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

Health in Harmony offer some tips to eating a healthy diet to provide the most beneficial ways of eating during your pregnancy.

To eat well during pregnancy you must do more than simply increase how much you eat. You must also consider what you eat. Although you need about 300 extra calories a day, especially later in your pregnancy, when your baby grows quickly and those calories should come from nutritious foods so they can contribute to your baby’s growth and development.

The extra food you eat shouldn’t just be empty calories — it should provide the nutrients your growing baby needs. For example, calcium helps make and keep bones and teeth strong. While you’re pregnant, you still need calcium for your body, plus extra calcium for your developing baby. Similarly, you require more of all the essential nutrients than you did before you became pregnant.

You’ll also want to be sure that you’re getting good whole grains into your diet. Whole grains help regulate your digestive system and may ease pregnancy related constipation. You can choose from breads, rice, oats, barely, and many other grains. Soak or sprout your grains to make them more easily digestible.

Be sure to eat your veggies with good fats – these help your body to absorb all the vital nutrients fruits and vegetables offer.

A good iron level is important to pregnancy. Try to get good, iron rich foods instead of simply relying on an iron pill. Some women find iron pills are constipating, and they’re not as well absorbed as foods would be.

Making bone broths – stocks – from bones will give you and your baby lots of important minerals. Bone broths also give you gelatin which helps enhance digestion. And they add flavor! Chicken and beef/lamb stocks are very easy to make, and creating soups from them is also very easy.

Fats are good for you – traditional fats. Avoid the old “industrial fats and oils” such as corn oil, soybean oil and shortening. Use lard and tallow from pigs eating a clean diet (pig diet varies by farm) or cows eating grass. Use olive oil, coconut oil, and palm oil. Use butter. Eat your veggies with butter. Cod liver oil has been shown beneficial during pregnancy and lactation. Traditional fats are vital for your body and for your baby. It is fat that builds your baby’s brain. To skimp on fat is to deprive your child nourishment he or she vitally needs for brain development.

Leafy green vegetables and deep orange produce are especially important. These help regulate your digestive system and provide rich antioxidants from a natural, food based source. In addition, fresh produce can provide folic acid – a nutrient vitally important to your growing baby. Be sure leafy greens are cooked as they can be hard to digest raw.

Food based iron sources are egg yolks, meats, molasses, and raisins. Enjoying a vitamin C rich food with your iron rich food is a great idea. The vitamin C boosts the absorption of iron in your blood. Have your eggs with a glass of OJ at breakfast!Another simple way to get iron is to cook using a cast iron pan. This will give you trace amounts of iron.

An excellent pregnancy diet is the cornerstone to having a healthy baby. It is totally under your control and it is totally your responsibility, but remember have a treat once in awhile as it is all about balance.

Most importantly, stay happy and positive, take the time out to do things you enjoy to stay calm such as soaking in a bath or a special pregnancy massage.

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.

Save Time and Your Sanity with These Best Ever Eco-friendly Ideas

By Stefanie Gabrych Fraser

Reuse, recycle, and repurpose is the mantra for these really simple gift and decorating ideas.

You’ll find that the best materials for a green Christmas can be found right at home. So, instead of one more fly-by at the mall, make gift-giving more personal by spending a day at home with the kids giggling and crafting your own special gifts.

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.

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

KEEP WATCHING THIS SPACE FOR MORE DETAILED INFO.

In the midst of all the doom and gloom and economic downturn it’s about time someone had the courage to help you focus on some good news for a change! Regardless of economical conditions there is always an untapped 35% to 60% growth potential for any business. Learn to make the most of this and you will beat the recession.

Eric Billoud & health in harmony

invite you to join us at the healthy business marketing seminar of the year!

And for 3 more hot topics on what’s essential for business to grow:

Dan Roberts from Queenstown’s largest web design and marketing company, Xebidy Social Web Design.

Amanda Mortimer from Your Life Live it, Your Business, Build It’. She shares some NLP ways to build your business

Sustainable Wanaka

Learn how to make your “Business Day More Sustainable”

If you attend one seminar this year this is it!

This Workshop, valued at $295.00 is brought to you for $147 because it is a first in Queenstown, so this is your sneak preview!

