500 Most Important Health Tips E-Book

Hazel Courteney

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Beschreibung

Packed with the latest cutting-edge alternative research, 500 of the Most Important Health Tips You'll Ever Need has become the UK's leading A–Z alternative healthcare manual on avoiding and treating a huge range of health problems. In this fully updated edition, award-winning health journalist Hazel Courteney reveals myriad ways to take more responsibility for our individual health. Covering conditions from arthritis to angina, cancer to cramps, liver problems to low blood sugar, this latest version also includes thousands of little-known facts, plus remedies, dietary advice, and helpful hints on how to prevent, heal, and where to find more help for over 250 ailments—even rarer ones such as electrical pollution and autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, which are on the increase. Discover, too, which are the best supplements and super foods, such as pomegranates and tomatoes, and how they can help you. Updated with the latest scientific evidence on how to improve and maintain your health, day by day, this one-stop, easy-to-read reference book is the only guide you'll need to prevent and heal most health problems the alternative way.

Leseprobe

500OF THE MOST IMPORTANT HEALTH TIPS YOU’LL EVER NEED

An A–Z of alternative health hints to help over 250 conditions

Hazel Courteney

With Stephen Langley and Gareth Zeal

First published in Great Britain by CICO Books 20-21 Jockey’s Fields London WC1R 4BW 020 7025 2280

Copyright © CICO Books 2001, 2006, 2009

First edition published 2001

Revised editions printed 2006, 2009

Text copyright © Hazel Courteney 2001, 2006, 2009

The right of Hazel Courteney to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright holder and publisher.

10 9 8 7 6 5

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

eISBN: 978 1 78249 500 0

ISBN: 978 1 90652 545 3

Jacket design by Jerry Goldie

Designed by Jerry Goldie

Printed in China

PUBLISHERS’ NOTE:

Always consult a doctor before undertaking any of the advice, exercise plans, or supplements suggested in this book. While every attempt has been made to ensure the medical information in this book is entirely safe and correct and up to date at the time of publication, the Publishers accept no responsibility for consequences of the advice given herein. If in any doubt as to the nature of your condition, consult a qualified medical practitioner.

The Publishers also accept no responsibility for changes in prices, stockist arrangements and locations mentioned herein.

CONTENTS

AUTHOR’S NOTE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

INTRODUCTION

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK AND KEY TO CODES

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

i

j

k

l

m

n

o

p

r

s

t

u

v

w

USEFUL INFORMATION

INDEX

Other Books by Hazel Courteney

Hazel Courteney is an award-winning, respected health and spiritual writer and speaker based in the UK. In 1997 she was voted Health Journalist of the Year for her column in The Sunday Times. Today Hazel writes regular features and columns for various publications. During her eight years as a weekly health columnist, Hazel answered more than 50,000 readers’ health queries. This is her fourth health book. Hazel has also written two highly acclaimed spiritual/science books, and is currently working on her third. For more information on Hazel’s work, log on to her website at www.hazelcourteney.com Other books by Hazel Courteney:500 of the Most Important Ways to Stay Younger Longer Divine Intervention The Evidence for the Sixth Sense Mind and Mood Foods Body and Beauty Foods

Gareth Zeal BSc is a nutritionist and health writer with 20 years’ experience. He runs a busy health practice in London and regularly lectures around the UK. You can reach him via his office, on 020 7924 0970.

Stephen Langley ND, DipHom, DBM, DipAc, OMD is a registered Naturopath, Homeopath, Acupuncturist, Doctor of Chinese Medicine, and Medical Herbalist. He lectures in Naturopathic Medicine at the College of Naturopathic Medicine (CNM) in London, Bristol, Manchester, Dublin, Galway and Belfast, as well as running a busy health practice in London and lecturing globally. Stephen has studied Holistic Medicine in China, India, America, Australia, Tibet and Japan. He can be reached via the Hale Clinic. See page 361 for contact details.

Emma Wells Dip ION is a nutritional therapist based in Brighton, who runs a busy nutritional practice as well as lecturing at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in London and Raworth. You can contact her by logging on to her website www.smartnutrition.co.uk, or at her office on 01273 775480.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Throughout the book, we have in many instances suggested specific amounts of nutrients. This is to ensure that sufficient amounts of the nutrient are taken to benefit a specific condition. In places where no specific amounts are suggested, take the supplements daily, according to the instructions on the label or from your health professional.

I have mentioned only those books that I have found particularly useful, but whatever you are suffering from, believe me, there is a specialist book on it. Remember, you will fail only if you give up.

This book is not intended as a substitute for conventional medical counselling. Never stop taking prescribed medicine without first consulting your doctor. Always inform your doctor of any supplements or herbs you are taking in case these are contraindicated with your drugs.

During the last 20 years I have read hundreds of books and many phrases and facts have remained in my mind. Wherever possible, I have acknowledged the source of these phrases and facts, and to those whose names I have forgotten, my apologies for any unintentional oversights.

For the latest update on EC rulings regarding which supplements may or may not be available in the future, see page 8.

Acknowledgements

Revising this book has been a five-month labour of love. Several wonderful people have contributed to make this updated version truly special. To my original co-author Gareth Zeal, thanks for all our lengthy Sunday morning phone calls. My dear friend Stephen Langley – thanks for spending several days with me keeping me up-to-date on the latest news in naturopathy, and for your patience during the final read-through. To nutritionist, Emma Wells, thanks for writing several sections and contributing some of your knowledge to a host of others. A special thank you goes both to homeopathic pharmacist Margo Marrone, and to herbalist Malcolm Simmonds – for your time and patience and for sharing your knowledge.

Also my gratitude to Ali Hadi at Kudos Vitamins for having such great integrity and for allowing his nutritionists Shazia and Dana to check many of the conditions. Thank you ladies. Dear Sue Croft, at Consumers for Health Choice, thank you for keeping me up-to-date on the latest information on European legislation and for being a very special lady.

This section would not be complete without also sending a big hug to Lindsay Ross-Jarrett – who checked dozens of phone numbers and figures.

Finally, thanks as always to my wonderful husband Stuart – who has eaten a fair amount of baked beans whilst I have completed this update – I owe you a fabulous dinner!

For Victoria I Love You Mum

INTRODUCTION

WHY THERE IS STILL AN URGENT NEED FOR THIS BOOK ...

