Pure Cure

I can't I'm...

2008-11-21T11:34:00.002+13:00

For three days I've been on an Eating Plan. Now I say eating plan and not diet because there is a difference. I'm focusing on healthy living and not deprivation. Actually all I'm doing is eating low carb (so lots of vege, fruit, seafood) and no bread, potatoes, rice etc and I'm exercising (gives me a wonderful high).

Everytime I'm offered something high carb I notice I usually start with "I can't I'm...and everyone finishes my sentence with "on a diet". NOT. It is an eating plan and I never feel hungry and I feel great and I've lost heaps of weight YAY.

Breakfast Abroad

2008-11-21T10:10:00.003+13:00

A Wellington friend is moving house and was worried that she would be without a fridge/freezer in her new home for a few days. I assured her that I'd travelled the world with a backpack, a packet of corn flakes, milk powder and a wooden bowl given to me by a friend from the Philippino headhunter tribe near Sagada. International breakfast!

My Philippina friend, Norma lives in a small shack perched on a hillside surrounded by incredible rice paddy terraces ringed around high steep hills. Like footsteps for giants. We trooped up and down these terraces daily to vist family members in other villages. This was the 1980s and her grandfather still wore traditional garb - a loin cloth and feather headdress. They no longer headhunted I was told but the social structures remained. If someone was wronged they expected a favour (not a head).

I miss Norma.

Jet's Behaviour

2008-11-07T13:24:00.003+13:00

Well, happy happy parent didn't last very long. I'm trying a weekend of 'The Incredible Years' Parenting philosophy (I'm taking the advanced course at the moment).

Jet is swearing a lot and unhappy. So lots of GOOD attention coming his way. We'll do lots of fun things together and at the end of the weekend I'll discuss his behaviour with him in a positive way.

I'll also tell him that if he is well behaved during the week(eg. no swearing, and gets ready for school in time)then I'll give him little treats in his lunch box.

I hope he will feel happy and secure after all this.

Wish me luck

P.S. I'll have to discuss with Tashi what he would like to do tooooo.

Green Brekky!

2008-11-07T13:02:00.004+13:00

I visited my friend, Peter, to discuss making a recycled shop display. He lives next door to the Botanical Gardens in Wellington and has built himself a small cottage in the bush. As soon as I arrived he asked if I'd had breakfast (I hadn't) and asked me if I would like a green breakfast.

Nowadays 'green' can mean anything - eco-consumer, Green supporter, wind farm proponent, composting toilet enthusiast! But what Peter meant was a 'colour green from the garden' breakfast. Not green eggs and ham!

We walked through his lush veggie garden picking grass, carrot tops, celery, nasturtium flowers, lettuce, kawakawa leaves, and a few greens we weren't sure about! We washed it all, cut it and popped it in a big bowl with organic fruit and a sprinkling of oats.

YUM - that's what GREEN really means.

P.S. that's a photo of me, Jet, Bradley, and Daniel up in the tropical highlands above the Gold Coast, Australia.

Happy Happy Parenting!

2008-10-14T13:15:00.002+13:00

I've had an epiphany with my son Jet (6). He has been diagnosed as ADHD but I'm not sure about that one. His behaviour would be classed as poor - low concentration, non-stop swearing, hitting, bullying etc. But in the last couple of days I've really changed my style of parenting and it has worked instantly. He is a new child. I'd like to share some of these changes:

It really starts with happiness. I'm happy and I'm laughing and I'm joking and I'm playing. This is me now. I'm a bit over the top but it's fun. Tashi (8) asked my why I was acting strangely and I just said that I'm going to be super happy from now on. AND I'm praising the boys all the time. I want them to know how wonderful they are and praise their good behaviour.

If there is any inappropriate behaviour or language from the boyz I say "we don't behave/talk like that here" and I walk away. I ignore bad behaviour.

I'm not angry, tired, grizzly, brow-beaten. If I feel angry I don't blow-up, I explain why I'm angry, and there may be time out but I don't lose my cool. At one stage I could feel myself losing it but I held it in (phew, I was proud of that one).

