Alternative health and healing

My visitor's stories, questions and comments

The story of Lamisil

One of my Hungarian visitors asked for a consultation because she was diagnosed with a fungal infection and was prescribed terbinafine (Lamisil) two weeks prior. She was concerned about the liver damage it might cause that she was reading about and asked for my advice. During the consultation that require answering many of my questions, I found out that her doctor did not do a lab test to confirm the diagnosis and she did not have signs of nail fungus but her middle finger was scaly, red and swollen. I’ve asked her to send me a picture of her hands and feet and after looking at the pictures, I had a strong suspicion that instead of fungus, she had contact dermatitis or eczema on her skin. Further questions revealed that she recently started using rubber gloves to do household chores that were made of latex. I’ve suggested to her to use OTC 1% hydrocortisone cream and stop using the latex gloves. After four days her symptoms disappeared, she went back to her doctor who had her stop the antifungal medication.

In my opinion, antifungal medications should not be taken lightly without a positive, confirmed diagnosis and before prescribing the medication to rule out any liver disease. She was not informed by her doctor about the warning signs of liver problems such as persistent nausea, anorexia, fatigue, right-upper abdominal pain, jaundice or dark urine and pale stool. Luckily she did not develop any of these symptoms, further more because she took her own health into her own hands and educated herself of the dangers; she saved herself from any future problems that might have occurred unnecessarily.

The story of herbs and chronic hives

An other hungarian visitor on my website asked for a consultation because he had an intermittent rash throughout his body for months. After a shower when he scrubbed, he would have everywhere, other times the rash would appear after scratching his skin and than disappear after half an hour. His doctor diagnosed him with chronic hives and told him it happens sometimes with diabetics and because he’s on blood pressure and beta blocker medications. The doctor prescribed antihistamines but the rash kept coming back, although less severely. After the many questions he answered during the consultation, I found out that he’s been drinking herbal teas regularly from about the time the rash started, as a matter of fact, that’s all he’s been drinking all day because he likes the taste of them. He’s daily tea includes nettle, chamomile, peppermint and alfalfa. His wife read about the wonderful effect of these herbs and confirmed with the health food store clerk that they will be good for him.

There was couple of mistakes that I pointed out to him, first of all, he forgot to mention the tea drinking to her doctor, and second of all, he took these herbs lightly thinking that these are only tasty teas. The third mistake was to get advice from an uneducated clerk who has no idea about his medical condition or possible sensitivity to any of the herbs.

I advised him to stop using the herbs and drink other kind of herbal tea on a daily bases and to use medicinal herbs as needed. The hives disappeared and he no longer needs to take the antihistamines.

The story of a migraine sufferer

My visitor asked for a consultation because of her frequent migraine headaches for 20 years. She went through a complete examination to rule out abnormalities and was treated with pain medications. Sometimes she had visual aura without a headache, other times the pain was debilitating.

I advised her to follow her type two diet and lifestyle plan in addition I’ve provided her with a list of trigger foods for migraine to complete an elimination diet. After 3 weeks, she successfully found her triggers of aged cheese, dark chocolate, MSG and red wine. She eliminated these from her diet and in three months, she had only one migraine attack when she ate dinner at her friend’s house, not knowing that the spice mix her friend used on the chicken contained MSG. She’s on of the lucky ones whose triggers are easily found, in some cases it takes months of elimination to do that or the trigger can be so commonly used in everyday life that it never been suspected and it might take years of careful documentation, examination and elimination to find.

An interesting story of a little boy

A 6 years old boy's mother asked for an email consultation regarding her son's growing breasts. She was very concerned but did not want to put her son through extensive tests before she had all the information of all the possible causes. After long emails back and fro I got to find out that the boy seems perfectly healthy and happy but his growing breasts are bothering him and especially his friend's teasing about it. He wasn't taking any medications, ate healthy food and took only children's vitamins as dietary supplement. I was puzzled at first than I remembered reading an article and asked the mother what kind of cosmetics he's been using. The mother answered back that for couple of months he's been using lavender bubble bath and soap. That confirmed to me that I've read in the article, sometimes lavender essential oil triggers hormonal changes in little boys age 4-5 to about 10-11 years, making their breasts enlarge temporarily. they stopped using the lavender bubble bath and soap and he's back to normal. Sometimes it does not take hard science for a naturopath to find a problem, just good memory.

With so many questions arriving to the website, I cannot answer them individually but from time to time I answer some of the questions so everybody can read them.

ANONYMUS ASKED:

What is bilberry used for?

