I would like to move our attention constantly to the edges of the known and explore this space which is the creative edge of reality. The focus will be on the nature of ill health, why we become ill and how to manage ill health from the perspective of that edge. That edge is the place where the known meets the unknown and therefore that exploration will often transcend what conventional science can offer and allows new ideas to emerge.
What is inflammation? Are natural anti-inflammatories as effective as anti-inflammatory drugs in the relief of inflammation, and how do they work?
The role of nutritional supplements in the treatment of disease has been underrated by conventional medical training. This is surprising considering the fact that health is dependent on the supply of nutrition to all the cells of the body. Magnesium, for example, plays a role in over 300 enzyme reactions in the body and zinc is required in over 200 enzyme processes.
The controversy around high-dose nutrients continues to be a thorn in the side of conventional medicine and even governments. There are good reasons for this, some of which are understandable. The RDA or recommended daily dose of vitamins was established to identify the lowest dose that would prevent deficiency diseases, but it has little to do with the maximum doses required for optimum health. Orthomolecular medicine has gone one step further, namely to use even higher doses of nutrients for their particular biochemical and biological effects on the body.
The elderly have their own specific health challenges because the body is in a constant process of ageing. Try to form an image of the ageing process, by imagining a factory that prints birthday cards using a template to make exact copies. Over time the template will slowly begin to wear away so that the birthday cards become imperfect copies. At first only an expert will detect these imperfections, but later anyone will begin to see the flaws.
For most women early menopause is a frightening experience, even though it comes with the cessation of the monthly bleeding which may seem like a relief to many. It is as if age has somehow caught up. Women believe that this is the beginning of the end, that sexual pleasure is on the downswing, the vagina will dry up, bones will disintegrate, skin will become wrinkled and dry, weight will increase and depression will soon set in. Dr Bernard Brom takes a closer look at the causes and diagnosis of early menopause.
I regard the information on breast cancer screening as amongst the most important I have written about over the years. Please take time to read it carefully.
Judy had suffered from depression for many years and was taking antidepressants when she came to see me. She had got used to the effects – feeling less excitable, but less anxious, less negative and dark – and felt good about at last being able to handle stress, even if she did so with the feeling that she did not really care what happened.
Menopause is not just about hormones. Dr Bernard Brom takes a look at the relationship between the hormones, where and how imbalances can arise, and ways to manage menopausal symptoms.
As our minds and bodies develop and grow in the early years of life, move through young adulthood to full maturity and eventually begin their decline into old age, each and every phase brings with it its own particular challenges. To help you meet them, we present extracts from a series of articles on health supplements for all ages by Dr Bernard Brom.