| Here are Messegue^s lumbago and rheumatism remedies, which should not be taken internally:-'
LUMBAGO
Onion (one large grated) Single-seed hawthorn (blossom—one handful) Great burdock (flowers and leaves—one handful) Buttercup (leaves and flowers—one handful) nettle (leaves, fresh if possible—one handful)
This, he says, is to be used in compresses over the kidneys (see instructions, page 59) and in foot and hand baths (see instructions, page 30).
RHEUMATISM
Onion (one large grated)
Great burdock (leaves—one handful)
3Of Men and Plants by Maurice Messegue' Op. cit. |
| Or make a poultice, following instructions on page 59, Chapter 4, using cabbage and fresh nettle leaves, to be coated with a liqueur glass of the basic preparation and applied to the stomach. Do not eat or drink.
'Reprinted with permission of Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., from Of Men and Plants by Maurice Messegue^ Copyright © 1972 by Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd. Copyright © 1973 by Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. |
Larry Trivieri, Jr.
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 Immune-building herbs include aloe vera, astragalus, echinacea, Panax ginseng, larch tree extract, maitake mushroom, noni, and nettle. Antimicrobial herbs include grapefruit seed extract, garlic, lomatium, goldenseal, licorice, myrrh, yarrow, olive leaf extract, and St. John's wort. For fatigue, try Panax ginseng, Siberian ginseng, suma, and oatstraw.
• Acupuncture can help to strengthen and simultaneously desensitize, normalize, and regulate the immune system.
• Ayurvedic medicine treats CFS by improving digestion and eliminating toxins and allergies. |
Robert S. McCaleb, Evelyn Leigh, and Krista Morien
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 The herbal formula contained 120 mg nettle root extract and 160 mg saw palmetto extract. Participants took either 2 capsules of the herbal preparation or 1 capsule (5 mg) of finasteride daily for 48 weeks. The investigators monitored changes in maximum urine flow rate and volume and recorded patient reports of improvements in quality of life and symptom severity. The herbal preparation and finasteride were equally effective in improving urinary flow rate and other symptom scores. |
Robyn Landis
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 Other good skin healing and tonic herbs include nettle leaf (for eczema, 1 ounce as tea daily), burdock root (for dry, scaly skin and psoriasis, 5 to 10 capsules daily), and red clover flower for general internal cleansing (5 capsules per day).
Yucca root is the main treatment for adult acne in Britain (its saponin compounds are believed to be steroidal and anti-inflammatory). Oregon grape root is also excellent for acne. Both can be taken in capsules, 2 to 10 per day. A third acne herb is cleavers leaf (5 to 10 capsules per day). |
Robert S. McCaleb, Evelyn Leigh, and Krista Morien
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| Saw palmetto has been used successfully in combination with nettle root, pumpkinseed, and pygeum in clinical studies lasting up to 1 year.
Specific Studies
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Clinical Study (1996)
A standardized saw palmetto extract (320 mg daily) was just as effective as the drug finasteride (5 mg daily) in reducing symptoms of moderate BPH in a 6-month double-blind randomized study of 1,098 men. |
| Recent clinical studies show that saw palmetto is a safe, effective alternative to standard drug therapy and surgery in treating the uncomfortable symptoms of BPH, either by itself or in combination with nettle root (Urtica dioica), pumpkinseed (Cucurbita pepo), or pygeum (Prunus africana). Saw palmetto has been found effective in roughly 90 percent of men, usually within 4 to 6 weeks. In contrast, fewer than 50 percent of men have success with the common drug finasteride (Proscar) even after a year of treatment. |
| Benefits
• Root: Improves urine flow, reduces urinary frequency and nocturia (nighttime urination), and decreases volume of residual urine in early stage BPH
• Leaf: May relieve arthritis pain by altering the inflammatory response
Scientific Support
Considerable clinical and laboratory research supports the use of nettle root, either alone or with other herbs, to treat symptoms of the early stages of prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH), including difficult and frequent urination and nighttime urination (nocturia). |
| Young nettle shoots are edible and contain carotene (a precursor to vitamin A) and vitamin C in the same quantities as spinach.9 The entire plant is also rich in chlorophyll, carotenoids, and minerals, including iron, potassium, and magnesium. |
Larry Trivieri, Jr.
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| HERBS: Drink an infusion made from equal parts of nettle and horsetail three times a day.
HOMEOPATHY: Calcphos., Graphites, Sulfur, Nat mur., Fer-rum phos.
JUICE THERAPY: Carrot, beet, celery blend
Professional Care
The following therapies should only be provided by a qualified health professional.
Magnetic Field Therapy / Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy / Naturopathic Medicine
OXYGEN THERAPY: When due to fungal infection, ozone may be effective.
TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE: Detoxifies the liver. |
Linda B. White, M.D.
