Archive for the ‘Herbal medicine’ Category

Herbal medicine | Tags: Anise, Basil, Catnip, Chamomile, Chives, Parsley, Sage, Thyme, Valerian

Growing Your Own

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August 17, 2010 at 6:38 am

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: Peppermint

An Herbal First Aid Kit

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August 15, 2010 at 12:56 pm

Are you a traveler? Do you like to go camping, hiking, backpacking, or any of the other fun outdoor sports that lead you away from your medicine cabinet or a family physician? Great! This chapter is for you.

In this post, you will learn how to make your own herbal first aid kit, and you’ll learn the multi-faceted uses of six popular herbs or herbal oils. You can take this kit along with you in a backpack or a suitcase when traveling. It will come in handy if you get yourself into trouble, and it can help tide you over in case you can’t reach a medical doctor right away. In fact, this kit can sometimes even negate the need for a doctor visit! Now, come along as we continue on the long path through herbalism.

Capsicum, Not Too Dumb to Keep on Hand

Encapsulated, dried herbs are especially useful to take as a first aid kit for hikers and backpackers because of their light weight. When stored in a compartmentalized container, herbs can be taken along just about anywhere.

At the end of this post, I’ll give you some suggestions about how and what to store all these different herbs in, but for now, let’s talk about how you can use each one in a pinch. Don’t hesitate to make up this kit to store in your medicine cabinet at home, either — it can come in handy almost anytime, anywhere. I am a traveler, and it has come in handy for my family, my friends, and me in many countries, hotel rooms, and backpacking trips.

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

You might want to make several small herbal first aid kits and store them in different places. For instance, make one for your boat, one for your home, one to keep with the camp gear, one for each vehicle, and one with your traveling bags.

Capsicum (Capsicum minimum, C. frutescens), also referred to as cayenne pepper or red pepper, is one of those herbal cure-all herbs and makes an excellent addition to any first aid kit. The fruit (pepper) of this plant is used for medicinal purposes, food, and spice. This herb is very hot, and if you buy it in encapsulated form, you will notice that it is red in color.

I would add a bottle of capsicum capsules to your first aid kit instead of a bulk powder. This herb is useful in winter if you are venturing on a snowmobile or a crosscountry skiing trip. The pepper powder is stimulating and brings blood supply to the area to which it is applied. In other words, if you are on a winter outing, take capsicum with you to keep you warm. Simply open a capsule and sprinkle some in your socks and mittens to help prevent frostbite and keep your extremities warm. In addition, you can swallow a couple of capsules internally, and you will be able to feel the inner fire that it ignites.

Capsicum is also useful in your first aid kit as an emergency fix to stop bleeding. Capsicum is so “hot” that it has an ability to actually cauterize a wound in some cases. If you cut yourself and wish to stop the bleeding, empty a capsicum capsule onto your cut. The application will sting, but it should stop your bleeding right away.

Capsicum seems to have an ability to deaden the nerve endings temporarily, which is why it has been used as a pain-relieving remedy. While it may deaden pain, it also brings blood to the area to which it is applied and therefore can enhance your healing. Blood circulation brings nutrients and oxygen and is imperative to the process of tissue healing; capsicum can aid this process.

Warnings about the use of herbs

The only caution with using capsicum in a lotion or gel is to watch out that you don’t touch your eyes or any other sensitive parts after using the formula. If you do, flush out the area with cool water immediately. If you are sensitive to hot foods, try capsicum in very small doses.

For a sore throat, gargle with capsicum added to water or juice. Although it may burn at first, the pain should subside within a short time, and your throat will feel better. You can even make capsicum into a spray for sore throats. (See the post “Tonsillitis: Tea Tree for Two, and Two for Tea Tree” for an herbal throat spray containing capsicum.)

When camping, you can sprinkle capsicum on foods — especially bland-tasting backpacking foods (although some companies are offering much better tasting foods these days). When taken internally, capsicum can increase the production of digestive acid and also may help expel gas from the intestines, relieving gas pains.

Herb Lore: information related to holistic health

If you are a comic fan, check out the back to see ads offering all types of gag gifts. You might see an ad for a type of gum that, as a trick, you offer to your enemies. When I was a young teen, I remember the ad showing a cartoon face of a man who had obviously chewed the gum and whose face was red as a beet. The drawing shows him perspiring heavily with his tongue sticking out and his hand grasped around his neck in choking agony! Guess what the main ingredient added to the gum was to cause this effect? You guessed it: good old capsicum!

