Articles on Herbs & Vitmains
Alternative Herbs
Many naturopathic physicians use alterative (from the verb to alter) herbs more often than any other class of herbs. Most alteratives promote detoxification - the elimination of environmental poisons and metabolic waste. They also improve nutrition.
The body normally removes toxins through the liver, kidneys, bowels and skin. Many alterative herbs contain substances that stimulate the action of these organs. Some of these herbs will relive congestion from the liver by stimulating liver secretions; other will work on the kidneys and bowels through a diuretic or laxative action. Others increase circulation to the skin.
Alteratives do not produce quick effects - they improve the digestion and elimination of waste, which improves the overall health slowly. You may need to take them for several months or more to see the full benefits. Ideally these herbs are used along with a change in lifestyle such as improved diet and exercise.
These herbs have some benefits for all the body's systems. One of their most important uses is in the treatment of many chronic diseases.
Interestingly, most alteratives are common weeds, which means that they are inexpensive and very accessible for everyone. Traditional cultures in many parts of the world regularly consume alterative plants as part of their daily diets or as tonics at certain times of the year.
Alterative herbs may prevent or help what are often called "the diseases of civilization" such as high blood pressure, arthritis, cancer and heart disease. They are also helpful in treating conditions such as allergies, chronic fatigue and depression.
First I want to talk about that common weed, dandelion. Dandelion is a classic alterative herb. It stimulates the elimination of toxins from every cell of the body. It improves the health of the liver by stimulating its secretions. The liver is the most important organ in the body for removing toxins. The dandelion's bitter flavour also stimulates the digestive juices, thereby improving digestion and nutrition. It is rich in nutritive minerals especially potassium. It's a good alternative to laxatives as a relief from constipation. It gradually restores tone to the entire digestive tract without causing laxative dependency. So consider taking dandelion if you want to do a detox or if you have conditions such as arthritis, skin eruptions, gall bladder disease, poor digestion or any one of a number of female complaints.
Do not take dandelion if you have an active inflammation or pain in the digestive tract.
The other alterative plant I want to talk about is burdock root. Burdock is popularly known as gobo root in Japanese cuisine and is best known for its beneficial effects on skin problems. It gently increases the circulation to the skin, which helps to detoxify the tissues there.
Like dandelion, burdock improves the function of the liver by stimulating its secretions and breaking up stagnancy. It's soothing to the digestive tract with mild laxative and diuretic effects. As a general alterative it helps digestion and detoxification and it may help the body fight tumors or help the body reduce the adverse effects and discomforts of conventional cancer therapy.
The conditions that may benefit from the use of burdock are ulcers, skin eruptions, arthritis and liver stagnancy. Burdock has no toxicity but until further studies are done, it should be avoided during pregnancy.
The next time you want to spring clean your body, you may want to give these alterative herbs a try.
Echinacea
There are good reasons why Echinacea is becoming one of the most popular herbs on the market. Even mainstream companies are putting it into their cold and flu formulas.
Why is everyone jumping on the bandwagon? Well, Echinacea has been the subject of over 350 scientific studies and it is well documented that it works as a strong immune stimulant that has been used in North America for over 130 years. It is the herb that was used most often by the mid-west North American Aboriginals for everything from healing wounds to treating colds, flu, and snake bites.
Echinacea, whose common name is Purple Coneflower, is a wildflower that belongs to the sunflower family. It grows easily in our climate and is an undemanding and ornamental garden plant.
At the turn of the century Echinacea was used by many of the large pharmaceutical companies as a drug. Today the pharmaceuticals seem to have rediscovered its value.
Echinacea is most commonly used as an anti-viral agent, which means it is effective for combating flu, herpes, measles and most viral infections. It can also be used as supportive treatment for recurrent ear, chest and urinary tract infections.
Echinacea works by stimulating the cells of the immune system - the white blood cells such as the lymphocytes, the macrophages and the natural killer cells. It also increases the production of Interferon, which is an important part of our immune response to viral infections.
Echinacea is safe for pregnant and lactating women and also for small children. There are a few cautions. If you are on immuno-suppressant therapy or you have some chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or MS, you should use it under the supervision of a naturopathic doctor.
If you are allergic to flowers of the daisy family, you may have a reaction.
Echinacea can be taken in high doses for a short period of time. Because it is an immuno stimulant you don't want to over-stimulate your immune system or you won't have it at your beck and call when you need it.
Some people choose to take Echinacea as a preventative measure. If you do that, take it for 10 days on and for at least five days off and for no longer than eight weeks at a time.