Simple tasks can become games, eg Jet is quite competitive so I time how long it takes to put his shoes on (previously he always refused to put his shoes on himself).

Now we're a team and we do more stuff together. Let's cook together, let's do a quizz together. And I'm modelling good behaviour. If I'm ignored I don't walk away I expect to be heard. We are communicating as a family. YAY

Alisa
www.purecurenz.com

Healing all around us...

2008-10-07T09:02:00.002+13:00

It's school holidays and I'm entertainment director right now keeping the kids happy!

Last week I had a stall at the Over 50's Healthy Living Expo. Lots of people interested in our products and I made sure there was plenty of information about each remedy so people weren't just looking at a bottle and had not idea what it was.

One Maori women I spoke with told me an interesting story. She was visiting her Nana and noticed cobwebs around the house so started to remove them. Her grandmother stopped her immediately and said that she used the cobwebs as a remedy. She would roll them together and rub them on a cut or wound as a speed healing remedy!! Incredible. Another friend mentioned this was somehow connected to penicillin.

It did get me thinking that this was a potential research project - interviewing elderly Maori for their healing knowledge to hold for future generations.

I'm a bit behind schedule but have lots of Global Soap products to enter onto the site. Give me a week for this. Also Erin (website designer extraordinaire) is designing a newsletter layout for me so this should be going out next week.

www.purecurenz.com

Gamelan, Gold Coast and Boils...

2008-09-09T09:25:00.003+12:00

The children and I have just got back from a week's holiday on the Gold Coast (Australia) with the extended whanau. The Gold Coast is very commercial for my taste but the warm weather was divine. At 7.30am every morning we jumped out of bed and into the pool. One week was not enough.

A few days before the trip I performed with Gamelan Padhang Moncar at Te Papa Museum and Joko, master shadow puppeter. It was very exciting because you never quite know what's going to happen next. I have to call my style of performance 'head down' though because I'm always so intent on my music notations that I hardly have a chance to look up!

In the last newsletter a friend commented on some 'not well thought out' positioning. I had featured Kawakawa cream which is great for skin conditions like boils. A line down from this was the recipe for Baba Ganoush. The mention of boils had put my friend off the Baba Ganoush! Hmmmm

http://www.purecurenz.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=25
Check out the Self Heal tonics and creams based on Suzanne Aubert 19th Century formulas. fortify your immune system, balance hormones, soothe mucous membranes and lots more.

GO GREEN!

2008-08-12T10:03:00.002+12:00

Green is everywhere now but I'm joining the GREEN SMOOTHIE revolution. A really great way to eat lots of greens (less carbs) and very delicious because fruit is added for flavour. By Greens I mean DARK GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES.

"Greens are the primary food group that match human nutritional needs most completely". (p.39)

Greens are high in fiber, Vitamin C, Folate, Vitamin E, Selenium, Sodium, Zinc, Magnesium and much more.

From: 'Green for Life', Victoria Boutenko

Blueberry Pudding:
Blend well -
1 stalk of celery
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 banana
2 cups water
Makes about 1 litre smoothie

10 Fingers:
Blend well -
10 finger bananas
2 handfuls of spinach leaves
2 cups water
Makes about 1 litre smoothie

Minty Thrill
Blen well -
4 ripe pears
4-5 leaves of kale
1/2 bunch of mint
2 cups water
Makes about 1 litre smoothie

GO GREEN!
www.purecurenz.com

SUN

2008-08-04T10:22:00.003+12:00

We've had weeks and weeks of rain in Wellington. Great for the environment although not so good for the spirit. Now we have a gorgeous sunny day and all I feel like doing is sunbathing!

This weekend (9-10 August) the Women's Expo is on in the city. I'm going to check out Global Soaps and choose a range for the website with NZ plants/oceania in mind.

