Health and medical information

The way we think and the attitudes and beliefs we subscribe to have a great influence on our health and the way we look at prevention.

In a stressful world which is full of change most of us have to cope with the problems of growing up, going to school, leaving school, forming relationships, having children, making a home, holding down a job, bereavement, problems with children, illness, and much more besides. Many of these problems are in no way ‘our fault’, yet they can have a profound effect on our health, often reducing our ability to withstand infections and even making us susceptible to killer diseases such as cancer. Several studies have confirmed that stress impairs the functioning of the immune system. The typical responses of individuals to bad luck and stress vary enormously. A few people seem to thrive by overcoming obstacles, but it is probably true to say that more ‘illness’ and ‘disease’ is caused by stressful events in people’s lives than is caused by ‘real’ disease. But as well as these ‘external’ sources of stress and emotional upheaval there are many more ‘internal’-or self-generated-causes and some people are much more likely to be troubled with these than are others.

Some people hold beliefs that are almost bound to make them suffer more than necessary in the hurly-burly of everyday life, and others have personality types that make them exceptionally vulnerable. Both of these can be modified-at least to some extent-and increasingly people are realizing that their personalities have an enormous influence on their health and illness patterns.

Uncertainty is a potent cause of stress in many people’s lives but rational, clear thinking can overcome or reduce many of the stresses associated with uncertainty. For example, if you think you are about to be made redundant you can explore all the possible alternatives ahead of time, perhaps even starting to look into retraining. This positive action will make you feel a lot better and you will be less uncertain about your future because you will at least have explored, and

Uncertainty over a physical symptom is a major source of stress to many people who, often quite wrongly, imagine they have a serious disease. The answer here is to seek a professional opinion, and get the necessary tests done, so that your suspicion is either confirmed or proved wrong, and you can deal with the resultant situation appropriately. We all seem to have difficulty coping with problems which don’t have definite boundaries, yet can do so much better once the problem is defined clearly. Fear of the unknown is a disease-producer, yet so much information is available today that there is no need to fret unnecessarily over all kinds of imagined horrors.

Another source of stress is the inability many people have to make decisions at all. This in itself tears them apart because the very act of choosing one direction in life by definition rules out certain others and such people cannot bear to have any doors closed-they want all their options open all the time and so decide on nothing. In such circumstances it helps to write down the problem in logical steps and then to work out on paper all the possible answers you can see. This is best done with the help of a partner or a friend, but for some people in certain circumstances a professional counselor may be the answer. Often an outsider can see a way through an apparently insuperable problem, partly because he or she is outside the problem that looms so large in the troubled person’s life, and partly because he or she can bring experience from dealing with other similar problems to bear on this particular one. Often an outsider sees a totally new way out of the dilemma that is entirely invisible to the individual involved because of his or her upbringing, education and way of thinking, emotional state, or whatever.

One of the things that makes many people ‘ill’ is coming to terms with the fact that in modern life many problems simply don’t have an answer. Things are so complicated today that the simple answers of our grandparents often can’t be made to apply. Coping with the unchangeable is a sign of emotional maturity and again professional help may be necessary.

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Many of us wouldn’t know if we are getting enough zinc in our diets or not. There are however, a couple of signs that can tell us if zinc is lacking. White spots under the fingernails, premature greying of the hair and slow healing of wounds can quite often indicate a zinc deficiency. Some evidence has indicated that stretch marks can also be caused by a lack of zinc in the diet.

Zinc is a very important mineral and constituent of many enzymes involved in digesting and burning food. It is responsible for the action of over 90 different enzymes within the body. What we must do is include foods that are rich in zinc. Grains and nuts are probably one of the best sources. Zinc is also important for proper sexual development of young children. Recent research has shown it is important to help prevent certain prostate gland problems that may affect men as they grow older. Small signs of deficiency are hair loss, acne, aching joints, low immunity, infections which are slow to heal and fatigue.

Recent surveys carried out by the Australian Government have shown us that zinc can be deficient in many diets. According to this survey up to 80% of women in Australia could be lacking zinc in their diet. This is based on the recommended daily intake. It is very important that we look at a well-balanced diet containing fresh fruit and vegetables of different colours, meats, nuts and dairy products. The Australian soil we are growing our foods in may be lacking this very important mineral.

Supplementation may be the only way we can ensure we are receiving enough in our diets.

