Treating Cystitis naturally

If you’ve ever had cystitis you’ll know how unpleasant it is. Symptoms include a frequent and overwhelming urge to go to the toilet, and when you get there you often pass only a small amount of urine which stings and can feel hot. The urine passed is also often smelly and/or cloudy. Cystitis is an inflammation of the bladder and is normally caused by a bacterial infection. Cystitis is more common in women as the passage from the bladder (the urethra) is shorter than men’s urethras, and bacteria can be more easily spread from the anus or vagina to the bladder.

To reduce the symptoms of cystitis many people opt for over the counter remedies which often work by making the urine more alkaline. A cheaper and just as effective remedy is to dissolve a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate in water. Personal hygiene is also important in reducing the likelihood of infection, such as making sure you wipe from the front to the back after emptying your bladder or bowels.

Cystitis is one of a range of problems that can affect the urinary system. Urinary discomfort can also be caused by chlamydia, prostate problems in men, urethritis, and kidney stones. This is by no means an exclusive list. The doctors should be the first port of call, so that the causes of urinary problems are identified and treated. However with less severe problems eating the right foods can have a dramatic effect.

The first priority when experiencing cystitis is to drink lots of water, which helps dilute the urine and flush out the kidneys. It is also a good idea to avoid foods which can aggravate cystitis, and eat more of the foods that can have a beneficial effect on urinary infections.

Foods to avoid
Sugar is one of the first foods to cut from your diet. Swiss naturopath Alfred Vogel when treating patients found that when they abstained from sugar their pain was relieved, however upon being given sugar again the pain returned without fail.

Salt encourages fluid retention which can affect the flushing action of the kidneys.

Citrus juices in large quantities can increase the acidity of the urine which can add to urinary discomfort. However they also are important in providing valuable anti-oxidant vitamins which enhance the ability of the immune system to fight infection. When your symptoms are relieved, try re-introducing citrus fruits and cut back on them again if symptoms return.

Alcohol can increase levels of uric acid which can interfere with the normal function of the kidneys.

Some of the ingredients in Coffee, Tea and carbonated drinks can have an irritating effect on the kidneys and urinary tract.


Foods that can help
Cranberries are a well known food for helping clear up cystitis, which works by preventing bacteria sticking to the inner walls of the bladder. When buying cranberry juice opt for the ones without added sugar.

Barley is another extremely beneficial remedy for cystitis but not as well know about. Barley’s demulcent qualities can soothe inflammatory conditions of the urinary tract. You can make your own barley water by boiling 1 heaped tablespoon of pot barley (available at supermarkets and health food shops) in 1 ½ pints of water and simmering for 30 minutes.

Celery is not only anti-inflammatory, but also can help eliminate waste via the urine. The active compound in celery is concentrated in the seeds which can be brought at health foods shops and made into a tea, or added into salads.

Dandelion acts as a tonic to the urinary system as well as being a gentle but effective diuretic, increasing the rate of urination, and helping the body eliminate waste products. Dandelion leaves can be added to salads. There are also coffee substitutes you could try made from ground dandelion roots. They are often combined with chicory (see below).

Chicory has a reputation for being an excellent cleanser and detoxifier.

Melons can gently stimulate the kidneys, and has been used in traditional medicine as a remedy for kidney and bladder problems. Melons are an excellent cleanser, and due to its high water content can rehydrate the body and help flush out the kidneys.

Yogurt is a must if you’ve been prescribed a course of antibiotics for cystitis. Antibiotics can wipe out both good and bad bacteria and eating yogurt can help to restore equilibrium in the gut. Yogurt can protect against bacterial infection especially in the urinary tract.

Garlic is an amazing all rounder, with anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral qualities. For any ailment garlic is an invaluable addition to your diet.

Extra help
Uva-ursi was recommended to me by my reflexologist for a urinary tract infection, and I found it worked really well Uva-ursi works as a urinary antiseptic. It also has a high tannin content which strengthens and tones the membranes of the urinary tract.

“Let food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food”
Hippocrates

Please note
I am not medically qualified, but have had an interest in and have researched nutrition and alternative remedies for many years. For this article I referred to:
The food doctor, Healing foods for mind and body by Vicki Edgson and Ian Marber
Superfoods by Michael Van Starten and Barbara Griggs
Prescription for Nutritional Healing (2nd edition) by James F Balch M.D and Phyllis A Balch C.N.C

Curses and Cargo cults at Port Elliot

The Port Eliot Literature festival is situated on the landscaped grounds of the 18th century Port Eliot House at St Germans in Cornwall. Taking part over three days, the Lit fest attracts a diverse range of performers, and has something for all tastes. Whether you want to catch some music, listen to poetry, see talks by authors about their work, watch films, or take part in a pub quiz, the Port Eliot Lit fest will not disappoint.

On the Saturday afternoon, Charles Montgomery’s account of his travels to the Western South Pacific islands, and the origin and influence of myths, had the audience captivated.

Charles Montgomery became interested in myths at ten years old when he discovered his Great Grandfather’s diary in the attic. His Great Grandfather, Rev. H. H. Montgomery, wrote stories about the Anglican’s church attempts to Christianise the South Pacific in the 19th century. He described a place which was full of myths, magic and violence and danger.

Charles found “the images followed him into his dreams” and he was fascinated by the idea of myths. A myth, he suggests, doesn’t mean a fib, but a story that helps us learn about our relationship with the world, and tells us how to live. He wanted to understand the stories his Great Grandfather told, and to see if there was anything left of the lands he had described. Following in his footsteps, he travelled to the Melanesia islands in the South Pacific 120 years later.

Charles recounted myths he had been told on his journey, such as a sorcerer who could change himself into an owl and fly around the islands at night. If he didn’t like you, he would pull open your stomach, rip your guts out and replace them with sticks and leaves. You would feel fine the next day but in a few weeks you would start coughing them up, and wouldn’t live long after that.

Another tale was from an island where terrible sorcerers lived. They would leave curses wrapped up in a leaf lying in the road, and if you stepped over it your penis would disappear. I wondered what would happen if a women walked over them.

What fascinated Charles was how these myths influenced the way the islanders lived. The chief of one village told him the story of a visitation from a spirit saying “you must understand what guides us.”

Back in 1940’s when the island was essentially a Presbyterian theocracy; a Spirit came in the middle of the night, in a big white hat with his eyes in the shadows, and appeared before the elders. He said “You have to stop going to church, throw your western money into the sea, and cast out the missionaries. Go back to your parties and circumcision ceremonies. If you do all these things I will return on a great white ship from afar, loaded with everything you ever wanted.” They did as he said, returning to traditional practices such as the men partying and drinking Kava on a Friday night. They have continued living this way even though they’re still waiting and praying for the spirits return. When Charles said to the chief “You’ve been waiting for 60 years for your prophet to come back, aren’t you getting a little frustrated?” He replied “Well, how long have you been waiting for Jesus to come back?”

Exploring the history of the islands, Charles found out that when the Americans arrived on the islands in World War two they brought lots of goods, and the islanders believed they must have controlled some kind of magic to have all this junk. The ships that travelled around the islands carrying gifts, became known as ‘cargo cults’ and the islanders prayed for this kind of magic.

As he moved through the islands he learnt that the magic he looked for was based around the concept of ‘mana’. Mana is a supernatural power which flows through all living things; it flows through rocks, and islands, and is concentrated in human skulls, which explains the head hunting that went on in the Northern Solomon Islands. The more exalted the victim the greater the mana, and the more skulls you could collect the more powerful you were. The islanders described mana as a force you could draw to yourselves and use for good or evil.

Charles had been told lots of stories, explored the history of the islands, and seen how myths influenced the way islanders lived, but he still hadn’t seen magic in action.

That is until he visited a village in New Georgia where the chief told him not to go into the mountains and blow on a stone, which was a petrified head of a snake. The chief had sold the mountain side to a logging company, and if he blew on the stone it would create a rainstorm, and they would have to stop logging for a couple of days. Defying the chief’s request, they made their way up to the mountain, and blew on the stone and indeed a rain storm started up. As they ran down the mountain there was thunder and lightening and the heavens opened. This may have been proof of the existence of magic, or it could have been a coincidence.

To try and find further proof magic existed, Charles tracked down the last of the islands shark callers, Celestine, who had a special relationship with a particular black shark. He was sure he would show him a miracle.

At midnight one night they paddled out in a canoe to the middle of lagoon. Celestine jumped in the water, and Charles took a deep breath and pushed off from canoe and circled beneath it. As he had to keep coming up for air, he realised Celestine was still under water and had been for many minutes. He saw a light, and pushed himself towards it. He saw the light was coming from Celestine sat cross legged on a bed of crushed coral, but he wasn’t alone, he saw a shadow of a black shark circling Celestine. He would like to have gone down further, but felt himself being pulled to the surface again for air.