I'm really impressed with the Swedish Bitters Face Mask. I've used it as a mask and a wash in the mornings. It has this wonderfully natural feel and smell about it - quite muddy and very cleansing. I'm swerving a bit off track with this product because it does not contain NZ plants but I feel it is a great product and fills a gap in our range. It is not only a face mask - it is good for pimples on the face and body and can be made into a poultice for pressure ulcers.

Check it out: http://www.purecurenz.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=126

Cheers
Alisa

SWEDISH BITTERS

2008-07-28T13:47:00.003+12:00

Time's flying. I've joined the ehow website and am writing articles on 'how to...'. The first article teaches a relaxation technique I learnt at acting school. It not only relaxes you but is a wonderful way to approach sleep if stress and anxiety are getting in the way.

I've just added Self Heal Swedish Bitters Facial Scrub to the site. This scrub is not only great for the face it can be made into a poultice for pressure sores - multitasking aye?! I've also added Self Heal Swedish Bitters Tonic too because it is a very popular remedy for assisting healthy immune and digestive systems and it also supports healthy kidney and hormonal function. Check out: www.purecurenz.com on the front page - New Releases for July.

BACK AT HQ

2008-07-21T09:17:00.002+12:00

The school holidays have just finished - phew - and I'm back at work. Tashi and Jet had a wonderful holiday especially when we spent a few days at a farm in North Wairarapa. It was a very isolated place which added to the adventure. The farmers really showed the boys what life is like on the farm with rides on tracters, quad bikes and activities like mustering sheep and feeding chickens, pigs, and BULLS.

It was very cold at night and I'm glad my backpacking days are still fresh in my mind because I made sure we were prepared with warm sleeping bags, bush shirts, woolly hats, a torch, gumboots...

Back at Purecurenz HQ I'm marketing like crazy, packing and sending items and ordering in new ranges for the site. Watch out for the very funky and richly soothing Global soaps and naturally healing Trisha's ointments. As always I'm trying to focus on New Zealand plants but most ranges tend to mix native NZ with introduced plants. It's early days yet really because there is very little commercialism of NZ plants and many are wild-collected for the remedies and skincare. And that's great really because you know they are truly natural and Regenerate are totally 100% certified organic.

TRANSITION TOWNS

2008-06-16T11:23:00.004+12:00

Climate change and peak oil - the world is changing and we have to change with it. I have joined up with the Transition Towns movement (started in the UK by Rob Hopkins). This is a ground-up community initiated change towards sustainable lives.

My first steps are walking the boys to and from school or catch the local bus. We need to stop relying so much on the car. We will be planting a big vege garden soon. Watch this space!

http://transitiontowns.org/Main/HomePage

"for all those aspects of life that this community needs in order to sustain itself and thrive, how do we significantly increase resilience (to mitigate the effects of Peak Oil) and drastically reduce carbon emissions (to mitigate the effects of Climate Change)?"

PUHA Sonchus oleraceus Sow Thistle

2008-06-06T12:10:00.003+12:00

Did you know? Maori chewed gum from the milky sap of the Puha root. Pre-European Maori had very low levels of cancer.

Puha is something of a voyaging plant. The Puha plant (Sonchus oleraceus) that is eaten today as a strong, nutrient-rich green, and utilized as a healing medicinal herb is not actually a native of New Zealand. This Puha is common in Europe and possibly arrived in New Zealand more than 1,000 years ago with Maori in the great migration of waka (canoes) and important chiefs and whanau (family). Native New Zealand Puha is actually Sonchus Kirkii.

Traditionally Puha is a prized food for Maori and it was a surprise to discover it in Europe. This discovery occurred during World War II when a Major from the 28^th Maori Battalion, stationed in Greece, noticed local farmers collecting Puha from their fields. The farmers explained that the plant was an important vegetable for them. Soon Maori 5^th Brigade transport drivers, on their way to Olympus, were purchasing their precious supplies of Puha from the Greek farmers.

