Feelgood 14-01-2011

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It’s costly to store umbilical cord stem cells toprotect your baby’s future health – is it worth it? 8, 9

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2011

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Feelgood

HEALTH NOTES

Kate O’Reilly

WHAT’S ON

www.irishexaminer.com www.irishexaminer.comFeelgoodMag FeelgoodMag www.irishexaminer.com [email protected] Editorial: 021 4802 292 Advertising: 021 4802 215

News front

The arrival of a new baby is an exciting event but one thatneeds to be prepared for, writes Arlene Harris

Baby makes sixHAPPY FAMILY: Davidand Victoria Beckhamwith sons Brooklyn,Cruz and Romeo(front, left to right).Victoria Beckham,who is pregnant withher fourth child, hasmade no secret of herdesire to have a girl.Picture: David Davies/PA Wire

THEY are probably the world’smost photographed family — thefootballer, the fashion icon and

their three handsome sons. Love them orput up with them, there is no denying thathardly a day goes by without one of theBeckhams making the headlines.Earlier this week, the high-profile duo

announced the impending arrival of theirfourth child. This apparent show of fecun-dity has become fashionable in recent yearswith bigger families being the norm forhigher income families rather than the tra-ditionally opposite situation.But with busy careers and hectic lifestyles

how do families cope with an extra child,especially if they are hoping for a gen-der-specific addition (Victoria Beckham hasmade no secret in the past for her desire fora daughter)?Peadar Maxwell is a senior psychologist

in the Department of Child, Adolescentand Family Psychology. He says while thearrival of a new baby will herald much joyfor families, it can also cause underlyinganxieties.“The arrival of a new baby can be excit-

ing, but it can also cause us to feel anxious,depressed and afraid of what the futureholds,” he says. “It is important to talkabout your feelings — positive and nega-tive. Face your emotions: allow yourself tofeel the excitement and the fear. Start to

plan for any necessary changes as soon as pos-sible. This may include changes in your livingspace or re-budgeting for the demands of an-other family member.”Larger families are usually created by the

desire to provide siblings for existing childrenbut in some cases, parents may be longing fora child of a specific gender to complete theirbrood.“Many expectant and new parents who se-

cretly have gender preferences feel guilty orembarrassed about it. But wanting the expe-rience of parenting a boy and a girl is a per-fectly normal desire and the majority of par-ents will love their new child and attach wellwhatever the gender.”

A new sibling may be difficult for existingchildren to accept and, Maxwell says, it isimportant to prepare your child for the newarrival.“When discussing the pregnancy, consider

your child’s maturity level. Looking at pho-tos and telling stories about when they wereborn will help them to get them in touch.And it is important to reassure your childthat this will be a positive experience andthat they will get to be the big sibling.”Whatever the Beckham children’s reactions

will be to the new arrival, the baby is guar-anteed to be the latest star in the Posh-and-Becks empire.■ For more information visit: www.hse.ie

■ AWARE VOLUNTEERS: Aware, thenational depression support organisa-tion, is seeking new volunteers in Mal-low and other areas of Co Cork. Thesupport groups offer a safe space whereindividuals with experience of depres-sion, or family members/friends whoare concerned for a loved one can dis-cuss their concerns and explore avail-able options. Contact Kate Donnelly on087-299 3142 or email [email protected]. More information aboutAware is available on www.aware.ie

■ CHOICES 2011: Choices 2011, a freecareers, education and work and studyabroad exhibition will be held inDublin’s Aviva Stadium from Friday,January 21 to Monday January 24. Irishemployers will be recruiting at theevent, while voluntary organisationswill provide information on opportuni-ties overseas. There will also be an op-portunity to discuss courses for thosewho want to learn new or improve onexisting skills. See www.choic-es2011.com

■ NUTRITION SEMINAR: A free nutri-tion seminar is being organised byhealth food company Kelkin, in the City-West Hotel, Saggart on Wednesdaynext, January 19, from 7.30pm to8.30pm. Aveen Bannon, consultant nu-tritionist to Kelkin will give practicalhints on how to boost energy levels andmood with nutrition and how to incor-porate these changes into your dailyroutine to help you get the most fromyour diet. Places can be reserved bycontacting Kelkin on 01-4600400 oremailing [email protected].

■ HEART TALKS: The Irish Heart Foun-dation’s Health Promotion Nurse, SrSiobhan Ryan, is available to talk togroups in Munster (eg the ICA, ActiveRetired, Men’s Groups, Parent’s Associa-tions, Special Interest). Sr Siobhan cov-ers subjects ranging from stroke aware-ness, healthy eating, cholesterol andblood pressure, physical activity etc.There will also be a free blood pressureand cholesterol testing clinic at theFamily Resource Centre, Farranree onWednesday next January 19 from2.30pm to 4pm. Contact the MunsterRegional Office on 021-4505822 formore details or to book a talk. If youhave questions about stroke or heartdisease you can contact the Irish HeartFoundation’s helpline 1890 432787.

■ REIKI TALK: Reiki is a naturalJapanese healing art. When activated itaccelerates the body’s ability to healphysical ailments and opens the mindand spirit to the causes of disease andpain, says Regina O’Mahony who is giv-ing a free introductory talk on Thursdaynext January 20 at 8pm in Douglas,Cork. Call 021- 489 7229for more details;www.healthyhappyways.com

■ ISLAND CLASSES: Evening classeshave resumed at Bere Island HeritageCentre including meditation on Wednes-day nights from 7pm to 8pm. A smalldonation is asked for to cover light andheat. Call the centre on: 027-75956

Items for inclusion in this column canbe sent to [email protected]

THE Irish Dental Association is urging Irishpeople to prioritise their dental health. Toptips for keeping your teeth in tip top orderduring 2011 include:1. brush your teeth and gums at the same

time every day.2. Ensure all teeth and gums are cleaned

thoroughly. You can use different sizedinter-dental brushes to clean plaque frominaccessible areas.3. Quit smoking — not only is it a deadly

habit, it’s also can cause bad breath, stainedteeth, tooth loss and oral cancer.4. Change your toothbrush every three

months and floss at least once a day.5. Keep snacks between meals to low-sugar

or sugar-free foods.For information visit: www.dentist.ie

The HSE has announced plans to introducea national diabetes foot-care screeningprogramme.“Between 2005 and 2009 1,579 people

with diabetes in Ireland underwent a belowknee amputation and nearly 6,000 with dia-betes developed a foot ulcer requiringin-patient treatment. This cost the Govern-ment an estimated 239 million,” said Dia-betes Federation of Ireland CEO KieranO’Leary.“We very much welcome the HSE’s com-

mitment of 1m this year to develop thisprogramme which, if properly implemented,will advance diabetes care greatly, improvethe quality of life of patients and, in time,

make huge financial saving for the govern-ment,” he added.Dr Ronan Canavan, consultant endocrinol-

ogist, St Vincent’s Hospital said, “This pro-gramme is a major first step in reducing thecurrent level of foot ulcers and lower-limbamputations in Ireland by up to 70%. Theseoccur largely because of a lack of early de-

tection and timely intervention of foot prob-lems.”

Tinnitus — an incessant ringing in the ears— can be eliminated by “retuning” part ofthe brain, scientists have discovered.Researchers were able to halt tinnitus in

laboratory rats using a technique that in-volved nerve stimulation paired with sounds.An early clinical trial testing the treatment onhuman patients is due to begin in a fewmonths.Tinnitus is often triggered by exposure to

loud noise, which destroys cells in the innerear that transmit sound signals to the brain.Scientists believe the brain tries to compen-sate for the missing signals, leading to phan-tom sounds ranging from rattles to roaring,whooshing, or a jet-engine whine. Othercauses include injury and normal ageing.The study was conducted at the University

of Texas, Dallas, and reported in Nature.

Children who are victims of cyber-bullyingare more likely to use technology to pick onpeople themselves, according to researchpublished this week.A survey of British secondary school

pupils found girls were more likely to bullyothers using texts or the internet.Child psychologist Shane Gallagher from

Cambridgeshire Educational PsychologyService also found that parents were unlike-ly to know the extent of the problem,whether their child was a victim or a bully.

BRUSH UP:The IrishDentalAssociationsays it’sbest tobrush yourteeth at thesame timeevery day.Picture: iStock

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2011Feelgood

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THE SHAPE I'M IN Mikey Graham

In profile

FOR THEGIRLS: Mikeyas Abanazar,in Aladdinpiled onweight oversummer butlost it once hehit the gym.

My stage of lifeBOYZONE’S Mikey Graham has had a busy

year. He starred in the fifth series of DancingOn Ice and he was a contender in Eurosong

2010, with his song, Baby, There’s Nothing Wrong.Mikey, 38, says being so busy helped him, at a time whenthe lads from Boyzone were grieving hard for bandmate,Stephen Gately, who died in October, 2009.“It gave me something to be focused on, rather than thedreadful reality of what was occurring at the time.Stephen’s still a huge loss, as he will be forever. It makesyou aware of your own mortality and that life is precious.We’re only here for a blip of time, so it’s important to getinto the right state of mind,” he says.Married to Karen Corradi, Mikey is dad to two daughters— Sienna Nicole, 4, and Hannah, 14 — and is lookingforward to touring with Boyzone next year. Currently, he’sstarring as the evil Abanazar in Aladdin — this year’s pantoat the Gaiety Theatre, it runs from November 28 to Jan-uary 30 (visit www.gaietytheatre.com).

What shape are you in?We generally start our training schedule late in the year,before going on tour, so I’d be in peak shape aroundMarch/April. I graze through the summer and put on astone or more. Then, I concentrate on losing that. I go tothe gym three times a week for 45 minutes.