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 Alfalfa is rich in vitamins and minerals and, like nettle, is considered a "blood builder." Typical dosage: up to nine 400- to 500-milligram capsules per day,- or 15 to 30 drops of tincture four times per day,- or tea as directed by the manufacturer.
Siberian Ginseng (Eleuiherococcus senticosus)
This herb is one of the most popular general tonics, or overall health boosters, available. It helps many body systems function and respond to stress. So why use it for osteoporosis? |
Rex Adams
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 Maurice Messe'gue', in his book Of Men and Plants, gives this herbal folklore arthritis remedy, which is not to be eaten:2
Garlic (one crushed head)
Greater celandine (leaves, semi-fresh if possible—one handful) nettle (leaves and stems, semi-fresh if possible—two handfuls) Dandelion (whole plant, semi-fresh if possible—one handful)
2Reprinted with permission of Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., from Of Men and Plants by Maurice Messegue'. Copyright © 1972 by Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd. Copyright © 1973 by Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. |
John Heinerman
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 Needed: 4 qts. nettle greens; 2 gals, water; 2 thinly sliced lemons; 3 thinly sliced limes; 2 oz. grated fresh ginger root; 1/2 tsp. powdered nutmeg; 1/4 tsp. powdered mace; 2 cups light brown sugar; 1 cake of active yeast.
Boil the first 4 ingredients gently in a large open kettle or big pot for 50 mins. Strain through 4 layers of cheesecloth before adding sugar. Cool to lukewarm. Dissolve the yeast in 2 cups of this ale liquid, then stir in the remaining ale. Bottle in quart fruit jars or clean gallon jars with narrow spouts. Let stand for one week in a cool place. Refrigerate 15 hrs. |
James A. Duke, Ph.D.
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 In recent years, nettle has been increasingly touted for treating bronchitis, asthma and hay fever—and with good reason. The juice of the roots and leaves, mixed with honey or sugar, relieves both bronchitis and asthma. Try two teaspoons of dried herb per cup of boiling water and steep until cool.
V Couchgrass (Agropyron repens or Elymus repens). This herb is also known by an ironic name, quackgrass, which I love. Despite its name, however, it is not a quack remedy. It works and has long been used for respiratory complaints. |
Gary Null
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 Saw palmetto also works very well with nettle root. One teaspoon of the root extract two times a day, morning and night, will reduce the nocturnal need to rise and urinate.
Prostatitis, with painful urination, discharge, and other problems, requires an appropriate diagnosis from a doctor. In addition to what the doctor prescribes, one might want to take a tea of mixed herbs. |
James A. Duke, Ph.D.
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| My long-time friend, herbalist Jim Troy, slapped both of my wrists with nettle plant until both stung mightily. I had with me a bottled solution of lawsone which Robert Rosen, Ph.D., a chemist at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, had provided. I rubbed the solution onto my right wrist and enjoyed instant relief. The hives on my left wrist kept right on itching. This mini-experiment convinced me that any plant containing the compound lawsone, such as jewelweed, is worth considering as a treatment for hives. |
| We shouldn't be surprised that nettle does, in fact, help relieve allergy symptoms. For centuries, cultures around the world have used this herb to treat nasal and respiratory troubles: coughs, runny nose, chest congestion, asthma, whooping cough and even tuberculosis. At a Columbia University Workshop on Botanical Medicine for Physicians, herb advocate Andrew Weil, M.D. |
| University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson and author of Natural Health, Natural Medicine, said that he knew of nothing so dramatic as the allergy (hay fever) relief afforded by freeze-dried nettle leaves.
V Camomile (Matricaria recutita). Aromatherapists, especially in Europe, recommend massaging with camomile preparations to treat skin allergies such as hives and itching. That sounds reasonable to me. There are compounds in this herb that have significant anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties. |
Sheldon Saul Hendler
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 Adverse effects from drinking nettle tea have been reported including upset stomach, burning sensations in the skin, difficulty in urination and bloating.
Oats
(Feel Your Oats/Kick Your Habit!)_
Oats are one of the latest nutritional rages. You can't watch television for long without seeing at least one commercial on oats, and supermarkets seem increasingly stocked with oat bran products. This trend has to do mainly with the known cholesterol-lowering effects of oat bran. But the story is even more interesting. |
Robyn Landis
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| Herbs for bone maintenance and mineralization include nettle, alfalfa, slippery elm, oatstraw, and horsetail (these latter two are sources of digestible silicon, a trace element crucial to building of bone and other tissue). Algae are a rich, broad-spectrum source of minerals as well.
