Q: I eat a healthy diet but often feel slightly nauseous on waking in the morning. I’m fine once I’ve had breakfast. Do you know why this could be?

A: As you feel fine after you’ve had breakfast, it is likely that you are experiencing symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia).

You have effectively gone through a fast from dinner the night before until you have breakfast in the morning which can be as long as 12 hours. If you are sensitive to blood sugar swings then you can experience feelings of nausea until the low blood sugar has been corrected by having breakfast.

You can test if this is the problem by having an oatcake or rye cracker within an hour of going to bed. If low blood sugar is the problem then you will not experience the nausea when you wake. Then you have to address the cause of the problem by eating little and often (every three hours) during the day and eliminating caffeine and sugar as this stops the blood sugar roller coaster effect.

Q: I’m confused about green tea. I’m told it’s a good antioxidant and yet I’m also advised to cut out tea and coffee from my diet. How does green tea fit in, and should we be drinking it or avoiding it?

– Jane, Chipping Norton

A: It is rather confusing when a drink can have both negative and positive aspects. Green tea is made from the same plant as ordinary black tea but it is produced from unfermented leaves whereas black tea is made by fermenting green tea.

Green tea does contain caffeine but also high levels of antioxidants called polyphenols. These polyphenols have been found to have anti-cancer properties and can also help to reduce cholesterol and increase HDL ‘good’ cholesterol.

But the problem is the caffeine in the green tea. If you are aware that you have blood sugar swings and crave sweets or caffeine during the day or have fat around the middle then it is better to eliminate green tea for a couple of months.

Caffeine is a stimulant which prompts your body to release cortisol (one of the stress hormones) which in turn triggers the release of insulin. Over time caffeine will make your body resistant to insulin so your body will turn glucose straight into fat and store it around your middle. Caffeine will also make you feel more stressed.

Caffeine is addictive. Tea and coffee act like a drug. The trouble is that when the effect wears off you’re going to need another cup to keep you going. It’s a classic crutch for the 3 or 4pm energy dip when you could think you’ll never get through the afternoon without that cup of tea and biscuit.

So I would recommend getting your blood sugar in balance by eliminating sugar and anything containing caffeine for a while and then having a couple of cups of organic green tea a week will be healthy rather than acting as a caffeine-fix.

Q: I have headaches every few weeks and my doctor says they are cluster headaches. What can I do about them?

A: Cluster headaches are one sided, often centred behind the eye and occur in several episodes over the course of a few days. Well done for getting it checked out — anyone with recurring headaches should do the same.

For a few weeks keep a diary of what you eat, what you do and your moods — you may spot a link or trigger for these headaches. Alcohol, cheese, coffee, citrus fruits and chocolate may all cause them. So may missing meals or not drinking enough water. Try to keep your back, neck and shoulders relaxed as bad posture can be a cause; you may also want to consider learning Alexander Technique.

When the headache strikes you should try applying lavender essential oil on the temples or forehead. The homeopathic remedy Pulsatilla can help and the herb feverfew has been shown to prevent migraine type headaches when taken on a daily basis.’