Feelgood 20-08-2010

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Friday, August 20, 2010

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Staying sharp Expert advice on how children (and parents) can keep their edge during the school year

Photo: Getty Images

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2 News front Kate O’Reilly WHAT’S ON ■ RUDE HEALTH: Ireland’s largest health and wellbeing event, returns to the RDS on Saturday and Sunday September 11 and 12. More than 200 exhibitors will be offering advice on natural health solutions, including the use of vitamins, herbs and homeopathy.

This year’s speakers include Patrick Holford, Dr Marilyn Glenville a nd Professor Jane Plant. The show will open from 11am to 6pm and entry is F12 (senior citizens F8 and under 12s free). For more details see www.rudehealth.ie ■ STRETCH FOR SIMON: Stretch Your Heart for Cork Simon Community with a yoga fundraiser at Cork Movement Centre South Main St on Saturday August 28. Yogacharya Lalit Kumar a traditional Ashtanga yoga teacher from India will give two workshops 10 am to 12pm for beginners and an intermediate workshop from 2 to 4pm. Lalit has been practicing yoga for the last 20 years and blends traditional Ashtanga, Iyengar and Hatha yoga teachings. The suggested donation per class is F20 and profits raised go to Cork Simon Community (www.corksimon.ie). Book early as spaces are limited for the workshops.

You can either email info@yogagoaindia.com or call 086-0700048 to reserve your place.

■ GOLF CLASSIC: Top jockey Johnny Murtagh has lent his name to the Annual Golf Classic organised by the Irish Horse Welfare Trust (IHWT) in order to help raise funds for the charity’s work rescuing and re-training horses in Ireland. The Johnny Murtagh — IHWT Golf Classic 2010, sponsored by Newbridge Silverware, will take place at Powerscourt Golf Club, in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow on Friday August 27. Entry is F700 per team.

For further information and registration please contact Heather Osborne on 086-0864772 or 01-2863509.

■ HOPE WALK: RTÉ newsreader Eileen Whelan and Fair City actor Michael Sheehan recently lent their support to the launch of the Hike for HOPE 2010 — Wicklow Walk. The fundraising walk takes place in Laragh, Co Wicklow on Saturday September 18 , in aid of The HOPE Foundation. There are three different walks available — beginner, intermediate and experienced and funds raised will go to the HOPE Foundation’s Nightwatch project which rescues vulnerable children, helps the sick, provides food and responds to those in need on the Kolkata (Calcutta) streets.

The registration fee is F50 and a minimum sponsorship of F200 is required to take part. Visit www.hopefoundation.ie for more details.

■ CHARITY RUN: The Lakes 10k charity run takes place around Blessington Lakes on Saturday September 25 in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland (CFAI). Organised by the Lakeshore Striders, The Lakes 10k is now in its second year and over 300 people have already signed up to participate. Visit www.thelakes10k.ie or email thelakes10k@gmail.com for further information on how to sign up, or to donate directly to this fundraising effort. ● Items for inclusion in this column can be sent to koreilly8@gmail.com

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As Yvonne Keating takes back her husband Ronan after his affair, Arlene Harris says couples can bounce back from infidelity

Rebuilding trust

I

N THE words of his own song, life certainly has been a rollercoaster for Ronan Keating lately. His wife, Yvonne discovered he was having an affair and after months of consideration, the former model has finally agreed to take her husband back, apparently subject to some ground rules.

These reportedly include not staying away from home for longer than three nights, being accompanied by his wife while travelling abroad, no female dancers on tour and a commitment to put family before business.

But while all of the above may seem like a lenient penance for the shamed star, has he truly been forgiven or will the betrayal of his wife’s trust remain something both parties find difficult to forget?

Liam Lally, acting director of counselling for Accord says regaining trust can be difficult to achieve, but if both parties are determined, a new bond can be forged.

“There are many examples of people rebuilding relationships after one partner has been unfaithful,” he says. “How successful the rebuilding is depends on a number of factors: how good was the relationship in the first place, the level of commitment by both partners, the level of attachment of the unfaithful partner to the new ‘partner’ and the degree of hurt felt by the injured party.”

The relationship expert says the biggest hurdle to rebuilding a relationship is lack of trust.

TRYING AGAIN: Ronan Keating and his wife Yvonne, who have reconciled after revelations that he had an affair. Picture:Chris

Jackson/Getty Images

“One of the immediate outcomes of an affair is the breakdown in trust,” he explains. “Trust is built slowly between people as they journey from initial contact through to marriage. An affair breaks that trust and it takes a lot of effort to regain a level of trust near to where it had originally been.”

Foundation stones for the rebuilding of trust: ■ Affair must be over.

■ Determination it will never happen again.

■ Appreciation of the hurt caused.

■ Openness to availing of professional relationship counselling.

■ Refocusing of energies into finding out

what might have been problematic in the relationship and developing strategies to overcome those difficulties.

■ Effort to avoid hurting each other and to give and accept as much pleasure as possible from each other.

“All couples need time for themselves as individuals and for each other as a couple,” Lally says. “They also need time as a family and for extended family, friends, work and hobbies. And they need to work out the balance of all of those commitments in a way that is satisfying for each partner.” ● For more information on relationship advice visit www.accord.ie or call 01-5053112.

HEALTH NOTES FOR parents in a dilemma over whether or not to send their just-turned four-year-old to school this September or to wait until next year, recent research from the United States is worth considering. Researchers reckon almost one million children may have been misdiagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). It seems their diagnosis has little to do with their behaviour and everything to do with being the youngest in the class. According to the Michigan State University study, the youngest child in a class is 60% more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. Misdiagnosing may have long-term effects says author of the study, assistant professor Todd Elder. In fifth and eight grades, youngest children in a class were twice as likely to use Ritalin, often prescribed for ADHD. WITH the reassurance that your child is carrying a mobile phone comes the worry of cyber bullying. To tackle the problem, Carphone Warehouse is now offering its vMad.com Bully Stop application at F5 — a 75% reduction on the normal price. The application allows users to control calls and texts. Parents can view the content of any blocked text or call to check if their child is being bullied. For details visit your local Carphone Warehouse store or www.carphonewarehouse.ie.

CARRY a world of medical information on your iPhone or iPod touch with the Merck www.irishexaminer.com www.irishexaminer.com

cated and empowered to make smart decisions for themselves and their families, in consultation with their healthcare providers,” says Dr Colm Galligan, medical director, Merck Sharpe and Dohme.

An app of The Merck Manual – Professional Edition is also available for doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals at a cost of F23.99. For more information visit www.agilepartners.com/apps/merckmanuals.

HOUSEHOLD NAME: Ben Creedon and Kate McMahon, both 6, from Mallow, Co Cork get ready for Denny’s Back to School advert, which airs next Monday and which recorded their first day at school last year.

Picture: Provision

Manual — Home Edition app. It costs F7.99 and contains the contents of the renowned Merck Manual Home Health Handbook. “When it comes to something as important as health, people need to be edu-

www.irishexaminer.com feelgood@examiner.ie

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2010

THE Irish Heart Foundation is looking for big-hearted volunteers to give three hours of their time during next month’s National Ploughing Championships.

Europe’s biggest outdoor event, will this year take place in Athy, Co Kildare from September 21-23. Your mission is to sell raffle tickets. Proceeds go towards the Irish Heart Foundation’s FAST campaign which is raising awareness of stroke. For details: jblake@irishheart.ie or call 01-668500.

LOOKING for new ideas for your children’s lunchbox on-line? Then check out Denny’s clever 12 Commandments on www.homeis.ie.

From leaving funny notes to cutting sandwiches into stars, there’s something for every fussy eater or bored can’t-face-another-cheese-sandwich student. Also check out pages 8,9 and 12 of this edition.

Irene Feighan

Editorial: 021 4802 292

Advertising: 021 4802 215

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In profile THE SHAPE I'M IN

Ian Dempsey

Rise and shine I

AN Dempsey, presenter of the 7-9am weekday Breakfast Show on Today FM, has been getting up early for the past 20 years. His morning radio career began in the late ’80s with the 2FM Breakfast Show.

The dad of three and veteran of children’s shows, Dempsey’s Den and The Den, is married to Ger and lives in “a pre-Celtic Tiger house” in Sutton. He recently got involved with the Irish Cancer Society’s Men’s Health Awareness Week. “Today FM ran a massive campaign with them earlier in the year — together with our listeners, we raised about F700,000 by shaving or dying our heads.”

Aged 49, his children are “all very much independent individuals at this stage” — Shane is 20, Evan 16 and Aislinn 14.

It’s Not What You Think, by Chris Evans — a surprisingly honest account of the broadcaster’s life, so far. I’ve also just started Who Really Runs Ireland? by Matt Cooper.

What would you change about your appearance if you could?

Not sure, really — maybe dimples, like Cheryl Cole.

Laziness and empty promises.

I’m happy enough with the way I am — but doctors are never happy. I did a deal with mine to lose about two stone and I’m nearly there now, which makes me quite proud. The main change I made was to eliminate bread from my diet. I also walk, or go on the treadmill.

Ask my team on the breakfast show — they’ll probably say I’m sometimes unreasonable, that I’m a bit of a moan and that I use the words ‘why not?’ far too much. I agree.

Do you have any health concerns?

I say ‘Jesus’ a lot — that’s the shortest prayer of them all.