When I first wrote this book back in 2000, one in four people were developing cancer at some point in their lives – that figure is now one in three. Certain cancer charities state this will shortly become one in every two people. Furthermore, more than eight million men and women in the UK are obese, that’s one in five adults. Among six- to 15-year-olds obesity has trebled from 5% in 1990 to 16% in 2004. This in turn has triggered an explosion of late-onset diabetes which affects more than two million people in the UK alone and costs the NHS five and a half billion pounds a year to treat. That’s £165 a second.

The ‘good’ news is that in 2000 heart disease killed 140,000 people, and last year it killed only 110,000. Nevertheless the UK still has one of the highest death rates from heart disease in the world.

The continuing tragedy is that virtually all these conditions, are, in the majority of cases, totally preventable. The average adult eats 60 pounds of sugar a year – and people wonder why late-onset diabetes is now becoming common even in teenagers! Twenty years ago the average age for late-onset diabetes to occur was 50.

Yes, thousands of people have changed their diets and lifestyles, and thanks to excellent columnists, such as Dr John Briffa and naturopath Stephen Langley, plus great TV shows, such as “You Are What You Eat” with Gillian McKeith, the message about what constitutes a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle is getting through.

However, we still have some way to go: binge drinking among young people is on the rise; 15 million people in the UK still smoke and, in 2004, they smoked more than 55 million cigarettes. Four-hundred-and-fifty children start smoking every day.

Human nature is perverse. Everyone knows that smoking, and passive smoking, can kill; but not all youngsters or their parents realize that binge drinking can severely damage the liver. Specialists are seeing youngsters in their twenties with liver damage usually associated with unhealthy 50-year-olds. Why? Because most youngsters – and many adults – think that it’s never going to happen to them … until it does.

How much better it would be if we could take not only a lot more responsibility for our own health, but also learn more about our bodies with the aim of preventing them becoming sick in the first place. Unfortunately, too many people still hand total responsibility for their health to their overworked doctor. Most GPs are caring, hard-working people, but during their six years at medical school they are lucky to receive four hours’ training in how diet, taking the right supplements, and lifestyle can greatly improve and prevent many illnesses. Most of their courses are sponsored by drugs companies, which is why prescribing a pill for our illnesses remains their usual response. But this practice rarely addresses the root cause of the condition.

Almost everyone is looking for a single magic bullet to help alleviate their health problems. Most of us are in a hurry and yet happy to react to misleading health information which appears in the media with alarming regularity. But help is at hand. Certified organic food has really taken off and virtually all supermarkets now offer excellent ranges of organic produce. Prices have come down – and most people definitely prefer organic.

The more we eat organic the less hormone-disrupting chemicals we swallow. Unfortunately, each year, more than 31 tonnes of 50 of the mostly extensively used pesticides are still sprayed over our fruits, vegetables and grains. But at long last this may soon change. In September 2005 The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution stated that fears linking cancers, miscarriages and numerous diseases to overuse of pesticides may be justified. It’s taken a long time. Antibiotic residues are in our water, too, along with hormone residues from the pill and HRT.

In 2000 I also wrote about how the 31 million mobile phones in use were linked with depression and various cancers. There are now more than 52 million mobiles in use in the UK – many by children – even though the Government has issued warnings that young children should not use mobile phones. If you add the negative affects of mobile phones to the microwaves, computers, and all electrical equipment which pulse us with harmful electromagnetic radiation, and again to the affects of our diets and lifestyles, you soon realize that it’s the cumulative effects of these factors that is triggering the tidal wave of illness we experience today. Our bodies were never designed to eat so much rubbish and ingest so many chemicals and they are telling us that they have simply had enough. We have caused most of the problems we face today – but the good news is that we can change or reverse many of them.

MRSA has been triggered by our overuse of antibiotics – but many doctors don’t know that Manuka honey and bee propolis, as well as herbs such as pau d’arco and St John’s wort have been scientifically proven to destroy MRSA and many other superbugs.

We also know that if hyperactive and violent children and adults are given a healthier diet along with the right supplements, they become calmer and easier to live with. Trial after trial – including a brilliant TV series with nutritionist Patrick Holford – has shown just how diet can affect one’s mood.

In the meantime, I’ll bet most of you have never heard of Thieves Essential Oil. Made with a blend of cloves, lemon, eucalyptus and rosemary, Thieves has been scientifically tested and found to have a 99.996% kill-rate against all airborne bacteria. Its name derives from the days when 15th-century thieves rubbed these oils on themselves to avoid contracting bubonic plague while they robbed the bodies of the dead and dying. Find details of this amazing therapeutic oil in the new MRSA section. With so many diseases on the increase, and with various bacteria mutating into deadlier strains faster than doctors can kill them, the time has come to discover new ways to protect ourselves.

For this reason I have completely revised and updated this book to give you access to the latest developments in the alternative health field. I have included many new headings, including Hepatitis and Food Poisoning, both of which are on the increase. You will also discover why taking liquid hyaluronic acid – a naturally occurring protein in the body – can help to keep your joints and skin younger.

Throughout this book I and my colleagues have given numerous, often little-known but well-researched solutions to many health problems plus a host of proven remedies, nutrients and ideas to improve your health on a day-to-day basis. We also offer alternative answers to many common symptoms that even your doctor may not recognize – to help you become your own health detective. Remember: the body is perfectly capable of healing itself when it is given the right tools for the job.

May our work give you good health – today and all days.

Hazel Courteney

IS OUR RIGHT TO TAKE SUPPLEMENTS UNDER THREAT?

Sue Croft, a director of CHC Consumers for Health Choice, spends her life lobbying MPs and regulators (the people who make claims on how we live our lives), both in the UK and in Brussels, to help us retain our freedom to choose. She says that “As things stand [November 2005] we are still set to lose many of our nutritional supplements, the biggest threat is to specific specialist sources of nutrients such as the chelated- and yeast-based types of minerals. The dose levels of vitamins and minerals they will allow us to take may not be set for another two years, although work has already started on examining safety issues. Also, most of the people in the Member States of the EU are not used to taking higher-dose nutrients – and unfortunately the majority view that wants low dosages could prevail. For instance the current RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) for vitamin C, needed for more than 40 functions in the body, is 60mg, but this is only just sufficient to prevent scurvy. Yet this is the dose that is mostly available in Europe – and those countries with the largest number of votes, France and Germany, want to keep it that way. Even though there are thousands of published and verified scientific studies showing that appropriate higher dosages are both safe and beneficial, we still have a fight on our hands. This is why we are using all our influence to push the British Government to wade in to this argument on our behalf.