What are your healthiest eating habits?I’d be a relatively healthy eater. I love fruit, veg, lean meatand fish. It’s easier when I’m on tour, because catering hasthe right meals ready for us. At home, when it’s a toss-upbetween a two-minute microwave dinner or chopping veg-etables for half an hour, you can guess which one I’ll have.

What’s your guiltiest pleasure?There’s nothing like a glass of red wine and a large pizzawith pepperoni.

Are you a good sleeper?I’m not a good night-sleeper. I haven’t been since I was achild. If I’ve got an early start, I’m always on edge. I go in-to a deep sleep at 5am and then wake up, knackered, at 7.I’m like a vampire. My circadian rhythm is Australian.Over the last few years, I nod off on the couch during theday.

How do you relax?There’s a nice little country pub, a couple of hundred me-tres from where I live, in north Co Dublin. I like to gothere, especially in winter, when the fire is blazing. I enjoygoing in and having a chat with the fellows at the bar.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?Albert Einstein, Gandhi, Plato or Socrates and some fa-mous world leaders like John F Kennedy. They’d be mykind of people. We’d have a good old chat.

When did you last cry?I think it was at Stephen Gately’s funeral.

What’s your favourite smell?The smell of onion and garlic frying.

What would you change about yourappearance?I wish I was tall, dark and handsome.

What trait do you least like in others?Dishonesty — being untruthful with yourword. It’s very important to me that I cantrust people for their word, that they have astrong sense of integrity.

What trait do you least like in yourself?I think too much. I sometimes wish I couldbe more blasé about things. I’m extremely analyt-ical.

Do you pray?Not in the traditional religious way — I have my own wayof connecting with the source.

What would cheer up your day?My children are my world, so when my four-year-oldjumps into bed beside me, I turn around and look at herand that makes my day.

Helen O’Callaghan

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Feelgood Feelgood

Making moves

Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore, says Arlene Harris as she tries to keep up with three women who stay in shape while doing unusual and enjoyable activities

HOW manytimes have youpromised

yourself that the new yearwill see a fitter, healthierandaltogether better version ofyourself? We have all maderesolutions to lose weightand while many of usdon’t last more than amonth, a few stalwarts findthe willpower to stick withtheir guns and change theirlifestyle for good.Those who last the dis-

tance are either very deter-mined or happen to stum-ble upon a fitness regimethat manages to be effec-tive and enjoyable.We spoke to three wom-

en who found unusualways to get fit whilehaving fun.

They stay fit in

TEAM PLAYER: Rollerskating is so fast andintense you don’t evennotice the heavy-dutyexercise, says MartinaMcDonald. Picture: NickBradshaw.

MARTINA MCDONALD is a memberof the Dublin Roller Girls (DRG).Thishigh-octane sport involves being fast on

your feet, having a good sense of balance andbuilding up a good level of stamina.“Last summer, my friend and I met some of

the DRG at a fundraiser,” recalls the23-year-old. “They were all so friendly and wethought they looked really cool so we wenthome and checked them out online and that’swhere it all began.“There was an induction day coming up so I

went along to that, fell in love with the gameand haven’t looked back since.”The fast-paced sport is not for the faint heart-

ed, but the Kildare woman says it produces re-sults — fast.“It is a fantastic way to keep fit — helping

you lose weight and get toned in a very enjoy-able way,” she says. “You’re so involved in thegame, that you don’t even notice the exercise.“Skating tones you up all over, especially in

hips, thighs and bum — on my first day I wastold that I would have a bum like Beyonce —and it seems to be ringing true so far.“It is also a great way to release the stresses of

everyday life.”Each training session is usually two hours

long, with a 10 minute warm-up at the start,followed by a lively game which involves bothteams trying to block their opponents fromscoring points and a cool-down at the end.“As a beginner, you train one day a week and

work on skating skills, derby rules and en-durance,” says McDonald, who works as anartist. “Once you pass the induction stage, youtrain two days a week and get introduced tophysical contact, tactics and strategies. Whenyou pass the intermediate level you become asenior roller girl and are eligible to attend threesessions per week.”With teams all over the country, Roller Derby

is fast becoming a popular sport suitable for allages.“The great thing about derby is that it in-

cludes everyone and is accepting of all bodytypes and anyone over 18,” she says. “It’s defi-nitely a sport that strives to promote a healthybody image and it’s very important to us thatthe sport is represented in this way.“Derby brings people together and is over-

flowing with team spirit. We train together, plantogether, win together and most importantly,have fun together.“Women from such a wide range of back-

grounds are brought together by Roller Derbyand it allows you to build relationships withpeople you otherwise wouldn’t know.”

■ For more information on Roller Derby visit:www.facebook.com/dublinrollergirls or [email protected]

On my first day I was told that I

would have a bum like Beyonce

and it seems to ringing true so far

a fun-filled wayBoxing helps you to tone up

and lose weight but it is also

good for your mind

FIGHTINGFIT: AnnNorton hastaken upwhite-collarboxing forcharity.Picture: EamonWard

ANN NORTON is a 37-year-oldmother-of-three. Unlike most of hercounterparts she doesn’t keep fit

through walking, jogging or swimming —instead, in a bid to tone up and raise muchneeded funds for a children’s charity she hastaken up white-collar boxing.“I took up boxing towards the end of last

year to take part in a fundraising event forthe Clare Crusaders Children’s Charity,” saysNorton. “It started with an eight-weektraining programme which included twonights in Ennis Boxing Club and one nightat the gym.“I’m fairly fit and in the past have done a

couple of marathons and 10k runs, but box-ing is definitely one of the best exercises Ihave ever taken part in — it’s really toughbut very rewarding.”The Clare woman (who voluntarily

manages the children’s charity) says trainingsessions are serious and focused with eachwould-be boxer envisaging their own endgoal. “Training takes place on Monday andFriday evenings and there is never any timeto talk — it s straight down to business,” shesays. “Running laps, skipping, press-ups,sit-ups and lots of other floor exercises aredone before any boxing takes place.“Then after the warm up, we spar with

each other in the ring — it’stough and gruelling and Idon’t think I have everdrunk as much waterin all my life. It’s ex-hausting and exhil-arating at the sametime.”In the run-up to

a boxing matchbefore Christmastraining was extra

hard as she needed to be in peak condition.“While preparing for my fight, I boxed atleast twice a week and often ran every night,”she says. “That was really hard, but I had tobe as fit as possible, so I also did spinning andcircuit training to improve my fitness levels— it was really intense.”After eight weeks of training Ann (whose

husband Cathal also took part in the boxingevent) was ready to show what she was madeof — but did the novice boxer have enoughto see her through the match?“When it came to fight night I was fit and

looking forward to going into the ring,” shesays. “I think a lot of people expected hand-bag fighting, but we were well trained andwere ready to give it our all.”With an audience of more than 100 peo-

ple, the petite boxer was running onadrenalin.“There was a great buzz in the air and it

made the whole thing very exciting,” she re-calls. “I went into the ring used everything Ihad learnt over the eight weeks. So I was de-lighted that I stayed on my feet and managedto make it to a draw. I was on a high — soproud off myself, and sorry that it was over.”But she has no intention of hanging up the

boxing gloves just yet and plans to continuewith the training on a less frantic level.“I’m definitely going to keep on with the

training and would highly recommend box-ing as a form of exercise,” she says. “It helpsyou to tone up and lose weight, but it isalso good for your mind.“Boxing a punch bag is a great way torelease stress. It did me so much good thatI have continued to train with the boxersonce a week. I lost a stone in weightand I want to keep it off — also I feel so

much moreenergetic and that’s defi-nitely a good thing.”Raising money for theClare Crusaders is notan easy task and Annand her colleagueshope to keep up theirfitness.“Because I volun-teer my services byrunning the clinicand fundraisingevents, I have tobe willing to takepart myself,” shesays.“The upside isthat I will remainfit and healthyand hopefully thiswill be an annualevent for us.”

■ For more in-formation aboutboxing visitwww.whitecol-larboxing.ie

■ To supportthe Clare Cru-saders visit theirwebsite www.clare-crusaders.ie

Belly dancingreally makesyou sweatand burn upthosecalories

RIGHT MOVES:Róisín Corriganincorporatesconditioning andstrengtheninginto herbelly-dancingclasses. Picture:Maura Hickey

RÓISÍN CORRIGAN fell in lovewith dancing as a young girl. Butunlike her friends, she wasn’t inter-

ested in doing a reel — her intentions werefar more exotic.“I used to watch the James Bond films

with my mum on Saturday nights and dur-ing From Russia with Love I first saw a bel-ly dancer in a red and silver costume,” re-calls the 35-year-old. “Even though I wasonly seven, I was immediately fascinated bythe beautiful way she was moving and de-cided that I would learn the dance when Igrew up.”Twenty years later, the Dublin woman

took her first class and although a novice,her enthusiasm made her stand out fromthe rest of her classmates.“I saw a flyer for a belly-dancing class and

went religiously very week — I loved it,”she says. “Then I started getting requests totake part in gigs outside the class and beganto train in cabaret belly dance.”The recruitment consultant was so taken

with this Eastern dance form that she beganto experiment and after discovering TribalFusion belly dance (an amalgamation of dif-ferent styles including American tribal, fla-menco, belly-dance and hip-hop)decided to take her workout to an-other level by teaching others howto dance.“There was no Tribal Fusion going

on in Ireland. So I set about creatingthat presence and now it has really tak-en off.”Róisín’s classes last for two hours or

more and she keeps herself and herclassmates fit with a mix ofstretching, warm-ups and vigor-ous dancing.“The first half hour of every

class is devoted to condition-ing and strengthening with alot of emphasis on mus-cle-isolating exercises anddeep, yoga-inspired stretch-es,” she says. “Then we drill,drill, drill as the challengingmoves can only be masteredby repetition.“The nature of this exercise

helps to define the waist as you areconstantly using these muscles — italso develops and defines the shoul-ders and arms. And some of themovements such as power-shim-mies involve moving the hips andbuttocks so fast that it builds stamina

really quickly and as you are using some ofthe major muscle groups, it really makesyou sweat and burn up those calories.”Róisín says that despite the mysterious

image of belly dancing, it is an exerciseform that would benefit people of all ages.“Belly dance is for all women, young and

old, of all shapes and sizes,” she says.“There are too many myths sur-rounding what a woman shouldlook like, it’s all nonsense — ex-tremely slim women dance ev-ery bit as well as their curviersisters and vice versa.“It’s all down to your passionand dedication. It’s great fun andgood exercise — every wom-an should take at least oneclass.”

