Getting a Good Nights Sleep

Organic Mattress lovers will be delighted to learn that their investment in getting a good nights sleep is well deserved as an article out today in a U.S newspaper warns us that lack of sleep can have serious side effects.

Getting the optimal level of sleep is essential to a persons mental and physical health. The ideal amount is 7 to 8 hours and not getting enough sleep can have serious effects to your health, your ability to concentrate, and minimize personal productivity due to fatigue. Resulting poor health may include signs of irritability, high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias, emotional mood swings, lack of concentration or hyperactivity.

If we followed our natural body clock, we would wake as the sun rises and sleep as it gets it darker in the evening, but our busy lifestyles mean that we sleep according to the tick tock clock our society follows instead.

Common ways to treat sleep disorders include sleep studies which help treat sleep aponea and snoring, whilst Mattresses and pillows play a big part in our sleep. If a mattress is too soft or too hard, a person will be unable to get comfortable.

Mattresses and linens need to allow body temperature to adjust. Having too many pillows can cause head position to obstruct a person's airway. Instead, pillows are a great way for assisting with propping of arms and legs to minimize body aches.

In this instance organic mattress lovers will appreciate how the natural pure fibres in an organic mattress will allow better temperature regulation than artificial fabrics.

Although mattresses and pillows are a source for allergens to hide, organic mattresses made with deep layers of organic wool will help repel allergens, as wool naturally repels dustmites. Treating the bed with a Neem spray can also help greatly. Bamboo and organic cotton sheets are also hypoallergenic without the need for chemically treated mattress covers.

Our U.S sleep expert also suggests parking your day before you go to bed by writing your worries and thoughts down before you go to bed, so that they're there for you to deal with in the morning rather than worry about all night!

Hanging on to baby a little bit longer

Organic pregnancy fans will be interested to hear the latest research from an American Ob-Gyn expert in Chicago this week.

It seems that babies who are born at 39 weeks are likely to be healthier than those born earlier at 37 weeks. Although 37 weeks is considered full term, that extra little time sheltered by mummy seems to help them in the long run.

Mum’s who love Organic pregnancy products will no doubt be keeping their legs well and truly crossed in order to do the best for their little ones!

Natural Hair care treatments from your kitchen

Natural hair care lovers will be intrigued to know what leading Trichologist Phillip Kingsley thinks of natural hair care treatments that you could find in your kitchen.

Unfortunately his take isn’t too promising. Amongst the old wives tales, Beer, Eggs, mayonnaise, olive oil, green tea, rainwater, lemon juice, chamomile tea, witchazel, banana, fabric softener, tomato ketchup, vodka and artificial sweetener have been suggested. I don’t know about you, but some of these products don’t really seem old enough to be amongst an old wives tale suggested item. Maybe more like something someone has poured on their head in experimentation perhaps...!


It seems that most of the above have their downfalls, and amongst the top downfall is the smell they leave in your hair. No surprise there! For instance, Beer does leave hair looking fuller due to the hops and barley, but you’ll smell like a brewery! Vinegar will leave you hair looking shiny whilst also leaving an equally unattractive stink and also re-distributing the oil along the hair shaft. Egg is just as good as any cheap conditioner but stinks like an English breakfast if it’s washed out with hot water-Mmm! Not so Nice. If its body and volume you’re looking for you could try Coca Cola, but it does leave your hair a bit sticky.

For colour enhancements, lemon juice acts as a natural bleach, but the results are unpredictable due to varying acid levels, Chamomile tea is also recommended for lightening hair but may leave your hair looking rather brassy. There is some good news though in the form of our use with everything Tomato Ketchup may which maybe the cure for green hair from swimming too much... a bit unpredictable though I hear! But here's a useful natural haircare tip - for some reason adding a little pinch of artificial sweetner to you hair colour helps the colour take better! No idea why though.

If you're sufferering from greasy hair - Vodka, will just completely strip the hair of moisture, so is not really a help. Witch hazel has got the thumbs up from Phillip as being of genuine use when applied to the scalp. If you’re looking to add moisture, then fabric conditioner is reeally not to be used as it is likely to leave you with a rash due to the chemicals! And although Banana sounds like a real spa treatment and smells lovely, Phillip tells us that it does not penetrate the hair shaft!! Not doing so well are we?

