Whether it was the continual sunshine or the constant presence of some good people and mindfulness practices in my life, or most likely a combination of these things, I really notice and appreciate how good I feel, having a sense of becoming ‘whole’ and more familiar to myself and feeling very grateful to have some vitality and energy back. I owe huge thanks to my mindfulness groups, because to have the opportunity to share our feelings and vulnerabilities in a safe space is priceless, whilst at the same time learning the sustainable skills of mindfulness and self-compassion.   I have met so many wonderful people through some beautiful work opportunities over the summer, including mindful picnics on and around the Healy Pass for the Caha Centre, mindfulness meditation by the sea in Castletownbere and my ongoing work with family carers which I value hugely.  

Even though my life and work are still a bit nomadic these days, I have the very best of both worlds, travelling the length and breadth of West Cork and Beara. I am beyond lucky to have been able to turn some of my own life experiences into programmes that can support others. While I am only beginning the process of planning my mindfulness work for the Autumn, I would like to flag two important events and programmes in the coming months. Because mindfulness practice has helped me through my own darkest hours, helped return me to some semblance of ‘normality’ and wholeness after crippling life events, it helps me massively to be able to offer these healing practices to others who might be facing difficulties.  

I will be running a new three-week compassion-based mindfulness programme for family carers in October. I am proud to say that this is the sixth year of this gentle, but impactful programme. I developed this programme whilst caring for my own dad and noticed how mindfulness helped and supported me as a family carer.  It helped me realise I was not alone, that my self-care mattered and taught me how to make best use of precious time with my dad, as well as some precious moments for myself. My ‘Reconnect and Re-engage’ programme consists of three workshops and is free thanks to the continued support of REACH funding administered by Cork Education and Training Board.  Once people have completed the three-week programme, they are welcome to join a monthly mindfulness peer support group. There is no pressure whatsoever to do so. For some, the three-week programme is enough, while many other family carers have been coming consistently for years now.

In November, (date and venue to be confirmed) by way of remembering and honouring my lovely, kind, brother, Dermot, I will be running another ‘Live Your Legacy’ mindfulness workshop as a fundraiser for the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust and Eden Valley Hospice, where Dermot was shown great kindness. I hosted this workshop for the first time last November and was delighted to divide the monies raised between these two wonderful organisations. The KBRT provides support to Irish families who have a loved one die abroad. They help families to bring them home. KBRT is a wonderful example of a family, who lost their own son abroad, Kevin Bell, healing and honouring their own loss by supporting others in similar situations. There is such great healing and meaning to be found in giving a hand to others who travel a similar road, recognising our common humanity.  These lines from Emily Dickinson came to mind.

“If I can stop one heart from breaking, / I shall not live in vain; / If I can ease one life the aching, / Or cool one pain, / Or help one fainting robin / Unto his nest again, / I shall not live in vain”.

FREE Mindfulness programme for family carers coming in October at Cnoc Bui, Union Hall on Tuesdays October 14, 21 and November 3 from 11am -2pm with refreshments and light lunch provided.  Please keep in touch: 087 2700572 or email: susanoreganmindfulness@gmail.com. www.mindhaven.ie

I feel that urine infections in women can be a condition that is put down to something we simply have to put up with. The reality is that many women do not ‘bother’ their GP every time they have a bout of cystitis; urine infections are not regarded as a serious illness in women under the age of 80.

Let’s first talk anatomy. The urinary tract is a plumbing system made up of the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. This system plays an important role in removing wastes from your body. The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs that lie in the middle of the back, just below the rib cage. One of their functions is to filter waste from your blood. Tubes, called ureters, carry urine from your kidneys to your bladder, where it is stored until it exits the body through the urethra. 

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection that can occur anywhere along the plumbing system but most commonly involves the urethra and bladder, a so called lower UTI. Infection of the kidneys, an upper UTI, is a more serious condition called pyelonephritis.

Most UTIs are caused by the bacteria E.coli, that lives in the colon, especially the rectum.

Adult women are most commonly affected, as their urethra is shorter than men and opens nearer to the anus. This means it is easier for bacteria to enter the urinary system and cause an infection. About 40 per cent of women get at least one UTI in their lifetime. It is more common in sexually active women, during pregnancy, after surgery and menopause. It can also occur if the bladder does not completely empty or if catheters are used to empty the bladder.

How do I know if I have a urinary tract infection?

You will generally know! Your GP might ask about “tummy pain and burning or cystitis?”

When asked the question, can we be a little more honest about symptoms; lower abdominal pain on par with labour pains and peeing razorblades dipped in hydrochloric acid. That sounds about right, ladies?

We also tend to pee much more often than usual, sometimes needing to get up several times in the night. Urgency, a dire need to pee can be a feature, often with little or no urine being passed and, if you don’t get to a loo fast enough you might wet yourself. There can be blood in the urine. You may feel pressure in the lower pelvis or lower back ache. Urine may also become cloudy or smell unpleasant. These symptoms are seen with lower UTIs.

Symptoms and signs of more serious infection are fever, nausea, vomiting, chills and pain on one side in your lower back, indicating a kidney infection, called pyelonephritis. 

Why do female UTIs matter? 

A serious UTI can cause infection to spread to the bloodstream called sepsis. This can cause death if not recognised and treated on time. Even if sepsis does not occur,  UTIs involving the kidney, pyelonephritis, require hospital admission for IV antibiotics. Recurrent UTIs can result in cumulative damage to the kidneys reducing their ability to function and filter our blood. So, yes; every episode of cystitis is important and potentially harmful.

Why do some women have recurring Urinary Tract Infections, (rUTIs)?

The definition of  rUTIs is having two in six months or three over the last 12 months. There may be a structural issue in the plumbing, which may be related to menopause, and it is more common in pregnancy, when untreated UTIs are associated with increased risk of miscarriage. Post-op, they are more common, most likely related to needing catheterisation through the operation.

Often no specific cause is found. However,  you still should not ignore return symptoms.  

What can we do to prevent UTIs?

Number one – tell your GP! Every time you have symptoms! 

As a GP for 30 years, I have come across patients self managing recurrent episodes of painful peeing many times. Cystitis or discomfort when we pee can happen without infection; this is very common from age 45 onwards when it is caused by oestrogen deficiency associated with menopause transition. Urine testing is usually negative for infection, and the symptom of recurrent cystitis resolves with vaginal oestrogen, either as a pessary or cream.

So cystitis does not always equal UTI. But the only way of knowing that is to see your GP or practice nurse for a urine sample – every time you have symptoms.

Urine dipstick is a very accurate, sensitive way of confirming UTI. If dipstick is positive, your GP practice should send a sample off to the lab for analysis. This is especially important if you are having recurrent symptoms. The clinical definition of rUTIs is based on laboratory confirmation of infections.

However, especially in West Cork and during a late evening GP surgery, it is not always possible to get a sample off to the lab. But you should have a sample dipstick as a minimum every time you have symptoms. Only by doing so, can your GP diagnose rUTIs. If confirmed, your GP needs to investigate why they are happening.

