Richard Gerber, M.D.
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 These extra ingredients contained within the herb may offer additional aid toward resolving the patient's illness. Unfortunately, there are few available research studies which compare herbal treatment of diseases with synthetic drugs derived from the same plants.
The drug proponents counter with an argument stating that there is considerable variability of active drug concentration within different samples of harvested plants. |
Dr. Vern Cherewatenko and Paul Perry
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 On my own, I began to diet, exercise, take vitamins and minerals, and even experiment with the herb hydroxycitric acid, which I would eventually prescribe to patients in my own practice. After several months of hard work and behavioral change, I cured my own diabetes. I have never taken a glucose control medication again.
One of the ironies in my situation was that none of my professors at medical school ever told me I could cure diabetes. And, of course, no one researched the benefits of herbal remedies on type 2 diabetes. Instead they were tightly focused on the art of giving medicine. |
Stanton Peele
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 When it came my turn I said: 'My name is herb,' and before they could say anything I continued: 'And I am NOT an alcoholic, I am an Episcopalian drunk.' "
Herb thought it was funny. He still does. But THEY didn't. With perhaps a bit of hyperbole he says, "I consider myself lucky to have got out of there alive."6
Rudy noted a speech given by a member to new affiliates at AA:
If you think you have a problem, or if you think you are an alcoholic, I assure you that you are. You wouldn't be thinking about it and you wouldn't be here if you weren't an alcoholic. |
Jack Challem
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 Among these are the herb Ginkgo biloba and garlic. Lycopene, a carotenoid that gives tomatoes their red color, has been associated with a relatively low risk of stomach cancer, though this association does not directly prove prevention. In addition, animal experiments suggest that food allergies also might irritate the stomach and lead to gastritis and ulcers.
An estimated 30 percent of people over age sixty-five suffer from atrophic gastritis, a chronic inflammation of the stomach associated with a wasting away of stomach tissues. |
Laurie Deutsch Mozian, M.S., R.D.
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 This vegetable also is used as an herb. It is a good source of the anticancer monoterpene limonene. It is sold fresh in the produce section of the grocery store, and the seeds are sold dried for brewing tea. Fresh fennel can be sliced into a salad. It's used most notably in Italian cookery in the making of soups.
Fennel seeds can be used as a carminative (inducer of gas expulsion) and as a diuretic. They are highly regarded by the noted herbalist Culpeper for their ability to "expel wind and provoke urine. |
Dianne Onstad
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 Culinary Uses
Dill is a fragrant, decorative plant whose delicate flavor cannot be matched by any othet herb. The feathery green leaves have a subtle, piquant flavor, similar to mild caraway, good for enhancing the natural flavors of cucumbers, green salads, vegetables, soups, and stews. Dill seeds have a slightly sharper taste than the leaves and are quite plainly bitter. They are used in pickles, cheese dishes, salad dressings, potato salads, and occasionally in cakes and pastries. Fresh dill leaves and seeds are preferable to the dried forms. |
Tanya Harter Pierce
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 One researcher wrote:
According to a formerly classified 1954 technical report by herb Parker, former Director of the Health division at Hanford, the operators at Hanford knowingly discharged at least 8,000 curies of radioactive material per day into the Columbia River. The discharges from Hanford exposed people who ate fish and waterfowl, swam or boated on the river, irrigated their fields with water from the river, or simply drank the water from the Columbia River (such as residents of Pasco). |
Patrick Holford
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 Boswellic acid: This is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, and therefore helpful with conditions such as arthritis; it is found in the herb frankincense.
Capsaicin: Abundant in hot peppers, it helps protect DNA from damage.
Carotenoids: As the name implies, carotenoids—one type of which is beta-carotene—are plentiful in carrots. They are also abundant in other fruit and vegetables including sweet potato, watercress, and peas. They act as important antiaging antioxidants.
Chlorophyll: This is the substance that makes green plants green. |
Tanya Harter Pierce
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| After receiving this information, rather than supporting the use of Essiac for cancer, the Canadian government immediately banned the sale and distribution of the sheep sorrel herb.5 (It is nor banned in the United States or other countries, however.) One can only guess at their reasons for doing this.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Rene Caisse tried to get various pharmaceutical companies interested in producing her formula for widespread use. The only stipulation she gave them was "that Essiac be put to immediate use with cancer patients. |
James A. Howenstine, MD
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 The dose recommended is 300 mg twice daily of standardized herb containing .3% hypericin. St. John's Wort is widely available in health food stores and can be obtained from Natural Health Team 800-416-2806.
A second natural agent for treating depression is the herbal extract 5-hydroxytyptophan which is the direct precursor of serotonin. The dose is 100 mg three times daily.
SAME (s-adenyl-methionine) is another natural antidepressant. SAME is found in every cell in the body. |
| Gymnema Sylvestre (GS)
Animal experiments have shown that animals which have their Beta cells destroyed by alloxan are able to regenerate Beta cells after a few months when taking GS, a herb grown in India. The Beta cell is the cell that produces insulin. Diabetics needing insulin treatment (Type 1) have been able to decrease their insulin after GS therapy.
