Articles by Alison

A day in the life of a practitioner specialising in candida

Having worked as a practitioner specialising in candida for many years now it never ceases to amaze me how candida affects people in such diverse ways, as the following day’s work illustrates:

9.00 am and the first client of the day rings the bell. I open the door and it’s a full 5 seconds before I recognize her. What a difference! J-M (aged 45) consulted me two months ago having, as she put it “had candida for life”. She was suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, unable to work or go out very much and had almost total allergy syndrome, eating only chicken and potatoes. She had battled with her candida all her adult life and was pale, bowed, exhausted and miserable. In that first appointment muscle testing revealed imbalances to suggest an extremely high level of candida overgrowth, in fact it was off the end of my scale! So we identified a programme of herbs to support her de-toxifying organs and kill off the candida overgrowth. In the second appointment, once the programme of herbs and nutritional supplements was well under way, we were able to use muscle testing to identity foods that would not interfere with her body’s energies. She was therefore able to gradually introduce a more varied diet without having to use guess-work, something she was very grateful for as it meant she could be sure exactly what suited her body. So today, two months later, there she was at the front door looking completely different. She was upright, rosy cheeked, and vibrant. She fairly bounced in to the treatment room and told me how she was now able to get up every day and was even considering applying for jobs. Her partner was thrilled, and she was over the moon. We muscle tested and found the candida had completely gone and her food sensitivities were significantly reduced. She still needs to avoid some of the grains, coffee, sugar and cows’ milk products but she says it’s a small price to pay……..!

10.00 and a 13 year old girl comes for her first appointment with unexplained tummy pains, bloating and nausea. She’s had a whole battery of tests at her local hospital which revealed everything was normal so her Mother was getting desperate, particularly as the hospital had hinted that the pains might be psychosomatic. We needed the full hour and a quarter I allow for new clients to screen through her body looking for every conceivable imbalance which may be causing her symptoms. We found imbalances to suggest candida was present and that her ileo-caecal valve was inflamed and not functioning as it should, causing her discomfort. We used muscle testing to identify herbs which would suit her particular body bio-chemistry (everybody has a different bio-chemical make-up) to kill off the candida overgrowth and probiotics to help re-populate the gut with good bacteria. I used kinesiological techniques to re-balance the ileo-caecal valve and the tummy pains had gone by the end of the session. We set the next appointment for a month from today and I’ll look forward to hearing whether the treatment has relieved her symptoms in the long term.

11.15 and time to snatch a quick cup of green tea and listen to my messages before the next client.

11.30 An eight year old girl comes with her Mother for her second appointment. They initially consulted me because she had been diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and the doctor had commented that Ritalin would be necessary unless her behaviour improved. She was having 2 or 3 violent outbursts every week, often going into a rage and throwing chairs at school. So her Mother brought her to me to see whether anything could be done nutritionally as she’d read about how diet can affect mood. Muscle testing revealed imbalances to suggest candida as well as a need for zinc and fish oil, so I recommended a vibrational anti-candidal programme which I find works extremely well for children too young to take herbs. The programme is 6 weeks during which time I hadn’t heard from her so I was looking forward to hearing how she had got on. Her Mother told me in hushed tones, with tears in her eyes, how she had not had one outburst since starting the anti-candidal programme, and muscle testing revealed no imbalances to imply candida now. She was now well settled at school and her teacher had really noticed an improvement in her ability to focus and concentrate, as well as the dramatic change in her behaviour.

12.15 Lunch! Very welcome!

1.30 I’ve been treating the next client for the last 5 months. She initially consulted me because she’d been suffering from weeping, infected eczema all over her body since birth (she’s 42 ). She tried Chinese herbs some years ago, which relieved the eczema for 3 years before it returned with a vengeance. So she’d basically learnt to live with it. Muscle testing revealed imbalances to suggest that candida on the skin was a big factor in her eczema so we began a very gradual anti-candidal programme. When candida cells are killed off they split and release their toxic contents and this can make eczema very much worse, so it’s important to kill off the candida very slowly in such cases to avoid overloading the body with toxins. We also found through muscle testing that hyperoxiginated saline would be the remedy of choice to kill off the candida cells and my client began by taking one drop twice a day and worked up gradually over a month to 10 drops twice a day, with no worsening of the eczema. Today muscle testing indicated that the candida is still present but at a very low level, so she will continue with the hyperoxiginated saline at the same dosage. Her skin is the best it has ever been. She reported feeling so much better as a person as well, which was a bonus she didn’t expect.

