Archive for July, 2010

Herbs: Uses, Side effects | Tags: Anise, Basil, Catnip, Chamomile, Chives, Parsley, Sage, Thyme, Valerian

Herbs: Growing Your Own

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July 31, 2010 at 12:43 pm

To bypass the dangers of incorrectly identifying herbs in the wild, and to get started using fresh herbs without a botany lesson, you always have the option to grow your own. You can start by visiting a nursery that grows herbs and purchasing your own seeds (rather than collecting seeds from the wild, which will again involve the problems with misidentifying).

The biggest benefit of growing your own herbs is that because you have purchased your seeds, you will be able to correctly identify the herb that grows. Most plants you grow at home will be mild because of the pampering you give them and will be safe to use for occasional medicinal purposes — they’ll be especially useful for spices and cooking.

If you look at your thumb and see that it is more orange, purple, blue, or anything but green, but you still desire to grow a few of your own herbs, then we should cover a couple of the basics here first. First of all, you might want to consider planting perennials instead of annuals; or, if you are patient, try biennials, which take two years to bear fruit or flowers.

Terms related to herbs or holistic health

Perennials are plants that have a life span of more than two years — if you are lucky, these plants come back over and over again for years. Annuals are plants that live and grow for only one year or season and then die. Biennials are plants that usually require two years to reach maturity; these bloom in the second year before dying.

You don’t need to be a country boy or girl to grow your own herbs; even city-dwellers can grow herbs in a windowsill flower box, or in small pots set by a window. Whether growing indoors or outdoors, take a look at the following table for 10 popular herbs to grow, with their category and some uses. This chart will help you if you are feeling stood up because you have been waiting patiently for your basil (an annual) to re-grow again, but it never shows! (Don’t take it personally — this is basil’s nature.)

Popular Herbs and Their Uses

Herb	Latin Name	Type	Uses
Anise	Pimpinella anisum	Annual	Taken by nursing mothers to produce lactation; seeds sooth stomach. Used as a spice (licorice-type flavor) and to flavor liquors. Leaves are used in salads.
Basil	Ocimum basilicum	Annual	Used as a spice mainly to flavor tomato-based dishes, spaghetti sauces, and Italian dishes. The fresh plant is said to repel mosquitoes and flies.
Chamomile	Matricaria recutita	Annual	Tea or capsules are used to calm nerves and settle the stomach. Used in shampoos for blond highlights. Great ingredient in eye pillows. Fresh plant is an insect repellent. Use in potpourri.
Catnip	Nepeta Cataria	Perennial	Soothes stomach; moms find it helpful for colicky babies. Cat’s love to eat it, so keep it away from them when trying to grow it; the dried herb stuffed into a cat’s toys will serve as entertainment for you and your cat (it makes cats act intoxicated and silly!).
Chives	Allium Schoenoprasum	Perennial	This herb from the onion family is popular as a topping on baked potatoes or any foods you would add onions to for flavoring. Folklore used hanging chives to chase away evil spirits.
Parsley	Petroselinum crispum	Biennial	Aids digestion and urinary tract. Decorates food plates. Attracts a caterpillar that will turn into a black swallowtail butterfly—an endangered species!
Sage	Salvia officinalis	Perennial	Used as a seasoning for meats. Used medicinally for sinuses, nerves, bowels, and the bladder.
Clary sage	Salvia viridis	Biennial	Decorative with blue and white flowers. Attracts hummingbirds. Oil is used to balance hormones in women, and some use it as a perfume.
Thyme	Thymus vulgaris	Perennial	Used as a spice. Medicinally has been used to boost the immune system. Many different types of thyme are available, some very decorative for growing; ask your nursery specialist.
Valerian	Valeriana officinalis	Perennial	Used as a sedative. Grown for sweet fragrance, but the root (the medicinal part of the herb), is repulsive to humans, yet irresistible to cats! (Then again, most of us are not fond of mice either!)

Harvesting is tricky business because it will vary depending on where you live and what your climate is like. It will also depend on what use you will have for the herb you harvest and which herbs you are harvesting. For instance, the medicinal value of ginseng root is not effective until it is at least five years old. Some manufacturers will sell ginseng that is immature and therefore not very potent. Again, be sure you know or trust your source, especially when purchasing ginseng because this is one of the more expensive herbs.

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

When growing parsley indoors from a seed, the herb should not be exposed to sunlight until it sprouts from the dirt. To avoid unintended light, cover the pot lightly with some newspaper until you see it sprout

As a general rule, my herb-growing friends tell me that you should harvest your flowering culinary herbs (herbs you are using for spice and food additions) just before they flower to preserve the essential oils (which give them their strong flavor and smell) — unless, of course, you are growing the herbs for the use of their seeds, such as with fennel, anise, or dill.

After you learn when to harvest your herbs for your purposes, you will need to learn how to dry them. Again, this will vary depending on what type of herb you are harvesting and what you are going to use it for.

In general, you can bunch most of your herbs and place them in paper sacks. You should mark on the outside of the bag what the herb is so you don’t get them mixed up. Some herbs should be bunched and then hung upside down from a string, and still other herbs can be placed directly into vases as decorations and left to dry as a dried flower decoration.

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

Some pretty flowers that you can add to your herb bunches are very beautiful fresh or dried, but are not well known for any medicinal qualities; these include marigolds, pansies, roses, and bachelor buttons.

Herbal medicine | Tags: Garlic, Gotu kola

Herbs as a Lifestyle

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July 29, 2010 at 12:24 pm

The best use of herbal remedies comes when you take a holistic view at the nature of your overall health and illnesses and then take a look at the nature of the herbs you are using. It is really all about getting the right combination to achieve the effects you are aiming for. This is why it is almost essential to consult with a holistic health practitioner of some kind to find out what is right for you, especially if you intend to use herbs nutritionally on a daily basis.

