Category Archives: Health

Happy Mammoth Hormone Harmony Review

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Happy Mammoth Hormone Harmony  £54.99 happymammoth.com

I am always wary of supplements even though I tend to be a sucker for them. Sounds like a contradiction? It is, but I won’t put just anything into my body. I had heard of Happy Mammoth and the reviews I have read are brilliant. So I jumped at the chance to review their Hormone Harmony supplement.

I can’t say how impressed I am. I have had three babies and the youngest is two. Losing weight has been hard, especially around my belly. I had an emergency C section and I also have an underachieve thyroid. I exercise as much as I can and try to eat enough protein. I took Happy Mammoth Hormone Harmony for a month and my stomach is flat. It definitely reduced my bloating and fluid retention. While supplements aren’t for everyone this one definitely worked for me. I loved it and I’m considering using it long term. Great stuff.

Contains a blend of plant extracts shown to relieve symptoms of Menopause, decrease symptoms of premenstrual tension, and support reproductive hormones.

  • Reduces bloating and fluid retention in 1 to 3 days
  • Eliminates hot flashes in as little as 4 to 7 days
  • Induces deep, uninterrupted sleep in 5 to 7 days
  • Starts shifting hormonal weight in 15 to 30 days

Quitting Smoking: 3 Ways to Cope with Withdrawal

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Although more people know about the harm of smoking, many people continue to smoke across the world. As estimated in the Journal of Smoking Cessation, around 40% of smokers in England make at least one quit attempt in any given year, with most being unaided. However, in many cases, smoking cessation fails– with some quit attempts lasting less than a day. This high failure rate is primarily due to the addictive nature of smoking, inducing withdrawal when a smoker stops their habits.

Quit smoking Very few smokers can quit without having the urge to smoke. Common withdrawal symptoms include cravings, irritability, appetite changes, constipation, and difficulty concentrating— all of which can negatively affect daily life and make smoking cessation more difficult. However, even if staying smoke-free is hard, it’s not impossible with the right tools and methods. Below are four ways to cope with withdrawal and quit cigarettes for good.

Nicotine replacement therapy


Overcoming your cravings is one of the biggest challenges of a quitting smoker, so there’s nothing wrong with using nicotine cessation products. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) uses products like nasal inhalers, nicotine patches, and nicotine pouches that contain lower dosages of nicotine than cigarettes, allowing you to ease cravings. Nicotine pouches are becoming increasingly popular around the world, with global tobacco companies British American Tobacco and Philip Morris International heavily investing in pouch brands. Online retailer Prilla showcases the different nicotine pouches from ZYN, VELO, On!, and Rogue, with each brand targeting a slightly different market that allows smokers to easily match their nicotine habit to specific pouches. For example, you can choose various flavours and strengths according to your preferences, from the popular cool mint to tobacco-flavoured options.

Another alternative is nicotine gum. NRT maker FertinPharma has a wide selection of products, including chewing gums and tablets. In 2020, the company produced nearly three billion NRT doses that have helped more than 3.2 million people reduce and quit smoking— showcasing the effectiveness of these smoking cessation products.

Seek counselling


Connecting with loved ones can be a great way to get through the struggles of tobacco cravings. But in some cases where a smoker is struggling, it may be more effective to have a counselling specialist. A study from BMC Primary Care compared the effectiveness of counselling between a general practitioner and an intensive counselling group programme. Final results showed that the latter was more effective in boosting quit rates by 5.8 %, especially when done in lieu of pharmacotherapy.

If you struggle with relapse, it’s best to seek counselling on behavioural therapy. Professionals can aid you with strategies to better control your environment and reduce the severity of your withdrawal symptoms. At the same time, they can also offer encouragement and guidance on challenging days, allowing you to better navigate tempting triggers and address them in healthy ways.

Pick up a new hobby


Many people habitually smoke to relax from the hustle and bustle of daily life. But when quitting, withdrawal can easily ruin the mood. It’s necessary to cope with these negative feelings to avoid going into relapse, so it’s important to invest time into new things that replace cigarette use.

One way to replace this bad habit is to take up a healthier and more productive one. Be careful to avoid idle activities that you used to associate with smoking, such as watching television or drinking. Instead, it’s best to take your mind off cravings by being active, such as gardening, solving puzzles, or engaging in exercise. These activities can also help you ease any stress, lessening the temptation to smoke.

All smokers who stop smoking will inevitably face withdrawal symptoms. But by taking the right and healthy methods to overcome these tobacco cravings, smokers are more likely to successfully quit for good. For more lifestyle advice, we have plenty more articles to read at Frost Magazine.

