feelgood 23-04-2010

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Energetic runners put theirbest foot forward to givecancer the boot: 8, 9

Coolrunnings

FeelgoodFriday, April 23, 2010

SPORTING CHANCEHOW BROADCASTER JIMMY MAGEE STAYSYOUNG AT HEART: 3

WORTH THEIR SALTWE TEST EIGHT SMOKED SALMON PRODUCTSFOR YOUR CULINARY PLEASURE: 12

SUMMER LOVINGYOUR GUIDE TO THE BEST FAKE TANS THATMONEY CAN BUY: 13

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Feelgood

EDITORIAL: Irene Feighan 021-4802292 Niamh Kelly 021-4802215ADVERTISING:

HEALTH NOTES

[email protected]

Kate O’Reilly

WHAT’S ON

TAKE A BOW: Member of the NationalConcert Hall Blow the Dust Orchestra, MaryConnor from Dun Laoghaire helps launch thenational Bealtaine Festival.Picture: Barbara Lindberg

SHOP, cook and eat smart is the messagefrom the Nutrition and Health Foundation(NHF), which has teamed up with top chefRozanne Stephens to produce 10 quick, nu-tritious, budget-friendly one-pot wondersthat can be made and enjoyed by everyone.The recipes are available to download fromwww.nhfireland.ie.“With purse strings tightened, families have

become more conscious of what they’respending on food every week. There’s atemptation to buy what’s on special offer,rather than perhaps what’s best nutri-tion-wise,” says NHF manager Dr MuireannCullen.HAVE Dreams And Speak Them WithoutFear is the theme of this year’s BealtaineFestival, which runs from May 1 to 31.The festival, which celebrates creativity in

older age, embraces all art forms and givesopportunities to older people to participatein the arts as artists, performers, event or-ganisers and audience. To get involved inBealtaine 2010, visit www.bealtaine.com;email [email protected] or phone 01 8057709. Information will also be available inpublic libraries and county council arts of-fices; also from Bealtaine at Age & Opportu-nity, Marino Institute of Education, GriffithAvenue, Dublin 9.WITH dioxin a toxin increasingly found inbreast cancer tissue, survivor of the cancerSheryl Crow is urging women not to drink

bottled water that has been left in a car. Ac-cording to a warning issued by her oncolo-gist and later shared by the singer on theEllen show, heat reacts with the chemicals inthe plastic of the bottle which releases dioxininto the water.BEING exposed to a lot of second-handsmoke may put you at increased risk of de-veloping chronic rhinosinusitis — an in-flammation of the nose/sinuses lastingmore than 12 weeks. Investigating morethan 300 non-smokers who’d been diag-nosed with the condition, Canadian re-searchers found that 40% of the casesseemed to be due to second-hand smoke.Why this is so could be down to the smokeinhibiting immune responses and increas-ing the permeability of cells lining the res-piratory tract, researchers said.ONE in three people who use indoor tan-ning facilities, such as sunbeds, may becomeaddicted to the effects, say US researchers,who studied more than 400 college studentusers of the facilities. The study found thatbetween 30% and 39% met the criteria fortanning addiction, with those addicted alsobeing more prone to anxiety and alco-hol/drug use. Treating an underlying mooddisorder “may be a necessary step in reduc-ing skin cancer risk among those who fre-quently tan indoors”, suggest the researchers.

Helen O’Callaghan

BE 1 IN 1000: The organisers of the 1in 1000 fundraising group are making afinal call. It is hoped that 1,000 womenwill run as part of the 1 in 1000 group atthis year’s Flora Women’s MiniMarathon in June and raise 200,000for a new cystic fibrosis unit at Our La-dy’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin. 1 in1000 is an initiative founded by sixwomen; grandmother, mother, aunt, sis-ter and cousins, who wanted to dosomething following the diagnosis of lit-tle sisters Emily and Lana Woodward(now aged 4 and 2) with CF. Among thewomen supporting the event is Irishathlete Catherina McKiernan. Registra-tion for the Dublin Women’s MiniMarathon closes on April 27; seewww.RunningForCF.ie for more infor-mation. For further information on cys-tic fibrosis, visit www.cfireland.ie.

SOCCER CLASSIC: Former WBA su-per-bantamweight champion BernardDunne and broadcasting legend JimmyMagee have teamed up to host acelebrity soccer classic to help raisefunds for the Caring and Sharing Asso-ciation (CASA) and the Irish Motor Neu-rone Disease Association (IMNDA).Players will include Gary Kelly, Paul Mc-Grath, Packie Bonner, Katie Taylor andRonnie Whelan. A family fun day isplanned with clowns, face painters etc.Tickets for the event, which takes placein Tallaght Stadium on Saturday, May 8,at 2.30pm, are 5 each or 12 for afamily of four and are available from theCASA office at 01-8725300 or IMNDA at1800 403 403. Tickets can be purchasedonline at www.imnda.ie, or www.ticket-group.ie, or at the stadium on the day.

SPONSORED WALK: There will be asponsored walk between Glengarriffand Castletownbere tomorrow in aid ofthe Chemotherapy Department, CUHand St Joseph’s Palliative Care UnitCastletownbere. All donations greatlyappreciated; anyone interested in partic-ipating can contact Sandra on086-1065920.

HEART CLINIC: The Irish Heart Foun-dation will hold a free blood pressureand cholesterol testing clinic at theParish Centre, Carrigaline on Wednes-day next, from 10am to 12noon. Call021-4505822 or if you have questionsabout stroke or heart disease you cancontact their helpline, at 1890 432 787.

WALK 4 AWARE: Aware, the nation-al organisation which provides informa-tion and emotional support services toindividuals and families affected by de-pression, is looking for volunteers to“Walk 4 Aware” on Sunday, May 9.Contact the Aware office at 01-6617211or visit www.aware.ie. The Awarehelpline is 1890 303 302.

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

A big age difference doesn’t have to be a problem when itcomes to relationships, writes Arlene Harris

LOVED UP: Paul Weller has announced hisengagement to his 24-year-old girlfriend.Picture:Ian West/PA Wire

Mind the gapL AST week, veteran rocker Paul

Weller, 51, announced his en-gagement to his 24-year-old girl-

friend, Hannah Andrews. Despite his fi-ancée being just two years older than his el-dest son, Weller insists he has found ‘TheOne’.“It’s funny to think that after all these

years I’ve finally met my soulmate — and atmy age. All I can say is that I am very, verymuch in love,” said the singer.And it’s not just the men who are finding

love with younger partners — Demi Mooreand Madonna are leading the way for olderwomen dating younger men.Lisa O’Hara of Marriage, Relationship

Counselling Services (MRCS) says a signifi-cant age gap does not necessarily meanproblems for a relationship.“What’s really important here is the glue

that bonds the couple regardless of age,” shesays. “How closely aligned are their valuesand principles — do they have a lot incommon, do they communicate well andunderstand each other — all of these thingsare important.”But while all relationships will face chal-

lenges at various stages, some issues are par-ticular to couples with a large age gap.“There is a practical dimension — chil-

dren may not be an option — and as onepartner gets older, the burden of responsi-bility may lie heavily on the younger oneto care for their older partner,” saysO’Hara.

However, she also stresses that a consider-able age gap can have its benefits.“There may be a lot to learn from the

wisdom of experience of an older partnerand having a younger partner can help to

keep you young,” she says. “So the successof a relationship like this is the same for allrelationships, it’s about being able to toler-ate differences.“We are all looking to have our needs

met — they differ from person to personbut sometimes we meet someone whobucks the trend and they are perfect for us,regardless of their age.”Ace golfer, Greg Norman, 55, also re-

vealed his love for a younger woman thisweek, as he spoke about his relationshipwith 41-year-old interior designer, KirstenKutner. Although there is a 14-year age gapbetween the couple, Liam Lally of Accordsays this doesn’t have to be problematic.“A strong attraction can develop regard-

less of age, he says. “And interests or hob-bies may be age-neutral and do not dimin-ish with age.“In fact, the age difference may, in itself,

be an attraction to both parties and may re-main so throughout their lives together.”However, some people do encounter

problems as the relationship develops andLally says communication and even coun-selling can be beneficial.“It is important that the implications of

significant age differences be fully explored,perhaps with the help of a marriage coun-sellor, before becoming fully committed tothe relationship.”■ For more relationship advice visitwww.accord.ie or www.mrcs.ie or call 1890380 380

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FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 2010Feelgood

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THE SHAPE I'M IN Jimmy Magee

Memory man

HAPPY DAYS: One of thethings that cheers JimmyMagee up is meetingsomebody who’s positive.

BROADCASTING legend Jimmy Magee andboxer Bernard Dunne are set to host acelebrity soccer classic in aid of the Irish Mo-

tor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA) and the Car-ing & Sharing Association (CASA).As patron of the IMNDA, Jimmy’s delighted to be in-

volved with the fundraiser, which takes place on Saturday,May 8, in Tallaght Stadium and which featureswell-known faces, including Katie Taylor, Paul McGrath,Packie Bonner and Ronnie Whelan. (Visit www.bernard-dunnecharities.com or phone 1800 403 403 to purchasetickets).Jimmy’s family have tragically been struck by Motor

Neurone Disease — his son, Paul, died from the diseasetwo years ago. “I miss him. As well as being father andson, we were very close friends. He was my first-born.He was a good fellow, hugely into sport. He played pro-fessional football and then all of a sudden he’s gone. Butyou cope. You just have to.”The 75-year-old has four other children and doesn’t

feel he has changed much since his younger days. “Ihaven’t changed a bit in my behaviour or thinking. NowI know you don’t really change at all — I wish I’d knownthat when I was younger,” says Jimmy, whose wife,Marie, died in 1989.

What shape are you in?I’m fit enough. I could shed a few pounds but I’m notkilling myself to do it. I’m probably lighter by a stonethan I was 10 years ago, through an attempt at a diet. Idid it for my own good, not out of vanity.

