'I sent photos of my eyes to an iridologist and the…

'I sent photos of my eyes to an iridologist and the detailed report I got back was astonishing'

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul – but are they more than that?

Apart from determining eye colour and controlling light, the iris can allegedly tell us a wealth of information about our health.

Hungarian doctor Ignatz Von Peczely developed the idea of iridology – parts of the iris representing organs such as kidney, liver, lungs and stomach.

But do specks in the iris really warn about health? SIOBHAN O’CONNOR gave it a go to find out...

Usually by 4pm I’m wiped with no energy, so I decided to give iridology a whirl.

I sent photos of my eyes to Galway-based herbalist and iridologist Yvonne O’Shaughnessy and the detailed report I got back was astonishing.

Yvonne deduced I have a ‘neurogenetic constitution’ meaning I’m sensitive, intuitive, and can’t sit still. That’s me to a T.

She revealed: “When I look at your eye, just like when you look at the map of Ireland you know exactly where Donegal and Cork is.

“Through your eye, I know where your head is, your ovaries and your liver.”

She prescribes a meal routine to regulate hormones and insulin levels, and more water to keep hydrated throughout the day.

The goal of a neurogenic, Yvonne reveals, is to slow down, meditate and do yoga.

She noted I have a slight leaky gut, where hormones and waste filter back into the body leading to inflammation.

Thankfully this is fixable, with a product containing L glutamine to seal the gut.

Yvonne explained: “The gut is where we make our happy hormone serotonin.

“When you don’t have enough good bacteria you can suffer more with anxiety and low mood and fatigue.”

The herb expert assures me I’m a good healer. My eyes show I’ve a sluggish kidney.

Magnesium will aid this, an essential mineral to help the organs function. A herbal tincture is prescribed to sort out any body dysfunction.

So what’s in the magic juice? “Nervine herbs are specifically for your nervous system, they turn on your parasympathetic nervous system, and nourish it,” said Yvonne.

“We have a layer at the end of our nerves, the myelin sheath, it’s a protective layer.

“It’s important to protect the nervous system, once calm the rest of the body is too.

“The herb tincture helps to prevent the body from going into fight or flight mode.”

Yvonne explained my lack of energy in the afternoons.

“Your nervous system was being eaten alive by stress and juggling like most mammies. Now it’s able to cope with it because it’s gone into the parasympathetic mode.

“When you have a lack of sleep and too much sugar, your body can’t cope.

“Your adrenaline and insulin levels are high, your hormones are all over the place, your progesterone levels are being eaten up by all the cortisol.”

The herbal tincture prescribed includes chamomile and lemon balm to calm, hawthorn for the heart, mugwort for “grounding energy”, anti-inflammatory turmeric, dandelion to cleanse the liver, and Ashwagandha to boost sluggish kidneys.

Yvonne explained: “The liver is our detox pathway. If not detoxified properly it can lead to tiredness, irritability, skin issues, dandruff and yeast infections.

“People are harbouring this toxicity in their bodies in 37 degree heat, so it’s easy for bacteria to grow.”

THE VERDICT

I’ve been following Yvonne’s plan now for two months.

Unlike powdered herbs, the tincture hits your bloodstream in 10 minutes – I take it twice daily.

I’ve more energy and now I’m craving the good stuff, I’ve lost over a stone in weight too.