Alaternative Health

Q. A FEW years ago, I was diagnosed with scalp dermatitis. I have tried several products recommended by my doctor without much relief. Anything that helps is short-lived.

As soon as I stop using it the symptoms return. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated, as the condition is driving me mad.

A. Scalp dermatitis is a harmless scaling rash resulting from the yeast pityrosporum ovale, normally present on the scalp, multiplying out of control. This leads to the sebaceous glands producing too much oil, which trig-gers the inflammation and maddening itch. Dandruff is scalp dermatitis without the inflammation.

The first step is to look at the shampoo and conditioner you use — I like the Living Nature range. Try its balancing and revitalising shampoo for oily hair, with native New Zealand medicinal plants such as Kumerahou (the fresh leaves of which will produce a lather due to their saponin content) and Manuka honey, well-known for its healing properties. (Living Nature products are available from Premier Organics.)

With long-term issues such as this, it makes sense to support your immune system. Start by taking 50mg of zinc each day. Pumpkin seeds are a great source of zinc, however to get 50mg you would need to munch your way through 6.5 cups of them.

The best food source of zinc is the expensive oyster, although you would only need four to fill your daily quota.

Stress reduction is an important part of the equation, since scalp dermatitis is exacerbated by stress — a catch-22 situation due to the stressful nature of the symptoms themselves. A standardised extract of the herb eleutheroccus senticosus, available as the supplement Elagen (www.elagen.com), will reduce stress while strengthening your immunity.

If oily fish doesn’t feature in your healthy diet and lifestyle, then you may want to consider adding the likes of sardine, mackerel, and herrings to your grocery list.

If fish doesn’t appeal, then take a good fish-oil supplement, high in EPA. MorEPA capsules, from health stores and Healthy and Essential (www.healthyandessential.ie; 045-892267), are ideal.

I don’t usually recommend a host of supplements, preferring diet and lifestyle changes as a long-term solution. However, in this case, there is one more supplement that will likely tip the balance in your favour, and that is a good quality probiotic. Seven Seas’ advanced formula multibionta is ideal. It has been freeze-dried so it doesn’t need to be kept in the refrigerator, plus the tablets contain vitamins and minerals which will help address any underlying deficiencies.

To treat the immediate issue of the itching and irritation, rinse your scalp with a warm/cool chamomile tea, or use a calendula lotion (many natural baby lotions are suitable for this purpose). Calendula helps to re-pair and soothe the skin, while chamomile is calming and will treat the itching and swelling.

Q. I have a problem with red and inflamed gums, particularly between my teeth. They bleed when I brush, and are quite painful. Is there anything natural that can help with this?

A. The first place to check is the ingredient panels on your current oral hygiene products. Many conventional toothpastes — not to mention shampoo, conditioner, bubble bath and body wash — contain sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), an industrial chemical used as a degreaser and foaming agent.

With an increasing public awareness of the toxic chemicals routinely included in many everyday products, a wide range of safe alternatives has appeared on the market. Most health stores will carry eco-friendly bathroom products.

Flossing is the other main piece of the puzzle when it comes to gum health. Although this might seem like the last thing that you want to do when your gums are so inflamed and sore, you will be surprised at how quickly flossing will bring relief.

Discuss flossing methods with your dentist if you feel that you are doing more damage than good, although it is likely that you will notice a huge difference just by gently flossing between your teeth after each meal, since it is the food particles becoming trapped which is likely aggravating the gums.

There are also tiny inter-dental brushes which may help — I like the Piksters range, and they come in all sizes to accommodate a variety of teeth-spacing. You should also use a soft-bristled toothbrush if you really want to look after your teeth and gums, brushing with the side of the bristles from the base to the top of the tooth, with gentle, downward stroking motions rather than scrubbing in circles as so many of us do without thinking.

Megan puts the spotlight on: The Vitamin B12 Myth

VITAMIN B12 helps to prevent anaemia by assisting in the formation of red blood cells. It is also necessary for the metabolism of carbohydrates, fat and protein, important to nervous system health, energy production, growth in children, and is crucial for calcium absorption. Deficiency can result in pernicious anaemia, growth failure in children, nervous disorders, spinal cord degeneration, depression, brain damage, fatigue, lack of appetite, and balance problems.

It is widely publicised that vegans and vegetarians are at risk of B12 deficiency, and many people who choose to eat this way make it a priority to supplement with this essential nutrient. However, it is little known that meat eaters are just as frequently diagnosed with low B12 as those who avoid animal products.

Sally Pacholok and Jeffrey J Stuart, authors of Could It Be B12? state, “While you need only a tiny, tiny amount of B12 each day (two to four micrograms or about a millionth of an ounce), it’s remarkably easy to become deficient in this nutrient. While deficiency often occurs in vegans or vegetarians who fail to take the right supple-ments, the majority of B12 deficient people eat plentiful amounts of the vitamin — it’s just that their bodies can’t absorb or use it.”

Vitamin B12 absorption is a very complex issue, and it is this process which leads to such widespread deficiency among people of all types of dietary persuasions. Any disruption in the absorption process will hinder the utilisation of vitamin B12 by the body.

A crucial step in the absorption process involves intrinsic factor (IF), which is a glycoprotein that combines with B12 and carries the vitamin to the ileum (at the end of the intestinal tract) for absorption. Basically, if you don’t produce enough of this IF, then you are not able to absorb the B12 you consume through your diet.

Drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, taking medication, eating frozen foods, and regularly using colonic cleansing or irrigation all affect IF and the ability to absorb B12.

It is a commonly held belief that intestinal bacteria are a sufficient source of B12, and many mammals have this ability as a result of gastrointestinal fermentation. However, it appears that humans are not getting enough via our diets or our intestines, so it is worth getting tested, and if your levels are low, then do supplement with a sublingual preparation.

Methylcobalamin is preferable to cyanocobalamin, since it is better absorbed — but both types appear to help increase B12 stores, which can stay in the body for up to five years if needed.