He wasn’t sure what he had seen, and didn’t realise what had happened until weeks later. After leaving the islands, he was asked on numerous occasions if he had seen the shark spirit, and he answered no. Late one evening in the company of a group of friends, however he answered yes, he did see the shark god, and he was able to visualise what he had seen that night. Charles said:

“The story became whole finally, and I grew more certain every time I repeated it, now there was no doubt. Yes it was a shark… Yes an ancestor could still be summoned from the darkness”

He realised myth is about belief, it was true because he believed it, he says:

“Myth for me is like love, it’s a decision, what it answers is the kind of longing, what it demands is faith, what it opens is possibility.”

You can find Charles tale of his journey, his interpretation of what he discovered, and the difficulties he faced, including arriving at a time when civil war had raged through the islands, in his book: The Shark God: Encounters with Myth and Magic in the South Pacific.

Buy fresh Buy local
Sell local and Flourish

With the rise in the number of farmer’s markets and farm shops, where ever you are in the country, it’s becoming easier to buy local produce. More people are becoming concerned about the origin of their food, and recognise buying locally often ensures freshness and quality, and supports the local economy.

As buying locally produced food is becoming more popular, there has been an increase in the number of restaurants and schools, sourcing their food locally, as well as many supermarkets now offering local produce. This trend has also encouraged the opening of shops on our high streets, committed to supporting and promoting local produce.

Within five minutes of each other in Falmouth in Cornwall, there are some shining examples of businesses that are thriving, by producing and selling local produce.

Halzephron Herb Farm was started up by husband and wife team Deborah and Alan Fowler, who specialised in making the finest food from locally grown organic herbs, and other natural ingredients. Originally at their farm in Gunwalloe, they grew herbs which they supplied to local restaurants. Deborah then experimented with recipes, and the business grew. They now produce a wide range of mouth watering products which includes, marinades, sauces, mayonnaises, dressings, dips and preserves, many of which you can taste if you visit their shops.

Supporting the local economy has always been at their heart, and people from their village were employed to help as the business grew. In 2005 they handed over the business to Donna Boon, who had worked at the farm since she left school. As their products became more popular they moved to a kitchen in Penryn, to enable them to concentrate on supplying their shops in St Ives, Truro, and Falmouth. Since they’ve been buying in herbs, they’ve ensured they only use locally grown organic herbs for their recipes. The good news is you don’t have to live in Cornwall to try out their products, as they are available on the internet at www.halzherb.com.

A few doors away is Citrus café, a bright summer fresh yellow gallery and café, serving healthy food sourced locally where possible. They offer a selection of meals from soup to salads, all of which are made fresh daily, and there is always a good selection of vegetarian and vegan meals. They also make their own range of gluten free bread and cakes, all made with local free range eggs. As well as buying local produce, they are committed to providing fair trade products. They buy their coffee from Cornwall based Origin, who sell Fair-trade, Organic or Rainforest Alliance certified coffees.

Over the three years they’ve been open, they have built up a clientele of regulars, which provides enough business for them to keep going over the winter. Their commitment to serving healthy locally produced food is doubtlessly instrumental in establishing this loyal customer base. As well as being a café, they double up as a gallery, and display paintings and craft work by local artists. The local university runs arts and media courses, and students are able to get themselves known, by displaying their work at Citrus café on a sale or return basis.

Five minutes down the road, Discovery Quay, is situated on Falmouth's waterfront, looking over one of the world's largest deep water harbours. Also housing Falmouth’s Maritime museum, it provides the perfect setting for the Quay deli. Committed to selling local, organic, and quality products, the Quay deli is a feast for the eyes of any discerning customer. When they opened three years ago they were one of the only businesses around, concentrating on supplying quality West Country products.

Among the attractive, but filled to the brim shelves, they sell everything from Cornish honey to local organic meats, and Cornish beers and wine. They sell Vicky’s bread, a small Helston based business, which bakes French style artisan breads made with organic ingredients. In the freezer section you can find Roskilly’s Cornish ice cream, and frozen home made meals from Truro based Pencoose pantry, who also source their ingredients locally. If you’re after a drink, the choice available may present some problems, with Devon based, Luscombe farm’s strawberry lemonade, and Cornish orchard’s apple juice on offer. Looking around the shop is like being at a Taste of the West’s food and drink awards ceremony.

Whether you’re after fine meats, organic vegetables, or homemade herbal salad dressings, local producers offer an impressive selection of goods right on your doorstep. Choosing to buy locally helps keep our towns and villages alive, allows closer relations between customers and producers, and ultimately supports the local economy.

Mim Aylett
Surviving as a self employed artist

A mile out of Wadebridge in North Cornwall is the beautiful Trevilder Cottage. Surrounded by fields, it’s the ideal setting for local artist Mim Aylett to lose herself in creativity. Her studio, built in the garden, is filled with paints, canvas’s, work in progress, and an amazing array of finished paintings. With the addition of a heater, music, and a couple of comfy chairs, it’s the perfect space to create her art.

Mim specialises in landscapes and portraits in oil. Her vibrant, richly coloured paintings have a spiritual feel about them. The creation of her art, Mim says “is triggered by emotion, intuition and an appreciation of the beauty of nature.”

Mim graduated in Humanities and Fine Art, in 1986, and moved to London to develop an exciting career as a specialist decorator, working for clients including; Claridges Hotel, the National portrait gallery, the Sultan of Brunei, and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. She became well known for her paint finishes, marbling, wood graining, and murals, as well as her ability to be able to mix colours to match any colour.

In 1992, Mim moved back to Cornwall, her childhood home, to start a family with her husband Andy. Together they set up their own specialist decorating firm; Palmer and Palmer. As they became better known, they found themselves in the position of being able to take on employees. One of their many commissions was producing wood panels painted with iconic cinema images, such as Charlie Chaplin and Marilyn Monroe, and finished with a marbling effect for the Plaza cinema in Truro.

Although Palmer and Palmer were successful, the marriage wasn’t going so well. After splitting up with Andy, Mim found she couldn’t manage the business on her own. It was then she returned to painting, she says “as a means of emotional and spiritual survival.” She spent a lot of time out in the open air staring at the sky, painting what she could see. She felt it helped her “to stop looking inside and start looking outside.”

She would often close her eyes, take two brushes, and just let them move over the wood. “I would let the energy flow down my arm,” says Mim. She was amazed at the results; she clearly drew figures and spiritually significant animals, without consciously doing so. Mim felt that painting helped her understand who she was, and helped her through a lost and chaotic time.

With her growth of confidence Mim’s pictures became bigger, and she expanded her repertoire to include seascapes, angels and flowers. Due to a lack of money for materials, she painted on off cuts of medium density fibreboard (MDF), and was able to produce paintings in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some of her most popular paintings at the time were painted on long, tall, triangular shapes. In order to sell her paintings she started to display her work at exhibitions, and at her first one she sold six of her paintings.

As her painting evolved Mim discovered canvas’s being sold at an affordable price. She described painting on canvas for the first time as “a big step on psychologically from painting on wood.” At first, presented with a beautiful white canvas, she found herself walking around a lot, too scared to make the first mark. She felt “painting on canvas was Art with a capital A.”

Becoming more confident painting on canvas, Mim began to paint lots of portraits; returning to landscapes in financially tight periods, as they are more likely to sell. Sometimes her paintings are planned but mostly they’re not, and she prefers not to be swayed by market forces, instead letting the paintings come to her. She says “The canvas decides, the energy of the day decides, sometimes I’ll be going to paint a landscape and end up doing a portrait.” Mim also describes herself as a binge painter, as some days she finds painting really difficult, and feels she’s not satisfied with any mark she makes. While on other days she may stay in her studio all day, and paint 3 or 4 pieces.

As Art has helped her spiritual growth, she has fed her spirituality in other ways, which complement her art. Over the past few years, she has also worked on gaining her Reiki Masters, and a Diploma in Past Life Therapy. Last year she discovered she had a gift for painting people’s spirit guides, after painting one for a healer who knew what their spirit guide looked like. She say’s “I tune into your energy and with loving help from my guides and yours, a portrait is created of the Spirit who walks by your side.”

She is now able to offer these services alongside her art. The peaceful countryside setting of Trevilder cottage is ideal, for receiving the healing energy of Reiki, or having a spirit guide painted. The whole place has a friendly and relaxing feel about it. It’s by no means easy making a living working for yourself, however Mim seems to be doing all the right things to keep a sustainable business running.

If you live or are holidaying in Cornwall, you can go along and see Mim’s paintings at her exhibition at the Rock institute near Wadebridge running from September the 28th to the 30th.

Recycling
One person’s waste can be another person’s treasure.

With landfill disposable space running out, more people are making an effort to recycle their everyday waste. However there are now opportunities to recycle more than just our rubbish. Anything from unwanted household goods, to computers, mobile phones and even unused paint can now be passed on and put to good use.