You might want to look for someone who has a method of assessing what herb or combination of herbs is correct for you. As you have learned in this site, several different herbs are helpful for a certain ailment, but how do you know which one will be the best for your particular body?

Some methods that practitioners will use to assess what might be best for you include a mixture of the following:

> Body typing

> Muscle testing

> Iridology (analysis of the iris of the eyes)

> Tongue diagnosis

> Pulse diagnosis > Blood tests

> Saliva testing

> Urine analysis

> Metabolic typing

> Hair analysis

> Live blood analysis

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

General conditions of the nails, face, skin, hair, tongue, and eyes indicate a state of health or illness.

There are many other forms of assessing your constitution and chemistry, and these methods listed can be used in combination to gain information about your health.

A good herbalist will help you put together a combination that will bring you results. It is much nicer to have a game plan with someone schooled in herbology than to take guesses and choose things randomly off the shelves at your health food store (although many qualified herbalists are available in health food stores!).

The quality of the herbal products you take will also have a lot to do with the results you get using herbs.

The FDA does not regulate the herb industry, so it is best to get your products from a reputable company that runs their manufacturing plant to the same standards as the pharmaceutical companies. These are usually large manufacturers that have been in business for decades.

A Daily Program

A good general maintenance program will differ slightly for each person because we all have special needs, but a general daily program that almost anyone can safely take to maintain health is included here. Any generally healthy adult who lives an average lifestyle can use these herbs. They won’t be necessary for those living on a macrobiotic diet of all whole, raw, fresh, organic foods. Nor will it be necessary to help those who are perfect in every way, but for most of us, this general program is designed for the maintenance of health and can be used for a lifetime.

A Daily Program for Health and Longevity

Herb	Quantity	Supports
Liquid chlorophyll	Two to four tablespoons in water to taste, daily.	Digestive, intestinal, structural, and circulatory system support. Saves energy digestion; is safe and easily assimilated. Provides minerals; deodorizes, filters pollutants we come in contact with, builds red blood count.
Psyllium hulls	Four capsules twice daily.	Intestinal system. Gives the bowel something to resist against, sweeps excess waste from colon, and aids weight regulation, steadies blood sugar.
Papaya	Two chewable tablets before each meal, and after as needed.	Digestion. This fruit (comes in a chewable tablet form usually) supplies enzymes helpful in breaking down enzyme-less (cooked) foods. Saving digestive energy will help save life energy.
Gotu kola	Two capsules daily.	Gotu kola is my favorite anti-aging remedy; it feeds the nervous system and will help keep the mind sharp, aids vitality and longevity.
Garlic	Two cloves, or equivalent in capsules daily (if tolerated).	Garlic is sometimes not suitable for sensitive stomachs, but it is a wonderful all-around food beneficial for the immune system, circulatory system, and respiratory system. It can help protect you from catching illnesses of all sorts.
Bee pollen	Two capsules twice daily.	Bee pollen will round off your program, providing you every substance needed to survive. It contains many vitamins and amino acids. Only those with allergic reactions to bees or bee pollen should avoid its use. (Substitute barley grass herb if so.)

Along with your other good habits — such as daily water intake, exercise, good relationships, and a variety of wholesome foods — this program can help you maintain your health and help you live a long and nourished life!

Infectious And Parasitic Diseases

Warts

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July 27, 2010 at 12:15 pm

Warts: A Bumpy Road to Recovery

Best Single Herb: Reishi mushroom

Best Combinations: Reishi mushroom; pau d’arco

Other Helpful Supplements: Colloidal silver; vitamins A and D

Possible Causes: Virus; lowered immune system

Complementary Help: Externally use any of the following: tea tree oil, vitamin E oil, apple cider vinegar, castor oil (twice per day until gone)

Warts are actually caused by a virus. They can occur anywhere on the body, but they’re most commonly found on the hands. On the soles of the feet, warts are called plantar warts (denoting the plantar aspect of the foot).

Consult your podiatrist about plantar warts, although you might want to try some of these herbal remedies first before you have them burned away. Treat the source of the problem internally with herbs. Having them removed medically is only treating the temporary symptom and not addressing the core issue. I have seen many different external remedies work for ridding my clients of warts, and unfortunately, they are all different! I will give you some to try for yourself, and I will be grateful if you send me your letters on what works for you!

Let’s look at some herbs that may help you get rid of the source of your warts.

Warnings about the use of herbs

Genital warts are transmitted by sexual contact and may have to be frozen or surgically removed by your physician. See your doctor for genital warts because these are contagious and you may need to be treated medically.

Reishi Mushroom

The Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) has also been referred to as the lucky fungus. This mushroom has become quite popular in the United States in recent years, but it has a long history as a sacred herb in the Orient. Reishi is used by Taoist monks, who believe that it enhances the receptivity of the spirit. In China, the herb is said to bring immortality.

This herb is used to help normalize blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, relax the muscles, numb pain, kill bacteria, reduce swellings, rejuvenate the body and tissues, tone the heart, stimulate the body and help it adapt to stress, boost the immune system, and aid in the fight against cancer, especially tumors. Nice to have this fungus among us, eh?

As you can see, Reishi is used for more than just warts, and you should see some beneficial side effects with the use of this mushroom. This herb is generally considered safe, but if you use it regularly and also use medications, use caution — the herb may inhibit the absorption of some drugs. Reishi contains polysaccharides, which are thought to help the immune system eat up free radical cells. This has made this mushroom popular in use with herbal and nutritional cancer-prevention programs. All these positive properties of this valuable fungus make Reishi a safe and effective herb for boosting the immune system and helping the body rid itself of warts. To help you get rid of your warts and boost your overall vitality and health, take six to 10 capsules of Reishi spread out through the day. This remedy can be taken in very large quantities with no toxic side effects. If you are fighting a serious illness, you can double or triple this amount. Work with a professional who can get you on a holistic program to help you if you are ill.

