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Is your body trying to tell you something?

by Dr Sarah Brewer
continued from page 2
Dandruff

Even people with healthy, non-itchy, non-scaly skin on their scalps are providing a cosy home for several types of yeast, the most common of which is malassezia. Once the level of this yeast starts to rise, the symptoms of dandruff - dryness, scaling, flaking, itch and greasiness - set in.

Inflammation linked with excess scalp yeasts can be reduced by increasing intakes of essential fatty acids. Do this by eating more oily fish, nuts and seeds, and by taking evening primrose, flaxseed or omega-3 fish oil supplements.

Dry, scaly skin is sometimes linked with lack of certain vitamins and minerals, especially vitamins A, B2, B3 and C, biotin, and also the minerals iodine, manganese, selenium and zinc. A shampoo containing the anti-fungal agent, ketoconazole, will help keep yeasts under control.

Mouth Ulcers

They are a real pain, but recurrent mouth ulcers are common and can be linked with stress, herpes simplex viral infection or hypersensitivity to a common mouth bacterium called haemolytic streptococcus.

Mouth ulcers have also been linked with lack of the vitamins B2, B3, B6, B12, folic acid, C and iron. Recurrent mouth ulcers are sometimes a sign of coeliac condition (sensitivity to gluten in the diet), inflammatory bowel diseases or other immune problems.

Applying aloe vera gel can boost healing, as can Gengigel (an oral gel available from chemists). According to some researchers, avoiding toothpastes containing the detergent sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) may help.

It is therefore important to seek medical advice if ulcers keep coming back or last more than 3 weeks - mainly because mouth cancer is becoming more common.



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