| He describes herbs as inherently health-promoting, rather than disease-killing: "With herbal remedies, it is not so much a case of totally blocking a reaction in the organism, as, for example, with cortisone or chemotherapy. herbal preparations serve very often to regulate and stimulate the organism to promote self-healing tendencies."
The actions of many herbs can be compared to a tap on the shoulder, whereas the effects of drugs can be compared to a kick in the pants. |
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
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 Targeting Herbal Treatment
Practitioners of herbal medicine have found that certain herbs and herbal preparations tend to benefit specific organs, systems, and functions of the body. This section illustrates the locations of various organs and systems, and lists some of the herbs often used for disorders that affect them. Note that an individual herb listed for a particular organ, system, or function may not benefit every problem that affects it. See the individual entries in Part Two for disorder-specific recommendations. These illustrations are provided for information only. |
Sharol Tilgner, N.D.
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 Herbal Medicine
From the Heart of the Earth
For detailed directions on making these preparations, see "How to Make herbal preparations."
Balm: A healing or soothing medicine.
Bath: A bath is a water-based infusion or decoction, designed to treat the skin or deliver herbs through skin absorption.
Capsule: An herbal capsule is convenient and easier to digest than many tablets but is not as easy to absorb as a liquid extract. The powders in the capsule should be freshly powdered prior to placing in the capsule. |
| The book contains the standard fare for introductory herbal texts: A glossary of herbal terminology, a dictionary of herbal preparations, herbal actions with examples, a materia medica section, tables for pharmacy, tincture making , dosing, and treatment by disease condition. But it also contains some very useful tables that I've hardly seen in print in modern books. A dose-and-duration chart shows how many days your tincture prescription will last, combining in the table drops per dose, times per day, and the number of ounces given to the patient. |
Simon Mills and Kerry Bone
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 A more certain way to overcome the problem of the chemical variation of herbs and herbal preparations is to quantify them for indicator chemicals. In other words, the content of a particular component or group of components should always be greater than a minimum level. These components may not be solely responsible for the complete spectrum of the therapeutic effects of the herb but rather will act as indicators of consistent quality. However, they should be meaningful indicators of quality. |
Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
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 The following is a description of some of the most widely used Ayurvedic herbal preparations that are available in natural food stores. Several have already been listed in the Hot 100, but here I will describe their traditional uses as opposed to how these herbs are being marketed for Western consumption. Ayurvedic herbs are typically sold in combination formulas; therefore, I do not give an individual dose for each herb. Follow the package directions.
Amalaki
The richest-known plant source of vitamin C (containing 3000 mg. per fruit), amalaki is a potent antioxidant. |
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
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| The root is dug year-round for use in herbal preparations.
EVIDENCE OF BENEFIT
Since the 1500s, sarsaparilla has been used throughout the world to treat syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases. It has a reputation as a blood purifier and general tonic. Sarsaparilla is a sexual stimulant and wound healer. It is also used as a diuretic.
The natural steroidal glycosides found in sarsaparilla have made the herb popular with bodybuilders as an alternative to anabolic steroids for increasing muscle mass. |
Isadore Rosenfeld, M.D.
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 There are those who swear that vitamin Ev does the trick for them; a number of women benefit from antidepressants, hormone manipulation, or herbal preparations.
Since PMS manifests physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms (singly and in combination), it may in fact be several different entities. That would explain why a particular treatment is effective in some women and not in others. If your PMS symptoms require relief, discuss their management with your doctor, and do try all the various regimens suggested until you find one that works for you. But don't count on it. |
Paul Pitchford
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 Herbal preparations that build the nutritive and protective qi include teas (decoctions) of either fresh ginger root or cinnamon twig. The choices of food should be nurturing and warming (grain and vegetable-leek soups, for example).
Sweating procedure: Drink a cup or more of hot diaphoretic herbal tea, take a hot bath or shower, drink more tea, then cover in blankets and sweat. (See page 70 for ways to prepare tea.) Do not sweat to the point of exhaustion. After sweating, change damp bedding and rest. |
Robert Sampson, M.D. & Patricia Hughes, B.S.N.
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 Now she was able to tolerate herbal preparations, which helped rid her body of Candida and parasites.
This work helped us see that some sensations that we might have previously attributed to chemical reactions were, indeed, related to unexpressed feelings. Along those lines, I at first thought a sensation of heaviness in my chest was a reaction to chemicals in the heating system. Muscle testing indicated it was instead related to my inner child's grief at not having been nurtured the way he would have wanted. |
Bill Gottlieb
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 On the other hand, "herbal preparations don't have anything in them that is considered unsafe to absorb into your body," Elkins says.
