Massage is one of the oldest forms of healing known to mankind.  Where it first started, we cant be sure, with so many early civilisations laying claim to be the first to use it.  Where ever it’s origins, it most likely came about because massage is purely instinctive.  How often do you knock yourself and the first thing you do is to touch the site of pain.  The simple power of touch to soothe is purely instinctive.  Touch combined with intention to heal is very powerful.Massage is also very safe (for most people, there are no contraindications (reasons for why massage may not be suitable), but even nowadays, with advancement in knowledge and skills, there are many ways that massage has been adapted to deal with conditions that once would have been considered out of bounds.  For example many cancer patients now benefit from massage under the right conditions and with the consent of their GPs and pregnant women can benefit from massage after the first trimester has passed.  New thought is that as massage helps the mind and body to relax, in the hands of a trained and skilled professional it can do no harm but only bring benefit.

Many understand that massage is helpful for easing tired, aching and painful muscles but did you know that it also helpis to bring oxygen and other valuable nutrients to body tissue, sooth trapped nerves, re-balance the skeletal system, improve blood circulation, aid digestion, promote excretion of toxins and improves cell regeneration and helps to harmonise the various hardworking body systems to fight dis-ease and aid wellbeing.

Gentle touch also triggers the body’s neuro-transmitters which helps to ease stress, as well as lowering blood pressure, so you can begin to see how on an emotional level, massage is very beneficial for bringing balance to the mind.  Our aim is ensure that mind and body are brought back into balance as the mind/body connection cannot be separated.

The power of the mind should never be understimated.  Did you know that physical pain and discomfort, can be a symptom of emotional trauma?  Something as simple as being seated in a certain position when you receive distressing news can trigger physical symptoms that you would never connect.  Poor posture may not just be a result of physical structural (skeletal) imbalance or injury but connected to some kind of emotional trauma that you have locked away.  Your unconcious mind which will always serve to protect you, but will in some way, find a way for you to release that trauma and often a physical symptom will be the sign that your body is giving to tell you to deal with it.

Massage and other therapies that help to restore and maintain health should really be seen as a necessary and regular means to look after yourself.  Consider it a bit like a service for your car but one that is undertaken more often than once or twice a year.  After all, if your car breaks down, you take it to get fixed and for most people, this is a priority and one that they will spend untold amounts of money on without hesitation or question.  However, when we ‘break down’ whether physically or mentally, we tend as a rule to ignore it, hoping it will go away, put up with all kinds of ache, pains, lack of sleep, irritability, sickness etc etc.  Many will turn to chemical means to cope or sedate the pain -  nicotene, alcohol, drugs (prescribed and recreational),   We will pick fights with our loved ones, take time off work, over eat, watch too much tv, engage in dangerous behaciours…..  sound familiar?    All of these ways of coping are unhealthy and costly both short term and long term.  Relationships suffer, our work life starts to be affected, we spend money of sedators that quite frankly bring very short term relief but long-term problems – bigger problems on top of the original problem we had.  An endless cycle begins that adversely affects our quality of life and often those around us suffer too!

How many women reading this will spend £20-£30  fortnightly or monthly to replace their false nails, have a manicure or get their brows and lashes tinted?  How many of you ever consider spending the same amount on your emotional and physical wellbeing?  Don’t get me wrong I am not for one moment saying that false nails etc are wrong, of course not, anything thay helps you to feel better has to be good for you but how balanced is your wellbeing regime?  Does having false nails really improve your health?  Does it help you sleep better, does it help to lower your blood pressure, eliminate toxins, relieve stress?……I would imagin the truthful answer you would give is ‘no’ FACT!.

Looking after your health and wellbeing should be a priority for us all.  So next time you feel those firstt pangs of anxiety, stress, pain and fatigue, why not consider finding a complimentary or holistic therapist to support you?  As with all therapy, it is the cummulative effect that really brings about long-term benefits, so do not expect all your problems to disappear after one treatment, although for many, this is the result turning them into converts who use their chosen or range of complimentary therapy as an integral part of their lifestyle.

“A person’s worth is this world is estimated according the the value they put on themselves” (anon)

Go on, show your worth by investing in yourself.

