"In announcing a new wonder herb for increasing size bust," I must admit, when I saw this ad, I was very intrigued (not for myself, mind you, but for the sake of science). I was wondering, how can one make this herb and women can actually see results? My search for answers led me to studying Fenugreek, a not-exactly-new herbs used by the ancient Greeks, Hindus and Chinese for thousands of years to treat a variety of ailments. In Western cultures, has revived itself as a breast-enhancer, which is taken internally or applied as a poultice for the breasts. Its defenders assert that can improve the appearance of their breasts sagging promoting the growth of breast cells.
Not one to take such statements at face value, dug deeper into the literature in an attempt to follow the logic of such claims. Soon, I found myself bogged down on familiar territory: if the herbs that contain estrogen-like compounds and how they really work.
The parties are using Fenugreek seeds and sprouts that are mashed into a poultice or boiled in water to make tea. The active components of Fenugreek are diosgenin (a precursor chemical for estrogen and progesterone) and phytoestrogens (plant chemicals that mimic human estrogen). My last two articles discussed these chemicals in detail and so we just summarize its actions here as they relate to breast tissue.
Diosgenin is a known precursor to estrogen and progesterone. A chemical is capable of transforming diosgenin in its active form in a laboratory. Our bodies can not do on our own. Proponents of Fenugreek state in increasing the size of the breast because it contains diosgenin which has estrogenic properties. No, at least not until a chemical is kept with it. In its natural form, diosgenin has not been shown to provide some estrogenic activity of breast tissue. So how is supposed to work?
Fenugreek also contains phytoestrogens which mimic human estrogen in the body. The research in this area is even Messier. Nobody can seem to agree on how to actually work phytoestrogens in a cellular level. For the sake of this article, let's pretend that phytoestrogens actually act on breast tissue as estrogen and stimulate growth of breast tissue when we use it. Is not that dangerous? When I was in medical school, we were taught that anything that stimulates the growth of breast tissue also increases the risk of breast cancer. I'm not sure I want to take that risk only for greater cup size.
Perhaps the phytoestrogens not actually promote the growth of breast tissue at all but instead increase the size of cells in the breast (such as raisins soaked in water). Now that's not a bad thing but when this happens to women during their normal menstrual period, usually complain of pain in the breasts and did not seem to care that her breast size is bigger. In any case, I have not found any research to support any of the allegations about this herb and how it works to improve breast-so that what I am saying is partly speculative.
My advice? Try it if you want and if it works, great. Do not take a loan, however, for any expensive product to make "remarkable". You can make the product with the seeds of the store or shoots that grow yourself. The tea is made by soaking 1 ½ teaspoons Fenugreek seeds in cold water for about three hours and then strain the liquid. Three cups a day is recommended. The poultice is made by soaking seeds or seedlings, and mixed with oil or cream to make it easier to implement. The results can be immediate or may take several weeks (or nothing?).
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Alleviating Arthritis Pain With Herbs--Part II
Modern medicine's response relief for arthritis is actually a double-edged sword. There are dozens of medicines to choose from, several of which have been designed for a daily dose desirable. These medicines also have the backing of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which oversees years of medical research before they can be released to the general public. The medical risks of taking these drugs, unfortunately, can be serious. There is no basis to prescription medication can claim to be free of these risks. Stomach ulcers, kidney damage and bleeding complications are among the most commonly seen.
When considering taking a herbal remedy for arthritis relief, the big question should be, these are a safer alternative to modern medicine? The effectiveness is comparable? Let's look at three different medicinal plants with the safety and effectiveness in mind.
The healers practicing Ayurvedic medicine has long used Boswellia serrata, also called Indian OLĂBANO, to relieve arthritic symptoms. The gomoso resin obtained from the Boswellia tree contains boswellic acids have shown that anti-inflammatory properties. In comparative studies against conventional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (AIN), Boswellia proved to be safer with the same effectiveness.
Boswellia acts differently to the Ain conventional insofar as it inhibits the production of leukotrienes, which are chemical mediators on the road that leads to swollen joints. This means that it is not hard in the stomach like aspirin or Ain.
The recommended dose of Boswellia is 450 milligrams daily boswellic acid (usually 150 mg three times a day). Note, however, that the extract could buy the milligram strength of the entire extract, only a percentage of what will be boswellic acids. You will have to leave your calculator to find out how much boswellic acid that is actually receiving. Why do we always?
Personally, I think Boswellia is an excellent choice for arthritis pain relief.
