There's also a super book that you can get second-hand for pennies - "Dr Atkins' Vita Nutrient Solution". It's really good on most stuff (the main / minor vitamin groups). It also details a lot of stuff that's herbal and I wouldn't necessarily go so far with (Black Cohosh?). But that's just me, and it's a fun read. Keep in mind that it comes from an age when "optimum nutrition" was big. So he often recommends stuff in huge doses. A little of what you fancy does you good - don't worry too much about the mega-doses.
A lot of herbal extracts can be good, but some are either of little use or don't work for everyone. Black Cohosh is said to be useful for 'hot flushes' ....but I never tried it, preferring the modern remedies for once!
The reason I stopped using books for alternative remedies and supplement information is that research and findings advance and move on. Enzymes and Amino acids for instance have some very good proven results in certain areas, and have replaced a lot of herbal and other types in effectiveness.
Finding official or serious recent research can give some very unbiased information regarding efficacy and potential results.
You may very well know all this of course, but one very useful search for a specific supplement/alternative solution was in recent years when I suddenly developed IBS after my Dad died, and none of the pharmaceutical drugs made much difference, the final straw being when it was suggested a final thing to try would be tri-cyclic AD's ....a route I was not prepared to try.
I did a search for something like 'supplements that are similar to tri-cyclic AD's' - it emerged that there were three amino acids that may fit the bill: L-Theanine, GABA & Taurine ..and I found a complex that contains all three together with magnesium & holy basil etc.:
Source Naturals :: Theanine Serene™ with Relora® I never expect anything to actually work, but took one as soon as it arrived because I had really bad cramps. Two hours later, I realised they'd just about gone. One each night and one each morning kept it under control, and I was able to reduce it to one at night.
Obviously this works well for stress induced IBS ...I don't know about any other type.
I've found other supplements to work well too, but it does take a bit of trial & error or some lengthy reading of research and also reviewers at places such as Amazon.
The colitis I had flare up 2 months ago was harder to deal with, but a complex of gastric enzymes etc. has helped along with lemon balm (Melissa) tincture.
In some cases, St Johns Wort has replaced some pharmaceutical drugs by doctors in some EU countries.
Where a condition isn't life threatening or extreme, I do prefer going down the alternative route if something suitable can be found.
Hahaha - water system comment - but apart from that sounds just like what I need - will have to pop in there tomorrow when I go to Morrisons to get the bread & milk (& fags for the Missus
)
Yes, one's waterworks don't you know!
There are some vitamins and enzymes that we just don't have enough of as we get older, so it's nice to be able to help increase/replace them as long as safe & effective means can be found.
Stating to obvious, but do always take care if pharmaceutical drugs are being used for any reason. Biovea is one site that does advise on drug interaction possibilities on each product pages.
