Herbs For Health And Healing [018-011-4.7]

By: Kathi Keville

Synopsis:

Herbs for Health and Healing is meant to increase your knowledge of the
latest developments in the use of plants for medicinal purposes.

Because everyone is different, a physician must diagnose conditions and
supervise the use of healing herbs to treat individual health
problems.

Herbs and other natural remedies are not substitutes for professional
medical care.  We urge you to seek out the best medical resources
available to help you make informed decisions.

A FRIEDMAN GROUP BOOK

Copyright  1996 by Kathi Keville Illustrations copyright  1996 by
Roman Szolkowski Photographs copyright  1996 by Alison Miksch

All rights reserved.  No part of this book may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording or any other information storage and
retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher.

Art Director: Lynne Yeamans

Cover Designer: Faith Hague Illustrator: Roman Szolkowski Cover
Photographer: Alison Miksch

Printed in the United States of America on acid-free (), recycled
paper

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Keville, Kathi.

Herbs for health and healing / by Kathi Keville with Peter Korn.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 0-87596-293-9 hardcover

1. Herbs--Therapeutic use.  I. Korn, Peter.  1955- .  II.  Title.

RM666.H33K47 1996

	615'.321--dc20

	96-10561

Distributed in the book trade by St.  Martin's Press

	4 6 8 10 9 7 5

	hardcover

OUR PURPOSE

"We inspire and enable people to improve their lives and the worm
around them."

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to everyone who strolls down the path of natural
healing.  May it be lined with healing herbs and lead to health and
happiness.  I especially want to dedicate it to my family: my father,
Jesse Keville, who shared with me his love of chemistry; my mother,
Naomi Keville, who imparted her appreciation of art and nature; and my
sister, lanna Buesch, who furthered my understanding of nutrition.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A warm thankyou to the herbalists who have given me suggestions and
support: Steven Foster, David Hoffmann, Sara Smith, Rosemary Gladstar,
Mindy Green and cspccia[ Christopher Hobbs, Beth Baugh and Bob Brucia,
who also let me use their extensive herbal libraries.

[ also thank the many people who allowed me to share their herbal
success stories in this book and to all my students-who have taught me
how to share herbal knowledge.  My sincere appreciation to my team of
editors, Sharyn Rosart, Peter Korn and especially Ben Boyington.

They all worked diligently to help make botanical chemistry, natural
medicine and physiology easy to understand and to use.

Contents

Introduction Opening Ourselves to Nature's Wisdom viii

PART I: Using Herbs for Health and Healing

Chapter One Why Use Herbs."?  , 2

Healing, Not just Relieving * Nature's Therapy * Sidestepping Side
Effects

 Back to the Future  Environmental and Ethical Concerns

Chapter Two ,. Herbal Preparations ,. 8

Preparations for Internal Use  Preparations for External Use 
Homemade

Medicinal and Cosmetic Herbal Products  Choosing the Best Herbal
Products

PART II: Herbal Medicine

Chapter Three The Brain and the Central Nervous System .. 2(5

Addiction  Depression  Headaches  Insomnia  Memory

 Pain: Inflammation  Pain: Nerve and Muscle  Stress

Chapter Four ..t The Heart and the Circulatory System .  56

Angina and Irregular Heartbeat * Arteriosclerosis  Blood Pressure

 Varicose Veins and Hemorrhoids

Chapter Five ,* The Digestive System ,76

Appetite Loss * Bowel Diseases * Candida * Constipation * Diarrhea

 Diverticulitis * Food Allergies and Reactions * Heartburn  Gas

 Indigestion  Nausea and Motion Sickness Parasites and Other Alien
Invaders  Ulcers

Chapter Six - The Immune System 100

Boosting Immunity  Cancer  Chronic Fatigue, Multiple Sclerosis and
Other Serious Diseases

Chapter Seven , The Liver and the Gallbladder Liver Diseases 
Gallbladder Problems

Chapter Eight The Urinary Tract: The Kidneys and the Bladder Bladder
Infections  Kidney Stones  Water Retention

Chapter Nine The Respiratory Tract ,*.  50

Colds and Flu  Coughs, Sore Throats and Laryngitis  Hay Fever  Lung
Congestion  Sinus Congestion

Chapter Ten The Skin ,*.

Psoriasis, Eczema and Other Skin Diseases  Herbs for Healing the Skin
 Sending Parasites Scurrying

PART III: Living with Herbal Wisdom

Chapter Eleven ,. Women's Health ,".  so ]'he Estrogen Story * The
Progesterone Story * Anemia * Cervical Dysplasia  Endometriosis 
Fibrocystic Breasts  tteavy Periods

 Infertility  Irregular Menstruation  Menopause  Menstrual Cramps 
Ovarian Cysts  Pregnancy  Premenstrual Syndrome (PHS)  Uterine
Fibroids  Vaginal Infections

Chapter Twelve Men's Health

Baldness * Genital Rash, Infections and Irritations  Impotence 
Infertility

 Male Menopause  Prostate Enlargement  Swollen Testicles

Chapter Thirteen ,-.  Children's Health ,e, 205

Asthma  Baby Skin Care and Diaper Rash  Bedwetting  Childhood
Diseases  Colds and Flu  Constipation  Diarrhea  Earaches  Fever

 Food Allergies  Hyperactivity  Intestinal Parasites  Sore Throat,
Congestion and Swollen Glands  Stomachache, Colic and Nausea

 Stress, Headaches and Insomnia  Sugar Blues  Teething Pain 
Thrush

Chapter Fourteen ,*.  Herbs to the Rescue!  Herbal First-Aid ,245

Stocking Your Herbal First-Aid Kit

Chapter Fifteen ',.  Cautions and Considerations 27o

Safe in Moderation  Rare Reactions in Sensitive Individuals  The New
Herbal Outcasts  Some Old Cautions  Using Herbs and Essential Oils
Safely

 Mistaken Identity  Not Guilty  Protecting Yourself from
Contamination

 Endangered Herbs

Chapter Sixteen Aromatherapy: Healing the Emotions ,.

Aromatic Research * Using Aromatherapy  Aromatherapy Techniques 
Aromatherapy for the Emotions  Measurements

Chapter Seventeen ,. Skin and Hair Care ..505

Bdy Care the Natural Way  Back to the Basics * How to Customize Your
Skin and Hair Care  The Face  The Body  The Hair  Body Care
Extras

Chapter Eighteen .  Cooking for Health , .5.54

The Basics: Soup  Oils and Vinegars * Spice of Life: Seasoning
Blends

 Middle Eastern Cuisine: Garlic and Parsley  Pestos: Basil and Sage

 Greens: Dandelion and Nasturtium  ltot Stuff: Mustard.  Horseradish
and Peppers  Saucy Dishes: Cranberry.  Elderberry and Tamarind  Down
to the Roots: Burdock and Chicory  Sweet %eats: Ginger and Horehound
Drops

Common and Botanical Names ,- 549

Botanical and Common Names .. 552

Bibliography , 555

Resources ," 559

Index 564

Introduction

to Nature's Wisdom

Herbs have fascinated me for years.  The first thing that captured my
attention was the beauty of the plants, which I realized could fill my
garden with color and texture.

Using the first edition of Rodale's Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening
as a guide, I planted dozens of herbs among my vegetables and
flowers.

I soon realized that herbs offered a wide variety of wonderful
flavors--the cooking possibilities, it seemed, were nearly endless.  As
I read more, I found that herbs could be used to improve my complexion
and health and that their fragrances could even affect my emotions.  As
my interest grew, so did my herb garden--until I was cultivating more
than 400 different species.  Learning about these plants has become a
lifelong passion.

When I first began studying herbal-ism in 1969, I never imagined that
it would grow to be as popular as it is today.  In time, my initial
interest grew into a vocation--I am now a professional herbalist.  I
grow hundreds of herbs in my garden, I give seminars on herbs
throughout the United States and I write articles on herbalism for
national magazines and books for various publishers.

Since I became a practitioner of this ancient art, I have watched
enthusiasm about herbs swell.  I have seen an increased response to my
seminars on herbs.  And my friends in the herb industry tell me that
sales are soaring.

Indeed, the entire Western world is taking a renewed interest in the
age-old tradition of using herbal treatments for health and beauty.

Today, herbs are commonplace as ingredients in most cosmetics and
gourmet foods, but the most impressive renaissance of herbalism is in
the field of medicine.  Once regarded as "alternative" medicine,
herbalism is now recognized as a "complementary" approach to be used in
conjunction with typical Western medical methods.  Even after nearly
three decades of working with herbs, I continue to be amazed by their
effectiveness.

Just yesterday, a friend called to say how excited she was that herbal
formulas had healed a disorder she had been fighting for years.  I have
seen many remarkable cures effected by herbs, and I have chronicled
some of them here.

After you start using the recipes in this guide, I am sure that you
will be able to tell some impressive herbal healing stories of your
own!

In case the personal accounts in this book are not enough to convince
you that herbs are effective, I have also cited evidence from numerous
scientific studies.

As you read about these studies, keep in mind that even the scientists
who conduct them do not regard their results as conclusive, but as
pieces of a puzzle that can help us understand how plants work.  I have
tried to cite only studies done on people or in laboratory test tubes,
primarily because I find them more reliable than studies done on
animals.  The drug thalidomide, for instance, was shown to be safe for
laboratory animals, but caused serious birth defects in the children of
women who took the drug.  Curiously enough, the problem was originally
blamed on an herb.  My other reason for avoiding studies done on
animals is more controversial--I hate to see animals put through
misery to prove the usefulness of an herb, especially one that
herbalists have been using successfully for hundreds of years.  (By
citing animal studies, I would be condoning this practice.) Making
helpless creatures suffer seems an odd way to improve our knowledge of
healing and our ability to heal.

Before you start reading, remember this: Herbal therapy does not have
to be mysterious or complicated.  This book can help you treat many
conditions that you would diagnose yourself anyway, and it will enable
you to choose your own medications at a drugstore without a
prescription.  For example, when you come down with a cold, you may buy
a cough syrup to ease your cough and an antihistamine to clear sinus
congestion.

After reading this book, chances are you will be visiting a natural
food store or your garden to get the herbal alternatives to the drugs
you normally use.  If you know nothing about medicinal herbs, do not
worry The remedies I recommend are totally safe--call them
"over-the-counter" herbs, if you like.

As soon as I discovered how well herbs work, I threw out all my drugs
and cosmetics and turned to nature's pharmacy and beauty salon
instead.

You may react the same way--or you may feel more comfortable working
herbs into your medicine cabinet more gradually Whatever your approach,
think of herbalism in a new light--one different from standard
medicine.  Herbalism embraces the principles of holistic medicine.

This means that most herbalists are not interested in simply replacing
a drug with a handful of herb pills.

The holistic approach takes the whole person into consideration and
listens to all complaints, no matter how minor or unrelated they may
seem.  As researchers have proven over and over, your emotions do
affect your health.  The best way to achieve deep and lasting
healing--instead of just relieving your symptoms--is to treat the
causes.  This means that you will not keep coming down with one thing
after another or experience recurring bouts of the same illness.  Say
you get an ulcer or a bladder infection.  Once it is healed, what keeps
you from getting another one?  The aim of herbalists is not only to
address the immediate problem, but to strengthen your system to prevent
further attacks.

They also want to uncover the reason for an ulcer or a particular
infection occurring in the first place.

Another difference between herbal-ism and conventional medicine is that
herbalists almost always recommend other complementary therapies,
including acupuncture and massage, and lifestyle changes, particularly
with regard to nutrition and exercise.  There may be elements of your
lifestyle that are detrimental to your health; no herbal formula can
make up for a poor diet or a sedentary lifestyle.  This approach means
that you have to take more responsiblity for your own health, and it
may require you to change your life in certain ways.  In the long run,
though, the hard work is well worth it.

Again and again, I have seen holistic herbalism work wonders for people
who have been suffering from all sorts of conditions that standard
medicine has been unable to heal.

To help you choose the right herbs, this book is filled with general
formulas using my favorite herbs.  These are recipes that have, in my
experience, proven beneficial to many people over the years.  If I
could, I would prefer to custom-design a formula for each of you that
would address all your conditions in a more holistic way.  As you
become more familiar with herbs, you may want to alter my formulas to
best suit your needs.  It is also a good idea to get an herb book that
lists herbs in alphabetical order, such as my Herbs: An Illustrated
Encyclopedia, which lists 140 herbs.  If you don't have the time to
make your own remedies, yon can buy commercial herb formulas in
tinctures, teas and pills.  Although these will not always include
exactly the same herbs that I suggest, the information in this book
will help you select the commercial remedies that are best for you.  Be
wary, however, of brochures produced by companies that sell specific
products--you cannot always trust advertising.

If you are interested in the possibilities offered by herbalism and
holistic health in general, this book can be your stepping-stone into
natural healing.  You will discover, as I have, that healing plants can
bring more health and happiness into your life.

Using

Herbs for Health and Healing

chapter ONE

Why Use Herbs?

	N -early three decades ago, I began

	tending a culinary herb garden k 	that slowly took over the area I had
set aside for growing vegetables.

Curiosity about using those herbs for purposes other than cooking soon
sent me searching for information on practical uses for herbs--and
eventually led me to a career as an herbalist.

Herbs were not as "in" then as they are now.  Today, more and more
people are rediscovering the art of healing with herbs.  Some are
undoubtedly attracted by herbalism's wholesome yet somewhat mysterious
image.  Others are simply looking for a more efficient, less dangerous
alternative to conventional drugs.

Herbs can effectively treat many medical problems, but there is also a
great deal herbs cannot do.  We cannot always look to herbs as an
alternative to medical science--especially in life-threatening
situations.  I do think, though, that we would all benefit if we filled
our home medicine cabinets with herbal remedies.  This book will teach
you how to do just that.  It will help if we lay down a few ground
rules.

HEALING, NOT

JUST RELIEVING

Herbal medicine works best when practiced holistically--that is, with
sources of physical
and emotional imbalance, instead of just treating the symptoms.

For example, if you tend to get headaches, you can use herbs not only
to ease the pain but also to eliminate the underlying condition causing
the pain.

This would eventually restore health and balance so that you no longer
get headaches.

That is real healing.  To achieve this kind of result, a new look at
health and healing is required.  You must consider not only what you
may be taking as medicine--both herbs and drugs--but your diet, your
lifestyle, your mental attitude and the role that these factors play in
keeping you healthy or contributing to disease.

Both traditional herbalists and modern herbal researchers believe that
herbs, when properly used, encourage the body to heal itself.  Herbal
researcher Hildebert Wagner, Ph.D of the Institute for Pharmaceutical
Biology at the University of Munich specializes in studying herbs that
improve immunity.  He describes herbs as inherently health-promoting,
rather than disease-killing: "With herbal remedies, it is not so much a
case of totally blocking a reaction in the organism, as, for example,
with cortisone or chemotherapy Herbal preparations serve very often to
regulate and stimulate the organism to promote self-healing
tendencies."

The actions of many herbs can be compared to a tap on the shoulder,
whereas the effects of drugs can be compared to a kick in the pants.

In some cases, the body will take longer to heal itself with herbs than
it would with quick-acting drugs, but the long-term result is much
deeper healing.  For many people, it's well worth the wait.

Herbalism also emphasizes preventive medicine--the point of many herbal
treatments is to keep you from getting sick in the first place.  We
could all take a hint from the traditions of ancient China, where
doctors were paid only when they kept their patients well.

NATURE"S [HERAPY ii ' :i'

Most medicinal herbs contain many natural compounds that play off one
another, producing a wide variety of results.  Even medical science
does not always understand how the compounds work together, or even
exactly what they all are.  As botanist Walter Lewis, Ph.D and
microbiologist Memory Elvin-Lewis, Ph.D put it in their book Medical
Botany: "Nature is still mankind's greatest chemist, and many compounds
that remain undiscovered in plants are beyond the imagination of even
our best scientists."

Some herbs that regulate the body almost seem to have an inner
intelligence, with the ability to perform many different functions,
depending upon what the individual needs.  For example, ginger can
raise or lower blood pressure, depending on what needs to happen to
bring an individual's blood pressure to a healthy level.  And tonic
herbs do more than clear up immediate, acute symptoms--they have the
more general effect of renewing strength and vitality.  Marshmallow,
for instance, strengthens your digestive system and improves the
functioning of your immune system while relieving your stomach
distress.

Although 80 percent of pharmaceutical drugs are based on herbs, these
drugs are generally based not on the whole herb but on one "active
ingredient'' derived from a plant.  Modern medicine has become
captivated by what it calls a "magic bullet"--a single substance that
zeros in and destroys a germ or relieves a symptom.  Whenever possible,
the chemical structure of the active component found in an herb is
duplicated in the laboratory and produced synthetically.  This enables
a drug company to produce formulas of consistent quality and strength
and avoid the hassle and expense of collecting plants in the wild.

(Not incidentally, it also enables them to patent the remedy and charge
more money for it.)

These magic bullet drugs have several problems.  First, they treat only
specific problems.  Well-known plant researcher and botanist James
Duke, Ph.D points out that "the solitary synthetic bullet offers no
alternatives if the doctor has misdiagnosed the ailment or if one or
more ailments require more than one compound."  Herbs, on the other
hand, can cover many bases at once.

Also, magic bullets don't give the body a chance to find its own
solution.

Dr. Duke theorizes that our bodies take fuller advantage than we
realize of the complex chemistry in medicinal herbs.

He believes that each herb contains hundreds of active compounds, many
of which act "synergistically" That means that all these compounds
somehow combine to produce a greater effect than each has alone, and
that the body extracts the compounds it needs and discards the
others.

One possible reason that scientific studies sometimes fail to confirm
an herb's traditional use in healing is that the studies often focus
only on the isolated compound, not on the whole plant.

Years ago, researchers extracted an active compound called silymarin
from the herb milk thistle and turned it into a pharmaceutical drug to
treat liver damage.

Only later did German scientists discover yet another compound in milk
thistle--betaine hydrochloride--that may be equally important.

The popular immunity-enhancing herb echinacea has a similar story.  For
years, complex carbohydrates from echinacea were thought to be its sole
active ingredient and were extracted to produce a drug.  But then a
team of German researchers headed by Dr. Wagner discovered that
echinacea contains other compounds that enhance immunity.

In the case of the sedative herb valerian, medical researchers found
that two compounds--valeric acid and essential oils--caused its calming
effects, but for some time they remained unaware of still a third set
of highly sedative compounds called valepotriates.  And ginkgo, which
is used to boost brain functions and circulation, has been found to be
more effective when used in its whole form instead of its isolated
active compounds.

SIDESTEPPING

SIDE EFFECTS

Unfortunately, even when a potent magic bullet drug is right on the
mark when it comes to resolving a certain problem, it

WHY USE HERBS?

often creates side effects--new problems.

"Scarcely a month goes by without a drag being removed from the market
because it is harmful," says Dr. Wagner.  "This has helped to let the
pendulum swing back and has brought a renewed consideration for our old
treasures of experience with herbs."

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the governmental agency that
regulates the sale of drugs in the United States, receives more than
10,000 reports of side effects from newly approved drugs every year,
according to the Center for Drug Evaluation and research in Rockville,
Maryland.

This is especially sobering when you consider that about 25 percent of
these side effects resulted in someone being hospitalized or dying.

And that's only the tip of the iceberg.  National surveys indicate that
only about 5 percent of serious side effects from drugs are even
reported to the center.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says
that 125,000

Americans die each year because they take their prescribed medicines
incorrectly.

In fact, some studies indicate that as many as half of all
pharmaceuticals are not being taken correctly The herbs suggested in
this book, however, produce few side effects, and many of them contain
protective compounds that keep their potency in check.  The herb
meadowsweet, which contains natural aspirin (salicylic acid), is a
perfect example.  As you probably know, a big problem with taking
chemical aspirin is that it can injure the stomach and even cause
bleeding.

Meadowsweet functions like aspirin to ease the pain and inflammation of
rheumatism and headaches, but it also contains astringent tannins and
soothing mucilage, which researchers believe to be compounds that
buffer salicylic acid's adverse side effects.

Dr. Duke speculates that the effectiveness of herbs and their less
toxic effects on our bodies may be due to our long history of using
medicinal plants.

"We have adapted ways to be more responsive to herbs," he says.  "In
many cases your body, through evolution, has been exposed to these
natural compounds.  Perhaps it has evolved protective mechanisms
against their negative effects while embracing their positive
effects."

With so many reasons to use herbs, why are drugs so popular?  An
explanation would have to take into account doctors' medical training,
the high cost of developing drugs, and patients' expectations about
having their symptoms relieved.  To understand this, we need to go back
to 1935, when sulfa drugs, the first broad-spectrum antibiotics,
revolutionized the medical world.

Their success prompted heavy financial investments in pharmaceutical
drug companies and rapid development of new drugs.  Doctors and the
public began to regard herbal medicine as old-fashioned.

BACK TO

TH E FU17URE

In an ideal medical system, herbal-ism would be viewed as a legitimate
medical therapy, not as an outsider or "alternative" therapy.

Recently, instruction in herbal therapy has been integrated into some
medical curricula in Germany.  So there is hope.

Unfortunately, in North America, medicine is extremely drug-oriented,
and the American and Canadian Medical Associations have strong ties to
pharmaceutical companies.  It is no surprise that doctors, who are
trained to use drugs, are hesitant to study herbs.  Herbalist Michael
Moore, author of Medicinal Plants of the Pacific Northwest, sums it up
well: I have known perfectly intelligent physicians whose sole
regularly used reference manuals were the Physician's Desk Reference
and Goodman and GiIlman, both of which are drug manuals.

Their patients have come to expect, and receive, prescriptions as their
only therapy" Obviously, doctors are not the only ones who consider
drugs their first option for treatment.  The pharmaceutic"I companies
are also not likely to change the way they do business.  They can
easily spend anywhere from $50 million to $100 million, mostly for
safety testing, when submitting a new drug application to the FDA for
approval.  These companies are willing to pay that much because a new
drug can reap incredible profits for the firm that holds the patent
rights.

Herbs, however, are available to anyone with a garden, and they cannot
be patented.  Drug companies are understandably reluctant to invest in
a product that their competitors can pick up after the research is
done.  The result is that few herbal remedies are manufactured
commercially, and drug use (especially use of specific brands of drugs)
is encouraged.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Another plus for herbal medicine is that it is environmentally sound.

One person who has considered the relationship between environmental
pollution and drugs is English herbalist David Hoffmann.

Author of a number of herb books, including The t-Iolistic Herbal and
Successful Stress Control, Hoffmann's major issue when he ran for
Parliament in England was global ecology He focused on what happens
when you regularly take a common drug used to treat stomach ulcers and
gastritis: "You become very involved in an ecological cycle that
involves all of the pollution produced in the factories that prepare
the drug.  It just happens that this process is a very messy one.  In
the process of healing our ulcers, we buy into killing fish, into
environmental destruction, and we legitimize the destruction of
laboratory animals.  Is that healing?  I suggest that it is not."

Hoffmann also points out that the pharmaceutical industry is one of the
biggest practitioners of vivisection (operating on a living animal for
research purposes).  The research and development of new drugs
generally involves killing thousands of laboratory animals.

The resulting drugs are then tested on more animals before being
declared safe for humans.  "You can sip herbal tea without worrying
that a rat or a guinea pig had to die to enable you to do so," he
says.

Instead of contributing to destroy-tug the environment, herbs bring us
closer to it.  Herbalist and acupuncturist Michael Tierra, author of
Planetary I-Ierbology, believes that herbs can make us more conscious
of our place among all of Earth's living things: The path of the
herbalist is one that can offer a vital link to the natural and
interaction with nature's wilds.  It gives us a point of view by which
we can see ourselves as being connected with the entire process of
life."

Although herbalism in the United States and Canada is only beginning to
recover its lost prestige, other countries have successfully combined
it with conventional medicine.  In China, for example, traditional
medicine that includes herbs is fully integrated into the nation's
health care system, and natural remedies are used in nearly half of the
cases treated there.  In fact, only about 15 percent of the world's
population has access to Western-style health care services.  Most
people in developing nations still rely on herbal treatments.

The World Health Organization, the United Nations agency that monitors
health and health problems around the world, considers traditional
medicine well-suited for the Third World for several reasons.  It is
less expensive than Western medicine, it is usually effective for local
health problems and it is already well-integrated into most Third World
cultures.  The first two of these reasons are arguments in favor of
reintroducing herbalism into industrialized countries.

As public opinion begins to sway from complete faith in drugs, interest
in herbs is increasing.  Perhaps the day is not far off when the
designations of traditional and modern medicine will have no
significance, and all health care practitioners will feel comfortable
working in a new system that incorporates both disciplines.

chapter 2.

Herbal

Preparation

An herbalist's definition of an herb differs from that of a
botanist.

The botanist defines an herbaceous plant as one with a fleshy stem that
dies back in the winter.  The herbalist, however, considers all
medicinal and cosmetic plants as herbs.  This broad definition of herbs
includes trees, shrubs, mushrooms, lichens and, of course, fruits and
vegetables that have medicinal properties.  In many of my recipes, you
will find items that you consider food rather than herbs, such as apple
juice or shiitake mushrooms.

There are countless different herbs and combinations of herbs that are
used for health and healing.  But even the most potent herb can become
worthless if not properly prepared.  Fortunately, there are only a few
basic kinds of preparations that are used in treating illnesses and
wounds herbally these are the delivery systems for the healing powers
of herbs.

These preparations transform dried or fresh herbs into something that
can be taken internally, such as a tea or capsule, or applied
externally, as in a skin salve or a massage oil.  In many cases, more
than one preparation is applicable for a specific treatment.

Some preparations, such as tinctures and body oils, can be made from
either fresh or dried herbs.  The best method for extracting an herb's
properties varies from herb to herb.  For example, Saint-John's-wort,
oat berries and feverflower lose most of their properties when dried.

A significant portion of the essential oils
in fragrant herbs such as peppermint and chamomile is lost in even the
most careful drying process.  On the other hand, herbs that contain a
great deal of water--comfrey and calendula flowers, for example--are
sometimes best when used in dried form; otherwise, the final product
will be too diluted.

Whenever one type of preparation is better than another to treat a
specific condition, the reason is explained in that chapter.  For
example, if an aloe vera lotion is better for a burn than a salve is,
you will find out why this is so.

Most of these preparations can be bought ready-made from natural food
stores--either as individual herbs or in blends of several different
herbs.  If you feel ambitious enough to make your own concoctions, I
have also provided a number of recipes.  When deciding which
preparation is the most suitable for you, consider availability, cost,
convenience and, of course, effectiveness.

Many herbal recipes will use as their basic ingredient not herbs, but
essential oils derived from herbs.  These oils carry many medicinal
properties of the herbs from which they are extracted.  They are easy
to use but are also highly concentrated, so they must be diluted and
used moderately to prevent overdoses.  As a result, they are mostly
used externally, and appropriate cautions are given throughout this
book.  Do not confuse essential oils with vegetable oils such as olive
oil, which are used as carrier oils in skin products.

Treatments are divided into internal preparations and external
preparations, as the nature of the ailment generally determines the
nature of the treatment.

PREPARATIONS FOR INTERNAL USE

The following preparations are designed to be taken internally Included
in the descriptions are definitions--for example, what makes a tincture
a tincture?-basic directions and average doses.

GLYCERI17ES

Glycerites are syrupy liquids that provide an alcohol-free alternative
to the more popular tincture (see page 12), in which an herb's
properties are extracted using alcohol.  A glycerite is created using
glycerin in place of alcohol.

Glycerin has a sweet taste, but does not affect blood sugar like honey,
sugar and other sweets.  In fact, a well-known nineteenth-century
American herbalist, Edward E. Shook, N.D preferred glycerites for most
of his medicines.

One friend of mine preferred giving her baby glycerites instead of
alcohol-laden tinctures.  After discovering that her baby--and many
others--turned up her nose at anything that even hinted of alcohol or
vinegar, she started a business making herbal glycerites designed just
for children.

There are two types of glycerin: One type, derived from animal fat, is
a by-product of soap making; the other is derived from vegetable oil.

Although soap itself is not edible, glycerin is.  It is even used in
some foods, such as frosting and baked goods, to hold ingredients
together and keep them moist.  Animal fat glycerin is sold in
pharmacies.  Vegetable glycerin can be ordered through natural food
stores.

A synthetic glycerin derived from petroleum is becoming increasingly
popular.

An average glycerite dose is about 30 drops, a quarter teaspoon or half
a dropperful (based on the one-ounce droppers used for most
commercially available tinctures).  This dosage should be diluted in
water, tea or juice, as it may irritate the mouth otherwise.

Glycerites are not as potent as tinctures and are more expensive than
teas.  Like tinctures, however, they are easy to carry and to make
preparations from--for instance, a glyc-ente can be used to make
instant tea.

They also make a great base for syrups and they have a long shelf
life.

PILLS

Tablets and capsules release their herbal contents in the stomach as
they dissolve.

They provide an easy way to down herbs, as long as you do not mind
swallowing pills.  They are slower-acting and generally less potent
than tinctures, but like glycerites, they do not contain alcohol.

They certainly offer a faster and more convenient method of treatment
than tea--which has to be prepared--and they allow you to avoid tasting
unpalatable herbs.  They are more expensive than tea because you pay
for the convenience of having the herb powdered, processed, bottled and
marketed.  For most users, the convenience outweighs the expense.

Compact and easiest to carry of any herbal preparation, they are very
handy in a traveling herbal first-aid kit.  When carefully stored in a
cool place, they last at least a year.  Since capsules are a popular
way to take herbs, you will find a large selection available at natural
food stores and some pharmacies.  (Powdered liquid extracts, tinctures
or freeze-dried herbs are sometimes put into capsules or tablets.

Because they are so concentrated, they are usually mixed with a filler
to give them more bulk.)

Capsules and tablets do have some disadvantages beyond cost.  Many
herbalists fed that the body better assimilates an herb that has been
tasted.  Bitters, for example, stimulate digestive juices when
tasted.

Indeed, what a surprise it must be when your stomach gets hit with a
bitter herb such as goldenseal without any advance warning from the
taste buds.  Another potential problem is that the herbs used by some
manufacturers may be of poor quality Manufacturers get away with this
because it can be difficult for the consumer to determine the quality
of pills.  One thing you can do as a responsible consumer is to examine
the contents by opening a capsule or mashing a tablet with the back of
a spoon.  The herbs inside should still carry the color, fragrance and
taste of the original plant.

If you want to fill your own capsules--either to save money or because
you cannot find the herbal formula you want--you can buy empty capsules
at natural food stores.  I find this a tedious job, however.  It
involves powdering the herbs, scooping them into the capsule and
packing them in with a chopstick or similar tool.  You can speed the
process along by using one of several types of capping machines sold
through natural food stores.

The typical tablet or capsule is roughly comparable to half a cup of
tea or one-sixth of an ounce of herb.  Consult the product label for
dosage.

SYRUPS

A syrup is a tincture, liquid extract, glycerite or sometimes a strong
tea that is sweetened and thickened with sugar, honey, glycerin,
molasses, rice syrup or fruit syrup.  (Caution: Do not give honey to
children under two years old, as it can hurt them; for more information
on honey, see chapter 13.) Glycerin is often preferred since it will
not ferment like honey.  A syrup makes an ideal cough remedy because it
coats and soothes the throat, but other remedies can also be taken as a
syrup.

While syrups are tasty, easy to carry and long-lasting, the added
sweeteners in them can pose a problem for people who have sugar
"problems"--diabetes, hypoglycemia and the like.  If you suffer from a
disorder of this kind, avoid syrups.  The other potential problem with
syrups is that their herbal content is often low because of
overdilution.  The average dose of a syrup is one tablespoon.

TEA

Tea offers one of the simplest and least expensive ways to prepare
herbs.  In fact, a cup of tea usually costs only a few cents, and the
typical dose is one teaspoon of herb per cup, one cup three or four
times daily.  Making tea can help you become familiar with the herbs as
you feel, smell and taste them.  Relaxing for a few minutes while you
drink your medicine is a healthy way to remind yourself to slow down.

Some remedies--for example, many fever-reducing teas and some
diuretics--work only when taken as hot tea because the heat promotes
sweating.

Tea has its advantages, but you may find you don't have time to make it
every day Of course, drinking tea sounds like a great idea until you
brew up some foul-tasting herbs, then try to drink that a few times a
day!  Tea can also be a problem if it means having to lug a Thermos
around with you.  Refrigerated tea will keep for a couple of days.

There are several different methods of preparing tea.

Infusions are made by pouring hot water over herbs and steeping for
five to ten minutes in a saucepan, teapot or cup.

Flowers and leaves are the usual ingredients.

Commercial herb teas that come in tea bags are cut extrafine to produce
tea quickly, usually in five minutes.  To retain heat-sensitive
essential oils contained in the herbs, cover the pot or pan.

Decoctions are prepared by gently simmering the herbs in water for 15
to 30 minutes.  The most common ingredients in decoctions are roots and
bark.

The Chinese prefer to simmer root and bark teas even longer.  The high
heat releases more properties from heavy barks and roots than steeping
does.  Keep the heat very low when simmering aromatic roots such as
valerian, elecampane and angelica so that their essential oils aren't
lost into the air.  Some barks and roots can be brewed a second time.

Cold Infusions are made by soaking herbs in cold water for about eight
hours.  Because this method takes such a long time, it is generally
reserved for delicate, flagrant herbs that lose their essential oils
when heated.

Two modern versions of tea are increasingly finding their way to
market.

Flavor-enhanced tea has essential oils or flavorings, such as almond,
mint, cinnamon or citrus, added to increase its flavor.  Instant tea is
made using herbs that have been quickly dried in a high-heat chamber.

This removes their water but retains most of their properties and
flavor, making the tea very concentrated.

Instant tea is then added to a substance that dissolves easily, such as
lactose or dextrin, to increase its bulk.

1INCURES Tinctures, also called herbal extracts, are a concentrated
liquid form of herbal medicine.  A tincture is easy to carry, easily
assimilated and needs no refrigeration.

It will keep for years, another important consideration for anyone with
an on-the-go lifestyle.  This concentrated form of herbs makes it
easier to down strong-tasting herbs or take large doses.  In fact,
because a tincture is so concentrated, it is best to dilute it into an
instant tea by adding it to water or juice; the average dose is about
30 drops, a quarter teaspoon or half a dropperful (based on the
one-ounce droppers used for most commercially available tinctures).

Certain tinctures are used externally, mostly as skin antiseptics.

All tinctures take effect quite quickly The liquid medium of a tincture
is alcohol.  The alcohol draws important properties from the herb (or
herbs), leaving behind the more inactive substances, such as starch or
cellulose.  It also extracts compounds that are not water-soluble.

This means that a few herbs, such as goldenseal and black co-bosh, and
gums such as myrrh, are stronger when made into a tincture.

Making a tincture requires no heat, so essential oils are retained.

One ounce of tincture contains about 600 drops or six teaspoons, which
equals about 20 doses per bottle.  Price-wise, that's about 35 to 40
cents a dose.

This means that tinctures are more costly than tea, but most people
don't mind paying for the convenience.  When using the herbs suggested
in this book, it is not necessary to use the exact number of drops;
estimating is fine.  (Remember, we are talking about very safe herbs,
not drugstore pharmaceuticals.) A tincture is much easier to get down
than a strong-tasting tea.  I find tinctures handy for dispensing herbs
to children and' animals, as well as to reluctant adults.  For example,
when my friend Don pulls out his tincture bottles, his nine-year-old
daughter, Libby, holds her hand over her mouth saying, "Wait, wait!

What is that?"  If he says it is gold-enseal or some other
"yucky-tasting' herb, she replies, "Wait, I need more water!"  But she
readily takes the tincture, even though she will reject medicinal tea
or pills.

If you have religious, health or other objections to using alcohol,
tinctures may not be for you.  Otherwise, do not be concerned; many
doctors consider a small amount of alcohol healthy and an aid to
digestion.  A typical four doses a day totals less than half a teaspoon
of alcohol.  Studies show that most people can handle 6 to 12 times
that amount, unless they have liver problems.  If you prefer, you can
even eliminate much of the alcohol by dropping a dose of tincture into
a cup of boiling water.  The alcohol evaporates, leaving the medicine
behind.  Do this with only one dose at a time, since the tincture will
spoil without alcohol to preserve it.

Do not confuse herbal tinctures with homeopathic remedies or flower
essences, which are used differently Although all three products are
preserved with alcohol and sold in the same type of dropper bottle,
homeopathic remedies and flower essences are so dilute that there is
often no detectable trace of the original herbs in them.  Remember that
these products are not interchangeable; each has different effects.

There are a number of variations on the tincture theme, and this often
makes it very confusing for the consumer.  To make matters worse, these
terms are used loosely and sometimes interchange-ably These definitions
should help.

Concentrated iquid pounds tract.

This is a tincture that has had most of its water and alcohol removed,
making it a thick, semisolid liquid that can be blended into pills or
reconstituted with glycerin or alcohol into a liquid preparation.

This is one way to make alcohol-free tinctures.

Double Extraction.  This is a double-strength tincture that is made by
making a regular tincture, straining out the herbs, then combining that
tincture with a fresh batch of herbs to make a second tincture.

Because twice as much time and twice as much work are required to make
a double extraction, only a few herb companies bother with this
method.

Standardized or Guaranteed Extract.  This product, usually a tincture
or pill, is guaranteed to contain a specified quantity of the herb's
main active compound.  Laboratory tests are used to determine the
amount of an active ingredient in an herb.  If that quantity is lower
than guaranteed on the label, that herb is rejected and one that meets
this requirement is used in its place.  In a few cases, such as with
the herb ephedra, a purified amount of the active ingredient is added
to increase potency to the his, certain important compounds are
isolated and others are often discarded.  Some herbalists refuse to use
herbs that have been altered in this way, but many laboratory
scientists prefer them for their consistent strength.

USP Standardized.  Until tinctures began to be replaced by synthetic
drugs following World War I, they were commonly sold in pharmacies and
were made according to proportions set down in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia
(USP), the pharmacist's guidebook.  Today, few herbal companies can
afford pharmaceutical licenses, and herbs in general cannot legally be
advertised or sold as specific medicines.  Because manufacturing
methods and herb qualities vary, products are often of different
strengths, even when they come from the same company These traditional
USP standards are still used by some companies.

VINEGARS

Herbal vinegars are prepared like tinctures, but the herbs are infused
into vinegar instead of into alcohol.  Though vinegar does not draw out
an herb's properties as well as alcohol, herbal vinegars offer the
convenience of a tincture without the alcohol.  Because most herbal
vinegars are designed for culinary use, they are not medicinal
strength.

Also, the selection is limited.  An herbal vinegar is easy to take,
provided you like the taste of vinegar, and it can be used
surreptitiously in a meal as salad dressing or in any recipe calling
for vinegar; the typical dose is one to two teaspoons.

Herbal vinegar also makes a fine sore throat gargle.  In addition, it
can be used externally as a hair rinse, as a skin wash for fungal
infections and in douches.

HERBS FOR DINNER Food is certainly the most basic way to use herbs.  In
many cultures, including Chinese, medicinal herbs are incorporated into
soups, stews and other foods.

Herbal honeys--powdered herbs mixed with honey into a thick paste--are
used as medicine in India and the Middle East.  They make an instant
drink and can be used as a spread.  And while burdock is considered an
herb in North America, the Japanese use it as a vegetable.  On the
other hand, North Americans eat parsley, which is considered medicine
in most European cultures.  Actually, nearly all the herbs and spices
we use to season food have medicinal properties.  Preparing herbs for
use in cooking does take some time, but no longer than it takes you to
make your meal--and as every serious cook knows, herbs make food taste
better.

Caution: Vinegar eats away at tooth enamel, so be sure to rinse your
mouth thoroughly after drinking it.

PREPARATIONS FOR EXTERNAL USE

The following preparations are designed to be used externally Included
in the descriptions are definitions--for instance, what is a
compress?--as well as basic directions.

AROMATIC WATERS

Scented waters are used to treat many different skin problems, ranging
from acne to burns.  They can also be used for purely cosmetic
purposes.  Because the essential oils they contain are so dilute,
aromatic waters can be applied directly to the skin and taken
internally.  They also come in handy for soaking herbal compresses to
treat skin and complexion problems.  But they are often expensive and
hard to find.

BODY OILS

Body oils made from herbs or essential oils are suitable for massage,
but can also be offered as an alternative to some internal remedies.  I
recall taking care of a child with a stomachache who refused every
natural remedy from my well-stocked cupboards.  He finally settled for
a tummy rub with a body oil containing essential oils that aid
digestion.  Later, he claimed it was the best medicine anyone had ever
given him and even asked for a bottle to take home!

If you add heat-supplying herbs or essential oils such as cinammon,
cloves and cayenne to your body oil, it becomes a liniment suitable for
rubbing into sore muscles.  Body oil is also the basis for making
facial creams and skin lotions.

While herbal body offs are extremely versatile, they usually take
longer to act than internal remedies.

COMPRESS

A compress is quick to assemble yet very effective for a variety of
problems: headaches, bleeding, bruises, muscle cramps, sore throats and
almost any time alternating hot and cold is needed to increase
circulation.  It is also used to bolster immunity and to increase lymph
flow, especially when there is an internal infection or a growth, such
as a fibroid.

Making a compress is easy--soak a soft cloth in a strong herbal tea,
diluted tincture or glycerite, essential oils or aromatic water, wring
out the cloth, then fold it and lay it on the skin.  A castor oil pack
is a compress in which the cloth is soaked in warm castor oil
(sometimes combined with essential oils).  The soaked cloth is placed
on the skin and covered with a hot water bottle to retain heat.  The
one inconvenience with a compress is that to use it you must either lie
down or tie it in place.

HERBAL BAJH

Besides providing a relaxing and luxurious way to take your medicine, a
bath can combine herbs with other therapies, including
aromatherapy--the use of fragrant herbs or essential offs--and
hydrotherapy, which uses alternating hot and cold water treatments to
stimulate circulation.  Heat relaxes the muscles, and cold reduces
swelling.  When you
Using a Compress Soak a cloth in herbal tea, tincture or glycerite.

2. Wring it out.

5. Fold it and lay it on injured area.

4-.  Hold or tie the compress in place.

consider that stress is the most common factor in promoting disease, an
herbal bath may be one of the most important herbal treatments
available!  Baths are also useful in treating certain skin problems,
and the steam that rises off a bath containing essential oils can be a
treatment in itself for various breathing and circulation problems.

A variation on a full body bath is a foot or hand bath, popularized by
the French herbalist Maurice Messegue and the French aromatherapist
Marguerite Maury In his book Of People and Plants, Messegue reports
some amazing cures for serious problems using only herbal foot and hand
baths.  To make a foot or hand bath, add five to ten drops of essential
oil or a cup of strong herb tea to a quart of water in a large basin,
and stir well to distribute essential oils.

Making and

Usin.g a Poultice I. Use fresh herbs or mix moist clay with dried herbs
to make a paste.

POULTICE

A poultice is made by pounding, blending or even chewing a fresh plant
into a sticky paste, which is then spread on an injury and sometimes
wrapped with a bandage to keep it in place.  I admit that it may look a
little strange and can be quite messy, but its effectiveness should
outweigh any of your qualms.

My friend Gary, a carpenter, was accustomed to getting splinters while
working in his wood shop, so he did not think much about a splinter in
his leg last year--until he discovered that a nasty infection had
developed.  He tried an herbal salve, but it was no match for the
infection.  He spent weeks trying a variety of antibiotics, and the
boils did heal, only to reappear persistently in different locations,
sometimes opening into raw, Spread paste on injured area.

Apply bandage.

4. Wrap injured area with bandage to hold poultice in place.

painful sores.  Gary decided to turn back to herbs, but with a
different approach.

He applied three poultices of flesh plantain and comfrey daily It took
a few weeks for his sores to heal completely, but he was finally free
of the infection.

Another type of poultice is made from clay and/or dried, powdered herbs
that are moistened into a paste using a tincture, strong herb tea or
water.  Sometimes, essential oils are added.  Because this type of
poultice comes in handy so often, I usually carry some with me for
emergencies.  Once, when I was attending an herb retreat, someone
tapped me on the shoulder.  "Quick," he said urgently "A woman working
in the dining room just got stung by a bee and she is allergic to
them."  When I reached the victim, another herbalist had already given
her some echinacea and someone had run to her cabin for a prescription
antidote.  As I coated the swollen hand with my poultice, she said,
"Oh, that feels so good?  I nodded, preoccupied in watching for signs
of a reaction.  Indeed, red lines were radiating from the sting and a
deep red flush was creeping up her neck.  Then, as quickly as they had
appeared, both the red lines and the flush receded and disappeared.

(For more information on this remedy, see "Bites, Stings and Splinters"
on page 245.  Note: Anyone suffering a severe allergic reaction must
immediately see a doctor or take medicine prescribed for the
allergy.)

SALVE

A salve is basically a thickened herbal off.  Olive oil, which is
considered healing to skin, is the most common salve base, but other
vegetable oils can also be
used.  To help a salve adhere to the skin, try adding beeswax.

Salves are used on almost all skin problems, including minor bruises
and cuts, scrapes, rashes, eczema and swelling.  Exceptions include any
burn beyond a minor one (because of its oil base, a salve will hold the
heat of a burn and cause more pain), the oozing stage of poison oak or
poison ivy, and infected, open wounds.  I once taught a weekend herb
seminar attended by Juan, who clearly was paying little attention.  He
did, however, take home some herbal salve we made.  Recalling that I
had said it was a first-aid kit in itself, he took the salve to Mexico,
where he encountered other travelers with all sorts of skin problems:
foot blisters, chapped lips, scrapes and cuts, infected slivers, diaper
rash, a rash from an unknown plant, bruises, hemorrhoids and
sunburns.

He doled out small amounts of salve, and as word spread through the
village, the locals began questing his crema herbal (see the Herbal
Healing Salve on page 25 7).  Juan returned home with an empty jar, and
immediately called to sign up for next year's herb seminar, promising
to pay attention this time!

He learned more the second time, but to this day he claims that the
herbal salve is the most important item in his first aid kit.

Just about the only disadvantage of salves is that they can stain your
clothes.

HOMEMADE MEDICINAL

AND COSMETIC

HERBAL PRODUCTS

If you are ambitious enough to make your own herbal products, these
basic, generic recipes will guide you.  The general uses to which these
preparations can be put are discussed earlier in this chapter, where
the different types of preparations are explained.  To find the recipes
suitable to treat a particular condition, look up the specific maladies
you wish to treat in the other sections of this book.  Your homemade
products will cost a fraction of what the same preparations cost in the
store, and you can avoid a lot of the unwanted extras, such as
preservatives, stabilizers and colorants that are found in many
products sold in natural food stores.  Manufacturers, for instance,
tend to use a lot of fixatives and preservatives, because they are
concerned that someone might sue them for a spoiled product.  However,
many herbs and most essential oils contain their own natural
preservatives, and beeswax is a great natural preservative.

You probably already have everything necessary to transform your
kitchen into an herbal laboratory In cooking up herbal formulas, be
sure to use Pyrex measuring cups and pans made of stainless steel or
some other nonreactive material.  The proportions can change slightly
according to the weight and absorbency of the herbs.

Tincture Formula

1 ounce dried or powdered herbs

5 ounces vodka

- Chop herbs finely with a knife or in a blender, then place them in a
clean glass jar; do not pack them tightly or the alcohol will not be
able to saturate them.

Cover herbs with just enough vodka so that they are completely
submerged and can slosh around a little.  (Vodka contains only alcohol
and water.  One hundred proof vodka is preferable, but 80 proof vodka
will do: the former is 50% alcohol and 50% water; the latter is 40%
alcohol and 60% water.) If there seems to be too much or not enough
vodka, adjust the amounts as necessary.

Put a tight lid on the jar and store for 2 weeks at room temperature.

A dark shelf is fine, since tincture does not need light to process.

Shake the contents once or twice a day to redistribute the herbs in the
alcohol.  If you are using powdered herbs, stir them with a spoon every
day to keep them from clumping together.

After 2 weeks, strain the herb pulp through a coffee filter or fine
kitchen strainer.  Stored in a cool place, a tincture can last 6 years
or longer.

Glycerite Formula

1 ounce herbs

6 ounces glycerin

4 ounces distilled water

- Chop herbs finely with a knife or in a blender.  Place herbs in a
clean glass jar; do not pack them too tightly.  Combine glycerin and
water; pour this mixture over herbs.  Put a tight lid on the jar.  Keep
at room temperature.  Shake the contents every day to redistribute the
mixture.  After 2 weeks, strain out the herb pulp through a coffee
filter or fine kitchen strainer.

Stored in a cool place out of direct sunlight, glycerite will last at
least 2 years.

Herbal Vinegar Formula

1 ounce fresh or dried herbs

5 ounces vinegar (any kind)

Chop herbs finely with a knife or in a blender.  Place herbs in a clean
glass jar; do not pack them too tightly Pour in just enough vinegar to
cover herbs (different herbs have different levels of absorbency, so
you may need more or less vinegar than indicated above).  Put a tight
lid on the jar.  Keep at room temperature.  After 2 weeks, strain out
the herb pulp through a coffee filter or kitchen strainer.

Your herbal vinegars will last years.

Herbal Syrup 6 tablespoons herbs 1 pint water 4 ounces glycerin 1 ounce
rice syrup orfruit syrup (or honey, for children over 2 years old) for
sweetener ' Bring herbs and water to a boil in a large uncovered
saucepan.  Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 30 minutes.

Strain herbs from resulting tea.  Return to heat, allow tea to simmer,
then turn off heat.  Measure out 1 cup of tea and stir in glycerin and
sweetener while the mixture is still warm.  Let cool.  Stored in a
refrigerator, this syrup will last for at least 6 months.

Herbal Pills 1 , teaspoons honey 1 tablespoon powdered herbs Enough
extra powdered herbs to roll pills , Warm honey in a saucepan and add
powder bit by bit, stirring as you go.

The consistency should resemble thick, sticky dough.  Roll into small
balls between the palms of your hands or on wax paper spread on a
table.  (Tack or otherwise hold down wax paper.) Let dry about 30
minutes, then roll in more powdered herbs so that the outside is not so
sticky.  This makes a soft pill that can last a year or more.

Body Oil 2 ounces dried herbs 1 pint vegetable oil *. Chop herbs very
fine, place in a container and pour in just enough vegetable oil to
cover.  (Use more or less oil as needed.) Stir to release trapped air
bubbles.

(Avoid using powdered herbs; they absorb oil like a sponge and clog the
strainer.  If powdered herbs are all you have, stir the powder every
day to keep it from clumping together.) Heat herbs and oil for about 5
hours at about 80E You can use a double boiler on the stove top, or an
oven, electric turkey cooker or slow cooker set on the lowest
temperature.

(If the setting on your appliance is not low enough, turn it on and off
and monitor the temperature.) Or you can put the herb-oil mixture
outside on a hot day; the temperature of the oil in the jar will be
about 10 degrees cooler than the surrounding air.  This will take 2 to
3 days, unless the air temperature is in the 90s.  When done, strain
out the herbs with a fine kitchen strainer, pressing out the oil with
the back of a spoon.  If any herb particles come through the strainer,
re-strain the oil through a coffee filter.

(These fine pieces will irritate skin when the oil is rubbed over it.)
Stored in a cool place, herb oil will keep several months; stored in
the refrigerator, it will keep even longer.

Body oil can be thickened by adding a natural thickener such as cocoa
butter, lanolin or beeswax and then heating the mixture slightly, For
every cup of vegetable oil, add 1/4 teaspoon cocoa butter, ih to 2
teaspoons liquid lanolin, or ih ounce (by weight) beeswax.  If the
consistency is not exactly what you want, reheat the mixture and add
more oil or thickener.

Body oils can also be made with fresh herbs, though this takes a little
more care since these oils can easily spoil while you are preparing
them.  Herbs that contain a lot of water, such as comfrey, are better
used in dried form, but some herbs, such as Saint-John's-wort, are far
more potent when fresh.  If you use fresh herbs, follow the same
directions given above for making oils from dried herbs, but take extra
care to make sure that they are completely submerged and all air
bubbles are stirred out.  Because fresh herbs contain a certain amount
of water, you may have some water in the bottom of the container when
you are done preparing this formula.

If so, discard it after you pour the oil off the top, even if it means
throwing away the last bit of oil.

Body Oil with Essential Oils

4 ounces vegetable oil

A teaspoon (50 drops) essential oil

- Combine ingredients and it's done!

Healing Salve

1 cup Body Oil (see page 19)  ounce beeswax (by weighO

8 drops essential oil (optional)

'. Combine Body Oil and beeswax, and heat mixture just enough to melt
the wax.  Add essential oil, if using it.  Stir, then pour into
widemouthed jars.  Let cool.  Stored at room temperature, this salve
will keep for 6 months.  If you have difficulty finding beeswax, check
the telephone book for a bee supply or crafts store or beekeeper, and
ask for pure beeswax.

Herbal Compress

5 drops essential oil

Small bowl of water Soft cloth

- Add essential oil to water.  Soak cloth in water and wring out.  Fold
cloth and apply to afflicted area.

Skin-Healing Poultice

1 handful herbs

4 ounces water t Blend ingredients in blender into a thick slurry.

Spread on wound, holding the poultice in place by wrapping gauze around
it.  Leave poultice on wound for 20 minutes to 1 hour.  To store for
future emergencies, freeze the poultice in ice-cube trays.  Keep cubes
in a plastic bag or freezer container.  When you need a poultice, thaw
out a cube in a pan.

CHOOSING THE BES1HERBAL PRODUCTS

Herbal preparations are only as good as the herbs themselves.  Unless
you are fortunate enough to have your own herb garden where you can be
assured of quality, you should purchase your herbs from a reputable
store or mail-order business.

As with any plant, a number of factors can influence the potency of
herbs, including growing conditions, harvesting method, drying and
storage processes, even the time of year and time of day when the herbs
were harvested.  Don't underestimate freshness--the moment an herb is
picked, enzymes released in the plant begin to break down its active
compounds.  Light, heat and air all
(continued on page 24)

HERBAL PREPARATIONS: QUICK REFERENCE

PREPARATIONS TAKEN INTERNALLY

Description

Food

Glycerite: Herbs extracted into glycerin.  An average dose is about a
quarter teaspoon or half a dropperful.

Dilute in water, tea or juice or it may irritate the mouth.

Pills (Tablets and Capsules): Powdered herbs enclosed in gelatin or
vegetable-based capsules or pressed into tablets with sticky binders.

The typical capsule is "00" size, roughly comparable to half a cup of
tea or one-sixth of an ounce of herb.  Consult the product label for
dosage.

Syrup: Sweetened and thickened tea, tincture or glycerin.  An average
dose is one tablespoon.

Advantages

Easy to take.

Quick and easy to carry, makes instant tea, sweet-tasting, easy method
for taking strong-tasting herbs, does not contain alcohol, long shelf
life, good base for syrup.

Fast, convenient, easy to carry, wide selection, no unpleasant taste,
no alcohol.

Sweet taste, easy to take, transportable, makes strong-tasting herbs
palatable, no alcohol, coats sore throat, lasts a year.

Possible

Disadvantages Small, often diluted doses of medicinal properties;
preparation time; limited to foods and herbs that taste good.

Not as potent as tincture, relatively expensive, small selection.

More expensive than tea, can't taste bitters (which play an important
role in healing), uneven quality, short storage life.

Herbs can be over-diluted; added sweeteners can pose problems for
those who suffer from diabetes, hypoglycemia and other sugar
"problems"; potential to ferment; very small selection.

Description Tea: Herbs extracted into water; sold chopped in bulk or in
tea bags.  Typical dose is one teaspoon of herb for every cup of water,
one cup of tea three or four times a day.

J-incture (also called herbal extract): Herbs extracted into alcohol
and water.  An average dose is about a quarter teaspoon, or half a
dropperful.

This equals about one cup of tea.  Certain tinctures are used
externally, mostly as skin antiseptics (the alcohol itself is
antiseptic).

Vinegar: Herbs extracted into vinegar.  Dosages vary with application,
but one or two teaspoons is typical.

Advantages Inexpensive, relaxing to drink, very wide selection.

Concentrated medicine, quick and easy to take even with strong-tasting
herbs, makes instant tea, easily carried, pulls out most medicinal
properties, quick effect on body, can take larger doses, keeps for
years, good antiseptic base, wide selection.

Ideal against fungal infections and as a gargle, easy to carry,
preferable for some strong-tasting herbs, no alcohol, lasts for
years.

Possible

Disadvantages Strong taste with some herbs, does not keep long, does
not extract all properties of some herbs, bulky to carry.

Contains alcohol, strong alcohol taste, expensive.

Can harm tooth enamel if not rinsed off, strong vinegar taste, not as
potent as tincture, very small selection.

Description

Aromatic Waters: These fragrant waters are either byproducts of
distilling essential oils (called hydrosols), or essential oils
combined with water.

A dva n rages

Easy and pleasant to use, already diluted.

Possible

Disadvantages

Expensive, difficult to find.

Description 	Advantages 	Possible

		Disadvantages

Bath: Herbs (quarter-cup), herb tea (four cups) or essential oils (a
few drops) added to bath water.

Body Oil: Herbs extracted into vegetable oil, often olive or sesame
oil.  A shortcut is to add essential oils to vegetable oil.  Depending
upon which herbs and essential oils are used, it can be a massage oil,
hot liniment, facial cream or skin lotion.  These more sophisticated
preparations are explained later in this book in their appropriate
categories.

Compress: Cloth soaked in herbal water.

Poultice: Fresh, mashed herbs.

Salve: Herbal oil thickened with beeswax to make it adhere to skin.

Inexpensive, provides steam treatment and relaxation, can be used for
hot or cold therapy to aid circulation.

Beneficial to skin and complexion, can be applied directly on a skin
affliction, adheres well to skin, holds in heat, can be combined with
relaxing massage, quick preparation when essential oils are on hand,
the base for many herbal remedies.

Quick, easy, inexpensive, very versatile; can be combined with hot or
cold treatment; provides method to apply tincture, glycerite, essential
oils or herb wash externally.

Very effective, especially for infection; no added cost.

Beneficial to skin and complexion, can be applied directly on a skin
affliction, adheres well to skin, versatile.

Takes time and, of course, you need a bathtub.

Must be rubbed into skin, oily, takes longer to act than internal
herbal treatments, can stain clothes.

Must be held or tied to skin.

Messy, requires fresh herbs, takes time to prepare.

Holds in heat of burn, can stain clothes.

increase oxidation, which causes herbs to deteriorate.

Store herbs in airtight containers, preferably glass, away from heat
and direct sunlight.  Herbs in large pieces will keep longer than those
that are finely cut or powdered.  Plan on keeping leaves and flowers
for at least two years, roots and barks for three years.  Since there
is no exact cutoff date, use an herb's color, taste and aroma as guides
to tell you how much potency remains.  Even after it is dried, an herb
should retain its taste and color, and a fragrant plant should still
have its characteristic aroma.  For example, if dried chamomile looks
brown instead of yellow or if you cannot detect much of peppermint's
characteristic fragrance, these herbs are probably no good.

The savvy consumer needs to be open-minded to new, improved methods of
extracting and preparing herbs, but wary of sales pitches that promote
one product over another.  One of the best ways to sort through this
marketing confusion is to educate yourself and to seek out a store with
knowledgeable clerks.

Herbs are wondrous healers, but be realistic about their abilities.

Take a hard look at products that sound too good to be true.  Do not
trust product literature as fact.  As with other commodities, herbal
advertising sometimes stretches the truth, uses tricky wording or tells
only part of the story.  Most herb companies claim that their products
and processing techniques are the very best.

They probably believe this, but that doesn't mean it's true.

Part

I

Herbal

Medicine

chapter THREE

The Brain and the Central

N l, voll

System

The brain is perhaps the body's greatest mystery It is enormously
complex and it controls so much--yet we know so little about it.

Despite years of research, we also know precious little about medicines
used to treat the brain and nervous system--mostly, we can only observe
the effects of such drugs as aspirin and Prozac and wonder how they
work.  Similarly, herbs for the brain and nervous system are shrouded
in mystery.

The brain is only part of the central nervous system, which also
includes the spinal cord and the peripheral nerves.

This system is responsible for conveying information from the outside
world to you and relaying messages from one part of your body to
another.  This is a big job, which is done mostly by chemicals called
neurotransmitters, or "nerve transmitters."  These transmitters carry
messages to nerve cells called neurons and help these messages jump
their signals from cell to cell across narrow gaps called synapses.

Your brain's cerebral cortex alone--the part of the brain that is
responsible for coordinating higher nervous activity--contains about 50
billion of these nerve cells.

There are many different types of neurotransmitters.  If you end up
with too much or not enough of a particular transmitter, the chemistry
of your brain can be disrupted, and this will affect not only your
mental functioning but also your emotional balance--indeed, your entire
body may be affected.  For exam-pie, one particular neurotransmitter,
serotonin, is important because it promotes sleep, lowers pain
sensitivity, hinders aggression and acts as an antidepressant.

All sorts of problems, ranging from prolonged stress to inflammatory
bowel diseases, can alter the levels of accessible neurotransmitters.

The central nervous system controls many functions, so problems with it
can lead to a number of different conditions, including headaches,
depression and pain.  Fortunately, herbs, and even aromatherapy, can
hasten healing in many central nervous system conditions.

While natural treatments do not take the place of professional
counseling or medical treatments in overcoming addictions or serious
depression, they certainly can be good allies.

The herbs mentioned in this section come from all over the world.

Although some of these plants have unusual names, all of them are
available in natural food stores.  You will find them sold separately
or in combinations designed to help various nervous system disorders.

Also, be sure to check out chapter sixteen, where I discuss
aromatherapy techniques and cover the specific fragrances used to treat
depression, anxiety, insomnia and stress.

ADDICTION

Addiction and recovery, once taboo subjects in our society, have become
common topics of discussion during the nineties--it is hard to imagine
a party or social gathering where at least one person doesn't have a
story to tell.  Nevertheless, the causes of addiction are just
beginning to be understood.

While an emotional crisis or problem can lead people to drink alcohol,
smoke cigarettes or use other drugs, many researchers believe that a
chemical imbalance in the brain is actually responsible for
addiction.

What makes substances such as cocaine, heroin, alcohol and nicotine so
attractive are the pleasurable sensations they create.  After a few
rounds of artificial stimulation, the brain responds only to the drug
instead of to pleasurable events in life.  In most cases, the more
often you take the drug, the more you need to take to feel pleasure.

This leads to addiction--an intense craving and even physical need for
the drug.  If addicts cannot get the drug, they can become nervous,
anxious and even desperate.

Breaking an addiction is hard work.

Cigarette smokers, for instance, often quit, start again, quit, start
again--they are caught in a vicious cycle.  In the words of the great
Mark Twain: "To cease smoking is the easiest thing.  I ought to know.

I've done it thousands of times."

Besides creating an unending cycle of addiction, drugs can cause the
addict a variety of other physical problems.  For example, smoking
damages the lungs and promotes lung cancer, and drinking destroys brain
cells and can ruin your liver.  Nicotine and caffeine also stimulate
the production of too much cortisone and adrenaline, often triggering
anxiety, panic attacks, depression, nervousness and heart
palpitations.

In some people who have psychiatric problems, caffeine can promote the
intensity of mental illness.

Since addiction and depression often go hand in hand, if you have a
problem with addiction and are seeking answers here, be sure to read
"Depression'' on page 30 and "Anxiety" on page 31 as well.

Also read the section in this book that covers herbs to treat a liver
damaged by alcohol (pages 114 and 118).

While herbs do make a difference, by themselves they usually offer
little help for someone dealing with an addiction.

Most recovering addicts find that they also need to make lifestyle
changes that bring new meaning to their lives.

Regularly doing any aerobic exercise--even walking three times a week
for 20 minutes--can change brain chemistry enough to help fight
addiction or depression.

Take Sue and Marjorie, friends of mine who are both admitted
alcoholics.

Sue had tried everything imaginable, however briefly, to overcome her
addiction-except herbs.  She told Marjorie that she considered them her
last hope.

Unfortunately, she devised a treatment that consisted only of herbs,
and as is often the case with alcoholism, the herbs just weren't enough
by themselves.  So Marjorie decided it was time to take another route
and focus on several methods at once.  She had already tried all the
standard methods (quitting "cold turkey," joining 12-step programs and
so on), but had never backed these methods with an herbal program.  She
tried, unsuccessfully, to persuade Sue to do the same.  I was not
surprised to hear later that Sue was drinking again.  Marjorie,
however, has stayed sober--with the help of herbs.

Here's the lowdown on the herbs that often prove helpful.  Capsules of
gamma linoleic acid (GLA) from evening primrose, borage or currant seed
oils are among the best herbal aids for controlling alcoholism.  Brian
Leonard, Ph.D who studies evening primrose at the University College in
Galway, Ireland, believes that supplements of this herb not only help
recovering alcoholics to stay sober, but also slow down the damage that
alcohol is known to cause to brain cells.

According to the latest research, the relaxant herb valerian may also
slow brain cell damage that results from excessive alcohol
consumption.

Herbalists in Europe use valerian--in tea, tincture or pill form--to
help people overcome and lessen alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

In Brazil, passionflower is preferred.

In the nineteenth century, Eclectic doctors who used several natural
treatments, including herbs, found that another sedative, skullcap,
could be used to reduce anxiety and nervousness resulting from
emotional or physical exhaustion.

Herbalists today use it as one ingredient in formulas for addiction.

The key to the addiction-fighting effects of valerian, passionflower
and possibly skullcap may lie in the adjustments these

Skullcap, one of nature's "brain herbs," was once a well-known
treatment for rabies.

erbs make in brain chemistry by changing the levels of
neurotransmitters.  Another secret to their success could be their
roles as bitter digestive aids.  Eclectic physicians of the early
nineteenth century recommended bitters to overcome drunkenness.  They
were especially fond of a formula that included the extremely bitter
quassia and gentian, which they found diminished the desire for
alcohol.  (Bitters are also good for getting rid of a
hangover--bartenders recommend Angostura bitters, which have gentian as
the main ingredient.)

For centuries, Asian herbalists have suggested kudzu to reduce
alcoholism and drunkenness.  This perennial vine from Japan, which was
introduced to the southeastern United States around 1876, has made
itself so much at home that it has taken over acres of land.

Preliminary studies on experimental animals conducted at the National
Academy of Science have gotten positive results, but so far no studies
have been conducted on people.  There are plans to investigate kudzu's
effects on people.  It should make southerners happy to know that there
may be a practical use for this highly invasive weed.

The Chinese also use shizandra to enhance both mental and physical
balance.  It has been successfully used for over a decade to treat
mental disorders related to alcoholism.

Turning away from alcohol addiction, let us consider smoking.  Oatmeal
is probably one of the last things you would think of to help in
overcoming an addiction, but modern herbalists report that fresh oats
are indeed useful, especially during nicotine withdrawal.

(Practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine have been recommending it for at
least a thousand years to treat opium addiction.) A 1971 study on this
herb showed that a tincture made from fresh oats can indeed help people
stop smoking.

In a 1994 study, researchers tried an Ayurvedic remedy on people who

	H E R B A L , E D C N E

had recently quit smoking--they had them sniff the essential oil of
black pepper (you can also just sniff raw peppercorns--if they don't
make you sneeze).  This treatment alleviated the anxiety and other
symptoms that usually accompany nicotine withdrawal.

Withdrawal Tincture  teaspoon each tinctures of valerian rhizome and
skullcap leaves 1 teaspoon tincture (or glycerite) of fresh oat berries
 teaspoon each tinctures of Saint-John%wort leaves and passionflower
'. Combine ingredients.  Take 2 to 5 dropperfuls a day If you are a
recovering alcoholic, use a glycerite instead of a tincture, which is
alcohol-based.  (If you are not sure what a glycerite is, see
"Glycerites" on page 9.)

DEPRESSION

Been feeling down in the dumps for a while?  You might be suffering
from depression-North America's most common psychological complaint.

While mood swings are a normal part of life, chronic depression is a
serious disorder that limits the quality of life and suppresses the
immune systems of more than 30 million Americans.

Statistics show that depression has been on a steady rise in North
America since the early twentieth century.  So is anxiety, a closely
related disorder associated with nervousness and fear, which can bring
on sudden hyperventilation, a pounding heart and feelings of
suffocation, often at the most inappropriate times.  It may be little
consolation, but if you are depressed or anxious, you are in good
company: The romantic poets Shelley, Keats and Byron, as well as the
American novelist Ernest Hemingway are among the many legendary artists
thought to have suffered from major mood disorders.

Fortunately, herbal antidepressants do exist.  In fact, I know quite a
few people who have successfully lowered or gone off' their
antidepressant drugs--sometimes after taking them for years--and now
use herbs instead.  Most of these folks find that they need to continue
taking at least a minimal maintenance dose of the chemical
antidepressants, but they are happy to have switched almost completely
to a more natural alternative.

Keep in mind, though, that antidepressant herbs are not as fast-acting
or powerful as their pharmaceutical counterparts.

Moreover, do not switch to herbal treatments for serious emotional
disorders without consulting a professional health care practitioner,
preferably one with whom you have a close working relationship.

Because depression is quite often a symptom of some other condition,
you should attempt to eliminate its source instead of just looking for
a quick fix from a drug or an herb.  Michael E Breslose, M.D a
psychiatrist at the University of Arizona, found that even a single cup
of caffeine-laden coffee or cola produces anxiety attacks in
susceptible individuals, and ten cups can cause almost anyone to have
an attack.

Allergies to food and other substances, as well as low blood sugar
levels (hypoglycemia), can also make you feel low.  Some prescription
drugs are notorious for causing depression, especially when used in
combination with certain other medicines--if you are taking any
prescription medicines, ask your doctor about bad combinations or read
up on the side effects of your medications in the Physician Desk
Reference at the library.

Many commonly prescribed antidepressants work by keeping the
neuro-transmitter serotonin circulating in the brain.  If you are at
all familiar with antidepressant drugs, you have probably already heard
of tricyclic drugs, MAO (monoamine oxidase) inhibitors and serotonin
uptake reinhibitors such as Prozac.  What you may not have heard is
that Siberian ginseng, licorice and Saint-John's-wort also increase the
availability of serotonin in the brain.  In clinical studies, Siberian
ginseng has repeatedly proved helpful for people who are depressed or
have other serious emotional problems.  According to a 1980 study,
licorice is more effective than one of the commonly prescribed MAO
inhibitors.

In a series of studies that were presented in 1992 at the Fourth
International Congress on Phytotherapy in Munich, Germany,
Saint-John's-wort helped well over half of those who were mildly to
moderately depressed.  In less than a month of taking this herb, the
depression and accompanying disturbed sleep and fatigue experienced by
participants in these studies generally improved.

In a 1984 study conducted in Germany, depressed women were given a
tincture of Saint-John's-wort.  These women's symptoms, including
anxiety, anorexia, lack of interest in life and psychomotor problems,
all changed for the better.  They even had fewer feelings of being
worthless.

Research on Saint-John's-wort was also conducted in Russia--the herb
was combined with psychotherapy to treat alcoholics suffering from
depression.

One of the major advantages of Saint-John's-wort is that, unlike many
antidepressant drugs, it does not impair your attention, concentration
or reaction time.

Antidepressant '[incture 1 teaspoon tincture of $aint-Johnk-wort leaf
1/2 teaspoon tinctures of licorice root, ginseng root, lemon balm leaf
and ashwaganda leaf (if available) .  Combine ingredients (if you do
not or cannot drink alcohol, buy glycerites instead of tinctures).

Take 1 dropperful 3 times a day.

ANXIE]-Y Anxiety, which is also very common, often accompanies
depression.  It is characterized by a feeling of impending disaster and
an inability to deal with the pressures of everyday life.  If your
anxiety is stress-related, try taking ginseng or the Ayurvedic herb
ashwaganda.  In a study conducted in 1982, nurses who switched from a
day to a night shift were tested to see how efficient they were and how
they reacted psychologically as they struggled to adjust to their new
routine.  Some of them were given ginseng to help them maintain
emotional balance; another group was not given anything.  Those who
took ginseng felt less moody and were much more steady emotionally than
those who did not take the herb.  In a 1990 study, ashwaganda, also
known as Indian ginseng, was given to people who had been diagnosed
with anxiety disorders.  Ashwaganda treatments improved the mental
condition of most participants in only three months.

If you visit a Chinese herbalist complaining of anxiety, expect a
recommendation of herbs with the unusual names of zizyphi seed and
ligustrum.

Ligustrum is one of the herbs commonly used to support the adrenal
glands when a person is under stress.  Studies conducted in China
showed that these herbs are successful anti-anxiety agents.

In the same studies, both herbs proved even more potent when combined
with licorice and the Chinese herbs poria and bunge root.  This ancient
Chinese combination is known as Suanzaorentang.  A 1986 study showed
that this treatment is almost as effective as the anti-anxiety drug
diazepam (known commercially as Valium) in dealing with anxiety,
weakness, irritability and insomnia.  When taken three times a day, the
herbal combination, unlike the drug, improved psychomotor skills and
produced no side effects.  In another 1986 study done in Europe, this
same combination helped people whose anxiety attacks were so severe
that they often experienced heart palpitations, chest pains and
shortness of breath.

In Polynesia, we find that a drink made of the root of kava has
traditionally been used to lift the spirits.  Throughout the South
Seas, kava ceremonies are held to celebrate important events.  Even
when taken out of the party atmosphere and into a scientist's
laboratory, kava still

Ligustrum is a main ingredient in the Chinese anti-anxiety formula
Sunzorentang.

makes people feel relaxed and friendly, In one of several clinical
studies, kava helped more than 50 people reduce both depression and
high anxiety levels--a difference was noticed after only one week.  And
in a study conducted in Germany in which kava was given to women
suffering from anxiety, depression and other symptoms associated with
menopause, the symptoms were relieved, and the women reported an
increased sense of well-being.

	BRAIN AND THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

According to German researchers who measured the brain waves of people
subject to anxiety, kava has been as effective in treating some forms
of anxiety as the powerful tranquilizers known as benzodiazepines.  And
unlike this drug and others used for similar purposes, kava does not
dampen alertness or lead to addiction.  In fact, it improves alertness,
vigilance and memory.  Kava is available in tincture and pill form at
natural food stores, usually as part of a formula with other herbs used
to treat the nervous system.

Valerian has also been compared with various prescription drugs.  It is
no wonder, considering that this herb affects the same nerve receptors
as ben-zodiazepines.

The most popular of these tranquilizers is Valium, which doctors have
long prescribed to relieve symptoms of anxiety, The drug is also used
to lessen the anxiety, agitation and tremors that occur during alcohol
withdrawal.  (If you have heard the popular rumor that Valium was
derived from valerian, you should know that it's not true--this myth
probably arose because their names are so similar.)

Physicians in Germany commonly prescribe valerian in place of Valium or
Xanax (another very common anti-anxiety drug) for mild and even
moderate cases of anxiety.  Some recommend fairly large doses--up to
two teaspoons of the tincture at least twice a day.  I know several
people who have needed to take this much for the first few weeks after
they stopped taking their antidepressant drugs.  For most people, a
dosage of this size creates no problems, but for a few it leads to
upset stomachs or headaches.  If you are taking Valium, Xanax or
related drugs on the advice of a physician, do not discontinue them
without your doctor's approval.  No prescription drug should be
discontinued before the prescribed stop date without consulting a
doctor.

The results of one study conducted in 1993 showed that valerian and
hops are calming to the central nervous system..

When volunteers took this combination, several measurements showed that
they experienced less depression and anxiety In fact, the herbs worked
faster than if the subjects had been given prescription drugs--hops and
valerian worked in only two weeks, as opposed to the six weeks required
for drugs.  The herbs also caused far fewer side effects.

You should know, though, that if you are used to strong prescription
sedatives, herbs such as valerian seem to have a harder time taking
effect.

Finally, folklore is filled with stories of herbs being used to improve
mood.

Around A.D. 1000, the Persian herbalist Avicenna recommended lemon balm
"to make the heart merry" In Europe, this herb was sipped in
cordials.

Motherwor t--recognized today as a heart herb that also increases blood
circulation in the brain--was recommended by the seventeenth-century
herbalist Nicholas Culpeper to prevent melancholy In modern times, it
has been studied in Germany, where it is recognized as a mild sedative
effective for treating anxiety and sleep disorders.

Modern herbalists find that both lemon balm and motherwort help
alleviate depression, especially when combined with other
antidepressant herbs.  And aromatherapists commonly use the scent of
lemon balm to treat depression.

One final remedy that I would suggest for relieving depression and
anxiety is capsules of GLA, which is found in evening primrose, borage
and black currant seed oils.  In studies done at the London Children's
Hyperactive Clinic in England, evening primrose oil was shown to reduce
depression and nightmares in children.

H EA DA C H E S iL

More than 45 million Americans have headaches severe enough to send
them to a doctor, according to the National Headache Foundation in
Chicago.  If you suffer from recurring headaches, it is important that
you see your doctor.  Recurring headaches can be symptoms or
indications of serious disorders such as tumors, meningitis, blood
poisoning or infection in or near the brain.

The majority of headaches, however, are tension headaches, which
tighten up muscles in your head.  They are triggered by stress,
illness, bright lights, food sensitivities or even changes in the
weather.

Next time you experience this type of headache, remember that it can be
eased with relaxation techniques, gentle massage of the back of the
neck and sedative herbs.  In fact, a good way to deal with most
headaches is to reduce the stress in your life.

Hangover, hunger, migraine, cluster and "ice cream" headaches (brought
on by sudden cold, such as eating ice cream too quickly) are examples
of circulation or vascular headaches.  They are helped by taking herbs
that promote relaxation, along with those that dilate blood vessels in
the head.

In some cases, long-term use of typical commercial headache
relievers--codeine, acetaminophen, meperidine (Demerol), ibuprofen and
even aspirin--makes your headaches more frequent, more severe or
both.

When the New England Center for Headache in Greenwich, Connecticut,
took people who experience chronic headaches off their daily dose of
five or six painkillers, a surprising two-thirds of them were having
fewer headaches by the end of the month.  After two months, four-fifths
of these people were experiencing even less pain than when they were
taking the pills.  And the immediate side effects of the
drugs--digestive problems, drowsiness and dizziness--are nothing to
shrug off.

If these statistics alone are not enough to persuade you to turn to
herbs the next time a headache strikes, consider the long-term effects
of the typical painkillers.  The results of a 1994 scientific survey
suggest that there might be a direct correlation between the habitual
use of acetaminophen--at least one tablet a day for a year or more--and
the development of kidney failure.  The survey also indicated that
people who take large quantities of other pain relievers, such as
ibuprofen, naproxen and indomethacin, may increase their chance of
kidney failure eightfold.  The majority of painkillers also cause
stress on the liver, especially in high or repeated doses.  This is
because they are detoxified in the liver.

Want some natural alternatives to ease your aching head?  Try drinking
a ginger tea.  Numerous clinical studies have shown that this herb can
be used to relieve headaches.  Researchers believe it does so by
relaxing the blood vessels in the head and diminishing swelling in the
brain.  It also activates natural opiates in the brain that relieve
pain, and it reduces prostaglandins, which are responsible for causing
inflammation.

Other traditional headache teas are made with chamomile, lemon balm and
linden (the flowers of the lime tree), which is is far more popular in
Europe than in North America.  In The British Herb Pharmacopoeia,
linden is listed as a sedative for treating nervous tension and
headaches.  Researchers suspect that this herb heals migraines (and
other vascular headaches) by improving blood circulation.

For other ways to ease tension headaches, see the information on
natural aspirins and muscle relaxants in "Pain: Inflammation" on page
44.

You should also consider using herbs known to reduce stress (see
"Stress" on page 52)--these may take care of your stress headaches.

In a 1994 study on headaches, the essential oils of peppermint and
eucalyptus relaxed both mind and muscles.

When these herbs were diluted in alcohol, then sponged on the foreheads
of study participants, both greatly reduced sensitivity to headaches.

My own favorite headache herb is lavender.  A tincture of lavender
called Palsy Drops was recognized as an effective herbal treatment in
the British Pharmacopoeia for more than 200 years.  Until the

1940s, physicians used this tincture to relieve muscle spasms,
nervousness and headaches.

The essential oils of any of these herbs--peppermint, eucalyptus and
lavender--can also be used to make an excellent compress to place on
your forehead whenever a headache hits.  Most headaches respond best to
a cold compress, but you may find that a warm or hot compress, or
alternating cold and hot compresses, works even better.  My rule of
thumb is to do whatever feels best to relieve the pain.  If you are
using a compress on someone else, simply ask which the individual
prefers.  I find that placing a second compress on the back of the neck
is especially helpful.  When you are on the run and do not have time
for compresses, dab a small drop of lavender, eucalyptus or peppermint
essential oil on each temple.

Bathing can also be helpful, although some people cannot tolerate a hot
bath--it only makes their heads pound more.  But if you are one of
those people for whom bathing does help, add a few drops of a relaxing
essential oil (you can use lavender or see chapter 16 for other
aromatherapy options) to your bath water.

One interesting technique that short-circuits a vascular headache, such
as a migraine, is to regulate circulation by raising the temperature of
the hands by 15 degrees.  Simply place your hands in hot (but not too
hot) water and add a couple drops of lavender, eucalyptus or peppermint
essential oil to the water to increase its effect.

In one 1993 study on cluster headaches, a cream made from capsaicinthe
compound that makes cayenne and chili peppers hot--was shown to provide
some relief.  After two weeks of regularly rubbing this cream onto
their temples, the people who participated in this study said that the
capsaicin cream made a difference.  One-quarter of the people who used
it had far fewer headaches than the group using plain cream, and those
who tended to get cluster headaches benefited the most.  As you might
expect, there were a few complaints about burning and runny noses!

However, for most people, having the sniffles was far better than
having a blinding headache.  A study conducted in 1965 showed that
capsaicin works by blocking a neurotransmitter called substance P (for
pain)--it simply stops pain impulses from registering in the brain.

For full blocking effect, capsaicin must be applied four or five times
a day for four weeks.

Migraines are a particularly nasty and increasingly common type of
headache.

When you have a migraine, the pain, which often lasts all day, is
usually felt on only one side of the head.  It may also be accompanied
by nausea, distortion in vision and a peculiar visual sensation, called
an aura, that precedes the headache with flashes of light, tunnel
vision and/or blind spots.  These headaches seem to occur when arteries
in the brain constrict, then suddenly relax.  No one knows why, but
twice as many women experience migraines as men, most often before or
during menstruation.

In 1990 1 read an article in a scientific journal about a woman who
treated her migraines with ginger.  When the migraine aura first
started, she stirred 500 to 600 milligrams of powdered ginger into a
glass of water and drank it down.  Only 30 minutes later, her pain
subsided.  She took ginger again that day, and for several more days,
to ward off future attacks.  Encouraged by her success, she began
adding fresh, uncooked ginger to her meals and found that she was
having far fewer attacks.  I know people who suffer frequent migraines
who will not leave the house without carrying a little crystallized
candy ginger or a piece of raw ginger root in their pockets.  One
friend told me that even cooked ginger seems to do the trick for her.

As you will read again and again in this book, ginkgo is wonderful for
improving blood circulation--for this reason, it is a great choice for
a remedy to treat circulation headaches.  French scientists have done
many studies on ginkgo.  Several of these showed that treatments made
using this herb were effective for reducing vascular headaches
(migraines, cluster headaches, hangovers).  In at least one of these
studies, ginkgo reduced headaches in 80 percent of the people who took
it, most of whom were experiencing migraines on a regular basis.

People who participated in the study said that they had tried just
about everything they could think of to get rid of their headaches, but
nothing worked until they discovered ginkgo.  The researchers
responsible for this study concluded that ginkgo should be considered
one of the most effective remedies for migraines.  Ginkgo is also the
remedy of choice to treat dizziness and tinnitus, or ringing in the
ear, which are often associated with headaches.

'the headache herb feverflower has long been used as an aromatic to ward
off diseases and repel insects.

Feverfew is also a good choice for the treatment of migraines and other
vascular headaches.  In his 1772 Family Herbal, John Hill stated, "In
the worst headache, this herb exceeds whatever else is known."  The
City of London Migraine Clinic in England found that almost 75 percent
of those with migraines who took feverflower had fewer, or at least less
severe, headaches.  In a study done at the Department of Medicine and
Hem-tology at City Hospital in Nottingham, England, people who
experience many headaches ate fresh feverflower leaves for three months
and stopped using their usual headache drugs for at least the last
month.  The result was less severe headaches and fewer symptoms such as
nausea and vomiting.  The team that ate feverflower discovered an
unexpected side effect as well--an increased sense of well-being.

When I first read about this study, I realized that the renowned
sixteenth-century herbalist John Gerard may have been on to something
when he suggested feverflower "for them that are giddy in the head ...

melancholic, sad, [or] pensive."

Although feverflower has been studied for years, the exact way in which it
works remains a mystery Researchers have said that one way the herb
appears to reduce migraines is by inhibiting the release of serotonin
in the brain.  It may also decrease swelling in the brain by reducing
the amounts of prostaglandins, histamines and other substances that
cause inflammation, according to Denis Awang, Ph.D former director of
the Natural Products Section of Canada's Department of Health and
Welfare.  The flesh leaves of feverflower are more potent than the dried,
so when you buy a tincture or freeze-dried capsule, make sure that the
product was made with fresh leaves (this should be clearly marked on
the label).

Remember, though, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

If you suffer from migraines, you should follow the suggestion of the
National Headache Foundation to avoid certain foods known to trigger
migraines: ripened cheese (Cheddar, Gruyere, Brie and Camembert, among
others), onions, pickles, cured meats, avocados, flesh bread, red wine,
sour cream, nuts, chocolate, coffee, tea, cola and alcohol.

(This list makes a cocktail party sound like a certain invitation to a
migraine!) In an experiment at a Texas neurology clinic, over 25
percent of people who get migraines improved when these foods were
removed from their diet.

Headache Tincture

1 teaspoon each tinctures offeverflower leaves, ginkgo leaves, valerian
rhizome, ginger rhizome and peppermint leaves e Combine ingredients.

Take a dropperful as needed, up to 8 times a day

Lavender Headache Compress

5 drops lavender essential oil

1 cup cold water t Add essential oil to water and swish a soft cloth in
it.  Wring out the cloth, lie down and close your eyes.  Place the
cloth over your forehead and eyes.  Use throughout the day, as often as
you can.

INSOMNIA

My friend Amber struggled with a chronic stress-related illness for
years.

Insomnia was just one of her symptoms.

In fact, she had so many symptoms that were similar to those resulting
from chronic insomnia that her physician could not tell which were due
to the illness and which resulted from lack of sleep.  He prescribed a
strong barbiturate so that she could sleep and so that her life would
be more manageable.  In time, Amber got better and was finally able to
get a job, but she still had trouble sleeping without the drugs.  She
would lie awake for hours, and when she did doze off, her sleep would
be filled with bizarre dreams.  In the end, she always awoke to find
that she was more tired than when she had gone to bed.  Amber was
sleepy and easily distracted at work, and her husband complained about
her short temper.

On the recommendation of a clerk at a health food store, Amber tried a
combination of all the best-known herbal sedatives, including valerian,
skullcap, hops, passionflower and chamomile.  She felt more relaxed in
the evenings, but she still could not sleep.  Desperate to save herjob
and perhaps her marriage, not to mention her sanity, she turned back to
the barbiturates--and had to take a double dose to fall asleep.  They
worked, but she was groggy for hours the next morning and felt off
balance all day.  She tried her best to hide it, but could not avoid
embarrassing moments at work, like the time she veered into the copy
machine.  The same day, she collided with another employee, and her
file of papers went flying.  Amber's boss probably thought she was
hitting the bottle.

And Amber feared she might become addicted to her pills as she
gradually began upping the dose.  Amber bravely decided to give herbs
another try.

This time, she sought the advice of an herbalist who explained that the
health food store clerk had indeed been on the right track.  However,
the 30 drops of tincture before bedtime that the clerk recommended was
barely enough to begin addressing her problem.  Amber started taking
Saint-John's-wort, Siberian ginseng, skullcap and lots of valerian a
few times a day, then an extra-large dose an hour before bedtime.  It
was not an easy transition going from drugs to herbs, but she felt it
was worth it in the long run.  Slowly, the herbs began to work their
magic, and for the first time in years, she felt like she had a normal
life again.  And yes, both her marriage and job survived.

Have you, like Amber, ever stayed up all night counting sheep?  If so,
you may be able to imagine how lack of sleep diminishes the quality of
life for the 20 million to 50 million people with chronic insomnia in
the United States.

It is important to get plenty of sleep to keep your nervous system
operating smoothly While stress, worry or simply drinking coffee or
eating just before bedtime can occasionally keep you from nodding off,
chronic insomnia is another matter.

It contributes to headaches, dizziness and mental confusion and
eventually leads to emotional instability Insomnia is actually a
symptom of various disorders, not a disease in itself.  If you suffer
from more than the occasional sleepless night, you should get checked
for thyroid and estrogen imbalances, low blood sugar, chronic heart and
lung conditions, chronic pain and other disorders that can cause
sleeplessness.  You should also improve your sleeping environment: Make
sure that your bed, pillow and room temperature are comfortable and
that your bedroom is dark and quiet.

Don't use your bed for anything except sleeping and sex--no reading or
needlework!--and wait until you're sleepy before going to bed.

Relaxing music, a good stretching regimen, a hot bath, a massage and
deep, rhythmic breathing also help induce sleep.  So do sedative herbs,
which in the long run are far better for you than drugs that promote
sleep.

Sleeping pills certainly provide temporary relief, but long-term use of
them may have side effects such as liver damage, high blood pressure
and suppressed immunity Besides, you can all too easily become
dependent on them.  For most people who take sleeping pills regularly,
it takes only two to three weeks before they need to up the dose.  And
when they try to discontinue the pills, withdrawal often becomes a
problem--and sleeplessness, agitation and fogginess often lead these
troubled folks to reach for the pills again.