If you're taking Echinacea for a cold, take very high doses for four or five days. As a dried herb take one gram four times a day. As a tincture take 40 drops four times a day.
If you find that your cold or flu is not responding to Echinacea you may need to use other therapeutics - possibly other herbs or Homeopathic remedies.
Ginkgo Biloba
Today I want to talk about the subject of aging or life extension - and no discussion of life extension is complete without looking at the many benefits of Ginkgo Biloba.
For many centuries it was believed that each herb was signed by the creator with some clue that would indicate its therapeutic value. This concept is called The Doctrine of Signatures.
Gingko's doctrine of signature is that it is the oldest living tree species in the world. It can be traced back 200 million years and has been referred to as a living fossil. The tree can live for 1,000 years and may grow over 100 feet tall.
The ginkgo tree was brought to North America from China in the 1800's. It is the tree most resistant to insects, disease and pollution. Usage of ginkgo as a medical herb can be traced back 5,000 years to the origins of Chinese herbal medicine.
Today Ginkgo Biloba is one of the most frequently prescribed herbal medicines. More than 400 studies of Ginkgo have been published. It has demonstrated remarkable benefits in improving many symptoms associated with aging.
Ginkgo Biloba is commonly used for memory loss associated with aging, the early stages of Alzheimer's, poor circulation in the extremities, ringing in the ears, stroke recovery and age related depression. Ginkgo Biloba serves as an anti-oxidant.
Many symptoms of aging are the result of insufficient blood and oxygen supply in the body. Ginkgo is particularly effective in increasing the blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain.
When the blood supply to the brain is decreased, we can experience short-term memory loss, headaches, ringing in the ear and a lack of get-up-and-go.
As an anti-oxidant, Ginkgo Biloba can slow down free radical damage and help combat disease of the heart and central nervous system. Ginkgo has also been shown to reverse depression in older people by enhancing oxygen utilization and increasing the cellular uptake of glucose in the brain.
One study noted significant differences in mood, motivation and memory after trying Gingko only four weeks.
Less than one per cent of people experience side effects which may be a mild headache or stomach upset. There is however, one precaution with Ginkgo Biloba. If you are on blood thinners, make sure you work with your naturopath before you add it to your regimen.
Ginkgo Biloba is an excellent herb for increasing the quality of life as you age.
Ginseng
Ginseng has become quite mainstream in the last few years in North America. It has been used in China for two centuries and since the 1940s has been one of the most frequently studied herbs on this continent. If you travel up near Lytton, which is rapidly becoming the ginseng capital of BC, you'll see rows and rows of plastic protecting the plants.
I prescribe ginseng often because it's so wonderful when dealing with stress. And stress is certainly one of the major conditions I treat in my practice. Ginseng is excellent for any kind of stress - from the environment, from working too hard, from physical exertion like training for a marathon, or from unfortunate incidents that occur in our lives.
Ginseng works by helping with the adrenal glands, which are two almond shaped glands on top of the kidneys that release hormones, which regulate stress. When stress hits initially adrenaline is pumped into the body. As you go more and more into long term stress, cortisol is pumped out. Ginseng influences the control centre that regulates these adrenal functions and is excellent for people who are aging or for people with chronic low energy or chronic fatigue or chronic medical conditions.
Ginseng can improve attention, performance, and memory. It's also a favourite with endurance athletes and body builders. To get the full benefit from ginseng, I suggest you cycle it on and off, taking it for two to three weeks and then discontinuing for a week. This helps to prevent overstimulation of the adrenal glands.
Many studies have been done that show that when you apply stress to humans or animals and then measure the amount of stress in those who have and have not taken Ginseng, the people or animals who have taken it are far less stressed.
One of the things I have mentioned in the past about herbs is that they are adaptogens, meaning they will either calm down an overactive organ or provide energy to an underactive or deficient organ depending on the need. Ginseng is definitely one of the best adaptogens we know of.
Some past studies done on ginseng have been inconsistent because of a lack of standardization. Good ginseng comes from the roots, not the rootlets - and a root has to be at least four to six years old. In many places there is such a wide range of ginseng products that you sometimes don't know what you're getting. I suggest to my patients that they look for a standardized extract. Standardization means there is always a precise amount of the active ingredient in that product. The standardization of ginseng should be between four and seven per cent ginsenocides.
So if you are a professional who works far too many hours and doesn't take enough breaks or if you work very hard for short periods of time as in seasonal employment ginseng can provide a real boost to your endurance. You can take it for a few weeks before you high stress period, during your stress period, and for a week after. When you've finished your time of high stress you won't be as depleted as you would otherwise be.