Do you have any health concerns?When Paul was ill with Motor Neurone Disease, I sawsomebody who was suffering. I thought, well, that’s theend of me being sick — no more whinging abouttoothaches and headaches. Unless something is really seri-ous, forget about it.

What are your healthiest eating habits?I avoid fats and I eat a lot of fish — I don’t eat itbecause it’s healthy but because I like it.

What’s your guiltiest pleasure?I don’t drink alcohol. I haven’t since 1973 andI’m unlikely to do so again. I don’t smoke ei-ther. I used to binge on a couple of chocolatebars a day but I’ve cut that out almost exclu-sively now — so I’m a kind of saint really.

What would keep you awake at night?Mental tiredness — if I was thinking hardabout something, it would take me a long timeto turn off. Otherwise, I can sleep virtuallyanywhere.

How do you relax?I relax by getting involved inwork because I enjoy that. Ilike finding out things. I learnsomething new everyday.

When did you last cry?When Paul died.

Who would you invite toyour dream dinner party?Ingrid Bergman — shemust be one of the mostbeautiful women ever — ElvisPresley and Ava Gardner.

What would you changeabout your appearance?I wouldn’t want to be any otherway — I’ve lived in this body longenough now.

What’s your favourite smell?

That pleasant healthy smell you get in a flower shop. Icertainly don’t like the smell of garlic or curries.

What’s the best book you’ve read recently?George Kimball’s Four Kings, about four middleweightboxers who fought each other.

What trait do you least like in others?Selfishness, lack of manners and meanness.

What trait do you least like in yourself?I’d like to be more patient — privately. I’m very patientpublicly. Sometimes when something annoys me, I don’ttell the person but I feel an inner impatience.

Do you pray?Yes, I do. I pray occasionally during the day but alwaysat night. Not a day goes by when I don’t pray.

What would cheer up your day?Good weather and meeting somebody who’s positive— who’s genuinely glad to see me and I’m glad to seethem.

Helen O’Callaghan

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Feelgood Feelgood

Go for the fun

MAKE A SPLASH: Swimming is one of the mostaccessible options for keeping fit whether you dipinto public or private facilities. And you can comeand go as you please — no pressure, just fun.Picture: Getty Images

Hate the gym?Oliver Mooreexamines some ofthe other exerciseregimes available

PARTY TIME: An alternative way to getting fit is to try Zumba dancing, seen here in action with Marta Borun who is teaching a class at EnnisLeisure centre in Co Clare. Picture: Eamon Ward

THE fashion for frugality with the re-cession has led to a rise in walking,jogging, cycling or even exercise

workouts at home, on DVD or even online.So there are a plethora of possibilities for

keeping in shape and burning calories with-out picking your own pocket.Activities which have a monthly or

pay-per-class option allow the more savvyexerciser to try classes out, or drop out whengoing on holidays.Crucially, exercise that’s enjoyable is likely

to keep you coming back for more. If youfind the gym monotonous, then it might beworth considering some of the following —from the familiar and established to the funkyand exotic.Try to plan your exercise regime in ad-

vance, have some incremental goals and tar-gets, and check your plans with your healthcare practitioner.

ZUMBAZumba’s catchphrase is “Ditch the work-

out, join the party!”. The emphasis is verymuch on fitness through the fun of dancing,with pulsating music and an almost nightclubtype atmosphere.Latin rhythms and accessible dance moves

are the order of the day. Zumba’s routinesfeature interval training sessions where fastand slow rhythms and resistance training arecombined.Polish woman Marta Borun teaches three

classes in Clare. “The music is a central partof the classes,” she tells me. “I incorporate el-ements of salsa, mambo, merengue, hip-hop.The classes also sometimes feature songs byLatin acts like Shakira. I also adapt to theclasses’ musical preferences where possible”.“Zumba is also a great core workout, as

you learn how to engage your hips, control-ling your tummy and lower back: by usingyour hips you train the centre of your body,”she explains.Most of the communication is done

non-verbally, to keep the party feel going forthis predominantly female crowd.What it will do: cardio-vascular, core,toning, coordination, confidence.What it won’t do: strengthening.Suits: all levels, mostly female, mostly20-40.Cost: varies per class: 6- 10. Videos arealso available to purchase.

Contact details: See www.zumba.com andsearch for locations. There are 19 listed forIreland, some of which have more than oneclass (eg Cork city has three).Fun factor: ****

SWIMMING:Swimming is one of the most accessible

options for keeping fit. Along with publicpools, there are now plenty swimming facili-ties available in other venues, from hotels andprivate health clubs to third level institutions.Swimming has a number of advantages

other exercises do not have. Some find theimpact of land based exercise (eg soccer, bas-ketball, running) tough on their knees or an-kles. Swimming is also good for both warm-ing up and warming down form other typesof exercise.What it will do: mostly cardio-vascular,some toning, some endurance/stamina (de-pending on regime).What it won’t do: strengthening, unlessyou do sprints or resistance swimming; signif-icant weight loss.Suits: all fitness types, all ages, male andfemale.Cost: 4- 6 per session.Contact details: You local swimming pool.Fun factor: ***

DANCING:Swing, jive, tango, bellydancing; there is averitable A to Z of dancing styles you can trythese days, alone or with a partner. As danceclasses happen in groups and involve creativeexpression, they can be among the most en-joyable of ways to get fit.There is something of a 1920s-1950s style

and culture undercurrent bubbling away atpresent. Think flapper fashions, the PuppiniSisters, Imelda May,and all the burlesque,boudoir and vaudevilleclubs that are poppingup in the bigger townsand cities acrossIreland.Once the reserve of

weddings and seasideholidays only, swingdancing is enjoying asecond wave of supercool popularity.Niamh McNamara of

SwingCity Limerick:“Any one is welcometo swing dance, there’sno age limit and youdon’t need a partner.”While both men and

women get dancing at

the SwingCity Limerick events on Mondaysin Clohesseys bar, McNamara stresses thatmore men are always welcome.Many dance classes also hold their own so-

cial events, with some organising trips awayand also putting on club nights.What it will do: cardio-vascular, confi-dence, coordination, concentration.What it won’t do: strengthening.Suits: all ages and fitness levels.

Cost: varies per class op-tion. For example eightweeks costs 85 withSwing City Galway.Contact details: Classes

in every major city andmany towns. Trywww.dublindy.com (seelinks), and for Munster:www.shallwedance.ie (Brid-get Harte 086-3811065)www.swingdancecork.com.Fun Factor: ****

CAPOEIRA:Capoeira looks like a

flamboyant butminimal-contact martial artswith a touch of breakdanc-ing. According to ProfessorGaucho, a personal trainer

and capoeirista who runs the Cork CapoeiraAcademy, it is “a Brazilian cultural sport,which includes martial arts, music, dance andacrobatics”.Contact is at variable levels rather than

non-existent, though this is managed verycarefully by the teachers. The classes some-times have games and are very rhythm driven,with specific musical instruments and songsconstantly featuring in the classes.The joie-de-vivre of Brazilian culture really

shines through in capoeira, which can’t helpbut be social.Weekend capoeira festivals combine inten-

sive training by day with a lively SaturdayBrazilian club night, a barbecue, and usually acarnivalesque samba crescendo after the Sun-day training. Occasionally groups travel toother European cities for festivals and also toBrazil.There are two main groups in Ireland,

Mundo and Candeias. Mundo’s classes aremostly in Dublin and on the east coast,whereas Candeias hold classes in Dublin butalso in Ennis, Limerick, Bandon, Westport,Galway and Cork.What it will do: Strength, flexibility, car-dio-vascular, confidence, co-ordination, con-centration, endurance/stamina, toning.What it won’t do: make the tea.How much it costs: Varies. In Ennis, CoClare, Candeias charge 40- 50 per monthfor adults, and 20- 40 for children,depending on number of classes per weekattended.Discounts are available for multiple mem-

bers of same family. Mundo offer pay perclass option and 5- or 10-class vouchers.Who it suits: Suits relatively agile thoughthere are beginners and children’s classes.Suits male and female, mostly aged 20-40,though some of the most agile attendees andoccasionally even teachers are over 40.Contact details: www.capoeiracandeias.ie(087-6238525)Fun Factor: *****

BOOTCAMP:Bootcamp exercise, as carried out by Boot-camp Ireland, involves military style fitnesstechniques with military instructors. Accord-ing to Bootcamp Ireland, it involves a combi-nation of “get down and gimme 20” with“interactive, motivating circuits, all over bodyexercises, running and motivational games”.While there is a bit of Full Metal Jacket

style shouting, much of the motivation comesfrom the fact that it is a group activity, donein the outdoors, with varied routines.Appealing mainly to the 20 to 40 age

bracket, Bootcamp Ireland is available inmany of parts of Dublin. It has also recentlybegun in Limerick, Ennis and Cork.There is a social side to it too, with out-

door activities, socials, competitions and tripsaway (eg surf and ski trips).What it will do: cardio-vascular, strength-ening, endurance/stamina, toning, confi-dence, concentration.What it won’t do: see capoeira.Suits: more male than female though bothattend, mostly age 20-40. Classes available forall levels from beginners upwards, thoughsuits relatively fit.Cost: 150 for an eight-week course,comprising of up to 24 classes.Contact details: www.bootcampire-land.comFun Factor: ****

MOVE ON: Some Cork studentstrained in capoeira last year, which isa subtle blend of dance, martial artsand acrobatic skills combined withtraditional Brazilian music.Picture: Larry Cummins


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Feelgood

Never

Neversay

Climbing is just living my dream, Banjo Bannon tells Margaret Carragher

TOP CLASS: Banjo, main picture andleft with his wife Lauren — with whomhe wrote the book, Ascending theDream: The Life & Climbs of BanjoBannon — pictured at Concordia.Picture:Fergus Mini

