Feelgood 11-06-2010

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Feelgood Friday, June 11, 2010

DIVE IN

Splash out on our top ten outdoor pursuits for your staycation: 8,9

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Electric Picnic’s Body and Soul goes solo with its eclectic mix of music, massage and moonlight, says Deirdre Reynolds Kate O’Reilly WHAT’S ON ■ PSYCHOTHERAPY SEMINAR: UCC and CIT psychotherapy associations are hosting a seminar tonight, Friday, June 11, on the ‘talking cure’. Neville Symington will explore how someone with a mental illness can be healed through talking with another person.

The seminar is at 7.30pm, in the Imperial Hotel, Cork, and is open to all. It costs F15, if pre-booked by emailing talkingcure@gmx.com, or calling Orla on 086-3644004; or F20 at the door.

■ OXFAM DAY: Oxfam Ireland is calling on the people of Kilkenny to join them for a day of fun to celebrate Donation Day, in their shop, number 48, High St, on Friday, June 18. Kilkenny senior hurling manager, Brian Cody, will be there, as will local magician, Nevin Cody, while KCLR radio station will broadcast live from the shop. Donation Day encourages people to donate goods.

■ TEEN DAY: An activity day for teenagers with severe allergies will take place on Saturday, June 26, from 10am to 4pm, at Oysterhaven Centre. The day is organised by Anaphylaxis Ireland, a national, voluntary organisation that provides support and information for people with severe allergies. It costs F30. Booking is essential. Call 0818 300 238, or email info@irishanaphylaxis.org.

■ DIABETES PROGRAMME: A free education programme for people with type 2 diabetes will take place in Carrigaline, in July. The award-winning X-PERT Programme aims to inform people about their diabetes. It is being delivered by HSE community dieticians nationwide, in conjunction with local GPs, to help people best manage diabetes and reduce the long-term risks.

Contact the HSE South Community Dieticians on 021-4921641 (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday).

■ HEART CLINIC: The Irish Heart Foundation will hold a free blood-pressure and cholesterol-testing clinic at the Family Resource Centre, Faranree, on Wednesday, June 16, from 2.30 to 4pm.

Call 021-4505822, or if you have questions about stroke or heart disease call the helpline, 1890-432787.

■ CARERS’ WORKSHOP: Acquired Brian Injury Ireland (ABI Ireland) is holding a stress management workshop for family carers of people with acquired brain injury (ABI), as part of National Carers’ Week (June 14 to 20). This workshop will be held on Tuesday, June 15 (10am to 2pm) at The Sanctuary, Stanhope Street, Dublin 7. Contact Una Kinane, project coordinator, Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, at 01-2804164 ext.207, or ukinane@abiireland.ie.

■ Items for inclusion in this column can be sent to koreilly8@gmail.com.

FeelgoodMag

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Soul food

T MAY be the shortest night of the year, but it kickstarts one of the biggest parties of the summer.

Body and Soul’s solstice bash takes place at sumptuous Ballinlough Castle in Westmeath next weekend.

And the modern celebration of an ancient pagan tradition will, quite literally, cast a little light on Ireland’s endless doom and gloom, promises organiser Avril Stanley.

“For many moons, people came together to celebrate the summer solstice,” she says.

“There’s been so much negativity in Ireland lately that we wanted to enable people to meet up in a more positive environment and party. It’s a really simple concept inspired by the Celtic calendar.”

With a wonderland of warm chai, yoga workshops and fireside acoustic sessions nestled within stone-walled woodlands, the holistic escape may strike a chord with the Electric Picnic set.

“We’ve been involved with Electric Picnic for the past six years,” explains Stanley of the Stradbally festival’s hit Body and Soul area. “But this is the first time we’ve done it as a standalone festival. The success of the Body and Soul tent at Electric Picnic gave us the courage and confidence to go out on our own.”

Fear not festival-goers, the feel-good haven will still feature at this year’s music gig in September.

But first, you can ease into festival season

TIME TO CHILL: The Body and Soul Solstice Gathering offers yoga workshops, acoustic sessions and hot tubs.

Picture: iStock

with the intimate celebration’s eclectic mix of music, alternative therapies and art installations.

“At Electric Picnic, there are 35,000 people,” adds founder Stanley, “at ours, there will be 1,500 so it’s much more intimate.

You’ll never lose your friends — unless you want to!”

And even if they do disappear, you’re likely to locate them indulging in a pampering therapy or soaking in a hot tub the cosy cocoon of the festival’s Holistic Haven.

From a masquerade ball to a moonlit orchestra and bonfires, the kooky festival for adults and children has all the surreal appeal of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

“We wanted to created a sense of sur-

prise” explains Stanley. “Where you turn one corner and wander into an oasis of massage and turn the next and find a jazz band dangling from a tree. It’s all about those nooks and crannies.

“The theme of the festival is ‘Phoenix Rising’,” she adds. “Ireland is going through a burning of sorts, with lots of our old ways and establishments falling to the ground. None of us are sure what’s going to happen next, but at least we can navigate it together.”

■ Body and Soul Solstice Gathering takes place June 19-20 at Ballinlough Castle, Co Westmeath. Weekend tickets are F109 (children under 12 free). See www.bodyandsoul.ie for more.

HEALTH NOTES ARE you finding the task of rearing your children overwhelming? You could sign up to join clinical psychologist David Coleman for this new Families in the Wild series.

Following on from Teens in the Wild, this year’s series will see Coleman bring three families in turn to an isolated location in south west Kerry for a week-long encounter.

During their stay, they will experience specially designed activities that will challenge them to work together as a team, along with individual and family therapy sessions. Coleman’s aim is to help each family develop the skills needed to make some positive change in their lives.

Filming takes place in late August and September. Interested families can contact Firebrand Productions at info@firebrand.ie or on 01-4735927

AN ALLERGIC reaction to peanuts can cause serious problems and, in some cases, lead to life-threatening anaphylactic shock.

The best prevention is to avoid all products with peanuts. But a team of US scientists is now working to develop a low-allergy peanut that could end the danger it poses. Through conventional cross-breeding, the researchers have removed or reduced the proteins believed to trigger the allergy.

The findings were presented at a congress of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in London by Professor Soheila Maleki. www.irishexaminer.com www.irishexaminer.com

JOIN Pat Gleeson from Cratloe, Co Clare, for a two-day fun charity event in aid of Down Syndrome Ireland’s HB Ice-cream Fundays. On Saturday, Pat will host two charity cycles — 104 and 52 miles — which are open to all. The cycle will be followed by a barbecue and an ice cream and fruit salad party. Entry fee is F50. On Sunday, June 13, there’s a charity walk starting at 12.30pm followed by a HB Ice-cream Fundays party.

Walkers should meet at Woodcross Bar, Cratloe. Entry fee is F20.

All funds raised go directly to the Down Syndrome Ireland and Clare crusade clinic.

■ For further information, to register, or for sponsorship cards, contact Pat Gleeson on 086 -3843561 or southclarewheelers@gmail.com.

FAMILY MATTERS: David Coleman is recruiting for his latest series, Families in the Wild, which will be filmed in rural Kerry.

THE RECESSION means cutbacks — and that includes health. According to recent research, a worrying 55% of people now put off routine checkups including GP visits. In response, insurer HSF Health Plan — a registered charity — has launched a new 24-hour GP advice line. Premiums (starting at F9.50 a month) cover most medical expenses but not hospital visits.

■ Call 1890 473 473 or see www.hsf.ie for more information.

www.irishexaminer.com feelgood@examiner.ie

FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2010

A PAIR of stilettos or stacked Cuban heels is a quick-fix response to being short. However size does matter when it comes to heart disease. Finish researchers have discovered if you are a male under 5ft 4in (165.4cm) or a woman under 5ft (153cm) then you are at greatest risk of developing heart disease than tall adults. Using data gathered from more than three million people, it was found that shorter adults were 1.5 times more likely to develop serious heart problems.

Smaller blood vessels to the heart may clog more easily, suggest the team in the European Heart Journal. Poor nutrition during childhood could also be an influencing factor.

