Thursday, 12 December 2013

The wonder of Arnica


Arnica
One of the best known homeopathic remedies. If you play sport, garden, do a manual job or have children, you definitely need Arnica in your cupboard!

Take Arnica for:
  • Bruising to soft tissues
  • Injuries from blows, falls or blunt objects
  • Shock from injury
  • Concussion
  • Eye injuries – black eyes
  • Bleeding caused by an injury
  • To relieve soreness and bruised feeling after surgery, fractures and childbirth
  • Soreness after tooth extraction or dental surgery
  • Joint sprains – tennis elbow
  • To promote healing


The person needing Arnica will be:
  • Worse from light touch – often fearing to be touched or being approached
  • Denies they are ill or hurt “I’m ok…”
  • Worse from heat and rest


Friday, 18 October 2013

Homeopathic remedies for acute menstruation problems


At the bottom of this guide is a section on the dosage and repetition of the remedies.  Please read this careful and feel free to call or email us if you get stuck.  We are happy to give free advice to self-prescribers.

Mag Phos
The keynote symptom for Mag-Phos is pain is relieved by warmth (as is often the way with menstrual cramps.

Colocynthis
If your pain is relieved by doubling up and applying strong pressure (like a pillow, arm of the sofa or book), then this is the remedy to try. It also has burning pains in the area of the ovaries and a feeling of restlessness.

Colocynth
The main keynote of this remedy is that the pain is relieved by hard pressure.  You may observe this as pressing a pillow or book into the abdomen – my daughter has been found lying over the arm of the sofa…  The patient has bearing down pains, which make her double up and feel very restless.

Chamomilla
This remedy is mostly prescribed based on the mental state of the patient – impatient, snappy, grotty and impossible to please! The pain may be unendurable with a discharge which is clotted and dark blood.

Belladonna
This is the remedy for bearing down pains like the uterus is trying to come out.  The pain comes and goes suddenly and the discharge is bright red blood. The period comes early and is very heavy. The patient may be restless and feel better for standing up and worse for laying down.

Pulsatilla
The patient has changeable mood (typical teenaged girl!) , wants your attention and sympathy and cries a lot. The discharge often starts and stops but is painful.  The blood is thick and clotted.

Dosage & repetition
30c - Take one dose and repeat up to four times daily. 6c or 12c - repeat up to six times daily. 200c -up to three times daily.

You can also try dissolving a few tablets of the remedy in a glass of hot water and sip it every few minutes during the period of cramping pains – acute, severe pain often responds more readily to this repeated dose.

Stop taking the remedy if:
  • The symptoms go.
  • You have taken the remedy for three days and nothing has changed.
  • If the symptoms get worse. In this case, stop the remedy and wait - it is likely to work well in the next two or three days.
  • If in doubt call either of us - we are happy to help!
  • If your symptoms are getting worse each month, or they occur every month, the best thing to do is to come and see us for a remedy which will address your underlying susceptibility to getting these menstrual problems.


It's always wise to go to the doctor, get your problem checked out and get a diagnosis before treating yourself. Don't assume you know what's wrong, and remember pain is always a warning that something is not right.


How do I know i have a hormonal imbalance?


Any hormonal balance will have an effect on your health.  Hormone levels can be too high, be around for too long, or be high/low in relation to other hormones.

Too much oestrogen.

Many of us are relatively overexposed to oestrogen – partly as we have 10 times more periods than our ancestors (as we live longer), partly as modern lifestyles can make it more difficult for our liver to get rid of excess oestrogen and due to the increase of oestrogen in food and water.

What does this mean?

Your periods may be heavier than usual, longer than usual or you may have PMS. Oestrogen  excess is also linked to endometriosis, fibroids, breast and endometrial cancer.  Excessively high levels of oestrogen are comparative to other hormones so cannot be picked up on blood tests – it is diagnosed on symptoms.

Possible causes

  • Eating more fat can cause significantly higher blood levels of oestrogen; obesity can cause high levels (as oestrogen is stored in fat cells) and interfere with ovulation.
  • Ingestion of environmental oestrogens is also a problem – these can be from food preservatives, water, plastics and pesticides.
  • Have a look on the internet for more information about other areas which can be increasing your oestrogen levels – cosmetics, shampoos, cleaning products and plastics can all contain oestrogen mimicking compounds which exacerbate the problem.

