Welcome to our first edition!

Happy New Year!

How?s your New Year resolutions? On your list of 'In 2006 I am going to ?' ? where is your health on the list?

Among the amazing or simple things you would like to achieve in 2006, remember to list YOU as your priority. Aspects of wholistic healthcare to consider:

Feed your soul: among your appointments, schedule each week of the whole year ? time to do nothing, and time to do things which bring you joy!

Feed your body: nightly restful sleep (guard this jealously, it is the cornerstone of your good health), regular exercise (if you?re not exercising at all, start small - once a week or walk 15 minutes daily), balanced nutrition (some naughty, some nice ? moderation is key)

Stop feeding your mind!: As the slowness of January gives way to the busy-ness of the year, keep a rein on how busy it gets inside your head! If someone incessantly nagged, would you listen? So wonder why you would let your mind interrupt your life and your sleep in this way?

We can advise on ways, tips and tricks to achieve the above. Ask us when you're next in.

There is great truth & wisdom in the old saying: 'If you aint got your health. What have you got?'

We wish you all joy and the causes of joy now and always

Drugs or food for a healthy heart (research)

The British Medical Journal (BMJ) in 2003 published an argument by British researchers, Nicholas Wald and M.R. Law, for everyone over the age of 55 to take a six-ingredient 'polypill' of a cholesterol-lowering statin drug, aspirin, folic acid, and three anti-high blood pressure drugs to reduce their risk of heart disease by up to 88%. (Ed: this 'wonder' drug is at time of writing still not available)

Wald and Law?s proposal was criticised, as it failed to mention the side-effects of these drugs and the lack of proven benefit of some of these drugs for women.

A year later the BMJ published new research by Oscar H. Franco et al from Holland who proposed you could reduce your risk of heart disease by 75% eating a steady daily diet of:

• a glass of wine
• 100 grams of dark chocolate (approximately 4 rows of a block of chocolate)
• 400 grams of fruit and vegetables
• 2.7 grams of garlic (1-2 cloves)
• 68 grams of almonds (a handful)
• Plus, 114 grams of fish every second day

Franco et al said eating the above ?polymeal? once a day from age 50 onward would improve the life expectancy for men by 6.5 years and for women by 4.5 years (Ed: women on average live longer than our male mates).

The researchers also suggested a 30-minute walk after the 'polymeal' and that you could add olive oil, soybeans, cereals, nuts, tea, and chickpeas to the polymeal to increase the beneficial effects on heart functioning.

Unlike the 'polypill' drug, the natural 'polymeal' Franco et al concluded was an 'effective, non-pharmacological, safe, cheap, and tasty alternative to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and increase life expectancy in the general population'.

Well what would you choose, a pill with side-effects or daily chocolate and vino? Mmmmm?..decisions!

If you would like to read the full article, please click here

Sleep Well

It is important for good sleep that we allow the events of our today to rest for 7-8 hours while we rejuvenate. Is it safe or you to leave your schedule, your list of Things To Do, to sleep?

If you find you are reliving today?s events, future events, and past events during what should be rest time then work with this short message to your subconscious before you go to bed each night.

'I lovingly release today here,

Knowing tomorrow I can pick up where I left off,

I now gift myself the space to rest in a deep & peaceful sleep

Because I deserve and accept this gift with joy each & every night'

We wish you sweet and uninterrupted dreams, the whole night through