13 Natural Remedies for Severe Asthma

Overview

If you have severe asthma and your regular medications don’t seem to be providing the relief you need, you may be curious whether there’s anything else you can do to cope with your symptoms.

Some natural remedies may be able to ease your symptoms, reduce the amount of medication you need to take, and generally improve the quality of your life. These remedies work best when taken alongside your usual prescribed asthma medications.

Here are 13 complementary therapies you can try for your asthma.

1. Dietary changes

Although there’s no specific diet for people with severe asthma, there are a few steps you can take that may help with your symptoms.

Being overweight can often worsen severe asthma. It’s important to maintain a healthy and balanced diet, which includes plenty of fruits and vegetables. These are good sources of antioxidants like beta-carotene and vitamins C and E, and they may help to reduce inflammation around your airways.

If you experience a flare-up in asthma symptoms after eating certain foods, try to avoid eating them. It’s possible that you have a food allergy that’s causing your symptoms to worsen. Talk to your doctor to confirm this.

2. Buteyko Breathing Technique

The Buteyko Breathing Technique (BBT) is a system of breathing exercises. It may be able to help reduce your asthma symptoms through slow, gentle breathing.

BBT focuses on breathing out of your nose instead of your mouth. Breathing out of your mouth can dry out your airways and make them more sensitive.

Some people may experience less respiratory infections from using this technique. Others who practice BBT believe that it helps to raise your carbon dioxide levels. Still, there isn’t conclusive evidence to support this theory.

3. Papworth method

The Papworth method is a breathing and relaxation technique that has been used since the 1960s to help people with asthma. It involves using your nose and diaphragm to develop breathing patterns. You can then apply these breathing patterns to various activities that may cause your asthma to flare-up.

A training course is usually recommended before adopting the exercises as part of your daily routine.

4. Garlic

Garlic has several health benefits, including anti-inflammatory properties, according to a 2013 study. Because asthma is an inflammatory disease, garlic may be able to help relieve your symptoms.

Still, there’s no conclusive evidence that garlic is effective against preventing asthma flare-ups.

5. Ginger

Ginger is another herb that contains anti-inflammatory properties and may help with severe asthma. A 2013 study showed that oral ginger supplements were linked to an improvement in asthma symptoms. But it didn’t confirm that ginger leads to an improvement in overall lung function.

6. Honey

Honey is frequently used in cold remedies to help soothe the throat and reduce coughing. You can mix honey with a hot beverage like herbal tea to provide relief for your symptoms.

Still, there’s limitedTrusted Source scientific evidence that honey should be used as an alternative asthma treatment.

7. Omega-3 oils

Omega-3 oils, which can be found in fish and flax seeds, have been shown to have many health benefits. They may also work to decrease airway inflammation and improve lung function in people with severe asthma.

High doses of oral steroids, though, can block the beneficial effects of omega-3 oils. It’s a good idea to check with your doctor before upping your intake of omega-3.

8. Caffeine

Caffeine is a bronchodilator and can reduce respiratory muscle fatigue. A 2010 studyTrusted Source showed that caffeine can be effective for people with asthma. It may be able to improve the function of airways for up to four hours after consumption.

9. Yoga

Yoga incorporates stretching and breathing exercises to help boost flexibility and increase your overall fitness. For many people, practicing yoga can decrease stress, which may trigger your asthma.

The breathing techniques utilized in yoga may also help to reduce the frequency of asthma attacks. However, there isn’t currently any conclusive evidence to prove this.

10. Hypnotherapy

In hypnotherapy, hypnosis is used to make a person more relaxed and open to new ways to think, feel, and behave. Hypnotherapy may help facilitate muscle relaxation, which may help people with asthma cope with symptoms like chest tightness.

11. Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a type of meditation that focuses on how the mind and the body are feeling in the present moment. It can be practiced almost anywhere. All that you need is a quiet place to sit down, close your eyes, and focus your attention on the thoughts, feelings, and sensations in your body.

Because of its stress-relieving benefits, mindfulness can help to complement your prescription medication and relieve stress-related asthma symptoms.

12. Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a form of ancient Chinese medicine that involves placing small needles into specific points on the body. Long-term benefits of acupuncture have not yet been proven to be effective against asthma. But some people with asthma do find that acupuncture helps to improve airflow and manage symptoms like chest pain.

13. Speleotherapy

Speleotherapy involves spending time in a salt room to introduce tiny particles of salt into the respiratory system. There is currently no scientific evidence to prove that speleotherapy is an effective form of treatment against asthma, but one studyTrusted Source did show that it had a beneficial effect on short-term lung function.

