Natural Health: What can I do about getting a cold sore every summer?
I get a cold sore nearly every year when I go on a sun holiday. The intense heat seems to trigger it. I'm also a nervous traveller, which probably doesn't help. Is there anything I can do to head it off at the pass?
Sunlight and stress are the top two triggers for cold sores. Being a nervous traveller will undoubtedly raise your stress levels, and when combined with sunshine, it's more likely the virus will reactivate.
Other common triggers for the reactivation of cold sores include fatigue, fever, and menstruation. The herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) is responsible for cold sores and is thought to be carried by 80-90% of the population. Fortunately, only 20% will go on to develop sores.
The amino acid lysine generally works well in preventing the herpes virus from flaring up. However, it is worth noting that while it may be effective for some individuals, it may not be effective for others.
It's even more important to avoid another amino acid, arginine, which is required by the herpes virus for replication. Arginine-rich foods include chocolate, nuts, oats, carob, coconut and soybeans.
Topically, propolis — made by bees from the collection of resins, gums, and sticky plant buds — will heal lesions significantly faster than antiviral medication Acyclovir, and also reduce the likelihood of additional infection.
Check out Cork business Hanna's Bees for an extensive range of bee products, including propolis tincture at €14.50 for 20ml (and ideal size for travel).
When there is potential for a viral outbreak or flare-up, it is crucial to supplement with vitamin C. Camu-camu is a rainforest fruit with an impressive 8-10% vitamin C content by weight, approximately 30 times that found in oranges, and powerful antiviral properties.
Camu camu is also effective in treating other forms of herpes, such as shingles, genital herpes, and the Epstein-Barr virus. Camu-camu has been shown to alleviate cold sore outbreaks more quickly than a leading pharmaceutical drug and is an excellent option for those who don't respond to lysine supplementation.
Expect to pay around €20-25 for a bottle of 60 capsules (500mg). You will need to take one capsule daily as a preventative measure or one capsule three times daily with food for three days to treat an existing outbreak. Camu camu is typically available from health stores and pharmacies.
I'm in my 70s and have been diagnosed with a twisted colon. Is there anything I can do to ease the symptoms? I'm also coeliac and have IBS.
You are probably already quite vigilant with all you eat and drink due to the restrictions of living with coeliac disease and IBS. A twisted colon often requires surgical intervention, so it is worth getting a follow-up appointment or a second opinion regarding your treatment options.
Pure aloe vera juice has been successfully used in medical trials to treat IBS, as it helps soothe and heal the mucous membranes in the gut. It may help alleviate your symptoms. Please consult your doctor before taking it or any other natural remedy.
If you are currently using psyllium husks or other fibre support to treat your IBS, then it is a good idea to take a break, as excessive fibre can be problematic with a twisted bowel.
Juicing fresh organic fruits and vegetables may be worth considering, as this is an excellent way to get nutrients in when your digestive system is compromised.
The information contained in this column is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor.
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Irish Examiner
10 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Mounjaro, three months on: ‘I have been sticking a tiny needle in my stomach'
Three little words — effortless weight loss — seem to really trigger people, eliciting all kinds of opinions, reactions, and judgements. What, no suffering? Fat people have traditionally been viewed as weak, so suffering towards thinness is character building. Bypassing that suffering is, therefore, cheating. We have long associated fatness with words like greed and laziness, so that sweating and starving provides a redemptive arc — hence the popularity of watching fat people attending boot camps. And yet here we are, ushering in a new era of effortless weight loss. Weight loss without hunger — something geneticist Tim Spector terms 'the holy grail'. What's not to like? Every Friday for the past three months, I have been sticking a tiny needle into my stomach — so tiny, I can't even feel it. A new tiny needle each time, which I attach to a pen pre-filled with four weekly 2.5mg doses of tirzepatide, aka Mounjaro, which I keep in the fridge. Every month, my supplier mails me a new pen, and I send them payment. It's astonishingly straightforward. I first tried Mounjaro last summer for a month but it made me nauseous so I stopped. Three months ago, I decided to give it another go, having read up on how to better manage side effects by eating little and often. It worked. Since then, I have been losing weight easily, non-dramatically — I am 1.62m and started at 78kg, which translates to a BMI of 29.7. (A BMI of 25-plus is overweight, a BMI of 30-plus is obese, and a BMI of 40-plus is morbidly obese). Three months later, I am currently 70kg, with a BMI of 26.7. My appetite