I've just published an article on sound therapy by Lyz Cooper on our Health site. It's very well written and includes some self-help tips. Here's one:
"An easy way to begin working with sound is to start with your own voice. Unless there is a physiological or neurological imbalance, everyone has a voice. For a quick pick me try a quick boost of ‘sonic caffeine’ first thing in the morning. A few minutes of toning a high pitched ‘EEEE’ will stimulate the mental level and leave you feeling tingly and ready for a wonderful day. You can also use this method if you are studying for an examination or about to give a presentation."
How about "sonic hot chocolate"? Read the full article and learn more about sound therapy and more self-help tips too.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
World Toilet Day
Today is World Toilet Day, WaterAid has marked the date with the launch of a report; 'The State of the World's Toilets'. While most people avoid the subject WaterAid are embracing the opportunity to get the world talking about toilets - the good, the bad and the ugly.
WaterAid's report covers every aspect of the humble yet vital toilet from silly facts like: women are more apt to be grabbers and wadders of toilet paper, whereas men are more likely to be folders, to the world's greatest toilet 'a sleek, tankless, one-piece toilet with integrated washlet seat'. There's also a brief history of the Great British toilet and a description of the worst toilet in the world!
"Toilets are a taboo subject, but we cannot and we must not ignore the global crisis in sanitation, diarrhoeal diseases are the second biggest killer of children in the world. Simply providing safe water, sanitation and hygiene education could save 5000 children's lives every day. Governments must act now to prioritise sanitation provision for the world's poorest people." Oliver Cumming, WaterAid Sanitation and Environment Policy Officer.
'The State of the World's Toilets' ranks the worst countries in the world for sanitation provision, with 40% of the world's population lacking somewhere safe to go to the toilet the list is long and made up of some of the poorest countries in the world.
Download the full The State of the World's Toilets report ( PDF 491Kb)
You can also buy a toilet to help someone who doesn't have access to good sanitation.
WaterAid's report covers every aspect of the humble yet vital toilet from silly facts like: women are more apt to be grabbers and wadders of toilet paper, whereas men are more likely to be folders, to the world's greatest toilet 'a sleek, tankless, one-piece toilet with integrated washlet seat'. There's also a brief history of the Great British toilet and a description of the worst toilet in the world!
"Toilets are a taboo subject, but we cannot and we must not ignore the global crisis in sanitation, diarrhoeal diseases are the second biggest killer of children in the world. Simply providing safe water, sanitation and hygiene education could save 5000 children's lives every day. Governments must act now to prioritise sanitation provision for the world's poorest people." Oliver Cumming, WaterAid Sanitation and Environment Policy Officer.
'The State of the World's Toilets' ranks the worst countries in the world for sanitation provision, with 40% of the world's population lacking somewhere safe to go to the toilet the list is long and made up of some of the poorest countries in the world.
Download the full The State of the World's Toilets report ( PDF 491Kb)
You can also buy a toilet to help someone who doesn't have access to good sanitation.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Zinc - How Do You Know If You Need It?
One in three people in the UK fail to consume sufficient zinc in their diet. This is a truly horrendous statistic as zinc is necessary for the body to manufacture enzymes. Enzymes are vitally important to a healthy body. Deficiency symptoms include red, greasy skin on face; skin problems; poor hair growth; dandruff; night blindness; brittle nails; white spots on nails and persistent leg ulcers & pressure sores.
Zinc is a particularly important mineral for teenage boys and can often help with that teenage nightmare – acne.
So how do you know if you are short of zinc? If you’ve got an appalling diet you might just want to buy a high quality zinc supplement, but if you’re uncertain there’s a very simple test to show if you’re short of zinc. You taste a liquid solution of zinc and the taste you experience will show if you need to take a zinc supplement or up your intake of zinc rich foods (e.g. seeds, walnuts, lentils and whole grains).
Zinc is a particularly important mineral for teenage boys and can often help with that teenage nightmare – acne.
So how do you know if you are short of zinc? If you’ve got an appalling diet you might just want to buy a high quality zinc supplement, but if you’re uncertain there’s a very simple test to show if you’re short of zinc. You taste a liquid solution of zinc and the taste you experience will show if you need to take a zinc supplement or up your intake of zinc rich foods (e.g. seeds, walnuts, lentils and whole grains).
Vegetarian Thanksgiving.
I have been a vegetarian many years so I really like the work of the US Cancer Project which is encouraging people to adopt a vegetarian life style for health reasons.
With Thanksgiving coming up they've put together lots of recipes that are both healthy and delicious. Here's an example of one of their recipes:
No-Meat Loaf Makes 1 loaf (about 12 slices)
Serve this great-tasting loaf with Mushroom Gravy for a hearty meal that’s sure to please. A food processor makes it easy to make the bread crumbs (or you can purchase already-prepared bread crumbs) and to finely chop the walnuts and vegetables.
