Supplements are big business these days. It’s estimated that here in the UK £750 million is spent on them each year. And the market is growing each year. 

 

However from conversations with clients it’s clear there’s still a huge amount of confusion about them. It’s a subject we’ve touched on before in this blog but one well worth revisiting. So here we go. 

We love people watching – doesn’t everyone (!) – and never cease to be amazed at how much we can learn about a person before even speaking to them. Their posture, facial expression, clothes they wear, way they move. Oh and David can spot a dodgy hip, back, neck or knee at 50 paces (!). 

 

We all do it subconsciously but, sadly, this usually takes the form of a knee jerk judgement. “I don’t like the look of him / her.” “How can they wear those clothes / go out looking like that.” 

 

The sad thing is that once the call has been made, any chance of observing that person from a neutral place instantly evaporates. Getting to know what they’re really like. Of enjoying life’s rich tapestry. 

 

Instead we automatically focus on anything that confirms our initial judgement and ignore everything else. And so a valuable opportunity is lost. 

If you’re having a feeling of déjà vu over the recent coverage of Zika in the press, you’re not alone. Just cast your mind back to Ebola in 2014 / 2015. Before that Bird Flu and Swine Flu. SARS. Or go even further back to the 1980’s with HIV and AIDS. 

 

So are we saying that you should ignore Zika and hope it’ll go away? No, of course not. 

 

Nor are we advocating the other extreme of believing everything that appears in the media. Hype is hype, wherever it comes from. 

 

Instead let’s take a step back and put things into a bit more perspective. 

Are you feeling bored? Unmotivated? Wanting to throw the alarm clock out of the window and snuggle down for a little extra uninterrupted “duvet time”? 

 

If so, you may have a case of the February blues! 

 

Traditionally January is the month when Doctors expect to see more cases of “the blues”. What with all the chickens coming home to roost after Christmas (!), not to mention credit card bills and short winter days. 

 

However, in our experience, February is the month when we tend to see more of “the blues.” And this year, with the added joys of the ever changing weather and grey days, our phones have been unusually busy. 

It’s a headline guaranteed to catch everyone’s attention. But is it just a good story for a slow news day or is there more to it than meets the eye? 

 

As so often is the case there’s much more to it than initially appears. It’s not just about the food itself, but our body’s most basic responses and innate survival mechanisms. 

 

And we’re not talking about the well known adrenaline fuelled extreme life or death situations; but the more insidious longer term ones of famine or seasonal food shortages. 

It’s something we all do automatically – well most people do (!) – but have you ever stopped to wonder whether it’s actually helping the person concerned? Let alone you. 

 

Confused? 

 

Or wondering whether we’ve suddenly lost the plot and are about to start telling people to “pull themselves together”?!? The famous English stiff upper lip and all that. 

 

Well, you’ll be relieved to know, neither is the case. 

 

It’s simply time for a different perspective on something that most people do without a second thought. 

 

Ready? Ok, here we go. 

It’s been a while since the last part of this rather occasional series (!) so we thought it was about time to look into another subject which has been causing concern in the alternative press over the last few years. 

 

Yet again, it sounds like a great idea – something to make life easier AND save time on the least popular household chores – but are we paying too a high price for this convenience? 

 

So what are we talking about? 

 

Non stick cookware or, as it tends to be generically known, Teflon. As so often is the case, the story behind Teflon is intriguing; as are the myriad of everyday products it’s now found in. 

You may well have heard this story before, but it’s a great one to be reminded of from time to time, particularly at the start of a new year. 

 

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. 

 

“A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. 

 

“It is a terrible fight and is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.” 

 

He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. 

You may think us a tad over optimistic (!) but we would like to think that the majority of topics we cover in this blog – and suggestions made – boil down to simple commonsense. Or, as an online dictionary so beautifully put it: 

 

“the basic level of practical knowledge and judgment that we all need to help us live in a reasonable and safe way.” 

 

Sadly conversations with clients – and sometimes with family and friends too (!) – often show that this is not the case at all. 

Now, before you panic, this isn’t a follow on from our last post about New Year’s resolutions... We’re not going to advocate a 5 mile run followed by a bracing cold shower and finished off with carrot sticks for breakfast (!). That’s unless you want to, of course!?! 

 

So what are we going to talk about? 

 

Well, in fact, almost the opposite. A gentler start to the day. One which sees you leaving home feeling calm, relaxed and ready for the day; rather than frazzled and, probably, bad tempered too.