Last but not least Phillip says that Olive Oil will do nothing for your hair accept for leaving you looking like you’ve been drowned in a rain shower. I think you’re meant to wash it out after Phillip, twice to be exact, don’t follow with conditioner and your hair is left full, shiny and your scalp healthier….. and if you use natural rainwater, you'll find its alot softer on your hair and will leave your hair shiny and bouncy. you'll just need to collect it cleanly though.

If you're really not that brave you could choose a ready made natural haircare product, that smells nice too, seems the better option to me!!!

Natural Hair Care Treatments from the Local Offi that help your Hair Grow!!

Natural Hair Care lovers and especially men looking for natural balding treatments will be savoring a new meaning of binge drinking with the latest natural hair re-growth treatment from Michael Winner!!

Michael Winner uses Regaine on his head to re-grow hair and swears by it, he has recommended it to Hollywood actors and loads of famous people all who’ve had winning results! Not exactly natural I hear you say, but the trick is in what he does before he applies it. Firstly, he shampoos his hair , then he warms up a can of beer in a bowl of hot water until its warm and then pours it over his head (one can is sufficient). Without washing the hair he leaves his hair to dry naturally, and just dabs off the excess that drips on his face. Once his hair is dry he applies his regaine as usual.

“Thanks to this routine, not only did my hair grow back, it was also thicker. It was lustrous. But it was yellowish (nothing to do with the beer; it just sometimes happens to people with white hair)”

Maybe you could use a natural hair colour after that Michael to get you looking truly young again!

Natural Pregnancy Tips for Staying Fit and Well

Natural pregnancy product loving mama’s to be will be interested to hear the latest news in a leading publication today.

According to experts, Pregnancy is the most important time to stay fit and healthy, not by trying to loose weight, but rather by eating healthily and staying fit.
Fitness expert Jane Wake says that “Your body will respond to good food and exercise."

Instead of eating for two you only need an extra 300 calories a day. So choose healthy snacks and not sugary foods. Make sure your diet is balanced and avoid food fads. Get plenty of leafy, green veg like broccoli, lettuce, cabbage and spinach, which are packed full of folic acid. Try to eat these with a fat source like a salad dressing or some cheese, as your body will absorb nutrients more effectively. We recommend organic foods as they maintain the nutrients and haven’t got the chemicals. As a rule, the darker the leaf the better it is for you. You can't risk some foods as they can be harmful to your baby - these include uncooked meat, un-pasteurised cheese, eggs and pate. Avoid nuts if your family has nut allergies and discuss how much fish is wise with your GP.

You also need more water - two to three litres a day. Limiting tea and coffee to one or two cups a day, or going for decaffeinated is best.

Take gentle exercise everyday, such as walking, or swimming and do gentle exercise to firm up your pelvic floor muscles.

Jane recommends the following exercises “Think of your pelvic floor muscle as being like a hammock strung between your coccyx and your pubic bone," explains Jane. "Exercise by pulling it up (as though holding in a pee), holding for a second, then releasing. Do 10 sets at least three times a day. Your tummy muscles will contract, strengthening them too."

It’s also important to keep your stomach muscles strong but Never do sit ups, as they will damage your stomach muscles forever. Instead Jane recommends the "sideways lift". Imagine your belly button is in a lift going horizontally back to your spine. There are five floors. Ground floor is letting your tummy relax, pull it up to reach first, then second and on to fifth floor. Relax back down the floors and repeat 10 times. Hold each floor a few seconds - but don't hold your breath!
Strengthen back muscles by "rocking the baby". Stand with feet parallel and arms folded: rotate from side to side as though rocking a baby to sleep. This works muscles and eases tension from spine to buttocks.

If you’re expecting a baby and looking to have as natural a pregnancy as possible then keeping fit and healthy, eating well (preferably organic in our opinion), avoiding toxins and environmental pollutants and using natural pregnancy products is the best advice you can follow for a safe and healthy pregnancy.