| S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine (SAMe) isn't an herb or hormone. In fact, it is a chemical compound found in all living cells. In most people, the body manufactures all the SAMe it needs from the amino acid methionine, found in soybeans, eggs, seeds, lentils, and meat. SAMe appears to regulate more than 35 different mechanisms and helps the body maintain cell membranes, remove toxic substances, and produce mood-enhancing neurotransmitters. |
| Caution: This herb contains MAO (monoamine oxidase) inhibitors. Do not take if you're pregnant. Avoid prolonged sun exposure while using St. John's wort; it :an make skin more sensitive to sunlight.
• There is some evidence that acemannan, a compound found in iloe, may be beneficial in treating AIDS. Test-rube studies show it d be active against HIV
• Astragalus, while not having demonstrated any anti-HIV effect, i an immune booster. Caution: Do not use if you have a fever. |
Earl Mindell
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 Recent research shows that the whole rosemary herb may be an up-and-coming cancer fighter. It has been found to act as an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory, to prevent carcinogens from binding to DNA, and to stimulate liver detoxification of carcinogens. Used externally in an ointment, rosemary leaves may soothe rheumatism aches, sprains, wounds, bruises, and eczema. Taken internally, in the proper preparation, it can relieve flatulence, colic, and upset stomach.
CAUTION: Rosemary can be toxic in large quantities.
151. Saint John's Wort
Called nature's Prozac™, St. |
Sheldon Saul Hendler and David Rorvik
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 INTERACTIONS
There are no reported drug, nutritional supplement, food or herb interactions with phosphatidylserine.
OVERDOSAGE
There are no reports of overdosage.
LD50 in rats is more than 5g/kg, and in rabbits is more than 2g/kg.
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
Phosphatidylserine supplements derived from both bovine brain and from soya lecithin are available. Phosphatidylserine derived from soya lecithin undergoes an enzymatic process that converts phosphatidylcholine to phosphatidylserine. |
volker schulz and Rudolf Hansel
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 Both plants contain yellow dyes, curcuminoids, and essential oil, with each species showing a typical composition. Both species are equivalent in their long-known cholagogic effects. In addition, curcuma preparations have been described as having carminative, lipid-lowering and antineoplastic properties. Curcuminoids are powerful antioxidants, and this property could form a basis for new therapeutic uses of turmeric. Reviews on the pharmacognosy, pharmacology, and therapeutic use of curcuma can be found in Hansel (1997) and in Fintelmann and Wegener (2001). |
Earl L. Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
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 However, the lowly feverfew is not revealing its healing secrets, and the freeze-dried herb in capsules, or a tincture of the fresh leaves, is still the best way to take the plant. Feverfew has also been used successfully to treat arthritis.
Treating Chronic Pain
As scientists research pain, they're finding that a wide variety of techniques which induce relaxation and increase body awareness can be used very effectively to beat the demon of chronic pain. |
| Licorice (not the candy made with anise, the herb or root) can be an antidiuretic and reduce the actions of these drugs.
Eating a lot of meat can increase uric acid even more, increasing the possibility of gout.
If you are sensitive to MSG, its negative effects can be exaggerated when you're taking diuretics.
What Nutrients Do Loop Diuretics Deplete or Throw Out of Balance?
Minerals, especially sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium and magnesium.
Taken long term, loop diuretics cause a depletion of the vitamin thiamine (Bl), which plays a key role in the functioning of the nervous system. |
| Make Garlic a Staple of Your Diet
Garlic is the herb of legend and myth. It is mentioned in the Bible, in Homer's Odyssey, in ancient Chinese texts, and has been found in the tombs of ancient Egyptians. Now we have dozens of scientific studies to back up the folklore claims for garlic's prowess in keeping us healthy.
While garlic may or may not work to ward off vampires, it does a great job at neutralizing three risk factors for heart disease: high blood fats, high blood pressure and blood clotting. |
| Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is an herb that is very supportive of the liver. Take it as a tincture, one dropperful three times daily, or as tablets or capsules (follow directions on the container), in a standardized product (meaning the amount of the active ingredient, silymarin, is guaranteed). Take it between meals for a week before surgery and for two weeks after.
• Alpha lipoic acid (also called thioctic acid), a substance made by the body which directly supports the detoxifying abilities of the liver. Diabetics should use alpha lipoic acid with caution as it can cause hypoglycemia. |
| If you are experiencing a lot of anxiety in the week or so prior to surgery, you can use the anti-anxiety herb St. John's wort to help you through. Follow the directions on the container and don't overdo it, please.
