Why Following Your Blood Group Diet Can Seriously Improve Your Health

I have long been a fan (as indeed is Cheryl Cole) of the Blood Group Diet developed by naturopath Peter D’Adamo and have followed it myself for a number of years. The basic premise, based on years of his and his father’s research, was to correlate results of blood types to illness and diet. Millennia of evolution have split human blood into four types: A, B, AB and O — around 44 per cent of Britons are type O, 42 per cent are type A, 10 per cent type B and 4 per cent are AB.

Our blood group is determined by genes inherited from our parents and for a long time the study of blood groups and disease was discredited. This was a result of the ‘racial science’ propagated by the Nazis – an absurd name for a made up creed to suit a political end – but there is serious science behind the idea that blood groups can hold the secret to fighting deadly diseases. Even better is the fact that you can do something positive, and simple, to make the most of your blood type.

The diet basically divides food into three categories: good, neutral and bad – and they are different for each blood type. You can eat as much as you want of the good, limit the neutral and avoid the bad and if fighting illness or going for weight loss you are advised to stick only to the ‘good’ categories.
Basically it is a very healthy diet based on natural foods in the main and has considerable flexibility – but I would think that as I am an AB and we have the greatest range of food choices!

In the Fifties, research at four London hospitals found the risk of developing gastric cancer was much higher for people with blood group A than for those with blood group O. But people with group O had a greater risk of peptic ulcers. This month, those findings have been confirmed by investigators at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, which studied more than a million people over a period of 35 years.

The lead researcher, Dr Gustaf Edgren, says people with group A may be more susceptible to gastric cancer risks such as smoking, alcohol and use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Type O people may be more vulnerable to a bacterium that can cause peptic ulcers, Helicobacter pylori.

Last October, U.S. scientists showed that a woman’s blood group can affect her chances of becoming pregnant. The study of more than 560 women undertaking fertility treatment found that those with blood type O were up to twice as likely to have a lower egg count and poorer egg quality, which could affect the chances of conceiving. Women with blood group A seemed to be better protected against their egg counts falling over time.

What distinguishes each type are their antigens (the immune defence systems) on the surface of the red blood cells. Each blood group type evolved to provide defences against lethal diseases. But each has its own weaknesses, too. For instance, those with type O blood (the most common) are at less risk of dying from malaria than people with other blood groups. But they are more vulnerable to cholera and stomach ulcers caused by viruses and bacteria.

Now ‘science’ has finally caught up and a number of studies is revealing how our blood groups may make us more prone to lethal illnesses — or even protect us from them – and it is the biggest group – O – that has shown some immediate benefit.
Researchers at Pennsylvania University have shown that having group O blood can lower your risk of heart attacks when they found that most people who have a gene called Adamts7 face a significantly raised risk of suffering a heart attack. But in people with blood group O who have the Adamts7, there is no raised risk.

More news on type O is they might be less at risk of pancreatic cancer, but research shows they are also more vulnerable than others to norovirus, the potentially lethal vomiting and diarrhoea bug. Men with type O might be more prone to piling on the pounds, say Danish researchers at Copenhagen’s Bispebjerg University Hospital, if they are exposed routinely to pollution at work as they have a significantly raised risk of obesity compared with men of other blood types. The researchers speculate that the pollution sets off chronic inflammatory responses in the men’s bodies that can result in them becoming overweight.

Other research has found that people with type AB and B blood have a much higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer and these two groups have also been linked to reproductive problems. A study at Harvard University found that women with AB or B group blood have a raised risk of developing ovarian cancer. There are also fears that AB blood may double or even treble the risk of pregnant mothers suffering from the potentially lethal blood pressure condition pre-eclampsia.

