Questions from Class

I had the opportunity to teach a class- Herbal First Aid from a Well-Stocked Pantry. I could have delved into so many herbs, but I pared it down to those like Onion, Garlic, Apple Cider Vinegar, Cayenne, etc. After class I was given a stack of questions. It is my hope to answer these the best I can in typing format. There were a couple I could not understand, so if your question is not present, please post a comment with your question and I will try to answer. Hopefully, my answers will be of help. Keep in mind as you read my answers- I do not practice atomistic herbology. I practice holistic herbology. The difference is that in atomistic herbology, an herb is given for a symptom much the same as if a drug is given for a symptom. This is done without regard to WHY the symptom is presenting or WHAT it means or WHAT its cause is. Atomistic herbology is nothing more than green suppression of symptoms and is little better than standard medicine. Holistic herbology strives to find the cause of the issue. This takes into consideration not only the physical health, but also the emotional, and mental health as well. Obviously, a cut that is bleeding is going to have several possible specific answers, but deep rooted things like weight gain and mental illnesses are not quite as cut and dry and 1 herb isn't going to fix the issue. Those deeper issues require lifestyle changes.

So, onto my questions.

You mentioned sea salts vary- What do you recommend?

Most sea salt in the store is no better than table salt- it is still cooked at a high temperature and refined. I personally use a SMALL amount of Real Salt or Celtic Sea salt (again, check your source) because some companies call their salt Celtic Sea Salt and it is not evaporated. Overall, salt in salt form is not good for the body. It is an inorganic mineral. Better would be to use things like celery, kelp, chard, etc that is high in organic salts. I find that if I make a pureed soup base with plenty of celery in it, then no one asks for salt.

You said not to buy horseradish in the store- where would you recommend buying it?
I am sorry this was misunderstood. Buy horseradish ROOT in the store. Don't purchase PREPARED horseradish. The prepared stuff in a jar is processed, has extra ingredients, and is not of medicinal value.

The question came up during my lecture about tonsils in a young girl who keeps getting strep. The doctors are suggesting possibly removing the tonsils. As I mentioned, if a carpenter were to smash his thumb, you would not amputate it. If he smashed his thumb again, you still would not amputate it. Even still, if he smashed is thumb a 3rd or 4th time, you would still not amputate it. The thumb is not the problem. You would work to improve technique to avoid the smashing. This is the same with tonsils. Tonsils are an integral part of the immune system. They are the FIRST immune tissue that invaders encounter and they give the body a heads up that a pathogen is on its way. To remove tonsils will slow down and weaken the immune response. So, what to do!? First, ensure diet is good. Flour and flour products (even your home ground whole wheat), sugar, dairy, and red meat are not beneficial here. Assuming that the person is not consuming these foods, what is this person eating? Plenty of raw fruits and vegetables is essential. Also, the next extremely important thing to look at is how the digestion is working. If the bowels are not moving at least 2-3 times per day with soft (not runny) stool then the person is constipated. You eat 2-3 times per day and what goes in must come out... The body has several channels of elimination and the first is the bowels. If the bowels are not working properly, then the body starts recirculating toxins and people get sick. I have one child and I could always predict when she would get sick when she was about 3 because if I didn't get called to the restroom to wipe her after a bowel movement, the next day she would be sick guaranteed.
If the bowels are working, then next look at the immune system. This person who continues to get strep is having a difficult time immunologically. Strengthening this weakness would be a benefit. Garlic (raw is best), onions, parsley, red raspberry leaf tea, fresh fruits and veggies, etc. Make a green smoothie every day and include whole oranges with just the orange part shaved off- that white part of the orange contains so much nutrition it is a shame to throw it out!