Investigations

As a minimum, you need a scan of your urinary tract, ideally first with a full bladder, and again after you pee, to check you are emptying your bladder completely. What we call a residual volume, over 50 mls in younger, and over 100 mls in older women, is significant and requires referral to a specialist; a urologist. A scan will also rule out structural abnormalities such as one kidney being smaller than the other or hydronephrosis, a condition characterised by swelling of the kidney collecting system,  a marker of long standing back pressure. This might have been as a result of a childhood condition or obstruction of urine outflow by narrowing of the wee pipe called a urethral stricture.

If any abnormalities are found on scan or your recurrent UTIs are largely unexplained, your GP should refer you to see a urologist who may want to do an examination called a cystoscopy where they look up the urethra into the bladder. 

You’ve had rUTIs confirmed, your scan is normal; what next?

Two treatments need to start, ideally in your GP surgery: The first is a course of preventative or prophylactic antibiotics.  This is a very low dose, once at night mild antibiotic, usually for three to six months. Secondly, start vaginal oestrogen.

As a Menopause doctor, I, and readers of my articles, will be aware that oestrogen deficiency in perimenopause, menopause, and more so in the post menopause years, is the cause of many urinary symptoms including rUTIs.

Yes, we know that any woman, 45 and over, getting UTIs, should be started on vaginal oestrogen, as studies have repeatedly proven vaginal oestrogen prevents recurrent UTIs in this age group. Often oestrogen deficiency-related rUTIs start over the age of 65, many years after menopause transition, so both the woman and her GP may not realise that vaginal oestrogen is the cure, not repeated courses of oral antibiotics.

But that does not apply to women of all ages, or does it?

So what’s new? 

I chose this topic after reading a US study published in Urology Journal June 2026. The study team examined US healthcare data base to identify women with rUTIs,  defined as two separate coded UTIs within one to six months. Vaginal oestrogen prescription classification was either (1) never received or (2) received within two months of the second UTI. Outcomes of sepsis, hospital admission, and all-cause mortality were assessed within eight years of inclusion 

The study group looked at the records 1.8 million women aged 20 to 99 years with r UTIs: five per cent were prescribed vaginal oestrogen, 95 per cent were not.

The study team then looked at the outcomes for those two groups: vaginal oestrogen prescription was associated with lower odds of sepsis, hospitalisation, and death across all age groups.

Even I was surprised; I expected that outcome for the perimenopause/ menopause and post-menopause age cohorts, ages 45 to 99, but not for the younger women.

I hope this has been helpful. I urge women of all ages having symptoms suggestive of recurring bladder infections to see their GP. 

If you are having recurrent urinary symptoms, cystitis, leaking, frequency of urination, getting up at night to pee, then your GP can refer you to see Dr Aenne Helps, the gynaecologist who runs Bantry Hospital Gynaecology clinic once a month, where I work.

It’s finally time to start packing away those flimsy summer bits after a hot and glorious summer. I’m going to dive straight into something that I think is absolutely wonderful – mascara. As we age, mascara gives back a wonderful bit of life to the eye area, especially if you are like me and have zero interest in botox-ing or needling and so on. With more and more women developing an intolerance to mascaras and even foundations as they age, many of us are looking for more natural products. I would never share something with you unless I’ve tried it myself and I think that I have hit the jackpot. Did you know that you can mix organic castor oil and activated charcoal in a little glass jar and make your own mascara? The glass jar is also really important, organic products tire and lose their ‘goodness’ in plastic! All you need is a mascara brush and you are good to go. You will find that your lashes lengthen thanks to the castor oil. This is my gift to anyone whose eyes get easily irritated and have, alas, given up on wearing mascara. Please give me some feedback on this because I absolutely love my homemade organic mascara and I hope that you will love it too!

If I have heard it once, I have heard it a million times – ‘What can I do about my belly and what should I wear?’ Most women with a fuller stomach make the same mistake, they choose the baggiest, most shapeless top they can find, thinking that it will hide everything. You need to know which tops, pants and dresses highlight your best features and create more balanced proportions. It’s not about hiding your body, it’s about directing the eye to the right places. You want the focus to be on your face, neckline and legs, not on your stomach. That’s why v-neck tops work so well; they create a vertical line, open up your neckline and visually lengthen your upper body. Wrap tops or wrap dresses are another great option, they create diagonal lines and gently define your figure. Styles with soft draping or ruching around the stomach skim over your body without clinging to it. High-waisted straight leg pants create a smoother silhouette and visually lengthen your legs. An open structured blazer creates two vertical lines down the centre of your body making your entire shape appear longer and more balanced.

So what should you avoid? Very thin clingy fabrics that highlight every line of your body, Low rise pants that cut across your stomach, tops that end exactly at the widest part of your belly and extremely over-sized clothes that completely hide your shape and make your figure appear heavier.

Choose fabrics that hold their shape without looking stiff, soft knits, medium weight cotton and gently structured fabrics are usually especially flattering. Try monochromatic outfits or combine similar shades on the top and bottom. This creates one continuous vertical line and visually lengthens your silhouette. Add an interesting neckline, statement earrings or a bold neck piece, these features naturally draw attention towards your face.

Here is the real secret… The most beautiful women are not the ones with perfectly flat stomachs, they are the ones who understand their proportions, choose the right clothes and don’t allow one part of their body to control or affect their confidence.

I know that you will all say ‘I know my body shape’ but do you really know your proportions? The most stylish women that I know are not a perfect size or shape, they just really understand their proportions and, once you understand this, everything changes.

Familiarise yourself with where your ‘middle’ sits. Not everyone’s waist is at the same place and, dressing as if it is, is where most women go wrong.

Find yours and define it. Everything else follows from there. A defined middle creates an hourglass illusion on every body shape – it’s the foundation all great outfits are built on.

Always think ‘volume on one, fitted on the other’! Full on top means that you streamline the bottom and wide-leg trousers mean a fitted or tucked-in top. This works because the eyes need a place to rest. Too much volume everywhere and the outfit overwhelms you, especially if you are petite. A taller person can get away with it, on occasion. Too fitted everywhere and there is no movement or interest because balance creates harmony.

Hem length is everything because where a skirt or trouser ends changes the entire look of your leg – too long and you lose height, too short and you lose elegance. The magic spot is just below the knee or at the ankle, both create a clean unbroken line and this makes legs look longer.

Make vertical lines your ‘Bestie!’ Wear a v-neck, a long open coat, a column of colour from top to toe. These work because the eye naturally follows a line. Vertical lines draw the gaze up and down, rather than across, creating length and balance on every body shape without changing a single thing about you.

Shopping and styling becomes a completely different process when you ‘stop thinking in pieces’ and ‘start thinking in silhouette’.

Stand in front of a full length mirror, step back and blur your eyes slightly. What shape are you making? That shape, not the individual items, is what other people see. Designers call this the ‘total look’ and it’s the difference between an outfit that works and one that almost does.

Proportion isn’t about having the right body, it’s about understanding the one you have!

Olive green is the absolute bomb and you will be seeing a lot of it this coming season. Here are a few colours that add even more elegance to this rich and glorious shade of green, navy (unexpected but sensational with a pop of white), light grey, burgundy, tonal – as in different shades or textures of olive on olive and a crisp white over an olive leather skirt or trousers! Any shade of blue denim works incredibly well too.