For more information about a wide range of massage and other holistic therapies, contact me at http://www.watfordholistictherapy.co.uk

How does the ViSi Weight Loss Work?

Mechanism of Action: Works intracellular by assisting the cell membrane to be most responsive to insulin in the burning of sugars. As the sugars are released into energy (metabolism) the body senses that fat storage is unnecessary.
As the fat is freely burned, beginning in the belly (visceral fat) region, the body then senses that lean body tissue would continue the energy supply and the vitality that the body loves to experience. As the metabolism is working its way through the fat burning process, the brain signals become more enlightened and appetite is sufficiently controlled. With the appetite under control and the fat being burned, the body starts rebuilding existing mitochondria (energy factories) as well as building new mitochondria.
Now the body experiences a feeling of invigoration — better concentration, more whole sleep patterns, less hunger pangs or junk food / sugar desires. All this because of one simple improvement in the body’s physiology called insulin sensitivity instead of insulin resistance. Is this product safe for diabetics? Each ingredient in the Visi weight loss product was specially chosen because of the outstanding record of healthiness and scientific research to back it up. A simple computer search using PubMed archives proves the point. Because each ingredient was classified safe and easily tolerated, as well as effective for appetite control, energy production and fat burning potential, the choices were then made as to how much of each ingredient would be needed to accomplish the weight loss goals.

How much “Water” should I drink?

It’s imperative to hydrate the body immediately. Not only will water eliminate toxins being released through the process of fat metabolism, it will hydrate the body and help eliminate constipation. One rule of thumb on how much water you need, take your total body weight, divide total in half, and that is how many ounces of water you need. (If you weigh 180, divided = is 90, you need 90 ounces of water each day)

Do you have other products to enhance weight loss? Yes!
We have a total “Wellness” product to support the adrenal system and provide additional nutrients needed during weight loss.

For those who find it extremely hard to lose weight… would drinking Warm Water or taking a
Digestive Enzyme help speed weight loss? What do you suggest?

Unfortunately, many people treat their cars better than their bodies. Hence there is a lot of detoxification and internal cleansing needed just to get things back to normal. For these cases the Digestive Enzyme is highly favored since they are experts at breaking fat, protein, and sugars down into much smaller and more useable sizes for energy and metabolism. As for the lukewarm water, most people will find it gagging and cause nausea. I have some friends who are medically inclined and practice their medicine in China. They only drink their water at “room temperature” — never on a ice. They tell me it helps with the nutrient assimilation and ability of the body to absorb and utilize. To each his own. I prefer an iced cold drink — after all, metabolism is going to be a tad “faster” when things are chilled. A little winter shiver should knock off an extra calorie or two

Is it normal to reach a plateau after using ViSi Weight Loss for several months?

Plateaus do occur and that’s when the liver needs to be pampered even more so. The new Visi Energy has Arctic Root and Schisandra to help the liver to detoxify faster and remove some of the unneeded 16-hydroxyestrogen that tends to get in the way of any good weight loss program.

Bumping up the protein intake can also help the metabolically resistant people. More protein and less carbohydrates (especially wheat & corn carb). You may even need a good liver tonic — something with herbal cleansing ability. I truly like the Scandinavian berry blend. The Visi Energy will help to rebuild the energy factories of the cells called mitochondria. The more mitochondria we have the easier it is

to stay lean and trim. In the “weight loss plateau” time there is a flattening out in the weight loss curve that can drag on from 2 weeks up to 6 weeks. Don’t become frustrated and think that nothing good is happening. Quite the contrary, things are still working. During this plateau phase, the needed

changes in your liver and metabolism are still happening. For example, it takes time to reduce insulin levels and improve insulin resistance; to remove the unhealthy fat from the liver, and turn the liver into an efficient fat burner, and not a fat storing organ; balance hormones.

If you do reach your ideal weight, do you recommend continued use, taking it every other day, or stop it?

Once ideal weight is reached a daily dose of Visi Wellness is recommended to keep the immune system peaked and the memory sharp. The Visi Weight Loss can then be taken 1 capsule every other morning or 1 every 3 days. The alternating doses will replenish the molecules the body is using up for metabolism and detoxification. It is certainly ok to take the pill every day on and on because it does not become resistant or dysfunctional with progression of time and it definitely not habit forming in any way.

