Latest posts

Rosehips improve osteoarthritis symptoms

October 21, 2019 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disorder in the world. It causes destruction of the cartilage and other parts of the joints, mainly in the hands, knees, hips or the spine. The damage leads to the osteoarthritis symptoms of joint pain and stiffness, which impair joint function and inevitably impact on quality of life.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are not the best choice of medicine for osteoarthritis for the reasons I discuss here. Yet, the medic’s preferred long term medication paracetamol is not all that effective for relieving the pain of osteoarthritis. One reason for this may be that paracetamol is not a strong anti-inflammatory. [Read more…] about Rosehips improve osteoarthritis symptoms

Why I have a food first approach to optimum health

August 17, 2019 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

People that know me well know that good food is essential to me. I even chose my daughters’ school based on the food they offered. It is the same with my patients. My patients know that I am very interested in what they are eating. I have a food first approach when it comes to achieving optimum health in my patients since proper nutrition is fundamental to feeling and functioning your best.

The importance of good food has as much relevance for unhealthy people as for those with good health, if not more. Right from the start of my practice I knew that if a chronically ill person was not eating well, they just couldn’t get better. Herbal medicine could only get my patients so far on their healing journey. Since no amount of supplementation is going to achieve optimum healing without also getting the foundations right. [Read more…] about Why I have a food first approach to optimum health

The role of ageing in gut health and osteoarthritis

June 9, 2019 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

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 health and osteoarthritis. I will explain how. [Read more…] about The role of ageing in gut health and osteoarthritis

Can eating mushrooms reduce dementia risk and save your brain?

May 25, 2019 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

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 of developing cognitive decline and dementia, and the WHO began a Global Action Plan in 2017, gathering the evidence needed. The WHO published new guidelines this week intended to provide the knowledge needed by healthcare providers and others, to help people reduce their risk of cognitive decline and dementia. It may not come as a surprise that these guidelines favour dietary and lifestyle changes over supplements such as multivitamins. Though vitamins of course have their uses, there is a much wider range of nutrients in wholefoods. [Read more…] about Can eating mushrooms reduce dementia risk and save your brain?

Antibiotics and heart health

May 15, 2019 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

A recent study published in the European Heart Journal suggests a significant association between antibiotic use and an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. As the authors point out, previous studies have reported similar results. However, this particular study added some new details as it focussed on antibiotic use by women only and participants were assessed by duration of antibiotic use, as well as by their age group.

The researchers say that antibiotic use in mid-life and older adulthood, but not by young women, was significantly linked with the development of cardiovascular disease in later life. They also suggest that cumulative use of antibiotics in different stages of life might be associated with the incidence of cardiovascular disease in elderly women. [Read more…] about Antibiotics and heart health

Sniffing out Alzheimer’s disease

April 30, 2019 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

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 of only slowing progression not reversing it.

With the sheer numbers of cases we are likely to see as worldwide life expectancy rises, this disease is a tragedy in the making. With a huge potential burden both personally and globally. [Read more…] about Sniffing out Alzheimer’s disease

Can we cure autoimmune disease?

April 15, 2019 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

Our immune system is meant to protect us from disease. But it can also damage our own cells and tissues. This is what happens in autoimmune disease. But why would our own immune system turn against us? And what can we do about it, if anything?

How a healthy immune system works

A healthy immune system protects us in several ways. We have barriers that keep out dangerous substances. For those substances that get through, we have specialised cells that can tackle them in other ways.

Being able to recognise substances is an important part of this process. More importantly, being able to recognise the difference between self and non-self. In autoimmune disease, the immune system recognises self-tissues as foreign and destroys them.

Can gardening reverse cognitive decline?

March 21, 2019 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

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 a diagnosis? While scientists believe that healthy nutrition such as the Mediterranean diet may be an important piece of the puzzle, there is evidence that our daily activities can also have an effect. This recent study looked at the lifestyle activities of people with mild cognitive impairment and found that some activities were more likely to be associated with a potential to reverse cognitive decline. [Read more…] about Can gardening reverse cognitive decline?

An intro on adaptogens for stress

February 25, 2019 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

Modern life is inherently stressful. The funny thing is that we don’t all respond to stress in the same way. Of course there are situations that we all might struggle to cope with, like the death of a loved one. But in the day to day hurdles of life, it is often the case that what might distress us, someone else may see as a challenge or opportunity.

This is why stress management techniques can sometimes really help. And I’ve talked about these before. It’s not that deep breathing exercises or doing yoga daily is going to make everything easy, but it can certainly help to change your perception. And it is often the case that how we perceive our stress that affects our body’s response to a stressor.

Make no mistake, stress can be very tough on the body. Especially when the stress goes on and on. Chronic stress can cause inflammation in the body, and inflammation is at the root of almost every chronic disease. [Read more…] about An intro on adaptogens for stress

What to eat on the Mediterranean diet

February 9, 2019 by nikki hawkes Leave a Comment

As I have discussed before scientific studies suggest that the Mediterranean diet is the healthiest way to eat. There are hundreds if not thousands of studies that support the use of this way of eating for improving health as well as reducing the risk of developing a chronic disease, potentially reversing chronic disease and for increasing life expectancy.

The Mediterranean diet should really be viewed as a concept based on a collection of traditional dietary habits that might have been followed by people in the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea, before the mid 1960s.

But do we know exactly what to eat on the Mediterranean diet? For instance, does this suggest that eating pizza or pasta with a cheese sauce are healthy food choices? In fact, pizza is not a traditional Mediterranean food. [Read more…] about What to eat on the Mediterranean diet

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