Alison Odey

Rheumatoid arthritis is often referred to as an auto-immune disorder, in which the body’s immune system attacks itself, in this case attacking the synovial membranes that secrete lubricating fluids in the joint capsule. The result is that cartilage and tissues in and around the joint are destroyed.
The normal space between the joint becomes narrowed and the bones can fuse together. Severe stiffness and swelling result.

It is known to have both genetic and environmental influences that predispose patients to the condition. It is widely thought to have an infectious origin but as yet no one
agent has been identified.

The onset of the disease can be slow and insidious with gradual joint pain, stiffness and swelling in the peripheral joints. Often it is the proximal joints that swell but not the distal of the fingers and toes. However eventually the larger joints are also affected.

It can be very unpleasant and debilitating and is not the easiest of ailments to treat. However I have seen improvement in many patients using the following type of regime.

– Firstly, an effort needs to be made to improve the immune status of the body as a whole.

Many arthritic complaints are in actual fact the body’s reaction to a viral infection or reactivation. Viruses will stay in the body for many years if not for life. They will become active again at any time that the body becomes compromised through stress, illness or
malnutrition.

Malnutrition can simply mean that that the body has insufficient minerals to allow it to work optimally. Taking Colloidal minerals daily will prevent this. To help any ailment
heal you need to make sure that minerals are at the highest possible level, take at least 1tbsp daily. Stress and pain will always cause levels to drop, so the intake has to be kept high and constant.
See page on ‘Minerals- Facts’ and     ‘ Minerals- Why we need to Supplement’

Barley grass or Spirulina are also very good supplements and can be taken as well as Colloidal minerals if dietary intake of proteins is inadequate or weight loss is severe.

In some cases where the energy is very low and does not improve with basic
mineral supplementation it can be necessary to add a little extra Iodine. Often in this case energy is especially low in the later afternoon.
See page on ‘Hypothyroid’.

There is also much evidence to show the correlation between intestinal malfunction and arthritis. Many of the theories as to the pathogenisis of arthritis include specific bacterial infections and/or an altered intestinal bacterial flora.

Improving the diet as well as using products that can greatly improve the immune status of the bowel can make a huge difference to arthritic symptoms.
The use of herbals such as Artemisia can help greatly in this regard.

Often good results are obtained where a specific probiotic is alternated with another product that helps clear out the ‘bad’ bacteria in order for the ‘good’ to repopulate more effectively.
There are also now available very specific Probiotics that will greatly reduce the
incidence of allergic reactions and infection (bacterial or viral).
See page on Probiotics.

Some Colostrum products also can be excellent for improving the immune status of the bowel.

There are also many herbal products that can assist with other aspects of the immune function and some have been found to help even when the body is in an extremely debilitated state.  Bacopa is an example of this.

Other herbal products include those that incorporate Olive leaf, Andrographis, Echinacea, Astragalus, Phyllanthus, Reishi or Shitake mushroom or Propolis extracts. Many of these can be used in an on-going manner, others are better used as a course every few months.
It may be a good idea to Contact me if you are unsure what is best for you.

Anti-oxidants are useful in this respect too, and in addition wil help greatly in reducing inflammation.

– Secondly it is important to take food enzymes with each meal. These must be very high in protease in order to make sure that all proteins are fully digested. Partially digested proteins are known in some people to activate an immune response and may be responsible for precipitating arthritis promoting reactions.
Also once foods are again being fully digested, weight, if too low, usually starts to increase.
Also, as enzyme levels increase many so-called ‘allergies’ to foods that people find are aggravating their arthritis tend to disappear.
See page on ‘Enzymes – facts’.

However you always need to make sure that the diet is completely free of all added sugars and refined foods (which significantly promote inflammation and oxidative stress).

In some cases there will be true allergies to such things as tomatoes and their associated family of foods (potatoes, eggplant etc) and to additives such as Sulphites in foods.
Check all food labels.
See page on Sulphite allergy.

– Thirdly supplement with Vitamin B6 100mg daily and also with Vitamin
B12. B6 you will find reduces the tendency to aching muscles while B12
will greatly increase energy and reduce the deep ‘gnawing’ type of pain. If you
are taking Methyltrexate you will also need to supplement with Folic acid as
this drug is known to cause deficiencies.

These are all very basic recommendations that are needed to regain the body’s strength. However you need to do more than this often to get the pain factor under control.

Herbal treatments can work very well in situations of on going and severe inflammation.
I have found products containing Olive Leaf can reduce pain quite dramatically. it has the added advantage that it also improves the immune system.

Additionally Evening Primrose Oil used at a rate of 3000mg two to three times daily greatly helps ease inflammation and can be used as needed.

