Want To Continue To Get Herbal Medicines? Read This and Act Please!

   The Alliance of Natural Health has sent an appeal this weekend to ask for our help. The Government had promised to allow trained, professional herbalists to be able to continue to prescribe individualised herbal medicines as they have for many years. However, the rumour is that the Government is going to U-Turn (again). This would mean that your ability to get and use herbal medicines, given by qualified people, would be very limited.

According to statistics, ANH say that up to 8 million people in the UK rely on, use regularly or have used the services of herbal medicine practitioners.

To read more about the problem, read here. Click here for a ready-prepared letter you can send to your local MP.

Herbal Medicine, as given by qualified, well-trained professionals, has an excellent and very long pedigree and herbal medicines have been used for way longer than the current pharmaceutical medicine model. It beggars belief that our ability to choose which medicine we use for our own bodies is yet again under threat. Please help by standing up for your right to choose, even if you don’t currently use a herbal medicine practitioner: who says you might not need to in future?!

Don’t Sleep With Your Mobile!

Fascinating post this weekend from Michelle at FoodsMatter on a simple experiment to test how cress grows in a room with mobile phone levels of radiation compared to in a room with none:

Cress succumbs to mobile phone radiation

After 12 days, here is the cress in the no mobile room:

and here’s the cress in the mobile room:

Not good. The worst part of Michelles’ post is noting that some of the cress seeds had actually mutated; it was not just that they hadn’t grown.

Obviously, we’ll be intrigued to see if the Karolinska Institute gets the same results. Meantime, as I have said many times, do not have wireless, digital or mobile equipment in your rooms, especially chargers, wireless routers and DECT phone holders; site them in hallways and well away from you. For computers, use Ethernet technology, which is faster and more stable anyway than WiFi.

Angelina Jolie: Right or Wrong To Have A Preventative Mastectomy?

I presume you have seen the story on the news that Angelina Jolie elected to have both breasts removed as a cancer prevention tactic because her mother died early of cancer. I found it quite shocking, did you?

I still don’t quite know what I think about it. It’s not exactly new since women have been having elective surgery for a good few years now; it’s just that Angelina is so high profile, I do wonder what message that is going to send out. Not that that has any bearing on her choices: it is entirely up to her what she does with her own body, but the media coverage is bound to have an effect. Will it make it seem like a viable choice to more women, or shock more than it encourages? Time will tell. It should spark some debate anyway, and that is always a good thing in medicine.

In Angelina’s shoes, what would I have done? I have no idea and I hope I never have to think about it that deeply. It saddens me to think that many women – and men – do have to face that decision every day.

My over-riding worry about it is that she made the decision based on the presence of the BRAC genes. Most experts now agree that it is not the presence of genes related to various illnesses that is the problem; it is what triggers them.

Just because you have the genes, it does not mean you will get the disease. We know that most of the triggers are emotional, infectious, viral, environmental etc so you would have to agree that leading a preventative lifestyle would potentially be a good way of avoiding triggering any genetic illness you were predisposed to. And that is precisely what the detractors of preventative mastectomies say: you could have prevented it, this is a step too far etc etc. They might be right, but whose to say that the worry of getting cancer might not end up being a contributory cause of cancer in the end anyway? An interesting point.

Professionally, I have been able to offer gene and BRAC testing for quite some time, but have chosen not to for loads of different reasons, not least because I don’t think we yet fully understand genetic illness. And, have you thought what that knowledge might do to you emotionally or even to your life assurance premiums!

In my opinion, we are a LONG way off understanding our genes and the way they are expressed, although we are learning at an exponential rate. Genes have so-called polymorphisms, for a start. This means that there are loads of different ‘types’ if you like of the BRAC gene and some have been found to be protective against cancer and others not so protective. I assume Angelina’s doctors could distinguish between the types she had in order to be able to give her a percentage risk.

