Alan Keith Tillotson, Ph.D., A.H.G., D.Ay.
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 Equally important as Yin or Yang, these tests are excellent ways to measure the benefits or failure of herbal treatment, providing—in conjunction with symptom changes— guidance to your caretakers.
Over the past 70 years, scientists have made tremendous progress in disease diagnosis and in our understanding of pathological processes. Good diagnostics are a vital part of holistic medicine. At our clinic we see many patients after they have received a diagnosis from Western-trained doctors, and we also send patients out to Western specialists when we find a need for further diagnosis. |
Michael Friedman, ND
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 A critical point for herbal treatment of Graves' is the active and aware participation of the patient in monitoring both symptoms and their respective body responses to herbal treatment. Melissa has a fine reputation as a calming herb and it may be that the calming action is not as a nervine, but as a very effective thyrosuppressant. I do not have data on the proportions of T4:T3, or T3:rT3 in Melissa treatment of Graves'. The possibility of potential overmedication with Melissa, a temporary hypothyroidism, exists, but I have no known cases to report. |
Thomson Healthcare, Inc.
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 The major 1-year, double-blind Herbal Alternatives to Menopause Trial (HALT) completed in September 2004 included both placebo and hormone therapy as benchmark comparison groups to compare with 3 herbal treatment groups: black cohosh 160 mg daily; multibotanical with black cohosh [200 mg daily] plus Dong Quai and eight other ingredients; and multibotanical plus dietary soy counseling. In all, 351 women 45 to 55 years of age with two or more vasomotor symptoms daily were randomized into the groups. |
| None of the 3 herbal treatment groups had clinically meaningful reductions in menopausal symptoms, and at 12 months, symptom intensity was significantly worse for for the group taking multibotanical plus soy (P=0.016)—one of the treatment groups that included Dong Quai. (Newton et al 2006).
A 2005 evaluation of the effect of a water extract of Dong Quai on the proliferation of estrogen receptor-positive and negative breast cancer cells determined that it stimulated the growth of MCF-7 cells in vitro, possibly dependent of weak estrogen-agnostic activity. |
| Antibacterial Effects: Echinacea angustifolia, as a part of a combination herbal treatment known as Mercurius cyanatus complex, was tested in vitro using serial dilution against 105 clinical microorganisms. The bactericidal activity was approximately that of vancomycin (Vestweber et al, 1995). It is difficult to assess the results since the product was a combination of several herbs. Alcoholic extracts of Echinacea purpurea increased phagocytic, metabolic, and bactericidal activities of peritoneal macrophages (Bukovsky et al, 1993; Bukovsky et al, 1993a). |
Michael Friedman, ND
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| A critical point for herbal treatment of Graves' is the active and aware participation of the patient in monitoring both symptoms and their respective body responses to herbal treatment. Melissa has a fine reputation as a calming herb and it may be that the calming action is not as a nervine, but as a very effective thyrosuppressant. I do not have data on the proportions of T4:T3, or T3:rT3 in Melissa treatment of Graves'. The possibility of potential overmedication with Melissa, a temporary hypothyroidism, exists, but I have no known cases to report. |
Alan Keith Tillotson, Ph.D., A.H.G., D.Ay.
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| I remember a particular case where a patient came to Nai-shing for acupuncture and herbal treatment for severe spinal pain. Nai-shing recognized there was something seriously wrong and immediately referred the patient to one of the physicians with whom we work. He discovered a tumor on the patient's spine. In this case, the doctor's specialized skill was instrumental in saving the patient's life.
2. WBC test. Measures the number of white blood cells. A low white cell count can often be attributed to the same general causes as for RBCs and may indicate immune system deficiency. |
Bill Sardi
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 When hormone therapy doesn't work any longer and the cancer continues to grow, the herbal treatment (PC-SPES) is "effective in those patients" said Dr. Aaron E. Katz. [LA Times, Oct. 21, 2000]
DES reconsidered
One outcome of the PC-SPES debacle is that physicians began to realize they had overlooked DES in favor of more expensive, but maybe not superior drugs, like Lupron. Thirty years ago 5 milligrams of DES was the standard dose prescribed, with considerable side effects noted. Today it is known that low-dose DES, 1 mg, is effective and produces fewer side effects. |
Alan Keith Tillotson, Ph.D., A.H.G., D.Ay.
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| However, although diagnostic terms offer us important information about the problem, it is often not enough to help us determine the proper herbal treatment. In fact, although we do not usually realize it, each of us is bound by often-unexamined beliefs about the nature and meaning of disease drawn from our culture and upbringing.
For example, a diagnosis of asthma seems to clearly tell us that the patient has trouble breathing. |
| Creating Herbal Solutions to Health Problems
When you are ready for herbal treatment, whether for yourself or for others, your first step is to examine the individual's health and identify problem areas. Most people could stand to make at least a few dietary and lifestyle changes to improve their health. Once you have identified the areas that need improvement, you can begin to develop a treatment protocol. Remember, you can always make adjustments along the way as you determine which therapies or regimens work best. |
| Herbal treatment with accompanying lifestyle changes is the way to go.
