Posted by DAAN on June 16, 2009 under Herbs, Traditional Chinese Medicine | 
Some good advice on choosing Chinese herbs:
Herb can be found either as a whole herb or a standardized extract. The whole herb product will have all the active and other supporting components of the plant or bark as it exists in the wild or in cultivation. Standardized extracts have one or more active ingredients that have been isolated and found to be the particular agent that seems to affect symptoms for which the herb is known. For instance, St. John’s wort, known for its action in enhancing mood in depression, has been standardized for the chemical hypericin.
There are two schools of thought regarding the issue of whole herb vs. standardized extract. The standardized extracts are argued to be more predictable, the dosage more uniform and the consumer will know exactly what is being used and what chemical is causing the response (for good or ill). The whole herb advocates argue that there are other components in the herb that work synergistically with the active ingredient(s) in a way that enhances its effect.
TIPS
• Choose from a reputable company (see “more info” below).
• Cheap sources may be more filler than herb and actually cost more in the long run. A tip off would be when the recommended dosage is very large, such as “take three pills 4-6 times per day”. Unless you are working with a Chinese or other herbalist and have pills custom-made for you, this is likely a product filled with fluff.
• Look for herbs from companies who participate in good manufacturing practice (“GMP”).
• Capsules or enteric coated tablets are better absorbed if you choose to take the pill form of the herb.
• Often, house brands are made by reputable manufacturers and sell for less and are high quality.
• Supplements are not 100% absorbed by the body. Look for ones that absorb easily (bioavailability). Herbal pharmacists can guide you.
• Take each dose with at least 6 oz. of water.
There are many herbal products available. It is safest to work with a trusted herbal practitioner, naturopath or herbal pharmacist and be sure to let your doctor know what herbs you’re taking.
Posted by DAAN on May 9, 2009 under Alternative therapies, Herbs, Men's health, Uncategorized |
Could there be an alternative to the blue pill?
Italian researchers are testing a promising alternative to Viagra that they’re calling 3,7-bis-(2-hydroxyethyl)-icaritin – or more simply put, “horny goat weed.”
In lab experiments, a semi-synthetic derivative of the active compound in Epimedium brevicornum, an ancient Chinese herbal remedy for impotence, performed as well as Viagra but with the potential for fewer side effects, the researchers say.
Posted by DAAN on under Herbs |
Here are the top ten herbs for athletes:
Athletes of just about every sort place greater energy and endurance at the top of their “wish list” and are attracted to products that offer more of these precious commodities. When used wisely, herbal remedies are safe and effective for many sports-related uses. Some of the most common sports herbs are as follows:
Posted by DAAN on April 7, 2009 under Disease, Herbs |
Chinese herbs can be an effective way to prevent the flu:
If acupuncture is not your cup of tea, a literal cup of tea may be just what the doctor ordered to prevent the flu.
Chinese herbal medicine is the oldest form of alternative medicine, with written records dating back nearly 3,000 years.
“Back in the old days of herbal medicine the doctors used themselves as guinea pigs to learn the affects of different herbs,” Jones said. “Those fellows had cast iron stomachs.”
During the course of his studies, Jones learned the properties of thousands of medicinal herbs. He discovered how to blend herbs according to the size and strength of the person and the condition being treated. He’s a firm believer in the use of herbs and vitamins to prevent the flu and other illness.
“To prevent the flu, use herbs that bolster the immune system,” Jones said.
Although there are dozens of herbs that boost immunity, two are especially noteworthy:
Used for thousands of years, certain healing properties of the Chinese herb Huang qi ( astragalus membranaceus root) are being confirmed by western medical science methods.
Recent research has confirmed that astragalus contains antioxidants and has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It lowers blood pressure and increases endurance in some situations. The chemical properties of astragalus have been studied and the herb shows promise in enhancing immunity in HIV sufferers.
Chinese ren shen, or ginseng, is a common root that enhances healing and rejuvenation. It helps to replenish body fluids and depleted energy. Ginseng also helps to remove toxins from the body.
“Despite being an ancient practice, herbal medicine is extremely precise and will help a person to avoid getting sick because herbs can help to build up the immune system,” Jones said. “It’s best to start using the herbs months before, but it’s never too late to start building yourself up for the next onslaught.”
