E McMahon, by e-mail

A.You need to invest in a Chillow Pillow, which is not a pillow at all but an amazing cooling device invented in America. The body (usually the man’s, because men have a higher protein mass, which generates more heat) tends to lose most heat through the head at night, so it will resolve this problem for both of you.

What I like about the Chillow Pillow is that it is a one-off purchase: you activate it only once, by adding water to the foam interior and then brushing out all the air. It is easy to travel with; I use it when I’m in hot countries, or for my daughter when she has a fever.

It has many more applications than simply holding together a partnership where one person overheats in bed. It can help manage the hot flushes that many menopausal women complain of and can also help insomniacs get a better night’s sleep. In fact, in one sleep study, carried out in Michigan at the end of the 1990s, participants using a Chillow were reported to fall asleep on average 68% faster than those not using the device.

The Chillow Pillow costs £24.99, plus £2.50 p&p, from Soothsoft (08700 117 174; www.soothsoft.co.uk).

Q. My mother’s GP has told her to stop taking aloe vera because she is on warfarin, but says she can continue with fish oils. Are there any guidelines on natural substances that are safe to take with warfarin? I wonder, for example, if can she continue to take glucosamine and methylsulphonylmethane (MSM) for her joints.

S Howard, by e-mail

A. When it comes to contraindications, it is not only doctors who are at a loss, because unless someone, somewhere, has funded specific research, we often do not know what these contraindications may be, unless adverse side effects have been reported.

As a simple guideline, patients who are taking warfarin are advised to avoid any natural remedies that have an action on the cardiovascular system, such as ginkgo biloba and hawthorn. In this instance, the doctor may have suggested stopping the aloe vera because it can shorten the transit time of prescription drugs through the intestinal tract, which reduces their absorption.

Neither glucosamine nor MSM will interfere with the warfarin, as far as we know, although the former can adversely affect antidiabetic drugs and should be avoided by anyone already taking these.

Q. I went through three and a half years of domestic turmoil, two of them spent in chronic pain, with mouth and throat ulcerations. Neither GPs nor hospital consultants were able to be of any help. I now need a natural remedy to improve my physical health.

F Law, Dublin

A. First of all, you need to accept that getting back to optimum wellness will not happen in a matter of days, but if you are willing to commit to a supplement that has been proven to help regulate and balance your immune system, then you will certainly see the benefits after several months.

Health shops are swamped with immune-boosters, but the remedy I want to recommend is a modulator. This means it has a more subtle but, in my view, more powerful action in the body, since it can help restore normal immune functioning.

In the 1990s, immune-boosting, using now well-known herbal remedies such as echinacea and ginseng, was the buzz word in natural health. Today, immune regulation has become the new way forward.

Simba is a natural supplement made from the African potato, which is not a potato at all but a hairy, black, tuber- shaped corm (or underground stem), native to the African bush and widely used by traditional healers there. I have written about it previously, mostly as an excellent immune support for people suffering from chronic skin conditions (such as psoriasis) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

In this context, however, I want to recommend it for improved wellbeing and overall health, which can help you banish the symptoms that you mention you have had.

As with all the remedies on sale over the counter, there are different brands and strengths available. What I like about Simba is that it is made from the whole plant, not an extract of the active agents. It comes in vegetarian capsules, which is particularly useful for those who want to avoid gelatin.

Simba costs £24.50 for one month's supply, plus £2 p&p, from The Little Herbal Company (01484 685100). Take as directed on the bottle.

For more information on natural health, visit my website: www.whatreallyworks.co.uk

If you have any questions or tips, write to What's the Alternative? Style, The Sunday Times, 1 Pennington Street, London E98 1ST. We can only provide replies to published letters.

Before following any medical or dietary advice in this column, please consult your GP if you suffer from any health problems or special conditions, or are in doubt as to its suitability.