NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES

This exciting article is in the Daily Mail today so I had to draw attention to it. Finally some evidence to add to what us Mediums have been proving for years that LIFE DOESN'T END WITH PHYSICAL DEATH

Near-death experiences occur when the soul leaves the nervous system and enters the universe, claim two quantum physics experts

• Ground-breaking theory holds that quantum substances form the soul
• They are part of the fundamental structure of the universe 

Life after death: Dr Stuart Hameroff, Professor Emeritus at the University of Arizona, advanced the theory on a television documentary

A near-death experience happens when quantum substances which form the soul leave the nervous system and enter the universe at large, according to a remarkable theory proposed by two eminent scientists.
According to this idea, consciousness is a program for a quantum computer in the brain which can persist in the universe even after death, explaining the perceptions of those who have near-death experiences.
Dr Stuart Hameroff, Professor Emeritus at the Departments of Anesthesiology and Psychology and the Director of the Centre of Consciousness Studies at the University of Arizona, has advanced the quasi-religious theory.
It is based on a quantum theory of consciousness he and British physicist Sir Roger Penrose have developed which holds that the essence of our soul is contained inside structures called microtubules within brain cells.
They have argued that our experience of consciousness is the result of quantum gravity effects in these microtubules, a theory which they dubbed orchestrated objective reduction (Orch-OR).
Thus it is held that our souls are more than the interaction of neurons in the brain. They are in fact constructed from the very fabric of the universe - and may have existed since the beginning of time.

The concept is similar to the Buddhist and Hindu belief that consciousness is an integral part of the universe - and indeed that it is really all there may be, a position similar to Western philosophical idealism.
With these beliefs, Dr Hameroff holds that in a near-death experience the microtubules lose their quantum state, but the information within them is not destroyed. Instead it merely leaves the body and returns to the cosmos.

Shocked back to life: The theory holds that when patients have a near death experience their quantum soul is released from the body and re-enters the cosmos, before returning when they are revived

Dr Hameroff told the Science Channel's Through the Wormhole documentary: 'Let's say the heart stops beating, the blood stops flowing, the microtubules lose their quantum state.
'The quantum information within the microtubules is not destroyed, it can't be destroyed, it just distributes and dissipates to the universe at large.
'If the patient is resuscitated, revived, this quantum information can go back into the microtubules and the patient says "I had a near death experience".'
He adds: 'If they're not revived, and the patient dies, it's possible that this quantum information can exist outside the body, perhaps indefinitely, as a soul.'

Evidence: Dr Hameroff believes new findings about the role quantum physics plays in biological processes, such as the navigation of birds, will one day prove his theory

The Orch-OR theory has come in for heavy criticism by more empirically minded thinkers and remains controversial among the scientific community.
MIT physicist Max Tegmark is just one of the many scientists to have challenged it, in a 2000 paper that is widely cited by opponents, the Huffington Post reports.
Nevertheless, Dr Hameroff believes that research in to quantum physics is beginning to validate Orch-Or, with quantum effects recently being shown to support many important biological processes, such as smell, bird navigation and photosynthesis.

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HOW TO ACTIVATE BROWN FAT AND LOOSE WEIGHT

An interesting article in the Daily Mail and worthy of a try.

Why leaving the heating off and avoiding the gym could help you lose weight

Five years ago brown fat was 'rediscovered' in adults

By plunging my hand into a bucket of cold tap water, I am about to find out how effective my body is at burning calories.
What seems a rudimentary experiment is, in fact, the basis of a groundbreaking study into the effects of brown — or ‘good’ — fat.
We’re all born with brown fat around our shoulder blades: it plays an important role in maintaining our body temperature as babies, by burning up calories and fat reserves to keep us warm.
Unfortunately, scientists have long thought that brown fat disappears in infancy once its physiological uses have been exhausted.
Then five years ago, brown fat was ‘rediscovered’ in adults, when researchers carrying out scans on adult patients in the winter months noticed areas of fat that seemed to be turned on by the cold weather.
Their scans detected a few ounces of brown fat in the upper back, on the side of the neck, in the dip between the collarbone and the shoulder, and along the spine.
Since then, brown fat has become a rapidly growing area of interest among researchers who believe it could hold a vital key to weight problems.
Within just five years their understanding of it has advanced significantly.
It’s now thought, for instance, that not just the cold, but certain foods can activate it. So, too, can exercise.
So what is brown fat?
Unlike the more familiar, yellowish-white body fat you pile on if you eat too many calories, brown fat — apparently the colour of chocolate — does the opposite, burning excess energy to generate heat and maintain the body’s core temperature.
When ‘switched on’ it is said to produce around 300 times more heat than any other organ in the body.


