feelgood 24-02-2012

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Let the sunshine inExperts make the case for supplementing our dietwith vitamin D to protect against serious illness: 8, 9

BLIND DATEFind out what happened whenJayne met Mícheál: 4, 5

SWEET NOTHINGSTen ways to cut sugar fromyour diet during Lent: 12

BREAST AWARETwo mums on why they are joiningthe Pink Ribbon Walk: 11

FeelgoodFriday, February 24, 2012

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012

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Feelgood

HEALTH NOTES

Kate O’Reilly

WHAT’S ON

www.irishexaminer.com www.irishexaminer.comFeelgoodMag FeelgoodMag www.irishexaminer.com [email protected] Editorial: 021 4802 292 Advertising: 021 4802 265

News front

SPORTING ATTITUDE: Golfer PadraigHarrington supports Lollipop Day, whichraises awareness of Ireland’s highoesophageal cancer rates.

Last year, the Flora pro.activ Cholesterol Road-show carried out 1,500 free cholesterol checksin towns throughout Ireland. This year’s road-show will be at SuperValu stores this afternoonin Fermoy, Bandon and Clonakilty. Tomorrow’svenues are Midleton, Cobh, Carrigaline andMerchant’s Quay, Cork. A full schedule of test-ing dates and venues is available at www.flo-raproactivroadshow.ie.

A series of free public lectures on health top-ics continues this month at the Royal Collegeof Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), 123, StStephen’s Green, Dublin 2, on Wednesday,Feb 29, at 7pm. Professor Susan Smith, de-partment of general practice, RCSI, will ex-plore chronic disease — what happens whenthey come in multiples? Professor RonanConroy, division of population health sci-ences, RCSI, will discuss ‘doctor, what am Igoing to die of? — the risky business ofgauging risk.’The RCSI MiniMed open lecture series is

free of charge; registration is essential toguarantee a place. See www.rcsi.ie/minimed.

Ireland has one of the highest rates of oe-sophageal cancer in Europe, among men andwomen, with approximately 450 new cases di-agnosed each year.Lollipop Day, which runs today and tomor-

row, is the main fundraising event for the Oe-sophageal Cancer Fund and involves thou-

sands of volunteers. For more information, see:www.lollipopday.ie.

A daily oral care routine is more important toIrish adults than a healthy diet, according to

new research on oral care. Three in fouradults surveyed believe that having a dailyoral care routine is important, compared totwo in three adults who cited a healthy dietand 60% who mentioned daily exercise.When asked about their typical oral care

routine, nine in ten (96%) adults said theybrush their teeth at least once a day. How-ever, just three in ten (31%) adults floss dai-ly and two in ten chew sugar-free gum.The survey was carried out on behalf ofWrigley’s Extra sugar-free gum.

The second annual Connemara duathlon willbe held in An Cheathrú Rua this Saturdayand will feature one of the most scenic runson the duathlon circuit.The race will start in the centre of An

Cheathrú Rua with a 3.5km race, followed bya 20km cycle, and finished off with a repeatof the first run.Race entry will cost €20 and participants

can enter online at triathlonireland.com. Allother information regarding the race can befound at trisport.ie.

We don’t get much for free these days, butUdo’s Choice Delicious Recipes For All theFamily is just that. A collection of 21recipes from Irish users of the oil, the bookis available free of charge with every pur-chase of Udo’s Oil 500ml from pharmaciesand health food stores nationwide.

■ SING-A-LONG: To celebrate Lol-lipop Day today join Dublin GospelChoir and Ireland AM’s Sinead Desmondfor a lunchtime sing-a-long outsideArnotts in Henry St, Dublin 1 fromnoon to 2pm. The event raises funds forthe Oesophageal Cancer Fund (OCF).If you would like to volunteer call

01-2897457, or log onto www.lollipop-day.ie to donate and to get more infor-mation on oesophageal cancer.

■ FREE PILATES: There will be a freelunchtime pilates class from 1.10 to1.50pm on Thursday March 1, inRiverview Clinic, John Street. To book,call Jaconel on 085-1613 505; www.pi-latespeoplecork.com.

■ STROKE SUPPORT: Cork CityStroke Support Group meets on the lastWednesday of every month. The aim ofthe group is to facilitate sharing of expe-riences and information in a supportiveenvironment with opportunities for ac-tivity, outings and fun. The group’s nextmeeting will be on Wednesday Feb 29from 2pm to 4pm in the Activity Centre,St Finbarr’s Hospital, Cork. This meetingwill include information on Rehabilita-tion & Neurotech Muscle Stimulation.Irish Heart Foundation on 021-4505822for more information.

■ DYSLEXIA MEETING: The Corkbranch of the Dyslexia Association of Ire-land (DAI) is holding an informationmeeting on exam accommodations forJunior and Leaving Cert students withdyslexia, on Monday next, February 27in Bishopstown Community School at7.45pm. Educational Psychologist EithneUi Chonaill is the guest speaker. Admis-sion is €10. Contact 087-9831837.

■ OPEN DAY: Mallow’s state-of-the-artPrimary Healthcare Centre (MPHC) wasnamed Ireland’s Best Healthcare Buildingat the Local Authority Members Awards(LAMA) earlier this month. To celebratethey are holding an open day onWednesday next, Feb 29 from 2pm to6pm to showcase how the building worksand provide details about services. Thecentre is home to three GP practices,HSE primary care services, South Docand North Cork Community MentalHealth. MPHC also includes The 4thPractice, which provides additional medi-cal services such as psychology, nutrition,physiotherapy and specialist clinics.www.mphc.ie or 022-52900.

■ NIGHT AT THE DOGS: The DownSyndrome Ireland Night at the Dogsfundraiser will take place in 10 grey-hound stadia across the country tomor-row night. Family tickets cost €20 (twoadults and up to four children) and indi-vidual tickets are €10. The event willtake place in the following venues: Shel-bourne Park Dublin, Dundalk, Galway,Limerick, Lifford, Mullingar, Newbridge,Thurles, Tralee and Waterford; doorsopen 6.30pm. Tickets must be bought inadvance from Down Syndrome Irelandon 1890-37 37 37, online at www.down-syndrome.ie or directly from localbranches.

● Items for inclusion in this columncan be sent to [email protected]

A new resource pack will help teachers to combat the growingproblem of eating disorders, says Arlene Harris

Be body wiseGOOD LESSON:Promoting theBodywhys positiveimage campaignwere (l-r): DavidBennett, StephenByrne, Roxan Frimand Aisling Keaney,CastleknockCommunity College.Picture: Conor McCabePhotography.

T EENAGE angst is part and parcelof growing up — what to wear,who fancies who and how to fit in

an active social life while doing enoughstudy to appease parents and teachers. Theseare just some of the worries affecting themodern teenager but an increasing numberare also getting stressed about body image.Almost 200,000 people suffer from eating

disorders in Ireland, with many cases begin-ning during the early or mid teens. Withimages of skeletal stars all over the media,many feel pressured to conform to whatthey perceive to be an ideal weight.To combat this problem, Bodywhys, the

Eating Disorder Association of Ireland, haslaunched a resource pack for SPHE (Social,Personal and Health Education) teachers tohelp them to reinforce healthy body imageand boost confidence in young students.“The overall picture from young people is

that body image is a very serious concernfor them,” says Ruth Ní Eidhin of Body-whys. “A 2009 study, conducted by the Of-fice of the Minister for Children found thatyoung Irish people identified self-image asthe number one factor having a negativeimpact on their mental health and one thatis linked not only to eating disorders but toa whole range of other mental health issues.“The new resource pack contains a range

of information about eating disorders —what they are, how to identify them, whatto do, etc — so that teachers can be better

prepared to address issues that may arise inthe classroom.“There are also guidelines around how to

address an issue with a child and also howbest to work with parents of a student whomight be affected.”The pack will be used with children from

12 to 18 years of both genders. “It’s impor-tant to say that it is very much for male andfemale students — in the last few years, inparticular, we have had an increasing num-ber of calls from teachers concerned aboutmale students,” says Ní Eidhin.Siobhán Foster of the SPHE Support Ser-

vice is very positive about the new pro-gramme. “I believe it will work because itoffers practical advice and guidance toteachers in a pastoral role who support stu-

dents with eating disorders and body imageissues,” she says.“It also has a series of lesson plans which

will guide SPHE teachers on how best toaddress these issues in a classroom context.And the lesson plans aim to help studentsimprove their self-esteem, develop a rangeof effective coping strategies and exploresthe impact of mass media and peer pressureon their body image. The lessons also in-crease students understanding of eating dis-orders and their physical, emotional, psy-chological and behavioural consequences, aswell as highlighting the help and range ofsupport available should they ever needthem.”● For more information see www.body-whys.ie or call 1890-200444.

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012Feelgood

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THE SHAPE I'M IN RICK WAKEMAN

In profile

Pacing himself

HEART ACHE: Musician Rick Wakeman had three heartattacks at 26. “I decided I wouldn’t have any more,because they hurt,” he says.Picture:Lee Wilkinson

R ICK WAKEMAN, keyboard player andformer member of progressive rock band,Yes, performs in Dublin’s Olympia Theatre

on Saturday, Mar 10.Born in west London, Wakeman has performed with

musical legends including David Bowie, Cat Stevens, El-ton John and Ozzy Osbourne. His high-profile TV ap-pearances have included Countdown, Top Gear andGrumpy Old Men. He has sold 50m records worldwide.Married to Rachel — his fourth wife — he is a dad of

six and has six grandchildren, with another on the way.Health-wise, the 62-year-old has had a few scares — a se-rious bout of double pneumonia combined with pleurisy,and three heart attacks when he was 26. “I decided Iwouldn’t have any more, because they hurt. I stoppedsmoking in 1979 and I gave up drink in 1985 — I’d hadalcoholic hepatitis. I don’t do little health problems — Ihave whoppers,” he says.Based in Norfolk, Wakeman is looking forward to his

Dublin performance. “I’m generally very fond of Dublin.I manage to get over quite a bit. I have a radio show onRadio Nova and for many years I lived on the Isle ofMan — it was only a 20-minute flight away.”■ An Evening With Rick Wakeman is at the OlympiaTheatre, Dublin on Saturday, Mar 10. Tickets from €25,including booking fee from Ticketmaster. Phone0818-719330 or visit www.ticketmaster.ie.

What shape are you in?I was considerably overweight last year. I’d been spend-ing a lot of time in the studio and not burning off what Iwas eating. I couldn’t fit into any of my clothes. I go foran annual PSA test and the male nurse said my bloodpressure was incredibly high and that it was down toweight. He said ‘start dumping or you’re a heart attackwaiting to happen’. I lost 30 pounds by Christmas, justby changing my eating habits. I’d like to get rid of anoth-er stone by mid-year.

