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Even the healthiest specimen admits to the occasional headache, twinge in the arm, or strange stitch in the side. In fact doctors would be skeptical of the person who stated categorically he never experienced a single ache or pain.

NATURE, in her miraculous way, is flashing a warning signal.

The nervous system's express purpose is to register the slightest irregularity in our bodily function. Without it we would be reduced to nervous wrecks and hospital cases.

In most cases slight twinges and pains can be treated simply and effectively. But if a pain in one particular area persists for several weeks, then proper treatment from a doctor or specialist is essential.

Analyse some of the isolated aches and pains you get - often you can find the reason. For instance, you might be starting a new job and in the morning you have a headache. This persists until you feel at home in your new office and are starting to get used to the work you are doing and the new faces around you.

And what about the twinges in your bones when the weather starts to cool in autumn, twinges that amazingly disappear as you acclimatize to approaching winter?

In other words, there's no need to get distraught and over anxious whenever you feel a bit under par - it happens to everyone and it's a good, healthy sign that your body is reacting normally.

Many so-called "illnesses" are what doctors and psychologists call psychosomatic. That is, they are emotionally induced or anxiety-based disorders.

HEADACHE

Headaches are the most common psychosomatic pains. Apparently there is seldom an organic basis for them, or disease process evident. But they exist, they cause pain, and they recur.

When you ask your doctor why you are getting headaches he will give a possible list of causes which in your case might be a specific thing, or a combination of factors.

The practical causes seem to be these:

1. Tension and worry. Specific anxiety.
2. Problems associated with work.
3. Over-indulgence in food, alcohol, or tobacco, or all three.
4. Lack of fresh air.
5. Not enough exercise.
6.Guilt feelings.
7. Exposure to bright light.
8. Fear - which could stem from domestic problems, work, or feeling inadequate and not being able to cope with life.
9. Late nights.

The most frequent cause of all seems to be pressure. This will apply to anybody who is engaged in an exacting occupation - business executives, students, housewives. The working mother has the added pressure of coping with two jobs - the successful running of her home and family (often carrying the greater burden), and her business occupation.

The important fact to remember is this: No headache that comes on regularly or one that persists should be ignored. Don't do your own diagnosing, even though you think you've been very clever.

Let your doctor decide. He will ascertain whether there is any serious organic basis for it, and if so, he will prescribe correct therapy and follow through until you are cured.

For a headache you can try several things.

Firstly, take a headache tablet the moment you feel the pain coming on. It is quite wrong to take pain-killing preparations regularly and in large quantities. If the headache persists see your doctor.

Secondly - and this is the hardest medicine to swallow for most people - try to relax. You have to learn how to do it, and as one doctor puts it: "It's just like golf, the more you practice the better you become."

Find at least 10 to 20 minutes in the day when you can completely relax - either on your bed or on the living room floor. Breathe deeply, and consciously relax every muscle in your body.

Empty your head of worrying thoughts and concentrate only on breathing deeply and rhythmically. Eventually you will be able to let all your muscles go limp and after the rest you'll feel a new person.

An increasing number of doctors believe that if we could really learn to relax properly we might be on the way to eliminating many of those tiresome aches and pains. Headaches strike most viciously at the highly strung, nervous middle-aged woman with time on her hands.

In her case it would be highly recommended that she take up some kind of interest - either a creative pursuit, voluntary work, or a sporting hobby which will benefit her physically and introduce her to a new circle of friends. As her self-confidence increases and her zest for life returns, those headaches will disappear.

MIGRAINE is a particularly severe specific headache pain which is not psychosomatic. The pain invariably attacks one side of the head only and this is often a helpful way to diagnose migraine.

It is often aggravated by eating oranges, chocolate, fatty foods, and other specific foodstuffs. This will vary from person to person. Flashes of bright light before your eyes, or a blinding sensation might indicate migraine. It may be associated with menstrual pain too.

Proper medical diagnosis is important. Once it is established that your headaches are migraine, then you will have the correct tablets prescribed by your doctor and will medicate yourself as the pain occurs.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE causes painful headaches. This type may bring distinct pain or a vague, overall painful sensation. Many women note a fullness in the head, a tight band, or a feeling of tension.

Sometimes it's associated with dizziness as well. Palpitations are another common sign of blood pressure. If you have a combination of these or even one specific symptom, don't waste time - make an appointment with your doctor.

Olive is accepted as a peace symbol widely throughout the world, particularly in the Middle East, where it originated. It encircles the globe on the United Nations flag, and the Cyprus flag has twin olive branches under a map of the country, symbolising hopes for peace between the Greek and Turkish factions.

Olive is possibly the oldest tree in continuous cultivation. It was well enough known at the time of the Great Flood in 2347 BC for Noah to identify it from a leaf in the dove's beak.

Individual trees live to a great age, maybe even thousands of years. Some people believe the trees on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem are survivors of those present at Christ's crucifixion. These trees were cut to the ground by Romans in AD 70, as part of the destruction of Jerusalem, but the action may have rejuvenated them: the olive responds well to severe pruning.

