Dare2Hope For Suicide In New Zealand

Approximately 10 New Zealanders commit suicide every week. Last year from 2009/2010 the actual figure was an astronomical 541 suicides. 401 of those male and 140 female. That’s approximately 1 out of every 7000 New Zealanders taking their lives each year.

In 2003 it was the ninth cause of death in the general population, above car accidents and other injuries. It was the second leading cause of death for young people.

Information from the Child and Youth Mortality Review Committee reveals that 10% of deaths of 10 year olds in New Zealand are from suicide, and that suicide amongst young women shows an upward trend.

The leading causes of suicide are linked with depression resulting from a sense of hopelessness and lack of purpose and value. There are also physiological causes resulting from poor lifestyle, nutrition, and medication. Solutions revolve around having a proper balance in diet and lifestyle to keep the body and mind functioning properly as well as having purpose, value and hope.

There is a growing awareness of suicide in the community and a growing demand for better information about it. Dare2Hope is a project to raise awareness of hope as an alternative to suicide. Surfer and student, Karl Taaffe intends to walk 2012 km from Bluff at the bottom of the South Island of New Zealand to Cape Reinga in the North Island to bring about a greater awareness of suicide. His epic journey began on November 15—covering an average of 31 km a day. He will spend about 76 days on the road inviting New Zealand to Dare2Hope again.

Karl emphasises the 8 natural doctors of nutrition, exercise, water, sunshine, temperance, air, rest, and trust in God as keys to developing and maintaining better physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. These principles not only keep him in good shape for his walk but also are key lifestyle factors in preventing and treating suicidal tendencies.

The Art Of Food Combining

All too often when it comes to our food, we are accustomed to think that if we desire something, we should consume it. Some people are “grazers” and eat at anytime of the day or night. Others are better regulated in their eating habits and keep their meals to definte times throughout the day, but what they eat is left to be desired.

The times we eat during the day is as important as what we eat. Two to three meals is plenty sufficent to supply our daily needs, then let the digestive system rest between meals. But we can do much to help our digestive system in its work.

Food combinations play an important part in our total health. It is the process of orchestrating our meals in such a way as to keep out stomachs sound and happy. No one likes a grumbling stomach, and bad diet choices can absolutely ruin a good day. Gas, indigestion, distention, sour stomach, and acid reflux are all to common in modern society. Drugs to quell these complaints are among the best sellers in pharmacies.
If good digestion was simply a matter of chemical combinations, we could satisfy many unanswered questions with a combining chart. Indeed, many people walk around with food combining charts in their pockets and whip them out in advance of every gulp, but it doesn't need heavy science degrees to still enjoy our food but still avoid the many stomach ailments that plague our societies and doctors rooms.
There are simple principles to follow that can give much relief to our all-to-often overworked stomachs and result in clearer minds and more vibrant health.