Preparing for Surgery
The two biggest challenges of surgery for your body, besides that of healing the actual wound, are the threat of infection and the stress on your liver. There's no way around it: When you have surgery you will be given lots of drugs, and most of them are very hard on your liver. This especially applies to anesthesia drugs. |
| If you're in pain you may be in the position of having to pick your poisons, so here's a health-protecting strategy: If you're going to take acetaminophen, take the liver-protective herb milk thistle beforehand (follow directions on the bottle) and add 500 mg of the amino acid cysteine to your daily vitamins. Cysteine is the precursor to glutathione. Also be sure to avoid alcohol when you're taking acetaminophen. |
Sheldon Saul Hendler and David Rorvik
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| INTERACTIONS
There are no known drug, nutrient, food or herb interactions. Chitosan (see Chitosan) may form complexes with chondroitin sulfate decreasing its absorption. Therefore, chondroitin sulfate should not be used concomitantly with chitosan.
OVERDOSAGE
Overdosage of chondroitin has not been reported in the literature.
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
Low-molecular-weight chondroitin sulfate is available as a stand-alone supplement or in combination with glucosamine (see Glucosamine). The usual dose used by those with osteoarthritis is 1,200 milligrams daily in divided doses. |
| Those using activated charcoal should avoid using it within two hours of drug, food, nutritional supplement or herb intake or within two hours before their intake.
ADVERSE REACTIONS
Black stools (from the activated charcoal) occur frequently. Other reported adverse reactions include nausea, vomiting, blackening of the teeth and mouth, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea (more frequent) and constipation (less frequent).
There are occasional reports of drug failure in those who use activated charcoal concomitantly with a drug. |
Michael Castleman
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 Garlic is a very useful herb," Dr. Duke says. "Studies show that it helps protect against stomach cancer and reduces risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure, reducing cholesterol and decreasing the likelihood of blood clots that can trigger heart attack."
How-to: In food, use as seasoning to taste. The cloves' papery skins peel easily if you smash them with the flat side of a cleaver.
For an infusion, use six chopped cloves per cup of cool water and steep six hours.
In a tincture, take up to three tablespoons a day. |
Sheldon Saul Hendler and David Rorvik
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| Nutritional Products Available:
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Capsules Free-Form L-Arginine
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SOLGAR VITAMIN AND herb COMPANY, INC. |
Michael Castleman
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| Traditional Chinese acupuncturists supplement needling with a heat treatment—moxibustion—which involves burning the medicinal herb moxa (mugwort). Powdered mugwort is shaped into small cones similar to incense. These may be burned directly over acupuncture points or on the end of the acupuncture needles themselves. Chinese physicians believe that moxibustion increases acupuncture's effectiveness. Modern acupuncturists have largely replaced moxibustion with low-voltage electrical stimulation. |
Sheldon Saul Hendler and David Rorvik
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| Radix puerariae, a herb rich in daidzein and daidzin, the 7-glucoside of daidzein, has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat those who are alcohol-dependent. Both daidzein and daidzin themselves were effective in significantly reducing ethanol intake by more than 50% in hamsters dependent on alcohol. The treatment did not significantly affect body weight, water or food intake.
More recent work has confirmed that daidzin, which is the major delivery form of daidzein, successfully and significantly suppresses ethanol intake in all rodent models tested. |
Rebecca Wood
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 Cress is a tonic herb and diuretic; it stimulates the appetite, and is an antianemic. It is also high in vitamin C.
Use Cress is not cooked or dried; its peppery taste is volatile and doesn't withstand heat or moisture. It is interchangeable with watercress in raw dishes and as a sandwich and salad ingredient.
Buying Cress doesn't have a large commercial demand but is sometimes available in the sprout section of markets or as one ingredient in a sprout combination.
See Cabbage Family. |
| A bland, cooling herb, borage stregthens the heart, reduces high fever and catarrh, is a mild laxative and a mild sedative and antidepressant. Borage seeds are an excellent source of the important gamma-linoleic acid (GLA), which regulates hormones and lowers blood pressure. It calms pitta and kapha.
Use Borage imparts a cucumberlike flavor. The leaves may be stuffed and rolled like
A GENTLE ANTIDEPRESSANT
Those of our time do use the floures in sallads to exhilerate and make the minde glad. |
| Its Greek name, melon khanai, means apple on the ground, and indeed the chamomile section of my herb garden is a carpet of showy—if minuscule—white daisies with a plump yellow heart and an aroma similar to apples. The Spanish call it manzanilla, which means "little apple." Referring to its medicinal properties, the Germans call it alles zu-traut, which means "capable of anything."
Health Benefits Chamomile is effective for nervousness, anxiety, stress, and insomnia. |
| This feature is one reason why the chive is such a common—and rewarding—kitchen window box herb.
The chive grows wild from arctic Russia to the Mediterranean. A chive looks like a slender scallion without the swollen bulb. Its soft springtime flavor is more delicate than a scallion and also more arresting.
Health Benefits Chives, the least potent of the onion family, have lesser medicinal properties; furthermore, they are used in such small quantities that their energetic properties are negligible. They reduce kapha. Garlic chives, however, have potent medicinal properties. |
| Use Cilantro is basic in cuisine the world over; some say it is the most used herb, especially in warm regions, such as Mexico, the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and India. The leaves should not be overcooked.
