Sales of alternative medicines are booming despite the long and crippling recession. In just two years, the market has grown by 18 per cent to £213million a year.

Analysts predict sales will increase by 33 per cent to £282million over the next four years. More and more people are rejecting prescription drugs, preferring milder natural remedies. Mintel says the rise is partly explained by official acceptance of many treatments such as acupuncture, which is now available on the NHS.

Other holistic treatments such as the Indian ayurveda, which concentrates on diet, yoga, massage and herbs are making ground against standard invasive therapies.

In these times of recessionary stress, depression has led to a surge of sufferers exploring holistic approaches rather than addictive prescription drugs.

Around 1.5million Britons bought St John’s Wort last year, mainly for depression.

It’s an old saw that if you keep cheerful, you’ll enjoy better health. It doesn’t take much imagination to see why.

Believe in ill-health and it will come your way. Even witch doctors know that.

When a doctor tells a patient “You have three months to live”, a curse has been placed on the sick person. More often than not it will come true. If instead the doctor had said, “I have no doubt you’ll survive if you keep active and remain cheerful”, the outcome would be much better.

It’s a known fact that people who take out health insurance often get ill soon after. They are in reality making a bet on illness and disease rather than health.

An article in Syntagma explains where the British National Health Service (NHS) is going wrong. It’s run by government ministers who don’t understand human nature.

Read the article here.