How to save the bees

Unless you've not ventured outside in the last few years, you'll have noticed that the bee population is in freefall, with some species of bumblebee dropping in number by over 90% in the last few decades.

Where have all the bees gone...
There is some debate as to the cause of their decline, but much scientific evidence suggests that toxic pesticides are playing a major role in killing them off.

… And why do we need them?
Bees are an essential part of life on this planet, pollinating 75% of the world's plants - those are the crops, vegetables, fruits and nuts that we rely upon to survive. The disappearance of bees from the earth would not only be a deep loss in itself but also devastate our food supply.

They could be saved
On Tuesday, a bee task force will report on whether these bee-killing pesticides should be banned in the US, but the task force faces huge opposition from the chemical companies who sell the pesticides.

What can you do to help?
You can show your support for a ban by signing this petition. A previous campaign by the same group contributed to the EU banning these pesticides last year. Signing your name could make the difference between recovery and extinction.

What this year's bumper blackberries can do for you

You know autumn's fast on its way when you spot the first blackberries hanging plump from roadside bushes and along woodland walks. With its wet winter and sunny summer, 2014 has so far provided ideal conditions for brambles, resulting in a bumper blackberry crop.

Much like the taste explosion when you bite into them, the sighting of the first few blackberries of the year can be a bittersweet experience - on the one hand their appearance signals the end of long summer days, but on the other all those chilly autumn evenings provide the perfect excuse to curl up with a bowl of homemade blackberry and apple crumble.

Did you know?
As well as being delicious and - if you pick them yourself - free, blackberries are also full of fibre, vitamins (in particular vitamin C) and antioxidants. If you end up picking more blackberries than you know what to do with, simply store them in a container in the freezer, giving yourself instant access to a supply of tasty, healthy snacks all winter long.

Fact of the day: despite their name, blackberries aren't berries at all - each 'berry' is actually composed of many tiny fruits clumped together.

Un-learning junk food cravings

A pilot study has found that we may be able to learn to enjoy healthy food.

Born to eat
Similarly to other species of animal, humans have evolved to experience feelings of reward at the thought of eating. These feelings are necessary for our survival, as they ensure that we consume a sufficient amount of food to stay in good health. However, this reward system in our brain can through habit become more easily activated by high calorie foods than low calorie foods, making us more inclined to choose calorific options. In recent times, this combined with easy access to cheap, unhealthy food has led to a rise in obesity.

Healthy rewards
In the study, brain scans revealed that over time the overweight participants who were placed on a weight-loss programme experienced a considerable shift in brain activation. The parts of their brains linked to reward showed much greater activity when they viewed pictures of low-calorie food (as well as lower activity for high calorie food) after 6 months on the programme than before they had started the programme.

All in the head
This suggests that, with time, we can change the reward systems in our brains and reverse junk food cravings, replacing them with cravings for nutritious food. Though this was only a small pilot study, it provides hope for those of us who struggle with our weight, or those who dislike the taste of healthy food. Eat it for long enough and you might just trick yourself into liking it.

The natural route to good health

Many people are sceptical but hopeful that they can improve their health and happiness with natural methods. Deep down there is something that feels so right about simply using easy natural ways to look after and improve our health.

Yet why do some people seem to get amazing results using a natural alternative method and others none at all? Is it all just in the mind? These were the questions I asked myself both on a personal level and in my own clinic.

These days natural solutions are advertised on a large scale and the general public is much more open-minded and willing to ‘give it a go’. But results are often mixed. For every really great story of how natural or alternative methods worked there are other stories with less positive outcomes.

However, modern medicine has the exact same challenge. Some people respond well, others have side effects, others no improvements.

What does this mean? Why does one person respond well while another person has little or no result?

Finding the answers
I’m certainly not claiming to have all the answers - in fact after 20 years of practical research there is still so much more to learn and understand. Right now inspiring people are developing more and more potential answers to help us live healthier and happier lives. The knowledge, methods and products to do this are already available and constantly being improved.

What I found to be missing is how you can access the right information – without studying and exploring for nearly 20 years like I have! What also seems to be needed is a set of guidelines - a map and compass if you like - that anyone can follow and benefit from. All of my work, clinic, teaching and publishing are based around providing this information in a way that can help everyone.

