Many of us feel downhearted when the night draws in but for some people their whole life is affected.

Thousands of years ago Hippocrates and years later the Greek physician Areteaus had noted a link between sunlight and depression which caused lethargy in some people.

Nowadays it is called ‘SAD’ or ‘Seasonal affective disorder ‘which can affect a person to the extent that they require medication.

More women than men appear to suffer from this condition which is believed to set off an imbalance of chemicals in the brain.

Sleep patterns are due to a rise and fall of hormones in the body and has eyes sense the dark the body does it job by producing melatonin and sleep follows. If too much melatonin is produced there is a feeling of fatigue and depression can follow.

The months of October and November is the time that the symptoms appear to unfold. These feelings will peak in December and by February as the light nights are starting to show they start to improve.

Some of the symptoms are listed below:

•    Feeling low and moody especially in the mornings

•    Irritable most of the time

•    No concentration

•    Hypersomnia which can often lead to sleeping during the day

•    Craving Chocolate

Herbal Remedies such as St. Johns Wort can be effective as it works on the brain as an antidepressant.

It’s nearly Christmas and there’s lots of planning for the festivities. People are running around making sure the food is ordered, the gifts are wrapped and the house is nice and clean for the visiting relatives.

The party invitations have arrived and you are looking forward to enjoying yourself and the minute you relax you start feel ill. You have to be healthy and beat this leisure sickness by improving your immunity.

Herbal Remedies such as Siberian Ginseng, Panax Ginseng and liquorice are available and can be taken a couple of weeks before and after Christmas.

Home Remedies can include taking one multi-vitamin supplement. Make sure you give yourself time to relax and unwind before Christmas so your body will keep up its energy levels.

Heavy eating or overeating at parties can be difficult for your bowels to cope with.    To keep the bowels moving so that you are not constipated try Phsyllium husks as they will keep the digestive tract in good order, drink plenty of water and exercise as much as you can. In the short term you can use prunes and sienna.

Warning: if the symptoms persist consult a local doctor.

The cure for Type 1 diabetes is limited to symptomatic treatment and maintenance of blood sugar levels with insulin. The management of diabetes type one is completely dependent on exogenous insulin in most cases. The ideal treatment for diabetes mellitus type 1 would allow the person to lead a completely normal life, to remain not only symptom free but in good health, to achieve a normal metabolic state and to escape the complications associated with long term diabetes.

The diet must be nutritionally adequate for the persons needs and it must, therefore, be estimated for each individual person after considering factors such as age, sex, actual weight in relation to desirable weight, activity, occupation and financial resources.

An approximate range for the various groups might be:

1.    An obese, middle aged or elderly person with mild diabetes should get 1000-1600 kcal of food supplement per day.
2.    An elderly diabetic but not overweight should get around 1400-1800 kcal per day.
3.    A young, active diabetic will require 1800-3000 kcal per day.

The body weight must be maintained at or slightly below the ideal weight for the person’s height.
Losing a little weight will always be to a person’s advantage.

Herbal Remedies that can help are Cinnamon, Garlic, and Pine bark extract.

The liver can be hampered by cholesterol as it stops it from working as efficiently and become sluggish. The liver is the main organ which reduces toxins in the body and help to keep the digestive tract in good order. To start the liver working at full force again is to lower blood cholesterol.

One of the Herbal Remedies that can help is Soy Lecithin. This herbal plant can also help if a person is struggling with loss of appetite or even headaches. Lecithin can keep a good digestive tract and healthy bowels. It breaks up the fats in the liver which will help to raise energy levels.

Christmas will soon be here and it will be tempting to eat and drink more than usual. However there is still time to give the liver some help by trying Soy lecithin as one of the Home Remedies . Start to eat healthily and have a healthy lifestyle before the festivities begin.

Note: it is advisable to eat healthily all through the Christmas period and reduce the amount of alcohol so that you can wish your liver a Merry Christmas.

If a woman suffers from this symptom every month it is not only distressing for them but a partner and family can suffer at the hands of mood swings and depression but to name a few.

Some women actually get away with not suffering with the hormone changes every month. However there are a large percentage of women that do. Physical symptoms include water retention, painful breasts and the dreaded weight gain.

Other main symptoms that can affect a woman are headaches, tension, aggressiveness and depression.

Halfway through a woman’s menstruation cycle the levels of oestrogen changing can be the majority factor of an imbalance.

Serotonin in the brain can actually make a women feel a lack of the feel good factor and therefore responsible for a display of irritability.

If a woman suffers every month they dread the month year in and year out.

Herbal Remedies such as Agnus Castus can have a positive effect. It contains flavonoids and is a plant which is considered an antioxidant.

This herbal plant taken regularly as part of a woman’s Home Remedies can help to balance oestrogen and progesterone, thus helping in the tenderness of the breasts and reduce bloating.