I have type 2 diabetes, which is under control and doesn’t affect me too much. I also have a slight allergy to Asian-style prawns, which brings me out in an itchy rash for about an hour after eating them. Sometimes, I avoid them, and, sometimes, I take my chances.

What would cheer up a typical day?

What’s your guiltiest pleasure when it comes to food?

I sometimes have a sneaky ‘on the way home’ Big Mac. And I love a good Irish cheese plate with a glass of red wine — or two.

A PERSONALISED IRISH EXAMINER FRONT P PAGE

What trait do you least like in others?

What trait do you least like in yourself?

My breakfast’s pretty good, comprising of grapefruit juice, slow-energy-release porridge and black, sugar-free coffee — an excellent start to the day. I normally don’t feel hungry again for hours. When cooking, I try to avoid processed food. I believe the more chopping you have to do, the better the food is for you.

A UNIQUE GIFT

What’s the best book you read recently?

What shape are you in?

What are your healthiest eating habits?

3

Do you pray? ���� ����� ��� ������� ���� �� ������ ����

Meeting somebody with a bit of positivity about them.

We need them, now, more than ever. People like this bring out the best in everybody and their energy’s infectious. Being in Portugal usually cheers me up no end, too.

Helen O’Callaghan

ON TARGET: Ian has kept the deal he made with his doctor and has dropped almost two stone.

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What would keep you awake at night?

Nothing, not even a party in my bedroom would wake me — nothing, except my 5am alarm-clock call.

How do you relax?

I like to be left to my own devices — literally — my devices being my gadgets. I’m fascinated by technology and actually take pleasure in reading the manuals and getting the most out of every gizmo in my possession.

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Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

Paul Merton, Stephen Fry, singer Mary Coughlan, Russell Brand, Roy Keane and David Bowie. It would be a great night, with one or two rows, and the inevitable rendition of River Deep Mountain High by David & Mary — magic.

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When did you last cry?

I’m a Dublin Northsider — we don’t cry.

What’s your favourite smell?

The smell of a good, full Irish breakfast frying away downstairs, when I’m lying in bed on a Saturday morning — it’s almost hypnotic, in that it gets you out of bed and heading downstairs fairly rapidly.

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2010

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A different approach

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There are numerous Steiner kindergartens but just three primary schools in Ireland.

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Oliver Moore meets parents who have embraced its holistic perspective

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An open attitude to educating kids

“M

Y eldest was due to go to school. One afternoon, there were four mums in my living room and our children were playing. All four were teachers, one secondary, two primary and myself. We discussed the ideal school, and we all thought a multi-denominational Steiner School would be it.”

And now, almost a decade later, Una Ní Ghairbhith, teaches juniors and is principal of Mol an Oige Steiner National School in Ennistymon, Co Clare.

Steiner Waldorf education stems from the early 20th Century thinking of Rudolf Steiner, the Austrian polymath — his expertise included philosophy, education, architecture and farming. The overall emphasis of the Steiner-inspired educational system is holistic — the intellect, arts and practical skills are all given equal importance — activities like art, music, languages, woodwork and gardening have a central place.

Ni Ghairbhith has taught in various national schools. She hails from a well-known local Clare family, which no doubt helped embed the notion of a new school with a different approach to education in the region.

In any of the almost two dozen Steiner kindergartens now in operation in Ireland, there is no academic content, though pre-academic skills are emphasised, along with the fostering imagination. These schools are scattered throughout the country, in Dublin, Cork, Clare, Sligo, Down, Donegal, Kildare, Kilkenny, Tyrone, Wexford and Wicklow.

There are three Steiner primary schools in the country: two in Clare and one in Kildare.

According to Ni Gháirbhith “The main lesson books are different. There are very few textbooks, and none until third class. The teacher tries to take the material, as well as the themes and ideas they want to teach, and bring it all to the children in a way that suits the class and is meaningful to them.”

Importantly, she emphasises that the children cover the national school curriculum, but in a way that is relevant for them and appropriate.

At primary level, the principal subjects, such as history, language, arts, science and mathematics are taught in main lesson blocks of two to three hours per day, with each block lasting from three to five weeks.

Sean Breathnach’s 11-year-old son Corrán is nearing completion of his time at Mol an Oige. I asked Sean about the notion of main lesson and how it works.

“The main lesson could be, for example, an ancient Greek story. Once the children hear the story, more learning emerges. They may write a story from or based on this story, or they might draw a picture about the story.

They might also do a project on the story.

The writing allows for grammar to be taught and learned.”

Inspired by her experiences in South Africa in 1997, Una Ní Gháirbhith was instrumental in setting up the Ennistymon Steiner Kindergarten in 2003. Now, the full primary Steiner School has an enrolment of 120 pupils for September 2010. The longer established East Clare Steiner school in Tuamgraney was also an inspiration: “I visited the Raheen Wood school in Tuamgraney. Lots of elements were the same as other schools, but when I saw

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Ways you can stimulate your children HERE are some ways you can bring Steiner methods into your children’s lives:

HANGING OUT: Karen Prinsloo with her Daughters Aisha and Yasmin Nolan and their classmate Tara De Wit at Raheen Wood Steiner National School, Co Clare. the schoolbooks, I was really struck. Their funding. books started blank, and were filled by the “The salaries are paid, the Department of children over the course of the year. So, as Education rent prefabs for us, and we’re lothe year progressed, their books really began cated right at the entrance to the town,” says to reflect the individual, through the colours, Ni Gháirbhith styles and so on.”

The location is especially apt, because it is With heroic levels of volunteering, from “near the woods and river, close to the licake sales and craft fairs to packed gigs with brary, and next to the vocational school, bands like The Walls, the Frank and Walters which allows us to use their school yard durand Kila, all involving a plethora of helpers ing lunchtime and for PE”. and supporters, Caitriona Sheedy is the Ennistymon about to send her Steiner primary daughter Muireann school itself to Mol an Oige: “It’s opened in 2005 the ethos really. How with 11 pupils they foster the crefrom eight famiativity of the child, lies. “We wanted rather than forcing it to be and rethem all into one main an affordable style. The multi-deand inclusive opnominational element tion for everyone. and the strong focus In England, there on the Irish language are lots of Steiner and culture at Mol an schools, but they Oige are important are essentially prifor me too”. vate schools. We OTHER VIEW: Lisa and her daughter Esme Joyce For Sheedy, the ap‘For me, the lack of a stress on pure academia wanted to have proach to learning is was important.’ one that anyone vital. “Steiner schools could go to. And don’t focus on drumwe wanted it not to be an alternative, but ming in reading early on, so there’s not as rather just another choice within mainstream much pressure. The emphasis isn’t on results education in Ireland.” and marks, they are not measuring themselves The school grew year on year, and reached against each other, which is good for esa landmark in September 2008 when 17 were teem,” she says. enrolled in the junior class — the magic Over on the other side of Co Clare, and at number for state recognition and, crucially, the other end of the educational spectrum,

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2010

Lisa Joyce’s daughter Esme has come through seven years of Steiner education, first in Raheen Woods, Tuamgraney, and now in second year of a Steiner post-primary school, the Raheen Wood ALFA, or active learning for adolescents.

The word active seems to be key — engaging in direct hands-on experience and making detailed recording of these experiences: like making charcoal to learn about the carbon cycle and to create a tool for art lessons.

“For me, the lack of a stress on pure academia was important,” says Lisa Joyce. She also disliked what she termed the “Catholic emphasis and the general cultural intolerance” in the national school she had tried some years before.

Outlining how the learning unfolds, she points out that “they follow the typical pattern of mornings of main lesson; a continuous learning block, and then in the afternoon specific lessons such as French, woodwork or maths.

“The continuous learning block over six or eight weeks or so really works well to provide deep interest and understanding and spark connections with other knowledge”.

With a strong emphasis on timeless skills like woodwork, is there a possibility that children in Steiner schools are missing out on opportunities with new technologies, such as interactive white boards and computers?

“With interactive whiteboards, the children are still not getting the real thing into their hands. It’s still a visual two-dimensional understanding,” says Ní Gháirbhith. “To understand something, you still need to know what

TEACHERS: ■ Use the practical to teach the curriculum: for example, run a gardening class to introduce biology.

■ Sign up for the free annual Agri-Aware school’s initiative: this involves a vegetable growing kit, tools and charts to learn more about farming and food.

■ Sign up for the Heritage in Schools Scheme (Heritage Council and INTO). This offers children the chance to engage in active practical outdoor learning, from marine biology to native woodlands.

■ Top up your qualifications with a Steiner education course.

Picture: Getty Images ■ Remember: there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing.

ALMOST THERE: Corrán Breathnach, 11, is nearing completion of his time at Mol an Oige Steiner school in Ennistymon, Co Clare. it feels like. So, for example, if you do knitting or sewing in school, when you see something from history or elsewhere, made from similar materials, you’ll appreciate it in a different way to someone who’s never been involved in it directly. The same goes for woodwork.”

Because both Steiner primary schools in Clare have now achieved state recognition and financial supports, the schools are now accessible to a wide range of pupils.

The Raheen Wood school in the past was primarily made up of the children of migrant parents. Karen Prinsloo, who has two daughters in the school, and who sits on the board of the Steiner Secondary School initiative, says: “The majority now are Irish-born in Raheen Wood school.” She also points out that many are from mixed Irish and migrant relationships, and others again are from other parts of Ireland.