ANSWER:

The bilberry 400mg daily contains 20mg beta-carotene. Mostly used for the treatment of night blindness, macular degeneration and glaucoma. Contains anthocyanidins as well, therefore used in the prevention of cholesterol deposit, blood clot in the arteries, the prevention of stroke, heart attack and angina. Increases the mucus production in the stomach preventing and treating ulcers. Also, improves circulation especially the capillaries, therefore it is used for the treatment of varicose veins.

KAROLY ASKED:

what are the symptoms of congestive heart failure?

ANSWER:

Shortness of breath, fatigue, need to sleep on several pillows, weakness, cough, heart palpitations, swelling in the legs, ankles and abdomen, frequent urination at night, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite.

TEMESINE ASKED:

My thyroid glands are swollen. Are you doing saliva test for thyroid hormones?

ANSWER:

To check the thyroid functions, the most reliable test is the blood test. Your doctor can order it for you after a manual exam.

BARBARA ASKED:

My skin feels tight, itchy and dry shortly after applying moisturizer cream.

ANSWER:

The cause might be that your face wash is too harsh or your moisturizer is not enough. You can read about it in our skin care section.

JULIA ASKED:

Are you familiar with the King of King capsule?

ANSWER:

Depends if angelica root or the Chinese angelica dang-quai is ude with ginseng and lecithin. The angelica mostly used for heartburn, the dang-quai for female problems and to enhance sexual appetite. Not recommended during pregnancy. The dang-quai daily dose in tea form, 6 tsp of powdered root in in pint water, 3 cups a day recommended. The ginseng is a male equivalent for dang-quai, to put together in a capsule form? I'm not familiar with the affect or side affect on women, therefore I cannot form an opinion.

GABOR ASKED:

I have reflux for 3 years, what do you recommend?

ANSWER:

The treatment of reflux includes dietary and lifestyle changes and in cases herbal supplementation depending on your overall physical condition. I cannot give you a one fits all solution, please ask for a consultation.

EVA ASKED:

Can I take St John's worth if I'm on contraceptives?

ANSWER:

Decreases the contraceptive's effectiveness.

VALI ASKED:

I'm taking iron pills, can I use valerian?

ANSWER:

The Valerian may reduce the iron absorption because of tannic acid content.

ANONYMUS ASKED:

I crave ice to chew on constantly. What can be the problem?

ANSWER:

You have iron deficiency, when you replace it, the craving will lessen or disappear.

ARPI ASKED:

I'm diabetic, someone told me to drink vinegar. Will it help?

ANSWER:

The vinegar, according to studies, improves insulin sensitivity up to 40%, inhibits the breakdown of carbohydrates, therefore decreasing the blood glucose spikes. Mix 1-2 tsp of apple cider vinegar in water, drink it before meals that contain carbohydrates.

ISTVAN ASKED:

I have gout in my great toe, the only medication I take is HCTZ with Enalapril.

ANSWER:

The thiazide diuretics can cause gout symptoms, talk to your doctor about changing your medication or consider natural methods to control your blood pressure if your overall health allows them.

AGNES ASKED:

I have red rash on both cheeks, my joints are painful but the pain goes from joint to joint, one never hurts more than 1-2 days.

ANSWER:

Have your doctor test you for systemic Lupus.

ISTVAN ASKED:

I'm 58, male, I have to get up to urinate 3-4 times a night and my urine flow is weak, interrupted.

ANSWER:

You might have benign prostatic hyperplasia if there are no other symptoms but have it checked out by your doctor.

ILDIKO ASKED:

I heard that people with classical migraine are prone to stroke.

ANSWER.

Yes it's true according to studies, it' wort paying attention to prevention. I can give you advice of migraine prevention after you filled out the comprehensive analysis questions.

TIMEA ASKED:

I read about thyme but I still don't know what is it used for.

ANSWER:

Thyme lifts your mood and induces restful sleep. Used to ease cough and respiratory infections, helps to rebalance the bacterial population in your bowel after antibiotics or candidiasis. Also a wound disinfectant and relieves skin itching or muscle pain in creams. You can wash moldy patches in the bathroom or basement with strong thyme tea to prevent mold growth.

MARTA ASKED:

I love sweets but I don't want to gain weight. Is the use of artificial sweeteners safe?

ANSWER:

The artificial sweeteners increase the appetite and can cause bowel irritation.

Stevia is an herb, a natural sweetener without calories, even diabetics can use it safely, besides, it decreases the appetite.

Honey is an other sweetener, the sugars from the honey are not stored in a form of fat in the body but in glycogen form in the liver for later use.