Mote Folk Remedies

So many herbal remedies exist to rid yourself of warts that I cannot list them all here, but I will give you some of my favorites that have been effective:

> Take four pau d’arco capsules twice daily, and take a pau d’arco tea, lotion, infusion, or poultice externally for six weeks.

> Break the stem of a fresh, blooming dandelion before noon and before dark. Apply the white liquid to the wart directly. Do this twice each day for 10 days, and the wart will fall off.

> Apply tea tree oil to the wart two to four times each day until the wart dissolves.

> Puncture a vitamin E capsule, and apply it to the wart daily. Cover the area with a bandage. (This has helped some within two weeks!)

> Apply castor oil each evening and each morning until the wart leaves.

> Take one teaspoon of colloidal silver twice daily internally, and add a dab to the wart twice per day for 10 days. (Do not take silver for more than 10 days at a time.)

> Soak gauze with apple cider vinegar, and apply to the wart overnight. The next morning, the wart will be gone.

I don’t know why some of these remedies work for some and not for others, but they are safe — and at least one of them should work for you!

Internally, vitamins A and D help boost the immune system and feed the skin, and these vitamins have helped many get rid of their warts. This is probably because vitamin A in particular has been shown to be low in those suffering from viral infections. Because these vitamins are stored in our body, be sure that you are not taking large doses for too long. Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) for adults taking vitamin A are 4,000 to 5,000 IU (international units). If you are not working with an herbalist or nutritionist, you might consider taking beta carotene instead. Your liver can convert beta carotene to vitamin A for you when your body needs it.

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

You can get your vitamin D from the sunshine; otherwise, an average adult can take between 200 IU and 600 IU daily.

Endocrine, Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases

Weight Loss

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July 25, 2010 at 1:09 am

Weight Loss: A Wide Range of Possibilities

Best Single Herb: Chickweed

Best Combinations: Chickweed, cascara sagrada, licorice, safflower, parthenium, black walnut, gotu kola, hawthorn, papaya, fennel, dandelion; brindall berries, gymnema, marshmallow, psyllium; garcinia cambogia; Chinese ephedra (for some)

Other Helpful Supplements: Chromium; 1-carnitine; balanced amino acid supplement; food enzymes with hydrochloric acid

Possible Causes: Improper food combining; eating late in evening; lack of exercise; thyroid problems; hormonal imbalance; improper digestion; constipation

Complementary Help: Cleanse the bowel; support digestion; balance glands; find out your glandular body type, and then use a program to support your type; exercise

The weight-loss challenge is a heavy one indeed. There are some basics on keeping trim and lean, such as exercise and a healthy diet filled with lots of vegetables and fruits, but some fantastic herbs can aid you in losing those excess pounds, too.

First let me tell you that, before herbs, I was overweight. Despite exercising five days a week in my aerobic class, drinking ¾ of a gallon of water daily, and following a vegetarian diet, I was still overweight. This is what led me to my herbalist and iridologist. She put me on a program not specifically geared toward losing weight, but to get at some of my core problems.

Once these imbalances were nourished with the herbal program, an extra 35 pounds just melted off, never to return! The herbs have also heightened my senses and have literally taken away the cravings for bad things I used to crave.

Now let’s talk about a few core reasons you can’t seem to get rid of your excess baggage.

Besides pure overindulgence in foods and a total lack of exercise, excess weight can be caused by other factors that you need to address for an overall approach to losing and maintaining your ideal weight. Look at the following table to get an idea of some reasons you could be feeling pudgy.

Some Reasons for Excess Weight

Cause	Reason(s)	Herbal Solution(s)
Glandular imbalance	A. Your thyroid can be under-active, causing your metabolism to slow down. B. The pituitary regulates fat distribution and may be out of balance. C. Hormones that are out of balance may cause excess weight.	A. Kelp B. Alfalfa and gotu kola C. Evening primrose oil
Constipation	You will retain excess water and look heavier, which may also make you feel heavier and therefore crave heavier foods.	Cascara sagrada and psyllium hulls
Poor digestion	A. When the pancreas is insufficient, your blood sugar can fluctuate wildly, causing you to crave sugar and carbohydrates. B. When your absorption is insufficient, your body is not being nourished properly and your appetite button gets triggered more than necessary, causing you to overeat.	A. Cedar berries and/or golden seal (for high blood sugar); licorice root (for low blood sugar). Chromium will help balance blood sugar B. Marshmallow and pepsin, or food enzymes with hydrochloric acid, will help break down proteins and undigested proteins left in the colon; take papaya or pineapple before meals. Acidophilus supplements can aid absorption of nutrients
Poor food combining	When you eat foods that inhibit the digestion of the other foods (such as starches and proteins at the same meal), the result is poor digestion, which leads to excess weight.	No herbs will make up completely for poor food combining, but pineapple and/or papaya and peppermint will help

Herb Lore: information related to holistic health

Herbs help you reach your ideal weight because of their ability to fill in your nutritional voids; cleanse excess mucus, feces, cholesterol, and toxins from the body; release excess water retention; balance the glands that regulate fat storage and metabolism; aid your digestion; elevate your taste buds for wholesome foods; and give you the extra energy you need to exercise! When you get on an herbal program designed for your particular needs, your body will eventually regulate itself to your ideal weight Aren’t you happy we have herbs?

