My recent column on vaginal dryness attracted helpful advice from a reader… ‘My husband and I stopped lovemaking after years of unsuccessful treatment with vaginal creams containing low-dose oestrogen. My GP refused to refer me to a gynaecologist and knew nothing of any natural treatment. I read an article in Menopause Matters magazine on sea buckthorn oil [Omega 7 by Pharma Nord, from Victoria Health, see below left] and its action on mucous membrane, including “intimate dryness”. I was delighted to find intercourse was comfortable and enjoyable again in under three weeks.’

Pharmacist Shabir Daya comments that sea buckthorn extracts have helped numerous women with dryness associated with the atrophy of the cells lining the vagina. Omega 7 essential fatty acid helps maintain healthy lipid levels in skin cells and also restores elasticity. He recommends a supplement called Omega 7 Sea Buckthorn Cellular Support by Sibu (£25.48 for 60, from Victoria Health as before), which contains essential fatty acids, plus micro-minerals that work to ensure optimal cell function.

Good Skin Science

Thirty years ago, when I first started writing about health and beauty, the human genome was being mapped for our DNA code, the basis of the science of genetics, and the bright white hope was gene therapy. That is being slow to fulfil its promise, but meanwhile scientists are increasingly absorbed in the field of epigenetics, which literally means beyond (‘epi’) genetics. Fascinatingly, this could, among other things, help us look younger.

Epigenetics refers to the impact of environmental influences on how your genes function. DNA code defines who and what you are in every way, from colour of hair to personality. But how your genes express themselves can change according to your environment and the events in your life.

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A reader who suffers from hayfever every year is looking for a natural remedy to help prevent or relieve it.

My staple remedy is Aller-DMG, a natural formulation that contains perilla, from the mint family, which blocks the release of histamine, plus dimethylglycine (DMG) derived from beets, which helps clear the respiratory tract and reduces the intensity of the allergic reaction. Aller-DMG, £16.50 for 60 tablets

I also like to eat local honey: the idea is that the tiny amounts of local pollen act as a natural vaccine. And I don huge dark glasses, real Jackie Os, which at the very least look glamorous.

IS THERE A SAFE ACNE SOLUTION?

My teenage daughter has bad acne, which makes her unhappy and self-conscious. It hasn’t responded to treatment and the doctor mentioned Roaccutane, but I have seen frightening stories about it.

Acne, which affects 90 per cent of adolescents, can cause immense emotional distress, agrees consultant dermatologist Professor Nick Lowe. It’s due to blockages in the follicles, caused by an overproduction of sebum combining with dead skin cells. Bacteria feed on the oily sebum and multiply, leading to inflammation and the formation of pimples, blackheads and whiteheads, and often scarring.

The male hormone testosterone increases at puberty in both sexes, triggering excessive sebum production. Contributory causes include stress, a high glycaemic (GI) diet with lots of sugar and carbohydrates, and dairy products.

Roaccutane, a vitamin A derivative, reduces sebum, and also inflammation. Professor Lowe, who did the first clinical research on Roaccutane in America in the 1980s, says, ‘These drugs are valuable for people with severe acne but should only be considered when all other prescription treatments have failed because of the potential side effects [see below].’

Other treatments for females include oral and topical antibiotics with appropriate skincare, also spironolactone, a drug that at low doses blocks testosterone and can be combined with antibiotics. Laser treatment can help, as can dermabrasion and peels. Two forms of the contraceptive pill, Dianette and Yasmin, may help but are not suitable for smokers, anyone who is overweight, has a family history of deep vein thrombosis or long term.

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Sodium laurel sulphate

(SLS), a detergent used in personal care products including some eczema emollient creams, is a known skin irritant. It is routinely included in toothpastes and linked to mouth ulcers. Several readers have said that their ulcers healed once they used sulphate-free toothpastes. Organic brand Green People offers a range free from sulphate, fluoride and artificial sweeteners, £3.50 a tube. In the Sensodyne range, Original, £3.20, is SLS- and fluoride-free; Pronamel and Repair & Protect are sulphatefree but contain fluoride; both £4.20, boots.com.

