In the third DIVERISTY DATE of season 2, Dr John Fernandes is joined by Tulshi Varsani of TLV performance.

Tulshi is a performance coach at TLV performance and has previously worked as the Mercedes race team performance coach.

As a founder of Fitness Chix, host of the Unapologetically You Podcast and a board member of the LTAD network, Tulshi discusses the adversity she has faced in her career and how she has overcome these barriers and pushed through to be successful.

See Tulshi’s presentation and conversation here:

DiversityDate (vimeo.com)

You can keep up with Tulshi here; – https://twitter.com/TulshiVarsani

 https://www.instagram.com/tlvperformance

https://open.spotify.com/show/5x3L2mGyfh8yjKeXVGZMBW?si=AbId9I3GQiCoBxL2dNG7eQ

DIVERSITY DATE: Promoting the work of under-represented groups in sport. This series amplifies the voices of under-represented groups and creates role models for those in sport. Hosted by Dr John Fernandes

The book of the month was an interesting choice suggested to me. This is based on a true story where female mathematicians at NASA worked on calculations that supported one of America’s greatest achievements in space. Margot Shetterly did a fantastic job where she captured the lives of these phenomenal women before they worked at NASA. Margot captured the history of Dorothy Vaughan, Miriam Mann and Katherine Johnson’s work when they were wives, mothers and teachers before they obtained jobs as mathematicians. Margot places her readers us, firmly in her vision of the lady’s personal trauma’s, struggles, and what it was like in America during those decades. The way they pushed back against racist rules and do something uncommon.

Marot spoke about the cold war and the way ‘the computers’ aka mathematicians were treated at Langley. She explained how their lives were separate to other neighbourhoods, as well as where black families could eat, socialise, and districts only they could live in. She writes about how United States treated black people, women of colour and how within Langley there were still rules but how these ladies began to push against those societal norms.

There were many significant moments in the book that explain how difficult the lives of black women in America were. One example is within the lunch hall at Langley, where a table specifically assigned for coloured women would be. Yet, Miriam kept swiping the sign reserved for women of colour as an act of rebellion to those social norms.

The difference between Langley and the rest of America was that individuals at Langley began to treat the women like professionals and accepted them for their knowledge. This made a difference when it came to making strides towards the country moving ahead in the Space Race. The white, male engineers needed to trust the ladies to compute calculations. This book gives us information about how the ladies, families and the world went through the civil rights movement, the outcry of equality across America. Yet, within their jobs they were building trust and pushing boundaries towards making themselves known within papers and reports. It wasn’t easy and the hours were long, but the women enjoyed what they did. You could see this in the way they put committed themselves to the role, how they sacrificed their time at home, and for an income that is incomparable to what black women were earning in schools as teachers back then. This book even delves into the scientific reasons of what was happening with their calculations, what it meant when actual machines were introduced to calculate figures and also what happened when successful space missions were on the verge of changing the world.

This book captures the story of where women were, how they evolved within their environment and their pursuit for passion and love for mathematics, despite the norm in that day in age. These women have become known to be the reason why America had been so successful in their missions to space and the lunar landing.

The book allows me to take pride of these women’s tenacity, their grit, their hard work and their purpose in life. It also makes me proud to be a woman and this beautifully written book gave me so much more than the already brilliant movie had given us. If you’ve seen the movie, yes it enhances certain story lines for dramatic effect, but this book gives you so much more background, foundation and digging deeper into the women who made history.

There is also a review on You Tube, simply click here and ensure you subscribe and hit the notification bell if you want to see brand new content.

If you enjoyed this review, have read the book please post a comment below on your thoughts and why it would be useful for people to read more. April’s book club title is ‘The Buddha & The Baddass’ by Vishen Lakhiani. There will also be a review on it too, so make sure you check back in a few weeks.

Thanks for your time, Tulshi.

There were moments when training 5-7 sessions a week were taking their toll on me and the best way to get the extra energy & nutrition was via drinking healthy, protein smoothies. Why?

Easy to make,

Ability to have it on the go,

Nutrition packed,

It’s homemade.

Whether you are training or are breaking your intermittent fast, this is one key tool & get exactly what your body needs .

