Alternative Herbal Medicine Or Herbalism

Herbal medicine is an ancient practice that dates back to early centuries. This practice is based on the use of plants and plant products as well as minerals, shells and other animal parts. Parts of plants such as leaves, flowers, stems, seeds and barks are also considered herbs and are also widely used.

Herbal medicine and modern science

Herbalism is one of the most ancient of all alternative medicine practices. It is widely accepted by the medical community because of its scientific basis. It also plays an important role in the development and manufacture of many medications and dietary supplements as about 25% of all prescription drugs are derived from trees, shrubs, or herbs. Majority of these medications are mixtures of herbs, plant extracts, and other organic substances that helps the body heal by utilizing a balance of ingredients provided by nature. Herbs are as effective as drugs but without the side effects especially if used appropriately.

Some of the most common herbs and their uses

There are thousands of herbs that have various positive and healing effects on the body. Some are used to prevent illnesses while some are used to cure and others are used to enhance the appearance and general well being of one person. The Alfalfa is commonly used to detoxify and alkalize the body. It also helps in lowering the cholesterol level in the blood, ease inflammations and helps in balancing the hormones. It is also a good treatment for bleeding disorders, anemia and disorders in the bone, joint, colon, digestive system, and the skin. Another popular herb is the aloe vera which is mainly used to treat wounds and burns. It also helps in minimizing or eliminating scars by promoting cell regeneration in the skin. Other valuable properties include antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral that helps in fighting off different types of infections. Chamomile is not only popular as an herbal medicine but there are also teas that are chamomile infused. It is very popular for its calming effects that help in relieving stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia.

Risks of herbal medicine

As with any types of medications, herbs also have negative interactions with each other. It is best to inform your physician if you are taking more than one herb at the same time; either for medication or supplement. This will help your physician monitor your health and your body’s reaction to the herbs. Pregnant women should refrain from taking any herbal medication unless advised by a physician as some herbs increase the risk if getting a miscarriage.

There are many reasons to use alternative herbal medicine as a means to aid in the healing on it’s own, or with traditional medicine.

Home | Nutrition | Supplements | Ginkgo biloba helps people with dementia Ginkgo biloba helps people with dementia

By David Liu

Ginkgo biloba extract preparations may not help prevent cognitive decline in elderly people who have no cognitive problems or mild cognitive impairment, according to a new study reported in the Dec 23/30 issue of Journal of American medical Association.

The trial study led by Beth E. Snitz, Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh, and colleagues showed taking a ginkgo biloba extract did not seem to have any effect on global cognitive change and specific cognitive domains of memory, language, attention, visuospatial abilities and executive functions in elderly people.

In the trial conducted between 2000 and 2008, 3,069 men and women aged 72 to 96 were randomly given 120 mg of the herbal remedy or a placebo twice a day for an average of six years. The researchers found no evidence to suggest that taking ginkgo biloba extract may prevent cognitive decline.

It remains unknown whether the findings are applicable to people in other age groups. And also it is unknown whether the dose of the herbal supplement used in the trial is optimal. Many trials have shown that ginkgo biloba helps people with dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

Dr. Joe Mercola, owner of mercola.com, reported on Nov 2, 2002 that a major review of 33 clinical trials by researchers at the Cochrane Collaboration in Oxford concluded that evidence is promising that dietary supplements with the herbal medicine Ginkgo biloba can improve memory and function in people with dementia. The remedy appeared to be safe without excessive side effects, according to the review.

A recent review of 10 randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trials led by Austrian scientists and published in the Sept 2009 issue of Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie indicates that Ginkgo biloba extract is at least as effective as commonly prescribed drugs in treating dementia.

Detoxify with ions

Alternative healing and medicine have grown in mainstream popularity over the past decade. Detoxification of the body is one of the methods used in alternative medicine and is said to clear the body of its toxins.

Local salons, holistic businesses and even natural food stores are offering ionic detoxification, and one of the more popular methods is the ionic foot bath.

Ionic detoxification is the process of rebalancing the body's energy through a bio-charge, according to Bio-Cleanse, manufacturer of the Ionic Detox Foot Bath. The complex energy fields of the unit permeate the water, realigning the body's energy field. This realignment, according to Bio-Cleanse, releases the cellular-level toxins through the body's pores.

There is some skepticism surrounding the ionic detoxification process. The results are not measured in as an exact science but are based on people "feeling better," say skeptics, who include Dr. Andrew Weil, founder and director of the Program in Integrative Medicine, who on his Web site calls the concept of ionic detoxification "complete nonsense."
But Joni Saber of Lancaster firmly believes in its effectiveness.

Saber, who was raised by health-conscious parents, began an ionic detoxification business after she was diagnosed with Graves' disease. The thyroid condition left Saber always feeling tired.
This exhaustion prompted Saber to look into alternative health treatments, and she began her detoxification business, Joni's Health and Wellness Emporium, to help others and herself.
"The foot bath is one way to help yourself cleanse your body of toxins," Saber said. "There are toxins affecting your body all of the time from the environment, diet and even medicines."

The bottom of the foot contains 2,000 pores, according to Saber, and traditional Chinese medicine subscribes to the thought that every pore is connected to some part of your body. The ion detoxification process borrows from this idea, and advocates claim the body is cleansing itself through the feet.

Throughout the ion bath process, the water will change colors, which are said to directly relate to different areas of the body, according to Saber. If the water turns a yellow/green, the kidney, bladder, urinary tract and prostate are being detoxified. A black or dark color can mean the liver is being cleansed by the treatment, Saber said.

The cleansing is not always accomplished in one treatment, Saber said. It may take several to work on a certain area of the body, and those who perform the treatment suggest 10 to 14 visits to maintain the results of the foot baths. Saber charges $25 per session.

There are people who can not have ionic foot baths, including people with electronic devices in their bodies or who have open diabetic sores on their feet, chemo patients and pregnant women.
The foot bath is not meant to diagnose any medical problems, it is used to cleanse the system. Saber and those who give the foot baths cannot make any medical recommendations, but they do work with a client's doctor if necessary.

At the first ionic detoxification visit, Saber will ask for the person's background information, including health history and doctor's information.

During a recent foot bath at Saber's home, Saber prepared the plastic foot bath tub with a new liner and bottled water. As she poured the water in she explained that any kind of water can be used for the machine — tap, purified or spring. She does not suggest using well water because it is not filtered in any way.

The Bio-Cleanse machine reads the salt level on the person's skin and determines whether salt should be added to the water.

"The salt is needed to cause a reaction," explained Jason Wheary, who was receiving the foot bath and has had several of them performed.

Throughout the foot bath, Saber encourages clients to drink water. This helps to "move the toxins through the system," Saber explained.

The purging of the toxins happened gradually over the 30-minute session, and the water slowly took on a yellow/green tint and acquired a cloudy, milky appearance.

"That's the lymphatic system," Wheary said as he read the classifications of color for the foot bath.

Saber allows clients to read their own results then compares her findings with theirs.
"This allows them to see how the system works and evaluate the results themselves," Saber said.

The results are different with each bath, Wheary said. His last foot bath yielded orange-tinted water, Wheary said. This represents a detoxification of the joints, according to the Bio-Cleanse literature.

To Wheary this made sense, because he had worked out twice the day before and was sore and stiff on detox day. After that foot bath, he said, he felt "rejuvenated."
"My legs were not so tired; they felt refreshed."

Vital: Celebs And Their Weird Remedies

Why Stars Swear By Some Of The Strangest Alternative Therapies

HAVING blood-sucking leeches attached to your body in an attempt to boost your health and well-being is just the latest celebrity craze to hit the headlines.
Actress Demi Moore revealed she recently had 45 leeches gorge themselves on her blood.
The strange "leech therapy" treatment, which she had carried out in Austria, aimed to purify and detoxify her blood by releasing an enzyme as the blood-suckers bite down.
If you think Demi's alternative therapy treatment is a step too far, here are a few more weird remedies celebrities swear by that will either leave you in disbelief or reaching for the sick bag.

