Our summer issue is out now. We chat to Conlemany, Italian Organic Hair Studio in Dun
Laoghaire. Dive on in to find out more…
Natural Remedies
Wild Rose Botanicals: Super Seriously Organic
We love interviewing holistic business owners, learning more about what inspires them. One business we were thrilled to highlight in our Summer 2021 issue was Wild Rose Botanicals, creators of some truly amazing, all natural skincare products.
Positive Nights on Zoom: Exploring Natural Remedies With Amandha D. Vollmer
We are thrilled to announce that we have arranged a new Positive Nights Zoom event with Amandha Dawn Vollmer, who is an acclaimed Herbalist, Reiki Master, and a Naturopathic Medicine and Holistic Health Practitioner. Amanda holds a bachelor of science in Agricultural Biotechnology from the University of Lethbridge (2000) in Alberta, Canada and a degree of Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (2008) in Toronto. For most of her life, she has taken an interest in botanical medicine: self-educating on the topic many years before beginning her formal medical training.
Having developed many of her extra senses with martial arts and dance, she realised a natural gift for sensing illness and a laying on of hands. She soon sought answers via the energetic healing arts and became a registered Reiki practitioner and teacher, among other modalities.
After much scholarly and independent study, her passion for the elegant and effective sub-molecular medicine known as homeopathy, brought her to study in South India under Rajan Sankaran. She also volunteered for a month-long intensive medical program in Northern India, shadowing cardiologists, obstetricians, Ayurvedic practitioners and homeopathic doctors.
Amandha has since assisted many people and animals to heal all kinds of acute and chronic diseases. She is the proprietor of Yummy Mummy Emporium & Apothecary in Minden, Ontario, Canada, where she supplies natural solutions for detoxing and healing disease. She is a gardener and wildcrafter, creating powerful herbal blends, as well as developing all natural, botanically infused body care (creams, salves, oils, etc) that are extremely effective. She single-handedly makes over 100 small batch remedies.
Amandha has many interests including orthomolecular medicine, German new medicine, vibrational therapies, gemstone therapies, permaculture gardening, wildcrafting, crochet arts and the natural care of babies and children. She is also the mother of a marvelous, high energy 8-year-old.
She is available for holistic health consultations anywhere in the world, including distance Reiki sessions, Rife machine services, cold laser treatments and more.
Our event with her will explore the topic of natural remedies, as well as her stellar work in the natural healing arena. It will take the form of a 45-minute interview, followed by a Q & A session with the audience.
This event takes place via Zoom at 7.30 p.m. IST on Thursday May 28th. All ticket holders will be emailed a day before the event with login details.
Places on the event are available via a €5 or €10 donation, which would be gratefully received. However, a free option is also available, for those who cannot afford anything at this time. Click here to book your tickets.
New Zoom Event: Exploring Natural Remedies With Amandha D. Vollmer
We are thrilled to announce that we have arranged a new Positive Nights Zoom event with Amandha Dawn Vollmer, who is an acclaimed Herbalist, Reiki Master, and a Naturopathic Medicine and Holistic Health Practitioner. This event takes place via Zoom at 7.30 p.m. IST on Thursday May 28th. All ticket holders will be emailed a day before the event with login details.
By Anna Sawkins
Cystitis is no fun, that’s for sure. Like so many of our customers, I suffered repeat infections of E.coli related cystitis for many years. I was prescribed countless courses of antibiotics and drank gallons of cranberry juice, as advised, to acidify the urine. In my case, as is the case with so many, the infections continued. I got temporary relief with each new antibiotic, but then the infection would come back with a vengeance.
Doctors tend to prescribe the lightest possible antibiotic and shortest course for very good reasons, but, in my case, it would fail to kill the infection, and when I went back they’d give me the same antibiotic but for a longer time.
But an antibiotic that has failed to beat an infection is likely to fail because the bacterium has built up a resistance to that antibiotic. If you keep attacking it with more of the same, it just becomes more resistant. Soon, nothing had any impact other than broad-spectrum antibiotics that had, for me, considerable side effects. I was desperate and began to do my own research; the more I learned, the more clear it became that I was not actually being reinfected. I was succumbing to the same infection that was getting stronger as mutated bacteria defeated an antibiotic by burrowing deeper in to the bladder wall to hide behind tough biofilms, ready to emerge and begin to colonise again at a later date.
I also learned that acidic urine creates perfect conditions that encourage this detachment and regrowth and discovered (as our grandmothers had before us) that drinking milk laced with baking soda helped a little (I now know that it was because I was changing the pH in the urine to alkaline and that doing this was inhibiting bacterial growth). Equally, lemon juice and Robinson’s Lemon Barley Water helped, especially if taken neat at the first sign of infection (not pleasant, but just bearable, and better than cystitis). Very high doses of raw garlic, a superb natural antibacterial, also helped from time to time but obviously this was difficult to sustain and proved to be too antisocial. Anyway, it was after another episode of cystitis, and treatment with yet another seven days of broad-spectrum antibiotic that I realised I was in serious trouble. The infection hadn’t gone away.
