Library of Conditions

Description: Abnormally high levels of gastric juices. Sourness due to fermentation of food or over-secretion of acid in the stomach. Symptoms include burning sensation or pain in the stomach, sourness in the mouth, heartburn and dyspepsia.

Avoid coffee, alcohol, pickles and spicy food. Regulate diet. Control stress and learn to consciously relax through techniques like meditation, yoga and pranayama. Drink plenty of water — up to 20 glasses a day.

Description: Acne vulgaris is a disorder characterised by pimples. Caused by an increase in sebum release from the sebaceous glands of the skin, it usually affects teenagers and young adults. The condition is associated with infection and blockage of secretions from the sebaceous glands. Most often pimples appear on the face, neck, chest, shoulder and upper back.

Symptoms: Small and large swellings on the face, neck, chest, shoulder and upper back. There may be a black spot in the centre of the swellings (blackheads / closed comedones). Swellings without black spots are known as whiteheads (open comedones). When pimples get infected, there will be pus-filled swellings (pustules).

The naturopathic approach consists of changing the diet and eliminating foods that irritate the digestive tract and lead to these skin conditions. Often there are deficiencies in minerals like zinc and silica, insufficient enzymes and food allergies.

Description: A progressive degeneration of the brain tissue primarily affecting people above the age of 65. It affects intellectual functions like memory, comprehension and speech.

Symptoms: Problems with memory followed by psychiatric disturbances such as depression, anxiety, odd behaviour, delusions and hallucinations. In the advanced stage, the patient may suffer from disturbed gait and generalised stiffness with slow, awkward movements. Alzheimer's has been related to mercury and aluminium poisoning as well as genetic predisposition.

Description: Inflammation of the joints and surrounding tendons, ligaments and cartilage. Can affect virtually every part of the body. Effects range from slight pain, stiffness and swelling to crippling disability. Arthritis can strike people at any age.

Osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) is a degenerative disease in which small bony growths appear on the large weight-bearing joints. It causes early morning stiffness or stiffness following rest, pain that worsens on joint use, loss of joint function, local tenderness, soft-tissue swelling, creaking and cracking on movement, bony swelling and restricted mobility. It usually sets in with old age.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a rarer, more serious and very painful condition. It incapacitates the synovial tissue; most commonly the small joints of the hand become tender, swollen, even deformed. Women are more affected than men. Often associated with fatigue, low-grade fever, weakness, joint stiffness and joint pain. Painful swollen joints appear within several weeks of the first attack.

We differentiate the type of arthritis you have. Supplements like Fish Oil (Omega 3), Glucosamine Sulfate and Devil's Claw generally prove useful in reducing pain and inflammation.

Description: Back pain divides into two basic categories: acute and chronic. Acute pain comes on quickly, either immediately or over several hours. Chronic back pain comes on slowly and remains for a very long time, sometimes months or years — it may come and go and is never far from one's mind. Often acute and chronic back pain are interrelated.

Symptoms: Back pain that may or may not radiate to the hips and legs. Leg-length discrepancy is the most common cause of back pain caused by a pelvic twist — anyone who has ever had a broken leg must automatically assume a leg-length discrepancy. Back pain can also be caused by stress, both mental and physical. Organic problems — gallstones, kidney stones, infections, uterine fibroid tumours and ovarian cysts — can also result in severe back pain because the nerves supplying these organs come from the spine. Lower back pain may also be associated with menstruation.

We have a very high success rate using a variety of manual therapies.

Description: Involuntary bedwetting in the middle of the night during childhood is common. This is resolved in most children by the age of seven. Bedwetting after that is a sign of some underlying problem or developmental delay.

Symptoms: Hypoglycemia, diabetes, food allergies and urinary-tract infections should be considered.

Description: 60% of men between ages 40–59 have an enlarged prostate gland. This condition is known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH).

Symptoms: Progressive urinary frequency and urgency, night-time awakening for urination, urinary hesitancy and intermittence, and reduced force of urine. Left untreated, this will eventually obstruct the bladder outlet.

Description: Caused by over-exposure to chemicals with harmful effects, such as damage to the liver.

Symptoms: Skin rashes, boils, major organ damage such as kidney or liver failure.

Risk factors: The two most common sources are exposure to household chemicals such as formaldehyde (in new furniture, glue, or even in beer) or to chemicals at the workplace. Contact a physician immediately if poisoning is suspected.