Studies show that milk is not great for osteoporosis. In fact, the countries with highest osteoporosis rates are those that have the highest milk consumption. Absorption and retention, not intake, are the issues. |
John Heinerman
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| Remarkable Hair Tonic for Baldness
Stinging nettle lotion seems to help hair grow again where baldness may now be present. The following two lotions should be used at the same time every morning after washing and rinsing the hair as you normally would do. The alcoholic portion to be used should be diluted by half as much of the infusion prior to rubbing into the scalp good with the fingertips. And when doing so, be sure to bend your head down low, massaging the lotion in from the nape of the neck upwards towards the front. |
Robyn Landis
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| Lung tonics for ex-smokers include elecampane root, yerba santa leaf, nettle leaf, or mullein leaf. Any of these would be btewed with 1 ounce of herb by dry weight and taken daily for 1 year. Cubeb berry is another lung tonic and could be taken in capsules (2 to 10 per day) or tea. |
John Heinerman
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| NOTE): I'm deeply indebted to Darcy Williamson, author of How to Prepare Common Wild Foods, for her nettle recipes, which have been somewhat adapted to fit the needs of this book.
NUTMEG AND MACE (Myristica fragrans)
Brief Description
Nutmeg is the seed of the nutmeg tree, which is an evergreen with spreading branches and very dense foliage, reaching to a height of 66 feet or so. A native of the Molucca Islands of Indonesia, nutmeg is now cultivated in many tropical regions, but is produced commercially mainly in Indonesia and the island of Grenada in the West Indies. |
Ruth Winter
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 Hemp belongs to the nettle family.
NEURAL TUBE DEFECT • In simple terms, a neural tube defect (NTD) is a malformation of the brain or spinal cord (neurological system) during embryonic development. Infants born with spina bifida, where the spinal cord is exposed, can grow to adulthood but usually suffer from paralysis or other disabilities. Babies born with anencephaly, where most or all of the brain is missing, usually die shortly after birth. These NTDs make up about 5 percent of all U.S. birth defects each year. |
| See also Horse nettle.
DULCIN • A nonnutritive sweetener that as of this writing is not legal in food. DULSE • A natural flavoring extract from red seaweed. Used as a food condiment. No known toxicity. GRAS. DV • Abbreviation for Daily Value (see). DYSPEPSIA • Indigestion.
E
EARTH WAX • General name for Ozocerite, Ceresin, and Montan Waxes. See Waxes.
ECHINACEA • Echinacea angustifolia. Snakeroot. Stoneflower. Coneflower. The roots and leaves of this herb served as a medicine for the Plains Indians. Said by herbalists to be a natural antibiotic and immune enhancer. |
Josef A. Brinckmann and Michael P. Lindenmaier
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 Urticaceae. All of the following data relates to U. dioica.
Synonyms: Netde seed (Engl), Fruit d'ortie (Fr.), Brennesselfruchte, Bren-nesselsamen (Ger.), Fruto de ortiga (Span.).
Origin: A nitrophyte growing in waste places with nearly worldwide distribution. The material of commerce is imported from southeastern Europe.
Constituents: The ripe fruits contain about 30% fatty oil with the main fatty acid component linolic acid (74—83%) as well as about 0.1% (^-tocopherol. |
Robyn Landis
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| Other good long-term pulmonary herbs you can choose from (find one you like and work it into your daily routine) are coltsfoot flower, elecam-pane root, mullein leaf, nettle leaf, and eyebright leaf. More information on these herbs is given on pages 188-190. The average dose for these teas is 2 to 3 ounces of the herb daily for acute symptoms, or 1 ounce for building.
Though supported by scant scientific literature, turmeric is widely used in Ayurvedic asthma regimes, with the same use being clinically supported by several American herbalists. |
| Irish moss, licorice, oatstraw, and nettle are magnesium-rich herbs.
Studies show that vitamin B6 supplementation decreases frequency and severity of asthma attacks, according to Donald J. Carrow, M.D., and Mitchell Chavez, C.N.7
General Lifestyle for Asthma
General good health habits are, of course, crucial if you hope to resolve asthma permanently. As with any condition, a favorable environment for healing must be created, both internally and externally. The basic healthy diet outlined on pages 107-117 should be observed generally. Any immune-weakening habits should be eliminated. |
Larry Trivieri, Jr.
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| Bone Brew—calcium-rich infusion of three dried herbs: nettle (Urtka dioica), 1 tbsp; horsetail 1 tbsp; and sage (Salvia qfficianalis), 1 tbsp. Put the first two herbs in a quart container, crush, and then add the sage. Fill container with boiled water and close cap tightly. Let sit for a minimum of four hours. When ready, remove herbs and drink tea, hot or cold. One cup of tea has as much calcium as a cup of milk, according to Weed.
Dr. Ojeda suggests that certain herbs be incorporated into an osteoporosis prevention program because they have hormone-stimulating properties. |
Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
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 Do not use nettle if you are pregnant or have kidney disease without first checking with your physician.)
Cayenne (also known as capsicum)—This substance found in peppers contains more vitamin C than oranges. Cayenne tea is excellent for colds and chills.
Ephedra—Medicinal use of this herb dates back to about 2800 B.C. when Chinese healers used it in the treatment of the common cold, asthma, hay fever, bronchitis, and other ailments. |
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