Do you exercise?I’m not very good at it. I play golf and I try to get outtwo or three times a month. We have a gym at home.Rachel’s very good to use it — every other day she’s inthere. I did go on the treadmill for half an hour lastweek, which she says is a promising start.

What are your healthiest eating habits?We grow virtually all our vegetables and where we livehas lots of farm shops, so we buy fresh meat from them,as well as the veg and fruits we don’t grow ourselves.Neither Rachel nor I like junk food.

What’s your guiltiest pleasure?I just love bread. I’ve had to cut back on it, which wastough.

What would keep you awake at night?I can get away with four or five hours sleep. I find ithard to get to sleep — my body wants to but my braindoesn’t. I try to get to bed at 11pm and I might drop offuntil 1am — after that I cat nap until about 5am. I get upat 5.30am every day. But with this amount of sleep, Idon’t feel excessively tired.

How do you relax?I’m not very good at relaxing — I’m a pacer. I like TVand I do find it relaxing to sit in front of it for a coupleof hours. Both Rachel and I enjoy walking. I also findcooking quite relaxing.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?Peter Sellers — he died quite young but he’d have sto-ries forever. I’d invite Mother Teresa too — she and Sell-ers would be quite an interesting duo.

What’s your favourite smell?Lavender — we have a lot of it in our garden. It hasa great feelgood factor.

What would you change about your appearance?

I’m working on my weight, but otherwise I wouldn’tchange anything. I’m certainly no film star to look at, butI’m very grateful to the good Lord that he gave me every-thing that works — I can hear, see, think.

When did you last cry?A couple of days ago at my wife’s uncle’s funeral — qui-et tears, not burst-out crying.

What trait do you least like in others?I don’t like people who talk about others behind theirback.

What trait do you least like in yourself?Sometimes, I can say things without thinking, which canbe hurtful, even though I don’t mean to be. I should learnto think before I speak.

Do you pray?Yes, I’ve got quite a strong faith. I mightn’t say a prayerfor three days but I do when the time’s right. I learnedsomething from an artist friend of mine, who is great atpraying. He asked me ‘are you always nice when you sayyour prayers?’ He told me ‘I tell Him off now and then —he likes a good row’. So I suddenly found myself doingthat too.

What would cheer up your day?We put out some bird-feeders last night. This morning,they were just covered in all different kinds of birds. Withthe snow in the background and all of them eating, it wasreally lovely.

Helen O’Callaghan

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Feelgood Feelgood

Jayne and Mícheál need to stop texting and arrange to meet for a second date, advises our dating coach Avril Mulcahy

AVRIL’SVIEW

■ Meet our new couple: Katrina and Brian ■

Name: Katrina O’ Brien

Age: 42

From: Ballycullen, Dublin 24

tar Sign: Leo

Occupation: Beautician

Build: Average

Height: 5ft 1in

Smoker: Social

Drinker: Social

Children: One son

Describe yourself: Funny, intelligent, stylish,hard worker, spiritual.

Interests: Walking, polo (horse riding) andfilms.

Three things you cannot live without: Phone,food, walks.

What makes you smile: My son.

Describe your ideal holiday:Rome.

Describe dream date: Iwould love a date in Paris. Al-ternatively, I’d settle for din-ner and a nice glass of winewith good company.

What type of relationshipare you looking for? I’mlooking for the one, butwould not introducehim to my son for awhile.

Five attributesyou’d like in apartner: Funny,good hugger,honest, caring, ago-getter.

Five things thatirritate youabout people:People who gossip,who talk about them-selves non-stop, whoare loud and lazy.

What are your blinddate expectations?Dinner, flowers wouldbe good…

Name: Brian O’Neill

Age: 41

From: Tallaght, Dublin 24

Star Sign: Libra

Occupation: IT sales consultant

Build: Large

Height: 5ft 10in

Smoker: No

Drinker: Social

Children: No, but I would like a child in thefuture.

Describe Yourself: Funny, intelligent,friendly, good conversationalist, sociallyconfident.

Interests: Reading, writing, ’70s social his-tory, music and gigs, swimming, walking,weights.

Three things you cannot live without:Phone, internet connection, love

What makes you smile? Children at playwill make me smile every time.

Describe your ideal holiday: Away fromtowns and cities and knowing

where I am and what I am do-ing – and sharing it withsomeone.

Describe your dreamdate: A relaxedeasygoing personwho is happy tochat and open tomeeting someonenew. I’d like a niceevening with themwhatever the out-come. Location isunimportant.

What type of rela-tionship are you

looking for? Open towhatever it seems to hold.

With the right person, longterm.

Five attributes you’d like in apartner: Friendly, caring, intelli-gent, good looking, indepen-dent.

Five things that irritate youabout people: People whocan’t hold their drink, who areunfriendly, who have fixed opin-ions ... This is all very negative— I don’t have any more.

What are your blind dateexpectations? Have a laughwith someone who is interest-ed in seeing what a blinddate can be like and open toa good night in good compa-ny. Will see where it goesfrom there.

The second blind date in the se-ries was another success. BothMícheál and Jayne have a greatdating approach: positive and fun.Men are visual creatures, and

Jayne stepped up to the mark,dressing to impress in a great out-fit. She was looking for a real gen-tleman, who is easy going and upfor a laugh — she could havebeen describing Mícheál.

It’s always a good sign when the time flies on a date —and that was definitely the case for Jayne and Mícheál. It wasclear they had many things in common, but the love of sportshone through.From my post-date call to both of them, I’ve learned that

they are still texting without arranging a second date. Mícheális very easing going, but he needs to take charge and one ofthese texts needs to be an invitation for a second date. Asthe dates continue, they will have a chance to open up andreveal more of their personalities.There is a logistical problem — Jayne lives in Tipperary

and commutes to Cork. But at least they share the same lo-cation for five days of the week. Yes, it may be a bit more dif-ficult to organise dates but there is nothing they can doabout miles right now. They should get creative — for exam-ple, dates don’t have to be at night. They share so manysporting interests, so Mícheál could use this opportunity toshow off his manly sporting side, which will in turn fuelJayne’s sense of adventure.

● See: www.singlelista.ie

Blind date: Week 3

Fun time

UP TO DATE: The only awkward moment for Jayne and Mícheál was posing for this photo atthe beginning of the night. Thereafter, they clicked and plan to meet again. Picture: Dan Linehan

MÍCHEÁL MCGRATH

First impressions: Jayne looked very stylish.She was bubbly and very friendly, whichwould be my type. I was definitely attractedto her at first.

Conversation: Among other stuff, we dis-cussed the nuclear situation in Iran; whoshould play centre for Ireland in the Six Na-tions; and our mutual love for the Saw Doc-tors. I let Jayne do most of the talking.

Connection: Getting our picture taken at thestart made our blind date a little awkward atthe beginning. However, as the night devel-oped, we had more of a connection. Theconversation stopped once or twice, but wejoked about it. There was chemistry there forme, anyway.

Table manners: She came across as a verywell-brought-up young woman.

Did you kiss? A gentleman never tells… so,yes, we did.

What happened at the end of the night? Iwas a pure gent, so I dropped her to hercousin’s house.

Plans to meet again? We swapped numbers,email addresses, we’re friends on Facebookand she’s now insured to drive my tractor.

Rate the date out of ten 9/10 — I was alittle nervous and quieter than normal, butotherwise I had a pretty good night.

JAYNE O’CONNOR

First impressions: My immediate reactionwas that he looked like a real gentleman anda genuinely nice guy.He had made the effort and had a good

fashion sense. This guy could be my type.

Conversation: Conversation was great; wehad so much in common. The only awkwardmoment was the initial introduction, afterthat we got on great and had lots to chatabout.We were almost the last to leave the restau-

rant because we were talking so much. I’m abit of a chatter box when I get going, sothere’s a strong possibility I might have talkeda little bit more that him.

Connection: Again, the start of the date wasa bit awkward. But, during the date we reallydeveloped a connection.

Table manners: Mícheál is an absolute gent.He was holding doors, getting my seat and soon. He really is a smashing guy in that way.

Did you kiss? We finished our night with avery civilised peck on the cheek.

What happened at the end of the night?Mícheál wasn’t drinking, so he offered todrop me home. I don’t live in Cork City, so Ihad to stay at my cousin Zoe’s house for thenight. I knew he would be the completegentleman, so I took him up on the offer. Iwas right. We exchanged numbers andpromised to meet again.

Plans to meet again? Nothing has been setin stone but we have been texting since ourdate and I definitely would be interested inmeeting Mícheál again.

Rate the date out of ten: 10/10. The em-phasis of the night really was on ‘fun’. Therewas no pressure whatsoever. Mícheál was alovely guy. The food at Isaac’s Restaurant wasamazing. Even the pictures taken by IrishExaminer photographer Dan Linehan at thebeginning proved to be kind of fun. All inall, it was a brilliant experience. WatchKatrina and Brian meet for

the first time: http://exa.mn/36

● Read how Katrina andBrian’s blind date went innext week’s edition ofFeelgood

Caroline was borntwo pounds, nineounces, but is as‘big as life’, saysSue Leonard

CAROLINE is a spirited, feistythree-year-old. Full of laugher, shenever stops chatting, and she runs

rings around her parents, Colin and Miri-am, and her big brothers, David, 11, Paul,nine, and Samuel, five.Caroline is small for her age, but that

she’s alive is a miracle. Born full-termweighing two pounds, nine ounces, therewere fears she wouldn’t survive.Miriam Hamilton, a teacher from Lim-

erick, was delighted, at 37, to be pregnant.Then the bad news.“A scan showed that the baby had IU-

GR — intrauterine growth retardation orrestriction,” says Miriam. Dwarfism wasconsidered; so was Edward’s syndrome, aswas a deficient placenta. Multiple scansand an amniocentesis were not definitive.“Colin and I talked about nothing else. I

teach biology at Leaving Certificate leveland I trawled the internet and read all thejournals. I’d drive the consultant mad withall my questions. It was a constant cycle ofvisits to the hospital for more bad news,then home to talk through all the predic-tions: she might be in a wheelchair, or bementally compromised; she mightn’t make3 or 4ft in height. We were terrified aboutthe lack of support for her in Ireland.“I always thought I’d cope with any-

thing, but I didn’t cope at all. I thought ofthe lovely life the boys had now. We had achance to step back. It was very tempting.We talked about adoption. Then we de-cided on a termination.”After much anguish, the couple travelled

to London, booking the abortion clinic.Feeling the baby jump, Miriam decidedagainst it. They returned home with anew resolve.Things

didn’t get anyeasier. Therewere prob-lems with thebaby’s heart-beat, andMiriam hadregular tracescans. At 32weeks preg-nant, she wasadmitted tothe antenatalward, for afrustrating fiveweeks.“I couldn’t

sleep and hadconstanttraces done. It was also awkward for theboys to visit, when women were sick andin pain. But Caroline grew a bit more.First, she was over 500 grams; then, 800grams; then, she got to a kilo. She had a60% to 70% chance of survival. That wasbrilliant.”At 37 weeks, doctors induced labour.