Chickweed for the Hungry

Chickweed (Stellana media) is one of my favorite ingredients for general weight loss. This is the one herb that I always think of first when asked by passersby what herb they can take to help them lose weight. Take one to two capsules of chickweed between each meal to help you lose weight. Chickweed contains a rich amount of lecithin, a fat emulsifier, which makes chickweed a cholesterol remedy also. I like it for its appetite-suppressant effect. This herb also serves as a mild laxative and is rich in vitamin C, calcium, and phosphorus, so it will nourish you as you lose weight.

Chickweed is a favorite of at least 30 species of birds, so maybe this is where the saying comes from — if you want to lose weight, you should eat like a bird!

L-carnitine also is listed in the table in the end of this chapter because this amino acid is instrumental in encouraging fat metabolism. Other herbs, of course, can help boost metabolism and thermogenesis (including Chinese ephedra, but it is not suited for everyone).

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

Two great combinations to use to cleanse and curb the appetite are found in the table. The second combination, a mix of brindall berries, gymnema, marshmallow, and psyllium, will help your body resist absorbing so much sugar and will help with sugar cravings.

Garcinia cambogia is a fruit that is a part of many weight-loss remedies because it has been shown to help burn up excess calories in the body, suppress the appetite, inhibit the conversion of excess carbohydrates to fat, and increase the body’s stores of energy fuel.

Pineapple or papaya has helped many lose weight as well. The enzymes help digestion, and these fruits can be eaten before any meal. Improving digestion is also very helpful in weight loss.

A Lighter Solution

You may notice that everyone is shaped a little differently. You may also notice that there are groups of similar shapes in certain people — long ones, tall ones, short ones, big ones. Some systems can classify your body into a particular type, and then you can adhere to your type’s best supplements and diet. I like to use glandular body typing.

Here’s a brief look at each type; seek out a holistic health practitioner who can help you find your type and get you on a diet that suits you best. Each practitioner you seek may have a different method, such as blood types, constitutional typing, metabolic typing, and so on. But, just for fun, take a look at the categories here to see if you can pinpoint your type.

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

A simple remedy you can use is to take four capsules of psyllium hulls 20 minutes before each meal, along with one full glass of water. The psyllium will expand in your digestive tract and make you feel full, so you will eat less.

Glandular Body Types

Glandular Type	Where Fat Is Gained Predominately	Best Herb
Pituitary	Gains fat evenly all over body	Slippery elm
Adrenal	Gains fat mostly in upper body; small on bottom; thin legs; large on top and in bust and back area	Peppermint
Gonadal	Gains weight on bottom; pear shape; thinner on top; larger butt, hips, and thighs	Dandelion
Thyroid	Tall and mostly thin, but gains weight around middle (like wearing an inflated rubber tire tube around waist), prone to “beer” belly	Bayberry
Thymus	Mixture between adrenal and thyroid; balanced body; depends on which type is most resembled — use herbs for that type	See Thyroid and Adrenal
Pancreatic	Usually obese; very large frame; large bust, belly, and butt	Gentian
Pineal	Small in stature with large head; usually not overweight; doesn’t apply to weight loss, but may need weight-gaining therapies	N/A

Always drink lots of extra water when you are losing weight, and keep the bowel clean. Toxins are stored in your fat cells, so expect to have some detoxing symptoms when losing your excess fat. Have fun in the process, and use herbs to support your efforts and to maintain your results. Happy new body to you!

Diseases of skin

Water Retention

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July 23, 2010 at 11:54 am

Water Retention Prevention (Edema)

Best Single Herb: Juniper berries

Best Combinations: Dong quai, golden seal, juniper berries, uva ursi, parsley, ginger, marshmallow; cornsilk

Other Helpful Supplements: B-complex vitamins; trace mineral supplement

Possible Causes: Constipation; kidney problems; heart problems

Complementary Help: Bowel cleansing; low-protein diet

Retaining excess water in your body is uncomfortable. This problem seems to be more common in women than men. When you are holding excess water, you will notice your rings feel tight on your fingers, your abdomen may feel or look bloated, your ankles are swollen, and your face looks puffy. Ironically, these can be signs of dehydration. When your body is not receiving enough water, it protects you by holding onto excess water around your cells, causing your puffiness. So, the No. 1 remedy to stimulate the release of excess water is to drink more water!

Here are some causes of general water retention:

> Not drinking enough water.

> Eating too many spices, including spicy foods, sodium (salty) foods, MSG, potato chips, cheese, restaurant food, prepared foods, and sodas. Sodium makes you retain water, but does not hydrate the cells.

> Static lymph flow, from traveling, sitting for long periods of time in cars, or traveling in planes.

> Hormones: PMS, for instance, can cause a temporary change in your water balance.

> Constipation: The body retains water to protect you from the toxins floating around in the blood stream.

Edema is the technical term for water retention, but it is also used to refer to a more serious problem resulting from underlying disease or allergic reaction.

Some causes of edema (also referred to as dropsy) include:

> Kidney failure

> Heart failure

> Cirrhosis of the liver

> Acute nephritis

> Starvation

> Allergic reaction

> Steroid drug reaction

If you have any of these serious problems, you will need emergency care right away.

In cases of edema, your medical treatments will usually include the administration of synthetic diuretics to stimulate the kidneys to release the excess water. These diuretics deplete the body of potassium. Because potassium is a mineral found in the heart, the side effects of diuretics may be detrimental to the heart.

Warnings about the use of herbs

Other known side effects of diuretics include ringing in the ears, dizziness, rashes, itching, sensitivity to sunlight, diarrhea or constipation, muscle cramps (potassium is found in muscles, too), fever with sore throat, blurred vision, loss of appetite, increases in blood sugar, gout, numbness in hands or feet, and headaches. Report these symptoms to your prescribing physician immediately.

