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Surrogacy is a topic that has recently been in the press after Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker announced that she and husband Matthew Broderick were going to be expecting twin daughters, born through a surrogate. The SJP said that she and her husband had been trying to grow their family for several years through many different methods but had been unsuccessful. They then decided to use a surrogate as a means of ensuring that they were able to expand their family. This topic has been in the news again today after the lady of 24 years old came forward as already having given birth to 2 surrogate babies and is going to be looking at doing it for a third time. This is clearly not something that families choose to do lightly, but for many, as in Sarah Jessica Parker’s case, it is the only choice if they want to grow their family.

There was an article last month in the national press about a family who discovered an ancient church below their house in Telford. The family had noticed a wooden grill on the floor of their house and decided that they needed to investigate it further. They sent their son down the into the cellar and he discovered that they was an old wooden cross on the floor which first alerted the family to the fact that they were currently living on top of an old church. Down in the cellar the family discovered old wine bottles and old newspapers dating back to the early 1900’s. A local historian thinks that the church could date back to the 1700’s where it could have been used as a hiding place for Catholics.

I am about to sign up for something that I have never done before – a charity run. Over the weekend lots of people in my office did the BUPA Great Manchester Run for the British Heart Foundation and I have decided that I need to do something for charity too, so I have signed up for the Cancer Research 5k run. Although it’s not as far as the Manchester one, which was 10k, I figured I could start off small and work my way up. Not only are charity runs great as they raise money and awareness for charities they also help you keep fit and give you a goal to aim for. My run is in July which should mean that I’ll be fit and healthy over summer which is great for me and great for Cancer Research too.

Last night I went out with two of my best friends for dinner and then to a local bar, as it was a Tuesday night I drove there and back without having a drink (as a total light weight just one drinks would get me drunk) but I was surprised to see that my two other friends were knocking back the wine on a Tuesday night, claiming that they both usually drink a bottle a night between them. This got me wondering how much alcohol is healthy for women? According to the Department of Health women should drink no more than two to three units of alcohol a day. A standard 175ml glass of red or white wine is around 2 units, whereas a large 250ml glass of red or white wine is around 3 units.

The new diet that everyone is talking about at the moment is the brain diet. As consumers we are constantly told to keep our ‘hearts healthy’ and to top up our gut with ‘friendly bacteria’ but now there is a new organ that we need to keep an eye on, it’s our brains. A brain-healthy diet is essential for keeping your memory, concentration and intellect sharp and alert. The basis behind this new diet is not revolutionary, it reverts back to the classic idea that we need to eat regularly throughout the day, preferably three meals and to snack on nuts and seeds. It also highlights the risks in drinking too much caffeine can make someone anxious, so rather than having a double espresso, simply limited yourself to a single shot which will keep you alter and awake but won’t confuse your brain.

There have been many studies into how much water people should drink every day, the majority agree that we need about 8 glasses of water a day. This posses a major problem – how do you define ‘a glass’? Another survey suggested that we need 2.5 litres of water a day so I recommend buying a two litre bottles of water and a 500 ml bottle and monitoring your water consumption through these means. This should mean that you avoid drinking too much or too little, drinking the right amount of water will mean that your body is able to function properly, alongside a healthy diet and lifestyle of course. Water helps the brain function, gets rid of waste in your body, keeps your skin clear and helps improve your concentration.

In today’s busy environment, many people do not have the time to eat sat down or to eat proper meals. For many commuters in big cities breakfast is a cereal bar on the train and then maybe a cup of coffee at the local Starbucks or once they get into the office. Lunch is often eaten at peoples desk so that they are available to answer the phone if it rings and continue working, again people pick up their lunch from their local Pert A Manger or sandwich shop, and that’s for the privileged few who actually have time to eat, often I’ll see people on the train on the way home eating their sandwiches as they have not had the chance to do it at lunch time. This eating on the go is often blamed for Britain’s growing obesity crisis as when people pick up food on the go they are unaware of the calorie or fat content of what they are consuming. It is better and healthier to make your food yourself as you know how fresh the ingredients are and it is easier to monitor the amount of calories consumed as well.

Now that the weather has stated to improve (I know I have totally cursed the weather by writing that), the best and cheapest way to feel good is to get outside into the sunshine. Not only does the sunshine release Vitamin D but now that the days are getting longer and the nights are getting shorter, people who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) will be able to enjoy the sun as well. So with the sun out, make sure that you go for a walk over your lunch time or rather than going to a gym indoors, go for a walk or a run outside in the fresh air. And the best thing about walking or running outside is that it doesn’t cost a penny. Of you have a family take them all out on the weekend for a country walk, not only will you all be exercising together but you will be exposed to the essential Vitamin D from the sunshine and fresh, clean air.

Is the traditional ‘builder’s brew’ a thing of the past? Many people are becoming more and more aware that there are hundreds of options available when it comes to choosing a cup of tea. Not only is there the traditional tea bag but there is now an array of herbal and detoxing teas available, the most notable being green tea. Green tea is claimed to be packed with health and beauty benefits as it is packed with antioxidants. Green tea is made by putting freshly picked leaves into a steamer, which helps keeps them green, then they are crushed and dried in ovens. This powerful tea originates from China, yet it is India that is now the biggest masker and user of green tea, and has been used for hundreds of years as a medicine and as a drink. Green tea has also been associated with weight loss management. The different substances contained in green tea have also been associated in helping people fight against cancer, low bone density, cognitive function and kidney stones.

One of my favorite ways to relax and regain my focus is to do the ancient art of yoga. In the early Noughties yoga was brought into the mainstream consciousness as it was practiced many celebrities, becoming a daily ritual for the likes of Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow and Geri Halliwell. But it is not just the latest celebrity fad exercise, yoga actually has many health and spiritual benefits.
1. Practicing yoga helps improve your overall flexibility as specific yoga positions work muscles, tendons and ligaments that are not normally used or stretched, resulting in better flexibility as the positions are repeated.
2. Yoga also helps detoxification as the positions and stretches help to increase blood flow around the body, which helps rid the body of unwanted toxins.
3. Most importantly, yoga helps create a state of tranquillity which allows the participant to meditate. The primary aim of yoga is to achieve a level of calm for body, mind and spirit, which is designed to create calmness and positive outlook, something that many of us who are caught up in our busy lives fail to find elsewhere.