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Naturopathic Consultations – Now Available

Chloe Orford — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:20:17 +0000

Are you sick of suffering with allergies, food sensitivities or constant sinus congestion and have no clue where to start?

Or perhaps you suffer with skin problems like acne, keratosis pilaris and eczema or other complicated health problems that you need help with.

See me and i will take all the guess work out of it for you.

If you are interested in a naturopathic consultation, there is now an opening special for your first consultation!

Save $49 and pay only $50 (usually $99)! Spots are limited so please book before the 1st of July to receive this discount.

Book your Naturopathic appointment today.

To find out what to expect from your consultation – please read further.

What to Expect – Initial Naturopathic Consultation

Typically, your first consultation is 1 hour long focusing on gathering information about your current state of health.

This information will give me a better understanding on the causative factors that are contributing to your health conditions, so that the symptoms and underlying problems are being addressed for long term results.

To get a more accurate picture of your current state of health and what may be causing your health concerns there are a few tests that are taken out during the initial consultation.

Tests During The Consultation

1. Zinc Tally Test
If you are deficient in this mineral, it can make you more prone to acne, other skin problems, allergies, colds and infections. Zinc deficiency is one of the most prevalent mineral deficiencies worldwide.

It is essential for healthy skin, wound healing, regulation of hormones and for a healthy immune system.

2. Urinary Indicans Test
An overgrowth of bacteria or yeast in your digestive system can be a big contributing factor to allergies and food sensitivities/intolerances.

This test shows us if there is a problem in your digestive system that needs to be addressed.

3. Urine & Saliva pH Testing
If the pH of your body gets out of balance by becoming too acidic your body will suffer immensely causing excess stress on your body to try and right the pH to a more alkaline one. Harmful effects of acidity include:

Digestive Problems –heart burn, acid reflux, overgrowth of bacteria and yeast in the digestive system leaving you more prone to allergies and skin problems
Headaches
Inflammation of joints
Lack of energy
Premature aging
Insomnia
Poor detoxification of toxins
Problems losing weight – Fat is an excellent binding agent necessary for storing toxins in your body to prevent it from doing any harm. This may be a cause to poor weight loss as your body may be holding onto this fat because your body is too toxic

After all of the testing has been done, I will go through with you a preliminary treatment plan to start on straight away so that you can begin addressing your health concerns. This may include dietary changes, herbal or nutritional supplements.

I encourage you to come back to me within 2 weeks so that I can provide you with a treatment strategy outline for all of your health concerns.

Treatment Program Follow Up Appointment – ½ hr

During this appointment, I will discuss with you the treatment plan that I have tailored for you that addresses all of the causative factors that I received from your first consultation.

I will show you the outline of the treatment plan so you have an understanding of what to expect from week to week so that you are completely informed on every part of your journey with me.

You will be given a dietary outline to follow, as well as prescribed nutritional and herbal supplements to support your body throughout the healing process.

Review Appointments – ½ hr

These appointments are scheduled anywhere between 2-4 weeks depending on the treatment plan given.

Each step of the treatment progress will require different nutritional/herbal supplements and lifestyle changes which I will explain in these review appointments. I will also assess how well you are doing on the plan and if you are happy with your progress.

If necessary, there may be slight changes in the treatment plan depending on your progress.

Make Your Appointment Today

Contact Complexion Code for your Naturopathic Appointment with me Chloe Orford on (07) 3862 2778.
or
Email chloe@complexioncode.com.au

Please mention the discount when booking your appointment.

Where Are We Located?

We are located at 278 Sandgate Road, Albion QLD (Next to Chemworld Pharmacy).

You may find street parking along Sandgate Road, at the Albion public parking carpark, or parking at the Albion Hotel.

Pricing

Initial Naturopathic Consultation- $50 (usually $99) Valid Until 31-7-10 Spots are limited
Follow Up Appointments ½ hour – $60
Food Sensitivity Testing with Initial Naturopathic Consultation – $249 (usually $298)

(click for more details)

Post Nasal Drip – Causes and Treatment

Chloe Orford — Tue, 11 May 2010 04:55:42 +0000

Is your nose constantly dripping? Perhaps you can feel something running down the back of your throat.

Are you familiar with that constant ‘eh hem’ sound you make whilst you clear your throat of mucus?

Constant coughing and chest infections can be caused from excessive dripping of mucus down the throat. Yep mucus is a great breeding ground for infections!

If you have the above symptoms, you may have what is termed ‘post nasal drip.’

Why Does Post Nasal Drip Occur?

There can be two forms of post nasal drip – thick and sticky that can often be yellow/green indicating an infection or it can be thin and watery. Both types of post nasal drip have very different causes.

Thick and Sticky

Thick and sticky post nasal drip can occur as a result of an infection usually triggered by upper respiratory infections during a cold. When the sinuses aren’t being cleared properly, the excessive mucus is forced to drip down the back of the throat.

Chest infections and coughing usually result from this type of post nasal drip.

Yellow/green post nasal drip usually corrects itself after the upper respiratory infection has cleared.

If the mucus is yellow or green long term in absence of a cold, there is still an infection which must be assessed and treated by boosting the immune system and using anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agents.

Where there is thick mucus without the yellow/green colour, it may be caused from the lack of moisture in the air which can dry out the mucus membranes of the nose.

This dryness forces your mucous membranes to work overtime to try and produce the mucous to protect the lining of the nose. Overcome this by ensuring you drink enough fluids to keep your body hydrated, and using a saline nasal drop to lubricate the nose.

