| Another herb that catches Dr. Tyler's fancy is hawthorn, which, he says, acts on the body in two ways: "First, it dilates the blood vessels, especially the coronary vessels, reducing peripheral resistance and thus lowering the blood pressure. It is thought to reduce the tendency to angina attacks. Second, it apparently has a direct, favorable effect on the heart itself, which is especially noticeable in cases of heart damage. Hawthorn's action is not immediate but develops very slowly. Its toxicity is low as well, becoming evident only in large doses. |
Gary Null, Ph.D.
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 Results showed the herb given at a median effective dose of of 31 mg/kg significantly decreased the rates of systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure while having no effect on heart rate.
—A.S. Abdulghani, et al., "Hypotensive Effect of Crataegus Oxyacantha," International
Journal of Crude Drug Research, 25(4), 1987, p. 216-220.
In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, middle-age chronic heart failure patients received a daily dose of 600 mg of Crataegus extract for 8 weeks. Results showed significant reductions in systolic blood pressure and heart rate relative to controls.
—U. |
Bradley J. Willcox, D. Craig Willcox, and Makoto Suzuki
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 This occurs both in the test tube and in the body, a critical hurdle before a drug or herb can gain credibility as an anticancer agent. In the lab, rats pretreated with turmeric had far fewer tumors than their untreated counterparts when exposed to cancer-causing chemicals.15 Turmeric possesses significant antioxidant properties, comparable to that of vitamins E or C, which is probably why it proves powerful against cancer.'6 The American Institute for Cancer Research has reported some degree of inhibition for cancers of the GI tract, including oral, esophageal, stomach, and colon cancers. |
Dr. Julian Whitaker
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| Kava. herb (Piper methysticum) that targets the limbic system to help relieve anxiety and produce a sense of calm and peacefulness without impairing concentration or memory.
LA. See Linoleic acid.
Lecithin. Naturally occurring compound that is rich in phosphatidyl choline, an important component of nerve cell membranes.
Left hemisphere. Left side of the cerebrum. This hemisphere controls the right side of the body and is the dominant region for language, mathematical abilities, and logic in the majority of people.
Limbic system. |
the Editors of FC&A Medical Publishing
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 The sulfur compounds in this amazing herb not only lower cholesterol and triglycerides, but they also go after only the LDL or "bad" cholesterol and leave the HDL or "good" cholesterol alone.
Garlic can also lower blood pressure so your arteries don't take as much of a pounding. Thanks to a substance called ajoene, garlic keeps your blood from clumping and clotting. One study even showed garlic helps your aorta, the body's main artery, remain elastic as you age.
Experts recommend getting 4 grams of garlic — about one clove — into your diet each day.
Fiber. |
Dr. Gary Null
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 On the other hand, yogurt containing lactobacillus acidophilus is helpful in the diet, as are evening primrose oil, fish oil, and linseed oil, which contain essential fatty acids that appear to have antifungal actions, grapefruit seed extract, water extracts of the herb Cassia alata, and kyolic garlic extract.
Natural substances that can be used as external treatments for Candida, according to studies, are honey, used in an undiluted and unprocessed form as a dressing, boric acid suppositories, lactate-gel, an acid cream, and a solution of tea tree oil used as a douche. |
Dr. Julian Whitaker
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| HTP; or 150 to 300 milligrams of the herb valerian (standardized to contain 0.8-percent valeric acid).
Step 9—Enhance Brain Function With Hormones
If you are over age forty-five or fifty, I suggest having a hormone analysis done at your doctor's office. If your levels are low, consider hormone replacement therapy. |
| I also recommend the antistress herb ginseng—either 75 to 150 milligrams per day of Panax ginseng (standardized for 7-percent ginsenosides), or 75 to 150 milligrams per day of Siberian ginseng (standardized for 0.8-percent eleutherosides). The hormones DHEA and melatonin also combat the effects of stress.
For depression, you might want to try 300 milligrams twice a day of St. John's wort (standardized to contain 0.3-percent hypericin). For anxiety, try 150 milligrams one to six times per day of kava (standardized to contain 30-percent kavalactones). |
Isadore Rosenfeld, M.D.
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 Millions take this herb seriously—for whatever ails them. There is a worldwide, multimillion-dollar industry based on ginseng, most of which now comes from the Far East.
Ginseng is a root with a long history. The Chinese have been using it for centuries. Early American colonists, including our own Daniel Boone, were ginseng devotees too. In the past twenty years, there has been a resurgence in interest in this root in this country. Although some form or other is grown throughout the world, the traditional, classic product is the Panax variety of Chinese origin. |
| Or you may have heard of chuifong toukuwan, a Chinese herb that does contain some agents that reduce inflammation. I'd stay away from it; some of its ingredients are so toxic they're illegal in this country.