Article written by Corey Holland.

Major new book – Weight Loss for Life, from Johns Hopkins University

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I have had three children and my weight has fluctuated after every one of them. My third is almost one and now I want to lose the weight so I was interested in reading this book. I am glad I did. It is a comprehensive and non-judgemental plan backed by the latest, and best, science. I found it easy to read and follow. I highly recommend it.

Major new book – Weight Loss for Life, from Johns Hopkins University’s Healthful Eating, Activity & Weight Programme

Weight Loss for Life

The Proven Plan for Success

By Lawrence J. Cheskin, MD, And Kimberly A. Gudzune, MD, MPH

This is not a fad diet book. This is the most comprehensive, scientifically based-programme to lose weight and keep it off, with practical details about diet and nutrition, movement and motivation, medications, supplements, surgery, and more.

In Weight Loss for Life, two experts from the Johns Hopkins Healthful Eating, Activity & Weight Programme provide you with all of the information you need on your weight lossjourney. They bring together leading experts in behavioural health, nutrition, exercise, and nursing to help you develop a plan that works best for you—and one that’s not just focused on just restricting calories or certain foods. Anyone struggling with unwanted weight gain or obesity will find this programme to be helpful, compassionate, and clear.

A central feature of the programme is a Personal Plan of Action to help you set up reachable goals, plan your meals, and make time for movement. All the recommendations are customisable based on your personal health and needs. You’ll find interactive features too, with surveys throughout asking you to reflect on your own eating habits as well as barriers to success. And unlike other books Weight Loss for Life covers it all: supplements, prescription medications, med spas, and surgical options. If you struggle, it can help you get back on track. Throughout, testimonials from others who have followed the programme along with hundreds of photographs and drawings will help educate and keep you motivated along your weight loss journey.

Weight Loss for Life is the guide to the science and art of achieving and maintaining a healthful weight.

“This evidence-based, easy-to-understand approach to weight loss provides readers with the appropriate tools they need to be successful long term in reaching their own individualized goals. More comprehensive than other weight loss books on the market, this book is a valuable resource for anyone wanting to lose weight safely and effectively.” – Virginia Quick, PhD, RDN, Rutgers University

Lawrence J. Cheskin, MD, is Adjunct Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Professor and Chair of Nutrition and Food Studies at George Mason University. Kimberly Anne Gudzune, MD, MPH, is Associate Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, where she is the director of Johns Hopkins Healthful Eating, Activity & WeightProgramme.

Hardback, 400 pages, 131 colour photos, 10 colour illus., 9781421441948, £22.00

https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/12203/weight-loss-life

 

Some Common Signs of Bipolar Disorder

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With so many mental health problems plaguing the lives of people these days, it can be difficult to know what to look for in terms of symptoms. Some symptoms are similar across a range of disorders, and with conditions such as bipolar disorder, there are various symptoms that you have to look for. Many of those who suffer from this condition do not realize that they have it, and they do not seek medical intervention or treatment. This can be very risky and can result in a vastly reduced quality of life.

There are all sorts of options that may be considered if you are diagnosed with this disorder, and this includes ketamine bipolar disorder treatment. Of course, before you can receive suitable treatment, you need to first get a diagnosis, and this means seeking advice and support from your healthcare provider. It is also worth familiarizing yourself with some of the common signs of this disorder. We will look at some of the common signs of bipolar disorders in this article.

Some of the Signs to Look For

There are various signs and symptoms to look out for in order to determine whether you or someone you know may be suffering from bipolar disorder. Some of the main ones include:

Episodes of Depression

One of the things you may experience when you have bipolar disorder is episodes of depression, and there are many symptoms that you may experience during these episodes. This includes irritability and sadness, loss of interest in life, lack of energy, feeling worthless, extreme pessimism, feeling delusional, having hallucinations, sleep difficulties, and thoughts of suicide.

Episodes of Mania or Hypomania

The other extreme of bipolar disorder is episodes of mania or even hypomania, and this is where you may experience extreme highs in sharp contrast to the lows your experience during a depressive episode. Some of the symptoms you may experience include speedy talking, agitation, feeling elated, having a lot of energy, feelings of grandeur, illogical thinking, not wanting to sleep or eat, making rash and illogical decisions, and more.

Cycling Episodes

As a sufferer of bipolar disorder, you will experience both highs and lows, although many experience lows more often than highs. Some also find that the episodes of depression and mania cycle rapidly, and this means that you can suddenly go from being extremely low to being extremely high in a very short space of time.