What can you do about it?

  • Eat less fat and refined carbohydrates
  • Eat more fibre – eat whole foods rather than processed food
  • Increase your phytoestrogens (plant oestrogens) – soya products, ground linseeds, cabbage, pulses, lentils, green vegetables, peppers and herbs
  • Reduce animal sources – animal fats introduce more oestrogen into the body
  • Drink alcohol sensibly
  • Melatonin helps to balance oestrogen – so try to improve your sleep, and don’t keep your mobile close to your bed (since electromagnetic force from it can disrupt melatonin).
  • Take moderate levels of exercise – since this helps reduce the production of oestrogen and increase its clearance from the body

Not enough oestrogen

A relative deficiency can occur when too much oestrogen is cleared from your body, too little is recycled by your body or when fat cells aren’t making enough from androgen hormones.  The actual deficiency occurs after menopause when your ovaries stop making it.

Symptoms

You may have low bone density, poor fertility, low sex drive, irregular periods, premature aging  or excessively dry skin.

What can you do about it?

  • Being underweight can stop periods and cause oestrogen levels to fall below normal
  • Eat too much fibre (in wheat bran only cereals for example) can lower oestrogen too much – eat fibre in wholefoods as this isn’t a problem
  • Vitamin A deficiency – eat orange, yellow and green fruit and vegetables
  • Over-exercising reduces oestrogen
  • Smoking alters the metabolism of oestrogen – you may become oestrogen deficient as the oestrogen that is produced is inactive – this can lead to low bone density and early menopause

Not enough progesterone

By far the most progesterone problem is that of too little.  It is produced by the egg sac after the egg has been released at ovulation.

Symptoms

Painful breasts, PMS, unusual bleeding patterns and some types of infertility.

Possible causes

  • If you fail to ovulate – as you will normally following birth, stopping the pill or while breastfeeding – but additionally in prolonged stress periods, during menopause and is dysfunctional bleeding patterns.
  • The egg sac fails to produce enough progesterone – this may be from a faulty egg or ovarian hormone secretions. Another hormone rises (prolactin) and this is responsible for sore breasts, PMS, infertility and irregular periods.

This can be investigated by your GP with a range of tests.

What can you do about it?

  • Look at the stressors in your life since prolonged stress has a major impact on your body and health. Follow a low GI diet, try yoga, or steady exercise, eat oats and look at your sleep hygiene.
  • Eat a well balanced diet – ensure you include whole grains, legumes (especially soya beans), buts and seeds and cold water fish.
  • Vitamin B6 deficiency has been indicated in high prolactin; eat potatoes, bananas, wild salmon, chicken and spinach.
  • Increasing zinc in the diet can also reduce prolactin – eat shellfish, beef, turkey and beans.


References

Cooke, K & Trickey, R (2002) Problem Periods. Allen & Unwin.
Tomulet, L (201) Natural ways to lower prolactin. Available at: http://www.livestrong.com/article/206010-natural-ways-to-lower-prolactin/

Oregon State University: Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin B6  "Women's Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine"; Tori Hudson, N.D.; 2008 "Textbook of Natural Medicine"; Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D., and Michael T. Murray, N.D.; 2006 "Campbell-Walsh Urology"; Alan J. Wein, M.D., Ph.D.

Friday, 27 September 2013

Anxiety and tearfulness remedies


 
At the bottom of this guide is a section on the dosage and repetition of the remedies.  Please read this careful and feel free to call or email us if you get stuck.  We are happy to give free advice to self-prescribers.

Aconite (Acon.) - Sudden fear and anxiety, can be brought on by pain or illness or an accident or shock. The patient cannot be reassured, no matter what promises you make, and there is a terrible fear of something bad happening. A small shock might lead to a crippling fear of a big accident, a slight illness may create an anxiety about a major illness or even death. Often accompanied with restlessness, so the patient cannot relax or unwind. There may be anxious and frightening dreams as well.

