АСТМА – ASTHMA

ASTHMA AND ENVIRONMENTAL ILLNESS: THE CHEMICAL NEMESISWhen asthma is aggravated, precipitated, caused or triggered by chemical overloading, chemical hypersensitivity, heavy metal toxicity, mould and mycotoxins, poisoning or severe allergic illness — whatever name one chooses to call these problems — they all add up to the same thing: Environmental illness.The environment, meaning what you breathe, eat, drink, touch, feel, relate to, and so on, may well be unfriendly, stressful and perhaps even toxic to you. It may be that you are different from other people and affected by factors which others can shrug off. It may be that a long-forgotten viral attack has left you weaker or has over-excited your immune response so that you are more easily affected. It could be that your emotional state or personal life is so stressful that your resistance has been lowered to the point where all sorts of normally encountered substances make you ill, while leaving those around you unscathed. It could be one or a combination of very many factors.There are many reasons why one person will become ill as a result of exposure to chemicals while someone else may retain good health. If you are or have ever been an asthmatic, then you and your children are more likely to be affected by more factors at a lower level of exposure than other people.The most common points to remember are:Chemical sensitivity or overloading can happen to anyone at any time and, when it occurs, any organ or body system can be affected directly or indirectly. Obviously anyone prone to asthma will find their breathing is affected first.The onset of symptoms may be gradual, insidious or sudden.• Many factors influence an individual’s susceptibility to chemical exposure. Among these are: genetic-hereditary factors; nutritional status; total body load; biochemical individuality; immunological individuality; the degree of adaptation or masking; the biological activity of the chemical; the length and degree of exposure; general and emotional health at the time of exposure; previous exposure events; viral, bacterial or fungal infections; and emotional or physical trauma such as surgery, accidents, and so on.*24\145\2*

А 56-year-old builder, Justin has been battling asthma for just two years. He had no prior history of asthma.Until a few years ago, I hardly knew what asthma was. I come from a particularly healthy family who all live to a great old age, and as far as I can recall, no close family members have ever been to hospital, with the exception of those giving birth.I liked to think of myself as a fit and active 53-year-old, and I think I was. Just before my 54th birthday, I realized I was feeling a bit off. I was short of breath, had a persistent cough (particularly at night) and seemed to lack energy. You could hardly say I had chest pain, but I had a certain heaviness in the chest.Then I started to wheeze. I took some time off work, stayed around the house and did nothing. The symptoms wore off and I thought I’d got over a ‘bug’. Just after dinner a few nights later, I experienced what I now know was an acute asthma attack. I started wheezing and then simply could not breathe. It was the most terrifying experience of my life. I thought I was having a heart attack of some sort and we rang an ambulance. The ambulance guys were fantastic. My wife was hysterical and I thought I was dying, but they had me on oxygen within seconds and they reassured my wife.I don’t remember all that much after having oxygen. I was in casualty for a few hours and was admitted to hospital for three days. I had a drip, which I believe was a steroid, and was given a bronchodilator, which I used regularly. When the specialist told me I’d had an asthma attack, I found it hard to believe.However, the sad truth is that, for some inexplicable reason, I became an asthmatic at age 53. The first attack was the most severe, but I have had others, and while I am not a severe asthmatic, I experience fairly regular, mild wheezing.At first I found asthma very hard to accept. In fact I was furious. I think I must have been quite difficult to live with while I was adjusting to the fact that I would probably have to use Becotide for the rest of my life. You can imagine how difficult it was for me to adjust from being someone who had previously had no medication stronger than an aspirin to a person who had to take medication for the test of his life.I went through a very depressed period. I felt life was all over. Then I pulled myself together and realized that I was, in fact, feeling very well. My preventive medication was doing a very good job.I attended a lecture at the Asthma Foundation and realized that there were many people much worse than me who were still leading full and active lives. It was a turning point for me and I felt some of my old bounce and optimism return. 1 took a much more positive approach to my asthma. While it still annoys the hell out of me, I have to admit that I am able to lead a normal and active life.I actually feel embarrassed when I look back at how badly I behaved when I first got asthma. I was sure I was going to be an invalid for the rest of my life. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact I’m planning a walk to Cradle Mountain in Tasmania in just a few months — with the approval of my doctor.*57\148\2*

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A vast number of medications are available on prescription or over-the-counter. It would be impossible to list all medications and their possible side effects here. Your doctor can provide you with information about any medication that your child is taking.

All medicines are potentially poisonous if not taken according to directions. Always keep medicines out of the reach of children, preferably in a locked cupboard.

If your child is taking medicine, give it to him at the specified times and he accurate with the dosage (amount). Use a measuring spoon or cup — do not guess the amount. If you forget to give your child a dose, give it as soon as you remember, and give the following dose at the correct time. Give the medicine for the exact period of time advised by your doctor — this advice is based on scientific research, not on a whim. Do not suddenly stop giving the medicine when the child is feeling better, unless it is on the doctor’s advice.

Any particular medicine should only be used by the person for whom it has been prescribed. It is not safe practice to borrow medicines from other people, not to give them to others. Do not give your child’s medicine to his brother or sister without consulting your doctor. This can be life-threatening. Some children can suffer serious side effects from even a small amount of a seemingly harmless substance.

Some medications interact with others, that is, they are not compatible with each other and may produce serious side effects. Always check with your doctor if your child is taking more than one medication at a time. All medicines have generic, or common, chemical names but are marketed under various brand names, which vary from country to country. The one medication may be marketed under different brand names. The brand names are usually printed in larger letters. Check the small print for the generic name.

Always discard medicines that are past their ‘use by’ date. This expiry date is always written on the container. Do not dispose of them in the rubbish. Take them to your chemist for disposal, or flush them properly down the toilet.

Remember that if you need to take any medication during pregnancy or when breastfeeding, this should be monitored by a doctor. Most medications should be avoided at these times, no matter how innocent they may seem, as they can be harmful to the baby. Always check with your doctor before taking any medication.

*207\90\8*

There are no guarantees that our children will turn out to be perfect — children are after all human! But, giving our children the best possible chance in life is what we all wish for as parents and there are certain things we can do, even before the birth, to prepare the road ahead and maximise our child’s chances of being healthy and well-adjusted.

Looking after yourself during pregnancy is the best start you can give your unborn child. This chapter does not try to be a complete guide to pregnancy and childbirth. It focuses on those aspects of pregnancy that are important to your child’s health.

