Moonhawk Healing Natural Therapies

Herbal Tea

Help for Hayfever

Posted on Leave a Comment

Preventing and Managing Seasonal Allergies

Seasonal allergies, hayfever, allergic rhinitis are all terms for a group of symptoms where the immune system has become hypersensitive to pollens, dust, moulds, mites or animal dander. 

Symptoms of Allergic Rhinitis

  • Runny nose
  • Red, itchy, watery eyes
  • Sneezing
  • Itchy throat, eyes & face
  • Sinus pain & headache
  • Stuffy, runny nose
  • Fatigue, generalised aches & pains
  • Sore throat
  • Post-nasal drip

Starting around August and running through to late summer around 20% of Australians are affected by seasonal allergies, which impact on day-to-day life for the duration of what is often called the “hayfever season”. 

The acute immune response associated with seasonal allergies is your body’s way of ridding itself of allergens. You can significantly reduce the severity and duration of allergic rhinitis by targeting key chemical mediators produced by mast cells and eosinophils which cause the reaction i.e., histamines, leukotrienes and IgE antibodies. 

Albizia lebbeck is a well know Ayurvedic medicinal herb with significant anti-allergic and analgesic properties. It strengthens the respiratory system, clears accumulated mucus and eases inflammation. 

Perilla is a Chines herb traditionally used for allergic rhinitis, sinus congestion, and as an antidote for seafood allergies. 

Baical skullcap balances the immune system response to allergens, decreasing the inflammatory response and easing symptoms of allergic rhinitis.

Golden Seal and Eyebright are mucous membrane tonics used to strengthen nasal mucosa and reduce mucous secretions associated with rhinitis. Eyebright is particularly effective for allergies that start in the eyes. 

Echinacea is an excellent tonic for the immune system as well as being a powerful anti-inflammatory which assists in reducing symptoms associated with allergic rhinitis.  

Vitamin C is useful in the prevention and management of seasonal allergies as it inhibits the release of histamines. Vitamin C is an immunomodulator i.e., it regulates immune function through enhancing the activity of immune cells. Vitamin C increases immunity in a number of ways e.g.:

  • influencing T-cells,
  • stimulating the production of interferons (proteins that protect cells against viruses),
  • stimulating production of antibodies, and
  • modulates immune function in the thymus gland.

Vitamin C also improves the function of leucocytes (white blood cells). 

Zinc is essential for the normal function of the inflammatory response and has an important role in the structure and health of cell membranes.  

Quercetin is a potent anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory. It reduces the response of immune cells responsible for allergic reactions. 

Inhalation can assist in clearing blocked nasal passage. To a bowl of steaming water add 1 drop of high-quality Australian Eucalyptus essential oil. With a towel over your head and your eyes closed, lean over the steam and inhale – through the nose as much as possible. Then move away and take a normal breath. Add another drop of essential oil to the bowl and breathe in as before. Repeat this procedure till you have used UP TO 5 drops in total. 

Rinsing your nasal passages with a neti pot can assist. Saline nasal sprays have a similar effect of clearing out allergens from nasal passages. 

Lifestyle choices can assist with seasonal allergies. Keep house dust to a minimum – vacuum your house regularly – and avoid highly scented household and personal products (air fresheners, perfumes, etc). 

Choosing the correct treatment regime is essential to preventing and reducing the impact of allergic rhinitis and seasonal allergies. The correct treatment regime will reduce chemical mediators associated with the allergic response, as well as providing relief of symptoms associated with allergic rhinitis.

Book an appointment with me to discuss the best way to reduce your hayfever.

Reference: Herbs & Natural Supplements: An evidence-based guide (3nd Edition), by Lesley Braun and Marc Cohen. 
Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy (2nd Edition) by Kerry Bone & Simon Mills
The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety, by Simon Mills and Kerry Bone. 
Medicinal Plants of the World by Ben-Erik van Wyk & Michael Wink.

Taking Medicinal Herbs and Pharmaceutical Drugs

Posted on Leave a Comment

Taking Medicinal Herbs and Pharmaceutical Drugs – Safety Considerations

When people are concerned about the way medicinal herbs may interact with their pharmaceutical medications, they often turn to the internet to find an answer.

