The importance of breathing

My 8-year-old son has a new French Horn teacher this year. At first I was slightly sceptical, thinking he looked a bit zany. But I quickly realised that his methods were innovative and effective.


For the moment he's not worried about the actual notes coming out, just the texture and quality. For now at least, he isn't in the least bit interested in the final product, but how it's being produced. He is obsessed by the fact that breathing should come from the tummy and not the lungs for true harmony (in every sense of the word).


The result is that after a half-hour lesson my son emerges soothed, calm and happy as opposed to tense and fatigued. Infact, I think I can even cancel his yoga classes!

What is naturopathy?

Somebody asked me today to explain the principle of naturopathy. They thought it was 'treating symptoms with herbs and things'.


Although we sometimes end up using 'herbs and things' to treat ailments, it is much more a question of rebalancing the body that has been knocked sideways by 21st Century living; the body has an innate ability to cure itself when given the chance. 


But there is little point in consulting a naturopathic doctor if you're going to go home afterwards and gorge on sugary, refined food, and remain inactive while stressed to the hilt. Naturopathy is an on-going process, the benefits of which you should reap into your nineties...

Sun exposure

Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images

At first glimpse, this photo, taken in 1934, looks horribly shocking, especially in today's neurotic world. But, in many ways East Poplar Council had it sussed; the idea was simply to expose young children to fresh air and sunshine, something we are at long last beginning to acknowledge is of utmost importance. 


After years of religiously smothering our babies in chemicals to 'protect' them from the cruel sun, the true value of it's healing power is beginning to surface. Even dermatologists have been forced to admit that 'limited' exposure is beneficial.


There are more and more cases of rickets emerging; in 2010 the British Medical Journal reported that doctors in Newcastle on Tyne saw 20 cases of rickets per year. Rickets, or the adult equivalent osteomalacia, is generally due to a deficiency of vitamin D. This is often attributed to over-zealous application of sun protection and not enough time spent outside.

Autism linked to cholesterol deficiency

It wasn't so long ago that the powers-that-be were contemplating adding statins to drinking water. They did concede that it would also be necessary to have 'baby drinking water' without the toxic, er sorry, statin addition as it can cause birth defects and abnormalities.


The latest studies show that there is a clear link between 'cholesterol deficiency' and autism.

"Dr. Richard Kelly, a research physician at John Hopkins University has found, along with his colleagues, that autistic symptoms prevalent in the genetic disorder SLOS quickly reversed after supplementation with dietary cholesterol. Some of the many improvements included sleeping through the night, overcoming aberrant behaviors, learning to walk, speaking for the first time and becoming more responsive and social family members. In addition, other benefits of cholesterol supplementation included a decreased rate of infections, reduced skin rashes, marked reduction in self-hurtful behaviors, improved muscle tone, decreased tactile defensiveness, more rapid growth and improved behavior overall. Parents reported their children having significant decreases in autistic behavior and even some adults, without speech, spoke for the first time - all within days of taking cholesterol supplements.  These changes occurred before cholesterol values had increased in the blood, which indicates that the improvements may be a result of cholesterol forming its derivatives - such as steroid hormones or bile salts."

This link is hardly surprising given cholesterol's ubiquitous and very necessary presence in the brain; the brain comprises only 2% of the body's total weight, yet it contains nearly 25% of the body's total cholesterol. 


The pharmaceutical companies now have a new challenge (which is fortuitous as many of the statin patents are due to run out) : to create a pill to increase serum cholesterol rather than lower it. 


I wonder if it's ever occured to them to 'leave well alone' and let the body determine and manage its optimum levels? I suppose not; what would be the benefit?