Puha (sow thistle) like so many of New Zealand’s medicinal plants has a multitude of therapeutic uses:

· An infusion of the plant can encourage menstruation, and treat diarrhea

· A tonic produced from infusing the leaves and roots can reduce fever

· The stem juice may be taken for constipation

· Puha tonic is also useful as a blood purifier and to treat haemorrhages

· Puha cream treats boils and abscesses on the skin

This is one plant that can be bought at shops and markets and is often growing in our gardens. A few years ago researchers from both Auckland and Otago Universities found that Puha has three times the antioxidant level of blueberries. High-antioxidant foods fight cancer - so that’s a very good reason to plant a few puha in the garden.

HOROPITO - NATURALLY ANTI-FUNGAL

2008-05-13T10:55:00.003+12:00

The New Zealand native plant Horopito (Pseudowintera colorata) Pepper Tree possesses anti-fungal properties that are today well-documented by scientific research. The main biologically active chemical constituent of Horopito is the sesquiterpene dialdehyde polygodial 1. This Polygodial has been shown to exhibit fungicidal activity against yeasts and filamentous fungi by damaging the membrane of the fungal cell walls. Horopito is most well known for its action against Candida albicans.

With their great knowledge of New Zealand's native flora Maori traditionally utilised the leaves of Horopito to treat skin problems, skin diseases and oral thrush. The leaves were bruised and steeped in water and this lotion was used on ringworm, wounds, chaffed skin, and even venereal disease. A Horopito decoction was created for sick babies. The leaves were steeped in water and this juice was given to babies to treat Candida alibicans (oral thrush) which was a major cause of infant mortality at that time.

Early European settlers named Horopito the Bushman's Pain Killer and chewed the leaves and seeped them for tea to treat diarrhoea and stomach illnesses. In the 19th Century the French Nun, Mother Suzanne Aubert lived with Maori by the Wanganui River and studied Maori herbal knowledge. She cared for orphans and unwed mothers and supported them with the sale of her natural remedies based on Maori herbal lore. She believed that Horopito was a stronger remedy than Quinine (Quinquina) for chronic stomach illnesses although Quinine was the treatment of the day. Her remedy, Karana, contained Horopito and was successfully used throughout New Zealand in the 19th Century.

Today the Herbal Bush Company, Self Heal, reproduce Karana as a natural remedy for stomach upsets and for those with allergies who are susceptible to sprays and environmental toxins.

This is the link to Karana: http://www.purecurenz.com/
catalog/product_info.php?cPath=25&products_id=51

McCallion RF, Cole AL, Walker JR, Blunt JW, Munro MH. Antibiotic substances from New Zealand plants, II: Polygodial, an anti-Candida agent from Pseudowintera colorata. Planta Medica 1982;44:134-38.

EXERCISE AWAY THAT DEPRESSION

2008-05-08T11:16:00.004+12:00

SELF HEAL BUSH BITTERS has so many healing qualities. It is particularly useful for depression. We recommend you see a doctor for depression first but there is something else you can do too – exercise.

Depression is more common nowadays than ever – the stresses and anxieties of modern life take their toll on our emotional health. We work long hours, we have huge mortgages, we multi-task, and society pressures us to earn more and spend more. It all encourages feelings of helplessness and depression.

Depression can suck all of your energy, make you feel tired and with a feeling of being stuck in a deep, dark hole.

Exercise is wonderful antidote for depression. It can distract your worried thoughts and lift your spirits. Exercise improves emotional and physical health, and so increases feelings of self-esteem. Any form of exercising could help you eliminate stress and frustrations, and you are more likely to have a good nights sleep.

Set easily achievable goals to start with, for example, get out of bed, get dressed, go outside and walk around the block. Add a bit more each day. If you can build this up to exercising three times a day then you are getting outside and getting air and sunshine throughout the day. Do the type of exercise you enjoy – weights, jogging, yoga, biking, etc. And exercise with others to increase your social interactions and shared experiences.

www.purecurenz.com

HARAKEKE PHORIUM TENAX

2008-05-08T09:34:00.003+12:00

New Zealand

’s answer to Aloe Vera!