Education for head, heart and hands. This in essence sums up the Steiner educational approach up. So often, the artistic and practical are seen as polar opposites. But with the Steiner approach, these two are fused with the academic, to create world-ready children, children who can turn their hands to anything in confidence. And all in an engaging curriculum-focused style.

Which begs the question: why isn’t all school education more like this?

■ For a list of all Steiner Educational initiatives in Ireland and more information: www.steinerireland.org 061-927944 info@steinerireland.org.

Pictures: Eamon Ward

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CREATIVE FORCE: Caitriona Sheedy is sending her daughter Muireann to Mol an Oige.

‘It’s the ethos really. How they foster the creativity of the child, rather than forcing them all into one style.’

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PARENTS: ■ Become more practical and artistic yourself. Try making bread, gardening, cooking, pottery, glass-painting, knitting — the list is endless.

■ Get an allotment and take the kids there.

■ Get some flora and fauna books and visit wooded areas.

■ Go foraging for berries, nuts, seaweed, herbs, mushrooms (guides and courses available).

■ Make simple sock puppets with your younger children.

■ Always bring some colouring kit with you in the car.

■ Join the library.

■ Bring music into the house.

■ Volunteer in your child’s school.

■ Use what your children are interested in to encourage deeper understanding — the official size of a Pokemon on a card is a great excuse to get out the measuring tape.

■ Go to Weekend in the Woods in Tuamgraney, Co Clare. The next event is on October 2 and 3. There, you can do courses on súgán chair making, canoe building, silversmithing, blacksmithing, herbal lore, fishing for beginners, needle felting, and much more. See www.celtnet.org.

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6 New beginning

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First day at school is as stressful for parents as for kids, says Arlene Harris

A nervous start T

HE first day at school is one of the biggest milestones in your child’s life. You both have been working up to this moment for years, and now it is just around the corner. But how will he cope with the hustle and bustle, and what will it be like to watch baby makes his first foray into the real world?

Sam Prendeville is four years old, and, as the eldest of three, (sisters Grace, two, and Olivia, five months) he is the first to leave the security of the nest. He is excited about the prospect of starting ‘big school’, but, when the day arrives, will he boldly go where none of his siblings have gone before, or will he be reluctant to cross the threshold? His mother, Joan, says although Sam comes across as confident, he is quite worried about the transition.

“At the moment, he is feeling very proud about starting school, but I know that he is also nervous about making friends and being too shy to talk to people,” she says.

The Clare woman has placated her son and told him that he will settle in very quickly, but she is more worried about how she will cope herself.

“Because Sam is the first to go to school, and also because he is my only son, I really feel nervous for him,” she says. “I know that this is the natural progression and he needs to start school, but I still feel that he is a baby and I’m also afraid that he might be picked on, or won’t fit in with the other kids.

“Deep down, I know he will be fine, and even though he will probably sail through his first day, I am likely to be in bits.”.

Peadar Maxwell, senior psychologist with the HSE’s child, adolescent and family department, says that feelings of anxiety are perfectly normal for parents and children as the first day of term fast approaches.

“Starting school is a major milestone for every child, but it’s also a huge change for parents — handing over their little one to the care of another adult,” he says.

“Children may feel excitement, panic, joy, terror and a sense of adventure. But it’s important to remember that, sometimes, we are only aware of our child’s dominant emotion,” he says.

“So, although they are nervous about starting big school, they will also feel joy and excitement, even though these feelings may not be that evident.”

Experienced in dealing with family transitions, Maxwell says it is vital for parents to hide any doubts they may be feeling from their would-be students.

“Parents can make children anxious or amplify the anxiety a child already has,” he says.

“So, reassure yourself that your child is heading off to a good school, where he will learn lots and make new friends and pass that positive vibe on to your child.

“Also, make sure you look as you try to sound — match you body language with your words. Smile, greet people, and show an active interest in the school surroundings. If you are feeling very anxious, try to fake enthusiasm and don’t hang around the school for long,” Maxwell says.

It is unlikely that your child will have a strict and unwelcoming teacher, as most people working with small children will be chosen for their warm and reassuring presence,

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LEARNING EXPERIENCE: Sam Prendeville who faces his first stay at school, with his mother, Joan, and baby sister, Olivia, in the background at home in Barefield, Co Clare. Picture: Eamon Ward says Maxwell.

But if you find that your child is clashing with their teacher, or finding it very difficult to settle down, it is advisable to schedule a meeting and try to iron out any problems in the early stages.

“While most infant-class teachers will be professional, loving and kind, it is always wise

to get to know them and their expectations of your child,” he says. “Teachers and parents should be on the same page regarding discipline, in order to help keep the child learning and enjoying school.

“Some children will be mildly anxious for weeks into the first term. But the level and length of that anxiety depends on your child,

his temperament, and also his parents and teacher,” he says.

“But if there is a problem, be proactive.

Ask your child what would make things better, always speak to, and about, your child’s teacher with respect, schedule a parents/teacher meeting, or speak with the principal to resolve things.”

Making the break with home TO help prepare your child for the big step:

to being without you.

■ Discuss school in the weeks before they start: Let your child know you feel excited for them. Try to evoke responses from your child to see how he/she may be feeling. The main idea is to make their new school something to look forward to — not something to fear.

■ Set up play dates: If you know some children who will be in your child’s class set up a time for them to have a play together.

This way, when your child walks into class on the first day, he’ll see some familiar faces.

■ Try time away from you: Before your child starts school, test how he/she deals with separation on a trial run. Try leaving your child with a relative or close family friend. Then see what their reaction is like

■ Play school: Allow your child to role-play some of the things that will happen in school. This could be pretending to form a line, using craft materials/safety scissors, drawing, eating lunch from their school lunch box.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2010

Picture: iStock

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Psychology 7

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Emergence of alternative psychiatric services in Europe and USA give cause for optimism

Psychiatry gets a wake-up call

The

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Tony Humphreys

T

HOMAS McKEOWN, author of The Role of Medicine: Dream, Mirage or Nemesis? wrote in 1979: “If I were St Peter, admitting to heaven on the basis of achievement on earth, I would accept on proof of identity, accident surgeons, the dentists and with a few doubts, the obstetricians; all, it should be noted in passing, dealing mainly with healthy people. The rest I would refer to some celestial equivalent of Ellis Island for close and prolonged inspection of their credentials”.

It could be argued that the profession of psychiatry is in good company amongst medical professions. McKeown demonstrated convincingly that increases in life expectancy during the first half of the 20th century were largely attributable to improved nutrition and cleanliness, leading many health professions to concede that the impact of medical science on society was less dramatic than commonly perceived.

Nevertheless, credit has to be given to some tangible advances in the treatment of illnesses such as heart disease and cancer. Psychiatry appears different. Its catalogue of failures has been the result of rigidly held, but seriously erroneous assumptions, about the nature of “mental illnesses”. Even the term “mental illness” itself is a misnomer because it equates human distress with physical diseases and ignores the contexts in which an individual’s tortured state occurs. Not only does it ignore the outer contexts but it fails too to explore the inner world of the person seeking help.

In my view, there is an intellectual myopia, which, sadly, has blinded many Irish mental-health professionals to the well established fact that human distress — no matter what its depth or breadth or how it manifests — inevitably, is linked to deeply disturbing relationships with significant others, most notably, parents, teachers and other important adults in the distressed person’s life story — grandparents, childminders and siblings.

So-called mental illnesses are the result of ignoring what has been obvious to most ordinary people that love, kindness, empowerment are necessary in the promotion of psycho-social wellbeing.

How is it that in all my years practising clinical psychology I have yet to encounter a person whose troubling and troublesome behaviours did not relate back to early childhood relationships and the recurrence of these traumatic experiences throughout their lives to date. How is it that when a person presents himself to a psychiatrist with delusional, hallucinatory, obsessive-compulsive, depressive and other such distressing signs that the early and present contexts of this unhappy individual are not explored? To diagnose a “mental illness” without such an in-depth examination of the person’s life only adds to the rejection and misunderstanding that have been part and parcel of the person’s story.

Parents, teachers and others do their best, but there are none of us who do not enter our professions, marriage and parenting without unresolved emotional baggage. Such unre-

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INNER STRIFE: Parents, teachers, childminders and grandparents can need more help than the troubled young person. Picture: Fotoware

solved inner and outer conflicts can play havoc with the secure holdings children require for their overall wellbeing. It is my experience that when a young person is referred to me for help — and it is recognised that severe distress is more common in adolescence (the most challenging stage of life) and early adulthood — the parents and, sometimes, the teachers, childminders and grandparents need more help than the young person himself.

Typically, mental health practitioners can miss this critical factor and as a consequence the young person is regarded as the “identified patient”, the “problem” and the parents and significant others are let off the hook of responsibility.

Being let off the hook does no service for these adults, because their inner distress and their outer manifestations continue to be flown in vain. It also helps enormously when all members of the family of the distressed individual seek help for themselves. When the young person witnesses this authenticity and accountability, it considerably raises his hope of the emergence of relationships that enhance his wellbeing.

There is hope. Alternative psychiatric services in Europe and North America are now prioritising close collaborative relationships between service providers and service users. In these new developments care is supportive and based on close examination of the distressed person’s needs, rather than authoritarian, intrusive and driven by the search for a psychiatric label. There is also an emphasis on providing individuals with choices between a range of therapies whenever possible. What gives grounds for optimism is that this approach has become official doctrine in some parts of the United States.

Finally, whether it is medicine or psychiatry, what is needed is a more compassionate approach that places the therapeutic relationship at the centre of clinical practice.

