Melatonin

We all know that melatonin helps with sleep. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain, helping regulate our rhythms of waking and sleeping. It is stimulated by exposure to darkness + produced from the amino acid tryptophan which is converted to 5HTP then serotonin before finally, melatonin.

For insomnia, taking melatonin supplements effectively induces + maintains sleep (including easing jet lag) but only if melatonin levels are low to start. Insomnia from drug withdrawals (especially benzodiazepine) benefits from melatonin.

• Melatonin is a potent antioxidant protecting DNA + strengthening the immune system.

• Some cancer specialists recommend it for lung, prostate, + skin cancers with chemo/radiation. This is particularly effective for oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer patients, who usually are found to have low melatonin levels.

• Melatonin helps with migraines, (reducing frequency and strength),

• epilepsy,

• cataracts,

• Parkinson’s,

• depression,

• seasonal affective disorder,

• bipolar disorders,

• reducing stress and

• also promotes longevity and youth (anti ageing effects).

• This is not just due to increased levels of melatonin, but also as melatonin directly decreases cortisol levels (the stress hormone).

In Chinese medicine melatonin comes from kidney yin. Infections, overwork, alcohol, tobacco, drugs (including NSAIDs eg ibuprofen), computer monitors, excessive salts/spices in food, caffeine and ageing all reduce melatonin levels.

As usual, before jumping to supplements, eat foods that maximise tryptophan or melatonin directly: bananas, oats, rice, sweet corn, daikon radish (mooli), tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, almonds, dairy and soy products.

If you opt for supplements a doctors prescription is required in the UK, however, Asphalia, a natural melatonin supplement made from dried milled leaves is available, though not recomended for pregnant women, asthmatics, or young children.

Macular Degeneration

Yes, yes.. I am back to eyes!

Age-related macular degeneration, AMD, the leading cause of blindness in the West, occurs when the cells in the macula (the central part of retina) start deteriorating with age and overtime leads to blindness.

Free radicals that lead to oxidative stress is believed to be the cause and these are triggered by over exposure to UV light and/or a compromised immune system.

What to avoid:

• Sun - always wear a hat and dark glasses

• Saturated/trans fats - meats, full fat dairy, processed foods and margarine

• Alcohol, smoking, salt, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and most importantly all artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame
  

Helpful foods:

• Dark green vegs - such as Kale, spinach, broccoli, cabbage .. as they contain Lutein

• Yellow, orange fruit and vegs - such as carrots, mangoes.. but not in excess as you may not be converting pro-vitamin A to Vit A (read my post on Vit A)

• Oily fish - omega 3, very important

• Whole grains such as quinoa, amaranth and brown rice

• Vit E rich foods - such as nuts

• Dark meat from chicken - contains Taurine which is important for the eyes

• Eye friendly foods - apples, onions, grapes and blueberries
  
  

Useful extras:

• Glutathione with N-Acetyl Cysteine -Trizomal Glutathione from Apex Energetics is great

• Bilberry extract or Gingko Biloba (read my post on Gingko)

• Zinc - especially if diet is poor on Zinc, 25mg daily

• Vit C - 500mg daily

• Vit E - 200IU daily

• Melatonin - latest research shows great results but in the UK we need prescription
  
  

AMD is a very serious condition and should be taken very seriously to avoid vision problems in old age.

HYPERTENSION... during Corona

High Blood Pressure (HBP), also known as Hypertension tells us that our arteries are not that healthy. HBP means that we are more susceptible to heart and kidney disease and to strokes. Obviously we should try to avoid it at the best of times, but more so now with Corona hovering above us!

