Venlafaxine and NICE guidance amendments

The UKs National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) amended its depression and anxiety guidance on April 25th 2007. This was in response to safety information issued in May 2006, by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for prescribing Venlafaxine/effexor.

Read Full Post »

Gardening projects and economics

Yet another article espousing the benefits of gardening to vulnerable people, in this case young people with learning difficulties – Growing into the role, in the SocietyGuardian newspaper.
This article caught me eye because it looks at the economic viability of these projects. This is interesting in the wider context of increasing numbers of people needing [...]

Read Full Post »

gardeners are more caring…

Another writer’s take on why gardening is so great – it makes us ‘better’ people! Not better than others (!!!), but enables us to become more than we were – to experience life more positively – in a fuller and more open way..
Particularly beneficial and uplifting to people who have a history of feeling crushed [...]

Read Full Post »

Green gyms

BTCV are running a scheme for people called a ‘green gym‘.
They give people the chance to ‘work out’ in nature with conservation or gardening work.
So an opportunity for those who haven’t got a garden or don’t feel up to tending a whole plot on their own. Also seems an alternative to attending projects that are [...]

Read Full Post »

‘Blooming good’ mental health therapy

Apologies for the cheesy title, any-one who reads this will know that my titles are much more sophisticated and considered and high-brow and stuff but it is from a BBC article.
Of particular interest to me were comments from a guy called Gavin who is diagnosed with schizophrenia. His comments reminded me that whilst experiencing the [...]

Read Full Post »

rain? … rain? … rain? … rain?

Well ain’t it just lovely weather….. yeah yeah, but I want rain.
To avoid social ostracisation, as people look at me worried as though the power of my thoughts may induce a shower – I quickly qualify that I only want it at night. I agreed with Beener’s mum (who is an amazing gardener) that we [...]

Read Full Post »

Good Friday! It certainly was.

Not being a religious person, nor one who celebrates Easter I spent a lot of this weekend up the allotment. It was wonderful, warm and peaceful.
One of our friends very kindly spent his good Friday loading up a big trailer of manure and met me up the allotment.
When I arrived there was nobody there. I was [...]

Read Full Post »

Gardening as a unique therapy

I came across this article  exploring the benefits of gardening for people with mental health ‘problems’ and thought it was a good ‘un.
Treating the Maniacs?
Horticulture as Therapy: from Benjamin Rush to the present day
It would be difficult for anyone to successfully argue that gardening or even being in a garden/nature does not positively increase mental well-being.
It [...]

Read Full Post »

Hay fever

In the last six months I have spent the majority of my days gardening in one form or another. So far avoiding the issue and fact that I am a hay fever sufferer – my worst symptom is when I simply want to rip my nose off to stop that annoying itch. It doesn’t make [...]

Read Full Post »

Our dirty nails make us happy!

I was told the other day that GMTV ran a feature on Monday about the mood enhancing effects of soil. I was dubious, but apparently we somehow absorb good ’stuff’ through our skin and this makes us feel better.
I was happy to see that the research has been highlighted in a BBC article [...]

Read Full Post »