Imperfectly Natural - Janey's Blog

Book now for my Summer Body & Soul Day!

Tue, 15 May 2012 21:16:00 GMT

Really excited about my Summer Body & Soul day on 21st July in Hertfordshire. We've got the amazing Gordon Coxon doing a 'Gong Bath' - where incredible pulsations and vibrations flow through your senses. There's a joyful and inspirational NIA class - this is a fabulous mixture of dance and movement, incorporating mind, body, spirit and emotions. We also have a brand new session on the effects of mobile phones and EMF's with Sosatec, experts in EMF protection. We have cleansing teas and healthy snacks all day and I finish the day off with my own relaxing Yoga Nidra session.

Book now for a special early bird price of £75 (before 1st June). You also get a 15% discount if you've been on one of Janey's retreat days before.

The Intimate truth - How women really feel about their bodies after giving birth

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:57:00 GMT

My recent survey 'You and Your body after childbirth' generated some fascinating responses -delighted to see that over 90 per cent of mums attampted to breastfeed from the off, sadly after birth 41.8 per cent experienced mood swings and 79.6 per cent were too tired to make love. Following on from last weeks news story about Helena Bonham Carter needing to use nappies on the set of HARRY POTTER as her bladder was so weak, shes not alone, over 50 per cent of mums reported 'embarrassing leaks' - For once I have the answer !! Check out The Pelvic Toner

New research suggests that in the weeks and months after giving birth almost half of the 150 women surveyed said that they had experienced mood swings, 40% suffered from post natal depression, and 45% suffered from lack of sleep and lack of confidence. The online survey ‘You and Your Body after childbirth’ carried out by Janey Lee Grace author of Joyful Pregnancy in conjunction with The PelvicToner (www.pelvictoner.co.uk) also showed around a third of women experienced weight problems and haemorrhoids. Even more experienced a weak bladder.

In a recent interview actress Helena Bonham Carter revealed that her pelvic floor was so weak after giving birth 12 weeks earlier that she gushed all over the Harry Potter set ! ‘Really I couldn’t jump up and down and scream without losing most of my bodily liquid.’ She eventually resorted to nappies! She’s not alone - according to the survey, over 50% of new mums suffered lack of bladder control and ‘embarrassing leaks’ when they coughed, sneezed, laughed and exercised.

There is considerable ignorance about what happens to the pelvic floor during childbirth and of the consequences of not taking early action to restore and strengthen the pelvic floor muscle. For many mums, the shock and embarrassment of stress incontinence often first hits home when they get back to the gym or in rough and tumble with their toddler. Trampolines and bouncy castles are often mentioned!

Weak pelvic floor muscles are also a key cause of a lacklustre sex life. A Lancet article estimates that 1 in 6 women will experience sexual problems after childbirth. When asked whether love making was as good as before childbirth almost 80% of respondents in the ‘You and Your Body after childbirth’ survey said they felt ‘too tired to make love’ in the first year after having a baby. Just over half of women also felt ‘less desirable’.

Clinical trials show that there is an effective solution, and it’s available on prescription. (Free with maternity exemption certificate). The PelvicToner is the only pelvic toning device that has been shown in clinical trials to offer the best hope of an early restoration of muscle tone – most users also report an improved sex life and 62% also reported that their partner noticed improved vaginal tightness.

The two-year randomised study of The PelvicToner at the Bristol Urological Institute (BUI) found that it was ''easy to use'' and proved ''particularly helpful'' in the majority of cases. 86 per cent of participants who used The PelvicToner reported a ''significant'' improvement in their condition.

The PelvicToner costs £31.99 from pharmacies or from www.pelvictoner.co.uk

And Congratulations to Lisa Moore - winner of the prize draw for free goodies !

__________________________________________________

ADDITIONAL NOTES For Editors
For interviews or more information on The PelvicToner contact Janey Lee Grace PR 07976 270242 janey@imperfectlynatural.com or Barry Fowler barry@spml.biz

Joyful Pregnancy www.imperfectlynatural.com

Other stats from the You and Your Body after Childbirth Survey:

Ninety per cent of respondents attempted to breastfeed from the outset but sixty per cent of those experienced soreness and just over twelve per cent had problems with lack of flow.
When asked ‘to what extent do you agree with the sentence ‘My body is back to its pre pregnancy state’ over sixty per cent of respondents said they were ‘not sure’
Sixteen per cent of respondents needed episiotomy and stitches, twenty seven per cent needed stitches to repair tearing and sixteen per cent had a C section.

