New Year Resolutions

I can’t believe it is 2010! When I was young, that was a date that was never going to arrive, and yet here we are. I love the New Year because it always feels like a new start. Every year I make a list of resolutions that I am convinced I will definitely stick to but rarely seem to. This year is going to be different though because I’ve ensured I’ve only made a few, and I plan to tackle them one by one rather than all at the same time.

My first resolution is to give up fizzy drinks and caffeine altogether. That means no coffee or even tea. I will replace fizzy drinks with water or squash, and coffee and tea with herbal teas and fruit teas.

My second resolution is to find a sport that I really enjoy. It is important to get lots of exercise, but it is best if it doesn’t feel like a chore. That is why I am heading down to the local sports centre to see what classes are available.

Finally, I am going to develop my interest in aromatherapy. I have always practiced it and I have a good basic understanding, but I want to learn more and find out everything there is to know. I have found it to be an effective and powerful tool for combatting a variety of symptoms such as stress, anxiety or insomnia, but I know there is so much more to learn.

I am hoping that by keeping the list short and sweet, I am going to see success in my goals. Committing publicly to a a task is a good way of making sure it happens. Why don’t you write your resolutions below. You might just find them easier to stick to if you publicly declare them.

Protect yourself from Flu this winter

Winter is upon us once again, only this year we have seen a rather rampant and dangerous flu reeking havoc across the globe that although has simmered down now, could potentially rear its ugly head again in the future. Although health care professionals in the UK seem confident another bout could be dealt with efficiently and risks kept to a minimum, there are a few natural things you can do to protect yourself and decrease the chances of catching any flu, swine or the plain old seasonal variety.

Solid deep sleep, plenty of exercise and a diet packed full of fruits and vegetables is the number one step to take. This will ensure your immune system is working at its peak performance levels which is important when battling illnesses and disease. Berries, beans and green tea are especially good for your immune system.

Try and get at least 8 hours of deep uninterrupted sleep each night. Instead of watching TV until 11, go to bed at 10 with a book and you will find yourself dropping off in no time. Watching TV tricks our bodies into thinking we are not tired, when really we are. For exercise, spend at least 30 minutes each day doing something that raises your heartbeat just a fraction. Even just hoovering the house is enough, no one is asking you to train for a marathon!

Introduce more garlic into your life if you really want to fight the flu! Studies have shown it is not just vampires that it wards off, but also cold and flu symptoms. You could make some really garlickly salad dressings, or make a healthy pizza with masses of garlic sprinkled on top. Yes, you may smell a little, but that is still better than catching a cold or even worse the flu.

Have any of you got any ideas of how to ward off colds, coughs and the flu? Send in all your comments below including any top tips you have.

Tea and Coffee Substitutes

Drinking too much tea and coffee is not something that is recommended by doctors and nutritionists as not only does caffeine dehydrate us, it also interrupts our sleep patterns and plays havoc with our bodies. To many of us however, going without that first cup in the morning is not something that can be given up easily.

There are a number of alternatives to these caffeine filled drinks. Coffee substitutes that are designed to taste and smell like coffee are readily available. Lima Organic Yannoh Coffee Substitute is a very good one to try. Another great alternative to coffee is a cup of Cotswold Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee.

Chicory root that has been roasted and dried is another popular coffee alternative, and in fact it has been this root that people have turned to throughout difficult periods in history such as war time when money for coffee, or coffee itself was not available. The root has a strong flavour and after roasting the taste is similar to that of coffee, yet with no caffeine. Furthermore, chicory has many positive health benefits for organs such as the liver and even helps cleanse the blood.

If you want to drink less coffee for medicinal or health reasons, it doesn’t have to be the end of the world as there are some excellent alternatives available that are likely to offer a host of benefits that caffeine laden drinks cannot.

Do any of you drink coffee substitutes? Have you tried roasted chicory root? Send in your comments below.

Why not to eat late at night

There has been quite a lot of research into whether eating late at night is detrimental to your health, and whilst some scientists and doctors say it makes no difference to your body when you eat, new evidence suggests otherwise.