But who really needs sleeping pills anyway?  Especially when natural
alternatives abound.  When the Nestle Research Center in Switzerland
decided to conduct laboratory tests on sleep inducers recommended in
herbal lore, catnip, chamomile, lettuce, orange flower, poppy seeds,
rosemary, almonds and especially valerian got high scores.  And in a
1989 study, almost half of the people with insomnia who took valerian
had a perfect night's sleep and almost everyone else found that their
sleep improved to some degree.  According to the results of several
other studies, including one conducted in Germany in 1993, valerian
helps you fall asleep more quickly, especially if you are elderly or a
habitually poor sleeper.  And once you do fall asleep, the deep sleep
stages that are so important to a restful night are deepened.  The
results of another study conducted in Germany shoved that a combination
of valerian and lemon balm sent even the worst sleepers off to
dreamland as effectively as the drugs commonly prescribed for sleep.

Valerian has been compared to various prescription drugs.  One compound
found in this herb depresses the central nervous system so well that
the effect is similar to that of the sedative barbiturate
phenobarbital.  And valerian does this without causing any dizziness,
blurred vision, drowsiness or poor physical performance and
concentration the next day, as tranquilizers and barbiturates so often
do.  It does not even affect your dream recall or the ability to awaken
refreshed in the morning.  People in one study reported that they even
felt much better the next day

Another herb that is good for treating insomnia is catnip.  For some
reason, though, catnip has never been as popular as valerian, even
though the two contain similar components that encourage sleep.

Nevertheless, it did have its heyday The English have long enjoyed
their afternoon tea, and in pre-Elizabethan times, the beverage of
choice was a relaxing cup of catnip tea.  Times have changed, however,
and now a stimulating cup of imported black tea is preferred.

But catnip remains one of the favorite herb teas for sending children
off to sleep.

Studies conducted in the late 1970s confirmed that catnip is indeed a
potent sleep-inducer for humans.  Like valerian, catnip calms you
without disrupting performance the next day And it is a plant that you
can easily grow yourself.

In fact, if you are lucky enough to have your own herb garden, you
might already have catnip in it.  Just be sure to protect it from your
cats.  Catnip and valerian both have the opposite effect on cats and
rats as on people--they act as stimulants.  According to legend, the
Pied Piper's secret to ridding the village of Hamelin of rats was not
his music, but the valerian he had tucked in his pockets!

Plenty of research has been done on chamomile's ability to relieve pain
and insomnia.  In a study conducted in 1973, almost all the people who
drank chamomile tea instead of taking their regular pain medication
fell into a deep sleep within ten minutes.  The Germans call chamomile
alles zutraut, or "capable of anything"--chamomile is so versatile that
I sometimes think it can indeed do anything.

Passionflower has been a popular sleep inducer since the days of the
Aztecs and the Incas, and it is still widely used in Brazil to treat
insomnia, anxiety and nervousness.  Combined with valerian, this herb
makes one of the most popular sleeping aids in Europe, where you can
find it sold in almost every drugstore.  Passionflower is particularly
helpful when tight muscles or an overactive mind disturb your sleep.

Research from the Escola Paulista de Medi-cina in Brazil in the early
1990s showed that passionflower depresses the central nervous system.

If you are having trouble falling asleep at night or if you wake up too
early in the morning and cannot doze off again, try Saint-John's-wort
to help regulate disturbed sleep patterns.  Like ps-sionflower, it
adjusts brain chemistry, helping to increase the availability of the
neurotransmitter serotonin, which is responsible for promoting sleep
and relaxation, as we know.  When taken over a period of many weeks or
even months, both of these herbs help people who suffer from chronic
insomnia.

In India, gotu kola is taken to overcome insomnia and make one calm for
yoga practice and meditation.

Despite its name, the sedative herb gotu kola is not related to the
kola nut-a caffeine-based herbal stimulant.

Besides other sedative compounds, gotu kola contains an abundance of
the "anti-stress" B vitamins.

Suanzaorentang, a Chinese formula used to treat depression, also
improves sleep.  It contains licorice, zizyphi seed, ligustrum, poria
and bunge root.  In a study conducted in 1985, people with insomnia who
took this formula 30 minutes before bedtime found that they slept much
better.  Symptoms resulting from lack of sleep also improved
significantly: People reported far fewer heart palpitations and stiff
necks, less nervousness and less lower back pain.  In general, they
also felt an improved sense of well-being.

Even after discontinuing the formula, the individuals involved in the
study continued to sleep well for a week before returning to their
former disrupted sleep patterns.

Hops is another important sleep-promoting herb with a unique way of
working.  It acts directly on the central nervous system, and takes
effect in 20 to 40 minutes when taken as a tea or tincture or in
pills.

In studies conducted in Germany on people who have trouble sleeping,
those who were given a combination of valerian and hops reported that
they experienced a much sounder sleep.  These favorable reports were
confirmed by researchers who observed the participants in this study
and measured their brain waves as they slept.

Even sniffing hops helps you doze off.  Throughout much of Europe, bed
pillows have for centuries been stuffed with dried hops for just that
reason.  Unlike most herbs, hops actually gets better with
age--exposure to air increases its sedative effect.

Hops Sleep Pillow

2 pieces of fabric about 8 inches square

1/4 cup hops strobiles i/8 cup chamomile flowers

/ cup lavender flowers (optional)

*- Sew pieces of fabric together around the edge to form the pillow,
leaving enough room to insert a tablespoon.

Turn the pillow inside out so that the stitching is inside.  Combine
herbs and spoon them into the pillow.  Sew up the opening.  Lay the
hops pillow under your regular sleeping pillow.  If you are feeling
creative, you can make the pillow any shape or size--just make more of
this recipe to fill it.  The hops should last about a year.

Insomnia Formula  teaspoon each tinctures of valerian rhizome, hops
strobiles, passion-flower and chamomile flowers .  Combine
ingredients.

These herbs can also be made into a tea, although most people prefer
the tincture because the tea doesn't taste very good.  Also, valerian
is more effective as a tincture since some of its components are not
water soluble.

Until recently, accounts of herbs improving intelligence and memory
were regarded as whimsies of folklore.  Now we know better.  Scientists
are learning that herbs can help us think better.

searchers are also dispelling a few myths about memory loss and
aging.

Medical experts know that in older people, being run-down or tired can
lead to confusion.

And increased anxiety can contribute to problems by cluttering up
memory channels.  The primary cause of age-related memory problems,
however, is arteriosclerosis (see page 62), which slows the flow of
blood to the brain.  And this is a problem because the brain requires
20 percent of the total oxygen carried in the blood to function
properly.

While it is true that you normally forget more things as you grow
older, only about 10 percent of North Americans over 65 suffer from
true senility or memory-loss disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.

The good news, according to Stanford University psychiatrist Jerome
Yesavage, M.D is that most memory loss resulting solely from age can be
orevented.  A study funded by the National Institute on Aging in which
a group of people were charted for 28 years found that many showed no
intellectual decline at all, even after they were well into their
seventies.  The researchers who conducted the study concluded that
people turning 65 today are mentally sharper than those of previous
generations, thanks to better nutrition and education.

This means that the odds are high that your mind will remain sharp as
you grow older.  And there are quite a few herbs to help ensure that it
does.  Clinical studies have shown that the four ginkgo, ginseng,
Siberian ginseng and gotu kola--enhance mental abilities, including
concentration, aptitude, behavior, alertness and even intelligence.

And this seems especially true if you have experienced a decline in any
of these.

In one study, proofreaders and radio telegraph workers, both of whom
have stressful jobs that require close attention to detail, made fewer
errors--only half as many as those who didn't take the herb--and had a
quicker reaction time when they took Siberian ginseng or ginseng while
working under pressure.

They also managed to increase their reading speed and concentration.

In a Russian study in which people with senility or mental disorders
due to atherosclerosis were given Siberian ginseng for one to three
months, most participants experienced an improved memory and, as an
added benefit, even felt stronger and more self-confident.  In the
ancient Chinese herbal known as the Pents'ao, ginseng is recommended
for "benefiting the understanding."

In India, gotu kola has long been used as a brain tonic.  There the
herb is called brahmi, which is translated as "the highest order."

The best-known herb for improving memory is ginkgo.  In dozens of
studies done in Germany and France during the last decade, ginkgo
helped elderly people feel more alert, attentive and sociable and less
moody, generally after one or two months of taking it.  It also
improved their reaction time.  One way ginkgo does this is by boosting
the brain's ability to use oxygen.

Several scientific teams researching ginkgo in the mid-1990s found that
this herb improves mental and even behavioral performance in the
elderly better than a very, popular drug for senility And the herb
produced no side effects and was not habit-forming.  Ginkgo is good for
long-term effects, but it is also fast-acting.  When women took it only
one hour before being given a battery of psychological and
physiological tests, every woman improved her performance.

In this 1984 study, researchers concluded that ginkgo has 'a specific
effect on the memory process."

I have even begun bringing a bottle of ginkgo to share with my students
at the start of daylong herb classes.  I pass around some more at the
lunch break.

Usually at least half the students say they can really tell the
difference.  And they tell me they feel even more alert when I combine
it with some Siberian ginseng and ginseng.  Over the years, quite a few
of my students have attended college.

They have relied on ginkgo, sometimes in combination with the other
"brain herbs" (ginseng, Siberian ginseng and gotu kola), to help them
get through.

They dose up especially heavily with a dropperful or two of the
tincture about an hour before an exam.  All of these students,
especially the older ones who are going back to school a second time,
say that the herbs seem to help them think faster and more clearly

Currently, research is under way to see if herbs might be used to help
reverse or at least stop the progress of Alzheimer's disease, an
increasingly common degenerative disorder in which memory and related
aspects of cognition deteriorate over time.  One of the herbs that
researchers are most interested in is ginkgo.  Another is the Chinese
herb club moss, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine to
promote circulation.

In Alzheimer's disease, neurons are destroyed because of a defect in a
neuro-transmitter called acetylcholine.  Chemist Alan Kozikowski, Ph.D
from the University of Pittsburgh, found that a derivative of club moss
reduces the breakdown of acetylcholine.  He found that the effect of
this herb is three times stronger than that of drugs typically
prescribed for Alzheimer's.  It is hoped that herbs may offer part of
the solution to this terrible disease.

Memory 'l-incture

1 teaspoon each tinctures ofginhgo leaves and Siberian ginseng root

A teaspoon each tinctures of ginseng root and gotu bola leaves

*. Combine ingredients.  Take half a dropperful a few times a day Take
extra tincture an hour or so before an exam or an important office
meeting, or at any time you need extra focus.

PAN:

INFLAMMATION

CIN E

Pain occurs when the sensitive nerve endings in your body become
irritated.  This commonly happens when tissue swells--say, from a
bruise, tensing of muscles or an overabundance of agents produced by
your body in response to allergies, stress or a hormonal imbalance--and
presses on the surrounding nerves.  It also happens when your nerves
are damaged from injury or strained from overuse.  Whatever the cause,
pain is your body's way of telling you that something is wrong.  It is
important to get to the root of what is causing the pain, but also to
make yourself comfortable in the meantime.

Chronic pain alone can cause a chain reaction in the body that can be
quite detrimental: Pain leads to long-term stress, possibly to
depression, then to greater sensitMty to pain and thus to more pain.

Herbs known to reduce inflammation can also help stop your pain.  Herbs
are also advantageous because they do not have the long list of
dangerous side effects that result from long-term use of steroids and
other anti-inflammatory drugs.  As Lawrence J. Leventhal, M.D pointed
out in a 1993 article, many drug treatments for rheumatoid arthritis
"are associated with adverse effects...that can often be as difficult
to manage as the disease itself."

Most of the herbs suggested for problems such as arthritis do little to
fight the disorder itself, but they do reduce the pain, and if you
suffer from arthritis, you know that is a big step.  You must have
patience--it can take anywhere from a week to a couple of months for
you to notice any The word aspirin comes from "spirea," an ancient name
for the natural pain reliever meadowsweet.

improvement, but the results can be dramatic.

Sometimes the herbs help increase mobility of arthritic joints.  In the
most serious cases, herbs have at least enabled people with arthritis
to reduce the amount of steroid drugs they were taking.

The best-known commercial pain reliever is aspirin.  But did you know
that there are natural aspirins like willow bark and meadowsweet?  The
magic ingredient in these herbs is salicin, which converts in the
stomach to salicylic acid, a compound you have probably heard about in
aspirin commercials on television.

Salicylic acid was first synthesized by chemists in the mid-nineteenth
century.

It was hoped that this new purified form would not irritate the stomach
as natural aspirins did, but the new drug turned out to be even more
irritating, and it was terribly bitter.  Then the slightly less
irritating acetylsalicylic acid was developed.

Reflecting its herbal heritage, this new compound was called 'aspirin,"
from "spirea," the old name for meadowsweet (not the ornamental spirea
bush).

No one heard much about aspirin until Felix Hoffman, an employee at the
Frederick Bayer drug company, became concerned about his father's
problem with rheumatoid arthritis.  He began thumbing through old
medical journals, discovered aspirin and thought his dad might as well
give it a try.  Thanks to Hoffman and his investigations, the Bayer
company started selling aspirin tablets as an over-the-counter drug in
1899.  Today, aspirin is the most widely sold painkiller and
anti-inflammatory in the world.  Unlike its herbal counterparts, this
purified, synthetic form is so potent that medical researchers say that
if it were introduced today, instead of in the more lenient nineteenth
century, the Food and Drug Administration, the federal agency that
oversees the sales and dispersement of drugs in the United States,
would demand that it be sold by prescription only Herbalists use willow
bark or meadowsweet to fight many of the same symptoms for which you
might pop an aspirin.  Two cups of tea or 1 to 2 drop-perfuls of willow
bark or meadowsweet tincture usually does the trick.  Ironically, it
turns out that these natural aspirins are far less irritating to your
stomach than the synthetic drug.  This is especially true of
meadowsweet, which herbalists even recommend to treat the pain of
stomach ulcers.  The results of numerous European studies indicate that
meadowsweet protects the stomach from ulcers and other irritations,
something that the Eclectic physicians knew a century ago.

Both natural and synthetic aspirins decrease pain by reducing the
levels of pain-producing prostaglandins, hormonelike chemicals that
are manufactured in the body Prostaglandins serve many important
functions, but for various reasons the body sometimes makes too much of
them.  Medical researchers believe that high levels of these chemicals
are a typical cause of menstrual cramps and that they play a role in
both migraine headaches and various types of arthritis.

Although feverflower contains different compounds than the other natural
aspirins, it also stops inflammation and the resulting pain by reducing
prostaglandin levels, according to several studies conducted in the
United States--and it often works even better than aspirin.  I have not
found this to be consistently true for everyone.  The best way to
figure out the most potent pain reliever for you is to do a little
experimenting--try the different herbs I've mentioned to see which
works best.

Another herb that reduces pain by lowering prostaglandin levels is
ginger, which has long been used in India to treat inflammation and
pain.  When Indian researchers investigated their culture's ancient
claims for ginger, they discovered that it did indeed relieve pain.  In
a 1992 study in which ginger was given to people who suffered from
muscle pain, all of the participants showed at least some
improvement.

In the same study, the ginger treatment provided substantial relief for
over 75 percent of those who had painful rheumatoid arthritis or
osteoarthritis.

And best of all, no one experienced side effects, not even the people
who continued to take it for more than two years.

The recommended dose is 500 to 1,000 milligrams a day, although doses
that are double and even triple that bring quicker and better relief.

And ginger actually does double-duty--in addition to relieving pain, it
also brings more blood to the injured, inflamed area.

The enzyme bromelin, from the stem of the pineapple, is also effective
in inhibiting prostaglandins.  In an extensive five-year study of more
than 200 people experiencing inflammation as a result of surgery,
traumatic injuries and wounds, 75 percent of the study participants had
good to excellent improvement with bromelin--a much higher rate than
that afforded by drugs.

Most of the people in this study were discharged from the hospital in
only eight days--half the usual amount of time.

They also experienced no side effects.

The results of several other studies showed that this enzyme also
reduces inflammation resulting from arthritis or sports injuries.

Bromelin is currently being used for pain relief in a number of U.S.
hospitals.

In China, herbalists use bupleurum, ginseng and licorice to reduce or
relieve pain resulting from inflammation.  All three of these herbs
stimulate the pituitary and adrenal glands to increase natural
production of adrenal hormones such as cortisone that reduce the
infiam-marion and consequent pain caused by conditions such as
arthritis.  And while prescription drugs such as prednisone produce
adverse side effects, these herbs have quite the opposite effect--the
drugs eventually shrink the size of your adrenal glands, impairing
their function, but bupleurum and ginseng reduce adrenal shrinkage.

According to the re-suits of a 1984 study, when bupleurum is taken in
conjunction with the prescription drugs, compounds in the herb even
repair the damage already done by the drugs.

Some of the side effects that can come with taking cortisone are
depression, thymus atrophy, high cholesterol and decreased levels of
the neurotransmitter serotonin and the pituitary hormone ACTH.  Studies
have shown that licorice prevents all of these and also stops the liver
from breaking down and deactivating your body's natural cortisone too
quickly Licorice also appears to enhance the action of bupleurum.

Of course, it took Western researchers a while to catch on to
licorice's versatility At first, they were investigating how a
licorice-based cream reduced the pain and swelling of skin inflammation
problems such as eczema.  Finally, they realized it might also have
potential to help people with arthritis when taken internally Sure
enough, licorice proved very effective.

Licorice and ginseng offer another benefit to people with rheumatoid
arthritis--they enhance the immune system.  So do several other herbs
used successfully to treat arthritis.  Dr. Lawrence Leventhal, who was
mentioned at the beginning of this section, is interested in the use of
gamma linoleic acid (GLA), which is found in evening primrose, borage
and black currant oils, to reduce inflammation, boost immunity and help
maintain cell membranes in painful inflammatory disorders such as
rheumatoid arthritis.  In his study of people who suffer from this
condition, GLA significantly improved the symptoms of joint tenderness
and swelling in those who took it daily for six months.

Cat's claw, an herb that grows in South America and is described on
page 105, not only enhances the functioning of the immune system, but
also has been found to reduce inflammation.  This herb is also used to
treat rheumatoid arthritis--researchers have discovered that cat's claw
contains anti-arthritic compounds.

You may be surprised to find that the famous immune enhancer echinacea
also serves as an anti-inflammatory The same compound--hyaluronic
acid--that protects cells from germ and viral invasion also lubricates
your joints.  Unfortunately, rheumatoid arthritis breaks down this
acid.  Echinacea is an excellent herb to use for most inflammatory
disorders for another reason: Many of them, including rheumatoid
arthritis, are linked with immune system problems.

Guggul, a resin from a relative of the myrrh tree, has long been used
by practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine to fight pain resulting from
inflammation.  The results of one study showed that people experienced
significant relief from their arthritic pain after three months of
using a traditional Indian combination of guggul, turmeric, withania
and the mineral zinc.  One of the compounds responsible for the
efficacy of this treatment is curcumin, the active compound in
turmeric, the spice that makes curry powder yellow:

In fact, curcumin has been shown to be as effective as cortisone and
phenyl-butazone in decreasing inflammation.  In one study with men who
had surgery-related hernia, this compound reduced tenderness much more
than the drug or a placebo.  Like cayenne, curcumin contains pain
relievers that stop the neuro-transmitter substance P from sending its
pain signals to the brain.  It also works in several ways to decrease
inflammation--by reducing prostaglandin activity Researchers also
believe that curcumin increases cortisone's anti-inflammatory action by
making the body more sensitive to this hormone.  So the next time you
sit down to a curry dinner, consider that you are doing far more for
your body than simply giving it a flavorful meal.

Other plants or plant compounds that have been compared to the
anti-inflammatory drug phenylbutazone--but without the drug's long-term
adverse effects--are Chinese skullcap, devil's claw and the compound
lapachol from the South American herb pau d'arco.

The Department of Antibiotics at the Federal University of Pernambuco
in Recife, Brazil, has used this compound to develop an
anti-inflammatory for use on the skin.

Research on Chinese skullcap conducted in China and Russia has
validated theories about its sedative action and ability to stabilize
nerve-related heart problems.  This herb, which is related to European
skullcap, has also been favorably compared to anti-inflammatory drugs
such as aspirin and ibuprofen.  As is true of most pain relievers, the
reasons for the effectiveness of Chinese skullcap are not well
understood.

One thing we do know, however, is that it produces no side effects.

The curiously named devil's claw is so called because of the shape of
its large fruit, which resembles a clawlike hand.

In Europe, physicians give devil's claw as an injection, and it is also
available as a tea and an external ointment for pain from
inflammation.

In southern Africa, this herb also has a long history of use for
arthritis, rheumatic diseases, lover back pain and other inflammatory
disorders.

Another important herb is yucca.  In one study, people with arthritis
were divided into two groups: One group was given an extract derived
from yucca the other was given a placebo.  Almost three times as many
of those who took the yucca reported reduced swelling, pain and
stiffness as those who took the placebo.  Some of these people felt
better in a matter of days for others it took weeks and for some it
took over three months.  While other scientific investigations into the
effects of yucca on people show little action, herbalists have reported
success in using it.  This may be because the longest of these studies
lasted only three weeks, and long-term use of the herb is generally
necessary before any improvement is apparent.  This proved true in a
two-month study in France in which people with various types of
arthritis took 11/2 grams of yucca a day.  About nine out of ten
participants reported that the intensity of their pain decreased.

In this section, I have not mentioned external treatments for
inflammation problems.  For advice on liniments and muscle-relaxing
oils that reduce swelling, see "Sprains and Strains" on page 266.  In
addition, herbs that increase circulation, such as prickly ash, ginkgo,
hawthorn and gotu kola, can help increase the blood supply to an
inflamed area, thus speeding the healing process.

Inflammation Pain l-incture

A teaspoon each tinctures of bupleurum root, ginseng root, licorice
root, echinacea root, yucca root and turmeric (if available) .  Combine
ingredients.  Take half a dropperful a few times a day or as needed.

For long-term use, consult an herbalist.

PAIN: NERVE

AND MUSCLE

Any time you experience nerve damage or injury, you can count on it
being pretty unpleasant.  Neuralgia is the term doctors use to describe
nerve pain--the sharp, often tingling pain that runs along a nerve and
can sometimes create an uncomfortable dullness or numbing sensation.

Nerve pain can be caused by pressure on the nerve--say, from a ruptured
spinal disk--or by a simple injury such as a sprain.  One common
example of neuralgia is sciatica, a condition that involves pain
running down the back of your leg, along the sciatic nerve.

Neuralgia can also result from repeated use of a particular nerve or
muscle group.  An example of this is the infamous carpal tunnel
syndrome, in which a nerve in your wrist becomes compressed, causing
great pain in the wrist and hand.  This syndrome is fairly common in
office clerks, writers and others who spend most of each day typing,
and in carpenters who spend their days pounding nails.  You can also
develop compressed nerves by continuously leaning on your elbow or
crossing your legs all the time.

Degeneration of the nerve fibers themselves, which is most common in
elderly people, also leads to constant pain.  And certain diseases,
such as herpes and the closely related shingles, cause painful skin
eruptions that break out along the nerves.  The herbal treatments I
suggest for nerve pain can be used to treat these disorders as well as
to relieve the symptoms of nerve degeneration re-suiting from diabetes
and nervous system disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS), in which
the protective sheath that surrounds the nerves is partially
destroyed.

While there is no known cure for either of these disorders, I have
certainly seen herbs improve the quality of life of people who suffer
from them.

None of the available herbs offers the significant pain relief given by
prescription drugs.  (Granted, there are some pretty strong painkillers
derived from plants, such as morphine from opium poppies, but these are
available only by prescription.) Unlike heavy-duty prescription drugs,
however, the herbs mentioned here help heal your nervous system instead
of only suppressing the pain.

And they don't dull the senses and are not addictive, as are many of
today's popular prescription painkillers.

There are actually many herbs that can help relieve pain, and not all
of them work the same way Saint-John's-wort and vervain are nervous
system relaxants that help you recover when your nerves are damaged,
inflamed or strained.

Vervain is a bushy plant that has been used medicinally for thousands
of years, but has fallen from favor in modern times.  Still, some
herbalists swear by its aspirin-like effects in relieving minor pain
and reducing inflammation.  Vervain is also considered a nerve tonic,
especially when used constantly over several weeks--it improves the
general action of the nerves and makes the system healthier.  (It is
also rumored to be a mild antidepressant, xvhich may be one reason it
used to he called "simpler's joy.") I find it works best when mixed
with other nerve tonics.

Every spring, the hills around my home are covered with two excellent
nervous system toners: California poppy and oats.  Both of these herbs
are available as ingredients in formulas and occasionally as individual
tinctures.

All of these nervous system herbs help relieve pain.  They can be
useful in treating pain brought on by sciatica, herpes, shingles and
carpal tunnel syndrome.  These herbs can be taken internally as
tinctures or pills.  Saint-John's-wort can be used externally along
with essential oils that reduce inflammation, such as chamomile,
marjoram and lavender.

Oats aren't just for breakfast anymore--they're also a great treatment
for nerve pain.

I know firsthand the benefits of such herbs.  A few years ago, while
writing my herb encyclopedia, I began experiencing nerve problems in my
shoulders, arms and wrists.  Sometimes problems like this creep up on
you slowly when you are busy, and it takes something fairly dramatic to
make you realize how dire things have become.  For me, that day came
when my wrists hurt so badly that I was unable to turn the doorknob to
get into my house.  It was obvious that something had to be done, and
quickly I had given up my massage practice and my pastime of playing
the recorder because of the pain.  In fact, I could barely finish
typing the encyclopedia.

The next thing I knew, I was wearing wrist braces, even at the wedding
of my friends David and Diana.  I did several things to cure myself and
spare myself from impending surgery (which is not always successful).

At David and Diana's wedding reception, I got a gentle lecture from
David, who is also an herbalist, about practicing what I preach.  The
next day, I adopted an aggressive natural healing program that began
with a visit to an excellent osteopath (whom I met at the wedding!) and
a not-so-gentle lecture about the importance of herbs and exercise and
reducing my stress level over deadlines.  Then I started getting
regular massages with relaxing aromatherapy oils and using herbs inside
and out.  I took the Nerve Pain Tincture (see page 51) with an extra
dose of Saint-John's-wort.  I also slathered liberal amounts of
Saint-John's Strain and Sprain Oil (see page 268) on my wrists
throughout the day.  It paid off, although it took months before I was
back to normal.

As I sit here typing these words, I am thankful for the herbs--and the
people--that allow me to be pain-free today without surgery, While I am
on the subject, I must also tell you about my friend Mary, since her
story is slightly different.  She came over to my house one day to pick
up some facial cream I had made for her.  As we walked back to the car,
I could not help noticing that she was having difficulty walking.  When
I asked her what was wrong, she told me that she had sharp pains in her
leg and hip and that these pains had been worsening for months.  Now it
was to the point where she could not even sit comfortably at the sewing
machine to make her quilts or go out for walks.  "You know how much I
like to take walks," she said.  "I cannot even make it up the hill to
the top of our driveway anymore."

She said that she felt like she was 90 instead of a spry mid-fifties.

Guessing that Mary might have some nerve trauma that could benefit from
herbal treatments, I sent her home with a tincture that I had made
using Saint-John's-wort combined with the muscle relaxants valerian,
hops, ps-sionflower, chamomile and catnip.

Over the next few weeks, I received a series of phone calls from Mary,
each one more excited, as her hip and leg got better every day.  In one
call, she gleefully announced, "Guess what?  My headaches have also
disappeared!"  And in another, "Now I have no more PMS!"

The herbs ended up fixing all sorts of nerve-related problems that Mary
had stoically never mentioned, at least until they were gone.  That was
years ago, but Mary has not stopped talking about her herbal success.

Her enthusiasm is so strong that she has adopted herbalism as part of
her life, and she and her husband, son, daughter, grandson and niece
have all benefited from taking herbs for a number of different
problems.

That this kind of pain relief is possible with herbs has not gone
entirely unnoticed by the drug companies.  The compound capsaicin, from
cayenne, has been used as the basis for a number of over-the-counter
creams for external use on painful skin problems such as diabetic
neuropathy (nerve damage), facial neuralgia, psoriasis and
post-surgical pain.  A 1991 study showed that capsaicin also reduced
pain and tenderness in people with osteoarthritis and rheumatold
arthritis.  Capsaicin is used experimentally in some U.S. hospitals to
reduce pain after a breast or limb has been removed.  Clinical trials
have shown that about 75 percent of the people with the painful
condition called shingles experience substantial pain relief when they
apply a capsaicin cream.  For most people, this required applying the
cream about four times a day for a month.  A burning sensation is
reported only occasionally, and becomes less of a problem the more the
cream is used.

Herbs have also proved helpful in treating muscle spasms.  Valerian,
skullcap and cramp bark sedate the nervous system and also stop tight
muscles from going into spasm.  Other helpful agents include the same
compounds that color berries and grapes red and deep purple.

These compounds also calm and sedate the nervous system.  You can get
these substances, called anthocyanidins, by eating plenty of the fruit
or buying the fruit-derived extracts in capsules sold in natural food
stores.

In one study, a grape extract was found to reduce pain, nerve
sensitMty, prickly skin and leg cramps at night--this is because of the
anthocyanidins it contains.

Nerve Pain '[inclure

1 teaspoon each tinctures of Saint-Johnk-wort flowers, skullcap leaves,
fresh oats and licorice root dropperful each tinctures of ginger
rhizome and vervain leaves tm Combine ingredients.  Take 1 dropperful
every half hour, as needed during an emergency.  To relieve chronic
pain, take 2 to 4 dropperfuls a day.

STRESS 

If you look beyond the symptoms of many physical ailments to the core
problem, you will find stress.  Even when it is not the cause, stress
often aggravates a condition.  Stress has such a powerful effect
because of what it does to the body.  When you sense danger, your body
floods with adrenaline and other hormones, and nervous system reactions
are heightened: Your heart pumps faster, blood rushes to your face,
your eyes dilate and your muscles are primed to move--all in the matter
of a few seconds.  Your body even begins to sweat as a means of keeping
cool during the crisis.  Once vital for survival, these ancient
responses are no longer always appropriate.

While you were born with reflexes that are more appropriate for a
hunter or warrior, you don't really get to use them as nature
intended.

Instead, in these modern times your adrenal alarm goes off for much
different reasons--you get caught in a traffic jam, your boss gets
angry, your computer crashes, your washing machine overflows, a family
squabble erupts.  Responsible for pumping out adrenaline in response to
stress, excitement or anxiety, your adrenal glands are controlled by
your nervous system and they respond quickly to your emotions.  After a
while, constant stress overworks these glands and they become
exhausted.  The consequences of this can be far-reaching, since there
is hardly a system in your body that is not influenced either directly
or indirectly by adrenal activity.  When your adrenal glands are
exhausted, you and your body just do not respond to life the same
way.

You get sluggish and seem to be tired all the time.  You may develop
anemia and your blood sugar levels and blood pressure may be low, which
will make you feel even more exhausted.

Other typical symptoms include weight loss, digestive problems, skin
discoloration and feeling overly emotional.

-the beautiful California poppy is also an effective nervous system
sedative.

Researchers say that stress itself is not the villain--what matters is
how we deal with it.  Those lucky individuals who are able to handle
stress creatively are far better off than those who carry the woes of
the world on their shoulders.

For those who cannot handle it, years of stress eventually take their
toll, perhaps leading to heart disease, ulcers, allergies or mental
confusion.  People who have a tendency to be hostile find extra amounts
of adrenaline pumped out every time they get upset.  And once the
crisis passes, they have more difficulty calming down.  As a result,
researchers say, these people are more prone to high blood pressure and
heart attacks.

If stress is a way of life for you, stay as far away as you can from
recreational drugs, coffee and tobacco.  For many people, sugar can
also be problematic.

Make sure that you are getting a sufficient supply of the "antistress"
B vitamins.  Also consider nervous system sedatives such as valerian,
skullcap, chamomile and California poppy to help keep you calm and to
repair damage that may already have been done.

The versatile herb valerian calms people who are agitated, but
stimulates those who feel fatigued, according to one Italian study.

During World War II, the British used valerian tincture to treat nerves
shattered during bombing raids on London.  (To get the full picture of
just what valerian can do, read Valerian: The Relaxing and Sleep Herb,
by Christopher Hobbs.)

A survey conducted in 1985 showed that passionflower is the most
popular herbal sedative in Great Britain.  It is also In the
seventeenth century, passion-flower came to be seen as a symbol of the
Crucifixion: the five petals and five sepals are the ten faithful
apostles (not including Judas or Peter); the corona is Christ's crown
of thorns; the five stamens are His wounds; and the leaves are the
hands of His persecutors.

well-liked in Romania, where there is even a sedative chewing gum made
from passionflower to help ward off the nervous jitters and encourage
relaxation.

A German government commission designated the use of passionflower for
"nervous unrest."  One of the compounds it contains was originally
called astelepathine, after "telepathic," because it made people mildly
euphoric and more contemplative.

Ginseng and Siberian ginseng can help you handle stress by sedating or
stimulating your central nervous system, according to your body's
needs.  Studies conducted in China showed that ginseng also increases
your brain's utilization of ammo acids, which is important because when
you are under stress, your body uses more protein than usual.

(Proteins are composed of ammo acids.)

Another Chinese herb, shizandra, also has a regulating effect on the
central nervous system.  Studies show that this herb quickens responses
and makes people more alert while actually stimulating the nervous
system.  A 1983 study conducted in China showed that shiran-dr
relieves headaches, insomnia and dizziness and calms a racing heart.

It has also been reported to control anger and aggression.

Since stress takes a big toll on your adrenal glands, consider using
herbs such as licorice, bupleurum and ligus-trum to support those
glands.  In China, all three of these herbs are commonly prescribed for
people operating under a lot of stress.  In China, in fact, herbal
treatments are regularly incorporated with conventional methods.  One
report from that country details the herbal treatment of a woman
suffering adrenal deficiency from extreme stress.  She had undergone a
lot of emotional stress in her life and had just had a very hard
pregnancy and labor.  Instead of following the usual medical
method--corti-sone and ACTH, a pituitary hormone that stimulates the
adrenal glands--her doctor gave her licorice to promote corti sone
production and ginseng, which researchers believe stimulates ACTH.

The combination worked.  The signs of adrenal exhaustion disappeared:
She had more energy, she gained weight and her blood pressure returned
to normal.

The researchers attributed this success mostly to the licorice.

Remember, though, that licorice should be used with care--it can raise
blood pressure in sensitive individuals.

In Polynesia, kava tea is used to induce relaxation, restful sleep and
a sense of mild euphoria.  Even though it occurred about 20 years ago,
I will never forget the complete sense of relaxation I experienced
after a Fijian kava ceremony.

I was in the middle of a very hectic trip, but the world seemed to stop
after I drank some kava.  Soon I was all smiles and so pleasantly
relaxed that I actually fell asleep as soon as I got back to my hotel
room.

It is often said that preparing kava fresh, the way it was done in that
ceremony, makes it much more potent.  Kava is available in natural food
stores as a tincture or pills alone or in combination with other
relaxing herbs, although I have to admit that I have never quite
duplicated that experience by using kava in these forms.  This herb is
perfectly safe unless used in quantities you would never think of
using--heavy kava users in the South Seas and Australia develop a scaly
skin condition that remains until they cut down their dosage.

Strictly speaking, kava is not a true sedative.  Instead, it is a
muscle relaxant that reduces convulsions; one of its compounds stops
muscles spasms up to ten times more effectively than a common
anticonvulsant drug.  Because of this, it is used to treat nervous
tension, muscle spasms and tension headaches caused by a tight neck, as
well as insomnia re-suiting from stress or tight muscles.  I have found
that kava lives up to its reputation of promoting peace and harmony
among people.  This is a pretty amazing feat for an herb, but I have
experienced similar reactions after taking it and am convinced that all
the world's leaders should sit down to cups of kava before their
meetings.

Cool-Out '[incture

J teaspoon each tinctures of valerian rhizome, licorice root, Siberian
ginseng root, kava root and California poppy plant (if available) '
Combine ingredients.  Take as needed during emergencies, up to 1
teaspoon per hour.  Otherwise, take 1/2 or 1 dropperful a day as a
general relaxing aid.  I find that tinctures of valerian and skullcap
made from the fresh root are stronger than those made from the dried
root.

If the tincture doesn't work or if you're a person who enjoys hot
baths, combining herbs with heat is one way to combine two
stress-relieving methods.

Simply add herbs or essential oils to warm compresses or baths.  There
is evidence that at least 20 minutes of heat in a sauna or hot tub or
half an hour of deep massage changes brain chemistry for the better.

If you have your own hot tub and you find that the heat relieves your
stress, add a few drops of essential oil the next time you get in and
see if that does not increase the relaxing effect.

An aromatherapy massage is another ideal way to deal with stress.

Some of the most relaxing essential oils to try include lavender,
chamomile, sandalwood, orange, petitgrain and ylang-ylang.

chapter FOUR

The Heart and the

Circulatory

System

Next
 time you find yourself philosophizing about the nature of
progress, stop and consider cardiac disease, which is generally
considered a twentieth-century ailment--and for good reason.  Cardiac
disease afflicts mainly people who live in Western, industrialized
nations.  It kills nearly one million Americans a year and is the
leading cause of death in the United States.  Scientists who study the
history of disease believe that heart disease was rare among our
earliest human ancestors.

The heart can be likened to an engine that drives the body.  It uses a
vast network of blood vessels to pump blood to every cell in your
body.

As you probably know, blood is responsible for transporting important
life-giving commodities such as oxygen, nutrients, chemical messengers
and infection fighters to your cells.  It also carts away unneeded
debris, such as carbon dioxide, urea and lactic acid, to your kidneys
for disposal.  Together the heart and blood vessels are called the
cardiovascular system.

How have we managed to create a modern-day plague on the most basic of
our bodily systems?  Medical science points an accusing finger at a
diet rich in fat, salt and too many processed foods, among other risk
factors.  People are taking this knowledge to heart, and dietary
changes alone have dramatically reduced deaths from heart disease in
the United States.

Stress and lack of exercise are also commonly named as factors
contributing to heart disease.  In addition, the American Medical
Association warns that cigarette smoking increases your chance of dying
from heart or artery disease by up to 300 percent!  This is because
nicotine constricts arteries and the carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke
reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood.

Nothing can completely offset the effects of an unhealthy modern
lifestyle, but in addition to eating healthily, exercising and not
smoking, the use of humble herbs can reduce your risk of heart
disease.

Treating a heart condition is certainly more drastic than soothing a
simple sore throat or headache, and a doctor's advice is required.

That said, herbs do offer some of the best support for a healthy heart,
especially when combined with exercise and a well-balanced diet.  No, I
do not suggest that you toss your heart medication into the trash and
head for the garden, but herbs can help keep many heart and circulation
problems from getting worse and can even prevent some of them from
developing at all.

If your doctor has prescribed any type of heart medication, do not take
it upon yourself to add herbal remedies to your regimen without
consulting your doctor.  Combining herbs with drugs can be tricky
business, and the results can be disastrous.  For example, hawthorn, a
popular herbal heart tonic, can make you more sensitive to the potent
prescription heart medication digitalis (which, by the way, is derived
from the poisonous herb foxglove), slowing your heart's rate and
increasing the force of its contractions.  If you cannot find a doctor
who is knowledgeable about herbs, your safest bet is to use the advice
in this section only to treat minor disorders that have not yet
developed into full-blown disease or to use my suggestions to help
avoid heart problems in the first place.

ANGINA

AND IRREGULAR

H EA RT B EAT 	

Your heart and blood system's first responsibility is to send
oxygen-filled blood to the cells in your body.  If your heartbeat is
weak or irregular, or your arteries are laden with cholesterol deposits
or stiffened from athero-sclerosis, blood flow is diminished.  The
resulting lack of oxygen can leave you feeling dizzy and disoriented,
and can turn your hands and feet numb.  Even worse, it can lead to
heart disorders such as angina pectoris and its painful chest
constrictions.

The most reliable herb to help maintain your heart and blood flow is
hawthorn.  Herbalists around the world have used the bright red berries
of this attractive tree for centuries, but scientists have recently
discovered that the flowers contain equally important medicinal
compounds, so most modern herbalists use both.

(contimted on page 60)

FIT FOR LIFE

Physical fitness has become a way of life for millions of North
Americans, as they bounce, run, flex and prance their way to better
health, bigger muscles and a fit physique.

Vigorous yet prudent exercise combined with sensible eating habits is
their route to a healthy, strong, muscular body.

Some fitness addicts feel that exercise and diet aren't enough to
produce the body shape they want, and they turn to steroids--mostly
testosterone--to bulk up muscles.

Besides being unsportsmanlike and banned in professional athletics,
steroids have plenty of nasty side effects: They raise blood pressure,
increase nervous tension and cause headaches, nosebleeds and skin and
digestive problems.  They also lead to aggressive behavior, a
diminished sex drive and eventually, sterility, a seeming contradiction
until you consider that nature never intended a body to have that much
of any one hormone.  In short, steroids are dangerous, and
experimenting with them is foolish.  But there are alternative herbal
methods for boosting training or general endurance and energy levels.

I can think of many men and women whose physical stamina has benefited
from taking herbs: Dave, a bodybuilder; Maria, a swimming coach; and
Greg, a competitive bicyclist.

And I know people who take these herbs because they do hard physical
labor for a living, such as construction, road maintenance, or
farming.

All of these forms of physical activity have at least one thing in
common: They require lots of physical stamina.  Impressive musculature
is simply not enough.

Three herbs--Siberian ginseng, ginseng and shizandra--are all-stars
when it comes to athletics.  Studies from the Soviet Academy of
Sciences have shown that these herbs improve mental efficiency,
endurance, muscle strength, stamina and the general health of the
cardiovascular system.

These herbs also provide muscles with more energy by helping your body
process carbohydrates.  They help overtaxed muscles recover more
quickly--an important concern not only for the professional athlete but
for anyone just trying to stay in shape.  The two types of ginseng also
encourage muscle gain and the transportation of oxygen to muscles, thus
preventing cramping, stiffness, panting and a racing pulse.  In one
study from the former Soviet Union, Siberian ginseng was also shown to
increase the storage of energy in the muscles by almost one-third!

Millions of Russians--both men and women--greet each morning with a cup
of Siberian ginseng tea.  So do Russia's Olympic-bound athletes and
their cosmonauts, who find it helps them withstand environmental and
physiological changes.  Russian cyclists who took Siberian ginseng
during a Lesgraft Institute of Physical Culture and Sports event
captured six of ten first-place awards in a ten-kilometer (six-mile)
race.  When given Siberian ginseng before training, Olympic sprinters,
high jumpers, decathletes and marathoners had better endurance and
performed better than a group that didn't take the herb.  If Olympic
athletes who already undergo maximum training can see these kind of
results, imagine how it can help you with a workout twice a week or
just keeping up with a grueling day at the office.

Ginseng has a very long history as a medicinal plant.  Studies on this
herb were being conducted in China more than two thousand years ago.

In one such experiment, two people-one with a piece of ginseng in his
mouth and the other without--ran five kilometers (a bit under two miles).  If
the individual chewing ginseng did not fed tired or out of breath at
the end of this run, the root was considered genuine.

Other cultures have relied on their own discoveries--ginseng is not the
only herb known for its energizing abilities.  The Nanai people of
Japan hunt for a whole day after eating only a handful of shizandra
berries.

Several other herbs have also gotten good marks for helping improve
performance.  Licorice apparently increases energy storage in the
muscles.  Licorice also gently stimulates the adrenals.  (Remember,
though, that licorice can sometimes increase blood pressure in people
who already have high blood pressure.) Saw palmetto may help build up
muscles.  This herb was once prescribed for frail people or those who
were weak from long-term sicknesses to make them stronger.

The active ingredients are found in the fruits of this scrubby palm
that grows in Florida and southern California.

For many men and women, the benefits of these herbs to muscles and the
cardiovascular system may not be immediately apparent, but they do add
up.  Studies show that ginseng's antifatigue properties, for example,
are much more pronounced after it has been taken for at least two
months.

Stamina Formula

1 teaspoon tincture of Siberian ginseng root teaspoon each tinctures of
shizandra berries, ginseng root, saw palmetto berries and licorice root
" Combine ingredients.  Take half a dropperful twice a day, or as
needed to increase stamina.

A popular medicine in Europe, hawthorn is an important ingredient in
more than 36 pharmaceutical heart preparations in Germany alone.  This
is really not surprising, since German researchers have been studying
it for more than 25 years, and their government approves its use to
treat mild heart conditions.

European doctors often prescribe hawthorn as a tonic at the earliest
warnings of heart or circulation problems, yet most North American
doctors are unfamiliar with it.  This is too bad, since hawthorn
provides some of the same benefits as digitalis--without the harmful,
accumulative side effects, such as an increased risk of irregular
heartbeat and toxicity--and can often be used for mild heart
conditions.

This wonderful herb increases blood flow through the heart by dilating
the muscles that surround major blood vessels--something very important
in the treatment of angina.  Hawthorn decreases an accelerated heart
rate, reduces spasms caused by angina and other heart problems and
allows your heart to function effectively even when it is not receiving
enough oxygen.

We can travel around the world and find other herbs to ease a troubled
heart.

Egyptian researchers have found that chicory slows a rapid heartbeat.

Research conducted in Germany showed that compounds in the roots have a
weak digitalis-like effect, but in doses that are low enough to make
it safe for anyone to use.

To take advantage of the benefits provided by these compounds, you can
eat the roots in a dried or roasted form.  Several commercial coffee
substitutes contain roasted chicory, and there is also a recipe for
making your own tea (see page 66).

In France and Italy, the roots not only are prepared as a drink, but
also are considered an edible vegetable.

I have occasionally seen chicory greens sold in grocery stores as
Whitlood chicory or Belgian endive, but if you are interested in eating
the roots as a fresh vegetable, you may have to buy the seeds from a
nursery catalog and grow your own plant (or buy a full-grown plant from
your local nursery).  Chicory is popular with gardeners because the
roots of the plant can be replanted in a box in the cellar or garage at
the end of the growing season, and the roots and greens can be
harvested all through the winter.

In the 1980s, medical researchers examined several herbs traditionally
used in China to treat heart-related problems.  They learned that
ginkgo and reishi, like hawthorn, improve blood flow to the heart,
soothe chest pains, lessen the heart's demand for

Eat your way to a healthy heart-try the "mushroom of immortality," the
medicinal reishi mushroom.

Motherwort's stout stems are tinged with red or violet, and in the
summer it's covered with small white, pink or red flowers.

oxygen and reduce shortness of breath.

Researchers have favorably compared ginkgo to metroprolol and diliazem,
two drugs that are commonly used to reduce heart palpitations and lower
blood pressure.

According to Chinese researchers, reishi, which is actually a medicinal
mushroom, steadies an irregular heartbeat.

This is probably one of the reasons the Chinese call it the "mushroom
of immortality'' and sixteenth-century Ming dynasty texts say it "mends
the heart."

The popular Chinese herb astragalus helps the heart develop a more
regular rhythm.  It also reduces damage to heart cells.  Chinese
physicians even use astragalus to destroy Coxsachievirus B, which
infects the heart and causes an irregular heartbeat.  This condition is
becoming more of a problem in China, and astragalus is the only known
treatment.

Even though astragalus is a Chinese herb, it has become popular in
North America--many natural food stores sell it along with their other
bulk herbs.

Wu-han Medical College and other hospitals in China use a special type
of ginseng (Panax notoginseng) called pseudo, or sanchi, ginseng to
relieve angina spasms and pain.  It is a little harder to find than
regular ginseng, and equally expensive, but for many people, the price
is worth it.  In studies done at the college, it helped relieve
symptoms in almost half of the people who took it.  According to
tradition, sanchi ginseng, which is similar to ginseng in its chemical
makeup and effects, normalizes heart rate, blood pressure and
circulation and helps to prevent fatigue and relieve stress.

All these Chinese herbs are sold in North America individually and in
herbal formulas for the heart.

Another heart-healing herb that has found fame for hundreds of
years--both in the East and in the West--is motherwort.  Motherwort's
botanical name, cardiaca, actually means "heart" in Latin.  One study
done in China showed that this herb slows a rapid heartbeat and
generally improves the heart's activity.  As a nervous system sedative,
it also reduces the anxiety, stress or nervous tension that so often go
along with heart problems.

While we are on the subject of stress-related heart problems, the
sedative valerian is often helpful when used in addition to
motherwort.

In the tropics, we find an unlikely candidate to treat various heart
and circulation problems--pineapple.  Herbalists and researchers look
upon pineapple as more of an herb than a food.  More than 400 papers,
mostly from Germany, have been written on the medical uses of bromelin
enzymes extracted from the pineapple stem.  In a study from the early
1970s, people with angina who were given a daily dose of bromelin saw
their symptoms disappear in 4 to 90 days, depending upon the
seriousness of their condition.  Their heart problems returned only
after they stopped taking the enzyme.

You might also turn to traditional Indian Avurvedic medicine to help
your heart.  The efficiency of a blend called abana to reduce the
frequency and severity of angina attacks and improve heart function was
reported in 1990.  The herbs in this formula have long been used as
heart tonics and are now establishing a reputation for themselves in
the United States as well.

You may see yet another interesting plant making herbal headlines in
the future.  This is night-blooming cerus--a cactus called "pain in the
heart" by Shoshone Indians who lived in the deserts of the southwestern
United States and northern Mexico.  It was once a favorite of both
Eclectic and regular doctors, who made a tincture of it to treat
angina, heart spasms, heart pains and shortness of breath.  (Eclectic
physicians were nineteenth-century doctors who used several natural
treatments, including herbs.)

Heart Ease Tincture

1 teaspoon tincture of hawthorn berry teaspoon each tinctures of
motherwort leaves, ginhgo leaves, chicory root and reishi mushroom '
Combine ingredients.  Take half a dropperful a few times a day on a
regular basis.  Similar proportions can also be used to make a tea from
these herbs.

Even though astragalus is a Chinese herb, it has become so popular that
many natural food stores now sell it with their other bulk herbs.

ARTERIOSCLEROSIS

Arteriosclerosis, commonly called 'hardening of the arteries," actually
defines several different related disorders.  These disorders are
marked by thickening of the arteries, loss of elasticity and hardening
of the artery walls as calcium and plaque (resulting from high fat and
cholesterol intake) are deposited.  These deposits narrow the artery,
thus interfering with the normal flow of blood through the vessel.

This makes the heart work harder, which can cause a heart attack or
lead to blood clots in the artery, which in turn can lead to a heart
attack or stroke.

Plaque buildup on artery walls occurs naturally as we age, but the
process is accelerated by smoking, alcohol consumption, a high-fat
diet, caffeine and lack of exercise.  Stress is another risk factor.

Heredity and some diseases, particularly diabetes, also contribute.

All this points to the importance of maintaining a healthy diet and
lifestyle, which will certainly help you avoid this dangerous
disorder.

Arteriosclerosis can happen to any artery, but is most serious in those
vessels that channel blood to the heart and brain.  When vessels to the
heart narrow, not only is blood flow to the entire body diminished, but
a lot of stress is placed on your heart to work harder as it tries to
pump blood through the narrowing passages.  Symptoms include leg cramps
while walking, changes in skin temperature and color, an altered pulse,
headaches, dizziness and memory defects.

The problem is that symptoms often do not arise until the problem has
progressed to a dangerous phase.  In fact, more deaths occur in the
United States from arterial and degenerative heart disease than from
heart attacks.

Dozens of studies have shown that garlic--a lot of it--keeps arteries
healthy by thinning the blood and lowering cholesterol.  Typically, the
people in these studies took the equivalent of one to four cloves for
every 35 pounds of body weight daily I know that's a lot of garlic, but
I've eaten that much for a day or two at a time--to knock out a
cold--and still managed to keep most of my friends.

Since arteriosclerosis is worsened by high cholesterol levels, which
contribute to the formation of dangerous blood clots, you should
consider using the herbs recommended in "Cholesterol Reduction" and
"Blood Clots" on this page and page 67, respectively.  For example,
compounds called anthocy-anidins, which give foods such as bilberries,
blueberries, grapes, hawthorn berries and cherries their bright
coloring, reduce your chances of developing arteriosclerosis by slowing
down both cholesterol buildup and the blood's tendency to clot.

Anthocyanidins also stop a destructive enzyme from attacking the
elastic fibers that support the arteries.

You get some anthocyanidins when you eat deep red and blue fruits.

They are also sold in pill form.

CHOLESTEROL REDUCTION Cholesterol is on the minds, as well as the
plates, of many people these days.  In 1984 the results of the Coronary
Primary Prevention Trial, a ten-year study on cholesterol involving
howed that lowering
blood cholesterol from elevated levels will reduce the risk of heart
disease.

After that, the anticholesterol bandwagon started rolling.

But even public enemy number one has a good side.  Our bodies produce
their own cholesterol to make adrenal and sex hormones.  You should
expect to find some cholesterol in your blood, since that is how it is
transported in your body.  Problems develop when cholesterol begins
collecting on your artery walls.  This can begin happening as early as
your twenties, but it may be many years before you start noticing any
problems.

Eventually, cholesterol contributes to arteriosclerosis and the
formation of blood clots, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

And a diminished flow of blood to the brain contributes to senility,
depression and memory loss.

For simplicity's sake, I am using the term "cholesterol" in a generic
sense.

When I talk about lowering cholesterol, it is the LDL (low-density
lipoproteins) --the "bad guy" cholesterol--that I am talking about, not
the HDL (high-density lipoproteins), the "good guy" cholesterol.

There are drugs that lower LDL levels, but these drugs can cause
vomiting, headaches, liver damage, internal bleeding and vitamin
deficiencies.  Why experience side effects like these when a better way
to keep cholesterol down to a heart-healthy level is to take herbs and
cut fats from your diet?  Numerous scientific reports show us that
herbs can lower cholesterol almost as much as prescription drugs--about
16 percent.

If North American diets are responsible for our cholesterol problems,
at least we can take heart in the knowledge that some of the best
cholesterol fighters are found right in our kitchens.  Onion, garlic,
cayenne, rosemary, turmeric, fenugreek and ginger--add any of these
herbs to your meals or take them as pills, teas or tinctures.  When
participants in a 1991 study were put on an experimental diet that
included three ounces of renu-greek seed powder a day for 20 days,
their LDL levels fell by about a third, while the HDL levds remained
the same.

Several other studies on fenugreek showed similar reductions.

Turmeric helps to prevent high cholesterol before it even gets into
your bloodstream by interfering with its absorption in the intestine.

Studies from India, where turmeric is a popular spice, show that it
also improves the body's ability to break down and eliminate
cholesterol.

If you are a connoisseur of south Indian-style curry, you may already
know about brindal berry.  This small yellow fruit is advertised in the
United States mostly as a treatment for weight loss-- one of its
traditional Ayurvedic uses--but modern studies show that it also lowers
cholesterol.

Garlic lovers will be happy to learn that there is less heart disease
in areas of the world where people eat lots of the "stinking rose," as
some affectionately call it.  When researcher Arun Bordia, Ph.D was
working in Udaipur, India, he could not help noticing the near absence
of heart disease despite the locals' habit of dousing their vegetables
in butter.  He also observed that vast quantities of garlic were
consumed regularly and decided to find out if that could be the secret
to the low frequency of heart disease.  Sure enough, even when he had
volunteers eat butter, their cholesterol levels fell, providing they
ate garlic along with it!

Take away the garlic, and their cholesterol levels jumped.

Three onions (which are in the same family as garlic and share many of
its healing properties) or five cloves of garlic a week are
recommended, but if you find that even this much garlic puts too big a
crimp in your social life, smaller amounts are also beneficial--or you
can take garlic capsules instead.  Liquid garlic tested at Loma Linda
University in California noticeably reduced blood cholesterol.

The German Association of General Practitioners found that dried garlic
also reduced cholesterol levels.

Other herbs that keep cholesterol in line may seem even more like food
than medicinal plants.  In one German study, participants who were
given compounds extracted from artichoke showed a consistent reduction
in cholesterol levels, with an average decrease of 20 percent.

So far, studies on eggplant have been done only on animals, but these
preliminary studies indicate that it too may lower cholesterol
levels.

It's no wonder that India's ancient Ayurvedic medicine considered this
vegetable a heart tonic.

The Ayurvedic herb guggul can also be used to slow cholesterol
buildup.

In studies conducted in India, more than 100 people who took guggul saw
their cholesterol go down almost as much as it did in people taking the
cholesterol-lowering drug clofibrate.  Both the herb and the drug began
taking effect about three to four weeks after the people started taking
them, but only guggul increased HDL (the good cholesterol) in more than
half of the people.  A derivative of this relative of myrrh is
generally used instead of the raw herb, which sometimes has side
effects like skin rashes and diarrhea when used in doses large enough
to have a medicinal effect.

This derivative of guggul is most commonly available in pill form.

In China, we find that Chinese skullcap, ginseng and sanqi ginseng also
keep cholesterol low.  Even more impressive are two mushrooms used in
China--shiitake and reishi.  In various Chinese studies, these
mushrooms have dramatically knocked high cholesterol levels down.

Chinese skullcap and ginseng are available as bulk herbs, but you will
probably need to get sanqi ginseng and reishi in pill form.

Lowering cholesterol can be that easy--just eat.  During my class on
making dried herbal wreaths, a student asked if any of the herbs we
were using were medicinal.  I said they were and spoke some about the
medicinal effects of garlic.

That was all the prompting Joyce needed to tell us her husband's
story.

When George's physician told him that he was concerned about his high
cholesterol reading, Joyce decided to take the situation into her own
hands.  "Well, I don't know much about medicine," she told us, "or
herbs for that matter, but I read about the side effects of those drugs
and knew there had to be a better answer.  So, I did what I do know how
to do best; I started cooking.  George--he did what he knows how to do
best; he ate everything I put in front of him.  We started the day with
garlic omelettes, and ate garlic pasta for lunch and anything you can
imagine."  It worked.  George's cholesterol is still not as low as it
should be, but they are not through with garlic, either.  Joyce is
still cooking up a storm, and she also discovered that they could buy
garlic capsules.

Another thing George could try is a special type of fatty acid called
omega-3, which some researchers believe reduces blood cholesterol.  For
a long time, the only known source was fish--until Artemis P.

Simopoulos, Ph.D former chairwoman of the National Institute of Health,
cut up some purslane one night for her dinner.  She had learned to cook
this plant in her native Greece, but only now noticed how similar its
slippery leaves were to fish oil.  The next day, she brought some
purslane into her lab for testing, and sure enough, she learned that it
contains omega-3.  It also has large amounts of vitamin E, probably the
most important vitamin for the heart and circulation.

Since then, small amounts of omega-3 have been found in flaxseed, soy
beans, wheat and oat germs, radish seeds, rapeseed (canola) oil and
nuts, especially walnuts.

Fiber is also important, as the proper amount of fiber in your diet
keeps your liver healthy, and a healthy liver means that fats will be
broken down properly--which is absolutely necessary for a healthy
cholesterol level.

One teaspoon of psyllium seeds (an herbal laxative sold in any
drugstore) soaked in a cup of water, three bran muffins a day (be sure
to buy the low-fat kind--most commercial muffins are unhealthy because
they're loaded with fat) or a few servings a day of carrots, cabbage,
apples, grapefruit, pinto or navy beans or agar will do the trick.  You
will probably find that herbalists will recommend all of these, since
they generally find that the line between medicinal herbs and foods is
a thin one.  Even the natural fungicide in grape skins increases good
cholesterol and lowers the bad.  This fungicide is found in wine, but
it has to be good wine--cheap, processed wines and those made from
grapes treated with pesticides do not have this fungicide.

Remember, though, that dietary habits are not the only lifestyle issues
implicated in cholesterol problems.

Some of the African Masai of the former Tanganyika and some Jews in
Yemen thrived on fat-laden, high-cholesterol diets, but never got heart
disease until they emigrated to other countries and adopted a Western
lifestyle.  Researchers from San Antonio's School of Aerospace Medicine
in Texas conducted a series of studies to determine whether stress
might be a factor in elevating cholesterol.

They found that cholesterol increases after only one hour of either
emotional or physical stress, such as overexposure to cold.  Worse,
they found that if you stay stressed for a few hours, your cholesterol
can remain high for more than a week.  They even sent some lucky people
to Hawaii to relax...and eat two eggs a day In every case, their high
cholesterol levels dropped and stayed low, until they returned home.

Studies conducted at Stanford Research Center and Mount Zion Hospital
in San Francisco showed that cholesterol also increases in medical
students before exams and in accountants around tax time every year.

Of course, you do not have to move to a remote area of the world to
keep cholesterol--and stress--under control.

You can simply use the herbal treatments suggested in "Stress" on page
52.

Two of your best choices are the sedative herbs valerian and
motherwort, which also reduce high blood pressure.  Since the
cholesterol that you eat is processed in the liver, you might also
consider taking herbs to keep your liver healthy Herbs such as milk
thistle can help keep your liver happy and your cholesterol low.

Low-Cholesterol Tea

1 teaspoon each roasted chicory root and limeflowers

A teaspoon each fenugreek seeds and ginger rhizome

1 quart water

' Combine ingredients in a pan and bring to a simmer.  Cover and steep
for about 20 minutes.  Strain herbs.  Drink 1 or 2 cups a day The
formula can also be made into a tincture using the same proportions.

If you prefer a tincture, take 1/2 to 1 dropperful a day

BLOOD CLOTS

Blood clots are life-saving when they heal a wound, but turn
life-threatening when they create a blockage in a blood vessel.  When
this happens, your heart beats harder and harder trying to push the
blood past the obstruction--the result can be a heart attack as the
heart overexerts itself or a stroke if the blockage prevents the flow
of blood to the brain.  The accumulation of cholesterol in blood
vessels is a serious risk factor for developing clots.  All blood
clots, especially in the legs, should be examined by a doctor.  There
is always a chance that clots in the leg will break away and travel to
your lung, where they can produce a pulmonary embolism.  (While strokes
and heart attacks can also be caused by blood clots, only clots in the
deep veins cause these body traumas.) If you have a minor clot in your
leg, see "Varicose Veins and Hemorrhoids" on page 72.

It follows that treatments that reduce cholesterol also reduce your
chances of developing blood clots.

French scientists investigating herbs for the circulatory system have
found that hawthorn, motherwort, ginkgo, bilberry, evening primrose oil
and guggul, a relative of myrrh, are some of the best herbs for
reducing the risk of blood clots.  In addition, the enzyme bromelin
from pineapple and the flavanoids known as anthocyanidins, which come
from bilberry and other dark fruits, not only keep blood clots from
forming, but also break down plaques of cholesterol that have already
formed inside the arteries.

Bromelin, evening primrose oil and an-thocyanidins are usually
available only as pills, but you can buy the other herbs in a variety
of forms.  You can also get anthocyanidins into your system by taking
pills that contain bilberry or other herbs that are high in these
compounds.

These pills are available in most natural food stores.

You might be surprised how many anticlotting herbs you already have in
your kitchen: garlic, onion, cayenne, lemongrass, turmeric and
ginger.

If you are thinking that this sounds like a recipe for curry, that's
because it is.  Studies reported in 1977 showed that garlic breaks down
fibrin--the substance that blood clots are made of--and thus stops
clots from forming.  A 1992 study showed that garlic works even better
to reduce blood clots when heated slightly; when you cook with garlic,
you get a small medicinal dose.  Onions have the same effect, and along
with motherwort, they also stop the blood's tendency to clot-- even
right after eating a fatty meal.

One study conducted in the early 1980s found that ginger prevented
blood clots from forming even better than garlic or onions.  And in
another study, turmeric was found to be so effective that the authors
who reported it in a 1986 article in a German medical journal regarded
it as the treatment of choice for anyone prone to developing blood
clots.

Doctors recommend an aspirin a day to reduce your chance of blood clots
and strokes.  The aspirin helps by thinning your blood.  Perhaps
someday they will instead recommend the mo-er mushroom, also known as
black tree fungus.  For centuries, the Chinese have claimed that this
fungus increases longevity, but no one knew that it stopped blood from
clotting.  That is, not until a medical researcher happened to eat them
one evening at a Szechuan restaurant, then gave himself a routine blood
test the next day When he saw the results, he was amazed at how much
his blood had thinned.  He correctly guessed that it was something he
ate!  It turns out that mo-er prevents blood cells from clotting.  You
can find mo-er in any Chinese grocery or in Chinese herb formulas, but
don't overdo it.  The mushroom is safe in average doses, but it works
so well at thinning your blood that it can make your nose bleed if you
take huge quantities of it!

Physicians in at least one cardiology clinic in Israel are recommending
ginger instead of aspirin to all the patients in their clinic.

(Aspirin is frequently used to prevent blood clots.) They suggest a
half-teaspoon of powdered ginger a day to prevent clotting.  Why?

Because ginger inhibits the same blood-clotting compounds inhibited by
aspirin--prostaglandins and thromboxane--without any of aspirin's
notorious side effects.  This interesting ability of ginger was
discovered in the same way that the healing powers of the mo-er
mushroom were discovered: A researcher at Cornell Medical School
conducted a routine blood test on himself one day in 1979 and found
that his blood was not clumping as it had been.  By process of
elimination, he determined that it might be because of his favorite
marmalade, which contained lots of ginger.  A few tests confirmed his
suspicions.  Since then, researcher K.C. Srivastava, Ph.D has conducted
several studies on ginger's anticlotting action.  In one of these, he
found that eating 5 grams of ginger daily for a week counteracted the
detrimental blood-clotting effects of 100 grams of butter.

Blood Vessel Ionic 2 teaspoons hawthornflowers I teaspoon each
motherwort leaves and ginkgo leaves /5 teaspoon ginger rhizome Hot
water (enough to cover herbs) *' Cover herbs with hot water and let
steep for 5 minutes.  Strain and drink.

The same proportions can be used to make a tincture.

BLOOD PRESSURE

Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by the blood on the walls of
blood vessels as it is pumped through them.

Numerous factors contribute to blood pressure levels--the most
important thing for you to know is how to maintain a healthy blood
pressure so that blood flows efficiently throughout the body And while
high blood pressure is prevalent in our society--and its dangers are
relatively well-known--the less common low blood pressure can also
present problems.  But fear not--there are numerous herbs that can be
used to help regulate your blood pressure.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE Here's the most telling fact about high blood
pressure, a quintessentially modern disease--in remote regions of the
world, there is almost no incidence of high blood pressure.  It is not
until people emigrate to more "civilized" areas that their blood
pressure tends to increase.  It may be that the change in their diet or
the increased stress of a technological society is to blame, or it may
be a combination of both.

Exactly why certain people get high blood pressure is not clear, except
for the relatively few cases that obviously result from another
disease.  What we do know is that this condition, if it is not
controlled, increases your chances of dying from a stroke or heart
attack.

You are more prone to high blood pressure if you have problems with
your kidneys, adrenal glands or blood vessels, eat lots of salt, are
overweight or do not exercise regularly.  The jury is still out on the
long-term effects of caffeine on high blood pressure, but it is well
documented that nicotine contributes to it.  Stress also plays a big
role--have you ever heard that just being nervous about a visit to the
doctor can make your blood pressure jump?  Actually, stress and
nicotine work in a similar fashion.  They both increase the release of
adrenaline, which in turn raises blood pressure.

High blood pressure is nothing to fool around with--you should have
your blood pressure checked regularly by a doctor, who will tell you
what your reading means.  Doctors in North America generally prescribe
pharmaceutical drugs to treat high blood pressure.  In Europe and Asia,
where herbalism is generally more accepted than in the United States,
physicians often prescribe herbs before turning to drugs.

If your blood pressure is only borderline high, like my neighbor
Frederick's, you might try herbs and see if they work for you.  I will
admit that Frederick's doctor considered him one difficult patient--he
kept asking about remedies called Baldrian and Weissdorn that he
remembered from his native Germany.

His doctor insisted that these drugs were not available in the United
States and that it was unlikely that they had no side effects, as
Frederick stubbornly claimed.

So Frederick left the office without a prescription and called his
brother in Germany He discovered that his brother's doctor had indeed
prescribed these remedies for his high blood pressure, but they were
not drugs--they were the herbs known as valerian and hawthorn in
English.  Frederick easily found them in the local natural food store
and wasted no time in starting an herbal and dietary program.

A month later, when Frederick went back to his doctor, his blood
pressure was indeed lower.  AS stubborn as ever, he convinced his
skeptical doctor to give the herbs a chance.  After all, a respectable
heart doctor had prescribed them to his brother in Germany.  To help
keep his blood pressure low, Frederick decided to take more time to
relax, and he went back to Germany.  He had some great stories to tell,
but when the subject of American medicine came up, he always added,
"Mein Gott, they do know a lot, but they still have a lot to learn
about God's simple gifts of healing: the herbs."

Another way to maintain healthy blood pressure is to make your diet
more herbal.  Just adding garlic to a meal can keep your blood pressure
lower for an entire day.  In a 1987 study, the average blood pressure
of volunteers dropped significantly when they took a daily dose of
garlic oil--the equivalent of one-third of an ounce of fresh
garlic--over a four-week period.  When onion oil was given to people
who had high blood pressure, their blood pressure also fell.  As an
added benefit, their cholesterol was also reduced.

There are also other dietary changes that can help you.  If you drink
coffee or black tea and also suffer from high blood pressure, consider
switching to green tea.  The Japanese neurologist Yoshikazu Sato, M.D
has found that green tea lowers high blood pressure.  He believes that
this may be why Japanese women who drink green tea experience only half
as many deaths from stroke as those who don't, even though their diet
contains large quantities of salt.  The popularity of green tea in
Japan may be one reason why the Japanese have less incidence of high
blood pressure and heart disease than North Americans do.

Another way the Japanese are getting heart benefits is from all the
kelp they eat.  If you visit Japan, you can't help noticing that this
plant appears in almost every meal--they even make noodles out of
kelp!

Japanese researchers, who are highly interested in kelp's health
benefits, have done many studies on how kelp and other seaweeds keep
blood pressure down.  The results of these studies have been reported
in various Japanese medical journals.  One way to eat your way to a
healthy blood pressure is to use powdered kelp and garlic as seasoning
in place of salt.  Although kelp contains some salt from the ocean
waters it lives in, this is only a "sprinkling" compared to straight
salt.  The transition is simple.  Dump the salt out of your saltshaker
and replace it with one of the many salt substitutes sold in grocery
stores that contain various herbs, including powdered kelp.  You will
also find recipes for using kelp in chapter 18.  Kelp pills are sold
along with other herbal supplements in natural food stores.

Since high blood pressure so often goes hand in hand with tension, the
herbal sedatives valerian, skullcap, lemon balm, linden and motherwort
hold promise.  These herbs reduce stress and muscle tension and may
also prove helpful in lowering blood pressure.

There is some scientific evidence to support this, especially from
studies on motherwort conducted by Italian and Chinese researchers.

Sedative aromas have also been shown to reduce blood pressure
temporarily.  See chapter sixteen to learn how blood pressure can be
lowered simply by sniffing a cinnamon-apple blend or orange blossom
essential oil (also called neroli).  Even sniffing an orange will
provide a similar effect, though to a lesser degree.  Next time you
feel your blood pressure rising, try biting into a flagrant apple or
peeling an orange!  Also try sniffing rose geranium oil to keep your
blood pressure steady.  All these scents can also be used in a
relaxing, blood pressure-lowering massage or bath oil.

High Blood Pressure Tea

i quart boiling water

1 teaspoon each hawthorn berries and flowers, ginger rhizome, valerian
root and motherwort leaves n, Pour boiling water over the herbs and
steep for 20 minutes.  Strain herbs.

Drink at least 2 cups a day.  You can also make these herbs into a
tincture using the same proportions, or you can look for commercial
tinctures with similar herbs in them.

Blood Pressure-Lowering Massage Oil 12 drops each orange and geranium
essential oils 2 drops cinnamon essential oil 4 ounces vegetable oil
"Combine ingredients.  Use as a massage oil or add a teaspoon to your
bath, and stir well to disperse it before getting in the tub.

LOW BLOOD PRESSURE You have probably heard people complain about their
blood pressure being too high, but how about the reverse problem?

While it is not too common, many people do suffer from symptoms caused
by low blood pressure.  If you have low blood pressure, you know that
sometimes so little blood reaches your brain that simply getting out of
a chair may be all it takes to make the room start swimming around
you.

But it is not just dizziness that results from low blood
pressure--fatigue can also be a problem.  And what are the causes?  Low
blood pressure can be caused by infections, fever and anemia, as well
as more serious conditions, such as excessive bleeding and certain
types of debilitating diseases.

If you have a relatively minor case of chronic low blood pressure--your
doctor will tell you whether or not it is serious--that is not the
result of an emergency situation, European physicians have an answer
for you.  Rosemary infused in white wine is a centuries-old European
treatment for poor circulation, low blood pressure and the headaches
brought on by these conditions.  Even today, German pharmacists sell a
rosemary ointment that is designed to be rubbed over the heart to
increase blood pressure.  You can make your own version of this
ointment by infusing rosemary leaves in a vegetable oil and using the
infusion as a massage oil.  For instructions on how to make this herbal
oil, see Rosemary Heart Oil on page 72.

Herbalists have found that some of the same herbs that raise blood
pressure also help lower it.  Because of their complex chemistry,
hawthorn, ginger, Siberian ginseng and ginseng apparently "normalize"
blood pressure, adjusting it according to your body's needs.  Studies
have shown that a single compound in ginger can both raise and lower
blood pressure.  A study conducted in Great Britain in 1984 showed that
ginseng works the same way When given to people experiencing low blood
pressure, shock and an irregular heartbeat, it helps increase blood
pressure and seems to strengthen heart contractions.

Siberian ginseng has a similar sto As shown in studies conducted
through the Soviet Academy of Sciences in the 1960s and 1970s, this
herb elevates blood pressure only in persons whose blood pressure is
low.  The researchers who organized these studies observed that
Siberian ginseng regulated blood pressure by tightening the walls of
arteries.  Both ginsengs have been proven to provide a much needed
mental and physical boost in people who have low blood pressure.

Another potential blood pressure balancer is rose geranium.  This herb
is used in experimental outpatient clinics for the elderly in
Azerbaijan.  Doctors there write prescriptions for their patients to
sit and sniff this fragrant plant twice a day.  Just inhaling the scent
of rose geranium is said to adjust blood pressure--either to raise or
lower it--depending upon what the person needs.

The Azerbaijani doctors use the actual plant, which is commonly sold in
nurseries, but you can also buy the essential oil, which is usually
sold as geranium.  To take advantage of this essential oil's powers,
add a few drops to your bath water or simply put a drop on a cotton
ball and sniff it.

One interesting herbal compound that has been proved to lower blood
pressure is forskolin.  This compound is considered a prototype of a
new kind of drug to treat low blood pressure, congestive heart failure,
blood clotting and asthma and to reduce the pressure in the eye in
people with glaucoma.  This compound comes from the plant Coleus
forshohli and was discovered because a closely related coleus is used
in the traditional Ayurvedic and Unani healing systems in India.

Eventually, this compound will probably be offered both as a drug and
as an herbal product.

Rosemary Heart Oil

 cup olive oil

% cup dried rosemary leaves

- Pour oil over leaves in a clean jar.

Place in a warm location (in the sun or on a radiator, for instance)
for 2 days.

Strain out the leaves.  Use this infusion as a massage oil to rub on
the chest.

Low Blood Pressure Tincture

 teaspoon each tinctures of hawthorn berries and flowers, ginger
rhizome, rosemary leaves and Siberian ginseng root Combine
ingredients.

Take half a dropperful 2 to 4 times a day VARICOSE VEINS ANp,
HEMORRHOIDS

I once thought varicose veins were a problem only for elderly women,
until I began discovering road maps on my legs at the tender age of
19.

I was in college, spending long hours standing on cement floors in the
art room and the library where I worked.  Fortunately, I already knew
about medicinal herbs and wasted no time in searching for ones that
would stop my varicose veins from getting any worse.  More than 20
years later, they are smaller than they were in my college days, even
though I now spend so many hours sitting at my desk.

Varicose veins and hemorrhoids have a lot in common.  They both occur
when circulating blood slows down as it fights gravity on its journey
back to the heart, and the extra load stretches weak veins.  Blood
relies on muscles in your legs and pelvis to push it back to the heart,
and this is not an easy task if you sit or stand for long periods of
time.

If you are overweight, pregnant or constipated, or if you commonly wear
skin-tight pants or a girdle, the blood flow through your pelvic area
is restricted even more, and varicose veins and hemorrhoids often
result.  Varicose veins are also quite common during pregnancy; this is
not only because a growing fetus pushes on the surrounding veins, but
also because rising estrogen levels weaken veins.  For the same reason,
women generally get varicose veins about four times as often than
men.

There are also certain enzymes that break down the veins' elasticity
High amounts of these enzymes are found in most people who have
varicose veins.

Enlarged veins can even indicate liver problems, since surface veins
must take on the blood load when the liver becomes congested.

A bad case of varicose veins can cause lots of complications, while the
main problems of hemorrhoids are pain and bleeding.  Healthy veins
produce a substance that breaks down fibrin--the protein that causes
blood to clot.  Since veins injured by varicosity do not break down as
much fibrin, a lot of excess fibrin is deposited around the veins,
causing unsightly, hard lumps just under the skin.  This creates more
problems than just an unpleasant appearance.

Eventually, varicose veins may begin to leak, which can make your skin
itch.

If enough blood pools in a particular vein, the vein can burst.  When
this happens, slow-healing ulcers form under the skin.  A surgical
operation known as sclerotherapy can destroy the offending vein, but
other veins must then take on the load, and they too will enlarge.

One of the best ways to stop varicose veins and hemorrhoids from
getting any worse is to strengthen your blood vessels and make them
less porous.

Some of the same herbs used for heart problems, such as hawthorn and
ginkgo, can do this.  More than 50 studies, mostly from France and
Germany, demonstrate ginkgo's ability to improve blood circulation and
reduce the discoloration of varicose veins.

In a study conducted in Italy in 1982, the Indian herb gotu kola
improved the structure of varicose veins and increased blood flow
through them in 80 percent of the participants who took it for one
month.  This study also showed that gotu kola strengthens the
connective tissue.

Researchers have found that ginkgo and gotu kola are even more
effective when used together.  Almost everyone who took this
combination, many of whom had serious circulation problems in their
legs, found that their circulation improved.  Some enjoyed their first
pain-flee walking in months.  And in numerous other studies, both
ginkgo and gotu kola have been shown to be more effective and better
tolerated than tribenoside, the standard drug used for this purpose.

Horse chestnut and butcher's broom--strangely named herbs that are not
nearly as well-known in North America as in Europe--can also be used to
make veins stronger and less porous.  In the seventeenth century, an
herbalist wrote that butcher's broom, a Mediterranean shrub, was so
named because butchers made brooms from 2--the herb's smell kept
rodents away Clinical research conducted in Italy, France and Germany
shows that butcher's broom does much more than deter pests--it
encourages blood to move up out of the legs, decreases inflammation in
the veins and helps to tighten the veins.

Horse chestnut, an ornamental tree that originated in Asia, probably
got its name as a corruption of the Welsh gwres, meaning "pungent,"
which was used to differentiate it from the unrelated sweet, edible
chestnut.  Horse chestnut is one of the few herbs mentioned in this
book that needs to be taken with extra care.

Small doses (50 milligrams of the plant's active ingredient, aescin)
taken two or three times a day are sufficient; very high doses are
slightly toxic.  European herbalists describe this herb as a
"veno-tonic," a tonic that improves the tone of the veins by tightening
the elastic fibers in their walls.

Horse chestnut, the enzyme brome-lain from pineapple and gotu kola also
stop the enzymes that break down damaged veins.  After only 12 days of
taking horse chestnut, the level of these enzymes drops by
one-quarter.

Brome-lain even prevents vein breakage right after surgery, when
operations are necessary to remove badly varicosed veins.

Garlic and pineapple prevent fibrin from forming lumpy deposits around
varicose veins.

The compounds known as antho-cyanidins are also beneficial in treating
varicose veins--they stop swollen capri-lanes from leaking by making
them less porous.  Several European pharmaceuticals sold in France,
Germany, Italy and Spain contain anthocyanidins.  In Europe these
compounds are considered so safe that they are even used during
pregnancy In numerous studies, people with various circulation
problems, including hemorrhoids and varicose veins, who were given
anthocyanidins experienced dramatic and sometimes total improvement in
their conditions.  In none of the published studies did researchers
note side effects.

Similar compounds known as pro-anthocyanidins-currently derived either
from grape seeds or from pine need-dies--support skin and blood vessels
in several ways.  For one thing, they increase the amounts of
intercellular vitamin C and collagen (fibrous protein bundles that form
the connective tissue that sup

According to legend, butcher's broom was so named because butchers used
it to make brooms, primarily because the smell kept rodents away.

ports blood vessels, ligaments and cartilage).

Another way to strengthen connective tissue is with the silica-rich
herbs horsetail, knotgrass and nettles.

Horse chestnut, butcher's broom, calendula and Saint-John's-wort are
used in several European varicose vein ointments and in suppositories
for hemorrhoids, to reduce inflammation, pain and broken veins.  The
witch hazel sold in drugstores and the essential oils of palmarosa,
chamomile and cypress have similar properties.  If varicose veins
break, you can cover them with a cold compress of calendula or
Saint-John's-wort with chamomile and carrot seed essential oils.  This
will decrease the swelling and pain and will deliver healing factors
that help repair the veins.

Varicose Vein/Hemorrhoid 'lea /2 ounce each hawthorn berries and
flowers, ginkgo leaves and butcher broom (if available)

Hot water (enough to cover herbs)

* Combine herbs.  Cover with hot water and steep for 5 minutes.  Strain
and drink.  The same herbs can also be used to make a tincture (they
are, in fact, used in several commercial tincture formulas).

Varicose Vein/Hemorrhoid Oil

1 ounce Saint-Johnk-wort oil

8 drops each essential oils of chamomile, palmarosa and cypress

Combine ingredients.  Apply externally.

Varicose Vein/Hemorrhoid Compress

1 cup cold water

1 teaspoon tincture of calendula or

$aint-Johnk-wort

3 drops each essential oils of chamomile and carrot seed

- Combine ingredients.  Stir a soft cloth in them, wring out and place
over itching or broken varicose veins or hemorrhoids as often as
practical.

because of our rich diets and lifestyles, most North Americans
generally heap liberal amounts of abuse on their digestive systems.

Unfortunately, our bodies have ways of exacting revenge.  Upset
stomach, burping, gas, constipation, diarrhea and other digestive tract
disorders are the most commonly voiced physical complaints.

How often have you eaten too much, too little, too quickly, too seldom,
too often, while on the move or before bed?

Or simply eaten foods that did not agree with you?  Even our emotions
affect how well we digest food--if you're upset and you eat a big meal,
you usually suffer.

Stress impairs digestion by restricting the flow of digestive juices
and constricting muscles in the digestive tract.  Blood also moves away
from your digestive tract to hapter FIVE

The

Digestive ystem feed muscles in case an emergency arises.  In addition,
most doctors believe that tension contributes to various digestive
complaints, including colitis, ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome.

When your digestion is normal, food you eat goes down the esophagus and
through a valve into the stomach, where your body starts breaking it
down.  It then moves into the intestines, which break the food down the
rest of the way, extracting the nutrients the food has to offer and
sending the waste on to be ejected from the body.  Problems can arise
at any point in this process.  If the stomach is not working properly,
for example, you can get peptic ulcers.  Irritation of the digestive
tract can cause pain and inflammation, and as a result, nutrients
sometimes cannot be absorbed.

Bouts of indigestion can ruin not just a meal but your whole day.

Herbs can help because they act directly on the digestive
system--simply by swallowing an herb, you put it in contact with your
entire digestive tract.  Be aware, however, that if your digestive
problems involve pain or bleeding, you must see a physician to get
checked for any serious disorders, such as appendicitis, intestinal
blockage or cancer.

Losing your appetite once in a while is no big deal.  A few days of low
appetite when you have a flu or fever is not a cause for concern.  At
such times, it is all right to give yourself a rest from eating so that
your body can focus its energies on fighting the illness.  And when you
fed down emotionally you may not be in the mood to eat much--this is
also okay and generally is not something to worry about.

But if your appetite loss continues for more than a week or if it
happens for no apparent reason, you should make efforts to figure out
why you aren't interested in eating.  If your problem is due to a
simple illness, an herbal appetite stimulant should have your mouth
watering and your stomach rumbling in no time at all.

But if you lose your appetite as a result of a more serious condition,
the underlying problem must be addressed.  This will probably require
professional help.

Have you ever noticed how the enticing smell of pizza or an herb bread
baking in the oven sets your stomach grumbling?  The aromas that make
foods smell and taste so good also help your ] 	H E D G E S T V E S
Y S T E M '.

digestion even before you take the first bite!  The aroma signals the
brain, which relays a message to the digestive tract that food is on
its way.  The digestive tract responds by producing digestive fluids,
even though the food hasn't hit your mouth yet.  You can stimulate your
appetite in a similar fashion, by making an aromatic tea of anise or
peppermint.

If a long illness leaves you feeling weak and you are unable to digest
solid foods, try making Slippery Elm Gruel (see page 78).  This
nutritive herbal food will be easily digested by your ailing digestive
tract.  SlippeD, elm powder comes from the bark of the slippeDT elm
tree.

(Since populations of these trees are dwindling, be sure to insist on
slippery elm that has been properly harvested.

Careless harvesting results in peeling off so much bark that the tree
dies.)

To further spice up your appetite, add a dash of cinnamon.  Finally,
for people who have been weakened by diarrhea or a debilitating
disease, the Chinese suggest astragalus, and Western herbalists use
prickly ash to strengthen the digestion tract and improve the
appetite.

Appetite Stimulant

1 teaspoon, fresh, grated or dried ginger root

2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon each peppermint leaf anise seed and cinnamon

1 teaspoon honey (optional)

*'- Simmer ginger in water a few minutes, then remove from heat.  Add
other ingredients, cover and steep for about 20 minutes, then strain.

Drink 1 or 2 cups as needed.

Slippery Elm Gruel

1/4 cup slippery elm bark powder A teaspoon powdered cinnamon 2 cups
cold water

A-1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup

(optional)

Stir powders into cold water in a pan and let sit for about 30
minutes.

Slowly heat this mixture for 5 minutes, gently stirring to prevent
clumping.  Let cool, add sweetener if desired and serve warm or cool.



BOWEL DISEASES

Common bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease,
spastic colon and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), are responsible for
nearly half the visits to digestive tract specialists.  The causes of
these diseases are not clear, although doctors do know that excitement
and stress make them worse.

Regardless of the causes, it is certain that diet plays a role in bowel
disorders.

Surveys show that Crohn's disease is almost nonexistent in cultures
where the basic diet includes natural, unrefined grains and plenty of
vegetables and fruits.  Surveys also show that the cases of the disease
are rapidly increasing in technologically advanced countries, where
people tend to eat more refined sugar, fewer vegetables and less
fiber.

Crohn's disease alters your natural intestinal flora, making it
difficult for you to assimilate important nutrients, particularly
protein.  The results of a recent five-year study done in Stockholm
showed that there is an increased risk of developing Crohn's disease or
colitis if you eat "fast foods" at least twice a week.

Crohn's disease often results in deficiencies in vitamins E and K,
copper, niacin and zinc.  And people with bowel problems also tend to
be deficient in the important nutrients magnesium, calcium, vitamin C
and folic acid.

Bowel diseases can be both painful and debilitating.  Both colitis and
Crohn's disease produce intestinal spasms, mucus, and bouts of
diarrhea, constipation or both.  One difference is that Crohn's disease
tends to cause sharp, intense pain in isolated areas, while colitis
painfully inflames the entire large intestine.

And attacks of diarrhea brought on by IBS are often so unpredictable
that people who have these conditions fear to stray far from home.

One interesting remedy for various types of bowel diseases is a
grapefruit seed extract.  Although this extract is generally used to
get rid of eczema, researchers testing its effects on skin noticed a
curious--but beneficial--side effect.  Grapefruit seed extract not only
cleared up people's skin, it reduced diarrhea, constipation, intestinal
gas, bloating and general abdominal discomfort.

The dosages are small, usually only a couple of drops in a glass of
water, so be sure to follow the instructions on the package.

Grapefruit seed extract is also available in capsules.

Herbs such as calendula, marshmallow, licorice, Saint-John's-wort,
chamomile, peppermint, hops and wild yarn reduce the inflammation that
causes the pain associated with these disorders.

They also relax the nervous constriction of the digestive muscles and
reduce the general tension that can promote bowel problems.

It takes only 20 to 40 minutes for a tea or tincture of hops to relax
intestinal spasms.  In one study on colitis, the pain suffered by
almost all the participants disappeared within 15 days of starting a
combination of calendula, dandelion, Saint-John's-wort and lemon balm
(with fennel seed to relieve gas).  Similar remedies that are popular
in Europe include salad burnet, agrimony and bilberry.

Gamma linoleic acid (GLA), from evening primrose oil, and omega-3,
which is found in the herb purslane, also reduce inflammation and
pain.

The cabbage powder described to treat ulcers also heals the lining of
the intestine.

Since psyllium is usually taken as a laxative, you might not think of
using it for these various bowel diseases.  It has, however, helped
many people.  In the late 1980s, several studies on psyllium seed were
conducted at the department of gastroenterology at Hospital Italiano in
Buenos Aires.  In one of these studies, people with IBS, diarrhea or
painful constipation due to bowel disorders were given psyllium
seeds.

By the end of the survey, 80 percent of the participants reported a
decrease in pain, and all those who had diarrhea or constipation found
that the conditions went away.

If you walk into almost any pharmacy in Europe and ask about treatments
for chronic bowel problems, the clerk will recommend peppermint
essential oil capsules.  These specially coated capsules, which are
especially effective in treating IBS, do not open until they reach the
bowels.  In a study conducted in 1984, these capsules were found to
cure people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome.  Earlier,
researchers had re

THE 	DIGESTIVE SYSTEM ported that "peppermint oil in enteric-coated
capsules appears to be an effective and safe preparation for
symptomatic treatment of irritable bowel syndrome."

Peppermint oil capsules certainly worked for Betty, who suffered
bloating and embarrassing episodes of intestinal gas, often accompanied
by cramping, as well as bouts of diarrhea that would hit her without
warning.  Because her bowels were so unpredictable, Betty, a vibrant
woman in her seventies, worried about going anywhere, even to visit her
doctor.