Ginseng contains phytoestrogens and too much for too long a period of time could cause sore breasts in women. Pregnant and lactating women should not take ginseng. Neither should people with uncontrolled high blood pressure. A few people have reported nervousness or insomnia.
Ginseng is excellent. As with all herbs I recommend you try one bottle. If you notice a difference continue the therapeutic; if you don't see a difference discontinue it - it may not be for you. But if you're experiencing stress, try it - it could make all the difference.
Herbs - Part 1
Herbs are wonderful. I use herbs in my practice every day with excellent results.
In my next few columns I am going to focus my attention on herbs because they have done so much to earn it. Herbal medicine is undergoing a renaissance in Canada. Fifty per cent of our population uses nutritional supplements and 80 per cent of the world’s population uses herbs. Clinical research on herbs conducted mainly in Europe and Asia has encouraged Canadian health care providers to use many herbs with absolute confidence for many conditions. In Europe herbs are prescribed by all members of the medical profession. In Germany alone $3 billion dollars of herbal medicines are sold annually.
The harvesting of herbs is a matter of timing. A plant with medicinal flowers may bloom in the spring while the roots of another may have therapeutic value only in the fall. Another plant may only grow in one part of the world.
Light, air and moisture rob the plant of its medicinal values after it is harvested so great care has to be taken in picking and storing herbs. Herbs are used in various forms: dried, teas, tinctures and solid extracts. These forms deliver the healing properties of herbs in varying degrees of effectiveness and at different costs.
For some plants one prepared form is more effective than another but as a general rule, all four forms of the herb are generally effective for medicinal use. All have been used effectively by medical herbalists for centuries.
The three most important issues in selecting the form are quality, price and ease of use. No matter what the form, the product should have the taste, smell and colour of the original plant. Bland tasting or faded herbs, colorless tinctures and teas without aroma and flavour are not likely to carry the medicinal properties of the plant.
The fresh plant is the ideal form but in most cases finding the right plant at the exact time you need it is almost impossible. Common medicinal weeds like dandelions are available in most back yards but dandelion leaves should be harvested in the spring and the roots in the fall. There are times in the year when you will have to use a prepared form of this herb because the fresh form is just not available.
You can easily grow Echinacea or lemon balm but you'll need to dry them or make a tincture or a tea is you want to use them in the winter.
Dried herbs are often available in bulk and they are usually inexpensive. You may need to grind or chop them to put them in capsules or to make a tea. The best dried herbs have a bright colour with a strong flavour and aroma. Teas are made out of dried herbs. You can buy tea in bags but it's easier to judge the quality of loose tea.
Tea may lose some of the property of the whole plant because some constituents of the herb are not soluble in water. When you are smelling the aroma of a tea you are smelling the evaporating medicinal properties. To take the fullest advantage of a tea, cover it tightly when you brew it and let it sit until it reaches room temperature.
Tinctures are an extract of the herb in a solution of water and alcohol. The herb is soaked in the mixture for several weeks. A good quality tincture will usually have a rich colour. Tinctures are easy to use and the best method of preserving medicinal strength. A tincture can retain its potency for over two years. Because of its higher cost and long shelf life tinctures are the best form for herbs you use infrequently. The alcohol content of the tincture can be a problem for an alcoholic or for anybody with liver disease. You can however put the tincture in hot water and let it sit for 10 minutes to let the alcohol evaporate.
Encapsulated herbs are more expensive than herbs in bulk but are much easier to use and their dosage is more precise. To judge quality open the capsule and taste and smell the herb.
In the past herbs have not been regulated and various strength of herbs were encapsulated. Standardization is a new procedure. It pays to look for the label. For instance, St. John's Wort is often standardized to .3 hypericum.
A few herbs are available in a solid extract form. Solid extracts are made by first preparing a tea or tincture and then evaporating it until a gummy residue remains. The residue contains the elements that were in the original tea or tincture in concentrated form. It's the most expensive of the herbal formulations but it is also the most reliable and the most potent. In my practice I use licorice root in this concentrated form.
This is an overview of the various herbal preparations you can buy. In my next few articles I will go into some of the most important herbs in some depth.
Herbs - Part 2
I have access to hundreds of herbs but in fact I regularly use only 20 or so. Most of these herbs fall into five categories: immune enhancers, sedatives, women's herbs, tonics and detoxifiers.
In this and my next few articles I'll write about the 12 herbs I use most frequently in my practice. Each has been used in one culture or another since the dawn of recorded history. All are generally safe for self care and each offers something you can't get from a pharmaceutical drug - a way to support your body's natural healing powers.
