Q.I have noticed a number of varicose veins developing on my legs and I wonder why they are forming as I am active and eat a healthy diet. From a discussion with my doctor I know that I can have them treated but I wonder if there are any natural products which might help? Sarah O'Connor

A.Our veins contain valves, which shut off to prevent the backflow of blood. When these valves malfunction, a pool of blood collects, weakening the walls of the vessel, which eventually balloon out and appear swollen. The veins at the back of the leg and thighs are more often affected, giving an appearance of a shrivelled bunch of black grapes, and this often runs in families.

Once you have determined from your doctor that there are no underlying problems like deep blood clots, there are a number of self-help measures to reverse the problem. These include regular exercise to strengthen the action of the valves by improving muscle function, losing weight if you are overweight, consuming a high fibre diet, wearing support stockings and elevating your legs when possible to allow the fluid to drain away from the varicose veins.

Two well-researched herbal preparations are useful for strengthening blood vessel walls and have been the subject of intense European investigation during the past 20 to 30 years. These include Horse Chestnut and Butcher's Broom.

Horse chestnut reduces the number and diameter of small pores in the capillary membranes, reducing the escape of fluid into the surrounding tissue. This sealing effect improves blood flow in the veins and reduces the swelling and has been shown in a clinical study to be as effective as compression stockings. Butcher's Broom, another herb used to treat reduce both varicose veins and haemorrhoids, has been shown to reduce the vaso-constriction (narrowing) of the blood vessels in the legs. This action makes the herb an effective agent for decreasing arterial resistance and increasing venous back pressure, both necessary processes to reduce both varicose and spider veins.

Take two capsules of V-Nal daily, which contains 150 mg dry extract of butcher's broom, 60 mg dry extract of the horse chestnut,100 mg rutin, 90 mg vitamin C and 2 mg vitamin vitamin B1, all of which have been shown to help reduce varicosity in the veins, and which are available from the shop at www.naturalhealthas.com or 0207631 4235. V-Nal also produces an ointment that can be applied up to 3 times per day.

Do you ever forget what you went upstairs for?
Can you remember telephone numbers?
Do you find you can't remember things as well as you used to?
Do you find it hard to concentrate?
Do you find you forget a person's name the moment after you've been introduced?
Are you prone to absent-minded acts like putting the milk in the airing cupboard?
Have you ever missed an appointment because you forgot it?
Do you have to write arrangements down the minute you make them for fear of forgetting them?
Have you ever forgotten the name of someone you know well?
Do you frequently lose your car keys?
Have you ever forgotten what you were saying mid sentence?
Have you ever gone to mention something important to a family member, friend or colleague and then gone completely bank?
Have you ever put something in the oven and forgotten to take it out?
Have you ever said you'd do something for someone else and then completely forgotten to do it?

If you answered yes to more than three questions now's the time to take some brain boosting action. Just email us some of your absent memory moments ( click here ) and we will send you our TOP MEMORY BOOSTERS TO get you back on the fast track to better recall.

Don't worry you are not losing your marbles. Like most of us mid lifers you are probably suffering from absent memory syndrome (AMS). We all start to forget things as we age say the experts.

And the reason? No-one knows for sure but it's thought it could be due to poor concentration, lack of motivation, tiredness, anxiety or stress rather than loss of brain cells. Feeling fuzzy headed is also thought to be related to the hormonal ups and downs associated with the menopause. Some parts of the brain that are particularly involved with verbal memory are rich in oestrogen receptors so there could be a genuine physiological link between hormonal status and brain function which is confirmed by research undertaken by Dr Sandra File at Guy's Hospital in London.

The good news is that forgetfulness doesn't have to be an inevitable part of getting older. With a little bit of help there is no reason why you can't be as sharp and as on the ball as you ever were.

(Watch for Tips on Boosting Your Brain Power in Upcoming Articles)

• Include the plant oestrogens in your diet, particularly soya products incorporating soya milk, tofu, linseeds, chick peas, lentils and mung beans.
• Apart from a phytoestrogen rich breakfast, have a "Phyto fix" later in the day. Two slices of Burgen Bread will provide 22mg of isoflavones per day.
• Reduce your intake of sugar and junk foods.
• Cut down salt intake. Salt causes fluid retention and induces calcium loss from the body in the urine.
• Over spicy food, hot drinks and alcohol can aggravate flushes.
• Three portions of vegetables, three servings of fruit, and a salad should be eaten every day, as they contain plenty of essential nutrients.
• Limit your consumption of red meat to one or two portions each week meat eaters have a lower bone density than their vegetarian counterparts.
• Use cold pressed oils such as safflower, sunflower, olive, sesame, rapeseed instead of animal fats.
• Make sure you consume a nutritious diet including plenty of foods rich in calcium and magnesium such as milk, green leafy vegetables, unsalted nuts and seeds, wholegrains and bony fish like sardines or whitebait.
• Drink plenty of liquids, preferably the equivalent of six glasses of water daily.