Luckily, HBP is closely related to our diet and lifestyle; this means we can do something about it:

• Exercise - regular exercise, even mild to moderate such as 20mins 3x week helps

• Stress - try yoga, relaxation, meditation but best of all, try breathing exercises

• Stop smoking and reduce alcohol to 2 glasses of wine per week

• Diet - switch to mainly a plant based diet; Evidence shows that Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) is very effective. This plant based diet is low in saturated and total fat, high in fibre

• Reduce sodium to potassium ratio - reduce table salt and increase potassium rich foods such as bananas, peas and leafy greens

• Celery - 6 celery sticks a day, a big must!

• Garlic and onions - also help with cholesterol

• Oily fish, nuts and seeds - for their omega 3

• Foods rich in calcium, magnesium and vit C
  

Remedies:

• Turmeric - reduces plaque formation, anti-inflammatory

• Hawthorn and Hibiscus - tablet or tea form, hawthorn also helps with insomnia

• Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) - provides benefits in about 50% of cases

• Garlic - supplements in dried form helps to lower HBP

• Magnesium and Calcium supplements

• Omega 3 fish oil supplements - preferable from food
  

You might be lucky to have had low BP all your life but from your late 50s your BP may start rising. Do yourself a favour, buy an Omron blood pressure monitor, just in case.

Do not overlook these lifestyle changes, they work. Always discuss these and any supplements you take with your cardiologist. Just be aware, having a healthy BP is in your hands, good luck!

Hives / Urticaria

There is always a first time for everything; and that applies to me with urticaria! A week ago I woke up with an itching crisis all over my trunk; now it’s a bit better but still there.

Urticaria, not to be confused with eczema (see my post on eczema), is characterised with red, itchy and raised bumps or wheals. There are many causes of hives, from parasites, insect bites, to food allergies like fish, nuts and apples... to salicylates like in berries, dried fruits and most herbs.. to stress and even physical exercise. In my case I think it’s a new body oil that I had used the night before.
Remedies include:
Supplements such as B12, Quercetin and Fish oil
Acupuncture and applying sliced cucumber - as recommended in Chinese Medicine
Few Grapefruit seed extract oil drops in a tbs of water - very effective for itching
Thus Toxicondendron, known as Rhus tox - homeopathic remedy
Working out allergic foods and/or cosmetics
Anti-histamine tablets - when everything else fails!

Even though I am a bit better now, my itching can still be intense.. I am not sure where I go from here with the remedies. All I can tell you is that urticaria is NOT fun!

Eczema…during Corona

Suffering with itchy, inflamed skin? Eczema is no fun, and it may be linked to asthma and hay fever.

Springtime and stress (especially at the worlds current heightened levels!) are a bad combination for eczema.

Other triggers: washing powders, paint, shampoos, house dust, animal fur, soaps perfumes... all of which we are in contact with non-stop during the house bound, isolation times.

Specific individual food intolerances, gut issues such as leaky gut and deficient immune system may also be involved in eczema.

What to avoid:
Dairy, citrus, chocolate, alcohol, gluten, peanuts, tomatoes, coffee/tea, pesticides, preservatives and food colourings

What helps:
Calendula - helps clear and control chronic cases; works well with aloe Vera and Manuka honey
Evening Primrose oil - clears redness and prevents skin damage; better to combine with flax seeds or fish oils
Licorice root - effective in creams
Probiotics - helps also with gut issues
Vit E - 400IU daily shows significant improvements
Zinc - eczema sufferers are usually deficient, 20mg daily is effective
Vit A - helps skin healing (check my post on vit A)
Nettle - helps with itching via it’s anti-histamine effect
Reduce stress - try yoga/meditation/ tai chi and exercise but make sure not to sweat too much

At the moment we are at war against Covid19, let’s not suffer more and try to resolve our own health issues. I hope this post is helpful to you.. love and peace

Exercise…during Corona

I love science and when there is scientific evidence about an aspect of health, I feel it’s worth writing about it.
This week’s @newscientist New - yes I love this magazine too, tells us that strength training, twice a week, will add years to our lives.

