March 28th WHMonth: 20 HERBS THAT CAN FIGHT CANCER

DOUBLE STANDARDS

(Chris Woollams; CANCERactive) It is an undeniable fact that herbs have been eaten for their health-giving properties for thousands of years. History and experience tells us to eat Thyme, but not Deadly Nightshade.  Trained, expert Medical Herbalists know exactly what herbs can, and cannot, do.

Unlike certain drugs companies, such herbalists have yet to pay millions of dollars to avoid court action over claims that they hid research studies showing negative results. No herb in recent years has been lauded as a health-restorer, only to be subsequently ´withdrawn´ after causing deformity, heart attacks and/or death. Taking a cocktail of prescription medicines, not herbs, is the number one cause of death in states such as Florida.

Whereas, your Government upholds your freedom to choose to buy cigarettes over the counter throughout Britain even though they have clear health-damaging risks, it will not give you the same freedom to choose to buy natural compounds like herbs. Oddly, you need to be protected from eating herbs, but not cigarettes (or alcohol).

Unlike GM food that is increasingly available in the High Street, yet rarely, if ever, goes through rigorous Government regulation or independent research and was created synthetically just a few years ago, common herbs that haven´t changed for centuries will not be available in pills and liquids on the same High Streets after May 1st 2011. An EU Directive will remove them for health safety reasons.

The world is a very mixed up place.

Here are twenty herbs that just might help your fight against cancer. You will be pleased to know, even after May 1st 2011, you can still have them prescribed and made for you by experts working with CANCERactive.

1 ASTRAGALUS (Huang Qi): A Chinese herb; an immune system booster, known to stimulate body´s natural production of interferon. It also helps the immune system identify rogue cells. Work with the herb in both cancer and AIDS cases has been encouraging. The MD Anderson Cancer Centre in Texas conducted research showing that taking Astragalus when having Radiotherapy doubled survival times.

2 BERBERIS FAMILY (e.g. Podophyllum peltanum):Slow active purgative. Research has shown these herbs to have a strong action against cancer and they have been used with many cancers, especially Ovarian cancer.

3 BLOOD ROOT (Sanguinaria canadensis): Research shows consistent anti-neoplastic activity. It is effective against cancer tumours, and can shrink them; and has proven useful with sarcomas.

4 BUTCHERS BROOM (Ruscus aculeatus): The active ingredients of this herb has been found to be the ruscogenins which have tumour-shrinking and anti-oestrogenic abilities. Thus its use in the treatment of breast cancer.

5 CAT´S CLAW (Uncaria tormentosa): An adaptogen and powerful immuno-stimulant, it enhances the white cells clean up process (phagocytosis). It is an excellent companion to astragalus, curcumin and echinacea. Research indicates it can reduce tumour size, particularly with skin cancers. It also helps reduce the side-effects of chemo and radiotherapy.

6 CHAPARRAL (Larrea mexicana): Cancer Watch covered a major research study from the US which heaped praise on this herb. It appears to boost the immune system, stop metastases and reduce tumour size. Seems especially interesting with breast cancer. It is also an anti-oxidant and anti-microbial, with low toxicity.

7 CURCUMIN (Turmeric): This spice (Curcuma longa or Turmeric root) has been shown to have significant anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory activity. That alone seems enough for certain hospitals in America to consider using it in the treatment of polyps and colon cancer. However new research shows that it can both shrink cancer tumours and inhibit blood supply growth to tumours. It is a powerful antioxidant with liver protective benefits, and outperformed several anti-inflammatory drugs without side-effects in research.

8 DANG SHEN ROOT (Codonopsis pilosula): increases both the white blood cell and red blood cell levels, so can be extremely helpful to patients having chemotherapy and radiotherapy, or to patients whose cancer diminishes levels of either.

9 ECHINACEA: Another known immune system booster, it gained a populist reputation in treating colds.  There is research on its helpfulness with brain tumours apart from its abilities to increase the levels of certain immune white cells in the body.

10 FEVERFEW: This herb caused a storm when research from Rochester University in New York showed it to be more effective than the drug cytarabine in killing leukaemia cells. The US Food and Drug Agency put the active ingredient, parthenolide, on to its fast track programme. Nothing has yet been heard. But then, the FDA has never approved a herb for use as a cancer treatment.

