Even the best remedy won’t work forever unless you address all the factors.

Homeopath Hermann Keppler calls for an integrative approach to be taken by natural therapy practitioners..

Thirty years ago when I qualified as a Homeopath and began to practice, I became frustrated when I had insufficient knowledge to help some of my patients. I researched what skills could assist my diagnostic and treatment abilities. As a result I went on to study Iridology, Chinese Diagnosis and the basics of Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture. I also learnt how to advise patients about nutrition and how to guide them safely through fastings. Knowing about the therapeutic effect of Flower Remedies and Tissue Salts enhanced my skills further.

I studied in Germany, Switzerland, Israel, Denmark and the USA. It was well worth it because with these additional skills at my disposal I saw vast improvements in my patients’ health, and a consequent growth in my practice as my reputation grew.

The challenge for the modern-day Homeopath (as indeed for all natural health practitioners), is that there are now many additional external factors which can affect the body negatively, including toxins from pollution, heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, increased radiation and electro smog. I have seen in my clinic lots of patients who have reacted negatively to vaccinations, artificial sweeteners, additives, too much sugar, over-processed and refined foods, micro-waved foods, and non-organic foods that do not support our body systems. Drugs, especially psychiatric drugs can have tremendously adverse side effects.

The dominant homeopathic remedies from the past have changed because the environment we live in has changed. There are fewer appropriate cases for Pulsatilla and Sepia, for example, but more for Nux vomica, or similar remedies.

Underlying all remedies that can be applied, is Nutrition. Nutrition is the cornerstone of health. The best remedy, homeopathic or otherwise, can have only a limited effect if a client’s diet is poor. As a Naturopathic Homeopath, I always try to improve my clients’ diet, switching them to organic whole food, and away from over-processed food. I let them find something in their diet they can improve themselves. This way they make decisions and I am only guiding them. Once they see how food improves their overall wellbeing, they are willing to do more, add some form of exercise, maybe even to go on a detox or a fasting regime.

Children respond very well to this approach. I take some sugar or whatever junky ‘food’ they fancy, do a simple Kinesiology muscle test on them and then test them with something healthy. Children want to be strong and normally agree to a deal to cut out one form of sugar for a week or two. Often they feel the difference in 14 days and are willing to change. My approach is based on understanding and agreements. In my opinion, so-called hyperactive children can in most of cases be sorted out by eliminating toxic substances, cutting down on TV, implementing sports, giving them goals, and acknowledging what they are doing, together with a constitutional homeopathic remedy. Drugs such as Ritalin, which is similar to LSD, are not needed at all. LSD does not solve a problem, nor is Ritalin a solution.

There are cases where my homeopathic remedy didn’t work, where I just couldn’t find the simillimum (the homeopathic remedy that most exactly reproduces the symptoms of any disease). I then often used Bach Flower remedies, or in pain cases, acupuncture or a complex homeopathic remedy. I had a patient with colitis who did not respond to my homeopathic prescriptions. I then changed her diet, cutting out wheat, sugary food and fruits, and I asked her to do enemas every 2 days with a gentle chamomile tea in it. She drank only distilled water. She started to improve within 2 weeks and was free of taking drugs after 8 months. Her lower back pain improved, her overall sex drive improved and she could deal much better with stress.

Our bodies have very strong organ systems which are able to put up with a lot of stress, and to regenerate cells fast and fight toxins. However, these systems need the right ‘fuel’ (nutrients) to function properly. Homeopathy brings organ functions back in harmony and strengthens the immune system, but a therapy can’t reinstall good health permanently when the body is continually poisoned. It is therefore the task of a good Homeopath, or indeed any specialist natural health practitioner, to educate patients on how to reduce toxic stress to the body.

Given the correct homeopathic remedy, the body does detox, at least to a certain degree. Adding other detox regimes helps even more to get the body into good shape. Because I am qualified to do so, I can advise my clients to do some sort of fasting,, depending on their age, constitution and their willingness. The objective is to empty the bowel and get rid of toxins, improve blood circulation and stimulate the lymphatic system. Afterwards they feel much more energetic, but I must stress that fastings need to be overseen by an expert because there can be risks if one has other health problems.

There are other methods to cleanse the bowel by using herbal mixtures in combination with Bentonite or Psyllium husks. Keeping an alkaline diet or taking minerals while detoxing is important, as minerals derived from plants are high in pH and able to balance the low pH of toxins. Fruits should be avoided in cases of Candida as the condition is fed by sugar. In my experience, some super foods such as nutrient-rich algae, eg Chlorella or, Spirulina have the potential to limit the damage of heavy metals. Vitamin C and Niacin can be of help too. Without detailed knowledge of Nutrition, however, a practitioner is not in a position to provide dietary advice which can deprive clients of valuable nutrients, or to recommend supplements which can interact with bodily functions.

A fantastic detox via the skin is by body wraps or by taking a salt bath. Sitting in a bath with Himalayan salt detoxes the body via the skin, as toxins shift from a lower pH environment in this case, the skin, to a higher pH environment, in this case, the bath water. After bathing for the required amount of time, the person feels much more energetic and balanced, as toxins in the body suck energy.

In summary, I have found from personal experience that to give clients the best possible chance of attaining optimal health, practitioners need to call upon as wide a range of natural therapies as possible to address all the contributing factors which can impact on health. The more effective the overall remedy, the better the reputation of natural health, and that can only be good for us all.

About the writer
Hermann Keppler is the Principal of CNM (College of Naturopathic Medicine) which he founded in 1998 and of which there are now 10 colleges at locations across the UK and in Ireland. CNM offers diploma courses in Nutrition, Herbal Medicine, Acupuncture, Homeopathy and Naturopathy, all from a naturopathic point of view providing an understanding of additional natural therapies. Postgraduate and short courses are also available.

www.naturopathy-uk.com 01342 410 505.

CNHC Profession Specific Board election results

Further to our article in the January camclub e-newsletter we are delighted to announce the results of CNHC’s first Profession Specific Boards (PSB) elections.

The massage therapy PSB elections took place during March and five CNHC registered massage therapists put themselves forward. The successful candidates are Earle Abrahamson, Rachel Fairweather, Susan Lorrimer and Paul Medlicott. We offer our congratulations to these elected PSB members and very much look forward to working with them.

Thanks to all CNHC registered massage therapists who voted and all who put themselves forward as candidates. This election marks a milestone for CNHC, being the first time a PSB has been selected by the registrants.

No candidates came forward for nutritional therapy and so the CNHC Board has invited the three existing members of the nutritional therapy PSB to continue their role. We are pleased to confirm that all three have accepted.

CNHC’s Profession Specific Boards provide advice to CNHC’s Board on issues relating to the particular therapy. There is one PSB for each CNHC registered discipline and each includes up to four CNHC registered practitioners from the therapy concerned. Biographies of CNHC PSB members can be seen on CNHC’s website here: Members of CNHC’s Profession Specific Boards.

For further information about CNHC and the benefits of registration check our website at www.cnhc.org.uk , email info@cnhc.org.uk or call us on 020 3178 2199.

Update on Advertising
We have a couple of updates on advertising issues and encourage all practitioners to read these to keep up to date with the latest developments.

• CAP Compliance Team focuses on reflexology websites
The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) Compliance team is now actively checking the websites of reflexologists to ensure the wording used meets the Advertising Codes. We strongly encourage all reflexologists to check CAP’s website here http://www.cap.org.uk/Advice-Training-on-the-rules/Advice-Online-Database/Therapies-Reflexology.aspx and to use the wording provided in CNHC’s reflexology descriptor which is available for CNHC registered reflexologists to download by logging into My CNHC or to view on CNHC’s website: Complementary therapy descriptors.

• Hypnotherapy discipline descriptor update
CNHC’s hypnotherapy discipline descriptor has been updated in consultation with the Hypnotherapy Profession Specific Board and the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) Copy Advice Team. The update means that hypnotherapists may now refer to the use of hypnotherapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) using the wording suggested. CNHC registered hypnotherapists may download the wording by logging into My CNHC. The revised wording is also available to view on CNHC’s website: Complementary therapy descriptors.

The purpose of the CNHC discipline descriptors is to provide wording which has been agreed in consultation with the CAP Copy Advice team and the relevant CNHC PSB. For further information about advertising check CNHC’s Advertising Guidance which is available on CNHC’s website under Publications / Guidance Sheets.

To find out more about the CNHC and CNHC registration go to: www.cnhc.org.uk , email info@cnhc.org.uk or call 020 3178 2199

ASA “failing to protect children from online junk food marketing”

The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) is failing to protect children from manipulative junk food marketers and “does not properly understand the digital world properly”.

That’s the conclusion of a new report from the Children’s Food Campaign.

Its Through the Looking Glass report asserts that two years from extending the non-broadcast advertising rules to cover websites and social media, the ASA is failing to get to grips with its new role leaving. The result, says the report, is that food companies are continuing to exploit loopholes and advertise junk foods to children online, even though stronger broadcasting regulations prevent such advertising on children’s television.

The Campaign has also called regulator’s approach “inconsistent, secretive and biased towards companies with the money and time to challenge rulings”.

More fundamentally, it says the ASA simply doesn’t understand the digital world well enough to meet its own regulatory remit. Because of this advertisers are successfully steering their way around regulations that are meant to prevent that that advertising of junk food to children by:

• using websites to host TV ads that would not be allowed on TV

• feature child-friendly brand characters

• use ‘advergames’ that encourage children to eat junk food

• use digital platforms to make misleading health or nutrition claims on sugary products

In a statement the ASA said: “We share CFC’s reasonable concerns about protecting children; that sits at the heart of our work and the Advertising Codes. But we are on a different page in terms of where we think the line should be drawn. The advertising food rules surrounding children are deliberately strict, but proportionate and based on the best available evidence.

“Advertising self-regulation has a 50 year history of responding effectively and adapting to meet new challenges, such as online and digital. The rules have been tightened in response to evidence, including those for food, and we continue to monitor how they are working so that advertising remains responsible and children continue to be protected.”

Safety of carnitine supplements should be tested – scientists

Scientists in America say the effects of long-term, regular use of carnitine supplements should be investigated after they found a link between the nutrient and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Carnitine, found naturally in red meat, is metabolised by bacteria in the gut into TMAO, another chemical associated with thickening of the arteries. The scientists, from the Cleveland Clinic, have shown that diet rich in carnitine also boosts the growth of such bacteria, potentially worsening the problem.

