Mosquito repellents are essential on holiday, but many of us have concerns about the effects of putting strong concoctions, such as the pesticide DEET, on our skin. Try these natural alternatives to stay bite and bug free this summer:

• Mosi-guard Natural is a natural and effective repellent spray available from health foods shops and chemists. The active ingredient used is a naturally occurring extract of lemon eucalyptus oil. It protects for up to ten hours against sand flies, ticks, midges and mosquitoes.
• Mix citronella oil (citronella oil is available from most health food shops) extracted from the plant cymbopogon nardus, with a carrier oil and rub into the skin. Also try rubbing wild mint leaves, which contain the natural repellent pulegone on your skin.
• Combining the following essential oils to make a natural insect repellent:
  • 1/2 ounce citronella oil
  • 1/4 ounce lavender oil
  • 1/8 ounce pennyroyal oil
  • 1/8 ounce tea tree oil
  • 1/8 ounce jojoba oil

Do not use this blend undiluted on your skin. Follow these instructions for diluting:

• To make an insect repellent oil that can be used on your body, add 16 ounces of jojoba or almond oil to the base oil mixture and blend thoroughly.

• For an insect repellent spray, add 16 ounces of vodka to the base oil mixture, pour into a spray bottle, and shake before using.

• Arnywear sarongs, kaftans, stroller covers and soft toys are available from chemists and off the web. Arnywear is a new fabric impregnated with a natural mosquito repellent that is totally safe for children. It gives a no bite zone of around 50cm for thousands of different types of insects.

Flagging vitality can lead to low energy warning signs such as fatigue, insomnia, irritability, poor concentration, lowered immunity (you keep getting colds all the time) and low libido which are debilitating enough in themselves but can also increase the risk of a whole range of illnesses, including extremely distressing ones such as depression and ME or chronic fatigue. Therefore doing all you can to keep your energy levels at their peak is perhaps the single most important thing you can do to maximise your chances of good health and happiness.

So what should you do when your energy levels are flagging? First of all you shouldn’t do what many of us do and grab a coffee and a chocolate bar. As well as depleting your body of vital nutrients and unsettling your blood sugar levels which can trigger fatigue, caffeine has a nasty way of masking how tired you really are.

This is why some people feel even worse after gulping down a few mugs of coffee. Drinking coffee at night has also been known to cause many cases of restlessness and insomnia and as for chocolate here’s a quick fact: sugar puts you to sleep. It does not, as most people think, give you more energy. So first of all cut out all those caffeinated drinks, sweets and chocolates, and start eating more fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds instead when you need an instant energy boost.

Listed below are my top 20 natural energy boosters. Try them every time you feel drained or in need of a boost. Bear in mind that sometimes a persistent lack of energy can be due to an underlying medical condition, such as thyroid dysfunction, anaemia or diabetes, so consulting your doctor is essential if you feel chronically tired.