Herbs that help reduce and remove blood fats include guggul gum, arjuna bark, turmeric root, ginger root, black pepper, garlic bulb, hawthorn, and shou wu root. I often mix these herbs together along with some triphala to reduce inflammation. I use about 4-5 grams of concentrated powder extracts of these herbs per day. It is often helpful to increase dietary intake of beans as well. If you must use cholesterol-lowering drugs, remember that milk thistle seed and turmeric root can help keep the liver healthy. |
Marshall Editions
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 Avoid shrimp, beef, lamb, and chili pepper since they may interfere with your herbal treatment and increase heat in your body.
NATUROPATHY
Diet: Omit wheat, rye, oats, and barley from your diet. After six weeks add one food at a time and note any changes with the dermatitis. Avoid dairy products, sugar, white flour, trans-fats, omega-6, saturated fats, fried foods, and processed foods as they tend to cause skin inflammation.
Supplements: Take vitamin E at 400 IU a day to relieve itchiness and dryness. Vitamin A is essential for smooth skin and helps dryness. |
| TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
Herbs:
• Internal herbal treatment: According to traditional Chinese medicine, dry hair is usually caused by blood or body fluid deficiency, excessive body heat, or stagnant circulation. Consult a doctor of Chinese medicine for an individual assessment. He Shou Wu (fleece flower root), Dan Shen (salvia root), Shu Di Huang (Chinese foxglove), Mai Men Dong (ophiopogon tuber), and Tian Men Dong (asparagus tuber) can be used in bulk or in powder form to treat dry hair internally by nourishing the blood and body fluid. |
| External herbal treatment: Add 150 g each of Sang Bai Pi (mulberry root bark) and Ce Bai Ye (biota leaves) to 6 cups of waters in a ceramic pot. Soak the herbs for 30 minutes before bringing them to the boil. After boiling the herbs for 10 minutes, remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool to a warm temperature. Soak your hair in this decoction and rinse once a week. Your hair should become smoother and shinier after a couple of treatments.
Acupuncture: Dry hair can be a symptom of an internal imbalance. |
| Avoid shrimp, beef, lamb, and chili pepper, since they may interfere with your herbal treatment and increase heat in your body.
See Sciatica (p. 702) for guidelines on anti-inflammatory supplements and herbs that can help with shin splints. Below is some advice on how to protect against this type of injury.
Wear the right shoes: Prevention is the most effective way to treat shin splints. Athletes, especially runners who are overpronators, tend to suffer shin splints most. Overpronation occurs when the feet roll inward too much. |
| TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
Before treating jaundice, a professional consultation is recommended. herbal treatment should be carried out under the supervision and observation of a medical doctor, and is best combined with acupuncture. Stronger herbal decoctions than those described below can be prescribed by an experienced traditional Chinese medicine doctor.
Herbs:
• Yin Chen tea: Yin Chen Hao (artemisia shoots and leaves) and capillaries have proven to be effective herbs for treating jaundice. |
| To treat eczema, an internal and external herbal treatment is commonly used. The condition often diagnosed is dampness and heat in the body that is disturbing skin health. The treatment principle is to dispel dampness and cleanse blood heat. Before the long-term use of either internal or external treatments, it is recommended that you consult your doctor.
Herbs:
• Jin Yin Hua tea: Combine 10 g each of the herbs Jin Yin Hua (honeysuckle flower) and Jin Lian Hua (gold lotus flower) in a teapot. Add 3-4 cups of hot water and let the herbs steep for three minutes. |
Alan Keith Tillotson, Ph.D., A.H.G., D.Ay.
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| TAM doctors differentiate conditions and the appropriate herbal treatment by determining what is causing the hair loss. If the hair is simply falling out it is more of an inflammatory condition and should be treated as such. If the hair is fragile and breaks off, it is more of a deficiency condition that requires nourishment. |
James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.D.
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 General Recommendations
Uva ursi is a traditional herbal treatment for kidney stones. It relieves pain, cleanses the urinary tract, and fights infection. Take 250 to 500 mg three times daily. Do not take uva ursi for more than fourteen days at a stretch.
Dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale) is an effective kidney cleanser. Take 500 mg two times daily. Do not take dandelion root for more than a month at a time.
Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) has beneficial diuretic qualities. To make a tea, macerate horsetail leaves and steep them in cold water for twelve hours. |
Bryan Hanson, PhD
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 How do we go from a shaman in the jungle curing his people with methods that are centuries old to a modern drug or herbal treatment? After reading this book, much of how that journey happens should be clear. I truly enjoy deciphering these wonderous molecular events that stretch to the origins of human culture. I hope that you too have developed a sense of pleasure from our little tour together, and that you now have the knowledge you need to understand medicinal plants. acid: A substance that can donate PROTONS, which are also known as hydrogen IONS (H+). |
Michael Friedman, ND
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| The Chinese herbal treatment of Sjogren's syndrome and subacute myelo-opticoneuropa-thy (SMON) disease. Oriental Healing Arts International Bulletin 1987;12(7).