Pregnancy is the ideal time to prepare for your baby’s arrival and for your approaching parenthood. After your baby is born you will be busy looking after both of you, as well as the rest of the family, in many cases. Take advantage of the time you may have before the baby is born to read about childbirth, babies and parenting. Talk to other parents, relatives, your doctor and your maternal and child health nurse to familiarise yourself with both the emotional and practical aspects of parenthood. Do some research and find out in advance what sort of services are available in your local area such as nappy wash services, creches, babysitters and home help.

*40\90\8*

Young Adulthood: Telling It Like It Feels vs. Telling What You Feel Like Telling

You have traced the courtship ritual in our culture, and have learned that vulnerability has received a bad name. Instead of learning to value people because they are vulnerable, fragile, open, and disclosing, we learn to think of them as foolish and immature. We see them trying too hard and showing too much of themselves. A key lesson for super marital sex is to be able to open it all up, to share every feeling as you feel it. The real outside world doesn’t allow this openness, but it is available to you in the privacy and safety of your own marriage place. The young adult must resolve this conflict, take the risk, get hurt, bounce back, and eventually learn that only through vulnerability will lasting love and fulfilling sex be possible.

Adulthood: The Saneness of Sameness vs. the Quest for Newness

From early childhood, we learn that new is always better than old or used. Same is not as good as different, unique, or unknown. We learn that variety is the spice of life. At this adult phase of development, we must learn to countermand these cultural orders, to learn to value sameness, reliability, predictability, history, and a long-lasting, predictable sexual relationship.

Somehow a cultural myth evolved that people must “sow their wild oats” before they can “settie down.” Sexism has translated this myth to males doing the sowing and females avoiding the reaping. Finding someone to love, to have sex with over a long time does not have to follow anything else. Those people who negotiate through this stage learn the lesson that movement toward love does not have to include a sally into promiscuity.

Mature Adulthood: Us vs. Me

The term “inclusivity” refers to sharing activities and life endeav¬ors. This phase of sexual development requires striking a balance between autonomy and individual identity and finding such identity with someone while he or she is finding his or her own. Watching a lovely sunset can be a strong individual, almost spiritual experi¬ence. It can also provide for a sharing, a mental, emotional sharing or telepathy. The balance of independence and interdependence is the challenge of mature adult sexuality.

*231\97\8*

What does your surgeon mean when he or she says: ‘I think I’ve got it all’? This expression is unfortunately often used—unfortunately because it is so misleading. I’m not sure whether surgeons say this knowing it is misleading or whether they simply don’t realise that most patients take it to mean that they have definitely been cured by the operation. What I do know is that, if it is said to you, you should ask exactly what is meant. It is certainly not a guarantee of cure. It is sometimes even said when the surgeon knows that cure is not possible!

If your surgeon says this within a day or two of the operation, it means only that he or she has removed all the cancer that was detected before and/or visible during the operation. If your surgeon says it after receiving the pathology report, it probably means that, when it was examined under the microscope, cancer cells were not seen extending right out to the edge of the removed tissue.

The fact of the matter, as you and I know, is that no one can be sure that no cancer remains in your body immediately after an operation. You can only be sure that this was true, after enough time has gone by for any remaining seedlings to activate and form detectable tumours.

*246/40/1*

Hypertension means high blood pressure and not excessive anxiety or nervous tension.

Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood inside the arteries which carry the blood from the heart to the tissues.

When the heart contracts and forces blood out into the already filled arteries, the pressure rises. This is systolic blood pressure. When the heart is at rest, the pressure inside the elastic arteries is the diastolic pressure.

The difference between the two readings is the pulse pressure. The normal range varies considerably, being low in children and young women, and tending to rise with age.

The common belief that blood pressure should be 100 plus your age is not really true.

The normal range of systolic pressure is about 100 to 145 and the diastolic 60 to 90. It normally rises with exertion, exposure to heat or cold and with emotion, and these changes are more marked in the systolic pressures.

*434/71/1*

Pyrimethamine appears to be the most successful drug in the treatment of toxoplasmosis when it is given in conjunction with one of the sulpha drugs although sometimes sulphonamide is used alone.

Some of the broad spectrum antibiotics are also effective. Pyrimethamine may cause vitamin  and folic acid deficiencies and so these essential food factors may need to be given at the same time.

Cortisone and its derivatives have been used to reduce the inflammation, when the eye is involved.

Because of wide publicity given to this infection, many women are anxious to know if their unborn baby will be at risk. A blood or skin test should reveal whether a woman has come into contact with the parasite.

If she does have antibodies in her blood, it appears her foetus is safe and unlikely to develop the infection, even if the mother again comes into contact with the parasite.

Those women who have negative tests would be wise to avoid contact with cats during their early pregnancy. They place themselves particularly at risk if handling trays that may contain cat faeces or gardening in soil contaminated by the faeces. It appears that the parasite may be able to live in suitable soil for about a year.

Some experts believe that most cases of human infection come not from the cat but from eating infected meat which has not been properly cooked. Those who like their meat rare run a considerable risk from a variety of infections. Freezing is unlikely to kill the parasite, whereas adequate cooking does.

There is as yet no vaccine available for immunisation against this disease.

*180/71/1*

On a warm day in April, two women working together at a television station decide to have a light lunch at a nearby sidewalk cafe. It’s a friendly, crowded place, with small round tables set close to each other. Barbara, usually the more easygoing of the two women, seems worried as she leans forward and remarks to Jane: “Laura could lose her shot for a job in the newsroom. She’s missed so much work lately. Maybe she doesn’t want the job at all.”

Jane: Between us, it’s not the job. Laura’s always in pain . . . she’s got some real problems.

Barbara: What do you mean by problems? Jane: She has endometriosis. Barbara: What’s that?

Jane: For years, Laura had terrible cramps and pain, but no doctor could tell her what was wrong. Now it seems that the disease has done so much internal damage that she can’t get pregnant. Endometriosis spreads!

Barbara: How? Is it some new type of V.D.?

Jane: No, its not a disease you can catch. That’s all I know for sure.

A conversation like this one was exchanged over lunch somewhere in Manhattan, but one could easily find “Barbara” and “Jane” meeting at any coffee shop, discussing the plight of “Laura.” Such conversations are no longer isolated cases, because the subject—endometriosis—has tragically become a widespread topic. Compassionate friends like Barbara and Jane can only begin to describe the extent of the disease’s symptoms and effects. Every day in every city, millions of concerned women who know someone with endometriosis or who are themselves plagued by it are also searching for solutions to this new and growing health problem. Who are these women?

