With the recent bout of warm weather, we were very tempted to write about one of our pet subjects this week. And there are no prizes for guessing what it is. Water and the importance of keeping properly hydrated all year round (!). Not just when the weather is hot, although it’s much easier to take the hint at this time of year… 

 

To us it’s very obvious but, from the calls we get from Clients, it seems the message still isn’t getting through. If you need a quick reminder about the importance of water, as well as the signs you may be dehydrated, click here. 

 

Following on from this is a very common sign of dehydration which also features regularly in calls from Clients at this time of year. Cramp, particularly those excruciating leg cramps which always seem to come on in the middle of the night. Again, if you need a quick reminder, click here. 

 

Which neatly brings us on to what we’d like to talk about today. True, it’s another of our pet subjects but, as always, there is method in our madness. Yes, really! 

We all do it at times and, before you ask, that includes us too (!).  

 

Find ourselves reaching for our favourite little treat or comfort food, before we’ve realised what we’re doing. 

 

Often, it’s something sweet or chocolate related – or both (!) – although it doesn’t have to be. Something savoury, crisps or a sneaky sausage roll, seem to be just as popular. 

 

Whatever it is, we easily convince ourselves that it’s what we need RIGHT NOW – and it’s all too easy to have just one more or for it to become a regular part of our day… 

 

Now, despite what some people might think (!), we’re not complete killjoys and saying you can’t have a treat from time to time. But BEFORE your hand reaches the packet (!) just pause for a moment. Notice how you’re really feeling RIGHT NOW. Why you feel you need a treat RIGHT NOW. 

Food diets and crazes may come and go but some mantras seem to stand the test of time. Having your five a day is a great example – although this is only a starting point and not nearly enough (!) – which leads us neatly on to what we’d like to talk about today. Fibre, also known as “roughage”. 

 

It may not be the most exciting of subjects, but fibre is universally seen as a “good thing”. An important part of a healthy diet. Interestingly, we tend to focus on its ability to fill us up – so stopping us reaching for sugary snacks between meals – as well as slowing down the rate that food is broken down and absorbed. In other words, it helps stop the “sugar high” following sugar laden meals or snacks. At the same time, it’s important for – as it’s rather euphemistically called – “regular movements” and we’ll leave the rest to your imagination… 

 

However, there’s another aspect to fibre we’d like to talk about today, which tends to get overlooked. In fact, we can almost guarantee you won’t have thought of it in these terms before (!). 

It’s been a while since we’ve written about the cycles that play out in our lives. Some are easy to see, particularly at this time of year, when we can feel the slow – very slow, this year (!) – quickening from Spring into Summer. Having said that, the signs are definitely there if you spend a few minutes outside. The cuckoo is busy in the woods near our home, swallows and house martins have finally arrived – hurrah (!) – and the lovely frothy sheep’s parsley is festooning the verges. Everyone has their own particular signs that Summer is here, so we’ll leave you to include your own particular favourites… 

 

Then there are the cycles that aren’t so obvious, but still affect our lives, even if it’s just at the “something feels different” level we can’t quite put our finger on. And it’s one of these we’d like to talk about today. It takes us into the realm of astrology – and, “yes”, we know the mere mention of it can get some people going (!) – but, please, bear with us before you dismiss it out of hand…. 

We have a standing joke in our family that everything is multi functional. And if you know anyone who uses a walking stick, you’ll know exactly what we mean! Not only is the stick used for its intended purpose, but many others too, with an incredible amount of ingenuity thrown in for good measure… 

 

However, this adage applies equally to all those “treasures” found at the back of our kitchen cupboards and it’s one of these we’d like to talk about today. We can virtually guarantee it’s in most homes, even if it hasn’t seen the light of day for a while… 

 

What are we talking about?  

 

Bicarb of Soda or, if you’d prefer its full name, Sodium Bicarbonate. You may also know it as Baking Soda or Baking Powder. Although we should say that, strictly, these are a little different to Bicarb of Soda, with additional substances being added to them to make them more stable; so giving more consistent results as well as a longer shelf life. 

It’s been a while – 2016, to be precise – since we’ve devoted an entire blog post to the “one eyed monster” or, as we heard it described recently, the “idiot box”… 

 

While it may not have taken centre stage for a while, it has been mentioned in passing on a number of occasions in our posts. The main reason for this is that it still seems to be the primary source of information for many people. Dare we even say the majority of people. This always strikes us as rather strange, given how easy it is to obtain information these days, not least with a little googling. Even more so as it usually results in a much more rounded picture of whatever topic you’re interested in, as well as being more convenient – and quicker (!) – too. 

We often talk about the joys of seasonal eating. Enjoying whatever foods are in season right now, however short their season may be. Not only does it mean we’re eating foods when they’re at their natural best – both in terms of flavour and nutrients – but it’s an easy way to eat local, avoiding the dreaded food miles. 

 

We’ve all learnt about this the hard way. Succumbing to those perfect looking out of season fruit and vegetables found in the supermarkets during the Winter, flown in from the other side of the world for our delectation. And then bitterly disappointed to find they’re nothing like those grown locally and enjoyed at their natural time of year… Strawberries are a prime example of this which, sadly, most of us have fallen for at some time or other… 

It’s one of those expressions we’re all familiar with, which hides some of those emotions we don’t like to admit to. Let alone talk about.  

 

Envy, jealousy, greed, covetousness, spite. 

 

But have you ever wondered where does it come from? 

 

Well, if like us you suspected Shakespeare, you’d be right. Othello to be precise: 

 

“Beware, my Lord, of jealousy 

It is the green eyed monster that doth mock 

The meat it feeds on” 

 

But why, you may ask, is the monster green eyed? 

Over the years we’ve noticed that the mention of “First Aid” – whether doing it yourself or being on the receiving end of an over enthusiastic, but well meaning, person (!) – seems to strike terror into the hearts of many people. Perhaps it sounds too “medical” or complicated. Or requiring lots of equipment and supplies. Thankfully, neither is the case. 

 

It’s usually just a matter of using whatever’s to hand – and not necessarily from a well stocked first aid box – coupled with a little common sense. Although, as one Client rather ruefully put it, the later can sometimes be in rather short supply… 

A few weeks ago we took a quick trip down memory lane thanks to a song by “Fun Boy Three with Bananarama”. If you’d like another dose of nostalgia, here’s the link. 

 

As the song so beautifully put it, “It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it, that’s what gets results.” In other words, it’s not about WHAT we do, but HOW we do it, that’s the most important thing. So, the energy and intention behind whatever we’re doing, rather than the thing itself. 

 

For some reason, we often seem to miss this. Tending to focus on the visible end result – the action – rather than the energy and intention driving it. 

 

Which, if you stop to think about it, is rather backwards thinking. Why?