Alternative Cure

After the menopause, skin becomes drier and thinner. Dead cells aren’t shed as quickly, resulting in dull, dry patches. To keep skin as dewy as possible, switch to richer day moisturizers and night creams and exfoliate twice a week to remove sluggish dead cells.

Remember that the basic rule of cleanse, moisturize and protect is more important than ever now.

• Protect your skin from the sun. About 80 percent of wrinkles are caused by earlier sun damage. Protect from further damage by using a SPF of at least 15.

• Don’t forget to protect both your neck and hands. Both are just as much exposed to the sun as your face.

• Increase your water intake - water does aid the metabolic rate of the body. So does exercise, even if it is only walking or swimming.

• Don’t use rich moisturizers near your eyes. You simply end up with puffy eyes in the morning. Use an eye cream for this area, dotting along the bone under your eye, and blend it by gently patting with your ring finger.

With age blood pressure rises somewhat, but no one fully understands precisely what leads to hypertension, although a combination of factors seems to be involved. Because it tends to run in families, an inherited susceptibility is suspected. Diabetes, Obesity and certain other disorders increase risk. Stress prompts a surge in adrenal hormones and a temporary rise in blood pressure; some researchers believe that constant stress may play a role in developing hypertension. Other contributors include smoking, excessive alcohol, and a sedentary lifestyle.

When you drink a cup of coffee, or sip mint tea, you are also taking a form of herbal medicine. The coffee gives you a lift, while the mint tea settles your stomach. Although these two beverages are often consumed simply for pleasure, they illustrate the principle on which herbal medicine is based – that plants can have a potent physiological effect on the body.

A plant’s effect on the body will vary considerably according to its active constituents. For example - Coffee beans contain caffeine, which stimulates the cardiovascular and nervous systems, making you more alert. Mint leaves contain menthol, which is calming and antispasmodic; it relaxes the stomach and aids digestion.

Coffee and mint are just two of the hundreds of plants that medical herbalist have at their disposal – each with its own individual properties. As a result of both training and experience, a good herbalist knows which herb or combination of herbs is best for treating a particular disorder.

Every cell in the body is linked by the flow of blood. It acts as both a transport system and a defense mechanism, fighting infection.

There are two types of blood vessel: arteries carry blood from the heart, veins return it to the heart. The average adult has 5 liters of blood circulating through the body. If the circulation stops, death with occur within minutes.

The most common of all blood disorders is anemia, a reduction in the quantity of hemoglobin in the blood and therefore its capacity to carry oxygen. Its symptoms include tiredness, shortness of breath, headaches, pallor of skin swelling of ankles in severe cases.

The most frequent cause of anemia is a deficiency of iron, which needed for the production of hemoglobin. This is very common in menstruating women, who lose iron when they bleed. It can also occur when the bone marrow lack Vitamin B12 or other substances needed for the formation of the blood: it then manufactures fewer red blood cells. A deficiency of folic acid or an inherited defect such as sickle cell anemia is other causes.

Leukemia is the name for several cancers in which there is an excess of white blood cells. Leukemia is quite rare: one in 20000 people is affected each year in the UK. Leukemia can be acute, in which there is a rapid onset occurring over a few days or weeks, or chronic, in which abnormalities build up over months or years. Acute leukemia is more common in children while chronic leukemia is more likely to arise in adults.

Herbal medicine, also known as phytotherapy, is the treatment of illnesses using measured doses of specific plants. A qualified medical herbalist can prescribe plants to be taken internally or used externally in various forms and concentrations, depending on the ailment.

The herbalist may suggest the addition of certain edible plants to the diet – such as celery, radish or cabbage – or may prescribe a medical preparation, such as a suspension, power, infusion, tincture or extract. The herbalist may also recommend an essential oil, distilled from the plant.