Immune enhancing drugs help your body fight infections. They stimulate the body's natural defense mechanisms. For instance, some constituents of the immune enhancer, Echinacea, increase your natural killer cells and support the production of interferon. This is an important natural response to viral infections.
If you want to start using only one herb Echinacea is the one. No medicine cabinet should be without it. Echinacea was used by the Indians of the Great Plains as a snake bite remedy and a general cure-all for infections. Echinacea is a native wildflower belonging to the sunflower family and grows abundantly in the Pacific Northwest. Early in the last century it was one of the most prescribed medicines in North America. The turn of the century medical books note that doctors used it to treat almost everything.
Subsequently, European research identified Echinacea as an immune stimulant thus explaining its effectiveness for a variety of conditions. Since 1950 more than 300 research papers on Echinacea have appeared in European scientific literature, making it one of the most studied herbal medicines in the world.
You can take Echinacea for many infections including colds, flus, boils, ear infections or any chronic infections. It's often most effective when taken at the first sign of a cold or flu. It will also assist with recuperation from most illnesses. You can also take Echinacea to prevent colds if you are prone to them. I even tell my patients to take Echinacea along on trips to foreign countries to protect themselves from exposure to various germs.
Echinacea usually comes in capsules or tinctures. To get the maximum effect, take high doses for four or five days. Many people take herbs in too low a dose. Take a high dose for a few days and if you have no therapeutic effect, change to another herb.
Some people take Echinacea as a preventative measure. If you do that, don't take it in consistent low doses. Take it for two weeks on and two weeks off. You don't want to overstimulate your immune system. One precaution with Echinacea: don't use it if you have an auto-immune disease. Otherwise it's safe and wonderful for babies and children.
Immune enhancers have been used for centuries in Chinese, European and Native American medicine. Other herbs like calendula have antibiotic actions and kill microorganisms directly. These herbs are excellent substitutes for antibiotics for minor or moderate infections. A serious or life-threatening infection may need stronger therapy.
Calendula - when I first started studying herbs I read a book that said "Where there is calendula there is no need for a surgeon." That may be an overstatement but it is a wonderful herb for external healing.
Don't confuse pot calendulas with garden marigolds. Calendula has an antibiotic effect and will fight germs directly. It will help disinfect and heal anything ranging from a minor sunburn to a deeper wound.
Researchers have found that calendula tinctures can be as effective as bleach in killing germs. Tinctures and commercial ointments using calendula are widely available. You can use it externally for cuts, burns, eczema, acne and varicose veins. Don’t put calendula preparations on infected draining wounds including acne because they may close up before the toxic matter has drained. Also, don't use calendula if you are allergic to flowers of the daisy family.
Why don't you try adding these two herbs to your medicinal cabinet? You may be happily surprised at the results.
Herbs - Part 3 (Women's Herbs)
Women have collected plants for thousands of years and used them to create healing medicines. Every culture in the world has a great body of folklore about the indigenous plants of the region and the women who use them and this wisdom has been passed on from mother to daughter and has survived even in our modern world.
Although conventional medicine offers drugs and emergency-oriented medicine, it doesn't offer women with recurring menstrual problems long term solutions or remedies. Herbs offer a safe and effective alternative to conventional medicine. Using herbs for healing is one of the steps towards discovering the old wisdom and reclaiming our tradition as wise women and healers.
Black cohosh and Dong Quai are two ancient and respected women's herbs.
Black cohosh thrives in rich woodland soil. It's a beautiful, stately plant with long spikes of white flowers that bloom in the late summer and fall. It is a herb that has long been valued for its positive effects in menstruating women and women in labour and childbirth. Although we think of black cohosh as a phytoestrogen its effects are achieved by its action on the luteinizing hormones. A phytoestrogen is a plant (phyto) that mimics estrogen in our bodies but does not raise the estrogen levels. This herb is also useful as a nerve and muscle relaxer and can be used for headache pain and muscle spasms. Its anti-inflammatory action makes it useful for arthritis and muscle pain.
Many of its uses come to us from Native Americans who used it for many of the reasons I've already talked about but they also used it as a powerful mood alterer; it helped them relax and it promoted a sense of well-being.
In the last century Linda Pinkham's famous "vegetable compound" had black cohosh as its main ingredient. In one double blind trial, black cohosh was shown to decrease as many of the symptoms associated with menopause as estrogen. Black cohosh is also often given in the last week of pregnancy to tonify the uterus before childbirth.