Irene Feighan

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Advertising: 021 4802 215

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THE SHAPE I'M IN

Darren O’Neill

A fighting spirit E

U middleweight champion Darren O’Neill was one of three Irish boxers to win a bronze medal at the European Senior Boxing Championship this week. And hopes are high that he’ll do even better in the competition, which is currently taking place in Moscow.

The 24 year old, from Paulstown, Kilkenny — who teaches sixth class at Holy Trinity national school, in Donaghmede — recently underwent laser eye surgery at the Wellington Eye Clinic.

“I always wore glasses, but, being a young, active male, having glasses flying off my face was just annoying. I couldn’t wear contact lenses while boxing — a punch to the eye would rub one out. After getting laser, I find I don’t need either glasses or contact lenses,” says Darren, who has been going out with girlfriend, Carol, for four years.

What shape are you in?

Coming up to the European Championship, I was in as good shape as I could be. I was training four nights a week with the Irish high-performance team. Mornings were usually for physical training, evenings were boxing sessions, and, at weekends, I was running.

Do you have any health concerns?

I’ve had one or two hand injuries, so I’ll probably end up with arthritis in a few years. I take cod liver oil to combat that.

What are your healthiest eating habits?

Breakfast’s a bowl of porridge or Weetabix. For a small break at school, I have fruit or yoghurt. Lunch is scrambled egg, while dinner’s vegetables and meat — non-fatty types of meat.

What’s your guiltiest pleasure?

Chocolate — I always allow myself a little every day, even when I’m training.

What would keep you awake at night?

My sleep’s generally pretty good, but a bad day at school or at training would keep me awake. Thinking too much about boxing, when I’m coming up to a championship would, too.

How do you relax?

Watching TV with my mates or

BOXING CLEVER: Schoolteacher Darren is taking cod liver oil in the hope it will keep injury-related arthritis at bay.

Picture: Stephen McCarthy/ SPORTSFILE

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girlfriend, getting to the cinema once or twice a week, going for a game of hurling with my two younger brothers.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

Muhammad Ali, Manny Pacquiao — the Filipino professional boxer — and someone who has contributed a lot, like Nelson Mandela.

When did you last cry?

At the world championships in Milan, before Christmas, I lost to an Armenian opponent I’d beaten before. I was heartbroken about it. The same boxer went on to win the silver medal — I was gutted.

A UNIQUE GIFT A PERSONALISED IRISH EXAMINER FRONT PAGE

What would you change about your appearance?

The old broken nose is there, but I don’t mind about that. I don’t mind old scars — they’re there to prove the past really happened. Every now and again, I’d like a bit of weight to disappear. But then nobody’s perfect — so why should I be?

What’s your favourite smell?

Cut grass — there’s such a feeling of summer about it.

Name the best book you’ve read recently?

The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas. I also liked The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown — he’s my favourite author.

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What trait do you least like in others?

People who are conceited or who try to put you down.

I don’t know if it’s jealousy, but I don’t like that begrudgery. I always say fair play to anyone who does well — good luck to them.

What trait do you least like about yourself?

I’d like to be a bit more driven. Sometimes, when I’m suffering with an injury, I can lose my drive a bit.

Do you pray?

I do, I’ve had a religious upbringing. I try to go to mass as often as I can. My sixth-class pupils just celebrated their confirmation.

What cheers up your day?

Talking to my parents everyday — that little link with home is always good.

Helen O’Callaghan

The old broken nose is there but I don’t mind about that. I don’t mind old scars — they’re there to prove the past really happened FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2010

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Summer holidays

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One-in-four Irish holidaymakers become ill while abroad but taking precautions before

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you go away could make the experience less stressful, writes Arlene Harris

How to avoid being stranded by illness Y

OU’VE been planning your well-earned holiday for months. You managed to avoid the volcanic ash and have landed in paradise. It’s a dream come true.

Except for one thing — you have fallen ill and are wasting precious hours feeling miserable or worse, fighting for your life in a hospital bed far away from home.

Sounds like a nightmare doesn’t it? But while none of us can prevent ourselves from getting sick or incurring a nasty accident, we can take precautions to limit the likelihood and deal with the symptoms should we be caught unawares.

One in four Irish holidaymakers become ill while travelling abroad and Fionn Davenport, travel writer and presenter of No Frontiers, says a lot of sickness can be avoided.

“Most of us spend ages planning our holidays and packing our bags,” he says.

“But very few take the time to sort out health insurance, get inoculated or put together a first-aid kit.”

The seasoned traveller says that while most people won’t get seriously ill on holiday, it can happen and it is best to be prepared.

“Just because we are abroad, it doesn’t mean we are more likely to get sick, but it can make life more difficult if we haven’t made provisions for it,” he says.

“And I’m not just talking about the Tropics, you could break a leg skiing in Colorado and if you don’t have health insurance, you will be calling home and asking your dad to sell the house.

“One of my co-presenters contracted malaria while filming in Africa and seeing as she travels for a living, it proves that it can happen to anyone,” he says.

“So take the time to prepare, if you’re scared of injections, take a deep breath and get on with it — you might be glad you did.”

Dr Paul Mooney of the Department of International Health and Tropical Medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons says no matter where you are travelling, it is advisable to be prepared.

“Most of us are aware of the obvious precautions such as avoiding tap water and keeping out of the sun, but many people seem to pay little heed to the health issues that can arise from having a good time,” he says.

“Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are very common amongst holidaymakers and we would always advise people to take extra care while abroad, be sensible around alcohol and always use condoms.”

Dirty bathing water can also be a problem and Dr Mooney says holidaymakers should make sure the water is clean before they dive in.

“A lot of infections can be picked up in water, so if you are at all dubious

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Protect yourself TO ensure you are ready for all emergencies on holiday, the essential first aid kit should contain the following: ■ Antihistamines ■ Antiseptic pain-relieving spray ■ Crepe and support bandages ■ Dressings ■ Eyewash ■ Insect spray or mosquito repellent ■ Latex gloves ■ Painkillers ■ Plasters ■ Re-hydration solution ■ Scissors and safety pins ■ Sun block ■ Thermometer ■ Travel-sickness pills Picture: iStock

■ Tweezers ■ Vaccination card

Most of us spend ages planning our holidays and packing our bags. But very few take the time to sort out health insurance, get innoculated or put together a first aid kit

■ Travel insurance and health insurance policy details.

AND the travel advice tips given by travel writer and presenter of No Frontiers, Fionn Davenport are: ■ If on medication, make sure you bring enough supplies — genuine medicines are exempt from the airline liquid restrictions.

■ Take your prescription with you and find out the generic term for your medication, in case you run out.

about the cleanliness of the water, I would advise you to steer clear,” he says.

The travel health expert says it is important to be properly vaccinated before heading to any tropical countries.

“A lot of the world is affected by malaria, so I would strongly advise travellers to visit their doctor and find out what vaccinations are needed for their trip,” he says. “It might be a simple course of tablets or it could be an injection, but if you are advised to take it — make sure you do.

“Most people in Ireland will be up to date

with their tetanus boosters, but I would also advise holidaymakers to make sure they are fully immunised,” he adds.

Dr Bernadette Carr, medical director for VHI, says that while some holiday illnesses can be prevented, many are purely accidental.

“Our claims data shows that the top medical complaints incurred by customers who fall ill while travelling abroad are varied and range from digestive complaints and respiratory problems to infectious diseases and wounds or fractures resulting from an accident,” she says.

FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2010

“From an adventure-based trip to a more relaxing beach break, a well-stocked first-aid kit can make all the difference. But don’t hesitate to get urgent medical help if you are worried about someone’s condition.”

■ For a comprehensive guide to holiday health problems, visit www.healthytravel.ie.

■ For more information on insurance visit www.vhi.ie and www.hse.ie.

■ For advice on natural remedies visit www.naturalife.ie, www.nelsonsnaturalworld.com and www.irishhomeopathy.ie.

■ If travelling in remote areas, don’t eat anything that hasn’t been cooked.

■ Only drink bottled water.

■ Wash fruit, and brush teeth, in bottled water.

■ Take out adequate health insurance.

■ Ensure you get relevant inoculations — some may need to be administered up to four weeks before travel.

