Health Solutions with Ashwagandha

Filed under: Uncategorized — admin at 5:34 pm on Thursday, October 23, 2008

Also known as Winter Cherry and Indian Ginseng, Ashwagandha is one of the most valuable herbs in the Ayurvedic medical system, dating back more than 3,000 years. Its Sanskrit name Ashwagandha literally means ‘that which has the smell of a horse’, so named because it is said to give the strength and vitality of a horse. Ashwagandha is specific for a wide range of conditions including arthritic inflammation, anxiety, insomnia, respiratory disorders, nervous disorders, gynecological disorders, male infertility and impotence.
It is a herb that enhances resistance to stress, increases stamina and promotes general well-being. Many Western herbalists refer to this herb as “Ayurvedic ginseng” because of its reputation for increasing energy, strength, and stamina, and for its ability to relieve stress. Modern research has found several types of alkaloids in it of which somniferin and withaniol are responsible for its multiple actions. The roots of the plant have been reported to have Alkaloids, Withanolides and many Glycosides.

According to the Ayurvedic system, Ashwagandha is the best herb for balancing Vata in the body. Vata governs all movement in the body, including the movement of nerve impulses throughout the nervous system. When the root is taken as a milk decoction and sweetened with honey or raw sugar, it is used to inhibit ageing and build up strength by catalysing the anabolic processes in the body.

Ashwagandha is also a proven immune-modulator, antioxidant and hormone precursor which tends to regulate important physiological functions. Research has shown that it can protect the activity of immune cells that are exposed to chemicals that would otherwise inhibit their normal function.

The antitumor activity of Withania somnifera is known and that it also enhances the effects of radiation in chemotherapy

Ashwagandha for Sexual Debility: Ashwagandha has an affinity for the reproductive system in both men and women. It is the main rejuvenative of masculine energy used in Ayurveda, improving the quality of reproductive tissues and increasing sexual potency. It has also been used to increase libido and potency, for it is said to bestow upon its user the vitality and strength of a horse. It is often added in herbal supplements that are reputed to improve sexual desire and function. Ashwagandha has also been helping women boost their desire for sex. Long considered India’s most potent sex-enhancing plant, the country’s women have used Ashwagandha for years to rev up their sex drives

Ashwagandha For Stress: Ashwagandha is considered as one of the best remedies for stress. While most adaptogens primarily work by helping the body to mobilize and maintain the physiological response to stress, Ashwagandha appears to work first and foremost by reducing the stress-related excesses of the alarmed nervous system. It improves the body’s ability to maintain physical effort and helps the body adapt to various types of stress. It has also been reported to enhance mental function and memory. It acts to calm the mind and promote sound, restful sleep.

Ashwagandha as a Anti-Inflammatory Agent: Ashwagandha is an adaptogen that contains several active phytochemicals known as glycowithanolides, which research has shown may relax smooth muscles. As a natural anti-inflammatory agent, ashwagandha may help to reduce the discomfort associated with arthritis. Forty-two patients with osteoarthritis were randomly placed in two groups–one receiving ashwagandha, one a placebo. After three months, pain and disability were markedly reduced in the ashwagandha group.

Ashwagandha for Weak Memory: Ashwagandha is a medhya rasayana, helping to enhance mental ability and performance. It helps support memory and problem-solving skills and enhances the coordinated functioning of all aspects of the brain. It corrects loss of memory arising out of long term stress, illness and overwork. A 2001 study in rodents showed ashwagandha had memory boosting ability.

Ashwagandha is also used for High Blood Pressure, as an Immune-Modulator and an AntiOxidant.

Overall Ashwagandha is a promising herb in many different fields.

Read Complete Information, Research and Benefits of Ashwagandha at http://www.ayurvediccure.com/ashwagandha.htm

AyurvedicCure.com http://www.ayurvediccure.com

Portal on Ayurveda and Ayurvedic medicines featuring Home Remedies, Benefits of Herbs, Uses of Various Herbs and Application, Alternative Remedies and Online Supplements Sale with Free Shipping

About the Author
Ayurvedic Cure.com,
www.ayurvediccure.com

Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Medicines and Herbal Remedies Guide. Health Guide featuring Home Remedies, Herbal Supplements and information on herbs and their benefits. Online Health Store with Free Shipping Worldwide!