Getting Help and Treatment

The episodes and symptoms that you experience when you have bipolar disorder can make all aspects of your life very difficult to cope with. When you are roller-coasting from extreme lows to extreme highs, everything from maintaining relationships to being able to work can be affected.

This is why it is so important to seek medical advice and support if you feel you may have bipolar, as this means that treatment can then be considered. This can then make a big difference to both the symptoms and your life. 

 

Living with Alzheimers – Trying to fathom a way forward for a ‘good’ visit by Chris Suich

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The-dementia-cafe

An ominous feeling came back to me today. Covid is back in the care home. Not in Bob’s wing but still, it seems to be getting closer. I have heard of so many people with it in our market town. I am being ultra careful. PCRs and lateral flows on visiting. I cannot go back to not seeing Bob again. As an Essential Caregiver I should be OK – even with an outbreak, providing I don’t catch it! At least that information is in the government guidance due to Bob being ‘end of life’.

I heard that some staff who have not been vaccinated (as Nov 21 government  direction) have left and I wonder how this will affect the staff ratio. At least I can help Bob when I’m here so they won’t have to worry about feeding him.  I put on the PPE and walk swiftly to his room. 

Bob is very tired today. He is laid in bed comfy and warm. His head has fallen off his pillow and he is lolling over the raised plastic sides of the special ripple bed. 

I kiss his forehead and tell him I am there. ‘Chris is here and I love you very much’ 

He smiles in his sleep and I am content with that. 

I arranged the things I had brought for him. The can of lemonade, the blackcurrant tart and the chocolate buttons. The iPad is already loaded with the music for the afternoon. Fleetwood Mac and The Beatles are the albums for today. I always show him the LP cover. Sometimes he reads the title and the group. I wonder if he can remember something of the design. These LP covers were so well thumbed by Bob in the 70s and 80s.

I start the music softly even though Bob is asleep because I think he might hear it and wake a little. I am struck by the beauty of the lyrics of Songbird.

Apparently McVeigh wrote it about the self sacrifice of love and about how much love the band members had shared together over many years. I too feel that sentiment  in the quietness of Bob’s almost stark room; an enormity of love for him. For everything we have shared together, a whole lifetime of experiences and good times. I know he is on his final journey and he is leaving me a little more each time.

He tries so hard to get back to me, and I still valiantly try to stir a memory, however faint. His furrowed brow, his look of bewilderment are etched on his face regularly now. He will put his hands to his head and will shout nonsensical words and sometimes pull at his head as though in an insane terrified fever. It must be terrible to try and make sense of something that was once so well known, or have a memory at arm’s length, never to grasp it. It is awful to watch. But he looks very peaceful today. 

Bob a Good Visit

I decide to clean his nails whilst he is asleep as he is sensitive to the slightest touch. He doesn’t resist when he is asleep and the liquid soap and wet ones soon do the job.  

I have decided to chat like I always would even if Bob is asleep or inside himself.  To be normal. To tell him my news and send all the messages from friends and family. I give him a kiss from Joe and a kiss from Eddie, our sons. I tell him I helped out at the sing a long at The Dementia Cafe this week. I tell him they gave me the microphone and I ended up singing at the front. I tell him someone asked me if I was your wife and told me that they had worked with you at Tedder Hall and to give you a hug from them. They said you were a lovely man. But of course I know this! 

After two hours you begin to wake. I sit next to you so that your eyes, when they open, are at my level. ‘ Hello darling it’s Chris and I’ve come to see you’ 

You smile like you know what I’m saying. Well that’s a good start. 

I ask the carers to sit him up as his core strength has gone and he always sleeps on a slant and then gets in an awkward position. The ladies move him onto a pillow and I sit him up on the ripple bed. I put on his glasses and tell him again who I am. He looks vacant and seems to be staring ahead, not really seeing. 

I have a routine and it is familiar to Bob as I do the same thing every visit. 

I tell him I’ve brought him chocolate buttons and he opens his mouth ready for me to put some in. He understood that alright! It gets him in a good mood. 

Then I try to get the drinks down him. He sometimes doesn’t seem to drink much. It takes a long time and patience is needed. I have that. I always see a difference once I get the fluids into him.  I pour the lemonade into a small lipped beaker. It’s a job to make sure I don’t give him too much at a time. Being vigilant I manage two beakers of drink. I try to get 3-4 down him in the 3-4 hrs I stay. He seems to wake a little more. 

