Your mission this Christmas...

I’ve been hanging silver baubles on the tree, dusting mince pies with icing sugar, soaking dried fruits in marsala … and cursing when the sticky tape sticks to itself instead of the wrapping paper I’m using for my Christmas presents.

Yes – it’s that time of year again. 

And I love it. 

Love looking at the Nativity pictures on my grandchildren’s school website. 

Love listening to choirs singing Once in Royal David’s City (The Pogue’s in New York, not so much).

But I’m also thinking about those who find Christmas so much more of a struggle.

Who, this year, are in too much pain to bake or decorate or fill stockings.

The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society says, for example, that there are 690,000 people in the UK coping with RA this Christmas.

And in order to raise awareness of the need for improved management of the disease they are calling for more recruits to their Remission Mission.  

They say: “It’s really easy to join – simply take a photograph of yourself, upload it to the photo wall using the upload button and tell us what remission means to you by following the instructions.

The photo wall is open to everyone with RA, family members and friends, regardless of age.”

Sounds like a lovely idea. Happy snapping – Happy Christmas. 

Hangovers past and present

Snoring

Sad to say the asonor was not a success. But I did find out a possible reason why. I am the wrong kind of snorer.

The British Snoring and Sleep Apnoea website has an online sleep test which helps people work out what kind of snorer they are - it appears I am a multifactoral snorer.

So before you invest in any kind of anti-snoring aid, I’d suggest you visit this site and take the test.

Psoriasis

My guinea pig failed to report back, so I am none the wiser. However, I was reasonably impressed with the before and after pix the pr sent of a case study, so I guess if you can afford to try this, it might be worth a go.

Finally … I’ve been sent two products to check out: one aimed at fitness fans, the other at party animals. (I’ll let you guess which category I might fall into).

Blood pressure/endurance

BEET IT Sport Pro-Elite bar www.beet-it.com contains oats and 400mg of ‘natural dietary nitrate, the equivalent of 400ml beetroot juice.’

It is being marketed as a sport nutrition product because research shows that nitrate ‘interacts with enzymes in alive to boost nitric oxide levels in the blood. This natural vasodilator increases blood flow and oxygen supply to muscles with a beneficial impact on strength and endurance.’

I can’t vouch for that – but I do that know drinking beetroot juice every day can lower your blood pressure. I did it. The only trouble was, I soon began to detest the taste.

It’s possible the BEET IT bars would have the same effect. They certainly taste nicer than a glass of  beetroot juice. (You can get them at Holland and Barret rrp £1.85 a bar). 

Hangovers 

O.R.S Hydration Tablets contain a formula of electrolytes, glucose and minerals which, when dissolved in water, help to rehydrate you if you’ve been ill or are have a hangover. (That thumping headache is a sign of dehydration.)

The tablets come in three flavours – lemon, blackcurrant and strawberry – and cost £4.99 for a tube of 12 or £6.99 for 24.

So far, I haven’t had an opportunity to try them out – but there are a few Christmas parties on the calendar so maybe …