Health Blog

IT CAN be very embarrassing when you have to shake someone’s hand when that hand shows a fungal condition. This usually displays itself in the palm of the hand, where the skin feels hard and is of a reddish, cracked texture. Fungal conditions can be persistent and difficult to treat. They often start on the hands, or sometimes on the feet, as in the case of athlete’s foot, or on some remote areas of the skin. They can be recognised by skin eruptions, inflammation, and cracked skin.

Not so long ago I had a patient with a fungal condition on the hands, and whatever I recommended, no progress was made. I mentioned this case to my old teacher, Dr Alfred Vogel. He told me that at one time he had visited the Javaras, an Indian tribe, where he had noticed many incidences of skin fungi, and went on to tell me how they treated their people: there, in the wild, originated today’s remedy, Spilanthes.

Spilanthes Oleracea or Paracress is a fresh herbal preparation to be used externally in cases of fungal conditions and infections. For a fungus within the mouth, this is also a wonderful remedy. In such instances, Spilanthes can be used as a mouth rinse for the inflammation of the mucous membranes, when it is recommended that at least 40 or 50 drops are used. For skin fungal conditions, including those under the finger- and toenails, it is advisable to dab Spilanthes on the affected areas two or three times a day.

Usually when I treat a patient for a fungus, I recommend the use of Petasan and Molkosan, both remedies from the Bioforce range. Molkosan is produced from fresh Alp whey, by a natural fermentation process. It contains all the important minerals found in fresh whey, such as magnesium, potassium and calcium in a concentrated form. Molkosan is also rich in natural dextrorotatory lactic acid, which in health-oriented nutrition, as well as natural healing methods, has a specific significance. Molkosan can also be used in the preparation of salad dressings, but for therapeutic purposes I recommend that twice a day, half a teaspoonful is drunk diluted in half a glass of water. This is beneficial for a healthy intestinal flora, and for any external skin condition, even for minor cuts and abrasions, but also for a persistent condition like athlete’s foot. This condition can be very difficult to treat, but even here Molkosan has proved helpful.

Athlete’s foot is probably the most commonly known fungus disease and can be very widespread. The skin frequently becomes raw and eroded, with a burning and itching feeling, and, as a result of touching, it can affect the hands too. Readers who have first-hand experience of this skin disease are bound to agree that it is a difficult condition to treat. However, Spilanthes and Molkosan for external treatment, and Petasan for internal use, will be of great help.

Ringworm, or Tinea Favosa, also called ‘honeycomb’ or Porrigo Scutula, affects mainly the scalp, the nails, and a few other parts of the skin. It generally starts with some scaling and crusting and is likely to leave some scar damage. This condition also requires immediate attention and, again, I mostly recommend the use of Echinaforce and Urticalcin, as these remedies will help to get the condition quickly under control. If the scaly patches are itchy, dab the areas with Molkosan. This is also helpful for barber’s itch (or ringworm of the beard). Sometimes this condition starts very gradually, but once it has had a chance to establish itself, the inflammatory process can spread rapidly over the area covered by a beard. It can be a source of great embarrassment when the hairs become dry and brittle, break off, and nasty scaly patches become visible.

With any of the aforementioned conditions it makes good sense to provide some extra help for the immune system. Immunity is very important at the best of times, as an effective immune system provides the most effective defence against any foreign agents, which may attack the body in a variety of ways. Although the immune system is complex and capable of exerting multiple effects, the condition of the immune system does depend largely on how well it is looked after. Despite ample research into this aspect of our health, many questions still remain unanswered. Nevertheless, it is safe to say that the best way to build up and strengthen the immune system is the natural way. A balanced natural diet and the use of supplementary vitamins, minerals and trace elements will always help us to better withstand infections, fungi, viruses or parasites. If we could be sure that our diet was well balanced, we would not need to take supplements. However, doctors and nutritionists are in agreement that it is rare that all the basic requirements are provided in our diet.

In an excellent article in The Times of 6 April 1992, I read that the US Government has adopted 1990 dietary guidelines, urging an ambitious, varied meal plan: three to five servings daily of vegetables, two to four of fruit, as well as six to eleven containing bread, rice, pasta or grains. Despite all this dietary help, people still need supplementary vitamins, minerals and trace elements, largely because, due to modern agricultural methods, our food may not meet the nutritional requirements our modern lifestyle demands of the body. Fortunately the same article continued to state that, thanks to new research, ever more scientists now believe that traditional medical views on vitamins and minerals have been too limited. While researchers may not endorse the expansive claims of the hard-core vitamin enthusiasts, evidence suggests that nutrients play a much more complex role in assuring vitality and optimum health than was previously thought. Vitamins, often in doses much higher than those usually recommended, may protect us from a host of ills, ranging from birth defects and cataracts, to heart disease and cancer. Even more provocative are glimmerings that vitamins can stave off the normal ravages of ageing. It is revealing that this article put the emphasis on the use of vitamins. Certainly, to help the immune system, a healthy well-balanced diet is necessary, as well as, in many cases, the use of extra vitamins.

The same article also stated that food contains a myriad of obscure nutrients, such as phenols, flafones and luteins. This is something scientists cannot yet fully understand, much less put into a safe and effective pill form, and undoubtedly many more nutrients have not even been identified yet. Even if a full-service nutrient pill were formulated, it would probably not be able to satisfy some basic home desires, like hunger and the joy of savouring food. It is quite heartening to think that the time has arrived when we are ready to admit that an inadequate food pattern may demonstrate itself in skin disorders, indicating that internally something is deficient.

In the past, when the word immunity was used, it usually referred to the phenomena wherein, having been infected with a disease, it was unlikely that the same condition would recur. However, in recent years social problems, caused by specific infections, have become the topic of widespread discussion and speculation. Since then, immunity in general has become associated with the body’s defence mechanism, and not only for infectious diseases. As a result the importance attached to immunity has allowed a widening of the prophylaxis of therapy for many disorders. How an organism is maintained in a certain state depends on various mechanisms for its protection. Even external enemies will threaten life in an immunological mechanism. Immunological cells may be reduced both quantatively and qualitatively due to many factors, and we live in times when the immunological ability must be constantly reinforced. In this matter we can have considerable influence, if we are so inclined.

We can start by accepting the need and responsibility for a balanced and nutritional diet. We can decide to follow a sensible exercising programme. We can also judge if the level of stress we personally experience is acceptable or not. If the latter is the case, we can seek advice on how to deal with, or reduce it. Rest assured that by taking positive action the immune system will be reinforced. Moreover, preparations are available that have been devised for the specific purpose of strengthening the immune system, such as Imunoforce from the Bioforce range and Imuno-Strength, which I have formulated myself for Nature’s Best. Imuno-Strength is able to deal with viruses, bacteria and toxins, before they become established. Today’s world is full of challenges to our defence mechanisms. Some of these are under our control – such as the food we eat, the stresses and strains of work – others are not. These include environmental pollution by potentially toxic chemicals. In these circumstances it makes sense to help protect the integrity of our immune system by safeguarding our nutrition. Nature’s Best has been able to go one better with a special formula. As well as carefully selected amounts of vitamins and minerals known to be needed for proper functioning of the immune system, Imuno-Strength contains the herbs Devil’s Claw and Echinacea.

*29\147\2*