It’s interesting how certain blog posts seem to really hit the spot with people and spark some rather animated – for want of a better word (!) – conversations. The one a couple of weeks ago is a great example of this, where we suggested looking at what was happening in your life to see what you’d been focussing on recently. 

 

Not surprisingly, many of the reactions were defensive. How we didn’t understand what was happening in their lives / what they’d been through / how their life was / fill in the blank. 

 

Sadly, by seeing it as criticism, they completely missed the point. 

If you’ve joined a gym in recent years – or had a medical – chances are you’ll have been given your BMI. Body Mass Index.  

 

It’s used as a general measure of obesity as well as an indicator of risk for many lifestyle diseases such as Diabetes, high blood pressure and Heart Attacks / Strokes. As one of the current buzz words it sounds very objective and scientific but, sadly, its over simplistic approach causes many problems and what has become known as the BMI paradox. 

A few weeks ago we wrote about the mixed messages we unwittingly send out each day. Thinking one thing, saying another and doing yet something else. 

 

It’s little wonder we can find it so challenging to get the results we want. Or, more accurately, say we want. Sometimes. When we’re really aware of we’re saying. Let alone what we’re thinking and doing. And then sending out a consistent message with our thoughts, words and actions all pointing in the same direction. 

With the summer holidays rapidly approaching, this week we’re going to focus on something that can really take the shine off your first few precious days away. And we’re not talking about the mayhem before you leave home, the joys of the airport or lottery of who you’re going to be lucky enough to sit next to on the plane (!). If you’ve ever travelled long haul, you’ll know all about it. Jet lag. 

 

Jet lag – Flight Fatigue or Desynchronosis, if you’d like to get technical – occurs when we travel across different time zones. It means that our internal body clock becomes out of synch with local clock time. 

Yes, we know it’s a bit of cliché, but it doesn’t stop it from being true… 

 

We’ve all met – or know (!) – people at both ends of the age spectrum. Those who seem to be old before their time. Or, perhaps, have always been old in terms of their outlook on life. David refers to them as “Junior Pensioners” which may be slightly uncharitable but a good way of describing them (!). 

 

Sadly, their glass always seems to be half empty… “It can only get worse.” “It’s all downhill from here.” “What can you expect at my age?” And we heard these all – and more – from someone in their 30’s recently… 

 

Then there are those who never seem to age. Who are always fully engaged in life and all the – good – things it has to offer. And, interestingly, many of them have problems that would be the end of the world to their less positive counterparts. Their glass is always half full. 

A couple of weeks ago we looked at the list of “dirtiest” fruit and vegetables for 2018. Released in America by the Environmental Working Group each year, it highlights the produce most contaminated with pesticides, rather than those most covered in soil (!). 

 

The importance of what we eat is a topic we regularly cover in this blog – whether directly or indirectly – but, sadly, is still seen as being very complicated or expensive by far too many people. Neither are the case, although this doesn’t seem to stop some from making it so… 

 

One very easy way to eat more healthily is simply to shop by the season. In other words to eat – and enjoy – whatever produce is in season right now. Whenever “right now” is. Not only does this mean that you’ll enjoy food at its best but also that it’s going to be produced locally, whether in your immediate area or country. 

We all face obstacles from time to time. Or challenges, if you prefer (!). 

 

Large or small. Anticipated or coming out of the blue. Necessitating a small detour or sounding the death knell for our plans and dreams. Some even seem to have a life of their own, bringing their friends with them and settling in for a party (!). 

 

Often, it’s not the obstacle itself that defeats us, but how we perceive it. And so react to it. 

 

In other words, our mindset is more important than the obstacle itself in determining how successfully we deal with it. 

Every year in America, the EWG – Environmental Working Group – releases a list of the “dirtiest” fruit and vegetables. And by this they mean contaminated with pesticides, rather than being covered in soil (!). 

 

More than 38,000 samples were taken, all of crops grown conventionally across America. Each one was then prepared in the same way as consumers would at home, ie, either by washing or peeling it before being tested. 

 

An incredible 230 different pesticides and pesticide residues were found in the different samples. 70% of the samples tested positive for pesticide contamination, with 98% of the top 6 most contaminated products – see the list below – containing at least one pesticide residue. 

We were reminded of this truism a few days ago as we listened to someone – who had better remain nameless (!) – describing in great detail how they’d recently “put someone right”. We won’t go into details but are sure you’ve listened to similar stories in the past. And, probably, secretly commiserated with the person unlucky enough to be on the receiving end of such unsolicited advice. 

 

However, it didn’t stop there, but was followed by great indignation when their comments weren’t well received. In fact, you could say that they got a dose of their own medicine (!). 

 

And, as an aside, isn’t it ironic that those who are best at handing out advice – in all its different forms – are so bad at taking it?!? 

 

Anyway, before we digress much further, it was a good reminder that life isn’t always about being right. 

Having recently spent a chunk of time loading old blog posts on to the new website (!), we noticed how often the importance of our “internal flora and fauna” was mentioned. So we thought it was about time they featured in a post of their own and here we are. 

 

It’s such an English way of describing something that most people would prefer not to discuss (!) but, before we go any further, let’s quickly explain what it means. 

 

The human body – in common with that of other animals, including insects – also provides a home to a huge number of microorganisms. While this may not initially sound like a good thing, it has many benefits for both sides.