As well as these the use of Green Lipped Mussel works very well in the longer term and is particularly useful in helping to protect the joint capsule from further deterioration. Use
at a rate of 2-3 capsules daily.
Go to On-line shop for ‘Seatone’ or Organic Evening Primrose Oil.

Increasing fish oils in the diet also helps. Fish oils contain Omega- 3 and have been shown to reduce inflammatory symptoms and morning stiffness. They also contain Vitamin D which has been implicated in the aetiology of RA and other auto-immune diseases.

Flaxseed oil also comes into this category and as well as being mildly anti-inflammatory,
helps blood flow around the joints.

Another supplement that I have found works well in many cases is Quercetin, which is very strong anti-oxidant, anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory.

I have also had a lot of success using Magnets on any person with on-going pain. They work best if used close to site of the pain, as in a strap around a painful knee or a back belt to ease pain in the spine. Used around the lumbar area also greatly improves the strength in the legs.

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, usually caused by a viral infection.

It will be classified depending on the type of virus that is causing the
condition, with types A, B, C, non-A and non-B being the most common.

Hepatitis A is transmitted primarily through faecal contamination.
Hepatitis B and C through infected blood or blood products.

The virus causes the liver to become tender, enlarged and unable to function as it normally would, resulting in a build up of toxins,  as well as causing certain nutrients not to be
processed and stored as they should be.

Symptoms can range from mild flu like symptoms, to severe fever, jaundice, abdominal pain, weakness and fatigue, nausea, vomiting, muscular aches and joint pains.
The patient may have dark urine, light coloured stools and jaundice.
Blood tests will show liver enzymes to be elevated.

Most adults infected with Hepatitis B fully recover and develop life-long immunity. Between 2-10% of adults may become chronic carriers – which means they will be infective.
Infected children, especially babies are more likely to become chronic carriers. Chronic carriers are more likely to develop liver cirrhosis or liver cancer.

Hepatitis C can exist undetected in the body for long periods, at times 10 – 20 years. It is now understood to be a systemic disease that can affect many parts of the body, not  just the liver.
When detected it is often treated with Interferon (an immune booster) or Ribavirin
(an anti-viral medication), both can be expensive and can cause side effects.

Hepatitis is a disorder that can be greatly helped with the use of natural therapies.

Herbal, homeopathic and Homeobotanical modalities can all be successful in supporting the body and particularly the liver.
The main herb to use is St. Mary’s Thistle, or ‘silybum marianum’, which has long been used for liver complaints. It has the ability to inhibit factors that can cause liver damage as well as to stimulate protein synthesis so that damaged liver cells can be replaced by new ones.
It is often used in conjunction with Globe Artichoke and Dandelion root.

It is important that when using these herbs or at any stage when the liver is compromised to also stop ingesting anything that will add extra load to the detoxifying work that the liver is required to do.
So therefore eliminate all food chemicals, artificial flavours, colours, preservatives etc, also all extra sugars, fatty foods, coffee and alcohol.

High doses of Vitamin C have been known to be very useful in fighting viral hepatitis and also herbals that are specific in combating viruses.
These herbs would be those such as Phyllanthus, Astragalus, Olive leaf, Licorice, St
John’s Wort, Reishi mushroom and Rye grass extract.

Vitamin B12 and Folic acid can be very beneficial and it particularly important to keep mineral levels at an optimum.

It is also possible that high dose anti-oxidants may help prevent excessive free radical damage in the liver, and may be very useful.
Glutathione is the body’s main intracellular antioxidant. It greatly aids detoxification and boosts immune activity.
Go to On-line shop for Glutathione

It is important for someone who is has a chronic condition to be religious in their determination to maintain a strong immune system (not just when they feel unwell) as it is continual maintenance that will result in success.

The presence of helicobacterpylori in the stomach is unfortunately not an uncommon occurrence. It generally lives in the gastric mucosa and is now known to be responsible for most duodenal & peptic ulcers and for about 60% of stomach ulcers.

Because of the damage to the gastric mucosa other signs & symptoms of this infection include:
– general epigastric distress/discomfort
– symptoms of dyspepsia, reflux, burping, nausea
– a gnawing pain in the stomach.
– chronic gastritis.
– low stomach acids (hypochlorhydria)

Current medical treatment consists of a triple therapy consisting of a bismuth salt, metronidazole and tetracycline or similar antibiotic.

More natural recommendations can be:
To use at least two food enzyme tablets or capsules (not just chewable ones) with
each meal to improve stomach function and digestive abilities. HCL (the stomach
acid, hydrochloric acid) products aren’t necessary as long as the diet contains
a lot of raw foods and digestion is not being compromised.