Anyway, enough of my musings. Here is an interesting piece on it from GreenMedInfo for you:

Did Angelina Jolie Make A Mistake By Acting On The ‘Breast Cancer Gene’ Theory?

Also, here is their Breast Cancer Guide with loads of links to researched articles in case this is something you want to read up on.

Did she do the right thing, then? In the end, it is nobody’s business but her own. But it will be interesting to see what happens as a result of all the media stories.

I am bound to see other articles on this subject and I will pass on links to any I think you might find useful, as always. Meantime, I wish Angelina and her family speedy healing and a life less worried.

New Active #B12 and #Anaemia Tests

As you can tell, I am catching up with stuff I haven’t been able to do with my Adrenal Plan writing hat on!

Hot on the heels of the new NeuroHormone tests, I have also changed the Vitamin B12 and Anaemia tests, which I know again that some of you have been waiting for me to do!

Why have I changed them?

Well, I have been coming across quite a few people who test fine on serum B12, but who quite clearly have B12 deficiency symptoms and who go on to improve on a B12 supplement trial.

Of course, I had to look into it. And, as Providence or someone or other would have it, TDL labs was also doing the same thing and had just introduced a new Active B12 test. Basically, like the red blood cell mineral tests, this looks for the metabolic levels of B12 rather than what is just in your blood. Here is some info on that for you (bit techy, but you get the point):

What is Active B-12?
Three carrier proteins are involved in the transport of Vitamin B12 around the body – Intrinsic Factor (IF), transcobalamin (TC) and haptocorrin (HC).

When transcobalamin and haptocorrin bind Vitamin B12 the resulting complexes are known as holotranscobalamin (HoloTC) and holohaptocorrin (HoloHC).

 Holotranscobalamin represents only 10-30% of the Vitamin B12 circulating in the blood but is the ONLY form of Vitamin B12 that is taken up and used by cells of the body, hence it’s other name… ACTIVE-B12.

 Only transcobalamin transports Vitamin B12 from its site of absorption in the ileum to tissues and cells. The vitamin is then internalised as the Active-B12 (vitamin B12 bound to transcobalamin) complex via a specific receptor-mediated uptake. This process delivers Vitamin B12 into the cells of the body and provides the vitamin as an essential co-enzyme for vital cellular functions such as DNA synthesis..

The remaining 70-90% of circulating Vitamin B12 is bound to haptocorrin, the function of which is unknown.

Because up to 90% of circulating Vitamin B12 is bound tohaptocorrin and is therefore biologically unavailable for most cells, the traditional Total B12 test can give a misleading representation of the patient’s Vitamin B12status. Active-B12, the part of Vitamin B12 bound to transcobalamin (TC), is the portion that delivers Vitamin B12 to the tissues of the body.

Also, Active-B12 has a shorter circulating half-life compared to holohaptocorrin so the earliest change that occurs on entering negative vitamin B12 balance is very likely to be a decrease in Active-B12 concentration

So, a no-brainer then to change to measuring active B12. You can see the new Vitamin B12 test here for more info.

I also wanted to extend the anaemia test to include the new active B12, but also red cell folate instead, again, of the usual serum type, and a few other indices too, including ESR for inflammation since high levels in the body can lead to misleading iron results. It’s all very technical, y’know; I don’t just make this stuff up

Anyway, I think the new anaemia test is much improved on the last one but I can still do the previous Genova one if you need to do comparisons, so just ask. I’ve taken it off the shop site so I don’t confuse with having two anaemia tests.

OK, see the new Active B12 test here and the new Anaemia test with active B12 and red cell folate here.

Blimey, doing those hormone, neurotransmitters, adrenal, cortisol, B12 and anaemia test changes has taken me all day and I am shattered now! Hope they help you; am rather pleased with myself

Single Salivary Cortisol Testing Now Available

Just a quickie as I know some of you have been asking about this and you may not have noticed it in my last post:

we can now do single cortisol samples!!