Miriam requested a natural birth, but Car-oline’s heart began to fluctuate. She wasborn by caesarean section and was whiskedto the neonatal unit. She was four hourson a ventilator before then she couldbreathe herself. The first time Miriam sawher daughter, she was shocked.“She was all battered and bruised. She

looked like an alien, with a big skull, butno fat anywhere. The first time I changedher nappy, I wondered if she was de-formed. She had no bottom, no labia, justthese two bones. The midwives assuredme this was emaciation.“Regardless, we loved Caroline. We

loved her for her fighting spirit. We didn’t

care how she looked.“Our baby improved day by day. A scan

showed her brain structure was perfect.And she hadn’t any skeletal dysplasia(dwarfism). She made eye contact and re-sponded to touch. And by the time we lefthospital, six weeks later, at just three tofour pounds, she was sitting in a bouncychair watching the nurses. She was reach-ing out for toys. All her reflexes weregood.”There was still a problem with Caroline’s

weight. “Feeding her was a constant battle.It was stressful, but our public health nursewas amazing. She helped us let Carolinebe herself, and grow in her own time. Butat six months, sitting up, Caroline weighedonly nine pounds,” says Miriam.Before Caroline was born, one doctor

had said that he’d no idea how she’d be onher first birthday. “Her first birthday wasthe day I let go of worry. Caroline wasperfect. She babbled, crawled and walked

behind atoytruck.She wasflying,”she says.Since

then,Carolinehas beenfound tohave arare ge-neticglitch onchromo-some 22.Thiscould bethe rea-son for

her small size. (Though a deficient placen-ta could also be to blame.) It might causeproblems in the future.“I’m not going to worry, because Caro-

line keeps surprising everyone. She’s inperfect proportion, she’s expected to endup between 4ft 10ins and 5ft, but she’swell able to stand up for herself,” she says.Miriam is forever grateful to consultant

obstetrician Dr John Slevin, who reassuredher throughout the ordeal. “He never gavedire predictions. He always said, ‘I don’tknow, we’ll have to wait and see’. If I’dlistened only to him, I’d have been saved alot of worry and stress,” she says.Miriam has few worries about Caroline’s

health. “She tells us so by her actions, ev-ery day. Recently, I asked her what shewanted to be when she grew up. She said,‘either an air sea rescue helicopter pilot, ora vampire’.”

● Sweet Caroline, by Miriam Hamilton,is published by Mercier Press at €14.99

SMALL MIRACLE: Caroline Hamilton, with mum Miriam, hasa rare genetic condition. Picture: Eamon Ward

The will to live


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Feelgood Feelgood

Get up and go

KINSALE businesswoman MariaO’Mahony is a director and coor-dinator of Kinsale Chamber of

Tourism and is one of 15 women on thePink Ribbon Walk committee. She wasdiagnosed with breast cancer in Oct2009 at age 43.“I was in my office one day and felt a

nagging pain in my left breast that mademe put my finger on the area. I imme-diately found a small, pea-sized lump. Iphoned the Marie Keating Foundationand the nurse said it didn’t sound likeanything sinister, but to get it checkedout.“I’d already scheduled an appointment

with a gynaecologist for something else,but she couldn’t feel the lump. A locumat the GP’s didn’t feel what I’d felt, ei-ther, but she referred me for triple as-sessment — appointment with a breastsurgeon, mammogram and ultrasound.”Following the ultrasound, Maria was

told she’d need a core biopsy of the area.“That was the first moment I felt fear.My aunt had died of breast cancer sevenyears earlier. I was told I’d be called intothe unit the following week, irrespectiveof the result. On the Thursday, I was ata meeting of the Kinsale Good FoodCircle, organising a gourmet festival —the call came at lunch-time. At the clin-ic, I discovered all reports confirmed Ihad breast cancer and that I neededsurgery. My initial reaction was shockbut there was acceptance, too, and avery fast processing — like ‘OK, whatdo I need to do now?’ My daughter,Saoirse, was 14 at the time. They want-ed to take me in for surgery that week-end but I asked if it could wait until thefollowing week. I needed to take care ofmy daughter, organise my work.“I sat with Saoirse that evening and

told her I had some bad news, that I wasgoing to have surgery and treatment butthat everything would be OK. She wasshocked, but it helped that she had somegreat friends around her.”Maria had a lumpectomy, as well as 14

lymph nodes removed — 12 were af-fected, so her surgery was followed bychemotherapy and radiotherapy.“I feel very well now. I have an abun-

dance of energy. The monitoring —about every three months — by differ-ent members of the medical team reas-sures me enormously.”

— Caoilfhionn Collins

STEPPING OUT FOR SURVIVALEverything

my mother wentthrough so

bravely and insuch a positiveway meant shewas the best

tutor for me inmy breast

cancer journey,even though she

wasn’tphysically there

ALL TOGETHER: Jackie Dawson, chairpersonKinsale Pink Ribbon Walk, Penny McGowan,who brought the walks to Ireland andCaoilfhionn Collins. Picture: John Allen

Helen O’Callaghan meets two mothers with young children who have survived breast cancer and are now active in the Pink Ribbon fundraising campaigns

HISTORY REPEATED: When — in her early 40s — Caoilfhionn Collins found a lump in her own breast, she knew she was fated to share theexperience her mum had faced more than 25 years earlier. Picture: Des Barry

WHEN Caoilfhionn Collinswas 15, her mother taughther a life-saving lesson. Tras

McDonnell was in her 40s and had found alump in her breast which was subsequentlydiagnosed as cancerous. “She asked me to feelthe lump. She said she wanted me to knowwhat it felt like,” recalls pharmacist Caoil-fhionn, a member of the committee that’s or-ganising the first Kinsale Pink Ribbon Walkon March 4 in aid of Action Breast Cancer.When — in her early 40s — Caoilfhionn

found a lump in her own breast, she knewshe was fated to share the experience hermum had faced more than 25 years earlier.“The lump felt like my mother’s. In my heartof hearts, I knew the chances of it beingbreast cancer were very high.”Although her mum had died in her 60s

from secondary cancer in the bone, Caoil-fhionn says, “everything she went through sobravely and in such a positive way meant shewas the best tutor for me in my breast cancerjourney, even though she wasn’t physicallythere. When people would say to her ‘whydid it happen to you?’, she’d respond ‘whynot me?’. She helped me see that — thoughbreast cancer’s hard — it’s such a do-ablejourney. Her approach took the fear out ofthis illness and, when fear is gone, you gaincontrol,” says Caoilfhionn, who — after herdiagnosis in April 2009 — had a full mastec-tomy followed by chemotherapy.Right through the period of her

chemotherapy, she continued with a physicalworkout session that she and three friendshad practiced twice-weekly for the previousdecade. A combination of cardiac work, yogaand pilates, she says hugely reduced thechemo side-effects. “My energy levels weredefinitely superior and my recovery timeshorter than it would otherwise have been.”Caoilfhionn was determined her two

daughters — now aged 12 and nine —wouldn’t see her lying ill in bed.“They might be diagnosed in years to

come so I wanted them to know their mam-my’s story and not be afraid of cancer, thatdespite having cancer she could still do loads.Of course there were days when mammywasn’t well but those were short days.”This spirit of support and empowerment

among women pervades the Pink RibbonWalk endeavour. Kells mum-of-three, PennyMcGowan brought Pink Ribbon Walks toIreland after hearing about them in Britain.“I’m lucky. I’ve had a nice, happy life andbeen very fit and healthy. I wanted to givesomething back. I have two daughters and alovely daughter-in-law with families to bringup. I feel very strongly that the mother is thecentral unit holding a family together. Oncethe woman isn’t at home — either becauseshe’s in hospital or has passed away — theloss to the family is enormous.”Penny gathered a band of women around

her — young women with busy careers, twoof whom had experienced breast cancer —and the first Pink Ribbon Walk, held in Kellsin 2009, brought in €100,000. Since then,there have been three walks in Kells and twoin Killaloe — Penny’s daughter, Sara, andsome of her friends brought the Pink RibbonWalk to Killaloe. So far, the walks have raised€400,000 for Action Breast Cancer, a pro-

gramme of the Irish Cancer Society.Jackie Dawson is chairperson of the Kinsale

Pink Ribbon Walk. “My sister-in-law haddone a Pink Ribbon Walk in London and I’dsponsored her. And in February 2011, Ibumped into Olivia Duff from Kells at afood-writing course in Ballymaloe,” saysJackie. “Within a few months she was email-ing me about the walks that had already beenset up. It seemed a very exciting event. We’veall found lumps and bumps and when it turnsout to be fine you’re so thankful. I also havemany friends who fortunately have survived

breast cancer.”Jackie says the organising committee has

been overwhelmed by the positive response.Seven hundred walkers and runners have reg-istered to do the 10k route and the event hasdrawn over 80 pink partners — local businesspeople who’ve paid €20 to support the eventand who will decorate their windows pink.Some funds have already been raised

through a table quiz in the Spaniard, as wellas through coffee mornings, cheese and winereception, coffee mornings and cake sales.On the day of the walk, participants will be

given a pink ribbon in a special ‘contempla-tion’ area and asked to write ‘I’m walkingfor…’“The Pink Ribbon Walk isn’t just a fun

run. It’s a really spiritual experience. Wemake it into a day of remembrance, as well asa day of support for survivors. The walk hasto be in a place of natural beauty because thatlends itself to people having a good experi-ence,” says Penny McGowan.

● Check in for Kinsale Pink Ribbon Walk ison Saturday, March 3 (noon-8pm) in The

Temperance Hall and on Sun, March 4(9am-11.30am). Kinsale-based fitness expertSaran Crosbie will help participants warm upat 11.35am and the walk begins at noon.People are invited to get involved on the dayas a volunteer or to support a friend by spon-soring them.For more info, visit www.pinkribbon-

walk.ie; call the hotline (087-2627 387); viewthe walk’s page on www.mycharity.ie; or fol-low progress on www.facebook.com/pinkrib-bonwalk and www.twitter.com/pinkribbon-walks.