Another Indian herb used for arthritis relief is turmeric, a major ingredient in curry powder. In Ayurvedic medicine, which has multiple uses. As applied to arthritic relief, turmeric se cree que inhibit prostaglandins, much the same way as AIN. Unfortunately, the risk of stomach ulcers also exists. The recommended dose is 500-1000 milligrams several times a day. My advice: Do not be my first choice because of the risk of stomach ulcers.
Cayenne pepper is a perfect example of an herbal product that was "rediscovered" by modern medicine, and later was found on pharmacy shelves as a "modern arthritic cure." Providers of health care called "capsaicin" and I am sure that sold for a higher price when it was first as a prescription product.
Capsaicin is presented as a cream and fortunately, a recipe is no longer necessary to purchase. The strength of the cream is 0.025% or 0.075%. It applies 3-4 times a day, the painful joint. How does it work? Well, have you ever eaten a hot pepper and noted that, after burning diminished, his tongue was indifferent? The same process works in the joints. During the first few days after starting the cream, all are supposed to burn a little and there will be no pain relief at all. This is because the red pepper is the liberation and then using the substance P, a chemical essential to the ability to sense pain nerves. Once all the Substance P is exhausted, the nerve is "numb" and it remains as long as you keep applying the cream.
I like capsaicin cream. It has no side effects and can be used in combination with medications taken internally. Patience, however, is the key to its success.
Once they reach a reasonable improvement in the pain of arthritis, stick with treatment and begin a gentle but persistent exercise program such as water-walking, bicycling or just walking. His joints actually feel better and will be less likely to suffer long-term complications of arthritis. Keep moving and good luck!
When considering taking a herbal remedy for arthritis relief, the big question should be, these are a safer alternative to modern medicine? The effectiveness is comparable? Let's look at three different medicinal plants with the safety and effectiveness in mind.
The healers practicing Ayurvedic medicine has long used Boswellia serrata, also called Indian OLĂBANO, to relieve arthritic symptoms. The gomoso resin obtained from the Boswellia tree contains boswellic acids have shown that anti-inflammatory properties. In comparative studies against conventional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (AIN), Boswellia proved to be safer with the same effectiveness.
Boswellia acts differently to the Ain conventional insofar as it inhibits the production of leukotrienes, which are chemical mediators on the road that leads to swollen joints. This means that it is not hard in the stomach like aspirin or Ain.
The recommended dose of Boswellia is 450 milligrams daily boswellic acid (usually 150 mg three times a day). Note, however, that the extract could buy the milligram strength of the entire extract, only a percentage of what will be boswellic acids. You will have to leave your calculator to find out how much boswellic acid that is actually receiving. Why do we always?
Personally, I think Boswellia is an excellent choice for arthritis pain relief.
Another Indian herb used for arthritis relief is turmeric, a major ingredient in curry powder. In Ayurvedic medicine, which has multiple uses. As applied to arthritic relief, turmeric se cree que inhibit prostaglandins, much the same way as AIN. Unfortunately, the risk of stomach ulcers also exists. The recommended dose is 500-1000 milligrams several times a day. My advice: Do not be my first choice because of the risk of stomach ulcers.
Cayenne pepper is a perfect example of an herbal product that was "rediscovered" by modern medicine, and later was found on pharmacy shelves as a "modern arthritic cure." Providers of health care called "capsaicin" and I am sure that sold for a higher price when it was first as a prescription product.
Capsaicin is presented as a cream and fortunately, a recipe is no longer necessary to purchase. The strength of the cream is 0.025% or 0.075%. It applies 3-4 times a day, the painful joint. How does it work? Well, have you ever eaten a hot pepper and noted that, after burning diminished, his tongue was indifferent? The same process works in the joints. During the first few days after starting the cream, all are supposed to burn a little and there will be no pain relief at all. This is because the red pepper is the liberation and then using the substance P, a chemical essential to the ability to sense pain nerves. Once all the Substance P is exhausted, the nerve is "numb" and it remains as long as you keep applying the cream.
I like capsaicin cream. It has no side effects and can be used in combination with medications taken internally. Patience, however, is the key to its success.
Once they reach a reasonable improvement in the pain of arthritis, stick with treatment and begin a gentle but persistent exercise program such as water-walking, bicycling or just walking. His joints actually feel better and will be less likely to suffer long-term complications of arthritis. Keep moving and good luck!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Alleviating Arthritis Pain with Herbs, Part I
Few holders of a magazine strip in front of stores faster than the "New Found Arthritis Cure." The phrase "Formula Arthritis Cure" in bottles containing herbal supplements provides for the sale of energy similar to the manufacturers of these products. Why is this so? What is arthritis that has so many who suffer from this problem grasping for whatever relief may be out there? The reason simply is that arthritis hurts. And people in general do not like pain. The arthritis and pain is always present, it affects every aspect of his life sick. And-contrary to some claims in advertising-there is no cure, which leaves people always scrambling to find something new to help them feel better.
