Commonly Asked Questions

Commonly Asked Questions Page 5

Many people suffer from constipation after going onto our programme, Herbal Essence helps but in many cases the customer is already taking this, I also ensure that they drink 2 litres of water, Brian Peskin’s paper says that the body has to learn how to digest protein again, but what can be done in the meantime to alleviate constipation as we do not recommend breakfast cereals or much in the way of fruit. / The rôle of fibre in the diet is still under investigation. The latest published study from the University of Bristol shows that there are differences between boys and girls, and that in both sexes, both fibre and dietary cholesterol intake had no effect on Total or HDL (so-called 'good') Cholesterol. Saturated fat and sugar both led to lower HDL and higher Total Cholesterol.
Fibre from vegetables was shown as far back as 1994 to be more beneficial than fibre from fruit and cereals, and it is possible that this is due to the reduced associated carbohydrate content.
It is clear then that these people need to eat more fibre-rich vegetables from the 'allowed' list such as cabbage, broccoli etc. Burgen bread also is high in fibre, although you still have to watch the carbohydrate intake. Although this is cereal fibre, it is whole-grain and relatively coarse and therefore more beneficial than other cereal types.
Constipation can be tackled also with 'over-the-counter' laxatives such as Celevac, Senokot, Docusol, and Magnesium Sulphate, all of which work in different way and therefore could be used together.
Someone with Diverticulitis is told to eat high fibre, what are the recommendations on our diet with regard to getting enough fibre without eating breakfast cereals and fruit, we recommend vegetables that have fibre but do the people suffering with this condition still need to eat extra fibre and if so how should they do this, but still avoid foods high in sugar
Also I have a customer who asked about her medication and condition, please could you ask Dr Thompson his opinion, she has raised cholesterol and takes Simvastin 10mg daily, she also had a cholecystomy 2 years ago and has been on a fairly low fat diet since, she also suffers with chronic constipation and has to take regular medication, she is concerned about the lack of fibre in this diet as she usually eats a large amount of fruit and vegetables. I have already explained that certain vegetables actually contain more fibre than some fruits, but she would still like your opinion.
Obviously we recommend anyone who wants to take our supplements and follow our dietary advice to ask the advice of their GP first but the problem is that almost everyone who does this is told by their GP not to, why is this and what is the best way for them to explain our supplements and programme so that we do not lose so many potential customers / I think we need an introductory letter to GPs, to come from the company, but in the meantime, I would recommend that anyone experiencing this response buy a copy of Peskin's book, and lend it to their GP. That is how I was 'converted'.
What is the effect of the supplements and dietary recommendations with someone who has an underactive thyroid, do they lose weight at the same rate, if not why is this and do the supplements help / The supplements will help in terms of weight loss and energy levels. Weight loss should be at the same rate if the medication is at the right dose, and this should be under annual review by blood test at the GP in any event.
How does the programme and supplements affect someone on HRT / Magnesium (in the Mineral essence) helps Calcium utilisation and therefore aids in prevention of osteoporosis, as does the restoration of the correct fatty acids in the synthesis of Vitamin D in the body.
Are there any special recommendations for someone who has Gall Bladder problems or have had their Gall Bladder removed, i.e. fat in our programme, can taking EFA’s have any adverse or beneficial affect / Taking EFA's will have no adverse effect. Obesity leads to gallstones, but so does a fat-free diet or low-fat diet in weight loss, due to decreased stimulation of the Gall Bladder. A high intake of saturated fats is likely to increase the risk of gallstones, but the only recently proven dietary risk is SUGAR!!
Can someone taking Warfarin take EFA’s or any of our supplements / Yes.
Are there any special recommendations for pregnant mothers with regard to taking the supplements or following the diet / To follow our advice, especially that, when they feel hungry they should first drink and then eat. The healthier diet will be better for their child.
What are the recommendations with regard to diet and/or supplements for someone with Diabetes / To follow the programme, which was designed with diabetics in mind. They may find that their insulin/tablet requirements reduce, and particularly anyone experiencing 'hypos' should adjust their medication in consultation with their doctor.
Is Aspirin good for someone with a heart condition / Depends on the Heart condition. If someone has had a myocardial infarction or heart attack, or suffers from angina, then aspirin decreases the risk of a heart attack in the future - but the absolute reduction in risk is minimal as Prof Peskin points out in his book.
Some people with arthritis are told to avoid a diet containing dairy products why is this and if someone is taking the supplements can they eat dairy products / There is one case in the medical literature of a person whose arthritis improved after ceasing to consume dairy products. There are no other case histories to support this advice.
However, if you recall the passage in Prof Peskin's book about Xanthine Oxidase being more absorbed from homogenised milk, you will be interested to know that Xanthine Oxidase is implicated in Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Gout!