Dr Tony Humphreys is a clinical psychologist, author and international speaker. He is also director of three (NUI) Courses on interpersonal communication, parent mentoring and relationship studies. For details contact Margaret 021-4642394

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Cover story

Back to school

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There’s a lot you can do at home to help young children or teenagers make the most out of the school year. Ailin Quinlan gets sound advice from the experts

SCHOOL AROUND THE CORNER I

T’S TIME to face facts: technically, families are still enjoying the summer holidays, but school is just around the corner.

Booklists are being dusted off and uniforms tried on for size, as more than 510,000 primary school pupils and 352,000 second level students prepare for their return to the classroom.

The countdown to school is on and whether you’ve got a five-year-old facing their first day in junior infants or an anxious teenager about to embark on the Leaving Cert, there’s a lot you can do at home to help them make the most out of the year.

FOOD Get the food right and your child will have the energy to get through the day and focus properly in the classroom, says Valerie Kelly, right, paediatric dietician and co-author of Feed Your Child Well.

Regular meals and snacks based around solid, wholesome, home-prepared food is the best way to go, she advises.

Primary and post primary pupils should begin each day with a good breakfast — according to the 2006 National Children’s Food Survey, IUNA, around 15% of children aged between five and 12 don’t have one. Porridge with its slow-energy release is a good option, or if you opt for a regular breakfast cereal, choose one with more than 6g of fibre per 100g of cereal, she advises.

If you have a diet-conscious teenager who refuses to even countenance breakfast, encourage him or her to have a banana or even a yoghurt drink on the way to school, she says.

A packed lunch, ideally containing an ingredient from each shelf of the food pyramid — bread or crackers, a dairy product such as cheese or yoghurt, a protein such as meat, fish, eggs, cheese or peanut butter and some fruit is a good mix. Drinks should be water or unsweetened fruit juice.

At post-primary level the issue of lunch can be more complex, particularly if you have a weight-conscious teen.

Remind them that dairy is important in terms of bone formation, says Kelly and be aware of the fact that statistically, one-third of teenagers eat no fruit at all. Try to encourage them to do so, and if they prefer, a low-fat yoghurt, low-fat milk, a milky drink or even a smoothie. “Teenage boys have a habit of going to the chipper or deli so em-

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phasise that a roll with salad and meat is far better than a breakfast roll or chips or wedges which have a high saturated fat content,” says Kelly.

After school snacks — yoghurt, fruit, smoothies, crackers and cheese, or some bread or peanut butter are excellent sources of energy, she says. Discourage soft drinks.

Dinner is an excellent opportunity for parents to ensure their kids eat well: “Surveys show that 89% of five to 12 year olds and 75% of teenagers eat food at home, which means parents have some influence on what they eat,” says Kelly.

“Avoid processed foods where possible.

Casseroles, curries, stews or spaghetti bolognaise can be made beforehand and reheated.”

Studies show one third of five-to-12 year-olds and 40% of teenage girls are not getting enough calcium and iron in their diet — Valerie advises including grated cheese in a dinner or making a cheese-sauce.

EXERCISE It’s a no-brainer — kids of all ages need exercise, says Professor Alf Nicholson, right, consultant paediatrician at Temple Street Chil-

dren’s Hospital.

Only one-in-three Irish children exercise regularly — and only one-in-five older children according to a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation Development (OECD) last year.

This is a severe fall-off — back in 2002, about 47% of Irish children (boys 59.2%, girls 37.9%), exercised four or more times a week according to the Health Behaviour in School Aged Children survey.

Age is also an issue — 64.7% of 10-11 year old boys and 53.6% of 10-11 year old girls exercised regularly, but only 51.3% of 15-17 year old boys and 26.0% of 15-17 year old girls did so.

Currently, one-in-five Irish teenagers is now believed to be overweight or obese.

“Everyone wonders why children are now heavier and more obese. They’re not exercising enough and they’re eating too many fat-rich foods. They get out and play less,” says Professor Nicholson.

Lifestyle is the answer, he believes. Primary school children, for example, should be encouraged to take exercise instead of spending, as surveys have shown, between three and four hours of screen-watching per day.

“Children of this age need to be exercised — to be out playing with their friends in a safe area, running around. It is really important for parents to encourage them to be active and to be outside.”

Sport is an excellent way of getting your child active, he says. It’s not about winning but about participation.

“The main thing is they develop a love of team spirit and fitness and camaraderie — a love of sports developed at primary school level usually lasts through second level and onwards.

“Teenagers are often ‘screenagers’, addicted to the computer screen, the television and the Playstation, so for them, sport needs to be organised. At this stage teenagers will have moved on from chasing around the place, so unstructured play is not so appropriate for them.”

Encourage your adolescent to exercise, he says. If your child is overweight, self-conscious, or unfit, lead by example.

Bring them out walking at night, to

avoid allowing them slip into turning on the laptop or the TV, and, if they’re not into organised sport, encourage them to walk, swim or use the trampoline.

“It’s just a case of finding what your teenager likes and is comfortable with.”

SLEEP The quality of sleep your child receives determines his or responsiveness the following day, says psychologist Mike Power, right.

It’s crucial a child gets enough dream time or Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, because that’s how they process the emotional business of the previous day.

A child in primary school needs a minimum of eight or nine hours sleep in order to get that all-important REM sleep, explains Power, the author of a youth mental

ondary,” says Parentline’s Rita O’Reilly, below left.

At second level the organisation of homework is generally left to the children themselves — but an initial agreement on a routine is important.

Casual, genuine praise is sufficient reward for work well done, she believes.

“I’m not enthusiastic about giving rewards for doing homework; praise for careful work and adherence to the routine is more appropriate than an actual reward,” she says.

A well-supervised homework club or after-school study for older primary school children and students at post primary is a good idea.

“It helps set up a routine — though about an hour would be enough for fifth or sixth class. It focuses them on what they have to do. When they come home they can do some additional work, if they wish, but the basics are covered.

“Super-

vised study also lets children see that other kids study — in the homework club they see everyone is doing the same thing.”

FRIENDS Everyone worries when their child experiences playground problems — but, says child and adolescent psychologist Dr Kate Byrne, above, there are ways to preempt them. “It’s very important to teach your child about self-esteem.

Strong self-esteem will stand to children at primary and post-primary when they come up against bullies of any kind,” she says.

“It’ll also help them cope with any negative stuff going on in their peer group — they’ll be more able to say ‘no’ for example, if someone wants them

to mitch off school at primary level, or at second level to participate in underage drinking or other anti-social behaviour.”

How to do it: ■ Be positive around your young child.

■ Encourage him or her to do things they’re good at, and praise them for work well done.

■ Don’t force them to do something they hate, just for the sake of it.

Wading in to sort out your child’s friendship problems is a total no-no, warns Byrne — you cannot insert yourself into your child’s friendships and start applying the proverbial sticking plaster. “However, it is important to get them to tell you about what’s going on.

“It’s also important to know your child as a person — if they feel important to you that’s a huge boost to their self-esteem so it’s crucial important to listen and to support them.

“Show empathy and encourage your child to talk through the whole thing,” she counsels.

“They will often find solutions themselves just by talking.”

At second-level it’s important to maintain communication. If you try to stop them meeting certain friends they’ll go undercover.

“Form a relationship with their friends, allow them into your home and get to know them. Be friendly with them. Listen to what your child is saying about friends — but never ever criticise your child’s friends. That’s just asking for trouble.”

HOMEWORK

Primary and post primary pupils should begin each day with a good breakfast such as a bowl of porridge Picture: Getty Images

health resource for classroom use by teachers delivering Social Personal and Health Education at second level education.

Research also shows quality of sleep affects a child’s subsequent academic performance: “Many primary teachers see one or two children dozing during the day or even sleeping in class,” says Power.

The presence of technology — mobile phones, laptops etc — can affect a child’s quality of sleep he warns: “Our children are in a super-rich information environment and this can directly affect quality and length of sleep.”

So what to do? “Parents should encourage bedrooms to be restful environments solely devoted to sleep in the younger years — and then some of this may impact on the adolescent years.”

Encourage your child to develop regular bed times, he says. It’s a good idea to spend a few minutes with younger children before they go to sleep — this provides a quiet time for bonding before they fall asleep.

“If the child is carrying emotional baggage of any kind they will get a better night’s sleep if they can talk things through with a parent.”

At second-level, says Power an estimated 70% of teenagers don’t get the minimum eight hours sleep that they need.

“The majority of young people are sleep-deprived. Many teenagers have TVs in their rooms. Research suggests that girls spending almost as much time on social networking groups like Facebook and Bebo as they are in class — while for boys it’s all about gaming.”

At night these activities increase stress levels and adrenalise the child, which, says Power, is inimical to sleep.

Teenagers need at least eight hours sleep — and a regular sleep routine, he says: Between 10% and 14% of 14 to 15 year-olds do not sleep well he says — they can be suffering form a clinical sleep disorder which means that although the child is physically well, a psychological cause such as bullying, unpopularity or concern about their self-image may be affecting their sleep.

Picture: Getty Images

A solid homework routine is crucial at primary and post primary level. To work successfully, the routine must be established within the parameters of the particular household and be relevant to the needs of the child: “One child might not be allowed to play football until their homework is done. Another might need something to eat and a short bout of play before settling down — it depends on the child and the house, but a routine is essential for primary and sec-

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2010

Picture: Getty Images

Teenagers are often ‘screenagers’ — very addicted to the computer screen and the TV so sport needs to be organised

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10 Medical matters

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Q

What can I take for lack of sex drive? I have been feeling like this for the last few weeks, and am hoping it’s just a temporary thing. But would like to know what’s available for women. I have heard testosterone treatment can help?