3 of the best TOPICAL PAIN RELIEVERS

1. Magnesium Oil Joint Spray, £12.30 for 100ml.
   Magnesium helps to relax muscles and ease joint pain, plus topical application is absorbed five times faster than oral supplements.
2. Deep Heat Patches, £6.25 for four, lloydspharmacy.com;
   two double-sized patches for £4.59, boots.com. These heat when opened, warming muscles and reducing pain and stiffness for up to eight hours.
3. Vitabiotics Jointace Gel, £8.20 for 75ml.
   Contains glucosamine and chondroitin, plus oils of ginger, lavender, eucalyptus and clove bud to give instant relief for aches and pains.

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My 50-year-old friend has intractable weight gain, particularly round her tummy. I’m 45 and have good and bad tummy days, which can vary from flat to fat in a day. Exercise isn’t shifting it at the moment. Is it the same cause?

‘These are different but both common problems,’ says women’s health expert Dr Marilyn Glenville, author of Fat Around the Middle* (marilynglenville.com). ‘Leading up to menopause, extra pounds often settle around the middle because your body tries to compensate for declining oestrogen. Some oestrogen is manufactured in the fat cells there, which offsets some of the loss from the ovaries.’

Your waist should measure less than 80 per cent of your hip measurement. If your hips are 40in, say, your waist should be under 32. A higher ratio increases your risk of breast and other cancers, strokes, heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s.

The key to weight loss is a low-carb diet, plus exercise. The standard thinking is to reduce fat intake with skimmed milk and low/no-fat foods. But research shows people on low-carb diets lose much more weight, and have better lipid profiles (cholesterol and triglycerides) than those on low-fat diets.

Cut out refined carbs, particularly white bread/pasta/rice, cakes and biscuits. Instead eat lots of vegetables with small amounts of brown rice and oats (wheat can make bloating worse).

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I have very sparse eyelashes. A friend recommended a cosmetic eyelash growth enhancer, which is available over the counter. It works, but it has made my eyelids extremely red and they look horrible. What should I do?

First, with my Beauty Bible hat on, I can report that our panel of independent testers trialled the same product (for legal reasons we can’t name it, so let’s call it ‘Eye Lash’) which you apply to the base of your lashes. Five out of ten had such marked sensitivity reactions to it that we discontinued the trial. I started researching and alarm bells began to ring.

Although these topical cosmetic products are widely available, the key ingredient in several eyelash growth enhancers is a molecule used in glaucoma drugs. Known as prostaglandin analog, it reduces pressure in the eye and is also recognised as helping eyelash growth but only while you use the product.

With glaucoma, doctors have to balance the risk-to-benefit ratio as there are known side effects, which may affect some people, according to consultant ophthalmologist Professor Charles Clark.

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I love writing this page, and never more than when I get emails like this one from 60-something reader Jenny: ‘I wrote to you in April 2012 about my problem waking in the night with severe “what’s the point of living?” depression despite a good career, wonderful family and social life. I was advised [by pharmacist Shabir Daya] to take Magnolia Rhodiola Complex . It had a marvellous effect: it must be 15 years since I felt this good.’ Jenny has recommended it to others ‘who had little enthusiasm for daily life. They are all now content and calm with lots of energy.’

Magnolia extract helps relax muscles and nerves as well as reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol, according to Shabir Daya. Trials show that rhodiola helps calm the mind, lift mood and restore sleep cycles without having sedative properties by increasing levels of the hormone serotonin and amino acid derivative theanine.

Another woman reports good results from ‘talking therapy’ via Skype. The website mootu.com offers a register of over 100 qualified and accredited therapists who give face-to-face sessions on Skype. Single mother Su Golt had ME/chronic fatigue syndrome with chronic depression. ‘Mootu gave me the freedom to choose a therapist without having to travel, take time off or pay for childcare. My therapist provided useful insights. Together we’ve nailed the pattern of behaviour that had me chasing my tail, and I’m learning to break this cycle.’