Years back, the emphasis was on aerobic exercise but today weight training seems to trump it, with the following benefits:
- Increasing our metabolic rate, burning calories for long after we finish the training
- Reducing body fat and cholesterol levels
- Glucose control and improving insulin sensitivity, hence great for diabetes type 2
- Lowers blood pressure and risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer
- Helps maintain and build denser bones
Combine that with walks every day and you are a winner!

However..if you suffer, like me, with an autoimmune condition, be very, very careful. I am currently in the midst of the most severe uveitis attack I’ve ever had; in the past when I have had milder attacks, corticosteroids for a month with long walks every day would do the trick. For my current attack however, the course of steroids is going to take months. So, I still go for my daily walks but I have now added 20mins of weight training or yoga a couple of times per week.
We are all individuals and we need to work out our own triggers, and we all need to rest, sleep well, meditate, avoid our own food intolerances, and most importantly eliminate all physical, emotional and spiritual stresses.

An autoimmune attack during Corona lockdown is obviously not ideal, so we all have to do our best to avoid a flare up, and to manage them as best as we can if they happen! To all other sufferers, my prayers are also with you!

Diarrhoea...during Corona

Diarrhoea has many causes, from bacteria, food poisoning, food intolerance...to Crohn’s disease. However, one cause is of special importance during Corona and that is fear/anxiety. This is due to the connection between our gut and our brain, known as gut-brain axis. The obvious remedies are relaxation and meditation however, for most of us this is very difficult during isolation. So here is some nutritional help.. foods to avoid: alcohol, coffee, all sugars like lactose and sorbitol, salads, honey, apricots, sesame seeds and oils.

Remedies:
Drink plenty of water and remain hydrated!
Rice milk/broth (or simply drink the water that the rice has been cooked in once it’s cooled). Barley water, if not gluten sensitivity,
aduki beans,
boiled carrots,
oats, great for the nervous system, fennel and camomile tea.
Fresh vegetable soup with a little bit of ginger,
grate one peeled apple and let it brown before eating,
buckwheat, which strengthens the intestines.

Helpful extras:
Probiotics, especially after antibiotics - for preventing harmful bugs accumulating in the gut and to boost the immune system.
Ginger - useful for what is called “cold diarrhoea” in Chinese medicine, that is diarrhoea accompanied by chills.
Cinnamon.
Bilberry extract - recommended for acute diarrhoea
Green tea - historical natural remedy, the L-theanine in it calms the nerves.
Overall small meals are beneficial and all foods should be well-chewed.
Walking in nature if you can manage it whilst in isolation.
Try meditation techniques and group therapies offered online.
Try to get hold of Bach Flower remedies.

We will get through these difficult times so let’s hang in there!

Asthma…and Corona

Diagnosis of asthma requires symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, difficulty breathing and tightness of chest... yes quite similar to Corona!
However, the contributory factors are very different. They include pollution, pesticides, aerobic exercise, pollen, allergens such as dust mites, moulds and certain foods, and cigarette smoke...
There is no better time than now, in isolation, to work out those triggers for you!

Some foods which can exacerbate asthma symptoms include: dairy, gluten, chocolate, dried fruits, tomatoes, food additives, animal foods and salt

Beneficial foods: fresh fruits especially those high in vit C like mango and berries, avoid citrus fruits as they can be allergens
Oily fish, twice a week
Whole grains, such as brown rice, oats
Lentils, onions, garlic, avocados;

Chlorophyll and Vit A rich foods, such as spirulina, apricots, carrots, leafy green vegs and pumpkin

Helpful supplements:  
Vits C, D, B6, B12 ( best check status with a blood test)
Quercetin - 150mg before each meal
Gingko biloba (my favourite is Solgar)
Pre- and probiotics

Useful extras:
Green tea
Aloe Vera
Exercise lungs with Ultra Breathe Lung exerciser
Learn Buteyko breathing technique

Try all these while you are stuck at home, you will be soo happy when normality returns. Good luck!