Feelgood

Message in a bottle

N

ATURAL and homeopathic remedies, now available in most alternative food outlets, are well worth adding to your first-aid kit, and here are some of their uses for the most common conditions: Stomach upset: Udo’s Choice Super 8 probiotic. Great in cases of travel tummy constipation, or acidic stomach from too many different types of food.

and stinging of a rash.

Insect bites: The most frequently used homeopathic remedies are Apis 30 or Ledum 30, which can be taken internally.

Dehydration: Take constant sips from one-litre of clean, bottled water, to which

Diarrhoea: Super 8 probiotic. Take up to 10 in the first day to stop diarrhoea.

Skin care: The skin needs good fats to recover from sunbathing and to help maintain a healthy glow. Udo’s oil can be taken on a daily basis throughout the summer.

Rash: Sometimes caused by reactions to sun-protection creams or oils. Look for a hypoallergenic, oil-free sun cream and use Urtica cream, or lotion, to relieve the itching

FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2010

you add one level teaspoon of salt and eight level teaspoons of sugar.

Severe dehydration is a medical emergency, and must be treated in a hospital setting with intravenous fluids. Homeopathic China 30c is also recommended, to aid a speedy recovery.

Heat stroke and severe sun burn: This is a severe condition and should be treated by a qualified homeopathic or medical practitioner. While getting to the hospital, if the skin is red, hot, dry, throbbing, painful, pupils dilated, give Belladonna 30c, and repeat only as necessary, if improvement ensues after one or two initial doses.

Problems with flying: New Nordic Wonder Legs helps to improve circulation, and relieve tired and swollen legs during long flights. New Nordic Melissa induces calm, so is very useful for people who are nervous about air travel.

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When we deal with others it is vital we take account of their own complex life story

Hidden history

By Patrick McKeown, author & International practitioner.

As seen on RTE Health Squad, Irish Times and Irish Independent.

Freecall: 1800 931 935 or visit www.asthmacare.ie

CNM Collegeof Naturopathic Medicine

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Tony Humphreys T IS vital we are sensitive to story — our own and others — whenever we encounter another person, either in a one-to-one interaction or as part of a group of people. Nobody can know another person’s story and in relationships it is always counterproductive to make assumptions, to judge, to accuse, to diagnose, to make a prognosis or to evaluate the other person without involving him or her. To treat another as, for example, a human resource, a patient, a client, an employee or an object of scientific study, without taking into account that person’s rich and complex life-story context is to demean that person’s presence.

When I lecture on various topics such as cancer, suicide, depression, obsessions and compulsions, sexual violation, emotional abandonment, intellectual ‘put downs’, chronic anxiety, delusions, illusions, hallucinations, I do not know who in my audience is experiencing or has experienced these phenomena. What I do know is that I need to talk sensitively on these topics and try to make sure that I do not add further to these individuals’ misery. Of course, story is always a two-way street — I also deserve sensitivity to my own story, from myself and from the others with whom I interact.

Sensitivity does not mean that I take responsibility for the other person’s distress; that response would only add further to their sad state. Of course, I need to take responsibility for my own conflicts and not attempt to pass the buck onto somebody else.

My ability to be sensitive to another person’s story depends on my level of sensitivity to my own story. In relationships it is a responsibility to practise kindness — there is no greater maturity than kindness. When I find I am not practising man’s humanity to man, I need to urgently reflect on my own story — without harshness, judgment or criticism.

If, for example, I find myself being cross, judgmental, controlling, sarcastic, dismissive, undermining or punishing of another person’s presence or behaviour, I need to ask myself what in my own story has currently or remotely brought about that defensive position.

Current factors could be tiredness, over-work or hunger and remote factors could be intolerance of passivity or aggression or not taking responsibility for one’s own life. Remote factors generally have to do with earlier childhood experiences where the very factors I am reacting to are the very ones that resulted in my being neglected as a child.

Equally, when another individual responds to me in ways that lessen my presence or criticise my behaviour, I need to ask myself: ‘What might have brought that person to responding in ways that are not worthy of my dignity?’

When I’m in a solid, mature place I can explore with the other person what is happening in his or her interior world. For example, when I can ask: ‘Why are being threatening?’, I am open to hearing and getting to know that person’s story. However, if I do not challenge the situation, my passivity is being propelled by fear and no resolution of the conflict situation is now likely.

Whatever one’s level of fear, it is important to be vigi-

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Once you interact with another person you become part of his or her story and she or he part of your story lant to what comes out of our mouths, what our bodies may be saying and what our actions may be conveying about the extent to which we value our own dignity and the presence and the expressions of the other. You never know what you may be tapping into in another person’s story.

For example, a sexual vulgarity on your part in a group setting may resonate with a painful sexual violation endured by another member of the group. You will have no idea of how your expression is received by the other without knowing the humiliation and degradation she may have experienced and the impact it has had on her sexual self-expression.

We also need always to be conscious in our relationships with others that very few people have escaped experiences of being abandoned, ignored, criticised, demeaned and diminished in their self-expressions — physical, sexual, emotional, intellectual, behavioural, social, creative and spiritual. As a result everyone is sensitive — at least until they have resolved the hurts experienced.

Finally, it is necessary to consider the fact that once you interact with another person you become part of his or her story and she or he part of your story. Whatever is to emerge between you is always a co-creation. It is never one expert or authority doing something to another person, it is about two people coming together to explore something taking place between them, whether for a moment, an hour, a day, a month, years or a lifetime.

■ Dr Tony Humphreys is a clinical psychologist, national and international speaker and author of several books, including Whose Life Are You Living?

FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2010

FEELGOOD

A DIFFERENT VIEW ON LIFESTYLE

Your guide to fitness, health, happiness and lifestyle.

Great writers and mentors.

Where you come first.

Phone: NIAMH KELLY Tel. 021-4802215 Fax 021-4273846 niamh.kelly@examiner.ie

Every Friday

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WIN A SUPER TRIP FOR TWO! To Kelly’s Resort Hotel & SeaSpa from KNORR Reduced Salt Stock Cubes!

Knorr is giving readers the opportunity to be super healthy with Knorr Reduced Salt Stock Cubes and be in with a chance to win a rejuvenating midweek break for two at Kelly’s Resort Hotel, Rosslare and two treatments in Kelly’s SeaSpa. CHAMPAGNE 2-DAY AUTUMN MIDWEEK BREAK FOR TWO (full board – all meals included) With access to our Thermal Suite at SeaSpa NEW Knorr Reduced Salt Stock Cubes are 25% lower in salt than other leading stock cubes on the market, but as they are made with carefully selected ingredients, they still taste fantastic!

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FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2010

Your Entry Form

Simply answer the question below and post your answer to: KNORR Feelgood Competition, Kennedy PR, No.2 Castle St., Christchurch, Dublin 2 Closing date for entries is June 25th, 2010.

Knorr Reduced Salt Stock Cubes are ______% lower in salt than other leading stock cubes on the market.

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Summer holidays Summer’s here — the ideal excuse to get out, and get moving. Pól Ó Conghaile chooses activities around the country that offer novelty and challenge by land, sea and air

STEP OUT

■ Mountain biking Location: Ballyhoura, Co Limerick

Details: We’re seeing more of them every weekend — those mud-splattered guys and girls, sporting adrenaline eyes and scraping the dirt from their bikes in forest car parks up and down the country. If you can’t beat the burgeoning mountain biking community, the best place to join it is Ballyhoura — the name given to the region bordering counties Tipperary, Cork and Limerick. Its 98km trail network is the largest of its kind in Ireland, and features forest roads, dirt tracks, raised wooden platforms and “tight twisty single tracks with loads of ups and downs, tight turns and technical rocky bits”.

Trails are stacked for all ability levels and there’s even showers and bike wash facilities.

Contact: 063-91300; ballyhouramtb.com.

Difficulty: Moderate to hard (fitness is definitely a plus).

Cost: Free, with a parking charge (F5). Bike rental costs F40 per day.

■ Coasteering Location: Newcastle, Co Down

Details: Coasteering basically involves squeezing into a wetsuit, helmet, buoyancy vest and old trainers, and setting off to hop, jump, scramble, swim and sometimes even crawl your way around the coastline (if a river is involved, they call it bouldering).