CUPPING:
Back in 2004, A-lister Gwyneth Paltrow set tongues wagging when she turned up to a New York film premiere in a low-cut top that revealed circular bruises on her back.
The marks were the aftermath of abeauty treatment called "cupping", which is a type of acupuncture.
Aiming to relieve stress, cupping involves placing heated glass cups on the body as the area is treated.

TRUFFLES AND CAVIAR HAIR TREATMENT:
Ex-Darling Buds of May actress Catherine Zeta-Jones rarely washes her flowing locks using traditional shampoo and conditioner.
Instead, the Welsh stunner splashes out on a expensive treatment consisting of truffles and caviar. She claims the truffle-based shampoo and the fish eggs -which are smeared in to her hair and cost £200 a time - give her tresses an unbeatable shine.
Rumour has it, Beluga caviar is flown in from Iran five days before Zeta-Jones attends her appointment at her beauty salon.

URINE THERAPY
Perhaps the most disgusting in the list, urine therapy involves applying human urine for medicinal or cosmetic purposes.
Usually administered by drinking or rubbing into the skin, uropathy, as it is also known, is an ancient treatment believed to be a tonic for anumber of ailments.
Among modern celebrities, British actress Sarah Miles has drunk her own urine for more than 30 years, claiming it immunises against allergies, among other health benefits.
Rehab singer Amy Winehouse is also rumoured to have tested a "urine ointment" -mixed with her own urine - to help clear up her skin problem.

AURICULAR ACUPUNCTURE:
Sticking needles into your ears doesn't seem a very pleasant way to boost well-being but it's a fashionable procedure that has its celebrity fans sporting a tell-tale ear pin.
Cherie Blair was reported to have "ear acupuncture" - an ancient Chinese medicine - to relieve stress, while Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich was pictured with a needle in his ear, reportedly to help him to lose weight.
Experts claim the treatment can help everything from addictions to insomnia and joint pain to fertility.

CRYSTAL HEALING:
Princess Diana swore by the healing power of crystals and Cherie Blair always sported a crystal pendant around her neck to ward off harmful rays from computers and mobile phones. Actress Shirley MacLaine and Latino singer Ricky Martin are also reported to have worn one. Experts claim the human conscious and subconscious can benefit from crystals.

ESKIMO DIET:
While fighting breast cancer, singer Sheryl Crow chose to dramatically alter her diet and opted for the Eskimo Diet.
The traditional Eskimo diet consists largely of meat and fish, fruit, vegetables and carbohydrates.
During the strict regime Sheryl ate a lot of fish, particularly salmon. Studies have shown that fish-eaters - such as Eskimos - have lower rates of cancer.

BIO-ENERGY HEALING:
This was the alternative therapy that pop princess Kylie Minogue tried out after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
The Aussie singer contacted a bio-energy healer before she was about to begin her radiotherapy course. During her sessions, positive energy was beamed into Kylie's body with one hand and negative energy was removed with the other.

ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE:
Multi-millionaire Paul McCartney is a fan of this alternative therapy, which teaches the skillful "use of the self" - how we move, how we stay still, how we breathe, how we learn, how we organise our awareness and focus our attention.
The Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique claim this "subtle and thoughtful discipline" works by "re-establishing the natural relationship between the head, the neck and the back - the 'core' of the body supporting the strength of the limbs and which provides the structural environment for breathing and internal organs".

KLAMATH LAKE ALGAE:
This blue-green algae is dubbed a "miracle superfood". The slimy substance is a herbal medicine bursting with nutrients and anti-oxidants.
As well as her leech therapy, Demi Moore also indulges in this. She claims that stresses in her life are combated by injesting Klamath Lake algae, which is found in the volcano bed of Lake Klamath, in Oregon, USA. It boosts mental clarity, helps cell regeneration and strengthens the immune system.

BUDDHIST CHANTING:
Olivia Newton-John used buddhist chanting to help her overcome her battle with breast cancer. Rocker Courtney Love and Pirates Of The Caribbean actor Orlando Bloom are also fans. Love claimed chanting helped her with her battle for sobriety.
It's a form of musical verse that exists in just about every part of the Buddhist world. Chanting is the traditional means of preparing the mind for meditation.

eczema: herbally treated

Chinese herbal remedies could combat eczema, reports the Daily Mail. A “pentaherb formulation”, a combination of five herbs, “reduced sufferers' need for conventional medicines and improved the quality of life for those being treated for atopic eczema,” the newspaper says.
The findings that the report is based on follow a study carried out last year by the same researchers. The 2007 study found that the pentaherb formulation improved “quality of life” and reduced steroid use in children compared with placebo. However, the herbs were no better than placebo at reducing the symptoms of eczema. The news reports have mixed up the methods of these two different studies.

This latest study, which was carried out in the laboratory and in 28 Chinese patients with eczema, found that the herbs had no effect on steroid use. The results of this study and the earlier one are not conclusive. Herbal medicines, if they are being suggested as treatments for skin conditions, should have their safety and efficacy tested in the same way as other medicines. More randomised controlled trials are needed in this area, particularly studies that compare tested treatments (such as steroid creams and emollients) with herbal medicines.

Where did the story come from? Dr Tin Fan Leung and colleagues from the Department of Paediatrics and Chemical Pathology and the Institute of Chinese Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong carried out this study. The research was funded by the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau and by the Chinese University. It was published in the British Journal of Dermatology, a peer-reviewed medical journal.

What kind of scientific study was this? Researchers created capsules of a “pentaherbs formulation”, a common traditional Chinese mixture of five herbs. The capsules contained Japanese honeysuckle, root bark of tree peony, peppermint, the underground stem of the atractylodes herb and bark from an Amur cork tree. This herbal formulation was tested in two ways.

First, the researchers carried out a laboratory study. They isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (which are part of the immune system and are known to have abnormal responses in people with eczema) from anonymous blood samples sourced through the Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service. These human immune cells were exposed in the laboratory to a steroid used to treat eczema (dexamethasone) or to the pentaherbs formulation. The researchers compared the effects on cell growth and the production of inflammatory mediators (chemicals released by the cells as part of their immune response). They determined how toxic the chemicals were to the cells.

In the second part of their experiment, 28 Chinese patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (i.e. eczema) who were aged five to 21 years were given three capsules of the pentaherb formulation twice a day for three months. Blood samples were taken at the beginning of this period and at the end so that researchers could determine the response of the immune system and perform other tests to show how safe the formulation was.

What were the results of the study? The researchers looked at the effects of the herbs on the human immune cells in the laboratory. They found that the steroid treatment suppressed the release of all the inflammatory chemicals from these cells. The herbal concoction reduced only some of these chemicals, and the concentration of the immune activating chemical ENA-78 was increased.

In their study of 28 Chinese patients, most of who were already being treated with a steroid (mometasone furoate), they found no change in the amount of steroid used over the three months. They also found that levels of two chemicals involved in inflammation (BDNF and TARC) reduced over the three months.

What interpretations did the researchers draw from these results? The researchers conclude that their laboratory studies suggest that the pentaherbs formulation has some “immunomodulatory” properties (i.e. that it has an effect on the complex reactions that occur when immune cells respond).

The effects of the herbs on inflammatory agents that have been linked to eczema suggest that the herbs may have value in treatment. The researchers call for more research into the effects of ENA-78, to help understand why the herbs apparently increased circulating levels.

CHINESE HERBS TRUMP WESTERN MEDICINE?

hate to be skeptical of the study below. Where I grew up, if you were sick, you went to the doctor but if you were really sick you went to the Chinese herbalist. So I am not prejudiced against Chinese herbalism. I once used a Chinese herbal medicine to apparent good effect myself. And the study below is a Cochrane product so deserves some respect for that.

But having said all that, the reasoning below is peculiar. We are asked to believe that something of unknown and probably quite variable composition is more therapeutically efficient and side-effect-free in the given application than any known molecule. Even if true, that does not tell us much, as far as I can see. That users of Chinese medicines exhibit a particularly strong placebo effect would be my provisional interpretation of the results below. That would also explain the low rate of side-effects. I hope I will not be abused for suggesting that menstrual discomfort (which is what was studied) could be quite susceptible to placebo effects. I could only check my interpretation by re-doing the whole Cochrane study, however.