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Q: Like many of my 40-something friends, I have difficulty sleeping. I don’t want to take drugs.

A: Many of us suffer with insomnia, either long term or for short ‘acute’ periods. The key hormone involved in sleep is melatonin, which is – like all hormones – often affected by other life factors. Melatonin is stimulated by darkness and inhibited by light. It is also affected by stress, illness and hormonal flurries such as menopause. So it’s a volatile little beast, but there is a raft of non-drug solutions to help.

The Sleep Council is offering a free booklet called Get a Good Night’s Sleep, which offers seven practical steps. All the basic ideas are there, such as using blackout curtains, banning technology from your bedroom and taking exercise. Additionally, there are some interesting recent findings.

Swap to low-blue lightbulbs. Many indoor bulbs contain a high proportion of blue light, which can suppress melatonin production and leave us more alert. Increasing red and yellow wavelengths can help, along with glasses that reduce blue light exposure from screens. Try Low Blue Energy Saving Lamps, £19.95, Low Blue Lamps, £9.95 and Low Blue Lights Glasses, £29.99, from ronfellshop.com.

Eat a turkey sandwich before bed. The amino acid tryptophan, found in turkey, chicken and steak, helps you sleep better by increasing levels of the hormone serotonin, which turns into melatonin. But tryptophan needs some high glycaemic carbohydrate to help it work, thus the bread.

Consider taking the food supplement Zenbev, derived from tryptophan-rich pumpkin seeds. Zenbev needs the dark to metabolise into melatonin so you will need a totally dark bedroom. Zenbev, £25.99, in lemon flavour.

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Q: I am 30 and have post-nasal drip, which makes it very hard to breathe, particularly as I am also asthmatic. I would like to feel well, especially around Christmas, but the doctor is very dismissive.

A: Pharmacist Shabir Daya has helped many people with this problem so I asked him for his advice. He explains that post-nasal drip (PND) is associated with excessive production of mucus by the respiratory tract in the nose, which then accumulates at the back of the throat or in the nasal cavity. This causes problems with breathing.

The big culprits tend to be acid-producing foods, especially dairy products, tomatoes and potatoes. So cut down on these as much as possible. Try swapping cow’s milk for almond, rice or oat milk (available from good supermarkets nationwide). Some asthmatics also find it helps to cut down on gluten too.

Try these natural remedies:

Marshmallow, one capsule three times daily. Marshmallow contains long-chain molecules called mucilages, which work to soothe and calm the inflamed mucus membranes. This reduces the amount of mucus produced. Power Health Marshmallow, £4.60 for 30 capsules.

Also take plantago tincture. This herb helps to break down the bonds that form mucus, so it is expelled more easily. It also has antibacterial properties, so it prevents the mucus getting infected, which is a common problem. A Vogel Plantago, £9.15 for 50ml.

Ivy thyme may help your asthma, too. Take 15 drops in water, two or three times daily. Asthma attacks are often triggered by inflammation in the respiratory tract, which ivy extract can soothe. A Vogel IvyThyme Complex, £9.15 for 50ml.

Also use a saltpipe inhaler (£29.95). A few minutes daily has been proved to help people breathe more easily by calming the cells of the respiratory system and helping them to self-cleanse.

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Q: My husband and I want to start a family. I know folic acid is important but can you clarify why, the amount and when to take it?

Folic acid (vitamin B9) is vital for its role in preventing spina bifida and other neural tube defects, which can limit or seriously impact on a baby’s life.

In 1991, research established that supplementing with 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid daily can reduce the risk of spina bifida (SB ) and other neural tube defects (see below) by up to 72 per cent. New research suggests that adding a daily 2.5mcg (minimum) of vitamin B12 is key to further reducing the risk. Vitamin B12 is essential for cells to take up folic acid, but some 60 per cent of women may not have enough.

SB is due to a fault in the development of the spinal cord, which runs down the centre of the spinal column, and also the surrounding vertebrae, which protects the spinal cord and anchors muscles so they move as instructed.