■ To find outabout bel-ly-dancingclasses, [email protected].


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Feelgood

Next time we feel low, we turn to chocolate again,and we become conditioned to think we need a sweetcomforting treat in order to make us feel good again.

It’s a vicious cycle

xxxxxxxxEating habits

Is the reason wecomfort eat solelydown to mood orcould it be due togenetics?NutritionistCarinaNorrisinvestigates

A LMOST all of us will vouch forthe fact that comfort eating is avery real phenomenon. Who

hasn’t grabbed a slice of cake or a chocolatebar after a tough day at work, or eaten awhole tub of ice cream in front of the TVafter breaking up with a boyfriend? Foodmakes us feel better— and we rarelychoose healthyfoods to prop our-selves up. Stickytoffee pudding is somuch more com-forting than broc-coli.Last year, the

media trumpetedthe discovery of a‘comfort eating’gene that drovepeople to eat dur-ing times of stress.If this existed,comfort eatersaround the worldcould rejoice —because all wewould need to doto boost ourchances of success-ful weight-losswould be to relax.The scientists in

the studies geneti-cally engineeredmice to be ‘super stressed’ by switching on agene that produced extra amounts of a chem-ical called UCN3, which is associated withstress. The stressed mice went on to gainweight, but not because they ate more; theyate the same as the ‘normal’ mice. But thebodies of the stressed mice stored more fat,and that’s why they put on weight.So, if the same holds true for humans, stress

could contribute to weight-gain, but becauseof our metabolisms, not because the suspectgene drove us to comfort eat.That’s not to say that genetics doesn’t play a

very important role in comfort eating,though. Genes are involved in appetite andwillpower, so unfortunately some people arehard-wired to be hungrier and lessstrong-willed than others.

WHY WE COMFORT EAT

Whatever genetic hand we’re dealt though,we all battle with comfort eating to a certainextent. Food and psychology are inextricablyentwined, and the process starts when we’rechildren.Associations form between ‘treat’ foods and

happy feelings — we’re given ice creamwhen we’re good, for example. Then, whenwe grow up, the links strengthen — whenthe boss yells at us, we eat a chocolate bar,and, lo and behold, we feel better. Next timewe feel low, we turn to chocolate again, andwe become conditioned to think we need asweet, comforting treat in order to make usfeel good again. It’s a vicious cycle.We turn to food as a crutch — a bit like

cigarettes or alcohol — when we’re underpressure. On top of that, we’re less able tostick to our healthy eating resolutions whenwe’re stressed or feeling low, just at the timewhen we need to eat healthily more than ev-er. Stress depletes our levels of many essentialvitamins, including the B vitamins and vita-min C.

BREAKING OUT OF THE TRAP

Identify when and why you comfort eat.

Sometimes comfort eating is just a habit —maybe you always have a sticky pastry withyour latte, or a glass of wine when you gethome from work. So try to break the associa-tion and form a healthier habit — if you havea different drink, such as tea instead of yourlatte, for example, you might find it accept-able to have a more healthy treat, such as asmall biscotti.Or it could be that you are eating out of

boredom: do you always find yourself ‘pick-ing’ when you’re watching TV? If so, findsomething else to do with your hands, eventake up knitting if it helps.Exercise is also a great alternative to com-

fort food — whatever the cause. It raises yourendorphin levels, boosting your mood, anddistracts you from whatever was leading youto eat in the first place.Many women comfort eat before their

period, too. Hormonal mood swings make itharder to resist temptation, but cleaning up

your diet can help. Cut down on processedfood, get your energy from wholegrains, eatas much fruit and veg as you can, and drinkplenty of water. Taking a supplement ofevening primrose or starflower oil, or calciumand magnesium, can also be of benefit. Ask aregistered nutritionist or dietician for furtheradvice.Eating regular meals and snacks with a

low-glycaemic index (GI) will also helpmaintain steady blood sugar levels, keepingyour energy levels, and also your mood,stable. They’ll help you resist the craving forsomething sweet and comforting too.Finally, stick notes on your fridge and food

cupboards, for when you feel yourself crum-bling, saying ‘Will I regret this?’. If certainfoods, such as biscuits or ice cream, are yourdownfall, ban them from the house entirely.That’s not to say you must never have themagain, just make sure you only eat themwhen you’re out, and only have one.

Chews foryourself

Picture: Getty Images

EMOTIONAL LINK:Associations formbetween ‘treat’ foodsand happy feelings —we’re given ice creamwhen we’re good, forexample as kids. Then,when we grow up, thelinks strengthen.Picture: Getty Images


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Psychology

Tony Humphreys

Children must be allowed to expresstheir fears, doubts and depressions

Positive response

HELPING OUT: Young children are manifesting worries aboutthe downturn in the economy and families’ financialdifficulties. Picture: Getty Images

FROM the moment of conception there is a uniqueindividual present and it is for this reason that theparenting of a child needs to start at conception,

not at birth. Unless each of us as adults learn to parent our-selves, develop a solid sense of our individuality and a consis-tent active listening and nurturing of ourselves, we are noteven remotely ready to parent a child.The preparation of prospective parents for the unselfish task

of mature parenting is an urgent issue. Much of what hashappened in the dark religious, political, educational, socialand economic history of Ireland, not only in the majordownturn over the last three years, but since the founding ofthe state, would not have happened if we had more enlight-ened and mature leaders.Crises provide the opportunity for profound reflection and

a deep examination by each person of their interiority. Suchan examination appears to be only slowly emerging. Whenthe unique and sacred presence of each person is recognisedand there is an absence of blaming and judging, crucialself-examination is more likely to happen.When any politician condemns and judges a member of

another party, he or she is in a serious place of denial and itdoes not bode well for any of us were that individual to getinto government.Christ put it so well when he said ‘Forgive them for they

know not what they do.’ Christ saw the darkness within indi-viduals and knew that that darkness was unconsciously creat-ed by the person to hide the light of their true nature fromthose who were not in a place to affirm and celebrate it. It isnot that Christ was excusing people for their dark actions,but he knew that no hope of change was possible, unlesscompassion and understanding were present.Currently, we need to see an abundance of unconditional

love and compassion in order for the authenticity, account-ability and personal responsibility to emerge so that maturityis what defines what happens within and between individuals.This week’s article was prompted by a recent initiative by

the Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN) whose mem-bers expressed concern for primary school children who aremanifesting worries about the downturn in the economy,family financial difficulties, emigration and, no doubt, achange in their own financial situation — less to spend thanbefore and, certainly, less being spent on them.IPPN members expressed wise concerns about the chil-

dren’s expressed fears and depression. They decided that a re-sponse on their part was required and came up with PositivityWeek, which it is hoped will take place in schools towardsthe end of January. The week will focus on a celebration ofchildren’s extra-curricular activities and talents, such as sport,music and art and the development of a ‘green’ environment.Children, from their earliest moments of existence notice

any threats — physical, sexual, intellectual, social, behavioural— to their wellbeing and will automatically and unconscious-ly create defensive responses to those threats. Children are notvictims to the threats they encounter, but they are certainly

very powerful defenders of their sacred selves. What parentsand teachers describe as troubled behaviour in children —fears, anxieties, depression, hyperactivity, passivity, shyness,isolation — are powerful defences against experiencing fur-ther abandonment threats or, at least, reducing the number ofsuch sad experiences.Teachers are to be praised for noticing what may be going

on in children’s interior worlds, but there is a danger that the‘Positivity’ initiative could become a whitewash, a masking ofthe very real fears the children are experiencing.A true positivity response would be where children in small

groups are allowed to express their fears, doubts and depres-sion about what is happening in their lives and to be support-ed and encouraged — each child — to find their own an-swers to their current difficulties.The old saying ‘children should be seen but not heard’ res-

onates here, and we need to ensure that each child is person-alised, that active listening is present and that there is no at-tempt on an adult’s part to reassure that everything will be allright, or to dilute, to neutralise what the child is experienc-ing and expressing.We know as adults that when we are going through diffi-

cult times the last thing we require is ‘ad-vice’ (emphasis onthe fact that it is a ‘vice’ to give advice), but what truly helpsis a kind and patient active listening where it becomes possi-ble for the confusion within to clarify itself and for you tocreate your own answers. In this regard, children have similarneeds and abilities to understand and find their own answers.Talking with children is the most powerful way for them tofeel a sense of being in charge, a sense of security and a sensethat ‘I’m going to be okay’.

Dr Tony Humphreys is a clinical psychologist, author and in-ternational speaker. His recent book with co-author HelenRuddle, Relationship, Relationship, Relationship: The Heart ofa Mature Society is relevant to today’s topic.

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ALL THAT GLITTERSAn insider’s guide tothe Golden Globes.

CHIN UP21 reasons to becheerful about 2011.


