Great Websites January '07

For this edition we are looking at how best to start the year with a positive and healthy frame of mind, and those websites which can help.....

Vitamins and Minerals

Solgar vitamins and minerals have been in operation since 1939 and are one of the best suppliers on the web.  They have a vast range of supplements from Vitamin A to Zinc.  The products are recommended and used across Europe by complimentary health clinics, and although more expensive than other brands, they have a guarantee of purity.  Ordering online is available in most countries and the best way to get to the correct website for your area is to search using Google. For more information about the Solgar philosophy, click here.

Homeopathic Medecine

Weleda is a worldwide brand, originally started in Germany in 1921.  Weleda pioneered the use of bio dynamics, and uses only bio dynamic and organic ingredients in its products.  Bio-dynamic agriculture was developed by Rudolph Steiner who also founded the company.  Bio-dynamic cultivation is thought to enhance the properties of the plant and involves using a planting method based on the cycles of the sun and moon.  The theory is that bio-dynamic products are more potent as a result of being grown in harmony with the planet.  Weleda have a vast range of products produced in this way, from homeopathic medicines, to personal care products.  They also have specific websites per country, but information about the brand can be found at www.weleda.com

Reiki

Thinking of trying something new to achieve a healthy life balance?  Reiki may be the answer. Reiki is a Japanese word meaning "Universal Life-Force-Energy". The "Ki" part is  the same word as Chi or Qi, the Chinese word for the energy which underlies  everything. Reiki is a system for channelling that energy to someone for the  purpose of healing.  In a Reiki session, the practitioner asks the recipient to lie down and relax.  The practitioner then is said to act as a channel for Reiki energy, purportedly  allowing "Reiki energy" to be channelled through the practitioner to wherever  the patient is thought to require it. Usually the practitioner moves their hands  close to or on various parts of the recipient's body.  Whether Reiki is a new form of healing or just a placebo is unknown, but both practitioners and clients worldwide claim it has the power to enhance a balanced life.  For more information and a list of practitioners go to www.reiki.com

Meditation

Searching for peace?  Looking for some Zen like calm?  Then maybe meditation is the answer.  Adopted from the Bhuddist practice of reaching for enlightenment, meditation is the art of clearing the mind and tuning into the flow of the universe.  It's also a way to create some private time in each day!  There are hundreds of websites devoted to different types of meditation, from the disciplined practice of transcendental meditation, to audio CD's for self hypnosis.  For a great list of books, dvd's and cd's, go to Amazon.  For a range of articles about meditation go to the BBC website.

Online Medical Encylopedia

For a vast range of health related articles, Wikipedia is a great place to start. But for the true hypochondriac, Medline Plus is a huge online medical encyclopedia.  The site is very easy to navigate and has links to articles and journal entries from around the world.  The site is a free service of the US National Library of Medicine, and is genuinely useful, but is sure to induce uneasy feelings about the state of one's health!
Have a Healthy and Happy 2007!