August 2010 | Page 4 of 7 | Natural Health with Merrilyn Hope

Vitamin C and Colds

Vitamin C : Colds

Does Vitamin C work as a treatment for the common cold?

Research done thus far suggests that Vitamin C, as an additional supplement to the diet, does not work on its own as a prophylactic for the common cold in most cases.

However, in groups of people who were tested as for the efficacy of vitamin C in treating the common cold, it was found that Vitamin C did actually work to reduce the expected duration of the common cold. Dr Holt and Iona MacDonald have an essay entitled ‘Vitamin C and the common cold’ which you can find in their book entitled ‘Natural Remedies that Really Work: A New Zealand Guide, published in 2010 by Craig Potton Publishing, P.O. Box 555, Nelson, New Zealand.

Also, people who took Vitamin C regularly were more likely to resist getting the common cold as a result of hard exercise followed by chilling, than those who did not take Vitamin C.

This would suggest that Vitamin C in fact does improve resistance and increase immune function.

In the studies which Dr Holt and Ms MacDonald mention, Vitamin C was just used as a supplement: 1000 mg daily was recommended as an average, safe supplement.

These studies do not discuss the use of other herbal treatments such as the use of garlic, or lemon juice which is taken in drinks, or other known herbal remedies which help to reduce the symptoms of the common cold.

Vitamin C, I think, works best when it is taken, not on its own as a supplement, but with those foods which complement it, such as lemon juice, and garlic, ginger and cinnamon.

Lemon juice contains high amounts of Vitamin C on its own. The common cold is best treated when the juice of a lemon is made into a hot drink, with added ginger, garlic, and cinnamon, and taken with honey. If a supplement of Ester C, or Calcium ascorbate, is taken at the same time, with about 500mg-1000mg of vitamin C, then the effect of the spiced up and honeyed lemon drink are remarkably pronounced. Use only 500 mg of Vitamin C for children under twelve years, and 1000 mg for adults. Up to three doses can be given per day, and continued for three days if the cold is severe.

Note: Dr Holt does not recommend doses of more than 1000 mg of Vitamin C per day for adults. Note that Vitamin C can interfere with some medications, so if you are on medication, then you should not take ANY Vitamin C without consulting your health practitioner for professional advice. Even if you are not taking medication, consult your doctor or naturopath to see about taking Vitamin C.

In my experience, this is the best way to use Vitamin C supplements, fo treating the common cold: that is, in combination with lemon drinks, garlic, ginger and cinnamon.

Natural Sources of B Vitamins

The Importance of B Vitamins:

B Vitamins are essential to maintaining good health and preventing illness. B Vitamins help eyesight: Vitamin B has been found to be protective against blindness in cases of macular degeneration amongst women, mainly the folic acid, pyridoxine and cyanocobalamin groups of B Vitamins. Vitamin B helps to protect against candida overgrowth in the digestive tract, which helps protect against yeast infections. Vitamin B is important for hair growth and for healthy skin. Vitamin B counteracts stress, which helps us to keep a stable emotional state, avert depression, and get a good night’s sleep.

B Vitamins have been found to be protective against many other diseases. In fact, B vitamins are essential to good health.

B Vitamins are found in many foods: It is useful to know what B vitamins are found in what foods, as some specific B vitamins are needed to combat certain conditions in the body.

This is not a complete list of natural sources of B vitamins, but it will give you an idea as to the main groups of B vitamins necessary, and the ones which are most commonly deficient. Then you can choose your foods appropriately, so that you create a good balance of all the necessary Vitamins and Minerals in your diet.

All the B Vitamins are necessary to good health, but there are some which we must ensure we do not become deficient in. The two of the most commonly deficient, but important, B Vitamins are Vitamin B 12, and Vitamin B 6.

Sources of Vitamin B 12, or Cobalamin: Vitamin B 12 is commonly deficient in vegetarians, or people who do not eat a lot of meat, fish, eggs, or dairy products.