1. Exercise. The more you exercise the more energised you are likely to feel because exercise and energy production in your body are closely linked. Aim for 30 minutes of activity on a daily basis but you don’t have to join a gym any activity that leaves you feeling warm and slightly out of breath, dancing, DIY, housework, gardening, swimming, cycling, walking, is doing you a lot of good.
2. Eat Grapes. The energy boosting value of grapes is due to their high magnesium content. Magnesium is essential for energy production and deficiency has been linked to fatigue and muscle weakness
3. Try hemp seeds. Hemp seeds are power packed with the essential fatty acids needed for energy production. They are needed to make prostaglandins, a hormone like substance crucial for metabolism (fat burning) and stamina.
4. Eat broccoli. Broccoli contains a range of B complex vitamins and the energy boosting nutrients, magnesium and iron can be found in fresh green (preferably raw) vegetables, such as broccoli, asparagus and kale. Deficiencies in B vitamins, magnesium and iron are associated with energy slumps. Broccoli is also a good source of co-enzyme Q10, a remarkable metabolism boosting nutrient involved in energy production.
5. Try yams. Yams are packed with the energy boosting minerals – calcium, for strong bones, magnesium and potassium for energy production as well as folic acid and the antioxidant immune boosting vitamin C. Their complex carbohydrate and fibre content also has a steadying effect on blood sugar ensuring that your energy supply is constant throughout the day.
6. Eat regularly. Many of us tend to neglect our eating patterns. We should be eating, on average, four to five times a day, with interspersed snacks here and there. This isn’t just to keep your body supplied with a regular input of energy boosting nutrients; it will also help balance your blood sugar and blood sugar swings are a major cause of fatigue.
7. Deep breathing. Breathing from your stomach instead of your chest increases your oxygen intake and hence increase energy levels. The easiest way would be to sit comfortably in your chair, close your eyes, and begin concentrating on your breathing. Make sure to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, in order to maximize oxygen intake and carbon dioxide expenditure.
8. Water. The source of life is also one of your best sources of energy so make sure you drink between seven and eight glasses a day.
9. Take a good quality multi vitamin and mineral supplement. This will give you a good combination of vitamins and minerals that are essential for energy production including the B vitamins and zinc.
10. Take a nap. This may be hard for most busy women, but napping in the afternoon will energise you more than you think. The trick here is to avoid napping for too long. Usually 20 minutes is enough, but don’t exceed an hour. You’d be surprised to hear that napping is common practice in most European countries and is commonly referred to as a siesta.
11. Laughter. If you really need to cheer up and increase your energy, then watch a sitcom for half an hour, or better yet, get tickets to your favourite comedy club. Laughter has been proven time and again to be the best therapy for depression and lack of energy.
12. Tea for me. Drinking tea regularly every day has been found to increase one’s stamina. However, the type of tea you drink is very important. You should stay away from tea that contains high levels of caffeine e.g. black tea. Instead, use peppermint, camomile and Rooibosch (red bush). When you can use dried herbs rather than bagged ones.
13. Aromatherapy has been used for centuries as a therapeutic aid for weakness, sleep deprivation, depression, and other psychological ailments. Try using the following essential oils to burn in your house: rosemary, lemon, orange, and cinnamon. These scents are known for their rejuvenating properties. If you don’t have a scent burner at home, you can put a few drops of the essential oil into a handkerchief or tissue, and constantly inhale it throughout the day.
14. Breakfast. They don’t call it the most important meal of the day for nothing. A sensible breakfast will give you the boost you need each morning to last you through the whole day.
15. Visualise an uplifting colour. Orange is good for lethargy or tiredness. Sit or lie comfortably and imagine the colour seeping through every part of your body as you inhale and exhale deeply. Open your eyes and feel more awake.
16. Think positive. Research has shown that those people with the most mental energy and the least stress related illnesses tend to have a strong sense of self-belief.
17. Sleep. Ensure you get at least seven hours unbroken sleep a night – your bedroom should be comfortable, quiet and dark. Avoid too much caffeine in the day and do not eat a big meal or exercise vigorously in the evening.
18. Fresh air. If you spend a lot of time indoors, try to get outside more. Walk around the block at lunchtime and if it’s raining bring an umbrella – the exercise and fresh air will invigorate you while daylight has beneficial effects on your brain function, making you feel refreshed.
19. Instant energy boost. Grab a snack that can give you an instant lift such as a banana, a handful of Brazil nuts, dried mango or raisins.
20. Head massage. Give yourself a quick head massage to life your spirits. Rub your scalp briskly then lightly tap all over your head with your fingertips. Pull your fingers through your hair; shaking away any negative thoughts.

(See next month’s issue for my advice on energy boosting herbs and supplements)

When cloves are chewed, crushed or cut, they release a sulphur-bearing compound called allicin – the chemical that gives garlic its pungent taste and smell. And it’s the allicin that scientists have discovered is the magic ingredient thought to be responsible for garlic’s therapeutic qualities.

Most of the modern research on garlic has concentrated on its ability to lower cholesterol and blood pressure as well as offering protection against strokes and heart disease. For example, when the Journal of the Royal College of Physicians reviewed data on cholesterol in 1993, it found that after just four weeks there was a 12 per cent reduction in cholesterol levels in the research groups that had taken garlic.

Scientists have also looked at the role garlic plays in helping prevent the formation of blood clots. A review of recent clinical trials, published in the Journal of Hypertension, showed that taking garlic tablets cut volunteers’ blood pressure by between one and five per cent. These results led the report’s authors to conclude that taking supplements could cut the incidence of stroke by anything from 30-40 per cent, while heart disease could be reduced by 20-25 percent.

While garlic is gathering a reputation for helping to maintain a healthy heart, regular amounts of garlic seems to also help the body fight off infections. A recently published study found that a daily garlic supplement reduced the risk of the volunteers catching a cold by half. The researchers also discovered that even when those taking the supplement did develop a cold they were more likely to make a speedier recovery than the non-garlic taking volunteers. And if that’s not enough, just one clove a day will top up your body’s supplies of vitamins A, B and C, as well as a vast array of minerals including selenium, iodine, potassium, iron, calcium, zinc and magnesium.

Research into the benefits of garlic are continuing all the time and some scientists have been reviewing evidence that suggests it may even help to protect against stomach cancer. The thinking behind this is that the allicin compounds, contained in garlic, may help prevent cancerous changes in the stomach wall. While more research is clearly needed there is little doubt that a little garlic, every day, can go a long way in helping to protect, as well as boost, your health.

For some, garlic can be the cause of heartburn as well as flatulence. And then, of course, there is the smell that eating garlic leaves behind! For those who prefer not to eat the garlic, it is available in supplement form. If you’d prefer to stick to the real thing, a clove a day can help improve your overall health and two or three cloves a day can help to stem a cold. Chew parsley after eating garlic to help neutralise your breath. When used in cooking, crush or cut the garlic finely, then leave for 10 minutes to allow the allicin to fully develop before adding to recipes. Add the garlic about five minutes before the end of cooking – this way you apply just enough heat to convert the allicin into medically active compounds.

Note: Garlic can interact with anticoagulants, such as Warfarin and aspirin, so if you take blood thinning medication, talk to you doctor before taking garlic supplements. It is also recommended that no garlic supplement is taken for two weeks before surgery, as they may interfere with blood clotting and increase risk of bleeding.