1 1/4 cups quick-cooking or regular rolled oats
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs, preferably whole-wheat (2–3 slices bread)
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 14-ounce package Lightlife Gimme Lean Ground Beef Style meat substitute, other ground beef-style meat substitute, or 2 cups cooked bulgur
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce1 cup plain tomato sauce, or 1 cup of crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons stone-ground or Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
vegetable oil spray
1/2 cup ketchup or barbeque sauce (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.
Use a food processor to finely chop walnuts, onion, celery, carrot, and green bell pepper.
Combine all ingredients except vegetable oil spray and ketchup or barbeque sauce in a large bowl.
Stir with a large spoon or knead by hand until well-mixed, about 1 minute.
Press into a vegetable oil sprayed 5"×9" loaf pan or similar baking dish.
Top with ketchup or barbeque sauce, if using.
Bake 60 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.
Per slice:
104 calories
2.6 g fat
0.3 g saturated fat
22% calories from fat
0 mg cholesterol
8.2 g protein
13.9 g carbohydrate
2.7 g sugar
2.5 g fiber
418 mg sodium
37 mg calcium
1.7 mg iron
5.9 mg vitamin C
463 mcg beta-carotene
0.6 mg vitamin E
Recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S., R.D.
You can find more vegetarian thanksgiving recipes on their web site.
We also have more vegetarian thanksgiving recipes on the Health And Goodness web site.
With Thanksgiving coming up they've put together lots of recipes that are both healthy and delicious. Here's an example of one of their recipes:
No-Meat Loaf Makes 1 loaf (about 12 slices)
Serve this great-tasting loaf with Mushroom Gravy for a hearty meal that’s sure to please. A food processor makes it easy to make the bread crumbs (or you can purchase already-prepared bread crumbs) and to finely chop the walnuts and vegetables.
1 1/4 cups quick-cooking or regular rolled oats
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs, preferably whole-wheat (2–3 slices bread)
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 14-ounce package Lightlife Gimme Lean Ground Beef Style meat substitute, other ground beef-style meat substitute, or 2 cups cooked bulgur
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce1 cup plain tomato sauce, or 1 cup of crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons stone-ground or Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
vegetable oil spray
1/2 cup ketchup or barbeque sauce (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.
Use a food processor to finely chop walnuts, onion, celery, carrot, and green bell pepper.
Combine all ingredients except vegetable oil spray and ketchup or barbeque sauce in a large bowl.
Stir with a large spoon or knead by hand until well-mixed, about 1 minute.
Press into a vegetable oil sprayed 5"×9" loaf pan or similar baking dish.
Top with ketchup or barbeque sauce, if using.
Bake 60 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.
Per slice:
104 calories
2.6 g fat
0.3 g saturated fat
22% calories from fat
0 mg cholesterol
8.2 g protein
13.9 g carbohydrate
2.7 g sugar
2.5 g fiber
418 mg sodium
37 mg calcium
1.7 mg iron
5.9 mg vitamin C
463 mcg beta-carotene
0.6 mg vitamin E
Recipe by Jennifer Raymond, M.S., R.D.
You can find more vegetarian thanksgiving recipes on their web site.
We also have more vegetarian thanksgiving recipes on the Health And Goodness web site.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Help With Stress
One of our customers sent me this email today:
"I bought Ginkgo off you recently and was wanting to also get a multi vitamin - they all seam to have the common stuff that I think you get in a daily diet but wanted to know if you have anything with a bit extra. No reason as im not run down but I have a very busy lifestyle and want to stay on form."
This was my reply:
"Rather than going for a multivit in your situation I'd probably go for the stress pack."
A lot of people are confused by nutritional supplements so I've started putting together packs - so far I've done insomnia, skin, digestion, arthritis and stress - specific nutritional supplements that work together and have been shown by research to benefit a particular problem. The packs have two advantages - the supplements are pre-chosen for you and also you save 10% on the price you'd pay if you bought these individually.
"I bought Ginkgo off you recently and was wanting to also get a multi vitamin - they all seam to have the common stuff that I think you get in a daily diet but wanted to know if you have anything with a bit extra. No reason as im not run down but I have a very busy lifestyle and want to stay on form."
This was my reply:
"Rather than going for a multivit in your situation I'd probably go for the stress pack."
A lot of people are confused by nutritional supplements so I've started putting together packs - so far I've done insomnia, skin, digestion, arthritis and stress - specific nutritional supplements that work together and have been shown by research to benefit a particular problem. The packs have two advantages - the supplements are pre-chosen for you and also you save 10% on the price you'd pay if you bought these individually.
homeopathy for child birth
every time we get an order for the homeopathic childbirth kit in our online store I get a warm glow knowing that some baby (and mother) somewhere is going to get off to a good start in life.
