Alternatively Speaking: Preventing pain

Alternative medicine enthusiast Natalie Marx answers your questions: Any recommended vitamins that are good for diabetics?

By NATALIE MARX
Baby crying 370 (photo credit: Thinkstock/Imagebank)
Baby crying 370
(photo credit: Thinkstock/Imagebank)
Q. Dear Natalie, I have genital warts around my anal area. They are red and sore. Do you have any suggestions for a natural way to treat them?
A. The Number one homeopathic remedy for warts is called Thuja. If the warts are sore, bleeding or soft in texture then be sure to take Thuja remedy which can be purchased from any good homeopathic or health food store.
If the wart presents as irregular shaped and produces excessive sharp pain, then the homeopathic remedy Nitricum Acid is indicated. You can also apply vitamin E oil mixed with a couple of drops of Tea Tree essential oil to the area itself. Take care to dilute the tea tree oil since it can be strong and may give a burning sensation when used directly onto an open wound. The vitamin E can also be taken internally since it is particularly necessary in the production of regeneration healthy skin cells.
Another good ointment to apply directly to the area is Propolis. Try to find a 3 percent propolis ointment and apply it to the lesion between three to four times daily.
During this time it's particularly important to maintain a good diet and focus on boosting your immune system. Garlic supplements have specific immune system building properties which may even help prevent the spread of genital warts. As a powerful antioxidant, garlic works to prevent free radical molecules from causing any further damage to skin cells.
Another popular supplement used both internally and externally to help reduce and prevent the severity of genital warts is zinc. Using zinc supplements can also help reduce the duration.
Boost your immune system with the powerful antioxidant vitamin C. I suggest taking between 500 to 600 mg of both vitamin C and bioflavonoids three times daily. You could also try finding a supplement containing the herb goldenseal. Goldenseal is high in antibacterial and antiviral properties and should help improve the symptoms of the genital warts. I prescribe Goldenseal when treating inflammation and when healing skin diseases. As well as a supplement it can be used as a supplementary herbal wash, as it will destroy many types of viral infections.
Lastly, and perhaps my favorite herbal remedy used for treating for genital warts is the herb Astragalus. Famously known for its ability to help the body fight off viral and bacterial infections by boosting the body's immune system.
Q. Hi Natalie, there is a history of diabetes in my family. Can you recommend any vitamins that are especially good for diabetics? Thank you.
A. Chromium is an essential mineral that your body uses to help balance blood sugar levels. Deficiencies of Chromium are often associated with elevated blood glucose levels. If you are currently taking any medication for your diabetes make sure to check with your doctor for the proper dosage of supplemental chromium.
The Joslin Diabetes Centre suggests that individuals with diabetes tend to have lower levels of vitamin C in their blood and tissues. When there are higher levels of glucose in the blood, it impairs the absorption vitamin C. Vitamin E is another powerful antioxidant often found lacking in those with diabetes. Good sources of vitamin E include oils such as corn, wheat germ, sunflower seeds and nuts especially almonds and hazelnuts. There has been lots of diabetes research to show that vitamin E helps people with diabetes fight the unusually large amount of free radicals in their blood.
Q. Please help! My baby has just started teething and my husband and I are at a loss! Are there any natural remedies that can help us reduce her pain and therefore sleep better at night?
A. Indeed you and your husband will be relieved to know that there are several options when it comes to natural medicine and treating teething. I recommend giving your baby two tablets (in soft baby powder form) of one of the indicated homeopathic remedies below in a 6X strength. This will calm the baby down and allow for a couple of hours of relief from discomfort.
The homeopathic remedy Aconitum apellus is indicated if your baby seems agitated or fearful. The baby’s face may be flushed, the gums look particularly inflamed, and the sleep can be very restless.
Try the remedy Belladonna when you see intense inflammation with heat and gum pain, with flushing of the face. Calcarea carbonica is suggested when teething is late to begin. The baby may be making chewing motions and pressing his gums together, even while sleeping. Babies who need this remedy are usually slow to learn to crawl or walk, and their heads often sweat during naps or sleep at night and may also be a little chubby.
Probably the most commonly prescribed homeopathic remedy in times of teething is Chamomilla. This remedy is indicated when a child seems extremely irritable or angry and the pain appears to be unbearable. The baby feels agitated, is screaming and may hit. They will want to be rocked or carried constantly to distract them from the pain. The gums are very tender, which may make touch impossible. Some babies needing chamomilla may feel better from hard pressure and biting down on something cold. Their symptoms are often accompanied with greenish diarrhoea.
The remedy Pulsatilla is especially recommended for a baby who is very tearful during teething and wants to be constantly held. They prefer to bite on something cold and being out in the cool air also improves their mood. Make sure to select the remedy which most closely matches your baby’s symptoms. If no response is seen within a reasonable amount of time, select a different remedy.
Chamomile tea can also be frozen into an ice lolly (popsicle) form. The chamomile and the cold combined help to soothe the red sore gums. For this, make the chamomile tea strong by letting it steep for an hour before freezing it.
Clove oil is another popular remedy which gives a numbing sensation, helping to ease the pain of teething. You can rub a little clove oil directly onto sore gums but only use a tiny amount since it can upset the baby’s stomach. A colleague of mine recently used pure vanilla extract to reduce her child’s teething pain. Vanilla has soothing and calming properties and is often used to help relieve anxiety. By rubbing vanilla extract into your babies gums it can help promote feelings of wellbeing as well as your child enjoying the sweet taste and soothing aroma.
This column is brought to you as general information only and unless stated otherwise is not medical advice nor is it based on medical experiments.

This column is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. For more information about specific problems, please contact a doctor.
Ask Natalie: If you have a health query and would like an alternative answer then email Natalie with your question at nateopath@gmail.com.

Natalie runs a clinic both in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem offering a wide range of natural treatment. Healing is achieved using homeopathy, reflexology, massage, flower remedies and nutritional wisdom.

To make an appointment please email nateopath@gmail.com.