WOMEN'S HEALTH
Naturally
Rodney
The natural approaches to health are very popular these days. Why do you think that is?Dr. Glenville
I think people are thinking about the side effects of drugs and are looking at whether there is another way of tackling different symptoms. They are also thinking that with a drug it does not actually address the underlining cause of the problem and when they stop the drug the problem could come back, such as headaches. They do not actually get rid of them so with natural medicine you are looking at why the person has got the problem in the first place, and then tackling the cause and really getting rid of the symptoms for good.Rodney
In your studies and in your career, has the natural approach to medicine been something you have been interested in or did you at some point in your career discover that this was the way you wanted to go?Dr. Glenville
I was a traditional scientist. I trained at Cambridge and that is where I did my PhD and I did get into it there as I was looking into premenstrual symptoms which were often treated 20 years ago with anti-depressants and tranquillisers. I realised then that women were on anti-depressants all the time for a condition which was only lasting maybe for a week or 10 days a month. I thought then there must be another way to deal with problems like this and from there it has gone on to all women's health issues including alternatives to HRT when women have got breast cancer and can't take hormone replacement therapy, all the way through to every problem including fertility as well for women. So it covers every women's issues.Rodney
Can you give us any idea of studies in this area; studies that would compare say in any particular area. Women who approach a natural therapy regiment as opposed to those who still would use hormone replacement therapy or some of the more traditional medicines. Have any studies shown that one is much more preferable than another. Obviously the natural way to go would be better or are studies inconclusive?Glenville
I think with certain events in a woman's life such as the menopause which is not an illness, it is a natural event, then there has been a lot of work around what women choose at that time. In the UK for instance, about 50% of women will stop HRT after about 8 months, so they don't stay on it for very long. So the choice is more to go naturally more so than to go for hormone replacement therapy because the women don't consider it to be an illness, although the pressure maybe there for them to take drugs. So with the natural side they have nothing to lose. They can try it for 6 months and if it is not beneficial enough they can still have surgery or drugs.Rodney
How has this approach faired with your colleagues in terms of doctors who practice a more traditional medicine approach?Glenville
I actually work in a gynaecological practice in London and we have an approach which is called integrated medicine where women come in through the practice whether they have fibroids, endometriosis, polycystic ovaries, fertility problems, … anything. They can actually then have a choice as to how they deal with the problem either naturally or traditionally but also they can do the two at the same time. They can be monitored traditionally, have scans, blood tests, do the natural side and then go back for a repeat scan to see whether it is working. On the fertility side, what we often do - the couples can be going for an IVF treatment - they work on their nutritional medicine before they start and we have been able to increase the success rate from around 25% up to 42% on an IVF treatment which is quite a difference for IVF.Rodney
Obviously the benefits of a good diet and exercise have been well known for quite a while but how does exercise and diet fit into the natural approach that you have with the problems that women may experience?Glenville
Well they are there and they are very useful so women need to keep fit for different reasons: for their heart, bones, immune system and on the dietary side obviously I am recommending that women eat certain foods and to eat well. Depending on the problem, they can actually target different foods. It has actually been researched in the medical literature and to use vitamins and minerals to help them get rid of the problem such as with periods, PMS or even a fertility problem and turn it around with vitamins and minerals and changes in their diet and it is very successful. These things have been medically researched it is just that women may not get to hear about them and it is useful for them to have this information to decide for themselves what they want to try, which way they would like to go and work on that particular problem.Rodney
We are going into winter. Do people's nutritional needs change as the seasons change? In other words should we be eating any differently now say than in the spring and summer?Glenville
We should and sometimes we actually do this even intuitively. We tend to go for more warming foods. Basically, we should go for foods which are grown in the country around the time of that weather because they are designed to keep us warm and to get us through the winter and the dark nights rather than going for foods that are grown in tropical countries where at that time of year it could be very sunny and very light and does not give us quite the nutrients we need. But I would suggest that people also take vitamin C over the winter months to give a boost to their immune system just to make sure it wards off any colds or flu and prevent the problems before they even start.Rodney
Could you give us an overview of the seminar, who would benefit, what people can expect and what they will take out of the seminar?Glenville
We are looking at problems like feeling tired all the time, mood swings, depression and also those connected around female hormone problems such as fibroids, endometriosis, premenstrual syndrome, menopause, osteoporosis and looking at what women should eat; how they can keep themselves really healthy. We are also looking at what vitamins and minerals women should take on a daily basis. It is often confusing for them. Something very special that I do during the day is that we do a vitamin and mineral analysis and it is an individual one. Every woman therefore goes away knowing exactly what she should take and the dose of each particular vitamin and mineral.The day is very practical and very informative. They can ask whatever questions they wish and I am also present during the tea breaks and lunch to answer personal questions.
Rodney
Some of the things we have been talking about affect older women. Younger women may not think this is relevant to them. Would you tell them that they can also benefit from the seminar?Glenville
Very much so. Younger women can get symptoms leading up to the period which are very uncomfortable. They can often feel like Jekyll and Hyde. They can also have problems with weight gain as well. So how to lose weight without dieting is also covered. Also tracking down whether someone has a food allergy. I will also cover digestive problems; what is the problem if someone feels bloated after eating or things like irritable bowel syndrome - that can definitely be nutritional and there are lots of things that can be done about it instead of putting up with the symptoms or just living with them all the time.So for younger women, it is important because also in all of this we are talking about prevention and I think that is important about nutritional medicine. It is correcting symptoms, addressing female hormone problems and just general health concerns for women. But it is also talking about prevention in the future; keeping ourselves healthy and not coming down with colds and flu or just feeling we are not functioning at 100%, that we can't get through the day because we feel so tired all the time. So, it is talking about having enough energy, feeling really well and actually functioning 100% like we should do and keeping ourselves well and keeping that health into the future.
Rodney
I should stress that your seminar and your entire approach is natural and it involves diet and nutrition without using drugs.Glenville
I also use herbs which can be very useful to target a problem such as period pains, heavy periods; something which is going on which is more specific. The vitamins and minerals work on the general health and the herbs can be really useful to target a problem and tackle it quickly. But it is going to the root cause, it is not just getting rid of the symptoms. It is asking the question why has that woman got the problem in the first place. It can even be related to stress or blood sugar problems - women seem to fall asleep after lunch because they can't keep their eyes open. So it is everything connected with what we eat, what we do on a daily basis and how we can turn this around and we can actually turn our bodies around within 3 months if we get the right vitamins, minerals and herbs. The body is really adaptable. So you are turning it around and maintaining your health after that time.Rodney
Well doctor, thank you very very much for coming on and sharing this with us and good luck with the seminar. I really appreciate your taking the time. You have given us a tremendous amount of information.