The Health Diva

The Chicago Blackhawks ice hockey team are the first “Vitamin D” team in modern professional sports history!

On a Sunday night, which will now go down in history; with just six minutes to go, the Blackhawks overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat the San Jose Sharks 4-2 and advance to their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 18 years. Not only that, it was a clean sweep for the unheralded Blackhawks, for so long a forgotten team amongst the super teams like San Jose, Montreal and Philadelphia.

The return to form of the Chicago Blackhawks is attributed to the team physicians, who began diagnosing and treating vitamin D deficiency in all Blackhawk players about 18 months ago. Apparently most players are on 5,000 IU per day, some even more.

After many losing seasons, last year the Blackhawks came from out of nowhere to get to the Western conference finals. This year they are playing even better.

Improved athletic performance is only one of the benefits for the Blackhawks players. The other is a reduction in the number and severity of colds and flu and a reduction in the number and severity of repetitive-use injuries.

With London 2012 Olympic dreams close to many athletes hearts, naturally increasing sports performance is a Hot Topic.

Six months ago, Runner’s World published a story on vitamin D and physical performance, illustrating how Olympic runner Deena Kastor’s Olympic hopes were dashed through Vitamin D deficiency.
A year ago, May 2009, the flagship journal of the American College of Sports Medicine was the first journal to publish the theory that vitamin D would improve athletic performance.

Cannell JJ, Hollis BW et Al. Athletic performance and vitamin D Med Sci Sports Enerc. 2009 May;41(5):1102-10.

We are only at the tip of the iceberg in our understanding of vitamin D research, with more research be conducted on MS prevention, Diabetes prevention, and even Cancer prevention.

The prospect that our summer is already over, combined with low fat diets all contribute to fact many UK citizens are sadly deficient in vitamin D. This week prominent scientists were calling for increased fortification of vitamin D in Uk foods. In the meantime vitamin D is a nutrient I have added to my daily supplement program.

The revised vitamin D optimal recommendations are between 1000iu – 4000iu per day.

Always check with your doctor if you are taking prescribed medications, or have health condition, which could impair your absorption of vitamin D.

Natural sources of vitamin D include oily fish, egg yolks, and vitamin D fortified dairy products.

Concerns About Calcium Supplementation

On July 30th 2010 It was reported that calcium supplementation could increase, the risk of heart attack, based on a research review carried out by the University of  Auckland and Aberdeen, and published in the BMJ.

Understandably we recognise many of our customers will have valid concerns about the use of calcium.

Many of us have great difficulty maintaining the necessary levels of calcium through our diet alone, and turn to a supplement to support our levels and help maintain bone density.

As a company we have always recommended that calcium should be taken alongside magnesium and vitamin D to ensure that the calcium is used correctly, and not dumped into muscle tissue.

The research looked at increased risk when calcium alone was taken.

The real issue here is all about how our body utalise the supplements we take.

We need to understand that their is a real difference between calcium carbonate supplements, which is little more than a chalk supplement, and good quality calcium, magnesium chelates and citrates, which maximise absorption and utilisation.

Using good quality supplements which combine Calcium, Magnesium and Vitamin D are balance to increase absorption, are vital to maintain health and safe to take on a long term basis.

We recommend Solgar’s Ultimate Bone Support, and Viridian’s Bone Health Complex  the most advanced calcium supplements on the market, combining all cofactors to ensure proper utilisation and support.

Victoria Perks MA (Complementary Health Studies), Dip ION Clinical Nutritionist.

Prepare to bare! We have 6 weeks to shape up, slim down, slip into your LBD and look sensational this party season.

Look sexy and cellulite free this party season.

It’s never too late, we have six weeks until the Christmas Party Season kicks off: To get you Trimmed,Toned, and Glowing, raring to slip into or out of your LBD.

Tummy Toners

Many women and men feel more uncomfortable with their weight because they tend to hold onto toxins around their tummy.

A Good detox is an excellent start to any weight loss plan. We particularly like Viridian’s Detox Box, which contains: a fibre complex to support the bowel, Milk Thistle to cleanse the liver and Cleaver to help eliminate excessive water. This magical box also contains dietary advice to get you feeling slimline and sexy!

