Natural Sunburn Prevention

Beta-carotene effective as sunburn protector

From Dr Shaun Holt
The Facts:

• Dietary supplementation with beta-carotene appears to provide a degree of sun protection, according to the pooled results of 7 studies.
• In the studies, the protective effects of beta-carotene increased as the duration of supplementation increased.
• Nutritional protection against sun-induced skin damage is increasingly being recommended to the general public.

Dr Shaun Holt: Often the best way to see if a treatment works is to gather up all the studies that have assessed it and add the results – a meta-analysis. This meta-analysis found a definite beneficial effect from beta-carotene in protecting against sunburn and of particular interest was the finding that the longer the beta-carotene is taken for, the greater the protection, with at least 10 weeks of supplementation needed for an effect. Beta-carotene is a highly coloured precursor of vitamin A.

You can refer to http://www.naturalhealthreview.org/articles.cfm?ID=327

Passionate about Eco Home Building?

Building or Renovation – Water Conservation Tips

Ella Walters from the eco designers writes to assist your ways to change at home.

Intro

NZ homes use, 25 – 30% of water for flushing toilets, 33 – 35% for baths and showers 20 – 25% in the kitchen, and 20 – 25% is used in the laundry. A family of four uses around 500L per day not including water used in the garden (a garden sprinkler can use 900 litres an hour). Per year, the average person uses around 75,000 litres and the average household uses around 200,000 litres.

Contents

• Free Eco Design Advisor Service
• Water Conservation tips
• Rainwater Harvesting
• Grey Water Recycling
• Composting Toilets and Worm Septic Tanks
• Solar Hot Water

Free Eco Design advisor Service

The eco design advisor service provides free and impartial advice for people planning to build or renovate their homes to improve family health and comfort, reduce impact on the environment.

Available to homeowners, designers, builders and trades-people, the service is provided by Sustainable Wanaka and funded and supported by the QLDC, BRANZ MfE and EECA.

Eco Design Advisors Ella and Christina can provide tailored advice on insulation, energy efficiency, water conservation, sustainable building materials and passive solar design. Building or renovating plans can be reviewed at any stage of development.

To make an appointment and take advantage of this great free service contact Ella in Wanaka on Office 03 443 5057, mob 021 031 4258, email ella@seedbuilding.co.nz or Christina on mob 027 583 7444, email Christina@seedbuilding.co.nz

Water conservation tips and rainwater collection

Rainwater Harvesting

Installing a rainwater tank is a great way of reducing your mains water consumption. For every millimeter of rainwater that falls, you will collect approximately 1 liter of water for every square metre of roof area.

Management

Most rainwater management systems provide a hassle-free way of integrating rainwater into your home for use in the laundry and for flushing toilets. By using sensor and smart switches, they can switch automatically between mains and rainwater supply depending on the level of the rainwater tank. Water pressure required by washing machines and irrigation systems is provided by a pump.

Maintenance

Maintenance of the rainwater harvesting system is essential as rainwater is easily contaminated by debris. Ensure that gutters and free from leaves and animal waste so that sludge does not build up in the tank, which could result in clogged filters, pipes and pumps. Filters and diverters are the key mechanism for keeping the tank clean. You will need to ensure that your roof surface is suitable for collecting rainwater to avoid contaminants such as lead entering the system.

Garden irrigation

Today it is more important than ever to use water resources wisely and to irrigate wisely, even with three great lakes on our doorstep! Drip irrigation from a rainwater source provides you with a very efficient method of irrigation as water is applied to the root zone which eliminates over spray and evaporation. Drip irrigation can be in the form of drip line or individual drippers per plant.

Greywater and blackwater recycling

Greywater recycling

Most homes produce around 100-200 litres of greywater per person per day. Greywater recycling systems divert wastewater from the showers, bathroom sink and laundry for use in the garden or can be treated and used in the home. Greywater is mildly polluted with soaps and detergents and can contain levels of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. These minerals are generally considered beneficial to plants. Use garden friendly products, soaps and detergents to ensure that the correct mineral levels are maintained.