has been reset, while my pleasure in food has remained unaltered. Less is more. Suzanne Harrington: "I have been losing weight easily, non-dramatically — I am 1.62m and started at 78kg, which translates to a BMI of 29.7. (A BMI of 25-plus is overweight, a BMI of 30-plus is obese, and a BMI of 40-plus is morbidly obese). Three months later, I am currently 70kg, with a BMI of 26.7. My appetite has been reset, while my pleasure in food has remained unaltered. Less is more." Pic: Andrew Dunsmore Tirzepatide contain two hormones, GLP-1 and GIP, which are naturally produced in the gut; their function is to tell the brain when the stomach is full. The drug acts as a booster dose to these naturally occurring hormones — so instead of eating a whole pizza, you might eat one or two slices of pizza and then stop because you feel naturally full. The pizza is still delicious. It has the same effect as bariatric surgery — you enjoy your food the same as you ever did in terms of taste and appetite but you feel full after far smaller amounts. The difference between bariatric surgery and Mounjaro is simple — no scalpel required. The drug, manufactured by Eli Lilly, became available in Ireland in February on private prescription. It's not cheap but what you spend on your monthly dose you save on food bills. Prescribers suggest a month on 2.5mg, before increasing the dose to 5mg, then 10mg. This gradual increase is to prevent side effects like nausea, allowing the body to acclimatise. Three months later, I am still using the lowest dose, because it's proving effective, with no side effects. It varies from person to person. A friend recently increased to the higher dose of 10mg after her weight loss began to plateau on a lower dose; another friend has just increased to 5mg after six months on the 2.5mg dose. All three of us have different body types, different heights, and different BMIs — morbidly obese, obese, and overweight — but have all experienced effortless weight loss. Yet those three little words continue to bother people. The media dubbed Mounjaro the 'King Kong' of weight-loss drugs, implying some kind of feral peril — why? Then there was scaremongering around 'Ozempic face' (formerly lesser known as 'bariatric face'), which is when a reduction in facial fat can leave your face looking a bit, well, haggard. As though it were solely about looks, rather than health. Carel Le Roux, professor of metabolic medicine at UCD, explains what Mounjaro is and what it isn't. 'This is a hormonal treatment for obesity,' he says. 'It is a disease-modifying drug, not a cure for obesity or an appetite suppressant. It's not a weight-loss drug but a health-gain drug. We know the side effects are 20% less heart attacks, 25% less renal failure, and 80-90% less diabetes. 'Patients post-bariatric surgery, or who are using tirzepatide, report how they do not feel hungry, how they think about food less often, and eat smaller portions, while retaining palatability. They reach a new balance point.' Nor, he adds, should we scaremonger about how Mounjaro and related drugs will trigger anorexia: 'These drugs are not going to induce eating disorders. It just means that people using them eat less.' As a PhD student, Prof Le Roux was part of the team which first infused the hormone into the human body 25 years ago. He adds: 'We then studied the effects of bariatric surgery and found that these same hormones were elevated in patients post surgery — they were three to four times higher in the body post operatively. Which means we have over 50 years' experience of these [elevated] hormones in the body.' (Bariatric surgery, specifically the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, has been around since the 1960s and has been the gold standard for treatment of obesity — until now. These hormone-mimicking drugs are also widely used to treat type 2 diabetes). Suzanne Harrington: "Every Friday for the past three months, I have been sticking a tiny needle into my stomach — so tiny, I can't even feel it. A new tiny needle each time, which I attach to a pen pre-filled with four weekly 2.5mg doses of tirzepatide, aka Mounjaro, which I keep in the fridge." Pic: Andrew Dunsmore SIDE-EFFECTS? So apart from the positive effects of improved health, what about side effects? Is Mounjaro dangerous? Does it, for instance, increase your chances of thyroid cancer? 'You will not develop thyroid cancer on this drug unless you're a mouse,' says Prof Le Roux. 'Or if you lose weight too quickly, you can develop gall stones — this happens to about three people in a hundred.' The most common side effect of Mounjaro, however, is common or garden nausea. 'Nobody should ever vomit or have nausea while using this medication,' he says. 