2.15 The last client of the day is a lady coming for her third appointment who consulted me initially to improve her digestive health. She has bi-polar disease and is an out-patient at a local hospital and also sees a counsellor. During her first appointment we found imbalances to suggest a high level of candida overgrowth, and that food intolerance played an important role in her lack of well being. We used muscle testing to identify herbs to address her candida and identify her food intolerances. She felt better almost immediately with the treatment and couldn’t believe how well her digestion improved. A bonus of the treatment was that her mental health improved enormously too and she told me today that she wasn’t feeling the need to visit her counsellor any more and she’d been discharged from her bi-polar treatment at the hospital.

4.00 I sit down at the computer to do some work (writing this!) and prepare for my day leading a workshop in beginners’ kinesiology tomorrow. Thank you for sharing my day with me. I hope you found it as interesting as I do.

February 2008

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Mercury Toxicity

Mercury is one of the most toxic substances known. It is found in a variety of household substances including polishes, solvents, printers’ and tattooists’ inks, dental fillings, some medications, cosmetics and fabric softeners. It is also found in our water supply, soil and food.

The World Health Organization states that the release of mercury from amalgam fillings is the most significant cause of human exposure to mercury. Mercury vapour is released when chewing, tooth brushing, and drinking hot drinks. This vapour is absorbed through the tissues of the mouth and air passages and is transported in the blood to the brain and other body tissues without passing through the digestive system. One amalgam filling can release 3 to 17 micrograms of mercury vapour each day. It accumulates in the central nervous system and kidneys. Symptoms of mercury toxicity include behavioural changes, endocrine disorders, irritability, fatigue, hair loss, insomnia, anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, menstrual disorders, miscarriage, muscle weakness, frequent infections, food/environmental sensitivities, excessive salivation, autoimmune disorders, and a metallic taste in the mouth.

The removal of mercury amalgam fillings is considered as a last resort because there is inevitably a loss of good tooth tissue whenever a filling is extracted. I always recommend a programme of supplements first, which is often all that is necessary. There are a number of vitamins, minerals, amino-acids and herbs available which are very successful in supporting the body’s organs of elimination to metabolise and excrete mercury from the tissues. Appropriate supplements are identified using muscle testing, according to individual needs - this very much depends on where the mercury has accumulated in the body and the severity of toxicity. I measure the body’s level of mercury toxicity on a scale of 1 - 4 using kinesiological testing, and by the same method I monitor the progress of mercury excretion once the supplemental programme has begun. If removal is considered, it is essential that it is undertaken after the subject has taken supplements to excrete all the mercury from the system. I usually find that mercury excretion takes between 2 and 4 months, depending on severity.

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PMS

Pre Menstrual Syndrome is often referred to as "the bane of women's lives" and is becoming more and more common. PMS is the catch-all term for the mixture of varying physical and emotional symptoms which occur in the ten days or so prior to menstruation. Breast tenderness, fluid retention, headache, backache, fatigue, irritability, uncharacteristic aggression, depression and anxiety are just a few of the widely reported symptoms.

My experience as a practitioner and kinesiologist has confirmed what so many of us intuitively suspect, that everyone is different, biochemically different that is, so no two cases of pre-menstrual syndrome are the same. This is where kinesiology is so helpful, because it can use muscle testing to identify imbalances in a client without the need for guess work, and again use muscle testing to gain information about what is needed to re-balance that client. In that way each client is treated as the unique individual they are, and the treatment plan is tailor made just for them.

