Wellbeing
How hawthorn can help your heart and give you c...
Hawthorn berries hang out side by side with rosehips in our native hedgerows in this, our most abundant season. It is time to harvest, preserve and store the berries in their various guises for the winter months ahead. Deeply nourishing for heart and soul, the hawthorn berries physically heal the heart, bringing us courage to face life’s toughest challenges and darkest winters. Description and habitat Full of the fire of Mars energy and heart medicine, this spiky, protective, robust, familiar hedgerow tree is often called May blossom. Its creamy white and pink flowers are out in force in the month of May, lining our roads and waysides and creating spring snowstorms in the wind. Both male and female blossoms are found on the same tree. The fruits create a riot of bright colour on dull winter days. Hawthorn is in the rose family and is distinguishable from the rosehips by...
How hawthorn can help your heart and give you courage
Hawthorn berries hang out side by side with rosehips in our native hedgerows in this, our most abundant season. It is time to harvest, preserve and store the berries in...
A recipe for vitamin C rich rose hip syrup
This tastes lovely drizzled on cakes, porridge, ice-cream and yogurt, in cocktails or with lemonade. Rose hips are berry-like fruit produced by rose plants. You will need 300g-500g rose hips* 600ml water 350g sugar *Rose hips are ripe and ready to pick when they are red and soft to touch but not shrivelled. Most people believe they taste best after the first frost of the year. To make First wash the freshly picked rose hips thoroughly and then chop them roughly into halves or pieces. Next place them in a saucepan with 600ml of water. Bring the water to the boil and then reduce the temperature to a simmer. Stir, and then continue to simmer and stir the mixture for 15 minutes. Now strain the mixture through a sieve or muslin cloth. Rose hips contain tiny hairs which can irritate our skin, so it’s important to strain the mixture properly...
A recipe for vitamin C rich rose hip syrup
This tastes lovely drizzled on cakes, porridge, ice-cream and yogurt, in cocktails or with lemonade. Rose hips are berry-like fruit produced by rose plants. You will need 300g-500g rose hips*...
How to make Venus Rob (elderberry syrup)
One of the best family remedies to help fight off winter colds is elderberry syrup. I have found this to be amazing at the onset of any cold or flu virus. The elderberries encourage the body to eliminate toxins via the skin through promoting sweating. Delicious and efficacious. Venus Rob Harvest the berries, including stalks. Place them in a big pan with a cinnamon stick, a few cloves, a knob of dried ginger or any other spices you fancy, and cover with water. Bring the water to the boil and gently simmer for 20 minutes. Mash the berries until the liquid looks a dark purple. Strain the liquid through muslin. Return it to the pan with 1lb of brown sugar (essential for preserving) per pint of liquid. Gently warm the liquid through again, stirring all the time. When it has started to go syrupy (after another 10-20 minutes), remove it...
How to make Venus Rob (elderberry syrup)
One of the best family remedies to help fight off winter colds is elderberry syrup. I have found this to be amazing at the onset of any cold or flu...
Is female pleasure the last taboo?
“Did she do perineal massage when she was pregnant?” a close friend of my husband’s asked him when heavily pregnant with her first child. He thought for a moment, then said with a knowing laugh, “Yes, lots!” “Oh, good!” she replied. The conversation moved on for a moment. Then returning to the topic, he decided to admit he was slightly less sure of the intricacies of perineal massage. “By massage, you mean wanking, right?” “You said what?” I squealed, outraged and mortified, when he recounted the story to me later in the day. “You told her not only that I actually have masturbated at some stage in my life, but that I was at it all the time when pregnant! Have you no idea of the rules of female engagement? We discuss everything, including you. But we do not discuss the ‘M’ word. Ever!” I have only admitted to masturbation...
Is female pleasure the last taboo?
“Did she do perineal massage when she was pregnant?” a close friend of my husband’s asked him when heavily pregnant with her first child. He thought for a moment, then...
Building community: why the art of connecting w...