Vitality Gathering - pampering for the mind, body and soul

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:27:00 GMT

I am thrilled to be speaking at the Vitality Gathering on 29th April at Trinity Wharf, London. Its right after my Energise and Revitalise day, so I will need some pampering!!

Take my survey and win £100 worth of Mother and baby goodies..!

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 17:48:00 GMT

This is a survey for all women who have had children. Check the link below and you could win £100 worth of Mother and baby goodies.
Click here to take survey

A fantastic opportunity to see Dr. Udo Erasmus in the UK...!

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:14:00 GMT

We have 10 pairs of tickets to give away for the talks that Udo Erasmus is doing next week in Manchester and London. He is making a very rare visit to the UK so it is a great opportunity for people to hear learn more about Essential Fats and health from the very man who introduced the world to Cold Pressed Omega Oils. For a chance to get yours go HERE

For all you bee lovers out there

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 08:43:00 GMT

You know how much I love our bees, so I was thrilled to meet Lisa-Marie Penrose at my recent Energise & Revitalise Day. She is a consultant for Neals Yard and gave me the new Bee Lovely hand cream to try - fabulous, AND they are giving £1 from every tube sold to the Help Save the Bees campaign.

Populations of bees are in rapid decline all over the world. In Britain, bees are disappearing faster than in the rest of Europe. Without them our country will be plunged into the kind of economic and social destruction of a level that begs the question 'can we survive without our brilliant and wondrous pollinators?'

We depend on bees to make our world rich: they feed us, heal us and clothe us.

Bees and other pollinators are responsible for the pollination of one third of our shopping basket. Beyond that, they are a part of an intricate and inter-connected eco-system - if we allow for their disappearance, we also threaten our own existence.

For the kids, there's a great Bee Lovely competition to enter for a chance to get your design on a real life beehive, plus more fab 'bee' prizes.

While we're on bees I'm also a big fan of Beeplenish furniture polish, fab for my distressed wooden table from www.newzealandhoneyshop.co.uk Talking honey I'm now just trialling the wonderful wild honey from

wildhoney.co.nz courtesy of Essential Trading and also Tiana raw honey, I'm honey'ed up !! To keep healthy when theres still bugs and beasties around and allergies try taking Bee Prepared Immune Support as well, contains bee propolis, black elderberry and beta glucans from www.unbeelievablehealth.co.uk

Beeee....good !

The best Natural Laundry Products

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:38:00 GMT

Click the image to check out my favourite natural laundry products.

Vitamin D - the sunshine vitamin

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:27:00 GMT

You will have seen the recent news about Vitamin D, I've been banging on about this for ever and a day and I'm thrilled that its finally out there !! I've long held a very controversial view re exposure to the sun, lets face it was not so long ago that sunshine was held in high esteem and Naturopaths prescribed sun 'bathing' in controlled conditions. 'Heliotherapy' was important and the sun and its benefits revered. Of course we have an ozone layer to think of and I'm not suggesting we all lie flat out for two weeks of the year and burn.

I regularly take the oral Vit D spray from Better You and they responded to the advice from Professor Dame Sally Davies, recommending that all children aged six months to five years should take vitamin D supplements, particularly during winter, to prevent the condition Rickets and other bone conditions. Andrew Thomas, Founder of BetterYou says: "BetterYou has led the field in vitamin D innovation for more than two years, producing the market's first vitamin D daily oral spray, in a range of strengths, catering for every vulnerable group.'

Heres an ARTICLE

“Particularly suitable for infants and older children the BetterYou spray is an excellent method of supplementation as there are no difficult tablets to swallow. In addition vitamin D relies on our bloodstream for transportation rather than the gut. An oral spray ensures faster uptake via the mucous membrane, entering the bloodstream three or four times faster with little wastage”

DLux400 product provides 400iu of vitamin D in a single spray - the recommended daily amount for children under five years old. Other products offer 1000iu and 3000iu per spray as well as a formulation including vitamin D, folic acid and vitamins B1 and B6 for use during pregnancy and nursing.