Stay tuned to our Ayurvedic Health Blog at www.ayurvediccure.com/blog

La Casa Degli Artisti in Gallipoli

Filed under: Living In The Region, Travel Portal — admin at 4:53 am on Thursday, October 23, 2008

“The Artists’House” is waiting for you! It is a Bed & Breakfast situated at Villa Maritati De Cesario in Gallipoli, Lecce, Italy.

It is an old small villa in the town centre built in the 1950s and now fully renovated.

It houses Giorgio De Cesario’s studio and a permanent exhibition of his works, but it is also a B & B equipped to receive artists and art lovers from all over the world who want to exhibit here their works and, at the same time, spend a delightful holiday.

“The Artists’ House” has got four rooms and two suites, all of them with bathroom and TV.

Each room or suite is named after famous artists of the past such as Mondrian, Van Gogh, Leonardo, D’Annunzio, Canova, Bach.

The suites overlook the wonderful sea of Gallipoli and all the guests can use a comfortable terrace where they can have breakfast, chat, read, have a hydromassage, sunbathe, paint, write or watch, for example, Santa Cristina’s fireworks, one of the most important summer events.

Not only is Gallipoli famous in the world for its extraordinary position on the Ionian Coast, but also for its history and traditions, for its cultural life and gastronomy.

This small town is Km.40 far from Lecce, Km.40 far from Otranto and Km.40 far from Santa Maria di Leuca, so it can be a very good starting point to explore the region of Salento.

SERVICES

  • Independent TV set and bathroom
  • Independent air conditioning and heating
  • Hydromassage pool
  • Panoramic terrace
  • Internet point
  • Painting room
  • English and French spoken
  • Tourist information
  • Room cleaning every three days
  • Painting and English courses
  • Library

    The Artists’ House has got a roof-garden with a fine view of the sea.

    Here our guests can have breakfast, chat,
    sunbathe, read, paint or have a hydromassage in the scenographical Jacuzzi, or simply have a rest, flooded with the scent of jasmins and of the sea and surrounded by the bright colours of many flowers.

    And it is always here
    that our guests will spend their evenings to watch the events organized by
    the Artists’ House as special guests.

    “The Artists’ House” houses a permanent exhibition of Giorgio De Cesario’s paintings and sculptures, in fact he lives and works here.

    The Gallery covers a 300-square-metre area and is available to all Italian and foreign artists who want to exhibit their works
    here paying only for organization expenses.

    The invitation is also addressed to writers for the presentation of their publications and to the other representatives of applied arts.

    Musicians are welcome for the organization of music evenings.

    Looking for budget Hotel in Gallipoli? Pls visit our catalogue of Hotels, where you can find also a wide range of Tours in Florence and compare price for double room in Gallipoli.

  • The Nature of Nature Cure

    Filed under: Uncategorized — admin at 7:51 am on Monday, October 20, 2008

    Nature Cure is a modern nature based Medical science that works to

     improve your digestion and circulation
     strengthen your immune system
     and help you decrease your stress and increase your energy

    It does this by using some methods from cutting edge science and technology and some from the ancient past - it gives us the best from “Professor’s medicine” and the best from “Grandma’s medicine”.
    Nature Cure is like gardening

    There are two types of gardeners. There is the gardener who plants seeds and seedlings unsuited to the soil of that garden, who dashes about spraying with chemicals, putting plants in formal settings in straight lines, often frustrated that the garden is not doing what he wants. And there is the gardener who cultivates and feeds the soil, uses plants suited to that soil, nourishes the plants, watches them with patience and with curiosity and is often delighted with what the garden reveals to her.

    The first type of gardener is like a standard Family Physician or Doctor writing prescriptions for chemical medicines that will apply “force” to the body, suppressing symptoms, preventing some parts of the metabolism working and often producing serious damage-side effects. The second type of gardener is like a Nature Cure Practitioner using diet and dietary supplements, to nourish a patient and using hydrotherapy and Physical therapy and Psychological therapy to support a patient and help recovery. The Naturopath watches the patient with patience and curiosity and is often delighted with what the patient achieves

    Nature Cure is like music

    An Orchestra needs a conductor. The conductor does not play or sing. Apparently they just stand at the front and wave their arms about. In reality it is the understanding of the conductor that releases the music. Without the apparently nonsensical waving there is no music.