Thin and Watery

The thin and watery type of post nasal drip tend to have it either daily or weekly in absence of an infection. There can be many triggers of this type of post nasal drip -

Food Sensitivities – I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but many people who have post nasal drip that is constant and quite chronic can be reacting to gluten or dairy. When these are eliminated, the post nasal drip tends to completely eliminate itself. If you think this may be you, going through a Naturopath or Doctor for an IgG antibody blood test will determine what foods you may be reacting to.
Environmental Irritants – Dust, dust mites, mould, animal dander and pollen can all act like an irritant in the nose in sensitive individuals. These allergens irritate the mucous membranes of the nose, making your nose produce more mucus to protect itself and trap the irritant to eliminate it. As a result post nasal drip can occur.
Cold air - Air conditioning, and cold climate can cause your nose to run more.
Spicy Foods – Spicy foods increases circulation and makes the mucus very watery causing your nose to drip

Natural Treatment

Avoid food you are sensitive to once you have been accurately tested through an IgG blood test
Bromelain – Assists with reducing swelling of the nose and inflammation that can make your nose feels like it’s blocked and you can’t blow the mucus out. It will also reduce the stickiness of the mucous if you have thick sticky post nasal drip
Quercetin - Reduces allergic responses by inhibiting histamine release from mast cells that trigger an allergic response to environmental allergens that can lead to a runny nose. This will assist those of you with post nasal drip commonly triggered by dust mites, mould, pollens and animal dander
Neti Pot - This is a tea pot shaped device that involves using a salt water solution that you use to wash out your nasal passages. Do this twice a day and it will help clear out allergens, excess mucus and any bacteria.
Avoid spicy foods- If you find that spicy foods can cause your nose to run, try to avoid it as much as you can. The worst is when you’re at a restaurant eating something super spicy and you are having to wipe your nose every 5 minutes! Curry powder, chilli,
Increase your immunity – If you are prone to sinus/chest infections caused from your post nasal drip then improving your immunity will be very beneficial to prevent these infections from occurring. Assess your diet by ensuring you are eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, minimise fried foods, junk foods and sugar, drink 1.5 – 2L of water daily. Zinc and Vitamin C are very important for healthy immunity. Herbs such as Echinacea, Olive Leaf, and Astragalus may be beneficial to take as a preventative.

Post nasal drip can be quite a mystery to treat at times, I hope that the above has given you a bigger picture into what may be causing your post nasal drip so you have a better chance of getting rid of it for good!

Please post your experiences on post nasal drip and what may or may not have worked for you.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome Part Two – Underlying Causes and Treatment

Chloe Orford — Sat, 08 May 2010 05:43:06 +0000

There are many underlying causative factors that could have initiated your sensitivity to low amounts of chemicals in your environment.

You may genetically have a poor capacity to detoxify certain chemicals – 50% of the population have this genetic tendency towards slow detoxification of chemicals. If you do not have a family history, it is still very possible to develop MCS in our modern environment.

Over exposure to large amounts of chemicals could have triggered your MCS, even viruses or severe stress can leave your immune system hypersensitive to its environment.

Often nutritional deficiencies caused from a poor diet, gastrointestinal inflammation and excess alcohol intake can greatly deplete the body of specific nutrients essential for adequate detoxification – causing more and more chemical/food sensitivities.

If your body does not have the tools it needs to detoxify chemicals properly then you are definitely going to know about it.

Symptoms such as headache, irritability, fatigue, restlessness, muscle pain and poor thinking to name a few may occur as you come in contact with chemicals your body can’t cope with.

So what can you do? You can give your body the tools it needs to function optimally and to detoxify chemicals properly.

Supporting Your Body to Heal

Avoiding chemicals that you know can affect you is of the upmost importance whilst you work on your body through dietary and lifestyle changes.

By doing so it will alleviate the symptoms that you experience so that you can at least function a lot better.

How to Avoid Chemicals in Your Environment

Avoiding chemicals completely is of course impossible and out of your control.

But what you do have control of are the chemicals used in your home – by doing the following you can greatly reduce your overall exposure to chemicals.

Eat Organic – This will help you avoid pesticides and agricultural chemicals used on spraying crops, fruits and vegetables that you could potentially ingest.
Drink Filtered water – Chlorinated water through the tap can cause problems in susceptible individuals
Avoid wearing perfumes/colognes – These often create headaches in MCS
Use unscented natural skin care and cleaning products – If you use chemical laden skin care products such as body lotions and face creams that you put on every day, you are adding to your overall toxic load as it can be absorbed through the skin. Cleaning products are full of harsh chemicals that can be inhaled as can skin care products that are highly fragranced. Look for all natural alternatives. Yes that does include makeup, shampoo/conditioner, mouthwash, toothpaste and laundry detergent.
Avoid artificial colours and flavours that are added to processed foods – Eat closest to nature as possible by organising your own meals
Avoid toxic paints – The fumes from paint can be extremely toxic to your body and can linger long after the room has been painted. Avoid this at all costs.

Optimise your diet

Eating fresh fruit and vegetables are very important to ensure that your body receives the nutrients it needs for proper detoxification. Antioxidants are also very important to protect your cells and tissues from the damage that can occur from toxic chemicals.

If you are confused on how to eat healthy, then visiting a nutritionist or a naturopath can put you on the right path to help modify your diet to suit you.

Optimise your Gastrointestinal Tract

A sluggish and unclean digestive system can cause your body to become very toxic – giving your body more work than it can handle! A healthy digestive system will help support your body to detoxify chemicals a lot better.

Think of your digestive system like a waste disposal bin. Every day you top it up with food regularly throughout the day, but before it gets really stinky and fly infested you must empty it out!

With your digestive system, it must be emptied everyday – 2-3 times is optimal but once a day is the absolute minimum. Anything less than this and you will start having problems; problems with your immune system and problems with your liver which is the main organ that detoxifies chemicals!

