HEALTH NEWS

By LYNNE GULLY

June 2004

It’s summer holiday time and I’m sure you’ll soon be flying off to some wonderful place in the sun for a few weeks of relaxation. Whenever I go away I always take a first aid kit just in case something happens. Someone always seems to need a plaster at some point in the holiday. I have not taken any pharmaceutical drugs for about 6 years or so but I still need occasional help with some natural remedies, especially on holiday.  I’ve put together some information on a natural first aid kit for holidays so that you can be well prepared.

In my last Newsletter I mentioned the day of health talks to be held at the Plaskett Nutritional Medicine College on 5 June. I attended the day of talks and the lectures were of a very high standard. A summary of some of the lectures is over the page, as you might just know someone who needs some help.  

Tel: 01689 856581 email: lynne.gully@optimumhealth.co.uk www.optimumhealth.co.uk

Childhood Eczema

This lecture was given by Nutritional Therapist, Suzanne Laurie, who specialises in childhood skin disorders.

Causes of childhood eczema

• Allergies to dust mites, pollen, pets.
• Allergies to wheat, dairy, chocolate, eggs and caffeine.
• Genetic inheritance from parents.
• Toxins inherited at birth resulting in poor liver and bowel function.

Suzanne gave us an example of a 6-year-old boy who had eczema on both arms, recurrent ear infections and a permanently runny nose. He had been given many antibiotics over the years and steroid creams. He wasn’t breast fed so he had missed out on the colostrum from the breast milk, which would have helped build his immune system. 

The antibiotics had reduced his good bowel bacteria and his diet was high in dairy from drinking milk, eating ice cream and cheese. Dairy also has a negative effect on good bowel bacteria. His diet included a lot of sugar such as biscuits, squash and sugar on his Weetabix. Sugar compromises the immune system massively.

Recommended Treatment for this 6 year old

• Dairy foods removed from his diet
• Sugar, salt and saturated fat reduced.
• More fruit and vegetables included in his diet.
• Increased the water in his diet
• Lavender oil in a base oil used on his skin and in his bath - avoid bubble baths.
• Luke warm baths only and patting dry with soft towel.
• He was given supplements, which included Vitamin C, Zinc and magnesium, children’s Bifidophilus for the good bacteria and flax seed oil.

Result of the Treatment

Initially the eczema flared up with the removal of dairy, which is very common. After only one month the eczema was greatly reduced and the itching had lessened. His runny nose had already disappeared. He is continuing with the treatment and is improving daily.

Reasons for giving the supplements etc

• Magnesium is required to gently detox the liver.
• Vitamin C and Zinc are needed for the skin.
• Without flax seed or fish oil, the skin is unable to function properly.
• No one is ever going to be well if they eat a lot of salt.
• Water is needed by everyone as the major fuel of the body.
• The good bacteria (Bifidophilus) are needed to improve the immune system.

Nature’s Sunshine has a full range of Children’s Supplements, which do not contain any artificial colours, flavours, sweeteners, starches or preservatives.  It is called the Herbasaurs Range and full details of all the products are contained in the New Product Guide.

Using Antioxidant Combinations

The Principal of the College, Dr Lawrence Plaskett, gave a talk on the importance of antioxidants.

Antioxidants are needed to:

·         Minimise exposure of the body to toxins.

·         Help the body to detoxify toxins by making extra enzymes.

·         Repair the damage after toxic exposure.

·         Slow the aging process on the inside by protecting your liver and other organs.

We need many different kinds of antioxidants, as they don’t all work in the same way. Dr Plaskett explained that we need to spread our supplements throughout the day to keep the blood level up for maximum protection. He stressed that it was not possible to get enough antioxidant protection from our diet alone.

Dr Plaskett gave a few examples of why we need various antioxidants.

·         Vitamins C and E taken together reduce the incidence of heart attacks by 75%.

·         Grape Seed (Grapine) is 50 times more powerful than Vitamin C and E and needed to prevent toxic damage to the brain.

·         CO Q10 is also very powerful in protecting against heart disease.

·         Lycopene helps prevent abnormal cells on the cervix and in the pancreas.

·         Milk Thistle helps to protect and rebuilds the liver.

·         Zinc protects the prostate gland.

Dr Plaskett emphasised the importance of taking a full range of antioxidants on a daily basis to include both vitamins and minerals and also other nutrients such as turmeric and citrus bioflavonoids.

Nature’s Sunshine has some excellent products that contain the antioxidants mentioned above.  A daily Multi Vitamin and Mineral Formula is recommended together with an antioxidant formula for extra protection.

·        Mega-Chel Multi Vitamin and Mineral Formula provides a full range of nutrients that are not always present in our food in sufficient amounts. The vitamins and minerals are in a base of citrus bioflavonoids, ginkgo leaf and hawthorn berries. Stock no 1821.

·         The Antioxidant Arsenal contains Vitamins A, C, E, the minerals Selenium and Zinc and a grape seed extract called Grapine. This is a very powerful combination of antioxidants.  Stock no 4033.

·         The Super Antioxidant is an exclusive formula containing tocotrienols (a powerful form of vitamin E), lycopene and alpha lipoic acid, in a base of rose hips, milk thistle and turmeric. Stock no 1825.

To order Nature’s Sunshine Products – call the order hot line on 08458 40 50 60.