Facts vs. Myths
Sadly, there is a lot of misinformation on potential adverse interactions between medicinal herbs and pharmaceutical drugs. Concerns of taking medicinal herbs with pharmaceutical drugs centre around the herbs changing the way the drugs work.

Advice of herb-drug interactions is often found on ‘reliable’ and ‘authoritative’ websites. However, it’s rare for this information to be referenced. It is often based on incorrect assumptions of the likelihood of an interaction, and contain mistakes that are not based in fact, and have been perpetuated for so long the original source is lost in time.

Professional and Considered Advice
Like many naturopaths, I take a risk based approach to herb-drug interactions. This risk based approach is based on the known pharmacology of the herb and the drug. There is a lot of clinical evidence on how herbs and drugs interact for me to draw on. 

If you are taking a pharmaceutical drug and want to also take a medicinal herb, seek advice from a qualified and accredited naturopath or herbalist. Your naturopath/herbalist will be able to assess the risks of taking pharmaceutical drugs and herbs at the same time. They will monitor you for adverse/unwanted side effects, and provide important advice like when to take your pharmaceutical drugs and when to take your medicinal herbs. Your naturopath/herbalist can advise on whether it is safe to take medicinal herbs with the particular pharmaceutical drug you are currently taking. 
This informed, professional advice is invaluable.

Fibre and Gut Health

Posted on Leave a Comment

Fibre and Gut Health

Over the past 5-10 years research into the human gut microbiome has increased exponentially. While we continue to learn more about our gut bugs, one thing experts agree on is that a diet high in a variety of plant fibre is essential to having a health gut microbiome, a healthy gut, and a healthy you.

What is Fibre?

Fibre is derived from structural parts of plants – fruit, vegetable, wholegrains, legumes. Fibre cannot be broken down by digestion and therefore contributes little to energy needs. 
Soluble fibre dissolves in water and forms gels and are digested (fermented) by gut bugs in our gut, adding to energy.  Soluble fibre is found in oats, barley, legumes and citrus; it helps to lower blood glucose and cholesterol. 
Insoluble fibre is found in whole grains and vegetables, and adds bulk to faeces.

Sources of Fibre

You need to eat 6-9 cups of vegetables and fruits every day to get the amount of fibre your gut needs. Choose a range of different vegetables and fruits each day – preferablyseasonal vegetables and fruits. Variety is the key. For example: artichoke, asparagus, bok choy, bean sprouts, broccoli, brussel sprouts, beetroot, cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, chives, celery, cucumber, endive, fresh herbs, garlic, ginger, green beans, Jerusalem artichoke, lettuce, leeks, leafy greens, mushrooms, okra, onions, parsley, radish, rocket, shallots, spinach, snowpeas, sprouts, turnip, watercress, zucchini, apples, apricots, berries, cherries, grapefruit, kiwi fruit, lemon/lime, mandarin, melon, papaya, peaches, pears, pineapple, plums, rhubarb, rockmelon, strawberries.

Resistant Starch – gold for your gut bugs

Resistant starch is a type of insoluble fibre that behaves more like a soluble fibre – it feeds your gut bugs.
By feeding your beneficial gut bugs, resistance starch supresses potential pathogens and is important for metabolic and heart health.

Sources of Resistant Starch

Foods high in resistant starch included legumes (e.g. red kidney beans, butter beans, adzuki beans, lentils, black eyed beans, chickpeas); whole grain cereals e.g. brown rice; cooked and chilled white rice, potatoes, sweet potato and pasta (cooking and chilling causes modest rises in resistant starch); cashews, green peas, green banana flour, unripe bananas. Regularly include foods high in resistant starch in your daily diet – your gut bugs will thank you. 

If you need help increasing fibre in your diet two of my favourite healthy eating books are The CSIRO Healthy Gut Diet and the Women’s Weekly The Good Gut Diet. Both books include recipes for breakfast, small meals and large meals (main meals), with some snacks and sweet treats. There are vegetarian options, gluten free options, soups, salads, food you can prepare and keep in the fridge for taking to work, or a quick reheat. I like the science in the CSIRO book – it helps you understand why you need to eat certain foods. Once you understand what foods are best for you, you can make better food choices on a regular basis.

