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Interview with Chris McLean

Monday, June 13th, 2011

Chris chilling out in his consulting room

1.What is your philosophy on life and health? What have u always stuck by?

“I try to keep things pure and simple. Essentially if the outcome of a situation can’t kill me I try not to worry about it. If you do your best and use your talents to the best of your ability then you can’t go very wrong. With regards to health I am not particularly hardline however I have never liked fatty foods. I have been fortunate that a number of vices have never appealed in the slightest. I don’t drink alcohol because I never liked the taste and never considered smoking as I hate the smell. I am lucky in that a classically healthy lifestyle has come pretty naturally to me.”

2. Why did u decide to set up Health Consultants Inc?

“The timing was right in my life. I had previously worked for other healthcare companies and established new clinics and services for them. I had the advantage of spending their money to establish these services. Pleasingly they were all successful and it proved to be a great learning experience. Having to wait so many years to be eligible for a UK passport I had to do the hard yards and play the waiting game for longer than I would have liked before starting HCI. However that waiting time was well spent and possibly benefited me ultimately. My feeling at the time was that private healthcare in the UK was not of an acceptable standard. I wanted to make a difference and create a higher level of expectation from patients and clients. I wanted to provide a very professional service in a relaxed and approachable manner. I did not want a clinic that had unnecessary barriers such as staff that were from a superior race that could not relate to real people and I did not want an uncomfortable hospital like setting rather a warm, welcoming and comfortable environment. I was excited by the challenge. Interestingly I have discovered that the “challenges” never go away, there is always a little something or mountain that I want to move.”

3. Why does HCI stand out from competitors?

“To be honest I don’t spend much time considering what competitors are doing. I know they are interested in watching what we are up to. I like to think that Health Consultants Inc. are the innovators. We are a small enough organisation to make quick decisions and implement changes and improvements quickly. We try to provide a world class health service that is still personable. I know the facilities and environment created for Marylebone Physiotherapy & Sports Medicine are the envy of many physiotherapists who would love to work with us. Many patients who have been around the houses of Harley Street and surround with no joy are now some of our biggest referrers. Our service delivery is a constant work in progress. I personally enjoy the process of trying to be a leading light in healthcare provision. In business generally people say if you are standing still then you are relatively going backwards. In healthcare provision this is even more evident with new research and changes in thinking occurring on a daily basis. I believe it is essential that the service we provide is constantly evolving and adapting to new innovations. Harnessing new developments in specific niche areas and focusing on very specific target areas such as back pain, knee rehabilitation or tendon pathology ensures that we channel our resources most effectively.”

4. Based on your experience, what start up business advice would u give?

“I think the most important thing is to have a passion for what you do. There is no doubt that you will work harder than you could have ever possibly imagined when you attempt starting a business for yourself. If you don’t enjoy what you are doing your level of success will match your level of unhappiness and dissatisfaction. I would also recommend not trying to be everything for everybody. Have a specialised service or target audience. My third tip would be to build a strong team around you that you can trust. Learn to delegate and don’t get caught doing everything as this would result in burnout and limited growth potential for your business. It will be interesting to see whether my views have changed in another 10 years. Stay tuned!”

5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

“I have a very good imagination so I could go anywhere with this question. As surprising as this may be to many people I am actually responding to this question whilst literally on a beach in Thailand. I can assure you that if I am here in 5 years time I would be very happy. Another thing that I can assure you is that I won’t be retired and that isn’t because I have a wife and 5 children but because of the influence of a wise friend who told me that, “retirement is God’s waiting room Chris, never retire”. He was 76 at the time and going stronger than ever.  I genuinely enjoy what I do and creating opportunities along the way, I guess I will have evolved by another 5 years by 2016. I receive a tremendous amount of satisfaction from seeing people benefit from the services that Health Consultants Inc. provides. Who knows but it would be nice to think that we were able to positively influence over a million people across all services by 2016. I do have a longterm goal to own a tropical island someday and create something special…… will it be in 5 years, well that is the question, fingers crossed.”