Clothes should be fun. If you have lost the joy of styling, have a quiet word with yourself and be willing to do a little research, let go of a few core debilitating beliefs and don’t keep anything for ‘good wear’ – every day is a wonderful occasion to celebrate something or other. Google your body shape for advice, hire a stylist as a treat but don’t stay stuck.

September always feels like a fresh start. As we settle back into routine after the summer, it’s an ideal time to reassess our skincare and beauty essentials. This month’s Beauty Edit features a selection of new launches that combine innovation, performance and everyday practicality to help your skin and hair look and feel their best.

Dr. Hauschka Renew & Activate Ampoules

Designed as an intensive nighttime treatment, these ampoules help support the skin’s natural collagen production while providing long-lasting hydration. Formulated with extracts of Madonna lily, witch hazel and rose, they help strengthen the skin barrier, improve resilience and leave the complexion looking smoother, firmer and more radiant by morning. Ideal when your skin is looking tired, dull or in need of a boost, 28 × 2ml €74.95. For those with sensitive or redness-prone skin, the Dr. Hauschka Calm & Balance Ampoules are a lovely alternative (these come in a seven-day treatment, 7x2ml €24.95 as well as a 28-day treatment option, 28 × 2ml €74.95). They help soothe and cool the skin while reducing the appearance of redness, making them particularly useful after sun exposure or whenever skin feels stressed and reactive, available online from drh.ie and selected Dr. Hauschka stockists nationwide. 

Hawaiian Tropic Fragrance Collection

Known for its iconic sun care, Hawaiian Tropic has bottled the scent of summer in a new collection of affordable fragrance mists. Inspired by tropical holidays, warm sunshine and sandy beaches, the range includes body mists, shimmer editions and pearlescent fragrances designed to bring a little escapism to your everyday routine. My favourite is Golden Paradise, a beautifully balanced blend of juicy pear, pineapple and creamy coconut, with warm notes of sandalwood, amber and musk creating a soft, sun-kissed finish. Tropical Oasis is another lovely option, combining coconut, nectarine and papaya with delicate floral notes for a fresh, tropical scent that’s perfect for everyday wear. Light, easy to wear and great value at just €13, these fragrance mists are ideal for anyone who loves fresh, holiday-inspired scents and wants a simple way to keep that summer feeling going all year round, available from selected supermarkets and pharmacies nationwide

Aveda One For All Leave-In Elixir

Aveda has expanded its haircare range with the launch of One For All Leave-In Elixir, a lightweight multi-tasking spray designed to suit every hair type and texture. Offering an impressive 25 benefits in a single formula, it helps hydrate, smooth, detangle and nourish the hair while reducing frizz, enhancing shine and protecting against heat styling. While offering deep conditioning benefits, the formula remains lightweight enough for fine hair while providing lasting moisture and manageability for thicker textures. It also helps minimise breakage, prevent split ends and protect hair from the drying effects of the sun, making it an ideal everyday styling companion. Vegan, silicone-free and 99 per cent naturally derived, it’s finished with Aveda’s signature botanical aroma of rose, jasmine and ylang ylang for a luxurious finishing touch. Suitable for use on damp hair before styling, it’s an easy addition to any haircare routine and a great all-rounder for anyone looking to simplify their styling products without compromising on performance, €34 available to buy online from avedastore.ie and Aveda partner salons nationwide.

Dermalogica Smart Eye Density Cream

The skin around the eyes is often one of the first areas to show visible signs of ageing, making a targeted eye cream a worthwhile addition to your skincare routine. Dermalogica’s new Smart Eye Density Cream is designed to help improve the appearance of skin density while visibly firming, smoothing and hydrating this delicate area. Its lightweight yet nourishing formula helps soften the appearance of fine lines and supports the skin’s natural resilience without feeling heavy, making it suitable for both morning and evening use. If you’re noticing changes in firmness or texture around the eyes, this is a sophisticated treatment that delivers hydration while helping the eye area appear smoother, stronger and more refreshed, €143, available online from dermalogica.ie and Dermalogica stockists nationwide.

ASAP SPF50+ Moisturising Defence+

A daily sunscreen is one of the most important steps in any skincare routine, and ASAP’S new SPF50+ Moisturising Defence+ combines high-level sun protection with skincare benefits in one lightweight formula. Acting as a moisturiser, primer and SPF, it provides broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection while helping to defend against premature skin ageing and environmental damage. The fragrance-free formula is enriched with Kakadu Plum, a potent antioxidant rich in naturally occurring vitamin C, alongside niacinamide to help strengthen the skin barrier, improve skin tone and support a more even complexion. Hyaluronic acid, panthenol, aloe vera and vitamin E work together to deliver lasting hydration while helping to soothe and protect the skin. With its invisible, non-greasy finish, it’s suitable for all skin types and wears beautifully under makeup, making it an excellent everyday sunscreen that combines effective UV protection with high-performance skincare, €55 available online from asapskincare.ie and ASAP skincare stockists nationwide.

To make an appointment for one of my Advanced Facial Treatments | Medical Microneedling | Byonik Laser | Dermalux LED Light Therapy |Slimyonik Body Airstyler | Teen Facials book online at www.shernamalone.ie 

For me, fashion has always been a playground for experimentation. Perhaps this feels especially natural when you are young, when curiosity is still stronger than habit and personal style has not yet settled into a fixed formula. That was one of the reasons I wanted Caoimhe Teeling to be part of this project.

There is an ease about her that immediately makes you want to experiment. She is energetic, cheerful, open and, most importantly, genuinely curious. She does not seem interested in fashion as a set of instructions. For her, it is much closer to play.

“I see fashion as a way of expressing yourself and showing a bit of your personality,” she says. “I love feminine pieces, colour and anything that feels a little different, but I also like mixing things up and not taking fashion too seriously.”

Caoimhe works in the pharmacy in Schull, where she especially enjoys the human side of the job. That warmth comes through very quickly when you meet her.

Outside work, beauty and makeup are a big part of her world. She has always enjoyed experimenting with different looks and styles, not in a particularly serious or perfectionist way, but as something fun and creative.

She talks about spending time with friends, getting ready together, trying something different just because you feel like it.

When I asked Caoimhe whether she was willing to experiment with her style, the answer was immediate. “Definitely.” And she meant it.

“I love experimenting, whether that’s with clothes, makeup, hair or trying a style that I wouldn’t normally go for. I think that’s one of the most fun things about fashion and beauty because you can change it depending on your mood and discover new sides of yourself.”

That attitude became the starting point for the styling. I wanted the clothes to feel playful rather than polished in a predictable way.

There is something wonderfully disarming about fashion in a rural setting. Clothes immediately lose some of their seriousness. 

The three looks in this shoot are not choosing one fixed version of femininity, but allowing softness, humour, colour, toughness and a little contradiction to exist side by side.

Look 1

The first look begins with something familiar and romantic: a red gingham dress.