If you prefer to take supplements then you won't go far wrong with the excellent

Viridian Vitamin D (Vegan) 1000iu

90 Veg Caps
Product Code: 271V
Viridian supplements are excellent in that they contain no nasties or fillers and are very good value.
www.viridian-nutrition.com
Whichever way you decide to get your vitamin D make sure you do - its imperative !

Want increased energy and to feel revitalised ?

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:48:00 GMT

We had a fantastic day Energising and Revitalising and to share some of the awesome moments....First off we each shared what we all feel we need to increase our personal energy, for several of us it was being near the sea, I tend to get anxious and irritated if I don't get my 'fix' of the sea regularly (reminds its been a few weeks nearly time to book another trip) for others it was being in nature, caring for animals, lighting a candle, enjoying yoga and meditation. One of our lovely group, an actress said just working again doing what she loves gave her so much increased energy, We discussed how important it is to recognise these personal resources and ensure that we look after ourselves and give ourselves the perfect 'fuel' to keep us going.

We talked out the importance of the right nutrition, simple ways of introducing 100 per cent natural alternatives into your life because without doubt toxic chemicals will be a drain on energy and optimum health.

Of course Nia is wonderful for increased energy and pleasure, its not a 'no pain no gain' type of workout but it is all about the joy of movement - your body's way.

EFT master and Trainer Peter Donn joined us after lunch and gave us an insight into the power of EFT, he showed us how we can 'tap away' our own emotional and physical problems and several people who had a slight headache felt better after only about 5 minutes !

Gong master Gordon Coxon did the most awesome inspirational Gong Bath and people had some incredible experiences when we shared how we had felt, I went on a kind of 'journey, a fast train was whooshing along and I felt as if pulled to the right (don't worry - don't think it anything to do with politics!) after a while as I bathed in the healing sound of the gongs I cam back to a central position, Gordon suggested it was a way of my subconscious mind helping me to focus on feeling 'balanced'

We closed the day with a short session of Yoga Nidra relaxation, it requires no effort, Yoga Nidra means 'sleep' so it was very restful after the Gong bath to drift away but we also a personal ' intention' to plant deep into our subconscious mind.

My Yoga Nidra relaxation CD 'Rest Relax and Rejuvenate' including a 'Journey Through The Chakras' will be available soon. If you want one hot off the press drop me an email.

Ditch the New Years Resolutions - beat the blues naturally

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 12:44:00 GMT

Transferring stuff into my new diary I came across my new years resolutions list from a couple of years back.

• Resolve to join a gym.... (I’d ticked that one off but actually going to the gym proved slightly more difficult to do)
• Give up coffee.... (That one lasted a day or so till I remembered that my gym did really good cappuccinos with organic milk)

• Decorate the whole house with eco paints... .(Incredibly moving into a new house gave me the opportunity to do that courtesy of RMB Decoraters, but sadly the felt pen the kids have written across the walls with certainly isn’t organic.)

• Plan menus and set up online shopping.... (that lasted exactly 4 days, I ran out of most essential ingredients for the planned meals and the online shop proved disastrous.)

The start of a new year brings a new chapter, a time to reflect and plan ahead but somehow our new year’s resolutions lists are often just another way of setting ourselves up for failure and beating ourselves up for all the stuff we haven’t done that we feel we should have. Thank goodness I work under the brand-name ‘imperfectly natural’ If I’d left out that all important ‘im’ I’d be lynched by yoghurt knitting earth mothers who spot me having that quick glass of non organic wine, or eco warriors sifting through my bin bags to make sure I’ve re-cycled properly.

It’s the small steps that count though isn’t it, ‘small change big difference and all that’

So this year I’ve decided to ditch the list of resolutions, it’s great to set goals but to ‘resolve’ to do, or worse still to NOT do something is usually fraught with problems, The chances are you’re feeling frazzled and your resolutions will be something you feel to OUGHT to do rather than really want to. There’s also no real motivation or commitment to do what you simply feel you ought and so you fall at the first hurdle, look how many people resolve to diet, or give up drinking or smoking then come down with a bang as soon as the stresses of the new year kick on back to work day.