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

Q. Is it true that garlic is good for you? If so, how much should I take?

A. Taking garlic, or any other dietary supplement, with not guarantee you will remain cancer free.

But garlic does have possible anti-cancer properties. Research has shown that garlic may reduce the risk of developing cancer, especialA. Lack of sex drive, or lack of ly stomach and colorectal cancer. libido, is common in women.

Because all garlic preparations are Many women, who have no not the same, it is difficult to say problems with having orgasms, the exact amount of garlic that find they have no real desire to may be needed to reduce your have sex or are simply not cancer risk. The WHO guidelines turned on by the thought of for general health promotion for love-making. For most, this is adults is a daily dose of 2-5g of only a temporary problem. Some fresh garlic (about one clove), 300 women will recover by them— 1,000 mg of garlic extract, selves, and others can be helped 2-5mg of garlic oil or 0.4 — 1.2g by a specialist in the area of psyof dried garlic powder. chosexual medicine.

There are several compounds in There are many possible causes garlic’s possible anti-cancer effects. of lack of libido: it could be eiGarlic contains allyl sulphur and ther physical or psychological. related substances that can slow or Physical causes could be due to prevent the growth of tumour anaemia, diabetes, alcohol/drug cells. But the chemistry of garlic is abuse, prescribed medications. complicated. As a result, the qualiPsychological causes are more ty of garlic products depends on common, and if you are having a the manufacturing process. Peelbad time emotionally, it’s undering, cutting or crushing raw garlic standable you may lose interest releases an enzyme called allinase, in sex. Stress, anxiety, depression, and starts a chemical reaction that past history of abuse or rape, seproduces DADS (diallyl disulrious relationship difficulties phide). If garlic is cooked immediwith your partner, or post-baby ately after peeling, the can‘coolness’. Talk it over with your cer-fighting benefits of DADS are GP or doctor at the family-planlost, so wait 15 minutes between ning clinic — they may suggest peeling and cooking. Don’t mirunning some tests. crowave garlic, as this kills the acHormones are often suggested tive ingredients. as a treatment for lack of libido.

Excessive intake of garlic can Doctors have been trying out have side effects. Be careful about testosterone on women for more taking garlic if you have stomach than 40 years, rarely with much ulcers or are prone to digestive irbenefit. Side-effects of testosritation. Also, taking it on an empterone include hairiness, spots, ty stomach may cause heartburn, FLAT OUT: Lack of libido is usually temporary, but there are many deep voice and enlargement of nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea. Fresh possible causes. Picture: Getty Images the clitoris. There is a testosgarlic applied to the skin can cause terone patch available for women, rash, skin burns or asthma. Garlic called Intrinsa. This is usually only prescribed should be stopped before having surgery or for women who had an early, surgically-indental procedures, due to an increased risk of strogen-like properties, and can increase blood bleeding. It should not be taken with certain duced menopause. It may benefit women flow to the pelvis — which could help with lack of libido but, so far, reactions to it medications, such as blood-thinning tablets — have been mixed. Erection drugs, like Viagra, arousal and response to sexual stimulation. aspirin or warfarin — or non-steroidal anTo keep your libido in good condition, do may help by increasing blood flow to the ti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen. some form of aerobic exercise every day. It vagina and clitoris for a few hours, but are Garlic can result in small reductions in mightn’t sound sexy, but a 15-20 minute not licensed for use in women. cholesterol and LDL (bad cholesterol) over walk, every day, keeps the blood flowing.

Zestra is a blend of botanical oils and exshort periods of time (for to 12 weeks), but tracts, made up from borage seed oil, evening Losing weight, if you need, and eating a it’s not clear if these benefits last longer. Delow-fat diet may help restore sexual function. posits of cholesterol in blood vessels may not primrose oil, angelica extract, coleus extract, vitamin C and vitamin E. It claims to increase You’ll feel better about yourself and also help grow as quickly in people who take garlic. It female sexual desire, arousal and pleasure. It is your heart. You need to look carefully at the has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. causes of the problem, preferably with help rubbed on the clitoris and is supposed to inGarlic has 1% of the potency of penicillin and from your partner. Lack of desire can be put crease blood flow to this area. may ward infections such as listeria, E.coli, right, but there usually aren’t any quick fixes.

The herbal remedy, black cohosh, has oecandida and staphylococcus.

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

Catherine Shanahan MUM’S WORLD Feelgood

FASHIONS in childrearing are as fickle as hemlines and as cyclical as the seasons.

What may seem like the most au courant approach to parenting may in fact be no more than a sexed-up version of the methods your own mother used to ensure no one could ever say her children were dragged up.

The military zeal of some baby gurus popular in the 1950s returned with Fordish vengeance in the ’90s. Competing childrearing counsel ebbs and flows as regularly as the tides.

And still parents dither over whether to discipline or to bond and all the while the search for a text to unlock the key to perfect parenting continues at a pace the book trade can scarcely keep step with.

My hopes rose when my childminder presented me with The Blue Bird Cookery Book for Working Women, a well-thumbed, timeworn booklet with a fair share more than culinary advice.

Under the heading “Happiness and Character-training” it advised that a mother never shout at, threaten, lie to, frighten or bribe her child. All that was required was that she be gentle but firm and give a reason for an order when possible as “children are quite reasonable creatures”.

She should also have regular hours for getting up, eating and bed time, and should stick to them.

“If your children do not get enough sleep, they will not grow as they should and will be peevish and nervy,” the authors warned.

It seemed like a simple recipe for parental success in a book bursting with simple recipes — until I read the final line: bedtime at 6pm for the child under five.

If I followed this rule of thumb my children would never see their father. I would see them for the morning madness only, when shouting and bribery are at their

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2010

brutal best —when being gentle but firm is as pointless as peeing in the wind, when peevishness is at a premium and when the only reason to give for any decision is the cop-out response — “Because I said so”.

No, the world of the working mother is not what is was in the ’50s when men were men and women retired from the workforce in the wake of wedlock and every self-respecting housewife knew the difference between porridge and gruel.

What’s more they knew unsuitable foods caused stunted growth and various delicacies in children and that tea contained no nourishment and that stewed tea was poison.

Yes, The Blue Bird Cookery Book for Working Women contained plenty of advice to promote good cooking and family harmony, but like most of these manuals, it failed to recognise that those truly hard to train are the adults.

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Physical load

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Time to weigh up options for carrying school books, says Deirdre Reynolds

Bagging the right one F OR students across the country teeing up for first year, the transition from primary to secondary school can come as a shock to the system. But it’s not the stress of exams or making new friends that puts the most pressure on Ireland’s young shoulders — it’s their bulging school bags.

With a crammed timetable demanding dozens of new text books, art equipment and sports gear, the average cost for a child entering secondary school this year skyrocketed to F815.

There’s more: experts are warning that educating your teen could come at a much higher cost.

On the cusp of the new school year, the Chiropractic Association of Ireland has reiterated concern over the back-breaking consequences of carting stuffed schoolbags back and forth to class.

“We see children of all ages presenting with back ache at our clinics,” says Dr Attracta Farrell, CAI president.

“Overloading the back on a daily basis can lead to curvature of the spine, anterior head carriage (where the head juts forward), neck pain, headaches and poor concentration.

“The body can learn to live with the load in the short-term, but young backs are at risk of permanent damage if the problem is not corrected before the spine stops growing.”

With too-heavy school bags shouldering the blame, studies show a bag should weigh no more than 10% of the child’s body weight; “That’s only around 4kg-5kg for a 40kg-50kg student, which adds up pretty quickly when you throw in a few text books, pencil case, lunch box and a water bottle,” says Dr Farrell.

Most children end up hauling about twice the recommended weight around.

At a slender 38kg, 12-year-old Kerri Ryan’s school bag clocks in at almost 9.5kg — nearly 25% of her body weight.

“And we haven’t even bought everything she needs yet,” says concerned mother Claire from Donaghmede, Co Dublin.

World-champion dancer Kerri — a member of B-Famous Stage School in Dublin — is set to start studying at The Donahies Community School at the end of the month.

“Kerri’s back is really important because of her dancing,” says Claire. “Luckily, she hasn’t had any problems so far.

But even in primary school, I was shocked by the weight of her bag.”

While hoisting a stuffed school bag onto her back for our photos didn’t knock a feather out of superfit Kerri, the same can’t be said of other students.

Sedentary lifestyles are exacerbating the back problems of today’s teens, according to Dr Farrell of the CAI, which next month launches a spinal health awareness campaign

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Straighten Up Ireland.

“Children’s spinal health is becoming a huge problem,” she says.

“With the increasing lack of activity in children’s lives due to more time spent in front of TV and computer screens, poor posture is on the up. So parents need to be extra vigilant about the weight of their children’s school bags.”

It may be an annual issue troubling parents, but the latest Department of Education probe into the problem dates back more than a decade to 1998, when a working group on the weight of schoolbags concluded the issue should be dealt with at a local level by schools themselves.

So while Health and Safety legislation precludes adults from lifting dangerous weight at work, it’s seems there’s nothing to stop our children from doing just that at school.