Black cohosh is non-toxic but it should not be used in the first or second trimesters of pregnancy because it is a uterine stimulant and can cause premature contractions. In fact, it is often used at the end of pregnancies to stimulate labour.
Dong Quai is a perennial plant found in damp mountain regions and can grow up to seven feet tall. This is an excellent herb when used over an extended period of time for strengthening and balancing the uterus. Although Dong Quai has no specific hormonal action it exerts a regulatory and normalizing influence on hormone production through its positive action on the liver and endocrine system. It also has positive nervine properties, which calm and relax the system. It's also specific for menstrual irregularities, menstrual cramps and delayed or absent menstrual periods. It's an excellent herb to help ease women through menopause and is also a good toning herb for young women just entering the menstrual cycle. Its highly specific action seems to help every woman's menstrual problems.
Dong Quai can also help reduce hypertension due to its ability to open up blood vessels.
Since Dong Quai may stimulate bleeding, it is not recommended for use during menstruation or pregnancy. Sometimes the strong flavour and action of the herb causes gastric upsets.
This wonderful female tonic has produced remarkable results in many countries of the world. Women in Asia have used it for centuries while women in Europe have employed it for decades.
These two herbs, Dong Quai and black cohosh, are a welcome addition to any woman's medicine chest.
Herbs - Part 4
Today I am going to talk about sedative herbs. More than one third of adults have trouble sleeping and stress is the major culprit. To prevent insomnia it is important to eliminate the factors that are known to disrupt normal sleep patterns: caffeine, alcohol and drugs.
Counseling and stress reduction techniques like deep breathing and regular exercise can also be effective in reducing stress.
Sedative herbs have similar effects to sedative drugs but the plants are gentler and have fewer negative side effects. Most sedative herbs also improve digestive health by stimulating digestive secretions. Naturopathic physicians have observed that many sedative herbs actually strengthen the nervous system rather than deplete it.
The three sedative herbs I will write about in this column range in strength from strong (valerian) to mild (lemon balm).
Valerian root has been used since the beginning of recorded history as a sedative. In the Pacific Northwest we can enjoy valerian as a flowering plant in our gardens. It's a strong herb and the most drug-like of the herbs included here. But valerian's advantage over drugs is that it doesn't interfere with the normal sleep cycle. Normal sleep has phases of shallow and deep sleep as well as dreams. Many pharmaceutical drugs put you to sleep but may interfere with the sleep phases. You may sleep but you don't feel rested when you wake up.
Valerian is sometimes unpredictable in its effects. It overstimulates some people rather than soothes them. If you have never taken it start with a low dose to see how it affects you and then slowly increase the dose. When you know it agrees with you increase the dose until you achieve the sedative effect you are after.
Don't take valerian daily for longer than two weeks because it can leave your nervous system depleted. You can alternate valerian with other sedative herbs for long term use.
Valerian can be taken for insomnia, anxiety, nervousness, pain, and menstrual cramps. Valerian can make you sleepy so don't take it in situations where you need to be alert. Valerian is also not recommended during pregnancy.
Chamomile is a plant with small, yellow flowers and is one of the biggest selling herbs in the world. Over 4,000 tonnes are produced annually. It's an ancient herb that was dedicated to the goddess Diana by the ancient Greeks. Much has been written about chamomile even as early as 2,000 years ago.
Most people use chamomile for its relaxing effects but it has also been used to help headaches, colds and the flu. Like many of these herbs, chamomile has a bitter flavour and improves digestion by increasing digestive secretions. It can also stimulate the release of a natural substance in the body that resembles cortisone. Cortisone is used in chronic inflammatory conditions. It's also very useful in treating irritable bowel syndrome.
Take chamomile for insomnia, nervousness, poor digestion, headaches and cramps. It's a wonderful herb for colic in children. I would caution against using chamomile during pregnancy. If you are allergic to ragweed, start using chamomile gradually because it belongs to the same plant family.
The last herb I want to address is lemon balm. This is another herb that has been used for thousands of years. Hildegard von Bingen, the famous medieval herbalist, wrote that this herb contains the beneficial properties of at least 15 other herbs.
It acts on so many complaints because it combines mild sedative properties with mild stimulation of circulation. It's wonderful for young children. Lemon balm tea can help settle them down. It won't make you sleepy but it will help you sleep if nervousness has been keeping you awake.
Take lemon balm for anxiety, depression, headaches and nervous indigestion. Do not use lemon balm if you are experiencing night sweats. Lemon balm tends to move the blood to the surface of the skin and increases sweating. Also avoid lemon balm during pregnancy.
