the mid-day sun during summer)for 20 minutes. Sunshine through cloud is also effective, but requires longer exposure.
• Eat calcium, magnesium and mineral-rich foods especially grains, legumes, leafy greens and seaweeds.
• Exercise regularly and moderately to halt calcium loss and increase bone mass. Bones need to bear weight and exert force against gravity to prevent loss of calcium.
• Calcium supplements can be helpful but should be taken in conjunction with other nutrients like magnesium, potassium, manganese, boron, silica, and Vitamin K.
• Presoak grains and legumes before cooking to neutralise phytic acid which can block mineral absorption.

 We hope you found this helpful. To support your health further through nutrition, massage and reflexology call or text 087 9510554 or e-mail solaceholisticcentre@gmail.com

Reference: 'Healing with Wholefoods', Paul Pitchford, 2002.

The concept of Mind, Body and Soul has been mentioned and discussed a lot more in
recent years. This concept is not new and is all encompassing of the person as a
whole but that does not mean we understand fully what each part entails and that
essentially each part works together to make a person whole. The mind we
understand as our brain functioning and we can comprehend that there are times
that the mind needs support through counselling or learning new skills. Physically
our bodies are made up of our organs, skeleton, muscle and blood, and this we can
look after through diet, exercise, massage.
But how do we nourish the Soul and what in fact is the soul? This is the part of us
that is essential to live a full life and that we need to nourish to complete the Mind,
Body, Soul connection. The soul is that part of us that exists within from which we
feel our emotions, fears, passions, awareness, understanding, intuition and insights.
It is ‘The Essence’ of who we are, it’s what makes us individual and unique like our
fingerprint.
So how do we nourish and support our Soul, the essence of who we are. The first
step is to acknowledge how you are feeling in this moment. This feeling can be one
of happiness, sadness, anger, hope, despair, bored, fearful and many more the list of
emotions is a long one and includes a lot more than ‘fine, ok or grand’. In knowing
how you are feeling, we acknowledge those feelings and we do not dismiss them, to
do this writing them down is a good option. In writing down the emotion, looking at
it on paper, the process of breaking it down to see where it has come from and how
it can be resolved in ourselves can start.
Our soul needs constant nourishment otherwise it will become exhausted and to use
an age old expression “You can’t see the wood for the trees” John Heywood 1546. By
focusing on the detail one can lose all perspective and miss what is important to you.
What are your values, what brings joy and contentment to your life, this is what
needs to be addressed in order to soothe and nourish your soul.
Tips to nourish your Soul:
 Talk to your self as though it is your best friend you are talking to. Be
conscious that your inner voice is what you hear every day.
 Choose who you truly want to spend time with not who you think you
should spend time with.
 Self-date, take your self on a date. Go for a cuppa, cinema, out for lunch
whatever you feel will bring joy to your own self that you enjoy doing.
 Take up a new hobby, what was it you enjoyed doing as a child. This could
be colouring, jigsaws, reading, being outside (gardening), taking pictures, music.
A hobby is just for you and no one else.
 Gratitude and appreciation, to give and receive thanks is what we can all do
and this nourishes everyone’s soul. The gesture of ‘Thanks’ or holding a door
open for someone can only come back to you ten fold when truly felt in that
moment.
 Be of service to yourself and to others. If you feel that you are constantly in
the service of others, then really take a look at how you can be in service of
yourself, ‘ You can’t pour from an empty jug’ self care is filling yourself first so
you can be in service of others.
We are all here together to live and learn and to do this takes courage and
vulnerability. Being open to learning is essential but this comes with choosing
courage and vulnerability to put your own Mind, Body and Soul first and foremost
and in doing so much more can be opened within and around you in your life.
Joyce
Solace Holistic Centre, 0879510554