If you have been to the Himalayan mountains may will have heard about the Goji Berries that the Tibetan monks cherish.

These berries are regarded as an anti-ageing super food and the monks hold a celebration every two weeks in honour of them.

•    Protein: Each berry contains nineteen amino acids which are considered the building blocks of protein.

•    Minerals: There are also mineral in the berries including Zinc, Iron, Calcium, Selenium, Germanium and Phosphorus.

Goji berries are high in Vitamin C and have more of this vitamin than the celebrated orange. Other vitamins in the berries are B1, B2, B6 and Vitamin E.

Gojis have a complete spectrum of antioxidants including beta-caratone and zexanthin which support the eyes.

Other Properties:

•    Iron and Betasisterol, Sesquiterpenoids.
•    Cyperone and Solavetione (anti-fungal compound).
•    Tetraterpenoids and Betane (Digestive).
•    Polysaccharides (Immune System)

The Gojis berries are a power food that can be eaten daily and are nutritious therefore the perfect healthy snack or as an addition to cereals in the morning.

Warning: If you are using a prescribed medication inform your doctor of the health products you are taking.

If you have been wondering how to make an infusion of tea from the herbs you have stored away or have not had time to practice and a family member is not too well. Here is a short version of a tea recipe used for Herbal Remedies.

Herbal tea can be used daily and is effective as a medicine.

Useful herbs for the recipe are lavender, lemon juice, peppermint and dandelion. Honey can be added to the tea if it is too bitter. However if you are pregnant then it is advisable to ask your doctor’s advice.

Method for making herbal tea:

Have 2 heaped teaspoons of the chosen herb ready and place into a large mug or cup. Seeds will need a large mug.

Pour boiling hot water into the mug or cup and cover to prevent any oils evaporating.

Once you have done that, leave to brew and stop yourself from peeping to see what is happening. Fifteen minutes should be long enough if you do no want the liquid to be too strong.

Take the mug or cup and strain the liquid into a clean container. Seal the container and stick a label on the container with the date and ingredients clearly marked. This mix can be stored in a fridge or a cool place.

Kennel Cough is not as bad as it was years ago but can still present a problem due to it being painful. The period of two weeks can be stressful for a dog and its owner as the sound of the hacking cough can keep everyone in the family awake.

There are products that a person can buy over the counter but they only provide short term relief.

Any dog would need to rid itself of phlegm just the same as humans and if too much medication is taken to stop the coughing there is no release and the cough lingers on.

There are holistic veterinarians that can help a dog which would be based on using treatments which are Herbal Remedies and natural treatments.

Warning: It is imperative that if the ailment does not look like it is improving that the dog is taken to a veterinary surgeon as it could be pneumonia. However in most cases the immune system of a dog can help itself to guard against any infection.

Long term Home Remedies :

• Choose a Vitamin C which can be added to food on a daily basis and topped up once a month in winter.
• Golden Seal and Echinacea the herbal remedies that can be given to aid their immune system.
• Reduce exercise and give honey on a teaspoon if the dog has started to cough.
• Keep the dog away from smoke inhalation.

Many of us spend some part of the day, if not all day, sitting at a computer. When it comes to the end of the day there is the temptation of watching television or playing games. Once again your eyes are focused and you are concentrating. In some case, this can lead to headaches and nausea.

If the retina at the back of the eye starts to feel the strain, then the eyes start to tell us they are in need of a rest and are short of the nutrients required to keep them at their best.

The best way to make sure the eyes are healthy is by having them professionally tested regularly to see if oxygen and nutrients are plentiful.

Herbal Remedies are available in the form of teas that can be sipped at work in break time. The most beneficial nutrients that can be supplied are fruits such as bilberries which contain anthocyanidins and organically grown vegetables which have no pesticides.

Organic bilberry jam is known to help with vision and can even help with cataracts and short-sightedness. The other plus side of using organic jam is that it tastes good.

This plant is from Australia, although can be found in other temperate countries. It likes marshy land and is good in a garden as a wind breaker. It has oil that is high in cineole which explains the aromatic scent and this is popular in medical treatments.

It is an expectorant and has decongestant properties that are used in healing and beauty products.

Over the counter products have this plant as an ingredient in vapour rubs, lozenges and other medicinal products that helps to ease congestion, bronchitis, colds, influenza and sinusitis.

Effective against bacteria, it can be applied externally to wounds, bruises, and sprains to name but a few.

Warning: If you use too much of this oil at any time, it is so strong it can cause headaches and in severe cases has been known to bring on convulsions.

Warning: Do not use the essential oil undiluted on skin and keep away from the eye area. If there is an accident then wash the eye area with cool water immediately until the stinging stops.