Tag Archives: tea

Can’t Sleep? What’s Keeping You Up?

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Can’t sleep? What’s keeping us Brits awake at night?

Recent research has revealed the NHS is spending £50million a year on drugs to help combat insomnia. We take a look at what could be the cause of the nation’s unrest and what we you can do to help nod off naturally.

· The Reason: Restless legs

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) can vary in severity and causes an irresistible inclination to move your legs. RLS can cause discomfort in the feet, calves and thighs and in many cases, the condition can be distressing and disruptive and effect daily activities including sleep.

Acupuncturist Rachel Peckham notes: “Over 50% of people in the UK suffer with sleep disorders of some kind, generally attributed to a stressful lifestyle, RLS is a common problem. Traditional Acupuncture is known to be enormously beneficial for helping correct sleep problems. Most people find treatment wonderfully relaxing, as acupuncture is known to calm the nervous system and also affect hormonal outputs by increasing endorphin production.”

Try it: To find a practitioner in your area call the British Acupuncture Council on 020 8735 0400 or visit www.acupuncture.org.uk

· The Reason: Stress

“Stress is a collection of physiological, cognitive, affective and behavioural symptoms that are caused by difficult situations in our daily life. It can affect each individual in different ways ranging from less severe symptoms such as headaches all the way up to depression and anxiety.” Comments Dr David Edwards’, “exercise and a healthy diet are crucial to maintaining a relaxed mind and body. I would also recommend some of my patients take Rhodiola rosea as a short term option when suffering stressful periods. Taking 200mg, twice a day could help to control the release of stress hormones whilst helping to improve energy and concentration levels, which can help reduce symptoms of stress.” Rhodiola rosea is an ‘adaptogen’ – a substance of natural plant origin that is able to increase the body’s resistance to stress and normalise imbalances with minimal side effects.

Try it: Vitano® contains Rhodiola rosea root extract 200mg and is available from Boots, leading pharmacies and health-food stores priced at £13.27 for 30 tablets. Always read the label. For further information visit www.vitano.co.uk.

· The Reason: Caffeine

Drinking tea and coffee throughout the day can have a negative impact when it comes to bed time. Cutting down on caffeine by reducing the amount of tea/coffee/fizzy drinks really can make it easier to nod off, if you find it hard to get through the day without your caffeine hit try reducing the number of caffeine laden drinks and cut back on all caffeine after 3pm. Expert Nutritionist Kirsten Brooks notes “Camomile is a wonderful herb with sedative properties, helping us to relax and encourage sleep. As a warm drink, it’s a great way to unwind in the evening.”

Try it: Heath and Heather’s Camomile infusion has been finely crafted using the highest quality Camomile, perfect for relaxation and unwinding, this gentle and soothing infusion could also help to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.

. Naturally caffeine-free

. 100% Natural

. Available in packs of 20 & 50

. RRP from £1.49 & £2.89

· The Reason: Hot Flushes

It is estimated that 8 out of 10 women in the UK experience symptoms leading up to the menopause and of these, 45% find their symptoms difficult to deal with. Symptoms can be wide ranging from insomnia and anxiety to hot flushes and night sweats impacting lifestyle and relationships.

Kathy Abernethy, Chair of the UK Menopause Nurse Group and a member of the Medical Advisory Council of the British Menopause Society comments: “After years working in a busy NHS menopause clinic, advising women in consultation as well as running education programmes for nurses, I understand how the menopause affects women not only physically but also psychologically. I often give women lifestyle and diet advice and try to encourage women to look positively at this time of change and to take steps to ensure good health.”

Details of a new study in the Journal of Gynaecological Endocrinology note how red clover supplementation can provide a natural alternative to help reduce hot flushes.

Try it: Promensil Double Strength (80mg) dietary supplements have been specifically developed to help women manage symptoms of the menopause naturally and effectively without resorting to HRT. Promensil Double Strength has been proved to reduce hot flushes and night sweats by 75%. Available from Boots, Ocado, good independent chemists and health food shops. Visit www.promensil.co.uk for further information or call 01903 280 860.