See also: Heavy Metal Contamination

Description: Liver disease accompanied by abnormal changes that cause hardening and inflammation of the liver.

Symptoms: Usually characterised by a long period of latency. Signs may include fatigue, itching, rashes of unknown origin, constipation or diarrhoea, alternating stool colour, fever and indigestion. Sudden abdominal swelling, pain, vomiting of blood, generalised body swelling and jaundice (yellowing of the whites of the eyes and skin) are symptoms of a recurring attack. Advanced stages may lead to coma and death.

Description: The difference between colds and flu is the range of symptoms and severity of infection. Flu is usually more severe, develops quickly and involves more of the body than a cold. A cold occurs at any time of year while flu usually develops in epidemics, normally in late autumn and winter.

Symptoms: Sore throat, sneezing, runny nose, aching, and a general sense of misery plus cough, headache, dry, sore or sensitive breathing passages and possibly swollen cervical lymph nodes. Flu involves respiratory inflammation, moderate-to-high fever, aching muscles and acute fatigue. Vomiting, diarrhoea and further complications may develop.

We can differentiate which homoeopathic or herbal remedies are most useful very rapidly, resulting in an efficient and precise treatment process.

Description: Spasmodic pains in the abdomen in infants, accompanied by irritability or crying. Colic also refers to conditions of gas or other digestive irritability in infants up to 3 months old. Colic is often due to alkaline, high-sodium internal conditions, but can also be caused by overfeeding, swallowing air or emotional upsets. Breastfeeding mothers should be careful about foods like soya bean, cabbage or even dairy and wheat.

Symptoms: Paroxysms of crying, apparent abdominal pain and irritability in very young children.

We have excellent results using craniosacral therapy for colic.

Description: An irritating inflammation of the conjunctiva, the mucous membrane that lines the eye and the eyelid. Also known as 'pink eye'.

Symptoms: Discharge from the eye (often containing pus), pain, swelling and redness as well as itching and discomfort with bright lights. The eyelids may stick together upon awakening.

Description: Difficulty in passing stools, incomplete or infrequent passage of stools.

Symptoms: Irregular bowel movements.

Special notes: Inappropriate diet, inadequate exercise and laxative / enema abuse are the most common causes. Constipation can undermine the whole body — affecting digestion, clearing of toxins, energy levels and nutrient absorption. Stocky individuals often have satisfactory bowel function; lean individuals tend to have a sluggish, slow bowel pattern. Poor diet is the most significant reason. Increase exercise (brisk walking for at least an hour after a meal, 4–5 times a week), incorporate better eating habits and learn some relaxation techniques.

Description: A sudden explosion of air from the lungs to expel something from the air passages. Productive coughing brings up mucus; a dry unproductive cough, caused by pharyngeal irritation, does not.

Symptoms: Different types of cough sounds are characteristic of different problems. They could be caused by a minor problem such as a common cold or by serious diseases like malignancy.

Description: Included in the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) syndrome. Its general description features an inflammatory reaction that occurs throughout the entire thickness of the bowel wall. It is a granulomatous process involving any or all of the mucosa of the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, duodenum, jejunum and colon.

Symptoms: Intermittent bouts of diarrhoea, low-grade fever, anorexia, weight loss, flatulence and malaise; abdominal tenderness, especially in the right lower quadrant with signs of peritoneal irritation and an abdominal or pelvic mass. X-rays show abnormality of the terminal ileum.

Years of research suggest that many patients with Crohn's Disease are allergic to wheat.

Description: A common scalp condition in which dead skin is shed as irritating white flakes. Dandruff frequently accompanies scalp disease and is a primary cause of baldness and general hair loss. It is often brought about by digestive disturbances and depends heavily on the general health of the entire body.

Symptoms: White flakes appear on the hair and fall onto the shoulders and clothes. There may be itching, scaling and redness of the scalp. Dandruff may also occur on other skin surfaces such as the face, chest and back. Yellow crusting may appear.

Description: Almost everyone experiences a sense of 'feeling low' caused by a disturbing event, but when depression persists it is a matter of concern. Major depression is a serious condition where a person is not only in a depressed mood but also has feelings of guilt, hopelessness, loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities including sex, oversleeping or sleeplessness, extreme fatigue, lack of energy, agitation and sometimes irritability and anxiety. Depression can strike at any age, including childhood. Depressed moods can be observed in early middle age as a side effect of medication, hormonal changes (before menstruation or after childbirth), fluctuating blood-sugar levels, smoking, chronic exposure to solvents and heavy metals and vitamin deficiencies. Intestinal overgrowth of yeast (Candida albicans) can also precipitate depression. However, the most common time of onset is old age, sometimes as a reaction to growing older, the death of a spouse or close friend, limitations of movement and impending confrontation with death.

