Many of us know that peppermint is good for a stomach upset and even freshens the breath — for a while, anyway.

Now scientists in the U.S. are claiming that it also increases alertness by as much as one-third.

More, it reduces tiredness by 15pc, they say.

Peppermint is obviously a herb you should have on your shelf, not to mention a box of mint teabags.

If you often feel a bit down or even truly depressed, you are almost certainly suffering from a deficiency of serotonin — the “Happiness Hormone”.

A basket of fruit with tryptophan in mind

Now a new ebook that tackles this problem in a Sideways manner is available by download. Caroline Longmore, a French doctor has created a programme for everyone, based on a natural diet.

Serotonin is derived from the essential amino acid tryptophan, which the body cannot make itself.

So for many of us, unless we take enough tryptophan through our diets, we may suffer a deficiency.

… The best way is through diet: eat foods rich in trypotophan and avoid sugar and processed carbohyrates which artificially raise blood-sugar levels, leaving you feeling temorarily better before even wilder mood swings. … you will also need enough vitamins B3 and B6, magnesium and zinc.

Typical foods recommended are, bananas, turkey, spinach, beans and seeds, cottage cheese, plums, lobster and pineapple.

You can download The Serotonin Secret, By Dr. Caroline Longmore and Katrin Hempel as an ebook, from www.galennaturopathic.com for £5.95, or dollar equivalent.

Owners of small businesses are notorious for neglecting their health. Most either work at home or in small offices with a tiny support staff. Phone messages and the need to make telephone calls tend to pile up through the day, adding to stress and the sedentary lifestyle.

Here’s a tip for turning the phone call list into a real exercise session.

Mobile phones are pretty sophisticated these days. You can easily program all the numbers you need to call into a special folder.

When those calls you need to make start piling up, simply delay them until you can get out of the office on a long walk of around an hour, and go through them one by one while on the move.

The fact that you are obviously calling while on the hoof will make the calls shorter — and, you’ll be getting a great workout while you chunter through them.

I do this all the time and it 1) reduces the tedium of walking a well-known route, and 2) ensures I get my break from the office and a good stretch of the legs some time during the day.

Oh, and make sure the battery is fully charged before you go.

With the annual London Marathon approaching this weekend, thousands of amateur runners will have discovered the meaning of Runners’ High.

As the body pushes itself through the “first wind” after around 20 minutes of effort, a feeling of euphoria sets in as body chemicals called endophins kick in. These are responsible for blocking pain, but also have a distinctly narcotic effect, which is why some people become totally addicted to workouts and training.

Endorphins are released during sustained effort and affect sites in the brain called receptors where opiates elevate the runner’s mood. Yes, opiates. It really is that powerful.

Non-runners are also affected in a medical sense. People suffering chronic pain can benefit from endorphins too.

Professor Thomas Tolle, who co-authored a study on the subject, says, “Endorphins are released in areas of the brain that are centres of pain suppression. Now we hope [our study] will impress our pain patients and motivate them to take up sports training within their available limits”.

So, run for pain-free health seems to be the message.