Mugwort - Monograph

Common Name – Mugwort

Botanical Name – Artemisia vulgaris

Parts Used – Leaves and Root

Active Constituents – Volatile oil, vulgarin, flavonoids, triterpenes.

So what is Mugwort good for?

Therapeutic properties – Bitter tonic, stimulant, nervine tonic, emmenagogue, laxative and diaphoretic.

Mugwort can be used to assist digestion and help people who suffer from constipation. It can be used to help calm the nerves and help to regulate menstruation

Dosage

Tincture – take 20 – 80 drops three times a day

Tea – drink three cups a day

How do you make a Mugwort tea? Add one heaping teaspoon to a cup of boiling water and let it brew for ten minutes. Strain out the used herb and drink.

Contraindication

Mugwort should not be used during pregnancy.    

Some people are allergic to Mugwort 

Dong Quei - Monograph

Common Name – Dong Quai or Angelica

Botanical Name – Angelica sinensis

Parts Used – Root

Active constituents - Coumarins, bergapten, linalool and borneol.

So what is Dong Quai good for?

Dong Quai has been known as the female ginseng because of it powers of helping the female body acquire and retain balance. It is known to be a uterine tonic and hormonal regulator for women. Dong Quai can be helpful in the treatment of anemia, PMS, menopausal symptoms, weak glands and in regulating monthly periods.

Dosage

3-4 grams should be taken per day either in a powdered root form taken as capsules or made into a tea.

How do you make dong quai tea?

Boil 4 grams of the root in three cups of water for ten minutes and let cool. Strain out the used herb and drink one cup three times a day.

Contraindications

Should not be used during pregnancy and lactation.

May cause increased sensitivity to sunlight

How to Treat a Sore Throat Naturally With What You Have In the House

If you start getting a sore throat and you can't get out and get some good old Recolas, here are some things you can do with what you have in the house.

First off is lemon juice, always best if fresh squeezed but also if from the bottle it will help. The lemon juice will help to kill any bacteria that may be causing the sore throat and also help get rid of some of the irritation.

Next eat some fresh garlic or onions. You can have them in a salad or with some bread but they must be fresh and not cooked or heated. They both contain sulfur compounds that will help to kill bacteria and also help to heal any damage to the soft tissue of the throat.

Gargling with vinegar and drinking thyme tea while not being very tasty can be very helpful as well.

If you are all out of the ingredients I mentioned above then maybe you have some Tabasco source in the cupboard. I don't usually suggest this to other people but what I have done in the past when I was all out of other choices is drip Tabasco sauce right down to the back of my throat. It hurts real badly but then the throat does not hurt as much. Maybe just forget about the Tabasco.

Feel better soon

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.