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Feelgood

Stem cells collected from umbilical cord blood may help your child to fight future illnesses, but John Hearne says there are sharply divided views on the practice

A S Ashley Cavers approached thebirth of her first child, Conor,there was one thing she was deter-

mined to do. Members of her husband’s familyhad been diagnosed with the devastating de-generative condition, Huntington’s disease.Though there are currently no stem cell treat-ments for the condition, she decided to collecther new baby’s stem cells. “If my children wereto develop the disease it would not be for an-other 30 years or so,” says the Cork mother.“Who knows what advancements there may bein stem cell therapy in that time?”Stem cells are essentially immature cells that

have the potential to develop into one of themany types of cell that make up the humanbody. They can act as a kind of repair kit,replenishing dead and damaged cells. It is thiscapacity that has fuelled research into potentialstem cell therapies for a range of conditions.And because the umbilical cord is a source ofstem cells, it has become increasingly popularto collect these cells at birth, and then storethem cryogenically. It’s regarded as a kind ofinsurance policy.“The way we approached it,” says Ashley

Cavers, “was that we could not forgive our-selves if we had not taken every possiblemeasure to protect the future health of ourchildren.”But when she talked to staff at the hospital

where she was due to give birth, problemsemerged. “We were very unlucky in that whenwe first made enquiries about cord bloodcollection in Ireland, the hospitals were justbeginning to react to a European directiverequiring hospitals to meet certain conditionsbefore allowing it to take place. Before this, ithad happened quite easily in most hospitals upand down the country. But rather than takethis as an opportunity to clarify and formalisethe procedure of cord blood collection, mosthospitals in Ireland decided it would be easierjust to stop them happening altogether.”Ashley and her husband offered compromises

— they would bring in their own midwife,they offered to sign waivers absolving thehospital of all responsibility. Cavers even con-sidered flying to Britain and having the babythere.“I ended up contacting the Irish Medicines

Board directly and pretty much threatened tohold them responsible, morally and legally, ifthey prevented me from collecting the cordblood.” Permission to collect the cells came aweek before her due date, on condition thatshe bring her own midwife. “In the end, thehospital was very helpful,” she says. “I believethey were always sympathetic to ourcase, but they felt themselves boundby red tape and a lack of clarity re-garding national policy to be able tohelp us.”Five years later the lack of clarity is

gone. Unless you go to a private hos-pital where staff are willing to facili-tate you, you will not be able tocollect cord blood. The HSE saysthat patients in Ireland who needstem cells can access these throughdonations from a family memberor from donations from unrelat-ed members of the public. In astatement, a spokesperson saysthat these stem cells are mostly

HSE hospitals do not officially facilitate thecollection of cord blood, Doherty says that ex-tenuating circumstances can sometimes apply.“You might have a consultant who’s very keento do it because he or she believes in it. Youmay have a case where the parent has an exist-ing sick child and they’re desperate to have itdone.”Doherty has also seen situations where, like

Ashley Caver, parents succeed by forcing theissue. More frequently the parents’ wishes areignored. “It’s an extraordinary situation wherea mum says ‘I want to collect my own bloodand tissue’ and yet it’s being discarded againsther wishes.”The chances of needing the cells based on

the current therapies available is very low, ap-proximately one in 200,000. Cord blood trans-fusions, it should be said, are very common inIreland, but all transfusions are sourced frompublic banks overseas. “We are one of the fewcountries that are happy to take from the otherbanks,” says Michael Doherty, “but not happyto contribute.”Not everyone believes collecting stem cells is

always worthwhile. Dr Stephen Sullivan ischief scientific officer of the Irish Stem CellFoundation. “There is medical evidence thatblood stem cells can be used effectively to treatnine different conditions… That’s it. That’swhere science and medicine stops.”Sullivan’s particular

concern is with what heterms stem cell tourism.There are now a range ofprivate clinics around theworld which offer, usuallyat huge cost, stem celltreatments for conditionswhich, says Sullivan, can-not possibly work. Mediafocus on the X-Cell clinicin Germany highlighted arange of patient experi-ences; some claiming mir-

acle improvements, others reporting little orno change to their conditions. Sullivan vehe-mently rejects the idea that any of these treat-ments can ever work. “The idea that you cantake stem cells and use them to treat the intri-cate wiring of the human brain is a bit likesaying you can fix your car by throwing a bat-tery at the bonnet.”“People are under huge amount of stress,”

he continues. “Sometimes if you offer themany hope at all, the fact that they’re doingsomething about their condition can makethem feel better. It’s called the placebo effect,but ultimately these effects are short lived andunfortunately, the patient’s underlying condi-tion isn’t being treated by what the clinic isdoing.”But doesn’t the insurance argument make

sense? “The thing is you’d have to work outwhat is the probability that this could help mychild.” Says Sullivan. “Insurance representsgood value for money when the outcome isquite probable…You can’t make a blanketstatement that covers every child’s condition.You have to consult a haematologist aboutyour children’s condition and if it’s a conditionthat doesn’t relate to the blood, then (collect-ing cord blood) is not going to help you.”Ashley Caver accepts this logic. “I under-

stand when I am told by medical professionalsthat it is unlikely stem cell science will ever

provide a cure to this particularillness that so tragically affectsmy family.“However, in the future it

may provide the answer fortreatments to help alleviate thesymptoms or even delay theonset of the disease. How couldwe not take that gamble?”

Avoiding a cell-by dateThe way we

approached stemcell therapy is

that we could notforgive ourselves

if we had nottaken every

possible measureto protect the

future health ofour child

xxxxxxxxActing for the futurexxxxxxxxCover story

TRUE BLOOD: A colourscan of foetal blood stemcells. Picture: Science PhotoLibrary.

from bone marrow.Cord blood banking is currently not a pub-

licly provided service in Ireland.The irony is that since Ashley’s experience,

an EU directive which deals with the collec-tion of cord blood has been fully implementedin Ireland, giving the process a legal frameworkwhich it had lacked.Michael Doherty is MD of Medicare Health

and Living Ltd, a Dublin- based companywhich offers cord blood collection services. Heis mystified as to why the HSE will not facili-tate the services he provides. “We have askedfor meetings with them and we’ve asked forcontact with them. We are the first companyin Europe to obtain a procurement authorisa-tion under the European directive. On that ba-sis, we wrote to the HSE asking to be includedin their review panel. We didn’t receive any re-ply, so it is something of a mystery to us as towhy, especially now that it has a legal frame-work and is an identifiable process endorsed bythe IMB, the HSE don’t facilitate us.”The company trains one of the medical pro-

fessionals present at the birth, provides all theequipment needed to carry out the procedure,then conveys the collected blood to a storagefacility in Britain, where it will be held untilsuch time as it may be needed. The full cost is2,450, plus blood testing, which Dohertysays costs in the region of 330. Health

insurers Aviva cover cord bloodstem preservation under theirmaternity benefits. There’s a600 contribution towards asingle child or identicaltwins and a 900 contri-bution towardsnon-identical of twins.Despite the fact that

HARVEST TIME: Tubes ofumbilical cord blood are savedfor stem cell harvesting.Picture: Science Photo Library

GOOD SERVICE: Helen McConnell with her 11-week-old son Thomas. It cost over 2,500to use the cord blood collection service. Picture: Nick Bradshaw

N EWSPAPER articles aboutcord blood collection firstprompted Helen McConnell to

explore the possibility when she was preg-nant with her first child. Though there areno known genetic conditions in either herown or her husband’s families, she knewpeople whose children had been diagnosedwith leukemia, and was swayed by theinsurance argument.“It cost around 2,000 to get it done, but

I weighed it up and decided I wanted it.You have it there for 20 years if your childgets ill. You want to do the best for yourbaby. We wanted to do everything wecould.”Because HSE hospitals do not facilitate

the collection of cord blood, McConnellchose to have the baby in a private hospital— Mount Carmel in Dublin. She got intouch with Medicare Health and Living,

which provide stem cell collection services,and asked her consultant to perform theprocedure on the day. Though she had tohave a caesarean, the blood was still collect-ed, and the procedure itself was not at allintrusive.“I didn’t even notice it being done,” she

says. “There are certain parts you have todo yourself, but the staff are very helpful.The consultant collects the blood, you justhave to package it in the box and write upthe labels when the baby’s born. It’s not dif-ficult. You just ring up Medicare and theyarrange a courier straight away to collect it.”The blood is then analysed to ensure it is

of sufficient quality, then it’s conveyed to astem cell bank in Britain where it will beheld for 20 years. “It’s the only chance Ihad to do it and I’m very happy that I didit,” says McConnell: “There’s great peace ofmind in knowing that it’s there.”

It’s packaged in a boxand taken for storage

Picture: Getty Images

SAFE KEEPING: Ashley Kavers picturedwith her son Conor in 2008.Picture:Daragh Mac Sweeney/Provision<


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Feelgood

Dr Niamh Houston is aGP with a specialinterest in integrativemedicine. If you have aquestion about your child’shealth email it [email protected] send a letter toFeelgoodIrish ExaminerCity QuarterLapps QuayCork

Dr NiamhHouston

FAMILY

NOTE: The information contained in Dr Houston’s column is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor first

CatherineShanahan

MUM’S WORLD

CatherineShanahan

MUM’S WORLD

The conceptof holidays needsclarification. Howcould Christmas

be a holiday whenwe never strayedbeyond our ownuntropical town?Didn’t holidays

equal aeroplanes,swimming poolsand clear blue

skies?

Medical matters

A CHILD’S mind is like a magician’shat — full of surprises when youcould have sworn it was empty.

