Health Solutions

09/05/2023

Spent the weekend at one of my favorite places. Tauhara retreat centre in Taupo for our 40th homeobotanical conference! Always a great learning and networking experience, and great to make new friends and meet old ones. I gave two presentations but forgot to ask anyone to photograph me...oh well next time!

26/03/2023

Yesterday I went to Waipawa to join my colleagues at a community event in support of those affected by cyclone Gabrielle in the area. Apparently 10% of the population have been impacted. My heart goes out to all who are struggling to cope, and overwhelmed after cyclone Gabrielle swept through over five weeks ago. Communities are still isolated, cut off and stressed.We set up our mobile clinics for the third weekend. Locals are so grateful for the herbal, nutritional support we give out, along with being listened to. It's such a blessing to be able to help in this way.

11/03/2023

Today I drove up to Esk Valley Napier to help out at a mobile clinic for the local people there who have suffered greatly. My registration organisation Naturopaths and Medical Herbalists NZ spearheaded this idea to set up mobile clinics in hard hit places to support these people, some of whom have lost everything following the devastating cyclone Gabrielle almost 4 weeks ago. Companies donated supplements and herbal remedies which we gave out to help with stress, emotional support, sleep and trauma. They were so grateful and it was a blessing to be there to help in some small way. The stories I heard were heart rending. It's going to take a long time for recovery and before things even begin to be normal. No power, running water or services. The land looks like the aftermath of an apocalypse. But the community is resourceful and everyone pitches in to help. Shout out to Deborah Wright Naturopath for putting everything together and Mairie Fromont Naturopath for joining me.

15/07/2022

I haven't posted in a long time but I do hope everyone is keeping safe and well. Remember I'm here for you and if you or someone you love is unwell or struggling with a health issue please get in touch.

31/03/2022

I'm sure you'd agree that the past two years have been challenging. Particularly in the 6-7 months since we went into a harder lockdown and then the traffic light system and work mandates. Now with omicron ripping through the population indiscriminately and mandates and vaccine passes lifting in many areas, we can perhaps see some light at the end of the tunnel. It seems the only way to really handle this crazy virus is let it happen (albeit with caution and as soft approach as possible) and that seems to be where we are at right now. Go with the flow in other words.

This is also how we might look at life. Troubles, challenges and tragedies come and go. Not a single one of us is immune to heartache and sorrow, let alone stress. I've learnt the hard way to let go and go with the flow as much as possible. Not that I'm perfect at it or always at perfect peace with it. But I try. Lately it's been pretty difficult as we are in an economic downturn and with so many people either isolating or sick currently many small businesses including mine are struggling with low client numbers.

But it has been a good learning time. A lot of people I know have had the dreaded illness and I've found ways to help them get over it faster. I'm still seeing clients having already implemented health and safety protocols to keep everyone safe. While I encourage online or phone consultations many people still want a face to face consultation and I'm happy to provide that.

Having helped people gain optimum health for the past twenty years it is a pleasure to be able to continue to support and help people at this time.

I'm here for you so if you'd like to make a step in the right direction please contact me today ☺

30/06/2020

Great article showing the value of these six easy to grow plants for your health.

Modern society has removed itself from the process of growing and cultivating its own food, but research has demonstrated that gardening has numerous physiological and psychological benefits. Read on for a list of highly nutritious vegetables that you can easily grow in your backyard or in container...

06/04/2020

Just in case you were wondering...
I am still operating. Due to lockdown face-face consultations are currently unavailable, but I am available for online consultations. If you need help, support or your health issues addressed please contact me and we can set up a time for you!

Are you confused by all the fad diets, supplements and nutritional products out there? Whats right for you- paleo? FODMAP? Low carb? High protein? Dairy free? Gluten free?… the list seems endless! …

19/03/2020

This is great info

CORONAVIRUS [COVID-19]
by Dr. Malcolm Kendrick
18th March 2020

I thought I should say something about the coronavirus for readers of this blog. I need to state that the situation is fast moving, facts are changing, and I am not asking anyone to go against any current medical advice.

Here, I am simply providing advice that I believe, currently, may be of benefit to people out there. I am acutely aware that there is controversy swirling about, but I will not promote anything that can cause any significant harm – but may cause significant good.

