Q: My teenage daughter suffers badly with eczema. She's tried steroid creams and all kinds of medication, but I'm worried the chemicals in them are making her condition worse. Could this be possible? Are there any natural remedies we could try - and do you think they're any good? Jill, 42
A: Steroid creams can be very effective for the treatment of eczema - it might be worth checking to find out if she's been given the lowest strength and is using it for the minimal amount possible. Of course, like all medications, they can have side effects - mainly that they thin the skin and affect immunity - but if you think the cream is making it worse, try Chinese herbal tea instead. It's been used in clinical trials at Great Ormond Street Hospital and some severe eczema sufferers noticed a dramatic improvement, even though the active compounds in the tea have not been scientifically identified as an eczema remedy. Your daughter may grumble at first as it doesn't taste great - large doses of liquorice are often used to make it taste better - but look for a reputable practitioner in your area and give it a go.
Q: I'm getting really bad hayfever this summer. I don't want to take over-the-counter medications, and wonder if there are any supplements I could try to ease my sniffing and sneezing. Lauren, 27
A: Hayfever is already extremely common and, according to scientific
predictions, is due to affect half the UK population in 50 years' time. A
tablet called Grazax, containing an allergen extract of grass pollen, is now
available. You put a tablet under the tongue every day for four months
before the start of the grass pollen season - doing this continually may
well desensitise people affected severely.
TOP TIP: Try eating
1tsp of local honey a day in the run up to pollen season.
HEALTH HERO: THE SEA
Oh, we do love to be beside the seaside - not just for the ice creams, but for those fantastic negative ions too. Eh? Let me explain When you're on a beach, or anywhere near flowing water, the air is charged with healthy negative ions. They increase our ability to absorb oxygen, give us more energy and make us feel less depressed. And researchers at the New York State Psychiatric Institute found that patients who were exposed to negative ions were also less prone to experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). So if you're feeling a bit low, grab your bucket and spade and head for the seaside!
FACT vs FICTION
Fennel tea can cure colic: FACT
Colic - an inconsolable crying
that can occur in babies aged up to four months, sometimes because of
painful wind in the stomach - can be very distressing for both the child and
parent. Many herbal treatments wouldn't be safe to give to the baby
directly, but there is evidence that mothers who are breastfeeding should
drink fennel tea to ease their baby's colic. Fennel - known for calming
stomach pains - is then passed through the mum's milk to the baby.
COMPILED BY: JO UPCRAFT, BETH GIBBONS PHOTOGRAPHY: ALAMY, PHOTOLIBRARY.COM
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TERMS & CONDITIONS
This article has 2 comments
my daughter suffered for years but for her cutting out tomatoes has improved her condition .It is hard as tomatoes are in nearly everything.
By alvinneedham.. Posted August 1 2009 at 9:09 PM.
Have you tried changing to organic milk for the treatment of Eczema? Dutch studies show it made a real difference to expectant mothers in terms of their babies not having Eczema or allergies.
By Elizabeth Marchant.. Posted July 13 2009 at 12:41 PM.