Now could be the perfect time to balance your chakra’s with some crystal healing – unblock energy paths to get your life in balance and to get fighting fit.
You will need seven crystals one for each of the chakras; lie down and place the crystals on or near your body starting at the top and working down. You can stay like this meditating for 10 minutes. Repeat when you feel things starting to get your down: (more…)
In the summer most of us find it easier to get up in the morning and good weather tends to boost our mood, making us feel happier and full of energy. If however you are not feeling a spring in your step, then it just may be down to your diet. Try boosting your system with foods that give you more energy.
Missing breakfast will most likely set you on the path of an energy slump by mid morning. Try eating slow releasing energy food like oats as soon as you get up, it will digest slowly so you do not feel hungry and will balance your blood sugar levels. Porridge is a great option or an oat based cereal or if you are pushed for time a cereal bar or flapjack made with oats will do – just watch the sugar and fat levels. (more…)
It’s fair to say that the UK has its share of dreary weather with June’s rain being a prime example; the problem is this has left us all a little careless with sun screen, with most of us only buying it and applying it when we are jetting off to sunnier climes. So it may surprise you to know that in the UK there are now more cases of skin cancer per year than breast and lung cancer combined – which equates to around 10,400 cases of malignant melanoma diagnoses each year. Melanoma makes up 10% of skin cancers and it is the most serious due to its ability to spread to other organs; 2000 people in England and Wales die from this each year. Then there is the less aggressive non-melanoma, with an estimated 100,000 new cases each year which thankfully in most cases are unlikely to spread are less aggressive and generally can be treated. (more…)
About 70 years ago author – Napoleon Hill coined the phrase “that the mind can conceive, the will can achieve”. This statement is just as true today,
and is the foundation of positive mental attitude or positive thinking.
Psychologists say that we tend to act out our attitudes, for example a hospital patient that spent all day worrying about their condition would recover more slowly than a patient who focuses on what is right with them and the good progress that are making.
This thought process goes further to say you will attract what you expect, so if you think the best will happen to you – it will, but if you anticipate the worst – you will be right. Look at this scenario, a young child carrying a tray of soft drinks is managing just fine, until a well meaning adult says “don’t drop it”. The child immediately picks up on the word “drop”, and the inevitable happens. (more…)
Have you been watching The Food Hospital television programme on Channel 4? I have; and I have found it incredibly interesting the impact that making changes in your diet can have on your health and in particular in reducing symptoms of medical conditions you might have. So far in series one they have looked at Diabetes, Migraines, Acid Reflux, Alopecia, Psoriasis, Infertility, Depression, Eczema, Depression, Gall Stones, Menopause and many more. As well as a detailed look at diet in general, obesity and weight loss surgery options.
It is inevitable at this time of year that our thoughts turn to losing a few pounds; and perhaps to cutting down on other unhealthy habits such as consumption of alcohol and smoking. It is not unusual for these things to come in to focus at the beginning of the year after the excesses of Christmas.
Both The Food Hospital and The Daily Telegraph have reported on the British Dietetic Association (BDA) findings recently regarding ‘celebrity / fad diets’. That many of us are likely to turn to at times like these:
Top of their hit list was the Dukan Diet: the BDA says ‘there is absolutely no solid science behind this at all’ and cutting out food groups is not advisable. They point out that even Dr Dukan himself warns of side effects such as a lack of energy, constipation and bad breath.
Alcorexia: this is where people heavily restrict what they eat during the day so they can save calories and drink more alcohol without gaining weight. The BDA says, ‘to do this in order to ‘bank’ your calories so you can go a use them on alcohol is pure madness and could easily result in alcohol poisoning and even death’.
The Blood Group diet: this diet restricts what people can eat based on their blood group. Its premise is that only certain blood groups can handle certain foods. The BDA says the diet ‘is completely based on pseudo-science’, and could lead to serious nutrient deficiencies.
The Raw Food Diet: as its name suggests, this diet focuses on eating food raw but also on eating only unpasteurised dairy products. Although some vegetables are more nutritious when eaten raw, the BDA points out that it means many nutritious foods cannot be eaten at all, and that it carries a risk of food poisoning.
The Baby Food diet: this diet calls for people to eat up to 14 jars of puree or baby food each day. The BDA says that it is a restrictive diet as baby food provides few calories and lacks fibre or texture. Without chewing on firmer food at meal times you may be left feeling hungry.
So what does theFoodHospitaland the NHS recommend for healthy weight loss and life-style changes?
Setting up a weight loss plan with your GP: a free and effective way to set yourself safe weight loss targets with expert help from your doctor.
Slimming clubs such as Weight Watchers and Slimming world, which offer group meetings, sustainable weight loss programmes and online support.
Sustainable whole-life diet plans such as the US government’s hugely successful DASH diet – http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/dash/ an evidence-based approach that emphasises simple dietary changes that can help people lose weight and keep it off. The diet also has a specific emphasis on combating health problems such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
http://foodhospital.channel4.com/
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/WhataGPcando.aspx
Many charities have an awareness day throughout the year, but breast cancer has an awareness campaign that lasts a whole month! If you have ever wondered why…I will tell you – Breast Cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and worldwide. The life-time risk of being diagnosed is 1 in 9, in 2008 that equated to 48,034 diagnosed with Breast Cancer. In the same year 12116 people died from the disease according to stats provided by Cancer Research UK.
Breast cancer is normally a combination of your genes, your lifestyle and your family history. Obviously you cannot control all of these things, but there are things that you can do that can reduce the risk or make an impact on your recovery should you get a diagnosis:
Review your alcohol consumption. Small amounts of alcohol induce hormone changes, particularly oestrogen which is related to certain breast cancers, so calculate your units, check % of alcohol in drinks and have at least two alcohol free days per week. (more…)