Balance your blood sugar, avoiding dips in energy.

Take the stress of your adrenal gland (functions metabolism, blood pressure & stress response).

Provides extra boost in energy for training,

Assists in recovery for a better night’s sleep,

Avoids catabolism of muscle (This is so your body doesn’t break down muscles in order to recover and regenerate).

Whether you are someone who trains a few times a week and you are struggling to add simple minerals and antioxidants into your day, or whether you are a semi-professional athlete. Add these

  into your routine: Protein Smoothies

  and see how much of a difference it can make to your performance and energy during your day.

For those who want an extra tip for smoothies containing anti-inflammatory foods, check it out here.

Lov T

Inflammation is targeted to aid the body to fight illness & protects it from harm.

It is used in Ayurveda healing. Students of CAM therapy believe that everything in the universe is connected (dead or alive). Your mind, body, and spirit are to be in harmony with the universe, which leads to good health. Should something disrupts this balance, say for example, you get sick, this disrupts the balance (they maybe genetic or from birth), other imbalances are caused from physical injuries, climate and seasonal change, age, as well as your emotions.

Ayurvedic medicine (“Ayurveda” for short) is one of the world’s oldest holistic (“whole-body”) healing systems. It was developed more than 3,000 years ago in India. It’s based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit and its main goal is to promote good health. However, treatments may be geared toward specific health problems. Chronic inflammation occurs with various diseases, such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma. Evidence has presented findings that dietary choices may help manage those symptoms.

An anti-inflammatory ‘diet’ favours fruits and vegetables, also foods containing omega-3 fatty acids, whole grains, lean protein, healthful fats, and spices also are included to have anti-inflammatory properties. Some foods trigger or worsen inflammation, such as sugary or processed foods. However, fresh and whole foods are unlikely to have such an effect. 

Plant-based food focuses on fruits and vegetables, they also are good sources of antioxidants. These are molecules in food that help remove free radicals (food fried in repeatedly heated cooking oil is one example). Free radicals are natural by-products of some bodily responses, such as metabolism. External stress, including smoking and stress increases the number of free radicals. This leads to cellular damage, risking your chances of inflammation that can contribute to a range of diseases. Although the body produces antioxidants to rid itself of these toxic substances, diet can most certainly help.

This type of food discourages or limits the consumption of processed foods, red meats, & alcohol. It is not so much a diet per-say but more like a specific style of eating. Styles of this nature are included in The Mediterranean diet and the DASH, those are examples of anti-inflammatory diets.

Check out the first Anti-Inflammatory Food suggestions &

Download here for free: Anti-Inflammatory Food Tips

For those who want an extra tip for smoothies containing anti-inflammatory foods, check it out here.

Lov T

There was an intention to place a warning on the a subtitle – ‘For open minded individuals only’. Then I thought, does this make me a hypocrite?

Despite the need to warn people before taking part in the meditation to understand that there would need to be an element of open mindedness from the readers or participants, I sought to make it clear that you would need a level of curiosity and need to learn something new before we begin.

However, I remembered how I didn’t quite believe in Chakras  when I first heard of it. My aunt partakes in Reiki and when she spoke about this to me, around 19 or 20 years old, I was extremely dubious. Flash forward to 2020 and numerous meditations later, I’d discovered various types of meditation filtering into my practices including Chakra healing. It was the music which first peaked my interest, being curious about different frequencies of healing these areas triggered my curiosity for learning more. Dr Joe Dispenza’s research aided a part of this change in my personal mindset regarding this. Joe Dispenza utilizes the latest findings from the fields of neuroscience, epigenetics, and quantum physics to explore the science behind spontaneous remissions. He shows how people can use their minds to heal themselves of illnesses, chronic conditions, and even terminal diseases to enjoy a more fulfilled life while also evolving their consciousness. His formula for change can even be applied to genetic predispositions.