Are all the Visi Products safe for our Organs/body?

Visi Products are all made with the principle of Natural Medicine that says “Do No Harm.” The Scandinavian berry blend in each product is worth its weight in gold and helps to spiffy things up day by day. The nutrients are helping the brain cells, heart cells, liver cells, muscle cells, kidney cells, etc.

Can people with heart conditions or on heart medications take Visi?

The Visi Products that are designed to “Do No Harm” are contraindicated with medical conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure. If someone is hypersensitive to stimulants such as chocolates, teas, colas, and over-the-counter cold products, they aren’t a good candidate for the

Weight Loss. The other two products should be very smooth on their system. Actually, the Visi

Wellness is a whole food nutraceutical with plenty of healthiness in each pack.

Can Visi interfere with prescribed medications?

The pharmaceutical world has a plethora of drugs. So far I haven’t found any Rx medications that would interfere or cause a problem in the presence of the Scandinavian berry products. We have many people who are on blood pressure pills, diabetic medication, seizure meds, nerve meds, antibiotics, thyroid medications, etc that have done very well with the Visi products.

Can Visi Weight Loss Interfere with people with Hyperthyroidism or on Thyroid medicine? As the side effects to that is…heart beating faster.

People with hypo-thyrodism (slow, sluggish thyroid) that take medication such as Synthroid, levothyroxine, thyroid extract will do fine with the Visi products.

People with a hyper-thyroid are having trouble with their immune system. Hyperthyroid is an auto- immune problem (Graves’ disease) in which the thyroid hormones are too high and the body is attacking itself because their antibodies have turned against their thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). Their clinical symptoms are racing heartbeat, tremors, irritability, palpitations, and nervousness. Therefore they would not do good at all with any nutraceutical that can increase these problems (such as Visi Weight Loss or Visi Energy). The hyper-thyroid patient would do very well with the Visi Wellness as it augments, modulates and regulates their over-reactive thyroid. Usually someone with hyper T is not having trouble with weight gain, but has the opposite problem — weight loss.

Can you take it while Pregnant or breast feeding?

The Visi Wellness can be taken during the pregnancy; but the Visi Weight Loss and Visi Energy are not designed for pregnant women.

Breastfeeding is ”OK” with any of the three products. As with any food product, if the nutraceutical causes the breast milk to reduce production or if the baby gets colic, simply stopping it should allow the body system to return back to normal right away. In most cases the milk should flow and the baby shouldn’t get colicky from the Scandinavian products.

Is it safe enough for children to take it and at what age can they start?

The Visi Wellness is safe for children of any age. Dosing is according to size and weight — 1/4 to 1/2 to 3/4 packet per day. Visi Weight Loss and Visi Energy are not designed for children. Most young adults have a fully functional liver about the age of 18.

Are Phyto-Estrogens in the product?

There are no phytoestrogens in the products. Actually the products should exert an anti-estrogenic effect and create protective effects against breast cancer. Even ladies who have had breast surgery and are on Rx medications such as Tamoxifen for breast-cancer prevention will do fine with the Visi products. These products do not precipitate or cause 16-hydroxyestrogen that happens to be the hormone culprit in cancers. The products should help prevent hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings and other pituitary hormone issues. The whole foods in the products are extremely safe and are not cancer causing or cancer stimulating in any shape, fashion or form. By the way, phyto-estrogens

have not been associated with the side effects that synthetic and natural estrogens may cause. In fact, epidemiolgical data and experimental studies have demonstrated the phyto-estrogens to be extremely effective in inhibiting breast tumors. The lutein in the Wellness and the broccoli in the Energy are powerful anti-cancer nutritions.

Can people taking Tamoxifen also take Visi Weight loss & Visi’s other products?

Visi products are not contraindicated in patients on Tamoxifen — post-breast-cancer treatment. The products “do no harm.”

Can ViSi products (Weight Loss, Wellness, Energy) reduce the effects of the tamoxifen or add more estrogen in the body?