Because of their higher total body fat, women are known to have proportionately more brown fat than men and it is more detectable in lean people than obese (researchers think this could be because excess white fat stifles the effects of brown fat, or the obese become overweight because their brown fat is inefficient anyway).
There is little doubt about the excitement being generated by the discovery of brown fat.
As one of the lead researchers, Professor Michael Symonds, says: ‘We are on the threshold of what could prove really significant advances in obesity research.’
And what’s so intriguing is that possible treatments could be extremely low-tech.
It’s now established that exposure to cold spurs brown fat into action in some people — could this simple principle be used to tackle obesity?
To answer this, scientists at the University of Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre are using thermal imaging techniques — and a bucket of cold water — to assess changes in brown fat in adult recruits, and see how it affects their weight.

To activate your brown fat: Turn the heating off or down in the car, the office and at home

Professor Symonds, who is leading the study, has agreed to let me see the research for myself, and I’m going to have my own levels of brown fat measured — and tested to see if it’s working.
Before my brown fat can be assessed, Dr Lindsay Elvidge, a children’s doctor who is helping Professor Symonds, measures the thickness of the skin at the top of my shoulders using ultrasound — some studies have shown the thicker the skin here, the less active the brown fat beneath.
My skin thickness is average.
The temperature of my brown fat is then measured using a thermal scan. I’m asked to sit in a comfortable position for ten minutes (without moving to ensure my temperature fluctuates as little as possible) before placing my hand in the bucket of water.
At 20c, it is chilly but not freezing. After five minutes of submersion, my hand is turning numb — I can feel it and Dr Elvidge says it’s also being picked up by the thermal imaging camera hidden behind a screen, which is showing my hand as a startling blue.
She says the cameras are displaying a distinct increase in red areas around my lower neck — a sign that my brown fat stores are reacting in the way they should, producing heat and burning calories to keep me warm.
Is my brown fat reaction what they would expect?
Yes, says Professor Symonds, adding that in the overweight the patterns are different.
‘We are finding that the brown fat in overweight or obese children and adults is not activated in the same way,’ he says.
‘The million dollar question is why this happens. Nobody knows whether it is just less active, or if there is less of it.’
In a study published in the Journal of Pediatrics in June, Professor Symonds used thermal imaging to show the neck region in healthy children produces heat.
‘There is only about 50g of brown fat in the neck region of children and it switches on and off throughout the day as it’s exposed to different temperatures or if you exercise or eat,’ he says.
But this effect is less well-defined in adolescents and adults.
‘We do know that you have less brown fat as you get older and that ties in with the other metabolic changes that occur with age,’ says Professor Symonds.
‘We also think there might be subtle changes in brown fat that occur around puberty.’
What he and his team hope to find in their current trial is whether factors such as cool temperatures can be used to manipulate brown fat action, thereby preventing excess weight gain.
‘The more we know about how it works and what switches it on, the better,’ he says. ‘Certain foods, including milk, seem to have a positive thermogenic, or warming effect, on brown fat that triggers it into action.’
In theory, consuming cold, slush puppy-type drinks may be useful, particularly when combined with exercise, he explains.
Equally, hot drinks and a high consumption of high-fat foods are probably not great brown fat triggers.
Several studies, including one at the Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, have proposed that eating chilli peppers might help — they contain a compound, capsaicin, which seems to trick the brain into thinking it is cold, coaxing brown fat into burning a few more calories than normal.
With diet the next area to be studied in this emerging field of science, we could one day see the benefit on supermarket shelves.
‘We could add a heat index to food labels to show whether that product would increase or decrease heat production within brown fat,’ says Professor Symonds.
‘We could inform people whether the foods they select would speed up or slow down the number of calories they burn.’
There is also the potential for the development of drugs that prompt brown fat into action.