The remedies included are:
Aconite 200
Hypericum 200
Arnica 200
Ipecac 200
Bellis-p 200
Kali carb 200
Calendula 200
Kali phos 200
Carbo veg 200
Phytolacca 200
Caulophyllum 200
Pulsatilla 200
Chamomilla 200
Secale 200
Cimicifuga 200
Sepia Gelsemium 200
Staphisagria 200
it comes with a little booklet expalining how and when to use the remedies.
People sometimes uy them as gifts for pregnant friends and many pregant women buy them for themselves.
The remedies included are:
Aconite 200
Hypericum 200
Arnica 200
Ipecac 200
Bellis-p 200
Kali carb 200
Calendula 200
Kali phos 200
Carbo veg 200
Phytolacca 200
Caulophyllum 200
Pulsatilla 200
Chamomilla 200
Secale 200
Cimicifuga 200
Sepia Gelsemium 200
Staphisagria 200
it comes with a little booklet expalining how and when to use the remedies.
People sometimes uy them as gifts for pregnant friends and many pregant women buy them for themselves.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Give A Computer Get A Computer
I'm not in North America, but a North American colleague sent this to me:
Give One Get One
Between November 12 and November 26, OLPC is offering a Give One Get One program in North America. This is the first time the revolutionary XO laptop has been made available to the general public. For a donation of $399, one XO laptop will be sent to empower a child in a developing nation and one will be sent to the child in your life in recognition of your contribution. $200 of your donation is tax-deductible (your $399 donation minus the fair market value of the XO laptop you will be receiving).
For all U.S. donors who participate in the Give One Get One program, T-Mobile is offering one year of complimentary HotSpot access. Find out more.
Please be aware that we will make every effort to deliver the XO laptops by the holidays, but quantities are limited. Early purchasers have the best chance of receiving their XO laptops in time for the holidays, but we cannot guarantee timing
Give One Get One
Between November 12 and November 26, OLPC is offering a Give One Get One program in North America. This is the first time the revolutionary XO laptop has been made available to the general public. For a donation of $399, one XO laptop will be sent to empower a child in a developing nation and one will be sent to the child in your life in recognition of your contribution. $200 of your donation is tax-deductible (your $399 donation minus the fair market value of the XO laptop you will be receiving).
For all U.S. donors who participate in the Give One Get One program, T-Mobile is offering one year of complimentary HotSpot access. Find out more.
Please be aware that we will make every effort to deliver the XO laptops by the holidays, but quantities are limited. Early purchasers have the best chance of receiving their XO laptops in time for the holidays, but we cannot guarantee timing
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Sugar
I had a visitor yesterday who apologised profusely for wanting sugar in his coffee. He said: "Knowing what you do, I know you won't approve." It reminded me of when my children were young and we went to another mum's house. There were lots of mums there and everyone was offered cake except me. I commented on this and she said: "Oh, I know how interetsed you are in health and that stuff so I didn't think you'd want cake."
It's interesting that people think I never eat cake or take sugar because I'm interested in health, but I believe strongly that a healthy person can eat cake and have some sugar - not all the time, but occasionally, and it's no big deal. If you can only stay healthy by avoiding lots of things all the time and following a strict regime, you are not truly healthy. We have evolved to live in an imperfect world (may be not as imperfect as it is!!), so it should be possible to do all sorts of things in moderation.
It's interesting that people think I never eat cake or take sugar because I'm interested in health, but I believe strongly that a healthy person can eat cake and have some sugar - not all the time, but occasionally, and it's no big deal. If you can only stay healthy by avoiding lots of things all the time and following a strict regime, you are not truly healthy. We have evolved to live in an imperfect world (may be not as imperfect as it is!!), so it should be possible to do all sorts of things in moderation.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Weight Loss programme
I've added a new product and a new section to our online store.
The newest product is WeightLess, a thermogenic supplement, packed with nutrients to help stimulate a sluggish metabolism and low energy levels. They are particularly suitable for people who are not able to lose body fat even when following a low calorie diet.
The capsules contain caffeine, green tea extract, yerba mate, guarana, vitamin B6, Siberian ginseng, betaine HCL, apple cider vinegar, chromium polynicotinate, iodine and more.
Earlier this week a friend who has been taking these capsules told me (without prompting):
"My sweet tooth is practically non-existent... I've saved a fortune on not buying junk food .. and I've lost 6 lbs."
At this stage she had been taking the capsules for less than two weeks.
Weight loss is a big health issue for a lot of people, so we are pricing these capsules at a lot less than directly comparable products.
In this online section of our shop we also have a Weight Loss self-hypnosis CD so you can tackle weight loss from a psychological standpoint, and other products that can help you lose weight in a healthy and sustained way.
A recent study that you may have read about shows how important weight is in a cancer prevention programme. Being at a sensible weight is important for self esteem and health, so here are some products that can help you along the way.
