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Made in Estepona - Washable Nappies! Better for your baby. Easy to use / easily adjustable. Save up to 650€! Try for free until sept. 2008!
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The New Nappy Revolution!

Living in Stroller Paradise aka Estepona, you come across lots of babies. Some sit content in their strollers happily chewing on their own wee shoes, others lay cringing and moaning, twisting and turning in obvious discomfort. Ever wonder why?

Obviously it could be anything. A sleepless night, hunger, teething…But have you ever considered that your baby might just be uncomfortable because their temperatures are rising due to the fact that the plastics contained in disposable diapers are retaining their body heat?
Did you know that in 1987 the Sunday Democrat and Chronicle published an article on the new Pampers Ultra that stated that the gel used in the new diaper caused severe skin irritation, fever and even staph infections in babies?

A Journal of Paediatrics stated that 54% of one month old babies wearing disposable diapers had rashes and so much as 16% of these rashes were severe.

The percentage of Diaper rash increased by a whopping 54%, with the growing use of throwaway diapers.

Now let me ask you, is this the kind of grief you wish to expose your child to, just because it seems simpler to throw them in the bin? Let me tell you about an alternative...

Using cloth is not only good for your baby’s sensitive skin; it is also great for the environment. Instead of being exposed to plastics and chemicals the only thing your baby will be in contact with are natural fibres; breathable material is essential for a good ventilation of the skin.

The time period of your child’s throwaway diaper use will result to about 1 ton of waste. By using cloth nappies you will help improve our environment a fact that has been confirmed by many scientific studies (e.g. ecological impact on different nappy products, Technical University Graz, 1997).
As calculations show, you will spend up to ca EUR 1289, - in the course of the years in which your baby uses disposable diapers.

Popolini, Europe’s largest manufacturer of washable nappies project a total cost of EUR 505, 70; - in the same time using cloth nappies and this is including water, electricity and washing powder!!

Need I say more?

So, if you would prefer to see your child content with smooth baby skin rather than uncomfortable with an itchy bum, if you would like to see an improvement in our environment and the smell of your household, I suggest you look into the advantages of our cloth diapers.

Have I convinced you? Feel free to drop by for more information at:

Made in Estepona
Calle Flores 6, 29860 Estepona
Tel: 952-928-334 - www.popolini.com - reinifuchs75@gmail.com


Health Care in Spain for Visitors and Ex-Pats Living and Working in the Costa del Sol

Health care in Spain is of a very high standard with good local health centres or Centros de Salud and here on the Costa del Sol we have an excellent central hospital, the "Costa del Sol", at Marbella. In addition to which there are of course many other hospitals both private and public but most ex-pats tend to gravitate towards the "Costa del Sol" and you hear very good reports of the treatment people have received there. Certainly my own experiences through attending the A & E, or "Urgencias" when the children were little were very positive. On one occasion my son broke his foot and we were in and out within and hour having had the offending foot, x-rayed and plastered.

The staff there are kind and caring and there are translators on hand if your Spanish is limited. They have a very positive attitude to relatives and in fact are quite happy for one to be present at the hospital 24 hours a day.

When my other son of 15 was in with a broken leg he shared a room with a younger boy and they pushed the beds together so that the boys father could sleep there. A bit unorthodox by some standards perhaps but the Spanish are extremely family oriented and they made every effort to include my son in their visits.

Your E111, or European Health Card as it is now called, will suffice for many of your needs in relation to your health care in Spain and in fact both the incidents sited above were taken care of by my E111 even though the latter involved quite a complex operation with my son's leg being pinned. Follow up treatment needs to be paid for however so private health insurance is advisable if you are living in Spain or if you are just visiting. You can apply for your European Health Card at www.ehic.org.uk.

If you are living and working in Spain and therefore paying social security then you will be entitled to the same health care in Spain as Spanish nationals. If you are in receipt of a U.K. pension and intend to live in Spain then you need to get a form E121 and this should be taken to your nearest Instituto Nacional de Seguridad Social (INSS) office for registration. You will then be issued with a medical card which you must produce if you require treatment anywhere and you will then receive this free of charge.

Spanish chemists, or Farmacias, are a great part of health care in Spain and are a good port of call if your symptoms are not serious enough to worry your doctor or take you to the A&E department of the hospital. You will always receive good advice there and probably be recommended something for whatever ails you. If you are receiving prescription drugs at home then bring the packet with you and you will probably find that you will be able to buy your medicines over the counter without the need of a further prescription. I must say however that I think their rather free practise of dishing out antibiotics to anyone who asks is not really to be condoned.

In conclusion the level of health care in Spain for both residents and non- residents is of the highest standard and waiting lists are probably shorter than in the U.K. Accident and emergency treatment is provided free for anyone with a European Health card and the full medical services are available for pensioners who have registered with the appropriate authority and for anyone paying into the social security system.

Article submitted by Ruth Polak the owner of http://www.costadelsol-vacationrentals.com A web site specializing in holiday villas and apartments on the Costa del Sol and in Rural Andalucia. You will also find lots of information about Spain and Andalucia, in particular.


The Wonderful Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean Diet is now recognized as one of the healthiest in the world consisting as it does of large amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables, salads, nuts, seeds, omega-3 rich oily fish, olives, and olive oil and being comparatively low in dairy products and red meats.

The people of the Mediterranean region, particularly Greece and Spain, are very fortunate to live in an area where naturally healthy food is readily and cheaply available. The incidence of heart disease and cancer are lower here than anywhere else in the western world and experts now believe this is due in great part to what has become known as the Mediterranean diet.