A T the age of 14, Terence ‘Banjo’Bannon set off in his older broth-er’s boots, a pair of corduroy

trousers, and a thin, plastic-lined jacket on atrek to the top of Northern Ireland’s highestmountain, Slieve Donard. He had no map,no compass and no climbing experience, justa sense of adventure, ferocious curiosity andendless enthusiasm. This marked the begin-ning of a lifelong adventure which has seenBanjo scale the world’s highest peaks, endureheart-breaking loss and above all, triumphagainst the odds.Born in 1967 in Barcroft, Newry, Banjo

was the youngest of six children and was justthree years old when his father died. In thesocial and political unrest of Northern Irelandat the time sectarian violence was rampant,and the death of a school friend, blown topieces while carrying an IRA bomb, had aprofound impact on Banjo. It propelled hislife in an entirely new direction, and instilledin him the resolve to escape from the stran-glehold of violence and deprivation thatclouded his local community.Mountain climbing became his solace. Par-

ticipation in youth groups opened up newhorizons and afforded him the opportunity toclimb mountains across Europe that wouldotherwise have been beyond his wildestdreams.However, in May 1989 an industrial acci-

dent sabotaged Banjo’s climbing career andalmost cost him a limb.“I was working as a welder at the time,” he

recalls. “As I crossed the factory floor thatday, a forklift veered over my foot, twistingmy leg right around.”Floored by the impact, Banjo watched in

horror as his workmates cut away his overallsto reveal the jagged edges of his shin boneprotruding through the skin.By the time he reached hospital, blood loss

had rendered his condition critical and hewas given the last rites before being rushed tothe operating theatre where surgeons battledto save his leg and treat a life-threatening em-bolism which had travelled from the injurysite to his lungs.For days afterwards Banjo’s life hung in the

balance; only when his condition improvedand he was transferred to a general ward didhe learn the full extent of his injuries.The doctors told him it would take numer-

ous skin grafts and many months of rehabili-tation before he’d be able to walk again; fur-thermore, he would never regain the abilityto run or climb.But the doctors had not reckoned for the

grit and determination of their patient.“Even in those difficult early days I knew

they were wrong,” he says. During thepain-filled months that followed, Banjo con-stantly set goals for himself, from lifting hishead off the pillow to raising and loweringhis leg. When he’d finally regained enoughmobility to master his crutches, he wasallowed home, on the understanding that hewould remain in plaster for a year and that hewould not be able to bear weight on his legduring that time.

Within weeks Banjo wasback on form. Havingcoaxed a friend to drivehim to the base of SlieveGullion in County Ar-magh, Banjo announcedthat he was going to crutchhis way to the top.“It took me ages and my

hands were very sore by the timeI reached the summit, but I made itall the way up and down unaided.”From there was no looking back. Banjo

embarked on a rigorous exercise programmein his local gym, focussing primarily on de-veloping the muscles in his upper body andmidsection, lifting weights for hours on end.

“My leg was still in plaster and I was regis-tered as disabled but I didn’t let that get inmy way.”He also continued to hike on his crutches,

much to the bemusement of his mates.“When I rock-climbed, my partners would

hook me onto a top rope and I’d use myupper-body strength to do all the work,” herecalls. “I cracked the plaster several times butthe hospital was used to me coming in for re-casts!” When the plaster was removed Banjoreturned to the hills — first on two crutches,then on one, and finally, unaided.His plan to conquer the world’s highest

peak was firmly back on track; and havingscaled mountains across several continents forpractice, he finally achieved his dream.“All my desires and my hopes were pinned

on that single moment,” he says of his Everestconquest. “It was 8am on 31 May 2003 and Iwas standing on top of the world.”Since then, in addition to acquiring a wife,

a son, and a university degree in Youth andCommunity Work, Banjo continues to chal-

lenge the world’s most formidablemountains. Having scaled theHimalayan peak of AmaDablam as part of anIrish-American expedi-tion late last year he re-turned triumphant tolaunch his book As-cending the Dreamwhich he wrote withhis journalist wifeLauren O’Malley.And though the world’s

most technically challeng-ing peak K2 has twice defeat-

ed him, Banjo doesn’t rule out an-other attempt at its summit.“Never say never,” he quips.

■ Ascending the Dream: The Life & Climbsof Banjo Bannon published by Gill &Macmillan 16.99.

Banjo’s tip forenduranceMountain-climbing at itshighest level involves pain,hunger, cold, and sleepdeprivation. To prepare forthese challenges you mustbe willing to suffer. No pain,no gain.

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Tony Humphreys

The psychological roots of dis-ease are too oftenignored by traditional medicine ‘cure’ approaches

Behind illnessFEELING LOW:In spite ofwonderfulmedicalachievements,the rate ofillness has noteven beenreduced byone per cent.Picture: iStock

OVER the last 30 years practising as a clinicalpsychologist I have been privileged to helpmany individuals who were in deep inner tur-

moil, but there were many who also presented with mildto severe physical illnesses.Some of the illnesses presented were back pain, migraine

headaches, asthma, eczema, Chron’s disease, irritable bowelsyndrome, colitis, heart disease, ME, MS, MN, cancer,brain tumour — indeed, all of the most prevalent illnesses.Naturally, these individuals were receiving medical inter-

vention and that is how it needs to be. However, there isan embarrassing source of riches to show that illnesses aremore than purely biological realities and that an effectiveresponse requires a serious consideration of the psycho-so-cial contents of the persons who suffer illness.Medicine has developed some amazing technological and

chemical treatments for particular illnesses and continues topursue rigorously the causes of illness, particularly the twocurrent greatest killers — heart disease and cancer.However, in spite of the recognition within medicine of

the psychosomatic and psychophysiological nature of mostillnesses, the medical practice continues to focus on ‘cures’and detecting causes. This essentially biological approach— while praiseworthy in its efforts — fails to consider thata particular illness may have an individual meaning for theperson who is ill.A recurring political reality is the never-ending crises in

our health services and the challenge to provide an effec-tive and efficient service for what appears to be a relentlessescalation in the demands for medical services. It is a wor-rying reality that in spite of the wonderful medicalachievements that the rate of illness has not even been re-duced by one per cent.My own belief is that in addition to medical interven-

tions, a deeper understanding of illness is required and thatthe search for the intentions of illness needs to be as in-tense as it is for the causes.What do I mean by intentions? This question is best an-

swered by posing and attempting to answer several otherquestions: How is it that men are far more prone to heartdisease than are women? Why is breast cancer so prevalentamong women? Why is back pain the most commoncomplaint and accounts for most absenteeism from work?How is it that single men and those in unhappy mar-

riages are 64% more likely to suffer a stroke? How is it thatindividuals who experienced profound abandonment ex-periences in childhood die two to three times faster thanthose who have been more fortunate in terms of earlynurturing? How does a serious life-threatening illness sud-denly disappear? How can a sugar pill (a placebo) be as ef-fective as a specific chemical compound?There are endless such questions that deserve considera-

tion and, indeed, there are medical and psychological-so-cial practitioners who have examined these questions.Their conclusion has been that there is a meaning to ill-ness that needs to be detected so that a comprehensivebio-psycho-social intervention can be devised with thecreative co-operation of the person presenting with a par-

ticular illness at a particular time in their lives, withinunique circumstances (for example, death of a spouse, lossof job, death of a child, marital breakdown, bullying atwork).There is strong evidence too that the location of the ill-

ness (for example, ‘blocked’ arteries, ‘splitting’ headache,‘crippling’ back pain, ‘recurring’ nausea) has a particularmeaning for the individual as does the nature of the symp-toms, for example, chest pain, stomach pain, feelings ofweakness, loss of power in one’s limbs, loss of voice, recur-ring infections).What is particularly vital is that the illness is an uncon-

scious creation that has the intention of getting the personto do for themselves what they would need to have beendoing and to stop doing what is threatening to their overallwell-being.If you are feeling confused by what is being said, then

this is not surprising because the search for the intentionsof an illness is every bit as complex as searching for thecauses.For example, a man who has been diagnosed with either

‘blocked’ arteries or ‘hardened’ arteries is compelled by hisillness to either attend to his severe emotional blocks —the fear of emotional expression — or how he has ‘hard-ened’ his heart to himself and to others. While a bypassoperation is critical to resolving the blocked blood flow tohis heart, it is equally urgent that he gets help to resolvehis long-standing emotional repression, a common psy-cho-social reality with men.If the heart dis-ease gets the person afflicted to talk about

his heart albeit at a substitute level, what does it stop himfrom doing? It cleverly stops him from being ‘heartless’ be-cause he is now very much aware that he has a heart afterall.The psycho-social work needed is to bring to conscious-

ness the emotional repressions and support him compas-sionately to talk in a real as opposed to a substitute dis-easeway about his feelings. The sad reality is that for manymen having a heart attack is far less threatening than ex-pressing how they feel.The terror of being ridiculed, laughed at or emotionally

abandoned is a far more serious psychological dis-ease thanthe blocked arteries and the bypass operation.What I have written above gives a flavour of the contents

of a new book, The Compassionate Intentions of Illness,written by myself and my wife and colleague Dr HelenRuddle. The launch of this book is at 6.30pm at the AulaMaxima, UCC, on Tuesday, April 27. All are welcome.

Do you really want toStop Smoking?

You can with our one session stop smoking programmeAssistance Also Available For,

Public Speaking, Weight Control, Phobias, Insomnia, IrritableBowel Syndrome, Child Birthing, Stress And Personal Problems.

For more information contact

Absolute Hypnotherapy Clinic9a Barnavara Hill, Glanmire.

Tel: Peter Conroy at 087 9715322 / 021 4889581Email: [email protected]

www.hypnosiseire.ieRegistered Member

ICHP

A DIFFERENTVIEWON LIFESTYLEYour guide to fitness, health,happiness and lifestyle.Great writers and mentors.

Where you come first.

Phone: NIAMH KELLY

Tel. 021-4802215 Fax 021-4273846

[email protected]

Every Friday.

