Dementia is a progressive illness that has preoccupied philosophers and physicians for many centuries, yet there's still no known cure and it continues to afflict an increasing number of people in Portugal and around the globe.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines dementia as a syndrome in which there is deterioration in memory, thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday activities.
About 50 million people in the world have dementia and there are as many as 10 million new cases expected each year. Although it mostly involves the elderly, dementia is not an inevitable part of growing old.

The Algarve could be transformed into a ‘Mecca’ for health and wellness travel - benefiting from major investment linked to the booming €600billion global industry - according to organisers of the 2019 Algarve Tourism Conference.

Tourist development consultant Andrew Coutts said worldwide ‘wellness tourism’ spend is rising rapidly and expected to surpass €900 billion by 2022, representing 18pc of the global tourism market. Meanwhile the GWI (Global Wellness Institute) predicts wellness tourism trips to grow by 8pc annually reaching 1.2billion by 2022. 

VILA VITA PARC LAUNCHES ITS BRAND-NEW SPA BY SISLEY- THE FIRST SISLEY SPA IN PORTUGAL.
The Algarve’s most prestigious clifftop resort, VILA VITA Parc Resort & Spa, has enhanced its wellness credentials with the launch of its brand-new Spa by Sisley, the first Sisley branded spa in Portugal. The state-of-the-art, 17,250sq ft spa, is now open and the completion marks the culmination of the resort’s renovations which have taken place over the last four years.

Evergreen trees and plants are our go-to winter tonics when other foliage is sparse on the ground. Festive herbs like mistletoe, pine, holly and ivy are all part of historic medicinal traditions that have been mostly forgotten – except, of course, by herbalists!

This month I’m going to take you through a few of my favourite anti-infectious herbs, starting with antivirals. But first, another cautionary note on antibiotics.

They do not say, but they do it! Years ago, at a meeting in N.Y., someone from an investment fund explained this. In the monetarist school only those who are very productive, 20-45 years old, may get public support, writes Jack Soifer.

The top users at a Public Health Service, are elderly, then children. For speculative funds, the PHS should focus on emergencies. People must pay health insurance, often it’s tax deductible. Most of the insurers refuse to reimburse some of the expenses. Desperate patients pay, then they invest time, money and effort in a process that takes years. Many give up, the emotional cost is too great.

ALGARVE ASSIST is your new health and medical assistance partner in the Algarve. 

We know how challenging it can be when you are either living or travelling in a different country and need to access to medical care. It's the language, the paper work, the lack of information or support, the variables that you cannot control etc. However, our vision is that no one should face such challenges alone. That is why we have created a medical and professional service, providing you with support and expertise when you need it.

Blue City - Holistic Boutique has announced that it will open its first Algarve space in Armação de Pêra, mid June this year. The Blue City - Holistic Boutique is the first of its kind, popular for its unique holistic approach to well-being.

The Blue City - Holistic Boutique will offer holistic massage therapies, energy therapies, wellness consultations, workshops, and more. The company plans to introduce its Body, Mind, and Spirit Philosophy this summer at their open house.