Liver is the richest source of Vitamin B 12, or Pyridoxine:

Liver is rich in Vitamin B 12, B 6, and also in the other range of B Vitamins. Celiacs and others whose digestion is poor are often deficient in Vitamin B 12. Deficiency of this vitamin can cause anaemia-type symptoms. If you are able to eat meat, then eating some liver once a week will help to restore your vitamin B 12 levels, as well as increase your iron blood count.

Sources of Vitamin B 6, Pyrodioxine: Vitamin B 6 is important to keep the mental process alive and well, apart from other physical conditions. Deficiency of Vitamin B 6 is common amongst celiacs, people with poor digestion, and vegetarians. Deficiency of Vitamin B 6 can cause serious depression.

Vitamin B 6 is found in liver, red meats, chicken and fish. It can also be obtained from vegetable sources such as green beans and bananas. Other vegetable sources of Vitamin B 6 are wheatgerm, whole grains and pulses. Brewer’s yeast is another rich source of Vitamin B6.

Home Made Calves Liver Broth for Vitamin B Complex, including Vitamin B 12 and B6. Of course, this will not help those people who do not eat meat, but the home made calf liver broth is an excellent way of providing B Vitamins to a malnourished or sick body which cannot digest meat and heavy foods. This broth is used in many cancer therapies and in healing other disease, as it is full of enzymes which help disgestion, as well as the B Vitamins. It is a wonderful recuperative medicine.

To Make the Broth: Cut up a quantity of calves liver – enough to about half fill an agee jar, or a two pint jar. Cover the liver with water. Put on the lid.
Now find a six inch deep saucepan. Put a folded piece of cotton or woolen cloth onto the bottom, It should be a thick wad to protect the glass from cracking, which could occur otherwise, as the saucepan is going to be left on the stove for several hours.
Put your two pint jar onto the cloth.
Now three quater fill the saucepan which has the jar in with WARM water. The water level should be a little above the level of the liver in the jar.
Now put the the saucepan on the stove. Turn the heat up to medium until the water comes to the boil, then reduce the heat so that the water is very gently simmering. The lower the temperature you use, the more nutrients and enzymes there will be in the end result, including vitamin B12 and B6
Simmer from two to three hours. Take off the heat. Let cool, then press the juice out of the liver. Store in the fridge in an air tight jar, and sip several teaspoons of the tonic throughout each day. It is good to use a teaspoonful before each meal, as this aids digestion. It is very good for debilitated people, or people with cancer.

to be continued this afternoon – going out for a touch of Vitamin D whilst the sun is still shining.

How To Get Rid of Head Lice Naturally

Getting Rid of Head Lice

How to Get Rid of Head Lice Without Using Poisons:

Here are some all-natural organic head lice treatments. These are the ones to use, rather than commercially made potions which contain harmful chemicals. These harmful chemicals are absorbed through the skin, go into the blood, and end up in being stored in the liver and other organs and parts of the body. Later, these chemicals can cause cancer to develop, and be the trigger for other diseases to develop. So it is important that you don’t use such products on your children.

It is always worth the effort to persevere with a natural treatment for head lice. These usually take a bit more time and trouble to implement than it takes to slap on some poison, but at least you know that the treatment is not worse than the affliction if you use natural remedies for lice. Your children will be safe from potentially harmdul and carcenogenic poisons if you adopt any of the methods given below.

Many Herbal Oils and Essential Oils are effective in reducing head lice infection. They will kill the lice, but generally speaking, won’t kill all the eggs. Eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil, oils of marjoram, cinnamon, cajeput, pine, rosemary and lavender are all helpful.

Eradicate the Lice: It is important before you start using the herbal oils, to eradicate most of the lice in one shot. This is best done with any of these following remedies:

Olive Oil Treatment: This is applied at night and left on overnight. Use about half a cup of olive oil, massage well into the scalp, and wrap up with an old towel or cover with a shower cap. In the morning, wash out the olive oil with a good soap. Apply either a little iodine (see method below under iodine) OR apple cider vinegar. (see below) You need to repeat the oil procedure every night for a week. Only apply the iodine twice a week at any time, and just a couple of drops. In the second week, use the olive oil treatment twice a week. Again – iodine only twice a week, and only 2 or 3 drops. In the third and fourth weeks, use the olive treatment only once a week. It is a good idea to continue using the oil treatment once a week, with the occasional iodine dab, to prevent lice reinfesting.

