Native to the meadows and marshes of Europe the Marshmallow Root is, before we go any further, yes, the inspiration behind the puff balls of sugary goodness we like to toast on the camp fire. The pale pink flowers that blossom from this plant in summer do somewhat remind you of a pink marshmallow but it actually because marshmallow root extract was once actually used to flavour the sweets.

When taken internally the marshmallow leaf can be used to treat inflammation and ulceration of the digestive tract as it soothes and softens tissue. The polysaccharides in the plant form a protective film over the irritated tissue. Cystitis and hiatus hernia are well treated using the root also.

Externally marshmallow root has many beneficial effects for the skin. It can be used to treat burns, ulcers, abscesses and wounds. It does well to control bacterial infections, has great anti-inflammatory properties and boosts immunity at a cellular level.

Marshmallow root also contains enzymes which reduce the degradation of connective tissue which means it helps to maintain moisture levels of the skin and boost dermal structure of the skin. Hence why you'll find this as an ingredient in many anti-aging products.

Hair thinning and hair loss affects a lot of men. What may be surprising is the amount of women who lose their hair. It's believed that up to 13% of women lose some amount of hair in their lifestime - pre and post menopause being the most common time to lose it. Some research has shown that 75% of women over the age of 65 will be affected.

Beware of the myths that circulate around the reasons for hair loss (like dying, washing or combing your hair too often). Hair thinning or loss in women is different to a receding hairline or bald spot in men. One cause can be the condition called androgenetic alopecia which is a general thinning of hair, another is alopecia areata. This second condition is an autoimmune disease that affects about 2% of people (So Organic's founder Sam once had it though is ‘absolutely fine now!'). Attacked by white blood cells the hair follicles shrink and hair production slows. It's not as bad as it sounds and there are treatments (as Sam's healthy head of long brown locks is testament to).

Azadiracta Indica commonly known as Neem is a tree in the mahogany family. It's place in the treatment of hair loss comes when it's leaves are extracted from neem leaves. Neem oil can encourage new hair growth as well as help combat premature graying. Applying direct to the scalp or in the form of a shampoo are the most common ways to use the oil. For an intensive treatment leave the oil in hair all night. Neem is also great at relieving dry and itch scalps, dandruff and scalp psoriasis. An added bonus is it leaves hair silky and strong. Dr.Hauschka make both a Neem Hair Oil and Neem Hair Lotion.

Neem won't necessarily ‘cure' hair loss but it will help slow the process, encourage some new growth and keep the overall health of the hair in good condition.

Double glazing your windows makes sense. It saves money and energy - two things we're all looking to save in this shaky eco and economic climate.

You can save up to 20% on fuel bills by installing double glazed windows with the highest energy saving rating. The less heat that is lost from your house through the walls, windows and doors the less time you'll need that central heating for those frosty cold winter days. But it's not just the chill they keep out; they're also excellent at deflecting heat from the sun in summer and noise from the outside world.

But when shopping for double glazed windows - how do you know which are the best at keeping in and out the heat? The British Fenestration Ratings Council (BFRC) is the UK's national system for rating Energy Efficient Windows. This is an easy to understand, traffic light style A-E ratings guide (similar to the one used for white goods) to help us home owners make the most eco friendly, cost effective choice when buying double glazed windows.

To save on your heating bills and reduce your carbon footprint look for double glazed windows that are long lasting (10 year minimum guarantee), are corrosion resistant and have good security features. Safestyle and Anglian Home are two companies that make quality double glazed windows and doors in the UK.

Some people are lucky enough to walk through life without so much as a pimple or a dry patch on their face (I've never met any of them but apparently they do exist!).

Some people get the odd spot or sensitive area but generally have a pretty even complexion. Others have somewhat of a chaotic time trying to balance their skin's sensitivities - eczema, adult acne, hypersensitivity, redness and menopause-related pigmentation being some of the skin issues that make some people feel like their face is on a roller coaster of epidermis mayhem.

What is needed is a treatment designed to focus on helping the skin naturally strengthen its own rebalancing functions. Dr.Hauschka have created a series of 28 day spray on Intensive Treatments, specifically developed to support different skin conditions. They have used natural saline from a therapeutic spa, rhythmitised herbal extracts and specially prepared precious metals and gemstones to create a treatment for any skin condition.

Intensive Treatment 01 calms and clarifies oily, acne teenage skin, Intensive Treatment 02 calms and clarifies oily, acne adult skin age 25+, Intensive Treatment 03 calms and strengthens hypersensitive skin (for blotchy, red, sensitive skin), Intensive Treatment 04 firms and vitalises mature skin (smoothes and prevents dryness lines), and Intensive Treatment 05 balances and fortifies the skin during menopause (reduces redness, pigmentation, corrects decreasing vitality of the skin).

You use these treatments in place of your toner in the morning and evening. Cleanse as per usual and add day cream after the treatment. In the evening, according to Dr.Hauschka's no night cream principles there is no need to apply a cream after the treatment so you can leave it, independently, to do it's best work whilst you sleep dreams of clear, calm, glowing skin.

Plastic bags take 1,000 years to decompose - who's up for banning them? Not all of us just yet it seems. A target set by the seven of the biggest supermarkets (Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Co-op, Marks & Spencer, Somerfield and Waitrose) to reduce plastic bag usage by 50% by May 2009 has not been met.

It was the independent waste watchdog Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap) that was given the task of reporting on whether the target had been achieved. They say the supermarkets collectively reduced plastic bag consumption by 48% from 870 million bags to 450 million bags in three years since May 2006.

At 2% shy of the target some would say this is a good try. What's not so good is that Tesco have released misleading figures about their usage saying "our customers are now using more than 50 per cent fewer carrier bags than they did before". In fact, Tesco had calculated its figures to account for increased sales and was worked out differently to WRAPs calculations. It's believed that Tesco's actual reduction was significantly less than 50%.

Those of us who opt for the reusable shopping bags would question why we are bickering over the figures - shouldn't we be focusing energies on banning the plastic bag altogether? Such a simple, cost effective solution that would certainly put a dent in the 4,700 tonnes/month of supermarket plastic bags sent to landfill.