Feelgood 04-03-2011

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Here’slookin’at you

FeelgoodFriday, March 4, 2011

Our expert guide to livinga long and vital life: 8,9

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REACH OUTShared cancer experience helpsteens through dark days: 4, 5

GREAT LIBERATORTampon celebrates 75 yearsof discreet management: 11

FLIP ITReady-made pancakes andbatters feel the heat: 12


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Feelgood

HEALTH NOTES

Kate O’Reilly

WHAT’S ON

www.irishexaminer.com www.irishexaminer.comFeelgoodMag FeelgoodMag www.irishexaminer.com [email protected] Editorial: 021 4802 292 Advertising: 021 4802 215

News front

■ OPEN DAY: Have you ever won-dered about Tai Chi or how Shiatsu canhelp you with health problems? There isa free open day at the Teaching Rooms,6 Sidney Place Wellington Rd tomorrowwhere you can find out more aboutthese and other therapies. Doors open11am and 5pm and donations are beingaccepted for Make-A-Wish Ireland(www.makeawish.ie)

See theteachingroomscork.com formore information or contact Diana Cas-sidy on 021-4872324.

■ FATHERS MEETING: Meeting anadult son or daughter for the first timeis a nerve-wrecking experience for anyparent who placed their child for adop-tion. On March 10 Barnardos will host asupport meeting for birth fathers inDublin.

To book a place, please contact AineO’Leary at 01-4530355 or email [email protected] Free, but donationson the night to cover costs welcome.Barnardos Post Adoption Service is run-ning a four-session course for adoptedadults starting on March 24. Seewww.barnardos.ie for details.

■ WOMEN’S DAY: Dervish in Corn-market St Cork are celebrating the 100thanniversary of International Women’sDay on Tuesday next, with donationsgoing to local women’s charities.Bookings through Dervish at021-4278243.

■ MBS FESTIVAL: The Mind BodySpirit Festival opens today in Cork CityHall (1 to 9pm). It continues tomorrow(10am to 6pm) and Sunday (11am to6pm) and will feature Anna-LouiseHaigh, known as The Soul Whisperer.Free lectures include how to interpretyour dreams by Eilish Kelly on Saturdayat 12.45pm. Aidan Storey on Sunday at12pm. Full details www.mindbodyspir-it.ie.

■ CHERNOBYL FUNDRAISER: April25 this year marks the 25th anniversaryof the Chernobyl nuclear disaster andChernobyl Children’s Project Interna-tional have invited the Rathmines &Rathgar Musical Society to travel to theVeznovo Children’s Mental Asylum inBelarus, to put on a concert for the chil-dren.

There will be a coffee morning tofundraise for the trip on Friday nextfrom 10.30am in Bull McCabes pub, Kin-sale Rd, Cork. To find out more visitwww.mycharity.ie/event/fergalosulli-van_chernobyl_april_2011 or call FergalO’Sullivan on 086-6034974.

■ MAHAYANA METHOD: The Acade-my of Luminaries introduces the Ma-hayana Method by Mahayana IsabelleDugast designed to help people acquirethe tools to transform their experienceof life and achieve success.

Mahayana is giving free talks at theRose Garden Centre, 57 GlendowerCourt, Ballincollig, Co Cork, on Mondayfrom 7.30 to 9.30pm and on Tuesday 7to 8pm at the Teaching Rooms, Welling-ton Road. For more details visit www.ia-gentofchange.com

● Items for inclusion in this column canbe sent to [email protected]

RECIPE BOOK: Udo Erasmus is offering acash prize for would-be chefs in Ireland tosubmit recipe ideas for his new guide.

Udo Erasmus, the creator of Udo’s choiceultimate oil blend, is searching for Irishrecipes to include in his new guide tohealthy eating. The booklet, which will bepublished in 2012, will include at least onerecipe from each county of Ireland and thehealth guru is looking for would-be chefs tosubmit recipe ideas to him and if they arechosen for publication will receive a cashprize. The winner of the healthiest recipewill receive 2,000 and their idea will be in-cluded on the menu of The Cellar Restau-rant in the five-star Merrion Hotel in Dublin.The closing date for submissions is May 31.For more information, visitwww.udoschoice.ie.

A new report has claimed that parents whodose their children with a combination ofibuprofen and paracetamol medicines tocombat a cold or fever could be doing moredamage in the long run. The study, publishedby the American Academy of Paediatrics,found that parents are relying too heavily onover-the-counter drugs and administeringhigher doses than necessary in a bid to maketheir children better quicker. The report ad-vised that medication should only be givenfour times in 24 hours as excessive dosagecould lead to rare side effects such as asthma,stomach ulcers and even kidney problems.

Education has long been seen as the key tosuccess, but if a new report is to believed it

is also the key to longevity. The Blood Pres-sure Association has revealed that peoplewho attend college are likely to have lowerblood pressure than those who leave schoolin their teens. The American research teamtracked a group 4,000 men and womenfrom across the social spectrum for over 30

years and discovered that those with ahigher education had lower blood pres-sure and were less likely to smoke or beoverweight.

Everyone knows that too much salt is notgood for your health, but experts in Aus-tralia have discovered that blood flow in thebody’s main arteries are seriously reducedwithin 30 minutes of eating a salt-ladenmeal. These findings — published in theAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition —were concluded after participants consumedmeals containing 4g of salt, but the averageevening meal can contain up to 8.6g.Over-consumption of salt has been linkedto heart attacks, kidney disease, strokes,cancer and osteoporosis.

Diabetics are being urged to take bettercare of their feet to prevent long-termcomplications. In a global consensus pub-lished in Diabetic Medicine, sufferers arebeing advised to undertake a basicfoot-care regime as they are prone to ul-ceration and circulation problems whichcan, in extreme cases, lead to amputation.Basic foot care includes: washing and dry-ing the feet well, moisturising and check-ing regularly for abnormalities. For moreinformation on this condition, visitwww.diabetes.ie.

Arlene Harris

A new initiative by the Oesophageal Cancer Fund aims toreduce the rate of risk, Helen O’Callaghan reports

I feel fit nowBETTERCONDITION:After sufferingoesophagealcancer at theage of 29, ChrisHogg is now ingood health.Picture: NickBradshaw

WHEN dad of one ChrisHogg began to experiencedifficulty swallowing, his

wife insisted he see his GP. The then29-year-old was diagnosed with oe-sophageal cancer in May 2009.“I had half of my oesophagus and

one-third of my stomach removed. Thiswas after three weeks of combined radioand chemotherapy to reduce the tumour. Ifeel very fit and in good health now.”Ireland sees 450 new cases of

oesophageal cancer annually. The mostcommon symptoms include difficulty swal-lowing (food sticks on the way down), un-explained weight loss, new onset of indi-gestion in over-50s, persistent hiccups, painbetween the shoulder blades and discomfortbehind the breast-bone.Barrett’s oesophagus — a condition

whereby long-term acid regurgitation fromthe stomach to the oesophagus causes tissueirritation — underlies the vast majority ofcases of oesophageal cancer that occur inIreland. Barrett’s Oesophagus occurs inabout one in 10 people who suffer chronicheartburn and reflux. Last year theOesophageal Cancer Fund (OCF) estab-lished the first register of Barrett’s Oesoph-agus patients in the Republic of Ireland.The initiative aims to improve cure rates inthe cancer through earlier diagnosis in theat-risk population.

Forty percent of cases of the most commontype of oesophageal cancer seen in Ireland re-late to diet and obesity.Diets lacking fruit and vegetables, vitamins

A, C and B2 may increase risk ofdeveloping the cancer. Frequent drinking ofvery hot liquids may also increase the risk.Smoking is a major risk factor, whilelong-term heavy use of alcohol also raiseschances of getting the cancer.Chairperson of the OCF Noelle Ryan

confirms that Ireland has one of the highestrates worldwide of oesophageal cancer, butsays it’s heartening to see steady progress in

the cure rate. “The chance of curing pa-tients, who can be treated for oesophagealcancer, is now about 35% if diagnosed early,compared with less than 20% over 10 yearsago.”■ Lollipop Day — the national oesophagealcancer awareness day to highlight the associ-ation between difficulty swallowing and thistype of cancer — takes place on March 4and 5. With the theme, My Boy Lollipop,volunteers will sell lollipops to raise fundsfor research into oesophageal cancer andBarrett’s Oesophagus. For more informationand to donate, visit www.lollipopday.ie.

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FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2011Feelgood

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THE SHAPE I'M IN Cian Healy

In profile

A real trier

Do you pray?It’s not that I kneel down and put my hands together. Ihave my own way of doing that sort of thing and my ownpeople that I talk to.

What would cheer up your day?A good song on the radio.

Helen O’Callaghan

INTERNATIONAL rugby player Cian Healy who’scurrently playing in the Six Nations Rugby tourna-ment for Ireland, made his debut in the November,

2009 draw with Australia.The 23-year-old, who grew up in Clontarf, had been

upbeat after Ireland’s defeat by France in the second gameof the 2011 Six Nations contest, and last weekend this op-timism was put into action as Healy played in Ireland’s vic-tory of Scotland at Murrayfield. “It’s all about team cama-raderie and picking each other up — everybody has to bein good form. And it’s very easy to pick ourselves up withthe squad we have.”Cian keeps healthy by taking Berocca multivitamins ev-

ery morning. “It helps you think smarter and act fasterthroughout the day,” he says.His girlfriend, Laura, is a sports enthusiast and works for

her family’s furniture company.

What shape are you in?Pretty good. We work out with the Leinster and Irelandfitness guys, so they put us through our paces with liftingand fitness exercises. All the games keep your fitness high,too.