Symptoms: Poor appetite with weight loss or increased appetite with weight gain; insomnia or hypersomnia; physical hyperactivity or inactivity; loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities or decrease in sexual drive; loss of energy or fatigue; feelings of worthlessness, self-reproach or inappropriate guilt; diminished ability to think or concentrate; recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.

Special notes: Nearly one in four people experience some degree of clinical depression or mood disorder in his / her lifetime. Exposure to solvents and heavy metals may produce the psychological symptoms of depression. Disciplined regular exercise cannot be overstated — it improves mood and the ability to handle stress.

We also give psychotherapy when appropriate, when causes of the depression are emotional rather than biochemical, hormonal or nutritional.

Description: There are two major types of diabetes mellitus: Insulin-dependent juvenile diabetes (IDDM — Type I), in which the body is unable to produce insulin, and non-insulin-dependent adult-onset diabetes (NIDDM — Type II), in which the pancreas produces insulin, but insufficient for reducing blood glucose to normal levels.

Symptoms: In Type I, there is excessive thirst, hunger, urination and dehydration, often accompanied by weight loss. Currently, insulin injections are the only known method of control. In Type II, which usually occurs in middle age, symptoms are similar except that there is weight gain.

Description: An abnormal increase in stool liquidity and frequency; may be chronic or acute. Acute diarrhoea can be viral, bacterial or protozoan in origin.

Symptoms: Clients suffer from nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever and diarrhoea. Stools may be watery and mixed with mucus or blood.

Description: Fungal infections are usually of the skin, but sometimes involve other organs too. These infections are due to fungal organisms — simple parasitic life forms including moulds, mildew and yeasts — called mycoses.

Symptoms — mild: Discolouration and swelling of the nail beds, moist, reddened patches over various parts of the body, cheesy and smelly discharge from the vagina.

Symptoms — severe: Infecting and disrupting normal organ function. Liver spots are also fungal infections.

Description: An inherited metabolic disorder occurring especially in men, characterised by a raised but variable uric-acid level, recurrent attacks of arthritis and deposition of uric-acid crystals in the connective tissues and articular cartilage. It may progress to chronic arthritis.

Symptoms: Sudden swelling, inflammation and intense pain in the joints, typically the big toe or ankle; sometimes the knee may be involved. In some cases these symptoms may be associated with alternating chills and fever.

Description: Allergic reaction commonly associated with pollen but includes allergies to dust, cat and dog dander, mould spores, food, medications, insect bites, perfume, etc.

Symptoms: Eczema, watery nasal discharge, sneezing, itchy nose and eyes, and breathing difficulties.

Description: A common health complaint suffered by almost everyone. Careful diagnosis of the cause is important.

Symptoms: Two types: those caused by muscle contraction and those caused by vascular irregularities (the alternation of constriction and expansion of the arteries). Migraine symptoms include lightheadedness, throbbing pain on one side of the head, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, blurred vision, hot and cold flashes and hypersensitivity to light, sound and movement. Migraine pain is most often severe and localised on one side of the head, usually involving the temple and the eye. Warning symptoms may appear a few minutes before the migraine, including blurred vision, muddled thinking, exhaustion, nebulae of lights and numbness or tingling on one side of the body. Cluster headaches involve excruciating pain concentrated around the eye, tears, facial flushing and nasal congestion; sharp intense pain afflicts the sufferer for a few hours and subsides only to return in a few hours. These attacks can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months.

Our range of treatment includes screening for allergies, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, as well as manual therapies and acupuncture when appropriate.

Description: External haemorrhoids occur along the 3 cm anal canal where skin changes to mucous membrane. They can be full of blood clots (thrombotic haemorrhoid — occurs when a haemorrhoidal vessel is ruptured and a clot is formed) or connective tissue (cutaneous haemorrhoid — fibrous connective tissue covered by anal skin), and can be located anywhere on the circumference of the anus. Internal haemorrhoids form above the anorectal line. Occasionally an internal haemorrhoid will enlarge to such a degree that it will prolapse and descend below the anal sphincter.

Symptoms: Itching, burning, pain, inflammation, irritation, swelling, bleeding and seepage in the anorectal region.