“It is a matter for each school to choose measures most suited to its individual needs and that fit with how the school organises teaching and learning,” says a Department of Education spokesperson.

“The report of the Working Group makes various recommendations in this regard, such as optimum use of storage facilities, developing pupil organisation skills and time-tabling.

“The Department is aware that positive action has been taken by many schools on these issues including the provision of lockers

and the arrangement of the timetable into double-class periods.”

It’s a response that appears to have infuriated parents on the National Parents Council website, some of whom have resorted to forking out for two sets of textbooks for their overburdened youngsters — one for school and one for home.

With teenagers growing stronger at different rates, a ‘one-size fits all’ weight limit on schoolbags is probably not the answer.

One futuristic suggestion is the computerisation of the school curriculum. Until that day though, worried parents can best buttress their schoolgoer’s spine by investing in a back-friendly school bag.

“Cheap bags with narrow straps that cut into the shoulders or slinging a bag over one shoulder can do just as much damage as one that’s too heavy,” says Dr Farrell.

“Choose a bag that’s no wider than your child’s torso, with wide, padded, adjustable shoulder straps and a waist strap for extra support. Wheelie bags are a good option, but it’s important to ensure the child alternates which side they pull it on to minimise twisting of the spine.”

“No-one at my old school used a wheelie bag,” chips in student Kerri, who is dubious that anyone at her new school will either.

And until the day that too-cool-forschool teenagers choose the sensible option above the designer one, it looks like the issue will weigh heavily on parents and students alike for yet another academic year.

■ For more information about CAI visit: www.chiropractic.ie.

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WEIGHED DOWN: Kerri Ryan, 12, who is about to start her first year of secondary school at Donahies Community School, Co Dublin, shows off a selection of Picture:Barbara Lindberg. recommended schoolbags.

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Lighten up

Tips to lighten the load:

DO: Distribute the weight evenly across the back DON’T: Sling the bag over one shoulder — carry it on both DO: Use your locker to remove unnecessary weight from the bag daily DON’T: Swing the bag onto your back — place in on a surface, put your arms through the straps and lift it on DO: Adjust the shoulder and waist straps so the bag sits close to the body DON’T: Carry more than 10% of your body weight DO: Wear supportive, soft-soled footwear with a good grip

Back-friendly

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Deuter ruck sack F75, available from 53 Degrees North Ed Hardy padded backpack F69.99, from Argos Berghaus ruck sack F70, available 53 Degrees North Ripcurl printed wheelie bag F74.98, from Argos The North Face ruck sack F99, available from 53 Degrees North

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12 Healthy food

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Lunchbox lessons Roz Crowley

S

CHOOL time is fast approaching and brings with it a perfect opportunity for establishing good habits for the year.

The smallest children, going to school for the first time, will find it especially difficult to sit still for over four hours. The last thing they need is food which drains their energy.

For them, a good breakfast is even more important. If they have this and are released from school at 12.30pm, a good lunch will be needed to renew their energy. This means a breakfast with some good carbohydrate (porridge, brown bread) with a little protein (an unsalty rasher or sausage with a tomato, an egg, milk, yogurt) and juice or water. In between at school, the best we can do is give them something tasty to keep them going.

Older children will require more substantial lunches. In an ideal world we get children to help to make their own lunches so they have some control over what they eat. It’s also a good way of getting them interested in food preparation. A good time to get this done is while cooking supper.

Wash extra leaves of lettuce and put them in a bag in the fridge ready for use. At weekends try making batches of wholesome biscuits for school.

Anything made with porridge oats is a good idea for slow release energy. Look for recipes for flapjacks in books and on the internet. In bought biscuits and bars look for high oat content and low sugar, salt and fat. Avoid hydrogenated fats in all foods.

GENERAL RULES 1. Don’t give school children salty snacks which will make them thirsty. Dehydration is one of the causes of lack of concentration. At the age of five they don’t always recognise they are thirsty. The excitement of their first days at school will quite likely use up huge amounts of energy. A small 35g packet of crisps often has 0.2g of sodium which amounts to half a gram of salt, more than any child needs, especially a five year old. Better to confine crisps to a treat at home where they can drink plenty afterwards.

1. Jam. There is nothing wrong with giving children jam in sandwiches as long as the bread is of good quality.

If you invest in the bread, you can economise on the fillings. Get them to swish water around their mouths after anything sweet to get rid of sugar deposits to keep teeth healthy.

2. Peanut butter and jelly. This combination of creamy, salty and sweet is a favourite of many. It’s delicious on wholemeal bread, but watch salt levels of the peanut butter. Use both the peanut butter and jam sparingly.

It doesn’t have to be thick.

3. Hard boiled eggs sliced or mashed with their

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2. Don’t give them sugary snacks. Sugar is almost as dangerous as salt for dehydration.

Biscuits, bars and sweets are bad for teeth and can cause weight problems.

3. Don’t give children fizzy drinks for school.

Dilute fruit juices (even pure juices that are already diluted). Water is best. Add a squeeze of an orange or lemon for flavour.

4. Do give children small pieces of fruit. Peel and segment oranges, give them small apples, small bananas, a small bunch of grapes. Halve apricots and peaches and quarter them if necessary. Wrap these in a little bag or clingfilm to keep them separate from other foods.

5. Do give children peeled lengths of cucumber and carrot. Cauliflower florets are good cooked for one minute. If they like beetroot, try it too. They may like vegetables more at this time than when they are part of a bigger meal.

6. Do keep portions small. Sandwiches for small children should be cut into quarters at least, or fingers if the filling isn’t mushy.

Wrap sandwiches in ones or twos so they are not overwhelmed by amounts.

7. Do use good quality bread, ideally chunky brown, which will provide

good, slow release of energy so there will be some vitality left towards the end of their day.

Vary bread types to include pitta and other Eastern styles, and crispbreads are good with a little cream cheese or butter. Cream crackers are acceptable for a change. Check salt levels before buying any breads or crackers.

Multiply sodium by 2.5 to get a better idea.

One gram of salt is too much in any one food.

8. Do make sandwiches with fillings they already like. If the bread is good, it will keep them going and the fillings can be less important.

9. Do give them little tubs of leftover pasta or noodles. It’s worth cooking extra if they have a favourite. Chop fresh herbs and add to the pasta before packing in a tub. Add a little lemon juice to keep the taste fresh or chopped fresh tomatoes and a little olive oil, but not too much or it will drip onto their uniforms. Don’t give too much. They can ask for more another day. Provide a spoon rather than a fork for school. Use recycled yoghurt cartons or pretty containers.

10. Don’t try to overfeed children at school. They won’t like to see too much food. You can up the quantities after a few days if they are hungry. Don’t allow them to persuade you into giving sweets and biscuits just because they haven’t eaten their healthy food.

Sandwich fillers favourite dressing or mayonnaise will keep them going. Avoid too much filling as it will fall out.

4. Corn in a little mayonnaise is enjoyed by many children. Add some chopped tomato for extra vitamins.

5. Use ham with as little salt as possible.

Cook a ham hock yourself and once it comes to the boil, drain the water to get rid of a lot of salt.

Re-cover with water and simmer slowly until falling off the bone. Ham cooked this way is much more economical than bought sliced ham.

6. Chicken makes good sandwiches.

Ideally roast a large chicken at the weekend and keep leftovers for sandwiches.

Slice the meat thinly or chop and mix with whatever chutney, mayonnaise of yogurt they fancy. Chicken is deli-

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Extra snacks

1. Give a handful of mixed nuts and seeds in a container. They are ideal for snacks at small breaks. Avoid salted peanuts which will cause a thirst.

2. Dried fruit such as sultanas raisins, apricots and bananas are a good idea, but make sure they take water to quench the thirst from the natural sweetness of the fruit.

3. A small carton of yoghurt is a good idea as the protein in the milk will keep them going.

Choose varieties with as little sugar as possible. Our survey last week should help you to choose.

4. Cubes of cheese, a few olives and gherkins are all worth trying. We should not assume that children won't eat them at school just because they refuse them at home where there are lots of different foods to pick and choose from.

5. Make popcorn so you know how much salt is in it. Many varieties are over-salted and will cause a thirst.

Make and store in an airtight container.

Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan while still warm. It has just enough salt in it to be appetising.

cious with some toasted nuts mixed in, or some saved stuffing from the roast.

7. Cream cheese with a little smoked fish such as mackerel or salmon makes a healthy filling.

8. BLT, bacon lettuce and tomato, make an excellent combination. Remove the pips and moisture from the tomato to avoid sogginess.

9. Leftover cooked burgers with a little chutney are good for older children. Include a few leaves of lettuce and use buns or thickly sliced bread.

10. Sardines are full of nourishment, so try mixing with their favourite chutney or tomato sauce.

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Male health

The power of positivity

PRESSURE POINT: If you are stressed try to shut off negative thoughts as they produce toxic chemicals in the brain which travel through the body.

Picture: Getty Images

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T’S NOT easy these days to stay positive and feeling well, considering that 3,900 men signed on to the Live Register in July alone. And yet some simple tips can make all the difference since self-talk affects the state of your health.

Every time you send a negative thought through your mind, you get to feel bad, says Anna Aparicio, IINLP/hypnosis mind coach, a former health and fitness trainer.

Every time you feel bad, toxic chemicals are released in your brain and travel throughout your body. So, if you want to live longer and feel healthier, it’s a good idea to shut down those negative thoughts and start to feed your mind more useful thoughts that make you feel better.