So research goes on worldwide, but not in England. Professor Mike Murphy, of the NHS Blood and Transplant authority, says: ‘Our colleagues in the U.S. have become increasingly involved in this type of research, particularly in trying to harness the power of blood types to fight infectious diseases. But the interest in Britain is sparse.’ So no movement there since the 1950’s, but Scotland is flying the flag as Alex Rowe, an infection specialist at Edinburgh University’s School of Biological Sciences, is investigating the blood group link with malaria.

Dr Muredach Reilly, the lead researcher on the heart attack and group O, says this knowledge may help to develop new therapies for people at risk of heart attacks and that such drugs may mimic the beneficial effect of the O blood group gene. I say go back to the source and try the diet for yourself. D’Adamo has written a number of books on the subject and a good place to start is with ‘Live Right for Your Type: The Individualised Prescription for Maximizing Health, Metabolism, and Vitality in Every Stage of Your Life’ by Peter J. D’Adamo as that also covers topics like exercise, as well as the basic foods. Or you could go back to the free report I wrote that you were sent when you subscribed to Healthy News – it was called The Eat Right Diet.

Berries May Lower Parkinson’s Risk

New research shows men and women who regularly eat berries may have a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. Chocolate also lowers the risk so get out the strawberries and have a feast! Men may also further lower their risk by regularly eating apples, oranges and other sources rich in dietary components called flavonoids. The study was released last week and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 63rd Annual Meeting in Honolulu.

Flavonoids are to be included in your daily diet wherever possible as they have a host of health benefits. They are found in berries of all kinds, chocolate, red wine, apples and citrus fruits such as grapefruit.

This is a 20 year large scale study of over 130,000 men and women who were given questionnaires which was then used to calculate their intake of flavonoids and this was then analyzed for any association with the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease

The men who consumed the most flavonoids were about 40 percent less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than those who consumed the least. This was not the case in women where no connection could be seen. However, when sub-classes of flavonoids were examined, regular consumption of anthocyanins, which are mainly obtained from berries, were found to be associated with a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease in both men and women.

Study author Xiang Gao, MD, PhD, with the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, said “Our findings suggest that flavonoids, specifically a group called anthocyanins, may have neuroprotective effects. If confirmed, flavonoids may be a natural and healthy way to reduce your risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.”

So eat lots of fruit, stock up on berries of all kinds in particular, have the odd glass of red wine and bar of chocolate, and you can feel confident you are doing your best to reduce your risk.

For Smelly Feet – Smelly Slippers – and More!

I know that doesn’t sound like much of an improvement, but believe me it is. For anyone suffering from foot odour I have come across an amazing natural range of slippers for men and women that are infused with cinnamon so you even smell fragrant as you walk. And if problem skin on your heels is making you pile on the woolly socks then read on because Footkiss could be just what you are looking for.

This is certainly a new product to me as it was recently launched in the UK by Natur Boutique and my test-driving guineapig (actually my next door neighbour) was sceptical to say the least but bless him he was willing to give it a go. After a couple of days I enquired and he was full of praise and totally unwilling to give them back, which is certainly a vote of approval – and his wife is very happy with the results as well!

The sandals come in a variety of styles and wonderful natural fabrics from rattan to linen and even a softened (very softened) version of a loofah. The base on which your bare foot rests utilises the unique and powerful benefits of Vietnamese cinnamon which contains the highest amount of essential oils of any of the various species.
Cinnamon’s health benefits are well documented and include improving energy levels, and having antibacterial and antiseptic effects so they not only help keep your feet hygienic, relaxed and energized but also keep your feet healthy and looking, feeling and smelling great even on the hottest of days.

If you don’t believe that your footwear could be that beneficial to your health – and this all a bit too woo-woo and new age for you – then these cinnamon insoles were clinically trialled in a hospital in Vietnam. The trial confirmed that they helped with conditions such as fatigue, perspiration, foot odour, cold feet and toes, and dry and cracked skin.

To find out more call 020 89 7837 40 or vist www.naturboutique.co.uk

And More For Feet!
Thick hard skin builds up on the heels during the winter and our feet are not a pretty sight – more like an old drystone wall in fact as they become cracked, dry and rough. If you are not ready to show off your feet in sandals or indeed the backless cinnamon slippers there is a solution.