When the loss of her quilter's club meetings, square dancing classes
and visits to her grandchildren became too much, she finally made an
appointment with her physician.  Betty was told she had irritable bowel
syndrome and was given a fistful of different prescriptions.  She
faithfully started taking the pills, but her problem did not improve
and she began feeling groggy and out of sorts.

It was only when her daughter examined the fine print on the bottles
that Betty realized she was taking some heavy-duty sedatives, which had
been prescribed probably because the doctor had blamed her lBS on
psychological problems.  After visiting various doctors, including
several specialists, and spending thousands of dollars on appointments
and prescriptions, Betty decided that it was the treatment, not the
disease, that was turning her into a nervous wreck.  When Betty pointed
this out, she was told that, like many of those who have suffered at
some time from lBS, she would "just have to learn to live with it."

Then Betty discovered herbs.  Her friend Charlotte came to visit from

England and was dismayed to hear Betty's story.  While Charlotte had
never had IBS herself, two of her close friends and a niece had.  Their
doctors in England had provided capsules of peppermint essential oil,
and they all reported great results.  At first, Betty could not find
the pills, so she drank plain old peppermint tea.  She found it
helpful, and when she was able to get the pills, she discovered that
they did indeed work wonders-and for a lot less money and with fewer
side effects than the drugs.

The inability of researchers to pinpoint the source of many cases of
bowel disease has led to a number of theories.

One suggests that bowel disease is connected to problems in the immune
system and possibly even food allergies.  In one study, researchers who
looked at a group of people suffering from lBS found that two-thirds of
them had food reactions, especially to coffee, alcohol and protein, and
that everyone improved when the offending foods were pulled out of
their diets.

Some of the best herbs to soothe the bowels, improve immunity and help
prevent food allergies at the same time are chamomile, marshmallow and
licorice.

Chamomile and licorice have even been found to lower the risk of
developing colitis.

For more information and ways to treat bad reactions to food, see "Food
Allergies and Reactions" on page 87.

Some bowel disorders, such as ulcerative colitis, can even result in
bleeding, which in turn can cause anemia.  Herbalists find that yellow
dock helps increase iron levels and also tones the intestinal lining
and slows bleeding.  For more on anemia, see "Anemia" on page 152.

Bowel Formula

1 teaspoon wildyam root

A teaspoon yellow dock root

1 quart water

1 teaspoon peppermint leaf

A teaspoon each marshmallow root, chamomile flower, echinacea root and
fennel seed , Add wild yarn and yellow dock to water in a saucepan,
bring to a simmer and add other herbs.  Steep for about 15 minutes,
then strain.  Drink at least 2 cups daily.  To enhance effectiveness, I
like to mix this tea with equal amounts of carrot and celery
juice--these vegetables also benefit bowel disorders.  This formula can
also be made into a tincture by combining the same recommended
quantities of tinctures.

CANDIDA

More and more people are tracing various health problems to stubborn,
yeast-like fungi called Candida albicans.  Not a foreign invader at
all, Candida occurs naturally in the vagina, on the skin (especially in
moist areas such as the armpits) and especially in the digestive
tract.

Only when it gets out of hand and grows disproportionately in the
intestines does candida begin contributing to various health problems,
including appetite loss, belching and an overabundance of stomach
acid.

One of the biggest concerns is graphically termed a "leaky gut."  This
condition occurs when the intestinal wall becomes too porous, allowing
undigested proteins to pass through it into the blood, which increases
the risk of developing food allergies.

Candida is usually concentrated in the digestive tract.  "Systemic"
candidiasis, which occurs when Candida gets into the blood and travels
to other parts of the body, is fortunately quite rare--it usually
occurs only in people whose immunity is compromised, such as people
with AIDS or those undergoing chemotherapy Unfortunately, many
physicians do not see candidiasis as much of a problem until it becomes
this serious, and they generally do not diagnose it as such until it
becomes systemic.

And because Candida has been getting a lot of press in natural health
magazines and booklets, many people who are in the habit of diagnosing
themselves often think they have Candida simply because they have gas
and indigestion, are fatigued or feel fuzzy-headed.  So before you jump
on the Candida bandwagon, consider that there are many other disorders
that produce similar symptoms.

There are a number of herbs that can help control Candida.  Studies
from Germany, Russia, England and Hungary show that the fungi are
inhibited by many plants whose essential oils are potent antifungal
agents--cloves, cinnamon, allspice, tea tree, lavender, garlic and
chamomile.  In one impressive study, the fresh husk of the black walnut
was shown to destroy Candida better than a commonly prescribed
antifungal drug.

Echinacea, valerian and berberine (from goldenseal, barberry or Oregon
grape root) have been shown to inhibit Candida in various studies.

My friend David was convinced that Candida had overrun his digestive
system.

His doctors told him that he did indeed have thrush, an invasion of Can
THE 	DIGESTIVE SYSTEM did that was making his mouth sensitive and
sore, and they prescribed a common antifungal drug used to treat
candidiasis.

But David found himself on a healing roller coaster--getting better,
then worse, then better and worse again.

David decided to concentrate on improving his diet and taking
nutritional supplements.

But it wasn't until he started taking an herbal tincture similar to the
recipe provided below that he saw permanent results.  In fact, the
herbs worked so well that David decided to enroll in an herbal training
program to learn all he could about preventing other health problems.

Candida Tincture

1 ounce tincture of black walnut husk

(must be fresh)

ounce each tinctures of lavender flowers, valerian root and pau d'arco
- Combine ingredients and shake well before using.  Take 2 to 3
dropperfuls a day.

You may find similar formulas sold in natural food stores.  A tincture
is the best way to take black walnut.  Tea tree is currently sold only
as an essential oil.

CONSTIPATION

The causes of constipation range from simple--a diet lacking in
adequate fiber or water, for instance--to tragic--an intestinal
tumor.

If you suffer from severe constipation not related to some obvious
change in diet, you should see a doctor to make sure that it is not a
symptom of a serious health problem.  Once your doctor determines that
you do not have a serious problem, laxative herbs can rescue you from
the occasional bout of constipation.  Warning: No laxatives, even
herbal laxatives, should be used on an ongoing basis.  You can become
dependent on them.

Laxatives should never be used to compensate for a bad diet.

Fiber--indigestible material that the intestines work to push out of
the system--is absolutely essential to a healthy digestive system, so
make sure you eat lots of it.  You can do that by eating lots of
fruits, vegetables and whole grains.  You should also stay away from
pastries and breads made with refined flour, and be sure to drink
plenty of water.

Bulk laxatives are the gentlest solution to occasional constipation,
especially if you have sensitive or inflamed bowels.

Bulk laxatives are often safe to use even when you have intestinal
inflammation, hemorrhoids, or colitis or are pregnant or nursing.  If
you have any of these conditions, ask your doctor if these kinds of
laxatives are safe for you to use.  Even if you have an iron gut, you
should use a bulk laxative as your first choice.

The most popular bulk laxative is psyllium, an herbal remedy that is
sold in drugstores.  A close relative of the common North American weed
plantain, psyllium grows in arid climates and depends upon its seed
husks to absorb enough water to sprout.  In your intestine, this same
action moves everything along like a bulldozer.  In a 1987 study,
psyllium helped 80 percent of the people whose constipation was due to
irritable bowel syndrome.  Psyllium products carry warnings about the
possibility of developing an allergy to this herb, but you probably
don't have to worry about this if you're planning to use the product at
home.  The few people who have developed allergies or become sensitive
to psyllium were health care workers, such as nurses, who were
overexposed to it at work while dispensing it to patients.

Laxative syrups and tablets of the once-popular herbs cascara sagmda
and senna are still sold in many U.S. drugstores.

Cascara and its European counterpart, buckthorn, are favorites of
herbalists and pharmacists alike.  After having cascara introduced to
them by Native Americans, missionary priests in late nineteenth-century
California were so impressed with the herb's action that they
christened it cascara sagrada, which means "sacred bark" in Spanish.

The stronger-acting (but cheaper) senna, a shrub from the Middle East,
is the most often purchased laxative herb in North America.

Both of these herbs are considered "irritating" laxatives since they
work by aggravating the intestine and causing the body to order an
evacuation.  They are safe if used in small amounts and for a short
period, but remember to go easy with them.  Long-term use, especially
for more than a week at a time, can make your body forget how to
operate on its own and may also encourage hemorrhoids.

Nursing mothers should also be careful--these laxatives find their way
into breast milk.

Cascara is considered the gentlest of the irritating laxatives since it
works primarily through the nervous system and only partly by causing
intestinal irritation.  Like many herbs, cascara has more than one
function--it also helps improve the tone and function of the
intestines.  Because of this, herbalists suggest it as a tonic to the
intestinal tract, in contrast, the irritating laxatives aloe and Turkey
rhubarb are much stronger and should be used with care.  (Do not
confuse the laxative aloe with the healing-enhancing aloe juice.

Although these two treatments come from the same plant, the laxative is
the yellowish layer right next to the leaf that is removed before
making the juice.) And while Grandma may have thought castor oil was a
good natural laxative, we now know it should never be used as a
laxative because it can produce dehydration and mineral imbalance.

You can take less of any laxative by taking licorice with it.

Licorice, which is itself a light laxative, makes the intestine much
more responsive to other laxatives.

Irritant laxatives should also be combined with an herb to relax the
intestines and prevent cramping.  Some of the most popular of these are
peppermint, ginger and fennel.

If you buy laxative as a syrup or pills, follow the directions on the
bottle--the recommended dose is usually a teaspoon of syrup or two
capsules.  You can also take a tincture.  You might even make laxative
tea, but it is very bitter.

Be warned that laxatives have a time delay.  Irritating laxatives take
6 to 12 hours to work, and bulk laxatives take even longer, 12 to 24
hours.  I know of people who took one dose, waited only half an hour
for results, then took more and more.  Eventually, the laxative did
work--and the constipation quickly became diarrhea!  I am sure that
those people will never make that mistake again.

The 	DIGESTIVE SYSTEM '.

One way you can make a tasty laxative snack is to soak stewed prunes,
figs or dates--all natural laxatives--in licorice tea.  This works
especially well for children and uncooperative adults who refuse to
swallow anything that even vaguely hints of being medicine.

Another good laxative technique for.  .the reluctant is a massage oil
made with essential oils that are gentle laxatives, such as chamomile,
marjoram and peppermint.

Use this oil to massage the abdomen for about five minutes.  The
laxative effect of the massage is not as strong as if you take the
herbs internally, but the

Candy lovers will be surprised to hear that licorice candy is not
really made from the licorice plant--it's flavored with anise.  Believe
it or not, the real thing actually has a stronger taste than the
candy!

massage does help relax intestinal muscles and get them moving.

Another laxative herbal food, which is popular in India, is tamarind
pulp.  In North America, it is sold in Indian grocery stores and in
many natural food stores.  This pulp, which comes from the pods of the
tamarind tree, is a gentle laxative that improves general sluggishness
of the bowels.  Take one to two tablespoons of the pulp in the evening,
or use it as a flavoring in an Indian dinner.

Licorice-Soaked Prunes teaspoon licorice root 2/2 cup water

3 stewed prunes, 3 stewedfigs or

2 stewed dates

Make a tea by simmering the licorice in water for a couple of
minutes.

Remove from heat and steep for about 15 minutes.

Strain and soak fruit in tea for at least a few hours.  Eat cold or
slightly warmed.

Herbal Laxative Syrup

1 teaspoon honey (or barley syrup or some other natural liquid
sweetener) 2 teaspoons cascara sagrada bark tincture ] teaspoon
licorice root tincture teaspoon tincture of fennel, ginger or
peppermint

- Warm honey enough to make it liquid.

Combine it with remaining ingredients and stir well.  Take 1
teaspoon.

Psyllium Seed Bulk Laxative teaspoon psyllium seed husks cup warm water
tablespoon lemon juice (optional) ih teaspoon honey (optional)

*' Mix seedhusks in water and stir.  Flavor with lemon juice and/or a
little honey, if desired.  Quickly (before husks thicken) drink 2
teaspoons.  Take once a day, preferably in the morning.  Drink extra
water throughout the day to help the seeds swell.

DIARRHEA

I have found that some of the best diarrhea tonics come from well-known
herbs.  Although you may not have thought about blackberries,
raspberries, blueberries and bilberries as being medicines, the leaves
and, to some degree, even the fruit of these berry plants work like
magic.  Just be sure that the berry remedy you use does not contain
seeds, or else it will have the opposite effect and act like a bulk
laxative!  (Commercial syrups and jellies do not have seeds in them.

And if you are making your own, you should use a seed sieve, which is
available at any store that specializes in jelly-making equipment.)

Chamomile, fenugreek and meadowsweet also stop light cases of
diarrhea.

Even more important, they tone the intestine and reduce the pain and
inflammation that sometimes accompany diarrhea.

Blackberries are my favorite because they are by far the most potent of
these plants.  Conveniently, they also grow abundantly around my
house.

The root bark of the blackberry plant produces the strongest diarrhea
remedy I know.

You may have trouble, however, finding it in a store, even though it
appears on the FDA safety list.  This may be because digging up
blackberry roots is such hard work!  However, if you happen to have
blackberries in your yard, as I do, only a few inches of root will give
you plenty of medicine!  Early American women had an easier solution to
stop what they called "the runs"--they served their families blackberry
jelly on toast.

In the early twentieth century, North American salesmen carried
blackberry wine as they traveled from town to town.

In fact, some still do!  A few years ago, a man sitting next to me on a
plane asked what I did.  When I told him I was an herbalist, he opened
his briefcase to show me a bottle of blackberry brandy next to the
calculator, tape recorder and pens.  He said that his father and his
grandfather had been salesmen, and of all the tricks they taught him,
the secret of blackberry was the best.  He added that this trick was
why his dad and granddad could pride themselves on never missing an
appointment, even when traveling south of the border.

Because your body uses diarrhea to flush out "bad" food and intestinal
invaders such as viral or bacterial infections and parasites, so it is
not always a good idea to stop it.  However, this cleaning attempt is
not always successful.  In any case, having diarrhea for more than two
days can make you weak and cause your body to lose important
nutrients.

Your best bet is to use herbs not only to stop the diarrhea but also to
treat the problem that caused it in the first place.

Fortunately, all the berries already mentioned contain a substance
called tannin, which tones and temporarily tightens the intestinal
lining.  This helps prevent the irritating and

Blackberry, which has a long history as an anti-diarrheal agent, grows
wild throughout most of North America.

toxic substances that cause diarrhea from being absorbed back into the
bloodstream.  Tannins also reduce the bleeding that may result from
diarrhea, but if things get that bad, you must see your doctor
immediately You may need to take a dose every half hour or so for a few
hours to stop the diarrhea.  If the condition persists for more than a
few days and the herbs seem to be doing nothing to help resolve it,
consult a health care professional.

Do not let diarrhea go unchecked for days, especially in small
children.  The resulting loss of water and electrolytes can lead to
serious dehydration and weakness.  If you need to treat your child for
diarrhea, you will find more information in "Diarrhea" on page 222.

Finally, researchers have found that the herb gentian helps counter the
debilitating feeling that sometimes goes along with diarrhea, in part
by its action on the digestive tract.

Blackberry Cordial

1 tablespoon chamomile tincture

:/4 cup blackberry brandy

3 drops ginger essential oil

2 drops peppermint essential oil

*- Combine ingredients.  Shake well before using.  Take 1 teaspoon
every 30 minutes.

European Blueberry Remedy

3 heaping tablespoons dried blueberries

1 pint cold water

, Put berries in water in a pan and bring to a boil.  Let simmer on low
heat for about 15 minutes.  When the mixture is cool, strain it into a
bottle.  Take 2 tablespoons every half hour as needed.

Stored in the refrigerator, this mixture will keep for a few days.

DIVER1-1CULI1HS

Diverticulitis is a painful condition that occurs when small sacs form
in the colon and become inflamed.  Although diverticulitis is most
common and most serious in the elderly, it can afflict anyone.

Susceptibility is greater for people who take prednisone or other drugs
with side effects that affect the immune system and increase the
chances of developing an infection.

The first indication of diverticulitis is usually pain in the lower
left area of the abdomen.  You may also develop a fever from the
infection, but do not rely on these symptoms to diagnose the condition
yourself.  You must see a physician to rule out the possibility of
several other disorders that have similar symptoms and, if you do have
diverticulitis, to judge how serious it is, since bad cases can land
you in the hospital.

Doctors believe that the primary cause of diverticulitis is a diet
containing little fiber and lots of processed foods.

The obvious way to prevent or treat diverticulitis is to improve your
diet, although shifting too quickly to a high-roughage menu can
irritate your colon even more.  Once the problem has cleared up, you
must slowly make dietary changes to prevent its return.

If your diverticulitis is not too bad, chances are good that your
doctor will send you home to rest and recuperate on a liquid diet and
antibiotics to stop the infection.  (If you see a holistic or
naturo-pathic doctor, he or she will probably recommend herbal
antibiotics.) Once you resume eating semisolid food, usually after a
few days, it is likely that even a medical doctor will recommend an
herbal treatment--psyllium seed--to keep your bowels loose.  See
"Constipation'' on page 81 for more information on psyllium.

I and other herbalists have found that wild yarn can help decrease the
pain and inflammation of diverticulitis and promote relaxation in your
colon.  Chamomile, cramp bark and peppermint are other good additions
to your formula.  Eating garlic or taking it as pills will directly
attack the infection.  If you are nervous or stressed, also take herbs
that increase relaxation.  See "Stress" on page 52 for more tips.

Warning: Do not confuse diverticulitis with appendicitis.  An inflamed
appendix can produce symptoms that are similar to diverticulitis, with
pain in the lower right abdomen instead of the lower left.  If you have
think you might have appendicitis, you must see a doctor.  Once you are
on the mend, however, you can follow the same treatments recommended
for diverticulitis.

Diverticulitis Tea

2 teaspoons wildyam root 1 teaspoon cramp bark 1 quart water

1 teaspoon each chamomileflower and peppermint leaf

Put wild yarn and cramp bark in water and bring to a boil.  Turn down
heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Turn off' heat, add chamomile and peppermint, cover and steep for at
least 15 minutes.  Strain.  Drink 2 or 3 cups a day You can use the
same proportions of these herbs to make a tincture.

FOOD ALLERGES AND REACTIONS

There is much debate among doctors and researchers about food allergies
and reactions.  Many define a food allergy strictly as a reaction of
the immune system that causes overproduction of histamines with
symptoms including hives and difficulty breathing.  These allergies can
be life-threatening.

Food reactions, however, are much more common but less well-understood
and documented.  Food reactions create havoc with digestion, causing
gas, diarrhea and a long list of seemingly unrelated symptoms not
normally associated with allergies, including stomachache.

Some physicians totally disregard food reactions, while others claim
that they are the cause of up to two-thirds of undiagnosed physical
and emotional symptoms.

If you have a sensitivity to a particular food, herbs may offer help.

No one knows exactly why some people react poorly to certain foods
while others do not.  We do know that incidence, or at least reports,
of such food reactions has dramatically increased since 1980.  Medical
experts have theorized that stress, immune system disorders,
environmental pollutants, lack of immunity from infant weaning or poor
dietary' habits might all play a role.

Heredity, digestive problems and even emotions may also come into
play.

If you have impaired digestion, asthma, migraine headaches or an immune
disorder, you are more likely to develop bad food reactions than those
who don't suffer from these conditions.  But it seems that anyone, even
healthy individuals, can develop these problems.

According to Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D and Michael T. Murray, N.D authors
of A Textbook of Natural Medicine, a reference book for naturopaths and
even medical doctors who use natural methods in their practice, 60
percent of Americans may react adversely to some food.

Many go undiagnosed, however, because few doctors recognize or even
think to look for the signs.  These include skin rashes, eczema,
breathing difficulty, migraine headaches, blurred vision, muscle aches,
nervous tension, fatigue, behavior swings, anxiety and even manic
depression.

Food reactions have been blamed for some cases of paranoia, loss of
sight and hearing, hallucinations and catatonic stupors.

Food reactions can be extremely difficult to detect--it can take hours,
even days, for symptoms to appear.  According to a study conducted in
1973, a delayed reaction is suspected in most such cases.

Was the culprit the corn you ate three hours ago or was it that ice
cream last night?  Could it even be both?  Diagnosing food reactions is
also tricky for other reasons: It may not be the food itself, but the
colorings, additives or artificial sweeteners in the product that cause
the problem.

To complicate your detective work even more, the body can respond to
food reactions by releasing hormonelike substances that give you a
'pick-up."  You feel great at first.  And when those substances wear
off and the unpleasant sywnptoms kick in, who would think to blame food
eaten hours earlier that made you feel so good?  In fact, a desire to
experience the hormonal uplift can make you unknowingly "addicted" to
the very food that is causing your problems.  One way to test for
problem foods at home is through an elimination diet.  Remove one of
the suspicious foods from your diet for one week, then start eating it
at every meal, for three days if it takes that long, to see if a
reaction occurs.

Even after a problematic food has been identified, medical science
leaves you with little more than a life of dietary restrictions and a
slight hope that the symptoms will someday go away Herbs combined with
temporary diet changes, however, offer something that conventional
medicine does not: the possibility of a cure.  You could, of course,
simply eliminate problem foods from your diet, but remember, the basic
concept of holistic healing is to heal the body, not just treat
symptoms.  It is important that you address the underlying cause as
well as the symptoms by improving digestion, liver function and
immunity and reducing stress.

One cause of a food reaction is the entrance of poorly digested foods
into the bloodstream.  When this happens, the foods are treated as
invaders and the body reacts negatively A simple and effective measure
is to improve digestion with herbal bitters and natural digestive aids
such as papaya, pineapple and ginger.  See "Indigestion" on page 91 and
chapter 7.

One of the key factors in keeping allergies and reactions in check is
maintaining a strong immune system.  Allergic symptoms occur when the
immune system mistakenly recognizes a food, such as milk or wheat, as
foe instead of friend and attacks it.  The immune system must be
operating at peak efficiency in order to recognize when something is an
invader and when it is not.  It may seem odd to recommend immunity
enhancers when the problem is that the immune system is already
overactive, but you must remember that the system works not only to
stimulate immune functions but also to keep them in check.

Marshmallow, chamomile, licorice and echinacea help the immune system
achieve this balance.  Since nervousness and stress are known to impair
immunity and can make any allergic reaction more severe, you may also
want to refer to "Stress" on page 52.

Garlic, onions, licorice and chamomile have all been found to reduce
inflammation by decreasing the body's production of histamine,
prostaglandins and other inflammatory agents.

Chamomile, licorice and marshmallow work not only to stop the
inflammation and the allergic reaction, but also to improve digestion
and reduce allergic responses in general.  Chamomile does this even
after the offending food has been eaten.  A German study suggests that
one way chamomile achieves these results is by stimulating the
production of cortisone in the body

Food Reaction Iincture

1 teaspoon each chamomileflowers and dandelion root teaspoon each
gentian rhizome, licorice root and marshmallow root - Combine
ingredients.  Take half a dropperful an hour before each meal.

You could also use these same proportions to make a tea, although
gentian is extremely bitter.

HEARTBURN

Pity the poor heart.  It takes the blame for all sorts of upsets.

Unrequited love leads to heartbreak.  A person who is cruel is said to
be heartless.  And then there's heartburn, which actually has nothing
to do with your heart.

The heat and pain of heartburn occur when your stomach releases acid

As you might guess from its name, the downy, five-foot marshmallow
plant grows in marshes, bogs and damp meadows, and along the banks of
streams.

up into your throat--this is called esophageal reflex.  The resulting
burning sensation and spasm occur next to, but not in, the heart.

Heartburn can be caused by several things, but it most commonly happens
when there is too much acid in your stomach or you have a hiatus hernia
(when your stomach bulges up slightly into the diaphragm, causing
belching).  Drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes and eating acidic
foods all increase the likelihood of heartburn.  However, rather than
going through life shunning potlucks and Thai restaurants in fear of
what you might accidentally eat, try using herbs to treat this
condition.

By the way, if you have not heard already, doctors no longer recommend
drinking milk to ease heartburn.  This is because it has been
discovered that milk only temporarily neutralizes the acidity, then
provokes the stomach into secreting even more acid.  Antacids
containing baking soda are not much help, either.

They eventually hinder nutrient absorption, elevate blood pressure and
acidity and upset kidney functions.

What does help are herbs that decrease stomach acid: licorice root,
meadowsweet, chamomile and lemon.

You might also take herbs that absorb excess acid: slippery elm,
marshmallow, flax and fenugreek seeds.  Since the malic and tartaric
acids in carrots and apples also neutralize stomach acid, I like to
combine the juices of these vegetables with the herbs to make an
extra-tasty tea.  Clinical studies have shown that chamomile,
marshmallow, licorice, slippery elm, calendula, garlic, wild yarn and
Saint-John's-wort protect the stomach from its own acid and also reduce
inflammation and infection of the lining.

I originally stumbled on a formula for heartburn years ago, quite by
accident.

When my friends Ed and Carmen had a baby, I sent a basket of herbal
baby things, including a tea of chamomile, lemon balm, catnip, fennel
and slippery elm to prevent colic.  Sometime later, when I spoke to Ed
on the phone, he said that he loved the tea and that it relieved his
belching from a hiatus hernia that had been plaguing him for years.

After some confusion, I realized that the label had fallen off, and he
had been drinking the baby's tea!

The most interesting part of this story is that Ed recently asked me if
I knew any herbs that were good for treating a hiatus hernia.  He said
it had not bothered him much for many years and he could not remember
why it ever got better.  I was not surprised that he forgot, since his
"baby" is now 16 years old.  I recommended the same tea--and it worked
just as well the second time around.

Heartburn Formula

1 teaspoon each chamomileflowers, lemon balm leaves and licorice root %
teaspoon slippery elm bark

1/4 teaspoon each fennel seeds and catnip leaves

1% cups very hot water

1 ,5 cups carrot or apple juice (optional) Combine herbs and pour very
hot water over them.  Steep for at least 15 minutes, then strain out
herbs and add juice.  Drink 1 cup after each meal.

Stored in the refrigerator, this formula will keep for a few days.

GAS c

The same spices that improve a poor appetite also relieve intestinal
gas.  If you suffer from a gas problem, try using coriander, anise,
caraway, coriander, fennel and basil when you cook your own meals.  Or
make yourself a tea of peppermint, thyme, lemon balm or chamomile.

Even though many herb books describe all these herbs as digestive
"stimulants," researchers have found that most of them actually relax
intestinal muscles and relieve cramping.  This slowing of the stomach's
action gives food more time to be digested, which in turn prevents
gas.

Peppermint's versatility has made it the most popular of all these
herbs.  In 1985 a team of researchers in Germany compared peppermint
with drugs that relieved stomach spasms, promoted digestive fluids,
killed bacteria and cut down on gas produced in the intestines.

In these tests, peppermint proved equally as effective as any of the
drugs.

INDIGESTION

Many people assume that their stomach problems are caused by too much
acid, as evidenced by the large sales of drugstore antacids.  But poor
digestion, especially of proteins, can just as easily result from too
little stomach acid.  Gas and indigestion following a high-protein meal
would be an indication of this.  Low acidity means that the proteins
you eat are not properly broken down.  The result is often indigestion
and food sensitivities.

Tablets of hydrochloric acid are commonly recommended to increase the
amount of acid in your stomach, but although these pills provide
temporary relief, in the long run they serve only to irritate your
stomach even more.

A better treatment for low stomach acid is to take herbal bitters,
which encourage your stomach to produce its own acid.  The moment these
herbs touch your taste buds, a message is sent to your brain, and your
digestive fluids, including acids, are activated.

True to their name, these herbs are bitter.  But be brave and down your
bitters--the health benefits are a sweet
payback.  One of the best-known bitters is gentian.  Appropriately
nicknamed "bitter root," this herb remains bitter even at 1 part per
20,000 dilution!

When a group of German researchers studied bitters, they found that
gentian, combined in a formula with small amounts of cayenne and
ginger, cured most cases of general indigestion.  You may have already
tried gentian without realizing it.  It is the main ingredient in the
cocktail flavoring Angostura Bitters.

The little-known soft drink Moxie gets its bitter flavor-an acquired
taste, no doubt--from gentian, a bitter herb that encourages production
of stomach acid.

Campari and vermouth also owe their flavor to herbal bitters.

Bitters enjoy a rather limited popularity in North America, but are
quite popular in Europe.  Herbal aperitifs, such as the elecampane
cordial, are still used to kick off the evening meal in many northern
European homes.  Greeks dine daily on hort, a bitter mix of chicory
and dandelion greens sprinkled with olive oil.  The French and Italians
are certainly no strangers to bitter herbs.

Even today, many families enjoy steamed or fried greens such as
dandelion every day The ritual Jewish Passover meal, eaten by Jewish
people the world over, includes bitters (in biblical times, these were
probably hyssop, wild lettuce, chicory, dandelion and sorrel).  In
Germany gentian's distant relative, centaury, is used to make a popular
bitter drink.

And in North America, we drink bitters without even knowing it--the
primary ingredient in beer is the digestive bitter known as hops.

Other bitters include goldenseal, Oregon grape root and blessed
thistle.

The stomach responds to bitters even before they arrive in it.  Alerted
by the taste receptors, the stomach produces all sorts of digestive
juices, which start breaking down fats and proteins in the foods we
eat.  These juices appear in the intestines within five minutes after a
bitter such as gentian is swallowed and remain there for two or three
hours.  You can forget taking capsules to disguise the bitterness.

While it's true that you won't taste the bitterness through a capsule,
you also won't get the same results this way.  The stomach won't act in
the same way as if you took the actual bit Pepper lovers who suffer
from indigestion caused by low levels of stomach acids will be happy to
know that black pepper also promotes acid production.

ters because it will be sent a signal that a capsule is on the way, and
the digestive requirements are different.  What a surprise it must be
for the stomach when the capsule opens up and gentian busts out!  You
can mix bitters with tastier herbs such as orange peel and spices, or
even sweeten them.  Fortunately, you do not need much of a bitter to
enjoy its effects.  Just 15 drops of a tincture or a quarter teaspoon
of the powdered herb before each meal is enough.  You can also take
half a teaspoon of Angostura Bitters.

Bitters also encourage the secretion of a digestive hormone called
gastrin, which gives hydrochloric acid an extra nudge.  If bitters are
more than you can handle, try spicing up your meal with a little black
pepper or cloves--these will also encourage your stomach to produce
acid.

If you often get indigestion after you eat a high-protein meal, this
may be because you need more of the enzymes that help your body digest
protein.  You can find these in papaya peels, pineapples, cucumbers and
especially ginger.

These digestive enzymes work even when there is not sufficient acid in
your stomach.  Since they are destroyed by high temperatures, however,
you must eat your remedy raw.  If fat digestion is your problem, papaya
will help your body digest that as well.  See chapter 7 for more
suggestions on herbs to help you digest fat.

Herbal Bitters

3 teaspoons tincture of gentian rhizome I/2 teaspoon tincture of dried
orange peel teaspoon tincture of cardamom seeds *i, Combine
ingredients.  Drink.  You can also purchase bitters at most natural
food stores.

MOJ1ON SICKNESS

There are plenty of things that can make you feel sick to your stomach,
but motion sickness, bad food, the flu, emotional upset and pregnancy
are some of the most common causes of nausea.  Fear not, however--there
are many herbs that can come to your rescue.

Ginger is one of the best natural remedies that I know of, with pepper
THE 	DIGESTIVE SYSTEM mint and basil close runners-up.

Remember, an herbal treatment need not be boring--try some basil in
your pasta, soup or salad.

In the 1980s, herbal researcher Daniel Mowrey, Ph.D came down with a
flu and took some ginger capsules.  He was surprised how quickly they
halted his vomiting and decided to put ginger to the test by giving it
to a group of college students and then treating each of them to a
dizzying ride in a tilting and rotating chair.  Dr. Mowrey's test
showed that two 500-milligram ginger capsules are even more effective
than Dramamine, the most popular motion-sickness drug.

Since Dr. Mowrey conducted his test, lots of studies have been done on
ginger.  The results of these studies have often been conflicting, but
I will bank on ginger any time.  I grew up sailing, and while I have
never had much of a problem with seasickness, I have seen plenty of
others turn green when they hit the sea.  For these people, I always
suggest ginger, and so do many of my sailing friends.

David and Barbara first learned of ginger when they were publishing the
health magazine Well-Being.  At the time, they lived on a boat anchored
in San Diego and had the opportunity to tell a lot of people about
ginger, and also to hear about its results.  When they recently took
off to sail around the world, you can bet that one of the first things
on their list of supplies was ginger to prevent seasickness.

Want to give ginger a try?  This tasty herb can be used for any type of
motion sickness and lots of other types of nausea as well.  In one
study, women who were given ginger after they had major surgery
experienced much less nausea and vomiting than would normally be
expected.

If you can, take ginger about 30 minutes before you might experience
nausea, then another dose every hour as needed.

Unlike most antinausea drugs, ginger will not make you feel sluggish or
produce blurred vision and heart palpitations.

German researchers think that the difference might be that ginger works
via the digestive tract instead of shutting down messages traveling to
the brain, which is how many antinausea drugs function.  Even the
German Federal Health Agency recommends ginger.  Delicious ways to use
it include baking it into cookies or eating the candied ginger sold in
the Chinese section of the grocery store.

I have seen all these herbs in action.

Several years ago, when I was at a concert, the promoter sought me out
and asked if I had anything for nausea--quick.

The band was ready to go on-stage, but the lead singer was doubled over
behind the curtain, vomiting.  Fortunately for her and the anxious
crowd, I had a vial of peppermint waters with me.

This wasn't anything fancy--it was similar to the peppermint flavoring
you can buy at grocery stores.  The singer took this remedy and in ten
minutes, she appeared on stage, all smiles, and went into her first
song.  When the promoter returned my vial, now empty, he looked a
little dazed.  He kept repeating, "What is this stuff?  You could make
a million on it."

I first learned of how basil can help people who are experiencing
nausea as a result of chemotherapy in 1983, when I was researching an
article for the American Herb Association Quarterly.  I found out that
Richard E. Anderson, M.D who was in private practice in San Diego, was
giving it to his cancer patients.  One of these patients, a woman named
Rena, described herself as a skeleton as a result of two weeks of
continuous vomiting.  After trying every an-tinausea drug she could
find, she tried a tea of basil leaves--and her vomiting ended.  Since I
wrote that article, I have heard of numerous doctors who recommend
basil to stop vomiting.  Even eating basil pesto works for some
people.

(For a recipe for this tasty sauce, see page 340.) If you find yourself
frequently becoming nauseated, you should have your physician check
into possible causes.  If it is part of chronic indigestion, read the
suggestions for using bitters in "Indigestion'' on page 91.  There is
some evidence that bitters help people who tend to get sick to their
stomachs.

Natural Ginger Ale 1 teaspoon fresh ginger rhizome, thinly sliced (or
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger) 1 teaspoon red raspberry leaves 3 cups
water 1 cup carbonated water 1 lemon slice e. Bring the herbs and plain
water to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, and steep an additional 10 minutes.

Strain out herbs.  Add carbonated water and lemon just before
serving.

Drink as much as desired.

PARASITES AND OTHER ALIEN INVADERS

Parasites and digestive system infections are common causes of diarrhea
and general intestinal upset.  The World Health Organization lists 46
infectious agents that lurk in drinking water around the world, but a
certain form of the normally friendly bacterium E. coli (called
pathogenic) is responsible for at least half of the complaints.  In
most cases, this particular type of E. coli causes cramps, diarrhea,
nausea, fever and vomiting that last no more than a few days.  For
young children, the elderly, and those weakened by disease, however,
pathogenic E. coli infestations can be deadly Other unwanted invaders
include shigella, salmonella, amoebas and protozoa, including
giardia.

This last protozoan, which once was a danger primarily for foreign
travelers and backpackers, is increasingly becoming a problem even for
those who do not stray far from home.  Experts estimate that 5 percent
of North Americans carry this persistent intestinal parasite.

Symptoms of giardia infestation include diarrhea, intestinal cramps,
sulfurous belching and sometimes fatigue, decreased appetite, weight
loss and difficulty in digesting of fats.

It's up to your stomach acid to kill these invading microbes, so if you
have recurring problems, you may have low stomach acid levels.  For
ways to raise those levels, see "Indigestion" on page 91.  There are
also herbs that can help get rid of infestations in your digestive
tract

]-HE 	DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

and herbs to prevent them from establishing residence in the first
place.  The beauty of these herbs is that, unlike the drugs used to
fight intestinal infestations, they interfere very little with your
natural intestinal flora.  Before you lunge into a self-treatment
program, however, it is important to know exactly what you have and how
serious it is.  Some holistic practitioners blame most digestive
complaints on parasites, but I suspect that other problems often cause
the symptoms.  You should see a doctor to identify the illness and its
severity.

Generally speaking, eating garlic and yogurt, and even drinking beer or
wine can help ward off invaders--a good thing to remember when you are
traveling in foreign countries.  Even if your doctor cannot figure out
exactly what you have, plenty of studies show that garlic serves as a
general cure and overall preventive measure against all sorts of
intestinal invaders.

Goldenseal and Oregon grape root fight digestive tract infections,
thanks to the berberine they contain.  Tablets of pure berberine
hydrochloride are sold in Mexico and much of the Orient to destroy
parasites.  When three Indian pediatricians gave berberine to 40
children infected with giardia, in less than one week about two-thirds
of the children showed no traces of the parasite.

Other studies from around the world support berberine's ability to
fight pathogenic E. coli, shigella and salmonella, as well as several
flu viruses, cholera and intestinal parasites such as giardia and other
amoebas.  South Americans rely heavily on lemon verbena to kill
bacterial infections, including pathogenic

E. coli.  Hops and nasturtium flowers are also used.

Grapefruit seed extract is also good for fighting the symptoms of
various bowel diseases, including constipation, intestinal gas,
bloating and abdominal discomfort.  In a study conducted in the early
1990s, this same extract was also found extremely useful in treating
pathogenic E. call, candida and geotrichum infestations.  This remedy
is available as a liquid or as capsules; follow the directions on the
package.

Traveling almost always increases your chances of infestations and
other digestive problems.  I've had a few unpleasant experiences
traveling in Mexico--I once spent several days in a sagging bed
watching a bare lightbulb swing on the ceiling.  Montezuma was taking
his revenge on my bowels, and the sickness would not end.  Once in a
while, a matronly woman would peek in, mumbling, " pobre serorita."

I have found quassia wood to be one of the best all-around remedies for
intestinal infestations.  This tree grows in the West Indies and South
America, where cups are carved from the wood.

I first learned of it when I read how these cups are filled with water
and the wood's properties are extracted in a few hours.  This drink
serves as a remedy for malaria, fever and parasites--these maladies
often go hand in hand in the subtropics.

Be sure to take it in small amounts, because even a slightly large
dose--say, a couple of cups of tea or a couple of dropperfuls of the
tinctures--will probably upset your stomach.  However, it is so bitter
that I have never known anyone to get that much down.

To make quassia more palatable, I borrowed a trick from the Eclectic
physicians of the late nineteenth century and added yerba santa, which
improved quassia's taste and action.  This herb grows wild in the
Sierra Nevada foothills where I live, and I pick it every summer.

Yerba santa got its name, which means "saintly herb" in Spanish,
because it traditionally has been used to treat a number of different
disorders.  I also add peppermint to this quassia mixture.

While neither yerba santa nor peppermint alone is used to treat
parasites, both improve general digestion.  The mixture I've suggested
below still tastes unpleasant, so I suggest you take it as a
tincture.

]Traveler's Companion

l ounce each tinctures of quassia barb and goldenseal (or Oregon grape)
root A ounce each tinctures of yerba santa leaves and peppermint leaves
Combine tinctures.  Even with yerba santa and peppermint, this tincture
is rather bitter, so you will have to drink it quickly Take 1/2
dropperful about 20 minutes before each meal.  If you get sick anyway,
double the dose and take 3 times a day Ulcers are painful sores that
occur in the stomach or, more often, in the upper part of the small
intestine, which is called the duodenum.  As much as 10 percent of
North Americans, and four times more men than women, have intestinal
ulcers.

There are two types of ulcers: gastric (or peptic) and duodenal.  It is
very difficult to determine the location of an ulcer by symptoms
alone, but almost all ulcers follow a pattern: Pain occurs as acid
burns the open sore; food brings temporary relief by neutralizing the
acid; pain returns after food is digested.

Ulcers have been thought to be caused by too much stomach acid; more
recent research shows that they may be caused by a bacterium called
Heliobacter tLvlorii.  Overuse of NSAIDS (nonsteroid anti-inflammation
drugs)--aspirin, ibuprofen, and the like--also causes ulcers.  And
stress makes them worse.

Nature intended for the intestine to quickly neutralize the acid that
is dumped into it from the stomach, but this neutralization does not
always happen.  Pain from ulcers flares up in response to food entering
the system, which causes stomach acid to kick into gear.  To know for
sure whether you have an ulcer, you need to be tested by a doctor.

Licorice, chamomile, cinnamon, marshmallow, slippery elm, calendula and
agrimony are a few of the herbs that herbalists use to lower stomach
acid levels.

Studies conducted in Germany show that chamomile, licorice and cinnamon
decrease the chances of an ulcer getting worse or of your getting
another one once the first has healed.

If stress is a problem for you, try taking chamomile, wild yarn,
Saint-John's-wort and even basil to relax your muscles and nerves, and
licorice and marshmallow to stimulate your immune system.  In a study
conducted in Russia in 1993, a group of alcoholics who had stomach
ulcers and chronic inflammation of the digestive tract were treated
with a combination of psychotherapy and four to five cups of
Saint-John's-wort tea a day.  After a couple of months, they had
improved and the treatment was pronounced effective.

In the late 1980s, Narendra Singh, M.D of King George Medical College
in India found that a daily tea made of 10 to 20 Indian basil leaves
was useful in preventing stress-related disorders such as stomach
ulcers and colitis.  It is likely that the closely related kitchen
spice basil would work equally well and that using it as a spice would
be effective.

No matter what your ulcer remedy, there's nothing to stop another ulcer
from taking its place unless you make some diet and lifestyle
changes.

You should also be kind to your ulcer by avoiding irritants such as
NSAIDS, alcohol and cigarettes.

Ginger can also be helpful when it comes to ulcers.  Japanese
researchers who conducted several studies on this spice found that it
contains at least six anti-ulcer compounds.

The history of licorice as an ulcer cure is particularly interesting.

The ancient Greek physician Dioscorides was using licorice to treat
ulcers back in the first century A.D but over time doctors abandoned
the herb.  Then, during World War II, the Dutch physician IF.  E.

Revers, M.D saw a small-town pharmacist prepare a licorice paste for
townspeople suffering from stomach ulcers.

Dr. Revers could not help trying licorice with a few of his own
patients, and he found that it worked just fine.  In at least half the
patients he tested this paste on, the ulcers were nearly gone within a
month.  The only real problem that he encountered was that some of his
patients developed water retention.

In the meantime, doctors have also found that licorice sometimes
increases high blood pressure.  Researchers have figured out how to
remove the compounds that caused these problems, and special licorice
preparations that do not have these side effects are available for
people with ulcers.

Bruce, a man in his late sixties who has the vibrant energy of a man 30
years younger and an active lifestyle to go along with it, has found
licorice to be effective in treating ulcers.  After experiencing
recurring stomach pain and internal bleeding, he went to the doctor and
was tested for stomach cancer.  It turned out, however, that the pain
and bleeding were due to a severe stomach ulcer, not cancer.

Soon after, he started taking herbs.

Months later, I saw Bruce at the movies and waved.  He practically
skipped up the aisle to where I was sitting and gave me a big bear
hug.

"They're gone!"  he exclaimed.  "Who's gone?"  I asked.  "The ulcers?

After finding out that he did not have cancer, Bruce started an herbal
regimen.  He took two capsules of licorice three times a day.  With a
little experimentation, he found that waking up at 4:00 A.M. to take a
dose eliminated the early morning feeling in his stomach that, as Bruce
said, "can really bite you."  When he went back to the doctor after
several months, he was given a clean bill of health.  As the lights
dimmed in the theater, I asked Bruce if I could include his story in
this book.  Heading back to his seat, he called over his shoulder,
"Yes, yes, you should tell the whole world!"

Has the fast pace of today's modern world given you tummy troubles."?

You'll be happy to know that renu-greek soothes inflamed stomach
tissue.

Meadowsweet, aloe vera, mullein and fenugreek all soothe inflamed and
bleeding ulcers.  Meadowsweet is a known pain reliever and is good for
treating ulcer pain.  In a study conducted in Russia, compounds in aloe
vera juice healed every participant's ulcers so completely that the
researchers responsible for the study compared aloe vera favorably to
cimetidine, one of the most popular anti-ulcer drugs.  In Bulgaria,
doctors successfully treat intestinal ulcers with a pharmaceutical
preparation called Verbascan, which is made from mullein.

Classic European remedies whose effectiveness has been verified by
medical research include raw cabbage and potato and celery juices.

Drinking a cup of cabbage juice four times a day can heal stomach
ulcers in only ten days.  If juicing cabbage does not fit into your
busy schedule, you can purchase dehydrated, raw cabbage powder at
natural food stores.

The magic ingredient in cabbage is sometimes called the anti-ulcer U
factor.  Its technical name is glutamine, and this compound is also
available in capsules.  Glutamine has proved to be a better ulcer cure
than antacids.  In one study, the ulcers of half the participants
disappeared in only two weeks, and those of almost all the rest were
healed in four weeks.

One herbal combination with a long history of curing ulcers is Robert's
Formula.

Not much is known about Robert.

He was probably a physician, but legend has it that he was a sailor who
suffered from severe stomach ulcers.  Robert tried various herbs to
cure his ulcers.  Some had minor effect; others didn't work at all.

Every time he visited a new port, he added a new plant to his
formula.

The final concoction healed his ulcer.  There have been some revisions
to the formula since Robert's time, but it is basically the same.  Some
of its main ingredients are marshmallow, slippery elm and dried cabbage
powder, with echinacea and baptisia to help enhance immunity and fight
infection.

With Robert's Formula in mind, I concocted this tea to combat ulcers.

Friends have found it very helpful.

Ulcer lea I teaspoon each licorice root, marshmallow root and chamomile
flowers

1 teaspoon each Oregon grape root, hops strobiles, echinacea root and
cinnamon bark 1 quart water o. Put herbs and water in an uncovered
saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer for about 15
minutes.  Remove from heat and steep for about 10 minutes.  Strain
herbs and store the tea in the refrigerator.  Drink 2 or more cups a
day.

If you have ulcers, there are some natural substances that you should
avoid: papaya and pineapple.  The digestive enzymes made from papaya,
which are used in most commercial meat tenderizers, will corrode the
areas in the stomach that have been injured by your ulcer.  Pineapple
can make your ulcer worse in the same way.

chapter SIX

The Immune System

Avoiding viruses, bacteria and the like is nearly impossible in the
modern world.  Potential infections are everywhere, and new ones spring
up all the time, or at least find their way beyond previously
insurmountable geographic and biological barriers.  You can almost hear
some of those exotic viruses singing, "It's a small, small world."

You have probably noticed how often I talk about the importance of
building up your immune system.  This is because your general health is
based on your ability to fend off disease.  I'm not just speaking about
the common cold, flu viruses and allergies.  As our understanding of
immunity increases, so does the list of serious immune-related
diseases, among them psoriasis, asthma, multiple sclerosis, cancer,
Epstein-Barr virus and chronic fatigue syndrome.  Even arteriosclerosis
and chronic infections like nephritis and colitis may belong on this
list.  With some conditions, such as allergies and asthma, the problem
is not that your immune system is suppressed, but that it is overactive
and responding overaggressively to harmless foreign substances such as
pollens or dust.

Several autoimmune disorders actually cause your immune response to
work against itself.  The immune system is composed of many different
parts working together to protect the body.

This system has built-in regulators that tell it when to turn on and
when to shut down.  Autoimmune disorders occur when your immune system
falsely identities normal substances in the body as invaders and
attacks them, injuring tissue.

Examples of such disorders include lupus; rheumatoid arthritis;
pernicious anemia, a severe blood disease; and Addison's disease, which
is caused by par-rial or complete failure of the adrenal glands.

According to medical researchers, it is quite possible that some cases
of diabetes and infertility, chronic hepatitis, atopic dermatitis (an
intensely itchy swelling of the skin caused by an allergic reaction),
some cases of asthma and many other inflammatory and several
degenerative disorders with no other known causes may also be
autoimmune problems.

The term "immune stimulant" was coined by German researchers to
describe herbs that help put your immune system in gear.  It may seem
that immune herbs simply crank up your immune system, but this is not
necessarily true.  The immune system is complex, and immune herbs can
play many different roles.  German scientist Hilde-bert Wagner, Ph.D
who has studied immune herbs extensively, prefers the term
"immunoregulator."  These herbs not only stimulate an underactive
immune system, but also help prevent the immune system from
overreacting to invaders or to substances the body falsely identifies
as invaders.

Many of the herbs discussed in this chapter increase the production and
activity of macrophages--cells that the immune system sends to digest
foreign invaders.  Some herbs also stimulate the production of defense
substances, such as interferon, which protect noninfected cells from
viruses.  Herbs can also enhance the production and function of
T-cells, vital immune cells that kill viruses, fungi and certain
bacteria.

There is even a special type of T-cell called a natural killer that is
in charge of destroying cells already infected with a virus or a
cancer.

Your natural immunity is lowered by emotional or physical stress, poor
diet, smoking cigarettes and drinking too much alcohol.  Of course,
laughter and positive imagery can boost your immunity Be on an immune
alert when the chances of getting sick are high--say, when the kids go
back to school or when you visit a foreign country.  Also look out for
a stressful situation on the horizon, such as school exams, a job
change, a move or a legal battle.

Even "good" stress, like a vacation or getting married, can lower your
immune response.  Use herbs at these times to bolster your immune
system.

BOOSTING IMMUNITY

Herbalists of bygone days may not have understood how the immune system
works, but they did know that certain herbs make the body more
resistant to disease.  If you have a chronic disorder or if it seems
that you get sick more often than you should, your immune system
probably needs some attention.  My suggestion is to use herbs to build
up your natural defenses.  The beauty of immune system herbs is that
they do more than simply hand out temporary instructions for your body
to follow--they can actually teach it how to operate better.

ECHINACEA-1-HE KING

OF IMMUNE HERBS

Without a doubt, the most popular immune herb in North America today is
echinacea.  At last count, more than 300 echinacea products were being
sold worldwide.  Although this herb is native to North America, most of
the research studies have been done in Germany

Echinacea was introduced to American physicians in 1887, when
self-proclaimed doctor H.C.E Meyer of Nebraska asked Eclectic
pharmacist John Uti Lloyd, Ph.D to endorse his Meyer's Blood
Purifier.

Meyer told Dr. Lloyd that, just to prove the effectiveness of his
Blood Purifier (of which echinacea was the primary ingredient), he
would have a rattlesnake bite him in Dr. Lloyd's of-rice, then take
the remedy Dr. Lloyd was unimpressed with Meyer's extravagant claims
and declined the demonstration.

His opinions changed, however, when he himself began studying
echinacea, which quickly became one of the Eclectics' favorite remedies
for righting all sorts of disorders.

In the 1950s, the German pharmaceutical company Madaus began studying
echinacea.  Since then, nearly 400 studies have shown that echinacea
can be used to improve the immune system in numerous ways.  These
include increasing activity of three of the immune system's
workhorses--T-cells, interferon and natural killer cells.  Echinacea
also destroys many types of viruses and bacteria.

Echinacea even makes cells stronger and more resistant to invasion.

That's a pretty impressive list of abilities for one herb, and those
are only the highlights.

Echinacea is not only versatile; it's extremely safe.  And it's
especially effective for children.  One story demonstrating echinacea's
power for kids is that of a young boy named Jason, who was born with
such low immunity that he practically lived in a bubble.  His dishes,
clothes and chair were kept separate from those used by the rest of his
family, so that germs wouldn't be transmitted from his folks to him.

He had to be home-schooled, and he even had his own bathroom.

His doctors had suggested that it might be best for everyone if he
lived in a special, sterile home for children like him, but his
parents, Mary and Jack, simply could not bear to send him away Instead,
they lived in constant fear of his encountering a bacteria or a
virus.

In fact, a packed suitcase was always waiting by the door--if he so
much as sneezed or coughed, they would rush him to the hospital without
a moment's hesitation.

Unfortunately, they lived in the country, and the nearest hospital was
an hour away By the time they arrived there, he often had already
developed pneumonia and had to be hospitalized.

When I first heard about Jason's problem, I had my doubts about whether
herbs would actually help the little guy, but I agreed that they were
certainly worth a try.  Mary started by giving him a tincture of
echinacea.  A few weeks later, Jason started coughing.  "So much for
echinacea," she thought, as she flew out the door with Jason and his
suitcase.  A couple of hours later, she was in the hospital staring at
her son.  He had a runny nose and a sniffle that the doctor had
diagnosed as a cold.  Mary called me, sobbing, "He has a cold, a
cold!"

At first, I could not figure out who it was.  I thought this mom
sounded much too hysterical over a simple cold.  Then it dawned on
me.

It was Jason's mother and she was excited, not worried--this was the
first cold that her son had had that had not progressed into
pneumonia.

The echinacea had worked.  And it continues to work to this day Now a
teenager, Jason attends public school and, although he must still be
careful when it comes to germs, he lives a nearly normal life.

In my herb classes, I am asked lots of questions about how echinacea
works and how to use it.  Research from Germany shows that it probably
works best as a preventive if you do not use it continuously For
example, you might take it for two weeks, then not take it for a
week.

It also seems to be best in small doses (up to a dropperful of
tincture, or two pills) taken several times a day rather then all at
once.

Echinacea is not toxic, however, and there is nothing wrong with taking
it continuously if you are fighting an active infection.

There is a good deal of confusion about the several varieties of
echinacea.

Although the different kinds do not all have the same chemistry, they
all work.

The real concern is that the rarer ones are being overharvested.  See
chapter 15 for more on this topic.  The roots and seeds of this herb
have the strongest immune properties, but the leaves are also fairly
potent, so some companies use the entire plant.

In a study conducted in China in 1990, even people who were perfectly
healthy found that echinacea temporarily increased their immune
response, even raising their levels of interferon.  Echinacea is often
used in China with the herb ligustrum in an immune restorative therapy
calledfuzhung.  This treatment, which has been found to increase the
manufacture of immune cells in the bone marrow, is sometimes referred
to as a deep immunity reaction because it creates more
ths-ease-fighting cells, rather than simply stimulating existing
ones.

O1-HER !M!OR1AN"HERBS FOR IMMUNI-I-Y Echinacea may be the best-known
immunity-enhancing herb, but it is not the only one.  In China,
astragalus is traditionally used to promote vitality and healing.

Licorice is another great immunity enhancer.  This herb is right out
there on the front lines, strengthening the very first defense put up
by an immune system under siege.  A tincture of licorice root is
effective against candida and several types of bacteria, including the
notorious staph infection.  According to laboratory' studies done in
the 1970s and 1980s, a compound in licorice increases interferon
production.  Another compound impairs the ability of viruses--including
herpes--to survive.

Another important Chinese immune herb is bupleurum.  It is a main
ingredient in a popular combination called saikoto, which Chinese
researchers believe improves immune system activity The other
ingredients in the formula are licorice, Chinese skullcap and
ginseng.

Studies conducted in China have shown that Chinese skullcap stops the
development of certain druses and makes uninfected cells more resistant
to invasion.

The results of several studies show that when healthy adults are given
either capsules of ginseng or a tincture of Siberian ginseng for a few
weeks, a whole range of positive changes occurs--in one case, the
researchers even referred to them as "drastic" changes.  Even greater
improvement was seen in volunteers who took a ginseng extract daily for
eight weeks in a 1990 study Siberian ginseng was not widely used in
Russia until the 1960s, when Professor Itskovity Brekhman began
studying it.  This herb proved to be amazingly versatile, and soon
after Brekhman's studies, Siberian ginseng was taken into space with
cosmonauts and to the Olympic games with athletes.  In time, its use
spread to the general population of the Soviet Union.

Brekhman dubbed ginseng and Siberian ginseng "adaptogens" since they
help the body adapt in so many ways.  Most important, they improve
immunity and counter the effects of stress, which are commonly
implicated in the immune system's becoming deficient.

Preliminary results of studies conducted by Dr. Wagner and his
colleagues in Germany show that the Ayurvedic herb ashwaganda from
India may also be an adaptogen.  Called Indian ginseng, this herb is
another known immunity enhancer.

Another possible adaptogen is the immune herb Chinese shizandra.  This
herb is very important in China, where it appears in many different
types of formulas.

According to Dr. Wagner, in German-speaking countries several
medicinal herbs are used to enhance If you get sick often, you may want
to check out the Ayurvedic herb ashwaganda, or Indian ginseng, which
enhances the immune system.

the immune system or bring it back up to normal levels folllowing an
illness.  To return the body to health naturally, the Germans use a
treatment called ReizhOr-pertheratgie.

Preliminary scientific evidence shows that some of the herbs in this
remedy including calendula, chamomile, burdock, baptisia, red clover
and marshmallow, have immune-enhancing properties similar to those of
echinacea.

Yellow dock and yucca have similar properties.

All of these herbs increase immune system responses and decrease the
number of cancerous cells, at least in the laboratory.

They also have a long history of use in treatments for immune-related
problems.  Burdock, for example, has been used around the world to
inhibit and slow the growth of cancerous tumors.  It also contains a
compound shown to inhibit tumor growth.  Other herbs or herbal
compounds that have pronounced effects on the immune system include
garlic, shiitake mushrooms and gamma linoleic acid (GLA), which is
found in evening primrose oil.

In 1960, American herb researcher Kenneth Cochran, Ph.D of the
University of Michigan, launched studies on the properties of shiitake
mushrooms.

He discovered that shiitake has a strong antiviral compound called
lentinan that stimulates the immune system.  In follow-up research
conducted in Japan, shiitake proved more effective than the powerful
prescription drug amantadine hydrochloride in fighting viruses.  It was
also effective against many types of viral infections.  Researchers
found that one reason for this is that lentinan apparently increases
interferon activity.

Italian researchers have found that thyme, lavender, bergamot and lemon
stimulate immunity.  After conducting numerous studies, researchers
have added eucalyptus, tea tree, rosemary, black pepper, cardamom and
ginger to this list.  Other herbs historically used to inhibit tumor
cells in the laboratory are gotu kola, kelp and dandelion.  Depending
on the herb, the active ingredient may be the essential oil or some
other compound.

The more we learn about the immune system and about herbs, the more
immunity enhancers we recognize.

Consider the Peruvian rainforest herb una de gato, or cat's claw, which
got its name because of its clawlike stems.  Although this herb did not
gain wide acceptance in the United States until 1994, Peruvian Indians
have been using the root bark for centuries.  Like most immune herbs,
cat's claw can be used to treat a wide array of disorders related to
the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis, gastric ulcers,
colitis, Crohn's disease, inflammation, allergies, herpes, candida, the
leaky bowel syndrome associated with many food allergies, cancer and
AIDS.  Today, cat's claw is sold in pharmacies throughout Peru.

In one study, cat's claw improved immunity in people with cancer by
increasing the amount of disease-fighting immune cells in their
blood.

In 1989, a U.S. patent was issued to Klaus Keplinger, M.D of the
Immodel laboratory in Austria, for a cat's claw-based product to help
the immune system.  The report that explains how the product works
states that compounds in the bark are "suitable for the unspecified
stimulation of the immunologic system."

Cat's claw, which is available mostly in tincture and pill formulas
that also include other herbs, seems to be especially useful for
treating urinary tract problems associated with poor immunity This may
be due to its ability to reduce spasms in the bladder, as reported in a
1979 study.

This use of cat's claw is demonstrated by the story of Phillip.  While
gathering information for an article on cat's claw that I was running
in my herbal newsletter, I found one person who had had great success
using cat's claw by itself.  Phillip said that he had been plagued by a
chronic urinary tract problem for about 20 years.  This problem
involved an unspecified inflammation that was probably related to his
enlarged prostate gland.  Over the years, Phillip had visited a number
of different doctors, both holistic and conventional, and had tried
numerous nutritional and herbal combinations with minimal results.

Finally, an herbal importer suggested that he try taking cat's claw.

After only three days of drinking three cups of cat's claw tea a day,
Phillip noticed that his symptoms were starting to diminish.  And by
the second week, they were gone.  Enthused about the herb, he continued
to take it and noticed that his resistance to colds, flus and other
types of infections also seemed much better.

My friends Sylvia and Dale have had lots of success with immune
herbs.Their story is a tale I hear over and over again from many
people.  Sylvia and Dale sell hand-made items at craft fairs throughout
the West.  When I first met them, they told me that the extensive
amount of traveling they did was not so bad, but getting sick was.  All
the late nights at motels and stressful days working fairs were not
helping their immune systems at all.  They seemed to pick up a cold or
flu everywhere they went.

Then they started taking an immune tincture similar to the one below.

At first, they noticed only a little difference, but later they both
realized that they had not been sick for months.

This was a definite first for them.  As time went on, they got fewer
and fewer colds and flus.  Dale even said that he felt he had more
energy By now, they have been taking immunity-enhancing herbs for
several years and do not use them on a regular basis--they don't have
to.

But they do make sure to stock up before a trip.

Immune ]]ncture

A teaspoon each tinctrtres of echinacea root, part d'arco bark,
Siberian ginseng root, licorice root, astragalus root and brtpleurrtm
root .  Combine ingredients.  Take entire formula twice a day for a few
weeks at a time to build up your immune system, or 4 to 6 times a day
during an active infection or other immune-related problem.

SWOLLEN LYMPH GEANDS

One important part of the immune system is the lymph.  This clear
liquid flows through the body through its own extensive system of
porous channels, passing into the blood vessels and surrounding
cells.

It empties into strategically placed lymph glands, which filter out
foreign materials, particularly bacteria.  The tonsils, which are
located in the throat, are the best known of these glands.

The extra workload these glands have during an infection can make them
swell.  That is why swollen lymph glands anywhere in your body indicate
that there is probably a nearby infection.  Also lymph glands work to
stop cancer cells from spreading, but when they do, they become
vulnerable to cancer themselves.

Unlike the blood, lymph does not have the luxury of having a heart to
pump it around the body Since lymph relies on the body's movements to
get around the body, regular exercise is important.

When you are bedridden and unable to exercise, periodically elevating
the legs and arms will help.  So will alternating hot and cold
treatments using a sponge bath or compresses.

One of the many jobs performed by most immunity-enhancing herbs is to
assist the lymph system in collecting toxins in the body.  Herbs that
have traditionally been used to encourage lymph flow and to reduce
swollen glands include red root, red dover, cleavers, mullein, prickly
ash, lemon peel, bap-usia and echinacea.  With the exception of mullein
and echinacea, these herbs have not been well-studied, but herbalists
have been using them to help drain infections for hundreds of years.

Herbalists consider baptisia, also called wild indigo, one of the first
options in treating swollen lymph conditions such as tonsillitis and
laryngitis.

They have found that this herb enhances immune cell destruction of
viruses and bacteria, stimulates production of lymph cells, and then
gives them a kick in the pants to get them going.

Baptisia is often used for sinus infections.

Unlike most herbs mentioned in this book, baptisia must be used with
some care.  Regular doses of half a dropperful or a tablet or two a
day for a week are fine for an adult, but larger doses should be
avoided.  Baptisia is commonly used in Sweden, but it is classified as
a drug there.

Use the lymph-draining herbs when you have a severe or chronic
infection or whenever your lymph glands become swollen--when you have
tonsillitis; mumps, which swells glands on the sides of the neck; or
Epstein-Barr virus, which includes infectious mononucleosis.

The lymph herbs are also safe to give

THE 	IMMUNE SYSTEM

Some poker trivia: Red clover was the model for the clubs suit in every
deck of cards.

to children who are plagued by constant ear infections.

The spleen is the largest lymphatic tissue in the body This organ
produces lymph and small immunity-enhancing compounds called
peptides.

It also helps destroy bacteria and cellular debris such as worn-out
blood cells.  According to studies done in India, the compound In
China, astragalus is used to promote vitality and heading.

berberine, which is found in goldenseal, Oregon grape root and
barberry, enhances blood flow through the spleen and thus is thought to
improve spleen function.  Berberine also increases the activity of
certain immune cells.  There is also some evidence that astragalus and
ligustrum improve spleen activity

During an infection, a lymphatic massage that uses deep strokes up the
arms and legs helps with drainage.  Aromatherapy oils, particularly a
lemon massage oil, make a lymphatic massage even more effective.  The
essential oil of bay is another good one, but it is difficult to
find.

Most of the bay sold in North America is actually pimiento bay, which
is related to allspice and is used to make bay rum cologne.

Lymph Drainer

/5 teaspoon each tinctures of mullein leaves, echinacea root, prickly
ash bark, red clover flowers and cleavers leaves t Combine
ingredients.

Take half a dropperful 4 to 8 times daily during an active infection.

This formula can be taken along with the Immune Tincture on page 106.

CA N C ER ' :::i!:

Although there is still no cure for cancer-pharmaceutical or
herbal--medical researchers are busy searching the plant world for an
answer to this plague.

Medical science already uses compounds derived from the Pacific yew
tree to treat ovarian cancer and from mayapple for certain lung and
testicular cancers.

While these toxic herbs are not suitable for home remedies, there are
many herbs that can help you ward off cancer in the first place.

Researchers at the National Cancer Institute's Designer Foods program
are currently investigating cancer-fighting compounds in foods and
herbs.

Researchers there and elsewhere are coming up with some interesting
findings.

Research conducted at the University of Illinois in Chicago, for
example, has shown that thyme contains 40 cancer-preventing substances
and sweet basil has more than 30.  And this research is not limited to
the United States.

In a study conducted at the National Institute of Nutrition in
Hyderabad, India, chronic smokers took turmeric daily for a month.

Their bodies converted and eliminated three to eight times more
carcinogens than smokers who did not eat this spice.  Because of this
study, researchers are encouraging Indians--whether they smoke or
not--to increase their consumption of turmeric.  In New Jersey,
researchers at Rutgers University speculate that regular use of even
small amounts of culinary herbs like thyme, basil and turmeric can
reduce your risk of cancer.

Garlic may also protect against some forms of cancer.  A survey of
4,000 Italians and Chinese was reported at the First World Congress on
the Health Significance of Garlic in Washington, D.C in 1990.  The
results of this survey led researchers to conclude that people who eat
lots of garlic and its relatives, including onions, leeks, chives and
scallions--at least 25 to 50 pounds a year over 20 years--have fewer
cases of stomach cancer.

Other studies lend support to the healing powers of garlic.  Mexing,
M.D of Shandong Medical College, for example, found that the residents
of two towns in China had similar lifestyles and diets with one
exception--the inhabitants of Gangshan ate about six cloves of raw
garlic daily while their neighbors in Qixia ate none.  The residents of
Gangshan also reported ten times fewer cases of stomach cancer than
those who live in Qixia.  In the laboratory, both raw and dried garlic
have been shown to destroy tumor cells.

It takes about three hours for garlic compounds to enter the cell, but
once in place they get to work almost immediately

T H E M, M U N E S Y S T E ,\

HERBS FOR TREAHNG CANCER If you do get cancer, there are some herbs
that can be used to reduce the effects of chemotherapy and radiation.

Keith Block, M.D medical director of the Cancer Care Program at
Edgewater Medical Center in Chicago, is researching how herbs can be
used in conjunction with standard cancer treatments.  He has found that
cancer patients undergoing standard treatment have fewer side effects,
such as hair loss and nausea, when they take herbs that benefit the
immune system (see "Boosting Immunity' on page 101).

So far, Siberian ginseng has not been proven to have any direct effect
on

Siberian ginseng is not true ginseng, but it does contain similar
active compounds and so is lumped together with Korean and American
ginseng.

cancer cells, but it can increase general resistance and improve side
effects resulting from chemotherapy and radiation.

In Russia in 1964, a tincture of Siberian ginseng was given to 38
people with similar types of cancer of the mouth an hour before they
went through 14 days of radiation therapy.  They experienced numerous
benefits, including better sleep, an improved appetite and even a
renewed interest in life, as well as normalization of blood pressure,
pulse and breathing rates.  Also, the vounds that resulted from the
cancer healed approximately one month before those of the people in a
similar group not taking the herbs.  The researchers concluded that
Siberian ginseng can counter the harmful effects of radiation treatment
and increase the rate of healing.  Two years later, another Russian
experiment showed that Siberian ginseng decreased the toxic effects of
chemotherapy used to treat breast cancer.

Laboratory studies in China and thousands of years of experience have
paved the way for various herbs to be used in combination with Western
drug treatments in Chinese hospitals.  The herbs given to people with
cancer include astragalus, ligustrum and Siberian ginseng.

In numerous studies on astragulus and ligustrum, these two herbs
improved the immune response in most of the people with cancer who took
one or the other or both.  Researchers even concluded that astragulus
contains 'one or more extremely potent naturally occurring immune
stimulants."  At the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston,
researchers have found that immune cells taken from people with AIDS
and cancer became more active in the test tube and that these people
felt physically and emotionally strengthened after being treated with
astragalus.

Medical doctors in Japan are also more open to using herbs than are
their counterparts in North America.  After the National Cancer
Research Center in Tokyo discovered in the 1980s that shiitake
mushrooms could be used to shrink cancerous tumors, Japanese hospitals
began giving their patients a shiitake concentrate to increase their
immune response.  Japanese doctors also used an extract of a mushroom
called polporus to improve the expected cancer survival rate by a few
years.

One herb that has had a lively history is pau d'arco.  This medicinal
plant has been used since the time of the Incas and the Aztecs to treat
various immune-related problems, including poisonous snakebites.  In
the 1960s, the Brazilian press published reports that included hundreds
of testimonials that declared pau d'arco a cancer cure, and people were
soon ripping the bark off trees throughout the country, even climbing
into the Botanical Gardens in Campinas to do so.  These people were
spurred on by the miraculous story of a young girl in Rio de Janeiro
who was cured of cancer after an angel visited her and told her about
the bark.  A newspaper account also told of University of Sao Paulo
botanist Valter Accorsi, Ph.D who daily dispensed the bark for free to
crowds that sometimes numbered 2,000 people!  Unfortunately, the
sensational stories made most scientists cringe, and the little
research that was done at places like the Sao Paulo Hospital of Clinics
was short-lived.

A colleague of Dr. Accorsi, however, was also reporting success using
pau d'arco.  The award-winning botanist Teo-doro Meyer, Ph.D had been a
professor at the Miguel Lillo Institute and Herbarium in San Miguel de
Tucuman, Argentina, where he had supplied herbs for study by
pharmaceutical companies in the United States.  He developed an
alcohol-free elixir that he distributed as a treatment for
immune-related disorders, including cancer.  He observed the effects of
this elixir on the people he gave it to, and reported an improvement in
their "general state and their spirits."  Dr. Meyer died in 1972 after
years of frustrated attempts to convince the world of pau d'arco's
healing abilities.  One of the few clinical studies on pau d'arco, done
in 1980 in South America, showed that this herb reduced most of the
symptoms, especially the pain, in people who had various types of
cancer.  The only reported side effect was a few cases of nausea.

When researchers at the National Cancer Institute studied pau d'arco
for use as a cancer treatment, they found that it contained only
moderate tumor-inhib-waiting abilities, but did produce a definite
immune response.  Other research has shown that the herb is sometimes
effective in fighting cancer, malaria, viruses and bacterial
infections.  Herbalists use it to treat such immune-related disorders
as asthma, rheumatism, eczema, psoriasis, shingles and yeast
infections.  Some success has also been reported with diabetes.

For more on the history and science of pau d'arco, see Kenneth Jones's
book Pan d"Arco.

For suggestions on dealing with side effects you might experience while
undergoing chemotherapy or radiation, such as digestion problems,
nausea and headaches, see pages 76, 93 and 34, respectively)

CHRONIC FATIGUE,

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND OTHER SERIOUS DISEASES

There are some serious immune disorders, such as chronic fatigue
syndrome (more accurately known as chronic fatigue and immune
disfunction syndrome, or CFIDS), multiple sclerosis (MS) and lupus,
that are not well-understood.  One thing we can assume about these
disorders is that they are also related to problems of the nervous
system.  These serious illnesses require professional diagnosis, but as
far as treatment goes, often all you can do is treat the symptoms.

Partial relief can be provided through herbal treatments and other
therapies such as diet improvements, acupuncture, stress reduction and
nutritional supplements such as pantothenic acid, vitamins C and Be and
magnesium.

In 1987, a study was done on a group of individuals who had been
experiencing uncomfortable fatigue and sporadic fevers for at least six
months.

Blood tests showed that these people had especially low levels of the
important T-cells known as natural killers, a condition that occurs
with chronic fatigue syndrome.  Antibiotics and conventional fever
drugs had no effect.  It was not until these people took lentinan, a
compound found in shiitake mushrooms, that their energy levels rose and
their fevers subsided.

GLA has also been found to alleviate symptoms in many people who have
chronic fatigue and also those who suffer from MS or lupus.  If you
suffer from any one of these disorders, you might also consider trying
a variety of immune and nervous system herbs, including wild oats,
skullcap and especially Saint-John's-wort--try adding t/2 ounce
tincture of each of these to the Immune Tincture (see page 106).  An
herbal formula will not cure the disease, but it can certainly improve
your quality of life.  I know several people with these disorders who
have used this tincture and have told me that they are happy to have
found something that makes their lives a bit better.

Warning: If you have lupus, avoid alfalfa, even the sprouts.  Herbal
researchers believe that this herb can encourage relapses of the
disease after remission.

If you are HIV-positive, some immune herbs are not appropriate.  It has
been observed that stimulating T-cells sometimes only encourages this
terrible virus.  Since several herbs used to improve immunity stimulate
T-cell activity7 there is a possibility that herbal treatments would
hinder more than help.  If you are HIV-positive or have AIDS and wish
to treat yourself herbally, it is important that you work with a
professional health care practitioner who is knowledgeable about their
effects, especially when combined with the various drug treatments
available for these conditions.

There are several herbal compounds currently being studied that do show
anti-HIV activity in the laboratory.  These include high amounts of
concentrated compounds from Saint-John's-wort, licorice, astragalus and
the Chinese gourd Trichosanthin hirilowii.  In studies organized by the
University of California, San Francisco, Medical School and the
Hagiwara Institute of Health in Japan, the shiitake compound lentinan
has been shown to inhibit HIV by stopping its reproduction and by
keeping the T-cells from fusing.

A paper presented at the 1988 Proceeding of the National Academy of
Sciences showed that compounds from Saint-John's-wort appear to disrupt
the virus.  And GLA was approved for AIDS trials in 1995.  Infected
cells are not capable of producing their own GLA, but when they are
bombarded with it, they break up and die without harming the normal
cells.

Chapter SEVEN

The

Liver and the

Gallbladder

H r ave you ever wondered just what functions your liver and
gallbladder perform?  The liver and the gallbladder serve as a team,
working to eliminate toxins and other potentially harmful agents that
are taken into the body It is the liver, however, that does most of the
work; the gallbladder is primarily a backup organ--it stores the bile
that the liver produces and empties that bile into the small intestine
where, with additional enzymes from the pancreas, food is further
broken down for absorption.  The liver is also responsible for
metabolizing various foods and producing certain substances needed by
the body

LIVER

DISEASES

Unless you have had a liver problem, chances are that you barely give
the organ much thought.  A liver is easy to ignore.  It never grumbles,
thumps, burps or makes itself obvious like other organs.  However
polite it may be, do not underestimate your liver's importance.

This organ performs an amazing assortment of tasks as your body's
manufacturing plant.

Through eating, breathing and even absorption through the skin, we all
take in quite a smorgasbord of substances, ranging from life-sustaining
foods to toxic chemicals.  The liver's role is to break down and
neutralize a wide array of potentially toxic chemicals, including such
things as food additives, environmental pollutants, petroleum, paint
and solvents.  Even many natural substances, such as hormones, need to
be broken down.  Toxic levels of the hormones estrogen and testosterone
circulate through the blood and increase the risk of hormonally related
cancers if they are not transformed by the liver.  The liver also
converts protein into usable ammo acids.  Nutrients such as fats,
carbohydrates and vitamins A, D, E, K and are metabolized by your
liver.  Several vitamins are stored in your liver.  And as if your
liver is not busy enough, it also manufactures antibodies for the
immune system, produces agents that allow blood to clot when you get
cut, and even helps control blood sugar levels.

Liver problems are easy to shrug off at first because the typical
symptoms tend to be the last things you would think of being related to
your liver.

Headaches, irritability, fatigue, aches and pains, indigestion,
bloating, constipation, hormonal imbalances, PMS and menstrual
irregularities are just a few examples.  However, if you ask an
herbalist for advice on how to clear up chronic skin problems,
including rashes, boils, eczema and psoriasis, she will probably give
you a list of herbs for the liver.

Hepatitis and cirrhosis are two diseases that can badly damage your
liver.

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver brought on by certain viruses
or by overexposure to a toxic substance.  This disease commonly causes
a fever that is often accompanied by vomiting.  About 20 percent of
alcoholics can count on developing hepatitis after five to ten years of
too much alcohol, but the disease can also result from poor nutrition,
a viral or bacterial infection or toxic poisons.

Cirrhosis is a serious disease that changes the structure of the liver
so that it cannot function properly.  One of the biggest problems with
cirrhosis is that less blood flows through the liver, and the toxins
that are normally eliminated can now poison the body.  About 20 percent
of heavy drinkers eventually develop cirrhosis, and alcoholic hepatitis
is often a precursor of cirrhosis.  This condition can also be caused
by poor nutrition (especially too little protein), poisonous
substances, or a previous viral or bacterial infection that inflamed
and weakened the liver.

The good news is that even a damaged liver retains an incredible
ability to regenerate itself.  The even better news is that herbs can
help.  Thanks to many scientific studies, mostly from Germany and the
United States, we know that dandelion, burdock, chamomile, licorice and
especially milk thistle can heal a damaged liver and protect it from
further destruction.  Clinical studies show that with these herbs,
symptoms from liver damage, especially digestive problems, begin to
improve in only two weeks.  And as added benefits, people in the
studies reported increased feelings of well-being and improved
appetites.

Milk thistle most impressed the medical world when G. Vogel, M.D used
it to save lives in the 1970s.  A leading milk thistle researcher, Dr.
Vogel

Liver-healing burdock is a really "sticky" plant.  Even if you just
brush past it, you leave with several of its small flowers attached to
your clothing or hair.

brought to his clinic 60 people suffering from severe mushroom
poisoning.  He gave them a compound called silymarin that was extracted
from milk thistle and found that "results ranged from amazing to
spectacular," even though most of the people were not treated until a
full day after eating the bad mushrooms.

Dr. Vogel and other well-known plant researchers, including Hildebert
Wagner, Ph.D have found that the antioxidants in milk thistle called
flavanoids are some of the most potent liver-protecting substances
known.

(Antioxidants prevent cell destruction and damage caused by the harmful
compounds known as free radicals.) Studies conducted by these experts
show that flavanoids work even better than the well-known antioxidant
vitamin E. So do ginger and garlic, according to the results of
numerous studies conducted all over the world.  Similar flavanoids that
improve liver function are also found in rosemary and grape leaves,
which are used in Greek cooking.  All of these herbs protect the liver
from damage and increase the production of beneficial liver enzymes so
that the liver can do its job better.

One important function of antioxidants is to protect the liver against
damage from heavy metals and other toxic substances in the air and the
food we eat.

In case you think that heavy metal exposure is nothing to worry about,
consider that more than 600,000 tons of lead are put into the
atmosphere every year in the United States alone.  Heavy metals are all
around us--lead solder in tin cans, lead and cadmium in cigarette
smoke, mercury in dental fillings and some cosmetics, and aluminum in
antacids.  Research conducted in Germany has shown that milk thistle
helps protect the liver from drug and heavy metal poisoning.  As a
result, milk thistle is the basis for a number of German drugs used to
treat liver problems.

Milk thistle is available in a number of preparations, but you can also
sprinkle it onto your cereal or soup or incorporate it into other
meals.  To make milk thistle powder, buy whole seeds and grind them in
a coffee grinder.  Keep the powder on the table in a spice shaker.

Milk thistle is not the only member of the thistle family to come to
the aid of the liver.  If you like artichokes, you are in luck.  While
few American doctors consider artichoke a medical herb, European
doctors regularly prescribe artichoke extracts to patients with liver
problems.  In fact, they have been using artichoke to treat jaundice
and other liver complaints since as far back as the eighteenth
century.

Artichokes protect the liver from damage and help it regenerate-and
yes, eating them for dinner counts.  However, before you make up your
shopping list, be aware that most commercial artichokes are highly
sprayed, and if you are trying to heal your liver, pesticides are among
the last things you want to eat.

It was not until the 1930s that German and French researchers began to
study artichokes in their laboratories.

Later, Italian researchers joined them to produce a substantial amount
of research.

In one study, dozens of Polish workers who were exposed to the toxic
chemical fumes of carbon disulfide were given an artichoke extract for
two years.

The results of this study were presented in 1960 at the Symposium on
Drugs Affecting Lipid Metabolism in Milan, Italy.

Because of the artichoke, the workers did not experience the changes in
their blood that would normally occur from inhaling this pollutant.

The researchers found that artichoke is also useful in treating
hepatitis because it helps reduce bile levels in the liver, thus
decreasing congestion in the liver and the consequent risk of damage.

Licorice has been found to neutralize liver toxins.  The Chinese may
have been the first to use licorice to treat the liver.  In modern
times, licorice has been studied by the Research Group of Liver

Disease at the Shanxi Medical College in China.  Since the 1950s,
medical doctors in both the East and the West have used a compound
derived from licorice to treat chronic hepatitis.  In Japan,
glycyrrhizin, a compound extracted from licorice, was found to be so
successful in treating hepatitis that it was written up in at least
three scientific journals.  One of these reported that licorice
increased the production of interferon, which is commonly used to treat
hepatitis B.

The Chinese herbs astragalus, shizandra and bupleurum also neutralize
liver toxins.  Studies conducted in China show that all these herbs
work in several ways, including serving as antioxidants to protect
your liver and keep it healthy and strong.  In one clinical study with
shizandra, a tincture was given to a group of people with chronic
hepatitis.  Another group received vitamin E and a liver extract.

After six months, almost 75 percent of those who were taking shizandra
had normal blood tests, indicating that their problems were over.

Those taking the vitamin E and liver extract improved only half as
quickly and not as much.  Of the more than 100 people who took
shizandra, only 4 reported side effects: mild headaches and nausea.

Shizandra was recently developed into a new drug by the Pharmaceutical
Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

This herb has been proven to diminish hepatitis B in less than a
month.

Bupleurum has also been the subject of some study.  The organizers of
one study described a compound found in this herb as remarkable in its
ability to stop liver damage.  Because of these findings, Japanese
physicians who use modern Western medical methods have recently taken a
hint from Japan's herbal doctors--they are now turning to traditional
formulas that contain bupleurum.

Their renewed interest in this herb has sparked several studies, which
have shown that bupleurum can even help people who have had hepatitis
for several years.

A whole list of herbs used in the Orient--ginger, turmeric, cardamom,
ginseng (especially red ginseng), the Japanese plant ukon, reishi
mushroom and psyllium seed--have been shown to reduce liver damage.  In
one Chinese study, about 75 percent of a group of people with chronic
hepatitis were successfully treated with reishi mushroom, shizandra and
Astragnlus baicalensis.

Their liver swelling went down, and their appetites improved.

Ginger actually gives other herbs a boost by improving the body's
ability to assimilate them.  Since the liver is responsible for
breaking down substances in the blood, it eventually deactivates
medicinal compounds in herbs.  Ginger actually protects herbal
compounds from being destroyed, making it possible for them to pass
through the liver unchanged and thus continue circulating in the blood
for a longer time.  According to a 1981 study on the bioavailability of
herbs, this is probably why ginger is found in so many traditional
Ayurvedic and Chinese formulas.

Research has shown that ginger, along with black pepper and the closely
related long pepper, also improve the intestines' absorption of other
herbs.  These three herbs are the ingredients of the popular Ayurvedic
formula called trikatu.

During the nineteenth century, turmeric was used in place of litmus
paper-turmeric paper was used to test the pH of various liquids.

Turmeric is what gives the Eastern spice known as curry (which is
actually a mixture of several different ground herbs) its yellow
color.

You get a healthy medicinal dose of this herb every time you eat foods
seasoned with curry powder.

Because the compounds found in turmeric are not water soluble, this
herb is best taken as a pill or, even better, as a tincture.

Tamalaki, another herb from India, has been used by practitioners of
Ayur-vedic medicine for more than 2,000 years to treat liver
disfunction.  Recently, it has come to be used to treat hepatitis B.

One study showed that even those who still had the virus had less
chance of developing liver cancer if they continued to take tamalaki.

Of course, one of the best things you can do for your liven-and your
general health--is to go easy on alcohol consumption.  If you do
overindulge, however, there are herbs that seem to help the liver.  For
example, ginseng can lower the alcohol level in your blood in 40
minutes, according to research on alcohol-lowering enzymes done by the
Korean Ginseng and Tobacco Research Institute.  Gamma linoleic acid
(GLA) from evening primrose, borage and black currant seeds may prevent
hangovers and poisoning and depression from alcohol, and may ease
alcohol withdrawal.  According to Brian Leonard, Ph.D a researcher at
the University College in Galway, Ireland, GLA also encourages
regeneration of alcohol-dam-aged liver cells.  Also, many herbalists
have found that fennel seeds help reduce alcohol's effects.

Liver lea 1 teaspoon each dandelion root, milk thisthe seeds and
roasted chicory root 1/2 teaspoon each sarsaparilla root, licorice root
and ginger rhizome 1 quart water -. Combine ingredients in a saucepan
and simmer for a couple of minutes.

Turn down heat and let steep for about 15 minutes.  Strain and drink at
least a cup a day

GALLBLADDER PROBLEMS

Think of the gallbladder as the liver's sidekick.  In comparison to the
much larger liver (under which it appears to nestle for protection),
the gallbladder has comparatively little to do.

Primarily, it stores bile manufactured by the liver.

When you eat a fatty meal, the gallbladder contracts and releases bile
into the first section of the small intestine, which is called the
duodenum.  In fact, two signals of gallbladder problems include stomach
pains and a bloated feeling after eating high-fat foods.  Bitter herbs
like gentian are the best way to stimulate bile-production and improve
fat digestion.

Most North American physicians are not very concerned about bile deft
European herbalists use the juice of the dandelion root to treat
diabetes and liver diseases.

ciency, but European doctors do worry about this problem.  If a patient
of a European doctor is diagnosed as being bile-deficient, chances are,
the physician will prescribe an herbal formula to correct the
problem.

Several European drugs contain one of the most potent bile stimulants
in the plant world--dandelion.

When the German over-the-counter drug Hepatichol--which is made mostly
from dandelion--along with nettle and a few other herbs, was tested,
the results were impressive.  A study conducted in Germany in 1952
showed that all the people with gallbladder problems who took
Hepatichol improved within only a few days.

Several compounds in turmeric increase bile and also help other bile
stimulants do a better job.  In the early 1970s, German researchers
found that when turmeric was taken with milk thistle and celandine, it
increased bile flow about six times more than when the herbs were used
without it.

One of the most common--and most unpleasant--gallbladder problems is
gallstones.  These little "stones" are usually formed from concentrated
bile and cholesterol combined with minerals and pigments.  Gallstones
do not create much trouble until they journey out of the gallbladder
through the narrow duct that leads into the small intestine.  If the
stones are large, this can be very painful.

Even worse, if the stones get lodged in the duct, they can block the
flow of bile, upset the digestion of fats and cause inflammation,
infection and even jaundice.

Because of these serious consequences, any gallstone treatment should
be conducted only under the expert care of a health care
professional.

Any herbs that increase the production and flow of bile will encourage
gallstones to move along.  However, if the stones are moved out into
the duct or are already blocking it, you could make things worse
instead of better by taking herbs.

This is particularly true of "the liver fiush"--a popular home
treatment for gallstones.  If someone recommends drinking this
unappetizing combination of olive oil and lemon juice, be wary.  I have
heard many people describe the ]-he flower of the Oregon grape, also
known as mountain grape and holly-leaved barberry, is the state flower
of Oregon.

impressively large "gallstones" that they magically passed with no
pain.  According to Michael Murray, N.D and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D the
authors of The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, these are not
gallstones at all, but rather balls formed when a chemical reaction
causes oil and lemon to combine with minerals in the intestine.

British physicians suggest the over-the-counter drug Rowachol, which
contains a mixture of compounds from numerous herbs, including
peppermint.

Several studies proving this drug's effectiveness in dissolving
gallstones have been done in England.  This product is not readily
available in North America, but capsules of peppermint essential oil
are.  If you want to take these capsules, you should take one or two
with each meal.  Also, you should know that the enteric-coated ones are
best--they will act most directly because their special coating will
not dissolve until they reach the intestines.

The best use for herbs is for preventing gallbladder attacks in the
first place.

Dandelion root, Oregon grape root, fringe tree bark, yellow dock, wahoo
and radish root were once considered so effective in treating stones
that they were listed in the U.S. Dispensatory, a common doctor's
prescription guide.  Milk thistle, artichoke and turmeric all help
prevent gallstones by making bile less saturated.  Whatever route you
choose to treat your stones, you can reduce the inflammation with
marshmallow, chamomile and an old Russian folk remedy, nettle.  And you
can use cramp bark to help prevent painful spasms.

A diet that contains too much refined food and too little fiber may be
at least partially responsible for gallstones.

With such a diet, the gallbladder secretes less acid into the bile
fluid.  The body needs this acid to dissolve cholesterol.

Without sufficient acid, cholesterol builds up into stones.  One reason
that vegetarians hardly ever get gallstones may be that they eat so
much fiber.

