作者: ~amy~

去年初，疫情肆虐全世界的時候，我這個防疫至上的腦子，不斷思考問題：現階段，在沒有藥物可治療下，我們只有盡量提升身體免疫力。當受病毒影響，以及把病毒擊退後，我們如何盡快復原。當病毒不斷變種，西方醫藥不能給予太多的幫助時，我們需要用其他方式去對抗病毒的挑戰。

這兩年來，疫情令大家的生活大受影響，身體上要準備病毒隨時侵襲，工作上模式變成work from home，社交上就是減少群聚。抗疫兩年，大家都累積了一定程度的疲累，身心都受影響。

「健康支援教練」是一個在外國十分流行的概念。他們擔當了輔助正統醫療體系的重要角色。健康支援，就是協助醫生在醫療所外，幫助有需要人士建立健康的生活、飲食習慣，提升病人的自然康復能力。他們並非直接提供治療服務，而是要令病人明白，每一個人，都有能力去改善自己的身心狀況，就算受外來環境因素影響，只要憑著積極樂觀的信念，找到處理方法，也可以身心健康。
「教練」需要給人各種各樣，跟身體、精神、心靈問題有關的建議，包括有需要時，協助轉介醫生跟進。

要是你身體沒有什麼問題，但希望維持健康的狀態，「健康支援教練」可以協助你建立新的生活模式，支持及鼓勵你嘗試，用正面的態度改變生活現狀，從而令你回復身心平衡。

Health coaching 的課程，涵蓋各種促進身體健康的元素：

• 理解身體各系統的運作，常見疾病成因
• 了解食物的營養，作為天然保健方式
• 利用運動去鍛煉身體，改善精神狀態
• 如何用不同的思考方式，逐步解決困難

作為課程審核的一部份，我完成了幾個個案，過程中，結合各種草本植物的療癒概念，令參與者身心問題，都得到一定程度的改善。

其中一個個案，客人(Client) 是我的朋友，因工作壓力影響睡眠質素（難以入睡，兩三小時後就睡醒，或是整晚都睡不着），我就給了以下建議：

多吃含鎂（Magnesium) 食物放鬆神經，包括各種深綠的色蔬菜，各種果仁類食物
睡前用薰衣草，乳香精油擴香，通過嗅覺神經，釋放穩定情緒的物質，安神定心
飲用含緩解焦慮，幫助睡眠的西蕃蓮，菩提花草茶
多做運動，利用身體自我製造的荷爾蒙減壓
睡前用瀉鹽（Epsom salt) 浸浴，鹽的主要成份為鎂，能幫助鬆弛肌肉
睡前把第二天要做的事情，都寫出來，把腦袋放空

兩星期後，朋友的睡眠質素有所改善，入睡變得容易了，而且感覺是放鬆的，腦子開始少了一點胡思亂想，這是很大的變化，但更重要的，是培養持久的生活習慣，這也是健康支援教練的責任：幫助客人定下目標，鼓勵他們積極改善，而且持之以恆。

經過差不多一年的課堂，功課，測驗，實習體驗，我終於完成了課程，而這課程，近期亦得到英國NHS的官方認受，確定有關的訓練，對整體醫療體系的輔助性，對康復中的病人、希望改善身體狀態的人士來說成效顯著。
我亦期望將來可以運用課程學到的理論，以及思考模式，去幫助有需要的人。

Six years ago, I have started my naturopathic journey – the use of herbs, from external application, combining with herbal intake, has fast become my favorite natural immune system and emotional support. Even under the pandemic, I diffuse essential oils every night to soothe my allergic noses. I also drink herbal teas very often to boost my immunity and ease my mind. When facing physical and emotional conditions that conventional medicine cannot offer much help, friends have approached me for natural therapeutic advices.

At the start of the year, pandemic has hit the world hard. People were locked down at home. We live in a state which nearly every aspect of our lives hang on the pandemic. As a positive minded person, I wonder how I can help the world – when people’s morale and physical state hit bottom.