HCL is produced by the healthy stomach lining and as the health of the stomach improves so will the level of HCL produced.
By all accounts do not take anti acids or other products that decrease HCL levels if at all possible. These may be necessary for a short time if pain is acute or until such time as an ulcer is healed and pain reduced.
See page on ‘Heartburn/reflux.’

Herbs such as Golden Seal, which is specific for mucous membrane infections
and is a wonderful antibiotic, can be very useful. A blend of Golden seal, Slippery Elm powder and Licorice can be effective even if not tops in the taste department.

Recent research has also shown both Thyme and Cinnamon extracts to be effective against Helicobacterpylori. I have also found Artemisia to be useful.
Using Garlic regularly can also help.

Slippery Elm powder can also be invaluable where there is pain caused by inflamed mucous linings but often pain will be caused simply by pressure/gas formation (a product of bad digestion) and will very quickly correct itself once enzymes are used.

A thyme mouth wash can also be beneficial as Helicobacter can be harboured in dental plaque.

If ulceration is already present then raw cabbage juice has been well documented as having very good success rates in healing peptic ulcers.
Cabbage juice has been reputed to help heal the stomach and to have antibiotic properties.

Up-dated April 2019

Original question: ‘How to treat Head lice and in particular how effective is Neem oil?’

A very relevant question, reoccurring every summer with the advent of the head lice ‘season’.

Neem oil is an ingredient in many naturally derived pesticides so I suspect that it could be reasonably effective.
However exactly how effective against a nasty little pest that is fast becoming extremely resistant to many other remedies I do not know.

Neem oil is made from the seeds of the Neem tree (azadirachta indica) a native of India. The oil has been traditionally used as an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, for skin
diseases and as an insect repellent.

The Internet contains many references to it being effective against lice with quite a number of ideas on how to get best results.
Some references are to mixing it ½ ounce of Neem oil to 8 ounces shampoo or to 10% Neem oil to 90% coconut oil.
Traditional use in India apparently was to use neat Neem oil applied directly to the
scalp. It would depend on how sensitive the scalp is.

All recommend leaving in the hair over night for best result although some
retailers of ‘lice’ shampoos maintain that the addition of other essential oils such as eucalyptus, rosemary, lavender, tea tree and citrus extracts speed up the killing process and long exposure is not necessary.

I’m not sure of the method by which it kills the lice, as some references say by starvation of the insect, others say by affecting the nervous system. However because of the resistance of lice to many known ‘remedies’ I would tend to think that leaving the oils on for the longer time would be likely to be the surest method.

Also many of these oils may kill the live insect quite efficiently but not the eggs, so a repeat application is always an advisable idea and where re-infestation is likely better still to use the oils at every shampoo.

Studies done on the use of ‘orthodox’ head lice treatments have shown that in many cases
the treatments were not being used in sufficient quantity when shampooing, up to 20ml per shampoo for short hair was recommended and up to 50ml for longer hair.
This is important in order not to promote further resistance to treatments.

I have also seen a study that indicated that one reason for the increase in head lice around the world could be due to the decline in the habit of hair brushing. Apparently vigorous brushing damages the lice, it dies, and helps break the reproduction cycle.

The maximum life of a louse is about 40 days. The females lay 7-10 eggs daily, touching or nearly touching the scalp, as this is the only place with the right temperature for hatching.

The louse feed up to 5 times daily and while feeding injects saliva containing anticoagulant which causes the hosts sensitivity and itchy head.

So out with the hair brushes and 100 strokes each morning like great grandmother did!

See page on ‘Allergic sinus’.

Halitosis is the term given to having continually bad breath.

If you suspect that this problem may be affecting you, the first thing to do is check that you don’t have a chronic low grade sinus or throat infection, if you haven’t already done so.
If you suspect that this may be the case then the use of a good herbal remedy containing herbs such as Propolis, Golden Seal, Horseradish, Marshmallow, Sage or Thyme will usually sort it out.
See page on ‘Throat Infections’

If you are a smoker, stop smoking!! Smokers always have bad breath!

Avoiding drinking too much coffee can also help. Coffee often causes unpleasant breath.

The other very common cause of bad breath in many people is poor digestion, which can also cause a very sour, unpleasant taste in the mouth, especially in the mornings.
Poor digestion can also be accompanied by gas in the digestive system, making its presence known often by causing burping after meals or an uncomfortable stomach at night, often in the early hours of the morning.

Inadequate digestion can be corrected in several ways. The most effective that is to take food enzymes capsule with each meal to ensure that the meal is fully digested.
See page on ‘ Enzymes – facts’.
This can be further improved by introducing a lot more raw, fresh foods into the diet, especially those that contain high enzyme levels such as kiwi fruit and papaw and pineapple.
To further improve the situation be sure to remove all refined, processed foods from the diet.