Gallbladder Formula

1 teaspoon each dandelion root, Oregon grape root and marshmallow
root

1 quart water

, teaspoon each chamomile flowers and nettle leaves

' Combine roots and water and simmer for about 5 minutes.  Turn off
heat, add remaining herbs and steep for about 20 minutes.  Strain
herbs.  Drink at least 1 cup daily.  This formula can also be used to
make a tincture or pills.

chapter EIGHT

The Urinary Tract: The Kidneys and the Bladder In Chinese medicine, the
kidneys are the seat of longevity and health.  This .  is not
surprising, considering the kidneys' responsibility The urinary tract
is an elaborate filtration system--the kidneys alone contain about a
million tiny filters that remove waste products from the blood.  When
your kidneys are working well, this refuse is diluted in a watery bath
to make it less toxic to the body, then sent to the bladder, which
serves as a holding tank, keeping this waste until the body discards it
as urine.

Filtering wastes from the body is an essential job, but your kidneys
perform an amazing assortment of other tasks as well.  For example,
they recycle important nutrients like glucose and ammo acids out of the
urine and back into the blood.  They also control your blood pressure
and the balance of dectrolytes--important minerals such as potassium
and sodium--in your body.

Your kidneys are also responsible for telling the body when more red
blood cells need to be produced.

Because the kidneys have so many jobs to do, many seemingly unrelated
disorders and symptoms can be traced back to these organs.  These
include water retention, poor circulation, anemia, electrolyte
imbalance and high blood pressure.  Even a puffy face, dark circles
under the eyes, a pale complexion, dizziness or tension can indicate
kidney problems.

What causes your kidney problems in the first place?  The urinary tract
is the unfortunate victim of modern civilization-while the liver pulls
toxins out of the blood, the kidneys eliminate toxins through the
bladder.  So the kidneys are responsible for eliminating the toxins we
inhale and ingest.  Solvents, gasoline, paint, synthetic fragrances and
colors, preservatives and even the nitrogen waste that results from a
high-protein diet put stress on the kidneys.  In addition, infections
anywhere in your body--even tooth decay--contribute to kidney
problems.

If diagnosing urinary tract problems sounds confusing, that's because
it is--and it is a job best left to your doctor.

If you want to introduce herbs alongside a conventional remedy for
kidney problems, you should seek the advice of someone knowledgeable
about the relationship between herbs and your particular condition
before embarking on an herbal program.  If, however, you are already on
the road to recovery after a bout with kidney stones or a kidney
infection and you want to strengthen your kidneys, or if you have a
simple bladder infection, there are herbal remedies that you can turn
to without professional guidance.  In fact, if urinary infections are a
recurring theme in your life, do not wait until the next infection to
start a maintenance program.

Herbs that serve as general urinary tract tonics for long-range health
include rose hips, fennel, dandelion, marshmallow, oat straw and
nettles.  These herbs rarely conflict with other kidney treatments, but
you should take into consideration that they are all diuretics--they
will flush water from your body.

In addition to taking beneficial herbs, to maintain the best kidney
health I suggest that you eat a high-fiber, low-fat diet based on
unprocessed foods.  I also recommend avoiding coffee, black tea and
alcohol, especially if you have had urinary tract problems in the
past.

These substances are all strong kidney and bladder irritants.  If
incontinence and frequent urination are a problem for you, see
"Bedwetting' on page 214.

General Urinary Tonic

,4 teaspoon each dandelion root, oat straw, nettle leaves and rose hips
teaspoon each fennel seeds and marshmallow root

1 quart water

, Put herbs in water and bring to a simmer.  Turn off heat and steep
for about 30 minutes.  Strain, then store in the refrigerator.  Drink 1
or 2 cups daily, as desired.  These herbs can also be taken as a
tincture or pills, but a tea is the preferred way to take this tonic
because water helps flush the urinary tract.

BLADDERINFECTIONS

The urinary tract is supposed to be a one-way system, but sometimes
traffic goes in through the out door--the bladder serves as a gateway
for bacteria to enter the body, and urinary tract infections are the
result.  Because the path from bladder to exit is shorter in women than
in men (since the penis is part of the urinary tract), women are 20
times more likely to contract urinary tract infections.

One out of five North American women can expect to have at least one
urinary tract infection in her lifetime.  The notoriously long lines in
women's restrooms are also frequently blamed; all that delay distorts
and weakens the bladder and invites infection.  Tight pants, synthetic
underwear, vaginal powders and deodorants and even deodorant soaps can
be irritating and can encourage infection.

Two early signs of bladder infection are cloudy urine and a burning
sensation when you urinate.  You may also experience pain or a sense of
heaviness in the bladder, especially when it is full or has just been
emptied.  As the infection progresses, false alarms from irritated
nerves can send you running to the bathroom unnecessarily If the
symptoms of your bladder infection grow to include a dull ache in the
lower back and a fever, consult a doctor immediately--these symptoms
are warning signs that the infection has spread to the kidneys, and
kidney infections are very serious problems.

Several years ago, I was at a New Year's dinner party and got to
talking with a man named John.  I'm not sure how we got on the subject
of bladder infections, but I think it started with the cranberries we
were eating.  I listened with interest to John's bladder infection
odyssey It began in California as he embarked on a long drive to
Canada.  It was obvious from his story that the trip would have been
much less eventful had it not been for a persistent bladder infection
that got worse the farther north he drove.  He met people he never
would have met and had adventures that never would have occurred
without the infection, in part because he had to make so many "pit
stops."  In time, the situation became rather dire, but by that time he
In medieval England, the seeds of the fennel plant were believed to be
an appetite suppressant.

was working in the wilderness in Canada's remote Northwest Territory.

Far from any doctors, he suffered with his problem for a few months.

When he returned to California, his doctor immediately put him on a
high dose of the antibiotic tetracycline.  Thinking the problem would
finally be resolved, John returned to his job in Canada.

Unfortunately, the drug did little to help the infection, though it did
permanently stain his teeth (an unfortunate side effect that sometimes
occurs with this antibiotic).

During his next trip back to California, John received a prescription
for a second, stronger round of antibiotics, also with no results.

By this time, poor John was ready to put himself in the hospital
because he could barely urinate, was suffering tremendously and feared
he was becoming impotent.  He was saved when someone told him about
cranberry juice (and pumpkin seed oil for his reproductive system).  To
his complete amazement, the juice began to improve his infection in
only a couple of days.  Not knowing I was an herbalist, he turned to me
after finishing his tale and said that I probably found that hard to
believe.  I smiled and said, "Not at all."  Actually, I had heard
dozens of similar stories.

An increasingly common source of bladder infection is chlamydia, a
sexually transmitted disease (see "Vaginal Infections'' on page 181).

The culprit behind most bladder infections, however, is

E. coli, a bacteria normally found in the bowels that all too easily
finds its way into the bladder.

One way to discourage bladder infection is to keep your urine too
acidic for bacteria like E. coli to survive.  Cranberry juice is famous
for this, and it is so well accepted that your physician may already be
prescribing this folk remedy You can also acidify your urine the
Japanese way, by eating umaboshi plums.  In Japan, one or two plums are
added to a pot of rice or some other dish.  For convenience, there is
also an umaboshi plum concentrate sold in natural food stores.

Recently, researchers working at the Weizmann Institute of Science and
Tel Aviv University in Israel discovered that cranberries and
blueberries do even more than simply increase urine's acidity They also
contain compounds that keep bacteria from attaching to the bladder's
wall and so prevent infections from

Bears are said to enjoy the taste of uva ursi's berries, but humans
find the bright red fruit quite bland.

taking hold.  The recommended dose is three to six ounces a day of
cranberry juice or 11/2 ounces of the berries.  Since commercial
cranberry juice is laden with sugar, it is best to make your own remedy
from raw berries or to buy unsweetened cranberry concentrate or
capsules of dried cranberry, both of which are sold in natural food
stores.  If you have ever tasted raw cranberries, you already know that
they are much too tart to eat raw, but they can be cooked into a tasty
medicine--see the recipe on page 345.

Unlike cranberries, blueberries can be eaten raw.

I have seen the herb uva ursi work on bladder infections that even
cranberry could not defeat.  This groundcover from the southwestern
United States contains a powerful antiseptic that is activated when it
reaches the urinary tract.

Once there, it kills bacteria, removes infectious material, reduces
inflammation and probably even strengthens the urinary.

tract lining.  Interestingly enough, medical researchers have found
that this herb works best in the alkaline environment produced by
bacteria.  Uva ursi enjoyed official recognition in the prescription
guide known as the U.S. Pharmacopoeia as late as 1950, when it was
replaced with sulfa drugs (antibiotics).

In Germany, this herb is still used by doctors to treat urinary tract
infection and inflammation.  On the advice of herbalist and author
Michael Moore, I use manzanita, a close relative of uva ursi, since it
grows abundantly where I live in the northern California mountains.

For all its good, uva ursi can slightly irritate the kidneys and upset
your store ach if used for more than a week or so.

However, this should give you plenty of time to knock out even the most
stubborn bladder infection.  One way to mellow out uva ursi's harshness
is by adding marshmallow to your formula.  Marshmallow soothes the
urinary tract and also fights urinary tract infection in a way similar
to uva ursi, although it is not quite as powerful.  Your best bet is to
take these herbs as indicated below, then, when the symptoms have
subsided, switch to cranberry, blueberry or uma-boshi.

You can also use a massage oil on the bladder area that contains an
antiseptic essential oil such as tea tree, for extra soothing.

Other urinary tract infection fighters that you can put on your dinner
plate include garlic, nasturtium and rose hips (which is high in the
infection-fighting vitamin C).  And next time you dine out, you should
think twice before leaxdng your parsley garnish on your plate.  One of
the compounds found in parsley seeds is a basic ingredient in
pharmaceutical drugs used to treat urinary infections.

Since parsley seeds can be toxic in large amounts, however, you should
stick to using the leaves and the root.  One food that contains plenty
of both parsley and garlic is the Middle Eastern salad known as
tabbouleh.  You can purchase this salad already prepared at many delis
or you can make your own.

Several herbs reduce the inflammation and pain that often accompany a
bladder infection.  Marshmallow, cramp bark and especially goldenrod
are good choices.  Another herb that can be used to soothe irritation
is purslane.  Although you may not find purslane in stores, you may
find this "weed" growing in your garden.  This sprawling succulent is
so healthful, in fact, that some vegetable gardeners have taken to
planting it in their gardens.  To use it, simply chop it up and add it
to salads and vegetable dishes.

If you suffer from urinary tract spasms and constriction, both of which
make it difficult to urinate, try taking meadowsweet, fennel seed and
In British folklore, goldenrod is both a healing herb and a sign of
wealth-this plant was said to point the way toward hidden gold and
hidden springs.

hydrangea.  European herbalists suggest drinking a "tea" of lemon and
barley water as a soothing diuretic.  You can make barley water by
cooking barley with a whole chopped lemon, then straining and drinking
the water.  Or you can get the same health benefits by dining on barley
soup (see page 335).

For other recipes to allow you to eat your way to good bladder
health--tabbouleh and dishes that include parsley, nasturtium flowers
and garlic--see chapter 18.

Urinary Infection [ea 1 teaspoon uva ursi teaspoon each corn silk,
cramp bark, marshmallow root and rose hips 1 quart water - Simmer herbs
in water for a couple of minutes, then steep them for 20 minutes.

Strain herbs.  Drink 2 to 4 cups daily To make sure the infection is
gone, continue taking the herbs for 2 days after the symptoms
disappear.

Urinary Massage Oil is teaspoon tea tree essential oil 4 ounces
vegetable oil w Combine ingredients and it's ready!

Rub directly over the bladder twice a day to relieve the pain resulting
from urinary tract infection.

KIDNEY S'[ONES

About the best that can be said of kidney stones is that once you go
through the experience, you may find yourself willing to go out of your
way to make sure they do not come back again.  For most people I know
who have had kidney stones, one bout was enough to persuade them to
start drinking herbal teas and to make some radical changes in their
diets.

Unfortunately, about half the people who get kidney stones will suffer
them again, along with the symptoms of sudden, sharp waves of pain,
nausea and profuse sweating that accompany this problem.  Severe cases
are also accompanied by bleeding and, if there is an infection, even
fever.  As with any kidney condition, you must see your physician to
determine the exact cause of your symptoms and the severity of the
condition.

Kidney stones are mineral deposits made up of calcium, uric acid or the
ammo acid cysteine.  There are numerous theories as to how these
"stones" form, but no one knows for sure how it happens.  Medical
experts agree, however, that diet is certainly a factor.  For instance,
kidney stones develop in vegetarians and other people who eat plenty of
fresh vegetables only about half as often as in those whose diet does
not include these important foods.  Obesity and repeated kidney
infections are also risk factors.  Even after an infection has passed,
a small amount of debris remains in the kidneys--medical researchers
suspect that the stones form around this debris.  You are also at
greater risk of developing this problem if there is a history of kidney
stones in your family.

In some herb books, it is said that lemon juice reduces the size of
kidney stones, but most herbal remedies, including those based on lemon
juice and hydrangea, do not actually dissolve

The fruit of the rose bush, the rose hip, is a great source of vitamin
C--it has more of this vitamin, ounce for ounce, than an orange.

stones.  Instead, they help eliminate the stones and reduce or relieve
the pain that occurs as they are eliminated.  The larger the stone, the
more uncomfortable this can be.  Herbs that reduce infection, pain and
spasms are cramp bark, goldenrod and joe-pye weed, aptly nicknamed
"gravel root" for its ability to get rid of stones.

Goldenrod has received official recognition in Germany for its
effectiveness in getting rid of kidney stones.

Several species of the plant are used for this purpose throughout
Europe, although it is not as popular in North America.  This is too
bad, considering that goldenrod is an excellent urinary tract herb that
grows wild throughout much of North America.  Several scientific
studies support goldenrod's action.

Agrimony, horsetail, yarrow, shepherd's purse, Saint-John's-wort and
nettles can also be used to reduce bleeding caused by kidney stones.

At least 75 percent of kidney stones are composed of calcium combined
with phosphate or oxalic acid.  Medical experts believe that these
stones result from an accumulation of unused calcium, and lack of
exercise is generally thought to be a factor.  A study conducted in
1973 showed that cranberries help prevent stones in some people by
reducing the excessive amounts of calcium commonly found in the urinary
tract.  There is some scientific evidence that this may also be true of
rose hips, which have traditionally been used to ease various urinary
tract infections.

Since the calcium-phosphate stones are most common in alkaline urine,
cranberries and other herbs that acidify urine also help prevent
stones.

Levels of the enzyme urease, which contributes to kidney stones, are
increased by bacteria and the alkaline urine they produce.  Studies on
rosemary conducted in Paraguay, where this herb is an important folk
medicine, showed that it almost completely inhibits urease.

If you are prone to kidney stones, play it safe and avoid such foods as
rhubarb, spinach, beet greens, sorrel, green tea and chocolate.  All of
these are rich in oxalic acid.  If you do eat these foods, try not to
eat foods high in calcium at the same time--this means that spinach and
cheese souffle or chocolate milk are especially problematic.

Uric acid stones are found in urine that is too acidic.  If you get
this type of stone, eat cherries, strawberries, apple juice, asparagus
and nettles to make your urine more alkaline.  Also consider changing
your diet.  One thing that can cause overly acidic urine is an overabun
|oe-pye weed helps rid the kidneys of excess uric acid.

dance of protein.  The herbs meadowsweet, sarsaparilla, j oe~pye weed
and plantain (which is widely used by the Chinese to treat kidney
problems) help rid the kidneys of excess uric acid.  This use for
meadowsweet was acknowledged in a French medical journal in 1942.

Kidney Stones

2 teaspoons hydrangea root

1 teaspoon wild yarn root

1 teaspoon cramp bark i A quarts water teaspoonjoe-pye weed

A teaspoon each corn silk, plantain leaf and yarrow leaf

- Add hydrangea, wild yarn and cramp bark to water in a saucepan.

Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove
from heat, add other herbs, cover pan and steep for at least 20
minutes.

Strain and keep refrigerated.

Drink 3 to 4 cups daily If bleeding occurs, add 30 drops shepherd's
purse tincture to each cup of tea.

A tea is especially appropriate when treating a kidney infection
because you should already be drinking plenty of water to keep kidneys
flushed and help prevent the stones from forming.  For convenience, you
can also take this formula as a tincture; take 2 to 3 dropperfuls a
day WA T E R :: RE EN 3 O N ::

Water retention may sound like a simple enough problem to remedy--just
take a

THE 	URINARY TRACT diuretic to eliminate the excess water.

But water retention can be a symptom of a serious heart or kidney
problem.  And leaky capillary walls, malnutrition, bacterial toxins and
hormone changes such as PMS can also be the cause of this problem.  If
your body is retaining water, be sure to see a doctor and find out
exactly what is causing this problem before trying to treat it.

If a simple diuretic will solve your problem, dandelion and corn silk
are two of the best choices--these are some of the safest diuretics
ever to grow in the wild.  And they also counter some of the negative
effects of commercial diuretics.

Most pharmaceutical diuretics pull potassium out of the body, creating
a harmful imbalance that requires you to take potassium supplements.

But dandelion and corn silk contain high amounts of potassium and even
help the body retain this important mineral.  Studies have shown that
dandelion is as effective as the often-prescribed diuretic drug
Frusemide.  If you want to collect your own dandelion leaves and roots
and corn silk, go right ahead.  Just make sure they have not been
sprayed with pesticides!

Diuretic Tea

1 quart boiling water

2 teaspoons dandelion root

2,6 teaspoon each nettle leaf, oat straw, fennel seed and corn silk e
Pour boiling water over herbs, then steep in a covered container for 20
minutes.

Strain herbs.  Drink 1 or 2 cups as needed.

chapter NINE

The Respiratory Tract

S

ore throats, lung problems and sinus discomfort are as common as the
air we breathe.  That's because the air contains pollutants, allergens,
bacteria and viruses that can easily invade the lungs.  Your
respiratory tract's main line of defense consists of delicate nasal
hairs and a protective mucous lining.  But because the warm, moist
environment in your lungs and sinuses is such a wonderful place for
microbes to grow, your defenses sometimes are not enough.

If it seems that nature gave the respiratory tract a bum deal, consider
the herbs it has also provided as treatment.

Respiratory problems such as a chest cold, laryngitis or hay fever
usually respond quickly to herbal medicine.  Just remember that any
breathing problem is serious enough to warrant a visit to a health care
professional.

The health of your lungs depends on how you breathe.  Only about
one-fifth of inhaled air is oxygen.  Remember to take deep, slow
breaths that fill your lungs and to relax while you do so.  Also, try
to reduce stress whenever you can--stress weakens the immune system,
thereby opening you to infection.

COLDS AND FLU ..... ,"

If you don't have personal experience with cold and flu symptoms, you
must be from another planet.  First comes the tired feeling, followed
soon after by crankiness, runny nose, sore throat, cough and head and
body aches.  Fever and nausea often join in.

A word to the wise--spending a day or two in bed nursing a cold or flu
is a necessity, not a luxury.  Getting over a cold or flu is a
full-time job in itself.

Most of the healing of the virus-damaged cells occurs between midnight
and early morning.  It is also a good idea to eat lightly, since a
semi-fast enhances immune activity Your cold symptoms are a sign that
your immune system is hard at work throwing off an infection.  That's
why you should try not to suppress certain symptoms.

When you have a fever, for example, you should think twice before
trying to lower it, even with herbs.  Fevers are one of your body's
natural defenses.

Heat deactivates viruses even better than antibodies.  In fact,
scientists at Johns Hopkins University found that symptoms cleared up a
couple of days sooner in cold sufferers who did nothing at all than in
those who took aspirin.

Even worse, while aspirin and ace-taminophen work well to relieve pain,
they can impair the immune system, putting people who are already in
poor health at risk for more serious sinus infections, sometimes even
pneumonia.

And conventional cold medicines such as antihistamines are not much
better.  In fact, these remedies have little to offer the bleary-eyed
cold or flu sufferer other than suppressing their symptoms and
prolonging the misery.

So if you have a cold or flu, try using herbs.  While your symptoms may
not disappear overnight, chances are you will get well sooner, and
probably more completely Since pharmaceutical drugs are not very
effective against viruses, medical researchers are investigating
medicinal plants as alternatives.  In time, compounds from these herbs
will probably be synthesized by pharmaceutical companies, the resulting
formulas will be classified as prescription drugs, and consumers will
have to pay a fortune to take advantage of them.

But why wait?  And why pay through the nose?  If you can go direct to
the source for less money, why not do so?

In one study, medical researchers looked at more than 50 medicinal
herbs.

Once the results were in, the strongest flu fighters were found to be
eucalyptus, sage and licorice.  Lavender, tea tree, rose geranium,
bergamot, lemon balm and hyssop also scored high in numerous studies
testing their ability to inhibit the most common types of flu.  As it
turned out, these were also effective against cold viruses.

You can even eat your way to good health.  Popular kitchen spices that
are also cold and flu fighters include cinnamon, black pepper, lemon,
thyme, marjoram, rosemary, basil, garlic and peppermint.  These natural
antibiotics can also be taken directly into infected lungs and sinuses
by inhaling an herbal steam made using their essential oils.  An easy
way to do this is to add the essential oils to a commercial humidifier
(first make sure that your unit can handle the offs--if it can't, it
will say so in the manual).

If you do not own a humidifier, you can create a steam by simmering a
few drops of essential oil in a pan of water.

Of course, when you are away from home, it is usually inconvenient to
steam.  So if you are traveling, you should carry with you a nasal
inhaler containing essential oils.  You can buy these inhalers at most
natural food stores or you can make your own--see the Homemade Nasal
Inhaler recipe on page 142.

Essential Oil Steam 3 cups water /4 teaspoon eucalyptus or peppermint
essential oil - Bring water to a simmer and turn off heat.  Add
essential oil.  Set pot where you can sit down next to it.  Place your
face over the pot and drape a towel over the back of your head to form
a mini-sauna.

Breath in the steam, coming out for flesh air as needed.  Do at least 3
rounds a few times a day If you can't find the pure essential oil,
fresh or dried herbs can be used instead.

If you tend to get flus or colds often, Siberian ginseng, echinacea,
shizandra and astragalus are some of the immune herbs that will help
you build up a natural resistance (see "Boosting Immunity" on page 101
for more helpful herbs).

These herbs seem to have a special ability to help the lungs.

When researchers who xvanted to confirm the usefulness of Siberian
ginseng, they surveyed residents of the cold regions of northeastern
China.  They found that those who took this herb regularly got far
fewer colds and reported fewer cases of bronchitis.  In a Russian
study, children in the town of Chirchik who were given shizandra were
more resistant to a serious flu epidemic that swept through their
town.

Astragalus increases the body's production of inter Shizandra is one of
the best herbs nature offers for building up your immunity.

reran, which protects cells from invasions of viruses.  It has been
used to prevent both viral and bacterial lung infections.

In a huge study conducted in China in 1981, when more than 1,000 people
were given a combination of interferon and astragalus, they came down
with far fewer colds than with interferon alone.

Echinacea, that wonderful immunity enhancer, also stops cold and flu
viruses from reproducing once they have gained access to a cell.

Licorice works in much the same way Most of the investigation into the
workings of echinacea as a powerful immune-system enhancer is being
done in Germany.  This research has shown that echinacea stimulates
cells in the immune system called macrophages.

These cells, whose name means "big eaters," quickly go to the site of
infection to literally gobble up the microbes causing the problem.

Three studies conducted in Germany in 1992 emphasize echinacea's
power.

When an echinacea root tincture was given to people who were coming
down with a flu, all of their symptoms--weakness, chills, sweating,
sore throat, muscle pain, joint aches and head-aches--decreased.

Those taking echinacea also got fewer colds, and when they did get
sick, their symptoms were less severe.  This herb especially helped
anyone who had a tendency to get more than their share of colds.

Herbalists use mostly the roots of echinacea, but even the tops of the
plant are potent.  One German company even sells the juice from the
fresh flowers and leaves.  In one study, as little as one-half teaspoon
of this juice daily reduced risk of catching the common cold.

Madeleine Mumcuoglu, Ph.D began studying eider berries after her mentor
Jean Lindenman, Ph.D. (who discovered the immune-system enhancer
interferon), mentioned that elder berries had long been used as a folk
remedy for flu.  Sure enough, subsequent research at the Hebrew
University Hadassah Medical Centre in Jerusalem found that more than
one compound in the berries prevent the flu virus from invading healthy
cells in the laboratory.

To prove that this worked in the natural world, the researchers gave an
elderberry syrup to some of the local kibbutz members during a flu
epidemic.

Those who took the syrup got better much sooner than those who opted
for more standard treatments.  Continuing research leads scientists to
conclude that elderberries may even inhibit more serious viruses such
as herpes and Epstein-Barr.

Elderberries can easily be made into a tea, but you are more likely to
find them sold as a tincture, as a syrup or in pill form.  If you are
interested in making elderberry syrup, see chapter 18.  The flowers of
the elder plant are also beneficial--they not only lower a fever, but
also ease symptoms such as sinus congestion, sore throat and
headaches.

They also improve circulation and act as a diuretic, so herbalists use
them to help flush toxins produced by cold and flu viruses out of the
body.

Cold and Flu -lea

h teaspoon each echinacea root, peppermint leaves, hyssop leaves,
yarrow leaves, elder flowers and shizandra berries 1 quart boiling
water

. Combine herbs and pour boiling water over them.  Steep for at least
20 minutes.  Strain and drink frequently throughout the day.  I prefer
teas for treating colds and flus since it is important to drink lots of
fluids to thin congestion and flush out toxins.  If you can't find the
herbs, you can make instant tea with tinctures (use the same
proportions as above) or buy a commercial tea with similar
ingredients.

A hot tea is the most effective way to take these herbs, but you may
find tinctures or pills more convenient (take them with hot water or
tea).  If you're using a tincture, just add half a dropperful to half a
cup of water, juice or tea.  And don't forget to drink plenty of water
as well.

Still feeling lousy after taking these herbs?  You can ease
uncomfortable symptoms such as muscle aches with a natural aspirin--tea
or pills of willow bark.  Osha, a southwestern herb that I grew
particularly aware of when I lived in New Mexico, eases the pain and
discomfort of lungs that are sore as a result of coughing or
congestion.  It also relieves the indigestion that often accompanies
colds and flus.

It is a well-known medical fact that antibiotics do not kill viruses,
only bacteria.

But doctors still prescribe them for colds and flu in case a bacterial
infection gains access to your already weakened system.  I think that
antibiotic drugs are overused.  And I'm not alone in this; many
laypersons and even some doctors will agree.  For information on
natural herbal antibiotics, see the suggestions in Coughs, Sore Throats
and Laryngitis.

COUGHS,

SORE '[HROATS

AND LARYNGUfIS

I often speak in public--about herbs, of course--and have had quite a
few untimely sore throats myself.  Fortunately, a demonstration on
treating laryngitis fits in the middle of most of my lectures.  I
generally start by whipping out a vial of lavender essential oil,
putting two drops into a pan of steaming water and inhaling its
vapors.

The students think I've taken the treatment for their benefit, but
sometimes the therapy is all that allows me to complete the lecture.

A cough, sore throat or laryngitis--which simply indicates that your
sore throat involves your vocal cords--are really more symptoms than
actual illnesses.  They can be caused by anything from an infection or
simple irritation in the throat to a tumor, so do not assume that a
sore throat or cough is a minor problem.  Most likely, they are the
result of a cold or flu virus or a bacterial infection like strep
throat, which is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus.

If you have strep throat--to find out, go see your doctor--you should
probably treat it with antibiotics to prevent the onset of rheumatic
fever.

If you are coughing because you have a relatively minor cold or an
irritation that would normally send you running to the drugstore for
over-the-counter medication, you can easily switch to an herbal
alternative.  Even the more serious viral laryngitis is medically
considered "self-limiting'--that is, it will eventually go away on its
own without any kind of treatment.

Coughing can actually be beneficial-it's the body's way of clearing
the airways so that you can breathe better.

After a while, though, it irritates your throat.  Coating your throat
by sucking on a cough drop or drinking syrup reduces the irritation
that makes you cough and also diminishes the pain.

Sucking on a cough drop will also stop the natural reflex to cough.  It
does this by stimulating the flow of saliva so that you swallow more
often and simply do not need to cough as often.  All of these methods
bring herbs into direct contact with your throat and coat and soothe it
better than a tea or tincture.

Anise, eucalyptus, fennel, peppermint and thyme are some of the
favorite herbs used in cough medications.  They make a syrup or cough
drop very tasty, but their real purpose is to stop your coughing.  It
is probable that one way these herbs work is by shutting down the
brain's coughing center.

Other coughing and wheezing preventives that soothe the throat include
marshmallow, licorice and slippery elm.

Marshmallow was suggested as a cough remedy back in the fourth century
B.C.

by the Greek physician Theophrastus, and licorice has been a cough
syrup favorite for a long time.  Native Americans have long used the
bark of the slippery elm tree to stop coughs.  This practice worked so
well that it was eventually adopted by white settlers.  Native peoples
of the Northeast made a tea of slippery elm, created a slippery elm
gargle using a thick decoction of the plant, and even chewed on small
pieces of the bark when they had sore throats.

Plantain, another good cold remedy, is quite popular in Germany, China,
India and Russia.  Research conducted in those countries has shown that
this herb stops coughing, wheezing and chest pain, even from
bronchitis.  Another herb that helps relieve wheezing and chest pains
is osha.

And how about getting rid of the source of all the coughing and
soreness?

Many of the same essential oils used to knock out a cold or
flu--eucalyptus, lavender, cinnamon, black pepper, lemon, thyme,
marjoram, rosemary, basil and peppermint--also inhibit infections
caused by Staphylococcus and "strep."

Numerous scientific studies support herbalists' claim that garlic is a
"natural antibiotic."  Researchers have found it to ]'he ancient Greeks
coated their hair and eyebrows with a pomade made of marjoram.

be particularly good for fighting strep infections.  Still more
antibiotic action is found in the compound berberine, which comes from
goldenseal, barberry and Oregon grape root.  Researchers have done
studies verifying berberine's specific ability to counter strep.

My favorite laryngitis remedy is the Essential Oil Steam on page 132.

Both lavender and eucalyptus work so well

HERBAL 	MEDICINE with the steam that I always need to remind myself to
not overdo the talking until my voice can fully recover.  For
centuries, sage, hyssop, thyme and marjoram have been gargled to
relieve laryngitis and tonsillitis, and European singers still follow a
tradition of preserving their voices with marjoram tea sweetened with
honey

Sage Gargle

1 cup boiling water

2 teaspoons sage leaves

Salt

. Pour boiling water over sage leaves, cover and steep for about 20
minutes.

Strain and add salt.  Gargle as needed.

Stored in the refrigerator, this mixture will keep for a few days.

Marjoram, thyme or hyssop can be used instead of sage.

Honey Cough Syrup

1 tablespoon each licorice root, marshmallow root and plantain leaf 1
teaspoon thyme leaf 1 pint water

4 tablespoons honey

4 ounces glycerin

% teaspoon anise essential oil (optional) - Prepare a triple-strength
tea by simmering the herbs in water for 10 minutes, then steeping for
20 minutes.  Strain the tea, then stir in honey and glycerin while the
tea is still warm.  Finally, add essential oil, if you're using it.

Take 1 tablespoon at a time.  (This recipe is suitable for children,
but not for infants, who should not have honey) Stored in a cool place,
this syrup will keep for 2 weeks.  Stored in the refrigerator, it will
keep for several months.

/Most everyone knows that eucalyptus leaves are a favorite snack of
koala bears, but did you know that eucalyptus oil is a powerful
antiseptic and astringent?

Laryngitis is not usually a cause for alarm, but there are times when
you really have to talk--like that crucial business presentation or to
say your wedding vows.  A couple of years ago, I attended my friend
Tim's wedding.  While I was happily chatting with the other guests, I
was surprised to see Tim run up to me

H E RESPIRATORY TRACT

looking like anything but a happy groom.  "What's wrong?"  I
whispered.

"Please," begged Tim, "Do you have your first-aid kit?"  I dashed out
to my car as quickly as possible.  Upon returning, I was directed to
Heather, a pale, distraught bride who pointed to her throat.  I quickly
got the message and sent the bridal attendants into action finding a
pan, water and towels to protect her dress.  I managed to locate a
quiet place for Heather to sit down, and I set a steaming pot of
lavender in front of her.  The ceremony started a little late, but no
one seemed to mind.  I have to admit that it was the only wedding I
have attended where the entire assembly broke out in a light applause
after the bride proclaimed "I do."

HAY FEVER

Ah, the glory of spring--warm weather, singing birds and fragrant
flowers; not to mention, sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, and
depleted energy If this sounds familiar, you probably have allergies.

Hay fever got its name because so many people are allergic to pollen
from hay and grass, but many types of pollens, as well as dust, animal
dander and other airborne irritants can cause an allergic reaction, or
allergy attack.  Unfortunately, the more exposure you receive to the
offending substance, called an allergen, the worse your allergy can
become.  And short of moving to the Arctic or wearing a filter mask,
escape is impossible.

You can, however, use herbs to relieve lung and sinus congestion and to
build up your immune system.  Allergic reactions such as hay fever
occur when your immune system mistakes an innocent substance like
pollen for a threat and attacks it.  When an attack occurs, several
substances, including histamines, are released; these substances
produce inflammation and make your sinuses run and your eyes tear.

Many people throughout the world have allergies, and I am one of
them.

I used to sneeze constantly as I worked in my herb garden, and I ended
up giving my springtime garden tours with red, tearing eyes.  Once,
while trying to take a publicity photo in the garden, I could not stop
sneezing long enough to smile.

Looking around, I realized that most of the medicine I needed was
within picking distance, and I immediately went to work harvesting
it.

My hay fever did not disappear overnight, but every year it became a
little less severe.  I always suspected that I beat my allergies in
large part because I started taking herbs, along with supplements of
pantothenic acid (one of the B-complex vitamins), long before hay fever
season hit.  My suspicions were confirmed when I moved to a lower
elevation and was caught off guard by an early spring, accompanied of
course by hay fever.  The herbs that I took began helping immediately,
but it was a week before I completely stopped sneezing.

For my anti-allergy program, I turned to natural antihistamines such as
chamomile, peppermint, ginger, anise and feverflower.  Since sniffing
essential oils sometimes makes people with hay fever sneeze even more,
I concentrated on teas, tinctures and pills.  I also used herbs that
relieve congestion and stop sneezing, such as elder flowers and yarrow,
which are described in "Sinus Congestion'' on page 141.  Echinacea and
chamomile decreased the congestion and slowed the allergic reactions.

Occasionally, I hear warnings about using chamomile to treat hay fever
because it is in the same family as ragweed, which is notorious for
causing hay fever.

This huge family actually includes echinacea, daisies, feverflower and
hundreds of other flowers grown in flower and herb gardens.

Personally, I have seen chamomile do much more good than harm in
treating hay fever for dozens of people, but you may want to take
care.

Another hot tip for treating hay fever is using onions, garlic and hot
peppers to inhibit the inflammation that often comes with allergic
attacks.  Capsaicin, the compound that gives cayenne and other peppers
their distinctive "hot" flavor, desensitizes the respiratory' system to
irritants.  You can also try stinging nettles.

In a 1990 study, tablets of freeze-dried nettles successfully reduced
hay fever symptoms.  Of course, using nettles to treat hay fever is
nothing new.  These spring greens were once a popular "old country pot
herb'--an herb that was thrown into pots of soups or stews.

Stinging nettles taste something like spinach.  And don't worry about
those stingers on the nettle's leaf--they dissolve when the plant is
cooked.

So far, I have only discussed getting rid of your symptoms.  Of course
you want to feel better, but it is equally important to fix the
imbalance that is causing your hay fever in the first place.

Although you certainly need to enhance your immune system as a start,
hay fever may involve seemingly unrelated organs such as your liver.

Stress can also be a big factor.  Stress can worsen hay fever and most
other allergies.  Likewise, the allergy itself causes a lot of physical
and often emotional stress, which can affect your adrenal glands.

There are three Chinese herbs that you can use to improve an immune
system hampered by hay fever.  Siberian ginseng is a good choice as an
immune herb because it also clears bronchial passages, reduces
inflammation and counters fatigue.  Although many people erroneously
consider don quai only a woman's herb, Chinese herbalists have long
used this herb to treat allergies, especially those related to the
lungs.  While it is generally used to treat certain women's conditions,
research shows that this multipurpose herb also reduces the number of
antibodies manufactured by your immune system.

Fewer antibodies mean less reaction to allergic substances like
pollen.

Chinese skullcap is another excellent choice to treat hay fever because
it cuts down on the swelling and puffiness caused by allergies.

As an added plus, both don quai and Chinese skullcap also improve liver
functions.  If you cannot find these herbs sold individually, they are
available in pills and as part of Chinese remedies.

I find that a combination of herbs with vitamins is usually in order.

This combination produces faster results than just using the herbs by
themselves.  Rose hips, which are high in vitamin C and will thus help
detoxify irritating allergens, and pantothenic acid (100 to 200
milligrams daffy) will help support your adrenal glands.  You might
also try taking herbs for the immune system and for the liver, nervous
system and sinus congestion.

For example, since hay fever and sinus congestion go hand in hand, I
have added both eider and peppermint to the following formula.

Hay Fever Preventive

teaspoon each tinctures of Siberian ginseng root, nettle leaves, elder
flowers, peppermint leaves and Chinese shullcap leaves (if available)
-- Combine ingredients.  Take half a dropperful at least 5 times
daily.

It is best to start when you experience the earliest signs of hay fever
season approaching.

Because of the frequency with which you need to take this formula, most
people find that a tincture is most convenient, but you can also use
these herbs to make a tea.

LUNG

CONGESIlON

Lots of things can cause lung congestion, but the big three are asthma,
pneumonia and bronchitis.  These three disorders produce similar
symptoms--congestion, wheezing and difficulty in breathingbut their
origins are different.  Asthma is an allergic reaction, pneumonia is a
bacterial or viral infection, and bronchitis is usually an infection in
your bronchitubes in your lungs that can become swollen and clogged.

These lung conditions are often serious, and you should seek
professional help before starting an herbal program.

Lung irritants such as dust, smoke, fumes and airborne allergens can
aggravate any of these lung problems.  So can breathing cold air.  A
common cold can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia, especially if your
lungs are already below par or are often congested.

When you are congested, it's a good idea to go easy on strenuous
exercise, which demands more air intake than your restricted lungs may
be able to handle.

If you have chronic lung congestion, there are probably underlying
problems that need to be addressed.  Use immune herbs such as shizandra
and Siberian ginseng to build up your resistance to infection and
allergies.  For more information on asthma, see chapter ].3.

Herbs graphically called expectorants loosen congestion and help clear
your lungs so you can breathe better.

The most popular herbal expectorants--mullein, thyme, horehound and
elecampane--are found in most herbal lung formulas, and for good
reason.  These expectorants also enhance the immune system.  In Europe,
even physicians recommend these herbs for treatment of bronchitis and
other lung conditions.

Their historical use has been supported by the results of numerous
scientific studies.  They are best combined with soothing herbs that
relieve inflammation, such as marshmallow and iicorice.

Used for centuries in Germany, mullein is officially regarded there as
an effective treatment for bronchial spasms and bronchitis.  In
addition to its other attributes, mullein reduces the swollen glands
that may accompany bronchitis.

Horehound was originally sold as cough drops, so you may already be

'the flowers of elecampane, one of nature's best "lung herbs," look
very much like daisies.

familiar with it.  That is how I was introduced to it as a child.  I
was dismayed to discover how bitter it is, and was sure the name was
short for "horrible."  (It actually is derived from hoar, Old English
for "white," because of its downy-white leaves.) While the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA), the federal agency that oversees the sale of
drugs in the United States, decided in 1989 that there was not enough
evidence to enable horehound to be classified as medicine, the German
equivalent of the FDA holds it in more esteem.  They recently approved
horehound for bronchial congestion.  In fact, horehound and derivatives
from it are used in hundreds of bronchial medications throughout the
world.  There is evidence that part of the way it works is by
influencing the areas in the brain that control respiration.  A
slightly less bitter alternative to horehound is hyssop, which is very
similar in chemical makeup and use--they actually share the same major
compound.

You may have never heard of elecampane, but until about 1920 the root
was a common flavoring in English sugar cakes and was itself sold as a
candied treat.  People with asthma would chew a piece every morning and
evening.  And people passing by a polluted waterway would chew a piece
of the root to keep their lungs from becoming irritated or infected.

If you want to take any of these bitter herbs in sweet form, take a
teaspoon of the powdered herb and mix it into one or two teaspoons of
honey Take a quarter teaspoon a couple of times a day You might want to
forgo the sweetener and just tough it out.  Since the action of these
herbs is helped along by a chain reaction that starts with their bitter
taste, they are best used as a tea or as a tincture added to water.

Other lung decongestants that counter infection are the same herbs
suggested for clogged sinuses: eucalyptus, peppermint and thyme.  To
reduce congestion, essential oils of these herbs can be used in a steam
or made into a vapor balm to rub on the chest.  The balm increases
circulation and warmth in the chest--both of these are important
factors in fighting infection.  We are also sure to hear more in the
future about traditional antihistamines and bronchiodilators (herbs
that open up the breathing passages, called bronchi) from uch as khella
from Egypt, which was a model for the asthma drug disodium
chromoglycate.

If you like Mexican, Chinese and Thai food, you are in luck.  Spicy-hot
herbs make it easier to breathe by watering down lung secretions.

Cultures that habitually eat hot spices, such as Mexican and Szechwan
and Hunan Chinese, have less chronic lung diseases than the British,
whose diet is more bland.  Even eating foods spiced with cayenne,
horseradish, garlic, black pepper, mustard or ginger will do the
trick.

Researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles suggest
eating enough cayenne or ginger "to cause tingling of the nose and
sneezing."  And they actually recommend gargling with these herbs if
your stomach is too sensitive for spicy foods!

One old-fashioned remedy to take seriously is onions.  These vegetables
are as potent a cure as they are smelly Make them into a homemade,
inexpensive cough syrup or chop them into a poultice to lay on your
chest.

Lung ]-incture

2 teaspoons tincture of mullein leaf

1 teaspoon each tinctures of chamomile

,flowers and clccampane root

1/2 teaspoon each tinctures of thyme leaves and Oregon grape root (or
barberry or goldenseal) P, Combine ingredients.  Take :/ dropperful
(using a 1-ounce dropper) or teaspoon added to h to 1 cup of water or
juice 3 to 5 times a day.  You can use these herbs in the same
proportions to make a tea (though I don't suggest it, because they're
quite bitter).  Or you can take them as pills.

Vapor Rub

I/4 teaspoon eucalyptus essential oil

1/s teaspoon each peppermint and thyme essential oils

% cup olive oil

*'- Combine ingredients in a glass bottle.

Shake well to mix oils evenly Gently massage into chest and throat.

Cayenne Gargle

 teaspoon cayenne powder

/4 cup warm water Stir cayenne into water and gargle.

Onion Syrup

1 onion

2 cups water

3 tablespoons honey

- Gently simmer onion in water for about 20 minutes, then blend it with
the water.  Mix in honey Take a tablespoon at a time, as warm as
possible.

Onion Poultice

1 chopped onion

1 cup water

Cloth

- Lightly cook onion in water, enough to soften.  Mash or blend and
apply to the chest while still warm.  Cover with a soft cloth.

S N U S

CONGESTION

Sinus congestion can stem from many different problems, but viral or
bacterial infection, allergy and irritation from airborne substances
are the most common causes.  Don't worry if your nose is constantly
stuffy or running, however.  There is hope.  Some of the best herbal
treatments for chronic sinus problems are yarrow, elder flowers and
peppermint.

Yarrow and elder flowers reduce inflamed sinuses and, along with
peppermint, help drain them.

For quick relief, thin out congestion with eucalyptus, peppermint and
berg-mot.

These essential oils can be combined with steam to help you breathe
easier.  If steaming with herbs is not practical, then carry an herbal
nasal inhaler.

These are available in natural food and drugstores, or you can make
your own.

Homemade Nasal Inhaler

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

5 drops eucalyptus essential oil

- Place the salt in a small vial (glass is best) with a tight lid and
add oil.  The salt will absorb the oil and provide a convenient way to
carry the oil without danger of spilling it.  Open the vial and inhale
deeply, as needed.  This same technique can be used with any essential
oil.

Though it is not nearly as appealing, another thing you can do when you
do not have time to steam is to sniff a small pinch of powdered
barberry or Oregon grape root up your nose.  You might also try herbal
antihistamines, such as peppermint, ginger, anise and chamomile, and
hot spices like cayenne pepper.

These will help clear a stuffy nose as well as congested lungs.

Mark is a good example of someone who has greatly benefited from using
herbs for his sinus condition.  When I first met him, he described how
the wastepaper basket next to his desk at work filled up a couple of
times a day with tissues as he constantly blew his nose.  His
co-workers began giving him all sorts of advice.  But it was not as if
Mark's doctors had not already investigated every possibility they
could think of.  The best they could finally offer was a powerful
antihistamine for constant use.

At that point, Mark figured nature probably knew best and it certainly
would not hurt to try some herbs.  For convenience, he settled on a
tincture that he could carry to work and to the gym, as well as on
weekend jaunts.  Along with lung herbs, it included some of the herbs
well-suited for the immune system, such as echinacea, Siberian ginseng
and shizandra.  It did not take long for Mark, as well as everyone
around him, to notice a difference.  The waste basket contained less
and less tissue.

Mark is still trying to get to the source of the problem, but meanwhile
the herbs are relieving his symptoms and making life much easier.  I
suspect that some insult to his immune system, such as undiscovered
allergies or simply stress, is at play here.

Sinus Congestion lea

1 teaspoon each yarrowflowers, elder flowers, peppermint leaves and
elecampane root 1 quart boiling water Pour boiling water over herbs and
steep for at least 20 minutes in a covered container.  Strain out the
herbs.  Drink the tea a few times a day, or every half hour when
severely congested.  This same formula can be taken in tincture or pill
form.

chapter ten

Your skin is your body's most sible tissue, which means that when you
have a skin problem, it's generally impossible to ignore.  Skin tissue
is not endangered only by cuts, scrapes, bruises and other wounds--it
can also be subject to various diseases.

In chapter 17, I discuss herbal cosmetics, treatments designed to help
improve the way your skin looks.  Here's a look at skin problems that
can become serious health matters.

PSORIASIS, ECZEMA AND OTHER 	. I;

SKIN DISEASES

One hot summer day at my herb shop, a Woman named Laura arrived looking
for a skin salve.  The temperature was welt up into the nineties, yet
she was wearing a long-sleeved turtleneck shirt.  I politely said
nothing about her attire, for I suspected she was covering up a skin
problem.

It turned out I was right, and Laura was more than anxious to roll up
her sleeve.  When she did, I saw a terrible case of eczema and asked if
she had seen a dermatologist.  She nodded, but then explained that
except for keeping her on cortisone, her doctors were ready to give
up.

In spite of this poor prognosis, she hoped that a skin salve might
help.  She chose one that contained comfrey and calendula.

A month passed and I forgot about Laura, until I received an order for
more salve and some traditional herbs used as a tea for the liver, such
as burdock, yellow dock, sarsaparilla and dandelion.

Then, one day in the fall, I was at a laundromat sorting clothes when a
slender woman wearing a spaghetti-strap blouse practically jumped over
my laundry cart, spilling my clothes in the process.  She gave me a
huge bear hug.  As she stepped back, wearing a huge smile, I saw that
it was Laura, thanking me for helping her.

Actually, I had done nothing, but I was certainly impressed with what
the herbs had done for her.  Her skin was smooth and clean-I could see
why she had chosen the blouse she was wearing.  Equally impressive was
her slender figure--in addition to clearing up her scaly, oozing skin,
she had lost a great deal of weight.

She said that she felt so much better about herself that she no longer
binged on food.

If you're confused about the difference between psoriasis, eczema and
dermatitis, I'm not surprised.  Even dermatologists sometimes have
trouble identifying these skin problems.  Actually, both eczema and
psoriasis are types of dermatitis, which simply means "inflammation of
the skin."  Eczema is considered more of a symptom than an actual
disease, and is best treated by dealing with the underlying cause.

Psoriasis can be controlled by prescription drugs, but these are hard
on the liver and therefore must be carefully administered, especially
considering that impaired liver function is thought to contribute to
psoriasis.

Most types of dermatitis result in inflamed, red skin that is often
itchy and may develop into lesions.  Eczema can include crusty sores,
scabs, thickened skin, pimplelike eruptions and sometimes even
lesions.

The skin can be either oozing or crusty and easily becomes infected.

Psoriasis produces reddish lesions with a characteristic silvery
scaling that flakes off, causing the skin underneath to bleed.

These scales are actually excess skin generated when certain substances
in the body that are responsible for directing skin cell growth go out
of control and make the cells grow too quickly--sometimes 1,000 times
faster than the normal rate of growth.

The exact cause of these skin conditions is often difficult to
determine.  We do know that you are more prone to get them if you have
thin, dry skin.  According to researchers, dermatitis is often caused
by allergies and sensitivities to particular foods.  Eliminating the
foods most likely to cause allergies often decreases eczema.

Most people with eczema test positive to some type of allergy, have
elevated levels of antibodies in their blood (a sign of an allergic
reaction) and often do not have enough stomach acid, a common cause of
food sensitivities.  People with psoriasis usually have high levels of
poly-amine, an undesirable, toxic type of ammo acid that is formed
during poor protein digestion, another cause of food senstlvues.

To combat psoriasis and eczema, first try the Cleanser for Dry
Complexion (see page 310).  Do not use soap, because it can irritate
your skin.  Another natural way to treat psoriasis is by exposure to
direct sunlight and heat.

Secondary skin infections, which often occur with eczema, need to be
treated with antiseptic herbs such as those suggested for acne on page
179.  To make a salve for eczema or psoriasis, you can start with a
standard salve and add a few essential oils.

Dermatitis Skin Salve

1/2 teaspoon each tinctures of pau d'arco bark and goldenseal root (or
barberry bark)

8 drops each tea tree and chamomile essential oils

2 ounces skin salve (buy a comfrey salve from a store, or use the
Herbal Healing Salve on page 257) Using a toothpick, stir the tinctures
and essential oils into the salve.  This will make the salve
semi-liquid.  Apply throughout the day'.

HERBS FOR

HEALING THE SKIN

Many internal remedies for dermatitis start with the herb
sarsaparilla.

Michael Murray, N.D and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D authors or Textbook of
Natural Medicine, believe that this herb aids people with psoriasis by
binding toxins in the intestine and stopping the production of
polyamines.  For centuries, sarsaparilla was regarded as an important
"blood purifier."  Doctors and herbalists used it to treat all sorts of
serious skin problems.  Doctors were still using it in the 1940s when
an article in the New England Journal of Medicine described it as
"dramatically" successful in helping cure psoriasis.  Little research
has been done since, but herbalists continue to use this herb for
psoriasis and eczema.

Psyllium and berberine, a compound found in barberry and goldenseal,
can also halt production of polyamines.  Bitter melon, a Chinese plant
that is a relative of cucumber, also interferes with the production of
this chemical.

Psoriasis and eczema often respond to herbs used to enhance the immune
system's function and to herbs that help the liver do its work.

Indeed, researchers have found that outbreaks of eczema lower immunity,
making people who have this skin condition more likely to get viral
diseases like herpes and warts.  Burdock root and the Chinese herb
bupleurum have long been recommended to treat dermatitis, especially
eczema.

Studies have shown that the popular liver herb milk thistle also helps
combat psoriasis.  Another herb that is potent against both liver and
skin problems is the Indian plant gotu kola.  According to French
studies, compounds in gotu kola, which has long been used to treat
leprosy, rapidly heal broken skin.  The Rudolf Stiftung Hospital in
Vienna uses a salve and also an injection of these compounds to help
wounds heal faster.

An immunity-enhancing herb with a particularly good track record for
improving dermatitis is pau d'arco, the bark of a South American
tree.

For other ways to improve immunity, see "Boosting Immunity'' on page
101, and for other herbs to help improve liver functioning, see chapter
7.

Licorice root may seem a surprising choice for helping the skin, but
searchers find that it combats many types of dermatitis, improves liver
health, reduces skin inflammation and is useful in treating syTnptoms
of stress and allergies.

Numerous studies show that gamma linoleic acid (GLA), which is found in
evening primrose oil, and compounds in licorice and chamomile can
reduce skin inflammation even better than cortisone.

In one study of almost 100 adults and children with eczema, evening
primrose oil significantly reduced the itching, redness and severity of
the problem within three months.  Other studies show that GLA also
helps in treating impetigo, a crusty outbreak of pustules that usually
occurs around the mouth and nose and is caused by a bacterial
infection.  I have also heard reports that GLA helps fight ichthyosis,
a condition that makes the skin dry and scaly, resembling that of a
fish.

Stress seems to play a big role in many, skin disorders.  Over
one-third of the people who have psoriasis say that their initial
outbreak happened within a month of a very' stressful event.  In
Laura's case, she realized which stresses in her LIFE--exams at school,
a visit from her indaws and pressure at work--set off her skin
condition, and that those stresses needed to be controlled.  For herbs
to combat stress, see "Stress" on page 52.

Dermatitis 'lea

teaspoon each sarsaparilla root, licorice root, burdock root, pau
d'arco bark and buplcurum root (if available) 3 cups water

*'- Gently simmer herbs in water for 10 minutes.  Turn off heat and let
steep for another 10 minutes.  Strain.

Drink a cup of tea 3 or 4 times a da This combination of herbs can also
be taken as a tincture, using the same proportions as the tea.  Or you
can purchase a similar tincture formula at a natural food store.  Take
half a dropperful 3 or 4 times each day

,S, ENDING PARASITES

S c u R RY 1 N G 	':' :, So you think you're feeling lousy today?

The next time you use this expression, think twice.  It is derived from
"louse," the singular of lice.  Originally, a person who felt lousy
had, you guessed it, lice.

The expression may be an old one, but parasitic infections are more
common today than ever.  They began increasing in the 1970s--incidence
of head lice in North America doubled during a two-year span.  There
are many myths surrounding head, body and pubic lice.  The truth is
that they are not caused by a lack of hygiene and they have no respect
for social class--every-one is at risk.  Lice are most frequently
transmitted by hairbrushes, hats and bedding.  The tiny eggs of these
parasites have an uncanny resemblance to dan-drug, except that they
cling tightly to hair.  Because of this, they often go unnoticed until
the lice themselves start your scalp itching.

The U.S. Center for Disease Control in Atlanta does not label lice a
health hazard.  Although lice have at various times carried such
serious infections as typhus and trench fever, currently they transmit
no diseases in North America.

Even so, people find these parasites unnerving.

Lice may not be considered a serious health problem, but getting rid of
them can be more than irritating--it takes something mighty powerful to
do away with the little buggers.

The poison of choice for more than 30 years has been lindane, a cousin
of the infamous and now banned pesticide DDT.  Lindane, available only
by prescription, is toxic to people as well as lice because it is
readily absorbed by the skin and can cause nervous system problems,
even convulsions.  This chemical is not exactly what you want to put on
your preschooler's head when he or she comes home from school infested
with lice.  To make matters worse, strains of lice are becoming
resistant to lindane, so there is a chance that it may not even work.

A better choice is an insecticide made from pyrethrins, a compound most
commonly found in chrysanthemums.

While this more natural option is no gentle substance either, it is
much safer, and it is not readily absorbed through the skin like
lindane.

Another way to fight lice is with a homemade remedy made up of a strong
concentration of essential oils.  This formula will have to be very
potent, so use it carefully Do a skin test first.  Apply a drop of the
oil to the inside of the elbow and leave it alone for several hours.

If there is no sign of irritation, go ahead and use it.  Keep the
treatment away from the eyes and shampoo it off at the first sign of
irritation, especially with children.

The oils will usually do the trick, but the eggs are more resistant
than the lice themselves and you may need to repeat treatment after a
week to eliminate newly hatched lice.  Whatever method you choose to
treat lice, be sure to wash clothes, bed linens and anything else that
comes in contact with the person's head--and don't forget to vacuum the
backs of chairs and couches.

Lice Treatment

2 ounces vegetable oil

20 drops tea tree essential oil

10 drops each essential oils of rosemary, lavender and lemon

- Combine ingredients.  Apply to dry hair and cover with a plastic bag
or shower cap.  Wrap the head in a towel.

Leave on for 1 hour.  Then put shampoo on dry hair to.  help cut the
oil.  Work the shampoo into hair, rinse, shampoo again and rinse.

chapter ELEVEN

Women's Health

Most of the health problems that are specific to women can be traced to
our endless cycle of hormones.  Some of us ride natural hormonal
changes like crests of a wave, while others feel more as though they
are being pulled into the undertow!  If you fall into the later group,
keep in mind that you have plenty of company.

In fact, estrogen, the name for the primary female hormone, comes from
the Latin word oestrus, which means "frenzy" in English.

For those of you whose hormonal cycles drive you into a frenzy, I have
good news: Almost every woman I know who has tried herbs and supportive
nutrition gets some relief.  And though natural remedies may involve
some trial and error to discover which herbal formula works best for
you, finding the right combination will help you move gracefully
through most health problems specific to women, from monthly cycles to
menopause.  You must be patient, though--it may take a while before you
begin to see real improvement.

Before plunging into an herbal healing program, you need to determine
what is wrong.  Your gynecologist or a health care clinic can help you
do this.

You may even have a local clinic that specializes in female problems.

If you discover that yours is a serious disorder, be sure to work on
the treatment with a professional health care practitioner.

Female hormones are indispensable-they help maintain physical and
emotional well-being, as well as physical endurance and sex drive.  If
you alter their delicate balance, your body will let you know in a
variety of ways.  At times, hormonal problems can seem very
complicated, since an increase in production of one hormone can lead to
a decrease in others.  This can place you on a hormonal seesaw!  To
make it even more puzzling, your hormone levels fluctuate throughout
the month and even throughout the day.

Fortunately, herbs can help still the seesaw.  While herbs do not
contain the hormones found in our bodies, some of them do contain
substances that influence our hormonal activity.  How they do this is
not completely understood--in fact, there is much that medical science
still has to learn about hormones--but we do know that herbs sometimes
mimic, activate or block natural hormonal activity.  And some herbs
make your body more or less sensitive to its own hormones.

[HE ESTROGEN STORY

Estrogen is the most well-known female hormone.  It helps improve your
complexion, makes your hair silky and your skin soft, and discourages
wrinkles, it even helps keep you feeling spunky and energetic.  But
when estrogen levels soar too high, nervous jitters, insomnia, memory
impairment and overly sensitive or tingly skin can result.  Stress,
cortisone and some antidepressant drugs increase estrogen levels.  So
do fatty or fried foods, sugar and alcohol.

W o M E N ' S H E A L H

An overabundance of estrogen also leads to other problems.  It can slow
the body's ability to break down fat, cause water retention, throw off
blood sugar levels and even reduce the amount of oxygen the lungs and
cells take in.  In the 1980s and 1990s, medical researchers discovered
that excessive estrogen can cause even more far-reaching
complications--endometriosis, uterine fibroids, uterine cancer,
cervical dysplasia, breast cysts and many breast cancers are all
thought to have some connection to high estrogen levels.  To further
complicate matters, there is more than one kind of estrogen in the
body, and not all types are carcinogenic (cancer-causing).  A specific
problem may not be related to all types of estrogen, but specifically
to one troublesome kind that tends to be more carcinogenic than the
others.

THE PROGESTERONE , ;, ,dj STORY 	:

Progesterone is an equally important female hormone.  It helps you feel
content and emotionally balanced in a number of ways.  It reduces
stress, uterine spasms, water retention and muscle weakness and helps
the body to handle alcohol, sugar and food cravings.  As with estrogen,
high progesterone levels also pose problems--they can lead to
sluggishness, tiredness, muscle aches, low blood sugar, increased
appetite and weight gain.

It is a medical fact that progesterone and estrogen keep each other in
balance.

In fact, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), irregular menstruation, menstrual
cramps and a tendency toward miscarriage may be at least partially
caused by an imbalance of these two hormones--too much estrogen and too
little progesterone.

For this reason, women with PMS or uterine fibroids are sometimes given
progesterone to adjust this imbalance.

In a study conducted at the Johns Hopkins University, in which a group
of women were given 800 International Units of vitamin E for ten weeks,
results showed that vitamin E corrects the progesterone-estrogen ratio,
increases a woman's libido and normalizes her menstrual cycle.

While we are on the topic of hormonal balance, let's not overlook the
liver.  Ask any herbalist: Liver herbs such as burdock and dandelion
often help women with hard-to-treat health problems.

This is because the liver deactivates estrogen, especially the
carcinogenic form, which tends to settle in breast and uterine
tissue.

For more information on herbs to help maintain the health of your
liver, see chapter 7.

A N EM A 	

Anemia is not really a disease, but a symptom of an underlying
problem.

It is most common in women--because of blood loss due to
menstruation.

About 10 percent of North American women are iron-deficient during
their childbearing years.  The typical woman with anemia is pale and
often finds herself weak or dizzy and falling asleep easily.  She
usually describes herself as feeling tired most of the time.  She may
be prone to headaches and digestive disturbances and may also
experience heart palpitations.

If this sounds like you, you should ask your doctor to check your iron
level.

This involves a simple blood test that takes only a few minutes.

If your doctor determines that you are low in iron, it will not take
long to correct the problem.  But the most obvious choice for
treatment--iron supplements--are never my first recommendation.

These supplements do not help all the women who take them.

Even when they do help, they often cause constipation and stomach
distress, as well as rob your body of vitamin E.

The fear of anemia leads most doctors to prescribe iron supplements to
pregnant women.  However, according to the U.S. Preventive Services
Task Force (a non-government panel sponsored by the U.S. Public Health
Service, a federal agency), "There is currently little evidence to
suggest that routine iron supplementation during pregnancy is
beneficial."

Instead you might want to try yellow dock root, a more easily
assimilated source of iron.  Yellow dock contains only a small amount
of this important mineral, yet herbalists consider it one of the most
effective herbs for raising your iron level.  Although the way that
this herb increases iron remains a mystery, the proof is in the
results.  I cannot count how many women with anemia have told me how
amazed their doctors were when yellow dock brought their iron count up
to normal in only a few weeks.

Many physicians are not aware that an herb can be so effective,
especially a humble weed that grows throughout most of the United
States.

Sara, who is fifteen years old, is a perfect example of how effective
this herb can be.  A classic case of anemia, Sara felt worn out and
listless and never seemed to have enough energy.  But after taking a
tincture of yellow dock every day for a month, she found herself
feeling energetic enough to try out for the high school track team.

Karen is another example.  At one point, when Karen was six months
pregnant, her iron count was so low that her doctor was threatening
drastic measures, starting with hospitalization.

Iron supplements weren't helping much, so she turned to yellow dock.

Within two weeks, her iron count had returned to normal.

In my years of working with herbs, I have met literally dozens of other
women who felt so run-down and sluggish that they described themselves
as having only "half a life."  All of them started taking yellow dock
and received such a boost that they are now living very full lives.

For some of these women, yellow dock brought up their iron levels
permanently and they were able to discontinue using the herb.  Others
found that they needed to continue taking it to maintain their iron
count at a healthy level.

Even if your anemia is so stubborn that it does not respond to yellow
dock, a few additional herbs will usually do the trick.  Studies
conducted around the world have shown that the roots of burdock,
sarsaparilla, dandelion, cooked Chinese rehmannia and Chinese wild yarn
increase the assimilation of iron, as do carrots and most green
vegetables.

(Although Chinese herbs like rehmannia

W o M E N S H E A l.] H '

and wild yarn were once restricted to the realm of Chinese medicine,
they are now available in most natural food stores.) German researchers
were so impressed with how anise, caraway, cumin, mint and linden
flowers improved iron absorption that they suggested that anyone with
an iron deficiency drink tea made with at least one of these herbs.

Iron-rich herbs include parsley, watercress and the seaweed dulse.

Caraway seeds were so revered by sixth-century Persians that citizens
used them to pay taxes.

LIVING WITH HERBAL WISDOM

If these herbs seem like the ingredients for the start of a delicious
soup or stew base, you're right!  Throw in a few beet roots to add even
more iron, and dine on this soup at least twice a week.

The Chinese traditionally prescribe soups made from healing herbs like
rehmannia, wild yarn and burdock.

When you wish to incorporate medicinal herb roots into your meals, all
you need to do is finely chop or grate them, then treat them like
carrots.  Caraway and cumin can also be used to spice up beans and
vegetables.  For recipes, see chapter 18.  By the way, if you suffer
from anemia, you will want to avoid black tea, which slows down iron
absorption.

Women who experience heavy menstruation frequently have a low iron
count.  If this is true for you, you should not only follow the above
suggestions, but also see "Heavy Periods" on page 162.  Anemia can also
signal several other problems, such as a blood disorder, so consult a
physician before treating with herbs.

2 teaspoons yellow dock root

A teaspoon each nettle leaves, dandelion root, beet root, licorice and
cooked rehmannia root (if available) 3 cups water

*' Bring herbs and water to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer for
5 minutes.

Turn off heat and let steep for 20 minutes.  Strain out herbs.  Drink 2
cups a day.  This formula can also be taken as a tincture or in pill
form.  To take yellow dock by itself, you will want to use a tincture
since the taste is so bitter.

CERVICAL

DYSPLASIA

Cervical dysplasia occurs when cells form irregularly on a woman's
cervix, which is located at the mouth of the uterus.  Since this
unusual growth is considered a precondition to cancer, physicians
generally suggest burning, freezing or cutting off the problem cells.

However, the condition progresses so slowly that your doctor will
probably wait a month or two, then retest you.  Take advantage of this
time to try an herbal remedy.

My neighbor Nancy had cervical dysplasia more than once.  When her
doctor first noticed irregularities on her cervix, he conducted a
series of laboratory tests that led him to conclude that her dysplasia
was at "stage three"--not a good sign, considering that stage four is
cancer.  The treatment he used was to freeze the problem cells.  Three
years later, Nancy was again diagnosed as having cervical dysplasia.

This time, she chose a particularly vigorous herbal therapy, as her
doctor now said that the most effective treatment would be surgery.

With only one month to turn around her dysplasia, Nancy was committed
to healing herself.  She placed castor oil packs over her abdomen, sat
in sitz baths filled with a strong tea of sage, eucalyptus and comfrey
leaf tea and used a tampon soaked in a strong solution of calendula
tea.  She faithfully did each of these treatments at least once a day,
more often when she could manage it (and got lots of reading done at
the same timeD.

When Nancy told me the results of her next test, I was as impressed as
she was with the herbs.  The baffled doctor found far fewer signs of
dysplasia and, although he was apprehensive about discussing herbs,
sent her home to "continue doing whatever you are doing."

The next three times she was tested, she came up completely clean; so
she stopped taking the herbs.  That was years ago, and following her
doctor's advice, she continues to get tested regularly--at least twice
a year.  She also follows her herbalist's advice to keep estrogen down
to normal levels and her immunity up.

She does not expect the dysplasia to return, but if it ever does, she
knows what she will do.

Cervical dysplasia can be caused, or at least promoted, by the same
virus responsible for genital warts (human papillomavirus) and possibly
by those viruses that cause herpes (herpes simplex types 1 and 2),
although not all women with warts or herpes necessarily develop
dysplasia.  Another contributing factor is excessive amounts of the
more carcinogenic form of estrogen that is manufactured by the body.

In addition, women whose mothers took a synthetic estrogen called
diethylstilbestrol (DES) in the 1940s and 1950s to prevent miscarriage
were overexposed to estrogen and often develop dysplasia.

(Unfortunately, until 1979, much of the meat sold in the United States
also contained small amounts of DES.) The American Cancer Society also
lists estrogen-based birth control pills, multiple sexual partners and
smoking as risk factors for dysplasia.

Researchers have reported that smoking even two or three cigarettes a

WOMEN"S HEALTH

day seems to concentrate carcinogens in the cervix.

You can treat the problem cells and at the same time stimulate your
immune system with a tea or tincture of echinacea, calendula and false
indigo, an immune system herb with properties similar to echinacea.

While most people may not think of calendula (which is known to
gardeners as pot marigold) as more than a pretty garden flower, it is a
potent immunity builder that seems to have a special affinity for
healing the cervix.

Among the most important herbs for treating gynecological problems are
the berries from vitex, an attractive tree from the Mediterranean.

Virex is one of the few herbs known to balance a woman's hormones, and
so has become invaluable for many different formulas.

To help keep excessive estrogen in line, you should also take herbs
that are good for the liver, such as burdock.

You can also put herbs directly on your cervix--as Nancy did-by using
vaginal suppositories or a tampon soak of goldenseal, calendula and tea
tree.  Tea tree suppositories are also available in natural food
stores.

I know quite a few women who have conquered cervical dysplasia using
herbal teas, tinctures and suppositories alone, but you can speed along
the process by also taking herbal sitz baths and applying castor oil
packs.

These techniques are explained in "Endometriosis" on page 156.  These
treatments require a little extra time, but the end results are worth
it.

Folic acid, which is not an herb per se but is found in green, leafy
vegetables, can also play a role in treating cervical dysplasia.  Many
women with cervical dysplasia have a folic acid deficiency, especially
if they take birth control pills.  According to one study of women on
the Pill, three weeks of folic acid supplements reversed the risk of
cervical cancer for a significant number of women.  Joseph E. Pizzorno,
N.D and Michael T. Murray, N.D authors of A Textbook of Natural
Medicine, a natural healing reference commonly used by naturopathic
doctors and medical doctors who use natural methods, suggest that women
who have cervical dysplasia take 2 milligrams of folic acid a day for
three months, then reduce the dose to 0.5 milligram a day.  Along with
your herbal therapy, vitamins A, C and the B-complex can be extremely
helpful.

While Nancy's story attests to the power of herbs, do not get
discouraged if you try them and you do not experience Nancy's
success.

Herbs sometimes work quickly, sometimes not.  Another friend of mine,
Dora, was given three weeks to self-treat cervical dysplasia that had
nearly reached stage four.  She was diligent about taking sitz baths
and applying castor oil packs and taking an herbal tincture similar to
the tea recipe given below.  She even made her own herbal
suppositories.  Three weeks later, Dora's test results did not look any
better, and her doctor advised removing the cells right wa At least
Dora knew that she had done what she could in that short amount of
time.  She also felt that the herbs prepared her body better for the
doctor's procedure.  (She also decided to quit smoking.) Even if you
decide on medical treatments, you can do as Dora did and take these
herbs once a day for one week every month to prevent the dysplasia from
returning.

Cervical Dysplasia Tea 2 teaspoons vitex berries 1 teaspoon each
burdock root and false indigo root / teaspoon each calendula flowers
and echinacea root 5 cups water Bring herbs and water to a boil in an
uncovered pot, then simmer gently for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat,
cover pot and let steep for 20 minutes.  Strain out herbs.  This can
also be taken as a tincture or in pill form.

'l-ampon Soak 1 heaping teaspoon dried calendula flowers teaspoon
goldenseal rhizome powder 1 cup water 5 drops tea tree essential oil
Put herbs and water in a pot, place on stove and bring to a boil.  Turn
off heat and let steep for about 30 minutes.

Strain and add essential oil.  Soak tampon in mixture, stirring well to
distribute the oil.  (Be sure to use a tampon that comes enclosed in a
cylinder inserter or the soaking will expand it too much.)

E N D O M ET RO S S

Endometriosis occurs when tissue from the lining of the uterus--the
endometrium--attaches itself elsewhere in the abdomen.  This creates
havoc throughout the pelvic area, especially just before menstruation,
when the misplaced lining expands along with the normal uterine
lining.

Endometriosis, which is well known to almost 10 percent of U.S. women,
can be quite painful.  Its symptoms include severe cramping, excessive
menstrual bleeding, and intestinal gas, sometimes accompanied by
depression and insomnia.

The scarring that results from the misplaced tissue can lead to
infertility and bowel inflammation.

The causes of endometriosis remain a mystery Curiously, European women
rarely get it.  We do know that one of the risk factors is an abundance
of estrogen.

That is why endometriosis occurs mostly in women between the ages of 25
and 40, when estrogen accumulates at its highest levels.  Endometriosis
is exacerbated by anything that irntates the uterus, such as a pelvic
infection, constipation, uterine fibroids or cancer, or the presence of
an IUD or a tampon.  Even ingesting caffeine, alcohol or fried foods
increases the problem.

Medical science offers us many theories about the cause, but no cure
for this poorly understood disorder.

Often, the recommended treatment for endometriosis is quite
drastic--either a hysterectomy or hormone therapy with a drug such as
danazol, which suppresses estrogen and initiates a false
menopause--complete with hot flashes, vaginal dryness and a decreased
sexual drive.  Understandably, many women are reluctant to take this
drug.

Thankfully, many cases of endometriosis can be treated with herbs, but
you must be patient--most of the women I know who chose to treat this
disorder

W O M E N S H E A L H *

herbally found that successful treatment took many months.  For best
results, work with a natural health care professional who has
experience with this disorder and can help you develop a complete
healing campaign that includes dietary changes, massage and possibly
acupuncture.

Since an overabundance of estrogen is one contributing factor of
endometriosis, vitex berries, which balance a woman's hormones, are a
valuable herb in any endometriosis formula.  When I discuss the
treatment of this disorder with other herbalists, they always say that
vitex is the most important herb in their formulas.

And since hormones are a major factor in the development of this
disorder, it is generally a good idea to also treat your liver with
herbs, particularly burdock.  Remember, the liver helps clear estrogen
from the body For more information on herbs to help the liver do its
job, see chapter 7.

If you suffer from endometriosis, it is also important for you to
reduce the bleeding, inflammation, muscle cramps and pain that
generally accompany this disorder.  The first herbs that I turn to for
easing these symptoms are cramp bark and wild yarn.  For herbs to stop
cramping and other menstrual pain--evening primrose oil and ginger, for
instance--see "Menstrual Cramps" on page 171.

Red raspberry reduces bleeding and is thought to strengthen the
uterus--herbalists and midwives have been using it for these purposes
for at least a thousand years.

Horsetail also reduces excessive bleeding, especially menstrual
bleeding.

And it may do more than that for women with endometriosis--herbalists
believe that it keeps scar tissue flexible, thus preventing further
scarring.  During the tuberculosis outbreaks of the early twentieth
century, horsetail was used to reduce the amount of scarring on
people's lungs.  Pills containing horsetail are commonly sold to
strengthen nails and hair, and may also strengthen connective ligaments
such as those that hold the uterus in place.

Medical science is now realizing that endometriosis is a signal that
you need to build up your immune system.  Taking echinacea is a good
way to do this because this herb not only improves immunity, but also
helps repair connective tissues and fibers.

Castor oil packs are also very helpful in treating endometriosis.  No
one can explain exactly how they work, but experience has shown me time
and again that they often make the difference between the success of a
natural treatment and its failure.  A recent study from Washington
University in Washington, D.C showed that castor oil packs can improve
the function of the immune system in the pelvic area.  For directions
on how to do a castor oil pack, see page 159.

Any woman with endometriosis can tell you that the disorder can make
life very difficult, but I felt particularly sorry for my friend Cathy
She performs and teaches Middle Eastern dance--probably one of the
hardest things in the world to do when suffering from endometriosis.

In the middle of one performance, the pain became so bad that she
barely finished the show.  She made an appointment to see her
gynecologist the next day The minute her doctor suggested that she take
hormonal drugs, she hesitated.

Nevertheless, she figured that taking them would be better than having
a hysterectomy Cathy is also a registered nurse, and one of her jobs
when she worked in a gynecology clinic was to check in patients who
were to undergo hysterectomies.  She learned that almost every woman
she admitted was there because of painful menstruation, often from
endometriosis.

Cathy started having problems with her medication from day one--she was
suffering every side effect in the book-and her gynecologist kept
switching her from one drug to another.

Finally, Cathy became fed up with the drugs and started reading up on
herbal alternatives.  She had been studying herbs for years, but to her
dismay had discovered very little information about endometriosis.

Piecing together what she did find, she made a customized formula.  The
primary herbs she chose were echinacea, virex, wild yarn, red
raspberry, motherwort and nettles, with burdock and milk thistle added
for her liver.  All the while, she kept searching for more
information.

Figuring that it was going to take a lot to solve her problem, she
tried castor oil packs and hot and cold sitz baths with a few drops of
lavender or chamomile essential oil (in the hot bath only) to increase
circulation in the pelvic area.  Since her apartment did not have a
bathtub, she used two large plastic tubs that she had bought at a
hardware store.

She really had me laughing as she described the looks that came across
the faces of the other customers as they watched her sit in the tubs to
find the right size.

She also noticed that stress and anything that lowered her immunity,
such as not getting enough sleep or not eating well, made it much
worse.  Just one cup of coffee started the cramping again.  It took
lots of discipline, but Cathy managed to change her habits and improve
her endometriosis dramatically.  Now she is dancing again, with only a
little twinge of pain when she eats or sleeps poorly or feels
stressed.

Cathy describes her recovery using herbal treatments as "amazing."  You
can imagine her reaction when she heard her friend Judy complaining
that endometriosis was preventing her from getting pregnant.  Judy had
been following her gynecologist's advice to a T for more than two
years, but her condition was no better, possibly even a little worse.

Cathy designed for Judy a formula that was similar to the one she
herself had used, and gave Judy a list of lifestyle things to watch out
for.  Because Judy lives in another town, the two did not see each
other for more than a year, but when they did, Judy gave her benefactor
a huge hug--as best she could considering she was seven months
pregnant!

Endometriosis Tea

teaspoon each virex berries, echinacea root, wild yarn rhizome and
cramp bark

A teaspoon each horsetail stalks, red raspberry and motherwort quart
water o Combine herbs and water in an uncovered pot and bring to a
boil.  Turn down the heat and let simmer gently for about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, cover and steep for 15 minutes.  Strain out herbs.

Drink at least 2 cups daily This formula can also be taken as a
tincture or in capsules.

Castor Oil Pack

1/ cup castor oil

8 drops lavender essential oil

Soft cloth

*'- Combine castor oil and lavender essential off.  Soak cloth in this
mixture, then fold it and place it in a baking dish in a 350F oven for
about 20 minutes--it should be quite warm, but not uncomfortably so.

Place the folded cloth directly over the afflicted area and cover it
with a towel to keep it warm.

(A hot water bottle on top of this also works well.) Use the pack once
a day for 30 to 60 minutes.  Rinse off the oil after each
application.

Sitz Bath

10 drops rosemary essential oil t Add essential oil to a bathtub and
stir well to distribute.  Sit in tub with hot water up to your waist
for 5 to 10 minutes (this is a good time to read a book).

Then sit in a tub of cold water, also up to your waist, for at least 1
minute.  (The large plastic tubs sold at hardware stores work fine.)
Continue for 2 to 5 rounds.

Perform this treatment every day, if possible.

Lavender or chamomile essential oils could be used in place of
rosemary.

If you want, you can make a strong tea of these herbs and use that
instead of the essential oils.

FIBROCYSTIC :..:' BREASTS

Fibrocystic breasts plague about one-third of U.S. women in their
childbearing years.  Women with this condition have breasts that
usually swell and become painful just before menstruation.

In some cases, women become so uncomfortable that they find they can
sleep only on their backs, must forgo aerobics classes and cannot even
hug their kids!

Nonetheless, if you have lumpy breasts, do not despair.  For one thing,
most specialists agree that this condition does not lead to breast
cancer.  However, since any breast lump can be worrisome, have your
gynecologist or a health clinic check any new lump just to be safe.

(If you do have breast cancer, you can use the herbal treatments for
fibrocystic breasts as part of more comprehensive therapy.)

Too much estrogen is the most common cause of breast cysts, but it is
not the only one.  One of the functions of estrogen is to control
another hormone called prolactin, whose job is to prepare a woman's
body, specifically her breasts, for possible pregnancy, When prolactin
levels rise too high, problems occur: breast tenderness and cysts, as
well as water retention.  Prolactin is also stimulated by stress, lots
of fat or protein in the diet, alcohol, marijuana and prolonged pain.

Doctors can surgically remove breast cysts or shrink them with a drug
that blocks prolactin, but I am sure that you will be relieved to know
that herbs offer a much less drastic approach.  From reading reports on
numerous studies, and from my own observations, I know that evening
primrose oil (sold in capsules at natural food stores) almost always
reduces breast cysts within three months, often sooner.

If you are one of the few women whose breast lumps don't disappear that
easily, try taking 400 International Units of vitamin E along with the
evening primrose.  We do not know exactly why combining vitamin E with
herbs is so effective, but it probably has to do with this vitamin's
ability to detoxify and to The tall and dramatic flowering stalk of
evening primrose makes this herb one of nature's most easily identified
medicinal plants.

increase circulation.  Vitamin E encourages the cysts to drain and
helps the blood and lymph systems to carry excess fluids away from the
cysts.  Its use to eliminate breast cysts is backed up by numerous
clinical studies from Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, the Boston
School of Medicine and various other medical institutes.

For the most stubborn cases of fibrocystic breasts, try using
treatments of prickly ash bark, which also increases blood circulation,
and burdock, calendula, cleavers, mullein and dandelion, which improve
lymph drainage.  Each of these herbs can be taken as a tea, as a
tincture or in pill form.  For more information about these
multipurpose herbs, see chapter 4 and chapter 6.

Meanwhile, to ease the inflammation and pain, alternate warm and cold
compresses over the area.  The warm compress should be made using
calendula, chamomile, ginger and lavender; the cold compress should be
plain (just water).

Many women have found herbs to be helpful in treating this condition.

Sue, for example, complained that her breasts would swell so much each
month that she needed a bra that was a whole size larger.  She had
heard that drinking coffee could be the source of the problem, but even
after she swore off caffeine, the swelling did not completely
subside.

Evening primrose oil helped, but she had to take almost double the
recommended dose of six pills a day, so she started looking for a less
expensive alternative.

Sue found that taking 800 International Units of vitamin E daily
allowed her to drop down to two capsules of evening primrose oil.  In
addition, she started drinking the herb tea described on page 162.  Two
years later, Sue no longer drinks her tea, but she still takes one
capsule of evening primrose oil and 400 International Units of vitamin
E daily.  She seldom slacks off her routine because if she does, a
slight swelling returns along with persistent pain.

Medical experts believe that it's important to avoid caffeine and
related substances called methylxanthines because they apparently
confuse chemical messengers in the body According to John P. Minton,
Ph.D of Ohio State University, these messengers responsible for making
protein, fluid or fiber in the breast do not get shut off.  They tell
breast cells to keep producing more cells and to retain fluid long
after they should have stopped.  The result can be fibrous cysts.

Methylxanthines are found in coffee, colas, tea, chocolate and the
herbs mate and guarana.  Also check with your doctor to see if they
might also be lurking in any pharmaceutical drugs you take.

No one knows why one woman who drinks coffee develops cysts and another
doesn't, but the results of several studies show that almost 75 percent
of the women with fibrocystic breasts who eliminate caffeine from their
diets are spared biopsies and breast surgery.

In one study, Dr. Minton gave a choice to 47 women with fibrocystic
breasts who had imbibed the equivalent of four cups of coffee a day for
several years: have a biopsy or go off methylxanthines and see what
happens.  Twenty of the women accepted the challenge by cutting out
coffee, and in two to six months, the cysts of two-thirds of them
completely disappeared.  Of the 27 other women in the study who
continued to drink coffee, only one had her cyst recede and the rest
had to have surgery.

So if you suffer from breast cysts, try to muster up all the willpower
you can to eliminate these substances from your diet, at least for a
few months.

Dr. Minton has found that the older a woman is, the longer it takes
for cysts to recede.  Some women in their fifties wait a year after
they stop drinking coffee before their cysts completely disappear.

Breast Cyst Tea

1 teaspoon each burdock root, mullein leaves and dandelion root lA
teaspoon each prickly ash bark and cleavers leaves

1 quart water

Combine ingredients.  As soon as your breasts begin to feel
uncomfortable, try to drink at least 2 cups daffy.

This formula can also be taken as a tincture or in pill form.

Breast Compress

,6 teaspoon tincture of calendula flower

10 drops lavender essential oil

3 drops each ginger and chamomile essential oils

1 cup warm water

2 cloths

Combine ingredients in a shallow bowl.  Swish a small, soft doth in the
solution.  Wring cloth out over the bowl and fold it into several
layers.  Place over swollen breast while the cloth is still warm and
leave it on for 5 to 10 minutes.

Run another cloth under cold water and wring it out.  Exchange the warm
compress for the cold one, and leave on about 2 minutes.  If you have
the time, alternate the cloths a few times.

HEAVY PERO D S?"

Heavy menstrual periods (or menorrhagia as doctors call this
condition) are blamed on a long list of imbalances, including too much
of the hormones estrogen and prolactin, as well as an excess of a
hormonelike substance called prostaglandin 2. A sluggish thyroid also
increases menstruation.  So can endometriosis, uterine fibroids, the
presence of an IUD, and drugs that inhibit blood coagulation.  Some
medical re-searchers believe that an iron deficiency stimulates
bleeding, which in turn leads to an even greater deficiency of iron.

Weakness and a great deal of inconvenience often accompany heavy
menstruation.

Menstruation normally causes a decrease in physical energy, and if you
bleed heavily you may find that respiration is impaired and blood
pressure lowered--some women become light-headed and exhausted.  Since
excessive bleeding can indicate several serious problems, be sure to
have a physician investigate the cause before embarking on
self-treatment.

Of course, "heavy bleeding" is a relative term.  Watch for changes in
your own cycle.  One survey from Scandinavia found that almost 50
percent of the women with what doctors consider heavy flow considered
their flow moderate, while more than l0 percent of those with a light
flow judged their periods to be heavy.

Yarrow, nettles and especially shepherd's purse lessen menstrual
bleeding by directing blood away from the pelvis.

Although mainstream medical science never adopted the use of shepherd's
purse, scientists learned in the late 1930s that this herb effectively
decreases heavy periods.  Where I live, all three of these herbs grow
wild.  In my garden, I also grow other herbs to slow menstrual
bleeding--agrimony, used by the Chinese for this purpose, lady's
mantle, vervain and red raspberry, which is thought to strengthen the
uterus.  Another herbal treatment is to rub on the lower belly a
massage oil containing sage essential oil.

These herbs are good for a quick fix while you are bleeding heavily,
but for long-term results treat the source of the problem by adjusting
out-of-balance hormones with vitex.  In the late 1950s, researchers
began investigating how this herb helps women who have menstrual
disorders.  They used a product called Agnolyt--a tincture of dried
virex berries--which had been developed and patented in the 1930s by a
German doctor, Gerhard Madaus, M.D. When women who had short but very
heavy periods took Agnolyt, almost half of them started having
completely normal menstrual cycles, and even more of them found that
their periods were much more regular.  Dr. Madaus wrote a manual on
the use of virex in which he described numerous studies that have been
conducted on this herb.  In the late 1980s, this book and accounts of
other German studies were translated by herbal researcher and licensed
acupuncturist Christopher Hobbs, who has also written a booklet about
this herb called Vitex: The Woman's Herb.

When heavy bleeding leaves you feeling weak, see your doctor to make
sure that it is not making you anemic.  If you are suffering from
anemia, see "Anemia'' on page 152.  If you experience cramping along
with heavy bleeding, use the same herbs suggested for alleviating
menstrual cramps--wild yarn root, false unicorn root, cramp bark and
American spikenard--to reduce the severity of both of the problems.

Menstrual Bleeding Tincture

1 teaspoon each tinctures of shepherd's purse leaf and yarrow leaf

% teaspoon each tinctures of red raspberry leaf and vitex berry et
Combine ingredients.  Take half a dropperful every 15 to 30 minutes.

This formula is most effective when made with fresh shepherd's purse.

When dried, shepherd's purse loses some of its strength.

Sage Massage Oil

2 ounces vegetable oil

12 drops sage essential oil

Combine ingredients.  Massage into lower belly a few times a day.

INFERTILITY

Infertility is a heartbreaking situation for many women.  Many leap too
soon to the conclusion that they may be infertile.  But you shouldn't
even begin to consider that you might be infertile until you have tried
to get pregnant for at least one year.  Even then, do not despair--it
sometimes takes even longer to conceive.

Herbs are most successful in treating a woman's infertility when the
problem is the result of a hormonal imbalance.  An imbalance can occur
for a number of reasons, including the menstrual cycle being disrupted
by birth control pills.

Herbs also help the estimated one-twelfth of women in the United States
who are infertile due to uterine fibroids or pelvic inflammatory
disease, as long as there is no scarring or other structural damage.

Structural problems, such as a blocked fallopian tube, are difficult to
treat with herbs--they usually require surgery

Before you can treat infertility, you must first determine the root of
the problem.  To start, rule out the most obvious possibilities, along
with some not-so-obvious ones.  And remember, the chances are 50/50
that the source of the problem lies with your partner.  If you are
extremely athletic or underweight, you may not have enough body fat.

Recently, the medical community has determined that women whose fat
falls below one-quarter of their total body weight have trouble
conceiving because they often do not ovulate.  This condition affects
some world-class women athletes.

Plain stress can be another factor.

Researchers at the Mind/Body Program for Infertility at New England
Deaconess Hospital in Massachusetts found that one-third of previously
infertile women became pregnant after they learned relaxation
techniques.  For more information of herbal methods of relaxation, see
"Stress" on page 52.

There are a number of herbs that increase fertility, such as virex,
Siberian ginseng, don quai from China and the aptly named motherwort.

Numerous Chinese studies on don quai show that it helps the ovaries
function better and helps to re-establish a normal cycle and fertilit

For many women, the problem is not becoming pregnant, but avoiding
miscarriage once they are pregnant.  Fertility experts say that women
often miscarry before they even realize that they are pregnant.  In
Germany, quite a bit of research has been done on vitex.  This herb has
been found to increase levels of three hormones in pregnant women:
progesterone, prolactin and luteinizing hormone (LH).  All of these
hormones work together to help a woman become pregnant, sustain
pregnancy and promote the production of breast milk.  These
fertility-increasing herbs also decrease the likelihood of
miscarriage.

Another way to prevent miscarriage is to keep the uterus relaxed with
wild yarn and cramp bark.

There may also be a connection between early miscarriage and the immune
system.  Medical researchers at Methodist Hospital in Indiana
discovered that the immune systems of almost half of the infertile
women they examined were either too lax or too aggressive.

I've seen many cases where women who have built up their immunity with
herbs have become pregnant.  Lisa, for example, was unable to conceive
for many years and also found that she was prone to colds and flus.

