The Healing Power of Water – The Essential Guide to Blue Health
By Lizzi Larbalestier
Have you ever wondered why you feel so much better after being by or in the water and wanted to understand the science behind it?
Would you like to expand opportunities to experience the benefits when you are not in your kayak, canoe, or on your paddleboard?
If so, then Lizzi Larbalestier’s debut book, The Healing Power of Water – The Essential Guide to Blue Health, with Leaping Hare Press, is the book for you.
As an author of three books about paddleboarding, my last one, Adventures on the Water – The Power of Paddleboarding to Change Lives, published by Vertebrate Publishing, I have researched the impact of water on our well-being. It is not a new topic for me, and yet Lizzi has really opened my eyes even more to the neuroscience of water in all its forms.
Lizzi’s credentials for writing the book are second to none. Over the last 20 years, she has invested in both coaching skills and her knowledge of water. She lives in Cornwall and is an advanced medic with British Divers Marine Life Rescue. In 2020, Lizzi launched the Blue Health Coach training programme. It is the first ICF (International Coaching Federation). It is the first globally recognised professional coach programme that puts water at the forefront.
The book is beautiful to look at, with stunning and evocative photography that draws you in and brings alive the science Lizzi is sharing. And wow, there is so much science and neuroscience to dig into and learn about.
The six main sections cover: an explanation of Blue Health, humans’ relationship with water, how water influences our mood, how water awakens our senses, taking time to connect with water and the life-enhancing gift of water.
Each chapter stands alone, being short enough to read the topic and then reflect upon the ideas and practices Lizzi suggests. You can dip in at any point and feel that you have come away with something valuable to try and feel inspired by. It is also the kind of book you might sit down with and then find yourself still engrossed in two hours later!
From explaining the vagus nerve to the healing power of sound baths, why snorkelling is so calming to water shiatsu, what you know about water will continue to grow. The reference section is fascinating. Lizzi has left no stone unturned with her research.
For paddleboarders, there is an explanation of breath, balance and bringing you into the present moment. Lizzi also shares the 18-month research she conducted with SUP and swim brand Red Paddle on mindfulness and stress management. For kayakers, she explains ‘reciprocal bilateral movement’ and its impact on cognition, attention, and memory – it is literally training our brains! She also explains the impact of canoes, gig rowing and sailing.
There are excellent sections on how water supports people facing physical challenges and can serve as a sanctuary for a neurodivergent mind.
The Healing Power of Water would make a beautiful gift for anyone considering taking up paddlesports or interested in wellbeing and learning more about the positive impact of being on, in, or near water. I would also recommend buying it for yourself. It’s an absolute treasure trove and deserves a place on your bookshelves.
Price: £20.00
