Calling all vegans and vegetarians…
Choline is an essential nutrient that humans must get through their diet, the most common food sources are meat, poultry, fish, dairy product and eggs. Non-meat sources include wheatgerm and brussels sprouts. It is needed to produce acetylcholine an important neurotransmitter for among other things:
- Memory
- Mood
- Muscle control
Researchers have discovered that taking a daily choline dietary supplement could reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s and it should be something that vegetarians and vegans in particular should be doing. The Arizona researchers estimated that the currently daily recommendations of 550mg for men and 425mg for women can be quadrupled without causing any side-effects, and at these higher levels, choline would have a greater protective effect.
Reference
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Is eating organic food worth it?
I have often wondered weather paying that bit more for organic food is worth it. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. I normally buy organic eggs and meat but with vegatables I am really not very consistent. I know with organic vegatables you get less pesticides but is it worth it. I know in the past studies have shown that there was no benefit. However recently researches in France tracked 68,946 adults and decided to compare cancer rates in people who eat organic food and those who didn't. They discovered that eating organic food
- reduces your risk of cancer by 25%
- reduces your risk of non-Hodgkins lymphoma by 73%
- reduces your risk of post-menopausal breast cancer by 21%

Headaches – Treatment & Prevention – Part 1
Previously, I explained the different types of headaches. Now I want to explore how you can treat them. Orthodox treatment of headaches is over the counter painkillers, while stronger prescribed medication may be required for migraines. However it should be noted that frequent use of pain killers can trigger what are referred to as rebound or withdrawl headaches. (For more information on withdrawl headaches see >> http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/headaches/Pages/Painkillerheadaches.aspx Or http://www.migrainetrust.org/medication-overuse-headache ) Massage There is scientific evidence to confirm my experience that massing the neck, shoulder & upper back can help alleviate tension headaches and some migraines, specifically the frequency of headaches & the duration of headaches. Researchers believe that two mechanisms could be responsible. Firstly, the increased serotonin could help relieve the headache (many existing headache medications increase serotonin levels). Secondly, the increased hours of sleep and fewer night wakings may lower levels of substance P - a neurotransmitter responsible for pain. So next time you get a headache, consider booking a massage with us. Scientific References
- Cristina Toro-Velasco, Manuel Arroyo-Morales, César Fernández-de-las-Peñas, Joshua A. Cleland, Francisco J. Barrero-Hernández. Short-Term Effects of Manual Therapy on Heart Rate Variability, Mood State, and Pressure Pain Sensitivity in Patients With Chronic Tension-Type Headache: A Pilot Study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 2009; 32 (7): 527 DOI: 1016/j.jmpt.2009.08.011
- Quinn C, Chandler C, Moraska A. Massage Therapy and Frequency of Chronic Tension Headaches. Am J Public Health. 2002 October; 92(10): 1657–1661.

A reason to be optimistic in challenging times
It is very easy right now with the constant news reports about the spread of Coronavirus to flip from being informed and aware to worried about our own health & saftey and that of our friends & family. So right now acknowledge how you feel about the spread of the Coronavirus, whether its anxiety, worried, fear etc. Often what happens when we get anxious, worried or fearful is that we project that state into our future. So at this current moment, most us are healthy; our loved ones are well, and life is fine. So, be grateful for the things that are going well in your life right now and focus on the present. And breath! Two long running studies in the US which collected information from male war veterans and female nurses aged around 60 to 70 years old when they completed optimisim questionaires. People who had the highest optimism scores had a lifespan about 9% longer than those with the lowest scores. The most optimistic were in fact no more likely to live to the age of 85. This reseach cannot prove cause and effect. Both optimisim and lifespace may be influenced by many hereditary, health, lifestyle and personal factors. People with a good overall standard of health and wellbeing are probably more optimistic about their future. While researchers attempted to adjust their analysis for these sorts of factors, it's hard to remove their influence fully. Nevertheless the research does highlight that optimists live longer and the importance that mental health and wellbeing can have on physical health. So right now focus on what is going well in your life. Research https://www.nhs.uk/news/mental-health/reason-be-cheerful-optimists-live-longer-study-reports/