Argentum nitricum (Arg. Nit.) - Terrible anticipation, often leading to diarrhoea. This will be anticipation of something out of your comfort zone - appearing in a play for example, or talking in front of an audience, or a job interview or an exam. A feeling of hurry and irritability, a bit frantic and irrational. Wants to eat sweet or salty food. Worries that they will faint, or pass out.

Arsenicum (Ars.)   - Dreadful fear around health, feels they are incurable and will die. Like Acon. the patient can’t stop moving about, restless. Worse at night, particularly midnight, and can’t bear to be alone. Fearful that something will happen. A bit obsessive - compulsive around tidying, quite fastidious and particular. Very chilly, but pains are likely to be burning. Can wake with anxiety and palpitations.

Causticum (Caust.) - Anxiety about others, particularly children. Sad and hopeless, especially when the anxiety and care has been long-term. Anxiety about the future at twilight, better on going to bed. Weeping easily, over seemingly unimportant things. Insomnia and waking suddenly. Can be critical and suspicious, but also sympathetic and sensitive to injustice.

Gelsemium (Gels.) - For stage fright or public appearances with anxiety. Frequent urination before or after, or even diarrhoea. Wants to be left alone to get on with it. Fears falling, losing self-control, has no courage. Can be very irritable, ‘Leave me alone!’. Can be dizzy, trembling, with fear.

Natrum carbonicum (Nat. Carb.)  - Exhausted from anxiety, with a poor memory and confusion. Can’t add numbers up. Constant fear and anxiety about the future. Worse from music and sunshine. Can be irritable, and avoid friends and family. Feels sad, not bothered by anything or anyone around her. Sensitive to noise, it makes her jump. Prefers to be left alone.

Pulsatilla (Puls.) - Mild, gentle, tearful - and yet irritable! Cries easily, better for a cuddle and some sympathy. Much worse in a stuffy room, and better in the open air. Their low point is the evening, when the sun goes down. Very changeable mood, from peevish to tearful in a flash. Can be sleepless with anxiety, and has a tendency to be fearful of everybody. Yet they are better for company, and much worse on their own.

Dosage & repetition

30c - Take one dose and repeat up to four times daily. 6c or 12c - repeat up to six times daily. 200c -up to three times daily.

Stop taking the remedy if:

·         The symptoms go.

·         You have taken the remedy for three days and nothing has changed.

·         If the symptoms get worse. In this case, stop the remedy and wait - it is likely to work well in the next two or three days.

·         If in doubt call either of us - we are happy to help!

If your symptoms are getting worse, or occur frequently the best thing to do is to come and see us for a remedy which will address your underlying susceptibility to getting these menstrual problems.

 

It's always wise to go to the doctor, get your problem checked out and get a diagnosis before treating yourself. Don't assume you know what's wrong, and remember pain is always a warning that something is not right.

 

Sunday, 25 August 2013

How your anxiety affects your children - and dog


You may not realise that I work in several capacities, apart from just being a homeopath.  I have worked in a primary school for a couple of years now, working with reception children and infants.  I am also a dog trainer, teaching classes for the last 12 years – I teach 5 classes a week and specialise in working with fearful, anxious and reactive dogs.

During my time in school I find it really interesting to see what things children are scared or anxious about and why they hold these fears. These range from the usual – fear of trying new things, anxious about insects, clowns or puppets, anxiety about performing in front of you (but will in front of their peers).  Some are more extreme – fear of candles being lit (in case everything catches fire – so only a man can light candles), snow (as its dangerous in case you fall), children who are selectively mute (can be a control issue but can be driven by massive fear), hysterical fear of spiders, heights (not a huge height, but up 1 step off the ground), water (even a paddling pool) and buttons (so no polo shirts can be worn, only a t-shirt).

Some of these are more straightforward to understand as more rational fears – anxious about performing in front of others, or trying new things in case you get it wrong and feel bad (driven often by a lack of self-confidence) – this is often changed over time as they see other children get things wrong and yet its safe and as they gradually grow in confidence.

However some are really extreme to watch – a normally happy child becomes almost hysterical because a tiny fly appears.  A fear of wasps is more understandable, especially if you have been stung before – but a tiny fly?

Some children are shy and so loath to try new things or speak their ideas, others are highly competitive and so get really anxious in case they don’t win, and others are just nervy “highly strung” kids who worry about seemingly everything!  But how much of this is learnt by our children? How much responsibility do we have to identify and address these fears?