But instead of wearing it in the expected way, I layered it over wide-leg jeans and added a chunky textured cardigan. That simple shift immediately changes the mood. The dress is still feminine, still slightly nostalgic, but it no longer belongs to one particular style story.

A red ribbon with a flower at the neck echoes the red shoes, creating a strong colour rhythm through the outfit. Then the yellow checked bag and hat are thrown in almost like an interruption.

The statement earrings pick up the warm yellow accents and give the upper part of the look more presence.

There is a lot going on, deliberately so.

For me, this look is where cottagecore meets contemporary eclecticism. It has the romance of the countryside, but without being overly sweet or predictable. The jeans toughen it slightly, the colour combinations make it more playful, and the different checks don’t match too perfectly.

Stylist’s tip: Don’t be afraid to combine several prints or strong colours in one outfit. One of the easiest ways to make an eclectic mix feel intentional is to repeat a colour in more than one place. It creates a visual thread and helps even unexpected combinations feel connected.

Look 2

The second look is more mischievous.

Stripes become the visual thread running through the whole outfit. They appear on the micro shorts, return on the high socks and, unexpectedly, continue onto the teddy bear attached to the bag – who is also wearing a striped shirt.

It is a tiny detail, but those are often the details I enjoy most.

The romantic white top brings softness, while the oversized leather jacket and heavy boots pull the look in a grungier direction. Neither side wins completely. That is what keeps it interesting.

The large earrings add another point of focus around the face, while the little bag and teddy bear introduce a sweet, almost naive element.

I like clothes that contain a slight contradiction.

Something feminine with something rough. Something polished with something silly. Something that looks serious from a distance and makes you smile when you notice the details.

Stylist’s tip: Accessories do not have to be the final, practical addition to an outfit. Sometimes they can be the starting point. An unusual bag, a pair of bold earrings or one repeated pattern can give an entire look its personality.

Look 3

The third outfit is quieter at first glance, but the contrast is still there.

A soft white knitted top and a flowing skirt create a light, romantic base. Over that, I added an oversized leather jacket and cinched it at the waist with a wide brown belt.

The belt is the detail that changes the entire silhouette.

Without it, the jacket would remain loose, oversized and slightly detached from the softness underneath. With it, the proportions shift. The waist becomes visible, the jacket becomes almost sculptural, and the whole outfit feels more deliberate.

Black slingback flats with metallic details add a sharper note, while the small black bag connects back to them. Large earrings once again bring attention towards the face.

The romance is still there, but it has some resistance now. Leather, metal and the strong line of the belt stop the outfit from becoming too delicate.

Stylist’s tip: Try wearing a belt over an oversized jacket or blazer. It is such a small adjustment, but it can completely alter the proportions and make a familiar piece feel new again.

A special thank you to Mary and Gerry for so generously allowing us to photograph on their farm and for making us feel so welcome.

Makeup, styling and photography by Galyna Zaitseva.

There was no criticism in the way she said it, and no suggestion that she didn’t love the teenager her daughter had become. It was simply an honest acknowledgement of something many parents experience, but perhaps feel uncomfortable admitting. Sometimes, we miss them.

We miss the child who climbed into our bed in the morning, the one who wanted to tell us every tiny detail of their day before they had even taken their coat off. We miss the child who reached automatically for our hand, who thought we knew the answer to almost everything, and who wanted us to watch every cartwheel, drawing, football trick or slightly questionable dance performance.

And then, almost without noticing exactly when it happened, something changes. The bedroom door closes more often and the answers become shorter. “How was school?” “Fine.” “What did you do?” “Nothing.” The child who once narrated their entire existence suddenly seems to have developed a highly classified private life.

Affection can change too. The hug at the school gate becomes embarrassing, the kiss goodbye must happen before anyone is looking, and sometimes even being seen in public with a parent appears to require careful risk assessment.

It can be funny, of course. Adolescence gives families plenty of moments that become stories later. But underneath the humour, there can also be a surprisingly real sense of loss.

We talk a great deal about the changes teenagers experience during adolescence, but perhaps not enough about what this developmental stage asks of parents. Because adolescence requires parents to change too.

For years, parenting is largely about moving closer. We feed, carry, comfort, protect, organise and supervise. We know where our children are, who they are with and what they are doing. When something goes wrong, they usually come looking for us.

Then adolescence begins asking us to do something that can feel completely unnatural. It asks us to step back. Not disappear, stop parenting or become indifferent, but loosen our grip enough for another person to begin emerging. And that can be difficult.

When parents say, “She used to tell me everything,” what I often hear underneath is, “I used to know how to reach her.” When they say, “He never wants to spend time with us anymore,” sometimes what sits underneath is, “I’m not sure where I fit in his life now.” And when a parent says, “They’ve changed so much,” there can be an unspoken question beneath it: will we still be close when all of this is over?

It is understandable that parents sometimes respond to this uncertainty by trying harder to get the old relationship back. We ask more questions. We insist on family time. We become frustrated by closed doors and one-word answers. We remind them that they “used to love” doing certain things with us.

But perhaps the task isn’t to get the old relationship back. Perhaps it is to build a new one.

Adolescence is not simply childhood with more attitude and a later bedtime. It is a period of enormous psychological development. Teenagers are beginning to ask questions they could not have asked in quite the same way as children: Who am I when I am not simply somebody’s son or daughter? What do I believe? Where do I belong? What do other people think of me? What parts of my family do I want to carry with me, and what parts might I do differently?

To answer those questions, teenagers need some distance from us. That distance can look like rejection when we are standing on the other side of it. But often, it isn’t.

The teenager who no longer tells you everything may still desperately need to know that you are available. The teenager who pulls away from your hug in front of their friends may still want one in the kitchen later that evening. The teenager who says, “I know!” before you have finished your sentence may still be quietly absorbing far more of what you say than they will ever admit.

Our role however hasn’t disappeared. It is merely changing.

Perhaps one of the hardest parts of parenting teenagers is learning not to measure connection using the same signs we used when they were younger. Connection at fifteen may not look like connection at seven.

It might be your teenager appearing in the kitchen at 10.30pm at night while you are trying to go to bed and suddenly deciding that this is the perfect moment to discuss something important. It might be a lift in the car where neither of you looks directly at the other, yet somehow a conversation begins. It might be sending you a ridiculous video instead of saying, “I was thinking about you.” It might simply be sitting in the same room without speaking very much at all.

Sometimes we miss these moments because we are looking for the child who used to come running towards us.

There is another challenge too. As our children grow, they begin showing us parts of themselves that we may not recognise. They develop opinions we don’t share. They choose clothes we wouldn’t choose. Their humour changes. Their friendships become incredibly important. Their interests may take them into worlds we know nothing about.

There is a temptation to keep reminding them who they used to be. “You were always so outgoing.” “You used to love school.” “You were never like this before.”

Usually, these words come from concern. But imagine what they might sound like to a teenager who is still trying to work out who they are. Perhaps they hear: I preferred the old version of you.

There is a beautiful opportunity hidden inside this uncomfortable stage of parenting. We get to become curious about our children again.

