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Harmony in living course

Harmony in Living workshops headline

Harmony in Living course: 4 workshops on

12 and 26 February, 12 and 26 March, 19.00-21.00

Venue: RE:CENTRE, Thames WharfRainville Rd, London W6 9HA

£30 per workshop

Book your place for these events through Re:centre: https://recentre.co.uk/events

Harmony in living course will guide you through an exploration of ancient traditions, deepening your appreciation of being alive. Slow down. Pay attention. Live each moment fully. Becoming conscious of your type, lifestyle patterns and ‘ways of being’ can bring better health and happiness. These exploratory workshops will energise you with ideas, providing a greater understanding of what creates health and balance.

Discover your own practice of harmony in living.

The course consists of 4 x 120 minutes exploratory workshops led by Dr Eleni, a medical Consultant and Ayurveda practitioner. The workshops combine the power of wisdom traditions, current medical practice and Ayurveda with other scientifically proven practices, such as meditation, to help you lay the foundations of good health. Guided meditation, knowledge exchange, sharing of personal experiences, food and drink recipes, music and art brought to you by Dr Eleni.

About Dr Eleni 

Dr Eleni Tsiompanou is an experienced Medical Consultant who has worked in the NHS since 1997. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London (FRCP) who has also trained in Ayurveda and nutritional medicine. Eleni’s personal quest, knowledge and ongoing research has uncovered gems of practical information which can help people find their own balance, better health and harmony. As an Ambassador for the ‘College of Medicine’ in the Harmony project, Eleni is inspired by HRH, The Prince of Wales’s book Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World, which reminds us of some profoundly important truths, namely that everything in the universe is connected and balanced by universal laws and relationships.

12 February – Principles of Ayurveda 

Description: Ayurveda, which means the Science of Life in Sanskrit, is a 5,000 year old practical and holistic approach to health. It regards everyone as a unique individual. Its main principle is in helping us find a balance between our mind, body and spirit. It looks at our individual type, energy, diet, personality as well as our relationships and environment, to offer guidance in maintaining a harmonious state of being.

Content: A talk about how Ayurveda can improve your life. Learn how to approach your health in an interesting and practical way with diet and natural exercises. Understand other people and how to effectively relate to them. Try a guided meditation to deepen your awareness and access your hidden energy.

Book: https://recentre.co.uk/events/principles-of-ayurveda-harmony-in-living-welcome-series/

26 Feb – Too much fire? Diet and the elements

Description: Our inner fire is our engine of health. We need a balance between our different ‘elements’. Ancient sources, Pythagoras and Hippocrates, the father of medicine, as well as Ayurveda, define health as the harmony of man’s elemental components. Our modern life often creates too much ‘fire’ which disturbs harmony and leads to dis-ease. How can diet, lifestyle and nature help us improve our health?

Content: Find out what in your diet, lifestyle, relationships and environment nourishes your mind, body and spirit. Examine the value of intuition, wisdom traditions and science in creating harmony in your life. Try recipes for herbal drinks that can help balance your inner fire. Experience the effect of singing on the whole of you.

Book: https://recentre.co.uk/events/diet-and-the-elements-harmony-in-living-welcome-series-too-much-fire/

12 March – Conscious eating – tradition and practice

Description: Cooking with care and love can be a meditative practice. Eating with attention aids digestion. The resonances of time, place and our own nature – individual type, age, health condition – when sharing meals have been important in many cultures including the Mediterranean, Seventh Day Adventists and often for centenarians. Learn how positive rituals can improve our meals, health and being.

Content: Find out about positive new ways of approaching cooking, eating and sharing a meal. Learn some easy food recipes and open up all of your senses in an exercise of mindful eating.