Lungs…and Corona

During these extraordinary times the most important organ to protect and strengthen has got to be the lungs!
In general, all the immune boosting supplements will be great for the lungs:
Zinc - 20mg a day
Vit C - 500 mg up to 4x day
Vit A and E - start low and build up to the recommended dosages on the bottles; these not to be taken long term, max for 2 months and no Vit A for a smoker (present and past)

The most worrying symptoms with Corona are fever, dry cough and shortness of breath. In Chinese medicine this is ‘heat congesting the lungs’.

Remedies:
Keep hydrated, plenty of room temp filtered water
Cooling soups with rice and barley
Vegetables: cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, pumpkin and radish
Seaweeds (soaked) such as Wakame and Nori
Fruits: pear, strawberries, peach and cantaloupe melon

Avoid all warming foods such as alcohol, coffee, lamb, onion, ginger, fennel and cinnamon.

Let’s add Western medicine remedies too:
Raw Manuka honey - antiseptic to coat the throat
Warm salt water gargling - daily
Garlic, though heating is very useful to inhibit viruses

To reduce respiratory congestion:
Expectorants - such as Licorice, South African Geranium, Ivy; all available in powdered form
Salt pipes, humidifiers
Bromelain - available as tablets

To reduce fever:
Vinegar soaked cloth applied to head, armpits and groin area; smelly I accept but very effective.

We need all the help we can get so please don’t overlook these remedies and very important breath deeply when walking in the woods,

While we are still allowed!

Hay fever...and Corona: not fun!

You are in isolation and have a little window for going out to get fresh air. You start sneezing, coughing, eyes get itchy, watery, red.. and everyone runs away from you? You even start questioning yourself....hayfever.. or Corona?

How you can help yourself?

What you need to avoid:
Dairy - mucous forming
Sugar - lowers immune function
Allergic foods - be aware of your intolerances

High histamine foods - eat freshly cooked foods. Those that have been left for long periods of time contain more histamine which worsens your allergic response.. avoid re heating last nights leftovers! 

What helps;
Bee pollen - for energy, vitality and endurance, it’s the best remedy for hay fever
Nettle - effective treatment, pill or tea form, start slow, build up to 2 capsules 3x dayQuercetin - natural anti-histamine, best food sources are garlic and onions, or in pill form 400mg 3x day
Micro algae - such as wakame or arame  immune enhancing, allergy clearing
Probiotics - daily, to boost immune system
Citrus seed extract - potent antibiotic, offers great protection to the immune system, make sure to find a clean and pure product

You are in luck because these remedies are also helpful for viruses such as Corona.

For prevention, start these 1-2 months before the hay fever season.
Hopefully this year will be an exception and you won’t suffer with hay fever.

Auto-immune..'in times of Corona'

Hello my friends, those of you, like me, who are struggling with auto-immune conditions and worrying about catching THE virus as well.
Yes, we have a problem.. and a half!Our immune system is already on overtime and if we boost it more to avoid Corona, we might be encouraging an auto-immune attack. This is even more of a problem for those of us that have been using immune suppressants! 

What we can do:
Probiotics, every day without fail
Vit D3, 1000-2000IU/day, with K2
Magnesium, 400mg/day
Zinc,  10-20mg/dayFor Vit C, it’s safer to get it from food, mainly from vegetables such as, kale, broccoli and leafy greens

De-stress, whether via meditation or with walks in the park
Exercise at least an hour at home or outside

Sleep 7-8 hours
And maybe a little light at the end of the tunnel: French and American scientists are hopeful with anti malaria drug, Hydroychloroquine, which, guess what?, not contraindicated for us! In fact, it is already being used for Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Extraordinary times! Good luck to the world!