When left unattended for a long time clutter can rob us of our energy, as we can feel that twinge of guilt that we haven’t done anything about it yet, or feel overwhelmed by the task ahead of us. With the coming of sunnier days, it’s a perfect time to make a start on clearing away your clutter. Clearing up your space can not only give you a sense of achievement, but also help you feel more relaxed in your environment.

Whether you’re having a clear out and want to know how to pass on items you don’t need anymore, or you want to find some furniture, there are a growing number of schemes that can help.

One such scheme based in West Cornwall is S.O.F.A; a non profit voluntary group which will collect any unwanted furniture and electrical appliances, and pass them onto people on a low income.

For more information look at http://www.sofawestcornwall.org.uk/
To find your similar local schemes in your area check out the furniture re-use network: http://www.frn.org.uk/


Online recycling opportunities

The Freecycle network was set up in 2003, to promote waste reduction, and to keep usable items out of the landfill. The idea is simple; freecycle provides an electronic forum to ‘recycle’ any unwanted items, from furniture to washing machines. Freecycle is a global organisation; with local groups across the UK. Any item you want to get rid of can be offered to other members of your local group for free, and similarly you can search for anything you need for free.
The registration process is not the easiest, and you need to set up a Yahoo email, but you have the opportunity to change it to your main email afterwards. In the interest of research, I joined my local group which has 422 members. Among the many items offered and wanted, I was able to enquire about a free computer chair, (which unfortunately, for me, went within thirty minutes of being posted) and answer a wanted message for an exercise mat.

Check freecycle out on: http://www.freecycle.org/ and click on groups in your local area.

Other online recycling networks include: http://www.i-recyle.info/ and http://www.recycle.co.uk/


Recycling other goods
Computers for charity recycle computers to pass onto charities and voluntary groups.
Find out more at: http://www.computersforcharity.co.uk/
Action aid recycling collect ink cartridges, toner, mobile phones and PDA’s to raise money for the charity Action aid. You can request a freepost envelope on their website: http://www.actionaidrecycling.org.uk/ or by phoning 0845 3 100 200

The Red Cross also collect ink cartridges, you either drop them in at your nearest Tesco store, or for a supply of freepost envelopes email: freepost@redcross.org.uk

Community Re>paint is a nationwide scheme where you can donate unused paint and they pass it on to community projects and people who are on low income. I checked out their website and in Cornwall I would need to travel 30 miles to pass on my paint, however other areas are better covered. There may be a drop off point near you. Check it out on: http://www.communityrepaint.org.uk/

If you have something to recycle not mentioned above check out:
http://www.recycling-guide.org.uk/ They provide information on how to recycle just about anything from oil, metal and wood, to vehicles, and have links to the relevant organisations. They even have a section on how to build a house using recycled building products.


Buying recycled goods
As well as trying to ensure what we throw away is put to good use and doesn’t fill up our dwindling landfill space, there are also many opportunities to buy recycled products. Just by typing ‘recycled products’ into a search engine many inspiring businesses pop up.

Alternatively you could look at: http://www.recycledproducts.org.uk/ which provides information on where you can buy recycled products such as furniture, fuel, pet and cattle bedding, and clothes and accessories.

http://www.recycledpromotionalproducts.co.uk/ is another good website to visit where you can buy notepads made from tyres, or tee-shirts made from recycled plastic bottles.

Whether you make an effort to pass on your items for re-use or buy recycled products you will be helping the environment. As well as not filling up landfill space, creating recycled goods produces less pollution. Recycled paper for example produces around 70% less air pollution than if it were made from raw materials, not to mention the number of trees that are saved. It’s estimated to take 24 trees to produce 1 ton of newspapers.

Recycling makes a lot of economic and environmental sense; after all one persons waste could be another person’s treasure.

Guerrilla gardening at the
Port Eliot Lit fest

The Port Eliot Literature festival is situated on the landscaped grounds of the 18th century Port Eliot House at St Germans in Cornwall. Taking part over three days, the Lit fest attracts a diverse range of performers, and has something for all tastes. Whether you want to catch some music, listen to poetry, see talks by authors about their work, watch films, or take part in a pub quiz, the Port Eliot Lit fest will not disappoint.

One of the highlights of the festival this year was a talk by Richard Reynolds, a guerrilla gardener. Guerrilla gardening is essentially about reclaiming land which has been neglected and transforming it into a beautiful garden. The land they work on is often land which councils are responsible for, such as traffic islands and road side verges, land the councils consider unimportant, and not worth spending money on. Once a piece of land has been identified, guerrilla gardeners will go out at night or early in the morning, dig it up, plant plants, and give it a new lease of life.

Although Guerrilla gardening is getting more media attention today, it goes back about 2000 years, with references to guerrilla gardening in Matthews Gospel. One of the first guerrilla gardeners was Gerrard Winstanley, who in 1649 decided to dig up some common land and grow vegetables to feed the hungry people in the village. The name ‘Guerrilla Gardening’ wasn’t created until the twentieth century, when Liz Christy, an American living in New York, noticed children playing amongst litter and broken fridges. She set about getting a group of volunteers together who then transformed the vacant lot into a garden which is still there today.

Richard’s talk was accompanied by a selection of slides of successful gardens that have been created all over the world, including land alongside the torn down Berlin wall, and outside a school in Singapore. Guerrilla gardening also has a serious side as in poverty stricken parts of the world; guerrilla gardening is a practical solution to providing communities with food. In Uganda, for example, we saw a photo of a woman growing onions outside her house on public space as she needs to eat.

With the population rising and land becoming a finite resource, Guerrilla gardeners feel it is wrong that there is so much land going to waste. They are politically motivated but also pragmatically motivated as they want to make the places people live in more pleasing to the eye.

The reception guerrilla gardeners get from residents in the areas they garden is generally supportive. Many people thank them for their work, which is voluntary and relies on donations of plants and equipment. While talking about his work, Richard showed a photo of an area of Plymouth they had worked on and a member audience called out:

“That’s outside my Mum’s house.”

She went onto say her Mum was really pleased with the planted area, as it really brightened up the area. She had had no idea, that it was Richard and his team who were responsible for the transformation.

Richard’s enthusiasm for guerrilla gardening was evident throughout the talk, and even while he was down for the festival he couldn’t resist having a go at brightening up the run down St German’s station. Early Saturday morning Richard and his team arrived at the station, dug a gravestone size bed and planted some Verbena and Mallow.

Guerrilla gardeners often finance projects themselves. However some gardens can also be self-sustaining. One project where wasteland in central London was planted out with lavender, was then harvested at the end of the summer, and lavender pillows were produced which raised around £700 they could use to buy more plants.

Anyone can have a go at guerrilla gardening themselves, after all the land is there for us all look after. Richard believes a sign of success of the guerrilla gardening movement is when:

“everyone feels they can do this, and that this isn’t the activity of some hardcore cult or extremists.”

If people find a bit of land in their community that is neglected then Richards suggests they adopt it. Unfortunately trying to do this legally is a frustrating long drawn out process. He says it’s much easier to go out there do the gardening, and then when people see the results they are more likely to endorse it.

He offers tips for successful guerrilla gardening such as; wearing a yellow jacket so people think you’re a council worker He also suggests you tell people what you are doing, as they may be able to donate plants or even want to get involved and help. Many other tips are available, alongside success stories all over the world, on Richard’s website www.guerrillagardening.org, and Richard’s book on guerrilla gardening is due out in the spring next year.

Look out for more articles on the Port Eliot Lit fest in the coming months on Jax Writers spot

Spreading a little happiness

Are you searching for happiness? Many of us spend our lives looking and never quite get there. We may think we would be happier if we had more money, lose weight, or find a love in our lives; however Annie Seager believes it’s not necessarily our circumstances that we need to change in order to find happiness, but our attitude to life. Happiness is easier to find than we imagine, she says:
”It’s all about unlearning negative ways of relating to the world around you and gradually substituting more positive ways”.

Annie’s interest in happiness grew after studying psychology, and finding her studies focused more on misery and suffering, than joy and contentment. After graduating with honours, in a quest to find out more about positive psychology she came across Robert Holden a pioneer in the field of happiness, who has spent much of his life studying positive emotions.

She soon embarked on Robert’s ‘Teaching happiness’ course at Oxford University, and was so inspired by his teachings that she decided to share what she’d learnt by running happiness workshops all over Cornwall.

In the workshops, Annie starts off by using an African method of greeting, which she finds breaks the ice and relaxes everyone. The workshops are friendly and informal, and participants can contribute as little or as much as they want in the discussions.

She then leads a variety of exercises designed to encourage people to explore the psychology of happiness, looking at what makes us happy, banishing negative thinking, the importance of smiling, and why we all deserve to be happy.