Most greywater recycling systems come with smart switches, which enable you to switch off and on a greywater source and allows you to divert harmful contaminants from your garden irrigation system.

Tips for managing greywater systems

• Use liquid detergents rather than powders; most powders are very high in sodium and salts, which can injure plants
• Avoid cleaning products with boron, which can be toxic to plants
• Avoid use of chlorine bleach
• Avoid caustic drain cleaners and other chemicals with unknown effect on plants
• Landscape the greywater irrigation field with plants that are tolerant of alkaline (basic) soil; acid-loving plants should be avoided.
• When cloth nappies are being washed in a washing machine, the drain should be disconnected from the greywater system
• If highly contagious illnesses are present, the greywater system should be switched off, and all wastewater should be disposed of using the conventional system
• Greywater should not be used for irrigating vegetable gardens

Black water and water conservation tips

Black water and worm septic tanks

Black water is wastewater from the kitchen sink, toilet and dishwasher and can be treaded onsite. Worm septic tanks require no chemicals to treat the water onsite as opposed to regular septic tanks that use chemicals to breakdown waste.

A composting toilet is a dry or waterless toilet that uses natural processes produce useful compost, after a resting period, which depends on the type of the toilet. Composting is a form of biological decomposition that takes place in a controlled environment, the four key requirements needed to maintain this environment are oxygen, carbon, nitrogen and moisture. Composting toilets are odourless and can reduce indoor water use by 20-30%.

Water conservation tips

• Use a shower timer to cut down on water usage
• Switch off the tap when brushing your teeth
• Have baths instead of showers. Baths use up 100 liters of water each time you have one.
• Fix leaking taps
• Install low flow shower heads and aerators on taps. By installing a low flow shower head you could save up to 20,000 liters of water per person each year.
• Rinse your dishes in a sink of water, not under a running tap, and use your dish washer on the eco cycle and only when full
• Front loading wash machines use less energy and water than top loading machines
• To check if your toilet has a leak, put a little food dye in the cistern. Wail 15 mins (don’t flush) and check the water in the bowl. If the colour appears in the bowl the cistern needs repairing.
• Install a rain garden
• Garden to the climate, reduce areas of green grass that require lots of water
• Opt for more robust types of grass that require less water
• Specify water-efficient appliances. Ask the manufacturer for details on how much water each appliance uses, check the appliances water star rating The difference between a 4-star and a 1-star could be more than 10,000 litres per year. WELS database www.waterrating.gov.au/publications/wels-brochure.html

• Avoid specifying in-sink waste disposal units. These require a lot of water to operate, and they overload sewage treatment plants or in-ground septic systems with organic matter. Design and install customized organic waste disposal receptacles instead.

Natural Anti Aging Secrets

ANTI AGING SECRETS

Health In Harmony provide some natural anti-aging secrets to staying young. It seems once you hit the age of 30 you start noticing the stream of anti-aging breakthroughs. There are so many different lotions and potions to use to magically wipe away those wrinkles. There
may not be one pill, or a magic wand, however, there are a number of ways to live a healthy youthful lifestyle, increase your immune system and get your organs functioning more effectively.

