Herbal preparations and plant-based remedies can help you find comfort. But always consult your doctor, especially if you are on maintenance medication.
Why did I wake up one morning to find that I have lost all sexual desire? I am 50 and frustrated.
What you are experiencing now didn’t occur in a flash. Your body began its hormonal decline in your 30s, probably even in your late 20s. So, it’s not surprising that at 50, you have lost the “urge.”
Take heart—all is not lost. Your ob-gyne can recommend a blood test to determine your hormone levels—estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, thyroid, cortisol, among others.
Undergoing hormone replacement therapy or bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) can help you regain your vitality and zest for life, as though you’re young again!
I would recommend BHRT, as it is plant-based. You may consider seeing an endocrinologist.
How do I chase the blues away?
While it is normal to feel blue occasionally, it is abnormal to experience
it for extended periods. You could be suffering from depression.
The symptoms include anti-social behavior, delusions, suicidal tendencies, emotional agitation and mood swings. Seek professional help.
On the other hand, the simple blues are easy to chase away. Here are your options:
1) Stop for a while to determine the cause of your situational depression. Did you just lose your job, have a marital problem, mourn the death of a loved one, suffer a relationship break-up, have financial problems, fight with a friend, move house or change residency to another country, fail in school or a competition, etc.?
There are many reasons that could trigger an emotional “low.”
2) Talk to a person you trust. One of the most effective therapies is talking it out. Don’t keep it inside. Let it out.
3) Stay active. Get physical by sweating it out. Your endorphins should kick in.
4) Laugh it out with friends—especially the funny ones.
5) Have a massage to relax.
6) Sip calming teas like St. John’s Wort, valerian root, red raspberry, chamomile and wormwood.
7) Try homeopathic treatments.
8) Take up yoga.
9) Practice meditation. Begin with relaxing music.
10) Dance all night.
I developed a bum tummy after eating seafood in a restaurant. What do I do to prevent it from happening again?
For practical reasons, avoid that restaurant if you traced your problem to it. Be vigilant. You could be allergic to certain food. Also, remember the following:
- Avoid shellfish, especially during rainy season.
- Vegetables can breed bacteria if not properly washed.
- Food poisoning can be mild or severe. Some remedies include fresh, chopped garlic, bananas and cloves in hot water.
- Normal indigestion can be fixed with activated charcoal tablets, sodium bicarbonate mixed in hot water, acidophilus (good bacteria) and kefir.
- To promote gut health, take one capsule of acidophilus daily with one capsule of digestive enzymes during a meal.
- Include one capsule of garlic oil as an anti-bacterial remedy. Some naturopathic doctors recommend eating dark chocolate ice cream to remove gas.
What is the best solution to dry skin?
You could be dehydrated. Are you drinking at least 10 glasses of water daily? For not-so-instant but effective hydration, take one to two capsules of cod liver oil with meals daily and increase vitamin C intake to 1,000 to 2,000 mg daily.
For topical treatment, scrub with two tablespoons (tbsp) sugar and two tbsp virgin coconut oil. Remove the dry skin first before moisturizing.
After this procedure, take a shower then apply a thin layer of virgin coconut oil all over your body from head to foot.
Be sure to get enough sleep and avoid the draft. Extremely cold air-conditioned rooms tend to dry the skin.
Instead, sleep with windows open and use an electric fan (not pointed directly at you).
Eat more vegetables because they are considered food for the skin.
This week’s affirmation: “I attract all things good in my life.”
Love and light!
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