So to ensure you are emptying out the trash regularly you need:

Adequate fibre – Food sources such as vegetables, fruit, whole grains like oats, brown rice, whole wheat (unless you have a gluten problem) and barley, legumes, nuts and seeds. If you still have a problem getting enough fibre you can use 2 tablespoons of linseed/flaxseed meal separately or psyllium husks (but make sure you follow with a lot of water)
Healthy Bacteria – Good bacteria also known as probiotics are very important for the proper functioning of your digestive system. They prevent the overgrowth of bad bacteria/candida; they assist with the absorption of nutrients and support a healthy immune system
1.5-2 Litres of Filtered Water Daily - Drinking filtered water is important so you can avoid chlorine and bacteria that may be present in normal tap water. Drinking enough water is important to soften your bowel movements so you do not become constipated

Nutritional Supplements

Though you may be eating as healthy as you can be, the foods you may be eating may not be as jam packed with nutrients as you would like to think.

The soils may have been depleted with nutrients where the foods were harvested; storing vegetables/fruits for long periods of time before being eaten can have little nutrition once they reach your mouth. Cooking your foods at high temperatures for long periods of time can also destroy the vitamins, and enzymes naturally present.

Supplementing with nutrients alongside a healthy diet may be beneficial for you to really ensure your body receives the nutrients it needs everyday for adequate detoxification.

Any of the following may be beneficial to you – but before supplementing please ensure you talk to a Naturopath or qualified health professional to ensure it is right for you.

Multivitamin

A multivitamin will give your body the minimum requirements of vitamins and mineral it needs every day. Multivitamins can be made very differently so do your research before you buy one. What you want to aim for is one that has reasonably high doses of the following:

Vitamin B1 – 20% of those of you with MCS are commonly deficient in B1. It is necessary for aldehyde detoxification that’s found in many artificial scents and fragrances
Vitamin B6 – 60% of chemical sensitive individuals have been found to be deficient in B6. It is necessary to support an amino acid Taurine with the removal of toxic chemicals
Folic Acid and B12 – A deficiency of these two nutrients are increase your sensitivity to chlorine and xenobiotics (estrogen mimicking chemicals that can have a negative impact on your hormones)

Magnesium

A deficiency in Magnesium can greatly affect your detoxifying capacity, as it is essential in 500 enzyme systems of the body. To learn more about Magnesium and deficiency symptoms, I have covered it in more detail here.

Protein

Protein is made up of twenty amino acids that all have specific roles to play in the body. Many of them such as methionine, taurine and the branch chain amino acids are extremely important to support your liver to detoxify toxic chemicals.

If you are a vegetarian and find it difficult to receive enough protein for your body every day, then it could be a good idea to look into a vegetarian protein supplement such as pea protein or rice protein that is going to ensure you receive the amino acids needed for proper liver detoxification support.

Those of you with poor digestion may not be digesting the protein component of food adequately which can result in a deficiency in a number of amino acids needed for chemical detoxification.

To find out if your digestive system needs help please go here for more information so that you can learn how to treat your poor digestion so you can absorb these essential amino acids properly.

Liver Detoxification Supplements

Impaired liver function is often found in Multiple Chemical Sensitivity individuals as many of you have had over exposure to chemicals like pesticides, herbicides, formaldehydes and heavy metals to name a few. This exposure has increased the toxic load of your body to a point where your liver is unable to keep up.

Liver supplements supply your body with herbs and nutrients needed to support the detoxification pathways of the liver and to protect it against toxic insult from chemicals.

Using a liver formula can be very beneficial in MCS but should be cautioned – when liver detoxifying is not done properly it can have a negative impact on your health as opposed to a positive one. So if you are interested in this please seek a natural health practitioner that can assist you through the right process.

Keep Fighting

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome can be an extremely frustrating condition that can greatly reduce your quality of life. I hope that this two part series has given you a better understanding of how to support your body to heal – even though this may be a long process it is possible! So what ever you do, don’t stop trying.

Remember, your body has an amazing ability to heal but you must supply it with the right tools to do so.

Preventing Allergies in Babies

Chloe Orford — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 03:50:15 +0000

Allergies in infants are a big concern especially if you or your partner suffers with allergies.

Genetic predisposition greatly increases your baby’s chance to atopic diseases such as atopic dermatitis (eczema), bronchitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma and food allergies.

If one parent has a past history of allergies, the possibility of your child also experiencing allergies is increased by two fold, and four fold if both parents have a history of allergies.

Is There Anything I Can Do About It?

Nobody wants to see their child suffer with bouts of eczema or breathing problems – it’s heartbreaking and can prove to be a very terrifying time.

Fortunately there has been quite a lot of research into finding preventative measures that reduce the possibility and severity of allergies in allergy prone children, and luckily several of these strategies are proving to be very effective.

Breastfeeding Prevents Development of Allergies

There have been several studies that confirm that breastfeeding for four to six months successfully prevents the early development of allergic diseases including asthma, atopic dermatitis, food allergy symptoms and allergic rhinitis up to 2 years of age.

Breastfeeding by far reduces allergic potential in babies in comparison to the use of formulas based on cow’s milk or soy protein that increases the chance of eczema and wheezing.

Unfortunately just simply breast feeding your child may not be the be all and end all to preventing your infant’s allergies later in life. In some studies, certain mothers who breast fed increased the chance of asthma in their child as opposed to non breast feeding mothers.

Allergies can be created from breast milk because your baby can become sensitised to foods that you are ingesting which are transferring through your breast milk, initiating allergies in your baby.

Avoiding Dietary Allergens in Breastfeeding Mothers

Research has confirmed that by reducing dietary intake of common food allergens whilst breastfeeding, increases the protective effects of breast milk against atopic disease remarkably.

Before breastfeeding, determining what foods you are allergic to through an allergy test is beneficial. This will make it much clearer to you, the foods that must be eliminated from your diet whilst breastfeeding up to 12 months so that you can reduce your baby’s allergy potential even further.

If you are not allergic to foods and it is your partner’s side that has the family history of atopic disease, then reducing dietary intake of the main dietary allergens may be suitable.