The signs so far are positive, but time is of the essence. What most people don’t understand is that our nutritional products are sold under Food Law: they have to be 100% safe – as safe as a loaf of bread or a tomato. And just because a medicine has a product licence (which allows the makers to make specific beneficial claims, and can cost millions of pounds that vitamin companies just don’t have) it doesn’t make it safe. Vioxx, the arthritis drug, was granted a medicinal licence and has been taken by 20 million people. Unfortunately, many are now dead and others are bringing massive law suits against the makers of this drug. There has been only one recorded incidence of death from anyone taking supplements, and that was a small child who swallowed a whole bottle of his mother’s high-dose prescription iron tablets. In the past 11 years there have been only eleven reported cases of people claiming symptoms such as tingling fingers and toes from taking certain nutrients to excess, which rapidly recede once those supplements are stopped. Yet more than 40,000 people die annually thanks to prescription drugs.”

Like Sue, I feel very strongly about this subject and I hope you will write to your MP and MEP to tell them of the health benefits you have experienced thanks to taking supplements. For the latest news regarding this unwelcome legislation log onto CHC’s website: www.consumersforhealthchoice.com

WHY YOU NEED NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

How many times have you heard people say “Surely if I eat a healthy balanced diet, I will not need to take vitamins and minerals.”

“Expensive pee!” others exclaim.

When I started writing about health almost 15 years ago, I thought “Oh, it won’t take long for people to change once they know the facts.” I was wrong. The Government’s campaign encouraging everyone to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day has fallen mainly on deaf ears. A few people have changed but the fact remains that as little as 5% of the Western population eats a truly healthy, balanced diet. The majority talk about healthy eating, but in reality continue to eat far too much pre-packaged, refined junk foods that are often packed with salt, sugar, additives and saturated fats. A few people still do not comprehend that the human body is literally made of food molecules, so your body is largely made up from what you have eaten during the last year.

Also, during the past five years, most commercial growers – especially from overseas – are harvesting more and more of their fruit and vegetables long before they are ripe. Research in Spain and at Oregon State University in America have found that when, for example, cherries are picked before being ripe the vitamin C content is halved. When blackberries were picked early, the green ones contained 74mg of anthocyanins (the blue pigment that is great for your eyes and immune system) compared with 317mg in the naturally ripened fruits. Add to this the fact that most fresh produce is flown halfway round the world – and then stored for long periods which itself hugely depletes nutrient levels – the message is obvious: as much as possible buy more fresh, ripe, locally grown foods.

To survive, the human body needs 50 factors, these are 13 vitamins, 21 minerals, 9 amino acids, 2 essential fatty acids, plus carbohydrate, fibre, air, water and light. As our bodies cannot manufacture these substances, we must take them in from external sources – through our diet and by taking the right supplements. If the body becomes deficient in nutrients, negative symptoms will eventually result.

We can all have treats and really enjoy them – but we must stop living on them. Many times I have watched people fill their supermarket trolleys with white bread, prepackaged meals, cakes, chocolate bars and fizzy drinks. Almost all this refined, prepackaged and processed food contains virtually no vitamins, essential fats, minerals or fibre. We are bombarded with food advertisements claiming that products are ‘packed with added vitamins’. Have you ever asked yourself why the manufacturers need to add vitamins, if the food is supposed to be nutritious in the first place?

Dr Richard Passwater, who has worked as a research scientist in Maryland, USA, for 40 years, states that refined sugars have had 99.9% of all their natural nutrients removed, and the only reason that there is 0.1% nutritional value left is because the manufacturing companies cannot figure out how to remove the last 0.1%. White flour and mass-produced oils are the same. Tinned foods are sterilised at high temperatures to kill any bacteria. How many nutrients do you think are left after these processes?

Without doubt I advocate organic farming and the more farmers who switch to organic methods, the fewer pesticides and herbicides (known to deplete even more nutrients from our food) will be in our food, water and air. And organic food has been proven to contain more nutrients than non-organic produce. Fewer chemicals means less acid rain, less pollution and less sickness. GM foods to my mind are another BSE/CJD-scenario waiting to happen – I would never knowingly eat GM foods. Intensive farming methods still use far too many antibiotics for their livestock – which definitely add to our health problems.

Natural mineral levels in soil in many countries, including the UK, are dropping, and if vital nutrients such as selenium, known to reduce the incidence of cancer and heart disease, are not in our soil they are never going to make it into our fruits and vegetables. This is why, in countries such as Finland, selenium has been added to all fertilisers since 1984. As a result sperm counts have risen and incidence of heart disease is falling.

Unfortunately, some people still compare vitamins, minerals and essential fats in capsule forms, to prescription drugs – but remember that essential nutrients are essential to life.

All these nutrients work synergistically, or together, inside the body. In a perfect world it is always preferable to ingest all the nutrients we need from a varied diet. But most people do not.

Our eating habits have changed drastically during recent years. As little as 50 years ago, it was routine for the family to sit and eat home-cooked meals with freshly picked vegetables and fruits from a local farm or allotment. Today, this tradition seems to have all but disappeared. The longer fresh food is stored and cooked, the more nutrients are lost. If you leave an orange in a fridge for more than three days, up to 50% of the vitamin C content disappears. And, because the modern diet is less than perfect, we need to come to a compromise – hence I take nutritional supplements and recommend specific nutrients in this book.

Many governments suggest minimum amounts of nutrients, called RDIs – Recommended Daily Intakes. In Europe there are RDIs for 19 nutrients and yet there are 45 essential nutrients required for health. Confusion is rife as RDIs vary from country to country, so whom do we believe? Initially, the idea of RDIs was to prevent obvious signs of deficiency, such as scurvy (vitamin-C deficiency) in soldiers in the trenches in 1941. However, they do not represent the quantities of nutrients we require for optimum health. Nor do they represent the levels of vitamins and minerals we need to protect our bodies from the pollutants and toxins in our modern environment. What is more, RDIs take no account of individual requirements such as age, gender or the health status of the person. For example, the current RDI for vitamin C is 60mg – but to ingest this amount from your diet you would need to eat 10 apples, 3 kiwi fruits or 2 large freshly picked oranges. In the US, the RDI for the mineral chromium, which has been proven to halve the incidence of late-onset diabetes, is 120mcg; yet in the UK or Europe no RDI exists. And to add insult to injury this is one of the minerals that the EU has excluded from its guidance list. This is lunacy. But there is hope. A few years ago, I met a man aged 73 who had been refused heart surgery as his arteries were so blocked. He was deemed a lost cause, totally breathless, he could not even walk across the room. A nutritional physician friend took him on. First, she completely changed his diet, then gave him supplements proven to thin blood naturally, lower cholesterol levels and to help clear some of the plaque that had built up in his arteries. Under medical supervision he was also taught yoga. After several months he slowly but surely regained his health. Today he climbs Alpine slopes as a hobby. It’s never too late to change. And as Western doctors are now seeing plaque in the arteries of children as young as 10, change is imperative.