I think (as a parent myself) that we have to step back and look at our own anxieties and see if we are transferring them to our children.  For example, a small boy in my school is scared of wearing buttons, but so is his dad… How has this child become afraid of buttons? It’s not the most common of things to feel anxious about and does cause problems for him (and his mum) as he gets really anxious if she tries to put a normal shirt on him. So some fears are modelled and children learn them as the norm – like being hysterical around tiny flying insects, or not going up 1 step on a ladder in case you fall and hurt yourself.

Another thing I see is children – often the very academic – listening to adult conversation without really understanding (as they lack the maturity) and then becoming anxious.  For example one small boy was paranoid about getting hurt and would become frantically anxious if he tripped over, becoming hysterical if he grazed himself enough to draw blood.  Through conversations with his mum it turned out she was back and forth to the GP and spent lots of time discussing illnesses with her family so he had become paranoid about it.  His mum had no idea that her anxieties about health had been transferred so dramatically to her son.

So, observe your children closely and look at whether they are learning anxieties from you, or from someone else close to them…  Often it means that we have to put our own fear down very deep inside and model to the children that its safe – never easy but with the added bonus that our own fears get smaller.

The effect of your anxiety on your dog


And how do your anxieties affect your dog? Believe it or not, your emotions and body language speak far louder to your dog than your actions. At dog training we see lots of dogs who become far more anxious because of their owners – when we take the dog, it becomes far calmer.

One dog we work with is very anxious around other dogs – this shows itself as lunging and barking madly.  The handler gets tense when another dog is anywhere in sight – her hands clench on the lead, or she winds it around her hand – the dog immediately throws itself around and barks – even if it cannot see the dog.  This dog is triggered to be reactive by her handler.  Conversely if we take the dog and leave her lead very lose and ignore her initial barking, although she bobs up and down and barks, its far less intense and she calms much more quickly.

Often we see people who are anxious about their small dogs – they carry them around, or don’t let them go near any bigger dog.  Small dogs are frequently anxious – in part as they haven’t been allowed enough socialisation but also because their owners react negatively (and sometimes hysterically) if another larger dog tries to play!

We teach handlers to take a deep breath in and then slowly out, focussing on relaxing themselves and deliberately not looking at the thing which they feel anxious about.  You need to move slowly and calmly away – whistling or singing to yourself works really well.  It sounds a bit crazy – but trust me – it really works!

Saturday, 24 August 2013

Stress and the immune system


Stress is something we all encounter – sometimes it’s a short term thing like preparing to speak at a business meeting, or taking exams, it could be something over a longer term like dealing with a divorce or loss of a loved one.  Occasionally it is a life changing event which we have to adapt to in order to cope and it is hard to see the end in sight– such as looking after a parent with dementia, being unemployed, or trying to cope with a life changing disability. 

Short term stressors don’t have a particularly negative effect on our immune system, but long-term stressors definitely do.
Your body is hard wired to react to stress in ways meant to protect you from predators or life threatening situations.  Once we encounter a stressful situation – such as a near miss car accident – the hypothalamus in your brain prompts your adrenal glands to pump out hormones including adrenaline and cortisol – the fight or flight effect.  Adrenaline increases your heart rate, raises your blood pressure and boosts energy supplies.  Cortisol increases blood sugars and the availability of substances which repair body tissues.  So you get ready to run for your life and your body is on alert to try to repair any injuries. However in chronically stressful situations the fight or flight response doesn’t get switched off and we are then at increased risk of:

·         Depression

·         Anxiety

·         Digestive problems

·         Heart disease – including high blood pressure

·         Sleep problems

·         Weight gain

·         Memory and concentration impairment

Our immune system is normally flexible and adaptive, but this becomes compromised as we get older or if we have a chronic, long term illnesses. For example the immune system can lose its ability to self regulate – we can develop allergies, or autoimmune diseases such as Crohns or MS.  These challenges can then lead to a further decrease in the ability of the immune system to be flexible and this stress can lower immunity further.
Stress can also lead us to take up unhealthy coping strategies such as smoking, drinking or comfort eating.  These all have an impact on our immune system, as well as affecting other major systems such as the heart.