Not curious in the investigative sense of checking phones, interrogating friendships or trying to extract information, but curious in the way we might be when getting to know someone we genuinely find interesting. What makes you laugh now? What matters to you? What do you think about things? What feels difficult about being your age? What are you discovering about yourself?

And sometimes, rather than asking anything at all, curiosity simply means leaving enough space for them to show us.

Because the little child we remember has not disappeared. They are still there in countless small ways: in a familiar expression, in the way they laugh when something really catches them off guard, in the foods they still ask us to make when they need comfort, or in those moments when the teenage armour slips and, just briefly, we see the child we have known all along.

But alongside that child, someone new is appearing. Someone we haven’t met before.

Perhaps that is one of the bittersweet privileges of parenting: loving every version of our children while knowing we cannot keep any of them forever. The toddler becomes the schoolchild. The schoolchild becomes the teenager. The teenager eventually becomes an adult.

Our job was never to stop that from happening.

So, if you sometimes look at your teenager and quietly miss the child they used to be, you are certainly not alone. Keep the memories. Miss those years when you need to.

But keep looking at the person standing in front of you too.

You are not losing your child. You are meeting them again.

In his 1959 article titled ‘A theory of therapy, personality, and interpersonal relationships,’ Rogers suggested that psychological development involves becoming increasingly able to trust one’s own organismic valuing process. In simple terms, this means developing the capacity to notice our own experience and use it as meaningful information. An internal locus of evaluation means being able to listen to others while retaining the capacity to ask one’s Self questions such as ‘What do I think? What do I feel? What matters to me? What do I need? What feels right?’ The opposite of this, an external locus of evaluation, occurs when the answers to these questions are increasingly or solely dependent upon others.

For Rogers, this can develop through what he called conditions of worth. Children are dependent upon significant others for love, trust, safety and belonging. If approval appears conditional upon being a particular way, a child may learn that some aspects of themselves are more acceptable than others leading to conditions upon their worth. This does not need to be explicit, it can happen quite subtly and implicitly over time. A parent may respond to a child with an eye roll and say “what do you want now?” A child might learn to not seek a parent’s attention in that manner, or at all, to stop feeling bad and adapt to what attention is available. The child might even decide that any attention at all is better than none even if it is ‘bad’ attention. Of course, explicit treatment of children in ways that lead them to develop conditions of worth can happen too. As a result, a child may become increasingly guided by introjected values rather than their own experiencing.

In modern terms, people-pleasing can be a common outcome of the development of an external locus of evaluation. A person who has developed a predominantly external locus of evaluation may become highly attentive to other people’s emotional states and expectations. They may find it difficult to say no, experience guilt when disappointing somebody, apologise excessively or automatically prioritise another person’s needs. People-pleasing can look like kindness objectively but subjectively it can be experienced as a strategy for maintaining safety, acceptance and/or belonging.

The person might be carrying a condition of worth, like a message swallowed whole, that sounds like “I’m only OK if I take care of others.” Deep down there might be an even more harsh message underlying this such as “I will only get love and be acceptable to others if I don’t have needs and wants.” Often leading to a person giving much more than they have available to give and then wondering why they feel so resentful or bitter on a regular basis. With that said, relationships most often involve responsiveness and consideration. The difficulty arises when responsiveness to others consistently overrides responsiveness to oneself.

There are many conditions of worth that can develop throughout life, not necessarily always as a child, such as “I won’t be safe unless I am loud and angry” or “If I don’t say no I will be OK.” The flavour of the condition is very unique to each individual but what is common is that, at some point, the condition of worth will often lead to challenges in living with ease. Perfectionism is a modern day term for how conditions of worth can impact a person. It is often not simply wanting to do something well. For some people, achievement becomes directly connected to self-worth often fuelled by a condition such as “I’m only deserving of love and acceptance if I prove my Self through my external productivity.” The evaluation sits outside the person even when the external judge has become internalised over time as a condition of worth.

A person with such conditions of worth may consequently think rest is failure and mistakes are evidence of inadequacy. Ordinary human limitations can become something that must be corrected even when rest, mistakes and limitations are core to our humanity. This can produce a seemingly paradoxical chronic inner tension in which considerable achievement coexists with persistent feelings of inadequacy or not good enoughness. The person may reach the perfect goalposts but, because the underlying problem is not the quality of the performance but the source from which worth is being determined, find that the goalposts shift every time. Apart from perfectionism, an external locus of evaluation can often lead to things like burnout, breakdown, depressions, anxieties, self-criticism, suicidality, challenging relationships with substances, challenges with setting boundaries and much more.

On the other hand, an internal locus of evaluation does not mean “I only care about myself”. We can choose to help someone because we genuinely value the relationship. The difference is that the behaviour is experienced as chosen rather than compelled. Someone with an internal locus may still say yes but they can also say no and be ok with their choice. This can be experienced as a message that might sound like, “I’m OK even if they are not OK” or “I deserve love and acceptance simply for being, as I am.”

The locus of evaluation can help in understanding why some people continue beyond their limits. Boundaries, can represent a practical expression of an internal locus of evaluation. To establish a boundary, we can recognise that our needs, wants and emotional capacities are relevant. We can have the capacity to tolerate the possibility that another person may dislike our boundary. Having boundaries can often be extraordinarily difficult for somebody whose sense of being acceptable is conditional upon maintaining other people’s approval.

Therapy can provide an important space in which these patterns become visible and a person can learn to identify their conditions of worth by differentiating things like choice from compliance or caring from responsibility. The therapeutic relationship itself can become part of this process. Person-centred therapy offers a context characterised by empathy and unconditional positive regard. Rogers proposed that such conditions can support movement towards greater congruence between experience and self-concept. This would not necessarily represent a movement from external evaluation to permanent internal certainty.

Rogers himself did not suggest that a psychologically healthy person never considers other people’s opinions. Rather, psychological development involves becoming increasingly able to receive external information without being governed by it. A person can learn to accept praise without needing it or to disappoint someone without concluding that they are a bad person as a result. The movement towards an internal locus of evaluation has the potential to make relationships more authentic, with others and one’s Self too.

I often work with clients in this regard, I have regularly had the honour to witness people develop a sense of self in which they no longer need another person’s approval in order to feel worthy, become freer to disagree, negotiate, set boundaries, apologise when appropriate and remain connected without abandoning one’s Self. As Roger’s put it himself, “I have found it highly rewarding when I can accept myself as I am, and be myself…I cannot provide a convincing imitation of something that I am not.”

For more information on Leo’s services,  phone: 085 1300573, email: info@leomuckley.com. web: www.leomuckley.com; social media: @leomuckleypsychotherapy

Bantry was at the heart of Irish coastal rowing last month, as more than 730 crews representing 35 clubs from across the country gathered for the 2026 All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships.

Across three days of racing, crews from Under-12 level through to senior, veteran, masters and traditional boat categories competed for national honours on Bantry Bay, bringing competitors, families and supporters from communities around Ireland to West Cork.

The scale of the championships was reflected in some remarkable race starts, none more so than the Under-16 Boys competition, where 17 boats lined up together, putting 85 people on the water at the same time in what was a spectacular race. It was the largest number of boats to race against one another in a single race at the All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships to date. A number of other races also saw 16 boats on the start line, resulting in exceptionally competitive racing throughout the weekend.