One might be a friend, a boss, a relative—or she might be yon. The facts now tell the story: a conservative estimate counts 20 million women with endometriosis, but realistically, there are more than twice that number of victims at varying stages of the disease. Millions of Lauras face the possibility of infertility and needless Buffering. Millions more are crippled by relentless pelvic pain and its complications, such as debilitating cramps and bladder disorders. Some have lost faith in professional medical care, as one doctor after the other (ailed to diagnose their disease before it grew out of control. More important, vast numbers of women may have endometriosis and not know that they do.

*4\43\4*

Yoga means union, a meeting; it is a state in which one unites, becomes one with, or attunes oneself to, reality. It is a union of your body and the physical aspects of your being with your mind, so that the body and mind can function harmoniously. Through yoga, some people can attain complete self-control.

The first step is the learning of correct breathing; this has particular importance in yoga, and is thought to be essential for adequate control of the mind.

The next important step is a series of exercises known as Hatha Yoga. These exercises lead to correction of posture faults, and increased general fitness. Systematic relaxation is another very important aspect of yoga, and this also involves exercises, both to control and relax each and every part of the body.

Once these things have been mastered, the mind is ready for meditation. This may or may not be an essential part of anxiety reduction. There is no doubt however that yoga not only improves physical fitness, but also endows practitioners with an inner calm and an ability to cope with stresses that they were previously unable to manage.

*30\44\4*

The paradigm arising from previous models of obesity assumes that if an overfat person consults a professional or commercial weight loss organisation, he or she will be given a set of instmctions which, if followed, will lead to an ideal body weight. Failure to achieve this is often attributed to sloth, gluttony or a lack of willpower. Under the new ecological approach presented here, it is acknowledged that an individual’s equilibrium point is determined by a variety of influences, many of which are beyond his or her control. To lose body fat may be extremely difficult for people with the biological and environmental cards stacked against them. To achieve ideal body weight may be virtually impossible. So it becomes unethical to use extreme cases of weight loss and unrealistic goals of achievement as selling points for commercial weight loss programs. These are likely to give false expectations which may lead to cycles of failure, guilt and low self-esteem which can only be expected to magnify obesity and eating disorders.

Re-defining the problem. As a working definition of obesity based on this new approach to the problem, we might consider the following:

Obesity and overfatness result from the combined influences of the environment, behaviour and biology on increasing fat intake and reducing fat utilisation. Changes in body fat levels from their equilibrium or ‘settling point’ are moderated by physiological adjustments which temper the impact of fat/energy balance on body fat change.

*84\186\4*

Acupressure originated in China as a first aid technique. It is based on the same principles as acupuncture but the acupuncture points are stimulated by finger pressure instead of needles.

Acupressure is easy to learn and can be performed by yourself or by a friend. It can be used for the relief of symptoms such as menstrual cramps and can also be a means of strengthening and balancing your body’s deep energies for the well-being of your body and mind.

Shiatsu.

Shiatsu is a form of acupressure. It is an ancient Japanese art of applying pressure to acupuncture points and is combined with oriental massage. With regular use it is believed to improve your health by increasing the flow of energy through the body.

Shiatsu should be pleasurable, not painful. Once the correct technique has been learnt from a qualified person it is possible to have a friend give you a massage or even to do it yourself.

*75\83\2*

The actual location of the endometrial implants in the body depends on the way in which they were transported to their new site. Because the majority of implants are transported to their new location by retrograde menstruation, almost all endometrial implants are found in the pelvic cavity. As blood and lymph transportation of endometrial fragments is rare, it is unusual to find implants in other parts of the body.

The ovaries are one of the most common sites for endometriosis and at least 50% of women with endometriosis have some implants on one or both of their ovaries. The other most common sites are the utero-sacral ligaments, the Pouch of Douglas and the peritoneum.

Less common sites for endometriosis include the appendix, the surface of the bladder, the recto-vaginal septum, the surface of the uterus, the fallopian tubes, and the surface of the small and large bowel.

On rare occasions, endometriosis has been found in almost every part of the body including surgical and episiotomy scars, the cervix, vagina, diaphragm, navel, lungs, breasts, arms and legs, the groin and the nose.

*15\83\2*

Also known as biochemical tissue salts, the medicinal use of these simple mineral compounds was developed by Dr Wilhelm Schuessler in Germany in the 1870s. He placed particular emphasis on the balance of minerals in the body and the onset of disease and identified 12 salts which were vital for general health and self-healing. If the mineral balance in cells was just right, Schuessler reasoned, diseases do not occur. Schuessler concentrated his efforts on the healing of everyday illnesses like colds and muscular pain, skin rashes and allergies.

Today these compounds are widely used by homeopaths but may be prescribed in a slightly different way to the Schuessler remedies, in keeping with the homeopathic principle of like curing like. The salts are known by an abbreviated name, such as Calc. fluor. for Calcium Fluoride and Kali mur. for Potassium Chloride, and are usually dissolved under the tongue. People suffering from lactose intolerance should note that lactose is often used as a binder in tissue salt powders and tablets (see Homeopathy). Tissue salts are also made up in combinations to treat different aspects of various problems.

*63\69\2*

Even though research is still going on, the available data show that Hypericum extract is clinically effective as an anti-depressant drug and that it probably works by biochemical mechanisms not so much different from the mechanisms of action of the tricyclics or the SSRIs. We feel that these findings are important enough to be communicated and interesting enough to stimulate further research.

Walter E. Muller, Frankfurt Siegfried Rasper, Vienna 1997

The modern era of research into St John’s Wort was ushered in by the German Health Department, which set up Commission E to investigate the many herbal remedies in general use in Germany and to find out for which of these there was reasonable evidence of efficacy. Commission E came out with its report in 1984 and identified approximately 300 herbs for which such evidence existed. Shortly after this, certain German pharmaceutical companies targeted some of these herbs as worthy of particular research attention; St John’s Wort was one of these herbs.

Research into a new treatment, such as St John’s Wort for depression, usually develops in predictable ways. One needs to establish whether the treatment actually works, who benefits most from it, what dosages are appropriate and for how long treatment should be continued. Side-effects need to be documented. Only once a treatment is regarded as safe and effective does attention usually turn to how the treatment actually works. Research in St John’s Wort is ongoing, but so far it has taken these expected directions. In this chapter I summarize the state of the art of research on the herbal anti-depressant.

