NEWSLETTER MAY 2008

Two Dollars for an APPLE

The price of food is experiencing a worldwide hike.  So when I visited my local fruit and vegetables store, exchanged some playful banter with the store owner and then had to pay more than two dollars for an apple my sunny disposition hit a speed-bump.  Then I remembered the Haitian children on the news the day before. They were eating a combination of butter, sand, water and a few grains of rice baked in the hot sun into some form of bread-like substance that would fill their aching, empty bellies.  It’s enough to tear anyone’s heart out.  While walking around my local supermarket where the aisles were chaffing with food of every description it was all that I could do to suppress my desire to scream at the young lady who was examining the bananas with a look of abject disdain on her face.  I wondered why we couldn’t simply transport this food to a place in the world where it is needed, where every mouthful would be savoured, where the bananas would be devoured with hunger and abandon.  Why were we doing so much hoarding?

  It is no small irony then than in the midst of all this abundance so many of the patients I see are deficient in essential nutrients.  I attended a seminar given by a prominent nutritionist on the weekend who elaborated on what is known as ‘type 2 nutrients’. These include zinc, magnesium, amino acids which are the building blocks for protein, potassium, sulphur and phosphorus.  If you don’t have these in sufficiency then your body will shut down and stop growing.  So if your hair growth has slowed, your nails are losing their capacity to flourish and your skin doesn’t heal easily chances are you are deficient in one or more of these nutrients and you need replenishment of all of these in adequate amounts.  One way to find out if you are lacking these is to have a comprehensive assessment.  The important point about these nutrients is that they serve your body’s vital functions like helping your cells to furnish you with energy and making sure that your DNA continues to replicate in a healthy fashion.  If you are losing your hair for a reason that is not obvious or your nail growth is stunted this means your energy and DNA manufacturing process is also likely to be under strain and this is far more ominous for your health. 

  This was exactly the experience of an older lady who came to see me recently with a depleted immune system.  Her testing revealed that she was deficient in zinc, magnesium, protein, iron, manganese and copper.  Interestingly iron, copper and manganese have been coined ‘type 1 nutrients’.  They are not essential for growth yet they are still important nutrients with both iron and copper contributing positively to the immune system.  Rather than treating her continually with antibiotics and not offering her any natural alternatives for boosting her immune system as was the treatment provided for her up till the present time there was clearly a lot that could be done to fortify her resources.

Question & Answer Segment   ------    your queries answered

Question:  I have been diagnosed with benign Parkinson's and suffer a tremor in the jaw and left hand, hypertension and anxiety. I think it is related to stress or Beta brain-wave activity causing adrenalin over supply and hence the tremor. When I meditate the tremor is not present suggesting stress or Alpha brain-wave activity. What do you suggest?

Answer:  There is a hormone called cortisol that can trigger adrenalin activity and it might be worthwhile having this hormone evaluated by means of a saliva test to establish overactivity.  Overactive cortisol can be modulated by a supplement called phosphatidylserine and the hormone DHEA.  My book ‘You have the power’ has a segment on Parkinson’s management as well as a section which deals with the natural management of high blood pressure.

Question:  I have inappropriate sinus tachycardia (a sinus arrhythmia) which causes fatigue and exercise intolerance. There are also theories around it having a possible dysautonomia component. I've been unable to find a cardiologist or GP willing to take on the condition to manage it or find the most optimal medication so manage it through my own techniques including past consultations with a naturopath who suggested some ideas. Currently I take K Mag, a herbal mixture containing  vervain, salvia mitarrhiza, astragalus, hawthorn, fever few and st marys thistle (for high Gamma GT reading possibly linked to a hepatitis A infection last year). I'm currently taking 200 mgs of Inderal for migraines which I expect will either be reduced, changed or have another medication added onto next neurologist appointment. Is there anything else I could be doing or taking to manage the
condition?

Answer:  You need to have your thyroid hormone levels comprehensively evaluated as these can be implicated.  Coenzyme Q10 and fish oil can help manage an irregular heart beat.  Food allergies/intolerances to yeast and gluten might be also be relevant to both your migraines and your heart condition.  Also levels of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone are pertinent.

Question:  I want to know the function of aloe Vera juice in the treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome. (PCOS)

Answer:  I’m not aware of any evidence which indicates that this herb can be used to manage this condition.  Polycystic ovarian syndrome is often related to a condition called insulin resistance which means that insulin is unable to get glucose into your cells and this leads to hormone imbalances including those associated with polycystic ovarian syndrome.  The primary cause of this is being overweight although you don’t have to be overweight to suffer from insulin resistance.  O find out whether you have insulin resistance you need to have a blood sugar or glucose test while fasting and at the same time have your insulin levels measured.  Then you consume a glucose drink and have your glucose levels measured together with your insulin after one and then two hours.  This needs to be done under medical supervision.  Aside from losing weight reducing your consumption of foods that are high in sugar and taking various supplements like the mineral chromium is helpful as is the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid found in Memozeal.  There is an extensive section in ‘You have the power’ dealing with this.

Question:  I am a 35 year-old woman.  I was diagnosed with PCOS and I took Clomid off and on for about 9 years.  I have 3 healthy babies, but I went through some difficult pregnancies.  I was diagnosed with PCOS.  My period disappeared after I went off of the pill, so then I had to take progesterone to have a period, and Clomid to ovulate.  I also have high blood pressure and was taking 500 mg of Labetelol during my last pregnancy.  I had to take shots to get pregnant this last time.  Now after all that, my period has returned after nine years.  My baby is 5 months old and I've had 3 periods in a row.  (My cycle starts after about 34 days.)  I also have swelling in my foot and hand on my right side.  I'm wondering if all of my fertility problems were stress related, of if these symptoms are common.  I have gained some weight from my roller coaster of fertility drugs.  What's your opinion?  I did take Metformin for a while but that made me gain 20 pounds.

Answer: It’s difficult to know what the initial trigger was for your problems.  My suggestion is to have all your hormones measured on day 25 of your cycle preferably by salivary assay along with a complete thyroid panel including TSH, T3, T4, RT3 (reverse T3 which blocks T3) thyroid antibodies and salivary cortisol as well as glucose/insulin status as per the previous answer.  Ideally you should find a holistic physician who can help with the execution of these tests and their interpretation.