Posts Tagged ‘Skin’
Preventing Coldsores
Tuesday, March 10th, 2009
Q : Both myself and my husband get a lot of cold sores, which can be quite sore and upsetting. Is there something we can do to prevent them? What’s the best way to treat them?
A: Herpes is a group of about 70 viruses, the most common of which are herpes simplex (HSV-1) (cold sores). Those with recurrent attacks harbour the HSV in a nerve centre known as ganglia. Herpes tends to lie dormant until an individual is run down with a cold, stress, periods, or allergic reaction to foods. Also, sunburn, and over exercising can trigger the recurrence.
Combating herpes is carried out on two fronts. The first is to enhance the individual’s own defence system and the second is to weaken the defence that the virus puts up by surrounding itself with an impregnable protein coat that the immune system cannot penetrate.
Some recommendations to help treat and prevent recurrences :
- Increasing lysine and reducing arginine (both amino acids) in the diet is required. Foods to be discouraged are nuts, chocolate, seeds, pulses, all wholegrains, pork, sunflower oil, and crustaceans such as crabs and shrimps. Foods to encourage are fish (especially halibut), chicken, turkey, yeast-containing foods such as raised white bread, potatoes, milk and lamb.
- Recognize the cause of the immune suppression and try to avoid exposure to known allergic foods, stress and lack of sleep. At ICIM I often recommend allergy testing where foods are suspected.
- The supplements vitamin C, bioflavanoids, zinc and lysine can be administered during an acute attack and well as to help prevent recurrences.
- Licorice and Lemon Balm herbal tinctures applied neat to the lesion are excellent. You must apply it as soon as you feel it coming on to prevent a full blown lesion.
- Astragalus, Olive leaf extract, Licorice and Bitter melon all possess immune enhancing properties thus aiding in prevention of recurrence. Supervision would be recommended. Blood testing at ICIM can confirm a compromised immune system.
- Homoeopathic remedies Nat Mur for herpes at the corners of mouth and lower lip, or Rhus tox for around the lips in a 6c potency administered 3 times daily.
For further information on Herpes simplex/Cold Sores, testing or treatments contact ICIM Medics on 045 844 819 or e-mail info@icim.ie
I have really bad cellulite on my bum and thigh area
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009
Q : I have really bad cellulite on my bum and thigh area. Is there anything you can suggest to make my skin smoother?
A : Cellulite is a rippling formation in the deeper layers of the skin, found predominantly in areas where fat is deposited. The fat cells are kept apart by a type of tissue called connective tissue. Certain foods and conditions cause this connective tissue to degenerate, pushing the fat cells together in an irregular shape and closer to the surface, forming cellulite !
Cellulite is divided into three groups:
1) Stage one – the skin is smooth looking until it is pinched.
2) Stage two – the pitting becomes visible on tensing the underlying muscle or on standing.
3) Stage three – the pitting is visible at all times.
Some recommendations to help combat cellulite:
Reducing the fat content in the body will reduce the fat layer under the skin and thereby reduce the cellulite effect.
Strengthening the muscles underneath the area where cellulite is prominent will increase blood flow and maintain or even repair the loss of connective tissue in that area thus reducing the fat stores as mentioned above.
Massage the area, both professionally and by the individual, will help to break down some of the fat conglomeration and also increase blood flow and support the connective tissue structure.
The herb Centella asiastica helps to restructure connective tissue and is the only botanical treatment with reasonable scientific evidence. Other herbs known to help include Aesculus hippocastanum and Fucus vesiculosis.
A compound called Cola vera that contains 14 % caffeine can be applied locally in a solution up to 1.5 %. However, caffeine taken orally is not recommended it has been cited to cause cellulite. So best avoid tea, coffee, caffeine containing canned drinks and chocolate.
Most cosmetic preparations are based on hydrating the area, which simply pushes water into the pitted skin causing it to swell and lose some of its unsightly appearance. Once you stop the problem will return in a few days !
For further information on Cellulite, treatment or plant extracts contact the Irish Centre of Integrated Medicine on 045 844 819 or e-mail info@icim.ie