BEST FOOT FORWARD: Maria O’Mahony who will be taking part in the Pink Ribbon Walk inKinsale, Co Cork, was referred for a triple assessment after she felt a lump. Picture: Des Barry

I found asmall,pea-sizedlump


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Feelgood

Poor vitamin Dstatus is

implicated inosteoporosis,auto immune

diseases such asMS, many

cancers andcardiovascular

disease. The Irishpopulation has

demonstrably lowlevels of this

vitamin,especially in late

wintertime

Cover story Boosting our immune system

■ The typical Irish diet providesapproximately 2.5mg ofvitamin D every day. However,

this falls far short of the 5mg that is rec-ommended for 0 to 50 year-olds and the 10mgfor those aged over 50. To increase vitamin Din your diet, you should eat more oily fish suchas salmon, mackerel, sardines and herring;eggs, particularly egg yolks; liver and kidneys;cod liver oil; and fortifiedfoods such as milk andcereal. A 200g serving ofmackerel contains ap-proximately 18mg of thevitamin; 200g of salmoncontains 16mg; one egg0.9mg; and 100g of liver0.9mg.

ONE of the founders of the cam-paign to have vitamin D added tofood in Scotland is 16-year-old

Ryan McLaughlin from Glasgow.He first became aware of the protective

role the vitamin can play in multiple scle-rosis when his mother Kirsten, picturedhere withhim, devel-oped theconditionwhen hewas 13.As her

conditionworsened,he decidedto dosomethingto help. He set up the Shine on Scotlandcampaign which works to raise awarenessand puts pressure on the Scottish govern-ment to provide free vitamin D toschoolchildren and pregnant women.It’s had significant success to date. Ryan

and his father Alan led a march on theScottish parliament in Edinburgh. Theyorganised an international summit inGlasgow to debate the importance of vi-tamin D in the prevention and treatmentof MS.As a result, the Scottish government has

launched a public awareness programmeproviding support to at-risk groups andproducing leaflets in GPs’ surgeries acrossthe country informing the public aboutthe risks associated with vitamin D defi-ciency.The

govern-ment alsoprovidesfree vita-min D toschoolchil-dren andpregnantmotherswho re-ceive ben-efits. And Kellog’s has recently startedadding vitamin D to their cereals.There’s a lot done but more to do, ac-

cording to Ryan. “My mum already hasMS and it’s too late for her,” he says. “It’snot mum I can save anymore. It’s aboutdoing what is right for future genera-tions.”

■ There are several options forthose who decide to supple-ment their intake of vitamin D.

However, many contain other vitamin sup-plements. This can pose a problem, par-ticularly in the case of expectant mothers andbreastfeeding infants who may be in need ofvitamin D but not other nutrients. A newproduct line called DLux delivers a range of

vitaminDdoses in an oral spray form. Itcontains no other nutrients andmay be a good option. While weshould all be taking the min-imum daily allowance of vitamin

D recommended by the FSAI, thosewishing to take a higher doseshould consult with their doctorfirst.

Vitamin D deficiency caused by a lack of sunshine during winter may lead to MS and other serious illnesses, says Sharon Ni Chonchuir

M EDICAL experts are calling forfood in Scotland to be fortifiedwith vitamin D. Deficiency in

the vitamin may be related to the high inci-dence of multiple sclerosis.The campaign, supported by the MS Society

in Scotland, has inspired a march on parlia-ment and an international summit in Glasgowlast year.Could this be true of Ireland? What are our

vitamin D levels? How does our incidence ofMS compare? Should we be instigating afood-fortification campaign?The human body synthesises the majority of

vitamin D from sun exposure. Although it is tobe found in foods such as oily fish, we get upto 90% of our vitamin Dfrom UVB rays in sun-shine. The fat-soluble vi-tamin is then stored inthe body and used upduring the sun-deprivedwinter.We use vitamin D in

the absorption of calci-um, to help form andmaintain strong bonesand teeth.A deficiency in vita-

min D can cause ricketsin children and lead toosteoporosis in adults. Ithas also been shown tohave a role in preventingrheumatoid arthritis,Crohn’s disease, type Iand type II diabetes, cer-tain cancers, high bloodpressure, cardiovasculardisease — and now, per-haps MS.It is Ireland’s distance

from the equator thatdeprives us of sun. Peo-ple living far north (andsouth) of the equatormay not be sufficientlyexposed to the sun tomake an adequateamount of vitamin D forthe winter.Scientists believe this may explain why MS is

rare in Malaysia, but much more common incountries such as Scotland and Ireland.There are 10,000 people with MS in Scot-

land, out of a population of 5.2m. In Ireland,there are an estimated 8,000 sufferers out of apopulation of 4.5m, which occurs when thebody’s immune system attacks and strips awaythe insulating myelin layer that surrounds nervefibres.According to Dr Mary Flynn, chief specialist

in public health nutrition at the Food SafetyAuthority of Ireland (FSAI) and chair of a re-port, Recommendations for National Policy on Vi-tamin D Supplementation for Infants in Ireland,the majority of Irish people are lacking in vita-min D.“There simply isn’t enough sunshine to pro-

duce adequate amounts of vitamin D herefrom October to March,” she says. “And whenthere is enough in summer, many people wear

sun factor, which screens out up to 98% of thevitamin D bearing rays.“Studies have shown low intake of vitamin

D in all age groups across the country, withmore than 20% reaching a deficiency stage inthe winter months. In fact, it’s only peoplewho take supplements that have healthy levelsof the vitamin.”A 2010 study by researchers from St Vin-

cent’s Hospital, in Dublin, found a deficiencyin those with MS. This study compared theincidence of MS in Donegal, South Dublinand Wexford, and found 329 people with thecondition in Donegal compared with 173 inWexford and 130 in Dublin.This tallied with expectations that the inci-

dence of MS would in-crease with distance fromthe equator; Donegal be-ing further north thanWexford. However, it waswhen they looked at theirsubjects’ vitamin D levelsduring the winter thatthey began to understandthis better.Levels below

50nanomoles per litre(nmol/l) are considered in-sufficient, while those be-low 25nmol/l are defi-cient. The subjects withMS had an average level of38.6nmol/l, comparedwith the control subjects’level of 36.4nmol/l.In other words, all were

insufficient.But significantly more of

the subjects with MS haddeficient levels. Twen-ty-eight percent of themwere deficient, comparedwith 19.2% of control sub-jects, and that deficiencywas most pronounced inDonegal.“This shows that vitamin

D deficiency is probablyvery common in Ireland inwinter and early spring,”

says Dr Róisín Lonergan, one of those whoconducted the study. “This may contribute tothe risk of developing MS in genetically sus-ceptible individuals. Ongoing trials are exam-ining whether or not high-dose vitamin sup-plementation can influence the course of MS.”While Dr Lonergan awaits the results of fur-

ther trials, others have a different view. DrMary Flynn, of the FSAI, recommends thatpeople take vitamin D supplements.“Studies have linked vitamin D levels as a

protective factor against MS, but it’s notwell-established and the precise nature is notclearly evident,” she says. “What is well-estab-lished is that vitamin D protects us from otherconditions. Dietitians in maternity hospitals inDublin have noticed an increase in infants pre-senting with rickets, particularly in the chil-dren of parents with dark skin. Darker-skinnedpeople need even more sunshine to produceadequate vitamin D. Our sun doesn’t give us

enough. Our diet doesn’t give us enough. Tak-ing a vitamin D supplement would be a goodidea.”Dr Flynn would support food fortification,

were it to follow the Canadian model. “Theirgovernment adds vitamin D to all liquid-milkproducts and milk is then marketed as ahealthy food,” she says. “Here, in Europe, for-tification is voluntary and it means that multi-ple foods can have added vitamin D. Thismakes things tricky and it can be hit-and-miss.With such a system, some people can have toomuch, while others can have too little. Foodfortification is too complicated in such a sys-tem, so it’s best to take a supplement.”Dr Daniel McCartney, PRO for the Irish

Nutrition and Dietetics Institute and lecturerin human nutrition and dietetics at the DublinInstitute of Technology, agrees with Dr Flynnabout the importance of vitamin D.

“Vitamin D has profound importance forpublic health in Ireland,” he says. “It’s becom-ing increasingly clear that poor vitamin D sta-tus is implicated in osteoporosis, auto-immunediseases such as MS, many cancers and cardio-vascular disease. The Irish population hasdemonstrably low levels of this vitamin, espe-cially in late winter time. Ireland has a markedpreponderance of all of the disorders listedabove, many cases of which may be at-tributable to low vitamin D. While there areother diet and lifestyle factors in Ireland (suchas our high alcohol intake) which contributeto our high levels of these chronic diseases, it isprobable that improving the vitamin D statusof the population would yield significant bene-fits in this regard.”Dr McCartney supports the idea of food for-

tification. “It would improve the intake amongthe full population, including those in the low-

er socio-economic groups, who have typicallylower levels of vitamin D than their more af-fluent peers and who also have a greater preva-lence of these disorders,” he says. “The alter-native approach of a public-awareness cam-paign is unlikely to yield significant benefit forthe full population, as those who are likely toheed the advice are the most socially advan-taged groups, who possibly have less to gaindue to their better dietary intakes and loweroverall chronic disease risk.”Dr McCartney can see no potential danger

in fortification. “While there are several docu-mented instances of vitamin D toxicity result-ing from too much vitamin D intake, in virtu-ally all of these cases the toxicity resulted fromenormous amounts being inadvertently addedto a fortified food product,” he says.“The FSAI recommends that everyone un-

der 50 should take a daily vitamin D supple-

ment of 5mg per day and those over 50should take 10mg. However, there is no evi-dence that consistent vitamin D intakes of upto 25mg per day pose any health risk toadults.”While the scientists debate the results of

the research, MS Ireland advises people to in-take their recommended daily allowance ofvitamin D and to keep an eye on research.“There is mounting evidence that vitamin

D has a role to play in MS, although it is notfully understood yet,” says Taragh Donoghoe,of MS Ireland. “All we can say, for now, isthat people with MS should adopt a healthydiet full of all of the recommended vitamins,including vitamin D.”

● If you are worried about your vitamin Dlevels, your GP can check them with a sim-ple blood test.

D DAY: Dr Daniel McCartney saysvitamin food-fortification may resolvethe problem. Picture: Nick Bradshaw

Castinglight on asolution

— Dr Daniel McCartney

Delivering healthy benefits

Picture: Thinkstock


10


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Feelgood

CatherineShanahan

MUM’S WORLDMUM’S WORLD

His Dad is amasterfulpenitent, if

only I thoughthe meant it.

He’s had yearsof practice,

perfecting thehang-dog look.

Like mostmen, he’ll sayanything to

end thecarping

CatherineShanahan

NOTE: The information contained in Dr Julius Parker’s column is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor first

Dr Julius Parker isa GP with HSFHealth Plan’s free24 GPadvice line.For moreinformation visit www.hsf.ie orlo-call 1890 451 451 N

EWSUPDATE

If you have a question about your healthemail it [email protected] send a letter to:FeelgoodIrish ExaminerCity QuarterLapps QuayCork

Medical matters

QMY teenage daughter hasbeen dieting for a month.Initially, she cut out allsweets and biscuits but nowskips breakfast, as well. I’ve

pointed out the need for a healthy start tothe day to no avail. . I’m worried she maydevelop anorexia.

