JULY 3, 2019 PURSLANE

Purslane might be growing in your backyard but you think it is a weed. It can be eaten as an addition to your salad. It does have a salty sour flavor Its botanical name is Portulaca oleracea. It has other name such as pigweed or little hogweed. The leaves, stems and root are all edible.

There are many medicinal uses of this plant. Historically it has been used to stop uterine bleeding When I have suggested its use, the patient usually reports less bleeding and less duration of bleeding.

I have seen it used in respiratory issues especially asthma. There are many other herbs I utilize for asthma.

The one use which I have seen but not well documented is it anti fungal properties. We all consider tea tree oil for foot fungus ( athlete’s foot) I suggested Vick’s vapor rub or one owns urine. This herb applied is very effective

Until tomorrow…

JULY 2, 2018 TENG SAN QI

Recently a long time patient brought me a vine plant . I am always happy to receive plants from my patient’s gardens. This vine plant is called Teng San Qi also known as Anredera cordifolia. It is also known as Madeira vine. I placed the clay pit with the vine and trellis in my terrace garden.

I had to read more about this plant. It is considered a vine version of the herb Notoginseng because the bulbils and tubers have similar medicinal properties. The bulbilis portion is said to strengthen the kidney, liver and stomach. It also reduces blood stasis and swelling. What I find more fascinating is that the leaves are edible as well as nutritious.

I am careful to check the temperate zone to whether it can be grown outdoors. This tender perennial vine is in Zone 7. I know it will do well outside but must be brought after first freeze. Iy doe snot self sow or survive the cold winters of the Northeast. Time will tell with my new vine…

Until tomorrow…

JULY 1, 2019 HOW MUCH WATER

Drinking a gallon of water per day may work for some people but could be harmful for others. Although rare, drinking too much water too fast can cause sodium levels in your blood to drop too low, causing a dangerous condition called hyponatremia.  

Ultimately, how much water you should drink per day depends on your individual needs.   There are many different opinions on how much water you should be drinking every day. Health authorities commonly recommend eight 8-ounce glasses, which equals about 2 liters, or half a gallon. This is called the 8×8 rule and is very easy to remember. I tend to tell patients drink half their weight in fluid ounces. So if you weight 180 lbs drink, 90 fluid ounces of water

While there are general guidelines regarding how much water you should drink, they’re to be used as a rule of thumb.  

In most cases, it’s best to trust your thirst — drink when you are thirsty and stop when you are not — and use indicators such as urine color to determine if you’re properly hydrated.

Until tomorrow…

JUNE 29-30, 2019 CHAMOMILE

We know that Chamomle has very calming properties. Most use a cup of chamomile to relax, and to sleep better. I prefer other Nervine herbs as Passion Flower, Skull Cap and even Lemon Balm.

This herb has been used for centuries as a medicine, due to its natural antioxidant properties. The oil extracted from this flower can help support your body’s hormone levels and can even help encourage cell regeneration to keep us looking youthful and radiant Many skin care companies are now putting chamomile in their rejuvenation skin anti aging products.

The Greeks, on the other hand, used the benefits of the plant to help them fight disease, support digestion and reduce pain. The Italians used it as a youthful herb.

It is good for hair and scalp, anti aging , sensitive skin and even as an anti bacterial

So, chamomile isn't just amazing in tea, it is a great ingredient to spice up your skin

Until tomorrow…

JUNE 28, 2019 PLANTAR WARTS

Plantar warts are found on the soles of the feet. Like other warts these are caused by viruses. They are highly contagious. Walking barefoot at your gym as in health club dressing room or in the shower is a common place to get them Depending on their location they are sometimes painful. Most of the over the counter medicines contains salicyclic acid which can help rid you of them

Apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar continues to be studied for a wide range of health uses, including possible wart removal. ...

1. Duct tape. One way to gradually get rid of plantar warts is by using duct tape. .....- not a painless way to rid the body of the wart

2. Milk thistle. …- this herb supports the liver

3. Iodine. ...

4. OTC freezing sprays.

5. Tea tree oil - used for many other diseases

There is a herb that many do not use or know about. It is Greater celandine (Chelidonium majus) is a plant long used in traditional Chinese Medicine ( TCM) Often touted as a natural treatment for cancer, greater celandine is also purported to fight health concerns ranging from asthma to atherosclerosis. I use it for warts as a herb or even in a homeopathic remedies.

Until tomorrow….

JUNE 27, 2019 NATURAL TRETAMENT FOR HERPES

Herpes simplex 1 and 2 are very common sexually transmitted diseases. The first signs of an outbreak are pain, burning and itching at the site. Most individuals know when they are experiencing an outbreak. I get a call from the patient to prescribe Valtrex ( vancyclovir) The other prescription is acyclovir ( Zorivax) Both of these conventional prescriptive medications lessen the severity of the initial outbreak

There are natural supplements that can be used. The most familiar is the use of the amino acid, L- lysine. The average dose is 3,000 mg daily at the start of an outbreak. It does lessen the severity If you still have an outbreak at this dose I recommend going up by a 1,000 until you reach 6,000 in a daily dose.

I also encourage my patients to take a lactobacillus probiotic. Usually there is a lack of lactobacillus in the diet as many individuals do not consume dairy. A always recommend a high dose zinc ranging from 20- 60 mg /day.

Stress is a factor that aggravates the herpes virus. The consumption of chocolate and nuts can intensity the outbreak as both of these contain arginine. Arginine is the fuel source for the herpes virus.

Until tomorrow…

JUNE 26, 2019 VARICOSE VEINS

There are many ways to treat venous insufficiency . This is also known as varicose veins. Horse chestnut ( Aesculus hippocastanum) is used to treat vascular system problems. Chestnuts during the holiday time are edible but Horse Chestnuts are NOT edible . The seeds of horse chestnut are slightly poisonous and NOT recommended to be eaten The poison called esculin.

In addition to the venous insufficiency issues, Horse chestnut has other uses. Horse chestnut leaf is used for eczema, menstrual pain, soft tissue swelling from bone fracture and sprains, cough , and arthritis

Horse chestnut branch bark is used for malaraia and dysentery. I would recommend Wormwood or Artesmesia species for malaria

Some people apply horse chestnut branch bark to the skin in a patient with systemic lupus

Until tomorrow….

JUNE 25, 2019 A NEW BERRY TO ME

Twin - berry or Partridgeberry is a new one for me. This plant also called the Square vine. It is also known as Mitchella repens. It is a creeping prostrate woody shrub occurring in North America

Mitchella repens is cultivated for its ornamental red berries and shiny, bright green foliage. It is used on many Christmas or Holiday decorations.

Its traditional use is written about for menstrual problems and even facilitating child birth

I have never tasted a Twin Berry or Partridgeberry - It is scarlet , edible but tasteless. It is been written that this plant can be used for insomnia, fluid retention and rheumatism. It is always cited to be used inin last weeks before childbirth. Two teas are consumed for menstrual issues and sleep disorders.

Until tomorrow…