They also pave the way for larger feats, like learning to communicate more openly about your condition – & your needs – with family, friends & health professionals.

Whether you’re on a waiting list for professional advice or embarking on post-treatment self-management, you can start building this support structure for yourself immediately.

Become your own creative therapist

Arts & crafts have long been used therapeutically, as a means of relaxation, expression & building self confidence. They’re especially good if you struggle to put your feelings & opinions into words.

You may need to postpone any perfectionist urges, at least to begin with – spend some time experimenting, first, with different materials, just to see how they respond, & to get an idea of their potential. The trick is to start off with a few inexpensive bits & pieces; splashing megabucks on materials that, it turns out, you don’t enjoy using, is a bit of a waste.

Clay sculpture

Even if drawing & painting have never been your strong point, you may surprise yourself with how creative your hands become once they can feel a three-dimensional shape forming beneath them. There’s something oddly calming, too, about moulding & squeezing the clay, which is usually brown or white & can be found for around £5-10 in most art shops.

It self-dries – you don’t need to fire or cook your finished piece to harden it – but can dry out a bit while you’re experimenting, so keep a dish of water handy for dipping your fingers into while you work. Store any unused clay in a tupperware or lunchbox, to keep it moist. Try making something familiar, first, like a face, a foot, or an animal. Once you get the hang of it, you can start exploring your imagination.

Sketchbook journal

Many therapists advocate writing a journal, but putting your thoughts into words can be difficult, for one reason or another, therefore sketching, drawing or doodling can often make more sense. If you’re not sure where to start, a good technique is to draw a circle & start making marks within it, mandala style – asymmetry is fine. There’s no need to do it every day, but there is much evidence that regular journaling, however you choose to do it, is an effective tool for stress management, problem-solving & emotional release.

Scrapbook journal

A good alternative to sketchbook journaling for anyone who really doesn’t fancy drawing, this uses images (& text, if you like – poetry, for example) that have a particular resonance for you. Some folk enjoy arranging their images in collages, while others prefer a more orderly format. Visual blogging sites like Tumblr & Pinterest offer an interesting, albeit more public, alternative to traditional paper scrapbooks.

This is a sponsored post by Suzie Saw*, who has experienced episodes of depression since her early teens, & now manages it using a carefully honed blend of cognitive behavioural therapy, meditation, excellent friends, plants & flowers, lots of vegetables, & Star Trek.

* A writer, not a psychiatric professional. Please seek medical advice if you suspect you or a loved one is suffering from depression.

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Nightingale poop facial scrub

Traditional practised by Geishas in Japan, this product is supposed to give you smooth, pale skin. It’s still available, mostly in New York, London & Tokyo, but we’re pretty sure we can live without it.

Snakebite facial

Most of us take care to avoid getting bitten by snakes, but ladies who love these facials, which use viper venom to freeze the face, swear by its ability to tighten up fine lines. Wouldn’t you rather grow old with your dignity in tact than get hysterical enough to pay for things like this?

Bull sperm hair conditioner

Widely replaced by the Brazilian Keratin system these days, but at least one famous London salon offers this treatment, reputed to boost volume & shine. The semen is refrigerated & mixed with protein-rich katera root, but that doesn’t make it any more appealing, in our opinion.

Snakeskin pedicure

A Californian treatment, this is purely aesthetic – real snakeskin, stuck to your toenails. Not only is it expensive & a questionable look at best, but what about the poor old snake? Fancy nails are hardly a matter of life & death, so no animal should suffer or die for them.

Beer bath

Popular in the Czech Republic, the beer is full of vitamins & exfoliants. This might actually be quite appealing, providing you didn’t mind smelling like an alcoholic for 24 hours afterwards.

Pig placenta beauty drink

Gahhh! Japan again… Said to have regenerative properties, this zero calorie jelly drink is supposed to keep you looking young. Some brands even have a peachy flavour, but somehow that isn’t very reassuring.

Chocolate massage

Now this is more like it! Any die-hard chocolate fan knows that it’s full of antioxidants. After all, what better excuse do you need? Although this Pennsylvanian treatment feels like a bit of a waste, it certainly smells much nicer than some of the things we’ve discovered.