Lead researcher, Stanley Hazen, said: “The bacteria living in our digestive tracts are dictated by our long-term dietary patterns. A diet high in carnitine actually shifts our gut microbe composition to those that like carnitine, making meat eaters even more susceptible to forming TMAO and its artery-clogging effects.”

Dr Hazen said: “Carnitine is not an essential nutrient — our body naturally produces all we need. We need to examine the safety of chronically consuming carnitine supplements as we’ve shown that, under some conditions, it can foster the growth of bacteria that produce TMAO and potentially clog arteries.

Carnitine supplements are sold as mainly as a weight loss product or muscle-mass promoter.

Bio-Health celebrates addition of three new THRs

Bio-Health has achieved three more THRs bringing its total to 11.

The new licenses are for a natural herbal laxative Cassilax – a combination of ingredients for the treatment of constipation and bloating; Ekinaclear has just been granted the claim for skin conditions including spots, pimples and blemishes; while a low level nervine for stress and anxiety named Neurtone makes up the latest trio of licensed tablets from the Kent company.

Bio-Health’s marketing director, June Crisp, said: “We are really proud of these wonderful products that have been updated from marketing authorisations (MAs) to Traditional Herbal Medicines bringing them in line with legal regulations and securing them for the future. All of the work we have done to achieve the eleven licenses granted to us has been done to keep herbal medicine available for consumer choice.

“It has been long hard work and enormous expense but has proved that excellence is achievable in our industry, even by the smallest of UK manufacturers ­– and in our case, one that only supplies the specialist heralth food trade.”

The latest THRs follow licenses granted tp Bio-Health for Ekinalife , Good Night , Salvian , Periagna, Hyperidrine, Silamarie, Lobelina, Valdrian and Passiflora.

Digestive Mix, the remix

Conscious Food is celebrating the official re-launch of its best- selling Digestive Mix, as d’mix.

The company has been working on redeveloping the product for the past six months and will officially re-launch d’mix at Natural & Organic Products Europe (7-8 April, Olympia, London).

“We have built up a base of more than 5,000 satisfied customers, but with more than £126 million spent annually on indigestion remedies, we know that there are many more potential customers for this product,”explains Kristina Locke from Conscious Food.

This proprietary blend of eight herbs and seeds has been specifically formulated to aid and assist the digestive process. Developed by expert herbal and Ayurvedic doctors in India, d’mix is described as “the first Ayurvedic product that naturally targets digestive problems”.

The newly rebranded d’mix was launched to consumers earlier this year with a campaign focused on the importance of chewing. “The action of chewing is not just important for breaking down and activating ingredients, it is also what kick-starts the whole digestive process,” explains d’mix ambassador, Dr Sarah Brewer. “d’mix has been shown to relieve a variety of digestive problems, just from chewing this specific blend of herbs and seeds, providing real hope to sufferers who are forced to endure everyday digestive discomfort.”

d’mix has an RRP £19.99 and is supplied packed in cases of six cartons. Each carton contains a 30-day supply.

Chemical-free, naturally

Consumers can avoid a cabinet of horrors by picking the best the natural and organic category has to offer, says Matt Chittock

Poisoned by everyday life!” screamed the Daily Mail’s front page in a news story published earlier this year that had natural beauty advocates nodding their heads in agreement. The inspiration for the piece came from the latest report by the World Health Organisation, which slammed the use of dangerous chemicals such as phthalates in fast-moving consumer goods including synthetic cosmetics. The conclusion? The WHO said that a ban might be needed to protect future generations.

Skin matters
As this argument for cleaner, greener products gathers pace it’s increasingly chiming with a generation of consumers looking carefully at the products they choose for their bathroom cabinets. “The reason for the growth we are seeing in sales of natural beauty products is simple,” explains Jayn Sterland from Weleda. “As Richard Sexton, ceo of Soil Association Certification, says ‘What we put on our skin is as important as what we eat’. As consumers, we now understand that what we put onto our skin invariably ends up being absorbed. Putting chemicals on your skin or scalp may actually be worse than eating them as when you eat them the enzymes in your saliva and stomach are able to break them down and help to flush them out. When you apply chemicals to your skin they are absorbed into your system and tend to accumulate over time.”

Chemical additives
Sterland adds that on average we apply anything from 200 to 500 chemicals to our bodies every single day – predominantly through items like shampoos, conditioners, toothpastes and deodorants. “Natural skincare products are gaining in popularity because they give the skin a rest from this toxic overload, allowing it to recover, restore it’s natural pH balance and allowing the skin to find a healthy balance,” she says. As the trend begins to penetrate the mainstream it also means that the worlds of fashion and celebrity, which are so important to the cosmetics industry in general, are beginning to mesh through the natural message. For instance, Jemma Kidd is now brand ambassador for Udo’s Oil while Weleda represented at this year’s London Fashion Week with a Model Zone designed to look after the wellbeing of fashion’s foot-soldiers. “There is more buzz about the impact chemicals can have on our health,” says Rebecca Goodyear, natural beauty expert at Kinetic. “Natural beauty products are starting to appear in more mainstream editorial beauty features and there are more emerging green celebrity ambassadors who promote natural living such as Miranda Kerr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Natalie Portman and Gisele Bundchen.” She says that Kinetic’s key natural bathroom essentials include JASON’S body washes and hair care products. “They are a staple fixture in the bathrooms of families, couples and even students,” she says. “We also must not forget Dr Bronner’s Magic Liquid Soaps which have gained a cult following including Lady Gaga, Sandra Bullock, Eminem and Bobbi Brown. The celebrity fan club has certainly helped this brand to become more established but people also see value in this product because of its versatility – there are so many different uses!”

Affordable treats
Goodyear notes that affordability is very important for products that consumers need to use day-in and day-out. It’s certainly part of the appeal of Faith in Nature – a brand that’s currently leading Natural Products’ informal poll of companies bigged-up by retailers in our How’s Business? section. “The challenge for ethical manufacturers of natural products is to drive product innovation, which is crucial in maintaining loyal customers and attracting new users,” explains Rivka Rose, founder of Faith in Nature. “The key is making sure you can combine this with delivering effective products at a price acceptable to eco conscious consumers. That is certainly the focus behind our new product development programme and was the principle on which Faith in Nature was founded and still delivers on.” Rose says that hair, body and skin care tend to be the starting point for consumers trying the natural category for the first time. This means that if you get the ‘everyday’ range right, it can lead to additional spend on associated products.

Store basics
So how should you merchandise the section for maximum effect? “Just like any other store selling goods, retailers need to create a desirable environment. Find out the POS from your supplier and dress shelves, shelf edges and surroundings but don’t make it look cluttered,” says Goodyear.

Nina Omotoso – Nutritional Therapist at FLO health & nutrition – Revital Health Place

PROBIOTICS – their role in pregnancy and infancy
A recent trial reveals that probiotics of the correct strain and strength can reduce the incidence of development of allergy and eczema in children with a family history of allergy and atopic disease

The colonisation of our intestines and the establishment of a complex, ecosystem of beneficial and potentially harmful micro-organisms, is a dynamic enterprise which begins from birth.  Different species are present at different stages, each releasing their own types of stimulating and modulating factors.  One effect of exposure to this chemical cocktail is the adequate priming, balancing and development of the immune system – essential for future good health and resilience.

There are actually three stages of infant development when gut flora populations change significantly; at birth, when breast feeding, and at weaning.  In effect, this means that variations in gut flora can arise between children born by caesarean or natural birth and bottle and breast fed babies; and due to their key role in the development of the immune system, it seems plausible that such micro-flora variations could impact on future health.

In fact, this seems to be the case, with bottle-fed infants having a significantly different micro-flora population and by the age of 6 months, having a persistently lower number of Bifidobacteria species1.  Breast-fed babies, however, are exposed to prebiotics and other factors which encourage the development of Bifidobacteria species and a more typical balance of micro-flora.

As to the method of delivery, a recent study by Biasucci2 reveals that following caesarean, common Bifidobacteria species are absent and gut micro-flora generally less diverse.  Apparent a few months after delivery and remaining until 7 years, the authors suggest that this long-term micro-flora imbalance might be a factor in the increased risk of atopic diseases, which are actually more common amongst caesarean-born infants.

Between 15 to 40% of children in the UK are affected by atopic diseases, such as asthma, eczema and allergy, and there seems to be a chain of progression, since children with atopic eczema are 50% more likely to develop asthma by the age of 12.   A dysregulation and imbalance between the two branches of the innate immune system has been identified as a significant driving factor, so an obvious step would be to minimise such imbalance, and this is where immune-modulating probiotics come in.

Infants being weaned respond well.  In a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled intervention trial, (the best kind), infants were fed cereal containing Lactobacillus F19 from age 4 months.  By the age of 13 months just 1 in 10 of the probiotic-eating children suffered from eczema compared to 2 in 10 in the non-probiotic group3.

More recently, results from the Swansea Baby Study indicate that young babies can also benefit4. In this longitudinal trial, 227 mother/baby pairs took a probiotic blend that contained bifidobacterium bifidum (CUL-20);
bifidobacterium lactis (CUL-34); lactobacillus salivarius (CUL-61) and lactobacillus paracasei, as well as prebiotic GOS or FOS. Mum took a daily dose providing 10 billion of the probiotic during the last trimester and then gave the same probiotic to baby, each day, for a 6 month period after birth.

Significant differences were seen when compared to the control group – a comparable number of mothers and babies who didn’t take a probiotic.  Not only were children in the probiotic group 57% less likely to develop allergic eczema but the likelihood of their developing reactions to common allergens such as egg, cow’s milk, dust mites and pollen was reduced by almost half.

In light of these trial results, lead author Professor S Allen stated: “Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria administered to pregnant women and infants aged 0-6 months prevented atopic sensitisation and atopic eczema”. Exciting news indeed.

So what conclusions should we draw?  Well, first of all I’d certainly recommend adding a probiotic to your supplement plan during your third trimester.  This encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria and ‘sweetens’ the birth canal.

During delivery, baby is exposed to all these good bacteria, which have a fundamental role in encouraging a balanced and healthy immune system.  Secondly, I’d also recommend considering a children’s probiotic for both caesarian born and bottle fed babies.

Finally, there’s a clear message on the positive impact of probiotics when taken by mother and baby, particularly when there’s a family history of allergy, eczema or asthma, and more importantly when taking the right strain and dose.