To get anything out of it, you must firstput something in. This can involve explana-tions as endless as the variety of items in ahousewife’s handbag. When the repetitionbecomes too much to bear, we point themtowards dad.“Ask your father” is a favourite get-out

clause among mothers. Excuses may betools of the incompetent, but there is a cer-tain skill in knowing when to pass the buck.Exhorting my son not to tell tales runs in-

to trouble when the boy next door has hissister in a suffocating headlock and hedithers whether to dish the dirt. “No-onelikes a tell-tale” mammy had said, so hestands his ground as his sister goes limp.He is at a loss to understand mammy’s

anger when, moments later, she spies theshenanigans. “WHY DIDN’T YOUCOME AND TELL ME?” she roarsthrough her rage. Luckily, the sister survives,and mammy sends the next half-hour ex-pounding on how all morality is situationaland how sometimes IT IS VITAL to spillthe beans if somebody’s life is at risk.The two-year-old is confused by her be-

lief in the literal. She stops in her tracks

while telling Nana a story when her atten-tive grandmother tells her she is “All ears”.With a quick glance at Nana’s lugs she cor-rects her. “You have two ears Nana,” shesays solemnly, before recommencing her tale.Neither child has any concept of time. In

Lughaidh’s universe everything either hap-pened “last night” or is due to take placetomorrow. The present is a state he doesn’trecognise.The concept of holidays needs clarifica-

tion. How could Christmas be a holidaywhen we never strayed beyond our ownuntropical town? Didn’t holidays equal aero-planes, swimming pools and clear blue skies?They had heard mammy say two weeks onsunny shores meant a year on the financialrocks but what the hell, they were onlyyoung once and it would be no time at allbefore they would sooner spend a fortnightin boot camp than holiday abroad with theirparents. But what had wellies got to do withtents?Yes, we spend an inordinate amount of

time explaining the evident without any realfeel for how much the child is taking in.Better then to fill them with ideas and notstuff them with facts so that somewheredown the road they will figure out them-selves how to pull the rabbit from the hat.

QHOW important is yourbody shape and why aredoctors concerned nowabout your waistmeasurement being

more important than BMI? Also,what is the most important riskfactor for heart disease?

A. While BMI (body mass index) isa good way to decide if you’re ahealthy weight, it doesn’t tell thewhole story. BMI is a measure of howhealthy your weight is for your heightand sex. If you have a high BMI, youknow that you’re probably carryingextra fat. But your health could be ata greater risk depending on whereyou store that fat. We store spare bodyfat under the skin, and also around thevital organs in our abdomen. We nowknow that this fat around the ab-domen causes more health problemsthan fat carried on the bottom orthighs.Having a large amount of tummy fat

when compared to having fat aroundthe bottom or thighs make you morelikely to develop type 2 diabetes andheart disease. A healthy waist mea-surement for women is not more than80cm (32”). Figuring out the risk toyour health is simple. Measure yourhips and your waist. Divide the waistnumber by the hip number. A ratio of1.0 or more in men or 0.85 in womenindicates that you are carrying toomuch weight around your middle. This putsyou at increased risk of diseases that arelinked to obesity, such as type 2 diabetes andheart disease.Ireland has a poor record for heart disease

because of our high fat diet, a tendency tohave salt in our diet (high amounts of saltare found in processed, convenience foods,)high incidence of obesity, the effects ofsmoking and low levels of exercise. Otherrisk factors for heart disease include highcholesterol and blood pressure.But having a large waistline is not only an

important indicator of your risk for diabetesand heart condition. Experts from theWorld Cancer Research Fund have foundthat excess body fat increases the risk of allcancers, but is strongly linked to cancers ofthe bowel, pancreas, breast and womb lining(endometrial cancer). Over the last fewyears the evidence has become increasinglystrong that excess body fat, and particularlyfat carried around the middle, is a cancer

risk factor. Breast and womb cancer accountfor about a third of newly-diagnosed cancersin women.Anyone who is carrying excess weight,

anywhere on the body, would find healthbenefits from losing that weight. Improvingyour diet and increasing your physical activ-ity will not only make you feel better butwill increase your life expectancy.

Q. My husband had severe pain in hisbig toe recently. A friend said it could begout, but I thought that only affectedolder, overweight men. He is 35 and fair-ly fit, though he does indulge in a fewglasses of wine most evenings and lovescheese. What can he do to prevent itcoming back?

A. Gout is caused by a build-up of uricacid, which crystallises, causing pain in thejoints. Uric acid is a by-product of certain

foods, particularly purine rich foodsuch as meat (particularly offal), her-ring, anchovies, shellfish, asparagus,spinach, cauliflower, mushrooms andpulses. Alcohol especially (beer, spiritsand port) and dried fruits should belimited. Keep to not more than oneunit of alcohol per day for women andtwo units daily for men.Gout can affect anyone. Men are

more likely to get gout, but womenare also at risk, especially aftermenopause. Gout usually affects thelarge joint of your big toe, but can al-so occur in your feet, ankles, knees,hands and wrists. Certain illnesses mayincrease the risk of developing gout.These include untreated high bloodpressure, diabetes, high levels of fatand cholesterol and narrowing of thearteries (arteriosclerosis). Medicationssuch as thiazide diuretics and low-doseaspirin also can increase uric acid lev-els.A blood test can measure the uric

acid level, but results can be mislead-ing. Some people have high levels ofuric acid, but never experience gout.And others have signs of gout, butdon’t have abnormal levels of uric acidin their blood. Conventional medicineused to treat gout includes NSAIDssuch as ibuprofen. These can be used ata higher dose to control inflammationand pain, followed by a lower dailydose to prevent future attacks. If you’reunable to take NSAIDs, another type

of pain reliever that can be used iscolchicine. For frequent gout attacks thereare medications called xanthine oxidase in-hibitors (such as allopurinol) that block uricacid production. Probenecid is a type ofmedication that improves the kidney’s abilityto remove uric acid from the body.To help prevent gout, drink between 2-4

litres of fluid each day (at least 50% water),avoid alcohol, eat a moderate amount ofprotein, preferably low-fat or fat-free dairy.Lose weight if indicated, and keep bloodpressure and cholesterol within normal lev-els. Fasting or rapid weight loss can tem-porarily raise uric acid levels. Studies havefound an association between coffee drink-ing and lower uric acid levels.Supplements containing vitamin C may

reduce the levels of uric acid, but it hasn’tbeen studied as a treatment for gout. Youcan increase your vitamin C intake by eatingmore fruits and vegetables, especially or-anges.

SIZE MATTERS: Waist size is now being used bydoctors as a marker for health. The larger it is the morelikely you are to develop type 2 diabetes and heartdisease. Picture: Getty Images


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Facing change

I cherish each new year, because I’m lucky to be alive, says Emma Hannigan

THE title of my cancer memoirwasn’t an accident. Talk to TheHead Scarf was an obvious choice,

as hair loss is such an enormous issue formany cancer patients — women, in particu-lar.We may have cancer, we may have to en-

dure chemotherapy — but, please, don’tmake us lose our glorious hair.RTÉ presenter, Derek Mooney, found this

out the hard way, on live television, recentlywhen he innocently cracked a joke about ayoung woman in the audience who waswearing a turban — only to find out that itwas to hide chemotherapy-induced hair loss.I feel so sorry for both of them — for

Derek, for hurting someone utterly by mis-take and for that poor woman, who wasbravely going out with a cancer-hiding tur-ban.Having lost my own hair to chemotherapy,

I can only begin to imagine the hurt andembarrassment she must have felt.This time four years ago, that woman in

the audience could have been me.I had lost my hair, too. I was in that posi-

tion where anonymity from my illness cameat the price of an itchy wig that made mefeel like I’d a rampant dose of nits. To me,my wig resembled road kill.I tried wigs and scarves (hence, Talk To

The Headscarf) and managed to come outthe other end.Now, several years later, my hair has,

thankfully, grown back.Cancer changes so many things — not just

your hair, or lack of it. It makes you very,very grateful. Unlike for many people, Jan-uary is one of my favourite months. For me,the new year signals a fresh start.I’ve found that the first month of the year

tends to split people into two camps. Firstly,there’s Camp Misery. They lament theChristmas just past, while tutting and count-ing the financial cost, units of alcohol andextra weight.They mutter phrases like: ‘All that fuss for

just one day,’ and do lots of head shaking anddeep sighing. There is very little joy or mirthto be had with the whole Christmas episode.The only relief they can honestly feel comesfrom the fact they’ve successfully managed to‘survive’ the holiday.Then there’s Camp Celebrate. This lot are

all arms in air, while embracing the positivityand excitement of the year ahead. They loveparty poppers, silly string and novelty rein-deer ear rings with flashing noses. Instead ofstressing, they end up shrugging and saying,‘ah sure, it’s Christmas,’ as they whoop andpop the cork on a bottle of Cava.I am a fully signed up member of Camp

Celebrate. By January, I feel a personal senseof achievement with each year that passes.After cancer and baldness touched my life,

I’ve spent the last six New Year’s Eves filledwith enormous gratitude to be alive.Dramatic? Yes. But, in fairness, I think I’ve

a decent excuse.Six years ago, I discovered I carry a cancer

gene called BRCA1. This meant I had awhooping 85% chance of developing breastcancer, and a 50% chance of developing ovar-ian cancer.There is family history of breast and ovari-

an cancer. My mum, Denise, is one of eightgirls and three of her sisters had breast cancerin their 30s. My aunt, Helen, died from it atthe age of 42, and a grand-aunt had died ofovarian cancer. So, when my aunt Ruth,who’d had breast cancer, called a familymeeting to say she was a carrier of theBCRA1 gene, I decided to get tested.I chose to have a bi-lateral mastectomy and

both ovaries removed, which earned me mysigh of relief on New Year’s Eve of 2005. In2006, I endured the devastating surgery.Despite taking those precautions, since then

I’ve battled cancer six times in four years. Ireckon each triumph earns me at least onenoisy exhale, along with much smiling andhugging. I am now on an oral form ofchemotherapy, which means I take tablets athome. I also attend Blackrock Clinic everythree weeks, for a drug called Avastin, whichhelps prevent the cancer from returning.I have plenty of other reasons to celebrate.