Sometimes you need to see what your cortisol is doing at specific times of the day or night. You can do single saliva samples instead of or in addition to the normal adrenal stress test if you want to test at times not included in normal testing or you are keeping your eye on a specific time of day.

Sometimes, people want to test their cortisol levels when they are having a specific set of symptoms to see if they are caused or exacerbated by a cortisol rise or drop, and that’s what this test is for.

Order one or several as needed. You will get the number of vials ordered and can then take your samples and send them off as you need to, either all together if taken on the same day, or one at a time if taken on different days.

So, if you want to see what your cortisol is up to at 3am, now you can . Rather you than me up at that time, but I know some of you are up then, feeling less than brilliant and have been wanting to test cortisol when you want to and not when the normal lab tests say you must.

I asked, I got. I take a bow….

#Hormone Tests: #Neurotransmitters, #Adrenals and Sex Hormones

As I was writing your Adrenal Plan, I noted the massive link between brain neurotransmitters, adrenals and hormones. You can measure all of those separately, but I have found a way of doing them all together for you.

The test will assess your hormonal status, adrenal function and neurotransmitter balance.

The difference with this test that I haven’t seen before is the addition of the neurotransmitters to the usual hormone-only panels. It enables you to assess how the HPA axis function may be contributing to symptoms such as mood swings, fatigue, and pain. [HPA = hypothalamus - pituitary - adrenal axis.]

It is for both men and women and is especially useful if you have any of these symptoms:

• Mood disorders, depression, anxiety
• Addiction, dependency
• Fatigue, lack of stamina, insomnia
• Chronic illness, immune deficiency
• Cognitive confusion, learning challenges, declining memory
• Weight issues, appetite control
• Low libido, sexual dysfunction
• PMS, menopause, andropause
• Fibromyalgia, chronic pain

So, there are two tests, one for both men and women, and a second with more women-only info:

NeuroHormone Test

This measures the six main neurotransmitters (urine): 

Serotonin, GABA, Dopamine, Epinephrine (Adrenaline), Norepinephrine (Noradrenaline) and Glutamate

the main sex hormones (one day sample, saliva):

Oestradiol (E2)
Progesterone
Testosterone

and the usual Adrenal Hormones (saliva):

DHEA
4 Cortisols

NeuroHormone Complete Test (for women only)

This measures all of that but also includes much more oestrogen info for women since it gives us three different oestrogens and the ratios between those and progesterone. This is especially useful to assess oestrogen dominance and consequent risk of oestrogen-sensitive disorders like breast cancer or endometriosis etc.

Click on each test to read more. These are brand new to the UK and will make life easier for those wanting to get a really good look at their neurotransmitter, adrenal and hormone status.

As you can probably tell, hormone testing is a veritable minefield and you can do tons of different combinations. I have listed those new ones because they do the main bits of most systems – if we could get thyroid in, we’d have it pretty much covered!

Hormone Test List

To help, here are the key hormone tests for you in an easy list. As always, ask me and I will advise what would be best for you, depending on what you want to know:

Neurotransmitter Tests

You can do more neurotransmitters here,

Adrenal Tests

The usual adrenal status here and the comprehensive one that includes SIgA here. Neither of these are suitable for under 14s, but I now have a lab who will do children as they have the correct reference ranges. I haven’t listed it to save any confusion, but do ask if you need that.

If you need single cortisol tests (ie. you want to see if your cortisol is high or low at a certain time of day/night/when symptoms occur/not when the normal test samples are done), I have convinced a lab to help us and you can now do that too.

Female Hormone Tests

a full month female hormone status test here and there is also a female hormone full month including adrenals here and an assessment of oestrogen dominance on its own here.

If all you need is a snapshot of your hormones, there is a one day oestrogen/progesterone test here.

If you are menopausal, here is one of my favourite tests because it checks normal hormone levels but also oestrogen dominance for future cancer risk and bone markers for osteoporosis risk. I can check FSH and LH status if you need to confirm your menopausal status so do ask, but I haven’t listed it as this is easily done by your doctors.

