MARCH 2, 2020 MEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE UNITED STATES
According to the State of the Worlds Plants Report 2017, there are at least 28,187 plants that are recognized as medicinal. There are great plant books on medicinal plants from the area that you live in. Herbalist, Matthew Wood wrote two books, The Earthwise Herbal . These are books on Old World and New World Medicinal Plants. These are just two examples of plant books .
The northernmost states of the US are home to a great many medicinal plants. These states, include Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. I am a resident in two Northeast states- New York and Connecticut.
Examples of some plant in my region are:
Barberry, Black Walnut, Black Raspberry, Dogwood , Goldenrod, Hawthorne, Juniper, English Yew, Ginkgo, Maple, St John Wort, and Sycamore
Find the medicinal plants in your area Medicinal plants are growing in every state in the United States
Until tomorrow…
MARCH 5, 2020 NATURAL BASED THERAPY FOR BREAST CANCER
I an NOT an oncologist. I am an integrative physician /cardiologist/herbalist with more than 25 years experience in treating patients. I have seen ,many patients with different types of cancer. My approach is treat the patient as a whole, which I feel I do for every disease in any patient . I look at their dietary and exercise lifestyle first and foremost. I treat the ‘gut’ first . The ‘ gut” is the most important aspect of someone’s health. I discuss the patient’s addictions, and their ability to do meditation. I even further discuss their own self esteem, anger and self love. Once I have established the kind of communication I want between a patient and their doctor I start to discuss other treatments available for cancer patients.
I discuss other testing available to determine if their cancer is sensitive to certain chemotherapies and if their cancer is sensitive to certain supplements and botanical plants. I discuss that plant based medicine is a treatment for certain cancers in other countries in the world. I am trying to educate the patient . You can look at www.rgcc.com website for ore information about testing
Recently I read Dr Kurt Beil article in the Townsend Letter February/March 2020 entitled The Holistic Benefits of Nature Based Therapy for Women with Breast Cancer . For any individual in the health field- this is worth a read and your attention
It is my belief that when a patient has a disease or afflicted with a cancer, he / she has the right to research, discuss, and explore every possible treatment if available.
Be your own health advocate
Until tomorrow…
FEBRUARY 29 - MARCH 1, 2020 APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
Have you ever tried taking apple cider vinegar ? Apple cider vinegar is a tangy, light brown vinegar made from fermented apples. Apple cider vinegar has many potential health benefits. Vinegar has bene used for years as a “ treatment for many things. “ My father used to use it for everything. It reminds me of the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding where the father used “ Windex “ as a treatment for everything
The best advantages and health benefits of Apple cider vinegar are:
Apple cider vinegar can kill disease-causing bacteria and fungi
The high content of acetic acid in this vinegar gives its anti bacterial, anti viral and anti oxidant benefits
Can lower and maintain a lower blood sugar
Vinegar can reduce appetite making it easier to lose weight when ingesting
Apple cider vinegar is also a potent antioxidant, meaning it can prevent and reverse the damage caused by free radicals
Start by taking one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in 3-4 oz. of temperature water every morning. It will change your life
Until tomorrow…
FEBRUARY 28, 2020 HAZELNUTS
Hazelnuts are not consumed as often as almond or peanuts. It has not been a favorite of mine. The hazelnut is the nut of the hazel and therefore includes any of the nuts deriving from species of the genus Corylus, especially the nuts of the species Corylus avellana. It also is known as cobnut or filbert nut according to species. One year ago, the American Botanical Council’s HerbalGram had a feature on Hazelnuts. I love history of plants so when reading about hazelnuts I became intrigued with its possible mythical and magical powers. The god, Mercury is said to have carried a winged wand made from hazelnut branches
There have been two randomized studies with hazelnuts for its benefit on reducing glucose levels and increasing HDL or good cholesterol levels. One study looked at the benefits of the cacao powder and hazelnuts on metabolic profile and blood pressure
Hazelnuts also contain decent amounts of vitamin B6, folate, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Additionally, they are a rich source of mono- and polyunsaturated fats and contain a good amount of omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids, such as oleic acid Furthermore, a one-ounce serving provides 11.2 grams of dietary fiber, which accounts for about 11% of the RDI
I would start eating Hazelnuts and adding them to your dietary regimen
Until tomorrow…
FEBRUARY 27, 2020 DODDER
Dodder is an annual seed-bearing parasitic vine in the dodder family (formerly placed in the morning-glory family). Its thin, thread-like, yellow or orange stems grow rapidly entwining and covering their host plants
Dodder can be a nuisance but does this mean that some states have prohibited it and make it illegal. It acts as a parasite on its host plant. It does not kill the host plant
.Although it rarely kills its host plant, dodder can reduce the yield of crops such as alfalfa.
Even so, dodder could have some benefits for human health. Its seeds are a popular ingredient in Chinese medicine, which uses it to nourish the liver, kidneys, and spleen. Modern research has found that dodder could have anti-hypertensive properties, reducing both blood pressure and heart rate. I want to see some studies done with this plant.
Until tomorrow….
FEBRUARY 26, 2020 ST JOHN'S WORT
There are many herbs that are better than conventional drugs. Some of the herbs have gotten a bad rap- examples are Kratom and Comphrey. One herb that falls into this category is St John’s Wort.
St. John’s wort is a common herb that many people may be surprised to find in our list of forbidden remedies. Its Latin name is Hypericum perforatum and it is a small, shrubby plant with yellow flowers.
It is one of the most famous herbal remedies for depression, with several studies backing up its use. However, experts have urged caution when using St. John’s wort as it can interact with many other medications. I have never had a bad reaction with this herb and medications . I just don’t see it. It is also possible to use the herb as a topical preparation to aid wound healing.
Other uses include sunburn, nerve trauma, sore muscles, bruising, burns, and varicose veins. I use it for the neuropathy after shingles, or Bell’s Palsy. It is a very helpful herb
Until tomorrow…
FEBRUARY 25, 2020 PROGESTERONE
The use of natural or bioidentical hormones or synthetic hormones are very controversial. This months Townsend Letter had a great article on the Use of Progesterone. It explained the physiology, use and myths of the hormone progesterone.
The article demonstrated the following:
The most efficacious and safest way to protect the endometrium is with topical progesterone
Topical progesterone has been shown to effectively reduce estrogen’s mitogenic influence on the endometrium
Topical progesterone achieves higher cellular and blood levels of progesterone than oral progesterone
Progestins did not perform better than progesterone and carry far too much overall health risk to be considered for use in long term therapies
Progestins differ greatly from progesterone in form and function
Until tomorrow…