Annie says the first obstacle to overcome is that often people feel it is selfish to want to be happy, because it’s focusing on themselves and not others.
“Happy people often exude warmth and caring for other people,” she says.

Happiness can be contagious, and even just smiling at people can make their day. Therefore searching for happiness is not selfish, as becoming happier can have a beneficial effect on people’s families and communities.

Becoming happier can also help us become healthier. Research such as a famous study carried out by David Snowdon in the 1990’s, supports the link between happiness and health.

After analysing almost 200 short autobiographies written by nuns on first taking holy orders, he found that those who expressed a more positive outlook on life, lived longer than their less positive peers.

Annie believes that anyone can learn to think more positively if they are committed to change. She uses the techniques she learnt on the happiness course to help people challenge their deep-seated attitudes and beliefs, and replace them with more positive ways of thinking.

People who have attended her workshops have said they have thoroughly enjoyed the day, and one participant said:
“I definitely will be able to reflect on the day and remember the positivity of becoming happier.”

The cost of the workshops is usually between £25 and £35, and she does offer concessions. To find out more about Annie’s happiness workshops you can phone her on 01736 850738 or email happiness.cornwall@yahoo.co.uk.

This article is published in July’s edition of Vitality Matters a free Cornish Health and Wellbeing magazine Check out their website: vitality matters

Making the most of Nature

Spiezia Organics

With a rise in the sale of organic unprocessed foods, as people become more concerned about the foods they eat, it's a wonder why anyone would choose to put a chemical based product on their face and bodies. Chemicals in skincare products can actually act as an irritant to the skin and some skincare ingredients have been found to be carcinogenic. Luckily nowadays there are many companies committed to producing natural chemical free skin care products. One such company, Spiezia Organics produce the first and only collection of skin care products to all be accredited with 100% organic status by the Soil association.

After graduating in medicine and surgery in 1981, Dr Spiezia worked in hospital emergency departments in Italy for many years, before deciding to follow a gentler approach to healing. Dr Spiezia and his wife Loredana, have always had a passion for nature and a healthy lifestyle. He began to research natural remedies that in the past were more a part of everyday life. He felt the passing down of knowledge of the properties of herbs and plants through the generations, has been lost over the years.

After 10 years extensive research and moving to Cornwall, Dr Spiezia and his wife set up Spiezia Organics in 1999. The human skin will absorb most of what is applied to the skin, and with skin care products today often full of chemicals, he was convinced nature provided a safer alternative. By using the whole plant, flower or herb, and combining it with carrier oils and essential oils, Spiezia products can be produced that safely moisturise and revitalise the skin.

All their products are made by hand. In their greenhouse, they firstly infuse the herbs used in organic olive oil, which are then left to warm exposed to the sun and the moon. When they are ready, they are pressed and the resulting oil becomes the main ingredient for their range of products.

Most creams include water, which Dr Spiezia says encourages the growth of germs and requires other preservatives to be added. None of the Spiezia skin care creams contain water.

They produce a wide variety of creams and balms for all occasions, including a foot balm for sore and tired feet, and a moisturiser using rose petals and vanilla pods. They also provide an excellent ‘nappy salve’ to sooth dry skin and nappy rash. Men haven’t been forgotten either, the Spiezia range for men includes an aftershave oil, and a nourishing cream. Their Lemongrass and Marigold soap won best organic beauty product in the 2006 Organic Industry awards. Their soaps combine flowers with cold pressed extra virgin oil, which helps cleanse, without drying the skin.

Looking to the future Spiezia Organics are hoping to increase their range of products.

Julia Azopardi from Spiezia said “We are often asked whether we can produce other products, and we hope to introduce a range of body scrubs in the near future.”

Dr Spiezia believes that everything we need to be healthy and fulfilled can be found in Nature. It is this passion, drive and enthusiasm, which have made Spiezia Organics so popular, with their sales trebling since 2004. As if he isn’t kept busy enough with the business, Dr Spiezia also manages to find time to practice holistic medicine at the Walsingham clinic in Truro (01872 263163). With 20 years of experience practising holistic and herbal medicine, combined with a medical background Dr Spiezia and his team, are able to produce products you can trust.

For more information look at www.spieziaorganics.com
Or phone 0870 850 8851

This article is published in the July/August edition of Cornish World magazine.

A good night’s sleep

We all know what it’s like, we have a busy day coming up and need a good nights sleep, but as soon as we get into bed our mind starts racing and we just can’t drop off. Sleep rests the body and the mind and not getting enough can lead to irritability, lack of energy and poor concentration levels the next day.

Typically during a night we experience ‘deep sleep’ and ‘dream sleep’. It is the deep sleep that’s important to allow our bodies to re-energise, and this occurs during the first five hours of falling asleep. Therefore someone who only sleeps for six hours can get the same amount of quality sleep as someone sleeping for eight to ten hours.

Our ability to get a good night’s sleep can be affected by physical illness, pain and/or psychological problems such as depression. This article looks at ways of achieving a quality night’s sleep.

What we do in the day will have an affect on how we sleep at night, things we can do to help us sleep better include:

Getting out of bed as soon as we wake. By trying to go back to sleep we’re only likely to experience dream sleep, and not quality sleep.

Trying to get up at around the same time every morning can help re-programme our body clocks, so we are ready for sleep at night.

Do some physical activity in the day, such as getting out for a walk in the fresh air.

Do not nap in the day. If you do nap, you’ll be less tired when you go to bed and you’ll probably take longer to fall asleep.

Avoid drinking caffeine after around 4pm and cut down on your caffeine intake during the day.

If you’re finding you don’t get off to sleep because of worrying, set aside time in the day to address these worries.

Having prepared ourselves in the day, there are many things we can do in the evening to help ensure a quality sleep:

Allow yourself time to wind down before going to bed. Do something relaxing such as a having a bath with calming essential oils or reading a book (see extra help for a good nights sleep).

Don’t go to bed too early as your body may not be ready for sleep yet. Around 10.30 is a good time to head for bed.

Watching television in bed is not a good idea. Television is stimulating and more likely to wake your mind up than switch it off. Try to use your bed only for sex and sleep, and you will learn to associate your bed with sleeping.

Avoid using alcohol to help you sleep. Alcohol causes you to sleep less deeply and to wake more frequently.

Make sure your bedroom is quiet and cool. If you’re too hot you won’t go into a deep sleep.

Don’t go to bed hungry or with a full bladder.

Don’t be tempted to take sleeping pills, they can be addictive, and you’ll find it more difficult to sleep without them. Try putting a few drops of some relaxing essential oils on your pillow instead.


For some people sleeping problems may last for months or even years, which can lead to worrying about sleep and create a vicious circle which is difficult to break. This can be the case for people suffering from depression. If you have long term sleep problems staying in bed when you’re restless and anxious, is unlikely to result in sleep.

If this sounds like you, then it’s probably best to get up and do something quiet and relaxing until you feel tired. If your mind is racing, then pick an activity that distracts you from your thoughts. When you find you are feeling sleepy, then go back to bed. If you don’t fall asleep shortly after getting into bed get up again and repeat the process.

Extra help for a good nights sleep

Some essential oils can help us relax and aid sleep, a few drops can be added to a bath, or an oil burner can be used in the bedroom prior to sleep. Oils which can help us relax include lavender, chamomile, hops, valerian, and lemon balm.

Try relaxation exercises. Lie on the bed, and focus on every part of the body in turn, starting with your feet. Start by tensing your muscles and then relaxing them so your limbs feel heavy, while doing this be aware of your breathing which should be slower than normal.

Some people find quiet relaxing music can help them drop off. There are a number of CD’s available which are specifically composed using tempos which match the resting heart rate of the listener, to promote relaxation and to calm the mind ready for sleep. A wide range of these CD’s are readily available in shops and on the internet. Try looking at http://www.newworldmusic.com/ or http://www.ambientmusic.co.uk/

Having a cup of a relaxing herbal tea, an hour before bed can also be useful in helping us get to sleep. Choose from Valerian or Chamomile tea or try some of the special tea mixes such as ‘Sleepytime’ made by Celestial seasonings available at most health food shops.

Cooking for Optimum Nutrition

We may believe we eat a healthy diet that gives us the vitamins and minerals we need. However we could be destroying nutrients in our food simply because of the way we cook them. This article will examine methods of cooking, and look at ways of keeping the essential goodness in our foods.

Boiling versus Steaming
One of the most popular ways of cooking vegetables is to boil them, however this method of cooking can destroy up to 70% of their vitamin C content and around 40% of their B vitamins. If you really want to boil your food, you can minimise nutrient loss by using as little water as possible, not cutting the food too small, and by boiling for the minimum amount of time. However to ensure you get maximum goodness from your food, it would be better to switch to a different method of cooking such as steaming.

One of the best ways of cooking and preserving food’s nutrient content is to steam. Steaming foods not only cooks them quickly, but also they maintain their firmness, colour and flavour. Water-soluble vitamins such as the B vitamins and vitamin C do not disappear into the water, as with boiling.

