HEALTH HUB Latest Articles
COVID raises the risk of autoimmune disease
Covid raises the risk of autoimmune disease By naturopath Margaret Jasinska COVID infection increases the risk of developing an autoimmune disease in genetically susceptible people. Research conducted in South Korea looked at 354,527 people diagnosed with COVID-19 via a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test from October 8, 2020 to December 31, 2021. The researchers compared the COVID-19 group to 6,134,940 healthy people who didn’t get COVID-19 to assess the risk for autoimmune and autoinflammatory connective tissue diseases. They found the risk of alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)–associated vasculitis, Crohn's disease, and sarcoidosis were higher in [...]
How to stop nighttime snacking
How to stop nighttime snacking By naturopath Margaret Jasinska If you are trying to lose weight, excessive snacking needs to be avoided. Most people already know that and have good plans each morning to stay on track with their eating. By evening time, those good intentions may be forgotten and you end up eating something that sabotages your weight loss efforts. Eating when not hungry can lead to the consumption of too many calories, inhibiting weight loss in those who are trying to lose weight. Also, eating too much too late in the evening can disrupt the hormones [...]
5 Simple Ways to Reduce Inflammation
5 Simple Ways to Reduce Inflammation By Jessah Shaw, Adv Dip (Nut Med) Inflammation refers to your body’s physiological response from the immune system to facilitate healing of an injury or any sort of attack upon your tissues. Physically, inflammation is felt as swelling, redness, heat and pain. Inflammation can be caused by an excess amount of free radicals or oxidation in our cells, and becomes more common as we get older and our immune system becomes more susceptible to inflammation. Chronic inflammation or unresolved inflammation is the real concern that can cause tissue destruction, leading to degenerative [...]
Natural remedies for heavy menstrual bleeding
Natural remedies for heavy menstrual bleeding By naturopath Margaret Jasinska Heavy menstrual bleeding is known as menorrhagia. There are a number of underlying conditions which may cause menorrhagia including fibroids, endometriosis, pelvic infection, under active thyroid, blood clotting disorders, insulin resistance and oestrogen dominance. These should be investigated by your doctor. How heavy is too heavy? In a normal menstrual period you should not lose more than 80mL of blood over all the days you bleed. That’s around 5 and a half tablespoons. It doesn’t seem like much. Heavy menstrual bleeding can occur at any time in a [...]
Magnesium can help keep your brain younger
Magnesium can help keep your brain younger By naturopath Margaret Jasinska Having more magnesium in your diet can lead to better brain health as you age. With age it is normal to experience some brain shrinkage. Getting enough magnesium in your diet can help to minimise this. A study conducted at the Australian National University in Canberra found that increased magnesium intake may help protect individuals from age related brain decline. The benefits are particularly striking in women. Scientists looked at data from more than 6,000 individuals aged between 40 and 73 years, tracking their dietary magnesium intake [...]
Having a fatty liver means you have double the risk of dying
Having a fatty liver means you have double the risk of dying By naturopath Margaret Jasinska A recent study showed that people with a fatty liver have almost twice the mortality rate of the general population. They are more likely to die from both liver diseases and common diseases like cancer and heart disease. The study was done at Karolinska Institutet Sweden and published in The Journal of Hepatology. Around the world approximately one in four people have a fatty liver. It causes an excessive accumulation of fat in the liver, which can lead to liver cirrhosis or [...]
Depression can be caused by a thyroid problem
Depression can be caused by a thyroid problem By naturopath Margaret Jasinska Depression is an increasingly common health problem that is thought to affect one in five Australians. Women experience depression around twice as often as men. This is thought to be due to the effects of female hormones. There are a number of hormonal factors that predispose women to depression, including menstrual cycle changes, pregnancy and the postpartum period, as well as menopause. Sometimes an undiagnosed thyroid condition can cause depression. According to the Thyroid Society, approximately ten to 15 percent of people with depression have an [...]
Sleep apnoea worsens fatty liver disease
Sleep apnoea worsens fatty liver disease By naturopath Margaret Jasinska Recent research has shown that obstructive sleep apnoea and low night time oxygen can lead to the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in adults as well as children. Sleep apnoea can cause a mild fatty liver to progress to a more severe form of the condition more rapidly. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) describes the accumulation of fat in liver cells in people who drink little or no alcohol. It’s the fastest growing liver disease worldwide in adults and children. It is thought to affect up [...]
4 Ways to Raise Glutathione and improve your health
4 Ways to Raise Glutathione and improve your health By naturopath Margaret Jasinska You may have heard of a substance called glutathione. It is an extremely powerful antioxidant and in fact has been called “the mother of all antioxidants”. The good news is glutathione is produced in your own body; the bad news is many people don’t produce enough of it. Glutathione is a very hard working molecule. It helps to mop up free radicals produced from exposure to air pollution, toxic chemicals, heavy metals and processed foods, as well as free radicals generated as a result of [...]
Sunshine Helps Reduce The Risk Of Breast Cancer
Sunshine Helps Reduce The Risk Of Breast Cancer By naturopath Margaret Jasinska A large body of medical research has shown that women who get more sunshine have a reduced risk of breast cancer. Getting one hour of sunshine per day during the summer months when the sun is high in the sky had a significant protective effect. Getting the sun exposure during adolescence was most beneficial for reduced lifetime risk of breast cancer. This finding comes from a systematic review and metanalysis of studies and was published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. Spending time in the sunshine [...]