Next Week is Rude Health Week (11 - 16th April). We'll be taking part by running special offers on a lots of supplements, bodycare and wholefoods for the whole week.

What's Rude Health Week?

Rude Health speaks to the new generation in Ireland; a generation more health-conscious than ever before. Juice bars, spas, gyms, activity holidays - all part of 21st century living. A generation more than 50% of whom regularly use super-foods and health supplements - and who make more visits to complementary health therapists than they do to their family doctors. Rude Health is geared towards health, harmony and solutions to a hectic lifestyle.

Be sure to check out our special offers for Rude Health Week now!

Again this year we're running a week of in-store events as part of Bord Bia's national Organic Week. The week runs from the 13th to the 19th of September, so if you're around Galway, be sure to pop in and sample some of the great organic products we'll be promoting.

Monday 13th Sept: Moyglass Bakery Organic Spelt & Rye Bread

This family run Galway bakery produce delicious high quality organic spelt and rye breads.

For information on our range of organic and wholefoods; and to try some of these nutritious Moyglass Bakery breads for yourself; come to Healthwise, 4 Lr Abbeygate St., Galway on Monday 13th Sept for our Moyglass free product tasting.

Tuesday 14th Sept: Blakes Organic Chocolate

In addition to being 100% organic, Blakes Organic Chocolate is a 100% Irish (Galway) owned company and carries the Fair-trade Mark Ireland. These indulgent bars are made with organic Swiss chocolate, are suitable for coeliacs, are free of soya lecithin and contain no additives.

Drop in on Tuesday 14th Sept to try some free samples.

Wednesday 15th Sept: Irish Organic Cheeses, Goat’s Yoghurt & Milk

Sample our delectable St. Tola organic goat’s and Oisin organic goat’s and sheep’s cheeses – ideal for those with allergies to cow’s milk as they are more easily digested and absorbed by the body. Excellent with bread, crackers or as part of a salad...

For information on dairy free or other allergen free diets; and to taste our range of Irish organic cheeses in our free product sampling come; to Healthwise, 4 Lr Abbeygate St., Galway on Wednesday 15th Sept.

Thursday 16th Sept: Hildegard Health Organic Spelt Foods

Hildegard Health is a Galway company who produce organic cereals and foods made with spelt. Spelt is a tasty and nutritious alternative to wheat. Spelt is wheat free, low in gluten and is an excellent source of prolonged energy, protein, B Vitamins and essential amino acids. Spelt is also gentler on the digestive system than wheat.

For advice on improving or enhancing your diet - and to try some of our appetising spelt cereals and foods for free - visit Healthwise, 4 Lr Abbeygate St., Galway on Thursday 16th Sept for our Hildegard Health product tasting.

Friday 17th Sept: Solaris Botanicals Herbal Teas

Solaris Botanicals is a family-run business in the West of Ireland. This company is run by 2 Medical Herbalists who specialise in the blending and preparation of internationally award winning whole-leaf organic teas. Solaris teas look after various systems of the body, from the nervous system to the digestive system, the kidneys and system detox.

For advice on herbal medicines and other supplements; and to sample our range of Solaris teas for free; join us in Healthwise, 4 Lr Abbeygate St., Galway on Friday 17th Sept.

Saturday 18th Sept: Linwoods Organic Milled Seeds, Nuts and Berries

Linwoods Superfoods range offers you a number of natural and organic superfoods packed with a wide range of nutrients and when taken daily, may help maintain a healthy heart, boost your energy and support a well-balanced diet. You can add Linwoods Healthy super foods as a healthy and nutritious boost to almost everything you eat and go through life looking and feeling your best. Simply add two dessert spoonfuls to any meal including: Cereal, porridge, yogurt, muesli, smoothies, salad, soup, fruit or baking!

For dietary advice and to try the Linwoods superfoods in a range of foods visit Healthwise, 4 Lr Abbeygate St., Galway on Saturday 18th Sept.

On 25 March 2010 hundred cities around the world will be hosting Twestivals in support of Concern Worldwide which bring together Twitter communities for fun and to raise money and awareness about education. You can find out more on the idea behind Twesitval on their Global site.

Galway's Twestival is being held in the Fagan’s Sports Bar in the basement of the Hotel Meyrick, in Eyre Square.

At the moment, Twestival Galway are looking for sponsors to help them out with making the event a huge success. If you'd like to get involved, you can reach them through the Twestival Galway site, or on Twitter @twestgalway

Last year's global Twestival raised $250,000 for Charity:Water, which resulted in more than 55 wells in Uganda, Ethiopia and India having a direct impact for over 17,000 people....so no question that it's a worthwhile endevour

Pop along on the night and you might even win something nice from us here at Healthwise! And even if you can't make it, you can still donate online.

This Saturday (27th Feb) we will be hosting a product tasting of the Natasha’s Living Food range from 12 noon until 3pm.

