Roughly one in twenty are affected by bowel cancer and it claims the lives of 50 people in the UK each day. Symptoms include rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, anaemia and a change in bowel habits and your risk increases with age. The good news is that if caught early enough, it is fairly easy to treat and making small alterations to your diet and lifestyle can help you prevent it. Follow these natural tips to keep your colon healthy and if you notice any of the above symptoms contact your doctor immediately.

Increase the amount of fibre you eat: Women who eat more fruit and vegetables (cooked and raw), as well as wholegrain foods and cereals, are less likely to succumb to bowel cancer. In 2001 a major study found that a high fibre diet can decrease the risk by a staggering 40 per cent. A fibre-rich diet will speed the movement of waste through your digestive system and prevent constipation. Anything that slows down your digestive system and leaves waste in your colon for longer than normal is a potential extra risk to your health. Eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day will speed up your digestive system and help the colon to empty itself regularly.

 

Aim for around 18g of fibre a day (in contrast to the 10 grams or less most of us consume) by eating more whole grains, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and fruit. Avoid bran as it is technically a refined food because it is stripped away from the whole grain and sold on its own. Bran contains substances called ‘phytates’ which, once consumed, bind valuable minerals, attracting calcium, zinc, magnesium amongst others like a magnet. These minerals, essential for your general health, are then excreted with the bran from the digestive tract. Ironically, although bran is often used to overcome constipation, it can irritate the digestive system causing bloating and irritable bowel-like symptoms. It is far better to eat bran in the form that Nature intended, as part of the whole grain – as in wholemeal bread.

 

Drink plenty of water: Ideally between six and eight glasses of water a day will help boost your digestive system by keeping motions soft. Try to cut down on tea, coffee and cola, which contain caffeine – as they encourage fluid to pass through the body as urine rather than circulating in the colon.

 

Watch your weight: If you’re overweight your risk of bowel cancer increases by 55 per cent and if you fall into the obese category your risk increases by 33 per cent according to Cancer Research UK.

 

Stockpile onions and garlic: Vegetables from the allium family, such as onions, garlic and leeks, contain substances that are thought to help prevent the onset of bowel cancer. There is also evidence that broccoli and watercress may also provide protection.

 

Stop smoking: If you smoke you are between one and a half and three times more likely to get bowel cancer than a non smoker.

 

Drink less: Alcohol that is, not water. According to Cancer Research UK if you are drinking more than two units of alcohol a day your risk increases by 26% and if you drink more than four units a day your risk increases by 64%.

 

Get moving: Studies have shown that people who exercise moderately every day for a minimum of thirty minutes have a lower risk of developing bowel cancer than those who lead sedentary lifestyles.

 

Avoid red and processed meat: Processed meat is meat that is preserved by smoking, curing, salting or the addition of preservatives that can produce cancer forming substances. According to some experts even eating one sausage a day can increase your risk of developing bowel cancer by one fifth.

 

Screening: If you’re in your sixties, in a few years time you will receive a faecal blood test from the NHS. If you are under the age of sixty and have one or more relative who have or had the disease, talk to your doctor immediately about screening. If you have unusual results you will be invited for a colonoscopy. Remember, if caught early enough, bowel cancer can be cured. Some people feel embarrassed about discussing bowel problems with their doctor but if you wait until you can’t cope anymore with your symptoms it can sometimes be too late. Be sensible; don’t die of embarrassment.

This month’s case study is 32 year old ‘Katy’ who came to the Clinic with painful periods

I started having my periods at the age of 12 and I have suffered with severe pain ever since. My mum took me to the doctor when I was about 15 and he put me on the Pill. At the time it was great because I went from being totally incapacitated for 2 days every month to being ‘normal’. I came off the Pill in my late twenties because I knew it was not good to be on long term. The pain seemed to be even worse having come off it. Each month I would be in so much pain that I would often be sick and faint. Although my work colleagues were very supportive, it was difficult if I was in an unfamiliar situation.

I went back to my doctor and he suggested I try a different type of Pill, so I said I wanted to explore other options. He sent me away with a prescription for mefenamic acid – a very strong painkiller. I was reluctant to take it but went off to get a supply as an emergency. I searched for ‘painful periods’ on the internet and came across a really interesting site by Dr Marilyn Glenville. The site explained how nutrition can be helpful for the treatment of painful periods. I downloaded an ‘e-book’ on ‘Understanding Painful Periods’, which I read and found very useful.

