Recent research has indicated that in addition to calcium, magnesium and vitamin D, other vital nutrients that play a key role in osteoporosis prevention are antioxidants.

Experts now believe that increased intake of fruit and vegetables and the antioxidants they contain, like vitamins C and E may improve bone health and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

A study published in the September 2003 issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation proposed a new theory of how oestrogen loss causes osteoporosis by concluding that a deficiency of the hormone lowers the antioxidants in osteoclasts (the cells that promote bone absorption), which increases their activity. Researchers, from St George’s Hospital Medical School in London, concluded that the mechanism of oestrogen deficiency in bone loss is that of lowering the antioxidants in osteoclasts which sensitises them to signals that promote bone resorption.

These observations clearly support dietary recommendations for eating more fruit and vegetables (which also make the body more alkaline which is a key factor in prevention of osteoporosis – see my book ‘Osteoporosis – the silent epidemic’) and while the findings need to be confirmed by larger longitudinal studies which are currently underway, they do highlight the potential of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables to modify the risk of osteoporosis.

They also suggest that taking antioxidants may reduce the risk of osteoporosis when a woman approaches the menopause, one of the primary health concerns associated with this stage in a woman’s life.

The implication is not only that bone loss may be prevented but that it may also be treated with antioxidants. While further research is needed, it’s a significant breakthrough in Western medicine. Indeed, boneset — a plant believed to be high in antioxidants — has been used by Native American peoples for centuries to treat and speed the healing of broken bones. The growing friendship between natural medicine and Western science just may produce treatment options in the coming years we never would have thought possible. (A good antioxidant ‘mix’ I use in the clinic is Nutriguard Plus).

This month’s case study is ‘Jane’ who came to the Clinic with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Jane’s story:

I had always had what I would call ‘normal’ bowels and a healthy digestive system until 2 years ago when I changed job and worked as PR consultant putting in incredibly long stressful hours in the City. I would have diarrhoea at least once a day which would be debilitating because of the pain and it started to rule my life because I always had to be within reach of a toilet which was incredibly difficult if I was travelling or out away from home or the office.

To start with it was difficult at work having to rush away from my desk during the day and it wasn’t the easiest thing to talk about with my colleagues. However, I confided in a couple of people, making it slightly easier for me.

After a year of suffering I decided this wasn’t normal and went to see my doctor who said it was just ‘irritable bowel’ and it was all in my mind and stress related. I went away feeling very upset and that I really hadn’t been listened to. He prescribed me a drug to stop the diarrhoea but I knew this was only masking the underlying problem. I took the course of medication for a month but had such bad cramps and bloating that I decided to stop taking it. I went back to my doctor and he referred me to a gastroenterologist (reluctantly!). I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy which both came back ‘normal’ yet I knew it was not normal to have such chronic symptoms.

I was talking to a colleague at work who mentioned that she had been to see a nutritionist Therapist for her digestive problems. She had been experiencing constipation and bloating and within a month she was a different person. She gave me the number of the Dr Marilyn Glenville Clinic and I phoned straight away to book my first appointment.

Before booking, I spoke to a nutritionist at the clinic to make sure it was something that could be helped with nutrition. She explained that my symptoms came under the ‘umbrella’ of irritable bowel syndrome and it was certainly influenced by diet but stress could exacerbate it. She briefly mentioned the common trigger foods that I may have to cut out and although it sounded hard I was desperate to feel well again so I booked the appointment.

My first consultation was one hour and the nutritionist took a very detailed medical history and went through my ‘typical’ diet – something that the doctor never did because he said that it was nothing to do with food. She explained IBS differs from other bowel disorders like Crohn’s and Colitis in that there is no underlying detectable pathology (i.e. nothing shows up with routine medical investigation) that is causing the digestive symptom or discomfort.

However as the name suggest there must be something that is causing an irritation to the bowel wall or else the symptoms would just not exist. Commonly acknowledged foods that irritate the intestinal wall include dairy products, coffee, alcohol, wheat and citrus fruits. Well, this was my diet! I drank a couple of cappuccinos to get me through my stressful working day and lived on sandwiches and biscuits washed down with orange juice!

The nutritionist talked about stress and how it impacts on digestion. When the body is under stress the energy available to the digestive tract is compromised so the release of digestive enzymes (these are naturally produced by our body to help digest carbohydrates, fats and proteins) is impaired and food is not digested properly and this results in diarrhoea and bloating.

It all made so much sense because stress definitely made my symptoms worse – almost like an ‘exam tummy’ churning around. I thought this was something I just had to live with because of the nature of my job. From my experience, stress and IBS became a vicious cycle because my stress would trigger my symptoms and my painful bloating an diarrhoea made me more stressed and so on.