Results with Harvest magazine
With Harvest magazine, we set out to fill that void and bring you answers, providing you with a thoughtful and experienced resource. Harvest magazine will deliver to your home the knowledge and views of a range of experts four times a year. We want you to get the most out of the information in order to achieve the results you want.

Over the next 9 weeks I will share with you my best tips, discovered through working with clients, to help you get results. They are the missing pieces that we either never hear about or disregard because they seem too simple. I promise you that if you follow and understand these you can transform your own health and happiness.

If you cultivate an open, curious mind and remind yourself of the points I will share here each week, your journey to create better health and energy will have a great head start. As you will see, the answers I found are not specific actions or products. Instead they represent a different approach and outlook to our whole body and way of life.

Over the years these simple guidelines have never changed. But I have now developed them in many ways and discovered many more. I hope you will join us at Harvest, so together we can continue down the exciting path of creating our own happiness and health.

Tips to help with morning sickness

As the world rejoices at the news of a new addition to the Royal Family, we are probably all sharing a thought for Kate Middleton right now, who not only is suffering from morning sickness, but is doing so under the watchful gaze of the world.

The hormones' fault
If you are pregnant or thinking of starting or expanding your family, you may be interested to know that it is thought that 50% of pregnant women suffer with morning sickness. There are different views of the cause of morning sickness, but it usually starts in weeks 4-6 and lasts until weeks 14-16. During this time hormones are produced by the corpus luteum (a yellowish tissue which surrounds the egg after it is released from the ovary) until the placenta matures around weeks 14-16 and takes over hormone production.

Pointers for the first few weeks 
Many therapists and practitioners do not treat pregnant women until after week 12. So here are some safe tips we suggest for those early weeks:

• Keep hydrated with plenty of fluids – even sipping water when you can will help.
• Keep blood sugar levels balanced – not easy with morning sickness and weird cravings! Try to keep away from large amounts of sugary foods; helped by eating good quality protein and fats. Small amounts of dark chocolate may help.
• REST! Your body is going through huge changes in the first 12 weeks. If you feel tired listen to your body. Is Mother Nature telling you to slow down?
• Chew your food as poor digestion is thought to be another cause. One very simple tip is to chew your food really well as this will stimulate a sluggish digestion, calm mum down and can really help. 

There are a whole range of wonderful natural remedies such as herbal teas, homeopathic remedies, acupuncture and nutritional supplements, but it is always best to contact an experienced practitioner who can look at you as an individual. If your morning sickness continues after 14-16 weeks you should seek further professional help.

Harvest Moon

Ever noticed an unusually low and golden-coloured moon in the autumn? Here in the northern hemisphere we saw one last night, and with any luck we should be able to do so again tonight. It's commonly referred to as a Harvest Moon, though it comes by other names in different cultures. It's quite a sight and leaves you wondrous at the beauty of nature.

Why the name?
The name Harvest Moon refers to the full moon which appears nearest the autumnal equinox. Although every full moon has its own name (the full moon due on 8 October 2014 is the Hunter's Moon), the Harvest Moon is probably the most well-known. It is thought to have been named after the abundance of bright moonlight available on these few nights in early autumn, which has traditionally assisted farmers by providing more light by which to harvest their crops.

Why does it look so big?
The Harvest Moon rises earlier than usual – shortly after sunset – because of its northerly trajectory, which means it is lower down on the horizon. This has two effects – firstly, that the moon appears much larger and secondly, that the moon appears orange in colour. Its beautiful colour is in fact down to the way in which the spectrum of light is filtered by the earth's atmosphere. Sunset takes on the same attribute – when looking at the horizon the atmosphere is much thicker there and more of the blue light is scattered, making the red light more visible. This gives both sunset and a Harvest Moon its strong warm colours.

A time to think
So take time to appreciate the full moon in all its glory tonight. For many cultures it's a time of great celebration and some people look upon a full moon as a new start. At Harvest we think it's important simply to take the time to pause for a few moments, to appreciate nature and the world around us in all its splendour.

Asian boom for organic products

The end of August saw the first ever Natural & Organic Products Asia event, showcasing over 1000 natural products and services under one roof in Hong Kong. While Natural & Organic Products Europe has been running for 18 years, this was the inaugural Asian show, reflecting the growing demand for safe and sustainable food and beauty products across the world.
    
A worldwide issue
The drive towards natural solutions and alternatives is a global concern - one that Harvest magazine will do its best each issue to address.