She decided to build up her immunity against these viruses by taking
herbs.  Six months later, she was very happily surprised to find
herself pregnant.

I know a number of other mothers who say that herbs helped them to get
pregnant.  While we cannot say for sure that herbs made the difference,
it is my hunch that they did.  Take Debra, for instance.  I used to see
her only once a year at a crafts fair where I sell aromatherapy
products.  She often bought a bottle of the Pregnant Belly Oil (see
page 175) I make, but she always said that it was for a friend.  Once,
she mentioned that one of these years, she hoped to be buying a bottle
for herself.

When she asked me if I had ever heard of don quai helping infertility,
I readily admitted that I had and even knew quite a few babies whose
births were attributed to the herb.  I did not see Debra again until a
year later, and she was carrying her newborn.  She proudly held him up,
saying, "This is Evan, who is here thanks to herbs."  Three years
later, she was back with Evan, now a toddler, and little Sarah, another
herbal-success baby.

Fertility lea

1 teaspoon each don quai root, Siberian ginseng root and vitex
berries

1 teaspoon each motherwort leaves, cramp bark and wild yarn rhizome 1
quart water q Place herbs and water in a pot and simmer for 5
minutes.

Turn off heat and steep for 20 minutes.  Strain out herbs.

Drink 2 cups a day.  These herbs can also be taken in tincture form.

WOMEN S H E A I.T H

IRREGULAR

MENSTRUATION

Menstruation usually follows ovulation like clockwork: 14 days after
releasing an egg, a woman begins bleeding.  If there is any variance in
this cycle, it is most often during the time after menstruation.

However, to be normal, your cycle need not be exactly 28 days long; it
should only be fairly regular.  It is also normal for the menstrual
cycle to shorten and become irregular as you approach menopause.

A changeable cycle probably means a hormone imbalance.  Ginseng,
Siberian ginseng, motherwort, vitex, don quai and licorice can help.

The Chinese have been using don quai to regulate menstruation since at
least the sixth century n.c. Typically, don quai is taken during the
two weeks before menstruation.

Results of studies conducted in China led researchers to conclude that
this herb enhances the utilization of oxygen in the liver and also that
it contains small amounts of nutrients important to women: vitamins B2,
Be and E, pantothenic acid, choline and zinc.

Since don quai can increase uterine bleeding, avoid it if you are
pregnant or have heavy menstrual bleeding, endometriosis or uterine
fibroids, unless a knowledgeable herb practitioner gives it to you as
part of a formula.

Other herbs used in both Chinese and Western formulas to regulate a
woman's cycle are motherwort, skullcap and ginger.  They are especially
useful to encourage menstruation that has been delayed by illness,
stress or overexertion.

Studies conducted in India showed that aloe vera juice, traditionally
used there as a female tonic, also regulates menstruation.  You can
purchase this juice ready to drink in a natural food store.

Most of the women I know who have regulated their menstrual cycle with
herbs--and there are dozens of them--do not tell very dramatic
stories.

They took the herbs and the herbs worked.  Depending upon the situation
and the severity of the problem, it took from one month to almost a
year for these women to see results.  Many of these women have told me
that the effects of the herbs were not limited to normalizing their
cycle--problems with PMS, especially the emotional ups and downs, also
went away and the women experienced less cramping during
menstruation.

Irregular menstrual cycles can also be a warning sign of more serious
disorders, especially endometriosis and uterine fibroids and tumors.

If your cycle is irregular, see your doctor to make sure these
conditions do not exist.  If they do, treat them first, then look to
herbs to regulate your cycle.

Hormonal Tonic

1 teaspoon each virex berries, don quai root and licorice root

,6 teaspoon each motherwort leaves and

Siberian ginseng root

1 quart water

* Put herbs and water in an uncovered pot and bring to a boil.  Turn
down heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Turn off heat, cover and steep for
30 minutes.

Strain out herbs.  Drink 1 cup once or twice daily from the time of
menstruation until ovulation.  If there is no menstruation at all,
drink the tonic throughout the month.

The word "menopause" means "monthly pause."  Anthropologist Margaret
Mead suggested that menopause be renamed PMZ, or "postmenopausal
zeal!"

For many women experiencing menopause, though, zeal is the last thing
on their minds.  As if the weight gain, skin and vaginal dryness, loss
of muscle tone and hot flashes are not bad enough, it is also common to
experience depression, lethargy, confusion and emotional withdrawal.

For centuries, the average age for menopause has been around 50.

(Smoking cigarettes is the only factor known to cause menopause to
start earlier, usually only by a couple of years.) But in recent
decades, our life expectancy has lengthened so that today's woman can
expect to live much longer after menopause.

I'd like to help you make those years as enjoyable as possible.

All the problems associated with menopause are thought to be due to the
erratic activity of the pituitary hormones LH (luteinizing hormone) and
FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) as they try to overcompensate for
the declining levels of estrogen and progesterone.  During menopause,
FSH levels sometimes increase to as much as 20 times their original
levels!

Physicians commonly prescribe estrogen replacement supplements for
menopausal women.  It is a scientific fact that estrogen increases the
bones' ability to absorb calcium, reducing the risk of weak bones and
osteoporosis.  Estrogen also lowers your risk of heart disease and
stroke, which is certainly no small matter, considering that heart
disease is the leading killer of women over age 45.

But studies show that estrogen supplements can increase the risk of
breast and uterine cancer.  This is making some doctors more
conservative about dispensing prescriptions for estrogen, particularly
to women who have a family history of reproductive-system cancer.

Many of these high-risk women are successfully using herbs instead of
estrogen to treat their menopausal symptoms.

Even women who are not at high risk for reproductive-system cancers
find that herbs offer a positive solution to their menopausal woes.

And for many women who do take estrogen, the herbs often allow them to
take a lower dose.

Licorice, black cohosh, fenugreek, hops, don quai, vitex and ginseng
can be used to treat many menopausal complaints, including hot
flashes.

In fact, black cohosh preparations, such as Cimi-cifuga-Pentakran, are
commonly sold in European pharmacies to reduce the frequency and
severity of hot flashes or to which is used to relieve hot flashes.

After two months, the herbs lowered the women's luteinizing hormone
levels.  At least three different synergistic compounds that have this
effect were found in black cohosh.

Robert Atkins, M.D a well-known nutritional specialist, says that out
of hundreds of his patients who complained of hot flashes,
approximately 80 percent of them responded to ginseng.

Most of the rest of the women improved when vitamin E was taken with
the herb.  It takes most women two to six weeks before they begin to
notice the difference, but once they become aware of it, most are
amazed that a simple therapy like this one can make such a
difference.

Gloria was pleased to be breezing through menopause with only a slight
rise in temperature now and again, but then the "big one" hit.  She was
attending her niece's wedding when she suddenly began to feel
uncomfortable.  She began fanning her face, but in a minute found
herself fleeing for the veranda where no one could see that she was
flushed the color of a beet and that her lovely silk dress was soaked
with sweat.

The very next day, Gloria marched into a bookstore and headed for the
health section.  In her reading, she discovered that ginseng helps many
women in her predicament and has quite a few other beneficial effects
as well.  She was especially pleased to read that this herb increases
energy and mental power--two things she felt she could use a little
more of.

So Gloria gave ginseng a try.  At first, she noticed little difference
except maybe a little more energy She also had two more devastating hot
flashes, but tried not to feel discouraged.  Her perseverance paid
off.

After taking ginseng for a couple of months, she realized that she had
not had even a mild hot flash for well over a month.

Gloria was thrilled, and she started a one-woman campaign to convince
everyone she thought might benefit from this wonderful herb.  Several
of her friends tried it--soon, Bev and Jan were also symptom-free.  Her
friend Mary, however, was still having four to six hot flashes a day.

So Gloria got out her books again and read about vitamin E. She told
Mary to take this vitamin with the ginseng, and gradually Mary's hot
flashes became less severe.  They still have not completely gone away,
but they have diminished enough to make Mary happy If you find that
your menopausal symptoms include nervousness or irritability, a good
herbal relaxant to choose is hops.  Its estrogenlike effects were first
discovered when female hops pickers noticed changes occurring in their
menstrual cycles.  It turned out that hops caused their estrogen levels
to rise.  For

King Henry VIII of England forbade the use of hops, saying that this
plant was a wicked weed that "would spoil the taste of the drink and
endanger the people."  more information on relaxation herbs, see
"Stress" on page 52.

In the course of her extensive field-work, Margaret Mead found that
women in many non-Western cultures do not seem to experience menopausal
symptoms.

She could not determine why, but many theories have been posed, most
focusing on diet, lifestyle and, of course, herbal medicines.

It seems that certain plants can increase estrogen during
menopause--and not just the plants that we think of as herbs.  In one
British study, Gisela Wilcox, M.D and associates gave 25 women who had
gone through menopause foods and herbs that were supposed to increase
estrogen.  When these women ate red clover sprouts, flaxseeds and soy
flour every day for two weeks, their estrogen levels rose and remained
high.  Once they stopped the special diet, the levels fell back down to
their original postmenopausal level.

Alfalfa seeds and sprouts may produce a similar effect.  These herbs
have long been used as a folk cure to relieve hot flashes for women in
New Mexico.

The large amount of estrogenlike substances in soy and soy products is
thought to be one reason that Japanese women experience so few
menopausal symptoms.  The plant source with the highest level of these
substances is pomegranate seeds.  This is followed by garden rhubarb
stalks and pineapple.

Even whole grains, nuts, seeds and avocados contain some estrogenlike
compounds.

This is a book about herbs, but sometimes women find that herbs alone
are not enough and that they also need to take vitamin E. Herbalists
suspect that vitamin E enhances the functioning of some herbs.  The use
of vitamin E to treat menopausal symptoms is not new.

In 1949, the British menopause researcher Hugh McLaren, M.D who had
found this vitamin extremely successful in fighting menopause,
predicted that vitamin E would become the preferred menopause therapy,
since he thought that estrogen therapy would prove to be
carcinogenic.

In a 1974 health survey conducted by Prevention magazine, 2,000
postmenopausal women mentioned how useful vitamin E was for them even
though the survey questionnaire did not mention menopause.  They
reported that after taking vitamin E they experienced more energy,
fewer leg cramps and hot flashes, and less vaginal dryness.  One herb
that contains vitamin E is don quai.

It seems that herbs not only can help you avoid menopausal complaints,
but also should help prevent osteoporo-sis and heart disease.  We do
not know this for sure, however, so you should not rely solely on
herbs.  So far, mineral supplements and exercise have a more proven
track record.  A study conducted in New Zealand showed that
postmeno-pausal women who took 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day were
able to cut their bone loss in half.  Equally as important is magnesium
to help with calcium's assimilation.  Another way to slow bone loss is
with a half-hour session of weight-bearing exercises, or even
exercising in a chair, three times a week.  All postmenopausal women
can take a hint from vegetarian women, who experience less bone loss:
Go easy on protein since high amounts block calcium absorption.

Some essential oils also mildly stimulate estrogenlike activity, and
when used in massage oils they go right through the skin into the
bloodstream.

Of course, the massage itself is very relaxing.

Fennel, anise, clary sage, cypress and, to some degree, basil can be
made into a massage oil.  Rose geranium, neroli and lavender are
hormonal balancers that are traditionally used in European facial
creams to reduce aging and wrinkles.

Used in a rejuvenation cream applied inside the vagina, these oils can
also counter vaginal dryness.  I like to add vitamin E to this herbal
cream.

Studies conducted in 1949 by Dr. McLaren showed that using vitamin E
this way can improve the strength and flexibility of the vaginal lining
and help any abrasion that results from a dry vaginal lining to heal
more quickly

Estrogen is not the only hormone you should concern yourself with
during menopause.  While the emphasis during menopause has previously
been on estrogen, progesterone has recently come to be considered
equally important.

This is probably why virex helps so many women during menopause.

Taking a hint from German herbalists, North American herbalists are now
using vitex, usually combined with other menopause herbs, to treat such
menopausal symptoms as hot flashes, dizziness, a dry vagina and
depression.

While some sources claim that wild yarn contains progesterone, this is
not true, and much confusion has arisen as a result of the conflicting
opinions.

Women going through menopause often

Once upon a time, wild yarn was used only by practitioners of Chinese
medicine--now it's available at most natural food stores.

ask me if taking a tincture of wild yarn will provide a natural
progesterone increase.  I always say no.  Although chemists use wild
yarn for starting compounds to synthesize progesterone, this can be
done only in the laboratory.

Many of the "natural progesterone" creams with wild yarn that are
popular for treating symptoms of menopause and PMS do contain a wild
yarn extract, but their active ingredient is usually the hormone
progesterone (even though it does not always appear on the label).

Like any hormone, this cream should be used only under the supervision
of a professional health care practitioner.

Although wild yarn (or, more likely, soy bean) is used as a starting
point to make progesterone pills and creams, many women do not realize
that by the time it is processed in the lab, it is no more herbal than
estrogen pills and creams.

Strong adrenal glands and a healthy liver are also important during
menopause.

Your adrenal glands provide a backup system to supply female hormones
that your ovaries are no longer producing and your liver helps to
regulate hormones, making menopause easier.

For more information on herbal support for the adrenal glands, see
chapter 3.

Menopause 1-incture

1 teaspoon black cohosh root

A teaspoon each tinctures o.f virex berry, ginseng root, red clover
flower, licorice root, don quai root, motherwort leaf and fenugreek
seed Combine ingredients.  This recipe can also be made into a tea
using the same proportions of dried herbs and steeping them in 1 quart
of boiling water.  As a tea, however, this brew is too strong for most
people's taste.  Take 2 to 5 dropperfuls of tincture or 3 to 6 cups of
tea a day.

Vaginal Rejuvenation Cream

2 ounces almond oil or vegetable oil

6 drops each rose geranium and lavender essential oils

1,500 International Units vitamin E oil

(in liquid or capsuleform)

1 drop neroli essential oil (expensive, so it k optional)

Combine ingredients.  For the vitamin E, use either the liquid vitamin
or pop open a couple of capsules and empty out the contents.  Apply as
needed inside the vagina.

CRAMPS

Menstrual cramps (or dysmenorrhea, as doctors call them) have long been
an unrecognized women's ailment--unrecognized, that is, by everyone
but the women suffering from them.  As recently as the 1970s, 25
percent of U.S. doctors believed menstrual cramps to be
psychosomatic--all in a woman's head.  I find this astonishing,
considering how many women experience cramps.  Today, menstrual cramps
are recognized as the single greatest cause of lost school and working
hours among women--estimated at 140 million hours annually in the
United States alone.

Most often, the pain is at least partly due to calcium that drops to
low levels just before menstruation and to the increase in a
hormonelike substance called prostaglandin 2 (PG2).  Both are affected
by another promoter of menstrual cramps--stress.  Endometriosis,
uterine infection and fibroids, a troublesome IUD and chronic
constipation can all increase cramping.  Even drinking alcohol or
eating lots of eggs, meat and dairy foods can worsen menstrual
cramps.

Some herbs can decrease PG2 levels and the resulting cramping without
the side effects that sometimes result from the use of painkillers such
as aspirin and ibuprofen.  Among the most beneficial herbs are evening
primrose, meadowsweet, feverflower, hops, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, thyme,
garlic and flaxseed.  Many of these can be used to flavor foods.

Cereals containing flaxseed can be found in most grocery stores--just
check the labels.

Start taking these herbs about a week before menstruation, since that
is when PG2 levels begin to rise.  It could be as long as three months
before you see results.  At the same time, avoid fried foods such as
potato chips and corn chips, as well as crackers, baked goods and
anything containing hydrogenated oils (this includes most store-bought
crackers and baked goods) because they increase PG2.

Cramp bark, false unicorn root, motherwort and red raspberry have been
used by herbalists for hundreds of years to ease uterine pain, reduce
inflammation and stop cramps.  They were all highly recommended for
these purposes by the Eclectic physicians, nineteenth-century doctors
who used several natural treatments, including herbs.  The Eclectic
physician John King, M.D mentioned cramp bark's value as a uterine
tonic in his American Family Physician in 1878, and it eventually found
its way into the physician's main drug reference, the U.S.
Pharmacopoeia.  Dr. King called mother-wort a "superior nervine and
antispasmodic'' and suggested it to relieve pelvic pain.  So far, only
studies using laboratory animals give scientific support, but
herbalists who use these herbs know how successful they can be in
stopping menstrual cramps.

Another Eclectic favorite for reducing cramps is a tincture of fresh
oats.  You will even find a little medicinal dose of this relaxant in
your morning oatmeal.  In addition to oat's other properties, it
contains the muscle-relaxing minerals calcium and magnesium.

Simply relaxing can also cause menstrual cramps to subside.  I know
that this is often easier said than done, but do try to take some time
out for yourself each month.  If your schedule does not allow for this,
you can at least take time for a relaxing massage or bath with an oil
made with chamomile, lavender, marjoram, ginger and/or clary sage.

Also try an herb tea or tincture.  The sedative properties of wild
yarn, chamomile, hops, valerian, skullcap, ginger, oats, motherwort and
California poppy have a relaxing effect on the uterus.

Menstrual Cramp 'lea

] teaspoon cramp bark

,6 teaspoon each motherwort leaves, chamomile flowers, wild yarn root,
fresh oats, hops strobiles and skullcap leaves 1/4 teaspoon ginger
rhizome 1 quart water c. Combine the herbs and water in an uncovered
saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer for 5
minutes.  Turn off heat, cover pan and let mixture steep for 20
minutes.  Strain out herbs.  Drink at least 1 cup to start, then drink
freely, as needed.

Menstrual Cramp Oil

2 ounces Saint-John's-wort oil

8 drops each lavender, marjoram and chamomile essential oils

Combine ingredients.  Apply as often as needed by rubbing over the
lower abdomen.  This formula is also excellent for lower back or
shoulder pain, or any type of muscle cramps, even when you are not
menstruating.  You can buy Saint-John's-wort oil already made or make
your own following the Body Oil recipe on page 19.

S D O M

OVARIAN CYSTS :  ?I

Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs that develop on the ovary.  If they
are not malignant--and they seldom are--physicians do not bother to
treat them, unless they become so large that they put pressure on
nearby organs, become painful or impair circulation.  To treat ovarian
cysts, follow the suggestions for the treatment of breast cysts in
"Fibro-cystic Breasts" on page 160.  Try to find time to use the Castor
Oil Pack and Sitz Bath on page 159.

A tincture, pills or tea of virex will help balance your hormones.  Red
raspberry and motherwort are good toners for the uterine area.  My
friend Liz used the following formula when her gynecologist told her
she had ovarian

Raspberries are always a tasty treat-whether eaten fresh or in jam--and
they may also ease morning sickness.

cysts.  Although her cysts were benign, Liz was nervous because her
grandmother had had uterine cancer.  (Her formula also contained
skullcap to help her anxiety) The cysts disappeared in only a few
weeks.

Ovarian Cyst Tincture

1 teaspoon each tinctures of burdock root, virex berries, red raspberry
leaves and motherwort leaves teaspoon each tinctures of prickly ash
bark and ginger rhizome

. Combine ingredients.  Take half a dropperful 2 or 3 times a day.

P R E GNA N C Y :;no,

Traditional Chinese have a delightful way of looking at childbirth.

They say that the experience gives a woman a new life, one in which she
can become healthier and more vigorous than before--providing she pays
careful attention to her health.  The Chinese traditionally recommend
herbs to make sure that she does.

TONING THE UTERUS

For centuries, pregnant women in Europe were also told to take herbs.

Those who drank raspberry tea throughout their pregnancy reported an
easier labor.  Scientists, however, have not shown much interest in
investigating raspberry In 1941, a study using animals found that
raspberry leaves contain a "uterine relaxant principle," but this
theory was never tested on people.

Today, European doctors prescribe a number of raspberry preparations to
ease morning sickness and to prevent miscarriage.

In the old European herbals, lemon balm, a gentle, relaxing herb that
aids digestion and alleviates nausea, was also recommended for pregnant
women.

Native Americans in the eastern United States used partridge berry;
like raspberry, this small plant works as a uterine tonic to make
pregnancy easier.

Modern women who have tried these same herbs when they were pregnant
agree with their sisters from past generations-these plants make labor
easier and keep you healthier during pregnancy.

Oat straw and nettles provide trace nutrients--especially calcium--that
are important for a pregnant woman and enhance the assimilation of
these nutrients from other sources.  Dandelion and nettle teas are even
said to prevent the development of high blood pressure and water
retention, which add up to a potentially dangerous condition during
pregnancy known as eclampsia.  (Since this condition is dangerous to
both you and your baby, you must be treated by an obstetrician if you
do develop it.)

MORNING SICKNESS

One of the most common complaints during pregnancy is morning sickness,
a combination of nausea, headache and dizziness that is experienced by
about half of pregnant women during their first few months of pregnancy
To relieve this problem, take ginger first thing in the morning and
repeat at the first hint of nausea during the day You can drink a
ginger tea or take a couple of capsules.

Even a few ginger-snap cookies or a large glass of ginger ale can
help!

You can also make a tasty morning-sickness reliever by combining ginger
with lemon juice.

The causes of morning sickness are not clear, but there is thought to
be a connection with liver functions.  This is a logical conclusion
when you consider that the liver is responsible for breaking down the
excess hormones produced during pregnancy.  Other herbs that work to
reduce morning sickness are wild yarn, false unicorn root and, of
course, liver herbs such as burdock.  For more on enhancing the liver's
functioning, see chapter 7.

PAIN DURING PREGNANCY

As a fetus grows, it puts pressure on places in your body not used to
carrying so much weight.  Wild yarn, skullcap and chamomile are safe
herbs to help you relax and to reduce any pain due to muscle
problems.

American spikenard, an herb related to ginseng, helps to reduce lower
back pain, a common complaint of pregnant women.  If sore breasts and
water retention trouble you, a tea of wild yarn and dandelion might
relieve both.

MISCARRIAGE

If miscarriage threatens (clues include uterine cramping and spotting)
or if you have had miscarriages before, there are herbs that can stop
cramping and spotting.

Prepare a tea or get a tincture of virex, wild yarn, false unicorn root
and cramp bark.  Vitex is important because it promotes progesterone
production, and the other herbs are good because they stop uterine
cramps.  Then lie in

Cramp bark was listed in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia as a uterine tonic from
88 to 96.

bed, in a place where you can relax completely, with your legs and hips
elevated.

Drink half a cup of tea or take half a dropperful of tincture about
every 20 minutes for several hours or until the cramping or spotting
stops.  You should also contact your obstetrician or midwife.

A few times, I have found myself trying to calm nervous friends who
thought they were losing their babies.

All of these women took the above-mentioned herbs and later delivered
healthy, full-term babies.  Even though I have often seen such good
results, these herbs are not guaranteed to prevent a miscarriage.  I
know other women who have not had such good luck with them.

There are times when the reasons that the body has for discontinuing a
pregnancy are too strong to overcome.  But try not to despair--herbs
can also help you strengthen your body and make it less likely that you
will miscarry the next time.

Miscarriage Prevention Tea

1 teaspoon each false unicorn root and cramp bark teaspoon each red
raspberry leaves and wild yarn root

3 cups water t Bring herbs and water to a boil in an uncovered pot.

Turn down heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Turn off heat, cover and
steep for another 20 minutes.

Strain out herbs.  Drink 2 cups every hour.  These same herbs can also
be taken as a tincture, which is more convenient when you are trying to
stay off your feet.  To make a tincture, purchase all 4 herbs as
tinctures and combine them, using the same proportions as above.

Similar formulas using these herbs can be purchased already prepared.

Take half a dropperful every 20 minutes.

TENSION AND STRETCH MARKS PREVENTION

For years, I have made Pregnant Belly Oil, and I must have sold a
thousand bottles by now, with not one report yet of stretch marks.  I
have been selling it at one craft show for so long that the grown-up
children of women who used my oil years ago are now coming to buy
bottles for themselves!

To prevent stretch marks, use a massage oil specially designed for the
expanding skin of your growing belly I like to add lavender and cocoa
butter, since both have reputations for preventing stretch marks.

Almost all pregnant women, who tend to be fussy about smells, like the
fragrance of lavender.

One year, I experimented by replacing lavender with jasmine, but the
pregnant women complained, saying, "But I liked it so much better when
I used it for my first baby!"  Now I stick with lavender.

Lavender is most fitting in an oil for pregnancy.  A muscle relaxant,
lavender flowers were traditionally heated and pounded into a poultice,
then placed on the woman's lower back to ease tension and loosen tight
muscles dunng childbirth.

As one of the first things the baby smelled, lavender also became a
bonding fragrance.  European mothers made lavender pillows for their
children to sleep with as a reminder that they would always be loved.

It would be nice to see lavender return to the birthing room.

Poultices are messy to make and use, however, especially during birth,
when a pregnant woman is likely to be changing positions.

Since a women often appreciates massage during labor, the perfect
solution is to use the lavender-scented belly oil as a massage oil.

Pregnant Belly Oil

4 400-International Unit vitamin

E capsules

4 ounces almond (or any light vegetable) oil

/ ounce cocoa butter (available in drugstores)

15 drops lavender essential oil e Pop open the vitamin E capsules and
squirt contents into almond oil.

Heat mixture in a saucepan over low heat.  Add cocoa butter.  After
cocoa butter melts, remove mixture from heat and let cool.  Add
essential oil and stir to blend.  Massage the oil on your belly--or get
someone to do it for you--at least once a day, or as often as you
like.

DELIVERY: BEFORE AND After Birth requires a tremendous amount of
energy--I have even heard it compared to a 30-mile run.  Some women
will swear that it is more like twice that!  If you choose to bring
herbs to your birth, have someone there in charge of them; a woman in
labor has better things to do than educate her labor crew on the use of
herbs.

Many midwives and herbalists suggest taking very small amounts of black
cohosh and blue cohosh during the last two weeks of pregnancy; because
they believe that these herbs prepare the uterus for the final run by
encouraging the light, early contractions women begin to feel weeks
before labor begins.

The two types of cohosh are also used to encourage a slow labor once
serious contractions begin.  Although it is suggested in some herb
books that these herbs should be taken throughout pregnancy, this is
definitely not a good idea.

In other books, women are warned against using them at all because both
herbs can affect blood pressure adversely Many midwives and
nurse-practitioners are familiar with the herbs that are discussed
here; ask them to help you develop an herbal regimen that is right for
you.

After delivery, drink lightly sweetened, warm tea.  An excellent choice
is a ginger tea, which you can buy at a natural food store or make by
grating a teaspoonful of ginger and steeping it in a cup of boiling
water.  A tincture of shepherd's purse, cayenne or yarrow will slow
postpartum bleeding.  I know several nurse-midwives who carry
shepherd's purse in their birthing kits and report that it provides
great results.

When a friend gave birth, I saw how effective cayenne can be as her
bleeding stopped after she swallowed two capsules.

A few days after the birth, start taking daily sitz baths in calendula,
comfrey, chamomile and rosemary to ease any lingering discomfort and
promote healing.

Massage the abdomen with the Pregnant Belly Oil (see page 175), which
contains skin-toning herbs such as lavender.  The uplifting fragrances
of these herbs provides emotional balance for postpartum blues, which
are thought to result from the sudden hormonal changes, especially the
drop in progesterone (which increases to about 15 times its normal
level during pregnancy!), following childbirth.  A tea, a tincture or
capsules of wild yarn, vitex and motherwort can also help you through
the slump.

Pregnancy

1/2 teaspoon wild yarn rhizome

1/4 teaspoon ginger rhizome

5 cups water

2 teaspoons red raspberry leaves

1 teaspoon lemon balm leaves

 teaspoon fresh oats

 teaspoon dandelion root

 teaspoon peppermint leaves (optional) 2 ounces lemon juice
(optional)

t Gently simmer wild yarn and ginger in water in an uncovered pot for
about 5 minutes.  Turn off heat and stir in other herbs.  Cover and
steep for 20 minutes.

Strain out herbs.  Drink 1 to 4 cups a day, either warm or iced.  For
variety, add peppermint leaves to recipe or lemon juice to finished
tea.

BREASTFEEDING

Breastfeeding provides your baby with natural defenses against disease,
but is not always as natural for the mother as she might wish.  If your
milk comes slowly, try milk thistle, blessed thistle, nettles, vervain,
vitex or the seeds of anise, dill, fenugreek, fennel and vitex.

Then, when you are ready to wean your baby, drink a tea of sage or eat
lentils flavored with sage to slow your milk flow.

Nursing Tea

1 quart boiling water

1 teaspoon each vitex berries and blessed thistle leaves dA teaspoon
each nettle leaves and vervain leaf (optional--it may be hard to
find)

dh teaspoon each fenugreeh seed and anise seed

- Pour boiling water over herbs and let steep for 20 minutes.  Strain
out herbs.  Drink 1 to 3 cups daily.

PREMENSTRUAL

SYNDROME (PMS)

The phrase "premenstrual syndrome" was coined only in the last
decade.

Although the problem is not new, it went almost unrecognized by the
medical profession until the 1950s.  Even after that, many doctors
continued to scoff at the idea that physical and emotional changes
occur before menstruation.

Women who have experienced PMS--and this includes almost half of the
Women in their reproductive years--can tell you how real it is!

W O M E N S H E A L H ''.

A complex problem, PMS is often divided into several different types.

If you truly have PMS, the symptoms should disappear at the onset of
menstruation, or very shortly afterward.  If they do not, your problem
may be hormonal but is probably not PMS.

Since PMS is a syndrome--that is, a collection of symptoms, not a
single problem--the list of symptoms is rather long.  One popular book
on women's health describes 150 of them!  Tension, lethargy, depression
and irritability, along with food cravings, migraine headaches, weight
gain, bloating, skin eruption, sore breasts, muscle cramps and nausea
top the list.  Several surveys show that PMS does not impair a woman's
ability to function intelligently, although about 12 percent of women
with PMS think that they perform below their normal level.

The problems associated with PMS are caused by a series of changes in
your body's chemistry.  PMS generally starts causing trouble three to
eight days before menstruation.  This is when your levels of
progesterone, along with the minerals calcium and magnesium, begin to
fall.  At the same time, the hormonal substance prostaglandin 2 (PG2)
increases.  Women who experience PMS often also have too much of the
hormone prolactin.

As if this is not enough to deal with, your immunity is also low just
before menstruation.  This makes you more susceptible to colds, flus,
allergies, outbreaks of herpes and even flare-ups of rheumatoid
arthritis.  Stress, lack of exercise, poor nutrition, alcohol
consumption, weight gain and poor tolerance of birth control pills all
contribute to PMS.

Scientists believe that the relief some women find by taking vitamin Be
and progesterone supplements, using relaxation methods and engaging in
regular aerobic exercise may be because all these alter the brain
chemicals known as endorphins.

In a study of women who suffered from PMS conducted by researchers at
Harvard University, symptoms were relieved when the women chanted or
prayed for 10 to 20 minutes per day Also, according to clinical studies
reported in the early 1980s, vitamins Be and E combined with magnesium
seem to lower prolactin and estrogen levels and to relieve certain PMS
symptoms--breast pain, nervousness, nausea and uterine cramps--and
prevent weight gain.

SORE, SWOLLEN BREAS17S

Breast tenderness is a common symptom of PMS.  It usually indicates
that there is too much prolactin and possibly too much PG2.  Two herbal
treatments that have proved successful in reducing breast soreness are
wild yarn and evening primrose oil (which can be purchased only in
capsule form).  When researchers at the Premenstrual Syndrome Clinic in
London, England, gave evening primrose oil to women with severe PMS, it
was found that the symptoms, especially sore, swollen breasts,
disappeared in more than half the women.

This treatment even helped women who had previously tried other
remedies with no success.  If your breasts are sore because of cysts,
see "Fibrocystic Breasts" on page 160.

DEPRESSION, HEADACHES, MUSCLE CRAMPING AND NERVOUSNESS

If you experience depression, irritability and mood swings from PMS,
excessive prolactin may be to blame.  One herb with an impressive track
record in treating emotional changes due to PMS is virex.  Herbal
sedatives such as valerian, passionflower, wild yarn, motherwort and
chamomile may also help.  If you are lucky enough to have a garden, you
will be happy to know a use for purslane.

This weed contains omega-3 oils, which also help to relieve PMS
symptoms.  You can chop up purslane and eat it raw or add it to
soups.

I even pickle it!

You can also turn to aromatherapy to treat depression, headaches and
nervousness.

For an enjoyable aromatherapy blend, make a bath or massage oil with
the essential oils of clap/sage, lavender and rose geranium.

Aromather-apists view all these antidepressant oils as hormone
normalizers.

Previously, I discussed studies in which women with fibrocystic breasts
stopped taking caffeine and related substances.

In one of those studies, the women who had PMS experienced another
benefit--their mood swings, anxiety and irritability disappeared!  If
it is too hard to eliminate coffee, tea and chocolate from your diet,
try to do so for the two weeks before you menstruate and see if that
makes a difference.

WATER RETENTION

AND WEIGHT GAIN

Although you may gain only a few premenstrual pounds at the most, the
sudden pressure, bloating and swollen breasts make it feel like much
more.

This weight gain is due mostly to water retention that occurs when
calcium and magnesium levels begin to drop about a week before
menstruation.  Your problems will be greater if you ingest a lot of
salt--it dramatically lowers your potassium level, causing you to gain
weight and retain water.

Too much of the hormone prolactin may also be at fault, but taking
vitex can balance hormone levels and may reduce fluid retention.  Some
sources recommend strong diuretic herbs to rid you of all that extra
water.  This makes sense until you consider that diuretics also flush
out calcium, magnesium and potassium--all of which may already be
low.

A better approach is to avoid salty foods and stick to gentle diuretics
that retain these minerals, such as asparagus, artichokes and dandelion
root.

FOOD CRAVINGS, DIZZINESS AND FATIGUE

Blood sugar levels also take a dip just before menstruation, triggering
fatigue, dizziness, appetite increase, headaches, fainting, mood swings
and sometimes heart palpitations, especially if you are under stress.

Both ginseng and Siberian ginseng help to stabilize blood sugar and
alleviate depression and fatigue.  In several different studies on PMS,
evening primrose oil was shown to reduce many of these symptoms.

Women with PMS who like carbohydrates will be happy to learn that
researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology think that
women should indulge these cravings.  These scientists recommend a diet
high in complex carbohydrates, such as potatoes and whole grains, to
relieve depression, anger, anxiety, insomnia and mood swings.  But,
they say, you should avoid sweets.

Finally, wild yarn and chamomile can be used to relieve the nausea,
indigestion, tension and food allergies that can be intensified by
PMS.

ACNE

In addition to all the PMS symptoms already mentioned, many women also
develop acne just before menstruation.

Take vitex to reduce the severity of this problem.  You might also want
to read chapter 17.

Premenstrual -lea

1 teaspoon each virex berries and wild yarn rhizome

A teaspoon each burdock root, dandelion root, feverflower leaves and hops
strobiles (the flowering parts) 1 quart water

*'o.  Combine herbs and water in a pot and bring to a boil.  Turn off
heat and steep for at least 20 minutes.  Strain out herbs.  Drink at
least 2 cups daily, as needed.  This formula can also be taken as a
tincture; there are many commercial formulas available for menstrual
pain.  To make your own tincture, use the same proportions as for this
tea.

UTERINE FIBROIDS

Uterine fibroids--fibrous tissue growing inside or just outside the
uterus--are fairly common, especially in women between the ages of 35
and 40.  Some sources claim that almost half of all women in this age
group have at least 1 fibroid, and that some have up to 100.

Fibroids appear to be at least partially the result of genes, so be
aware of your family history.  Other risk factors include a high-fat
diet, alcohol consumption, B-vitamin deficiency, stress and excess
weight.  But often, fibroids are due to too much of a potentially
carcinogenic form of estrogen.  While estrogen's ability to stimulate
cell growth is great for skin and hair, it can be a major problem when
it comes to uterine tissue.

Fibroids are easiest to treat when they are small, but they are also
very hard to detect at this stage--tiny fibroids rarely produce any
symptoms.  Many women are not aware that they even have them.  As
fibroids grow larger, however, they cause menstrual bleeding to
increase, and they become quite painful, especially during
menstruation.  Eventually, they can press on your surrounding organs,
especially the bladder and kidneys, and this sometimes causes such
severe symptoms that removal is the only option.  Some surgeons,
however, are able to remove only the fibroids and keep the uterus
intact, but this does not solve the problem.  About half of the women
who keep their uteruses find that their fibroids grow back.  Fibroids
are responsible for about one-third of all hysterectomies.

Because fibroids normally shrink during menopause (although taking
estrogen may reactivate them), some women choose to wait and see if the
fibroids go away by themselves.  If you do opt for a hysterectomy, talk
to your surgeon about whether or not you should leave your uterus
intact.

One way to prevent the return of fibroids--and often to avoid surgery
in the first place--is to adopt a natural prevention and treatment plan
using herbs.

I do not know many women whose fibroids have been eliminated as a
result of herbs, but I do know several whose fibroids shrank so much
that the women could easily live with them.

Since fibroids are rarely life-threatening and generally grow slowly,
you may have time to try herbs.  You may also be able to speed things
along by using other natural healing methods, especially acupuncture,
in your therapy.

I suggest seeking the help of a natural health care professional who
has had success treating fibroids.

Virex slows the growth of fibroids and even helps dissolve them by
normalizing hormonal imbalances.  As fibroids are dissolved, herbs such
as prickly ash bark, ginger, cleavers, mullein and burdock assist the
lymph and blood systems in eliminating the fibroid tissue.  Regular use
of castor oil packs and sitz baths also help to eliminate fibroids,
probably by improving circulation.  Castor oil packs should be used at
least three times a week, 30 to 60 minutes a session; sitz baths should
be taken as often as possible, every day if you can manage it.

While you are working on getting rid of your fibroids, you can also
take herbs to relieve the symptoms.  It is important to keep excessive
bleeding, menstrual cramps and anemia controlled with the appropriate
herbs because these problems will slow the healing process.  Herbs that
reduce bleeding and strengthen the uterus include red rasp berry and
motherwort.  It is best to avoid herbs that stimulate menstrual
bleeding, such as don quai, unless a knowledgeable herbalist includes
them in a formula designed for you.

Uterine Fibroid Tea

1 teaspoon each burdock root, cramp bark, motherwort leaves and wild
yarn rhizome i/2 teaspoon each prickly ash bark, cleavers leaves,
mullein leaves and ginger rhizome I quart water

Combine herbs and water in a pot and bring to a boil.  Lower heat and
simmer for a few minutes.  Turn off heat and let sit for about 20
minutes.  Strain and drink at least 2 cups a day.  This formula can
also be taken as a tincture or pills, which can be more practical,
since you may need to take it for several months.

VAGINAL

INFECTIONS

Most women have had at least one bout with a vaginal yeast infection,
and many women experience recurring infections.

The incidence of these infections has more than doubled in the last 20
years.

One reason that they are becoming more prevalent is the increased use
of antibiotics, which kill off beneficial natural flora found in the
vagina and allow more harmful bacteria and yeast to multiply.

Antibiotics are especially notorious in promoting vaginal yeast
infections, which are caused by candida.  A fungus that is a natural
resident of the intestines and vagina, Candida creates a problem only
when it overpopulates, causing a yeasty, irritating discharge that
leads to swelling, itching and general discomfort.

Opinion varies among gynecologists on whether yeast infections are
transmitted between partners, but just to be safe, why not use herbs to
treat both parties?

Trichomoniasis is another common vaginal infection.  This infection,
which is caused by the microorganism Trichomonas vaginalis, produces a
thick, yellowish discharge, often resulting in swollen, inflamed
genitals.  Trichomoniasis is rarely serious, but can be harder to get
rid of than a yeast infection.  It also tends to be much more
unpleasant, with more intense burning and itching.

In addition to these common infections, there are several other types
of minor vaginal infections.  If you are not sure what you have or how
serious it is, you can find out by visiting your gynecologist, a health
clinic or your local women's health center.  If you suspect for any
reason that you may have picked up a vaginal infection, even if you
have no symptoms, it is a good idea to get checked.

One infection that you can have without experiencing any symptoms is
chlamydia (men can get this too, but it is more common among women).

If untreated, it can lead to sterility.  You may not be familiar with
this infection, since it was barely heard of a decade ago, but it now
heads the list of sexually transmitted diseases with an estimated four
million new infections occurring every year worldwide.  Chlamydia can
be passed on to a baby during childbirth and is one of the leading
causes of blindness in the world.

Herbal remedies are effective in combatting trichomoniasis, yeast
infections and chlamydia, which together cause about 90 percent of all
vaginal infections.

If you have any vaginal infection and you experience fever or pain, see
a physician or go to a women's health clinic.

An herbal douche is one of the best ways to treat minor vaginal
infections.  I know that some gynecologists frown on douching because
it can upset the vaginal balance or possibly spread infection into the
uterus.  Nevertheless, I've never heard of this being a problem.  If
you douche, do it right: Make sure that the spray is not too forceful
by suspending the bag no higher than shoulder level.

Also, remember to use a douche only to treat an occasional infection,
not as a daily freshener.

By now, you must be wondering which herbs are best for douching.

Various studies tell us that lavender, tea tree, garlic and berberine
(found in golden-seal, barberry and Oregon grape root) kill harmful
microorganisms, including yeast and trichomonads.  One study showed
that tea tree was especially good at ridding women of a variety of
different vaginal infections.  Slippery elm is soothing, and uva ursi
is a disinfectant and astringent that dries the discharge caused by an
infection.

Along with the herbs, yogurt is good in a douche because it reduces
unwanted bacteria, especially yeast.  It is also very soothing to
irritated areas.  Just be sure to use a live strain of Acido-phillis
(read the label on your yogurt to find out what kind it
contains)--Bulgris and thermophilus are ineffective.

Even eating yogurt helps.  Studies have shown that eating eight ounces
of yogurt a day for six months can significantly reduce vaginal
infections.

Be sure you do not ignore even a simple vaginal infection.  Untreated,
it can spread into the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries and
eventually work its way into the bloodstream.  This can lead to pelvic
inflammatory disease (PID), which can leave scar tissue in its wake.

As of 1995, PID was one of the most common causes of infertility and
tubal pregnancies in North American women.  The National Institute of
Child Health and Human Development reports that women who smoke,
especially those who smoke ten or more cigarettes a day, are twice as
likely to develop PID as those who don't.

Most cases of PID are the result of chlamydia, with the sexually
transmitted disease gonorrhea a close second.  Gonorrhea was on the
wane in the 1970s, thanks to antibiotics, but has come back during the
last decade because it has developed new, drug-resistant strains that
the old antibiotics cannot kill.  As new, stronger drugs are created,
tougher strains of gonorrhea are appearing.

A woman's reproductive organs contain special immune cells designed to
fight infection.  If your system is rundown, your immunity may need a
boost.

As you would for any infection, use immune-stimulating,
infection-fighting herbs such as echinacea.  If you are dealing with
recurring vaginal infections, the problem might also be linked to a
hormonal imbalance.  For example, too little progesterone can cause
vaginal irritation and infection and thicken cervical secretions.  To
adjust your hormones, take vitex in pills or a tincture or as a tea.

One teaspoon of virex can also be added to the formula below.

Reproductive toners like wild yarn, red raspberry and nettles come in
handy if you wish to strengthen the uterus.  And, if you have not
thought of it already, avoid tight or synthetic clothing that does not
allow free circulation of air.

Douche for Vaginal Infections

3 drops each lavender and tea tree essential oils

3 cups warm water

2 heaping tablespoons yogurt

Combine ingredients in a douche bag.  Slosh around to mix well.  Use
treatment once a day.  If the problem doesn't clear up
within 5 days, consult a professional health practitioner.

Women's Infection Tea

1 teaspoon each cramp bark, burdock root, echinacea root, Oregon grape
root and vitex seeds (optional) 1 quart water

Combine herbs and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Boil for a
few minutes, then turn down heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes.

Turn off heat and steep for 20 minutes.  Strain out herbs.  Drink 3 to
4 cups a day This formula can also be made into a tincture; take a
dropperful 3 to 4 times a day.

Chapter TWELVE

Men's Health

Surprisingly
 little has been written about natural health care for
men.

This is really too bad, because nature has so much to offer men plagued
by such physical problems as prostate inflammation, impotence and
infertility.

Most of the physical problems unique to men are caused by imbalances in
their hormone levels, especially in the level of testosterone.

Produced in the testes and in the adrenal glands, testosterone develops
a man's muscles, deepens his voice and makes him fertile.  On the
negative side, testosterone can also cause the prostate to enlarge, and
high testosterone levels have been blamed for overaggressive
behavior.

Of course, as a woman, I have not had any personal experience with the
health problems that are specific to men, but I certainly know many men
who have!  And there is much evidence to show that numerous herbal
treatments can effectively address these problems.

BALDNESS

It's not easy for a man to go bald.  Hair--and lots of it--is an
age-old symbol of virility.  Many men think that they look better with
a full head of hair than without.

If you glance at any magazine, you are certain to find at least one
magic formula for promoting hair growth.

The truth is that there is no cure for baldness--the best such products
can do is to slow the loss of any remaining hair.

Healthy hair grows in a cyclical pattern; a strand of hair grows for a
while, then it falls out and its root takes a rest before sprouting
again.  Balding occurs when hair roots never "wake up" again!

This is the case with "male pattern baldness," which is especially
common when hair growth begins to slow, around age 50 or 60.  It is the
male hormone testosterone, helped along by certain genes, that
encourages hair roots to shut down.

Genetic researcher and dermatologist Mary Sawaya, M.D headed a team
from the University of Florida in Miami that discovered certain enzymes
in balding scalps that double testosterone's potency and thus
discourage hair growth.

Because of this enzyme-testosterone connection, this harmless but
distressing problem afflicts mostly men--and a lot of them.  Over half
of North American men are destined to go bald.

If you are concerned about keeping your locks, your best bet is first
to feed the hair from within with a healthy diet and to improve your
blood circulation.

You should also try to keep your cholesterol level low.  Ilona
Schreck-Purola, M.D of the University of Helsinki hospital in Finland,
found that when cholesterol builds up on the scalp, it actually chokes
out growing hair.  For herbs that cut cholesterol and generally improve
the functioning of the circulatory system, see chapter 4.

The best diet for your hair is the same as that for your general
health.  Be sure to get plenty of nutrients from fresh fruits and
vegetables and whole grains and go easy on saturated fats.  According
to the American Academy of Dermatology, hair needs a steady supply of
pro rein.  Malnutrition and even heavy dieting can cause hair loss, but
don't go overboard in planning a high-protein diet to save your head.

Nutritional expert Carl Pheiffer of the Brain-Bio Institute in
Princeton, New Jersey, found that although hair requires protein, it is
actually more likely to fall out when your diet is more than 20 percent
protein.

Although herbs will not bring hair back once it is gone (there is no
wonder cure), a few herbs do seem to slow hair loss, especially aloe
vera gel, nettle and rosemary.  For centuries, both men and women have
massaged rosemary in olive oil into their scalps to keep their hair
healthy and lush.  According to Wilma E Bergfeld, M.D of the Cleveland
Clinic Foundation in Ohio, the massage itself serves an important
function: It stimulates circulation and encourages hair roots to
grow.

Even today, French men are known to splash an old folk remedy of
nettles extracted in apple cider vinegar on their heads.  Also called
stinging nettles, this wild weed actually stings a person when
touched.

Don't worry, though--it loses this characteristic when processed.

Aloe vera not only is good for hair, but also serves as protection
against sun and wind for a scalp that becomes exposed when hair begins
to thin.

While it is difficult to know for sure that the herbs are helping, all
the men I know who use them swear that they can tell the difference.

When you use any hair-growth treatment, remember that the scalp is the
most important area to address.  Hair itself is dead.  Certain types of
hair conditioners can make it look a little thicker or smooth it down,
but little else can be done.  The scalp, however, is Strangely, one of
the historical uses of stinging nettle was as cloth--during World War
I, the Germans used it to stretch their cotton supply.

very much alive and can respond to herbal treatments.

Of course, testosterone, genes and poor circulation are not the only
factors that cause men to lose their locks.  Unlike the man who sprouts
it, the body considers hair one of its least important assets.

It is one of the first things to go when a serious illness,
nervous-system disease or advancing years demand their share of limited
nutrients.  Some drug treatments, especially ones for arthritis, gout,
depression, high blood pressure and heart problems, can also shut down
hair growth.  So can radiation therapy and the various scalp problems
that fall under the umbrella of dermatitis.  If you think that any of
these could be causing your baldness, choose herbs from the other
chapters of this book that help treat the specific condition.

Rosemary Hair Oil

/5 teaspoon rosemary essential oil

, ounce jojoba oil (or castor oil)

t Combine ingredients.  Dab a small amount on your fingertips and rub
it into the scalp, using circular motions.

Although this treatment will make your hair oily, use it twice a week
and leave it on your hair at least a few hours before washing it off.

Hair Formula

1 cup aloe vera gel

4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar i tablespoon nettle tincture

/5 teaspoon vitamin E oil

1/5 teaspoon rosemary essential oil

- Combine ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.  Massage a
small amount of the formula into your scalp every day and whenever you
wash your hair.  If you aren't able to find nettle tincture, make the
recipe without it or see chapter 2 for instructions on how to make your
own.

GENIIAL RASH,

INFECTIONS AND IRRITATIONS

For the most part, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are not a
subject you are likely to hear discussed in casual conversation.

These reproductive-system infections can cause all sorts of problems in
your reproductive organs and eventually impair your general health.

Today more North Americans are infected with sexually transmitted
diseases than ever before.

The U.S. Center for Disease Control in Atlanta estimates that there are
a whopping 33,000 new cases every day; that's more than 12 million
every year!

Before antibiotics came to be commonly used to keep them under control,
gonorrhea and syphilis were the most widespread of these diseases.

Others, including chlamydia and HIV, have now .joined their ranks.

Some of these newcomers are especially sneaky.  Twenty-five percent of
the men carrying chlamydia--now the most common of all STDs--have no
symptoms at all.

If there's any chance you've picked up a sexually transmitted disease,
be sure to get checked by your doctor.  Sexually transmitted diseases
require professional help.

That doesn't mean, however, that herbs can't help.  Take Bill, for
example.

After getting an irritating rash on his genitals, Bill decided that he
would try herbs to cure it.  He read one of the very few books on male
herbs--Male Herbal/sen, written by my good friend Jim Green.  In this
book, Jim describes using herbs in an herbal soak.  At first, Bill was
taken aback by this suggestion, but Jim's argument for using herbs
sounded convincing, so Bill figured "what the heck" and dunked his
genitals into a strong herb tea twice a day.  Afterward, he applied a
skin-healing salve that contained tea tree and lavender essential
oils.

After about a week of doing this faithfully, the redness and irritation
ceased.  Bill continued the treatment for a few extra days, and just to
be sure, he went to the local clinic for an exam.  As he suspected, the
tests showed nothing.  The doctor, who was not much of an herbal
advocate, shrugged and said he probably never had anything to begin
with.  This could be true, but you will never be able to convince Bill
of that!

Herbal Genital Soak

2 cups boiling water

1 teaspoon each yarrowflowers, lavender flowers and goldenseal
rhizome

(or Oregon grape root)

Pour boiling water over herbs and let steep at least 20 minutes.

Strain out herbs, and let cool to a comfortable temperature.  Fill a
large drinking glass half way with the "tea" and submerge the afflicted
area.  Soak twice daily, or as often as possible, for at least 5
minutes.

Oil for Genital Infection/Irritation ,4 teaspoon each lavender and tea
tree essential oils

1 ounce vegetable oil ~ Combine ingredients.  If you cannot find a
salve containing these essential oils like the one Bill used, you can
easily make up this antiseptic off.  Apply to the infected or irritated
area at least twice a day.  (It works well even when the irritation is
not caused by infection.)

The Oil for Genital Infection/Irritation also works well on most rashes
and other irritations that occur on the genitals, including "jock
itch," which is really a fungal infection.  One way to cure and also
prevent this is to keep the area dry.  You can also apply the herbs as
a dusting powder, which is much more drying than the oil.  If this does
not do the trick, try wearing loose-fitting pants that allow air to
circulate.

To completely get rid of an infection, it may also be important to
treat it internally.  To do this, try taking immune system stimulants
such as echinacea and pau d'arco, which seem to work especially well
for skin infections.  These herbs are particularly effective in
treating genital infections.  They can be taken as a tea or in pill
form, although most men find a tincture most convenient.

When you think the infection is gone, play it safe and get rechecked by
a physician or a health practitioner in a clinic.

Dusting Powder for Fungal Infections

4 ounces cornstarch or powdered cosmetic clay (available at natural
food stores) teaspoon each lavender and tea tree essential oils

, Place cornstarch in a plastic bag and add essential oils drop by
drop, redistributing the cornstarch as you go to disperse the oils
evenly Break up any clumps with your fingers on the outside of the
bag.

Let sit for 2 days.  Use a few times daily, and always after bathing or
swimming.  This powder works great on athlete's foot, too!

WISDOM

Infection-Fighting Extract 1/2 ounce each tinctures of echinacea root,
goldenseal root, pau d'arco bark and siberian ginseng root (optional)

Combine ingredients.  Take half a dropperful 5 times daily during an
active infection.  You can purchase the individual tinctures in a
natural food store or choose a similar formula that is already
blended.

GENITAL WAR'[S

Like other warts, genital warts are caused by a virus--the human
papillo-mavirus (HPV), to be exact.  A different breed from the common
skin wart, genital warts usually grow in raised, bumpy clumps that
resemble a cauliflower.  At first, they're difficult to detect, but a
vinegar wash makes them more obvious.

If you suspect that you have warts, soak a cloth with a mixture of
one-quarter vinegar and three-quarters water and apply it to the
affected area.  After two minutes, genital warts usually turn white on
top.  But don't take any chances with your health.  Have a health
professional examine any questionable bumps, even tiny ones, to know
for sure.

If you have genital warts, you're not alone.  Between the start of the
"sexual revolution" in the 1960s and the late 1980s, reported
occurrences of these warts increased tenfold.  By 1990, one million
cases a year were being reported in the United States alone.  Concern
over genital warts, which are transmitted sexually, is well-founded.

It is surprising how many men (and women) are unaware of the
consequences they present for women--genital warts put women at higher
risk for cervical cancer.

There is some inconclusive evidence that these warts also increase the
risk of male cancers--especially if left untreated.

A person who has genital warts should always seek medical attention.

Herbs, however, can be used for at least part of the treatment.  The
essential oils of thuja and tea tree help eliminate genital warts.

Since these oils are quite potent--and they have to be to conquer
warts--use them carefully.  Dilute them in vegetable oil--or castor
oil, which is a folk remedy for removing warts--then apply them
directly to the wart.

I learned about the effectiveness of castor oil in a roundabout way.

Many people are curious about old remedies, so I did not think much
about it when a man casually asked me to list some traditional wart
remedies.  I told him about several curious folklore methods, which
included keeping a cotton ball saturated with castor oil on the warts
and even swearing at them!  At the time, I had no idea that he had
personal reasons for asking his question, or that the warts he was
concerned about were not typical skin warts, but genital warts.  A few
weeks later, the same man thanked me profusely.  The castor oil had
gotten rid of his warts.  I was happy to have helped him, but also
surprised that castor oil alone had worked so well.  Since then, I have
used it with the essential oils to make them more effective.

Jerry is another example of someone who eliminated genital warts.  He
had these warts once before he was married, so when he noticed the tiny
bumps emerging on his genitals, he suspected right away that they were
a recurrence of the infection.  Of course, Jerry wanted to get rid of
them as soon as possible--he did not want to give them to his wife!

Figuring he had nothing to lose by trying an herbal treatment for a few
days, he put together a wart oil formula almost identical to the one
below.  For the first two days, it looked like there was no change, but
by the third day, Jerry was convinced that the warts were smaller.  He
stuck with the treatment for two weeks, and they disappeared completely
Wart Oil 2,5 ounce castor oil  teaspoon each thuja and tea tree
essential oils 800

	International Units vitamin E oil 	Combine ingredients.  (The vitamin
E, added to facilitate healing, can be obtained by opening two
400-Inter-national Unit capsules.) First, protect the skin around the
wart with some salve, leaving the wart itself exposed.  Carefully apply
the mixture with a glass rod applicator or a cotton swab 2 to 4 times a
day.

Apply it only to the wart itself--thuja oil is extremely strong and
this formula can burn sensitive skin.

Getting rid of warts is one thing, but that still doesn't eliminate the
virus that causes them in the first place.  The first time Jerry had
warts, his dermatologist explained that they would be removed, but that
there was no way to prevent a recurrence.  You can, however, increase
your immunity with herbs, which will help keep this virus from taking
hold.  If necessary, you may also need to improve your diet.  Not
wanting to get the warts again, Jerry did just this.  He cleaned up his
diet and periodically takes echinacea and other immunity-enhancing
herbs to put the virus permanently to rest.

Herbal treatments will not make everyone's genital warts disappear.

Roger, for instance, diligently used the Wart Oil for over a week, and
although the warts stopped growing larger, they did not get any
smaller.  He decided to have them removed by a dermatologist.  If you
don't see results in a week or so, go see a doctor.

The caustic solution often used by dermatologists to burn off warts is
actually a derivative of a substance found in an herb called
mayapple.

This plant is poisonous and therefore inappropriate for home use, so be
sure to leave its use to a professional.

IMPOTENCE

Because most men find it difficult to speak about their problems,
especially sexual dysfunctions, there is little discussion about
impotence, which is more common than you might think.  The truth is
that impotence affects about ten million men in the United States
alone.  By age 65, a quarter of North American men are impotent.  The
Merck Manual, a referral book for doctors, kindly informs us that
"aging is not an inevitable cause of impotence, even into the seventies
and eighties."  This is especially encouraging, considering that a
lowered testosterone level--a marker of advancing years--is often the
source of the problem.

Until recently, the cause of most impotence was often dismissed as
being in the mind.  While some specialists still estimate that up to 80
percent of men's sexual dysfunction is linked to their emotions or to
unresolved psychological issues, modern research makes such clear-cut
distinctions less obvious.  Emotions do play a role--we know that
testosterone levels can drop from fatigue, depression, overwork, stress
and insufficient sleep--but poor circulation and nerve damage also take
their toll and can lead to impotence.

Impotence is sometimes caused by prescription drugs, especially some
sedative, tranquilizer, ulcer and high blood pressure medications--the
very prescriptions an older man is likely to take.  When possible,
avoid the drug's side effects by using herbs to treat the conditions
that these drugs fight.  It is not just pharmaceutical drugs that are
to blame for impotence; many recreational drugs, including heroin,
amphetamines, "downers" (like Quaaludes) and alcohol, also reduce
performance.  While cocaine and amphetamines do stimulate the nerves
that control ejaculation, these drugs can be self-defeating since they
also block another set of nerves that control and sustain sexual
interest.  The result is short-lived performance with little
gratification.

About a quarter of impotent men have too much of a pituitary hormone
called prolactin.  Stress increases prolactin, but the stressed-out
man who figures he will relax with a beer should know that the hops in
beer slightly increases prolactin, as well as increasing estrogen.

This in turn makes testosterone levels drop.  In fact, hops may be part
of the reason why heavy beer drinkers often experience hormonal shifts
and develop enlarged bellies and breasts.

A report in the New England Journal of Medicine noted that marijuana
use also increases prolactin and lowers testosterone.

Not many men talk openly about their impotence, but because I'm an
herbalist, I have had men confide to me that they are looking for a
natural solution to this problem.  They usually start the conversation
with some other topic, but I soon get the hint.  I encourage them to
investigate herbal ways to deal with impotence.  While herbs are not
always successful by themselves, they are often helpful when combined
with other holistic therapies such as acupuncture, massage and
relaxation techniques.

Of course, having a compassionate partner is always very helpful.

The first step to conquering impotence is to explore natural remedies
for relaxation.  Unlike many pharmaceutical relaxants, valerian,
skullcap, California poppy, kava and fresh oats ease both physical and
emotional stress without decreasing sexual desire or interfering with
performance.  Some herbalists even consider oats and kava to be mild
sexual enhancers.  In addition, oats, and possibly damiana and
valerian, help counter depression, which can be a cause of impotence.

When researchers at the San Francisco Institute for Advanced Study of
Human Sexuality gave a blend of fresh oats, nettle leaves and seaweed
to men who were experiencing sexual problems, it took only two months
for the men's libido and performance to improve and their sensation to
increase.  California poppy, damiana, kava and oats are all best used
as tinctures.  Seaweed can be added to your diet.  Aromatherapy
techniques for relaxation (see page 281) will also help you to relax
and thus to perform better.

What about trying an aphrodisiac?

Do they really exist?  There certainly are enough stories and folk
tales about them.  If there are true aphrodisiacs, it is very likely
that they can help some cases of impotence.  I have heard of all sorts
of foods and, of course, herbs that are reputed to be aphrodisiacs;
some of them are mentioned in this section.  For information about some
traditional aphrodisiac fragrances for men and women, such as rose,
jasmine, ylang-ylang and patchouli, see Stimulant for Fatigue on page
293.

You might also try addressing the specific causes of impotence: poor
circulation, poor functioning of nerves that play a major role in
sexual activity, and low testosterone levels.

IMPROVING CIRCULATION

It may seem that "hardening of the arteries'' (atherosclerosis) and
related circulation problems--the same problems that lead to heart
disease and stroke--would have little to do with impotence.  But poor
circulation is a common cause of impotence because it prevents blood
vessels from expanding and filling with blood.  Studies reported in the
British medical journal Lancet confirm that when damaged or weak blood
vessels cannot function properly, neither can the man!  Adult-onset
diabetes--a disorder that impedes circulation and injures
nerves--exacerbates atherosclerosis and is blamed for nearly half the
cases of impotence.  (Impotence gets even worse when someone with
diabetes lets blood sugar levels get out of control, putting extra
stress on the body.)

Circulation problems that impair sexual function, even those resulting
from diabetes, can be treated with herbs.

Ginkgo strengthens blood vessels that are just under the skin's
surface, improves their ability to dilate and helps provide a
sufficient blood flow.  It does all this without increasing blood
pressure.

Studies conducted on ginkgo in 1991 showed that this herb contains a
compound that improves poor circulation and helps most men under 70
years old who have erectile problems.  In most of the studies, it was
found that ginkgo takes less than two months to improve sexual
functioning, and many researchers suggest continuing treatments for
another four months.

For more tips on maintaining good circulation with herbs such as
ginger, see chapter 4.

TONING THE NERVES

The African herb yohimbe has been proven to improve a man's staying
power, although it doesn't fit most people's idea of a true
aphrodisiac.  For one thing, yohimbe usually doesn't increase sexual
excitement, although some men interpret its stimulating effect that
way.

It does improve the operation of the nerves that promote desire while
dampening those that stimulate ejaculation (this is just the opposite
action of cocaine).  This translates to prolonged and increased
pleasure.  But before you rush out to buy some, remember that it is men
with sexual dysfunction problems who notice the benefits the most.

Men without sexual dysfunctions tend to experience either a mild
stimulating effect or no change at all.

Yohimbe's action takes about 30 minutes to take effect and then
continues for a couple of hours.

During one of my classes, one man agreed that yohimbe was effective for
sexual dysfunction and then admitted that he knew this because he had
used it himself.  He did not offer any details about his situation, but
did say that he took it every morning, just before going to work.

Presuming that he was a faithful husband, I suggested that he might try
taking it in the evening instead.

He came early to the next class just to thank me for that suggestion,
and said that the herb was helping much more now.

If yohimbe is so great, you may be asking, how come doctors don't
recommend it?  The answer is that they do!

Yohimbe contains the compound yohim-bine, a major ingredient in several
prescription drugs for impotence.  This compound has an impressive
track record, but you will be able to get it only with a
prescription.

A number of studies have shown that yohimbine helps impotence caused by
poor circulation, emotional problems or diabetes--all of which are
primary causes of sexual dysfunction.

In one study of impotent men, researchers at Queen's University in
Ontario, Canada, discovered that it helped almost half the
participants.  Of those who took a placebo (dummy pill), only half as
many experienced a change.  The researchers who conducted this study
declared yohimbine a "safe treatment for psychogenic impotence that
seems to be as effective as sex and marital therapy"--a pretty strong
statement!  Both yohimbe and its extract, yohimbine, often take a
couple of months to produce lasting results.

No problems have been reported from using the herb, but the concentrate
yohimbine occasionally increases heartbeat, raises blood pressure or
increases irritability, depression, nervousness or dizziness--certainly
none of which inspire passion.  To be safe, if you have high blood
pressure or diabetes, use yohimbe only under the care of a
professional.

Also, don't take it with diet aids, commercial nasal decongestants that
contain ephedrine, or with cheese, red wine or liver, since combining
any of these with yohimbine sometimes causes side effects, such as
headaches.

INCREASING TESTOSTERON

If any herbs really do inspire passion, the
most likely ones are those that increase testosterone--raising your
testosterone levels will raise your libido.

For thousands of years, Chinese folklore has claimed that ginseng
(which translates as "man root") improves not only virility, but also
stamina and longevity (both sexual and general).  This is one reason
that Chinese herbalists still recommend it for many men over 40.

Another possible sexual healer is a Chinese herb called fo-ti in North
America, which is considered an aphrodisiac and longevity herb.  The
Chinese, who call this creeping vine ho shou wu, Because of
overharvesting, American ginseng is now an endangered species.

ascribe many amazing properties to it.

According to folklore, a 50-year-old fo-ti root is said to turn gray
hair dark again, and a 150-year-old root will cause teeth to grow back
in the elderly!  While I assume that these stories are rather
exaggerated, practitioners of Chinese medicine have long used this root
to counter the effects of aging and to treat impotence.

Three Central and South American herbs are also rumored to be
aphrodisiacs: muira puma, damiana and sarsaparilla.

Brazilian herbalists use the wood of muira puma, appropriately
nicknamed "potency wood," as a male tonic and stimulant.  German
researchers have found that it may indeed have aphrodisiac-like
effects, possibly by affecting men's hormones.  Back in 1874, the
native Mexican herb damiana was sold in the United States as a tonic
"to improve the sexual ability of the enfeebled and aged."  It is still
made into a popular alcoholic drink in Mexico, where it is widely
recognized as an aphrodisiac.

Tablets of sarsaparilla are sold throughout Mexico and South America to
improve virility and sexual stamina in both men and women, although
there have been no scientific tests to show that it is effective.

When considering male health, remember that general health has a strong
impact on a man's sexual health.

A healthy liver is especially vital to maintaining a good balance of
male hormones.

Any serious liver problem, such as cirrhosis caused by heavy alcohol
consumption, can be responsible for impotence.

Many male alcoholics eventually become impotent as a result of liver
damage.  Indications that a drinker's testosterone is on the wane
include the development of enlarged breasts, a reduction of the
frequency with which he needs to shave and a diminishing of his sex
drive.  Herbs like milk thistle and probably shizandra help rebuild the
liver if it has not been damaged too severely.

For herbs to heal and maintain your liver, see chapter 7, and for more
advice on enhancing testosterone, see "Infertility' on page 195.

A friend of mine made an interesting herbal discovery somewhat by
accident.

Matt had already successfully used herbs to treat a digestive
problem.

Now approaching 50, Matt went in for a physical and complained about a
minor urinary problem as well as a decrease in libido.  His physician
told him that they needed to "watch" his prostate and that there was
not much he could offer right now to increase libido.  Matt figured
that he could at least use some preventive herbal medicine for his
prostate.  He started taking ginseng and saw palmetto to help his
prostate and also to increase his stamina when he worked out at the gym
twice a week.

As Matt had no idea that herbs could increase libido, he was quite
surprised when he realized that his herbal treatment was not only
helping these two conditions, but also improving his sexual stamina.

He asked me if I had ever heard of such a thing.  I said that I
certainly had, and suggested that he read up on some other herbs, such
as yohimbe and damiana.  He did his homework and added these herbs to
his herbal regimen.

Much later, I ran into him and his wife, Sue, at a party.  We were
discussing herbs anyway, so I boldly asked, "Did your new herbal
formula work?"  Matt turned bright red and I instantly regretted asking
the question, but then I saw Sue wink.  Enough said.

Impotence Tincture

A ounce each tinctures of ginseng root, ginkgo leaves, yohimbe bark,
fresh oats and damiana leaves

(if available)

Combine ingredients.  Take 30 drops of tincture 3 or 4 times a day for
at least 2 months.  (Oats and damiana are usually most effective in
tincture form.

The fall-harvested ginkgo can be taken as a tincture or in pill
form.)

INFERTILITY

Many men who want to be fathers but find that they are infertile have
told me that they feel a deep sadness at not being able to father
children.  Fertility and virility are often thought of as being
synonymous, and few men want to have their virility questioned.  Maybe
this is why I hear many men automatically assume that their wives are
responsible for the couple's infertility problems.  In fact, in about
half the cases of infertility, the root of the problem lies with the
man.

Over the last few decades, medical experts have seen a dramatic drop in
men's sperm counts.  Some scientists worry about the possibility of
even greater fertility declines in future generations.

One chilling theory posed by some European researchers is that the
rising rates of infertility result from overexposure to estrogen that
starts even before the child is born.  It is true that high levels of
estrogenlike substances, which lower the male hormone testosterone, are
found in birth control pills, pesticides and many meat and dairy
products--a good argument for eating organically grown foods!  Water
sources are also polluted by estrogen-type detergents; biologists have
even found male fish in such water behaving like females because of a
dramatic shift in the balance of their hormones.

A sufficient quantity of testosterone is necessary to manufacture
healthy sperm in sufficient quantities to make a man fertile.  Herbs do
not offer a surefire cure for infertility, but they do work SOme of the
time.  They are most successful when the infertility is a result of
out-of-whack hormones or weak sperm, rather then when infertility is
due to structural problems such as a blocked sperm duct.

So far, ginseng is the only herb recognized by science to stimulate
testosterone production.  The Chinese tell folk tales about men in
their nineties fathering children after taking ginseng.  As far as we
know, these are only stories, but if any herb can maintain a man's
fertility, ginseng seems the most likely candidate.

In fact, its powers in this regard caught a couple of men I know by
surprise.  Both of these fellows started taking ginseng, along with
other herbs such as shizandra and saw palmetto, to build up their
physical stamina.  After many years to the contrary, they were
extremely surprised when their wives announced that they were
pregnant!

It is probable that other herbs also stimulate testosterone
production.

Researchers are just beginning to investigate the Chinese herb fo-ti as
a treatment for infertility.  Other possibilities include two relative
newcomers to the North American market: the African herb pygeum and the
Indian herb ash-waganda.

Pygeum is a tall evergreen tree, also called African bitter almond,
whose bark has been used by the Zulus and other African tribes and now
also by European doctors.  The root of ash-waganda is an ancient Indian
sexual tonic for the treatment of infertility.

Practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine view this herb in much the same way
the Chinese view ginseng; according to Ayurvedic medicine, ashwaganda
also "strengthens" sperm.

When a man suspects infertility, one of the first things a physician
checks is whether there is a sufficient amount of sperm to do the
job.

Although it takes only one sperm to fertilize an egg, it takes many to
accomplish the task--fertility experts call this a "team effort."

The Chinese have used fo-ti for centuries to increase the sperm
count.

A 1989 study showed that the common kitchen herb ginger stimulated
hormone production and increased the sperm count in animals.  Although
no studies have been done on humans as yet, researchers believe that
this herb has the same effect on men.  In fact, you get a medicinal
dose every time you flavor food with ginger.

And while you are at it, try adding pumpkin seeds to your meals.

Endocrinologist All A. Abbasi, M.D formerly of the Allen Park Veterans
Administration Hospital in Maryland, found that zinc deficiency causes
the sperm count to plunge, but adding zinc to the diet increases the
count.  Pumpkin seeds, a popular folk remedy for infertility, are
especially rich in zinc.  They are easy to take; buy them already
shelled and eat them by the handful, or grind them and add them to your
morning cereal.

Aromatherapists also report improvements in fertility for men who use
rose essential oil--an expensive but wonderfully fragrant treatment.

It has been speculated that rose essential oil, which has an age-old
reputation as an aphrodisiac for both men and women, increases the
sperm count.  Emotional or physical stress can easily make conception
more difficult, but this fragrance also relaxes the body and mind.  If
you think that stress may be a contributing factor to your infertility,
try using the rose essential oil along with some of the sedative herbs
suggested in "Stress" on page 52 and the relaxing aromas discussed in
chapter sixteen.

The testes and seminal vesicles also need to be in top health to
produce and house sperm.  One herb that protects them from damage is
pygeum, which is discussed on page 195 as a testosterone stimulator.

It is also a good idea for men who want to reverse their infertility to
take plenty of red raspberry leaves.  Usually considered a woman's
reproductive tonic, raspberry seems to be equally helpful for men.  Ask
animal breeders; they will tell you that raspberry leaves are added to
feed to increase male fertility Experience with animals also provides
another hint for treating human male fertility: oats, which are fed to
racehorses to keep them healthy and fertile.

As oats are best when harvested during their fresh, milky stage, your
best bet is to use a tincture.  You may also derive some benefit by
eating oatmeal.  (It seems that the old saw about men sowing their wild
oats has some basis in fact.) Some plants encourage estrogen production
and thus discourage male fertility According to Robert C. Kolodny, M.D
reporting in the New England Jour-hal of Medicine in 1974, regular use
of marijuana lowers testosterone levels and also decreases sperm
production.  Sage is also suspect; while I know of no problem with
moderate consumption, if you are trying to conceive, avoid seasoning
your food with lots of sage.  In the fourth century B.c the Greek
healer Theophrastus called garden sage an "excellent article for
excessive desire"--to limit it, that is.

And just in case you have unusual dietary tastes, go easy on the date
pits; Arab women used to place ground pits in their men's food before
they departed on camel caravans to help keep them faithful!  However,
do not worry about the dates themselves; estrogenlike compounds are
found only in the pits.

Finally, tobacco and coffee consumption also seem to cause fertility
problems, probably because they impair circulation.

If impotence is a cause of infertility, see "Impotence" on page 190.

Fertility Formula

1 ounce tincture ofpanax ginseng root A ounce each tinctures of fresh
oats, ashwaganda leaves (if available) and raspberry leaves Combine
ingredients.  Take 1 dropperful twice a day.

Aromatherapy Fertility Oil

5 drops rose essential oil

1 ounce vegetable oil

Combine ingredients.  Massage into the lower abdomen and inner thigh
once a day Be sure to use only pure rose essential oil, preferably
Bulgarian or Turkish rose attar.

MALE

MENOPAUSE

Although men don't have hormonal cycles as obvious as those of women,
researchers speculate that there may be male cycles as well.

Certainly, men experience an annual cycle; a man's testosterone levels
rise in the fall and drop in the spring.  Studies from Syracuse
University in New York, Wittenberg University in Ohio and Georgia State
University show that it isn't only seasonal changes that affect a man's
hormones.  Emotional events also have an effect--both love and war
sharply increase testosterone levels.  A man's hormone level also
increases after a success, such as earning a degree or winning an
athletic prize, and even during everyday speech.

Experiencing hormone changes as one grows older is not limited to
women; recent research indicates that men undergo similar changes.

Many of the symptoms of male menopause are surprisingly similar to
those experienced by women during menopause--irritability, anxiousness,
fatigue, hot flashes, night sweats and decreased libido.  British
research indicates that a substance called sex hormone binding globulin
(or SHBG), which increases with age, makes the tissues in a man's body
resistant to testosterone.  So even if a man has a fairly high
testosterone level, the hormone's action will be diminished.

What to do when male menopause hits?  The treatment is similar to the
one suggested for women.  Strengthen your adrenal glands so that they
can take over the responsibility of producing sufficient male hormones,
and tone your liver to help it properly detoxify hormones circulating
in your blood.

The same herbs used to increase physical stamina--Siberian ginseng,
shizandra, licorice and ginseng--are some of the best choices to help
you get through male menopause.  You can try making the Male Change
Formula, or you can use ginseng by itself.  This herb is available in
several forms, including the whole plant or root, or as tea, tincture,
semi-solid extract (which is stirred into hot water) or various
pills.

One way to use the whole root is to soak it in a jar of water and bite
off a small amount every morning.  Kept in the refrigerator, a root
will last about two weeks.

Male Change Formula

1 ounce tincture of ginseng root

/5 ounce each Siberian ginseng root, shizandra seed and licorice root t
Combine ingredients.  Take half a dropperful once or twice a day.

PROSTATE: ENLARGEMENT

Many men will be surprised to learn that herbs can help correct
prostate enlargement.

Also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), this is the most
common problem with the prostate.  In fact, it is so common that
roughly half of North American men between the ages of 40 and 60 are
plagued by it.  Standard medical opinion points to only two
solutions-surgery or hormone therapy--but neither is appealing.

In 1990, an estimated $3 billion was spent on prostate surgery n the
United States alone.  But after about five years, most men find, to
their dismay, that the surgery needs to be repeated.  Hormone therapy,
which uses drug treatments to inhibit the hormones testosterone and
prolactin, also carries undesirable side effects, including possible
impotence.

Before we discuss the helpful herbs, let's first consider the
prostate.

This small gland, which is located next to the bladder, is made of
muscle, gland and connective tissue.  The thin fluid that it secretes
helps carry sperm down the urethra, the same tube that transports urine
from the bladder.  Since the urethra passes right through the prostate,
when the prostate enlarges, it pinches the tube and causes urine
retention.

This also creates an urge to urinate more often since the bladder never
fully empties.

The uncomfortable result can be an inability to void, false starts,
dribbling and burning pain.

Since there are usually no symptoms in the early stages, it is easy to
understand why so many men let prostate problems go untreated at
first.

They don't even know something is wrong until the urethra is blocked
and the problem can no longer be ignored!

The severity of symptoms doesn't necessarily tell you the extent of
enlargement, but a doctor's examination will.

You need to be examined by a doctor because problems such as an
obstruction in the urinary tube, a bacterial infection and bladder or
prostate cancer need to be ruled out.  If a survey by the Prostate
Cancer Education Council is any indication, most men are not
well-informed about the health of their prostates.  Studies conducted
by the council show that most men don't have regular physicals and that
of those who do, less than half have their prostate checked.

The most common cause of prostate enlargement is changes in hormone
levels.

As a man ages, his testosterone levels begin to fall.  At the same
time, his levels of the "female" hormones prolactin, estrogen, LH and
FSH rise.  This dramatic hormonal shift results in many body changes,
such as weight gain, changes in fat distribution and a decrease in
muscle strength.  Even the testosterone itself changes.  An especially
potent form of testosterone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) begins to
dominate.  Unfortunately, DHT can cause prostate cells to multiply
excessively; four to six times the normal amount of DHT is found in
most enlarged prostates.  While DHT increases with age, a number of
environmental pollutants (the chemicals dioxin, poly-halogenated
biphenyls, and hexachlo-robenzene) also make this hormone accumulate in
the prostate.

The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research in the United States has
recently concluded that "watchful waiting' with regard to an enlarged
prostate is better than surgery or drug therapy There is also another
avenue to explore: herbs.  North American doctors, less schooled in the
use of herbs than their European and Asian counterparts, are just
beginning to pay attention to the exciting research on herbs that can
be used to correct prostate problems.  I know plenty of men who have
been helped by using herbs.  For most of these men, herbal therapy was
a last-ditch effort to avoid surgery after nothing else they tried
worked.

Jesse is a good example.  Like most men, he did not have prostate
problems until he was in his sixties.  He had looked forward to his
retirement for a long time but hadn't counted on the pain and other
uncomfortable symptoms of an enlarged prostate.  His physician sent him
to a urologist at the well-known medical center at the University of
California at Los Angeles.  Jesse tried to focus on sailing and his
hobbies and put off thinking about the inevitable prostate surgery, but
eventually the symptoms were just too much to live with.

Jesse wasn't really an "herbal convert," but he figured it couldn't
hurt to try herbs.  After only a few weeks of using an herbal formula
similar to the one recommended below, he felt better, but he thought it
was probably his imagination since nothing had helped his condition
over the last year.  Still, he stuck with it, and after a couple of
months, the problems seemed to disappear.

His next trip to the urologist confirmed that this was true.  The
astonished doctor reported that the prostate was much smaller and
declared that in his many years of practice he had never seen a
prostate reduce in size without surgery or hormonal drugs.  He even
asked Jesse for the formula!  Both Jesse and the urologist, unaware of
ongoing research in Europe, thought that they might be on the brink of
discovering new therapies to save millions of men from surgery or
hormonal drug treatments.

Prostate-Reducing Tincture

] ounce tincture of saw palmetto berries lA ounce each tinctures of
nettle root, sarsaparilla root, wild yarn root, echinacea root and
pipsissewa or uva ursi leaves Combine ingredients.  Take half a
dropperful 3 times a day.  For a maintenance dose, take once a day This
research has been going on for many years, especially on saw
palmetto.

Compounds in this herb have demonstrated a remarkable ability to
inhibit DHT, the hormone that causes prostate inflammation.  Saw
palmetto does not change the level of testosterone or other hormones in
the blood, but it does stop tissues, especially those in the prostate,
from utilizing it.  In fact, this herb is about 25 times stronger than
cypro-terone, a once-common prostate anti-inflammation and cancer drug
now considered too toxic for noncancerous conditions.

Clinical trials on saw palmetto have been performed in France.  W.

ahlen-sieck, M.D and his associate researchers found that saw palmetto
greatly reduced symptoms associated with prostate
enlargement--including pain and incontinence--within three months.

In Germany, 11 separate studies on saw palmetto, involving a total of
500 men, were conducted over a period of a few years.  When the results
for men over 60 years old were pooled, it was shown that the men who
took this herb had less than half as many symptoms as those who did
not.

The other good news is that almost no side effects were reported.

The bad news is that saw palmetto's soapy, bitter taste is not
pleasant; the best way to take this herb is to dilute the tincture in a
small amount of water and chug it down.

Unfortunately, herbs have difficulty finding their way into mainstream
medicine in North America.  It is unlikely that anything but the
standard prescription drugs suggested for prostate treatment will be
available here in the near future.

Alternative over-the-counter products for prostate enlargement,
including saw palmetto and ammo acids, were banned by the Food and Drug
Administration (the U.S. governmental agency that determines which
medicines--drugs or otherwise--and foods can legally be sold in the
United States) in 1990 because this condition is not considered
suitable for self-treatment.

You can still buy saw palmetto, but the label will not dare mention
anything about using it for the prostate.  In Germany, however, the use
of saw palmetto is approved by the health authorities and is so
well-established among doctors that pharmacies sell an over-the-counter
suppository containing saw palmetto and the immune stimulant echinacea,
so men can self-treat prostate irritation and inflammation.

Another medicinal plant that is effective for the treatment of this
condition is pygeum.  In France, this herb is found in over 75 percent
of all doctors' prescriptions for enlarged prostate.  Doctors there
report that the herb reduces symptoms in at least half of the men who
try it, and it does so in less than six weeks.  Pygeum, which has been
under scientific investigation since the 1960s, has been used to treat
thousands of men.

Researchers say that it seems as effective as the pharmaceutical drugs
commonly suggested for enlarged prostate.  They even recommend it as a
suitable replacement for such drugs.

Usually, pygeum causes swelling and uncontrollable urination to
disappear fairly soon, and there are almost never side effects.  Only a
rare case of upset digestion has been reported.  In one study on pygeum
involving dozens of men who took the herb for two months, the herb
improved all of their symptoms, including difficult urination,
uncontrollable urination at night and problems with residual urine.  It
also decreased the size of the prostate.

Pygeum helps all but the most serious cases.  Many researchers who have
conducted studies on this herb suggest that pygeum is most effective
when used at the first signs of prostate problems.

Even the men who do opt for surgery find that they have fewer related
problems and that their circulation improves when they take pygeum
afterward.  It appears that this herb decreases prolactin production
and also reduces the detrimental effects of testosterone.  Pygeum is
currently available only as a tincture or in pill form, and is often
combined with saw palmetto.  The suggested dose recommended by
researchers is two 100- or 200-milligram capsules a day.

Nettle leaves have long been known as an excellent diuretic and are
used to stop the urine retention that often accompanies prostate
inflammation.  The roots of the nettle are what have drawn the
attention of scientists.  After conducting a study of this root at the
Department of Phytotherapy in Paris, French researchers declared that
the nettle root appears to be a useful therapy for milder cases of
prostate inflammation and a good alternative to surgery.  Men with mild
prostate enlargement who took nettle root found that their symptoms
disappeared after only three weeks.

These researchers added that nettle root, saw palmetto berry and
pumpkin seed all help prostate problems, possibly because they contain
abundant amounts of b-sitosterol, a hormonelike substance known to
reduce prostate inflammation.

Other researchers have proposed that the reason nettle is so effective
might be that it reduces the amount of testosterone circulating in the
blood or that it inhibits the enzyme responsible for making
testosterone.

In another study, men given both pygeum and nettle root had their
prostate problems eliminated.

The French studies mentioned above and several others conducted in
Germany have led German health authorities to declare nettle root an
appropriate and effective treatment for the early stages of prostate
inflammation.

It can be taken in any form, including a tea.

Gamma linoleic acid (GLA), which is found in evening primrose, borage
and black currant seed oils, also helps relieve prostate
inflammation.

You can encourage GLA production in your body by eating a handful of
pumpkin seeds or by taking one or two teaspoons of flaxseed oil every
day.

Pumpkin seeds, a Ukrainian folk remedy for prostate inflammation, also
contain an unusual ammo acid called cu-curbitin.

Modern European pharmacies sell a popular enlarged prostate remedy
called Curbicin that combines pumpkin seeds with saw palmetto.  In
1991, A.

Hasler, Ph.D conducted a study in which he gave Curbicin to men
suffering from enlarged prostates.  Within three months, their urinary
flow problems greatly improved, with almost no side effects.

Good circulation is imperative for good health, and a sedentary
lifestyle, especially one that involves sitting in chairs for long
periods of time, has been accused of contributing to prostate
problems.

Stone root, Saint-John's-wort, prickly ash and horse chestnut, a
popular European treatment for enlarged prostate, all improve
circulation.  An herbal sitz bath (a warm bath in which you sit in
water up to your waist) with rosemary is also good for pelvic
circulation.

An anti-inflammatory oil made of Saint-John's-wort and the essential
oils of rosemary and lavender can also be applied behind the scrotum to
increase circulation, reduce inflammation and relax muscles.

Anti-Inflammatory Prostate Oil  teaspoon each lavender and rosemar
essential oils 4 drops Roman chamomile essential oil (optional) 2
ounces $aint-JohnVwort oil *k'- Combine ingredients.  Rub on the skin
under the scrotum once or twice a day Studies conducted by the American
Urological Association have shown that it is common for cholesterol to
build up in enlarged prostates, often to a level 80 percent higher than
normal.  So a second front in the war against prostate inflammation
begins with the fight against cholesterol.  Both GLA and pygeum
specifically reduce the accumulation of cholesterol in the prostate.

See chapter 4 for ways to use other cholesterol-fighting herbs.

Several other herbs can also come in handy for treating prostate
problems.

When the urine flow is constricted, see chapter 8 for ways to use wild
yarn root to relax and open the passage and to reduce pain.

Herbalists also successfully use hydrangea and joe-pye weed.  sometimes
with uva ursi, pipstssewa, yarrow and/or horsetail, to clear up the
urinary tract infections that often accompany prostate problems.

Echinacea is an excellent choice to improve immunity and

]-he Native Americans called hydrangea "seven barks" because the stems
are covered with many thin layers of different colored bark.

fend off infections.  For more advice on treating a urinary tract
infection, see chapter 8.

Once the size of the prostate is reduced, you may need to continue
taking herbs (at a reduced level) to keep symptoms at bay When symptoms
began to recur, Jesse (who was mentioned earlier) found out he needed
to take his formula every few months; after about a year, he discovered
that he no longer needed the herbs.  Al, who successfully used herbs to
control his prostate growth, tried to discontinue them several times.

About two months after stopping the herbs, he kept having flare-ups, so
he decided to keep taking a small dose on a regular basis.  Considering
that the likely alternative is surgery or hormone therapy, he does not
mind that he may need to continue taking them for the rest of his
life.

SWOLLEN

]-ESTICLES

Swollen testicles is a painful and potentially serious condition that
requires a physician's care, unless it is obviously a temporary
situation--perhaps caused by a spider bite, a minor blow to the area or
restrictive clothing.  Even then, this condition can be serious enough
for a doc-tot's care if the testicles swell a lot, become extremely
painful or stay swollen for several days.  If this condition is
accompanied by chills, fever or vomiting, do not try to self-treat
it--go see your doctor.  Lumps or "knots" inside the testicles also
need to be checked out by a physician.  A more chronic condition can be
caused by an infection or by MEN 	S HEALTH

MAN ROOT

Ginseng is often referred to as the "man's herb," and indeed its name
is translated from the Chinese as "man root."  Despite the name,
however, ginseng is good for women as well as men.

There is a great deal of confusion over ginseng.  Chinese and American
ginseng are quite similar.

In fact, the United States ships great quantities of its ginseng to the
Orient.  American ginseng is often less expensive than the Chinese
variety and just as suitable, but it is best to buy cultivated ginseng,
which is grown on farms, instead of the wild collected roots--ginseng
is being overharvested and is becoming endangered.  Try to seek out
organic ginseng; because this plant is a valuable crop that is prone to
disease, pesticides are used on much of the commercial ginseng.

Siberian ginseng is an entirely different plant--it is actually a
prickly bush, while ginseng is a small forest herb with one main
stalk.

Siberian ginseng's name was coined because it shares some, but not all,
of ginseng's properties.  To avoid confusion, herbalists often refer to
Siberian ginseng as eleuthro (which is short for its botanical name,
leutherococcus senticosus).

structural problems in the testicles, an enlarged prostate, a sexually
transmitted disease, mumps or an inflamed urinary tract.  A chronic
case sometimes leads to infertility

For a case that you feel confident self-treating or for more chronic
conditions-after you have seen a doctor--use herbs such as lavender or
chamomile to reduce the swelling and pain.  These herbs also help fight
the infections that sometimes accompany swollen testicles.

Doctors usually recommend wearing an athletic supporter to ease the
stress on the area, and sitting in a hot bath.

In her book Herbs and Aromatherapy for the Reproductive System,
herbalist Jeanne Rose tells of a man whose swollen testicles were due
to an infection.  For a week, he took the antibiotics prescribed by his
doctor, but there was little change.