Footkiss Callus Removal Kit works in only ten minutes and uses professional, salon-based ingredients – Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) to gently soften and dissolve dry, dead skin build-up without the use of pedicure knives and skin graters. So safer then, though I admit the process is a bit messy and squishy as you simply apply the special gel onto the supplied patches and stick on where required, leave for ten minutes and then remove the unwanted skin with the tool contained in the pack.

My tip is to spread a towel on the floor of the bathroom, sit on the loo seat and sit reading an improving book while it works. Then slough off the skin and rinse feet clean before applying the moisturizing balm they give you. You will find it at www.peak-nutrition.co.uk so get ready, the sun will shine soon!

Improved Outcome for Stroke Patients

I have two new pieces of information that came in this week that could be critical in improving the health and outcome for stroke patients. First, a Swedish discovery by brain researchers at Lund University could lead to a new effective therapy with a substance that opens up the possibility of treatment up to two days after a stroke. The opportunities to treat a stroke have long been limited to the hours after an attack and the loss of brain function caused by the stroke has previously been regarded as permanent.

The only acute treatment for a stroke currently available is thrombolysis which uses drugs that dissolve the blood clot responsible for the stroke. However, this only reaches around 10 per cent of stroke patients in time to prevent lasting damage. For other patients, there are no other effective drugs that reduce the loss of brain function following a stroke.

Swedish and American researchers have discovered a substance that reinforces the brain’s self-healing functions after a stroke. It has long been known that people affected by a stroke can regain some lost function during the first six months. Professor Tadeusz Wieloch and his colleagues have found a way to activate a protein in the brain, the sigma-1 receptor, which plays an important role in the brain’s recovery during the critical period after the injury.

The idea is to recreate and reinforce the brain’s natural response to an enriched environment. By injecting the activating substance, brain repair is stimulated. This result of Swedish basic research, which started over 15 years ago, has led to a clinical trial on stroke patients by a Japanese pharmaceutical company. It is not available yet, but it shows great promise for helping many thousands more stroke victims than at present can be treated with the usually prescribed drugs.

Physical Therapy Improves Recovery by over 50%:
Secondly, just a year after having a stroke, 52% of people who participated in physical therapy as part of their recovery programme experienced improved functional walking ability according to the results of a trial being presented this month at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2011 in Los Angeles.

The 408 participants (average age 62 with recent stroke) were recruited from 6 US stroke rehabilitation centers between April 2006 and June 2009. All were assigned to 36 sessions of 75 to 90 minutes for 12 to 16 weeks in either a structured and progressive task-specific walking program that included body weight supported treadmill training provided early (2 months post-stroke) or late (6 months post-stroke), or a structured and progressive home-based exercise program of strength and balance provided 2 months post-stroke.

The researchers had thought that the body-weight supported treadmill and walking program would be superior to a home exercise program but they were wrong. After one year, the early walking group, late walking group, and exercise program targeting strength and balance achieved similar important gains in walking speed, motor recovery, balance, functional status, and quality of life.

All participants made the greatest improvements in outcomes after the first 12 sessions, but 13% of the subjects continued to make functional gains in walking recovery by 24 sessions and another 7% improved by 30 to 36 sessions.

What this suggests is that undertaking physical therapy will considerably improve quality of life and that patients recover faster and sustain recovery when the intervention is given early. If your doctor has not suggested physical therapy then take it up with them and also talk to your local group for support. You will find help via The Stroke Association at www.stroke.org.uk

How ‘Just Looking’ Can Start to Reduce Pain

It’s a phrase you hear more often in shops than in the medical community, but it seems that simply looking at your body reduces pain, according to new research by scientists from University College London and the University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy.