BUTCHER'S BROOM: Shrinks Swollen Tissues
"The herb butcher's broom is believed to have the same effect as over-the-counter hemorrhoid preparations. It's an astringent herb, and it works to shrink swollen hemorrhoids," Elkins says.
She recommends using butcher's broom tincture or powder to make an ointment. |
Michael T. Murray, N.D., Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D.
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 Botanical Medicines
There are many cosmetic formulas and herbal preparations on the market that claim to be effective in "curing" cellulite. However, there is no scientific basis for the claims made about the majority of these formulas. In addition, long-term double-blind studies of some of the more popular cellulite treatments (e.g., Thiomucase, Nemectron, and Alec Eden-Slendertone) demonstrated that they were no more effective than a placebo.34 However, several botanical compounds do have confirmed effects in the treatment of cellulite. |
Paul Pitchford
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| Coffee, tea, chocolate, cocoa, many soft drinks, diet pills, aspirin, various analgesics used for migraine headache and vascular pain, and even some herbal preparations contain either caffeine or very closely related substances. Examples of such caffeine-like substances are theobromine in chocolate and cocoa and theophylline in tea. When caffeine and similar compounds are taken in excess, any of several symptoms usually result: anxiety and nervousness, insomnia or light sleep patterns, various types of heart disease, stomach and intestinal maladies, and moodiness. |
| Ligusticum wallichii; Mandarin: chuan xiong)
The herbs in this formula are some of the most widely available Chinese herbs; the entire formula is also a part of various Chinese and Western herbal preparations (testing with dang gui began in Europe in the 1920s). It is particularly effective when weakness, pallor, and deficiency exist, but is not recommended where there are signs of excess (robust, extroverted personality, reddish complexion, thick tongue coating, strong voice and pulse). |
Henry Pasternak, D.V.M., C.V.A.
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 It has been used in herbal preparations. Fortunately, flax is quite nutritious and is used in cereal and bakery products. I regularly sprinkle flax seeds (powder) in cereal with raw milk to have a nutritious breakfast.
I commonly use flax seed oil in allergies and dry skin. How do essential fatty acids, which are found in flax oil, fit in the optimum health picture for both humans and pets alike? There exists an important relationship between the types and amount of fats in an animal's diet and its overall health and development. |
Simon Mills and Kerry Bone
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| THE ETHANOL PERCENTAGE
Ethanol (or alcohol) has been used for hundreds of years to prepare liquid herbal preparations and indeed ethanol-water mixtures do appear to be quite efficient for the extraction of a wide variety of compounds found in medicinal plants.
A number of studies have highlighted the importance of the correct choice of the ethanol percentage in terms of maximizing the quality of liquid preparations. |
The Complete Book of Alternative NutritionSelene Y. Craig, Jennifer Haigh, Sari Harrar and the Editors of PREVENTION Magazine Health Books
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| He also adds some herbal preparations. For kapha-caused stones, he suggests an anti-kapha diet and the herbs.
John, from New Zealand, had a history of kidney stones. When he came to Dr. Sodhi, John had several tiny calcium stones in one kidney and an inch-long stone in the other. "I wanted to try natural treatment, something that would get rid of the stones and keep them from coming back," he remembers.
Dr. |
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
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| The aerial (aboveground) parts of the plant are used in herbal preparations.
Fennel Seed
Latin name: Foeniculum vulgare (Apiaceae [parsley] family) Other common name: fennel fruit
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Fennel is a vegetable with a bulbous, celerylike stem and feathery leaves. It is believed to have originated in the Mediterranean. The aromatic yellow-green fennel seed used in herbal medicine dries on the plant and is harvested in autumn when the fruit has ripened. Fennel seed is a common cooking spice and is used in several cultures to prevent gas and upset stomach. |
Arthur C. Upton, M.D.
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| In addition, easily obtainable, unregulated herbal preparations are an invitation for possible contamination. Such was the case when an imported herbal remedy, marketed as an appetite stimulant, contained mercury as one of its ingredients.
Environmental Contaminants
Plants and animals destined to become foods can accumulate environmental contaminants from a host of sources. Pesticides from agricultural runoff, high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls
Bioaccumulation is an important pathway of exposure, via the food supply, to hazardous chemicals. |
Janet Zand, LAc, OMD, Allan N. Spreed, MD, CNC, James B. LaValle, RPh, ND
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 Otherwise, the strong odors of these herbal preparations may interfere with the action of the remedy.
¦ If headaches are chronic, and an underlying illness has been ruled out, it may be helpful to consult a homeopathic physician for a constitutional remedy.
ACUPRESSURE/MASSAGE
For the locations of acupressure points on the body, see administering an acupressure treatment in Part Three.