It would also be advisable to have a look at the way in which you combine your foods. Ideally fruit and raw veges should be kept separate from proteins as proteins require an acidic environment for digestion to take place and fruit and raw veges create a more alkaline environment in the stomach.
Try and keep salads separate from other meals or have them prior to the main meal.

If the bowel happens to be causing a problem as in motions may be irregular, sometimes sluggish, constipated but also at other times too loose, then you will need to address this also, possibly by adding psyllium powder to the diet to insure a better bowel motion.
See page on ‘Bowel – Improving Action’

If none of the above suggestions help adequately it may be a good idea to visit your dentist as poor oral hygeine can also be a problem.

See page on Alopecia

Haemorrhoids (also known as piles) very often occur much higher up the rectum than people realize.
What protrudes from the rectum and is visible and itchy is often only part of the problem, therefore to obtain effective relief the entire bowel needs to be addressed.

If there is bleeding occurring then the source of roughage in the diet needs to be very smooth – as in slippery elm powder or psyllium.
Do not eat anything that contains harsh roughage such as seeds, grains and rough skins etc, so as to avoid scratching and irritating delicate membranes. Continue to take slippery elm powder long term – at least one teaspoon daily as it is a wonderful nutritive demulcent and well suited to soothing sensitive or inflamed mucous membranes.

When using any sort of roughage it is important to make sure that sufficient water is retained in the bowel to enable the bowel content to move easily.

To make sure that this occurs, it is important to make sure that your intake of magnesium is sufficient, which often means supplementing, as in some parts of NZ magnesium levels can be very low.

However do not overdose on magnesium. To avoid this it is best once again to take Colloidal minerals as the magnesium content of these is well balanced with all
other minerals.
see pages on ‘Minerals – why we need to supplement’.

Also, make sure that your intake of oils is sufficient. This means essential fatty acids (olive, flaxseed, safflower, avocado etc), as oils also help maintain the water balance of the bowel.
Without these things the bowel motions will be very dry regardless of how much roughage you eat and this will just increase the likelihood of painful haemorrhoids.
See page on ‘ Bowel – Improving Action’

Traditionally the herb Witch-hazel has been used to shrink haemorrhoids externally. It can be diluted with water and dabbed onto the area several times daily.
The herb Horsechestnut can be used effectively to shrink haemorrhoids internally.
It will also help relieve varicose veins.

Haemochromatosis is a disease caused by excess iron in the body.
When iron accumulates in the body it becomes toxic and can damage the body’s organs. This is usually caused by a hereditary abnormality which causes increased iron to be absorbed from the intestine even when the body does not require it.

A secondary type of haemochromatosis can be caused by large numbers of abnormal red cells being destroyed and releasing their iron, but this is usually associated with disorders such as thalassaemia major and haemolytic anaemia.

Haemochromatosis is more likely to occur in men and at an earlier age, as women use up iron stores during menstruation and pregnancy.

In people suffering from haemochromatosis two iron proteins are found to accumulate in larger than normal amounts, haemosiderim and ferritin.
When excess haemosiderim is deposited in the liver it can cause liver damage, leading to
symptoms such as abdominal pain, jaundice, swollen liver and swollen ankles.

Excess iron can also cause diabetic like symptoms by the successful competition of iron with chromium, which damages the insulin producing cells. Often haemosiderin is deposited in the skin giving it a bronze discolouration.

This has led to haemochromatosis sometimes being called ‘bronze diabetes’. Other
complications can be heart disease and abnormal heart rhythms. Symptoms can be
tiredness, lethargy, shortness of breath and ankle swelling.
Joint pain and arthritic problems can also occur along with low libido.

Copper is also involved in haemochromatosis and can also be deposited in high amounts in the liver and other organs. One theory on the possible cause of haemochromotosis surmises that if the liver is not metabolising copper for some reason then iron builds up and the proteins transferring the iron throughout the body become saturated.

The usual orthodox treatment for haemochromatosis is the regular taking of blood, known as venesection. This effectively improves survival rates but does not alter the basis of the disease.
Symptoms of tiredness, weakness, abdominal pain, liver enlargement and heart function may improve but joint problems may not.
Also venesection needs to be undertaken regularly in order to keep symptoms under control.

However if basic recommendations are followed it is possible to lessen the number of venesections that are needed.

These recommendations would involve:
– reducing the dietary intake of iron (i.e. red meats, organ meats and dark green vegetables).
– avoiding all iron containing supplements, avoiding excessive intake of Vitamin C, as Vitamin C increases iron absorption.
– avoiding alcohol intake as this would make any liver problems worsen.
These suggestions are all fairly basic.

