Our health is the most important thing in our lives. But somewhere along the line, I started to equate doing something for my health as an indulgence, something I couldn't quite carve out time for between studying and children and social life.
Below is a guide to five spaces where you can move and breathe and eat and connect. All vital components of our health and all within our wonderful Hertfordshire county.
Remember this is not a luxury. This is the opportunity to help create a healthier lifestyle. Don't just survive, I want you to thrive.
If you would like some alternatives to wellbeing spaces then click here for some suggestions, that you can try today, for your physical and emotional wellbeing.
I hope you find this useful and please if you have any other suggestions please feel free to add them in the comments, or send me a message and I can add them on.
Love from Andrea
North of Hertfordshire
Letchworth Centre of Healthy Living (Letchworth Garden City)
The Hay Barn (Therfield, Royston)
East of Hertfordshire
Akasha Wellness (Bishops Stortford)
Central Hertfordshire
Akasha Wellness (Ware)
South of Hertfordshire
Cucumber Fields (Essendon)
The Birch (Cheshunt)
Pay as you go
Creating healthier communities
I am so lucky to have this space on my doorstep and they provide so much. Based in Letchworth Garden City, they are the longest standing wellness centre on this blog. Incarnated in 1984 it is now a space that exists to open minds to new ways of thinking.
It offers:
A huge range of classes including yoga, tai chi, mindfulness, Pilates and much more
Therapies including acupuncture, homoeopathy, hypnotherapy and reiki and again many more
Cafe Nourish creates the most glorious vegetarian and vegan meals (open 9:30 till 3 pm)
Venue hire for weddings
Train, recharge, chat
A health, wellbeing and fitness destination, The Hay Barn can be found in Therfield, Royston.
I love that they describe the space as a "dynamic and welcoming space where minds, bodies and friendships flourish" because the connection is so important for our mental wellbeing. In acupuncture, emotions can be considered a cause of disease, just as much as physical traumas. Find a space where you can nourish existing friendships but perhaps a space where you can create new connections.
The Hay Barn offers:
Yoga
Pilates
Metafit and Body Blitz
Treatments including massage and reiki
Personal training
Calf Pen coffee (open from 9:30 till 1 pm Tuesday to Sunday)
A space in which to shine
If you live in England a chance to shine (or get sunshine) is always top of my list! Akasha has two spaces; one situated in Bishops Stortford (Wickham Hall) and the other in Ware (Church Street).
Classes and therapies offered in Bishops Stortford are:
Pilates (reformer and mat)
Yoga
Barre
Therapies including acupuncture, reiki, physiotherapy
The Ware studio concentrates on yoga and Pilates.
And your first introductory class is only £5.
The Rosey Lea cafe is right next door to them in Bishops Stortford and in Ware, you are spoilt for choice with the number of restaurants and cafes nearby.
Members
A space to breath
Based in Essendon, Cucumber Fields is a space for people who want to feel at home. It is a members-only space with a monthly subscription starting at £55 for 4 classes. For £130 a month you get unlimited classes
They offer:
Studio cycling
Yoga
Retreats
Treatments including Ayurvedic, beauty, physiotherapy and nutritional therapy
A pantry (I love this name and I love that the cakes are made from their own chicken eggs)
Childcare (additional cost)
This is a space where it is hard to imagine wanting to leave, especially when I know they have llamas!
Flex. Ride. Train. Run
Opened in 2020 the Birch is a hotel, restaurant, wellness space, coworking and all-around exciting new addition to the Hertfordshire wellness space.
Set in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire you can join as a member to enjoy all of these things at the drop of a hat. It is an investment. The cost is £200 to join and then £120 a month for a minimum of 12 months but you then get:
Lido time in their 25-metre pool
Yoga, spinning, gym equipment
Classes such as pottery, bakery, painting, music, beekeeping or making your own compost (additional costs incurred)
Ping pong and table football
Treatments including massages and facials (additional costs incurred)
Workshops on nutrition and reiki (additional costs incurred)
There really is something for everyone. Sign me up!
In case you don't or cannot visit any of these spaces I have also created some wellness ideas which are either free or easy to do.
From 14th September 2021, I will be offering mobile acupuncture appointments to Hertfordshire residents. That means I come to you and it doesn't matter if you cannot leave your home, or children are around, or you are short on time when working. Whilst my books are closed you can book a free 15-minute discovery call with me here
If you need a low-cost version of my treatments I will be offering, from January 2022, a four-week course of appointments (to be taken each consecutive week) for one person to use for £40. It is a maximum of four treatments per person and 100% payment is made upfront
I wrote a blog post called "What can YOU do for YOU? 8 top tips for the weekend" which includes tips on sleep, connection, food, consumption and movement.
Below is advice based on a working diagnosis of your acupuncture pattern. Take a look through the patterns and see which advice works for you:
An example would be:
Yang deficiency: oedema, sluggish, feeling cold and cold limbs, bright pale face, no thirst, loose stools, frequent pale urination.
My solution: you need to be keeping warm, only eating warm foods i.e. no cold drinks or raw/cold foods.
OR
Qi stagnation: frustration, anger, bloating, frequent sighing, signs and symptoms worse for stress, depression
My solution: you need to provide physical and emotional movement.
If at any time you have questions, please reach out to me. I can be contacted any time and I will try and come back ASAP.
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