ZOLI ASKED:

I have a green line at my gum line, what is it?

ANSWER:

It's a sign of copper poisoning, the cause can be the overuse of copper pots, utensils or there is too much copper in your mineral supplement. Diet is rarely the cause, unless you eat too much liver or seafood.

BEA ASKED:

I have nightmares and insomnia all the time. What can cause it? I take mega vitamin B complex.

ANSWER:

One cause can be vitamin B6 overdose; the normal dose is 2-4mg daily.

ZSIKE ASKED:

My hair is very dry and brittle, what can I do to make ir softer?

ANSWER:

The best method is to soak your hair with olive oil for half an hour before washing it, than shampoo as usual.

ROBERT ASKED:

What is your opinion about the antioxidant and vitamin level measurement with biothonic scan?

ANSWER:

To my best knowledge, the biophotonic scanner only measures the carotenoid antioxidant levels on the skin of the palm. I haven't heard from anyone yet whose level showed to be normal, everyone was advised to use the Life Pack vitamins that is expensive and to have a check up every 6 months that is not cheap either. Would I do the test? No- I beleive in a balance diet that provides me with all the antioxidants that my body needs to stay healthy. Scroll down in the article sections for further information on the antioxidants.

MRS TAYLOR ASKED:

My blood pressure bounces up and down the past couple of weeks. It goes from 180/90 to 102/60 or around. I'm taking blood pressure medication. What can be the cause of this fluctuation?

ANSWER:

It can be nerve inflammation caused by diabetes but also can be an adrenalin producing tumor called pheochromocytoma. You can ask your doctor for a 24 hour urine test to screen for the presence of this tumor.

JULIA ASKED:

I heard about the treatment of allergy, arthritis, cancer, diabetes and infections with colloidal silver. Is this true?

ANSWER:

Absolutely NOT. Silver can be hazardous if taken internally. Some evidence suggests that it has a mild germ-killing power but it is too toxic to be used as antibiotic. It can cause birth defects if taken during pregnancy, tha toxic effect causes a bluish color to the skin, nails and gums and permanent organ and nerve damage.

ANDREA ASKED:

i'M 13 pregnant, I still have nausea and indigestion. Which are the herbs that does not cause harm to the fetus? Is peppermint safe?

ANSWER:

There are several herbs that induce miscarriage, some of them only in large amount, the peppermint belongs to this group. Ginger, peppermint, chamomile made into a light tea, with couple of drops of lemon and honey helps to ease the nausea and bloating. Pour 3 cups of hot water on 1 teaspoon of each of the herbs, let it steep for 10 minutes than strain, you can sip it throughout the day. You can use fresh ginger, chop 1 teaspoon, simmer in water for 10 minutes. More than that from these herbs too might cause problems.

People doesn't take time often to give compliments or thanks, especially for servces or products they pay for. Therefore it is very special when someone takes the time and effort to write about their positive experience. These notes were left on my old website, we copied them because they are very special to us

Jolanda 2007-01-18

I love your oils, my pimples are gone, and my skin feels clean and supple. Thanks

[Linda], at 2007-01-25 00:00:00

I was skeptical at first but when I was reading the description of my type, I've noticed that everything fits me like a glove. I've been following the recommendations and I feel great physically as well as mentally. Thank you.

[matthew], at 2007-01-26 00:00:00

I've been using my wife's face wash and oil, I love it

[Elizabeth at 2007-01-28 00:00:00

my achy joints are thanking you for the massage oil, I'm walking my dog again

[Monica], at 2007-01-29 00:00:00

very nice. Jobwell done !!!! I will forward this to all my friends !!!

[pat], at 2007-01-31 00:00:00

I love your web site

[Maria ], at 2007-01-31 00:00:00

your face wash makes my skin squeaky clean and after the hydrating oil it feels like velvet. Thanks

[Elizabeth at 2007-02-02 00:00:00

I lost 3 lb in one week and I'M NOT HUNGRY at all. Furthermore, I feel energetic, my indigestion is gone on the diet you recommended for me. I will recommend you to all my friends

[adel ], at 2007-02-09 00:00:00

Hello, I love your face wash and the moisturising oil.GOOD WORK KEEP UP

[cathy ], at 2007-02-09 00:00:00

thanks for the great advice, it really made a big difference in my life

[pat at 2007-02-11 00:00:00

since I changed my diet, using the herbs and vitamins you recommended, I feel great

[sue], at 2007-02-11 00:00:00

I found your site by accident on the 6th page, what a lucky find!!!!