The fault occurs when the neural tube fails to close correctly. The neural tube is the group of cells that becomes the central nervous system, which comprises the brain and spinal cord. The spinal cord carries messages from the brain to different parts of the body. If the cord is damaged or not properly developed, as with SB, there is usually some degree of paralysis and loss of sensation below the damaged bit.

The extent of disability depends on where the split is and the amount of nerve affected. Bladder and bowel problems are frequent as those nerves come from the bottom of the spinal cord, which is always below the split. Also, any break in the nerve pathways from the brain means reduced control and sensation.

Around 750 to 1,000 babies are born every year in this country with SB and other neural tube defects, including encephalocele, which causes brain damage, anencephaly, where the brain does not develop properly, and hydrocephalus, or water on the brain (see shinecharity.org.uk for more information).

The neural tube closes in the first 28 days of pregnancy. If the pregnancy is planned, the advice is to start taking folic acid and vitamin B12 at least three months before conception and for three months after: Vitabiotics Pregnacare, £13.22 for three months’ supply; includes folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin D.

However, many pregnancies are unplanned and women do not realise they are pregnant until after 28 days, thus missing the window for preventing SB. GP Dr Rob Hicks, a patron of Shine, which supports people facing the challenges of SB , advises every woman of reproductive age who may get pregnant to take a supplement containing folic acid and vitamin B12: ‘These are useful vitamins anyway, particularly in the formation of red blood cells, there are no risks and the potential benefit is incalculable.’

the Feel-good gift guide

Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Mind Bath & Shower Oil, £37 for 55ml (enough for 20 baths). With wild camomile, frankincense and petitgrain essential oils, this fragrant, moisturising oil wafts away tension. Also try De-Stress Muscle.

Gloves in a Bottle, £5.15 for 60ml. Indispensable hand and body lotion for gardeners, hairdressers, swimmers, and anyone with dry, sore skin.

Dr Bronner’s Magic Soaps, £1.99 for 59ml. Loved by Sandra Bullock, these organic and fair-trade liquid soaps are perfect for green girls. We love Rose…and Lavender…the new Green Tea – the lot, really.

Tamaris Glitter Boots, from £69.99, amazon.co.uk. These glam, super-comfy ankle boots feature a shock absorber in the heel.

Uniqlo Heattech T-shirts, from £9.90, uniqlo.co.uk. Perfect for chaps, these tees are made of a high-tech fabric designed to retain warmth. The women’s range also comes in fab Orla Kiely designs.

Blingbacks Shoe Jewellery, £15, from Dorothy Perkins and Debenhams. These gorgeous gewgaws not only jazz up a dull pair of shoes but save your heels from blisters via a tiny rubber lip.

Hunter’s Puddings, £15 for a pack of four (each serving two or three), from hunterspuddings.co.uk. Award-winning, gluten- and wheat-free puds made in Cumbria.

Homedics Gel Shiatsu Back Massager, £199.99, from currys.co.uk. Our male tester was very impressed with this sit-on gizmo, which fits most upright chairs. Choose from three speeds and five programmes – including shiatsu, rolling spot or vibration, via the remote control. ‘Not cheap but good value,’ he says.

Q: My teeth are looking a bit brown and stained and I want to improve their appearance. Can I buy a bleaching kit to use myself?

A: In a word, no. The new European Union directive about bleaching and tooth whitening came into force on 31 October. The regulations are now much stricter and you cannot buy tooth-whitening kits over the counter.

The salient point of the directive is that you must go to a (private) dentist for tooth-whitening procedures, according to dental surgeon Dr David Klaff of the London Centre for Implant and Aesthetic Dentistry (lciad.co.uk). Once the dentist has established whether a patient is suitable, with no contraindications (eg, crowns or veneers), impressions of the mouth will be taken to make customised trays for the whitening material. At a second appointment, the first stage (usually one hour) will be carried out and the patient given detailed instructions to carry on at home, usually for two hours daily over 14 days, with a follow-up of four to five days, three weeks later.

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