Wild olive, Olea europaea, is an evergreen, spiny bush with insignifi cant fruit, the cultivated forms with edible fruit being the result of selection over centuries. This process of domestication must have proceeded even before the time of Moses, when he exhorted his people to charity.

The practice of beating the branches with long sticks to loosen the fruit, which falls to the ground to be gathered, remains the major harvesting method.

Olives destined for table use are collected carefully by hand when straw-colored. They are inedible at this stage and must be treated before being eaten, one method being to steep them in a potash or salt solution followed by preservation in brine.

The most famous olive orchard is undoubtedly the Garden of Gethsemane, which derives its name from the Hebrew word for oil press. The oil was processed from the olives by crushing them with a revolving stone.

Olive oil is now used mainly for cooking and salad dressing, but in biblical times it was extensively used for lubrication and as fuel for lamps. It also had a special place in religious observance.

The wood is very hard with a beautiful grain.

Olive belongs to a large family of about 400 species of trees and shrubs thriving in temperate and tropical climates. The family contains plants as diverse as ash, fraxinus, privet ligustrum and lilac, syringa. Oleander is in a different family but gets its name from the similarity in appearance of its leaves to those of the olive.

A species of olive which contributed to the decline of a native plant species is African olive, Olea africana. It was introduced to Norfolk and Phillip Islands in the South Pacific, colonizing rapidly, suppressing native plants. One of these was the beautiful Norfolk Island hibiscus, Hibiscus insularis, which was already succumbing to the onslaught of another introduced pest, the European rabbit.

Apart from the useful fruit, olive has attractive grey foliage, making it a useful screen plant which holds its branches low to the ground. Olives, plain or stuffed with pimento, joined other foods of Mediterranean origin to broaden and stimulate palates tamed by the traditions of Anglo-Celtic cuisine.

As we enjoy our olives this festive season we should reflect on the antiquity of this tree, hoping that its peaceful influence continues to pervade its Middle Eastern homeland.

Have you got acne, sick office skin from the air conditioning, cold sores or eczema? Do sulfur-rich foods, fish oils and Vitamin E help prevent ageing?

Alix Kirsta in "Eating for a Healthy Skin" explains that "the relationship between the outer and inner body, though not immediately obvious, is intimate in the extreme. No other visible part of the body records the shifting patterns of health as accurately as the skin."

Healthy skin is constantly repairing and renewing itself, with cell division being most prolific between midnight and 4am. Skin renewal begins to slow down gradually from the age of 35 or 40.

It is a pity the author's background is not given but she describes my fair and dry skin better than I could. Oil, Asian and black skin types are characterized too, followed by the effect of external influences such as pollution and the benefits of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Skin excretes up to two liters of fluid every day.

A chart called the "A-Z of Skin Problems" provides the common causes, dietary factors and key nutrients for broken red veins, chapped lips, psoriasis, stretch marks, sunburn, thrush, cold sores, eczema, and acne.

A consultant nutritionist has provided a computer analysis of every recipe, detailed in a block beside ingredients. The breakdown of calories, protein, carbohydrate and fiber per serving is followed by vitamin content which ranges from one to five stars based on daily amounts recommended by the Department of Health in Britain!

Brief comments at the start of each recipe refer to its high points linking vitamin content with skin and body function.

Eating for a Healthy Skin is handsomely designed with lively white spots on a grey border opening every mono chromatic chapter. Full page color photographs each display three dishes garnished with vibrant fruits, berries, herbs and vegetables.

In the main fish, meat and poultry sections the recipe with the most stars for folic acid, iron, Vitamins C and B12 is Liver with Satsumas. My butcher, of Spanish ancestry, says everyone should eat liver once a week and that Australians would be more inclined to the dish if it was called Lamb's Fry with Mandarins. By whatever name, it was inexpensive, quick to prepare and very tasty.

Method: Using a sharp knife pare rind from 2 mandarins, cut into thin strips and set aside. Divide mandarins into segments, remove pips.

Toss 450g lamb's liver, sliced and cut lengthways into thin strips, in 2 tbsp plain wholemeal flour and sprinkle with peeper to taste, heat 2 tbsp polyunsaturated oil in a non-stick frying pan, add 1 skinned and sliced onion and cook for 5 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally.

Add the liver and cook for about 5 minutes or until the liver changes color, stirring occasionally.

Stir in mandarin segments and 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and cook for a further 2 minutes or until the fruit has softened slightly and the liver is tender. Serve hot, garnished with the strips of mandarin rind.

Holiday time is very close. You will be planning for your own comfort and entertainment, what of that of your pets?

You might be staying home and just taking day trips. Does your dog travel with you? Wonderful, because it will enjoy the change too, but here are a few points to remember.

Even on a warm day, NEVER leave your dog in the car even with the windows down a little. That "little" is insufficient to keep the inside of the car cool enough to prevent dehydration, extreme distress and possible death. Take water and a drinking bowl with you. Check if the place you are visiting is a wildlife sanctuary, you run the risk of a high fine for taking dogs or cats into these areas.