There. I said. The unfortunate truth. Arthritis, regardless of type, is an incurable disease for which existing treatments are designed solely to relieve pain.
There are many types of arthritis that basically belong to one of three categories, 1), arthritis mechanics, in which there is a structural degeneration of one or more sets of components, such as bone or cartilage, 2) inflammatory arthritis in that the body's immune system attacks something in all tissues that does not like and 3) arthritis as a result of structural damage and inflammatory processes. I think it's safe to say that many with arthritis, no matter what type, suffering from pain caused by a combination of structural damage and inflammation. Sometimes structural damage comes first and sometimes upside down, but finally end up with both processes acting because of the pain of arthritis.
The vast majority of medicines for treating arthritis cope with the inflammatory component. When the swelling is reduced, the pain associated with him is low. The same is true of medicinal plants. In this and in the article continues, we will learn about the commonly used herbal therapies for arthritis, study how they work and sift through the available research on its use.
Firstly, I would like to talk a little about glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. Both are popularly used these days by many suffer from arthritis. Many people I know swear by their effectiveness and use them faithfully for arthritis relief. There is research indicating that are effective. There are herbs, however, they are glucosaminoglycans, chemicals that are precursors to joint cartilage healthy. Because they have no particular anti-inflammatory properties, there is no reason not to use an herb or conventional medication with them to help alleviate the inflammatory component of arthritic pain.
Speaking of herbs ... White willow bark is used for pain and fever relief for centuries by Europeans and later by settlers from americas. It is literally extracted from the bark of a white willow tree and is also known as "natural aspirin." There is good reason for that nickname. Chemically, it is almost identical to aspirin.
White willow bark contains salicin, a precursor chemical that, once ingested and absorbed by the body transforms into salicylic acid has anti-inflammatory to relieve pain and properties. (Aspirin, by the way, is acetylsalicylic acid. There is not much of the difference, chemically speaking.) Since one ingests a precursor of the active ingredient and not the active ingredient itself, the onset of action for pain relief is slower than with, for example, taking aspirin. Side effects can be expected to be similar to those with aspirin. Needless to say, is probably not a good idea to take white sauce, crust and aspirin together unless you want a big stomachache.
The recommended dose of white willow bark is 1-3 grams of dried bark taken three times a day. The bark is steeped in a tea before consumption. This translates into a daily dose of salicina between 60 and 120 milligrams (an average aspirin is 325 milligrams). Somehow this does not seem to be enough medicine to make any difference. In fact, I found a source revealed that quarter would have to drink tea made from the highest grade white willow bark (which contains 7% salicina) to consume the equivalent of two aspirins. Of course, herbalists can rightly argue that there may be other components in white willow bark to work together with the salicina to provide anti-inflammatory pain relief to its users. I suspect that this is the case. In any case, it might be worth considering if you're interested in herbal relief for arthritis. As always, read labels carefully before buying any product.
In Part II of this series, we will discuss Boswellia, turmeric and cayenne in regard to treatment of arthritic conditions. Prepare to be more enlightened ...
There. I said. The unfortunate truth. Arthritis, regardless of type, is an incurable disease for which existing treatments are designed solely to relieve pain.
There are many types of arthritis that basically belong to one of three categories, 1), arthritis mechanics, in which there is a structural degeneration of one or more sets of components, such as bone or cartilage, 2) inflammatory arthritis in that the body's immune system attacks something in all tissues that does not like and 3) arthritis as a result of structural damage and inflammatory processes. I think it's safe to say that many with arthritis, no matter what type, suffering from pain caused by a combination of structural damage and inflammation. Sometimes structural damage comes first and sometimes upside down, but finally end up with both processes acting because of the pain of arthritis.
The vast majority of medicines for treating arthritis cope with the inflammatory component. When the swelling is reduced, the pain associated with him is low. The same is true of medicinal plants. In this and in the article continues, we will learn about the commonly used herbal therapies for arthritis, study how they work and sift through the available research on its use.
Firstly, I would like to talk a little about glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. Both are popularly used these days by many suffer from arthritis. Many people I know swear by their effectiveness and use them faithfully for arthritis relief. There is research indicating that are effective. There are herbs, however, they are glucosaminoglycans, chemicals that are precursors to joint cartilage healthy. Because they have no particular anti-inflammatory properties, there is no reason not to use an herb or conventional medication with them to help alleviate the inflammatory component of arthritic pain.