A good old stew
Making soups and stews is a good way to maintain nutrient content. The liquid is served with the food allowing us to still benefit from the vitamins and minerals that have been transferred into the water. Stews and soups are also generally cooked at a low temperature which minimises the nutrient loss.

To fry or not to fry?
Frying foods is another popular method of cooking, yet even though it cooks foods quickly, the extreme temperature can deplete essential nutrients. In addition to this, oils used have a burning point, which when reached can create free radicals. Free radicals attack our cells, and have been linked to the development of cancer. Also frying inevitably increases the fat content of our diets, which can contribute towards health problems such as; high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease.

Fried foods however are tasty making it a popular cooking method. One way to minimise the risks could be to stir-fry which uses a minimal amount of oil. Using a wok and constantly moving the food around ensures an even distribution of heat. A spoonful of water can also be added, which stops the oil burning and produces steam to help with the cooking. Stir-frying however will still drain foods of their nutrients, and it may be better to steam foods for a while and finish them off in the wok, to get that fried flavour.

Cooking for the family
The traditional Sunday roast has been traced back to the industrial revolution, when meat was left in the oven to cook before church and was ready to eat upon the families return. It still remains an important meal of the week for many families.

One of the common mistakes people make with roasting is to turn the oven temperature up too high. This can allow oils to reach their burning point and increase their carcinogenic potential. The longer food is cooked the greater the vitamin loss, and roasts are often cooked for longer than needed. By cooking at a lower temperature and not for longer than necessary, nutrient loss can be reduced. Boiled vegetables are often an accompaniment to the meat; however the water the vegetables are cooked in often contains more vitamins than the vegetables themselves. Using the water to make your gravy ensures you still get these vitamins.

Another meal which can bring family and friends together is the barbecue. Food cooked on barbecues is subjected to extreme heat, which not only destroys essential nutrients, but also when foods appear cooked they can be raw on the inside. For this reason barbecue food is often overcooked and slightly burnt on the outside, which can produce more damaging free radicals. To ensure food is properly cooked it is a good idea to part cook them before putting them on the barbecue.

What about microwaves?
Research suggests that microwaving foods can help retain a fairly high level of vitamins and minerals. Microwaves work by agitating the water molecules contained within the food, and this movement heats the food. Potentially dangerous micro-organisms thrive in temperatures between 5°C and 60°C, and another advantage of microwaving is that the food spends less time in this temperature zone, as it can be thawed, cooked and served quickly.

A major drawback of microwaving is that the food doesn’t heat evenly, which means there can be cold spots where bacteria can thrive. To prevent cold spots food should be stirred at least once during microwaving, or if they are unable to be stirred they should be left to stand so the heat can distribute more evenly.

It should be noted however that while microwaving may be a useful cooking method for keeping the nutritional value of fresh foods, they are often used for heating up ready made meals which can have an unhealthily high salt, sugar, and fat content.

Raw foods
Eating raw foods is the ultimate way to ensure you get all the nutrients from food. One of the biggest advantages of eating raw foods is that they are full of enzymes, which help break down proteins and are important for every function of the body. If any food is heated above hand hot temperature it loses these essential enzymes. By only eating cooked food we put extra pressure on our bodies to produce these enzymes.

However by complimenting our diets with raw foods we can help our bodies function more effectively. Supporters of eating raw foods often call them living foods, as cooking destroys the foods life-force. They believe there can be many benefits to not cooking, including increased energy, better skin, better digestion, weight loss and a reduced risk of heart disease.

The good news is that there is an abundance of raw foods we can choose to include in our daily diet, from fresh fruit and vegetables, to nuts seeds and grains. Eating raw foods doesn’t need to be a chore; a few simple changes can benefit our health greatly. We can eat a salad with main meals, choose fruit for breakfast, eat nuts and seeds as a snack in between meals, or make our own juices.


To cook or not too cook?
By cooking food essential vitamins, minerals and enzymes, will be destroyed. In addition some cooking methods increase the possibility of producing potentially harmful free radicals. However we can minimise the depletion of nutrients by changing the way we cook. The main rules to making the most of foods natural goodness are:

• Cook for the minimum amount of time.
  
• Cook at lower temperatures.
  
• Steam or microwave instead of boiling foods.
  
• Stir-fry instead of fry.
  
• Add raw foods to the daily diet.
  

“Let food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food”
Hippocrates

The Stigma of Mental health



Mental illness can affect people of all ages, from all walks of life. The effects of mental illness are all consuming, often affecting the sufferer’s life completely. Every year around 250,000 people are hospitalised due to mental illness, and over 4,000 people take their own lives. While the awareness of mental ill health issues has increased, it has done nothing to lessen discrimination. This essay will argue that discriminating attitudes and the stigma attached to being mentally ill, has worsened.

You may think with all the awareness raising going on, that discrimination towards the mentally ill would have reduced. Organisations such as Rethink, Mind, and the Mental Health Foundation are actively involved in challenging discrimination. One of the most well known of these organisations is Mind, who campaign to improve policy and attitudes towards people in mental distress. They produce straightforward information leaflets for people with mental health problems, and their carer’s and employers. All these organisations regularly write comments published in many newspapers, and are well respected as authorities on mental health.

The problem lies in the fact, that we need these organisations. A report by Mind into social exclusion and mental health problems, found that discrimination is rife (1999). They found that once people were diagnosed with a mental health condition, they would be labelled as different, and became known as mad people. Ivan Massow, who was the chair of this inquiry, was surprised about the number of ways society excludes people with mental ill health. Another study; ‘Pull yourself together’, done by the Mental Health Foundation found that 70% of those questioned, had experienced discrimination due to their mental health. 56% reported discrimination from family, 51% from friends, and 44% from their doctors (2000). For many, at a time when they are feeling most vulnerable, and need support from family and friends they are not getting it.

This discrimination may to some seem justified, as people in mental distress, are often not seen to be helping themselves get better. Many people experiment with self medication using drugs and alcohol, which while providing short term relief has a detrimental effect in the long term. In today’s meritocratic society (where people are judged on their merits), a common view is that people should take responsibility for themselves, and that society cannot carry the vulnerable. Cognitive behavioural therapy illustrates that a lot can be done by challenging negative thoughts. It could be put forward that people should be able change their own thought patterns, and pull themselves together.

This attitude however is not helpful. While having to deal with their illness and the overwhelming feelings of not being able to cope, people close to them are telling them to snap out of it. Within daily living, people with mental ill health can come across lots of obstacles, which can exacerbate their illness. Obstacles such as being refused insurance or finance because of their mental ill health are commonplace. Insurance companies often charge more because of a client’s medical history. The justice system can also fail people with mental illness, as they are often thought of as unreliable witnesses. It seems that people with mental health problems, are considered unable to make their own decisions, and not taken seriously a lot of the time. According to Hywell Davies, who was a respondent in the Mind inquiry:

“It is easier to live in society with a prison record, than a psychiatric record.”

The media have a big role in contributing to the public’s understanding of mental health. Television programmes, such as Stephen Fry’s account of his experiences of manic depression, have done a lot to inform people about the realities of mental health. Also positive role models, such as Robbie Williams, and Monty Don being open about their experiences can help with demystifying the area of mental health. There have also been many soap opera’s, which have dealt with mental health issues sensitively. Channel four’s Hollyoaks sensitively handled the portrayal of Bombhead’s schizophrenia by illustrating the illness from Bombhead’s perspective. Films such as ‘A beautiful mind’, and television drama’s such as ‘The Illustrated mum’, (based on Jacqueline Wilson’s book) have done a lot to inform people, and raise awareness about mental health issues.

Despite these steps forward, the media is also guilty of portraying mental health negatively. According to a study into people’s attitudes to mental health, by the Department of Health (2000), people are actually becoming more fearful and intolerant of people with mental illness. This study was a result of respondents filling in questionnaires ever year for five years. The media have continually made links between the rise of violence and the rise of care in the community which has greatly contributed to this perception. These connections are unjustified, as although homicides have increased over the last 40 years, the number of homicides committed by people with mental health problems over this period has remained steady. People with mental health problems don’t pose a threat to the general public, and are actually more vulnerable to being victims of crime. Within journalism, especially in the tabloids, there are little or no challenges to the use of words such as psycho, nutter, and loon, which are used regularly. These words may grab the reader’s attention, but they also contribute towards the public’s fear of people with mental ill health.

Moves have been made in other areas to deal with discrimination. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA), covers people with long term mental illness. The DDA makes it unlawful to discriminate against people with disabilities within employment, as well as the provision of goods services and facilities. It has been most effective in the area of employment, as it’s attempted to redress the discrimination within the workplace. An employer is not able to turn anyone down for employment, or indeed terminate employment due to their mental health. They are expected to make reasonable adjustments, to ensure the person can work there. Many employers’s, especially larger organisations, are taking this on board and have policies in place to support workers with mental health problems.