FEELGOOD


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TESTICULAR CANCERIf you have any of these symptoms contact your doctor:

■ painless lump or swelling in either testicle■ hardening of the testicle■ testicle is tender to touch■ sensation of heaviness in your scrotum■ dull ache in your lower abdomen or groin

PROSTATE CANCERCancers found within the prostate gland only are known

as early prostate cancer. Men with early prostate cancerare unlikely to have any symptoms at all. Prostate cancersusually only cause symptoms when they are large enoughto disturb your bladder or press on the tube that drainsurine. For that reason the symptoms of prostate cancerare like the symptoms of an enlarged prostate.

The symptoms of prostate cancer include:■ Passing urine more often, especially at night■ Pain or difficulty when passing urine■ Trouble starting or stopping the flow of urine■ The feeling of not having emptied your bladder■ Frequent pain in your lower back, hips or upper thighs■ Trouble having or keeping an erection■ Blood in your urine or sperm (very rare)

LUNG CANCERThe symptoms of lung cancer may in-clude:■ Difficulty breathing■ A cough that doesn’t go away or achange in a long-term cough■ Repeated chest infections that won’t goaway even after antibiotics■ Wheezing■ Feeling more tired than usual■ A hoarse voice■ Coughing up blood-stained phlegm■ Pain in your chest, especially when youcough or breathe in■ Loss of appetite■ Weight loss■ Swelling around your face and neck■ Difficulty swallowing

SKIN CANCERNon-melanoma skin cancer

Skin cancers do not all look the same. They can appearas any of the following:■ Small lump■ Flat, red spot■ Firm, red lump■ A lump or spot that is tender to touch■ An ulcer that will not heal■ A lump with a scaly or horny top■ Rough, scaly patches

Melanoma skin cancerThe main signs may include one or more of the follow-

ing:■ A mole that suddenly gets bigger or you find a new oneon your skin■ The mole has developed a ragged or uneven outline■ The mole has a mixture of different shades of brown,black or other colours through it■ The mole is bigger than the blunt end of a pencil■ The mole looks red or inflamed around the edges■ The mole is bleeding, oozing or crusting■ he mole starts to feel slightly itchy or painful

GIVING CANCER THE BOOTOne of the

major problemswe have with

men's cancer islate

presentation.Men will put up

with thesymptoms of,for example,

bowel cancer ora changing mole

much longerthan women

and thereforethe outcome is

much worse

SYMPTOMS TO WATCH

A big issue with men’s health is getting them to follow up on symptoms early enough. Áilín Quinlan speaks to two male charity marathon runners who bucked this trend

BACK ON TRACK: Cancer survivors Joe Dineen and John Quigley, training for the Cork City Marathon. Picture: Denis Scannell

I T WAS ONLY a routine check-up,something mechanical engineer JohnQuigley never dreamed would lead to a

series of tests, biopsies and, finally, a gruellingoperation. The father-of-two from the Corksuburb of Douglas didn’t smoke or drink and,as a member of the Eagle Athletic Club, wasextremely fit and active, so the last thing heexpected was to be told he had an aggressiveform of prostate cancer. In April 2006 a rou-tine check-up with his GP led to blood testsand a consultation with a urologist.A year later, following more tests, Quigley

was referred for a biopsy, scheduled the day af-ter the Cork City Marathon, in which he wasrunning a relay as a member of Eagle AC.That biopsy came back clear, but in Decem-

ber 2007 another biopsy brought grim news— he had an aggressive form of prostate can-cer. Quigley was operated on in May 2008.“I had a radical prostatectomy which is a

very severe form of surgery which involvedthe removal of the prostate gland, the lymphnodes and the seminal vesicles but I felt it gaveme the best long-term prognosis,” says the56-year-old. “I never had a symptom up tothe day I was operated on. It was a good thingI went for that check-up.”His recovery was rapid — the following Au-

gust he ran the Ballycotton Five race, and ayear later set up the C-Team, a group whichaims to raise the profile and awareness of can-cer and the need for early diagnoses.The C-Team, which currently has four

members, is running a charity relay in theCork City Marathon in June. Quigley saysmore cancer survivors are welcome to join.Quigley is now fighting fit — on March 28

he won an over-50s team medal in the Athlet-ics Association of Ireland Munster MastersChampionships and is also currently trainingfor the Dublin City Marathon in October.A quick response to symptoms can make the

difference between life and death. Dr IanBanks spokesman for the European Men’sHealth Forum says: “One of the major prob-lems we have with men’s cancer is late presen-tation. Men will put up with the symptoms of,for example, bowel cancer or a changing molemuch longer than women and therefor theoutcome is much worse.”One of the big issues in men’s health is to

encourage them to recognise the signs of pos-sible cancer and go to the doctor, says JenniferLedwith, cancer information service nursewith the Irish Cancer Society. Skin andprostate cancer are extremely serious issues formen — and all too often men are slow to seetheir GP. Statistics show that skin cancer is themost common form of male cancer, with4,325 cases in 2008. Prostate cancer came sec-ond at 2,579 cases, while there were 1,286cases of male bowel cancer. Around 1,130 menhad lung cancer and 158 had testicular cancer.“The first thing men should realise about

cancer is that it’s much easier to prevent thanto treat,” says consultant oncologist SeamusO’Reilly. “If men think they have symptoms,

they need to come in to the doctor immedi-ately — the more extensive the cancer is,the more difficult it is to treat.”Early diagnosis and treatment gives pa-

tients a much better chance of recovery, saysLedwith, who believes men are starting toget the message — the Irish Cancer supporthelpline is now getting up to twice as manycalls from males as it would have five yearsago, she says. “More men are calling ourhelpline — there has been a significant in-crease in the number of male callers to thehelpline about their health.”Dr O’Reilly agrees. “There is increasing

male awareness of cancer and they are moreempowered about it than they were before.Men tend to take more control nowadays —they will often know their PSA levels (ele-vated levels of prostate specific antigen or

PSA indicate the possible existence ofprostate cancer) when they are diagnosedwith prostate cancer, for example.“They will do a lot of research into the

condition and into the best available treat-ments, and they’ll know their options. Theytend to bring what I would call a workattitude into their awareness of the illness.”Increased awareness means the Irish Can-

cer helpline is receiving more calls fromworried but well males who have not beento their GP. “They give us their symptomsbecause they feel they may be wasting adoctor’s time — for example, they may havea change in bowel habits and may be embar-rassed talking to a doctor,” says Ledwith.“Men seem to be more comfortable

speaking anonymously and in confidenceabout their fears and worries and concerns.”

The helpline also gets a substantial numberof calls from men who have been diagnosed.With skin cancer — the most common

form of cancer among men — there’s oftena lack of knowledge about the symptoms,says Ledwith says. “They may just think theyhave a simple blemish — a lot of peopledon’t realise that a melanoma is related to achanging mole.”Some men won’t got to the doctor about

a suspected enlargement of their prostate be-cause they are embarrassed or feel it is sim-ply a ‘man’s problem.’ “Men will probablyhave symptoms with prostate enlargementany time from age 50, but one can never tellwhether it may be a cancer,” says Ledwith.“They should have the PSA blood test

along with a digital rectal examinationwhich can be done by the GP. In the event

that their PSA level is raised, further investi-gations will be required.”Embarrassment can also be a major

disincentive for men who fear they mayhave bowel cancer, she reports, while, withlung cancer, they may convince themselvesthat they just have a smoker’s cough.Although testicular cancer, which usually

affects men between the ages of 15 and 24,is extremely treatable, she says, younger menmay be reluctant to confront this change intheir body image — or even embarrassed ifthey happen to have a female GP.

■ For further information about theC-Team, contact John Quigley087-6261178.■ For more on the marathon on June 7, call021-4924170, or see corkcitymarathon.ie.

I was always fitand healthyFATHER-of-two Joe Dineen

had always considered himselfto be fit and healthy: “I don’t

smoke, I played soccer all my lifeand enjoyed jogging — I ran the fullCork City Marathon in June 2007.”However, in December 2007 he

started to feel that he was passingurine more often than usual. Theprocess became increasingly painfuland more difficult, he recalls, and heeventually went to the GP withwhat he believed was a kidney in-fection. “The GP said it seemed as ifmy prostate was enlarged and re-ferred me to a urologist. I had a bat-tery of tests and in April 2008 I wassent for a biopsy,” says the formerinsurance company agent.On May 6, 2008 — his daughter

Joanna’s 24th birthday — Joe, fromCork’s Commons Road, was told hehad prostate cancer.“It was an awful shock to the sys-

tem. I was told I had an aggressivetumour. I was put on a hormonetreatment which consisted of a

combination of tablets and injec-tions. There were bone scans andbladder tests and I was referred tothe radiotherapy department.”He began radiotherapy treatment

in August 2008 — the course ranfor seven weeks. “I was lucky be-cause it didn’t make me very sick ortired,” recalls the 56-year-old.In December 2008 he got the

all-clear, but remained on the hor-mone injections until August 2009and received regular three-monthlycheck-ups.“The initial shock is the worst

part, but I was lucky because wecaught it early on.”Joe heard about the C Team when

he read an article by John Quigleyabout prostate cancer in the Bally-cotton Race booklet. John was set-ting up the C-Team for cancer sur-vivors: “I joined the C-Team, andwe’re running this year in the CorkCity marathon relay. Last year whenI ran in it, I raised 1,500 for theIrish Cancer Society.”

Picture: Denis Scannell

IRISH MALE CANCER CASES, 2008: ■ skin 4,325 ■ prostate 2,579 ■ bowel 1,286■ lung 1,130 ■ testicular 158


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CatherineShanahan

MUM’S WORLD

CatherineShanahan

MUM’S WORLD

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

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

Dr Niamh Houston

FAMILY

THERE’S nothing like a nice cup of teaand some knife crime to get the day offto a glittering start.

My mistake was believing my son was en-gaged in some harmless activity as Ispeed-read The Sunday Times.Instead a little hacker was at work: not the

type to crack complex binary codes, but thekind who likes to chisel, chip, whittle and in-dent whatever raw material is at hand.Carving up a wooden floor is a good place

to start and a kitchen knife is a useful tool.Even better if this decking lines the onlyroom safe to sit guests in.The silence should have tipped me off: a

quiet child is either sick or busy marauding,but by the time I clocked the quietness, thedamage was done.When I entered the crime scene, not 10

yards from where I had sat, sipped and read,Thomas Chippendale was already in full flow.