The herb powder can be added to lotion or gel and can be applied to areas that need pain relief or circulation. The active ingredient capsaicin is a popular extract added to many pain-reliving formulas.

Capsicum is so stimulating, in fact, that it can be used in cases of severe shock, fainting, or even heart attack to bring someone back to consciousness. Add a small amount of powder to the tip of the tongue in these cases to try to stimulate blood flow back to the head and help the person recover from shock.

Giving aspirin to a heart attack victim has been publicized lately, probably due to the fact that aspirin thins the blood. Heart attacks that involve a blockage of blood flow to the heart can be helped by thinning the blood to allow at least some passage of blood to the heart. But don’t forget about white willow bark, which is where the active ingredients in aspirin originally came from. White willow can be just as effective. Capsicum also is a circulatory stimulant, and both of these can work together to save a life in an emergency situation.

To sum up, here are some of the ways capsicum has been used and why it can be an integral part of any first aid kit.

Capsicum has been used to:

Stop bleeding
Relieve pain
Warm extremities
Increase internal heat
Add flavor to foods
Increase circulation
Aid digestion and expel gas from intestines
Stop heart attacks
Bring people out of shock or keep them from going into shock after trauma

Take some along in capsules instead of the bulk form in case you need to swallow some.

Activated Charcoal, for De-Activating Poisons

Although charcoal is not an herb, It should be added to a first aid kit as a potent remedy to counteract the affects of poisoning.

When camping, traveling, or otherwise eating things that may not be clean, there is always the threat of food poisoning.

However, you are more vulnerable to poisoning from snake bites, spider bites, and insect bites and stings when you are camping or out in the wild. This is where charcoal could serve to save your life.

Activated charcoal has properties that can attract (like a magnet) poisonous substances from your body, making them unable to be absorbed or can at least render them less harmful to the body. If a snake, scorpion, tick, spider, or any other animal or insect bites you — or even if you think you were bitten — you can begin taking a few capsules of charcoal to counteract any possible toxic side effects.

You can also make a poultice out of charcoal and apply it directly to a bite to draw out the poisons through the skin.

If you suddenly have an attack of diarrhea, you might want to consider taking a few capsules of charcoal as well. Diarrhea usually indicates that the intestines are reacting to some type of poison that the body is trying to rid itself of rapidly. Activated charcoal will assist the body in getting rid of the toxin and will help you to recover while you are seeking the medical attention you may need.

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

Another good remedy that you might want to take with you is blackberry tea. If you pack tea bags, make sure you put them in a sealed plastic bag or wax paper to preserve freshness. This tea makes a strong astringent herbal remedy, and I have seen it stop chronic cases of unexplained diarrhea right away.

Clove Oil, Not a Snake Oil Remedy

We talked a lot about cloves and its properties back in the post “A Toothful Solution”. Unexpected toothaches are one of the reasons you may benefit from having a small bottle of clove oil in your herbal kit.

Clove oil has an analgesic (pain-relieving) effect on tissues, and a small amount applied topically on or around sore gums or to an aching tooth can relive pain until you can get to see your dentist. Clove oil may also be used to apply topically if you have broken a tooth, to help numb the pain of an exposed nerve.

I can’t vouch for this, but it is said that chewing on two raw cloves without swallowing also will curb someone of an alcohol craving. The strong taste of cloves left in your mouth will probably curb your appetite for almost anything, at least temporarily.

Besides its topical pain-relieving virtues, clove oil is a bug repellent, which is especially appealing to campers and hikers. A small amount can be applied to your hat or garments where bugs are bugging you!

Cloves can be used to kill bacteria, and therefore are used as an antiseptic for washing hands before preparing food when camping. This herb also has been used to ease indigestion, laryngitis, nausea, toothaches, vomiting, flatulence, abdominal pain, and asthma.

Cloves are a powerful remedy against parasites and can help you expel worms if you suspect you have picked up a parasite. You can add a tiny drop of clove oil to a liquid and then drink it; this is usually more than enough to expel a parasite. In general though, cloves are not recommended for internal use at all because of their strong and sometimes irritating effect on the body.

Children should not use the herb, although you can wet your finger and then add a drop of clove oil to apply to babies’ gums when they are teething to ease their pain.

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

If you make a mixture of clove oil and peanut oil or another type of non-essential oil that doesn’t evaporate so easily, like olive oil, it will help keep the essential oil from quickly evaporating when you apply ft to cloth for repelling insects.

Arnica You Glad You Use Herbs?