The beneficial action of aspirin and the NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) suggests that fish oils might be an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. This subject is currently being studied in many medical research laboratories. Aspirin and NSAIDs counter the effects of prostaglandins, chemicals that promote inflammation. |
| I asked, because so many of my own patients had regaled me with stories of how their arthritis was "cured" by a wide variety of foods, ranging from honey-laced apple cider vinegar to some herb or other food purchased in a local health food store. "Do you have any food allergies?" he asked. "None that I know of," I responded. "Then there is no diet that will help your osteoarthritis."
That's what the Arthritis Foundation says too. I also checked the latest Merck Manual (sixteenth edition) under "osteoarthritis. |
Prevention Magazine
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 Your best bet, researchers say, is to make liberal use of both forms of the herb.
Store it carefully. Exposing dried basil to heat, light, or air for long periods will cause many of the protective compounds to break down. To extract the most healing power, it's important to store basil in a cool, dark place, preferably in a glass or metal container. |
Isadore Rosenfeld, M.D.
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| So as is the case with any unproven remedy, I'd be very cautious about using any herb without identifying all of its ingredients.
In summary, if you suffer from migraines, avoid those situations, foods, and beverages that you know from experience will bring on an attack. The most common offenders are tyramine-rich foods such as aged cheese, yeast, and processed and nitrite-containing meats, as well as red wine and beer.
Perhaps the best news to emerge from all the recent research in the headache area is the finding that sex often alleviates the pain. |
Michael T. Murray, N.D., Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D.
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 The most useful herb in most cases of bladder infection is uva ursi (Arctostaphylos uva ursi: bearberry or upland cranberry). Most research has focused on uva ursi's urinary antiseptic component, arbutin, which typically comprises seven to nine percent of the leaves. Arbutin is converted to hydro-quinone (a related compound with urinary tract antiseptic properties) and glucose in the body (hydroquinone is most effective in an alkaline urine). However, crude plant extracts are more effective medicinally than isolated arbutin.22 Uva ursi is reported to be especially active against E. |
Gabriel Cousens, M.D.
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 Garlic is another excellent vata-balancing herb. Cumin is also beneficial. The one danger for vata is using too many hot spices, which may eventually aggravate vata. Coriander, saffron, parsley, and fenugreek are neutral to unbalancing for vata. Cayenne in small amounts is good for its heating quality, but in excess may sometimes be too activating and drying.
Drinks that aggravate vata contain caffeine; are carbonated, ice cold, or cooling; or are astringent and bitter. Cathartic drinks, such as prune juice, also aggravate. |
Ralph Golan, M.D.
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 A stronger antibacterial-acting herb may be needed, such as goldenseal (two to four capsules four to six times a day for a week).
• If the above approaches do not quickly alleviate the burning of cystitis, use marshmallow root (1 or 2 cups of strongly brewed tea every hour, or three or four capsules of the powdered root every one to two hours until symptoms subside). Marshmallow root soothes the lining of the urinary tract, although it has no antibacterial effect. It can be discontinued soon after the. burning ceases, but continue other remedies for at least a week. |
Prevention Magazine
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| There are substances in this herb that can help calm your stomach and even, researchers believe, play a role in preventing cancer.
Keeping (ells Healthy
The research is still preliminary, but laboratory studies suggest that compounds found in basil may help disrupt the dangerous chain of events that can lead to the development of cancer.
In one study, researchers in India spiked the food of a group of laboratory animals with basil extract, while animals in a second group were given only their usual diet. |
Ralph Golan, M.D.
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| Try Bitters Formula, available from herb Pharm of Williams, Oregon.) If alcohol is not contraindicated, an aperitif, such as Campari or Angostura bitters, may work in the same manner.
Although anyone can purchase proteases and other plant and aspergillus-derived enzymes from a health food store, it is unlikely that this alone will successfully balance pH levels and restore full stomach function. Additionally, you should seek the supervision of a doctor skilled in the use of comprehensive urinalysis and the various enzyme formulations designed for metabolic balancing. |
Dr. Julian Whitaker
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| John's wort. herb (Hypericum perforatum) used therapeutically to relieve depression. Studies have shown that it works as well as certain prescription antidepressants, without the side effects.