Posted by admin, 13th June, 2011

Namaste – Rest and Recovery

Thursday, October 28th, 2010

with Rebecca Tung

Perhaps a more popular and recognizable concept used in rigorous activities and sports are ‘warm ups’ and ‘cool downs’, preparing the body to wind up and easing the body to cool down – all to prevent the ‘nasties’ – jarring, twisting, pulling and to the extreme breaking, tearing or shearing. Ooooohhhh. Never fun!

What perhaps doesn’t get as much radio time is the same concept for stress and adrenalin on our nervous system. In this example – the rigorous activity…over work, long nights, early starts and the London tube!

Perhaps our muscles get that little bit more care and attention because they are tangible – we can see them grow, see them shrink…see a result when they lengthen and feel it when they are too short. What is a mystery to many of us are the effects of our nervous systems – such an invisible yet strangely powerful system we are often a victim to it’s displeasures and unable to attribute associated pleasures. When we have ‘overworked it’, we are the first to know it – from the shooting pains of sciatica to the shooting pains of headaches, sudden numbness or uncontrollable jitters to the fogginess of lethargy or loosing our ability to sleep without interruptions  (unless the little interruptions are our kids!)– You bet you will find an unhappy nervous system in there somewhere!

And what if our nervous systems were healthy? What if we could do things that assist our nervous system and its ‘eccentricities’, soothe it without popping a pill? Just like our muscles need a little TLC and ‘pumping’, lets learn to address the concerns of our nervous systems.

These are yoga approaches and are general recommendations – for specific issues or concerns, please contact our lovely ladies at reception.

Adhomukha Virasana (Childs pose)

Use support of blankets and bolsters allowing for the emphasis to rest and relax into your breathing patterns. Breathing patterns and the effect on the nervous system has been well studied by yogi’s. Kneeling on a padded floor, position your knees wider than your toes, then lean forward so that you lay out on top of your pile of pillows or bolster so your chest is well supported. Place a blanket between your heels and buttocks so you have a seat. Practice taking a few breaths extending your inhalations / exhalation cycles – also relaxing your shoulders / neck / back muscles – soothed muscles helps soothe your nervous system. 3-5 m

Viparita Korani (Legs up the wall)

Position yourself near a wall, slide your legs up the wall, place a bolster underneath your hips, and position your trunk and head laying on the floor (face up). Place a thin pillow underneath your head; cover your body for warmth and your eyes (light can often be irritating without us being aware of it).  The legs being elevated encourages circulation, if your hamstrings are tight place your legs on a chair instead. 3-5 min.

Savasana (Corpse pose)

This can be set up in many variations to encourage better breathing patterns and better release of tight back muscles and unnecessary holding patterns in the abdomen. Lie on the floor as if you are aligning your body along a straight line, place a long blanket that is positioned at your lumber spine and runs all the way to support your head. In addition to this, place a small pillow underneath your head. Your trunk and chest will feel elevated and there will be a slight descending feeling at your legs. Again, cover your eyes, cover your body and ENJOY! 5 – 10 min

Posted by admin, 28th October, 2010

Boost your immunity and beat the flu this winter

Tuesday, October 12th, 2010

Winter’s on the way … don’t fall victim to colds and flu, boost your immunity this coming season!

Is your immune system strong?

Do you get colds and flu every year and find it hard to shake off?

In my next free health talk, I am talking about

-Stress and immunity

-Gut health and immunity

-Foods that lower immunity

-Foods, supplements and herbs to strengthen immunity

-What to do when you run down

Let’s start preparing to be bubbly, happy and shiny throughout the cold season!

26th Oct 2010

From 7 pm for 1 hour

At Marylebone Physiotherapy, 8 Dorset Square, London

Ayano Izuta

Naturopath

Posted by admin, 12th October, 2010

Stressed and Fatigued?

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

How chronic stress affects you

Stress is everywhere – living and working in a city like London it is impossible to avoid.