A. Your daughter’s approach raises concernsand it’s important you notice and influencewhat’s happening. The next step is what todo. You don’t say how old she is, but teenagegirls can’t avoid the pressure of people’s ex-pectations. This may include her friends,peers, maybe a boyfriend, and what she readsand sees on TV, in magazines, and on the in-ternet. Even the most confident and happyteenager can be affected.Is she overweight? Younger teenagers usu-

ally don’t need to lose weight; just slow theirweight gain to match their expected growth.If you don’t want to overemphasise the issueby seeing your GP, there are reliable onlinegrowth charts that will estimate your daugh-ter’s ideal weight range, based on her age andheight.Next, think about your family’s approach

to eating? Although everyone deserves atreat, cutting out sweets and biscuits can befine. Involve your daughter in thinking abouta healthy eating plan for the family. It’s im-portant for teenagers to influence what hap-pens within their family. Secondly, does she,and do other family members, exercise? Thisis as important as what we choose to eat andcreates good habits for a healthy lifestyle inthe future.As a parent, you can’t win a battle over

when, and what, your teenager eats. Instead,and this is a difficult balance to get right, youneed to persuade your daughter that what’simportant to her is important to you. If herweight has become an issue, you need to talkabout it together.If your daughter continues to ignore you

and becomes either more withdrawn or per-haps secretive about her eating, then, al-though she won’t want to, she will need tosee your GP.

Q. I’ve started the menopause and feeltired most of the time. Though I don’thave any hot flushes, I often feel hot anduncomfortable. I’ve also little interest insex, which is difficult for my husband.Should I consider HRT?

A. The short answer is yes; you should con-sider hormone replacement therapy (HRT) asit is effective at treating many menopausalsymptoms. As you say, there can be bothphysical and psychological symptoms, whichmay be quite distressing. It’s well worth dis-cussing this option with your GP or gynae-cologist.The decision involves balancing definite

benefits with the known small risks associatedwith taking HRT. Other medical factors willalso be important, for example, your age,your weight and whether you smoke, andpersonal or family history, such as of bloodpressure, blood clots, or certain cancers.These all contribute to the equation, and soit is a complex decision and very much anindividual choice for each woman.Your GP will also want to consider other

possible causes for your symptoms, and, forexample, check your thyroid function.

Many women experience two to three yearsof menopausal symptoms, a time known as theperi-menopause, during which your periodswill become less regular and finally stop. Theaverage age for this is 52. These symptoms tendto settle on their own within two to five years.All HRT preparations contain oestrogen, whichreplaces the hormone naturally produced byyour ovaries. There are a number of differentpreparations. Most women notice an improve-ment in their symptoms after three months oftreatments and side-effects are infrequent.In the past, HRT was recommended for many

years. It was thought this could help protectwomen against the risk of osteoporosis, heartdisease and stroke, which increase after themenopause. Now, because of the recognisedrisks of disease associated with HRT, it is usuallyrecommended for one to three years only totide people over the worst of their menopausalsymptoms.

Apologies in my house are easyenough to come by. My son wasquick to twig that a heartfelt display

of remorse could head me off at the pass,dousing the fire in my ire.His enthusiastic confessions sometimes

work to his detriment. I would never haveguessed that my only gardening success, arow of giant purple allium at the end ofour back garden, had been deliberatelyand systematically beheaded by a roguetennis racket on a day a howling windcould just as easily have done it. He waspractising his swing he said, and the firstdecapitation was an accident. After that,he just couldn’t resist: the allium were ask-ing for it. He was so very sorry for his ac-tions that he squeezed a few tears to proveit. It’s hard to vent in the face of suchearnest regret.His dad is a masterful penitent, if only I

thought he meant it. He’s had years ofpractice perfecting the hang-dog look.Like most men, he’ll say anything to endthe carping. I am sceptical. A display ofcontrition to dodge the consequences isnot the same as truly regretting your ac-tions.The daughter, a footstomper, doesn’t do

sorry. Threats of the bold step don’t phaseher. She flashes a look that says “Bring iton. I can take it.” Rolling over is not in

her nature. My son takes the gong for re-morse. Last week, he gave a masterclass toa child who arrived at our house for aplay date. The same child kicked him inthe gonads.Through snots and tears, my son de-

manded an apology. When it was notforthcoming, and amid growing hysteria, Idecided it was time to intervene. I askedthe visitor to apologise. “I only say sorryto my brothers,” he said by way of ex-plaining his silence.I advised him he was jeopardising future

play dates. My son, not wanting to lose afriend, decided a demonstration mighthelp. Before I copped what he had inmind, he ran at his sister and kicked her,without hesitation, in the rear. I satdumbstruck, in horror. The sister lost it.“I’m sorry,” said my son. “It’s not that I

wanted to hurt her. I just wanted myfriend to see that saying sorry is easy.”I now need to teach him that acknowl-

edging his wrong doings does not meancarte blanche to behave like a criminal.Otherwise, he could find himself in courtat a later date where apologies carry littleweight after the fact of the crime. Sayingsorry won’t cut it with a judge uncon-vinced by a show of remorse that lookslike it’s been played out a hundred thou-sand times.

BE VIGILANT: The HSE predicts thespread of flu will continue here untilend of April. Picture: iStock

The Health Service Executive haswarned that the spread of influenzaaround the country is likely to continueuntil the beginning of April.The HSE’s Health Protection Surveil-

lance Centre is urging people inhigh-risk groups to get vaccinated asthe number of reported cases of influen-za-like illness has doubled in the pastweek. While the number of cases is lowcompared to the last two seasons, threepeople have been hospitalised in thepast week and there was an outbreak ofinfluenza A in a residential unit.There have been three deaths this

winter, all in patients aged 65 years orolder.The HSE has urged people in at-risk

groups to get vaccinated if they havenot had the vaccine in recent months.“Flu is different from the common

cold,” says Dr Joan O’Donnell, a spe-cialist in public health medicine. “Fluusually develops quickly over a matterof hours and symptoms include a hightemperature, sore muscles, dry cough,headache and sore throat.“The common cold tends to come on

gradually and symptoms usually includea runny nose and a normal tempera-

ture. Anyone in the at-risk categorieswho develops influenza symptomsshould contact their GP.”The HSE is urging people in high-risk

groups to get vaccinated, especiallypregnant women, those with a low im-mune system and people aged over 65.The vaccine is free from GPs to those

most at risk, and from pharmacies forthose over 65. People who were vacci-nated last year still require a flu jab thisyear, as immunity from the vaccine lastsonly 12 months and wanes over time.

TERAPROOF:User:GERARDDESMONDDate:22/02/2012Time:18:00:57Edition:24/02/2012FeelgoodXH2402Page:11 Zone:XH

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XH - V1

Psychology

Tony Humphreys

How is it thatpups and kittensand most younganimals touchour hearts so

much?The

saying, “Adog is aman’sbest

friend”certainlycaptures

that tenderresponsiveness

Shep was a beloved member of my family, a loyalwatchdog, but we are all our own best friends

Beyond puppy love

I GOT married in April, 1982 during the last reces-sion in Ireland — which was not nearly as catastroph-ic as the present one. I was a senior clinical psycholo-

gist with the Midwestern Health Board and based in OurLady’s psychiatric hospital, Ennis, Co Clare. I had estab-lished community psychology clinics throughout the countyfor individuals, couples and children who were experienc-ing problems in living.My wife, Helen, was working in Cork and we had rented

a house in Ballyvaughan, Co Clare, and on weekends shewould commute to Ennis or to Cork. We bought an oldfarm house in East Cork but continued the commuting foreight years, until I returned to Cork in 1990 to establish aprivate practice and run courses at University College Cork.Not surprisingly, during those eight years, Helen was

lonely and anxious living on her own four nights a week inremote East Cork. I spotted an advert on The Clare Cham-pion offering a border collie pup for sale. The followingFriday evening, I went into the wilds of Clare to choose apuppy and surprise Helen when I returned to Cork laterthat evening.I chose a black-and-white male pup and he had the

plump softness of a pound of butter, when I picked him upand carried him to my car. I placed him on the front seatnext to me, but he was feeling insecure, and he quicklydrifted onto my lap and secured himself there for the jour-ney, which was two and a half hours long.Unfortunately, on my way through Knocklong, Co Tip-

perary, I was stopped by a local garda. This was a timewhen wearing a seat belt was not mandatory, but highlyrecommended. After the garda checked the tax and insur-ance discs, he came to my side of the car and when I rolleddown the window he commented that I was not wearing aseat belt. He had not seen the pup, but when I pointed to itsleeping on my lap, the garda’s stern facial expression dis-solved into softness, and, with an attempt to show firmness,he gruffly said: “Go on so and drive carefully”.How is it that pups and kittens and most young animals

touch our hearts so much? The saying, “A dog is a man’sbest friend” captures that tender responsiveness, but there isa poignancy in that saying, because one would hope a per-son’s best friends are himself and a fellow human being.Do not take me up wrongly here, I dearly loved my dog

— we called him Shep.I have learned that my best friend is myself and my sec-

ond best friend has been Helen, and, thankfully, I have es-tablished several other good friendships. More than any-thing else, friendship is what maintains a marriage and a re-lationship, and when it is absent it is usually due to the ab-sence of an inner connection with self.Back to Shep. Helen was besotted with him and he be-

came her watchdog when I was away, but, intelligently, ced-ed the role to me when I returned home at weekends. Cu-riously, too, when I would take Shep with me on trips inthe car — and he grew to be a big dog — invariably hewould find a way to put his head on my lap. It seems henever forgot the security he had found there during those

first hours of separation from his mother and fellows pups.On a number of occasions, I brought Shep into the psychi-

atric hospital — mind you, not for treatment but as a treat forthose individuals who were long-term residents of the hospi-tal.The effect the dog’s presence had was mesmerising — grim

faces transformed into grins, smiles and laughter. Somehow,Shep’s presence was no threat for them and they wallowed inhis unconditional acceptance of them. For weeks after, theselong-term residents would continually ask about Shep andlook forward to his next visit. I attempted to persuade thehospital administrators to get dogs for the hospital, but, sadly,to no avail.The therapeutic effects that a friendly dog can have are

well-documented. People who are isolated and lonely canbenefit radically from owning a dog. Individuals who havehad heart attacks and heart operations are often advised to geta dog to lift their spirits, and build their fitness with dailywalks with the dog.Shep lived 12 years but he also sired nine pups with his

partner, Jessie, a beautiful rough collie. We kept one of thepups — the runt of the litter — who also turned out to havea sweet nature.Twenty six years after my visit to the farm in Clare, that

pup, called Missy, died at the ripe old age of 16 years. Wehave not yet replaced their presence, but we are sorely tempt-ed.