Do you have any health concerns?No, I’m young, so nothing has caught up on me yet.I’ve been in hospital a couple of times with minor knocks.

What are your healthiest dietary habits?Morning would be my healthiest — I take vitamins, fishoils and a protein supplement. I’d usually get my meat andveg in every day. For a long time, I didn’t eat red meat, butwhen I came into professional rugby I was forced to, be-cause I struggled to keep my weight up. I made theturnover to eating steaks, but chicken is still my favourite.

What’s your guiltiest pleasure?My main one is pizza.

What would keep you awake at night?Everything — I’m not much of a sleeper. I’d be awake,thinking, most of the night. It’s not that any problemwould keep me awake — I’ve just got an active mind.

How do you relax?I don’t really have time to relax. I don’t watch TV. Ipaint or draw. Apart from that, I have a pretty high-tem-po lifestyle. I like getting out and about, rather than sit-ting down.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?I’d have all my friends from the parish of Clontarf.One or two of them have passed on, so I’d like to havethem back.

When did you last cry?I shed a tear on my first cap in theNovember 2009 series against Australia.

What’s your favourite smell?Spray paint.

What would you change aboutyour appearance?My teeth — I’ve got a big gap.

What trait do you least likein others?Greed — people who al-ways take and never give.

What trait do you leastlike in yourself?My time-keeping — it isn’tthe best, but I’m working onit.

I don’t reallyhave time to relax. I

don’t watch TV. I paintor draw. Apart fromthat, I have a prettyhigh-tempo lifestyle.I like getting out and

about rather thansitting down

WELL-ARMED: Rugbyplayer Cian Healy takesvitamins, fish oils and aprotein supplement inthe morning to stayhealthy.Picture: INPHO/Billy Stickland

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Feelgood Feelgood

Coping with life

“I was moved into the oncology ward forchemotherapy. I had a week’s continuouschemotherapy, then two weeks at home. Ihad eight 21-day cycles. I was very sick, andthe pain was horrific. I went from 11 and ahalf stone down to seven and a half.”Next came the surgery. And after that came

38 sessions of radiotherapy at St Luke’s.“That was a breeze,” says Micheál.By July 2009, Micheál was free to enjoy

life again. He’s gradually building up hisstrength, and is studying mechanicalengineering at Waterford College.“My cancer has given me a better life,” he

says. “I got closer to my four brothers andsister, and I’ve made amazing friends throughCanTeen. I used to be deadly serious aboutsport. Winning was everything. Now it’sabout fun as well.”

AOIFE BASS was just a baby when shecontracted cancer. She was diagnosed with aretinoblastoma — cancer of the eye — at justfive weeks. She needed immediate surgery,and she lost her eye.“It hasn’t really affected me too much,” says

the 18-year-old. “I do remember at primaryschool when I said I had just one eye nobodyunderstood. But my friends now know thatI’ve been through the wars.”Aoife needed further operations to get the

socket of her eye to right for a prosthesis.“When I was eight I had coral in the sock-

My familyand friends havebeen amazinglysupportive, but

in CanTeeneveryone

understands howhard it has been.

Everysingle person

has been throughthe same, and

sometimes muchmore

et to keep the lid in place, and when Iwas 12, after my confirmation, I hadthe coral removed and some tissuemoved up from my bum. My con-sultant, Dr Paul Moriarty, jokedthat it was like a tattoo. It left abutterfly shape. I still rememberthe pain afterwards.“I have a prosthesis in my eye,

and people don’t really notice. Iam aware that I can’t see out of it.I’m on the school hockey team, andI can’t play on the wings. But I have96% sight in my other eye.“It won’t affect my future. I’m

hoping to study nursing at Trini-ty or UCD. I’d like to specialisein children. If I don’t do thatI plan to become aMontessori teacher.“I’ve been going to

CanTeen for about18 months now. Ilove it. The week-ends away are fantas-tic, and our annualBall is an amazingnight.“Now I know I’m

not the only onewith cancer. Theothers have beenthrough the same.”

CanTeen is providing a welcome support group for teenagers who have battled cancer. Sue Leonard talks to some of them about how they’ve shared experiences

I T’S tough being a teen. In a world ofchange, appearance and friends are cen-tral. So imagine how it must feel to get

a diagnosis of cancer? Not only do they haveto deal with a life-threatening illness withgruelling treatments and side effects, they alsosee their looks change and lose contact withfriends.“It’s hard for them to cope with the

chemotherapy,” says Evelyn Griffith of thesupport group CanTeen. “There’s the hairloss and sometimes it makes them fat.“It can be lonely too. These teens might be

in hospital for months. Their friends can’tvisit, and when they’re at home, they’re oftentoo ill to go out. And teenagers hate feelingleft out.”This is why CanTeen came into being.

Run in conjunction with the Irish CancerSociety, CanTeen provides weekends at activ-ity centres, or to just relax. It’s proved a life-line for the members who are aged from 12to 25.“CanTeen is about fun,” says Griffith. “It’s

about feeling normal. The members talk toeach other. They compare treatments. Theyfind it wonderful to meet someone whoreally understands. They feel less alone.”

LOUISE JOHNSTON, a 17-year-oldfrom Cavan found CanTeen a real lifelinewhen she was diagnosed with a brain tumourlast year.“My family and friends have been amaz-

ingly supportive, but in CanTeen everyoneunderstands how hard it has been. Everysingle person has been through the same, andsometimes much more. You can talk to themin your lowest times, and know that theyhave been there.”Louise started getting headaches in June

2009. Six months later the pain was so severe,she could barely stand.“My GP sent me to the medical assessment

unit in Cavan general Hospital. They didsome scans and took some blood. That nightMum and Dad told me that I had a tumouron my brain. They said I had to have surgery.“That was scary. It had been planned for

the next day in Beaumont Hospital. I wasgiven loads of tablets to ease the pain, andsent by ambulance to Beaumont. That nightwas the worst ever. I was tossing and turning.I was so worried.“The next day the doctor came and told

me all the risks connected with the surgery.That was hard. He said I might lose mybalance and coordination. That would havebeen a huge loss, because I love playingtennis and playing the piano. And at the endof the list he mentioned death.“The surgery took just under four hours.

When I woke up I was back in the ward. Mybrother was there, and a priest friend fromCavan. The pain in my head had gone, and Icould talk perfectly.“I stayed in hospital for a week. In physio-

therapy I had to practice walking and throw-ing a tennis ball. My coordination was per-fect. But after two weeks at home my balancegot bad. I was worried, but with physiothera-py it gradually got better.“I’m now back to normal. I’m playing ten-

nis, but I get very tired. It’s hard trying to

work and to keep up with friends. But I’m solucky that it happened in transition year andnot now that I’m in fifth year. It won’t affectmy future.”

MICHEÁL CURTIS from Wexford wasdiagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma — a cancerthat happens in large bones, mainly inteenage males — in June 2008. The20-year-old first felt pain the previousSeptember. The pain was frequent and severe,but Micheal didn’t tell a soul.He struggled through his Leaving Certifi-

cate, and after his last exam he went to foot-ball training,“But the pain really nagged,” he says. “I

celebrated that night, and went to CrokePark the next day. But I was feeling reallybad. I couldn’t eat and had no energy.“That night I couldn’t even lift my legs

into the bed, so my mother took me to CareDoc. The doctor told me to go straight toA&E in Wexford.“An X-ray showed a white spot, the size of

a football. The hospital tried various tests butcouldn’t find out what it was. So, after aweek, I was sent to St James’s hospital.“They took a biopsy, and it showed a

tumour attached to three ribs and my lung.They said it was Ewing’s Sarcoma. That was aterrible shock. My mother had breast cancerin 2002. She couldn’t believe cancer couldhit our family twice.

It’s good to talk

FULL LIFE: Aoife Bass, who lost an eye to cancer as a baby says although she has ‘been through the wars’ with surgery, it hasn’t affectedher life too much. Picture:` Nick Bradshaw

TRUE FRIENDSHIP:Micheál Curtissuffered a tumourwhich was attachedto three ribs and hislung but says hisexperience of leadto him makingamazing friendsthrough the supportgroup CanTeen.Picture: Patrick Browne

—Louise Johnston


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Feelgood

If your kneehurts, you think

there’s somethingwrong with your

leg. But if you feeldepressed most

people blame themortgage, their

job orrelationship. They

don’t ask whatthey’re doing thataffects how theirbrain functions —like eating sugary

foods

Making choices

Patrick Holford’s new book The Feel Good Factor contends that anti-depressants canbe replaced by food and mood controlled with diet, says Deirdre Reynolds

FROM flooding to freezing, negativeequity to emigration, it may feellike there’s been nothing but month

upon month of misery in recent memory.But a new book bravely claims we should

all be on top of the world, anyway — with-out popping happy pills.British nutrition guru Patrick Holford’s lat-

est tome, The Feel Good Factor — 10Proven Ways to Boost Your Mood and Moti-vate Yourself has topped the Irish bestsellerslist. In it, Holford says that antidepressantsdon’t work — but that we can eat our way tohappiness with mood-boosting foods like oilyfish and chia seeds.Hot on the heels of his divisive views on