I would have wept had he not been wieldinga knife. Clearly, my first duty was to protectthe child — floors are easily replaced.I began the process of talking him down,

drawing on my weaponry of memorable TVcop quotes. “Do the smart thing kid,” Iheard myself saying, “drop the knife.” Amaz-ingly, he did and it was soon back safe in itsblock, while the chip off the old block re-tired to his room praying for the storm toblow over.Children destroy houses as indiscriminately

as rains destroy crops in Peru. No matterwhat your outlay on Farrow and Ball, a wallis always a blank canvas. Plain carpets ingestmuddy stains with the absorbency of a Tescokitchen towel. Hand-painted lamps have alifespan not worth the investment. Earth-quake-proof furniture lies in ruins.We moved into our freshly painted home

less than two years ago. Elaborate lines of

crayon ran riot in one room, bringing on aBlue Period, although not in the same senseas Picasso’s.A black banister rail is now more mottled

than a mouldy cheese. The stair carpet is in apermanent state of filth. The bath and thebath panelling, like disenchanted lovers, aregoing their separate ways. The porch holdsenough fodder for a bring and buy sale.I could drop my children off at other peo-

ple’s houses in order to preserve my own buta farmyard would be more appropriate.There they could roll in the muck, sharebottles with baby goats and network withequally rare breeds.They would blend well: to paraphrase a

certain Irish writer, physically there is noth-ing to distinguish us from the beasts of thefarmyard except that children are both moretroublesome and costly than chickens andcalves.

Q CAN you tell me how tomanage my 2½-year-oldwho has terrible tantrums?They seem to happen withthe least amount of warn-

ing. I had to pick him up and leave thesupermarket the other day as he kickedup such a fuss. I’m getting frustratedwith him now as no matter how muchI plead, cajole, bribe, or beg he justwon’t listen. Should I just ignore himwhen this occurs as I have been ad-vised? Please help.Every parent can sympathise with what

you have just described: That feeling ofpanic and embarrassment as you findyourself at the centre of a gale-forcetantrum in a public place with everyonelooking at you. While you may feel thatyour child is acting out on purpose re-member that temper tantrums are bornefrom a child’s frustration with whateverchallenges he is facing at that moment.Your son is not doing this on purpose, toembarrass or frustrate you. His world isin the here and now.There is no fool-proof way to prevent

tantrums, but there are some techniquesyou can use to try to deflect them.Young children understand many morewords than they’re able to express, andparents usually only fully understandwhat a toddler says 50% of the time.Most 2½-year-olds have limited vocab-

ulary, so try to encourage your son to usewords whenever possible. The more easi-ly your child can communicate withyou, the less likely you are to strugglewith tantrums. It may be something sim-ple as feeling hungry, thirsty or just tired.Try to avoid situations that are likely totrigger tantrums. Avoid temptation bysteering clear of the aisles with toys ortreats. If you sense a tantrum brewing, distracthim by making a silly face, move around, ortalk to him about what you’ll do togetherwhen you get home. When speaking, get tohis eye level and hold him firmly. Bring a toyto occupy him if you expect to be waiting.It also helps to establish a routine so your

child knows what to expect. When he behaveswell offer extra attention, tell him how wellhe’s doing when he listens to instructions,shares toys, or doesn’t throw a tantrum.If you can, pretend to ignore any tantrums.

If you lose control or give in to his demands,you’re only teaching him that tantrums are ef-fective. If the tantrum escalates or he is indanger of hurting himself, then remove himfrom the situation. If he calms down you maybe able to return to what you were doing. Ifhe has a tantrum at home, you can act as if it’snot interrupting things and in most cases hewill eventually quieten down. You could try“time-out” if things get out of hand. This in-volves placing your child someplace boring,such as in a chair or on a step in the hall for a

certain length of time, usually one minute foreach year of age. Remember that tempertantrums are a normal part of growing up.Most children outgrow them by age four.Rarely, tantrums may be a sign of a more se-rious condition, such as developmental delay,ADHD, or Asperger’s syndrome. Discuss itwith your doctor if you notice your son’sspeech, motor ability or curiosity is delayed,or if he has ever injured himself or othersduring a tantrum.

Q. I recently had a mole on my leg re-moved, and was told it was a superficialmelanoma. I am due to have one othermole removed shortly. Is this skin cancer? Ilooked it up on the internet and it seemsserious. Should I have all moles removednow as a precaution?A.Yes, melanoma is a serious type of skin

cancer, but the good news is that you werefound to have the superficial spreading form.Melanomas in general have a tendency tospread to other parts of the body quickly, and

the earlier they are caught, the betterthe prognosis. A superficial spreadingmelanoma is the less dangerous type ofmelanoma. Your specialist will want tolook at the tissue close to your mole tobe absolutely sure nothing is missed. Insome cases the skin and deeper tissuesurrounding the melanoma will alsoneed to be removed for more analysis— this confirms the thickness and depthof a melanoma. Very thin superficialmelanomas that have been completelyremoved usually require no furthertreatment and in almost every case thiseliminates the cancer.Melanomas can develop anywhere on

the body, but most often develop in ar-eas that have had exposure to the sun,such as your back, legs, arms and face.Having even one melanoma increasesyour risk of another developing. Yourspecialist may want to remove any othersuspicious moles or skin growths andkeep a regular check on your skin as aresult. Sometimes cancer can be detect-ed simply by looking at your skin, butthe only way to accurately diagnosemelanoma is to remove part or all of thesuspicious skin growth and a pathologistin a lab then can analyse the sample.If you have risk factors for skin cancer

— fair skin, a history of severe sun-burns, a family history of melanoma,you should have frequent skin checks.The exact cause of all melanomas isn’t

clear, but exposure to UV light fromsun light or tanning lamps greatly in-creases your risk. While UVB light caus-es harmful skin changes, UVA light pen-etrates deeper into your skin and is morelikely to lead to melanoma. Tanningbeds mainly produce UVA radiation.See your doctor if you notice a new

skin growth, a change in an existing moleor a sore that doesn’t heal in two weeks.Suspicious changes in a skin growth includean uneven colour, irregular border/edges,scaliness, bleeding, itching, or an increase insize. Melanomas can also develop under anail — if you develop a nail discolourationthat increases in size, spreads to the cuticleor doesn’t heal after two months then seeyour dermatologist.The best news about melanoma is that

many cases of skin cancer can be preventedby following a few practical precautions.Wear sunscreen year-round — ideally withSPF of least 15. While sunscreens blockUVB rays very well, those that contain tita-nium dioxide and mexoryl do a better jobat blocking UVA rays. Avoid sunbeds at allcosts. Apply sunscreen 20 minutes beforesun exposure and every two hours duringthe day. Also be sure to reapply after swim-ming and exercising. Wear a wide-brimmedhat, make sure your arms and legs are cov-ered, and don’t forget your sunglasses!

SEEING RED: While you may feel that your child is actingout on purpose, remember that temper tantrums areborne from a child’s frustration with whatever challengeshe is facing at that moment. Picture: iStock


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Sue Leonardtalks to a womanwhose personalexperience taughther we should allcommunicate withour angels

HEALING HAND: Francesca Brown, who was two years ill, experienced the healing powerof her angel, who spoke to her. Picture: Mary Browne

IN 1999 Francesca Brown becamesick. A housewife and mother of twosons from Blanchardstown, Dublin,

she had always kept herself fit, but she de-veloped pains in her legs, and found thatshe had no energy. Diagnosed with ME,she was virtually bedbound for two years.She was in despair. Then she began to

notice lights dancing on the walls. Andsome time later an angel appeared, tellingFrancesca that she was there to make herbetter.“She said that she was called Angel

Anne,” says Francesca. “She brought one ofher wings down and moved it across mybody. I felt my energy rising. I hadn’t beena believer in angels before, but seeing her, itfelt quite natural.”The angel told Francesca to boil some

stones she’d brought home from the beachto use as a healing aid. She told her towatch her diet, and to eat honey and kiwifruit — food Francesca had never liked.And over the months she appeared everyday, and cajoled Francesca to walk again.“Sometimes I would fight with her,” says

Francesca. “I would say, ‘I am not going towalk,’ and she would say, ‘you are going to.’She said she needed to get me better, be-cause she wanted to use me to work withothers. It took time, but I am now back inthe full of my health.“I now channel poetry for the angels, and

I do a lot of writing for them. People cometo me for help. People who have lost theirway and need direction. Everyone wants toknow how to find their own angel. I say,‘open your hearts and minds; let your angelin and they will come’.“I believe that we can all do that. I be-

lieve that we all have a guardian angel. Wecome into the world with one, and whenwe leave, that guardian angel guides us outof the world. Many more angels come intoyour life, to help with different areas andaspects, and they always come with a posi-tive message. They help you to developyour potential, and to become the best per-son that you can possibly be.”Francesca’s husband and sons were scepti-

cal at first. “My husband worked in thearmy for 20 years and took early retire-ment. When he saw me talking to the an-gels he thought it was time for the men inthe white coats. But he saw the way theywere healing me, and now he has embracedthem. He works, now, as a complementary

therapist. The angels have guided him too.”The couple live between Spain and Ire-

land. Francesca gives meditation classes; shecounsels people, and she gives a publicshow in spiritualist churches in Spain. Bychannelling the angels’ message she believesshe reaches more people in a ripple effect.“Many are chosen to represent the angels,

but only a few will answer,” she says.Francesca Brown is not, of course the

first ‘Angel Woman’ to appear in Ireland.The most famous is Lorna Byrne, whosebook, ‘Angels in my hair’ became an in-stant, international bestseller. Lornaappeared other-worldly. She had learningdifficulties, and was always ‘different’.Francesca, in contrast, is well educated. Shelooks like any well heeled woman of middleyears.It’s easy to be sceptical. And I was. Until,

that is, I asked her about my guardian an-gel. “She’sa beautifulpink light,and she’scirclingyou allthe time,”she says. “Andthat’s becauseyou wear yourheart on yoursleeve.” Well yes,that’s true enough. But she

could probably sense that one.But she couldn’t have known about my

sick relative, who, as the angels predicted,has since improved a lit-tle. And how did sheknow about myfriend, who is sadand troubled rightnow? It was morethan a luckycoincidence,

the de-

tails were spookily accurate.Then she got onto me. “The angels say

you need a push — you have a lot ofknowledge in your head, but you don’talways use it. You hold back sometimes.There’s a temporary hitch. You need to getout of your comfort zone.”