We all need to start eating food that is as unprocessed and unrefined as possible. Natural, locally grown organic food, without pesticides and additives, plus taking the right supplements is the way forward. There are now more than half a million clinical research papers showing that taken in the right amounts nutritional supplements can, and do, work.

IMPORTANT HINTS TO NOTE BEFORE TAKING SUPPLEMENTS

If you are taking any prescription drugs you must advise your doctor of any supplements or herbs you wish to take in case of complications. For example, the drug warfarin thins the blood, but so does vitamin E and the herb Ginkgo biloba. If you decide to begin taking supplements you must check with your GP so that you can have regular blood tests. Then, in time and with your doctor’s permission, hopefully you can reduce your intake of drugs.

It is important to note that vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids are nutrients essential to life – but herbs are powerful medicines. Many prescription drugs are based on herbs. Herbs themselves are not essential to life, but, when taken in the appropriate amounts and for the appropriate time, have proven to be of great benefit for many conditions. Generally, take herbs for no more than 3 months at a time, have a month or so without them and then, if you feel the need, begin taking them again. Generally look for whole herbal preparations in powder form, rather than herbal extracts that have been standardised for one particular ‘active’ ingredient. ‘Whole herb’ preparations can also be safer. For example, nearly every recorded adverse health reaction, which resulted in the problems with Kava Kava were caused by Kavastandardised extracts. For help with any herbs suggested in this book, call a qualified herbalist or health professional, or contact

The Specialist Herbal Supplies

on 0870 774 4494 Website:

www.shs100.com

Supplements taken regularly in the long term almost always produce beneficial effects, but don’t expect miracles in a week. Supplements are not magic bullets, but stimulate the body’s natural healing processes, giving long-term health benefits. Generally speaking, supplementation with nutrients produces improvements in health more slowly than prescription medication, which normally just suppresses symptoms. If you start a course of vitamins, minerals or any supplements, take them regularly for at least two months in order to see the benefits. Any changes in your health may be very subtle.

Some supplements currently on the market have less than optimum quantities of beneficial ingredients. In general you get what you pay for. Some low-priced supplements contain relatively small amounts of nutrients or forms of nutrients. The better quality and usually more expensive supplements generally provide better value for money in the long term.

Most vitamins have a good shelf life but cease to be effective if you keep them for too long. Be aware of sell-by dates and always keep your vitamins in a cool, dry place – never expose them to direct sunlight.

If you find that vitamin C irritates your gut, try Esther C, or vitamin C in an ascorbate form. There is also Crystal C which is based on sodium ascorbate. It is pH neutral and even in higher doses should not cause any irritation. Visit

www.crystalc.co.uk

. Vitamin C is more effective when taken in repeated small doses throughout the day with food.

Take supplements with food, which ensures better absorption, unless otherwise stated on the label.

Avoid taking any supplements with tea, coffee or alcohol as these can block absorption of certain nutrients, especially iron.

Some people have reactions to certain supplements but this is quite rare. This is usually caused not by the nutrients themselves but by a reaction to one or more of the other ingredients contained in the supplement. In general, better quality supplements containing hypoallergenic ingredients are less likely to give rise to adverse reactions. If you suffer a negative reaction to any supplement or herb, stop taking it immediately. For example, most glucosamine supplements are mainly derived from crushed crab shells – so, if you are highly sensitive to shellfish, ask for the vegetarian version derived from corn which is now available from health shops.

Products derived from bees, in extremely rare cases, may cause a reaction in anyone who suffers a severe sensitivity to bee stings. Obviously if you know this is a problem avoid products related to bees! In the case of bee propolis, this would also apply to tree resins.

The supplements suggested in this book can be taken by anyone over the age of 16. For children’s dosages, seek professional guidance.

Probiotics (friendly bacteria), more commonly known as acidophilus, should also contain bifidus strain bacteria. All probiotic preparations keep better in glass bottles and should be kept either in a fridge or freezer. There are now various probiotics available that do not need to be kept refrigerated and can survive stomach acid – but these should be taken immediately after food unless otherwise directed.

Natural source, full-spectrum vitamin E is better absorbed and retained by the body than synthetic forms.

If you are pregnant, or planning a pregnancy, do not take any supplement containing more than 3000iu of vitamin A per day. Most manufacturers state whether supplements are unsuitable to be taken during pregnancy. The UK Government warns that pregnant women should consume no more than one portion of liver a week, as liver is high in Vitamin A – and too much vitamin A is linked to calcium loss. One portion of liver may contain 30,000 to 40,000iu of vitamin A, but such a risk would occur only at about 85,000iu a day. In fact too much of

any

animal protein will deplete calcium from the body. We need to realize that vitamin A is vital for a healthy immune system, for healthy skin, eyes and a healthy pregnancy at modest levels. To overdose on vitamin A you would need to take more than 30,000iu daily for a month or more. If in doubt take natural-source beta carotenes, which naturally convert to vitamin A in the body and have not been linked to reducing bone mass.

Do not take separate iron supplements if you are over 50 unless you have been diagnosed with a medical condition that requires extra supplementation as iron accumulates in the body, and too high a level is linked with heart disease and strokes.

Never leave iron tablets near children.

Keep all supplements away from young children. Any substance taken in excess can cause harm

– even water. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions unless your health professional advises otherwise.

If you have any problem taking pills and cannot find liquid formulas at your health shop use an inexpensive tablet crusher. To order call

Health Plus

on 01323 872277 or visit their website:

www.healthplus.co.uk

; or call Lemon Burst on 01273 669780 or visit their website:

www.lemonburst.net

The supplements we suggest should be taken in most instances until the condition is alleviated. For maintenance nutrients see under

General Supplements

on page 160.

If you are in any doubt about the amount of supplements you or your children should be taking, always consult a qualified health practitioner.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK AND KEY TO CODES

Throughout this book we have suggested numerous formulas – and given the names of the companies that make them. All their details are here if you wish to contact them. If we have mentioned no company, shop or brand name, then the listed supplements should be readily available from good health food stores worldwide.