Description: An inflammation of the liver associated with damage or death of the liver cells. Hepatitis A occurs sporadically or in epidemics and is transmitted primarily through faecal contamination. Hepatitis B is transmitted through infected blood or blood products; it can also be transmitted through saliva and sexual secretions. The type D virus, Epstein-Barr virus and Cytomegalovirus also cause hepatitis. Hepatitis B, non-A and non-B cases can develop into chronic forms.

Symptoms: In the early stages there is usually loss of appetite, fatigue, weight loss, fever, nausea and vomiting. Extreme fatigue is a key sign. Rashes and pain in the joints may occur. In 3–10 days dark urine may manifest and be followed by the skin turning yellow (jaundice). Jaundice usually takes one to two weeks to build up and then two to four weeks to fade. The liver is usually enlarged and tender to the touch.

Description: The human body accumulates heavy metals in toxic doses (in fat cells, central nervous system, bones, brain, glands and hair) when exposed to high levels, with negative health effects.

Symptoms: Recurrent kidney stones. Symptoms may attack a person's weakest physical link. Symptoms vary depending on the metal, the person's age, extent of exposure, absorption level, bindings and effects. All symptoms may be associated with a metallic taste in the mouth. Lead accumulation leads to poor bone growth and development, learning disabilities, fatigue, poor task performance, irritability, anxiety and high blood pressure. It also leads to weight loss, increased susceptibility to infection, ringing in the ears, decreased cognitive functioning and concentration and spelling skills, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, constipation, muscle and joint pain, tremors, and overall decreased immune function. Cadmium accumulation causes fatigue, irritability, headaches, high blood pressure, benign enlargement of the prostate gland, hair loss, learning disabilities, kidney disorders, liver disorders, skin disorders and painful joints.

Description: A person has hypertension or high blood pressure if the high reading (systolic) is over 140 and the low reading (diastolic) is over 90 when tested on two separate occasions.

Symptoms: May include dizziness, headache, fatigue, restlessness, difficulty in breathing, insomnia, intestinal complaints and emotional instability.

See also: Male Performance

Description: Due to cessation or suspension of the release of ova from the ovaries.

Symptoms: Irregular menstrual cycles.

Special notes: Inability to conceive could be due to numerous factors including psychological, physical and hormonal disturbances. Usually hormonal disturbances lead to irregular ovulation.

Risk factor: Extremes of age in the reproductive age group, stress, extreme underweight (malnutrition), dieting or athletic training.

Diet: To prevent nutritional deficiencies that may cause menstrual irregularities and lead to irregular ovulation, take supplements or eat foods that are rich in zinc (fish, poultry, lean meats) and vitamin B complex (green leafy vegetables, brewer's yeast, wheat germ and other fleshy vegetables).

Description: A common condition in which the colon fails to function properly. Also known as nervous indigestion, spastic colitis, mucus colitis and intestinal neurosis.

Symptoms: A combination of any of the following: abdominal pain and distension, more frequent bowel movements with pain or relief of pain with bowel movements, constipation, diarrhoea, excessive production of mucus in the colon, indigestion, flatulence, nausea or anorexia, varying degrees of hostile feelings, sleep disturbances, anxiety or depression. Common food-allergy symptoms include heart palpitations, hyperventilation, fatigue, excessive sweating and headaches.

Description: Stones occur anywhere in the urinary tract (kidneys, bladder, ureters, urethra) and are called renal or urinary calculi. Occurrences in the salivary duct are called salivary calculi.

Symptoms: Usually symptoms are not apparent until a stone blocks the urinary tract. Possible symptoms are sudden, severe and excruciating back pain which may come and go and often radiates from the back across the abdomen and into the genital area or inner thighs, sometimes associated with nausea, vomiting, abdominal bloating, possible blood in the urine, pain during urination and chills and fever. Stones in the urinary tract can be one of the most painful conditions known to humankind.

See also: Heavy Metal Contamination

Description: The liver is the most important organ connected with metabolism. The health and vitality of the liver to a very large extent determine the health and vitality of an individual.

Symptoms: Fatigue, general malaise, digestive disturbances, allergies and chemical sensitivities, premenstrual syndrome and constipation.

Description: Depigmentation of the skin caused by a liver disorder.

Symptoms: Loss of appetite, fatigue, mild fever, muscle or joint pains, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

Special notes: Usually a viral infection with no itching.