Other suggestions that have been known to help the condition are:

– Drinking black tea, as tea contains tannins that will slow down iron absorption. Green tea capsules have also been suggested, 4-10 daily as Green tea is also a wonderful anti-oxidant.
– Supplementing with Zinc, as Zinc also inhibits the uptake of iron (In one report, the dose used was 10mls daily of liquid Zinc) and the taking of a calcium supplement as this also inhibits iron uptake. Be careful, as an excess of these supplements can also inhibit the uptake of many other minerals which would then have to be replaced, for example chromium and Selenium.

***I have seen several instances of haemochromotosis improving with the supplementation of colloidal minerals. These do contain Iron but it is plant derived and present in very small amounts.  I can only presume that it is the prensence of all trace
elements that bring about the correct balance of Iron in the body.
See pages on ‘Minerals -facts’ and ‘Minerals – why we need to supplement’.

– Extra antioxidants are also needed to protect from the free radical damage that excess iron can cause, but the use of vitamin C can be controversial in this case.
Vitamin E may be a better choice as it has been shown to be decreased in haemochromatosis patients and can help combat liver damage.

– Glutathione has also been shown to be deficient and is a very good liver detoxifier. Other useful antioxidants would be grapeseed, ginkgo, garlic and lipoic acid.

– It would also be advisable to take a Liver tonic as this would help the mobilisation of zinc from the liver, help protect the liver from oxidative damage caused by iron accumulation and also help liver function. St Mary’s Thistle (silybum marianum) is a very potent liver tonic and recent research has also shown that it has the ability to bind strongly with ferric ion (Fe3) which may also help inhibit iron absorption.

Original question: ‘Can fish oils be taken at the same time as ‘Cartia’?

‘Cartia’ is an antiplatelet agent not an anticoagulant (Warfarin would come into this category).

However, my first thoughts would be; have you mentioned to your doctor that you are taking a Fish oil supplement as well as ‘Cartia’?

If not, then it is important to do so, so that bleeding time can be monitored to ensure that blood thinning effects are consistent and avoiding fluctuations in platelet aggregation that can lead to haemorrhagic stroke.

Bleeding time can usually be checked in the doctor’s office.
As it relates to anti-platelet agents such as fish oils, Vitamin E, Ginkgo Biloba and Garlic etc, a bleeding time of 4-5 minutes or less, could suggest that taking a higher dose of these supplements could be beneficial, whereas a bleeding time of over 9 minutes, especially in a person already taking an antiplatelet agent such as ‘Cartia’ might indicate that further supplement dose increases should be avoided or even reduced.

I am trying to point out here that many other ‘natural supplements’ are also antiplatelet agents and that many people in their enthusiasium to be ‘natural’ can in actual fact be over-dosing.

If you wished to stop or reduce your dose of ‘Cartia’ I would suggest discussing that with your GP as he/she is best placed to both check your bleed time and know what your past history and life risks are.

The dosage of fish oils required to alter a person’s bleeding time is a point of ongoing discussion and the problem people face is that there are no documented standards that deal with the ideal balance between natural antiplatelet agents such as fish oils, garlic, Vitamin E etc and the ideal dose of agents such as ‘Cartia’ or other anticoagulants such
as Warfarin (Coumadin).

Balance is the key, be watchful of any unwarranted bruising or small cuts and scratches that are slow to stop bleeding.

Fibromyalgia is a reasonably common syndrome of generalised musculoskeletal pain stiffness, chronic aching fatigue.

It is characterised by reproducible tenderness when applying pressure to specific areas of the body that can not be associated with physical trauma, thyroid, rheumatoid or connective tissue diseases.

It is similar to chronic fatigue syndrome in that both can often be associated with infection, severe shock or emotional stress.
Do not underestimate the possible presence of infection. This can be any where in the body and can affect the muscles and joints.

Other symptoms often associated with fibromyalgia are cold extremities, impaired memory frequent urination, depression, sleep disorders, balance problems, muscle twitching, dry mouth, sore throat and headaches.

Natural treatments that have been found to be useful are as  follows:
– Diet: it is extremely important to check the diet. The inclusion of excess sugars and foods such as tomatoes can actually cause a myriad of ‘fibromyalgic’ symptoms.
Be sure to first exclude all excess sugars, as well as wine, beer, tomatoes and in some cases the rest of the ‘solanum’ family of foods (potato, capsicum and egg plant).
Sulphite allergy (202 on food labels) can also cause ‘fibromyalgic’ symptoms.
See page on ‘Sulphite allergies’.

– Evening Primrose oil can work wonders. Taken in reasonably high doses, I usually recommend 3000mg taken twice daily. It can ease inflammatory symptoms, greatly reduce depression and improve energy.

– 5HTP supplementation can alleviate symptoms such as depression, anxiety, insomnia and somatic pains by improving the production of serotonin.
See page on ‘Antidepressants vs 5HTP’.