Cardiovascular Health in Women

Posted on Leave a Comment

Cardiovascular Health in Women

Cardiovascular (CVD), including heart disease, is under-diagnosed in women. This is because symptoms in women are often non-specific, and they develop these symptoms later than men. Sadly this has led to around 50 women in Australia suffering a heart attack every day, with around 24 women dying of heart disease daily. Sad statistics to say the least. 

One of the key Principles of Naturopathy is to educate patients so disease can be prevented, or, at least, risks minimised. 
Risk factors for CVD in women include gestational diabetes and hypertension in pregnancy, early menopause, depression, smoking, obesity, low physical activity, hypertension and high cholesterol. 

Food as Medicine

Including foods in your daily diet like leafy greens, beetroot, high quality chocolate or cacao, berries, raw garlic, green tea, and herbs and spices like ginger and turmeric will help to reduce your risk of developing CVD. 
The Mediterranean Diet is the most researched diet and probably the most recommended for managing risk factors associate with CVD. The Mediterranean Diet is mostly plant based with high amounts of vegetables and fruits and good oil eg olive oil (there is emerging research showing that as little as 20ml of good quality olive oil every day can reduce the risk of developing serious CVD).

Essential Nutrients

While there is a range of nutrients essential to cardiovascular health, perhaps the most important to women who are peri or post-menopausal is Vitamin K2. 
Vitamin K2 is synthesised in the gut, by gut microbes from Vitamin K1, which is found in foods like broccoli, kale, cabbage, eggs and asparagus to name a few. 
Simply put, Vitamin K2 keeps calcium in bones and out of blood vessels. Calcification of blood vessels is linked with vascular diseases like aortic stenosis.

Medicinal Herbs

There is a range of medicinal herbs that can assist with lowering cholesterol, reducing hypertension, stabilising arterial plaque, and reducing other risks associated with CVD. Which herbs are best for you will depend on factors like your overall health, which CVD you have, and your risk factors. For example, someone with elevated cholesterol would be prescribed different herbs to someone with high blood pressure.

Key Message

Eat a mostly plant based diet, manage any CVD risk factors you have, and seek professional advice when needed.

Lyme Disease and Co-Infections

Posted on Leave a Comment

What is Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is defined as an infectious disease caused by tick bites infected with the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. 

While ticks are the most common source of infection, mosquitos, march/marsh flies, sand flies and midges may also transmit the disease. 

It’s worth noting that not everyone who is bitten by a tick will get Lyme Disease.

Because the species of Borrelia varies across the world, diagnosis of the disease in Australia may be missed. In Australia, Lyme Disease is often referred to as Lyme-like Disease, or Relapsing Fever. The diversity of Borrelia bacteria complicates matters – it is currently thought that some infect humans and some don’t. 

Lyme Disease is a complex interaction of signs and symptoms across many body systems. Key elements are chronic infection, chronic inflammation and immune suppression. Lyme patients may also be more susceptible to environmental toxins, and may be more adversely affected by the toxins released by the pathogens that cause the disease.  

The endocrine system (hormones), nervous system (neurotransmitters and brain function), digestive system, and the cardiovascular system may all be impacted. Added to this is chronic pain, fatigue and insomnia. 

The Lyme Disease Association of Australia has more information on Lyme Disease in Australia.

Co-Infections

Tick bites carry more than the Borrelia species of bacteria, meaning that co-infections are quite common. Often signs and symptoms of Borrelia and the various co-infections are similar. Co-infections can make signs and symptoms more severe. Common co-infections include:

    • Babesia species
    • Bartonella species  
    • Rickettsia
    • Ehrlichia species

Reduced immune function can lead to opportunistic infections such as Mycoplasma, Candida, Epstein Barr virus, and Cytomegalovirus. 

Diagnosis

Clinical diagnosis of Lyme Disease can only be done by a medical professional – GP or Specialist. 