Telling ourselves determinedly that we’re going to ‘change our ways’ or do something differently can only work if our subconscious minds (our inner self) also believes it.

In an enlightened moment one cold wintry day, between Winnie the Pooh DVD's and bathing down my kids itchy skin with porridge oats (they got an inconvenient bout of chicken pox) I was feeling ridiculously stressed that I ought be working, cleaning the house, earning money - but suddenly I realised that the richest and most content people of all are those who accept themselves just as they are. Yes they strive to reach their goals but life is not a struggle for them and they’re capable of enjoying the moment, I remembered that line from a poem…..’I’m cuddling my baby and babies don’t keep’…..and realised there’s nothing more precious than being ‘present’, spending time with your loved ones in sickness and in health, somehow life does go on whatever the current stresses and no one is indispensable. I vowed then that my only new years resolution for the following year would be to lower my expectations and stop chasing my tail.
That’s not to say I don’t want to be happy though, deliriously so, indeed I think that’s the most important resolve but it’s the definition of happiness thats all important.

The kingdom of Bhutan has recently been hailed as a role model for legislating that happiness had to be considered when making policies. Politicians are being encouraged to consider Gross National Happiness (GNH) as well as Gross Domestic Product – (GDP) President Sarkozy of France praised this view and commissioned a report to examine how France measures indicators such as health family and leisure time.
Lisa Grainger in The Times newspaper 2.1.2010 said - ‘Starting to rationalise our world in terms of smiles not pounds seem well overdue’ I agree wholeheartedly, happiness, laughter and wellbeing are indeed more important than pounds and dollars.

I’m reminded of a wonderful yoga teacher who reminds himself to smile a lot in order to ‘practice contentment,’

But aside from forcing a Cheshire cat grin onto my rather harassed face what can I do? Well I kicked off the new year with a Nia class – Nia is a dynamic mix of yoga, martial arts, and different styles of dance. You work barefoot to music and work at your own level of intensity. It’s exhilarating and fun!
After our warm-up our inspirational teacher suggested we step sideways and leave behind all that we want to let go of from the last year and at the end of the class we step forward into whatever we want to embrace for the new year ahead.

I have so many hopes and goals and wishes that I wanted to try and simplify my long list. Finally I decided to focus on releasing stress – I’ve had far too much of it during the last year and allowed it to affect my health and wellbeing but in the process of writing my new book and interviewing all manner of experts on conscious living, I’ve come to realise that we aren’t born with stress, its a learned concept and as such it can be ‘unlearned’ So I stepped sideways and let go of the years debilitating stress.
I wondered what I could choose to embrace for the coming year and again my list went on for ever, I decided simply to step forward into Joy – I figure if I focus on joy everything else will fall into place.
It seems like a good plan, so I’ll be the one grinning wildly even in the face of adversity – smiling uses a different set of muscles and increases happy hormones, talking of using my muscles I intend to dig out the rebounder from under the pile of kids toys, I’ve been telling everyone about the benefits of rebounding but forgotten to practice myself ! I do remember however, that its the best full body workout aside from swimming and best of all its fun, its impossible not to smile while you’re bouncing – just ask Tigger from Winnie the Pooh !

Gratitude is pretty important too, I’m going to count my blessings and remember how lucky I am. I‘ve read the books that suggest I keep a ‘gratitude journal’ well basically any old notebook, but its important to keep it by your bedside and before you go to sleep jot down at least three things that you’re thankful for, its a lovely exercise for children too. I also intend to set up a Vision Board, - a noticeboard or even a piece of card with ideas, pics, and photos stuck to it, I’m going to find some images that represent what I want for the coming year and manifest them ! Bring on the recipes for raw chocolate truffles!

Its not all about me though, studies show that true happiness comes from giving rather than taking. As Wayne Dyer says in The Power of Intention ‘Purpose is not about vocation – its about service’ Giving to others, whether it be a random act of kindness to a stranger, a smile, a gift, or time spent with a lonely relative, helping or giving to others is said to increase feelings of happiness and wellbeing quicker than any materialistic retail therapy might. For most of us even if we gave away ten per cent of our wealth we’d still be amongst the richest 5 per cent of the world.