– Quercetin also is a great help where inflammation is present, usually at a dosage of 400-1000mg daily.

– Food enzymes and increased quantities of raw organic foods will ensure proper protein digestion and prevent tissue acidity.
See page on ‘ Enzymes – facts’.

– Slippery elm powder, acidophilus capsules and possibly other laxative herbs to promote bowel detoxification are useful.

– Minerals, especially Magnesium, Zinc and Iodine, preferably in naturally occurring forms such as Spirulina, Alfalfa, Barley Grass or Colloidal minerals will help relax and heal the body and increase energy levels.
See ‘Minerals – why we need to supplement’.

–  The green products (spirulina, barley grass etc.) also provide B vitamins but in the case of Fibromyalgia, generally better results are obtained by supplementing with tablets, in particular with at least 100mg of Vitamin B6 and 200mcg (or more) of Vitamin B12.

The B6 will help ease the aching of soft tissue while B12 greatly eases deeper nerve type pain and increases energy levels.
See page on ‘Vitamin B12’.

– Many people have found that Co-enzyme Q10 can help to increase energy levels. It needs to be taken in doses of 100mg or more to be useful.

– An Iodine supplement also often will greatly help to increase energy.

– Herbal therapy can often deal efficiently with immune problems. Use herbs such as: Echinacea, Withania, Astragalus, Hypericum, Garlic etc for depressed immune systems, particularly if a viral complaint is suspected. I have also found that rye grass extract works very well and definitely helps in situations where the immune system is compromised.

– The Ginseng family of herbs can help greatly to support the body while it recuporates & regains strength. I have often combined these with herbs such as Californian Poppy, Bacopa or Withania where I find a body stressed as well as excessively
tired.

– Lack of sleep is often a major problem. Try tart Cherry, Valerian, Passiflora, Chamomile, Wood Betony, Skullcap, Oats, and Hops etc for sleep disorders.
– Another remedy that is extremely useful for the sleep deprivation is Adenosine, taken at bed time and if necessary again at 2am!!
However do not take too much as Adenosine does increase the amount of REM sleep
that you get and it may feel like you have been dreaming excessively. Adenosine can work wonders in difficult situations as it calms the mind. It often works best when combined with Kavakava or Valerian which help relax the muscles.
See page on ‘Sleep problems’.

– Hypericum (St. John’s wort) can be wonderful if there are depressive symptoms.

– Ginkgo Biloba and Panax Ginseng can also be useful.

– Massage therapy performed by an Osteopath or other therapist who is familiar with the balance of the body can also be extremely beneficial.

Up-dated Jan 2017.

Original question: I have heard that by rubbing iodine onto my inner arm every day I can avoid the occurrence of cystic changes in my breasts. This interests me as I have suffered from lumpy, sore breasts on and off for years.
I have had a mammogram and there is apparently nothing sinister there and the changes are usually cyclic in nature. Is this snippet of information correct?

……Fibrocystic breast disease presents characteristically as a cyclic occurrence that can affect either breast with multiple cysts of varying sizes.

It is generally premenopausal, often associated with PMS, can be quite painful, but has no proven link to breast cancer. It is usually associated with hormonal imbalances which may be caused by, or aggravated by, stressful situations, poor bowel function, poor liver function, poor lymphatic function and as has been pointed out to you possibly by poor thyroid function.

Some research has shown that sub clinical hypothyroidism and/or iodine deficiency may be of significance in the development of fibrocystic disease. If this is the case in your situation then the daily use of a drop of iodine onto the arm or a daily kelp tablet may indeed help relieve the symptoms.

But you would be best advised to also look at bowel and liver function and also to check your diet for an excess of caffeine and sugars, as these are also are common culprits.

In the event of very painful inflamed cysts occurring cabbage poultices can prove to be very effective.
See page on ‘Cabbage Poultices’

Also increase Vitamin C levels at this time. Take at least 3-4000mg daily, or slowly increase to bowel tolerance and then gradually reduce the dose.
See also page on ‘ Breast tenderness’

Original question: ‘how to treat a heart fibrillation, when the person involved is already on orthodox medications’.

Heart fibrillation occurs when the normal heart beat becomes a rapid twitch due to electrical error. This can be due to electrolyte imbalances.

It is always difficult to answer a question such as this when a patient has been taking a prescribed medication for many years and are in a stable condition.

The original situation is now long past and a new one exists. Whatever you do, you need to be under a doctor’s supervision so you can be monitored.

However, lack of magnesium can well be a factor, as can deficiencies of potassium and calcium.
Magnesium helps maintain electrolyte balance, a deficiency of this mineral can be a factor when fibrillation occurs.