■ My Whispering Angels by FrancescaBrown is published by Hachette Ireland at14.99.

HOW TO ACCESS YOUR ANGELIN TOUCH: If youspend 10 minutesquietly in a room youcan startcommunicating withyour angel every day.Picture: Getty Images

■ You don’t need to be taught. The an-gels themselves are good teachers.■ Go into a quiet room and light a singlecandle.■ Relax. Meditate or say a little prayer.Say, ‘could an angel please come andlook after me.’■ When an angel comes you might get atingling sensation that will travel up yourbody. You could get a feeling of extreme

heat, vibrations, or a wind blowingaround your legs.■ If you spend five or 10 minutes, everyday you can start communicating withyour guardian angel. You might like tohave a pen and paper, so you can writedown what they tell you. Your angel willdo the best for you.■ Always thank your angel for helpingyou.

On a wingand a prayer


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Dunnes Oak Smoked Salmon 40g 1.69( 42.25 per kg)

Farmed salmon from the west coast ofIreland is cold smoked using a blend ofoak and peat smoke.This minipack of two slices is a good

idea for an easy lunch. Texture is quitesubstantial and the taste not too salty,though there is high enough salt at 2.5%.The smoky taste is barelythere but it makes apleasantmouthful.Score: 4

The Good Fish Company Smoked Salmon200g 3.95 ( 19.95per kg)

Ballincollig and Carrigaline, Cork outlets.

From salmon farmed in Ireland, Scot-land and Norway, the general packagingallows for fluctuations of supply. Addedsalt and sugar balance each other andsmokiness is minimal re-sulting in a pleasant prod-uct which is good valuefor everyday use.Score: 7

Nolans Sliced Smoked Salmon 100gspecial offer 2 ( 20 per kg).

Farmed in Scotland, this salmon has 3%salt and is quite salty to taste. Texture isfirm and oily. Good value for adding todishes.Score: 3.75

Ocean Sea Smoked Salmon fillets 125g1.99 ( 15.92 per kg) Lidl

Farmed salmon from Norway, thiscomes in a slim pack the shape of a‘darne’. The texture is more like freshsalmon but the outside is decidedlysmoked with the flavour insidemore salty than smoked. The re-sult is a pleasantly meaty tex-ture which is good for economi-cal, hot main courses and makesa good white bread sandwich.However, a high 3% salt and lowsmoked flavour means the tasteis less well balanced than othersamples.Score: 4

Ummera Irish Smoked Organic Salmon200g 10.85 ( 54.25per kg) in somesupermarkets and by mail from www.um-mera.com

Organic salmon farmed off the westcoast of Ireland is oak smoked to providea subtle smokiness. Beautifully oily, withgood substance and fullof flavour, the saltiness issoftened by the additionof organic whole canesugar. A good luxuryproduct. It’s a matter ofpersonal taste if this orthe Hederman salmongets top marks. Ourtasters were evenly divid-ed.Score: 9

Specially Selected Irish Organic SmokedSalmon 156g 3.99 ( 25.57 per kg) AldiCertified in Ireland, where it wasorganically farmed on the west coast, thissmoked salmon has good texture. 2.2%salt is not overdone and it is notover-smoked. The result is fairly pricedand pleasant.Score: 7

Frank Hederman Smoked Salmon 24g12.20 ( 50 per kg)

Belvelly Smokehouse, airports, Midletonand Cobh and markets English market,Cork. www.frankhederman.com

Subtle is the keynote of this delicious-ly flavoured beech smoked salmon. Lit-tle or no salt appears to beused so the taste is cleanand vibrant. The piece wetasted was unsliced and wassolid and firm to the touchwith no oiliness. From un-specified North Atlantic wa-ter, quite a treat. Enjoy it asit is with a salad or oncrunchy brown bread.Score: 9

Marks & Spencer Irish Oak SmokedSalmon. 100g 5.79 ( 57.90 per kg)

Four slices in this packet have beensmoked over oak wood chips. The high4% salt comes through strongly in thetaste. Texture is fair, but saltiness over-powers. Expensive for this quality.Score: 3

Roz Crowley

Worth their saltK ILO for kilo, fish is a terrific

source of protein, and with nowaste, it can be good value.

While it contains relatively less B vitamins,zinc and iron than meat, it is a rich source ofhealthy omega 3 fatty acids.

Smoking fish allows fish to be eaten almostraw which retains many of the good oils.However, smoked, salty foods have beenliked to high incidences of cancer, negatingsome of their benefits, so it’s not a good ideato eat it more than a few times a week,especially if it is highly salted.

Fortunately we don’t usually eat the skinof smoked salmon where most of the smok-ing is concentrated, so when buying watchfor excess salt — more than 2.5% is toohigh.

Manufacturers have cashed in on thehealth benefits of oily fish such as salmon,and most of the packaging we looked at thisweek noted them on the labelling. Wesought salmon that had a deep flavour, goodtexture and wasn’t over salted.

In general, even the worst could be usedin cooking, chopped as a topping for a veg-etable soup, added to vegetable stir fries,paired with a little cream to make an easysauce for pasta. I ate it in vodka with pastain Sienna, Italy, so the possibilities are end-less. A few slices added to other fish in a fishpie adds richness.

In the summer I like to pack some intolarge tomatoes and bake them for about 20minutes.

Add to green salads to balance the fat con-tent, but don’t worry about the fats; they aregood, as long as we stick to just a few slicesof the fish.

As some of the salmon is quite inexpensiveat times, it can be added to school luncheson coarse brown bread. A little horseradishadded to the butter on the bread will give itzing, but will more appeal more to adults.

With low salmon stocks due to over-fish-ing of the seas around Ireland and limitedline fishing, smoked wild Irish salmon ishard to find so we are limited to farmedsmoked salmon and much of it is quitegood, especially when organic.

The proof is in the tasting, with smoked salmon


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DId you know...

Deirdre O'Flynn

MOSTLY MEN

DId you know...

Fake tanTAKE3

You can’t run this race butthe women in your life can

Put best foot forwardfor marathon seriesTHERE are no barriers to menrunning the Dublin MarathonRace. Entry is now open for theannual Race Series in thePhoenix Park.The Lifestyle Sports-Adidas

Irish Runner 5 mile Challenge,kicks off the three part race se-ries on Saturday, July 17. Anumber of budding and sea-soned runners have alreadytaken the first step by signingup for the Series,which also involvesthe LifestyleSports-Adidas FrankDuffy 10 mile on Sat-urday, August 21,

and the Lifestyle Sports-AdidasDublin Half-Marathon on Satur-day, September 18.Last year’s Race Series at-

tracted a record number of par-ticipants with over 5,000 takingto the start line of the challeng-ing 5 mile course.■ For further information onthe Lifestyle Sports-AdidasDublin Marathon Race Seriessee www.dublinmarathon.ie or

www.face-book.com/dublin-marathon. To signup go to: http://en-ter.dublin-marathon.ie

50% of adultsare unaware ofthe hereditarylink toprostatecancer(Source: Orchid, the UK’s MaleCancer Charity)

BEAUTY FAVOURITE: For a light even tan,Green People’s Self Tan Lotion 22.65 is an-other award-winning natural product con-taining 89% organic ingredients and certi-fied with the Organic Food Federation.Quick-drying and lightly scented withessentials oils of rosehip, sandalwoodand geranium it was a 2009/10 GreenBeauty Bible Winner. This naturalself-tan is made without parabens,lanolin, phthalates, artificial perfumes,petrochemicals and colourants andGreen People say it is suitable forpeople prone to eczema or psoriasis.The Green People Sun Range is avail-able in health stores nationwide, in-cluding the Nelsons Homeopathic Dis-pensary, 15 Duke Street, Dublin 2,where you can mail order on01-6790451.

products including Exposure, a barriercream to protect those delicate areassuch as hands, feet and elbows fromtaking too much colour and Rehab, aDHA stain remover, 24.99 each. Rock-star Tan is now available in pharma-cies and department stores nationwideand also online at salonskincare.co.ukRockstar Tan are also launching a na-

tionwide campaign to find the ‘face’ oftheir new self-tan range.The winner will get a con-tract with 1st Option mod-el agency and a fashionshoot with photographerLilli Forberg. Auditionswill be held in ArnottsHenry Street, Dublin, to-morrow from 11am to4pm.

