Beat hay fever with a cuppa

Spring is in the air, literally, and if you suffer from hay fever then it's worth giving this a go. You'll need to brave the outdoors and collect some of the young nettle tips which are everywhere at the moment. Take some gloves to avoid getting stung.

This is a simple brew which contains strong antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties to ease hay fever symptoms. Drink three mugs a day when you’re suffering.

In your loveliest teapot put:

2-3 tablespoons of young nettle leaves, freshly picked (the boiling water will remove the sting whilst brewing)

Nettles contain antihistamines and have anti-inflammatory properties

1 tablespoon Chamomile flowers (or a good quality chamomile teabag)

Chamomile has natural anti-inflammatory properties and eases the mucus membranes

1-2 teaspoons of Local Honey

By ingesting local pollen via local honey, your immune system will better cope with the allergens in your area

Cover with boiling water and steep for 5 mins. Strain through a tea strainer before drinking.  This should make around 3 cups.

By Bronwyn Ward

The MMR Debate Continues

A return to the MMR debate has begun after the recent outbreak of Measles in South Wales. The Independent on Saturday ran an article about the discredited Doctor Andrew Wakefield who was the instigator of the MMR jab scare back in 1998.

The article quotes Wakefield’s recent statement:

‘He accused officials of having approved “dangerous” brands of MMR vaccine a decade earlier in 1988, when the vaccine was first launched in the UK, which later had to be withdrawn because they “caused meningitis”.

 “These government officials put price before children’s health and have been seeking to cover up this shameful fact ever since.”

 He cites cases in the courts in the US and Italy where families of children suffering Autism have won damages worth hundreds of thousands of dollars after judges accepted the children had suffered “vaccine-induced brain damage”.

The article also points out on a time line of events:

In September 1992 - The Department of Health withdraws two brands of MMR vaccine after research suggests they are associated with a raised incidence of transient mumps meningitis, although much lower than with natural disease.

To make your own mind up about this debate, you can read the article in full, as well as a response to Wakefield’s claims and a full statement here 

Bronwyn Ward

The Birds and the Bees do it .. so why can't I? - by Anne Brunton

The Birds and the Bees do it....

so why can’t I?

by Anne Brunton

Spring is officially here, and all around us there are signs of nature’s abundance and burgeoning life....new born lambs, birds pairing up and starting to nest build, queen bees laying eggs. It all seems so easy, but for many couples this is far from their experience. 

If you have been trying to conceive for 12 months or more, it is defined as subfertility;  this can occur when you are trying for your first baby or for a second child after having a successful pregnancy the first time round.  Although it is often the woman who initiates further investigation and lifestyle changes, both men and women can be equally affected by infertility. 

In about a third of investigated cases, the problem is with the woman.  Common factors include age, hormonal disorders, structural problems, weight problems or pelvic infection.  In another third, the problem is with the man; structural problems, hormonal imbalances or infections are again common factors.  In the remaining third, there is no specific cause or obvious reason. 

It is often at this stage that couples look at other lifestyle factors, which might be affecting their fertility, such as:

Stress & Anxiety – at work or at home

Stimulant Intake – alcohol, caffeine, nicotine

Postural Issues – pelvic or spinal misalignment

Weight & BMI – too overweight or underweight

Exercise – too much or not enough exercise

Nutrition – balanced diet or too many processed foods

Stress plays a huge part in fertility problems.  As well as the normal stresses of work and life, the very act of trying to conceive can in itself become stressful.  Sexual intercourse can become functional and all-consuming, leading to one or both partners being in a permanent state of stress.  At this stage, our body’s energy is spent on survival, maintenance and essential repairs – non-essential things, such as reproduction, take a back seat until the body is back to a balanced state.   In addition, if the body is under too much stress, the pituitary gland (a key control centre) is affected, the adrenals become depleted, which in turn leads to low thyroid function.  Ovulation and sperm production depend on a complex balance and interactions of hormones; any disruption to this careful balancing act can hinder chances of conceiving.

But, you are not alone....

As stress (for both partners) is a major problem for successful conception, Complementary Therapies such as reflexology, reiki, bowen therapy, homeopathy and aromatherapy are very good at restoring balance to the whole body. Importantly, these therapies are really good at reducing stress levels and bringing a sense of well-being and calm to the recipient,

Our reflexologist, Anne, uses a technique called “the endocrine balance”, which helps to balance all the endocrine glands and the hormones they produce. 

Our osteopaths can help you resolve structural issues, especially pelvic and spinal misalignment.  Bowen Therapy is another option for you if you have back or pelvic problems.  

A Different Version of You

A Different Version of You – by Mala Balani

I always think the new year really begins in spring, as the days get longer and milder. That makes this season an excellent time to start a new project or task. The bigger and more worthwhile the task, the more it requires us to transform ourselves in order to succeed at it. If you want to learn piano, you have to put in the hours of practice, over a number of years. If you want to transform your health and fitness, you have to put in the time shopping, cooking, exercising, again over a period of time, or indefinitely if you then want to maintain your gains. If that sounds daunting, then here's a book that makes all that wonderfully clear, and is hugely inspiring in the process.

Teach Us To Sit Still - A Sceptic's Search For Health And Healing is an account of a couple of years in the life of the writer Tim Parks, after he developed chronic pain. The medical establishment could offer no firm diagnosis and his search for relief leads him, gradually, to become a somewhat different person, leading a somewhat different life. Along the way, he begins to see the inter-relatedness of his mind, his body, and his life as a writer. A really thought-provoking book that illustrates that there is a solution, even if there is no short-cut. And it's beautifully written.

"Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny."

