Good grief, the sun has been out!

Just a short one this week, as the last 7 days have been pretty hectic with no let up in sight.  Our old sofa and arm chair were taken away last week, totally wrecking walls in the process with scrapes and cracked plaster as we tried to get the wretched things down our narrow landing and stairs.  The replacement isn't very comfy at all(what do we expect it was a freebie and we hadn't seen it in advance) so it was a gamble that we'd like it.  Walls need repainting and furniture needs moving around which is pretty tiring in the heat.  Plus, new furniture arrived from IKEA which has needed assembling so it's been a period of all change.  My aplogies in advance if you book in at the house and I haven't gotten round to cover up where the sofa got stuck and left a grubby paw print behind, I am on the case and it's on a list to be done!

Benefits of Vitamin D

The sun is out!!! Unbelievable isn't it?  How long will it last? C'mon this is the UK, I think we know the answer to that one.  So while it is out, I am going to be out in it as much as possible, with suitable sun protection, so that i can top up my Vitamin D levels.  That's right, you can go out, and get healthier too, as sunlight is the best source of Vitamin D, as it helps our bodies synthesise it internally.



So what are the benefits of this free source of nutrition?  Firstly it helps the absorption of other minerals in the body such as calcium and phosphorus which are vital to bone health.  It also boosts the immune system, enabling us to fight off infection more readily.  Vitamin D may also be good for brain health too as we grow older.

It can help us maintain a healthy body weight, helps us defend against cancerous cells, reduce the risk of female rheumatoid arthritis, reduce the frequency & severity of asthma attacks.

So there are plenty enough reasons to get your flesh out and give yourself a boost!
Until next week, stay safe

MB

Wearable fitness devices? A step too far?

Good morning folks,

Are you a tech nerd or totally oblivious to it all?  Are you interested in having the latest phone model?  Do you swoon at the thought of buying more wearable tech such as an Apple watch, fitbit et al?  Do you use nutrition and activity tracking apps to keep an eye on your health, fitness and nutrition?  Why am I asking? (Just nosey if I'm honest!)  No, I've been reading articles how all of the above tech is coming together and is set to become HUGE over the next decade.  Read on and see if you think this is a good thing (the benefits are clear to see) or ominous as more massive multinational companies get hold of more of our data and lives.

It's a revolution that is happening now in the States and Australia.  Large companies have been giving their employees, as part of their wellness programmes "wearables" to a huge positive response with more set to follow suit.  Unlike us, these countries do not have an NHS so the population, if they can afford it, have to purchase private medical insurance to pay for any treatment.  So what is happening now, these insurers are asking their policy holders to link their devices with them in return for cash incentives, discounts on premiums etc so long as they can access the data relating to health from the device.  (This where I start thinking Orwell's 1984)  Policy holders are then set health goals and if they meet them, then they receive the rewards.  

Although not quite in its infancy, Insurers are starting to engage with their customers more through their devices, offering daily tips, sending them messages that they've been sedentary for too long, offering real time health advice, creating individualised health & fitness plans doing away with the 1 size fits all plans of the past.

Some Insurers are also looking at partnering with top Fitness Club brands to get members to wear wearables and offer incentives.

So what do you think, good idea?  I can see the pros, and how something like the NHS could use this to tackle increasing levels of obesity but is it a step too far?  Giving more of our personal information away?  Will people, who are more sedentary due to some long term medical condition, be discriminated against and face higher premiums?  It'll be interesting if or when this type of thing arrives here and how it will pan out.  Thoughts?

Until next week, stay safe

MB

5 symptoms your body needs help

DOES YOUR BODY NEED HELP? You may or may not know that the liver is the largest internal organ, it's main function is to protect our tissues from damage by filtering out toxins.  Unlike other organs, it has incredible regenerative capabilities. 5 signs your body may be in distress; Abdominal swelling could be a sign of Ascites.  If the liver can't work properly  the body experiences a build up of proteins whilst your tissues accumulate fluids leading to a pot belly.  The liver may also be damaged by cirrhosis.  Swelling may also occur in the ankles, hands & feet, as gravity takes ahold of the excess fluid. There can be many reasons for experiencing symptoms of fatigue & weakness but sometimes they can be due to an accumulation of waste products and low levels of oxygen in the blood. Liver problems can also result in loss of appetite and a drop in weight.  If you also experience flu-like symptoms, these may indicate that you have hepatitis.  Left untreated, the liver becomes increasingly damaged and feelings of pain and nausea will develop. If the liver is under strain, it's functions decrease resulting in a build up of toxins in the bloodstream.  An excess of bilirubin in the blood results in a jaundiced appearance and the colour of your urine changes to a dark brown. Strangely, liver damage can result in changes to your personality.  A build up of toxins can damage the brain.  People experience a lack of concentration, feelings of confusion & cognitive issues.  Toxins also disturb sleep patterns and there can be an increase of forgetfulness. Although we hope we never have to experience problems with our livers, it's always good to be armed with some information whether for ourselves or those around us.  Here are some good foods to help protect our livers   Until next week, stay safe MB

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Are you too sensitive? Sensitive skin

Do you or anyone you know suffer with a sensitive skin?  The last few years I've noticed that mine has definitely gotten worse, with certain foods, climates and indeed a long period experiencing certain emotions causing my skin to explode in a plethora of angry lumps & bumps, tightness and flakiness, not good when of the treatments you offer is a facial for healthier looking skin, not much of an advert am I?

It's hard to determine exactly how to treat the issue.  Professional advice openly contradicts itself as in reality no 2 complexions are ever the same.  Products claiming to aid the condition may in fact do just the opposite.  The condition is on the increase and can only be due to our lifestyles as genetics cannot change that quickly to be the cause..

The signs of a sensitive skin I stated earlier may be attributed to the skin's protective layer not functioning properly.  This barrier is made up of naturally occurring oils in the skin secreted by the sebaceous glands.  So, if these are not producing enough oil, the barrier is ineffectual.  When these glands over produce, this can be a cause of severe acne & breakouts.

Causes can be stress, fluctuating temperatures in the environment or at home (central heating kills me in the winter), age (declining hormones can affect the amount of oil the skin produces), diet, fragrances, using harsh cleansers.

Finding the correct moisturiser is vital to help replenish a sensitive skin in order to supplement the weakened protective barrier but to do that can be a risky and indeed, expensive undertaking.  This is where you have to start playing detective examining ingredients for anything drying, synthetic or overly harsh.  For years Olay loved me, now I'm thinking it's wanting a divorce so I'm going to have to start looking for something new.

Here is a checklist of ingredients we should be considering to help a sensitive skin;NB these are just a selection of helpful ingredients.

• products with essential fatty acids and Rosehip or Blackcurrant repair barrier function and reduce redness
• products with camomile, calendula or lavender
• products labelled hypoallergenic
• cucumber extract, silk proteins, shea butter or corn flower
• aloe and bladderwrack(seaweed), vitamins A & E

Moisturise at least once a day, ideally twice, exfoliate yes but only weekly and with a NON granular product so as to avoid irritating the skin too much.

I shall be looking through the Neal's Yard range for a suitable replacement for my Olay.  Clicking the image will take you to the online store.  Feel free to have a poke around in there and see if anything catches your fancy.  It's not pleasant having a sensitive complexion but if you wish to join me finding a suitable product, please feedback to me, I'm always open  to your views.

Until next week, stay safe

MB