There was a time when eight out of 10 questions asked of me revolved around whitening tips. Today five out of 10 now inquire about health and disease prevention the natural way. So here are a few pointers derived from my personal research.

Can homeopathic regimens improve health challenges?

Definitely. Homeopathy is the “Law of Similars,” or simply put, “like cures like.” This is a principle used in conventional medicine, especially for allergy treatments. The same natural substances that cause certain symptoms in the body are used in homeopathic remedies.

Example: when you peel an onion, your eyes naturally itch and water. When you have a cold, the remedy would be a much diluted dose of red onion (allium cepa) to help the body heal itself naturally.

Homeopathic medicines are derived from natural plant, mineral and animal substances. The medically active substances are diluted to small amounts, making them non-toxic. And there are no side-effects. Safe for children and adults, these treatments are effective in alleviating allergies, flu, bruises, hot flashes and motion sickness.

Homeopathic medicines are taken sublingually (under the tongue) because the large number of capillaries found in the mouth allows the “natural medicines” to get into the bloodstream faster.

Note: Avoid coffee or mint before taking homeopathic remedies, as they can interfere with their efficacy. This includes mint-flavored toothpaste. Don’t brush your teeth, drink or eat half an hour after taking these remedies.

Do I really need supplements?

Supplements are there to help your immune system’s fight against a bacterial or viral invasion. But if for some reason it is down and you succumb to illness, all the more you will need supplementation.

There is a raging controversy over the effectiveness of supplementation. But the best proof of all is a feeling of well-being. During illness, the body is completely under stress. Your adrenal glands are exhausted and deprived of nutrients. What happens is that the body’s stress-busting team—vitamin C, B6, folic acid, pantothenic acid and zinc—are severely depleted. Note that vitamin C is not produced by the body, thus supplementation is required. We need these vitamins to keep our metabolism functioning in perfect order.

Vitamin prescriptions

Allergies—remove all food coloring, MSG additives and preservatives from your food intake. These may cause allergies. Take 50 mg vitamin B complex— twice daily; 1,000 mg vitamin C thrice daily; 500 mg pantothenic acid twice daily

Arthritis—Omega 3 capsules, twice daily; 500 mg vitamin C twice daily. Note: If you are taking aspirin, it robs your body of vitamin C; 2 mg copper daily. Food remedy—increase fatty fish consumption (salmon, mackerel, halibut, cod). Eliminate potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, as they can aggravate your condition

Blood pressure—High-talk slower (fast talkers don’t breathe properly, which can result in elevated pressure); decrease sodium intake; increase potassium, eat more bananas; eat more onions and garlic; stop smoking; avoid stress; do brisk walking daily; take 1,000 mg calcium daily; 500 mg magnesium daily; take vitamin E and coenzyme Q10 complex two to three times daily.

Low in iron—Take malunggay (moringa) capsules thrice daily.

What is the best anti-aging regimen?

Here are my tips:

Get six to eight hours of a good night’s sleep.

Manage your stress levels.

Exercise regularly.

Avoid direct sunlight from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Stay positive.

Eat more vegetables and fruits.

Lessen beef and pork intake.

Limit your alcohol intake to one serving a day, or try to be alcohol-free for as long as you can.

Limit processed foods in your diet.