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The Vietnamese population in the UK, certainly in any significant numbers, dates from the period towards the end of the Vietnam War, in approximately 1975. At this point, the victorious communists started to persecute those who had stood up against them during the previous years, resulting in a large number of boat people, fleeing the country in search of a better life. These immigrants often made their way to Hong Kong, where the British were accepted political refugees at that time, and that community forms the basis of the 90,000 Vietnamese now in Britain, of which there are an estimated 25,000 in London, according to the most recent census. Of these, approximately two thirds are believed to originate from the Northern part of Vietnam.

In the years since then, the Vietnamese immigrant experience has remained marginalised, due largely to lack of adequate support networks in reception communities, and without the strong cohesion of the business network operated by, for instance, the Chinese. (ref here)

Although their UK presence is still in relatively small numbers, areas Hackney boast sizeable Vietnamese populations, where groups like the An Viet Foundation form the centrepiece for community relations. During the 1980′s the textile industry, especially in London, formed one of the largest employers for the ethnic group but, since the outsourcing of that industry to the developing world, mass unemployment has forced the community to find new sources of income. Since the 1980′s, Vietnamese has operated many nail salons in London, with many around the Kingsland Road area of Hackney.

Vietnamese Shops in London

Hung Viet on the Kingsland road has a rightful reputation as some of the most authentic Vietnamese food to be found anywhere in Britain. With it’s crispy pancakes, succulent minced pork and traditional glass noodles, Hung Viet is hard to beat. Situated in a longstanding community centre, it’s also a fantastidc place to absorb some understanding of the Vietnamese community in the UK. WIth its slightly cramped space and a lively, bustlign kitchen atmosphere, it’s easy to forget one is in Shoreditch for a while as you’re transported to South East Asia.

Longdan in Shoreditch is the best place for those hard to find Vietnamese ingredients such as galangal, and the Three Crabs brand of fish sauce, an essential for Vietnamese away from home.

UK Vietnamese Network

This useful organisation helps Vietnamese in the UK with a range of issues, and a special focus on mental health. Vietnamese Mental Health Services aims to promote the sound mental health of persons from Vietnam and their dependents; and to promote a quality and culturally sensitive mental health services to people from Vietnam in the UK.

Travelling to Vietnam

There are many excellent tour operators running trips to Vietnam, for those interested in gaining a wider understanding of this fascinating culture. Our company of choice is one of the longest established Exotissimo, whom you can contact here.

Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguy?n T?n D?ng in Paris (Photo credit: pixiduc)

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With all the health information available to us, we all know that regular exercise is needed in our daily routines. Regular exercise helps our bodies, organs, and even our mental state. But what do most people do for their daily dose of exercise? The main forms of exercise for most people are run, bike, swim, weight training, or other cardiovascular activities. There are even a small percentage of people that truly enjoy working out, but for the most part, people get bored with these activities quickly.

So how do you keep yourself from getting too bored with your regular exercise activities? Most personal trainers will tell you to mix up your routine, but even after a few rotations, they will eventually get bored and stop working out all together. But what if there was work out routine that felt more like a Saturday night out at a dance club? It would be hard to get bored with having that much fun!

It’s not a made out routine, it is actually called Zumba and is growing in popularity. It was originally started in the 1990s, but has now reached superstar levels. As people experience the fast and slow rhythms of the music while doing Latin inspired dance moves. One hour of Zumba will never feel like a full hour and you’ll definitely want more after your first hour. Even though you are having tons of fun, the dance moves will target every single muscle group in your entire body.

When attending your first class, do not be intimidated by the other people in the class. Everyone is there for the same reason and that is to get into shape and have fun at the same time. While there is no stated uniform required for these classes, it might feel like there is an unofficial uniform. Many people attending will wear neon bright and form fitting bra tops and breathable cargo shorts. The shoe of choice will give you support in all the right places, mainly the ankle and needs to be able to absorb shock well.

There is even a specific clothing line by a new company called Set Bang Pretty, but don’t feel that you have to invest in some for your first class. If you are conscious about your figure and don’t want to wear bra tops, don’t worry. You can easily wear a comfortable tee shirt that will allow a lot of quick movement. The two most important properties in any clothing choice will be that it must be breathable and comfortable.

Now it’s time to jump on this fitness train and have fun.