'This was happening initially but now we are far more conservative with dose escalation — we do not want people to suffer side effects, as this will stop them using the medication. You go slowly, so that you are on a maximum tolerable dose rather than a maximum dose.' The irony of treating a man-made problem — obesity — with a man-made solution — obesity drugs — is glaring. Almost as glaring as the correlation between widespread obesity and the mass consumption of ultra-processed foods. First, we had fat Americans; now it's all of us. But until the food-industrial complex has been compelled to consign ultra-processed foods (UPFs) to the dustbin forever, until we all have equal access to fresh affordable wholefoods, and until we are all taught from primary school onwards how to cook from scratch, obesity will remain a man-made problem, and weight-loss drugs our man-made solution. Not that UPFs are always involved — I eat plant-based, don't drink, exercise regularly, and am still overweight. I first came across the new weight-loss drugs in more detail when I interviewed author Johann Hari about his book Magic Pill. Before that, I'd vaguely heard of Ozempic as something people in Hollywood were using to get even thinner. In his book, Hari recounts his own experiences of using Ozempic; how after his initial dose, he'd gone to his usual cafe for his usual breakfast and felt full after a few mouthfuls; how this feeling had continued, resulting in him experiencing effortless weight loss. I knew how this felt, having had gastric sleeve surgery in 2019. I'd been fat since my first pregnancy in 2000, when I gained an impressive 30kg — and had been trying to lose it ever since. The gastric sleeve was the most successful intervention — I dropped from 92kg to 72kg. But, six years later, my weight was slowly increasing again. I wasn't fat-fat — I'd regained around 8kg, which my bariatric surgeon in Estonia said was normal, and not to worry, but I was concerned about future-proofing my hips and knees and overall health. Suzanne Harrington: "The irony of treating a man-made problem — obesity — with a man-made solution — obesity drugs — is glaring. Almost as glaring as the correlation between widespread obesity and the mass consumption of ultra-processed foods. First, we had fat Americans; now it's all of us." Pic: Andrew Dunsmore INTERNALISED FATTISM Also, after going to the trouble and expense of bariatric surgery, I was done with being fat. I was not going there again. And, yes, that is 100% my own internalised fattism — as a 50-something woman raised by a generation of fatphobics, the societal messaging growing up was that being fat and female was the worst possible combination. Boys don't make passes at girls with fat asses. Imagine your kids hearing that now, even jokily. The highest compliment, genuine and well-meaning, was always 'have you lost weight?' This is not to blame previous generations, socialised to value female worth based wholly on appearance, which was calculated by prettiness and thinness. The democratising influence of the internet on how we view bodies — how one size does not fit all — was still some way off. There was no Lizzo back then, just cottage cheese diets and the male gaze. It was hard not to absorb this messaging. It's not always just a female thing either — a 57-year-old male friend, reared in a loving but fatphobic household, developed bulimia in his early teens that lasted into his 30s. An 86-year-old friend still weighs herself every day, having taken up smoking during menopause in an attempt at weight management. How awful, I think. Then I remember that I stick a needle in my stomach every Friday so that I don't get fat again. Does the availability of Mounjaro — and its effortless weight-loss stablemates — negate all the progress made by the body positive movement? Will fat acceptance cease to be? The aforementioned Lizzo has recently lost a significant amount of weight, as has Adele. Should fat public figures remain fat to make other fat people feel better? Or is that the same as pressuring people to be thin but in reverse? Why should anyone owe anyone else fatness or thinness? Lizzo doesn't talk about body positivity — she talks about body neutrality; your body being nobody else's business. Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic offer a way out of obesity that, until now, has only been available via bariatric surgery, something many people could not access. This is an opportunity for metabolic reset; whether you use it intermittently, or longer term, it's a win-win. Whether your reasons stem from health concerns or societal conditioning — or a complicated mix of both — that's your decision, it's about your levels of comfort within the body you inhabit. For people living with obesity, it's a godsend. Or, as Prof Le Roux puts it: 'We need to treat the disease of obesity the same as we treat asthma or high blood pressure or any other medical condition.' Suzanne Harrington: "This is an opportunity for metabolic reset; whether you use it intermittently, or longer term, it's a win-win. Whether your reasons stem from health concerns or societal conditioning — or a complicated mix of both — that's your decision, it's about your levels of comfort within the body you inhabit." Pic: Andrew Dunsmore HOW IT WORKS Both semaglutide (Ozempic) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) mimic a hormone produced in the body called GLP-1, released in the gut whenever we eat. This hormone signals the brain to reduce appetite while setting off increased insulin production. Mounjaor also mimics a second hormone, GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide). This is why tirzepatide is linked to greater weight loss. One study using data from two clinical trials of people with type 2 diabetes over 68 weeks, found tirzepatide resulted in a weight loss of 17.8% compared with 12.4% relative to placebo for semaglutide.