1. The first and best of the antiaging solutions is yourself! Change your attitude, change your real age. Forget that date on the birth certificate. Expect to slow down, break down, run down and you possibly will. Expect to stay young and gorgeous and you probably will! If you know about the Okinawans in Japan they are living proof. The Okinawans shows us living a healthy lifestyle will not only help us live longer, but will also help us live disease-free. Lifestyle changes can add healthy years to your life, making you feel better now and when you are 110.
2. Reduce the Free Radicals in your body. A simple way is to eat fewer calories. Eating until you are only 80 percent full called “Hara Hachi Bu”. Less calories mean fewer free radicals created in the digestive process. Fewer free radicals mean better cardiovascular health and less risk of cancer and other chronic illnesses.
3. Be a Sage and Take Sage. It is useful for improving the memory and reducing anxiety. It helps alleviate mental confusion, and can lift depression.
4. Meditation makes you feel fabulous. The best meditation is the one that works for you.
5. Toast to Your Health? So if there was one pill out there; Reservatrol is the word! Found in red wine however you would need to drink too many to gain the real benefits. Red wine can improve digestion, promote relaxation and helps foster a good mood. Further red wine health benefits is wine’s ability to increase the body’s absorption of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc. The skin of the grape which goes into the process of the red wine contains over 400 health-promoting substances like, phenols, flavonoids, bioflavonoid, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and polyphenols like quercetin and resveratrol, The antibody the grapes produce repair cells, reduce inflammation, and act as antioxidants in reversing the aging process.
6. Look 5-15 Years Younger. An acupuncture facial is a rejuvenation process designed to help the whole body look and feel younger.
7. Tea for Three. You may have heard green and black tea is full of antioxidants with black tea being particularly high levels of flavonoids. The health effects of flavonoids have been intensively investigated for the last ten years. It has been proposed that they protect against damage in blood vessels, thus decreasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. In addition, they maybe a role in cancer prevention and enhancement of the immune system of the body. Dip you tea bag for 3 minutes in order for it to let loose all those great antioxidants to help fight off those free radicals.
8. Simplify Your Life. Simplifying is another of the wonderful and natural antiaging solutions. Stress ages. You may be juggling too many tasks and responsibilities. Simplify, and then simplify again.
9. Tune into Your Radio. You know what is best for you and when. You know when to eat, what to eat. You know when to rest, when to play. You’ve just got to tune in your radio again, and ignore some of that interference! The best womens natural health remedy is to live in tune with nature and your body type. It just takes a few simple lifestyle changes.
10. More Sex Hormones. High levels of testosterone help maintain muscle mass. Estrogen is thought to protect against osteoporosis and heart disease. DHEA is known to decrease with age, some researchers use DHEA level as a marker how rapidly someone is aging. Diet and continual physical activity are thought to explain why these hormones can remain high.

November Breathing Bonus

Breathing Towards a Life of Happiness and Abundance

By Rosie Cox, Wanaka Yoga Teacher

When we live by the Law of Giving and Receiving it invokes the abundance of energies in the universe to circulate and lead life in an abundant and happy balance. This of course is not always so easy in our everyday lives and it is important to be grateful for all that is good in your life.

You don’t have to work for happiness. It’s already here to be experienced in every moment. However practice of such a meditation can help to rediscover your natural connection with joy.

Please enjoy this meditation and use the following practice to teach your mind and body to experience joy in the moment. As you invite happiness into your life in this way, you will have more access to a joyful life.

It is the old saying of the more you practice the better you become the same works with meditation and invoking states of well-being, allowing them to become more readily available.

Get comfortable and close your eyes. Become aware of your breath, become a witness to your breath. After a minute or two gently begin to breathe slowly and deeply. Get a sense of Breathing in relaxation and a sense of ease. Let go of any tension as you exhale. Let the warmth of relaxation flow through your whole body, from the top of your head all the way down to your feet. You may want to keep breathing through this 2 or 3 times until you begin to feel a wave of relaxation flowing through the entire body. Find your own way to the still, quiet center of your being, with your body relaxed, feeling your emtions calm and your mind peaceful and spacious.Think of a time when you experienced great joy and well-being, perhaps when you were in a beautiful place, in your favourite part of nature or with a good friend.

Recall this experience with as much detail as you can. If possible, bring an image of that moment to mind. What was happening? What was the environment like? Were you alone or with others? What sights or sounds can you remember? What were the feelings and sensations you had at that time?  Remember how the experience of well-being or joy felt in your body. Did your body feel light? Energetic? Expansive? What did joy feel like in your mind? Did your mind feel open? Present? Clear?