Unfortunately due to the nature of the illness it is very difficult to prove discrimination due to mental health. There is no real definition of the ‘reasonable adjustment’s’ employer’s have to make. Also the information on what you need to do if you’ve experienced discrimination of this kind is not easily available. For someone at a mental low, the process is likely to appear to be impossible. In relation to employment, the DDA only applies if people are looking for, or are in work. Compared to other disabilities, mental health is the area with the most unemployment.
The Mind inquiry found that 12% of people with mental health problems were in employment, while 4% are looking for work. 84% were not seeking employment, often because of worries about the assumptions that colleagues and employers may have about mental health. Participants in the Mind inquiry mentioned the changing attitudes of colleagues, as soon as they were diagnosed with a problem. Many people do not disclose their illness for fear of being unfairly treated and this fear may well be justified, as 47% of respondents in the ‘Pull yourself together’ survey, reported to have experienced discrimination in the workplace (2000).

Legislation is an area that also affects people with mental health problems. As awareness has risen the Government recognised that mental health legislation needed to be updated. The last time the Mental health act was amended was in 1983, and it was based on the act before in 1959 so Mental health law had stayed fairly the same since the early 19th century. A Government Bill to amend the 1983 Mental Health Act is currently going through Parliament. The proposed bill is mainly about compulsory detention, and addresses the changes in society such as the growth of Community support groups. It aims to improve services and treatment for mentally ill people. One of the main changes to the 1983 act is the introduction of supervised treatment in the community. The Government believe that this will prevent the social exclusion, which comes with long periods of being detained in hospital. To support this they want to broaden the range of professionals who have the right skills and training to support people in the community. Another change is that if someone is detained under this act, they are able to choose their ‘nearest relative’, which can be anyone they choose. Over the eight years the Government have been researching this bill, they have regularly consulted with leading mental health organisations.

Mind, however says the bill is a bill of compulsion and not compassion, and that they have rejected advice from mental health organisations. The bill actually increases the numbers of people, who may be subjected to compulsory mental health treatment. It aims to give more professionals the power to make decisions for people with mental health problems. The bill places lots of importance on protecting the public from so-called dangerous people. One major criticism of the bill is that it addresses the public’s misconception of the link between violence and mental ill health. Mind believes fear of being detained may prevent some people seeking help when they are struggling. This bill may actually make it more difficult for people with mental health problems, to be taken seriously. With the Government appearing to back up myths presented by the media, the myths are reinforced. This bill is not likely to help with the discrimination and stigma that people with mental health problems face.

Looking at the studies done by organisations aiming to reduce discrimination, it seems that the stigma attached to being mentally ill has increased. Within employment the mentally ill are frequently discriminated against, and they often don’t have the strength to challenge the discrimination through the DDA. Many people who are mentally ill are not even trying to get work, as they believe they will be treated unfairly. There are many ways people are discriminated against in society, and this essay has mentioned only a few. The media has an influential role in contributing to beliefs and attitudes about mental illness. Unfortunately while they are raising awareness through some television programmes, they are also adding to the stigma, by constantly linking mental ill health and violence, and by using derogatory words such as ‘nutter’. Although there may now be more awareness about mental health, discriminating attitudes and the stigma attached to being mentally ill has worsened.

References:
Dunn. S (1999) Creating accepting Communities, Report of the Mind inquiry into social exclusion and mental health problems. Mind publications.
Attitudes to mental illness. (2000) Study prepared by Department of Health. Taylor Nelson Sofres plc.
Mental Health Foundation (2000) Pull yourself together.

CUT 4 CLOTH
An innovative family business

Situated on the banks of the Helford river in Cornwall, Cut4Cloth is an innovative family business, with a strong commitment to reducing damage to the environment. The idea for Cut4Cloth came about when founders Lucy and Kurt Jewson had their first baby Tom. Aware that disposable nappies did not bio-degrade they opted for cloth nappies. Not long after starting using them, they discovered Tom’s cloth nappies were too big for his baby clothes, even by using a size up, they found they were not cut to fit over cloth nappies.

Lucy trawled the internet and couldn’t find any companies who made clothes to fit over cloth nappies. An idea was born. Cut4Cloth now provide a wide range of clothes for babies and toddlers, which are stretchy and comfortable allowing greater freedom of movement.

They wanted to follow the environmental principles that led them to use cloth nappies in the first place. Their range of clothing is made from 100 percent organic cotton. With a baby’s sensitive skin, there are many benefits to dressing them in gentle organic cotton. Organic cotton feels softer, allows the skin to breathe, and due to the absence of chemicals organic cotton is also less likely to trigger skin allergies.

The cotton is handpicked, and the clothes are ethically manufactured in rural India. They are able to produce brightly coloured clothes, using environmentally friendly dyes that are free from harmful additives such as formaldehyde. The factory itself also supports the local tribal school, by providing food, books, and equipment.

The business has gone from strength to strength, since starting up three years ago. From starting out as a two person team, Cut4Cloth now employ five people. They started off only doing clothes for 0-2 years, and as their customer’s little one’s grew; they were asked to do larger clothes, so they have increased their range up to 4 years. They now sell to 20 countries worldwide and 180 shops across the country. Lucy said;

“We are growing as quickly as we can manage. We haven’t had to go out to market at all really. People just keep finding us, and we try and struggle to keep up, but it’s a great way to be.”

Despite Cut4Cloth having a strong ethos, Lucy felt they could be more proactive in trying to remedy environmental damage.

She said “We really wanted to put our money where are mouth is, so we’ve joined the 1% for the planet scheme.”

They give 1% of their turnover which equates to 10% of their profits to benefit environmental causes. One of the projects they chose to support is the Cornwall Wildlife trust’s ‘Beep’ (Bycatch Evidence Evaluation Project). Beep is a research project looking at possible explanations why marine mammals get stranded on our Cornish beaches. Teams of volunteers inspect and collate all the markings, and injuries on stranded mammals. The findings are then investigated by the National History Museum and the British Zoological Institution, in an effort to find explanations as to why dolphins, seals porpoises and occasionally whales wash up on the Cornish coast.

With more people thinking about what they put in their bodies, it seems a natural step to think about what we put on them. Cut4Cloth’s range show there is no need to use chemicals that can have a detrimental effect on the environment, as well our health. Their high quality clothes are made with room for movement and growth, and when your little ones do eventually grow out of them, they can be passed on. Kurt and Lucy’s new baby is wearing Cut4Cloth clothes which have been handed through five different children and they still look great.

Whether you’re looking for a gift or clothes for your own little ones, June is a great time to check out Cut4cloth’s range as they are having their first half price sale to make way for an exciting new range of winter clothes.

For more information look at www.cut4cloth.co.uk
or phone 01326 221930 for a catalogue.

Writing about what you care about.

Janey Lee Grace

Radio presenter, turned author, Janey Lee Grace has been offering tips on natural living, to listeners of Steve Wright in the afternoon on Radio two for many years. She’s become well known for her knowledge of natural alternatives to just about anything; from what you put on your skin, to products used for cleaning the house. She has now written two books; ‘Imperfectly Natural Woman’ and ‘Imperfectly Natural Baby and Toddler’ which came out in April this year.

With a rising number of people thinking about their carbon footprints, and being concerned about what they put on and in their bodies, Janey found she was personally answering so many calls and emails resulting from her radio presenting, that when she was approached by Crown House publishers, she decided to put all her ideas down in a book.

Janey felt writing these books was the next step on from the work she was doing already to promote green living. She says;

“I want to make people aware of how much choice there is now, in totally natural, fair trade, eco alternatives that won’t cost you any more money but will help save your health, and will save the planet a little bit, its the small change big difference sort of principle.”

It’s clear she’s passionate about her subject area. Kurt Vonnegut the author of Slaughterhouse-five and Cat’s cradle who also taught on a Graduate Creative writing course, said that if you write about a subject you care about and feel other people should also care about, it will be evident in your writing and compel people to read on.

Janey wanted her book, to be a useful resource for anyone interested in a green lifestyle. By combining her personal experiences, including how she’s come to adopt all things natural, with information on products ‘Imperfectly Natural Woman’ is an interesting read which is so much more than a directory.

She came up with the title ‘Imperfectly Natural Woman’ as she says she’s by no means perfect. She recognises that while many people may want do everything they can for the planet, and to be as natural as they can, there’s only so much time, and everyone has their limits. She embraces the 80:20 principle, which is to do pretty much what she can 80% of the time. She hopes readers will do what they can, but not beat themselves up for not being ‘perfect.’

The whole process of writing the book, fitted in around her radio appearances and bringing up her four young children, took just over a year. Initially she produced a synopsis and the first chapter for the publishers, which was accepted, and she was left to get on with it apart from a few meetings with them. Towards the end she met with them another couple of times to decide on photographs and the design of the book.

