British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association

I've been re-reading Meatcruncher (Marks) thread ( What links exist between OSA and other disorders?) and it set me thinking...and whilst my health is far from perfect, and I haven't found cures for everything...although it seems a bit self-indulgent, I would like to list some of the things that do seem to have helped me recently, not all directly connected with O.S.A. (as far as I know). As there are various things, I would like to add to the list "piecemeal". I would stress that although it helped me, it's not bound to help everyone...
(in no particular order)........
#1 V-SHAPED PILLOW
quoting from Dr Elizabeth Scotts book "The natural way to Stop Snoring"
*the "however" is mine!
I bought one of these pillows two months ago (£5.99 from Argos) and seem to be going to the bathroom at 7 a.m. rather than 4 a.m.
They are washable (so what am I waiting for? ) Ken

I suffer from Rhinitis and once, when I was getting a repeat prescription for Flixonase, the doctor said "Some people are allergic to feather quilts and it effects their nasal passages"
So, a few weeks ago, I reluctantly stored away my Austrian duckdown duvet (It had cost me nearly 2 weeks wages in the 1970s!) and I treated myself to a Fogarty Anti (this and that) duvet and I do seem to be breathing a bit better through the nostrils....admitted, it could be psychological, but I don't think so! Like other members of the forum, I believe in clearing the passages with saline solution...but as Tesco's keep saying "every little helps".....I shop at Lidl though Ken

Who is Sarah Key?...She's an Aussie Physio, brilliant with bad backs
http://www.sarahkey.com/index.cfm
In 2001, I was always having off work with lower back pain, and couldn't run when I tried. I read this book....
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Back-Sufferers- ... 56-0904764
..with a forward by HRH Prince Charles, I thought "he doesn't need the money to recommend anyone !" (Read the Customers' reviews!)
I did the various exercises which concentrate on decompressing the spine by draping yourself over a backblock, which is a lump of wood, shaped like a shoebox...this encourages the spinal segments to part and for the synovial fluid around the spine to rehydrate the discs in the spine, which have become sort of dried out...you'd have to read the book and get the block. Don't try improvising on anything, as you need to do a couple of "reversal exercises" to sort of balance out the original exercises.
I was diagnosed in 1990 with spinal spondolitis or osis, forget which, but I hardly ever get any backpain, now, and if I really wanted to, I could run....well a rather sedate jog is more like it!
Forgive me for going a bit "off topic", but it might help someone!! All the best Ken

If decompressing the vertebrae is your goal, I can recommend an inversion table. Very easy to use, very comfortable and you decide on the angle of inversion. Ranging from lying horizontally to hanging upside down completely. There's some bargains on eBay every now and then. Most of them are fold-away so they don't take up much space either.

Inversion tables sound interesting. Have just googled them and there are some offers on, one only £50...I shall definitely consider one if I have any problems in the future, but for now the backblock is great and after using, I just kick it under the bed! Cheers Ken

According to some sources, 95% of the world's population is short on the essential fatty acid better known as Omega 3..Essential is the right word for it......

http://www.udoerasmus.com/FAQ/FAQ1_en.htm
I started taking this oil (Udo's blend) in May 2005 and I think it has benefited me in all sorts of ways...the body needs Omega 3 for hormone production, amongst many other things. My blood pressure went down and I lost 2 1/2 stones in weight (to be fair I was doing the Paul McKenna "I can make you thin" at the same time!!!) Although the stuff is not cheap, it is the only one that is refrigerated at all stages of production, and this stops it oxydising as much as it's competitors.
Depression? It is supposed to help with that as well, especially with Bi-polar disorder...A lady on the recent Stephen Fry mini-series about bi-polar disorder was helped a lot with flax oil (she herself is a doctor)
http://www.dorothyrowe.com.au/index.php ... ruary_2007).htm2

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/search?searc ... utton1.y=9

DISCLAIMER..Anyone with depression/Bi-polar disorder should not stop taking their medication without consulting their doctor first!!!
Once more, I hasten to add, that although I know people who have benefited from this Oil, and they were depressed, it might not suit everyone. Everybody's body is different!! Ken

Sorry, but, regarding the Dorothy Rowe link above, you have to click articles (on the side menu) then go into Saga Magazine, then the item "The real causes of Depression" which is February 2007...Cheers Ken

About the Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), if you have gall bladders tones, your system is hampered in as far as how well it can handle fats. Gall stones are quite common, clogging up the system, preventing it all fro working how it should be. They are also commonly the source of back trouble. So if EFA supplementation and tackling back problem is your goal, you may want to check up on the status of your gall bladder.

Sorry Bogof not to reply so soon, but just got back from holidays yesterday. I'm afraid I just don't agree with all the "low fat" hype that is supposed to be the cause of everything these days. Low fat, I believe causes gallstones
I quote from this link (what a suprise!)

http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/gallstones.html


I would say that anyone with problems in this area, ought to try taking, say, a teaspoonful of flax oil per day, but not without consulting a doctor first I take three soupspoonsful a day, when I remember! All the best Ken

Fat definitely belongs in the diet, good quality fat that is. Not Maccy D's trans fats etc. I knew the bile function is triggered by fat indeed. No fat = no good. Flaxseed is a good source of EFA, like primrose oil and the fishy ones.

Hope you had a nice holiday!

Cheers Bogof, the holiday seems months ago now...Nice with lots of side trips to Monte Carlo, Antibes, Menton etc.
Back to fat...saw an interesting bit in
"Eat Fat, Lose Fat" by Dr Mary Enig and Sally Fallon. page 27, which did a study on people who had already had a Heart Attack


I still cook with lard, goose fat, butter, olive oil. However, I still buy vegetable oil for my deep-fryer, compromising by blotting the fish, chips etc with kitchen paper and never cutting up more than one large potato up for my own chips. I think in everyday terms, one of the biggest causes of obesity is the temptation to buy the large size of fries in McD, or KFC, because the pricing structure makes the medium and small size portions, look poor value for money!!!
All the best Ken

Interesting bit of research. I wonder how big the groups were and whether they tracked other diet and lifestyle choices. But as quoted, impressive indeed. Wouldn't have guessed that outcome!

I would like to look at the original report in the BMJ, I doubt whether my local reference library still has it. The only common factor amongst the groups was that they had recently suffered a heart attack, also I got the impression that the groups were not small by any means Cheers Ken

Here is a link to that BMJ report, only four years too late

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/article ... 02/?page=1