Nina Omotoso BSc(Hons) Dip ION
Nutritional Therapist at FLO health & nutrition (www.flo-life.com)
Revital Health Place

References
1.  Fanaro S et al., (2003) Intestinal microflora in early infancy: composition and development.  Acta Paediatric Supplement, 91:48-55
2.  Biasucci G et al., (2010) Mode of delivery affects the bacterial community in the newborn gut.  Early Human Development, 86:13-15.
3.  West C et al., (2009) Probiotics during weaning reduce the incidence of eczema.  Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 20(5):430-7.
4. Allen SJ et al., (2012) Probiotics and atopic eczema: a double-blind randomised controlled trial.  Archives of Disease in Childhood; 97:A2

This article has kindly been supplied by Revital.

Fix in Six- Getting results with advanced clinical massage – Rachel Fairweather – Jing Institute of Advanced Massage

Fix in Six- Getting results with advanced clinical massage

Before reading this article you may wish to pause and reflect for a moment as to how you feel when a new client walks through your door experiencing some kind of acute or chronic pain- for example; a herniated disc, persistent low back pain, frozen shoulder, carpal tunnel syndrome, whiplash, or a sports injury. Do you feel excited at this opportunity to help someone reduce their pain, gain a repeat client and enhance your word of mouth reputation? Or are you unconfident, unsure of how massage can help, hesitant in your treatment, or feel that you should be referring the client on to a osteopath or physiotherapist instead? If the answer is the latter then you may wish to read on – and don’t worry, you are not alone!  Lack of training in the treatment of pain is one of the most common gaps in knowledge identified by British massage therapists today. Most qualifying courses enable us to do a great relaxation massage but leave students lacking when it comes to those clinical problems so common in the general public- bad backs, sore necks, shoulder or wrist problems. Even therapists gaining sports massage qualifications are often unsure about how to go about getting results with some of the techniques they have learned.

The great news for the massage profession is that skilfully applied massage using appropriate techniques and knowledge is highly effective in treating pain conditions. Using a proficient combination of the right techniques, many clients can experience a reduction in their pain levels within 6 weekly sessions and often as few as 1-3 treatments. This can do wonders for your enthusiasm for your work and of course your marketing – nothing enhances your word of mouth publicity more than a treatment resulting in relief from pain.

Principles of the Fix in Six approach to treating acute and chronic pain

Can you really make a lasting result in a maximum of 6 weekly sessions? Our experience suggests you can; most common musculo-skeletal injury and pain responds well to this approach; frequently achieving a pain free period by weeks 3 or 4.  Once you have reached a pain free period, you can lengthen the time between treatments so you might next book your client in for 2 weeks time.  Eventually most clients can be moved onto monthly maintenance sessions to keep them out of trouble on an ongoing basis.

We have found that the most successful approach involves using a combination of both assessment and treatment skills as outlined below – you will need more than one tool in your massage toolkit to achieve effective results with different conditions. The best practitioners get results because they use a dynamic combination of skills, adapting each session with every client to create a unique and specialised treatment.

The Seven Golden Steps in the “Fix in Six” Approach

Step one: Take an effective case history and assessment

Developing good assessment and evaluation tools enables your practice to move onto a truly professional level. Quite simply, a good assessment enables us to plan effective treatments that achieve the goals or outcomes that the client desires. From a business point of view, achieving good outcomes leads to satisfied customers, which leads to a thriving and interesting practice. A good assessment enables you to see whether your treatment is working and gives you measurable benchmarks so both you and your client are able to assess progress.

Whether you are doing relaxation massage, sports massage, energy work or pregnancy massage, some form of assessment is vital. You always need to know why your client has come to you, what they are expecting from the treatment and a baseline for any changes you make.

Assessment is usually divided into 4 components, which you can remember, by the acronym “HOPS”:

•    H -Health history questions (usually known as your case history or medical intake)
•    O- Observations (i.e.: of posture)
•    P- Palpation (of soft tissues including muscles and fascia)
•    S- Special Orthopaedic Tests (specific tests that help us to identify problems more precisely)

Assessing the data from all of the above helps us to determine what may be the cause of soft tissue pain – for example does the problem lie with the muscles, tendons, ligaments, or joint capsule? This can help us determine the most appropriate treatment plan and the correct combination of technique. A frozen shoulder may present with similar symptoms to trigger points in the rotator cuff muscles but will require a very different type of treatment. Assessment and orthopaedic testing helps us determine the type of soft tissue involved so our work can be more precise – as the great bodyworker Jean- Pierre Barrall, father of visceral manipulation says in his charming French accent ‘ if you are precise, ze results are lastable!”

Step two: Correct Application of Heat or cold

The results of your treatment can be greatly enhanced with the application of appropriate hydrotherapy. In general, chronic conditions respond best to heat whereas acute conditions should always be treated with cold (ice packs or direct moving ice application). Apply hot or cold to the painful area before your hands on techniques and you will find you get better results. You can also teach your client to apply hot or cold for themselves as a useful self help technique between treatments.

Step Three: Fascial Work

Myofascial work (MFR) is a powerful technique to add into the mix of your treatment plan for addressing musculo- skeletal problems. MFR techniques address the body’s fascial system, that is, the 3D fibrous connective tissue that holds the body together and gives it shape. Most commonly taught massage techniques fail to address the fascia, thus denying practitioners a large piece of the puzzle when treating pain conditions. MFR techniques aim to restore mobility in the fascia and soften connective tissue that has become rigid, with highly effective results.  To be effective, fascial techniques should be performed without any oil therefore it is often most effective to do these at the beginning of your treatment.

Step Four: Release all the muscles around the affected joint using trigger point therapy

Thanks to the work of Dr Janet Travell, the doctor who pioneered trigger point work in the US, we have a growing body of evidence that many pain conditions are actually caused by trigger points or small contraction knots in the msucles. Studies suggest that trigger points are a component of up to 93% of the pain seen in pain clinics and the sole cause of such pain as much as 85% of the time. (Gershwin; Fishbain quoted in Travell and Simons: Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The trigger point manual Volume 1)

Trigger points are known to cause or contribute to low back pain, carpal tunnel symptoms, tennnis elbow, neck pain, migraines, jaw pain, and many kinds of joint pain mistakenly attributed to arthritis. They can cause sinus pain and congestion, nausea, chronic dry cough and are thought to contribute to fibromyalgia.

To gain truly efective results in the treatment of pain with trigger point techique, we recommend treating alll the muscles around the joint. This is a really important principle of treatment as most pain conditions will involve more than one muscle. So for example, if you have a client with a shoulder problem you will need to check the following muscles for trigger points: trapezius, rhomboids,  supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major, serratus anterior, subscapularis, latissimus dorsi, deltoid, pec major, pec minor, biceps, triceps and coracobrachialis.

Step Five: Use acupressure and meridian based techniques

Knowledge of relevant meridians and acupressure points can greatly enhance your treatment results.  According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, meridians are the energy highways of the body and acupressure points are where this energy can be accessed and influenced. Recent research suggests strong connections between the meridians and the myofascia, with acupressure points being places where the fascia can be accessed at deeper levels.  In my own clinic I have found a knowledge of acupressure points and meridians to be an excellent additional tool in the treatment of pain. So if you know relevant acupressure points, use them!

Step Six: Stretching Techniques

Once trigger points and myofascial restrictions have been removed, stretching will enable shortened muscles to return to their natural length, realign scar tissue to create a functional scar and promote energy flow in meridians to optimise healing. Stretching will enable your sporting clients to improve performance, prevent injury and treat it effectively when it occurs. You can use stretching with everyone from the athlete to the elderly and enable your clients to take greater control over their own health by teaching them to stretch between sessions.  PNF stretching, Muscle Energy Technique and Active Isolated Stretching are all incredibly useful to get results in the effective treatment of pain.

Step Seven: Teach your client a self – help technique to use between sessions

Placing control over healing back in your client’s hands is an incredibly powerful psychological tool. There are many safe self help techniques that are within your remit as a massage therapist – for example instructing clients how to treat their own trigger points, showing self stretching, or teaching simple breathing and relaxation exercises to help deal with stress.  Make sure you are only teaching your client techniques for which you are insured and knowledgeable (ie: don’t give nutritional advice if you are not a nutritionist)

Putting in all together

The above steps are like a tried and tested recipe – include all of these ingredients in your treatments and you will see an increase in your ability to get results. You will also need to use your own skill and creativity to determine which of the ingredients may be needed to a greater or lesser extent as the exact “recipe” will vary from client to client. So each treatment will be different, challenging and exciting for both you and the client!

Come see us at camexpo 2013

If you want to get great hands on training in all of the techniques described above then come see us at camexpo 2013 where we will be running several workshops in the treatment of pain including the ever popular Jing “Fix in Six” method. Be sure to book early as this is always one of the first workshops to sell out!

See you at the show!

About Rachel Fairweather and the Jing Institute of Advanced Massage

Rachel Fairweather is co-founder and director of the Jing Institute of Advanced Massage. Based In Brighton, London and Edinburgh we run a variety of courses in advanced techniques to help you build the career you desire. Our short CPD courses include excellent hands on learning in all the techniques described above including trigger point therapy, myofascial release, stretching and orthopedic assessment.  For the therapist who wants to be the best they can possibly be, we offer a BTEC level 6 (degree level) in advanced clinical and sports massage – the highest level of massage training in the UK.

The work we teach is serious but we do it with a lot of laughter. We use innovative teaching methods that ensure that you leave courses with the material in your hands, head and hearts. All work is taught practically so that you can use it right away in your clinic.

Want to find out more? Please contact The JING Institute!

To find out more, visit Jing’s website www.jingmassage.com, as well as its Twitter and Facebook pages (https://twitter.com/JingInstitute and www.facebook.com/pages/JING-Institute-of-Advanced-Massage-Training/133660816698821).

The Jing Institute of Advanced Massage Training, 28-29 Bond Street, Brighton, BN1 1RD
Tel: 01273 628942 Email: info@jingmassage.com Website: www.jingmassage.com

Please call or check our website for further information and course dates.
www.jingmassage.com
info@jingmassage.com
Tel: 01273 628942

Copyright Jing Advanced Massage April 2013. Text: Rachel Fairweather. Photos Meghan Mari

Pregnancy massage – an introduction - Amy Taylor MFHT Ad.VTCT(Diploma) is a full time therapist, lecturer and director of the  Purple Turtle

Pregnancy massage is a good addition to your skills set, especially in times of recession as women will always continue to have babies! But what is pregnancy massage and does it really differ that much to a normal client massage?