HIV (that vitamin C could be as effective assome drugs in treating the disease) and autism(that there is a known cause and ‘cure’), Hol-ford is bracing himself for the backlash.“There hasn’t been much opposition to the

book — yet,” he says. “Generally speaking,the pharmaceutical industry is on my case,though — especially after my book, Food isBetter Medicine Than Drugs. And this bookdoes the same for antidepressants, so I’m surethere’ll be a bit of flack down the track.”Bright-eyed, slim and practically wrin-

kle-free at nearly 53, Holford is his own bestadvertisement for the adage that “you arewhat you eat” — something that’s core to his32 hit books, with such ambitious titles asSay No to Cancer and The Alzheimer’s Pre-vention Plan.“I do my best,” he says, when I suggest he

must have the healthiest diet in Britain.“When I was studying psychology, I wouldsmoke and drink coffee and wake up sleepy— then I discovered the effects of nutritionand supplementation. People have often saidto me ‘you’re going to burn out’ — writing32 books in 13 years, but I’m about to turn53 and have lots of energy.“Apart from a slight deterioration in my

eyes,” he says, tugging at his glasses, “I don’thave any health issues — so I think it works.”Throughout our interview in a southside

Dublin hotel, Holford drops the names ofvarious surveys, top US professors, medicaljournals and case studies to support his book— perhaps conscious that his detractors oftencounter argue that his alternative nutritionaltherapies are unproven.So whatever about writing about brain

food for kids or the perfect pregnancy diet,why tackle one of the most taboo health is-sues left? In Ireland, 400,000 people suffersome form of depression, according to Aware— yet it’s still a topic that’s swept under thecarpet. I know this sounds a bit corny,” saysHolford, “but the Dalai Lama said that ‘everyhuman being wants happiness and does notwant suffering’ — that’s really what my workis about. My background is in mental healthand depression is a subject I’ve always wantedto write about.“We’ve been treating people for mental

health problems for a decade at the Brain BioCentre in Richmond [a treatment centre spe-cialising in Holford’s ‘optimum nutrition’ ap-proach],” he says. And it’s through the resultswe achieved there that it became clear thatthere are certain things which really work.“The purpose of this book is to show peo-

ple that they can make a few simple changesin their life that will give them energy and

get them out of a black hole,” Holford says.And contrary to common mores, happiness isnot just a state of mind — it’s determined bythe contents of your fridge, too.“If your knee hurts, you automatically

think there’s something wrong with your

The details of Patrick Holford’s Feel GoodFactor seminar tours are as follows:

Friday, March 11Venue: O’Callaghan Alexander Hotel —Aton Suite, Fenian Street, Off MerrionSquare North, Dublin 2Time: 6.15pm-9.15pm

Saturday, March 12Venue: Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, InisMor Ballroom, Lough Atalia Road, Gal-way

Time: 4pm-7pm

Sunday, March 13Venue: Radisson SAS Hotel, Great Is-land Ballroom, Little Island, CorkTime: 4pm-7pm

Monday, March 14Venue: Whites of Wexford, McClureSuite 2, Abbey Street, WexfordTime: 6.15pm-9.15pm

visit: www.patrickholford.com

The Feel Good factor tour details

leg,” he says. “But if you feel depressed andyour get-up-and-go has got up and gone,most people blame the mortgage, their jobor relationship.”“They don’t ask themselves what they’re

doing that affects how their brain functions

— like not exercising enough or eating sug-ary foods. Then, when you get desperate,you go to the doctor,” he says. “Doctorsmean well, but it’s a lot easier to say ‘takethis antidepressant’ than look at all the otherfactors.“Quite often, if you started to exercise

three times a week, eat more oily fish or takea vitamin D supplement, you’d begin to feelbetter within a week. There’s an awful lotyou can do that costs nothing.” In the cur-rent climate of doom and gloom, though,aren’t we all just meant to be depressed?“21st century living is a recipe for thefeel-grim factor,” says Holford, as I slug onan industrial-strength Americano inadver-tently illustrating his next point.“You wake up in the dark to the sound of

the alarm clock, head on auto-pilot to thekettle and have a strong cup of coffee, andmaybe a piece of rocket fuel called ‘toast’covered in jam.“We’ve really become hooked in a cycle of

feeling tired all the time, needing stimulantslike caffeine and sugar to rev up, not beingable to relax and using alcohol as a relaxantand then not sleeping well.“Recovering the ability to sleep naturally

and wake up full of energy is the key to theFeel Good Factor,” he says. “If you get yournutrition right, you won’t need that coffeeto get going.”

The Feel Good Factor — 10 Proven Ways to Boost YourMood and Motivate Yourself by Patrick Holford, publishedby Piatkus, out now, 13.72 from Easons.

Beating depression

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Tony Humphreys

Psychology

When individualsattempt to ease their

emotional pain witheither drugs or

spirituality, they areseeking answers that

do not necessitategoing into their painful

stories

Psychological issues and emotional paincannot be healed by spiritual means

All in the mind

W ITHIN myself, and with individuals who at-tend for therapy or participate in courses Idirect, and, indeed, with colleagues and

friends, I am frequently faced with questions about the rela-tionship between psychological and spiritual work.Spirituality has long been a struggle for me, even though

many who read my books or attend my courses say that mywork is spiritual. I am inclined to clarify my work by assert-ing that it is primarily psychological in nature and in practice,but that I can understand how some people come to see it asultimately spiritual.I know that my fear is that individuals who are troubled

and troubling — which includes all of us — may seek outspiritual practices as a way of resolving deep emotional issues.This practice has become known as spiritual bypassing. Hav-ing spent seven years in a monastery and undoubtedly havinghad several spiritual experiences, I still emerged from thecloisters as uncertain, insecure, and vulnerable as I had beenwhen I entered. Over my years in clinical psychological prac-tice, I have met with several individuals who had gone thespiritual route to resolve their deep insecurities, but emergedeven more insecure.When we encounter obstacles to our mature development

in our homes, classrooms, schools, churches, communitiesand workplaces, we creatively find ways to defend ourselvesagainst such emotional, social, physical, sexual, intellectualand creative abandonment. These defence mechanisms areformed at an unconscious level and they deepen and multiplyover the years that we continue to experience threats to ourwellbeing.There is no way around these defences — neither drugs

nor spirituality work. However, when individuals attempt toease their emotional pain with either drugs or spirituality, Iunderstand that they are seeking answers that do not necessi-tate going into their painful stories; my hope is that, at somefuture date, they will grasp the nettle of their inner turmoil.The reality is that the efforts to use spiritual practice to try torise above, and transcend, our emotional and personal and in-terpersonal issues — all those hidden, unresolved matters thatweigh us down — will not work.I can understand, from my own life, how spiritual bypassing

can be particularly tempting for individuals who have little orno sense of self. After all, the core wound we all suffer is thedisconnection from our own being. This inner disconnectionoriginally took place in childhood, in response to parents andother adults who did not fully see, welcome, accept, celebrateand love us.In the struggle to reconnect with ourselves, the lure of spir-

itual teachings and practices that urges us to “give ourselvesup” and have a “spiritual identity” can be difficult to resist.However, such an identity is as defensive as the old, masked,psychological identity because it is based on avoidance of un-resolved emotional issues that have been crying out for reso-lution. It is in this way that involvement in spiritual teachingsand practices can result in a rationalisation, and a strengthen-ing, of old psychological defences.For example, those individuals who have a deep, real need

to be seen as the special individuals they truly are can empha-

sise the “specialness” of their spiritual insight and practiceand/or their special relationship with the spiritual teacher toshore up a sense of self-importance.This “specialness” is an unconscious substitute for the real

thing — which is their own unique and special presence. Thereality is that while many Western and Eastern spiritual teach-ers are very warm, kind, loving and personal in their ownway, more often than not, they frequently do not have muchto say about the personal and interpersonal aspects of life. In-deed, they tend not to detect the tendency in themselves andin their followers to use spiritual ideas and practices tosidestep low self-esteem, social alienation and other emotionaldefences.It is my experience that spiritual practice is best pursued

from a place of inner solidity, and from a place of ongoingresolution of alienation from self and others. As human be-ings, we live on two levels — the psychological and the spir-itual; these two dimensions cannot be reduced to one. Whensuch a reduction is attempted, we neither realise ourselvespsychologically nor spiritually.

Dr Tony Humphreys is a clinical psychologist, author, nation-al and international speaker. His recent book with co-authorHelen Ruddle, Relationship, Relationship, Relationship: TheHeart of a Mature Society is relevant to today’s topic.

Picture: Getty Images

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Feelgood

Cover story Growing old gracefully

Want to make it to a ripe old age and still have fun along the way? Peta Bee asks the experts what we need to do to stretch out those golden years with a smile on our faces

LIVE LONG AND PROSPERTen tips for making it to your 100th birthdayL ATEST figures from the Irish Cancer

Society show that one in three of uswill develop some form of cancer in

our lifetimes and that the disease is responsiblefor 8,000 deaths each year and 25% of all deathsin Ireland. Rates of heart disease and strokes arealso on the rise. But are theodds really stacked againstus? Of course, there is aconsiderable genetic influ-ence with many of the killerdiseases — if your parents suf-fered from cancer, then your risk is raised.But researchersthink that, tosome extent,your life lies inyour hands andthat you can in-fluence longevi-ty by makingchanges to yourlifestyle. Ad-dressing the ‘bigfour’ — smoking, drinking,exercise and obesity — can resultin significant gains to your goldenyears. But how else can you stack the oddsin your favour?

SMOKINGOur addiction to the evil weed is one of theshortest routes to the grave and you don’t needto have a 60-a-day habit to raise your risk ofdying early. In Ireland around 7,000 deaths ayear are directlyrelated to smokingand the anti-smok-ing charity, ASHIreland, says tobac-co-related diseasesare responsible forcausing illness inthousands more. A50-year, ongoingstudy at Oxford University revealed that smokingreduces your life expectancy by 10 years. If yougive up smoking you halve your risk of dyingearly, even if you don’t quit until the age of50.Throw away that last packet of cigarettes andyour blood oxygen levels will begin to return tonormal after eight hours. After 48 hours yoursense of taste and smell will improve — 12weeks later your circulation will speed up mak-ing it easier to walk and run. As soon as youstop, says the Irish Cancer Society, your risk oflung cancer drops. Fifteen years after you give upyou will be as likely as a non-smoker to get can-cer. Avoid cigarettes for five years and your riskof dying from heartdisease will be half thatof a smoker’s.