Male Hormone Tests

For men, I have just listed single saliva testosterone and you can also have a male hormone panel which includes adrenal status and testosterone.

Thyroid Tests

For thyroid, you can do the full thyroid screen here. I usually do the blood rather than urine because I often find antibodies and reverse T3 come up, which just don’t show in urine tests. However, there is a useful combined urine thyroid and adrenal test here.

Don’t even get me started on fertility testing; I’ll cover that one another time!

Hope that helps – it will certainly help me when I am asked ‘Do you do hormone testing?’. I can just point you to this blog post and say ‘which hormones??!’

New #Adrenal Plan Released!

Ta-dah!!! At long last, after six months of research and writing, not to mention over a decade of clinical experience with adrenal fatigue patients, I have just released your new Adrenal Plan.

I am SO chuffed to have done it. It is one thing to know in your head as an experienced nutritionist what to do when a person presents themselves in the clinic with adrenal symptoms, but quite another to explain to someone all the intricacies of how to DIY adrenal recovery. I quite shocked myself at how many nuances I consider really without even consciously thinking about it too deeply; I guess it is because it is a field I have specialised in for such a long time; it almost comes naturally now.

Anyway, I really hope it will help. I get so many people asking for adrenal support and now I will be able to say ‘follow the plan’ and know they will be getting sound advice.

So, if you were waiting for it, sorry it took me so long: I wanted to get it just right for you.

If you need a TGF safe one (grain free), bear with me a week or so longer; I am TGFising it next and will release that too asap.

Here is the info for you…

The Adrenal Plan

Fed up with feeling tired, foggy and anxious and just feeling like you can’t cope with life as well as you used to?

Snap. That’s how I felt. And that’s how many people in-clinic feel too. The problem could well be your adrenals, especially if you have been under chronic or acute stress for a while, get constant infections, allergy reactions or inflammation. All of those really drain our adrenals and, as they get more and more tired, so do we. When it goes too far, we can feel chronically wiped out. 

How to test and treat adrenal fatigue, this 123 page ebook is based on the clinic protocol I have used for patients for over a decade, and it has rarely ever let me down. 

It includes much more on testing and how to interpret your results, the adrenal diet, a detailed and product-specific supplement protocol (available internationally by mail order), a full product guide appendix and how to get support.

Contents

• Welcome and Housekeeping                                                           
• Introduction
• What’s Going Wrong?                                                                      
• Adrenal Fatigue
• The Importance of Aldosterone
• DHEA Detail
• How To Recognise Adrenal Fatigue
• The Link With Oestrogen, Progesterone and Thyroid
• The Adrenal Fatigue Stages
• What Causes Adrenal Fatigue?                                                      
• The Adrenal Stressors
• Can It Be Reversed?
• Best Tests: The ASP
• SIgA
• Other Adrenal Tests
• Test Result Analysis: Which Stage Am  I?                                    
• SIgA Results
• Adrenal Treatment                                                                              
• The Conventional and Non-Meds Routes
• Adrenal Recovery: Lifestyle                                                            
• Adrenal Recovery: Diet                                                                    
• Adrenal Recovery: Protocol  including core nutrients, adrenal boosting, cortisol control, raising DHEA, lowering DHEA, raising SIgA and lowering SIgA                                               
• After The Plan                                                                                   
• Getting Support                                                                                
• Appendix: Product Guide

The Adrenal Plan is based on over a decade of specialising in this area and I wrote down what I find works for the vast majority of people with this type of fatigue problem. Most people feel much better after 3-4 months on adrenal recovery in my clinical experience, so don’t put up with that horrid feeling any longer, download the Plan straightaway here.

For more info, read the full Adrenal Fatigue factsheet and then go straight to the tests or download the plan to guide you. I have kept the price right down for you considering the wealth of experience and time that went into it, so all you have to lose is that horrible crushing fatigue feeling. Ugh, I remember it well. 

Right, I am off for a rest. Hope it helps.