Two thousand and twenty has been one helluva year. And the pandemic has just been one part of it, albeit the most fear-inducing part that has literally changed how we live. Add to this, massive civil unrest, political turmoil, global demonstrations and a huge loss of civil liberties. It feels like the world will never quite be the same again …
A survival guide to wearing PPE – Part 2
This week we continue looking at some of the issues that arise for frontline workers wearing PPE all day. These many issues can take their toll on skin, health and stress levels. We will be looking specifically at the immune system, sleep and wearing heavy equipment. Last week, with expert advice from pharmacist Shabir Daya and wellness expert Marie Reynolds, …
Green Tea
It’s the simple things that count at times like this. The quiet moments. The moments we take for ourselves or choose to share with someone we love. For me, one of the great pleasures of the long days we all face at the moment, is sitting down with a cup of tea. And it has to be green. Not only …
Cleaning – better than Prozac
It seems that under lockdown, we have a new national pastime. Just like exercise it lifts our mood, gives a feeling of deep satisfaction and is surprisingly addictive. Cleaning is our new passion Now I have always HATED cleaning. Whilst I love a clean and tidy house, I would do anything, including pay good money, to get someone to do …
Why having a dog is good for you
I had a dog for 12 joyous years. We all loved him to bits and were devastated when he got ill and died 6 years ago. As anyone with a pet will tell you, losing them is just like losing a family member and is heart breaking. I always intended to get another dog but felt we needed time to …
The stress busting benefits of Ashwagandha
There are certain herbs that are particularly good for stress called adaptogens. The benefits are huge as they could actually help your body adapt to stress and balance your system. One of the most popular of these is ashwagandha. A native to India, this herb has been used for thousands of years in both ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. It is …
The beauty of B vitamins
I’ve always associated B vitamins with stress. During difficult times of life, pop a B vit to help you feel better. Now recent research shows just how important and far reaching these vitamins are. One of the main benefits is maintaining cognitive abilities, in particular as we age. B vitamins can offer remarkable protection The following symptoms could be a …
Keep calm and carry on?
We live in a very stressful world and it would appear to be getting the better of a lot of us. Stress and all its associated conditions – like anxiety and depression – are now in epidemic proportions. To understand why, we need to look at what stress is and its evolutionary purpose. Put simply, stress is the body’s reaction …
Hugs for health
Getting or giving a hug not only feels good but also does a whole host of good. In fact, a hug releases so many feel-good chemicals that making this simple action part of your daily routine is one of the best things you can do to de-stress and boost wellbeing. According to the late psychotherapist, Virginia Satir, a pioneer in …
The Marijuana Facial
Ok that’s not really what it’s called, it’s actually the CBD Facial, but I rather like my name. This facial uses the big trend of the moment, CBD oil, both internally and externally The full name of CBD is cannabidiol and it’s derived from the cannabis plant but without the high. And yes it’s legal here in the UK. It’s …