EXERCISEA survey conducted afew years ago for theIrish Sports Council re-vealed that less than onein five Irish womencame close to conduct-ing the accumulated 30minutes of physicalactivity per day, for at

least five days per week, as recommended by theWorld Health Organisation for good health.Men fared slightly better, but overall too manypeople were active at an intensity that was toolow to benefit their health. Dozens of studieshave proven the benefits of regular exercise infighting off killer diseases and the council is urg-ing the nation to get active for the sake of itscollective health. At the National Public HealthInstitute in Finland, people with Type II diabeteswho exercised moderately (eg: walked a total offour hours a week) lowered their risk of dyingby 39%. Those who were highly active (ie: didthree hours of vigorous exercise like running aweek) were almost half as likely to die asnon-exercisers. A separate study at the USNational Institute of Health showed that lifestylechanges such as increasing physical activity to anaverage 150 minutes a week lowered the risk ofcardiovascular disease more effectively than med-ication. What’s to lose? Get moving.

OBESITYRecent reports by the Irish Pharmacy Unionshowed that obesity levels in Ireland havereached epidemic proportions with one-fifth ofall adults now dangerously overweight and withobesity causing 2,000 premature deaths eachyear. Both under-activity (see above) and dietsthat rely increasingly on junk and conveniencefoods are to blame. Studies have shown thatcutting down on unhealthy, calorific foods willdo more than protect your waistline.Professor Christian Leewenburg of the depart-

ment of ageing at the University of Florida saysthe average human life could increase by 30%

with a healthy diet (cutting out high amounts offat and junk food) and regular exercise. Hefound that mutations in the energy centre, ormitochondria, of a cell are caused by obesity andlack of activity. These mutations “lead to pro-grammed celldeath” and aredirectly linked tothe ageing pro-cess.And when it

comes to life ex-tension, cuttingdown on caloriesmay also help.Emerging studies into the benefits of calorie re-striction suggest that consuming a third less calo-ries could enable humans to live a third longerlives. At America’s National Institute of Ageingin Baltimore, Dr Mark Mattson discovered thatmice fed every other day lived longer than thoseallowed to eat at will. His results suggested thatconsuming one-third fewer caloriescould extend lifespan by one-third.

ALCOHOLYou may think a daily drink withyour evening meal is a harmless tip-ple, but as a nation our fondness ofthe bottle is seriously impacting onour health. According to AlcoholIreland, a higher proportion of Irishwomen drink alcohol than in any othercountry and the average person aged15-plus in Ireland consumes the equivalentof 490 pints of 46 bottles of vodka

each per year. Not only is this affecting mentalhealth — depression and suicide attempts arestrongly linked with alcohol consumption — butAlcohol Ireland says that liver disease linked todrinking rose by 147% in recent years and thatmany cancers, including cancer of the mouth,larynx, oesophagus, liver, colorectum and femalebreast, are related toalcohol consumption. The guidelines for womenare no more than 14 alcohol units per week andfor men 21 units (a unit is the equivalent of asmall glass of wine) and with two to three daysof the week alcohol free. Cut down to sensiblelevels in order to see your twilight years.

YOU GOTTA HAVE FAITHBeen to church lately — or ever? Researchersnow believe that a strong faith has psychologicaleffects that manifest themselves as physical bene-fits and they have shown that attending a reli-gious service atleast once a weekappears to helpyou to livelonger. Evenwhen other fac-tors like age,race and illnesswere accountedfor, psychiatristsat Duke University medical school foundchurch-goers were 28% less likely to die in asix-year period. Dr Harold Koenig, who lead thestudy, said attending church had similar benefitsto quitting smoking in terms of the extent towhich it could prolong life.

SO you want to live to 100? Here are the top ten tipson how to do it…

Get a dog: Dr Deborah Wells, a psycholo-gist at Queen’s University in Belfast, re-viewed dozens of studies to conclude thatdog owners enjoy a longer and healthier lifethan the rest of the population. “It’s possi-

ble that dogs can directly promote our health bybuffering us from stress,” she says. “Owning a dogcan also lead to increases in physical activity and helpthe development of social contact which may en-hance physiological and psychological human

health.”Eat blueberries: Blueberries may stem andeven reverse age-related health problems. Astudy at Tufts University in Boston foundthat after two months on blueberries, olderrats not truly navigated mazes faster, they

also had better balance and were more coordinated— skills regulated by the brain. Key to their potency isblueberries’ antioxidant content, the highest of com-monly eaten fruits.

Get married to someone who makesyou laugh: Living happily with a spousecan extend your life by up to three years,several studies have shown. Psychologistsat Wayne State University looked at pho-

tographs of old baseball players and found that thosewho smiled for the camera lived an average sevenyears longer than those who looked less than happy.Married women live an average four years longerthan unmarried women, and married men live adecade longer than single counterparts.

Look on the bright side: Being optimisticcan extend your life. A study at the MayoClinic in America, psychologists found thatpessimists lived an average 12 years lessthan optimists. “It is likely that optimistic

people have lower levels of stress and stress hor-mones that can adversely influence health,” says psy-chologist Dearbhla McCullough. “But it is also knownthat negative people are less likely to carry outself-checks for serious diseases like cancer whichcould also impact on their lifespan.”

Get rich (but be generous): Being com-fortably wealthy triggers the release of ahormone called DHEAS (or dehy-droepiandrsterone) that has been linked tolonger life. Having more DHEAS in the

body is linked to a better memoryand levels are considered a guide tolife expectancy and people with bet-ter socio-economic circumstanceshad the highest levels. But it is betterto give than receive a study pub-lished in the journal PsychologicalScience showed.

Psychologist Dr Stephanie Brownsurveyed 423 older people overfive years and found thatthose who were helpful and

generous to others lowered their risk of dying by upto 60%.

Stand up: Are you sitting down to readthis? Then you could be shortening yourlifespan. A recent study published in theAmerican Journal of Epidemiloogy re-vealed that the less time people spend sit-

ting down each day, the longer their lifespan. Thestudy followed 120,000 healthy adults and showedthat women who spent more than six hours a day ontheir behinds had a 37% increased risk of prematuredeath compared to women who sat for three hours aday or less.

For men, long hours of sitting brought an 18% in-crease in the risk of premature death.

Turn off the TV: Australian scientific re-search in the journal Circulation suggeststhe more TV a person watches, the soonerthey die. According to Professor David Dun-stan of the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Re-

search Institute in Melbourne, every extra hour spentwatching television increases people’s risk of prema-ture death. “People who watch four or more hours oftelevision a day have a 46% higher risk of death fromall causes and 80% increased risk of death from car-diovascular disease,” he said.

Win something: Academy Award winnerslive an average four years longer than otheractors; multiple Oscar winners live six yearslonger. In a study funded by the Canadian

Institute of health, University of Toronto researchersincluded all 762 actors and actresses ever nominatedfor an academy award in a leading or support role.On average, Oscar winners lived to 79.7 whereas oth-er actors died aged 75.8. “Winning anything can raiseyour self-esteem and give you the motivation to setnew goals in life,” says McCullough. “And peoplewho stay mentally and physically focused are knownto live longer.”

Socialise with friends: Staying in touchwith friends will enhance longevity by adecade or more, researchers at FlindersUniversity in Adelaide reported in the Jour-nal of Epidemiology Community Health this

Summer. A study of almost 1,500 people aged 70-plusshowed that those with a good network of friends(but not necessarily relatives) lived longer than thosewho didn’t socialise.

Eat the Mediterranean way: AMediterranean diet rich in fruit, veg-etables and olive oil could extend yourlife by at least 12 monthsaccording to a study in

the British Medical Journal. In apan-European study of more than74,000 people over 60, conductedat the University of Athens medi-cal school, researchers foundthat those who stuck closely tothe diet, which is low in saturatedanimal fat, lived longer.

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HAPPY EVER AFTER: Having a laugh regularly influences the possibility of you living a long and healthy life —and if you are happily married and have a good social life into the bargain, as well as owning a dog, you increaseyour chances even more. Picture: Getty Images



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Feelgood

Dr Niamh Houston is aGP with a specialinterest in integrativemedicine. If you have aquestion about your child’shealth email it [email protected] send a letter toFeelgoodIrish ExaminerCity QuarterLapps QuayCork

Dr NiamhHouston

FAMILY

NOTE: The information contained in Dr Houston’s column is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor first

Medical matters

QMY three-year-olddaughter suffers from se-vere eczema. I got hertested for food allergiesand I was told she was

allergic to seven foods. Should I cutout these foods from her diet com-pletely? How do allergies affect chil-dren and do they grow out of them?