Risk factor: Liver spots due to bacterial infection can be through contaminated food or water. Viral infection can be transmitted through sexual contact, blood transfusions and contaminated intramuscular or intravenous needles. Liver spots can also occur due to liver damage seen in alcohol abuse, hepatotoxic drugs or injection of environmental toxins.

Description: Individual sexual habits can influence a person's state of health, just as the health of the body and the male reproductive system can be a determining factor for sexual habits and drive. There are two kinds of impotence: primary, which is rare and almost always associated with psychopathology; and secondary, which is more common and is related to psychological causes.

Symptoms: Impotence is the inability to sustain a satisfactory erection to perform intercourse and ejaculation.

Description: During menopause, the hormonal output alternately stops and starts instead of reducing gradually.

Symptoms: Hot flushes, mood changes, vaginal atrophy, heart palpitations, anxiety and depression.

Special notes: The general readjustment of the body's endocrine balance leads to symptoms of menopause. The symptoms are caused by oestrogen dominance in the body as progesterone production declines in the years leading up to this change. The hormonal changes also disrupt the delicate acid / alkaline balance of the vagina, which can lead to increased susceptibility to yeast and bacterial infections. Walking half an hour at the same time each day stimulates the body's energies and establishes a calming regularity in life.

Description: Wounds that do not heal within one week.

Symptoms: Itching, persistent pus discharge, pain and local swelling.

Special notes: Leave the wound open as far as possible. Check for diabetes.

Description: An abnormally high proportion of body fat, as opposed to overweight, which is weight over the ideal for an age group.

Symptoms: Gross obesity produces mechanical and physical stresses that aggravate or cause a number of disorders including osteoarthritis (especially of the hips) and sciatica, varicose veins, thromboembolism, hernias, cholelithiasis, diabetes and other metabolic disorders.

Description: Porous bones resulting from lack of both minerals and calcium. The bones are usually weak in the spine, hips and ribs. Pain, deformity or fracture is prevalent.

Symptoms: Usually without symptoms, until severe backache, decrease in height and spontaneous fractures of the hip, wrist and vertebrae may occur.

Special notes: Physical exercise is vital in maintaining and restoring optimum bone density. Duration of the exercise is more important than the intensity. Walking is a very good exercise to prevent osteoporosis. A 45-minute to one-hour walk, three to five times a week, is the minimum for this programme.

Description: Chronic pain is pain that interferes with one's daily pursuits and the enjoyment of life. A nagging pain problem that has lasted longer than 6 months may be termed chronic pain.

Symptoms: Pain that lingers long after an injured area has healed, recurring migraines, headaches, arthritis, recurring back pain and other neurological disorders that cause pain.

See also: Back Pain

Description: Pain in the calf muscle mostly during the night.

Symptoms: Muscle pain and stiffness in the legs, sleep disturbances and chronic fatigue.

Special notes: Check for potassium deficiency; if a deficiency is confirmed, consume bananas and coconut water.

Description: Chronic gastrointestinal complaints — such as bloating, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, flatulence, chronic constipation, multiple allergies (especially of food) and patients with unexplained fatigue — should be screened for intestinal parasites.

Symptoms: Infection is usually evident within three to five days of exposure — explosive and watery diarrhoea. Other symptoms may include intermittent diarrhoea and constipation, indigestion, rashes, hives, gas, fatigue and allergic reactions to food. If left untreated, rheumatoid and arthritic symptoms may emerge. Mucus in the stool, anorexia, cramping, constipation, nausea, vomiting, night sweats and fever may also occur.

Special notes: Most individuals with parasitic infections do not even know it, often going several years without detection. Major health problems can be caused by even a mild parasitic infection. Nearly half the people diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome had intestinal parasites. Chronic fatigue syndrome has been linked to parasite infection.

Description: A slow, progressive disorder of the central nervous system.

Symptoms: Slowness of movement, muscular rigidity, resting tremor (trembling at rest or on movement) and postural instability (shuffling, unbalanced gait, which progresses into uncontrollable tiny, running steps to keep from falling).

Special notes: If untreated, the disease progresses over fifteen years to severe incapacitation. The cause is unknown. However, an imbalance of two brain chemicals seems involved: dopamine and acetylcholine.

Description: One of the most common hormone-related conditions of otherwise healthy women. It may occur 7–14 days before menses or through 2–3 days of menstruation.

