Health Notes, October 5th 2008, by Sarah Stacey

How to prevent colds and flu
As autumn chills begin to set in, my colleague Victoria, mother of five year old Clara and Marcus, one, asked how to avoid succumbing to winter infections.  I put her in touch with pharmacist Shabir Daya, an expert in natural remedies.  Here’s her report:
‘Last winter my immune system seemed to crash. I got interminable colds, mouth ulcers and five bouts of sinusitis culminating in heavy antibiotics and two weeks off work. Now, with Clara starting school - otherwise known as the virus pit - and my freelance husband desperate to stay working,  I want to give us all the best chance of fighting winter bugs.’

Shabir Daya wrote us a ‘natural prescription’ to take until spring.  The lynchpin is the herb astragalus, which has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for years to protect and support the immune system, and prevent cold and upper respiratory infections.  Unlike echinacea, which should only be taken when you feel the first signs of a virus (snuffles, sore throat etc), astragalus can be taken continuously except during a fever. For us parents, Shabir recommended Astragalus Extract by Doctor’s A-Z (£19.95 for one months supply, from Victoria Health, click here) and for the children, Astragalus Alcohol Free Spearmint Flavour drops by Eclectic Kids,  (£8.95 for 30ml, suitable from age one, click here), which we hide in fruit juice.

Nourishing yourself well is important for the immune system to work well, according to Shabir, who added that alcohol is a key stressor that depletes the supply of nutrients.  Since we both like the occasional glass, and bearing in mind likely alcohol consumption over Christmas and new year, Shabir recommended a multi-nutrient supplement, All Natural Perfectly Balanced by Natural Nutrition Centre (£24.95 for one month’s supply, click here).  This provides a comprehensive range of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, digestive enzymes, green foods and liver cleansers, in a food state for maximum absorption. 

Since the children have a good diet – and don’t drink! - they don’t need a multivitamin but we all take essential fatty acids.  These are indeed essential for many functions in the brain and body, including the immune system: the body can’t make them so they have to come from your diet or supplements.  Clara takes Animal Parade Omega 3/6/9 by Nature’s Plus (£18.60 for six weeks supply, click here), Marcus, aged one,  has Eye Q Baby by Equazen (£9.99 for a month’s supply, click here) and my husband and I are on Essential Oil Formula by Harmony Formulas (£15.95 for one month’s supply, click here). 

To boost my energy as well as immunity, Shabir recommended a superpowerful antioxidant product called GliSODin (£24.99 for two weeks supply, click here).  And lastly, we take a probiotic for one month in four to help with the absorption of nutrients and balance the good and bad bacteria in the gut.  Shabir suggests Mega-Probiotic ND by Food Science of Vermont (£17.95 for one month’s supply, click here) for the grown-ups; children over four can take one capsule (the contents can be emptied into juice if necessary).  Marcus has ABC Dophilus Powder for Marcus (£14.95 for 50g, click here).

It’s not cheap and we have to remember to take our remedies twice a day, but frankly it’s worth anything to be healthy and active through the winter.’

Show your breasts some TLC
Each October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Breakthrough Breast Cancer has launched a campaign encouraging women to ‘show your breasts some TLC – Touch, Look, Check’.  The aim is be familiar with how they look and feel so you notice the sort of changes below.

• One breast becomes larger or lower than the other
• Skin is puckered or dimpled
• One nipple becomes inverted (turned-in)
• One or both nipples discharge a blood-stained liquid
• Rash or crusting on the nipple or surrounding area
• Lump in the breast or armpit
• Lumpy area or unusual thickening of breast tissue that doesn't go away after your period
• Pain in part of the breast or armpit, that is unrelated to periods

For more information, www.touchlookcheck.org
(NB Remember that most breast lumps are not cancer.)

HEALING HELP
Readers often ask for remedies to fade scars.  A product called C-section Regenerative Scar Therapy by Mambino Organics contains rosehip oil, which I always recommend, and tamanu oil, which is excellent for regeneration, as well as vitamin E, lemon balm plus helichrysum essential oil to stimulate cellular renewal.  £18.95 for 30ml, from Victoria Health, click here.

health bookshelf:  Mummy’s Lump
Explaining to little children that you have breast cancer is hard even if you’re a child psychiatrist like Gillian Forrest.  So she wrote a classic children’s story book – Mummy’s Lump – with charming illustrations, which follows two under-sixes as they learn about their mother’s diagnosis and treatment.  Order it from Breast Cancer Care, tel 0808 800 6000, www.breastcancercare.org.uk