Hi Maria, I am Mohit.
I have pain in cheeks from past 2 years and my mouth gets filled with mucous every now and then that originates from the back of my nose. I have been suffering from sinusitis but the cheek pain is unexplainable as sinus does not cause such severe pain. My CT scan report suggests bilateral “ethmoid and left maxillary chronic sinusitis with deviated nasal spectrum”. I have taken treatment from best of the ENT specialists but found no relief. Medicines don’t show any effect.On the contrary they have brought a lot of anxiety and my memory is getting weak. Kindly suggest if there is any way to get rid of this constant pain (Is there any surgical option).
Mohit

Dear Mohit,
Thank you for your enquiry.Firstly, lets talk about sinus; sinusitis is the most debilitating disease of them all.   It comes in several forms and in varying degrees of severity.  From a practitioner’s point of view, if a patient sits and continually swallows while talking to you, they need sinus herbs no matter what they have presented with.

Symptoms of sinus include a dull thick headache, that hurts over the forehead and an aching face, which can be in the cheeks, as you mentioned, the symptoms can be worse when the weather changes.

The patient with sinusitis had a head full of mucus.  They don’t smell things very well, often smell only bad smells, and frequently can’t taste their food very well either.  Many periods of the sinus sufferer’s life are spent with a nasal drip, and when they lie down at night it is much, much worse.  They sleep with their mouths open and wake with dry mouths, sore throats, and usually rise unrefreshed.

With their constantly blocked noses, permanent nasal drips and by swallowing rubbish all night (often all day too), any food that goes into their sour and mucousy stomachs is not going to be digested very well.    “The stomach is the throne of the body, good health begins with good digestion and food that is poorly digested can cause allergies”

Treating the allergy is a waste of time because it is only a symptom.  The constant suppression of allergies just hastens the patient into a totally chronic state, a point from which there is no return, only polyps, operations and more polyps, or a degree of misery that some people learn to live with.

While allergy sufferers need sinus herbs, they also need some herbs to improve the digestion of the food they eat.  On top of this they need a good herbal and/or homeopathic remedy to relieve, not suppress, the allergic symptoms.

The reason herbalism is called holistic medicine is because it treats the whole body, not just the symptom or the ailing organ.

The “sinus attack” as opposed to the condition of sinusitis, is only the acute reaction to a very purulent, mucousy, dirty, infected state in the body.  To relieve one symptom, the acute attack, but suppress the “whole body”  is foolish.  We need to help the body fight its own battle, deal with its own disease, and there are many herbs we use in our treatment of sinusitis.
The Initial Order Pack would be a good place to start, along with a cleansing diet with lots of pure water, fresh vegetables and fruit juices, fresh food and a small amount of protein.  Avoid dairy and gluten for at least 3 months and slowly introduce as you start to feel better.

Secondly, you might like to try sacral cranial therapy or acupuncture for help with pain relief while your body is healing.

Hope this is of some help,
Best wishes, Maria

Echinacea Purpurea is one of the most exciting therapeutic herbs available today, it is a unique herb related to the sunflower plant family. Echinacea has been widely used by Native Americans for hundreds of years as an antiseptic, an analgesic and for the treatment of snakebites.

Recently Echinacea has gained world-wide recognition as a natural alternative to antibiotics. There is a concern that antibiotics are failing because of over-use and the resultant increase of drug-resistant bacteria. Echinacea helps to increase immune function, reduce the effects of colds and flu’s, fight off viral, bacterial and fungal infections, purify the blood and flush waste from the lymphatic system.

There are more than 300 separate studies that have confirmed echinacea’s major physiological effects. Researchers have found that echinacea’s immune- stimulating properties are due to a rich host of polysaccharides and phytosterols unique to this plant which help to activate macrophages, key immune system elements that are directly involved in the destruction of bacteria, viruses, other infectious agents and cancer cells. Macrophages produce much of their lethal effect by generating free oxygen radicals as well as producing a key protein called interleukin-1.

Echinacea is one of the primary remedies for helping the body rid itself of microbial infections. It is often effective against both bacterial and viral attacks, and may be used in conditions such as boils, septicaemia and similar infections. In conjunction with other herbs it may be used for any infection anywhere in the body. For example in combination with yarrow it will effectively stop cystitis. It is especially useful for infections of the upper respiratory tract such as laryngitis, tonsillitis and for catarrhal conditions of the nose and sinus. In general it may be used widely and safely.

Onto my second week now and I wake up and can blow my nose and clear my head which is just lovely. Then through the day it all comes back again and I struggle to get through the day. Am I expecting too much too early.
regards
Sue

Hi Sue,
That is great news, give it at least another week for even more improvement. Depending on how long you have been suffering from Sinus, will also determine how long it takes to reduce your symptoms.
Best wishes
Maria

Children these days lead very busy lives, with school, homework, extra sporting activities and busy social calendars.

Just like adults children too can get ‘rundown’ with the busy pace of modern life.  We all know our children need good sleep and good food for great health, and the use of herbs and supplements can also assist.

Herbs have a long tradition of use and many are good for boosting chidren’s immune system.  Herbal medicines can be given in tincture or in herbal tea form.  Good quality raw honey can be added to teas to improve the flavour.

Some herbs and supplements to consider are:

Garlic is helpful against bacterial, viral and fungal infections and can be added to whatever you are cooking for dinner.

Eyebright is an excellent remedy for problems of the mucous membranes - it is wonderful for reducing mucous congestion in the nose, throat or sinuses.  Made into a tea and wiped over eyes, it can assist in treating itchy, red or weeping eyes and conjunctivitis.

Echinacea is a popular and well known immune boosting herb.  It is useful in upper respiratory tract infections and is best used at the onset of a cold or flu.

