Herbalists

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Prescription for Natural Cures: A Self-Care Guide for Treating Health Problems with Natural Remedies Including Diet and Nutrition, Nutritional Supplements, Bodywork, and More James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.D. See book keywords and concepts

Red Raspberry (Rubus idaeus) Medicinal Use: Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, pregnancy support Parts Used: Leaf and berry Form Used: Tincture, tea, food Potential Side Effects: None known Comments: Historically, it has been used by herbalists and naturopathic doctors as a uterine tonic before or during pregnancy.

Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements Phyllis A. Balch, CNC See book keywords and concepts

It has been prescribed by Asian herbalists for the relief of cough and lung ailments, and for certain types of food poisoning, as well as to prevent the flu and restore energy balance. It may aid in increasing learning ability and is also used as a culinary herb. Perilla comes in several forms, including seed oil. This is an unsaturated oil that contains linolenic, linoleic, and oleic acids. Perilla oil is available in capsule form. Studies suggest that it may be an effective and safe source of essential omega-3 fatty acids.

Prescription for Natural Cures: A Self-Care Guide for Treating Health Problems with Natural Remedies Including Diet and Nutrition, Nutritional Supplements, Bodywork, and More James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.D. See book keywords and concepts

He not only studied European sources, but also took care to include the considerable work of Middle Eastern herbalists. He learned which herbs could cure disease, and he taught other physicians that foods and herbs contained energy that could be absorbed and utilized by the body. Paracelsus didn't have everything right—he believed that a plant's shape was indicative of the part of the body it could cure—but he was a strong, credible voice that brought serious attention back to herbal treatment.

Seeds of Change: Six Plants That Transformed Mankind Henry Hobhouse See book keywords and concepts

Potatoes were not indigenous to either the West Indies or Virginia, and originally grew only in the Andean highlands. herbalists such as Clusius, Banlin, and Culpeper all linked the potato to Europe at a date earlier than 1580. Potatoes floating ashore from the wrecked Armada in 1588 were alleged to have colonized western Ireland.

Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements Phyllis A. Balch, CNC See book keywords and concepts

The Chinese are today's foremost herbalists, drawing on thousands of years of experience in compounding and processing roots and herbs. In the Asian tradition, herbs are used to bring the whole body into balance and harmony. They are taken daily as a preventive measure, rather than as a treatment once illness has occurred. In the Orient, medicinal herbs often find their way into foods as seasoning and ingredients.

The Natural Pharmacy: Complete A-Z Reference to Natural Treatments for Common Health Conditions Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D. Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D. Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D. See book keywords and concepts

Herbalists also claim that alfalfa may be helpful for people with diabetes (page 152). But while high amounts of a water extract of the leaves led to increased insulin release in animal studies, there is no evidence that alfalfa would be useful for the treatment of diabetes in humans.7 Alfalfa leaves also contain flavones, isoflavones, sterols, and coumarin derivatives. The isoflavones are thought to be responsible for the estrogen-like effects seen in animal studies.8 Although this has not been confirmed with human trials, alfalfa is sometimes used to treat menopause (page 311) symptoms.

Interview with David Wolfe on raw foods, the bird flu and herbal healing Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

Going back to the great ayurvedic practitioners, the great herbalists of North America and the Native Americans in their time, it not only helps us heal, it also connects us to something. For me, it's a lot of fun. It connects us to a whole lineage, a whole history, and it's something that we're taking inside our body. We eat things, and it's just going in and out, but when you take in these really powerful herbs, it's like a sacrament. We realize how holy these things are, and that they are Mother Nature's gift to us, God's gift to us.

The Natural Pharmacy: Complete A-Z Reference to Natural Treatments for Common Health Conditions Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D. Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D. Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D. See book keywords and concepts

According to some herbalists, the cold infusion likely extracts the plant's mucilage (a soothing, gelatinous substance) most effectively and may work best for both internal and topical use. Are there any side effects or interactions? There are no known adverse effects from mallow when used in the amounts suggested above. Botanical name: Althea officinalis Parts used and where grown The marshmallow plant thrives in wet areas and grows primarily in marshes. Originally from Europe, it now grows in the United States as well. The root and leaves are used medicinally.

The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D. See book keywords and concepts

This balancing action is totally baffling to most drug scientists but not to experienced herbalists, who have used terms such as alterative, amphiteric, adaptogenic, or tonic to describe this effect. It appears that in addition to performing currently understood actions, many foods, as well as herbs, perform actions that are not at all consistent with modern understanding. For example, many natural compounds in herbs and foods appear to impact body control mechanisms to aid in the normalization of many of the body's processes.