Multivitamins
One of the questions my patients ask me most frequently is, "Why do I need to take a multivitamin when I can get all the nutrients I need from the food I eat?"
Well, that just isn't true. New statistics are coming in that show we do indeed need to take multivitamins. The University of Texas recently completed a study of 48 garden crops. As a naturopath I found their conclusions startling. Compared to 50 years ago, the common tomato contains 40 per cent less vitamin C, 40 per cent less protein and 40 per cent fewer minerals!
This is particularly startling when you consider that many of the vitamins and minerals we need are not manufactured in the body and are only ingested in our food - so it is crucial that we eat nutrient rich vegetables and fruit.
The University of Texas researchers studied 13 nutrients and when they averaged these out over all 48 vegetables they found that the vitamin C content had gone down 20 per cent, protein content had gone down six per cent and riboflavin, one of the few B vitamins studied, had gone down 39 per cent.
This is especially alarming when you consider that we need more nutrients and more nutrient rich food now than ever before. The pollution and toxins being poured into our atmosphere is going up - not down. And now that President George Bush has rolled back environmental safeguards in the United States, the situation can only get worse. The escalation of this toxic load on our immune systems is making us more susceptible to all sorts of diseases.
Our farming practices - otherwise knows as agri-business - have simply not been concerned with growing nutrient rich foods. We've been breeding larger fruit and vegetables and we have been increasing our crop yield. It may well be that these larger vegetables can't uptake the minerals form the soil quickly enough before ripening. Of course, many of these crops are also grown on depleted soil.
The Texas study questions these modern farming methods which rely heavily on pesticides and herbicides, which deplete the organisms necessary for the uptake of minerals into the vegetables. The study also adds sound arguments to the case for eating organic fruits and vegetables. Have you ever compared the taste of an organic orange with an ordinary one? There is no comparison.
New studies show that organic foods not only taste better, but that they are also free of chemicals and have a higher vitamin and mineral content.
So eat organic foods as often as possible and do take an excellent multi-vitamin. You need the extra help in this increasingly toxic world.
Oil of Oregano
Viruses are becoming more and more lethal and they are affecting even people who are very healthy. These days a determinant of good health is not whether or not you get the flu but how fast your body fights it off.
To counter these strong viruses, we are starting to use new herbal remedies and the one that is the most outstanding is Oil of Oregano, a member of the mint family. Oil of Oregano is a truly stellar natural microbial killer. Oil of Oregano is derived from medicinal oregano plants found in the Mediterranean and is vastly different from the spice found in our gardens and on our pizzas.
It takes 100 pounds of wild oregano to make one pound of the oil. To date its major use has been as an antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral, and anti-parasitical. The primary active component of Oil of Oregano is carvacrol, a type of phenol. This substance has so far proved impossible to reproduce. In my office I have used it mainly to fight off viruses. Oil of Oregano not only kills the microbes but it also enhances the body's antiviral defenses by boosting white blood cell function and lymph flow.
I have found Oil of Oregano even stronger than Echinacea for warding off colds. I'm also using more and more as an anti-Candida (yeast) killer. Take Oil of Oregano with you when you travel by plane or when you are visiting a country where you may be worried about dysentery or parasites. Other uses for Oil of Oregano include all infections like acne, boils and athletes foot. It also works for mouth infections, gum diseases, bad breath and thrush.
One of the biggest down sides of Oil of Oregano is its very hot taste. I have found the best way to take it is by a dropper full in the mouth followed by a chaser of water or juice. If it's still too strong place it on a one-inch square of bread, roll it up and swallow it.
Because it kills microbes, including the good bacteria in our gut, it's important to add an acidophilus blend to your diet. Take it an hour apart from the Oil of Oregano.
One last word: buyer beware! Oil of Oregano tends to be expensive and the less expensive kinds are knock-offs and don't have the medicinal properties of the true Oil of Oregano. So try it the next time a cold or flu threatens to take hold. It has wonderful curative powers.
St. John's Wort
St. John's Wort has quite a history. In ancient Greece Hippocrates used the tops of the flowers to treat a host of ailments. In the Middle Ages it was believed that if you slept with a plant under your pillow St. John would appear in your dreams, bless you, and prevent you from dying in the following year. That kind of life guarantee was pretty important in those days.
Today many people have heard about St. John's Wort - its good effects and even sometimes its drawbacks. Fortunately its benefits far outweigh the possible negative effects.