The doctor then recommended that he sit in a very hot bath for an hour,
two or three times a day The next week, the ailing man sought the
advice of an herbalist, who suggested that he turn this into an herbal
bath by adding a strong tea of comfrey, echinacea and mullein.  He also
started taking a mixture of the infection-fighting herbs echinacea and
goldenseal, along with ginseng and yellow dock.  He saw definite
improvement almost right away, and the pain and swelling noticeably
diminished in a couple days.  Five days after starting the herbs, he
was finally able to walk without pain.

If bathing this much is not practical, you can soak once a day and
gently rub on an oil a few times daily The Oil for Genital
Infection/Irritation (see page 187) is a good one to use, especially if
an infection is present.

-[esticle Bath

1 quart water

1/4 cup each comfrey and mullein leaves

1/8 cup chamomile flowers co Bring water to a boil and pour it over the
herbs.  Let steep at least 15 minutes.

Strain and pour into your bath.

Chapter THIRTEEN

Children's Health

Even the healthiest child occasionally comes down with sniffles, an
earache or a fever.  If you are a parent, your family medicine cabinet
is probably already well stocked with cough syrup, children's pain
relievers and other assorted children's medicines.

However, many health care professionals are beginning to wonder if
drugs are overprescribed and whether their short-term beneficial
results are not outweighed by long-term hazards.

Antibiotics are among the medicines under question.  The U.S. Public
Health Service has issued new guidelines for physicians treating
children with an excess of middle-ear fluid, essentially cautioning
doctors to hold off on prescribing antibiotics.  According to
government statistics, in 85 percent of children this condition clears
up on its own within six months; nevertheless, 87 percent of doctor's
office visits for ear problems result in a drug being prescribed.

In one Australian study, children who were given antibiotics to treat
their sore throats actually stayed ill longer and experienced more
severe symptoms than those who were not given the drugs.

Robert Mendelsohn, M.D pediatrician and author of How to Raise a
Healthy Child, challenged his colleagues when he stated, "The vast
majority of childhood illnesses do not require medical attention and
when they receive it needlessly, the treatment given may do more harm
than good."  What can you, as a responsible parent, do when faced with
the choice between overmedicating and not doing enough?  The answer is
simple: Turn to herbal remedies.  If the illness is treatable at home
with over-the-counter drugs, herbs most likely offer a better
alternative.

If your doctor prescribes drugs, be sure he isn't doing so "just in
case" or simply to make you feel the visit was worthwhile.

Perhaps you have thought about using herbs for your children's health
problems, but you've resisted this alternative because you were not
sure which herbs to use or even how to use them.

Plenty of herb books provide information on treatments for adults, but
say nothing about children.  In fact, there are numerous herbal
remedies that are not only safe for kids, but also easy to use.

And many of the same herbs can be used for different conditions.  This
means that you only need to buy (or grow!) a few herbs to treat many of
your child's illnesses.  You can be sure that the remedies in this
chapter have been kid-tested for effectiveness and gentleness.

It is not always easy to persuade children to take medicine--even good
herbal medicine--so I have tried to make all the remedies in this
chapter pleasant-tasting and easy to administer.

Otherwise, children may later turn their nose up at anything that even
hints at being herbal.  If you take the right approach, you may be
surprised how a sick child takes to natural remedies without much
resistance at all.  In time, you may hear your child asking for Peter
Rabbit's Tea (see page 235) to settle an upset stomach or Soothing
Cough Syrup (see page 233) to ease a sore throat.

Because a child's gag reflex is so strong, many kids simply won't
swallow pills.  Babies can take herb tea in a bottle, or a nursing
mother can take the herbs herself and thus dose her baby through her
milk.  If your child does not like tea, you may have better luck with a
tincture or an herbal body off.

For the finicky child, you can disguise many herbal remedies as
"normal" food.  After all, the herbal pharmacy includes many fruits and
vegetables that have medicinal properties.  Herbalists even count
juices and oatmeal among their remedies!  Teas sweetened with fruit
juice can be transformed into fizzy drinks or frozen into enticing
popsicles.  (Note: Don't use honey as a sweetener for children under
two years of age--there is a microorganism in honey, which is otherwise
quite innocent, that sometimes makes them ill.  Alternatives include
barley and fruit-based sweeteners.) Sometimes a little parental
creativity is more effective than the tastiest sweeteners.

One of my students, Jennifer, found that her two young children did not
want anything to do with herbs.

When either one complained of feeling ill, Jennifer would say, "I'll
get the herbal remedies," and the child always quickly responded, "No,
no, I'm not sick now, Mommy!"  Jennifer's solution was to make the
remedies more tasty and give them cute names so that they would be more
appealing to children.  She even wrote her children a story about a
Grandma Bunny who dispensed healing herbs to the local animal
population.

Because of Jennifer's patience and imagination, five-year-old Jess has
become

CLARK"S RULE FOR

CmLDREN"S RE 4EmES

Children's bodies are especially receptive to herbs and, since their
bodies are smaller than adults', it takes only a small dose to bounce
them back into good health.  Many of the formulas given in the other
chapters of this book can be used to treat children as well as adults,
but you must remember to reduce the dosage accordingly.  When treating
children, calculate dosages using Clark's Rule, a standard formula for
prescribing pediatric doses.  This rule, in which the average adult is
assumed to weigh 150 pounds, allows you to convert adult formulas to
suit your child's weight.  This means that if the suggested dosage for
an adult is one cup of herb tea and your child weighs 50 pounds, you
would give him or her one-third of a cup.  Likewise, 30 drops of
tincture to treat a sick adult would be reduced to 10 drops for the
same child.  A 15-pound baby would get only one-tenth of a cup of tea,
or 3 drops of tincture.  Because I have chosen remedies that I know to
be safe, this rule can be applied to all the formulas provided in this
book.

Remember, though, that Clark's Rule cannot be applied to all herbal
remedies; some are simply too potent to give to any child, no matter
how small the dose.

Note: The formulas throughout this chapter are suitable for a child
whose weight is between 36 and 65 pounds.  If, for example, the
recommended dose is a half cup of tea, the dosage for children who do
not fall into this weight range would be as follows:

WEIGHT

Up to 5 pounds

5 to 15 pounds lo to 35 pounds 66 to 80 pounds

& to o pounds

DOSAGE

'/,6 cup (or tablespoon)  cup (or 2 tablespoons)

'/, cup (or 4 tablespoons)

3/, cup cup quite an advocate of herbalism.  She carries a bottle of
garlic in glycerin almost everywhere--even when she is not sick.

This concoction, which is used to ward off most types of infections and
to prevent coughs, earaches and stomach flu, is so special to Jess
that she once placed her bottle among the family's holiday
decorations.

ASTHMA '"" "Z

Asthma is a respiratory ailment in which the throat and lungs
constrict, making it difficult for a person to breathe.  In its mildest
form, this condition, which manifests itself as recurring attacks, is
uncomfortable; at its worst, it can be life-threatening.  Most people
with asthma are constantly battling congestion in their lungs.  Asthma
can occur in anyone, but it is most prevalent during childhood and
early adulthood.  According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and
Prevention in Atlanta, the division of the U.S. Public Health Services
that investigates and tries to control the incidence of various
diseases, the asthma rate in children increased almost 40 percent from
1980 to 1990.

Many things can trigger an asthma attack, including exhaustion, stress,
lung infection and even cold air, but exposure to allergic substances,
such as dust and smoke, tops the list.  Although attacks are usually
brief, they are still frightening for child and parent alike.

Modern medicine offers children with asthma little more than temporary
relief for their symptoms.  The right herbs, however, not only help
these children to catch their breath, but also re

NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

FOR CHILDREN

When choosing nutritional supplements for children, avoid the isolated
nutrients and the "meg" vitamins found in formulas made for adults.

Look for vitamins and minerals designed especially for children, and
avoid those sweetened with sugar to make them chewable.

For children with asthma, 200 milligrams of vitamin C (for a 50-pound
child) is recommended as an antihistamine.  To support their adrenal
glands, children with asthma can also take pantothenic acid 11/2 hours
before exercising.  Other vitamins recommended for children with asthma
include magnesium and the B-complex vitamins, particularly Be, which
have been shown in various studies to reduce the severity of asthma
attacks.  When treating constipation, diarrhea, or intestinal
parasites, or after giving your child antibiotics, give her
acidophilus, a natural culture that encourages the growth and health of
the natural intestinal bacteria that help to digest foods and break
down important nutrients.

This culture can be found in various foods, such as some yogurts, or
can be given as a supplement.

duce attacks by strengthening their lungs and their immune systems.

You will find mullein and elecampane--which herbalists have found to be
exceptionally tonic and healing to the lungs--in almost every
commercially available herbal formula for asthma.  These herbs also
arrest or eliminate symptoms such as wheezing and shortness of breath
by opening the constricted bronchial passages.

Other herbs also act as antihistamines to open air passages and relieve
wheezing.  (Histamines are substances released in the body that produce
swelling and constrict bronchial passages.) These herbs include some
familiar and tasty children's favorites, such as anise, ginger,
peppermint and chamomile.  German studies have shown that chamomile may
slow allergic reactions, such as those that trigger asthma attacks, by
increasing the adrenal glands' production of cortisone, which reduces
lung inflammation and makes breathing easier.  Motherwort and
passionflower, which are commonly used by Italian physicians to treat
asthma, not only decrease the severity of lung spasms but also reduce
anxiety, thus lessening the chance of an attack.  Lemon verbena tea--a
flavorful drink that almost any child will appreciate--is commonly
given to South American children to reduce their wheezing.  If your
child suffers from asthma, you too may want to try a tea made with
these herbs, but you may also want to keep a tincture of these same
herbs on hand for times when making tea is inconvenient.  Many herbal
asthma formulas are available in natural food stores.

Breathe-Easy Tea

1 quart boiling water

1 teaspoon each chamomileflowers, echinacea root, mullein leaves and
passionflower leaves

,6 teaspoon each elecampane root and lemon verbena leaves (if
available) Pour boiling water over the herbs in a saucepan and steep
for 10 to 15 minutes.

Strain out herbs.  For a 50-pound child, give a half cup of tea at
least once a day as a preventive, or a few times a day when breathing
becomes strained or when emotional conditions may lead to an attack.

If you use a tincture of these herbs, give 1/4 dropperful (15 drops) to
replace each half-cup of tea.  Store extra tea in the refrigerator.

According to studies reported at a doctors' conference in Florence,
Italy, in 1986, ginkgo reduces the susceptibility of children to
various allergic substances and thus greatly decreases the frequency of
asthma attacks.  The researchers found that ginkgo keeps the bronchial
passages in the lungs from constricting.  In traditional Chinese
medicine, ginkgo throat spray is used in much the same way as the
modern asthmatic inhaler.  Ginkgo, which can be found at most natural
food stores in both pill and tincture form, is an effective and
easy4o-use herb.

Ginkgo Throat Spray

1 teaspoon tincture of ginkgo leaves

5 drops chamomile essential oil (optional) 1/4 cup water

- Combine ingredients and store the mixture in a sprayer bottle.  Shake
well before using.  Use as needed to keep airways clear.

For thousands of years, another Chinese herb, ma huang, has been used
to dilate bronchial passages and stop asthma symptoms for hours.

Ma huang, which is also known as Chinese ephedra, is a potent herbal
antihistamine.

It also stimulates the adrenal glands and the nervous system and misuse
of this herb has caused several deaths, so you must discuss its use
with a doctor knowledgeable about herbs before giving it to your
child--it can be particularly detrimental for a child who has a weak
heart or is run-down.  A gentler approach comes from onions, which
contain a newly discovered compound that reduces the severity of asthma
attacks.  In one German study of a group of people with asthma, about
half the subjects experienced much less severe attacks when they drank
onion juice every day.  Your child will most likely refuse to drink
onion juice, so you could try adding onions to his meals.

Many of these herbs can be combined into effective asthma remedies, but
it is also important to give your child herbs that build up the immune
system, such as echinacea and chamomile.  This may seem contradictory,
since allergies are the result of an overactive immune system--that is,
the system treats harmless foreign substances as objects to be
destroyed, and in the process harms rather than protects the body--but
these "immune-boosting" herbs also '%lance" the immune system so it
can better realize when substances are harmful and when they are not.

Allergic reactions, such as those that trigger attacks in many people
with asthma, often indicate that an individual is suffering from
problems with her immune system.  Children with difficult-to-treat
asthma cases often benefit from taking a Chinese formula of magnolia,
rehmannia and don quai.  In one Chinese study, these herbs allowed
several people of various ages who suffered from severe asthma to stop
taking the powerful steroid drugs that they were given to fight their
asthma.  Other people with asthma were able to reduce the amount of
their drugs.

Chinese Asthma ]Tea

1 teaspoon each magnoliaflowers and rehmannia root

/ teaspoon don quai root

3 cups water

*- Combine ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Turn down
heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Turn off heat and steep for 20
minutes.  Give 1 cup daily.  Store extra tea in the refrigerator.

These herbs can be special-ordered though a natural food store or
bought from a mail-order Chinese herb source.

Herbs alone can work wonders in helping your child, and a few
additional measures will contribute to the success of these remedies.

Since asthma is associated with allergies, keep the air your child
breathes as clean as possible.  Air filters help to eliminate many
common airborne allergens: pollen, mites, mold, animal dander and
dust.

Check that your air-conditioning and heating-system filters are not
recycling dust through your home.  You might also remove feather
pillows and comforters from your child's bed, and wash his toys to see
if either of these measures makes a difference.  In addition, avoid
giving your child foods to which people with asthma tend to be
sensitive, especially fruit dried with sulfites (additives used to help
vegetables keep their color) or foods containing the flavor-enhancer
MSG (monosodium glutamate), which is used in some Chinese restaurants
and in many processed foods.  Studies show that one way to prevent
asthma in the first place is by breastfeeding your baby; breastfeeding
is known to help build up the natural immunities that prevent children
from developing allergies.

I met eight-year-old Heather and her mother, Lori, soon after Heather
started suffering asthma attacks.  A doctor had advised stripping the
child's room of everything, including the carpet and most of her toys,
to turn it into a sterile, hospital-like ward.  As is the case with
many people with asthma, stress played a key role in Heather's
condition, and Lori was worried that removing her daughter's special
curtains and favorite toys might prove really upsetting.  Indeed, as we
talked about it, Heather could barely contain her tears.  As a
compromise, they worked together to redecorate Heather's room and make
it less allergenic and easier to keep clean.  Most of the stuffed
animals took a "carnival ride" in the washing machine, while others
vacationed in another part of the house.

They then began herbal treatments, focusing on substances that could
fend off asthma.  When Lori heard that I was writing about asthma, she
wanted me to assure other parents who are dealing with asthmatic
children for the first time that it can get better.  Heather no longer
has asthma attacks, and Lori credits herbs, especially those that
bolster the immune system, such as echinacea, for improving her
daughter's condition.  As an added benefit, Heather does not come down
with as many colds and flus as she once did.  There was even a day at
school when Heather picked up a pet rat, once a sure trigger for her
asthma; her eyes reddened, but she did not start wheezing.

Janet, a registered nurse, uses both medical and herbal approaches to
treat her son Ryan's asthma.  Janet and her husband, Dan, say that the
best prevention for seven-year-old Ryan's asthma attacks is a lavender
chest rub just before he goes to sleep.  The lavender does double duty:
As a muscle relaxant, it keeps chest muscles and bronchial passages
from constricting; as a mind relaxer, it reduces the stress that might
rigger an attack.  If the child tends to become congested while
sleeping, an antihistamine such as chamomile can be used in conjunction
with the lavender.

Lavender Chest Rub

8 drops lavender essential oil

2 drops chamomile essential oil (optional) 1/4 cup olive (or other
vegetable) oil

*- Combine ingredients.  Rub on chest as needed, especially before
bedtime.  If you wish to add chamomile as an antihistamine, replace 2
drops of the lavender essential oil with 2 drops of chamomile essential
oil.

An alternative to the chest rub is an herbal steam that uses these same
essential oils.  Add two drops of lavender essential oil to a
humidifier (check the instructions to make sure yours will not clog or
otherwise be damaged by essential oils) in your child's room or have
your child inhale the steam from a pan of water containing four drops
of lavender essential oil.  For more information, see Herbal Steam on
page 232.

Janet and Dan tried a lavender steam with Ryan but he did not like
putting his head over the hot steam.  In exploring other ways to
administer this herb, they eventually discovered that if they put him
in a hot bath containing a few drops of lavender essential oil at the
first signs of a serious attack, Ryan breathed easily for at least an
hour.  Dan says that it is amazing how dramatically the herbal bath
works in halting even the worst attacks--a great relief, since Ryan's
asthma is so bad that he has ended up in the hospital a few times, once
in intensive care.  Since the herbal treatments began, there have been
no hospital visits, and Janet and Dan have been able to reduce Ryan's
medication.

Unlike teas and pills, the ginkgo spray, chest rub, steam and hot
lavender bath can be safely used even after the child begins to
wheeze.

To play it safe, have your child sniff the oils before you use the
chest rub, steam or bath for the first time--some asthma sufferers are
sensitive to any fragrance.

BABY SKIN CARE 	:4:, *

AND DIAPER RASH 	: A bad case of diaper rash can turn even the most
loving, cooing baby into an irritable complainer.  According to surveys
from Loyola University, over 75 percent of newborns get diaper rash
within the first few months after birth.  This condition is caused by a
combination of factors, the most common of which are bacteria and
detergent residues that are not completely rinsed out of diapers.

These are not the only factors, though--a rash can even arise from
super-clean diapers rubbing against your baby's sensitive skin.  You
can prevent diaper rash by changing your baby's diapers more frequently
and increasing air circulation, first by using diaper covers that do
not seal in moisture, then by allowing your child some time without a
diaper.

Some of the products that promise to moisturize, soften and cleanse a
baby's skin can also contribute to diaper rash.  Most baby oils and
salves sold in drugstores are made with mineral (petroleum) oil, which
is a good machinery lubricant but is questionable for anyone's skin
care, especially a baby's.

Commercial powders are also suspect.

Most of them contain additives, coloring, preservatives, artificial
scents and compounds that increase water repel-lency and enhance the
powder's ability to pour evenly and without clumping--these are extras
that your baby's skin does not need.

Some ingredients in commercial powders, such as zinc stearate, do not
harm skin, but can be harmful if inhaled.

Poison centers regularly get reports about children who suffer coughing
fits, labored breathing, insufficient blood oxygen and vomiting after
inhaling baby powder.  Even talcum powder, which is favored by parents
because of its smoothness, can lead to trouble.  If inhaled, its tiny
sharp molecules can injure lungs, and it sometimes contains traces of
arsenic (which is poisonous) or asbestos (which is carcinogenic).

Good alternatives to chemical-laden commercial products include baby
salves and powders made with chamomile, calendula, comfrey and
lavender.  These herbs soothe, heal and protect a baby's sensitive
skin.  Herbal salves also contain beeswax, oil and lanolin, which
provide a barrier against moisture and thus keep rashes from
recurring.

Baby powder made with cornstarch absorbs moisture and also reduces
chafing.  You can purchase herbal baby salves and powders in natural
food stores, or you can make your own.

Fragrant Baby Powder

A pound cornstarch

/4 teaspoon lavender essential oil

*' Place cornstarch in a self-sealing plastic bag and add the essential
oil drop by drop.  Tightly close the bag and shake it to distribute the
oil, breaking up any clumps through the bag.  Let stand 4 days to
distribute the essential oil.  Use with every diaper change, or as
needed.

Potato starch or arrowroot powder can be used instead of cornstarch.

Some herbalists use white clay, also called China clay, but this
substance tends to clump when wet.  Spice or salt shakers with large
perforations in their lids make good powder containers.

My friend Bob launched his herbal career with a homemade diaper rash
salve.  I first met Bob in the early 1970s at a crafts fair where I was
selling herbal products.  He said that he had made an herbal salve to
heal his son Sierra's diaper rash, and when he told his friends about
it, the requests poured in.  After his second son, Sage, was born, Bob
named his product for the two boys and began selling "Sierra Sage"
salve to stores.  He later expanded his herb business to include cough
syrup for children.  Today, he owns a large herb business.

Diaper Rash Salve

1 cup Baby Flower Oil (see page 214) A ounce beeswax

2,6 teaspoon lanolin (optional)

5 400-International Unit vitamin E

capsules

2 1,000-International Unit Vitamin A

(with added Vitamin D) capsules '- Heat the Baby Flower Oil just enough
so that you can melt the beeswax and lanolin in it.  Pop the vitamin
capsules with a pin and squeeze their contents into the oil.  Stir
well.  While the mixture is still hot and liquid, pour it into
widemouthed jars and let cool.  (You can also use the refillable tubes
sold in backpacking supply stores.) Apply with every diaper change, or
as needed.  Be aware, though, that lanolin causes a reaction on some
people's skin.  If you wish, you can test your baby beforehand by
rubbing a tiny amount of pure lanolin on her skin.  This salve can be
used to treat abrasions anywhere on the body and to combat diaper
rash.

Infant bathing may be one case where less is actually more.  According
to Loyola University researchers, the average one-month-old baby is
bathed four times each week and shampooed three times in the same
period.  Most babies need only an occasional bath in warm water with no
soap or shampoo, unless you are treating a condition such as cradle
cap.  Following a bath, a gentle rubdown with a quality baby oil
(preferably herbal) helps to replace lost skin oils.  Mother Nature can
also help you to protect your newborn's skin.  The vernix caseosa, a
whitish protective coating that covers the skin after birth, can have
long-term beneficial properties: Natural childbirth advocates believe
that if this coating is rubbed into the child's skin instead of being
washed off (as is the practice at most hospitals), the child's chances
of developing skin problems in the future will be reduced.

Baby Flower Oil

lA cup each lavender flowers, calendula flowers and elder flowers

3 cups almond (or vegetable) oil

*. Chop dried herbs and place them in a clean glass jar.  Cover herbs
with almond oil and stir to remove air bubbles.

Put the oil in a warm place (near a radiator or in the sun) for 2 to 3
days, then strain out herbs.  If necessary, strain again using a coffee
filter or fine strainer to remove the tiniest particles.  Store in a
cool place.  Use as frequently as needed for skin treatment and
massage.

Herbs can also be used to heal cradle cap, a thick, yellowish, crusty
rash that forms on the scalp and sometimes the face of newborns.  This
rash is caused partly by an overproduction of oil.  The standard
medical treatment is cortisone cream, but most pediatricians would
rather not use such strong steroids on babies.  Instead, wash the scalp
with a gentle baby shampoo to reduce excess oils, and treat daily with
antiseptic and skin-healing lavender, tea tree and aloe vera.

S D O M

Cradle Cap Remedy

/ cup aloe vera

3 drops each lavender and tea tree essential oils mt Combine
ingredients in a bottle and shake well to blend.  Apply directly onto
the skin a few times daily.

B E D W E 1- T N G

Typically, a child is between two and seven years old before he can
make it through the night without having to empty his bladder.

Although bedwet-ting can be exacerbated by psychological problems or
emotional stress, it generally involves poor muscle control or crossed
signals in the communication between the nervous system and the
brain.

It tends to disappear as the child grows older, but for some parents,
the wait can seem endless.  In any case, most child psychologists agree
that reprimanding a child who wets the bed does more harm than good.

Fortunately, bedwetting can often be remedied with an herbal
tincture.

Studies have shown that Saint-John's-wort and oats help the nervous
system to control the bladder.  Likewise, corn silk and plantain leaf
(which is used in many Chinese herbal formulas to treat urinary
problems) have been shown to improve the urinary tract muscles that
control the bladder.  Be patient; it may take several weeks before you
see results, but this formula usually works!  Do not give your child
any liquids, including herb tea, for three hours before bedtime, since
this can encourage bedwetting.  If your child seems to be overly tense
or anxious, or if he gets upset about wetting the bed, some Calming Tea
(see page 237) will help relax him.  Since these herbs lose much of
their potency when dried, use a tincture that has been prepared from
fresh plants.

My friend Mary was surprised when her il-year-old son, Bobby, started
wetting the bed--a problem he had never had before.  As you can
imagine, Bobby was terribly embarrassed, and he was eager to try any
concoction his mother came up with, as long as there was any chance it
might help.  Mary had made her own Saint-John's-wort tincture and had
purchased a tincture of fresh oats, but she was unable to find a corn
silk tincture.  I suggested that she buy some fresh, organically grown
corn (corn not grown organically generally has pesticides clinging to
the silk) and make her own tincture.

Meanwhile, Mary started Bobby on the Saint-John's-wort and oats
tincture, At first, he still wet the bed every night, but after a week,
he awoke to a dry bed.

The newly finished corn silk tincture was added, and there continued to
be fewer and fewer bedwetting episodes.  After about a month of taking
the tincture, Bobby completely stopped wetting his bed.  Mary continued
the treatment for a few more days, just to be sure.  Bobby has had a
dry bed ever since.

Dry Bed 'l-incture

Equal parts tinctures of Saint-Johnk-wort tops, fresh oat berries, corn
silk and plantain leaves Combine tinctures in a bottle.  For a 50-pound
child, give 15 drops (1/4 dropperful) 3 times a day.  Before or after
meals is an easy time to remember.

Another bedwetting treatment is aloe vera juice.  Researchers in Russia
found that almost all the children in their study not only stopped
wetting their beds when they were given aloe, but also became
noticeably less irritable.

The few who continued to wet the bed did so much less frequently Mix
aloe juice with an equal amount of the child's favorite fruit juice.

But don't overdo it--I suggest one-half to one cup a day

Bedwetting is occasionally caused by a bladder infection.  If this is
the cause, your child will probably complain of discomfort and burning
while urinating.  If you suspect that your child may have an infection,
have your pediatrician examine him so that a kidney infection or other
serious disorder can be ruled out.  For more information, see chapter
8, and don't forget to adjust the proportions according to Clark's Rule
(see page 207).

CHILDHOOD DISEASES

The primary childhood diseases--measles, German measles, mumps and
chickenpox --are caused by viruses.

Most of us are affected by them only once in our lives--after the first
exposure, the body recognizes the virus and usually builds up a
lifelong immunity to it.  Until recently, most people encountered all
four viruses as children (which is why the illnesses are called
childhood diseases).  Today, vaccines are used to foster a person's
immunity without his ever having to experience the illness, but even
vaccinated children occasionally come down with one of these
illnesses.

In fact, according to the Merctz Manual, the incidence of German
measles has been increasing since 1988, and most children who have
contracted this disease during this time have been vaccinated.  The
symptoms of these diseases, as well as minor adverse reactions to the
vaccinations, can be fought using herbs.  If your child experiences
breathing problems, a rash, persistent fever or crying, or appears
unusually inattentive after being vaccinated, this could be because of
a reaction to the vaccine.  You should contact your pediatrician
immediately Measles start off with itchy pink spots on the face that
spread to the rest of the body The child will probably also have a
cough, high fever, sensitive eyes and a runny nose.  German measles,
also called rubella, is less contagious and usually less severe, with
fewer spots and a low fever, if any.  The child's glands will swell,
but this swelling is rarely accompanied by a sore throat.  Chickenpox
causes only a moderate fever, but results in itchy spots that scab
over, headaches, and an occasional sore throat.  Mumps produces a
moderate fever and noticeable swollen glands on the neck.  It rarely
occurs in children under two years old, and at least 25 percent of
cases are so mild that they go unnoticed.

Most likely, your doctor will recommend the same treatment for all
these childhood diseases: bed rest.  You can, however, lessen your
child's symptoms and make her more comfortable with an herbal remedy.

A child suffering from any of these illnesses always seems to get well
much more quickly and to have a relatively light case if he drinks a
tea of catnip, lemon balm, burdock and the Chinese herb bupleurum.

Catnip lowers a fever and reduces the eruptions of measles and
chickenpox.  Long before viruses were found to be the root of these
diseases and vaccines were developed to fight viruses, the Chinese
treated these illnesses with burdock and bupleu-rum in an effort to
enhance immunity and liver function.  Laboratory studies have shown
that burdock and bupleu-rum destroy the measles virus.  The virus
responsible for chickenpox is inhibited by antiviral agents in lemon
balm and by bergamot essential oil.  Lemon balm also destroys the mumps
virus.  Lemon and

Sweet-smelling lemon balm is a common ingredient in potpourris.

yarrow reduce the fever that generally accompanies these diseases, and
mullein encourages the drainage of swollen glands.

Childhood Diseases Tea

1 teaspoon burdock root

 teaspoon bupleurum root (optional)

1 quart water

1 teaspoon each catnip leaves, lemon balm leaves, mullein leaves and
elder flowers

 teaspoon each yarrowflowers and peppermint leaves (for taste)

. Combine burdock, bupleurum and water in a saucepan and simmer for 5
minutes.  Turn off heat, add other herbs and steep for 15 minutes.

Strain out herbs.  Give as much as the child will drink--at least 2
cups daily for a 50-pound child.  If your child does not like the taste
of this tea, mix it with fruit juice to make it more palatable.  Store
extra tea in the refrigerator.

If your child comes down with one of these diseases, her appetite and
ability to hold down food will probably be reduced.

However, if she can tolerate food, the sickness can be treated through
the addition of certain herbs to her meals.

A small amount of burdock can be prepared as a vegetable,
Japanese-style.  The Chinese recommend saffron and coriander leaves
(known as cilantro in Mexican and Oriental cooking) to encourage
sweating in eruptive skin diseases like chickenpox and measles.  If
your child has one of these diseases, it is also a good idea to sponge
off her skin with an herbal wash or to apply wet compresses.  These
treatments reduce the itching, speed healing of the sores and reduce
possible spread of the infection.

Use a strong "tea" of burdock, calendula and lemon balm for the wash or
compresses.

Eruptive Skin Wash

2 teaspoons each burdock root, calendula flowers and lemon balm
leaves

6 drops bergamot essential oil (for chickenpox only)

3 cups water e Place burdock root and water in a saucepan and simmer
uncovered for about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add remaining
herbs.  Cover pan and steep for 10 minutes.  Strain out herbs.

Add essential oil and stir well to distribute evenly Sponge gently over
skin eruptions, or make a compress by soaking soft cloths in this
wash.

Wring out the cloth and apply on afflicted skin.

For mumps, drain the glands and reduce the pain and swelling with the
neck compress suggested for swollen glands (see page 232).  A child
with mumps will also benefit by taking a tincture that encourages lymph
drainage.  If ear or other infections are also present, follow the
instructions given in this chapter to combat these problems.

Mumps Tincture

Equal parts calendula flowers, barberry and mullein leaf (if
available)

t For a 50-pound child, give 10 drops 3 times a day Take this along
with the Childhood Diseases Tea.  Because this formula is not very
tasty, it is best given as a tincture with a small amount of water or
fruit juice.

* BOLSTERING IMMUNITY

All children are exposed to numerous illnesses at school and day care,
but some kids seem to have sniffles or stomach upsets almost
constantly, while others suffer only an occasional bout of a cold or
flu.  Resistance to illness is determined by many factors; diet,
heredity and stress are all relevant, but the strength of the immune
system is likely the most important consideration.

The best kind of herbal medicine (like the best modem medicine) is not
treating your child once he falls sick, but preventing him from getting
sick in the first place.

When I began writing this chapter, I asked for herbal success stories
from parents.  Over and over I heard stories similar to the one that
Joan told me about her baby Nathaniel: "Except for an earache, which I
treated herbally, he hasn't been sick yet.  I think this is because of
the immune herbs I give him at the first sign of any problem."

Marsha's son is 11, so I figured he had had more chances to get sick,
but she said, "Well, Zaya has never really been sick.  Maybe that is
because since he was little, I have given him herbs like echinacea to
boost his immune system."

Repeated illnesses are a sign that a child's immunity needs to be bol

WISDOM

stered with herbs such as echinacea, chamomile and shizandra.  In one
Russian study, more than 200 young children were given an herbal
combination based on echinacea; these kids had fewer colds and fewer
days of fever than children who had not taken herbs.  Chamomile, used
traditionally in Germany and also heavily researched there, has been
proven to increase resistance to disease.  A study done in the Russian
town of Chirchik showed that children given shizandra proved more
resistant than other children to a serious flu epidemic that swept
through town.

Echinacea, chamomile and shiran-dr can be given as a tea, pills or a
tincture.  You can purchase these herbs at a natural food store.

Immune Booster Tea

e cups water t teaspoon echinacea root

 teaspoon each chamomile flowers, shiandra [erries (if available) and
peppermint leaves (for taste) Boil water and pour it over the herbs.

Steep for 15 minutes, then strain out herbs.  At first signs of
illness, give 1 cup daily for every

50 pounds of body weight.  As a preventive measure--for instance, when
your child is about to start school or go on a long trip--give him 1
cup daily for a week.  Store extra tea in the refrigerator.

COLDS AND FLU

In my herb class, Don, a single father, told of his success giving his
six-year-old daughter, Libby, a tea of equal parts elder, peppermint
and hyssop.  (See Fever Tea on page 226; this formula not only reduces
a fever, but also fights colds and flu and helps to relieve the
congestion that often accompanies these sicknesses.) Don uses this
flavorful formula, which he found in an herb book, to fend off
sniffles.  Whenever Libby wakes up with a slight rattle in her
throat--a warning sign Don has learned to recog-nize-he gives her a cup
of this tea.  If there is any sign of fever, he adds yarrow.

For three years in a row, she was not sick once, even though plenty of
her classmates had runny noses and coughs.  In fact, since she never
has any sick days, Don occasionally takes her out of school just so
they can do something fun together.  This last year, Libby, who is now
nine years old, finally did get a little cold, but that's
okay--researchers believe that an occasional cold may be a good thing
because it stimulates natural immunity.

Jennifer, whom I mentioned earlier in this chapter, also gave her two
young children, Jess and Bohdi, herbs before ever attending an herb
class.  Her husband, Andrew, once had a bad case of bronchitis that a
friend treated by placing ginger compresses on his chest.  Remarkably,
the bronchitis cleared up in a few days.  So when Andrew's children
come down with colds or flus, he does not hesitate to use herbs.  One
of his favorite herbs is ginger.  To treat his kids' congestion, Andrew
stirs two table spoons of ginger powder into a hot bath.

This is a lot of ginger, but it does the trick almost every time.  He
and Jennifer say that their kids rarely have runny noses, colds or
flus.  You can overdo it, though, as Jennifer and Andrew once did when
Jess was sick.  They prepared a ginger bath for Jess, and a few
seconds after getting into the tub Jess said, "Hot, hot," and they
realized that she was complaining not about the temperature, but about
the tingly-hot sensation produced by too much ginger in her bath.

Even though antibiotics continue to be prescribed for colds and flu, it
is well known that these drugs have no effect on viruses.  They only
help to prevent bacterial infections from developing.

Evidence indicates that the overuse of antibiotics decreases their
effectiveness when a true emergency arises, and may even lessen one's
natural immunity in the long run.  Use of antibiotics also encourages
the development of strains of infectious microorganisms that are
resistant to them--because the microorganisms adapt to the drugs and
become stronger--and drug developers are forced to create stronger and
stronger drugs.

So what can you do to protect your child from secondary infections
developing once a cold or flu sets in?

There are many natural antibiotic herbs that work much differently to
destroy microorganisms than their drug counterparts.  These herbs do
not compromise the immune system, as pharmaceutical antibiotics
can--they make the body healthier.  One of the most popular of these
natural antibiotics is garlic, which is mentioned often in this
chapter, and for good reason.  Garlic fights the microorganisms
responsible for many types of infection.  You can administer garlic in
any form your child will take.  First, try adding it to your kid's
meals.  If your child resists, try giving her garlic supplements (there
are many types available) or use the Garlic Vinegar on page 231.

Another well-known herbal antibiotic is goldenseal, although I often
replace it with barberry or Oregon grape root, which grows wild where I
live and is not an endangered plant like golden-seal.

Oregon grape root tastes slightly better than goldenseal, so most
children prefer it.  They also like the name.  No matter how many times
I correct them, children almost always think that this formula contains
Oregon "grapefruit."  I also use licorice, the antiviral value of which
was reported in two journals in 1980, and echinacea, which was shown in
a 1978 German study to fight against and protect from infection.  These
herbs deter or halt viral infections by making the virus inactive,
slowing its reproduction and preventing it from breaking down cell
walls.

Children's Antibiotic Formula 2 cups water k5 teaspoon each echinacea
root, licorice root and barberry bark (or Oregon grape rooO et Place
water and herbs in a saucepan.

Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and steep for about 20
minutes.

Strain out herbs.  For a 50-pound child, give 1 cup of tea or half a
dropperful (30 drops) of tincture daily To improve the flavor, the tea
can be mixed with an equal amount of juice.  In fact, homemade apple
and grape juice, unlike bottled juices, contain strong antiviral agents
that fight colds and flu.

CONSTIPATION

Constipation is very common among children, which is not surprising,
considering the foods that many children love.  Lots of white bread,
peanut butter, cheese and sweets all lead to constipation.  So can
bouts of worry or fear.  And the young couch potato who forgoes
exercise to spend hours in front of a television or computer tends to
suffer more from constipation than an active child.

Laxatives suggested for constipated adults, even herbal ones, are
generally too strong--in both taste and action--for children.  To treat
a constipated child, turn to a gentle combination of licorice and apple
juice, with either fennel or ginger to relieve intestinal gas.

Laxative Juice

1 cup boiling water

2/5 teaspoon licorice root lff4 teaspoon ginger rhizome (or fennel
seeds)

2,4 cup each apple and prune juice

(optional)

Pour boiling water over herbs and steep for 10 minutes.  Strain out
herbs, then add juices.  If your child balks at the taste of prunes,
use only apple juice.  For a 50-pound child, give % cup every 2 hours
until a change for the better becomes apparent.

and make sure that the child's morning schedule is not too hectic.  If
these measures do not produce enough results, add half a teaspoon of
ground psyllium seed to your child's favorite juice each morning or
serve her Slippery Elm Gruel before bed.  If your child continues to be
constipated despite these treatments, be sure to see your
pediatrician.

Psyllium Juice

A teaspoon ground psyllium seed

A cup warm fruit juice or vegetable juice e Mix ground psyllium into
juice and stir.  For a 50-pound child, give entire amount every morning
as long as needed.

While the aroma of catnip is a great attraction for cats, it is also an
effective insect repellent.

Another easy-to-dispense laxative is elderberry jam.  If these remedies
are not successful, an enema with catnip tea does the trick when all
else fails.

If constipation is a common condition for your child, be sure to treat
the causes of this problem as well as the symptoms.  If you are not
serving these items already, switch to high-fiber, whole-grain
breakfast cereals or oatmeal,

Slippery Elm Gruel

1 tablespoon slippery elm powder

3/4 cup cold water

1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)

Combine powder and water in a saucepan and heat until warm, stirring
the mixture to prevent clumping.  Add lemon juice for flavor, if you
wish.  You can also sweeten the gruel with your child's favorite herbal
or fruit-based sweetener.  Have your child drink the entire amount (for
every 50 pounds of body weight) before it cools--as gruel cools down,
it thickens, and the thicker it gets, the more likely your child is to
push it away Willow, an herbalist who uses Slippery Elm Gruel, says
that as a working mother, she appreciates how fast-acting and effective
it is.  Willow was surprised that her daughter even liked it, but when
Jenny was quite young she asked for some of the extra-thick gruel that
Willow was drinking to treat her own constipation.  Jenny drank the
entire cup; it turned out that she was having the same problem!

D IARRH EA ''%

Most healthy children occasionally suffer bouts of diarrhea; generally,
these bouts last only a day, if that.  Diarrhea may be due to having
eaten too fast or too much, or may be the result of a pesky flu.  Even
overexcitement can occasionally result in loose bowels.  With minor
cases (for instance, those that last only a day), it is sometimes
better to let nature run its course.  Diarrhea is one way in which the
body eliminates unwanted visitors, such as an intestinal flu virus or
badly digested food.

Even when diarrhea is severe or lasts longer than a day, it is rarely a
sign for alarm, since it can be quickly relieved with herbs.  A tea of
catnip, cinnamon, peppermint, slippery elm and raspberry or blackberry
leaves usually stops diarrhea.

Or you can use a tincture of blackberry root, an old backwoods favorite
for curing diarrhea.  Garlic also helps to rid the body of flu and
other viruses that can cause diarrhea.

Diarrhea Tea

3 cups water

1 teaspoon catnip leaves lA teaspoon each raspberry or blackberry
leaves, slippery elm bark and peppermint leaves

 teaspoon cinnamon bark powder r Combine ingredients and water in a
saucepan.  Bring mixture to a simmer, then remove it from heat.  Steep
for 15 minutes, then strain out herbs.  For a 50-pound child, give 1
cup every half-hour until the symptoms go away

Blackberries alone are a great diarrhea remedy for small children, as
they are not as potent as the blackberry root.  (Do not include the
blackberry seeds--they act as a bulk laxative.) If your child is
reluctant to take herbal remedies, you can easily disguise a diarrhea
remedy as food.  Simply combine blackberries, cinnamon and bananas into
a delicious smoothie.  Or sprinkle cinnamon on oatmeal or rice porridge
with bananas.

Blackberry Smoothie

 cup blackberryjuice (orjam)

1 banana

 teaspoon cinnamon bark vt Blend ingredients and serve.  Sweeten to
taste if needed.  Have the child drink as desired.

Rice Porridge

 cup rice

2 cups water

2/4 teaspoon powdered Oregon grape root  teaspoon cinnamon

Place rice and water in a saucepan and simmer for 30 minutes or until
very soft.  Using a blender, mix the cooked rice with the herbs.  The
porridge will become watery.  Serve child-size portions, with bananas
or a spoonful of blackberry jam, if you wish.  The cinnamon can be
mixed in or sprinkled on top.

The easy-to-make Slippery Elm Gruel on page 221 also works for
diarrhea.  (Although this may seem odd, herbalists have found that it
helps stop constipation because it adds bulk and that it counters
diarrhea because it is very absorbent.) Porridge, gruel and bananas not
only treat diarrhea, but also replace the nutrients so easily lost with
diarrhea.  In fact, rice porridge is traditionally fed to children with
diarrhea in many parts of the world.  Remember also to give your child
lots of fluids--children, especially tiny ones, can quickly become
dehydrated when suffering from diarrhea.

In most cases, diarrhea can easily be treated at home, but do not let
the situation get out of hand.  If the problem continues for more than
two days or if it keeps recurring, check your child's diet for foods
that do not agree with him, intestinal parasites or an unresolved
emotional trauma.  If there is a fever, which may indicate the presence
of infection, or other symptoms, consult your pediatrician before
continuing home treatment.

EARACH ES ,:

Middle-ear infection is one of the most common and troublesome
childhood health problems.  It is often a baby's first significant
illness, but it is not always easy to spot until the child becomes
irritable from the pain, develops a high fever or begins tugging at his
ear.

Chronic infections and the fear of hearing impairment can lead to a
near-endless stream of visits to the doctor.

Ear pain results in about one-third of all pediatrician visits for
children under six years old.

The eustachian tubes, which run from the ears to the throat, maintain
air pressure in and drain fluids from the middle ear, but also provide
an easy route for throat infections to travel to the ears.  Because
these tubes are so small in a child, swelling from infection or allergy
inhibits drainage and compounds the problem.  To treat this condition,
pediatricians generally prescribe antibiotics.  Eventually, if chronic
ear infections persist, a doctor will insert small draining tubes into
the child's ears.

There is, however, a more natural solution that I have seen work dozens
of times, often with children already scheduled to have the tubes
inserted: An oil of mullein flower and garlic dropped into the ear will
reduce inflammation, stop pain and kill bacterial infections.  Garlic
also attacks fungal infections, such as "swimmer's ear," that usually
occur in the outer ear.  Fungal infections are generally less serious
than bacterial infections, but they do cause lots of itching.  (Some
commercially available ear oils also include Saint-John's-wort and
calendula to decrease inflammation.)

Years ago, when I was living in the high desert of New Mexico, a local
naturopath asked if I knew where to get mullein oil.  His ten-year-old
daughter Kim's ear was so hot and swollen that she could not hear, and
he had already tried all the other natural remedies that were
available.  This was before anyone sold herbal ear drops.  Fortunately,
ade some oil.  During
the next two days, we watched as the oil dramatically reduced the
redness and swelling of Kim's ear.  After a few days, a sprouted bean,
the cause of all the trouble, popped out of her ear.  (Kim assured us
that she had no idea how it got there!) Kim's father continued to
administer the mullein for a few days, until all signs of infection had
disappeared.

Herbal ear drops are now sold in natural food stores.  Or if you can
properly identify mullein, you can make your own.  Glycerin is included
for a few reasons: It is the only natural product I know that cuts
earwax buildup (a problem often compounded by infection); it helps to
keep the drops in the ear (because it is slightly sticky); and it is an
excellent preservative.

Mullein and Garlic Ear Drops

1 ounce Homemade Mullein Oil (see below)

1 ounce Garlic Vinegar (see page 231) 1 teaspoon glycerin

Combine ingredients and stir well.

After making sure that the ear drops are warm enough not to cause any
discomfort, place 2 drops in each ear.  Then, gently rub around the
outside of the ear to work the drops in.

Homemade Mullein Oil

Fresh mullein flowers Olive oil to cover To make your own mullein oil,
you will need a source of fresh flowers to pick.  (Be sure to properly
identify any

WISDOM

herb you pick yourself.  Fortunately, once you are familiar with it,
mullein's tall taper of yellow flowers is easy to spot.) Place--but do
not pack--flowers in a clean glass jar.  Cover with just enough olive
oil to submerge all the flowers.  Stir the flowers to release any air
bubbles.

Place in a warm location, such as the top of a refrigerator or in the
sun, for about 3 days.  Then, pour it through a fine strainer.  Put 2
drops in each ear a few times daily during an infection, or once a day
as a preventive measure.

Stored in a cool place, this oil should last for 2 years.

Even if only one ear seems to be infected, treat both of them--these
herbs will also help to protect the well ear from the infection.  Be
careful not to touch the dropper to the infected ear first because this
can lead to the infection being transferred.  If your child has
recurring infections, herbal remedies can help diminish their frequency
and severity, but to cure them you must find and solve the source of
the problem.

Food allergies may be a cause, so you may want to ask your doctor about
testing.

Ear drops are not appropriate for serious ear problems--for instance,
if the eardrum is perforated or something is lodged inside the ear.

Although Kim's father used ear drops for her lodged bean, remember that
he is a qualified professional; if you have reason to believe that your
child's earache is due to a perforated eardrum, a lodged object or a
fever, consult a pediatrician immediately.

In cases of minor irritation, place a compress or poultice over the ear
or rub an antiseptic massage oil around the outside of the ear.

Antiseptic Ear Rub

 teaspoon each lavender and tea tree essential oils

1 tablespoon olive oil I. Combine the oils and store the mixture in a
clean glass bottle.  Lay the child down comfortably on her side and rub
the oil around the outside of her ear.  Use this treatment a few times
daily during an infection.

Onion Ear Poultice

 onion, chopped

 cup water

Heat ingredients in a pan and bring to a simmer, then turn off heat.

Wrap simmered onion in several layers of cheesecloth and apply this
poultice over the ear, leaving it there for at least 5 minutes.

The onion can be reheated and reapplied several times.  Do this as many
times as needed to ease the pain.  This old-fashioned technique is a
little messy, but useful when it is the only remedy on hand.

If your child's ear begins to hurt after he has been swimming or
bathing, there may be water trapped in the ear--and this condition can
be just as painful as an ear infection.  To evaporate the water and
ease the inflammation and resulting pain, place a drop or two of an
anti-inflammatory tincture, such as mullein flower, Saint-John's-wort
or chamomile, in the ear.  The alcohol in the tincture will dry up the
excess water in the ear, and the herb will reduce the swelling and the
pain.

FEVER

Fevers account for about one-third of all visits to pediatricians.

Most fevers are due to a simple cold or flu, but do not be too quick to
reduce your chfid's temperature.

According to David Lang, M.D chief of pediatrics at the University of
Maryland School of Medicine, "The body is wiser than we; we should-n't
interfere with normal body responses to illness just because we can."

Many pediatricians recommend staying calm and forcing a fever down only
if the thermometer reaches 103F (102for toddlers or 101for babies),
or if the child becomes too uncomfortable or exhausted.

Although a child's rising temperature can be scary, a child's fever,
unlike that of an adult, is not always a true indication of the
severity of the problem.

According to the National Institutes of Health, a government agency
based in Rockville, Maryland, a parent's biggest concern is that a high
fever will produce seizures, but these are uncommon--they are estimated
to occur in only 4 percent of the children who experience a very high
fever--and rarely occur in children over five years old.  They are
caused not by the severity of the fever, but by how quickly it rises.

Any high fever in an infant warrants a call to a pediatrician, who will
tell you whether the fever is cause for concern.

When you do need to reduce your child's temperature, serve a tea of
elder and yarrow (with peppermint added for flavor).  This blend also
relieves the sinus and lung congestion that so often accompanies colds
and flus.  The skin may feel hotter temporarily as these herbs increase
circulation, but the child will soon begin to sweat and her fever
should break.  Do not be surprised if her temperature rises again in
the evening; it often does.  If this happens, give your child more
tea.

If you use a tincture of these herbs instead of tea, dilute it in hot
water to make an instant tea and have the child drink it hot.  If you
cannot get the child to drink tea, cool the tea and apply it as a cold
wash to her skin (this is not nearly as effective, however, as having
the child drink it).

Fever Tea

2 cups water

/5 teaspoon each elder flowers, yarrow flowers, peppermint leaves and
hyssop leaves (if fever is accompanied by a cold, fin or cough) '- Pour
boiling water over herbs, steep for 10 minutes, then strain out
herbs.

Give your child as much hot tea as she will drink.  This tea can be
mixed with an equal amount of fruit juice or lemon water, which also
helps to reduce a fever.

One advantage to using herbs to reduce fever is that you probably do
not have to worry about Reye's Syndrome, an often deadly illness that
can occur from simply giving a child with the flu some aspirin to bring
down her fever.

There are no reports of Reye's Syndrome developing from the use of
herbs that contain natural aspirins (salicylates), such as willow and
meadowsweet.

A feverish child needs to drink plenty of liquids to keep from becoming
dehydrated.  Ginger ale is a good bet.

Even today, I remember how much I enjoyed ginger ale when I was sick as
a kid!

Besides reducing fever, ginger fights the germs that cause a cold or
flu, and helps relieve such cold and flu symptoms as a queasy stomach
and congestion.  It also helps eliminate toxins produced in the body
during a cold or flu.  You can buy a healthy version of ginger ale from
the natural food store, or you can make your own.

Natural Ginger Ale

1 teaspoon thinly sliced fresh ginger rhizome (or A teaspoon ginger
powder) 1 teaspoon red raspberry leaves 3 cups water

1 cup carbonated water

1 lemon slice t Combine herbs and plain water in a saucepan and bring
to a boil.  Turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove from
heat and steep for 10 minutes.

Strain out herbs.  Add carbonated water and lemon just before
serving.

FOOD ALLERGIES :. '-.

Allergies occur when an unchecked immune system misidentifies and
attacks innocent substances in the body.  Children's allergies can be
the result of many factors, and it is far better to correct the cause
of the problem than simply to relieve the symptoms (for instance, a
stuffy nose or upset stomach).  In the case of food allergies, the
cause is most likely undigested proteins, such as those found in milk,
eggs, some processed foods and even wheat.  The more a child eats foods
to which he is allergic, the worse the allergy usually becomes.

Unfortunately, the very foods that children like the most are often the
ones to which they are allergic.

A food allergy can produce many symptoms.  The most common are
digestive disturbances such as upset stomach, constipation and
diarrhea.  But sinus congestion, hives, headaches, earaches and
bedwetting--seemingly unrelated problems--can also be caused by
allergies.

While stress and fatigue both encourage allergic reactions, they can
also be symptoms of allergic reactions.  Others include "growing pains"
and even some learning and attention deficit disorders (see
"Hyperactivity" on page 229), although conventional physicians
generally do not accept that these problems might be caused by food
allergies.

One survey of English children who suffered frequent headaches showed
that most experienced fewer and less severe headaches when they stopped
eating certain foods, particularly eggs, dairy products and wheat.

Researchers at Georgetown University believe that food allergies are
also responsible for many children's ear problems.  Most of the
children they studied with chronic ear infections also had food
allergies.  The allergies usually cleared up when the offending foods
were eliminated from the children's diets, and the ear problems
returned when the children started eating these foods again.

The first step is to remove the foods that cause the allergic
reaction.

Them is a blood test, available through many holisitically and
nutritionally oriented physicians, that checks sensitivities to 96
commonly eaten foods.  You can also try to figure out the culprits
yourself.  Eliminate questionable foods from your child's diet, then
add them back one at a time while watching for adverse reactions.

Symptoms may reappear in a few hours, but allergic reactions to food
may be delayed for several hours or even until the next day.  For this
reason, you should wait a day or two after reintroducing each food item
into the diet.  It is easy to see why food allergies often go
undetected; it is difficult to imagine that yesterday's ice cream is
causing today's headache.

If you're a nursing mom, try changing your diet.  The La Leche League,
a national organization that advocates breastfeeding, recommends that
nursing mothers who are seeking to reduce a baby's digestive problems
start by avoiding chocolate, hot spices, peanuts, sugar and foods such
as cabbage, which are high in sulfur.

You can also reduce the likelihood of your child having future allergic
reactions by giving him herbs that balance the immune sytem, decrease
inflammation and soothe indigestion.  Chamomile and marshmallow perform
all three of these roles, peppermint and ginger aid digestion and
decrease inflammation, and echinacea provides the immune system with
discretion in dealing with foreign substances.  You will probably not
see the effects of these herbs immedi-lately, since it usually takes
time to correct food allergies, but they are safe for long-term use.

Allergy Tea 2 cups water A teaspoon each echinacea root and marshmallow
root 1 teaspoon chamomileflowers teaspoon peppermint leaf 1/4 teaspoon
ginger rhizome - Combine water and echinacea and marshmallow roots in a
saucepan and simmer for about 5 minutes.  Turn off heat and add
remaining ingredients.

Steep for 15 minutes, then strain out herbs.  For a 50-pound child,
give 1 to 2 cups daily.  These herbs can also be used as tinc-tures;
for a 50-pound child, give 1/2 to 1 dropperful (30-60 drops) daily.

Hives, the rashlike skin bumps that can drive kids crazy with itching,
are another symptom of food allergy.  To stop the itching, sponge the
child's skin with a warm herbal wash.  If that does not provide enough
relief, apply an herbal poultice.

Even children who normally object to having a poultice smeared on their
skin often accept anything that relieves the discomfort of hives.  When
these herbs are not available, try a hot bath or shower.

Hives Skin Wash 1 cup boiling water 1 teaspoon each calendulaflowers,
chamomile flowers, echinacea root, elder flowers and yarrow flowers 3
tablespoons bahing soda t Pour boiling water over herbs and steep for
15 minutes, then strain out herbs.  Stir in baking soda.  Apply to
irritated skin with a soft cloth or a sponge until itching is
reduced.

Hives Skin Poultice ,4 cup Hives Skin Wash 3 tablespoons bentonite clay
1 tablespoon slippery elm bark powder - Stir all ingredients into a
paste.  Let set 5 minutes to thicken.  Apply to irritated skin with
fingers or a tongue depressor.

Let dry on skin and do not remove for at least 30 minutes.  Wash off.

My friend's son Ethin complained of headaches so often that I suspected
that he had food allergies.  Whenever I heard him say he had a
headache, I asked him what he had eaten a few hours earlier.

Before long, that question made him smile sheepishly because the answer
was always the same: ice cream, candy or other sweets.

When he was ten years old, Ethin once spent the night at my house after
a holiday meal.  He had just fallen asleep when he awoke with an
unbearably itchy rash on his arms and chest that was quickly turning
into raised welts and spreading all over his body.  It was too late to
do anything about the particular foods that caused this reaction, but I
knew that herbs could stop the itching.

Ethin took a cool shower (showing just how uncomfortable he must have
been!), then I spread the skin paste on his hives.

The itching did not stop right away, so I had to distract him from
scratching off the medicine, but he slowly began to relax as the
itching subsided.  I gave him some Calming Tea (see page 237), and he
was finally able to drift off to sleep.  By morning, all traces of the
hwes were gone.

You should be aware that hives and rashes that appear shortly after
ingesting a substance to which you are allergic can mark the beginning
stages of a serious medical emergency.  If a child's allergic reaction
progresses rapidly to what looks like a total body response--with
redness and difficulty breathing--get medical help immediately.  Don't
try to treat this kind of thing yourself.

HYPERACTIVITY

So far, no one has been able to pinpoint the cause of hyperactivity, or
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).  Current research points to physical
rather than psychological causes, possibly problems with brain
chemistry and a connection to prenatal trauma.  For reasons unknown,
ADD affects ten times more boys than girls.  But In the French
countryside, a tea made of linden flowers is traditionally given to
children to calm them down in the afternoons.

CHILDREN S HEALTH

ADD can be treated--I have seen a number of hyperactive children
dramatically change behavior when their parents instituted a
comprehensive program that included herbs, a change in diet, avoiding
potential allergic substances and counseling, usually for the whole
family.

Pediatrician and allergist Ben Feingold, M.D found that hyperactive
children improved when synthetic food colorings, milk, chocolate, sugar
and certain preservatives were eliminated from their diets.

As any parent with a hyperactive child knows, a child who suffers from
this condition can be quite a handful.  It might not be so bad if these
children were simply lively, but they are easily distracted, unable to
concentrate, have a tendency to act impulsively and become aggressive
without apparent reason.  Parents may hesitate to take their
hyperactive child anywhere, and teachers constantly struggle to get the
child to concentrate.  Such children are routinely given drugs such as
methylphenidate, which can have serious long-term effects, including a
drugged, docile state, appetite and weight loss, insomnia and an
irregular heartbeat.

Natural treatments for hyperactivity are much more popular in Europe
than they are in North America.  The Germans have treated hyperactive
children with valerian since the 1970s.

In one German study, more than 100 hyperactive children experienced
improved learning skills, muscle coordination and reaction time after
only a few weeks of taking valerian.  They were also less anxious, less
aggressive, less restless and less fearful.  Even more amazing, over 25
percent of these children recovered completely Because valerian has an
unpleasant taste, you should administer valerian-based formulas in
tincture form.  Another European remedy for hyperactivity is catnip,
which contains compounds similar to those in valerian.  Linden flower
tea is a traditional afternoon drink given to French country children
to settle them down.

Linden is not widely available as a tincture, but it is sold in natural
food stores and even in many grocery stores as a French or an English
herb tea.

Hyperactivity [incture

1 teaspoon tincture of valerian rhizome iA teaspoon each tinctures of
catnip leaves and passionflower leaves

1/4 teaspoon each tinctures of peppermint leaves and linden flowers (if
available) - Combine ingredients.  For a 50-pound child, give half a
dropperful several times a day When children at the London Children's
Hyperactive Clinic took evening primrose off, they were much less
hyperactive, and two-thirds of them experienced fewer nightmares.

Evening primrose oil is better known for successfully treating
premenstrual syndrome (PMS), but the clinic has found a possible link
between hyperactivity and PMS, and even alcoholism--problems that many
hyperactive children eventually develop and that seem to run in their
families.  Researchers believe that this connection is due to an
overproduction of certain hormonelike substances in the body called
prostaglandins, which are reduced by evening primrose oil.  This oil is
sold in natural food stores only in capsules; to adjust the recommended
dosage on the package for your child, use Clark's Rule (see page
207).

While herbal treatments can reduce hyperactivity, children benefit most
when dietary changes are also part of their program.  Both the New York
Institute for Child Development and Princeton's Brain-Bio Center are
investigating the relationship of food and food additives, such as
nitrates and food dyes, to children's behavioral and learning
imbalances.

Over half the hyperactive children treated at the Pain and Stress
Therapy Center in San Antonio, Texas, began to function more normally
when sugar and caffeine (which is present in colas and other soft
drinks) were removed from their diets and they were given nutritional
supplements such as magnesium and vitamins C and the B-complex,
especially Be.

INTESTINAL PARASITES

Although not a frequent topic of discussion, intestinal parasites are a
common cause of digestive disturbances in children.

Intestinal invaders such as pinworms are easily passed from one person
to another through careless hygiene.

Pinworms are the most common parasite in children living in temperate
climates, which includes most of the United States.  These worms can
cause anal itching, but they often produce no symptoms at all; many
people are therefore unaware of them and never treat them.  Today,
another parasite, giardia, is becoming more and more common, not only
near rivers and lakes in North America, but also in many day-care
centers!  Giardia is believed to interfere with the digestion of fats;
it manifests itself in diarrhea, cramps, belching and weight loss.

A number of culinary herbs can be used to kill intestinal parasites.

Ginger has long been used in eastern Africa for this purpose.

Researchers discovered that all 42 components in ginger essential oil
kill roundworms, among other parasites.

Some of these compounds were more effective than the commonly
prescribed drug piperazine citrate.  Various studies show that thyme
and summer savory destroy hookworms and roundworms, and that rosemary,
chamomile, elecampane and gentian kill many types of intestinal worms
and also decrease intestinal inflammation.

Intestinal Parasite Tea

/5 teaspoon chamomile flowers

,5 teaspoon each elecampane root, ginger rhizome, rosemary leaves and
thyme leaves 3 cups water w Combine herbs and water in a saucepan.

Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and steep for at least 30
minutes.

Strain out herbs.  For a 50-pound child, give at least 1 cup per day
until parasites are gone (you may have to take your child to the doctor
to be sure).

One of the best herbal preventive measures and treatments for the whole
family, including pets, is garlic.  It deters all sorts of intestinal
problems, including pinworms, giardia and even intestinal

CHILDREN S H E A l.T H

flu.  If your kids will not eat garlic in any form, you can cut a
garlic clove in half and rub it on the soles of their feet.  This may
sound like some sort of agricultural ritual, but it is actually a valid
way of taking garlic.  Although it is less effective than eating it, in
this way garlic is absorbed through the skin and enters the
bloodstream.  Try it yourself (when you are not going to a dinner
party), and you will taste garlic on your breath in less than 30
minutes.

Garlic Vinegar

4 garlic heads, divided into individual cloves

1 pint apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey or glycerin (optional) ', Using a blender, blend the
unpeeled garlic cloves and vinegar thoroughly Transfer the mixture to a
covered container and let sit at room temperature for at least 2
weeks.

Strain and discard the garlic.  If you wish to sweeten the vinegar, add
honey, glycerin or the sweetener of your choice.  (Remember that honey
should not be given to children under 2 years old.) To treat parasites
for a 50-pound child, give at least 3 teaspoons daily You can also use
this formula now and then as a preventive measure.  This versatile
preparation is good to have around to treat many different
conditions.

Stored in a cool place, it will keep for many years.

Although herbs are effective in destroying intestinal parasites, they
need to be combined with fibrous, raw vegetables to help move things
out of the intestine (carrots are a good choice--they contain a
compound that kills worms).

In fact, parasites often take up residence when a poor diet has
weakened the digestive process.  You should also avoid giving your
child foods that worms thrive on: starchy products, sugar and milk
products.  After three days, flush everything out with the Laxative
Juice and Psyllium Juice suggested for constipation (see pages 220 and
221).  To deter reinfestation, repeat the treatment in a week and again
after another week.

To improve intestinal health, look for ways you can improve your
child's diet, especially by reducing sweets and starchy foods.  Since
constipation impairs intestinal health and tone, if your child has been
subject to this condition, use the children's remedies suggested for
constipation in this chapter.

SORE [H ROAT, CONGESTION

	AND SWOLLEN GLANDS

When your child complains of a sore throat, cough or stuffy
nose--whether due to tonsillitis, laryngitis, a cold or flu--herbal
remedies can come to the rescue.  Steaming with herbs or applying a
vapor balm brings pain relief, fights infection, and relieves sinus and
lung congestion.  A sore throat can be treated with an herbal cough
syrup, and swollen neck glands can be reduced if wrapped with a neck
compress.

Perhaps you have noticed how much easier it is to breathe in a warm,
steamy shower when your lungs or sinuses are congested.  This is
because the steam itself opens constricted air passages.  To relieve a
sore throat, combat infection and reduce sinus and lung congestion, you
can have your child steam with essential offs of eucalyptus, tea tree
or the children's favorite, lavender.  These same essential offs can
also be added to a bath or put into a commercial humidifier (first make
sure they won't harm your machine).  When steaming is impracti-cal-say,
while traveling--use one of the herbal nasal inhalers sold in natural
food stores, or place one drop of essential oil on a cloth, cover your
child's nose and have her inhale.

Herbal Steam 1 quart water 3 drops eucalyptus, tea tree or lavender
essential oil t Heat water in a pot until it boils.  Remove from
heat.

Add essential oil.  Place child's face over the steaming pot, put a
towel over the back of the child's head and tuck the ends around the
pan to create a mini-sauna.  Caution: Make sure that the steam is not
too hot--it should be comfortable for the child.  And make sure she
keeps her eyes closed so that the essential oils do not sting.  Some
children think steaming is fun, but others will object.

If so, it may help to eliminate the towel.  What is important is to
have the child breathe the steam twice a day, or as needed.

Covering your child's chest and throat with a vapor rub of these same
herbs is another way to reduce congestion, fight infection and increase
blood circulation in the chest area.  If you read the label on any
commercial vapor balm, you will notice that it contains components of
many antiseptic essential oils, including thymol (from thyme), menthol
(from mint) and eucalyptol (from eucalyptus).

You can buy a commercial balm that contains these essential oils at the
natural food store, or you can make your own.  Once you apply the Vapor
Rub, you can increase its warmth and action by laying a warm piece of
flannel on your child's chest.

Vapor Rub

/4 teaspoon eucalyptus essential oil

,5 teaspoon each peppermint and thyme essential oils

,4 cup olive oil

,"t Combine ingredients in a glass bottle.

Shake well.  Gently massage onto chest and throat.

A sore throat can also be soothed with preparations of licorice and
slippery elm.  To stop your child's coughing, add anise, peppermint or
eucalyptus to these treatments.  As useful as coughing is to breaking
up congestion, it can interfere with breathing or sleeping and can
irritate the throat.  The herbs discussed above are thought to work by
suppressing the brain's cough reflex.  As an added benefit, they are
also antihistamines (which relieve sinus and lung congestion).

Two more herbs, rose hips and lemon grass, provide the "anti-infection"
vitamins C and A, respectively These herbs can be taken as tea, but
cough syrup or lozenges will work better to soothe your child's sore or
ticklish throat, since they coat the throat.  You can purchase herbal
cough syrups and lozenges at natural food stores and most drugstores.

Or you can make your own herbal cough syrup.

CHILDREN"S HEALTH

Soothing Cough Syrup

1 tablespoon each licorice root, mullein leaves, thyme leaves, rose
hips, slippery elm bark and lemongrass leaves

1 quart water

,4- 5 cup rice syrup or fruit syrup (or honey, for children who are at
least 2 years old) - Bring herbs and water to a boil in a large
uncovered saucepan.  Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 30
minutes.

Strain out herbs.  Return to heat and simmer, then turn off heat.

While still warm, stir in syrup or honey Let cool.  Give a suffering
child 1 tablespoon, as needed.

Store in the refrigerator.

Inspired by the Chinese honeyed licorice, I have developed a recipe for
soft Honeyed Licorice Sticks that children can suck on.  These are so
good that you will need to remind your child that the licorice stick is
medicine and not candy; limit him or her to an inch or two a day

Honeyed Licorice Sticks

/5 cup water

2 pieces of licorice root, about 5 inches long (available at natural
food store) 1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon lemon extract or 5 drops lemon essential oil (optional)

,t Place water, licorice and honey in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Turn down heat and simmer 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add the
extract or essential oil, if desired, and let sit 5 minutes.

Strain out sticks and let cool.  Store in refrigerator.  Note: Remember
not to give honey to children under 2 years old.

You can also do what Don does for his nine-year-old daughter, Libby
After taking a number of my classes, he learned how to make all sorts
of elaborate herbal concoctions.  However, when he or Libby comes down
with a sore throat, he sticks to his tried-and-true method: sage tea.

He learned of this treatment during his vagabond days traveling across
the United States.  A man offered to drive him to Don's next location,
and Don's throat was so sore that he could barely manage a "thank
you."

The stranger told Don that a tea of common garden sage would soothe his
throat.  It worked so well that Don never forgot this simple remedy
Because this tea is fairly bitter, he sweetens it with a little honey
before giving it to Libby; she readily drinks it, knowing that her sore
throat will soon be gone.  You probably already have some sage in your
kitchen spice rack.

Sage Tea

1 cup boiling water

1 teaspoon garden sage leaves

,4 teaspoon honey (optional)

Pour boiling water over leaves and steep for 15 minutes.  Sweeten with
honey to taste (remember not to give honey to children under 2 years of
age).

For a 50-pound child, give at least half a cup (if she wants more,
that's perfectly okay).

Although incidences of whooping cough, an infectious illness marked by
a spasmodic, convulsive cough often followed by a noisy intake of
breath, have greatly decreased with the advent of a vaccination against
it, some children still contract this bacterial disease.  According to
the Merck Manual, the United States began seeing more cases of whooping
cough in the 1980s, and in the early 1990s an epidemic of whooping
cough spread through parts of the Pacific Northwest, hitting children
who had been fully vaccinated as well as those who had not been.  The
Manual also says that the disease is rarely serious in children over
two years old, but the characteristic high-pitched, "whooplike" cough
is enough to worry any parent.  For whooping cough, follow the
treatments suggested for coughs in general.  Be sure to use the Vapor
Rub (see page 233), since thyme has long been considered an effective
treatment for whooping cough.

STOMACHACHE,

COLIC

AND NAUSEA

Stomachaches are probably the most common health problem for children;
fortunately, they are usually one of the easiest to treat.  However, if
indigestion is a recurring theme with your child, investigate the
cause.  The problem may be obvious (for instance, the child may have
binged on candy) or more elusive.  Other possibilities to consider
include bacterial infection, parasites, poor diet--including an excess
of refined foods--and food allergies.

Colic, which cramps the intestines and makes babies cranky and
irritable, is often attributed to an immature digestive system.  But
since colic often disappears when the baby's diet (or a breastfeeding
mother's diet) is changed, some doctors suspect that food allergies
also play a part.

Lemon balm, catnip, caraway, fennel, dill and chamomile resolve most
digestive upsets.  These gentle and tasty herbs soothe stomachache and
gas pains.

Kids readily drink chamomile tea when reminded that Peter Rabbit's mom
gave it to him after he ate too much, too quickly, while in Mr.
McGregor's garden.  For centuries, Indian and Lebanese mothers have
given their babies dill, and Chinese mothers have traditionally used
fennel to ease colic and gas.  Nineteenth-century European children
were given a syrup of these seeds that was called Gripe Water.

Another nineteenth-century indigestion treatment, which is still sold
in Europe today, contains fennel, chamomile, caraway, coriander and
orange peel.

In a study conducted in Israel, researchers gave infants bottles of
chamomile, fennel and lemon balm sweetened with licorice to see if it
would really relieve their colic.  As any mom who knows her herbs could
have predicted, more than half the babies stopped crying and fussing
soon after drinking the tea, while most of the infants given plain
water continued to fret.

The scientists who conducted the study believe that this tea relieves
muscle spasms in the digestive tract, which are caused when a baby
swallows air while feeding.

In the beginning, I mentioned the creative stories my friend Jennifer
told her children to get them to take herbal remedies.  In one of
these, Grandma Bunny gives her grandkids a tummy tea of fennel, catnip
and chamomile.  A com

Dill pickles make a tasty snack, but the herb is also effective for
lulling small children to sleep.

bination of chamomile, peppermint and red clover is another favorite.

If your child likes basil on pasta or cinnamon on oatmeal, you are in
luck.  Like most culinary herbs, these help to improve digestion.

Peter Rabbit's Tea

2 cups boiling water

1 teaspoon each chamomileflowers and lemon balm leaves

% teaspoon each catnip leaves and fennel or dill seeds

- Pour boiling water over herbs and steep for 10 minutes.  Strain out
herbs and allow to cool.  Have your ailing child sip this tea as
needed.  Sometimes as little as 1/4 cup spells relief.

This tea is a wonderful multipurpose treatment that can be used to
address digestion problems as well as the stress and anxiety that can
cause these problems.  For colic, give your baby Peter Rabbit's Tea,
diluted with an equal amount of water in a bottle, before or after
eating.  Most babies will need only 1/8 to i/4 cup of the diluted
tea.

You can also try the Tummy Rub Oil suggested below.

Do not overlook the possibility of emotional stress as a source of any
digestive problem.  Just like adults, children easily transfer
unresolved problems and stress into physical ailments such as an upset
stomach or bowel irregularities.

Most parents know this, but they do not always realize that situations
that may seem trivial to them can be quite disturbing for a child.  A
tea of lemon balm, chamomile, catnip and dill (see Peter Rabbit's Tea
on page 235) soothes frayed nerves and anxiety.  Because children with
indigestion are often cranky, they sometimes refuse to drink even a
tasty herbal tea.  If this is the case with your child, try an herbal
bath or tummy massage, which are soothing and help to eliminate gas
pains.  You can use essential oils such as lemongrass, orange and
chamomile, which have calming fragrances, in either the bath or massage
oil.

Child's Indigestion Bath

2 drops lemongrass essential oil

1 drop each orange and chamomile essential oils

*..  Add essential oils directly to bath water.  Stir to distribute on
water's surface before child gets into the tub.

Tummy Rub Oil

6 drops lemongrass essential oil

1 drop each chamomile and fennel essential oils

2 ounces vegetable oil

Mix ingredients together.  Rub on every hour, or as needed.  (In this
formula, I've used lemongrass instead of lemon balm, which is very
expensive but is also very effective.)

Peppermint Tea for Nausea

1 cup boiling water

1 teaspoon peppermint leaves ePour boiling water over leaves and let
sit for about 5 minutes.  Strain out herbs and serve at least half a
cup.  If you Nausea is another digestion-related problem.  Children are
especially prone to becoming nauseated while in a moving vehicle,
probably because their inner ear structure is so small that the
irregular swaying back and forth disturbs the fluid-filled canals in
the middle ear.  The ear tells the brain that the body is moving, but
the eyes say that it isn't.  This conflict of information confuses the
brain and causes dizziness and nausea.  That's why activities like
reading or playing lap games while traveling can prompt motion sickness
more easily than looking out the window.  In fact, a simple solution
for "travel nausea" is to watch the landscape go by This convinces the
eyes that the inner ear is correct: The body is moving.

Nausea responds to a simple tea of peppermint, or even sucking on a
peppermint candy.  Peppermint often prevents vomiting, although not in
the case of food poisoning or when the stomach really needs to be
evacuated.

can't find fresh peppermint leaves, you can use commercial peppermint
tea bags or even peppermint candy instead.

Another tasty herb that settles the stomach of a nauseated child is
ginger.  A good way to give a child ginger is by having him drink
ginger ale or eat candied ginger, both of which are easy to carry in a
car or boat.  Sliced, crystallized ginger is sold in the Chinese food
section of many grocery stores.  If your child feels too ill to eat
anything, try the Tummy Rub Oil on page 236.

STRESS, HEADACHES

AND INSOMNIA

Children are subject to stress as much as adults are, perhaps even more
so; situations that wouldn't faze an adult often push a child over the
edge.  We tend not to think of children as being tense, so it may come
as a surprise that about 20 percent of North American children suffer
from serious tension headaches or migraines.  Tension is thought to
cause the majority of children's headaches and insomnia.

Most parents expect children to be nervous before recitals or tests at
school, overexcited about trips or filled with dread when going to the
dentist.  For some children, though, these emotional states are
overwhelming.  If nervousness or anxiety seem to come out of nowhere or
if your child continually reacts inappropriately for his age, chances
are that you have already sought professional help.  But if you do not
know where to turn, ask your child's school counselor or the local
public health facility for resources.

A bit of quiet time and a comforting talk with a trusted adult or some
"quality time" with a favorite stuffed animal or pet is often all that
a child needs to overcome a stressful moment.  A calming cup of tea can
also help, and the best choice of herbs for that tea are relaxants such
as chamomile, catnip and lemon balm, which soothe pain, nervousness,
tension and headaches and even put an over-stimulated, cranky child to
sleep.  A cup or two of the same tea will also calm the frayed nerves
of a worn-out parent!

At a Christmas party I went to one year, I met Maryanne, a spry
85-year-old German emigre with plenty of interesting stories to tell.

She told me how she was introduced to herbs at an early age.  Each
night, Maryanne's mother would give each of her nine children a cup of
chamomile tea before bed to calm them down.  When the family
emigrated--first to Russia, where Maryanne was born, then to the United
States, where they settled in Montana--the tradition of an evening cup
of chamomile was continued.  To this day, Maryanne still drinks
chamomile tea when she wants to relax.

Calming Tea

2,5 teaspoon each catnip leaves, chamomile flowers, passionflower
leaves and lemon balm leaves

,4 teaspoon peppermint leaves

2 cups water et Place herbs and water in a saucepan and bring to a
simmer.  Remove from heat; steep for 15 minutes and strain out herbs.

Give this tea freely, as needed.

European children of past centuries were given herb-stuffed "dilly"
pillows to send them off to dreamland--these pillows work just as well
on modern children and even knock out many adults.  Heads begin to nod
from simply smelling hops, lavender and dill, while chamomile and thyme
help prevent nightmares.  If you think this is too simple to be true,
just try it yourself.  Even I was at first amazed at how well it
works.

Scientific research in the field of aromatherapy shows that the smell
of hops encourages sleep and that lavender is sedating.

Dilly Pillow

5-inch by lO-inch piece of cloth

Equal parts lavender flowers, hops strobiles, chamomile flowers and
dill seeds - Fold the cloth in half (so that it measures 5 inches by 5
inches) and sew the edges, leaving an inch open.  Combine the herbs and
stuff them into the pillow, then sew the edge closed.  Slip this pillow
inside the child's pillowcase, and she will soon drift off to sleep.

A warm bath or a massage can also relax a child.  Most children enjoy
the emotionally relaxing fragrances of lavender, chamomile and
marjoram, which you can combine with one drop of ylang-ylang.  Don't
hesitate to give your child a massage.  You don't need to know any
fancy techniques; gentle, circular motions can be most effective.

Remember, though, that children can be very ticklish!

Relaxing Children's Massage Oil 3 drops lavender essential oil 2 drops
orange essential oil

1 drop chamomile essential oil

1 drop ylang-ylang essential oil (optional) 2 ounces almond oil (or any
light vegetable oil)

t Combine ingredients.  Use for massage as needed.

Relaxing Bath

2 drops lavender essential oil

1 drop each orange and chamomile essential oils

1 drop ylang-ylang essential oil (optional) - Add oils directly to bath
and stir to distribute.

To relieve a headache, place a cool lavender compress on the forehead
or over the eyes.  Some children also like a warm or cool compress on
the back of the neck.  You can also serve your child Calming Tea and,
if needed, give him a relaxing bath.  Remember, though, that while the
herbal treatments are good for temporary relief, it is also important
to address underlying physiological or psychological problems.

Recurring headaches are a common symptom of allergies, especially to
food, and as with any health problem, it is essential to combat the
cause as well as to relieve the symptoms.  (If food allergies are
present, follow the suggestions given in "Food Allergies" on page 226.)
If your child suffers from persistent and recurring headaches, or if
his headache was caused by a blow to the head or accom

'7

panied by a high fever, have the child examined by a doctor to rule out
some less obvious disorder.

Headache Compress

8 drops lavender essential oil

1 cup water Soft cloth

- Add essential oil to water and soak a soft cloth in the mixture.

Wring excess water from the cloth, then fold and apply it directly over
the eyes or forehead or to the back of the neck.

SUGAR BLUES

You will not find sugar blues listed in any medical books, and recent
research has offered conflicting evidence about the link between sugar
consumption and a child's moodiness.  Still, many parents and teachers
often complain that too many sweets make children irritable.  In a
study in which children were fed an amount of sugar equal to that in
two frosted cupcakes, the young subjects felt weak and shaky afterward
and found it difficult to concentrate or to remain in their seats.  The
children also responded differently to sugar than adults do.  Like
adults, their blood sugar levels increased, but unlike adults, their
adrenaline levels also increased--an average of ten times higher than
normal.  No wonder they got the nervous jitters!

If you give an adult-size portion of sugar to a child, the effect is
much stronger than it would be on an adult.

Clark's Rule (see page 207) can be ap plied to colas and sweets as well
as to doses of medicine.  I'll do the math for you.  Let's say your
family goes out for ice cream cones and everyone gets a
double-decker.

According to Clark's Rule, for your 75-pound fifth-grader, eating this
cone will be the equivalent of your eating 4 scoops; for your 25-pound
tyke, it will be like eating 12 scoops.  And sugar is not the only
problem.  Most parents wouldn't think of giving their child coffee, but
colas and other carbonated soft drinks are loaded with caffeine (as
well as sugar).  For a child, one can of a cf-feinted soft drink is
equal to an entire cup of coffee for an adult.  You can also figure in
the eight teaspoons of sugar in the typical 12-ounce can of soda!

Sweet-tasting herbs such as licorice, hibiscus, rose hips and stevia
provide a healthy alternative and can replace at least some sweets.

Unlike sugar, they will not affect a child's blood sugar level in the
slightest.  In its native Paraguay, stevia, which is even sweeter than
sugar, is used to keep blood sugar levels stable.  Peppermint and
spearmint are all-time children's favorites.  Children also tend to
like the sweet and fruity taste of herbs like lemongrass and lemon
balm, and the spiciness of cinnamon, ginger and anise.  Sarsaparilla
and wintergreen taste like root beer.  According to studies from the
University of Michigan, parents can help curtail the development of a
sweet tooth by not dispensing sweetened foods to begin with.  Children
under two years old are attracted to sweets, but as they grow older,
their desire for sugar is based on how much they had as infants.

Herbal Root Beer 2 teaspoons sarsaparilla root i teaspoon each licorice
root, wintergreen leaves and stevia leaves (optional) lA teaspoon
cinnamon barb 2 cups water 1 quart carbonated water Simmer herbs in the
plain water in an uncovered pan for 10 minutes, then remove from
heat.

Cover the pan and let cool.  Strain out herbs, add carbonated water and
serve.  For variety, you can use flavored carbonated water.  Because
stevia is sometimes hard to find, it is optional.

Kid's Herbal Punch 2 cups boiling water 1 teaspoon each
hibiscusflowers, lemon grass leaves and rose hips 1,5 teaspoon
spearmint leaves - Pour boiling water over herbs and steep for 10
minutes.  Strain out herbs and let cool.  This punch is tasty when
mixed with apple juice.

Although this is not exactly an herbal success story, it did impress
upon me the importance of offering children herbal alternatives to
sweets, such as the herbal root beer described above.  When I was
employed as a teaching assistant for second-graders, I worked with
"problem'' children.  I needed to be especially patient with Renee,
whose attention span lasted only a couple of minutes, and Malcolm, who
simply could not stay in his seat, no matter what I did or said.  It
was only after I posed an addition problem to Renee, using the foods
she ate, that I realized her diet was based on sugar: a doughnut and
sweetened juice for breakfast (if anything at all); Twinkies for lunch;
cookies, soda pop and a hot dog with ketchup after school; and cake or
cookies for dinner.  That started me wondering about Malcolm's diet.

When quizzed, he admitted that he shunned everything but sweets.  He
was so difficult to discipline, his mother said, that she always gave
up and allowed him to have whatever he wanted.  I was, of course,
unable to instill changes at home, but when a school breakfast and
lunch program was instituted, I noticed a dramatic change not only in
Malcolm and Renee but also in other children in the classroom.  Almost
overnight, their concentration improved.  (My j oh also improved; I was
able to focus more on education and less on discipline.)

TEETHING PAIN

Because a baby's first four front teeth are so sharp, they tend to
appear without much fanfare (when the baby is about six months old).

The arrival of fiat lars a month or two later is a different sto If
your baby experiences pains from teething, give her a bottle of Calming
Tea (see page 237) diluted with an equal amount of water, then rub the
baby's gums with a clove teething oil.

Your child will probably also enjoy a hard teething biscuit to gnaw
on--try a mini-bagel.  If teething is accompanied by a fever, also give
a bottle of Fever Tea (see page 226), diluted with an equal amount of
water.

Be sure to dilute the clove essential oil first or you may end up with
a wailing baby who is screaming more from the treatment than from the
teething pain!  One time when I was buying groceries, I saw a woman
with a fretting baby open a bottle of clove bud essential oil that she
had just bought.  "Oh no," I thought, anticipating her next move.

Before I could reach her to warn her of the consequences, she had
slathered her baby's gums with the essential oil.  Of course, the baby
began to scream.

Joan signed up for my six-month herbal apprenticeship program but
missed the first weekend with one of the best excuses I have heard--she
was in labor.  Joan arrived at our next class with three-week-old
Nathaniel, so it was no surprise that for the special project I had
assigned her she chose to create an herbal kit for babies.  One herbal
recipe that came in especially handy was her Gummy Rub, which, like my
Teething Off, contains clove essential oil diluted in vegetable oil.

Joan was surprised to see the dramatic change in her happy, mild baby
when he started teething.  But, of course, she was prepared.  After the
first application, it took only a few minutes for Nathaniel to calm
down.

Teething Oil

4 drops clove bud essential oil

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

- Combine ingredients.  Try this out on your own gums first and adjust
formula accordingly, keeping in mind that a baby's gums are much more
sensitive than yours.

	CHILDREN 	S 	HEALTH 	

"I-H RUSH 	,:: Thrush is a yeast infection that appears as creamy,
white patches inside the mouth.  It is especially common in babies and
young children, and is often accompanied by a fever and poor
digestion.

Like most yeast infections, it is exacerbated if your child is given
antibiotics.

Studies from Germany, Russia, England and Hungary show that many
essential oils, especially those of clove, tea tree and lavender,
inhibit Candida albicans, the yeast that causes this infection.  These
essential oils can be diluted in any vegetable oil in your kitchen,
such as olive or safflower.  According to research on chamomile
conducted in Hungary in 1976 and studies reported in the Journal of
General Microbiology in 1988, the potent antifungal compounds in garlic
and chamomile also combat this bacterium.

To help fight thrush, try incorporating these foods into your child's
diet.

My herb student Rosemary became concerned when her infant daughter
Cerridwyn became unusually cranky and fitful.  This concern increased
when the baby developed a serious case of diarrhea with lots of
intestinal gas.  Until this time, Rosemary had treated her daughter's
few disorders with simple herbs, but on this occasion all her natural
remedies only worked temporarily.

Despite all Rosemary's best efforts, Cer-ridwyn's mouth was soon so raw
and painful that she could barely nurse and was becoming dehydrated.

Rosemary took the baby to the pediatrician, who said that Cerridwyn was
probably just suffering from the flu, which would disappear in a few
days.  This proved not to be the case, and the problem just got worse
every day Rosemary guessed that Cerridwyn's illness might be thrush and
could therefore be treated with herbs after all.  Confirming her guess,
a few of the typical white spots that indicate thrush finally became
noticeable in Cerridwyn's mouth.  Rosemary knew that lavender and tea
tree essential oils destroyed Candida, but she also knew that they were
too strong to use undiluted in the baby's mouth.  She mixed the
essential oils in some vegetable oil and gently swabbed the inside of
Cerridwyn's mouth with the mixture.  Since Candida often spreads to a
nursing mother's nipples, Rosemary also treated herself so that she and
Cerridwyn would not continue to pass the illness back and forth.  For
the first time in two weeks, improvement was almost immediate.

In another week's time, Cerridwyn was again a happy, healthy baby

]hrush Oil

8 drops each lavender and tea tree essential oils

2 tablespoons vegetable oil i Combine ingredients.  Gently apply oil to
inside of child's mouth with a cotton swab or a clean finger.  A
nursing mother whose child is suffering from thrush should apply this
oil to her nip pies so that she and her baby do not pass the illness
back and forth.

chapter FOURTEEN

Herbs First-Aid

Think of your medicine cabinet as an arsenal full of weapons that you
can use to combat a variety of physical ailments.  Most likely, the
heavy artillery in this arsenal consists of brandname drugs.  I once
had a medicine cabinet like that, but 25 years ago, I threw
everything--every pill, drop and oint-ment-into the trash.  I then
re-created my medicine cabinet from scratch, replacing almost all the
brand-name products with herbal remedies.

Why did I turn away from the latest advances of pharmaceutical science
and go back to age-old herbal remedies?

Although I was familiar with herbs--I'd been cooking with them for
years--it had not occurred to me that they could replace all the drugs
in my medicine cabinet.  One day I picked up an old herb book, and as I
read I became aware that my herb garden held more than culinary
delights; it contained an entire pharmacopoeia.

Soon thereafter I came down with a flu.  I recall thumbing through that
old herb book, simply because it happened to be lying beside my bed,
and realizing that some of the herbs listed for my condition were
growing right outside my door!  I stumbled out to the garden to pick my
medicine.  I can't remember exactly what that first remedy was, perhaps
a mullein and yarrow tea, but I do recall my amazement at how well it
worked.

My second experiment, a concoction for bruises, was equally
successful.

I decided that the time was right to overhaul my medicine cabinet.

Ironically, the pharmaceutical companies have also begun to catch on.

A few years ago, they discovered aloe vera, and now it's hard to find a
lotion or baby wipe that doesn't advertise the curative powers of this
succulent from the lily family.

You too can adopt a more natural approach to first-aid.  This chapter
will help you decide what you need to keep on hand and how to use it.

But you must be sure that you know when herbs are a reasonable
alternative to conventional medicines and when they are not.

Using herbs, you can take care of the same small emergencies that you
already treat at home--the minor burns, cuts, scrapes, bruises and
sprains that are a part of daily life.  Of course, any serious or
unusual injuries should send you scurrying for immediate medical
attention.

If a trip to the doctor is required, stabilize the condition as best
you can with herbal remedies, then keep your patient as calm and
comfortable as possible.

Whenever you have any doubts that you can deal adequately with an
emergency, choose the safe route--seek professional advice.