    In Nature Cure we do not “cure the patient” - we plan the cure, conduct it and do all we can to help. The Naturopath orchestrates the healing process

    Nature Cure is like love.

    Love is defined as “devoted attachment and kindness” . In a loving relationship there is respect and support. In Nature Cure we respect the body’s ability to follow its own intelligent processes and priorities. We support the healing process with time and energy. The body has amazing innate intelligence and healing ability- when you realise that, you cannot help respecting it and supporting it.

    Let us give the last word on Nature Cure to one of the greatest thinkers of all time, Socrates:

    “….. you have heard eminent physicians say to a patient who comes to them with bad eyes, that they cannot cure his eyes by themselves, but if his eyes are to be cured, his head must be treated: and then again they say that to think of curing the head alone, and not the rest of the body also, is the height of folly. And arguing in this way they apply their methods to the whole body, and try to treat and heal the whole and the part together. And this is the reason why the cure of many diseases is unknown to the physicians of Hellas, because they are ignorant of the whole, which ought to be studied also; for the part can never be well unless the whole is well.” Taken from a letter written by Socrates to Plato 400 BC !

    www.naturecureclinic.com/index2.html

    Alex Newell B.Sc, N.D. is a Physicist and Nature Cure expert with a life long interest in Natural Healing

    Modern magnetic therapy

    Filed under: Uncategorized — admin at 11:32 pm on Saturday, October 18, 2008

    Magnetic therapy is a form of therapy that has been used for many years for a variety of different purposes, including pain relief, prevention of aging and the relief of a range of symptoms from a range of ailments. The problems that the therapy helped to alleviate are still present in the modern world, therefore it is logical that the method used to ease these problems before can still be used today. There are many products available today which can perform this magnetic therapy. Each group of products has a different design and can help with diverse problems, normally in the area around the place where the product is worn. Magnetic therapy has general benefits that most products will provide you with in addition to the specialized benefits that are received from the therapy.

    The general benefits of magnetic therapy include enlarging the blood vessels, thereby increasing the rate of circulation within your body; this in turn helps to increase the level of oxygen in your blood and also helps to flush out toxins that have accumulated. These are believed to be the root causes of the general pain relief that can occur once you start using these products.

    There are many categories of products which can perform the magnetic therapy, including magnetic jewelry and magnetic wraps, magnetic car seats and magnetic insoles, pulsed magnets as well as magnets for water and magnets for health and beauty. Within these general groupings are many smaller groups of products which are normally grouped by what the product is and whereabouts on the body it is placed. Examples of this are back wraps within the magnetic wrap category and necklaces within the magnetic jewelry category.

    The area of you body that you place your magnetic therapy device on will be more strongly affected; the closer the magnetic product is to it. If you wish to relieve pain in the ankle then two of the most appropriate options for you are an anklet or a magnetic ankle wrap. These can relieve numbness of the lower leg and can relieve pain in the joints by keeping the joints dry in addition to relieving pain.

    Magnetic therapy can also be used for cosmetic purposes since it can dilate the blood vessels, toxins are flushed away and if the magnet used is a facial magnet, for instance a magnetic facial mask, then toxins can be flushed away from the facial area and, due to the fact that toxins cause wrinkles, the therapy can leave you looking younger and have a face which feels refreshed and rejuvenated.

    The magnets you use should be chosen with care and consideration of what functions you need the magnetic therapy products you buy to perform. The magnet you buy should perform the functions you need and preferably a little extra, but ensure that you are buying an appropriate product because while a magnetic necklace can benefit you greatly, it will not aid a pain in your ankle as well as an anklet or ankle wrap. Above all, relax and enjoy the benefits of the magnetic therapy flowing through your body.

    All magnetic therapeutic information has been researched and written by Juliette Pickup
    Magnetic Therapy

    Herbal Remedies

    Filed under: Uncategorized — admin at 11:04 pm on Saturday, October 18, 2008

    Gingko has been promoted as a memory enhancer, merely studies rich person cast doubt. Nevertheless, the American English Diary of Medicine recently reported the herb’s manipulation as a treatment for intermittent claudication, a painful circulation problem in the legs. Maidenhair tree was found to wealthy person a modest effect on patients’ ability to step-up the distance they could walk without pain–the plant having the same benefit as conventional drug therapy. But neither type of medication proved as helpful as a regular exercise program.