It is a good idea to ask for a blood test to determine if deficiencies exist.
Better still; have a hair analysis done, as this will more accurately show the body’s long term mineral balance, deficiencies, as well as mineral ratios. These could then be corrected where necessary.

Taurine supplementation can also often help correct abnormal heart beat.
Taurine is present in relatively high concentrations in the heart and modulates activity.

A taurine deficiency is now known to be one cause of cardiac arrhythmias. The theory behind this fact is that when glucose is introduced into a taurine deficient heart muscle, potassium and sodium leave the cell and the sodium/calcium ratio rises within the cell, which can cause an arrhythmia.
Supplementation reverses the calcium/potassium imbalance.

In cases where chemical sensitivity causes cardiac arrhythmia supplementation has
also been shown to help.
Taurine also inhibits epinephrine (stress related) induced cardiac arrhythmias.

Use Ask Alison if you are unsure what to do.

Dupuyren’s Contracture is a painless thickening and drawing together of the ‘palmar fascia’, (skin and tissues of the palm of the palm) which results in a gradual and permanent bending of the fingers.

In cases that have not been too far advanced the following treatments can be successful:

1.   Always check the cervical spine, especially C6 and C7, as in many cases pressure on the nerves in the lower part of the cervical spine will cause reflex pain and/or contracture in the hand.
Often this is preceded by shoulder immobility and the shoulder will need mobilising. An Osteopath or a good Masseuse should be able to do this.
If you live locally then make an Appointment.

2. Use deep massage and strong stretches on the palm of the hand on a daily basis. It is a good idea to get into the habit of doing this yourself while sitting reading or watching TV.

3.  Use castor oil while doing the massage and try applying a castor oil pack over successive nights as castor oil has the ability to greatly soften hardening tissues.
See page on ‘Castor oil packs’

4. Acupuncture or electro-acupressure can sometimes help.

5.   Take a daily Vitamin B complex tablet which contains 150 – 250 mg of vitamin B6 as deficiency of B6 is thought possibly to be implicated in this condition.

Diverticulitis (most commonly an inflammation of colonic diverticular) is a common health complaint, where gradual atrophy weakens peristalsis of the bowel, allowing small pockets to form (diverticuli).
They also form where there has been long term constipation.
Bacteria can collect in the diverticuli and cause pockets of painful inflammation which in turn can cause lower abdominal pain with diarrhoea or constipation.

To treat diverticulitis:

Keep the diet free of seeds, husks and harsh skins etc so that there is less likelihood of irritating inflamed tissues or of debris collecting in the diverticuli.

Keep sugars to a minimum so as to prevent bloating (which can occur if sugar levels are too high or bowel bacteria unbalanced) and help prevent making existing inflammation worse.

Take a small amount of slippery elm powder daily to keep the bowel moving easily.

Increase raw foods to improve enzyme action (or supplement with enzymes) so that your food is fully digested.
See page on ‘Enzymes – facts’.

Add extra cold compressed oils to the diet so that the bowel is not ‘dry’. This is important because if you use bran, slippery elm, psyllium or any other bulking food without allowing sufficient water to reach the bowel, it will become clogged with ‘dry’ fibre and not move easily.
This can cause cramping and also make existing divertivuli larger. If the bowel ‘cramps’ you will get a stitch-like feeling in the lower bowel which can be very severe.

A deficiency in magnesium levels can also cause the bowel to be ‘dry’ and make cramping more likely.
Excess gas may also cause this feeling.

If pain persists, take one tsp of Colostrum powder daily.
This may be mixed with yoghurt or water. Colostrum is excellent for improving the immune status of the bowel and in doing so can eliminate persistent inflammation and/or infection. It is a good idea to do this in any case regardless of pain thresholds.

Herbal remedies can be useful especially those that have an anti-inflammatory or astringent effect.

Garlic is a very good preventative of infection and can be added to the diet.

Often it is also a good idea to supplement with vitamin B12, as this is manufactured by the intestinal bacteria and easily become deficient if bowel flora is not adequate.
See page on ‘Vitamin B12’.

APPROPRIATE DIET – FOODS ALLOWED

Breads and Cereals – Porridge, Weetbix, Bran flakes, Wheat germ, fine ground Wholemeal flour, fine wholemeal bread.

Cakes and Biscuits – Plain sponge or crackers or plain biscuits. Shortbread, bran biscuits, bran muffins. Keep these to a minimum!

Desserts – Plain desserts such as cereals. Gelatine desserts, milk pudding with fruit, plain yoghurt and Junket.

Sweets – A little manuka honey

Fruit – Pureed fruit, melons, banana, grapes without skins or seeds, apples, pears or peaches, without skins orange or grape-fruit segments without pith or skin.

Vegetables – Soft root vegetables: carrots, parsnips, swede, potatoes, kumera, yams, pumpkin – all without skins, baby vegetables.