The Natural Pharmacy: Complete A-Z Reference to Natural Treatments for Common Health Conditions Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D. Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D. Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D. See book keywords and concepts

Echinacea (page 669) is widely used by herbalists for people with acute respiratory infections. This herb stimulates the immune system (page 255) in several different ways, including enhancing macrophage function and increasing T-cell response.42 Therefore, echinacea may be useful for prevenring a cold (page 129), flu (page 269), or viral bronchitis from progressing to a secondary bacterial infection. Thyme (page 752) contains an essential oil (thymol) and cerrain flavonoids (page 516).

Alternative medicine is often practiced with the limited mindset of conventional medicine Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

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. This is just using herbs in a strictly allopathic manner to shift the responsibility of the patient's health outcome.

Amazon Herb Company review: John Easterling, rainforest herbs and more Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

Yes, you can find that from local herbalists who make their own healing remedies in small batches, but I don't think you can find it commercially available on a large scale anywhere other than the Amazon Herb Company. Reversing chronic disease with Amazon Herbs So you have herbal products that operate on all three levels. With that in mind, you might ask, "What can these products really do? How can they really help me?" And that's a multipart answer.

Handbook of Medicinal Plants Amarjit S. Basra See book keywords and concepts

In Ghana and Nigeria herbalists use it as an emetic and a purgative. In the same regions children are treated with this plant for cerebral cramps, jaundice, and gastrointestinal disorders. A watery solution of the bark is administered against such parasites as lice and scabies.42 In Mali the root is used to treat hemorrhoids and hepatomegaly.43 Among the Pygmies of the Congo basin, Rauwolfia species are administered together with traditional ash salt against diarrhea and with red palm oil against elephantiasis of the legs.

Prescription for Natural Cures: A Self-Care Guide for Treating Health Problems with Natural Remedies Including Diet and Nutrition, Nutritional Supplements, Bodywork, and More James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.D. See book keywords and concepts

This herb has historically been used by herbalists for hair loss in men and women. Recent research shows it to be effective for men. Super Prescription #2 Essential fatty acids Take a combination formula containing a blend of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Take 4,000 mg of fish or flaxseed oil and evening primrose or borage oil containing 200 mg of GLA daily. Super Prescription #3 Biotin Take 2,000 to 3,000 meg daily. Super Prescription #4 Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) Take 3,000 mg daily. It contains the mineral sulfur, which helps promote hair development.

Interview with David Wolfe on raw foods, the bird flu and herbal healing Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

Going back to the great ayurvedic practitioners, the great herbalists of North America and the Native Americans in their time, it not only helps us heal, it also connects us to something. For me, it's a lot of fun. It connects us to a whole lineage, a whole history, and it's something that we're taking inside our body. We eat things, and it's just going in and out, but when you take in these really powerful herbs, it's like a sacrament. We realize how holy these things are, and that they are Mother Nature's gift to us, God's gift to us.

The Natural Pharmacy: Complete A-Z Reference to Natural Treatments for Common Health Conditions Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D. Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D. Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D. See book keywords and concepts

It was also considered a helpful diuretic and heart-strengthening herb by herbalists in both cultures, particularly to alleviate heart palpitations associated with anxiety (page 30) attacks.2 Europeans used motherwort as a sedative as well.3 Active constituents The identities of the active constituents of motherwort are not entirely clear, though they likely include compounds in its volatile oil and the alkaloids. Little research has been done on motherwort in the West.

Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements Phyllis A. Balch, CNC See book keywords and concepts

Herbalists consider nettle (Urtica dioica), a nutritious plant rich in iron, vitamin C, chlorophyll, and other minerals, an effective supplement in the treatment of iron-deficiency anemia. Recommendations Q Include the following in your diet: apples, apricots, asparagus, bananas, broccoli, egg yolks, kelp, leafy greens, okra, parsley, peas, plums, prunes, purple grapes, raisins, rice bran, squash, turnip greens, whole grains, and yams. Also eat foods high in vitamin C to enhance iron absorption.

The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals Leslie Taylor, ND See book keywords and concepts

While tayuya has a long history of traditional use by herbalists in the United States and South America for all types pain and joint aches, it is at best a good pain-reliever; it will not cure arthritis (nor any of the other diseases claimed in the marketing literature). It is unfortunate that a handful of unethical companies can affect the entire herbal products industry negatively with such scurrilous practices, but it continues to happen.

This table includes the technical terms and definitions of the functions and actions that are attributed to various herbs; the plants most widely used by herbalists for achieving such results; a list of those plants that have been researched and scientifically validated; and those that have been traditionally used by indigenous peoples. If you are searching for the plants to use for the treatment of a specific disorder, go to Herbal Treatment of Specific Diseases and Disorders, which matches an extensive list of various diseases with the rainforest plants used as treatment.