 

I phoned the Dr Marilyn Glenville Clinic because I decided that I needed more support from an expert rather than trying to help myself and struggle on my own. I spoke to a very helpful receptionist who talked me through the consultation process and what I would get out of my initial appointment. She sent me a questionnaire to complete and return for the nutritionist to review before meeting me. I had to fill in a two day diet diary, which was interesting because it made me write down everything I was eating and drinking – it was quite an eye opener. I thought it best to be honest rather than write down what the nutritionist wanted to hear!

 

Before my first consultation it was recommended that I perform a Hair Mineral Analysis to identify any mineral deficiencies. This was really straightforward because all it involved was taking a sample of my hair and sending it off to the laboratory for analysis and the results would be back in time for my consultation.

 

The nutritionist went through my questionnaire with me and asked about my painful periods – how long they had been painful, what medical investigations had I had and any drugs I was taking. It felt very thorough and she was really taking time to understand my symptoms (rather than having a rushed 5 minutes with my GP).

 

She explained that pain is usually a warning signal from your body, so it is important that the pain is investigated. She asked whether my doctor had referred me to a gynaecologist. I explained that he had never mentioned this, even when I had shown concern that I may have a condition like endometriosis. The nutritionist suggested that I follow this programme for 3-6 months and if there was no improvement I should ask my doctor to refer me for further investigation.

 

The nutritionist did say, however, that period pains can be unusual in that there may actually be nothing medically wrong – they can simply be an abnormal functioning of your body around the time of your period. This is pretty good news because it means that if you can get things back into balance, you’ll not only get rid of the pain but you’ll prevent it from returning. The natural approach aims to treat the condition, not simply mask the pain or ‘turn off’ your cycle. Furthermore, if you work to put your body back into balance all aspects of health and well-being will be improved.

 

The results of my Hair Mineral Analysis identified low levels of zinc and magnesium. The nutritionist explained that magnesium acts as a muscle relaxant and it has been shown to have a beneficial effect on painful periods and lower back pain. Magnesium also has the ability to lower the ‘bad’ prostaglandins (hormone-type substances that can cause inflammation) that may be causing the womb to over-contract. Zinc is important for eliminating pain because it is needed for the proper conversion of essential fatty acids into ‘good’ (anti-inflammatory) prostaglandins.

 

The nutritionist went through my diet in depth with me. She was concerned that I didn’t eat enough fresh vegetables and fish and relied too heavily on processed meals and sugar! I had never really enjoyed cooking and I suppose I used this as an excuse. She said that I didn’t need to always cook from scratch and spend time in the kitchen – there are always short cuts! She explained that some foods like red meat, dairy and sugar can actually be pro-inflammatory (cause inflammation) which triggers the painful periods, and some foods can be anti-inflammatory (calm inflammation) like oily fish, nuts, seeds and dark green leafy vegetables. Luckily, I do enjoy these foods – I just never really ate them! She said that I could eat tinned fish to make my life easier, and sardines and mackerel in particular are rich in the anti-inflammatory omega 3 oils. Dark green vegetables, including salad leaves (watercress and rocket) are rich in magnesium, which is a natural muscle relaxant so helps with the cramps I was experiencing.

 

The nutritionist explained that when the body is out of balance, and has been for some time, diet alone is not always sufficient. She recommended that I give my body extra support with nutritional supplements. She put together a tailor-made plan that incorporated a good multi vitamin and mineral as a ‘foundation’, then added to this extra vitamin B complex, magnesium, high strength fish oil and zinc. She explained that the B Vitamins are needed to help produce ‘good’ prostaglandins, which help to relax and widen blood vessels (as opposed to ‘bad’ prostaglandins, which increase the womb contractions and increase the pain). The B vitamins have been shown to significantly reduce the intensity and duration of period pains.

 

The nutritionist told me that taking EFAs (essential fatty acids) in supplement form is extremely important in the treatment of painful periods. Research has shown that women with low intakes of omega 3 fatty acids have more painful periods than women who have a good intake.

 

I booked a follow up consultation for 8 weeks later so the nutritionist could assess me after two menstrual cycles. The first period my pain was definitely less intense and on my second cycle there was a remarkable difference. The intensity and frequency of pain was much less. I didn’t need to take any time off work – which was amazing – and I felt normal the whole cycle! I didn’t have to take any painkillers at all, which was brilliant.