Aioli Treatment for Head Lice: Follow the instructions as for olive oil treatment above for the method of use. Aioli combines egg yolk with olive oil, and is a wonderful conditioner. Use warm water and soap to wash out the aioli.

Mayonnaise Treatment for Head Lice for Head Lice: Follow instructions as for olive oil above. Ensure that the mayonnaise you use has no preservatives or colourings, or artificial flavourings, etc in it. Home made mayonnaise would be best.

Apple Cider Vinegar Treatment for Head Lice This is best applied after washing out any of the above treatments. Lice just hate apple cider vinegar, as it is acidic. They favour the alkaline environment which soaps and shampoos create: This means you should use apple cider vinegar on the hair to restore the natural acidic quality, after using soap or shampoo.

Using Apple Cider Vinegar regularly as a Hair Rinse after washing hair acts as a prophylactic, that is, a preventative, against head lice.

Tomato Sauce is effective in treating head lice, mainly because the vinegar in tomato sauce works to deter the lice. You need to use an herbal oil, or the use of iodine as instructed below, with the tomato sauce treatment. Leave on for several hours or overnight before washing off. Repeat each night for a week, as for the olive oil treatment, then use the tomato sauce treatment twice weekly for a week, then once weekly.

Tomato Sauce is a great conditioner for the hair. It tones the scalp and keeps it slightly acidic, which deters lice from making their home in the hair. Tomato sauce, if used once or twice a week, will have the effect of darkening the hair – useful for grey hair.

Liquid Iodine Treatment for Head Lice. With liquid iodine, you use only two or three dabs of iodine on the scalp, twice a week. Do not use iodine on the scalp if you have just applied apple cider vinegar. Wait until the next day before applying iodine if you have opted for the vinegar treatment to get rid of head lice. Iodine will help kill any new eggs which hatch, and destroy the eggs which it comes into contact with. NOTE; DO NOT USE ANY MORE THAN TWO OR THREE DABS OF IODINE TWICE A WEEK, AS IODINE IS ABSORBED INTO THE SKIN. We need iodine, but do not want to overdo it.

Iron All Sheets and Clothing To Kill the Eggs, or Nits.

To avoid reinfestation of head lice, it is important to use heat to kill any eggs which are lying dormant on clothing and bedding. Iron the pillow slips, the sheets, all shirts, and the tops of coats and cardigans or jumpers. Use a steam iron for the woolen fabrics. Lice have a sixth sense. When you begin to kill off their potential offspring, and even live louses, they quickly give up and move off somewhere else. If you then use an herbal oil, OR a regular dab or two of iodine each week, then this will protect against becoming reinfected from other children at school.

Dry the Hair With a Hair Dryer or a Fan Heater. Heat destroys the nits, or eggs, as we know. Using a blower fan heater, or a hair dryer helps th kill lice and eggs and keep the lice away. You can even buy an appliance which is made specifically for eradicating lice by using heat. This is talked about in the book by Dr Holt and Iona MacDonald, entitled ‘Natural Remedies That Really Work’.

Vitamins for Celiacs

Celiac Disease causes problems in the digestion which leads to malabsorption of essential vitamins and minerals. Celiacs usually suffer from a condition of inflammation in the bowel, which causes nutritional deficiencies, and this condition leads to celiacs being malnourished: Weight loss, anaemia, and depression are just some of the symptoms which may accompany the celiac disease.

Cancer and Osteoporoosies and Osteomalacia are conditions which celiac sufferers are inclined to get, because their bodies do not assimilate calcium and other vitamins and minerals as well as other healthy people do. It was found in recent research conducted with celiac patients, that assimilation of nutrients increased when gluten was removed from the diet completely. Removing gluten increased the absorption of essential nutrients in food and in supplements, and lowered the risk of cancer, osteoporosis, osteomalacia, and other disease. The celiac sufferers had the same incidence of cancer as the rest of the population once gluten was removed. This information comes from “The Natural Pharmacy’, whose address I have given below.