Posted by DAAN on under Disease, Herbs |
Ganoderma, a Chinese herb used in some medicines shows promise in treating lung cancer:
The Chinese herb Ganoderma kills small-cell lung cancer cells that are resistant to many chemotherapy drugs, and it may prove a life-saving addition to current cancer therapy, according to a new study in Cancer Letters.
Small-cell lung cancer is particularly difficult to treat because the cancer spreads rapidly throughout the body, rather than forming large tumors that can be removed surgically. To treat this cancer, doctors typically turn to chemotherapy, which attacks cancer cells throughout the body.
Chemotherapy can have severe side effects though, because it attacks healthy cells as well as cancerous ones. And over time, lung cancer can become resistant to the effects of chemotherapy, rendering it virtually ineffective. “The chemotherapy would still work, but you’d have to use a dose that would be so toxic that the patient could not tolerate it,” explains lead study author David Sadava, PhD, Pritzker Foundation Professor of Biology at the Keck Science Center in Claremont, California and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Molecular Medicine at the City of Hope Cancer Center in Duarte, California.
Patients who have been told their cancer is not treatable often turn to alternative therapies, including herbs. The mushroom extract Ganoderma lucidum is one of the most popular of these herbs. It is widely available in health food stores as the Japanese herbal remedy, Reishi and the Chinese herb, Ling Zhi.
Ganoderma lucidum has been studied for its effects on leukemia, as well as on cancers of the breast, bladder, colon, and prostate. For the first time, Dr. Sadava and his team set out to investigate its effects on small-cell lung cancer. They also decided to look at 20 of the more than 250 other Ganoderma species in existence, to see if they too might have a benefit.
The researchers took extracts of these herbs and tested them on three different types of cells: drug-sensitive small-cell lung cancer, drug-resistant small-cell lung cancer, and normal lung cells. They discovered that Ganoderma lucidum, as well as eight other Ganoderma species killed lung cancer cells. Cancer cells responded to the herb much in the same way as they would react to chemotherapy drugs. Yet unlike chemotherapy drugs, which can also be toxic to healthy cells, herbal extracts were more deadly to cancer cells than to normal cells, indicating that they have some ability to specifically target cancer.
Posted by DAAN on March 17, 2009 under Herbs, Skin Care |
Traditional Chinese medicine may be helpful in the treatment of eczema:
Adults with eczema also can benefit from traditional Chinese medicine, Japanese researchers report.
They studied 274 men and women who had suffered from eczema for an average of 12 years. Nearly one-third had severe or very severe symptoms, with patches of chronically itchy, dry, inflamed skin over at least 10% of their body.
“Medicinal Chinese herbal remedies were selected and administered in accordance with the sufferer’s symptoms — an approach known as Sho in oriental medicine,” says Yoshiteru Shimoide, MD, head of the Yoshiteru Shimoide Clinic of Internal Medicine in Kagoshima City.
After 3-4 months of treatment, 87% of the patients were symptom-free. An additional 12% markedly improved, he tells WebMD.
One patient showed mild abnormalities in liver function, which were alleviated by stopping the herbal therapy.
Posted by DAAN on February 22, 2009 under General, Herbs |
Chinese herbs can help with hay fever:
Chinese herbal medicines, including bupleurum, Chinese skullcap, ginger, licorice, and ginseng, have a history of use in China and Japan for the treatment of hay fever. Other products may contain magnolia derivatives.
Chinese herbal remedies have been used to combat hay fever and other allergies for centuries. Studies on the efficacy of herbal and acupuncture treatments of Chinese medicine in treating hay fever have been published in medical journals. This field has not been widely explored, but there is evidence of the efficacy of traditional Chinese medical treatment of hay fever.
A German study published in the journal Allergy found that hay fever sufferers who received weekly acupuncture treatments and took three daily doses of Chinese medicinal herbs showed fewer symptoms and were less likely to say their hay fever was infringing on their daily activities than people who received placebo treatment.
After six weeks, it was found that 85 percent of patients showed overall improvements in their hay fever, compared with only 40 percent of the placebo group.
Try some of these products for relief of hay fever, colds, and nasal congestion:
Posted by DAAN on November 8, 2008 under General, Herbs |
A nice article describing some traditional cures for various conditions:
Herbs were the first ‘drugs’ and primary medicine used by man.
