| In addition to kava, these include passionflower, ashwaganda (an Ayurvedic herb), fish oils, St. John's wort, valerian, hops, and scullcap.
Certain homeopathic remedies are successful in treating anxiety. There's been a lot of work on homeopathy in children reported in the French scientific literature. One study involved "high anxiety" children needing instant gratification, who were easy to overreact, with stomachaches from the anxiety and the fears. They were given nux vomica and it worked. |
| Some of the nutritional compounds that increase brain serotonin levels include L-tryptophan, obviously, because it's a precursor to making serotonin; the herb St. John's wort, which acts as a serotonin enhancer in the brain; and a relatively new compound that has gained wide popularity—the modification of the amino acid SAMe or S-adeno-syl-methionine, which has also been shown to increase brain serotonin levels.
"The other part of treating autism has to do with the immune system, which is over-activated in a lot of children with autism who have chronic ear infection and chronic bowel problems. |
Nicola Reavley
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 Elecampane (Inula helenium)
Elecampane's Latin name comes from Helen of Troy as the herb was said to spring from her tears. It has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal effects. It is a digestive tonic, an expectorant, and also reduces coughing by relaxing the bronchial muscles.
Uses
Elecampane is used to treat chronic coughs, bronchitis and asthma. It can also be used for gastrointestinal problems.
Eyebright (Euphrasia rostokoviana)
Known throughout history as a treatment for eye problems, eyebright has anti-catarrhal, anti-inflammatory and astringent actions. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 And the FDA would be grabbing headlines around the nation, warning people that herb X was killing their children. The herb would be taken off the market, and inventories would be confiscated. Importation of the herb would be banned. But when it's prescription drugs, it's all OK -- as long as money continues to be made in the industry.
In its defense, the FDA is largely made up of employees who used to work at pharmaceutical companies, and, if they are taking their own products, no doubt their mental function has been impaired. |
Gary Null and Amy McDonald
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 Olsen also advocates the use of the herb feverfew. "Feverfew has sedative qualities," she says, "and can be taken as a tea. One cup per day is usually effective."
According to Dr. Jennifer Brett, "When feverfew is taken with magnesium in does of 250 to 500 milligrams daily, as well as with ginkgo biloba, most people notice a significant reduction in the number of migraines, even to the point of disappearance. This includes people who suffer daily migraines. Many people come to me who have had no success with more conventional treatments. |
Steven V. Joyal
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 American ginseng {Panax quinquefolius) was the center of attention in another study, in which researchers found evidence that the herb prevented the destruction of beta cells. Yet it seems that Asian ginseng also may be helpful, as studies with diabetic animals treated with extracts of Panax ginseng show improved blood glucose levels and glucose tolerance, and also weight loss.
Although ginseng roots are traditionally the part of the plant used in remedies, a 2002 study at the University of Chicago found that an extract of the ginseng berry could be useful in treating diabetes and obesity. |
Lynne Mctaggart
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 A woman who was given up as a terminal cancer case had her proper light restored, just by taking a herb.2?
To Fritz-Albert Popp, homeopathy was another example of photon sucking. He had begun to think of it as a 'resonance absorber'. Homeopathy rests upon the notion that like is treated with like. A plant extract that at full strength can cause hives in the body is used in an extremely dilute form to cure them. |
Brenda Watson and Leonard Smith
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 A moderate amount of the herb stevia may be used as a sweetener when needed. All sodas, diet and regular, should be strictly avoided.
Other foods to avoid are those containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. This man-made oil is found in commercial peanut butter, margarine, and most baked goods. Most supermarket oils are refined (unless kept in a special "health food" section) and not so labeled. Make sure the oil you use is labeled "unrefined" or "expeller pressed." Also remember to refrigerate them. |
Dan Buettner
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 One of them contained garlic cloves; the other some green herb.
As she waited for the water to boil, she energetically washed a few dishes and, while she was at it, removed her dentures and scrubbed them too. When the pot whistled, she removed it from the stove, squatted in the corner, and poured boiling water over tea leaves. The room filled with the delicate, sweet aroma of jasmine tea. Her movements were slow and deliberate with a patient resolve. She seemed completely oblivious to me.
Back on the tatami mat, we sipped tea and made a futile attempt to restart our conversation. |
Hyla Cass
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 Dose: Take a supplement that contains 600 mg per day of boswellic acids, the herb's active constituent.