Potatoes, pasta, rice – Boiled, creamed, mashed or jacket potatoes (without the skins) macaroni, noodles, spaghetti, white rice.

Nuts – Smooth peanut butter, finely ground nuts as in tahini.

Soups – Those made with ‘allowed foods’ pureed vegetables, creamed soups, clear soups.

FOOD TO AVOID

Breads and Cereals – Bread such as Vogel’s or Molenberg which contains Whole
Grains & seeds. Kibbled wheat. Cereals which contain nuts, seeds.

Cakes and  Biscuits – Fruit cake, cakes or biscuits, biscuits containing dried fruit, coconut or nuts.

Desserts – Any containing seeds, pips or skins.

Sweets – Sweets containing nuts, raisins, coconut, jam with seeds.

Fruit – Fruits with seeds, pips or hard skins for example: tamarillos, berries, orange pith and membrane. Dried fruit – dates, figs currants.

Vegetables – Corn, baked beans, dried peas, seeds and tough skin of tomatoes.
Any coarse stalks, cabbage family, onion, cucumber, garlic, peas and broad beans.

Nuts – Crunchy peanut butter, nuts – whole or chopped.

Soups – Those containing onion or seeds, tough skins, coarse fibres or ‘non allowed list’.

This maybe just a snipet of what you need to know, so if you want to know more about this subject or have a personal question of your own, then please email me for a personal consultation, as all natural treatments are best if prescribed individually.
Cost and contact address are on the Contact page.
Alternatively, if possible. – make an appointment

Many people suffer from various digestive disorders however, how these come about is less talked about.

The gut is a huge organ and has many functions.
It is a sensory organ with an abundant nervous system.
It is also primary immune organ, a great source of microbial and environmental antigens.
When the gut becomes imbalanced (through the use of antibiotics, stress or an unhealthy diet) then the presence of such a large number of pathogenic microbial cells can generate all sorts of gut related problems.
It has been linked to almost every health condition, including allergies, skin conditions, reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, gluten related problems, diabetes, depression, autoimmunity, etc.

In keeping the bowel healthy the diet is obviously the main concern.
The diet ideally shouldn’t contain refined white flour, refined sugars, preservatives, colourings  etc. and should contain lots and lots of fruits, vegetables, RAW foods, sprouted seeds, and small amounts of protein (especially oily fish but not excessive red meats).

It is very important that the body can digest efficiently. It this is not the case then foods will not be broken down and processed sufficiently and poor health will result.
Poor digestion can come about by faulty eating habits, not taking time to eat and eating too quickly, stress, illness and age.

Digestion starts in the mouth, with the production while you are chewing of salivary amylase which breaks down starch. Therefore it is extremely important for good digestion to thoroughly chew your food.

The second stage of digestion is in the stomach where the cells of the stomach lining produce Hydrochloric acid which provide the right conditions for the enzyme pepsin to start the breakdown of proteins. The food in the stomach must also be adequately acidified prior to it moving on into the duodenum as with out this acidity the further output of enzymes from the pancreas will not occur.
This is why the use of anti-acid preparations can be detrimental to aiding good digestion as they prevent the adequate production of hydrochloric acid and in turn the adequate production of digestive enzymes.

As people age they also lose the ability to secrete sufficient acids and consequently can have poor digestion and poor absorption of nutrients.

Food enzymes can work wonders however for problems such as reflux and yes, also gluten often intolerances, especially when there is difficulty in eating sufficient raw foods as in often the case in colder weather.
The ones I use do not contain animal products or added HCL acid. They are very gentle on the stomach and can help to heal the stomach even when there has been use of LOSEC or similar medications.
See page on Enzymes – facts.

Once the food has passed into the duodenum the intestinal phase of digestion proceeds in which the acidity of the intestinal content triggers the release of two hormones called secretin and cholecystokinin, which in turn stimulate the pancreas to produce further digestive enzymes (proteases, amylases and lipases).

The final part of the digestive tract is the large intestine or the colon. The bacteria that live in the colon are of tremendous importance.
When these bacteria are living in the correct balance we have a healthy intestinal tract with efficient elimination of waste matter, good nutrient absorption, regular bowel motions of the correct consistancy with no gas and no discomfort!
Probiotics also have specific uses….. Such as specific strains of lactobacillus rhamnosus for eczema and allergies (if used in high doses) or specific strains of lactobacillus plantarum for inflammatory conditions. When any probiotic is used it needs to be of a strain that is resistant to degradation by acids and bile so it actually survives transit of the upper digestive tract.
See page on Probiotics.

The integrity of the bacteria in the bowel  is controlled by both the acidity of the mucosa, by the amount of fibre in the diet and the balance of the dietary intake.