Childhood depression can easily go unnoticed.

Children will more often than not, hide their true feelings from adults and even peers, as they are still developing the coping skills to deal with life.

Understanding childhood depression better is important for anyone who interacts with children - from parents and teachers, to youth leaders and anyone else.

Herbal medicines have real effects, but they are complicated. The main active ingredients of lavender for instance are linalool, linalyl acetate, linalyl butyrate, volatile oil, cineol, pinene, limonene, camphor, geraniol, borneol and tannin.

Each of these chemicals can do different things to the body though; and the % of each chemical varies between cultivars. Some cultivars of Lavendula angustifolia will contain very little camphor (which can be toxic if ingested in quantity), but many other lavender species are high in camphor.

Using herbs whether medicinally, in cooking or cosmetics can be a very positive thing; but it should be done with a proper understanding of the herb.

You can learn to understand and use herbs more safely and effectively by studying our 20 hour short course - great professional development for anyone working with food, medicine, cosmetics or in horticulture. An essential education for you own daily living. click here

It is challenging for parents to get their kids to eat any things that are healthy.

One way of making healthy food interesting to kids is to involve them in gardening, growing and picking the food they eat, or just by helping in the kitchen. Small children are especially keen and love getting involved so this is the time to catch them! Many kids don’t even realise that there is more to what they eat then opening the pantry or fridge door. It’s a process. If you get them involved in that process you can establish an interest in food and good eating habits.  

When women drink alcohol during pregnancy, they risk seriously affecting their baby.

Read on and discover ten things that can go wrong with the baby, not only as a baby - but the impact can continue throughout their entire life.