    Ginkgo biloba is rich in antioxidants and contains several active compounds that improve circulation. It makes the bloodshed a little less likely to coagulum and whitethorn strengthen vessels, according to Varro E. Tyler, Ph.D., World Health Organization researched pharmacognosy (plant-based pharmacy) at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Though considered condom, ginkgo English hawthorn increment the risk of bleeding if you are using aspirin; Coumadin (warfarin), which thins the gore; or other clog-busting medications. Kavakava users claim it aids them in coping with brief periods of extra emphasis–a crunch of job deadlines, for instance. It also Crataegus laevigata help defuse dread of an anticipated situation, such as fear of flying earlier a trip, as well as ease anxiousness-induced insomnia.

    Research seems to support these assertions. A couple of years ago, scientists at the University of Exeter in England did a meta-analysis, which is a review of combined results from the best studies, and concluded that kavakava was effective at reducing . Active ingredients in Crataegus oxycantha green goods muscle-relaxing personal effects; that is, they May act on brain receptors and suppress “fight or flight” accent hormones. International Relations and Security Network’t habit-forming or addictive, simply herbal experts don’t recommend long-term usage. High dosage levels causal agent grogginess that tin can be dangerous if you’re driving or using machinery. Also, avoid combining with alcohol or sedatives.

    Don’t utilization it if you’re pregnant or nursing. Saw palmetto berries green groceries a potent extract that is used to treat manpower’s urinary problems caused by prostate gland enlargement, or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This experimental condition ISN’t cancerous just involves swollen, inflamed tissue that develops with aging. About half of all over age 50 suffer some symptoms, including frequent urination and urinary stream problems.

    A survey of almost 3,000 patients that appeared in the Daybook of the American language Medical Association (JAMA) in 1998 showed that power saw palmetto lav growth urine flowing and reduce the number of nighttime urination episodes. In some research, it has matched the results of its counterpart drug therapy, Proscar (finasteride), which campaign side , such as loss of sex drive or impotence. Saw palmetto doesn’t shrink the prostatic gland significantly. A recent sketch found that it didn’t affect hormones, which explain why it doesn’t garden truck side typical of Proscar. Anyone WHO considers taking sawing machine palmetto to treat BPH needs to check with his doctor to rule out cancer.

    Johnny Bee bottlehead.net

    Chakra Balancing

    Filed under: Uncategorized — admin at 2:59 am on Saturday, October 18, 2008

    Chakra reconciliation is founded on the ancient Amerind impression in a series of 7 chakras, or vigor centers. Chakra is the Sanskrit word for wheel. These vigour centers ar believed to be placed at particular points between the pedestal of the spinal column and the circus tent of the skull. Some esoteric systems include additional chakras, said to extend beyond the tangible consistency into the human auric field. Each chakra is believed to relate to particular organs of the consistence, ailments, colors, elements, and emotions. However, different systems or sources that use the idea of chakras whitethorn disagree about the details.

    The conception of chakras plays a key role in two ancient Amerindian language healing systems (ayurvedic medicine and yoga) that popular today. In recent decades, however, many modern therapies (like polarity therapy , therapeutic touch , process acupressure, core energetics, and semblance therapy ) rich person besides incorporated the idea of chakras into their own visions of healing. Various approaches English hawthorn be used to “balance” the chakras. Chakra is believed to promote wellness by maximising the stream of vim in the organic structure, much as a tune-up enables a car to operate on at peak efficiency. Chakras part of the ancient feeling arrangement connected with yoga.

    These traditions were handed down orally for thousands of years before being codified by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras, several centuries before Christ. The ancient healing science of Ayurveda is on a collection of scriptures known as vedas (a Sanskrit word meaning knowledge or wisdom). Ayurveda literally means “life knowledge.” It remained the predominant form of care in India until the British colonial government tried to suppress it during the nineteenth century. Over the last half-century, however, a modernized form of has gained considerable popularity in India.