[Marti], at 2007-02-17 00:00:00

thanks for the advice, I feel much better. Keep up the good work.

[patrick], at 2007-02-24 00:00:00

the type specific diet is fantastic, I feel good, no hearthburn and stomach pains anymore. My skin looks better too, the acne is almost gone. Thanks a bunch

[Eva], at 2007-02-28 00:00:00

After following Erika\'s recommendations I made some changes in my medication intake, modified my diet had my eyes checked. Then the use of special face wash face- and body oil, all helped a lot to make me look and feel much better. Thank you so much for all.

[Paul], at 2007-03-02 00:00:00

my cholesterol is 156 from 238 thanks to your diet and supplements, without the side effects I had on lipitor. Your grateful client

[Peter at 2007-03-03 00:00:00

Hi! Congratulation to your site! I like the presentation and the info alike.

[Patricia, at 2007-03-11 00:00:00

Ericka, Congratulations your site is amazing.I enjoyed every part of it along with the products that I have tried.

[Nancy at 2007-03-16 00:00:00

Nothing I have tried before left my skin this clean and smooth. The wrinkles are barely visible anymore around my eyes and I'm 52. You're the best!

[Vera], at 2007-04-04 00:00:00

IBS? What IBS?Since I"ve been on your diet and herbs, I don't have that awful problem. IT'S BEEN A MONTH!!!!! I feel normal and free. THANK YOU SO MUCH

[Susan], at 2007-05-07 00:00:00

thanks for the very detailed analysis and recommendations, it's an excellent "user guide" for my everyday living. I'ts easy to follow and I feel great since I've been using it.

[Laszlo], at 2007-06-04 00:00:00

My stomach was killing me for years, every doctor said, there is no cause for the pain. You found it, thanks to you,I'm pain free now. Laszlo

[jen], at 2007-06-10 00:00:00

the cellulite is fading, my skin is much smoother and firmer, thanx, Jen

[barbara], at 2007-07-28 00:00:00

I was sceptical about the oils that it will make my skin feel greasy. I was surprised that it feels evenly soft, firm and well hydrated after soaking up the moisturizer like a sponge. 1,2,3 I'm done with the best skin care I've ever used

[beata], at 2007-09-26 00:00:00

I\'ve been taking vitamin C in high doses for years, thinking it\'s good for me. When I was reading the vitamin overdose in the articles section I realized that it might be te cause of having 3 kidney stones in 2 years and frequent, painful diarrhea. Who knew!Everyone says that vitamins are good for you! Please read it, Bea

[Cathy], at 2007-10-17 00:00:00

I love your skin care stuff, my skin never been so fresh looking and well moisturized, Tx Cathy

[Balint], at 2007-10-26 00:00:00

Hey! I used custom made oils for face washing and moisturizing, I\'ve had a spotty face for 6 years, and it became dramatically nicer, after the of course not helping general pharmacy products. So thanks a lot really. The moisturizer helpd much more than the face wash! Thanks a lot really, I have the inverse reason now to hide from girls ;-D

[Norm], at 2007-11-14 00:00:00

Thanks for the herbs, my prostate is much smaller. You weren\'t kidding that I might grow some hair back! I got fuzz on the top of my head! That\'s what I call a two birds with one stone, thanks a bunch.

[kelly], at 2008-01-10 00:00:00

My acne cleared up and my face feels like velvet. Thanks a bunch, I will recommend your skin care line for everyone I know, Kelly

[patricia], at 2008-01-17 00:00:00

Since I\'m using your tea I sleep better, my stomach doesn\'t hurt and my ankles are not swollen anymore. Thanks a lot, Pat

[elizabeth], at 2008-01-24 00:00:00

you\'re not only a good naturopath but an excellent detective as well. My doctors were puzzled with my condition, you put your finger on the problem as soon as I told you about the symptoms. Thanks a lot

[Helen], at 2008-04-30 00:00:00

I\'ve been using your skin care for two months, I love it. Just for the fun of it, to find out how good it is really,I switched back to my old cream for three days. My skin felt moisturized only for couple of hours using the cream and I got little pimples under my skin all over my face. I\'m definitely back to your moisturizing oil, that kepps my skin deeply hydrated, soft and smooth. tx, Helen

[anita], at 2008-08-08 00:00:00

I loved your book about the little foxes, you have a big heart, helping people and animals as well

[scott], at 2008-08-15 00:00:00

your articles are very educational, I read each of them and I\'ve lerned a lot. I like your \"walk the golden middle roads\" philosphy.