Peppermint - Monograph

Common Name – Peppermint

Botanical Name - Mentha piperita

Parts Used – Areal Parts and Essential Oil

Active Constituents

Volatile Oil which contains menthol, menthone and menthyl acetate. Flavonoids, rosmarinic acid,azulenes, choline and carotenes.

So what is peppermint good for?

Therapeutic properties - Carminative, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, aromatic, diaphoretic, anti-emetic, nervine, anti-microbial, analgesic, stimulant, stomachic, rubefacient.

Peppermint is a great herb for all digestive issues. From indigestion after a big meal to a advanced case of stomach ulcers.

It is helpful in cases of flatulence and nausea. Peppermint also has a pain relieving effect which helps to alleviate stomach discomfort.

Peppermint can be used to lower fever and to help to alleviate stress.

It can also be used topically to help relieve pain, itching and inflammation.

How to prepare peppermint tea? Pour one cup of boiling water over one heaping teaspoon of dried herb and let it steep for ten minutes. Strain out the used herb and drink and often as you would like.

Contraindications

Should be avoided during pregnancy and lactation.


 

 

Ashwagandha – Indian Ginseng - Monograph

Common Name – Ashwagandha also known as Indian Ginseng

Botanical Name - Withania Somnifera

Parts Used – Root

Active Constituents – Alkaloids, steroidal Lactones and acyl steryl glucosides

The main alkaloid is called withanine and the main steroidal lactones are known as withanoloids.

Withanoloids are very similar in appearance and action to Ginsenosides which are the active chemical in ginseng. This is what makes the use of Ashwagandha so similar to that of ginseng that it has been referred to as Indian ginseng.

So what is Ashwagandha good for?

Ashwagandha is known to be a tonic herb as well as a adagtogen which can help the body deal with stress as well as help to promote wellness.

Ashwagandha has been noted as helpful for a long list of ailments.

Chronis fatigue, bone weakness, muscle weakness and tension, loose teeth, thirst, impotency, emaciation, constipation, senility, rheumatism, nervous exhaustion, memory loss, neurodegenerative disorders and spermatorrhoea.

"Studies indicate ashwagandha possesses anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antistress, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, hemopoetic, and rejuvenating properties. It also appears to exert a positive influence on the endocrine, cardiopulmonary, and central nervous systems. The mechanisms of action for these properties are not fully understood. Toxicity studies reveal that Ashwagandha appears to be a safe compound"
http://www.altmedrev.com/publications/5/4/334.pdf

"Withania somnifera Dunal (Ashwagandha): potential plant source of a promising drug for cancer chemotherapy and radiosensitization."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9055640

"Studies on immunomodulatory activity of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) extracts in experimental immune inflammation"
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874199000653

Dosage

Ashwagandha can be taken in capsule of tincture for as directed on the package.

Tea form – one cup three times a day

How do you make Ashwagandha tea? Boil one tablespoon of dry root in three cups of water for fifteen minutes and let cool. Strain out the used herb and drink one cup three times a day.

Contraindications

Safety of the herb during pregnancy and lactation are unknown. It has been safely used by children in India.

No drug interactions are known for sure but if you take prescription medication you should ask your doctor or herbalist.

Canker Sores (Aphthous Ulcers) – What are they and how can we treat them with Natural Medicine

Canker Sores are small areas of inflammation that developed on the inside of the mouth. They can appear on the inside of the cheeks and lips as well as on the tong and gums. The inflamed area then turns into an ulcer, which lasts anywhere from four to twenty days. They can range in size from that of a grain of sand to the size of a grape.

The exact cause of these canker sores is no known for certain. They may be brought on by irritation to the tissue of the mouth, viral infection, stress, weakness of the immune system, trauma and fatigue. They may also be linked to deficiencies of iron, lysine, vitamin B12 and folic acid.

Nutritional supplements that can be helpful if you suffer from canker sores.

1. Acidophilus
   
2. L-Lysine
   
3. B-complex Vitamins
   
4. Vitamin C with bioflavonoids
   

You could also apply lavender oil directly to the affected area 2-3 times a day. This helps with the pain immediately and also speeds up the healing process.

To avoid getting canker sores in the first place it is important that you maintain a balance of minerals, acidity and alkalinity in the body.