The yellow flowering herb arnica (Arnica montana) can be purchased as a topical application or for internal use as a homeopathic remedy. Arnica can be poisonous, so take internally only in a homeopathic solution as directed on the label. Never ingest arnica from the wild.

Terms related to herbs or holistic health

A homeopathic is a highly diluted solution made from plant, animal, or mineral extracts. The dilution renders the solution non-toxic to humans, and the dilution also makes it more effective as a medicine.

A homeopathic rule of thumb is that less is best. In other words, taking larger quantities is less effective than taking smaller amounts more often. I always have some arnica on hand to use for any type of trauma, stress, shock, bumps, bruises, emotional distress, and muscle soreness. Arnica is a wonder remedy, as far as I’m concerned, and should be a part of everyone’s first aid kit. My first introduction to the herb came when a family member, Sherry, came to my rescue at night, after I was accidentally smashed in the nose with great force. I heard the crunch of my cartilage and feared to look at my reflection, thinking I had been disfigured for life! Sherry was a self-taught natural herbalist and healer. I think her Cherokee blood and her close involvement in her tribe’s traditional ceremonies gave her a special talent for knowing exactly what remedy to use for what ailments. She helped me learn a lot about plants, but I had no idea about arnica until that night.

By the time she could get to me, my crying from the initial pain and shock had begun to subside, and I dared to look in the mirror. I thought my nose was broken, and two dark blue half-circles had begun to appear under my eyes. When Sherry arrived, she had me hold out my hand, and she rolled six tiny white pills into my hand. She told me to put them under my tongue and let them dissolve. I did, and I immediately felt calmer, although I wasn’t sure if it was Sherry’s presence or the arnica that made me feel better. My prescription from Sherry was to take six of these little pills every two hours for the rest of the night, and then four pills every four to six hours for the next day. I followed her suggestions faithfully.

When I woke up the next morning, I was stunned to see that the dark purple coloring that was beginning to form under my eyes had faded into a pale blue. In two days, the discoloring was completely gone! I then understood the value of arnica: It not only can help calm you down from emotional or physical trauma or shock, but it also had an almost miraculous ability to heal and prevent bruising.

Another story about arnica stems from a time when another family member of mine had to undergo some serious facial surgery. She had to be bandaged for weeks afterward, and the bandages were to be changed weekly. I was just beginning to become more learned in the use of herbal remedies, and I suggested that she take arnica.

She took the arnica several times a day, three days before her surgery, and then continued on more frequent but smaller doses after her surgery. The first week after surgery, she went in for her check-up. After her bandages were removed, she reported that her surgeon was in absolute amazement at how well she had healed! The surgeon questioned her about what she had done specifically so that he could recommend this miracle-healing agent to his future patients.

For your herbal first aid kit, I suggest that you purchase arnica homeopathic in a pill form because pills are easier to pack than a liquid. You can also obtain a jar of cream to apply to sore areas after hiking, or to put on bumps and bruises of any kind. If you can get arnica in a liquid homeopathic with a glass dropper, this is also a sufficient way to take the remedy, but it might not be as convenient for packing.

Warnings about the use of herbs

Arnica also works well when applied as an ointment or cream. However, the cream should never be applied to any open wounds or cuts because ft may cause a bacterial infection. Only apply to areas that are bruised or sore.

Ephedra, Help from China

Chinese ephedra, also commonly called ma huang, is a heart stimulant that increases circulation and opens bronchial passages. This makes it an excellent emergency remedy for anyone who is prone to asthma. Before I was on my daily herbal routine, I suffered from asthma and allergies (among many other ailments). For me, taking one or two capsules of herbs containing ephedra was equivalent to taking a shot off my bronchial inhaler. Ephedra stops bronchial constriction and eased my breathing and chest tightness within 15 minutes. If someone begins to get short of breath and has a tendency toward asthma, this remedy can be taken in small doses as a preventative remedy. It can be used in slightly larger doses if asthma strikes.

Read up on ephedra in the post “Asthma: It’s So Wheezy to Fix.” You will see that it is banned in some states and is not suitable for everyone, but this herb has been a godsend for many who used to suffer from asthma.

Ephedra can also be used as part of a weight-loss program because it curbs the craving for sweets, gives energy, and lessens appetite. Taking a capsule or two can ease a craving for camping junk food, too! What? No s’mores?

Warnings about the use of herbs

Because ephedra is a heart stimulant, those with high blood pressure or other heart problems should avoid using it. This herb is also not recommended to be used daily for more than two weeks in a row, nor should it be used by pregnant or nursing moms.

