YOU should ideally seek individual advice from both a nutritionist and a medical herbalist to tailor a plan for your individual needs.

It is usually advisable to follow a low fat, salt-free, mainly vegetarian diet which is as organic as possible, and to avoid junk food, alcohol and caffeine.

Most practitioners advise high dose vitamin C, (the form known as Ester-C is least likely to produce side effects such as indigestion) plus other powerful antioxidants such as vitamin E, selenium, green tea, grapeseed and/or pine bark extracts.

Other vitamins and minerals such as folic acid and other B group vitamins are also important. An immune boosting supplement such as Echinacea, Maitake, Coriolus versicolor (another mushroom), Lapacho (Pau d'Arco) or Cat's Claw may also be recommended.

Milk thistle can protect the liver from some of the adverse effects of chemotherapy.

For more information, contact the Penny Brohn Cancer Care Helpline on 0845 123 2310 www.pennybrohncancer care.org who take an holistic, complementary approach to cancer treatment.

Help for Tamoxifen hot flushes

I'M due to start Tamoxifen which may cause hot flushes. Could you suggest something to alleviate these flushes?

THE prescription-only drugs clonidine, megestrol or venlafaxine have been used to reduce hot flushes in women receiving Tamoxifen and they can reduce symptoms by between 30pc and 70pc.

Your doctor can prescribe one of these for you if he or she believes it will suit you.

Alternative treatments include soy phytoestrogens, sage leaf, pollen-pistil extracts (known as femal), wild yam and Black Cohosh.

However, the use of these supplements in women with oestrogen-positive breast cancers is controversial and you should consult a medical herbalist before taking any of these.

Find a qualified medical herbalist by visiting www.nimh.org.uk or tel 01392 426022.

Diet with anti-inflammatory effect

I HAVE arthritis in my hip with severe pain. I can't take anti-inflammatory tablets and Voltarol gel doesn't work. I am 71-years-old and have high blood pressure.

EATING a diet rich in vitamins C and E seems to slow the progression of osteoarthritis and reduce pain by damping down inflammation.

Eat at least five servings of fruit or vegetables per day, and consider taking an antioxidant supplement. Omega-3 fish oils have an anti-inflammatory effect to reduce osteoarthritis pain.

Try to eat oily fish (eg salmon, herrings, mackerel, sardines) up to four times a week, and consider taking an omega-3 fish oil supplement.

Glucosamine plus chondroitin (eg Chondromax from www.healthspan.co.uk) is excellent at relieving joint pain and can slow the procession of arthritis and appears to be as effective as prescribed analgesics, although it takes a while for the full effects to appear.

A useful rub on treatment is arnica gel (Atrogel £8.95 from chemists or www.avogel.co.uk) or Health Perceptions GlucOsamine Gel.

Op advice for endometriosis

I HAVE endometriosis with heavy, painful periods. I've heard there is now an operation for sufferers.

ENDOMETRIAL ablation destroys the womb lining and can stop periods altogether in around 40pc of women, and significantly reduce blood loss in a further 40pc.

Another approach worth considering is the Mirena intra-uterine-system (a contraceptive coil that releases low doses of levonorgestrel hormone) which can reduce blood loss by 90pc after six months.

Contact the SHE Trust (Simply Holistic Endometriosis) on 0870 7743665 or shetrust.org.uk.