Avoid the gym. Take a walk, go for a cycle or just skip outdoors on a cold day

Already, some scientists are investigating ways in which stubborn white fat could be given some of the beneficial characteristics of energy-burning brown fat.
In one study, published in the journal Cell in August, researchers at Columbia University medical school managed to ‘brown’ white fat with the use of a class of drugs called thiazolidinediones (TZDs), sometimes used to lower blood sugar in type 2 diabetes.
‘Turning white fat into brown fat is an appealing therapeutic approach to staunching the obesity epidemic,’ says lead researcher Professor Domenico Accili. ‘But so far it has been difficult to do so in a safe and effective way.’
This is because these drugs are linked to risky side-effects including liver toxicity and bone loss.
However, Professor Accili concluded ‘TZDs may not be so bad — if you can find a way to tweak their activity’ and they may help to prevent both type 2 diabetes and heart disease in addition to weight problems.
A simpler way to convert white fat into a calorie-burning form of fat could be through exercise. In the flurry of research into the area, scientists have discovered another type of brown fat — initially they spotted it in mice, but now they’ve found it in humans.
Dubbed ‘beige fat’ because of its lighter colour, it is often interspersed in the white fat, and occurs in pea-size deposits rather than in large masses.
Writing in the journal Nature earlier this year, Bruce Spiegelman, a professor of cell biology and medicine at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the U.S., revealed that in mice studies, exercise appears to temporarily turn white fat into beige fat — this burns calories, although not as effectively as brown fat.
The mouse muscle cells released a newly discovered hormone, irisin, that enabled their bodies to make beige fat from white.
As humans also have irisin that’s identical to mouse irisin, the same could be true in people who exercise.
‘What I would guess is that this is likely to be the explanation for some of the weight-loss effects of exercise,’ Professor Spiegelman says.
In other words, beige fat could be partly responsible for the so-called ‘after-burn’ of calories following a workout.
There is something I am keen to ask him. Every winter I lose half a stone in weight without trying and despite my activity levels and diet remaining unchanged. I literally feel myself ‘shrinking’ when the first cold snap of autumn arrives.
And, like many women, I suffer from Raynaud’s, the circulatory problem that leaves my fingers numb and invariably means I am constantly shifting about to try to stay warm.
Could all of this be sending my brown fat levels into overdrive?
Yes, he says, and is probably the reason my weight has remained stable within half a stone for the past eight years.
The fact I’ve done all my exercise — I run five or six times a week — outdoors, come rain or shine, has also helped to keep my brown fat activated.
And I can see the results myself from his test — the temperature of my brown fat rose 0.15c from its baseline of 34.5c.
It doesn’t sound much, but represents a rapid increase in just five minutes of cold exposure, equating to a 10-15 per cent rise in the number of calories I burn.
The Nottingham study, which will involve 20 adults, will look at the influence of weight, body mass index, food consumption and activity levels on brown fat.
As the results come out in the next couple of years, they could change the way we think about calorie burning.
And if we can activate our brown fat, it could even mean we could eat more without gaining weight.
As Professor Symonds points out: ‘It would turn us into more efficient calorie-gobbling machines.’

HOW TO ACTIVATE YOUR BROWN FAT

• Turn the heating off or down in the car, the office and at home. If you are walking round in a T-shirt in mid-winter, your environment is too warm. ‘Our modern lifestyles are not conducive to brown fat activation,’ says Professor Symonds.

‘Thirty years ago, our houses and offices were not centrally heated. We had maybe one room in a house that was really warm. Many studies have noted a seasonal variation with more brown fat activation in winter months — so the more cold we are exposed to, the better.’
So turn down the heating and put on a jumper if you feel really cold. ‘We need to feel the cold to burn calories,’ he says.

• Add chilli peppers to food — the active ingredient capsaicin has been shown to trigger brown fat into action.

• Avoid the gym. Take a walk, go for a cycle or just skip outdoors on a cold day. If you are really brave, an outdoor swim is guaranteed to get brown fat working. Outdoor exercise of any kind is beneficial.

• Consume dairy products — yoghurt, milk and cheese are thought to be important in activating brown fat. Steer clear of high-fat, sugary carbohydrates and highly processed foods. It is likely they have an adverse impact on brown fat.

• Drink cold water or ice-cold juice. Some studies have shown that cold drinks help to keep the body’s core temperature lower during exercise — the effects might also trigger brown fat into action.

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DOES IT LIVE UP TO THE HYPE?

Now a month ago I blogged about this product (22nd September 2012) 

Anew PRO Line Corrector Treatment with A-F33.