So how does that work? According to the study just published in the journal ‘Psychological Science’, the research shows that viewing your hand reduces the pain experienced when a hot object touches the skin. Furthermore, the level of pain depends on how large the hand looked — the larger the hand the greater the effect of pain reduction.

Flavia Mancini, the first author of the study, said “The image that the brain forms of our own body has a strong effect on the experienced level of pain. Moreover, the way the body is represented influences the level of pain experienced.”

During the experiment, 18 participants had a heat probe placed on their left hand. The probe temperature was gradually increased, and participants stopped the heat by pressing a foot pedal as soon as they began to feel pain. The scientists used a set of mirrors to manipulate what the participants saw during the experiment. Participants always looked towards their left hand, but they either saw their own hand, or a wooden object appearing at the hand’s location.

The team found that simply viewing the hand reduced pain levels: the pain threshold was about 3°C higher when looking at the hand, compared to when looking at another object.

Next, the team used concave and convex mirrors to show the hand as either enlarged or reduced in size. When the hand was seen as enlarged, participants tolerated even greater levels of heat from the probe before reporting pain. When the hand was seen as smaller than its true size, participants reported pain at lower temperatures than when viewing the hand at its normal size.

This suggests that the experience of pain arises in parts of the brain that represent the size of the body. The scientists’ ‘visual trick’ may have influenced the brain’s spatial maps of the skin. The results suggest that the processing of pain is closely linked to these brain maps of the skin.

Professor Patrick Haggard of University College said: “Many psychological therapies for pain focus on the painful stimulus, for example by changing expectations, or by teaching distraction techniques. However, thinking beyond the stimulus that causes pain, to the body itself, may have novel therapeutic implications. For example, when a child goes to the doctor for a blood test, we tell them it will hurt less if they don’t look at the needle. Our results suggest that they should look at their arm, but they should try to avoid seeing the needle, if that is possible!”

I would go further and suggest that, although it may not be scientific, there is much anecdotal evidence on how we can influence our experience of pain or discomfort by focusing our mind on something else. For instance if I am somewhere that is very cold and I can do nothing to increase the temperature I will usually do a brief visualisation and see myself somewhere warm and comfortable and my sense of coldness decreases.

Spiritual practitioners have used these visualisation techniques for centuries and you could try it for yourself with something minor like itching – which can drive you mad – I find that imagining the source of the itch being soothed with a cool application of calamine means I do ‘feel’ the itching reduce.

Doesn’t work for everyone but let me know if you try it and what your experience is.

Drug Free Treatment for Crohn’s Disease for 95% Relief

Inflammation in the bowel is not just painful, it is also the gift that keeps on giving. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are two of these relapsing conditions and affect millions of people worldwide. Now it seems that a simple, everyday, supplement could actually treat the disease without the need for drugs.

The debilitating symptoms of inflammatory bowel conditions include weight loss, diarrhoea, severe abdominal pain and cramping and gastrointestinal bleeding. This results in ongoing tissue inflammation that alters the functioning of the intestine, and is usually treated with immune suppressive drugs including steroids. The latter have a number of side effects from minor discomfort to potentially more serious conditions so anyone on regular steroid medication must ensure they are given frequent and regular health checks by their doctor.

The main drawback to all the medication for inflammatory bowel conditions is that they are not totally effective so after initial relief most patients relapse and get their symptoms back again.

Now there is some real hope for self treatment that is totally drug free in a recently published report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Northwestern Medicine researchers at the Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. They have genetically tweaked a version of a common probiotic found in yogurt, sauerkraut and cheese. In their new animal study they have shown it is an effective treatment for inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis.

You may already be taking a probiotic as they are recommended for maintaining a healthy gut, especially after any form on digestive upset, to replace the “friendly bacteria” you will have lost. Indeed a new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) concluded that probiotics may shorten viral infections and diarrhoea in otherwise healthy children if administered at the beginning of the illness and may prevent diarrhea in children who are taking antibiotics, which often destroy good intestinal bacteria along with whatever infectious bacteria they are meant to combat. This of course also applies to adults!