How can one decrease flatulence associated with consuming raw or cooked garlic and onions?
To tell the truth, I have not experienced this problem and was unfamiliar with it. Thus I had to do a little research into what is going on. As I suspected though, it seems the bowel needs to be operating better- both physically as well as bacteriologically (I know that isn't a word). I would suggest chewing thoroughly to break down carbohydrates in the onions and garlic, making sure the bowels are moving appropriately, consuming rejuvelac to introduce more friendly bacteria into the gut (different foods need different bacteria to break them down), increasing stomach acid by eating apple cider vinegar and plenty of greens (in a green smoothie would be best), and eating more onions and garlic. In the interm, I really like Dr. Christopher's Kid-e-Col for relief of gas (and hiccups). The essential ingredient is fennel seeds so some fennel tea should help too.


What can be done for seizures?
It depends on what is causing the seizures. I believe that seizures are the body's way of trying to transport a nutrient it needs fast and thus it seizes the body. I know that some people with a tendency towards seizures have had success with lobelia. It is antispasmodic. It seems to have an effect on the Vagus nerve and in large doses will cause throwing up in most people but in small doses will stop dry heaves, etc. The dosage would depend on the person, but I have heard of some people taking a dropper full (which would make me throw up) but it stops their seizures.

What can be done for hiccups?
Fennel and catnip in equal parts... I like Dr. Christopher's Kid-E-Col

What can be done for eczema on the hands that is NOT caused by detergents, dry air, fragrances, etc?
This is a tricky one which I have dealt with first hand off and on for years. First, double check the issue with detergents. I have found that anything that contains Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) or any of the derivatives like Laureth or Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, make it worse. This is a foaming agent found in MOST shampoos, toothpastes, and hand soaps. I now purchase all my soap from Running Wild Spirit and prefer her Complexion Bar and her Moisturizing Bar. I also use Dr. Christopher's shampoo or Aubrey Organics shampoo for the same reason. There are a handful of toothpastes available without these ingredients as well but you always have to check labels because they change but none of those are the standard Colgate, Crest, or AquaFresh brands and only one is a Tom's of Maine. Next- all issues with the skin are related to the liver which is the organ responsible for removing toxins from the blood. If you are adding more toxins through your skin with poor soap and lotion choices, then this compounds the problem, but additionally, a good cleanse like the one Dr. Christopher talks about here will do wonders for the eczema. Also, looking at your diet. There are often triggers. I found for me, if I had flared hands, it would get worse if I ate white sugar and white flour (lowers your immune system and puts you in an inflammatory state). As a temporary relief option, chickweed ointment helps as does plantain and sometimes comfrey helps too. I have used Dr. Christopher's Complete Tissue and Bone formula to relieve the discomfort. Red Raspberry leaf tea seems to help as well because it balances hormones, and in my case, it is actually partially related to hormones (then again, the liver is responsible for breaking down and recycling hormones too...) Dandelion greens and root would be beneficial. Either eating the young greens or making a tea of the greens.


What can be done for Chronic Fatigue?
Chronic Fatigue is complicated, but ultimately, dealing with it requires a lifestyle change. An extended herbal cleanse (which may make symptoms worse initially), followed by an optimum diet including striving for 75% raw, no sugar, no flour or flour products (even fresh ground whole wheat unless it has been sprouted), checking for dietary allergies, and no dairy. Support the adrenal glands with plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, possibly something like Dr. Christopher's Adrenal formula and avoid coffee, tea, alcohol, sugar, and chocolate which tax the adrenals. Seeing a practitioner who specializes in cranial sacral therapy and getting exercise each day are also often helpful.