Ephedra also helps many with allergies, which could come in handy when hiking and camping. Plane travel, where you have the pleasure of breathing circulated air used by all passengers, seems to create more sniffles and sneezes as well, and ephedra can prove beneficial here, too. Just be sure to take it in small quantities, such as one capsule at a time, and see how you feel. You will usually find ephedra mixed in with other herbs to lessen the impact of the speedy feeling you can get from it.

If you live in a state or country where ephedra is not allowed, you can substitute lobelia in your herbal first aid kit in its place. Lobelia can also be used for allergies, asthma, and coughs. In higher doses, you can use lobelia as an emetic (induces vomiting), which can come in handy in case of poisonings.

Peppermint for an Uplifting Time

One of my favorite herbs and essential oils of all time is peppermint (Mentha piperita). This cooling, minty, refreshing essential oil can make a nice addition to your first aid kit for many types of uses.

First of all, peppermint is stimulating, so it can be used as a pick-me-up by rubbing a little dab onto the temples. Just be careful not to touch your eyes after touching peppermint oil. You can put a dab on the middle of your tongue, close your mouth, and inhale. The “fumes” go directly to your brain area and help keep you alert and “mintally” stimulated.

Here’s a list of the variety of ways peppermint can come in handy:

Peppermint has been used topically to alleviate migraines and headaches.
It can be rubbed onto a sore gum to ease toothache pain.
Peppermint is great for camping breath, because a little dab can refresh your entire mouth.
Some say that peppermint oil works great as a mosquito repellent, too.
On a hot day, a few drops can be added to a tiny spray bottle filled with water and sprayed onto the skin for a stimulating cooling effect.
For stomach aches, heartburn, and indigestion symptoms, a dab of the oil on the tongue can make you feel better.
For fevers, a few drops can be added to a wet washcloth and applied to the forehead.

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

Peppermint oil is also a great remedy to have on hand to stimulate blood circulation to an area. Some folks add it to their shampoos to bring circulation to the head and believe ft helps stimulate hair growth.

Now that you know what you want in your herbal first aid kit and understand the uses of each herb, you need to know where and how to conveniently put it together.

I have a couple of hints for you to make your own, although I am sure you can find some commercially packaged kits out there. If you do, you can replace whatever herbs you don’t like with the ones listed here, or you can add your own favorites.

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

Everyone should be certified in basic CPR training because it can save your life or others. CPR training is offered many places and is inexpensive and sometimes free if taken through your employer. Call your local hospital, community education center, or college, or ask your employer about getting trained in this life-saving method.

My favorite way to carry herbs for travel is in plastic Tupperware-type containers with adjustable trays to hold loose capsules. These vitamin chests can be found in most health food stores and come with stickers so you can label your compartments accordingly. The containers also are sturdy and travel well.

You will need to purchase a container that has at least six compartments if you are going to take the six herbs we talked about in this chapter. Or, you can purchase one with more compartments, and add your other first aid supplies such as bandages, sterile gauze, a sewing kit, aspirin (or white willow bark capsules), and the like. I like the hard containers because they keep the herbs from getting crushed, but if you are careful, you might find that a material case (such as a jewelry or make-up-type case made from a lightweight material) might be an easier way to carry your kit for camping.

Your Herbal First Aid Kit

Herb	External Uses	Internal Uses
Capsicum	Sprinkled in socks or mittens will warm hands or feet; can help stop bleeding	Used to flavor bland tasting backpacking food
Activated charcoal	Poultice applied to bites or stings	Poisonings
Clove oil	Toothaches, insect repellent	Parasite expeller (minute doses only)
Arnica	Muscle soreness, bruises, blood blisters	Bruising, muscle soreness, pain, shock, emotional and/or physical trauma
Blackberry tea bags	Help shrink tissues (astringent)	Can help stop diarrhea
Ephedra (ma huang)	None	Aids asthma and allergy attacks
Peppermint oil	Mental pick-me-up; good for migraines, headaches, nausea, stomach ache; cooling	Numbs toothaches, alleviates canker sore pain and headaches; mental stimulant; freshens breath; helps get rid of fever

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!

