Articles

A surprising one in seven people have a hearing loss – that’s about 8.7 million in the UK alone. Age-related hearing loss usually begins at 50 and, according to the Royal National Institute for Deaf People, 55 per cent of those over 60 are deaf or hard of hearing. Usually, the only ‘treatment’ is a […]

Many things can trigger depression. It is common during life changes such as adolescence, marriage, birth and menopause. It can be a consequence of your upbringing – such as whether or not you were taught effective coping skills as a child. There is a genetic component to depression, and influences such as diet, stress and […]

Children as young as two are being prescribed powerful mood-changing drugs such as Prozac and other antidepressants. Although usage usually begins at the age of six and then carries on until the age of 19, the number of two- to four-year-olds taking stimulants (such as Ritalin), antidepressants (such as Prozac), antipsychotics and clonidine (used to […]

Your skin is a mirror. How it ages is a complex process involving a number of factors. Some of these, such as genes, gravity and normal ageing, are not within your control, but many others are. Prematurely ageing skin often mirrors the body’s inefficiency in eliminating toxins and waste products. Excess sun exposure creates skin-damaging […]

It’s assumed that we’re either the result of nature or nurture. But with the advent of an increasingly toxic environment, there is now a third element – noxious agents. Compelling evidence links exposure to a wide range of environmental toxins with emotional and behavioural problems, including violence, addiction, learning disabilities, hyperactivity, intolerance and lowered intelligence. […]

Most of us believe there are only four seasons, but there is a fifth one that runs from November to February – the colds/flu season. Chances are, at some point in your life – and, for some people, once a year – you will catch a cold. For healthy individuals, the best medicine is rest, […]

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a constellation of more than 150 known symptoms that occur one week to 10 days before a woman’s menstrual period. Symptoms include bloating, mood swings, food cravings, lethargy, cramping and breast tenderness. They are believed to be triggered by changes in progesterone and oestrogen levels, resulting in a relative oestrogen dominance. […]

It says ‘Goldenseal’ on the label, but how much of this herb is actually in the bottle? With winter upon us, what are the best herbal remedies to deal with colds and flu? Echinacea is one that is well known, with good-quality products available (see PROOF! vol 6 no 7), but a close second in […]

While most practitioners, conventional and alternative, focus on fighting heart disease, arthritis and cancer, there is growing concern over the silent epidemic of mental disorders that is becoming one of the most common causes of premature death. Depression is poorly understood and tolerated in a society that is focused on positivism and a ‘can-do’ spirit. […]

In the past, cognitive decline was believed to be unavoidable with the passage of time. Attributed simply to ‘old age’, many families watched helplessly as their loved ones minds’ slipped away. Recent research, however, has challenged the idea that dementia and cognitive decline are a natural result of old age and has suggested that to […]