11 GOLDENSEAL: One cause of stomach cancer can be the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. This burrows into the mucous lining of the stomach to hide from gastric acids, and then causes irritation, acid reflux, ulcers and even cancer. Goldenseal is generally anti-microbial and is used in the Caribbean and South East Asia against parasites. Goldenseal, helped by the mineral Bismuth, will kill Helicobacter pylori. Vets seem to know this, even if doctors don´t.

12 MILK THISTLE: Known for years to be helpful to the liver, this herb has now been shown to be capable of protecting the liver during chemotherapy. Research in America showed that leukaemia patients who took milk thistle had reduced liver toxicity and chemo side-effects. There is a little evidence that it has its own anti-cancer activity too.

13 PAU D´ARCO: This tree bark was original thought to be a strong anti-cancer agent, but then its actions were clarified as strongly anti-bacterial, anti-yeast and anti-microbial. That alone might be enough in some cases of cancer cause. But new research on the differing ingredients has shown the quinoids possess immune strengthening abilities and seem to help in cases of blood and lymph cancers.

14 RED CLOVER: Research from a number of centres including the Royal Marsden has shown its potential as a part of a treatment programme against oestrogen-driven cancers, from breast to prostate. One active ingredient in the so-called Herb of Hippocrates is the anti-oestrogen Genistein.

15 SHEEP´S SORRELL: Used in Essiac and other herbal remedies it is a cleanser and aids healthy tissue regeneration. There is some suggestion from research that it helps normalise damaged cells and tissue. It is also a highly praised ´vermifuge´ - intestinal worms have little or no resistance to this herb.

16 SKULLCAP (Scutellaria barbata): Research has shown action against many cancer types, for example against cancers of the lung, stomach and intestines.

17 SUTHERLANDIA (Cancer Bush): Peer reviewed research studies indicate that this herb is anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-fungal. It boosts the immune system and inhibits Tumour Necrosis Factor, known to drive wasting in cancer patients.

18 THOROWAX, or HARES EAR (Bulpleurum scorzoneraefolium): Research has shown its ability to enhance the production of natural interferon and it seems especially useful in bone cancer.

19 WHEATGRASS: One of the top private hospitals in South East Asia extols the benefits of freshly juiced wheatgrass. One shot gives you the chlorophyll of some 12 or more kilograms of broccoli. It acts as a blood purifier, and liver and kidney cleansing agent. After two weeks of daily use, blood and tissue oxygen levels improve, as does circulation. And oxygen is the enemy of the cancer cell, as Otto Warburg told the world.

20 WORMWOOD: Another Chinese Herb, this has outperformed certain anti-malaria drugs and is now used by the aid agencies. It is strongly anti-microbial and anti-yeast and can be used as an effective part of an anti-candida diet. Also certain cancer treatments cause excesses of yeasts to form (for example, in Leukaemia treatment) threatening the patients health further. Excess yeasts are even felt by some cancer experts to be one of the causes of cancer. However, in recent research Wormwood has been shown to have direct anti-cancer properties.

HEALTH WARNING! 
Please be clear, no one is saying these herbs are not without any side-effects. Equally they may conflict with some drugs. The important point is that we are still discovering many of their benefits, albeit very slowly, because individual local herbalists just do not have the funds to conduct large scale clinical trials like the drugs companies do. You should seriously consider the usefulness of herbs as a part of your integrative cancer-fighting programme. They just might make a serious difference to your health. But please make sure you go to an expert medical herbalist for clear and informed advice.

MY NOTE: Please also understand that the “drug” is the foreign substance in your body; the “herb” is the natural substance designed by the Creator to harmonize with your body and organs, with no harmful side-affects. The presence of the ‘drug’ is what the herb may be reacting to: NOT YOUR BODY OR ORGANS.
 

Source: http://www.canceractive.com/cancer-active-page-link.aspx?n=3054

March 26th WHMonth: MEN'S HEALTH ISSUES - HEALTHY HEART / HI BLOOD PRESSURE

TO CELEBRATE WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH (WHM), during the month of March ~ in addition to my weekly postings ~ I will be making DAILY postings of time tested herbal and medicinal foods used from a Medicine Woman's bag, which holds many, many herbs, generating many, many formulas, as one herb used for a cold (mullein), when combined with totally different herbs, can be used as an antispasmodic for inflammation or as an expectorant to relieve asthma or general lung congestion.