‘I’m staying to give you your tea tonight Bob.’ It is mashed potato, carrots, spring greens and meatloaf, all chopped up of course. I have brought in the pudding – blackcurrant tart. I feed Bob with a spoon. He takes a while but today he eats quite well and doesn’t push it back on the spoon. The blackcurrant tart chopped into small pieces is enjoyed but it’s always the puddings that go down well. Recently I’ve taken to making him food from home and he loves that and his mouth opens wide. Pasta and poached salmon are his favourites.

After tea I put on the TV for the 6 pm news. Bob always watched the news. He sometimes says’ Hello’ to the newsreader. But before that it’s Tipping Point which he loves. He likes to see the counters dropping down and he can still read the amounts of money the contestants win. I always give him a commentary of what is happening and he seems to get something positive from it. 

I have learnt that to say ‘I’m going now’ makes him agitated so I now say ‘ I’m going to order you a hot chocolate’. I give him another kiss and leave. He is content.

It has become increasingly difficult to think how to help Bob have a good visit. He is getting so he is unable to respond or understand much nowadays. I have had to come to terms with the fact that perhaps this is a good visit now. This is the best I can expect. 

Occasionally he will say ‘ You’re lovely’ or You’re my best friend’ or if I’m lucky ‘Thank you, I love you’. In some ways that’s harder when he seems to realise, but I’d take those words any day.

Globally, 1 in 4 women have nowhere to manage their periods safely.

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Fempowered is WaterAid’s period subscription box, offering plastic free and 100% organic-certified period products with 100% of profits going to WaterAid projects.

water aid, periods, period poverty,

Fempowered monthly period subscription box: £10 including a £3 donation to WaterAid.

This Menstrual Hygiene Day on 28th May, international charity WaterAid is asking the British public to help transform the lives of women and girls around the world by subscribing to Fempowered, WaterAid’s monthly period subscription box. 

The box costs £10 a month and, with 100% of profits (£3/box) going to WaterAid projects, it provides a unique way for people to get eco-friendly, organic and plastic-free sanitary products delivered to their homes each month, while helping women and girls around the world to manage their periods safely and with dignity.

As a special offer, Fempowered is also offering new subscribers 30% off their first three boxes, using the code IMNEWHERE.

On any given day, 288 million people are menstruating. Yet one in four have no access to a decent toilet, and therefore nowhere safe and private to manage their period. Globally, 37% of schools do not have decent sanitation, meaning nearly 700 million pupils attend a school without a working toilet that locks. As a result, many girls skip school when on their period putting their future goals in jeopardy.

In many places, talking about menstruation is also shrouded in shame and silence. Often, girls don’t know about periods before they start, and many live in fear of rejection from their communities just because they’re bleeding.

Through purchasing WaterAid’s Fempowered bespoke period box, subscribers can support the international charity’s vital work to end this silence and discrimination around periods and help ensure all menstruating women and girls have access to the knowledge, facilities and materials to enable them to manage their periods and feel empowered to lives their lives to the full.

Therese Mahon, Regional South Asia Manager at WaterAid said:

“Globally, one in four women and girls are denied access to a decent toilet and a private space to manage their periods hygienically and with dignity. Menstrual health requires access to female friendly toilets with water and soap available at all times. Without access to these facilities at home, school, work and in public places during their menstruation, girls are at risk of missing school, whilst women can miss out on the chance to earn a decent income. 

“Periods are nothing to be embarrassed about yet there still exists a culture of silence and shame, which means the needs of women and girls are often overlooked, impacting their health and opportunities.

“Through Fempowered’s monthly period box, people can help us tackle stigma and discrimination and ensure those who menstruate can manage their periods with dignity.”

To subscribe and to find out more about Fempowered’s sustainable period products that give back, visit www.fempowered.me.

 

New Launches for ESPA & Christophe Robin

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We are super-excited about two new launches from Christophe Robin and ESPA. First up is Christophe Robin Healthy Glow Duo – RRP: £17.00

This contains minis of Cleansing purifying scrub with sea salt and Hydrating melting mask with aloe vera. The perfect ritual for a healthy scalp and deeply hydrated, shiny hair. A 2-step routine to gently detoxify the scalp and deeply hydrate and illuminate hair. This duo really works wonders. It smells great too. We cannot recommend it enough.