University of Washington’s Eric Chudler, Ph.D., explained, “Plasticity, or neuroplasticity, describes how experiences reorganize neural pathways in the brain. Long lasting functional changes in the brain occur when we learn new things or memorize new information. The neural circuitry in the brain must reorganize in response to experience or sensory stimulation.” Dispenza proposes that if we think the same thoughts every day, “everything stays the same in the body.” But new thoughts that lead to new behaviours and experiences begin to change the human biology, including the brain itself. Thus, when you change, everything changes around you,” says Dispenza,

The Sanskrit word chakra translates to a wheel or disk. In yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda, this term refers to wheels of energy throughout the body. There are seven main chakras that align along the spine, starting from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. The spheres run along the spine, but extend through and past the front, back, and both sides of your body. Chakras are a spinning vortex of energy that is not seen by the human eye but can be seen, felt, and sensed with intuition. This invisible healing energy, called prana, is a vital life force, which keeps us vibrant, healthy, and alive.

Chakra healing is the intentional practice of connecting with our stored energy, so we may understand how our past is influencing the present and the future. Prana informs us, and influences our actions and behaviours, determining our health, career opportunities, relationships, and more. The subtle body depicts how our inner reality creates our outer reality. Each of the seven main chakras contains bundles of nerves and major organs as well as our psychological, emotional, and spiritual states of being. Since everything is moving, it’s essential that our seven main chakras stay open, aligned, and fluid. If there is a blockage, energy flows are restricted.

You may experience your chakras, consciousness centers, in meditation, visualization, yoga, Reiki, crystal healing, sound healing, acupuncture, or a variety of different ways. Some people can see the swirling energy in their mind’s eye, or they can feel the vortex with their hands when they hover their hands over their bodies. Others feel sensations in their bodies or mental and emotional shifts that correlate with the chakras. You may also get in touch with the thoughts and emotions stored in each vortex with chakra journaling.

Whilst there are various forms of meditation, this meditation or mindfulness practice is produced to guide individuals into opening each chakra in order to receive and heal. When I began this type of meditation I felt that moment of zen which I long to feel during and after meditation. It is where I feel lightness, joy, happiness and contentment, tranquillity and peacefulness. However, I’ve given up trying to chase this idealistic point when meditating because I place a lot of pressure if the practice does not follow this path. What I have come to understand is setting an intention for each meditation to give me exactly what I need at that moment. Using a Chakra focused guided meditation allows me to do this.

According to some spiritual philosophers not all Chakras will be healed, or aligned the way they need to simultaneously. Therefore, take this opportunity to delve into a journey of self discovery, when you do this you are opening yourself up to growth. When you have different needs, goals and challenges in life these stresses cling onto your energetic centres. When meditating, it allows you an opportunity to overcome those, even heal past trauma’s and painful experiences.

Listen to the Chakra Healing Meditation – with Mantra’s & Without Mantras are two options for you. 

Let me know how you felt in the comments below and don’t forget to subscribe to the channel for more videos on training and mindfulness.

All my love, T xx

Having a conversation with a friend last week about last month’s book ‘Invisible Women’, it made me realise how much society, our community, and friends put us into boxes, so they can understand us better. Let us not forget we as humans, like to be understood, so we adhere to these ‘boxes’ because they allow us to be somewhat seen, heard, valued and loved. Yet it raises questions by asking yourself;

What is it you truly know?

What are you are unwilling to compromise on?

What makes you unleash all your potential?

Women are born to lead. From the time we take on major responsibilities in the home, for the family, and whichever role we take on for income. Everything we embrace enables us to shine into the best versions of ourselves. As a side note, if you are defining yourself by a role, you may not be aware of how much you are capable of, or how much you are truly worth.

When we stop self-sabotages, let go of fear of the ‘what-if’s’ and allow ourselves to dig deeper into who we are, who we want to be, the heavens open and the ground shakes.

Why?

Because didn’t you know?

Your perception is all that matters to make the difference in your life.

Forget the boxes and stereotypes of society’s labels, instead bring forward everything you want to be.

Only you can decide what you want and only you can unleash from that level of perception in order for you to action it.

Lov T xx

Something about this book called out to me. This was around the time where there was a lot of protesting on Black Lives Matter and I felt I needed to learn more in regard to the history of oppression in America and uncovering the injustices females suffer.