Take a few moments to let your awareness feel the sensations in your body and the mood in your mind. Let them fully register as you breathe in this feeling of well-being. Relax into it with each exhalation. Sense it absorbing into your whole being. Continue to enjoy the moment and completely relax into it.

Depending on how much time you have or want to spend here you may want to continue for a few more minutes of just breathing these feelings of joy, happiness, contentment and well-being. When you are finished do not forget to give thanks for this moment and the joy within you.

Practice this exercise of well-being regularly each day for at least one week. At times, you may find you can simply invoke and sustain those feelings of well-being without having to re-create the specific memory.

Use this practice whenever you are feeling stuck and want to shift to a more uplifted state of mind, or simply want to open yourself to joy.

Namaste, Rosie

RELEASING ATTACHMENTS, FINDING FREEDOM

LETTING GO RELAXATION TECHNIQUE

Semen Quality Dependant on Antioxidants in Man’s Diet

The facts:

• This study investigated the effects of nutrient intake on sperm quality in Spanish men attending private fertility clinics.
• Thirty men with poor sperm quality and 31 men with normal sperm quality had their dietary habits and nutrient consumption compared.
• Men with normal sperm quality were found to eat a lot more antioxidant nutrients and less protein and fat than men with poor semen quality.

Dr Shaun Holt:

With declining fertility rates, one theory has been that diet may be partly responsible and this small study adds weight to that theory, finding that low antioxidant intake is associated with low reproductive capacity in semen. Spanish researchers working at infertility centres said:

“A healthy diet is not only a good way of avoiding illness, but could also have an impact on improving seminal quality. What we still do not understand is the difference between taking these vitamins naturally and in the form of supplements. In the studies we are going to carry out in the United States (where the consumption of vitamins in tablet form is very common) we will be looking at the role of supplements”

For further information on the study: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.10.075

Author: Dr Shaun Holt is a GP and medical research specialist, he is the Author of Natural Remedies That Really Work: a New Zealand Guide and appears regularly on TVNZ’s Breakfast. Check out www.naturalhealthreview.org for further studies and information.

July Relaxation Techniques

Connect with the quiet at the centre of your energies.

Begin by sitting or lying comfortably. Close your eyes, begin to deepen the breath and allow your body to settle, inviting relaxation. Observe your body as you allow the stillness to settle, only the movement of the breath, the sounds of your breath. Leen softly into your experience and give it your whole attention.

Now begin to ask this question into the space between your muscles, your bones, your ligaments, your cells: What is stillness? Now let your body experience the answer while you simply stay in the stillness of a witness to this experience. Let the body’s response wash into every part of you with a wave of relaxation and quietness. Feeling the relaxation wave wash through every part of your body, from the top of the head all the way down to the souls of the feet. As your body quietens, softens just be the witness to the stillness you gather.

Then notice the space of your awareness and allow it to relax within. Let sounds in the the distance pass you by and dont grasp onto them, keep lettting the quietness gather, the softness of the breath bring calmness to your entire being. Letting go of any sense of attachments to the outside world, letting the stillness dissolve any efforts as you simply relax.

(Once you have stayed in this quiet moment for a period of time) Gently start to notice your physical body again, feeling the sensations arising in the body. Noticing your environment, opening your senses to the sounds surrounding you.

Feeling the movement of your breath in the body, then gently start to bring movement back into the body and wiggle the toes and fingers, if lying down roll over to the right side in a foetal position for a few moments, when you are ready sitting up.

To complete the practice come into a prayer position to give thanks for this quiet time you have given to yourself.

Winter Listening & Reading Pleasures

1. Brainwave Symphony: Relax & Let Go [Digipak] – We all experience many states of consciousness, from ordinary waking and sleeping states to extraordinary states in which we are more at peace, particularly aware, or unusually creative. Each state has a unique pattern of brainwaves that can be mapped and measured. Brainwave Symphony uses inaudible pulses of sound, based on these brain maps, to trigger your brain to produce the state you want to experience.