It is vital that in this busy, modern age that we learn to manage our stress levels.  Have a look at our blog on managing stress, and try:

·         Scale back – at work or at home.  Try to cut back on everything that you say ‘yes’ to.  Whilst this is not easy to do, most of us can find small things we can leave or delegate to someone else.

·         Family and friends – surround yourself with people who make you feel better.  This may include clergy, close friends or family.  Volunteering can also have a positive impact on our stress levels as we get to help others.

·         Prepare – most of us prepare well at work, but often we then get stressed at home or on journeys as we don’t plan enough time.

·         Take up a hobby – something calming and non-competitive!

·         Relax – exercise, yoga, meditation – any of these can help to lower stress levels and make us feel good about ourselves

·         Sleep – when we are tired, we get irritable and more likely to snap and feel stressed by minor irritations.  Again, sleep can be easier said than done, but have a look at our previous newsletters for more advice on this.

References


Mayo Clinic (2013) Chronic stress puts your health at risk.  Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress/SR00001

Mayo Clinic (2012) Stress management.  Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-management/SR00032/NSECTIONGROUP=2

McLeod, S (2010) Stress and the immune system.  Available at: http://www.simplypsychology.org/stress-immune.html

Segerstrom & Miller (2004) Psychological stress and the human immune system.  A meta-analytic study of 30 years of inquiry.  Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1361287/

 

Sunday, 21 July 2013

Improving your hair quality with diet

Our hair is affected by what we eat - just as the rest of our body is.  However, unlike our skin which can show the effect of poor diet in days, our hair can take months to show the effects.

Protein

Iron rich protein helps form Keratin which is the outer layer of your hair and scalp.  With lower than optimum levels, hair grows slowly and is weak and damaged.

Include food rich in iron and high quality protein – lean red meat, lentils, fish, soy, eggs (which also contain zinc and iron) and leafy green vegetables.


Vitamin C

Vitamin C builds collagen which helps support hair follicles, and helps you absorb iron more effectively.   Try to eat vitamin C rich foods alongside iron rich foods, such as spinach and chopped tomato, or eggs on wholemeal toast with a glass of orange juice.

Silica

Supports hair and nail growth.  It is found in oats, rice, cucumber, cabbage and sunflower seeds.

Biotin

Biotin is a B vitamin which helps with the formation of Keratin. It is found in salmon, green peas, oats, walnuts (also a source of EFA - see below) , brown rice, sunflower seeds, egg yolk, carrots and sardines. It can also be taken as a 3mg supplement taken daily for 6 months.  A deficiency can lead to hair loss, but this is rare. 

Pantothenic acid (B5)

An ingredient often seen in hair products, can be found in Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese and skimmed milk.  B5 has been linked to treating a range of symptoms which include grey hair (Mayo Clinic), although there is not a great deal of evidence to suggest its effectiveness through supplementation alone.

Zinc
Zinc deficiency can lead to hair shedding – zinc can be found in nuts, beef and eggs.

EFA

A lack of essential fatty acids can affect hair. A deficiency can lead to dry hair, dandruff and keratin which is under hydrated and vulnerable.  Additionally, the hair cuticle scales (the outside layer of the hair shaft) are linked by ceramids which are mainly made of EFA’s, so if these scales are not sealed properly then hair becomes dry and potentially allows colour to leak out (Centre Clauderer)

See our blog on Essential Fatty Acids for more details, but good sources are oily fish, walnuts, avocado, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds and extra virgin olive oil.

Remember hair and nails are slow growing so it takes quite a while to see any real difference from dietary support.  Whilst there is no strong clinical evidence to suggest that altering your diet will improve your hair, no one element of diet has been tested alone since they all work together.  It makes sense that ensuring your diet is well balanced with the nutrients listed above could potentially improve your hair quality.