Bloody Bridge in Co Down is one of the top bouldering sites in the country, and Action Outdoors will guide you along the river as it splashes over granite

boulders on its way from Slieve Donard to the sea.

The coasteering option is at Ballyhornan, just outside Downpatrick, where waves are thrown in for good measure. All equipment is provided — just bring a sense of adventure.

Details: Ireland’s network of cycling and walking trails has come on enormously in the past decade, blowing the countryside wide open to anyone on two feet (or two wheels). The Cork City-Beara-Gougane Barra cycling route is a 94km trail kicking off in the Mardyke and continuing on to Inchigeela (56km). At Inchigeela, the route forks, with one trail winding up in Gougane Barra (20km), and the other veering west via Kealkill to Glengar-

■ Skydiving

Location: Killaloe, Co Clare

Location: Nenagh, Co Tipperary

Details: Absolute beginners and accomplished sailors are equally welcome at the University of Limerick Activity Centre. Sailing lessons take place in a fleet of Fevas, Visions and a new Ludic on the wind-whipped Lough Derg and, though the learning curve is pretty steep, no prior knowledge is required.

I gave it a go recently, and once I learned to tell the jibs from the jibes and the cleats from the tacks, I couldn’t get enough of this great lake. The centre also has an adventure ropes course.

Details: Forget staying at home on the sofa. Wouldn’t you prefer freefalling through the sky at 200kmph? “Jumping out of a plane probably takes up less energy than playing a round of golf,” says David Byrnes of Skydive Ireland, based at Nenagh Airfield.

The trick, of course, is summoning the courage to do it in the first place.

To this end, Skydive Ireland has two options.

Tandem skydives are for those looking for a once-off thrill — with just 20 minutes of training leading to a jump at 10,000ft

Contact: 061-376622; ulac.ie Difficulty: Easy (you don’t need to be able to swim, but water confidence helps).

Cost: A one-day, taste of sailing course costs F100pp. A start sailing course, which runs over weekends or four Wednesday evenings, costs F180pp.

Contact: 00 44 2844832894; actionoutdoors.info.

Difficulty: Moderate (water confidence required).

Cost: From £12/F14pp.

■ Diving Location: Atlantic Coast.

Details: Ireland is a surprisingly rewarding place to dive, with sights ranging from torpedoed U-boats to basking shark.

If you’re a rookie, book a try dive. These are offered by Aquaventures (aquaventures.ie) and Baltimore Diving Centre (baltimorediving.com) in west Cork, and by others like Scubadive West (scubadivewest.com) in Renvyle, Co Galway. From there, you can become a certified diver within five days.

Contact: discoverireland.ie/Waterbased/Diving.aspx Difficulty: Moderate (water confidence is a must).

Cost: From F65pp to F90pp for a half-day.

iff (38km).

The choice is yours, but whatever route you pick, you’ll be free-wheeling through the fuchsia-strewn west Cork landscape. Routes are sign-posted with logos and a bike symbol.

Contact: 021-4255100; discoverireland.ie/cycling.

Difficulty: Moderate (depending on how far you intend to cycle).

Cost: Free, unless you’re hiring a bike.

Picture: Fotoware

■ Kayaking Location: Waterford and Cork Details: We’re spoiled for choice when it comes to kayaking. You can take basic lessons at Ballyhass Lakes (Ballyhasslakes.ie) near Mallow, Co Cork. In Cappoquin, Co Waterford, Blackwater Boating (blackwaterboating.ie) offers the chance to paddle up the Blackwater, camping out overnight. Jim Kennedy’s At-

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lantic Sea Kayaking (atlanticseakayaking.com) specialises in half and full-day trips along west Cork’s coastline. You can see Cork City by kayak too, and all levels are catered for.

Contact: discoverireland.ie/waterbased/kayaking.aspx Difficulty: Moderate (average fitness required).

Cost: Three-hour trip starts at F50pp.

Details: Yes, you read that right. Marriage and parenthood often correspond with an age when our bodies are losing their natural ability to keep in shape, so why not make the most of the situation?

Sneem’s whacky Family Festival hosts the National Wife-Carrying Championships (July 24), with some 30 couples competing to win an expenses-paid trip to the World Cham-

■ Surfing

■ Walking/Hiking Location: Slieve Blooms and Lough Boora, Co Offaly Details: When we think of great Irish walking destinations, Cowen Country isn’t the first place that springs to mind. But there’s a surprising amount of calf-stretching on offer here. Offaly and Laois are home to the Slieve Blooms where guided three to four-hour walks depart every Sunday, taking in a variety of forests, glens and waymarked walks.

The hardy-of-hamstring can go on to undertake the 30km Offaly Way, but amblers might prefer Lough Boora, where a flat, 9km looped walk is braided into the Mesolithic landscape.

Lough Boora is also home to Sculpture in the

Parklands (sculptureintheparklands.com), a suite of sculptures inspired by the area’s rich natural and industrial legacy. It’s breathing new life into the old bog.

Contact: 086 2789147; slievebloom.ie.

Difficulty: Easy to hard (take it at your own pace).

Cost: Guided walks cost F5, otherwise free.

FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2010

Location: Cork and Kerry Details: In Ireland, we’re used to getting wet in summertime. So why not go get really wet? And there’s no better way to do that than to flop into the Atlantic surf, letting yourself go amidst the sound of thunderous waves (or is it the laughter of your friends?).

Clare, Sligo and Donegal get all the surfing press, but there are plenty of waves in the southwest too. In Dingle, West Coast Surf School (westcoastsurfschool.ie) operates from Inch Strand and Brandon Bay.

(attached to an instructor, of course).

Solo jumps feature a full-day training course, including instruction on how to control your own parachute, and a jump from 3,500 feet. Whichever you choose, you’ll be on the ground in minutes — though it may take longer to come back to earth.

Contact: 061-240692; skydiveireland.ie.

Difficulty: Easy (but you need to be in good health).

Cost: Tandem jumps cost F280 and solo jumps, F240.

■ Wife carrying Location: Sneem, Co Kerry

■ Cycling Location: Gougane Barra, Co Cork

■ Sailing

West Cork Surfing (westcorksurfing.com) runs lessons on Inchydoney, and Ardmore Adventures (ardmoreadventures.ie) covers east Cork and west Waterford.

Lessons generally last two hours and, boards, wetsuits and showers are provided.

Contact: 096-49428; isasurf.ie.

Difficulty: Moderate (no expertise required, but basic fitness helps).

Cost: Approx. F30-F35pp per lesson.

pionships in Sonkajärvi, Finland.

Contestants carry their partners over a 253.5m track that includes two jumps and an entertaining (for spectators, at least) water obstacle. Wives may be your own, your neighbour’s, “or you may have found her further afield”.

Contact: 0877936177; sneemfestival.com Difficulty: Hard (especially if you’re doing the carrying).

Cost: F20 per couple.

Attendance free.

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Dr Niamh Houston

FAMILY

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Dr Niamh Houston is a GP with a special interest in integrative medicine. If you have a question about your child’s health email it to feelgood@examiner.ie or send a letter to Feelgood Irish Examiner City Quarter Lapps Quay Cork

MY three-year-old son has sucked his thumb since he was a baby. He’s starting play-school in September and I really want him to have stopped by then. I’ve seen polish you can paint on fingers to help children stop thumb-sucking — would you recommend this? Does this habit interfere with the development of their speech or teeth? And how long should I let it go on?

A. Thumb-sucking is very natural for babies and it’s common for them to use their thumbs or fingers as part of their routine to soothe themselves. A baby can become a thumb sucker as a way to fall asleep, to calm down, or just because it feels good. A toddler will often suck his thumb when he feels stressed. Usually when between two to four years children will start to develop other coping skills that will replace their need for thumb-sucking.