2. Simple Taoism: A Guide to Living in Balance: – Are you confused about the differences between Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Zen, and Tibetan Buddhism? Then the Simple series, dedicated to demystifying these Eastern philosophies, should be on your must-read list. Each of these popular gift books is an easy and entertaining introduction to the history, teaching, and practices of these fascinating traditions.

3.Living Green: the New Zealand Handbook for an Eco-friendly, Toxin-free, Sustainable Life – Green issues are hot, and they are here to stay. But where can New Zealanders find an authoritative yet neutral voice that is packed with the facts they need to make informed life-changing decisions? Living Green is a ‘bible’ for every New Zealand family: an assiduously researched and effortlessly readable manual that operates on two levels to appeal to all readers.

4.The Elephant and the Twig: The Art of Positive Thinking – In India, young elephants are trained in obedience by being tied to an immovable object like a tree. No matter how hard the baby elephant pulls it cannot break free, and eventually, after trying to break away and being thwarted time and again, it believes that it cannot escape, no matter what it does. This book argues that what ties you down and prevents you from realising your potential is only a ‘twig’.

How Good is Your Immune System?

How many days last year did you spend suffering from flu, coughs, colds, sinusitis, stomach bugs, cystitis or other infections?  If the answer is twelve or more, your immune system is not doing its job and it’s time you did something about it.

Our immune system has two basic jobs:

1. To prevent foreign bodies like bacteria, moulds and viruses from entering the body;
2. and to eliminate foreign bodies that do manage to infiltrate the body.

Sounds simple, but in fact the workings of the immune system are amazingly complex and involve your nervous system, bone marrow, thymus gland, lymph nodes, lymph vessels, blood vessels, circulation, spleen, skin, hair, mucous membranes, saliva, digestive juices, blood vessels, liver and hormones.  In short, your whole body needs to be in harmony for your immune system to function efficiently.

Risks of  Neglecting Your Immune System

It’s common knowledge that a weakened immune system means you’ll get sick more often and take longer to get better.  But there are other less well known problems that occur when your immune system has gone awry.  For instance wounds and injuries will heal more slowly.  This is because the immune system cleans up damaged tissue from injuries.

A weak immune response can allow simple infections to develop into serious conditions.  For example, minor chest infections may trigger asthma attacks, simple bacterial or viral infections can lead to heart disease, diabetes 1 and some varieties of arthritis.  And last, but not least, a good immune system acts to destroy cancer cells.

Allergies are another symptom of immune imbalance, as are autoimmune diseases.

12 Dos & Don’ts of Immune Health System

Obviously, anything as complex as the immune system must be hard to fix when it goes wrong but there are a few simple dos and don’ts that can make a big difference.

• Do get eight hours sleep most nights
• Do eat fresh fruit and vegetables every day
• Do drink about two litres of good quality water every day
• Do take moderate exercise most days
• Do work in an environment where you are appreciated
• Do maintain a warm and dry home
• Do seek help with depression or anxiety
• Don’t continually push yourself when you are tired or fatigued
• Don’t eat mostly sugary, processed or fried foods
• Don’t smoke
• Don’t use marijuana or other ‘recreational’ drugs
• Don’t abuse alcohol

If you feel your immune system needs some serious help, you should consult a professional who will help you find out what you are doing wrong and work out strategies to put it right.  A naturopath may also prescribe herbs and nutrients to put you on the right path.

Author: Louise Cooper is a naturopath who operates Simply Natural Health Care of Queenstown.

For more information call her on 03 442 9137 or visit www.simplynaturalhealth.co.nz

Counting the Cents in an Organised Way

Are you fed up hearing of doom and gloom … of the tough economic climate? Why not turn the thought around and think positive? Positive-thinking is far healthier for the soul. How about starting with how you can save money? Being more organised is one way. But how?