Corona Virus

I can not be on Instagram and not write about Corona, even though, like everyone else, I am learning as I go along.
What I do know however is that fear or anxiety ruins our immune system.
Today’s The Times newspaper says ‘anxiety is viral but we don’t have to catch it’. How true is that!
Of course we have to do our best, self isolating, social distancing and boosting our immunity. These we know, but we should also learn from the Italian spirit: singing from our balconies, joking, laughing at ourselves, smiling to each other..and why not?
Life should be fun and we can make it fun! We can also let Corona bring out the best in us; we can offer help to those who need it most, to those who are less fortunate than ourselves.
Last but not least, a little nutritional immune support:
Best foods are those rich in quercetin, such as broccoli, apples, grapes, green tea, leafy vegetables, olives
Best supplements: Zinc, vitamin C and D
Stay away from anti- inflammatories, corticosteroids and other immune suppressants
And very importantly, take this opportunity to stop smoking!
Love Peace and Kindness

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

PCOS is a hormonal imbalance, affecting around 20% of women of reproductive age. Main features include irregular periods, excess level of male hormones, enlarged ovaries containing many follicles, infertility, weight gain, hair loss from the head but excess bodily hair, acne and oily skin.
Insulin resistance seems to play a large role. This makes it difficult to regulate blood sugar levels. Inflammation is also present as the body tries to heal itself.
Natural remedies:
Diet rich in unrefined carbs, oily fish, vegetables and pulses
Avoid dairy, alcohol, caffeine, added sugar, saturated/trans fats
Eating little and often to regulate blood sugar
Combination supplement containing vitamins C, D, multi B, Zinc, Magnesium and Manganese
Probiotics
Chromium together with Biotin and cinnamon to balance sugar levels
Green tea to control male hormones and inflammation
Milk Thistle to improve liver function
Co Q10 to build energy from carbs
Diindolymethane (DIM) to help with oestrogen dominance, acne, and weight loss
My favourite is DIM @nutriadvancedltd
Extras: loosing weight, stress reduction, acupuncture, regulating sleep.. and enjoying life. These do work, have a go!

Osteoarthritis (OA)

As we age, we all start feeling the symptoms of degenerative OA. These include morning stiffness, pain and tenderness in our joints (especially in our fingers, hands, knees, spine, and hips), restricted mobility, swelling, inflammation and bone spurs forming.

Primary OA occurs with years of ‘wear and tear’ and secondary OA results from some previous inflammatory condition such as gout, congenital abnormality or trauma.

Weight reduction, if overweight, is a must, to reduce the burden on those weight bearing joints.
Following an anti-inflammatory diet is the second must. This is mainly a plant based diet with no processed foods but with healthy fats such as omega 3 rich foods.
It is important to repair the gut if intestinal permeability is suspected. This means taking probiotics and eliminating toxins, stress and undesirable bacteria.

In Chinese medicine we believe avoiding nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants and peppers, is effective.

Effective nutritional supplements:

Vitamins D3 with K2 (best source is sunshine)
Vitamins C and E
Glucosamine Sulfate, 1500mg daily
SAMe, 400mg 3x/ day
Minerals Mg, Zinc, boron; I love MAG365 BF with or without added calcium
Ginger, curcumin, green tea and rosemary
Balsam Cap Tawon cream on painful areas

Try acupuncture, laser therapy, exercise and ultrasound.. everything helps a little on the way.

Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS)

FMS is characterised with chronic widespread pain and tenderness all over the body, especially on the neck, back, elbows, hips and knees. Other typical symptoms associated with FMS include fatigue, headache, sleep problems, IBS, depression/anxiety and cognitive issues such as memory and learning problems.

FMS must be differentiated from other disorders such as arthritis and polyneuropathy. When FMS diagnosis is made, to find the appropriate treatment the first thing that should be checked is your thyroid hormone regulation, including hypothyroidism. In most cases, the use of thyroid hormone will be of significant help. Other remedies include:
Low salt, vegan/vegetarian diet together with sprouts, algae rich in protein and probiotics.