Russian tree beating

A bundle of twigs is used to scent a steam bath (the steam draws out the plant’s medicinal properties) & to beat your bare back in a sort of stimulating massage. Oak twigs, which, according to Russian traditional medicine, have antibacterial properties, are used to treat oily skin & skin disease. Birch is used to draw out toxins, maple for anti-inflammatory reasons, while various herbs can be added for different effects.

Snail slime facecream

It’s hard not to feel sorry for the snails, but apparently their slime contains antioxidants that protect the skin. There doesn’t seem to be much scientific evidence beyond the claims made by the manufacturer, however, so perhaps it’d be better to save your money, & spend it on some fruit & veg instead.

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The same is thought to be true of these components which treat hay fever as they are made to help relieve the symptoms of hay fever when used together to balance out the effect of the allergenic reactions.

The pollen balm has already been proven to be very effective when used to combat the side effects o pollen and looks much like a lip balm only it is applied at the bottom of the nose in an effort to stop pollen from entering the body via the nostrils.  In fact, an independent study run by a Professor at the National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit found in 2009 that the balm is able to trap much more pollen then nostrils that do not have the balm coating in place.

This unique balm was developed by hayfever sufferer, Max Wiseberg, in his own kitchen, and has now become a major brand stocked by larger supermarket and pharmacy chains throughout the UK – including Boots, Asda, Tesco, Lloyds pharmacy, Holland & Barrett and Waitrose, as well as hundreds of independent pharmacies and health food stores.

HayMax™ is natural and certified 100% organic by the Soil Association. It is drug-free and non-drowsy, so is suitable for pregnant women, breast-feeding mothers, and children. It has recently added to its list of awards, achieving a ‘BizzieBaby’ 2010-2011 Gold Award, a ‘Highly Commended’ in the Natural Lifestyle Awards and a nomination at the recent Vegetarian Society Awards.

It comes in a handy pot, so fits easily into a handbag, makeup bag or pocket. And HayMax™ is very economical too – users reporting that one pot lasts the whole season. HayMax™ user Victoria Coates comments, “Have been a victim of hayfever for over 10 years and have tried countless products to prevent it and nothing has been as fantastic as HayMax, this is what I call a girl’s best friend!! ”

The Qu-Chi acupressure band is also a natural and drug-free way to get almost instant relief from the symptoms of hayfever and allergic rhinitis, without causing drowsiness. The principle is based on Acupuncture, which has been used for thousands of years by practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine and is increasingly used by western doctors and hospitals. Acupuncture has been shown to reduce the effects of histamine type reactions in the body.

The Qu-Chi band was invented by Andrew Broch, a leading acupuncturist in Leeds, and a hayfever sufferer himself, who found that acupuncture was extremely effective for the relief of his symptoms. The band is clinically proven to alleviate the symptoms of allergic rhinitis and hayfever.

The band has worldwide distribution, was the top selling hayfever product on Amazon for hayfever relief throughout last season, is available in asda-pharmacy.co.uk and has been written about positively by media doctors in major newspapers and magazines.

The band is very easy to use. Simply put the band on either before symptoms appear, or as soon as they start. Once in place – just underneath the elbow joint – it can be worn day and night. It can be used with other medication and is suitable for use throughout the night, thereby giving 24 hour relief to people of all ages. It is also very economical, as it can be hand washed and re-used many, many times.

“When I first felt the benefits of wearing the band, it was rather surreal. Being around other sufferers and not feeling the dreadful symptoms that I regularly suffered. When it was time to send the band back after the clinical trial, well I didn’t want to,” says Jason Palmar, aged 36, from London.

The Qu-Chi band is available in brown or pink. It retails at £9.95 and is available from www.qu-chi.co.uk, 0113 350 5432, as well as www.asda-pharmacy.co.uk, Amazon, Manor Pharmacies and many independent chemists and pharmacies nationwide.

HayMax™ retails at £6.99 for a 5ml pot, and is available from www.haymax.biz, on 01525 406600 or from Asda, Holland & Barrett, Lloyds pharmacy, selected Boots, Tesco, Waitrose, and independent chemists, pharmacies and health food stores nationwide.