The advice to steer clear of homogenised milk products may therefore be good advice.
We cannot claim a protective effect of our products against the activity of Xanthine Oxidase - it has not been studied.
Are there any conditions that prevent someone taking the supplements or following our dietary advice / No. Although someone with high LDL levels requiring lipid altering drugs should still be more circumspect regarding their fat intake and should continue close monitoring and treatment according to their blood tests.
Can anyone with high cholesterol who is taking Basic Essence eat cheese, cream and red meat recommended on the diet, or should they still keep their fat intake low / They need only keep their intake low if they suffer from the problem in the previous answer. The low cholesterol diet for the general population has been shown numerous times to be of little or no value. It is better to keep transsaturated fat intake low - i.e. processed fat such as in margarine, solid cooking oils etc. and to consume more natural fat.
Professor Peskins Chocolate Pudding recipe contains raw eggs is it safe to eat raw eggs / The government advice is not to use raw eggs at all, and for those who may be more susceptible to illness such as children, the elderly the pregnant and the infirm to not eat lightly cooked eggs. This is due to the risk of salmonella.
It is of course a matter of personal choice, and there is certainly no guarantee that eggs are free of salmonella, except for Sainsbury's who are trialling a guaranteed salmonella free egg in various parts of the country - see attached email.
I would certainly advise that the at-risk groups only use these eggs in this or any other raw egg recipe.
Does eating high protein have any adverse affect on any of the organs in the body / No. Unless the person has advanced liver disease.
Does the body have to go into Ketosis to burn body fat and is this safe / Yes and yes!!
If all excess carbohydrates are stored as body fat, and fat and protein do not go to fat stores why do people lose weight on a low fat diet / Because they reduce their calory intake so low that they have to burn bodyfat. However, they also lower their metabolic rate so low that they have difficulty funvtioning, and as soon as they start to eat they put weigh on very rapidly.
How do certain spreads like Benecol lower cholesterol / They contain plant-based chemicals that act on the fat metabolism.
Some people have come out in a rash after taking Herbal Essence why is this and what can be done and should they continue taking it / If it is an itchy rash then it may be an allergy. It would be useful to ascertain if it is really linked to the Herbal Essence by excluding the Herbal Essence for up to a week. If the rash clears then they should reintroduce it and see if the rash returns. If the rash does not clear, or it does not return after reintroduction, then it is unlikely to be related to the Herbal Essence and they should see their GP.
If it appears to be related to the Herbal Essence and they have been taking the old formulation, it would be worth trying the new formulation as the ingredient causing the problem may have been the Cats Claw or the Slippery Elm Bark now removed.
If the rash is not itchy it may be a detoxification reaction, and perserverence should see it clear.
Why do the some of the supplements cause nausea, in particular the minerals if taken on an empty stomach / I do not know- my advice would then be to take it on a full stomach.
Is there any reason that you cannot take both doses of Herbal Essence and Mineral Essence in one go / The risk of nausea is decreased and the product has the opportunity to work continuously. Some people use the Basic Essence as an alternative to a meal, and they may wish to take it twice a day for that very reason.
Why do some people who are strictly following the dietary advice and taking the supplements still not lose weight or lose inches, in some cases for many weeks / Some may be consuming too much fat - they are burning fat but are burning ingested fat rather than stored fat. They may also not be drinking enough water.
I would advise the use of ketosticks to ensure that they are in fat burning mode, and if not to look again at the carbohydrate level of their diet. If they are in fat burning mode they need to decrease their fat intake.
If they are still not losing weight I would want to be sure that they did not have a Thyroid problem.
How can someone lose inches but not weight on the scales / Because protein is denser than fat, and particularly if someone is exercising, they would burn fat but increase muscle, therefore losing inches but staying the same weight.
Why do some people struggle to lose weight on a diet / Poor understanding, poor compliance or poor advice! Assuming they do not have an underactive thyroid.

Eggs

The following is a reply from Sainsbury's regarding the availability of Guaranteed 'Salmonella - free' eggs!

Thanks for emailing us. Sorry for the delay in getting back to you.

The pasteurised eggs are currently available in just 12 stores, mostly in

the Leicester and Nottingham area.

However if this trial is successful, we will more than likely expand the

number of stores accordingly.

Currently the stores that stock the eggs are:

Beeston (Notts)

Belgrave Road (Leicester)

Castle Boulevard (Nottingham)

Chaddesdon (Derby)

Chadwell Heath (Essex)

Cromwell Road (SW7)

Fosse Park (Leicester)

Glen Road (Leicester)

Kingsway (Derby)

Leicester

London Colney (St Albans, Herts)

Loughborough

Wigston

I hope you will be able to get to one of these stores to buy them.

Kind regards

Chris Baker

J Sainsbury plc (185647 England)

Sainsbury's Supermarkets Limited (3261722 England)

Registered Offices:

Stamford House

Stamford Street

London

SE1 9LL