Ginger Root – Arthritis to Heart Disease An Amazing Chinese Herb

Posted by Cathy on

natural herbal energy boostersWhat is it about ginger that makes it such a versatile root? 

 

This underground stem is acrid and pungent and yet it treats an upset stomach, diarrhea, nausea and a laundry list of other ailments. 

 

Here are a few in alphabethical order: altitude sickness, arthritis, common cold, colic, adjunct therapy during chemotherapy,  digestive aid,fatigue, flu, headaches, heart conditions, inflammation, motion sickness, menstrual cramps ok…. that is half the alphabet and quite enough.

 

What most people don’t know about ginger (zingiber officinale) is the secret in this Chinese herb, this medicinal root, is all about the dosage. 

 

Whether you are drinking ginger tea or taking ginger supplements in capsules or in extracts, tinctures, and packets of concentrated extracts, you’ve got to consider the two “D’s” (Dosage and Duration).  Another important consideration is potency of the prouduct your using, because the volatile oils, gingerols and shogaols are the beneficial components. Consider buying only full spectrum herbal extracts because ginger root also contains  sulfides, polyphenolics, carotenoids, coumarins, saponins, plant sterols, curcumins, and phthalides all of which contribute to gingers effectiveness.

 

Dosage matters! 

Duration of use also matters.

Ginger root has been heavily researched since its origins are steeped in Chinese medicine, Auyervedic Medicine and even Arabic medicine.  Ginger root has been found to help reduce the risks associated with heart disease because it is a natural blood thinner. This can be helpful in treating heart disease, where blood vessels can become blocked and lead to heart attack or stroke.  Certainly more studies are needed. 

 

Common Dosage Guidelines:

For pregnancy related nausea and vomiting human studies suggests that 1g daily of ginger may be effective for nausea and vomiting in pregnant women when used for short periods (no longer than 4 days). Several studies have found that ginger is better than placebo in relieving morning sickness.

 

Research is mixed as to whether ginger can help reduce nausea and vomiting following surgery. Two studies found that 1g of ginger root before surgery reduced nausea as well as a leading medication. In one of these studies, women who received ginger also needed fewer medications for nausea after surgery.

 

Ginger extract has long been used in Traditional Chinese medical practices to warm the interior particular helpful for digestion. Ginger is considered a warming herb in Chinese herbal medicine and for this reason it is particularly useful for those who have any of the above conditions with an overall cold constitution.  

 

Among all the uses, particulary useful is gingers abilitiy to lower cholesterol and help prevent blood from clotting.

 

Pediatric Don’ t give ginger to children under 2. Ginger may be used by children over 2 years of age to treat nausea, stomach cramping, and headaches.

 

Standardized dose: Take 75 – 2,000 mg in divided doses with food, standardized to contain 4% volatile oils or 5% total pungent compounds including 6-gingerol or 6-shogaol.

 

For nausea, gas, or indigestion: 2 – 4 grams of fresh root daily (0.25 – 1.0 g of powdered root) or 1.5 – 3.0 mL (30 – 90 drops) liquid extract daily.

 

To prevent vomiting, take 1 gram of powdered ginger (1/2 tsp) or its equivalent, every 4 hours as needed (not to exceed 4 doses daily), or 2 ginger capsules (1 gram), 3 times daily.

 

You may also chew a 1/4 oz piece of fresh ginger when needed.

 

For pregnancy-induced vomiting, use 250 mg 4 times daily for up to 4 days.

 

Talk to your doctor before taking ginger if you are taking blood thinning medications.

 

For arthritis pain: 250 mg 4 times daily for several months.

 

Ask your Licensed Acupuncturist or Herbalist to help you determine the right dose. Adults In general, don’ t take more than 4g of ginger per day, including food sources. Pregnant women should not take more than 1g per day.

 

 

 

References:

Research Papers and References “Characterization of food antioxidants, illustrated using commercial garlic and ginger preparations” by Okezie I. Aruoma, Jeremy P.E. Spencera, Donna Warrena, Peter Jennera, John Butlerb, Barry Halliwella in Food Chemistry Volume 60, Issue 2, October 1997, Pages 149-156

 

Antioxidants in Food. Abstract: www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814695002545 “Intake of Garlic and Its Bioactive Components” by Harunobu Amagase, Brenda L. Petesch, Hiromichi Matsuura, Shigeo Kasuga and Yoichi Itakura. Journal of Nutrition. 2001;131:955S-962S.