So that’s sorted then, if you should come across me frowning and bemoaning my lot I hereby give you full permission to reprimand me and remind me of my intent.

Hopefully (albeit imperfectly) I might succeed.
I wish for us all a happy stress-free joyful 2012

Janey Lee Grace is the author of Look great naturally – without ditching the lipstick’ i Hay House books.

Cherry juice helps you sleep and childhood obesity and diabetes link to Vitamin D deficiency

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 21:59:00 GMT

I love it when the stuff I've been banging on about for ages is suddenly across all the newspapers ! In the last couple of weeks we've seen Cherry Juice hit the headlines for anyone wanting a decent nights sleep

The reports read....
'Those of us seeking a better night's sleep may need to look no further than tart cherry juice, according to a new study in the European Journal of Nutrition.(1) An international team of researchers found that when adults had two daily glasses of tart cherry juice, they slept 39 minutes longer, on average, and had up to 6 percent increase in overall sleep efficiency (significantly less non-sleep time in bed), compared to when they drank a non-cherry, fruit cocktail.

In a study conducted at Northumbria University, twenty healthy adults drank two servings of tart cherry juice concentrate (30mL of 100% pure Montmorency juice concentrate per serving, diluted in a half pint of water; provided by CherryActive, Sunbury, UK) or a non-cherry fruit drink for seven consecutive days at a time - one serving when they woke up, and another before bed. The researchers tracked participant's sleep habits, and after drinking the cherry juice, they found significant improvements in sleep behaviors, most notably longer sleep time, less daytime napping and increased overall sleep efficiency (the ratio of time spent in bed to time spent sleeping) compared to when they drank the non-cherry juice drink.

The researchers attribute the sleep benefits to the melatonin content of the red Super Fruit - a powerful antioxidant critical for sleep-wake cycle regulation. Each serving of the tart cherry juice concentrate was estimated to contain the equivalent of 90 - 100 tart cherries, providing a significant level of melatonin in the juice and ultimately in the bodies of the participants.

Previous research has supported the benefits of tart cherries as a sleep aid - a potentially wide-reaching benefit since nearly one-third of all Americans suffer from sleep disturbances affecting their health and wellbeing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.(2,3) Currently, Americans spend more than $84 million on over-the-counter sleep aids each year, leaving many searching for cost-effective ways to help manage their conditions.(4) While more research is necessary before medical professionals turn to cherries as a sole treatment for sleep disorders, the scientists conclude that tart cherry juice concentrate could be a viable "adjunct intervention for disturbed sleep across a number of scenarios."

So there you have it, its official, personally as I say in 'Look Great Naturally without ditching the lipstick' I've seen how amazingly effective Cherryactive can be for those with arthritis and Fibromyalgia, a friend of mine who had simply accepted the pain, found she was sleeping better and pain free after taking it for just over a week. www.cherryactive.co.uk

The Sunshine Pill ?

2011 was the year that our lack of Vit D really hit the headlines, I've long had contraversial views on Suncare, believing that using conventional sun creams is more likely to lead to problems than careful sun exposure but of course the real issue is our lack of Vitamin D. In fact Chris Woollams who runs the charity Cancer Active ran an interesting article where he claimed an oncologist had informed him that at least 25 per cent of deaths from breast cancer could be avoided if women had adequate levels of Vitamin D

Its recently hit the UK headlines in relation to obese children.

TUESDAY, Dec. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Low levels of vitamin D are much more common in obese children than in those who aren't obese and are associated with insulin resistance, a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, researchers have found.

The study included 411 obese children and 87 children who weren't overweight. Researchers measured the children's vitamin D levels, blood sugar levels, serum insulin, body mass index and blood pressure.

The children were also asked about their daily consumption of soda, juice, milk, fruits and vegetables, and whether or not they routinely skipped breakfast.