There 3 stages in which the body reacts to stress, and each stage has characteristics and treatment protocols.  It is important to know where you are at and bring back the balance of autonomic nervouc systems and the circadian rhythms according to what stage in the stress cycle you are at,

Stress affects your brain (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis)

Stress suppresses your thyroid function

Stress suppresses the reproductive function

Stress compromises immunity

Stress increases the risk of autoimmunity

Stress increases tissue damage

Stress causes premature ageing

Stress causes accumulation of fat around the middle

The three stages of the stress response:

Stage 1 – Wired (Cortisol and DHEA are high)

Symptoms: panic, anxiety, irratability, acute pain, migraine, digestive problems

Stage 2 – Wired / Tired (cortisol and DHEA decline)

Symptoms: insomnia, eating disorder, addiction, anxiety disorder

Might start to show the signs of fatigue, daytime sleepiness, low thyroid, low immunity, chronic inflammation, allergy, visceral obesity, insulin resistance, heart disease

Stage 3 – Tired (cortisol and DHEA  are very low)

Symptoms: depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia

It is not at all silly to believe that these symptoms are all in your head, and that you are pushing yourself too hard or are lazy or guilty when at Stage 2.

When you do not have enough cortisol and DHEA to give you energy, you will struggle to get up in the morning, and be active throughout the day and you will get cold easily.

Do you want to know what stage you are at? The adrenal stress index test can help you to see where are at, you will need to take saliva samples 4 times a day and post the to the laboratory, to do this book with Ayano or see your nutritionist.

Look out for symptoms such as the following:

  • Are you eating more than usual?
  • Are you seeking energy boosting foods with sugar in them such as white bread, pasta, cake, chocolate etc
  • Do you crave salty foods – crisps, chips, cheese etc
  • Do you crave fatty foods? Such as KFC, chips, pizza…
  • Are you reliant on caffeine such as coffe, eat, red bull
  • Do you drink alcohol to unwind?
  • Are you smoking more cigarettes, marijuana or taking recreational drugs?

Think about where your stress comes from. Is it emotional, physical or mental? If you have some or more of the following symptoms you may need to think about changing your patterns:

  • Do you wake up feeling refreshed?
  • Do you need coffee or a hot shower to feel energised?
  • Do you get sleepy around 4pm?
  • Do you find it difficult to fall asleep at night with your mind racing?
  • Are you feeling tired all the time?
  • Are you depressed, anxious, edgy, tense, tearful or not feeling yourself?
  • Do you feel bloated or uncomfortable after eating?
  • Do you suffer from headaches, backache, or general aches or pains?
  • Are you suffering from PMT or IBS?

Emotional stress increases reward seeking behaviour, this is why we tend to crave high sugar or high fat foods to give ourselves a happy boost.  However these foods are pro-inflammatory and cause oxidative damage to the physical body (this causes yet more stress to the physical body)

The importance of eating the right foods and exercising

Foods have a powerful impact on the body and mind.  We cannot control some stress, but we can reduce the stress on the physical body by choosing the right foods.  Eating junk and processed food just creates more stress on the body.

Your body needs nutritious healthy foods to support it’s function and produce hormones that can help with a tough time.  I would like to emphasise how food can keep your bloody sugar levels stable.  Avoid eating a lot of carbohydrates on their own, or missing meals.  Eat enough protein and essential fatty acids to support production of hormones and slow release of sugar into the blood.  You might need to check if you have any food intolerances if your inflammation or pain is severe.  Introduce foods with antioxidants into your diet, such as colourful vegetables, fruits and herbs.

When, how and who you are eating with also need to be taken into consideration.  Remember to chew well!

I will be explaining in more detail about foods, supplements and exercise in Part Two of my talks on Stress.

Check back for more information on my next talk over the next few weeks.

Ayano Izuta, Naturopath

Posted by admin, 27th July, 2010

Summer Detoxing

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

Ayano is back with another of her free talks this month.  She will be talking about Summer Detoxing – what foods to eat, what to avoid, diets that work, diets that don’t, detox myths and further tips and advice.

Get beach body ready and full of energy this summer!

Posted by admin, 10th June, 2010

Detoxing the System

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

Modern life is full of toxins

Toxins in the air we breath, the foods we eat, the water we drink, our cosmetics, in our medication, in our cleaning products, even our mobile phones, PCs and other electrical devices

Without knowing it, we are surrounded by toxins, putting our bodies under huge pressure.  However our body is clever! When we provide the right nutrients in water, supplements, remedies, and improve our energy flow to our physical, mental and emotional systems, then our body can heal itself.