Madal Bal Lemon Detox, is the quick fix option of a variety of stars including Beyonce Knowles who is known to favour the detox for a few days before red carpet moments. This flexible program helps the body cleanse itself naturally of accumulated toxins.

Whether you want to do a full detox, or support yourself whilst dieting, the Lemon Detox can help your body to achieve its optimum health & weight.

Madal Bal Natural Tree Syrup mixed with lemons, water & a pinch of cayenne pepper gives your body all the nutritional value it needs to support you over a short period of time.

A detox is brilliant way to get rid of troublesome cellulite. The Diva recommends starting the day by massaging with Weleda’s Birch Cellulite Scrub and Oil, leaving your skin feeling more toned and invigorated. Follow this with Alva’s Intensive Refining Cream (Voted 9/10) for sexy smooth legs.

The Herb Gota Kola is fabulous for improving cellulite and skin health from the inside out.

Be aware of your food choices. Foods which you have difficulty digesting can create toxicity, and symptoms such as increased bloating, wind and water retention. Common food sensitivities include Wheat, Dairy Products, Yeast, and Sugar, which can ferment in your gut. Ask the Diva for a Nutritionist near you, to help you develop the best dietary plan for your needs.

Feeling nibblesome?

Nibbling in-between meals can have a detrimental effect on your waistline.

Many of us turn to sugary, high carb treats as a result of stress or boredom.

Simple dietary strategies help binge eaters; eating small regular meals help keep sugar levels on an even keel.

The signs for hunger and thirst can often be confused; try drinking a glass of water first before you hit the sweetie cupboard.

Snack on healthy options such as oatcakes, blueberries and organic yoghurt both of which help balance sugar levels.

Hydroxycitric acid (HCA) is thought to help curb appetite, burn fat and result in significant weight loss without side effects.It also promotes healthy blood lipid levels and reduces Body Mass Index, an indicator of healthy body weight. The most exciting news of all is that HCA is thought to increase levels of serum serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in mood, sleep and appetite control, which may help address many of the emotional issues overweight people face, including binge-eating and depression. HCA works well with Chromium, which, when taken with meals, helps the healthy function of the Insulin Receptors on the surface of the cell, helping to regulate sugar levels and easing sugar cravings.

Spirulina is the ultimate super food, made up of natural plant enzymes. This powerful nutrient is rich in magnesium, and B vitamins, and helps to curb the appetite, whilst improving your nutrient levels. A six week trial used German slimmers following a weight reduction diet. They took Spirulina tablets before each meal three times a day for four weeks. Taking Spirulina showed a reduction of body weight. There was also a significant drop in serum cholesterol levels.

Sometimes we just need Chocolate!

The Aztecs regarded cocoa as the nourishment of the gods and used it as a tonic. With 70% organic dark chocolate you’re actually getting the good quality cocoa, with less sugar and fat than your average milk chocolate bar. Chocolate is also rich in magnesium and B vitamins so a little of what you fancy is a good thing, tag it on to a main meal, to offset any sugar hit.

Shimmering Beauty

For a final flourish always remember a little sparkle. Burt’s Bees Radiance Body Lotion leaves your body shimmering and ready to PARTY!

XOXO The Diva

Download a .pdf copy of Six Week’s to LBD Heaven article.

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

Scoop of Calcium, and

Magnesium, Added D3, K2 and Zinc and Boron, In the cauldron boil and bake;

Solgar’s Ultimate Bone Support thus created Skeleton bone so not to break;

For a charm of powerful trouble,

Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

A Hard Life for a Skeleton

Gone are the day’s when a skeleton could get away with hanging around the closet, now in this ever more demanding world our skeletons are expected to carry their weight, the good news the clever mad scientists at Solgar have come up with the Ultimate Bone Support a highly absorbable form of Calcium. (Which basically means you don’t need to take as many tablets to be sure you are getting enough!) This powerful new calcium formulation also combines Magnesium, Manganese, Boron, Zinc, Vitamin D3, and Vitamin K2, which are essential for maintaining the internal collagen of the bone necessary for bone strength and stability. This combination of nutrients has been shown to help increase the action of osteoblasts which encourage bone renewal, helping to build and structure our bones.