Dr Tony Humphreys is a consultant clinical psychologist, au-thor, national and international speaker.

HEALTH &LIFESTYLEADVERTISING

Target more femalesin Munster and Corkthan any otherdaily newspaper.

To reach them,advertise in‘Feelgood’.

Call

Lori FraserTel: 021 4802265Tel: 021 4802265

[email protected]@examiner.ie


12


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Feelgood

Healthy food

Roz Crowley

Not so sweet

Reducing our

daily levels of

sugar intake is

not just about

losing weight

it’s also aboutONE of the most highly pro-

cessed foods, sugar delivers nonutritional value and ongoing

research seems to indicate that it can beaddictive, just like the sweeteners whichreplace it.Our previous food surveys have shown

there is sugar hidden in many productsfrom savoury pizzas and lasagnes to ham,sausages, baked beans, readymade saucesand salad dressings.If we are serious about weight control

we need to look at not just the sugar weput in tea and coffee and the obvioussources in cakes and biscuits, but to awider range of food products.There are plenty of other reasons to give

up sugar. Without it we could avoid theaggravation of conditions such as candidawhich thrive on sugar.In 1966 Dr Otto Warburg addressed fel-

low Nobel laureates at a conference inGermany making a link between sugar andcancerous cells which feed off it. He wonhis Nobel prize for his research on diseaseand body cells.“We don’t fully understand the mechan-

ics of addiction in the body and how thebrain gets conditioned to deal with certainimpulses,” says consultant dietician PaulaMee.“However what we do know is that sug-

ar and its substitutes interfere with feed-back through the brain chemical neu-rostransmitters and this can possibly lead toaddiction. The more we eat of an addictivesubstance, the more we want”.Mee believes that because so many

savoury convenience foods have ‘hidden’sugar, children are becoming conditionedto wanting more and more sweet foods,not just in desserts and treats. She warnsagainst sugar substitutes too.“Sweeteners may help diabetics, but

their potential to generate food cravings isthere. While research is ongoing mymantra is ‘reduce, restrict and keep as faraway from sweet foods as possible’.Fruit in moderation is good and contains

the natural sugar fructose, but fructose iso-lated in convenience foods doesn’t havethe buffer of the fibre to help us digest it.There is also plenty of natural sugar invegetables to keep us going.”Epidemiological studies in the US have

found that cutting down fats and replacingthem with refined sugar led to an evengreater incidence of obesity. There is alsoevidence that during digestion sugar usesup vitamins B and C and some minerals,reducing their benefits inour diet.But how easy is it to give

up the habit of a lifetime?Some may be able to cut itdown, but for those withany possible addiction, itmay be better to cut it outcompletely.Sugar may take time to

get out of your systemcompletely, so be strong. Ifyou get headaches in theprocess it may be that youhave been eating a lot of it.The trick is to replace it

with foods which yield a

good bite and are tasty and well balanced. Weneed meals which are satisfying and deliverplenty of different sensations without a sugarhit. We don’t need to eat between meals —one of the danger times for those trying togive up.Join me in cutting out sugar for Lent at

least. I hope these tips will help.

1. Watch for ingredients with ‘ose’ at the endof the word. Fructose sounds as though itcomes straight from fruit, but is often addedto foods in its processed form which turns in-to fat in the liver. Lactose, dextrose, glucose,maltose, sucrose (table sugar) are worth avoid-ing and are usually found in processed food.Enjoy them in their natural form such as

lactose in milk, but avoid them as additives inprocessed food. Honey has a lot of sweetness,with some natural health benefits, but becareful with quantities. If going ‘cold turkey’avoid it for a few weeks.

2. Fizzy drinks are loaded with sug-ar and their substitutes which maynot be calorific but still createsweetness dependency and cravings.Look for the lowest sugar contentin alcohol. Dry red wine is best anddry white wine is good, stretchedwith sparkling water to make it last.Gin and sugar-free tonic is low insugar too.

3. Unrefined brown sugar sounds

better than refined white, but there is littledifference. If you find it difficult to drinkcoffee without sugar give up coffee. Drinkinstead whatever beverages you can withoutsugar. Some herbal teas taste sweet enoughand have the added benefit of not temptingus to have biscuits with them.Caffeine stimulates the production of in-

sulin which author and researcher Zoe Har-combe calls the fattening hormone. This per-petuates the cycle of sweet cravings, so givingup coffee may be worthwhile for a fewweeks.

4. Watch for products with ‘hidden’ sugar.The sugar content in ketchup, salad dressings,mayonnaise, pizzas, lasagne, sausages, ready-made sauces, pies, tarts, soups, canned vegeta-bles and salty snacks may surprise you. Moreobvious are breakfast cereals, icecream, chut-ney, jams and marmalades. Replace themwith simple home-made meals of pro-tein-rich meat, fish,cheese and plenty of veg-etables.Boil a joint of ham in-

stead of buying slicedmeats which need sweetpreservatives for shelf lifeor flavour. When we aresatisfied, cravings are lesslikely.Porridge or a boiled

egg are the obviouschoice for breakfast. Sim-ply butter bread/toastwithout sweet toppingsand use sugar-freepeanut, almond or mixedseeds butters.

5. The healthiest, almost sugar-free, treat isgood quality chocolate of at least 70% cocoasolids. A few squares are far better than a sug-ar and fat laden biscuit or dessert.

6. Replace flavoured yoghurts with plain yo-ghurt and add fruit yourself.

7. Go for fruit with the least quantity of nat-ural sugar such as apples, pears, oranges,grapefruit, peaches and berries and cut backon bananas, pineapple, dates and mangowhich are high in sugars. Watch dried fruittoo which contains a lot of concentrated sug-ar.

8. The best snack foods are oat biscuits.Many of them are completely sugar free anddelicious with a topping of cheese or tomato.Watch for sugar-free bread or make your ownwith wholewheat flour.

9. It’s also worth looking at how wecould be intolerant of sugar. It’s fash-ionable to be intolerant of wheatproducts, but worth seeing how asugar free diet could affect wellbeing.

10. If we avoid convenience foodsand cook our own from scratch wehave a much better chance of avoid-ing sugar and its substitutes. Checkall labels carefully as most quick-fixfoods contain sugar.

CHECK IN: Adding sugar to yourcuppa makes it a less healthychoice than herbal tea. Picture: iStock

HIDDEN WITHIN: We forget thatsavoury fast foods like pizza areloaded with sugar. Picture: iStock

improving our

BIG BITE: Fast food such assausages and bread rolls allhave hidden sugar levels.Picture: iStock

overall health


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Male health

Coughs and colds

Male health

Deirdre O'Flynn

MOSTLY MEN

4TAKE

DId you know...Help at hand dealingwith migraine in youthsIf you or your son is proneto migraine, check out theNational Migraine Youth In-formation Day in Cork to-morrow, February 25.Hosted by the Migraine

Association of Ireland (MAI),this event is open to childrenand teenagers under 18 —their parents and guardians,teachers andhealth profession-als. Migraine inyoung people canimpact on school,family and sociallife.Although there

is no cure, it canbe managed.However, diag-nosing migraine

in children can be difficult.“Children can present with agroup of symptoms that donot include headache at allbut range from stomach acheto dizziness to nausea andvomiting,” says MAI infor-mation officer Donna Ryan.The Migraine Youth Infor-

mation Day takes place at theBrookfield HealthScience Complex,UCC, from 11amto 3.30pm.There is no

charge but placesare limited andmust be booked inadvance.Call 1850-

200378 or [email protected].

BERRY NICE: Sambucol, €9.99 for120ml is a tasty black elderberry tonicwhich was developed by virologist DrMadeleine Mumcuoglu to help boost

the immune system and fight off infection. Itcomes in an adult and a chil-dren’s formula. The newestproduct in the range, Sambu-col Black Elderberry efferves-cent, €9.99 (15 tablets) in-cludes Vitamin C and Zinc toboost its antioxidant and im-mune strengthening power.These berry flavoured tabletshave no artificial colours andare sugar free and suitable forchildren aged 4+. The Sam-bucol range is available frompharmacies and health stores;www.sambucol.com

COUGH TINCTURE: For chesty coughsA.Vogel recommend Ivy Thyme Com-plex; €10.50. One of Alfred Vogel’s orig-

inal remedies, this tincture contains ivy to relaxthe bronchial tubes preventing hacking andthyme to loosen mucus. Another A.Vogel reme-dy, which works best for dry, tickly coughs isBronchosan Pine Cough Syrup. Itis made from fresh pine shoot ex-tracts which are antibacterial, help-ing to ease hoarseness. The syruphas pear and honey taste and issuitable for adults and childrenover 12. It costs €9, from healthstores and selected pharmacies;www.avogel.ie

HOMEOPATHIC REMEDY: Nel-son’s Sootha brings gentle reliefto children’s coughs. It containsa 6c homeopathic potency of

bryonia in a honey and zesty lemonbase and is non drowsy and suitable forbabies 12 months upwards. Bryonia,more commonly known as bryon is ayellow flowering climbingplant, which has been usedmedicinally in the treatmentof coughs since AncientGreek and Roman times.Nelsons Sootha is freefrom artificial colours andflavours and is €7.25 frompharmacies and healthstores; www.nelsonsnatu-ralworld.com.

HEALING HONEY: Formulatedwith 100% natural ingredients,new MGO 250+ Kids Syrup isdesigned to support the immune

system and soothe troublesome coughs,sore throats and congestion. The antibac-terial properties of Manuka honey arecombined with peppermint, thyme andaniseed, which work together to combatcold and flu symptoms. Thisformula contains no propolisor alcohol and has a sweetliquorice flavour. Suitable forchildren 12 months and over,it costs €10.99 from healthstores; www.naturalife.ie.

Men with reducedfertility may havea reduced risk forprostate cancer(Source: Lund University, Sweden)

Interactive supportto help quit smokingIf you have slipped back intosmoking since your NewYear quit attempts, you canstill avail of Pfizer’s ‘Quitwith Help’ programme onwww.quitwithhelp.ie. It of-fers new tailored guidanceand interactive support forsmokers through every stepof their attempt tostop smoking.Research shows

that smokers whotalk to a healthcareprofessional, to getthe right treatmentand support, arefour times morelikely to succeedin stopping smok-ing than if they doit alone. However,

most Irish smokers try toquit using willpower alone.www.quitwithhelp.ie offers

advice and tools on how bestto stop smoking. It includes aindividualised quit plan, sav-ings calculator, games and‘Quit TV’ where smokerscan watch real-life success

stories. There isalso a commit-ment pledge,which users canopt to shareacross Facebookand via email tohelp build upan extendednetwork ofsupportamongst familyand friends.