When: Wednesday the 7^th October 2009

Where: The Millennium Hotel From 9am to 4pm (tea, coffee juice provided)

BOOK before the 20^th of September 09 and receive a 2h one on one session with Eric on how to create any marketing piece that brings in the sales (value $495.00)

Our Guarantee: Your investment is $147 only. If you are not satisfied with the contents of the seminar we will give you your money back, no questions asked!

Note: This seminar will fill up, so make sure you secure your spot NOW

To book in contact

Eric Billoud

eric@earth-fit.com

021 711952

Rosie Cox

rosie@healthinharmony.co.nz

027 454 9554

The change in season and the nagging allergies can adversely affect your emotions too. Even a few minutes of yoga, will help strengthen and calm your mind. No more allergy, asthma, blocked sinus, and stress. Follow the routine given below and see the difference this season.

Asanas (Postures)

1) Fish Posture: Lie flat on your back with your legs bent. Raise your hips and place your hands under them, palms facing the floor. Now, straighten your legs, arch your back and rest the top of your head on the floor. Come out of the pose by bringing your arms out and resting them by your side while resting the nape of your neck on the floor.

Benefits: Encourages deep breathing and exercises the chest muscles. Provides immediate relief from wheezing, asthmatic symptoms, and other respiratory ailments.

2) Two Leg Lock: Lie flat on your back. Bend your legs at the knee and bring them towards your chest. Clasp your fingers around your bent legs. Breathing out, bring your face towards your knees. Breathe naturally while holding the position. Breathe in when resting your neck.

Benefits: Massages and tones the neck, upper-back, and shoulders, while releasing upper body tension. Brings mental relaxation.

3) Cobra: Lie on your stomach, with your palms resting below your shoulders and your chin resting on the floor. Breathing in, straighten your arms and lift your trunk. Breathe naturally in the position. Breathing out, lower you trunk and head.

Benefits: Encourages deep respiration, which in turn strengthens lungs and heart. Stretches spine, arms, neck, shoulders, chest, abdominal muscles, and hips.

4) Mountain Posture: Sit on your heals with your toes bent. Bend forward, resting your palms on the floor. Raise your torso while straightening your arms and legs to form and up-side-down V. Breathe normally. Do not bend your legs at the knee.

Benefits: Energizing stretch for the entire body, including feet, ankles, hamstrings, spine, arms, and wrist joints. Increases circulation to the brain, relieving mental fatigue.

5) Bowing Posture: Sit on your heels. While breathing out, lift your hips and rest the top of your head on the floor. Rest your arms at your side. Breathe naturally in the position. Breathing in, come up and relax.

Benefits: Effectively relieves sinus congestion. Improves, concentration, memory, and eyesight, complexion, and will power.

–

Why Most Ads, Sales Letters, Flyers and Websites Don’t Turn a Profit, And What You Can Do About It!

New Zealand Business Growth Specialist and Copywriting Expert Eric Billoud is About to Pull Back the Curtains On The Strategies That Only His High Fee Paying Clients Have Access To

Would you like to know the secrets that no one else (including your competitors and 90% of advertising agencies) will ever know, and even less of them will use! Secrets like…

• The 7 ways to write a headline that will guarantee 80% of the success of your ad
• The 12 most powerful words in the English Language and how to use them to tickle the emotions of your prospects and give your ads that “je ne sais quoi” that makes your clients buy
• The 7 deadly sins of marketing and how they affect your business
• How a simple ‘7 minute change’ change to your ad can drastically boost results (get this part right, and you’re 80% of the way there)
• The 2 fatal mistakes amateurs make when putting together an advertising campaign
• The single most powerful secret (less than 5% of business owners follow) behind long term advertising success

You will walk away with a check list that will never leave you blank in front of your sheet of paper. You will have peace of mind that you know exactly what to do to distinguish your business from your competitors and leave them in the dust You will know exactly what to look for and problems to avoid when you receive advice that can water down or destroy the effectiveness of your ads.

This Workshop, valued at $295.00 is brought to you absolutely FREE courtesy of Health in Harmony.

There are only 27 seats available and the workshop will fill up, so make sure you secure your attendance by emailing rosie@healthinharmony.co.nz

Queenstown 29th July 10am – 1pm

For full details of the workshop please contact:

Eric Billoud

Breakthrough Business Systems

021 711952

eric@earth-fit.com

P.S. Register NOW and automatically receive the ebook “78 low and no cost ways to add $17,000 to your small business profits” (value $75.00)