No one is more aware than myself of the thousands of alternative supplements now available. In this book we have suggested many specific brands, which we have used, and/or come to trust over many years. If we tried to mention every brand by name, this book would not be an easy-to-read book of hints, but a lengthy encyclopaedia. Our choices of specific brands in no way infers that they are better or more beneficial than others on the market. If you have specific brands that you know and trust, check with your own suppliers or health shop who, I am sure, will stock similar supplements to those recommended. It is well worth noting that virtually every reputable supplement company has its own in-house qualified nutritionists who are happy to help you. Don’t be afraid to call them. Most of these suppliers are happy to post orders anywhere worldwide.

BCBioCare Ltd Lakeside, 180 Lifford Lane, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B30 3NU Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.biocare.co.uk

BLK Blackmores are now called Apotheke Naturopathic Health and Wellness Tel: [phone] (general public mail order) E-mail: [email protected] If you need to speak to a nutritionist who knows the Blackmores’ range call: 0208 995 2293 Any practitioners wanting to order the Blackmores range should call G&G on 0870 770 0976

FSCFSC vitamins are now called BHM Healthgroup Lancaster Road, Carnaby Industrial Estate, Bridlington, East Yorkshire YO15 3QY Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.bhmhealthgroup.com

HNHigher Nature Ltd The Nutrition Centre, Burwash Common, East Sussex, TN19 7LX Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] Orders: 0800 458 4747Helpline: 0800 458 4747 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.highernature.co.uk

KVHKudos Vitamins and Herbals Ltd Units 3 & 4, Polhampton Lane, Overton, Hampshire RG25 3EA Tel: [phone]; Freephone: 0800 389 5476; Fax: [phone] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.kudosvitamins.com

NPNature’s Plus (they make a great range for children) Nutrigroup Ltd, Waterloo House, 1 Waterloo Road, Epsom, Surrey, KT19 8AY Tel: [phone] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.nutriglow.com

NCThe Nutri Centre The Hale Clinic, 7 Park Crescent, London, W1B 1PF Tel: [phone]; or Freephone: 0800 587 2290 Fax: [phone] Bookshop tel: [phone]; fax: [phone] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.NutriCentre.com

OPThe Organic Pharmacy 396 Kings Road, London SW10 OLN Tel: [phone] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.theorganicpharmacy.com

PNPharma Nord (UK) Ltd Telford Court, Morpeth, NE61 2DB Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.multivits.co.uk

PWPharm West Inc. 4640 Admiralty Way # 423, Marina Del Rey, California 90292, USA Tel. UK and Ireland: 00 353 46 943 7317 Fax UK and Ireland: 00 353 46 943 7310 Tel. US: 001 310 301 4015Fax US: 001 310 577 0296 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.pharmwest.com

SLSloane Health Shop 27 Kings Road, London SW3 4RT Tel: [phone] Or: 50 High Street, Esher, Surrey, KT10 9QY Tel: [phone]

SVHCSolgar Vitamin and Herb Company Aldbury, Tring, Herts HP23 5PT Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] For technical support or to speak to a nutritionist tel: [phone] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.solgar-vitamins.co.uk Solgar Vitamin and Herb Company 500 Willow Tree Road, Leonia, New Jersey 07605, USA Consumers’ tel: [phone] For retail stores call: 001 800 645 2246 Website: www.solgar.com

SHSSpecialist Herbal Supplies This company uses ‘whole herbs’ and is run by Malcolm Simmonds BAc, MH, MBRI Portslade Hall, 18 Station Road, Portslade, Brighton, BN41 1GB Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.shs100.com

Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils By Young Living in the USA, these are some of the finest and most healing bio-dynamic oils I have found. In the UK for help as to which oil you need for your specific condition call Susie Anthony on 01749 679900 or log on to her website: www.psalifemastery.com and look for the Resources pages.

a

ABSORPTION(see also Coeliac Disease, Indigestion, Low Stomach Acid and Stress)

We are not only what we eat, but also what our bodies are able to absorb and eliminate. Many people presume that every item of food they swallow is automatically absorbed into their system, but there is a vital intermediate stage. You swallow food, and if chewed thoroughly, then a form of amylase, an enzyme in your saliva, begins breaking down your food. But if you are stressed, and as we age, levels of amylase fall causing more absorption problems. Amylase is 30 times more abundant in the average 25-year-old than the average 80-year-old.

The chewing process also alerts the stomach that food is on its way, which triggers stomach-acid production, ready to begin the digestion process. Chewing is the first and very important stage of digestion. Your stomach does not have any teeth! With ageing, and problems like gastritis, stomach-acid production is also reduced. Without these natural digestive aids, absorption of nutrients through our gut walls and into the bloodstream is greatly diminished. Therefore vital nutrients needed for tissue repair and cellular regeneration can sometimes pass through the body and out the other end undigested.

Absorption mostly takes place in the small intestine, but as we age enzymes produced by the pancreas (which helps to further break down sugars, proteins and fats) are also reduced. As the pace of modern life is increasing, more and more people, even young people, suffer varying degrees of absorption problems. Stress also has a negative effect on the digestive process as it reduces absorption by shutting down enzyme production.

Symptoms of malabsorption include hair loss, low energy levels, chronic fatigue, weight loss or gain, poor bone density, dry and wrinkled skin, and dry hair and nails. Naturopath, Steve Langley says, “Almost all disease is linked to deficiency of nutrients and toxicity within the body, therefore if you get your digestive system in good working order, a huge amount of health problems could be avoided.”

Foods to Avoid

Reduce your intake of red meats and heavy, rich meals. Concentrated proteins and fats, such as red meat and cheese, are harder to digest as they require more work as well as oxygen to break them down completely. We need to maintain a high oxygen level in our tissues to keep our bodies healthy. And all junk foods reduce oxygen levels and accelerate loss of enzyme reserves in the body.

Avoid croissants, burgers, fried foods, excessive high-sugar foods and full-fat dairy produce. The more unnatural your diet, the more the body has to produce enzymes to digest your food, and over time negative symptoms can arise.

Cooked cheese is really hard on your digestive system.

Modern refined wheat and related products are often hard to digest as we lack the necessary enzymes.

Avoid drinking too much fluid with meals, which dilutes the stomach acid – the very substance you need for digesting your meal.

