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Most traditional healing systems acknowledge sickness can start long before it manifests in the body - and we are very lucky to have, on the site and on monday nights, Yvonne Ferrell who is one of the country's top healers. She also specialises in working with cancer patients, including children, and their families. She is my secret weapon for keeping well and if you want to make her yours, check out her zone on the site or contact her direct yvonne@whatreallyworks.co.uk Susan Clark susan@whatreallyworks.co.uk |
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There can hardly
be a person in the UK who's not been suffering from Seasonal Affective
Disorder (SAD) this past month. At the start of November, I bought
new garden furniture - which I've still not been able to sit on thanks
to the endless rain, rain and more rain.
This week, it took almost three hours to do a one hour journey into London thanks to the thick fog and the last thing I feel like doing right now is partying for Christmas.
If you feel the same, check out our advice for Seasonal
Affective Disorder on the site - and if Christmas is always a tough
time for you, take a look at my Christmas
survival kit which we've now posted on the homepage for easy access.
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Top Tips! |
Want
to have your Christmas cake and not pile on the pounds?
It sounds too good to be true, but it's not. Check out a new American supplement called Block & Bind. It contains phaseolamin - an extract of white kidney beans - which blocks the conversion of carbohydrates in food into the simple sugars that the body would otherwise turn into fat. It also contains shellfish fibre concentrates, which bind to fat in food to flush it straight out again.
*Block & Bind costs £19.95 for 60 capsules from Victoria Health (0800-413596). Take two, half an hour before the main meal of the day but don't use this supplement if you are diabetic or allergic to shellfish.
If the thought of the office Christmas party has you stocking up hangover pills, stop....
Use Kudzu root to curb those cravings and help you control your drinking. A native to China, where it is a weed that can grow as big as an adult human, the Kudzu root is rich in two isoflavones called daidzein and daidzen, both of which have been shown in animal studies to inhibit the desire for alcohol. And here's a snippet for those who like pub chat - researchers used hamsters in these trials since these are one of the few species, besides humans, who can become alcoholics!
*Mail order Kudzu from the Nutricentre (0800-587 2290) and take on the days you plan to party.
Q. I suffer from Urticaria which has been diagnosed and confirmed by my GP. It is brought on by cold weather or contact with cold water. Antihistamines control the symptoms, but as I would prefer not to take them - can you suggest any alternatives? - Tom
A. Urticaria is another name for hives, which are localised swellings that usually itch intensely and which are caused by an allergic reaction to something and the release of histamine within the skin. Hives can affect up to 20% of the population at some time in their lives, including children, and what you have to try and work out is what are you reacting to?
The place to start is your diet. Those foods which commonly trigger urticaria include milk, eggs, chicken, fruits, nuts and food additives so cut these out for at least two weeks. If you can face it, a strict elimination diet which only allows water, rice, lamb, pears and vegetables would also clear the condition if you can stick with it for a fortnight.
Vitamin C is a natural anti-histamine and is always more potent in the presence of one of the bioflavanoids such as quercetin or rosehip. You need to take 500mg of vitamin C three times a day and one capsule of rosehip (which provides additional vitamin C). Solgar's Rosehip supplement costs £6.99 for 100 tablets. For local stockists, call 01442-890355. If you plan to use quercetin, which is now widely on sale in good health stores, take a dosage that is the equivalent of 400mg five minutes before a meal.
Q. I'm 44. I've been hiding it for many years now but my life is
beset by grief and death. My mother, my sister, my father, my two
best friends and, recently, yet another friend. My grief was disguised
for many years behind chronic and emotional PMT symptoms which, through
counselling, I now have under control but I have never properly grieved.
But I feel, that in order to make headway, I need help with the root cause
of my grief.
Name and address supplied
A. Recognising you need this help is half the battle. I have one name for you and I promise you, she will help you to express that deeper grief in order to move on now. Her name is Yvonne Ferrell, she looks after the Mind, Body & Soul section of the site and can be contacted by email: yvonne@whatreallyworks.co.uk.
Q. I would like information on rheumatoid arthritis and
psoriasis, which a brother of mine suffers from really badly. He
has to continue working and so rest is not an option. Is there anything
that could help please?
- Name and address supplied
A. Arthritis is an umbrella term for some 200-or so different conditions. Lots of people take an extra strength cod liver oil - which can help counter the pain but one of the newer, more controversial remedies is CMO which stands for Cetyl Myristoleate.
This is, in effect, another fatty acid found in small quantities in foods such as nuts, vegetables, and butter. The reasons I say controversial is that while many claims are made for its health benefits, there are, to date, no double-blind clinical trials to prove those claims.
What was shown in lab tests was that Swiss albino mice, which are born with unusually high levels of CMO, not only never get arthritis but also seem to be positively protected from it when exposed to factors that would cause the condition in other breeds.
You can read the whole story of the discovery and subsequent application of CMO in an American book called Arthritis Beaten Today! by Dr. L. Sands published by Vectropy Publishing, £8.99 and available from the Nutricentre Bookshop on 0207-436 0422. Remember though, this book is positively pro-CMO and in response to scepticism that one supplement could cure so many ailments, the author simply responds by saying look how many different conditions pencillin can cure.