Your skin is the largest organ in your body and is connected with all the other organs and systems in the body. Therefore it can be said that glowing skin comes from the inside. Health can be seen in a person's face through eyes that are bright and skin that is clear and hydrated.
What we put on our skin is also important, as essentially we are feeding the skin. The skin has a complex microbiome which functions optimally when it is in balance. Skin problems can occur when this balance is disrupted. The use of certain cosmetics can strip the skin, disrupting this delicate balance. Natural skincare cares for the skin, ensuring the skin is nourished and nurtured.
We use Flourish Organics products for our facials here at Solace. Organic essential oils along with natural carrier oils and locally grown ingredients are used which benefit the skin and also relax the mind. We stock a lovely range of Flourish products here at reception with samples, so feel free to try them out.
Skin problems can occur for different reasons, hormones can play a part, along with our digestive system and organs of detoxification. Our skin microbiome is linked and somewhat controlled by our gut microbiome so maintaining a healthy gut is very important. Sometimes it can be confusing to figure out what the cause of problem skin is, but it is well worth investigating. Sarah Forristal, our nutritional therapist here at Solace is available for appointments to help you figure it out and support you in obtaining healthy skin.

To book a Holistic Facial call or text 087 9510554
For more information on nutrition and skin care email sarah@vitalise.ie

We have recently started stocking Findhorn Flower Essences here at Solace and the feedback from clients using them so far has been great.
Findhorn Flower Essences is a small, well established and award winning business. Their essences are lovingly made by hand according to the methods of Dr. Edward Bach in the north of Scotland.
Flower essences are aqueous infusions of flowers, endowed with the very essence and the highest concentration of the life force of a plant. They work on the subtle levels of our human anatomy. They assist in aiding the etheric and subtle bodies to deal with the conditions that predispose people to disease, and the mental and emotional effects of illness by balancing and strengthening our psycho-spiritual health and wellbeing.
Flower Essences can help:

• Soothe emotional stress
• Find peace of mind
• Increase self-confidence
• Realise a greater sense of purpose
• Transform negativity and enhance positive attitude

​Flower essences are absorbed through the mucus membranes in the mouth and enter directly into the bloodstream. The vibrational imprint of the essences is then transmitted through the bloodstream, influencing the endocrine system, the nervous system and the chakras.
They can be taken under the tongue by dropper or spray, and also come in a mist which can be sprayed in a room or around the body.

Our range of flower essences are available at reception where you will also find more information on each remedy. We would be happy to help you select the remedy that is right for you.

Call or text 087 9510554 to book an appointment.

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​Reflexology is the technique of applying gentle pressure to reflex areas on the feet  to bring about a state of deep relaxation and to stimulate the body's own healing processes. The theory underlying reflexology is that the organs, nerves, glands and other parts of the body are connected to reflex areas on the feet. By stimulating these areas using special techniques a reflexologist can create a direct response in a related body area. 
The roots of reflexology date back to ancient Egypt where early paintings depicting reflexology were found in the tomb of the ancient Egyptian physician Ankmahor.
Dr. William Fitzgerald was one of the pioneers of modern reflexology who undertook extensive research in to the effects of stimulation of the sensory pathways on the rest of the body. He developed 'Zone Therapy' on which the modern form of reflexology was subsequently based.  In the 1930s Eunice Ingham the 'mother of reflexology' developed techniques and devised reflexology maps which form the basis for the way in which most reflexology is practised around the world today.
What are the benefits of reflexology? 
Reflexology stimulates the body's own healing capabilities by restoring natural balance. It does this through working on the nervous system, improving circulation, improving energy, and supporting the organs and their functions. Reflexology can be beneficial for digestive health, female health and hormones, stress relief, pain relief, migraine/headache relief, and overall health and wellbeing.
What can I expect from a reflexology treatment?
Reflexology is a deeply relaxing treatment. The feet are warmed up and then pressure is used on reflex points throughout the feet. By stimulating these areas using a compression technique a direct response in the related body area is created. Clients generally feel very relaxed during and after the treatment. 

To find out more or to book a reflexology treatment -
call or text Solace Holistic Centre on 087 9510554.

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January can bring with it a lot of motivation to do lots more new things and take a lot more risks. This is neither a good thing or bad thing, more a seasonal event that occurs every year at the same time in the New Year. How ever there is one thing in particular that we should be aware of and that is the risk of running into this new year with much gusto and enthusiasm to finally do all the things you said you were going to do last year but will definitely do this year!
 
