We’re just reflecting on a project we did together with Wester Hailes Health Agency last year called Eat Well, Move Well, Live Well, and though to share this reflection with you.
What the programme was about?
The programme combined making food together, playing Capoeira and Djembe drum, and then eating what we prepared while talking about healthy & active life. Our main aim was to develop a programme for carers who during pandemic looked after their families. Looking after others is important but feeling one’s own cup first is essential as this then allows us to fill other’s cups.
Our programme equipped carers with wellness tools of making and understanding basic about food preparation married with movement and music making tools for a healthy body and mind. It allowed participants to reconnect to themselves first so they are able to reconnect and revitalise the community because a happy carer equal a happy family. We moved people’s minds and bodies to address the impact of distress, mental ill health and inequalities caused by social isolation and loneliness caused by Covid-19.
The research
Research shows that when you move you distress and feel better thanks to endorphins, the hormones of happiness. Then when you become stronger, leaner and lighter you feel better about yourself and get this mental capacity to face challenges. We enhanced that with music making and food making, all in a great company of participants and practitioners.
Research also shows that Djembe drumming is a holistic approach to reducing stress and improving health hence we added music making to provide programme that bring lasting solutions to mental health challenges people face.
Lastly, the research also talks about the good benefit of healthy diet in people’s lives. Therefore, the food preparation and talks on healthy food, portion sizes, mindful eating, just to name a few, were crucial elements to bring to the programme that supported our participants. That part was brought to the programme by the practitioners from Wester Hailes Health Agency.
Take away from the programme
All participants, and us too, learn so much from each other and enjoyed movement and music making together, as well as great food that can be easily and affordably prepared at home.
“I really liked the combination of making food together and chatting about good food options; then while food was being cooked we train capoeira and drum, which was a fantastic add on and great way of spending time while waiting for food.”
– Happy Participant
Personally we really appreciate the opportunity of combining our ideas with practitioners from Wester Hailes Health Agency to offer a complete package to improve overall wellbeing of the participants from the body to the mind. And better equipped the participants with the knowledge and tools so that they can sustain their healthy and active lifestyle for long time.
“I look forward to prepare the food at home. Capoeira was a good challenge that inspired me to do more moving at home. I also liked music making, great fun and relaxing at the same time!”
– Happy Participant
We see that our project impacted on not only the participants’ but also on their families and larger community as we educated them on how to look after themselves to sustain their and their families healthy and active lifestyle.
The project also positively impacted on us at Axé Boom Boom giving us the opportunity to work with practitioners from Wester Hailes Health Agency who have a great experience in working with communities.
Hope we’ll be able to run projects like that in the future as bringing together movement, music, good food, and great community is what we love the most!
Keep Training!
Kasia & Grześ
axeboomboom.org 