Herbal medicine

Chinese Herbal Medicine: Licensed Medical Practitioners

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April 20, 2010 at 11:39 am

Pharmacists and other allopathic clinicians should consult or seek advice about herbs and natural substances from a “qualified” medical practitioner, specifically a traditional chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner designated with a title “L.Ac.” (licensed acupuncturists). In many states including California, Oriental medical practitioners/ L.Ac.’s are the only health care practitioners who are required to study herbal medicine in medical school. Also they must be examined for competency along with a completion of internship in herbal medicine in order to obtain a clinical degree. In addition, these professionals need to pass a state board exam to be specifically licensed to prescribe herbs (Refer to December issue under extent of education and licensing requirements). L.Ac. professionals have extensive training in TCM medical theories, acupuncture, acupressure, tui na massage and other manual therapy, nutrition, medical exercises, tai chi, qi gong, etc. beside herbal medicine. They are considered primary health care providers (requiring no referral from a conventional doctor) and are authorized as physicians practicing within their scope of medicine. Therefore, traditional chinese medicine medical practitioners/L.Ac.’s have more training than someone who undergone a seminar, home-study course, or certificate program in herbal medicine. Even pharmacists or physicians whose conventional education does not have clinical medicinal herbal training. It behooves the pharmacists to consult with a L.Ac. professional about herbs and natural substances instead of relying solely on information given to them from natural product industries, health store clerks or multi-level marketing companies. TCM medical practitioners know the prohibited combinations, dietary incompatibilities, recommended dosages, herb identification, standards and regulations in dispensing herbs, administration, monitoring protocols as well as formulating a holistic diagnosis. They are less interested in selling herbal products, but are more concerned with the therapeutics of the medicine for their patients They realize that chronic conditions, like seasonal allergies, may require a multiple of modalities, such as herbal medicine, acupuncture and moxibustion. It is important for health care professionals to understand herbal medicine beyond its isolated phytochemicals and “cookbook” method of recommending herbs (matching herbal products to symptomatic conditions).

Herbal medicine | Tags: Ginkgo, St. John's Wort

Chinese Herbal Medicine: Side Effects and Interactions

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April 18, 2010 at 11:36 am

Side Effects and Interactions with Herbal Medications

Herbs are natural, but it does not mean they have no side effects. In my numerous lectures to nurses, psychologists, dentists, chiropractic students, medical students, physical therapists, pharmacy students and even business groups, the first concept I emphasize is that traditional chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners do not use herbs in the same manner as a pharmaceutical drug; matching one drug or herb to treat a condition or disease, eg, Ginkgo for memory, ginseng for energy, St. John’s Wort for depression, etc. As mentioned above, TCM uses a formula of herbs. When an herb or formula in a prescription is not achieving the desired effect, other herbs or formulas may be substituted. This allows the Chinese herbal prescription to be very flexible in its effects with virtually no side effects. With Western drugs, the range of options is often quite limited. A tablet drug contains a concentrated potency of chemicals and cannot be changed. Drugs are not as flexible; side effects from drugs cannot be altered by the clinician by changing the tablet. One does not have flexibility with a packaged product.

When Chinese herbs are used correctly in a balanced prescription according to a holistic diagnosis, herbs can be taken side by side with prescription drugs with no interaction. When herbs are used that are not based on a holistic traditional chinese medicine diagnosis, they can potentiate or antagonize the effects of drugs, leading to drug and herb interactions. However, when herbs are prescribed according to a holistic diagnosis, they should not have interactions or side effects. From my own clinical experience, herbs in the Chinese materia medica are safe and highly effective with relatively no side effects when compared to synthetic drugs. Despite all the media and aggressive reports on adverse reactions concerning herbs with drugs, none of the cases mentioned involved a qualified TCM practitioner prescribing traditional herbal formulations to treat any identified Oriental medicine diagnosis. On the other hand, over 100,000 people nationwide die each year from side effects of prescription drugs, and over 695,000 hospitalizations per year are due to adverse drug reactions, according to JAMA.

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Chinese Herbal Medicine: Energetics of Herbs

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April 16, 2010 at 11:32 am

Mechanisms of Action: Energetics of Herbs

Each herb in traditional chinese medicine (TCM) is categorized according to its natural makeup, having its own specific mechanism of action, or in TCM medical terminology, its energetics or Qi. No two plant species have the same effect upon the body because the natural chemical constitution of every single species is different. Chinese herbs are categorized according to their temperatures, tastes, directions, and therapeutic meridians, and are affected by environmental influences.