Did you know the best time to take any calcium supplement was at night? Taking Calcium and Magnesium supplements at bedtime encourages relaxation, and also provides minerals at a time when the body carries out all it’s repair functioning, so your Grandma was right about needing a good nights sleep to grow up big and strong, just make sure the boogie man is not hiding under your bed

A Garlic pill a day keeps the vampire away!

Garlic has been famed for it’s ability to ward off evil spirits such as vampires, but garlic also has the ability to ward off some nasty bugs and diseases. Whole books have been written about garlic, an herb affectionately called “the stinking rose”. A member of the lily family, which also includes onions, garlic contains a rich variety of powerful sulphur compounds. While these compounds are responsible for garlic’s characteristically pungent odour, they are also the source of many of its health-promoting effects; which include helping to lower cholesterol, prevent arteriosclerosis, and help lower blood pressure. Garlic’s ability to support the immune system, having both anti viral and anti bacterial properties is probably how it got it reputation as a vampire slayer! In addition, garlic is an excellent source of manganese, a very good source of vitamin B6 and vitamin C and a good source of selenium. Heat destroys the active garlic compounds so garlic should always be eaten raw, A garlic supplement a day is an excellent way to achieve the health benefits whilst still keeping your friends:) Research shows that aged garlic supplements such as used in Kyolic garlic preparations tend to have higher levels of active components and are more stable.

Wolfsbane: a useful homeopathic remedy

Wolfsbane also known as aconite, was used for centuries to keep the wolf from the door, these days Homeopathic Aconite has a much more practical application. Aconite is an excellent remedy for sudden illness, aches, colds, coughs, sore throat, flu, chills and fever. Keep Aconite on hand for quick recovery after becoming ill following exposure to weather changes. Aconite helps with symptoms from sudden shock, fear, fright. Aconite is often used during the early stages of an illness, but can also be used for past trauma to rebalance. Aconite Indications include feeling apprehensive and agitated, tossing about in bed. Fear and restlessness seem to dominate the symptoms.

Don’t burn the Witch

A friend commented that only a few hundred years ago I would probably would have found myself with very hot feet! Witches were the wise women, herbalist, and midwives of the village, who used what comes naturally to treat the villagers. (I find it sad that I need to add that I am not a witch, but the fact that I need to mention this means that we still make judgements!) Perhaps we should all read Arthur Millers The Crucible this Halloween, and think about how it plays out today, at the same-time spare a thought for the thousands of innocent girls killed for their beliefs, and those still dying today.

Download a .pdf of the Diva’s Halloween Health Care advice.

The leaves are falling

One by one.

Summer’s over

School’s begun!

Supporting your Kids Health the natural Way.

Coughs, colds, sneezes, peer pressure, poor concentration and head-lice, are a few of the everyday health issues associated with going back to school and that’s just the teachers!

Immune system support

Seriously the new school year bombards a child’s immune system leaving them more vulnerable to infection. The swine flu frenzy has calmed, although it is expected that the start of the academic year might show an increased incidence. Echinacea is a wonderful herb, which has been proven to decrease the overall risk of catching a cold by 58%, and if you are still unlucky enough to catch a cold it can increase your recovery rate. Black Elder is one of my favourite herbs not only does it attack viruses and stops them replicating, it is packed with antioxidants and tastes great too! ‘Taste the Rainbow’; eat foods of every colour such as blueberries, raspberry, purple sprouting broccoli, purple corn, butternut squash, carrots, and green leafy vegetables. Eating Seasonal Organic fruits and vegetables is nature’s way of providing you the right nutrients at the appropriate time of year when you need them. Even the most perfect diet can have difficulty meeting our body’s demand for nutrients, so taking a good daily multivitamin and mineral combined with Black Elder and echinacea at the beginning of the new school term is an excellent idea, for both your child and the whole family.