I look forward to each daySTAYING POSITIVE:Lung cancersurvivor Frank Coxshares hisexperiences as asupport volunteerwith the IrishCancer Society.Picture: Maura Hickey

FRANK COX is one of the luckyones — he has survived lungcancer, which has one of the lowest

survival rates of any type of cancer, and todayacts as a peer support volunteer with theIrish Cancer Society.“I was diagnosed very early and I go back

now for six-monthly check-ups,” says Frank,70, who worked as a postman in Dublin.Numerous chest infections in 2006 and

2007 led to a chest X-ray but nothing alarm-ing showed up in the initial results. Then, inJuly 2007, he was caught short of breathwhile playing golf in Wexford with hisbrothers-in-law. A second chest X-ray re-vealed a shadow on his lung and a CT scanand bronchoscopy confirmed lung cancer.“I got an awful shock,” says Frank, adding

that his father died from lung cancer at theage of 66 — the same age he was at diagno-sis. “I had smoked since I was a teenager —probably smoked 20-25 a day. I was off thecigarettes then 16 years — if I had been stillsmoking I wouldn’t have had the surgery.”Frank’s initial instinct was to speak to

someone else who had been in his shoes. “Iwas able to talk to a friend of my wife’s whohad come through lung cancer — that gaveme the confidence to do the same. That’swhy I feel that, if I talk about it, it may help

someone else.” As a peer support volunteer,he provides practical information, emotionalsupport and shares his experience with newlydiagnosed patients.Frank had part of his lung removed and

chemotherapy.“I feel grand now — I couldn’t run very

far now, but I couldn’t beforehand either,” hesays, adding that his wife, Helen, and hisdaughters and son were a huge support. To-day, he concentrates on the positive.“When I wake up, it’s great to be able to

get up and look forward to things — minortrivial things don’t bother me now, thoughI’m a fairly positive guy anyway.”Kimmage-based Frank’s advice to others is

to consult their GP if they feel shortness ofbreath or suffer repeated chest infections.“Early diagnosis was key for me,” he says.On Friday and Saturday, Mar 2-3, the Irish

Cancer Society will hold its annual National

Conference for Cancer Survivorship at theAviva Stadium, Dublin. The free conferenceis an opportunity for cancer survivors andtheir families to share information and sup-port on all aspects of a cancer diagnosis.The programme includes practical infor-

mation on treatment, fatigue, exercise anddiet, and the emotional and psychological ef-

fects of cancer.Speakers include psychologist, writer and

broadcaster Dr Maureen Gaffney and Irishentrepreneur Padraig O’Ceidigh.

● For more information, go to www.can-cer.ie/nccs or call the Irish Cancer Societyon 01-2310500.

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Feelgood

Beauty

Emily O’Sullivan

The news on...

Take three...

STUFF WE LIKE

Mindthosecurls

Embrace your frizzylocks with the latestproducts — yourhair and purse willthank you for it

TOTALLY UNLOCKED: It’s liberating to find your own style and your hair isone way of expressing it — taking what nature has given you and runningwith it. Picture: Thinkstock

IHATE the blow-dry. It doesn’t suit myhair and it doesn’t suit my face. It’stime-consuming, too. And with the lit-

tle spare time I have, I don’t really want tospend it with tongs, or straighteners or ahair-dryer. My hair doesn’t conform to thisaesthetic anyway, and I’m too lazy to keeptrying to make it something that it’s not.Thankfully, there’s been a slightly different

mood at work over the last few years. It’s amood that I credit to the hair maverick andcreative director of American Vogue, GraceCoddington, who blazed her way throughthe 2009 documentary The September Issuewith a shock of red, exceptionally frizzy hair.She looked, and still looks, remarkable. De-spite being surrounded by fashion industryartifice on a grand scale, Coddington has re-sisted being swallowed by the glossy hair con-tingent. It’s a lesson for us all.In an era where the hair and beauty indus-

try insist on trying to squeeze women intothe narrowest of definitions about what isbeautiful, there’s something incredibly liberat-ing about finding your own natural style andsticking to it. Just like Coddington.Coming to terms with your own ball of

frizz is not as difficult as it might seem. Infact, frizz is becoming kind of cool. It’s allabout going for a more natural look, a lookthat’s miles away from the perma-tanned,acrylic-nailed, Botox-ed look of Katie Price.Instead, it’s about taking what nature has giv-en you, and running with it.The key of course is to keep away from

heated styling tools, and that means hairdry-ers, too. The other trick is to lay off hardcorefrizz-battling products, of which there aremany around. A lot of the time, these willadd weight to your hair instead of makingthe most of the waves and curls.

If you are on the curly side of frizz, thenyou’re in luck… there are a lot of really greatproducts that tame frizz down just the rightamount, and inject a bit of energy andbounce into your curls. L’Oreal Professional’sCurl Contour range (shampoo, €12.05;Contour Masque, €16.80; and EnhancingSpray, €16.80) is one of the latest on themarket and gives the kind of nourishmentthat curly hair craves. But don’t just be daz-zled by the new, two of the best curly hairranges are Aveda Be Curly and Bumble andBumble Curl Conscious — both have beenaround for ages, proving their worth tocurly-haired types everywhere.Going natural is the best part about em-

bracing the frizz. It cuts down morn-ing-styling time dramatically. But remember,there is a fine line between healthy frizz andfrazzled. Keeping your hair in good conditionis vitally important to stop it lookingstraw-like.A good option is a hair oil, one of the hair

industry’s brightest and most brilliant inven-

tions. Refined, affordable and very effective,oils can be used on wet hair, on dry or as adeep conditioning treatment prior to washingyour hair. They’re also great for using on theends of the hair, where the frizz seems to runparticularly riot.Of course, there’s a fine line between frizz

and frazzle. To get on the right side of thecurly look, make sure that your hair is verywell conditioned. Frizzy hair is drier andmore dehydrated than regular hair, so investin a deep-conditioning treatment, or treatyourself to a luxury hair care range to giveyour weary locks a boost.Hair ranges such as Shu Uemura and

Kerastase are expensive, but they work muchbetter used over a few weeks as a break fromyour regular shampoo and conditioner. Be-cause your hair is not used to them, theybring impressive benefits, like a two-weekyoga retreat for your locks. Once they runout, you can go back to using your normalshampoo and plan in another hair holiday forlater in the year. Yay.

GLORIOUSLY SMELLY BATH TREATS

February can be a miserable month.We’re all fed up of winter at this stage.But truth be told, a good way of makingyourself feel better is with a beautifully in-dulgent bath treat, with the kind of luxuri-ous scents that transport you to anotherworld. Here are three of my favouritestandbys.

Pure Fiji Exotic Bath and Body Oil Co-conut Milk and Honey, €12.40. I lovethis one because it’s a bath and a bodyoil. So you can use it as a moisturiser, aswell as a bath treat. It smells gorgeous —yes, you need to love coconut, but whodoesn’t. There’s coconut, macadamia,sikeci and dilo nut oils in this one, for realindulgence.

Laura Mercier Creme Brulée HoneyBath, €37. This has the kind of scent thatwould almost make you swoon. It’s abso-lutely divine – the most decadent and de-lightful bath product around. Instanttransportation to a French patisserie.

Lush Floating Island Bath Melt, €5.20.Lush’s bath treats arewell priced and veryenjoyable to use.This is halfway be-tween a super-fizzybath ballistic, and a mois-turising bath melt. It light-ly fizzes before turningyour bath into a temple ofgorgeous aromas including co-coa butter, almond oil and sandalwood.Divine.

ORIGINS LIPS

You’d need to love your lips to justifysplashing out €17 on them, but if you dohave the cash to spare, then this is alovely luxury little treat. Unlikeother lip balms that tend tobe greasy, this one sinks intothe lips and makes a greatbase for lipstick, especially ifyou find lipstick dehydrating.It’s packed with camphor,thyme, oil of wintergreen, sheabutter and olive oil.Lovely.

Schwarzkopf BC Oil Miracle Finishing Treat-ment, €29.95. This can feel quite heavy onthe hair. But if yours is feeling very dry andfrizzy, then it really does fix it.You can go for a lighter formulation, also in

this range, if it starts to weigh down the hair.

Kiehls Sun-flower ColourPreservingDeep Recov-ery Pak,€29.50. Frizzyhair needssome propercare from time

to time, and a masque is the best way to giveit a boost. Colouring hair can exacerbate frizzi-ness, so you can aim to tame with a masquesuch as this one, which looks after colour andcondition.

Redken Time Reset Shampoo, €16.80, con-ditioner, €18.80 and revitalizer, €28.50. An-other not-so lovely aspect of ageing is thatyour hair becomes even drier, andmore frizzy. This product aims to re-vitalise your sorry barnet, with verynourishing lipids that restore thehair’s natural protection barrier. Usedall together, you really do notice theresults.

Shu Uemura Shusu shampoo, €16.10, con-ditioner, €21.50 and mask, €26.85. All threeproducts combine to make this one of our topluxury haircare treats.This is just a great range — and while the

whole Shu Uemura brand includes really ex-cellent products, this is a standout collection,perfect for the frizzies, or indeed anyone with

dehydrated and damaged locks. Brilliant.

MOP Defining Cream, €15.34 athqhair.com. Well, if you can’t beat’em, join ’em. If your frizz is manage-able as waves and curls, then makethe most of them instead of trying tobeat them into submission.

This is a good bet for curly types and thecompany also offers a leave-in conditioner, ifyou need it.

Kerastase Elixir Ultime, €34. Areally lovely oil, this one of our topthree hair products.It manages to give a bounce

and shine to the hair, withoutweighting it down or making itlook greasy.It defrizzes just the right

amount, too — not so much thatyou feel like you’ve someoneelse’s hair, but enough to tonedown the Leo Sayer factor.


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Megan puts the spotlight on: Greens and oxalates

Natural health

■ NOTE: The information contained above is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor first.

Q SOME weeks ago you an-swered a question from a par-ent concerned about herchild’s asthma. It soundedexactly the same as the

symptoms that bring on my five-year-oldson’s asthma. My son was diagnosed lastyear after numerous chest infections, andput on the usual inhalers. He seems to getworse when the weather is colder and hasparticular problems when he is lying down.When the inhalers are not enough, heneeds to go on a ventilator and steroids,which thankfully he escaped this winter asit’s been so mild. I would like to go downa more natural route. What do you advise?