St. John's Wort has been shown to be just as effective at relieving mild and moderate depressions as many conventional anti-depressants. And St. John's Wort does it without many of the side effects that accompany the drugs. More that 40 per cent of people on anti-depressants have a reduced sex drive and that can be challenging. Twenty per cent of people on anti-depressants experience stomach aches and 15 per cent complain of anxiety. None of these side effects occur with St. John's Wort. So in cases of depression I think that St. John's Wort is worth a good first try.
In a study involving 1,757 people, St. John's Wort had positive results in 64 per cent of the group compared to 59 per cent given anti-depressants. In Germany St. John's Wort is used as much as all the other commercial anti-depressants combined.
In my practice I use St. John's Wort for a number of reasons. Recently it helped the daughter of one of my patients who was attending school in Montreal. It was exam time and she was studying for her A's and was totally exhausted with insomnia. I have given St. John's Wort to a man in his 50s who was going through a mid-life crisis and was experiencing a certain amount of anxiety. I also often use it in menopausal women who are experiencing dramatic mood swings. It does a wonderful job of leveling off those moods. In fact St. John's Wort can elevate people’s moods and it can increase the length and quality of sleep, especially when the insomnia is due to stress.
St. John's Wort is useful for Seasonally Affective Disorder (SAD), a depression that occurs during the winter months due to a lack of sunlight. And we often forget that St. John's Wort fights viruses. Many people who have severe immune dysfunction have taken St. John's Wort for a long period of time. People with AIDS find that it not only elevates their moods but that it is also a potent anti-viral.
In a liquid form St. John's Wort has proved helpful with skin wounds and mouth sores.
St. John's Wort is a wonderful herb but it may have a few side effects. Some people have reported their eyes becoming more sensitive to light. About two per cent of users report dizziness, nausea or stomach upset. A few have become more sensitive to the sun.
The dosage for depression is 300 mg three times per day. For insomnia I use one 300 mg capsule in the morning and two before bed.
If you are currently taking conventional anti-depression medication and want to try St. John's Wort consult an experienced practitioner to help you in the transition.
Like any medication you take to combat depression, St. John's Wort is not the only therapeutic you should try. It’s no substitute for lifestyle modification. You need to make sure that you eat a proper diet and that you exercise. Use a stress reduction and relaxation technique and in some cases, counseling may be necessary.
But if you are experiencing insomnia, mild anxiety or mild depression think of trying St. John's Wort first.
Vitamin B6
Every so often in these articles I want to tell you about a key vitamin or herbal supplement. And I want you to know how much I appreciate your feedback. We get many calls. You interest tells me you are dedicated to creating a healthy lifestyle.
So today I want to tell you about one of these really key vitamins: Vitamin B6.
Vitamin B6 is one of the most important of the B vitamins. It is responsible for the chemical reactions of more than 60 enzymes. It plays a key role in hormonal balance; in the proper functioning of the immune system; in the production of seratonin, adrenaline, white blood cells and protein. It also plays a key role in the replication of cells and therefore is important for a healthy pregnancy.
Extreme deficiency of Vitamin B6 is rare. But we often see a low level deficiency. One cause of this is the substances we ingest into our bodies in the form of food and drugs. Birth control pills, alcohol, dopamine, excessive protein and food dyes - especially yellow dye number five - can cause vitamin B6 deficiency.
Symptoms of B6 deficiency include anemia, cracked lips, eczema, PMS, morning sickness and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Patients with PMS have learned to appreciate the effects of B6. Symptoms like tender breasts, bloating and irritability have been shown to be dramatically decreased with B6. It can also relieve depression that is often a side effect of birth control pills.
If you have - or know of anyone who has - carpal tunnel syndrome, tell them about vitamin B6. Carpal tunnel syndrome is the result of repetitive stress of the hands. It causes the tissues of the wrist to swell along with burning, tingling sensations. It can take as long as three months to see a beneficial result after starting Vitamin B6 supplementation but it is totally effective.
If you suffer from Chinese Food Syndrome - a sensitivity to MSG - it may surprise you to learn that it may be caused by a Vitamin B6 deficiency. Supplement your diet with B6 and you may well be able to eat Chinese food again without discomfort.
Birth control pills or estrogen supplementation will decrease your supply of Vitamin B6. So supplementing with B6 may reduce some side effects associated with these drugs.
If you are at the age when heart attacks become more common, you should guard against vitamin B6 deficiency. Risk of a heart attack can increase up to five times.
The principle gland of the immune system, the Thymus, shrinks when there is a deficiency of B6 and that causes a decrease in white blood cells, the cells that act as front line of defense against viruses.
