Positive Health Online

As the title suggests, the central theme of this book is taking responsibility for one's own health. Consult a conventional doctor, by all means, but stay in control, get as much information as you can and make your own decisions says Dr Samways. A trained conventional doctor herself, Dr Samways switched to running a holistic practice when she found conventional medicine was ill-equipped to deal with her own health problems.

The MMR vaccine, phone masts, power lines and Gulf War Syndrome are cited as reasons for us to not trust the so-called experts. In another chapter, food scandals such as BSE are highlighted and doubt is thrown on practices such as fish farming, mechanically recovering meat and irradiation.

Good gut health, which includes treating yeast overgrowth and digestive problems is the key to treating conditions such as food allergies and IBS, according to Dr Samways. An extremely simplified version of food combining is offered and will please those people who have been put off this way of eating for practical reasons.

The part of the book that I found most interesting was the discussion of mould allergy. As a mould allergy sufferer herself, Dr Samways set about doing her own research as she found there was a real ignorance about how moulds affect human health. This struck me as an important (and often neglected) condition which therapists need to be well aware of when assessing clients, especially those with multiple symptoms who do not seem to get better. The symptoms of mould allergy as listed by Dr Samways are very similar to those of Candida, food allergies and IBS.

There are thousands of species of moulds. They may be visible on walls or windows as black dots or as white mildew on shoes, but moulds in the atmosphere cannot be seen by the naked eye. It is not certain whether people with mould allergy react to the mould itself or a toxin produced by the mould.

Unfortunately there is no means of measuring 'mould count' as there is for pollen. Moulds are in their highest amount in the air just before a thunderstorm, in damp weather and when it is windy as the moulds are disturbed. April, when lawn mowing fever occurs, will produce high amounts of moulds, and there will also be peaks in July and August (harvest time) and again in the autumn when leaves begin to decay.

Amongst the solutions discussed in the book are dehumidifiers and air purifiers. For persistent mould problems, Dr Samways recommends looking at the possibility of geopathic stress. This can be the cause of many other unexplained health problems as well. Unfavourable ley lines, crossing underground streams or nearby mobile phones and masts can all be contributing factors.

Two chapters are devoted to addressing emotional issues. A link is discussed between childhood trauma and the subsequent development of co-dependent adults with allergies and multiple sensitivities. Dr Samway's suggestion that Candida sufferers often have poor boundary setting skills is very interesting. Candida by its very nature is an invading condition which often penetrates the barrier of the gut wall. Part of recovery from both the Candida and the co-dependency according to Dr Samways, involves learning how to say 'no' and avoiding taking on other people's baggage.

Overall, I gleaned useful, practical information from this book. The clear, straightforward style is a plus, although at times I found the tone slightly preaching. I would have preferred it if she had also suggested homeopathic alternatives for conventional medical remedies such as desensitization and neutralization.

Further Information

Cost £7.99 plus £2.50 p&p. To purchase this book please contact Tel: 01428 643021; www.booksforhealing.com