Astragalus is good for building immune resilience, especially in children prone to repeated infections and to assist build children’s health when recovering from a recent infection.

Rose Hips provide one of the best natural and freely available sources of Vitamin C.  They will help the body’s defences against infections and especially the development of colds.

Vitamin C is good for boosting the immune system, is anit-viral and can also improve recovery.

Cod liver Oil is a natural immune booster.  It is high in vitamins A and D.  Vitamin A aids in mucus membranes and upper respiratory infections, and builds the immune system.

Water intake is also very important as children can become easily dehydrated.

The Western diet may be very low in magnesium due to the over-consumption of processed foods, meats and dairy products.  It is not widely known that magnesium is an essential mineral for the human body.  Magnesium is necessary for maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system, essential for bone formation, muscle relaxation, blood clotting and the production of energy.

Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency:

• Muscle spasms and cramps
• Muscle weakness
• Fatigue and lethargy

If you have any of the above symptoms it may be worth supplementing with a good brand of magnesium to help maintain normal muscle and nerve function.  Magnesium may also keep bones strong, as magnesium is necessary to maintain density.  Magnesium supplementation is also helpful for the symptomatic relief of premenstrual syndrome, as it may help reduce mild premenstrual fluid retention.

The best dietary sources of magnesium are tofu, legumes, seeds, nuts, wholegrains, and green leafy vegetables.  Fish, meat, milk, and most commonly eaten fruit are low in magnesium.

People with kidney disease or severe heart disease should not take magnesium or potassium unless under the direct advice of a physician.

Magnesium supplementation can sometimes cause a looser stool, particularly if taken in the forms of magnesium sulfate  (Epsom salts), hydroxide, or chloride.

Just wondering if one can take the sinus tonic etc while taking blood pressure tablets? Also is there another way to pay other than paypal?
Denise

Dear Denise,
It would be best to check with your GP before taking the tonic, although there are no contraindications.  I can send you a brochure if you wish. You can also pay by EFT or call our office and use your credit card.  You may also wish to pay by cheque.
Thanks and best wishes,
Maria

Hello
My friend has ordered some of your products for his Sinus but I was wondering if any of your products would be helpful for Asthma??
If not any suggestions?
Thank you……..Marrianne

Dear Marrianne,
Thank you for your enquiry.  Sinus tonic may be beneficial for your asthma depending on your symptoms.  Do you suffer from mucus dripping down the back of your throat?  Sore throat on swallowing. Sleep with a stuffed-up nose.  Sleep with your mouth open and have a constant dry, irritating cough.  If so, sinus tonic may help you.

Robyn Kirby recommends the following formula for asthma:
Dandelion
Echinacea
Grindelia
Hyssop
Liquorice
Lobelia
Thyme
Eliminating any possible allergens from your diet, home and clothes will help reduce attacks eg wheat, dairy, chemicals and additives in foods, perfumed soap powder etc.
If I can be of further assistance, please feel free to call.
Best wishes,
Maria

Hi, I have been suffering for several years from symptoms of an almost constant feeling of needing to cough and hack up mucus. Sometimes it gets to the point where I may gag and have even thrown up. I have never seen a doctor for this. Some people I know think that I have been hacking for so long that my body is conditioned to this. My girlfriend says just swallow it, but it rarely feels like it goes all the way down. Any advice and ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Mark

Dear Mark,

Have you checked to see if you have any food allergies, eg Dairy or Wheat.  Many of our food allergies happen because we don’t produce sufficient hydrochloric acid in the stomach.  The stomach role is to break food down into its smallest parts so the nutrients can be absorbed into the body via the small intestine.  Gentian or Swedish Bitters taken 3 times daily before meals will help produce hydrochloric acid, it would also help if you took digestive enzymes.

First step, eliminate wheat and dairy and take suggested herbs for 2 weeks I am sure you will see some improvement.  Any further questions, please do not hesitate to call.

Kind regards,
Maria

Hot Stone Massage Therapy dates back to over 3000 years ago.  Hot Stone Massage therapy is also known as Hot Rock Massage Therapy and was used in ancient India and China, and more recently North American Indians.

Hot Stone massage therapy combines the benefits of hydrotherapy and thermalism with the strokes of massage using Stones to create a deep, relaxing and healing treatment.  The heat of the massage stones warms the skin, which allows for the absorption of moisturizing and therapeutic oils, while simultaneously preparing the musculature of the body so the massage therapist can work into the deeper muscle layers.

The traditions and healing rituals in which the hot massage stones were used included laying the hot massage stones in patterns on the body, carrying or wearing stones for health and protection, using hot massage stones in the diagnosis and treatment of disease or during ceremonies such as sweat lodges or in medicine wheels.

Some native healers used hot massage stones to ease the discomforts experienced during menstruation, or applied cold massage stones to impede blood flow after giving birth.  The Roman Empire was noted for their creation of the Roman baths.

Many of these rituals still exist today in the form of hydrotherapy practices and the use of saunas, hot immersion baths, and marble stone/cold pools.  More recently, it is thriving today in many healing centres and spas throughout North America, Europe, and is catching on fast in other parts of the world.

Benefits of Hot stone massage are increased local circulation, improved blood flow to surrounding tissues, and greater ability to transport toxins and waste products from the area.

Spoil yourself!

Hi Can you help me with a product that will help my condition my symptoms are : constantly runny or stuffy nose i always have to carry tissues with me, mucus running down the back of my throat causing me to swallow it.
Lauren

Dear Lauren,
Thanks for your enquiry.  Our Sinus tonic, Gentian and Kali Bic starter pack would benefit you greatly.  It has been created to relieve the symptoms you are experiencing.  If you would like further information, please feel free to call.
Best wishes,
Maria