'Where there is great love, there are always miracles.'

Willa Cather

Don't let Hayfever spoil your big day....

Our lovely resident health and wellbeing expert, Miriam, who runs Equilibrium For Health, shares her ideas for avoiding hayfever and other nasties around wedding season....

Many people suffer in silence from allergies but allergies are not something that you simply have to put up with. It is possible to manage your allergies naturally. Common allergy symptoms include sneezing, sinus congestion, itchy eyes, persistent cough, wheezing, asthma, headaches, and skin disorders such as eczema. If you have allergies, as well as looking at symptom relief, the underlying causes such as immune imbalances or nutritional deficiencies need to be addressed in order to give you long term relief. Common causes of allergies include reacting to certain foods, food additives and pesticides, grasses and pollens, dust mites, and chemicals in personal products and cleaning products.

Allergies are caused by an immune imbalance. Pharmaceutical medications may help to reduce symptoms but do not address the underlying cause. The following herbs and nutrients may help to manage symptoms of allergies naturally, as well as rebalancing your immune function.

• Perilla (Perilla frutescens) - Is a herb that is beneficial in the treatment of hayfever, asthma and sinusitis. It can be used to reduce the symptoms of allergic reactions, particularly of the upper respiratory tract.

• Atractylodes (Atractylodes lancea) - Is a herb that is beneficial for hayfever, nasal congestion, asthma, and dermatitis. It also helps the immune system to fight colds and respiratory infections.

• Albizia (Albizia lebbeck) - The anti-allergy properties of the herb albizia are helpful for hayfever, asthma, sinus congestion and allergic skin conditions such as eczema and hives. It also helps to strengthen the lungs and clear mucus.

• Quercetin - Is a bioflavonoid vitamin that is used for acute or chronic allergies such as hayfever, hives, and asthma. It is also a great antioxidant.

• Probiotics - There are many different strains of probiotics; the most useful for allergies is Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG®). This strain has been found to be effective in reducing allergies including eczema.

• Zinc - Plays a very important role in regulating the immune system and is a common deficiency. Optimal zinc levels are crucial in any allergy treatment.

• Vitamin C - Boosts the immune system, improves lung function and decreases allergy symptoms.

• Essential oils - Antimicrobial essential oils such as eucalyptus, peppermint, lavender and thyme used in a sinus spray can provide relief from nasal and sinus congestion that occurs with hayfever and upper respiratory tract infections.

To help balance your immune system and help you manage your allergy symptoms, follow these simple recommendations:

• Consider a natural supplement for allergy relief.

• Avoid any foods that are known allergens.

• Increase fruit and vegetable intake, particularly those bright in colours, such as berries and capsicum, as they contain high levels of antioxidants and nutrients.

• Avoid processed and refined foods that may contain preservatives and additives.

• Drink at least 2 litres of filtered water per day to keep the body hydrated.

To find out which treatment is best for you, or to ask question, please contact Miriam Kimche on 07967 594462 or visit Equilibrium For Health.

'Treasure the love you receive above all. It will survive long after your gold and good health have vanished.'

Og Mandingo

'I would like to have engraved inside every wedding band “Be kind to one another”. This is the Golden Rule of marriage and the secret of making love last through the years.'

Randolph Ray

A Flower for April

Reintroducing the lovely Soulla of Sophie's Garden with her floral musings for April...

Spring is a beautiful time of year for flowers because of the vast range of bulbs available. It is the season of inexpensive but glorious flowers that bring colour into your home. Tulips in particular are found in many shapes and colours. The movement is exquisite and allows you to become creative with designs. They are reasonably priced and can be used in great profusion without exceeding the flower budget.

The April birth flower is the daisy. Daisies are associated with innocence. The gerbera daisy has large colourful blooms, which has made it a favourite with flower lovers. There is a legend that a nymph wanting to escape unwanted attention, transformed herself into the daisy. Ever since the April birth flower has the flower meaning of simplicity and modesty. The daisy is also associated with the 5th Anniversary and represents innocence and loyal love.

An alternate birth flower for April is the sweet pea meaning good-bye or blissful pleasure.

Ah - thank you Soulla, as ever.

'To the world you may only be one person, but to one person you may
be the world.'

Heather Cortez

Global Wedding Survey

All brides and grooms who married since 2007 or are planning their weddings now .... please take 5 minutes to complete this survey..

Splendid Communications, who provide the wedding industry with lots of insights and recommendations, is conducting a survey which is open to anyone who got married 2007 or later or who is currently planning on tying the knot: it takes around 5 minutes to complete. It’s a global survey, so brides or grooms in any country are welcome to participate. All answers are anonymous.

Splendid Communications has no financial bias linked to the results of this survey. It makes no difference whether or not a couple uses magazines over blogs (or vice versa) when planning their wedding, or whether or not they identify more as modern or vintage. However, learning how couples make specific decisions does matter  as such insights can help every business make better decisions with regards to improving customer service, services and products.

You can participate in the survey here for which many thanks.

'You don’t marry someone you can live with – you marry the person who you cannot live without.'

Anon