Symptoms: Mood swings, mild-to-severe personality change, acne, decreased energy, tension, altered sex drive, breast pain, backache, oedema of fingers and ankles, headaches, abdominal bloating, depression, sugar craving, cramps, irritability and weight gain.

Diet: Limit consumption of sugar, honey, salt, alcohol, tobacco, caffeine-containing foods, white flour, maple syrup, dried fruit and fruit juice, milk and dairy products, and fats. Increase protein intake from vegetable sources such as legumes, vegetable oils, green leafy vegetables (except cabbage and cauliflower), red meat and fowl; fish is better. Avoid spicy foods, greasy foods, artificial ingredients, chocolate, sour and sweet foods, and cheese. Drink plenty of warm to hot water.

Description: A skin reaction that is usually temporary.

Symptoms: Most often consists of eruptions, a group of spots, or areas of redness and inflammation.

Diet: Assess and treat food allergies. Drink plenty of filtered water. Avoid citrus, berries, peanuts, shellfish, and dairy products. Sudden reactions are possible to familiar products or foods. Eat plenty of green leafy vegetables and yellow vegetables — carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes. Eat a wide variety of food.

Description: Radiating pain from the back, either into the buttock and / or the lower extremity (leg), usually on the back (posterior) and outward (lateral) side. It represents pain referred somewhere along the path of the sciatic nerve (from the buttock, down the leg, into the foot — the most commonly affected areas are the buttock and thighs).

Symptoms: Discomfort, pain, burning, tingling, stabbing, aching anywhere along the path of the sciatic nerve. In severe cases, the pain may be associated with weakness.

Description: 'Sluggish liver' probably reflects minimal impairment of liver function. One of the leading contributors to impaired liver function is diminished bile flow, or cholestasis.

Symptoms: Fatigue, general malaise, digestive disturbances, allergies and chemical sensitivities, PMS and constipation.

Diet: Rich in dietary fibre and plant foods, low in refined sugar and fat, and foods free from pesticides and pollutants as far as possible. Alcohol consumption is not advised.

Description: An inflammatory disorder of unknown cause that primarily affects the axial skeleton, peripheral joints and extra-articular structures. Affects youths, usually in their twenties or thirties.

Symptoms: Usually dull pain, insidious during onset and felt deep in the lower lumbar or gluteal region accompanied by lower-back morning stiffness. Sometimes chest pain may occur due to involvement of the thoracic spine.

Diet: Avoid meat, eggs, dairy products, potatoes, tomatoes and bell peppers (capsicum). Consume foods rich in vitamins A, C, B6, E, etc.

Description: A sudden neurological abnormality related to cerebral blood supply, commonly due to clot formation, arterial narrowing, haemorrhage or blockage of an artery due to an embolus.

Symptoms: Sudden loss of vision, speech and comprehension with impaired strength, coordination of movement, numbness, loss of movements of one or both limbs on one side.

Special notes: Hypoglycemic and diabetic patients may suffer from the above symptoms due to metabolic disorders.

Risk factor: Hypertensive patients and chronic smokers are at risk of developing this cerebrovascular disease.

Diet: Proper diet contributes to stroke prevention. Take diets rich in vitamins, minerals and foods rich in potassium, magnesium and vitamin E (fish and fish oils).

Description: Physical or psychological dependence which negatively impacts a person's life.

Symptoms: Craving for sugar.

Special notes: Addictive substances become a 'necessary' ingredient of body chemistry, so that withdrawal occurs when the substance is withheld. An addictive personality may lack the natural stimulants (catecholamines) and relaxants (endorphins).

Description: Dilated, lengthened and tortuous veins seen mainly in the legs, though spermatic, oesophageal and haemorrhoidal veins may be affected, due to lack or incompetence of valves within the veins.

Symptoms: Swelling of one or both feet increases while walking.

Risk factor: Common among people who work for long hours standing in one place.

Diet: Meals and snacks should consist primarily of vegetables, fruit, nuts and whole grains. Avoid refined foods and meat as far as possible.

Description: Obesity is an abnormally high proportion of body fat, as opposed to overweight, which is weight over the ideal for an age group.

Symptoms: Gross obesity produces mechanical and physical stresses that aggravate or cause a number of disorders including osteoarthritis (especially of the hips) and sciatica, varicose veins, thromboembolism, hernias, cholelithiasis, diabetes and other metabolic disorders.

Ten years of research has allowed us to discover that there are five major reasons for weight gain: fungus infections, food allergies, Syndrome X, heavy metal poisoning and nutrient deficiencies.