All our products come with a 60-day money-back guarantee (excluding shipping) – so even if you’ve taken all the capsules you can still get your money back if you’re dissatisfied.
The newest product is WeightLess, a thermogenic supplement, packed with nutrients to help stimulate a sluggish metabolism and low energy levels. They are particularly suitable for people who are not able to lose body fat even when following a low calorie diet.
The capsules contain caffeine, green tea extract, yerba mate, guarana, vitamin B6, Siberian ginseng, betaine HCL, apple cider vinegar, chromium polynicotinate, iodine and more.
Earlier this week a friend who has been taking these capsules told me (without prompting):
"My sweet tooth is practically non-existent... I've saved a fortune on not buying junk food .. and I've lost 6 lbs."
At this stage she had been taking the capsules for less than two weeks.
Weight loss is a big health issue for a lot of people, so we are pricing these capsules at a lot less than directly comparable products.
In this online section of our shop we also have a Weight Loss self-hypnosis CD so you can tackle weight loss from a psychological standpoint, and other products that can help you lose weight in a healthy and sustained way.
A recent study that you may have read about shows how important weight is in a cancer prevention programme. Being at a sensible weight is important for self esteem and health, so here are some products that can help you along the way.
All our products come with a 60-day money-back guarantee (excluding shipping) – so even if you’ve taken all the capsules you can still get your money back if you’re dissatisfied.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Why buy from us?
I'm always tinkering with our online health store, and over the last few days I've been thinking about why people should buy from us. These are the reasons I immediately thought of:
Buy from us because:
Buy from us because:
- Our company is based on ethical principles - offering well-researched information and products. We were ethical long before that word became fashionable in a business context.
- We offer a 60-day money back guarantee on all our products, including the supplements (excluding shipping charges). Even if you are down to the last tablet in the pot, you can still send it back for a complete refund.
- Although this online store is relatively new, I have been in business since 1982, offering health advice and help through my therapy practice.
- All our nutritional products are suitable for vegetarians and most are also suitable for vegans. I have been a vegetarian for over 30 years, and am a member of the UK Vegetarian Society.
- We do not make extravagant claims for the products we sell. I hate the hype I meet on many sites, raising unrealistic hopes or insulting your intelligence. We build trust in our site through the advice, the products, our refund policy and the service we offer, so that you want to come back to the site again and again.
- Many sites rely on barely-legal 'special offers' to generate sales. We do make special offers from time to time, but these are always genuine, and are often designed to introduce you to a new product. Fundamentally I believe in always offering effective products that don't rip anyone off.
- Your credit card information is safe with us; we follow good practice in keeping your details safe.
- Your privacy is guaranteed. We do not sell, give away or exchange your details.
- We donate at least 12% of our profits to charity, currently including WaterAid and the Maun Homeopathy project.
- We bank with the Co-Operative Bank, a bank with a clear ethical investment policy on oppressive regimes, the arms trade, the tobacco industry, animal welfare, etc.
So, now you know some of the reasons shopping with us makes sense.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Choose How You Are
I regularly get an email newsletter from Robert Middleton. He writes well - here's a piece out of his latest ezine that I particularly liked:
This Monday morning I woke up with a huge pile of things on my
plate. Not only did I have the eZine to write, but my in-progress
projects include writing an online marketing software program,
gearing up for my next Certification Program, giving feedback to
my Marketing Coaches and creating a big fundraising event for a
non-profit organization (Room to Read).
What I noticed, before even getting out of bed, was that I was
gearing up to BE overwhelmed. I also remembered that when I'm
overwhelmed, I either start procrastinating, stuck in not knowing
what to do first, or I go into "stressed-out panic mode."
I also remembered that both of these options were not very
effective in handling overwhelm. So I asked myself, "If I couldn't
be overwhelmed, who would I be?" The answer came quickly: "I'd
be calm, focused and fearless."
I clearly saw that if I was calm, focused and fearless, I'd look at all
the things I had on my plate, do a little planning and prioritizing
and then do one thing at a time. And then I asked myself, "Who
am I going to choose to Be? Overwhelmed, or calm, focused and
fearless?"
By Robert Middleton of Action Plan Marketing. Please visit
Robert's web site at www.actionplan.com for additional
marketing articles and resources on marketing for professional
service businesses.
This Monday morning I woke up with a huge pile of things on my
plate. Not only did I have the eZine to write, but my in-progress
projects include writing an online marketing software program,
gearing up for my next Certification Program, giving feedback to
my Marketing Coaches and creating a big fundraising event for a
non-profit organization (Room to Read).
What I noticed, before even getting out of bed, was that I was
gearing up to BE overwhelmed. I also remembered that when I'm
overwhelmed, I either start procrastinating, stuck in not knowing
what to do first, or I go into "stressed-out panic mode."
