Archive for March, 2008

Natural ways to prevent or minimise hay fever/allergy

Saturday, March 1st, 2008

Hay Fever affects 15 – 20% of the population in the United Kingdom and is the most common of allergic conditions. If you are a hay fever sufferer, you’ll know that the symptoms of sneezing, wheezing, itchy streaming eyes, a blocked or runny nose, headaches and drowsiness can range from mild to debilitating.

Hay fever is medically known as ‘seasonal allergic rhinitis.’ It causes an inflammation and irritation in the delicate linings of the nasal passage, throat and eyes. We tend to think of the hay fever season as the sunshine months from May to July, but for those who suffer from it the pollen season just seems to run and run. It begins when tree pollens are released at the end of January and rounds off in October with weed pollens and fungal spores. For most people however, the period between May and August is worst as this is when grass pollen is released, which affects 90 per cent of hay fever sufferers.

To read the rest of this article and for more information on ‘Natural News for Women’ please click here

Case Study: Menstrual Migraines

Saturday, March 1st, 2008

This month’s case study is 40 year old ‘Anne’ who came to the Clinic with menstrual migraines

 

I had suffered with menstrual migraines most my adult life. The migraines would start 5 days before my period and they would affect my speech and vision and I would experience a numb sensation down my arm. These symptoms were debilitating and I would have to take a cocktail of strong painkillers to get me through. Over the years I was finding that I was becoming resistant to many of the migraine drugs so I would have to keep trying new ones. Another side effect I experienced was I would then get what felt like a ‘rebound’ migraine which was even worse than the first. It had got to the point that I was fed up with feeling like this every month and realising that all I was doing by taking the painkillers was masking the underlying cause. I read a magazine article on hormone imbalance and nutrition. I knew my migraines were affected my by hormones because they always came at the same time each month. In the past I had tried a few natural remedies and changed my diet, but at this stage

I decided to seek professional help because there was clearly something I had been overlooking.

 

To read the rest of this article and for more information on ‘Natural News for Women’ please click here

Essential fats and your fertility

Saturday, March 1st, 2008

Fat in general has a bad reputation, and many women trying for a baby tend to avoid it as a matter of course, although it is the saturated fats, found in animal meat, dairy and processed food that are harmful, and which contribute to weight gain and reduced fertility. Omega 3 fatty acids (found in oily fish and flaxseed oils) and omega-6 fatty acids (evening primrose and starflower oils) on the other hand, play a crucial role in fertility and the development of a healthy baby. Scientists have looked at their role in pregnancy and found they are absolutely vital for the healthy brain, eyes and nervous system development of a growing baby

 

To read the rest of this article and for more information on ‘Natural News for Women’ please click here