*37\75\2*

A similar, but much more serious case was presented by Eleanor Wyckham, an overweight middle-aged woman. Two years before entering the Ecology Unit, Mrs. Wyckham had been hospitalized for depression. She had attempted suicide twice and had been given electroshock therapy. In her case, the treatment was ineffective and caused some memory loss.

Mrs. Wyckham was one of those patients who was aware that her problems stemmed in part from food. “I’ve reached the point where I am afraid to eat any longer,” she said, before entering the Ecology Unit. “Once I start eating, I feel as if I simply cannot stop.” She alternated between binges of eating and fasts or all-fruit diets. Her favorite food in the world, she said, was peanut butter—this was the one item she could not do without. She also loved bread, baked goods, and in fact anything with wheat in it. She had eaten wheat addictively since childhood, when her mother, who was interested in nutrition, became convinced of the virtues of whole wheat bread. She therefore plied her daughter with large amounts of this staple. Mrs. Wyckham, who had a family history of alcoholism, likened herself to an alcoholic, too—in her craving for bread and peanut butter.

She entered the hospital in a very depressed state. After five days of fasting, she was much less depressed. Not surprisingly, in her food test she had a severe reaction to peanuts (as well as to lamb). More unexpected was the fact that she passed the wheat test with no trouble—which shows that food allergies cannot always be pinpointed on the basis of histories or “hunches.” She did have moderate reactions to yeast and milk, however, which are often components of bread.

Mrs. Wyckham was then retested on some of the foods to which she had had no adverse reaction, but this time to foods which had been purchased in a commercial market. There was a definite increase in her depression, after a few such meals. Through the avoidance of incriminated foods, Mrs. Wyckham was able to control both her depression and her weight problem. This points to the fact that the Rotary Diversified Diet (Chap. 18), although not specifically designed as a weight-loss diet, can be helpful in that regard for the overweight patient.

The patients described in the preceding cases appear to have become sicker gradually, after a long period of cumulative exposure to chemicals and foods. Sometimes, however, a preexisting condition is suddenly made much worse by a massive exposure to an allergy-causing substance.

*88\110\2*

Those who worry about passing flatus (rectal gas) must understand that it is quite normal to do so, Drug Therapy (17#10:76) reports. Everyone experiences this problem to a certain extent, and the amount of gas is excessive only when it causes physical discomfort or bloating of the abdomen.

Gas is produced in the colon (large intestine) by bacteria that ferment the sugars and other carbohydrates which fail to get digested and absorbed higher up in the intestinal tract. One of the more common causes of this embarrassing problem is lactase insufficiency (milk intolerance), a condition in which certain people are incapable of digesting lactose (the natural sugar in milk) because they lack the necessary sugar-splitting enzyme, lactase.

Lactase insufficiency victims can now take the missing enzyme by mouth in the form of the product Lactaid. This is available in drug stores and does not require a prescription.

Other common causes for fermentable sugar reaching the colon include the consumption of wheat, oats, potatoes, or corn in excessive amounts. Some fruits (apricots, bananas, prunes, and raisins) and vegetables (beans, Brussels sprouts, carrots, celery, and onions), contain indigestible carbohydrates, too, and are notorious sources of excessive gas.

However, people differ enormously in how much of these foods they can eat without experiencing this problem. Furthermore, everyone changes in this regard from day to day, and these differences depend upon variation in the types and number of bacteria living in the colon. For those who continue to be plagued by too much gas despite dietary adjustment, one can attempt to reduce the number of the offending colonic bacteria with a short course of antibiotic treatment (a doctor’s prescription is needed for this).

First, though, it is worth trying to inhibit the excessive fermentation by taking some charcoal pills by mouth. Activated charcoal (available in most drug stores) is not only a good poison antidote but reduces the bloating and cramps due to excessive intestinal gas, the American Journal of Gastroenterology (81:532) reports. In-both settings, charcoal works because it absorbs and inactivates many other substances, including gases. This is much less expensive and does not require a doctor’s prescription. By taking some charcoal every day, which is not expensive and does not require a doctor’s prescription, one can soon rid oneself of the discomfort and embarrassment of intestinal gas.

*166\143\2*

Signs and symptoms

Swollen, slightly tender lymph glands are a symptom of illness or infection. If glands continue to swell, become painful and more tender, and redden the overlying skin, the glands themselves may have become infected. If the node is killed by the infection, it breaks down into pus, which may erupt through the skin as would a deep-seated boil.

Home care

Mildly swollen glands usually require treatment only for the disease or infection causing the swelling. Note which lymph nodes are swollen, look for the cause, and treat that disease or infection.

If lymph nodes are greatly enlarged, very tender, and red, see your doctor.

Precautions

• In infants, swollen glands in the neck (and sometimes other locations) usually require a doctor’s treatment because infants have a limited resistance to diseases.

• Any lymph node that continues to increase in size and tenderness or that becomes reddened needs a doctor’s attention.

• Healthy children have visible lymph nodes the size of fresh peas or smaller in the sides of the neck. These may become especially noticeable when the child turns the head; they are normal.

Medical treatment

Your doctor will seek the cause of swollen glands by conducting a complete examination of all sites of glands as well as the spleen and liver. The doctor may also order a blood count, mononucleosis test, and, in severe cases, chest and kidney – X rays, bone marrow examination, and test of sedimentation rate. Your doctor will treat the disease causing the swollen glands and may treat the glands themselves by prescribing antibiotics. An infected gland may be opened and drained or removed either as treatment or for a biopsy (culture and examination).

*83/84/5*

Baycol was a statin drug manufactured by the German drug company Bayer AG. It was approved for use in the United States by the FDA in 1997. On 8th August 2001 Bayer AG voluntarily withdrew the drug from the market because it was responsible for the deaths of 31 people in the USA. These people developed rhabdomyolysis which is a severe breakdown of muscle cells that causes muscle pain, weakness, tenderness, fever, dark urine, nausea and vomiting. Most people die of kidney failure when this happens. Rhabdomyolysis is a possible side effect of all cholesterol lowering drugs called statins. In one third of these cases, the victim was also taking another cholesterol lowering drug called gemfibrozil, which is known to increase the risk of this condition. Following the withdrawal, the FDA did not undertake any regulatory action with regard to the other cholesterol lowering drugs in the same category as  ay col.

