Lester A. Mitscher and Victoria Toews
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 Before then, the symbol "t'u" was used interchangeably to refer both to tea and to another herb, the sow thistle. Consequently, it is hard to determine in early records which herb is being discussed. The second difficulty in tracing the history of tea arises from the fact that whenever a new Chinese dynasty came into power, it was common procedure for the new ruling emperor to distort previously accepted historical accounts. If the members of the new dynasty wished to credit themselves for the discovery of tea, they would.
The first reference to the cultivation of tea appeared in a.d. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 The FDA will ban an herb nationwide and take it out of the reach of consumers simply because a handful of consumers may have abused it and suffered detrimental effects from it. There are a few dozen people who have been killed by overdosing on ma huang or Ephedra. The FDA touted that as evidence that the herb was dangerous to everyone, and they decided to ban the herb nationwide, effectively turning vitamin shop owners into criminals if they were to sell Ephedra.
Where was the whole argument of benefits outweighing the risks when the FDA was taking a look at Ephedra? |
C. P. Khare
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 Active principles and pharmacology
In the West, the whole herb of Lobelia inflata is used as a strong antispasmodic and respiratory stimulant in asthma and chronic bronchitis. Pipe-ridine alkaloids (principally lobeline) afford these therapeutic properties to the drug.
The lobeline content of Lobelia nicotianaefolia revealed higher concentrations (1-1.8 %) of lobeline as compared to 0.3-0.4 % content in Lobelia inflata (as per B.P.). Norlobelanine has also been isolated from the plant. But ethereal tincture of Lobelia nicotianaefolia (with 0. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 Amazon herb Co. distributors use a product called Camu C Serum as a natural suncreen. It works great! http://www.amazondreams.amazonherb.net
The best sunscreen, however, is an internal sunscreen built with nutrition. Eat chlorella, spirulina, goji berries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, astaxanthin, carrots and nutrient-rich superfoods to boost your skin's natural UV protection (takes about 30 days of nutrition to boost skin levels). |
C. P. Khare
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| The herb has long been used in cancer treatment notably for breast and skin cancers. (Penelope Ody.)
Violet Salve, a skin cream, is sold over-the-counter in Germany and Austria.
Verbenaceae
Vitex negundo Linn.
Figure 1 Vitex negundo—flowering branch [WOI]
Habitat
Throughout the greater part of India, ascending to an altitude of approx. 1500 m in the outer Himalayas.
Classical and common names
Ayurvedic: Nirgundi, Nilanirgundi, Sindhuvaara (Charaka).
Unani: Sambhaalu, Fanjankisht. Siddha: Noohi.
English: Five-leaved Chaste-Tree.
Parts used
Leaves, seeds. |
| In folk medicine, the herb is used topically in skin diseases.
Agastya Haritakyaavleha (Shaarangadhara Samhitaa) and Pushkaramuula Churnam (Sahasrayoga), prescribed in cough, asthma, and chronic bronchitis, are available over-the-counter.
Active principles and pharmacology
Essential oil and extracts from roots contained inulin, alantolactone, iso-alantolactone, and dihy-droisoalantolactone.
Preliminary studies with the ethanolic extract of roots of Inula racemosa exhibited antiallergic and antiasthmatic properties, the later being more pronounced. |
Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C. with Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D.
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 Other experts, including Mars, praise the herb gymnema sylvestre as helpful to normalize blood sugar. "It's known as 'the sugar destroyer,' because it tends to block the body's ability to taste sweets," she says. "Since the molecular arrangement of gymnema is similar to that of glucose, it adheres to the sensors in the taste buds where sugar would be tasted."
Nutritionist Earl Mindell, Ph.D., R.Ph., author of The Diet Bible and The Vitamin Bible, is also a fan of the herb banaba, which he hails as "the biggest sleeper around. |
| On the other hand, stevia's many supporters, which include the American Herbal Products Association, herb Research Foundation, and the American Botanical Council, as well as integrative physicians and nutritionists, are quick to point out that stevia has been consumed safely by humans for centuries in South Korea, Thailand, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil, New Zealand, and Japan, with no known complaints.
Over the years, those who've spoken out in favor of stevia include Julian Whitaker, M.D., Dr. Andrew Weil, the late Dr. Atkins, Dr. Ann-Louise Gittleman, Dr. Joseph Mercola, Dr. |
Peter J. Whitehouse and Daniel George
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 There was a small spike in the popularity of ginseng after it was reported that rats fed high doses of the herb learned the layout of a maze quicker than rats in a control group. The theory was that ginseng acted as a cholinergic agent, increasing levels of acetylcholine in the brain. These findings were not consistently replicated, and since we lack data on the long-term safety of ginseng ingestion, it is difficult to recommend the herb clinically.
