Don’t Buy – Swop!

In this credit crunch era, I am pleased to say we are again getting more creative about recycling stuff instead of buying new. To help, here are some useful websites where swapsies are all the rage. Apparently designer gear and everything is now available…Freecycle.com, swapstyle.com, whatsmineisyours.com, switchinstyle.co.uk. This was thanks to an article in The Observer magazine I read. I also laughed out loud at the following tip to help you make more money in the summer – good magazine, I thought:

 

“Hustling. Backgammon in the park, pub quizzes in the pub, après-barbecue Scrabble…hone your skills in private, act squiffy/daft in public, slay the competition, win big money!” If only….

Fancy A Hug?

I just had to include this! I am known in our family as the ‘Cuddle Queen’. I can’t help it; I love hugs! Now we’ve closed the clinic and Philip is off doing other stuff sometimes (currently voiceover and acting – you can fall about laughing now…!), well, I’m not getting as many hugs as I would like. So, how pleased was I to see that in future you may be able to buy a Hug Shirt (from Cute Circuit.com)? Cleverly, you give yourself a hug and it senses the strength of the squeeze and sends a corresponding one to the other person wearing the hug shirt so they feel the hug too! How cool is that?! Apparently it is sent via Bluetooth wifi to the other person’s phone. Now, I hate wifi, but for that I could be tempted….

New Study Shows the Dangers of Fosamax (osteoporosis drug)

Fosamax is the most widely used drug treatment for the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis. It is also available under the generic name of alendronate.

A new study has shown that women who have used the drug Fosamax are nearly twice as likely to develop atrial fibrillation, which is the most common kind of chronically irregular heartbeat. The study showed that Fosamax was associated with an 86 percent higher risk of atrial fibrillation compared with never having used the drug. Atrial fibrillation can cause palpitations, fainting, fatigue, or congestive heart failure. They can also lead to embolic strokes.

Fosamax works by killing osteoclasts – the cells that break down bone so that osteoblasts can then rebuild them.  The theory behind this drug is that if you kill off osteoclasts, bone will get denser but although this is true, bone also becomes weaker as a result.  This is because bone is a dynamic structure that requires the removal of unhealthy bone and replacement with new bone to stay strong. Fosamax does not build any new bone. It only kills the cells that break bone down, so your bone is not undergoing its natural regenerative process.

Fosamax has been linked to many different side effects including increased risk of ulcers, liver damage, gastric and esophageal inflammation, renal failure, skin reactions, hypocalcemia (calcium in your blood is too low), osteonecrosis (jaw bone death), serious eye inflammations and possible blindness.  Now this new study has also shown it to be linked with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation.

Source: Archives of Internal Medicine April 28, 2008; 168(8):826-31

Compulsory Vaccinations

You may or may not be aware that the Government is considering making vaccination compulsory in order for children to attend UK schools and for families to claim child benefit. Many people believe this is a serious attack on civil liberties.

The worry I have is what happens to some children’s immune systems after being overloaded with toxins the immune system is not ready for. What about those who have serious illness – would it not make it even worse for them? Remember too that many vaccines contain toxic substances such as mercury which I wouldn’t want seen put into a child arbitrarily. And also think about those with allergies – what if they are allergic to something in the vaccine? Unfortunately, I have seen too many allergic children (eczema, asthma etc) whose problems can be traced back to an overloaded immune system too young! I would hope that the Govt will make sure there are ways to help parents opt out if they need to. There is a petition about it if you feel strongly. Go to: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/forcedvaccines/.

Veg Is Much better For You Than Fruit!

In a recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition, what I always say that vegetables are far better for you than fruit was confirmed. They studied 64,000 women to see what effect veg and fruit had on later health, especially diabetes. Fruit had no impact at all but veg certainly did. So, remember – a lot of you often say to me that you have made an effort to eat extra fruit, but not many of you say that about vegetables. Pick up a carrot, stick of celery, raw mushrooms or a pepper and munch on that instead of – or as well as your daily apple or banana.

 

Tip: keep a tub of gorgeous cherry vine tomatoes near you and nosh on those – I eat them like sweets!

Sting Tips

For a wasp sting, dab on vinegar. For a bee sting, dab on bicarb of soda. Both will take the sting out!

AMB Sun Range is Back!