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Is There A Natural Cure For Cancer?

​​Many natural health experts believe you can prevent and even eradicate cancer through diet, lifestyle and nutritional therapy

Is there a natural cure for cancer?

​Many natural health experts believe you can prevent and even eradicate cancer through diet, lifestyle and nutritional therapy. 

Chances are you know at least one person who has or has had cancer. According to Cancer Research UK, more than one in three people in the United Kingdom will develop a form of cancer throughout their lives. In America the statistic stands at one in two.

 Cancer is alarmingly common throughout the world today. But it’s certainly not a new scourge to the human race. The earliest records of this destructive disease are found in Egyptian and Peruvian Incan artefacts. However, why it strikes many more people now than in ancient times, is a worthy question.

Cancer describes more than 200 different diseases that share similar characteristics. Cancer is characterised by its ability to grow without limits, to spread around the body and to refuse to die. 

A cancer’s growth is to the detriment of the host, often causing dramatic weight loss, night sweats, pain and eventual death. Cancer cells become diverse in their genetic code, because they devise strategies to obtain nutrition and energy from healthy body cells for their survival and growth.

There are many uncertainties with cancer. No consensus on the precise causes of cancer has been established. Direct links do exist, which include genetic predisposition, lifestyle choices (including chemical exposures) and infectious agents.

 But, exactly why some people get cancer and others don’t, despite similar exposure or inheritance, is where the jury is still decidedly out.

Generally, a jury is swayed by solid, accepted evidence. When it comes to healthcare, scientific validation is the evidence of choice. This is acquired through double-blind placebo controlled clinical trails, which require substantial resource and are often directed by economic goals. 

Consequently the majority of gold standard scientific evidence in healthcare exists due to funding from companies that have vested interests; predominantly pharmaceutical and agrochemical companies. Evidence from traditional, empirical or anecdotal sources can often be devalued or dismissed by the jury, as circumstantial, superstitious or ‘unproven’. 

Adopting such parameters of evidence often results in missing effective healing supports for those suffering.

REDUCING ACIDITY

Rudolf Breuss was a healer from Austria born in 1899. He believed that cancer survived on proteins, and by reducing protein intake and supporting the body with nutrients, cancer could be healed. Protein metabolism creates uric acid waste that increases acidity within the body.

 Breuss developed a specific mixture of organically grown carrot, beetroot, celery, Chinese radish and potato that provided all of the minerals and vitamins required by the body in liquid form. His therapy involved a 42-day fast consuming this mixture, which allowed the body’s own defences to deal with the diseased tissue. Testimonial after testimonial confirmed that his treatment worked wonders.

THE NATURAL APPROACH


Natural medicine considers that a build-up of toxins blocks the natural flow of healing vitality throughout the body and allows disease to proliferate. If the toxic load is low and the body’s self cleansing mechanisms are functioning well, the body’s vitality is high and the opportunity for disease to develop greatly reduced.

 This understanding is based upon traditional, empirical, anecdotal and, increasingly, scientific evidence collected over many years. Natural medicine takes a holistic approach to cancer prevention and treatment in individual people. Essentially, a wide variety and combination of factors contribute to cancer development in individuals. These include:

Lack of social connection
Nutritional deficiencies
Low level of physical activity
Psychological attitudes
Genetic patterning
Toxin exposure


THE PROBLEM WITH PESTICIDES

In 1939 Swiss Scientist Paul Muller won a Nobel Prize for discovering the use of DDT as a seemingly miraculous pesticide. It was used to kill the lice on soldiers’, refugees’ and prisoners’ heads during World War Two. DDT, and a host of other chemicals, predominantly compounds known as the organophosphates and chlorinated hydrocarbons, were embraced by agriculture and sprayed liberally over the land for a number of decades. 

DDT was banned in the 1970s, after much outcry about the destructive wake of such chemicals. These chemicals are now called persistant organic pollutants, or POPs, due to their inability to break down, but rather linger in the environment and its inhabitants.

The book Silent Spring written by Rachel Carson is an environmental horror story detailing the long-term effects of these agricultural chemicals on various animals. It was shunned when first released in the 1960s, as it proposed that pesticides used to kill bugs didn’t stop working with the bug, but actually stayed in the eco-system and were found in the bodies of more complex life forms. 

This effect is understood as bioaccumulation. In the book, Rachel Carson proposes that due to this widespread pesticide use, as many as one in three people could develop cancer in the future. Sadly this is a prophesy which has come to being.

