Natural Health: Blepharitis

Q. I have recently been told by my doctor that I have blepharitis.

Apart from cleaning my eyelids everyday there is not a lot more I can do. Are there any natural remedies that might help?

A. There are two main forms of blepharitis — anterior, affecting the area outside the eyelid where the eyelashes are attached; and posterior, due to problems with the oil glands of the inner eyelid. No matter which type you have, they present with irritation, burning, and watering, as well as some crusting at the edges of the eyelids.

It is a difficult condition to control, and it may feel as if you are simply managing symptoms rather than making headway in treating the blepharitis itself. Unfortunately, even when you are in the clear, blepharitis can reappear at any time.

The herbal eye remedy I mentioned last week, Dr Christopher’s Herbal Eyebright Formula, is a good place to start. It is very easy to prepare yourself, or have a herbalist put it together for you (for more information on the formula itself, visit www.herballegacy.com). You can use this as part of your daily cleaning routine too.

A dietary intolerance may be an underlying factor — keep a food journal for three to four weeks and note if the blepharitis flares up following any particular type of food. The obvious and common allergens with this condition include dairy and gluten, but this is not always the case. Of course, including plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables in your diet, spray-free or organic where possible, provides the best possible chance of recovering from any health issues.

Q. I tend to get a cold sore about every two to three months, usually when I am particularly stressed or run down. I’m not bothered by them usually, but they have started appearing on the inside of my nostril, which is very painful. Is this typical, or should I have these seen to?

A. Cold sores can appear inside the nose — in fact, they can also appear elsewhere on the face and inside the mouth. If you ever feel that you are getting one in your eye, you should see a doctor immediately as ocular herpes can cause permanent damage to the cornea if left unchecked.

Obviously you are already aware that stress is a trigger, so taking steps to reduce the effects of stress as much as possible will help. Meditation has become far more manageable for busy people in the digital age – simply download the meditation mp3 of your choice to your phone (or other device), then simply plug in for 3-10 minutes each day and enjoy the ongoing benefits.

Support your immune system as well by taking the vitamin C-rich rainforest fruit, Camu-Camu, containing 30 times the vitamin C found in oranges.

Take one camu-camu capsule daily as a preventative measure, or take one capsule, three times daily for three days if you are dealing with an outbreak. Camu-camu is available from local health stores or Rio Health (www.riohealth.co.uk; 00 44 01273-570987), where 60 vegicaps cost £11.22 (€13.30). Camu-camu is also effective in treating other forms of herpes, such as shingles, genital herpes, and the Epstein-Barr virus.

Topically, Themba, a herbal skin balm formulated from the Kigelia Africana tree, can be applied at the first sign of a tingle. Sometimes this is enough to prevent the sore developing. If not, then continue to reapply every hour. Themba is available from www.littleherbal-international.co.nz, where 60ml costs £22.50 (€26.65) including p&p. Themba is also useful in treating as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, verrucas, acne, spots, bites, stings, cuts, scrapes and burns.