As well as reformulating all the make-up, AMB have been busy rejigging the sun range too. They all contain UVA and UVB protection, kombu algae which acts as a natural sun protector, sea buckthorn as an anti-ageing fatty acid and vitamin E. They also now come in squeezable tubes and are all water-resistant. They had to be reformulated to comply with strict EU rules. Apparently, manufacturers now have to include a much stronger and higher concentration of UVA filters then before. AMB have said that they refused to compromise the quality and effectiveness by choosing cheaper ingredients so prices have had to go up. I suspect many manufacturers will take the easy route here and we may get lower quality products than before appearing because  the UVA filters used are a lot more money – we’ll see!

 

The new range consists of

• Anti-ageing Cream Factors 15 and 30 – the one to use for a rich moisturising touch. 75ml size, £13.30 and £16.80
• Sun Milk Factors 10 and 30 suitable for everyone, but especially for those who tend to get sun sensitivity like prickly heat and for children. 125ml size £12.50 and £16.80
• Sun Lotion F10 is an oil-free lotion for those who suffer from oily skin problems and break out in spots in the sun and with other lotions. 125ml £13.60
• The ever-popular Sun Lip Balm F20 (thank goodness; I was down to my last one!) This is just the best lip salve I’ve ever come across. 5g £5.00
• After Sun, cooling and effective with aloe vera. 125ml £9.95
• Sunless Bronze – self tanning lotion. I tend to use this for a subtle colour and for the face, and Green people Self Tan for the rest of my body or a deeper colour. 75ml £9.95

 

 Note that the Green People F22 we stock is very similar to the old AMB formulation and is £15.99 for 200ml. We will continue to stock this. 

AMB Make-up Updated – And 20% OFF Previous Range!

Hot on the heels of the new Lip glosses, chunky lip pencils and nail colours I launched last month (which many of you love already – I thank you!), is the new make-up range from Annemarie Borlind. 

 

Many of you, like me, are addicted to the Annemarie Borlind make-up which incidentally was used by professional make-up artists to beautify all the Miss Germany 2008 contestants this year! The mascara, lipsticks and foundations especially are simply brilliant. You will be pleased to know they have just updated the range and I will shortly receive stock of the new colours. The packaging has been updated into sleek white pump bottles, the colours are great and the eye shadows now come in singles rather than duos. The eye pencils now have a smudgy bit on the end for you, the eye brow crayons have a cute little comb and the lip pencils have a brush.

 

The prices have gone up slightly too – don’t they always when they’ve been updated and reformulated? – but they are still great value and are every bit as good as leading brands, but of course cheaper and without the toxic chemicals. They contain minerals for colour and are free from animal products, petroleum derivatives, parabens, silicone and carmine and are tested only on human volunteers. If anyone would like a free colour chart – and I hope – free samples (I’m working on it!), please let me know and I’ll include one with your next order.

 

In the meantime, to make way for the new, I am offering 20% off the stock I have left of the previous range, so get in quick to see if I have what you like left and on offer!

Cheat’s Gazpacho Soup

Back now and enjoying my drink! This is what ‘m having for lunch today as it’s hot, so thought I’d share it with you. I love traditional Spanish gazpacho soup, but can’t often be bothered to make it, so here’s an easy version based on the idea. Get some Covent Garden Plum Tomato & Basil soup (or another Tomato/herb based soup) and chill in the fridge. Pop into a lovely bowl, add a few ice cubes and then sprinkle bits and bobs on top such as slivers of raw garlic, finely-chopped spring onions (especially the green bits), tiny cubes of cucumber and red pepper – whatever you have to hand, but you’re looking for raw flavour and crunch. If you want to be traditional, get a piece of whatever bread you can have, toast it and then rub with the cut side of a garlic clove and serve it on the side, or chop it up to make croutons. Now how nice is that – so simple and so good for you!

 

Tip: you could save money here and simply buy a tin of organic chopped tomatoes, or some passata (sieved tomatoes), add your own basil and Bob’s your uncle – cheap as chips (but much better for you!)

Iced Mocha

This has become our favourite Summer drink; perfect for when the weather’s really hot and you could do with a pick me up. Simply put 2 teaspoons of (organic fair-trade of course) decaff coffee and 2-3 heaped teaspoons of Green & Black’s non-dairy hot chocolate powder into a small cup and stir in boiling water. Add a couple of ice cubes to start cooling it down. Then pour a glassful of unsweetened soya milk into a blender, loads of ice cubes, a squirt of agave syrup and the mocha mix. Stand well back and blend well! Pour the frothy coffee-chocolately mix into a tall glass, add a straw and enjoy! Yum – think I’ll go and make one…..