A round up of stuff I hope you find interesting, amusing, inspiring or helpful for you or your family in some way. Enjoy x
Hi everyone. I’m working on developing a new newsletter format for you. Most of you say you like a weekly round-up, linky sort of format from me, so here’s a first go at that. I hope you enjoy it. By the way, I just liked the peeking parrot saying hello!
You’ll also see that I have set up a couple of sections for the newsletter on Substack – TrulyGlutenFree and Clinic Notes. I’ve separated them out so that you can subscribe to those sections specifically if you want to – see in your Substack account where you can toggle sections on and off. But don’t worry, as you see from below, for now, I’ll just tell you if there’s anything new in those sections and direct you there. I will also mention stuff on Notes and Chat so do watch out for those. Check the About page for how they work and what Purehealth is all about.
NB. WordPress subscribers will shortly be added to Substack just so that I can get the emails to you more effectively as I’ve discovered it is woeful from WordPress and more than half of you aren’t getting them! Sorry I never spotted that sooner, doh! I’ll send you a welcome email explaining more when I’ve moved you over. Hope that’s OK.
So, let’s get to my news items. Enjoy x
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Wound cream
Now P is home, I’m on it for him! Just concocted an anti-inflammatory post surgery wound cream after his fall and hip/wrist surgery recently, now they have asked me to dress it every few days. Base of jojoba butter as closest to human sebum, some aloe for healing, pumpkin seed oil for high zinc, neem as an anti-infective, arnica for swelling and bruising, and a Traumeel vial, the major homeopathic healer. No essential oils to counter the homeopathics. Anything I’ve missed, do suggest stuff? Next I’ll invent a scar oil, probably with frankincense oil and rosehip, some of the best skin healers I know.
I’ve invented quite a few balms, oils, creams etc recently eg. hormone balm, an antiperspirant with two ingredients, and I’m working on a MCAS Balm as a different delivery mechanism to get some mast cells stabilisers in via the skin! I’m beginning to wonder whether I should offer a bespoke toiletries/remedies service on the shop – thoughts? Would that be useful?
FDX tests going up
Get any FDX (Functional Diagnostics) tests you want before 1st March as they are going up quite substantially, starting from 7.5%, aargh! I do love the FDX Signature tests like FDX Ultra, FDX Man Ultra and FDX Femme Ultra. However, I have swapped over to recommending Omnos Wellness 360 Male and Female tests generally because I think they offer better value for the info you get.
I do still list the Thyroid Ultra and Thyroid Check+, though, as those are quite fabulous. The Thyroid Ultra measures pretty much all of the markers recommended by STTM (Stop the Thyroid Madness) and it was the only one I could find that did. Not cheap – get in before it goes up. Check the thyroid tests and read the text here for more info on those and others.
You can see all the FDX tests here. If you want to order anything, just send me a Lab test Request form here.
Yummy Calming Ashwaganda Hot Chocolate Recipe
I saw this post from Nutri on their Insta account – you can watch them making it below.
Ashwagandha has a long history of safe use in Ayurvedic medicine, where it is considered a gentle, calming adaptogen. This herb was often used to support nervous exhaustion and for those suffering from overwork, burnout and lack of sleep.
Suitable from age 6 upwards, we recommend the following dosage – each Nutri Ashwagandha capsule contains 500mg of Ashwagandha.
– 6-8years – ½ capsule
– 8-12 years – ½ – 1 capsule
– 12 plus – 1 -2 capsules
Recipe:
1 heaped tbs of cacao powder
1 cup of milk of choice
1 cup of water
½ -1 capsule of ashwagandha (see more on dosages above)
Honey to taste.
Add the cacao powder, honey, ashwagandha to a small bowl, add a little milk.
Using a whisk, whisk together until forms a creamy paste.
Heat the milk to desired temperature.
Pour into the paste and stir to combine.