I have tended to look back a few years in time for some evidence, because current, emerging evidence is subject to massive bias and controversy, with various vested interests getting involved. The ‘older’ evidence has not been done in a rush and is therefore more measured.

1: Anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs)

COVID-19 appears to impact the lungs more than any other organ and COVID-19 can be thought of as a ‘viral’ community acquired pneumonia. There has been evidence for several years that anti-inflammatory agents e.g. ibuprofen, naproxen (NSAIDs) may worsen community acquired pneumonia. As highlighted in this 2017 paper:

‘Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs may Worsen the Course of Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Cohort Study:

CONCLUSIONS:

Our findings suggest that NSAIDs, often taken by young and healthy patients, may worsen the course of CAP with delayed therapy and a higher rate of pleuropulmonary complications.’ 1

There is now anecdotal evidence, particularly from France, that patients who take NSAIDs do considerably worse. It has been suggested they may lead to an increased death rate.

ADVICE: Avoid NSAIDs if possible

2: Vitamin C

Vitamins always cause massive controversy, and the mainstream medical community tends to be highly critical of the use of vitamins. However, vitamin C has been found to have many, many, positive impacts on the immune system. It also protects the endothelium lining blood vessels – thus preventing/delaying passage of pathogens from the bloodstream.

I include the full abstract from the 2017 paper ‘Vitamin C and Immune Function.’ It contains a great deal of medical jargon, but I have highlighted the most important parts.

‘Vitamin C contributes to immune defense by supporting various cellular functions of both the innate and adaptive immune system. Vitamin C supports epithelial barrier function against pathogens and promotes the oxidant scavenging activity of the skin, thereby potentially protecting against environmental oxidative stress.

Vitamin C accumulates in phagocytic cells, such as neutrophils, and can enhance chemotaxis, phagocytosis, generation of reactive oxygen species, and ultimately microbial killing. It is also needed for apoptosis and clearance of the spent neutrophils from sites of infection by macrophages, thereby decreasing necrosis/NETosis and potential tissue damage.

The role of vitamin C in lymphocytes is less clear, but it has been shown to enhance differentiation and proliferation of B- and T-cells, likely due to its gene regulating effects. Vitamin C deficiency results in impaired immunity and higher susceptibility to infections. In turn, infections significantly impact on vitamin C levels due to enhanced inflammation and metabolic requirements.

Furthermore, supplementation with vitamin C appears to be able to both prevent and treat respiratory and systemic infections. Prophylactic prevention of infection requires dietary vitamin C intakes that provide at least adequate, if not saturating plasma levels (i.e., 100–200 mg/day), which optimize cell and tissue levels. In contrast, treatment of established infections requires significantly higher (gram) doses of the vitamin to compensate for the increased inflammatory response and metabolic demand.’ 2

In short, Vitamin C can help prevent respiratory infections. It can also help to treat established infections, although much higher doses are required. This seems to fit with emerging Chinese data which appears to be showing considerable success with high dose intravenous Vitamin C in treating coronavirus.

It is unlikely that anyone working in the medical system in the West will agree to using high dose Vitamin C as part of any management plan. However, if your loved one is extremely ill in hospital I would recommend speaking to the doctors and asking if this can be added.

Whilst it is possible that vitamin C may prove ineffective, it also does no harm. Those who are currently attacking the use of Vitamin C and attacking those who believe vitamin C may be beneficial are, I believe, mainly concerned with their personal reputations.

ADVICE: Take at least 2g of Vitamin daily C to ‘prevent’ infection, probably more like 5g. Increase the dose to at least 10g if you are suffering symptoms.

3: ACE-inhibitors/ARBs

COVID-19 appears to enter the body using the ACE2 receptor (found on the surface of many cells, particularly in the lungs. Also found in high concentrations in the heart and kidneys.

Because of its affinity to ACE2 receptors (and the more widespread Renin Aldosterone Angiotensin System or “RAAS”) COVID-19 is causing upset with the whole system – in complex ways. The system itself is complex.

To remind those of a more technical bent, here is the system:



I wished to make it clear that if COVID-19 impact on the RAAS system, trying to work out the resultant abnormalities, is not easy.

There are two main drugs that are designed to lower blood pressure by ‘interfering’ with the RAAS system. ACE-inhibitors (angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors), and ARBs (angiotensin II receptor blockers). They are very widely prescribed.

