Natural News for Women » Ask Marilyn – Star Questions

Ask Marilyn – Star Question: my daughter has PCOS – is there anything she can do to increase her chances of conceiving?

Marilyn — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:20:48 +0000

Q: My daughter is about to get married and is keen to start a family. Since the age of 17, she has suffered from Polycystic Ovaries, showing symptoms such as facial hair, hair loss and a weight problem. She has also been warned that conception may be more complicated for her. She used to have infrequent periods but now has them regularly every 5 to 6 weeks. The normal help for her condition, such as the contraceptive pill or metformin, she cannot be prescribed as the first gave her occasional blackouts and the second nausea. She keeps her weight under control by sensible eating but even so is probably a little more than she should be for her height. Is there any advice you would give her to increase her chances of conceiving?

A: In each menstrual cycle, follicles (which contain eggs) grow on the ovaries. One of these follicles will reach maturity faster than the others and be released at ovulation. The remaining follicles will degenerate. In the case of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the ovaries are much larger than normal, and there are a series of undeveloped follicles that appear in clumps, like a bunch of grapes. This can cause…

Ask Marilyn – Star Question: are epsom salts effective and are they always safe to take?

Marilyn — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:30:44 +0000

Q: I’ve read up a little about Epsom Salts or Magnesium Sulphate, and they sound great for some skin problems, helping the body to detox, as a muscle relaxant (good for muscle cramp/spasm?) and de-stressor. I would be interested to hear your thoughts on the subject and if there are any cases where it would not be recommended (such as during pregnancy?).

A: We think of magnesium generally as nature’s tranquilliser as it has a calming and relaxing effect on the body including the muscles. Epsom salts are just hydrated magnesium sulphate and when used in the bath, the magnesium is absorbed through the skin, hence the relaxing effect on problems with muscle cramps and spasms. This relaxant effect is also useful for women who have painful periods because the womb is a muscle and can also be helpful for other conditions where muscles are affected e.g. fibromyalgia.

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Ask Marilyn – Star Question: are oatcakes really good for me?

Marilyn — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:20:30 +0000

Q: I thought that oatcakes were a healthy snack, but was surprised to see that the nutritional information on the packet shows them to be high in calories, fat and particularly saturated fat. They are even labelled as red for fat under the traffic light scheme. Should I avoid them and can you suggest any alternatives?

Wants to remain anonymous

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Ask Marilyn – Star Question: How can I increase my bone density?

Marilyn — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:20:04 +0000

Q: I have been diagnosed with an early menopause (early 40s) and have been told I have low bone density. Is it possible to increase bone density in your opinion or just maintain the bone density you have and stop it getting worse?

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Ask Marilyn – Star Question: are there any herbs can you take to get your periods back if you’ve been diagnosed with an early menopause?

Marilyn — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 01:20:26 +0000

Q: What is the best herbal product for a lady with low bone density who has been diagnosed with an early menopause at 42 years? She wants to try and get her periods back.

A: If there is no medical reason for the early menopause, it is well worth following a nutritional approach to try and get the periods back. A while back a lady of 40 came into the clinic because her periods had stopped suddenly and she was getting hot flushes. She had been to see her doctor and blood tests showed she was menopausal. I asked her what had been happening around the time that her periods ceased and she said that she had been made redundant and had also lost her father.

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Ask Marilyn – Star Question: My weight loss has plateaued, what can I do?

Marilyn — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 01:20:32 +0000

Q: I just wanted to let you know that I have been following your Fat Around The Middle plan and have already lost weight and inches off my belly. I am 41 years old and have had an early menopause at the age of 29 and was feeling large and uncomfortable at 11 stone.

But I can’t seem to shift any more weight and have been stuck at 10 stone for some weeks now. I’m not doing anything differently and haven’t had any sneaky drinks or food that I shouldn’t have.

I know your book recommends ditching the scales but I can’t help having a weekly weigh-in session as it does encourage me to see those pounds going down!

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Ask Marilyn – Star Question: can rosehip help joints?

Marilyn — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 01:30:45 +0000

Q: I have heard that rosehip may be helpful for joints (similar to glucosamine) and that added with GOPO (Glycoside of mono and diglycerol) it may have an impact on joints. Is this true? Would this be an alternative to glucosamine?

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Ask Marilyn – Star Question: Sore gums

Marilyn — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 01:20:53 +0000

Q: My gums get very sensitive and sore and I wondered if there is anything I can do to prevent this?

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Ask Marilyn – Star Question: Pain relief for a natural birth?

Marilyn — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 01:20:36 +0000

Q: My first baby is due in a few months and I would like a natural birth. Is there anything you can recommend to help with the pain during labour?

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Ask Marilyn – Star Question: binge eating and PCOS?

Marilyn — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 01:20:00 +0000

Q: Our daughter is 19yrs old and tends to binge eat when she is angry or upset.

She also has polycystic ovaries. I have read this can cause mood swings. She also has a birch allergy to specific fruits and vegetables when eaten raw and all kinds of nuts.

Can you please make any suggestions on diet that can help? She also appears to have an intolerance to milk which makes her sick.

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