I also remembered that both of these options were not very
effective in handling overwhelm. So I asked myself, "If I couldn't
be overwhelmed, who would I be?" The answer came quickly: "I'd
be calm, focused and fearless."
I clearly saw that if I was calm, focused and fearless, I'd look at all
the things I had on my plate, do a little planning and prioritizing
and then do one thing at a time. And then I asked myself, "Who
am I going to choose to Be? Overwhelmed, or calm, focused and
fearless?"
By Robert Middleton of Action Plan Marketing. Please visit
Robert's web site at www.actionplan.com for additional
marketing articles and resources on marketing for professional
service businesses.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Geopathic Stress Book
It's interesting to see that someone is selling my original book on ebay with a 'buy it now' price of US Dollars 88!
It's cheaper and makes more sense to buy my latest version of this book - enlarged with lots of new material. You can buy it from many booksellers or direct from my health web site.
It's cheaper and makes more sense to buy my latest version of this book - enlarged with lots of new material. You can buy it from many booksellers or direct from my health web site.
Friday, November 02, 2007
Battle Of Ideas
I really enjoyed attending the Battle Of Ideas weekend, although by the end of the weekend I felt like my brain had been removed, whizzed in a liquidiser and then poured back into my head!
There were lots of great discussions and provocative things said. I particularly enjoyed the debates on obesity, the resurrection of religion, Darwin and Intelligent Design, the politics of climate change.
The debate I didn’t enjoy was: CAM: junk science or genuine alternative. When I saw the line up, I realised immediately that complementary and alternative therapies (CAM) had no real champion in the speakers. Professor Edzard Ernst who is the Laing Chair of Complementary Medicine, University of Exeter And Plymouth, was one of the speakers. At first sight this seems like a voice for the CAM community, but professor Ernst seems to be wedded to the double blind placebo trial as the only way of accessing information. I have written on my web site for therapists about why I feel this has profound flaws for understanding CAM. My concerns were confirmed when I listened to the speakers who presented a caricature of the typical CAM client as the neurotic worried-well. When there was a chance for the audience to speak I got a chance to say I didn’t recognise this typical client and that when I’d been a therapist I’d seen (and helped) people with eczema, asthma, epilepsy, arthritis and more, and these people certainly couldn’t in any way be characterised as the worried well. Unfortunately many of the speakers from the floor spoke against CAM. I felt very disheartened but cheered myself up with the thought that a few years ago there wouldn’t have even been a debate on CAM, as it wouldn’t have been seen as a significant enough phenomenon to be worth having a debate on.
The really outstanding debate for me was entitled: “My brain made me do it: biology and freedom”. Lucid, elegant arguments from a lawyer, neuroscientists and professors of geriatric medicine and sociology. It was enthralling to listen to, and the questions and comments from the audience posed more ideas. No conclusions were drawn, but that is the nature of this event – you are presented with well argued, opposing views and left to draw your own conclusion.
I shall certainly be booking for next year’s Battle of Ideas.
There were lots of great discussions and provocative things said. I particularly enjoyed the debates on obesity, the resurrection of religion, Darwin and Intelligent Design, the politics of climate change.
The debate I didn’t enjoy was: CAM: junk science or genuine alternative. When I saw the line up, I realised immediately that complementary and alternative therapies (CAM) had no real champion in the speakers. Professor Edzard Ernst who is the Laing Chair of Complementary Medicine, University of Exeter And Plymouth, was one of the speakers. At first sight this seems like a voice for the CAM community, but professor Ernst seems to be wedded to the double blind placebo trial as the only way of accessing information. I have written on my web site for therapists about why I feel this has profound flaws for understanding CAM. My concerns were confirmed when I listened to the speakers who presented a caricature of the typical CAM client as the neurotic worried-well. When there was a chance for the audience to speak I got a chance to say I didn’t recognise this typical client and that when I’d been a therapist I’d seen (and helped) people with eczema, asthma, epilepsy, arthritis and more, and these people certainly couldn’t in any way be characterised as the worried well. Unfortunately many of the speakers from the floor spoke against CAM. I felt very disheartened but cheered myself up with the thought that a few years ago there wouldn’t have even been a debate on CAM, as it wouldn’t have been seen as a significant enough phenomenon to be worth having a debate on.
The really outstanding debate for me was entitled: “My brain made me do it: biology and freedom”. Lucid, elegant arguments from a lawyer, neuroscientists and professors of geriatric medicine and sociology. It was enthralling to listen to, and the questions and comments from the audience posed more ideas. No conclusions were drawn, but that is the nature of this event – you are presented with well argued, opposing views and left to draw your own conclusion.
I shall certainly be booking for next year’s Battle of Ideas.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Help For Children With developmental and learning problems
I received this and thought I'd post it on my log as it might be of help to someone:
If you know a child who:
- Suffered from a traumatic birth, difficult pregnancy or medical problems in early life?
