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Message
from the What Really Works Team |
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Diagnosis itself can be problematic since half of all sufferers have almost no symptoms while others must put up with a range of embarrassing, often seemingly unrelated problems, including unexplained weight gain, skin problems, excess facial hair and bloating. One
of the most common symptoms of PCOS, the tendency to put on weight,
is also
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While our friends may help and support us through problem areas of our lives, you can be sure that their goals and expectations are different to yours. What you really need is someone who you can talk to about your deepest fears and concerns without worrying how this could change their attitude towards you. This little known but potent secret weapon is the Life Coach. There
is a tendency to confuse coaching with therapy but it could not
be more different. You may indeed have a conversation with your
coach about something from your past that you feel either blocks
you or drives you on, or the internal dialogue that tells you you're
not good enough, but he or she is not going to spend your precious Life coaching is of particular value to men, who are often much less likely to discuss their hopes, dreams, and fear of failure with their friends and colleagues. A Life Coach is able to get you back on track when you feel like giving up, and is there to help you set and meet the goals - financial and personal - that will make you a success in your own eyes. To find out more about getting or becoming a Life Coach, check out Susan's article, Life Coaching 
Q. I have been suffering from several
symptoms of the perimenopause. My GP has given me a factsheet of
alternative therapies. One is Red Clover. I would like to give this
a try, but I am unsure what dosage I should take. I would greatly
appreciate it if you could help. A. Most females aged 35 and over will have experienced some of the symptoms of perimenopause - even if they have never heard the name. In fact, sudden weight gain, erratic periods, mood swings, hot flushes and insomnia are all signs of the hormonal changes that can start some 15 years before menopause. Red Clover is definitely a herb
that you should be considering when dealing with The other remedy to consider is Woman Essence; one of the powerful Australian Bush Essence combinations which comes in tincture form. It includes She Oak which works to help regulate the ovaries and Mulla Mulla which can control hot flushes. As with all flower remedies, these essences address the underlying emotional and psychological changes that will accompany rites of passage such as perimenopause or menopause. Taken together, these two remedies will support the body through both perimenopause and menopause, so can also be described as an alternative to HRT. *Meno-herb costs £17.95 for 90 tablets is only available from Victoria Health on 0800-413596. Take two tablets a day for maintenance but when symptoms are acute, increase this dosage to 3 x 2 tablets a day. Woman essence costs £7.95 for 250ml and is available from Ancient Roots (0208-421 9877).
A. Multiple Sclerosis is a degenerative disease which affects the central nervous system. The myelin sheaths, which cover and protect the nerve fibres, become damaged causing a range of symptoms including paralysis and tremors. There are around 80,000 sufferers in the UK - and of these, it is suggested that 40% may benefit from supplements of Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA) or from eating more foods that are rich in Omega-6 fatty acids since this is the only nutrient that can convert itself into GLA in the body. For this to happen, your husband needs adequate levels of an enzyme called delta-6-desaturase (D6D) - without which, the Omega-6 will not convert to GLA. Levels of this enzyme decrease as you age but are also lowered when you consume a lot of sugar, margarine and alcohol. In supplement form, GLA doses of between 500 and 1,000mg per day have been reported to help slow the progress of MS. Many people with MS also report significant improvement once they start drinking Kombucha tea. This is, in fact, not a tea at all but a large, flat mushroom-shaped fungus. For more information on Kombucha tea and details of The Kombucha Tea Network check out our factsheet, Kombucha tea. There are also some excellent internet resources - including the Canadian site, www.mssociety.ca which lists all research and medical updates in the field and www.southcookms.org which also provides support to friends of people with MS such as yourself.
A. How many of the parents sending their children to school with this drug to try and control ADHD (or attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder) know that Ritalin - or methylphenidate - has almost the exact same chemical properties and toxicology as cocaine? And how many also know that scientists have now linked this and related conditions, including attention deficit disorder (ADD) and dyspraxia or clumsiness to the use of antibiotics in the first six months of life? Ritalin is now the No. 1 drug given to children.
Usage has increased 600-fold since the start of the 1990s yet according
to cutting edge research, for some parents, the solution could be
as simple as eliminating salicylate-rich foods such as apples, oranges
and tomatoes which can exacerbate the problem and supplementing
the diet with a high dose (1g a day) of essential fatty
acids in either fish or flaxseed
oils has been shown to help. Try Omega Nutrition's Essential
Balance Junior (mail order from the NutriCentre
on 020 7436 5122). Calm and Calmer combines stress-busting Rhodiola with calming Theonine and Relora. Rhodiola improves the body's resistance to stress and Relora is an extract from the magnolia plant that, in clinical trials, reduced levels of cortisol in stressed-out volunteers by 37% in just two weeks. Manufactured by Lifetime, this is only available in the UK from Victoria Health (0800-413596). To work out the correct dosage for your child, go to our Parent's & Kids Zone and read two essential articles for all parents - 'Supplements: A Vitamin-A-Day?' and 'Supplement Dosages for Kids'. The Australian Bush Flower remedy, Cognis, was developed to help kids overcome these very problems. Combine this with Nutrition Now's Rhino Actalin; a nutritional supplement which combines both brain-supporting and nerve-calming nutrients. The idea is to use both these remedies every day. You can order Cognis from Ancient Roots on 0208-421 9877. Rhino Actalin costs £14.95 for 60 chewable tablets and is only available in the UK from Victoria Health (as before) on 0800-413 596.
* 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. |
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the most important symptom to manage. When your weight increases,
the amount of sex hormone binding globulin, which is made by the
liver, decreases. With PCOS, the ovaries are covered with a string
of tiny, fluid-filled cysts which make the excess testosterone.
This hormone is usually carried in the bloodstream by a substance
called sex hormone-binding globulin. Without it, there are runaway
or "free" testosterone molecules which then bind in the
wrong places, including under the skin where they cause acne and
excess facial hair. This why reducing your weight is so crucial.
To find out more about testing for PCOS, take a look at Susan's
article - 
telephone hour analysing you.
perimenopause
symptoms. However, it is even more beneficial when combined with
other herbs used to control symptoms of perimenopause and the menopause
which will follow. Meno-Herb is a herbal combination
of natural plant oestrogens from red clover, dong
quai and black cohosh, plus wild
yam, raspberry leaf, squaw vine
and nettles - in short, every herb
you would have on your wishlist. 
*Flower
remedies will not interfere with existing medication but seek qualified
medical advice before using other supplements if your child is already
taking prescription drugs. Health professionals and parents looking
for more details should contact NS3UK on 01344-360033;
a nutrition organisation with a special interest in topical child
health which also trains practitioners.