A. The remedy I suggested for thefour-year-old girl you refer to was Oralmat, anatural rye-grass supplement which has beenshown in clinical trials to reduce the inci-dence and severity of asthma attacks in peopleof all ages. Oralmat helps to regulate the im-mune system in response to allergens, irri-tants, viruses, and bacteria — which is why ithas fared so well in treating asthma, alongwith a number of other respiratory and in-flammatory conditions such as hay fever, al-lergies, colds, flu, sore throats, rhinitis and si-nusitis. Since rye grass contains tryptophan,zinc, and magnesium, it also helps to relaxfrazzled nerves and muscles, encouraging acalmer state of mind.This product is available as drops, which are

to be taken under the tongue, bypassing di-gestive acids to ensure the potent healingproperties of rye grass remain intact. Yourchild should take one drop last thing at nightbefore going to bed. Oralmat drops costaround €25.80 from health stores orwww.oralmat.co.uk.The Buteyko technique is worth investigat-

ing. In 1995, the Mater Hospital in Brisbane,Australia, conducted studies which found thatasthmatics who used the Buteyko techniquereduced the need for reliever medication by90%, the need for preventer medication re-duced by 49% and symptoms such as cough-ing, wheezing and breathlessness reduced by70% within three months.In 2003, the Gisborne Hospital in NZ car-

ried out a similar study with almost identicalfindings. For more information, visitwww.buteykoclinic.com online or check outbooks by Buteyko practitioner, Patrick McK-eown (Asthma Free naturally, Close yourmouth, ABC to be asthma free).Patrick McKeown was a chronic lifelong

asthmatic until he discovered the work ofProfessor Buteyko.After making a recovery from his asthma,

he later trained at the Buteyko Clinic ofMoscow, being one of only a few people inthe Western world to be directly accreditedby the late Professor. You can contact Patrickon 1800-931935 or by [email protected].

Q. I would like to pass on some valuableinformation to you regarding psoriasis. Mypartner has been suffering with this condi-tion since the early ’90s when he was inhis mid-30s. He has tried all the usualtreatments from steroid creams and lighttherapy. A few years ago we attended apsoriasis event in Cork where we weregiven a free sample of Emulsiderm, whichan emollient. Used in your bath water orrubbed neat to an affected area a few min-utes before showering, it is a miracleworker. I am not a rep for Emulsiderm,but as this product has made such a differ-ence to my partner I wondered if you’veheard of it. It has become less available oflate, but some local pharmacies stock it.

A. Feedback from Feelgood readers is alwayswelcome, and I really appreciate people let-ting me know of products and practitionersthat have made a real difference in theirlives. Psoriasis can certainly be a conditionthat has people at their wits’ end, and as youand your partner will know — it is a god-send to find something that works. Theemollient cream you mention, Emulsiderm,contains three active ingredients: liquidparaffin, isopropyl myristate and benzalkoni-um chloride. While these are not 100% nat-ural and organic ingredients, it is good to see

a product that is formulated simply. In termsof chemicals, the first two ingredients areconsidered to be of low hazard, while benza-lkonium chloride is moderate on the samescale rating.See www.cosmeticsdatabase.com for a use-

ful guide when it comes to checking out therelative safety of ingredients in skincare.They use a rating system from 0-10, with 10being the highest hazard rating. Remember,it is just a guideline based on the toxicityand reactivity of the individual ingredientsand doesn’t take into account what percent-age of each ingredient is in a specific formu-lation, or how the ingredients interact. It al-so doesn’t take into account other potentialfactors involved in skincare such as the ethi-cal sourcing of ingredients or animal testing.Emulsiderm works by forming a water-

proof skin barrier, enabling the skin to retainadequate hydration, and it also acts as a mildantiseptic to prevent bacterial infection.A simple blend using coconut, jojoba or

camellia oil, combined with manuka essen-tial oil and beeswax or shea butter wouldhave a similar effect if your husband is keento try something new and homemade.Recipes for making your own balms,

creams, and emulsions can be found in nu-merous skincare recipe books, and of courseon the internet.

Do you have a question forMegan Sheppard?Email it [email protected] send a letter toFeelgoodIrish ExaminerCity QuarterLapps QuayCork

Megan Sheppard

MANY people express concernabout the oxalate content ofgreens in green smoothies, in

particular the action of oxalates inblocking calcium uptake in the body.Oxalic acid/oxalates is certainly pre-

sent in high amounts in greens — infact it is present to some degree in al-most all plant foods. Plants such asspinach, chard, silverbeet, beet greens,parsley, purslane, chives, cassava, ama-ranth, and rhubarb have significant oxal-ic acid content. Does this mean thateating greens is bad for your bonehealth? Not at all.While the oxalic acid present in plant

foods will inhibit absorption of calcium,it does not block all of the calcium pre-sent in that food. Oxalates do bind to

calcium and prevent the absorption, butthis amount is very small, and the otherabundant nutritional benefits of eatingyour leafy greens considerably outweighthe small decrease in calcium.It is incredibly easy to

meet the recommendeddaily amount of calcium(450mg) through yourdiet, and if you eatplenty of fresh fruit,vegetables, nuts,and seeds then youwill likely exceedthis considerably —people who eatwholefoods dietstend to get closer to700mg-900mg daily calci-

um from their food. Anyone who isconcerned about their calcium intakeshould consider adding sesame seeds andtahini (sesame paste) to their diet, sincesesame seeds have an incredibly highcalcium content — nearly 10 timesthat found in full fat milk. Thesetiny seeds also contain a host ofother crucial minerals and nutri-ents for bone health, plus the

calcium in sesame is readily bioavail-able.Dietary choices that inhibit calcium

absorption even more than the oxalatesin leafy greens include meat, salt, alco-hol, and processed foods — theseshould be excluded from your platelong before leafy greens get the boot, ifyou want to ensure you are getting thefull spectrum of vitamins and minerals.

Oxalates are present inhigh amounts in greens — infact in almost all plant foods

Picture: iStock

Psoriasis can be a condition that haspeople at their wit’s end and it is a

godsend to find something that works

TERAPROOF:User:noelcampionDate:22/02/2012Time:15:51:20Edition:24/02/2012FeelgoodXH2402Page:16 Zone:XH

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Feelgood

No 2 Camden Place,St Patricks Bridge, Corkt: (021) 4552424

OPENINGTIMES: Monday to Friday 8am-9.30pmPlease log on to www.thehairclinichlcc.com

HAIR LOSS?NOT ANYMORE THANKS TO THE HAIR CLINIC

Before treatment

Prevention is better than cureWHEN 34 year old KennethFallon started losing his hair 4years ago he went to see theHairClinic and was told abouta revolutionary painfree lasertreatment that prevents hairlossand helps to thicken existingthin hair.

“The trichologist told methat it was important that Icaught my hairloss early aswhen the hair is gone, it’s gone,and the laser can only work onthinning hair. I cannot growhair on a bald head. I was alsotold that the condition I had,known as Androgenic Alopecia,was an inherited condition and

as my dad was bald, as was mygrandad, I knew I has to dosomething as I was heading thesame way.

“Unfortunately with my workand the birth of my daughter, Ididn’t go ahead with treatmentstraight away as recommendedand my hair just got worseand worse. I kept meaning todo something about it but Ijust kept putting it off which Iknow is the worst thing to doas I know once the hair root isdead, it’s too late.

One evening, after we hadbeen out with friends, a friendof mine posted the evening’s

pictures on Facebook and Icouldn’t believe how bad myhair looked. I hated seeing my-self like that and I knew I hadto do something.The next day Imade another appointment withthe HairClinic which was theoriginal Cork City clinic I hadvisited all those years ago andI was told that I has lost somehair around the crown so Iwould always be a little bit lightin that area. But the great newswas that the laser treatmentwould stop my hair from get-ting any worse and also thickenmy thinning hair.

9 months on and there hasbeen a huge improvement inmy hair and I am delighted. Ijust wish I had done treatmentearlier when I first noticed thethinning!

Before treatment

After 6 months laser treatment

4 Stops hairloss and thickens hair in 94% of patients 4 Totally safe and painfree4Works for men & women 4 FDA cleared as having no side effects

Vivien O’Sullivan.

WHEN 61-year-old Kerrygrandmother-of-sixVivienO’Sullivan noticed that herhair was falling out more thannormal she assumed that it wasdue to stress caused by a recentfamily bereavement.“I noticed it mainly when Iwashed it, the plughole in theshower used to clog up withhair,” saidVivien.“I started toreally worry though when Iwoke up one morning and no-ticed several hairs on the pillow,I have always had really thickhair and my hair was definitelystarting to thin out.

“I was so worried about itthat I went to see my GP,” saysVivien.“He said it could bea lack of iron in my diet soI started taking iron tablets.“Over the next six months Itook lots of different supple-

ments, as well as iron tablets,but the thinning seemed to begetting worse.”

Vivien went back to see herGP who this time advised herthat she should seek advicefrom a hair loss specialist.

Vivien visited several hair lossspecialists and was advised byone clinic that her best optionwas a wig and by another thatFUE transplant surgery was herbest option.

“I didn’t like the sound ofeither option to be honest,”saysVivien.“I was worried andunhappy with my hair loss butI didn’t feel as though it haddeteriorated enough to weara hairpiece! I basically justwanted to stop it from fallingout and thicken it up.”

Vivien considered the optionof surgery but again decided

this was too radical and ex-treme.“The most importantthing to me was to stop it fromfalling out and to hopefullythicken it up,” saidVivien.“Iwas told that surgery wouldreplace the hairs that had beenlost but would not stop anyfurther hair loss, I was at a totalloss as to know what to do.

“Then one day my husbandcalled to say he was reading anarticle in the newspaper about alaser that can help to stop hairloss and to thicken existing thinhair without the need for anysurgery, I researched into it onthe internet and I found thatit was clinically proven to stophair loss in 94% of patients aftersix months of treatment andwas suitable for both men andwomen, it was also totally pain-free with no side-effects.

“I then found there was aclinic in Cork offering thistreatment, so I contacted themand went for a free consulta-tion, I discovered I was suf-

fering from a condition calledCTE (Chronic Telogen Efflu-vium). I was told this causesexcessive thinning down thecentre of the scalp and affectsthe hair’s growth cycles. It canalso lead to androgenic alopecia,which can cause the hairs to getthinner and thinner until theystop growing altogether.”

Vivien was informed thatsurgery was inappropriate asshe was still losing hair, and wasalso unnecessary as she still hadthe majority of her hair whichcould be saved and thickenedusing a combination of lasertreatment and medication.

“I completed my course oftreatment just over nine monthsago and I can’t believe thedifference in my hair. It hasstopped falling out and it hasthickened up massively. I amdelighted. I would recommendanyone who is worried aboutthinning hair to do somethingabout it before it’s too late!”

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Vivien’s Story

“The trichologisttold me that itwas importantthat I caught myhairloss early aswhen the hair isgone, it’s gone’’

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CONSULTATION

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feelgood 24-02-2012

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