Since the authors themselves acknowledge “the poor methodological quality of the included trials”, however, I doubt that anyone needs to do that. Not much to hang your hat on there at all. Rather surprising to see it under the Cochrane aegis. Even the Cochrane project is not immune from Leftist fantasies about the wonders of non-Western cultures, it would seem. Abstract follows:

Chinese herbal medicine for primary dysmenorrhoea
By X Zhu et al.

Background: Conventional treatment for primary dysmenorrhoea (PD) has a failure rate of 20% to 25% and may be contraindicated or not tolerated by some women. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) may be a suitable alternative.

Objectives: To determine the efficacy and safety of CHM for PD when compared with placebo, no treatment, and other treatment.

Search strategy: The Cochrane Menstrual Disorders and Subfertility Group Trials Register (to 2006), MEDLINE (1950 to January 2007), EMBASE (1980 to January 2007), CINAHL (1982 to January 2007), AMED (1985 to January 2007), CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library issue 4, 2006), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI, 1990 to January 2007), Traditional Chinese Medicine Database System (TCMDS, 1990 to Dec 2006), and the Chinese BioMedicine Database (CBM, 1990 to Dec 2006) were searched. Citation lists of included trials were also reviewed.

Selection criteria: Any randomised controlled trials (RCTs) involving CHM versus placebo, no treatment, conventional therapy, heat compression, another type of CHM, acupuncture or massage. Exclusion criteria were identifiable pelvic pathology and dysmenorrhoea resulting from the use of an intra-uterine contraceptive device (IUD).

Data collection and analysis: Quality assessment, data extraction and data translation were performed independently by two review authors. Attempts were made to contact study authors for additional information and data. Data were combined for meta-analysis using either Peto odds ratios or relative risk (RR) for dichotomous data or weighted mean difference for continuous data. A fixed-effect statistical model was used, where suitable. If data were not suitable for meta-analysis, any available data from the trial were extracted and presented as descriptive data.

Main results: Thirty-nine RCTs involving a total of 3475 women were included in the review. A number of the trials were of small sample size and poor methodological quality. Results for CHM compared to placebo were unclear as data could not be combined (3 RCTs). CHM resulted in significant improvements in pain relief (14 RCTs; RR 1.99, 95% CI 1.52 to 2.60), overall symptoms (6 RCTs; RR 2.17, 95% CI 1.73 to 2.73) and use of additional medication (2 RCTs; RR 1.58, 95% CI 1.30 to 1.93) when compared to use of pharmaceutical drugs. Self-designed CHM resulted in significant improvements in pain relief (18 RCTs; RR 2.06, 95% CI 1.80 to 2.36), overall symptoms (14 RCTs; RR 1.99, 95% CI 1.65 to 2.40) and use of additional medication (5 RCTs; RR 1.58, 95% CI 1.34 to 1.87) after up to three months follow up when compared to commonly used Chinese herbal health products. CHM also resulted in better pain relief than acupuncture (2 RCTs; RR 1.75, 95% CI 1.09 to 2.82) and heat compression (1 RCT; RR 2.08, 95% CI 2.06 to 499.18).

Anti-cancer herbal tonic recipe revealed

Bill Haymin

October 9, 2007

By: Leslee Dru Browning

www.NewsTarget.com

Dear NewsTarget readers,

Today we bring you a powerful anti-cancer recipe from an article written by Leslee Dru Browning, a 6th-generation herbalist. This article reveals the recipe ingredients and step-by-step process for making a "blood tonic" that, in my opinion, works as potent anti-cancer medicine. (I consider it "natural chemotherapy.")

It's important to print this recipe and keep it handy because the FDA has pressured a lot of companies to avoid making or selling "blood tonic" products that actually prevent or help cure cancer. The FDA, you see, doesn't want patients curing their cancer with natural medicine. There's too much money in the cancer industry today, and conventional medicine is only interested in profiting from cancer, not curing it. Just look at the FDA's attacks on Lane Labs for selling an anti-cancer mushroom product that actually worked!

This recipe reveals a genuine cure for many cancers, in my opinion. The ingredients are nothing short of miraculous in their ability to halt the growth of cancer tumors, block the formation of blood vessels to existing tumors, cause apoptosis (cell death) of existing tumors, and boost the body's ability to stop the spread of tumors.

If you can't find the time to actually make this yourself, the closest product I know of that's available for sale is called "Blood Support" from Jon Barron's Baseline of Health Foundation: http://www.BaselineNutritionals.com, Mike Adams Health Ranger.

By: Leslee Dru Browning

Key concepts: cancer, herbs and water.

NewsTarget) Blood tonics today are used for cancer prevention; cancer treatment; liver health, viral and bacterial infections. In the days of old blood tonics were called Spring Tonics and farmers would religiously take them come Spring Time after a long sedentary winter to get their sluggish blood in shape for the upcoming season of farming. A custom that has been lost in today’s world. Why? And why aren’t blood tonics readily available for purchase from holistic healers or from health food stores? Could it be that pharmaceutical companies don’t want any competition from herbal and botanical medicines?

In Dr. Wright’s Newsletter dated September 17, 2007, he talked about Washington State's war on holistic M.D.s. Sad but true. Holistic healers are still being attacked in the USA that spouts that we are a Free Nation...except when it comes to health care, of course. The onslaught on alternative healers is brought about by Big Pharma, Big Business, the American Cancer Society, the AMA and our elected politicians who are bribed by lobbyists. They don’t want you healthy! Instead, they want the path cleared of anyone who can heal you so they can keep pushing their legal high-profit drugs. In today’s world where the propaganda mantra is “There is no cure”, holistic healers are being harassed, arrested and charged with “moral turpitude”, and put out of business simply because they can cure what ails you.

With the attacks on Natural Medicine it can be hard to find an Herbalist who can make up blood tonics for their cancer clients. Herbalists can be hard to locate, especially those who specialize in cancer treatments because they do not advertise since it is against the law in the USA for any health care practitioner to claim they can heal cancer; or any other illness for that matter, yet, it is not against the law to heal yourself. Therefore, why not learn to make your own? In this article I will give the recipe for the very first blood tonic I made.

Browning's Blended Spirits is a blood tonic I formulated years ago for an 80 year old man who had been diagnosed with Invasive Bladder Cancer that had spread to his lymph. During surgery it was found that his tumor had grown outside the wall of the bladder and the surgeon was unable to remove it all. He refused chemotherapy and radiation treatments and was given only 3-6 months to live. His family called me to see if I could help him. After hearing his case I couldn’t recommend herbal capsules because he had difficulty swallowing so I made him this blood tonic. Also included in his treatment was a Bladder and Kidney tonic along with diet changes.

His cancer was eliminated in 6 months and was verified by a cat scan his doctor did in the hospital. The doctors were mystified when they could not find any cancer in his body, yet they never asked what he did to eliminate his cancer. That alone suggested that his doctors not only didn’t care how he healed himself; but that his doctors weren’t the least bit curious about alternative medicine and how they might learn from his recovery. The gentleman is no longer living, but he did not die of cancer. He died of old age from natural causes. I continued to use this blood tonic recipe for several types of cancer and bacterial illnesses in my practice up until the day I retired.

About the Ingredients:

Browning’s Blended Spirits Blood Tonic contains a comprehensive blend of all-natural ingredients of herbs that are effective for blood purification and detoxification. The ingredients in this blend provide nutritive support to the body and are historically proven to provide both cleansing action and detoxification of the cells throughout the body including the lymph, lungs, liver, heart, colon and bloodstream. Many of the ingredients like burdock root, chaparral, poke root, red clover and yellow dock have been used for years to treat cancer.