- Upanishads

Knee Cartilage Research Paper

KNEE CARTILAGE (Meniscus)  NEWS 

From CHICAGO, Illinois — Patients with knee osteoarthritis and a meniscal tear who received physical therapy without surgery had good functional improvement 6 months later, and outcomes did not differ significantly from patients who underwent arthroscopic partial meniscectomy, a new clinical trial shows.

In the Meniscal Tear in Osteoarthritis Research (METEOR) trial, both groups of patients improved substantially in function and pain.

This finding, presented here at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 2013 Annual Meeting and published online simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine, provides "considerable reassurance regarding an initial nonoperative strategy," the investigators report.

Patients with a meniscal tear and osteoarthritis pose a treatment challenge because it is not clear which condition is causing their symptoms," principal investigator Jeffrey Katz, MD, from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, told Mediscape Medical News.

"These data suggest that there are 2 reasonable pathways for patients with knee arthritis and meniscal tear," Dr. Katz explained. "We hope physicians will use these data to help patients understand their choices."

In an accompanying editorial, clinical epidemiologist Rachelle Buchbinder, PhD, from the Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine in Victoria, Australia, said that "these results should change practice. Currently, millions of people are being exposed to potential risks associated with a [surgical] treatment that may or may not offer specific benefit, and the costs are substantial."

These results should change practice.

The METEOR trial enrolled 351 patients from 7 medical centers in the United States. Eligible patients were older than 45 years, had osteoarthritic cartilage change documented with magnetic resonance imaging, and had at least 1 symptom of meniscal tear, such as knee clicking or giving way, that lasted at least 1 month despite drug treatment, physical therapy, or limited activity.

In this intent-to-treat analysis, investigators randomly assigned 174 patients to arthroscopic partial meniscectomy plus postoperative physical therapy and 177 to physical therapy alone.

The physical therapy in both regimens was a standardized 3-stage program that allowed patients to advance to the next intensity level at their own pace, Dr. Katz explained. The program involved 1 or 2 sessions a week for about 6 weeks and home exercises. The average number of physical therapy visits was 7 in the surgery group and 8 in the nonsurgery group.

Investigators evaluated patients 6 and 12 months after randomization. The primary outcome was the between-group difference in change in physical function score from baseline to 6 months, assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). At baseline, demographic characteristics and WOMAC physical function scores were similar in the 2 groups.

At 6 months, improvement in the WOMAC function score was comparable in the 2 groups. The mean between-group difference of 2.4 points was not statistically significant after analysis of covariance. There was also no significant difference between groups in pain improvement or frequency of adverse events.

METEOR: Mean Improvement in Osteoarthritis Index at 6 Months

Treatment Group	Mean Improvement (Points)	95% Confidence Interval
Surgery plus physical therapy	20.9	17.9–23.9
Physical therapy	18.5	15.6–21.5

There was 1 death in each group, and 8 patients in the nonsurgery group and 13 in the surgery group withdrew in the first 6 months of the study.

Patients in the nonsurgery group were allowed to cross over to the surgical group at any time. Within 6 months, 30% of patients did so.

"They were not doing very well," Dr. Katz said. His team is still analyzing the reasons these patients did not benefit from intensive physical therapy.

The 12-month results were similar to the 6-month results. In addition, by 12 months, outcomes for the crossover patients and for those in the original surgery group were similar.

Meeting delegate John Mays, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon practicing in Bossier City, Louisiana, who was asked by Medscape Medical News to comment on the findings, said most patients don't choose physical therapy. "In the real world, most people want a quick fix" and choose surgery, he noted.

Dr. Mays said he would have liked to have seen a group of patients who underwent surgery but did not receive postoperative physical therapy. He explained that his patients with osteoarthritis and meniscal tear rarely get physical therapy after arthroscopic meniscectomy; they most often do home-based exercises.

He added that "most insurance plans have limits on the number of physical therapy sessions they allow."

This study is funded by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Dr. Katz, Dr. Buchbinder, and Dr. Mays have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Learning about Cranial Sacral Therapy

I was asked to escort Giles to Worcester a few weeks ago and observe his course on cranial osteopathic techniques. As a complementary therapist and a teacher myself I was keen to learn what cranial sacral therapy is all about and how it is done.

It was really facinating to watch how an osteopath prepares him/herself to treat and how they assess which movements to perform. I learnt a lot about the anatomy of the skull and the many ways in which it can be compressed and cause a range of problems.

This is a truly remarkable therapy, so gentle and yet so powerful with the results it can provide. I look forward to Giles developing this course for therapists like me!

Bronwyn Ward

Vertical Reflex Therapy

Our reflexologist, Anne Brunton, is now an appointed tutor of Vertical Reflex Therapy (VRT); as a tutor, Anne will be involved in teaching the VRT techniques to qualified reflexologists across the country. 

Vertical Reflex Therapy is a versatile and acclaimed award-winning technique, developed by Lynne Booth.   VRT is a very brief reflexology treatment on the weight-bearing feet (or hands) and is now used extensively by reflexologists to enhance their classical reflexology treatments.  As it enables shorter treatments, it can be used to great effect with children, elderly people, in sports clinics and the workplace.  It can also be combined very effectively with other treatments such as physiotherapy and osteopathy.  Exceptional results may be obtained, often in a few minutes. 

As well as achieving really good results with sports injuries and mobility problems, Anne has also found the VRT techniques invaluable in helping with sub-fertility issues – several of her clients, who were waiting for IVF, have conceived quickly after using VRT endocrine techniques in combination with either Bowen or classical reflexology....or maybe, its just something in the Chandos Clinic water?!

Links:

For more information about Vertical Reflex Therapy, and how it may help you or your family and friends, see www.boothvrt.com.  

You can also contact our reflexologist, Anne Brunton, for more information on 0777 157 5837