Some people have suggested that these drugs should be stopped. Others have suggested that they should be continued. You may be able to see why the advice is contradictory, given all the possible interactions.

However, it does seem the COVID-19 creates hypokalaemia (a low blood potassium level). A rising potassium level indicates recovery from the virus. This is probably due to interference with the hormone Aldosterone due to degradation of many ACE-receptors in the body.

ADVICE – currently not enough information to provide any advice on ACE-inhibitors and ARBs. However, increased consumption of potassium, if symptomatic, can be advised. Dose?

‘People who eat large amounts of fruits and vegetables tend to have a high potassium intake of approximately 8000 to 11,000 mg/d,’ 3

So, up to Ig a day appears perfectly safe, and if more is being lost through the kidneys with COVD-19, there appears to be little danger of overdosage.

4: Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine

These drugs normally used to treat/prevent malaria (and are also used to treat various ‘immune’ disease). However, they have been found to be effective in treating other viruses and seem to have been highly effective against COVID-19 4. These drugs will only be available as part of medical management. They cannot be bought over the counter (in any country, as far as I know).

If you, or a loved one, is seriously ill, I would urge you to ask for – one or the other - to be used. Hydroxychloroquine has fewer side effects (drug related adverse effects)

ADVICE – Ask for one of these drugs if you, or a loved one, is seriously ill with COVID-19.

5: Vitamin D

This one is simple. Vitamin D has important effects on the immune system 5. A low vitamin D level in the winter is almost certainly why flu epidemics occur in the winter months. [Vitamin D is synthesized in the sun by the action of sunlight].

ADVICE – take at least 2000iu vitamin (preferably D3) daily.

I hope some people have found this useful. If anything I have written here proves to be wrong, or dangerous, I will change it. However, I am working on the basis here of ‘first, do no harm.’ The worse thing that any of this advice can do, I believe, is to NOT work.

1: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28005149

2: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5707683/

3: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/485434

4: https://www.connexionfrance.com/French-news/French-researcher-in-Marseille-posts-successful-Covid-19-coronavirus-drug-trial-results

5: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3756814/

Dr. Malcolm Kendrick | March 18, 2020 at 2:35 pm | Tags: COVID-19 | Categories: Dr Malcolm Kendrick | URL: https://wp.me/p2i0Uz-276
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08/08/2019

Hi to all my friends in Facebook, here are some benefits of ginger, hope you enjoy watching and please subscribe and like.thank you

Hi guys, welcome to my channel. I’m a registered Naturopath based in New Zealand. I want to share with you my healthful tips and ideas I have picked up in my...

04/08/2019

Hi to all my friends in Facebook, for those who have cough and cold this winter time here’s a simple solution for you. Please subscribe and like.
https://youtu.be/c2jmWvcjFkk of Health Solutions Chanel.

Hi guys, welcome to my channel. I’m a registered Naturopath based in New Zealand. I want to share with you my home remedies and other healthful tips and idea...

27/07/2019

Medicinal Cannabis. This is a hot topic right now in New Zealand. With the changes to the missuse of drugs act last year and the recent call for submissions there's a lot of exciting stuff going on. Im totally for the product. Patients are desparate for an answer to intractable pain, spasticity, depression and multiple other issues currently only addressed by often very dangerous drugs such as opioids. Cannabis is not a cure all, although it regulates the activity of EVERY nerve in your body..but it is powerful and extremely safe. I want to see it to be at least affordable prescribable and available to everyone who needs it. It may be even better if it were completely unrestricted.

At the end of the day it is simply a herb...and one that has received erroneously false press and reputation for a hundred years. Its time that changed. Current medical practice is based around mono-molecule drug therapy whereas medicinal cannabis uses extracts of the whole plant preferably and not synthetics. Medical practitioners the are not used to this sort of "poly- pharmacy" (conversely Naturopaths and Herbalists are experts on phytochemicals) so there needs to be a whole lot of education around it especially for the medical people. Organisations like the one that hosted this seminar are trying to get the word out. So is the MoH. THC and CBD ratios can be carefully controlled and arranged for specific health conditions. Considering our understanding of the endocannabinoid pathways (which exist in the synapse of your nerve cells ) is quite new there has been unprecented research to bring this valuable product to modern use. Watch this space!