HEALTHNEWS
Understanding how to banish winter blues By Naturopath Georgie O’Connor for the College of Naturopathic Medicine It’s time to get back on track after festive indulgences, and to come out of hibernation.
Get up, get out!
In February we get an extra hour of daylight, so use it to get out for stroll, walk or jog – just wrap up well against the weather and clear the cobwebs. You need to stay well hydrated even in the colder weather. Dump the caffeine and chase away the chill with hot water with any of the following: lemon, ginger, honey, cinnamon or fresh herbs such as mint for great refreshment. Herbal teas such as rooibos (red bush) or fruit teas are widely available in shops and cafés.
Nourish your liver
Now is a good time to think about being kind to your liver; it’s been working hard processing the festive diet. Nourish it through the day with seasonal cruciferous vegetables like cabbage or cauliflower and sulphur-rich foods such as onion, garlic or turnip in salads, coleslaws, soups or stews.
Antioxidants
For good health generally, and immune support in particular, indulge in some good quality antioxidants in the form of fruit and vegetables. Passata and tomato puree are both high in lycopene, making an excellent store cupboard antioxidant. Frozen berries on hot porridge for breakfast with a drizzle of honey can provide a burst of sunshine-ripened fun as well as a cornucopia of phytonutrients to help you fight off the bugs and viruses still lurking about.
Get a good night’s sleep
Sleep is incredibly important for physical and mental wellbeing, so kick the TV out of the bedroom, and try to spend around 30 minutes doing whatever relaxes you, before heading off to bed for at least 7 hours of good quality sleep. Look ahead, start planning now for spring activities and, to quote Theodore Roosevelt, “Do what you can, where you are, with what you have”.
CNM trains students for careers in natural therapies. www.naturopathy-uk.com 01342 410505
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Iron can reduce DVT risk A daily iron supplement could help prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and other life threatening blood clots, according to research carried out at Imperial College London. The study involved 609 people with a higher than average risk of blood clots and found the daily iron supplement reduced this extra risk.
| your healthy living
Want to be happy? Don’t think about it! Happiness is our natural state, according to a new book. It happens when we stop making ourselves unhappy by believing the stories the thinking mind throws up Happiness and How it Happens says we make ourselves unhappy in so many ways. For example, if we’re waiting for a bus and it’s late, are we fine with that or do we start getting into a bad mood? By paying attention to the small, everyday upsets, we can see that the upset comes from the stories weaved in the mind, and be aware how the mind convinces us that if things were different all would be well. The 'Happy Buddha' author says happiness can be learnt with practise. Worth a try, without thinking about it too much!
A happiness practice... Being in the present moment is the secret to a life of unconditional happiness and freedom. But how can we be present when our mind is all over the place? The Happy Buddha says the key is simply to notice without judgement or criticism, what takes you away from the present and then return to the felt experience of the present. Notice the tendency during the day to want to rush on to the next thing. For example, if you are cooking dinner, notice the urge to finish cooking and to be eating it or watching TV. Notice two things – the thoughts and the bodily sensations, don’t try and eliminate them – just notice them without judgement.
n Happiness and How it Happens (ISBN 978-1-907332-93-7) is available from IvyPress.co.uk, £7.99. www.thehappy-buddha.co.uk
The brown algae good for joints A type of edible brown seaweed called Ecklonia Cava Extract (ECE) has been studied for fibromyalgia and joint support, with favourable results. Harvested from Asian coastal waters, one double blind study showed improved sleep, energy and pain reduction for fibromyalgia patients; another study showed a significant reduction in cartilage cells degeneration. ECE appears to have natural anti-inflammatory and tissue protective properties, and in the UK is available in a supplement form, called Serranol. More info from www.goodhealthnaturally.com. February 2012