The findings are slated for publication in the January issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

"Our study found that obese children with lower vitamin D levels had higher degrees of insulin resistance," lead author Dr. Micah Olson, of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, said in a news release from the Endocrine Society. "Although our study cannot prove causation, it does suggest that low vitamin D levels may play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes."

Obese kids who had poor dietary habits, such as skipping breakfast and drinking lots of soda and juice, also tended to have lower vitamin D levels, the study found.

Future research should look at whether making sure obese kids get adequate vitamin D could also help with insulin resistance, Olson added.

Past studies have linked low vitamin D levels with cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. It's not fully known how obesity and associated conditions are related to vitamin D deficiency.

A recent study also said that pregnant women should ensure they have decent levels. You can be tested by your doctor or independently and I highly recommend the Vitamin D capsules from Viridian and the excellent Oral Spray from Better you who also offer tests to determine your levels. www.betteryou.co.uk.com

Bowen Treatment

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:50:00 GMT

So its official 4 out of 5 of us suffer with back pain at some point in our lives, and specifically back pain. It can be totally debilitating and can strike at any time, it accounts for massive loss of income and productivity as people take time off work. Dr Hilary Jones was talking about some of the possible cures on BBC Radio 2 recently and as well as drugs, he rather sensibly suggested that good posture can play a part, alongside trying treatments such massage and acupuncture. Now I simply couldn't let that comment go without doing yet another big up for the Bowen Technique. I've been banging on about it for years and in my defence Tim Smith who works with me on the radio popped up and admitted he'd had some treatments for a frozen shoulder and been amazed at its effectiveness.

I first came across Bowen when I was pregnant with my second child, read the full account here and I've since recommended it both on and off the radio to hundreds of people. I just wish I'd kept a proper file to document the many calls and emails I've been sent over the years from people thanking me for the recommendation and saying how it's with cured or greatly alleviated their symptoms. Some of them have suffered with pain for many years and had been about to have surgery, or indeed in one case had been told it was unlikely they'd walk again or drive, that 85 year old man by the way went on to drive, walk and indeed play golf !

It not just back pain either - Bowen can help a huge number of problems from colic to hay fever, and it’s my first port of call for any muscular problems or minor injuries. Recently I found myself in Brighton (well a girl has to get her fix of the seaside) with a bit of an aching shoulder. I confess it was rather self inflicted having been carrying stupidly heavy bags - not the well distributed shoulder bags favoured by my Bowen therapist. I decided it couldn't wait till I returned to London so I sought out a local practitioner who even came to my hotel room. What can I say, Bowen (and Brighton) rocks! Jan Davies who practices in the south east could tell I was a little out of alignment. I'd had a bit of a fall also, and no I wasn't on the vino! And there's often a tad of RSI going on as I'm constantly writing not necessarily sitting in a great position at the computer.

With Bowen the therapist always leaves you for a few moments several times during the session to allow your body to ‘cook’, indeed the Bowen technique works on the principle that the body can heal itself, the practitioner merely facilitates this healing.

Within a few moments I felt deeply relaxed and by the end of the 40 'minute session I had slightly more movement in the shoulder, I drank lots of water, slept like a baby and was thrilled to report that the next day the shoulder felt better still, with more freedom of movement.

Jan comes highly recommended and if you want to work on your posture and fitness also she offers Pilates classes in Hampshire and Brighton,

Jan Davis is a member of The Bowen Therapy Professional Association (BTPA), which is the largest UK professional association for qualified Bowen Therapists. Members of this association are qualified in Anatomy & Physiology and First Aid. They are also fully insured, abide by a strict code of conduct and ethics and are committed to a programme of continuing professional development.
For further information on Bowen Therapy and registered BTPA members in your area visit www.bowen-therapy.co or call 0844 561 7173

And here’s is Jan’s direct details as well.
Jan Davis 01273 447121 / 07904 187257 jan@movementandhealth.co.uk www.movementandhealth.co.uk

If you're looking for a. Practitioner in the. London area try Jo Lunn who's also personally helped me, and comes highly recommended..

For other practitioners go to www.bowen-therapy.co.uk

Hurrah I am number 4!!