If you intend holidaying away from home, and your pets are going too, again check that they will be accepted at your place of residence - holiday home, motel, caravan park or whatever. Please ensure that they are not a nuisance to other holiday makers.

Will your pets be staying at home? Even if you are going away just by the day, make sure all pets have shelter from the sun at any time of the day, plus an adequate supply of drinking water in a cool spot.

If you are absent for longer than a day, you will need the help of neighbors or the care of boarding kennels. If the latter, check the facilities offered, tell the owners the diet to which your pet is used; take something familiar such as a piece of bedding or an old toy.

Thank you for reading this article, I trust it is a useful reminder. Love and peace be with you during your time of recreation.

Today we take so much for granted about our eating habits it isn't surprising we have forgotten the origins and principles behind the style of foods we eat.

Breakfast foods are a good example. Does anyone know who invented ready-to-eat breakfast foods? Does anyone know who formulated the combinations of grains and fruits that make up Muesli? Well stay tuned while we journey backwards in time and meet "Dr Muesli".

SWISS ORIGINS

The originator of Muesli was the late 19th Century Swiss physician, Dr. Bircher-Benner, founder of the Zurich Health Clinic which bears his name. Dr. Bircher-Benner's principles for health were based on his belief that raw fruits, vegetables and their juices held curative powers for most common disorders. He also pioneered the use of machinery designed to extract juices from vegetables and fruits.

Our modem day food processors and blenders are not really new, just last in a long line of processing machines dedicated to getting the most out of fresh foods. According to Dr. Bircher-Benner, it was important to side people to under eat rather than over eat.

He developed an easily digestible, nutritious yet simple combination of grains, nuts and fruits which would constitute a complete meal and could be saved sparingly - but frequently - throughout the day to his patients.

THE ORIGINAL MUESLI RECIPE

Dr. Bircher-Benner's recipe for Muesli had the following proportions:

2 tablespoons rolled oats (or combination of oats, millet and wheat)
1 tablespoon chopped hazel or almonds
2 tablespoons yoghurt
1 fresh apple (or other fruit in season) grated,
1 teaspoon lemon juice,
Honey, milk (or substitute) to taste.

This combination provides a complete protein meal, rich in calcium, Vitamin B complex, and good amounts of vitamins A, D, C and E. The fibre of grains, nuts and fruits along with the lactic acid in the yogurt were excellent foods to maintain a healthy intestinal tract.

In developing Muesli along these nutritional guidelines, Dr. Bircher-Benner was more than 50 years ahead of his time. It is now recognised that both fibre and cultured milk products feed and maintain healthy gut bacteria necessary for digestive function and freedom from bowel disorders.

NOT JUST A BREAKFAST FOOD

Dr. Bircher-Benner's Muesli was formulated not to over tax the digestive processes of his sick patients and yet it could provide them with energy throughout the day. In fact, Muesli was served to the Zurich Clinic patients on several occasions during the day - not just for breakfast.

The oats and millet he used are alkaline in nature and thus do not flood the system with extra acids. The fruit components of the recipe were considered very important by Dr. Bircher-Benner and he always insisted his clinic use a wide variety of fresh fruits in season.

Present day research into the maintenance of blood sugar levels has shown that those who eat little or no breakfast run the risk of poor functioning due to falling blood sugar levels over the rest of the day. Dr. Bircher-Benner's original Muesli recipe, however, is a good example of a simple breakfast that can supply the slow and sustained release of blood sugars that can help keep one's energy levels more consistent.

WHY TOAST FOR BREKKIE ISN'T ENOUGH

If you are a toast-and-tea breakfast person, allow me to argue in favour of the grains and fruit in Dr. Bircher-Benner's formula.

Dry heat - such as your toaster supplies - destroys 15-20% of the Vitamin B (especially B1 or Thiamine, the "Morale Vitamin" and Folacin contained in wheat bread. Up to 30% of these vitamins can be lost if the toast is thinly cut and cooked dark.

Likewise the browning action of toasting bread will also destroy the bread's L-Lysine amino acid content L- Lysine is one of the essential amino acids that we need to eat daily as our bodies cannot make it. Wheat is already low in L-Lysine so it does not make sense to destroy what little there is.

Processed dry cereals like corn flakes, wheats, etc. are a nutritional problem because each flake presents a large surface area too readily dried out and vitamin depleted in the processing of food. Cooked whole grain cereals are preferable because the B vitamins stay in the cooking water and the L-Lysine is not destroyed.

If the time factor required in preparing cooked cereal stops you from enjoying this nutritious breakfast treat, try the thermos method (wide mouth type preferred). Put ¾ cup cereal into the preheated thermos, fill up with boiling water, cap and let stand overnight.

In the morning your breakfast is already cooked and waiting. You can add sultanas or other dried fruit to the cereal before pouring on the boiling water and then both cereal and fruit cook together.

See more healthy breakfast recipes: http://community.southernstandard.com/blogs/detail/35371/