This winter we have all been facing a very tenacious flu that seems to leave most with a lingering cough that goes on for weeks. Sound familiar?
Enhancing the body’s natural defence system (immunity) plays a vital role in maintaining optimum health. We all know that prevention is better than cure. Taking a closer look at lifestyle and how we support our immune system at this time of year has to be a priority for you and your family. Ayurvedic medicine has some simple remedies that do just that.
Recently I was listening to the Chris Evans Breakfast show and the conversation was around love. Evans said words to the effect that love is unlike your bank account, when the money is gone its gone. Perhaps inflows credit your account, but it may not be in balance with the outflows. Love is not like this, every day we have a full account to use and give out to others, when all is used up, your account will once again be full the next day to give away freely as you want. How beautiful is that? What would the impact be to our local communities and wider if we all gave out a full bank account of unconditional love and kindness every day?
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), the hardy Mediterranean herb that not only looks gorgeous when lining footpaths and flower beds, smells divine, but also has many health benefits in addition to being a wonderful herb for adding flavour to fish, stews, soups, casseroles, to breads, muffins, as well as flavouring olive oil. Beautifully versatile!
As with most of the Mediterranean herbs it is aromatic containing essential oils thymol and carvacrol, triterpenes and polysaccharides not only to address respiratory issues, but also digestive issues. As one of many bitter tonics, thyme is carminative, anthelmintic and antiseptic supporting and aiding effective digestion.
According to the National Sleep Foundation “more than 40 percent of adults experience daytime sleepiness severe enough to interfere with their daily activities at least a few days each month - with 20 percent reporting problem sleepiness a few days a week or more”.
Listening to a recent webinar with Dr Dugald Seely, N.D, M.Sc an integrative medicine doctor sparked my interest and broadened my understanding of the importance of exercising, but varying the type of exercise to build all round fitness. Dr Seely, has been actively pursuing the growth and development of integrative medicine and pioneered an innovative model of cancer care and research through the creation of the Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre, operating since in 2011. He reminded me of the importance of exercise in overall fitness and as part of treating cancer patients. Here, I focus on movement and exercise and the importance of a varied regime to build all round fitness and support wellbeing.
Seasonal allergic rhinitis, commonly known as hay fever affects millions every year on a worldwide basis. Last year, it seemed that I treated more people with seasonal rhinitis and secondly that the season has changed, starting later than usual and going much further into the “so-called” summer season. This observation to many of you might not be such a surprise as all seasons seem to be running least one month later than usual.
Not sure if it something to do with moving into my more mature years, some people might say “old age” or whether it is all the work I have been doing on myself regarding letting go. What do I mean by letting go? The opposite of letting go, is to hold on, so let’s start with that question first – What things do we hold on to?
Again, this year I attended the Integrative Personalised Medicine congress held in London at the Queen Elizabeth centre. The day I attended was focused to mental health and what is being termed “mental psychiatry”. There was a plethora of wonderful speakers, including medical doctors such as Dr Ali Ajaz MD, Dr Uma Naidoo, Dr Georgia Ede as well functional medicine doctors and a wide range of professionals offering natural approaches and therapies. Wonderful Professor Kerry Bone presented on his favourite herbs to support the return to mental wellness.
Recently when listening to a conversation between two people, one of them said, “I am worthy” and this resonated deeply with me. I then started to analyse why this phrase and not a similar phrase, such as “I am enough,” or “I deserve to be loved,” both of which are powerful sentences in their own right. On analysing my response and why this sentence carries so much power, I began to raise several questions to understand more deeply:
Nature provides everything that we need to nourish the body physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. While the humble stinging nettle might not be appealing to most as one of nature’s foods, it comes at the right time of year to lift winter sluggishness and provide nourishment for mind and body.