Temperatures

Temperatures are considered cold, cool, hot, warm, and neutral. Ttraditional chinese medicine employs the use of thermodynamics, the physiochemical science that deals with heat and energy, ie, the study of the flow of heat and its conversion into energy and vice versa. One example is a heating pad that relaxes the muscles in someone with distention and discomfort of the muscles. Cold and cool herbs such as Bo He (peppermint) have the mechanism to lower fever, inflammation, etc., while hot or warm herbs have properties to warm and stimulate the body. Here is an example of the use of a warm herb: A little girl on a cold Christmas day eats too much ice cream. She develops a terrible stomachache. Her stomachache, due to cold, is alleviated with hot or warm herbs such as Sheng Jiang (ginger root). Some herbs possess variation in temperatures; they have varying degrees of heat and warmth or are slightly cold in nature.

Tastes/Flavors

They are acrid/pungent/spicy, sweet, bitter, sour, salty, bland/no taste. Just like the variation in temperatures, herbs can also possess a combination of flavors, eg, spicy and sweet.

Pungent or spicy herbs have the function to disperse and move. They are diaphoretics and usually work on the respiratory system. Spicy herbs also increase circulation by pushing substances to the surface of the body to be sweated out or evaporated. This taste/flavor has the quality of dispersing stagnant pathogens or congestion and can be used to treat flu, cold-like symptoms, allergies, chicken pox, measles, etc. An example of a herb that belongs to this group is Fang Feng (ledebouriella).
Sweet flavor herbs have the energetic of a tonic or a soothing function. Its function is to nourish the body, to strengthen the patient in cases of weakness, to alleviate pain and spasms, or to harmonize and neutralize certain disease conditions. An example of an herb in this group is Huang Qi (astragalus).
Bitter flavor herbs have the mechanism of action to purge, detoxify, or dry. Bitters can be used to cure inflammation, infection, and toxic diseases as well as parasites. An herb that falls into this category is Niu Bang Zi (burdock seeds), which is often used in herbal prescriptions to treat a sore throat and cough, pharyngitis and acute tonsillitis, or abscesses.
Sour flavor herbs have the energetic function of astrigency, to gather together or coalesce. These herbs are used for conditions that traditional chinese medicine refers to as “leakage.” These conditions are frequent urination, excessive perspiration, diarrhea, premature ejaculation, vaginal discharges, etc. Sour type herbs also help to keep Qi or vital energy from escaping. Wu Wei Zi (fructus schisandra) is an example that can help to replenish Qi, arrest spontaneous sweating, seminal emission, or to stop leukorrhea.
Salty flavor herbs have the mechanism of action to soften, lubricate, or moisten. They have the function of dissolving hard lumps, tumors, and nodules, as well as softening tight muscles and alleviating bad constipation. Hai Zao (seaweed) is often used in a herbal prescription for scrofula conditions, cysts, chronic bronchitis, or lymph-like swellings.
Bland or tasteless herbs have the energetic properties to drain and leech out dampness and wetness. These herbs help to get rid of body fluid congestion or accumulation. They are diuretics and can eliminate excess water. Bland type herbs are often used in a herbal preparation to treat edema, dysuria, skin swelling, abdominal distension, rhinitis, etc.

Functional Orientations

The four directions or the functional orientation of herbs classify herbs in a way that allows them to concentrate on specific areas of the body. They are the following:

Upward directional herbs direct the concentration upward and have the mechanism of action of rising or ascending upwards. These herbs are added to herbal prescriptions that ascend to the upper part of the body to treat headaches, stiff necks, or dizziness. These herbs are also used for prolapse type conditions because they can elevate the Qi from the lower part of the body. An example of this type of herb is Chai Hu (bupleurum).
Downward directional herbs promote the flow of vital energy downward. They have the energetic functions to descend and direct the concentration downward. They are used to sedate a patient who is stressed, worried, nervous or anxious. They are also used in herbal prescriptions to treat dyspepsia, cough, asthma, vomiting, or urinary conditions. Hou Po (magnolia bark) belongs to this group.
Inward directional herbs have the mechanism of action that moves Qi to the interior of the body. These herbs have the affinity to direct its function from the surface to the internal organs. They are used in herbal prescriptions for pneumonia, diabetes, GERD, arthritis, etc. Qin Jiao (gentianae Macrophyllae) is an example of an herb that I have used in a prescription to guide the actions of other herbs inward to the spine and lumbar area.
Outward directional herbs have the opposite effect. These herbs have the energetics to direct Qi from the interior of the body to the surface of the body. Their purpose is to excite and activate the surface of the body. Their focus in dispersing toward the exterior is to open the cutaneous pores, and to promote perspiration, or to mobilize fluids. These herbs are used in prescriptions for bed sores, skin ulcers, osteomyelitis, common colds, etc. Ma Huang (ephedra sinica) is an example.