A. Children seem to be more vul-nerable to allergies than adults. Aller-gies to food, house dust mites, animaldander and pollen are the most com-mon. These allergies can show up asallergic rhinitis (hay-fever), asthma,and atopic dermatitis (eczema). Also,frequent ear infections may be relatedto allergy.Symptoms of an allergy develop as

the body releases special antibodiescalled IgE, which trigger the release ofchemicals that can cause the physicalsymptoms and changes associated withallergies such as hives, runny nose,itching or swelling of the lips, tongueor throat, upset stomach, cramps,bloating or diarrhoea, wheezing, diffi-culty breathing or anaphylactic shock — alife-threatening reaction that needs emer-gency treatment.To find that your child has food allergies

can be both welcome and unsettling news.With the use of allergy tests booming, moreparents are coming away not fully under-standing what they mean. Confusion overtest results has made it harder to track thetrue prevalence and growth of allergies.What experts agree on is that the most im-portant part of a food-allergy diagnosis isthe history. What did the child eat and whatkind of reaction did he/she have?Skin-prick and/or a blood test to confirmthat the child has antibodies to the suspectfood will be needed too.Food allergy should also be considered in

children who do not respond to treatmentfor atopic eczema, reflux (where stomachcontents flow out of the stomach and intothe gullet) and chronic constipation.Some experts believe it’s not helpful to

test for food allergies when there’s no histo-ry of problems with those foods. Most chil-dren have food allergies, just not to all thefoods they are being told they are allergicto. Avoid placing your child unnecessarilyon a severely restricted diet.Children with ezcema tend to have Ig E

antibodies to a large number of foods, and itcan be challenging to sort out which reallydo pose problems. Experts say that up to20% of children are wrongly diagnosed anddo not eat certain foods because they thinkthey are allergic to them, but have not had aconfirmed medical diagnosis. Also many ofthe symptoms of food allergy are commonto other complaints, and so it’s not alwayseasy to identify correctly.Skin prick tests are the most common

tests for allergy — small amounts of suspectallergy triggers are introduced through theskin of the arm or back by pricking orpuncturing the skin with a needle. If yourchild is allergic to a substance, you will see araised, red, itchy bump usually within 15minutes. The bigger the reaction or bumpthe more sensitive your child is to that par-ticular substance. This test may not be suit-able for very young children.The RAST blood test is used to detect

levels of IgE antibodies and is useful if a skintest is difficult due to a widespread rash, orif there is a risk of a sudden and severe aller-gic response to using skin allergens. Bothtype of tests are about 90% accurate. Noneof these tests can predict how severe an al-

lergic reaction might be. A personwith a peanut allergy might react witha tingle in the mouth, a case of hivesor a full-blown anaphylaxis, dependingon many variables, including howmuch peanut they ate and in whatform.These tests along with an elimina-

tion diet which should only be doneunder medical supervision, are consid-ered the usual way to help diagnose al-lergies to specific substances. There areother allergy test such as candidiasis al-lergy testing , electro acupuncturebiofeedback, hair analysis, or urine au-toinjection, Vega test, and kinesiology,which may work , but, as yet, are un-proven methods. It is recommended tohave allergy testing done by a medicalor health care professional trained inthis area of medicine.

Q. I get itchy scaly skin betweenmy toes frequently and would like toknow if there are any natural treat-ments for athlete’s foot that canhelp?

A. Athlete’s foot is caused by a fungus thatlives in dead skin found in toenails, hair andouter skin layers. It is very common infec-tion and thrives in warm, moist, damp con-ditions found in shoes, socks, swimmingpools, public changing rooms. But not allitchy scaly feet mean you have athlete’s foot.Your doctor can scrape some skin off the af-fected area and send it to the lab to confirmthe type of infection and best treatment.There are many anti-fungal creams/oint-

ments that are available over the counterthat can be used in the initial treatmentphase. There are also oral anti-fungal tabletsthat can be taken.Steps used to prevent athlete’s foot include

wearing protective footwear when in publicshowering areas and wearing cotton socksthat allow your feet to breathe. Wash yourfeet with soap and water daily and dry verythoroughly. Using a good quality foot pow-der every day can help prevent athlete’s foot.An excellent home remedy is tea tree oil,

extracted from the leaves of Melaleuca al-ternifolia. Select a product that is 100% teatree oil and apply few drops to affected areathree times a day for up to two weeks afterinfection has cleared. You could also applygrape-fruit seed extract two-three times aday to the affected area.

CatherineShanahan

MUM’S WORLDMUM’S WORLD

Children whowould bankrupttheir parents tofund their ownextravagant

lifestyle are asad indictment ofa very mixed–up

generationprogrammed toaccept nothing

less thaninstant

gratification

CatherineShanahan

THERE was a time when parents wererevered more than iPhones and backchatwas the name of a weekly radio review

show.This was an era when society still moderately

subscribed to the Victorian ideal that childrenshould be seen and not heard and teachingthem to talk was no more momentous than in-stilling in them when to be quiet.It was a time characterised by the ability of

children to know when to be invisible, to speakwhen spoken to, to not interrupt and to displaya firm grasp of the basic rudiments of good be-haviour.Sadly, after decades of excess and having sac-

rificed nice manners on the altar of overindul-gence, we have bred a generation displaying allthe symptoms of a very 21st century affliction.This syndrome, known in pop psychology asToo Much of a Good Thing, is the direct resultof the inability of those in positions of authori-ty to refuse their offspring anything.Because, like the girl from Oklahoma, parents

can’t say “No”, children have acquired an auto-matic sense of entitlement, which has in factbecome the new Millennium’s zeitgeist. Thisbrings us to another song title — “I want it alland I want it now” — a reasonable demand fora spectacularly successful rock band but not fora child of five.Having spoiled our children at the expense of

character-building, we have helped create a

society where many of its members are atthe tipping point of tolerance. A bus-full ofdisruptive urchins is no fun for anyone.Schoolkids who refuse to give up their seatto the elderly man who can barely stand areto no one’s credit. Children who wouldbankrupt their parents to fund their ownextravagant lifestyle are a sad indictment ofa very mixed–up generation programmedto accept nothing less than instant gratifica-tion.One could say “I blame the parents”, but

when many mothers and fathers workaround the clock to earn a decent living,they may be partially forgiven for notwanting to put up a fight during the limit-ed quality time they get to spend with theirchildren. It is easier to acquiesce than spendhalf the evening arguing over why Sophie’smummy said “Yes” to the post-LeavingCertificate gorgefest in Santa wherever,while you, the mean mother, said “Overmy dead body”.I’m not sure what the cure is to this

apparent role reversal where parents live infear of being told off by their children. It isdifficult to pinpoint the moment when thependulum swung in their favour. The truthis discipline is as important to your child’ssurvival as it is to successful parenting. Let’sraise children we don’t spend the rest ofour lives recovering from.

OUTGROWING PROBLEM: About 80% of children withallergies to milk, eggs, wheat, dairy and soy outgrowthem, usually by age five. Picture: iStock


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Adapting to life

THE Toxic Shock Syndrome Informa-tion Service (TSSIS) advise:■ Always use a tampon with the low-est absorbency rating suitable foryour flow.■ Use a sanitary towel or pad fromtime to time during your period■ Advice about TSS is included in thetampon manufacturer’s leaflets withthe product. This information is regu-larly updated, so read it.■ Wash your hands before and afterinserting a tampon.■ Change tampons regularly andnever insert more than one at a time.■ When going to bed insert a freshtampon and remove it on waking .■ Remove a tampon at the end of theperiod.

Toxic ShockSyndromeTOXIC shock syndrome (TSS) is a rare,life-threatening bacterial infection. Itoccurs when the bacteria Staphylococ-cus aureusand Strepto-coccus pyo-genes, whichnormally liveharmlesslyon the skin— invade thebody’s blood-stream andrelease poi-sonous tox-ins. These toxins cause a massivedrop in blood pressure (shock), result-ing in dizziness and confusion. Theyalso damage tissue, including skin andorgans, and can disturb many vital or-gan functions.

Symptoms:■ A sudden high temperature■ A sunburn like rash■ Vomiting■ Diarrhea■ Fainting or feeling faint and dizzy■ Muscle aches■ Confusion

If you experience any of these symp-toms contact your doctor or otherhealth care professional immediately.

If TSS is left untreated, the combina-tion of shock and organ damage canresult in death. During the 1980s therewas a rise in the reported incidence ofTTS linked to the use of high ab-sorbency tampons. While these issueshave been largely resolved throughalternations in design, it’s very impor-tant to use tampons correctly for themto remain completely safe.

Get intogood habits

Making a splashIt’s the 75th birthday of tampons and Kya deLongchamps celebrates the storyof the little tubular invention which has brought personal comfort to many women

THIS month a discreet little 75th cel-ebration will lift a smile for the mil-lions of women who enjoy the ben-

efits of tampons in their daily round. Tam-pax, the first applicator tampon, able to wickaway up to 18g of moisture and be whiskedto oblivion with its removal cord, was de-signed and patented by Dr Earle ClevelandHaas in 1929.A talented scientist but no businessman,