Fish oil and alpha lipoic acid. |
Dr Ron Roberts
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 The unique taste of liquorice has made this herb a worldwide favourite. Be warned, though: liquorice confectionery does not contain herbal liquorice and is not beneficial for your health!
LOBELIA
This small, blue-flowered plant, native to North America, is sometimes known as Indian tobacco and was used in the late eighteenth century by European settlers for the treatment of asthma and respiratory complaints.
Lobelia, which is also called the 'asthma weed', owes its effectiveness to the alkaloid coveline, a respiratory stimulant. |
| Lobelia is a strong herb and should never be prepared from home-grown plants. It is available in manufactured remedies from pharmacies. Some over-the-counter anti-smoking preparations and cough mixtures contain lobelia.
EUCALYPTUS
Eucalyptus is often used in herbal preparations for the treatment of asthma, but as the essential oil is the part used in the remedy, we have covered it under Aromatherapy, pages 141-6.
ALOE VERA
Known since the days of ancient civilisation as 'the first aid plant' because of its miraculous healing properties, aloe vera is used worldwide. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 Meanwhile, a Chinese herb, ma huang, or "Ephedra," as it's better known, is blamed for the death of a few dozen individuals who overdosed like crazy trying to lose weight. A few dozen people and the FDA said, "This is dangerous! We have to take this off the market! It's unregulated. It's a Chinese herb. It will kill you!" It is now a crime to sell Ephedra. They're criminalizing medicinal herbs, while legalizing the drugs that kill you. This is what's going on today.
It's really about control
There's a lot at stake here -- a lot of power, control, and, of course, a whole lot of money. |
David Hoffman, FNIMH, AHG
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 Beyond this, appropriate treatment and herb selection are largely a reflection of the diagnostic skill of the practitioner. Much will depend on the patient's adoption of appropriate dietary and lifestyle changes and adherence to the dosage regimen. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 If there were an herb that had better than a 0.6 percent reduction rate and you called it a cure, the FDA would jump all over you. The agency would say, "How dare you call it a cure -- there is no such thing as a cure for cancer!"
Apparently, the word "cure" is reserved exclusively for pharmaceuticals; it can never be used with herbs or other nutritional therapies. I find that to be an interesting double standard. There are herbs, by the way, that have a better than 0.6 percent reduction rate in recurring breast cancer. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 In those cases, the FDA proudly proclaims it is, "Protecting everyone from a dangerous herb!"
In other words, the FDA now sees its job as protecting the public from "dangerous" herbs while shirking safety responsibilities on truly dangerous prescription drugs. It's up to the public to decide whether deadly drugs are worth the risk, according to the FDA. But when one herb which has been safely used for 5,000 years in Chinese medicine happens to harm 20 people who overdosed in a mad weight loss frenzy, the FDA bans it "to protect everyone! |
Hyla Cass
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 Boswellia serrata
Boswellia is a traditional Ayurvedic medicinal herb. It has been used to relieve arthritic symptoms for thousands of years. Modern research has pitted Boswellia against NSAIDs and found that it may be a more effective anti-inflammatory than the drugs. It works through at least three different mechanisms to reduce inflammation, and seems especially useful for rheumatoid arthritis and other types of arthritis where inflammation is a major component.
Dose: Take a supplement that contains 600 mg per day of boswellic acids, the herb's active constituent. |
Jack Challem
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 Mixed herb PestO (Serves at least 4)
Both of these pesto sauces work well with chicken, shellfish, and thick cuts offish, such as halibut and salmon.
2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves, stems removed l/i cup tightly packed fresh parsley leaves, stems removed l/i cup tightly packed fresh mint leaves, stems removed
1 cup tightly packed mixture of chives, cilantro, rosemary, tarragon, and thyme leaves, stems removed Vi cup pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped Vi cup grated Romano cheese
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
All of the herbs should be fresh, clean, and dry to the touch. |
Arthur C. Upton, M.D.
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| For instance, an herb may produce no side effects when taken alone, but mixing it with other herbs—as is common to create herbal teas—or with other medications frequently results in adverse reactions. In addition, easily obtainable, unregulated herbal preparations are an invitation for possible contamination. Such was the case when an imported herbal remedy, marketed as an appetite stimulant, contained mercury as one of its ingredients.
Environmental Contaminants
Plants and animals destined to become foods can accumulate environmental contaminants from a host of sources. |
Byron J. Richards, CCN
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 Feverfew is an herb that has been used traditionally to help arthritis and migraine headaches. The active component of this herb, parthenolide, is proven to work by lowering NF kappaB to reduce inflammation.728,729,730 The herb is highly effective at getting straight to the gene signal causing the problem.