What ingredients you will need make the tonic:

3oz each of the following dried herbs:

Anise seed (pimpinella anisum)

Blue violet (viola odorata)

Burdock root (arctium lappa)

Chaparral (larrea tridentate)

Dandelion root (taraxacum officinale),

Fennel (foeniculum vulgare),

Licorice root (glycyrrhiza glabra),

Oregon grape (mahonia aquifolium),

Poke root (phytolacca Americana),

Red clover (trifolium pretense)

Yellow dock root (rumex crispus).

40 oz of Honey or Black Strap Molasses, your choice.

16 oz of Vegetable glycerin.

4 Tablespoons of Citric acid which can be found in health food stores or from herb companies on-line.

5 gallons of distilled water

Purchase the whole herb (cut root and cut leaf) instead of the powdered herb if you can. The reason for this is two-fold. First, the powder absorbs more water leaving you with less liquid; second, the powder takes longer and is harder to strain. I purchase most of my dried herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs. Their herbs are processed and handled according to strict organic standards and they will sell individual herbs in a 4oz quantity so you will not have to purchase a full pound. I am sure there are many other herb company’s and health food stores that carry the herbs you will need. Just make sure they are organic.

What cooking tools you will need:

You will also need two stainless steel or glass 20 quart pots with lids.

A large strainer.

A candy or water thermometer.

Cheesecloth.

For bottling you can use regular canning jars. If using pint jars you will need about 24 – 28 jars. If using quart jars you will need about 14 jars. This is a large recipe that will provide one year worth of tonics for the cancer patient, or, if using for a preventative go together with friends or family and share it.

How to make the tonic:

Making this tonic is like canning fruit from your garden. If you can cook you can make it. It takes a few days but is well worth it. You will not find this tonic on the market because it is time intense. The cost would be prohibitive to manufacture it, yet you can make it in your home for around $3.00 a pint. This tonic stores for up to a year if placed in a dark cool closet. They key to keeping tonics fresh is to prevent them from exposure to extreme temperature fluctuations. Don’t let them freeze and don’t let them sit in temperatures above 75*.

In one pot add:

Anise seed, burdock root, chaparral, dandelion root, fennel, licorice root, oregon grape root, poke root, yellow dock root and add 3 gallons of distilled water.

Cover with lid and set on stove on warm heat overnight so that the roots can be softened for extraction.

In the morning turn up the heat and bring the water to a low simmer for about 4 hours then bring to a boil for 15-30 minutes. After boiling turn off heat and strain the liquid into a clean container by laying a layer of cheesecloth over your strainer.

In another pot add:

Blue violet, red clover and add 1.5 gallons of distilled water. Set on counter and let soak in water over night.

In the morning place the pot on the stove on warm/medium heat to steep (not boil) the herbs like you would a cup of tea. Let them steep for at least 4 hours then strain the liquid by laying a layer of cheesecloth over your strainer.

Compost the strained herbs in your garden.

Mixing the pots:

Once the liquid is strained from both pots mix it together in one of the 20 quart pots and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.

Then add

16 oz of vegetable glycerin,

40 oz of honey (or black strap molasses for those allergic to honey)

4 heaping tablespoons of citric acid

Stir and let the mixture mingle for 15 minutes or so. When ready to bottle use a candy thermometer to check the temperature of the liquid. You want the temperature between 185* - 190* to prevent any bacteria to grow in the tonics. Maintain this heat temperature throughout bottling.

While waiting for your liquid to reach the accurate bottling temperature prepare your canning jars. Sterilize jars and lids.

Once your bottles are sterilized and your herbal liquid is at the right temperature add the tonic liquid to the hot jars. Fill to ½” from top of jar and cap. Let cool overnight. Check to make sure all the jars are sealed properly then store them.

Once you open a jar of tonic for use you must Refrigerate it. The tonic will last for a month in the refrigerator once it has been opened. Sediment in the bottom of the jars is normal. Give the jar a little shake or stir to mix the sediment before taking.

How much to take:

Adult Folklore Dosage: 2 Tablespoon 2 times a day for cancer, tumors, liver, viral and bacterial infections. In my practice I recommended that cancer patients take this tonic for at least a year and then drop to a maintenance dose of taking it once a day for another year. Some of my cancer patients continue to take it on and off throughout their life to keep their blood and lymph clear of toxins.

For cancer prevention use a bottle of this tonic every 3 months taking 1 Tablespoon 2 times a day.

Do use if you are pregnant. Do not use if you are taking blood thinning agents like Warfarin (also known under the brand names of Coumadin, Jantoven, Marevan, and Waran).

Disclaimer—The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your health care professional. You should not use the information in this article for self-diagnosis or to replace any prescriptive medication. You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem, suffer from allergies, are pregnant or nursing.

The Alternative Medicine – Right for You?

What is alternative medicine and how would you define it as there are so many aspects and each seems to want to grab the limelight in different categories?

To write a paragraph on each of the different types of alternative medicine I would be sat at my office desk for years only to find that when I thought I had finished new lines of interest would appear. But knowing which type of alternative cure you should go for is difficult, and the only sure way a patient will know is by trying different ones themselves.

As the world tends to get smaller through modern travel and with the age of the computer more and more local alternative medicines get known. Some may have been round for years like that of Lepidium Meyenii (Macca) from Peru that helps women in their menopause time of life.

Originally this would be used for strength and fertility and only in the last few decades has it been used as an alternative medicine.

Some natural things like honey are nature’s goodness and must never be overlooked. Start taking a tablespoon full of local honey twice a day and it will help with allergies like that of hay fever, asthma and eczema. Carrot juice is another natural product, and as carrots are relatively cheap it is something you can experiment yourself without breaking the bank especially when you look at some of the high prices being charged by some health companies.

Then you might like to look at Homeopathic cures which have been used for centuries or maybe you would rather go down the route of the Supergreens as there are quite a few on the market to go for. These Supergreens do mean that you have to change your diet quite drastically but they are said to work and there are many people that swear by them.

Alternative therapy for backache 'can kill or disable'

One of the most common 'alternative' treatments for backache is dangerous and can kill, says Britain's leading expert on complementary medicine, Professor Edzard Ernst.

Spinal manipulation, used by chiropractors to treat hundreds of thousands of patients a year, poses serious risks, he warns in a paper published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine

'[It] is associated with frequent, mild and transient adverse effects as well as with serious complications which can lead to permanent disability or death.'

Spinal manipulation involves sharp thrusts against a patient's spine to push individual vertebrae beyond normal levels of stress. But Ernst says that such violent therapy can seriously damage the arteries running near the spine, triggering thrombosis or a stroke.

The claim has incensed chiropractors. In letters to be published in the journal's October issue, they accuse Ernst of distortion, errors and misinterpreting data.

'The major body of published evidence points to manipulation being a safe and effective tool,' says Barry Lewis, president of the British Chiropractic Association. He accuses Ernst of 'puffing up his evidence out of all proportion'.

One case involves Frances Denoon, who was in her 20s when she pulled a nerve in her neck while exercising. She visited a registered chiropractor and recalled feeling a 'crack' when he began his treatment. 'I couldn't focus and realised I wasn't saying words clearly,' she says on the Action for Victims of Chiropractic's website. Denoon suffered a brain-stem stroke and now has poor balance and cannot write with her right hand. A court cleared her chiropractor of negligence.

Such stories are just the tip of an iceberg, says Ernst, director of complementary medicine at the Peninsula Medical School, run by Exeter and Plymouth universities. He has collected details of about 700 cases.

'I am not calling for a ban on chiropractors carrying out spinal manipulation but I think we have to think about regulating the practice far more carefully than we do at present,' he said.

A spokeswoman for the General Chiropractic Council (GCC) said 2,300 chiropractors were registered with it and that since 2001 only one had been disciplined for breaching guidelines.
Peter Dixon, the council's chairman, said the report was 'yet another research scare' story.

'This does not serve the interests of the public or those of researchers who are dedicated to improving the public's health,' he said.