 

I am now 6 months on from seeing the nutritionist and I have kept up with eating well and taking the supplements. I can’t thank the Dr Marilyn Glenville Clinic enough for their support and encouragement in getting me to better health. My life is transformed and I am now in control of my period rather than the other way around! The best thing about it is that I no longer have to plan my life around my period!

 

Marilyn’s Comment

 

Katy’s story is a great example of how powerful nutrition can be in actually addressing the underlying cause, rather than just treating the symptoms. With a change of diet and taking specific, good quality, nutritional supplements Katy has not needed to take strong painkillers and she can lead a normal life – whereas before she was losing at least 2 days each month to her painful periods.

 

As the nutritionist stressed in the consultation, sometimes pain can be due to an underlying medical condition, so it is always important to be vigilant and further medical investigation is sometimes needed. Although Katy noticed improvement within one menstrual cycle, it can take up to 6 months to correct the balance. Nutrition can take longer to take effect and change hormone balance compared to conventional drugs but the benefit is longer lasting.

 

If you would like to find out more about our clinics and the products mentioned, then please see the resources page.

You might have thought you’d left breakouts behind with teenage angst. Then suddenly your skin starts to erupt again. Falling oestrogen levels, which mean that testosterone can be more dominant, are to blame. Stress can also be a trigger. You may notice that your spots cluster around the lower part of your face. They may appear as angry red lumps, rather than ‘pop-able’ pimples and since adult pimples are darker than teen pimples the ensuing discolouration can last a few weeks. Prescription drugs should be your last resort as they won’t help address the real cause of the problem. Try to identify the trigger factors. If it’s stress aim for eight hours sleep a night and take time out each day for meditation, yoga or other forms of relaxation.

The following natural remedies may help keep the blemishes under control:

• It’s especially important that you include plenty of phytoestrogens in your diet, found in soya, nuts and legumes. Phytoestrogens can help your body control the amount of testosterone circulating in your blood. Vitamin B6, zinc and essential fatty acids have also been shown to be beneficial.
• If you notice any dietary triggers for acne, avoid those foods. You should also watch your intake of alcohol, sugar, processed food, salt, butter, caffeine, chocolate, fried foods, meat, margarine, wheat, soft drinks and food containing hydrogenated vegetables oils.
• To ease inflammation or prevent infection, eat lots of garlic. Garlic is a powerful antibiotic. Grate it on your food or take it as a supplement every day. (See Aged Garlic on the Resources Page)
• Sulphur-rich foods, such as eggs, onions and live yogurt with bifidus and acidophilus bacteria, help to rebalance the bacteria in your gut and can help protect against skin inflammation. You could also take a probiotic (e.g. BioKult), I would not recommend the probiotic drinks as they are often loaded with sugar. 
• Regular exercise is helpful because it encourages hormonal balance and healthy blood flow to your face to help flush out toxins.
• Heavy cosmetics and rich moisturisers can clog your pores so use a lighter lotion on your trouble zones. Avoid abrasive scrubs. They do not remove dead skin, but they can cause infection and make acne worse. Never pick or squeeze spots – this can cause scarring.
• Tea-tree oil has good antiseptic, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Use it to dab onto your spots. A study conducted by the Department of Dermatology of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in New South Wales, Australia, found a 5 per cent solution of tea tree oil was as effective as a 5 per cent solution of benzoyl peroxide for most cases of acne, and had no side effects.
• Pure aloe vera gel is antibacterial and soothing. Some women find that dabbing it on their acne every day really helps. For angry inflamed spots or acne, witch hazel is cooling and soothing. Dab directly on the acne. Echinacea is one of nature’s most powerful antibiotics. Dab a tincture or cream on the affected skin daily.
• If your doctor tells you that you have higher than normal androgen (male hormone) levels, the herb saw palmetto can work as an anti-androgen and this can also be helpful for pre-menstrual acne. Perhaps the most helpful herb though is Agnus Castus. Other beneficial herbs include burdock root, red clover and milk thistle which are powerful blood cleansers.
• Light therapy, which involves shining different types of light on the acne, from UV to simply coloured light can help. Red lights have been shown to open capillaries and boost circulation while blue light closes them. Ask a dermatologist for advice.