5 natural cures for eczema

There are all sorts of eczema treatments, some people are told simply not to scratch and many have been given steroid creams. But have you found that after you finish the course of medication, it just keeps coming back? Rather than dampen the symptoms, this article discusses 5 simple steps you can take to get to the root of the problem and beat eczema forever.

I've had eczema since I was a child and have tried everything including homeopathy and herbal medicine as well as more conventional treatments. I was told that I would probably grow out of it but unfortunately I was still itching into my 20s. None of the treatments I was given worked, they either gave temporary relief or made it worse. After years of trying, I decided to take a little look at what was in the emollient given to me by my doctor and I found some surprising results. It mostly consisted of parabens (which can be an irritant in some people) but the worst ingredient was sodium laurel sulphate (SLS), an ester of sulphuric acid that dries up the natural oils on your skin and can cause skin corrosion and severe irritation. The thing they were prescribing me was creating the problem and it is in most soaps and moisturisers. Crazy right? So why do cosmetic companies use it? Well, It started off as an efficient detergent for garage floors and it's incredibly cheap. It does so much more but one of its finest qualities is mimicking oestrogen (EEK!).

This article will discuss tackling the causes of eczema as well as how to treat it.

1. Change your shampoo and soaps: Look at the ingredients labels.

Get rid of anything that has SLS in it, you are not a garage floor! This means you need to look at your shampoos, conditioners, hand soaps, shower gels, moisturisers. Anything and everything that comes into contact with your skin should come under scrutiny. My motto is, "Don't put anything on your skin that you wouldn't put in your mouth." Try to avoid parabens and other synthetic substances that could be irritants as well, the Ecologist have a great list of beauty baddies on their website.

Go for the products that pride themselves on being organic but keep looking at the ingredients labels as they are not always 100% natural. The rule to go by is if you don't recognise what's in it, don't buy it. A personal favourite of mine is a company called Raw Gaia, the world's first range of living organic skin care products and raw organic beauty products. When you use their delicious smelling creams it really feels like you are nourishing your skin.

2. Moisturise naturally as much as possible: Aloe vera, cocoa butter, almond oil benefits.

This is the piece of advice I really agree with the doctors on. Every time you think of it, like right now, get the moisturiser out. Eczema is usually caused by dry skin (but you should check with your doctor in case it is an infection) so it makes sense to give it tonnes of moisture but just make sure it's the right kind. I find that using 100% pure products was the only thing that didn't irritate or block my pores.

Cocoa butter is great for your skin because Vitamins E among others is naturally found within it. If it is cold pressed, the vitamins will be more prevalent. It also makes your skin beautifully soft and smells like a dream! It's best to buy it in its most pure form as this guarantees there will be no parabens mixed in but it's also so much cheaper than shop bought brands. It keeps forever so there is never any need to put artifical preservatives in it anyway.

Sweet almond carrier oil is also vitamin rich. It contains the plant-derived compounds ursolic acid and oleic acid which are known to have anti-inflammatory and skin barrier repair effects. Try massaging it all over your body an hour before having a bath to prevent dryness.

Aloe vera is used for treating burns and has even shown to be effective at healing wounds. It has been amazing at treating my eczema with overnight results but when I told a friend this she said it always gave her a rash. It turned out she had been using a cream with all sorts of other ingredients in it because harvested aloe juice needs preservatives. The best way to get around this is to just buy a plant from your local garden centre and cut off a leaf and keep it in your fridge to use as and when you need it. This is a really cheap way of moisturising but it also means you can get the full benefits of the aloe plant by drinking it as a juice too.

3. Dietary supplements that might help eczema.

You should be able to get all the vitamins and minerals you need from a balanced diet but it's sometimes useful to have an extra boost. It is always best to consult a nutritionist before taking supplements. In some cases, eczema can be caused by a fatty acid deficiency. Fatty acids can reduce inflammation and relieve dryness, and can also help to heal eczema therefore, it is worth taking a fatty acid supplement that contains Omega 3, 6 and 9.  Antioxidant vitamins C, E and D might also be good for treating eczema. This is because antioxidants can improve the skin's texture, collagen production, protect from free radicals and help with essential fatty acid metabolism.

4. Look at what you eat to beat eczema: Cows milk alternatives.

Cows milk is the most common dietary trigger for eczema. Drinking cows milk may not be the thing causing your eczema but it is worth cutting it out for a couple of weeks just to see if it makes a difference to you. When you cut out a certain type of food it is important that you replace it with something. In terms of alternatives to cows milk, it really depends on your preference, almond and hazelnut milks are my favourites but others in my family love oat and rice milk. Goats, sheep and buffalo milk are delicious creamy alternatives and also create amazing cheeses but if you are particularly sensitive, after the two weeks, it might be worth cutting these out too.

It is also possible that you could be sensitive to other foods like soya, gluten, citrus fruits or nuts so if you've tried all of the steps and they still aren't working it might be good to consult a dietician or allergy specialist.

5. Change your washing detergent and wear natural fibres.

It sounds so simple but we often forget that clothes are the things that come into contact with our skin the most. I often found that my eczema got a lot worse as I started wearing more clothes when the cold weather set in. If you think about it, even though most of the detergent gets washed out every time you wash your clothes, they always come out the machine with a fresh clean smell so it must be leaving some sort of residue. There have been many eczema arguments against biological washing powder because the enzymes used to eat the dirt could also eat your skin but nothing has been proved. I would just say that natural is best because even after I got rid of the biological washing powder, there were still some that chafed no end! My favourite is the simply pure range because it doesn't use harmful substances (to you or the fishes in the sea) and it leaves your clothes smelling delightful, it is also recommended by the national eczema society.