THE HEART OF A JAWBREAKER
For the Saturday matinee movie of my childhood, my siblings and I would walk three miles to the Country Club Theater. I don't recall much of the movies I saw. I do recall the manager periodically stopping the film to warn us to quiet down or he'd turn us out (he never did). And I can still almost taste my favorite penny candy, a jawbreaker. |
| Cilantro may be used like parsley, as a garnish and a flavoring herb. Use it sparingly with delicate ingredients, or its flavor overpowers. Or use it in large quantities in strongly flavored sauces and salsas. In Southeast Asian dishes, cilantro root is also used.
The slightly sweet, almost caramel-tasting seed acts as a catalyst to bring out the flavors of other ingredients, yet never masks or overpowers them. Coriander is an omnipresent ingredient in Indian curries and Ethiopian spice mixtures. Ground coriander quickly loses its pleasantly sweet taste and smell. |
Michael Castleman
See book keywords and concepts |
| That's an exaggeration, but recent studies show that this popular beverage herb does indeed calm jangled nerves, relieve stomach distress, prevent ulcers and speed their healing and help fight infection by stimulating the immune system.
"Chamomile tea is an excellent home remedy for indigestion, heartburn and infant colic," says Dr. Duke. "It also has mild relaxant and sedative properties."
How-to: For an infusion, use two to three heaping teaspoons of dried or fresh flowers per cup of boiling water. Steep 10 to 20 minutes. Reheat if desired. Drink up to three cups a day. |
Doug Dollemore, Mark Giuliucci and the Editors of Men's Health Magazine
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 If your relationship with the woman is unhealthy, impotence could be your body's way of giving you an early warning that something is wrong, and you should try to interpret your body's signals in order to understand the meaning of your response," says herb Goldberg, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in Los Angeles and author of The Inner Male.
Leave your anger at the door. Anger can inhibit sexual arousal, says Domeena Renshaw, M.D., director of the Sexual Dysfunction Clinic at Loyola University of Chicago Stritch School of Medicine in Maywood. |
Sheldon Saul Hendler and David Rorvik
See book keywords and concepts |
| INTERACTIONS
No drug, nutritional supplement, food or herb interactions have yet been reported.
OVERDOSAGE
No reports of overdosages.
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
Those who use 19-norandrostenedione typically take 100 mg daily.
HOW SUPPLIED
Capsules — 50 mg, 100 mg
Powder
LITERATURE
Uralets VP, Gillette PA. Over-the-counter anabolic steroids 4-androsten-3, 17-dione; 4-androsten-3beta, 17beta-diol; and 19-nor-4-androstene-3, 17-dione: excretion studies in men. J Anal Toxicol. 1999; 23:357-366.
Uralets VP, Gillette PA. |
Cynthia A. Foster, M.D.
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 Everybody wants a simple herb that will heal them, just like everyone wants a simple drug that will heal them. Hey, I understand; I was there; I know what that's like. Well, simplicity lies only in the heart. People can heal themselves of anything if they would only make as much dedicated effort as it took them to get sick and use that effort to reverse that process and get themselves well. You smoked for thirty years? That is a large time investment. You got drunk every weekend for twenty years? That is a long period of time during which you've been hurting yourself. |
Dian Dincin Buchman, Ph.D.
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 Ask your doctor about using the herb Ginkgo biloba.
Allergy Elimination: For 4 to 6 weeks eliminate caffeine, chocolate, peanuts and peanut butter, and aged cheese from your diet. If as a result of this elimination your hands or feet feel less cold, one of the foods may be the cause of the problem. To find out which one, replace them one at a time.
CORNS
Water Therapy
Soak the feet in warm water for 15 minutes each day. Rub the softened tissue with a mild pumice stone.
FOOT ODOR Water Therapy
Wash and sponge your feet with apple cider vinegar each morning. Dry thoroughly. |
| It contains the herb Melissa officinalis (lemon balm), which has invaluable antioxidants that strengthen the immune system. An at-home antiviral remedy can be created by placing melissa tea bags direcdy on the sores. Cold milk compresses also seem to help heal and soothe the lesions.
CONSTIPATION Water Therapy
To overcome even chronic cases of constipation, adults should drink 2 glasses of cold water first thing in the morning. The cold water provokes peristaltic action in the bowels. Continue to flush and hydrate the system with at least 8 glasses of water during the day. |
| You can make strong tinctures or extracts of any herb yourself. These will last a very long time, and you can add small amounts of the tincture or extract to the bathwater or compress as needed.
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR BATH Therapeutic Uses
• Overcome fatigue
• Relieve poison ivy
• Detoxify
• Relieve sunburn
• Relieve itchiness
• Cosmetic for the skin
Apple cider vinegar is a reliable, inexpensive bath aid. I purchase it in quantity so that I never run out and usually transfer the vinegar to decorative flasks and keep one in each bathroom. I add about 1 cup to my bath. |
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