Herbal remedies: not just for hippies

AT his practices in Greater Manchester medicinal herbalist, Jesper Launder says less than one third of his patients are men. "Probably the most common reason is bravado," he says. "Men generally aren't good at dealing with health issues. That is the same for all therapies not just herbalism. Women are generally much more confident talking about problems even if it's of an intimate nature."The idea behind herbalism is to treat the underlying causes of illness rather than the symptoms alone. An initial consultation with a herbalist will take about an hour, during which a full case history will be taken to assess overall health and to look at the underlying causes of any health complaints.

As part of the consultation a herbalist might also check pulse, blood pressure and for some conditions, listen to your chest.Medicine is usually prescribed as a combination herbal tincture - an individually prepared remedy based on six to nine herbs. Herbal teas are sometimes used, and creams and ointments may also be given.STRESS Stress is one of the biggest health issues for men and includes related problems such as depression, fatigue, exhaustion and panic attacks."I often see men when they have reached breaking point," Jesper says.

"When they are rock bottom it takes a lot longer to recover, which is why I try to encourage people to recognise when their stress levels are getting too high so that it is easier to manage."Jesper encourages people to take steps to reduce the stress in their life and to change their response to it, such as tackling one task at a time and setting time aside to relax."Learning a relaxation technique, such as meditation or yoga, can be very helpful," he says. However, there are a number of remedies useful in treating stress and anxiety including lemon balm, scull cap, wild oats, ginseng and valerian.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND HEART DISEASE

Heart disease accounts for one in five deaths in men under 75.It is not advisable to self-medicate for heart disease and high blood pressure, however, there are herbal remedies that you can take to help prevent the risk of future problems."Hawthorn, either berries of flowers, is one of our most useful native medicinal plants," says Jesper. "It contains large amounts of plant pigments, known as flavonoids, that have a marked antioxidant effect in our body and particularly on the cardio-vascular system."Jesper stresses, however, that, if you are already on medication for any heart or circulatory disorders, Hawthorn should not be taken as an over the counter medicine without consulting a specialist.

ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

Erectile dysfunction is repeated difficulty in achieving an erection and more than half of all men over 40 will experience this problem at some time.Lifestyle factors have an influence such as smoking and drinking as well as psychological factors such as anxiety, worry, stress or depression.But there are underlying medical conditions that can be linked too such as diabetes, heart and circulatory diseases or multiple sclerosis. Injury to the spine and nerve damage can also cause it."A lot of men who come to me do so for sexual complaints, although they might only mention it after a couple of sessions," Jesper says.

Jesper says that herbal medicine can often help but may take a week or so to improve the condition - there is no direct alternative to Viagra. He suggests trying ginseng, which both increases circulation and improves resistance to stress. Ginseng should not be used if you suffer from high blood pressure, have a tendency towards manic states or if you drink a lot of caffeine.

PROSTATE PROBLEMS

The prostate is a gland located between a man's bladder and urethra (the tube that takes urine from the bladder to the end of the penis). It often enlarges when men reach their mid-40s and symptoms of this, which are very common in men over 50, are, feeling that you have not completely emptied your bladder after urinating, waking up often at night to urinate, urinating often and needing to push or strain to start the urine stream.

Jesper suggests trying Saw Palmetto which has been found to be useful in the treatment of benign enlargement of the prostate gland. The medication is thought to relieve only the difficulties associated with an enlarged prostate without reducing the enlargement.

PSORIASIS

Psoriasis is a skin condition that can occur in both men and women and commonly affects about one in 50 men.Psoriasis is a vast acceleration of the usual replacement processes of the skin, which appears as raised red patches of skin covered with silvery scales. It can occur on any part of the body although elbows, knees and the scalp are the most common. The exact cause is unknown although it is thought to be linked to certain genes and this genetic tendency can then be triggered off by such things as injury, throat infection, certain drugs and physical and emotional stress."Herbalists tend to look at skin complaints like psoriasis and eczema as an external (on the skin) reflection of internal problems," says Jesper."This means that two people with very similar looking psoriasis for example might well be treated differently," he explains.For those looking to try a single herbal remedy initially, Jesper recommends sarsaparilla, which is thought of as a blood cleanser as well as being appropriate for rheumatic complaints. You can also try blue flag root, a North American member of the Iris family.

best way to cure: herbal medicines

Alternative herbal medicine is one of the best ways to cure chronic or other disease, in many cases. The major benefit of herbal medicines is that it is 100% natural and does not have any side effects, if taken according to the advice of a competent doctor. Look for and use organic herbs when ever possible.

Gamma Linoleic Acid (GLA) is the wonder medicine made from primrose, borage or currant seed oil that is extremely effective for treatment of alcohol addicts. Alcohol intake in huge amounts has the chances of slowing down your brain cells. This particular effect of alcohol can be checked by Valerian herb. Another effectual herbal medicine for people suffering from emotional or physical stress is Skullcap.

The alternative herbal remedies for stress, anxiety or depression are St. John's wort, ashwagandha, valerian and hops ginseng, and Motherwort.

If one is suffering from any degree of sleeplessness, the most helpful herbal medicines are lemon balm, linden, chamomile and ginger tea. For quick relief from common ailments like the odd headache, you can go for eucalyptus or peppermint oil and lavender while for rapid pain relief or inflammation, one can take meadowsweet or willow bark instead of chemical painkillers.

Salicylic acid, the chief component of the pain-killer aspirin, is found in its salicin form in willow bark and meadowsweet. The salicin is reacted upon in the stomach and transformed to salicylic acid, which grants you instant relief from pain. Ginger, which reduces the prostaglandin levels in the body, is another useful pain reliever.

Thanks to the hectic modern style of present day living, most of us suffer from stress in different forms. Herbal medicine is a great way to counter this. Ginseng and Siberian ginseng are two of the most potent stress relievers. Herbal medicines like gingko biloba, ginseng, Siberian ginseng and gotu kola are also successful in curing partial memory loss. Hawthorn, ginseng, motherwort, valerian and pineapple are the wonder herbs that help in curing angina or irregular heartbeat.

Most herbal medicines are prepared from the major herbal ingredient along with other contents. At present, almost 80% of all the medicines have some herbal ingredients.

Although herbal medicines have been extremely successful in treating many diseases, prescription drugs still hold the fort when it comes to treating critical diseases. Thus, one should not consider alternative herbal medicine to be a competitor of prescription drugs, but as a new and effective form of medicine that works in tandem with prescription drugs to treat certain illnesses.

Another benefit of herbal medicines is that it is accessible to most everyone. Herbal treatment is not at all expensive and the herbs can even be grown in your backyard! In fact, prescription drugs are much more expensive and associated with a greater amount of risk.

Alternative medicine is cheap, effective and most importantly, natural and free from any side effects.

Tai Chi: Healing in motion

The fastest- growing exercise in America, Tai Chi can help relieve everyday stress and strain, whatever your age.

Perhaps it was the Celebrex commercial, featuring nimble people in orange jackets practicing Tai Chi outdoors. Or, the thousands of baby boomers who today are looking for a healthy way to ease on down the road of life.

Maybe it’s because Tai Chi has so very many styles: Chen. Sun. Yang. Wu. Hao. Hu Lei. Zhao Bao. Whoa.

Whatever the reason, the martial art called Tai Chi has become the fastest-growing exercise in America, according to the Sporting Goods Manufacturing Association.

“Tai Chi just reached a tipping point,” said author Arthur Rosenfeld. “It is popping up everywhere.

Consider Tai Chi another tool in your fitness work chest. Proceed cautiously and take the time to understand this eclectic exercise. It could help you keep your equilibrium in the face of whatever life serves your way. It may even help you sleep.

At age 71, Patricia Honsberger finds time weekly to stand like a golden rooster, one of the Tai Chi movements that works the abdominal muscles. She heads out — like clockwork — every Tuesday morning to pick up her mother Alice Eidenier for their Tai Chi class. Honsberger thought Tai Chi would help with the arthritis pain suffered by her 94-year-old mother.

“Tai Chi has been the thing for us,” said Honsberger, who recently returned from a Tai Chi cruise to Mexico. “Otherwise, I would have to go on some quiet hikes. It’s hard looking after a mother who is in pain all the time.”