Baycol was the third best selling prescription drug for Bayer, and in the year 2000 it earned the company 560 million US dollars in sales. It is very sad that people had to die when cholesterol levels can be normalized in most cases with an appropriate eating plan and improving liver function. Between 1981 and 2000 the FDA approved 543 new drugs in the US. Fourteen of these drugs were subsequently recalled because of safety concerns. The drug Vioxx was withdrawn from the market in September 2004 because it was found to significantly increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Why put your life in the hands of drug companies when nutritional medicine can prolong your life and improve its quality.

*29/53/5*

Mercury

Mercury is a heavy toxic metal which now contaminates the air, soil and water in many parts of the world. Mercury pollution has been caused by the burning of fossil fuels and the increased use of mercury in industry and agriculture. Traces of mercury can be found in pesticides, dental fillings, and in fish (especially tuna). The saying ‘mad as a hatter’ came about because hatters used to polish top hats with mercury and many of them were poisoned by it. It is extremely toxic and can affect fertility.

Female dental assistants, for instance, who are exposed to mercury through the amalgam fillings they handle, have been found to be less fertile than female dental assistants who do not come into contact with the metal. And women dentists, it is claimed, have a higher rate of miscarriage.

There are real concerns about the impact of mercury on male fertility, following research in Hong Kong where people eat a lot offish and shellfish containing minute and supposedly safe quantities of the metal. Here, scientists found a significant link between the level of mercury in hair and male sub-fertility. Eating mercury-contaminated fish over a number of years stopped sperm development in many Hong Kong men.

Mercury seemed to be one factor in the case of Teresa and her partner.

Case History

Teresa and her partner conceived easily but she was diagnosed with a blighted ovum when she was 10 weeks pregnant and had to have a D&C. Teresa had deficiencies of both zinc and selenium and her partner was low in magnesium with above average levels of mercury. He told me that as a child he had played with mercury. Mercury is an unusual metal, in that it is liquid at room temperature and forms small balls as it flows. Over the four months of the Preconception Plan they both took specific nutritional supplements to correct their deficiencies and Teresa’s partner had extra antioxidants and support for his liver in order to eliminate the mercury. They now have a baby boy.

Lead

Lead is a heavy toxic metal which is naturally present in the earth but we get a high exposure to this metal from lead pipes.

Lead was used in the past to induce an abortion, and severe lead intoxication has been shown to result in infertility and miscarriage. It could be argued that these problems are due to lead poisoning and that most of us are not exposed to such high levels. However, women who just live in lead-polluted areas have also shown a greater risk of miscarriages.

According to a 1991 study, of all the toxic metals, lead seems to pose the greatest threat to male fertility. Research shows that it can reduce the sperm count, increase malformed sperm and make the sperm more sluggish.

Cadmium

This is an inorganic poison present in tobacco smoke which accumulates in the body. It blocks nutrients like zinc – which is absolutely crucial for both male and female fertility.

Copper

Copper can be both toxic and essential, depending on how much you are exposed to it. Your body absorbs copper from water pipes, contraceptive coils, swimming pools and jewellery. Copper tends to increase its concentration in the body after any hormonal treatment, such as the Pill or fertility drugs. Copper and zinc are antagonistic which means that if you have too much copper, your zinc levels can be reduced. As zinc is so vital for fertility for both of you, it is important that your copper levels are kept in check.

Zinc deficiency and high lead levels were certainly factors for Janet and her partner.

Case History

Janet, 38, had a miscarriage at 12 weeks before she came to see me. Her nutritional analysis showed that she was low in calcium, selenium and zinc, and had higher than normal levels of lead. Her partner, 34, had low levels of selenium and zinc and very high levels of lead. I felt it was important that they both got themselves back into optimum health by following the Four-Month Preconception Plan, before they tried again, in order to try and prevent another miscarriage. I recommended appropriate supplements for their deficiencies, as well as antioxidants like vitamin Ñ to help eliminate the lead from their bodies.

Janet and her partner waited until their mineral and lead levels were back to normal and then conceived and gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

*14/73/5*

Any dementia-causing neurological condition can slowly rob you of things you take for granted-like language, memory, judgment, even your ability to make sense of what you see or where you are. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and perhaps the deadliest. The estimated four million American adults who have it suffer any combination of those cognitive losses, usually starting off with seemingly insignificant memory lapses.

There are genes that predispose you to Alzheimer’s. A family history of any kind of dementia puts you at higher risk. Other risk factors include a history of depression, alcohol abuse, or thyroid disease. Here are some ways to bolster your odds against this ailment.

Get smart. An idle mind is Alzheimer’s playground. “Well-educated people seem to show signs of Alzheimer’s less often,” says Linda Hershey, M.D., Ph.D., professor of neurology at the State University of New York at Buffalo and chief of neurology at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, also in Buffalo. “Education has a protective effect.”

But even if you dropped out of school, it’s not too late to build up your brain against Alzheimer’s. Dedication to mind-challenging hobbies like music, cards, or drawing will help, according to the Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia at the University of California, Irvine, College of Medicine. The only requirement is an active mind.

Relieve brain pain. A toxic protein in Alzheimer’s patients’ brains actually stimulates inflammatory reactions that contribute to cell loss. “You could possibly slow that process by taking an anti-inflammatory pain remedy like ibuprofen,” Dr. Hershey says. “Just like this drug helps reduce inflammation in your joints, it helps the same way in your brain.” In fact, studies have shown that any of the non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (that is, aspirin, ibuprofen, and the like) help. But Dr. Hershey cautions that you should ask your physician before taking these drugs, as they can cause serious side effects.

Take vitamin E. When Columbia University researchers looked at Alzheimer’s sufferers, they found that those who took vitamin E in the middle stages took about a year longer before requiring institutionalization. That doesn’t mean that vitamin E can prevent Alzheimer’s. Also, this study’s dosage was much higher than what most doctors would recommend. In fact, taking high doses of vitamin E has the potential to cause neuropathy, according to Dr. Hershey.

“Vitamin E presumably works because it’s an antioxidant and, therefore, the enemy of free radicals that can damage brain cells in people with Alzheimer’s,” Dr. Hershey says. “A free-radical scavenger like vitamin E can slow down the process.” And so can other antioxidants, research indicates, including ginkgo and vitamin Ñ. But again, before you add a vitamin E supplement to your diet, Dr. Hershey advises that you speak with your doctor.

Watch your head. Trauma, especially combined with a predisposing gene, increases your risk for Alzheimer’s. It can happen from one severe head injury or various blows to the noggin over the years. “If you have the gene, head trauma can make the symptoms show up earlier,” Dr. Hershey says.