The isoflavone rich supplement used in the Natural Health Advisory Service program is Novogen Redclover. A recent us study has validated the effectiveness and safety of this product. The study, conducted by Tufts University School of Medicine and New York University School of Medicine, showed that menopausal women who took a single tablet of Redclover daily experienced a reduction in the intensity and number of hot flushes.

Hot flushes were reduced by 56% (from 8.1 per day to 3.6 per day) after 8 weeks.

Intensity of hot flushes also decreased by 56%,

and night sweats decreased in intensity by 52%.

The other good news was that Novogen Redclover did not cause thickening of the lining of the womb, which is a complication commonly associated with Hormone Replacement Therapy. The women in the study also reported no side effects or weight gain from taking the Redclover. Since incorporating Red Clover into the Natural Health Advisory Service program, we are able to control the hot flushes much more quickly.

There are several soya isoflavones supplements available on the market, but according to independent analysis only some are standardised and scientifically based. Phyto Soya Capsules, at standardised supplement which contains an extract on non- genetically modified soya, has been found to be effective by nearly three-quarters of women who sampled it in a recent French trial.

St John's Wort is a herbal product that has been shown to have influential properties of waning libido. A German study published a few years ago, on a group of 111 women having libido problems, showed that 60% of the participants had regained their libido significantly after a twelve-week course of 900 mcg of St John's Wort per day.

Horny goat weed is a herbal aphrodisiac that has been used as part of Chinese medicine for centuries, and shown to increase sexual interest in both men and women, and tribulus, another herb, is thought to increase the production of testosterone in men, increasing their sex drive.

The Ayurvedic herb Withania Somnifera has also been shown to help libido and can be found, together with the important B vitamins and magnesium in Blackmores Women's D-Stress formulation.

All this good news means that there is no need to accept falling libido levels as a sign of age. There is definitely a light at the end of the tunnel if you learn how to meet the needs of your body.

Enjoy!

Other supplements that help to control hot flushes include Natural Vitamin E, Dong Quai, Sage Leaf and Ginseng.

It may sound like a highly desirable, tall order, but science now clearly shows that this it is perfectly possible to overcome the symptoms of the menopause without resorting to Hormone Replacement Therapy. This will be welcoming news for millions of women at a time when the major international studies on HRT have been aborted because of an increase in the incidence in breast cancer, heart disease and stroke risk.

Science also shows that up to two-thirds of women who try HRT come off it within the first year due to side effects or dissatisfaction. Many women are not prepared to face the increased risks of breast cancer, thrombosis or go on having a bleed each month once their periods have finished. For many the weight gain is a disaster on self-esteem. Despite the fact that weight gain is not a stated side-effect to HRT, our studies repeatedly show that women gain an average of 18 pounds.

"Rekindle the Romance and Passion Back into Your Life!
Come in and ask me your most important questions about
enhancing your sexual desires and
rejuvenating your relationship during midlife!"

Visit: http://www.askmaryonstewart.com/teleseminar

Make this a Valentine's Day that neither of you will forget!

Warmly,

Maryon

I used to have so much energy, but now I feel as if I am dragging myself around half the time. I have a long working day, but even that didn't used to bother me. I have had my iron levels checked and they are normal. Is there anything else I can do to boost my energy levels? ~Linda

Maryon's Answer:

Co-enzyme Q10 supplements are beneficial for people who feel tired and listless and many people take it as a simple energy boost.

For several illnesses, especially disorders of the heart, there are scientific trials demonstrating co-enzyme Q10's beneficial effect.

Co-enzyme Q10 comes in a variety of forms including granules, tablets and capsules.

When the Co-enzyme Q10 is dissolved in soya bean oil and presented in a soft gelatine capsule as in Pharma Nord's Bio-Quinone Q10 it has the greatest bio-availability (absorption) in the body.