I did say I would let you know how I got on with it, well 4 weeks later I have noted a dramatic improvement on the skin on my neck. After all I am 55 and it was getting a bit crepe like well I have to say not any longer, it's firmer and smoother. As for my face, I can't say I've noticed any difference, but I will keep on using it and report back. Remember though all this product can achieve is an improvement in the Epidermis as its not a medication it CANNOT be absorbed into the Dermis. Since wrinkles begin in the Dermis, it is NOT going to effect an improvement in established wrinkles, the best is can do is plump up the epidermis and stimulate cell turnover in the epidermis, the active ingredient 'Retinol' will help remove dead skin cells revealing fresher cells underneath. 

I will keep you posted but if you have a dry crepe-like neck, it sure will improve that, as for wrinkles, I'm afraid not.

Anew PRO Line Corrector Treatment with A-F33

PREVIOUS BLOG 22ND SEPTEMBER 2012 (4 WEEKS AGO)

The jury is still out on this one as this is the first day I've tried it so I will follow up my findings on this product but its light and disappeared into my skin and doesn't have a greasy feel. I'm lucky to  have been blessed by good genes as I don't have many lines for my age and they are not deep, it helps having an oily skin, though when I was younger I cursed it however it's paying benefits now.

It's claims:

Gel lotion formulation with patented+ A-F33 for Avon's ultimate in fighting fine and deep wrinkles. 30ml. Our fastest wrinkle fighter EVER +U.S. patent All cosmetic product results are achieved with continued use.

I'll let you know if it's claims stand up, it's active ingredient appears to be Retinol.

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HALLELUJAH AT LAST WE HAVE THE EVIDENCE AGAINST THE HYPE

Hallelujah I have been saying this for years, and it's so patently obvious by anyone who has some knowledge of anatomy and physiology and understands the skin and how it works.

FACT the skin is impenetrable to substances including water, else if it was possible if you sat in a bath long enough you'd act like a sponge, the only things that can be absorbed into the skin are MEDICATIONS and ESSENTIAL OILS. The skin is designed to keep substances out to protect your internal body and it does a pretty good job, so you are wasting your money on expensive creams. If cosmetics could do all these claims, they would have to be licensed as Medications.

Prevention is the key to prevent ageing of the skin, a balanced diet, so it has all the nutrients it needs, plenty of water, to prevent dehydration, keep out of strong sunlight as UVA rays CAN penetrate the skin into the dermis and damage collagen and elastin, the support structure of the skin. Don't smoke, it causes vaso constriction (Nicotine) so restricts blood flow to the skin so it doesn't get oxygen and nutrients not to mention all the toxins induced into the body as well.    Don't over indulge on alcohol as it is after all a toxin but it can cause vaso dilation and broken capillaries, likewise, going from hot to cold such as centrally heated homes to cold out doors without a good moisturiser, and having the car's heating blasting in your face when driving. Avoid stress or find a way to cope with it and take time to relax as stress hormones such as adrenaline cause vaso constriction of blood vessels to the skin thus depriving it of nutrients and oxygen and the other stress hormone  cortisol damages collagen and elastin.  And always use a moisturiser with a SPF of at least 12. Lastly don't screw your eyes up nor squint, so use sunglasses in bright sunlight and have your eyes tested regularly, so you can see properly.

If you can manage this I guarantee you will look younger than those who do the above. Prevention is the cure, however it's never too late to start.

Myself this is my favourite moisturiser of all time, and one of the best I've ever come across, and I used to be a college lecturer in beauty therapy and holistic therapies

Aqua Moisture Cream

£1. 99 each

(50ml, £3.98 per 100ml )

Even the most expensive cosmetic creams can't live up to claims that they repair skin from within, study finds

Cosmetic skin creams cannot ‘penetrate’ the skin as claimed by many manufacturers, a study found today.

Many pharmaceutical brands claim that nanoparticles in their products give their creams a ‘deep penetrating action’.

But scientists at the University of Bath found that such claims are 'patently' untrue and that even the tiniest of nanoparticles do not penetrate the skin’s surface. 

Beauty creams that claim to penetrate the skin have been hailed as miracle workers for women of a certain age

Their work suggests that creams are simply deposited into creases in the skin and do not carry nutrients deep under the surface.