Cow’s milk in particular is a common dietary allergen that has been linked to the production of colic in infants. It is also a common trigger alongside egg ingestion in the development of eczema in infants during breastfeeding.

Soy, peanuts and wheat are also food allergens that are common in atopic disease in infants.

Probiotics in Breastfeeding Mothers and Infants Prevents Allergic Disease

Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria found in your digestive system that greatly influences the function of your immune system.

In allergic individuals, the amount of beneficial bacteria present in the digestive system is found to be lower in comparison to non allergic individuals.

This environment can greatly influence the correct functioning of the immune system, leading to more allergic tendencies.

Mothers with a family history of allergies who choose to supplement with a probiotic during pregnancy and breastfeeding have shown to reduce the incidence of atopic disease such as eczema in their child.

The protective effects of the probiotics have also demonstrated to prevent allergies beyond 5 years of age.

Choosing a Probiotic

Probiotics are usually kept in the fridge at your health food store. The species of bacteria that have shown to enhance immunity and reduce the prevalence of allergies are as follows;

Lactobacillus Acidophilus
Bifidobacterium lactis
Lactobacillus rhamnosus

The benefits of starting supplementation during the third trimester, will enable the gut and vaginal flora in the mother to be influenced to a more positive and beneficial environment.

By doing so, as the baby is born, their digestive systems are inhabited with more beneficial bacteria than bad bacteria from the mother. This supplies the baby with the best possible start to a healthy immune system and better prevention of allergic disease.

Early Introduction to Solid Foods Increases Allergies in Infants

If your infant is susceptible to forming allergies through a genetic predisposition, then it is important to follow a few guide lines to prevent your baby from producing several food allergies when new food is introduced.

Food allergies can be produced very easily before the age of two, as the mucosal barrier of the intestinal wall is not matured completely leaving it still permeable to particles of food.

If too many highly allergic foods are introduced too soon, they are able to pass the mucosal barrier easily triggering immune reactions. This initiates food allergies leading to symptoms like atopic dermatitis.

Pediatricians and allergists commonly recommend the following guide lines for the optimum ages to introduce particular foods.

Introduce foods from 6 months onwards – When introducing foods, introduce only one food at a time and in small amounts. Look out for any symptoms that could suspect a food allergy by waiting several days before introducing a different food. Symptoms you should look out for are; bloating, gas, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, refusal of food, colic or a rash.
Introduce cow’s milk 12 months onwards – The casein found in cow’s milk is commonly linked to allergies in susceptible babies. Introducing yoghurt and cheeses don’t seem to cause such allergic reactions if introduced before 12 months old.
Introduce eggs 12-24 months onwards – The white part of the egg is usually what triggers a food allergy in babies as it contains a variety of proteins that commonly trigger an immune reaction.
Introduce peanuts, tree nuts, fish and seafood 36 months onwards

Low Levels of Essential Fatty Acids Can Initiate Allergies

Essential fatty acids also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids must be provided through the diet as the body is unable to manufacture it – thus their name ‘essential’ fatty acids.

These essential fatty acids are Omega 3 (linolenic acid) and Omega 6 (linoleic acid) of which EPA and DHA are found in Omega 3 and Arachidonic Acid and GLA (Gamma-linoleic-acid) are converted from Omega 6.

Unfortunately many people have an imbalance of essential fatty acids in their diet; with too much Arachidonic acid and not enough Omega 3 and GLA.

Arachidonic acid is commonly found abundantly in Western diets due to the excessive intake of animal products. In excess, this fatty acid favours inflammation and the production of IgE antibodies that creates a hypersensitive immune system and anaphylactic allergies, where as Omega 3 and GLA reduce inflammation.

Eating a balanced diet that contains Omega 3, Omega 6 and not too much Arachidonic acid (still very important for your babies growth, but not in excess) is vital not only for your babies immune system but also for brain and eye development.

Mothers are the sole source of essential fatty acids to their babies, if mothers are deficient in these essential fatty acids during pregnancy and breastfeeding, atopic diseases such as eczema and asthma will be more likely to occur.

If you would like to find out more accurate information on food sources of essential fatty acids, you can visit this website that discusses abundant sources as well as the benefits of fatty acids. Please visit Linus Pauling Institute – Essential Fatty Acids .

There Is Hope

By putting in place any of the guide lines that have been mentioned, it can give you peace of mind that you have contributed the best you can to reducing the likelihood of infant allergy in your baby.

If you have had any experience with preventing an infant allergy in your new born baby with any of the above treatment strategies or even others that have not been mentioned.

Please post below to share your story so that other expecting mothers can also benefit from your experience.

References

1. Furuhjelm C, Warstedt K, Larsson KJ, Fredriksson M, Bottcher MF, Faith-Mangusson K, et al. Fish oil supplementation in pregnancy and lactation may decrease the rick of infant allergy. Acta Paediatr 2009 Sep; 98(9): 1461 – 1467

2. Kull, I., Wickman, M., Lilja, G, Nordvall, S L., Pershagen, G. Breast feeding and allergic diseases in infants – a prospective birth cohort study. Arch Dis Child 2002; Volume 87, Issue 6; Pages 478-481

3.Gerrard, J W. Allergies in breastfed babies to foods ingested by the mother. Clinical Reviews in Allergy and Immunology 1984; Volume 2, Pages 143-149.

4. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1985;291:932-935 (5 October), doi:10.1136/bmj.291.6500.932

5. Cant A., Marsden, R A & Kilshaw P J. Egg and cows’ milk hypersensitivity in exclusively breast fed infants with eczema, and detection of egg protein in breast milk. Br Med J (Clin Red Ed) 1985, Volume 291, Pages 932-935

6. Kallimokai M., Slaminen S., Poussa, T., Arvilommi H & Isolauri, E. Probiotics and prevention of atopic disease: 4 year follow up of a randomised placebo controlled trial. 2003, Volume 361, Issue 9372; Pages 1869- 1871

7. Kankaanpaa, P., Suta, Y., Salminen S., Licbtenstein, A & Isolauri, E. Dietary Fatty Acid and Allergy, 1999, Vol. 31, No. 4, Pages 282-287

Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis) – Natural Treatment Guide

Chloe Orford — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 02:24:43 +0000

Atopic Dermatitis is a fancy name for an itch that rashes. Therefore the more you itch the larger the rash becomes.

Continuous itching can breakdown the barrier of your skin, making you more prone to infections. Babies and young children are especially prone to infections as their immune systems aren’t fully developed.

Atopic Dermatitis most commonly occurs on the face, arms and legs in babies and young children whilst teenagers and adults tend to have it behind their knees and elbows. The skin condition usually shows its first appearance in children under the age of two, which then can lead to asthma, allergic rhinitis and food allergies later on in life.

Though Atopic Dermatitis is a genetic disorder, there are still many other factors that contribute to its development – and it’s these factors that you can influence to relieve and reduce your severity of eczema.

First Repair And Protect The Skin

To immediately prevent Atopic Dermatitis from worsening, an emollient must be used to inhibit the itch-scratch cycle so that the progression of the skin rash can be impeded.

Emollients also work to hydrate the skin preventing further water loss from occurring, as well as repair the impaired skin barrier function reducing the likelihood of infection.

Opting for emollients that use 100% natural ingredients over chemical based creams are ideal as synthetic chemicals can act as an irritant and create a worsening of the rash.

Emollients can and often clear up the rash remarkably if you use one that contains ingredients to get the job done properly. I have seen astounding results on many individuals with Atopic Dermatitis who have used these two emollients.

They are both a completely natural alternative to steroid and chemical based creams providing a safe and effective alternative.

Xma Therapy Cream

This cream has a combination of 15 different natural ingredients. These ingredients aim at hydrating the skin, restoring the damage that has occurred through scratching and protect it from any irritants or bacteria/viruses.

It reduces inflammation and redness with aloe vera and chamomile, hydrates the skin with a variety of nut, seed and plant oils whilst increasing collagen repair of the skin surface with vitamin C and A.

The company also supplies you with a 90 day satisfaction guarantee – so if you use it and do not see any improvement within this time period then you are entitled to a refund. I think this is a great bonus especially if you have spent a lot of money on emollients before.

To learn more information about this cream and read their testimonials, you can visit their website here.

Moogoo Eczema and Psoriasis Balm

This cream is wonderful for Atopic Dermatitis, Psoriasis as well as any sort of fungal or yeast based skin condition. It is designed to reduce the irritation by hydrating and keeping the skin well moisturised through ingredients like chamomile, sage oil, olive oil and squalene.

Find out more information by checking out their website here – you’ll be entertained by all of their adorable pictures of cows.

Food Triggers

Food allergens are constantly being demonstrated in many studies to induce eczema skin rashes.

In a controlled food challenge study, 40% of children with moderate to severe Atopic Dermatitis had their rash worsened by food allergens by producing skin inflammation.

The most common food triggers linked to Atopic Dermatitis are; eggs, milk, wheat, soy and peanuts. Reducing sugar including glucose, lactose and maltose have also been markedly linked with a dramatic improvement in Atopic Dermatitis.

Taking your child or yourself for food allergy testing will determine exactly what foods are causing the Atopic Dermatitis. By eliminating the food culprits, the skin rash usually tends to subside significantly.

Feed Your Gut with Good Bacteria

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that live in your digestive system and contribute positively to your well being and the regulation of your immune system. About 70% of your immune system is found in the gut associated lymphatic tissue (GALT) surrounding your digestive system, where the regulation of immune responses take place.

Beneficial bacteria are essential to modulate immune responses which in turn regulate allergic reactions.
Many controlled trials have demonstrated that taking a probiotic (good bacteria) supplement can greatly improve the extent and severity of Atopic Dermatitis.

Studies have demonstrated that children with atopic dermatitis have less beneficial bacteria in their digestive systems as opposed to children with allergies.

Supplementation of lactobacilli bacteria can modulate the immune system and inhibit the development of Atopic Dermatitis in genetically predisposed children. Existing Atopic Dermatitis has also been successfully reduced through the use of probiotics.

Eat Your Good Fats

If your body is deficient in good fats in particular the GLA (Gamma Linolenic Acid) converted from Omega 6 (Linoleic Acid) then your skin will become more prone to water loss as well as dry scaly skin.

Fats make up a vital part of the skin barrier, so if the structure of this skin barrier is altered through a deficiency then your skin will become more permeable to bacteria/viruses and outside allergens.

In studies connecting the link between this deficiency and Atopic Dermatitis, it has been detected that not only may there be a lack of Omega 6, but there also could be a dysfunction in the way your body converts Linoleic Acid to Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA).

A reduced activity in the conversion rate of Linoleic acid to Gamma Linolenic acid has been detected in Atopic Dermatitis individuals.

Supplementing with direct sources like Evening Primrose oil, Borage Oil and Blackcurrant Oil can be beneficial in Atopic Dermatitis by providing the GLA needed for proper skin barrier function.

Controlling Your Eczema Is Possible

Chemical based creams do not have to be the only answer to relieving your eczema. There are many other alternative routes that you can take that are much safer and will support your body to heal your skin.

I hope that the several connections to the causes of eczema that I have covered has opened up your horizons and given you further insights to treating this frustrating skin condition.