· The Reason: Nocturnal Cramps

Nocturnal muscle cramp could well be the new snoring, causing distress and sleep disruption to more than 13 million people in the UK. 82 per cent of women have suffered with the complaint, with 12 per cent experiencing nocturnal cramps every night. It is an extremely painful and distressing condition with many people suffering in silence. Insomnia specialist and founder of the Sleep School, Dr Guy Meadows said: “Quality sleep is essential to ensure you feel regenerated and ready for the day ahead. Interruptions caused by emotional or health problems can be very detrimental to everyday life, making it harder to concentrate at work and affecting relationships. Frustration and anxiety about disturbed sleep can cause it to become even worse.

“People often aren’t aware that they could be suffering from a sleep condition that is easy to treat. Instead of worrying about the problem, it is important to trust your body’s ability to sleep, making lifestyle changes or taking appropriate treatments where appropriate.”

Try it: Crampex is the only product available without prescription for the prevention and treatment of night cramps and it doesn’t have any of the side effects associated with taking Quinine (which is regularly prescribed). Crampex costs from £4.29 for a pack of 24 tablets and is available over the counter from pharmacies. More tips and advice can be found on www.goodsleepadvice.com and the Good Night Guide consumer leaflet is also available on request.

· The Reason: Bloating

Much like the rest of your body, your digestive system needs time to rest. Going to bed and getting up at set(ish) hours each day can help our digestive system work more effectively and improve the regularity of our bowel movements. Waste material in the colon impairs our ability to absorb vitamins and minerals which can affect prevent the immune system from working at its optimum level.

Try it: Sun Chlorella® ‘A’ is a natural green algae whole food supplement from Japan – an excellent choice for bloating as it contains a staggering range of nutrients including around 10% fibre, to help move food through the system more effectively. Nutritionist and Natural Health expert Nadia Brydon explains “Sun Chlorella ‘A’ acts as an ‘intestinal broom’, cleansing the bowel by clinging on to toxins like mercury, lead or pesticides in your intestines and then eliminating them as waste.

Sun Chlorella is priced £21.95 for 300 tablets (a 20-30 day supply) and is available from www.SunChlorella.co.uk, free phone 0800 008 6166, www.victoriahealth.com, www.NutriCentre.com, www.bodykind.com, Revital stores, www.revital.co.uk and good health stores.

· The Reason: Not tired enough

If you haven’t burned enough energy throughout the day, it’s likely that you’ll find bedtime a struggle when it comes to nodding off, Justin Way, Personal Trainer from Pure Gym explains “There are a million ways you can give yourself a workout at home without spending a penny on expensive equipment. When hoovering standing on your left leg whilst pushing and pulling the hoover around with your right arm. Hop to move around the room and alternate legs every 2 mins. This will work the core massively whilst bringing great tone to the legs and bum.”

Try it: Pure Gym’s 24-hour, no contract membership starts from £17.99 a month. For more information, visit www.puregym.com

The Tea Guild’s Top London Afternoon Tea 2012 Awards of Excellence

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The Tea Guild’s Top London Afternoon Tea 2012 Awards of Excellence

LONDON WINS 21 PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE

The Tea Guild has bestowed 21 Awards of Excellence in this year’s Top London Afternoon Tea Awards 2012 to leading establishments in the capital. The venues achieving this coveted Tea Guild award for recognition of their consistently exceptional standards of quality and tea service are: Brown’s Hotel; Claridge’s; Four Seasons Hotel Park Lane; Grosvenor House Park Room & Library; Sofitel London St James; The Capital Hotel, The Chesterfield; The Connaught; The Dorchester; The Goring; The InterContinental Park Lane; The Lanesborough; The Langham; The Milestone; Hyatt Regency London The Churchill; The Montague on The Gardens; The Royal Garden Hotel; The Royal Horseguards Hotel; The Savoy; The Ritz and The Wolseley.

Now in their 27th year, the acclaimed Tea Guild Awards of Excellence are seen as the ‘Michelin star’ of all tea awards, with leading tea rooms and world class hotels throughout London competing for the fashionable and renowned honour. Taking afternoon tea is a cherished experience steeped in British tradition and will be particularly popular in the capital this year as the British public and many of this year’s overseas visitors celebrate British traditions with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Olympic Games.

