Health and medicine blog. Pharmacy news

Evening primrose oil should not be taken just on its own, not only in cases of MS, but in any condition.

Ideally, it should be taken with certain co-factors, which help in the metabolism of essential fatty acids. These are:

•   Vitamin С

•   Vitamin B6

•   Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3 or niacin)

•   Zinc

•   Magnesium

In addition, evening primrose oil should always be taken with Vitamin E. Vitamin E acts as an anti-oxidant, to prevent harmful peroxides.

Many evening primrose oil capsules contain Vitamin E for this very reason, but some of the cheaper brands do not. So if you buy a brand which is without Vitamin E, be sure to take a supplement of this vitamin.

An intake of linoleic acid in the form of evening primrose oil should be balanced with an intake of the alpha-linolenic family, ideally in the form of a fish oil capsule. A lot of fresh fish should also be eaten. It is now believed that the best way to take essential fatty acids is a balance of the linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid family in the ratio of 4:1.

Dose. Eight capsules of 500mg evening primrose oil a day, or more, up to 12 or even 16 capsules a day, divided equally between breakfast-time, lunch-time, supper-time and bedtime. To be taken with the above vitamins and minerals, plus fish oils.

*32/60/5*

Theoretically the invention of a long flexible telescope with a collection of useable instruments at the head spells an end to cancer of the colon and the improved diagnosis and care of a myriad of diseases affecting the larger portion of the gastrointestinal tract. From a patient’s point of view, a colonoscopy is an uncomfortable procedure. The insufflations of air preceding the penetrating head of the colonoscope dilates the colon and makes the passage of the instrument and the view that much better from the point of view of the operator.

The medical profession circumvents a patient’s discomfort due to this procedure by injecting them with intravenous Valium. Valium sedates the patient and more importantly produces amnesia. The pain and discomfort are not relieved. Patients simply forget about it later. This is a morally dubious method of premedication.

In this age of AIDS and Hepatitis B, sterilization of the colonoscope after its use becomes very important. There is some suspicion evident in the literature that operators in outlying regions of the country are not as fastidious in the sterilizing of instruments as they should be. Even in major centers, secondary infection due to short cuts in sterilization procedures remains a possibility.

*31/131/5*