There is still such a large divide in the workforce, at home and within society and it was important to uncover the depths of this type of injustice within this book. This book captures many imbalances within our society and we have become used to this level of bias, that it is often hidden and therefore seeping into everything we do at an unconscious level. Take for example, the items we use daily, such as the mobile phone or the way we speak to one another, being sarcastic about gender roles. There are many have underlying bias’s, the less obvious that you may not have been aware of. This book was another form of awakening for me regarding the prejudices and bias we are experiencing each day, particularly those we are not conscious to.

When I began reading this book, I felt a surge of anger when discovering the heightened levels of injustice there is when it comes to research for medicine, how doctors view females with their underlying bias and taking years for true diagnosis to be revealed. For many this comes years after tremendous pain and suffering. I also noticed how something like a mobile phone is created by the male’s interpretation of convenience and like so many leaders who are male, they do not consider the female outlook or perspective, even if the purchase is directed for females.

Another big turning point was when a senior board member at a Fortune 500 company had become pregnant, she realised how painful it was to walk from the car to her office. It was only then that more convenient car parking arrangements were implemented. As we know, when you walk in another person’s shoes, you understand their hardships. This was significant because once someone can go through the pain, the emotions and the turmoil can they consider a change to be made imminent.

As the book digressed and there were far more areas around the world where females had continued to experience chauvinism, prejudice and suffer misrepresentation and misogyny particularly within authoritative positions, it made me aware that females have always been on the back foot. Unfortunately, many are unconscious to this through daily habits and tasks. Take for example, labelling professions, we are teaching children our bias’s and they are not aware of how their reality is being formed this way.

The key things I learned within these chapters were how badly women have been treated and because many do not talk about it, many don’t know. The fact is there are stats on these very issues, some outdated. However, as we continue to see women evolve into positions of power this will take time, but what can be done now? Well I thought about the silence women have and continue to suffer, the degree of hatred sent their way when they do achieve positions of influence. Yet, when this happens, we keep growing. We keep showing up, speaking up and not for our generation, but for the next generation and their children thereafter. What I have learned is, there is no playing small, and whatever role we play, it is imperative we speak up for who we are, what we believe in and ways we can ensure this world is a fairer, equal and inclusive place to live.

This is a book every man, woman and child should read because it doesn’t just affect women and their children, it affects society and how blind we have become of the rules we have been following.

For those who would like to check out the conversation with a book club member check out this feature, click here.

The last book of the year is going to be ‘The Midnight Library’ so make sure you grab your copy and if you would like to be a part of the review, comment below and tell me why you would like to be involved! All the best, love T xx

Despite the environment and coming into another wave of the pandemic, internally I felt peaceful, joyful and content, until something in my environment led me to derail that happy feeling. Completing a project for a client, I had nervous anticipation before sending it off, despite it being received well. What I found out hours later was that it was filled with errors. Minor errors, but as a person who prides themselves in paying attention this was a major disappointment. It most certainly needed an outsider’s eye. In this case, I was too late before I sent it.

Seeking support from a friend, I made relevant changes and sent off the corrected version soon after, but it was of course, too late. I had already sent the one riddled with mistakes. I was so furious with myself and angry at how much I had missed these simple errors and despite my better judgement, I let my ego override my instincts and hastily sent it through. I punished myself, quite badly because I couldn’t rid myself of this feeling. It was then, I decided to call a loved one and ask their opinion about it and there wasn’t anything that could reassure me. There wasn’t anything new spoken about, nothing that I didn’t already know or had already told myself. When I stopped to reflect on why I felt this way, attempting to detach myself out of the situation in attempt to put it behind me, I realised this was self-care.

We are so often much kinder to others than we are to ourselves and when there is no-one to blame but ourselves, we can often be overly critical and judgemental. When it was simply a mistake. Everyone makes them and you know what? No one will judge you for making a mistake, we are human that’s how we learn.

Taking care of your health, your physical wellbeing and mental state of mind is all well and good but if challenging times come about and you revert to old habits, what was it worth?

Self-care is different for everyone. The key thing is to set aside any resistance you have that may be holding you back instead of allowing you to move forward. You may find sitting for a longer meditation practice serves your wellbeing, you may prefer to journal and reflect on what happens, you may even decide to talk to a friend or go for a long walk.