In my practice I favour a multi pronged approach to women presenting with Pre Menstrual Syndrome, and I use muscle testing to assess whether any or all of the following is relevant:

• Candida Albicans. I don't think I have ever treated a PMS sufferer for whom candida albicans was not part of the picture. Candida, or yeast overgrowth, is very opportunistic and overgrows when the immune system is compromised, causing a wide variety of symptoms such as fatigue, constipation, diarrhoea, poor memory, PMS and muscle pain. Candida interferes with the liver's conversion of oestrogen into a soluble form for excretion, so every candida sufferer is in a state of oestrogen excess of varying degrees and it is this oestrogen excess that is largely responsible for the symptoms of PMS. Using muscle testing we can identify supplements which suit the individual to bring the candida back into balance.
• Relief of breast pain. One of kinesiology's truly amazing techniques which alleviates breast congestion, soreness and pain within minutes.
• Nutritional Supplementation. Using kinesiological muscle testing we can identify which vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and/or herbs are needed to re-balance each individual sufferer of PMS.
• Meridian balancing. The circulation sex meridian relates to menstruation. Using kinesiological techniques to bring this meridian back into balance can bring the individual almost instantaneous relief and vastly alleviate the symptoms associated with PMS.
• Stress. Many women find the stress of PMS disrupts both their work and social lives. Kinesiology has a large array of techniques for treating stress of all kinds.
• Food sensitivity. Bloating, water retention, headaches, anxiety are all symptoms which can be alleviated in part by identifying and avoiding food sensitivities. Withdrawing foods to which the sufferer is sensitive from the diet will afford some relief from the symptoms almost immediately. Using kinesiology we can identify which foods the client is sensitive to very quickly and efficiently.
• Flower essences. I find, using muscle testing, that Woman Essence from the Australian Bush Flower Essences range can often be very helpful when taken during the run up to a period. To quote from their information sheet: "Woman Essence harmonizes any imbalances and emotions and encourages a woman's own innate strength and beauty through life's cycles."

I hope I've demonstrated above how helpful, not to say crucial, muscle testing is in formulating a treatment plan for each individual. Without kinesiology the practitioner is guessing at what would be helpful, something the kinesiologist never does.

June 2010

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Candida albicans

Candida albicans is responsible for untold misery in thousands of people. The importance of treating it cannot be over estimated because it is “a precursor to any and every degenerative disease, since it causes injury to every single body system.”^[1] It is thought to affect about one third of the population in the West, which may be due to the rise in clinical overuse of antibiotics which are widely recognized to precipitate candidal overgrowth. The use of the oral contraceptive pill, HRT, and steroids such as corticosteroids appear to exert a similar effect.

The symptoms of candida albicans are many and variable. The most common are fatigue, digestive disturbance, diarrhoea, constipation, food sensitivities, carbohydrate cravings vaginitis, anxiety, depression, impaired memory, poor concentration, “foggy brain” and feelings of lack of self worth. Other symptoms include cystitis/urethritis, menstrual irregularities, stiff and painful joints, muscle pain, inhalant allergies, chemical sensitivities, catarrh, sinusitis, cardiac arrhythmia, acne and other skin eruptions, headaches, blurred vision, earaches and dizziness.

Candida albicans is a yeast which lives in the bowel of all of us. By rights that’s where it should stay, but if the immune system becomes weakened and the number of beneficial bacteria in the bowel declines, candida can start multiplying, penetrate the intestinal wall and disseminate to other organs (polysystemic candidiasis). Severe stress has a depressant effect on the immune system, and drugs, environmental chemicals, allergies, and excess sugar consumption all play their part.

Candida produces many toxins, for example alcohol, acetaldehyde and carbon monoxide, and it is these which are responsible for producing most of the symptoms of candidiasis. I therefore recommend a course of herbal supplements to stimulate the body to metabolise and excrete these toxins before introducing supplements to eradicate the candida. By this method the liver is constantly supported and “die off” symptoms (which can occur when large numbers of candida cells die, break open, and release their toxic contents) are kept to a minimum, if any.

