The Health Diva

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

Researchers have discovered that a key component of Red Wine, the antioxidant Resveratrol, an ingredient already known to be good for the heart and fighting cancer can also prevent inflammation, a chief cause of many chronic illnesses.

Now a new study has found the antioxidant resveratrol blocks two key proteins to stop inflammation which plays a major role in arthritis, diabetes, and irritable bowel syndrome.

A researcher from the latest study at the University of ­Glasgow said: “Strong acute inflammatory diseases such as [infections like] sepsis are very difficult to treat and many die daily due to a lack of treatment”.

The scientists now aim to develop new treatments from their findings.

Resveratrol has previously been found to help lower the risk of lung cancer, protect against colon and prostate cancers, improving ­cholesterol and fight ageing.

Whilst a daily glas of Red wine after a heavy meal could be considered constitutional, the truth is one can not obtain sufficient resveratrol merely from drinking red wine. An entire bottle only contains about 7 mg whereas the studies at Harvard and other institutions used over 300mg.

Those seeking an alcohol free way of taking Resveratrol, should look to Solgar’s Resveratrol capsules which provides 100mg of Resveratrol per capsule.

Read more about Resveratrol…

Welcome to Our special August Holiday season special edition of The Health Diva. Our holidays are precious; making sure we stay healthy on holiday is a sure fire way to have a holiday to remember for all the right reasons.

“If we took a holiday, took some time to celebrate, just one day out of life, it would be, it would be so nice!” Madonna.

Whether your quest for a fortnights freedom takes you to the dizzy party Island of Ibiza, the depths of darkest Peru, or a kiss me quick hat in Blackpool,  the Diva is on hand to offer top tips for a healthy relaxing holiday x

Pre Flight Jitters

The Fear of flying can cause many people to avoid foreign travel all together! Many individuals no matter how experienced a traveller they are can still feel a bit jittery. Ashwaghandra is an amazing herb, to ease anxiety; 20 drops in juice just before you leave the house, in the departure lounge and on the plane will leave you suitable chilled but fully functional!20 drops of Ginger tincture added to a 500 ml bottle of water can ease anxiety and travel induced nausea, simply sip slowly to calm your tummy. B Vitamins the travellers Friend B vitamins are so useful for travellers on so many levels. A good daily B- complex vitamin, high in vitamin B5 helps to support the adrenal system and converts your food into energy and eases stress. Taking a B complex with vitamin C is fabulous to aid recovery on long haul flights allowing you to step off the plane bouncing with energy. Finally mosquitoes don’t like the smell of B vitamins on us, so taking a daily vitamin B keeps the bugs away.

Dabbing a few drops of citronella and neem oil on your pulse points can also ward of mosquitoes. Read the rest of this entry »

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.

Read the rest of this entry »

Just a few months ago, nine-year-old Jenny Grant was using steroid inhalers to control her asthma. Diagnosed asthmatic when she was a toddler, Jenny had used inhalers regularly day and night.

“I just don’t like giving her these chemicals,” explains mum, Sarah. “But she was really very poorly.”

Sarah is delighted with Jenny’s new asthma remedy, a simple extract of pine bark from France called Pycnogenol, as recommended by her local health food shop, after Sarah had read a review of scientific research in the newspaper.

Published in the Journal of Asthma in early 2005, the researchers found that two thirds of asthmatic children managed to come off inhalers after three-month’s supplementation with Pycnogenol. The dosage used in the study was 1mg for every 1lb of body weight.

Jenny has been taking one capsule of Viridian’s Pycnogenol with Grape Seed Extract daily and has noticed immediate results.

The Diva now has a selection of Pycnogenol remedies in her store.

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. Read the rest of this entry »

Wendy’s Story

Currently, there are about 1.5 million women in the UK taking some form of HRT to ease symptoms. Not all women can take HRT though. Just such a woman is Wendy, a 44 year old office worker from Cardiff.

Two years ago Wendy began experiencing menopausal symptoms including exhaustion, hot flushes, burning skin and joint aches and pains. She was denied HRT because her mother suffered breast cancer after being on HRT for some years,

In desperation Wendy began trying herbal alternatives to HRT. Wendy discovered a liquid herbal formula developed by Cardiff herbalist Stuart FitzSimmons MNIMHM. The formula is called HerbRT and contains a blend of herbs that provide a full spectrum of phyto-oestrogens.

After just two months taking HerbRT Wendy said:

“After this short time on HerbRT the flushes are reduced, my skin has stopped burning and I’m no longer red in the face! In fact, everything has returned to normal”.

Rather than the ‘hormonal blast’ provided by HRT, the phyto-oestrogens in HerbRT give gentle, natural support, helping the body overcome and adapt to the hormonal changes that occur at the menopause.

HerbRT is avaliable in 100ml (month supply) bottles and costs £24.99.

Read the rest of this entry »

By Cheryl Thallon, of Viridian

Vitamins have been big news as the latest wave of European bureaucracy shifts from bananas and crisps to vitamins. Judging from recent news coverage, you’d be forgiven for thinking that vitamins are no longer safe or legal.

The truth is vitamins are as wonderful as ever, and just as necessary.

Some background to the headlines… In order to allow the free sale of vitamins across the European Community, Brussels created the Food Supplements Directive (FSD). Initially, this Directive was widely welcomed, as vitamins and minerals are prescription-only in some EU countries. This new European law opened up these markets to British supplement companies, and was seen as a real opportunity for trade. However, as the detail emerged, those who understood Brussels-speak became increasingly nervous.

Read the rest of this entry »