The Tea Guild’s secret inspectors have assiduously been searching the capital to seek out the finest tea experiences to see who is deserving of an “Award of Excellence” and who should win the Top London Afternoon Tea 2012 Award. As well as judging London’s top tea rooms and hotels, The Tea Guild’s judges have travelled across Britain to find the annual winners of the Top City and Country Hotel Tea Award 2012 and the Top Tea Place 2012 Award. All visits have been anonymous to ensure the results are completely fair and accurate. The anonymous judges awarded points for the variety, flavour and knowledge of the teas offered, together with the quality of food, service, décor, ambience, and presentation. With 125 points to be lost or gained on the judge’s scorecard, only those establishments achieving the very highest standards across a number of categories can make it to the top.

The judges were so impressed with the quality of the afternoon tea served at the following London Establishments that they awarded them high marks in every category: Brown’s Hotel; Claridge’s; Four Seasons Hotel Park Lane; Grosvenor House Park Room & Library; Sofitel London St James; The Capital Hotel, The Chesterfield; The Connaught; The Dorchester; The Goring; The InterContinental Park Lane; The Lanesborough; The Langham; The Milestone; Hyatt Regency London The Churchill; The Montague on The Gardens; The Royal Garden Hotel; The Royal Horseguards Hotel; The Savoy; The Ritz and The Wolseley.

The Tea Guild has now also presented the 2012 award for the Top London Afternoon Tea, which was received by The Athenaeum Hotel in Mayfair. The rest of the Awards are yet to be announced.

Commenting on the 21 ‘Awards of Excellence’ received in the capital, Irene Gorman, Head of The Tea Guild, notes: “Each year the judges’ task of choosing those who receive an ‘Award Of Excellence’ gets more challenging, as standards within The Tea Guild continue to reach new levels and this year’s London competition was no exception.”

“The Awards of Excellence to these leading establishments were presented in recognition of their admirable and consistently high standards of tea making, evident in the care and attentiveness with which they prepare and serve afternoon tea.”

She added: “In the Capital afternoon tea is now the most fashionable way to catch up with friends. It has become increasing popular be it after a busy morning’s shopping, a business meeting, for that special family occasion, a romantic date or a truly memorable experience for the bride to be and her girlfriends. More and more people are taking time out to enjoy that ‘very special afternoon tea moment’.”

Brew up your own FestiviTea Party in aid of autism!

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The National Autistic Society (NAS), the UK’s leading charity for people affected by autism, is asking friends, families and colleagues to get together during the festive season and raise money for charity by throwing a ‘FestiviTea Party’. Organising your very own bash couldn’t be easier and requires just three very simple ingredients: tea, cake and friends!

FestiviTea Parties are a chance to roll up your sleeves, don your aprons and bake up a storm with your nearest and dearest, whilst at the same time raising vital funds for the National Autistic Society. You can hold your party anywhere and at anytime. Whether it’s at home, work or out in the local community, you can make your FestiviTea Party as elaborate or as laid back as you like. How you choose to raise the money is also up to you – ask guests to buy tickets, make a donation, or pay for the cakes and biscuits you bake!

Christmas can be a stressful time for many families, but it can be extremely difficult for the half a million people affected by autism, who can often become confused and frightened by sudden changes of routine, unusual foods and new social activities. We need your help to continue to provide vital support and services for individuals and families affected by autism across the UK.

Jane Asher, President of The National Autistic Society and famous for her cake baking said: “I love baking, especially at Christmas time, and if you have children FestiviTea is a great activity to get them involved in too. But you don’t have to be an expert baker or spend lots of time putting together your own tea party: you can keep things simple and easy to organise by asking your friends to help out – or by buying ready-made supplies from the shops.”

“This is the time of year when we all like to get together with our loved ones – but it’s also the perfect time to think about helping those who find Christmas celebrations frightening and confusing. FestiviTea lets you do both at the same time: you’ll have fun with family and friends and every penny you raise will go towards helping the half a million people with autism in the UK.”

Last year, FestiviTea Party organisers across the country raised a fantastic £16,000 and this year, we want to get everyone in the Christmas spirit and raise even more. Every penny raised makes a difference and helps ensure that people with autism across the UK have the support they need to live fulfilling and rewarding lives.

To find out how to organise your own FestiviTea Party, visit: www.festivitea.org.uk or order a pack by calling 0845 180 0426 or emailing festivitea@nas.org.uk.