Using test vials with a scale of 1 -10 I assess the severity of the candida overgrowth, and by the same method I am able to plot the descent of the overgrowth once the body is prepared and eradication has begun.

The process of eradicating Candida usually takes between four and nine months depending on severity. Supplements to support any nutritional deficiencies are recommended. I identify food sensitivities and encourage their elimination from the diet as they represent a burden on the immune system. This, along with identifying and addressing environmental sensitivities for the same reason, reduces symptomology and assists immune recovery. I do not generally find it necessary to recommend the severe dietary restrictions referred to in many anti-candidal texts provided the correct anti-candidal supplements are taken at the right dosage. It is also important to deal with the intestinal dysbiosis which is invariably present and support the endocrine system in general, and in particular the adrenal glands which are often severely impaired by Candida.

Unless the immune system and the factors that caused the candida to overgrow in the first place are addressed, candida can return with astonishing speed. I therefore usually recommend supplements to support the immune system, and address the damage to the gut wall which candida invariably causes. This ”leaky-gut syndrome” allows excessive absorption of toxins from the bowel which has been linked to liver disease, thyroid disease, pancreatitis, lupus erthematosis, food sensitivities, asthma, psoriasis, and acne.

The above is an outline of the treatment of severe candidiasis, and not all the corrections are necessary in every case, by any means. I treat a lot of children with candida, using vibrational essences, and find they spring back to health very quickly.

^[1] Dr John Parks Trowbridge, 1986

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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is becoming more and more common. I've been a complimentary health practitioner for over 10 years now, and during that time I've seen the number of people contacting me for treatment of CFS almost double.

My experience as a practitioner has confirmed what so many of us intuitively suspect, that everyone is different, biochemically different that is, so no two cases of chronic fatigue syndrome are the same. This is where kinesiology is so helpful, because it can use muscle testing to identify imbalances in a client without the need for guess work, and again use muscle testing to gain information about what is needed to re-balance that client. In that way each client is treated as the unique individual they are, and the treatment plan is tailor made just for them.

In my practice I favour a multi pronged approach to chronic fatigue syndrome and use muscle testing to assess whether any or all of the following is relevant:

• Immune system insufficiency. I commonly find that cases of chronic fatigue syndrome can be traced back to a nasty dose of 'flu, an infection of some sort, or a very stressful period in the person's life, after which the immune system didn't completely recover. This explains why sufferers of CFS tend to pick up lots of coughs and colds and have trouble fighting off what they pick up. It also makes them vulnerable to further invaders such as virus', bacteria and Candida Albicans. Using kinesiology we can identify which vitamins, minerals and/or herbs are needed for each individual sufferer to support their immune system and bring it back to optimum function.
• Food sensitivity. I find food sensitivity is invariably a factor when treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Symptoms such as fatigue, exhaustion, headaches, skin problems, bloating, stomach pains and constipation/diarrhoea can often be attributed in part, if not all, to food sensitivity, so withdrawing such foods from the diet will give the sufferer some relief from the symptoms almost immediately. I find the common culprits are: wheat, sugar, cow's milk products, and coffee, and less commonly: gluten, soya, the citrus family and the night-shade family (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, chillis etc). Using kinesiology we can identify which foods the client is sensitive to very quickly.
• Endocrine dysfunction. I commonly find that CSF sufferers have at least one endocrine gland under functioning, so I muscle test all the glands of the endocrine system on everyone who consults me with CFS, in order to identify which one or ones need re-balancing. Once identified, we muscle test to find which supplements will be helpful to re-balance the glands.
• Stress. In my practice I sometimes find that a CSF sufferer found their health began to go down hill after a very stressful period in their lives such as a bereavement or divorce. Using kinesiological techniques we can release the stress from that period, allowing the immune system to begin to rejuvenate.
• Candida Albicans. I don't think I have ever treated a CFS sufferer for whom candida albicans was not part of the picture. Candida, or yeast overgrowth, is very opportunistic and overgrows when the immune system is compromised, causing a wide variety of symptoms such as fatigue, constipation, diarrhoea, poor memory and muscle pain. Using muscle testing we can identify supplements which suit the individual to bring the candida back into balance.
• Heavy metal toxicity. I find, using muscle testing, that mercury (usually from amalgam dental fillings) is often a factor in people with CSF, and also lead, aluminium and platinum. Using kinesiology to identify the supplements which will help the body excrete the metals can be very helpful.