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been looking for a sense of belonging my whole life. Even though I had loving parents, I mostly felt like an outsider growing up, on account of always having such opposing views to the rest of my family. I even fantasised that I’d been secretly adopted. My late father (who died in February 2018), used to joke with a wide-eyed grin, that I was always looking for ‘like-minded’ souls. Growing up I’d often find myself deep in conversation with complete strangers, of all ages and walks of life, seeking and searching for others just like me. I imagined one day that I’d walk into an elusive, secret club full of people with whom I’d feel deeply connected on the inside. The fact is, as research professor Brené Brown repeatedly shares in her many talks and books: “We are hardwired to connect with others,...
Building community: why the art of connecting with others is a revolutionary act
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been looking for a sense of belonging my whole life. Even though I had loving parents, I mostly felt like an outsider growing...
Staying safe in the summer sun
Everybody loves the sunshine and Emma Hiwaizi gives us the lowdown on sun protection. Whether you are spending days on the beach, picnicking in the park, berry picking or travelling to far-flung places – the chances are you are enjoying the sun. And why not? Sunny weather makes us feel good and lazy summer days are when childhood memories are forged. Not only is the sun the source of life on this planet, it triggers feelings of wellbeing and revitalisation. Physical exercise, fresh air and sunlight play a crucial role in a healthy lifestyle. Experts advocate a minimum of half an hour in the sun every day. So far so good; but exposure to the sun creates free radicals which damage the skin, causing, at best, premature ageing and at worst, cancer. We all know that too much sun is bad for our skin, but how best to protect ourselves...
Staying safe in the summer sun
Everybody loves the sunshine and Emma Hiwaizi gives us the lowdown on sun protection. Whether you are spending days on the beach, picnicking in the park, berry picking or travelling...
Take a moment for yourself - it's important!
It can be hard as a parent to do anything other than snatch sleep and food in between work and childcare. When something is as important to you as your little one is, it can be difficult to have the time or the mindset to take a moment to yourself. But self-care is important. Self-care is one of this year’s buzzwords, with good reason. And it is equally (if not more) important if you are a parent. So drop the guilt and take a moment to yourself. Take at least five minutes a day to do something that makes you feel a little more ‘you’, even if you have to fit the five minutes in while your child sleeps. Instead of washing up, messaging people back on social media or doing any of the other little jobs, do something that enhances your wellbeing. There are various reasons self-care is important....
Take a moment for yourself - it's important!
It can be hard as a parent to do anything other than snatch sleep and food in between work and childcare. When something is as important to you as your...
Herbal first aid for aches, pains and sprains
As I’m sure you know, physical injuries can happen at any time and don’t always occur in extreme circumstances. Grandpa Mike broke his ankle in the summer, not on one of his outdoor adventures, but on a slippery floor in a house in Italy. We’ve had stiff backs from laptop work and seen achy injuries from karate accidents. Whether sustained while undertaking extreme sports or something more domestic, body injuries can affect your day-to-day life immensely. There are three things we keep on hand for strains and sprains: valerian capsules, turmeric and black pepper capsules, and ache ease balm. Valerian capsules We looked at valerian root for hay fever, but it is also an excellent herb for tense muscles or muscles in spasm after injury. Muscles spasm to protect tissue, but the tension can last long after the injury and cause massive discomfort. Valerian has long been shown to relax...
Herbal first aid for aches, pains and sprains
As I’m sure you know, physical injuries can happen at any time and don’t always occur in extreme circumstances. Grandpa Mike broke his ankle in the summer, not on one...
Natural remedies for the most common parasites
It’s time to get a bit gross! Let’s face it, being a parent can be disgusting at times – late-night puke cleaning, bed-wetting, and the thing we all just quiver at the thought of hearing: the sound of head-scratching or cries of ‘I’ve got an itchy bottom’. Yes, parasites! We are focusing on the most common childhood parasites: head lice and thread worms. Head Lice In brief, the sooner you can catch head lice the better. Ideally, at the first sign of intense itching, which is caused by the injection of a sort of anti-coagulant saliva by the head lice. Lovely thought! They mature at around two weeks old, ready to reproduce. Catching them early is key. Head lice oil 30ml olive oil 10 drops tea tree essential oil Mix the oils together. Patch test first to check for irritation, then run through the hair. Cover with a plastic bag...
Natural remedies for the most common parasites
It’s time to get a bit gross! Let’s face it, being a parent can be disgusting at times – late-night puke cleaning, bed-wetting, and the thing we all just quiver...