Irish Post
3 days ago
- Irish Post
Weight loss drugs lead to a surge in Irish exports to America
ACCORDING to the Central Bank of Ireland, the US' growing demand for weight-loss drugs have led to a massive rise in exports in the first half of the year. Companies racing to export to the US before Trump's tariffs take effect are the major reason for the spike. March marked a record month, with $25bn in exports to the US - a fourfold increase from March 2024. The bank noted this spike was centred on one product category: ingredients used in weight loss and diabetes medications. Even without the tariff-related rush, strong demand for these pharmaceutical ingredients - many produced in Ireland - continues to fuel export growth. US drugmaker Eli Lilly, which produces the active ingredients for Zepbound and Mounjaro in County Cork, invested $800m in the site to expand capacity. Its first quarter sales of the drugs exceeded $6bn, up from $2bn a year ago. These drugs work by suppressing appetite by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone, which helps people feel full after eating. Many US pharmaceutical giants manufacture in Ireland, attracted by favourable tax policies, making the US Ireland's largest export market and pharmaceuticals its top export. While Trump has yet to impose tariffs on pharmaceuticals, he has suggested doing so for national security reasons. For now, most Irish exports to the US remain tariff-free. See More: Economy, Eli Lilly, Irish Exports, Mounjaro, Ozempic, Weight Loss
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- The Irish Sun
I was on RTE's OT but I've lost 27lbs in weeks with €235 jabs and still eat burgers and pizza, it's changed my life
FROM appearing on Operation Transformation at 27 stone to trying brutal low-calorie diets, Mark Fearon has struggled with his weight for the past 15 years. But the 6 Mark appeared on Operation Transformation 15 years ago 6 Mark is happier than ever since dropping the pounds 6 Mark can still enjoy pizza and a drink Mounjaro (tirzepatide) has been growing in popularity in Ireland over the last few months. By activating GIP and GLP-1 receptors, Mounjaro slows down the emptying of the stomach, making you feel fuller for longer and reducing appetite. And Mark, from Stepaside, told how while his weight has "crept" up over the years, he's starting to see real results with the drug. Now weighing 19 stone, 47-year-old told the Irish Sun: "Ever since then I have been trying to lose 10 stone and I have gotten the weight down but never the 10. "The weight kept creeping back and ever since then I decided I had to do something about it. "Weight loss is obviously one of the main side effects of Mounjaro, as I lost 27lbs in just six weeks. "I've lost weight quickly before but this is different, I'm actually eating loads of calories. "I am having around 2,500 calories a day so I am not starving myself." Mark, who appeared on hit He said: "When I tried to lose weight before, I would eat very few calories, but this resulted in me having very little energy. I went from 27 lbs in six weeks with Mounjaro after 15 years of trying to lose weight it has completely changed my life "So this time I am actually eating enough calories to keep active, so I am actually in the gym all the time. "For the first time losing weight, I am actually feeling great doing it, I'm not feeling deprived. "I'd eat well during the week and then at the weekends I'd love takeaways. "Pizza and burgers being the favourite but there isn't much I wouldn't enjoy eating. "It's amazing, but the urges for these foods are just gone being on Mounjaro. "Without Mounjaro I'd be saying, 'Well I had a burger so there's no point eating well for the rest of the day' and would throw in ice cream and chocolate. Now I eat without any urges of a binge. "In the past six weeks I have eaten out a few times where I had a pizza and a burger but the difference is that I had them and that satisfied me." Speaking about the side effects, he said: "I get heartburn a bit more but I just pop two Rennies and it's gone. "Obviously, there is the risk of stopping taking it and putting the weight back on but is that not the case with every single diet?" 