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anxiety (Photo credit: FlickrJunkie)

The term “panic attack” is one that is often used, and often used incorrectly. The symptoms and the frequency of extreme anxiety can be both physical and in the thought processes and getting control of the cycle that causes the panic is important. Much of the work that must be done to begin to manage the panic that a person feels will be done with taking control of damaging and spiraling thought patterns. It is the mind’s thoughts that lead the central nervous system to respond in a way that gives the person in the midst of a panic attack their physical sensations. Overcoming anxiety is something that can be learned and the unpleasant effects of a thought loop or repeated pattern of negative and catastrophic thoughts will motivate the person who is suffering from panic to seek help.

Talk therapy is the most important step for those who want to learn new ways of coping with their stresses in life. Some of the work can be done all on your own, reading the proper articles or books, finding your own coping mechanisms from lists of them that are put out on the web, and learning methods of taking better care of yourself, such as breathing techniques that can calm your body in a more physical way, helping the racing thoughts and the fast heartbeat begin to be brought under control. The triggers for anxiety can be many: low blood sugar, too much caffeine in the diet, being tired, alcohol use and recreational drugs can also trigger anxiety symptoms.

To overcome the onset of anxiety, one must identify their specific triggers and then begin to take the steps needed to change their lifestyle and begin to alter their thinking patterns in order to break the cycle of anxiety and panic attacks in their life. Learning these skills is much like the acquisition of any other skill, it takes time and practice and a process of trial and error to find the best combination of coping skills that will work for each person. The key to overcoming the panic attacks and anxiety in life is to first, identify what causes them. If it is generally seen that the episodes seem related to low blood sugar, taking care to eat healthful, regular meals will keep the body chemistry in balance to stave off attacks that would be related solely to low glucose levels. If prescription medications are causing the anxieties, talk to your physician to see if alternative options exist for your health management, since the anxiety as a side effect is disruptive to your life.

If you’re looking for psychotherapist in Stoke Newington, try North London Counselling, Clissold Crescent, Stoke Newington, London, N16 9AR,  07889 227800

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A collection of tips on how to begin organic gardening, makes the perfect starting point for a beginner to emerge and hopefully, begin growing their own organic produce much easier. Below is just such a collection that will hopefully assist the eager novice into eventually, becoming a pro, when it comes to organic gardening.

A great tip for getting the most out of your organic garden is to use a flat-head rake or hoe when spreading your mulch. These things will ensure that you spread your mulch in the most efficient way to generate the most growth for your plants.

Since you are doing a type of “green” gardening by growing an organic garden, be aware of water conservation. If you want to increase the water conservation of your garden, try seeking out drought-resistant plants. These tend to have silver-colored leaves, deeper taproots and smaller leaves. You can also use succulents since they can resist dry weather.

When beginning your own organic garden, you should always make sure you moisten your mix that is in the containers before you sow the seeds. If your mix is not moist, it will dry out. This could cause your plant to die before it is given a chance to grow.

Cut up those organic green tomatoes and freeze them! Fried green tomatoes taste great in the winter months but there are never any to be had. Instead of letting your summer surplus rot on the vine, cut the tomatoes in half inch thick slices, roll them in cornmeal, and place on a cookie sheet to freeze. Later put the frozen tomatoes in a freezer bag to conserve freezer space.

Don’t use chemicals near a water source. If you have a pond in your garden, or live near a creek or stream, never apply chemicals to plants. They can leach into the soil and make their way into the local water source. Even if you think you are applying the chemical topically, it will make its way into the soil via the roots.

Stay out of your garden after it has rained or whenever it is wet. Diseases and bacteria thrive and spread more easily in damp environments. Bacteria can easily attach to your shoes as you walk through the wet garden and be transferred from plant to plant. Instead, wait until the soil is dry to enter your garden.

Do you have weeds in your garden and you don’t want to spray dangerous weed killer? Common household vinegar can help your problem. Spray full-strength vinegar on the weedy spots on a sunny day. Vinegar works as an organic weed killer and it is safe the environment, and you.

Hopefully, this collection of tips were enough to give you a great start on what to do and expect when it comes to growing your own organic plants. This collection was carefully constructed to be an aid in your arsenal, so that you can begin to hone your organic gardening skills into growing healthy organic produce.