Friendly Foods

Raw, steamed or lightly cooked foods retain more enzymes, which aid digestion. Papaya is rich in papain, which aids in the breakdown of foods in the stomach and small intestine. It is best eaten before a main meal.

Pineapple is rich in the enzyme bromelain, which again aids digestion. Eat a small amount before main meals.

Generally increase your intake of fresh raw foods. Eat a salad at least once daily in summer. Light stir-fries and steamed vegetables are also fine.

If you have a problem with wheat, try spelt, millet, buckwheat, amaranth or quinoa-based breads, which are available in most supermarkets and health stores.

Try rice, corn, buckwheat or millet-based pastas, which are also easier to digest.

If you have a problem with cow’s milk, try rice, almond, oat or goat’s milk, which are gentler on the stomach.

A glass of red wine can help to stimulate stomach-acid production.

Useful Remedies

Take a digestive enzyme capsule with all main meals. Available from health stores.

You can also take hydrochloric acid (HCl) with pepsin capsule with main meals, but only if you have been diagnosed as suffering from low stomach acid (see under

Low Stomach Acid

).

Bitter herbs such as gentian, in tincture form, can be taken 15 minutes before each meal to stimulate production of stomach acid and digestive enzymes.

A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a little water taken before main meals can also help increase stomach-acid production.

Helpful Hints

Try not to eat late at night as this places an extra burden on the digestive system.

Chew thoroughly, and as much as possible eat sitting down in a relaxed frame of mind. Not always easy, but this simple act really aids digestion.

Avoid eating for about an hour after rigorous exercise.

Don’t eat large meals when you are under stress. Keep them small and light.

If your digestive system is playing up, try ‘food combining’. Basically this means separating concentrated proteins, such as meat, fish, eggs and cheese, from concentrated carbohydrates, such as potatoes, rice, bread and pasta. So, if for example you are eating fish, eat it with vegetables rather than potatoes. And if you have pasta, then also eat this with vegetables but not meat or fish. Eat fruit in-between or 15–20 minutes before a meal rather than after a main meal. Fruit likes a quick passage through the gut and if it gets ‘stuck’ behind a main meal, gas and bloating can result. This is especially true of melon. Some nutritionists now state that food combining is old fashioned but naturopath Stephen Langley says, “There is no doubt that anyone with digestion and absorption problems would find lets say pasta and meat together pretty hard to digest. I have seen thousands of patients who have been helped by this method of eating – especially those who want to lose weight.” For this reason eat melon on its own as a starter, and don’t combine with other fruits, as melon has an even quicker transit time than other fruits, which again can trigger fermentation and bloating in the gut.

ACID–ALKALINE BALANCE

(see also Arthritis, Indigestion and Low Stomach Acid)

Nutritionists and health professionals have long understood the importance of maintaining a healthy acid/alkaline balance. At last this subject is receiving wider attention. For good health the body needs to maintain a certain acid–alkaline balance and keeping this balance is one of the crucial keys to remaining healthy and also slowing the ageing process. Every cell functions more efficiently when it is predominantly alkaline.

In general the body needs to be around 70% alkaline and 30% acid. But in the West the average person is 80% acid and 20% alkaline, hence why we are suffering so many acid conditions such as arthritis. Many people confuse the term acid-forming with the term acidic, but they are entirely different. Everything we swallow, once metabolised within the body, breaks down into either an alkaline or acid mineral based ash or residue. Whether a substance is alkaline or acid is determined by its pH (potential Hydrogen). Stomach acid can be as low as pH 1.5, very acid, whereas saliva after eating could be as high as pH 8, which is very alkaline. Your blood has a pH which is slightly alkaline – between 7.35 and 7.45 – and this level needs to be maintained at all costs. If it becomes too acid, the blood (via the kidneys) withdraws alkalising minerals from anywhere it can find them; beginning with the hair, skin and nails and then moving on through the body until it begins drawing minerals from the bones, which in time contributes to conditions such as osteoporosis.

Unfortunately most modern lifestyles and diets are almost all acid-forming and if the body remains in an acid state for too long, this acidity triggers degenerative diseases. A high acid-forming diet also has a negative effect on tooth enamel – especially pre-packaged concentrated fruit juices. Acid-forming foods deplete calcium from the body, while alkaline foods increase the body’s ability to absorb calcium from the diet.

Emotions greatly affect this balance: stress and anger trigger more acidity within the body, whereas feelings of being in control, in love and breathing deeply through the nose re-alkalises the body. Basically harmony alkalises and disharmony acidifies.

Practically every major degenerative disease, including some cancers, is triggered by an over-acid system. When the pH is out of balance, your skin and hair become dull, the nervous system is affected and you may suffer insomnia, arthritis, rheumatism, aching joints, skin conditions, candida, fungal infections, muscle pain and gout, which are all common symptoms of an over-acid system.

Foods to Avoid

It’s important to realise that just because a food is acid-forming it is not necessarily unhealthy. Proteins are acid-forming, but they are also essential for good health. Therefore, if you tend to eat two large meat-based meals daily, reduce it to one. Make the other a fish-based meal, or eat pulses such as soya, aduki or pinto beans.

Basically all animal produce and egg yolks are acid-forming. Duck, venison, grouse and pheasant, lamb, beef and pork are all acid-forming. Fish, turkey and chicken are also acid-forming, but do not contain such high levels of uric acid as red meat.

Milk and yoghurt are alkaline before digestion but become acid-forming once digested. This is why milk products are calming to an over-acid oesophagus if you suffer from an acid-type reflux after food. But in the long term this would exacerbate arthritic type conditions. It’s just a case of getting a balance.

All nuts are acid-forming except almonds, fresh coconut, and chestnuts.

All grains are also acid-forming with the exception of millet, buckwheat, amaranth and quinoa. Whole grains are a healthy food and remember: these foods are not to be eliminated

per se

, you just need to be aware of what is acid-forming.

All refined sugars found in cakes, biscuits, pre-packaged desserts, whips and so on are acid-forming. Chocolate is a truly acid-forming treat, it’s high in oxalic acid which is linked to kidney stones – so, don’t overdo it!

Wine, beer, spirits, coffee, tea, fizzy drinks and sweetened fruit juices are all highly acid-forming.

All drugs, prescription and social, such as cannabis, are also acidic.

Cranberries, plums, prunes and rhubarb are highly acid-forming. But again I reiterate, these foods are healthy – in fact prunes (dried plums) are very anti-ageing. Everything in moderation.

