There are some words whose mere mention is – almost (!) – guaranteed to cause a deep collective breath in. A deep calming breath in preparation for whatever may be coming next. 

 

And, as an aside, what we find particularly interesting is how often the actual – dictionary – meaning of a word is completely different to the one commonly attributed to it. 

 

Anyway, before we digress too far, this isn’t what we wanted to focus on today. Instead, we’d like to give a completely new perspective on a word whose actual meaning we all seem to understand far too well. Responsibility. 

Yes we know it’s a day early (!) but, this week, we’re going to do two things we’ve never done before.  

 

And, no, we’re not still in holiday mode! 

 

The first is sending out this e mail about the weekly blog post a day early. 

 

The second is that, rather than writing the blog post ourselves, we’re going to link to one written by Dr Joseph Mercola. 

 

If you haven’t come across the Mercola website before, it’s a great source of information for health – and lifestyle – related matters. 

While chicken has been considered a healthy source of protein for years, eggs have received a much less favourable press. This is largely due to a simple misconception which we regularly hear from clients. That eggs are high in cholesterol and saturated fats, so promoting heart disease. If not avoided, they should only be eaten occasionally. 

 

Not surprisingly, this has led to a variety of different advice about limiting their consumption. These range from avoiding eggs altogether or, at the very most, eating no more than three eggs a week. As an aside, while doing a little research for this post, we were intrigued to come across the recommendation to only consume a quarter of an egg a week. Exactly how this would work in practice, we have no idea! 

Perhaps it’s a side effect of the ever faster speed of life – or our increasingly reliance on all things technological – but it seems that many basic skills are in danger of being lost forever. Or, as one friend so kindly pointed out, it may just be part of becoming older! 

 

Anyway, before we digress too far, we’re not only talking about practical skills such as wiring plugs, changing a car wheel or actually cooking a meal from scratch at home. But rather the ability to think for ourselves. To reach our own conclusions about any given topic. 

Sadly, all too many people view their six monthly check ups at the Dentist with a certain amount of apprehension. Will anything be found and, if so, how much drilling is it going to involve? And that’s assuming they’re not one of the sizeable minority of people who don’t go to the Dentist for years – or even decades… 

 

Given this, it’s not surprising that most people’s attention is firmly fixed on the likely pain associated with any dental work, such as fillings, rather than the procedure itself. As a result, it’s taken time for the potential dangers of amalgam – mercury – fillings to become better known and for people to consider the alternative of white composite fillings. While these may not be perfect – and don’t tend to last so long – they are now considered a safer alternative by many dentists. We wrote a blog post about mercury back in July 2015, which can be found here. 

As clients and regular readers of this blog will know, we love people watching and find the human condition endlessly fascinating. And, before anyone gets the wrong idea, we’re not talking about it from an “OMG” point of view. Nor from a professional one either, although David can spot a dodgy hip, back or knee at a 100 paces (!). Our interest is simply that no two people are precisely the same. And, yes, we know it’s a cliché, but that doesn’t stop it being true. 

 

While we each have our own particular foibles, – or endearing little habits, if you prefer (!) - beliefs and behaviours, there are many we seem to share; whether we’re aware of it or not. The one we’d like to focus on today is something we can all succumb to at times although, sadly, it seems to be in danger of becoming the norm. 

 

So what are we talking about? 

We all have our own particular pet subjects and, as many people have pointed out over the years, drinking water is one of ours. To us, it’s such a no brainer – our bodies are over 75% water after all – and yet so many people still seem to struggle with it. Why is this? 

 

Well, the simple answer is that something which should be so simple and instinctive has become incredibly complicated. Not only in terms of how much water we should drink each day but exactly what constitutes water. And, as an aside, it’s amazing how creative people can be when trying to explain the rationale behind what they’re drinking each day. We’re not just talking about alcohol either…. 

Traditionally, this time of year heralds the start of the great spring clean. And, before the days of the domestic appliances we all take so much for granted (!), this was no mean feat… Or quick job. 

 

Not surprisingly, it’s a topic we’ve covered before, although our focus was more from an energy point of view than a dust reduction one. In other words, thinking about it as a way of bringing fresh energy – and impetus – into our lives after the quieter and more reflective winter period. You can find a copy of this post here. 

 

Hand in hand with this went a much more personal spring clean or, as it’s more usually called today, a detox. Giving our bodies the chance to clear the after effects of heavier foods and a more sedentary lifestyle in preparation for the summer ahead. Again, you can find a copy of this post here. 

 

However, since the few days of lovely warm weather in both February and March, we’ve noticed an interesting twist on spring cleaning. And how it can have many more benefits than originally anticipated. 

 

It involves something we all take for granted – like our body, until it lets us down – but sends out a message loud and clear about us and our approach to life. 

 

Have you guessed what it is yet? 

 

Having been asked this question several times recently – and heard some great old wives’ tales in the process (!) – we thought it was time to as dispel some very popular misconceptions about the Appendix, some of which we’re sure you’ve heard before… 

 

Despite its small size, the Appendix only tends to be mentioned in hushed tones accompanied with words of dread. Why is this? Well, probably, because the only time we spare it a thought is when there’s a problem. 

 

For good reason, Appendicitis is one of the most feared medical emergencies, due to its rapid onset and levels of pain involved. Added to this, there’s always the worry that it will burst, although this is something of an old wives’ tale. 

So let’s find out all about the Appendix and dispel a few myths in the process. 

From time to time we all have “one of those days” – or possibly weeks (!) – where nothing quite goes to plan. Or we can’t even seem to do the simplest thing. And, for some inexplicable reason, it’s usually something we’ve done 100’s or 1000’s of times before without a second thought.  

 

Then, out of the blue, we just don’t seem able to do it. The good news is that you will tomorrow – or the next day (!) – when normal service resumes…. 

 

So, if this is you – or someone you know – then please just stop for a minute.