And yet, even upbeat US President Barack Obama is showing signs of the stress after two years of leadership. But you can offset the impact of stress. If you’re going to worry, worry constructively. That’s not an easy task when you consider that there was a 40% increase in families facing financial problems between 2007 and 2009, according to Accord, the Catholic marriage care service.

So you could start by asking yourself more useful questions such as: What is the most useful thing to do right now? What do I

Sounds of Bach with Murphy’s memoirs

More men seeking breast reduction ops

THE National Concert Hall will hold a special concert reading on Wednesday, September 29, at 8pm, with author and RTÉ newscaster Michael Murphy, pictured.

Excerpts from his literary memoir, At Five in the Afternoon, will be read by friends and colleagues Eileen Dunne (RTÉ), Emer O’Kelly (Sunday Independent) and Eamonn Lawlor (Lyric FM).

At Five in the Afternoon covers Michael Murphy’s cancer journey. Since its publication in 2009, it has become a bestseller.

At Five in the After-

DESPITE the sagging economy, Ireland’s leading cosmetic surgery provider, The Harley Medical Group, has still found ways to perk up the nation’s male population.

There has been an increase of 18% year on year on the number of male breast reduction or gynaecomastia ops (“man boobs”) moving the procedure from fifth to third place in the most popular cosmetic surgical procedures for men in Ireland.

“An increase in the procedure is quite typical for this time of year as in winter men can hide their “man boobs”

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TAKE

noon — A Concert Reading is a collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Choir. They will sing choruses from JS Bach’s B Minor Mass referred to in the book, accompanied by the Orchestra of St Cecilia and conducted by John Dexter.

All proceeds raised will benefit the Irish Cancer Society.

Tickets cost F20-F25 from the National Concert Hall box office, open 10am-6pm, Monday to Saturday.

Telephone 01-4170000 or fax 01-4751507. No booking fees. ● www.nch.ie

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LUNCH TIME: Fully insulated, with an easy-to-wipe clean interior, the Fleurville Lunch Pak is just the right size for a pre-school backpack and neat enough for an older child too. This lunch box can also be carried by the padded carrying handle, comes in two designs, and is PVC-free. It is available from Baby Travel Shop, not cheap at F22 but good quality.

Other bags in the range include the lightweight Samsonite Sammies backpack in friendly bee or crocodile designs which may appeal to a younger child, F19.99. The bag has adjustable padded carrying straps, while the Scotchlite reflective logo is an added safety feature. See www.babytravelshop.ie.

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under heavy jumpers and jackets,” says Liz Dale, director of The Harley Medical Group.

The Harley Medical Group also reports that the increase in men undergoing cosmetic surgery has contributed to the continued growth in the cosmetic surgery business in Ireland during the recession.

The number of men seeking cosmetic surgery here, regardless of sexual orientation, has increased by 20% in Irish male patients over the last five years.

■ Visit: www.harleymedical.ie for more information.

with Kate O’Reilly

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BEST FOOT FORWARD: A child’s feet continue to grow until their late teens and it’s important to have comfortable, properly fitting shoes. From the age of five, growth rate usually slows to around a size a year but shoe retailer Ecco advises that children’ shoe sizes should be checked several times a year. This is especially important for smaller children because the nerve endings in their feet are not fully developed, and it is difficult for them to tell whether their shoes are tight. According to Ecco, a shoe should feel snug in the instep and loose in the forefoot. There should be a total of 1.5cm from the tip of the toe to the end of the shoe. The Ecco Boys Sidewalk,F55, and Ecco Girls Imagine, F50, are both available from sizes 24 -35 at Ecco stores and stockists nationwide.

Deirdre O'Flynn MOSTLY MEN want to happen now? What has to happen for that to happen? What can I do right now to start to feel better and more relaxed?

Useful questions lead to useful answers.

Your diet also affects your state of mind.

“Apparently, since the caveman era, even though we have technologically evolved to amazing lengths, our digestive system has only evolved about 1%,” says Aparicio.

The best advice is to stick to a diet of clean water, vegetables, nuts, berries, seeds, and protein in the form of good quality eggs, fish and lean meats. Keep it fresh, seasonal and unprocessed, and eat most of your food raw.

That way, you have some chance of avoiding joining the estimated one in five men in Ireland who are clinically obese. As well as increasing the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and joint problems, obesity raises the risk of depression.

DId you know...

There is no strong relationship between men’s reported coffee-drinking habits and their risk of prostate cancer (Source: National Cancer Centre in Goyang, South Korea)

Countdown to school

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RIGHT SHOE: “I wouldn’t advise two pairs of school shoes as it is difficult to be precise about how fast a child will grow. If you’re lucky and the school shoes are of good quality and durable, kids sometimes will not out grow or wear out their school shoes until the end of the school year,” says Clarks fitting expert Bob Hardy. “Having said this, over a full school year a kid may wear their school shoes for up to 1,000 hours and walk up to a million steps. An alternative pair to wear outside of school is a good idea as is a little TLC for their school shoes.”

At this age children often prefer to wear trainers and it’s important that these are also properly fitted, advise Clarks. Prices start at F32; see www.clarks.co.uk.

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IMMUNE BOOST: Research has found that echinacea boosts the immune system and can more than halve the risk of catching a cold. As a natural boost to the immune system, it’s usually recommended that children start taking a maintenance dose of echinacea two weeks before the start of the school term. Irish Organic Herbs grow echinacea (echinacea purpurea) on certified organic Irish farms (see photo). Clear dosage instructions for children are given on their Echinacea tincture bottle which costs F18.50 for 100ml, in health stores and online at www.iohonline.com.

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14 Beauty

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The news on ...

EXPENSIVE HAIR I’VE never been big on pricey hair products — cheapies have always worked fine, but I’ve just been converted. Shu Uemera’s new Shushu Sleep Smoothing range with Black Cumin Oil is one of the best hair lines I’ve tried. After a wash and a condition, my hair felt like I’d been to the hairdressers — it was soft, flowing, silky and full of bounce. If you’ve got unruly hair this is a great treat s to smooth, detangle and boost with antioxidants.

Shusu Sleek Smoothing Shampoo, F30, Conditioner, F30 and Smoothing Treatment, F50, are available from selected salons, phone 01-604 5935 for details.

Emily O’Sullivan

Catching the last few rays of summer to best effect is all about hydrating that sun-kissed glow

TAKE THREE FACE MASKS

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T’S NEARING the end of the summer, and now autumn is drawing slowly in, it feels like a good time to celebrate bare skin before it all gets covered up again. August and September have a bittersweet feel — the weather is generally balmy but the days are getting shorter and we know it’s soon going to be all over for another nine months or so.

While our thoughts are already drifting to opaque tights and funnel necks, there’s still the remains of summer to get through before it all goes south, and we’re not quite ready to herald the end just yet.

The great thing about summer’s twilight is that your skin is at its natural best. There’s nothing nicer than your skin glowing with a little tan highlighted by a good quality body moisturiser or body oil. Body oils and dry oils really come into their own at this time of year, and you can keep using them throughout the winter after a bath or shower to keep your skin well hydrated. If you’re on a budget, there’s no need to spend a fortune.

The old favourite Johnson’s Baby Oil gives a lovely sexy sheen to the skin without breaking the bank. A good mid-range option is Dr Hauschka’s Rose Body Oil, while if you’re planning on treating yourself, then splash out on Nuxe’s cult classic Huile Prodigeuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil. It has a lovely dry texture and a captivating scent that is pretty much late summer encapsulated.

Oils have long been respected by the beauty industry for their high vitamin qualities, so if you’re looking to maximise the benefits to your skin then do your research.

Argan oil, in particular, is surprisingly high in vitamin E and fatty acids, which is good for healing scar tissue and the less serious problem of lacklustre skin. The oil hails from

IF YOUR skin is feeling greasy, dry or dull, don’t panic. There’s a mask out there to suit you, from the cheap and cheerful to the more indulgent. Give yourself a few minutes and chill out in peace.

Good Things Five-Minute Facial, F7.20. There’s avocado and goji berries in this superfruit facial mask. It’s designed to work on blemish-prone skin with green clay and kaolin — and while it goes on wet, it dries to a tighter clay in a few minutes.

OIL STRIKE Morocco, and in desert-hot Arab countries women’s beauty routine revolves a lot more around oil than it does in the west.

Bio Oil has also been lauded as something of a miracle-worker when it comes to scars, stretch marks and toning up ageing skin. It contains retinyl palmitate, a derivative of vitamin E. But if you don’t fancy splashing out on a new product, then have a root around in your kitchen cupboard. You might feel a bit weird rubbing on olive oil (it works a treat), but if you have some sesame oil, then try it first — it has a lovely texture and can be transformed by mixing it with a little fragrant essential oil.

The great thing about oils is they give your skin a beautiful sheen, and going into autumn/winter, a more natural look is what you should be going for. Body shimmers, thankfully, have become a pretty naff accesso-

ry — so avoid at all costs. The new minimalism creeping into beauty means that blingy skin is not the look to go for if you want to be on trend. Instead, opt for a clean, simple look, and if you want your skin to be a little more dressed for a big night out, then try a velvety body sheen, such as Benefit’s classic Body So Fine. It has a light fragrance and gives skin a silky finish.

The big thing going into autumn is to make sure your skin is consistently well hydrated and exfoliated. Keep using your body brush and body moisturiser every day or every couple of days and soon your skin will be ready, willing and able to tackle anything the cold weather throws at it.