Check the pressure. High blood pressure is usually associated with other kinds of dementia, but at least one study at the University of Illinois has found a hypertension-Alzheimer’s link. Fifteen years after having their blood pressure tracked at age 70, those in the study group who developed Alzheimer’s turned out to be those with higher blood pressure readings.

*92/36/5*

In bulimia, over-control produces lack of control. Trying to govern something that is ungovernable—the need to eat—just leads to the feeling that one is out of control. That feeling in turn drives a woman to exert even more control—and so the vicious cycle continues.

How does this happen? In several ways. After a binge-purge episode, a woman usually skips the next meal or two. Her hunger increases. Her body’s cry for food grows stronger, pushing her closer to the inevitable binge.

Unrealistically strict diets have the same effect. Under such regimes a woman sets up rigid rules. She believes she must follow these rules perfectly. There is no margin for error. The trouble is that such rules are impossible to follow all the time. Once she breaks a rule, as she inevitably will, her thoughts spiral out of control. She thinks, “All is lost! I might as well go ahead and eat anything I want now, since I’m such a failure anyway.” And voila-a binge.

Some women go a step further. They try to hold off bingeing by distracting themselves through abuse of alcohol or illicit drugs. Unfortunately, these substances cause the woman to “let her guard down.” Once she surrenders her willpower, the urge to binge takes over. Now she not only binges and purges, she suffers from substance abuse as well.

One last point: Many women create strict rules about their personal appearance. As one patient said, “If I weigh more than a hundred pounds I can’t go out. I’ll call in sick at work. And I won’t be lying either – weighing more than a hundred pounds is sick!” The more such women stay home, the more isolated they become from other people. Lonely, depressed, and bored, they succumb to the temptation to binge.

The bulimic process, like the process of anorexia, eventually takes on a life of its own. The metabolic damage of purging impairs the ability to think clearly. Patients may describe themselves as being “in a fog” all day long. In time, the illness produces devastating feelings of depression, sometimes leading to thoughts (or even acts) of suicide.

There is much more to say about these illnesses, their patterns, and the impact they have on those who suffer from them. I include these brief sketches here hoping that you will recognize whether your own pattern, or that of someone close to you, reflects an eating disorder—and, if so, that you will recognize the stage the illness has reached.

Remember: The sooner you seek help, the greater the chance of recovery.

*23/35/5*

Do you remember what you were doing on November 4,1980? Sharon Turrentine of Monroe, Louisiana, does. It made her the slim, strong woman that she is today

On that particular day Sharon was lying in bed, watching TV and eating candy. At age 36, she was unhappy and feeling sorry for herself. Her son was about to get his driver’s license, and she felt that she wasn’t needed anymore. Then there was her weight: At 5 foot 2 and 132 pounds, she dressed in the closet to avoid looking at her body.

As Sharon nibbled on her candy bar and brooded about her life, the images on the TV screen grabbed her attention. It was the first-ever Ms. Olympia Bodybuilding Competition. As she watched the women show off their strong, shapely physiques, Sharon snapped out of her funk. “I announced to my husband, ‘I’m going to be a bodybuilder,’” she recalls.

The very next day, Sharon—who had not exercised in years— dug out an old leotard and headed for the local gym. Gradually, she established a regular workout routine using information she had gathered from books and magazine articles on weight training.

“When I first started out, I couldn’t climb a flight of stairs without being out of breath. Five pounds was the most I could lift,” Sharon says. “Now, I bench-press more than 100 pounds.”

To support her exercise program, Sharon made some changes in her diet, too. “I remembered all the nutrition information that I had learned from third grade on, such as the basic food groups and proper portions,” she says.

Within 3 years of starting her exercise program, she dropped four dress sizes. And Sharon, a woman who had once hidden in her closet to get dressed, was ready to show off her 109-pound body in competition. Over the next 7 years, she entered a number of bodybuilding contests. She collected a total of 15 trophies, never placing less than second. “I was old enough to be my competitors’ mother,” she adds.

Now age 55, Sharon runs her own business, teaching other women how to lift weights and shape their bodies. “I want to set an example,” she says” I want them to know they can do this.”

W IN N ING ACTION

Show off your accomplishments. Sharon’s quite an achiever! But don’t feel you have to try out for the Ms. Olympia competition to get a sense of accomplishment. Training for any special event—a 5K, a swim meet, a bicycle race—will give you something to strive for. It will also motivate you to stick with a regular workout routine. If you’re not into competition, do it for charity. Many nonprofit organizations raise money through noncompetitive athletic events.

*77\89\8*

Maurice, aged thirty-seven, found it difficult to establish a normal sleeping pattern after frequent business trips to America. Mogadon was prescribed and he found the jet-lag easier to cope with. After three months he was not travelling so much and felt he did not need the tablets. His insomnia became worse than he had ever known it. He had palpitations and a tight feeling in his chest, and also had digestive problems.

His doctor was kind and sympathetic but said he did not think Maurice had been on the tablets long enough for dependence to have developed. The doctor suggested going back on the full dose to see what happened.

Maurice’s symptoms were much improved when he visited the surgery a week later. His doctor said that he had discussed the case with his partner who had two patients who had experienced similar problems, although they had taken the tablets over a longer period.

Complete withdrawal took six weeks. For the following three weeks Maurice felt ‘off colour’ but did not have any dramatic symptoms. After that he was back to normal.

*67\49\8*

Skin Problems

These should always be investigated in case there is another cause. The ones most commonly reported are: dryness, itching, a dry scaly rash (often on the hands or over the bridge of the nose and on to the cheeks), spontaneous bruising and skin breaking easily. Minor cuts often take a long time to heal. Many people notice a change in skin colour. It can have a slightly jaundiced or pale brown appearance. Often a dramatic improvement can be seen in the condition of the skin even in the early days of withdrawal.

Dental Problems

The high incidence of premature tooth loss (apart from extractions because of the jaw pain) in people who have been on tranquillizers for years is another pointer to inadequate nutrition. (The same may be said for split nails.)

*51\49\8*

You may feel delighted that you have managed to cut down or stop taking your pills, but be puzzled by how down you feel. This is another temporary state to endure. It will improve or disappear altogether when you are through withdrawal. Many people who have loving families and no financial worries, or stress of any kind, feel guilty about being so down.

Withdrawal blues do not single out people with life problems, many people have a temporary ‘down’. Sometimes the depressive symptoms are delayed and appear when the sufferers feel they are coping well. Try not to get discouraged if this happens—it will pass. If it gets too much for you to cope with, your doctor may want to give you an anti-depressant for a short time. Many find this a help, but realize it is a temporary measure. Gradual reduction from these drugs is advisable.