Bookhttps://recentre.co.uk/events/conscious-eating-tradition-and-practice-harmony-in-living/

26 March – Fasting for harmony and longevity

Description: The main type of fast is to go without food for an extended period. Fasting allows the body to have a good ‘house-cleaning’ and a rest. Fasting as a way to health and long life, can aid recovery from certain illnesses. All the major religious traditions apply it in their spiritual practice. Gandhi used it, making the personal political. Modern medicine having re-discovered fasting, has now given it a stamp of approval.

Content: Learn essential practical steps to fasting for your health, weight-loss or recovery from dis-ease. Experience the nourishing effect of art exercises. Try a guided meditation to use in your preparation for fasting

Bookhttps://recentre.co.uk/events/fasting-for-harmony-and-longevity-harmony-in-living/

 

Fasting for Health and Long Life

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“It is through the principle of Harmony that human beings have health and well-being”. 

Hippocrates described fasting as therapy. All the major religious traditions apply it in their spiritual practice. Gandhi used fasting making the personal political. Modern medicine re-discovers it.
Want to hear more? Are you interested in the health benefits of fasting? Eager to find out the basics of fasting for health, weight loss or treatment of various diseases?

Join us in this “Harmony in Living” event to explore fasting and be inspired by ancient wisdom and modern science to have a healthier, happier and more fulfilled life, to live as a harmonious human being.

When: Saturday 24th of November, 10:30am – 1pm

Where: at the Health Being Institute in 8-9 Hop Gardens, Woolman Room, London WC2N 4EH. 

Cost: £20 per person. PAY FOR REGULAR ADMISSION VIA EVENTBRITE using this link: http://bit.ly/2OGdAei 

Places are limited and are booking fast as many are interested in the subject.
More information by emailing eleni.soma@gmail.com or phoning: 07958495537
Dr Eleni Tsiompanou is the College of Medicine Ambassador in the Harmony projectThe Harmony Project was originally inspired by HRH, The Prince of Wales’s book Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World, which reminds us of some profoundly important truths, namely that everything in the universe is connected and balanced by universal laws and relationships.



 

Body types, Personality and Health

Body types, personality & health 20 Sept 17

The Health Being Institute workshopBody types, personality and health – from ancient teachings to modern science’ will take place on Saturday 30th of September 2017 11am- 1:30pm, Central London.

I’m really pleased to have a co-presenter Angeliki Kompoholi from Greece. Angeliki brings an in-depth knowledge of Ancient Greek and literature and, a skill in bringing this timeless philosophy and wisdom to life, making them relevant to our everyday world.

From ancient traditions, human types have been described by the Humours: choleric, phlegmatic, sanguine and melancholic and in Ayurvedic Medicine by the five elements of ether, air, water, fire and earth. Ancient Greece? Angeliki and I aim to relate this wisdom to the newer discoveries in medicine such as epigenetics and to help you find practical ideas to improve your ‘health being’.

What is our ‘type’ made up in terms of:

  • our personality
  • our types of relationships
  • body type
  • activity and sleep patterns

How can diet, lifestyle, mindfulness and connection help our ‘type’?

The Health Being Institute “Diet and Philosophy” and “Medical Kitchen Wisdom” workshops provide an opportunity for people who are searching to bring together wisdom and science for the benefit of themselves, other people they know and the wider community.

Workshops provide an interesting, joyful exchange, learning from each other in a relaxing environment, with a healthy snack and tea provided.

I hope you can join us. Booking is essential. Places are limited and demand is high. Cost: £10 per person.
Venue: Woolman room, 8-9 Hop Gardens, London WC2N 4EH
I can provide you with a CPD certificate, if you need it.
To book for place, please email me at: eleni.soma@gmail.com or phone: 07958 495537

Find out more and book online: go to my meetup group ‘Medical Kitchen Wisdom’ on https://www.meetup.com/Medical-Kitchen-Wisdom/

Temenos Academy Lecture – “Hippocrates: The Lost Way to Health”

Temenos Academy talk poster

Dr Eleni has been invited by the Temenos Academy to give a lecture on “Hippocrates: the Lost Way to Health”. The lecture is on the 2nd of May in the atmospheric building of the Royal Asiatic Society in central London.