¦ Large Intestine 4 relaxes tension in the head. It is especially comforting for a frontal headache.
¦ Liver 3 quiets the nervous system and relaxes tense muscles. |
| For instructions on how to make and use different types of herbal preparations, see PREPARING HERBAL TREATMENTS in Part Three of this book.
When taking herbal remedies, use your judgment and common sense. The herbal treatments recommended in this book are gentle. It is still possible, however, for any herb to cause adverse reactions. If you develop a rash, a stomachache, a headache, or any other new symptom after treatment with an herbal remedy, discontinue using the herb and consult with your health-care provider. |
| Identifying active ingredients and/or marker compounds permits supplement producers to guarantee that their herbal preparations have a known percentage of active constituents and a known dosage. This process is called standardization. Standardized extracts also undergo a concentration process. For example, if 50 pounds of ginkgo leaves will end up making one pound of the final extract, it is termed a 50:1 extract. |
| Natural herbal preparations are generally well tolerated, even by children. Most herbs are nontoxic, with few, if any, harmful side effects. However, it is important to know the actions and possible side effects of an herb before you take it. Although it is very unusual, some people may show signs of sensitivity to a particular herb. Reactions can include a headache, an upset stomach, or a rash. If you have a reaction, discontinue use of the herb.
If you are responding favorably to the herb, but the reaction is too intense, either decrease the dosage or discontinue use of the herb. |
Glenn W. Geelhoed, M.D. and Jean Barilla, M.S.
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 Tinctures are often used in herbal remedies that require mixing concentrated herbal preparations with other liquids. In particular, homeopathic and Bach System methods of healing make a wide use of tinctures.
Bath
Often herbs are most useful when you can soak in them. In particular, aromatic herbs such as lavender, chamomile or rosemary are great soaks to relieve tension and muscle aches.
To make an herbal bath, fill a muslin bag with an herbal mixture and hang it over the bathtub faucet so that the incoming water flows through it. |
Simon Mills and Kerry Bone
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| The following adverse reactions are in most cases theoretical risks only and may be even less likely where the constituents concerned occur in the context of crude herbal preparations because:
• the concentration of each active is usually relatively low compared with synthetic counterparts or experimental experience;
• interactions within herbal remedies often involve neutralizing and buffering of actives by modifying constituents such as mucilages, tannins and resins. |
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
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| Any of the herbal preparations listed here should be effective within three to four weeks of first use.
BENEFICIAL HERBS
HERB
FORM AND DOSAGE
COMMENTS
Ashwaganda
Encapsulated extract standardized for withanolides. Use as directed on the label.
Said to ensure potency and increase fertility.
Catuaba
Tincture. Take as directed on the label.
Strengthens erections. Increases erotic dreams and sexual interest.
Cistanche
Use as directed by a dispensing herbalist.
Enhances production of nitric oxide.
Damiana1
Tincture. Take tsp (1-2 ml) in Yt cup water 3 times daily. |
Simon Mills and Kerry Bone
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| The former is most immediately applicable where dry herbal preparations are to be added. Gelatin-glycerin bases are better able to hold fluid; nevertheless, their use may lead to drying of the mucosal membranes and this may provoke inflammation if used frequently.
7. Mrowietz U, Ternowitz T, Wiedow O. Selective inactivation of human neutrophil elastase by synthetic tannin. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 1991; 97(3): 529-533
8. Klouchek-Popova E, Popov A, Pavlova N, Krsteva S. |
| The influence of herbal preparations on microbiological cultures (direct antiseptic action for some plant constituents has been established but many questions remain unanswered).
• Non-specific observations (as in gerontological research) on cell migrations, length of interphase, longevity and other pointers to in vitro cell health.
CONCLUSION
In reviewing the prospects for validating herbal medicine in a sceptical age, the first conclusion is that the job is overwhelming. |
American Medical Publishing
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| Possible alternatives ~ There are many herbal preparations that aid sleep. Vitamin B-6 deficiency can cause insomnia, so increasing your intake of this vitamin can aid sleep. Vitamin B-12 also helps. It's probably best to take a B-Complex supplement to make sure you are getting all the B-vitamins you need on a daily basis. Do not megadose on vitamin B. Trace minerals are also extremely important to sleep. People low in copper, for example, often have trouble sleeping. A high magnesium and low-aluminum diet also aid sleep. |
Mark Blumenthal
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 While there is much attention focused on potential risks (for obvious reasons of concern for public safety and perhaps the less obvious reasons that many conventional health professionals are not adequately trained on the appropriate uses of these products), there is virtually no official recognition of the benefits of herbal products, except for the few herbs that are approved by the FDA for use as OTC drug ingredients (see Table 2). |
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