Probiotics are live microorganisms (in most cases, bacteria) and you will find them in yogurt and they can be also be taken as supplements as well. The one most commonly found one in yoghurt is Lactobacillus acidophilus and the Northwestern team deleted a gene in the probiotic and fed this version to mice with two different models of colitis. After about 2 weeks of treatment, the new probiotic strain had virtually eliminated colon inflammation in the animals.

Moreover, it halted progression of the disease by a staggering 95 percent. This is hopeful not just for treating various autoimmune diseases of the gut, including inflammatory bowel disease, but also potentially for colon cancer as all these conditions can be triggered by imbalanced inflammatory immune responses.

In the study, the modified Lactobacillus acidophilus was found to calm over stimulated immune cells in the gut by mobilizing messenger immune cells, called dendritic cells. These cells then enhanced the production of other functional immune cells, known as regulatory T-cells. This resulted in a healthy new balance in the intestine and systemic inflammation was soothed away.

Dr Mansour Mohamadzadeh, associate professor of medicine at Feinberg and the lead investigator of the study, explained that the next step will be a trial testing the new form of Lactobacillus acidophilus in humans. In the meantime, keeping your gut healthy with a regular probiotic containing Lactobacillus acidophilus would probably be a sensible addition to your health regime.

The Serenity Code: A Personal Journey to Wellness

Being well is not just about the absence of disease; it is about how your whole being resonates with energy, vitality and enthusiasm for life. I hope I give you practical information to help you achieve that state and sometimes it is helpful to beyond the details of diet and medicines to the core of what wellness really is all about. Jason Clare and Louise Pardoe have written an inspiring 16 step book out of their own experience of the healing journey that is paradoxically spiritual, and a very practical guide with exercises and step by step support to inspire and motivate the reader to reconnect with their own healing ability and potential.

There are few of us who have not encountered illness in our lives, but it is how we choose to deal with it, and learn the lessons it brings, that can make all the difference to our ultimate state of wellness. The book is well structured and easy to follow with an interesting mix of beautiful illustrations, scientific research and ancient philosophies all bound up with ‘stepping stones’ for each chapter to help the reader focus on the learning it has contained.

The exercises are straightforward, and include a number of meditations, and guide the reader on the path to attaining a healthy, contented life. The couple founded and run the Serenity Holistic Solutions Training School & Therapy Centre which is an approved National Open College Network (NOCN) and Complementary Medical Association (CMA) Registered Centre. If you would like to go deeper into how to stay, or get, truly well then this is an easy and engaging read to help you do that. The book is available here: The Serenity Code: A Personal Journey to Wellness

Why (and How) You Can Take Better Care of Your Long Term Health Than Your Doctor

When I give my talk on alternative health, the thing that most startles people is the fact that the death rate falls when doctors go on strike. I am not making this up. It was well documented in both the US and Israel where in the latter country in 2000 the death rate FELL by nearly 40% over the strike period.

Now in the US they are looking at statistics which show that there are nearly a quarter of a million deaths from one common medical mistake. Gary Null PhD, Carolyn Dean MD ND, Martin Feldman MD, Debora Rasio MD, and Dorothy Smith PhD looked at the death rate from medical errors to adverse drug reactions to unnecessary procedures, heart disease, cancer deaths and infant mortality and their statistics came from the most respected medical and scientific journals and investigative reports by the Institutes of Medicine (IOM).
What they discovered seven years ago is that on the whole American medicine caused more harm than good. So surely things have improved? Well no, because a new analysis in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that, despite efforts to improve patient safety in the past few years, the health care system hasn’t changed much at all.

The statistics are worrying with 18 percent of patients being harmed by medical care (some repeatedly) and that over 63 percent of the injuries could have been prevented. In nearly 2.5 percent of these cases, the problems caused or contributed to a person’s death. In another 3 percent, patients suffered from permanent injury, while over 8 percent experienced life-threatening issues, such as severe bleeding during surgery.

