A blast of cold air to keep you young - trying out Cryo Health.

Cryotherapy - treatments at sub-zero temperatures, have been used for years by the worlds top athletes before and after competing, to help keep them in tip top condition and reduce injuries, pain and swelling and to aid recovery.

Cryo treatments, as well as being used for a whole body experience, where you stand in a tank and are blasted with cold, nitrogen and oxygen mixed air for 3 minutes, is also used for localised treatments on parts of the body.

These localised treatments are giving the beauty industry a boost.

I went off to Cryo Dubai, to try out their Cryo Glow Facial. You lie down on a treatment bed, and the technician uses a special wand, to gently blow cold air over your face for 10 minutes. Thankfully, it's not a harsh blast of freezing cold air, the temperature gradually drops down to -170 degrees and the circular motions used give a very relaxing and therapeutic experience.

The benefits of these treatments, is the stimulating effect they have on the body - stimulating blood flow, which increases oxygenation of the muscles and skin. It reduces pores and tightens the skin and also encourages natural collagen production, which helps to rejuvenate the skin and can help in the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles.

To get the maximum benefit for anti-aging and improving skin tone and texture, it's recommended to have three treatments a week to see maximum benefits. But after just one session, my skin felt tighter and smoother and I felt really quite refreshed.

Cryo Dubai offer several different facials, depending on your requirements.

The Cryo Glow Facial is 325 Dhs for the 10 minute treatment and there are package deals available.

Cryo therapy has lots of different uses and I already have a few friends who swear by it, for muscle recovery after they've been competing.

Cryo have several spas across the emirates: Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai Ladies Club, FitRepublik, Energy Plus in Al Ain and they're now open in Abu Dhabi.

For more information visit: www.cryo.com

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Getting the point - dry needling for muscle issues

After struggling with shoulder issues for months on end, constantly being in pain and having a limited range of movement - enough was enough. My physios were doing lots of different treatments, electrotherapy, infrared laser, physio massage, ultrasound, all of which was helping, albeit slowly.

Then in one session, it was suggested that we try Trigger Point Dry Needling on the muscles causing the issues. I had no idea what this entailed and just thought it was like acupuncture - how wrong I was.

TDN, to give it its short name, involves using a very fine needle (the same as an acupuncture needle) which is inserted at the point in the muscle causing the problem. I never felt the needle go in at all and was asked to tell the therapist when I felt the needle hitting the trigger point, basically when I felt some pain. At that point the therapist stimulates the trigger point with the needle, then removes it. This is done on each area of muscle causing the issues.

I then had kinetic tape put over the area and went on my merry way.

What I didn't expect, was the next day to feel so much better!!! The pain was greatly reduced and I had a better range of motion in my shoulder and arm - this after just one session.

So I went back for more and the following day it improved again. Basically after just two sessions, I would say my shoulder and arm are 85% back to being normal again.

I'm astounded at how effective this treatment is and really don't know why it's not recommended more, as clearly it works.....and fast!

So, for anyone else suffering from similar issues, it might well be worth asking to try this treatment as it's definitely worked for me.

GM Diet - Day 4

Ok, I hold my hands in the air and admit that I cheated on my diet last night. I was feeling so horrific and the fruits and veggies just weren't hitting the spot, so I stop and stuffed my face with a burger on the way home - and boy did it taste good! Sadly I've been given hell by my other half and his mates all day for that one, I get the feeling I should have kept it to myself.

Today thought, I was back on the wagon and bananas and milk and soup have been alright actually. It's a good thing that I like bananas and milk as I'm not sure what you could find as a decent substitute.

The one thing I've noticed as this diet has progressed, is the tiredness. I've got very lethargic the last couple of days and felt a definite weakness in my muscles, although the headaches seem to have gone now.

Tomorrow I'm looking forward to finally being ablt to chow down on some meat :-)