I hope I've demonstrated above how helpful, not to say crucial, muscle testing is in formulating a treatment plan for each individual. Without kinesiology the practitioner is guessing at what would be helpful, something the kinesiologist never does.

January 2010

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Beat that food intolerance!

The number of people suffering from food intolerances has rocketed in the last 20 years. Alison Manos, local kinesiologist and natural healthcare specialist, explores why…

Do you ever suffer from:

• Tiredness
• Bloating
• Lack of energy
• Anxiety
• Eczema
• Joint pain
• Depression
• Gas/wind
• Headaches/migraines
• Unexplained tummy pains
• Spots/acne
• Constipation/diarrhoea

And feeling 'one degree under'?

Food intolerance could be your problem!

In the Western World we rely heavily on foods which the human body was not built to digest. For example, foods such as milk from cows (meant for calves), highly farmed grains and highly refined sugar (both of which have had all the goodness refined out of them) are all consumed in large quantities today, so it's not surprising, perhaps, that the body cries out in protest and produces symptoms of illness and lack of well being.

Wheat is a staple food and is consumed freely in the form of bread, cakes, biscuits, pizzas, pies, pasta etc. Yet it has only been that way for about 2000 years since men and women started experimenting with agriculture. For the thousands of years that we were on earth before agriculture was developed, we lived naturally on fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, which to this day is the diet which suits us best.

Recent research revealed that 71% of the general population suffer from a food intolerance. Judging from the clients who consult me in my practice I would put the figure much higher. Healthy eating is only "healthy" if you're not intolerant to any of your food. Some symptoms may become apparent within minutes, and other symptoms may not begin for many hours after exposure to the offending substance. Because they are so slow to arise, it can be difficult to associate the symptoms with exposure to a particular food. The only way to find out exactly what your body is absorbing well and what it's struggling to absorb is through accurate screening tecniques. Your body is biochemically different to everybody else's - you're unique and what works for one person can be a disaster for another. So identifying food intolerances which are individual to you can be extremely helpful. In fact it could change your life.

In my practice I use kinesiology, which uses non-invasive manual muscle testing, to identify food intolerances. It is a very quick, efficient and accurate method. You'd be amazed how strong muscles become weak when a food the client is intolerant to is placed on the body.

Eating the wrong diet for your particular body biochemistry can lead to physical and mental problems, affect your appearance, alter your behaviour and limit your life. So take control of your life, find out whether your diet is doing you more harm than good, start to live again and beat that food intolerance!

June 2009

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An interview with Alison Manos

Members are often sceptical about Kinesiology which they view as controversial. Their scepticism is hardly surprising when the House of Lords Select Committee's report into Complementary and Alternative Medicine relegated kinesiology to the third group i.e. those that "lacked any credible evidence base". Harsh criticism that some would think unfair, particularly those sufferers who have been helped by it when all other approaches failed them.

Kinesiology was developed from a system of muscle-testing which had been used within orthodox medicine e.g. by physiotherapists, for many years. In 1965 Dr Goodheart (a US chiropractor) discovered that muscles could be 'tested' to reveal vital information about the health and functioning of the individual.

Kinesiologists take a holistic approach, treating the whole body. They use the response of muscles to find imbalances which interfere with optimum function. These imbalances can be corrected with nutritional supplements, massage realignment etc.