A natural medicine chest should get you through nearly every small emer
gency that you can reasonably and safely deal with on your own.  But
its effectiveness depends on your mental preparedness--no matter how
many good herbs and gauze pads you have, there's no substitute for
knowledge and practice, which will make you completely ready when you
face an actual emergency.

Once you are standing there with a burned or bleeding finger, it
becomes impractical to start paging through an herbal guide, even this
one.  If you familiarize yourself with the uses of alternative
remedies, you'll be prepared for any minor emergency.  I recommend
taking a first-aid course through the Red Cross, reading the American
Medical Association's Handbook of First-Aid and Emergency Care and
viewing the Emergency Action video produced by the American Lung
Association.  These will make you a better judge of which situations
you can take care of by yourself and which ones need a doctor's care.

Of course, it is important not only to know the herbs, but to be able
to use them properly--using them incorrectly can do more harm than
good.  When I was first studying herbs, I decided I should try all the
natural remedies that I was learning about before suggesting them to
anyone else.  I had never seen a recipe for a mustard plaster, so I
didn't know that the mustard was supposed to be cut with flour to
prevent the plaster from overheating.  I assumed that the intense heat
I felt was part of the therapy (the "no pain, no gain" philosophy).

Finally, with my back well-burned, I frantically peeled off the
plaster.  This experience taught me two things.  The first was that I
should never again approach first-aid without being fully informed
about what I was doing; the second was that aloe vera sure does heal a
burn.

STOCKING

YOUR HERBAL

The herbs suggested for first-aid are safe and effective, and generally
cause few of the side effects normally associated with pharmaceutical
drugs.  As with any medicine, though, you should keep these remedies
out of the reach of young children, who often eat anything that comes
within their reach.

If you are intrigued by herbal first-aid but simply don't know where to
begin, start slowly by stocking your medicine chest with a dozen or so
basic, versatile herbs and herbal products that can be used to treat
minor injuries.  As you begin to feel more comfortable with treatments
of this kind, and as your knowledge of herbs grows, you will find
yourself turning to herbs first in most first-aid situations.

Eventually, you may find yourself preparing your own herbal products
and maybe even growing or collecting your own medicinals.

Choose items that best suit the needs of your family.  Most of the
things you will need can be purchased at a natural food store.  Or, if
you prefer, you can make your own herbal remedies--just follow the
recipes provided in this book.  You'll find yourself using salves,
compresses, poultices, teas and tinctures (all of which are discussed
in detail in chapter 2).  Add a few bandages, a pair of tweezers and
the usual first-aid paraphernalia, and you'll be all set.  I keep my
home medicine chest filled with herbal items, an herbal first-aid kit
under the seat of my car and a travel bag of herbal remedies ready to
pack in a suitcase or backpack.

(For first-aid on the go, your supplies should fit neatly into a
child's lunch box or a small fanny pack.)

BITES, STINGS AND SPLINTERS Does the high-pitched whine of a mosquito
zeroing in on a patch of exposed skin discourage your next venture past
the screen door?  Fear not.  While nature provides an array of bugs to
pester you, she also supplies herbs to stop the itching and swelling of
those bugs' bites and stings.  There are even natural insect repellents
to make flying and crawling pests keep their distance.

Minor bites from mosquitoes and other insects respond quickly to an
herbal off.  There are many herbs that stop itching and reduce
swelling, but my favorite is lavender, which not only smells great, but
also reduces the risk of infection.

Since it's neither practical nor comfortable to rub lavender flowers on
a bite, use the Insect Bite Oil.

Insect Bite Oil

1 teaspoon lavender essential oil

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Combine essential oil and vegetable oil and dab mixture directly on
bite as needed.  Store in a bottle with a tight lid.

A glass container is best, but if you prefer a lighter, plastic
container, choose one made of oil-resistant plastic (you can find these
in camping goods stores).

Make sure to keep the Insect Bite Oil away from your eyes.

For the more severe stings and bites of bees, wasps, ticks and spiders,
combine lavender with echinacea and bentonite clay into a poultice.

The clay pulls the poisonous material from the bite or sting to the
skin's surface and keeps it from spreading.  Echinacea dramatically
lessens any allergic response that might occur.  In fact, your patients
may feel so good once the poultice is applied that you'll need to
remind them to restrict activity for at least 20 minutes to prevent the
poisons from circulating through the bloodstream.  Lavender stops
itching and reduces swelling.

Bite and Sting Poultice

1 tablespoon echinacea root tincture

1 tablespoon distilled water

/ teaspoon lavender essential oil

1 tablespoon bentonite clay

Combine the tincture, water and lavender essential oil.  Add this
mixture to the clay, stirring slowly as the liquid is absorbed.  The
resulting paste should be tacky enough to adhere to the skin.

Apply directly to bite as needed.  Store this remedy in a container
with a tight-fitting lid, so that the mixture will not dry out.  If it
does dry out, stir in enough distilled water to turn it back into a
paste.

I've put clay poultices on more bites and stings than I can count.

Much of this experience comes from the week I spend each summer doing
first-aid at a dance camp on a lake in the foothills of the Sierra
Nevada mountain range in northern California.  Unfortunately, people
aren't the only ones attracted to the lake; it also draws "meat bees,"
pesky wasps that bite or sting with very little provocation.  My
patients often step on these bees, then tell me in great detafi how
badly they react to such stings and bites, even as I'm applying the
poultice.

It doesn't take them too long to realize that their feet have not
puffed up like balloons or turned bright red, as they were expecting,
and that the pain is gone.  Honeybee stings, some spider bites and even
scorpion stings (the scorpions there don't have a very strong
poi-son--it won't kill you, but it will produce a nasty sting) all
respond quickly to the Bite and Sting Poultice.

You must remember, though, that applying a poultice is only the first
step in treating the bites and stings that might cause an allergic
reaction.  Give anyone who is susceptible to these reactions half a
teaspoon of echinacea tincture every ten minutes.  I have often seen an
allergic response start, then retreat as the herbs take effect.  You
must remember, though, that allergic reactions can have serious
consequences.  If you know that someone is allergic to a bite or sting
from a particular insect, do not depend solely on herbal
first-aid--immediate medical attention is required.  Wheezing, swelling
and hives are all indications of a serious, possibly fatal problem that
requires immediate medical attention.

Most bites and stings are likely to occur when you are away from home,
perhaps on a hike.  At these times you may not have your first-aid kit
handy, but you can always turn to wild plants for help.  Be certain,
however, that you correctly identify them and that the plants are clean
and have not been sprayed with herbicides.  If you are not familiar
with wild herbs, check your local bookstore for a good wild-plant
identification book that covers the plants in your area.  Better yet,
check with local herb experts about herb walks offered in your area;
herbalists throughout North America give herb walk classes and will
personally introduce you to the healing herbs.

In the meantime, I'll start you off with two easy-to-spot herbs you
might already be familiar with: plantain and jewelweed.  Both of these
herbs not only soothe the pain and itching of a sting or bite, but also
reduce swelling and even slow down allergic reactions.  Since plantain
grows wild through lawns and meadows in many parts of the world,
|ewelweed's pretty flowers will liven up any wildflower garden, and the
whole plant can be used to produce a yellow dye.

once you're familiar with it you will have a remedy on hand no matter
where you travel.  Jewelweed is not nearly as common, but it does grow
wild in the northeastern part of the United States and in Canada.

For an instant treatment while on the go, chew plantain leaf into a
poultice and put it on the injury.  Sometimes called "nature's
bandage," plantain has the wonderful trait of being able to adhere to
the skin without any artificial means.  Jewelweed, if handy, is even
easier to use than plantain.  Simply break a leaf and rub its sticky,
soothing juice into your skin.

One of my favorite poultice stories comes from my mechanic, Chris, who
decided to investigate the world of herbs by attending one of my herbal
first-aid classes with his wife, Darhl.  When their dog, Sutter, got an
infection between his toes as a result of an embedded foxtail grass,
Darhl immediately took action, putting her newfound herbal knowledge to
use.  Several plantain poultices later, two foxtails had worked their
way out and the infection was gone.  (This treatment works just as well
for stubborn splinters and the infections that can result from them.)
Chris was impressed, and when he attended a party at his brother's
house and found the family lamenting about yet another $50 veterinary
bill for the removal of an embedded foxtail from their dog's paw, Chris
offered to treat the dog himself.

Not surprisingly, everyone was skeptical, and they were really shocked
when he walked into the backyard and began chewing some of the weeds
found on the lawn.  But Chris knew what he was doing, and the dog's
foxtail problem was soon solved.  By now, the tale of this herbal feat
has been repeated so often that the story--and the cure--is destined to
become one of Chris's family traditions.

I can't tell you how many times I've been out collecting herbs in the
wild and have brushed up against a patch of nettles.

I've also encountered more than my share of red ants.  The pain that
arises from being "stung" by nettles or bitten by ants is caused by
formic acid.  Fortunately, this acid can be neutralized by a poultice
of yellow dock leaf tincture and baking soda.  Yellow dock has long
been popular in treating formic acid stings.

(The Old English rhyme "Nettle in, dock out, dock rub, nettle out" is a
reminder of the effectiveness and tradition of using yellow dock for
this purpose.) Of course, there is always a chance you will run into
ants or nettles without having any baking soda nearby If this happens
to you, just reach for some yellow dock leaves, crush them between your
fingers, and as the rhyme says, rub them on.

Ant Bite/Nettle Remedy

1 teaspoon baking soda

A teaspoon yellow dock leaf tincture

Stir the baking soda and tincture together into a thick paste.  Apply
directly to bite.  If remedy dries out, simply add enough yellow dock
tincture to turn it back into a paste.

As an herbalist, I spend a lot of time outdoors foraging for medicinal
plants, so I've certainly come to appreciate the importance of an
effective repellent--a nontoxic, herbal one, of course.  Natural,
essential oil-based repellents have become so popular that you can find
them not only at natural food stores, but also at most drugstores and
sporting goods stores.  Or you can make your own, using my recipe.

Insect Repellent

2 ounces vegetable oil or vodka

1/4 teaspoon each citronella and eucalyptus essential oils

/ teaspoon each pennyroyal, cedar and rose geranium essential oils '
Combine ingredients and apply mixture directly to all exposed skin.

Keep oil away from eyes and mouth--take care not to rub your eyes right
after applying the repellent with your fingers.  This repellent will
keep for at least a year.

While I can't prove that herbal insect repellents work any better than
the standard drugstore variety, they do present some stiff
competition.

Herbal repellents have a more pleasant fragrance than their drugstore
counterparts, and using them is certainly preferable to rubbing toxic
chemical repellents into your skin.

I've successfully used this herbal repellent in my own backyard and
have sent bottles all over the world: into the insect-filled tropics of
Thailand, India, the Caribbean and the Amazon and to the high plains of
China and Tibet, not to mention the southeastern United States.

Everyone who has used this bug "dope" has given me glowing reports on
how well it works.

Because insects have an amazing sense of smell, odor is used as the
basic dement in most repellents.  Mosquitoes, ticks and many other
crawling and flying pests hate the smell of herbs like eucalyptus,
pennyroyal and citronella; unfortunately, so do quite a few people.

Combine these herbs and you end up with a great insect repellent that
also fends off your friends.  I have found that the pungent smell of
eucalyptus and citronella becomes more pleasant with the addition of
rose geranium--but only for humans, not for insects.  Despite its sweet
smell, rose geranium is great for keeping bugs away

Another herbal method for reducing the insect population hovering
around you is to light a citronella candle.  These candies release the
citronella scent continuously as they bum.  They are available from
most camping goods and household stores and catalogs.  Or you can make
your own by taking a votive candle and using a dropper to slowly
saturate the wick with about 20 drops of citronella oil, which is
available at most drugstores.  Allow two hours for the wick to absorb
the oil; the candle is then ready to use.

BLEEDING

If the sight of blood makes you woozy, you are not alone.  I find,
however, that being prepared by knowing what to do in an emergency
really makes a difference.

The next time you are confronted with an injury, consider that a small
amount of bleeding has its advantages.

Bleeding cleans dirt and foreign particles from a wound, and when blood
is exposed to air, it forms an important fibrous substance called
fibrin.  This fiber creates a netting that entangles other blood cells
so that they clot into a scab.

I've been in quite a few situations where bleeding was serious and
something needed to be done right away.  Certain herbs can be applied
directly to the wound.  If this does not stop the bleeding, place an
herbal compress over the injury and apply pressure.  A fiat object,
such as a credit card, inserted into the folds of the compress can help
distribute the pressure.  While administering herbal remedies, you
should also try to slow the flow of blood by raising the injured area
higher than the heart.  For deep cuts, or if bleeding does not stop
within a minute or two, be sure to get medical help.

While preparing dinner you cut yourself with a knife.  What do you
do?

Reach for the spice rack!  Powdered cayenne, the same pepper used in
chili powder, will quickly staunch bleeding when sprinkled directly on
a wound.  It will also reduce the time it takes for a scab to form.  I
realize that putting cayenne on a wound sounds as if it might be more
painful than the injury itself, but the pepper not only arrests
bleeding but also contains a substance that reduces pain: capsaicin,
the same stuff that makes cayenne peppers hot.

Researchers have discovered that cap-saicin suppresses a chemical that
carries the pain messages from nerves in the skin to the brain.

Powdered kelp (a seaweed used as a salt substitute) has been used in
England for centuries as a folk remedy to arrest bleeding.  During
World War II, when medical supplies became scarce, British medics used
it extensively in the field.

Because of its tall flowering stalks, agrimony is nicknamed "church
steeples."

Agrimony, plantain and yarrow are versatile herbs that arrest bleeding
and encourage scabbing.  You can either sprinkle the dried and powdered
leaves of these herbs directly onto a bleeding wound or make a poultice
from the fresh plant.  I have nicked myself so often on stakes or
rosebushes while gardening that it has become second nature when this
happens to grab a leaf of plantain, agrimony or yarrow, mash or chew it
into a poultice and press it on the bleeding area.  I know that a few
readers will cringe at the idea of chewing their medicine, but in an
emergency, most people out on a stroll or having a picnic would rather
staunch a sudden cut with a wild plantain leaf than bleed all the way
back to the house.  Just be certain that you properly identify your
herbs.

Legendary in its ability to arrest bleeding, yarrow is a common wild
plant that also decorates herb and flower gardens.  Its Latin name,
Achillea, comes from Achilles, the name of a soldier-doctor who dressed
the wounds of Greek troops during the Trojan War.

Plantain, like yarrow, has a long history as a treatment for battle
wounds.

English children still refer to it as "soldier's herb" or "kemp" (from
cempa, the Anglo-Saxon word for "soldier").

Plantain is a good herb for you to be able to recognize because it
seems to grow everywhere--in the United States, you will even find it
growing in vacant city lots.

Like many herb gardeners, I grow agrimony and have always been
impressed by how quickly it slows bleeding.

Various kinds of agrimony grow in many parts of the world, including
China, and studies reported in Chinese medical journals, as well as the
American Journal of Chinese Medicine, found that this herb stops
bleeding and doubles the speed of formation of scabs.  The same studies
cited the discovery that agrimony controlled hemorrhaging after surgery
within two minutes.  Actually, I knew that agrimony slowed bleeding
long before I read these reports.  It was mentioned in the English poet
Geoffrey Chaucer's fourteenth-century work "The Yeoman's Prologue" and
was made into a famous sixteenth-century wound wash called arquebusade
water, which is mil sold in France.

Keep in mind that treatment with powders and poultices made with these
herbs is an emergency tactic only, Although the herbs quickly arrest
bleeding, they are not antiseptic enough for long-term healing.

Unseen infection can hide beneath a lumpy scab thickened with herb
powder.  Once bleeding is arrested, the area needs to be cleaned and
disinfected with an antiseptic.

Another way to arrest bleeding is to swallow two capsules of cayenne or
a tincture of shepherd's purse.  Both herbs take only a few minutes to
begin working--which is hard to believe until you've seen them in
action.  They are useful whenever there is substantial bleeding or when
direct pressure with a compress isn't possible--for example, if you are
treating a wound near your eye.

This is exactly what happened to me one day.  I had a blood blister on
my eyelid that was very bothersome.  I kept thinking that it was a bug
and trying to flick it off.  After one really strong flick, I could
hardly stop the bleeding.  But I was in my kitchen, and cayenne powder
was within arm's reach.  I mixed about half a teaspoon into a
quarter-cup of water and drank the mixture.  The bleeding ceased within
a minute.  The only disadvantage to this treatment is that on an empty
stomach it occasionally creates a slight burning sensation; to avoid
this unpleasant feeling, have a light snack or something to drink as
soon as the emergency is over.

A few years ago, I went on a camping trip in the mountains with some of
my students and their families.  One of the teenagers was slicing a
watermelon with a deer-skinning knife that was at least three times
larger than was required for the job.  I was wondering if I should
remind him to be careful when the knife slipped and went into his
hand.

We were an hour away from the nearest doctor.

I ran to get my first-aid kit, and everyone nearby went into action.

We coated the wound with cayenne powder, and the boy's father pressed
an antiseptic compress soaked in lavender water over it.  We also had
the boy take two capsules of cayenne with some water.  The cloth
quickly became blood-soaked, but we were ready with more cayenne and
another compress.  The bleeding quickly subsided.  We also put a cool
lavender compress over the boy's eyes, since he was starting to feel
faint.  (I also had to lay the poor father down and place a lavender
compress on his forehead before he fainted.) We followed up with herbal
treatments to prevent infection, and the wound quickly healed.

Incidentally, the same herbs that work for bleeding wounds also work
well for nosebleeds.  You might also hold a compress--the colder, the
better--firmly over the bridge of the nose.  Then sit down and lean
forward, tucking your head between your knees so that the blood doesn't
run down your throat and choke you.  As an added measure, or if the
nosebleed is severe, place another compress (also cold) on the back of
your neck and apply pressure directly to your upper lip.

Many things can provoke a nosebleed.

Among the most common are a sinus infection, a blow, excessively dry
air conditions or weak blood vessels.

Frequent nosebleeds may indicate that you have a serious problem, such
as anemia or high blood pressure, so see a doctor if you are prone to
this condition.

In addition to using a compress, you can also stop a nosebleed by
sniffing one of these powdered herbs.  I assure you that this sounds
much worse than it really is.  It takes only a small amount and the
results are dramatic.

Herbal Compress to Stop Bleeding 1 teaspoon tincture of yarrow (or
other suitable herb)

cup water Soft cloth

Combine ingredients.  Soak the cloth in the liquid, wring it out and
apply it with pressure over the wound.

BRUISES

Medical dictionaries define a bruise as "an injury just below the skin
where the skin is not broken," although most of us would settle for
describing it as an uncomfortable nuisance with unsightly
discoloration.  Actually, many bruises are so minor that after
announcing themselves with a few moments of intense pain, they seem to
go away.  Be warned, however--if the bruising was caused by a heavy
impact, the underlying muscles, bones or organs could be injured, so
call a doctor if you're in doubt as to the severity of the injury.

If you bruise easily and seem never to be without a few discolored
spots, you should probably look beyond simple first-aid remedies.  Easy
bruising may be an indication that you have weak blood vessels or a
problem with blood clotting.  See chapter 4 for suggestions of herbal
treatments to strengthen blood vessels.  You should also consult a
physician, because easy bruising may indicate a serious problem.

For simple, uncomplicated bruising, herbs can be quite helpful.  One
day I

'the eighteenth-century writer lohann Wolfgang von Goethe gave arnica
credit for saving his life by relieving his angina attacks.

was potting some herbs and went prancing at high speed across my
stone-filled driveway, arms full of plants.  I tripped and went sailing
across the rocks, herbs flying in all directions.  I received a deep
scrape on my knee, but that was nothing compared to the assortment of
ruises inflicted by those rocks.  I limped over to pluck a plantain
leaf to stop the bleeding.

Then I thought to put my misery to some good, so I tried an
experiment.

I put Saint-John's-wort tincture on half the bruises and arnica
tincture on the other half.  Like a true scientist, I even left a few
small bruises untreated.

The result was a tie between the two tinctures: By the next day, the
discoloration was fading on both sets of bruises, and in a few days my
skin no longer looked like a calico quilt.  The untended bruises,
however, did not fare so well.

Even though they were very minor, they remained visible and painful
long after the other bruises disappeared.

The best herbs for treating bruises are those that discourage swelling
and promote quick healing, such as arnica, chamomile, lavender,
Saint-John's-wort and witch hazel.  In Germany, pharmacies sell more
than 100 different arnica preparations to reduce inflammation caused by
bruises.  Arnica is also popular in North America, although many
herbalists use Saint-John's-wort instead because it grows much more
abundantly Another classic North American folk remedy for the treatment
of bruises is witch hazel tincture, which is conveniently sold at
drugstores.  The distilled witch hazel that is commonly sold in
drugstores does not contain the astringent tannins that reduce
bruising, but folks still swear by it.  For even better results,
purchase a witch hazel tincture at a natural food store.

I was at a picnic once when a young boy fell out of a tree.  He
received several bad bruises that began to swell almost immediately My
herbal first-aid kit was in my car, a good 20-minute walk away, but
growing right near the tree was some Saint-John's-wort.  While I
collected some leaves, I thought, "How can I best chop this to release
its healing properties?"  The answer was obvious--I popped the herb
into my mouth and

HERBAL FIRST-AID

chewed it.  And yes, it tasted terrible.  A few minutes after the
poultice was on the child's bruises, the swelling receded and his
crying was reduced to an occasional sob.

Whichever herb you choose, the sooner you dab on the oil or tincture,
the better.  To further diminish swelling, apply a tincture-soaked
compress that has ice slipped inside its folds.  Or use herbal ice
cubes, which you can make from a strong tea (use two teaspoons of herb
per cup instead of the standard one teaspoon) of any of these herbs.

(Do not place ice directly on the skin.) Keep your Herbal Ice in the
freezer so that it is always handy for an emergency The medicinal witch
hazel tree, which grows some 5 feet high and about as wide, is an
excellent choice if you're looking for some shade in your garden.

Bruise Compress

1 tablespoon tincture ofarnicaflowers, Saint-John's-wort flowering
tops, witch hazel bark or chamomile flowers 4 drops lavender essential
oil 2 tablespoons cold water Washcloth

Combine ingredients.  Soak a washcloth in the herbal water to make a
compress.

Wring it out and place it directly on the bruised area.  To keep the
compress extra-cold, insert an ice cube (regular or herbal) inside the
folded cloth.

Herbal Ice

1 cup water

1 teaspoon chamomileflowers

1 teaspoon lavenderflowers

,t Pour boiling water over the herbs and let steep in a covered pan for
about 15 minutes.  Strain out the herbs and freeze the tea in
medium-size ice-cube trays.  Once the cubes are frozen, pop them out
and store them in a plastic bag in the freezer.  Herbal Ice can be
applied directly to the bruise or wrapped inside the Bruise Compress.

BURNS AND SUNBURN

I confess that I am attracted to hobbies that often lead to burns.  I
like to make scented candles with hot wax, boil up herbal jellies and
candies and use a hot-glue gun on dried herbal wreaths.  It's no wonder
I learned early to keep an herbal burn remedy nearby!  I'm sure you are
familiar with the discomfort of a burn, whether it is caused by an
herbal hobby like mine, a hot kitchen pan or a long day under the
sun.

Sunburn, after all, is essentially just another kind of burn, usually
less severe in intensity but dangerous at times because of the large
area of skin affected.  Although the causes of these burns are not the
same--sunburns are the result of prolonged exposure to ultraviolet
light, and standard burns are caused by physical heat--the symptoms are
the same.  The burned skin swells, blisters and sometimes even peels
off.

Underneath, dilated blood vessels leak toxins into the inflamed area,
which causes further skin irritation.  For the most part, burns and
sunburns respond equally well to the same herbal treatments.

Whenever you are in doubt about a burn's severity, seek help from a
professional health care practitioner.  Burns from chemical and
electric shocks require special treatment, and a superficial burn over
a large area can be more serious than a deep, small burn, because
extensive nerve damage and dehydration are possible.  After a doctor
has treated even serious burns, herbal remedies are wonderful elements
to incorporate into your follow-up care.

For any minor burn that you can confidently treat yourself, the rule is
immediate action.  First, cool the burned area by immersing it in cold
water or applying ice for about a minute--the cold numbs the pain and
prevents further injury.  Then reach for the herbs.

Whether you treat your burns with an herbal remedy of your own making
or with a commercial treatment, you should avoid using oil-based
products, such as salves, on all but the most minor burns.

Oil retains heat and inhibits air circulation and drainage, all of
which combine to slow the healing of a burn.

According to John P. Heggers, M.D director of research for the Division
of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Wayne State University in
Detroit, it is the center of a burn that receives the most heat, and it
is the skin there that suffers the greatest damage.

Surrounding tissue is often injured, but seldom destroyed; it will,
however, die in two days if not treated.

I have been impressed by the burn-healing effects of certain herbs
since I went to an herb retreat more than 20 years ago.  All those who
attended spent a lot of time in the sun that weekend--too much time.

The staff and some of the students traveled there and back in a school
bus; on the way home, everyone compared sunburns.  As I worked my way
from seat to seat, burn remedy in hand, the bus became an herbal burn
clinic on wheels.  The "oohs" and "ahs" of my patients communicated
their instant relief.  After a couple of rounds at my "clinic," bright
red skin had dulled to a healthier pink.

Everyone asked what herbs were in my magic formula.

Actually, the recipe contained only two primary ingredients: aloe vera
and lavender.  Both of these are star performers when it comes to
bums.

They ease pain and swelling, help repair damaged cells, deter infection
and help prevent burns from scarring.  It's no wonder that many
hospitals use aloe and that it is the main ingredient in many burn
remedies sold in pharmacies and drugstores.  (If you buy your bum
remedy already prepared, look for one that is at least 90 percent
aloe.) Studies conducted at Wayne State, the University of Chicago
Hospital and the University of Miami Medical School show that aloe vera
not only reduces burn damage and promotes new skin growth, but also
stops cell destruction caused by inflammation.

If you are lucky enough to have your own aloe vera plant, remove an
outer leaf from the plant (leaving the younger, inner leaves
undisturbed).  Peel off the thin, green skin from a small section of
the leaf, and rub the gel-like substance from the inside directly onto
the bum, as often as needed for relief.  Stored in the refrigerator,
the unpeeled leaf should keep for at least a week.

Homemade Aloe Gel 1/4 cup peeled aloe vera leaves 150

	International Units vitamin C powder ,	Puree aloe leaves in an
electric blender, using enough leaves to make 1/4 cup of puree.  Stir
in vitamin C powder as a preservative.  Store in the refrigera-tor-cold
helps burns to heal.

Aloe is not the only herb that can be used to heal bums.  There are a
number of other herbs and essential oils that can help injured skin to
regenerate, including calendula, chamomile, comfrey, Saint-John's-wort,
plantain and, as mentioned earlier, lavender.  The last one is my
favorite.  Time and again I have seen the almost miraculous
burn-healing power of lavender essential oil at work.

Like other essential oils, lavender needs to be diluted; I combine it
with aloe vera.

It was lavender that came to the rescue of the French chemist Dr.
Rene-Maurice Gattefosse when his hand was badly burned in a freak
laboratory accident.  He was so impressed by how quickly this essential
oil healed his hand that he began a study of medicinal essential oils
and later became known as the "father of modem aromatherapy."

I heard a similar story from an Oregon woman who runs an essential oil
distillery.  After badly burning her arm when the distiller's boiler
exploded, she plunged it into the essential oil she had just
distilled.

By the time she got to the hospital, her burn was already healing-the
emergency staff was amazed.

They could not believe that the accident had occurred less than an hour
earlier.

One of the best ways to apply a bum remedy is to spray it on.  (The
spray can also be gently dabbed on very minor burns.) In this way, you
don't have to touch sensitive, burned skin.  Also, a spray feels cool
on a bum.

Aloe Burn Spray 4 ounces aloe verjuice ,4 teaspoon vitamin E oil (or
2

400-International Unit capsules) /8 teaspoon lavender essential oil
Combine ingredients.  Pour into a spritzer bottle (which can be found
at most drugstores).  Shake well.  Spray on burn as needed.  The
vitamin E will promote healing.  Make sure that you use aloe vera
juice, not gel, which will dog the sprayer.

Another good treatment for bums is a cool wash or bath that contains
lavender and oatmeal.  (This is especially good for a light sunburn
that covers a large area.) My friend Terry was badly burned when she
tripped and fell into a campfire.

Terry knows her herbs well.  Her mother and friends spread a concoction
that was mostly aloe vera on the burns, and Terry took nutritional
supplements and drank an herbal tea to promote healing.  As soon as she
could bathe, she spent four weeks taking daily baths of skin-healing
comfrey, plantain, calendula and lavender.  I saw the burns during
their various stages of healing and watched as new, unmarked skin
gradually replaced the old without leaving a trace--not even one
scan-of that unfortunate accident.

Bath for Burns 1 quart boiling water ,4 cup each comfrely leaves,
plantain leaves and calendula flowers 3 drops lavender essential oil 1
cup colloidal oatmeal (afinelly milled oatmeal available in most
drugstores) or regular oatmeal milled in a coffee grinder vt Pour
boiling water over herbs.

Steep for 20 minutes.  Strain.  Pour the "tea" into a cool bath.  Stir
in lavender essential oil and colloidal oatmeal.

CUTS AND SCRAPES

Minor cuts and scrapes will probably cause you to reach for your herbal
first aid kit more often than any other injury.

The first step with wounds of this kind is to bring the flow of blood
to a halt (see "Bleeding" on page 249).  Once you've stopped any
bleeding, you must treat the

	

wound to prevent infection and promote speedy healing.  I cannot count
the num	ii'

her of times that people have shown me a wound that they have treated
with herbs and asked, "Can you believe how fast this is healing?"

My computer's hard drive is filled with file upon file of research
studies about the effects of different herbs.

Some of these studies show that tea tree, lavender, lemon, thyme, sage,
eucalyptus and garlic function as powerful germ fighters.  Others show
that lavender, lemon, bergamot, thyme, chamomile, pine and sandalwood
(in that order) increase the number of white cells, which gobble up
infection-causing bacteria.

According to world-renowned essential oil expert Ernest Guenther, Ph.D
tea tree essential oil was added to machine oils used in ammunition
factories in Australia during World War II.  This greatly reduced the
number of infections that occurred when workers cut themselves on the
metal filings.  One very popular antiseptic herb is goldenseal, but I
prefer to use barberry or Oregon grape root, since goldenseal is
endangered in many parts of the United States.  To encourage healing,
try plantain, comfrey, aloe vera, lavender, bap-usia, calendula,
Saint-John's-wort and rose geranium.  Although they are not quite as
effective, cinnamon, eucalyptus, garlic, lemon, oregano, sage,
sandalwood, tea tree and thyme can be used for the same purpose.  In
clinical studies, aloe vera has been shown to increase blood flow to
the injured area, thus accelerating the healing process.

Antiseptic and healing herbs like these can be used in salves, sprays,
diluted essential oils or poultices.  The type of injury and its
location dictate the most appropriate application.  Salves, for
example, adhere to the skin and form a protective layer to protect
minor scrapes and cuts.  A salve generally promotes healing and also
has some antiseptic properties.

Herbal Healing Salve 2 ounces dried comfrey leaves 1 ounce dried
calendulaflowers 2 cups olive oil 1 ounce pure beeswax (available at
bee supply stores and crafts shops, or from a beekeeper) 4 drops each
tea tree and lavender essential oils Heat herbs in olive oil over low
heat for about 5 hours.  Do not let the oil boil or bubble.  A
Crock-Pot or the lowest temperature setting on a range should be
suitable for heating this mixture.  (If the lowest setting is too hot,
turn off the heat once it has warmed the oil--it should keep warm for
at least an hour--then repeat the process twice.) After cooking, strain
out the herbs while oil is still warm.

Place 11/4 cups of the herb oil in a pan, add beeswax and heat just
enough to melt the wax.  Add essential oils and stir.  Finally, pour
the salve into widemouthed jars.  Store at room temperature.

Sprays, which can be potent antiseptics, are good for raw wounds or any
injuries that you want to avoid touching.

When essential oils such as eucalyptus, tea tree and lemon are used as
a spray, the germ-killing properties of these herbs are increased by
being combined with oxygen.

Lemon and 'lea Tree

Antiseptic Spray

,4 teaspoon each lemon and tea tree essential oils

,6 ounce tincture of goldenseal, Oregon grape root or barberry bark l
,4 ounces aloe vera

- Combine ingredients in ajar and shake well twice daily for a week to
help disperse oils.  Keep in an atomizer.  Shake before each use.

(This formula represents the ideal 2 percent dilution proven in studies
to be the most effective.)

Essential oils can also be rubbed directly into the skin to deter or
destroy Westerners' knowledge of golden-seal as an antiseptic and
healing herb goes back at least as far as 65o, when a French Jesuit in
the United States reported that "it closed up all kinds of wounds in a
short time."  an underlying infection.  Because these oils are diluted
in an oil or alcohol base, they should not be applied directly on
serious wounds--they should instead be rubbed on the skin surrounding
the injury.

Poultices, which can be used to draw out infections, are generally
reserved for serious wounds or those that do not heal properly, since
they require fresh plants, take time to prepare and can be messy The
experiences of my friend Ron reveal a successful herbal treatment of a
potentially serious infection.  One day, when he was cutting weeds, the
weed-eater flung a nail into his leg.  Ron went to the doctor, but even
though the wound looked insignificant and Ron had recently had a
tetanus shot, the doctor told him to use an antiseptic and come back
the next morning if an infection developed.

Within a few hours, the area around the hole had become swollen, red
and painful, and the entire leg felt very hot.  Ron could not wait
until morning to have the wound treated.  He decided to try an herbal
treatment and allow a few hours for it to take effect before making a
trip to the hospital.

Ron needed a strong antiseptic that would penetrate below the skin's
surface.  Not wanting to take any chances, he decided to use two herbal
treatments.  He rubbed a diluted antiseptic essential oil around the
circumference of the hole.  He also crushed garlic into a poultice and
put it directly over the wound, binding it in place with a gauze
bandage wrapped around his leg.  He repeated this treatment every
hour.

When Ron removed the first poultice after one hour, there seemed to be
little change.  If anything, it was slightly worse.  However, an hour
later, the red color and swelling were noticeably reduced.

He continued this treatment for a few hours, then fall asleep.  When he
awoke the next morning, there was no sign of infection.

Skin-Healing Poultice

1 handful fresh comfrey or plantain leaves k5 cup water t Place
ingredients in a blender and mix into a thick slurry, Spread on wound,
holding the poultice in place.

Leave poultice on for 20 to 60 minutes.

It will be messy, but it will be effective.

To store this poultice for future emergencies, freeze it in ice cube
trays, then store the cubes in a plastic bag or freezer container.

When you need a poultice, thaw out a cube in a pan.

Infected cuts and scrapes sometimes call for internal as well as
external action, especially if an infection is more than skin-deep.

Tip-offs include wounds that take longer to heal than seems reasonable
and infections that seem to spread, traveling through the bloodstream
and reappearing in new areas.  When an infection travels from the
location of the original wound and takes hold elsewhere, there is
usually an accompanying fever.  If this happens to you, it means you
have

HERBAL FIRST-AID

a spreading systemic infection, in which case you must see a doctor
immediately.

While Ron applied a poultice to treat the external infection, he also
swallowed a tincture of echinacea to encourage quick healing and to
build up his immunity from the inside.  For recurring or extremely
stubborn infections that you are unable to conquer, try the
Wound-Healing Tea.  (You can also drink this tea periodically as a
tonic to help keep you healthy.)

Wound-Healing Tea

1 teaspoon each astragalus root, baptisia root (if available) and
echinacea root 3 cups water

Combine herbs and water in a saucepan.  Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, then
remove from heat and steep for 20 minutes.  Strain and serve.  Drink 3
to 4 cups throughout the day to fight an active infection.  (These
herbs can also be taken as tincture: 30 drops, 3 or 4 times a day)

Researchers have begun to find explanations for some of these age-old
herbal treatments.  Studies conducted in Germany show that a compound
found in echinacea stabilizes hyaluronic acid, a substance found in the
body that protects ceils and connective tissue from caustic chemicals
secreted by germs that can often penetrate cell walls.

Researchers have found that drinking aloe vera juice once a day speeds
healing, probably because it increases the amount of oxygen carried by
blood to cells and strengthens collagen, the fiber that supports
cells.

You can purchase an aloe juice tonic in some stores, or you can make
your own by mixing half a cup of aloe juice with half a cup of fruit
juice.

FAINTING AND DIZZINESS Standing up too quickly or overexerting yourself
can cause you to feel faint, and a strong emotional shock or the sight
of blood is enough to set some folks' heads swimming.  Fainting may be
accompanied by a cold and sweaty feeling, or an uncomfortable sensation
in the pit of your stomach.  All this happens because your brain is not
receiving enough blood.

If you become dizzy on a regular basis, see your doctor to rule out a
deeper physical problem.  Probably no one was better prepared for
fainting than the Victorians, who revived themselves by sniffing
lavender and camphor salts as well as inhaling the aroma of "swooning"
pillows filled with lavender flowers.  Although fainting is not nearly
as common these days as in the Victorian age, almost everyone has a
dizzy spell or becomes faint once in a while.

Lavender is still the herb of choice to relieve occasional dizziness
and fainting, although any herb with a sharp fragrance, such as
rosemary, eucalyptus and tea tree, will do.  To take advantage of these
herbs' revivifyhng effects, place a hot compress on the back of the
neck and another on the forehead.  The fragrance and heat work together
to in-crease circulation.  Combine this treatment with the conventional
helpful hint offered by doctors: Get your blood flowing into your brain
by placing your head between your knees or by lying down.  When you are
able to swallow, take a hot drink.

Lavender Compress

5 drops lavender essential oil

2 cups water Soft cloth In a small bowl, combine essential oil and
water.  Soak doth in lavender water and wring it out.  Fold cloth and
apply it to back, neck and forehead.

For your traveling first-aid kit, you can take a hint from the
Victorians and carry smelling salts.  After I smashed a vial of
rosemary in my car door and later found the lid of a bottle of lavender
essential oil loose in my purse, I decided that salts are more
practical to carry than bottles of essential offs.  Although you can no
longer buy smelling salts, you can easily make your own.

Lavender Smelling Salts

5 teaspoon rock salt

5 drops lavender essential oil

Place salt in a nonporous container.

Add essential oil drop by drop.  The salt will readily absorb the
oil.

Carry your salts in a closed container.  Open and sniff as needed.

FROSTBITE

When winter arrives, most people have a tendency to spend more time
inside.  But for those who work or play outdoors, cold can be a real
danger.  Fingers, nose, ears, toes and cheeks are most vulnerable to
Jack Frost.  Normally, blood keeps these extremities warm, but when
extreme cold restricts the flow of blood, frostbite can occur.  At
first, the skin turns red and feels tingly, then it becomes white and
numb as cells begin to die from lack of blood.  A person suffering from
frostbite needs to be quickly warmed both inside and out by drinking
warm water (or tea) and by having warm water poured over the chilled
area.  This brings blood and warmth back into chilled areas and stops
further damage.

Warning: Be sure that the water is warm, not hot, as frostbite makes
skin more vulnerable to being burned.

Because frostbite can be serious enough to lead to amputation, seek
medical help immediately if sensation and color do not return quickly
to the skin.  If your toes and fingers get cold easily even when you
are bundled up, you may have poor circulation; for herbal ways to
improve your circulation, see chapter 4.

You may be surprised to learn that aloe vera works as well for
frostbite as it does for burns, and for many of the same reasons: It
promotes new skin growth, fights off infection and soothes injured
skin.  According to studies from the Department of Surgery at the
University of Texas Medical School in Galveston, aloe vera also warms a
frostbitten area by increasing blood flow.  And aloe will help heal
blisters that form as a result of frostbite.  When treating frostbite,
it is also advisable to take herbs that stimulate the circulation.

I live in snow country and love to ski and explore the winter
countryside, but I have never personally experienced frostbite.  I use
herbs to prevent it.  I sprinkle small amounts of powdered cayenne
pepper and ginger into my socks and gloves before heading outside.

Ski resorts have also discovered the secret of these herbal warmers.

On a ski trip to a resort near Lake Tahoe, I saw foil packets of
footand hand-warming herbs in the ski store--at five times the price
the same herbs sell for in the grocery store!  One problem with these
herbs is that cayenne lightly stains white socks.  My solution?  Wear
colored socks.

Cayenne certainly is hot stuff-and not just on your tongue.  It can
also be used to keep your extremities warm and prevent frostbite.

Foot-Warming Powder

1 tablespoon cayenne powder

1 teaspoon ginger powder

Mix the powders together and store.

Sprinkle 1/s teaspoon into each sock to keep your toes warm.  And
remember, if you touch the powder with your fingers, be sure to wash
your hands thoroughly before getting them near your eyes--cayenne
burns!

H EA-I- EXHAUSTION

AND SUNS][ROKE

Just like your car, your body can get overheated when the air
temperature soars or when you overexert yourself.

This sometimes results in heat exhaustion or, even more serious,
sunstroke.

Heat exhaustion typically begins with a wave of dizziness and is often
accompanied by weakness and tingling sensations.  The skin becomes
pale, cool and clammy, and the pulse weak, but the body's temperature
remains normal.

These are signs that you have lost too much fluid and too many
important minerals.  In an attempt to cool down, the body begins to
sweat; as a result, you lose even more water and salt.  The opposite
symptoms--high fever, lack of sweating and a bounding pulse--indi-cate
sunstroke, which should be treated by a health care professional as
soon as possible.  While waiting for medical help, cool down the victim
with ice water, by having him drink it and/or by applying compresses,
or by placing him in a cold bath (if possible).

Heat exhaustion can generally be self-treated, but your body needs to
cool down quickly to avoid further damage, such as delirium, elevated
blood pressure and even coma.  A person experiencing heat exhaustion
might be confused and in need of your help.  Keep this person quiet and
comfortable.  To replace lost fluid and minerals, give him miso soup,
fruit juice or one of the drinks designed to replace electrolytes lost
by athletes during a workout.  Also, place the cool Lavender Compress
suggested for dizziness (see page 260) on the victim's forehead.

Heat stroke can occur in the most unexpected places.  I once
experienced it in a Native American sweat lodge.  I'd just flown across
the country and had had far too little water to drink on the way.  I
recall feeling very dizzy and disoriented once I got into the lodge.

Fortunately, I was among herbalists.  An herbalist friend named Cascade
Anderson looked at me and summed up her diagnosis in one word:
electrolytes.  Another herbalist friend, Michael Tierra, produced some
miso soup, and I swear that soup never tasted so good!  Since then, I
have carried packets of instant miso soup in my first-aid kit.  Of
course, now I am more careful to avoid becoming dehydrated, but I have
had occasion to share the soup with others.

To prevent overheating, the Chinese drink a tea of mulberry leaves,
licorice, ginseng, peony root and peppermint.  I often work in my
garden under the hot summer sun, and even though I always wear a large
straw hat and cool, light-colored clothing, I occasionally become
lightheaded.  I find that this tasty tea not only prevents heat
exhaustion, but also increases stamina.  Mulberry leaves and peony root
can be ordered through a natural food store or a Chinese herbalist.

(You can also use the leaves from your own mulberry tree, if you happen
to have one in your yard.) For this recipe, the mulberry leaves should
be dried and cut into small pieces.

Heat Exhaustion Tea

1 teaspoon each mulberry leaves, peony root bark and peppermint
leaves

% teaspoon each licorice root and ginseng root

1 quart water

Combine the herbs and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Turn
down the heat and simmer for at least 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and strain herbs.

Drink a cup before venturing out into the sun.  (This formula can also
be taken as a tincture: 30 drops in hot or cold water makes an instant
tea.) This recipe is adapted from the traditional Chinese formula.

POISON IVY, OAK AND SUMAC Poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac are
famous for the itching and oozing rashes they can cause.  Despite their
names, these plants are not really poiso-nous-their danger lies in an
allergen called urushiolir.  These notorious plants are related; if you
are allergic to one, you are probably allergic to all three.  The
itching, blistering rash usually associated with the "poison plants"
appears any time from a few hours to a few days after exposure.  Other
possible symptoms include nausea, tiredness, mental disorientation and
fever.  Very bad cases can cause breathing difficulties and kidney
damage, requiring medical attention.

Some people are very lucky--they don't react at all to these plants.

The best way to protect yourself from poison ivy, oak and sumac is, of
course, to stay away from them.  Some people have told me how they have
built up an immunity to these plants by eating small amounts of them in
the spring.

While this may be true, I have also heard from individuals who
developed poison oak in their throats by trying this.

If you touch one of these plants, wash the oil off with soap and water,
or at least cold water, as soon as possible.

(In the wild, I use nature's soaps, such as soapwort, soap root or deer
brush blossoms.) Even scrubbing with dirt helps remove the offending
oils and possibly offers another advantage--the roots of poison ivy and
possibly poison oak exude a substance into the surrounding dirt that is
an antidote to the plant's sap.

The pain, swelling, itching and blistering caused by poison ivy, oak
and sumac can be alleviated by quite a few herbs.  In 1980, after
observing that fresh plantain poultices immediately reduced swelling
and itching in ten of his patients, Serge Duckett, M.D reported that
plantain was a "blessing for those who must have a constant supply of
calamine lotion or cortisone."  Jewelweed, also effective in fighting
reactions to the "poison plants," grows in the eastern and central
United States, and was so well-known in the 1950s that several
commercial poison ivy products were based on a jewelweed compound.

Com-frey and aloe vera also promote healing and soothe skin irritated
by reactions to these plants.

Unlikely as it may seem, the essential oil of simple peppermint can
give you hours of relief from itching by soothing inflamed nerve
endings.

Although lingering in a hot bath is not recommended, a short shower in
water as hot as possible and washing with a liquid peppermint soap can
provide at least temporary relief for many poison ivy, oak or sumac
sufferers.  You might also try a lukewarm bath with herbs, oatmeal and
Epsom salts.  For oozing rashes, mix an herbal paste with ground
oatmeal to cover the rash.  Your resistance to poison ivy, oak and
sumac can also be improved with immunity-enhancing herbs such as
chamomile, echinacea and licorice, all of which work specifically to
quell the allergic response.

In some areas of the world, children use the "resin" that forms on
grindelia's flower heads as a chewing gum.

You may need to experiment a bit to find the remedy that works best for
you.

My dance teacher, Cathy, seems to come down with at least one really
bad case of poison oak each year.  Not only is this uncomfortable, it
also makes it difficult for her to teach and impossible for her to
dance professionally.  Just as she begins warming up, the itching
increases.  In addition to being a dance teacher, Cathy is a registered
nurse who studies herbs.

She says that she has tried almost everything, but being a nurse has
made her reluctant to treat her poison oak with powerful steroids like
cortisone, which can have long-term side effects.  While not all
physicians agree that cortisone is a strong medicine when applied
externally, most holistic-minded medical doctors have another
opinion.

Andrew Weft, M.D author of the popular book Natural Health, Natural
Medicine, calls cortisone steroids "dangerous drugs" and says that they
are "much misunderstood, abused and over prescribed."  He goes on to
say that they "suppress rather than cure disease, and reduce the chance
of healing by natural methods .... All of these products are absorbed
through the skin to one degree or another, and all of them can suppress
activity of the thymus, the lymph nodes and the white blood cells."

Dr. Well suggests not using these steroids in any form until you have
tried all other forms of treatment.  If you must take them, he says,
you should limit their use to a few weeks.

Cathy seems to be of a similar mind.

Her solution was to use a homemade herbal paste of oatmeal, grindelia,
comfrey and peppermint salt.  Below are two versions--one liquid, the
other paste--of my formula, which uses the same herbs.

Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac Remedy 2 tablespoons each tinctures
ofgrindelia flowers (or jewelweed leaves) and comfrey leaves

4 cup vinegar

3 drops peppermint oil

A teaspoon salt

Combine ingredients in a jar.  Shake well before each use.  Apply as
needed.

Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac Paste

/8 cup Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac

Remedy

/8 cup distilled water

1/2 cup colloidal oatmeal or 1-2 tablespoons bentonite clay Stir liquid
ingredients into clay or oatmeal to make a paste.  (If colloidal
oatmeal is not available, you can grind your own by putting whole
oatmeal in a coffee mill or blender.) Store in an airtight jar.

Reconstitute with distilled water as needed.

Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac Bath

4 drops each peppermint and lavender essential oils

4 cups colloidal oatmeal

1 cup Epsom salts

*-' Add ingredients to lukewarm or cool bath water.  You can also
choose to sponge this formula onto the afflicted area, rather than
taking a bath in it.

SHOCK

Treating shock is most certainly a job for health care professionals,
but you never know when you might encounter someone in shock.  If you
do, you can provide interim treatment herbally, but remember that shock
must be treated by a medical doctor.  A few years ago, my landlady's
young grandson ran up to me saying, "Grandma just fell off the roof and
wants me to get you."  I am afraid I nearly knocked him over in my
haste to get to her.  Except for a bruised knee, Marion didn't appear
to be injured.  She kept insisting that she was fine and just needed
help getting to her couch, but as I eyed the distance from the roof to
the hard ground below, I wasn't so sure.  I do not have x-ray vision,
so I could not spot internal injury, but it was easy to see that she
was in shock.  She was chilly, obviously dazed and insisted that she
did not feel any pain.

Not to be dissuaded, I encouraged her to stay lying down and placed a
lavender compress on her head.  What she most appreciated (and
remembers to this day) was the Rescue Remedy that I handed her as her
son-in-law arrived to take her to the emergency room.  This combination
of flower essences, which is sold at natural food stores (ask for it by
name!), is designed to ease shock and stress.  Marion took a few drops
every few minutes, and she swears that this is what got her through the
ordeal and kept her from falling back into shock.

She successfully used it again when she went into the hospital for
surgery to repair her knee, which she injured when she fell.

Shock can result from a number of situations, including injury that
results in loss of blood, reacticn to a drug, poisoning, serious
infection, internal bleeding and severe dehydration.  Extreme
emotions--anger, fear and even joy- can also cause a person to go into
shock.

When this happens, the heart's action is reduced--it does not receive
or send out enough blood--and the skin pales, lips and fingernails may
turn bluish, the pulse weakens and breathing becomes more rapid as the
body struggles to get more oxygen.

People in shock may be oblivious to pain or very alert, and they may
not realize that they need help.  It may be up to you as a bystander to
take charge.  In assisting a shock victim, have her lie down, and do
your best to keep her as warm and comfortable as the situation
allows.

If possible, elevate the victim's feet so that more blood is sent to
the brain.

In general, keep a dear head and maintain a reassuring presence.  It is
often other people's panic that pushes an injured person into shock.

Be sure to get professional help, even if the person begins to recover
in a few minutes.  Shock can also indicate a serious underlying
problem, so be concerned if someone goes into shock for no apparent
reason.

One day, when a neighbor boy was playing under a car that was supported
on a jack, the jack slipped and the car dropped almost to the ground,
trapping the child.  Fortunately, he was a little tyke, so he wasn't
crushed by the vehicle.

His sister ran to get me, but by the time we reached the boy, chaos had
broken out among panicking neighbors and relatives arriving on the
scene.

Some family members were not comfortable with the idea of me using
herbs to help him.  It was too bad.

Within minutes, his little teeth were knocking together, his eyes had
turned glassy, his pupils dilated and he broke

S D 0 M

out into a cold sweat--typical signs of shock.  It turned out that he
was not hurt a bit, but still had to be treated for shock at the
hospital.

To snap a person out of shock, use any strong fragrance, such as
lavender, eucalyptus, tea tree, rosemary or peppermint.

Gently wave a scented doth near the victim, put a lavender compress on
his forehead, or simply crush a few leaves under his nose.  Don't
provide anything to drink, even herbal tea, because the victim may not
be able to swallow.

SPRAINS AND S1-RAINS

An active lifestyle generally makes for a more healthy person, but it
also has its drawbacks.  For one thing, an afternoon of digging up
plants, rearranging furniture or participating in your favorite sport
makes you more prone to wrenching an ankle or waking up with stiff,
painful muscles.  Even those who seldom venture from their easy chair
find themselves with an occasional sprain or strain, sometimes just
from using a muscle in an unaccustomed way.

It's easy to be confused about the difference between a sprain and a
strain.

Sprains occur at the joints when ligaments, the fibrous tissues that
hold together two bones that meet at a joint, are pulled and
overstretched.  Strains happen when the muscles themselves, or the
tendons that hold them in place, are pulled or torn.  Either condition
can result from exerting the body past the strength of your muscles or
joints.

Sprains and strains have many things in common, including swelling and
pain.

The first signs of trouble are rapid swelling, heat, pain and
limitation of

YOUR HOME MEDICINE CABINET:

QUICK REFERENCE

THE BASICS

Aloe Burn Spray

Arnica Tincture

Bite and Sting Poultice

Herbal Compress to Stop Bleeding

Herbal Healing Salve

Herbal Ice

Herbal Liniment

Homemade Aloe Gel

Insect Bite Oil

Insect Repellent

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender Smelling Salts

Lemon and Tea Tree Antiseptic Spray Miso Soup Packet

Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac

Remedy/Paste

Roll of Gauze Bandage Saint-John's Strain and Sprain Oil Skin-Healing
Poultice Soft Cloth for Compresses Wound-Healing Tea/Tincture Yarrow
Tincture

OPTIONAL EXTRAS

Ant Bite/Nettle Remedy

Comfrey Leaves

Foot-Warming Powder

Heat Exhaustion Tea

function.  A sprain often becomes bruised and discolored as blood from
broken blood vessels and fluid from surrounding tissues seep into the
damaged area (this sometimes happens with strains as well).

Treat a sprain or strain as soon as possible.  There are two options
for home treatment: herbs and RICE, which stands for rest, ice,
compression and elevation.

In other words, raise the injured area, higher than the heart if
possible, to drain excess fluid.  Keep the injured area from moving.

Decrease swelling with ice and a compress of arnica or
Saint-John'swort, applied with light pressure.  (Never apply ice
directly to the skin; wrap it in a towel first.) After about 20
minutes, remove the ice for 15 minutes, then apply more ice.  Repeat
process as often and as long as necessary to reduce the swelling.

Strain and Sprain Compress

1 to 2 teaspoons tincture of arnica or

Saint-John%wort

2 tablespoons cold water Soft cloth

'- Combine the tincture and water in a bowl.  Soak a soft cloth in the
mixture and apply compress to injured area.

It is important that you take good care of these injuries; if left
untreated, they can cause repeated problems.  Untended ankle sprains,
considered the most common athletic injury, can plague you for years,
sometimes for your entire life.  A simple strain or sprain seldom needs
a physician's care, unless the joint feels loose or unstable, or the
injury is extremely swollen or painful.  If you're at all unsure about
the severity of an in-jury--it can be difficult, for instance, to know
whether or not a bone has been broken--treat it first with herbs, then
see a doctor.  After a serious sprain, strain or even broken bone has
been treated by In ancient Greece, Saint-John's-wort was thought to
protect against evil.

a doctor, you can enhance long-term healing with the Skin-Healing
Poultice suggested for cuts and scrapes (see page 259) applied over a
generous layer of Saint John's Strain and Sprain Oil.

Saint-|olin's Strain and Sprain Oil

2 ounces Saint-John%wort essential oil / teaspoon lavender essential
oil

8 drops marjoram essential oil

2 drops chamomile essential oil

*. Combine ingredients.  Apply to skin over injury as needed.

At a recent herb seminar I found myself rooming with another herb
teacher named Suzanne, who had become a good friend during the last few
years.  I was surprised when she said to me, "I suppose you don't
remember when I was an herb student and you helped treat my sprained
foot, but I want to thank you again."

Years ago, when we were participating in a traditional Native American
dance on uneven ground, Suzanne stepped into a gopher hole and badly
wrenched her ankle.  Someone who knew that I habitually carry first-aid
herbs tapped me on the shoulder and I was soon at Suzanne's side,
rubbing Saint-John's-wort essential oil onto her ankle.  She was in so
much pain that she had to be carried back to her cabin.  I handed her
the bottle and suggested she apply the oil liberally every 20
minutes.

The next morning, Suzanne, walking

'as if almost nothing had happened, returned a half-empty bottle of
Saint-John's-wort oil.

Modern fitness specialists advise that one way to avoid injury to your
muscles and ligaments is by doing warm-up exercises that stretch,
loosen and warm muscles before you work out or do strenuous labor.

Stretching, however, isn't the only way to warm up.

Frank G. Shellock, M.D a research scientist at Cedars-Sinai Medical
Center in Los Angeles, found that applying a liniment prior to a
workout increases blood flow to the treated area and significantly
warms it up.  This isn't to suggest that an athlete, or even the
occasional jogger, should forgo physical warm-ups in favor of a
liniment, but it's not a bad idea to use both.

A liniment also helps after soreness has set in.  It has a curious way
of relieving pain by tricking the brain.  Pain creates a reinforcing
loop between the muscle and brain; the muscle cries, "Oh, it really
hurts!"  and the brain agrees.  All this focus on pain makes it hard
for the tightened muscle to relax.  The heat from a liniment diverts
the brain's attention from the muscle to the burning sensation created
on the skin, providing the muscle an opportunity to relax.  Actually,
the peppermint or camphor essential oil in liniment activates both hot
and cold nerve impulses in the skin.  When the brain receives
alternating messages of hot and cold, the contrast between the two
makes a liniment seem much hotter than it really is.  One way to
increase a liniment's heat even more is to rub it into

	HERBAL 	FIRST-AID the skin.  Experts say that this friction doubles
the sensation of heat.

Most liniments also contain other essential oils that provide a
sensation of heat, such as cinnamon or cayenne, along with muscle
relaxants, such as ginger and rosemary.  In fact, many arthritis and
sore-muscle liniments from centuries ago have rosemary as their basic
ingredient.  There is an old story about Elizabeth of Hungary buying a
secret beauty formula from a hermit in 1235.  The formula turned out to
be made up mostly of rosemary vinegar, and rumor had it that the
mixture was as much for the old queen's rheumatism as for her
complexion.  Whatever the case, a young prince fell in love with her,
and today you can still find Queen of Hungary's Water along with other
herbal liniments at drugstores and natural food stores.  Or you can
make your own (instead of using rosemary vinegar, as the Queen did, I
use rosemary essential oil).

Herbal Liniment

," cup olive oil

8 drops each eucalyptus, peppermint and rosemary essential oils

4 drops each cinnamon and clove essential oils

' Combine ingredients.  Rub into sore, cramping muscles as needed.

This is hot!

Keep it away from your eyes.

Chapter FIFTEEN

Cautions and Considerations

O

the of the great advantages of using herbs for health and healing is
their relative safety.

Although herbs are generally safer and carry fewer side effects than
pharmaceutical drugs, not all herbs are harmless at all dosages.  Safe
and rational use of herbs requires an understanding not only of what
and how much to use, but also of what not to use.

Some herbs, including old-time favorites such as comfrey, are the
subjects of hot debate.  Some experts believe that comfrey is
completely safe; others believe that it carries some dangers.  In many
of these debates, a lot of contradictory evidence being tossed about.

For the most part, I have played it safe--when confronted with the
choice of whether to include the most controversial herbs, I decided to
leave them out of this book.

However, since scientific understanding changes as each new study
presents new data, it is possible that some of these questionable herbs
will once again come to be regarded as safe.

Potential toxicity is not the only factor to consider when choosing
which herbs to use and which not to use.  A few herbs have become so
popular that they are being overharvested.  The use of pesticides and
fumigants on herbs are cause for still more concern.

The subject of which herbs are safe and which are questionable can be
very confusing, especially since there are so many unsubstantiated
theories floating around.  To help you out, here are some guidelines
and some background information on how some of these debates got
started.  This should help as you work your way through the aisles of
the natural food store, trying to determine how to improve your health
safely

SAFE IN

MODERATION

Herbalists have always known that some herbs need to be used more
carefully than others.  And some plants are downright poisonous.  With
a few herbs, however, there is a fine line between toxic and
medicinal.

That line is often determined by the dose.

Most of the herbs suggested in this book are safe even if you take them
in much larger quantities than suggested, but there are a few that must
be used in moderation--or side effects may occur.

When a certain herb has potential side effects, I have noted it in the
text.  This possibility should not, however, scare you away from using
the herb--since herbal side effects are generally much less significant
than pharmaceutical side effects.  Even the Food and Drug
Administration (or FDA; the government agency that regulates the sale
of drugs in the United States) which takes a very conservative stance
regarding herbs, has sanctioned the moderate use of many of the herbs
mentioned in this book.

One common herb that can have side effects is licorice.  We generally
think of this herb as being safe--most of us associate it with
candy--but taking large quantities can lead to sodium retention and
potassium loss, which in turn can cause water retention, high blood
pressure, headaches, shortness of breath and sometimes even heart
problems.  Experts writing in the Journal of the American Medical
Association described one licorice lover who ate so much candy (two to
four ounces a day for seven years) that he landed in the hospital with
weakness and hormonal imbalances.

Just chewing and swallowing licorice-flavored tobacco hospitalized
another fellow.  As a result, licorice is not recommended in any form
if you have high blood pressure or kidney disease or if you are
pregnant.  If you fit intany of these categories, you should be careful
even with drugstore laxatives that contain licorice--most use highly
concentrated extracts.

Other herbs that can raise blood pressure when taken in large amounts
are ephedra, angelica, black cohosh (which also causes dizziness and
irritates the nerves) and ginseng, according to some reports.  Ephedra
and the caffeine-rich plants coffee, guarana, mate and kola nut
stimulate the adrenal glands and can make you nervous, cause your heart
to race and make it hard for you to sleep.  Chances are that if
caffeine were a new drug today, the FDA would approve it for
prescription use only Caffeine and derivatives of ephedra are added to
diet and energy formulas that speed up your metabolism in an unhealthy
way.  These stimulants should be used sparingly on-even better--not at
all.  Several deaths have been linked to misuse of ephedra, so it's
best to use this herb under medical supervision.

Other herbs that affect the adrenal glands include gentian and
vervain.

Gentian can make your body more sensitive to the adrenal hormone
adrenaline.

It is safe for most people to use, but in Germany people with high
blood pressure are discouraged from taking it.  Vervain has quite the
opposite action, slightly depressing the heart rate, at least in
animals, and constricting the bronchials.  You should avoid it if you
have asthma.  To be on the safe side, if you have high blood pressure
or a heart condition, do not use any of these herbs without
professional advice.

There are also a few herbs that can foster digestive problems.  Large
quantities of hydrangea root or of extremely bitter herbs such as
gentian and quassia, for instance, can cause nausea and vomiting.

Generally speaking, if you become queasy after taking a particular
herb, you are probably taking too much of it.  (Remember, if you're
sensitive to the herb, what's fine for someone else may be too much for
you.)

Other herbs may impair your body's assimilation of vital nutrients.  No
one is sure, but some herbalists think that long-term use of garlic,
goldenseal and, to some degree, barberry and Oregon grape root
eventually depletes your intestinal flora and thus reduces the amount
of nutrients you assimilate, especially B-complex vitamins.  Taking
large quantities of horsetail can create a deficiency of vitamin B1.

When it comes to horsetail, you should use only the young plants, since
older plants develop a toxic compound.

Long-term use of an irritant-type laxative herb such as cascara sagrada
or senna causes potassium loss and electrolyte imbalance, which can
irritate an existing bowel problem.  (Electrolytes are important
minerals such as sodium, magnesium and potassium.) One woman developed
hepatitis after a month of taking sennoside B, an active compound
isolated from senna, but it turned out that she was taking ten times
the recommended maximum dose!

RARE REACTIONS

IN SENSI17IVE %

INDIVIDUALS

A few herbs are photosensitive--if you go out in the sun after
ingesting them, you might have a skin reaction.  There are very few
such documented cases, but reactions generally occur within 24 hours
and only in individuals who are especially sensitive.  Even some very
common fruits and vegetables, such as figs and carrots, can cause this
reaction.

Don quai, the related angelica and yarrow are potential herbal
culprits.  Lo-vage causes photosensitivity in animals but apparently
not in people (although anyone with weak kidneys should not use it).

Applying bergamot essential oil to your skin can also cause this
reaction, unless you get a version of the oil from which the reactive
compound, berg-aptene, has been removed (it will say "bergaptene-free"
on the label).  Other citrus essential oils, especially lemon, are said
to sometimes cause a photosensitive reaction.

A number of fresh plants, such as goldenseal, blue cohosh, mullein,
elecampane, motherwort, parsley, hops and dandelion, can cause itching
or a skin rash in sensitive individuals.  This reaction is rarely more
than bothersome, and if you react to one of these plants, this does not
necessarily mean that you will react to the others.

Some herbs--cayenne, for instance--can cause a burning sensation on
sensitive skin.  Researchers at the University of Chicago Hospital
dubbed cayenne's painful sting "Hunan hand" because cooks working in
Chinese restaurants often experience it.  These researchers found that
soaking the peppers in vinegar for a few hours neutralizes the
reaction.  Fat and alcohol can be used to relieve the pain, so next
time you accidentally chomp down on a hot pepper camouflaged in a plate
of Hunan bean curd, try taking a sip of milk or beer.  Garlic and other
pungent herbs can irritate and even burn sensitive skin.

Large amounts even make some people's eyes more sensitive to light.

It is probably obvious, but if you are a hemophiliac or are scheduled
for surgery, you should avoid herbs that have anticlotting
properties.

These include turmeric, alfalfa and motherwort.  Ginseng, feverflower and
garlic also thin the blood to some degree.

The immune herb' baptisia contains a substance that is known to be
toxic to animals in large amounts--it has poisoned animals who have
overgrazed on it--but I could find no reports of it producing a toxic
reaction in people.  Bap-usia is commonly used in Sweden, but is
classified as a drug there.

THE NEW HERBAL

O U ICA ST S

Although herbs have been used for centuries, there are some very common
herbs whose possible toxic reactions have begun to be noticed only
recently.

Unfortunately, every time an herb is even remotely connected with
toxicity, it makes headlines.  At the same time, side effects and
deaths from pharmaceutical drugs generally receive less media
attention.

Actually, toxicity from medicinal herbs pales in comparison with
injuries resulting from prescription drugs and even vitamin
supplements.  For example, according to the Consumer Product Safety
Commission in Washington, D.C six children died in the United States in
1993 and three in 1994 as a result of taking products that contained
iron.  No deaths have been reported from the low doses in children's
chewable vitamins.

I suspect that some undiscovered factors cause certain people to be
more susceptible to certain herbs than others.

Researcher and herb toxicity specialist Ryan J. Huxtable, Ph.D who
works at the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Arizona,
notes that taking anticonvulsant drugs with the herbs comfrey,
coltsfoot or senecio increases the toxicity of certain compounds found
in the herbs.

Simon Mills of the Centre for Complementary Health Studies at the
University of Exeter in England also found evidence of complications
when certain pharmaceutical drugs and an herb were taken at the same
time.  Mills reported on one woman who developed liver toxicity while
taking the drug Indapamide in combination with various herbs, including
germander.  Another woman suffered the same effect with a
Lorazaepam/herb combination that may also have included germander.  A
third case involved a group of Native Americans who were poisoned after
eating a species of Helio-tropium; it was discovered that the two who
died were also taking phenobarbital to treat epilepsy.

An existing medical condition may also make you more susceptible to the
side effects of certain herbs.  An example is a thirteen-year-old boy
who developed liver dysfunction after eating comfrey regularly for
about three years--he may have been more susceptible because he had an
inflammatory bowel disease.

There are also cases of people developing liver problems while taking
chaparral and senna to correct skin problems, but this connection is
less clean-skin problems are often related to existing liver
imbalances.

In one laboratory study, when experimental animals were fed a diet that
was about one-third comfrey, they developed cancer of the liver.  And a
few cases of liver damage (although not cancer) were reported in people
who had ingested large amounts of comfrey.  The offending agent in
comfrey has been identified as pyrrolizidine alkaloids.  More than 200
types of these compounds are found in various other plants as well,
including the medicinal herbs coltsfoot, borage, lungwort, senecio and
dusty miller.  (Borage seed oil contains such small traces of these
compounds that it is considered safe.) When animals were fed large
amounts of the pure pyrrolizidine alkaloids derived from coltsfoot,
they experienced liver toxicity.  In 1987, after a woman who drank tea
that included coltsfoot gave birth to an infant with severe liver
injury, Germany banned any herb containing these alkaloids.

WISDOM

Most medical researchers assume that comfrey is perfectly safe if used
ex-ternally-for instance, in poultices and salves --but are wary of
using it internally, even though practically no alkaloids are found in
the dried leaves.

Comfrey's fresh root is especially potent--about ten times stronger
than the flesh leaves.  Germany and France permit the use of comfrey
for external use on unbroken skin.  Canada allows the sale of only the
species that do not contain the strongest alkaloids, such as Symphtum
officinale.  According to experiments done in Sweden, boiling herbs
containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids in water for 20 minutes makes them
nontoxic; nevertheless, Sweden classifies both comfrey and coltsfoot as
drugs.

Until herbs containing these compounds receive a dean bill of health,
it is best not to take them for internal use but to rely on other herbs
instead.

Another herb in question is chaparral.

People take it because it contains NDGA (nordihydroquaiatetic acid), a
strong antioxidant and anti-cancer agent.  Herb industry surveys show
that more than 200 tons were sold in the United States between 1970 and
1990.

And during this time, there was not a single complaint of side effects
arising from the use of this herb.  When two to three cups of chaparral
tea or the isolated NDGA were given daily to more than 50 cancer
patients, the only side effects were occasional nausea or diarrhea.

Very large doses resulted in lowered blood pressure.  These and other
studies led the National Cancer Institute to state in 1989 that "acute
toxicity of NDGA is not great."

With all of these essentially positive reports, FDA chemists, who still
have not found any liver toxicity in chaparral, were puzzled when a
woman developed hepatitis after taking it for three months to treat
breast lumps.  It turned out that she was downing a whopping 15 tablets
a day--far in excess of the recommended dose.  This story did not
attract much attention until 1992, when three people who were taking
two or three tablets daffy developed liver problems that did not go
away until they discontinued the herb.  As a result of these cases, the
FDA issued a public warning that a "casual relationship" exists between
chaparral and liver problems.

The herb germander also seems to be problematic.  In France, seven
people came down with acute cases of hepatitis while taking capsules or
a tea of wild ger-mander to lose weight.  All seven recovered after
discontinuing the herb, but three of them developed signs of liver
problems as soon as they resumed taking it--researchers suspect that
the problem was the result of an allergic reaction.  Because of this
situation, French manufacturers voluntarily stopped marketing
germander; in 1982 the government banned its use.

The root bark of sassafras contains the compound safrole, which is
banned by the FDA for use in food, along with sassafras.  This ban was
instituted in 1960, after laboratory animals developed cancer when
injected with large amounts of safrole.  The flavoring used in root
beer must be "safrole-free."  Smaller amounts of safrole are also found
in black pepper, star anise, basil, cinnamon leaf, nutmeg, sage and
witch hazel, but so far these herbs have not come under fire.

The results of some studies suggest that comfrey, coltsfoot and
sassafras may have anti-cancer properties--in one study, a comfrey leaf
tea was shown to decrease tumor growth.  Bruce Ames, Ph.D Chairman of
the Biochemistry Department, University of California, Berkeley, has
said that the risk of one cup of root tea is comparable to that of a
peanut butter sandwich, a diet soda containing saccharin and one raw
button mushroom.  Mice given an extract made from the whole comfrey
plant had their immune systems stimulated.  When people were given
small doses of safrole, it did not create any cancer-producing
substances.  This led researchers to suggest that the toxic reaction in
humans is different from that in rats.  It seems that we have much more
to learn about determining herbal toxicity.

So 4E OLD

CA U T O N S ,":: ;

Medicinal herbs with established histories of producing serious side
effects are best used only under the supervision of a professional
health care practitioner who is knowledgeable about herbs.  Lobelia and
pokeweed, a strong antiviral agent that stimulates the immune system,
are two classic examples.  Both irritate the digestive tract, cause
vomiting and decrease respiration.  The FDA restricts lo-belia's
general use, but does permit the sale of pills to help stop smoking.

Pokeweed leaves are sometimes eaten as a wild vegetable, but in 1981 a
group of campers became ill hours after dining on them, even though
they had boiled the leaves twice.

USING HERBS AND

ESSENTIAL OILS

SAFELY

All essential offs need to be used with care because they are so
concentrated--generally, one drop equals one to two cups of tea.  In
many cases, ingesting one ounce of an essential oil can be fatal.

Aromatherapists say that unless you are a skilled practitioner, you
should use essential oils only on the outside of the body.  For
internal use, it is far safer to use a tea, tincture or pill.  Be sure
to keep essential oils away from children.

The essential oils of wormwood and tansy should not be used at
all--these plants contain thujone, which can cause seizures.  If you
want to use the herbs, you must also be careful.  The essential oils of
wintergreen and thyme can irritate the skin, even when diluted.

Pennyroyal developed a bad reputation in 1978 when one unfortunate
year-old woman died after downing an entire ounce (two tablespoons!) of
the essential oil while trying to discontinue a pregnancy.  After that,
the FDA declared that the essential oil and the herb itself must be
labeled "for external use only."

According to Norman Farnsworth, Ph.D professor of pharmacology at the
University of Illinois, Chicago, an ounce of pennyroyal essential oil
equals roughly 75 gallons of the tea!

You should also avoid using any strong herbs or herbal derivatives
during pregnancy.  This includes goldenseal, barberry and Oregon grape
root; laxatives such as senna and cascara sagrada; and coffee, kola nut
and guarana, all of which contain caffeine.  Also watch out for herbs
that produce hormonal actions, don quai, fenugreek and red clover among
them, and uterine stimulants such as aloe, fenugreek and rue.

If you are pregnant, you should also avoid large quantities of herbs
with as-pirin-like actions, such as willow and meadowsweet, because
aspirin itself has been linked to birth defects.  Chances are that this
is not true of aspirin-like herbs, but you might as well play it
safe.

Black cohosh and blue cohosh are sometimes used during the last few
weeks of pregnancy to prepare the uterus for childbirth, but if you are
interested in using these herbs, I recommend that you find someone who
is experienced in herbs to work with you.

MIS1-AKEN 	ii D E N T TY 	'; :i.

When herbs were commonly used as general medicines in the nineteenth
and early twentieth centuries, the U.S. Dispensatory gave pharmacists
detailed directions on how to determine if they had the right plant.

Later, as herbalism in North America began to be replaced by medical
science, knowledge of herbs became more rare, and herbs offered for
sale were often misidentified and mislabeled.

Over the years, this has presented numerous problems for the herb
indus try.  Fortunately, herb companies are now beginning to pay more
attention to the sources and proper identification of their herbs.

Misidentification is at the heart of the bum rap that some herbs get.

As if comfrey does not have enough problems, some toxic side effects
ascribed to this plant were actually due to poisonous foxglove leaves
that had been mistaken for comfrey.  After drinking what they thought
was comfrey tea, one elderly couple in Britain developed great thirst
and urinary problems.  The next day they hallucinated that monkeys,
bugs, black clouds and burglars were prancing through their house.

After being admitted to a hospital, the man collapsed with a coronary,
but then slowly recovered.  In 1983, a Mississippi woman who drank
comfrey tea to mend a broken hip experienced blurred vision and nausea
that were later attributed to foxglove.

Skullcap has also been the subject of mistaken identity.  According to
an investigation of herbal products in the United Kingdom in 1984, very
little real skullcap is sold commercially, since this small plant is
not easy to grow or harvest on a large scale.  Instead, germander is
sold as skullcap.  This means that germander was probably responsible
for two "skullcap" poisonings reported by the Riks Hospital in Norway
in 1991.  In Wales, four women who took the stress pills Neurelax and
Kalms experienced temporary liver damage.  Because the ingredients
listed on the label included skullcap and valerian, these herbs were
alternately blamed for the adverse side effects; researchers now
believe that the culprit in this case was germander.  In the 1970s, two
women developed hepatitis B after ingesting tablets allegedly
containing skullcap, mistletoe, motherwort and kelp.  The doctors who
treated the women, apparently not aware that germander often
masquerades as skullcap, assumed that mistletoe must have caused the
condition.

Researchers studying echinacea at the University of Munich in the 1980s
were surprised to find that they were actually working with prairie
dock (Parthe-nium integrifolium).  The root of the impostor is similar
to that of echinacea, but is about five times larger.  Testing of
commercial products followed, and it turned out that quite a bit of the
echi-nacea on the market was not the real thing.  Likewise, Eastern
European growers have sometimes supplied British importers with
imitation herbs such as German chamomile or, more often, common tansy
instead of feverflower.

When the American Herb Association had an independent laboratory
conduct chromatographic tests and microscopic analyses of five
different products labeled Siberian ginseng, only two proved to be the
real thing.  The others were probably Chinese silk vine (Perploca
sepium), which shares with Siberian ginseng the Chinese name jla-pi
(which translates as "five-leaf, spiny bark").

Siberian ginseng got into even more hot water in 1990, when a baby with
hormonal problems was born to a woman who had been drinking a tea
labeled "Siberian ginseng."  There soon appeared a flurry of negative
stories not only about Siberian ginseng, but also about ginseng--many
people do not know the difference.  It took a while for the dust to
settle, but Denis Awang, Ph.D then-chairman of Canada's Health
Protection Branch of the Department of Health and Welfare, determined
that the herbal tea had actually been made with Chinese silk vine.

Later, it appeared that the baby's problem had nothing to do with the
tea anyway, but rumors continued.

Months after, I read in an herbal newsletter yet another warning about
Chinese ginseng causing birth defects and hormonal problems.

Although no toxicity has been found in ginkgo leaves, some people have
wondered about this herb's safety because of skin reactions sometimes
caused by ginkgo's fruit.  The fruit contains compounds similar to the
rash-producing agents in poison ivy and oak.

Likewise, rumors persist that medicinal passionflower, like its
relative, the ornamental blue passionflower (Passifiora caerulea),
contains toxic cyanogenic glycosides.  If you plant passionflower in
your medicinal herb garden, make sure that it is the
medicinal/incarnata.

Today, the FDA considers chamomile a safe herb, but warnings about
chamomile can still still be found in many modem herb books.  The
controversy stems from a Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
article in which the author said that drinking chamomile tea might
produce potentially fatal anaphylactic shock in people who are allergic
to the distantly related ragweed.  Concerned researchers then reviewed
data on chamomile assembled from studies conducted between 1887 and
1982.  They found only 50 allergic reactions reported in any chamomile
species, and no deaths.  Only 5 reactions were from the German
chamomile that is commonly used as tea.

The researchers concluded that the likelihood of an acute allergy to
chamomile is really quite low.

In 1977 Saint-John's-wort was placed on an FDA list of unsafe herbs
because animals that ingest it experience a negative reaction to
sunlight.  In Russia, this common weed is called zveroboi, or "beast
killer."  However, no cases of human poisoning exist in the scientific
literature, and many herbalists use Saint-John's-wort extensively--and
without complaint from their clients.  I have heard a few stories of
people--mostly individuals who are HIV-positive--developing a sun
sensitivity after taking very large amounts.  It is possible that
people whose immune systems are compromised are more susceptible to the
herb's phototoxic side effects.

In 1989 a controversy developed over psyllium.  Fifty-eight people
reported allergic reactions from a cereal containing psyl]ium.  It
turned out that a few individuals, mostly nurses who had been exposed
to psyllium dust in the hospital, had developed a sensitivity to
psyllium.

PRO-[EC-IING

YOURSELF FROM

CON1AMINA'flON

It does not make sense to heal yourself with herbs that are
contaminated with chemicals that can harm your liver and kidneys.

Organic herbs may cost more, but I strongly recommend them--they are
healthier, and health, after all, is the point of using herbs.

Spraying pesticides on herbs in the field is a great concern.  In the
early 1970s, I was part-owner of an herb company that sold herbal
blends.  We discovered that it was nearly impossible to find
organically grown herbs; we had to grow our own.  Today, organically
grown herbs are big business.

You should not assume, however, that all herbs and herb products sold
in natural food stores have not been sprayed.  Even restricted
pesticides sometimes sneak into the United States and Canada.  When the
American Spice Trade Association and McCormick, the world's largest
spice company, began monitoring spices imported from India, they found
only low levels of pesticide residues.

However, the residues they did find included DDT and other chemicals
that have long been banned in the United States and Canada.  DDT is now
restricted by the Indian government, but it is still being used in many
other countries.

Pesticides sprayed on growing plants are not the only concern.

Chemicals called fumigants are often used to kill pests on dried herbs,
sometimes even plants that have been organically grown.

Ethylene oxide, ethylene bromohydin and ethylene chlorohydrin are
commonly sprayed on herbs to destroy bugs and microbes.  The safety of
the herbs once they are sprayed is the subject of much debate.  Most
herb companies argue that the gas residues are long gone before the
plants reach the consumer.  I certainly hope so--thus far, ethylene
oxide has been linked to birth defects and to spontaneous abortions in
hospital workers who used it to sterilize equipment.

Ethylene oxide is also considered a possible carcinogen.  The results
of one study conducted in Sweden found that the incidence of leukemia
in workers exposed to ethylene oxide was more than ten times higher
than that of the general population.  In 1990, 800,000 pounds of this
chemical were used in California alone--much of this which was released
into the air as industrial plant emissions.

State officials estimated that this use could result in up to 510
cancers over the next 70 years.  In 1990 the Indian government passed
legislation requiring that herbs and foods treated with ethylene oxide
be clearly marked; U.S. authorities have not even considered setting
such restrictions.

Another method of "cleaning" foods is irradiation.  This is probably
the least of your worries when it comes to herbs, though.  This is not
because radiation does not pose any risks, but because the process is
so expensive that so far it has been restricted mostly to perishable,
high-priced items, such as fresh strawberries and a few expensive
spices used in prepared foods.  Some herb companies make a big deal
about not irradiating their herbs.  Check to see if they make an
equally big fuss about their herbs not being subjected to pesticides or
gases.

ENDANGERED

HERBS

I am excited about the increasing popularity of herbs.  But I am also a
bit con-cerned--that popularity translates into a serious impact on the
environment when popular herbs are overharvested.

In North America, commercial wild-crafting (picking herbs in the wild)
goes back to the days of trappers who sold ginseng along with their
furs.  Today, it is illegal in many states to wildcraft ginseng without
permission, but wild-crafting laws are rarely enforced.  Unfortunately,
wild ginseng's survival is now threatened.

Traditionally, the backwoods wild-crafters considered different
species, and sometimes totally different plants, equally beneficial.

As a result, several different herbs may be picked together without
regard to the overharvesting of a few threatened species.  Some species
of echinacea and lady slipper are now so rare that they are on the
endangered species list.

Tree barks are often harvested by stripping off all the bark on a
particular tree, which kills the tree.  I have even heard of oak bark
being harvested by bulldozing the trees.  There are tech niques that
involve selective stripping (slippery elm is harvested this way), but
these methods are more time-consuming and therefore less profitable.

A partial solution to this herb crisis is for you to buy rare herbs
only if they have been cultivated instead of wildcrafted.  You can also
use alternative herbs.  For example, I have mentioned Oregon grape root
and barberry throughout this book, because in most cases, their similar
chemistry makes them an acceptable alternative to goldenseal.  I have
not even suggested using lady slipper, which has been heavily collected
since the nineteenth century and is not cultivated commercially because
its actions are so similar to those of the common herb valerian.

If you are truly motivated to use herbs medicinally, the best thing for
you to do is to get out your spade and turn a small plot of your yard
into an herb garden.

This will provide the best assurance that your herbs are of the very
highest quality.

chapter SIXTEEN

romatherapy: Healln the Emotions

Fragrance captures the attention: the sweet smell of a rose, the
enticing aroma of a freshly baked cinnamon apple cake, the appealing
scent of a cup of warm peppermint tea, the pleasing fragrance of your
favorite perfume.  Just the word "aromatherapy" conjures up intriguing
images, and with good reason.  As much as we take our sense of smell
for granted, fragrance affects us in a way that is both primal and
provocative.

When I first began giving tours through my herb garden in the early
1970s, I couldn't help but notice how each fragrant herb produced its
own unique effect.  I also observed that each group of visitors
responded the same way to particular fragrances.  The lavender
inevitably produced smiles, and everyone who sniffed it noticeably
relaxed.  Chamomile soothed the group even more--so much, in fact, that
everyone began speaking much more softly That is, until they reached
the peppermint bed, which sent them chattering a mile a minute!

As a masseuse, I wondered how I could capture such mood-altering
properties in a massage oil.  I wanted to help send my clients into
deeper relaxation and use fragrance to relieve their stress or to perk
them up, depending upon what they needed.  Lavender has always been one
of my favorite scents, so I selected it for my first experiment.  It
produced such relaxation in the first client I tried it on that he fell
asleep--that was all the encouragement I needed!  I designed a set of
massage oils, each with a different effect: calming or energizing,
coping with emotional conflicts and providing mental clarity The
results from these oils were exciting, but little did I realize how
popular aromatherapy would become a decade later.  In the 1980s,
aromatherapy stepped into the world of modem science and marketing.

The term "aromatherapy" was first coined in the early part of the
twentieth century by the French chemist Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, who
used this word to describe the medicinal use of essential oils.  In
actuality, however, aromatherapy was not a new practice even then; it
had always been a part of herbalism.  Many traditional remedies had
multiple purposes --a single potion often served as cosmetic, perfume
and medicine.  This is no surprise, since many aromatic herbs that are
used as cosmetics are also medicinal.

What makes aromatherapy different from herbalism is that it uses only
the herbs that contain essential oils.  These herbs are easy to
identify because they are all fragrant.  When you read an herb book,
keep in mind that all the medicinal properties found in an herb are not
necessarily contained in its essential oil.

Most herbs are filled with other compounds in addition to essential
oils.

However, the essential oils are often responsible for an herb's
antiseptic properties, and many of them perform other medicinal duties
as well.

Not all aromatherapy deals with the effects of fragrance on the
emotions.  For example, fragrant herbs and essential oils are used in
massage oils to loosen tight muscles.

Aromatherapy can help a person to cope with psychological issues, from
depression and anxiety to poor memory.  That something as noninvasive
as natural fragrances can affect our thoughts is quite exciting.

Medical researchers hope someday to treat a number of conditions,
including Alzheimer's disease and memory disorders, with fragrance.

This idea is not as far out as it may seem.  When we smell, the
information that we receive is sent to specific areas of the brain that
influence memory, learning, basic emotions, hormonal balances and even
our basic survival mechanisms, such as the "fight or flight"
response.

Researchers have found that fragrance can even improve interaction and
communication among people: Pleasant smells can put people in better
moods and even make them more willing to negotiate, cooperate and
compromise.  Put these same people in an unscented room, and avoidance,
competition and conflict are more likely.

Scientific evidence supporting aromatherapy is just beginning to
surface.

In a 1992 issue of the British Journal of Occupational Therapy,
aromatherapy is described as a treatment to "promote health and
well-being" through massage, inhalation, baths and the application of
compresses, creams and lotions.  The author of this article suggests
that fragrance can reduce stress and depression, sedate or invigorate,
stimulate sensory awareness and provide pain relief.  Working with
International Fragrance and Flavor (IFF), a New York-based fragrance
company that has made a multimillion-dollar commitment to research,
Gary Schwartz, M.D a professor of psychology at the University of
Arizona, studied how fragrances can be used to alleviate fatigue,
migraine headaches, food cravings, depression, schizophrenia, anxiety
and irregular heartbeat.  Another scientist funded by IFF, Craig
Warren, Ph.D tested more than 2,000 subjects in order to better
understand how some fragrances can relieve pain, call up deep-seated
memories and generally affect personality and behavior.  He is
particularly interested in discovering which scents prevent insomnia.

IFF officials believe that companies will eventually market
stress-relieving perfumes and that it will someday be commonplace for
people to choose everyday items such as shampoo according to their
emotional needs as well as their cosmetic requirements.  In fact, the
mainstreaming of aromatherapy has already begun.  The cosmetic firm
Redken markets Shinsen shampoo, which features rose, honeysuckle,
tuberose and musk scents to "relieve stress and promote peace of
mind."

(The shampoo's package also provides directions for giving yourself a
shiatsu head massage to promote further relaxation.) The Japanese
fragrance company Takasago created Avon's popular Tranquil Moments bath
line and is investigating aromas that might be used to treat dizziness
and nausea.

Following Avon's lead, the Estee Lauder cosmetics company formed
Origins, an aromatherapy line sold in department stores such as
Nordstrom's and New York's Bergdorf Goodman, as well as at a small
number of Origins stores

AROMATHERAPY

across the United States.  Their Green Principles body-care products
emphasize botanicals and carry names such as Sleep Time, Stress Buffer,
Muscle Easing, Energy Boost and Peace of Mind.

To experience the Esther aromatherapy and acupressure facial designed
by Shiseido, Japan's largest cosmetics company, you would need to visit
an exclusive $7,000-a-year health club.  But if you do, the effects
will certainly be more than skin-deep.  Shiseido researchers measuring
the brain waves of women while they received the facial found that the
waves duplicated those achieved during meditation or deep relaxation!

As an added benefit, the facial lowered blood pressure.

Aromatherapy has captured the imagination not only of medical
researchers, but also of marketers, who find that flagrance sells.

Alan R. Hirsch, M.D the director of the Smell and Taste Treatment and
Research Foundation in Chicago and a psychiatrist and neurologist at
the University of Illinois, is studying how different odors change a
consumer's reactions.  For instance, he analyzes people's responses to
television commercials as they smell various odors.

According to Dr. Hirsch, "Odors will be the marketing tool of the
1990s."  He projects that in less than five years, stores around the
world will be counting on fragrances to influence shoppers.

You may not realize it, but you have probably already experienced
aromather-apy-maybe when you bought a car or a house, or even laundry
detergent.  Most of the products we purchase are scented to make them
more appealing.  Real estate agents know that the smell of freshly
baked brownies makes a house more appealing to a buyer.  Similarly,
used-car salespeople spray a fragrance into cars because customers are
more likely to think that the vehicle is in good shape if it smells
new.  Most detergents are lemon-scented because we tend to associate
the smell of citrus with cleanliness.

