Ethical health

The health of our minds and bodies are intimately connected to the health of our environment. We can make ethical choices about what goes into both our personal systems (our bodies) and more large-scale systems (our immediate and global environments).

Allergies

Every day we come into contact with more and more harmful chemicals that wreak havoc with our immune systems. It is now estimated that almost half of all children in the UK suffer from some sort of allergy, be it hayfever, eczema or asthma.

Pharmaceuticals

Laboratories continue to produce ever more artificial compounds to replace natural products. These chemicals are cheaper to produce, and give a company the monopoly on the sales. But there is a detrimental impact on our environment and our health.
And whilst all these drugs are flooding our market, local health food shops are fighting to save natural supplements from being banned by the EU. Find out what you can do to help redress the balance at Health Choice and the Conservative Party's Save our Supplements Camapign.

No drug can pinpoint only the organ it is designed to treat - there are broad effects on virtually every organ in the body. Find out more about natural and alternative care in your area.

• The Hanover Homeopathic Drop-in Clinic (01273 261201) offers treatment at low cost (£7)
• Pathways Clinics (01273 262220) runs drop-in clinics for auricular acupuncture
• Brighton Women’s centre (01273 749567) offers alternative therapies
• See The Insight or Wave magazine for alternative health listings
• The Health Zone contains lots of information on health and wellbeing

Carnivore, vegetarian or vegan? Dairy or non-dairy?

There are many ethical reasons for choosing to become vegetarian or vegan: animal welfare, morality, health, or environmental concerns.

For information and advice see:

• Viva (Vegetarian International Voice for Animals)
• Ethical Juicers (for information on dairy free options, and how to make your own organic soya, nut and seed milk from as little as 9p a litre)
• The Veggie Heaven Guide to find out how wonderful veggie cuisine can be

Or if you choose to eat meat, try to buy it from a local, ethical producer. Check out Real Food Direct or visit Archer's Butchers, 128 Islingword Road, 01273 603234.

Purchasing power

Never underestimate the power of consumer choice!

Avoid pharmaceuticals by buying organic, chemical-free products:

• Yaoh, a hemp seed oil bodycare range of shampoos, soaps, suntan lotions etc.
• The Natural Skincare Company
• Ecover cleaning fluids, washing powders, detergents etc, available from most health food stores and many supermarkets.
• Mooncup reusable menstrual cups.
• Pitrok natural deodorants.
• Infinity Foods, 25 North Road, Brighton, 01273 603563.
• Down to Earth, 128 Portland Road, Hove
• Organic Shamanics, The Open Market, London Road.
• Local vegetable box schemes at Real Food Direct
• Organic East Sussex (01323 741000), another box scheme
• Big Barn, to find fresh food from local farms.

Alternatively you could make your own products - see Aromantic, Cosmetic Ingredients, or Windsor Products. For advice on growing your own vegetables, contact Brighton and Hove Organic Gardening Group.