This last week of March I will dedicate to OUR MEN.  Women's History Month would not be complete without addressing some health and healing issues for our men. During the 4+ years that I've been writing my weekly column on herbs and healing alternatives, most of my articles have been for men and women alike, but most specific articles are usually directed towards women's issues.  Yes, we have more health concerns then men, but this last week will focus on male issues - though ironically, out of the top ten causes of male deaths, only one is male organ specific: prostate cancer.  The other nine are suffered by women as well, but happen less frequently to women than men. 

My beloved Fathers, Brothers and Uncles, I am happy that we have begun to make better health and lifestyle choices. We will be looking at diet, herbs and lifestyle alternatives to address the top five killers of men: today cardiac herbs for the heart and blood pressure.  I am currently creating a “Health Detox and Regeneration Regimen” of herbs and whole-food supplements that will drastically raise your energy level and have a marked improvement on your bodies' ability eliminate and manage disease.

Although heart disease is the leading killer of both men and women, almost twice as many males die of cardiovascular conditions than women.  According to the CDC, one in four men have some form of heart disease.  Herbs for the lungs/heart/hypertension include comfrey root, horehound, elecampane, ginger, hawthorn berries, cayenne, black cohosh, skullcap, senega root, lily of the valley, tien chi, motherwort, rehmania, garlic, sanicle, sassafras.

Slippery Elm Bark - unmatched in its nutritive properties
especially for the Elderly!!!

For debilitating lung congestion, bronchitis, or chronic cough take 2-3 cups daily of either of these hot herbal tea formulas:

1. Combine 2pts slippery elm bark, 1pt each horehound, thyme, red clover, yerba santa, lobelia, 1/8 pt cayenne (severe lung problems).

2. Combine equal parts pleurisy root, elecampane root, mullein, yerba santa(chronic lung)

3. Combine yerba santa, wild cherry bark, licorice root and elecampane.

4. Combine 2pts motherwort herb, 1pt hawthorn berries, ½ pt valerian (good heart tonic).

People who consume soft drinks such as Coke have a 48% increase in heart attack and stroke risk, compared to people who did not drink the sodas at all or did not drink them every day. A study published in the journal Respirology, reveals that soft drink consumption is also associated with lung and breathing disorders including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Cayenne Pepper - unmatched
in harmonizing blood pressure!!!

As a way to manage your blood pressure, herbs and spices are a fantastic way to increase the medicinal value of your food. Below are some herbs and spices you may have been enjoying with no idea as to their value:

1. Garlic - Garlic contains allicin, a substance which has antibacterial, antioxidant, lipid lowering and anti-hypertension properties.

2. Cinnamon - Cinnamon not only prevents heart disease, it can also prevent diabetes.

3. Onions - Onions contain quercetin, an antioxidant flavonol found to prevent heart disease and stroke.

4. Olives - Oil made from olives has been found to reduce blood pressure.

5. Oregano - This herb contains the compound carvacrol which has been proven to be effective against blood pressure.

6. Hawthorn - This herb has been traditionally used to treat high blood pressure.

7. Cardamom- In one study was able to demonstrate that blood pressure was effectively reduced.

March 25th WHMonth: MEN'S HEALTH ISSUES - LUNG CANCER

TO CELEBRATE WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH (WHM), during the month of March ~ in addition to my weekly postings ~ I will be making DAILY postings of time tested herbal and medicinal foods used from a Medicine Woman's bag, which holds many, many herbs, generating many, many formulas, as one herb used for a cold (mullein), when combined with totally different herbs, can be used as an antispasmodic for inflammation or as an expectorant to relieve asthma or general lung congestion.

This last week of March I will dedicate to OUR MEN.  Women's History Month would not be complete without addressing some health and healing issues for our men. During the 4+ years that I've been writing my weekly column on herbs and healing alternatives, most of my articles have been for men and women alike, but most specific articles are usually directed towards women's issues.  Yes, we have more health concerns then men, but this last week will focus on male issues - though ironically, out of the top ten causes of male deaths, only one is male organ specific: prostate cancer.  The other nine are suffered by women as well, but happen less frequently to women than men. 

