After you’ve absorbed the antioxidant health benefits from your cup of green tea, it’s time to recycle the leaves. You can use them to feed your garden plants–green tea is high in nitrogen–and they will even ward off pests and insects.

Tea leaves have a long tradition of being used as a deodoriser. Tea is loaded with catechins, which are the polyphenolic substances we know as anti-oxidants. The catechins have antibacterial properties, which makes tea leaves great for fighting odour. So why not sprinkle dry tea leaves onto your carpet, crush them lightly and let them sit for 10 minutes, then vacuum. This will refresh your carpet and deodorize your vacuum cleaner and bag.

Q: I’m trying for my second baby and my doctor has suggested I lose some of the weight I gained during my last pregnancy first. Is it worth it as I’m going to gain weight anyway when I’m pregnancy?

A: It most certainly is. Mothers who pile on the pounds after their first baby could be putting their next baby at risk. On the other hand, losing too much weight quickly after a pregnancy could be just as dangerous. Any rapid weight changes between pregnancy can increase the risk of babies suffering high blood pressure along with premature or stillbirth.

There is growing evidence that sudden and dramatic changes in weight put a huge strain and can harm babies. One study from Sweden published in 2006 which examined 207, 5000 women between 1992 and 2001 highlighted the dangers of weight gain. It found a rise in a woman’s body mass index (BMI) by just one or two points between her first and second pregnancy increased the risk of diabetes and pre-eclampsia. A second study published last year in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology examined the risks of losing weight. It found that women whose BMI fell by five or more units between pregnancies had a higher risk of premature birth than those whose weight remained stable. Although apparently contradictory these studies show how important it is to attain and maintain a healthy weight before, during and after pregnancy so my advice to you is not to try and diet to lose weight but to make sure you eat healthily and get regular exercise (see my tips on healthy eating and my fertility boosting tips in this issue). That way you’ll be getting all the metabolism (fat burning) benefits of a healthy diet and you’ll also be giving yourself the best possible chance of a healthy pregnancy and birth.

You may also be worried about gaining weight once you are pregnant. Under no circumstances should you diet during pregnancy. If you crash diet you will deprive yourself and the baby of valuable nutrients. Your body may also start to detoxify (losing toxins stored in fat throughout your body) and these toxins will pass though the baby before they are excreted.

If you eat a good, nutritious diet, you will lose any unnecessary weight naturally. The way to lose weight during pregnancy is to eat healthier and any excess weight will come off. A healthy weight gain during pregnancy is considered to be not more than 15 kg (33lb) and also not less than 5kg (11lb). If you find that you are well above or below this range, talk to you doctor.

The most important thing you can do to maintain a healthy weight is to ensure that your blood sugar is balanced by eating regularly. If you miss meals in an attempt to restrict calories, you may end up craving sweets and chocolates because your blood sugar has dropped too low.

Reduce your intake of concentrated fruit juices, even unsweetened brands. These juices may have some nutritional value, but they lack fibre and many women have found that they can cause weight gain because they cause the blood sugar to fluctuate. Juice should always be diluted (half and half) with water.

Eat slowly and chew well. It takes 20 minutes for your brain to register that you are full, so if you eat slowly you can avoid overeating before you get that message.

Q: How can I minimise or prevent scaring naturally?

A: The best way to prevent scarring is to make sure the wound heals properly if you cut yourself. If you get a scrape or gash apply pressure to the area to stop the flow of blood and wipe away any dirt.

If you don’t keep the wound clean the immune system will try to engulf the foreign particles and cause pus and slow down the healing process. Rinse the cut in sterile salt water: boil filtered water, let it cool and stir in one tablespoon of salt per pint of liquid. Then mix a pinch of powdered goldenseal which is rich in antibacterial berberine and moist slippery elm bark which is a natural skin healer with a few drops of healing aloe-leaf gel to make a thick paste. Spread the paste over the surface of the wound to form a poultice.

If the cut is deep and open you may need stitches to prevent scarring as wounds left gaping are more likely to cause scars. After the cut is secure take 500 to 1000 milligrams of antioxidant vitamin C twice a day to speed the healing process. If a scar does form use can a good quality vitamin E and pierce the capsule and rub in the oil.