Speaking of herbs ... White willow bark is used for pain and fever relief for centuries by Europeans and later by settlers from americas. It is literally extracted from the bark of a white willow tree and is also known as "natural aspirin." There is good reason for that nickname. Chemically, it is almost identical to aspirin.
White willow bark contains salicin, a precursor chemical that, once ingested and absorbed by the body transforms into salicylic acid has anti-inflammatory to relieve pain and properties. (Aspirin, by the way, is acetylsalicylic acid. There is not much of the difference, chemically speaking.) Since one ingests a precursor of the active ingredient and not the active ingredient itself, the onset of action for pain relief is slower than with, for example, taking aspirin. Side effects can be expected to be similar to those with aspirin. Needless to say, is probably not a good idea to take white sauce, crust and aspirin together unless you want a big stomachache.
The recommended dose of white willow bark is 1-3 grams of dried bark taken three times a day. The bark is steeped in a tea before consumption. This translates into a daily dose of salicina between 60 and 120 milligrams (an average aspirin is 325 milligrams). Somehow this does not seem to be enough medicine to make any difference. In fact, I found a source revealed that quarter would have to drink tea made from the highest grade white willow bark (which contains 7% salicina) to consume the equivalent of two aspirins. Of course, herbalists can rightly argue that there may be other components in white willow bark to work together with the salicina to provide anti-inflammatory pain relief to its users. I suspect that this is the case. In any case, it might be worth considering if you're interested in herbal relief for arthritis. As always, read labels carefully before buying any product.
In Part II of this series, we will discuss Boswellia, turmeric and cayenne in regard to treatment of arthritic conditions. Prepare to be more enlightened ...
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Feverfew: An Herbal Treatment for Migraine Headaches
Migraines. Although I've never had one, I can say that they are unpleasant. Any patient that I have ever seen in the midst of a migraine is really miserable-a victim of blinding pain, nausea and aversion to bright lights that are experiencing. This painful event is rarely one-time thing. Migraine sufferers may have several episodes a week or only a few in their lifetime. Migraines can be very unpredictable in that way. And debilitating. To suffer from frequent migraines may have trouble keeping a job that will tolerate numerous absences due to severe headaches that often they can not stop working.
Modern medicine has recently provided a huge relief for migraine suffer in the form of medicines that can be taken once an attack has begun. Drugs such as Imitrex and Amerge act quickly to dispel a migraine by altering the muscle tone of the arteries in the brain that cause this kind of headache.
Migraines are one of a class of vascular headaches, meaning that the ultimate source of headache is a change in the tone of blood vessels within the brain. Treatments effective for migraines are not analgesics in general. Instead, work in blood vessels that secondarily relieves pain.
There are two ways to deal with migraines medical and / or herbal treatment. We talked about the first form. Basically you wait until the headache and then take something to alleviate it. The second way is to use a daily medication to prevent migraines occur, or at least reduce their frequency and severity.
Modern medicine has nothing to choose especially large in the field of prevention of migraine. Many of the medicines we use for this purpose are also used to reduce blood pressure, so if you do not have high blood pressure at the outset, the side effects can be difficult to tolerate.
Enter feverfew, a herbal remedy that has the promise in preventing migraine with relatively few side effects, (You wondered if I ever move to talk about herbs, do not you?) Feverfew bears the scientific name of Tanacetum parthenium and is a perennial shrub that grows throughout Europe. As its name implies, is used initially to reduce fever but found no information to suggest that art has value in that area. It is mainly the dry leaves that are used for medicinal purposes.
I have read anecdotal reports of feverfew be effective in treating migraine active but there is no scientific evidence to support these reports. Prevention of migraine, moreover, feverfew is where the most promising shows. Several good studies have shown its effectiveness in reducing the frequency and severity of migraines when taken orally on a daily basis.
Modern medicine has recently provided a huge relief for migraine suffer in the form of medicines that can be taken once an attack has begun. Drugs such as Imitrex and Amerge act quickly to dispel a migraine by altering the muscle tone of the arteries in the brain that cause this kind of headache.
Migraines are one of a class of vascular headaches, meaning that the ultimate source of headache is a change in the tone of blood vessels within the brain. Treatments effective for migraines are not analgesics in general. Instead, work in blood vessels that secondarily relieves pain.
There are two ways to deal with migraines medical and / or herbal treatment. We talked about the first form. Basically you wait until the headache and then take something to alleviate it. The second way is to use a daily medication to prevent migraines occur, or at least reduce their frequency and severity.