In terms of wearing more natural fibres, rather than getting a whole new wardrobe just change what you buy in future. It's a case of exchanging scratchy fibres for softer ones like bamboo, cotton or silk (look out for top quality pieces second hand at jumble sales or charity shops). If you decide to start buying organic fibres, it benefits not just your skin but the environment and the farmers too.

http://www.permaculture.co.uk/readers-solutions/5-natural-cures-eczema

7 supplements women over 40 should take

 

It’s common for some women over 40 to experience a sputtering sex drive, sluggish metabolism, lethargic energy levels, fluctuating moods and other cruel machinations of the aging process.

But life after 40 doesn’t have to be left to Mother Nature’s fate. Consider getting plenty of exercise, modifying your diet and taking these seven best supplements for women over 40:

1. Strontium: Women over 40 with a family history that includes osteoporosis, or risk factors associated with bone loss should take 340 mg a day of this mineral, says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, medical director of the national Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centres. “Strontium has been shown to be almost twice as effective as osteoporosis medications in improving bone density — without the side effects,” Teitelbaum says. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that postmenopausal women who supplemented with strontium increased bone mineral density of the lumbar spine by nearly 15 percent over a three-year period.

2. Ribose: Another "under-the-radar" nutrient, largely ignored in the $25 billion supplement market, ribose can help increase energy by an average of approximately 60 percent after three weeks, according to Teitelbaum, who co-wrote a small study, published in the Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine, which concluded that two-thirds of the subjects who supplemented with ribose experienced more restful sleep and energy, mental clarity, and less pain. Another small study on ribose (in the European Journal of Heart Failure) concluded that this simple sugar helps diastolic blood pressure in congestive heart failure patients.

3. Vitamin D3: The benefits of vitamin D3 (read: Benefits of Vitamin D) are numerous, and so many people are deficient nationwide even in the sunshine states, says Dr. Keith Wharton, medical director of BodyLogicMD of Pittsburgh. “Research has shown that adequate levels of vitamin D3 can help maintain a healthy weight, reduce risk of osteoporosis and even ward off depression,” says Wharton, who adds that deficiency in vitamin D can also lead to pain in various areas of the body. Supplementing with vitamin D3, in addition to receiving adequate amounts of sunlight, may also help elevate mood, according to several studies (such as this review of different studies on the link between low serum levels of vitamin D and seasonal affective disorder, also called SAD).

4. Folate: One of the B vitamins, folate may also help prevent or improve episodes of depression, according to an editorial in the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience. The same paper concludes that birth defects, more prevalent for post-40 expectant mothers, may be prevented with adequate folate levels. And folate, according to Wharton, is also vital to long-term brain health, along with fish oils. “Sufficient levels of both fish oils and folate have been linked to a reduced risk of cognitive decline associated with aging, including dementia and Alzheimer’s,” Wharton says.

5. Calcium: When taken in conjunction with adequate levels of vitamin D, calcium absorption is maximized. Just be careful not to take your calcium supplements with iron or caffeine. Both bind calcium in the gut and impede absorption. Leafy-green vegetables are also an excellent source of calcium.

6. Hydrochloric acid: While the name might conjure an image of a chemical weapon used by an evil dictator, hydrochloric acid (aka HCL or betaine hydrochloride) is the main digestive juice in the stomach, along with pepsin. Levels of HCL taper off after age 40, so women who experience bloating or indigestion may want to supplement with HCL. Can maintaining adequate levels of HCL also help with healthy-looking skin? A medical study published way back in 1945, in the Southern Medical Journal, suggested that lack of HCL can lead to poor absorption of B vitamins, and consequently, acne and eczema and other skin disorders can develop. “In skin diseases associated with B complex deficiency, there is also a deficiency of hydrochloric acid,” reads the study’s conclusion.

7. Probiotics: The Postgraduate Medical Journal (PMJ) states that about 1 billion women every year suffer from non-sexually transmitted urogenital infections, such as urinary tract infections (UTIs). Many people are aware that probiotics are good for restoring the healthy bacteria in our digestive tracts, but can probiotics also help prevent UTIs? The PMJ reports that excessive use of antibiotics is one reason for the uptick in infections, and observations from a 1973 study concluded that women with no presence of a UTI had healthy levels of one strain of probiotics: lactobacilli. 

Will yogurt alone do the trick in preventing vaginal infections? Probably not, says the PMJ. “For many years, physicians have advised patients on antibiotic treatment to take yogurt as a means to prevent yeast vaginitis. However, unless the product is supplemented with [a starter culture and] antifungal lactobacilli … no infection reduction is likely.”

http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/7-supplements-women-over-40-should-take

HIGH-SALT DIETS RAISE FRACTURE RISKS IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

SAN FRANCISCO—A diet high in salt raises a woman's risk of breaking bones after menopause, despite her bone density, according to new research presented at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting on June 15, 2013.

The Japanese study found older women who consumed large amounts of sodium had more than four times the risk of non-vertebral fracture (a fracture occurring anywhere except the spine).

“Excessive sodium intake appears to be a risk factor for bone fragility," said the study’s lead author, Kiyoko Nawata, Ph.D. "It is therefore important to consider excessive sodium intake in dietary therapy for osteoporosis."

Other studies have found a non-vertebral fracture, especially of the hip, can cause disability and even death. Research also links excess sodium intake and increased bone breakdown, as well as decreased bone mineral density.