Tai Chi’s exercise involves prolonged movements, requiring muscles to keep working for long periods of time. Breathing enhances these movements and helps to increase the joint’s range of motion. When you least expect it, all of this kicks in for balance and strength — to prevent a fall, for example. That’s why this martial art has traditionally been associated with longevity and maintenance.

Cross-trainer for life

Yang, one of the slowest and least physically challenging styles of Tai Chi, accommodates people with movement problems. It is thought to be best suited to the unflexible American physique. It is also probably the most accessible style in the area. You can find Yang at many fitness outlets.
Practicing Tai Chi — Yang style — helps carry you through the day. Late-afternoon doldrums can be trumped. Early morning joint stiffness, too. Stress-induced insomnia, meanwhile, could evaporate with a five-minute breathing hit of Tai Chi. One instructor called it a cross-trainer for life.

“I figure I have another 30 years, and I want my physical body to keep up with my spirit,” said Penelope J. Klein, 60, who is also a black belt in judo and teaches physical therapy at D’Youville College. “If you think about it, Tai Chi serves many people, including caregivers.”

In our culture, the practice of Tai Chi is oftentimes associated with Jackie Chan and fighting, suggested Rosenfeld. This dilution often occurs when tradition is passed from one culture to another — or when there are small amounts of true practitioners.

The downside of the popularity of Tai Chi is that there is no regulatory body, Rosenfeld said. “It’s no problem to announce you’re a Tai Chi master by putting on some silk pajamas and all of a sudden you’re charging $40 an hour.”

When searching for a Tai Chi instructor, he said, first determine how many years of experience he or she has.

“Ask the teacher to talk about his or her lineage,” suggested Rosenfeld, the Floridabased author whose martial arts training spans more than 27 years. “These things are passed down through families. An unwillingness to discuss the specific tradition should serve as a warning flag.”
Eastern belief has a life force (chi) circulating unhindered through your body. Sickness occurs when that flow becomes disrupted. Rosenfeld believes those who practice Tai Chi are being proactive.

“Think about it. We are not a Mazda. We are mind and body together,” said Rosenfeld, during a telephone interview from his Florida home. “Our crisis in health care resulted from an abandonment in responsibility. The idea that somebody outside of you knows more than you about your body is preposterous. The doctor works for you. You are your health and happiness.”
Tai Chi people

JudyAnne Bonafede is an exercise fanatic and racewalker who moves with maximum efficiency. Her brand of Tai Chi is often best practiced with a sword, an elite straight double-edge weapon. She understands her body, how it works and how it feels when it doesn’t. She also teaches a beginner’s Tai Chi class.

“I’m enjoying exploring my body,” said the 54-year-old. “I notice a definite improvement in health and posture, a relaxed control. There is good energy when you get with Tai Chi people.”
Ken Stuczynski, 38, teaches Tai Chi at Buffalo Veterans Affairs Medical Center. A martial artist who took up Tai Chi in 1999, he said the exercise “forces you to use muscles and not your joints to support your weight. It also teaches you to align the spine gravitationally.”

He distinguishes other styles of Tai Chi that are taught in the area:

• Eight Tigers — Distinctly different because of Japanese influence. Defined by spiritual focus and sliding feet more than stepping. Reiki influence.

• Taoist — Physical-therapy oriented. Focus on body alignment. Postures lean and are not as upright.

• Shuyun — Renamed after the grandmaster in California to differentiate it from the Wu Family style it came from. Known for “Eight-Step Preying Mantis” kung fu that is all elbows.

“Tai Chi is always better when performed in fresh air,” Stuczynski said. “Traditionally the best time to do Tai Chi is just before sunrise and an hour before the last meal of the day. People who are serious about it will practice almost daily or even more than once a day. I do a little bit here and there, but use my classes as my more structured practice.

“The ideal school accepts people with all levels of interest,” Stuczynski added, “for maintenance as well as for learning and progressing. You can get as far into Tai Chi as you want.”

Harmony Tai Chi

Harmony Tai Chi distills the essence of the Chen, Yang and Wu styles. The Chen style, one of China’s oldest, originated as a martial art and is quite dynamic. The Yang style emphasizes slow, expansive movements. The Wu style moves from a smaller stance than the others. Those who study Harmony Tai Chi combine the grace and tranquility of one school with the dynamism and agility of the others.

Astronauts test traditional medicines in space

BEIJING, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's astronauts have been testing new varieties of traditional Chinese medicine that could help treat osteoporosis, insomnia and improve immunity.

Doctors with the China Astronaut Research and Training Center say the new remedies will be prepared for sale after further tests during the country's third manned space program in 2008.

The medicines have been packaged in pill and capsule forms for the first time so astronauts will be able to take them in space.

The medicines were intended to improve cardiovascular and heart and blood vessel functions during short space flights or space walks, said Li Yongzhi, doctor with the center.

"We have finished human trials and the results were satisfactory," said Li.

The center has been working with a pharmaceutical factory to produce the medicine, which would undergo clinical tests by the end of the year, said the doctor, but she declined to elaborate.

"The medicine is expected to be on the market in the next two years and we hope they will not only benefit the space elite, but also the general public," she said.

Living in zero gravity could lead to cardiovascular problems, lower immunity and bone mineral loss, said Li.

"We can't say the astronauts would be ill as it is the normal physical reaction of a healthy body to an abnormal environment," said Li.

"Western medicine lacks effective remedies with no side effects, but traditional Chinese medicine offers good over-all recuperation," she added.

Li's center has applied traditional Chinese medicine to the health care of astronauts since 1997.

"Our astronauts are very healthy, so the Chinese medicine they have taken is used to improve their adaptability and endurance," said Li.

China has a team of 14 astronauts. Li and her colleagues have spent 10 years collating their physical indices during training and space flights, on which the doctors have composed different recipes for each astronaut.

"The astronauts only take traditional Chinese medicines when needed," said Li.

"The astronauts began to drink what we call 'medical tea' 90 days before the Shenzhou VI space mission in 2005. It's herbal soup," she said. "They all love it and said they slept better and were more energetic after drinking the tea."

Li said Russia and other European countries had begun research into traditional Chinese medicine for space programs.

Acupuncturist has a natural approach

George also uses herbal medicine, diet to help clients' healing process

GINA SMITH BALL

Acupuncturist has a natural approach George also uses herbal medicine, diet to help clients' healing process A medical practitioner in Morganton offers an unconventional alternative to people experiencing health problems.

Helen George, a licensed acupuncturist, opened the Burke Acupuncture Clinic in downtown Morganton in October 2006.

In addition to acupuncture services, George treats clients using Chinese herbal medicine and offers advice on how to heal through diet and other lifestyle changes.

Hormones for menopause: yes or no?

This post was written by Nancy Reyes on 23 July, 2007 (20:51) | All News, Medical News 125 Views

When I was in private practice, I tended to see a lot of women.

And my nurses used to laugh that when I would do a Pap smear (usual appointment time 20 minutes) I would often end up in the office an hour with a crying lady.

Yup. Another middle aged lady going through menopause.

They often would come in and start crying, saying I don’t know what’ s wrong with me, and I would hand them this and say:

Do you cry all the time? Get headaches? Feel tired all the time? Stressed out? Backaches? Bloating? Yell at your kids? Breast sore? Constipation? Hot flashes? Gaining weight?
Then I’d show them a picture similar to this:
And give them THIS handout.
Ah, the glories of Menopause. Fun, ain’t it, I’d say, and usually they would laugh.

Because most of them sort of knew the problem, but weren’t sure what to do.

Actually, about 80 percent of women get through menopause with some herbs, some TLC, and just plain common sense: Exercise, cut back the coffee, eat properly, get enough sleep, and try not to be superwoman.

There are lots of herbs that claim to help, and about 75 percent of women say they took herbs or minerals. The herbal medicine that makes most sense is soy, which has estrogenic properties. Does it work? No one is sure. And if it works it’s probably in higher dosages that have the same side effects as other estrogen/female hormones.

There are also a lot of medicines that work. All have pros and cons.