Mass-produced malt vinegar, a waste product of the brewing industry, is also acid-forming in the body.

Friendly Foods

Honey and brown-rice syrup are alkalising. But don’t overdo these foods – as they are sugar! If you eat too much of them, the sugar converts to fat and lives on your hips. Again just get a balance.

All vegetables are alkaline but the best are wheat grass, alfalfa, kelp, seaweed, parsley, watercress, carrots, endives and celery. All green foods are high in chlorophyll, which is rich in magnesium, a major alkalising mineral.

Cabbage, kale, broccoli, spring greens, green beans and asparagus are all great alkaline foods. Spinach contains oxalic acid, but it breaks down into an alkaline residue.

All fruits are healthy, and you should eat them freely, but be aware that cranberries, plums, prunes and rhubarb are highly acid-forming and to a lesser degree so are blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries.

The most alkalising fruits are cantaloupe melons (and all melons), papaya, dates, especially dried dates, mangoes, lemons, limes and figs. In case you are wondering, it’s the alkaline mineral content and not the sugar content that determines whether a food is acid or alkaline forming in the body.

Oranges, grapefruit, pineapple, cherries, kiwi and tomatoes contain acids, but they make an alkaline ash within the body after they are digested. People who suffer indigestion immediately after a meal, and may have an over acid stomach, often say these types of foods make their problem worse, this is because they are acid on contact and until digested

.

However, they make an alkaline residue once they reach the small intestine. This is why apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, with a little honey and warm water, help to re-alkalise the body and reduce symptoms of arthritis and inflammatory conditions. Take 1tsp of each twice daily.

Use a little organic sea salt, which is rich in alkalising minerals.

Drink more green tea, especially Bancha tea, with a little added honey.

Apple cider vinegar, preferably organic, has an alkalising effect within the body. It also helps increase stomach-acid production as it is acid on contact, but alkalising after digestion.

Useful Remedies

Ask at your health shop for powdered organic formulas that contain wheat grass, spirulina, chlorella, alfalfa, broccoli and green foods and take daily.

Gillian McKeith makes a Living Food Energy Powder, available from all health stores.

Take a multi-mineral formula that contains 600mg of calcium, 300–500mg of magnesium, 25mg of zinc, 90mg of potassium, in a colloidal or chelated form, which are more easily absorbed.

Sodiphos – sodium phosphate – helps to reduce lactic acid (and uric acid) build-up and realkalises an over acid system. Take 600mg daily for 3 months.

BLK

Helpful Hints

Stress, anger and smoking contribute to an over-acid system.

Breathing deeply and regularly helps to re-alkalise the body. This is because when you breathe more oxygen into the body, it has an alkaline effect. When we are under stress, we tend to shallow-breathe, which leaves more carbon dioxide, more acidity, in the tissues.

Do not brush your teeth immediately after eating or drinking high acid-forming foods and drinks, as you can lose more tooth enamel. Simply drink a little water and swill it around the mouth to help neutralise the acids.

Meditation also re-alkalises the body (see

Meditation

).

When you first wake, the body is very acid, so having fruit for breakfast helps to re-alkalise the system. A great diet for summer breakfasts – but in winter you need to keep warmer and fruit won’t do the job, so try porridge sweetened with a freshly grated apple or any chopped fruit. Breakfast is also a great time to drink freshly made juices. But too much orange juice can over stimulate production of stomach acid, so go for diluted apple or pear juice as an alternative. Also, apple, carrot or celery juice with a little added fresh root ginger is also highly alkalising.

For more information read

Alkalize or Die

by Theodore A Barody (Holographic Health).

ACID STOMACH(see also Indigestion and Low Stomach Acid)

Many people complain about having an acid stomach, often mistakenly presuming that they produce too much stomach acid – hydrochloric acid, which is known as HCl. In fact, sufferers from acid stomach regularly produce too much stomach acid at the wrong times – usually in response to stress, or overindulgence in caffeine, alcohol or sugar – which all leave the stomach with too little stomach acid for digesting foods. And as the average person eats approximately 50+ tons of food in their lifetime, which requires 300 litres of digestive juices to break it down, it’s no wonder that we are suffering more and more digestive disorders. Typical symptoms are feelings of heartburn, acid reflux, indigestion, bloating and general discomfort. When you are under prolonged stress or are exhausted, your digestive system is greatly weakened. Never underestimate how long-term, negative stress and chronic exhaustion can affect the body (see also Stress).

Foods to Avoid

Reduce your intake of coffee, colas, black tea, alcohol and sugar.

Full-fat cheeses and rich, creamy foods.

Fried and very fatty foods.

Oily, spicy foods (such as an Indian take-away with lots of sauce), which are usually packed with refined vegetable oils. These types of meals – if high in fat – are hard to digest.

Concentrated fruit juices, especially orange, lemon and grapefruit, and raw tomato juice, which can make the problem worse. Buy non-concentrates and dilute with water.

Reduce your intake of wheat-based foods, which can be a problem for people with acid stomach (especially croissants, white bread and pre-packaged, mass-produced pies and cakes).

Friendly Foods

Eat more whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, kamut or amaranth, and try lentil, corn, buckwheat, millet- or spelt-based pastas, breads and cereals. Rice cakes, amaranth and spelt crackers are often easier to digest than wheat. If you adore bread, try small amounts of wholemeal varieties.

Include plenty of lightly cooked vegetables and fruits in your diet, which are easier on the digestive system.

Try making more fruit compotes or lightly grilled fruit kebabs without sugar. Use a little honey or chopped organic dried fruits to sweeten.

Choose low-fat meats such as venison, turkey, duck and chicken without the skin, and include plenty of fresh fish in your diet.

Replace full-fat cows’ milk with organic rice, soya or goats’ milk.

Experiment with caffeine-free herbal teas, such as fennel and liquorice, which reduce acidity. Camomile, meadowsweet and fresh mint teas soothe the gut.

Fresh root ginger is very calming to the gut, as is lightly cooked cabbage, or cabbage juice made from raw cabbage.

Eat more live, low-fat yoghurts.

Useful Remedies

De-glycyrrhized liquorice helps to protect and heal the lining of the oesophagus and stomach. Chew 1–2 tablets 20 minutes before a meal. It can also be used as an alternative to antacids after meals. Available from health shops.

Ask at your local health shop or pharmacy for a

Peppermint Formula

containing ingredients such as peppermint, gentian, fennel or camomile, which can be taken after foods.

