| Particular herbal preparations vary from tribe to tribe.
A shaman might be employed when self-medication or therapy obtained from a trained herbalist proves insufficient to cure or slow an illness. Shamans, also called "medicine men" (although many are women), are trained healers thought to embody special powers in the spirit world. Prayers and ceremonies, important components of healing, usually are led by shamans. |
| Because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is not required to regulate herbal preparations, manufacturers are not obliged to specify their ingredients. Therefore, consumers cannot know whether a product for sale on a store shelf contains what it says it does, whether it is pure, or whether it includes potentially dangerous elements or contaminants.
Ginseng, among the best-known Asian herbs, is a good example of the promises and problems of herbal medicine. |
Rudolph M. Ballentine, M.D.
See book keywords and concepts |
 Certainly, herbal preparations can be used in a way that is similar to conventional pharmaceuticals. When an herbal remedy is not properly selected so that it has a corrective resonance on the energetic or informational level, it may simply act like a drug. In fact, some commonly used drugs are plant concentrates, given in doses strong enough to push far beyond the subtler informational potential of the plant they're made from. Cocaine and morphine, as well as digitalis, fall into this category. |
| Combinations: I have avoided mentioning proprietary preparations such as combination homeopathic and herbal preparations. This doesn't mean that I think they're inferior; sometimes they combine a spectrum of useful natural agents in a way that not only simplifies treatment for the user, but also may create an effective synergism. The downside of such products is that they are notoriously ephemeral, coming and going in the blink of an eye. |
| Also source of blotting (periodontal) brushes, herbal preparations and other hard-to-find products. This is the pharmacy I helped establish at the Himalayan Institute. The proprietor has made a life's study of stocking and making traditional preparations.
Homeopathy Overnight: 800 ARNICA30 Fast delivery of homeopathic remedies.
Flower Essence Society: 800 548-0075
English and California Flower Essences. They will make up combinations.
Elizabeth Herb Medicine: 212 925-7105
A wide variety of Chinese Patent Medicines. |
Stephen T., M.D. Sinatra
See book keywords and concepts |
 A woman may choose dietary modification, vitamin and mineral supplementation, or herbal preparations to smooth the menopausal transition and pave the way for optimum health during the postmenopausal years.
Alternatives to HRT
Phytoestrogens are compounds occurring naturally in plants. Many of these compounds come from soybeans or soy-based products. In women who prefer to avoid pharmaceutical preparations of estrogen, phytoestrogens can be an alternative therapeutic agent. These phytoestrogens are even good for the heart. |
| Linoleic and linolenic acids are useful in preventing dryness in skin, hair, and vaginal tissue. herbal preparations like evening primrose oil, borage oil, or black currant oil can regulate prostaglandin levels, positively affecting the hormonal shifts of menopause and PMS. EFAs (essential fatty acids) also alleviate many such hormonal changes, and are commonly found in nuts and seeds, wheat germ, and oatmeal.
In addition to vitamin and mineral supplements, many herbs are extremely useful in helping to manage specific menopausal symptoms. |
Gale Maleskey
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 Dosage Dilemma
The lack of "scientific evidence" and research studies supporting the effectiveness of herbal preparations in humans has an impact on the medical community. Not many M.D.'s are writing prescriptions for herbs, and that's largely because of the lack of studies, says Jonathan Sporn, M.D., an oncologist and associate professor of medicine at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington.
Eating more garlic or taking a garlic supplement is probably good for your heart and circulatory system. It may very well prevent stomach cancer as well, says Dr. Sporn. |
Michael Janson, M.D.
See book keywords and concepts |
 Generally, the US medical profession has been resistant to the use of herbal preparations.
Supplements of milk thistle extract, standardized with 80% silymarin, are available in 150-mg capsules. Two capsules twice per day is an effective dose for liver protection and sugar improvement. For general protection, one or two capsules per day may be adequate, unless you are highly exposed to damaging environmental chemicals.
