Q: My job is a sedentary one. I also have a tendency to snack on a lot of sweet foods and am steadily putting on weight. What foods can help me feel full naturally?

A: First of all don’t stop snacking as eating meals or snacks every three or so hours is a great way to keep your blood sugar levels and your weight stable. If you go for long periods without food your blood sugar level will drop and you are more likely to crave unhealthy snacks and stimulants to give you an energy boost. The secret is to snack on the right foods so have a healthy breakfast, a mid morning snack, lunch a mid afternoon snack and supper.

 

The most important thing you can do is to start the day with a healthy breakfast, such as eggs or baked beans (sugar free ones) on whole grain toast or oat porridge with seeds and fruit. Foods like this provide a slow release of energy during the day and will prevent that mid morning drop in blood sugar that causes you to crave sweet foods and snacks. Eating breakfast is in fact one of the best ways to prevent weight gain. Also try to incorporate some organic nut butters e.g. peanut, almond, cashew etc in your diet as far from being fattening they can make you feel fuller for longer. Nuts and seeds (with a small amount of dried fruit) are rich in essential nutrients and very filling and provide a slow release of energy. They are great to keep on your desk or in your bag or car. Do avoid ones covered in chocolate, flavourings and salt though.

Q: My bottom gets really itchy. I’m too embarrassed to talk to my doctor or pharmacist about it. I try not to scratch but it is really hard. Are there any natural remedies you can recommend?

A: It does sound to me like you have a fungal problem or parasites but if the following measures don’t help you should visit your doctor to be properly investigated. 

 

Once fungal infections take hold in a warm damp area they can be hard to shift and they can make the whole area red and inflamed and scratching will just make the problem worse. As a first line of defence you need to avoid eating any sugars and yeast containing foods. So, bread, cheese, stock cubes, dried fruit and yeast extracts should all be avoided until the infection clears, as should sweets, chocolates and biscuits.

 

Internally you need to take a combination of immune boosting herbs and herbs that will boost beneficial bacteria in your gut. I recommend a combination of herbs as well as a good quality probiotic supplement (e.g. BioKult – see the Resources Page).  You may have a candida infection in the gut and this needs to be investigated and treated.  To confirm whether you have a candida infection you can simply do a saliva test at home and the sample is then send to the lab for analysis. (See the Resources Page for details on how to do this test.)

 

To ease the irritation and itching try using a marigold cream. Add eight drops of tea tree oil into a 60g jar of marigold cream and apply two to three times daily. Avoid using soap or shower gel when washing the affected area, simply rinse with cold water and pat dry or rinse the area with cold water and a few drops of tea tree oil. It will take a few weeks for this to clear up and when the itching goes away you will need to continue treatment for a few weeks to make sure the fungal spores are completely destroyed.

 

To test for parasites you can do a stool sample at home and then send the sample in the containers provided to the lab for analysis.  I use these tests for candida and parasites very regularly in the clinic and they are extremely useful in pinpointing the cause of a problem.  If you are interested in the stool test for parasites see the Resources Page.

 

Q: Please could you tell me if there’s a limit on the amount of time I should use Agnus castus for my irregular periods?

A: Agnus castus is the herb I typically recommend for menstrual irregularity as studies have shown it can help balance hormones and encourage regularity. Take it regularly over three to six months and your periods should become more regular.  Once they are regular you would take a break from the herb and see if your cycle remains regular, which is what you are aiming to happen.  If the symptoms return then take it again until they go, then try again without it. The idea is that your hormones will remain in balance once they’ve been put right, but some people are very prone to imbalance and so need to take further courses. There is no ill effect from taking it long term, but I obviously prefer you not to be taking it if you don’t need it.