Modern farming techniques and world wide transport has changed most peoples diets dramatically in the past century and it is now widely believed that such changes have had an extremely detrimental effect on our health. Fortunately the impact of these developments has not had such a catastrophic effect in Mediterranean regions where to a large extent traditional diets are still followed. Of course with the advent of Globalization and MacDonald's! this is sadly changing. However we can all learn a lot from what has become known as the Mediterranean diet and by adopting it,vastly improve our health and longevity.

The foods that grow naturally and abundantly in that region and have always formed a part of the local diet are as follows:

Olives, avocados, oranges, lemons, garlic, wild asparagus, walnuts, almonds, tomatoes, artichokes, figs, pomegranates, cherries, strawberries, grapes, plums, spinach, broad beans, peppers along with many other of the more common fruits and vegetables.

These provide large amounts of vitamins, minerals and fibre along with a wide variety of antioxidants and photochemical, the importance of which scientists are only now beginning to recognize as they discover more and more healthful benefits of including these elements in our diet.

Historically a lot of the milk was produced from goats and cheese made from goats and ewes milk. Very little red meat is eaten and a large majority of the protein is supplied by oily fish such as sardines, mackerel, tuna, sword fish, boquerones and anchovies.

The main oil used is olive, traditionally cold pressed virgin, and this is used not only for cooking and in salads but also for putting on bread in place of butter.

All these foods provide a wide variety of nutriments which have an astonishing array of claims for improving our health such as lowering cholesterol, improving our immune system which thus not only fights infections but also helps to prevent cancer, increasing our metabolism, improving insulin sensitivity and thus lessening the risk of diabetes. It really has never been so true that you are what you eat. Certainly since moving to Andalucia and adopting the Mediterranean diet myself I have never been so healthy or managed to maintain my ideal weight so easily.

Of course in addition to all the healthy components of this diet there is the added fact that honey is often used in place of sugar and little refined carbohydrates are eaten.

All in all most experts now agree that the Mediterranean diet is the optimum diet

Article submitted by Ruth Polak the owner of http://www.costadelsol-vacationrentals.com a web site that specializes in holiday properties on the Costa del Sol and in Rural Andalucia. In addition you will find lots of information about Spain and Andalucia, in particular.


GOING BANANAS?
Why not? It really is good for you
Michael Walsh


Forget the vitamin supplements controversy. Have you ever wondered where monkeys get their boundless energy from? One can only marvel as with sparkle they ricochet from branch to branch. You could be forgiven for thinking they have gone bananas. Well maybe they have.

The banana fruit contains three natural sugars, which are important to us all. These are sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with essential fibre. Together they give the body a considerable and sustained boost in energy levels.

Two bananas will give you enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout so it is hardly surprising that athletes devour the fruit. But consider the positive effects it has on other maladies.

RAISING THE SPIRITS
MIND, the mental health charity carried out a survey of people suffering from depression. It revealed that many felt their melancholia lift after eating bananas. Bananas contain tryptophan, a protein which the body converts into serotonin, known to help you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

Pre-menstrual syndrome? Why not cheat by putting bananas on your shopping list? Your glucose levels are regulated by vitamin B6 and a regular intake stabilises your moods. In fact B vitamins are an excellent nutrition for the entire nervous system.

“REDUCE THE RISK OF A STROKE BY 40%”
Another bane of modern living is high blood pressure. Many of the over fifties regulate theirs by taking prescribed medicine but this wonderful tropical fruit has a high content of potassium whilst at the same time is low in salt so helps keep blood pressure at a safe level.

According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%.

Not clever by half? IQ levels can be increased by eating bananas? Two hundred students at a Twickenham school were given an intelligence boost when their daily diet became banana-based.
It seems the beneficial properties of bananas can improve the quality of our lives in one way or another. Because they are high in fibre, constipation becomes less of an issue so empty the bathroom cabinet of laxatives.

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A HUNG-OVER MONKEY?
You had a heavy night, your head is thumping and tongue disgusting: you‘re hung-over. Whisk a banana milkshake and include two spoonfuls of honey. The fruit will settle your tummy, the honey restores your body‘s sugar levels, whilst the milk reduces the effects of de-hydration.
The wonderful fruit is high in anti-acid so helps relieve heartburn. Expectant mums know morning sickness can be a thoroughly unpleasant. It is a condition not helped by low blood sugar levels, which bananas relieve.

Climate change means that no one is free of the risk of mosquito bites; many will testify to relief gained by rubbing the inside of a banana skin on the affected area.

THE ANSWER TO STRESS
Stressed out? Potassium is a vital mineral. It helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates the body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing potassium levels. These can be restored with the help of high-potassium banana snacks.
Ulcers are often caused by irregular and inappropriate meals. This affliction can be eased by including bananas as part of a balanced diet, bringing relief to the delicate membranes and soft textures of the intestinal system.

WARTS AN’ ALL
Warts can be stressful, especially for those conscious of their appearance. Many swear by the healing properties experienced when the inside section of banana skin is placed over the wart.

Never underestimate the power of nature harnessed inside a banana skin. The doctor’s advice is to eat an apple a day but the humble banana has four times an apple’s protein, twice its carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium. It is simply one of the best value foods around.
This could be the opportunity to give doctors some well earned rest. No wonder there are so many maxims associated with monkey guile, cuteness, agility and energy.

Daring to engage readers in the challenging periodicals of Mediterranean Spain and the UK
Thought provoking media writer and columnist
Michael Walsh McLaughlin. The editors' choice, the writer who writers respect
quite_write@yahoo.co.uk


We are looking for people who have an interest writing content for this website. You could write about the town or village you live in, or maybe you know about Spanish wine, history, geography, dancing, festivals etc? Please drop us a line: info@town-crier.com.

 

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