It is probably a good idea to start weaning him gradually off sucking his thumb for a number of reasons. Sucking puts pressure on the sides of the upper jaw and the soft tissue on the roof of a child’s mouth. As a result, the upper jaw can narrow, causing the teeth to not meet properly. Although this can be fixed with braces, it can also cause speech problems, like a lisp that may need to be COMFORT BLANKET: A baby can become a thumb sucker as a way to fall asleep, to calm corrected with speech therapy. down or just because it feels good. Picture: Picture: Getty Images The long-term effects of thumb-sucking don’t stop there. It can also cause a child to over-the-counter saline nasal spray which hurts himself or is very upset let him suck bite to one side of their mouth, called a his thumb as he will revert to self-soothing will help ease nasal congestion and dryness cross-bite. This may affect the structure of and can be used as often as needed. and prohibiting him may upset him more. the mouth and jaw as they are growing.

Rinse your nasal cavity with a neti pot.

Remember, he will grow out of the need The trick here is to lessen your child’s deOnce or twice a day, fill the neti pot with for thumb-sucking when he’s good and pendency on thumb-sucking before this warm salt water. Tilt your head over a sink, ready. It will come to an end eventually. coping skill turns into a habit. It might be place the spout of the neti pot in your upper You will not have a child who is going off tempting to pop his thumb out of his nostril and gently pour in the water. (The to college sucking his thumb. mouth every time he starts to suck, but resalt water will cleanse the nostril.) Repeat sist the urge. Remember this is a self-soothon the other side. Use nasal strips at night.

Q. You recently mentioned treatments ing activity — growing up for children can for hayfever — but what is safe to take if These adhesive strips can help keep your be anxiety-provoking and sucking the nasal passages open while you’re sleeping. thumb helps them reduce their anxiety. You you are pregnant?

If medication is needed, short-term use of could start with limiting the time he sucks nasal corticosteroid sprays and drops are the A. Most women are aware that during his thumb to bed-time or in the house, and first choice during pregnancy. They help to pregnancy they need to avoid as many not in public. non-essential medicines as possible. Yet you unblock your nose and sinuses by reducing Explain to him that this is sleep or don’t have to grin and bear the runny nose, inflammation. nap-time activity only. And don’t give your Loratidine is the main antihistamine tablet sneezing, or itchy eyes that can make child ultimatums such as: “You cannot suck your thumb anymore.” Instead, practise self- hay-fever sufferers miserable. Few medicines that can be used during pregnancy. Chlorphenamine, another oral antihistamine, is alawareness with him. When he is sucking his are licensed for use during pregnancy as so considered safe to take during pregnancy. pharmaceutical companies rarely perform thumb, say: “Do you know you’re sucking However this can make you drowsy. your thumb now, remember what we said?” clinical trials or studies of their medicines Avoid antihistamine eye drops and nasal on pregnant women. We often don’t know Encourage him to find another way to sprays, and the oral antihistamines terfaniwhich medicines are safe until it has been soothe like using a blanket or stuffed toy. I used for many years and practical experience dine and Astemizole. Similarly, don’t take wouldn’t recommend using finger polish. It has shown us that the medicine isn’t harmful decongestant medicines containing pseutastes disgusting and is not fair to use on small children. Help him understand that he to pregnant women. This mostly applies to doephedrine, xylometazoline, oxymetazoline or phenylephrine. Always check with your all prescription or over-the-counter is growing up and one day won’t suck his doctor or pharmacist to see which medicines. thumb anymore. medicines are safe for you to take during For hayfever, try as much as possible to Ask: “Do you think Bob the Builder pregnancy. The homeopathic medicines reduce your exposure to the allergens that sucks his thumb?” This will help him think mentioned previously are safe to use during trigger it. and start the process whether they want to pregnancy.

If you are not doing so already, use be sucking their thumbs anymore. If he

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

M

Catherine Shanahan MUM’S WORLD Feelgood

EN, like government bonds, take a long time to mature. And fatherhood doesn’t hasten progress. His team will still hold the same place in his heart, poker night remains an immovable Tuesday night fixture and a decent session cannot conclude before dawn.

Should the mother be brave or foolish enough to flit away for two days with the girls, she must not expect to find affairs in order on return. Leaving a list of instructions is as pointless as asking a man to read the car manual. Having spent a lifetime winging it, a weekend will not effect change. Do not expect him to kit out the kids in the outfits you left on the bed. He does not take clothing seriously. What man has ever arrived at a party and said “I’m so embarrassed. There’s another man wearing a monkey suit. I have got to go home and change.”

His cack-handed clothing attempts are further aggravated if he is father to both genders. You can expect to arrive home and find your daughter dressed in the Arsenal away strip and your son looking slightly effete.

Bathtime, accompanied by elaborate handwritten instructions, may or may not have taken place. Your guess is as good as any, given the kids look like they’ve had a brush with a dunghill.

You’ll find the refrigerator bursting at the seams with the food you bought in before you left, rich in vitamins, high in protein, and now past its sell-by date. You wonder what they survived on, but dare not ask.

They are more than slightly hyper and the chocolate paw prints on the Cath Kidston cushions cause you to cringe but you must keep your grateful mouth shut for at least the first half hour of your return.

FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2010

You wonder at the bumps and bruises on display and marvel at the time he scolded you with “I can’t leave you alone with them for five minutes” that time your little girl fell off the garden wall.

You note the TV is on when you walk in and the kids’ eyes look tellingly glazed.

You despair at the state of the kitchen. Every pot and pan at hand has been used but, in a way, that’s almost a relief, because at least it means meals were home-cooked.

In the middle of the mess stands your children’s father looking frazzled and harassed as bedamned. You simultaneously experience a surge of sympathy and a flash of well-concealed anger. Why is it, that when he’s not around, the world continues to revolve but the sky falls in in your absence? You remember the joke and try to appreciate the humour: men are like computers, forever in need of back-up.

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When your oldest is 15, is it time to dump the babysitter, asks Áilín Quinlan

Left holding the baby I

T’S so simple when they’re young — you bathe them, sprinkle them with talcum powder and leave them, scented, bright-faced and happy in the hands of a capable, adored babysitter. It’s a treat — for them and for you.

You check in over the evening, and return home, usually by midnight, to a comforting account of bed-time stories and hot chocolate, before handing over the fee and driving your baby-sitting saviour home. End of story.

But then comes the time — in our case at the age of 14 — when the eldest child insists she’s capable of being on her own for a few hours and of looking after a younger sibling.

“Look, this is getting embarrassing,” she said a few months before her 14th birthday.

“The babysitter’s only a few years older than I am.” Tough, we said, and forged ahead with the usual arrangements. The babysitter came. What else could we do?

We live in the country. It’s a long drive from the grandparents’ house, and although we have good neighbours, you don’t want to presume. Once she turned 15, we had no option. Hiring a baby-sitter two or three years older than my teenage daughter, to care for her and her 13-year-old brother, while Mum and Dad went for an early bird dinner and the cinema, wasn’t going to be tolerated.

So we started to leave them alone, just for a few hours, prefaced by a blitz of contact numbers, advice about what or what not to do in an emergency, and warnings not to answer the door to strangers.

We’re always home well before 11pm — and we’re always a bit anxious. Having a good baby-sitter, we realised, might be more expensive, but it’s fairly stress-free. That’s the thing about the age of responsibility — although some people believe 14 is a sort of magical age when you can leave your child alone, this has no basis in law. There is no legislation in place governing the age at which a child may be left unattended, according to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

The office receives many queries from parents and concerned persons on the issue, according to a spokesperson: “Generally, we advise that it depends on factors including the age and maturity of the child, the length of time they are to be left unattended, their ability to summon help, and the availability of a family member or neighbour to come to their assistance.”

If a child is deemed to be at risk, the HSE can intervene under section 3 of the Child Care Act, 1991, while section 12 of the act also gives the Gardaí powers to intervene.

“There is no law about what age a child can be left alone, but it is an offence to leave a child alone when doing so puts him or her at risk,” says Margie Roe, Childline online manager with ISPCC. When it comes down to it, parents must use their own judgement.

“You could have one 13-year-old that is really mature and another that is as wild as a March hare, so you have to use commonsense,” she says.

Mother-of-seven Kate Byrne agrees. With seven sons ranging in age from just under 20 to four, Byrne, a psychologist specialising in children and adolescents, says it’s a matter of individual maturity.