I hope I have shown you some of the benefits of Vitamin B6 and some of the remarkable things it does. Space doesn't permit listing all of the properties of this key vitamin. Dosages vary by individual so it is important to work with your naturopathic physician to determine the correct dosage for you. Magnesium is also necessary for the uptake of B6 into the system.
B6 really is a remarkable vitamin - a key player in overall health.
Vitamin E
Few people know how wonderful vitamin E really is. Once they find out, they're apt to call it miraculous.
Vitamin E protects the heart, it protects against stroke, it decreases the hot flashes of menopause, it's great for fibrocystic breast disease and it's a good general anti-oxidant.
Sounds almost too good to be true, doesn't it?
The history of Vitamin E is interesting. A study was done in 1922 where it was discovered that rats, when fed a Vitamin E free diet, were unable to reproduce. So it was coined, the "anti-sterility" vitamin.
The chemical name for vitamin E is Tocopherol, which literally means, to bear children.
Extensive studies done in the last few years show that a daily dosage of 100 i.u.'s of vitamin E daily decreases the risk of heart attacks by 50 per cent. Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant that is specific for heart muscles. The Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation is now giving vitamin E the nod.
This information is so useful. Women come to me all the time and ask what they can do to protect their heart instead of taking estrogen.
Interestingly, low levels of vitamin E in the blood can be more predictive of heart attacks than high cholesterol or even high blood pressure.
Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant that offers significant protection against cancer and it may increase the effects of anti-coagulants.
Breast cysts often respond to vitamin E . Vitamin E seems to normalize female hormone levels and we don't know why. I've treated hundreds of women with menopausal symptoms and other than botanical herbs, vitamin E seems to be the single most therapeutic item that reduces hot flashes and night sweats.
Again, we don't know why. The studies done on vitamin E are all years old. In 1952 there was a study where they gave vitamin E to menopausal patients with hot flashes and sweats and 75 per cent were relieved; 47 to 86 per cent were relieved of back, joint and head-aches.
In another study done in 1949, 31 out of 66 patients had excellent results with reducing hot flashes.
It's interesting that the simple things are so often overlooked. These studies are decades old and here it is, the 90's, and we're finally beginning to pay attention.
Like so many people, I get caught up in "new is better" and when I read these old studies, I'm just so impressed. The wisdom is there and we sometimes tend to overlook it.
Vitamin E occurs in polyunsaturated vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, whole grains and green, leafy vegetables. The common dosage is 400 to 800 i.u's per day and even though excess vitamin E is stored in the body, toxic side effects are very rare.
So if you want to decrease hot flashes and protect your heart, by all means jump on the vitamin E bandwagon. Just make sure you take it in its natural form. D tocopherol is natural, DL tocopherol is synthetic.
Zinc
Zinc is a wonderful mineral that is important for 90 enzyme processes that take place in the body. It has wide-reaching effects, particularly for regulation of the immune system, heart health and cancer prevention. Zinc is also very important after surgery when requirements soar even if you have taken supplements regularly. The healing process gobbles up zinc at an alarming rate so your intake of this mineral should be increased proportionately for at least six weeks after an operation. The same hold true for accidents.
Zinc is required for the repair of tissues, stabilization of cell membranes and prevention of abnormal clotting. All these mechanisms are important for healing a damaged heart and healing after surgeries and accidents.
Now let's talk about cancer. The P53 gene regulates the immune system to find the cancer cells and instruct them to destroy themselves. In medicine this is called apoptosis. If environmental chemicals have mutated this gene, it becomes a fertilizer for cancer and decreases apoptosis. A zinc molecule in the P53 gene assists the gene's process.
B6 is a very important enzyme but it requires a zinc-containing enzyme to be converted to its active form. A B6 deficiency is a common cause of fatigue, depression, numbness or tingling and PMS. The same holds true for vitamin A, which is also important for many functions in the body and which also needs zinc.
The thymus gland, which is crucial for a healthy immune system, sometimes shrinks as we age but this shrinking can be reversed with zinc supplementation. Zinc also helps with the aging process. We're constantly breaking down old genetic material and replacing it with new and this process requires enormous amounts of an enzyme called DNA Polymerase, which also needs zinc to work well. Zinc is also crucial for diabetes, vision and alcohol detoxification.
Some symptoms of zinc deficiency, which are often hidden, may include lack of taste, lowered immune system, poor skin tone, horizontal lines on the fingernails and geographic tongue.
As with many things, too much zinc can also suppress the immune system. Be sure to consult your Naturopathic physician before self-treatment. It's all a question of balance.