The huge entries, particularly among the younger crews, provided a striking indication of the strength and continued growth of coastal rowing across Ireland.

The championships got underway with an opening ceremony in Bantry attended by An Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who presented the medals to the winners on Friday as part of the opening events.

The ceremony brought together representatives from national, local and sporting life. Among those present were Minister for Heritage Christopher O’Sullivan, Senator Margaret Murphy O’Mahony, and Deputy Mayor of Cork County Finbarr Harrington.

Also taking a prominent role in the ceremony were Bill Deasy, President of the organisation, and Mary B. Teahan, Chairperson of the ICRF reflecting the contribution of both the current leadership of coastal rowing and those who have played an important role in the sport over many years.

The presence of the Taoiseach, together with the large gathering of public representatives, gave the opening of the championships a special significance as Bantry welcomed one of the biggest gatherings of coastal rowers in the country.

Away from the official proceedings, the town itself embraced the championships wholeheartedly.

For all three days, Bantry was buzzing as rowers, coaches, families and supporters filled the town. Local businesses got firmly behind the event, helping wherever they could and welcoming visitors who travelled from all over Ireland.

The waterfront and surrounding areas were alive with club colours and supporters, while the large number of visitors brought a distinctive championship atmosphere to Bantry throughout the weekend.

The weather added another dimension to the racing. Friday and Saturday provided beautiful conditions, with the crews able to enjoy Bantry Bay in favourable weather. By Sunday afternoon, rain and stronger winds had arrived, creating more challenging conditions on the water. The weather, however, did not stop the rowing. Crews continued to launch and race as the wind increased, producing exciting contests in rougher seas and demonstrating the determination and resilience that are such a feature of coastal rowing.

There was also plenty for the home county to celebrate, with Cork clubs enjoying an outstanding championship among the strong performances from clubs nationwide.

Rushbrooke, Whitegate and Myross each recorded seven championship victories, while Kerry club Sive claimed five titles. Kilmacsimon Quay and Kilmacabea also secured multiple wins, with Cork crews successful across a broad range of ages and boat categories.

The results were a reflection not only of the strength of Cork coastal rowing but of the national depth on display in Bantry, with clubs from all over  Ireland sharing the podium throughout the weekend. 

The championships also celebrated the heritage of the sport alongside its modern competitive side. Timber Yawls, Heritage boats and the Men’s Seine Boat championship featured in the programme, connecting today’s competitors with the traditional boats and maritime communities that have shaped Irish coastal rowing over generations.

Behind the racing was a huge volunteer effort, with a large team working across water safety, race organisation, stewarding, shore operations and club support to deliver a championship programme of such scale.

The final day brought the championships to a close in difficult conditions, but the challenging weather could not diminish the atmosphere that had built throughout the weekend.

The sight of 17 Under-16 Boys boats racing together on the water, alongside a number of 16-boat starts, provided a memorable symbol of the future of Irish Coastal Rowing.

The nights are getting shorter and slowly the world is returning to normal after the summer break.

That means school and sport, with training often taking place in the evenings or at weekends in grounds across the county.

One club that is settling into the autumn after a seismic summer is Clonakilty RFC. Helen O’Hea looks after their senior women’s team and she knows exactly what goes into running the show at Shannonvale, writes Dylan O’Connell.

Clonakilty saw a number of players represent Munster in this year’s edition of the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship.

Their names are well known around West Cork; Caoimhe Murphy and Lani O’Donovan were on the first team, and the development squad featured Clodagh McCarthy, Jo McCaughey, Julie Finn, and Rachel Twomey.

Lani, Clodagh, Jo, and Julie also played on the Ireland Under-18 Six Nations team earlier this year. 

They follow in the footsteps of other Clonakilty graduates that wore the green jersey, a group that includes John Hodnett and Conor Ryan.

There’s also strong representation at underage level in Munster. Finn O’Donovan, Ewan Knowles, and Cillian Sturdy are with the Under-18 boys. Elsa Quirke, Julie Cunningham, and Keelin McCarthy are with the Under-18 girls.  Padraig Coffey, Tristan O’Driscoll, Tony O’Keeffe, and Olan White represent the Under-17 boys.  The Under-17 girls have Caoimhe McCarthy, Emer O’Connor, Jenny O’Donnell, Lara Twomey, Lucy McCarthy, Matila O’Donovan, and Molly Deegan in their ranks.  Liam Ben Khaled, Michael Collins,  and Ollie Hunt complete the set with the Under-16 boys.

All of this is being placed into a wider conversation about rugby in West Cork, with many wanting to know how the region became such fertile ground for Irish internationals, both male and female. Bandon’s Jack Crowley is usually the first name mentioned, and the fly half is just the start of a very long list.

Clonakilty are one part of the conveyer belt, and all their good work goes back to what is happening on the ground on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

“The rugby season started back proper for the minis on September 6,” explains Helen O’Hea.

“They introduced Sundays for the month of September, because of the clash with GAA training on Saturdays. So for October, we switch back to Saturdays. It will be all systems go then for everyone.”

Clonakilty will go into this period as a growing club that is fast approaching their 50th anniversary.

“So we’ve got 850 members, and that is growing,” she explains.

“We have our 50th anniversary next spring, so it’ll be a big occasion in the club. Like that, it just doesn’t happen without the hours of volunteer work. It kicked off in 1977 in the Kilty Stone, it was a famous drinking/meeting establishment back in the day in Clonakilty.  Our big emphasis is that we are a community club.  We strive to work together because teamwork makes the dream work.

“What keeps the club going and growing is the tremendous work done by our various committees, managers, coaches, and referees. There’s those that keep the club grounds maintained and the shop and bar going.  Fundraising also plays a big part at the club, as you can imagine, for providing equipment, gear and facilities for all the teams.  We are very grateful to all our sponsors and Clonakilty are always looking for novel ways to get new people involved while raising their profile.

“We have a lotto that is sold on the streets every Friday – Jimmy O’Regan is at the helm there and he is super with that,” adds O’Hea.

“And then we have a new initiative called ‘Split the Bucket’, a Willie Wilcox’s initiative. So that’s up and running, and it’s a guaranteed winner every week. They sell tickets during the week, and then half goes to the club and half goes to the ticket that’s picked out. It’s great and it builds awareness. Thanks to the local pubs that are participating, it all helps.”

All of this is to support Clonakilty RFC, a community within the community that is made up of a number of teams going from the underage ranks to senior men and women.

“We have Tigers for our mixed ability teams. Cubs for the four- and five-year-olds,” she explained.

“We cater for all abilities and ages: six, eight, 10, and 12, for the minis, 14, 16, and 18 for the youths in both boys and girls. Then the adult men and the adult women.

“The adult men have two teams, and the ladies have one at the moment, but are working hard to build a foundation for a second team that will greatly benefit the different levels of players. We only started out three years ago, thanks to Mervyn Buttimer who stepped up and coached the team and Micheal O’Sullivan our S&C coach.  Since then we have consistently improved our game, grown our coaching team and we hope to do well again this season.”