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The concept of a meridian is an empirical concept, developed at a time when we know little or no functioning of the body. The body is crossed by networks for the distribution of information (nervous system) and products necessary to the functioning of cells (including blood), the concept of Meridian has been an intuitive understanding of this distribution from vital organs.

Some pressure through the skin induces reflex actions, and palpation through the skin is part of the diagnostic process (e.g. the pulse and palpation of lymph nodes). It would be fascinating to see acupuncture as an empirical discovery of some of these phenomena.

But because of the complexity of the functioning of the body, the effectiveness of a therapeutic method can be established only by clinical studies, including using statistical methods and comparison with the placebo effect. These studies should be conducted double blind.

So far, no study recognized internationally by the scientific community failed to provide any element that would support the thesis of the existence of meridians.

Authors of scientific studies made in Germany using a dermal thermograph, demonstrate the application of heat to acupuncture points resulting in a special mailing privileged path corresponding to paths traditionally described to the meridians.

These studies must now be analyzed by the scientific community before being considered valid.  The study led by Dr. J.E.H Niboyet showed a decrease in electrical resistance of the skin at the point acupuncture.

In November 1985, a hoax was implemented to demonstrate an effect of acupuncture by doctors Darras Albarede Vernejoul which claimed to have viewed a meridian with a radioactive isotope. The publication of their discovery coincided with the release of a popular book on acupuncture by the same authors.

The magazine Science et Vie was one of the few mainstream newspapers of the time to criticize methodology.  The findings were contradicted in 1988 by Professor Lazorthes, who reproduced the same experiment by following a strict protocol.

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Doctors know very little about migraine causes except that they run in families, and may be triggered by many conditions ranging from nervous excitement, disturbed sleep patterns, stress and reactions to certain foods, such as cheese or chocolate. These headaches can last hours, sometimes days, and often come with nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to sound and light, and, perhaps most strangely of all, distorted sensory perception, especially vision. If you add together the range of different symptoms and so many different potential triggers, it is no surprise that researchers are perplexed about the science behind these headaches, or that sufferers seem to find treatments so hit-and-miss.

Research however has found that in many people migraines are triggered by reactions to foods. Clinical studies have shown that management of the diet can reduce the severity and, or, frequency of headaches or even stop them. However how do you know what foods are causing you problems? Well a simple finger prick test can do just that by identifying the trigger foods responsible for food intolerances. The test measures food-specific IgG antibodies and helps identify different food types in which an individual may be sensitive to.

The test in question is the foodSCAN 113 from YorkTest can give you an accurate reading of exactly what foods your body is reacting against so that you know what to avoid. Recommended by the charity Allergy UK, the test is supported by hard evidence; findings from York University and YorkTest, who surveyed 514 migraine and headache sufferers, showed that 81% benefitted in terms of the frequency and severity of their attacks if they removed the foods from their diet that showed a positive reaction. Some of the most common food intolerances people experience is yeast, dairy, and wheat intolerance – everyday food types that you may have intolerance to but have never known!

Further studies have also found other food intolerance symptoms including bloating, nausea, respiratory problems, and more highlighting the vital role that your diet plays in you wellbeing. So make sure you change your diet for the best in 2011 as you could end up getting rid of more than just your waistline!

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Given the fact that the skin does not receive any of the energy as it goes straight the skin is unchanged and since the device is not powered by light there is no exposure to melanin.

Throughout the investigation trial of the device ten test subjects were acquired eight of which actually participated in the trial.  Each of the participants was female with grey or white hair growth on their chins.  In addition, a few of the studies also had at least six previous laser hair removal treatments that were not effective.

The subjects reported that after treatment with the device their hair growth was much slower and in many times the hair was finer or softer.  Two of the participants saw a 95% reduction in hair, two saw an 80% reduction in hair, and the remaining four saw between a 50 to 75% reduction in hair growth.

Each of the patients found that the device was easy to use with a little training and there were no side effects reported including pain.

In summary, the Selectif Pro appears to be a great new device for treating unwanted hair growth that has not responded to laser hair removal treatments.

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