Overall there were over 25 injuries per 100 admissions – or in other words a one in four chance of getting worse from medical treatment, not better. The Thirteenth Annual HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America Study confirms this as their last report analyzed approximately 40 million Medicare patients’ records from 2007 through 2009, and found that 1 in 9 patients developed a hospital-acquired infection.

Further that “the incidence rate of medical harm occurring is estimated to be over 40,000 each and EVERY day.” according to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.” Authors of this study found that physician reviewers determined nearly half, or 44 percent of the adverse and temporary harm events “were clearly or likely preventable.”
So is this just happening in the US? Sadly no, we already know that in the UK the dangers of hospital infection are high and have led to deaths. My aim here is not to frighten you but to repeat the very basic fact that the more you take responsibility for your own health then the less you are likely to become one of those statistics.

Errors in prescribing medicine are the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., killing between 44,000 and 98,000 people each year and it is preventable.

The main errors that occur are:
•drug overdose
•prescribing the wrong drug
•taking the wrong drug, or
•accidents involving medications during surgery or medical procedures

The older you are then the more likely the risk of such errors and you also have a greater propensity for experiencing harmful and fatal errors. One factor here is that many patients receive multiple prescriptions at varying strengths, some of which may counteract each other or cause more severe reactions when combined.

What Can You Do?
It is not rocket science and I am (almost) embarrassed to mention it but it is so basic. A good diet, a healthy environment, low stress levels and regular exercise. That’s it. That will help you stay healthy and at low risk from many of the conditions that undermine our wellbeing from heart disease to cancer.

The risk factors are a high fat diet, processed foods, no exercise, over consumption of alcohol and sugar and all of those are within your power to change. No of course I am not saying never drink alcohol or eat a biscuit, but paying attention to how you live will pay dividends.

Stress is also a major causative factor in many illnesses so reduce it by looking at your lifestyle and adding in activities that relax you. Whether it’s playing golf, gardening or listening to music it should make you feel like you have had a mini break when you set aside time for it – and honouring that need will immediately reduce your stress load.

The ‘pill for every ill’ era that has beendominant in medicine from the 1950’s onwards has hopefully started to give way to taking a positive, proactive, attitude to health care so that you are in charge of giving your body, mind and spirit the best possible conditions to withstand disease.

I am always heartened by how much knowledge people now have about alternative medicine, nutrition and supplemetns and the role they play in supporting your health.

By taking care of yourself you are creating the optimal conditions for a healthy outcome. That way, when you do need treatment, you are starting from a base of solid good health that can only be a bonus in helping you get well.

An Effective 6 Week Plan to Give Up Smoking

I am not sure how many people there are out there who still smoke, but if you are one of them – or know someone who is – then this new book claims to help, even if you have no willpower! Think I will pass it on to the group who huddle out in the shelter of the doorway outside our choir rehearsal room whenever we have a break!

‘Love Not Smoking’ (£8.99) is the brainchild of Professors Karen Pine and Ben Fletcher and what it offers is a simple, effective, 6 week programme that guides the reader into being smoke free for good without beating them over the head with a sharp implement every time they reach for a cigarette. Leave the beating over the head to their fellow non-smokers!

Professors Ben (C) Fletcher and Karen Pine are both professors of psychology at the University of Hertfordshire and have pioneered successful behaviour change using their Do something Different technique and their research is internationally recognized, published in academic journals and presented at conferences worldwide.
They focus on motivating the smoker to quit so they can realise that they’ll “love not smoking” and get to put lots more back into their life. Giving up smoking does leave a void, so the book doesn’t preach or lecture the reader about how much they’ve smoked in the past or why they should be giving up now. Its unique approach is more holistic in its outlook and treats the individual’s psychology and their behaviours, not just their habit.