So how to improve our health?

Understanding where toxins come from, and how to support our detoxification organs will help prevent storing unwanted substances in the body.  Like a kitchen sink pipe we need to clean ourselves out now and again!

I will introduce detoxing methods and diets in my next talk – so come along with your questions.

This summer is going to be different and exciting!

Ayano Izuta, Naturopath

Posted by admin, 3rd June, 2010

Find a new favourite food

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

Avoiding foods that disagree with your gut can play an important role in fat loss.

Have you started your 3 weeks without wheat or dairy yet? To be able to carry out an elimination challenge diet without pain and suffering you need to stock up your kitchen with alternatives!

Preparation is the key to success with this diet.

But the good news is that there are a huge amount of alternative products on the market nowadays.

Wheat alternatives

Rye bread, rice, quinoa, brown rice, millet, corn, buckwheat pasta.

Wheat and gluten free pasta and bread.  Spelt is an ancient form of wheat and contains less gluten.  You might feel better with spelt but it’s probably best to avoid for 3 weeks.

Read labels carefully – sometimes buckwheat pasta or rye breads contain wheat.  You will be surprised at how many products contain wheat.

I love quinoa – I add it to soups to fill me up.

Dairy Alternatives

There are a lot of calcium alternatives to dairy.

Soy milk (Bon soy is the best brand), Oat milk, Rice milk, read labels carefully to check for hidden sugar and additives

Goat milk and sheep milk can be good for your gut, cows milk can cause problems.

Fresh Almond milk is easy to make at home.

Easy & yummy  fresh almond milk recipe

1 cup of almonds soaked over night (6-12 hours)

Wash almonds and and blend with 2 cups of water.  Blend on high speed for 1-2 minutes

Sieve through a muslin cloth or cheesecloth. Delicious!

Foods that cause bloating, gas and heaviness make impure energy (Damp) in Chinese medicine.

The digestive system does not like damp energy and fat is the accumulation of damp energy in Chinese medicine.

Avoiding these damp forming foods such as wheat, dairy or banana is something worth trying to see the effect on your body.  When you reintroduce the food in your system, you need to investigate how much is too much for your system.  Once a day? Or once in a 3 days?  Half size pasta is Ok? Or  can you cope with quarter of a pizza?

I keep out wheat and dairy at home to enjoy Italian restaurant with my friends or to eat sandwich at café if there is no other choice.

I am fine now. I have established good relationship with my dear wheat & dairy, and so I believe knowing what foods that suit your system plays a big role on sense of well-being as well as weight loss.  Foods you like not necessarily agree to your gut but there are a lot of other choices make you healthy and happy.  Please  take this opportunity to enjoy  new discovery of foods for your gut.

Food should give you energy and smile not trouble.

Ayano Izuta, Naturopath

☆If you need any help or support, want to ask questions, please do not hesitate to grab me at Marylebone Physio.

Posted by admin, 1st June, 2010

GUT INSTINCT

Friday, May 28th, 2010

What’s your Gut Instinct?

Some of the foods you may love actually don’t agree with your stomach.  If you have one or more of following symptom(s) such as

  • gas and/or bloating
  • heaviness
  • sleepiness
  • headaches
  • backaches
  • shoulder tension
  • low energy
  • lack of concentration
  • dark circle under the eye
  • water retention
  • generally feeling of  unwell

It  could be caused by the foods you regularly eat.  We call this food sensitivity or intolerance, the more technical name is IgG.  It is different from IgE which causes an allergic reaction with 24 hours of eating a food.

The IgG reaction occurs slowly within 72 hours and is not life threatening, but your immune system still needs to fight against it, causing symptoms listed above.

Protein from foods leak out of your gut, and your immune system kicks into action to attack this substance which is not harmful.  IgG reactions can be detected using a blood test, unfortunately it costs around £200.

I can help you use simple and effective techniques to find these foods that might be disagreeing with you.