    More recently, traditional has been popularized in the West by such high-profile advocates as Deepak Chopra. Balancing the chakras is believed to promote general and well-being by ensuring the free flowing of life push (too known as prana or qi) throughout the physical structure. It is believed that blockages in the current of this vital get-up-and-go will eventually result in mental, emotional, and/or touchable illness. By removing such blockages and Department of Energy menstruation, practitioners said to enable dead body, mind, and spirit to function optimally. Some alternative practitioners, such as medical intuitives, say they can “read” a patient’s chakras to detect imbalances and diagnose problems.

    This is likewise sometimes done using a pendulum. Just as the various forms of yoga attempt to mediate between the forcible and Negro spiritual realms, so the chakras believed to manoeuver as Energy Department transformers. They often shown as circles, spaced at intervals along the vertebral column, or sometimes as funnels of Energy. Specific chants or sounds with the different chakras used in some yogic meditation practices as tools for healing and apparitional evolution. Each of the VII chakras is said to wealthy person physiological and metaphysical functions that relate to both the nature of the blockages and to the active problems they produce.

    Donald Jones www.infoseej.com

    7 Ways to Boost Your Energy

    Filed under: Uncategorized — admin at 3:23 am on Wednesday, October 15, 2008

    Everyone would like to feel more energetic during the day. You naturally go through periods of higher activity which contrasts with times of relaxation. The problem occurs when more energy and concentration is required than we can give. Or when we try to sleep and can’t. Follow these invaluable tips to a new you!

    1) Stay on a regular sleep schedule. You can’t stay up late during the week-end and suddenly on Monday morning wake up refreshed. If you do enjoy later nights on Friday and Saturday vow to get to bed early on Sunday to wake up rested.

    2) Avoid the sugar and caffeine roller coaster. Eat some protein and foods with a bit of fat in the morning. The brain needs protein and the body does not store it. You don’t have to eat very much- a glass of low fat milk, a piece of cheese, or a handful of nuts will get you going instead of pure carbohydrates like a plain bagel.

    3) Take a 5-10 minute power nap around lunch. Even if you just close your eyes and let your mind drift you will be refreshed for the afternoon. This is also effective anytime you feel yourself not concentrating, reading the same material over and over. Give in to the urge and completely relax for a few moments.

    4) Drink more water and liquids. I know, everyone says to drink more fluids. But most Americans are in a constant state of dehydration from filling up on coffee, tea, and sodas with caffeine. This is very stressful to the kidneys and can cause irritation to the bladder. Keep a sports bottle filled with your favorite flavored water or just plain and keep it with you at all times. Set a goal- empty by lunch, refill, empty again by the time work is over. Carry plenty of water in the car too for you and your family.

    5) Exercise regularly. This is easier said than done with a busy schedule. A poor conditioning level causes you to be short-of-breath and your heart to race when just doing simple things like climbing a flight of steps or doing household chores. Park farther away when shopping and walk Dust off that exercise machine or get an exercise tape to play when weather is bad. Set an example for the rest of your family and maybe they will join in too!

    6) A joke a day keeps the doctor away. Seriously, laughter has many beneficial effects on the body. The brain chemicals for experiencing pleasure, happiness, and peace increase with good, hearty laughs. Live alone? Get a funny movie or watch a light-hearted comedy on tv. Nothing sarcastic or put-down, however.

    7) Avoid confrontations and situations with negative people. You know who they are. They are not going to change but they will bring you and your mood down. The complainers, gossipers, and generally unhappy souls we all have to deal with on a day-to-day basis drain our energy if we allow them. Be polite but avoid arguing or getting hooked into listening to their constant problems.

    8) Take regular, daily supplements of the highest quality. Our food and diets simply do not meet the amounts needed for maximum health. There is a difference between avoiding nutritional deficiencies and optimum performance.

    Author: Katherine A Martin, D.O. - Board Certified Family Practice Physician. Medical Coaching and Consulting. Health for the whole person. Visit my web site at www.DO-Medicine.com

    Spirit of Simples

    Filed under: Uncategorized — admin at 1:23 pm on Tuesday, October 14, 2008

    WHAT IS A SIMPLE?

    A “simple” is one herb used at a time. A “simpler” is an herbalist who generally uses herbs one at a time, rather than in combinations.

    WHY USE SIMPLES?

    Most herbalists I have met - whether from China or Japan, Eastern or Western Europe, Australia or North America - use herbs in combinations. Simplers, like myself, don’t. Why?