The Visi products will not interfere nor reduce the pharmaceutical mechanisms of the Tamoxifen and similar Rx medications. Tamoxifen is classified as an antiestrogen and is associated with a myriad of side-effects (vision problems, bone problems, liver problems, blood platelet problems). These side effects are caused because the drug is depleting essential and necessary nutrients such as pyridoxine, boron, magnesium, folic acid, etc. Therefore, supplementing with a whole food nutraceutical such as Visi Wellness could save the patient a lot of misery down the road.

Can you take ViSi products during Chemo, as most Oncologist do not like people on high doses of Anti-Oxidants.

Visi products will be fine with chemo, as it is whole foods. Unless the doctor tells the patient not to eat fruits and vegetables, the nutraceuticals are complimentary to the body systems and will provide needed energy to the cells, immune system protection (especially in stopping metastasis or spread of cancer). Hippocrates said it well when it he wrote, “Let your food be your medicine and let your medicine be your food.” The importance of plant-based diet is far too misunderstood these days. When the colon is healthy and the blood is pure, the immune system can then do its “thing” much more effectively.

What explanation would you give for someone experiencing feelings of light headed, dizziness, nausea?

Light headed, spacey-feeling, dizziness, nauseous: These are common symptoms of reactive hypoglycemia. There blood sugars are dropping too fast. It is likely these people are border line diabetics experiencing impaired glucose tolerance. The solution usually lies in increasing their fiber & protein intake. Another factor common in these symptoms is hypothyroidism. The Visi Energy and

Visi Wellness are the complimentary nutritions. If the symptoms do not abate, then these people are not good candidates for weight loss nutrition.

What explanation would you give for someone experiencing heart palpitations?

There are many different types of cardiac arrhythmias which vary in severity, from benign, to life- threatening. Most improve with dietary modifications and nutritional supplements.

Most commonly is called paroxysmal tachycardia (too fast heart beat), ventricular premature beat (beating out of sync and rhythm), and atrial fibrillation (thump-a-bump). They are commonly caused by sensitivity to foods or environmental chemicals. For some, small amounts of caffeine create the

flutter. For others, alcoholic beverages such as wine sets them off (this is because they are extremely low in magnesium and selenium). For some, its food additives such as MSG (mono sodium glutamate)from a Chinese restaurant or aspartame from a diet soda. People with these symptoms are usually in need of supplementing with extra MAGNESIUM, POTASSIUM, SELENIUM, COPPER, VITAMIN C, AND VITAMIN D3. The dose for D3 is 35 units for every 1 pound of body weight. The other heart necessary nutrient is an omega-3 such as in flaxseed or salmon. Anyhow, the Visi Wellness provides the plethora of necessary fundamental building blocks including the Mg, Se, K, Cu, C, D. Therefore, if someone is well supplemented and still having caffeine or chemical sensitivities, it

is best to alleviate and curtail the products or things that exacerbate the issue.

What explanation would you have for dry mouth?

One of the most common causes of dry mouth is chemistry. Things such as aspartame in diet sodas is a major culprit. Yes, all diet pills will turn the spigot down a tad and this can create dryness in those who are extremely deficient in omega-3s. Another creator of dry mouth is an autoimmune problem called Sjogrenes. Some solutions to dry mouth include “sipping” fluids all throughout the day and chewing gum that contains a natural sweetener called Xylitol (made from a birch tree). Xylitol is very soothing and enabling for those who suffer with dry mouth. If the dryness is also carrying into the eyes, the nutraceutical called FORSKOLIN 10% at 100mg twice a day will increase the cyclic-AMP of the body and aggressively go at the root cause of dryness. But without omega-3 and sufficient hydration, some people are destine to be dryer. For those suffering with the severity of extreme

dryness as in Sjogrenes I would recommend an Omega-7 known as Sea Buckthorn Oil. Sometime we have to read the body like a book to discover the root cause or underlying issues.

What explanation would you have for someone who feels fatigued or tired?