- Is suffering developmental delay
- Has repeatedly visited GP/consultant but problems still remain
- Suffers from low attainment, low self-esteem, low self-confidence
- Suffers poor eye/hand co-ordination resulting in frequent accidents and clumsiness
- Suffers from reluctance to attend school
- Suffers from hyperactivity and an inability to sleep/relax
- Is unwilling to adopt a healthy lifestyle with good food and good exercise regime
Sunflower Trust Children’s Charity could help
For over a decade Sunflower Trust have helped improve children’s:
IQ by 12%
Health by 60%
Behaviour/study skills by 60%
To find out more please call 0845 054 7509 or e-mail enquiries@sunflowertrust.com
Further information is available on website http://www.sunflowertrust.com/
APPLICATIONS FOR COMPLIMENTARY TREATMENT MUST BE RECEIVED BY
1st November 2007 LATEST!
Patricia Murray Cox Sunflower Trust co-Ordinator A registered charity dedicated to helping children with health, learning and behavioural difficulties
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Get Fit With The Help Of A Trainer
Chad Tackett and Global-Fitness are dedicated to helping you get fit and stay fit with online trainers, videos, nutritional plans and lots more. They are now making very special offer so you can find out for yourself how great there system is:
Simply go to Global Health And Fitness and click through to their secured order form and enter "onedollar" in the Comments field and you'll be charged just $0.95 for Trial Membership (instead of $9.95)!
The moment you join you'll receive a username and password for access to all this for 30 days:
Simply go to Global Health And Fitness and click through to their secured order form and enter "onedollar" in the Comments field and you'll be charged just $0.95 for Trial Membership (instead of $9.95)!
The moment you join you'll receive a username and password for access to all this for 30 days:
- Very effective exercise programs, specific to your goals,
fitness level, and the time you have available! - 175 exercise instructions and video demonstrations to
view at home or print out and take to your gym/workout room! - A Trial version of Protrack 2008, the latest version of their
exercise and nutrition tracking software! - The new GHF Training Manual and online books on each of
the 5 Components of Optimal Health! - Hundreds of delicious, healthy recipes and shopping lists!
- F R E E entry to the GHF Fitness Challenge, their 12-week
fitness contest! - Full access to the new members-only Fitness Forum where you
can get expert advice, as well as correspond with other members!
Battle Of ideas 2007
This weekend ( 27th and 28th October) I am attending the Battle of Ideas in London.
I only heard about it last weekend, but immediately I wanted to be there. the aims are:
I only heard about it last weekend, but immediately I wanted to be there. the aims are:
- to showcase new arguments about core issues
- to initiate open ended discussions
Topics include:
- The Resurrection of religion: moving beyond secularism or losing faith in politics?
- What is the future of cities?
- Change the world: make a documentary?
- Iraq: Whatnow for the war on terror?
- CAM: junk science or genuine alternative?
- Friendship or networking
and lots lots more. Check out their web site for the full programme.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Healthy Pizza
Antioxidants are really important for our long-term health. They help counteract free radical damage to the body, including to the skin and the joints. If you’re interested in ageing more gracefully, you definitely need to take a look at the amount of antioxidants in your diet.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are some of the best sources of antioxidants, but research by scientists at the University of Maryland has shown that the antioxidant levels in pizza can be boosted by increasing the baking temperature and the length of time that the pizza is cooked for. So a well-done pizza is likely to contain more antioxidants than a less well-done one.
Sadly people, including the media, tend to take information like this and conclude that a well-done pizza is a healthy food. The UK Guardian newspaper heading was ‘From Fast Food To Health Food: Pizza Gets A Makeover’. But the truth is pizzas are not the most healthy of foods, and though they are OK in moderation it’s much better to focus on getting antioxidants from fruit and vegetables.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are some of the best sources of antioxidants, but research by scientists at the University of Maryland has shown that the antioxidant levels in pizza can be boosted by increasing the baking temperature and the length of time that the pizza is cooked for. So a well-done pizza is likely to contain more antioxidants than a less well-done one.
Sadly people, including the media, tend to take information like this and conclude that a well-done pizza is a healthy food. The UK Guardian newspaper heading was ‘From Fast Food To Health Food: Pizza Gets A Makeover’. But the truth is pizzas are not the most healthy of foods, and though they are OK in moderation it’s much better to focus on getting antioxidants from fruit and vegetables.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
The influence of rap music
Here's information on an interesting article:
Sexual Stereotypes Portrayed in Rap Music Videos Influence High-Risk Behaviors Among African-American Teenage Girls
New Rochelle, NY, October 16, 2007—African-American female adolescents who spend more time watching rap music videos are more likely to participate in high-risk behaviors such as binge drinking and sex with multiple partners, to test positive for marijuana, and to have a negative body image, according to a report in the October 2007 issue (Vol. 16, No. 8) of Journal of Women’s Health a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. ( www.liebertpub.com). The paper is available free online at www.liebertpub.com/jwh
Many psychosocial factors can adversely affect self-image, health status, and the likelihood of engaging in high-risk behaviors among adolescent girls. One such factor is exposure to rap music videos, which often portray African-American women as hypersexual and amoral and include content related to violence, sexuality, and drug and alcohol abuse.
