JULY 10, 2019 UNICORN ROOT

Unicorn Root is not a commonly used herb by many herbalists. Its botanical name is Aletris farinose - true Unicorn root. There is False Unicorn Root The true Unicorn root is from the Lily family. It has many names that it is called by- Some of these are ague root, blazing star and starwort.

The edible part is the root of the plant. It is said the have a bitter=sweet soapy taste. I have never tasted it. The leaves are used in a tea.

Some of the medicinal uses are as a laxative, anti flatulent herb and as a sedative. It is mostly written with False Unicorn Root for its estrogenic properties and its use on the female system. I have seen both False and True Unicorn Root used to treat menstrual disorders

Besides its sedative effects , it has been used on the skin as a beauty treatment .

Until tomorrow …

JULY 9, 2019 GARLIC AND OSTEOARTHRITIS

Garlic has many uses. I use it as a natural blood thinner, and to lower blood pressure and lipids. This is a recent study published in the HerbalGram from the American Botanical Council on its use in osteoarthritis

Re: Garlic Relieves Joint Stiffness in Knee Osteoarthritis in 12-week Study

Salimzadeh A, Alipoor E, Dehghani S, et al. The effect of 12‐week garlic supplementation on symptom relief in overweight or obese women with knee osteoarthritis. Int J Clin Pract. December 2018;pii: S1063-4584(18)31582-6. doi:10.1111/ijcp.13208.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease worldwide. It causes considerable pain and debility. There is a need for low-cost, safe, effective therapies. The commonly prescribed medications do not provide adequate relief. The chronic nature of OA makes the costs and adverse effects of these medications particularly problematic. The mechanisms of pain and dysfunction in OA are multifactorial. Natural products therefore have the possibility of affecting multiple aspects of the disease process. Garlic (Allium sativum, Amaryllidaceae) has a long history of use for many conditions. There is a robust body of evidence supporting its use as an anti-inflammatory therapy. Constituents of garlic have several known bioactivities, including cytokine modulation, immune cell stimulation, antioxidant action, and analgesic effects, that could affect OA. However, research on the use of garlic in OA has been limited. This paper investigates the use of garlic in overweight or obese women with knee OA; obesity increases the risk of OA, and increased weight is associated with greater OA pain.

This single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-design study involved eighty female patients with mild or moderate knee OA who were recruited from the Sina Hospital Rheumatology Clinic in Tehran, Iran. The included patients were 50-75 years old, postmenopausal, and had a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 40. Exclusion criteria were severe pain; scheduled for surgery; receiving intra-articular therapies in previous three months; allergic to garlic; diabetes or other endocrine or chronic disorder; on a weight-loss protocol; smoker; or using hormone replacement therapy, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), other analgesics, chondroitin sulfate, omega-3 fatty acids, warfarin, or other anticoagulants.

In summary, 12-week garlic supplementation may have improved knee OA symptoms in overweight or obese women, but the results were for the most part not statistically different from placebo.

Until tomorrow…

JULY 8, 2019 ANTI INFLAMMATORY FOODS

I know you will consume some inflammatory foods over this weekend There are some foods that are considered anti inflammatory you might try

1. Berries provide antioxidants known as anthocyanins. These compounds may reduce inflammation, boost immunity and reduce your risk of heart disease. Berries are low glycemic fruits

2. Fatty fish hold high amounts of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which have anti-inflammatory effects.

3. Broccoli is one of the best sources of sulforaphane, an antioxidant with powerful anti-inflammatory effects.

4. Avocados offer various beneficial compounds that protect against inflammation and may reduce your cancer risk. It contains good oils

5. Green tea's high EGCG content reduces inflammation and safeguards cells from damage that can lead to disease. EGCG is a polyphenol with beneficial effects used for heart disease, chronic diseases as diabetes and Alzheimer, support for many cancers and much more

6. Chili peppers and bell peppers are rich in quercetin, sinapic acid, ferulic acid and other antioxidants with strong anti-inflammatory effects.

7. Some edible mushrooms boast compounds that may decrease inflammation. Eating them raw or lightly cooked may help you reap their full anti-inflammatory potential. You must always identify mushrooms if picking wild. Some benefical mushrooms are shiitake, maitaike, coryceps, lion’s mane and turkey tail

Until tomorrow…

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….