Somewhere between 70,000 and 100,000 synthetic chemicals have been introduced to our environment since the end of World War Two. Many of these chemicals, in isolation, appear not to be harmful, or are generally recognised as safe (GRAS) for human use. However, chemicals do not exist in nature by themselves, but interact with other chemicals. The effects of these interactions in individuals are a complex area of uncertainty.

JUICE THERAPY

A pioneer in natural cancer treatments is German doctor Max Gerson. He came to realise that cancer developed because of faulty metabolism due to bad nutritional intake and ongoing exposure to various synthetic chemicals in foods, air, water and pollutants. Gerson’s understanding was that cancer changes the body’s normal sodium/potassium balance, a balance already disturbed by a modern diet full of processed, altered denatured foods.

Gerson’s therapy uses foods low in sodium, high in potassium and rich in vitamins A and C and other antioxidants. One vegetable juice is consumed an hour in Gerson therapy to increase antioxidants, increase potassium and live enzyme intake.

 Fats and dairy products are excluded for the first four to six weeks as they burden the digestive system too much. Gerson therapy ensures that patients eliminate excess sodium, which is responsible for altering cellular electrochemistry to favour cancerous growth. Gerson therapy also involves various cleansing practices, including coffee enemas.

9 TOP CANCER PREVENTION TIPS:


Minimise your synthetic chemical intake and exposure – eat organic produce and whole foods, use synthetic-free personal care and cleaning products.
Double your fresh fruit and vegetable intake – ideally 60 to 80 per cent raw.

Move towards a plant protein-based diet rather than an animal protein diet.
Exercise at least four times a week – and sweat.
Involve yourself with other beings – stay connected with your community.

Take vitamin D3 supplements, particularly during winter.
Deep breathing – this is an alkalising act that just requires a moment of consciousness.
Drink the purest water you can find.

Undertake regular cleansing processes, including juice fasting, raw food fasting, colonic hydrotherapy and meditation retreats.

HEAL YOURSELF

Natural healing methods rely on the inherent healing power to facilitate healing. This power is affected by foods and substances we consume, situations that we are exposed to and the way we manage these.

 According to the natural medicine tradition, a regime involving exercising, regular sunbaths, drinking good water, eating wholesome food and maintaining positive social connections and psychology, will by and large prevent diseases including cancer. Remember to always discuss your treatment with a qualified health professional.

Do regular cell maintenance

Free radicals are created through excessive toxin load within the body and can damage DNA. Without antioxidant action or without functional repair mechanisms then a mutated DNA strand can replicate and form cancer. Broccoli sprout powder contains sulforphane, a powerful intra cellular repairer. All Brassica or cruciferous vegetables, like Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower, have cancer prevention attributes.

Broccoli contains a compound called glucoraphanin which has excellent antioxiant properties that can help to prevent cancer. “Glucoraphanin recharges your protective antioxidant defence enzymes, giving them the power to keep working.” says Dr Paul Talalay, director of the Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology at John Hopkins University School of Medicine. 

Keep the hormones in tune

Avoid xenoestrogens in the environment from products using plastics containing BisPhenolA. All substances that disrupt natural hormonal balance should be avoided. If you want to find out more visit ourstolenfuture.org

Keep positive and stay empowered

Don’t isolate yourself, maintain a positive, can-do attitude and keep connected within your community. Cancer is powerfully destructive and needs powerful medicine. Regaining a feeling of control, direction and belonging in life, whether through eating well, meditating, healthy socialising or any practice that gives a person this sense, is an important element of their healing.

Reduce your acidity

Many processed foodstuffs contain compounds that contribute to the toxic load in the body. For example trans-fatty acids, hydrolysed fats, deep fried foods, highly refined carbohydrates, fructose, smoked or charred meats, foreign synthetic preservatives, colour and flavour and residues of pesticides, synthetic hormones and ripening agents used in their production are all quite foreign to the digestive system and contribute to internal acidity.

 Additionally many of the vitamins, minerals, trace elements and phytochemicals, which often work as antioxidants in the body, are destroyed during the processing of the food.

CELLULAR RESPIRATION THEORIES

In 1931 Otto Warburg won a Nobel Prize for discovering that cancer cells function only in an oxygen deprived environment. He also went on to show that cancer cells use fermentation to respire, unlike healthy cells that use oxygen to fuel their activities. 

Fermentation in the body produces a by-product called lactic acid, which shifts the pH slightly towards acidity. It generally involves a yeast-like catalyst to convert sugar into simpler substances like alcohol, as any beer brewer could testify. Warburg considered lack of oxygen to be the primary cause of all cancers, triggered by any number of secondary causes.