The Elimination Challenge test.

Firstly, eliminate a food which you think is ‘suspicious’ from your diet completely for 2-3 weeks. Then reintroduce the food. When you eat it again pay attention to your body and see how you respond. Your body quickly reacts to what you reintroduce and you will be able to notice this reaction, if any, immediately.

Repeat the same process to another food group or type and see whether your symptoms improve or not.  If the food reintroduced causes you any of above symptoms, it is better to avoid a little longer and help heal your gut wall.

Unfortunately wheat and dairy are often the cause – try eliminating one of these at a time.

In my next blog post, I will tell you what alternatives you can eat while you are eliminating wheat and dairy.

In my personal case I have to eliminate dairy, egg, banana and garlic!!!! These ‘healthy and nutritios foods’ caused me bloating, gas, heaviness and pain. I was surprised – omelet is my favourite! At first I refused to believe this, but gave it a go to stop eating them. Now I feel so much better – no more bloating and discomfort. More energized I feel light and strong. So believe me I know how hward it is to give up something and break the habit, but unless you try you will never know.

This is the opportunity to discover new products in the market, communicate with your gut and create new eating habit, and of course, I am here to help your transformation!

Let’s not just eat for the sake of filling your stomach

Let’s eat to get energy, healthy and passion!

Posted by admin, 28th May, 2010

Fat Loss Rules

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

Fat Loss Rules


Rule 1 -  Don’t skip meals

Rule 2 -  Eat regularly every 3-4 hours – healthy snacks between meals.

Rule 3 -  Avoid eating only Carbohydrate or sweets.(high GI) Eat Protein in every meal.

Rule 4 -  Choose Healthy protein such as chicken, fish, egg, beans, legumes, quinoa  and nuts and seeds.  Red meat and organ meat are

pro-inflammatory

Rule 5 -  Try and stick to the ratio:   Carbohydrate: Protein = 1.5:1

Rule 6 -  Believe it or not we need fat in our diets! Do not cut all fat out. Increase the amount of omega-3 unsaturated oil (flax seed oil and fish oil) avoid saturated/ hydrogenated fat (animal fat, butter, margarine and too much cheese)

Rule 7 -  Avoid deep fried foods (oils become damaged when heated)

Rule 8 -  Reduce caffeine intake (boosting adrenaline causes a stress response in the body causing fat storage)

Rule 9 -  Increase green leafy vegetables, colorful vegetables and fruits. Refer to a GI chart to choose medium and low GI fruits and vegetables.

Rule 10 – Read labels carefully to find hidden sugar and hydrogenated fats.

Menu suggestions

Drink a large glass of room temperature water when you wake up with fresh lemon or Kiki’s green powder (I can order this for you)

Breakfast:

  • Whole meal bread/toast with eggs – poached is best! Cooked with olive oil not butter.
  • Porridge cooked with oat milk/water/soya milk – add berries /apples /ground nuts and seeds. To sweeten use cinnamon or agave syrup.

  • If you’re in a rush grab a protein shake
  • Be careful of ready made cereals – so called healthy mueslis can contain a lot of sugar – look for sugar contents under 12g.
  • Cornflakes are high GI

Morning snacks:

  • 3-4 brazil nuts, some nuts and seeds (no more than a handful)
  • 2 Oat cakes with nut butter (sadly no peanut butter! Go for pumpkin / walnut / almond or sunflower butters – you can get these from most health food shops)
  • Soya yoghurt with berries

Lunch:

  • Poached salmon with brown rice pasta with vegetables
  • Avocado & chicken sandwich (whole meal or rye)
  • Quinoa salad with beans and legumes
  • No time for lunch? Grab a protein drink!

Afternoon snacks:

  • Oat cakes / vegetable stick with hummus
  • Edamame beans (chew well and choose unsalted options)
  • Handful of nuts and seeds – if you like variety try Graze
  • Kiki’s Green powder for energy boost instead of coffee

Dinner:

  • Grilled chicken / Grilled fish with brown rice, steamed/boiled broccoli, legumes, asparagus
  • 2 egg omelet with spinach, mushroom, onion and tomato (if you have to have cheese try smaller quantities) Add a beetroot salad – good for the blood.
  • Sushi
  • Vegetable / chicken / tofu / prawn curries – use low fat coconut milk
  • Stir fried vegetables with tofu and quinoa
  • A large green and tomato salad with pea soup

Drink?