Divide mixture between two cups and top with a little frothed milk (optional)
Nom nom. Enjoy x
Cholesterol Factsheet
Just to let you know I have updated the protocol in the Cholesterol factsheet. One of you let me know one of the products was no longer available (thank you, E) so I took the opportunity to update it anyway with new research and learning, happily making it much simpler too. You can get it here if you need help with whether your cholesterol is really high enough to need statins and what you might do instead.
One of the things I discuss in that factsheet is the so-called ‘Cholesterol Myth’ and whether our focus on reducing cholesterol with statins has been the correct one. I’ll give you a hint: no ;). Funnily enough, just as I was typing this, a great article about that very thing popped into my inbox. If you have ‘high’ cholesterol and are on or told you need statins, I suggest it would be a good read.
It starts off with the side effects of statins, actually, with a really good reminder about the need for CoQ10 if you are on them – I always say this whenever I get a chance as it is so important for future heart health for a start.
Statins, widely used to lower cholesterol, come with several side effects that affect multiple organ systems, including the musculoskeletal, hepatic, digestive, and neurological systems. One of the most concerning, though often overlooked, is their impact on mitochondria, the energy-producing organelles in cells. Statins inhibit the production of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a crucial antioxidant for mitochondrial function and energy production (5,6). The depletion of CoQ10 impairs mitochondrial energy production, leading to muscle weakness, fatigue…
I did take time to look up current NICE guidelines on this as I’m sure GPs were advised at one point to suggest CoQ10 when putting people on statins. That seems to have changed. I found this one factsheet on it, which I thought was useful. I note there that the decision was made not to offer concurrent prescriptions of CoQ10 because the studies on muscle pain were inconclusive and because of cost. I see studies mentioned in the piece show that when they measured if statins lowered CoQ10 levels at 4 weeks, they didn’t, but it seems they did over longer periods:
From the 30 patients that completed the study period, a significant reduction in serum coenzyme Q10 levels was reported at 45 and 90 days in the simvastatin group compared to those that received simvastatin plus coenzyme Q10. The authors concluded that simvastatin decreased serum and possibly platelet coenzyme Q10 levels and although coenzyme Q10 supplementation did prevent this reduction there were insufficient data to recommend routine coadministration.
Hmm. So, they do lower CoQ10 over time, then. Anyway, even if the current thinking is that muscle pain may not be caused by statins and their lowering of CoQ10, the fact remains that they do seem to lower it and I would not want my mitochondria short of it myself!
So, do some research – start by reading those articles and factsheets above. Do you need to lower your cholesterol, really? My factsheet helps you answer that one; I go over the various levels to look for. Do you need statins to do that? If you do, take some CoQ10 at least would be my advice. I always like ubiquinol where poss as it’s a good absorbable form. It can be really expensive, but happily this one seems really good value.
Lupin Flour
Talking of cholesterol, one of you on the FB group mentioned lupin flour as a good TGF high protein source (thank you L). I’m not that familiar with it so, of course, I went off and looked into it.
A quick 101: it’s a legume, it’s gluten free, bakes well, high in protein and fibre, low carb so suitable for a keto or blood sugar diet. Probably the best nutritional profile of all of the legumes from what I can see. Lupin is actually one of the 14 allergens listed in the UK and Europe. This is because it cross-reacts to peanut, but can also be an allergen in its own right.
Lupin has been shown to help lower total and LDL cholesterol, improve bowel function (both probably due to the fibre), help regulate glycaemic control, and the high protein helps keep you full so it can help weight loss.
Studies suggest benefits are best from whole lupin (eg. ground as flour) rather than from separated lupin fibre or lupin protein, although those will have benefits. The best source is from Lupinus angustifolius, the Australian sweet variety, but you can also get L. albus (white) or yellow lupin. Might be worth checking which your lupin flour comes from as I note most places just list it as ‘lupin flour’.
You can read a really good scientific overview of lupin here. And C found us some L. angustifolius lupin flakes and some lupin beans, also known as lupini beans traditionally, I believe.
I think the flakes might work well as an addition to porridge, smoothies, soups and casseroles, but can cook up as a kind of quinoa substitute, and the beans can be used to make hummus or in any white bean recipe. To start you off, here are eight different ways to use lupin beans.