I’m the mother of the two best children inthe universe, son Sacha and daughter Kim.I’m married to the finest husband in theplanet, Cian. I’m daughter to the most amaz-ing parents in existenceand related to thecrème de la crèmeof family. I’m alsofriends with theworld’s most fab-ulous humanbeings.If that

wasn’tenough, inbetween allthe opera-tions,chemotherapyand radiation,I’ve ‘foundmyself.’ Ihadn’t beenpurposely hid-ing before 2006,but, low and be-hold, bubbling

underneath the surface there lurked a writer.Previously, I was a chef, running my owncatering company and I also trained to be abeautician. I now work at my family engi-neering company, Heard Metal.My health experience, which I can’t sayI’d describe as a journey, more orienteer-ing (with all the ups and downs and insand outs of hospitals), has led me downwriter’s lane.I am the proud author of two nov-els Designer Genes, and Miss Con-ceived.My memoir, Talk to the Head-scarf, details my own experiencewith cancer. I hope my book an-swers some of the questions you al-ways wanted to know about can-cer, but were afraid to ask.So, you’ll probably understand

why I embrace each new year withmy arms swinging, while skippingand humming to myself. I know weare all struggling, at the moment.

The economy is on its knees and there’s a lotof hardship out there. Even though there aredays when we feel the need to speak in voic-es two octaves deeper than usual, while hang-ing our heads in defeat, guess what? It’s alsonot illegal to crank up the radio, shake yourshoulders, tap your foot and let yourself gig-gle. Laughing is free and wasn’t taxed in thelast budget.And if you’re watching your hair slip down

the shower plug, courtesy of chemotherapy,my heart goes out to you, but there’s a bigclub of us out there and we’re doing our bestto smile.Finally, if you say the wrong thing to a can-

cer patient, hug them, say sorry and don’trun from the word cancer. It’s good to talk.

■ Emma Hannigan’s new memoir, Talk tothe Head Scarf, Hachette Books Ireland,14.99, is on sale now. For more informa-tion on Emma visit www.emmahanni-gan.com or follow her on twitter@MsEmmaHannigan.

After cancer andbaldness touched my

life, I’ve spent the lastsix New Year’s Eves,filled with enormousgratitude to be alive

Life is for the livingBEAUTIFULWORLD: Emma athome in 2009when her hairwas growingback followingchemotherapy.Picture: Nick Bradshaw


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Roz Crowley

Healthy food

HERE are some good habits to economisewithout compromising on nutrition.

1. Chew more. When we break downfood in the mouth we release a digestiveenzyme called ptyalin which gets the pro-cess going and puts less stress on our di-gestive tract. Keeping food for longer inthe mouth also gives us better satisfactionand we enjoy it more, perhaps even need-ing to eat less.

2. Think before buying. When we buyrubbish, we eat it, so avoid buying foodswith a lot of sugar, salt,trans fats and hydro-genated fats whichhave little or no nu-tritional value andclog up our systems.Avoid buying pre-pared ‘convenience’ foodsfor the sake of your budget andhealth, replacing them with simplebeans on toast with an egg, a sandwichmade with wholemeal bread, a quickstir-fry with seasonal vegetables.

3. Plan ahead. Think about how tosave money on fuel. A steamer meansone source of power suchas a gas or electricring can be used tocook a soup whilesteaming vegetablesor fish. Stewed fruitcan be simmeredover a stew or whilecooking pasta or rice.

Rice can be cooked in the oven alongwith cakes or biscuits.

Porridge for the next morning can bestarted while baking scones and reheatedfor breakfast.

Oatmeal biscuits for school lunches canbe baked while a roast or soda bread is inthe oven.

Economy and good nutrition can gohand in hand perfectly.

It’s pure comfort

THE cold weather has reminded ushow much we love warming com-fort food. If long-term forecasts are

correct we need an armoury of dishes thatkeep chills away and are welcoming when wecome in from the cold. For those workingoutside the home or entertaining family andfriends, pies are a terrific treat and can bemade days in advance ready for finishing inthe oven.

For the first time in many years I made asteak and kidney pie and, conscious of ourneed to increase vegetable intake, I addedsome carrots, peas, chopped parsnip to theusual onions and meat. It was delicious.

Use tasty shin of beef — very economical— or the usual stewing, round or any cut ofmeat which is on special offer. Lamb’s kidneyis best with the added benefit of good ironcontent.

Beef kidney is a little strong for many peo-ple’s taste and best used for kidney soup —another great winter warmer. To get rid ofmost of the strong taste of beef/ox kidney,soak for 30 minutes in cold milk beforecooking. All kidney is rich is iron and vita-mins B and C and folic acid, so good forwinter fatigue. Cook slowly on the hob or inthe oven to tenderise any cheap cut of meat.Try to cook a cake at the same time to makethe most of the heat.

There is a wonderful tradition of pies inEngland and there are excellent pie recipes inCanteen — Great British Food by Cass Tit-combe, Domini Lake and Patrick Clay-ton-Malone (Ebury Press, £ 18). A goodwebsite for pies is www.deliasmithcom. An-other good one is www.bbcgood-food.com/content/recipes/favourites/pie/.

Toppings for pies can be as easy or compli-cated as we like. Try flaky or puff pastry andjust lay it on top of the dish when the fillinghas cooled down and just before going intothe oven to ensure it doesn’t get soggy orsink in over time. Cut a few slits to allowsteam to escape and keep the pastry crisp.

The sesame seed pastry I use most oftenhas the added advantage of extra B vitamins,magnesium and calcium. I usually cook itseparately from the stew/casserole and roll itout and cut into triangles to serve on theside. This way you can be sure it is crisp andcan serve leftovers with cheese at anothertime. Store in an airtight container. It was in-spired by Jocelyn Dimbleby an English cookwhose books can sometimes be found onAmazon.

Try these five great pie combinations, goodwith or without the crust or topped withmashed potato or a combination of sweetpotato and potatoes:1. Chicken, bacon and leek2. Fish with cream cheese and herbs (withgrated carrot and peas)3. Duck legs cooked slowly, cut into stripsand combined with bacon and prunes (addlentils, onions and carrot)4. Parsnip, sweet potato, spinach andparmesan (add cream cheese and milk tomake the sauce)5. Lamb curry with almond slivers (withcarrot, onion and leek)

Nutrition ona budget

180g plain flour

½ level teasp salt

130g ground rice

3 level tbsps sesame

seeds

200g butter

Oil and water

Rub the butter into the dry

ingredients to make a fine

breadcrumb texture. If you

don’t have ground rice,

just use more flour.

Add enough cold water to

bring the mixture together

into a ball. Roll or press

out to the size of a swiss

roll tin.

Cut into triangles or use a

pastry cutter of any shape.

Chill in the fridge until just

before placing in the oven,

200C/gas 6, for 20-25

mins. Will keep for days.

Sesame Seed Pastry


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Deirdre O'Flynn

MOSTLY MEN

DId you know...

Some detox tipswith Kate O’ReillyTAKE 4

Male health

TO give your bodya helping hand inclearing out theChristmas excessand get you on theright track for opti-mal wellbeing forthe New Year, theCollege of Naturo-pathic Medicine(CMN) is organis-ing a guided detoxweek in Cork,Dublin and Galwaythis month.

Gastric bypassbrings relief

BIGCHANGE:Patrick holdsup his xxxxxL( 5xl ) Shirtafter hishuge weightloss. Picture:Domnick Walsh /Eye Focus LTD ©

TWO years ago, at the tender age of23, Kerry man Patrick Matthewsweighed in at 31 stone. Today, the

weighing scales show him at 14.5 stone. “Ihad a gastric bypass,” says Matthews, whoworks as a sales rep. The gastric bypass in-volved his stomach being made smaller andsome of his intestines being bypassed, result-ing in a smaller appetite.“I put on a colossal amount of weight in

the three or four years before the bypass andI was able to carry off a certain amount of itat my height of 5 foot 11 inches,” he says. Inlate 2008, however, a health scare was just thekick-start he needed to tackle his weight. “Igot pain down my arm and chest and had togo to hospital,” says Matthews, now 25.Luckily, there was no damage to any vital

organs, but it was enough for Patrick to seekhelp.Patrick Matthews was among the one in

four obese Irish adults, with about 2,000 pre-mature deaths in Ireland annually attributedto obesity and associated disease, and may becosting the state as much as 4 billion a year.The direct and indirect costs of obesity areestimated at 400 million, according to the

Department of Health and Children.He had his surgery in the Britain, through

The Hospital Group Ireland, which elects tosend Irish patients to its own purpose-builthospital in Leeds.“Including flights, accommodation and the

surgery, I reckon the whole thing cost me18,000- 20,000,” says Matthews, addingthat his mother, Mary, paid for the undertak-ing out of her National Lottery winnings onRTE’s Winning Streak. “Now, I rarely feelvery hungry and just eat small quantities andwould always eat dinner on a side plate ratherthan bigger dinner plate.“The gastric bypass has changed my life. I

never realised why I had no energy, I neverput the constant tiredness down to myweight. Now, I go to the gym even though I

was never into sport growing up. I’m losingweight slowly and am clothes mad. I used tobuy my clothes in the US and wear supersizes, now a large size fits me.”Always confident, he’s getting married in

March to fiancée Deirdre, his girlfriend for

the last six years.

■ For further info on weightloss surgery, logon to www.thehospitalgroup.ie orwww.weightlosssurgery.ie or call: 1850 204090.