Let’s take a look at some herbs that can stimulate the kidneys to release excess water from the body without any toxic side effects.

Juniper Berries: Please Release Me, Let Me Go

Juniper berries (Juniperus communis) is a favorite herb remedy for those suffering from occasional water retention. Along with drinking plenty of pure water, juniper berries act as nature’s diuretic.

Many different types of junipers exist; following is a photo of one growing in front of my home. This photo was taken early in the spring, so no berries have shown up yet. But when they do, they are bluish-gray in color.

Four to six capsules a day should prove more than adequate for the average adult to get rid of excess water. Use juniper berries as a temporary remedy. You can use juniper daily up to six weeks without any problems, but this is a very strong herb, so stop taking it if you begin to have symptoms such as:

> Pain in the kidneys (the kidneys are located about mid-back, one on either side of the spine)

> Intestinal irritation or diarrhea

> Elevated blood pressure

> Rapid heartbeat

Fortunately, if you overdose on herbs, the symptoms subside shortly after you discontinue taking them. With drugs, the results can be fatal.

Juniper berries are used for more than just water retention. Here are some other great past uses — some of which are still used today:

> Chewing the berries before meals can help stimulate hydrochloric acid production in the stomach, which will aid your digestion.

> The berries may help clean out tar residues left in the lungs after you quit smoking.

> Native Americans used juniper as a form of birth control.

> The essential oil has been an effective bug repellent.

> Berries can be roasted and used as a coffee substitute.

> Juniper can bring on an overdue period.

> Juniper can help rid the body of parasites.

> Juniper can help in reducing inflammation associated with arthritis.

Warnings about the use of herbs

Juniper berries are effective and strong and should not be taken by pregnant women or small children. Although they possess antiseptic properties helpful against infection, juniper berries should not be taken ff you have a kidney infection, nor should you take them daily for more than six weeks.

Juniper also has been burned in Native American sweat lodges for purification, and the berries are used in the making of the alcohol gin.

Dam, It Worked! — In the Flow with Herbs

Juniper berries sure are popular as a natural diuretic, but some other herbs serve just as well as herbal diuretics, including these:

> Uva ursi

> Parsley

> Cornsilk

> Buchu

> Cranberries

A popular combination of herbs used to support the kidneys and serve as a natural diuretic is listed in the table at the end of the chapter.

If you are constipated, your body will hold excess water; read post for some effective herbal laxatives.

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

The B-complex vitamins will help you release excess water retention. If you have kidney problems, try a low-protein (low-acid) diet to take the burden off your kidneys.

Disorders of digestive system

Vomiting

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July 21, 2010 at 11:05 am

Vomiting: Regurgitating an Old Remedy

Best Single Herb: Spearmint

Best Combinations: Ginger, capsicum, golden seal, licorice; spearmint; papaya

Other Helpful Supplements: Hydrated bentonite

Possible Causes: Food poisoning; virus/bacterial infection; emotional upsets

Complementary Help: Spearmint or peppermint tea (see treatments for nausea)

I’m sure you really won’t need me to explain what vomiting is — at some time or another, we all have been inflicted with this reaction! Vomiting is a reaction of the stomach, usually triggered to protect you from something that is deemed harmful to the body.

For example, when you catch a flu bug or swallow something poisonous, your body’s immediate reaction is to regurgitate the substance. Thank goodness for this mechanism — it protects you from absorbing poisons that reach the stomach. On the other hand, sometimes vomiting can be dangerous, especially when a person is in a weakened condition or if the person is tiny, like an infant or a young child. A couple of great herbal remedies can help stop this problem and settle the stomach — so let’s take a look.

Herb Lore: information related to holistic health

The stomach carries worry, so the vomiting mechanism can be triggered by anxiety and resistance to what we are experiencing. Think about the “butterflies” in your stomach you get before you are about to do something important. Naturally, you are worried — and, naturally, the stomach reacts. Because herbs work on more than just the physical level, they can also help ease your worry and stop you from getting sick.

Spearmint to Calm the Stomach

Spearmint (Mentha viridus) is a favorite anti-vomiting remedy herb. This good-tasting herb from the mint family is a popular plant used to flavor candies, gum, foods, and liquid chlorophyll. Its leaves have been used as a remedy to rid the intestines of gas and to rid the body of excess water. Spearmint can aid circulation and bring stimulation to the body and mental processes.

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

If you make a spearmint tea or infusion, do not boil the herb. Boiling it will cause the essential oils to evaporate, and the oils are the most medicinal part of this plant.

Spearmint is a great anti-spasmodic and is also especially soothing to the stomach, which makes its properties ideal for countering the effects of vomiting. This is especially true when someone is suffering from “dry heaves,” meaning that the stomach is empty, but the regurgitation process is still active (ugh!). A sip of spearmint, or a dab of spearmint essential oil on the tongue can ease the spastic stomach. You also can rub some of the essential oil of spearmint directly onto your skin over your stomach or rub a little near your temples to relax you. Keep in mind that because spearmint belongs to the mint family, it is very strong — and the essential oil is even stronger. If you have sensitive skin, make sure to dilute the oil before applying it directly to your body.

Other Things to Try

A great combination to help stop vomiting and ease nausea is listed in the table at the end of this chapter. The mixture contains ginger as the first ingredient, which is well-known for its anti-nausea effect. If you’re having trouble swallowing a pill, make a tea from the powdered herbs of this combination, and add a drop of the spearmint or leaf of spearmint last, for flavor. Sip the warm tea slowly, to calm your stomach.