GOLDEN GLOW: German natural cosmeticscompany Lavera was the first to develop achemical-free self-tanning product seven yearsago. The winner of numerous beauty awards,Lavera Self-Tanning Lotion, 14.15, is safe touse for even the most sensitive skins andwhile pregnant. This soft lotion uses a sug-ar and wheat-based formula to tan the skinand is suitable for use on both the face andthe body. Organic plant essences and aloevera gel moisturise the skin andvitamin E and green tea give ex-tra nourishment for a naturallytanned look, which develops infour to five hours. The Lavera Sunrange is available in health storesor online from www.breathon-line.ie

IT ROCKS: Rockstar Tan, created byDublin actress and former Fair City starRachel Kavanagh has been causing some-thing of a stir since its launch last year dueto its natural ingredients, realistic colourand long-lasting results. All products in therange contain skin-nurturing organic ingre-dients. This self-tan is designed to react toyour skin tone for a natural-looking colour.There are five products in the range. Boththe self-tanning mousse andself-tanning spray, 29.99each, contain low amounts ofinitial bronzer meaning theydry quickly, and don’t rub offon your clothes or sheets. Theaccompanying body mois-turiser is 26.99.Rockstar Tan is also making

available professional salon

Vital step to preventheart attack death

H EART disease remains anissue in Ireland and it isnow accepted that having

access to defibrillators in shoppingcentres, sports clubs, schools, etc canhelp improve patient recovery.When sudden cardiac arrest strikes,

each second counts. “For everyminute there is a delay performingCPR and using a defibrillator reducesthe chance of survival by 10%,” saidRob Roe from defibrillator supplierHeartsafety Solutions. “If a life-savingshock is given within four minutes,the chance of survival increases to50% and even higher.”The importance of defibrillators was

shown again recently when a man’slife was saved on a Clare GAA pitch.The middle-aged St Joseph’sDoora-Barefield club member waswatching an U21 hurling champi-onship clash with east Clare sideClonlara at Wolfe Tones GAA club inShannon when he collapsed. Thenurses, one from each club, promptlybegan to administer cardio-pulmonary

resuscitation (CPR) and used the de-fibrillator to revive the man. Soon af-terwards, ambulance paramedics ar-rived at the scene and began treatingthe patient.“We are very grateful that there

were so many people there to help butwe have to compliment the WolfeTones club for having such a vitalpiece of lifesaving equipment when itwas needed,” says St Joseph’s club sec-retary Dan O’Connor. “Having a de-fibrillator in a club, as we have our-selves, is absolutely essential and everyclub in the country should have one.”Now, Heartsafety Solutions, in asso-

ciation with the Cormac Trust —

formed in memory of Tyrone foot-baller Cormac McAnallen — are pro-moting a campaign to put funds raisedfrom unwanted mobile phones intolife-saving defibrillator equipment andtraining for schools, communities,workplaces or clubs nationwide.Register online at www.fones4life.ie

and set up an account. Collect un-wanted mobile phones and add themto your account. Send the phones toHeartsafety Solutions.Once you reach your target amount,

you will receive your defibrillator andtraining from Heartsafety Solutions,which will then donate 100 to theCormac Trust.The trust was set up to raise aware-

ness of sudden cardiac deaths in youngpeople, and its causes; to provide au-tomated external defibrillators (AEDs)for sports clubs locally and to trainpeople in CPR and the use ofdefibrillators.

■ Callsave fones4life.ie 1850 432 787■ See also page 15, Megan’s spotlight.

ESSENTIAL ITEM: A defibrillator canhelp save a life if a heart attackoccurs. Picture: Getty Images

IF YOU’RE a man hoping to run inthe women’s mini-marathon in June,you may be disappointed. Irish HeartFoundation stroke nurse Susie Doylewas forced to turn down big-heartedgiant rugby propMike Ross who playsfor Leinster and Ireland, because it is a“women-only” event. Instead, whynot urge the women inyour life to come forwardand register for the mi-ni-marathon to help raisevital funds to support peo-ple with stroke.The charity’s head offundraising, Aidan Stacey,pictured here, was also un-able to nab a sponsorship

card despite his best efforts to get intothe spirit of the mini-marathon wear-ing a blonde wig and tutu.“The mini-marathon is a major dateon the Irish calendar attracting morethan 40,000 participants every year,”he said. “I’m devastated I can’t takepart but my consolation is that I know

there are plenty who will behappy to take my place.”Encourage the woman in yourlife to sign up for the mi-ni-marathon in aid of the IrishHeart Foundation by loggingon to www.irishheart.ie or call-ing Elaine Carberry on01-6685001 or emailing [email protected].

■ See Beauty, page 14


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Feelgood

THE NEWS ON ...

Emily O’Sullivan

TAKE THREE

STUFF WE LIKEL’Oréal Paris Youth Code RejuvenatingAnt-Wrinkle Day Cream, 23.49. Toutedas the “first mass market anti-wrinkle genecream”, L’Oreal’s Youth Code uses an ingre-dient called biolysate that has improved theskin’s condition in clinical trials. The daycream has a rich creamy texture and therange also contains an eye cream andconcentrate.

LumecinOvernight Bright-ening Gluco-Pro-tein Treatment,43.50. Designedto give skin ayounger look, this

treatment acts on aspects of ageing thatgive the skin a dull look, so it’s designed tobrighten, reduce the appearance of agespots and improve smoothness.

Lancôme Genifique Youth ActivatingConcentrate, 70. Launched last year,Lancome’s concentrate has come as theresult of a 10-year research programmeand boasts seven patents. It acts ina way similar to the other creamsand treatments — by acting onproteins and specific genes thatcontribute to the skin’s youthful-ness. It was a forerunner of thisyear’s “youth-activating” launchesand leaves skin hydrated, re-

freshed and soft.

Boots No7 Lift and Luminate DayCream, 27.75. The latest skincare launchfrom No7 hasn’t quite caused the frenzythat was stirred up with Protect & Perfect,but it’s still a big launch for 2010. Keepingthings simple and effective, Boots are doingexactly what is says on the tin with a cream

that lifts and luminates,restoring youthful radiance.We’re rather fond of theserum, too — it feels great onapplication and does seem topep up the skin.

Clinique Youth Surge

Age Decelerating Night Moisturiser,44. This comes in three formulations fordry and very dry skin, dry combination andcombination oily to oily. While the very dryis rich, dense and seriously creamy, the oilyversion is a lightweight cream gel.

Clarins Multi Active Night Youth Re-covery, 61.50. Available in a lightweightcream, as well as a rich cream, Clarins’cream feels real-ly lovely on theskin with a verydelicate scent ofjasmine, he-liotrope andfreesia.

POT LIPSTICKSLipgloss or lipstick?

WE’RE less concerned with the formulationthis season than with the way it’s presented.Pot lipsticks are much easier to carry asthey slip into a back pocket neatly; they canbe used on lips and cheeks and you can dabthem on to your lips more easily for an “ontrend” stained look. Nifty.

Smashbox Lip Tech, 25. Beautifullymatte without being drying, Smashbox’s LipTech has a satiny feel to it that’s easy to dabon to the lips. If you’re not into using yourfingers it comes with a slightly strange rub-bery applicator, while it also comesequipped with a small mirror for precisionapplication.Score: 10

Bobbi Brown PotRouge, 26.Moresheer than the Smash-box Lip Tech, PotRouge gives a verypretty stained look tocheeks. On lips, it’s silkyand moisturising, with asemi-matte finish, and can beeasily applied with fingers toboth.Score: 8

Giorgio Armani Lip Wax, 26.50.There are some lively nude and light pinkshades of this pretty lip compact (whichcomes complete with small, perfectly-sizedmirror on the inside lid). It has a very pleas-ant, almost weightless texture with a satinyfinish.Score: 8

WASH OFF TAN

I’VE been becoming increasingly fed upwith fake tan. But that was easier in thewinter when I didn’t have to showthe greater public my hideous an-kles that look like I am a memberof the undead.Now as spring turns into sum-

mer, it’s getting harder to get awaywith blue-white skin and a little tanis appealing a lot more. Thankfully,St Tropez have come out with aproduct that’s right up our street:Wash Off Lotion, 17.50, is an in-stant tint that can be removed atnight with soap and water. It’s veryeasy to apply, is seeminglystreak-free and gives a seriously natural,glowing finish.

Recent technology gives moisturiser a new anti-ageing arsenal

M OISTURISER. It’s prettymuch one of the most basicbeauty products you can buy,

but it’s one area that is essential to get right.A couple of weeks ago, I was sent a productto test that was for normal to combinationskin. Despite the texture of the cream beinggorgeous, the fact that it was the wrong for-mulation for my skin type (I would tend to-wards dry) meant that after about five days ofusing it, my skin was starting to feel strangelyrough, like parchment paper.Getting the right cream for your skin type

is the most fundamental step in any beautyroutine. It doesn’t matter so much what youspend on skin creams, but if you’re wearingthe wrong one for you, then there’s no pointeven bothering. And once you’ve nailed yourskin type (if you’re confused about it, ask abeauty therapist or else speak to a consultantat a beauty counter), then the next step ismaking your way through a market that is be-coming increasingly high-tech, with an ev-er-increasing array of ingredients and jargon.And it’s hard trying to keep up.Whereas a few years ago the buzz words

were “alpha-hydroxy acids” and “retinoids”,now the beauty industry is becoming ob-sessed with “gene expression” and “sirtuins”.One of the hottest skincare trends for 2010

is the focus on “youth-activating” skincreams. With an all-pervasive obsession withlooking youthful, the beauty industry hastapped into ingredients that apparently restorea fresh appearance to our well-worn mugs.It’s less about fighting fine lines and wrin-

kles, and more about focussing on the generalappearance of our skin — banishing the “ex-hausted” look, and bringing back a glow.L’Oréal Paris has spent 10 years looking in-

to the genes and proteins responsible for theyouthful characteristics of skin. After exten-sive work with the St-Louis Hospital in Paris,which has a worldwide reputation for excel-lence in dermatology, the company discoveredthat when skin cells were under stress, certainskin genes linked to epidermal recovery wereactivated. In young skins, this happens prettyquickly — peaking at about six hours, but asyou get older, this slows down, with matureskins taking about 30 hours to recover.The miracle ingredient is biolysate, which

helps to speed up the process and improve theskin’s natural defences.

“The discoveries we made with L’Oréalthis year mark the start of a new and veryexciting era for anti-ageing skincare prod-ucts,” says Pr Dubertret, founder of the SkinResearch Institute, Saint-Louis Hospital.“Understanding and isolating the gene re-sponse of skin to external stresses means wecan develop the science behind cosmeticproducts to the needs of the future, for ev-ery skin type, every lifestyle and every typeof environment.”Clinique’s big 2010 launch also focuses on

restoring youth thanks to the use of a typeof protein called sirtuins. This repair-trig-gering ingredient is central to their newYouth Surge Age Decelerating Night Mois-turiser, which claims to “help extend thelifespan of skin and visibly restore youth”.The complex of molecules and proteins isdesigned to amp up the skin’s natural abilityto combat daytime stresses and damage.The cream is also packed with a cocktail

of antioxidants, including Japaneseknotweed, mulberry root extract and vita-mins E and C.

