What is “deep rest yoga nidra”?
Yoga nidra is a fusion of Eastern and Western practices which take the brain into a deep rest state, between being awake and asleep. As many people don’t know this, I call it “deep rest” to make it more accessible. The process takes the mind into a state of consciousness where we can be free from the frazzle of daily stresses and can rest and relax our bodies and minds deeply. Deep rest yoga nidra in my classes has no religious elements and no chanting or physical yoga poses. This is guided deep, nourishing rest. It is similar to meditation but most people find it easier to access than traditional meditation. You don’t need any special clothes or to sit in a particular way. There is no “performance”, right or wrong way to practise, just the opportunity for your own experience to connect with yourself. Clients report feeling deeply replenished and as though they have been on holiday  – see testimonials page and instagram (search Katie Wheater Wellbeing).

Benefits of deep rest yoga nidra:

• Improved sleep
• Improved clarity, creativity and flow state 
• Awareness of your body and your own needs
• Feeling of calm and stillness, sense of perspective from daily stresses

What to expect in my in-person classes:
A warm welcome to our beautiful gently lit space. A few minutes to arrive in body and mind, with some guided journalling questions to help you get out of your head and into your body and really become aware of your own needs. Once we’ve noted down as much as we can to clear our minds, we get even cosier with blankets, pillows and cushions supporting your body to begin to let go of physical tension. The session can be experienced siting or lying down. We then begin the guided experience where I will talk you through a carefully curated session, suitable for beginners and experienced practitioners alike. Each session has a different theme, written by me, tailored to the group attending. It will include breathwork, visualisations, body scans and relaxation techniques. As we come back into a wakeful state, I will offer you a cup of tea and additional notes to help you get even more from your experience. You take home all your notes (we don’t share these) and afterwards receive a recording to listen to at your leisure.

Please get in touch with any questions, to book or to receive future dates via my newsletter: 07739 460676 katie@katiewheaterwellbeing.co.uk

Upcoming deep rest yoga nidra sessions: all 7 – 8.15pm

• Thursday 7^th November: starlight – FULL, JOIN WAITING LIST
• Sunday 17^th November: self compassion – FULL, JOIN WAITING LIST
• Thursday 21st November: resilience – FULL, JOIN WAITING LIST
• Friday 5^th December: well rested woman – 4 SPACES LEFT

Firstly, with less/no sun on your skin, I hope you are all taking your NHS recommended vitamin D supplements (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/), firstly to help your immunity and secondly improve bone, tooth and muscle health and strength. We absorb vitamin D from the sun during the warmer months (although given the British weather, personally I take it year round), but from autumn to late spring, we really need to supplement to ensure we’re getting enough. Although vitamin D is found in food (eggs, dairy, oily fish, red meat, fortified cereals), it is really hard to absorb adequate amounts from food sources alone. So next time you’re in the supermarket, pop some vitamin D supplements into your basket – there are options available for all budgets.

As I’ve mentioned above, vitamin D plays an important role in immunity – something we all want to improve especially at this time of year. Supplementing with vitamin D, and ensuring your iron and vitamin C levels are well bolstered, will improve your chances of fighting off the bugs and speeding recovery if they do strike. Reducing stress and improving sleep will help significantly too – deep rest yoga nidra can improve both of these so do book in for an upcoming class.

Improving iron and vitamin C to support immunity:

Iron is found in highest densities in red meat and this is the form that is easiest for the body to absorb. It is also available in eggs, fish, dried fruit (dried apricots have the highest quantities but be careful with these are high in fruit sugar), beans and legumes, green leafy veg and nuts and seeds. The best way to enhance iron absorption is to eat your iron source alongside a vitamin C source as the vitamin C helps improve absorption into the body. So in practice, this could look like something you may well have on your food roster already: bolognaise is a perfect example of bringing together iron (red meat) in a vitamin C rich tomato sauce. If you want to increase the nutrient density of this meal, you could add chick peas (more iron, fibre and vitamin C) and chopped/blended carrots and peppers (vitamin C, fibre) into the sauce. A favourite iron and vitamin C rich autumn meal in my home is my salmon noodle soup recipe which I’m sharing with you here:

Nutrient dense salmon/tofu/chicken noodle soup:
Roast/bake/pan-fry your salmon – roughly one fillet per person (iron) In a deep soup pan, cook up some tenderstem brocolli, asparagus, mangetout (vitamin C) and some egg noodles (more iron) in bone broth or just hot water. I tend to cook the egg noodles in with the green veg so they can be cooked in that vitamin C rich water – even better if cooked with bone/mushroom broth. Pan-fry some onions, garlic and mushrooms (super prebiotics – you can read about those in an upcoming blog). Combine all the above into the deep soup pan and season to taste with soy sauce. You can serve this without the water or as a broth, depending on your personal preferences. I chuck in whatever veg we have in the fridge so this might also include grated carrots, kale or green beans. And you could also replace the salmon with chicken or tofu.

Enhance your iron absorption:

You can further enhance iron and vitamin C absorption by avoiding drinking tea/coffee/milk at the same time as the phylates in tea and coffee and calcium in the dairy reduce absorption.

Get your personalised nutrition consultation:

If this was helpful, and you’d like to further optimise your own nutrition, do get in touch to book a nutrition and lifestyle consultation. Priced at £120, you receive:

• 15 minute telephone consultation in advance to check your aims and our compatibility
• Questionnaire for you to complete in advance so I can understand your current diet, lifestyle, aims and any restrictions
• One hour telephone consultation (day/evening): we use this to go into greater detail of your questionnaire, you get some immediate suggestions and can ask all your questions
• Fully personalised nutrition and lifestyle report including tailored meal plans and holistic lifestyle suggestions to optimise your health:you receive this by email within a week of our telephone consultation
• Complimentary general lifestyle guide including how to understand your own needs and motivations, sleep tips, recipes and recommended reading

So after a busy first day on Monday when I was delighted to meet some new clients (and receive their lovely feedback), I took some time out for myself on Tuesday to feed my own wellbeing! Paddle boarding from Abingdon to Clifton Hampden and a short swim in the river afterwards were wonderful ways to start the day, especially when the cloud and mist melted away to reveal beautiful blue sky! The water is definitely getting chillier now but a brief (8 minute!) float in the current and swim against it really sets me up with such a physical and mental glow and sense of joie de vivre!

We saw two kingfishers, numerous herons, red kites and swans along the way. Being in nature really helps me to stay calm, relax and be present – all skills that help me to be a better massage therapist!

Welcome to my website. I’m returning to massage following six years off raising two lovely, energetic children who are now both at school. The last year has really been a wake up call to so many of us as to how much we value, and miss, physical contact. Like many of you, I haven’t hugged my parents since February 2020. Some days, this new Covid-19 world feels as though it will go on forever and we forget how much we need and value physically connecting with each other. Some days it doesn’t seem so odd to not hug our friends, some days we feel it as physical ache from the lack of touch from our loved ones hands. A simple touch can convey so much love and understanding. I’m here to help you with that, to relax you and help you to release stress that has been building physically or emotionally. 

It has been a while since I last was working but I can assure you that I have had willing guinea pigs in the form of my husband and two children to practice on throughout the lockdowns this year. They have all benefitted from my practice in terms of improved sleep, feeling calmer and reconnected.

I want to thank my dear friends for encouraging me to re-start my business and I’m looking forward to helping us all to feel better, nurtured and more recognised for our true selves: taking a mini break from the stresses of everyday life.

I’m sorry there hasn’t been a blog for such a long time! As some of you know, my husband and I are thrilled to be expecting our first baby in early November. I just wanted to let you know my plan for seeing clients over the next few months.

Treatments will be available between now and early October at the following times:

• Tuesday – Thursday 10am – 7pm
• Friday 10am – 6pm

As the late afternoon and evening appointments are very popular, please book as far in advance as you can, to avoid disappointment!

Treatments available include:

• Pregnancy massage
• Holistic and therapeutic massage
• Deep tissue massage

Unfortunately I’m unable to offer hot stone treatments whilst I’m pregnant but these will be available again in the new year.

I am also in the process of finishing my MSc before the baby arrives, so if you are female and interested in what impact your menstrual cycle has on what you eat and might consider taking part in my study (which requires you to do a food diary for six days during your next cycle), do let me know ASAP so I can send you more information.