Keeping your 65 trillion body cells respiring using oxygen is the premise of many natural medicine approaches to cancer prevention and treatment. Raw food and nutrition expert and author David Wolfe suggested that coco leaves assist in cellular respiration more than any other substance. 

“The worse thing in the world is probably cocaine yet the best thing in the world is coco,” he says. “It increases cellular respiration, it increases lung capacity, increases your body’s capacity to be oxygenated by as much as 50 per cent.” The leaves of the coco plant are infused to make a tea. 

It is used extensively throughout the Andes to combat altitude sickness, by increasing oxygenation within the body. Another South American herb, the root of the Maca plant, also increases oxygenation according to Wolfe’s recently published book,Superfoods: The food and medicine of the future. Perhaps there is a place for coco and Maca in the future of mainstream cancer treatment.

OTHER METHODS


Other pioneers in natural cancer treatment include Milton White, MD, who believed that cancer is a result of chronic, infectious fungal infestation. Robert Young developed the “pH Miracle” movement based along similar lines to Gerson’s theory.

 All around the world clinicians work today to treat cancer, aside from or in conjunction with the orthodox treatments of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. For example, in Australia the Ian Gawler Foundation and Petrea King’s Quest for Life Foundation provide wholistic approaches to cancer care and treatment.

 In the Himalayan foothills, The Ganga Prem Hospice is embarking on a spiritually led, integrative approach to cancer treatment. In Denmark Humlegaarden provides a raw food diet and therapy, lead by Dr Kristine Nolfi.

A new study at the University of Rochester has found that consuming ginger two to three days before chemotherapy treatment can reduce symptoms of nausea.

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Health: Natural Remedies For Cystitis And Thrush

 How to overcome common feminine gripes the natural way
Itching, burning, soreness – when there is discomfort down below, it can be difficult to be your usual chirpy self.

 Days of discomfort can bring misery, not to mention play havoc with your sex life. But with the right attention you can keep your ‘lady garden’ in tip-top health. Don’t let problems downstairs get you down with this guide to overcoming three of the most common vaginal problems…

THRUSH

What is it?

Thrush is an infection caused by a yeast (fungus) called candida albicans, which occurs naturally in the gut, in the skin and in the vagina. Under normal circumstances, it is kept under control by other forms of ‘friendly’ bacteria in the body, but occasionally it overgrows, which is when problems start.

How to tell if it’s thrush

With vaginal thrush you usually get a thick, white, sticky discharge with soreness and irritation. The discharge can often look like cottage cheese and can have an unpleasant smell. If you are suffering from thrush, you may experience pain during sex and when passing urine. The outside of the vagina may also feel sore and swollen.

How to beat it:

The aim of natural treatment is to ensure your body has all the nutrients it needs to function optimally, thereby boosting your immune system. As well as eating healthily, you can help to eliminate the thrush by focusing on a few specific dietary changes. You will definitely need to avoid sugar, and any foods containing sugar, as they will promote the growth of yeast. You also need to cut out foods that contain yeast, and any products that are fermented, such as bread and wine.

When researchers gave women one lactobacillus acidophilus-containing yoghurt a day over six months, there was a threefold decrease in bouts of thrush. Yoghurt has been shown to be helpful in preventing attacks of yeast, but a probiotic supplement goes one step further to actually treat a yeast infection. The difference is that lactobacillus levels in yoghurt are high enough to work on a preventative basis, but they will not be concentrated enough to deal with an infection.

If you are currently suffering from thrush, add in prebiotic fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which are the naturally-occurring watersoluble fibre in fruits and vegetables. These act as a food source for the growth of friendly bacteria (you can get supplements that contain both prebiotic (FOS) and probiotics).

Try adding a few drops of tea tree oil to your bath when you have thrush. If you are prone to the condition, it can be used on a preventative basis.

SUPPLEMENTS TO TRY

Beta-carotene: Because women with thrush tend to have lower levels of this type of vitamin A in the cells of their vagina walls.

Zinc: A deficiency in this mineral has been connected with women who have recurrent thrush.

Garlic: It’s well-known for its effect on the immune system and has both antibacterial and anti-fungal properties.

CYSTITIS

What is it?

Cystitis is an inflammation of the bladder, and it can be the result of infection, irritation, or bruising, or even a combination of these three factors. Bacterial cystitis accounts for around 50 per cent of all cases, and occurs when the e-coli bacteria enters the urethra in some way. Once in, it sticks to the walls of the bladder and can occasionally travel to the kidneys. Non-bacterial cystitis is caused by bruising or irritation, usually from sex.