Herbalists and natural health practitioners attribute the same biological activities for the plant as the main activities clinically validated for pilocarpine, but there is no actual clinical research on leaf extracts to support them or qualify them. Another problem is trying to determine effective dosages of leaf extracts (in the absence of clinical research). The pilocarpine content of the leaf can vary— between different "jaborandi" tree species, as well as when using different harvesting methods, growth habitats, and even storage, handling, and drying methods of the harvested leaves.

Scientists, herbalists, health practitioners, and researchers refer to the biological or therapeutic properties and actions of medicinal plants using general industry-standard words like anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibacterial, and so on. Some words, such as antibacterial and antiviral are easy and self-explanatory. Other words, such as vulnerary or vermifuge may be much less familiar to nonprofessionals, and in most cases, simpler, more easily understood words have been used here. Some of the more technical terms may also have special nuances and meanings.

In the meantime, healthcare practitioners and herbalists around the world are utilizing this plant for not only respiratory disorders, but also for its cardiotonic and hypotensive properties, antidiabetic activity, and for its (yet-to-be-studied) use in Parkinson's disease. Generally, for upper respiratory problems and asthma, a standard leaf infusion is prepared and taken in 1 cup dosages two to three times daily. To help balance blood sugar levels, a cup of a leaf infusion is taken with each meal.

Extra time filtering is normally required when working with plant powders, but many herbalists prefer working with powders instead of bulky cut herbs, since they make stronger extracts. It is also recommended that you use distilled or purified water when extracting medicinal plants. Regular tap water can contain chlorine and other chemicals that might have an interaction or chain reaction with one or more of the many chemicals found in plants. Instructions for the main preparation methods used throughout this book in the reference guides and in the main plant section are detailed below.

Natural Health Solutions Mike Adams See book keywords and concepts

I also strongly recommend that you visit Chinese herbalists, because Chinese medicine is particularly good at helping the liver work well again. The liver is one of the key organs recognized by Chinese medicine as being important for detoxification and the flow of energy throughout the body, and many Chinese herbs can promote and support healthy liver function. In fact, in almost every system of medicine, except Western medicine, you find herbs and plants to support the liver.

And conventional medicine has the audacity to call herbalists snake oil salesmen! This focus on finding cures to justify today's drug cost is, of course, an outright lie. First of all, drug companies spend more money on marketing than they do on research, so if research was the priority, they'd be cutting back on television advertisements and pumping more money into finding these so-called "mysterious cures," don't you think? But secondly, and here is the big scam, does anyone honestly believe that these drug companies are going to give away these cures for free if they are actually found?

Plants of the four winds - The magic and medicinal flora of Peru Rainer W. Bussmann and Douglas Sharon See book keywords and concepts

This makes it quite obvious that local herbalists are carefully watching international health trends to include promising species in their own repertoire. The use of hallucinogens, in particular the San Pedro cactus (Echinopsis pachanoi) is a vital component in Andean healing practices, and has been around for millennia [29, 73, 108, 109, 110, 111]. San Pedro can often be found in Cupisnique and Moche iconography [15,16].

None of the work would have been possible without the invaluable collaboration of our Peruvian colleagues, curanderas Julia Calderon, Isabel Chinguel, and Olinda Pintado, curandero German Santisteban, and herbalists Manuel Bejarano, Elmer Cruz, and Ivan Cruz. With regard to ritual and therapeutic practices we especially want to thank the above curanderas, as well as curandero Leoncio Carrion. For three field seasons we were fortunate to have the anthropological expertise of our San Diego State University colleague Alan Kilpatrick.

Best Choices From the People's Pharmacy Joe Graedon, M.S. and Teresa Graedon, Ph.D. See book keywords and concepts

Many herbalists believe elderberry is more effective than echinacea. Studies of zinc used against colds have produced mixed results, some positive but others negative. Neither remedy should increase blood pressure, though. • • • Ginger tea is one of our favorite cold remedies, and it also may help to ease a cough. One animal study found that a component of ginger called shogaol worked at least as well as dextromethorphan against cough. That may mean simply that shogaol is just as good as placebo, now that the effectiveness of dextromethorphan is in question.

The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D. See book keywords and concepts

Among herbalists, fennel is referred to as (1) an intestinal antispasmodic, or compound that relieves intestinal spasms or cramps; (2) a carminative, or compound that relieves or expels gas; (3) a stomachic, or compound that tones and strengthens the stomach; and (4) an anodyne, or compound that relieves or soothes pain. Fennel also contains phytoestrogens, making it useful as a remedy for many female complaints, especially symptoms of menopause.

Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements Phyllis A. Balch, CNC See book keywords and concepts

Herbalists, however, contend that nature provides other ingredients in the same herbs to balance the more powerful ingredients. These other components, though they may be less potent, may help to act as buffers, synergists, or counterbalances working in harmony with the more powerful ingredients. Therefore, when you use herbs in their complete form, your body's healing process utilizes a balance of ingredients provided by nature.

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