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. 

A couple of weeks ago we wrote about the mixed messages we send out every day without realising it. It’s led to some interesting discussions about how – exactly – do you get all your fruit in a row; particularly when it comes to imagining whatever it is in all its glory in your head. Is it simply a matter of daydreaming about it or is there more to it than that? 

 

Well, as so often is the case, the answer is “yes” and “no”. 

We recently came across a fascinating article from The Economist magazine – it was published in December 1999, so we’re a little behind the times (!) – discussing the one invention that defined the 20th century. The link is below if you’re intrigued and the good news is it’s a short article (!). 

 

https://www.economist.com/node/347484 

 

Much to our surprise it wasn’t one of the usual great discoveries. Radar, powered flight, plastic, nuclear materials, radio or television. Nor the often cited antibiotics. However, that’s heading in the right direction. Instead it was the female contraceptive pill – or as it’s more usually known, the Pill. 

There’s no doubt that we all send out mixed messages at times. Sometimes we’re aware of it. Like those occasions when we find ourselves saying that we’d love to do something – or see someone – while that little voice in our head is shouting “no” very loudly. Those dreaded family visits or other occasions we promise ourselves that we’ll never get roped into again (!). 

 

Thankfully, we’re not going to venture any further into this particular minefield (!) but, instead, talk about the mixed messages we send out every day without realising it. And, if you think this doesn’t apply to you, read on.