Saturated fat. Type of fat found in animal products and tropical oils that has a rigid chemical structure and is solid or semi-solid at room temperature; excess dietary saturated fat promotes obesity and heart disease.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). |
Peggy O'Mara
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 Encourage all sick children to drink plenty of fluids, preferably water, herb teas, or diluted fruit juice (not sweet or fizzy drinks, as sugar is a stimulant), either warm or cold as desired. Don't give acidic drinks (orange or lemon juice) to a child with mumps, as they will irritate sore salivary glands. Children who are reluctant to drink will often suck on a wet sponge or washcloth, especially if the water is warm, or try an ice cube or frozen fruit juice. If you are breastfeeding a sick baby, continue to nurse as often as your baby asks. The breast is comforting at a time like this. |
J. E. Williams, O.M.D.
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 In colonial America, the specific herb for break-bone fever was boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), a member of the daisy family (Astericae) to which echinacea also belongs. It is prepared as a strong infusion and drunk as a tea; it may also be used as a tincture combined with echinacea, and homeopathic preparations are also available.
Yellow Fever and Other Viral Disasters: Arthropod-borne viruses, diseases caused by "blood-sucking" insects, produce an array of viral illnesses that range from mild flu-like symptoms to death. |
| It is a perennial herb native to northern China, across northern Asia, and parts of Europe. Bupleurum contains several saponin compounds (saikos-aponin c, a, and d), triterpene glycosides (saikosides), the essential oils furfural and bupleurumol, and flavonoids. It is reported to have antiinflammatory properties, to activate phagocytosis, and be liver protective; it stimulates T and B cells, and inhibits herpes simplex and other viruses. In Chinese medicine, the root is used medicinally to treat unresolved respiratory tract infections and hepatitis. |
| The innate defense system, the wei qi, is deficient.
The herb of first choice for qi and yang deficiency is huang chi, also known as astragalus (Astragalus mcmbranaceus). |
| In this case, you can use the Chinese yin tonic herb, nu zhen zi, or ligustrum (Ligustrum lucidum).
Like astragalus, ligustrum has been extensively studied in the laboratory and in clinical research. Its active ingredient is oleanolic acid, or ligustrin, and it is used to treat inflammation in immune-deficient patients. It has been shown to reduce alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis, promote phagocytosis by macrophages, and improve white blood cell count in cancer patients whose immune function has been suppressed by radiation or chemotherapy. |
| The dosage is 6-15 g of the dried herb made into a tea or 500-1,000 mg of the extract, three times daily, taken 10-20 minutes before food. It is safe even in very high dosages.
CdUtiOfl' 'n traditional Chinese medicine, cordyceps is considered safe and may be taken over a long period of time. However, it is contraindicated in external conditions, i.e., it should not be used if fever is present, during an active cold or flu, or the acute phases of a reactivated virus. |
| The final word is not yet out on echinacea, but I will attempt to explain some of the issues this controversial herb has created and how it is best used.
There have been at least fifteen randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials (the "gold standard" of medical research) testing echinacea's effectiveness for viral upper-respiratory tract infections. An excellent review article of these trials was written by Bruce Barrett, M.D., Ph.D. |
Dr. Julian Whitaker
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| Interestingly, there was little difference in the degree of improvement between those taking the high and low doses of the herb.
Vinpocetine also steps up energy production in brain cells. It has been studied as a memory booster for young, healthy people, in whom it has been shown to improve short-term memory. In addition, it appears to have anticonvulsant properties. A Russian study of epileptic patients demonstrated that vinpocetine reduced the frequency and, in some cases, completely eliminated epileptic seizures in twenty of the thirty-one patients involved in the study. |
| For example, let's say you are shopping for the herb feverfew, which is used for the prevention of migraine headaches. You go into a store and find, say, six different brands of feverfew. Some may be tablets, some may be capsules, and the potency of each may vary, but all of the products appear to be pretty much the same. How do you know which brand to choose? You may decide, all things appearing equal, to purchase the least expensive. Or you may be of the "you get what you pay for" school of thought and select the most expensive brand. |
Andrew L. Stoll
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 Purslane, a richer source of alpha-linolenic acid than any other commercially available leafy green, is a perfect herb for pesto. But the stems can be sour, so just use the leaves. If you can't find purslane, replace it with parsley. You'll still have a good dose of alpha-linolenic acid from the walnuts and flaxseed oil. |
Carol Simontacchi
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 Gotu kola is another herb that is good for memory and reducing age-related cognitive decline.
The amino acid GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid) is a calming amino acid that greatly reduces anxiety. GABA's sister amino acid, L-glutamine, is also calming and helps reduce addictive cravings (nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, sugar, and other drugs).
L-tryptophan (in the form of 5-hydroxytryptophan, or 5-HTP) is converted in the body to serotonin, a calming neurotransmitter. |
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