It is often stated that the problem in women’s sport is keeping players invested after they turn 16. Clonakilty are working on that but in the meantime the club is happy that there is a regular stream of new recruits coming to the ground. One thing that has massively helped with this is the sheer number of Munster players around, as they show that something is working at The Vale.

“[Seeing Munster players] is encouraging, especially for ladies rugby,” explains O’Hea.

“If Mom has played it, or big sister has played it, it takes that fear factor out of it I think, because obviously we try and coach to prevent injury, but nothing is foolproof.

“We have a schools programme as well, where Finny O’Regan and Ian Rae go into local schools in September and October, (ably assisted with the TY students of Clonakilty Community College).  They coach the classes, give them taster sessions and encourage them to come out and give it a try at the club where someday they will get to wear the red and green for Clonakilty.

“It has paid off, and we are very grateful to the Committee and to the schools for encouraging this initiative.” 

The schools programme is paying off, in the form of silverware for Clonakilty at provincial level.

2026 saw Sacred Heart Clonakilty claim the Pinergy Munster Schools Girls Senior Cup for the third year in a row, while their junior team reach their final. It shows something is working when there is a steady stream of success for the schools. All of it leads back to the sport, and the simple love of playing rugby.

Some might take it up recreationally, others will join and go all the way to the top. They might wear the famous red jersey or the green one. Others will line out with their friends with the simple goal of having fun in the sport that they love.

Clonakilty offers something for everyone, boys and girls, from the cubs having fun right up to adults of all abilities.

Alongside modern approaches to SAD, traditional systems of medicine offer another way of thinking about our relationship with the seasons. Across European herbal traditions, Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, changes in light, sleep, digestion, energy and emotional balance have long been considered part of the seasonal cycle. Plants, food, daily rhythms, movement, rest and connection with the natural world have all played a role in supporting wellbeing through the darker months.

The Western herbal tradition, in particular, provides a rich language for understanding and responding to what might once have been described as winter melancholy. Rather than looking for a single plant to treat a condition, it considers the individual and their particular response to the season. Rosemary, lemon balm, lavender, oat tops, rose and St John’s wort are among the plants that have traditionally been associated with different aspects of winter wellbeing, while practices such as making the most of daylight, eating nourishing food, maintaining regular sleep, exercising and staying connected with others can also form part of a seasonal approach.

The question, therefore, is not simply, “What herb treats SAD?” but rather: what is this person’s particular winter pattern, and which plants and seasonal practices may support them?

European medicine historically described melancholy in relation to temperament, the passions, digestion, sleep and the movement of the vital spirits. In European traditional medicine, looking after oneself each season involved more than a single remedy. Warm food, exercise, daylight, companionship, prayer, work and rest were all part of maintaining health.

Rosemary: Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus, formerly Rosmarinus officinalis) has a long history in European household medicine. It is associated with memory, alertness, digestion and circulation, and its aromatic character may suit a person who feels mentally dull, sluggish or disengaged during the darker months. In his recent research in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the psychiatrist, Dr. Ciro de Rhode noted that rosemary was the most used herb by people for low mood.

Rosemary can be incorporated into everyday life in a number of simple ways. It can be used as a culinary herb in soups, stews and roasted vegetables, or fresh sprigs can be included in an aromatic morning routine. Traditionally associated with remembrance, continuity and household care, rosemary can also be enjoyed as a herb tea.

Lemon balm, lavender and oat tops: Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) has traditionally been used when emotional tension is accompanied by digestive discomfort or poor sleep whereas Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) may be considered for relaxation and nervous restlessness.

Oat tops (Avena sativa) also belong to the Western tradition of support for nervous exhaustion and convalescence. It is a useful herb when winter brings a sense of ‘running on empty’ rather than agitation. The best way to take oats is as porridge.

St John’s wort: St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) has a particularly evocative place in Western herbal culture. St John’s Eve falls on June 23, followed by the Feast of St John the Baptist on 24 June. These dates are close to midsummer, when the days are longest, and the plant commonly comes into flower.

Its bright yellow flowers seem to embody the sun at its height. The seasonal symbolism becomes even more striking in the Christian calendar: John the Baptist is the precursor of Christ, preparing the way for the light, while Christmas – the celebration of Christ’s birth – falls near the winter solstice, when darkness is greatest.

St John’s wort therefore flowers at the height of summer but can be gathered and preserved for the darker season. It becomes an image of carrying light into winter: a midsummer plant that anticipates darkness and offers, symbolically and medicinally, lightness within it. European traditions also associated it with protection, vitality and relief from melancholy.

However, St John’s wort is not a simple ‘natural antidepressant’ and can interact with many medications including hormonal contraceptives, warfarin, transplant medicines, anticonvulsants, some cancer and HIV medicines, and many other drugs. For this reason, it is not suitable for home use and needs to be prescribed by a herbalist. What can be used is Hypericum red oil. A few drops of this oil can be massaged into the soles of one’s feet after a shower and can be very relaxing.

Rose (Rosa damascena) is another beneficial herb from our tradition and  rose tea, rose water and culinary rose preparations can provide sensory pleasure, emotional comfort and a means of slowing down during a busy day.

A thoughtful approach to low mood in winter requires planning now. This might combine the use of herbs such as, rosemary, lemon balm, oat tops, and rose, into nourishing food and tea rituals. As the summer recedes and winter routines take its place it is vital to have regular sleep, movement exercises such as yoga, tai chi and qi gong, regular meetings with friends and a carefully planned run up to Christmas.

Talking therapy, light therapy and, where necessary, prescribed medicines may also be appropriate. The most important factor is to recognise the effect the onset of winter has on you and take appropriate steps now. 

I am seeing more and more patients who have been given a diagnosis of Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). It is given to those presenting with neurological symptoms like gait and balance issues, new speech problems, occasional paralysis of limbs, dysautonomia (problems with sympathetic /parasympathetic tone) and other neurological symptoms, which can be debilitating, causing fatigue, anxiety and an inability to concentrate. This is particularly significant for younger sufferers, as it can make school difficult and many are unable to attend.

From a medical point of view these symptoms are considered serious but often patients given this diagnosis have normal MRI findings and a reason for developing these symptoms is unclear.

One area that I focus on is the possibility that neuroinflammation is causing these symptoms, as neuroinflammation is hugely problematic but does not show up on blood tests, MRI or other commercially available scans.

What is neuroinflammation? When people think about the brain and what makes it work, the first thought is usually about neurons, which send electrical signals from the brain to instruct the body to function. There are also a number of specialist immune cells in the brain, which are incredibly important to this process. I would like to focus on one type of specialist immune cell called a microglial cell. These are dendritic cells, meaning they have arms and can move around the brain and their job is to clear debris from neurons and support how they function.  When microglial cells become activated, either by an injury like concussion or after an infection in the upper respiratory tract of the inner ear, they switch from their normal role, and some become inflammatory and others anti-inflammatory.  After this transformation they are unable to switch back to their normal resting state. When these cells become inflammatory they have a negative effect on how neurons work.