“One of my sons, Sebastian, is 13 and very mature and very responsible. I could leave him on his own for a few hours, but I’d always bring the younger ones with me. I’d

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HOME ALONE: The age at which an older brother or sister is capable of babysitting younger siblings, or staying at home alone, is up for debate. Picture: posed by models. iStock

There comes the time when the eldest child insists that she’s more than capable of being on her own for a few hours and of looking after a younger sibling. ‘Look, this is getting embarrassing,’ she announced a few months before her 14th birthday

Ins and outs ■ Never leave babies or young children alone, whether sleeping or awake, even for a few minutes.

■ Most children under 16 are not mature enough to be left in charge of young children.

■ If you go out, leave clear instructions about what to do in an emergency — particularly fire, when the basic advice is get out, stay out and get someone to call 999.

■ Tell your children not to answer the door if there’s an unexpected caller.

Leave a phone number where you can be contacted.

■ Only leave a child, particularly with younger siblings, if the siblings are mature and responsible — and if the younger child is confident about being left.

■ If in doubt, don’t.

warn Sebastian not to answer the door or pick up the phone — if I need him, I can get him on his mobile,” she says.

“On the other hand, my older son, Charles, now almost 20, was not as mature at 13 as Sebastian is. It’s a case of different personalities. It depends on the child — the parent knows the child and knows what they are like,” she says.

Modern parents are more vigilant about leaving children, or leaving them in charge of other children, than the parents of 20 years ago, she says.

So how to decide when to leave your darling home alone?

Take into account the child’s age, their level of maturity and your understanding of that child, as well as the place where the child will be while you’re out, says Roe. “Is there a next door neighbour they can pop into? How long will the child be left alone? Are there other children?” she says.

It’s not fair to leave a child with a young infant unless the child is very mature, she says.

FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2010

Think about where you live. Always leave a contact telephone number, she says. Discuss potential dangers with the child. Explain what they should do in an emergency, for example, in the case of fire, and who to contact.

Provide emergency numbers.

“Make sure the child is comfortable and happy with the arrangement, and not nervous or scared,” Roe says.

Allowing your child some appropriate independence in this way brings its own benefits, says Rita O’Reilly, of Parentline. “A little bit of independence is no harm, as it helps them mature. It’s a gradual thing and you must be led by your knowledge of your child and the particular circumstances.

“This is also a way of teaching them how to be safe in the house. Make sure they know that there is to be no cooking, no lighting of fires, no answering the door to strangers and no friends coming in. There should be very clear, age-appropriate rules for the kids. You really need to think it through. Commonsense must prevail,” she says.

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Summer holidays

A taste of the sun

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Picture: Getty Images

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Beach activities can make you hungry so

come healthily prepared

I

Roz Crowley

N recent weeks we have got a real taste of what it is like to have a long spell of summer sunshine in our beautiful country — and long enough for us to enjoy eating outside.

So next time you plan to head for the beach, do take a few minutes to pack some tasty bites — it’ll make the difference between grabbing a bag of greasy chips to stem your hunger and celebrating the outdoors with a feast to remember.

I have found that children will tuck into

foods at the beach that they wouldn’t bother with at home. If hunger is a good sauce, it’s a good time and place to see what you can do to get into good habits. This means bringing lots of fruit and no sugary foods.

Here are my top 10 tips to satisfy hearty appetites — young and old.

1. One of the most useful bread types is pitta bread. Pocket shaped, they don’t need to be cut and can be easily filled. Try batons of cucumber, carrot, fennel bulb, some canned chickpeas or cannellini beans, separately or mixed together. If you like olive oil, decant some into a less weighty plastic bottle and drizzle into the pittas.

in a hunk of baguette or in good quality sliced bread. It’s oily enough not to need butter, which is best avoided on the beach.

3. Popcorn is always welcome on the beach. There’s something about the saltiness that goes with the sea. The trick is not to have too much, so bring half what they usually eat and get them to share. Too much salt will make them thirsty.

4. Hard boiled eggs are delicious and substantial. They can be shelled before leaving home to save on time and keep rubbish to a minimum.

5. While sandy banana sandwiches are the stuff of legend, bananas are best eaten

2. Buy a spit-roasted whole chicken. Falling off the bone, it’s delicious

Iced tea treat

Getting sweet on pies

MAKE superb iced tea from the latest limited edition tea from Le Palais des Thés.

Open the tin canister of Thé du Hammam and you get a sweet aroma like Turkish delight.

A mix of Chinese green tea and fruits, it’s a loose leaf tea. Iced tea is made with cold water and infused for 30 minutes.

Bring to the beach in a flask for a real treat.

This is a good gift for a summer dinner party too. 125g of Thé du Hammam, F18.

Available in Palais des Thés Wicklow Street, Dublin and at www.palaisdesthes.com.

MARKS & SPENCER would like us to believe that, following the trend for cupcakes, its new Whoopie Pies will take off. A New York favourite, these are flat sponge cakes sandwiched with stiff butter cream flavoured with vanilla, chocolate or toffee.

They come with clear nutrition de-

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tails, which is just as well, as each one delivers a high 200 calories, 42% sugar, 23.5% fat and low fibre.

The texture is unusual, like a cross between sponge and Madeira cake, a little tacky for my liking.

Flavours are genuine, with good chocolate in the chocolate sponge which has rich vanilla filling.

FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2010

from their skins. A perfect convenient food they make a hearty snack and energy booster.

6. For an easy portable barbecue it’s hard to beat flavoursome, large sausages. I recently tried a duck liver variety by Cork-based O’Flynn of Marlboro Street which are less dense than other sausages, and are rich and easy to cook. Delicious.

7. Smoked mackerel is easy to serve and is delicious in plain white or brown bread.

Cork’s Frank Hederman’s is hard to beat.

8. Fruit cake or brack is good on the beach. Brack is less crumbly and one of the best is from Barrons’ bakery in Cappoquin — stocked all year round. Available in shops in the south-east and their own café/shop.

9. Pack seasonal fruit which at the moment includes strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, pears and some types of melon.

10. Bring lots of water to drink instead of fizzy drinks. Children will drink anything if they are thirsty. Add a slice of fresh lemon if serving it in tumblers.

Iced tea with a slice of lemon or lime is delicious for adults. If you are well organised you will have made some elderflower cordial by now, and this is the time to dilute and bring it with you.

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Get moving for a longer life W ORLD Cup Week is a great time to get up, get out and get going, and that’s the theme of International Men’s Health Week. Run by the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI), next week’s campaign aims to highlight men and physical activity.

Irish men need to engage in more physical activity because they experience a disproportionate burden of ill-health and have a life expectancy of just 75.8 years. This is almost six years less than women and, for certain groups of men, it is lower still. Men have higher death rates at all ages, and for all leading causes of death.

While many of these conditions are preventable, their prevalence among men may rise in the future. It is predicted that by 2015 a third of all Irish men will be clinically obese, thereby increasing their risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in particular.

“Men tend to be less active as they get older,” says Ann Scanlon, health

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE: Men need to engage in more physical activity to prevent ill-health. Picture:Getty Images

Deirdre O'Flynn MOSTLY MEN

promotion officer with the Irish Heart Foundation. “Being regularly active not only reduces the risk of getting many diseases but it can also add years to a man’s life which is extremely positive considering that an Irish man has a life expectancy almost five years lower than females.”

Being regularly active reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, which remains Ireland’s number one killer, she says. Men who are inactive double their risk of heart attack and increase their risk of stroke. Being active not only benefits a person physically but also makes you feel good and can reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression.

Programme highlights Alzheimer’s concern

Safety campaign targets motorcycle danger

THE recent appearance by Fine Gael TD Michael Noonan on RTE’s Frontline programme has highlighted the plight of those living with people affected by Alzheimer’s. The former health minister, inset, spoke movingly of how he, his family and wife Florence coped with the onset and deterioration of her Alzheimer’s. He is now calling for a national plan on Alzheimer’s on a par with the cancer strategy.

Dementia af-

AS PREDICTABLE as blooming tulips and daffodils, the arrival of warm weather signals another phenomenon: collisions involving motorcycles. That’s why motorcyclists were given high-visibility vests last weekend in Co Mayo as part of a Bank Holiday safety campaign — What’s Around The Corner.