When the vomiting is serious, due to poisoning or swallowing something contaminated, take a few tablespoons of hydrated bentonite to absorb and protect the body from the poison. This mixture is liquefied clay and has no nutritive value, but it is used for emergency poisonings or for detoxifying cleanses.

Diseases of circulatory system

Vertigo

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July 19, 2010 at 10:58 am

Vertigo: Helping a Dizzy Blonde

Best Single Herb: Wood betony

Best Combinations: Gingko biloba, hawthorn; wood betony

Other Helpful Supplements: B-complex vitamins; lecithin; CoQ₁₀; vitamin E

Possible Causes: Inner ear problem; poor circulation; spinal misalignment; blood pressure too high or low; anemia

Complementary Help: Ear coning; chiropractic care; reflexology; bowel cleansing

Occasionally having a dizzy spell — such as when you are bent over for a long period of time and then quickly stand, or when you are too hot, tired, or hungry and then get dizzy — is not the same as vertigo. Vertigo is the incapacitating sensation that the world is spinning or tilted, and usually leads to vomiting.

Some possible causes of vertigo include:

> Inner ear problem, damage, or infection (an infection could be caused by excess debris, ear wax, mucus in the ear — get an ear coning or other type of ear cleansing)

> Injury or problem in the brain stem

Recurring dizziness can be caused by other underlying problems, such as:

> Poor circulation to the head, or blood pressure that’s too high or low

> Spinal misalignment

> Anemia

> Excess wax or debris in the ear

> Lack of oxygen to the inner ear tissues

> Hypoglycemia

> Vitamin B deficiency

> Stress

Warnings about the use of herbs

To rule out any serious problems linked to vertigo, see your doctor for an examination — and make sure that someone else drives you!

If your dizziness is due to an inner ear infection or poor circulation, give the following herbs a try.

Wood Betony for Grounding

Wood betony (Betonica offtcinalis) is not that common of an herb, but you will probably see it in combination with other herbs. This herb has historically been used as a pain-killer, an antiseptic, an astringent, a brain tonic, a nerve calmer, and a circulatory stimulant. Therefore, wood betony may be helpful in not only killing the bacteria or virus causing your ear infection, but also nourishing the brain and relaxing the central nervous system.

Too much wood betony can make you sick to your stomach. Herbalists are very careful about making anyone feel ill, although in some cases you may need to feel worse before you feel better with natural healing!

Warnings about the use of herbs

Large doses of wood betony may cause you to vomit. This herb should not be used during pregnancy; however, in very small doses it is safe for children.

Wood betony is a good herb for most problems of the head and for cleaning the blood via the liver. It has been used for bronchitis, colds, coughs, dizziness, headaches, jaundice, menstrual cramps, nerve disorders, and externally on wounds, ulcers, and splinters (to help pull out a splinter, bruise the leaves and apply to the area). In the wild, animals are said to seek wood betony when they are wounded. It aids the immune system, relaxes muscles, opens blood vessels, and a European study found it to reduce high blood pressure.

Adults can take one to two capsules daily for vertigo, or as recommended on the bottle.

Other Herbs for the Ride

Other herbs useful in aiding the circulatory system include a combination of ginkgo biloba and hawthorn berry. If you are having circulatory problems, look up my suggestions for herbs for blood pressure and under cholesterol. Also see the table for some other supplements helpful for the circulatory system that may help heal the root cause of your dizziness.

Ear coning is my favorite remedy for cleaning out the ears. Ear coning might help draw out excess debris that can be causing a recurring infection.

Herb Lore: information related to holistic health

One of my clients had recurring vertigo due to inner ear infections. I coned her ears and was amazed at the amount of debris that was pulled from them! We did another, and another — up to five in three weeks, until the cones came out clear. She obviously had stored large amounts of mucus in her system, and this was probably the cause of the re-occurring infections. She has not had any problems since, but she maintains her ear conings quarterly for prevention.

Diseases of circulatory system | Tags: ph

Varicose Veins

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July 17, 2010 at 10:48 am

Varicose Veins: Veinity Will Get You Nowhere

Best Single Herb: Witch hazel (used externally)

Best Combinations: Butcher’s broom and horse chestnut; capsicum; white oak bark; bilberry; rose hips; grape pine or pine bark extract; milk thistle (for liver if high cholesterol)

Other Helpful Supplements: Vitamin E; vitamin C with citrus bioflavonoids; B-complex vitamins

Possible Causes: High cholesterol, crossed legs; inadequate circulatory system; constipation

Complementary Help: Bowel cleansing; witch hazel compress or fomentation; exercise

Varicose veins are bluish, bulging veins that usually appear as twisted ropes just under the surface of the skin. Symptoms include aches or heaviness in the limbs and swelling of the legs and ankles. These veins seem more prominent if you have been standing for long periods of time. Although rare, you may have a deep varicose vein that is painful, but it may not show up at the surface of your skin. Varicose veins can become serious if left untreated.

Many times you will see varicose veins surrounded by broken blood capillaries, known as spider-burst veins. These small broken blood vessels can resemble intricate road maps on a fair-skinned person. Many times these broken blood vessels show up around the ankles, in the lower legs, and elsewhere in the feet, although they can occur anywhere in the body.

Possible causes of varicose veins are listed in the table at the end of this chapter, but to expand a little here, I should mention that varicose veins and broken blood vessels can indicate the inadequate nourishment of your entire circulatory system. Consider taking herbs to strengthen your blood capillaries to prevent further damage.

Varicose veins are usually caused by pressure on the veins. Have your cholesterol checked; if fat is clogging up your veins, this can put pressure on these weakened vessels and cause problems (see the post “High Cholesterol: Cutting Through the Fat“).