I’m going to start adding some of the lupin flakes to my high protein porridge (made from ground almonds, ground golden flaxseed and fine desiccated coconut. Let me know how you get on.
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Salicylate sensitivity
You don’t see a lot about salicylate sensitivity generally, do you? I mention it on my Food Allergy Types page in the A-Z and have given you some resources on it there, too. I probably need to review the links etc (no time!), but this is an especially good resource.
Research shows that about 20% of adults with asthma1, 60% with of people with food-induced itchy rashes, headaches or migraines, 70% of people with irritable bowel symptoms2 and 75% of children with behaviour problems3 may be sensitive to salicylates.
Essentially, salicylates occur in many plant foods especially citrus fruits, berries, tomato sauce and mint, meds like aspirin plus chemicals, flavourings, plastics and fragrances.
One way to see if salicylates affect you is to take an aspirin – high salicylate – or white willow, an aspirin alternative. Obviously manage testing like this with your chosen health practitioner but, essentially, if you react to that, you are likely to be salicylate-sensitive. The treatment suggested is simple avoidance. I say ‘simple,’ ha! It is far from that.
I see Dr Crista is doing a salicylate sensitivity masterclass soon, which could be interesting if you suspect it or deal with patients with it. She’s doing it US-time live and it is being recorded. 18th Feb. I’ll share the link when it comes through. Let me know the nuggets if you watch it so we can all learn more about it.
Nestle and Pure Encaps supplements
Did you know that Pure Encapsulations and Garden of Life are owned by Nestle? I’m not sure if I knew this and had forgotten. Anyway, I looked up Nestle’s environmental and social impact to see how they are perceived now. I didn’t like it. I shall try not to recommend the products unnecessarily, which is a shame as I like a few of theirs, including the O.N.E Multi, which is the one I give P. Bum. I think C and V have had problems getting info out of them anyway since they were taken over in 2017. An example of how big companies are edging into the supplement market. NB. I notice the standard ONE Multi is out of stock in most places currently, so I’ve linked to the one with iron for now.
E-Bikes and scooters – be careful if you or your kids have one
Surgeons warn they are seeing “an epidemic” of patients, some as young as 3, with horrific life-changing burns from overheating exploding batteries from e-bikes and e-scooters. The exploding batteries can cause burns and house fires. The e-bikes and scooters use lithium-ion batteries which are more powerfuland contain flammable chemicals. The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons is calling for action.
Mind-Body Medicine
I am constantly saying nowadays that we can’t get chronic illness sorted without focusing on the mind more than we currently do in all forms of medicine. By mind, I am including emotions but also trauma, brain neuroplasticity, vagus nerve etc. I have even put a question on my new patient form that asks people to score their ACEs – it saddens me how many times, especially in ‘intractable’ cases, that the score is high. So, a reminder from WDDTY on it today:
…researchers reckon that childhood trauma is the fourth major cause of chronic disease and even premature death. When psychologists defined the 18 ‘adverse childhood experiences’ (ACEs), they discovered that people who had suffered six or more of them were more likely to die 20 years before someone who had suffered three or fewer.
The same goes for chronic health problems. Those who had experienced four or more ACEs as children were four times more likely to suffer from heart disease and arthritis.
Bugger. I scored 8, I think; I daren’t look back to check! Anyway, my simple message is: don’t ignore this. I know it’s not a pleasant topic to think about, I’m sorry. But it is proving to be pretty crucial. Start by reading my ACE and Trauma-Triggered Illness factsheet here.
TrulyGlutenFree
The first post in the new TGF section for you here. I thought I’d start a series showing what TGF is all about and why gluten is not just about coeliac disease.
Ah, I know all about gluten – that’s coeliac disease, yes?
Yes. But also no.
Clinic Notes – for Practitioners
This will be a monthly newsletter with stuff I find interesting and think might be useful to help us get even more people well in-clinic. I’ve put an oldie, but goodie up for now whilst I write the first one of this year. I won’t send it on the general email list so I’ll remind you on here when it’s out. Hope it helps.
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