New Zealand Flax is a lowland swamp dweller but is also found throughout New Zealand bush and gardens. For Maori Tohunga (healers) Harakeke has many physical and spiritual healing uses. The leaves of the plant are so strong that they were used traditionally for binding broken bones.

Each part of the plant has a specific purpose – the leaves and roots can be beaten into a poultice, roasted and applied to abscesses in order to draw the toxins to the surface. The gum is a powerful agent and was used to treat burns, scalds, sunburn, and wounds. It was also pushed into holes in molars to treat toothache and applied to the skin to treat ringworm.

Harakeke has an important spiritual role in Maori healing. TheTohunga used the leaves to determine the health of the patient in a very unique way - if the leaf made a screeching sound as it was pulled from the flax clump this signified that the patient would recover.

To check out our popular Self Heal Harakeke Cream for wounds/bites/cuts/rashes that are hard to heal -

http://www.purecurenz.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=34&products_id=60

AID TO BURMA / MYANMAR

2008-05-08T09:21:00.001+12:00

The devastating cyclone, Nargis, has destroyed towns, villages, lives in the Irawaddy Delta area of Burma. If you would like to donate money to the Burmese people visit the Red Cross websites:

www.redcross.org.nz
www.redcross.org.uk
www.redcross.org

The dictator generals aren't doing anything to help the people. They have a huge army but it has only been trained to kill.

The Burmese need our help.

GIVE NOW.

QUICK SUSTAINABLE IDEAS

2008-05-02T09:10:00.003+12:00

1. Collect your shower water in a fabric collapsible bucket and use the water for the garden. Don't let bathwater go down the plughole. Use a bucket and water the garden - good weight-training exercise too!

2. Don't line the bin with a plastic bag - use newspaper.

3. Don't use plastic bags at the supermarkets - cloth reusable bags only

4. Have long curtains at every window (thermal) - on curtain rail attach a long board so there is no gap above the rail.

5. When you need to travel - run, cycle, walk, bus, train, donkey. Avoid the car.

Rongoa Weekend in Taranaki

2008-03-31T11:55:00.005+13:00

I have just spent an amazing 2 days at Te Aroha Marae by the foot of Mount Taranaki. I met Tohunga Olive who is an inspiring and highly respected Kuia. She taught us many aspects of Maori healing like meditation and Romiromi (massage). We were a group of all ages, young and old. I met Maori health practitioners and teachers from all over New Zealand and we talked, ate delicious food, relaxed and massaged.

It was a spiritually enriching weekend and I look forward to visiting Kuia Olive at her home, school and clinic for Traditional maori Rongoa in Nukumaru, South Taranaki.

Out in the sun? The big difference between Sunscreen and Sunblock?

2007-11-23T14:31:00.001+13:00

We all know it is important to protect your skin from the sun’s damaging and aging rays, but it is essential we choose the products carefully. People with contact allergies, eczema or other sensitive skin conditions need to read the ingredients on the bottle carefully.

First of all choose a broad-spectrum one that protects against UVA and UVB rays. Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 15+ is good, but a SPF 30+ is preferable because it repels around 97% of UVB rays.

Secondly, it is important to realize the big difference between sunscreens and sunblocks.

Sunscreens are chemical absorbers, they offer protection through a chemical reaction. The chemicals in the product absorb the sun’s radiation.

Sunblocks are physical blockers, they physically block or reflect the UV radiation from reaching the skin.

For those with sensitive skin, sunblocks are the ones to choose. They are made from non-chemical ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, rather than from active chemicals which can irritate the skin.

Watch out for these ingredients in sunscreens which can cause allergic reactions or irritate the skin:

Oxybenzone – filter’s ultraviolet light, but can be absorbed through the skin

Parabens – these are preservatives, but can cause allergic reactions.

PABA – absorbs UV rays. Can sensitize the skin.

Octyimethoxcinnamate – shields UVB rays. Watch out for this in cosmetics.

