The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has concluded the examination of the initial report of Portugal on its implementation of the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Presenting the report, Ana Sofia Antunes, Secretary of State of Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, said that Portugal had recently set up a permanent body composed of ten experts and charged with monitoring the implementation of the Convention. 

Several months ago a friend and I were discussing various health issues and how to address them, which led us to the question ‘what is healing?’ Bizarrely, such a seemingly straightforward question headed into considerable mental gymnastics, and as a result I have rolled this question around in my mind again… and again… and again!

Big Pharma are outdoing themselves at the moment. They are using their huge resources on a two-pronged PR campaign - to convince women that HRT is safe (which is debatable) while, at the same time, denigrating complementary therapies, particularly homeopathy. This has prompted the UK Department of Health to set up a costly consultation process to decide whether or not to continue offering homeopathic medicine through the NHS.

Private medical insurance can be confusing and a bit of a minefield as no two policies are alike. So here are some useful tips and questions to ask yourself before deciding on a suitable policy:

Many of us to look to the ‘old country’ for guidance on the latest developments in health and wellbeing. So, who has been watching the brouhaha that has erupted in the UK as Women of menopausal age are being lulled by medical professionals into a false sense of security which could be disastrous for their health?

Substantial media coverage of the announcement of new guidelines by NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) is encouraging women to believe that Hormone Replacement Therapy is a perfectly healthy choice for those handling their menopausal years.

I'm sure we've all wondered about at least one of the questions listed below, such as.....Do cough syrups work?  Is walking as effective as running? Can you drink too much water?

Well, here are the definitive answers!

Constant high stress levels are thought to be the root cause of more than 80% of illnesses today. Day to day stresses produce toxins in the body, thus your immune system is more likely to be compromised making it easier to succumb to sickness and disease.

Reflexology lowers stress levels leaving the body better able to cope with the demands of modern life.

Expats living in the Algarve are unlikely to suffer from SAD, but for around one in ten people in Northern Europe, it’s a serious and debilitating condition. Believed to be caused by lack of exposure to natural light, it can severely affect a sufferer’s quality of life.