How to tell if it’s cystitis

Symptoms include an overwhelming urge to pee every few minutes, normally with little water to pass, as well as a burning pain during urination.

How to beat it:

Causes of non-bacterial cystitis include chemical irritants like soaps and bubble baths. Even swimming pool chlorine can irritate the delicate lining of the urethra. Vibrations, such as riding a motorcycle, can also cause bruising, which leads to symptoms of cystitis. Drinking too little can make your urine over-concentrated, causing irritation of the urethra and the bladder, which is never properly emptied.

Try marking barlety water, which makes a great anti-inflammatory agent for the urinary system. Boil 40g of whole barley in 1.2 litres of water, boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Add a slice of lemon or the juice of one lemon and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Allow to cool, then sip the water throughout the day.

As long as it is unsweetened, unpasteurised and wholly natural, cranberry juice will help overcome cystitis because cranberries are high in substances called proanthocyanidins. These prevent the e coli bacteria from attaching themselves to the mucus lining of the bladder and urethra. If they can’t attach, they can’t multiply and this means they simply get washed away in your urine. You can use cranberry juice as a preventative, if you are prone to bouts of cystitis.

And finally, get some garlic. Immune-boosting garlic helps eliminate the e coli bacteria, along with others indicated in cystitis. Raw garlic is much more effective than cooked, so chop it finely and sprinkle it over salads or in dressings; or eat whole cloves if you can bear it. Alternatively, take it as a supplement.

SUPPLEMENTS TO TRY

Bromelain: This is a digestive enzyme that is found naturally in pineapple and papaya. It has antiinflammatory properties that help soothe cystitis.

Vitamin C: Studies show that immune-boosting vitamin C can prevent e coli from multiplying and taking hold. Take the supplement as magnesium or calcium ascorbate, which is less acidic than ascorbic acid.

Beta carotene: The precursor to vitamin A, beta carotene is a potent antioxidant that can help your cells fight infection.

Zinc: This is another important antioxidant that can help prevent an infection.



VAGINAL INFECTIONS

What is it?


The most common infection is of the yeast variety – thrush. Other than this, it’s likely to be one of two types. The first, and most common, is bacterial vaginosis (BV). This is caused by an overgrowth of ‘unhealthy’ bacteria within the vagina. Experts believe that the acidic environment of the vagina is upset in some way, making it more alkaline and enabling unhealthy bacteria to thrive.

Unprotected sex, having multiple sexual partners, using an intrauterine device (IUD) for birth control, douching and using vaginal deodorants are all ways in which you can upset the acid–alkaline balance in your vagina.

The second type is a condition called trichomonas vaginalis. This is a sexually transmitted condition in which an infected partner passes a tiny parasite (called a protozoan) into the vagina during lovemaking.

How to tell if it’s an infection

It is much easier for a doctor diagnose BV than trichomonas vaginalis because BV has distinct symptoms, including soreness, itching and redness around the vagina and a greyish or yellow discharge that may also have a unpleasant, fishy smell. You may also experience pain around the vagina during intercourse and a slight burning when you pass urine.

 Trichomonas vaginalis, on the other hand, can show no symptoms at all, or you may have symptoms of soreness around the vagina and a fishy, discoloured discharge, which is often frothy.

Any of these symptoms should prompt an immediate visit to your doctor (as long as this is not at the same time as your period), especially if you are trying for a baby, because BV can cause miscarriage.

How to beat it:

Try to eat more plain, live yogurt, which contains beneficial bacteria. You could even apply some to the vagina or insert some on a tampon; alternatively there are vaginal probiotic pessaries. The other thing you must do is avoid alcohol for the duration of your infection.

 Anything like alcohol that contains sugar will encourage unhealthy bacteria to grow. In addition, alcohol lowers immunity and puts pressure on the liver to cleanse the system. Pack your diet full of vegetables that are rich in beta-carotene, which your body uses as vitamin A to help boost your immunity. Yellow, orange and red fruits and vegetables are all rich sources.

SUPPLEMENTS TO TRY

Vitamin E: This immune-boosting vitamin helps your body fight infection. If you have inflammation or soreness around your vagina, you can open a vitamin E capsule and gently rub the oil into the relevant area.

B vitamins: If your cells are infected, you need to ensure that the healthy cells can replicate properly during the healing process.

Zinc: This powerful immune booster can encourage faster healing and prevent an infection recurring.