 

Abstract: http://jn.nutrition.org/content/131/3/955S.short “Traditional Indian spices and their health significance” by Kamala Krishnaswamy. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2008;17(S1):265-268. Full article: http://apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/apjcn/volume17/vol17suppl.1/265-268S15-2.pdf

 

“Changes in Platelet Function and Susceptibility of Lipoproteins to Oxidation Associated with Administration of Aged Garlic Extract” by Steiner, M.; Lin, R. S. In Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology: June 1998 – Volume 31 – Issue 6 – pp 904-908. Abstract: http://journals.lww.com /cardiovascularpharm/Abstract/1998/06000

 

/Changes_in_Platelet_Function_and_Susceptibility_of.14.aspx “Health-promoting properties of common herbs” by Winston J Craig in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 70, No. 3, 491S-499S, September 1999. Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10479221

 

Fox New Story: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/07/24/6-motion-sickness-remedies/#ixzz21c37OCI6

Is This A Trend? Breast Cancer Lawsuits Against HRT and Wyeth

Posted by Cathy on

Breast cancer has climbed to 1 in every 8 women and now the finger is beginning to point to drug manufacturers. Wyeth and Pfizer have made combination hormone drugs for over 30 years and these HRT drugs (hormone replacement therapy) are commonly used for menopause treatments. About 10,000 cases against these pharmaceutical giants have already been filed and Pfizer has spent nearly $900 million to resolve about half of them.

 

Some go to trial, others settle more quietly out of court. Just last week, a Utah jury found Wyeth responsible for one woman’s breast cancer and awarded her $5 million in compensation.  Utah does not allow for punitive damages.

 

Studies, such as the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study, released this statement with it’s results:  “Women using Hormone Replacement Therapy (“HRT”) are more likely to develop breast cancer than those who are not using HRT.”

 

The National Institute of Health completed the Million Women Study in Britain a few years ago. Based on the results, the NIH concluded that the “Current use of HRT is associated with an increased risk of incident and fatal breast cancer; the effect is substantially greater for oestrogen-progestagen combinations than for other types of HRT.” 

 

One expert testified that his research showed as many as 15,000 cases of breast cancer per year occurred in women taking the combination hormone drug. Yet the “defense witnesses told you the same thing, the same story line, that Wyeth wanted them to tell you over and over — that no one knows what causes breast cancer,” said Russell T. Abney, another attorney representing Okuda. “We are not arguing that Ms. Okuda didn’t have an abnormal cell in her body. What we are arguing is that [estrogen plus progesterone] promoted that abnormal cell to grow.”

 

Women don’t have to choose between drugs and cancer for debilitating symptoms of menopause. There are other choices of menopause treatment.

References:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12927427

 

Bone Density Improved With Chinese Herbs

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Worried about your bone density?   As woman age, they are more susceptible to bone fractures. Bone mineral density is something every woman over 50 should have checked. 

 

In Asia, a Chinese herb formula call Fufang has been studied for over five years on post-menopausal women.  The results of this 194 person study of women ages 47 to 70 years, was significant.  Fufang, a blend of several Chinese herbs used twice daily (10 grams each serving) were found to improve the bone density of the study participants.

 

All the women were given an oral blend of the herbs used which included Epimedium,  The Fufang contained several herbal compounds including Epimedium, Rehmannia, Dioscore,Cornus, Cinnamomum cassia, Drynaria fortunei, and Morinda.  You will find these and other herbs in

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Both the control group and the treatment group were also given 600 mg of calcium and 400 iu of Vitamin D daily.  There were no notable adverse events in either group.

 

As women age they are more suseptible to hip fractures and other bone problems.  Hip replacement surgery has become all too common. 

Maintaining healthy bones is part of healthy aging.

 

 

The study concluded, in addition to the beneficial effects of oral herbal Fufang for the prevention of postmenopausal bone loss, this 5-year multi-center clinical study demonstrated for the first time its potential for reduction in fragility fracture incidence.

References:

 

1. Journal of Bone Mineral Metabolism. 2012 Jun 22 PMID: 22722637 PubMed

 

2. J Bone Miner Res. 2007 Jul;22(7):1072-9.

 

3. Epimedium-derived phytoestrogen flavonoids exert beneficial effect on preventing bone loss in late postmenopausal women: a 24-month randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled trial. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17419678

 

4. Effects of epimedium total flavonoids phytosomes on preventing and treating bone-loss of ovariectomized rats]. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12774407

 

5. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1757-7861.2011.00129.x/abstract

 

6. Phytomedicine. 2010 May;17(6):414-23. Epub 2009 Sep 10. Icariin isolated from Epimedium pubescens regulates osteoblasts anabolism through BMP-2, SMAD4, and Cbfa1 expression.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19747809

 

Menopause Hormone Therapy Connected to High Blood Pressure

Posted by Cathy on

natural menopause treatmentWhat’s new in hormone therapy today?   For starters, the name HRT or Hormone Replacement Therapy is being substituted more with just the HT (hormone therapy)  label.   If you’ve found this confusing join the club.  Maybe next it will be Health Therapy (HT)? Any name that is both benign and friendly seems to be a better way to present these drugs, right?

However, now even more new research is proving these drugs have dangerous side effects. There is nothing healthy or therapeutic about artificial hormones. There is more than abundant data on artificial HRT, hormone replacement therapy, and its connection to an increase risk of breast cancer and stroke.  There are ongoing studies in other arenas like this one just published.