  • You must remember that alcohol contains a lot of sugar.  Alternate your alcoholic drinks with water.
  • Drinking green tea after meal helps burn calories and has antioxidant properties.  Do not pour boiling water to green tea for keeping it benefits.  75-85 centigrade is the best temperature for green tea.
  • Herbal teas – fresh mint or ginger tea after a meal can aid digestion
  • Suffer from gas? Try fennel tea.

Ayano Izuta, Naturopath

Posted by admin, 25th May, 2010

Healthy Weight Loss with Naturopathy

Monday, May 24th, 2010

A Naturopathic diet is not about starving yourself, not calorie counting, not reducing fat intake nor just reduce weight.  The aim of a naturopathic diet is to keep your blood sugar levels stable, your muscle mass stable and feeling happy in yourself.  And generally a healthy weight follows this!  It is more important to reduce your waist measurement rather than your weight.  If you are struggling with losing weight you may have physiological reasons behind it. Don’t blame yourself or give up hope.  Your body is trying to tell you there is something wrong with your system – listen to your body.  Homeopathy, natural herbal supplements and supports, diet, acupuncture and massage can all help to balance your system.

Physiological reasons the body stores fat

  • Under active thyroid
  • High or low cortisol production
  • Inflammation
  • Oestrogen dominance in your body
  • Liver and gut toxicity (intolerances)
  • Insulin resistance
  • Excess testosterone in women

If you do not have any of these conditions but still find it hard to lose fat around the middle, the reason might be:

  1. Too many sweets or refined carbohydrates (Bread & pasta)
  2. Irregular eating patterns
  3. Chronic stress ( Big One!!)
  4. Lack of protein
  5. Lack of exercise and muscle tone

How to reduce fat around the middle:

To decrease the body’s fat production you need to:

  • Reduce total amount of carbohydrate
  • Reduce stress (supplements, relaxation or meditation techniques, regular massage or any treatments to relax the nervous system)
  • Balance your blood sugar levels – eat every 3-4 hours
  • Increase energy output (exercise)
  • Increase muscle mass and thermogenesis (Protein is important for both)
  • Increase serotonin (protein and exercise increase the feeling of happiness)
  • Increase insulin sensitivity (Chromium supplement, Essential fatty acid and exercise)
  • Learn about the Glycaemic Index (GI) and Glycaemic Load (GL) Get a good book a
  • Breakfast is important. Without food, body feels stress and influence on blood sugar level. If you do not have a time, grab a protein shake
  • Eat plenty of unsaturated fat and Omega 3 rich in oily fish and flax seed oil reduce HDL (bad cholesterol)
  • Up your intake of Protein

A rough guide to how much : multiply 0.8ｘbody weight(kg) = amount of protein (g) a day. Ideally eat protein with every meal and sna

  • Keep a food diary – find out your moods and eating patterns, keep track of when you have certain cravings or if you feel tired/bloatedor gassy after certain foods
  • Eat plenty of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant – fat stores toxins. When you lose weight, toxins stored in the fat moves and causes headache or flu like symptoms.
  • Frequent practitioner contact – whether with a personal trainer, nutritionist, naturopath, physio therapist, massage therapist etc, this can help keep you on track and motivated.  If you can’t afford a trainer then get a healthy food buddy who can come on your jounrey

For more information on controlling your blood sugar levels Controlling your blood sugar levels (pdf)

Next up – Summer detox! I will be talking about how to detox safely and effectively without putting your health at risk.

Other help or questions?

Do not hesitate to grab me and ask any questions when you see me at the clinic!

I can help with diet assessments, advice on supplements, homeopathic treatments, acupuncture, stress reduction and support, detox plans for your gut and liver and much more!

Ayano Izuta, Naturopath

Posted by admin, 24th May, 2010

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