What can be done for weight loss?
Weight loss is also a bit complicated. If a person is holding onto weight because of a hormone imbalance like PCOS or thyroid problems, that will need to be addressed and remedied (there are herbs that will give the body the building blocks to balance these hormones without doing any specific hormone replacement. After all, how can we be sure exactly how much of a given hormone is appropriate? How about all the others and the helpers? So, hormones included and hormones aside, either way the body needs to be cleansed and nourished. An extended herbal cleanse is a good idea. Often people find that they are not as hungry while on the cleanse- just watch out for sometimes when cleansing the body will release certain toxins already consumed and you might begin to crave a cheese pizza or chocolate cake as a result of detoxing those very things. Find a good substitute or drink some water and some raw fruits and veggies or vitamins like Vitalherbs. When I crave sweets, I go for some fresh made almond milk with a sprinkle of cinnamon. The calcium and protein really seem to help alleviate that sweets drive- and store bought doesn't work. Green smoothies for breakfasts, optimum diet (I know of several people who have lost 10 pounds just by eliminating dairy!), and exercise are also essential. In addition, weight is also emotional. Leslie Householder, in Portal to Genius talks about not setting goals to "lose weight" because the subconscious mind doesn't read the phrase but rather each word... thus, if something is lost it must be found and that thing is the weight. So, a person setting goals to lose weight is actually setting himself up to find heaviness! She suggests changing the thought pattern to achieving health. Additionally, holding weight despite many efforts to remove it often is rooted in a protective need to hold onto the weight. In other words, perhaps the weight gain occurred during a particularly stressful time in life. Holding onto that weight is a subconscious effort of the body to protect itself and feel safe. Recognizing this and letting go of those fears is essential.
There are some herbs that help with weight loss, many of the products available I would not recommend though because they contain additives like caffeine and ephedra (which by the way when as a part of an herb like Brigham Tea is safe but when extracted as an isolate can be very dangerous).
What can be done for pain?
It truly depends on what is causing the pain. Pain is a signal that the body needs something. As soon as the need is addressed, the pain is gone. For example, with teething, the pain is associated with a need for calcium. Giving a teething baby plenty of organic calcium like Kid-e-Calc, or drinking red raspberry leaf tea and nursing the baby seems to get rid of the teething complaints. Headaches can be brought on by lack of magnesium or dehydration. Eating high magnesium foods and drinking plenty of herbal tea like raspberry leaf or my natural gatorade alternative helps with the nutritional aspect of headaches. Cayenne can sometimes help if it is a blood pressure imbalance. Cranial sacral work can also help if it is a muscle memory issue or an emotional issue (and most pain is tied to some sort of emotional issue). Sometimes herbs like feverfew or lavender in the case of a cramping pain can help, but it really depends on the reason for the pain.

What can be done for Bipolar Depression?
I would suggest seeing a cranial sacral therapist. Furthermore, diet is essential. A body can't function properly without good food. LOTS of greens. Cleansing the body would also be helpful, but only after the diet has been addressed but some lower bowel formula would be good to help get things moving properly. Also, looking into supporting the adrenals by avoiding coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco, sugar, chocolate, etc. Support the liver with dandelion and other bitter foods.

What can be done for Insulin Resistance?
The interesting thing about insulin resistance is people often think that it is a result of carbs... In my research, I have found another opinion which makes more sense to me. Dr. Fuhrman talks about this quite a bit. The gist of it is that it isn't the carbs but the fat we consume... Here is how it works: Our bodies work on glucose. Glucose is the fuel for our bodies. Thus, ANYTHING we eat will be converted to glucose to provide energy to the cells. This glucose is carried by the insulin to the cells where it fits into a receptor site. The problem lies in the receptor site being blocked. This occurs when too much dietary fat begins to circulate in the blood and the body begins to deposit it onto the cells. This fat insulates the receptor sites and now the insulin can't deliver the glucose. This can be remedied with diet. Dr. Furhman has had excellent success by changing a person's diet to decrease fats (remove dairy and animal products from the diet, limit oils but do use healthy fats like avocado and some nuts and seeds) and significantly increase the vegetables and fruits and beans in the diet. I would add that adding in low heated sprouted grains would also be beneficial. Instructions on how to do this can be found here just skip the step of adding soy milk etc. I find that the grain is better if I first soak them for 12 hrs and let sprout 12 hrs before low heating them. This can also be done with a pot on the stove if you bring the water to a boil, add the grain cover and turn off.