References

1. Y.M, D., Boguniewicz, M., Howell, M.D., Nomura, I., Qutayba, A.H. New Sights into Atopic Dermatitis, J. Clin. Invest. 2004; 113(5):651

2. Sampson, H., McCaskill, C. Food hypersensitivity and atopic dermatitis: Evaluation of 113 patients. The Journal of Pediatrics, Volume 107, Issue 5, Pages 669-675

3. Kalliomaki, M., Salminen, S., Arvilommi, H., et al. Probiotics in primary prevention of atopic disease: a randomised placebo-controlled trial
The Lancet, Volume 357, Issue 9262, Pages 1076-1079

4. Isolauri, E., et al. Probiotics in the management of atopic eczema. Clinical and Experimental Allergy, 2000, Volume 30, Pages 1604-1610

5. Schäfer, L and Kragballe, K. Supplementation with evening primrose oil in atopic dermatitis: Effect on fatty acids in neutrophils and epidermis. Lipids, 1991, Volume 26, Pages 557-560.

Food Matters Documentary Review – Can You Really Heal Yourself With Food

Chloe Orford — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 07:07:48 +0000

Food Matters is a controversial documentary which uncovers terrifying facts about modern medicine in an attempt to educate you to heal yourself without medication or surgery, and instead with – wait for it – food. Plain old what’s-for-dinner-mum food.

But is it really possible to prevent all your ailments, allergies, cramps and cancers with the edible contents of your fridge and pantry? Can we finally say goodbye to a life of prescriptions and surgery once and for all? Or is this just another misguided and misinformed, controversy for controversy’s sake documentary?

Food Matters In A Nut Shell

In the documentary, doctors, nutritionists and natural health experts discuss the change for the worse in our health industry over many, many years.

Long before the pharmaceutical industry were a trillion dollar worldwide corporation, Hippocrates the father of medicine in 400BC laid down the foundations for modern medicine with a very different perspective. He had the understanding that the human body has an innate capacity for self healing, and believed we should ‘let thy food be thy medicine.’

Unfortunately today our health systems have turned away from these philosophies to a more chemical approach, by prescribing ‘a pill for every ill’ without addressing the cause of disease or supporting the body to heal.

As you continue throughout the film, the message begins to become clearer – has modern medicine gone completely down the wrong track? Why is it that terminal diseases like cancer are still increasing even with the amount of funding and donations consistently contributed to finding a cure? Was Hippocrates onto something, can healthy eating really help us get rid of disease?

According to the many experts interviewed on the Food Matters, the resounding answer to this question is a big yes and it has been proven time and time again! But how come it isn’t all over the news and in newspapers, and why aren’t our doctors recommending it ?

These concerns are addressed in the film and with a rather disturbing reality – “Good health makes a lot of sense, but it doesn’t make a lot of dollars,” Andrew Saul Ph.D, Therapeutic Nutrition Specialist and Author.

Are We Killing Ourselves?

The film discusses that our western diet primarily made up of processed, sugary, fatty, nutritionally depleted and chemically laden foods are the main cause to our disease states. Charlotte Gerson explains that we are both toxic and deficient in vital nutrients because of the quality of food we are eating, and it is no wonder our health is failing us.

Food matters echoes continuously throughout this film that there is only one way out of this mess we have created for ourselves and that is to take control of our health by changing our diet, detoxifying the poisons from our body and feeding our body the nutrients that it is so heavily depleted in.

What Food Matters Is Lacking…

There are so many benefits behind eating an organic, raw food diet and regular cleansing but do you know exactly how to achieve all of this after watching the film? Unfortunately no.

Food Matters fail to give examples of a raw food diet, or step by step instructions of a detoxification program that you can implement straight away which leaves you feeling a little disapointed and lost. If you are a newbie to detoxing and very clean eating, then you will most likely finish watching the film wondering where exactly do I begin?

Fortunately Food Matters didn’t completely let us down. I went onto their website and discovered their Detox and Rejuvenation Guide eBook which includes a 3-10 day detox program, information on raw living foods and superfoods, a 7 day meal plan as well as the recipes to prepare these meals. This eBook can be found towards the bottom of the page under “Detox & Rejuvenation Guide.”

A great bonus to these nutritious recipes are that they do not contain any common allergy causing foods, so you can prepare these meals with ease knowing you won’t react to them!

Since it’s the beginning of a new year and after the festive season I am definitely due for a detox. I am going to give their detoxification program a go and I will post the results.

Are You Serious About Your Health?

Food matters will open up your eyes to the truth behind the lies and deceit that we are fed by the medical and health establishments throughout the media. It will leave you feeling inspired and empowered – armed with the knowledge on the importance of a healthy diet, vitamins and detoxification that have also been scientifically proven to successfully treat chronic illnesses and terminal disease.

It is an absolutely inspirational film that will change the way you look at food forever! Stop being apart of the ever expanding sick industry and become educated about your health today.

There is no one who is better and more qualified at looking after your body than yourself – so start today by taking responsibility of your health and watch this documentary. You won’t be disappointed!

Start living sick free (and allergy free) today.

No related posts.

Top Five Natural Allergy Treatments Youve Never Heard Of

Chloe Orford — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:35:08 +0000

Natural allergy relief is a safe alternative to a lot of allergy medications that are often not recommended for long term use.

A variety of these natural treatments can be used to relieve a wide range of acute allergy symptoms whether it is hay fever, sinus congestion, itchy eyes, hives or an acute onset of eczema. They can be used in conjunction with one another if you are suffering from more than one allergy symptom.

1. Neti Pot

This is a great natural relief product that involves washing out your nasal passages with a salt water solution. It clears the allergens from the mucous membranes in the nose, as well as excess mucous that has been produced and any possible bacterial infections that may be thriving.

A neti pot looks like a small tea pot that involves mixing sea salt and warm water into the pot, followed by tipping the water up your nose and out the other nostril with your head over the sink. Even though it can be slightly uncomfortable it provides fast relief for nasal congestion.

