When Physical Health & The Mind Intertwine
Angela Kirwin
Author & Copywriter, Business Growth Consultant, English Language Coach & Trainer.
I've had a fortnight of non-stop activity, and I feel like I've been learning something new every day. I've been working on some fascinating projects, but here are just a couple of my highlights from the past couple of weeks -
Not only was I lucky enough to spend a week at Journalism School with Tortoise Media , I also got to attend one of their ThinkIns. With five days jampacked full of everything from how investigative journalists find out information, to how journalists navigate the Houses of Parliament (with a school trip thrown in for good measure), I thought my brain had reached total capacity.
And then Dr. James Kinross walked into the newsroom and blew my mind with details from his latest book, Dark Matter - The New Science of the Microbiome.
I didn't think I was a 'science-y' kind of girl, but I hung off his every word during this hour talk on how the microbiome is effected by, and affects, every aspect of our life. The research is still in its infancy, but he briefly touched on the link between the microbiome and neurological conditions... and now I'm off to read his book to learn more.
It was Scarlett Roberts of RRC Care who first sent me research around hypermobility & ADHD. As an ex-ballet dancer, turned Pilates teacher, turned Movement Specialist, she devises bespoke Clinical Pilates pain management techniques for pain relief and prevention. There are a stack of short videos on her YouTube Channel you can check out.
So, after hearing that some of my physical health ailments may be linked to my neurology, I asked Liz Watkin , all round superwoman and Occupational Therapist, for more info about the ADHD / Physical Health Connection.
This conversation is for anyone who wants to know more about neurodiversity. We cover so much in less than an hour: the girls vs. boys diagnosis divide; chasing dopamine and; the link between lax ligaments, weak muscle tone, being accident prone & neurodiverse conditions. Liz is also a great cheerleader (figuratively, although I wouldn't put it past her to also be literal), so if you need a reminder how wonderful you are, she's got positivity in bucketloads.
There's so much more I could share, but that's all for this week. If you want to read more of what I'm working on at the moment, I'd love you to subscribe to my free weekly newsletter, Hyperactive, Impulsive, Inattentive Living, where I talk about the messy, nuanced reality of living with ADHD.
Ange