First and Foremost, to ensure that your vitmamin supplements are having the maximum effect, it is important to eliminate the problematic foods from the diet. These are wheat, rye and barley, which contain the gluten which is undigestible to celiac sufferers. In research done recently, 95% of celiac sufferers improved and became symptom free, over a period of several months, once they had removed the problematic gluten from their diets. That means that all wheat, and products which include wheat, and barley and rye , must be avoided completely. Being totally gluten free is essential in treating the condition of celiac disease.

You should check out your candida status with your doctor or health professional. Candida needs a special diet devoid of wheat, barley, rye, dairy products, all sugars including fruit, fermented food, fruit juces, alcohol, vinegars, and yeast products, until you have recovered. If you have not been diagnosed with celiac disease, it might be that you have candida overgrowth.

So it is important to replace the nutrients which are deficient.

Calcium: It is essential to eat plenty of calcium-rich foods. Calcium helps to protect the body against cancer, osteoporosis, osteomalacia, and other disease, as well as keeping the teeth, bones and nails strong. Diseases which are related to calcium deficiency, cancer, osteoporosis, and osteomalacia, are conditions which celiac sufferers are inclined to get, so it is very important to ensure that the diet has adequate calcium.

Most people need about 1200mg of calcium a day, but people with the celiac condition need at least twice this amount. Women need slightly more than this amount to account for the loss in menstruation, and growing children and teenagers also need slightly more. One handful of sesame seeds contains about 1200mg of calcium, and a teaspoon of dolomite powder contains about twice this.

Natural Sources of Calcium: Dolomite powder, Sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, sardines, bone broth, broccoli and the other brassicas which include cabbage and kale, coconut and coconut milk. If your condition tolerates the use of dairy products and soy milk products, then of course these are excellent calcium sources too. Look up merrilyn’s recipe for natural home-made calcium supplement under the post ‘Best Calcium Supplements’.

Make Home Made Calcium and Magnesium Tonic: I have a post entitled Best Calcium Supplement which tells you how to make an entirely natural calcium and magnesium tonic out of egg shells and cider vinegar. With this calcium supplement, you do not need to take a commercially made supplement.

Vitamin B6 is especially recommended by health practitioners and doctors for the treatment of depression of celiac sufferers. ‘The Natural Pharmacy’, a Healthnotes Publication, Three Rivers Press, New York, 2006, reports favourable results from people using vitamin B6 for depression.

As well as calcium and magnesium supplements, and vitamin B6, some other supplements which might be useful are

Vitamin A

Vitamin B complex (to compliment the B6 taken additionally)

Vitamin C: Calcium Ascorbate powder, or Ester C, both forms of vitamin C which are non acidic. You can take anywhere from between 1000mg to 3000mg a day, depending upon the severity of your condition. This is probably one of the most important supplements to take, as it makes the body alkaline rather than acid, helps the absorption of calcium and other nutrients, and works as an anti oxidant. It neutralizes toxins in the body and helps with their elimination.

Vitamin K

Digestive enzymes

Folic Acid

Iodine from eating Kelp, Agar agar, Fish, or dabbing Iodine on the soles of the feet or the scalp once a week.

Lipase

Selenium

Zinc

Lutein For Vision

Supplements To Help Eyesight

Lutein is essential to the health of the eyes. Lutein is a component which forms part of the potein of the retina and the lens of the eye, and so lutein is important in maintaining good vision.

People who use computers a lot can have impaired eye function due to the radiation from the computer screen, and the focus being gazed for such long periods on a brightly and artificially lit screen. Studies have been done which suggest very strongly that the eyesight of computer workers can improve dramatically if they take the supplement lutein.

Lutein has also found to be helpful in protecting against cataract, and in improving the eyesight of people with macular degeneration to some degree.

Dr. Gaby and the Healthnotes Team talk about the value of supplementation of lutein on the eyes in their book………..

to be continued