Alison Manos in south London is a Qualified Registered Kinesiologist. Her patients speak highly of her, and having conquered her own candida with kinesiology, she glows with health. I went along to interview her and afterwards promptly booked a treatment, which helped me too. This is what she told me:

"It was my own search for a method of re-balancing for candida that led me to kinesiology. I developed candida at 17 after I took antibiotics for a tooth abscess. At 23, I had abdominal pain accompanied by mucus-coated stools and chronic thrush. My doctor's tests drew a blank. Over time, I developed more symptoms including Total Allergy Syndrome. I became allergic to the environment, chemicals, pollen, grasses, mould, house-dust mites, shampoos, soaps - not to mention a lot of food.

For twenty years I tried most alternative therapies - acupuncture, herbalism, and homoeopathy. Nothing re-balanced me. The homoeopathy gave some improvement; the acupuncture made me very ill indeed; and I had such a violent allergic reaction to the herbs that the herbalist gave me a full refund. After that experience, I wanted a fail-safe method of knowing in advance that a supplement was suited to me. What I mean by that is knowing that the supplement would do some good, and that it wouldn't harm me. Kinesiology has given me that. I was so impressed that I decided to retrain in Kinesiology so that I could help other people too.

As most patients that I see have candida, I always test for candida first. Next, I test for parasites, followed by viruses. After that I test for heavy metal toxicity; electro-magnetic stress, geopathic stress; gluten intolerance; allergies, leaky gut and so on.

Next, I allow the body to indicate its priorities for treatment. This is likely to be candida and parasites. It is important to measure the candida toxins because if these are sky-high, treating the candida can be extremely uncomfortable for the patient. If the toxins are too high, then it may be better to support the liver for a few months before commencing antifungal treatment.

I also aim to remove other burdens on the immune system; to find out what nutrients the body is depleted of; and what supplements (and in what quantities) are required by the body. The session also includes rebalancing the body's energetic field."

After interviewing Alison I went back for a session, as my BEAM treatment (Candida Digest Vol. 6 Iss. 3) indicated that I had Candida or Parasites. I had no symptoms of Candida and so wasn't surprised when I tested negative for that. But I did have parasites and lead poisoning. Eliminating the lead came up as the priority for treatment, presumably because it is the lead which attracts the parasites. The session lasted one hour, was comprehensive and pleasantly inexpensive. I left a firm believer that Kinesiology was a useful technique for assessment and treatment, but maybe it was just because Alison was so good!

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Adrenal Fatigue and Kinesiology

The adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys in the back and secrete a number of very important hormones. Mild to moderate adrenal insufficiency (adrenal fatigue), which can be defined as under secretion of one or more adrenal hormones, is very widespread. Some manifestations of adrenal fatigue include headaches, low energy levels, allergies, arthritis, low blood pressure, hypoglycaemia, frequent infections, poor stamina, dizziness, tender muscles, sensitivity to bright light, low resistance to stress, eczema, hay fever, asthma, and poor memory.

It's important to recognise that everyone is bio chemically different, and therefore no two cases of adrenal fatigue are the same. This is where kinesiology is so helpful, because it can use muscle testing to identify imbalances in someone without the need for guess work, and again use muscle testing to gain information about what is needed to re-balance that person. In that way, with kinesiology, everyone is treated as the unique individual that they are, and the treatment plan is tailor-made just for them.

In my practice I favour a multi-pronged approach to the treatment of adrenal fatigue. I use muscle testing to determine whether any or all of the following factors are relevant to the individual sufferer, and in turn use muscle testing to assess how best to treat them.

1. Stress is a major cause of adrenal fatigue. Kinesiology has a powerful arsenal of techniques for releasing stress from the body and helping the individual to view stressful events, situations and emotions in their lives differently, and so cope better with the inevitable stresses of 21st century living.
2. Coffee is well known for contributing to adrenal fatigue despite the quick boost it gives you. Kinesiological techniques can help to ascertain whether coffee (most likely), tea, or other addictive substances such as sugar and alcohol are draining adrenal function.
3. I find in my practice that nutrient deficiency is a major cause of adrenal fatigue. Kinesiology can pin point the particular nutrients which would be helpful to a client in a matter of minutes.
4. About 90% of clients consulting me with adrenal fatigue also have a yeast overgrowth called candida. Candida overgrowth constitutes a major contributor to adrenal fatigue because it has the ability to bind to adrenal steroids. Using kinesiology to select remedies which maybe helpful in overcoming candida can be crucial to a client's recovery from adrenal fatigue.