When a metabolic nutrition is doing its thing and the body feels tired the issue is adrenal. The Visi Energy with Arctic Root can spiffy up the weak adrenals in a few weeks time. Adrenals have a huge impact on mental and physical health — more so than any other organ or gland. If someone has crying spells, negative moods, unfounded fears, cravings for salt, or exhaustion, the adrenals are to be suspect. Some other adrenal symptoms include the following: Swollen ankles, especially in the P.M.; allergies; dizziness; brown spots or bronzing on the shins; hives, etc. The diet will best be

served by going LOW carbohydrate with an emphasis on proteins and high quality fats. Sodium in this case is a critical factor and should NOT be avoided (Celtic sea salt preferred). Premenstrual tension

is a classic example of adrenal insufficiency. Usually fixing the adrenals allows the person to enjoy the weight loss benefits of Visi Weight Loss without being tired. Others who are fatigued or tired on a diet could be suffering from insulin resistance. When the sugars are not being properly metabolized, the brain responds with a sleepy spell after eating a meal.

Our products are made with pure natural ingredients for trusted results. The quality control standards and good manufacturing practices used by Visi to assure a clean, pure and efficacious product. No synthetics. I rate the Visi products to be excellent, effective and well-tolerated versus some “other” companies’ products that are inferior and poorly absorbed.

Dr. Charles Rouse, R.PH.,N.M.D.

These are my opinions based on my knowledge, experience, research, and training as to the safety, effectiveness, and accuracy of information concerning the mentioned nutritional questions. These recommendations have not been reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and should not be construed as personal medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken based solely on the contents of this writing. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being.

In the most recent medical development in artificial organ creation, a team of scientists and physicians from cornell university have engineered 3D printed life-like ears used to treat children born with a congenital deformity called microtia, or help individuals who have lost part or all of their external ear in an accident or from cancer. The artificial body tissue is made by processing additive gels found within living cells – with collagen derived from rat tails and cartilage taken from cow ears. The modelling process is digitized into an assemble-able human ear, where then high-density gel, similar to the consistency of jell-o is injected into a mold – resulting in flesh resembling that of a human-being. In the future, the engineers will look at new ways to develop populations of human ear cartilage cells from patients instead of cow cartilage, which would reduce any possibility of rejection.

It was Albert Einstein who first demonstrated that mass was nothing more than stored energy, and although the theory behind that precise idea doesn’t really correlate with biology the principle still stands; fat is your body’s way of storing energy. It’s also a vital body tissue, and is not a 100% bad and evil thing to ingest, but if you want to lose it then the aim should simply be one of ensuring that one’s energy output, in the form of exercise  exceeds one’s energy input, in the form of food. The body’s response to this is to use up some of its fat stores to replace this lost energy (although this process can take up to a week to run its full course; the body is a complicated thing), meaning that the amount of fat in/on your body will gradually decrease over time. Therefore, slimming down is a process that is best approached from two directions; restricting what’s going in, and increasing what’s going out (both at the same time is infinitely more effective than an either/or process). I’ll deal with what’s going in first.

The most important point to make about improving one’s diet, and when considering weight loss generally, is that there are no cheats. There are no wonder pills that will shed 20lb of body fat in a week, and no super-foods or nutritional supplements that will slim you down in a matter of months. Losing weight is always going to be a messy business that will take several months at a minimum (the title of this post refers to the calorie content of body fat, meaning that to lose one pound you must expend 3500 more calories than you ingest over a given period of time), and unfortunately prevention is better than cure; but moping won’t help anyone, so let’s just gather our resolve and move on.

There is currently a huge debate going on concerning the nation’s diet problems of amount versus content; whether people are eating too much, or just the wrong stuff. In most cases it’s probably going to be a mixture of the two, but I tend to favour the latter answer; and in any case, there’s not much I can say about the former beyond ‘eat less stuff’. I am not a good enough cook to offer any great advice on what foods you should or shouldn’t be avoiding, particularly since the consensus appears to change every fortnight, so instead I will concentrate on the one solid piece of advice that I can champion; cook your own stuff.

This is a piece of advice that many people find hard to cope with- as I said in my last post, our body doesn’t want to waste time cooking when it could be eating. When faced with the unknown product of one’s efforts in an hours time, and the surety of a ready meal or fast food within five minutes, the latter option and all the crap that goes in it starts to seem a lot more attractive. The trick is, therefore, to learn how to cook quickly- the best meals should either take less than 10-15 minutes of actual effort to prepare and make, or be able to be made in large amounts and last for a week or more. Or, even better, both. Skilled chefs achieve this by having their skills honed to a fine art and working at a furious rate, but then again they’re getting paid for it; for the layman, a better solution is to know the right dishes. I’m not going to include a full recipe list, but there are thousands online, and there is a skill to reading recipes; it can get easy to get lost between a long list of numbers and a complicated ordering system, but reading between the lines one can often identify which recipes mean ‘chop it all up and chuck in some water for half an hour’.