Modern medicine has nothing to choose especially large in the field of prevention of migraine. Many of the medicines we use for this purpose are also used to reduce blood pressure, so if you do not have high blood pressure at the outset, the side effects can be difficult to tolerate.
Enter feverfew, a herbal remedy that has the promise in preventing migraine with relatively few side effects, (You wondered if I ever move to talk about herbs, do not you?) Feverfew bears the scientific name of Tanacetum parthenium and is a perennial shrub that grows throughout Europe. As its name implies, is used initially to reduce fever but found no information to suggest that art has value in that area. It is mainly the dry leaves that are used for medicinal purposes.
I have read anecdotal reports of feverfew be effective in treating migraine active but there is no scientific evidence to support these reports. Prevention of migraine, moreover, feverfew is where the most promising shows. Several good studies have shown its effectiveness in reducing the frequency and severity of migraines when taken orally on a daily basis.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Ginger: A Traveler's Aid
While studying herbal medicine, I noticed an interesting trend that is worth passing along: if a certain herb had a very important role in the kitchen of any ancient culture, look further. Usually, means that the herb has medicinal properties valid proof of the old town, centuries before modern medicine ever invented the concept of the research study. I think the ginger falls into that category. A favorite flavor in Asian cuisine, ginger has a strong record of more than 2500 years in medicine china. It is used mainly for gastrointestinal problems, se cree que help improve digestion, calm nausea and helps the expulsion of gases from the intestines (the perfect food additive, is not it?). In Western cultures, ginger tea remains a popular remedy for upset stomach and morning sickness.
Luckily for those of us skeptics not a hundred percent sure that two millennia of medical use is proof enough of a profit of grass, modern science has studied thoroughly enough ginger in at least one area-that of its use in preventing motion sickness.
Several recent studies have put ginger to the test in controlling nausea, some people experience when travelling in a vehicle moving or spinning. A study published in Lancet in 1982 gave the subjects either ginger or Dramamine before giving them a "walk" in a spinning, tilting chair. Those who took ginger experienced much less nausea than those who took Dramamine.
Another study from Denmark tested ginger versus placebo in subjects who then took to the open sea on a ship. Once again, ginger showed effectiveness in controlling nausea associated with motion sickness.
Personally I prefer the ginger because it lacks the side effects of drugs used for most modern motion sickness-a namely, fatigue, dry mouth, dizziness and palpitations. Whenever I used Dramamine, for example, I have a difficult time kept awake to enjoy the scenery I went to see in the first place.
Ginger capsules are usually contain about 500 milligrams of dried ginger rhizome and the recommended dosage is two capsules three times a day. Doses of up to 4 grams per day are considered acceptable. Try some the next time you travel!
A word about ginger and morning sickness: several sources, including the German Commission E Monograph, caution against the use of ginger to treat nausea in pregnancy. None of the sources gave what I thought was a valid reason for the recommendation. My guess is that nobody has enough tortured pregnant laboratory rats to make any recommendation one way or another on the safety of ginger during pregnancy. My personal advice would be to avoid high doses of capsules containing ginger and stick to a warm cup of ginger tea instead.
Luckily for those of us skeptics not a hundred percent sure that two millennia of medical use is proof enough of a profit of grass, modern science has studied thoroughly enough ginger in at least one area-that of its use in preventing motion sickness.
Several recent studies have put ginger to the test in controlling nausea, some people experience when travelling in a vehicle moving or spinning. A study published in Lancet in 1982 gave the subjects either ginger or Dramamine before giving them a "walk" in a spinning, tilting chair. Those who took ginger experienced much less nausea than those who took Dramamine.
Another study from Denmark tested ginger versus placebo in subjects who then took to the open sea on a ship. Once again, ginger showed effectiveness in controlling nausea associated with motion sickness.
Personally I prefer the ginger because it lacks the side effects of drugs used for most modern motion sickness-a namely, fatigue, dry mouth, dizziness and palpitations. Whenever I used Dramamine, for example, I have a difficult time kept awake to enjoy the scenery I went to see in the first place.
Ginger capsules are usually contain about 500 milligrams of dried ginger rhizome and the recommended dosage is two capsules three times a day. Doses of up to 4 grams per day are considered acceptable. Try some the next time you travel!
A word about ginger and morning sickness: several sources, including the German Commission E Monograph, caution against the use of ginger to treat nausea in pregnancy. None of the sources gave what I thought was a valid reason for the recommendation. My guess is that nobody has enough tortured pregnant laboratory rats to make any recommendation one way or another on the safety of ginger during pregnancy. My personal advice would be to avoid high doses of capsules containing ginger and stick to a warm cup of ginger tea instead.
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