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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Question:
I have been suffering hay fever over the last four
years very badly. I seem to be getting worse every
year and it affects my whole life. I feel great one
day then depressed the next. I have trouble
concentrating and can’t sleep. I have been to
normal doctors and they cannot help me. Histamine
tables do not help and nasal sprays sometimes do but
I still have weeks of depression and weather could
change then I feel on top of the world and can think
clearly again. I have heard that high histamine
level can do this to you. Can you please help me?
Answer: Elevated
histamine levels are associated with mental health
problems and this is usually part of a generalised
biochemical pattern connected with low zinc and
copper levels as well as excessive free radical
stress and heavy metal overload. Environmental and
food sensitivities are also relevant. You should
also have your urine kryptopyrrole levels measured
as elevated levels of this chemical is also
connected with depression and can be managed by
supplements of zinc, vitamin C and a B vitamin
called pyridoxyl-5-phosphate. You would need to
find a health practitioner who is aware of the
investigations that need to be performed to uncover
these underlying problems.
Question: I
have been going grey since I was 31. What dietary
advice can you give me that may halt or stop this?
Could I have a deficiency of a vitamin or mineral?
Answer:
Your genes might be operating here
however supplementing with nutrients like biotin,
folic acid, pantothenic acid, all the other B
vitamins and the mineral copper might reverse
greying.
Question:
I have been on hormone replacement therapy for more
than 10 years,
(Estraderm MX 20mg patches and Progesterone 1.6mg in
PCC Maca Cream 120
grm) I have found this treatment wonderful but I am
getting conflicting medical advice which says that
continued use of this is risky as it may lead to a
stroke. I am generally a very healthy and active
person but through reducing my HRT over the past
month I am not feeling nearly as well as when taking
the full treatment. Have you written any articles
or expressed any views on the risk of HRT which I
could turn to? I want to resume the full treatment
but can't get a clear picture on this.
Answer:
You are referring to studies in which
conventional hormone replacement therapy was used
incorporating premarin and provera which are
different oestrogens and progesterone from the ones
you are taking. Therefore your risk of developing a
stroke with the treatment you are taking is
considerably reduced. Also with treatments applied
to the skin the risk is reduced even more. What you
need to do is have your homocysteine, lipoprotein
(a), HS-CRP, PAI-1 and fibrinogen levels measured as
well as HDL and LDL, the so-called good and bad
cholesterol as these go some way to predicting your
risk for developing a stroke. The theory behind
this is discussed in my book
‘You have the power.’
Question:
I have been suffering from migraines since I was 7
but they have been worse in the last 20yrs. I mainly
get them around my periods and have tried many
remedies and alternative health practices but to no
avail. I vomit for about 24hrs each time. Do you
have any suggestions of either tests I should have
done or supplements to take?
Answer:
I had a patient recently who suffered
just like you and she improved dramatically once she
took zinc and magnesium supplements together with B
vitamins, eliminated food allergies/intolerance
including those to yeast, gluten and dairy and
applied a small amount of oestrogen and progesterone
to her skin just before and during her period.
Question:
I have a very bad case of Raynaud's disease. My
fingers in particular suffer from it. My feet
discolour but I do not feel pain or cold in them as
much as my hands. I am fit, have a good diet and
don't smoke or drink. I can run 10 km and return
with pins and needles in my hands if not cold
hands. I am taking Gingko and use fresh ginger
regularly in my food. I am not good with spicy
foods, so I don't have cayenne, although this has
been recommended to me. I am not one to take lots
of drugs, and prefer to heal in natural ways. Do
you have suggestions as to what I may consider
trying? I have not tried Acupuncture
or Chinese medicine. I am unsure where to go for
help, finding someone who knows specific things
about autoimmune disease's such as this. It has got
to the stage where my finger nails are literally
rotting due to blocked circulation. It's really
awful to be the focus of many eyes and comments and
feel so terrible all the time - I need and want to
heal
myself.
Answer:
Some data suggest
benefits with the use of the phosphodiesterase
inhibitor sildenafil, also known as viagra and the
angiotensin receptor inhibitor losartan which is
used to manage elevated blood pressure. Fish oil
has also been shown to be beneficial. It would also
be worthwhile having your thyroid hormone levels
measured as if these are low then augmentation would
be helpful. In this connection taking iodine would
improve your thyroid hormone status and possibly
your condition. Vitamin D is a hormone known to
improve auto-immune conditions but sadly I could not
find any studies showing it is beneficial. Likewise
zinc is a nutrient that might be helpful.
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