The food industry has made significant strides to reduce sodium content in pre-packaged or restaurant foods in an effort to help Americans eat healthier. In fact, in February 2013, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced 21 companies met one or more of their voluntary commitments to reduce sodium content in pre-packaged or restaurant foods. Researchers have estimated that reducing daily sodium intake by 1,200 milligrams can prevent up to 92,000 deaths and save up to $24 billion in health care costs each year. Nearly 80% of salt in the U.S. diet comes from packaged or restaurant foods, not table salt or home cooking, making it challenging for any individual to monitor sodium intake, and choose to decrease sodium intake. Approximately, 90% of Americans consume too much sodium, much of which comes from foods that do not always taste salty, such as bread, cold-cuts, cookies or tomato sauce.

Nawata and her colleagues studied 213 postmenopausal women with an average age of 63, who had underdone osteoporosis screening. The screening included bone density scanning, a food questionnaire and blood work. In addition, a physician examined any existing non-vertebral fractures. The women also had motor function tests of their balance, to determine their fall risk, and a test of handgrip strength (low grip strength is a risk factor for osteoporosis-related fractures).

The women's average daily sodium intake was 5,211 milligrams (mg), the authors reported. However, one group consumed an average of 7,561 mg per day, putting them at 4.1 times the risk of a non-vertebral fracture.

The groups with lower sodium intakes did not have an increased risk of fractures, according to researchers.

The Japanese consume more sodium on average than Americans—3,972 mg versus about 3,400 mg/d. Americans, however, consume far more sodium than the daily recommended intake of 2,300 mg, which equals less than 1 teaspoon of table salt.

http://www.foodproductdesign.com/news/2013/06/high-salt-diets-raise-fracture-risks-in-postmenop.aspx

Focus on… Diet, nutrition and the menopause

The menopause

The menopause is caused by a fall in the amount of the hormone oestrogen produced by the ovaries. Menopause is a time of transition, the end of the fertile years and an individual experience for every woman. The decline or absence of oestrogen can mean changes to energy levels, memory, bone health, hormones, urinary and heart health.

Good nutrition and small lifestyle changes can help to maintain a healthy menopause. Exercising and eating right can make a real difference to how you feel – and can help to maintain health during and after the menopause.

HRT is commonly used to combat menopausal problems but can be unsuitable for some women for medical or personal reasons, and is generally not recommended for long-term use.

Research is beginning to focus on the effects of optimal nutrition on the health and wellbeing of women around the time of the menopause. It is increasingly being found that good nutrition and optimising the intake of specific nutrients, together with small lifestyle changes can offer significant help in maintaining a healthy menopause and make a real difference to how women feel.

The best diet possible is recommended to meet the demands made on the body by the menopause. Some women may also find it useful to safeguard their diet, through supplementation of essential nutrients at a sensible level. Women from the eastern and western worlds often have very different experiences of the menopause and it is thought that differences in dietary characteristics may account for this.

As there are many different supplements on the market, it is important to choose an appropriate, balanced level supplement that can be taken safely with or without HRT, such as Vitabiotics Menopace®.

Establish healthy eating habits:

Around the time of the menopause your oestrogen hormone is diminishing. To help your body adapt, you should ensure that you are getting enough of the right foods to provide specific nutrients to keep you healthy during the menopause and beyond.

A healthy, nutritious diet will help support a healthy menopause and general health during this time.

More about nutrients and the menopause

Hormone Balance

Phytoestrogens such as soy Isoflavones found in soya beans, tofu, soya milk, soya flour and other soya based products are associated with a wide range of positive health benefits. Soy's two prominent isoflavones are genistein and daidzein. Once in the digestive tract, isoflavones are converted to the phytoestrogen composition by bacteria. While weaker than the body's oestrogen, these 'phytoestrogens' may help to maintain health at menopause.

Soy's beneficial effects through diet were originally highlighted by studies showing substantial differences between high intake (asian) versus low intake (western) of dietary soy. Studies show that soy proteins may help support healthy High density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, having a positive influence on heart health. New research demonstrates that soy isoflavones also act as antioxidants – helping to inhibit the production of free radicals, which are associated with ageing.

Gamma Linolenic Acid (G.L.A) is an essential fatty acid found primarily in vegetable oils in the diet such as evening primrose oil, blackcurrant seed oil, borage oil and hemp seed oil. G.L.A is the precursor for the production of the protective and calming prostaglandin PGE1 which helps regulate hormonal balance and support menopausal health. GLA Synthesis – two minerals, zinc and magnesium, and three vitamins, namely vitamin C, vitamin B6 and niacin for prostaglandin systhesis, and are essential for the natural synthesis of G.L.A. from Linolenic Acid and its conversion to prostaglandins.

Diet and bone health

As oestrogen levels diminish in the female body during the menopause, bone density may lessen and can contribute to osteoporosis (brittle bones). Increasing calcium intake ( in milk, yoghurt, cheese, sardines or small fish with bones, vegetable such as; broccoli, as well as nuts and seeds) may help support a healthy bone density. To ensure that the calcium is fully absorbed and deposited in the bones, it should be combined with foods rich in phosphorus such as (peanuts, meat, cheese, onions, garlic) and combined with vitamin D (in oily fish, lentils, eggs and brown rice).

Enzymes are biomolecules that catalyse, in other words, increase the rates of chemical reactions in the body. They are important because they help with many essential chemical processes within the body. Over 300 enzymes require the presence of magnesium for their catalytic action, including all enzymes utilizing or synthesizing ATP (energy in cells). Adult human bodies contain about 24 grams of magnesium, with 60% in the skeleton. Magnesium appears to facilitate calcium absorption and is found in fish like halibut, nuts, cereals, grains, seeds and vegetables (especially green leafy ones).