Naturopaths prefer to treat patients based on presenting signs and symptoms, and medical history. While naturopaths and herbalists cannot formally diagnosed Lyme Disease, they can use information from previous test results, along with their own observations, to make an informed decision about how to help people who have been bitten by a tick and suspect they have Lyme Disease, or have a clinical diagnosis of Lyme Disease.   

Signs and Symptoms

Acute Lyme

First signs and symptoms appear soon after the bite – hours or days, and include:

  • Bull’s eye rash – appears in around 30% of cases
  • Flu-like symptoms
  • Aching joints and muscles
  • Heart palpitations
  • Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and/or constipation
  • Vertigo, blurred vision, tinnitus 

If you have been bitten by a tick, and start to feel unwell, see your GP or another medical doctor as soon as possible. Early treatment with appropriate antibiotics can make a difference to recovery. 

Sub-acute Chronic Lyme

Initial symptoms may subside in 2-4 weeks, sometimes leaving the patient feeling weak and exhausted. Signs and symptoms of acute Lyme may continue to a lesser degree. Some patients say that signs and symptoms appear to cycle from good to bad to worse and back to good. 

Chronic Lyme

Undiagnosed and untreated Lyme can result in chronic Lyme. 

Patients I see mostly have chronic Lyme and may have been unwell for months or years. Patients often present with:

  • Chronic fatigue
  • Brain fog
  • Gut problems e.g bloating, diarrhoea/constipation
  • Head and neck pain
  • Muscular aches and pains
  • Mood disorders
  • A range of other symptoms are associated with chronic Lyme. 

Signs and symptoms often reflect the co-infections and opportunistic infections the patient has. 

Naturopathic Treatment of Lyme Disease – it’s complicated

Naturopaths and herbalists will assist people with Lyme Disease by prescribing specific herbs and nutritional supplements. They will assess the patient’s current diet and lifestyle, and recommend changes if needed.  

Acute Lyme needs to be treated by a medical doctor who may prescribe antibiotics. Naturopathic treatments can be given at the same time – the aim being to destroy the bacteria and help the immune system fight the infection. Naturopaths can assist patients taking antibiotics to reduce unpleasant side effects some people experience when taking antibiotics. 

Chronic Lyme is more complicated to treat due to the constellation of symptoms the patient presents with. It’s essential to address underlying microbial infection with appropriate herbs. However, it is often necessary to first stimulate detoxification, reduce inflammation, support the immune system, and address the most pressing symptoms before starting on anti-microbial herbs.

Diet and Lifestyle

Diet and lifestyle can have a very big impact on recovery from Lyme Disease. I usually recommend patients follow a low inflammatory diet – a mostly plant based diet that excludes, for example, processed foods, added sugar, dairy, gluten and foods from the nightshade family (e.g tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, capsicum, chilli, cayenne, paprika, goji berries). Other recommendations around diet will be made depending on individual patient needs. 

As far as possible people with Lyme need to have a stress free or low stress lifestyle. Unfortunately, in the modern world, avoiding stressful situations can be difficult. Most treatment plans will include stress management techniques. While many people with Lyme are too fatigued for formal exercise, undertaking some moderate exercise is essential to recovery. 

Most importantly people with Lyme Disease need to recognise when they have done too much. People recovering from Lyme need lots of rest. Overdoing it can set back recovery. 

Lifestyle changes are often the hardest to make.  

Recovery

It is possible to recover from Lyme Disease. However, the degree of recovery is individual to each patient. Some symptoms can ease within weeks or months, others may take longer. Some patients need ongoing naturopathic support, others do not. Recovery may be dependant on the patient making changes to diet and lifestyle, and generally taking better care of themselves.  

It’s Complicated

There’s no easy one size suits all answer to helping people with Lyme Disease. Each patient will present with a complex interaction of physical, mental and lifestyle factors affecting their day health and wellbeing. 

I think the key to any treatment plan is to make it as simple as possible, and personalise it to each patient I see. 

 Acknowledgements 

I would like to acknowledge the work of Professor Kerry Bone,  Amina Eastham-Hillier ND, and Dr Nicola Ducharme ND. These three people have generously shared their knowledge on how best to treat people with Lyme Disease. I am grateful for their generosity and encouragement.