In the meantime, put on shorts instead of jeans, go for a vest top instead of a T-shirt and let your skin enjoy the last few rays of summer.

Liz Earle Brightening Treatment Mask, F13.75. Skin usually glows in summer, what with all that frolicking in the great outdoors, but sometimes it can look lacklustre. Pep things up with this brightening, purifying mask with camphor oil, white clay and sweet almond oil.

Leave it on for around two minutes before washing off with a muslin cloth. The skin tingles a little when you take it off, but it does look bright and glowing.

Chanel Hydramax + Active Moisture Mask, F45.50. If your skin is parched, slather on this deeply hydrating face mask. It’s quite richly scented, but it leaves the skin feeling smooth and comfortable. It’s also a good one for anyone taking a long-haul flight — you can leave on a thin film while on the plane, meaning you avoid that desert-dry complexion when you arrive at your destination.

STUFF WE LIKE Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil F24.50. Plant oils and vitamin E are combined with a very soft, gentle fragrance in this cult product from Nuxe. It can be used on the face and body and is a great moisturiser to use right through the winter, and in the bath, but we find it’s at its best smoothed onto lightly bronzed skin for a super, late-summer glow.

Origins Ginger Gloss Smoothing Body Oil, F21. Origins Ginger line is one our favourites around — the sumptuous smell, the gorgeous products. This body oil is a particu-

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lar favourite, its light, spritzy and lovely to use.

Benefit Bathina Body So Fine, F32.50. This has a ‘50s pin-up image on the packaging and it gives you that kind of feel when you wear it. It’s very sexy and gives a very subtle sheen to the skin. There’s a very light scent to it, too (in case you need to offset old booty fake tan whiffs).

Primavera Organic Sweet Almond Oil, F16.43 at lovelula.com. Made from the

pressed kernels of sweet almonds in Spain, almond is the most popular carrier oil because of its satiny texture. You can use this as a body moisturiser to prevent stretch marks, for cleansing and removing make-up and as a nourishing hair treatment.

Trilogy Aromatic Body Treatment Oil, F19.95. This one comes with a handy pump, which is good for stopping things getting too oily. The oil itself is a blend of pure plant oils, including rice bran, avocado, rosehip oil, almond and calendula to give the skin a boost of vitamins, antioxi-

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2010

dants and essential fatty acids.

Johnson’s Baby Oil, F3.79. It’s simple and very effective — you can’t argue with this one, especially at under F4. It gives the skin a lovely sheen and is also a good moisturiser.

Dr Hauschka Rose Body Oil, F22.35. Those favouring the romantic scent of roses will love this one. It’s got a sensuous scent, smoothes on to the skin nicely and doesn’t leave you feeling too greasy.

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Natural health

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Y mother frequently suffers from sinusitis and is at her wits’ end with the pain and congestion. She is also very run down, and I suspect that this is part of the problem. What would you recommend?

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

A. Chronic sinusitis certainly impacts more than just the sinus area, with the congestion often causing earache, toothache, headaches, bad breath and tenderness in the face. More often than not, an underlying intolerance to dairy and/or wheat is present where sinusitis is an ongoing issue. Dairy products in particular encourage mucous production, while wheat products can trigger inflammation of the membranes.

If your mother is currently having a bout of sinusitis, then herb al teas and vegetable broths should be encouraged to provide nutrients without too much stress on an already over-burdened system. Fresh vegetable and fruit juices will also be beneficial to her and help to support her immune system.

To ward off bacterial infection, she should take 2g (2000mg) of vitamin C throughout the day in 500mg increments, and supplement with a multi-vitamin which includes zinc.

All sinusitis sufferers should have a Nasaline system in their medicine kit. This is a device which is based on the jala neti pot used in traditional Ayurvedic practices, but much less daunting for Westerners to use. It has been designed to clear the nasal passages and prevent re-infection, and is a syringe-type device which uses saline solution to flush the area. Nasaline costs F20.57 for the irrigation system itself, which is reusable, and F8.45 for 50 sachets of pure pharmaceutical grade salt. Nasaline products are available through your local health store or Revital (www.revital.co.uk; 00 44-870 366 5729).

Q. I would appreciate your advice on an alternative to prescribed medication for reducing cholesterol levels. I have been on Lipitor, but had to discontinue due to side effects. My cholesterol levels have again risen. I am unable to take yogurt-type products, drinks or spreads, as these cause headaches. I am on the following medications: Eltroxin for low thyroid function, Bonviva and Calcichew for osteoporosis. I am also two stone overweight. Earlier this year began a walking regime, which I have had to discontinue due to leg pains (shin splints, and plantar fasciitis, which are being treated by a physiotherapist). My diet is generally good with porridge for breakfast, and brown bread and rice, meat (without fat), veg and fruit. However, I do

Since fish is not an option, you can use chia seeds to get your omega essential fatty acids, or a fish-free oil blend such as Udo’s oil. Chia seeds can be soaked in water (about 1-2 tablespoons to a 300ml glass) and then either consumed as a gel or blended into a smoothie or dessert. Another supplement which you should get into the habit of taking with water is psyllium. Psyllium husks/hulls play an important role in lowering LDL cholesterol levels.

I’m glad to hear you are having physiotherapy for the shin splints and plantar fasciitis. The barefoot technology shoes I recommend in the “Spotlight” article below are worth investing in to help with recovery and prevent further injury. Try rubbing NatraFlex balm into the soles of your feet to help dilate the blood vessels, which facilitates the healing process. Your physio has probably already warned you of this, but do avoid using cold treatment for pain relief since this restricts the blood vessels and slows healing.

If you can’t find NatraFlex in your health store, then try at www.health-store.co.uk.

Q. I used to get boils as a child, but haven’t had them in years until, recently, after giving birth to my fourth child. Do you have any advice on how to treat them naturally, and perhaps an insight as to why they have returned?

PAIN THRESHOLD: Sinusitis can cause toothache, headaches and bad breath. not eat fish, leaving me short on essential omega oils. I am 61 years of age.

A. It is just as important to raise levels of the ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL — High Density Lipoprotein) as it is to lower levels of LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) or ‘bad’ cholesterol. HDL cholesterol helps to clean the blood vessel walls and remove excess LDL cholesterol. Your total cholesterol measurement is a combination of these two along with several other factors.

It is wise you stay away from dairy products since you are intolerant to these, and the rest of your diet sounds as if it should support heart health. Choosing cholesterol-regulating foods such as turmeric, freshly squeezed orange juice, onions, garlic, fermented soya products (miso, natto, tempeh, tamari, shoyu), lecithin, olive oil, berries, nuts (except peanuts) and seeds, kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples, pears, barley, oats, and prunes, will also help to regulate your cholesterol levels.

Megan puts the spotlight on:

Walking barefoot in a patch of earth or lawn each day has been shown to help with insomnia and depression

Feelgood

A. There is a definite clue in your question as to why the boils are back — they are closely linked with increased stress levels, and I would imagine caring for four children is likely to create new stresses for you until you get into the swing of things.

Boils are also a sign the staphylococcus bacteria have got a stronghold on your entire system. Any situation where re-infection is an issue indicates that the immune system is overburdened, so plenty of whole foods and avoidance of processed foods will help provide the nutritional support you need.

I know that this isn’t always easy while you are busy looking after young ones — but if you have a blender, just making sure that you get a green smoothie at the start of the day will boost your defences significantly. A green smoothie combines one part leafy greens, one part fruit, and one part water. To bring a boil to a head, apply manuka oil (available from www.livingnature.com) two to three times daily.

To heal the boil itself, I would suggest you make a poultice using Active Manuka honey (UMF of 18 or more). Simply apply the honey to sterile gauze and cover the area, changing the dressing every 12 hours. You can also take the honey internally as a two-pronged attack against the infection responsible for your recurrent boils.

Barefoot is best

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UNNING, jumping, cartwheels, tree climbing — all activities we remember with fondness from our childhood. These days with tiny trainers, fashion footwear, and even high heels for young girls, we may be cheating our children out of performing these activities effectively and developing important cerebral connections.

Tracy Byrne, a podiatrist specialising in podopaediatrics says: “Toddlers keep their heads up more when they are walking barefoot. The feedback they get from the ground means there is less need to look down, which is what puts them off balance and causes them to fall down.”

By encouraging your children to walk barefoot you help to ensure muscle and ligament strength in the foot and arch, along with improving spatial awareness and developing good posture.

Research conducted in 2007 refers to structural and functional changes which

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IN TOUCH: Encouraging your children to walk barefoot will improve their spatial awareness.

take place in the foot as a direct result of conforming to the shape and constriction of shoes. Obviously, younger feet which are still growing are even more susceptible to this damage.

Adults benefit from spending time barefoot as well. So many of us spend all day in shoes,

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only taking our footwear off to go to bed.

Footwear is certainly a wonderful idea when the weather is very cold, when ground conditions are potentially harmful to our feet, and of course an expected convention when it comes to creating a professional appearance in the workplace.

However, it is important that we spend time indoors and outdoors without shoes.

Walking barefoot in a patch of earth or lawn each day has even been shown to help with insomnia and depression. It is little wonder that both of these conditions are so widespread in a world where we have literally lost touch with the earth.

Fortunately there are shoes in a huge range of sizes and styles for men, women, and children from 18 months upwards, all of which are based on barefoot technology.

To order or find a stockist or local shop, visit www.terraplana.com or phone 00 44 1458 449081.

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