Professor Richard Guy, a professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences who led the research, said: 'Previous studies have reached conflicting conclusions over whether nanoparticles can penetrate the skin or not.

'Using confocal microscopy has allowed us to unambiguously visualise and objectively assess what happens to nanoparticles on an uneven skin surface.

'Whereas earlier work has suggested that nanoparticles appear to penetrate the skin, our results indicate that they may in fact have simply been deposited into a deep crease within the skin sample.

'The skin’s role is to act as a barrier to potentially dangerous chemicals and to reduce water loss from the body. Our study shows that it is doing a good job of this.

'So, while an unsuspecting consumer may draw the conclusion that nanoparticles in their skin creams, are ‘carrying’ an active ingredient deep into the skin, our research shows this is patently not the case.'

The research, published in the Journal of Controlled Release, studied particles less than one hundredth of the thickness of a human hair which are used in sunscreens and some cosmetic and pharmaceutical creams.

The scientists used a technique called laser scanning confocal microscopy to examine whether fluorescently-tagged polystyrene beads, ranging in size from 20 to 200 nanometers, were absorbed into the skin.

They found that even when the skin sample had been partially compromised by stripping away layers, the nanoparticles still did not penetrate the skin’s outer layer, known as the stratum corneum.

Professor Guy added: 'We did the study very carefully but not once we were able to determine that that were able to cross the outside layer of the skin which is out protective layer.

'There is no magic associated with particles being able to wriggle across the skin, they are just too big to do that,

'We actually have lots of nanoparticles inside us that don’t get out.'

He said that the research did however help to prove that potentially harmful ingredients, such as those used in sunscreens, can not be absorbed into the body, alleviating fears.

He also suggested that it may be possible to design a new type of nanoparticle-based drug that can be applied to the skin to give a controlled release of a drug over a long period of time.

Professor Richard Guy (left) who led the research at the University of Bath found that the skin actually acts as a barrier against face creams that promise to penetrate the outer layer

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BROKEN HEART SYNDROME

I've always seen how this can happen from a Holistic point of view but research has now shown how in physical terms. In a Holistic point of view we know anything that affects us Spiritually and Emotionally is going to affect us physically eventually if not dealt with. Emotions do affect the heart chakra and from a Holistic point of view, this chakra governs the Thymus gland, the heart and other structures in that area, the Thymus gland is important in our immune system as it produces 'T'lymphocytes, therefore our immune system is compromised.

Article from the Daily Mail Below

Yes, you CAN die of a broken heart - emotional turmoil can narrow the arteries, leading to cardiac arrest 

It has long been claimed that people have died from a broken heart.

Now German researchers say they have identified how emotional trauma - from winning the lottery to losing a close relative - can trigger a potentially lethal catastrophe in the body they call the 'broken heart syndrome.' 

Similar to a stroke or a massive coronary, broken heart syndrome causes the body to pour out adrenaline and other stress hormones. 

Researchers say they have identified how emotional trauma - from winning the lottery to losing a close relative - can trigger a potentially lethal catastrophe in the body they call the 'broken heart syndrome'.

This narrows the coronary arteries and impairs blood circulation. It also stuns the bottom half of the main pumping chamber of the heart, forcing the top portion to work much harder to compensate.

The lack of oxygenated blood reaching the rest of the body — and indeed the heart — causes breathlessness, pain and a loss of consciousness.

The patient can die as a result of cardiac arrest, causing the brain and body to be starved of oxygen.

Victims struggle to breathe, feel weak and have pains in the chest which are typical heart attack symptoms. 

'These patients suffer under a heavy emotional load, either positive or negative and their hearts literally break, explained lead researcher Christoph Nienaber, director of cardiology at the University Clinic of Rostock. 

He recently treated a 78-year-old woman who collapsed with the complaint, despite walkingseveral miles a day and appearing fit and healthy. 

He later discovered she had been involved in an ongoing dispute with her neighbours, causing her considerable stress. 

Professor Nienaber said broken heart syndrome mostly affects women who have gone through the menopause

‘It was believed for a long time that such a banal neighbourhood dispute could not have such an impact,’ said Professor Nienaber. 

‘But the elderly suffering from a stressful situation for months find their resistance is weakened and it can have devastating consequences.' He added the affliction typically affects post-menopausal women between the ages of 50 and 70.

‘We are still unsure why it seems to affect this group the most,' he said. 'One theory is that the female body reacts especially strongly to stress hormones after menopause.’