Depression may manifest itself in ways other than extreme sadness. Here are some of them: sighing; sluggishness; headaches; nausea; constipation; heavy limbs; feeling bloated; needing more sleep; time passing slowly; losing interest in people; feeling that people do not want to see you; isolating yourself; losing interest in appearance; loss of appetite; compulsive eating (particularly sweet foods); being annoyed out of proportion to the situation; feeling a black cloud or shape over your head or on your shoulders; finding mornings are worse and having to force yourself from the oblivion of sleep; people you love seeming far away—you know you love them but cannot feel it—you feel guilty and worry about this; the smallest task seems beyond you; you feel worthless—how could anyone love you; you feel a burden.

Many people are slow to accept the physical symptoms they have as depressive symptoms. That is not to say that it is ‘all in the mind’—far from it. It usually starts in the mind and then affects the body.

Suppressed emotions such as fear, anger, hurt and jealousy, actually cause chemical changes to take place. It is the altered body chemistry that is responsible for the physical changes. It can happen the other way too. A physical change can cause depression. Influenza, anaemia, bad nutrition, food allergies, certain glandular disorders, and hormonal changes such as at puberty, the menopause, and after childbirth, are all common causes of altered emotional states.

So often the sufferer will say ‘If I did not feel exhausted, sick, heavy-limbed, etc. I would not be depressed.’ In fact, it is often the other way around. If they were not depressed, they would not have the physical symptoms. So until you recognize that you are depressed, you cannot do anything about it.

*30\49\8*

It will take time for the body’s normal chemicals to be produced again. When you understand that there is a definite physiological reason why you may feel more anxious during withdrawal, this will give you the confidence to ignore the ‘pull yourself together’ brigade. This point is also illustrated by the large numbers of people who are prescribed these drugs for a physical reason who also have anxiety symptoms on withdrawal.

When you have a major problem or upset in life, it is often necessary to relieve anxiety for a short time, but it is a great mistake to carry on for months or years. Not only does the user run the risk of dependence, but also because the emotions are dulled, he or she is unable to adjust to the loss or altered situation. This is particularly so in bereavement. The user has to face the grief again when medication ceases, and may feel severe guilt about not grieving at the appropriate time. Because the suppressed emotions of years come to the surface in withdrawal, many people are able to face old conflicts and traumas, and in doing so, lose some of their fears, and gain self-respect.

To illustrate how many (although it is agreed not all) of the withdrawal symptoms are due to rebound anxiety, here are anxiety symptoms listed under ‘Anxiety Neurosis’ from the Oxford Textbook of Psychiatry (1983), Ed. Gelder, Gath and Mayou. Some people have found this section rather technical, others were finally convinced (because the source was beyond dispute) that they were not suffering from some serious physical illness.

Anxiety neuroses have psychological and physical symptoms. The psychological symptoms are the familiar feeling of fearful anticipation that gives the condition its name, irritability, difficulty in concentration, sensitivity to noise, and a feeling of restlessness.

Patients often complain of poor memory when they are really experiencing the effects of failure to concentrate.

*14\49\8*

How immune complexes affect the blood vessels depends very much on what sort of antibodies they contain – there are five different isotypes. In the healthy person, the main antibody formed to food is immunoglobulin A, or IgA, which has special protective properties. Unlike most other antibodies it does not activate the defensive proteins in the blood known as the complement system.

The products of the complement system cause inflammation, a reaction designed to mobilize the body’s protective forces. The effects of inflammation are to make the blood vessels in the vicinity more leaky and to attract other immune cells into the area – the leaky vessels make it easier for the immune cells to gain access to the surrounding tissues. What appears on the outside as a swollen, red, tender area is in fact a microscopic battleground, where the body’s own cells and tissues are unfortunate casualties of the general mayhem.

The purpose of inflammation, in the healthy individual, is to fight off infection. The body assumes that the antibodies have attached themselves to an invading bacterium or virus and sends in the troops. Obviously the body needs to have control systems that tell it not to react when the antibodies are bound to something innocuous – such as a food protein which happens to have wandered into the blood through the gut wall. This is the function of IgA. Because it does not activate the complement system it can quietly mop up non-harmful antigens for disposal by the phagocytes, without setting off a damaging episode of inflammation.

For this system to work, the body must somehow distinguish food from other sorts of antigen. And it must make sure that IgA – rather than IgG, another more inflammatory type of antibody – is manufactured to fit the food molecules. The details of how the body does this are still far from clear, but a general picture is emerging from current research, and this is described in Chapter Twelve. The process is known as ‘the induction of oral tolerance’.

What, if anything, goes wrong with this system? There is only a limited amount of evidence available, but it does seem that the system for producing IgA rather than IgG to food molecules breaks down in some people. Where this occurs, the immune complexes circulating in the blood after a meal will be potentially inflammatory. If they are deposited in a blood vessel, damage to the walls of the vessel will follow.

Such people may also have IgE in their food-molecule immune complexes, so mast cells could be triggered to add to the inflammation. Whether this actually happens is not clear. But if it does then there are important implications for the way we think about allergies: the dividing line between Type I (IgE) food allergy and Type III food allergy may not be as sharp as is often assumed.

*84\180\8*

As long ago as in April 1956, at the Second International Biogenetic Congress held in Baden-Baden, Germany, under the chairmanship of Dr Galeazzi, many of the papers presented dealt with the research findings in connection with royal jelly.

Then there were the articles written by Professor Belvefer of Paris, who had been conducting research on royal jelly for decades. It is amazing to read his references to the findings made by a number of researchers, for example the fact that the queen bee is able to lay 300,000—450,000 eggs a year as a result of her feeding on this remarkable nutritive complex. This feat cannot be matched by any other creature on earth.

Further reports explained that royal jelly not only vitalises and rejuvenates through its effect on the endocrine glands, but also successfully combats whooping cough and asthma, especially in children. It has been found that children with a weak constitution soon pick up and have better appetites when given royal jelly. Benefits can also be obtained in cases of bronchitis, migraine, stomach and gallbladder troubles, digestive disorders, bad nerves and the peculiar kind of fatigue resulting from weak functioning of the endocrine glands. These and many other health problems can be improved considerably, if not cured, by taking royal jelly regularly. Moreover, it is maintained that people with a predisposition to cancer will benefit from a regular intake of royal jelly. It is also good for the skin when taken orally and when used for massage. For the latter, dilute some royal jelly with honey and water and massage the solution into the skin.