Every pregnancy is unique to that client and each time you treat a pregnant client it is important that she feels like an individual. As the pregnancy evolves the woman will experience changes in her physical and psychological well-being. The therapist must be ready to adapt their treatment to focus on the needs of the client so it is important that the therapist is competent and confident in dealing with pregnant clients.

The Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT) does not state that practitioners avoid any trimester, but recommends that practitioners have consent from the client’s midwife or general practitioner (GP) before treating a client at any stage of pregnancy. Therapists are required to have adequate relevant training (i.e. completed a Pregnancy Massage course) and will need to review whether the treatment is advisable – check the client’s history for miscarriages or premature birth. Please check with your own insurance company to find out what you are insured for.

It all starts with a thorough consultation, as well as the usual massage contra-indications, health and lifestyle questions the therapist needs to ascertain if there are any pregnancy conditions presenting. If a woman has been a regular client before and becomes pregnant it is important to re-do the consultation to account for the changes happening to her body and lifestyle. Pregnancy conditions such as pre-eclampsia, symphysis pubis dysfunction and gestational diabetes may be contra-indicated. During consultation you would also discuss whether the client would like her bump massaged; you must gain permission for this as some women are very protective of their baby bump tummies. When you are pregnant you may feel more vulnerable and a lot of women state that it is annoying when people think they can touch their bumps without asking. We want to create a safe, positive and nurturing environment so they can relax and asking permission is a way of gaining trust.

The next stage is to get them on and off the couch. Pregnant clients may have to undergo medical examinations that can be intrusive, so maintaining the client’s dignity is paramount. This starts with good towel management, making sure your client feels safe and protected. You should help a pregnant client on and off the couch as the extra fluid held by the body during pregnancy can cause clumsiness and they may not be as agile as they were so make sure you instruct them as to the easiest way to do it. The onus is on making sure the client is comfortable but also that the therapist can work without any extra strain on their body. A variety of positions can be used, but the best position for both client and practitioner is to massage a client lying on her side. If you are doing a full body massage then from laying on their side you can access the legs, hips and the back. After you have done this you would ask them to lay semi-supine but with a wedge supporting their back, the best equipment for this is a couch with an adjustable back rest or you could use a foam wedge and cushions.  From here you can access the anterior of the body including the baby bump and the breasts. Massage can be done with the client seated, if preferred, and a fitness ball can be good for this.

There are some excellent carrier oils to use for the massage; you do not need to be an aromatherapist to create a blend of carrier oils to suit your client’s skin type. Grapeseed and sunflower are good bases as these are commercially affordable and thinner oils so are absorbed easily. These oils can be blended with thicker, richer oils such as Rosehip which is thought to be good for stretch marks, and wheatgerm, which is calming for itchy dry skin. If you are a qualified aromatherapist you can add essential oils such as mandarin, frankincense, neroli and chamomile (N.B. some practitioners advise avoiding chamomile in the first trimester). The safest essential oil in pregnancy is Mandarin which has a gentle sweet smell. Mandarin is the least contra-indicated to pregnancy and is good for skin nourishment, mood lifting and oedema. As a woman’s sense of smell is heightened in pregnancy it is best to get the client to smell any blend of oils before you apply it to the body – whether it contains essential oil or just carrier oils – to make sure that she approves of the smell.

After pregnancy massage clients have said they felt rejuvenated and lighter, some have had improvements to the circulation system which reduces oedema and eases leg cramps or restless legs. On a physical level, pregnant clients have said massage helped the regulation of the digestive system, promoted relief from sciatica, gave pain relief in areas such as the pelvis and lower back, improved sleep, reduced itching on the skin and they have suffered from fewer headaches. On a psychological level women have said it helped reduce stress, depression and anxiety and made them feel positive about the changes to their bodies.

The benefits aren’t all anecdotal; research by the Touch Research Institute in Miami has shown that massage reduces pain in pregnancy and alleviates pre-natal depression in both parents and improves their relationships. The institute has also found through research that massage reduces the risk of premature birth and may help decrease complications in labour.

A therapist wanting to treat pregnant clients should undertake further training in pregnancy massage. When choosing a continued professional development course in pregnancy massage, you should look for an accredited course where you will gain a grounding knowledge of pregnancy massage both in theory and practical. This should include information on the three trimesters, anatomy and physiology during pregnancy, contra-indications, home care advice, contra-actions, massage techniques, pregnancy conditions, towel management and marketing advice as a minimum. It is best practice to be a member of a Professional Association to keep up-to-date with the latest information and legislation regarding the treatment of pregnant clients.

Pregnancy massage is a lovely treatment to give so the most important thing is to gain the confidence required, through further training to enjoy the treatment as a therapist.

Amy Taylor MFHT Ad.VTCT(Diploma) is a full time therapist, lecturer and director of the  Purple Turtle Therapy Academy which has an accredited pregnancy massage course for therapists.

www.ptmassagetherapycourses.com

info@ptmassagetherapycourses.com

Tel: 01273 447891

 This article has kindly been supplied by Federation of Holistic Therapist. 

Nutrition for Cognition  – Danny O’Rawe MIRH, Dip Herb, Dip Nat, MABC, Dip Aro.

One of the most common symptoms that I see in clinic are issues with memory and cognition. The term ‘brain fog’ is sometimes used to describe various situations where thinking, retaining information or trying to remember where you put your keys appear to be more difficult than they should be. Confusion, poor memory, muddied thinking, anxiety and even depression are the result but the question we might ask is what might we do about it using a holistic approach.

The term cognition is used to describe a number of mental processes, such as those listed above – thinking, reasoning, learning and memorising for example – and the parts of our brains responsible for these functions are the frontal lobe, the temporal lobe and the hippocampus especially; yet this is a very reductionist way of looking at things. From a naturopathic and holistic perspective not only should we be looking at whole brain function on a biochemical level but we should also be looking at the whole body itself.

All the various mechanisms and processes in our brain work in harmony with the rest of the body striving towards homeostasis and when one part of our body is impaired we should look to the whole system and not one part in isolation. So while there are certainly many useful herbs and foods we could employ to improve brain function the naturopath always considers improving the whole system, and further, seeks to look at the issue from the point of view of the individual and all those idiosyncrasies which make us the unique people we are. So first and foremost a strategy to improve brain health should involve a strategy to improve overall health.

That said there are a number of specific nutrients and botanicals which have been found to be especially useful so let’s take a look at these first. Let’s start by asking what are the key vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that the brain requires for proper function.

Vitamin B-6 (Pyroxidine) is vital for the production of hormones which carry messages all over our body as well as neurotransmitters which work more locally. It is important in the synthesis of serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in feelings of well-being for example. So adequate B-6 is necessary for communication between neurons in the brain but it is also involved in breaking down amino acids and, importantly, converting glycogen into glucose which is used in very high amounts for optimal brain function. The brain uses lots of glucose to create ATP (Adenosinetriphosphate) which generates  the energy required for cognition so any deficiency in B6 is going to cause issues with memory and the processing of information. Supplementing B-6 may be indicated but B-6 should be used alongside a B-complex as the B vitamin group works synergistically and the individual B vitamins act as co-factors. The RDA for B-6 is a mere 1-2mg whereas a therapeutic dose for adults would indicate 50-100mg per day though care should be taken if there is concomitant use with certain medication such as anti-convulsants. (Interestingly anti-Parkinsonian drugs can bind with B-6 thereby causing a potential deficiency). Good food sources of B-6 include salmon, beef, banana, avocado and brewer’s yeast.

I mentioned earlier that B-vitamins tend to work together so we might also look especially at B-12 and B-9. B-12 (Cobalamin) is particularly important in short-term memory and cognition and is known to affect mood when deficient (Tufen et al, 2012). B-12 is involved in the production of myelin-sheath which is the protective barrier around our neurons which themselves are important in electric signaling. B-9 (Folic Acid) is also key in higher brain function for similar reasons. The best sources of folic acid are pulses and beans especially soya beans and kidney beans . Wheat and rye also contain high amounts, and spinach has important levels (though care is required with spinach due to its high oxalic acid content which can contribute to calculi). Folic acid supplementation for adults at thereapeutic levels would be 500-1000mcg daily but again I stress the need to individualize a supplementary regime.

The best Vitamin B-12 food sources include beef-liver and lamb-liver and it is worth noting that even people who eat meat may not be getting sufficient quantities as liver is not commonly eaten. Clams and seafood are also a good source however. There are no significant vegetable sources of B-12 so strict vegetarians and vegans should be wary. Spirulina for example, once thought to contain significant amounts, actually contains vitamin B-12 analogues which are not bioavailable so the use of fortified foods or supplementation is strongly advised at a therapeutic level of 500-2000mcg per day for one month followed by 500mcg thereafter. Therapeutic doses should be based on individual constitutions and supplementation should be employed as a short term strategy only while adjusting overall nutrition would be the protocol in the long term.

Interestingly these 3 B-vitamins are also important in preventing the build-up of a toxic amino acid called Homocysteine. There are at least 80 studies which show the connection between low vitamin B-status and cardiovascular degeneration but as a marker for cognitive decline research has shown high homocysteine is significant (Moustaffa et al, 2012; Morris et al 2012; Strand et al, 2013).

Another important vitamin in cognition is vitamin A. Optimal vitamin A levels are now known to influence short-term memory and enhance learning capability (Khor & Misra, 2012; Jiang et al 2012). Vitamin A is also an important anti-oxidant and prevents ageing of the cells. Good food sources of vitamin A again include liver meats and cod liver oil and for vegetarians in the precursor form of beta-carotene, carrots, spinach and parsley  and colourful fruit and vegetables such as pumpkin and cantaloupe melon are encouraged. Supplementation is a matter of controversy because vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and therefore can accumulate in the system but around 3000mcg (10000iu) is thought to be the upper tolerable level in adults for monitored short-term use.

Vitamin D has become all the rage recently for many reasons but for the purposes of this article we know that it is involved in brain development and cognitive capacity (Seamans et al, 2010; Gillette-Guyonnet et al, 2013). The vitamin is made by the interaction of sunlight on skin however in northern latitudes supplementation is advised over the winter months when sunlight is lacking using cod liver oil or a suitable supplement.

We can already see the importance of certain foods in the diet and how they can contribute the vitamins we need but certain minerals such as zinc, iron, calcium, iodine, selenium, magnesium are also vital to function so this is why we need to look at the whole diet and subsequently lifestyle issues and how these impact on overall nutritional status. High caffeine intake can interfere with B-vitamins, smoking destroys vitamin C and some B-vitamins for example.