    Because I believe that herbal medicine is people’s medicine, I seek to make herbal medicine simple: as simple as one herb at a time. Because people worry about interactions between the drugs they take and herbs, I keep it simple: with simples, interactions are simple to observe, and simpler to avoid. Because empowerment in healthcare is difficult, I want to offer others easy, safe herbal remedies: and what could be easier, or safer, than a simple?

    SIMPLES MAKE ME THINK

    When I was just getting started with herbs, one thing that confounded me was the many choices I had when I began to match symptoms to the herbs that relieved them. If someone had a cough should I use garden sage or wild cherry bark or pine sap or mullein or coltsfoot (to name only a few of the many choices)? One way out of this dilemma was to use them all. I made many cough syrups that contained every anti-cough herb that I could collect. And they all worked.

    As I got more sophisticated in my herbal usage, and especially after I completed a course on homeopathy, I began to see that each herb had a specific personality, a specific way of acting. I realized I couldn’t notice the individual actions of the herbs when they were combined.

    It felt daring at first to use just one herb. Would wild cherry bark tincture all by itself be enough to quell that child’s cough? Yes! Would mullein infusion alone really reduce a person’s asthmatic and allergic reactions? Yes! Would sage soaked in honey for six weeks ease a sore throat? Yes! Each herb that I tried as a simple was successful. They all worked, not just together, but by themselves.

    The more I used individual herbs the more I came to know them as individuals. The more I used simples, the simpler and more successful my remedies became. The more I used one herb at a time, the more I learned about how that herb worked, and didn’t work.

    SIMPLES ARE INTIMATE

    When we use one herb at a time, we come to know that herb, we become intimate with that herb. Just as we become intimate with each other by spending time one-on-one, tte–tte, simply together, we become closer to the herbs when we use them as simples.

    Becoming intimate with an herb or a person helps us build trust. How reliable is the effect of this herb? When? How? Where does it fail? Using simples helps us build a web of green allies that we trust deeply. Simples help us feel more powerful. They help abate our fears, simply, safely.

    SIMPLES ARE SUBTLE

    Using one herb at a time gives us unparalleled opportunities to observe and make use of the subtle differences that are at the heart of herbal medicine. When we use simples we are more likely to notice the many variables that affect each herb: including where it grows, the years’ weather, how we harvest it, our preparation, and the dosage.1 The many variables within one plant insure that our simple remedy nonetheless touches many aspects of a person and heals deeply.

    One apprentice tinctured motherwort flowering tops weekly through its blooming period. She reported that the tinctures made from the younger flower stalks had a stronger effect on the uterus; while those made from the older flower stalks, when the plant was going to seed, had a stronger effect on the heart.

    SIMPLES GIVE ME POWER

    Using one herb at a time helps me feel more certain that my remedy has an active value, not just a placebo value. Using one plant at a time, and local ones at that, reassures me that my herbal medicine cannot be legislated away. Using one plant at a time allows me to build trust in my remedies. Using one plant at a time is a subversive act, a reclaiming of simple healthcare.

    Combinations erode my power, activate my “victim persona”, and lead me to believe that herbal medicine is best left to the experts.

    FROM COMPLEX TO SIMPLE

    Take the challenge! Use simples instead of complex formulae. Let’s rework some herbal remedies and get a sense of how simple it can be.

    The anti-cancer formula Essiac contains Arctium lappa (burdock), Rheum palmatum (rhubarb), Ulmus fulva (slippery elm), and Rumex acetosella (sheep sorrel). Rhubarb root has no possible use against cancer; it is a purgative whose repeated use can “aggravate constipation”. Slippery elm bark also has no possible anti-cancer properties and has no doubt been added to counter some of the detrimental effects of the rhubarb. Sheep sorrel juice is so caustic that it has been used to burn off skin cancers, but it would likely do more harm to the kidneys than to any cancer if ingested regularly. Leaving us with a great anti-cancer simple: burdock root. One that I have found superbly effective in reversing dysplasias and pre-cancerous conditions.