Natasha’s Living Food range has a variety of delicious products including both sweet and savoury treats, made with raw foods and superfoods. All of Natasha’s products are free of gluten, wheat and refined sugar, and are 100% vegan. Amongst the delicacies you can experience at Natasha’s food tasting are – humous with herbs & spices, superfood raw chocolates, savoury spiced crackers, nutritious energy bars and cheesy kale crunches.

The Raw and Living foods movement is a diet based on naturally grown wild or organically and sustainably raised fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and sprouted grains.

Natasha’s range of Raw and Living foods are completely free of animal products, and chemically processed or pasteurised ingredients. The range uses fairly-traded ingredients wherever available, and also uses organic ingredients. Many of Natasha’s products also contain superfoods.

Most importantly, during the preparation of raw food dishes, nothing is cooked, at least in the traditional sense. Raw foods contain live enzymes that aid digestion, which activate as they are consumed. Heating foods to high temperatures causes those enzymes to die, and destroys nutrients, minerals, amino acids and vitamins, and alters the natural metabolic structure of the food. The beauty of raw foods is that the ingredients are very simple. Because nothing is processed, everything comes in its raw, natural state.

Feel free to drop by and try out some of the tasty nibbles we'll have on display. Not sure where we are? - here's a page with a map!

We are taking part in the promotion of Fairtrade Fortnight, which runs from 22 February – 8 March 2010. This year’s theme is ‘The Big Swap’.

To take part in The Big Swap we want people to buy and think fair trade – by swapping your usual cup of tea or coffee for a fair trade cup of tea or coffee, or swapping your usual chocolate or biscuits for fair trade chocolate or biscuits.

In Healthwise we are offering 10% off our full range of Fairtrade products for the duration of Fairtrade Fortnight.

Fairtrade is all about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. It requires companies to pay sustainable prices, which must never fall lower than the market price. Fairtrade also includes progress requirements that encourage continuous improvement to develop farmers' organisations or the situation of estate workers.

By imposing these standards Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.

Come visit us at Lower Abbeygate Street, Galway during Fairtrade Fortnight to avail of our special offers and swap your products for Fairtrade product. Also see our Fair Trade page for details of items we are promoting.

You should also have a read about Fairtrade Fortnight and what they are doing to promote it

From Monday next, Fairtrade fortnight kicks off with the theme of "The Big Swap" - you can find out more on the (very nice) campaign site.

Why Swap?

Swapping your usual stuff for Fairtrade stuff is a brilliantly small step to making the world a fairer place. It means that you get to show your support for developing world producers through what you buy. Two billion people - a third of humanity - survive on less than $2 a day. Unfair trade rules keep them in poverty, but they face the global challenges of food shortages and climate change too. [Source]

....or you could swap your chocolate:

As part of the event, we'll be running promotions on lots of Fairtrade products. Check back on Monday for a full listing of how we're going to help you make the Big Swap

Our Solgar nutritional advisor will be available to give free nutritional and health advice on Thursday October 15th between 11am - 3pm. Throughout the day we'll be giving you free Solgar samples and other goodies in the store.

As if that wasn't enough, all Solgar products purchases between 15th and 30th Oct will be entered into a free draw for a Solgar Prize Hamper.

Why not drop into us on Abbeygate Street and check out what's going on.

Join us in-store at  Healthwise for free & informative consultations with our Naturalife Advisor this Friday (October 9th) between 12 and 3pm.

The focus of these advisory sessions will be immune health and digestive health for the coming winter months. However any other health queries (stress/sleep/cholesterol questions) will gladly be answered.

These sessions may suit people looking to boost their immune system and protect against infections this winter, and people who would like to find out more about maintaining a healthy digestive system.

This Saturday between 11.30am & 2.30pm we're having an in-store product tasting of the New Boost Spirulina bars. The Boost bars are handmade locally and are made with 'superfood' spirulina Spirulina is a food source that is contains all of the essential amino acids, making it a complete protein.

Spirulina is also great source of energy, contains the essential fatty acid GLA, calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc. In addition Spirulina is rich in B vitamins - in particular vitamin B12. B Vitamins are an essential part of the diet and are important for:

• Breakdown of energy from food
• Maintaining healthy skin and muscle tone
• Supporting the function of the immune and nervous systems.
• Promoting cell growth and division, including that of the red blood cells that help prevent anemia.

These tasty and nutritious bars will be available for tasting in our 'Boost' promotion on Saturday 3rd October from 11.30 - 2.30pm.

Ellen Cox, professional aromatherapist and a member of the International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists will be with us in Healthwise on Fri 2nd Oct from 12-3pm giving free advice on uses of 'Atlantic Aromatics' aromatherapy oils.

Aromatherapy oils can provide natural and affordable body care and homecare. From 12 - 2pm, Ellen will provide free advice on uses of aromatherapy; including ways to address stress, create a chemical free home, and using aromatherapy in massage.

Ellen will also provide free aromatherapy hand treatments. From 2 - 3pm, Ellen will give a demonstration on how to make up your own aromatic body scrub.

All Atlantic Aromatic product purchases between 1st and 15th Oct will be entered into a free draw for an Atlantic Aromatics Prize Hamper.