Saw Palmetto
The saw palmetto tree (Serenoa repens) is a small palm tree that produces reddish-brown berries that are therapeutic for prostate gland enlargement. |
James Green
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 Because we have made ourselves more independent and can recreate our herbal preparations annually if we wish, they don't have to last "forever" on a shelf. And our handmade meds need not always present a precise strength or be pharmacologically mega-potent to touch our health. In addition to their abundant herbal actions, they provide other components in their overall tonifying therapeutic effect not found in the use of commercial products. |
Dr. Julian Whitaker
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| Furthermore, unlike vitamins and minerals, all herbal preparations are not taken in the same manner. Some are appropriate for daily use, while others require periodic breaks. A few herbs interact with prescription drugs, and some are not advisable if you have certain health problems. Before taking any herbal treatments, do your homework. Make sure you take herbs as recommended, carefully considering possible allergic reactions and interactions with drugs you may be taking. Never exceed the recommended doses. Pregnant or nursing women should approach all herbs with caution. |
James Green
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| The handmade nature of our herbal preparations supplies us a considerably broader spectrum and more wholistic emplacement of health-enhancing therapeutic actions. So, for all herbal medicine-makers who agree with my meanderings, wine shines once again as a welcome solvent/preservative for common use.
THE UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP OF WINE
WITH THE HUMAN BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT
It would be a sober error to conclude that a given quantity of wine is equivalent to an equal quantity of water containing a like percentage of distilled grain alcohol. |
Lesley Tierra
See book keywords and concepts |
 In making herbal preparations be sure that ad of your utensds, strainers, cheesecloth and such are very clean. Most metal containers will add metadic "salts" to herbal solutions, diluting and altering their properties. Even stainless steel does this, but to a much lesser extent than other containers such as iron, aluminum or copper. Iron pots are specifically recommended, however, when the "salts" of that metal are desired as part of the medicine. If glass or enamel containers are not available, stainless steel is the next choice. |
| The chapter on herbal preparations gives specific information on this. In general, tinctures, oils, liniments, salves, gels and pastes keep many years. Syrups, capsules, pills, bulk herbs and powders loose potency faster and so should be replaced every six months.
Other Things To Include
Along with the remedies listed, there are several otheritems of importance to incorporate in your medicine kits. These include alcohol wipes, an eye cup, file card guides on how to use the remedies (this comes in handy for those who might be able to help you! |
| The chapter on herbal preparations gives complete instructions for their preparation. Specific formulas are covered in the chapter on Home Remedies. If a remedy is not listed in either chapter, the formula is given. In some cases homeopathic remedies or Chinese prepared medicines are included because they are extremely effective for those conditions. Both may be found in larger health food stores and herbal shops; or, for Chinese prepared medicines, the Chinese sections of larger cities.
Several remedies are given for most of the conditions listed. |
| At the end of this chapter is a chart to help you distinguish between these factors for most herbal preparations.
When working with sales people, do remember that they cannot diagnose or prescribe for you. The best they can do is say what most people buy or find useful, their own personal experience, or what has traditionally been used in the past. Do not press them to make a choice or decision for you. They can help you choose which of the six companies to buy a tincture from or help you determine the differences between various formulas. But the ultimate decision and selection is up to you. |
| These are described under salves in the chapter on herbal preparations.
Cremes
Cremes are like salves but without the addition of beeswax to solidify them. They also have more water and possibly rubbing alcohol in them. Cremes are used as a soothing and healing lotion which spreads easily and absorbs into the skin. Calendula is commonly found this way.
Oils
Herbal oils are used on the skin, like tiniments, for sore and aching muscles, cuts and stings and for massage. They can be soothing and healing, or warming and stimulating. |
| For the guidelines given below, refer to the chapter on herbal preparations which explains how each form is made and what it is used for.
Bulk Herbs
Bulk is the term used to indicate the dried herb itself, usually found in quantity in jars or bins. It can be whole, cut and sifted, sliced or powdered. Herbs in whole form, like seeds, flowers and some roots, are simply the dried parts as is. These herbs retain their potency the longest, yet they often need to be cooked longer or partially broken down for use. |
Richard Lucas
See book keywords and concepts |
 Along with their protective powers, these herbal preparations build mouth and gum health and also modify unpleasant odors that linger in the mouth after certain meals or beverages.
Directions for Use
Some of the Chinese recipes cited in the following list are used solely for treating a specific condition of the mouth and throat, while others may be used either as a treatment or for daily oral hygiene.
For treatment purposes, an herb gargle or mouth wash is used four times a day, or more often if necessary. |
Daniel B. Mowrey, Ph.D.
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 An aromatic in every blend would make herbal preparations much more acceptable to the body, more digestible, and would increase assimilation and utilization by the body's major systems. In addition, the volatile oils of Peppermint are said to be directly stimulating to the entire body. A mechanism to explain this effect is not known, but the subjective feeling of energy and vitality imparted by the herb is well-known. See Also digestion; mental alertness/senility
GINGER ROOT produces a generalized stimulant effect which diffuses slowly from the G.I. |
| See Also eyes
CAYENNE increases the circulation of blood to peripheral tissues, ensuring that nutrients (including those obtained from this and other herbal preparations) are delivered to inflamed and infected areas. Though the practice is unsubstantiated scientifically, many people use Cayenne directly to treat sore throat and other cold symptoms, taking advantage of the herb's irritant property on the surface of exposed tissue. Others find this practice very painful, so exercise caution in applying the contents of these capsules directly to mucous membranes. |
James A. Duke, Ph.D.