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Therapy File: Diabetes

DIABETES IS ONE OF THE  MOST COMMON AILMENTS BUT FORTUNATELY IT CAN BE TREATED – AND PREVENTED.

With diabetes taking centre stage as one of the greatest health issues worldwide, we should all be aware of what causes it, its effects and how to treat and even prevent it. Here’s how:

WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE BODY?

Dr Jane Jamieson, CNM’s biomedicine lecturer, takes a look at the various types of diabetes

Type I diabetes

This autoimmune disease, formerly known as juvenile diabetes, occurs when the body stops producing the hormone insulin, for reasons unknown. This is a lifelong condition for which there is no cure. It usually strikes young children.

Type II diabetes

Formerly known as adult onset diabetes, this condition is caused by the body not responding to insulin. This is by far the more common condition and is now known as type II diabetes due to the increasing number of children being diagnosed. Unlike type I diabetes, this condition is reversible and is also preventable. It’s been related to dietary factors, including too much sugar in the diet, and lack of exercise as well as stress (which over works the internal organs) and age.

Understanding insulin

The body needs insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. Too much sugar in the blood stream makes the blood sticky, which causes the tiny capillaries to become stuck together and affects blood flow in the body. The effects of this are far-reaching and may include:

Heart and circulatory problems
Damage to the peripheral nerves and blood vessels, especially in the feet
Damage to the nerves and blood vessels in the retina of the eye, contributing to loss of sight
Damage to the exquisitely fine filtering mechanism in the kidneys, which can lead to kidney problems, infections, high blood pressure and malfunction of the whole body.

THE NATUROPATHIC APPROACH

Rebecca Edwards, naturopathy lecturer at CNM, gives some advice on diabetes management and prevention

Sticky problem

Released by the pancreas whenever we eat, insulin has the role of carrying glucose molecules into cells, where the body then uses them to manufacture energy. The higher the amount of glucose we take in at once, the more insulin the body releases. So foods high in glucose including sweet, sugary or processed foods and refined carbohydrates such as pasta, white bread and white rice, require the body to release large amounts of insulin.

But, how is glucose delivered into the cells? The membrane surrounding each cell contains several insulin receptor sites. These are tiny areas, which ‘recognise’ insulin and allow it to ‘dock’ onto the cell membrane, delivering glucose into the interior of the cell.

These insulin receptor sites must be able to allow insulin to dock in order for our cells to be able to make energy. However, with increased levels of insulin in the bloodstream, the more cells become insensitive to it, and if glucose can’t enter the cells, then they can’t manufacture energy. Also, unable to enter the cells, glucose remains in the bloodstream, thus causing high blood sugar levels.

Food for thought

Naturopathic medicine focuses on increasing the sensitivity of insulin receptor sites. This allows the body to more effectively allow glucose to enter cells, keeping blood sugar levels constant and maintaining steady energy levels. By doing this we can prevent people from progressing from a pre-diabetic state of insulin resistance and also reverse diabetic status.

Starting with diet, there is a dual focus of reducing foods which decrease insulin sensitivity, and increasing foods which heighten insulin sensitivity.

Nutritional supplements

Alpha-lipoic acid: an orthomolecular nutrient, which helps to sensitise insulin receptor sites, as well as increase the ability of the liver to perform detoxification pathways. Recommended dose is 600mg per day.
Chromium polynicotinate: a trace mineral, which has been proven to be effective in reducing insulin resistance and aiding weight loss. Recommended dose is 1,000mg per day. Please note: Nutritional supplements shouldn’t be used as a replacement for dietary changes.

Watch your weight

Weight loss is often an integral part of diabetic therapy, specifically fat loss. High levels of insulin cause the body to store fat very easily, rather than using it for energy.

Tackle weight issues by eating a healthier diet combined with exercise, but remember that main role of exercise for diabetics is not fat loss. A diabetic who is exercising vigorously will not lose weight if he or she remains insulin resistant.

GET UP AND GO!

Exercise is a crucial part of treating/preventing type II diabetes. The muscles use sugar for fuel, so one of the easiest ways to regulate blood sugar levels is to exercise regularly, encourage the muscle cells to take up sugar when sugar levels are too high and then burn the sugar as fuel.Fit exercise into your daily routine:

Go up and down the stairs as many times as possible
Park at the far end of the car park
Get off the bus one or two stops early
Try to get out of breath three to six times daily

CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE

Eat plenty of the following:

John Gavin, lecturer in Traditional Chinese Medicine with CNM, explains the TCM approach to treating diabetes.