That’s a very brief touch on the issue, but now I want to move on and look at energy going out; exercise. I personally would recommend sport, particularly team sport, as the most reliably fun way to get fit and enjoy oneself on a weekend- rugby has always done me right. If you’re looking in the right place, age shouldn’t be an issue (I’ve seen a 50 year old play alongside a 19 year old student at a club rugby match near me), and neither should skill so long as you are willing to give it a decent go; but, sport’s not for everyone and can present injury issues so I’ll also look elsewhere.

The traditional form of fat-burning exercise is jogging, but that’s an idea to be taken with a large pinch of salt and caution. Regular joggers will lose weight it’s true, but jogging places an awful lot of stress on one’s joints (swimming, cycling and rowing are all good forms of ‘low-impact exercise’ that avoid this issue), and suffers the crowning flaw of being boring as hell. To me, anyway- it takes up a good chunk of time, during which one’s mind is so filled with the thump of footfalls and aching limbs that one is forced to endure the experience rather than enjoy it. I’ll put up with that for strength exercises, but not for weight loss when two far better techniques present themselves; intensity sessions and walking.

Intensity sessions is just a posh name for doing very, very tiring exercise for a short period of time; they’re great for burning fat & building fitness, but I’ll warn you now that they are not pleasant. As the name suggest, these involve very high-intensity exercise (as a general rule, you not be able to talk throughout high-intensity work) performed either continuously or next to continuously for relatively short periods of time- an 8 minute session a few times a week should be plenty. This exercise can take many forms; shuttle runs (sprinting back and forth as fast as possible between two marked points or lines), suicides (doing shuttle runs between one ‘base’ line and a number of different lines at different distances from the base, such that one’s runs change in length after each set) and tabata sets (picking an easily repeatable exercise, such as squats, performing them as fast as possible for 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest, then another 20 seconds of exercise, and so on for 4-8 minute) are just three examples. Effective though these are, it’s difficult to find an area of empty space to perform them without getting awkward looks and the odd spot of abuse from passers-by or neighbours, so they may not be ideal for many people (tabata sets or other exercises such as press ups are an exception, and can generally be done in a bedroom; Mark Lauren’s excellent ‘You Are Your Own Gym’ is a great place to start for anyone interested in pursuing this route to lose weight & build muscle). This leaves us with one more option; walking.

To my mind, if everyone ate properly and walked 10,000 steps per day, the scare stats behind the media’s obesity fix would disappear within a matter of months. 10,000 steps may seem a lot, and for many holding office jobs it may seem impossible, but walking is a wonderful form of exercise since it allows you to lose oneself in thought or music, whichever takes your fancy. Even if you don’t have time for a separate walk, with a pedometer in hand (they are built into many modern iPods, and free pedometer apps are available for both iPhone and Android) and a target in mind (10k is the standard) then after a couple of weeks it’s not unusual to find yourself subtly changing the tiny aspects of your day (stairs instead of lift, that sort of thing) to try and hit your target; and the results will follow. As car ownership, an office economy and lack of free time have all grown in the last few decades, we as a nation do not walk as much as we used to. It’s high time that changed.

Alas, we have reached our last chapter in the Breathe, Damn It series: Facials and Massages. Facials and massages are, in my opinion, the very best way to relax, detox and de-stress.

FACIALS

I think it is a proven fact that facials (are): 1. The best way to cleanse and hydrate your skin, 2. Awesome for increasing face circulation, 3. Have loads of emotional benefits, and 4. Help to prevent aging.