March 2011

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5-minute stress buster!

A College of Naturopathic Medicine health tip.

Alison Manos, CNM’s lecturer in Kinesiology recommends this Emotional Stress Release technique as a way of ‘supercharging your batteries’ when life seems to be getting on top of you:

Locate your Emotional Stress Release Points on the forehead, in between the eyebrows and the hairline, directly above the iris of the eye. Contact them with a very light touch and remain that way for as long as you can, but for a minimum of five minutes. Either use the middle and forefinger of both hands, or just use the thumb and forefinger of one hand.

You will be placing light pressure on the neuro vascular points for the stomach and brain meridians, thereby bringing the blood to the frontal lobes of the brain and to the stomach. The increased blood flow relieves stress dramatically and will result in clearer thinking and a lighter, more positive view on life.

“We live in stressful times,” explains Alison. “Our bodies were designed originally for us to live peacefully most of the time and to use stress to energise us when necessary. Nowadays many people live in a state of heightened stress much of the time, with deadlines to meet and not enough hours in the day. Stress inhibits our ability to think clearly and burdens us with negative thinking. So many of the symptoms I see in my patients are due to stress, from unexplained pains to anxiety and weakened immunity. In Kinesiology we have the most amazing techniques to relieve stress. This one’s a great start because you can do it to yourself , even on the bus, at work etc. Focussing on the issues that are causing the stress also magnifies the relief hugely. After a few minutes the issues seem to drift away, or you get a ‘brainwave’ about how to deal with them.”

See your natural health professional for any health related questions.

For the last ten years Alison Manos has run a busy Kinesiology practice in South London, where she has helped thousands of people reclaim good health, using Kinesiology, herbs, nutrition and flower essences.

June 2010

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Protozoa Parasites

Protozoal parasites are single cell animals which live in humans and cause disease.

It is generally assumed that protozoa are picked up during travel outside Europe and have little relevance in the UK. Protozoa are common in developed countries, however, and their prevalence in the UK is believed to be about 10%.

The main protozoal parasites encountered in the West are Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba hystolytica, and Blastocystis hominus. Others occasionally seen in the UK include: Cryptosporidium parvum, Entamoeba hartmanni, Dientamoeba fragilis, Entamaoeba coli, Lodamoeba (Entamoeba) buetschlii, Endolimax (Entamoeba) nana.

Giardia lamblia attaches to the wall of the small intestine and may also be found in the gall bladder. It rarely shows in stool samples. Guardia interferes with the absorbtion of fats, sugar and vitamins, and causes a variety of symptoms such as diarrhoea, constipation, IBS, abdominal cramps, weight loss, nausea, flatulence and food intolerances.

Entamoeba histolytica usually inhabits the large bowel, sometimes invading the mucous membrane leading to ulceration. Occasionally it is found in the liver, lungs and brain, where abscesses may develop. Possible symptoms include: diarrhoea, constipation, cramping, flatulence, food allergies, and autoimmune disease, notably polyarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Blastocystis hominus also inhabits the large intestine. Possible symptoms include: constipation, diarrhoea, flatulence, fatigue, insomnia, dizziness, and weight loss. It has also been linked to rheumatoid arthritis.

As protozoal parasites give off a number of unpleasant toxins both during inhabitation and particularly during eradication, I usually recommend beginning treatment with a supplement to support the liver and to facilitate the removal of these toxins. By this method, when the toxin levels are sufficiently low, (usually after 1-2 months) supplements to eradicate the protozoa can be gradually added and "die-off" symptoms are unlikely to occur.

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