Feeling well – are what we are looking for. We want to stay healthy during the pandemic and want to help ourselves. We may know what we can do in our daily lives but how should we start and how to nurture and sustain this as a habit? We know a lot about natural nutritional values of food and that exercises can benefit our body and mood. If these can be integrated into a holistic approach, every aspect of it can complement each other.

Then I accidentally came across a diploma course offered by the College which I studied in London two years ago – CNM (College of Naturopathic Medicine) – Diploma in Health Coaching. It’s a training offers to people regardless of their educational and working backgrounds. The course offers multidisciplinary modules from anatomy which common illnesses are discussed, how people can benefit from improving dietary habits, physical exercises that facilities our physical wellbeing and how people can empower themselves for a healthy life.

A Health Coach, in simple term, is to make people healthy. They help clients to accomplish their health goals by improving their physical and emotional wellbeing through food, exercises, and lifestyle changes. A health coach works with clients to find out what works best for them, implements, and sustains changes.

For people who have neglected to make their health a priority and are now in need of a major change, or they are relatively healthy but need some tips on setting actionable goals and building sustainable habit, a health coach can help them on their journeys to well-being. People will gain the knowledge, skills, tools to be confident to take responsibility to reach their health goals.

What health coaches do:
* identifying underlying issues (e.g. overweight, gut and blood sugar issues)
* helping people understand potential causes
* suggesting ways to improve and reverse these conditions
* encouraging people to change their habits, by helping them overcome obstacles in pursuit of their goals
* if there are potential issues that need special attention, they will refer their clients to specialist health practitioners
* collaborating with nutritionists, and other allied health providers, in supporting their clients as they make positive changes

Sometimes our physical wellbeing cannot be assured only by what we eat and do, stress is one of the issues affecting our health and this impacts our short and long term health. Stress can be from relationships, work, environment. Health coach takes a proactive approach, goes beyond diet and exercising, support their clients for tackling stress related issues in life. A health coach works with clients to determine if they are giving in to any negative limiting beliefs or false senses of self, empowering them to take charge of their health by identifying areas for improvement and providing support and encouragement as they work toward their goals.

So my new journey started. The practical part of the training is very encouraging. I had chances to work with my friends as my clients, to help them identify and analyze their physical issues, their habits and set clear goals with them and empower them in every aspect of life to break down barriers and to attain their health goals. This process involves my previous knowledge in herbs and aromatherapy. And it’s such a rewarding experience.

At a recent case study practice, my client (a friend) has sleep disturbance – she has difficulty falling asleep and constantly wakes up in the middle of the night. Thus, waking up feeling tired every day.

Having discussed with her about her eating and daily habits, I advised her to start some dietary and lifestyle changes.

Exercising – physically active is essential for sleeping well, by relieving tension built up during the day.

Magnesium rich food – Magnesium regulates neurotransmitters which send signals to the brain and the nervous system. By shutting down the nervous system, magnesium relaxes the body and mind.

Essential oil – molecules from the essential oils work through the olfactory system to cause the brain to secrete neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin, which can elevate mood, makes you feel calm and relaxed. Serotonin produces melatonin, the hormone responsible for making you feel sleepy at bedtime.

Herbs – Herbs have been used as medicine for thousands of years, and quite a few are well known for their sleep-promoting benefits. They may even have a few advantages over pharmaceutical sleep aids.

Jotting notes – before going to bed so as to relieve her mind from stress.

After one month, my client has a slight improvement on sleeping. She can now reduce her sleeping medication and feel more restful when she goes to bed.

The improvement is so encouraging that now she is willing to sustain this lifestyle and working towards permanent behavioral changes. The clear goal and improvements empower her to keep going.

That is what I want to do – to empowers others for self-help. Everyone can be healthy when the motivation and tools are with you.