If you just are very irritable and can’t sleep, a small dose of Valium (benzodiazepam or other mild tranquilizers) might be all you need to help you sleep.

What also works is a low dose of anti depressive medicine. I tended to use Sertraline (Zoloft) because it didn’t make people as irritable as Prozac, but any of that family of medicine will work.

Yes, I know all those scare stories. But when 20 million people take a medicine and the suicide/homicide rate is the same or lower than the rest of the population, it may not be the medicine, but an exacerbation of the mental illness (depression, bipolar, untreated anger) that was behind the mood swings. And for menopause, we tend to use a smaller dose, and caution our patients they might get irritable if they stop it suddenly.

The real story is female replacement hormones. Good or bad.

The secret is: it depends.

If you have “early” menopause, you need them. If you are 65 you probably don’t.

In the last 30 years, the fad has been to put everyone on them, then everyone off, then on, then off.

Actually, a lot of it depends on the woman. HERE are the latest Guidelines.

If you have early menopause, you need the hormones until the regular age your own body would stop producing them. If you don’t take them, you’ll develop thinning of the bones, thinning/shrinkage of the vaginal area, and have an increased chance of heart disease.

If you have the hot flashes from hell, use the hormones.

If your tushie is too dry, use the hormones: Local creams work fine.

For most other people, they don’t need hormones.

With all the scare articles about strokes and heart disease, the main problem with hormones is that they make the blood more sticky, so you not only get blood clots (Phlebitis) but if you have hardening of the arteries you could end up with a stroke or heart attack by a blood clot in the narrow area of the blood vessel.

There is also the question of cancer, if the hormones cause it or just make it grow faster once you have it.

On the other hand, what might be a major problem now that we are no longer using hormones is osteoporosis.

Theoretically, the higher risk of getting a heart attack on hormones is about the same as the lower risk of getting a hip fracture. OK. You are 75 years old. Do you prefer to have a heart attack or hip fracture?

Like all stories, the actual differences between the groups on or off the medicine are low.

On the other hand, good diet, weight bearing exercise, and calcium often will prevent osteoporosis, and there are new medicines for those who are at high risk of thinning bones.

There are fancy expensive tests to screen who needs these expensive medicines (and the medicines can cause ulcers, so are not harmless).

So what should you do?

Well, just remember, life is risky. I would remind patients that even driving the car to the doctors office had some risk, and so we have to make an intelligent choice.

Female hormones up to age 55, and then only if you really need them. Medicines to be able to cope, only if you really need them.

And a healthy lifestyle never hurt anyone.

Which is why my “One hour” pap smears took so long: The important part was not handing out pills, but doing the history and the examination, arranging tests to make sure it wasn’t something else causing the symptoms, and then discussing all of the above and teaching about a healthy lifestyle.

Echinacea Helps Colds, Major Review Shows

By NICHOLAS BAKALAR

Published: July 24, 2007

Echinacea helps banish colds. Echinacea has no effect on colds. The verdict seems to shift with each new scientific study of the herbal remedy.

In the latest twist, a review of more than 700 studies has concluded that echinacea has a substantial effect in preventing colds and in limiting their duration.

The paper, published in the July issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases, used statistical techniques to combine the results of existing studies and reach conclusions based on the larger sample that resulted. The researchers selected only those trials that used randomized and placebo-controlled techniques: 14 studies involving 1,356 participants for the number of colds and 1,630 for the prevention of colds. The studies varied in the dosages of the herb, the duration it was taken and the species of echinacea used, and the number of participants ranged from 40 to more than 300.

The analysis concluded that echinacea reduced the risk of catching a cold by 58 percent. It also found that the herb significantly shortened the duration of a cold, but there was no general agreement about the magnitude of this effect.

“Our analysis doesn’t say that the stuff works without question,” said Dr. Craig I. Coleman, an assistant professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Connecticut, and the senior author of the paper. “But the preponderance of evidence suggests that it does.”

The authors acknowledged certain weaknesses in their study. For example, they did not examine the safety of the herbal remedy, only its effectiveness.

Dr. Bruce P. Barrett, an associate professor of family medicine at the University of Wisconsin who was not involved with the review, said he was not convinced of the value of combining the studies in a single analysis.

“If you’re testing the same intervention on the same population using the same outcome measures, then meta-analysis is a very good technique,” Dr. Barrett said. “But here every one of those things fails.” One of Dr. Barrett’s papers on echinacea was included in the analysis.

Other experts also expressed skepticism. J. David Gangemi, director of the Institute for Neutraceutical Research at Clemson University, said he found the study interesting, but added, “I think that many of the people who have dedicated their careers to clinical trials in studying these effects are not at all convinced from this analysis that there is this large reduction in incidence and duration of disease.”

Dr. Gangemi is the senior author of a 2005 study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine and included in the review, that found no benefit in the herb.

There are several possible reasons that even a carefully devised single study might fail to show an effect that actually exists. There are more than 200 species of virus that cause colds, Dr. Coleman said, and a study could test one species against which echinacea proves ineffective, while leaving open the question of whether it works for others.

In addition, some studies might not use large enough doses of the herb; others might use a species of echinacea that is less effective. Some might not have a large enough sample to find a small but statistically significant effect.

Dr. Barrett said there was probably little harm in using echinacea, and he was cautiously optimistic that the herb does have a very small positive effect.

“There’s some danger of kids getting a rash, and it would be inadvisable to give it to women in the early stages of pregnancy,” he said. “But if adults believe in echinacea, they’re going to get benefits — maybe from placebo — but they’ll get benefits.”

Dr. Coleman, who described himself as “not much of a pill taker,” hedged a bit when asked if he planned to use echinacea himself. “I’ll probably consider taking it if I feel a cold coming on,” he said. “These results have pushed me toward the idea. Whether I’m actually going to take it, well, we’ll see.”

Heavy Hearts And The Risk Of Sudden Death

Science Daily — Those with heavy hearts -- in the literal not figurative sense -- long have been known to be prone to cardiac arrest and sudden death. But many are not, and who among them is subject to serious risk is a mystery. To find clues to the puzzle, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health has just awarded $2 million to Sumeet Chugh, M.D., director of Oregon Health & Science University's cardiac arrhythmia center in the division of cardiovascular medicine.

he condition known as left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), or a thickening and swelling of the heart wall, can be found, by some estimates, in up to 20 percent of the middle-aged population with heart disease in the United States. Some $3 billion to $5 billion worth of pocket defibrillators are being implanted under Medicare guidelines annually to jump start hearts at risk of a cardiac arrest. Yet research studies show that only one out of 15 of the devices ever will be needed to save a life, which is why pinpointing who among those with LVH is at greatest risk of cardiac arrest is a multibillion dollar priority.

The five-year NHLBI grant will provide funds for Chugh, the principal investigator and an associate professor in the cardiovascular division of the OHSU School of Medicine, along with his team of clinicians, scientists and researchers, to continue the landmark Oregon Sudden Unexpected Death Study (Ore-SUDS), which Chugh initiated five years ago. The Ore-SUDS study is a community-based effort that includes a partnership with the emergency medical response system (Jonathan Jui, M.D., professor of emergency medicine, OHSU School of Medicine) the state medical examiner network (Karen Gunson, M.D.) and 16 area hospitals, thus enabling a systematic study of all sudden cardiac arrests that occur in the Portland metropolitan area.

Several findings have been published earlier including the only U.S. data on the current burden of cardiac arrest obtained in a prospective manner. A separate collaborative effort with the Donald W. Reynolds Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center at Johns Hopkins University Reynolds Cardiovascular Center (Eduardo Marban, M.D., Ph.D., director) focusing on the link between cardiac arrest and the human genome is also ongoing.

"We found in analyzing the Ore-SUDS data," said Chugh, "that if you have left ventricular hypertrophy in Multnomah County your risk of cardiac arrest is increased at least twofold and, in combination with specific other conditions such as a weakened pumping ability of the heart muscle, the risk can be much higher. But that doesn't mean everybody with the condition is at risk. Left ventricular hypertrophy is associated with high blood pressure, and lots of people have high blood pressure but not all of them are prone to cardiac arrest.