So, if your face is pruning up or flaky or blotchy or pimply or the like …

… you may want to consider a visit to your local spa. If you don’t have a local spa you can use mine:

Oasis Day Spa Website

Ask for Meagan

MASSAGES

Another possible proven fact is that massages: 1. Relieve stress, 2. Ease anxiety, 3. Manage depression, 4. Improve immune-system function, 5. Control blood pressure, 6. Calm or stimulate your muscles and body tissues, 7. Stimulate circulation, 8. Improve healing of damaged muscles, and 9. Stimulate your lymphatic system to clear wastes from your body and trigger your body’s release of endorphins and other stress-relieving hormones.

Awesome! Right?

The above information must be true because I found it on some website (I can’t remember which one) and websites are always right. Aren’t they?

So, if you are feeling achy or stressed out or knotted-up or backed-up or the like…

… you may want to consider a visit to your local spa. If you don’t have a local spa you can use mine:

Oasis Day Spa Website

Ask for Kathleen

I think I also read somewhere that massages can stimulate growth in infants! So – maybe – if shortness runs in your family and you have a child you will want to massage it into tallness!

Again, readers, please consult your doctor before giving your baby a massage – I am not a doctor nor do I play one on TV. You can’t believe everything you read and I read a lot, so the chances of me getting misinformation somewhere along the line are pretty great.

If I had things my way I would be visiting Meagan and Kathleen every single day for these services. (You were introduced to my favorite esthetician, Meagan Scott, in my article on beauty – Kathleen is my favorite masseuse).

Kathleen and Meagan:

Both Meagan and Kathleen work at Oasis Day Spa in Weymouth, Massachusetts and they are the best and I highly encourage you to visit them some day soon. Firm believers in equal opportunity beautifying, they invite men to try out their services too!

SOME OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO TO RELAX

There are plenty of other things you can do to relax if one of the suggestions I’ve made in this Breathe, Damn It series thus far doesn’t float your boat. I will only outline them briefly below because I don’t want to stress anyone out who feels that this article is already too long and who is anxious to move onto some other activity. If you are one of these angst-ridden people, then I have some advice for you: BREATHE, DAMN IT!

First, you can watch a candle burn. I suggest you burn one with a nice patchouli scent.

ACCIDENTAL FIRE WARNING:

Don’t leave your candle unattended – bad things happen when candles go unattended for more than a minute and a half.

If you burn a candle or two while taking a tubby, as pictured above, and an accidental fire occurs, you can save yourself by sprinkling those vicious, stress-inducing flames with some of that scented water you are sitting in!

Second, you can stare at a tree. I suggest you choose a tree with luscious green leaves. I also suggest you pick a sunny day, as sitting in the rain on a cold and dreary day looking at a tree like an idiot will only thrust you further into a negative state.

Third, you can listen to soothing music while you rest in a hammock … or read Under the Turnip Truck. If you choose the hammock option make sure you know how to ease yourself into the net without flipping over onto your face because flipping over onto your face will only irritate you further, thereby defeating the purpose of the exercise.

Finally, you can kick the life out of a piece of technology. However, I would not kick the life out of any technology with an “i” in front of it, as these products are all extremely overpriced and if you own one which you purchased yourself you are probably already angry that  such an extravagant purchase has propelled you further into debt making you poorer than you were before you bought it and killing such a product will only piss you off more.

Soooo,

HAPPY DE-STRESSING!

Now…

BREATHE…

Ommmmmmmmmmm

Until next time…

I’m turning off the turnip truck.

T

Pangasius is healthy due to the presence of the following nutrients which have multiple health benefits.

1. Omega-3 fatty acids

• Improves lipid profiles by increasing high-density lipoprotein (good cholesterol) and decreasing low-density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol).
• Reduces the chances of Alzheimer’s and dementia by lowering levels of beta-amyloid. High levels of this protein have been found in people suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia.
• Facilitates brain development and neurological functions (especially in growing children) by improving the transmission of neuron signals and the flexibility of the brain cell membrane.
• Prevents blood clotting due to their anti-coagulation properties.

2. Lean protein

• Improves immune function.
• Builds muscles, repairs body tissue and reduces fatigue.

3. Vitamins

•  Vitamin B6 – Metabolises protein as well as glucose (in the liver).
•  Vitamin B12 – Used by the bone marrow to produce red blood cells.
•  Vitamin D – Absorbs bone-enriching calcium.