Taking about 6 months after she had finished writing it the book came out in November 2005. Crown house however are a small publishing company and the book had little publicity. Janey says;

“This was my precious baby that I had put a lot of effort into, and I really wanted it to be successful, and I managed to get one interview on Johnny Walker’s show on radio two.”

The Johnny Walker interview was extremely successful, and the show had never had so many calls and emails on any other feature. After the interview her book shot to no 1 on Amazon. Janey said;

“It made me realise this wasn’t just me, and my funny little barking mad ideas, but this actually was becoming very mainstream and that’s great news.”

Although it’s generally the writer of the book who needs to study the market trends and decide if their book is likely to sell, in this case it was Crown House publisher’s who recognised Janey’s area of expertise was becoming very popular. Realising how mainstream green living has become, Janey felt there was also a market for a book about natural parenting, and ‘Imperfectly Natural Baby and Toddler’ came out on April 19th this year.

This book is a fast track to all the best natural products for children. It gives information on everything from what alternatives there are to sweets filled with E numbers, to buying cloth nappies and washing them without using harsh synthetic chemicals.

‘Imperfectly Natural Baby and Toddler’ was published by Orion books, which is a major publishing company. They’ve published books by Maeve Binchy, Ian Rankin and Terry Pratchett among others. This time around, again fitted around her busy life, Janey wrote the book in four months, delivering it in September last year.

Being with Orion meant the book would be available in all the major bookshops, as well as Amazon. Janey still found she needed to promote her book herself, if it was to be successful. She has her own press agent who organises interviews, and two weeks after the book has come out, she was still working hard on publicity with an interview with the Guardian newspaper and appearance on the Wright stuff on Channel five.

Janey has really enjoyed writing, saying it’s nice to be able to share information. She’s already working on the third book in the series ‘Imperfectly Natural home’ which will be out in 2008, and has an idea for another book about her take on child psychology. When asked if she could make a living out of writing, she answered;

“In my case I can’t make a living out of writing. I think I would have to supplement my income by writing articles maybe.”

Janey however seems to have a winning formula at the moment. Not only is she writing about a subject that she’s passionate and knowledgeable about, green living is also very mainstream at the moment. With more and more people becoming concerned about their carbon footprints, it’s likely this topic area will go from strength to strength.

Fatigue
Eating for Energy

Do you feel tired all the time? Wake up unrefreshed? and feel drained mid afternoon? There are many reasons why people suffer from constant tiredness. Fatigue can be a result of the body coping with an illness or constant pain. Anxiety, depression, and stress can also cause extreme tiredness. Alternatively fatigue could be due to not making the right lifestyle and/or food choices, and tiredness can often be alleviated by a change of diet and exercise.

Physical causes of fatigue

Fatigue can often be a result of an underlying illness, or have physical cause such as:

Thyroid function
The thyroid hormones are important in the control of the body’s metabolism, which is the process where oxygen and calories are converted into energy for our cells and organs to use. If your thyroid is not functioning properly you may not be able to produce the energy you need.

Food Intolerance
More people are finding they have intolerance to certain foods, most commonly wheat, diary products and citrus fruits. Food intolerance is different from a food allergy which can produce dramatic physical reactions. With an intolerance, people can carry on eating the foods but may get symptoms such as; migraine, eczema, irritable bowel, fluid retention, fatigue and depression. Writing a food and mood diary can help pinpoint foods to avoid.

Anaemia
Anaemia occurs when the body does not produce enough red cells, which is often caused by a deficiency of iron or vitamin B12. This can be exacerbated during menstruation in women.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (otherwise known as ME)
Experts are unsure of the cause of ME; however it seems to occur after a prolonged vial infection. Alongside persistent fatigue other symptoms include; aching muscles and joints, anxiety and depression.

(This is by no means an exclusive list)

Once any other causes, such as the ones above, have been ruled out by a doctor, a change in diet can often have a remarkable affect on our energy levels.

Eating for energy
Constant tiredness, and lack of energy can often be a result of poor diet choices. By understanding which foods can exacerbate tiredness, and which foods can keep us energised, the cure for fatigue can often be in our hands.

The process of digestion breaks down our food into glucose, which is filtered and stored by the liver, for use when we need it. The whole process of keeping our organs supplied with energy is known as blood sugar management.

An eating plan for increased energy

Avoid coffee, tea, alcohol, and carbonated drinks.
Caffeine and alcohol can inhibit the absorption of vitamins and minerals essential for energy production. If you are partial to a cuppa or a glass of wine, then drink them in between meals and not with food. The best drink is water, drinking more water can keep you hydrated and energised.

Don’t fall for the sugar trap
Sugar can cause blood sugar levels to rise temporarily. The instant energy hit sugar gives doesn’t last long, and often leads to feeling even more tired afterwards. Watch out for ‘hidden’ sugar found in ready made meals, sauces, bread, and pizza’s.

Eat foods that release their natural sugar slowly
Foods release natural sugars at different rates. Look out for food’s ‘glycaemic value’ the higher the value the quicker they release sugar. Foods that release sugar slowly include; unsweetened yogurt, whole grains, beans, apples, pears and raw root vegetables.

Eat small frequent meals
Eating little and often can prevent fluctuations in blood sugar levels, and provide a gradual release of energy to keep you going through the day.

Eat complex carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are converted into glucose easily, so are important for energy production. However, refined carbohydrates such as white flour and processed foods that contain them, are more difficult to digest, which uses up more of our much needed energy. Opt for complex carbohydrates instead such as;
Whole grains such as; oats, rye, buckwheat, millet, rye, and wheat (unless you suspect a food intolerance to wheat)
brown rice
beans and pulses
and potatoes

Eat nutrient rich foods
All of these vitamins and minerals play a key role in energy production;

o B complex vitamins
found in grains, nuts, seeds, beans, liver, seaweed, and green vegetables.

o Vitamin C
found in peppers, brussel sprouts, broccoli, citrus fruits, strawberries, green vegetables, parsley, and papaya.

o Vitamin E
found in almonds, peanuts, seeds, avocado’s, whole grains and spinach.

o Iron
found in liver, red meat, raisins, prunes, pumpkin seeds, Almonds, cashews, and legumes.

o Zinc
found in oysters, clams, pumpkin seeds, beef, liver, nuts, peas, and whole grains.

o Magnesium
found in brown seaweed, nuts, buckwheat, whole wheat, millet, rye, brown rice, soybeans, avocados, sweet corn, dried figs, dates and shrimp.

o Potassium
found in bananas, oranges, avocados, potatoes, lima beans, plums, mushrooms, watercress, and parsley.


Don’t forget to Exercise
The number of cells in our body’s producing energy is affected by the amount we exercise. A sedentary lifestyle can lead to a decrease of energy output, while exercising increases the body’s ability to produce the energy we need. If you’re too tired to exercise, you can become trapped in a vicious circle, as your body responds resulting in even less energy. You don’t have to visit the gym or go to aerobic classes, if you don’t want to, going for a walk every day or swimming will help your body produce more energy.

Banishing Fatigue
Following this eating plan and getting some exercise should hopefully give you more of a spring in your step.

Note: I am not medically qualified, but have been interested in nutrition since my eldest daughter developed food intolerances almost 20 years ago. I have researched this piece by reading through books such as;

The Food Doctor, Healing foods for mind and body by Vicki Edgson & Ian Marber
Superfoods by Michael Van Straten & Barbara Griggs
Prescription for Nutritional healing 2nd edition by James F Balch M.D & Phyllis A. Balch C.N.C

“Let food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food”
Hippocrates

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See below for this weeks article on the documentary 'Power to the People'

Power to the People of Lanreath
Journalism as Community work

Monday night saw the start of a new series ‘Power to the People’ on BBC2. In the first episode Tim Samuels, took villagers from Lanreath, near Looe in Cornwall up to Islington (their twin town). They set up a mini village on the green, including farmers bringing their sheep and cows, Morris dancers, and lessons for the school children.

Why did they do this? For over two years Lanreath has had no local shops, the bus service was stopped, and to top it all Cornwall County Council announced the village school would have to close. Ultimately they wanted to be listened to, to tell people these closures are killing their community, and that a village way of life should be supported, instead of having all their services taken away from them.

Tim, who as an investigative journalist has won many awards, also demonstrates his ability to be a skilled community worker. Community work is essentially concerned with increasing the expertise of people within a community, and promoting their involvement in the decisions that affects their lives. A major part of Community work is promoting collective and effective action.

When approaching the community he first sets about identifying how cohesive the villagers were, who are the voices of the community, and what networks there were within the village. From the start he listened to the views of the children, families, and elderly residents. By involving everyone from the start, no one was alienated.