The mechanisms of neuroinflammation are influenced by diet, nutrition, lifestyle and combined with specific neurological exercises an important part of recovering from FND.

There are two reasons why diet might be important. The first is to do with energy and the other the triggering of the immune system. The brain needs a steady supply of glucose and an abundance of oxygen – without these it struggles to function well, even when we are in good health. So a steady glucose supply and abundance of oxygen becomes very, very important for those with FND. Neurons require a large amount of energy to function and it gets this from stable blood glucose – what this means in practice is that skipping meals and eating a diet that is high in processed foods and sugars makes blood sugar unstable, making it very hard to recover.

The second reason is to do with immune responses. The immune system throughout the body uses signalling molecules. When you get an infection, these signalling molecules will start to circulate in your system and prime or up-regulate certain responses and, if the microglial cells in your brain are in a primed state, this can switch them into an inflammatory mode and make the symptoms of FND worse. Infections are not the only trigger for the immune system – certain chemicals, airborne toxins and even certain foods can trigger responses in the immune system.

Specific exercises may also help. The human body is an amazing self healing organism.  I am sure many of you have had a broken bone or had stitches after an operation or injury.  If you have broken a bone, part of your recovery will include exercises to get the joint moving properly to help return to full range of motion and function. The same is true of the brain. It is possible to use functional neurology testing to get an idea of which parts of the brain are affected and rehab with focused exercises that support these areas, improving blood flow and strengthening neurons. It is important when working with someone who has FND to get this right, as if you over-stimulate a particular area you can make symptoms worse, so a very measured approach, increasing exercises over time, has the best result.

Eoin Roe is a chiropractor and functional neurology specialist working is Skibbereen. Get in touch through the website www.roehealth.ie or call and leave a message on 028 62081.

So rather than waiting until everyone is exhausted and passing bugs around the house, September is a good time to put a few simple health habits back in place.

One of my favourite autumn health challenges is to see how many different plant foods I can fit into a week. We all know that vegetables and fruit are good for us, but variety matters too. Plant foods provide us with fibre, vitamins, minerals, polyphenols and a huge range of other compounds, while different types of plants also provide food for different members of our gut microbiome.

The often-quoted target is 30 different plant foods a week. But don’t panic – we’re not talking about 30 different vegetables! Beans, lentils, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices all count.

Oats count. Chickpeas count. Walnuts count. Garlic, ginger and parsley count. Berries count. If you’re curious, try writing down every different plant food you eat over the course of a week. You might be surprised at how quickly they add up – or, equally, how easy it is to fall into the same handful of foods every week.

There is fascinating research around plant diversity and the gut microbiome, including work from the American Gut Project which found an association between eating a greater variety of plants and having a more diverse gut microbiome.

30 isn’t a magic number and it certainly isn’t a limit – my goal is to try and exceed it – and some weeks that’s really easy. But it gives me a focus on variety (particularly in terms of vegetables) and that feels like the right thing to be focussing on. 

A few extra vegetables in your soup, some seeds and berries on your breakfast, beans in your dinner and fresh herbs scattered over your meals can make a surprisingly big difference – both to flavour and to your health! 

If you want to add a little extra variety on a week that’s not flowing well, there are some interesting liquid preparations available in your local Health Food Shop 

One new one that has caught my eye is Salus One Essence, from the makers of Floradix. It contains 67 different aqueous extracts of herbs, fruits and vegetables, alongside added vitamins and minerals.

The ingredient list is certainly unusual. Alongside familiar foods such as broccoli, spinach and artichoke, there are ingredients that most of us probably don’t eat very often – including walnut leaf, gentian root, black carrot, lavender flower, rosehip peel and green oat herb.

Obviously, I’m not suggesting that drinking One Essence means you can tick 67 plants off your weekly list and forget about eating vegetables! But I do like the idea of a broad range of plant extracts as an addition to an already varied diet – a nice healthy top-up. 

And there are two other liquids I’ve been reaching for this autumn. Zell Oxygen Plus and Immunocomplex, from Dr Wolz, are liquid nutritional preparations containing combinations of nutrients and plant-based ingredients.

Zell Oxygen Plus is designed as nutritional support, containing vitamins, minerals and other nutrients involved in normal energy metabolism – this is a good one to think of if someone is recuperating and needs a ‘tonic’ to put some pep back into their step. 

Immunocomplex contains a combination of nutrients and plant-based ingredients, including beta glucans, and is aimed at supporting normal immune function – I reach for this one when I’m feeling under the weather and really don’t want to get sick. 

Of course, there’s no magic bullet. The basics still matter most – eating plenty of plants, moving your body, getting outside during daylight, prioritising sleep and making time for the people and things that make you feel well.

Which brings me neatly to another area of health that we’re becoming increasingly interested in: the relationship between what we eat and how we feel.

‘Food, Mood and the Amazing Gut-Brain Connection’ – Marilyn Glenville at Organico 

We are very excited to be hosting a new talk this year with renowned author and nutritionist Marilyn Glenville. Marilyn has been coming to Bantry to give talks on Women’s Health for many years. This year she is coming to give a different talk, one on using your diet to help balance mood and help us all to keep our brains as healthy as possible. 

We’ve always understood that food affects our physical health, but we’re learning more about the fascinating relationship between our diet, our mood, our energy, our concentration, our sleep – and the health of our brains.

At the heart of the talk is the fascinating gut-brain connection. Our gut contains trillions of microorganisms and researchers are discovering more all the time about the relationship between our gut microbiome, our nervous system and our mental wellbeing.

And this isn’t simply a subject for people experiencing mental health difficulties. It’s relevant to all of us. For teenagers, nutrition can be part of supporting energy, concentration and wellbeing during the pressures of school and exams. For busy adults, it can be about maintaining energy and resilience when life feels relentless. And as we get older, supporting memory and brain health becomes increasingly important.

Marilyn will also look at nutrition in relation to ADHD and autism, looking at how food and lifestyle can form part of an overall approach to supporting focus, energy and wellbeing.

She will explore the close connection between the gut and the brain, and how food can influence mood, energy and concentration. She will look at the effects of blood sugar highs and lows, hidden sugars in everyday foods and the key nutrients needed to support brain health. The discussion will also examine the relationship between food, stress, sleep and mood, what we are learning about gut bacteria and mental wellbeing, and the role of nutrition in ADHD and autism. Marilyn will consider why some diets may leave us feeling worse rather than better, while offering simple ways to support focus, energy and emotional wellbeing, as well as maintaining brain health and memory at every age.

There will also be plenty of opportunity to ask Marilyn questions during the evening, including one-to-one questions at the end.

Dr Marilyn Glenville PhD – Nutrition, Mental Health & Wellbeing: The Amazing Connection Between Your Mind, Body, Food and Mood: Monday, October 5, 6.30pm-9pm. Upstairs at Organico, Bantry. Tickets €20

Your ticket also includes €10 redeemable against purchases on the night, tea and coffee during the interval, and the opportunity to ask Marilyn your questions. There will also be 20 per cent off products purchased at the seminar.

Places are limited, so book your ticket through www.organico.ie and come along. We’d love to see you there.