• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Nikki Hawkes

Medical Herbalist MNIMH

See Available Appointments

  • Home
  • About
    • Credentials
    • Testimonials
    • FAQs
  • Conditions
  • Contact
  • Location
    • Privacy policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Herbalist registers
  • Fees
    • Functional herbal medicine
    • What happens in a consultation
  • Resources
    • Newsletter
    • 300 A to Z herbs list
    • Programs
    • Courses
    • Books I recommend
    • Equipment for making herbal remedies
  • Latest posts
    • Medicinal Herb of the Month
  • Dashboard Login
    • Herbal Medicine Making
    • The Smooth and Soothe program

healthy ageing

The role of ageing in gut health and osteoarthritis

June 9, 2019 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

gut health and joint pain linked

Osteoarthritis is a progressive and degenerative joint disease. It causes a great deal of pain and disability for millions of people. It commonly affects older people and we used to think it was caused by wear and tear. But, scientists now think there might be other causes. One such cause involves a link between gut […]

Filed Under: healthy ageing Tagged With: ageing, arthritis, chronic disease, health, microbiome

Can eating mushrooms reduce dementia risk and save your brain?

May 25, 2019 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

Mushrooms on white background

The number of people with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease is expected to rise at an alarming rate. Currently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) believes there are 50 million people around the world with dementia. But this number is expected to triple in the next thirty years. Yet scientists believe that we can reduce our risk […]

Filed Under: healthy ageing Tagged With: Alzheimer's disease, diet, Mediterranean diet

Sniffing out Alzheimer’s disease

April 30, 2019 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

loss of sense of smell might indicate early cognitive decline

Scientists have discovered that one of the earliest symptoms related to the development of Alzheimer’s disease is a problem with the sense of smell. The number of people with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia, is increasing rapidly. It is one of the most dreaded of diseases and yet modern medicine seems capable […]

Filed Under: healthy ageing, mind and mood Tagged With: Alzheimer's disease

Can gardening reverse cognitive decline?

March 21, 2019 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

A beautiful garden

We know that genetics can play an important role in the risk of developing certain forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Well, we can’t do anything about our genes. But, are there other modifiable factors that might help us avoid this life changing disease? Or, even reverse the mild cognitive impairment that precedes such […]

Filed Under: healthy ageing Tagged With: Alzheimer's disease, health

Meditation for brain preservation

December 24, 2018 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

preserve your brain health with meditation

We have an ageing population in the UK. This means the proportion of older people is increasing. While living longer might be desirable, it is true that many older people have a decline in brain function. In fact, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia is a major cause of death in the UK. This fact highlights the […]

Filed Under: healthy ageing, mind and mood Tagged With: Alzheimer's disease, health, meditation

Citicoline – a potential supplement for preventing glaucoma

November 19, 2018 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

citicoline may protect from vision loss

A natural compound made in the body has approval by the EU as a dietary supplement. The supplement is known as Citicoline. Though it is also called cytidine-5-diphosphocholine (or CDP-choline). Citicoline is important because scientists say it may help to prevent damage to retinal ganglion cells. These are a type of nerve cell at the back of the […]

Filed Under: healthy ageing Tagged With: supplement

Alzheimers disease and iron intake

November 12, 2018 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

red meat is a good source of iron

Alzheimer’s disease was first described in 1906. It was little known at the time and did not even enter medical textbooks until decades later. So, how come this disease is at epidemic proportions and now a leading cause of death in the UK? We know that certain genes can predispose some people to have an […]

Filed Under: healthy ageing, mind and mood Tagged With: Alzheimer's disease, diet, Mediterranean diet

Is your statin increasing your risk of diabetes?

November 2, 2018 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

a display of healthy food

Statins are a group of pharmaceutical drugs that reduce the level of LDL cholesterol in the blood. Your doctor might recommend you take a statin if you suffer from, or might develop cardiovascular disease in the future. Yet, this study found that some statins can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 46%. This […]

Filed Under: healthy ageing Tagged With: cholesterol, diet

Alzheimer’s disease – is fibre good for the brain?

October 22, 2018 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

fruits and vegetables at a farmers market

Dementia is now the leading cause of death in England, ahead of cancer and heart disease. Yet, while many people might know someone that has survived cancer, how many people with Alzheimer’s disease do you know that have got better, or even improved? Currently conventional medicine has no treatment for Alzheimers disease that does anything […]

Filed Under: healthy ageing, mind and mood Tagged With: Alzheimer's disease, diet, leaky gut, microbiome, probiotic

Is a daily low dose aspirin a good idea?

September 18, 2018 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

daily low dose aspirin - not a good idea

A daily, low dose aspirin tablet is a popular option among people hoping to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease. In fact, studies support the prophylactic use of aspirin as a simple and cheap way to prevent recurrent heart attacks and stroke. But, does that mean everyone should take a daily low dose aspirin? Findings […]

Filed Under: Arthritis and gout, healthy ageing Tagged With: herbal medicine, herbalist, herbs

Can dietary change reduce bone loss in osteoporosis?

