Organico Bantry

Migraine – if you don’t suffer from it – you don’t know what you’re talking about! The collins dictionary definition is:

Migraine noun
A throbbing headache usually affecting only one side of the head and commonly accompanied by nausea and visual disturbances.

However, this is a pale discription of what can be a crippling and agonising condition for those who suffer from migraines. Nobody is quite sure what triggers migraines – partly because like many conditions the term migraine covers a mulitude of individual experiences. However the pain has been linked to the rapid constriction and subsequent dilation of blood vessels in the head. Feverfew contains partenolide which is believed to act as an inhibitor of the pathways that lead to the blood vessel contractions that are believed to be responsible for migraines.

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is an age old remedy for migraines. Feverfew belongs to the same family as the camomile and has a similar daisy-like flower. However, it’s the leaves of the Feverfew plant which are used medicinally while the flowers have no health benefit. Feverfew is readily available in a number of forms; Tea, Capsule and Tablet. At Organico we stock Lifeplan Feverfew Capsules, Jan De Vries Tincture, Munster WholeFoods Loose Dried Herb and Weleda Feverfew 6X Tablets and Sona Feverfew Capsules.

Feverfew can be grown in your garden. It flourishes is well drained soil in partial shade. The fresh leaves can be chewed as a remedy, however the fresh leaves have been known to irritate the lining of the mouth.

Naturally you should always consult a qualified medical practitioner for any chronic health conditions.

Feverfew should be avoided by pregnant and breastfeeding women and also by anyone taking warfarin or bloodthining drugs.

Organico Shop, Glengarriff Rd., Bantry, Co. Cork, Ireland. Phone +353 (0)27 51391

It sounds ridiculous, but I’m going to say it anyway! Here in Organico we ALWAYS advise that if you have health issue consult a qualified medical practitioner. You wouldn’t take your brand new car to the local dentist for a service,(I’m hoping you’d have the sense to go to a qualified mechanic). Too many people take stupid risks when it comes to their own health and well-being and self medicate or take advice from friends and unqualified practitioners. While I am a strong advocate of alternative remedies and complimentary medicines I would strongly advise anyone with an ailment to consult both a qualified medical doctor and also seek advice from a qualified herabalist, homeopath or natrapath.

Your local healthfood shop is a good source of information on local qualified practitioners but always look for qualifications and references. In Ireland all reputable healthfood shops are registered with the IAHS.

Organico Shop, Glengarriff Rd., Bantry, Co. Cork, Ireland. Phone +353 (0)27 51391

There is nothing worse than the frustration of not being able to get a good nights sleep! Insomnia is a condition that many of us experience from time to time and is normally the product of a complex set of circumstances, including stress and over indulgence in stimulants such as caffine.

There’s no magic cure or silver bullet that will resolve an inability to sleep! Naturally you should always consult a qualified medical practitioner for any chronic health conditions. I know that if you haven’t slept for a while you’re probably cranky and in no mood to be preached at – however your sleeplessness is an indicator that you need to change something in your daily pattern. Increasing your exposure to fresh air really helps, so try to get some outdoor excercise in. In tandem with this try to reduce your stress levels and perhaps try taking some Valerian.

Valerian (valerina officinalis)is often used as a gentle and natural sedative. It’s a perennial plant with a pinkish/white flowers and it grows from a tuberous root called a rhizome.

Valerian is readily commercially available in a number of forms; Tea, Tincture, Juice, Capsule and Tablet. At Organico we stock Dr Stuarts Valerian Tea, Bioforce Valerian Tincture, Quest and Lifeplan Valerain Tablets and Schonenberger Valerian Juice.

Dosage: 300-600mg in capsule form or 2-3g of dried herb soaked in a cup of hot water for for 10 minutes. Taken 30 minutes to 2 hours before bedtime.

It has a funny smell but don’t let that put you off as the taste is not unpleasant.

Valerian is not known to be addictive, however it should only be used as a short term aid to re-establish sleeping patterns.

Organico Shop, Glengarriff Rd., Bantry, Co. Cork, Ireland. Phone +353 (0)27 51391

Organico Bantry

Hi I’m Hannah Dare and I run Organico Shop on the Glengarriff Road in Bantry, which is a town in West Cork in Ireland.

Organico is a family business and my sister Rachel is reponsible for the inspiration (and perspiration!) behind our Cafe and Bakery.

Organico was started by our father Alan Dare who became interested in wholefoods after a severe heart attack forced him to focus on his own health. His journey back to full health led him to use large quantities of Vitamin E among other things and also to review his diet. When he wanted to start a new business he looked arond his home town of Bantry and found that the Heaath Food shop was closing, so he opened Essential Foods on Main Street. And the rest is history!

Like Alan, Rachel and I are passionate about good food & alternative remedies and Organico Shop is the cornerstone of our business. We have a huge range of organic foods, fresh organic fruit and vegetables, handmade organic cakes and bread and a comprehensive selection of nutritional suppliments, remedies, tintures and homeopathics.

Suppliers that we have come to know and trust include Salus House, Weleda, Higher Nature, Bioforce, Quest, Green People, Flora, New Era, Atlantic Aromatics, and Bach Flower Remedies.

We’ve learned a lot about organic living and alternative and complimentary medicines over the years and this blog is a way of sharing some of our knowledge with you – enjoy!

Always consult a qualified medical practitioner!

Organico, Glengarriff Rd., Bantry, Co. Cork, Ireland. Phone +353 (0)27 51391