Avoid drinking tea and fizzy, carbonated drinks with meals and steer clear of high protein slimming diets which can all interfere with calcium absorption.

Vitamin D helps calcium absorption which is vital for strong bones and also helps maintain a positive calcium balance in women through all stages of menopause. Several other nutrients, including vitamin C, zinc manganese and omega-3 are related to bone health in women.

Maintaining a strong Immune System during the menopause

There is much more to a healthy immune system than just Vitamin C. Zinc, iron, copper and vitamins C, E and B-complex can all help to maintain a healthy immune system. Selenium and vitamins A, C and E act through their antioxidant action, while zinc, magnesium and copper act as co-factors in antioxidant enzymes.

Immune system nutrients found in certain foods

Zinc: shellfish, liver, oxtail and corned beef, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, nuts, wholegrains and cheese.

Iron: heme-Iron from; meat and fish sources – beef, pork, lamb, eggs and seafood, (pick red meats that are lean). Non-heme iron from: green leafy vegetables, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, collard greens, mustard greens, kale, parsley, cabbage, dried beans and certain fortified foods – cereals, oatmeal. Dried fruits – apricots, raisins, dates – prunes, figs.

Copper: liver, sesame seeds, raw cashews, soybeans, barley, raw sunflower seeds.

Selenium: brazil nuts, wheat germ, kidney and liver, oily fish including tuna, sunflower seeds, lentils, cashew nuts).

Antioxidants

Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen and a biological system's ability to detoxify or easily repair the resulting damage, i.e. in tissues. Free radicals can be created and cause damage to the cell, including proteins, lipids, and DNA.

Free Radicals are an important factor in the ageing process and are constantly formed in most cells and tissues. They are typically scavenged by antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, and E; these antioxidants may help support the body from free radical damage.

Vitamin E is thought to help maintain the heat regulation capacity of the body and reduce the breakdown of the body's progesterone, hence it may help to maintain a healthy body temperature as well as have benefits to the cardiovascular system.

Antioxidant vitamins found in certain foods

Vitamin A: liver (beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fish), carrots, broccoli – especially in the leaves, sweet potatoes, kale, butter ,spinach and leafy vegetables and pumpkin.

Vitamin C: colourful fruit and vegetables such as – rose hips, oranges, kiwi, lemon, berries --like blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, peppers, sprouts, kale and spring greens.

Vitamin E: avocado, nuts such as almonds or hazelnuts and seeds. Spinach and other green leafy vegetables. Vegetable oils like sunflower and olive oil. Wheat germ, wholegrain foods, milk and asparagus.)

Other nutrients for a healthy menopause

Pantothenic acid (found in whole-grain cereals, legumes, eggs, meat, and royal jelly) is known to play a role in supporting the function of the adrenal glands and adipose tissue, which form the body's major sources of oestrogens after the menopause. Pantothenic acid, along with vitamin B1 (Thiamin) found in: yeast, oatmeal, flax, brown rice whole grain flour (rye or wheat), asparagus kale, cauliflower, potatoes, oranges, pork liver (beef or pork), eggs), may also help maintain the action of oestradiol. B vitamins play an important role in the central nervous system and brain methylation pathways, helping to maintain emotional balance during the menopause.

Vitamin B6 and magnesium complement each other to help maintain a healthy mood during the menopause. Moreover, vitamin B12, thiamine, niacin and folate are essential for a healthy nervous system because the brain has a special need for them to perform at its best, and is more sensitive to fluctuations in the body levels of these nutrients.

Vitamin B6: Good sources include meats, whole grain products, vegetables, and nuts.

Vitamin B12: meat, dairy products and eggs. Vegans may find it difficult to get enough vitamins B12 so should try to eat foods fortified with vitamin B12. These may include yeast extracts, certain vegetable stocks, veggie burger mixes, textured vegetable protein, soya milks, vegetable and sunflower margarines, and breakfast cereals.

Niacin is essentially found in meat, wheat germ, dairy products, and yeast.

Folate found in leafy vegetables such as spinach, turnip greens, lettuces, dried beans and peas, fortified cereal products, sunflower seeds and certain other fruits and vegetables. Liver and liver products also contain high amounts of folate.

A number of minerals, including chromium, magnesium and zinc, along with the vitamin C, B6 and y help to control the balance of glucose in the body. An imbalance of glucose can be associated with mood swings as are commonly experienced throughout the day, often resulting in difficulty getting to sleep.

Vitamins E, A and C plus zinc are important for keeping the vaginal membranes healthy as the declining oestrogen levels tend to dry up the vaginal secretions, which in turn affects a woman's normal healthy sex life.

Iodine plays an important role in regulating the body's fat metabolism. The need for iodine increases with age and it may also help support a healthy cardiovascular system. (Iodine: sea life, such as kelp and certain seafood, as well as plants grown on iodine-rich soil)

A well as essential vitamins and minerals you should try to:

Eat more fibre, in the form of fruit, vegetables and wholegrains such as: oats, brown rice, bulgur wheat and quinoa. Fibre can help maintain a healthy cholesterol balance as well as help to prevent constipation and hence reabsorption of toxins to the body that in turn can make you feel sluggish.

Typically we consume much more Omega 6 in our diets than Omega 3 so we could put this if you wish but may not be necessary.

Polyunsaturated fats are classified by their structures into omega-3s and omega-6s, and you need both types; these are called the essential fatty acids because you cannot make them in your body and must get them from your food.

