Diet is very important and you must keep it sensible, avoiding junk foods, pre-packaged foods and foods that contain colourings and preservatives. Keep your diet as natural as possible, increasing your intake of fresh fruit and vegetables. Acid foods can lead to a build up of toxins within the body, which can aggravate or exacerbate skin problems. These acidic foods include citrus fruit, pork products, tomatoes and vinegars. I would also advise you to cut down on coffee, tea and chocolate. Agnus Castus (Chaste Tree) is helpful for PMS, menstrual disorders such as painful/heavy bleeding and hormonal acne. It would also help to take a supplement that helps provide essential nutrients for the skin such as Skin Factors from Michael's.

My 91-year-old mother has pain in her hip and thigh due to arthritis. It is gradually becoming more painful but painkillers from her GP make her feel sick. She is on Warfarin as well as tablets for high blood pressure, water retention and her stomach. What natural products could she take that would be safe with her medication?

Your mother could take the remedy Celadrin. This is a fatty acid complex, shown to be particularly helpful in cases of degenerative arthritis and soft tissue inflammation. It can be taken at a dose of three capsules daily. There are no known adverse reactions or drug interactions using Celadrin and other medication.

Over the last couple of weeks I have had a problem with an allergic/viral conjunctivitis in both eyes. The GP prescribed antibiotic eye drops but she also suspected hayfever. The drops have not helped — can you recommend a treatment I could take to help clear the problem?

Conjunctivitis is a common problem where the protective membrane of the eyes becomes inflamed. This may be caused by bacterial or viral infections, allergies or irritation by dust, smoke, pollutants or excessive glare. I suggest Euphrasia (Eyebright) at a dose of 20 drops in a little water, twice daily, which is specifically used for a variety of conditions which affect the eyes, nose and sinuses. I'd suggest Luffa Complex, which would be helpful if the problem were allergy-related.

You recommended Blood Pressure Factors from Michael's for my husband's problem with high blood pressure — and it has come down slightly. He is keen to continue with the preparation but wonders if he should take it without a break and if there are any side-effects?

The combination of essential nutrients in Blood Pressure Factors is a formula that someone could take on a regular basis for the rest of their life. It supports the body's fluid levels to maintain the arteries while nourishing the nervous system to support healthy heart rate, and strengthening the heart in order to maintain blood pressure homeostasis. There are no known side-effects.