Keep in mind that most herbs have more than one directional tendency, just as they have a mixture of temperatures and tastes.

Therapeutic Meridians or Functional Sites

In traditional chinese medicine, the physiological coordination of tissues and organs is accomplished by an interconnected web of meridians. I often tell my students it is the body’s freeway system. Instead of using needles on certain acupressure points, as in acupuncture, the herbalist uses herbs to work on areas of the meridian pathway. Each herb acts on a meridian in which the therapeutic action is manifest. Most herbs have a mechanism of action on more than one meridian system such as the stomach and lung meridians, whereas another herb may enter the liver, bladder, and spleen meridian systems.

Environmental Influences

Where, how, and when herbs grow or harvest will influence the chemical constitution or energetic properties of the herb. Herbs can also be characterized by their origin of growth. “Di Dao” literally means “down to earth” and is understood as the original source of the best growth. Certain areas have a particular soil or climate that makes a herb uniquely effective and superior in potency, just as are certain grapes in wine production. That is why traditional Chinese herbal doctors are skeptical of herbs not grown in China because those herbs have not been determined over time to be optimal.

A Question of Balance; a Chinese Herbal Prescription

Medicinal herbs used in traditional chinese medicine are always prescribed to be combined in formulas to enhance their individual properties and actions, in addition to decreasing side effects. An herbal prescription usually involves between 10 to 16 herbs per formula. Some herbs are combined to complement and reinforce each other’s therapeutic action. On the other hand, some herbs are combined so that one herb can weaken, reduce, or neutralize the side effects or toxicity of the other. Many TCM herbal practitioners prefer to use herbs in the plant material form called “raw herbs” rather than pills or tablets. In this way, the prescription can be easily modified by substituting, adding or subtracting from the formula to reach its desirable therapeutic effects. Because the traditional chinese medicine practitioner holds to the Chinese belief that a person must be treated as a whole (mind, body, and spirit), he or she does not treat just symptoms. This is why TCM is considered holistic. The herbs chosen in the prescription not only take into consideration the disease syndrome and its symptoms, but they are tailored to an individual’s body constitution and emotional temperament, in an attempt to identify the systems that are out of balance so that they can be adjusted. Conventional medicine has accustomed us to thinking that if we have condition A, then we take drug B. Western herbalism also followed this same linear approach using a single herb to treat the symptoms or disease.

A typical traditional chinese medicine herbal prescription involves a combination of herbs that has been uniquely tailored to the holistic needs of each patient, eg, the exact nature of the patient’s overall physical and psychological loss of balance. Even though several patients may have similar conditions, their formulas will differ. With Western drugs, the pharmacotherapy is similar or the same for a disease. An example is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); the Chinese herbal formula, however, uses very different herbs for two people with IBS. In fact, the TCM practitioner will probably vary the formula based upon changes in the overall energetic picture of the individual over time. A formula will be appropriate only for a particular length of time. Because changes should and do occur, a skilled herbal practitioner will monitor changes and adjust the patient’s herbal prescription periodically.

Herbal medicine

Chinese Herbal Medicine: Historical Significance

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April 14, 2010 at 11:30 am

Visiting a Chinese herbal pharmacy is much like being inside a miniature museum of natural science. A nursing student intern once told me this during her first week of clinical rotation at the Center For Integrated Medicine. Tucked away in row after row of tidy drawers are ingredients derived from animal, plant, and mineral sources. The filling of a prescription is a fascinating process to watch. The intern selects each herb ingredient from one of the drawers to be weighed on a Chinese scale. The herbs are laid out on a flat white sheet of paper and after an Oriental medical practitioner reviews the accuracy of the prescription, he or she then neatly wraps it in a bundle and it is given to the patient. In this case it is a patient who has been prescribed an herbal medication for migraine headaches and who is also undergoing acupuncture and massage treatment by this same medical practitioner. The herbal medicine is taken home to be boiled into a “soup” or tea decoction and drunk accordingly.

In Asia, herbal medicine is used first before any other traditional chinese medicine (TCM) modality such as acupuncture, moxibustion, massage, etc. The TCM apothecary is one of the oldest and most efficacious in the world. Western medicine originated with the Romans and Greeks around 200 AD and Western pharmaceuticals only attained their present status in the 1920s with the discovery of penicillin. On the other hand, time-tested Chinese herbal remedies have helped billions of people for nearly 5,000 years and scientists today are still puzzled over their therapeutic effectiveness. More and more Americans are currently using some form of alternative or complementary health therapies, in particular traditional chinese medicine. This series of articles is intended to dispel some of the confusion over herbal medicine that currently exists.