For most of the time humans have been on earth we have eaten foods containing omega-6's and omega-3's in a ratio of about 2:1. However, over the last 100 years or so, the ratio has changed to from 2:1 to 10-20:1. Our diet now includes huge amounts of oils that are extracted from plants and used for cooking or in prepared foods. These oils (such as corn oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, soybean oil) are primarily omega-6s. We have decreased our intake of omega-3's, found primarily in whole grains, beans and other seeds, and seafood. It is therefore advisable to have ample omega-3, found in cold water oily fish, or in vegetarian sources such as; nuts, seeds, especially flaxseed (linseed) which is also a form of phytoestrogen, as well as providing omega-3 oils. Essential fatty acids help support the health of your cardiovascular system, skin, hair and nails.

Tryptophan, found in proteins such foods such as bananas, mangoes, eggs, milk, sesame, soya beans and sunflower seeds, which can help produce serotonin as it is synthesised via tryptophan hydroxylase. Serotonin is the feel good chemical in your brain and can help to assist in sleep and mood.

Eat little and often to maintain blood sugar levels. Complex carbohydrates, such as oats, wholegrain bread, brown rice, may help sustain energy release, as blood sugar levels may have an effect on menopausal symptoms.

Avoid sugary foods, junk food/ highly processed food, which can be high in salt and additives as well as sugar which can contribute to imbalances in blood sugar as well as weight gain.

Eat plenty of fresh fruit, most are rich in potassium to help support a healthy fluid retention. Fresh vegetables, especially dark leafy vegetables, which provide micronutrients.

Drink plenty of filtered water, to ensure good hydration and help maintain body temperature and fluid balance. Soya milk, a good source of protein, and may also contain phytoestrogens. Freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juice. Herbal teas such as red clover.

Limit stimulants such as alcohol, coffee and tea – which can hinder the absorption of nutrients and produce heat in the body.

Limit or moderate your intake of salt, too much can affect blood pressure and water retention.

Limit saturated fat – which can affect blood lipid levels, the arteries and heart health.

Avoid spicy foods and hot foods and drinks and these can often make menopausal symptoms worse.

Exercise

Keeping physically active during this time of change can help with many different health aspects; appetite, digestion, weight control, agility, heart health and bones health – and can have a powerful, positive effect on emotions, mental health and your love life.

A combination of these following three types of regular exercise is recommended

Weight bearing exercise, such as brisk walking, running, tennis, stair climbing, aerobics, helps to maintain bone density, particularly important at the time of the menopause when falling oestrogen levels can lead to a lower bone density. Aerobic exercise, which raises the heart rate, is good for heart health and circulation

Keep supple by doing exercise such as yoga or pilates to help maintain core stability, flexibility and joint movement.

Aim for 30 minutes per day of something you enjoy.

Positive lifestyle changes to help with the menopause:

Give up smoking (it's a big risk factor in osteoporosis and smoking doubles your odds of developing heart disease)

Maintain a healthy body weight and lean body mass

Keep a positive attitude. Get emotional support – chat to friends or your doctor if necessary.

Stress control – learn to relax, take 30 minutes each day to do something just for you

Sleep in a cool room

Dress in layers for easier temperature control

Carry a small battery operated hand fan to help to cool down when needed. A water vaporiser spay may also be helpful, and carrying a small bottle of cool drinking water.

Laugh and enjoy yourself!

http://www.womens-health-concern.org/help/focuson/focus_dietmenopause.html

What is the Menopause?

The menopause is a time during which levels of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone, which control a woman’s menstrual cycle, decline to the point where she is no longer menstruating and will therefore not bear children, a state of affairs devoutly welcomed by some and mourned by others.

There are, however, symptoms that result from the fall in levels of oestrogen and progesterone, especially if they fall precipitously or out of ‘sync’ with each other. The conventional treatment for this is to give artificially synthesised hormones (as Hormone Replacement Therapy or HRT) in an effort to persuade the body not to be menopausal. Many women, though, do not want to follow this route and prefer to do things naturally.

Some common problems and solutions

Symptom: fatigue

Factors: poor sleep, too much work, low iron levels, other nutritional deficiencies, food allergies… lots of possibilities.

Solutions: top up your iron with a natural iron tonic that won’t make you constipated.

Take remedies such as Passiflora or Valerian to help improve sleep. Clean up your diet and try avoiding caffeine and wheat for a while, as they tend to cause both bloating and tiredness.

Try a combination of energising Siberian Ginseng and calming Avena sativa. This will give you productive energy rather than nervy adrenalin surges. Remember that you can’t take Siberian Ginseng long term or with other medication.

Symptom: frequent, heavy periods, flooding at start of menopause

Factors: this is usually caused by unduly high levels of oestrogen. Sometimes the liver is not functioning very well (especially if the bowel is sluggish) and this creates a buildup of oestrogen.

Solutions: Agnus castus, a herb that helps the body to produce more of its own progesterone, which balances oestrogen. This takes between one to three cycles to start working (more if you take a tablet instead of a tincture) and needs to be taken every day. It should not be taken if you are using hormonal contraceptives or are on HRT. If you have weight problems, bad skin or a slow bowel with the above symptoms, improve the regularity of bowel function and then take liver-cleansing herbs such as Milk Thistle and Dandelion. If you have varicose veins or piles with the above symptoms, use Aesculus to strengthen your veins and Ginkgo as a restorative to the pelvic region. These latter two herbs should not be taken if you are on anticoagulant medication such as Aspirin or Warfarin.