“Research indicates that the majority of motorcycle fatalities occur over the weekends and during daylight hours,” says Noel Gibbons, road safety officer with Mayo County Council. “Many riders are injured at junctions when vehicles pull out, others crash as a result of entering a bend too fast.’’

Safety tips for motorcyclists

TAKE 1

fects 44,000 people, two-thirds of whom have Alzheimer’s disease. The numbers affected are expected to soar to 103,000 by 2036. The Alzheimer Society of Ireland provides almost 700,000 hours of care and support per year through a network of more than 100 dementia-specific services.

Funding comes largely from the HSE but close to F4 million must be raised annually to bridge the gap between the actual cost of services and HSE funding.

4

GIY DAD: Has your dad been bitten by the “grow your own” bug? How about this Garden Planner — F18.95 from Cork-based online gift company, Giftguru.ie? Divided into four sections, the file comes with a year to view planner, a seasonal tasks and reminders pad and a useful contacts section with storage pockets for clippings, tips and design ideas. GiftGuru.ie offers free wrapping — so the gift you choose can be delivered to dad’s door. Delivery throughout Ireland is F5.95 and is next day.

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Past generations of men in Ireland didn’t for the most part have to worry about ‘artificial’ exercise such as treadmills and lifting weights. Their daily routines were full of walking, lifting, digging, bending, chopping, stretching, and hauling. This was particularly true for men in manual occupations. However, nowadays, many men have less active jobs, use the car to go to the corner shop, reach for the remote control to turn over the TV, and queue in garages to use the automatic car wash rather than wash their car by hand.

As part of Men’s Health Week, MHFI will also be launching an online training programme on www.mhfi.org to help men to get fit enough to run either a 10km, 5km or 3km race at the end of the summer.

This event will take place in the greater-Dublin area. “Anyone can get fit enough to do this, barring any serious illness or impairment,” says Colin Fowler of the MHFI.

DId you know...

One in 10 new dads get the baby blues

include: ■ Watch for a vehicle driver’s blind spot ■ Signal clearly, watching out for pedestrians, and using headlights day and night.

■ Never drink and ride.

■ Wear a helmet.

■ Make sue your bike is road worthy.

■ Invest in good personal protection equipment and wear reflective clothing.

■ Expect the unexpected.

Source: Eastern Virginia Medical School, US

Father's Day gifts

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FUNNY DAD: Kit your dad out in style for the GAA season with a T-shirt from the Hairy Baby Clothing Company like 'Evolution' or the 'Irish Federation of Lovely Hurlers'. Celebrating the uniquely Irish turn of phrase, there's a humorous slogan to suit all tastes and sizes — even a 'My dad's an awful eejit' for baby. Made from certified organic cotton, prices are from F25 for the T-shirts, F45 for the hoodies and F15 for the baby T-shirt. They are available online from www.hairybaby.com or call their office in Little Island, Co Cork, 021-4355856/

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PAMPER DAD: Certified organic, made with fairly-traded ingredients, the Organic Homme range from Green People is made without harsh chemicals to be gentle on your dad's skin and is suitable for those with sensitive skin or prone to eczema, psoriasis, acne or skin allergies. Launched in 2001, Organic Homme was one of the first companies to provide organic skin products for men.

2010 sees the reformulation and addition of new products to the range including two new gift packs for Father's Day. The Organic Homme range is available in health stores or online from Natural Selection 01-299 0700 www.naturalselection.ie

FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2010

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ECO DAD: A practical gift which supports Fairtrade and the environment is this Recycled Rubber Laptop Bag, F23 from Oxfam. Handmade in India from recycled tyres, it has a turquoise detail, strong webbed handles and an all around zip. The bag fits laptops up to 15 x 10 inches. It is lined with denim and there's a velcro security strap to hold the laptop in place. You can pick one up in Oxfam's Fair Trade shops or online at www.oxfamirelandshop.com

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Emily O’Sullivan

Summer holidays

Beauty and

We pick the best of basics to help you pack just the bare essentials for summer holidays

The suncream We like: Piz Buin’s Allergy, from F16.99 range launched a couple of years ago and it’s been a favourite in our summer beauty bag ever since. It’s decently sized, has a really smooth texture that sinks into the skin and doesn’t clog the pores like other suncreams that we’ve tried.

Also good: Roc’s new suncream, Soleil Protection +, F15.95, comes in a small, brilliantly portable size and has an almost satiny texture that makes us actually want to apply it.

It’s not waterproof, but you can’t have everything. Good for the city.

The lipgloss We like: Clinique’s Long Last Glosswear SPF 15, F19, came everywhere with us on this year’s holiday. And because there’s an SPF 15 you can wear it during the day. It’s got quite a thick, sticky texture, but it lasts longer than most glosses and comes in 18 shades — our favourite is Juicy Apple.

Also good: ELF Super Glossy Lip Shine SPF 15, F1.70 at eyeslipsface.co.uk. At this cheap a price, you’re not going to fret if you lose this little gloss, but it’s worth holding onto with a great selection of shades and an all-important SPF.

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LISTEN CLOSE: By taking advice on the best basic beauty products to bring to your favourite sunny resort you lessen the hassle involved in packing. Picture: iStock

Brown DIY, F22, is a small but very effective option from an Irish company. It’s messy to apply and doesn’t do your sheets any favours, but the resulting colour is natural, convincing and generally streak-free. wowbrown.com Also good: Bronze Goddess Golden Perfection Self-Tanning Spray for Body from Estee Lauder, F28, is one of our favourites for summer. It goes on clear, absorbs well and gives a very pretty colour to the skin. A good one for a holiday pep-up.

O

H sweet holidays. I’m just back from mine and I’ve quite got used to poncing around in flip-flops and enjoying a cold beer of a Monday evening. Please, oh please, let the sun shine here so I can keep up the easy summer lifestyle.

If there’s one thing I learned this year it’s that there really are some beauty products you can live without in summer. But there are also some essential staples that make your holiday feel more enjoyable, glamorous, comfortable and relaxing.

You won’t get far on a sun-scorched beach without a good quality waterproof sunscreen, but do you really need four different eyeliners? Similarly, a waterproof mascara is a godsend, but lipglosses without an SPF aren’t ideal in bright sunlight and do tend to dry the lips out, so cut ‘em down or cut ‘em out.

This summer, whether you’re spending it at home or away, try and think about what you really need and make the most of your hair, skin and make-up.

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The bronzer We like: A summer bronzer should be big, bold and beautiful. Shimmery bronzers in high summer can be a bit over the top, especially when your skin is prone to being slightly shimmering from, well, perspiration.

Bobbi Brown’s Bronzing Powder, F32, takes the opposite approach with a silky smooth bronzer that give the skin a more natural looking glow. Use it with a massive brush for the best effects.

Also good: A soft bronze powder that gives a great glow to the sun, Benefit’s Hoola, F24, is a strong alternative.

the beach

The lipstick We like: Great for sexy summer nights, Chanel’s Rouge Allure in Super, F27, is the shade of the season and looks seriously stunning worn against lightly glowing bronzed skin. If you’re wanting to glam things up after dark, this is the way to do it. It’s a super-bright coral pink that’s guaranteed to turn heads.

Also good: MAC To The Beach Lipstick, F17, might not be a great one to actually wear to the beach, but it’s a holiday cracker with shell-decorated casing and shades that range from sheer frosted pale peach to a mid-tone bronzed plum. Sexy.

The mascara We like: Even if you’re not jumping into

the pool with a full face of make-up, a waterproof mascara is a good idea in humidity, unless you want to be schlepping around with panda eyes throughout the day. Some waterproof formulations can be a real trial to get off, but Clarins’ new Wonder Waterproof Mascara, F24, comes off easily and makes lashes look truly beautiful.

Also good: Max Factor’s Masterpiece Waterproof, F12.29, separates lashes with elegance and never clumps.

The fake tan We like: There are tons of good fake tanners now on the market, with some excellent new products this year from Clinique and Clarins, but Wow

The hair care product We like: Kerastase’s Soleil Brume Jour Protectrice, F24.50, is a lightweight, leave-in mist designed to protect hair against the sun, sea and chlorinated water, which covers just about all the bases. Apply before and while in the sun to the mid-lengths and ends of hair.

