Lighten up! Spring is almost here
Turn to natural remedies now, to boost your metabolism and get ready for life on the sunny side
Even though our winters are so short, it’s easy to get depressed at this time of year and our tendency to comfort eat in colder months always creates extra work for the digestive system, which can be instrumental in dampening your mood. Those few extra pounds around the waistline, a sluggish metabolism and a hibernating brain all contribute to the feeling that life could really do with a makeover.
Dozens of readers e-mailed for more ‘detox tips’ to help get back on track last month, so I trawled around the pharmacies again, which produced very little. I did meet Caroline Evans at the recent Health & Wellbeing exhibition in Paphos , though, and her ‘Detox Tea Blend’ is the proper job and made locally (www.heavenonearthherbals.com). I still think Greens Flush from NAH&S is super-useful and it certainly helps lighten the load on the waistline. Mail-order from Tigon (see end of article). Mul-O-Slim (local stockists: www.rosveda.com) has also tested very well. It contains a mix of ayurvedic herbs which, the gurus from Rosveda say, “Burns the fat, takes care of constipation and changes the metabolism of the body. Even the dietician doctors are happy with product.”
Green tea also gets good press for its ability to lower cholesterol, boost mood and raise metabolism, so BioNatural’s Green Tea liquid formula is well worth a try – available in local pharmacies. Metabolic rate is, of course key to whether people put on weight at the drop of a hat or stay annoyingly skinny no matter what. Metabolic rate is regulated by the thyroid, which in fact controls the metabolism of every cell and organ, so it’s critical for everyone to maintain super thyroid function, something which declines with age, stress and chemical exposure.
Many naturopaths know that it’s possible to boost thyroid function naturally by feeding it the crucial elements it needs: the amino acid L. Tyrosine and nutrient-rich kelp. Kelp is seaweed and it’s important that any kelp source is free of the metal and petroleum contaminants found in many of our seas. That’s why I recommend Thyroset, not only because its kelp is harvested from Alaska, but also because it’s formulated with L. Tyrosine, to make it a real thyroid superfood. It’s a supplement you can almost FEEL giving you extra energy. Again, find it on-line from Tigon.
Underactive thyroid symptoms include fatigue and exhaustion, cellulite and stubborn weight excess, skin problems, hair-loss and lots more: just how so many people feel this month.
If a thyroid condition has been diagnosed and Thyroxine prescribed, then Thyroset is NOT for you, but I recommend it highly as a tonic for everyone else for at least two months. lso exercise: if you can just put in half an hour’s activity first thing in the morning before putting food calories into your system, you’ll use up the glycogen your liver has processed from your last meal … then it doesn’t get stored as fat. xercise is also brilliant to lift your mood.
Finally, nature’s sunshine herbs! Ayurvedic ashwagandha, a herb with multiple, non-specific actions which promotes wellbeing and reduces stress: more about StressWin – available locally – from www.Rosveda.com. Or try NAH&S Neuroloft from Tigon – a supplement jam-packed with feel-good factor ingredients: St John’s wort, royal jelly, gingko biloba, rosemary and sage, all known for their ability to lift mood, energise the brain and promote mental clarity.
Now there’s no excuse not to ‘lighten up!’
For Tigon/NAH&S products, visit www.oliveleaf.co.uk or call 00 44 1664 485001.
Does male menopause exist?
Q. My husband (55) seems to be suffering with classic symptoms of menopause! What can you recommend? Mrs FC Larnaca
A. The male equivalent of menopause goes under the medical name andropause and relates to testosterone levels, which begin to fall from age 30. As with menopause, there’s a wide span of years – any time between 45 and 60 – when hormonal activity may drop and, like menopause, early signs include irritability, mood swings and hot flushes.
For men, loss of libido and the resultant low self-esteem are the hardest symptoms to face and too often they turn to alcohol to ease the feelings of inadequacy – with, of course, worsening effects. You don’t say if you’re retired but from my viewpoint, for many people, socialising with alcohol seems to be a major part of retirement here. And why not – in moderation – although both alcohol and smoking have an impact on testosterone levels, as also do the xenoestrogens, the disrupting man-made oestrogens found in plastic food packaging.
I’d suggest your husband tries Indium E supplement for at least three months (from Tigon). It’s particularly effective with hormonal imbalance and in my experience really gives a terrific boost to a flagging metabolism. It also contains selenium, chromium and zinc, which are all important for maintaining a healthy immune system. Alternately, if your husband is also experiencing ‘plumbing problems’, get him to try Lifeplan’s Potenzia with saw palmetto, pygeum, pumpkin seeds, zinc and vitamins (from www.nutriglowexclusive.com), although in this case, a prostate check would also be a good idea. The ‘sunshine herbs’ in the main article may also be helpful to raise mood.