MEN'S HEALTH – Men, let's begin to make some SERIOUSLY SIMPLE choices. This week we are looking at diet, herbs and lifestyle alternatives to address the top five killers of men:  cardiac herbs (for hypertension and stroke), urinary tonics for the prostate, pulmonary herbs for the lungs and herbs for cancer, and depression. The previous article covered prostate health, this one will cover cardiac herbs (for lung cancer, hypertension and stroke).

Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer of both men and women, claiming more lives than prostate, colon, and breast cancer combined. The good news is that rate of new lung cancer cases has been dropping since the 1980s, and deaths from the cancer have fallen since the 1990s. "That is because of the drop in the prevalence of the use of tobacco products by men that followed the Surgeon General's report in 1964."

Besides smoking, the American Cancer Society lists the following as risk factors for lung cancer: exposure to secondhand smoke, exposure to asbestos or radon, personal history, air pollution, and tobacco products (which are responsible for 90% of lung cancer, which puts the weight of prevention efforts on stop smoking). 

Herbs for the lungs/heart/hypertension include comfrey root, horehound, elecampane, ginger, hawthorn berries, cayenne, black cohosh, skullcap, senega root, lily of the valley, tien chi, motherwort, rehmania, garlic, sanicle, sassafras.

ELECAMPANE - Elecampane is an herb whose root is used medicinally. Elecampane is used for lung disease including asthma, bronchitis, and whooping cough. It is also used to prevent coughing, especially coughing caused by tuberculosis; and as an expectorant to help loosen phlegm, so it can be coughed up more easily.

HAWTHORNE BERRIES - Hawthorn leaves, berries, and flowers are used to make medicine.  Hawthorn is used for diseases of the heart and blood vessels such as congestive heart failure (CHF), chest pain, and irregular heartbeat. It is also used to treat both low blood pressure and high blood pressure, “hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis), and high cholesterol. 

SANICLE - Astringent, alterative. Sanicle is usually given in combination with other herbs in the treatment ofblood disorders, for which it is in high esteem. As an internal remedy, it is of great benefit in all chest and lung complaints, chronic coughs and catarrhal affections, inflammation of the bronchii, spitting of blood, and all affections of the pulmonary organs.  As an alterative, it has a good reputation, and it is useful in leucorrhoea, dysentery, diarrhoea, etc.  It effectually cleanses the system of morbid secretions and leaves the blood healthier and in better condition. The infusion of 1 OZ. to a pint of boiling water is taken in wineglassful doses.

TIEN CHI - In traditional Chinese medicine, tienchi ginseng was used to reduce bleeding, decrease pain, reduce high blood pressure and reduce harmful cholesterol in the blood. It also was believed to reduce heart disease.

Today, there is a great deal of research that suggests that tienchi ginseng is a key part of the diet to optimize our circulation and to boost our defense system. People who take this form of ginseng for many years report amazing benefits in both the mental and physical state. It is not recommended to take this herb for a short period and to expect instant results.

MOTHERWORT - The parts that grow above the ground are used medicinally.  Motherwort is used for heart conditions, including heart failure, irregular heartbeat, fast heartbeat, and heart symptoms due to anxiety. It is also used for the absence of menstrual periods, intestinal gas (flatulence), and over-active thyroid(hyperthyroidism).

Some people apply motherwort directly to the skin for itching and shingles. The seeds of two of the species (Leonurus artemisia or Leonurus heterophyllus) are used to improve eyesight and as a general tonic.

March 24th WHMonth: MEN'S HEALTH ISSUES - THE PROSTATE: Saw Palmetto

TO CELEBRATE WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH (WHM), during the month of March ~ in addition to my weekly postings ~ I will be making DAILY postings of time tested herbal and medicinal foods used from a Medicine Woman's bag, which holds many, many herbs, generating many, many formulas, as one herb used for a cold (mullein), when combined with totally different herbs, can be used as an antispasmodic for inflammation or as an expectorant to relieve asthma or general lung congestion.

