Skin disorders are quite debilitating to many people because they often affect the face and hands and can be unsightly and very embarrassing. Probably the most common skin disorders are atopic eczema and eczema dermatitis. Eczema is inflammation of the skin which often occurs when there is an irritant. The sufferer is easily upset and of nervous temperament, and often has a dry, scaly skin. Eczema usually affects the knees, face, neck and elbows. It is a dull, red, scaly patch that can become extremely itchy. In most medical treatment steroid ointments are used which have short term effects and dramatic side effects. The naturophathic approach involves the patient avoiding allergens and controlling or avoiding stressful situations.
Contact eczema such as housewives’ eczema, where detergents cause a flare up on the hands, is the most common. Occupational eczema from contact with acids, alkalines, and allergens, is important to detect. If this is not the source then look at the diet. Vitamin A and zinc and the herbs sarsparilla, red clover, burdock, and dandelion can help neutralise the problems that are causing eczema. Evening primrose oil taken in large doses has proven effective in scientific studies when used for the treatment of many skin disorders. Ointments containing chickweed, pine coal tar, and juniper berry can also help reduce inflammation, stop itching, and speed up the healing process.
Sepplements
evening primrose oil 500 mg 2 capsules 3 times daily
multivitamin mineral
(sustained release) 1 tablet each morning
External treatment:
chick weed compound
Eczema balm
Dermatone
bio zinc 1 tablet morning and night
sarsparilla complex 1 table 3 times daily
cod liver oil 5 ml daily
*113\26\8*
Posted in
General health Tags:
General health
Some children appear to be overactive, running around the place much more than others of their age. Often parents ask, “Is hyperactivity a real thing?”
If your child is a lot more active than s/he should be and s/he suffers a lot of mood changes and is very hard to get along with there is a strong chance s/he is hyperactive.
This hyperactivity is diet-related. Certain foods need to be excluded from the diet. These include sugar and refined carbohydrates. Sugar is a known cause of hyperactivity.
However, often it is an allergy problem. We should look at food labels to see if they contain artificial colourings, flavourings and preservatives and remove them from the diet. This is really a case where fresh is best. You will still be able to give your child a treat by giving them something wholesome. They will get used to the change and they will be nowhere near as hyperactive as they were.
Salycilates (the main constituent of aspirin and found in many fruits) can be an allergen causing reactions. If your child is allergic and you suspect this is a cause then a cytotoxic blood test can confirm this. If the result is a problem then go on a low salycilate diet.
SUPPLEMENTS
children’s multivitamin formula
Nervaid formula
scullcap, passiflora, hops, valerian (in combination)
dose as for age formula — a child under age of 12
child’s age in years= % adult dose
age + 12
potassium phosphate 100 mg twice daily
magnesium phosphate 100 mg twice daily
*87\26\8*
Posted in
General health Tags:
General health
Quite often skin cracks around the heels, the hands or even the corners of the mouth.
The cracking around the mouth, which is the epithelium tissue of the mucous membranes, is often caused by a deficiency in vitamin A. Cod liver oil is a good source of natural vitamin A. It also contains essential fatty acids which make a difference in helping to heal the cracking tissues. Vitamin B can also help and it is a good idea to take a vitamin B complex daily.
Cracking in the heels and the hands is often associated with occupation, for example, washing or working with feet in water. Detergents dry the skin out resulting in cracking. A calendula cream on the hands and the feet can help. Calendula, used for hundreds of years, is a soothing healing herb which also has antiseptic properties.
Other important essential fatty acids are found in evening primrose oil. Evening primrose oil has been well researched and has shown to be of benefit in the treatment of many skin disorders. Start with 6 capsules per day for 3 weeks then reduce to 2 capsules per day.
The mineral silica, although the most abundant of all minerals, may be lacking in the diet. Signs of silica deficiencies are cracking heels and weak, soft nails.
SUPPLEMENTS
fish oil 1000 mg 1 capsule 3 times daily
evening primrose oil 1 capsule 3 times daily
silica compound 1 tablet morning and night
25 mg Silica
(celloid cell salt)
multivitamins and 1 tablet daily
minerals
calcium fluoride 6x 1 tablet daily
*61/26/8*
Posted in
General health Tags:
General health
Salt, as we all should know by now, can cause high blood pressure in some people. Salt, taken to excess, causes problems in the retention of fluid. This excess fluid is caused by the need to dissolve the excess sodium and hold it in solution. This causes an increase in the blood volume and a corresponding rise in blood pressure. This increase in blood pressure places a larger working load on the heart and circulatory system.
The average Australian-, according to the Australian Heart Foundation, only requires 200 mg of sodium per day to maintain a healthy working life. We do not need to add sodium chloride (salt) to our food as most tinned or packaged foods contain added salt. There are a number of good publications that list the salt contained in many foods and it would be a good idea to get a copy of the Nutritional Almanac.
The average Australian consumes between 1 and 3 teaspoons of table salt per day giving them an average of 400 mg of sodium and this level is far too high.
I recall the case of a woman patient who, although taking her doctor’s medication, still had problems in keeping her blood pressure under control. On analysing her diet we found that she had a salt intake of around 7000 mg per day. I placed her on a low salt diet in combination with a herbal preparation containing hawthorn and garlic. This medication reduced her blood pressure to 120/80 (normal). Soon after she was able to completely stop taking the prescribed drugs (this was done with her doctor’s permission).
Note if you have high blood pressure, you should see your general practitioner as soon as possible.
Evening primrose oil 2 capsules 3 times daily
Hawthorn 500 mg dried herb twice daily
Garlic 500 mg dried herb twice daily
lime flower 750 mg dried herb twice daily
vitamin E start with low dose and increase
to 500 IU daily.
*35\26\8*
Posted in
General health Tags:
General health
Overcooking
Lengthy cooking or re-heating of meat and vegetables can oxidise and destroy heat susceptible vitamins such as the B group, C, and E. Boiling vegetables leaches the water soluble vitamins B group and C as well as many minerals. Light steaming is preferable. Some vitamins, such as vitamin B6 can be destroyed by irradiation from microwaves. Food storage
Freezing food containing vitamin E can significantly reduce its levels once defrosted. Foods containing vitamin E exposed to heat and air can turn rancid. Many common sources of vitamin E. such as bread and oils are nowadays highly processed, so that the vitamin E content is significantly reduced or missing totally, which increases storage life but can lower nutrient levels. Vitamin E is an antioxidant which defensively inhibits oxidising damage to all tissues. Other vitamin losses from food preserving can include vitamin B and C.
Convenience foods
A diet overly dependent on highly refined carbohydrates, such as sugar, white flour and white rice, places greater demand on additional sources of B group vitamins to process these carbohydrates. An unbalanced diet contributes to such conditions as irritability, lethargy, and sleep disorders.
Antibiotics
Some antibiotics, although invaluable in fighting infection, also kill off friendly bacteria in the gut, which would normally be producing B group vitamins to be absorbed through the intestinal walls. Such deficiencies can result in a variety of nervous conditions, therefore it may be advisable to supplement with B group vitamins when on a lengthy course of broad spectrum antibiotics.
Food allergies
The omission of whole food groups from the diet, as in the case of individuals allergic to gluten or lactose, can mean the loss of significant dietary sources of nutrients such as thiamine, riboflavin or calcium.
*11\26\8*
Posted in
General health Tags:
General health