Cinoxate – shields UVB rays. Watch out for this in cosmetics.

Natural sunscreens are popular and a good choice but some herbal chemicals can cause allergic reactions or eczema for some people, like tea tree oil, bee extracts and nuts.

Always use sun protection because the dangers of skin cancer are far greater than risking an allergic reaction. Just make sure you always check the ingredients, do a patch test first if you are concerned, and have fun in the sun!

www.purecurenz.com - Potent herbal healing and organic body-care created for you from New Zealand's unique plant life - pure ingredients, naturally.

Hi tO rEgEnErAtE

2007-10-15T09:43:00.001+13:00

I'm listing all of Regenerate products now. They are a bio-certified Organic farm in North New Zealand (Tauranga). The range includes skin care, teas, medicinal creams. Although they grow introduced species (avocado, feijoa, echinacea etc) they are also starting to focus on native NZ planting.

I believe organics is the path to the future - sustainability, permaculture, a balance with nature. Let's think positively about the years ahead, working hard to reuse, recycle, plant natives, zero waste, walk, cycle, public transport, composting...

We spent a night at a wonderful oasis along the Wanganui River - Flying Fox Organic Eco-retreat (www.theflyingfox.co.nz). From the other side of the river the view to the retreat was like looking a a Lord of the Rings set, quirky arty buildings set in native bush. We caught a cable car over the river which was a bit scary cause it was windy. The kids found it very exciting. Billy the dog met us at the landing and we were welcomed by John (who runs the retreat with his partner Annette). John showed us around the lush gardens and bush, we walked along the river in search of deer, and soaked up the atmosphere (as you do). Our cottage - the James K - named after a famous NZ poet, was like home. Records to play and CDs, art everywhere, warm beds, a fireplace from an old whaling station and naturally a composting toilet (they don't smell).

For breakfast - organic goodies. The kids didn't want to leave...

www.purecurenz.com - try our Regenerate range - Organic Replenish for dry/sensitive skin 40ml

SUPPORT FREEDOM IN BURMA

2007-10-03T17:14:00.000+13:00

About 10 years ago I met many Burmese people and Karen Tribe refugees. They were either hiding in the jungle or stuck in refugee camps over the border in Thailand. They told me their horrific stories - of forced labour - slavery, of rape, torture, villages burnt, villagers stolen never to return. I learnt about this amazing woman - Daw Aung San Suu Kyi - her party NLD (National League for Democracy) won the 1990 election fair and square with 82% of the votes. She has been under house arrest ever since. Imprisoned by SLORC, the military dictators. They have a new name now but their inhumane actions remain the same.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has never given up. And finally the world has noticed the Burmese people's call for human rights, freedom and democracy.

March, protest, tell friends, family, e-mail: inquiries@un.org and tell Ban Ki-Moon you support Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her right to govern Burma with her party.

THANK YOU

Another Biogrow Organic Product

2007-09-08T13:58:00.000+12:00

Have just listed the Kiwiherb De-Stuff remedies for sinuses. All Certified Organic.

ITCHY SCRATCHY

2007-09-07T13:57:00.000+12:00

Itch itch scratch scratch. Mosquito bites? Hives? need a bath?? NO. .....Eczema. Don't scratch it, but it is so itchy.

Four common eczemas:

1. Atopic Eczema - hereditary
2. Seborrhoeic dermatitis - cradle cap, affects scalp and eyebrows
3. Contact dermatitis - allergic reaction, and irritant (eg affected by a chemical that you come into contact with)
4. Xerotic Eczema - dry skin that becomes so bad it turns into eczema

What do you do? See a health practitioner to find out which one you have.

Moisturising is VERY important. Don't use soap. Get out in the sun (but not too much), watch what you eat (for Atopic) coffee, dairy products, wheat, eggs could bring on eczema. Swimming in the ocean may help.

I recommend our Self Heal Tanekaha Cream with golden seal to keep the skin moisturized.

www.purecurenz.com - natural New Zealand plant remedies

Welcome to Kiwiherb...