37. Hsu, Hong-yen. Applications of Chinese herb formulas and scientific research: Ginseng and astragalus combination. International Journal of Oriental Medicine 1991;16(3).
38. Su Xiangfu, et al. Effect of yin-nourishing and blood-activating recipes on antibody formation in animals. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 1984;4(2).
39. Fengjianhua, Report of 2 cases of toxic hepatitis induced by Dioscorea bulbifera. |
| The basic herbal treatment for hypothyroidism is to administer qi and yang tonics. For example, 19 cases of hypothyroidism of various causes (10 due to thyroid operation or irradiation in the treatment of hyperthyroidism, three were chronic lymphatic thyroiditis, 6 due to unknown causes) were treated for 2 to 4 months with a thyroid tablet containing codonop-sis and astragalus to tonify qi, and epimedium, cur-culigo, and cuscuta to tonify yang (with cooked rehmannia to balance the yin and yang).32 The patients received either herbs alone or herbs with thyroxine. |
| One patient with Type I/II noticed a decrease in fasting blood sugar levels after 2 months of taking the herbal treatment. One patient with Type I noticed no decrease in fasting blood sugar after taking Jambul combo for 3 months.
Six patients with hypoglycemia noticed a decrease in hypoglycemic score within 6 weeks. The Jambul combo was an effective treatment in 13 patients out of 15. It was not effective in one NIDDM and one Type I patient. Most patients reported decrease in diabetic complications and the progression of the illness itself. |
| Botanical Medicine
Snakeroot (Rauwolfia serpentina): Rauwolfia serpentina is a very reliable herbal treatment to lower severe hypertension. It is also an excellent remedy for anxiety and insomnia that often accompanies a hypertensive patient. However, like most prescription drugs for hypertension, some patients do complain of feeling tired when on Rauwolfia.72
NATUROPATHIC MEDICAL ALTERNATIVES
Hawthorne Berry (Crataegus oxycanthus): Moderate hypertension can be safely treated with hawthorne berry. |
James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.D.
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| 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.
Since the time of Paracelsus, European medicine has been a battle between the holistic philosophy of herbalism and an increasingly mechanized view of the body. And as Europeans began to explore and colonize, this battleground spread to North America, where Native Americans had been using herbal remedies for centuries, if not millennia. |
| Mullein (Verbascum thapsus), licoripe, and marshmallow (Althea officinalis) root have historically been used in the herbal treatment of asthma. Choose formulas that contain a combination of these herbs, and use as directed on the container.
Cordyceps is a medicinal mushroom used in Chinese medicine to reduce bronchial secretions, improve lung function, and energize the body. Take 800 mg twice daily of a standardized product.
Adrenal-support formulas are helpful in the prevention of asthma. |
Tanya Harter Pierce
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 Many factors seem to contribute to how potent or effective any herbal treatment will be. Also, Rene Caisse injected the sheep sorrel into her patients and none of the herbal remedies today use that approach.
There can be no debate that herbal remedies such as the Hoxsey therapy and Essiac have, historically, been extremely powerful anti-cancer treatments. In today's modern world, there are still people getting well from cancer using these herbal treatments. Finding herbal sources today that use good quality herbs and prepare the herbs optimally is the biggest concern. |
James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.D.
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| For infectious conditions, continue the herbal treatment for two days after the symptoms have resolved to prevent a relapse.
Chronic conditions: Take the recommended dosage two to three times daily.
Note: Herbs can be taken with or between meals. If you are prone to digestive upset, take the herbs with meals. If the herbs are being used to strengthen digestion, we recommend that they be taken close to mealtime.
HANDY CHART: CALCULATING DOSAGE FOR CHILDREN Dr. |
Paula Begoun
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 What's Not So Good About It: Everything else!
© herbal treatment Shampoo with Cedar Leaf & Juniper Oil ($10 for 7.5 ounces) contains several ingredients that can be a problem for the hair and scalp, including lemon water, peppermint leaf, cedar, lemon, rosemary, juniper, and peppermint oils. This is not recommended for any hair or scalp type.
© Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar with Oat Protein and Pro Vitamin B5 ($6for 3.5 ounces) is bar soap positioned as shampoo, and it is more difficult to work with than traditional liquid shampoos. |
| What's best about this gentle shampoo is that it is fragrance-free, which means it is excellent for someone with an easily irritated scalp.
© herbal treatment Shampoo for Problem Hair and Scalp ($16for 8 ounces) lists sodium CI4-16 olefin sulfonate as the first ingredient, which makes this a very drying shampoo for both hair and scalp. This also contains rosemary, wild mint, cedarwood, and lemon oils, which only increase the irritation. |
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