Antibetic: This compound contains 10 herbs including GS, all of which have been tested and found to exhibit a lowering of the blood sugar. Antibetic has brought about a fall in blood sugar in many patients. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 It's all part of the ongoing debate in which the FDA says all drugs are safe unless they're from Canada, in which case they're dangerous, unless we have a flu vaccine shortage, in which case they're safe, unless it's made from a plant or herb, in which case it just might kill you.
The FDA has vowed to continue protecting American consumers by making sure they pay the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs. Apparently that's great for the U.S. economy unless, of course, you happen to actually live in the U.S. |
Mary G. Enig
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 Borage is reported to have originated in the Mediterranean area and spread to Europe where it became a popular herb growing in gardens. The leaves and flowers are used in salads or soups. Borage also grows all over North America. The oil is pale yellow with an odor of the herb.
Typical fatty acid composition of borage oil is 10 percent palmitic acid, 4 percent stearic acid, 16 percent oleic acid, 38 percent linoleic acid, 23 percent garmna-linolenic acid, and 8 percent gadoleic acid, erucic acid, and nervonic acid (C20:l, C22:l, C24:l). Total tocopherol values are reported as 0. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 REPPED: This is part four of our investigative report into Hoodia Gordonii, a natural appetite suppressant herb. As part of our investigation, we interviewed hoodia growers and suppliers, learning that con artists are hard at work trying to ride the current wave of hoodia publicity. When there's money to be made fooling people, you can bet someone will step up to the plate and start selling counterfeit hoodia at a premium. One hoodia source, I've been told, is selling ground up tree bark as hoodia powder. Another is selling plants that aren't even the right species! |
Dr. Michael Heinrich, Joanne Barnes, Simon Gibbons and Elizabeth M. Williamson
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 The flavones interact with the benzodiazepine-binding site of the GABAA receptor, with wogonin and baicalein being the most potent; this supports the sedative use of the herb. Baicalein is antigenotoxic in vitro and inhibits adhesion molecule expression induced by thrombin and cell proliferation of
OH-Y\
OH O Baicalin several types of cells. Wogonin inhibits nitric oxide production in activated C6 rat glial cells, acting via NF-kB inhibition and thus suppressing cell death. |
| China in patients with chronic hepatitis, where it improved symptoms in over 70% of patients, increasing appetite, relieving abdominal distension and improving the results of liver function tests. Wogonin also suppresses production of hepatitis B virus surface antigen. The flavones interact with the benzodiazepine-binding site of the GABAA receptor, with wogonin and baicalein being the most potent; this supports the sedative use of the herb. |
| Other reported effects for the herb include anti-ulcer activity and spasmolytic effects. The powdered leaf is taken at an internal dose of 0.5-1 g daily, or the equivalent in the form of an extract (see Cheng et al 2000, Maquart et al 1999, Shukla et al 1999).
Toxicology
Allergic contact dermatitis and photosensitivity have been reported after topical application; also, occasional burning pain following injections, or the local application of powder, has been reported.
Reishi mushroom, Ganoderma spp.
The plants and the drug
Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis Fr.) P. Karst., G. japon-icum (Fr. |
| Of course, more than one of these situations may apply within a single herb.
SOME EXAMPLES OF POLYVALENT ACTION
Ginkgo biloba
The ginkgolides are known to be platelet-activating factor (RAF) antagonists, which is one of their mechanisms of anti-inflammatory activity, and a synergistic interaction between ginkgolides A and B has been shown. Wagner's group in Munich used an in vitro platelet aggregation test and a positive interaction was shown by an isobole curve using a 50% mixture of the two. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 REPPED: This is part six of our investigative series on hoodia gordonii, the natural appetite suppressant herb now gaining widespread popularity as a potential weight loss pill. If you've read much about hoodia, it all sounds rather convincing: lose weight without feeling hungry. What could be easier?
But is it really true?
Let's take a hard look at the science and reality of using hoodia. First, there's the problem that there's only one decent study on hoodia, and it was conducted on a small number of people, all of whom were obese. |
Dr. Michael Heinrich, Joanne Barnes, Simon Gibbons and Elizabeth M. Williamson
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| Comparison of the antispastic effect of cannabis herb extract with a matching dose of isolated tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). *P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001 compared to baseline (paired Hest); *"P<0.01 compared to percentage inhibition in THC-treated mice (f-test). Results represent recordings from eight animals; 1 2 limbs were analysed per group. the relevant isoboles for proof. It is an immense undertaking and prohibitively expensive in terms of time and money. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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| And what is the safety of this herb for pregnant women? I don't think that question has been sufficiently addressed.