Teeth-grinding linkedto financial worries

FINANCIAL worries arecausing Irish people togrind their teeth, say den-tists. They say one in fivepeople will grind their teethat some time, andmany surgeries areexperiencing higherrates.The symptoms of

teeth grinding,bruxism, includeheadaches, damageto teeth, earaches,and mouth and jawpain.“While we don’t have ex-

act figures, I know from my

own practice, and from talk-ing to other dentists, thatthere has been a substantialincrease in the number of pa-tients suffering from this con-

dition,” said Dr Der-mot Canavan, of theIrish Dental Associa-tion. “From talking topatients, it is clearmany are facing se-vere financial pres-sures.”The condition is

linked to anxiety andstress, excessive

smoking, alcohol use and toomuch coffee.

Employees let their feetdo the walking for IHFOVER 2,800 employees in 43 of Ire-land’s largest organisations walkedover 160 million steps and raisedover 5,700 for the Irish HeartFoundation, as part of De-cember’s Smarter TravelWorkplaces PedometerChallenge 2010. The Chal-lenge was organised bythe National TransportAuthority in partnershipwith the Irish Heart Foun-dation and was designedto encourage participantsto take 10,000 steps a dayin a fun workplace event.“By counting steps each

day, it makes it easy to see how

active you are on a daily basis,”says Ann Scanlon, health promo-tion officer with the Irish HeartFoundation. “The good news is

that being active for aslittle as 30 minutes fivedays a week reduces therisk of heart disease andstroke. From an employ-er’s point of view, it alsoincreases productivity inthe workplace.”According to the Irish

Heart Foundation, encour-aging employees to bemore active not only im-proves their health, but it

also makes good business sense.

57% of Irish mensupportbreastfeeding(QUINN-Healthcare Maternity Survey, Dublin)

SIMPLE JUICE: Here’s a simpledetox juice which can be drunkdaily, weekly or whenever you

wish: Chop 2 sticks of celery, 2 carrotsand 1cm of ginger root. Put in a blenderwith a pint of apple juice (use a good qualityjuice that’s low in sugar) and whizz it up.

GOOD PROBIOTIC: After a detoxnutritionists recommend taking agood probiotic like Udo’s ChoiceSuper 8, 25.49 for 30, to increase

the good bacteria in the digestive systemand boost the immune system. Super 8 isa high potency probiotic blend containingeight different beneficial bacteria. Irishdistributors, Naturalife, advise that Super8s are best taken on a full stomach.

SUPER GREENS: Another supplementrecommended by the CNM is Synergy’sSuper Greens, a blend of spirulina,chlorella, barley grass and wheatgrass.

Spirulina is a microscopic freshwater plant witha high content of easily absorbed nutrients.Chlorella is also a microscopic freshwater plantand contains more chlorophyll than any otherplant. It can help cleanse and detoxify thebody. Super Greens is available in powder andtablet form for 11.90 from selected healthstores and pharmacies. For de-tails visit www.naturalife.ie orcall 0404-62444.The CNM’s guided detox pro-

gramme will take place in theClarion Hotel, Cork, on January19 and 24. For details of Dublinand Galway detox dates, contact01-2353094 or email [email protected].

EASY DETOX: CNM’s director ofstudies in Cork, Mary Carmody(www.marycarmody.nutrition.ie) hasfour easy tips to help cleanse your

system and boost vitality:■ Drink cup of hot waterwith juice of ¼ lemonfirst thing on waking (onan empty stomach).■ Use a dry brush tomassage your entirebody before getting intothe shower. Use a circu-lar motion and work to-wards the heart. This boosts circulationand helps toxin elimination.■ Take a warm bath with Epsom Saltsadded, to soothe and invigorate.■ Jump on a mini trampoline for three tofive minutes at a time. This is useful forstimulating lymph drainage system.

1 2 3

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Feelgood

STUFF WE LIKE

Beauty

The news on ...

Emily O’SullivanTAKE THREE

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mas-cara, 27. Admittedly, this doesn’t look likea simple product and it doesn’t feel like asimple product, but in January it’s prettymuch the only cosmetic we like to wear(along with a bit of tinted moisturiser). Onceyour lashes are looking dark, long andlustrous, you feel more awake and moredefined and this is a great choice for 2011.Bring it on.

Trilogy Vital Moisturis-ing Cream with RosehipOil, 29.95. This is a greatmoisturiser — simple andeffective, it’s rich enough toget you through the coldwinter months and can beused day or night. Trilogy

products are excellent, and if you feelyour skin needs extra hydration, try theRosehip Oil.

Neal’s Yard Remedies Rose andMallow Moisturiser, 23.05. Neal’sYard’s moisturisers are top dog in ourbook. They’re natural, they’re verysoothing on the skin and they give ourcomplexion radiance, a velvety textureand a smoothness many otherhigh-tech products just can’t achieve.Our fave is the Fr ankincense Noursh-ing Cream, but this Rose and MallowCream is light, great on sensitive skinand can be used both morning andnight.

La Roche Posay Hydraphase XL,

23. This doesn’t sound like a simpleskincream, and it’s not naturally basedlike the others, but it is very effectiveand is one of the best day lotionsaround bar none. It’s got UV filters togive a high level of protection fromdamaging rays and is formulated withthermal water, which is rich in an-ti-free radicals.

Burren Perfumery Night or RichDay Unscented Face Cream, 25.Oddly for a company this is Ireland’soldest perfumery, this face cream hasno scent. It’s straightforward and un-complicated, as all good moisturisersshould be, and we’re also very partialto the modern packaging.

HAIR SMOOTHERS

Darren Aronofsky’s much anticipatedBlack Swan movie is out later this year,which means that “ballet hair” is going tobe a big look. Perfect your bun early on,and make sure you have not a hair out ofplace with three hair smoothers that insistperfection is achieved.

Redken Shine Flash, 16. Ifyou’re pulling your hair back offyour face, ballet-style, then you’regoing to need serious amount ofshine — this is no place for frizzor dull-looking hair. This is a glis-tening mist — a good bet ifyou’re doing a night-time look. Itgives an instant shine boost and agleaming, polished-looking finish.

Kerastase Elixir Ultime, 34. Okay,it’s no secret that our very favourite hairproducts right now are hair oils, but theyare just so effective. This Elixir Ul-time both conditions and elimi-nates frizz to give you the kind ofhair that nature should haveblessed you with. Don’t betempted to go overboard, a littlegoes a long way.

L’Oreal Elnett Hairspray,6.99. Hairspray might seem alittle old school these days whatwith all the newfangled formula-tions, but Elnett is a classic and it’s lastedthis long because it works. Do your bun,spray it on, smooth down waywardpieces of hair and hey presto! — hair thatstays in place without that super-crunchyeffect.

FRENCH TOUCH ABSOLU

It would be crazy to buy a product be-cause of the packaging. Like buying abook just for the cover. But Lancôme’snew French Touch Absolu, 30, is so gor-geous looking that it’s almost im-possible not to lust after it.Like a gleaming, shimmering,

glittering ’70s disco ball, the lip-stick is available in three chicshades for spring — lily Rose,Daisy Rose and Berry Rose. Di-vine.

Green People Organic Base No Scent24 Hour Cream, 23.45. Perfect for sen-sitive skin, this deeply moisturising creamis designed to keep your complexionhydrated with botanical extracts and plantoils. If you’re looking for a simple face careproduct that doesn’t feel utterly dull, thenthis is a good choice for you.

It’s a new year and a chance to sort out your make-up bag

TRADITIONALLY, spring is thetime to spring clean. But for us, it’sJanuary. Post-Christmas, the kitchen

counter heaves under inches of tat while stuffliterally leaps out of cupboards as soon weopen them. This year it’s our bathroom thatis the problem — right now it’s groaning un-der the weight of all those gold nail polishes,silver liquid liners and red lipsticks that wethought were a fantastic investment in therun-up to Christmas. (Sadly, thanks to the“White Christmas” element of last year’s fes-tive season there was a Christmas party wipe-out and we spent more time wearing a lookof disappointment than we did wearing redlippy.)January has a good feeling to it, though.

And in beauty terms, this means sortingthrough your make-up bag and throwing outthings that have been lurking there since Yazzand the Plastic Population were number one.Old make-up harbours bacteria — look onthe back of anything you buy and you’ll see alittle icon telling you what its shelf life is. Ifyour moisturiser says 12M, then once it’sopen you should aim to use it within thattime. But, as with everything else, rules arethere to be broken.Yes, in a perfect world we would all get

new products once they go past their date,but we know from experience that as fastidi-ous as we might like to be, there are someproducts we’ve been using far longer than weshould and we can’t really see any harm thathas come from that. But while we’re willingto take risks wearing old-ish lipstick, musty

mascara is not something we’d be happyabout putting on our eyes. If you can’t re-member when you bought it, bin it.Make-up these days doesn’t have to be ex-

pensive and while our current mascara-lustcentres around Estee Lauder’s new Sumptu-ous Extreme Mascara, 27, there are stillplenty of well-priced options from the likesof Rimmel, as well as very super-cheap offer-ings from Aldi and ELF.Another positive about January is that it’s

uncomplicated. You dress simpler, make few-er engagements and eat less indulgent foods.And it also pays to simplify your skincare, andtake things back to basics, especially afteryour skin has gone through a heavy drinkingseason and a bout of extreme weather. Ad-mittedly, we do like serums and we are suck-ers for anything with the words “lifting”,“revitalising”, “firming” or “refinishing” init, but the snow made us re-assess what areskin needs and it looks and feels better for it.