*891/28/1*

In many cases the orthodox doctor goes to no end of trouble to help a patient, but unfortunately, without success. Then, when a simple natural remedy like cabbage leaves produces a cure, we are astonished at how natural active forces, without depending upon laboriously collected human knowledge, can bring about almost miraculous results.

The case of a 62-year-old patient, who suffered considerably, serves as a good example. An infection, aggravated by eating sprayed cherries, resulted in the development of a fungus the size of a small coin on the lady’s tongue. The doctor removed it with cautery (silver nitrate) and found it necessary to prescribe, in addition, eight days of radium treatment. After three weeks the patient left the hospital with a paralysed tongue.

Five weeks later, a large swelling appeared on her neck. It seemed that another operation would be necessary to remove it. Discouraged by the prospect of more surgery, the patient kept postponing it. Eight weeks later the pain had become almost unbearable but now an operation was considered out of the question. Instead, she received forty-three radiation treatments. Afterwards, the patient felt weak and thought death was inevitable.

*855/28/1*

In fact, the programme consists of four remedies, one each to stimulate the intestines, liver, kidneys and stomach:

1. Rasayana No. 1 is a herb tablet that stimulates and cleanses the intestines.

2. Rasayana No. 2, is also a herb tablet; it contains curcuma root (Indian saffron) and serves to stimulate the liver.

3. A special kidney tea stimulates the kidneys and the excretion of wastes through the urine.

4. Arabiaforce, an Arabian plant essence, improves, regulates and balances the function of the stomach lining and the mucous membranes of the intestines. This remedy is made according to an old herbal recipe that was brought to Europe by Paracelsus. The herbal ingredients come from the Near and Far East.

These four remedies taken together serve to ‘spring-clean’ the body and are of special benefit to all those who suffer from constipation and sluggish metabolism.; For even better results and to consolidate them, take the above- mentioned ‘spring tea’ after completing the Rasayana Programme. Your body will respond to this good care, and will enjoy greater vitality and energy.

*819/28/1*

Babies with teething problems will respond to Calcarea fluorica, taken in alternation with Calcarea phosphorica (calcium phosphate). I should also mention that mothers can more quickly regain their figure after the birth of their babies and prevent a pendulous abdomen, which is caused by a relaxation of the abdominal muscles and ligaments, if they take Calcarea fluorica or the calcium complex Urticalcin regularly during pregnancy.

Calcarea fluorica is generally given in the potency 12x, but for some rare cases it may be 6x. The normal dose is two tablets (0.125 g each), three times daily.

*780/28/1*

Some time after the above experience, I travelled to the Amazon region and visited a jungle where malaria was rampant. I was accompanied on this study tour by a colleague who had been working with me in Peru, a man who was well acclimatised to South America.

I took the risk of travelling without malaria drugs, but I did take Echinacea tincture daily, about forty drops every morning and evening. During the first few days we put up a mosquito net, but in the native huts the mosquitoes were able to slip through the chinks in the bamboo floor. We even killed some blood-filled insects under the net.

My colleague had no confidence in Echinacea and declined to take any. Like myself, he must have been bitten hundreds of times. The area we visited around the Upper Maranon was notorious and feared for malaria. Although I was bitten all over, I was astonished that I did not once come down with a fever attack, whereas my colleague returned home with a bad case of the disease. Unfortunately, he had not taken any remedy. He believed that his sixteen years in Peru had made him immune to malaria. However, the area where he had been living, at our farm in Tarapoto, was malaria-free, unlike the Amazon region we visited on this occasion.

Thirty years later, a medical check-up brought to light that I had once had a malaria infection, which could only have been during this visit to the Maranon. As I had never suffered so much as a bout of fever or any other symptom of the disease, I came to the obvious conclusion that Echinacea may well help to prevent malaria.

*743/28/1*

It is suggested that sterilization requires grieving. All sterilization involves a loss – a loss of fertility. Though it may be by vasectomy or tubal ligation or naturally, as at the menopause, it is not necessarily welcomed. Mr G. was left numb and empty after the procedure. It was not acceptable for him to be angry with his wife for pushing him to do it. Although there was some camaraderie and group support in ‘joining the club’, he needed help to see why he went off sex and is only now enjoying it again two years later.

What features of the grief reaction should be expected. Emptiness, denial, anger and later readjustment to a world that will never be the same. This is not a time to hand over control on the spur of the moment. Doctors are sometimes asked by a partner to arrange vasectomy for the spouse. It is essential to determine how the request has come about; perhaps interviewing the man alone. Doctors may be asked for advice when a choice for a vasectomy or tubal ligation seems even handed. An important parameter to consider is to identify who would grieve least from losing their fertility.

*152/197/1*

Nowadays, with a national cervical screening programme in place, someone like Mrs H. may not manage to avoid a smear for so long, but she would certainly have managed to find some effective way of keeping both doctors and her husband away from her emotional fears surrounding intercourse until she wanted a baby: if not away from the actual physical examination, as had happened here. The patient has to want some changes to be made before treatment can begin to be effective, but Mrs H. could not acknowledge her own desire to have intercourse and all that it might mean for her. However, now it was for a baby she felt that it was a suitably acceptable reason to approach her doctor about such an uncomfortable topic.

It took Mr and Mrs H. almost a year to achieve intercourse and there followed 18 months of infertility before the psychosexual doctor met them again, this time in the infertility clinic. Mrs H. had changed into a confident woman compared with the little girl that had appeared originally. A simple ovulation induction regime proved successful and they now have a healthy young son.

*115/197/1*

These terms are often used interchangeably. Unplanned may also mean unwanted. For some women, an unplanned pregnancy may be a very unwelcome intrusion into her life. For others, unplanned pregnancies may not necessarily be unwanted. It is estimated that up to one third of pregnancies may be unplanned (Fleissig, 1991). Some women may go on to term because of moral objections to abortion, but some of these unplanned pregnancies do become very much wanted. Efficient contraception is meant to lead to ‘family planning’ but we all know plenty of women who look lovingly at their bulging abdomen and say, ‘It wasn’t planned’ Efficient contraception means being able to take responsibility for deciding when to have a baby. To some this means waiting for the right situation in terms of marriage, accommodation, money and career. It also means being able to say to the world that they are now mature enough to become a parent and responsible enough to care for another individual. Some women can allow themselves to have a baby in less than ideal circumstances only by allowing it to be unplanned.

*79/197/1*