Before putting me on an exclusion diet, the nutritionist explained that it would be useful to perform a food allergy test. This was a full blood test, which analysed 217 different foods and food additives that can cause ill health. The test results came back showing a strong reaction to wheat, dairy and citrus so she recommended that I avoid these foods for the next 4 weeks and keep a diet and symptom diary. This really helped keep me on track and focused. I had to cut out all bread, pasta, biscuits and cereals and of course my milky cappuccino and cheese. However, much to my amazement I found some great alternatives and all from the supermarket which made my life easier. Even eating out at restaurants I became aware of so many wheat and dairy free options. I suppose until you have to avoid certain foods, you don’t look to see what else is out there.

The nutritionist also prescribed me some basic vitamins and minerals to boost my immune system plus specific gut support in the form a probiotic (BioKult) to boost all my ‘friendly’ bacteria that live throughout the digestive system and digestive enzymes which I had to take specifically every time I ate to help digest the food and reduce my bloating.

Within 4 days my diarrhoea had stopped and consequently I no longer had a painful bloated stomach. For the first time in years I wasn’t constantly thinking about having to find a toilet and my commute to and from work was stress free. My clothes felt comfortable at the end of the day and I didn’t look 6 months pregnant as I often did before I went to the clinic. I couldn’t believe how such common foods could cause such debilitating symptoms. For the first time I was actually enjoying my food and taking a real interest in what I was putting into my body rather than just stuffing a sandwich down every lunch and relying on that coffee fix to get me through the day.

I had my follow up consultation 4 weeks later and the nutritionist recommended I continue with the same diet for another 8 weeks and then we could try reintroducing one food at a time. She explained that I may be able to eat these foods in moderation in the future, but for the moment it was important just to keep the digestive system calm and not stress it with foods that it was trying to ‘fight’. This made so much sense, plus I was motivated because I felt so well so naturally wanted to continue.

Marilyn’s comments:

This is a good example of how powerful the nutritional approach can be in changing someone’s life almost overnight, just by making some simple dietary modifications. Jane like many others in the UK eats a diet that contains a lot of wheat and dairy. It is all too easy to grab toast for breakfast, a cheese sandwich for lunch and have pasta and cheese for dinner. Bowel symptoms, whether they be diarrhoea, bloating, wind or constipation is our body trying to tell us that something is irritating our digestive tract. If you are about to exclude major food groups it always best to seek advice from a qualified nutritionist to make sure that you’re substituting with healthy alternatives so you don’t miss out on any valuable nutrients.

All too often we hear patients tell us how their doctor has made them feel like their symptoms are in their head, particularly when routine medical testing shows there is nothing ‘physically’ wrong like Coeliac disease or colitis. Listen to your body and if your bowel pattern changes and more serious bowel conditions have been ruled out, take a closer look at your diet as it could be something you eat everyday which you may never have considered!

If you are interested in having the test mentioned here please call 0845 8800915.

Most traditional perfumes are created in a lab, using synthetic oils that replicate natural, botanical scents. A fragrance may be made up of dozens, sometimes over a hundred different chemicals – and according to a National Academy of Sciences study from a couple of decades ago; up to 95% of these fragrance chemicals are petrochemicals – derived from crude oil. Do you really want to apply that to your skin to be absorbed into your body?

In addition, unlike many synthetic scents, natural perfumes have no phthalates, compounds derived from alcohol that makes scents last longer but have also been linked to hormonal imbalance and reproductive disorders. In fact the Environmental Working Group in the USA and many natural health experts, me included, suggest limiting exposure to phthalates when possible.

This doesn’t mean you should stop wearing perfume. Quite the contrary; you should treat yourself to the essential oils of natural perfumes. Natural perfumes are made with essential oils extracted from flowers and fruit produced by small high quality growers.

Nature has provided us with an abundance of beautiful scents – jasmine, ylang ylang, rose, geranium, tea rose to name a few and all available as essential oils. Another option if you have the time and feel creative is to make your own natural perfume.

You’ll need a small dark glass bottle for storing your fragrance creation as sunlight will quickly kill the scent if you store it in clear glass.

Ingredients:

• Your favourite essential oil/s
• 2 1/2 oz of Vodka
• 2 tablespoons of Distilled Water

It will take a little experimentation to achieve the right potency to suit your tastes; so start out with a single essential oil for practice – perhaps 4-8 drops. The general process is:

Add the essential oil to the vodka, stirring slowly until the oil is fully mixed in; then let sit for 2 days. After this time, add the distilled water, slowly stirring it through; then let it sit another couple of days; longer for a more potent mix. Done!

Don’t forget to write down the essential oils and numbers of drops you use in each batch while refining your own natural perfume blend! Although our sense of smell is not as keen as other mammals, a delicious aroma wafting from our skins not only makes us feel more upbeat it is also a form of communication.

We can wear perfumes that convey our mood or our personality. Fragrances can enhance or even change our mindset so if you’re feeling powerful or want to feel powerful choose a bold, clean scent with a strong fruity note. If you want to feel romantic look for floral fragrances; if you’re feeling sexy look for woodsy flavours.

Whatever you are trying to communicate, you should sample several scents. Smell it, apply it and live with it for a while to see it it’s you. And because natural perfumes don’t last as long, reapply whenever the scent fades. As the fragrance interacts with your body, a new aroma emerges- one that is naturally your own.