Slippery Elm Plus is a supplement containing slippery elm, marsh mallow and gamma oryzanol which all help to soothe the stomach lining.

BC

The mineral salt sodium phosphate helps to balance excess acidity. Take 100mg 3 times daily.

BLK

Helpful Hints

Chew all foods thoroughly and avoid drinking too much with meals, as this dilutes the stomach acid, which you need to digest your meal.

Eat little and often, avoiding large, heavy meals. The larger the meal, the greater the burden on your digestive system. Small meals are especially important if you are stressed, as stress increases stomach acid at inappropriate times.

Take time out to eat your meals calmly – do not eat on the run. Avoid large meals if you are feeling upset.

If you are prone to nervous conditions, join a yoga, meditation or T’ai chi class and learn to relax. Get plenty of exercise, but no strenuous exercise immediately after eating. Walking for 10–15 minutes after a meal greatly aids digestion.

Drink peppermint, fennel, camomile or green teas after a meal.

Food combining helps an acid stomach: this means separating proteins and starches to aid digestion. Basically if you are eating a protein such as meat or fish, eat this with salad or vegetables but not potatoes, pasta or bread; conversely, when you eat bread, pasta or potatoes, eat them with vegetables or salad, not protein. Read

The Complete Book of Food Combining

by Kathryn Marsden (Piatkus). Many people become reliant on antacids to control their symptoms, when making a few simple changes to the diet and eating pattern can produce very significant relief in most cases. Antacids can harm the body if used excessively and many contain aluminium, which has been implicated in Alzheimer’s disease.

ACNE (see also Liver Problems and Rosacea)

Many adolescents experience acne owing to the massive increase in hormone production, which often leads to overproduction of sebum, or naturally produced oils in the skin that cause blockages in the skin’s sebaceous glands. Teenagers are also notorious for eating a poor nutrient deficient diet – and taking too many fizzy drinks and too much alcohol – which will exacerbate this problem. Sugar and fat are the biggest offenders. For adults, acne often results from internal toxicity, which can be caused by many factors. Constipation, candida (a yeast fungal overgrowth; see Candida) or food intolerances can all trigger this problem. Pre-menstrual women can also experience acne. The key factor in controlling and preventing acne is to look after your liver and ensure that toxins can be eliminated. Once the system becomes overloaded it begins dumping toxins into the skin, hence constipation and poor skin often go hand in hand.

Foods to Avoid

Many teenagers ingest up to 60 tsp of sugar daily in refined snacks, cola-type drinks, croissants, cakes, sweets and so on. Therefore these types of foods have to be greatly reduced, if the acne is to be healed.

Most mass-produced, pre-packed meals, cakes, biscuits and pies, which are high in sugar, salt and saturated fats, which place a great strain on the liver.

Full-fat cheeses and dairy produce, fried foods and greasy burger-type foods.

Friendly Foods

Eat more beetroot, kale, celeriac and artichoke, which help to cleanse the liver.

Chickpeas, soya, black-eyed, haricot and cannellini beans as well as pulses help the body to excrete excess hormones.

Eat Japanese and Thai foods, such as miso and tempeh, which help to regulate hormones.

Include more fresh vegetables and fruits such as figs in your diet – this is especially true of teenagers who tend to eat a very poor diet. We can all do this for a certain time but symptoms will arise once the body becomes very toxic.

Drink 8 glasses of water daily.

Add a tablespoonful of linseeds and sunflower seeds to high-fibre, low-sugar breakfast cereal.

Snack on unsulphured dried apricots and dates as well as raw, unsalted nuts and seeds.

Raw wheat germ and avocados are rich in vitamin E, which nourishes the skin.

See also

General Health Hints

.

Useful Remedies

Zinc has been shown to be as successful as taking certain antibiotics for this condition – take 30mg of zinc up to 3 times daily until the condition improves. For every 15mg of zinc, you should also take 1mg of copper to maintain a healthy balance within the body.

Take a good quality B-complex vitamin plus a multi-vitamin and mineral daily.

With acne, hormones are often an important factor. Herbs that should help include blessed thistle, squaw vine, cramp bark, and raspberry leaf. These are available as a liquid or capsules.

SHS

To help support the liver, try a formula based on barberry, wild yam and dandelion. Take this for 3 months.

SHS

Saw palmetto, red clover, agnus castus, calendula, echinacea and dandelion formula is a very useful formula for balancing testosterone levels in women – take 15 drops twice daily in liquids.

OP

Vitamin A is essential for healthy skin; if you are not pregnant or planning a pregnancy take up to 30,000iu taken daily for up to two months and then reduce to 3000iu daily.

Natural source, full-spectrum vitamin E 200–400iu daily reduces the tendency to scarring and helps maintain healthy skin.

Essential fats are also important because saturated, trans and hydrogenated fats displace EFAs in the body – take 1g of Omega 3 fish oil daily.

Helpful Hints

The Sher System

is a skin regime especially formulated for problem skin. Contact The Sher System, 30 New Bond Street, London, W1S 2RN Tel: [phone]. Website:

www.sher.co.uk

Rosa Mosqueta

, a Latin American plant-based oil, can be used topically to heal scars, but don’t use on active acne. Use once the acne is no longer active.

OP

Taking liquid hyaluronic acid (a natural component of skin) daily in water helps to heal any scarring on the skin. For details call Modern Herbals on 01274 889047. Website:

www.modernherbals.com

Tea tree oil is highly antiseptic. Add a few drops to bath water or use cream, soap or lotion on the affected areas.

Kali Brom 6c is a homeopathic remedy that helps if the acne is on the face, chest and shoulders. Homeopathic Silica 6c is also useful twice daily. This may trigger symptoms to increase for a short time as toxins are released – but this will balance out after a couple of weeks.

Exercise encourages free flow of sebum and detoxification of the body through sweating.

Many readers have benefited from taking aloe vera juice internally and using the gel externally.

A thorough detox is useful for clearing acne (see

Liver

).

ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(see Hyperactivity)

ADRENAL EXHAUSTION (see ME and Stress)

AGEING

Today there are approximately 390 million people aged over 65 in the world – by 2030 over 20% of the world’s 6 billion people will be over 65. Governments worry about the health-cost burden of the so-called ‘pensioners’ and yet if you begin taking more responsibility for your health from today by eating sensibly, reducing stress and taking more exercise, then you could have the capability to live a healthy, productive life until at least 100. In fact, a woman born today has a 40% chance of living to 150. Keep in mind that 60 is the new 40!