Natural health: Alcohol

Q. I would like to know if there is a natural remedy to help with alcohol.

I don’t have a problem, but I enjoy a drink. I also find that I don’t bounce back the way I used to afterwards, and wake up feeling terrible.

A. There is a Chinese herbal remedy which helps to reduce the desire for alcohol, plus it supports the body in coping with the after-effects of a big night out.

Kudzu is a perennial vine which contains daidzen and daidzin — constituents which work to inhibit alcohol consumption by curbing cravings.

To prevent an alcohol binge, you need to take 1000mg of Kudzu with breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the day of the planned night out. To minimise the hangover and damage to your body, you will need to continue with this dosage for the following day as well. If you do experience a desire to drink and would rather not, then take 1000mg of kudzu as a preventative to curb the desire.

Other tips to help you to drink less (and feel better the next day!) are to make sure that you are well hydrated and fed before you begin drinking. If you make sure that you get enough water during the day, then it follows that you will drink less alcohol.

It is surprising how many people drink more than they planned to simply because they were thirsty! The same goes for hunger — make sure that you are well-nourished throughout the day, and you will likely drink less.

Make sure you follow the tried and true rule of drinking a glass of water for each alcoholic beverage. Dehydration is a key factor in most hangovers, so consuming enough water while on a night out reduces alcohol consumption and the severity of the after-effects.

Kudzu root can be purchased from local health stores or Holland & Barrett, where 60 x 500mg tablets cost €12.99.

Q. I am 63 years old and have recently been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. I have cut out gluten from my diet and this has made a significant difference, with bloating in particular. I find that I have to be very careful with what I eat to avoid being absolutely miserable.

A. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) often goes undiagnosed for many years, and can be dismissed as a bunch of unrelated health problems that we simply have to put up with.

Research has shown that 86% of the Irish population suffers from some form of digestive or gastro-intestinal issues, with around 20% suffering from officially diagnosed IBS. Symptoms include stomach cramping, diarrhoea, pain, bloating, and constipation, so it is no wonder you feel miserable when your IBS flares up.

Simple dietary tweaks can go a long way towards relieving symptoms and preventing flare-ups. Eliminating gluten is a fantastic start, as this is a common exacerbating factor in most digestive conditions. Dairy can also be a problem for some, although fermented dairy products such as kefir, and homemade yoghurt are often well tolerated.

I typically recommend a high quality probiotic supplement to help balance the beneficial gut bacteria, and get to the root cause of the issue. Even better, there is now a brand new natural probiotic supplement drink called Symprove, which has been proven as an effective treatment for IBS in an independent NHS trial.

Symprove is made from barley with live bacteria, and works to relieve symptoms effectively and naturally without any side-effects.

Mango & Passion fruit-flavoured Symprove is available from most pharmacies and health stores, and is priced at €26 for a 500ml bottle.

* For information on where Symprove is available, visit www.symprove-stockist- ireland.com