ESPA , Christophe Robin, new launches

Next up is ESPA Herbal Tea Infusion RRP: £15.00
Partnering with the mood-boosting benefits of the aromatherapy products in ESPA’s Signature Blends collection, these handcrafted wellbeing teas with their delicious flavours and beautiful aromatics are companions for modern living. With a choice of 6 blends in total, each infusion expertly blended to create moments throughout your day to pause, reflect, connect and inspire, from when you wake in the morning until you’re ready to turn out the lights at night.

Everything about this herbal tea infusion is perfect: the caddy is stylish and elegant. The tea is delicious and relaxing.  It brings instant joy every single time you use it. Love.

 

Living with Alzheimer’s – I am an Essential Caregiver by Chris Suich

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At last, I’m Bob’s ‘essential care giver’!

It has been a tumultuous battle this year for me and many thousands more up and down the country who have been desperately fighting to see their loved ones in care homes for a year and more. Our loved one’s mental health and well-being have not being considered; the laws that are there to protect the vulnerable have been ignored. I was reading recently that there is a catastrophic hidden cost of Covid because many dementia sufferers have simply given up, refused food, and died because they do not understand why their loved ones have stopped coming to see them. Despair and loneliness the silent killer.
My husband went into care just a week before the first lockdown when there was no vaccine and limited knowledge about how to halt this pandemic’s spread. I understood why I wasn’t allowed in and resorted to waving from the road or at the window with the British spirit of ‘ stiff upper lip’ and put my own agonies aside as this terrible Covid 19 meant we all had sacrifices to make. I was kept away, not able to hold his hands –even outside in the summer when the R rate was low, even though I was willing to wear PPE and do anything else required.  Then he caught Covid inside the home but fought and got better from it. This was devastating and the site was closed – all window visits stopped and I heard nothing for two months until I begged the GP to check on him.

Today we are in a very different position; so it makes no sense why some care homes cannot follow the latest government guidance of April 2021 and allow indoor visits mitigating risk, using lateral flow tests and PPE for all care homes everywhere.

For my part, I have been well supported by the founders of John’s Campaign – Julia Jones and Nicci Gerrard, as well as Leigh and Day solicitors and Rights for Residents founders Diane Mayhew and Jenny Morrison. Their steadfast advice and ability to cut through the legislation to make it clear and understandable has been invaluable. The publicity they have commanded on media, TV and radio raising the profile of care home visiting and the articulate way Jenny spoke to the Harriet Harman  select committee recently has been both humbling and a cause for jubilation. She spoke for me and for everyone.

I did everything I could to try to persuade the manager to let me in. I explained about ‘end of life’ being 6-12 months not just imminent death. The guidance states this and also that visits should be facilitated. But to be brutally honest, it wasn’t until we sought legal advice and sent a letter that a meeting with the Regional manager was organised which resulted in making me an essential care giver. In addition, Joe, our eldest son has been made a  designated visitor when he can get freed up from his shifts in the hospital. There is a very detailed personalised risk assessment. I have PCR test and a  lateral flow with the carers and home staff weekly and another lateral flow test every time I visit. It is a small inconvenience. I can now see my Bob for two whole hours twice a week in his room. I am ecstatic.

Much has changed. He doesn’t ask to hold my hand anymore he’s forgotten how to hold hands. I still hold his though and stroke his hands and face. He doesn’t know who I am anymore but he knows I’m ‘lovely’. He rarely understands but he seems content and searches my face and loves it when I smile. I play him lots of music. The tracks from his youth. The bands he actually booked when he was President of the Entertainment Committee whilst at Sheffield University in the 70s. Our youngest son still in Australia has suggested a playlist.
I try to keep to a routine. He likes a hot chocolate and I feed it to him at 3 pm in a beaker every time I visit. I give him chocolate buttons on his tongue. I always play ‘Oblah  Dee Oblah dah’ and he has started to la la la which I’m thrilled  about. I think he’s happy when I’m there, he chitter chats in a completely non-sensical way but I go along with it all. I’m trying to get a little bit back from him and I’m succeeding. He looks better and is not so agitated. He lets me put his cardigan on without a fight and brush his teeth with a soft brush. He does still call out randomly and hallucinate but generally he’s content. I too am content. I can check he’s clean, his room is kept nice and he’s as healthy as can be expected. The carers are kind and courteous to me. I thank them. They cannot fail to see the bond between us. He’s still there deep inside and he does come back to me a little every visit.
So today I had another visit and it does us both good. I left him wrapped in the memory blanket with the pictures of our family on it.
I am very lucky to have this precious time and I pray that everyone will see their loved ones soon, before it’s too late.