I had kidney problems. I would drink gallons, and issue a tiny cupful. I had abdominal bloating, and sharp pain, especially in my joints. Basically, I was at the end of my tether and seriously ill. Fortunately, that was the day when
the first shipment of Waterfall D-Mannose arrived in a parcel. I took one level teaspoonful in a small glass of apple juice. Within hours of taking Waterfall D-Mannose, my symptoms were starting to abate. Within a day I was clear of cystitis symptoms. Free at last from the pain, I cried with relief. The truth is that it took months to finally get rid of that propensity for new episodes to threaten (embedded bacteria have to surface to enable attachment and be removed), but now, a little each night and I remain infection free.
I think we are privileged in that we have access to so much useful information that enables us to take more responsibility for our own health, and research effective long-term solutions. We can find safe food supplements that do not deplete our immune system or cause side effects that may be unwittingly ruinous to our health. In fact they work symbiotically with the body to promote healing.
October began with us visiting the Natural Health Expo 2016!
The place was bustling with wonderful and natural skin, food products and much more! We loved all but here are our top 10 fantastic picks:
Altrient C Supplement
Abundance and health presents Altrient C. This is a supplement with a difference; it’s a powerful way to get vitamin C directly into your cells. We have tried it and we definitely love it. We hear Gwyneth paltrow also loves it, taking it before flying to boost her immunity! She knows what’s good! This is definitely well worth checking out to protect you this winter.
Flaska Water Bottle


MAG 365
Irish Institute of Nutrition and Health (IINH)
This amazing institute established in Ireland in 2002 offers many insightful and useful nutrition courses for everyone looking to lead a healthier life, one meal at a time! Among the courses, they have Nutritional Therapy to help change eating habits for better health. Go ahead and visit their website, they have loads of information, plans, a community and more to help you follow a healthier diet.
Urban Veda
Based on Ayurvedic principles this is a fabulous line of skincare for your Dosha types. Paul is Pitta Vata and he has to say, after a week using these products my skin feels, amazing. This man is getting a lot of nods and winks and he’s thankful to these guys for increasing his attractiveness! Check them out!
Dr. Bronner Products
We adore these guys. Always with an incredible line of natural and beautiful coconut oils, amazing soaps and more; all natural. They are taking the world by storm! These guys are always way ahead of the game.
Naturalife
This is an amazing company focused on quality in the health food sector. They recently launched Menomin. A supplement that focus on helping women with Perimenopause and Menopause symptoms. Paul was at the launch and he definitely learned a lot!. He is a changed man now.
Nua Naturals
These raw geniuses have just launched a Turmeric latte. You probably know that Turmeric is the super food to end all Superfoods; also known as the Golden spice! Now you can cosy up this winter with this golden drink in a mix of turmeric and coconut.
Proven Probiotics
Developed by Dr Nigel Plummer and produced by the only manufacturer in Europe approved to make probiotics as medicines; these guys certainly know their stuff! Complete with a kids chewable range, and one aimed at fertility, this is an all round probiotic for all.
Pravera
This a full range of all things organic and skincare, check out their fab Organii mouthwash range, shower gels and luxurious hand soaps.Top quality for all! You can pick it up at your local health store.
Herbal Teas & Health Tinctures
By Dr. Dilis Clare
Sharing the secrets of herbs for health
Meeting new people, the question I’m most frequently asked is why I became a herbalist after years in general practice. There are several answers, but the reason I continue to practice herbal medicine is because of the power of herbs to treat the discomforts of illnesses commonly affecting people.
Herbs are both symptom relieving and healing. For example, if you suffer from IBS, you want to feel less discomfort and have more energy, you want to maintain a sense of well-being and avoid recurrence when life gets stressful again.
Herbal teas are particularly useful for treating and maintaining comfort and supporting normal digestive processes. Used over several months they can consolidate the healing effects. I use tinctures (herbs preserved and extracted in dilute alcohol) combined with teas for the initial treatment and for flare-ups of distressing symptoms.
In my clinic in Galway, I encourage patients research the herbs I prescribe. The clinic was always intended to make herbs available to people and to share the medicinal benefits of herbs and how to use them. A wide range of herbs are available individually along with blends formulated for those happy to follow traditional combinations recommended for various health issues and discomforts.
Visit our website for useful leaflets and articles. You will also see a short film on making and using herb teas as part of your daily routine.
Dr. Dilis Clare MBBCh, DRCOG, BSc (Herbal Medicine), IIMH