'BIG DIFFERENCE' And Mark hit back at the haters calling it the "lazy way out" as he revealed he has so much energy that he does not even watch television anymore. He said: "I'm up at 5am every morning before work so I can go to the gym and this is while I'm losing serious amounts of weight. "The big difference with Mounjaro is I am still able to eat, but I eat what I need, no more, as the desire to overeat is gone. "I have so much energy now and it has made me so active that I don't even watch TV anymore, as when I sit down all I want to do is get up and be active." When asked on the financial aspects of the weight loss jab, Mark said he was "just swapping one thing he spent money on for another" in relation to takeaways, dinners and drinks. He said: "I'd spend easily €50 per week on takeaways, plus throw in tubs of Ben and Jerry's. "Mounjaro costs me €250 per month from the North. This includes the monthly consultation, the Mounjaro and the tracked delivery to my home. "The greatest thing about the price is that no matter the higher dosage you go on, the cost stays the same. "And that cost is easily what I spent on food I didn't need to eat and no longer do on Mounjaro." Mark said he has full support from his doctor, adding: "I do get my Mounjaro from the North but my GP is fully aware of it and is also very supportive of me being on it." SUPPORT SYSTEM Mark has been sharing his weight loss journey for more than 15 years on Facebook, Instagram and more recently on TikTok. He said: "I get a lot of private messages from people asking questions especially about Mounjaro. "Some people want to do it, but really do not want anyone to know." WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF WEIGHT LOSS JABS? Like any medication, weight loss jabs can have side effects. Common side effects of injections include: Nausea : This is the most commonly reported side effect, especially when first starting the medication. It often decreases over time as your body adjusts. Vomiting : Can occur, often in conjunction with nausea. Diarrhea : Some people experience gastrointestinal upset. Constipation : Some individuals may also experience constipation. Stomach pain or discomfort : Some people may experience abdominal pain or discomfort. Reduced appetite : This is often a desired effect for people using Ozempic for weight loss. Indigestion : Can cause a feeling of bloating or discomfort after eating. Pancreatitis : In rare cases, Ozempic may increase the risk of inflammation of the pancreas, known as pancreatitis, which can cause severe stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting. Kidney problems : There have been reports of kidney issues, including kidney failure, though this is uncommon. Thyroid tumors : There's a potential increased risk of thyroid cancer, although this risk is based on animal studies. It is not confirmed in humans, but people with a history of thyroid cancer should avoid Ozempic. Vision problems : Rapid changes in blood sugar levels may affect vision, and some people have reported blurry vision when taking Ozempic. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) : Especially if used with other medications like sulfonylureas or insulin. But Mark has no shame or secrecy when it comes to his journey and said his family have been "very supportive of him". He said: "I have been trying for 15 years to get my weight to a place I'd be happy with. "I set myself a target of losing 10 stone, then I've never accomplished it, I'm now 19st 13lbs and I've lost 27lbs in six weeks on Mounjaro. "I know I will get to my goal of that 10 stone down now with the help of Mounjaro. "My friends and family know how important that is to me, and they are very supportive of me being on Mounjaro." The latest weight loss drug was only approved for use in Ireland in early 2025, being licenced for use as a treatment for both type 2 diabetes and obesity. And Mark is not the only Irish person seeing big health changes since trying the fat jab. EATING 'ADDICTION' Irish mum Sandra Keogh spent hundreds of euros every month on Doritos as her The former weight loss consultant, 37, said she needed to urgently make a change but had already tried all of the usual routes. She said: "I felt unable to find the will to care what I was shoving in my mouth. "It was compounded by the fact that I knew what I should be doing I just felt useless. I had to try something else." But she had a light bulb moment one day after sitting down to watch a bit of reality TV. The "So after a while when I heard about availability here, I went and spoke to my doctor because I haven't had diabetes but I just needed something. "I knew what had to be done, but I didn't have the willpower or the motivation to do anything. "I started Ozempic in November 2023 after the doctor thought it was a great idea. "I was on it until February this year and when I heard Mounjaro was coming in, I was eager to swap because I had lost 33 pounds on Ozempic and I kind of had stalled. "When I heard that Mounjaro was going to be approved for weight loss here in Ireland, I thought, 'Right, I'm going to try and get it'. "I started taking it on the 25th of March and I began losing weight again." 6 Mounjaro was Mark's last resort to help him lose the weight 6 He documents his journey on his TikTok account 6 Mark is also working hard at the gym