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 Standardization largely compensates for the natural variability you find in bulk herbs—the kind available in bins or jars and measured out according to weight—and it takes the uncertainty out of herbal preparations. You know exactly how much of the active ingredients you're getting.
Unfortunately, standardization makes herbs more expensive than the bulk herb would be. |
Michael Janson, M.D.
See book keywords and concepts |
| I do use a number of herbal preparations in practice, and information on these is worth reporting. Most of the time they are used for treatment of specific conditions, but some of them are used for general toning and prevention. For more thorough discussions of herbal remedies, see the books listed in the Resources section. (See Appendix 2.)
Herbs are not orthomolecular substances. Unlike nutrients, they contain components that are not normally present in the body. |
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
See book keywords and concepts |
 The flowers are used in herbal preparations.
EVIDENCE OF BENEFIT
Calendula is an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and pain-killing agent for minor injuries and topical infection and irritation. Some of the chemical components of calendula have shown potential in laboratory tests as a reverse transcriptase inhibitor for the treatment of HIV/AIDS.
Benefits of calendula for specific health conditions include the following:
• Allergies. Calendula can be helpful for food allergies because it prevents overgrowth of yeast in the bowel and promotes digestion.
• Bowel diseases. |
Sheldon Saul Hendler
See book keywords and concepts |
 The amount of the active principle varies in different feverfew plants, making herbal preparations frequently unreliable. Better quality control and standardization are badly needed in herbal marketing. Diet is also important in the management of migraine headaches. Chocolates and certain wines, for example, can provoke migraine attacks.
The Formula
1) Diet. A diet like the one proposed in the Formula for Cholesterol Control should be followed. Include in the diet fatty fish (such as tuna and salmon); get at least one serving three times weekly. |
Kenny Ausubel
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 The name Eclectic originated with a group of doctors devoted to clinical research and the use of herbal preparations in treating disease. They flourished in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and between 1826 and 1939 had a string of medical schools that taught sophisticated methods of botanical prescribing, the mainstay of therapeutics of that era. Their work represented the apex of plant medicine in the United States and persists as a rich reservoir of practical knowledge, some of which has yet to be equaled. |
Berkeley Holistic Health Center and Shepherd Bliss
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| Chinese Medicinal Herbs
Today in China, herbal preparations and acupuncture are well integrated into the mainstream of established medical practice. Such integration doesn't happen overnight, so it's no wonder that the earliest treatise on medicinal herbs was written in China 5,000 years ago.
The most famous of Chinese herbs are ginseng, ma huang, and ginger. Ginseng, panax ginseng, is the fabled herb of immortality, used by the Chinese as a panacea for many different ailments. Modern research has demonstrated that ginseng helps the body adapt to stress. |
Nicola Reavley
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 Commercial herbal preparations are available in a variety of forms including teas, tinctures, fluid extracts, powders, capsules and tablets. Improvements in extraction and concentration processes in recent years have led to the availability of good quality, effective herbal products. The following are some of the most popular and readily available herbs. The term herb refers to any plant used for medicinal purposes.
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)
Alfalfa has a powerful reputation as a healing herb. |
Joe Graedon and Teresa Graedon
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 Licorice
Many herbal preparations contain licorice (glycyrrhiza). This natural product has been used for centuries in cough and cold remedies and as a digestive aid. It is also employed as a flavoring agent in many natural remedies. But too much licorice (in candy or an herbal product) can deplete the body of potassium. People taking diuretics or digoxin (Lanoxin) can get themselves into serious trouble if they also gorge on licorice (see pages 44 and 45 for more details). |
Velma J. Keith and Monteen Gordon
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| For instructions on how to make see herbal preparations.
Onion pack:
Potato pack:
Clay pack:
SALVES
Comfrey Salve: can be purchased. Salves with Comfrey and Chickweed (and other healing herbs) are wonderful because of the contact healing properties of those herbs.
Poultice Combination Salve: mix poultice combination in with another salve, comfrey, or an A and E cream, or with natural vaseline.
Goldenseal/Myrrh Salve: Mix Goldenseal and Myrrh in equal parts in a natural vaseline until it becomes a dark color. |
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