Symptom: hot flushes and night sweats

Factors: falling oestrogen levels can precipitate sweats, but another less acknowledged factor is high histamine levels. Histamine can become a problem if you are stressed, if you are eating foods that don‘t agree with you, if you are smoking or drinking too much alcohol, or if your diet focuses on highly processed foods and junk foods. If your skin is sensitive and you react violently to bites or stings, or get prickly heat, you are likely to have high histamine levels.

Solutions: the first thing to try for regular flushes is Sage, which helps to rebalance the sweat-regulating mechanism in the brain. This is a simple, non-hormonal approach and works well for many women. It can be taken throughout the day, or once during the day and then in an increased dose at night if night sweats are the main problem. If this doesn’t work, you can try Black Cohosh, which is a phyto-oestrogenic herb, i.e. it mimics oestrogen in the body. It cannot be taken with hormonal medication or HRT.

If you have the high histamine symptoms, your flushes may be nothing to do with your hormones. Take more care over your diet, drink plenty of water and avoid coffee, take nettles either as tincture or tea, and take a low dose vitamin C up to six times daily. These latter two are natural antihistamines.

Symptom: muscle and joint aches and pains

Factors: wear and tear and the buildup of uric acid in the system due to poor diet, etc. can be factors. Low oestrogen, however, can also play a part.

Solutions: take nettles as tea or tincture, as they remove acids from the system. If you have other low oestrogen symptoms take Black Cohosh, which the Native American Indians used for this symptom in their menopausal squaws. If you have wear and tear damage, try a combination of Devil’s Claw and glucosamine sulphate.

Symptom: osteoporosis

Factors: those at greatest risk of osteoporosis are skinny meat-eaters with a high protein, high salt diet who are stressed, smoke, drink alcohol and don’t exercise. Having osteoporosis in your family doesn’t help, but doesn’t mean you will inevitably suffer the same fate. The human body needs magnesium to absorb calcium, so low magnesium levels can play a part.

Solutions: supplement magnesium and/or increase your intake of magnesium-containing foods – wholegrains, beans, lentils, oats, green vegetables, dried fruit and nuts. Exercise moderately, reduce your intake of salt and red meat, and don’t smoke or drink alcohol. Take a natural combination of urtica, calcium and silica as it can help get calcium absorbed into the bone. Black Cohosh is thought to attach to oestrogen receptors in bone, which may help bone density. Many women believe that they must take HRT to prevent their bones from crumbling, but once you come off HRT, bone mineral density catches up fast, so within a few years you are back to the level you would have had without the HRT. Improving your lifestyle is therefore a better long term option for the prevention of osteoporosis.

Symptom: vaginal dryness

Factors: usually caused by falling oestrogen levels, although lack of vitamin E doesn’t help.

Solutions: take 200 to 400i.u. vitamin E daily. Try Black Cohosh, especially if you have either of the low oestrogen symptoms listed above. Siberian Ginseng is another possibility, although it has many contraindications and cannot be taken long term.

http://www.healthywaymagazine.com/issue27/05_menopause.html

The Best Natural Ways to Deal with Menopause

While not having to deal with the annoyances of a monthly period are celebratory, exchanging them for hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, insomnia, dry skin, weight gain, vaginal dryness, low sex drive are not fun. These are just a few of the many symptoms women approaching menopause experience, culminating with the cessation of your monthly menstruation. These symptoms occur primarily due to hormonal fluctuations, and can begin as many as 10 to 15 years before you actually reach menopause.

Perimenopause

Most women begin to notice symptoms of perimenopause in their late 30s or early 40s. These symptoms are related to fluctuating levels of estrogen and progesterone, as well as changes to how often you ovulate. Perimenopause symptoms may only last a few years, or you may experience them at varying levels for as many as 15 years. Symptoms also tend to increase in frequency as you get closer to menopause. Common symptoms include:

Menstrual irregularities: Your period may become more or less frequent. You may also experience between period spotting or skip periods altogether, or your periods may begin to last longer than the normal five to seven days.

Hot flashes: You may experience these as night sweats, when you wake up with your sheets soaked with perspiration, or during the day. The hot flashes may become more frequent as you draw nearer to menopause and can be very intense and uncomfortable.

Insomnia: This may occur due to night sweats, or it may be an independent symptom.

Irregular ovulation: While ovulation was once regular, it now occurs at less regular intervals. While changes in ovulation decrease fertility, it also can increase your risk of unexpected pregnancy if you rely on an ovulation calendar as your main form of birth control.

Irritability: Moodiness may be due to lack of sleep or to hormonal fluctuations. Depression may also occur.

Changed libido: This may occur for many reasons, including hormonal fluctuations and vaginal dryness, which can cause discomfort during intercourse.

Menopause

Full menopause occurs most frequently between the ages of 45 and 55. Once you have not had a period for 12 months, you are considered to have reached menopause. While perimenopause gradually eases (although sometimes it doesn’t seem easy!) you into menopause, in some cases it arrives abruptly with few symptoms. Women who have had hysterectomies without hormone replacement therapy may suddenly enter menopause post-surgically, and may experience more drastic symptoms due to sudden changes in hormonal levels. All of the same symptoms that occur in perimenopause may also plague you after your period has ceased. Further, due the significant decrease in estrogen occurring after menopause, women are more likely to develop osteoporosis and loss of bone density.

Hormone Replacement Therapy

For years, doctors used hormone replacement therapy to treat the symptoms of menopause; however, clinical trials in 2002 revealed risks associated with long-term use of HRT. Now, it is a personal decision women make with their physicians after evaluating the risks and drawbacks. Women choosing HRT should discuss risks and drawbacks associated with estrogen-only replacement therapy, as well as combined estrogen-progestin replacement therapy. Risks and benefits may increase or decrease with the type of HRT, as well as whether the woman has had breast cancer, uterine cancer, or hysterectomy.