2007-09-02T07:13:00.000+12:00

I've now included Kiwiherb products on the Pure CureNZ website (www.purecurenz.com). They specialize in NZ plant remedies. They also use other plants too, for example echinacea and ginko.

Kiwiherb products that are Biogrow certified organic:

Echinature - Echinacea with active Manuka honey
Herbal Throat Formula
Gerbal Throat Spray
Herbal Chest Syrup
WinterGuard
Children's Echinature
Kid's Calm
Ginger & Kawakawa Tonic
Liver Cleanse
Valerian Root Extract
Calendula Ointment
Comfrey Ointment

Over the next few weeks I'll be adding their full range to PureCureNZ.

I'm also selling the Self Heal range on Trade Me (New Zealand auction site). The popular products there are Self Heal Bush Relaxant and Self Heal Bush Bitters. They each comprise around 8 different NZ healing plants. Bush Relaxant has been homeopathically prepared (calms, relaxes, energises), while Bush Bitters is a herbal formula (Helps with PMT, depression, coughs, asthma).

Actually I was asked quite a few questions on one of my Trade Me listings and realised that I had a bit more research to do. Questions are great because it helps me to see the gaps in my (every-growing) knowledge of NZ plant healing remedies and natural remedies in general.

Self Heal is a homeobotanical company. This is a meld of homeopathy and herbal therapies. So each of their remedies is created in a unique way depending on the plant used and outcome required. One of their popular products is Marupa - soothes mucus membranes - recommended for asthmatics.

come and visit the website: www.purecurenz.com

Alisa

Molluscum Contagiosum

2007-06-04T13:40:00.000+12:00

Molluscum Contagiosum sounds like a Harry Potter spell when you say it out loud. And it is a nasty rash that seems to appear out of nowhere. At first I thought my son had eczema but the Doctor had no doubts when he saw the rash - Mossuscum Contagiosum. "What?" was my first question. I had never heard of it before.

It is a common viral skin infection usually found in children. Usually found in moist places on the body - the armpit, behind the knees, neck and groin. It appears as clusters of small round papules (bumps) that are pink and waxy.

Molluscum Contagiosum is caught by direct body contact and usually in wet conditions. For example, when swimming. I realised that this was where my son had caught it since he had completed a course of swimming lessons.

Search the web and you can find some horrific photos of really nasty infections. I was lucky that my son just had small amounts behind his knees and after much scratching it had spread to his neck. There isn't a cure for the infection (lancing is an option) so I attempted to manage the condition. I regularly bathed him in anti-pruritic oil and smothered the rash with Self Heal Bush Bitters cream. This all helped with the itching so no more spread. And after a few months it disappeared - thankfully.

www.purecurenz.com - for Self Heal Bush Bitters cream, and other natural New Zealand remedies - with native plant ingredients.

Eating RAW FOOD

2007-04-25T12:31:00.001+12:00

I'm not sure when the modern raw food interest began - I'm guessing the 70's or 80's - but I've just finally attended a raw food dinner with enthusiasts. It really made me think a lot about food and my relationship with it! It's definitely more than just nourishment. It's comfortable, sociable, distracting, filling, fulfilling, constructive and destructive, fattening, defining and much more.

But when it's raw it really isn't any of those things. It is balancing. After the raw food meal I felt not full, not empty - but balanced. So now I'm going to eat more raw food. The enthusiasts say 100% raw food is much much better than 99% but I shall attempt 25%.

Now for a spot of research: when did humans discover fire...

www.purecurenz.com

HINU MAHUE (Abandon Fat) Weight Loss Formula

2007-04-07T17:19:00.001+12:00

I've decided to offer a weight loss formula on the website (www.purecurenz.com). So now you can watch what you eat, exercise daily and take 7 drops of Hinu Mahue tonic 3 times a day. For a healthier you.

