Improving Health
Our experts integrate the most successful approaches to health maintenance, disease prevention and the treatment of ill health. If you have a specific health concern or serious condition, this section is for you!
Urinary Tract Infections – causes and treatments
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the second-most common infection in women and as such their causes and treatment options deserve attention here.
Breast Cancer Screening – medical controversies
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.
Osteoporosis and your Skeleton – use it or lose it
The word osteoporosis (from the Greek for ‘bone’ and ‘pore’) tells us that the affected bones have holes in their structure. Osteoporosis has been called the ‘silent disease’, progressing without any outward sign, sometimes for decades, until a fracture occurs. Today, regular bone mineral density (BMD) tests have broken this silence – the disease is now in the open, a challenge to be overcome with specific nutrition, supplements, medicine and exercise.
Creating Conditions for Adrenal Regeneration
All chronically ill people have adrenal dysfunction and the adrenals regenerate in most cases when all relevant oxygen-related elements are addressed. Adrenal support (supplementation) is often necessary for months, sometimes for longer periods, during adrenal recovery.
Manage PMS and Painful Periods Naturally
Many women suffer severely from premenstrual syndrome with period pain, but there aren’t many GPs or gynaecologists who really take these problems seriously. Nutritional and lifestyle changes, as well as neutriceuticals and herbal remedies, provide many options to manage your health challenge.
Taking the Ache out of Arthritis Naturally
Joint cartilage consists of chondroitin, glucosamine and collagen. Nutrition supplements for joint health usually contain these components, so it may be useful to include a targeted supplement alongside an anti-inflammatory diet to support joint health and mobility.
Nutritional Headache Management
Painkillers may banish the symptoms of a headache, but they do not treat the cause. Nutritional guidance can play an integral part in headache management, and the results of a change in diet are likely to be lasting and rewarding.
Menopause: It’s About More Than Just Hormones
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.
Combat Colds & Flu Naturally
Winter is here and along with it the usual sniffles and sneezes caused by viruses that carry enough punch to lay us low for a while. Help your body, naturally, to prevent and fight colds and flu.
Death Begins in the Colon
I believe that the source of inflammation in chronic diseases lies in the gut. The now famous quote ‘Death begins in the colon’ originated with the Russian Nobel Prize- winning biologist Elie Metchnikoff (1845 - 1916), who postulated that the toxic by-products of the bowel bacteria are responsible for many diseases.
Inflammation: Friend or Foe?
Physicians realise that inflammation in the walls of arteries is probably the most important risk factor in cardiovascular disease, more important even than cholesterol levels.
How to Manage Sinusitis Naturally
Over-use of antibiotics and cortisone sprays has led to more virulent forms of bacterial infections as well as new fungal infections of the sinus cavities. Asthma and allergic disorders often cause chronic inflammation of the nasal mucosa, resulting in chronic sinusitis. About 20% of patients with chronic sinusitis may develop nasal polyps, cyst-like growths that develop from sinus tissue and may further obstruct the sinuses.
Stress & Anxiety Accelerate Ageing
Stress and anxiety can impact heavily on your physical and mental health. Ensure your happiness and health by recognising the causes of your stress and implementing ways to rediscover your inner peace. Dr Maureen Allem shares her tips to reduce daily stress.
The Liver through the eyes of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Perhaps in no organ system is the similarity and difference between Western physiological and Traditional Chinese physiology more evident than in the TCM description of the liver. The difference is essentially that of form and function but since the liver’s known Western physiological functions are so complex, it is possible for the Western scientific mind to clearly see the bridge between body and mind that is at the heart of TCM theory. Dr Michael Tierra shares some fascinating facts when looking at the liver through the eyes of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The Microbiome & Internal Balance
The human microbiome, which is comprised of all the microorganisms (the microbiota) that live on and in humans, plays an essential role in determining good health. Microbes cover every surface of our bodies, inside and out. They’re on our skin, inside our noses, mouths, whole respiratory tract, plentiful in our digestive tract, reproductive system, and so on. These microscopic life forms consist of thousands of species and outnumber our own 50 trillion cells by about 10 to one.
IBS – The Internal Struggle
Suffering from pain in your gut and bloating? You could I have IBS. Apart from stress management, there are natural solutions available.
Fodmaps & Gaps in the Management of IBS
With the continued increase in the cost of functional testing and supplements in South Africa, practitioners are once again reminded of the importance of dietary intervention when it comes to managing chronic disease and functional imbalances.
Irritable Bowel or Gut Imbalance?
Because irritable bowel syndrome has such a wide range of symptoms, the diagnosis has become something of a ‘catch-all’. Before you start any medication regimen it’s therefore essential to rule out other conditions that may be causing your digestive problems.
Natural Solutions to IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
In the list of common chronic disorders of digestion, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) ranks high in the ability to wreak havoc on the sufferer’s social life, occupation and personal comfort.
Prepare your Immune System for Winter
The immune system is key to our overall well-being and when its function is impaired, it usually tends to disrupt our health in more ways than one. A cold or the flu often occurs when immune function is compromised, but a flagging immune system can also manifest in more sinister ways – from autoimmune disease to cancer.