4. Iron

• Helps increase the number of red blood cells as well as haemoglobin levels; this is especially beneficial for anaemia patients.

– Beenish Israr

The writer is a PhD scholar, studying Human Nutrition at the University of Reading, UK. She is a lecturer of Food and Nutrition at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.

First published in the Health Advertiser Section of The DAWN National Weekend Advertiser on September 9, 2012.

Here are some healthy menu suggestions for Ramazan:

1. Breads and cereals are rich in carbohydrates; they release sugars slowly into your bloodstream and keep you going for a longer time which is especially beneficial when you are fasting.
Sehri suggestion: Whole wheat cereal or oatmeal with a cup of milk; up to two slices of whole wheat bread.

2. Dairy products are nutritious and a good source of protein and calcium which are essential to maintain body tissue and physiological functions.
Sehri/iftar suggestion: Low-fat milk with red sherbet, lassi without sugar, yoghurt and cottage cheese.

3. Vegetables are a good source of fibre, vitamin A, carotene, lycopene and other phytochemicals; these are antioxidants and are beneficial in preventing cancer, cardiovascular diseases and a host of ailments. They are also very filling.
Iftar suggestion: A mixed vegetable salad with a drizzle of olive oil; spinach, potato, eggplant and tomato pakoras are delicious but should be eaten in moderation as they are deep fried.

4. Fruits provide energy that lasts throughout the day; they are an excellent source of dietary fibre, will help regulate your digestive system and keep away the hunger pangs. A handful of nuts and dried fruit make an excellent midnight snack.
Sehri/iftar suggestion: Apples, bananas, dates, guavas and mangoes.

5. Water is one thing we forget to have enough of during Ramazan. Drink eight to 10 glasses of water between iftar and sehri to avoid dehydration. Avoid excessively salty and deep fried foods as they have the tendency to make one thirsty.

– Dr Samia Babar
The writer is Director, Health Awareness Society.

First published in the Health Advertiser Section of The DAWN National Weekend Advertiser on July 8, 2012.

“Can we make tap water behave like “original water,” someone asked. “Yes, my friend,” I said, “for pennies per day, that is, if you can convince Moses that what you say is true.” People stare. They are not convinced. There are just too many claims – not to turn skeptic about them. You see, our educational system will never teach this “stuff.” It’s the top 10% that is taboo to teach that I mention in my book. Moses will argue with you to death about computers “doing all that stuff” if you brought it up in class, so what’s the point?. The moral of my story is: Don’t wait for leaders to suggest the right thing. Do it yourself!

The camel needs little drinking water because it conserves what water it gets by holding down perspiration and by drawing moisture from its own body tissue.  Camels are famous for their ability to go long periods without drinking water.

Camel

People once thought that the camel stored water in its hump.  The hump contains fat, not water.  A camel lives on this fat when food is scarce in the desert.

Though camels are supposed to be watered everywhere or tour days in the summer, they have been known to hold on much longer, but in cooler weather, it can go without water for several months.

The camel’s secret is that it conserves water, rather than stores it.  A camel needs little water because it gets moisture from its food.  In addition, a camel does not sweat much as other mammals.

When a camel does drink, it can gulp about 25 gallons (95 liters) of water.  Camel can endure without water because their bodies lose water very slowly.

In emergencies, it can take what water it needs directly from its own body tissues, losing as much as a quarter of its body weight.  By making the best of what water it gets, and by strong fat in its hump a camel can travel hundreds of miles across not dry desert with little food and water. – Dick Rogers

The 50-year-old has reportedly been hooked up to an IV drip at a Beverly Hills clinic to receive antibiotics to cure the “staph” infection which may turn into a flesh-eating disorder.

A source revealed to The Sun that the virus has already spread to his face and body and doctors are trying all they can to beat the infection.

Jackson was photographed visiting the clinic for alleged treatment wearing a surgical mask, cap and sunglasses.

The disease is thought to be contracted through cuts and is some-what common to contract throughout health care facilities, much like MRSA.

If the ‘staph’ infection develops it has the potential to kill off body tissue, but if caught early and treated patients are expected to make a full recovery.

Michael Jackson’s spokesman denied the allegation however, saying the pop singer is healthy and negotiating an entertainment deal currently with a television company.