HEALTH HUB Latest Articles
Some cholesterol lowering drugs raise the risk of diabetes
Some cholesterol lowering drugs raise the risk of diabetes By naturopath Margaret Jasinska Statins are some of the most commonly prescribed medications in the world. A high percentage of people over the age of 60 is either taking one or it has been recommended by their doctor. These drugs can have undesirable side effects; a heightened risk of type 2 diabetes is just one of them. Fortunately there are safer ways to lower cholesterol that won’t put you at risk of other serious diseases like diabetes. Statins work by inhibiting the action of the enzyme inside the liver [...]
Liver inflammation can harm your brain
Liver inflammation can harm your brain By Dr Sandra Cabot When we think about the health of our liver, we don’t associate this directly with the health of our brain. A new clinical study has found that liver fibrosis (scarring in the liver) greatly increases the risk of brain shrinkage which leads to loss of mental function. Fibrosis of the liver is caused by chronic inflammation in the liver and the problem is that this insidious condition is often missed and diagnosed too late. This can be prevented by having regular blood tests for liver function which [...]
Help for post viral fatigue
Help for post viral fatigue By naturopath Margaret Jasinska Post viral fatigue refers to lingering feelings of extreme tiredness after a viral illness. It is an increasingly common problem. There are a lot of viruses around; colds, flu, RSV, COVID and others are circulating. Most people recover fully after a few weeks, but for others, severe fatigue plus other symptoms can linger for months. Research from Deakin University suggested up to 325,000 Australians may develop Long COVID. Symptoms of post viral fatigue The main symptom is exhaustion despite getting plenty of sleep and rest, and exhaustion after the [...]
What You Must Know To Protect Your Kidneys
What you must know to protect your kidneys By naturopath Margaret Jasinska Did you know that kidney disease impacts 1.7 million Australians each year? Kidney-related disease kills more people every year than prostate cancer, breast cancer or even road traffic accidents yet more than 10 percent of people who have Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) are not even aware they have it. You probably don’t often think about your kidneys. If you have never experienced a problem with them you would have no reason to. However, kidney disease tends to creep up on people, not causing symptoms until it [...]
Do you know the symptoms of a stomach ulcer?
Do you know the symptoms of a stomach ulcer? By naturopath Margaret Jasinska Indigestion is common. Are you aware of the most common symptoms of a stomach ulcer? A stomach ulcer occurs when the lining of the stomach becomes inflamed and damaged. It is referred to as a gastric ulcer. Peptic ulcer refers to an ulcer either in the stomach, or the first part of the small intestine (called the duodenum). Stomach ulcers are quite common and many people do not recognize their symptoms until they become quite serious. Historically it was thought that stomach ulcers are caused [...]
Too much iron can harm your liver
Too much iron can harm your liver By naturopath Margaret Jasinska Iron deficiency is an extremely common health problem that we see in the vast majority of our menstruating female patients. Excess iron can be a problem too though. This is more common in men above the age of 40 and post menopausal women. When present at excessively high levels, iron can harm the liver and increase the risk of serious health problems. Three quarters of the body’s total iron content is found inside the red blood cells and is part of the protein haemoglobin that enables red [...]
Be careful with paracetamol use in children
Be careful with paracetamol use in children By naturopath Margaret Jasinska Paracetamol is the most widely used medicine in children, both in hospitals and in homes. In most countries it is available on supermarket and pharmacy shelves, as well as a prescribed medicine. It is used to relieve pain and fever. Pain has historically been undertreated in very young children who are not yet able to speak, while fever is overtreated, especially in high income countries. There are concerns regarding the safety of paracetamol in relation to potential liver toxicity and possible long term effects in the development [...]
Artificial sweetener damages DNA and causes leaky gut
Artificial sweetener damages DNA and causes leaky gut A brand new study has found health concerns about the artificial sweetener sucralose so alarming that researchers said everyone should stop eating it and the government should regulate it more. The World Health Organisation has even advised against its use. Sucralose is sold under the brand name Splenda and is used in so many packaged foods and beverages. It is sometimes listed as number 955 on food labels. The research was published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. The researchers conducted a number of experiments exposing human blood [...]
Your brain fog is probably coming from your gut
Your brain fog is probably coming from your gut By naturopath Margaret Jasinska Do you often find it difficult to think quickly and get motivated? Brain fog is a very common symptom that a lot of people experience. It can make your life harder, as it takes longer to get work done, and you may have to deal with the consequences of forgetting to do something important. Many people find that correcting intestinal problems can be an amazing way of restoring mental clarity. Research has shown that people with undiagnosed coeliac disease who regularly eat gluten are more [...]
Endometriosis raises risk of gestational diabetes
Endometriosis raises risk of gestational diabetes By naturopath Margaret Jasinska New research has shown that women with severe endometriosis are three times more likely to develop gestational diabetes than those with milder forms of the condition. This finding is based on data from 4.6 million women. The authors of the study suggested that endometriosis “may be considered as a red flag” for diagnosing gestational diabetes mellitus and should be included with other risk factors assessed during pregnancy. They went on to say “In this sense, the earlier and more specific detection of GDM in women with endometriosis could [...]