Alternative Health

Q. The sole of my foot has a big crack down the centre. What should I put on it? Also, I have had a dry cough for two months.

A. This is one of those issues that may seem small, but can have an enormous effect on almost everything you do. It’s an issue I deal with myself from time to time as I spend a lot of time in the garden, outdoors, and barefoot.

One of the most effective treatments I have found is to soak the feet every evening in warm water for at least 30 minutes. You can add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, a splash of cold-pressed oil, a few drops of essential oils (peppermint, tea tree, lavender, or eucalyptus are great choices), or some epsom salts if you like to help soften and heal the skin. For bigger cracks and splits in the heel and/or sole of the foot you should also apply a gauze pad soaked in apple cider vinegar, covering it with a sock before you go to bed (you can also wrap it in a bandage to hold it in place).

During the day, apply papaya (paw paw) ointment to the crack, and cover the foot with a cotton sock inside your regular socks. Papaya ointment is a wonderful healing balm that can be used for everything from nappy rash, burns, cuts, or chapped lips. A 25g tube of papaya ointment costs €12.99 from local health stores.

For your dry cough, try Weleda’s Herb & Honey Cough Elixir, which contains herbs such as thyme, aniseed, horehound, marshmallow root, Iceland moss, and elderflower in a honey syrup. This formulation has been created specifically for dry and irritating coughs, and tastes very pleasant. You can take it on a spoon directly, or add the dose to a little warm water if you prefer.

Weleda’s cough elixirs are available from health stores and pharmacies nationwide (or you can call the Natural Medicine Company on 0458-65575 for stockist information).

Q. I have been diagnosed with severe tinnitus — the noise in my head is so loud it is more like a loud storm, continuous day and night. I find it very difficult to sleep and do not want to take sleeping pills. I am finding it very difficult to cope. My doctor advised me to give up salt and hot drinks, which I never took too much of anyway. I am told there is no cure. Can you give me any hope?

A. Tinnitus is the sensation of a sound in the ear or head for which there is no external source. This condition can appear as a result of working with loud machinery and musical instruments or equipment, or as a side effect of certain illnesses and disorders. The sound is typically a ringing or buzzing in the head, but is different for each individual and can occur continuously or intermittently. It is very disturbing, but there is hope.

Vitamin B12 taken in a therapeutic dosage of 2000mcg daily is effective in reducing or eliminating symptoms. It works because B12 is important in the production of the myelin sheaths which protect the nerve cells of the inner ear. Research has shown that most tinnitus sufferers are B12 deficient. Solgar make a 1000mcg vitamin B12 (€11.85 for 100 tablets), take two tablets daily for one month, then reduce your intake to one per day. B12 is also found in dairy products, meat, and eggs.

Another treatment which has had very positive results is Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT), developed by Dr Jonathon Hazell and Dr Pawel Jastreboff in the 1980s. TRT is based on the neurophysiological model of healing, and it is unusual in that the aim is not to treat the tinnitus, rather to change the perception of the sounds. This therapy has an 80-84% success rate in achieving relief from the discomfort of tinnitus.

TRT treatment is designed to assist the individual in becoming accustomed to the noise, much as you would the buzzing of a fridge. It combines low-level steady background sounds with one-on-one directive counselling so that the individual becomes effectively ‘unaware’ of the tinnitus. By using ear sound generators to enrich their background sound environment for a minimum of eight hours a day, the individual becomes habituated to the tinnitus.

TRT can take anywhere from one to two years before the ear sound generators are no longer needed. At the end of this period, the patient can still focus on the tinnitus, but will no longer find it annoying or bothersome. It is also wise to visit a specialist in order to rule out any underlying disorders such as ear infection, acoustic neuroma or M-nière’s disease — all of which require appropriate treatment. For further support and information regarding this condition, contact The Irish Tinnitus Association on 01-8723800. NOTE: Aspirin, quinine (found in tonic water), caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol will all make the symptoms worse, and of course it is important to reduce your exposure to loud noises — carry ear plugs with you just in case.

Megan puts the spotlight on: Organic junk food?

ORGANIC raw sugar may not as over-processed as ordinary white sugar, but that does not make it a health food. Healthy eating begins with eating a whole foods diet. Processed foods — organic or other wise — should be kept to a minimum or, even better, avoided at all costs. A diet high in local conventional fruit and vegetables is far more healthy than a diet high in organic processed foods, such as crisps, pasta and soy creations.

The organic industry is highly profitable and, like any other industry, the standards and regulations differ between certification bodies.

There are three main organisations in Ireland today that ensure organic food is of a high standard. The largest organisation is The Irish Organic Farmers’ and Growers’ Association (IOFGA; www.iofga.org), established in 1981 by six dedicated organic growers. The Organic Trust Ltd (http://ireland.iol.ie/~organic/) was established in 1991, and the following year The Bio-dynamic Agriculture Association of Ireland began trading produce under the Demeter symbol. Ensure that when you pay for organic food it is approved by one of these three organisations.

Unfortunately, organic often equates to expensive. For some people organic food is a priority and well worth the extra money. For others, it is necessary to choose which foods to buy organic, and those which you can settle for spray-free or conventional. For meat eaters, sustainably farmed meats is a good place to start. Irish grass-fed beef not only has less fat than US grain-fed beef, but also has higher conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) levels, which have since been shown to assist with weight loss and increased muscle tone.

It is important that poultry and eggs are free-range and preferably organic — remember that some free-range regulations simply require the animal to spend a certain amount of time each day out-side of a cage — the hens may still have overcrowding issues and get very little time outdoors.

If you know where you are getting your food from, and can visit the farm itself you can enjoy your food with a clear conscience and reap the increased health benefits at the same time.