January 2023 Issue 203

My first question to you is how was your holiday? Mine had a little less conversation than usual due to everyone having their noses and fingers in social media apps! I saw families and couples physically together, but mentally apart.

Staying ‘connected’ with mobile dependency is at its peak, and it’s great, but when is it enough? ‘Being’ more, and stopping the constant online scanning, can keep you grounded in the here and now, feeling more appreciative of what’s around you. Taking a mini-break from it at certain times of the day, or a whole day a week, might be just the real holiday that you and your family need. That is certainly true for me.

Please read my article New Year New You if you need a detox programme to suit your lifestyle and start your new year clean. Detoxification is one of the first steps to take if you are serious about feeling great! In my opinion, the purification process of cleansing/fasting/detoxification is the missing link in Western nutrition and one of the most powerful healing therapies. In addition to this article, another must read is the one from Jason Vale: Juice Yourself Slim — for life. Toss aside those ’empty’ foods which pack on the calories and choose, instead, the stream-lined juicing principles which will juice you slim for life.

What is the point of a South African sun-filled holiday when you have loaded your body with toxins and sit there tanned, sick and tired? Our skin is our largest organ and up to 60% of what we put on it can be absorbed. The toxins you feed your body can potentially cause low energy levels and hormone disruption, which can certainly affect overall happiness and health. I recommend using products that are certified organic to see and feel the difference in your body and your mind. Feeding your skin with vitamin- and mineral-rich plant extracts and cold-pressed oils is going to have a much more positive effect on mood than petro-chemicals and parabens! This applies to sunscreen products as well as after-sun lotions and sprays.

Enter 2023 with a smudge!

If you move in certain circles, smudging your home for the new year may have been suggested to clear spiritual and emotional negativity. The practice of smudging dates back to prehistoric times and is still very much in use today worldwide for cleansing everything from homes and offices to human spirits. Burning certain plant matter is powerfully antiseptic and kills harmful bacteria.

So in case, your spouse (or boss!) thinks you have turned into a witch, just mention the scientific paper Medicinal Smokes, published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology. The research study looked into herbal and non-herbal remedies that were administered by the burning of various matter.

Information was included from 50 countries over five continents and found that, predominantly, ‘smoke administered medicinally is mostly used to aid lung, brain and skin function. In addition, it was revealed that passive fumes doubled as a sort of air purifier’, clearing airborne bacterial populations by 94% in a confined space!

I suggest you smudge; get out the liver-supporting milk thistle; chase the capsules with a vegetable juice; light soy candles; place your feet in a beautiful herbal foot bath and soak them a little before devouring this issue. We are now publishing the magazine once a month. You may notice that this one is a bit fuller. In addition, we will be sending out weekly newsletters. You feedback is not only welcome, but needed to ensure we exceed your expectations. Thank you!