Natural Health: My skin gets so itchy at night — I find it difficult to sleep
There is a good chance that your itching skin is linked with menopause. Itchy skin is one of the myriad symptoms associated with menopause and perimenopause, often linked with histamine intolerance.
There is a good chance that your itching skin is linked with menopause. Itchy skin is one of the myriad symptoms associated with menopause and perimenopause, often linked with histamine intolerance.
Histamine is necessary for gut, brain, immune, and nervous system health. A histamine overload can cause hives, internal and external itching, excessive dryness, rashes, skin flushing, repeat bladder infections, aching joints and muscles, and congested sinuses. The more histamine builds up in the body, the more aggravated and severe the symptoms become.
The most effective way to confirm whether histamine is causing your problems is to follow a low-histamine diet for at least a month, preferably two to three months, and track your symptoms. If histamine is the underlying issue, you will notice a significant reduction in your itching skin, or it may stop altogether.
Visit histamineintolerance.org.uk for more information, including a downloadable food diary.
Note: Always consult a dietitian before changing your diet.
The flu can leave you feeling drained, especially if it has lingered. In addition, antibiotics often upset the delicate balance of intestinal microflora.
You will want to replenish your beneficial bacteria with a high-quality probiotic supplement. You can also add in probiotic-rich fermented foods such as kefir, traditional yoghurt, miso, tempeh, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, and traditionally pickled vegetables.
Digestive enzymes are another excellent way to restore your system to health and ensure you absorb all the nutrients from your food.
Vitamin D is one of the essential nutrients for restoring immune function and replenishing energy and vitality.
One of the surprising sources of vitamin D is mushrooms. In your case, medicinal mushrooms are the best choice for post-flu recovery. Medicinal mushrooms have an adaptogenic effect on the body, enhancing its ability to adapt to stress.
A combination of three or more medicinal mushrooms is ideal since it increases the range of beneficial effects. Check your local health store for the TerraNova Mushroom Synergy combination, which includes reishi, cordyceps, maitake, shiitake, chaga, Royal Sun Agaricus, and ginger root. Fifty capsules cost €33.20.
In particular, Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) has been shown to help reduce inflammation, increase energy levels, regulate the immune system, protect the liver, and improve sleep quality.
Reishi is a powerful adaptogen that acts rapidly within the body, possibly due to the water-soluble polysaccharides and triterpenes, which help quickly normalise body systems and processes.
Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) is another powerful immune-supportive mushroom. It is also used for cardiovascular health, to improve brain function, to increase energy levels, and to reduce inflammation. Oncologists in Japan use it to help cancer patients recover from post-chemotherapy.
Your diet can also nourish your body and ease fatigue. Choose dark and richly coloured foods such as berries, plums, and beetroot, and be sure to include healthy fats from sources such as avocado, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, and coconut.
- NOTE: The information contained in this column is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor.