Before moving on from individual nutrients it is vital to mention the essential fatty acids – omega 3 and omega 6. These fats are very important in the body as a whole but especially in cognitive function. Deficiency among children during development can lead to impaired cognitive function (Gibson & Blass, 1999) and in adults a neuroprotective role has been demonstrated (Calon et al, 2007) so regular use of good cold-pressed seed oils like flax, chia and hemp or a fish oil which has been sourced from clean waters and certified free of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are advised. The production of fish oils should also not involve heat as this will denature the oil. Contrary to what some nutritionists say fish oils are not essential as the Hindus of India have testified for millennia, though in some degenerative conditions fish oils would be indicated as conversion from vegetable sources can be impaired.

As a herbalist I will often use several botanicals to help improve memory and get rid of brain fog alongside recommending good diet, plenty of fresh water and adequate exercise. A great herb for example is rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis). Rosemary has been in use for centuries, Dioscorides writing in the first century AD mentions it in his famous De Materia Medica long before  it made its way across Europe with the Romans. Markham’s famous herbal from 1615 suggests rosemary ‘comfortath the brain’  and Culpeper tells us in 1652 that it ‘helps a weak memory and quickens the senses’ . In more recent times research has confirmed what was already know to the ancients – that rosemary improves brain function (Moss et al, 2003; Pengelly et al, 2012). Use of rosemary essential oil can be a useful adjunct in dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.

Another oft-touted herb is Gingko. The Gingko biloba tree, which incredibly survived the bombing of Hiroshima, is known to affect the blood-brain barrier and improve general circulation to the brain however there are mixed opinions in research as to whether it improves cognition. In trials 3 studies reported no significant difference from placebo (Birks & Evens, 2009) though other studies say the opposite which questions the legitimacy of the research model in relation to herbal medicines. Herbalists also have mixed feelings but the general concensus is that effects are minor but the herb is useful in conjunction with other herbs such as rosemary for short term memory.

Other useful memory-enhancing herbs  include peppermint essential oil  (Mentha piperita) and the adaptogens Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng) and Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosis) which improve function at the cellular level by enhancing adenosinetriphosphate (ATP) production. Gotu kola (Centella asiatica), Brahma (Bacopa monnieria) which enhances nerve conductivity and Holy Basil (Ocimum tulsi) are also very useful herbs from the Ayurvedic tradition.

We must also consider the role of exercise. Exercise improves neurotransmitter function and how the body communicates along various negative feedback systems, so aerobic exercise which significantly increases metabolic rate is indicated (Madhura et al, 2012).

So what this tells us is that a good diet which incorporates plenty of fresh, colourful and vibrant foods, adequate exercise, plenty of fresh air and exposure to sunlight are central to good brain function. A high strength multivitamin may be a useful adjunct, while Co-Enzyme Q-10, 5-HTP and L-carnatine may also play a role. All of these things alongside the herbs mentioned (there are others) can help to improve our cognitive ability but the practitioner should always aim to individualize the protocol to suit the person in front of them. There can be no one-size-fits-all approach in a holistic paradigm.

Now, where did I put those keys….

About the writer:
Danny O’Rawe MIRH, Dip Herb, Dip Nat, MABC, Dip Aro. is a Herbalist and Naturopath who practices in Belfast and London. www.belfastherbalist.co.uk. He lectures including at CNM (College of Naturopathic Medicine) in Dublin and now also at CNM Belfast which is CNM’s 10th college in the UK and Ireland. www.naturopathy-uk.com.  Danny is current president of the Irish Register of Herbalists (www.irh.ie).

CNHC news update

CNHC publishes The First Five Years
We are delighted to announce the publication of CNHC – The First Five Years – a document which describes CNHC’s work over the five years from start up at the beginning of 2008 to the handover to the new CNHC Board on 1 December 2012.

CNHC – The First Five Years describes how CNHC was set up and includes a description of CNHC’s structure, with summaries of who is on the register and details of CNHC’s current and future activities. We hope that it will be of interest to all complementary healthcare practitioners who want to know more about our work as well as being used more widely by tutors, presenters and others with an interest in professional standards in complementary healthcare.

CNHC – The First Five Years is available to download here: CNHC – The First Five Years.

Trainers resource pack PPP
CNHC has also produced a PowerPoint presentation for tutors who want to provide information about CNHC to their students. It is also suitable for those holding regional or local practitioner groups. The presentation sets out details of CNHC’s background, role and function, structure, key achievements and current activities.

It is available on request by contacting info@cnhc.org.uk or calling 020 3178 2199.

Free One-year membership of College of Medicine
CNHC registered practitioners are able to apply for a free one-year membership of the College of Medicine if the application is made before 31 March 2013. Membership provides a range of benefits including access to reports, specialist advice, discounts on all College courses and seminars as well as placement and internship opportunities.

For further details and to join visit: http://www.collegeofmedicine.org.uk/membership

For more information about the CNHC go to CNHC’s website at: www.cnhc.org.uk , email info@cnhc.org.uk or call 020 3178 2199

News and articles which are featured on the camclub are not the views of the camclub, camexpo of diversified business communications

Retailers’ crucial role in supplements campaign

Health food retailers have a crucial role in the new Save Our Supplements (SOS) campaign says leading parliamentary affairs specialist Chris Whitehouse.

Giving this year’s Health Food Institute’s Annual Lecture, Whitehouse said retailers’ one-on-one relationship with their customers had been the cornerstone of many of the most successful natural health campaigns.

“There’s a pattern of what works. It’s very often when retailers and their customers come together – and are given the tools to make their voice heard. It’s that combination that delivers success.”

It was a formula for success that had been built into Consumer For Health Choice’s newly re-launched SOS campaign. Although the campaign was based around online and social media activity – with the new CHC website as the campaign hub – it fully recognised the importance of the “human interface”. To that end striking new campaign posters and leaflets were being distributed to all independent health stores, and were going up in hundreds of Holland & Barrett stores up and down the country. The posters would be refreshed regularly to maintain consumer engagement at a crucial stage in the life of the Food Supplements Directive.

Whitehouse, who has been a political adviser to CHC since its launch in 1996, said that it was the campaign group’s strong focus on supplements that had brought about its biggest achievements. “CHC started life campaigning on food supplements, they are at the heart of its current campaign, and will be until their future is absolutely secured.”

Whitehouse said that big companies were currently actively pushing for early implementation of Maximum Permitted Levels (MPLs). He warned that low MPLs could destroy a key health food category and vital profit stream – threatening thousand of British jobs. CHC had successfully fought off this threat so far, he said, but needed renewed support from across the industry to help secure the very best outcome for the UK health food trade.

Sports nutrition sector hits back at “unregulated” charge

The sports nutrition industry has strongly rejected claims last month that the sector was “unregulated”.

The charge was made after a Coroners Court ruled that a single dose of the now banned stimulant DMMA had contributed to the death of the 30-year old Claire Squires in the 2012 London Marathon.

The chief executive of the London Marathon, Nick Bitel, told the online food ingredients magazine nutraingredients.com “perhaps this tragic death highlights the need for tighter regulation of the supplements industry”. Van Herrewege, the boyfriend of Squires, also called for “far better supervision of the so-called health foods industry so that no more tragedies like this happen again”.

But Dr Adam Carey, chair of the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance, said in a statement: “It could not be further fro the truth that sports nutrition is unregulated. It is in fact governed by strict laws and regulations made in both the UK and Europe, including the Food Safety Act and the Medicines Act. Indeed, sports nutrition products are regulated in exactly the same way as all other food products for sale in the UK. Regulatory bodies, including the Food Standards Agency and the MHRA, backed up by trading standards officers around the country, keep a close eye on the industry as the banning of DMMA indicated. The idea that this industry is unregulated is completely false and does a disservice to the many dynamic and successful British companies who produce safe, popular and effective sports nutrition products.”

High visibility CHC campaign goes live

Consumers for Health Choice (CHC) has warned UK and EU regulators that setting low dose levels for dietary supplements will hit consumer choice and cost jobs.

CHC says that new developments in Brussels have put the issue of maximum permitted levels (MPLs) for nutrients firmly back on the political agenda with the expectation that this would stifle consumer choice and remove large number of safe, popular and beneficial supplements from the market. It is estimated that 700 independent health food shops from High Streets across the UK would close with the potential loss of 4000 jobs if the EU imposes low dose levels.

In response to this renewed threat, CHC has launched a brand new highly visible Save Our Supplements (SOS) campaign that will draw attention to the issue and encourage people to sign a petition against the directive and contact their MPs and MEPs to raise increased awareness.

The hub of the campaign can be found at www.saveoursupplements.org.uk and links to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube SOS accounts. A high visibility online petition and new tagline; ‘It’s in Your Hands’ highlights CHC’s commitment to championing consumer freedom of choice in health matters.

The SOS campaign is supported by cross party group of MPs; Marcus Jones (Cons); Kate Hoey (Lab) and Dr John Pugh (Lib Dem), leading nutrition expert and bestselling author Patrick Holford anda host of high profile celebrities including Jenny Seagrove and Dame Judi Dench who have long lobbied for UK market freedom around supplement dosage and health claims.

The campaign is also supported by a nationwide roll-out of SOS communications across 650 Holland & Barrett stores and hundreds of independent retail stores, gyms and fitness centres – backed by extensive online advertising and social media activity.

Members of the cross-party group of MPs including Kate Hoey, Marcus Jones and Dr John Pugh today commented saying:

“We support this campaign 100%. It is right that the Government should work hard in Europe to ensure that British consumers do not lose access to thousands of safe and popular vitamin and mineral supplements which have been taken by millions of people over many decades with no evidence of harm to help achieve and maintain good health. This is over-regulation gone mad and it is only right that consumers should keep up the pressure so that their right to choose is not sacrificed on the altar of market harmonisation in Europe.

“Consumers for Health Choice havs done a fantastic job in making the humble vitamin pill a matter of national and international political importance. This campaign will make sure the matter remains high on the political agenda.”

Commenting on the campaign Patrick Holford said:

“Consumers for Health Choice have doggedly led a very well thought through campaign to protect us from unnecessary EU restrictions on the right to take safe nutritional supplements. The threat of restrictions is real and right now they need our help and support. Make sure you are on their mailing list and, if they say it’s time to sign their SOS petition, write to your MP, MEP or take any other action, please do so without hesitation. Thank you CHC.”