Shani Peterson, PhD, Gina Wingood ScD, MPH, Ralph DiClemente PhD, Kathy Harrington, MPH, MAEd, and Susan Davies, from the Rollins School of Public Health, Emory Center for AIDS Research, and School of Medicine at Emory University (Atlanta, GA), and the University of Alabama, Birmingham, sought to identify whether a link exists between the amount of exposure to sexual stereotypes and risky behaviors portrayed in rap music videos and adverse health outcomes. They surveyed and interviewed 522 African-American teenage girls, asked about their rap music video viewing habits, evaluated their health status, and screened urine samples for evidence of marijuana use.
In the report entitled, “Images of Sexual Stereotypes in Rap Videos and the Health of African-American Female Adolescents,” the authors concluded, based on a quantitative assessment, that a significant predictive association exists between increased viewing of sexual stereotypes in rap music videos and likelihood to engage in binge drinking, to test positive for marijuana, and to have a negative body image.
“The findings from this study suggest that African-American girls’ perceptions of stereotypical images of women in rap music videos may contribute to adverse health outcomes,” says Editor-in-Chief Susan G. Kornstein, MD, Executive Director of the Virginia Commonwealth University Institute for Women’s Health, in Richmond, VA. “Clearly, there is a need for greater awareness and education about the potential public health risks associated with this media exposure.”
Journal of Women’s Health is an authoritative, peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary journal published ten times a year. Under Editor-In-Chief Susan G. Kornstein, MD, and Deputy Editor Wendy S. Klein, MD, of the Virginia Commonwealth University Institute for Women’s Health, Richmond, VA, the Journal publishes clinical and research papers on health issues affecting women across the lifespan and on gender differences in health, disease, and response to treatment.
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. , is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of medical and biomedical research, including Obesity Management, Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics, and Thyroid. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry’s most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm’s 60 journals and books is available at www.liebertpub.com
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.140 Huguenot St., New Rochelle, NY 10801www.liebertpub.com Phone (914) 740-2100 (800) M-LIEBERT Fax (914) 740-2101
Sexual Stereotypes Portrayed in Rap Music Videos Influence High-Risk Behaviors Among African-American Teenage Girls
New Rochelle, NY, October 16, 2007—African-American female adolescents who spend more time watching rap music videos are more likely to participate in high-risk behaviors such as binge drinking and sex with multiple partners, to test positive for marijuana, and to have a negative body image, according to a report in the October 2007 issue (Vol. 16, No. 8) of Journal of Women’s Health a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. ( www.liebertpub.com). The paper is available free online at www.liebertpub.com/jwh
Many psychosocial factors can adversely affect self-image, health status, and the likelihood of engaging in high-risk behaviors among adolescent girls. One such factor is exposure to rap music videos, which often portray African-American women as hypersexual and amoral and include content related to violence, sexuality, and drug and alcohol abuse.
Shani Peterson, PhD, Gina Wingood ScD, MPH, Ralph DiClemente PhD, Kathy Harrington, MPH, MAEd, and Susan Davies, from the Rollins School of Public Health, Emory Center for AIDS Research, and School of Medicine at Emory University (Atlanta, GA), and the University of Alabama, Birmingham, sought to identify whether a link exists between the amount of exposure to sexual stereotypes and risky behaviors portrayed in rap music videos and adverse health outcomes. They surveyed and interviewed 522 African-American teenage girls, asked about their rap music video viewing habits, evaluated their health status, and screened urine samples for evidence of marijuana use.
In the report entitled, “Images of Sexual Stereotypes in Rap Videos and the Health of African-American Female Adolescents,” the authors concluded, based on a quantitative assessment, that a significant predictive association exists between increased viewing of sexual stereotypes in rap music videos and likelihood to engage in binge drinking, to test positive for marijuana, and to have a negative body image.
“The findings from this study suggest that African-American girls’ perceptions of stereotypical images of women in rap music videos may contribute to adverse health outcomes,” says Editor-in-Chief Susan G. Kornstein, MD, Executive Director of the Virginia Commonwealth University Institute for Women’s Health, in Richmond, VA. “Clearly, there is a need for greater awareness and education about the potential public health risks associated with this media exposure.”
Journal of Women’s Health is an authoritative, peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary journal published ten times a year. Under Editor-In-Chief Susan G. Kornstein, MD, and Deputy Editor Wendy S. Klein, MD, of the Virginia Commonwealth University Institute for Women’s Health, Richmond, VA, the Journal publishes clinical and research papers on health issues affecting women across the lifespan and on gender differences in health, disease, and response to treatment.