Ginger
Throughout history, ginger has been used to reduce inflammation and arthritis pain, soothe digestive upsets, and clear up chest congestion. Like Boswellia, ginger acts as a natural NSAID, with a broader enzyme-blocking action than anti-inflammatory drugs. Ginger also contains many antioxidant compounds. "In vitro" (test-tube) research and "in vivo" studies (using animals and people) find that consuming ginger most often successfully reduces inflammation and pain. |
Gary Null and Amy McDonald
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| Kava: The Miracle Anti-Anxiety herb, New York: St. Martin's, 1998.
-Pregnenolone: Nature's Feel Good Hormone, Garden City Park: Avery, 1997.
-DHEA: A Practical Guide, Garden City Park: Avery, 1996.
Alexander Schauss, Anorexia and Bulimia: A Natural Approach to the Deadly Eating Disorders, New Canaan: Keats, 1997.
Karyn Seroussi and Bernard Rimland, Ph.D., Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder: A Mother's Story of Research and Recovery, New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000.
Dr. Lendon Smith, Feed Your Body Right, New York: M. Evans & Co., 1995. |
Dawson Church
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 John's Wort, an herb, found that 24% of depressed patients got better taking it. Zoloft did marginally better, curing 25% of the patients. But the star of the study was the placebo, which cured 32% of those taking it.16 In 2006, the U.S. federal government released the results of two large-scale studies of this class of drugs. They found that the tests, "failed to show that the drugs were safer or more effective than a placebo."17
Irving Kristol, Ph.D. |
Hyla Cass
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| Here are the basics to keep in mind:
Choosing Supplements
As you navigate the vast supplement marketplace, you may find yourself wondering: Can I just buy the cheapest version of a nutrient or herb? Will I get what I pay for if I buy the pricier version? Why don't supplement bottles tell me what they're for—or any other information I can use to make a choice?
In terms of cost and quality, it really is "buyer beware." Many reputable, quality-conscious supplement makers strive to give you the best possible product at the lowest possible cost. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 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. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 That's really only one of the minor uses of this herb, however. This herb is a fantastic tonifier, and this combination really works for reducing inflammation, joint pain and arthritis pain.
There are some claims on the front of this product that are acknowledged by the FDA, but I'm trying to give you a description that goes beyond those claims to look at what these individual ingredients offer. The description I'm offering applies beyond this particular product. In other words, you could go out and buy rosemary extract, turmeric, ginger, holy basil, and green tea. |
Andreas Moritz
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 Cranberry juice, the herb gold coin grass, and apple cider vinegar are other good alternatives. (See details in Chapter 4.)
Q. Would it be better to do the liver cleanses in intervals of two to three weeks or spread them over a longer period of time, say one every two or three months?
A. This is up to you to decide. I recommend that, once you have started liver cleansing, you continue cleansing at regular intervals until all gallstones are removed. Sometimes, not cleansing for two months or more can make the next cleanse more difficult and less successful. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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| Cinnamon is an herb that's been shown to lower high blood sugar, even in response to the consumption of high glycemic index carbohydrates. Holy basil can do this as well. This shouldn't be an excuse to start consuming high glycemic index foods, thinking, "I've got these herbs. I'll just take some cinnamon and some basil, and I'll get this blood sugar under control." That's not the right way to approach nutritional supplements. Rather, think of holy basil as an adjunct therapy, as something to support your healthy lifestyle and food choices. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 I think green tea is an outstanding herb for weight loss and it is also well documented as an anti-cancer herb. But there is caffeine in the green tea, and thus there's caffeine in the Trim Spa recipe. Caffeine is the only chemical compound I don't like in this formula. I certainly realize caffeine can be a very effective weight loss compound, because it boosts your metabolism. It's a chemical compound that excites the nervous system. But at the same time, it can also deplete the adrenal glands over time, leaving you exhausted. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 John's Wort day in and day out is no different than being hooked on Prozac (except the herb is a lot more affordable and doesn't have negative side effects).
All this is extremely frustrating for practitioners of alternative medicine, holistic medicine, herbalists, nutritionists, etc. Because they want to help patients, but most patients really aren't looking for long-term solutions: they're looking for short-term masking of their symptoms, using products that they can call "natural." Frankly, this isn't natural medicine at all. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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| That's really only one of the minor uses of this herb, however. This herb is a fantastic tonifier, and this combination really works for reducing inflammation, joint pain and arthritis pain.