You will find more details of other natural treatments for arthritis, plus an investigation of the many claims for CMO in my book, What Really Works - The Insider's Guide to Natural Health. If you decide to go ahead and try this supplement, you can mail order Source Naturel's CM Complex from the Nutricentre (0800-587 2290)
To find remedies for helping to manage his psoriasis, direct your brother back to the site and do a search which will bring up all the information he needs. If he can also travel to London, he should definitely visit The Alternative Centre which specialises in helping treat people with both psoriasis and eczema. A pioneer in the field, the centre is run by two sisters, Sandra Gibbons and Jane Waters, who really know their stuff. For details, call 020-7381 2298
Q. Our granddaughter, aged 8 years, is severely autistic and on a very restricted diet. Because of the nature of autism she will only eat what she recognises - so her parents would like to find a multi-vitamin supplement, with iron, that she could take - preferably tasteless so it could be incorporated into her food as she cannot take pills. If you have any ideas we would appreciate your help. - Jane Woodhouse
A. Jane, I have devoted a whole chapter to autism and other behavioural problems in my book What Really Works for Kids - check the website for details. I know you are asking about a good multisupplement and iron but are you aware that zinc is probably a more important mineral with this condition and that essential fatty acids are going to do more good than a general multivitamin? I would get your grandchild to a natural therapist who specialises in autism. Contact NS3UK (www.ns3.co.uk) a nutritional body which takes a special interest in kids' health -Call 01344-360033.
I would also talk to Ainsworths - the homeopathic pharmacy in London which has pioneered the wide-spread and very successful use of an inexpensive homeopathic remedy for autism called secretin. Call 020-7935 5330 and ask to speak to owner/pharmacist Tony Pinkus.
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Say Again? |
In the Whats the Alternative column on 24th November there is mention
of a digestive remedy - Intestinal Digestive Support by Nutrition Now.
Can you provide details of where this product can be purchased?
Chris Leng
Hi Chris, you can get this particular American supplement from the UK distributor Victoria Health on 0800-413596
Companies who have been invited to take a commercial link to WRW can also submit news and research material to be considered for publication. WRW maintains independent editorial control over the contents of this newsletter, and the information that appears below has been selected by Susan Clark as being of special interest to subscribers.
To contact these companies, visit the whatreallyworks links page.
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Vitaflavan - Grapeseed |
* BioCare have recently updated a number of supplements with the addition of the grapeseed extract VitaflavanR. VitaflavanR was one of the first grapeseed extracts on the market and contains high levels of OPCs (oligomeric proanthocyanadins) - the anti-inflammatory agents first brought to our attention by Professor Jack Masquelier, a pioneer of research into the benefits of grapeseed.
BioCare has sourced a unique form of grapeseed that is produced without the chlorinated solvents required for the original Masquelier formulation. The only extracts used in the production of VitaflavanR are food grade solvents, so the process is kind on the environment too.
BioCare now incorporates VitaflavanR into a new Vitamin C supplement, Vit C Plex. People who have cold hands and feet, bleeding gums, and bruise easily, may benefit from this enhanced form of Vitamin C. For further information, telephone BioCare on 0121 433 3727.
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Help is at hand for Acne and Rosacea sufferers |
* Spots, acne, and rosacea are common skin complaints that affect one's self esteem. The Sher System has helped thousands who prefer a natural, holistic approach. For London-based Canadian-born Helen Sher, the solution lies with water therapy. The Sher System involves splashing the face with softened water, a routine that helps to detoxify, rehydrate and heal the skin safely, gently and effectively. The preparations work interactively and contain natural ingredients, such as lavender oil and vitamins. On The spot is a brilliant camphor-based lotion to zap spots.
The Sher System skin support formula was launched recently to help the skin from the inside. A mail order service and a teaching video are available for those who can not get to the Bond Street studio in person. For further information, telephone The Sher System on 020 74994022.
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Sleep naturally, and wake up feeling refreshed |
* At last, a solution for those of us who are tired of counting sheep but don't want to take strong, potentially addictive sleeping tablets that leave us feeling groggy the next day. All-natural Sedonium is a new licensed remedy from Lichtwer Pharma, containing the unique concentrate LI-156; an extract of the herb valerian which is clinically-proven to help you get a better night's sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
An estimated 20-40% of people in the UK suffer from disturbed sleep. Chemical sleeping tablets are the most widely-used sleep aids, but they carry dependency risks and can interfere with the natural sleep structure, causing an unpleasant 'morning-after' feeling. Sedonium is a very safe herbal remedy available from your pharmacist and recently approved by the UK's Medicines Control Agency (MCA) for licensing throughout Europe.
Sedonium is now on sale at the pharmacy counter in Boots stores and other independent pharmacies nationwide. It costs £5.99 for a pack of 30 tablets. Each tablet contains 300mg of standardised LI-156 valerian extract - take 1-2 tablets an hour before bedtime. For more information, call 01803 528668.
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Detox in a box! |
* Low energy, constipation, bloating, weight problems, and bad skin are all problems that can be caused by the build up of toxins in the body. Toxins are unavoidable - however healthy your lifestyle. With pollution in the air, chemicals in water and preservatives, additives and residues in food, these toxins can easily build up in the body until they over-burden the liver, digestive tract and kidneys. If the problem is not addressed, this can trigger health problems later on.
One way to lower this risk and unburden these organs is to incorporate a seasonal detox into your year. The Bioforce Detox Box is a simple-to-follow 10 day programme that uses herbs which work synergistically to stimulate the body's natural filtering and detoxifying functions.
The herbs are taken before and during breakfast and dinner and herbal tea is drunk twice daily, while following sensible healthy eating guidelines. The Detox Box contains full instructions including a guide to meals while using the Detox Box and a helpline number.
Bioforce's Detox Box costs £23.99 and is available from most health stores or visit the companies website on our Links page.
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* Disclaimer: The advice in this newsletter should not be taken as a substitute for medical advice or treatment, especially if you know you have a specific health complaint. Our advice is that you find a GP who is sympathetic to the usefulness of natural medicine.