Foods rich in magnesium such as legumes, whole grains and green leafy vegetables, and/or magnesium supplements.

If calcium supplements are taken, then these should be supplemented with Magnesium, Vitamin D and K2. These would take the excess calcium from the soft tissue and direct it to the bones where calcium is needed.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) taken together with gingko biloba would help with pain and tenderness.

B vitamins and aloe vera may also provide some improvement with FMS symptoms.

Physical fitness is important but vigorous exercise may exacerbate FMS, therefore low intensity cardio exercises are recommended.
Acupuncture and osteopathy to relieve pain and inflammation are also helpful.

FMS is common mostly with women and it can be quite debilitating. You don’t have to live with pain nor with regular pain killers. Try the above mentioned remedies and be patient. Good luck.

Cholesterol

We all need good cholesterol levels for building healthy cells. In our body, cholesterol is found mainly in the brain, liver, blood and nervous system. We use it to form adrenal and sex hormones, bile and vitamin D.

Clearly cholesterol is important for our health, however too much of it can cause fatty deposits in our blood vessels. This can lead to arteriosclerosis, excessive clotting and other circulatory problems including heart disease. The NHS recommends the total cholesterol levels to be below 5.0.

Let’s not forget triglycerides in our blood, these are fats that contribute to the narrowing of the arterial walls. Eating fatty or sugary foods, or drinking too much alcohol can increase their levels. The NHS recommends triglyceride levels to be 2.3 or below.

Our lifestyle plays a big role in our cholesterol levels. Too much saturated fats and/or refined sugars in our diet, stress, cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol consumption all contribute to high levels of cholesterol/triglycerides.

The simplest dietary way to reduce cholesterol levels is to increase plant foods and decrease those from animals. The only exception is omega 3 fish oils from oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines. These oils may help to increase the good cholesterol levels, encourage blood flow to damaged tissues and minimise circulatory problems. Certain plant oils such as from flaxseeds, Chia seeds, and pumpkin seeds are also good sources of Omega 3.

Beans, lentils and peas are all beneficial thanks to their high lecithin levels. In Chinese medicine, soy beans and mung beans are seen as the most useful, especially if they are sprouted, thanks to their cooling properties.

Whole grains and plant fibre may also be very beneficial especially those of slightly bitter flavour such as quinoa, oats, and amaranth.

Foods that contain high levels of vitamin C such as cabbage, parsley and citrus fruit are also helpful together with those high in Vitamin E, such as olive oil, avocados and almonds.

Let’s all try to have good levels with lifestyle changes, without needing to take statins with their possible side effects.. Give it a go.. good luck

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

IBS is possibly the most common gastrointestinal (GI) complaint of our times. The exact cause is unknown. Diarrhoea or constipation or alternating between the two is the most common symptom. Abdominal pain, flatulence, cramping and gas are also common.

The following lifestyle changes may be helpful:

- Eating small meals and chewing well.
- Avoiding spicy, deep fried foods, caffeine, alcohol and late meals.
- Regular physical exercise, meditation and de-stressing.
- Taking probiotics

In western medicine a low fibre diet with refined carbs, meat and soft vegetables are prescribed. In Chinese medicine however, IBS is seen primarily as a spleen – pancreas issue. Therefore a diet with whole-grains, vegetables, legumes and sprouts are recommended. Cultures that follow this type of diet rarely have such GI problems. However, care must be taken in preparing grains and legumes, especially pre-soaking is of utmost importance.

An example would be congee (slow cooked rice soup). This is eaten in China commonly for breakfast. This is a soup where, for example, half a cup of rice is simmered in 3 cups of water for 5-6 hours. It is harmonising for the digestive system and very nourishing, especially for weak or frail people suffering with diarrhoea and having an aversion to heat. Congees made with barley or oats are also helpful. For those with a tendency mainly towards constipation, dandelion tea or flax seed tea may be helpful.