Head Lice

Nasty little critter that make my scalp itch just thinking about them yuk!!! In the war against nits its far better to be proactive rather than reactive – that prevention and precaution are the safest and healthiest measures. The chemicals in many traditional head-lice treatments have been associated with serious health risks, however there are many natural preparations that have been shown to nuke head-lice, without causing any health risk to your child. One particularly effective treatment is Riddance, which combines Neem oil with essential oils which have proven to be a highly effective treatment. Each bottle of Riddance comes with a comb so that you can make sure every last nit and eggs are firmly removed. We recommending treating your child’s hair, then combing though thoroughly, repeat this treatment every 3-4 days for a fortnight after the incidence, it’s a good idea to check your child’s hair weekly for any signs of reinfestation. Combine regular combing with using tea tree or neem based shampoos can help prevent re-infestation.

Poor Concentration

For many children getting back into the school routine is a real struggle after a long holiday, with their teachers reporting difficulty controlling behaviour, and hyperactivity. Some children simply have difficulty staying focused and paying attention, being preoccupied by looking out of the window into some distant land! Many children have low levels of certain essential fatty acids (including EPA and DHA) in their bodies. DHA and EPA are omega-3 fatty acids found in cold water fatty Fish oil ,Flax oil, and Hemp oil supplements. Essential Fatty Acids are used to make brain and nerve tissue in the body and are crucial for proper growth, mental function, the immune system and brain development. Children with lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids demonstrated more learning and behavioural problems (such as temper tantrums and sleep disturbances) than kids with normal omega-3 fatty acid levels. Taking an essential fats daily for a minimum of three month allows significant improvements in reading, spelling, and behaviour in the children. Try adding three teaspoons of Eicosanoil to a morning smoothy to ensure your child is getting enough omega 3, 6, and 9, and a smoothy is a brilliant way to deliver some of your five a day fruits.

Sleep Tight

Bedtime is a wonderful time to catch up with your child’s daily news, helping them to unburden, and relax down for a good nights sleep. Badgers Night Night Balm combines essential oils to create a feeling of peace and calm allowing your child to nod of naturally.

Night Night Sleep Tight Make Sure the Bed-bugs don’t bite xxx

Download a pdf copy of the Diva’s Back to School article

The Diva understands many of her customers are very concerned about Swine Flu, this little piggy just won’t go away! So we hope this month’s issue can help put you at ease.

Supporting your Immune System the Natural Way.

What is Swine Flu?

Flu is an illness caused by an infection of the influenza virus. The flu virus constantly changes and there are many different strains of flu. A new strain of Influenza A (H1N1) virus, also known as swine flu, was confirmed in the UK in April and has spread to more than 100 countries around the world.

Although symptoms have generally proved mild, a small number of patients will develop more serious illness.  Many of these people have other underlying health conditions, such as heart or lung disease, that put them at increased risk. Where complications do occur, they tend to be caused by the virus affecting the lungs. Infections such as pneumonia can develop.

Flu Symptoms

Flu symptoms can include: fever, cough, headache, weakness and fatigue, aching muscles and joints, sore throat, and a runny nose. Most people who have contracted swine flu recover within a week and do not suffer complications, even without being given antiviral medication.

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The BBC News (7/7) reports that, according to a study published in the July issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, “a simple supplement” containing the amino acid N-acetylcysteine “could help treat people with” trichotillomania, “an impulse disorder that manifests in hair-tearing.” People who suffer from trichotillomania have “uncontrollable urges to pluck the hair of the scalp and even eyebrows and lashes, often to the point of baldness.”

For the study, researchers from the University of Minnesota School of Medicine asked a “group of 50 people with trichotillomania…to take part in a 12-week trial of the pill containing the amino acid N-acetylcysteine. Half of the participants “were given the treatment, and the other half a dummy pill.” At study end, the team found that “patients taking the active medication had significantly greater reductions in hair-pulling symptoms than those taking placebo”. Reuters (7/7, Stern) explains that study participants received a starting dose of 1,200 milligrams of N-acetylcysteine daily, which was doubled after a period of six weeks if no improvement took place. At the end of the study, 56 percent of the participants were considered to have had improvement in their condition, compared to the 16 percent of participants taking placebo. Forty-four percent of the participants did not respond to N-acetylcysteine. (more…)