Complicated, chemical-laden moisturiserscan often overload skin, especially if you’reusing the wrong one. Instead, your complex-ion will benefit much more from a simplehydrating moisturiser for night and a goodlotion or cream with an SPF for day. Try andkeep things consistent, too. Chopping andchanging products and formulations, or layer-ing with too many can make your skin con-fused and can, as we know from experience,lead to problems, reactions and breakouts.Great companies for simple moisturisers in-

clude Aveda, Trilogy, Neal’s Yard, La RochePosay, Olay, Yes to Carrots, Botanics andgood old Ponds. Organic moisturisers, suchas Voya’s Me Time, 55, are a great choiceespecially if you want to go a more simpleand natural route, but always look for a SoilAssociation or other accreditation, or elseyou’ll just be getting a product with a smallrather than big percentage of an organic in-gredient in it.

Inspection timeSPILL OVER: Timeto sort out yourmake-up kit andthrow out anyproduct beyond itssell-by date. As arule of thumb, ifyou can’tremember whenyou bought it, thendump it.


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Do you have a questionfor Megan Sheppard?Email it [email protected] send a letter toFeelgoodIrish ExaminerCity QuarterLapps QuayCork

Megan puts the spotlight on: Red Raspberry Leaf

Natural health

Megan Sheppard

WATER WORKS: When deciding from the many options available choose spring waterwhere possible — preferably directly from the source. Picture: Getty Images

QI AM looking for a goodsource of healthy water but amconfused about the benefits ofdistilled water. I have read

information which says it’s thebest water for drinking, and other infor-mation which suggests it is not suitablesince it leaches nutrients from the body.Please advise.

A. You are not alone in the confusion overdistilled water. As you have discovered,health professionals are unable to agree as towhether or not it is beneficial beyond ashort-term detoxification programme. It doeswork by pulling toxins and heavy mineralsfrom the body since it is what is consideredto be “hungry” water.For many years I have recommended dis-

tilled water as a short-term solution forhealth and detoxification purposes, but havecome across much information in the lastyear or two suggesting that distilled watercan be used long term as it only attracts in-organic minerals for removal from the body.Dr Allen E Banik, author of The Choice isClear, states: “Organic minerals stay in thetissues, where they belong. The only miner-als the body can utilise are the organic min-erals. All the others are foreign minerals andmust be disposed of or eliminated.”Health writers Harvey and Marilyn Dia-

mond also put aside the distilled water mythin their updated book, Fit For Life II: LivingHealth, explaining that “Distilled water hasan inherent quality. Acting almost like amagnet, it picks up rejected, discarded, andunusable minerals and, assisted by the bloodand the lymph, carries them to the lungs andkidneys for elimination from the body. Thestatement that distilled water leaches mineralsfrom the body has no basis in fact. It doesn’tleach out minerals that have become part ofthe cell structure. It can’t and won’t. It col-lects only minerals that have already been re-jected or excreted by the cells...To suggestthat distilled water takes up minerals fromfoods so that the body derives no benefitfrom them is absurd.”Distilled water is produced by turning the

water into steam, in order to remove the im-purities, then the steam is condensed backinto ‘pure’ H2O. The search for healthywater is a very important one since our bod-ies are made up of 75% water (97% for new-born babies); which also explains why mod-erate levels of dehydration is a crucial factorin so many health complaints. For more in-formation on why water is so important, Isuggest you read Dr Batmanghelidj’s essentialbook, Your Body’s Many Cries for Water(Tagman Press).Despite the new information regarding the

properties of distilled water, exploding themyths around leaching nutrients from ourbodies, I still like to choose spring waterwhere possible — preferably directly fromthe source. If this appeals, then try waterfrom The Tipperary Natural Mineral WaterCompany (0504 51113), which sources its

water from Borrisoleigh, where the Devil’s Bitmountains form a large natural filter.This award-winning water is exceptionally

pure and has had no treatment other than fil-tration.

Q. I understand turmeric is useful in treat-ing digestive disorders, but was wondering ifthis will neutralise the positive benefits oftaking a daily probiotic since it is antibacte-rial.

A. You are quite right, turmeric is wonderfulas a herbal digestive aid and as an antimicro-bial. Fortunately, it works specifically to elimi-nate pathogenic bacteria, yeast, fungi, and par-asites, so you are able to take turmeric andprobiotics together for optimal digestive func-tioning.Turmeric is effective in treating digestive or-

ders because it helps to strengthen the intesti-nal flora, so will support the growth of thebeneficial bacteria you are introducing intoyour gut via the daily probiotic. For best re-sults, ensure you use a generous amount ofturmeric in your meals or take it in supple-mental form.If you can source fresh turmeric root then it

is terrific grated into soups, stews, andstir-fries. It also makes a surprisingly tasty hotdrink, particularly when combined with otherwarming spices, such as ginger, cinnamon, car-damom, cloves and a pinch of nutmeg.Honey rounds the drink off nicely, and the

brew is great for warding off winter colds andflu, soothing the intestines, and improving cir-culation.

Q. Am I correct in the understandingthat homeopathic remedies don’t actuallycontain any medicinal substance?

A. Homeopathy has long been underscrutiny within professional and consumercircles alike. While rigorous lab testing upuntil this point in time has shown that thereis no trace of the original medicinal plant oranimal parts left in homeopathic remedies,there is also much evidence to support theeffectiveness of homeopathy without being acase of “placebo effect”.French virologist and Nobel laureate, Luc

Montagnier, is currently researching theeffects of high dilutions in homeopathy.Despite the fact that it has been used widelythroughout Europe for over 200 years, thereis a increased demand for ‘proof ’ in thistechnological age.Many scientists and medical practitioners

are of the firm belief that water cannot possi-bly hold the memory of a substance, whileMontagnier states the following: “I can’t saythat homeopathy is right in everything.What I can say now is that the high dilutionsare right. High dilutions of something arenot nothing. They are water structureswhich mimic the original molecules.”Having previously shown that ability of

electromagnetic waves to emanate fromhighly diluted DNA of pathogens, Montag-nier is in a good position to explain themechanisms of homeopathy in terms thatscientists cannot dispute.

■ For details visit: www.irishhomeopathy.ie

TEA AID: Manyherbalists useraspberry leaftea as an aidin treatingstomachulcers. Picture:iStock

RED raspberry leaf, (rubusidaeus), has a well-foundedreputation as a beneficial tea

to be taken by women during thefinal six weeks of pregnancy tostrengthen and tone the uterus,preparing for a trouble-free birth.What is less well known is just hownutritious red raspberry leaves are.High in calcium, iron, potassium,

phosphorus, along with vitamins A,C and E, red raspberry leaf is a won-derful tonic post-partum to restoretone to the uterus and pelvicmuscles, and is worth continuingthroughout the breastfeeding years.Combine it with marshmallow

root for a soothing and nourishing

drink to increase the flow of breast-milk and enrich the quality of yourmilk.It is also an excellent herbal reme-

dy for cold and ‘flu, both as a pre-ventative measure and to treat exist-ing symptoms. It works well as amouth wash for ulcers and tendergums, and will also soothe a sorethroat.Many herbalists use raspberry leaf

tea as an aid in treating stomachulcers, or topically for skin lesionsand ulcerations. It is also useful toreduce nausea.Raspberry leaf tea is considered to

be a wonderful herbal brew foryoung girls as they approach puberty

— it is believed to help ease thephysical and emotional changes sheexperiences at this time. My 12-olddaughter drinks it regularly withhoney, so time will tell as towhether or not this bears true. Sofar, so good, I am glad to report.It is a simple tea to prepare, either

hot or cold, just use one heaped tea-spoon per cup of near boiling water,or infuse two tablespoons in 600mlof cold water overnight.Raspberry leaf tea is widely avail-

able as a dried herb or in tea bags. Itis commonly found in the wild sinceit tends to take over in areas where itis planted, or you could grow yourown raspberry patch.


16


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Feelgood

No 2 Camden Place,St Patricks Bridge, Cork

t: (021) 4552424

OPENINGTIMES: Monday to Friday 8am-9.30pmPlease log on to www.thehairclinichlcc.com

Before treatment

Prevention is better than cureWhen34yearoldKenneth

Fallon started losing hishair 4 years ago he went tosee the HairClinic and wastold about a revolutionarypainfree laser treatmentthat prevents hairloss andhelps to thicken existingthin hair.“The trichologist told me thatit was important that I caughtmy hairloss early as when thehair is gone, it’s gone, andthe laser can only work onthinning hair. I cannot growhair on a bald head. I was

also told that the conditionI had, known as AndrogenicAlopecia, was an inheritedcondition and as my dad wasbald, as was my grandad, Iknew I has to do somethingas I was heading the sameway.“Unfortunately with mywork and the birth of mydaughter, I didn’t go aheadwith treatment straightaway as recommended andmy hair just got worse andworse. I kept meaning to dosomething about it but I just

kept putting it off which Iknow is the worst thing to doas I know once the hair root isdead, it’s too late.One evening, after wehad been out with friends,a friend of mine postedthe evening’s pictures onFacebook and I couldn’tbelieve how bad my hairlooked. I hated seeing myselflike that and I knew I had todo something. The next dayI made another appointmentwith the HairClinic whichwas the original Cork City

clinic I had visited all thoseyears ago and I was told that Ihas lost some hair around thecrown so I would always bea little bit light in that area.But the great news was thatthe laser treatment wouldstop my hair from getting anyworse and also thicken mythinning hair.9 months on and there hasbeen a huge improvement inmy hair and I am delighted.I just wish I had donetreatment earlier when I firstnoticed the thinning!

After 6 months laser treatment

Stops hairloss andthickens hair in 94%of patients

Totally safe andpainfree

Works for men andwomen

FDA cleared ashaving no sideeffects

FREEConsultation

Feelgood 14-01-2011

Documents

new child

new baby

new parents

department of child

extra child

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longing fora child

larger families