The Temenos Academy is an educational charity which aims to offer education in philosophy and the arts in the light of the sacred traditions of east and West. The word ‘temenos’ means ‘a sacred precinct’. 

You can read more about the Temenos Academy programme here 

“Health depends on the harmony of the basic elements in the human body”, wrote Hippocrates the Father of Medicine  2,500 years ago. ‘Diaita’ which, from ancient Greek, means literally  ‘way of life’, preserves or disrupts this inner harmony influencing our health and state of being. Hippocrates understood the properties of foods, the importance of exercises, music and social interaction in maintaining harmony. Emphasising the relationship between the quality of food and the soil, his practical advice on cooking and the impact of fasting on health can help us today in our search for a harmonious, healthy life.

Tuesday 2 May, 7-8:30 pm

In the Chair: Ian Skelly

Venue: The Royal Asiatic Society, 14 Stephenson Way, London NW1 2HD. Nearest Underground Euston Square / Euston

The event is open to the public

Admission: £8 or £5 Members of the Temenos Academy/Concessions

To reserve a place please email temenosacademy@myfastmail.com

“Seven Spices for Health”

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Learn how to use spices in your everyday life to support your health. We will explore 7 spices for their medicinal properties but also for their ability to enhance the taste and smell of our food, bringing life to our mealtimes.

“Food is Medicine”, Hippocrates the wise Greek physician of the 5th century BC wrote. When I was researching his books for my thesis, I found quotes such as ‘Coriander is hot and astringent; it stops heartburn, and when eaten last also causes sleep’ and ‘Wild saffron passes by stool’. Spices were differentiated according to their taste and the effect they had on the body. Clearly the ancients also used spices for their medicinal purposes. They recognised spices had an effect in the body and used them accordingly. Modern science confirms the powerful properties of spices.

Eating a tasty, aromatic, colourful, nutritious meal in a quite, pleasant environment and with attention is a powerful holistic experience that nourishes the body, mind and spirit. When we leave out one of these factors, then we feel like we are missing something and turn to more food or other substances and experiences to make up for the loss and to seek happiness. This has led in the 21st century to the epidemic of obesity and other chronic diseases. Spices can be one of the factors that can save us from disease and poor quality of being.

For this workshop I am very happy to welcome my guest speaker Vivian Voulgaraki. Vivian was born and raised in the island of Crete. Her journey in life brought her back to her roots where she set up “Pure Philosophy”, a private company that produces Holistic skin care and nutrition products and promotes natural and healthy living with respect to animals and nature. She will talk to us about a very special spice called carob which she has researched. The story of carobs has a special meaning for Greeks, as the consumption of carobs saved a lot of people and children during the war period and austerity. Evidently, this spice has special properties which Vivian will discuss further.

AGNOTIS – Pure Philosophy www.agnotis.eu

Please join us for this special event and taste a caramelised carob cake and raw carob gluten and dairy free biscuits, made using Vivian’s organic Carob syrup and powder, prepared by our chef Mariana Ivanova. Recipes will be provided.

 

“Brain Loving Foods & Lifestyle: Ways to Avoid Dementia” Workshop

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What could we do to prevent dementia and even delay its’ progress?

In this workshop, Dr Garuth Chalfont, from the Division of Health Research, University of Lancaster and Dr Eleni Tsiompanou from the Health-Being Institute, will discuss different natural and holistic interventions including:

• modern Nutritional Medicine

• functional foods developed in Japan

• horticultural therapy

• our connection with nature

• lifestyle and brain games

• ancient Ayurvedic nutrition and Hippocratic Medicine

• philosophy, music and storytelling

Research shows what’s good for the heart and the gut is good for the brain.

Come and join us on Saturday 25th June 11am-1:30pm at this unique workshop in the centre on London. Along with an interesting discussion, we offer ideas for cooking (“brain loving foods”) and some delicious snacks designed to nourish your heart and brain, prepared by chef Mariana Ivanova.