July 23, 2018 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

osteoporosis

The Mediterranean diet is widely considered the healthiest diet and is recommended for the prevention of chronic disease. In this new study, in which over a thousand elderly Europeans took part, researchers wanted to know if eating a Mediterranean diet made a difference to markers of inflammation in elderly people. They also checked if a […]

Filed Under: healthy ageing Tagged With: diet, Mediterranean diet

Cholesterol and the over 60s

May 14, 2018 by nikki hawkes 1 Comment

Cholesterol containing foods - image of butter and eggs

For decades people have been told to reduce their intake of cholesterol. Yet, this fatty substance has many important functions in the human body. In fact, scientists say that it is vital for good health. Yet your doctor may say that having high total cholesterol is not healthy. And, it may be a main cause of […]

Filed Under: healthy ageing Tagged With: cholesterol, diet

Nigella sativa and osteoarthritis of the knee

November 27, 2017 by nikki hawkes 2 Comments

Nigella sativa also known as black cumin

Osteoarthritis is a painful degenerative disorder of the joints. It often affects the knees since these joints are weight-bearing and prone to wear and tear. As an acupuncturist and herbalist, people ask me about arthritic pain, especially osteoarthritis of the knee. I know that the pain of arthritic knees or other joint pain can be […]

Filed Under: Arthritis and gout, healthy ageing, herbal medicine, pain and pain management Tagged With: arthritis, herbs, osteoarthritis, pain

Best herbal remedies to heal skin ulcers

November 20, 2017 by nikki hawkes 3 Comments

calendula a skin healing herbal remedy

Healing skin ulcers is not something to be taken lightly. A venous leg ulcer is actually a chronic wound and so needs careful and safe treatment. A skin ulcer is an open sore that can take months to improve. They can also be very painful and may itch. If you have a skin ulcer, it can also […]

Filed Under: healthy ageing, pain and pain management, skin health Tagged With: herbs

How to lower cholesterol naturally with food as medicine

October 23, 2017 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

how to lower cholesterol naturally

Cholesterol is a fatty substance in the body that is vital for health. It is so important to normal body functioning that the body can make its own cholesterol. In fact, if we eat less cholesterol the body makes more in the liver. However, for some people, if cholesterol in the bloodstream is too high, […]

Filed Under: general health, healthy ageing Tagged With: diet

Should you have the annual flu vaccination?

October 2, 2017 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

do you need the flu vaccination to prevent viral infection

During autumn in the UK, more than 10 million people receive the flu vaccinations. At around £16 per vaccination, this is a substantial cost to the NHS. If the vaccine were effective, this might be a worthy expenditure. Yet, Public Health England admits that the vaccine may be ineffective for many. What is flu? Flu, […]

Filed Under: general health, healthy ageing Tagged With: colds and flu, herbs

Are there any high blood pressure symptoms?

September 18, 2017 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

Achillea millefolium is a valuable herbal medicine

High blood pressure is also known as hypertension. A condition that increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, vascular dementia and kidney failure. Yet, there are around 5 million people in the UK that may be unaware they have it. This is because there are virtually no high blood pressure symptoms. And this is why […]

Filed Under: healthy ageing Tagged With: ageing

Can you lower high cholesterol with diet?

February 20, 2017 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

high cholesterol and heart health

High cholesterol is one risk factor for heart disease. So, as it is heart health month in the UK I want to discuss this important substance. Should we worry about it? Can we lower our levels without medications from the doctor? Cholesterol in your body Our body and the bodies of all animals are a collection of cells. […]

Filed Under: healthy ageing Tagged With: diet

Natural remedies to reduce high blood pressure

February 6, 2017 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

hawthorn is a traditional remedy for high blood pressure

It is well known that high blood pressure or hypertension is an important risk factor for heart disease. It increases the risk of other conditions too. Such as stroke, vascular dementia and chronic kidney disease. If you know that your blood pressure is high you can do something about it. Having your blood pressure checked […]

Filed Under: healthy ageing, herbal medicine Tagged With: green tea, hawthorn

Primary Sidebar

Follow me on facebook

Read my article in Your Healthy Living

Your Healthy Living Magazine Article

Popular Posts

Experts confirm herbal medicines may protect against drug-resistant infectionExperts confirm herbal medicines may protect against drug-resistant infection380 Total Shares
Probiotics and migraine preventionProbiotics and migraine prevention310 Total Shares
Is St Johns Wort a potential migraine treatment?Is St Johns Wort a potential migraine treatment?161 Total Shares
8 natural alternatives to NSAIDs8 natural alternatives to NSAIDs123 Total Shares
How acupuncture works – from a Western perspectiveHow acupuncture works – from a Western perspective110 Total Shares
5 natural remedies for perennial allergic rhinitis5 natural remedies for perennial allergic rhinitis87 Total Shares
How to boost your immune system with shiitake mushroomsHow to boost your immune system with shiitake mushrooms70 Total Shares
Why your gut health is more important than you thinkWhy your gut health is more important than you think44 Total Shares
Best herbal remedies to heal skin ulcersBest herbal remedies to heal skin ulcers33 Total Shares
A different approach to Meniere’s diseaseA different approach to Meniere’s disease12 Total Shares
Is bone broth harmful?Is bone broth harmful?6 Total Shares
Some reasons a low FODMAP diet may not work for IBSSome reasons a low FODMAP diet may not work for IBS4 Total Shares
  • Home
  • About
  • Conditions
  • Contact
  • Location
  • Fees
  • Resources
  • Latest posts
  • Dashboard Login

Medical Herbalist and Herbal Clinic | Oakham, Stamford, Peterborough, Leicester and online | © Nikki Hawkes 2023. All Rights Reserved.

This website or its third-party tools use cookies which are necessary to its functioning and required to improve your experience. By clicking the consent button, you agree to allow the site to use, collect and/or store cookies.
Please click the consent button to view this website.
I accept
Deny cookies Go Back