Hot off the press from Australia! This study concluded the longer a woman used HRT or HT or artificial hormones (call them whatever you wish)  the higher her risk of developing high blood pressure.  

The study, not small by any means, included 43,405 postmenopausal women and was led by Joanne Lind of the University of Western Sydney.  Dr. Lind explained that the study shows that “longer use of menopausal hormone therapy is associated with having high blood pressure”.

If you are looking for a natural alternative for menopausal hot flashes and night sweats, learn why Chinese herbs are the first choice for millions of women around the world who want a safe natural alternative.    

Hopefully this message will be conveyed to women who are considering using hormone therapy for menopause symptoms.  Talk to your doctor if you have high blood pressure and are using and form of HRT or HT.

 

References:

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0040260

Citation: Chiu CL, Lujic S, Thornton C, O’Loughlin A, Makris A, et al. (2012) Menopausal Hormone Therapy Is Associated with Having High Blood Pressure in Postmenopausal Women: Observational Cohort Study. PLoS ONE 7(7): e40260. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040260

 

Mark Blumenthal Discusses What Everyone Wants to Know About Medicinal Plants

Posted by Cathy on

What is our cultural heritage to plants?

 

Why should you know about medicinal herbs, Chinese herbs and the contributions of herbs, herbal drinks and herbal remedies?

 

One reason is  herbal medicine can be used safely as the first choice for self care and preventative care.  A cultural shift is occurring right now, herbal remedies ARE growing every year, we are returning to our roots and are cultural heritage.  This video explains it all.

 

http://newhope360.com/herbal/mark-blumenthal-discusses-abcs-mission-promote-medicinal-plants?cid=nl_nbj_weekly

Click here to learn more     http://newhope360.com/herbal/mark-blumenthal-discusses-abcs-mission-promote-medicinal-plants?cid=nl_nbj_weekly

 

Mark Blumenthal discusses these in the video below.  Mark is the founder of American Botanical Council (ABC) located in Austin Tx. He is is dedicated to disseminating accurate, reliable, and responsible information on herbs and medicinal plants. He is the Editor/Publisher of HerbalGram, an international, peer-reviewed quarterly journal. For six years he was an Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, teaching the course “Herbs and Phytomedicines in Today’s Pharmacy.” Mark is the Senior Editor of the English translation of The Complete German Commission E Monographs–Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines (1998), Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs (2000), The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs (2003), and co-author of Rational Phytotherapy, 5th edition (2004). He has appeared on over 400 radio and television shows and has written over 500 articles, reviews and book chapters for many publications.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Sleep Is Important Medicine

Posted by Cathy on

Clinicians and scientists from around the world gathered in Boston for a conference on SLEEP just recently. I had no idea sleep had turned into an annual conference attended by thousands of experts from around the world, but apparently this premier event blends the most current sleep research with the best clinical practices.

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I wonder if they talked about Chinese herbs known to help sleep for over 1000 years?  Seems logical right, considering their history, safety rating and usage by billions of people everyday.  (laughing)  I’m guessing it wasn’t on the agenda since the conference was sponsored mostly by pharmaceutical giants with a huge stake in the sleep aid drugs they produce.

 

Anyway, I thought sleeping was something we were all born knowing how to do. When we are babies afterall, we are all pretty good sleepers. In fact most newborns are asleep more than awake in a single day. So what happens to us as we age? When did we become a society of sleep derived, sleep aid dependent, looking for the next caffeine jolt zombies? 

 

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I think some of us simply don’t want to sleep more than a few hours a night. There is just sooo much to do. Some of us want to fit more awaid minutes into a 24 hour day.  The problem with this attitude is historically we didn’t have electricity and entertainment into all hours of the night via the internet, television etc. So when it was dark, we slept. Seems are bodies are kinda programed that way after millions of years. 

 

Why does this matter?

 

All this matters because a long term study presented at the SLEEP2012 conference.  This study says not sleeping elevates your risk of stroke and at younger ages even if you are relatively healthy. For optimal function, sleep specialists recommend anywhere from 7 to 9 hours. The study, which lasted three years, examined 5,666 adults who were aged 45 and older. They reported their sleep habits and duration every 6 months. The investigators recorded daily health habits, risk factors for stroke, any symptoms of depression, demographic information, health related behaviors, and onset of first stroke like symptoms throughout the study period. However, the are quick to point out this is not proof of a cause and effect relationship.

 

According to data available from the National Sleep Foundation only 28 % of adults sleep 8 hours or more per night, down from 38% in 2001. It is unclear what why shortened sleep cycles were wide spread with those who suffered strokes, but the possibility of an elevated level of cortisol, a key stress hormone, may be ultimately responsible. The take home message here.. get a good night’s sleep every night. Sleep eight hours and don’t skimp on yourself.

 

Staying in bed longer might just be a lifesaver.