 

References


Centre Clauderer (2012) Essential Fatty Acids and the Hair.  Available at: http://www.centre-clauderer.com/en/dry-hair/frizzy.htm#A

LiveStrong (2010) Weak and breaking hair. Available at: http://www.livestrong.com/article/75570-weak-breaking-hair/

Mayo Clinic (2011) Pantothenic Acid.  Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/drug-information/DR601077 
WebMD (nd) Eat right for your hair type.  Available at: http://www.webmd.com/beauty/hair-health/eat-hair-type?page=2

WebMD (nd) Top 10 foods for healthy hair.  Available at: http://www.webmd.com/beauty/hair-styling/top-10-foods-for-healthy-hair

The battle of grey hair


I
have to be honest, my hair is much greyer than I like, so I confess I have been colouring it for years.  I know it’s just vanity, but I’m only in my early 40’s and don’t want to be grey yet.  I’m not just talking about a few grey hairs – it’s almost all grey, in fact I started going grey in my early 20’s. Now if I looked like Jamie Lee Curtis I wouldn't mind, but it's just plain patchy!
I have noticed over the last year that whenever I colour my hair, it fades very quickly and is very patchy taking up colour.  I have been using increasingly lighter blonde hair colour, but within 2 weeks it’s mostly faded out.  I have searched the internet, spoken to my hairdresser at length but just couldn’t find an answer.  I have tried almost every brand of home colour – with pretty much the same results… 

How permanent colour works

The outer layer of the hair shaft – the cuticle – must be opened in order to allow the new colour in before the permanent colour can be deposited into the hair.  Once it is open, the dye reacts with the inner part of the hair – the cortex – to add or remove colour.  Most permanent colours use ammonia to open the cuticle and as a catalyst when the dye comes together with the peroxide.  Peroxide is used as a developer or oxidizing agent which removes existing colour.  Then a new colour is added to the cortex before the conditioners close the cuticle again (About.com)

Why do we get grey hair?


·         Prematurely grey hair, grey hair around the temples and hairline and coarse hairs are more resistant to colour and quicker to lose colour.

·         Genetics play a role, as do smoking and dietary deficiencies (International Journal of Trichology)

·         Hypothyroidism can cause early greying according to University of Michigan Health System

Home treatments to improve hair colouring and quality


·         It is suggested that grey hair can take up to 45 minutes to colour so you may choose to leave colour on for longer than suggested in the instructions (How stuff works)

·         You should wear a hat, or use hair product with sunscreen in summer to prevent colour from fading and hair from becoming dry

·         Before going swimming, rinse your hair through to dilute the action of the chlorine

·         Blot your hair dry – don’t rub it with a towel or wrap it in a towel.

·         Avoid overdrying – blow dry until almost dry, but not completely dry.

There are many suggested home treatments on the internet, all aiming to prevent dryness and condition your hair – ranging from mayonnaise to olive oil to coconut oil.  There are so many I suggest you Google ‘home treatments for coloured hair’ to see what you would like to try. 

My hairdresser has suggested that my hair is resistant to hair dye in places and that where it does take up dye it then the cuticles don’t close and the colour leaks out within a few washes.  I have been trying to condition my hair regularly (with an intensive treatment once a week) to see if it uptakes dye better, as well as improving my diet (see my other blog on dietary supports for hair) to close the cuticles, so I will update you with my progress!

Future possibilities

There is a lot of information on the internet about the use of PC-KUS which is a compound which has been found to reverse lack of pigmentation found in both grey hair and vitiligo.  The research suggests that hydrogen peroxide starts to accumulate in hair follicles as a result of oxidative stress (happening in most people by middle age).  This effectively bleaches hair from the inside out.   PC-KUS can be applied topically to the hair and it converts the hydrogen peroxide in the follicle to water and oxygen which allows hair to return to its original colour (International Business Times, The FASEB Journal).  This is experimental research in its early stages (International Journal of Trichology) but it does support the hypothesis that oxidative stress plays a role in the aging process.

It is not clear at the moment whether it is colouring our hair (with products that contain peroxide) that worsens the increase in hydrogen peroxide.
A product containing PC-KUS is available on Amazon at £40 a bottle (called depo-melanin), but there is not much information around to confirm its effectiveness.  The product has to be used regularly as it cannot alter hair which has already grown through or previously coloured, takes 6-12 weeks to show a difference and then must be used as a maintenance treatment.  So it could be an expensive home treatment which is not well proven in its effectiveness yet.
However, oxidative stress happens all the time in our bodies and we use anti-oxidants to fight this, so it would be sensible to eat foods containing anti-oxidants to see what effect these may have over a long period of time.  These include kidney beans, cooked tomatoes, turmeric, broccoli, wheatgrass, grapefruit, onions, strawberries, blueberries, raspberry, prunes, apples and cranberries (WebMD, Guardian UK).