There are some claims on the front of this product that are acknowledged by the FDA, but I'm trying to give you a description that goes beyond those claims to look at what these individual ingredients offer. The description I'm offering applies beyond this particular product. In other words, you could go out and buy rosemary extract, turmeric, ginger, holy basil, and green tea. |
Nicola Reavley
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| Gotu kola (Centella asiatica)
Gotu kola has been used as a medicine for thousands of years and has a reputation as an anti-ageing herb. It has wound-healing and sedative properties, and also improves mental function.
Uses
Gotu kola is used to treat wounds, bums, cellulite, cirrhosis of the liver, varicose veins and other blood vessel problems. It is also used to treat insomnia and stress.
Cautions
Gotu kola is toxic in high doses.
Gravel root (Eupatorium purpureum)
Also known as kidneyweed, gravel root has beneficial effects on the kidney and urinary system. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 Cat's claw is a very significant anti-inflammatory. An herb that a lot of people don't know as much about is called andrographis, which is Chinese. I think we'll see a lot more from this anti-inflammatory.
Mike: Do you know the Chinese name for that herb?
Kilham: Now, what's Andrographis paniculada called in Chinese? I don't know, but andrographis is becoming more popular.
Mike: Okay. Now your book is called "Hot Plants." And is this available on the market right now?
Kilham: "Hot Plants" is available in bookstores. It was published by St. Martin's Press in September 2004. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 John's Wort, a medicinal herb frequently blamed by conventional medicine for interfering with prescription drugs, is more effective than a popular antidepressant drug in treating depression. The study found that the herb is actually much more effective than antidepressant drugs, since more than half of those taking St. John's Wort in the trial experienced improvements in symptoms of mental depression. Conversely, only 1/3 of those taking the popular antidepressant drug showed such improvements. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 One of the active ingredients in the herb is a chemical compound called P57, which is thought to be at least partly responsible for the appetite-suppressing effects of hoodia gordonii. But this is probably an oversimplification, since herbs typically work with an assortment of chemical compounds, not just one chemical.
In terms of its overall appetite-suppressing potential, hoodia is just one of many products coming down the line. I suspect that the much-hyped PYY3-36 nasal spray, produced by a company called NasTech, might offer another realistic appetite suppressant solution. |
Gary Null and Amy McDonald
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| Black cohosh, an American herb, helps lower blood pressure.
We've said this before, but let's restate the warnings: It is not at all advisable to take all these substances at the same time. Instead, take one or two of these for a month, as professionally directed. Record the results. Then, under continued guidance, repeat or increase the dosage, or move on to different substances. Do not self-medicate. These supplements are not meant as medicines. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 This isn't a traditional Chinese herb that has thousands of years of medicinal use to back it up, for example. It's not something that comes with a convincing amount of evidence for long-term use by indigenous cultures. Even the San tribesmen only used it sparingly. They weren't taking this herb every day like many Americans plan to. And what is the safety of this herb for pregnant women? I don't think that question has been sufficiently addressed. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 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? That argument was nowhere to be seen. There are literally millions of people in this country who could benefit from Ephedra as part of a Chinese medicine remedy. In Chinese medicine, Ephedra is never taken alone, and never in high doses. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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| And the FDA would be grabbing headlines around the nation, warning people that herb X was killing their children. The herb would be taken off the market, and inventories would be confiscated. Importation of the herb would be banned. But when it's prescription drugs, it's all OK -- as long as money continues to be made in the industry.
In its defense, the FDA is largely made up of employees who used to work at pharmaceutical companies, and, if they are taking their own products, no doubt their mental function has been impaired. |
Benjamin H. Natelson, M.D.
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 Some people believe there is an herb to treat every complaint. Your grandmother may have believed, as mine did, that chicken soup was the perfect cure for a fever. The way my grandmother's soup tasted, it sure couldn't hurt one way or the other, and it certainly was soothing and comforting. But even though some research has suggested that chicken soup does, indeed, have antiviral properties, it is not a valid first-line treatment for an infection. Giving up on allopathic medicine for any of these unproven alternatives just doesn't make sense. |
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