Increased risks associated with HRT include:

Heart disease

Abnormal mammograms

Breast and uterine cancer

Liver damage

Stroke and blood clots

Gall bladder disease

Facial hair growth

Eye problems

Insulin resistance

Headaches

Weight gain

Mood changes

At the same time, HRT may confer certain protections to women, including:

Decreased menopause or perimenopausal symptoms

Decreased risk of developing osteoporosis

Decreased risk of colorectal cancer

Decreased risk of heart disease

Controlling Symptoms of Menopause

Ready to find ways to naturally control your menopause symptoms? Let’s take a look at them one by one.

Hot flashes: While many women think hot flashes are inevitable, there are things you can do to control them! A number of things can trigger hot flashes, including stress, alcohol, spicy foods, caffeine, medication, hot showers, and smoking, among others. Keep a journal and record your triggers, and then seek to avoid them. Eliminate caffeine, stop smoking, and minimize any unnecessary medications. Get on that rooibos or herbal tea, and give up the coffee! Keep rooms on the cool side and dress in layers you can peel off quickly if you find yourself becoming too warm. Wear light, natural fabrics and keep some water on hand for hydration. Minimize stress by practicing yoga or meditating.

Insomnia: Since insomnia is frequently caused by hot flashes or night sweats during menopause, your room environment is important. Keep the temperature on the cool side and sleep under cotton sheets and light, natural fabric blankets. Don’t eat right before bedtime, and eat a healthy, plant-based diet during the day. Avoid stimulants like caffeine or smoking. Relax before bedtime by meditating or performing gentle stretches, and avoid taking a hot bath or shower, or drinking a hot beverage before bed.

Irritability and moodiness: One of the best remedies for mood swings is exercise! Get outside and take a brisk 20-minute walk, or practice yoga daily. You can also centre yourself through meditation. Caffeine, medication, and smoking can contribute to mood swings, so avoid them at all costs. Support your body nutritionally by eating a healthy plant-based diet, and get plenty of sleep. Chlorophyll from eating a lot of greens is a great mood stabilizer. Be sure to take time for yourself, as well. You may also want to try massage or acupuncture, which can help to re-balance your energy.

Libido changes: Hormonal fluctuations, lack of sleep, stress, and even concern about aging can lead to changes in libido during menopause and perimenopause. Get plenty of sleep and engage in stress reduction activities like exercise, yoga, meditation, and “me time.” Energy medicine like acupuncture, reiki, and massage can also help rebalance your natural energy and increase your sex drive. You may also wish to consider eating natural aphrodisiac foods such as cinnamon and chocolate. Most importantly, spend positive time with your partner just enjoying one another’s company as often as possible so you can reconnect and remember why you fell in love in the first place.

Vaginal dryness: The simplest solution for vaginal dryness is to boost water intake. Switch to natural self-care products like soaps and powders that are free of drying chemicals like alcohol. Avoid alcoholic beverages and caffeine, which can be dehydrating. Add omega-3 fats to your diet, as well. If you still experience vaginal dryness after making these changes, try a natural personal lubricant like coconut oil. I don’t recommend petroleum-based ones.

Urinary incontinence: If you are experiencing urine leakage, you can strengthen your pelvic floor muscles to prevent this. Practice Kegel exercises three times per day by tightening the same muscle you use to stop your flow of urine.

You can control your menopausal symptoms with simple, natural dietary and overall lifestyle changes. By doing so, you will make the transition into your next phase of life comfortably and gracefully.

http://kimberlysnyder.net/blog/2012/03/17/the-best-natural-ways-to-deal-with-menopause/

Treat children's asthma naturally with fruits, vegetables, fish oil and probiotics.

(NaturalNews) New evidence suggests that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, probiotics and fish oil may relieve asthma in children, according to a recent study.

"A school-based, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial involving 192 asthmatic children aged 10-12 found that a supplement combining fruits, vegetables, fish oil and probiotics reduced medication use and improved pulmonary function," said a summary of the study, which was conducted by the Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University in Taipei.

According to researchers, the treatment group was given a fruit-and-vegetable concentrate, along with fish oil and probiotics (FVFP supplement), which are bacteria that help maintain the natural balance of microflora in your intestines. A control group, meanwhile, was given a placebo.

Participants were evaluated at the start, then at eight and 16 weeks.

Fast food 'may be behind the steady surge in children's asthma'

"Results showed the treatment group experienced significant improvement in pulmonary function parameters and had a significantly reduced proportion of those using short-acting inhaled bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids, in comparison to the placebo group," said the summary. "Results suggest that FVFP supplements may reduce medication use and improve pulmonary function in asthmatic children."

The results of the study, which was titled, "Reduced medication use and improved pulmonary function with supplements containing vegetable and fruit concentrate, fish oil and probiotics in asthmatic school children: a randomized controlled trial," were supported by other medical experts.

By comparison, separate studies have shown that other types of foods may increase the incidence of childhood asthma, which can be deadly.

Scientists from New Zealand, Spain, Australia, Germany and the United Kingdom found that a diet of fast food and other foods with little nutritional value "may be behind the steady surge in children's asthmas affecting the UK and other developed countries," Britain's The Guardian newspaper reported Jan. 14.

The international collaboration of scientists found that younger teens in particular were 40 percent more likely to develop severe asthma if they eat burgers and other fast foods like fries more than three times a week. They said kids aged six to seven were 27 percent more likely to develop asthma if they ate fast food that often.