References


How stuff works (nd) “How hair colouring works”.  Available at: http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/everyday-innovations/hair-coloring3.htm 

International Business Times (2013) What is PC-KUS?  Available at: http://www.ibtimes.com/what-pc-kus-all-about-new-gray-hair-cure-backed-actual-science-1241793#

About.com (nd) Hair Colour Chemistry.  Available at: http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howthingswork/a/aa101203a.htm

The FASEB Journal (2009) Senile hair graying: H2O2-mediated oxidative stress affects human hair color by blunting methionine sulfoxide repair.  Available at: http://www.fasebj.org/content/23/7/2065.abstract 

WebMD (nd) 20 common foods with highest anti-oxidants.  Available at: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/20-common-foods-most-antioxidants

Guardian UK (2006) Seven super rich anti-oxidant foods.  Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2006/sep/16/healthandwellbeing.foodanddrink

International Journal of Trichology (2009) Oxidative stress in aging hair.  Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2929555/ 

Wednesday, 8 May 2013

All about hypertension


High blood pressure is known as the silent killer since it rarely produces obvious symptoms.  The only way usually you know you have it is to have your blood pressure measured.  Around 30% of the population in England have hypertension (NHS). The NHS recommend that you have your blood pressure checked every 5 years.

Hypertension symptoms

There are some symptoms where blood pressure is very high.  These include:

·         A persistent headache
·         Blurred or double vision
·         Nosebleeds
·         Shortness of breath

How is it measured and what do the numbers mean?

Your blood pressure (BP) measures how strongly your blood presses against the walls of your arteries. If it is too high it puts a strain on your arteries and heart and makes it more likely that you will suffer a heart attack, stroke or kidney disease (NHS).

Your BP is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and is measured in 2 figures.
·         Systolic: the pressure of your blood as your heart pumps out
·         Diastolic: the pressure of your blood when your heart rests in between beats

You are diagnosed as having hypertension when separate readings show you consistently have a BP over 140/90 (NHS).  A blood pressure of 130/80 or below is considered to be normal.  Just because you have had a higher than normal reading does not mean you have hypertension as your pressure fluctuates during the day and will rise when you are anxious (such as being at the doctors!).
You should sit down to take your BP, not be talking, have rested for 5 minutes and emptied your bladder.

Types of hypertension

If there is no specific cause, doctors refer to it as primary hypertension.  In about 10% of cases, hypertension is the result of an underlying condition (in which case you have secondary hypertension).  Common causes include:

·         Kidney disease
·         Diabetes
·         Narrowing of the arteries
·         Hormonal conditions (such as Cushings syndrome where you produce excess steroid hormones)
·         Conditions affecting body tissues such as Lupus
·         Oral contraceptive pill
·         NSAIDS painkillers including Ibuprofen
·         Recreational drugs such as cocaine, amphetamine and crystal meth
·         Some herbal supplements

Risk factors

Your BP can rise as you get older, but you are considered to be at risk if you:

·         Are overweight
·         Have a relative with high blood pressure
·         Are of African or Caribbean descent
·         Eat a lot of salt
·         Don’t eat a lot of fruit and vegetables
·         Don’t do enough exercise
·         Drink a lot of coffee or other caffeinated drinks
·         Drink a lot of alcohol
·         Are over 65

Will I need to take medication?

·         If you pressure is slightly above 130/80 mmHg but your risk of cardiovascular disease is low, you will be able to lower your BP by making lifestyle changes
·         If your pressure is moderately high 140/90mmHg and you are at risk of cardiovascular disease in the next 10 years, your doctor is likely to prescribe medication and lifestyle adjustments
·         If your pressure is very high 180/110mmHg then you will need treatment and further tests (NHS).

References
NHS (2012) High blood pressure (hypertension).  Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Blood-pressure-(high)/Pages/Introduction.aspx