Clarins’ newly relaunched Multi ActiveNight Youth Recovery has been created tocounter the effects of “sleep debt” and“stress-lag” those in their 30s are increasing-ly experiencing. It’s a familiar tale — stress,late nights, disturbed sleep; our busy livescan accelerate the signs of ageing, or, inother words, we look older than we are.Because the skin renews itself at night,

this is the perfect time to use a cream thatspeeds up the process. Clarins’ new won-der-cream uses a “dipeptide” that is sup-posed to speed up communication betweenour skin cells to boost the skin’s defencesystem. No, we don’t quite understand it ei-ther, but it’s a lovely cream to use and theresults do seem to be quite good.Naturally, the best way to preserve youth-

ful skin is to eat well, exercise regularly, geta good night’s sleep and use a sunscreen, butif you’re going through a period wheredullness and exhaustion are characterisingthe appearance of your skin, then a youthcream could help. But as with everything,don’t expect miracles.

Day glow


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Megan puts the spotlight on: First Aid

Megan Sheppard

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

Q I HAVE been reading your ar-ticle on gout in Feelgood dat-ed April 2, 2010. You stateone should drinkbetween 10 and 16 glasses of

water per day. As people have a differentinterpretation of how much a glass con-tains could you convert that into litres in afuture edition?A. The article in question was not mine,I’m afraid, as my feature article on that datewas regarding low-carbohydrate diets. How-ever, plenty of water is certainly essential forflushing out excess uric acid, a build-up ofwhich is an indication of gout. Thisrheumatic condition occurs when uric acidcrystals accumulate in the tissues and jointscausing pain and discomfort, often beginningin the big toe.Usually when people refer to a daily water

allowance in terms of glasses, a glass is as-sumed to be 200ml, so the article in questionis basically suggesting around two to threelitres daily.Dietary considerations are also important

when dealing with gout. Foods to avoid orlimit include organ meats, mackerel, herring,trout, Bovril, Marmite and other yeast ex-tracts — all rich in purines, which breakdown into uric acid. Celery and cherries areboth wonderful foods for gout prevention.Eating little and often will also help to de-

crease uric acid production, and it may benecessary to supplement with a vitamin Bcomplex since this group of nutrients isfound in almost all of the foods you will beavoiding. Caffeine and alcohol are also con-traindicated in gout, ulcers, and reflux, andprescription medications such as aspirin anddiuretics can interfere with the body’s abilityto excrete uric acid.

Q. In an article published last January,you wrote about the medicinal benefits ofthe papaya/paw paw. I have been lookinginto this and while it is quite easy to getthe fruit I was hoping to find out where toget the leaves for my father who is perma-nently pancytopenic. Do you know or canyou recommend anywhere in Ireland thatsells this fruit? You also recommend thejuicing of beetroot, spinach, carrot or cu-cumber, apple and celery — in whatquantities and should the beetroot be raw?A. For those who missed the advice givenat the beginning of the year, I recommendedboth juicing and paw paw/papaya leaves (car-ica papaya) for increasing blood plateletcount. Platelets are essential to the formationof blood clots, so a low platelet count mayresult in excessive bleeding.Pancytopenia indicates that your father also

has low white cell and red blood cell counts,which is typically caused by an overactive

spleen. Medications can also lower the whiteblood cell, red blood cell, and plateletcounts; drugs for hypertension and other car-diovascular conditions, and antibiotics can allcause a drop in these levels, although rela-tively rarely. Pancytopenia is linked withbone marrow conditions, such as leukaemia,aplastic anaemia, Fanconi anaemia, myelofi-brosis, and malignant osteoporosis.A study published in February this year has

revealed that aqueous extracts of papayaleaves may be effective in treating and pre-venting selected human diseases such as can-cer, various allergic disorders, and it may alsoserve as immunoadjuvant for vaccine therapy.Traditional medicine uses the fruit as well asthe leaves for healing, with the fruit beingkey in digestive health.Dr Dilis Clare of Health & Herbs in Gal-

way (http://healthandherbs.ie; 091-583260)is now running regular herbal clinics throughthe Mallow Chiropractic Clinic (022-20899). Dr Clare has an extensive range ofdried herbs, tinctures and custom blends, andI’m certain she can either track down somepapaya leaf for you or make an appointmentwith your father to devise a specific courseof nutrition and herbals for him.With regards to juicing — if you are juic-

ing every day or so then simply blend two tothree carrots (or half a cucumber), a handfulof spinach leaves, one apple, two sticks ofcelery, and a medium sized beet together and

drink immediately. The beetroot, and theother fruit and veg, should be raw. If youwant to follow some healthful and deliciousjuice recipes, then invest in a copy ofMichael van Straten’s book, SuperJuice: Juic-ing for health and healing.

Q. Is there a book you could recom-mend that gives all the information onherbs and natural healing methods?A. There certainly are a great number oftitles available. While my shelves are groan-ing under the weight of health and herbtomes, I do find the ones I refer to most arelocal herb guides and garden books so that Iam able to easily grow and identify plants forpersonal use, along with nutritional healingbooks such as those by Norman Walker, DrChristopher, and Patrick Holford.Susan Clark did a wonderful job of collect-

ing and recording information about herbs,nutrients, and healing methods in her WhatReally Works series, so if you are feeling abit overwhelmed by the vast number ofremedies and therapies available today thenthese books are a great place to start.My one standby book that I recommend

to friends who simply want to “get healthy”or have been jolted awake by a health condi-tion is The Healing Code by DermotO’Connor — herbs, nutrition, beneficialbreathing, and daily movement are all cov-ered in Dermot’s work.

A COUPLE of weeks ago, Iwrote about the top ten naturalremedies worth keeping in your

medicine cabinet. In an emergency sit-uation, while many natural remediesare highly useful, knowing basic firstaid techniques is the most importantinformation you can carry with you.Many of us will have

an out-of-date first aidcertificate lying aroundsomewhere, and manymore will have updatedtheir first aid skills on the‘to do’ list. And perhapssome of you haven’teven considered gettingfirst aid training.Many occupations re-

quire it — particularlythose working in fitness,with children, or inhigh-risk jobs.

It is estimated that more than 18people die of cardiac arrest (outside ofhospitals) every day. By learning basicfirst aid skills and keeping your skill setcurrent, you can rest assured that youwould not only know what to do, butalso what not to do in such a situa-tion.

The Irish Red Crossoffers a range of train-ing courses run bothpublicly and for com-munity groups andworkplaces.Currently TV3’s Ire-

land AM morningprogramme is runninga series of first aid tipsprovided by Irish RedCross volunteers everyTuesday, until May 18.The series is not a

substitute for the

courses run by the Red Cross, ratherthey give you an insight into the situa-tions where first aid knowledge is mostvaluable.Visit www.tv3.ie to watch the first

few episodes if you have missed themso far.Given one of the first facts we learn

in the first episode — that only around5% of people in Ireland have a basicknowledge of first aid skills, comparedwith the likes of Norway with 95% ofthe population knowing basic first aid— this series is timely indeed.To view week one, An Introduction

to First Aid, online visitwww.tv3.ie/videosTo find out when the next local first

aid course is being run, you can visitwww.redcross.ie online, phone thesouthern and mid-western office on061-318580, or contact by [email protected].

Usually when people refer to adaily water allowance in terms ofglasses, a glass is assumed to be

200ml

Only around5% of people inIreland have a

basic knowledgeof first aid

skills, comparedto 95% of thepopulation inNorway forinstance

Picture:PA Photo/DK.

TERAPROOF:User:PAULOKEEFFEDate:21/04/2010Time:17:32:40Edition:23/04/2010FeelgoodXH2304Page:16 Zone:XH

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Feelgood

Confidence restored!

Before After 6 Months After 12 Months

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t: (021) 4552424

OPENINGTIMES: Monday to Friday 8am-9.30pmPlease log on to www.thehairclinichlcc.com

RECENT studies show thatHairloss is a topic close tothe hearts of up to 40% ofIrish people. It affects bothmale and female alike andcan be extremely upsetting,irrespective of the age orsex of the sufferer.When 24-year-old Cork-

man Tomas Horgan noticedhis hair was getting thinerhis confidence hit rock bot-tom.“I hated it” saidTomas.“I became very

conscious about my hairand I started wearing abaseball cap whenever I wasin company, my confidencewas very low, especiallyaround women, I felt theywere looking at my hair.”It was at this point that

Tomas started to researchon the internet about vari-ous treatments to combathairloss. “Both my fatherand grandfather were baldand I read that thinning

hair leading to baldness washeriditary so I knew I hadto do something.”Tomas discovered, after

hours of trawling throughvarious websites, that hairtransplant surgery onlyreplaced hair follicles thathad already died, it did notprevent further hairloss. “Itwas during this researchthat I read about a lasertreatment pioneered in theUS that has gained full

FDA which can stimulatehair growth and thickenhair, but ONLY if the HairRoot is still alive, it CAN-NOT grow hair if the rootis dead, so I knew it wasimportant to do somethingas soon as possible, before itwas too late.”“I found a company in

Cork, one of only a handfulin Ireland to offer this treat-ment. I went for a free con-sultation to find out more at

their clinic just off Patrick’sBridge. I was told that asI had lost some roots al-ready and that my hair wasnever going to be as thickas it once was but treatmentwould help stop any furtherhairloss and thicken the hairthat I did have.”“I am amazed at the re-

sults and my confidence hasbeen restored. I can honest-ly say it was the best thing Ihave ever done!”

“I am amazed at the results and my confidencehas been restored. I can honestly say it was the

best thing I have ever done!”

feelgood 23-04-2010

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