Whether it is sitting reading a book, relaxing in the bath with some music, listening to a podcast,  the important point is to start small. Whatever it is you settle on for your self-care, ensure you book it into your calendar, set alarms to remind yourself so you are able to follow through and commit to your personal wellbeing. Once you have experienced the benefits you will begin to encourage others to take care of themselves also.

For many who are now beginning lockdown 2.0 in England this week, I wanted to share some brand-new videos. For the entire month of lockdown, I will be sharing two guided meditations, which will be posted on my You Tube channel. Ensure you subscribe so you don’t miss the launch and I hope you are able to begin the journey to take care of yourself whilst the world may seem chaotic right now, cultivate the peace inside of you, it will radiate.

Check out the first new Mindfulness Video on this link &

Download: Breathing Techniques.pdf

Lov T

She Speaks – A Review

This is a review for the book ‘She Speaks’ by Yvette Cooper. Yvette does a tremendous job in introducing each speech with her facts and opinions on what the context of the speeches were. She also provides a description of the people who wrote the speeches and what they were like. What the women were giving their speech for and what were possible outcomes of the speech they gave to society, humanity, or the environment. Therefore, this is an insight into the celebration of women across the globe who are feminists, pioneers, world leaders, queens and dignitaries, which is why this book is a must read!

The various speeches in this book gave us a diverse range of topics from women around the world. Although it can be overwhelming if you are a person who is empathetic this is so beautifully captured and well worth the read. It is the type of book you can pick up and put down when you need some inspiration. Yvette describes the book by quoting Audre Lourde – ‘Where the words of women are crying to be heard, we must each of us recognise our responsibility to seek those words out, to read them and share them’.

Emmeline Pankhurst is a suffragette leader, but the picture Yvette had in her parliamentary office was of this woman, of which when looking closely, Emmeline is captured through pictures of 10,000 women. Amongst this mosaic capturing Emmeline Pankhurst, there were women who are inspiring, magnificent, and sent in by people around the world. This was a beautiful statement Yvette describes when introducing Emmeline’s speech and without giving anything away here, Emmeline describes the need to speak out, not only for women, but for the sake of politics. She describes the voices of women and how they must make more noise than anyone else. Emmeline described her torture and how many strong and determined women lost their liberty and health, yet she still refused to give in.

Another superb speech was by Benazir Bhutto, the first female leader of the Pakistan People’s Party. Benazir made a strong statement that women’s equality and empowerment are a part of Islam and that it is imperative women are seen as equal amongst the sexes. She was eventually assassinated but even years after her death, Malala Yousafzai too took on the role, as a young woman, speaking powerfully about the power of girls’ education and women’s empowerment. Benazir’s story is incredible, and her speech continues to inspire long after she passed.

Angela Merkel is a true inspiration for women, of all ages because she was talking about climate change. Her most inspiring words explain, ‘The walls in our minds, the walls of short-sighted self-interest, and the walls between present and the future’ depicts her interpretation of prejudice, protectionism, and the failure of tackling climate change. Angela also explains that, ‘If we break down the walls that hem us in, if we step out into the open and have the courage to embrace new beginnings, everything is possible’. This is extremely powerful because she depicts a time in history being repeated because the lessons haven’t been learned. Change isn’t possible in the minds of people who are ignorant to these realities. Angela is also respectful of people’s history, traditions, cultural identities and religion, which is very apparent when the movement of Black Lives Matter protests which demonstrated global unity and division, not only in 2020, but over centuries.

There is more to this review, check out the full version here. Where you can find more speeches and captions of the books.

These speeches are life changing, they have the ability to show your superhero badge of honour and what you are worthy of, capable of because these women are paving the way for change, for equality and justice, not just for women, but for the entire population.

If you enjoyed this review, have read the book please post a comment below on your thoughts and why it would be useful for people to read more. Next month’s book club is ‘Invisible Women’ – Exposing data bias in a world designed for men – by Caroline Criado Perez. There will also be a review on it too, so make sure you check back in a few weeks.

Thanks for your time, Tulshi.