Current figures suggest that about 2 per cent of the 300,000 'heart attacks' in the UK each year will actually be broken heart syndrome.

Doctors have long known the stress of a bereavement can trigger heart problems — studies have shown the risk of heart attack rises ten-fold in the 48 hours following the death of a loved one.

It’s previously been assumed that the patient already has an unhealthy heart as a result of bad diet or clogged arteries.

But scientists now say that a bereavement can trigger a specific type of heart attack very different from these ‘unhealthy’ heart attacks.

In August, Marcus Ringrose was sitting at his desk responding to letters of condolence about the death of his wife, when he suffered a fatal heart attack. 

Just 12 days earlier the Doctor Who actress Mary Tamm, his beloved wife of 34 years, had died after a lengthy battle with cancer.

It seems the heartbreak of losing her proved too great, said Ms Tamm’s agent: ‘He adored her. If you can die of a broken heart, then that’s what he died of — his heart just gave out.’

Around one in ten patients with broken heart syndrome may have further episodes, but misdiagnosis could have meant they were not followed up and given appropriate advice andmedication.

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ECHINACEA CAN HELP PROTECT AGAINST COLDS

As a firm believer in Holistic medicine, it's nice to see an article in the news such as this. I have used Echinacea myself and I swear by it, but don't take my word for it, read the article below and judge for yourself and lets hope there will be more blind studies into various holistic remedies.

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Largest ever clinical study into echinacea finds herbal remedy CAN protect against colds

The herbal remedy echinacea can prevent colds and is of most benefit to people who are prone to them, according to the largest ever clinical study of the herbal medicine.
Researchers found that taking three daily doses of the common remedy for four months reduced the number of colds.
The duration of the illness suffered by patients also went down by an average of 26 per cent.

Taking three daily doses of the common remedy for four months reduced the number of colds, new research found

According to the results of tests on 750 people, the treatment also cut the number of recurrent colds suffered by those with weak immune systems or a history of catching several bouts each year by 60 per cent.
Several previous studies, including an overview of evidence by the highly respected Cochrane Library, had suggested that echinacea could soothe symptoms and cut colds short, but there was only limited evidence it could prevent the illness from ever taking hold.
The most recent major paper into the therapy, by the American College of Physicians, had found that it did not prevent colds or significantly reduce the length or severity symptoms.


But the new study by experts from the Cardiff University Common Cold Centre suggested that taking Echinaforce, a common form of the herb extract, could not only reduce the risk of colds but reduce the amount of paracetamol patients took while ill.
The research, which was part-funded by A. Vogel, the Swiss manufacturers of Echinaforce, was published in the peer-reviewed journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
It was primarily designed to test the safety of the treatment, and found that it caused no adverse sideeffects in the participants, who were all over the age of 18.

Experts from the Cardiff University Common Cold Centre suggested that taking Echinaforce, a common form of the herb extract, could not only reduce the risk of colds but reduce the amount of paracetamol patients took while ill

The MHRA, the British drugs regulator, warned parents earlier this year that Echinacea should not be given to children under 12 because of the risk of 'severe' allergic reactions including rashes and swelling of the mouth and tongue.
Echinacea is extracted from the Eastern Purple Coneflower, which is found in North America, and has long been used as a herbal remedy for the common cold.
It is purported to work by fighting viruses, which cause up to 95 per cent of all colds and flu, and studies suggest it can also boost weak immune systems if swallowed.
Patients mixed 25 drops of Echinaforce or a placebo with water and held it in their mouths for 10 seconds before swallowing it, three times per day over a four month period.
Those who took the treatment suffered 149 bouts of illness compared with 188 in the placebo group, a difference described by researchers as 'borderline significant', but the total number of days spent with flu was reduced from 850 to 672, a 'highly significant' change.
Recurring infections were cut from 100 episodes in 43 patients to 65 episodes in 28 patients, a difference of 59 per cent, the authors wrote.
Roland Schoop, a medical researcher for Bioforce, the British arm of A. Vogel, and one of the study's authors, told the Daily Telegraph: 'We were actually pretty amazed when we found this 26 per cent difference in cold episodes.'
University of London researcher Dr Margaret Richie, who was not involved in the study, added: 'The clinical trial indicates that echinacea supports low-running immune systems but does not overstimulate well-supported ones.'