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The liver is the largest organ in the body and it performs more functions than any other organ. It produces and stores glycogen,which it synthesises from glucose. This is needed by the muscles for energy. The liver also manufactures bile which is used in the digestion of fats. It is one of the body’s major detoxifiers, transforming substances that are taken into the blood by way of our intestines. The liver also synthesises prothrombin and fibrinogen which are clotting agents, and is a valuable storing house for vitamins A, D, E and K.

There are many diseases which can severely affect the liver. Abuse with certain drugs such as alcohol can cause cirrhosis of the liver which will lead to death if not treated in the early stages.

Hepatitis is a disease which inflames the liver. There are varieties of the virus: hepatitis A or infectious hepatitis, hepatitis B, or serum hepatitis and the new hepatitis C. Hepatitis infects 25% of our indigenous population. The virus can be caught through exchange of blood, saliva, or eating infected food. Clean toilet habits and washing of hands afterwards is necessary for prevention.

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Epilepsy is a convulsive seizure. It affects people of all cultures. The disorder can be caused by changes in electric brain potentials or be hereditary.

The three types of epilepsy are, grand mal, petit mal and temporal lobe seizures.

Grand mal is the most well known. The sufferer may notice a change that can signal the arrival of the seizure. This change can range from a strange smell, flashing lights, ringing in the ears to feeling sick. This is then followed by a loss of consciousness, the sufferer then falls to the ground, the muscles are rigid, followed by shaking and twitching. There is also loss of bladder control, foaming at the mouth and blueness around the lips. The sufferer then falls into a deep sleep. The attack usually only lasts a few minutes.

Petit mal is a form of epilepsy that mostly affects children. These seizures only last a few seconds, usually no more than half a minute.

The symptoms of a petit mal seizure is usually a blank stare that may or may not be accompanied by rapid blinking. These attacks can occur many times daily, the sufferer does not lose consciousness and resumes normal activity straight after the attack.

Petit mal rarely affects adults.

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To avoid cancer use commonsense. If you are smoking then the risk of lung and throat cancer is increased. This bad habit should be given up as soon as possible.

Your diet is vital. Do not eat food containing artificial colourings, flavours, preservatives, pesticides (cancer forming) or carcinogenic chemicals such as saccharine.

The diet must be high in fibre, whole grains and root vegetables. Fruits are very important. A combination of these foods should make up 75% of your total energy intake from foods.

Restrict your intake of animal fats in your diet. Your total fat intake should be 15% of your diet. Remember, fats have twice the amount of energy as protein and/or carbohydrate. The remaining 10% of your diet is protein and should be derived from lentils, nuts, seeds, fish, dairy products and lean meats. Research has shown that a balanced high fibre/low fat diet can prevent most colon cancers.

Include in your diet cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts and cauliflower. A report in the America Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1 June 1990) stated that Indole-3 Carbinol, a chemical found in these vegetables reduces the risk of breast cancer by speeding up the metabolism of the female hormone oestrogen. Several other studies have shown that people with diets rich in these vegetables have lower rates of cancer than the general public.

Medical research has also found that the natural antioxidant nutrient beta-carotene, found in yellow and green vegetables may also help prevent cancer and reverse changes in cells that precede the development of cancer.

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Natural Pain Relief

Many people are rightly concerned about using manufactured ‘pain-killers’ as these may cause side effects. However, there are some herbs that contain quite strong analgesic properties. White willow bark contains constituents very similar to aspirin. It was in looking at what the ancient apothecaries did with this herb that we were able to develop aspirin.

White willow bark does not produce the side effects of the other analgesics so it can be very gentle in its pain-relieving properties. It is effective for headache, muscular ache and backache. It is available in health food stores. The herb is usually mixed with other herbs that also have slight analgesic properties.

It has been shown in experimental studies that D L phenylalanine can relieve pain when patients are taken off other medications. The study noted over 50% reduction in pain. If pain continues for a long time then you should see your practitioner.

SUPPLEMENTS

Esprin contains white willow bark 2700 mg

devil’s claw 200 mg magnesium phosphate 100 mg

Use Esprin as you would aspirin for temporary relief of pain.

betony 1000 mg 3 times daily — for headache

associated with nervous tension

D L-phenylalanine 250 mg 3 times daily

(amino acid)

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