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. , is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of medical and biomedical research, including Obesity Management, Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics, and Thyroid. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry’s most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm’s 60 journals and books is available at www.liebertpub.com
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.140 Huguenot St., New Rochelle, NY 10801www.liebertpub.com Phone (914) 740-2100 (800) M-LIEBERT Fax (914) 740-2101
Monday, October 15, 2007
Getting asthma as an adult
More and more people are suffering from asthma, but it’s not only children that are being affected, more adults are also starting to suffer from asthma.
A study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine looked at the use of cleaning sprays. This study is particularly interesting because it doesn’t look at professional cleaners but instead looks at people using sprays in their own homes. They found a link between using the sprays at least once a week and developing asthma. More research on this is needed, but do err on the side of caution and stop using spray cleaners and air fresheners.
On my web site I have information on dirt and how the sanitised environment so many people live in is not good for health.
A study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine looked at the use of cleaning sprays. This study is particularly interesting because it doesn’t look at professional cleaners but instead looks at people using sprays in their own homes. They found a link between using the sprays at least once a week and developing asthma. More research on this is needed, but do err on the side of caution and stop using spray cleaners and air fresheners.
On my web site I have information on dirt and how the sanitised environment so many people live in is not good for health.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Acupuncture research
Assesment of acupuncture by the scientific community has been hampered by the fact that acupuncturists in most studies know whether the needling they are doing is attempting to affect the point or not.
So, it's interesting to see this - an attempt to develop a suitable acupuncture needle for test situations. Here is a provisional abstract from
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2007 7:31 ( 10 October 2007 )
Background
Placebo needles that can mask acupuncture practitioners to the type of needle used have been considered almost impossible to develop until now.
Methods
We designed a double-blind non-penetrating placebo needle, the needle tip of which simply presses against the skin, and a matched penetrating needle. The needles are encased inside an opaque guide tube and the appearance and feel of the pair are designed to be indistinguishable. To validate the masking effect for the practitioner, 10 acupuncturists each applied 23 non-penetrating needles and 17 penetrating needles to the large intestine-4 point. After removing each needle, they judged whether the needle was penetrating, non-penetrating or unidentifiable. For the validation of patient masking, an acupuncturist randomly applied a non-penetrating/penetrating needle pair to the bilateral Sanjiao-5 points in 60 volunteers. When both applications were completed, we asked them to write down anything that they noticed regarding the needle application and associated sensations.
Results
The mean [SD] of correct/unidentifiable/incorrect answers given by the 10 acupuncturists were 17.0 [4.1]/6.4 [3.6]/16.6 [3.0], respectively. Regarding patient masking, none of the subjects commented in the questionnaire that they had received a non-penetrating needle. Of 60 penetrating and 60 non-penetrating needle applications, 48 (80.0%) and 25 (41.7%) applications elicited skin penetration sensation and 48 (80.0%) and 20 (33.3%) applications elicited de qi, respectively.
Conclusions
These needles have the potential to mask both practitioners and patients from the type of needle used in acupuncture research.
You can read more about this study here.
So, it's interesting to see this - an attempt to develop a suitable acupuncture needle for test situations. Here is a provisional abstract from
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2007 7:31 ( 10 October 2007 )
Background
Placebo needles that can mask acupuncture practitioners to the type of needle used have been considered almost impossible to develop until now.
Methods
We designed a double-blind non-penetrating placebo needle, the needle tip of which simply presses against the skin, and a matched penetrating needle. The needles are encased inside an opaque guide tube and the appearance and feel of the pair are designed to be indistinguishable. To validate the masking effect for the practitioner, 10 acupuncturists each applied 23 non-penetrating needles and 17 penetrating needles to the large intestine-4 point. After removing each needle, they judged whether the needle was penetrating, non-penetrating or unidentifiable. For the validation of patient masking, an acupuncturist randomly applied a non-penetrating/penetrating needle pair to the bilateral Sanjiao-5 points in 60 volunteers. When both applications were completed, we asked them to write down anything that they noticed regarding the needle application and associated sensations.
Results
The mean [SD] of correct/unidentifiable/incorrect answers given by the 10 acupuncturists were 17.0 [4.1]/6.4 [3.6]/16.6 [3.0], respectively. Regarding patient masking, none of the subjects commented in the questionnaire that they had received a non-penetrating needle. Of 60 penetrating and 60 non-penetrating needle applications, 48 (80.0%) and 25 (41.7%) applications elicited skin penetration sensation and 48 (80.0%) and 20 (33.3%) applications elicited de qi, respectively.
Conclusions
These needles have the potential to mask both practitioners and patients from the type of needle used in acupuncture research.
You can read more about this study here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)