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

Remember the liver must be cleansed if you have high cholesterol since the liver is responsible for emulsifying fats. Milk thistle helps cleanse and support a sluggish liver and will help it do its job better.

Sitting with your legs crossed will create pressure and can increase your problem as well. Constipation adds internal pressure to the body and organs and can cause varicose veins and hemorrhoids, so bowel cleansing is always in order if you suffer from these problems.

Witch Hazel Has Broken Blood Vessels?

Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is an herb that was listed as an official drug in the United States, and it is still used by many as a safe remedy for many applications. This herb has been used as an anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, astringent, hemostatic (controls bleeding), syptic sedative, and tonic. The bark, twigs, and leaves of the witch hazel plant are used for these purposes. I suggest using this herb topically, but some have used the herb to make a tea; they drink two cups per day to help strengthen blood vessels. Topically, use as a decoction and apply with cheese cloth, with the legs raised.

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

Try this cool trick: Label an ice cube tray and fill a few of the squares with distilled witch hazel. After the liquid is frozen, put the frozen cubes in a freezer bag — and again label it clearly! You don’t want to add it to your drinks! When someone has a bump, cold sore, or other painful swelling, the witch hazel ice cube can be applied.

Distilled witch hazel is commonly found alongside hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol at your local pharmacy; this herb should be used only externally.

Witch hazel contains flavonoids, natural substances found in plants that are powerful antioxidants that can strengthen blood vessels. Grape seed and pine bark extract also contain these powerful nutrients. You can soak a cotton ball in the distilled witch hazel from your pharmacy and apply it directly to small affected areas; otherwise, pour some into a shallow dish, soak a piece of cheesecloth in the solution, and then apply the rag to the affected area. If you use it room temperature or cooler, this will heighten the effect. This is especially helpful for the pain associated with varicose veins.

Herb Lore: information related to holistic health

It is said that witch hazel got its name from the early days when dowsing, or “witching,” for water was popular. Frequently, branches from the witch hazel plant were used for this divining practice, thus it received its witchy name!

If your varicose veins are in your feet, use a cool footbath with witch hazel added to ease your soreness and inflammation. Witch hazel has such strong astringent-like qualities that it is used as an active ingredient in over-the-counter hemorrhoid medications such as Preparation H and Tucks. This is probably the reason why Preparation H cream has been used by some famous Hollywood beauties as their secret anti-wrinkle cream remedy!

Witch hazel can be applied to all areas of inflammation on the skin, or areas that you wish to tighten temporarily. This includes varicose veins, hemorrhoids, pimples, cold sores, wrinkles, and bruises.

Mote Witch Doctor Potions

Witch hazel applied to a protruding varicose vein might help the swelling subside, but you will always need to consider what caused your problem in the first place. If you have clogged veins or arteries due to high cholesterol, consider adding butcher’s broom to your diet. (See the post “Hemorrhoids: A Swell Solution” for more on butcher’s broom.) Another great herb to try is horse chestnut. Horse chestnut and butcher’s broom together make an excellent combination to fight varicose veins internally. White oak bark or bilberry capsules can be taken internally to help reduce swelling (both are strong astringent herbs), and rose hips, rich in vitamin C and bioflavonoids, will nourish and help strengthen your circulatory system.

Exercise is an important factor in preventing varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and broken blood vessels. Also see your chiropractor for adjustments to ensure that your blood flow is not being restricted, and try the slant board exercises discussed in the previous chapter to help take the pressure off the lower body.

Diseases of genitourinary system

Uterine Problems

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July 15, 2010 at 11:17 am

Uterus, Weak/Prolapsed

Best Single Herb: Motherwort

Best Combinations: Motherwort; red raspberry

Other Helpful Supplements: B-complex vitamins

Possible Causes: Constipation; prolapsed transverse colon

Complementary Help: Slant board exercises; bowel cleansing; bayberry or witch hazel tea or decoction used as douche

Uterus Support During Childbirth

Best Single Herb: Squawvine

Best Combinations: Squawvine; black cohosh, squawvine, dong quai, butcher’s broom, red raspberry (five weeks or less before scheduled child delivery only)

Other Helpful Supplements: Magnesium

Possible Causes: Not applicable

Complementary Help: Tangerine oil to relax during delivery

When there’s a problem with the uterus, it may be due to a weakness or a prolapsus. A prolapsed uterus is a uterus that has either tipped backward because of other sagging organs putting pressure directly on it, because of a lack of tissue integrity of the uterus, causing it to sag.

To help a tipped uterus, consider the colon. If the lower bowel is heavy with waste materials due to constipation, the bowel can sag under this weight and can drop down on top of the uterus, causing discomfort, problems conceiving, or painful periods.

Try cleansing the bowel if you have trouble with your uterus. Any organ that is lying underneath a constipated, toxic-laden, heavy colon can only create an unhealthy environment for that organ. The position can cause constricted blood flow and may encourage adhesions or other growths to occur. Read for more on cleansing with herbs.

Other things that can help a prolapsed transverse colon or a prolapsed uterus are slant board exercises. All you need for a slant board exercise is an exercise incline bench or some other type of board that you can raise one end of and lie on safely with your feet higher than your head. These exercises are designed to bring back tone to a prolapsed colon, but the uterus will be affected also.

Lie on your back with your head at the low end of the board.
Gently and rapidly tap the area below your belly button with your cupped hand for a few minutes.
You can also find a tennis ball or similar ball and roll it around the same area.

Gravitational force will help pull the bowel and uterus back into place, and the tapping and rolling motions will bring blood supply to the area and may help give tone back to the muscles. This exercise is also helpful if you experience tiredness, a groggy head, or forgetfulness.

Warnings about the use of herbs

Be careful getting up from this position! If you are not used to it, you can become dizzy because of the extra blood and oxygen flow to the brain.

