A.Vogel Herbal Remedies
The Official Blog for UK & Ireland
Coping better with Stress
by Jan de Vries, on 31 January 2012, Stress & Sleep
My old friend and teacher, Alfred Vogel, often said that stress on the nervous system can affect almost every part of our body and is at the root of many of our modern-day ailments. Today, we know that there are an almost overwhelming number of factors that can contribute to the build-up of everyday stress.
The central nervous system takes a great deal of the strain both physically and emotionally when pressures are building. Physically it means headaches, muscle tension, upset digestion and fatigue; emotionally, jumpy, irritable behaviour, mood swings and sleep disturbances. Feeding the central nervous system with magnesium and vitamin B, which are both vital and used up extremely quickly in stressful situations, will minimise knotted muscles and irritation.
How fast does the Grim Reaper walk?
by Alison, on 26 January 2012, Exercise, Memory & Circulation
In Sydney, Australia, a group of doctors and researchers working in geriatric medicine decided to see if they could work out how fast the Grim Reaper walks . . .
Bear with me: they had a valid aim, however morbid it may seem.
The study, in collaboration with the Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project (CHAMP), probed the link between walking speed and mortality in elderly men, humorously supposing that the Grim Reaper has a maximum walking speed and if one was able to walk faster than him (assuming that the Grim Reaper is male), you will be able to outrun death.
Overdosing on cold and flu remedies
by Dr J Tan, on 20 January 2012, Cold & Flu
A few weeks ago, a study was published highlighting the risk of unintentional overdose with the use of cold remedies containing paracetamol. [1]
Researchers at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary looked at data on 663 patients admitted to the hospital with liver damage caused by paracetamol. Of these, an astonishing 161 patients were found to have what is known as ‘staggered overdose’ – they had taken too many doses of paracetamol or paracetamol containing medicines to treat specific problems, including colds & flu, and had unintentionally overdosed on paracetamol.
Weight Balance – not what you eat but how you eat
by Alison, on 19 January 2012, Weight Control
One of the best ways of helping to keep a healthy weight is paying attention to HOW you eat rather than just what you eat. Here are some eating tips:
- Always sit down to eat. Never eat on the hoof
- Chew each mouthful at least 20 times
- Don’t have a large meal in the evening. Instead, spread your food intake out over the day so that your body has a chance to use it up
- Keep properly hydrated – drink at least 1.5 litres of still, plain water over the course of the day to avoid reaching for sugary foods for energy when actually your body is fatigued through dehydration
- Drink at least 20 minutes away from food to avoid diluting your digestive enzymes, as this will mean you get less benefit from your food. Caffeinated drinks tend to add to dehydration, so keep them to a minimum.
Take out the Toxins!
by Alison, on 19 January 2012, Digestion, Detox, Bloating
How would you feel if the bin men didn’t come? If your drains were blocked and your gutters overflowing? Pretty smelly and unpleasant, I guess.
Our bodies need rubbish removed from them just as our houses do. When you have over indulged (Christmas chocolate, anyone?), it’s even more important to get the exit routes functioning as well as possible.