My own experience with hoodia
In addition to my skepticism about the studies conducted on hoodia so far, my own experience with hoodia uncovers some additional questions. Naturally, I tested hoodia on myself for quite some time (several months). During that time, I carefully noted my level of hunger three times a day (rating my appetite on a scale of 1 - 10), and noted my dosage of hoodia gordonii. |
Dr. Vern Cherewatenko and Paul Perry
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| In my program, I use a common weight-loss herb known as hydroxycitric acid, or HCA, which has been used for years as an herbal alternative to diet drugs like fen-phen and Redux.
HCA., unlike these controversial diet drugs that work by altering brain chemistry, allows the muscles of the body to absorb more glucose. When this happens, a "full" signal is sent to the brain, resulting in a reduced food intake.
In addition to increasing the rate of glucose absorption, hydroxycitric acid also binds up leftover glucose in the bloodstream, slowing down the rate at which glucose is converted to fat. |
Maesimund B. Panos, M.D. and Jane Heimlich
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 Rue, its common name, "the herb of grace," has been used as an herbal medicine for thousands of years. When the shinbone is bruised, this injures the sensitive bone covering known as the periosteum. Ruta acts specifically on these tissues, as well as on sprained wrists and ankles.
Recently, a patient told of tripping over a puppy's bed placed near the stairs to the basement and pitching headlong down the stairs. Grasping the edge of one step halfway down, she was fortunate to emerge with nothing worse than a badly scraped shin. |
Bradley J. Willcox, M.D., D. Craig Willcox, Ph.D., Makoto Suzuki, M.D.
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 Poached Chicken with herb Dressing (chicken) Cumin-Chili Cauliflower Hearty Vegetable Soup 2 whole-grain dinner rolls Roasted Summer Peach jasmine or decaf tea
Breakfast
Banana-Vanilla French Toast
1 orange
1 cup jasmine tea
Mid-A.M. Snack
1 low-cal snack tea or coffee
Tuesday_
Breakfast
1 cup hot porridge with brown sugar to taste 1 apple cup skim or soy milk jasmine tea
Mid-A.M. Snack
1 low-cal snack tea or coffee
Wednesday_
Breakfast
Apricot-Yogurt Soy Smoothie
1/2 whole-wheat bagel with 1 teaspoon fat-free cream cheese or soy cream cheese jasmine tea
Mid-A.M. |
Patrick Holford
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| The active ingredients of this powerful natural anti-inflammatory herb are "withanolides." In animal studies, ashwagandha has proven highly effective against arthritis. In one study, animals with arthritis were given ashwagandha, hydrocortisone, or placebo. While hydrocortisone produced a 44 percent reduction in symptoms, ashwagandha produced an 89 percent reduction, making it substantially more effective than cortisone.34 Try 1,000 mg a day of the root, providing 1.5 percent withanolides.
One of the most effective natural painkillers of all is an extract from hops called IsoOxygene. |
| Limit alcohol, coffee, tea, sugar, and saturated fat (as in meat and dairy products) and increase your intake of fresh fruit, vegetables, water, herb teas, and diluted juices. It is also well worth taking a good all-round multivitamin and mineral supplement, plus at least 1,000 mg of vitamin C a day.
Your skin is a remarkable barometer of your body's health and, as such, is very much affected by how well you are internally. We've all looked a bit pale after a few too many parties. |
| Drink six to eight glasses of water a day as water or in diluted juices or herb or fruit teas.
Minimize your intake of alcohol, coffee, and tea.
The nutritional benefits of water are explained more fully in chapter 18. Vitamins
Although needed in much smaller amounts than fat, protein, or carbohydrate, vitamins are no less important. They "turn on" enzymes, which in turn make all body processes happen. |
Bradley J. Willcox, M.D., D. Craig Willcox, Ph.D., Makoto Suzuki, M.D.
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| It's eaten as a spice, imbibed as a tea, and used as a medicinal herb to reduce inflammation; its bright golden color was even used as a dye in the old days—and is a brilliant complement to the deep green chard in this recipe. |
| The longer you cook this herb, the stronger the flavor becomes in the pan. Use sparingly—only a tiny bit is needed for quick-prep dishes. Simmer thyme in stews. Add it to crumbled tofu to make tofu burgers. Sprinkle the leaves on fish or poultry before broiling or baking. Heat the leaves in apple jelly and use as a sauce with sauteed tofu and vegetables. To use thyme, remove the tiny leaves by running your fingers down the stem from top to bottom. Use the whole leaves.
TEN DELIGHTFUL SPICES
Allspice {Pimento officinalis). |
| Grind whole cardamom with an herb grinder before cooking. Cardamom adds an exotic sweetness to cake dough, ice cream, milk tea, and fruity sweet dishes. See the recipe for Soy Masala Chai on page 353.
CHILI {Capsicum frutescens). As chilies mature, their spiciness increases. Okinawans like to place a handful of fresh chili in local rice wine. Makes a great flavoring for noodle dishes, vegetables, and fish dishes. (Chilies also get hotter the longer they're cooked.) Chilies are wonderful in stir-fries, gua-camole, salsas, chili con carne, baked beans, deviled eggs, and curry spice mix. |
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