This last week of March I will dedicate to OUR MEN.  Women's History Month would not be complete without addressing some health and healing issues for our men. During the 4+ years that I've been writing my weekly column on herbs and healing alternatives, most of my articles have been for men and women alike, but most specific articles are usually directed towards women's issues.  Yes, we have more health concerns then men, but this last week will focus on male issues - though ironically, out of the top ten causes of male deaths, only one is male organ specific: prostate cancer.  The other nine are suffered by women as well, but happen less frequently to women than men. 

The biggest problem that men have are diseases that are the result of lack of health care monitoring earlier in life. Take for example, the progression of heart disease: "If you don't get your cholesterol checked when it's going high when you're 20, and if don't get your blood pressure checked when it's going high when you're 30, maybe your blood sugar's getting a little high when you're 40, what do you think is going to happen when you're 50?"

We will begin to look at herbs for the top five killers of men: cardiac herbs (for hypertension and stroke), urinary tonics for the prostate, pulmonary herbs for the lungs and herbs for cancer, and depression.

THE PROSTATE - The prostate is a male gland located just below the bladder, in front of the rectum. It surrounds the first inch of the urethra (the tube through which urine and sperm exit the body). The prostate gland can become inflamed (prostatitis), enlarged (causing a sensation of fullness in the rectum) or infected, causing backache, impairment of sexual potency, frequent and/or burning/discomfort/pain upon urination, recurring flare-ups and sometimes a slight discharge or blood in the urine.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer found in men. It is the second leading type of cancer death in men, after lung cancer. There is not enough known about what causes prostate cancer and how to prevent it. Yet the disease is treatable if found in early stages.

This can be a challenge, since prostate cancer can show no symptoms until it has spread to other parts of the body. STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME – GET AN ANNUAL CHECK UP (+PROSTATE SCREENING).

Herbs to treat a variety of these symptoms: Ginseng, fenugreek, parsley, oats, pumpkin seeds, kelp, melilot, bee pollen, buchu leaves, juniper berries, echinacea, golden seal, chaparral, sarsaparilla, wild yam root, yellow dock, yarrow, mullein, horsetail.

If you begin to feel any of the above symptoms here are a few of my herbal tea suggestions:

Urinary tract infection: Black walnut bark-1/4pt, buchu leaves-1pt, chaparral-1/2pt, echinacea-1/4pt, hawthorn berries-1/4pt, wild yam root-1/4pt, marshmallow-1/2pt. Men younger than 50 who have a bladder infection should see a doctor to determine the cause (since it is so rare). Men over 50 with recurring bladder infections most likely need to address their prostate health while also dealing with the acute infection.

Prostate cancer: buchu leaves-1pt, juniper berries-1/4pt, echinacea-1/2pt, golden seal-1/4pt, chaparral-1pt, kelp-1/2pt, sarsaparilla-1pt, wild yam root-1/4pt, yellow dock-1pt, yarrow-1/2pt, black walnut bark-1/2pt. Painful urination: buchu leaves-1pt, juniper berries-1/2pt, marshmallow-1pt, parsley-1/2pt, yarrow-1/2pt.

CAUTION – do not take juniper berries if you have any type of kidney disease or infection.

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens/Sabal Serrulata) is a palm like plant with berries that were a staple food and medicine for the Native Americans of the southeastern United States.   In the early 1900s men used the berries to treat urinary tract problems and even to increase sperm production and boost libido.

Saw palmetto extract is the most popular herbal treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia, a common condition in older men. Early research indicated that the extract is well-tolerated and suggested "mild to moderate improvement in urinary symptoms and flow measures." Researches aren't sure exactly how saw palmetto works, but it contains plant-based chemicals that may be effective for BPH.  Researchers think that saw palmetto may affect the level of testosterone in the body, and perhaps reduce the amount of an enzyme that promotes the growth of prostate cells.  Saw palmetto is often combined with nettles extract to treat BPH.

The dried berries

Saw palmetto is used in several forms of traditional herbal medicine. American Indians used the fruit for food and to treat a variety of urinary and reproductive system problems. The Mayans drank it as a tonic, and the Seminoles used the berries as an expectorant and antiseptic.