From a TCM perspective, type II diabetes is linked to a deficiency in the body’s spleen (digestive) energy. When the spleen’s transporting and transforming function is impaired, it results in ‘damp’ being created in the body, which causes excess weight. Subsequently, the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin to moderate blood sugar levels in the body and diabetic symptoms such as excess thirst, hunger and urination arise. In TCM terms, this ultimately leads to depletion of the body fluids and ‘yin’ deficiency. Here are some foods and herbs to help reduce blood sugar levels:

Onions and garlic
Fenugreek
Ginseng tea
Juniper berries
Indian Kino (Pterocarpus marsupium) is shown to regenerate functional pancreatic beta cells and help produce more insulin
Dandelion root protects the liver, which converts nutrients into glucose

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Self Help: Natural Cures For Insomnia

Spend your night tossing and turning instead of drifting gently off to the land of nod? Here’s how to banish those insomnia blues for good…

It’s not rocket science, but sleeping properly is one of the most important steps you can take towards optimum vitality, glowing skin and a longer, healthier life. On a physical level a decent night’s shut-eye promotes cellular rejuvenation and boosts the immune system while on a mental level it helps us to process thoughts and experiences. 

Without sleep our bodies quite literally shut down. “Sleep is an essential part of circadian rhythm which dictates that we should be awake for 16 hours and asleep for eight hours every night,” says Professor Ian Hindmarch, Emeritus Professor at the University of Surrey.

“For anyone who wants to be healthy and successful, quality sleep is an essential, not a luxury,” says Sammy Margo, physiotherapist and author of The Good Sleep Guide (£9.99, Vermillion). “When well rested we can live our lives to the full and perform at our peak: a bad night’s sleep, however, will release the demons inside all of us.”

SO HOW MUCH SLEEP DO YOU ACTUALLY NEED?

When pinned down, scientists say that between six and eight hours a night is enough for most of us. “This is the basic amount of sleep we need to function comfortably in our daily life,” says Sammy, “beyond that, sleep is an enjoyable time filler but is not essential.” Just like sex and food, most of us would like to have more sleep than we need simply for enjoyment. 

However, sleep needs vary according to each person. The key is finding out what works for you. If you feel alert and energetic during the day, you are getting enough sleep, even if you have only slept for five hours. If, however, you feel drowsy during the day and lacking in energy, you need to improve the quality of your sleep.

Most of us try and make up for lack of sleep by having long lie-ins on days off and weekends, but Sammy believes these may do more harm than good. 

“This isn’t just because they disrupt your biological clock and make you prone to headaches, it’s also because recent studies have shown that those who stay in bed for more than nine hours are more irritable and don’t live as long as their eight hour counterparts!” She cites a 2002 study of more than a million people which found that those who averages eight or more hours of sleep a night had a 12 per cent greater chance of death than those who got six or seven.

 People who took sleeping pills were also more likely to die younger. Several studies have since reached the same conclusion although the reason is not clear. So what do you do if you’re not getting your eight hours a night? There are all sorts of practical tips as well as complementary therapies such as herbal supplements and reflexology can be a great help.

Scientists say that between six and eight hours of sleep a night is enough for most of us

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF SLEEPLESS NIGHTS

• Blurred vision
• Irritability and edginess
• Daytime drowsiness
• Decreased mental activity and concentration
• Weakened immune system
• Dark circles under your eyes
• Headaches
• Loss of libido
• Slow reaction time and memory loss
• Nausea
• Yawning

HOW HEALTHY IS YOUR SLEEP STRATEGY?

• Do you go to bed and wake up at different times depending on your schedule?
• Do you enjoy long lie-ins at the weekend?
• Do you have caffeinated drinks after 4pm?
• Has it been a few years since you bought a new bed or mattress?
• When you can’t fall asleep do you just lie there and try harder?
• Do you watch television or surf the net before you go to bed?
• Does your partner’s tossing and turning or snoring keep you awake?
• Do you take over the counter medication to help you fall asleep?
• Is you bedroom too warm and/or noisy at night?
• Do you sleep on your back or stomach?
• Do you wake up with back or neck ache?

If you answered yes to three or more of the the questions above, certain aspects of your lifestyle are making it impossible for you to get a good night’s sleep.

ESSENTIAL SLEEP SECRETS

You don’t need to lie in

Don’t indulge in a long lie in thinking it’s doing you the power of good. It’s far healthier to get up when you wake up naturally.

Lights out

Sleep in complete darkness or as close as possible. Even a tiny bit of light can disrupt your sleep and your pineal gland’s production of sleep-inducing melatonin.