The authors’ tools and techniques are based on groundbreaking research about why people get trapped or stuck with particular habits and then enable them to break free. At its simplest it is about recognizing habits and patterns (like always having a cigarette after a meal, or with a coffee) and offering suggestions on how to change to make quitting easier.

It is all about doing something different and not being judgmental or beating yourself up if you haven’t managed to quit before. They suggest you forget willpower and withdrawal – or even the crutch that is the nicotine patch – and with this powerful method they claim you can break the cycle and pattern of smoking. With daily tasks, inspirational ideas and a wide range of instant habit-breaking tools you even get a Love Not Smoking support network on Facebook where you can share stories and get support from fellow quitters.

If you order a copy now you will have read it in plenty of time for NO SMOKING DAY on March 9th – could be a great day to start putting a plan into action – and if you have a Kindle reader there is a free download of an extract from the book at Amazon, just go here: Start to Love Not Smoking: Free Introductory Extract

March 2011 Update: The Love Not Smoking App for Iphone & Andriod is available now!

If you are a smoker, or have a loved one who smokes and wants to quit then the Love Not Smoking App will help you on your journey. It’s National No Smoking day on the 9th March so there’s no better time to start afresh and stop smoking for good.

This unique, six week scientifically-proven psychological programme retrains your brain, breaking old smoking habits and changing your life for good. The programme gets you ready gradually for your first smoke-free day, then provides daily bursts of advice and support to establish your new, smoke-free life. It has a wide range of tools including:

Daily tips, tasks and alerts
Inspirational videos from the authors
Illustrated Habit-Breaker cards
Addictive games for those Twitchy Finger moments
Inspire Me! messages to help you beat your cravings
Money Saved calculator
Love Not Smoking wallpaper for your iPhone or iPad
Advice and ideas from the Love Not Smoking Facebook support group
Integration with Twitter and email to help spread the word to your loved ones

Check out more info here:
www.hayhouse.co.uk/lovenotsmokingapp

The Benefits of Controlling Humidity to Control Viruses

This time of year I seem to be surrounded by people coughing and sneezing, to say nothing of the alerts over swine flu, so it seemed timely that I came across a new study by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health which shows that, by controlling humidity indoors, humidifiers have a potential positive impact in reducing the survival of influenza viruses in the home.

Maintaining indoor humidity at a level of 40 to 60 % actually reduces the risk of transmission of influenza viruses. Unfortunately, during winter, indoor air can have a humidity level as low as 10%, posing a risk factor particularly for the elderly and very young.

Humidifiers not only regulate the level of humidity in indoor air, but are also recommended by doctors when someone suffers a cold. They help loosen congestion and soothe a sore throat. This is especially important for children, since their smaller nostrils get bunged up more easily.

I can remember when central heating first became popular (don’t’ work out my age from that please) it was common to find bowls of water laid down in the hearth or dotted strategically round the room to put some more moisture into the air, but happily technology has caught up.

I was sent a humidifier to try that has been recommended by Vick’s, and that brings back other childhood memories of red flannel and very cold winters, but I digress again. It is a first resort for helping a bunged up nose and the VH5000 Cool Mist Mini-Ultrasonic Humidifier will help to reduce the survival of flu viruses and ease conditions such as a dry nose, throat, eyes and skin discomfort.

It is certainly small, quiet, and inconspicuous which is a big plus in its favour for me and runs for up to eight hours, so ideal in a bedroom. It gives out a cool mist, so is suitable to use around children and it can also be used with Vicks menthol scent VapoPads that also help relieve congestion and cold symptoms – and you needn’t wear the red flannel unless you want to. I didn’t have a cold, but I found that it helped me sleep better as the Vick menthol helped prevent a stuffy nose, which can sometimes keep me awake. The cat sleeping on my head probably doesn’t help either!

If you want to improve the air quality of your home, and have the best conditions for avoiding colds and flu then you will find the VH5000 Cool Mist Mini-Ultrasonic humidifier in pharmacies and stores such as Boots.

Next Page »