Chugh reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in March that less than a third of the sudden cardiac deaths where left ventricular dysfunction had previously been evaluated in the Ore-SUDS data had dysfunction that was severe enough to warrant implantation of a cardioverter-defibrillator. "These findings support the aggressive development of alternative screening methods to enhance identification of patients at risk," Chugh wrote.

Speaking about his team's plans going forward, Chugh said: "We want to figure out what will significantly improve our ability to predict cardiac arrest," Chugh continued. "Our ultimate aim is to nip it in the bud, which for patients that will suffer cardiac arrest means averting disaster before it happens. The evaluation of information that we have gathered in Ore-SUDS combined with what we learn at the bedside from patients together with bench research we are doing on the molecular mechanisms involved represent a comprehensive approach that we think hold great promise of solving the puzzle. If we can predict who the high risk patient with left ventricular hypertrophy is, that is likely to have huge significance for our patients."

According to the American Heart Association, about 250,000 Americans succumb each year to sudden cardiac death, which is defined as death within one hour of the time a person displays symptoms such as chest pain or difficult breathing. About half have shown no prior evidence of heart disease and about 40 percent are under age 65. In most cases, cardiac arrest results from arrhythmia, or abnormal heart rhythm. The survival rate ranges between 5 percent and 10 percent despite improvement in emergency medical services and widespread training in application of CPR.

Botswana: Indigenous Medicine - Potential And Pitfalls

Walking through the door to the spa at Fordoun Hotel and Spa is a refreshing experience. The Five-Star hotel, located in the rolling landscape of Kwa-Zulu Natal's midlands, boasts a restaurant and detached quarters for accommodation and a Spa. The Spa is said to be well known across the nine provinces of South Africa, and across the international tourism sector.

Stepping into the spa, one encounters the feathery aroma of lotions and herbs. Soft lights give objects around a soft glow. To the right is a table and on top of it a plaque with the inscription "Spa of the Month Award, May 2007. Congratulations Fordoun Hotel and Spa". There is a book on Natural Healing.

The Fordoun Spa offers an interesting amalgamation of modern health, beauty and therapy methods fused with what has come to be called indigenous methods. It has been very successful at that, visitors say.

There is a Zulu traditional herbalist in residence, too. African herbs are used in their Spa programme and for healing. A bottle of herbal tea contains mosukujane. For the skin one can have what Batswana call letsoku (clay) used for treatment. According to the owner, the Spa has managed to attract international customers and with a line of indigenous products he is now ready to export to the rest of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.

The resident ngaka Dr Elliot Ndlovu is a Zulu traditional doctor with the benefits of a modern set-up. He has a consultation complex and a garden where all the plant species he uses for his sessions are grown. Ndlovu is also a director of Fordoun. There is a line of herbal medicines under his trade name, which are set to be sold in the region and internationally.

Walking through the door into the shack in which Ngaka Thapelo Joseph Moroka consults one needs to bend a little. The top of the doorframe is just a bit too low. The shack is made of corrugated iron sheets for the roof and the walls. Between the pieces of the corrugated iron are slits of holes.

Inside the shack are herbs; in bottles stacked on top of each other, some lying on the dusty floor, in boxes, in plastic bag wrappings, in newspaper wrappings and some uncut roots lie on the floor. Once Moroka has settled on a diagnosis, he lets his gaze span around the room. He then picks up the right herb and gives it to the patient.

Sometimes it is only a powder, which requires a small container, sometimes it is a piece of a tree bark and sometimes it is thick mixture of various powders stirred to a thick liquid that requires a small bottle.

"Setswana medicine is an interesting field. We can cure a lot more diseases than people know but on the other hand there are many more diseases that we can not cure that people think we can," explains Moroka.

Traditional healing has been consigned to the periphery of modern medicine over the years. Traditional doctors almost by a general social agreement are seen as practitioners of black magic who do not offer much to the society. However, a new movement - which seeks to adapt indigenous knowledge to the modern world - is putting traditional medicine under the spotlight.

Traditional medicine has not had a good image. Ngaka says traditional medicine has much to offer. Although he acknowledges that traditional doctors may have played a major role in the creation of their negative social image, he points a finger at colonialists.

"When white people came here they wanted our people to discard all that was true to their history. This included social practices such as bogwera and bojale. But also psychologically they created a very negative image about traditional beliefs and practices. Once our people had a negative image of all that was theirs, they could then easily adopt the white man's concept of the world," explains Ngaka.

Recent events indicate that indigenous cultures are gaining currency and recognition for the wealth of knowledge they provide. While scientists struggle with how to prove the medicinal abilities of certain plants used in traditional medicine, other sectors such as the beauty and therapy industry has jumped on the bandwagon, offering 'natural' remedies.

The recent Hoodia fiasco, in which the plant used by the San people of southern Africa to fight hunger was believed to help in dieting programmes, is a case in point.

Central to Setswana medicine is the tree. Moroka says the tree is the source of life for every living thing on the planet. Specific trees possess different medicinal properties. "Setswana medicine is not just about curing diseases, it is also about enhancing the body. We have medicine to get rid of body odours and medicine to clear the skin," explains Ngaka.

And he says that is where the secret with traditional medicine lies - that some of its methods cannot be judged simply by scientific systems. He also admits that commercialising some aspects of Setswana knowledge may pose problems because of these 'unknowns' about it.

Adverse reactions to herbal medicine, drugs often unreported: Study

Mixing herbal medicines and prescriptions could pose undiscovered health risks because many negative reactions aren't being reported or tracked, a new study suggests.

The adverse effects of taking prescription drugs with natural health products are dramatically under-reported or not reported at all, so their potential risks may be underestimated by health-care professionals and the public, the study found.

"People look at risks based on what's known. If it's not being reported, it can't be known," said Dr. Sunita Vohra, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Alberta and the study's lead author.

The study found almost half the 132 pharmacists surveyed had seen a potential adverse reaction in patients who mixed prescription drugs and natural products, but only two of them reported the incidents to Health Canada.

By contrast, 19 per cent of pharmacists said they had reported adverse events from mixing prescription and non-prescription drugs.

The finding startled the study's co-authors — researchers from University of Alberta, the University of Toronto and Health Canada.

"We didn't anticipate the number of potential natural health product-drug interactions that community pharmacists were seeing, nor did we anticipate their reporting levels," said Vohra.

Researchers suggest the health-care system needs a better method of tracking the incidents encountered by consumers using both prescription and herbal medicines.
(CBC)

Adverse events ranged from mild rashes and headaches to more serious consequences for some patients. Those on prescribed blood thinners, for example, can put their health at risk if they take natural products that they may not realize also act as blood thinners.

Researchers call for better tracking system

Vohra said a large proportion of the Canadians who use natural products also use prescription medication, and the health-care system needs a better method of tracking the incidents encountered by consumers using both products.

"We're not saying natural health products aren't safe," said Vohra. "We're not saying they are safe, or that you can't ever use them with drugs, or that you must use them with drugs. There's no way we have enough information to make those sorts of absolute statements."

Consumers need to handle natural health products with caution, Vohra said.

"Treat products with respect — if they can help you, they can potentially harm you," Vohra said.

Heather Boon, a University of Toronto pharmacy professor, said she finds it troubling that pharmacists aren't reporting adverse events, although she knows from personal experience that they are busy and often don't have time for added paperwork.

Boon said a followup study is underway looking at the under-reporting. Vohra noted consumers can also file reports on adverse reactions to Health Canada.

Acupuncturist has a natural approach

George also uses herbal medicine, diet to help clients' healing process

GINA SMITH BALL

Acupuncturist has a natural approach George also uses herbal medicine, diet to help clients' healing process A medical practitioner in Morganton offers an unconventional alternative to people experiencing health problems.

Helen George, a licensed acupuncturist, opened the Burke Acupuncture Clinic in downtown Morganton in October 2006.

In addition to acupuncture services, George treats clients using Chinese herbal medicine and offers advice on how to heal through diet and other lifestyle changes.