Being organised saves you money and looking after those cents certainly helps the dollars look after themselves. The purchase of a new fridge of say $1200 requires thought, time and investigation but when you go to the supermarket and spend a third of the amount, do you give that task a third thinking time … NO and that’s where the saving can be made. Not so much on the larger outgoings, as we give them more thought, but on the smaller costs – $15 for lunch here and $20 for the trip out there.

We all need help and support to move forward in life and Katy Macpherson from organising solutions company, Kinetica, is able to give just that. Twenty years in the UK corporate world of pharmaceuticals along with an inherent love of organisation, lead Katy to take a new career direction in Professional Organisation, once arriving in New Zealand five years ago.

Here are Kinetica’s top ten organising tips to retain those notes in your wallet:-

1. Plan your week. Now you might be thinking how does that save money? Well think about how many trips you have to make into town – if you diary the date/time to go to town and list all the things needed to be done, you can maximise your time and reduce the petrol costs and have that business meeting whilst you are there. Car pool where you can. Organise rosters for taking children to after-school activities.

2. Plan your meals. Similarly planning what you have to eat over the week means less trips to the supermarket (reducing petrol costs and saving time), less wastage and more economical meals. Put thinking time into your grocery shopping – it’s a huge expense.

3. Check your bills. Careful checking of an invoice can reveal miscalculations and errors. Check your power bill, especially at rate-change times. Or read the meter, because the power company may not, and waiting until the bill eventually arrives may cost you tens of dollars.

4. Use both sides of paper. If you don’t want to print both sides, then tear up into quarters and staple for use as a notepad by the telephone. Use every piece of paper and recycle when done.

5. Think multipurpose. If you need to purchase a new item, think how else it could be used. Be creative with your ideas so you can save space, time and money.

6. Make your own lunch. How much does it cost you to buy that prepared sandwich in the plastic non-recyclable wrapping from the deli? How much healthier and more delicious would lunch be if the sandwich was home-made at a fraction of the cost and the re-useable sectioned lunch box also contained scrummy home-baking (made in the time you saved by planning your week) and yummy fruit (bought at your weekly supermarket trip)? Start tomorrow.

7. On-sell unused goods. Declutter your home and sell all the items you no longer use. Today there are so many outlets online, through local fundraising groups and local businesses. Take every opportunity you can and strike the best deal. Recycle the rest.

8. Make your own gift cards. Re-use cards sent for special occasions and birthdays, Cut out the graphic and spend your winter evenings sticking to blank card. Make sure the size stays within the dimensions of the lowest postal rate!

9. Get creative in the kitchen. Dig out three tins of food that have been in the pantry for too long – and get creative in the kitchen.

10. Use your diary. Your diary is your key to organisation, whether on paper or electronic. Use it for reminders to save you money. For example, order firewood early, send overseas Christmas cards using economic rate and read the power metre on the rate change day.

Now that is all so easy to keep some of those well earned dollars in your wallet – it’s just like a pay rise! Visit the Health in Harmony website for more details.

Kinetica offers bespoke packages to suit clients’ individual organisational needs whether at home or in the office, offering flexibility for everyone’s budget. Free help and support is available outside the organising sessions by monthly email organising tips. Sign up today by visiting www.kinetica.co.nz

To help you keep those dollars in the wallet, Kinetica is offering a 22% discount on a Needs Assessment. A representative will visit your home or office for a one hour organisation assessment. The visit will be followed by an action plan and six weekly telephone calls as you work through the organisation process. All for $140+gst. Offer is valid for August & September 2009 and for Wanaka area residents only. Show this page to qualify for the discount.

Keep counting those cents.

Author:Katy Macpherson runs office and home organising consultancy Kinetica. She’s available to help you get your paper in order with a personalised consultation. Contact Katy today: 03 443 6224, 021 154 5511, katy@kinetica.co.nz or check out www.kinetica.co.nz

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