    A John Lust formula for relief of coughs2 contains Agropyron repens (witch grass), Pimpinella anisum (aniseed), Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice), Inula helenium (elecampane root), Pulmonaria officinalis (lungwort), Thymus species (thyme herb), (murillo bark)3, Chondrus crispus (irish moss), Lobelia inflata (lobelia herb). Witch grass has little or no effect on coughs; it is an emollient diuretic whose dismissal from this group would leave no hole. Anise seeds are also not known to have an anti-pertussive effect; although they do taste good, we can do without them. Lobelia can bring more oxygen to the blood, but is certainly not an herb I would ever add to a cough mixture, so I will leave it out here. Licorice is a demulcent expectorant that can be most helpful for those with a dry cough; however, I do use it for a variety of reasons, among them its exotic origins and its cloyingly sweet taste. Lungwort is, as its name implies, a pectoral, but its effect is rather mild, and its place in the Boraginaceae family gives me pause. How much pyrrolizidine alkaloid might it contain? Thyme, and its more common anti-cough cousin garden sage, contains essential oils that could both quiet a cough and counter infection in the throat. A strong tea or a tincture of either could be our simple. Irish moss is, a specific to soothe coughs and a nutritive in addition, would also make an excellent simple. But it is elecampane that I would crown. It is not only a specific to curb coughing, it counters infection well, and tonifies lung tissues. Several small doses of a tincture of elecampane root should quiet a cough in a few hours.

    Simples are fun. Give them a try.

    Footnotes:

    1. Among the many variables, I have especially noticed that the tinctures that I make with fresh plants are many times more effective than tinctures made from dried plants. My elders tell me that preparations of common plants growing in uncommon places will be stronger as well. Many herbalists are aware of certain areas of their land that nurture plants that are particularly potent medicines.
    2. John Lust. The Herb Book. 1974. Bantam.
    3. Note that this formula, as is frequently the case, contains an “exotic” herb which Mr. Lust does not include in the 500+ herbs in his book, nor does he give us a botanical name for the plant, leaving us literally unable to prepare his formula as presented.

    Susun Weed
    PO Box 64
    Woodstock, NY 12498
    Fax: 1-845-246-8081

    Visit Susun Weed at: www.susunweed.com and www.ashtreepublishing.com


    For permission to reprint this article, contact us at: susunweed@herbshealing.com

    Vibrant, passionate, and involved, Susun Weed has garnered an international reputation for her groundbreaking lectures, teachings, and writings on health and nutrition. She challenges conventional medical approaches with humor, insight, and her vast encyclopedic knowledge of herbal medicine. Unabashedly pro-woman, her animated and enthusiastic lectures are engaging and often profoundly provocative.

    Susun is one of America’s best-known authorities on herbal medicine and natural approaches to women’s health. Her four best-selling books are recommended by expert herbalists and well-known physicians and are used and cherished by millions of women around the world. Learn more at www.susunweed.com

    Healing, Your Child and Flower Essences

    Filed under: Uncategorized — admin at 3:24 am on Monday, October 13, 2008

    So far there’s never been a time where I haven’t had great results whilst taking these essences. They’re not conventional medicine; rather their healing qualities are vibrational and work on the mind, body, and spirit concept.

    With their unique vibrational qualities, flower essences have been used throughout the ages by many cultures for health and healing. They’re used to clear, and resolve emotional states and imbalances found within our system by taking drops under the tongue. I sometimes use them in combination with essential oils (aromatherapy) in my oil burner and sometimes even in the bath water.

    Everything in the known Universe vibrates (quantum physics) even we have a unique vibrational rate, and so do flowers and other plant life.

    I love flower essences because they’re safe to use not only for adults but also for animals and children. Of the many different essences I’ve tried over the years, the Australian Bush Flower Essences have been the most effective for me. I live in Australia and resonate at a very deep level with this country although my origins lie in Europe.

    There are many wonderful and unique essences to choose from around the globe including, but not limited to, the following:

    Flower (Bach, Alaskan, Australian Bush Flower, FES), Ancient Rainforest,
    Animal, Shell, Coral, Gem, Crystal, Angel, Goddess, EarthSpirit.

    To locate a practitioner and/or supplier near you simply do an internet search for any of the words or phrases above and ending with ‘Essences’ (eg. Flower Essences, Animal Essences etc).

    From personal experience the more often these essences are used the greater the benefits. However, if there’s no issue, there’s no reason for taking them. They’ll only work when an issue has presented itself.

