It’s interesting how the same topics seem to come up again and again with Clients – and how these usually coincide with a high profile marketing campaign for the latest “health” product… This certainly applies to the one we’d like to talk about today. 

 

Having said that, with concerns about cows milk, coupled with a huge increase in so called “plant based” foods – as well as those badged as “Vegetarian” or “Vegan” – it’s really not surprising that plant based milks have become so popular in recent years. You’ll probably have noticed them during your regular trip to the local supermarket. Perhaps even wondered why they seem to take up more shelf space than regular cows’ milk. 

We all have those days. You know the ones. When your oomph has oomph’d off (!). Motivation, inspiration – or both (!) – disappeared without trace. Leaving you feeling stranded, often with a long list of things you think you should be doing. Or should have done. 

 

Giving the little Monster in your Head free rein to make you feel even worse. Beating yourself up that you’re not doing what you should be doing. Then, in desperation, falling back on sheer grit or willpower to get it done, with all too predictable results… And that’s far too many should’s for one blog post! 

With a distinctly autumnal feeling in the air for the last few days, coupled with the schools having gone back and nights becoming darker – many apologies, we know everyone would prefer to ignore the last one (!) – it’s time for our usual turn of the seasons blog post. The one looking ahead – we were going to use looking forward, but that really doesn’t reflect how most people feel about this time of year (!) – to the cooler months… 

 

Looking back over the posts we’ve done in previous years, there’s really very little we can add. While we appreciate it’s not what people want to hear, there is no quick fix or miracle cure guaranteed to produce a bug free Winter. Or a happy, healthy, life for that matter. And you might like to read those couple of sentences over a few times before going any further, to let this very simple truth sink in… 

It often surprises Clients how we tend to focus on the small things they do every day. Encouraging them to make small changes, rather than going for larger and potentially more scary (!) ones. The rationale behind this is quite simple. It helps build their confidence that they can make changes to their lives easily. Even better, how quickly small things can build up to create a much larger and noticeable effect. At the same time, it minimises the Little Monster in their heads undermining their best intentions before they’ve even got going. 

 

But these aren’t the only reasons. 

 

For us, the most important thing is that every small change will not only help whatever their particular issue or concern was, but their overall health and life too. So, a great example of little things having exponential effects. 

It often amazes us how quickly a new product or, just as often, a repackaged one becomes a stable of people’s lives. Often without them realising it. It’s suddenly there on the shelves – and everyone else seems to be buying it – so they do too, without stopping to think whether it’s a good choice. Or, at least, a good choice for them (!). And this applies not only to their weekly food shop, but what they pick up on the go, perhaps from the local convenience store or petrol station at lunchtime or on their way home. 

 

It’s one of these modern conveniences we’d like to talk about today. Pre prepared fruit. And, while we’re focussing on fruit, the same comments apply to pre prepared veg and salad too. 

It fascinates us that so many things which are generally considered to be “good” for us – and we really should do them (!) – come with so much negative baggage and energy. And, as we’ve said many times before, the “should” word is always a sign we really don’t want to do whatever it is. Not a great start for anything in life… 

 

The one we’d like to talk about today often goes hand in hand with those dreaded New Year’s Resolutions, although it can occur at any time of year. Have you guessed what it is yet? Goal setting. 

Mention lead poisoning and two pictures probably spring to mind. 

 

The lead water pipes found in Victorian houses, seen as cutting edge technology at the time (!), bringing fresh water directly into people’s home. 

 

4 Star leaded petrol, used for many years to fuel cars and lorries and only phased out relatively recently. 

 

With both now being firmly consigned to history, it’s easy to think of lead poisoning as being a thing of the past but, sadly, this isn’t quite the case. Its use goes back much, much, further than these relatively modern examples. 

We often talk about the many – and various – tricks the Little Monster in our Heads plays on us. At first glance, they all seem eminently sensible and reasonable, common sense really. So, it’s hardly surprising that we rarely stop to question them, accepting them without a second thought. And the trap springs, with us doing – or not doing (!) – the same things over and over again. On one hand we remain “safe”, with the status quo – our current circumstances, not the rather aged rock band (!) – continuing as before. On the other, we continue doing – or not doing – the same time over and over again. 

Aloe Vera is one of those plants with a myriad of different uses. Not only is it safe to use both internally and externally, but it’s also a good natured – and almost indestructible (!) – house plant. 

 

A tropical plant found in Africa, the Middle East, the Mediterranean and America it’s estimated there are more than 400 different varieties in the wild. 

 

So, what makes it so useful? 

We often talk about the power of making very small changes, one at a time. Cementing one in place before adding another. 

 

While, at first sight, it may seem like an unnecessarily slow and time consuming way to make changes, they quickly build up into something much larger. And, if you’re in any doubt about this, just look back at all those New Year’s Resolutions that came to naught… 

 

So, why does “small and slow” win every time?