Motherwort for the Weak Uterus

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) is an herb used for its antispasmodic, astringent, diuretic, and nervine properties. This herb is considered a tonic made for female problems because it has been used to ease the pain associated with menstruation, to relieve pain during childbirth, and to ease frigidity. Motherwort has some laxative effects as well. The Japanese celebrate motherwort at a festival called Kikousouki, where they add the flowers of the plant to their food and eat them.

Warnings about the use of herbs

Because of its laxative effects, motherwort should not be used during pregnancy, but to may be used to help ease pain during childbirth.

Although this herb can be used to ease pain during labor, it should not be taken during pregnancy.

Red raspberry is an herb that can help support the uterus during pregnancy. A tea containing red raspberry, witch hazel, and motherwort or bayberry can be made into a douche and used to help contract and tone the uterus.

Squawvine Support

Squawvine (Mitchella repens) is used to help support the tone of the uterus while pregnant, as well as during and after childbirth. Native American women have taken squawvine as a tea during pregnancy to aid delivery and to help nourish breast milk.

Unlike motherwort, which should be used only during labor, squawvine is a uterine tonic that is safe to use during pregnancy. This herb can be combined with black cohosh, dong quai, butcher’s broom, and red raspberry and taken five weeks before your scheduled delivery date to help make labor easier. My clients who have used this combination have always had great testimonials about the effects of this combination, even when giving birth to a first child (which can be a more difficult delivery, for some).

Squawvine also has been used as a diuretic and has been helpful in eliminating stones from the kidneys and the bladder. Pregnancy and breastfeeding can make the nipples sore, and a squawvine fomentation has helped ease this tenderness for many women.

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

Magnesium acts as a muscle-relaxant and can help in labor pain. Aroma-therapists also have diffused tangerine into the birthing room to calm and relax nerves and to soothe the soul.

Diseases of genitourinary system

Urinary Problems

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July 13, 2010 at 11:10 am

Urinary Problems: Urine for a Treat

Best Single Herb: Uva ursi

Best Combinations: Uva ursi, hydrangea, parsley, dandelion, schizandra, Siberian ginseng, lemon, dong quai, cornsilk, horsetail, hops (for strengthening)

Other Helpful Supplements: B-complex vitamins

Possible Causes: Infection; constipation

Complementary Help: Dry-skin brushing; Kegel exercises; bowel cleansing; treatments for bladder problems or kidney problems

We have already addressed problems with the urinary tract during our discussions about bladder infections and kidney problems. But for general malice wrought on the urinary tract, such as incontinence, infections of the urinary tract, and water retention, I’d like to introduce you to a popular herb that you will probably see more and more of for its positive effects on the urinary system. The herb is called uva ursi.

Uva Ursi Is Good for U

Uva ursi (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is also called bearberry. The Greek translation of uva is “grape,” and ursi means “of the bear” — put together, this plant can also be referred to as bearberry, although I cannot verify whether bears eat the berries from the uva ursi plant. I plan to question the next one I run into!

For human consumption, the berries can be cooked or made into a cider. When chewed raw, they are bland but will stimulate the flow of saliva in your mouth and help you quench your thirst — in fact, uva ursi has been used as a survival herb.

It was only a decade earlier, when I consulted with an herbalist who put me on capsules of uva ursi for a bladder infection, that I found its medicinal uses for the urinary system.

Warnings about the use of herbs

Uva ursi contracts the tissues in the genito-urinary region, so you should not take this herb if you are pregnant because it may limit blood flow to the uterus. Too much of this herb and frequent doses can irritate the stomach. Use uva ursi as you would an antibiotic — not for more than 10 days in a row.

Uva ursi acts as an antiseptic, astringent, diuretic, and vasoconstrictor (that is, it reduces blood flow). It can be helpful in cases of severe diarrhea to slow things down, and it has been used as a mouthwash for thrush and as a douche for urinary trouble and infection. Uva ursi should be used as a medicine, for temporary use as needed. For urinary tract infections take two capsules twice daily, not more than 10 days in a row. Or you can make a tea (add chamomile for a better taste) and take V2 cup two times a day. Uva ursi is best taken for wet conditions such as water-retentive type ailments. Don’t take it if you are dehydrated.

Herb Lore: information related to holistic health

If you live in the West, you have probably seen uva ursi growing. This is a green, leafed plant with small red berries and small, oval, shiny leaves that grow low to the ground and spread wide. I first discovered this plant on my parent’s mountain property in Colorado, where a distant, elderly neighbor of ours (who was also a mountain man and a teacher of nature) identified it as kinnik-kinnik. He told me that the Native Americans used to smoke a mixture of kinnik-kinnik and tobacco, and that they would use it as a cleansing smoke in their sweat lodges.

And Don’t Forget…

When there is infection in the body, a bowel cleansing is always helpful to eliminate excess toxins from circulating throughout the body. Do a dry-skin brush daily to take a load off your kidneys; read for more on kidney and bladder health.

For overall nutrition for the urinary tract, see the combination of herbs listed in the table at the end of this chapter. This table contains nutrients that will act as an antiseptic for the urinary tract. Use this combination to strengthen the urinary system, and then maintain your health with proper nutrition and your daily herbal program. (I’ll give you a daily program later in the book.) Also incorporate Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, and sip cornsilk and/or parsley tea each night for urinary nourishment.

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

Kegel exercises were designed especially to help women prone to bladder prolapses or anyone with incontinence (trouble holding back urine). To perform Kegels, tighten your lower pelvis muscles as if you were restricting urine flow. Contractions should be held for six to 10 seconds, followed by relaxing the muscles completely. This should be done four or five times in a row, three to four times a day.

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