The Spanish are renowned for eating extremely late at night, often between 10 and 11pm in the summer and they have among the highest life expectancies in the world - it obviously doesn’t do any harm you might say? Well, that’s not quite the whole story because they only eat a very small serving of food at night as they have their big meal at around 2pm which gives them the rest of the day to ‘burn’ it off through general day to day activity.

Eating red meat in particular late at night is not good for us as it is quite difficult for the body to digest and requires a lot of energy to do so. So when we go to bed (which is meant to be a time for the body and mind to totally relax and recover from the day’s activity) our bodies have to go into overtime to digest the food consumed. This can lead to interrupted sleep and leave us feeling lethargic in the morning. Our bodies quite simply aren’t allowed to rest when we follow the pattern of eating very late at night.

If you are one of those however who like to have their largest meal at night, there are some small changes you can make to ensure you don’t suffer any of the consequences. Use vegetables as the bulk of your meal to enable your body to digest the food quickly and easily. Fruit is another good group that the body can digest without too much ‘effort’. Taking a brisk walk after you eat will give your body some help with digestion too and help you get a better night’s sleep.

It is possible to retrain your body into good habits and to stop craving heavy and sugary foods late at night. By bringing your supper time forward by even just a few minutes each night, you will gradually want to eat earlier which your body will thank you for! If you do find yourself hunting around for a late night snack, try drinking a cup of hot water with lemon and honey, or a nice cup of herbal tea. Making small changes here and there will do wonders for your body and your health. Do you find that eating late at night had adverse effects on you? What do you do to combat the snack attacks late at night?

A guide to health boosting tea

We all know that there a many different varieties of tea, but did you know that many of them have health boosting ingredients that will do wonders for your body?

Digestion
A cup of peppermint tea drunk at the end of a meal will aid digestion, helping the meal you have just eaten make its way through your body with no difficulty at all.

Sleep
A cup of Chamomile tea before bed will ensure you receive a good nights sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.

Nausea
The tea for ridding yourself of nausea is ginger. It can be used to combat morning sickness and travel sickness. Drinking it in this way is more pleasurable than simply popping a capsule.

Immune System
The herb by the name of Echinacea is often mixed with fruit when being made into tea, and this combination provides an excellent boost to your immune system. If you feel a cold coming on invest in a packet to help you overcome it.

Concentration
Ginkgo Biloba tea is a natural concentration aid, helping to focus the mind and improve even memory skills. Got an exam coming up or lots of work to do? Try Ginkgo for the week and see how you get on.

Skin Cleansing
To put the glow back into your skin, drink nettle, lemon balm or red clover tea.

Calming
Feeling anxious, worried or even slightly depressed? Lemon balm tea will help soothe away your stresses and strains and even help battle depression as it contains natural anti-depressant properties.

Headaches
Constant headaches can be very tiresome. If you don’t want to always turn to paracetamol, you could give Rosemary tea a trial. It can taste quite bitter though and if the taste is not quite for you, try mixing in a teaspoon of honey.

If any of you have tried any of these teas and would like to tell us how they helped you, send in your comments. Are there any teas that I have missed off the list?

Herbal Teas are King

Here at Baldwin’s we think the human body should be treated with respect it deserves. Of course drinking in moderation, eating well and choosing walking over jumping in the car are vital to this cause, but there is one area that we feel is often overlooked. It seems harmless enough, but as people often have up to a 6 a day habit, caffeine no longer become harmless.

We are thrilled to be able to offer an healthy alternative, we think of them a little bit like the nicotine patches for smokers! Our herbal tea bags are natural and good for you and the smell is just heavenly.


Enjoy working your way through our selection, it will take you a while! Each week endeavour to seek out a new flavour. A particular favourite of ours is Dr Stuarts Apple And Ginger Tea, and despite initial reservations, we must say our Wild Fennel Tea Bags are particularly toothsome too!


So we urge all those heavy coffee drinkers out there to throw down those instant granules, and stock up on delicious organic herbal teas. There are even particular flavours that are good for all your internal organs and digestion. Mint tea for example can do wonders for the digestive tract. We are always interested in hearing feedback though. Can anyone recommend other flavours to try? Have you found common ailments magically disappear?