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:47:00 GMT

Im delighted to be placed at number four in the who's who of natural beauty in the 2012 edition of the Natural Beauty Yearbook, sadly i couldn't be at the event as I was speaking at Organic World in Bournemouth but it's great to be recognised. I'm thrilled that it's such a growing industry too, it seems like everyday I am contacted by another new company who have made their passions come true by creating a one hundred per cent natural product that is also ethical and fairly traded, some of these companies are big and jostling alongside the big boys in the supermarkets - well done and hats off to them, some are tiny, perhaps one women or a couple creating skincare in their kitchen in order to treat their own child with eczema, whatever it is I love seeking out the best of the best and then recommending it to others, see my new feature, The Faces behind the natural label.

Have a good look at the many varied natural products I recommend on my Janey loves pages. Check out some of my faces for sales at my store and if your company is not already the proud owner of a Janey Loves accreditation then let's connect up !

Platinum Awards Winners announced..!

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:51:00 GMT

At last ! We're thrilled to announce the winners of our 2011 Platinum Awards, its the first one and its been amazing to collate our findings and realise how blessed we are with so many incredible natural products and innovations.

I do appreciate how lucky I am getting to try the most gorgeous natural skincare and beauty products not to mention great supplements and healthy treats and my team of testers have felt like its Christmas joining me in choosing The best of the best.

A recnet Mintel report said that there was a 40 per cent rise in spending on Organic skincare and beauty products so we know people really want 'natural' - the problem is in a market thats becoming overcrowded how do ensure that the products really are natural, ethical, not tested on animals et al ? Well thats where 'Janey Loves' comes in, we've done the hard work for you (I know it was a HUGE sacrifice but someone has to do it !!!) and so we can fast-track you to the products that really work, are good value for money and kind to the environment too, in some cases you'll also save money.

Take a look at our winners and in the run up to Christmas - happy shopping !

Every Woman’s Guide to Vital Breast Health

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 13:02:00 GMT

Its October, the leaves are falling, Pink Ribbons everywhere and we’re constantly encouraged to donate to charities which fund research into drugs to ‘beat’ cancer. But what’s the real story of breast cancer and how can we best ensure that we do everything we can to build our immunity or indeed get the best and most holistic treatment if we do succumb to the illness. Theres much has been written on the subject and much which strikes a chord with me, not least the fact that Dr Michael Horlick from Boston University of Medicine states that we would have 25 per cent fewer deaths from breast cancer if women just had adequate levels of vitamin D.

I’ve recently been thrilled to meet David Stevens a chiropractor who developed Chirokinetic Therapy
(CKT) and teaches pioneering techniques in healing, he has a particular interest in breast health and has written an excellent ‘booklet’ called ‘Every Woman’s Guide to Breast Health’ He’s devised a programme which is simple to follow yet incredibly effective. He explains the importance of breathing correctly, especially Diaphramatic breathing, Hydrotherapy - nothing fancy, just applying hot and cold flannels to the breast area, and the importance of a Positive mindset. Of course its all about nutrition and he explains the importance of Alkalinity. Best of all he includes charts to guide on which foods are high acidic, which are alkaline etc, this was an eye opener for me because while I know that lemons (often mistakenly thought to be acidic ) are actually Alkaline, I hadn’t realised that cooked spinach, tahini and chick peas are highly acidic. Its a great quick reference guide to ensure that you’re getting the balance right and he gives recipes and a meal plan for a 7 day Alkaline Forming Diet.
When a friend of mine reached 50 along with a couple of birthday cards, a ‘formal’ letter popped through her letter box inviting her to go for a mammogram, wouldn’t it be great if every woman received a copy of ‘Every Woman’s Guide to Vital Breast Health’ on their 21st birthday instead – prevention is always better than cure !
www.vitalbodyhealth.co.uk

While we’re on the subject I can’t mention Cancer without reminding you yet again of the awesome work done by the tiny charity with a massive heart. Yes to Life offer alternatives and integrated care for those with cancer and always need funds and assistance. www.yestolife.org.uk

I’ll leave you with another chance to read this excellent article written by Chris Woollams of another awesome charity Canceractive, an amazing online resource.
http://www.imperfectlynatural.com/CustomContentRetrieve.aspx?ID=1150730