Meanwhile, researchers said children who ate larger amounts of fast food were also much more likely to develop severe eczema and rhinitis, a condition where the nose gets stopped up or runs excessively and their eyes are itchy and watery.

Researchers said the results could have "major public health significance owing to the rising consumption of fast foods globally," if the link they have found turns out to be causal, not coincidental.

Fast food is the only type associated with development of asthma and allergies

As in the Taiwan University study, eating fruit appeared to protect children and young teens from developing asthma and other allergies. The international research coalition found that eating three or more portions of fruit per week cut the severity of symptoms by 11 percent among teens and 14 percent among younger kids.

The team's results were published in the peer-reviewed journal Thorax, which is part of the BMJ (British Medical Journal) Group. They "came out of a large collaborative project called the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), which involves nearly two million children in more than 100 countries, making it the biggest of its kind," The Guardian reported.

The study involved a relatively small portion of the total number of children taking part in ISAAC, from two age groups: 319,000 13 to 14-year-olds from 51 countries and 181,000 six to seven-year-olds from 31 countries.

Fast food (the authors specifically mentioned burgers only; however, because that is the reference to fast food most people are familiar with) was the only type of food that has been associated with the development of asthma and allergies, across all age ranges and in all involved countries, the study said.

http://www.naturalnews.com/038777_asthma_children_probiotics.html

Vitamin D 'helps beat  symptoms of asthma': Supplements could soon be used as treatment alongside other drugs

•Vitamin D has the potential to significantly cut the symptoms of         sufferers.

•Scientists at King's College London made the discovery

•The ‘sunshine’ vitamin resulted in lower levels of a natural chemical in the body that aggravates symptoms in asthma patients.

Vitamin D could help asthma patients breathe more easily, claim British researchers.

Scientists at King’s College London have discovered vitamin D has the potential to significantly cut the symptoms of sufferers.

They say it may one day be prescribed as a treatment alongside conventional steroids, but reducing the need for medication.

A new study found the ‘sunshine’ vitamin resulted in lower levels of a natural chemical in the body that aggravates symptoms in asthma patients and cuts the effectiveness of steroids.

More than five million Britons suffer asthma, including 1.4 million children, and the disease causes 1,400 deaths each year.

Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the airways, causing them to constrict and resulting in attacks of breathlessness and wheezing which can be fatal.

Severe asthma is currently treated with steroid tablets which can have harmful side effects.

Many sufferers have a steroid resistant variation of the condition making it even more difficult to treat and putting them at greater risk of hospitalisation from severe, even life-threatening, asthma attacks.

In a study funded by Asthma UK charity, a team of scientists at King’s identified a mechanism through which Vitamin D can reduce asthma symptoms, providing a potential target for future treatments. 

IL -17A is a natural chemical which helps to defend the body against infection, but is known to exacerbate asthma and reduce responsiveness to steroids when produced in larger amounts.

The team examined the production of IL-17A and levels of the chemical in cells from 18 steroid resistant asthma patients and 10 patients who responded to steroids, as well as a control group of 10 healthy people.

Results showed that patients with asthma had much higher levels of IL-17A than those without asthma and patients with steroid resistant asthma expressed the highest levels of IL-17A.

Further tests showed that while steroids were unable to lower the production of IL-17A in cells from patients with asthma, vitamin D significantly cut the production of IL-17A in cells from all patients studied.

The results demonstrate that vitamin D could potentially provide an effective add-on treatment for all asthma sufferers, reducing the amount of steroid-based medicines prescribed.

There is growing evidence that vitamin D deficiency may be responsible for triggering a range of diseases, including several cancers.

The body makes most of its vitamin D from sunlight, although oily fish is a good dietary source.

Professor Catherine Hawrylowicz from the Medical Research Council & Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma at King’s, who led the study, said the findings were ‘very exciting’.

 She said ‘They show that Vitamin D could one day be used not only to treat people with steroid resistant asthma but also to reduce the doses of steroids in other asthma patients, reducing the risk of harmful side effects.

‘The results are so positive that we are testing this in a clinical trial in steroid resistant asthma patients to further research the possibilities of vitamin D as a potential treatment.’ 

The study is published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Malayka Rahman, Research Analysis and Communications Officer at Asthma UK, said: ‘For the majority of people with asthma, current available medicines are an effective way of managing the condition but we know that they don’t work for everyone, which is why research into new treatments is vital.

‘We also know that many people with asthma have concerns about the side effects of their medicines so if vitamin D is shown to reduce the amount of medicines required, this would have an enormous impact on people’s quality of on people’s quality of life. We look forward to the results of the clinical trial.’

Ginger: Study shows that human airways become more relaxed when exposed to the root.

Ginger could provide a new route for helping asthma patients, say US researchers.

They found tissue samples taken from human airways became more relaxed when exposed to purified components of the spicy root also may have properties that help asthma patients breathe more easily.

The ginger extracts enhanced the effect of medication known as beta-agonists which are commonly prescribed to people with asthma.

Researcher Elizabeth Townsend, of Columbia University Department of Anesthesiology, said ‘In our study, we demonstrated that purified components of ginger can work synergistically with beta-agonists to relax airway smooth muscle.

‘These compounds may provide additional relief of asthma symptoms when used in combination.’

The results of the study will be presented at the American Thoracic Society 2013 International Conference in Philadelphia.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2327241/Vitamin-D-helps-beat-symptoms-asthma-Supplements-soon-used-treatment-alongside-drugs.html