An Herbal Caution

The belief that an herbal or botanical supplement is "natural" and therefore can be only beneficial, even in high doses, is incorrect. Many vitamins and herbal compounds are toxic at high levels. There is currently no regulatory oversight of herbal supplements, which has led to hazardous doses and contaminants in marketed products. Consumers should be warned about the use of high-dose supplements of any type. There is not evidence that any nutritional supplements can reproduce the apparent benefits of a diet high in vegetables and fruits. It is always advisable for patients to inform their health care providers about any vitamin, herbal or botanical supplement use.

More: http://pathology2.jhu.edu/pancreas/nutrition.cfm#herbal

Herbs for Women

I have quite a few favorite herbs but the most essential herb for me as a woman is black cohosh now that I'm approaching the menopausal years. Before that it was Vitex (aka Agnus Castus, Chasteberry, or Chastetree berry).

Black Cohosh is the main ingredient in most of the herbal preparations for women in or entering into menopause.

Vitex is the main ingredient in most herbal preparations for pre-menstrual syndrome.

Both of these herbs are essential for women depending on their age and whether they suffer from some of the more typical female problems.

Herbs for Men: Saw Palmetto

At least seven controlled studies demonstrate that saw palmetto berry extract is better than placebo for treating symptoms of benign prostate hypertrophy (frequent urination, restricted urine flow, nighttime urination). In one study, the herb was nearly as effective as the prescription drug Minipress (prazosin) for controlling such symptoms, and in other research it reportedly performed better than the prescription prostate medicine Proscar (finasteride) in reducing symptoms. Research using ultrasound has shown that saw palmetto berry extract can shrink enlarged prostate tissue. Some research has shown that saw palmetto berries may also have anti-inflammatory activity and can help reduce allergic reactions. The plant has been used traditionally as a diuretic and may also help to stimulate immune response. The herb's effect on enlarged prostate tissue is by far the most clinically important.

Herbalist have recommended, for early stages of benign prostate enlargement: 320 mg extract daily, in divided doses, or the equivalent of 1 or 2 grams of saw palmetto berries. Four to six weeks may be required to determine if the herb is helping.

Herbs and Natural Remedies

Natural Treatments for IBS

A natural remedy for IBS (aka: irritable bowel syndrome, colitis) is derived from partially germinated barley (not just the whole grain). Though it's been advised in medical journals since 1998, it has not gained widespread use by those affected by the health problem.

The Kirin beer company in Japan uses a byproduct of beer brewing which is partially germinated barley. This product is marketed in the US as Benefiber.

The partially germinated barley increases the water content of the digestive tract, increases the growth of healthy bacteria, and improves fermentation to produce butyrate, a molecule that protects the lining of the gastric tract.

Another potential natural remedy is to take oral butyrate itself. Available as a dietary supplement, butyrate is regarded as safe and is well tolerated.

Vitex Improves Symptoms of PMS

A large new clinical study adds to the growing body of evidence supporting the use of the small fruits of vitex, also known as chastetree (Vitex agnus-castus L., Verbenaceae), in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), a variable complex of symptoms affecting up to 40 percent of fertile women (Loch et al., 2000).

According to results of the open-label German trial, 93 percent of study participants reported that their PMS symptoms either decreased or disappeared altogether after treatment with vitex over the course of three menstrual cycles. According to the investigators, PMS has been associated with up to 150 different symptoms, most of which fall into four classic "symptom complexes" defined as depression, anxiety, craving, and hyperhydration (DACH).

Brought to your attention by Herbs and Natural Remedies

Complimentary / Alternative Therapies

There has been "a dramatic increase in the use of complementary and alternative medicine among individuals with diabetes in recent years," Egede told Reuters Health.

In a survey of 2,474 adult diabetics, Drs. Donald Garrow and Leonard E. Egede from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston found that nearly half (48 percent) reported using some form of CAM therapy such as acupuncture, chiropractic care, dietary or herbal therapy, or massage and relaxation therapy.

"It appears," Egede said, "that those who use alternative therapies want more autonomy in making health care decisions and are willing to try alternative therapies as adjunct to conventional medicines."

CAM users in the study were typically younger, employed, more educated, and had higher incomes than non-CAM users and therefore may be more likely to afford alternative therapies in addition to their conventional medical treatments, the researchers note.

Brought to your attention by Herbs and Natural Remedies.

Garlic versus Manufactured Antibiotics

This is an excerpt from Bill Sardi's Knowledge of Health, an excellent source of health news and information:

Researchers in the Netherlands report that garlic is capable to eradicating vancomycin-resistant enterococci bacteria, a germ that is a growing cause of mortality in hospitals. [8] A broth of 2% garlic juice has been shown to completely eradicate ampicillin-resistant E. coli. [9] E. coli infections are widespread, originating from fecal material, and a resistant strain of E. coli (clonal group A) is accounting for more than half of all the female urinary tract infections. In some parts of the country about 20% of these infections now only respond to a combination of powerful drugs, drugs that encourage even more drug resistant strains. [10]

A 1% solution of garlic from fresh cloves has been shown to have antibacterial activity against E. coli and antibiotic-resistant (methicillin) Staph aureus, Salmonella, a common cause of food poisoning, and Candida albicans, the most common yeast infection. [11] Researchers at Georgetown University report that oil of oregano (not the kitchen cupboard variety of oregano) was recently tested against drug-resistant Staphylococcus bacteria and was found to be equally effective as streptomycin, penicillin and vancomycin.

Read more here

Brought to your attention by Herbs and Natural Remedies

Oats as an herbal remedy

In folk medicine, oats are used by herbalists to treat nervous exhaustion, insomnia, and “weakness of the nerves.” A tea made from oats was thought by herbalists to be useful in rheumatic conditions and to treat water retention. A tincture of the green tops of oats was also used to help with withdrawal from tobacco addiction. Oats were often used in baths to treat insomnia and anxiety as well as a variety of skin conditions, including burns and eczema.

Oats have been used in connection with high triglycerides, anxiety, eczema, and nicotine withdrawal.

Learn more about Herbal Natural Remedies here...

Saw Palmetto Shrinks Prostate Tissues

In the first American randomized clinical trial of saw palmetto (Serenoa repens [Bartr.] Small, Arecaceae), the respected prostate herb proved beneficial in reducing swelling of prostate tissues in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). While numerous studies have confirmed the ability of saw palmetto extract (SPE) to reduce BPH symptoms, this is the first evidence that it actually shrinks enlarged prostate tissues (Overmyer, 1999).

Brought to your attention by: http://www.Eat-Well-To-Be-Well.com

Four-year ginkgo study planned.

Patient recruitment has begun for a long-term study designed to test the effects of Ginkgo biloba in preventing or treating age-related cognitive decline in people aged 85 or older. The Oregon Health Sciences study will involve 200 elderly people who will be randomized to treatment with either 240 mg/day of ginkgo or placebo; placebo patients will receive ginkgo treatment after 24 months. The Tan Sheet, April 30, 2001.

Brought to your attention by: http://www.Eat-Well-To-Be-Well.com

Safety Guidelines When Using Herbs

The beauty of herbs lies in their ability to help your own body/mind heal itself, a process that it does most efficiently. The problem with herbs lies with the users, they have a tendency to become their own doctors. Herbalism is a natural way to supplement conventional medical care, not replace it. Learning about herbs and how they react in the body can be a dangerous knowledge if common sense rules are ignored.

More about Herbs and Precautions...