2. Eyebright Herb

This is a powerful herb commonly used in decongesting nasal catarrh in hayfever and sinusitis when taken internally. It is also a great remedy for any sort of eye complaints; weepy eyes or an over sensitivity to light can both be relieved with eyebright. For eye complaints while using the herb internally, you can also use it externally in an eyewash or compress.

Eyewash or Compress

In 500 ml of boiling water, place 1 tablespoon of the dried herb into the boiling water and let it steep for 10 minutes
Use it as an eyewash repeating several times a day
To use as a compress, soak cotton wool in the warm eyebright water and place it over your eyes for 15 minutes at a time.

3. Quercetin, Bromelain and Vitamin C

These three nutrients are potent anti-inflammatories and anti-allergic substances, inhibiting histamine production which will greatly reduce the severity of your allergies. Symptoms that are relieved well with this combination are hay fever, with itchy watery eyes and runny nose, as well as allergic rashes such as eczema and hives that commonly comes up when in contact with animals or grass.

Quercetin is a flavonoid which is a group of pigments found in fruit and vegetables. Bromelain is derived from pineapples and works extremely well in combination with Quercetin for allergy relief. Quercetin also helps extend the antioxidant and anti-histamine effects of Vitamin C.

4. Steam Inhalation

This is a great and simple technique that you can use to really clear up congested nasal passages.

Instructions

Place a large bowl on a table and fill with 4 cups of boiling water.
Add 2-3 drops of Eucalyptus oil or 3 teaspoons of Eucalyptus leaves.
Put your head over the bowl and cover your head with a towel.
Inhale the volatile oils for about 10 minutes through your nose.
You can repeat this process 2-3 times a day.

5. Chickweed

This herb is very useful in skin conditions particularly eczema and psoriasis. It is most commonly used as an external remedy to relieve itching and irritation associated with these skin problems. In an ointment apply it to the skin rash 2-3 times daily. Chickweed can also be added to bathwater if the rash is wide spread. The herb is also a great healer of wounds and cuts.

Infusion for bath water

Pour a cup of the boiling water on to 2 teaspoons of the dried herb
Wait for 7 minutes and add to bathwater.

*If you are on any medications, please consult your health professional before using any of the supplements recommended.

An Extra Handy Tip

I hope that these natural remedies help give you some relief from those annoying allergy symptoms, particularly during the summer months when hayfever is at it’s worse. If you are looking for long term results I always suggest combining these natural remedies with a low allergenic diet which in turn prevents the build up of mucus.

Dairy products are one of the biggest allergenic culprits in relation to hay fever especially milk, yogurt and ice cream. If you are lactose intolerant or have a sensitivity to dairy products without knowing, and you continue to eat these foods in excess, you will create a build up of thick mucus in your sinus cavities.

During Spring and Summer, there a number of allergens in our environment such as pollens that can sensitize the mucus from your sinuses to come out creating the classic symptoms of hay fever.

A dairy free diet will prevent your hay fever best by beginning the diet at least a couple of months before hay fever season. But if you have just come across this information now whilst suffering from extreme hay fever in the middle summer, then reducing your dairy intake will still inhibit the build up of excess mucus and dampen your symptoms. Reducing your refined sugar intake, including lollies, chocolate, baked goods and soft drinks will also help as sugary foods greatly reduce the functioning of your immune system.

To learn about what you can use to replace your favourite dairy products, please visit my article on Lactose Intolerance: How to avoid dairy without avoiding the taste.

I’ve had great success with people suffering from hay fever or severe sinus congestion by just reducing their intake of dairy products all together. As a result, their hay fever has been completely prevented, and appointed sinus surgery has been cancelled.

Please feel free to post any feed back if you have tried any of these allergy relief treatments, thanks!

NAET (Nambudripads Allergy Elimination Technique)

admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:49:41 +0000

Even though it may sound too good to be to true for allergy sufferers, NAET (Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Technique) is a natural therapy that has had considerable amount of success in relieving allergy symptoms with long term results. It requires no medication or permanant elimination diets, it instead uses a technique based on kinesiology and acupuncture to treat your allergies.

Like many natural therapies, there is a lot of controversy on whether or not NAET actually does work as there is a lack of evidence to verify the results other than personal testimonials. We’ve put together an informative and concise review on NAET so that you can decide if it’s something you would like to consider.

How does NAET differ to normal medication?

NAET is a very different approach to allergy relief, much different to the allergy relief medication that you’re probably used to taking. Instead of just relieving the allergic symptoms (e.g. sinus congestion, rashes, itchy eyes) it will treat the reason as to why you have allergies in the first place. So why would you want to treat the cause instead of the symptoms you’re asking?

Well treating the cause will stop your body from seeing the food or the environment as harmful, this then stops the allergic reaction from happening which in turn significantly reduces or permanently treats your allergic symptoms like the stuffy nose, or itchy eyes for good.

NAET is for long term allergy relief – It’s not a quick fix!

I know many of you are used to getting everything now especially when it comes to relieving symptoms that make you feel unwell. If you have hayfever you take anti-histamine medication, or if you have a headache or a sore thumb you take panadol. Medication will work fast and effectively, but NAET though effective will not work over night like medication does.

Even though this can be a down side of NAET, but if you’re interested in healing your allergies for the long term, NAET may be worth considering. With NAET you may not have to take those medications ever again, which is quite exciting especially if your medication just isn’t cutting it anymore. If you’ve been suffering with allergies for many many years, it will naturally take time for your body to heal this problem.

Where does NAET come from?

NAET has been devised by Dr Devi Nambudripad, a Chiropractor and Acupuncturist in 1983. She stumbled upon this technique as she sought ways to rid herself of allergies. Today NAET is available world wide and has over 9000 licensed medical practitioners using the technique.

How does NAET actually work?