He spent time listening to the villager’s experiences of how the closures affected the community. One elderly lady reported that going to the shop, used to mean so much more to her than being able to buy necessities, it meant she would meet people on the walk, and now there was no reason for her to go out at all. On finding out the Council wanted to close the school a young lad said they shouldn’t close it because there were plans for affordable housing which would bring in more children. Another pupil said that it was good being in a small school as you get more attention and can get help quicker.

He spent time finding out the villager’s worries. He didn’t seem however to demonstrate community work skills, when it came to deciding on what actions could be taken to protest against the closure of the school. A community worker stimulates and supports the community make their own decisions on appropriate action. I could be wrong, the villagers may have come up with the idea themselves, and I may have missed this in the documentary.

Tim isn’t of course a community worker, he’s a journalist required to deliver a story, and the ideas he comes up with are good ideas. He helps the school children make a short film about why to keep the school open, and takes them to Cornwall’s County Hall car park, where they approach councillors in the car park and invite them to see the film in the back of a van disguised as a cinema, with the children giving away popcorn.

After he’s engaged the community and gained their trust, they all got involved in the preparations for going to Islington. One 86 year old resident made a very lifelike scarecrow of John Prescott. They planned to take over Islington green, and create a mini Lanreath in the heart of London. Everyone was in high spirits on the way up, even though they realised there may be a chance of being arrested as they were protesting.

When they got there they all waited at various spots around Islington, and then all at once they made their way to the Green. At first the Londoners didn’t know what hit them, but after a while were joining in with the villagers as they recreated village life. As well as Morris dancing, they had a tug of war, a cake stall and handed out stickers asking people for support to stop the closure of the school.

They managed to stay for most of the day, until the Council turned up to move them on, and they peacefully packed up and went home. Tim said he hoped their message, that the countryside matters, was heard. As any good community worker would, he didn’t build up the villagers hopes. They go back with a great sense of achievement and community.

Since the protest, unfortunately it was announced the school would still have to close. Cornwall County Council said they couldn’t afford to keep a school open that had a projected pupil count of 12 by 2008. They may have lost that battle but the protest in London really brought the community together, they’ve still got a pub and the church, and since their trip they’ve got their shop back.

This programme is the first of three episodes, shown on BBC2 Monday nights at 9.00pm. In the next programme he helps a group of soldiers, who feel they have been cast aside since fighting for their country, to take their protest to Trafalgar square. The last episode he works with a group of pensioners, who form a group and produce a cover of the Who’s ‘my generation’, to make the point that old people should not be forgotten about.

Investigative journalism, supporting groups of people who want to get their voices heard, and planning protests not only produces a great story, but also empowers the communities themselves. A Community worker would be able to spend more time with the communities. However the goal of community work is to enable the community to carry on their own, and it seems watching the first programme, this has been achieved.

This is hopefully only the first series of ‘Power to the People’ and there will be more to come. On the BBC website Tim has asked for anyone who feels their group/community is being ignored or marginalised by society to let him know, and he may just get on the case.

More harm than good.
An opinion on sensationalist reporting of Cannabis use.

Ten years ago the Independent on Sunday launched a campaign asking for cannabis to be decriminalised. It was very successful, and in 2004 cannabis was reclassified from a class B to a class C drug, meaning that although it is still illegal to possess cannabis, it is not an arrestable offence. Yet on Sunday 18th March, the Independent on Sunday apologised, saying they were wrong 10 years ago, stating that the increase in the strength of cannabis available today was causing mental health problems in young people. In my opinion this is a sensationalist piece of reporting, promoting moral panic, and is based on information that is inconsistent and inconclusive.

Not only was the apology printed on the front page, they also published supporting articles; ‘Skunk’ and ‘Were we out of our minds? No, but then came skunk’. Their comment section was also taken up with this story, with one comment by Rosie Boycott, who was the Independent’s editor at the time of the original campaign. They mention in their reports that due to a change in the market, ‘skunk’ now counts for 60% of the country’s cannabis consumption. The problem being they say, is that it is 25 times stronger than the cannabis resin which was more available in the past. This information is backed up by a recent report published in the Lancet which says that cannabis is more dangerous than LSD and Ecstasy.

Unfortunately they can’t agree on how much stronger ‘skunk’ is than the so called ‘traditional’ cannabis resin. In the articles, they report it’s 25 times stronger, 30 times stronger and 10 to 20 times stronger. What they fail to mention, is that there has always been a difference in the potency of cannabis available on the market. High potency skunk has been available for many years, including when they were calling for decriminalisation. In true sensationalist journalism form, they have compared the weakest cannabis ten years ago, with the strongest skunk available today, to provide themselves with a juicy media story. Their stance is a complete turn around, from their original campaign, when still in the aftermath of Leah Betts death, Ecstasy was the drug portrayed as being dangerous, and the focus of media propaganda.

In their reports, the Independent on Sunday makes links between the availability of high potency skunk, and the rise of mental health problems in young people. They report that 9,600 under 18 year olds are in treatment for cannabis addiction, and link the smoking of skunk with schizophrenia and psychosis. They report that the proportion of cannabis smokers entering treatment for addiction has risen from 6% to 12% in the last decade. Professor Colin Blakemore from the Medical Council agreed there was a link between heavy cannabis use and psychosis in vulnerable individuals, particularly young people.

Throughout the articles they mention studies, including one conducted by the Advisory Council on the misuse of Drugs, in which they conclude there could be a link between heavy cannabis use and mental health, however they only briefly mention that conclusive evidence does not exist. Colin Blakemore’s opinion also suggests the links made are not as simple as the Independent on Sunday suggest. There are many other factors involved. No drug is harmless, and cannabis smoked in large quantities can undoubtedly cause paranoia and exacerbate mental health problems. In the same article Michael Linnell from Lifeline suggests that people developing mental problems turn to cannabis to self medicate, and to try and escape their problems if only for a short period. He says that cannabis is still one of the safest drugs and this is being distorted by the current media reporting.

The Independent on Sunday reports 9million people plus in the UK have smoked cannabis, however they do not mention a high proportion of these people do so without any damaging effects on their lives. They fail to point out that many of these people have professional careers, bring up families, and having a smoke in the evening is often the extent of their law breaking. The Independent on Sunday now calls for cannabis to be upgraded. However this call is based on a small proportion of vulnerable teenagers who have problems with the drug. If their campaign is successful it will affect the millions of non-problematic cannabis smokers.

They also underestimate the intelligence of smokers suggesting that as skunk is stronger than cannabis resin, everyone smoking it is likely to get more stoned. They ignore the fact that most people know their desired level of intoxication, and if the cannabis is stronger they are likely to put less in their joints, or not need so many joints in an evening. Julie who has smoked cannabis for 20 years said “I prefer resin to skunk, I prefer a milder smoke, and don’t like to get too mashed, I have too much to do, and I need to be clear headed in the morning for work.”

In my opinion they are right on one count, there has been a change in the market. Recent research published by the organisation; Drugscope reports that 10 years ago only 11% of cannabis sold in the UK was grown here, but the success of law enforcement in targeting local suppliers has lead to a ‘cannabis resin drought’ in many areas. As there is, and always will be a market for cannabis, there has inevitably been a rise in the production of hydroponically/indoor cultivated skunk to fill the gap in the market. The Independent on Sunday seems blind to the fact that the rise in the production of high potency skunk, is a result of the criminalisation they are now supporting.

There is no evidence to suggest that the illegality of cannabis acts as a deterrent. Prohibition ensures organised criminals control the market, and to increase their market share and profit, they are likely to produce stronger strains of skunk to keep up with the competition. It costs the government vast amounts of money to enforce the drug laws, with many people ending up in our already overcrowded prisons. Prohibition has not worked, and contrary to the Independent on Sunday’s view, the criminalisation of cannabis is instrumental in causing the problems they are reporting.

All drug use involves risks, but these risks are likely to be minimised, if cannabis is decriminalised, and appropriately regulated and controlled by the state. The Green Party’s Drug group would like to take the drug trade out of criminal control and make cannabis available in a legal environment, with the introduction of ‘cannabis café’s’ and ‘pot pubs’. In a poll asking whether cannabis should be legalised on their website, 90% of the 3385 repondents, agreed that it should.

The number of young people smoking vast amounts of skunk, and the resulting effects on their mental health is a real concern. However hyping up the problem for a good story is not helpful. The Independent on Sunday have presented studies as conclusive, when they’re not. It has glossed over findings from the studies mentioned, which suggest the evidence is inconclusive, and that there are many other factors causing the problems we are seeing today. It has presented the problem of high potency skunk as recent, when it has actually been available for many years, including when they were calling for decriminalisation. They’ve underestimated the intelligence of many smokers, and lumped them in with a small minority of people having problems. Their reporting has failed to even consider these problems could be caused by the criminalisation they are now supporting. All in all this is a sensationalist piece of reporting, and it is disappointing to see this in a supposedly progressive thinking paper.