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HOW TO CONDUCT AN ARGUMENT CIVILLY

Story below from the Daily Mail. You can conduct an argument in a civilised fashion, if you take time and don't become too emotional, easier said than done however, but it does make sense to count to ten. Think of an argument as a debate, do not launch a tirade of abuse at the other person but state your case why you feel this way and don't go on the defensive. In this way you can reason with one another civilly after all the other person may not have a clue you feel upset and why.

Ten steps to stop an argument unleashing your inner animal

Mention the word 'argument' and images of grimacing faces and finger-jabbing spring to mind. But discussing two differing sets of opinions need not end up this way.

An argument is an art form which, if carried out efficiently, can be a useful way of understanding how people feel, as well as acting as a vehicle by which to make positive changes in a relationship.

Indeed, over the course of my career as a relationship therapist, I have seen countless couples turn negative feelings towards each other into fresh, exciting futures. So, how to proceed?

An argument is an art form which, if carried out efficiently, can be a useful way of understanding how people feel

1. DON'T BE AN ANIMAL

Examine how you are feeling emotionally by checking where you are on a scale of one to ten

Before starting an argument, it is vital you check your internal barometer. 

Examine how you are feeling emotionally by checking where you are on a scale of one to ten – one being serene and ten positively furious.

If you’re above seven-and-a-half, don’t even think about entering into a discussion.

When you become angry, your body displays physical symptoms. 

You will regress into a more animal state because neurons are not fired quickly enough to an area of the brain called the amygdala, which is responsible for processing our emotions.

At this point you are no longer capable of engaging in proper, rational thought and so revert to a primitive ‘fight-or-flight’ mode.

In this state your body is preparing itself to either fight, be it physically or verbally, or run away to seek shelter. 

You will notice physical symptoms such as a faster heartbeat, sweaty palms, a high temperature, feeling tense and sometimes extreme thoughts of violence.

When you feel like this, take some time out to reflect on why you are so angry or upset.

2. TAKE A BREATHER

If taking only a short break, try to breathe slowly and deeply – it helps to signal to your brain that you are not in a dangerous situation. 

Your nervous system will start to behave normally and you will be able to assess your situation more objectively.

3. ARE THINGS REALLY THAT BAD?

Sometimes a simple form of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), a type of psychotherapy, may be of use. 

Note what is making you angry, think about why it makes you angry and then try to assess whether the situation really is as bad as you think it is. Very often it is not.

4. REMEMBER YOUR GOAL

When you finally decide to enter into an argument, make sure you go in with the correct attitude. 

Remember that the goal is to be happy, not to be in the right. You should want to resolve the situation, not just compete or indulge in a pointless fight.

5. MIND YOUR LANGUAGE

Know what the aim of the conflict is – do you want an apology or a change in behaviour, for example? Write it down. 

You will need to be equipped with appropriate language – verbal and physical – to make your desires or grievances clear. 

It can be easy to meander on to other, irrelevant issues in your relationship in the heat of the moment. Try not to as it will confuse the purpose of the argument and slow down any chance of resolution.

6. THE GENTLE TOUCH

It is almost impossible to pretend you are not angry or upset when you are, but try not to hold a defensive posture. 

Aim not to hunch your shoulders, fold your arms or gesticulate too wildly. If possible, try to sit opposite the person you are arguing with and, if it’s your partner or someone you are very close to, perhaps even place your hand on theirs.

Keep reminding yourself that the  purpose of the conflict is for both people to come out of the other side as happy as possible. This will almost undoubtedly mean compromise, and the power of touch hints at this.

7. STOP, LOOK AND LISTEN

More important than talking is listening. You must show the other person that you are willing and able to hear both sides of the story being discussed. 

Indeed, hearing their side might even help contextualise your own feelings, making it easier to understand why you have ended up having a row in the first place.

And when you do start talking, do so with caution. Arguments are not blaming games – that chance you have to vocalise your emotions is not just a cue to hurl abuse at someone.

8. POSITIVE THINKING

Instead of telling someone what they have done wrong and how they have made you feel, centre the discussion on yourself and bring in positive examples of the other person’s behaviour to help convey your point. 

For example, instead of saying ‘You forgot my birthday and you made me feel upset’, try ‘I felt upset when you forgot my birthday because you are usually so thoughtful.’ 

