Your Questions Answered – May 2014

Interesting questions from my inbox:-

Q: I’ve read about a teabag-like sachet which you put on your feet and they suck the toxins out of your body while you sleep. Are they a good idea?

A:
I suspect they’re a total waste of time and money. Apparently they contain wood vinegar, bamboo vinegar, chitosan and various other ingredients which together remove any toxins from your body so you don’t wake up lethargic, dehydrated and with a headache if you’ve already started the party season.

Sadly I’ve been unable to find any evidence that these products have been clinically tested to prove that they work or that they’re safe. If I were you I’d drink plenty of water every day, eat sensibly, enjoy the occasional indulgence, have fun at the summer parties, drink ginger tea and take some DigestHerb from Schwabe Pharma. This is the only MHRA registered traditional remedy containing Artichoke leaf extract sold in the UK. It is great for your liver to help prevent the hangover and other effects of overindulgence!

Q: After an eye test my optician thought I might have high blood pressure and should see my doctor. It was just higher than normal but my cholesterol was at the top end of normal. Now the GP wants me to take pills for both problems but I hate the thought and would much prefer a natural solution.

A:
Opticians often spot health problems including blood pressure and brain tumours. A recently published Australian study confirms that blood vessels at the back of the eye are an accurate predictor of high blood pressure. Your doctor’s right to want to reduce both blood pressure and cholesterol but as long as the GP agrees and will monitor your progress there are natural things to do:

• Don’t smoke.
• Do exercise, lose weight, eat less meat, avoid high fat meat products, eat lots of oily fish, oats, beans, wholegrain cereals and at least seven portions a day of fruit, vegetables and salads, excluding potatoes.
• Cut out salt, reduce coffee and have only two units of alcohol daily.
• Drink lots of green tea to help reduce blood pressure.
• Take Garlic tablets for the cholesterol and parsley leaf tea to ease fluid retention.

I’m concerned about over-the-counter cholesterol drugs and the special foods which are so heavily advertised. They do nothing to improve people’s eating habits or lifestyle and it’s possible that they interfere with absorption of vital fat soluble vitamins A, D and E. Hopefully you won’t need any of them but you do need your GP's co-operation.