    Not only does my son take them on occasion but so has my daughter, particularly when she was entering her teenage years. The drops she was taking at the time were called ‘Adol’ Essence and helped her deal with issues of insensitivity, rebelliousness and a ‘not fair’ attitude, among other issues teenagers face as they move into a new phase of life. ‘Adol’ Essence was a great sanity-saver for her mother!

    How do I or did I know they worked you might ask?

    Because I know the behaviours of my children and their personalities I’ve been able to monitor any changes however subtle when they take these essences. What I notice and become aware of I write in a journal and compare the before and after.

    Taking flower essences doesn’t mean ignoring conventional medicine. I use both where and when appropriate. The two can easily be used to complement each other.

    I’m all for health and healing the mind, body and spirit without the use of drugs, particularly for my children. Flower essences are simply another avenue (of which there are many) along the path of healing.

    Michaela is a Transformational Coach, certified practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), writer, and Metaphysician who is totally committed to helping others create positive and action oriented changes to their lives.

    Michaela is the author of several e-books and publisher of a monthly newsletter called From My Desk.

    Come and see what her website has to offer at www.michaelascherr.com

    Married to David, Michaela has two children and a grandchild and currently lives in Brisbane Australia.

    Copyright requirements are that it remains with Michaela Scherr and for the link to be “click able” or “live.”

    Acupuncture: A benefit to the well Individual?

    Filed under: Uncategorized — admin at 3:46 pm on Sunday, October 12, 2008

    Before we begin a discussion about the benefits of acupuncture, let’s talk about the origins of acupuncture. It was first used in China over 2000 years ago, and is one of the oldest medical procedures in the world. It is a family of procedures that stimulates the anatomy of the body and helps to balance the energy flow throughout the body. It is this kind of acupuncture that is practiced in the United Sates today, through the use of tiny, metallic needles placed in affected areas and manipulated by hand or by electrical stimulation.
    Acupuncture is the basic foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine and is based on the belief that there are two opposing and inseparable forces within our body. They are known as the Yin and Yang of the entire person. The Yin is representative of the cold, slow, or passive principle, and yang represents the hot, excited or active principle. A healthy state is achieved by maintaining a balance state of the yin and yang. This is done through vital pathways or meridians that allow for the flow of qi, or vital energy. The vital energy flow occurs along pathways known as meridians. These meridians connect over 2,000 acupuncture points along the body. There are 12 main meridians, and 8 secondary meridians. Although traditional western medicine does not completely understand how acupuncture works, the proof that it does work has been shown in several studies conducted by western medical facilities.
    Now, let’s move to the question of does it work? According to the National Institute of Health, the answer would be yes. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in many areas of health care. Areas such as postoperative nausea, chemotherapy side effects, osteoarthritis, low-back pain, headache, menstrual cramps, addiction, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma, just to name a few. The study revealed that acupuncture was able to provide pain relief, improve function and mobility of joints due to arthritis inflammation, and served to complement standard care.
    Although there are many who would doubt the effectiveness of acupuncture, once they are a patient, they are believers. It has been proposed that acupuncture works and produces its effects through regulating the nervous system. The theory proposes that since acupuncture produces its effect through regulation of the nervous system, it induces the release of endorphins and immune system cells at specific sites on the body. There is also the theory that acupuncture alters the brain chemistry by the changing the neurotransmitters in the brain.
    Without doubt acupuncture was a benefit in the study, and as a patient myself, I can vouch for the wonderful effect it has had on my back. Although acupuncture is classified as an alternative medicine therapy, and there is still much to be understood about the way it works, it is a proven aid in maintaining optimal health.
    But what about the well individual, can acupuncture provide a benefit to them? Absolutely. Because acupuncture works off the belief that we must maintain balance of our vital energy flow in order to remain healthy, acupuncture serves as the tool for realignment. Our vital energy flow can be out of balance, and we still feel and appear quite healthy. It is in this capacity that acupuncture serves as a sort of preventive medicine. Checking and balancing the flow of energy on the meridian points in your body is like your car receiving a tune-up before it is in need of a repair. get more health and fitness articles at http://www.anabolic.ca and http://www.takingsteroids.com

    webmaster of www.anabolic.ca and www.takingsteroids.com and many other websites for over 5 years.

    « Previous PageNext Page »