Also good: Try Boots Sun, Swim & Gym, F4.15, as an alternative. It’s got a UV filter and is designed to protect from salt and chlorine damage, too.

The tinted moisturiser We like: Foundation is just wrong during the summer. Better to let your skin lighten up with a tinted moisturiser (and one that has an SPF). If you’re worried about coverage, then enlist the help of a concealer, but a tinted moisturiser will give your skin a real burst of freshness. Estee Lauder’s DayWear Plus Multi Protection Tinted Moisturiser SPF 15, F34, feels like you’ve just stepped into summer — the scent, the texture, it’s quite the summer essential.

Also good: Olay Complete Touch of Foundation, F13.99. A good one for anyone who likes a slightly heavier coverage.

TAKE THREE BODY OILS YOU’VE just done a fake tan and your skin is looking peachily bronzed, so make the most of it with a sexy body oil.

More shimmery and with a greater sheen than a moisturiser, they’re a great way of delivering moisture to your skin and helping your skin to look super-hot.

Just remember never to wear them in the sun.

v Bobbi Brown Beach Body Oil, F31.

This is a lovely one for summer — it’s a sexy, silky oil scented with Bobbi Brown’s Beach fragrance. It’s got essential oils of olive, sesame, avocado and jojoba as well as vitamins E and C to soften the skin. Works perfectly after a shower.

Nuxe Huile Prodigeuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil, F17.50. A classic body oil, this little baby

FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2010

from Nuxe remains one of the best.

It’s got a great fragrance and feels sexy, glamorous and luxurious on the skin. Love it.

Johnson’s Baby Oil, F3.79.

We’ve all used this one in the past, and it’s still an effective product and looks very pretty on lightly tanned skin. Apply it to wet skin and you’ll lock in ten times more moisture than most body lotions — you can’t really argue with that.

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Q

Megan Sheppard Do you have a question for Megan Sheppard?

Email it to feelgood@examiner.ie or send a letter to Feelgood Irish Examiner City Quarter Lapps Quay Cork

As a preventative treatment, you will only need one capsule of camu camu daily with food. To treat a current cold sore, take up to three capsules daily with food for three days. Camu camu is available from the Rainforest herb specialists, Rio Health (www.riohealth.co.uk; 00 44 01273-570987, where 60 vegicaps cost F13.30). It should be noted that camu camu is also effective in treating other forms of herpes, such as shingles, genital herpes, and the Epstein-Barr virus.

Topically, propolis — made by bees from the collection of resins, gums, and sticky plant buds — will heal lesions quickly and will also reduce the likelihood of additional infection. Comvita makes a wonderful range of bee propolis products. Contact your local health store or the Natural Medicine Company on 045-865575.

I HAVE bags under my eyes and I was wondering how I could get rid of them. I’m not worried about the dark circles, just the puffiness.

A. A lot depends on your age — if you are younger, then chances are the bags are an indication of too many late nights, whether it be work commitments or a busy social life. Of course, quality sleep and a healthy lifestyle both go a long way towards reducing eye puffiness at any age, but the delicate tissue around the eyes gets less elastic as we get older.

Avoiding processed foods, cigarettes (even second-hand cigarette smoke can cause skin damage) and alcohol is wise.

Eating fresh seasonal wholefoods, drinking plenty of pure water, and getting daily exercise — even 20 minutes of brisk walking — will go a long way towards banishing those bags.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, if the bags are soft and puffy it is likely to be a symptom of excess fluids.

Eye bags which feel almost hard to the touch indicate a diet too high in dairy, animal fats and sugar. Thyroid problems can also cause bags under the eyes, so it is worth having your doctor test for any thyroid imbalance.

You can also try a daily acupressure circulation-booster for the eye area. With closed eyes, use your ring fingers to apply gentle pressure under the eyes, starting at the inside corner and working outwards. Repeat 10-15 times.

Q. I have always had eczema on my hands and face. Over the years I have spent a small fortune on treatments and lotions with little success. Is there anything you know of which will actually work, perhaps some supplements?

A. Eczema is another condition which can be highly frustrating to treat — it seems there are almost as many ways in which to heal this skin problem as there are people who suffer from it.

I have had the greatest overall success with treating a range of eczema types through a somewhat surprising approach.

Since the skin is just one of the organs of elimination, I find that by cleansing the lower bowel, the burden on the skin is Q. Every summer, I get an outbreak greatly reduced. Switching to organic of two or three cold sores. I am generwholefoods is also important when the ally in good health and I take vitamins body indicates such sensitivity, and exper— including lysine — so can you imenting with excluding common allerplease tell me what I am doing wrong? gens such as wheat, sugar and dairy can eliminate eczema altogether.

A. You are not doing anything wrong Cleansing the system through juicing — cold sores are very difficult to prevent LOSING SLEEP: If you are younger, chances are dark fresh vegetables and fruit is a popular once you have had an outbreak. Sunlight bags are an indication of too many late nights, is a common trigger for the herpes sim- whether it be work commitments or a busy social life. method for healing and detoxing the inPicture: iStock testines and bowel — in some cases the plex virus, which is why many people cleanse will also include enemas or who are prone to cold sores tend to excolonic irrigation. There are many effecperience an outbreak during the summer tive cleansing methods available, so I recommonths. The herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) as chocolate, nuts, oats, carob, coconut and mend you do a little research and choose one lies dormant in the body until it is reactisoybeans. that you are personally comfortable with. vated, and triggers can be as varied as stress, It is also important to support your imTopically, a chickweed poultice or bath can fever, menstruation, sunlight, and even cermune system at this time so that your body is do wonders to relieve discomfort and help tain foods. equipped to deal with the changes caused by purify the system through the pores. ChickThe amino acid, lysine, works incredibly sunlight, and other potential trigger factors. weed (stellaria media) can be found growing well against the herpes virus for some indiContaining 30 times the level of vitamin C almost anywhere, and is a favourite for viduals, but unfortunately (as you have disfound in oranges, camu camu is brilliant for soothing and reducing redness. You can also covered), it is not the solution for everyone. supporting the immune system and has been reap the benefits of this simple and effective Another amino acid, arginine, is required proven to get rid of cold sore outbreaks herb by using it in salads and making herbal by the herpes virus for replication, so it is faster than pharmaceutical drugs. teas with the dried or fresh herb. important to avoid arginine-rich foods such

Megan puts the spotlight on:

C

AYENNE (capsicum annuum), is one of the most misunderstood herbal remedies. Many people avoid this spice because it has such an instant effect on the body. Long used in both cuisine and medicine, there is evidence of the use of hot peppers in South America, Asia and Africa stretching back thousands of years.

Perhaps the most well known use of cayenne pepper is as a circulatory stimulant. It works by regulating the blood pressure, and tones the veins, arteries, and capillaries. Cayenne is also a rich source of vitamin E, which is why it is important for heart health.

A little known effect of cayenne is the ability to staunch bleeding. Cayenne powder or tincture placed directly on an open wound will arrest the flow of blood, and if a person has a nosebleed then cayenne tincture under the tongue

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will work very quickly. It is also valuable in cases of shock, so this tincture has pride of place in any herbal first aid kit.

Used externally, this hot pepper can provide wonderful relief for arthritic conditions, muscular strain, and bruis-

The hot healer ing. Add a teaspoon of cayenne to 200ml of carrier oil as a muscle or joint rub — you can also warm the infused oil to enhance the action of the cayenne.

Menstrual cramping can also be relieved with this oil blend.

Although many people with gastric troubles will actively avoid the use of cayenne, and in fact this is often advice given by health practitioners, herbalists regularly use cayenne to heal digestive issues.

The easiest way to take cayenne internally is either by using capsules if you are wanting to take larger doses (herbalists often utilise dosages up to a tablespoon at a time), taking a tincture preparation, or by building up your tolerance starting with a pinch twice daily in warm water morning and evening — you can also add the juice of half a lemon.

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Cayenne powder or tincture placed directly on an open wound will arrest the flow of blood

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WE DID IT - SO CAN YOU!

“ ”

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BER lost 6 Stone

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HOLLY lost 3 Stone

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TOM lost 5 Stone

JOHN lost 6 Stone

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