Medicine men and folk healers learnt the medicinal use of herbs and animal matter by observing their effects on humans. Medicine has since come a long way from such simple trial and error.
Here are some common health supplements used in Western alternative medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and some significant related research findings.
Gingko
Gingko biloba is a popular herbal supplement widely promoted as a memory enhancer.
Last month, The New York Times reported that new research suggests a daily dose of gingko biloba may help prevent brain damage after a stroke.
The findings, published online in the medical journal Stroke, have been shown only in mice but researchers said the studies supported theories that the herb may help stroke patients.
St John’s wort
This plant has been traditionally used to treat anxiety, depression and mental disorders.
Last month, it was reported that an analysis of previous studies found that St John’s wort can effectively treat symptoms of major depression.
Extracts of the herb tested in different trials were better than placebos and as effective as standard anti-depressants with fewer side effects, the researchers reported in the Cochrane Reviews, a medical and scientific studies journal.
Fish oils
Fish oils are a source of omega-3 fatty acids and are thought to be beneficial for the heart.
Studies on fish oil therapy have had mixed results. In September, The New York Times reported that a clinical trial in Australia, published last year in The Journal Of Developmental And Behavioral Pediatrics, found improvements in parents’ ratings of their children’s hyperactivity and inattention but no difference in teachers’ assessments.
Meanwhile, an Oxford-Durham study in Britain, published in the journal Pediatrics in 2005, reported remarkable improvements in reading and spelling among children treated with omega-3 fatty acids.
It is important to buy only purified pharmaceutical-grade fish oil to minimise the risk of mercury contamination.
Posted by DAAN on November 7, 2008 under Food, General, Herbs |
Traditional Chinese medicine believes food is an important component of health:
Healthy food choices and good digestion are the building blocks to good health and well-being. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes that food is a form of medicine. Daily meals are an opportunity to nourish, build and heal our bodies. To benefit from wholesome food choices, however, the body has to digest those foods properly. Fatigue, gas, bloating, constipation and loose stools are signs that your body is out of balance and unable to acquire the full benefits of your diet.
The proper amount and flow of qi, or life energy, constitute the foundation of health, according to TCM. Digestive complaints are signs of imbalance, commonly due to either insufficient qi or a compromised flow of qi. Poor diet or working too much can lead to too little qi, while stress is a common cause of improperly flowing qi.
Acupuncture is a technique used in TCM that utilizes hair-thin needles inserted at precise locations to manipulate the body’s qi and remove blockages, allowing it to flow more freely. Clinically, acupuncture successfully alleviates many digestive complaints by increasing your body’s digestive energy.
Posted by DAAN on under Food, Herbs |
Healthy eating is very popular in Taiwan. Now restaurants are basing entire menus on Chinese herbs:
Situated amid the hustle and bustle of downtown Taipei on ZhongXiao Road, the restaurant’s bright green shop sign bearing the Chinese inscription “Shih-Tsao”, inviting passer-bys to retreat into a dining environment that provides a feast on pollution-free Chinese medical herbs. The restaurant offers meat and seafood, but everything except for the meat is totally made of herbs, including tea, salad dressing, pot soup, dipping sauces, noodles, desserts, and even the wines.
The leading role in the restaurant is played by herbs, and many of them are said to be beneficial to one’s health if a certain amount is taken regularly.
The main dish that comes with each hot pot is a huge bowl of herbs that consists of big chunks of more than ten different herbs, including Chinese toon, a herb said to lower hypertension and blood sugar; heartleaf houttuynia herb, which enhances the upper respiratory tract; centella asiatica, a great help in fighting diarrhea, hypertension, and hepatitis, etc. Each of the herbs gives off a distinctive aroma. Heartleaf houttuynia herb, in particular, has a smell that might temporarily remind you of salted fish.
The hotpot soup is entirely made of matrimony-vine, a Chinese medicine that is generally believed to improve eyesight. The soup has a refreshing, slightly sweet flavor that distinguishes itself from other shabu shabu hot soups. After sipping the soup, it is time to try the herbs.
Swish the herbs in the boiling soup for 10 to 20 seconds as instructed by waitresses in order to keep the sweetness of the herbs, then dip them in the Chinese toon sauce and chow down.