CHC Chairman Mike Peet said: said: “We’re fighting hard to keep this issue on the political agenda and it’s not over yet, the setting of maximum permitted levels is still a matter of controversy in Britain and there remains strong, vocal and cross-party opposition. Our new SOS campaign harnesses the full power of the internet and social media, so it will be easier for us to reach a much wider audience and a new generation of consumers to keep awareness and support high in the public consciousness.”

He added: “We have been successfully campaigning against the introduction of unnecessary EU restrictions since 1997. The response to our petition has been phenomenal but we need continued support to keep the pressure on the UK parliament and in Europe. We’re urging everyone who believes they have the right to access a wide range of vitamin and mineral supplements and herbal remedies, to.pledge their support and sign our petition – it really is in your hands’.

Consumers can sign the petition and learn more about the campaign by visiting www.saveoursupplements.org.uk

Capping vitamin levels “would hit consumer choice and cut jobs” say MPs

The Daily Telegraph has today published an article highlighting the concerns of three MPs over plans for setting maximum permitted levels (MPLs) for vitamins and minerals in food supplements.

The concerns have been aired in a letter sent to the newspaper by Kate Hoey MP, Dr John Pugh MP and Marcus Jones MP, in which the three Parliamentarians argue that such a move would be contentious in Britain “where millions of people have consumed safe higher-potency vitamin and mineral supplements for many decades, with no evidence of any significant harm”.

The MPs warn that in addition to limiting consumer choice, the new legislation would “lead to the loss of thousands of jobs”.

The letter follows an approach to the MPs by Consumers for Health Choice. Given that this has been published in the best-selling broadsheet newspaper in Britain on the day before the Commissioner’s visit, this will highlight to the new Commissioner, and his officials, that the subject of the setting of maximum permitted levels is still a matter of controversy in Britain and that there remains strong, vocal and cross-party opposition to this.

Chris Whitehouse. CHC’s director of strategy, warned: “Consumer choice must not be sacrificed on the altar of harmonisation.”

Viridian back on the buses

As part of its Spring marketing initiative, Viridian Nutrition is back advertising on London’s iconic buses.

The campaign message is repeated through national magazines, The Big Issue, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Natural Health, Candis, Good Housekeeping, Glamour,  Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, Prima, Optimum Nutrition, Natural Lifestyle, Your Healthy Living, The Vegetarian, Green Parent, Cook Vegetarian, Living Earth and the Independent on Sunday magazine.

Marketing manager, Steve Hasler, told NP, “We are experiencing unprecedented growth at Viridian Nutrition, and we are re-investing that ‘boom-bonus’ back into marketing to drive more customers into health food stores.”

Poster and other POS are available to support the campaign in-store.

News and articles which are featured on the camclub are not the views of the camclub, camexpo of diversified business communications

EHL launch new ingredient to the UK

www.naturalproductsonline.co.uk  Posted on28 January 2013.
Import specialist EHL Ingredients has launched a brand new natural ingredient to the UK food sector: Lemon Myrtle.
It’s among the first suppliers to import the herb, a bush spice which combines the tartness of lemon with the sweetness of basil, into the UK from Australia.
EHL Ingredients can supply Lemon Myrtle as a herbal tea mix, or in bulk for adding to tea blends. In foods, the herb can be used as a replacement for lemongrass, lemon zest or instead of the kaffa lime leaf in Asian-style cuisine.
Tasneem Backhouse, Sales Director at EHL Ingredients comments: “While Lemon Myrtle may be relatively new to the UK, in Australia it has been used as an ingredient and medicinal remedy for centuries. Many people recognise it in oil format as an essential oil for use in cosmetics, but its use as a food ingredient is set to be one of the nexttrends in cookery.
“We decided to launch the product following demand from our customers for a quality, versatile Lemon Myrtle herb and we trialled many varieties before selecting our unique blend. We are confident that demand for unusual herbs, such as Lemon Myrtle, will continue to grow as consumers become more knowledgeable about international flavours thanks to travel, cookery shows, restaurant experience and home cooking.”
“Our products are 100% natural and have been trialled and tested to ensure flavours are maintained during the food production process resulting in high quality dishes and desserts.”

FSA prosecutes Selfridges over raw milk case

www.naturalproductsonline.co.uk  Posted on24 January 2013.
The Food Standards Agency is prosecuting Selfridges Retail Limited and the farmer who supplied the retailer with raw cow milk for sale, for breaches of food hygiene regulations.
The decision follows a detailed investigation, after vending machines dispensing raw cow milk were installed at Selfridges, in 2011.
The FSA says the case is not linked to the current review of rules governing the sale of unpasteurised, or raw, drinking milk and cream in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The sale of raw drinking milk and cream is not permitted in Scotland.

Neom gets its knuckles wrapped by ASA over ‘organic’ candles

www.naturalproductsonline.co.uk  Posted on04 February 2013.

Natural beauty brand Neom Luxury Organics has branded a recent Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruling on its organic candles as ‘disappointing’.
A complainant challenged whether a reference to the brand’s luxury candle range as organic was misleading – and questioned whether it could be substantiated.
In response to the ASA, Neom argued that its candles were made from 90-92% vegetable waxes and 8-10% pure essential oil, and therefore contained no non-organic ingredients.
It also pointed out that despite efforts to lobby for products such as candles to be organically certified, the use of the word ‘organic’ was only recognised in certain industries and primarily in relation to food and cosmetics products.
The ASA upheld the complaint, concluding that, in the absence of a defined organic standard for candles, evidence would need to be provided to demonstrate that the majority of the ingredients had been certified organic by an independent organic certification body.
“We are really disappointed by this ruling as we proved that our candles meet the generally agreed definition of an organic product i.e. something that is 100% natural and free from any chemicals such as fertilisers and pesticides,” Nicola Elliott, founder and director of Neom Organics, told Natural Beauty News.
“We were able to provide supporting certificates to prove this but the decision was made that because certification bodies do not certify candles, there are no bodies to verify our claims. Obviously this is a really disappointing decision and we are already approaching various certification bodies and are in talks with them about considering recognising candles. “
“We are confident the certification bodies will recognise this in time.”

New faces for Protexin Probiotics

www.naturalproductsonline.co.uk Posted on06 February 2013.

The manufacturers of Bio-Kult probiotics and Lepicol is expanding its sales team with two new appointments: Rupa Pattni and Jessica Guiffre. The new-look team is headed up by national sales manager Tej Sehmbi – and will be helping to educate health food retailers on the benefits of Bio-Kult and Lepicol products.
“Rupa has joined the team as a Territory Manager and Jessica has joined us as an experienced practicing Nutritional Therapist,” says Sehmbi.
“She will be supporting the sales team by visiting our customers and training them on the benefits of our products. I am delighted to be welcoming them to our ever expanding team at Protexin”

The Perrymount Clinic – camexpo CAM Clinic of The Year Award Finalist

Being a CAM Clinic of the year finalist was extremely exciting for us all at The Perrymount. Each one of us dedicates themselves to helping patients and also adds thoughts and ideas on how to continuously improve The Perrymount and the experience our patients have from booking their appointment to having a treatment to their aftercare. It was lovely news to be recognised for this effort we have put in. There is hard work and effort behind running a clinic but when we all love our jobs like we do I always think “hard work” is the wrong phrase because it is enjoyable. Thank you to CAM for recognising our clinic!

I have been an osteopath and naturopath for 15 years and only 4 years ago decided to open my own multi-disciplinary clinic after working for osteopaths as an associate and also renting space in other clinics. I knew I could open my own clinic because I had built a substantial client base over the years and I had both my own ideas on how to run a clinic and the good and bad from other clinics I had worked in.

The Perrymount Clinic opened in 1997 and in our first year we won a Best New Business award from our local radio station, which is actually quite a well know award in our area. My initial ideas for The Perrymount were to have a number of excellent practitioners who all knew each other’s specialities and would cross refer to each other as necessary. Although we may all work as self-employed individuals I wanted the patients’ health to be foremost and if that meant passing patients on to another practitioner who was better suited to them then great. I am pleased to say that we have achieved this and it has in fact increased the amount of patients we each see by creating these mini strategic alliances within our practice. For example cranial osteopathy and homeopathy teamed together in the care of babies and children, osteopathy and sports massage and our 3D Gaitscan scan suit our sporting patients and nutrition advice and acupuncture helps our patients seeking fertility help.

I have seen that patients want to visit a specialist who knows the most about the condition they have and patients that play sport want to see sports specialists. The Perrymount has naturally grown to have many individual “specialists” under one roof and I feel this has increased our local reputation exponentially.

Of course you can’t continuously bring new patients in and keep current patients without excellent customer service and I believe the single most important person in the clinic is our receptionist. I have a slight bias as she is my mother! Our patients continuously mention how lovely our receptionist is and we have many patients that just drop in for a cup of tea and a chat. She has even been known to drive local patients home if they are in pain, the weather is bad or they miss their bus. I cannot stress how beneficial it has been for us to have a fantastic receptionist that looks after patients as well as doing the business side of things like giving out information leaflets to make sure each patient knows about every service we offer.

Calming Colic – How to help the 10 causes of colic by Christian Bates is available on Amazon Kindle and also as PDF download and paperback from www.calmingcolic.com. It is a fully experienced based and medically researched book on the causes behind colic that Christian has seen treating colicky babies for 15 years. It is primarily to help parents with their colicky baby but as it is medically referenced it can be used by professionals too and will stand up to the scrutiny of orthodox health professionals if need be! Christian can be contacted at christian@theperrymount.com for more information.

Acupuncture Awareness Week – Zombie Nation

New research for Acupuncture Awareness Week shows sleep deprived Brits need to get to the point.

Research out today has revealed that we’re a nation of zombies with 1 in 5 of us claiming to feel like one after a disturbed night’s sleep. Results show that over two thirds of people in the UK are getting less than the recommended eight hours of sleep a night with money worries (53%), work (35%) and needing the toilet (30%) causing the most unrest.

Acupuncture Awareness Week, which takes place from 25 February to 3 March 2013 aims to educate people about how traditional acupuncture can help improve sleep and aid relaxation. Among the 82% of us who admit to sleeping troubles or insomnia, many of us are missing the point when it comes to this ancient Chinese medicine.

With 2.3 million acupuncture treatments carried out each year, traditional acupuncture is one of the most popular complementary therapies practised in the UK today. Yet statistics show that 1 in 5 of us would only consider acupuncture for sleep as a last resort. Almost a quarter of people admit they didn’t realise acupuncture could benefit them despite its widely recognised health benefits.