The Hinu Mahue formula is packed full of New Zealand herbs like Ongaonga, a nettle which clears toxins, lowers blood pressure and blood sugar levels. There's also Kowhai, related to the plant Senna, which is a purgative. And Kumarahou is said to increase speed and stamina. There's 7 plant ingredients in all.

So with this three-pronged approach: diet, exercise and diet formula you're definitely working it.

I'm off to do a spot of trampolining now before the sun sets.

RONGOA

2007-01-21T16:19:00.000+13:00

Amazing Healing Powers of Traditional Maori Medicine

There isn’t too much nowadays that’s undiscovered. But science is only now waking up to the unique and powerful medicinal qualities of New Zealand’s native plant life.

So, why is the flora so unique? The explanation lies in the geographical isolation of New Zealand’s islands in the far South Pacific. Secluded for millions of years the temperate, evergreen forests thrived, evolved and developed unusual traits, including remarkable healing qualities.

New Zealand was one of the last places on earth to be inhabited by humans when Maori arrived from Eastern Polynesia only around 1,000 years ago. They utilized the healing power of nature. Their knowledge of Rongoa, which means Maori medicine, was considered tapu (sacred) and a combination of the spiritual and the physical.

Traditionally, these Tangata whenua (people of the land) believed that illness was caused by the supernatural. There was no clear distinction between the mind and the body so the Tohunga (expert healer) was knowledgeable in anatomy and spirituality. He or she would utilize chants, prayer, massage, dream analysis and the use of plants in their therapeutic practice.

Many parts of a plant were used, for example, the Tohunga bound broken bones with the leaves of the Harakeke (flax) plant, while its gum-like sap was used as an anaesthetic and antiseptic for scolds, burns, aching teeth, wounds, and boils.

Rongoa herbal remedies were also used internally. The leaves of the shrub, Kumarahou, were seeped in water and the liquid taken for bronchitis and chest complaints.

The practices of the Tohunga were nearly wiped out in the 20^th Century by colonization, Christianity and the Tohunga Suppression Act of 1907-62. But fortunately, during this time, some Tohunga continued to practice in remote rural areas.

Modern Maori healthcare is based upon the traditional ways of Rongoa; including elements of the spiritual, physical, emotional and the family (whanau). There is a real interest and awareness now too by scientists and natural healthcare practitioners in this traditional knowledge and the healing power of New Zealand’s remarkable plant-life.

www.purecurenz.com - Potent herbal healing and organic body-care created for you from New Zealand's unique plant life - pure ingredients, naturally.

Up and Running

2006-11-17T07:27:00.000+13:00

I've added all the weights and prices now - so - yeehah - we're all GO.

2006-10-31T07:19:00.000+13:00

I've started the new website: www.purecurenz.com

I've sourced natural healing products from around New Zealand - mostly made from NZ plants. And now I've included Regenerate products from the Bay of Plenty - all organic. They use a mix of New Zealand plants and non-indigenous plants (e.g. avocado) grown on their organic farm.

I'm working on the shipping part of the website now. Entering prices, zones, countries. All quite time-consuming. Although everything isn't ready I'll start my e-marketing cause that could take ages. It's not easy nowadays to find a website by chance - it's all about Search Enginge Optimization, getting the word out anyway I can.

Endings at the Beginning

2006-06-24T18:24:00.000+12:00

I've had a hobby website for a few years. Actually it was supposed to make me money but I really had little idea how. It features unusual and unique accommodation around the world - lots of fun - lots of my time. It's not a booking agent, but a guide: www.staytopia.com

I had travelled for 20 years and now I have two children, so most of my travelling is to school, back from school...

Staytopia was a way to 'travel' virtually. There are an incredible amount of wacky places to stay around the world - I had no idea - but research is my thing and I found thousands. You can stay up a tree, underwater, underground, on ice, etc. Unfortunately I only placed about 30 on my site - I was spending far too much time researching each place and painstakingly writing lots of information about the castle or whatever and the surrounding area/city/countryside/country/planet/starsystem.

Now I've decided that, considering I don't work on Staytopia anymore, I will change direction. I have a new idea..