Crude saw palmetto extract was used by European/American medical practitioners for at least 200 years for various conditions, including asthenia (weakness), recovery from major illness, and urogenital problems. 

King's American Dispensatory (1898) says of the extract:

It is also an expectorant, and controls irritation of mucous tissues. It has proved useful in irritative cough, chronic bronchial coughs, whooping-cough, laryngitis, acute and chronic, acute catarrh, asthma, tubercular laryngitis, and in the cough of phthisis pulmonalis. Upon the digestive organs it acts kindly, improving the appetite, digestion, and assimilation. However, its most pronounced effects appear to be those exerted upon the urino-genital tracts of both male and female, and upon all the organs concerned in reproduction. It is said to enlarge wasted organs, as the breasts, ovaries, and testicles, while the paradoxical claim is also made that it reduces hypertrophy of the prostate. Possibly this may be explained by claiming that it tends toward the production of a normal condition, reducing parts when unhealthily enlarged, and increasing them when atrophied.

March 23 WHMonth CHINESE HERBOLOGY: Akebia

TO CELEBRATE WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH (WHM), during the month of March ~ in addition to my weekly postings ~ I will be making DAILY postings of time tested herbal and medicinal foods used from a Medicine Woman's bag, which holds many, many herbs, generating many, many formulas, as one herb used for a cold (mullein), when combined with totally different herbs, can be used as an antispasmodic for inflammation or as an expectorant to relieve asthma or general lung congestion.

This week will be dedicated to Chinese herbs. For the 30 years that I have traveled around the country treating health imbalances with herbs and teaching herb courses and holding workshops, Chinese herbs have always made up a very large percentage of my inventory, and the success I've had with the efficacy of Chinese herbs are unmatched.

The akebia fruit comes from the akebia vine (also known as the clematis). Native to Korea and Japan, different parts of the plant are used for different purposes.  The fruit is edible, between two and three inches long, and turns dark violet when ripe, with numerous red-brown seeds. Typically, akebia fruit is harvested just before turning ripe, then dried. The seeds are usually left intact with the fruit for use in herbal remedies.

The therapeutic properties of Akebia are antibiotic, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diuretic, galactagogue.

Drains dampness, clears heat, promotes urination, promotes menstruation and lactation, controls sleep apnea, calms irritability, and treats insomnia. Traditional Chinese herbalists use this herb to treat acute urinary tract infections, edema, and amenorrhea; rheumatic conditions; as well as to calm the mind; and to promote sleep. it has recently been used for tumors of the breast and digestive tract.

According to the principles of Chinese medicine, akebia fruit is bitter and cold, and is associated with the Liver and Stomach meridains. Its main actions are to regulate the flow of liver qi, to promote blood circulation and relieve pain, and to promote the flow of urine. It is used to treat epigastric conditions such as a distended stomach and abdominal pain, along with amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea. Some practitioners have used akebia fruit to reduce masses such as tumors and cysts that may be caused by qi stagnation.

The fruits are sausage-shaped pods which contain edible pulp is littered with seeds but have a sweet flavor, so they used to be enjoyed by children playing out in the countryside in the olden days in Japan. The rind, with a slight bitter taste, is used as vegetable, e.g., stuffed with ground meat and deep-fried. The vines are traditionally used for basket-weaving.

In China, A. quinata is referred to as 木通 ("mù tōng" (Pinyin) or "mu tung" (Wade-Giles)) meaning "perforated wood". In the Chinese pharmacopoeiait is believed to be therapeutic as a diuretic, antiphlogistic, galactagogue and analgesic.  The principal use of the herb in China is as a traditional remedy for insufficient lactation in nursing mothers. The medicinal part of the plant is the woody stem which is sliced in transverse sections and prepared as a decoction. The stem contains approximately 30% potassium salts thus giving the diuretic action.

Whole, dried akebia fruits can be found at many Asian markets and specialty stores. Some shops also sell akebia extracts. 

Akebia fruit should not be given to women who are pregnant. In addition, it should not be given to patients diagnosed with yin deficiency. Large doses may lead to intestinal problems such as colic and diarrhea, due to the fruit�s high saponin content. As always, make sure to consult with a licensed health care provider before taking akebia fruit or any other herbal remedy or dietary supplement.