Honestly lets be present and more realistic about what can be achieved as in reality there may be many reasons as to why you didn’t do what you thought you were going to do last year. But let’s not get overwhelmed and try and do all those things as well as a multitude of other new things. Do we really need to be setting a whole load of new goals, hobbies, tasks, you name it lets do it? No I genuinely don’t believe that we do, as long as we are doing what makes us happy and are open to possibilities of new things.
 
So this may be where we need to take a reality check, and instead of becoming overwhelmed and throwing our hands in the air and doing nothing because there’s too much to do anyway, instead lets have a look at some steps that can move you forward and help you achieve what you would like to do in 2019 rather than what you feel you need or should be doing.
 
Moving forward into 2019:
> Be present with where you are right now.
> Be thankful for all that you have done and then look at what you might want to continue to do
> Look at what you may be able to let go of at this stage.
> Be realistic, look at your diary see what time you have available and where can you create more time.
> Without becoming overwhelmed pick one new thing to achieve this coming year.
> Set a realistic time frame, and be sure its something that you really want to do rather than needing to do it.
> If you have time later in the year pick another thing you want to do
 
This one new thing will be a ‘present’ to yourself which will keep you focused in the New Year you are in. This present will help you to be present and feel more fulfilled that you are focusing a little bit of time on you. After all at this stage you may have given presents to everyone else so lets give a present to yourself and do something you want to do. It doesn’t matter how big or small the present is as long as it makes you happy, brings out the inner smile, feeds your soul whatever way you want to look at it. In reality we need to “Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and start being excited about what could go right”.
For more details and Holistic support contact us in Solace Holistic Centre on 08795105454 or visit our website www.solaceholisticcentre.com 

​Christmas can be a magical time of year but it can also be busy and hectic for a lot of people. And yet, if we look at nature everything is slowing down in order to conserve energy. The trees lose their leaves and go back down in to their roots, animals hibernate so that they will have energy again in spring-time. Sometimes we try to maintain the same momentum throughout the year even though we may not have the energy for it. We end up feeling worn out physically and emotionally.

If we think of winter as a natural time of hibernation we can be a little bit kinder to ourselves. We may need to prioritise rest over pushing ourselves to get everything on our to-do list done. Listen to your body if it is showing signs of fatigue, pain, low mood or stress. Recharging our batteries now will benefit our health in the new year. Slow down where possible and create time for yourself to do things that are restorative - a yoga class, a massage, a walk in nature are a few examples. Massage therapy specifically works on the central nervous system to calm and restore the body.
We also have a natural tendency to go inward at this time of year. Self reflection as the year comes to a close gives us the opportunity to check in with ourselves on how we are doing in all the different areas of our lives. Have a notebook at hand and jot down ideas and thoughts that come in to your head. Getting our thoughts down on paper can be a great way to clear our busy heads. Meditation works for a lot of people but for others the idea of sitting in quietness doesn't appeal! Keep in mind that movement can also be meditative. Being present in any activity you are doing is a form of meditation. 
The amount of sunlight we are exposed to is very little at this time of year. As we know, we need sun on our skin to make vitamin D - a vital nutrient for our bone health and immune system. A lack of vitamin D has also been linked with depression. Our skin needs to be exposed to direct sunlight for around 10 minutes per day in order to make Vitamin D. Our bodies can store vitamin D for a short period of time, so the fact that we had a great summer is beneficial, but remember that the use of sunscreen blocks our bodies ability to make vitamin D. Supplementing Vitamin D is easy and supplements in the form of sprays or tablets can be bought at health shops or pharmacies. 
Take time for yourself at this time of year and focus on what restores you. At the end of a busy year it is important to touch in with how you are feeling physically and emotionally. The new year will bring more challenges and experiences so taking care of recharging and restoring ourselves during the winter months will support our health and wellbeing in 2019.
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​Sarah Forristal www.vitalise.ie