Switch it off

Even better, get the television and the lap top out of the bedroom completely. They can be too disrupting to the brain and disrupt the function of your pineal gland.

Stay cool

Keep the temperature in your bedroom no higher than 21ºC (70ºF). Many people keep their homes, and particularly the upstairs bedrooms, too hot.

Stay regular

You should go to bed at the same time ever day, even at the weekends. This will help your body get into a sleep rhythm and make it easier to fall asleep and get up in the morning. Ideally, you should aim to be in bed before 11pm and up before 7.30am. Your body systems, particularly the adrenals, do the majority of their recharging or recovery during the hours of 11pm and 1am.

Establish a bed time routine

This could include deep breathing, writing a journal, reading, listening to relaxing music or having a foot massage. Anything that clearly signals to your brain that bedtime is a good idea. The key is to find something that makes you feel relaxed then repeat it each night to help you release tension and have the night of your dreams.

6 OF BEST SLEEP AIDS

Nu Nordic’s Melissa Dream tablets, 

are formulated with lemon balm, L-theanine, vitamin B complex and magnesium to help promote a restful night’s sleep

These 100 per cent silk duvets, from  from silkbedding.co.uk, are extra soft, lightweight and breathable to promote a healthy night’s sleep.

Bio Health’s Good Night supplements,   contain herbs such as valerian, hops, verbena, and passion flower to help achieve sound sleep.

Neal’s Yard Remedies Beauty Sleep Concentrate,   is made with active organic ingredients to work with the natural nocturnal bio-rhythms, while clary sage, cypress, orange oil, patchouli and ylang ylang, help to relax the body and mind,

Nodoff,   is a traditional licensed herbal remedy that promotes relaxation and natural sleep, it contains key herbal ingredients such as valerian, passiflora, skullcap, and hops.

Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Bath and Shower Oil,  , is often described as a sleeping pill in a bottle. A natural sleep aid, it combines the rich, earthy oils of vetivert, camomile and sandalwood.

Bach Rescue Night Liquid Melts,  are formulated with the five flower essences contained in Rescue Remedy and white chestnut to relax after a stressful day and tease your mind from fretful and repetitive thoughts

“A blend of vetivert, camomile and sandalwood essential oils is a more effective sleep aid than lavender alone”

7 NATURAL SLEEP ENHANCERS

Perfect scents

Try sprinkling a few drops of essential oil onto your pillow or, even better, into an evening bath. “From experience, I have found a blend of vetivert, camomile and sandalwood essential oils is a more effective sleep aid than lavender alone, says Geraldine Howard, of Aromatherapy Associates.

 Vetivert is renowned for being one of the most effective oils for peace and tranquillity and, combined with rich earthy oils of camomile and sandalwood, the aromatic effect is comforting and grounding and can deliver a deep sense of peace and relaxation.

Unblock your ‘chi’

Acupuncture can help to alleviate stress by removing any blockages in your ‘chi’, or energy channels which in turn will send you off to the land of nod. For example, pressing the points ‘heart 7’, on the outer side of the wrist, and ‘stomach 36’, on the front of the leg just below the knee, are said to induce almost instant sleep! Rubbing the insides and outsides of your heels can also have a similar effect.

Anyone for coffea?

It may sound strange, but the homeopathic remedy coffea, which is derived from caffeine, is regularly prescribed to help combat sleep problems.

The brain drain

Often described as ‘the king of insomnia killers’, meditation treats the cause and not just the symptoms so can help if you’re suffering from stress or tension-related sleeping problems. Meditation also helps to balance hormones, allowing plentiful supplies of melatonin to help you drift off with ease.

Eat right

Many nutritionists find that people having trouble sleeping are deficient in serotonin. In order to synthesise this hormone, your body needs a large amount of vitamin B6 which is found in avocados, cheese, fish, lentils, spinach, wholemeal flower and sunflower seeds so make sure you’re getting enough of these foods in your diet. In addition, stick to a high carb diet to maximise the hormone tryptophan in the brain, which also helps to aid better sleep.

Herbal healers

Try a cup of chamomile tea before bed-time or alternatively the herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine such as chrysanthemum, turmeric root, red sage root or peppermint leaf. However, be careful not to drink too much liquid just before bed or you may find your sleep disturbed by the beckoning of the loo! Alternatively, take a passionflower or valerian supplement.

AND RELAX….

A simple breathing exercise such as this one can help enormously: Take a deep breathe in through the nose, hold in for a count of five and then exhale through the mouth while repeating the word ‘calm’ in your mind. Repeat ten times.

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