If you are repeatedly getting canker sores you should get a blood test to check for nutritional deficiencies.

How to Treat Nausea using Herbs

I learnt how to treat my motion sickness because I always try to make the best use of all my time. And at a point in my life when I was traveling a lot by bus I wanted to be able to read and study on the bus. But the problem was I would get crazy nausea when I would read. So here is what I figured out works.

Number one best thing that I found was dry ginger candy. It has a very strong taste but it would do the job. The reason that for me the ginger candy was best was because I was traveling and I could just keep it in my bag.

But if you are at home you could make yourself a cup of ginger tea and that would work well also.

Mint is another great herb for treating nausea. You can make a tea or use one drop of mint essential oil in a cup of water or on a sugar cube to sort your stomach out.

So don't puke just yet. First try some ginger and mint and if they don't help, then you can go ahead and hurl.

Astragalus - Monograph

Common Name – Astragalus

Botanical Name – Astragalus Membranceus

Chinese Name – Huang Qi

Parts Used – Roots

Active Compounds - flavonoids, polysaccharides, triterpene glycosides, amino acids, and trace minerals.

So what is Astragalus good for?

Astragalus is known to help strengthen the immune system, protect the body during chemotherapy, help with the prevention and treatment of colds and flu and help the body recover from blood loss or blood deficiency.

Dosage

Tincture -30-100 drops three times a day.

Capsule form – as directed on the label.

Decoction – 15 grams of dried root per day.

How do you make a decoction of Astragalus?

Boil fifteen grams of Astragalus root in three cups of water for five minutes. Strain out the used herb and drink throughout the day.

Contraindications

Should not be used in cases of excess yang and yin deficiency.

Clinical Studies

Astragalus-Based Chinese Herbs and Platinum-Based Chemotherapy for Advanced Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials


 

 

Panax Ginseng – Monograph

Common Name – American Ginseng

Botanical name – Panax Ginseng or Panax Quinquefolius

Active Constituents – Ginsenosides

So what is American Ginseng good for?

Ginseng both American and Asian are considered to be adaptogens. Adaptogenes are herbs that help the body to adapt to changes. Ginseng is known to help the body cope with stress both mental and physical. Ginseng has been found to help lower sugar levels in diabetics and also help alleviate fatigue in cancer patients. Ginseng has also been found to have cancer preventing qualities.

If you are working hard and feeling stressed out ginseng may just be the right thing to help give you some more energy.

How should you take ginseng?

Ginseng is usually given as part of an herbal formula. It can be taken in pill form on its own to help with fatigue and stress, follow the directions on the label.

Tincture – 30-60 drops twice a day not at night.

You can make a ginseng decoction or ginseng tea by boiling a piece of ginger about the size of the top section of your thumb in one and a help cups of water for a half hour. You should drink two cups a day preferably between meals.

Contraindications

People with insomnia or high blood pressure as well as people taking anti-depressants should not take ginseng.

Clinical studies on health benefits

 The cancer-preventive potential of Panax ginseng: a review of human and experimental evidence.

  Effects of tissue-cultured mountain ginseng (Panax ginseng CA Meyer) extract on male patients with erectile dysfunction

 

Korean red ginseng (Panax ginseng) improves glucose and insulin regulation in well-controlled, type 2 diabetes: Results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of efficacy and safety

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Aluminum Toxicity – what is it? And what can be done about it.

Aluminum is the most abundant metallic element in the earth's crust. Aluminum toxicity can lead to a large range of symptoms such as rickets, gastrointestinal problems, poor calcium metabolism, anemia, extreme nervousness, decreased liver and kidney function, headaches and even Alzheimer's like symptoms. Aluminum on its own is not able to pass through the Blood brain barrier but when it attaches itself to potassium it can then pass through. The scary thing is that aluminum is in almost every food that we eat. Many municipal water suppliers are treating their water with alum (aluminum sulfate). This is one reason why it's a good idea to do a detoxifying program every so often, so that our body can have a chance to rid itself of excess toxic material such as aluminum.

Here are some supplements that can help to protect the body from aluminum toxicity.

1. Apple pectin
   
2. Calcium magnesium supplements
   
3. Coenzyme A
   
4. Kelp
   
5. Lecithin (granules or capsules)
   
6. L-Glutatione