These findings are spurring other research into parthenolide, including cancer prevention and treatment. Parthenolide can change the way human leukemia cells progress so that the cells are changed into normal monocytes instead of cancer. This is done by altering the NF kappaB gene signal. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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| The FDA will argue that drugs that are killing tens of thousands of Americans should be kept on the market because they have some benefit, but when it comes to a natural remedy or a medicinal herb, the FDA will bend over backwards to argue the exact opposite.
It's never about the benefits versus the risks in the case of herbs. The FDA will ban an herb nationwide and take it out of the reach of consumers simply because a handful of consumers may have abused it and suffered detrimental effects from it. There are a few dozen people who have been killed by overdosing on ma huang or Ephedra. |
David Hoffman, FNIMH, AHG
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| Often, the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, volatile oils, resins, or balsams in an herb necessitates the use of a higher percentage of alcohol in the extract to ensure that the constituents are extracted and will not precipitate when water is added. Glycerin can be added to replace part of the water component to decrease the chance of precipitation.
Make an emulsification or suspension with gums or syrup. For example, with acacia, do not add strong alcohol directly or the solution will "congeal." Instead, make a dilute mucilage and add alcohol slowly. |
C. P. Khare
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| The herb is an ingredient of Dashmuula (the Ten Roots) of Ayurvedic medicine, employed as an alcoholic or aqueous extract in remittent fever and for the treatment of inflammations.
In folk medicine, the root is used as febrifuge, bechic; root and pod in prolapse of anus in infants; fruit in stomatitis. Leaves are considered antiseptic and are used in gonorrhoea.
In Indian medicine, Prishnparni and Shaala-parni are used together due to common synonyms. |
David Hoffman, FNIMH, AHG
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| Seventeen patients who regularly ate fresh leaves of feverfew daily as prophylaxis against migraine were invited to participate in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the herb. Of these, eight patients received capsules containing freeze-dried feverfew powder and nine a placebo. Those taking the placebo had a significant increase in the frequency and severity of headache, nausea, and vomiting during the early months of treatment. |
Mike Adams
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| For example, if you want to prevent cancer, all you need to do is eat large quantities of raw broccoli, broccoli sprouts and other sprouts, almonds, spirulina, garlic, onions, ginger, and from the herbal world, you can consume licorice root, graviola herb and many other herbs and medicinal plants that will not only prevent cancer, but can even help reverse early-stage cancers.
Preventing diabetes and heart disease through nutrition
When it comes to diabetes, avoidance is quite simple. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 The Amazon herb Company is a rare exception, and we do recommend a number of Amazon herb distributors.)
Never a fee, never a commission
Hopefully, you already know that NewsTarget doesn't play financial games with the companies whose products we recommend. There is never a fee for getting a story written about you, and we will never ask you for a commission on the sales that happen as a result of the article appearing. NewsTarget readers know they can trust us precisely because we don't charge companies to be covered by us, and that's why our recommendation actually has value. |
Pam Montgomery
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 In my intensive herb classes I ask my students to work with one plant ally during the several months they are in class. They
A triple spiral on the Newgrange entrance stone in County Meath, Ireland. Photo by Laurie Young. must decide which herb it is they are to work with, and I prefer they choose this plant in a nonlinear manner, meaning through a dream, a journey state, or a vision or, in other words, they let the plant choose them. I remember a particular student, Janet, who was having a difficult time discovering her plant ally. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 Of all the herbs I've ever studied -- and I've written thousands of articles on nutrition and disease prevention -- aloe vera is the most impressive herb of them all. (Garlic would be a close second.) There is nothing on this planet that offers the amazing variety of healing benefits granted by aloe vera. In a single plant, aloe vera offers potent, natural medicine that:
Halts the growth of cancer tumors.
Lowers high cholesterol.
Repairs "sludge blood" and reverses "sticky blood".
Boosts the oxygenation of your blood.
Eases inflammation and soothes arthritis pain. |
David Hoffman, FNIMH, AHG
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| The fact that PAs pose risks cannot be simply used by extension to imply that comfrey is an unsafe herb. A recent, well-balanced review by Dorena Rode on toxicological findings concerning comfrey sheds considerable light on this subject.7
To address the question of whether or not comfrey is safe for therapeutic use, a range of issues must be considered, and not all of these involve toxicology. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 Technically, there is no level of death that cannot be declared "acceptably safe" by the FDA. (An herb, on the other hand, is pronounced as "dangerous at any dose" if it causes even a single fatality. This extreme double standard is standard operating procedure at the FDA, where all herbs are considered dangerous until proven safe, and all drugs are considered safe until proven dangerous.)
The hysteria of modern medicine
In my opinion, any woman taking Lybrel is embarking on a foolish experiment with her own health. |
David Hoffman, FNIMH, AHG
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| The monograph concluded that the herb is positively inotropic, chronotropic, and dromotropic, and that it improves coronary and myocardial circulation by dilating the coronary arteries. Perhaps most significant was the finding that hawthorn has no side effects or contraindications. |
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