Foods that create liver intoxication, such as poor quality fats or oils, cholesterol rich animal foods and alcohol, should be avoided.

IBS should not be confused with inflammatory bowel disease, IBD, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. IBD is inflammation of the intestines. It is possible to have both IBS and IBD together. However IBD is more serious and requires severe treatments. One of the differential symptoms of IBD from IBS is blood in the stools. For those with IBS and minor intestinal inflammation, fresh figs and and a little black/green tea sipped throughout the day may be helpful.

Remember good health starts in the gut!

Immune Health

Good health requires a good immune system.

In Chinese medicine, the immune system refers to the protective Qi (Wei Qi). What is critical to Wei Qi is the ability to absorb essential nutrients from food, getting healthy oxygen from inhaled air.

In naturopathic medicine important aspects of a good immune health include:

• Mainly vegan/vegetarian diet

• Regular exercise

• Avoiding smoking and alcohol

• 6-8 hours of sleep a night

• Regular meals and maintaining a good body weight

• Good nutrition, including:

  1. Adequate protein levels, mainly from plant proteins

  2. Restricting sugar levels to about 50g a day, remember a large apple has about 20g

  3. Increased levels of vegetables for their anti-oxidant effects

• Supplements of Vit A (not for smokers), C, E and D for stimulating, enhancing, supporting immunity and warding off infections/viruses;

• Good levels of Vit B6, B12 and Folic Acid

• Essential minerals: Iron (supplement only when deficient), supplements of Zinc (highly essential, especially for elderly) and Selenium as difficult to get good levels from dietary intake

• Medicinal mushrooms, such as Maitake, Reishi and Shitake ( not for auto immune conditions)

• Go for walks in the parks, de-stress and find joy in every day.
  

  Look after your immune system and your health will thank you for it!

Uveitis

I’ve been struggling with uveitis for the last 17 years. It is an auto immune condition that causes inflammation of the uvea (the pigmented layer of the eye). Who knows what brought on this condition for me but I have my theory: one sunny summer day stupid me suntanned with cucumber slices over my eyes. The next morning I woke up with blurred vision, severe pain in the left eye, followed shortly after by the right eye. I immediately went to the A&E at Moorfields Eye Hospital - I was put on corticosteroid eye drops and was told to expect many more flare ups.

Typical me, I dived into huge amounts of research to look for an alternative to repeated bouts of steroid treatments. I discovered that by dramatically adjusting my diet and lifestyle I could minimise these horrific flare ups.

What has worked for me includes: a strict gluten and dairy free diet with no alcohol or vinegar, always keeping my eyes protected against even minimal amounts of wind and strong lights. Probiotics and vitamin D3 with K2 (unless I spend a lot of time in the sun) have become essential plus stress reduction with acupuncture & reflexology.

In the last 5 years I have become aware that meditation, having a positive outlook on life and becoming completely vegan have also done wonders for my eyes (and overall) health. Let’s not forget working on my sleep hygiene which you can see more about in my story highlights.

One product that I swear by, and use at the first sign of eye pain, is Oculoheel homeopathic eyedrops which I couldn’t recomend enough for anyone with eye problems.

Cold Sores

Those tiny blisters around the lips and mouth, or even around the nose, can be very unsightly - in fact some people get so depressed, they simply refuse to go out!

The blisters that form are often swollen, red and quite sore; they may break open with clear fluid leaking. They usually occur when the immune system is low, or with strong sunlight, or in times of high stress.

Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) causes these blisters and they are very contagious so be careful not to pass it on.. to your loved ones.. or to anyone else!

Anti viral creams, like @zovirax__gb are what is usually recommended.

I prefer natural remedies like Lysine cream and tablets - refer to my Lysine post.

Aloe Vera gel may also provide some help.

But what is of exceptional use is Virulite, the invisible LED light device. Start using it at first tingling, 2x day for 3 days then once a day for 2-3 more days. @virulitellc is simply amazing!