“We shall not cease from exploration,

and the end of all our exploring

will be to arrive where we started

and know the place for the first time.”

T S Elliot

Meditation Changes Gene Expression

There is now evidence that mindfulness meditation can alter gene expression. Research carried out jointly by the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona, Spain revealed that participating in a day of mindfulness meditation activities reduces levels of pro-inflammatory genes. Perhaps meditation could be used to treat chronic inflammatory conditions.

Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)

I have to admit shedding a few tears when I heard Nelson Mandela had passed away and it’s probably the first time I’ve done that for someone I didn’t personally know. I learnt about Mandela’s life through his recollection of it in his amazing autobiography ‘Long Walk to Freedom’. It’s incredible to believe that in his lifetime he went from being considered a second class citizen, unable to travel freely within his own country…to eventually being elected president of South Africa! What impresses me even more, is his character; after being imprisoned for close to 30 years he managed to emerge without any bitterness or resentment…and only through that attitude of forgiveness and reconciliation was it possible to unite a fractured nation. During the 1995 Rugby World Cup, he succeeded in getting the nation to support the Springboks by publicly wearing their jersey which had previously been considered a symbol of apartheid.

He was often cheerful and humorous and despite his monumental achievements remained humble until the end. I’m convinced his attitude to life had a big part to play in his longevity. A long and fruitful life to be cherished and celebrated.

May he rest in peace.

Effervescent, Dispersible And Soluble Medicines Are Bad For Health

It’s now well-known that having high levels of salt in one’s diet can lead to high blood pressure and associated cardiovascular disease. What is not commonly known, is that effervescent (fizzy), dispersible and soluble medicines have a high sodium content. In a study published in the British Medical Journal, Dr George from the University of Dundee compared the risk of cardiovascular events (heart attacks, strokes, etc.) for patients taking effervescent, soluble versions of medication with non-sodium versions of the same medicine.

Over a million people were followed for about 7 years. After all factors had been taken into account, the results showed that patients taking the sodium rich tablets had a 16% higher risk of cardiovascular problems than patients taking the non-sodium versions. The patients on the high sodium pills were also 7 times more likely to develop hypertension and had a 28% higher death rate than the other group!

Some of you may be thinking “that doesn’t concern me, I don’t take any prescribed medication”, but what about ‘over the counter’ medication and supplements? Paracetamol, Vitamin C, multivitamins, etc. I’ll tell you what I’ve done with all my effervescent, dispersible and soluble tablets…straight in the bin, that’s the best place for them!