I get a very mixed bag of mail and regard the dispensing of advice as quite a privilege, something that I take seriously and always endeavour to do responsibly. Nevertheless, from time to time I get correspondence taking exception to a view I have aired or advice I have given. Such challenges and the exchanges that follow are useful in that they serve as a constant reminder of the need for accuracy and clarity. I do get my fair share of positive feedback as well, welcome reports of benefits brought about by approaches that I have recommended. A new dad, for instance, recently sent me a photo of his baby boy, who he believed would not have been conceived without advice I had given regarding the boosting of male fertility. Obviously, I find such positive feedback a real fillip, but also fuel for focus when it comes to giving the very best advice I can.
Your questions
Q I am 30 and have suffered from pre-menstrual syndrome for most of my adult life. My main symptoms are bloating, severe breast tenderness, irritability and anxiety. I took an antidepressant for about a year, but this did not do anything for me. Is there something else that might help?
K, North Wales
A The sort of pre-menstrual symptoms you describe are commonly believed by natural-health practitioners to be related to 'oestrogen dominance' - essentially a situation where levels of the hormone oestrogen are high relative to the other major female sex hormone, progesterone. One remedy that I find very useful for just your sort of symptoms is agnus castus. This herb is believed to help enhance progesterone production in the female body and in so doing may combat a relative surfeit of oestrogen. This herb is usually taken in tincture (alcoholic extract) form, at a dose of 40 drops in water each morning. You may find that taking this will bring you significant relief from PMS within two or three cycles, although it can take several months for you to see full benefit.
Q I love eating carrots, especially in the summer when they are most sweet and crisp. My carrot habit can cause my skin to develop a yellow tinge. I know this is due to the betacarotene in carrots, but have read that this can convert to vitamin A in the body, which has toxic potential. Could I be harming myself in any way?
Tess Wright
A Carrots are indeed rich in betacarotene, which can convert into vitamin A, excesses of which may have a variety of toxic effects in the body including nausea, bone pain and fatigue. However, it is generally believed that the body converts betacarotene to vitamin A as it needs to, and that vitamin A levels cannot build up to toxic levels through this route. Betacarotene derived from the diet does not seem to be toxic in any dose. While it may tinge your skin yellow, the evidence suggests that your carrot habit is not harming your body in any way.
Q I had a heart attack eight years ago, but am fit and healthy. I enjoy hill walking and wondered what would be the best foods for sustaining me on long trips.
Mike
A The aim of the game for you is to pack relatively calorie-dense but nutritious foods. Dried fruit is a good option, as this is rich in carbohydrate that will help to ensure that you do not run low on fuel (glycogen) stores in your liver and muscles. Another food that you might also find quite sustaining on your trips is nuts. These are calorie-packed, and do seem to keep hunger at bay in a way that dried fruit alone is unlikely to.
As an added benefit, nut consumption is strongly linked with a reduced risk of heart disease, which has particular relevance to you in the long term, bearing in mind your past medical history.
Q I recently read a report which suggested that eating less salt might actually increase the risk of heart disease. I know you have been anti-salt in the past, and wondered what you thought of this research.
Gordon, North London
A Thanks for this, because I hadn't spotted this report in my regular trawl through health-related news from around the world. The report you refer to was presented recently at a meeting of the American Heart Association in Washington DC. While it is possible that low-salt diets promote heart disease, this finding is not in keeping with a good deal of evidence which suggests that eating less salt can reduce blood pressure, and that lower blood pressure is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. One possible explanation for the recent anomalous findings is that those individuals most affected by high blood pressure (or other risk factors for heart disease) are the ones most likely to attempt to reduce their salt intake. In this way, those at the greatest risk of heart disease may tend to eat the lowest amounts of salt.
Q I am 37 and have been diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse, which I feel may be causing me undue fatigue. Is there anything nutritional that may help this condition?
Joanne P
A The mitral valve sits between the upper and lower chambers on the left side of the heart. In health, the valve ensures that blood is pumped out of the heart towards the body's tissues, and not in the other direction. In mitral valve prolapse (MVP), the mitral valve is slightly deformed, and this may eventually lead to some leakiness of the valve. If the condition is severe enough, it may give rise to symptoms such as chest pain, fatigue and breathlessness. There is evidence that sufferers of MVP are often deficient in the mineral magnesium. Also, at least one study has found that magnesium supplementation significantly reduced symptoms of MVP. I suggest that you take 300mg of magnesium per day. It can take some time for magnesium levels to build up in the body, which means you may not feel the full benefit of additional magnesium for some weeks or months.