Cost: £20 per person

Venue: 8-9 Hop Gardens, London WC2N 4EH

TO BOOK email: ihealthbeing@gmail.com or phone: 07958495537

Workshop: “Six Tastes for Health & Wellbeing”

“My tongue is smiling”. What can help us say that?

Our next multidimensional “Medical Kitchen Wisdom” workshop, combining

Nutritional Medicine, Ayurvedic Nutrition, Hippocratic Medicine, Philosophy & stories is

on the 14th of May 12-14:30

at 8-9 Hop Gardens (Woolman room), London WC2N 4EH.

Theme: “Six tastes for Health & Wellbeing”

We will explore:

• the 6 tastes that are important for health

• the attributes of tastes and foods according to Hippocrates, Plato, Ayurveda and modern medicine

• impact on digestive health of different tastes, foods and food combinations

• what ingredients and utensils to use

• recipes to have in hand for easy and healthy cooking

Bring a friend if you want but, let me know beforehand, so that we can prepare the Ayurvedic snacks.

 

Places are limited.

TO BOOK either e-mail me: ihealthbeing@gmail.com or phone me: 07958-495537

Cost: £20 per person

With Dr EleniTsiompanou

Guest chef: Mariana Ivanova

‘Greek mountain tea’ & ‘Ayurvedic snacks’ will be provided

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“Fasting Can Save Your Life” Workshop

In this workshop find out  the first steps to fasting for your health

Fasting allows the body to have a good ‘house-cleaning’ and a rest.

It is a way to health and long life.

Hippocrates said it: ‘the more you nourish a diseased body, the worse you make it’

Saturday 19 September 2015, 12 – 2:30 pm

8-9 Hop Gardens, London WC2N 4EH 

More information & to book a place:

E: ihealthbeing@gmail.com

P: 07958-495537

Cost: £25 per person

‘Greek mountain tea’ ‘Hippocratic snacks’ will be provided

Chef: Mariana Ivanova

19:09 fasting workshop

Ancient Hippocratic Wisdom for a Harmonious Diet: “ΔΙΑΙΤΑ”

We are coming together again on the 9th of May to continue our exploration of the ‘Power of Foods’, what Ancient Hippocratic Philosophy can teach us and how we can aspire to a Harmonious Diet, which is called “ΔΙΑΙΤΑ”.
If you are in London, then come and join us.
For more information & to book a place, 
e-mail me: ihealthbeing@gmail.com or
phone me: 07958-495537 
Saturday 9 May 2015, 12 – 2:30 pm
The Woolman Room, 8-9 Hop Gardens, London WC2N 4EH
Cost: £25 per person. Limited availability. ‘Greek mountain tea’ and ‘Hippocratic snacks’ will be provided.

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Hippocrates Timeless Still

My article in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine 

J R Soc Med. 2013 Jul;106(7):288-92

can also be read in full here in the James Lind Library online

Hippocrates UCL

Hippocrates put the person at the center of his attention, while modern medicine focuses on the disease. Hippocrates was first and foremost interested in finding out what led to the development of the symptoms experienced by the person. He distinguished lifestyle patterns and personal characteristics that predisposed to certain conditions. Although modern medicine is increasingly accepting the importance of lifestyle in the development of chronic diseases, it continues to give priority to examining the illness and treating the symptoms. Hippocratic therapies involved primarily changes in food, exercise and other lifestyle patterns while modern medical treatments concentrate on pharmacological and surgical interventions.

In The Art, the writer gives general advice on how a patient should be treated. He explains that medical treatment consists of much more than drugs:

The most famous doctors cure by changing the diet and lifestyle of their patient and, by using other substances. Such capable doctors have the knowledge and ability to use
the therapeutic properties of most natural or man-made products (The Art 2.6; Jones 1923)