45ISLAND CONNECTIONS :: EDITION 695 :: 17/05/2013 - 30/05/2013 LIVING LIFESTYLE

If all goes well the Canary Islands may be the fi rst

Spanish autonomous region to legally incorporate the use of complementary medicine into the mainstream health service.

It is already recognised that hundreds of thousands of residents regularly use treat-ments and preventative meth-ods such as homeopathy, acu-puncture and herbal medicine. As well as purchasing them from herbal outlets there are apparently 400 pharmacies which sell pertinent products, as well as 500 doctors around the island who are happy to prescribe them for patients to buy. Representatives of the International Homeopathic Doctors league (LMHI), the

Help for smokers wanting to kick the habit looks to

be on its way from an unlikely source, bearing in mind the current cutbacks.

The Department of Health has announced that it will cov-er half the cost of drugs and treatments used to combat the addiction and the contribution could be a full 100 per cent in the case of smokers who suf-fer from chronic illnesses. The announcement was made by regional Director General for Public Health, José Fernando Díaz-Flores, who said the measure will see aids such as nicotine substitutes and anxi-

COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE >

Official recognition

HELP FOR SMOKERS >

Kick the weedety suppressants co-funded by the government as of the sum-mer, although certain condi-tions will be imposed to ensure the help is targeted appropri-ately. “The smoker must show that he or she has already tried to give up the habit in the past and the treatment will have to be recommended by a doctor” explained Díaz-Flores.

The help programme will be trialled in a number of health centres across the Canaries in the sec-ond half of the year before being made universally available. According to an opinion

survey conducted last year, nearly 65 per cent of people in the Canaries are in favour of the authorities providing fi -nancial help to stop smoking.

Complementary Medicine Department of the Medical College and the Canarian Homeopathic Users and Friends Association (ACUAHOM) recently met with Vicente Dorta Antequera, director of the Tenerife Chamber of Commerce, to try to hurry

through the change which appears to have been on the cards for a while.

A proposal has already been submitted to the Canarian Parliament for a change in law, way back in may 2010, for the “promotion of public pro-grammes consisting of com-

plementary and alternative medicine, as recognised by the World Health Organisation, within the Canarian health service”.

According to a report on the Chamber’s own website, Vicente Dorta Antequera is happy to give his backing to the proposal not only because he believes in their effi cacy, but also that as preventative medicines they may well con-stitute a saving for the health service in the long run.

You can help make the change by signing the peti-tion that is available at the following address: www.change.org/es/peticiones/grupos-parlamentarios-del-par lamento-de-canar ias-inclusi%C3%B3n-de-la-medicina-com-plementaria-y-alternativa-mca.

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The fi rst salt to be sold in chemists in Spain is from

Lanzarote.Flor de Sal Natural Volcánica

from Lanzarote Natural has exceptional qualities which is why it has been chosen for this landmark position. Analyses have shown that it not only has gourmet quality but also health benefi ts. The

salt is now on sale in a 160g format at a price of €7.09.

What makes it so special, apart from the purity of the raw material itself, is its mois-ture content, which has been reduced to 5.2 grams thanks to the innovative process of collection. The World Health Organization (WHO) recom-mends a maximum of 6.5 gr.

The low humidity and rich presence of trace elements make it a unique and healthy salt, free of chemicals and anti-caking agents.

It is available on its own or with a variety of spices, herbs and garlic. For more informa-tion about the company see: www.lanzarotenatura.es.

LONGEVITY

Grand old age

Juana Cabrera, known as the ‘Grandmother of Telde’ was recently honoured on Canarian television.

The lady in question has reached the impressive age of 107 and was suitably surprised when visited by reporters from the popular Cerca de ti (Close to you), programme. Born in Agua de Bueyes, Fuerteventura, in 1906, Doña Juana, as she is called here as a sign of respect, is still aware, bright and smiling, with a fabulous memory. Deligh-ted, and seemingly unde-terred by the sudden infl ux of cameras and crew into her home, she told repor-ters that she, “loves visits and particularly from young people.”

Now living in Gran Canaria, she is evidently surrounded by a loving family and plenty of friends who had organised the sur-prise. Could this, maybe, be one of the things that have kept her so happy and healthy for so long?

Homeopathic and herbal medicines use natural ingredients

LANZAROTE SALT >

Saline solution