Maureen Cromey, a member of the British Acupuncture Council comments: “Traditional acupuncture is known to be enormously beneficial for helping to correct sleep problems. Most people find treatment wonderfully relaxing, as acupuncture is known to calm the nervous system and also increase endorphin production.”

Traditional acupuncture is a natural system of healing that has been practised for over 2,500 years. It is a safe and effective treatment that involves inserting sterile needles, no bigger than a human hair, painlessly at specific points on the body.

Supporting Acupuncture Awareness Week is actress and singer Toyah Willcox who, like many others, feels that acupuncture has made a huge impact to her life. “Having suffered with chronic insomnia since I was 14, I had to learn to make it work for my lifestyle”, says Toyah. “However, I realised I needed to do something about it when I was made aware of the detriment it has on your health and immune system. I won’t take sleeping pills and it’s actually better not to medicate chronic sufferers of insomnia anyway. I now have regular traditional acupuncture to help let my body heal itself. When I’m having a treatment I fall into a deep sleep straight away, which gives me immediate relief.”

If you would like to find out more about traditional acupuncture visit the Acupuncture Awareness Week website www.introducingacupuncture.co.uk for all the information you need.

Start your year the naturally healthy way
Top tips for a healthy detox

From Naturopath Rebecca Edwards, a lecturer in Nutrition at the College of Naturopathic Medicine

Doing the rounds of Christmas parties can cause us to go into January feeling bloated, tired and run-down. Luckily there is a lot we can do to pep ourselves up naturally!

Post-Christmas is a great time to have a ‘detox’ – assisting your body to cleanse itself of metabolic by-products and toxins which have accumulated over the festive season.
This means staying away from alcohol, sugar, dairy and processed foods in general.

Consume foods in as close to their natural state as you can. A sample menu includes:

Breakfast: Porridge made from whole oats soaked in water overnight topped with cinnamon, berries, chia seeds and coconut milk.

Morning snack: oatcakes spread with hummus

Lunch: mixed leaf salad containing chopped fresh vegetables, a hard-boiled free range egg and some lemon juice.

Afternoon snack: handful of mixed unsalted, raw nuts and seeds and a piece of fruit

Dinner: lentil and vegetable soup

This diet avoids foods which the body finds difficult to digest, such as meats and processed grains.  Eating regularly is important to balance blood sugar levels (preventing energy fluctuations) and to avoid cravings for carbohydrates and sweet things.

Drink water
Consume at least two litres of filtered water throughout the day.  Avoid caffeine – rather than coffee, experiment with herbal teas.  Nettle and dandelion are particularly good for de-toxing.  Rooibos is full of antioxidants.

Look after your liver – try some Milk Thistle
The liver is the organ which acts as a filter, trapping and processing any ingested toxins.  Liver-friendly foods include dark green leafy vegetables, seeds, nuts and eggs. Supplements can be beneficial to boost and support liver function.  A herb called Silybum Marianum (Milk Thistle) has been clinically proven to increase liver detoxification pathways and protect the health of the liver.

Sleep well
Getting enough sleep is also key to good health and healing.  When you are at rest, your body is doing its regeneration and repair work. Make sure you are getting at least 8 hours sleep a night

Exercise
Don’t forget that exercise is important to boost metabolism and release mood-lifting endorphins.

Ideally you should try and stick to a detox plan for at least two weeks to discover what a difference it makes to you, but this information is a guideline only.  See a qualified naturopath if you want a plan designed especially for your needs!

CNM is one of the UK’s leading training providers in a range of natural therapies. Graduate and postgraduate courses available. Colleges across the UK and in Ireland.
www.naturopathy-uk.com
01342 410505

CNHC news update

CNHC Profession Specific Board (PSB) elections start this year!
CNHC begins 2013 with a new way of appointing its Profession Specific Board (PSB) members.

Each therapy registered by CNHC has its own Profession Specific Board (PSB) which is a group of up to four CNHC registered practitioners of the relevant therapy. PSBs provide advice to the CNHC Board about therapy-specific issues and are a key element of CNHC’s structure.

Until now members of each PSB have been selected by the relevant profession in advance of the register opening to that discipline. This was agreed by CNHC’s Board as a starting position until the CNHC register had become well established.

Now CNHC’s register has been up and running for four years, and following consultation with CNHC’s existing Profession Specific Boards, the CNHC Board has agreed that PSB members will be selected through elections.

This means that CNHC registered practitioners will be able to stand for election as PSB members for their therapy, to be voted for by CNHC registered practitioners from the same therapy. The aim is to introduce a democratic process which gives CNHC registered practitioners a direct say in who will act as advisers to CNHC’s Board.

The first elections will take place in February 2013 for the massage therapy and nutritional therapy PSBs. Any registrant from either massage therapy or nutritional therapy is able to stand for election for the relevant PSB, including those who are currently members of the PSB.  The electorate will be all registrants in the relevant discipline at the time of the election.

CNHC will publish a template ‘election statement’ requiring candidates to set out in a maximum of 300 words how their background and experience meet our essential criteria. These statements will then be made available to the CNHC registered practitioners of each discipline in the Resources section of My CNHC.  The elections will be held electronically before the end of February 2013.

We will be emailing all CNHC registered massage therapists and nutritional therapists in early February 2013, setting out the full details and inviting registrants to stand for election.

The second round of elections will be held later in 2013 and we will set out details in a future edition of camclub enews.

For further information please contact CNHC at info@cnhc.org.uk  or call 020 3178 2199.

CNHC register opens to Craniosacral Therapy
CNHC opened its register to Craniosacral Therapy on 3 December 2012. This means that as practitioners register members of the public will be able to search the CNHC register for Craniosacral Therapists in their area. More and more people are searching the register to find practitioners who are properly trained, qualified and insured so this is good news for practitioners who want to sign up.

Practitioners are only admitted to the register if they can demonstrate that they meet national occupational standards and the core curriculum for Craniosacral Therapy. They must also agree to abide by a rigorous code of conduct, performance and ethics.

CNHC’s Chief Executive, Margaret Coats, commented: “The opening of CNHC’s register to Craniosacral Therapy provides further assurance to members of the public and commissioners of services that therapists across the complementary healthcare sector meet national standards.”

Craniosacral Therapy is the 15th discipline to join the CNHC register since it opened in January 2009. The other disciplines are Alexander Technique teaching, aromatherapy, Bowen Therapy, healing, hypnotherapy, massage therapy, microsystems acupuncture, naturopathy, nutritional therapy, reflexology, Reiki, shiatsu, sports therapy and yoga therapy.

Any practitioner interested in applying should check the CNHC website for details of the verification process. For further details check CNHC’s Step by Step Guide on the ‘How to Register’ section of CNHC’s website.

Craniosacral Therapy advertising wording available
Now that the register is open to Craniosacral Therapy, the therapy descriptor for Craniosacral Therapy is available on CNHC’s website.

CNHC has worked with the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) Copy Advice Team, in consultation with CNHC’s Profession Specific Boards (PSBs), to produce wording to describe each of the therapies CNHC registers. The Craniosacral Therapy descriptor is the latest to be added to the list following work with CNHC’s Craniosacral Therapy PSB.

The purpose of this is to offer wording that practitioners may use to describe their practice in a way that will reduce, to a very great extent, the risk of a successful complaint to the ASA. CNHC will inform registered practitioners of any amendments to the wording which may result from any future ASA adjudications.

All CNHC registered practitioners may find the wording for their therapy available to download in MyCNHC. The descriptors are also available on the CNHC website here Complementary Therapy Descriptors.

For more information about advertising see CNHC Advertising Guidance.

For more information about the CNHC go to CNHC’s website at: www.cnhc.org.uk , email info@cnhc.org.uk or call 020 3178 2199

Milk thistle sales soar in party season

Naturalproductsonline.co.uk – Posted on02 January 2013. Tags: hangover, milk thistle, part people

Sales of milk thistle soared over the Christmas and New Year party season, reports The Observer.
The newspaper said that growing awareness of the herb’s natural liver cleansing properties was being driven by partly by discussions on social media sites like facebook and Twitter. A new generation of party-goers were discovering milk thistle and stocking up with the herb as ‘damage limitation’.
Tesco – whose own-label THR Mark milk thistle products retails at £6 for 30 capsules – reported an 80% rise in sales over the festive period.

Sweeteners linked to weight gain

Naturalproductsonline.co.uk – Posted on02 January 2013. Tags: Sweeteners, weight gain

New research by scientists in Brazil has linked non-nutritive sweeteners (NNSs) like saccharin and Aspartame with weight game.
There has long been a suspicion that NNSs can lead to weight gain but the evidence is largely inconclusive. So the Brazilian team, led by Marcello Casaccia Bertoluci, designed a trial (using a rat model) to compare the effect of saccharin and aspartame to sucrose in body weight gain and in caloric intake.
The rats in the trial were given food consisting of plain yoghurt sweetened with 20% sucrose, 0.3% sodium saccharin or 0.4% aspartame, in addition to chow and a water supply. Measurements of body weight gain and calorie intake of the of sweetened yogurt were performed weekly for 12 weeks.
The results showed that addition of either saccharin or aspartame to yogurt resulted in increased weight gain compared to addition of sucrose, but that total caloric intake was similar among groups.
The researchers concluded that weight greater gain was promoted by the use of saccharin or aspartame, compared with sucrose – and this weight gain was unrelated to caloric intake. The speculate that a decrease in energy expenditure or increase in fluid retention could be involved.

Big firms fear weak NHCR enforcement

Naturalproductsonline.co.uk – Posted on08 January 2013. Tags: ASA, claims, NHCR, Trading Standards

Big food firms who have spent millions of pounds ensuring packaging, ads and websites are compliant with the EU Nutrition & Health Claims Regulation (NCHR), fear that the new claims regime will not be robustly enforced.
The Grocer (December 15) reported that many smaller companies were “carrying on oblivious to the legislation”, while others appeared to be taking a calculated risk by continuing to use unauthorised claims.
The food industry weekly quotes Steve Morrison, former COO of nutraceuticals firm Provexis (which secured the first ever 13.5 health claim), on the subject: “There are an awful lot of smaller companies that are not embracing the regulations. What is the value of the whole process, all the money spent and the man hours, if no one is going to police it?”
A leading food lawyer predicts meanwhile that first wave of challenges to the use of unauthorised claims in advertising will begin in early 2013.
Other food industry insiders believe that major brands will focus more of their marketing efforts on PR since newspaper articles fall outside of the reach of the new claims laws.
• Fears over weak NHCR enforcement are not confined to the UK. Nuraingredients.com recently reported that Italy has set fines for NHCR breaches as low as €500 – leading to one commentator claiming that the law was “cheaper to violate than comply with”.

