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Happy Healthy Christmas!

Are you looking forward to Christmas but dreading the weight-gain, bloating and sluggish-ness that often comes with it?  Don’t want to undo all the good work you’ve put in improving your health/waist line this year or simply want to go…
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Weight loss, insulin resistance and type II diabetes

Did you know when you eat bread made out of refined flour, whether it is white or wholemeal the grain has been ground so finely and is so uniform in size that it behaves pretty much like sugar when it enters our bodies?  Refined grains and…
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Treating children with herbal medicine

  How to get herbs into children! Herbal medicine is ideal for treating children’s health problems.  I will be writing a few articles on herbs for children but I thought I better start with how to get herbs into children. When to…
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Q How can burger and chips count towards my five-a-day?

A  When they are chickpea and sweetcorn burgers served with sweet potato wedges! A patient was arguing that it is really difficult to eat five portions of fruit and veg a day and keep her fussy family happy.  Later that day I remembered seeing…
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Is apple cider vinegar really good for us?

The Times and the recent BBC Two series ‘Trust me I’m a doctor’ got together to look at the health claims made about apple cider vinegar. They reported their findings in the Times earlier this week. They concluded having diluted apple…
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I want to lose weight but…

....keep putting off my ‘diet start date’ ....feel overwhelmed by all the different diet advice out there ...when I get tired I reach for sugary snacks Here are a few simple tips to help you get on track: Start making small changes today…
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Candida and Thrush – Causes and Treatment

Everybody has some of the yeast Candida albicans living in their digestive tract, low levels are normal and do not cause any problems.  However, when Candida overgrows it can cause a range of nasty symptoms including wind and bloating, vaginal…
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Food allergy vs. food intolerance – what is the difference?

Food allergies and intolerances are talked about a lot, but are you clear about what these terms really mean?  When someone has a food allergy when they eat even a tiny amount of that food their body produces antibodies and mounts an immune…
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Herbs for anxiety and sleep problems (and exam stress!)

Western herbal medicine has lots of different medicinal plants in it’s medicine chest which may help to ease anxiety and tension, support the nervous system and promote restful sleep.  Two of my favourites are Valerian root and Passion flower. …
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Siberian ginseng and my friend Debbie

My friend Debbie was asking what she could take to keep her stamina up during a 100km walk for charity she will be doing this weekend.  Siberian Ginseng instantly came to mind.  Herbs and herbal medicine are not just for illness; ideally they…