NAET involves the assessment of allergies by using Neuromuscular Sensitivity Testing (NST) and the treatment of different types of allergy groups. In your first visit you will be assessed for a variety of different allergies, once this has been achieved you will be treated for an allergy group (the one that is first on the list – to be effective it must go in order).

Once the allergens have been identified you are treated for each allergy group per visit. If you are reasonably healthy, generally you will only need one treatment to desensitize you to the allergen. If you are severely allergic to a substance and have problems with your immune system it may take more than one treatment to desensitize you to that one allergy group.

Testing for Allergies

Neuromuscular Sensitivity Testing (NST) also known as Muscle Testing, commonly used by Kinesiologists is the technique used to assess what allergies you may have. Whilst you are lieing down on the massage table, the Naturopath will place a homeopathic vial of fluid containing the allergic substance in your hand. Your opposite arm will be used as an instrument to determine whether you are allergic to the substance in the vial or not. If your arm is strong and you can resist the Naturopath’s push against your arm without too much trouble you are not allergic. On the other hand if your arm goes weak then this indicates an allergy or sensitivity to that allergen.

Understanding Muscle Testing

If a muscle is electrically in balance it will test strong, meaning it is electrically communicating back and forth with the brain without any problems. But if your body is overstressed about something, for example a food that you are allergic to it will block the electrical current from your brain to the muscle.

This block occurs as a protective mechanism by your body to preserve your remaining body from also being affected by the allergen. In response to this block, the electrical current that usually runs happily and easily from your brain to your muscle is blocked causing the muscle and other areas of your body to become electrically out of balance, creating all sorts of symptoms and disease.

Treatment

Once the allergens have been identified, each allergen group will be treated. The treatment involves acupressure stimulation along the acupuncture points of the spine, followed by stimulation of acupuncture points on the arms, hands and feet. This treatment is carried out while you hold the allergen vial in your hand.

The treatment process opens blockages in organs and meridian lines, reprogramming your body to see the allergen as harmless instead of harmful which had been previously occurring. Once the blockages are removed, the reactions usually cease to occur.

25 hour Avoidance Period

Following the treatment you will be asked to avoid the food allergen group for 25 hours. Sometimes this avoidance period can be a little tough, particularly at the beginning of the treatment where you may have to avoid quite a number of foods. But keeping in mind that it is only for 25 hours, will give you a little bit more willpower to achieve this. After the 25 hours you can resume your normal eating habits and often with foods you couldn’t eat before.

Pros

Learn about the benefits of NAET:

Non-invasive, drug free solution to allergy treatment
Reactions and symptoms to allergies can greatly decrease after treatment of the allergy
Environmental allergies and food sensitivites can both be treated
Avoidance of the allergen treated only needs to be avoided for 25 hours
Treats the cause of your allergies so that you can have long term relief

Cons

These are factors to take into consideration before using NAET so that you are aware of what to expect in a treatment:

Severe allergies may require more than one treatment
Treatment of basic food groups must be treated in order for it to be successfull
There is no current clinical trials to validate NAET other than an astounding amount of personal testimonials

We hope that this has answered many of your queries about NAET, so you can now make a better informed decision on whether NAET is right for you.

Herbal Medicine

admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:44:17 +0000

Herbal medicine has been used for centuries to treat a number of different ailments with great effectiveness and safety. Today with the uprise of allergies, herbs are successfully being used to relieve allergic symptoms and treat the factors that are causing your allergies.

Herbal medicine uses natural plant extracts that can be taken in a tablet form or formulated in a herbal liquid. The naturally occurring healing benefits found in the herbs can be used to support your body when it is struggling to function at its complete optimum. Herbs are often used to relieve allergic symptoms but also to initiate the healing of the underlying causes to them. Being prone to allergies is often related to problems with your immune system, digestive system and endocrine system and herbs can play a pivotal role in giving your body the support and boost it needs to further eliminate your allergies.

Many Naturopaths or herbalists will use herbal medicine as one of their core treatments to getting your allergies under control. Even though it may take a little longer to treat your allergies with herbal medicine compared to medication, just keep in mind that you are treating your allergies for long term results and not just for a quick fix.

Pros

Read about the benefits of herbal medicine and how it can help you:

Provide symptomatic relief against allergic reactions e.g. sinus congestion, stomach pain

Treat the causes of your allergies so that you can have long term allergy relief

Support your immune system if you are frequently sick

Support your body through times of stress e.g. anxiety

Help you have a better nights sleep

Eradicate overgrowth of bad bacteria, candida and parasites in the digestive system

Assist with healthy digestive system function e.g. constipation, reflux, IBS

Regulate hormonal imbalance

Increase your energy levels and address adrenal fatigue

Cons

Whenever there’s an up, there’s always a down:

Treatments with herbal medicine may take a little while to see a significant difference depending on what health problem is being treated

Treatment strategies may involve taking herbal liquids that may not suit your taste buds

If you like the sound of herbal medicine, finding a Naturopath or Herbalist near you may be the next step to finally getting your allergies and health under control.

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Top Five Natural Allergy Treatments Youve Never Heard Of

1. Neti Pot

2. Eyebright Herb

Eyewash or Compress

3. Quercetin, Bromelain and Vitamin C

4. Steam Inhalation

Instructions

5. Chickweed

Infusion for bath water

An Extra Handy Tip

Top Five Most Frequently Asked Questions About NAET

1. Can children be treated with NAET?

2. Can the allergy return?

3. If I come in for a specific allergy, how long will it take to eliminate it?

4. How many allergies can be treated at one time?

5. How many treatments will I need?

NAET (Nambudripads Allergy Elimination Technique)

How does NAET differ to normal medication?

NAET is for long term allergy relief – It’s not a quick fix!

Where does NAET come from?

How does NAET actually work?

Testing for Allergies

Understanding Muscle Testing

Treatment

25 hour Avoidance Period

Pros

Cons

Herbal Medicine

Pros

Cons