SHORT AND SWEE T
44 Down To Earth
DUBLIN’S GO-TO HEALTH SHOP.
by Persephone Kianka
Jane Smith, the manager of Down To Earth, has been coming into her father’s health food store since she was in school, and today she’s just as passionate about the business. “I love meeting the customers; I just love everything about the business and the way it’s evolved over the last so many years,” she told us. The shop started as a delicatessen in the early 70s, selling a small range of health foods in Malahide. It then moved to Fleet Street in the late 70s, Jane shared, before moving up to George’s Street, its current location, in 1986. Down To Earth never stopped evolving, and about ten years ago, it opened its own homeopathic dispensary in-shop. Jane explained that all the homeopaths have their own practices and work at the shop part-time. With over 10,000 remedies of all different strengths, they are proud to service the whole country with homeopathic remedies, including homeopaths based in Ireland. At the onset of the pandemic, the Down To Earth team took the opportunity to expand their reach even further through the development of their online shop. “We ship all over the world now at this stage,” Jane mused. Even so, many customers of 30-plus years who would’ve been calling into their shop on Fleet Street still come into Down To Earth today to chat and buy their essentials. “It’s a go-to shop,” Jane commented, “because we do an awful lot of supplements and foods that a lot of the other shops don’t do.” As she and her assistant Emma Taylor continue to source new products and keep up with the latest health trends, it looks like Down To Earth will only continue to evolve and support us with the changing times.
downtoearth.ie
Embrace The Chill THE BENEFITS OF ICE BATHS.
by Persephone Kianka As more and more health influencers, celebrities, athletes and trainers endorse using ice baths to improve health and fitness, you might also be warming up to this daunting idea. Immersing yourself in ice-cold water has many advantages, especially for those who exercise or compete in sports. According to Elizabeth Gardner, MD, Yale Medicine sports medicine doctor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Yale School of Medicine, “Plunging a single limb—or the entire body—into a tub of cold water for 1-3 minutes is becoming an increasingly popular ritual for athletes as well as hard-core exercisers.”
“Ice baths, or even an ice-cold shower, have been shown to help improve mental health, happiness and concentration…” The main reason is that they make the body feel fantastic, and as Gardner says, “cold immersion may be a balm to aching, burning muscles after a hard workout.” You’re also laying the groundwork for future success by allowing your body to heal, making you more prepared for your next workout. Though the Sturdy Ice Bath is ideal for athletes, football and rugby club members and other organisation members, it can benefit just about anyone. Ice baths, or even an ice-cold shower, have been shown to help improve mental health, happiness and concentration, fostering an overall positive attitude and sense of well-being. The long-lasting and durable Ice Bath from Sturdy Products makes these benefits accessible to everyone from home. There are handles on the sides of the container that act as stability aids when entering and exiting the Ice Bath, and a brass connector at the base of the bath for easy filling and draining. The compact size allows a large person to fit into the tub, yet it only requires around 250 litres to fill.
sturdyproducts.com