Historical Significance

Over the millennia, Chinese people, using themselves as guinea pigs, have tested plants for their medicinal properties. According to Chinese medical texts, Shen Nung, the father of agriculture/husbandry and leader of an ancient clan, taught the Chinese people how to raise crops and rear domestic animals around 3500 BC. He also showed how to identify various therapeutic herbs to cure an illness. It is written in historical records, “When ancient people suffered from diseases, no therapeutic medicine was known. Therefore Emperor Shen Nung began to taste various herbs and even encountered species of poisonous ones.”

Shen Nung identified the therapeutic value of herbs in a time prior to Chinese written history. His achievements were handed down verbally to following generations. Thus in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shen Nung is recognized both as the discoverer of natural drugs and as the first pharmacist.

Huang Ti (circa 2800 BC), translated as the Yellow Emperor, is considered to be the father of internal medicine and a patron of TCM doctors. During his reign, he appointed health ministers to take charge of healing by tasting herbs/plants and recording herbal formulas. He advanced the study of physiology, pathology, classification of diseases, systems of acupuncture meridians, etc. The “Nei Jing” (translated as the “Inner Classics”), written years later, is attributed to Huang Ti and is considered the first comprehensive text on internal medicine.

Around 200 AD, Zhang Zhong Jing, revered as a medical saint of traditional chinese medicine, produced a valuable practical text called “Shang Han Lun” or Treatise on Diseases Caused by Cold Factors. This text still relates to present day illnesses, specifically colds, flus, and febrile diseases and their treatment with herbs. A pharmacist called Ko Hung, 300 AD, was famous for his text on herbs that prolonged life and his refining theories in chemistry, discovery of diseases, and herbal treatments for those diseases. He also used an application of herbs on the skin.

A pharmacologist, Tao Hung Ching, 480 AD, compiled records and arranged them into a book attributed to his mentor Shen Nung called Shen Nung Ben Cao Jing, which is translated as Shen Nung’s Classic of Materia Medica. This pharmacopoeia classified 700 herbs into groups, eg, superior/tonifying herbs, general herbs and into seven major categories such as stones, zoological ingredients, vegetables, crops, etc. About 1550 AD, Li Shi Zhen, a physician of natural medicine, compiled another now famous text called Ben Cao Gang Mu, which is a medical pharmacopoeia that catalogued 1,900 herbal substances. He rearranged the materia medica of earlier years according to the binomial system and included some 1,160 plant illustrations.

This manuscript was the most comprehensive classification of herbs at that time. Only a handful of the original editions survive in China and Japan, and one copy is at the Library of Congress, in Washington, D.C. Copies have been reprinted and translated into different languages, first into other Asian languages, then into German, Russian, and later into English. It took B.E. Reid of England 20 years to translate this Chinese herbal pharmacopoeia into English in 1932.

The modern Chinese materia medica contains some 5,800 natural ingredients. Through the years, the Chinese have incorporated herbs from all parts of the world into their materia medica. Herbs that are not Chinese in origin are called “Chinese herbs” because they are prescribed according to Chinese medical theory and TCM pattern diagnosis.

It is necessary for pharmacists to understand Chinese herbology from the standpoint of traditional chinese medicine holistic and natural principles. They should not always evaluate herbal therapy strictly from a Western or allopathic model. In comparison, before one can begin to learn Western or conventional pharmacology, one needs to learn the basic foundation of anatomy, physiology, and chemistry. Therefore, it is important to understand herbal medicine from a perspective of an entirely different medical model.

To begin to understand Chinese herbal pharmacology, one needs to review the framework of traditional chinese medicine established several millennia ago. TCM is a system based on universal natural law; the fundamental principle is that the human body must be balanced within itself and with the cosmos. The concept of “Qi” (pronounced chee or chi) is considered the vital energy or force that is central to traditional chinese medicine thought. The Chinese believe that everything in the universe results from the movements and changes of Qi. Qi is present in all living organisms. Qi circulates in the body along the meridian and channel system that I will discuss in the next article, on acupuncture. Qi also exists in plants, grains, and whole foods. Biosciences have little explanation for Qi, but pharmacists can look into quantum physics to help get a better understanding of this concept.