Message to supermarkets: Do more in 2013 to keep our countryside beautiful

Naturalproductsonline.co.uk – Posted on27 December 2012. Tags: CPRE, local food, supermarkets

Supermarkets need to do more to encourage better management of our British landscapes, support local food producers, and pay farmers a fair price for the food they produce, says the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).
This year CPRE has published its Vision for the Future of Farming and a landmark report on local food, calling for a step-change by our supermarkets to improve the deal for the countryside, local food producers and farmers. The three key steps CPRE want to see them take are:
• sourcing, stocking, and promoting more foods that contribute towards managing our landscape and its wildlife;
• supporting local food producers by stocking more local food; and
• taking fully into account the cost of production when it comes to paying farmers for the food they produce.
Ian Woodhurst, Senior Farming Campaigner for CPRE, says: “2012 has seen highs and lows for farming and the countryside. We’ve celebrated the 25thanniversary. of green farming schemes that help protect and maintain our wonderful countryside. But dairy farmers have faced a crisis as the price they were paid for milk fell below the cost of production, and the bad weather has made growing food a real challenge. In response, some supermarkets started selling imperfect, ‘knobbly’ but still nutritious, fruit and veg to help overcome supply issues; a welcome and sensible step forward.
“Supermarkets have improved their environmental performance, particularly in terms of energy use. But there are other areas where CPRE believes they could do more, which is why our members are calling on them to make a New Year’s Resolution to give more support to the better management of our countryside, local food producers and farmers in 2013. A new year pledge from the big seven supermarkets can help make the future brighter for our countryside and for those who grow our food.”

Think global, act cellular’ – Holden’s recipe for food system overhaul

Naturalproductsonline.co.uk – Posted on06 December 2012. Tags: Patrick Holden, Resurgence, Sustainable Food Trust

A leading figure in the organic sector says that the food movement must mobilise public opinion more effectively if it is to break through into the mainstream.
The founder of the Sustainable Food Trust (and former Soil Association director), Patrick Holden, says there is a new onus on like-minded organisations in the organic, environment and sustainability movements to “leave their silos and start talking to each other”.
In a talk at a recent event to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Resurgence magazine Holden said that “at less than 5% of farmed land – and diminishing – organic simply hasn’t broken through”.
New approaches were he needed, he said, to bring about the overhaul of global agriculture that was urgently needed in the face of climate change, resource depletion and population growth.
Holden said that it would probably require a series of shocks before people would be galvanised into action. In the end, he added, “only informed public opinion will persuade politicians to act on our behalf.”
But inspiration was needed too, as well as shocks. Holden likened activities at the micro level – individual farms, allotments and window boxes – to building health at the cellular level, which if we all took responsibility for would impact positively on the global food system which could be thought of as a “vast living organism”.
• Watch the talk on NPTV

camexpo 2012 Show Review Out Now!

The camexpo 2012 show review is now availbe to view online – click here to view the review.

camexpo will return to Earls Court, London, in 5-6 October 2013.  For further information and to stay up-to-date with all the latest news and 2013 exhibitor information, please visit www.camexpo.co.uk.

CHC gets ready to click!

Posted on05 December 2012. Tags: Consumers For Health Choice, Save Our Supplements, Sue Croft – Published by: NaturalProductsOnline.co.uk
A re-energised Save Our Supplements campaign will harness the full power of the internet and social media and represents a coming of age for Consumers For Health Choice.
In a special interview in the December issue of Natural Products, CHC director Sue Croft explains the thinking behind the new SOS campaign to Natural Products editor Jim Manson.

Read it the interview in full here.

Riverford founder is top of the crops in BBC food awards

Posted on04 December 2012. Tags: BBC Food and Farming Awards, Guy Watson, Riverford Organic – Published by: NaturalProductsOnline.co.uk
Riverford Organic founder Guy Watson has been named Farmer of the Year in the 2012 BBC Food and Farming Awards. He picked up his award in a ceremony described by the chef and children’s food campaigner Jamie as the “Oscars of the food world”.
Guy Watson started growing organic veg in 1986 on his family farm in Devon and set up the Riverford vegbox scheme in 1993, delivering to 20 local friends and families. A recognised pioneer in box schemes and organic farming champion he was described in one nomination as “consistently delivering on his commitment and principles to do the right thing”.
Mike Duckett, former head of catering at the Royal Brompton hospital, meanwhile received the Derek Cooper Award. Every meal at the hospital is cooked on the premises using fresh, local ingredients, and thirty per cent of the food is organic or locally sourced, with organic meats appearing on the menu at least once a week.
Picture: Guy Watson (right) picks up his award.

Belgian guidelines hint at flexibility on claims wording

Posted on30 November 2012. Tags: EAS, EFSA, EU, Nutrition & Health Claims Regulation – Published by: NaturalProductsOnline.co.uk
New guidelines issued by Belgium hint at the extent to which health claims wording may vary across the EU, says international regulatory consultancy EAS.
The wording of article 13.1 claims under the Nutrition & Health Claims Regulation is seen by many in industry as both commercially restrictive and overly technical. Hopes have therefore been pinned on individual EU member states allowing for a more flexible ‘reformulation’ of wording at a national market level.

EAS regulatory affairs manager Stefanie Geiser said that member state flexibility will be a key determining factor for acceptable practices that deviate from the regulation.

The Belgian guidelines are the first final guidelines officially published in the EU, and it is expected that these will be followed by further national  guidelines in 2013. They cover a number of aspects, in particular permitted and prohibited principles with concrete examples related to reformulations of the terms ‘contributes to’ and ‘normal’. They also cover how the claims wording related to a health function may be reformulated and/or enriched with certain additional information (mainly from European Food Safety Authority opinions).

“The guidelines issued by Belgium provide an idea of the expected variations of permitted claims wording practices in national markets,” said Geiser. “They also illustrate that there may be space for negotiations with national authorities on specific product cases based on acceptable market practice in other EU countries. An overall positive trend is that the Belgian authorities show some flexibility on the permission to enrich/amend authorised Article 13.1 claims wordings in line with related functions expressed by EFSA in its opinions. It is hoped that this concept will also be taken on in the future guidelines of other EU Member States.”

• To help companies navigate national interpretation differences and plan for marketing and regulatory compliance after the

Article 13.1 list becomes applicable, Geiser and fellow EAS expert Patrick Coppens will host a workshop on 11 December in Brussels, titled ‘The Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation: Dealing with the present – Planning for the future’. For more information about the workshop or to register, visit http://www.eas.eu/Event/32

Specialists warn of “epidemic” of vitamin D deficiency

Posted on27 November 2012. Tags: cv, Rickets, vitamin D deficiency – Published by: NaturalProductsOnline.co.uk

A prominent academic has warned that this year’s dull summer could lead to record levels of vitamin D deficiency.

Professor Norman Ratcliffe from Swansea University says that a combination a 21st Century childhood of not playing outside and constantly wearing high factor sunscreen has been compounded by a poor summer. The result is that vitamin D levels have not been replenished sufficiently for the long winter months.

Professor Ratcliffe told the Daily Telgraph that parts of northern England recorded sunshine hours in summer similar to late winter.

He told the newspaper: “Unfortunately, the dull summer of 2012 will probably result in a record number of people with vitamin D deficiency. The situation in 2012 is probably much more serious than normal with the dull summer leading to even more people with vitamin D deficiency.”

He added: “The effects of low vitamin D levels in the body are very serious as adequate levels may be necessary to prevent common cancers, heart and autoimmune diseases, rickets, osteomalacia (bone pain and muscle weakness), diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and depression.”

Separately, children’s health specialist professor Nicolas Clarke from Southampton General Hospital has warned that more children are at risk of developing rickets. He says an education drive on the risks is needed as “primary care doctors are not up to speed”. Professor Clarke told the Daiuly Mail that “widespread fortification of foods with vitamin D and use of supplements is the only way to combat the problem”.

Natural beauty hotlist announced

Posted on14 November 2012. Tags: Jayney Lee Grace, Natural Beauty Yearbook, Whole Foods Market – - Published by: NaturalProductsOnline.co.uk

Natural beauty advocate Janey Lee Grace was named number one in the Natural Beauty Yearbook’s prestigious 6th annual industry hotlist last night (Tuesday 13 November).

Hosted by leading French beauty brand Melvita at Whole Foods Market, Kensington High Street, in London, the launch party saw the natural beauty trade converge to hear the announcement of the Natural Beauty Yearbook’s exclusive countdown, which provides an essential snapshot of the leading personalities driving the hottest trends and products in the natural and organic beauty market.

“I’m thrilled to be voted number one – thrilled to bits. I’m so passionate about natural and organic beauty, so thanks to everyone in the industry for voting for me,” Jayney told the assembled crowd of beauty buyers, manufacturers, journalists and bloggers at the 2013 launch (see our gallery of pictures from the night below).

The full Who’s who in natural beauty 2013 – the top 25 list is as follows:
1. Janey Lee Grace, broadcaster, author and natural beauty advocate
2. Carol and Paul Richards, Herbfarmacy co-directors
3. Alex and Kim Barani, Kinetic Enterprises
4. Simon Ford, Melvita UK, brand manager
5. Kirstie Allen, Pinks Boutique, co-founder
6. Simon Duffy & Rhodri Ferrier, Bulldog, co-founders
7. Graeme Hume, Pravera, founder
8. Tracey Robinson, Vert PR, founder
9. Sarah Brown, Pai Organic Skincare, owner
10. Sebastian Pole and Tim Westwell, Pukka, co-founders
11. Rebecca Goodyear, Biteable Beauty, PR and writer
12. Claire Braithwaite, Zulu Beauty, co-owner
13. Simon Golding, Australis, owner
14. Dr Mariano Spiezia, Inlight Organic Skincare, founder
15. Fiona Klonarides, Beauty Shortlist, editor
16. Michael Lightowlers, Dr Organic, marketing director
17. Nic White, Alva and ONE Beauty, founder
18. Jayn Sterland, Weleda, commercial director
19. Rivka Rose, Faith Products, founder
20. Sarah Stacey & Jo Fairley, beauty journalists
21. Ines Hermida, Whole Foods Market, beauty buyer
22. Imelda Burke, Content Beauty, founder
23. Margo Marrone, The Organic Pharmacy, founder
24. Laura Rudoe, Evolve, owner
25. Star Khechara, School of Holistic Cosmetology, course developer