Healthy Beast

Sick man, 80, arrested and threatened for growing cannabis

Pensioner Tony Bevington has stage-3 kidney failure and he started growing cannabis to ease the stabbing pains caused by his condition. He is very forgiving of the neighbour who shopped him, less so of the police who threatened to kick his door in and have him evicted. And Tony is now suffering from terrible anxiety about the legal proceedings stretching out in front of him. It is hard to believe that we would go to the trouble of punishing someone like this. He doesn't seem like a terrifying gangster, but have a listen and see what you think. 

Find out more on Tony's Facebook support page here. 

The illusion of pain: are you ready to let go of suffering?

Chana Studley worked for years as a special effects expert on Hollywood movies. But violent assaults in her twenties had left her with years of pain and PTSD. She did extensive research into the mechanisms that cause physical and psychological trauma and discovered that she was able to leave her suffering entirely in the past. 

Chana is an author and has lectured around the world on pain. Raised in the UK, she now lives in Israel and works as a first responder for the World Health Organisation, providing psychological assistance to people who have suffered or witnessed traumatic events. 

It was fascinating to talk to her and she has already got me thinking differently about how I personally experience pain. Find out more at chanastudley.com. 

 

Alfie Dingley's mum: Matt Hancock 'should hang his head in shame'

Hannah Deacon petitioned the government for her son – who suffers from a rare, debilitating form of epilepsy – to be given cannabis on the NHS. In 2018 Alfie Dingley made headlines when the pioneering prescription was granted. Hannah talks very movingly about the difference cannabis has made to her son’s quality of life. He went from having regular, terrifying seizures to living with a condition that is now far more manageable. But for thousands of other children who could also benefit from medical cannabis, it is a very different story.

Visit the Alfie's Hope Facebook page to see more about Hannah's campaign.

You can find out more about Hannah’s work with Professor Mike Barnes to increase awareness of medical cannabis at mapletreeconsultants.co.uk.

Professional fighter turned powerlifter Jack T

As an MMA fighter, Jack was known for his ferocious style. As a coach he said it was "a lot tougher watching someone go into the cage than walking into the cage yourself". Now no longer starving himself to make weight, Jack has turned his back on cardio and committed himself with equal ferocity to the sport of powerlifting. 

Jack Toczydlowski is a much easier to pronounce Jacked_T on Instagram.

His inspirational powerlifting team is barfight_team. 

 

Life coaching with the Urban Cookie Collective

Danielle Barnett is the lead singer of the Urban Cookie Collective. She is also a qualified NLP coach and helps people overcome their anxieties, whether they want to sing in front of thousands, or simply stand up and give a wedding speech. She is also one of the most positive people you could ever meet and I thoroughly enjoyed having my negative thought patterns gently coached away. 

Find out more at daniellebarnett.coach. 

 

Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend Mauricio Gomes

One of the original black belts under the late Rolls Gracie, Mauricio is now an 8^th degree coral belt. He talks about a lifetime of jiu-jitsu, and seeing his son Roger Gracie go from “chubby teenager” to becoming the greatest of all time.

Cannabis is legal, so why can't you get it on the NHS?

Two years ago medicinal cannabis was legalised in the UK after Professor Mike Barnes secured the first NHS prescription for Alfie Dingley, an epileptic boy having dozens of seizures a day. Thousands of children like Alfie need cannabis, but despite promises from the Health Secretary, no prescriptions are being written.

Private cannabis prescriptions for pain and anxiety are rising rapidly, Prof Barnes says. But if you go to an NHS doctor, you will be offered OxyContin, never cannabis. Prof Barnes is urging patients not to give up, to put doctors under pressure until they start prescribing a medicine that improves quality of life immeasurably for so many people. 

Jeremy Hackett – staying stylish and sane over lockdown

Jeremy Hackett, the self-deprecating creator of global menswear brand Hackett London, has survived lockdown by living healthily and not using Zoom. The most stylish man I know - even in shorts - it’s incredible to hear his recent tale of being turned away from a London hotel for not meeting the dress code. What hope is there for the rest of us? @mrjhackett  

A psychologist's guide: simple ways to avoid negative thinking

Clinical psychologist and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) specialist Tamara Cilliers is in the studio to discuss the best ways to bring balance into your life, minimise harmful thought patterns and avoid falling out with people in this intense post-lockdown world. 

As well as her role training NHS psychologists, Tamara works for the private London clinic Psychiatric and Psychological Consultant Services. 

 

The building blocks of mental health

Stop fretting about the global chaos. Psychotherapist Noel McDermott talks about the simple steps we should all be taking to keep our own mental health on track, no matter what state the crazy world has got itself into.