Haas sold his invention in frustration toGertrude Tenderich, a Canadian entrepreneurand then owner of the Tampax company.The debut of the commercial tampon was aquiet but triumphant moment in mankind,or should we say womankind. “Welcome to anew day for womanhood” Tampax an-nounced brightly as in July 1936 the firstpocket-rocket slid shyly across a pharmacycounter.It’s touching to know that Dr Haas was in-

spired to act by the regular suffering of hisown wife, stoically upholstering her un-der-parts with uncomfortably suspended ragsat their home in the 1920s. In 1981, at theage of 96 the great man was still enthusiasti-cally perfecting his tampon design. Mean-while, the plucky Tenderich, using her ownhome sewing machine and Dr Haas’s com-pressing machine, sat up nights to fashion aworking tampon she could confidentially taketo market.For 75 years women have been able to rel-

egate the trials of the period to the same nui-sance league as tooth brushing and nail buff-ing. The embracing of girdle-free clothesskimming the body, and the advent oftrousers as acceptable attire for girls was en-hanced by the streamlining allowed by a tam-pon. Swimming and sports — again in moreclinging, flattering forms, were no longer outof bounds. That dreaded camel-toe bulge inthe panties was for many banished to thegory history of bravely grinning Madonnascrotches hammocked in nappy-sized sanitarybelts, silently offering the leaks and humilia-tion up to God.Calloused by change, we can only imagine

the challenge of getting the ‘catamenial de-vice’ to market in times where society wasstrangled by manners, religious tenants andthe enduring male shudder that accompaniesthe very mention of “Aunt Flo” strollingthrough town. The notion of a woman strug-gling to get something jettisoned into theholy of holies by lamplight must have beendeeply mortifying for a generation of wellcorseted, devout mothers. According to writ-er Nancy Friedman in her Everything YouWanted to Know about Tampons the tamponwent underground in the 1930s, relegated tothe effects of actresses andprostitutes at a time whenno “respectable” womanwould fumble about withher delicacies.Delving bravely into the

cultural history of men-struation, there is a Muse-um of Menstruation andWomen’s Health in Wash-ington DC, run at thehome of a man — HarryFinley. Finley gamely cov-ers everything from tam-pons and blood extractors to the curiousworld of the menstrual hut where womenwere sent in ancient Hawaii and Mali to do

their worst out of sight and scent of theirwider community. Visit www.mum.org.If you want to get serious on the subject,

today, there’s an entire human rights move-ment directed against “menstrual suppres-sion” with the tampon as a central issue forwomen’s physical and personal liberty in thedeveloping world.The engineering of the applicator has kept

an army of stoic-faced scientists at theirbenches since the 1920s, but more fascinatingagain is the application of the sylvan stopper.Yes, we’ve come a long way, but the shame

of being discovered openlymenstruating to the knowledgeof strangers by a visible leaklingers. Mopping up fluids wasone thing, but tackling deeplyingrained attitudes and fears wasnever going to be easy.Modern society still has a col-

lective inability to deal with thenatural reality of periods. Tam-pons had their own unspokentaboo. Despite no official atti-tude by the Catholic Church,today only 4% of Italian women

vouch to use tampons. Still, out of sight andmind, there’s a lot to celebrate in the modernday Scarlett Pimpernel. The talent of the

tampon to conceal that highly personalmoment of a woman’s menstrual cycle addedimmense challenge to the marketing cam-paign for women’s personal products, largelyconducted by male copy writers into the1960s. By the early ’70s attitudes relaxed andtampons hit the small screen.The Americans are particularly skilled at

total denial. Stopping up a period, deftly stillemblazoned “keeping your period private”by Tampax advertising genies, is presented asa positive pleasure. Today, when yourtweenager appears with a halting expressionand a muscle wringing cramp, the Universalmother presented in the Tampax ad is de-lighted to get that curious moment silencedwith the perfectly named “digital tampon”.Immaculate nouns like “petals” and “pled-gets” thrown a girlish lightly-scented veilover a dark world of womanly mystery. Theword “light” floats away to a breathy “lite”and “night” turn to a carefree, e-free “nite”.If you want a dash of how daring the Proc-

tor and Gamble creatives have become take alook at the cringe-making and officiallysponsored Zak/Tampax viral on YouTube,featuring a boy with a period. This slenderdesign icon has claimed the market and todayover 100 million women in 150 countriesbuy into the Tampax experience.




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Feelgood

Food survey

Roz Crowley

Mothers Pride Pancakes, 350g 1.19

Eight pancakes made with buttermilkwhich provides the dominant flavourhere. Texture is heavy, more like cakethan pancake. Quite sweet.

Score: 4

Nash 2 Go spelt and buttermilk pancakebatter 450ml 3.85

With no list of ingredients on the carton,this liquid batter makes about 12 pan-cakes and is made from eggs, buttermilkand spelt flour — a healthy combination.It took the inexperienced cook four at-tempts before he got the bat-ter to spread across thepan and make the pan-cakes light, but they werestill a little heavy. The re-sult was the flavour wasnicely savoury, but tastersdidn’t like the strong but-termilk flavour.

Score: 6

Galberts mini pancakes 350g 2.99

The serving suggestion is for heatingin the microwave for just a few secondsand it makes a big difference. Madewith buckwheat flour as well as wheatflour, skimmed milk powder and someemulsifiers, the preservative E202 ispotassium sorbate and nothing tobe concerned about. Thesewere the only ready-madepancakes which werequite eggy. A nice, lighttexture with a naturalflavour. Easily the mostpopular of the selection.

Score: 7

St Bernard pancakes Dunnes Stores, 250g1.15

Can be eaten cold or as suggested heat-ed by grilling for two minutes. Theseeight pancakes were improved bygrilling, but it wasn’t enough to lightenthem or give them any flavour. Sugarwas the dominant taste. Lots of preser-vatives and raising agents, but nothingto worry about.

Score: 4

Betty Crocker Shake to Make pan-cakes, 155g 1.89

THE dry mix comes in a plastic jug towhich 290ml of water is added and shak-en to blend. In the mix are wheat flour,sugar, vegetable fat, salt, dextrose, eggwhite powder, egg yolk pow-der and skimmed milk pow-der. The result was the bestof the easy mixes, easy topour into the pan, nosticking, no lumps. Thetaste was a little sweet,but was the favourite oftasters. A shame thejug doesn’t have a lineto indicate the volumeof water.

Score: 7

Ballymore Crust pancakes, Aldi, 224g1.15

Made with buttermilk and flour, theseeight readymade pancakes also havesome sugar which is the only flavourhere. Texture a little heavy. Need to beheated.

Score: 4

Odlums Perfect Pancakes pancake flour,500g 1.69

To halve the pack we add two eggs and575ml milk. The flour already has raisingagents and salt. This needs to be spreadthinly on the pan to avoid heaviness.While pleasantenough there was lit-tle flavour. Suitssweet and savouryfillings.

Score: 5.5

Orgran Gluten Free Apple & Cinnamonpancake mix, 375g 3.84

To make the batter, add water or milk tothe pack along with two eggs. We triedthese to see if the apple and cinnamonwould give a lift to the pancake mix butthey only made the taste heavier. Thosewith some food intol-erances should beable to eat these, asthey are wheat,gluten, dairy, yeast,soy and nut free. Theresult was quite a rub-bery pancake andtasters didn’t like theadded flavours.

Score: 4.25

P ANCAKES make a nourishingsnack, lunch or supper, a goodbreakfast. Fill with leftovers, a

freshly made bolognese sauce, shredded leeksand some creamy cheese to make an easy fill-ing. Shredded duck with a squeeze of limejuice, hoy sin sauce and salad greens is a treat.With one of the perfect foods — the egg

— as their base, any flour can be used fromthe lightest white to buckwheat, spelt,wholemeal and mixes of all three. The morewholemeal used the heavier the pancake willbe, and many spelt flours tend to give a heav-ier finish too and, like gluten-free flours,don’t blend so well with the egg and milkmixture. The creamier the milk, the silkierthe batter will be — I add some melted but-ter which adds flavour, but also makes thepancakes easy to fry on the pan.Our survey this week looks at four

ready-made pancakes, most of which tastemuch the same, and four mixes which wehad hoped would be easy to use. None ofthem came up to scratch compared to mysimple recipe, but for convenience are a use-ful enough standby. I asked an inexperiencedcook to make the pancakes to see how easythey were to work with.

Pancakes by Roz

This recipe will ensure your pancakes arelight and full of flavour. Any plain orself-raising flour will do. Watch sell by dateson eggs and buy the freshest possible. Choosea frying pan with the lowest sides so steamcan evaporate efficiently to keep them crispas they cook.125g flour3 eggs250ml milk30g melted butter.

Mix all together in one go until wellblended. Allowing the mixture to stand forhalf an hour may improve it marginally, but

use it straight away if necessary.Heat the frying pan and rub it with a little

butter. Butter wrapping is ideal for this. Anymore and the pancake will be heavy. As thereis butter in my pancake batter, it’s often notnecessary to add more butter to the pan later.Pour the pancake batter into a jug and

pour a skim of batter onto the hot pan. Rollthe pan quickly so the batter spreads over thepan and replace on the heat. Allow to cookuntil brown without moving it around. Thepancake will only flip successfully when wellcooked.Tilt the pan away from you so the pancake

almost slides off, and flip so the uncookedside goes onto the pan. Allow anotherminute to cook this second side.Serve immediately or stack and put in a

warm oven to keep hot while cooking therest.

Pancakechooseday

Picture: iStock


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Deirdre O'Flynn

MOSTLY MEN

DId you know...

withTAKE 4

Male health

Lip Therapy

Use your legsto get moving

GOOD BENEFITS:Using your bike tocommute hasenvironmental,economic andsocial benefits.Picture: Getty Images

I T MIGHT be time to get on yourbike, according to the Institute of Pub-lic Health in Ireland (IPH) which is

calling for policies to promote active travel —walking and cycling.Half of all car owners in the Greater

Dublin Area drive for trips of less than onemile. In Northern Ireland, car travel accountsfor 50% of all journeys less than two milesand almost two-thirds of journeys less thanfive miles.“There is considerable scope to replace car

journeys with walking and cycling and doingso would increase physical activity whichwould benefit people’s health straight away,”says IPH public health development officerTeresa Lavin, author of the IPH’s briefing pa-per, Active Travel — Healthy Lives. As thelevel of active travel increases, road traffic in-juries and deaths decrease.“For example, in Germany and the

Netherlands where there are high rates ofactive travel, pedestrian fatalities are 10 timeslower than in the United States which hashigh car usage,” she says.The report also highlights that getting on

your bike and using walking have environ-mental, economic and social benefits. “In-creased active travel reduces greenhouse gas

emissions, brings better air quality and lessnoise, benefiting both the environment andhealth,” says Lavin.Not only that, but you might actually get

to talk to your neighbours when you’re notlocked away in the bubble of your car. TheIPH’s research shows that walking and cyclingmore promotes social cohesion and enhancescommunity life by increasing the opportuni-ties for social interaction, not to mention in-creased safety from anti-social behaviour dueto more people on foot or bicycle in thearea.The paper also highlights the need to ad-

dress health inequalities when promoting ac-

tive travel as people in disadvantaged commu-nities are less likely to walk or cycle due totraffic, noise, crime, litter, poor street lightingand poor quality public transport.Active modes of travel also reap substantial

economic benefits. Research from Scotland

has suggested that if 40% of all car journeysswitched to bicycle, this would result in asaving of £2 billion ( 2.4 billion) per yeardue to reduced mortality. The saving is esti-mated to be closer to £4 billion ( 4.8 bil-lion) if improved health is also included.

