Pregnant or nursing? You'll want to know about these herbs!
Fenugreek: Famous for culinary wonders, and used commonly in North Africa, the Middle East, and India for herbal remedies. Fenugreek has been used traditionally to lower fever, lower blood sugar (great for diabetics!), and lower blood cholesterol levels. For pregnant and nursing moms, this herb will act as a galactalogue and may induce childbirth with late term little ones.
Goat's Rue: Also known as French Lilac, Goat's Rue is a perennial shrub native to some parts of Asia and all over Europe. In some cases, breastfeeding moms given this herb as a supplement noticed a 50% increase in milk production. The herb also contains an alkaloid compound called "galegin" that has been known to lower blood sugar levels, an effective treatment for diabetics. The best way to use this herb is with herbal infusion, a simple tea.
Milk Thistle: Lastly, Milk Thistle is more effective as an extract than as an infusion. Look for tinctures (distilled extract) or essential oils. This herb was used traditionally for gallbladder and liver disorders, and more recently for increasing milk production.
The main idea here is not only that herbal/natural remedies may provide relief for specific ailments/concerns, but that many herbs have multiple beneficial health effects. More later on pursuing a healthy alternative lifestyle!
July 7, 2011
The Health Benefits of Camphor
Use Camphor, Save your Liver
Lately I've been coming across a surprising amount of articles warning against the excessive use of acetaminophen. Overdose is the leading cause of drug induced liver disease, and the most common cause of acute liver failure across the world. (Check out the wiki article for more info; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepatotoxicity ) Naturally, I'd like those near and dear to me (and everyone else, really) to seriously consider throwing out the pill bottles. Everyone gets headaches, back pains, & all kinds of tension-induced-what-have-yous. More each day, we are being exposed to louder noises, invasive bright lights, & psychosocial stressors that are new in our evolutionary cycle. Stress is a reality of our lives. However, there are environmental toxins that we can choose to cut out of lives. As an overly medicated society, short-term relief takes priority despite knowledge of long-term consequences. Lifestyle changes may seem daunting, but taking one step at a time will make for an easy transition. (Substitute caffeine for coconut water in the morning, water for soft drinks, quinoa for rice, granola for generic cereals, almond milk for milk ect)
In addition to consciously breathing from your diaphragm, relaxing muscle tension, and drinking plenty of water; here's something used to manage pain naturally...
Camphor, found commonly in white crystalline form or as an essential oil, derives from the stems, roots and other parts of the camphor tree native to east Asia. The volatile oil from the camphor tree has been used traditionally for arthritic pains, rheumatic pains, skin problems, colds sores, headaches, and various areas of the body for pain and bruising. These uses can be compared to the modern use of products such as tiger balm - containing the active ingredient camphor. Camphor oil also relieves pain associated with the symptoms of bronchitis, common cough, and chest congestion. For a camphor-infused Save-Me-Salve to use on your aching nooks and crooks, visit my Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/holisticparadigm
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