This immediately makes the tone less aggressive, limits the extent of fault placed on that person and makes it easier for them to understand why you’re unhappy.

9. THE FUTURE'S BRIGHT

Try not to fall back on past mistakes or conflicts when expressing the way you feel. 

The chances are that the person you are fighting with will be only too aware of past misdemeanours and  neither they nor you can do anything to change them.

Instead, focus on the here and now, so there can be resolution and reconciliation.

10. THERE’S STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS

It is also crucial to remember that admitting a weakness, or when you have made a mistake, is a definite strength and in many cases is the key to ending a dispute. 

And if all else fails, get help. It can be too easy to enter into what seems to be a never-ending cycle of vicious disagreements.

If you think you need a third party to get involved and help arbitrate conversations, there are therapists available to help you.

harleytherapy.co.uk

Maggie Brown (Author)

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DEPRESSION IN THE WORKPLACE

It really annoys me there is still a stigma to mental illness. Anyone of us could develop this at anytime and it is not all in the mind nor can sufferers pull themselves together. It is no different from Diabetes or Thyrotoxicosis people who suffer Depression are suffering from either an imbalance of neurotransmitters or an inability for their nervous system to uptake them, there is actually a physical cause. Others are more sympathetic to a broken leg etc. because this can be seen, therein lies the problem, mental illness cannot. 

Another cause could possibly be attributed to the weather and lack of sunshine in the long winter months and often referred to as 'Seasonal Affective Disorder' SAD. The sad thing is if workers or anyone could receive support and understanding they would recover quicker. Time the Stigma ended.

British workers 'are the most depressed in Europe' as one in four is diagnosed with the illness

• European survey found 26% of British workers diagnosed with depression
• Britons and Germans took the most time off as a result - 41 days on average

British workers are the most likely to be diagnosed with depression in Europe, a survey has found.

The worrying extent of the illness in the UK was laid bare by the poll that revealed 26 per cent of Britons had received the diagnosis from their GP, compared with 12 per cent of Italians.

Those in the UK also took the most time off as a result of the illness, recording 41 days on average compared with the European mean of 36.

Stigma? One in four of depressed workers surveyed said they didn't tell their employers about their condition for fear of losing their jobs

The study from the European Depression Association, also revealed than one in 10 working people in Europe have taken time off because of the debilitating psychological condition, which is equivalent to 21,000 lost working days. In 2010, depression was estimated to cost the EU £73billion.

Despite the size of the problem, nearly one in three managers reported they had no formal support or resources to deal with employees who have depression, and 43 per cent called for better policies and legislation to protect employees.

THINK YOU MIGHT BE DEPRESSED? 

Below are the more common symptoms associated with depression:

Persistent sadness or low mood. This may be with or without weepiness.

Marked loss of interest or pleasure in activities you normally enjoy.

Disturbed sleep compared with your usual pattern. 

Change in appetite. 

Fatigue (tiredness) or loss of energy.

Agitation or slowing of movements.

Poor concentration or indecisiveness. Even simple tasks can seem difficult.

Feelings of worthlessness, or excessive or inappropriate guilt.

Preoccupation with death and dying.

Visit your GP if you think you might be affected. For more information visit:http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Depression.htm

A quarter of employees with depression said they did not inform their work with many saying they feared it would put their job at risk.

The IDEA survey (Impact of Depression in the Workplace in Europe Audit) polled more than 7,000 people in Europe.

MEP Stephen Hughes said: 'Depression in the workplace is an employment and societal challenge that is causing serious damage and which requires attention and action from the European Union.'

Depression is the biggest mental health challenge among working-age people, affecting one in five people at some point in their lives.

However, the poll revealed there is still poor awareness of common symptoms. While 88 per cent identified low mood or sadness as a sign, just a third knew that forgetfulness could point to depression and around half knew it could affect concentration.

When asked what is needed to support employees with depression in the workplace, managers most often cited more counselling services and better government legislation and policies. 

Dr Vincenzo Costigliola, President of the European Depression Association said 'The results of the IDEA survey show that much needs to be done in raising awareness and supporting employees and employers in recognising and managing depression in the workplace.

'We ask policymakers to consider the impact of depression on the workforce and charge them with addressing depression and workers and workplace safety.'

Full results of the IDEA survey will be published in 2013.

Maggie Brown (Author)

Visit Amazon's Maggie Brown Page

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