Cancer society seeksgood communicators

firmed). You don’t need to havemedical training to be-come a volunteer.However, a number of

qualities are important.These include: being

able to deliver a talk/in-formation while stickingto the ICS message; goodcommunication skills; awillingness to learn; relia-bility; and being able toorganise and keeprecords.For more information,

contact Rosemary Scottat 01-231 0579, or [email protected].

Boys who are highcaffeine consumersget a greater rushfrom caffeine thangirlsSource: University of Buffalo, US

NATURAL RELIEF: A.Vogel Bio-Propolis,8.41 is a natural cold sore ointment that inac-tivates the cold sore virus and helps to pre-

vent a secondary infection. Propolis is a natural anti-septic found in beehives, which protects the inside ofthe hive from viruses and bacteria. “If you are proneto cold sores, I would definitely apply Bio-Propolis tothe infected area five times a day,” says A.VogelHerbal Advisor Nicola Murphy. “It can reduce thehealing time of a cold sore by 50%.”Rich in aloe vera gel to mois-

turise and Lysine to preventcold sores, Aloe Pura Aloe VeraLip Balm, 3.85 also containsTea Tree, Menthol and VitaminE ensure your lips stay protect-ed all day. A Vogel, Viridianand Aloe Pura products fromhealth stores and selectedpharmacies.

BEAUTY STAPLE: Vaselinehas been a beauty staple formany years. Now the Vaseline

Lip Therapy tin has had a minimakeover, as well as introducing newcocoa Butter, 2.32to the tin range,which also in-cludes Original,1.75; Aloe Vera,1.75 and RosyLips, 2.32. Vase-line have alsolaunched new LipTherapy Sticks,which are avail-able as Original,Aloe Vera, RosyLips and CocoaButter, 2.99 each.

SPRING TINGLE: While thesebright spring days are sure to liftthe spirits, unfortunately thechange in weather can also trigger

painful cold sores. Compeed’s Cold SorePatch is designed to soothethe tingling of the coldsore, prevent the forma-tion of a scab and speedup the healing process.The ultra-thin transparentcircular plaster is virtuallyinvisible when worn andyou can still wear yourlipstick or gloss over it.Available from pharma-cies, the patches come ina lightweight compactwith a mirror and cost9.99 for 15.

PUCKER UP: Lips need a lit-tle extra care in drying windand weather to stop cracking

and peeling. Protect your lips andprovide a good base for your lipcolour with Weleda’s 100% natural LipBalm, 7.95. Scented with vanilla androse, six natural moisturisers areblended to provide long lasting pro-tection: organic jojo-ba oil, shea butter,beeswax, candelillawax, carnauba waxand rose wax. Wele-da products areavailable fromhealth stores andpharmacies.

Greater awarenessof fire safety urgedTHE Irish Chief Fire Officers’ As-sociation (CFOA) has called forgreater fire safety awareness inlight of the recent increase indomestic fire fatalities acrossIreland.The association has released

figures showing that 18 fatali-ties occurred in December andJanuary, almost 50% ofthe entire figure (40)for 2010.The CFOA

said smokealarms were ei-ther not pre-sent or notworking in

most the majority of cases.“Forty to 50 people have died inaccidental house fires every yearover the last 20 years and thistrend has continued this winter,”said CFOA chairman MichaelRaftery. “The CFOA urges thepublic to check smoke alarms,not only your own, but alsothose of elderly relatives or vul-

nerable neighbours. House-holders should

always makesure that flammablematerials are kept asfar away fromsources of heat aspossible.”

1 2 3 4

THE Irish Cancer Society (ICS)is seeking volunteers toget two important mes-sages into the communi-ty:■ It is possible to reduceyour risk of cancer by asmuch as 50% by makinglifestyle changes.■ Spotting a changeearly that could be can-cer can save lives.To become a volun-

teer, you must attend atwo-day training pro-gramme on either April8-9, or in September,2011 (dates to be con-


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Feelgood

STUFF WE LIKE

Beauty

The news on ...

Emily O’Sullivan

TAKE THREE

Don’t be fooled by pretty packaging when choosing moisturiser

MY skin looks like it’s beyondsaving. An image of a Komo-do dragon pops into my head

when I run my hand over the skin on mythigh. I blame the weather. Several monthsof freezing cold temperatures and big dumpsof snow and our skin goes into veritableiguana-like meltdown. The only thing I canreally do is to moisturise and moisturise, butgetting the right body moisturiser is essentialto success.The world of body moisturisers is a mine-

field. A minefield largely because there is alot of rubbish out there. All moisturisers arenot born equal. Believe me. Instead, lots dressthemselves up in pretty little outfits and givethemselves a massive price tag and masquer-ade as some sort of beauty must-have, whenactually they are quite ineffective, andworse... don’t rub into the skin properly (oneof the worst offences for the body moisturis-er).The key is not to judge a body moisturiser

by its cover. Instead, you need to look tobrands that are a little less glamorous, brandssuch as Nivea, Neutrogena and La RochePosay. Brands that are functional rather thansuper-feelgood. But you will be rewarded forit.

Nivea’s SOS Relief Body Lotion, 5.76,has got us out of many a dry-skin pickle,while Neutrogena’s Deep Moisture ComfortBalm, 6.57, scoops out of the tub like richwhipped cream and turns your skin intovelvet. It’s not quite what we’d expect from abalm (it’s more like a cream, really), but itworks a treat.Of course, just because a body moisturiser

is fancy doesn’t mean it isn’t effective. Farfrom it. Both Chanel and Guerlain are partic-

ularly skilled at creating the kind of richunctuous creams that you can’t wait to slathergenerously on your skin. Truly indulgent buttruly divine. Mid-market there are some greatthings happening, too.The Body Shop’s classic Body Butters,15.95, are still good contenders and haveproved their staying power — they have beenth company’s fastest selling products sincethey were first launched in 1992. I love theolive flavour and am pretty partial to cocobutter, too.Still, after all these years trying beauty

products there are two body moisturisers Ireserve particular affection for. One isOrigins’s Ginger Soufflé, 32.50, and I’mnot alone with this one, it’s a bestseller forthe company and there’s a good reason why:it smells divine and it feels like silk (they callit “whipped” and it’s a pretty good descrip-tion). It’s the kind of moisturiser that youknow you’re going to run out of quickly, be-cause you want to use it morning and night.Equally luscious is Lush’s decadent Creme

Anglaise, a sumptuous vanilla-scenteddessert-style cream that is simply divine.Yes, for a Lush product it’s expensive at37.50, but it’s worth every fabulous littlecent.

Neutrogena Deep Moisture ComfortBalm, 6.57. Yet again, the title of this oneis a bit misleading, as it’s not really what weexpect from a balm. Having said that, we’re

fans of its rich creamy tex-ture and it got our thighsfeeling super-soft within afew days. It takes awhile to sink in, butwe’ll forgive it that.

Nivea SOS BodyRelief, 5.76. Good, de-

cent, solid and reliable — this body mois-turiser does exactly what it says on thetin. No, it won’t win any awards for style— but it’s not trying to. Instead, it’s a salvefor very dry skin and is enriched with pan-thenol and calendula oil.

Origins Ginger Soufflé BodyMoisturiser, 32.50. It doesn’t really smellgingery, and it’s not really soufflé-like in tex-ture, but why quibble about minor issueswhen dealing with one of life’s ultimatebody moisturisers. Scent-wise, it’s fresh andtangy, while grape seed oil, rice bran oil,

apricot kernal oil and olive oilensure that our skin is soft ascan be.

The Body Shop OliveBody Butter, 15.95. Thenumber one bestselling prod-uct at The Body Shop. Needlessto say, there’s a good reasonwhy these body butters have en-dured so since their launch nearly30 years ago. They work. They’re

not too stick, not too buttery, but insteadgive a great dose of hydration and softenthings up quick smart.

Lush Creme Anglaise, 37.50. Expen-sive for Lush, you betcha, but CremeAnglaise is their, well, creme de la creme ofbody moisturisers. Sweet orange oil is

blended with natural butters and alittle bit of saffron to give it gold-en colour, just like the dessert.Yum.

Bliss Naked Body Butter,23.62. Having a scented body

moisturiser is all very well, but ad-mittedly sometimes it can clashwith your favourite fragrance,which is a bit of an inconvenience.

Bliss’s Body Butters are famed for theirexcellent hydrating abilities and Nakeddelivers the same formula, minus the scent.Nifty.

SHOWER GELS

TO soap or not to soap, that is the ques-tion. We like soap — it’s old-fashionedand more environmentally friendly as ituses substantially less packaging, butshower gel has it’s place too. Rememberto always rinse out and recycle your oldshower gel bottles and don’t buy any-thing unless it has a recycling symbol.

