Snowflakes and Spoons

5 Top reasons to visit Leafy Greens today! In my search for healthy meals I discovered one of my new favourite cafés; Leafy Greens.  Why do I love it so much?       1.       Proximity Due to its proximity, in less than 30min I can be there. After a long week of therapy, it often feels as if my own personal cup is full. I need to detox and breathe in fresh air to rejuvenate myself. The Café is a perfect place to do this as it's away from the city and has the feel of entering a secret garden, giving the café a relaxed natural feel. It’s my oasis of eating that is found at the end of a pathway of arched trees.       2.       Wonderful Food Since its opening in 2010, Antonio has carefully crafted this organic vegan menu. An al e-Carte menu is available before 11:30 for breakfasts or brunch, just a quick almond milk coffee or cold pressed juice, but the true vegan experience ...

I really enjoy watching TED talks. I find that they are a great way to gain a new perspective within 10min. I recently watched a TED talk by Benedictine monk, David Steindl-Rast, on the topic of Gratefulness. While his Austrian accent was at first a little distracting, the core of his message is powerful. ‘it is not happiness that makes us grateful. It's gratefulness that makes us happy.’  If we take a moment to stop, be mindful of the given moment and be thankful for life's opportunity,we hold the key to happiness in our own hands. In his words: ‘Stop, look and Go’. Here are some ways to implement this in your own life: STOP: Take time to ‘be’. Whether is it through meditation or just allowing yourself 10min of me time. Your brain needs to be allowed to hit the refresh button before you can truly be Grateful for your situation. You can do this through meditation or just allowing yourself 10min of ‘me’ time. I find that my brain loves the competitive cycle of complain...

Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me Then why do I tend to remember the hurtful, insensitive comment so much clearer than the positive motivating ones? Why is forgiving and forgetting much easier to say than to put into practice?  I expect a level of empathy, compassion and knowledge from other health professionals as I value these qualities in my own practice. My boss is continually reminding us to find the benefit in the situation.  I admit I can only reflectively do this at the best of times and often still feel charged and irritated about the moment. Here are my top insensitive quotes*, I have ingrained in my memory, by health professionals: *please note this is how I remember them.  ‘Maybe it's your faith making you sick’ – Anesthesiologist before going in for my thymectomy. ‘You will never get better unless you stop all your medication and follow my advice’ - GP when I refused to take unknown antibioti...

Speaking your mind!   *In South Africa to dis something is to show disrespect Approximately 100 muscles of the chest, neck, jaw, tongue and lips are needed to work in a synchronised manner in order to produce one sentence (1). Being able to communicate is an essential part of human existence. Speech is a main source of communication, however thankfully not the only method. When in crisis, the muscles activating speech are also affected. While I might  sound like I'm drunk or that I'm trying to talk while playing the game chubby bunny, I am actually trying my best to get my message across. The first time I had speech difficulties was when I was trying to help my younger sister with her  math homework. She thought I was making fun of her as my voice changed to a nasal squeaking/strangled duck sound. In the moment I couldn't even explain, all I could do was wait until my muscles were slightly rested and then explain what had happened. The second time,...