Johnson’s Body Care 24 HrMoisture Body Wash with Shea& Cocoa, 3.59. This has areally, really sweet fragrance,which some people might beinto but might be just a littletoo cloying first thing in themorning. Having said that,it’s a good, frothy and gen-erously foaming body washthat does feel deeply mois-turising and soft on the skin.

Boots Extracts FairtradeMango body wash, 5.99.Mango, mango, mango, yum— fruity and not too sweet, this bodywash uses certified Fairtrade ingredientsand organic mango extract to gentlycleanse with a totally exotic fragrance.

Original Source Tea Tree and mintshower gel, 2.39. A burst of freshnessand a glorious tingle of minty tea-tree, ifyou’re the kind of person that needs to berefreshed in the morning, the this is theshower gels for you. It really does help towake you up.Plus, you can get it in a nice pouch that

reduces packaging by 75%.

DAISY EAU SO FRESH

Admittedly it looks like one of those ladiesfrom the1950s with a floral swimming capon its head, but the contents are worth aspray. Marc Jacob’s Daisy Eau So Fresh isa twist on the Daisy fragrance— it’s fruitier and lighter withtop notes of grapefruit,raspberry and pear, midnotes of jasmine, rose,violet and apple blossom andbase notes of musk, Virginiacedar and plum. Daisy EauSo Fresh, 60 for 75ml.

BIG SELLER:The BodyShop OliveBody Butter,

15.95. fromthe bodybutters rangewhich hasremainedpopular sincefirst launchednearly 30years ago.

Soft ’n’ smoothBE CAREFUL:Lots ofmoisturisersdress themselvesup in pretty littleoutfits and givethemselves amassive price tagand masqueradeas some sort ofbeautymust-have, whenactually they arequite ineffective.Picture: Getty Images


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Do you have a questionfor Megan Sheppard?Email it [email protected] send a letter toFeelgoodIrish ExaminerCity QuarterLapps QuayCork

Megan puts the spotlight on: Light therapy

Natural health

Megan Sheppard

QI AM due for acataract operationshortly. I am won-dering if itwould be beneficial

to take arnica to prevent bruis-ing and bleeding, beforehand orafterwards. I am not on anymedication and it is being doneunder local injection. Also, Iread that taking vitamin B2helps prevent cataracts but ifyou have one it may acceleratecataract formation.A. You are correct. Vitamin B2

(riboflavin), along with antioxi-dant vitamins C, E, selenium, zincand the phytonutrients in bilber-ries, are brilliant in the preventionof cataracts. These nutrients slowand may reverse the damage.Some studies suggest that vitaminB2, taken in therapeutic doses,may exacerbate existing cataracts.So, while the jury is out on this

particular nutrient, there is awealth of scientific evidenceshowing the benefits of bilberryand vitamin E, in particular, sotake 80 mg of bilberry daily,alongside 500iu of vitamin E (nat-ural), for best results. Taking500mg of vitamin C, up to fourtimes daily, will help with bothslowing the progression of yourcataracts and your body’s ability torecover well following the cataractoperation.Homeopathic arnica is what

you should be taking to ensurethat your body copes well withany surgical operations. Not onlyis it safe for all ages, but it won’tinterfere with any other medica-tions, such as the local anaesthetic.Take Arnica 30c (one tablet twicedaily) for two days before youroperation, and then twice daily, ata dosage of 200c, for three daysfollowing. The reason why youwill benefit from taking the arni-ca, both pre- and post-operatively,is because it can help to reducesoreness, bruising, tissue damage,and bleeding related to surgicalprocedures.

Q. Could you kindly let me know thebrand of iodine recommended over thelast couple of weeks? They come in dropform and help prevent against cancer.A. The iodine drops that I recommended

recently are called nascent iodine. There area number of conditions that have been suc-cessfully treated using nascent iodine. Cancerpatients, in particular those with breast can-cer, have shown significant improvement us-ing nascent iodine, even to the point of total

remission. Nascent iodine works by counterreacting against cell differentiation in cancer-ous tissue. This form of iodine is producedby subjection of a 1% percent tincture of io-dine to a high electromagnetic field, for agiven time, in order to produce the nascentiodine state.This atomic state and electromagnetic

charge is held by the atom until it is dilutedin water and consumed, where it is readilyabsorbed and utilised by the body.Over a period of 2-3 hours, the charged

atom gradually loses its energy,and the body recognises this atomas the same nascent iodine it pro-duces in the thyroid in order tomake the T3 and T4 hormones.The atomic iodine is consideredto be the safest, and least irritat-ing, of all the iodine formulasavailable.You only need a small amount

of nascent iodine — begin with3-5 drops daily and increase overthe course of a week, until youare taking this amount three timesdaily. From the second week on-wards, increase to 5-10 drops,three times daily. Take it on anempty stomach, and ensure thatyou take smaller doses more fre-quently rather than takingcatch-up doses if you forget, asthe smaller doses are highly effec-tive. It can keep you awake if tak-en late at night, so try and work itso that your last dose of the day isan hour before tea time, if possi-ble.Note: I take nascent iodine and

have not had any trouble takingdoses before bedtime, so it may beworth seeing how it affects you ifthis suits you better to take a laterdose.■ IMPORTANT ADDITIONTO INFORMATION GIVENON February 25, 2011This is regarding the reader who

wrote in relation to herboyfriend’s trouble with pain andrectal bleeding. I had suggested anumber of possible causes, includ-ing diverticular disease, and a kinddoctor has written in to suggestthat it may in fact be Meckel’s Di-verticulum.Meckel’s Diverticulitis is a con-

genital condition where the smallintestine bulges out, much like ahernia, except it is present frombirth. While most people don’texperience any symptoms, rectalbleeding is a symptom commonlyobserved.Since the area of concern is in

the upper digestive tract, thebleeding is generally “old” blood and so isvery dark, almost black, when it is excreted.Another potential symptom is pain in theupper abdominal area, although the bleedingcommonly occurs without prior associatedsymptoms or pain.You should definitely check further with a

specialist, even if it is simply a case of rulingout the possibility of Meckel’s Diverticulitisas the root cause. Surgery is the preferredtreatment, with resectioning of the diverticu-lum and/or any areas of bowel affected byperforation, strangulation, or obstruction.

The phytonutrientsin bilberries are brilliant in

the prevention ofcataracts


WHILE Light therapy is alreadywell-known to help with SAD(Seasonal Affective Disorder), it

has recently been confirmed that ithelps with a number of mood disorders.Research published earlier this year in

the Archives of General Psychology hasshown that Blue Light Therapy (treat-ment using 7,500 lux of bright bluelight) significantly reduced depressionscores in a group of individuals aged 60and over who had been diagnosed withMajor Depressive Disorder (non-season-al). The treatment consisted of an hourexposure to the light each morning forthree weeks, and the control groupwere exposed to 50 lux of dim red lightduring the same period of time.There is much evidence to show that

light specifically from theblue area of the visualspectrum is the mostbeneficial in treatingmood disorders. Theabove study also resultedin better sleep in thosegetting the blue lighttreatment. Biochemicalmarkers identified asignificant lowering ofcortisol levels (responsiblefor stress), and a markedincrease in melatonin lev-els (responsible forsleep).So, not only is the

Blue Light Therapybeneficial for SAD, it is

also recommended formood, sleep and stress dis-orders. An older study onthis form of light therapy(2005) indicated that ener-gy levels improved alongwith mood. This is likelylinked with better qualityof sleep and lowered stresslevels along with the regu-lation of mood.Researchers have found

that the hormones andbrain chemicals whichcontrol both mood andsleeping patterns are linkedwith SAD — the lowerthe levels, the higher therisk of developing this

condition.SAD is thought to affect up to a

quarter of the adult population, withthe main symptom being depression.There are a number of telltale signs,including an increased appetite withstrong cravings for carbohydrates andsweets, weight gain, fatigue, wantingto sleep for longer and get up later,plus an energy slump in the after-noon.If you or someone you know suffers

from depression, SAD during thewinter months, is highly stressed, orhas trouble sleeping, then it would bewell worth considering blue lighttherapy or investing in a specially de-veloped lightbox to help with theseconditions naturally.

BRIGHTENING UP: Lighttherapy boxes such as thiscan be used to help withmood disorders.

TERAPROOF:User:GREGMCCANNDate:02/03/2011Time:14:18:54Edition:04/03/2011FeelgoodXH0403Page:16 Zone:XH

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Feelgood

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t: (021) 4552424

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also told that the conditionI had, known as AndrogenicAlopecia, was an inheritedcondition and as my dad wasbald, as was my grandad, Iknew I has to do somethingas I was heading the sameway.“Unfortunately with mywork and the birth of mydaughter, I didn’t go aheadwith treatment straightaway as recommended andmy hair just got worse andworse. I kept meaning to dosomething about it but I just

kept putting it off which Iknow is the worst thing to doas I know once the hair root isdead, it’s too late.One evening, after wehad been out with friends,a friend of mine postedthe evening’s pictures onFacebook and I couldn’tbelieve how bad my hairlooked. I hated seeing myselflike that and I knew I had todo something. The next dayI made another appointmentwith the HairClinic whichwas the original Cork City

clinic I had visited all thoseyears ago and I was told that Ihas lost some hair around thecrown so I would always bea little bit light in that area.But the great news was thatthe laser treatment wouldstop my hair from getting anyworse and also thicken mythinning hair.9 months on and there hasbeen a huge improvement inmy hair and I am delighted.I just wish I had donetreatment earlier when I firstnoticed the thinning!

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Feelgood 04-03-2011