However, not all aromatherapy-based marketing is successful.  Consider
the laundry detergent company in England that decided to outsmart
competitors by choosing a scent for the product other than the typical
lemon.  Extensive testing on housewives showed that vanilla was by far
the favorite, with musk in close pursuit.  Then the company de

Vanilla is not only great in ice cream-it's also a reputed
aphrodisiac.

cided to find out why these particular scents rated so high.  Imagine
the researchers' surprise when they learned that the oils were having
an aphrodisiac effect on the women!  The company immediately decided to
stick with the lemon scent.  (I heard that they changed the color of
the box instead.)

USING 	eo g}7

A R O M A H ERA P Y 	; i;(, As mysterious at it might seem,
aromatherapy is easy to use.  It is also highly individual, built on
the concept of finding the fragrances that are appropriate to each
person's emotional needs.  The simplest way to determine the best
healing fragrance for you is to determine which scents you find most
appealing.  After all, aromatherapy should be enjoyable.  The best way
to find the scents that are right for you is to try different scents
one by one.  If you don't like a particular scent, pass it up and go to
one that you find more attractive.

Most people prefer familiar fragrances.

If a particular odor has a negative or positive association, it may
evoke the same emotion the next time you smell it.  When students
participating in a study at the Olfaction Research Group at the
University of Warwick in Coventry, England, were told that they
performed poorly after taking a test in a scented room, they became
depressed every time they smelled that odor.  Students told that they
were successful had the opposite reaction: Their self-confidence was
boosted whenever they sniffed that aroma.

I know of children who have disliked the smell of strawberries ever
since they experienced strawberry-scented masks to help relax them
during surgery.  Many of us have known people we found romantically
attractive, except for something vaguely unsettling.  Then you realize
that the person's cologne or perfume is the same one that was worn by
someone who broke your heart years before.

I once observed a similar phenomenon while giving an aromatherapy
lecture.

As a sample of lavender was passed around, each student who inhaled its
fragrance relaxed and smiled, until it reached one man who immediately
stiffened up with the most painful look on his face.  When I asked if
he had any past association with lavender, he remembered that it was
used in his hometown funeral home.  Many people he had been close to
had died when he was a child, and the scent of lavender produced a
flood of painful feelings.  I am sure that no matter how much he learns
about the positive qualities of lavender, that man will never be able
to truly enjoy its fragrance.

Many times I am asked if a person can overcome his or her dislike for a
particular fragrance.  It is not easy, but you can try to recondition
yourself--providing your original negative experience with that scent
was not too dramatic.

When you are in an enjoyable place and mood, sniff a faint amount of
the problematic scent combined with another scent that you do like.

After trying this a few times, you may find yourself experiencing the
once-disliked fragrance more pleasantly

AROMATHERAPY TECHNIQUES

In various subtle ways, you probably already use aromatherapy When you
make a tea made from a flagrant herb (such as peppermint or chamomile)
or toss such herbs into your bath, you are extracting the herb's
essential oils into the water.  Likewise, when you make recipes from
this book that use flagrant herbs, you are using aromatherapy, Because
essential oils are so concentrated, the safest way to use them is to
dilute them in a vegetable oil base and then rub them into the skin as
you would a liniment.  Essential oils are absorbed into the bloodstream
because their tiny molecules pass through the skin.  Compounds from
lavender essential oil have been detected in the bloodstream only 20
minutes after a lavender massage oil was rubbed on the skin.

(You can test this at home by rubbing a piece of cut garlic on the
bottom of your foot.  Its essential oils will travel through the sole
of your foot and within 30 minutes you will taste garlic!)

Essential oils are especially effective when you apply them to the skin
over an internal region where they are needed.

For instance, a massage oil designed to ease a stomachache can be
rubbed over the abdomen.  There is a chart near the end of this chapter
that details the best proportions to use in creating aromatherapy
products.

The most effective way to use aromatherapy is to make the fragrance so
subtle that it is barely perceivable.  Blend several scents together,
as a perfumer does.  Use your nose as your guide, and do not be afraid
to experiment.  I know nurses and other health care professionals who
dab scented oil on the backs of their hands before seeing patients.

The most refined way to fill a room with fragrance is by using an
electric aromatic diffuser, a glass apparatus that pumps a consistent,
light mist of unheated fragrance into the air.  (If you decide to
purchase one, be sure to get a model with a quiet pump.) A simpler
alternative is to dab a few drops of essential oil on a lightbulb or,
for a more tasting effect, on one of the special ceramic or metal rings
designed to be placed on a lightbulb (these rings are available at
stores that sells essential oils).  When you turn on the light, the
heat causes the scent to fill the room.

A simmering potpourri cooker, heated with either electricity or a
candle, will also scent a room for hours.  You do not even need the
potpourri; you can simply put a little water in the cooker and add a
drop or two of essential oil.  Or you can heat a pan of water
containing a few drops of essential oil on the stove, then turn off the
heat and allow the scented steam to fill the air.

Of course, the oldest way to scent a room is with incense (if you do
not mind the smoke it produces).  Potpourri, sleep pillows and scented
bed linens, clothes and stationery offer ways to share aromatherapy
with others through fragrant gifts.  Aromatherapy can even improve some
of your mundane household tasks.

Try placing a cotton ball scented with a drop of essential oil in your
vacuum cleaner bag.

A fragrant plant often contains less than 1 percent essential oil, but
that small amount can be highly aromatic.

The oil is extracted from the plant by methods such as distillation or
pressing.

Once extracted from the plant, these pure essential oils are highly
concentrated and must be used with care.  Do not use them straight;
always dilute essential oils with vegetable oil, alcohol or water
before putting them on your skin.

The price range of various types of essential oils--from about $4 an
ounce to $800 for an ounce of the rarest oils--reflects how difficult
it is to extract the particular oil.  Bulgarian rose oil, for instance,
sells for around $600 an ounce because it takes 600 pounds of rose
petals to produce a single ounce of oil.

You can buy the essential oils for aromatherapy at most natural food
stores, at some body care stores, at herb shops and through mail order
catalogs.

In addition to the pure essential oils, many ready-made formulas
similar to those provided in this book are available.

AROMATHERAPY t3J IF O R T H E EM OF O N S " ?*

Of all the benefits derived from aromatherapy, the most intriguing are
probably its effects on the mind and the emotions.  There are many ways
to get at the mind-body connection by using aromatherapy techniques.

ANXIE"I-Y Feeling panicked about an approaching job interview or a
speech?  Then eat an apple, says University of Arizona researcher Gary
Schwartz, M.D.--and be sure to sniff it.  Dr. Schwartz, who says he
was inspired by the old saying "An apple a day keeps the doctor away,"
believes that our sense of smell directly affects the part of our brain
that controls fear and anxiety.  To put his theory to the test, he
organized a study in which he asked a group of people questions such as
"What kind of person makes you angry?"  As expected, everyone tensed
up.  That is, until they sniffed an apple.

When they inhaled that scent, they breathed easier, their blood
pressure and heart rates dropped and their muscles even relaxed.  They
also felt less anxious and embarrassed, and reported that they suddenly
felt much happier.  When they sniffed a little clove and cinnamon with
the apple scent, the results were even better.

In fact, a whole fruit bowl of fragrances may be able to help you
overcome fear and anxiety The researchers at International Fragrance
and Flavor found that, for most people, smelling an orange reduces
anxiety.  They also found that the scent of peaches calms people
experiencing panic attacks and combats the sleep disorder narcolepsy.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Polo Rovesti, M.D director of the Instituto
Derivati Vegetali in Milan, Italy, turned to fragrance to help patients
suffering from anxiety.  He used scents that perfumers describe as
"herbal" or "green," including lavender, rose, marjoram, cypress and
violet leaf.  To ease migraine headaches caused by anxiety, the
twelfth-century Muslim herbalist A1-Samarqandi suggested sniffing
violets.

Aromatherapists use these same fragrances to help someone who is
feeling lonely or rejected, or undergoing a major life transition.  The
sixteenth-century herbalist John Gerard also suggested smelling
marjoram, "for those given to much sighing," and said that it comforts
some specific states of anxiety: grief, loneliness and rejection.  In
some Greek and Roman texts, it is stated that marjoram "strengthens"
the brain and emotions.

A contemporary practitioner who successfully treats anxiety disorders
with aromatherapy is J.  J. King, M.D a psychiatrist at the Smallwood
Day Hospital in Redditch, Worcestershire, England.

He uses pleasant, natural scents combined with relaxation techniques
such as deep breathing, positive visualization, soothing music and heat
treatments.

Once patients learn to associate a particular fragrance with deep
relaxation, they relax whenever they are given a sniff.  Some of Dr.
King's favorite anti-anxiety scents are lavender, rose, berg-mot,
cedarwood and balsam fir.

One woman I know, Gail, could hardly leave her home for fear of an
unsuspected anxiety attack.  She felt as if the world were closing in
on her.  The attacks usually lasted less than an hour, but they were so
bad, she said, that she wanted to die.  The worst part is that she had
no idea when one might occur.  A single mom who had to work every day,
she found that the condition was making her life unbearable.  Gaff
tried a number of therapies to help her overcome the panic attacks,
including psychotherapy and acupuncture, but she also turned to
aromatherapy She was given a combination of orange, marjoram and
lavender to carry around.  To her amazement, she found that these oils
relaxed and calmed her so much that she could begin to control and
subdue her attacks.  Just the knowledge that she had an instant tool to
help increased Gail's confidence in her ability to go out into the
world.

Aromatherapy can also help most people overcome episodes of grief and
sadness.  Most of the research on this subject comes from historical
texts.  The fragrances used historically correspond to modern ones
suggested for anxiety The ancient Egyptians and Greeks sniffed hyssop,
cypress and marjoram to ease grief.  Hyssop was said to help clear the
mind and help a person think more clearly during trying times.  Several
ancient cultures, such as Indian and Egyptian, used sandalwood to
comfort mourners during funeral ceremonies.

Europeans used sage, clary sage and rosemary to help them overcome
grief.

Rosemary was carried to funerals, then thrown into the grave.

I know several caregivers who work with dying patients, and they have
found that fragrances are helpful not only for those who are dying, but
also for the family and friends.  These fragrances can even be used
during an emotional or stressful transition in one's life, such as a
job change or while ending a romantic relationship.

Anti-anxiety Fragrance

4 ounces sweet almond oil

10 drops each lavender and orange essential oils

2 drops each marjoram and cedarwood essential oils

- Combine ingredients and it's done!

Anti-sorrow Fragrance

4 ounces sweet almond oil

10 drops marjoram essential oil

5 drops each clary sage and cypress or rosemary essential oils

1 drop hyssop essential oil (expensive, so it's optional)

1 drop melissa (or lemon) essential oil '* Combine ingredients.

Bath Oil

To make a bath oil from either of these recipes, follow the same
formula but use 2 ounces of almond oil instead of 4.

DEPRESSION

Pulling yourself out of the dumps may be as easy as taking a shower--if
you use a shampoo containing orange, tangerine and peach that is made
by the Japanese cosmetic firm Shinsen and is designed to "lift the
spirits."  Perhaps someday you will literally be able to wash
depression "right out of your hair."  Aromatherapy may eventually be
accepted by medical doctors as a drugless alternative for depression.

According to the latest research by biochemist George H. Dodd, Ph.D and
psychologist Steve van Toller, Ph.D at the Warwick Olfaction Research
Group in England, the effect of fragrance on the brain is similar to
that of some antidepressant drugs.  This means that certain scents,
such as orange, alter brain chemistry that causes depression, anxiety
and probably other mood changes.

If Drs.  Dodd and van Toller's dream comes true, you will someday be
able to get an aromatherapy prescription to treat depression.  This is
already happening at an experimental convalescent clinic in Baku,
Azerbaijan.  A prescription from a doctor at this clinic typically
recom-mends spending ten minutes twice a week in a special sunroom
sniffing certain live plants.  One of the fragrances that they use to
overcome general neurosis, headaches and insomnia caused by worry and
depression is rose geranium.

Mood swings are a normal part of life, and temporary states of
depression are quite normal, but ongoing depression is a complex
problem that limits the quality of life for more than 30 million
Americans.  Statistics show that depression has been steadily
increasing in North America since the beginning of the twentieth
century.  It affects general health by suppressing your immune system
and can lead to insomnia and other seemingly unrelated problems by
causing changes in the brain's chemistry.

Professional psychiatric care is often necessary, but aromatherapy can
also play a role (in conjunction with therapy).

In fact, many professional therapists are beginning to incorporate
aromatherapy into their practices.

When it comes to herbal antidepressants, I find citrus scents to be
particularly effective.  Orange essential oil, which is produced from
orange peel, is easy to find and quite inexpensive.

Even smelling an orange as you peel it helps--when you tear the skin,
minute amounts of essential oils are propelled into the air to cheer
you up.  However, this whiff of scent may not be sufficient for someone
who is severely depressed.

In that case, try the refined scent of the orange blossom, called
neroli by aromatherapists, or the less expensive

A R O M A T H E R A P Y '

petitgrain, which comes from the stem behind the flower.

Although I did not care for petit-grain when I first sniffed it years
ago, I learned to love it after using it in my bath to counter a bout
of depression.  I figured that money was no object in my pursuit of
health, but if a less expensive oil worked, why not use it?  It blends
nicely with lavender, which is also used as .n antidepressant.

Science has not yet investigated the use of aromatherapy to counter
compulsive behavior that is associated with depression, including
eating disorders.

Aromatherapists, experimenting with various oils, have discovered that
the fragrance of another citrus, bergamot, along with grapefruit often
does the trick.  (Do not confuse this with the herb garden plant called
bergamot, which is in the mint family) Children who are depressed
usually prefer either grapefruit or tangerine.

Dr. Polo Rovesti, already mentioned here for his work with anxiety,
has helped pull many people out of serious depression using the citrus
scents of orange, bergamot, lemon and lemon verbena.  He also found
that jasmine, sandalwood and ylang-ylang alleviated depression.  Here
is how Dr. Rovesti described the effect of these aromas: "Patients
felt as if transported by the perfume of the essential oil into a
different, more agreeable and acceptable world, so that many of their
reactive instincts are curbed and they gradually return towards
normality" In sixteenth- and seventeenth-century European herbals,
clary sage and lemon balm were suggested to said that sniffing lemon
balm, called melissa by aromatherapists, would "gladden the heart" and
recommended basil to "taketh away sorrowfullness...

and maketh a man merry and glad."  Indians traditionally use basil in a
similar fashion to prevent agitation and nightmares.

I know of many aromatherapists who have suggested an essential oil for
a physical problem, knowing that the fragrance also works as an
antidepressant.

Only later did their clients confide that they had suffered from
terrible depression and were surprised to find their depression lifting
with the help of their aromatherapy oil!  A good example is Margaret,
who was being treated for menstrual disorders with bergamot, clary
sage, lemon balm and lavender.  The six days of gloom that she always
associated with premenstrual syndrome were so dramatically reduced that
she was caught by surprise when menstruation occurred without the
depression she had come to take for granted.

-[here are two herbs named bergamot--one used medicinally, one in
perfumes.

The only thing they hold in common is their orangey aroma.

counter depression and to help with paranoia, mental fatigue and
nervous disorders associated with depression (though, of course, these
disorders were not known then by these names).  Modern aroma-therapists
concur.  Writing in the sixteenth century, John Gerard

Antidepressant Fragrance

4 ounces sweet almond oil

10 drops each bergamot and petitgrain essential oils

3 drops rose geranium essential oil

1 drop neroli essential oil (expensive, so it's optional)

- Combine ingredients.  For children, replace petitgrain with
grapefruit or tangerine.

Bath Oil

To make a bath oil using this recipe, follow the same formula but use 2
ounces of almond oil instead of 4.

Antidepressant Smelling Salts

6 drops Antidepressant Fragrance, without almond oil (see page 290) 1
heaping teaspoon rock salt

Drop the essential oil onto the salt.

The salt will quickly absorb the oil.

Carry smelling salts in a small container with a tight lid.

FAlqGUE: PHYSICAL

AND EMOIlONAL

Aroma is already assisting people whose jobs and the safety of others
depend upon their staying alert, such as long-distance truck drivers.

The cosmetics firm Charles of the Ritz markets a fragrance to keep car
and truck drivers alert while driving, and there is talk of extending
this concept to air-traffic controllers and others who must keep alert
while performing monotonous but important tasks.  Train conductors in
Japan and Russia rely on an "odorphone" developed by Russian professor
of biology and odorologist V. Krasnov.  Depending on your preference,
his little machine spews out hot whiffs of pine, cedar, rose or even
seaweed or mushroom.

Air New Zealand and Virgin Atlantic airlines developed kits of
floral-scented bath oils to reduce jet lag.  These oils, one called
Awake and another Asleep, are also sold at Heathrow Airport's
International Terminal in London.  England's Queen Elizabeth and
Princess Diana reportedly use them regularly in their jaunts around the
world.

Workers at Tokyo's Kajima and Shi-mizu architectural and construction
companies also benefit from aromatherapy firsthand.  Throughout the
workday, fragrances are circulated through the air conditioning system
to keep employees attentive.  At Kajima, lemon is the morning wake-up
call, followed by rose to inspire contented work; after lunch, workers
are greeted with an invigorating cypress.  Shimizu disperses peppermint
into their offices and conference rooms to increase work efficiency,
dispel drowsiness and lessen mental fatigue (lavender is also used to
help set a positive mood).  The company even claims that the scented
rooms reduce employees' urges to smoke.  Cypress fragrance is sent into
the display areas and public relations rooms to promote constructive
work.  Even the Tokyo Stock Exchange has begun to invigorate the
afternoon air with peppermint.  Kajima has teamed up with the Shiseido
cosmetics company and Shimizu with Toho University to develop
environmental fragrancing for businesses.

But aromatherapy does not have to stop at work.  During lunch hour,
workers in Tokyo can try a peppermint refresher at Club Harry's.

Subjects lie on couches in rooms that are filled with aromas.

On the way home, they can stop off at one of several atomizer-equipped
phone booths to escape from the stress of commuter traffic with a mist
of relaxing scents.

One American paint company is bringing this idea into the American
home.  City Surplus and Paint in Denver offers more than a wide
selection of colors with its West O' Scent Paint.  The paint comes in
more than a dozen mood-altering scents, including stimulating
fragrances such as jasmine, pine and eucalyptus.  Sleeping in too
late?

A Hattori Seiko alarm clock from Japan

puffs pine and eucalyptus to rouse you seconds before your alarm goes
off.

Some of the first investigation into fragrant stimulants was done in
the 1920s by Italian psychiatrists Giovanni Gatti and Renato Cayola.

They found that the scents of clove, ylang-ylang, cinnamon, lemon,
cardamom, fennel and angelica were stimulating.  American studies
through IFF also found peppermint and eucalyptus to be stimulating.

Later, when brain waves were recorded by researcher Shizuo Torii, Ph.D
of the Toho University School of Medicine in Tokyo, they showed that
some of these fragrances and numerous others--clove, basil,
ylang-ylang, jasmine, black pepper, cinnamon and, to a lesser degree,
rose, patchouli, lemon grass and sage--acted as stimulants.

According to Dr. Torii, these fragrances affect us much differently
from the way adrenal stimulants such as caffeine do.  They counter the
typical adrenal rush caused by caffeine, as well as physiological
stress, strain or boredom, reducing drowsiness, irritability and
headaches.  Dr. Torii has found that stimulating fragrances prevent
you from experiencing the sharp drop of sustained attention that
typically occurs after 30 minutes of work by arousing the autonomic
nervous system, which controls breathing and blood pressure.

To test the effects of such fragrances on alertness, researchers
William N.

Dember, Ph.D and Joel S. Warm, Ph.D gave people at the University of
Cincinnati a stressful 40-minute task identifying patterns on a
computer.  Those working in rooms scented with peppermint had many more
correct answers than people working in unscented rooms.  In addition,
their performance levels didn't decline as rapidly In a study conducted
by researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York,
clerical workers set higher goals for themselves and were more
efficient when their offices were pleasantly scented.  The fragrance
worked even when those taking the test did not think that the scent was
influencing them.

I travel with a selection of aromatic atomizers to spray into the air
or on my face during long drives or airplane flights.  Once, while I
was flying across the country, a businessman sat down ]-he fragrance of
ylang-ylang has been proven to have a stimulating effect.

next to me.  He introduced himself as Greg, said he could not stay
awake on these long flights and proceeded to fall asleep as soon as the
plane left the runway About every 20 minutes, I reached into my bag and
gave my face a gentle rose spray.  It was making my trip more enjoyable
but I was concerned that I might be bothering Greg Every time I used
the spray, the scent would float across to his seat and he would stir,
often waking up to ask if we were there yet.  Hours later, we finally
arrived in Boston.  As the plane landed, he perked right up and told me
that it had been the most refreshing and least tiring flight he had
taken.  He could not imagine why, then looked at me and said, "It must
have been you!"  (I did not tell him my secret.)

Stimulant for Fatigue

4 ounces sweet almond oil

15 drops lemon essential oil

4 drops eucalyptus essential oil

1 drop each cinnamon, peppermint and benzoin (if available) essential
oils t Combine ingredients.

Bath Oil

To make a bath oil using this recipe, follow the same formula but use 2
ounces of almond oil instead of 4.

Some of the fragrances mentioned in this section--including
ylang-ylang, rose, patchouli, sandalwood and jasmine--are both
relaxants and stimulants.

Although it might seem as if these effects would cancel out each other,
they actually combine to produce a very enjoyable mood.  Indeed, all
these scents also have age-old reputations as aphrodisiac scents.

We know from clinical research, such as the study on vanilla and musk
described on page 284, that aphrodisiacs stimulate brain waves.  The
state of being completely relaxed yet at the same time stimulated
offers the perfect combination for an aphrodisiac, since stress and
tension are strong deterrents to passion.

Other aphrodisiacs include the stimulants cinnamon and coriander (which
was used in the famous story The Arabian Nights).  Aphrodisiacs are
especially useful as part of a program to help overcome sexual
dysfunctions.  For more information, see "Impotence" on page 190.

Aphrodisiac

4 ounces sweet almond oil

10 drops each lavender and sandalwood essential oils

2 drops each ylang-ylang and vanilla essential oils

1 drop each cinnamon andjasmine essential oils t Combine ingredients.

Lavender is not an aphrodisiac, but is added to make the fragrance more
mellow.  It can be a relaxing and emotionally uplifting scent.

If you love the fragrance of patchouli, try using it in place of
ylang-ylang.

MEMORY

You've probably noticed how a whiff of a certain fragrance that you
haven't smelled for years can send you back in time, bringing to mind
many images and feelings associated with a particular event.  Trygg
Engen, Ph.D a researcher at Brown University and the author of
Perception of Odor, is interested in harnessing that power.  Dr. Engen
has found that memory recall more than doubles if a past event is
associated with smell instead of being something we experienced only
visually.

Have you ever found yourself trying to grasp a scent as it pulls you
back to some past event or long-gone emotion?

I know that whenever I smell roses, I am again a little girl sniffing
my grandmother's potpourri jar.  Lavender recalls the soothing scent of
her linens when she tucked me into bed.  Psychologists call this
experience the Marcel Proust phenomenon, after the famous French
writer.  One day, when the novelist dipped a biscuit in his tea, the
aroma brought back many memories from his childhood; these memories
became the basis of his famous multivolume Remembrance of Things
Past.

Andre Virel, a French psychologist, is a firm believer in the
technique--he has clients sniff vanilla to help them recall childhood
memories Rosemary has a long history of increasing memory,
concentration and even creativity.  Shakespeare, in the last act of
Hamlet, has the mad Ophelia declare, "There's rosemary, that's for
rememberance."  In the seventeenth century, herbalist Nicholas Culpeper
wrote that rosemary "helps a weak memory, and quickens the senses."

Modem research conducted in Japan confirms that rosemary is indeed a
brain stimulant.

Workers in Tokyo can now visit Club Harry's for a 30-minute morning
aroma session of rosemary and lemon designed to improve their
concentration.

Other herbal mental stimulants include sage, basil and bay leaf.  Bay

JUDGING QUALITY

At first, it may seem difficult to judge the quality of essential oils,
but ultimately your nose is the best guide.  Essential oils vary
widely.

Not only are there numerous kinds and qualities of natural oils, but
there is also a wide variety of synthetic oils.  When I pass around
top-quality natural oils in my aromatherapy seminars, I warn the group
beforehand that I am about to spoil them for life.

Anyone can tell the difference, and once you have smelled the real
thing, it is difficult to go back to synthetics or inferior-quality
oils.

A number of factors determine essential oil quality--growing
conditions, extraction techniques and storage methods all play a
role.

But the greatest gap by far comes between genuine oils and
synthetics.

Personally, I don't use synthetic oils, despite their significantly
lower cost.

In creating synthetics, usually made with petrochemicals, chemists try
to duplicate natural leaves were used as a brain tonic by both the
Romans and Native Americans (who used the North American species).

You should know, though, that sniffing too much bay leaf can bring on a
headache.  During the Renaissance, graduating European students were
adorned with bay leaf crowns, and we scents, but in my opinion they
never come close.  Also, synthetics are potentially harmful since their
tiny molecules penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream directly
Sad to say, synthetic fragrances permeate our lives.  Most commercial
body care products, even many that are sold in natural food stores, use
the less expensive synthetics.  Just because a product is labeled an
essential oil doesn't mean it is natural

So how can you distinguish a synthetic oil from the real thing?  Labels
usually don't say, and you usually can't trust store clerks.  Until
your nose becomes educated enough to do the job on its own, you can try
looking at stores' oil racks for clues.  If the display includes
carnation and gardenia oils, the entire rack likely contains
synthet-ics-those two essential oils cannot be produced naturally Next,
check for jasmine and rose, two popular and expensive oils.  If they
are being sold for less than $50 per quarter-ounce, what you are
holding is either greatly diluted or a synthetic.

Once you purchase high-quality essential oils, to retain their quality
you will need to store them in glass vials with tight lids in a cool
place.

The glass can be cleat or amber, but in either case you must keep
essential oils away from direct sunlight.

Properly stored, most will keep for years.  Citrus oils, such as orange
and lemon, are the most vulnerable, but even they will last two years
if refrigerated.  Some oils actually improve with age.  Called
fixatives because they are used to keep or "fix" the scent of perfumes
and potpourris, these include patchouli, clary sage, benzoin, vetivert
and sandalwood.  I have a bottle of 25-year-old patchouli that smells
so rich that most people don't even recognize the fragrance--even those
who usually hate the smell.

There is always a possibility that you might be allergic to an
essential oil.  I have rarely encountered this, however.  When I hear
people say that they react adversely to a fragrance such as rose, I am
always suspicious.

Chances are, they are sensitive only to the cheap synthetic imitation
found in most body care products, not to the pure essential oil.

still give graduates a baccalaureate, or "bay laurel," though without a
wreath!

Of sage, Gerard said it is good for the head and brain and "it quicketh
the senses and memory."  William Turner wrote in his 1568 Herbal that
clary sage "helps the memory [and] quickens the senses."

Want to help yourself retain something you are reading?  Try sniffing
one of these aromas as you read.  Next time you need help remembering
those facts, sniff the same aroma again and it will trigger your
memory.  I keep a rosemary plant next to my computer, so that whenever
I am at a loss for words I can reach over sleep, or better yet, unwind
in a relaxing scented bath.  An evening massage will soothe anyone
plagued with insomnia that is caused by stress.  If you do not have
time for that, just sniffing the oil will often work.  This method is
ideal for cranky children who need to settle down before going to
sleep.  Sound too good to be true?  Not according to research by Susan
Schiffman, M.D professor of medical psychology at North Carolina's Duke
University.  Dr. Schiffman notes that sedative drugs like Valium and
Librium affect a newly The ancient Romans used the aromatherapy herb
clary sage as an eyewash.

and rub a leaf between my fingers.  The air immediately fills with a
wonderful aroma, and I am able to find the words to continue.  In
aromatherapy classes, I pass around a vial of rosemary essential oil
for everyone to dab on their notebooks to help them remember.

Memory Stimulant

4 ounces sweet almond oil

10 drops each lavender and lemon essential oils

5 drops rosemary essential oil 1 drop cinnamon essential oil Combine
ingredients.

STRESS AND INSOMNIA

When stress begins to weigh upon your shoulders, try inhaling an
essential oil.

Dab it on your bedsheets to promote

BASIC ESSENTIAL OIL DILUTIONS

1% dilution: Use 5 drops essential oil per ounce of vegetable oil.

2% dilution: Use l0 drops (1/8 teaspoon) essential oil per ounce of
vegetable oil.

A 2% dilution is most common in body care products.  This means the
product contains 2% essential oil and 98% vegetable oil.  Some
products, such as liniments and bath oils, use a 4% dilution to make
them stronger.

3% dilution: Use 15 drops essential oil per ounce of vegetable oil.

4% dilution: Use 20 drops essential oil per ounce of vegetable oil.

discovered group of smell receptors in the brain.  She reasons that if
smell receptors help to sedate us, the fragrance itself should perform
similarly To test her theory, Dr. Schiffman has even taken
aromatherapy to the New York City subway system.  She sprayed spicy
scents into subway cars to see if that relaxed the passengers enough to
improve their dispositions.  After comparing the number of pushes,
shoves and nasty comments in scented cars to those in unscented cars,
she found that certain fragrances appeared to cut aggressive acts
almost in half.  Scents piped through the heating and air-conditioning
systems at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City are
already lowering the stress levels of patients, staff and families.

Vanilla is used to relax patients who must stay perfectly still while
undergoing Mr I (magnetic resonance imaging) scans inside a large
cylinder, a situation that often makes them nervous.  Psychologist
Sharon Manne, Ph.D who initiated the therapy, hopes that aromatherapy
will also be used to relax cancer patients during CAT scans and
radiation therapy

Fragrances can also lower your pulse and breathing rate.  In the 1920s,
the Italian psychiatrists Gatti and Cayola concluded that "the sense of
smell has...

an enormous influence on the function of the central nervous system."

They found that for their patients, the essential oils with the
greatest sedating effects were citrus scents such as melissa (lemon
balm), neroli (orange blossom) and petitgrain, as well as the
fragrances of traditional herbal relaxants AROMATHERAPY

AROMATHERAPY METHODS

1 drop as perfume

1 drop to scent stationery or handkerchief

2 drops on a cotton cloth in a drawer

2 drops on 1 tablespoon rock salt for smelling salts

2 drops per 1/2 cup water for compress

2 drops on vacuum cleaner or air filter

3 drops to refresh potpourri

4 drops on a lightbulb (or lightbulb ring)

4 drops in a pan of hot water to inhale

5 drops in bathtub

5 drops per quart of warm water for douche

6 drops (1/16 tsp.) stirred in 1 oz.

skin cream

6 drops (1/16 tsp.) in 1 oz.

aloe vera gel for skin care

6 drops (1/16 tsp.) in 1 oz.

aloe juice for skin moisturizer (suitable for spray bottle)

12 drops (1/8 tsp.) in 1 oz.

vegetable oil for massage

12 drops (1/8 tsp.) stirred in 1 oz.

skin salve

24 drops (1/4 tsp.) in 1/2 cup salt for bath salt

24 drops (1/4 tsp.) in 1 oz.

vegetable oil for bath oil

AROMATHERAPY AT A GLANCE

Here is a brief list of the effective fragrances discussed in this
chapter.

Many of these scents have been used for centuries to achieve these
results.  Next time you're feeling a bit off-base, why don't you try
one of these?

SCENTS TO RELIEVE ANXIETY

Bergamot 	Lavender Peach

Cedarwood 	Marjoram 	Rose

Cypress 	Opopanax (or Myrrh) 	Spiced Apple

Hyssop 	Orange 	Violet leaf

SCENTS TO ALLEVIATE DEPRESSION

Bergamot 	Lemon 	Petitgrain

Clary Sage 	Lemon Balm 	Rose Geranium

Grapefruit 	Lemon Verbena 	Sandalwood

Jasmine 	Neroli 	Tangerine

Lavender 	Orange 	Ylang-ylang

SCENTS TO IMPROVE MEMORY

Bay Laurel 	Lavender 	Rosemary Jasmine 	Lemon chamomile, valerian and
opopanax, which is similar to myrrh.  IFF researchers have found that
neroli measurably lowers stress and blood pressure.  In fact, they
found a blend of neroli, valerian and nutmeg so effective in helping
release tension that IFF has patented it and intends to market a
product that will ease stress in the workplace.

One way to understand how fragrance affects us is to measure certain
brain waves.  W. Grey Walter, Ph.D and his associates at IFF found that
these brain waves slow down when you feel drowsy or take a sedative
drug and also when you smell certain fragrances.  The scents they
tested that proved to have the greatest sedative effect were (in order
of effectiveness): lavender, bergamot, marjoram, sandalwood, lemon and
chamomile.

Scientists at the Japanese fragrance firm Takasago also measured brain
waves to determine relaxation produced by lavender.  Surgeons found
that lavender given to hospital patients after heart surgery proved
very effective in reducing stress and worry.

SCENTS TO RELIEVE SORROW

Clary Sage Fir Rosemary Cypress Marjoram Sage

SCENTS TO STIMULATE (APHRODISIACS)

Jasmine 	Sandalwood 	Ylang-ylang

Rose 	Vanilla

SCENTS TO STIMULATE (TO COUNTERACT FATIGUE)

Angelica 	Cinnamon 	Lemon

Benzoin 	Clove Basil 	Peppermint

Black Pepper 	Cypress 	Pine

Camphor 	Eucalyptus 	Sage

Cardamom 	Fennel 	Spiced Apple

SCENTS TO TREAT STRESS AND INSOMNIA

Bergamot 	Lemon 	Petitgrain

Chamomile 	Marjoram 	Rose

Cinnamon 	Melissa 	Sandalwood

Cloves 	Myrrh 	Valerian

Frankincense 	Neroli 	Vanilla

Hops 	Nutmeg 	Violet

Lavender 	Orange 	Ylang-ylang In nineteenth-century medical books, rose
was recommended to reduce nervousness; nineteenth-century psychiatrist
W. S. Watson, M.D reported that it successfully calmed his patients.

More recently, at Middlesex Hospital in London, England, fresh roses
were used as part of an overall relaxation strategy practiced on
patients.

After six weeks of treatments, patients found that their muscle tension
decreased measurably.

The use of chamomile to relieve stress and promote relaxation goes back
at least to medieval European monks who had patients lie on raised beds
covered with the low-growing Roman chamomile plant.  In his
seventeenth-century herbal, Nicholas Culpeper continued the tradition
when he recommended sniffing chamomile, which he said "comforts both
the head and brain."

Aromatherapists know that chamomile is especially useful for calming
upset, disturbed or hyperactive children.  One woman in an aromatherapy
class I was teaching was so enthralled with the idea that chamomile
could calm her unruly Orange blossom, or neroli, has a comforting,
calming scent-this herb is used both to alleviate depression and to
send insomniacs off to sleep.

children that she had me make up a spray bottle on the spot.  Now,
every night around 9:00 P.M. she sprays the television room with
chamomile and ylang-ylang!  She has found that it not only settles down
the kids, but also reduces her irritation as she tries to get them to
bed.  For an overly active or particularly fussy child, put five drops
lavender, one drop chamomile and one drop ylang-ylang in her bath.

Ylang-ylang must be added to the list of sedative essential oils.

Although studies show it to be a stimulant, personal experience has
shown that it is also one of the most potent relaxants.

Other aromatherapists confirm my observation, and it is a favorite
scent when I give aromatherapy lectures at massage schools.  The
beginning massage students imagine that with ylang-ylang in their
massage oil, their clients will be so relaxed that they will not notice
the practitioner's inexperience.  One student found the scent so
calming that he fell asleep while giving a massage!

The aroma given off by pillows filled with hops has been sending people
off to sleep for centuries.  To encourage sleep, a Japanese firm is
designing a device that airs out futons and at the same time makes the
bedding smell like flowers.

Scents such as neroli and valerian are part of IFF's Sleep for Beauty
kit, which comes with a fragrant pillow and 30 vials of essential oils
to help customers discover which oils work best for them.

One time when my parents were visiting, my father realized he had run
out of sleeping pills.  Since he usually had trouble sleeping away from
home, he anxiously asked me where we could buy a bottle.  Because all
the stores close early in my small town, it wasn't possible to make
this purchase.  I knew he would be reluctant to take an herbal
relaxant, so I offered a sleep pillow filled with dill.  Of course, he
thought it was a joke, but I persuaded him to give it a try anyway.  He
placed the small pillow under his sleeping pillow and the next morning
told me, "I slept like a baby" He was amazed and could not explain what
had caused such peaceful sleep, but I knew.  If you are interested in
making this pillow, see Dilly Pillow on page 238.

CONVERSION CHART

When you are working with recipes that state amounts or dosage in
numbers of drops, it's often helpful to be able to know the equivalents
of those measurements in more standard form.  This chart provides
approximate equivalents for commonly used measurements of tinctures,
glycerites or other liquid ingredients.

Beginning on the left, measures are given in drops (or teaspoons),
teaspoons (or tablespoons), ounces, drams (or cups) and milliliters.

8 drops 	1Ao tsp.

	%0 oz.  about  dram about ih mi.

10 drops 	 tsp.

	t/48 oz.   dram 	about 5/8 ml.

20 drops 	1/4 tsp.

	h4 oz.   dram 	about 1 V4 mi.

40 drops 	V2 tsp.

	1/2 oz.  2/3 dram 	about 21h mi.

1 tsp.

	V3 Tbsp.

	V6 oz.

	11/3 drams 	about 5 mi.

1V2 tsp 	1/2 Tbsp.

	V4 oz.

	2 drams 	about 7V2 ml.

3 tsp.

Tbsp.

	1/ oz.

	4 drams 	about 15 ml.

6 tsp.

	2 Tbsp.

	1 oz.

	8 drams 	about 30 ml.

24 tsp.

	8 Tbsp.

	4 oz.

	1/2 cup 	about 120 ml.

48 tsp.

	16 Tbsp.

	8 oz.

	1 cup (1/i pint) about 240 ml

96 tsp.

	32 Tbsp.

16 oz.

	2 cups (1 pint) about 480 ml.

Sedatives for Stress and Insomnia 4 ounces sweet almond oil

2 drops each lavender, sandalwood and bergamot essential oils

6 drops petitgrain essential oil

4 drops each chamomile and ylang-ylang essential oils

- Combine ingredients.

Bath Oil

To make a bath oil using this recipe, follow the same recipe but use 2
ounces of almond oil instead of 4.

MEASUREMEN]TS ':':::::?"73,

Whenever you are using aromatherapy techniques, it is important to
create a blend that works well and smells appealing enough to use.  The
intensity, strength and quality of essential oils varies greatly.

If you are intrigued by aromatherapy and want to learn more about
blending therapeutics and formulas, I suggest you read my book
Aromatherapy: The Fragrant Art of Healing (Crossing Press, 1995),
co-authored with aromatherapist Mindy Green.

A note about drops: The standard number of drops in an ounce is 600,
which translates to 100 drops per teaspoon.

Unfortunately, though, the size of a drop varies according to the oil
being used.  Some oils are thicker than others and therefore produce
larger drops.  Drop size also depends upon the size of the dropper you
are using.  I've provided a conversion chart of measurements to help
you convert formulas in this and other books (see page 301).

These conversions are also useful when you buy essential oils, which
are sold by the milligram, ounce and dram.  The conversion from drops
to teaspoons is approximate.

chapter SEVENTEEN

Skin and Hair Care

N

T he beauty products industry can dazzle with packaging and seduce with
slick advertising.

Perfect skin and hair is its promise, but what it is really selling is
hope.  The fancy ingredients in most conventional products make them
look, feel and smell tremendously appealing--that is, until you read
the labels!  Chances are you will need a chemical dictionary to
decipher them.  Chemically altered emulsifiers and synthetic waxes
assure that the product will not separate no matter how much heat, cold
or shaking that it endures during the long journey from factory to your
beauty table.  The result is a product that is semi-natural or
semi-synthetic, depending on how you look at it.  In addition, most
cosmetics are scented with artificial fragrances derived from petroleum
products.

In the long run, these cosmetics may be doing your complexion more harm
than good.  Since your skin does not discriminate when absorbing
lotions, creams and the like, potentially harmful chemicals are
accepted as readily as the helpful ingredients.  Like a growing number
of people, you probably are becoming wary about living in a
chemical-filled environment.  Some cosmetics companies are catching on
to this trend toward safer, more natural ingredients and turning to the
age-old beauty secrets offered by herbalism.  Even so, no matter how
natural a product may look, check the label.  Some products that claim
to be "all natural" contain ingredients that should have stayed in the
chemist's lab!

It is no surprise that herbs have caught the attention of the cosmetics
industry Throughout history, herbs have been used to clear complexions,
soften hands and make hair lush and silky Consider some of history's
legendary beauties.  The Egyptian queen Cleopatra bathed in milk and
herbs, anointed herself with costly herbal cosmetics and even owned her
own natural cosmetic factory.

According to legend, hundreds of years ago, the 80-year-old queen of
Hungary bought a secret formula from an herbalist that made her skin so
youthful that a young prince fell in love with her.  (The main
ingredient in this secret formula was rosemary, which is still a
popular complexion herb today) The famous sev-enteenth-century French
beauty Ninon de L"Enclos washed her face daily in chervil water to
prevent wrinkles.

BODY CARE 	e:, dji

THE NATURAL WAY

Herbal body care is important for every-one-while it seems that it is
mostly women who concentrate on skin and hair care, men can certainly
benefit just as much from these treatments.  The best products, whether
you are a man or a woman, are those designed for your specific
complexion, skin and hair type.

Natural skin care products are easy and fun to make in your kitchen and
can be prepared with little cost and minimal fuss.  Let ground herbs,
teas, tinctures and essential oils become your magic ingredients.

Consider the recipes in this chapter a start; when you are feeling
creative, experiment with your own recipes.  For more inspiration, read
chapter 16 to learn how many of the same herbs that are used to make
body care products also affect the emotions.

If preparing herbal cosmetics does not appeal to you, look in the
cosmetics department of a natural food or department store for their
natural body care lines.  Since your skin and hair are naturally acid
(pH 4.5 to 5.5), the products you put on them should stay close to the
same range.  You can test a product's pH with nitrazine paper, which is
available from your local pharmacy For directions on how to use this
paper, see the label on the box it comes in.  You can also increase the
effectiveness of store-bought cosmetics by stirring in a few drops of
an essential oil that appeals to you.

Warning: There is no such thing as a skin or hair care product--even an
all-natural one--that is safe for everyone.

People can be allergic or sensitive to seemingly harmless substances.

Test any new product or ingredient by dabbing a little on the inside of
your arm, especially if you tend to have allergies.

If you experience a negative reaction such as a rash, swelling, or
itching or watering eyes, you should stay clear of the substance.

In one of my classes, we were making cosmetics with glycerin, a natural
ingredient sometimes made from coconut oil.  Candace, who is allergic
to coconut oil, put a drop of glycerin on her tongue.  In a few
seconds, her mouth swelled up so badly that she could barely speak.

Fortunately, her breathing was not affected--a dangerous problem that
happens with some allergic reactions.

A similar experience happened in another class with a woman who is
allergic to olive oil.  Rosemary rubbed a salve on the back of her
hand, not realizing that it contained olive oil.  Her hand broke out in
an itchy rash, and to heal it she had to use an herbal remedy for
dermatitis--obviously, one that did not contain olive oil!

Beauty is not only skin deep; it also reflects your inner health.

Hormonal fluctuations, a poor diet, lack of exercise and stress all
adversely affect the health of your skin and hair.  So do smoking,
alcohol consumption and radical changes in weight.  To maintain a
radiant complexion and healthy hair, eat a balanced diet and get plenty
of rest, relaxation and exercise.  A combination of herbs and exercise
helps ensure that your skin has a good blood supply that can provide a
sufficient amount of nutrients.

Scientific studies haven't proven that drinking water improves the
health of skin and hair, but aestheticians (professional skin
specialists) urge their clients to drink at least eight glasses of
water a day to avoid skin dehydration.

BACK TO THE BASCS

Healthy skin begins as clean skin.

Cleansing is important to remove dirt, dust, excess facial oil and
makeup from your face.  But more is not necessarily bet-ten-more
scrubbing and harsher soaps will not produce finer skin.  No matter
what your skin type, I recommend using as little soap as possible.

Most soaps and liquid skin cleansers are very alkaline (this helps them
clean better).  For this reason, they have a tendency to alter the
skin's natural acidic barrier, which keeps out harmful,
infection-causing agents.

Ideally, skin should regain its acidity soon after you wash it, but
this is not always the case.  Diluted vinegar and other toners and even
oatmeal make good alternative cleansers.

STEAMING

Steaming is another skin care fundamental.  A facial steam or sauna
surrounds your face with an herb's essential oils.  Steam with fragrant
herbs (nonfragrant herbs like comfrey or strawberry leaves contain no
essential oils and are therefore useless in a steam) or essential
oils.

A steam won't remove dirt and grime, but it will soften the skin's
surface enough to help cleanse and unclog pores.  The heat increases
circulation and relaxes facial muscles while the combination of steam
and essential oils acts as a moisturizer.

EXFOLIATION

I know exfoliation sounds like a term more suited to reforestation than
beauty, but aestheticians consider it one of their most important
tools.  Exfoliation is the removal of dull, dead surface skin.

Carefully scrubbing your face exposes underlying, fresh skin and
encourages the growth of the undeveloped skin in the skin's deepest
layers.  I recommend exfo-liation to everyone but those with the most
sensitive complexions.  It is important that exfoliation be performed
properly, using gentle, circular movements.  If overdone, too much new
skin is exposed before it is ready to face the world.  Avoid the
chemical exfoliants used by some beauty salons and even natural
products containing ground almond shells, which are too harsh for the
face.  A far better and gentler abrasive can be found in your
kitchen--cornmeal.  The currently popular vitamin A derivatives used in
some cosmetics are also exfoliants, but these are so concentrated that
they can produce prolonged skin irritation and are available only by
prescription.

TONERS

A toner can be any substance that improves the general appearance and
health of the skin.  In this chapter, however, the word "toner" is used
to describe only lotions and other liquid cosmetics.

Facial toners should be misted, dabbed or splashed on after a shower,
to cool down on a hot day, after exercising or to freshen your face and
attitude on long trips.  Instead of rinsing them off, keep toners on
your face so that they have a chance to work.  For men, toners double
as aftershaves.

Aloe vera, with its skin-healing properties and neutral pH, makes an
excellent facial toner.  Herbs extracted into cosmetic vinegars were
the rage for centuries, until they lost their popularity with the
arrival of modem cosmetics that do not have vinegar's pungent odor.

But do not let the smell deter you from using vinegar--its odor lingers
for only a short while, but its beneficial effects last much longer.

During the Renaissance, herbs extracted into wine were popular as
facial toners.  These doubled as edible cordials that women sipped in
the privacy of their dressing rooms!  (Marie Antoinette's nightly
facial was brandy and milk with lemon.)

Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) are also important as facial toners.  Both
vinegar and wine have the advantage of containing natural AHAs, which
restore natural acidity to the skin, improve moisture retention, smooth
out fine lines and roughness, lighten dark spots and improve acne.  In
one study on the AHA lactic acid (the same acid produced by our skin),
biochemist Walter Smith, Ph.D showed that it worked as an excellent
moisturizer to improve skin hydration.  It made skin almost twice as
smooth and one-third firmer than it was before!  The regeneration of
cells was revved up, and lines and wrinkles were reduced, at least
temporarily, To take advantage of the benefits offered by AHAs, use
foods that contain these compounds as the base for your masks and
incorporate them into your toners.  (For examples of foods that contain
AHAs, see "Masks" on page 307; for directions for toners and masks, see
the recipes in the specific skin type sections in "The Face" on page
308.)

Aromatic hydrosols, by-products of essential-oil distillation, also
make excellent toners.  They contain water-soluble compounds not found
in the essential oils themselves, such as soothing and
anti-inflammatory carboxylic acids.

Since they are distilled, they will not spoil, as herb tea does.

Hydrosols are sold by mail, and at some natural food and cosmetics
stores specializing in aromatherapy You can also buy rose water and
orange-blossom water from a liquor store or an Indian grocery.

Intended for use in drinks and foods, these waters are generally less
expensive but are also of lesser quality Although they do not have the
same moisturizing agents as hydrosols, floral waters-- essential oils
mixed with aloe vera gel or water--are a viable alternative.

MOISTURIZERS

Moisturizers are also extremely impor-tant-healthy skin is at least
half water, which keeps it soft and supple and reduces flakiness,
dryness and wrinkles.

Although water is important to your complexion, by itself it is
actually very drying; it quickly evaporates from the skin, drawing out
moisture in the process.  Oil, on the other hand, makes cosmetics feel
silky, smoothes rough, scaly skin and forms a protective barrier that
prevents water from evaporating.

But oil cannot moisturize skin all by itself.

The perfect skin solution is a moisturizer that combines the best of
both worlds--water to keep skin youthful, fresh and soft, and oil to
stop the water from evaporating.  Typical moisturizers are creams and
lotions held in suspension by emulsifiers (which prevent separation)
such as beeswax, glycerin and lecithin.

MASKS

Our skin care efforts are intended to let our natural beauty shine
through, so we shouldn't forget the potential of masks--in private, of
course.  Roman women were so fanatical about wearing facial masks to
retain their beautiful complexions that the satirist Juvenal complained
that their husbands could barely recognize them at home.  In the words
of the poet Ovid, these masks, which were made of honey, flour, ground
lentils, eggs and herbs, made the complexion "more brilliant than a
mirror."  You might not care for a face quite that shiny, but a mask
does leave your face with a healthful glow.  Masks also pull impurities
from the skin, increase circulation and remove (exfoliate) dull surface
skin.

Clay, which is the most astringent of the mask bases, is ideal for
mixing with ground herbs, essential oils or both.  Use a cosmetic-grade
bentonite, kaolin or Fuller earth clay rather than pottery or building
clay, which may contain impurities.

Honey, avocado, eggs, fresh fruits, oats, cream of wheat and
nutritional yeast are a few other possibilities for a facial mask.  So
are ginger, papaya, pineapple and cucumber, which have skin-softening
enzymes.  Yogurt, sour milk, vinegar, apples, citrus fruits and wine
contain AHAs, which are particularly important for a mask because they
loosen the tight bond that holds the old surface skin (they also
restore the skin's natural acidity).  For hundreds of years (until the
beginning of the twentieth century), sour milk was used as a face wash
throughout the Western world; it is still used today in India.  Yogurt
is a better choice since it does not smell as sour, but either one can
be mixed with other mask ingredients.  Acidic fruit such as lemon and
strawberry also help maintain acidity Feeding your skin with nutritious
foods is not as silly as it may sound.  External use of minerals,
vitamins and other ingredients can benefit the complexion just as much
as taking them internally, If you wish to use a mask, apply it to your
face in an even layer and leave it on for five to fifteen minutes, as
long as it does not become uncomfortable.  Then wash the mask off with
warm water and gently pat your skin dry.  Recipes for masks can be
found in this chapter's sections for individual complexion types.

How To CUSTOMIZE

YOUR SKIN AND

HAIR CARE

Herbs can help all types of skin and hair stay healthy and
attractive.

But before you can begin any treatment, you need to know what type of
skin and hair you have.  Facial complexions are divided into eight
basic types: normal, dry, oily, combination, problem, couperose (when
the capillaries just under the skin are broken, resulting in small red
lines on the face), mature and sun-damaged.

Basic body skin types include normal, dry, oily, sun-damaged and
problem skin.  Hair types include normal, dry, oily and problem hair
that is limp and lifeless.

Do not expect to find much scientific research on herbs for complexion
types in this chapter.  Chemists have not yet investigated them, but
these herbs have been successfully used for thousands of years and are
now used by aestheticians and aromatherapists who specialize in skin
care.

If you are blessed with a normal complexion, use the herbs and
treatments suggested for either dry or oily complexions.  Most
complexions, however, fall into more than one category.

A combination complexion--oily in the "T-zone" of chin, nose and
forehead and dry around the eyes, cheeks and mouth--is the most common
type.

Using the information and recipes for both dry and oily skin, treat
your face like two separate faces.

As your skin matures, gradually adjust the way you care for it.

Remember that your skin changes with age, menstrual cycle and the
seasons.  The norm for skin is this: As children we have normal skin,
during adolescence it becomes oily, and as we grow older, especially
after age 40, our skin becomes increasingly dry.

You probably already have some idea of what type of complexion you
have.  If you are unsure, you can check how much oil your skin produces
with a blotting test.  Go to bed without applying any facial
products.

In the morning, before washing or putting anything on your face, pat a
few strips torn from a clean brown paper bag on different areas of your
face, especially in the T-zone.

Normal skin areas will show a small amount of oil, dry skin won't leave
any oil on the paper and oily skin will leave a definite oil stain.

Unless you have exceptionally oily skin, your cheeks will not show any
oiliness.

TH E FACE

The philosopher who said "The eyes are the window to the soul" had it
half right.

I've long thought that the entire face is the pathway to the heart.

Herbs can be used to lessen the effects of aging, exposure to sunlight
and other face-changers--taken properly, they can add a healthy glow,
heal facial disorders, prevent premature wrinkling and generally give
you a bit more control over the fate of your face.

DRY COMPLEXION

Have you ever considered starting your day with a yogurt, honey and
fruit smoothie--not for breakfast, but on your face?  If you suffer
from dry skin, you've probably considered trying just about anything.

This emollient facial mask coaxes water to the surface and does a great
job of moisturizing dry skin.

If you have a dry complexion, the skin on your face probably has a fine
texture with no visible pores.  This type of skin tends to be thin and
sensitive, and it may often feel tight and dry, especially after you
wash it.  It can eventually become sallow and develop a coarse
texture.

If you have dry skin, chances are it is due to underactive oil glands,
probably from a combination of heredity and low hormone production.

Skin constantly loses water through sweat and evaporation, but tiny
glands secrete an oil to coat skin and stop this loss.

Because women, especially those who are fairskinned, tend to have drier
skin than men do, they are more susceptible to premature wrinkling and
flaking skin.  Escaping summer's damaging heat by jumping into a
chlorinated swimming pool or by seeking the cool but dry air of
air-conditioning generally increases skin dryness.  Dry skin is also
vulnerable to winter's wind and chapping cold, which further suppress
the oil glands' production.

If the air inside your house is particularly dry, consider using a
humidifier.

You should also consider a humidifier if you heat your home with a
woodbuming stove, which has a drying effect on the skin.  If you don't
have a humidifier, you can achieve the same effect by keeping a pan of
water over low heat on the stove.

You can also use herbs to help help bring moisture to your dry skin.

Cosmetics experts and aromatherapists suggest the essential oils of
palmarosa, rosewood and sandalwood to stimulate oil production in dry
skin.  According to these authorities, small amounts of peppermint or
rosemary increase the skin's oil production and improve circulation.

Chamomile, lavender, jasmine, elder flowers, red clover and soothing
herbs such as Irish moss, calendula, comfrey, marshmallow root and
violets soothe and heal the irritation that so easily develops as outer
layers of dry skin flake off.  The essential oil of carrot seed soothes
extremely raw skin.  Elder flowers improve the complexion's tone and
texture.  In France, dry complexions are treated with an eider-flower
water called

6{111 de SltrCall.

If you have a dry complexion, always use as little soap as
possible--most soaps dry out your skin.  Avoid foaming cleansers, which
are far too drying.

When you do wash with soap, choose one designed for delicate skin.

Otherwise, wash with a water-soluble cleansing cream for dry
skin--these are designed not to remove the skin's natural oil--and
always pat your face dry very gently.  Remove makeup with a face cream
instead of soap, and always use makeup that contains moisturizers.

Avoid facial toners that contain alcohol, which will dry your skin.

Instead, use a toner with a vinegar base--this will soften your skin,
help it maintain its natural acidity and relieve the itchiness and
flakiness that often accompany dryness.

The mild astringency of hydrosols is ideal for dry skin because it
increases the skin's water content.  Hydrosols that contain aloe or
glycerin also help skin to retain moisture.  Facial creams that are
half oil are suitable for dry skin.  Heavy, rich creams with even more
oil offer greater protection from water evaporation but tend to be
greasy; they are usually reserved for the sensitive skin around the
eyes where there are no oil glands.

A facial steam can help a dry complexion, but make sure it is not too
hot and that it lasts five minutes at the most.

Also, don't opt for a facial steam more than once a week because the
heat in regular steaming will further dry your skin.  Another option is
a gentle facial massage with an herbal scrub made with cornmeal and
oatmeal.  While many people think scrubs are too harsh for a dry
complexion, they actually stimulate oil production and remove flaky,
dry surface skin.  A few minutes per treatment is enough.

Dry skin is sometimes accompanied by inflammations such as blemishes or
puffiness around the eyes.  Numerous scientific studies on chamomile,
lavender, rosemary and Saint-John's-wort show that these herbs reduce
these inflammations.

In the early 1990s, H.W.

Kreysel, M.D director of the Dermato-logic Clinic at the University of
Bonn in Germany, conducted three separate clinical studies on chamomile
with dozens of men and women.  He found that a chamomile cream restored
a smooth,

WISDOM

]-he ancient Egyptians were the first to discover that elder flowers
can be used to improve the complexion.

healthy appearance to rough and red skin faster and more thoroughly
than other creams did.  It also improved "peak and valley" patterns,
known more commonly as wrinkles.

Cleanser for Dry Complexion 2 ounces aloe vera gel 1 teaspoon vegetable
oil 1 teaspoon glycerin A teaspoon grapefruit seed extract 8 drops
sandalwood essential oil 4 drops rosemary essential oil t Blend
ingredients.  Shake well before each use.  Apply with cotton balls,
then rinse off.  I like to substitute grape seed oil or
Saint-John's-wort oil for the vegetable oil.  You can also use jojoba
oil (really a liquid wax); it is more expensive than vegetable oil but
is good for the complexion, and unlike true vegetable oils, it will not
spoil.

Toner for Dry Complexion

2 ounces aloe vera gel

2 ounces orange-blossom water

1 teaspoon vinegar

6 drops rose geranium essential oil

4 drops sandalwood essential oil

1 drop each chamomile and jasmine

(optional) essential oils

800

	International Units vitamin E oil t 	Combine ingredients.  Shake
before using.  For the vinegar, I prefer using elder-flower vinegar,
but since it is not sold in stores, you must make it yourself (see
Herbal Vinegar Formula on page 18).  The jasmine is optional because it
is so expensive.  You can use liquid vitamin E oil or pop open two
400-International Unit vitamin E capsules.  This toner can also be used
as a man's aftershave.

Cream for Dry Complexion 3,4 ounce beeswax, shaved 1 cup vegetable
oil

1 cup water (or rose water)

24 drops ( teaspoon) rose geranium essential oil or 6 drops rose
essential oil Heat beeswax and oil in a pot until beeswax melts.  In a
separate pot, heat water until it is warm to the touch.  Remove the
center ring on the lid of your blender (or food processor) and pour the
warm water in.  With the blender on high speed, slowly add the
oil-beeswax mixture.  (This is just like making mayonnaise.

You need to pour the oil steadily at just the right temperature--you
should be able to put your finger in both the oil and the water without
discomfort.) The whole concoction should begin to solidify when
three-quarters of the oil has been added.  As this happens, add the
essential oils and carefully stir in top edges as they turn solid,
staying away from the blender's blades.  Keep adding oil until the
mixture becomes too stiff to take any more, or when all the water is
blended in.  Turn off btender.  You should have a thick, smooth
cream.

Using a rubber spatula, pour the cream into widemouthed jars while it
is still warm.  (Once it cools, it will be too thick to pour.) Do not
try to cut this recipe in half--if you do, there will not be enough
liquid to cover the blender blades.

Be sure that you purchase beeswax (sold at craft stores, at natural
food and herb stores, and by beekeepers) and not paraffin.  Creams,
lotions or substances containing water carry a personal invitation for
bacterial growth, but essential oils, beeswax and vitamin E are natural
preservatives and, under most conditions, give your creams at least a
six-month shelf life.  If you store your extra cream in the
refrigerator, it should keep three times as long.  As an extra
precaution against spoilage, you might consider using grapefruit seed
extract, another powerful antibacterial agent, or vitamin E. Add eight
drops grapefruit seed extract or 400 International Units vitamin E per
ounce.  Be sure that your tools--blender, bowls, measuring cups and
containers--are very clean.  Even dipping a finger into a cosmetic
invites bacteria, so use a small cosmetic spatula or a clean chopstick
to scoop cream from the jar.

Facial Steam for Dry Complexion 3 cups water

Method #t: Using Herbs

1 heaping teaspoon each rose petals, rose mary leaves and fennel
seeds

/ teaspoon peppermint leaves mt Simmer water, add herbs, remove from
heat and steep for 5 minutes.

Method #2: Using Essential Oils

1 drop each rose geranium, rosemary, fennel and peppermint essential
oils mt Simmer water, turn off heat and add essential oils.

For either method, set pan in a location where you can comfortably sit
next to it.  Cover the back of your head with a towel and tuck the ends
of the towel around the pan so that steam is captured inside a
"mini-sauna."  Hold your head about 1 foot away from the water.  Make
sure that the steam is not so hot that it feels uncomfortable, and keep
your eyes closed so that the essential oils do not sting them.  Stay in
the steam for a few minutes, then come out to cool your face.  Do this
for a few rounds, as long as it's comfortable.

Scrub for Dry Complexion 2 tablespoons oatmeal 1 tablespoon cornmeal

1 teaspoon chamomile, lavender or elder flowers

6 drops lavender essential oil mt- Grind dry ingredients in blender or
electric coffee grinder.  (Drugstores sell colloidal oatmeal, which
needs no grinding.) Add essential oil and stir to distribute.

Store in closed container.  To use, moisten 1 teaspoon with enough
water to make a paste, dampen your face with a little water and gently
apply scrub.

Rinse with warm water.

Mask for Dry Complexion

1 tablespoon ground oatmeal

1 tablespoon rose water or aloe verjuice 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 1
teaspoon honey

2 drops rose geranium or palmarosa essential oil mt Mix ingredients and
apply to face.

Leave on for 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse off.  Castor oil is a good
choice for the vegetable oil because of its emollient qualities and
because it mixes easily with the other ingredients.  Keep any leftover
mask in the refrigerator.

The beauty of the rose is not limited to its own appearance--it can
also be used in formulas designed to make us look better.

OILY COMPLEXION

People with oily complexions tend to bemoan their genetic fate, at
least through their early years.  Only later do they start to feel
fortunate.  There is a positive side to oily skin--it protects and
lubricates, so you can expect fewer wrinkles as your skin matures.

An oily complexion tends to be shiny and to have large pores and a
thick, coarse texture.  It may seem that summer would help an oily
complexion, but this is not so.  Overexposure to the sun combined with
sunburn stimulates already overactive oil glands into even heavier
production.  Sweating from the heat only increases the skin's
oiliness.

In winter, oil buildup is made worse when we bundle up with scarves and
hats.  All that excess oil attracts dirt, which can breed bacteria,
cause infection and clog pores with dead cells.

Nothing you use on your skin should completely stop your skin from
producing oil, but some herbs can slow the production.

Basil, eucalyptus, cedarwood, cypress, lemon, sage, lemongrass, yarrow,
ylang-ylang (sold only as an essential oil) and the fruit and leaves of
strawberry help normalize overactive oil glands.  I also use lady's
mantle, an attractive plant grown by many herb gardeners.

Clean your oily face at least twice a day with a neutral-pH (7.0) soap
or cleanser.  Wipe away excess oil with cotton pads soaked in witch
hazel or a cleanser for oily skin.  Steam your face at least once a
week--this will unclog pores and eliminate excess oil.  Avoid
scrubbing; it stimulates oil production.  Instead, use a facial mask of
oats or day to draw out and absorb surface skin oils.  (Rinse the mask
off before your skin begins to feel tight and itchy,) A slight amount
of grain alcohol in a toner is okay, but do not use it often.  Alcohol
is drying, but if you dry out oily skin too much, it will produce even
more oil to compensate.  Moisturizers that double as toners, such as
those with aloe vera or natural ingredients containing AHAs are
good--even oily skin needs some moisturizing.

Cleanser for Oily Complexion 2 ounces witch hazel 1 teaspoon vinegar 1
teaspoon glycerin

% teaspoon grapefruit seed extract

6 drops lemon essential oil

2 drops each cypress and grapefruit

(optional) essential oils

- Follow the directions given for Cleanser for Dry Complexion (page
310).  If available, you can use an herbal vinegar; I make my own
yarrow vinegar.

Facial Steam for Oily Complexion 3 cups water

Method #: Using Herbs

1 heaping teaspoon each chamomile flowers, lemon grass leaves, lavender
flowers and rosemary leaves Simmer water, add herbs, remove from heat
and steep 5 minutes.

Method #2: Using Essential Oils

1 drop each chamomile, lemongrass, lavender and rosemary essential oils
- Bring water to a simmer, turn off heat and add essential oils.

To steam, follow directions for Facial Steam for Dry Complexion
(opposite page).

Mask for Oily Complexion

1 tablespoon witch hazel

1 teaspoon bentonite (or other facial) clay 1 strawberry, mashed
(optional) 2 drops each cypress and lemon essential oils nt Combine
ingredients and apply Leave on for 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse.

Toner for Oily Complexion

2 ounces witch hazel

1 tablespoon aloe vera gel

5 drops cedarwood essential oil

3 drops lemon essential oil

1 drop ylang-ylang essential oil t Combine ingredients.  Shake well
before using.  Without the ylang-ylang, which is too sweet-smelling for
most men, this makes an excellent aftershave.

Who doesn't love strawberries?  But they're not only yummy; they also
help normalize overactive oil glands in the skin.

MATURE COMPLEXION

Your face takes on more character as you mature, but most of us would
just as soon keep our immature smooth skin.

The legendary French beauty Ninon de EEnclos, who felt she had no need
for lines, once bitterly complained, "If God had to give woman
wrinkles, He might at least have put them on the soles of her feet."

According to some skin specialists, anyone over 25 has mature skin, but
lines typically start to form in your thirties.

Your chances of having mature skin and wrinkles when you are young
increase if you have a fair complexion or only a thin layer of fat
under your skin, if you smoke cigarettes, or if you spend lots of time
in the sun.

If you have mature skin, it is likely that it will also be dry, so many
of the recommendations for dry skin will apply.  In addition, rose
geranium, jas mine, frankincense and myrrh rejuvenate skin by
encouraging new cells to develop.  So do some unusual essential oils:
carrot seed, helichrysum and cistus (better known to gardeners as rock
rose).  Marshmallow, comfrey and gotu kola heal skin, stimulate
skin-cell growth and soothe skin that is irritated from being dry and
flaky For centuries, lavender, neroli, rosemary, rose and fennel have
been called anti-aging herbs.

These herbs are listed in many old recipes, including one from the
diary of the duchess of Alba, whose beauty was recorded in Goy's late
nineteenth-century portraits of her.  The duchess used rose water and
almond oil mixed with egg white to "keep out the wrinkles and preserve
the complexion fair" and to promote firmness when "the skin becomes too
loosely attached to the muscles."

As you grow older, your body produces fewer of the hormones that keep
skin supple and youthful, and supplies less oil, protein and natural
moisturizing factors, which attract and hold water in the skin.  This
process also tends to make the skin drier.  As time goes by, collagen
and elastin--"elastic' fibers in the skin that are arranged like the
meshwork of woven fabric--eventually lose their strength, eliminating
the skin's underlying support and causing it to wrinkle and sag.  It is
these fibers, not muscle, that make your skin strong and keep it toned,
firm and unwrinkled.

Like the rest of the fashion world, the cosmetics industry is subject
to changing fads and trends.  In the 1980s, collagen and elastin
derived from animals were acclaimed as cosmetic ingredients to slow the
effects of aging on your skin.  There doesn't seem to be much point to
these treatments--most skin specialists argue that the molecules are
too big to penetrate the skin and couldn't mesh with existing fibers
even if they did.  You can, however, encourage natural collagen
production with herbs and foods that contain lots of vitamin C and
compounds commonly associated with vitamin C--rutin, flavanoids and
hesperidin.  For a complete list of these beneficial herbs and foods,
see "Couper-ose Complexion" on page 318.  Other herbs, such as gotu
kola, echinacea and horsetail, increase skin elasticity and strengthen
connective tissue.

So-called antioxidant herbs offer an effective defense against the
skin's aging.

These herbs encourage cells to regenerate and prevent the formation of
free radicals.  Free radicals are unstable, quickty multiplying
molecules, which are increased by cigarette smoking, inhaling car
exhaust and ingesting certain pesticides.  They are thought to play a
role in the skin losing its elasticity and wrinkling.  (In fact, free
radicals are thought to play a part in all aspects of aging, including
"hardening of the arteries'' and the development of cataracts.

Due to the effect of these free radicals, a 40-year-old smoker is
older, biologically, than a nonsmoker of the same age.) Many natural
cosmetics for mature skin include herbs and vitamins that stop free
radicals in their tracks.  Powerful antioxi-dants include ginkgo, witch
hazel and the essential oils of rosemary, marjoram and lavender.

Antioxidants also are good for treating liver spots, discolorations of
the skin that actually have little to do with the liver.  A more
accurate label for them would be "sun spots" since they appear on the
face and hands as a result of sun exposure.  There are several natural
bleaching agents you can try on these spots and on other types of
blotchy skin.

Horseradish, vinegar and lemon are favorites, so I suggest using all
three.

For a mature complexion, use the cleanser and masks suggested for dry
complexions.  Drying facial masks, like those made with clay or
oatmeal, should not be used often on mature skin and should be
completely avoided if your skin is very dry However, occasional use of
astringent masks and toners has one advantage for a mature
complexion--the water that they pull to the skin's surface slightly
plumps up the skin and makes lines, wrinkles and enlarged pores seem
smaller, at least temporarily.  Unfor tunately, this has a "Cinderella"
effect; over the next few hours, the magic wears off as the water is
reabsorbed and evaporates.

Much like Cinderella's fairy godmother, I offer a warning--be home
before the effect wears off.  Watch out for commercial toners that
plump skin by irritating it and causing inflammation.

Age Spot Remover

1 teaspoon grated horseradish root

A teaspoon lemon juice

,6 teaspoon vinegar

3 drops rosemary essential oil

Combine ingredients.  If you know how, grating your own horseradish is
best, but it is important to add juice and vinegar right away, before
the enzymes start to break down.  Don't get your fingers near your
eyes--horseradish is hot stuff.  Simpler, though not as effective, is
to buy a bottle of ground horseradish.

Toner for Mature Complexion

2 ounces aloe vera gel

2 ounces orange-blossom water

1 teaspoon vinegar

6 drops rose geranium essential oil

4 drops each frankincense and carrot seed essential oils

2 drops.jasmine essential oil Optional) 800 International Units vitamin
E oil - Combine ingredients.  Shake before using.  I prefer using
elder-flower vinegar, but since it is not sold in stores, it must be
homemade (see Herbal Vinegar Formula on page 18).  It's certainly okay
to use plain apple cider vinegar.  The jasmine essential oil is
optional because it is so expensive.  You can use liquid vitamin E oil
or pop open 2 400-Interna-tional Unit vitamin E capsules.

PROBLEM COMPLEXION

A problem complexion is characterized by pimples, cysts, blackheads and
white-heads.

If you have this complexion, you know that it can be a constant source
of worry and embarrassment.  Acne occurs where there are the most oil
glands--on the face, back and chest.  In severe cases, it scars and
pits the skin.  Acne usually improves in early summer, as increased sun
exposure provides vitamin D and lightly exfoliates the skin, but can
worsen if oil glands become stimulated by too much heat and sun.

Oil gets to the skin's surface by traveling up the hair shaft.  When
your pores become clogged with excess oil and dead cells, the opening
narrows; this shuts off oxygen to the pores and encourages bacterial
growth, infection and inflammation.

Blackheads arise when trapped oil darkens as it oxidizes (this
darkening is not from dirt, as many people mistakenly believe).  When
pores are repeatedly clogged, they enlarge and change the skin's
texture.

Most antiseptic herbs, including goldenseal, eucalyptus, sage, rosemary
and tea tree, reduce acne.  Chamomile, elder flowers, red dover and
licorice unclog pores and refine, soften and heal skin.  Lavender,
neroli and rosemary stimulate new cell growth.  In one study of more
than 100 people with acne, it was found that a tea tree gel was very
effective in combating this problem.  Although the gel acted more
slowty than an often-prescribed benzyl peroxide lotion, it was better
tolerated by everyone's skin.  In fact, tea tree produced no adverse
reactions at all.  You can apply a drop of tea tree essential oil
directly a couple of times a day as a spot-application on pimples, as
long as you do not rub it on larger areas of your skin and you are not
overly sensitive to the oil.

Cleaning your face thoroughly and as often as three times a day is an
important step in treating acne.  Many people with problem skin like to
use foaming cleansers, but if you do, be sure to choose one that is pH
balanced.  You should also steam once or twice a week, using antiseptic
essential oils or herbs.

Scrubbing may seem ideal for an acned complexion, but it actually
aggravates the condition.  Stick to an astringent mask of clay
moistened with a facial toner to promote slight peeling and reduce
large pores.  Toners with vinegar are antiseptic and maintain the
skin's acid balance.  You can heal damaged skin with a light lotion
that contains mostly aloe vera and little or no oil.

Acne is often caused by hormone imbalances, especially high
testosterone levels, which can lead to excess oil production.  As a
result, problem skin is most common during puberty, when hormones rage;
indeed, 80 percent of North American adolescents have skin blemishes.

Several studies on vitex berry, an herb that is known to reduce hormone
levels and decrease their action, have been reported in various German
scientific journals.  These studies indicate that vitex helps control
acne in young men and women.  For women, vitex has been particularly
helpful in alleviating premenstrual symptoms, and is especially useful
in eliminating acne that flares up right before menstruation.

Vitex is available in natural food stores as a tincture, as tea, or in
pill form.  For more information on the virtues of vitex, see chapter
11.

Unfortunately, acne can also follow you into adulthood, when--if
related to hormone imbalances--it generally appears around the chin and
jawline.  The liver is responsible for keeping hormones like
testosterone in balance.  Refer to chapter 7 to learn more about herbs
that can help fight acne, including milk thistle, burdock, yellow dock,
turmeric and sarsaparilla.

Stress may also be partially responsible for causing skin blemishes,
especially in women.  Not all dermatologists agree that emotions
influence the skin, but when researchers at Boston University asked a
group of people what triggered their acne, most of them quickly came up
with the same answer: stress.

The researchers found that, although stress stimulates a rise in
adrenal hormones in everyone, women's bodies respond to stress by
overproducing testosterone.  This finding led psychologists at North
Texas State University to teach a group of people with acne
stress-countering relaxation methods like deep breathing, biofeedback
(in which a person is taught to be aware of unconscious or involuntary
bodily processes so that she can learn to control them mentally) and
imagery (imagining oneself in a calm, peaceful setting, such as a quiet
green meadow).  The result was that the complexions of these people
improved much more than those in a similar group that did not learn the
relaxation methods.  If you suffer from acne and believe that stress is
a contributing factor, see "Stress" on page 52 for herbs to promote
relaxation.

The prevailing opinion of most dermatologists is that diet has little
influence on acne.  Holistic practitioners, including herbalists, do
not share this view and suggest a whole-foods diet with plenty of
vegetables and going easy on fatty foods, especially those high on
concentrated fat, such as cheese, butter and fried foods.  While fatty
foods may not directly translate into oil on your skin, they do affect
the functioning of your liver and thus your levels of hormones and
stress.  Fatty foods also reduce the action of important essential
fatty acids in the body.  Supplements of gamma linoleic acid (GLA),
which is found in evening primrose oil, increase these fatty acids and
have helped some cases of acne.

Blemish Remover

/ cup water

1 teaspoon Epsom salts

4 drops lavender essential oil

Small cloth

* Bring water to a boil and pour it over Epsom salts.  When salts have
dissolved, add essential oil.  Soak a small absorbent cloth in solution
and press this compress on any pimples.  In a minute or two, as cloth
starts to cool, place it in hot water again and reapply.

Do this several times.  The lavender is antiseptic and
anti-inflammatory.

Intensive Treatment for Acne

/ teaspoon powdered goldenseal root

12 drops tea tree essential oil

- Combine ingredients into a paste, adding water if needed.  Apply
directly on acne spots.  Let dry and leave on the skin for at least 20
minutes.  Rinse.

Facial Steam for Problem

Complexion

3 cups water

Method #t: Using Herbs

1 heaping teaspoon each chamomile flowers, eucalyptus leaves, lavender
flowers and rosemary leaves Bring water to a boil.  Remove from heat.

Add herbs and steep for 5 minutes.

ethod 4:2: Using Essential Oils 1 drop each chamomile, eucalyptus,
lavender and rosemary essential oils *t Bring water to a boil, turn off
heat and add essential oils.

To steam, follow directions for Facial Steam for Dry Complexion (see
page 312).

Mask for Acne

1 teaspoon bentonite (or other facial) clay 1 teaspoon ground
strawberry leaves,

(optional)

1 drop chamomile, sage or rosemary essential oil

1 drop tea tree essential oil Water or toner

- Mix ingredients into a paste with water or the Toner for Dry
Complexion (see page 311) or Toner for Oily Complexion (see page 314),
depending on your skin type.  Apply to face in a thin layer, avoiding
the area around the eyes.

Leave on for 10 to 15 minutes, or as long as it is comfortable, then
rinse.

COUPEROSE COMPLEXION

If you have a couperose complexion, your skin is filled with broken
capillaries (the tiny blood vessels found just under the skin).  This
makes for redness mostly around the nose or on the cheeks.  Any kind of
skin can become couperose, but this condition is most common with dry,
thin, delicate or mature skin.  You increase your chances of having a
couperose complexion if you drink, smoke or have fair skin, fair hair
or high blood pressure.  Exposing your skin to extreme temperatures or
rough scrubbing also contributes to the condition and will make the
problem worse once you have it.

Though it is often difficult to treat, a couperose complexion can be
improved over time, especially if you improve capillary strength with
herbs that are high in flavanoids (pigments found in many green and
yellow plants).  These herbs include hawthorn, ginkgo,
Saint-John's-wort, calendula, lemon, peppers, buckwheat and
rose-hips.

Chamomile, lavender, rose and neroli, along with the lesser-known
helichrysum, also make weak and broken capillaries stronger and more
resilient, soothe delicate skin and reduce puffiness.

A facial also helps combat a couper-ose complexion, but be sure to take
extra care when applying it.  Wash your face with lukewarm water and a
cleansing cream.  Avoid the temperature extremes of a cold water splash
or a facial steam because they bring extra blood to the skin's
surface.

Also, stay away from scrubs and astringent masks, such as those made
with clay, which increase surface circulation and encourage capillaries
to break in sensitive skin.

Instead, use only the gentlest exfoliants and masks, such as yogurt,
papaya or honey, and facial toners made of hydrosols or aloe vera.

Look for moisturizers and toners designed for dry complexions.

There is hope.  My friend Margaret had one of the worst couperose
complexions I have ever seen.  She had a good sense of humor, though,
and would often laugh while saying she was paying for her old sins.

She had lived the "high life" for a long time, and although she no
longer drank or smoked, her face betrayed her old ways.  She managed to
cover most of it with makeup, but was still concerned when she looked
in the mirror every morning--her complexion seemed to be getting worse
by the day!

Margaret's solution was to use the herbal recipes below.  While her
face still has a few broken capillaries, Margaret is now happy to look
in the mirror -- her complexion continues to improve.

Facial for Couperose Complexion

1 tablespoon each yogurt and applesauce 2 drops liquid lecithin

2 drops chamomile essential oil

- Blend ingredients.  Apply to face and leave on for at least 5
minutes.  Gently rinse off with lukewarm water.

Toner for Couperose Complexion

2 ounces aloe verjuice

2 ounces rose water

/ teaspoon glycerin

5 drops lavender essential oil

2 drops each neroli, chamomile and helichrysum (optional) essential
oils t Combine ingredients and shake well before using.  Apply with
cotton swabs, or spray on using an atomizer.  For men with couperose or
sensitive skin, this toner can also be used as an aftershave.

One of the best ways to promote a glowing, clear complexion, no matter
what your skin type, is by doing an herbal facial.  I always bring
mirrors to herbal cosmetics classes so everyone can see for themselves
how radiant and youthful they look after a facial.  Of all the stories
from years of conducting these classes, Sharon's is my favorite.  She
left an evening facial class that was held downtown, and having nowhere
else to take her new complexion, went out for a drink with a couple of
other women from the class.  A handsome young man asked her out, and
though she was very flattered, she declined, never telling him that she
was almost 20 years his senior!  I will not promise you results like
this, but you are certain to notice the difference.

If you can afford to have a weekly facial at a salon that uses natural
products, by all means indulge!

If a salon facial is not in your budget, doing your own facial at home
is simple and quick; the entire routine can be completed in only 20
minutes.

You will need a washcloth, a facial sponge or soft washcloth, a towel,
a pan, a small mixing bowl for mixing a mask or scrub, and all your
facial ingredients.  If you keep these supplies in a special box or
basket, they will be convenient whenever you want a facial.  Be sure to
wear a shirt or blouse with a wide or low neck, and pull your hair away
from your face before you begin your facial.

;' Step 1: Clean the skin for two minutes.

Step 2: Steam for five to ten minutes (use a quarter-clip herbs or
three drops essential oils per three cups water--for specific herbs and
steaming directions, see the recipes in the specific skin-type sections
in "The Face" on page 308).

'' Step 3: Exfoliate your skin for two to three minutes --remember to
use gentle circular movements.

,k- Step 4: Apply a mask and leave it on for about ten minutes

,x- Step 5: Apply toner.

'*- Step 6: Finish up by applying a moisturizer.

If you do not have time for the full routine, how about a
mini-fa-cial?

When you are in a hurry or traveling, place two herbal tea bags
(chamomile is a good choice) in a cup and pour boiling water over them
just as if you are making tea.

Hold your face over the cup to steam in the fragrant vapors.  Then
apply a facial cream or moisturizer.

Afterward, you can drink the tea!

When your eyes are puffy, strained or bloodshot, make the tea with two
tea bags of chamomile or black tea, cool slightly and place one bag on
each eye.

The face shows the most obvious signs of sun exposure and aging, but
all of your skin suffers equally from these factors.

Maybe this is why many people pay close attention to their faces, but
forget the rest of their skin.  While it is natural to give your face
extra care, all of your skin deserves the best treatment.  For total
body care, treat your entire body with lotions, bathing and saunas.

DRY SKIN

The basic treatments for dry skin are body lotions, scrubs and bath
oils.

Instead of using soap, which will dry out your skin even more, choose a
cleanser or scrub designed for dry skin (some recipes are provided on
page 322).  If your dry skin itches, add a quarter-cup of vinegar to
your bath.

Herbs that encourage oil production in dry skin are the same ones that
are used for dry complexions: chamomile, fennel, rose geranium,
lavender, palina-rosa, sandalwood and small amounts of peppermint and
rosemary.  Frankincense, jasmine, neroli and rose, which are more
expensive, are also beneficial.  Putting essential oils of these herbs
in your bath is good because they are attracted to your skin and are
absorbed more easily in hot water.  But be careful; many of
them--peppermint, for instance-- can sting your skin.  If your skin
does become irritated, rinse off with cool water and apply vegetable
oil to sore areas.

If you have dry skin, try bathing with floating bath oil.  If you love
soaking for an hour or more in a hot bath, but find that your skin
itches and seems to shrivel

S K N A N D H A R C A R E *'*

afterward, your problem will likely disappear.

I know several people who were unable to take baths at all because
their skin was so dry.  That changed when they discovered bath oils.

When you emerge, your entire body moves through the water's surface and
receives a light coating of oil--just enough to protect the skin from
drying out, but not enough to make it feel oily As an added bonus, the
scent of a bath oil will linger for hours as a body perfume.

Dry skin almost always benefits from improved circulation.  To improve
your circulation, try an herbal steam sauna (a dry sauna is not
suggested for dry skin).  If the sauna's heating element is designed to
have water poured on it, pour a few drops of essential oil or some
strong herb tea (lavender, chamomile or rosemary) on the sauna rocks
(or whatever element the sauna has).  If you cannot pour water on the
heating element, place a pan of water containing the herbs or essential
oil on it.  You should also make sure that no one in the sauna,
including you, is sensitive to the oils!  Stepping out to rinse with
cool water a few times and then returning to the sauna helps increase
circulation.  (If you have a heart condition or are pregnant, see a
doctor before you use a sauna; you will probably be advised against
it.)

Sweating may not seem like a beauty treatment, but it does provide some
hidden attributes.  AHAs, which are produced when we sweat, are so good
for the skin that they are now incorporated into the expensive products
of many cosmetics companies.

Dermatologist Ruey J. Yu, M.D of Temple University, who has studied
AHAs since the early 1980s, believes that one mason physical exercise
contributes to beautiful skin is the AHA lactic acid, which is
contained in sweat.

Lotion for Dry Skin

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup water or aloe verjuice

2 teaspoons liquid lanolin

/5 ounce shaved beeswax

20 drops lavender essential oil

10 drops sandalwood essential oil

4 drops chamomile essential oil

Follow the directions for making

Cream for Dry Complexion (see page

311).  Pour lotion into bottles.

Scrub Ball

1 cup Scrub for Dry Complexion (see page 312)

Porous cloth, about 6 inches square String or cloth tie t Tie the scrub
inside the cloth with the string.  Throw the ball into your bath water,
or hold the ball under hot water in the shower.  When you squeeze the
ball, a rich and creamy liquid scented with the essential oils will
emerge.  Wash with this instead of soap, squeezing as you need more
liquid.  The ball will last for several washes, after which you should
toss out the contents, wash the doth and refill it with new
ingredients.

Floating Bath Oil for Dry Skin

2 ounces vegetable oil

12 drops each lavender and rose geranium essential oils

- Combine ingredients.  Use 1 teaspoon per bath.  Contained in a
beautiful bottle, this makes a wonderful gift.

WISDOM

Dispersing Bath Oil lA teaspoon hydrous lanolin (optional)

2 ounces castor oil

12 drops lavender essential oil

4 drops petitgrain essential oil

,t Hydrous lanolin, available at any drugstore, is the easiest form of
lanolin to use in any recipe because it contains a small amount of
water--just enough to make it easier to mix.  Warm lanolin in castor
oil just enough to melt it.  Add essential oils.  Some oils will float
on the water's surface and some will blend in the water, making it feel
silky.  In this oil, I have used petitgrain, made from the twig behind
the orange flower, instead of the more expensive flower of the bitter
orange, known as neroli.

OILY SKIN

Oily skin, which attracts dirt easily and can take on a greasy
appearance, should be treated much like an oily facial com-plexion-use
herbs such as sage, lemon-grass, basil, eucalyptus, cedawood, cypress,
lemon, yarrow and ylang-ylang to normalize overactive oil glands.

Bathing helps oily skin, especially if you use the Aromatic Bath Salts
or Aromatic Bath Vinegar (see page 323).  A few drops of the essential
oils of any of the herbs mentioned above can also be added directly to
the bath.  If you have oily skin, avoid high heat in saunas; it only
encourages your skin to become oilier in an effort to protect the skin
from the heat.

Bath salts make the bath water feel silky, remove body oils and
perspiration and soften the skin.  They are also inexpensive and very
easy to make, and the ingredients can be found in any grocery store.

You should see the faces in my skin care class when I pull boxes of
table salt, baking soda and borax out of my bag, and explain that these
are the "mixed salts" used for commercial bath salts!  For fancy
"mineral" spa salts, ground seaweed or clay is added to increase the
mineral content of the salts.

Table salt, borax and baking soda, which are sodium salts, soften hard
water and help soap work better by creating more suds.  (Epsom salts,
which contain magnesium, do not soften water but they do soothe sore
muscles.) Sodium salts also eliminate "soap scum"-that dirty, insoluble
ring around the bathtub produced when minerals in hard water combine
with soap--and the film that hard water and soap leave on skin and
hair, making them look dull and feel rough.

Salt can also be used to stimulate oily skin's circulation with a "salt
glow," an allover body treatment that you do before washing your body
Before getting into the tub or shower, dampen a handful of regular
table salt with a little water or milk (about a tablespoon of liquid to
half a cup of salt), then lightly rub the damp salt over your body
After you get out of the shower or tub, you will notice that your body
is "glowing."

Aromatic Bath Vinegar

2 ounces vinegar

10 drops each lemon and eucalyptus essential oils

Combine ingredients and let sit for week, shaking the bottle daily.

Use 2 tablespoons per bath.  Any type of vinegar will do, but for an
attractive display in your bathroom, use red wine vinegar stored in a
clear bottle.

Aromatic Bath Salts

 cup table salt

1 tablespoon each baking soda and borax 10 drops each lavender and
lemon essential oils

5 drops ylang-ylang essential oil

Mix dry ingredients together, then stir in essential oils.  Use 1/4 to
i/2 cup of the salts per bath.  Bath salts make wonderful gifts,
especially if you package them in elegant bottles.

SUN-DAMAGED SKIN

In the early twentieth century, sunbathing became very popular, at
least in North America.  It was only in the 1980s and 1990s that people
began to realize the dangers of spending long periods of time in the
sun to get a tan.  Nevertheless, many people still spend too many hours
in the sun.

Exposure to the sun can be dangerous because the sun's ultraviolet (UV)
rays, which cause the skin to tan and burn, can also cause skin
cancer.

The long ultraviolet (UVA) rays that are present all day long are
particularly destructive.

Nicknamed "aging rays," they penetrate into the skin's lower layers,
harming collagen, elastin and DNA, which carries a cell's genetic
information.

UVA rays also make skin more susceptible to the shorter UVB rays, which
tan the skin's surface and are strongest at midday Both of these rays
are associated with premature aging and skin cancer, but skin experts
believe that very short ultraviolet rays called UVC rays are mostly
responsible for the worldwide increase in skin cancer.  (One problem
with some sunscreens is that they block only the UVB rays.)

With the depletion of the earth's ozone layer, which blocks UV rays,
more of these rays are hitting the earth.  The National Cancer
Institute reports that melanoma, a form of skin cancer associated with
sun exposure, increased nearly 90 percent between 1973 and 1990!

Skin cancer is now increasing even in dark-skinned people, who used to
have few worries about getting it.  But you would have a hard time
believing any of these facts while spending a day at any beach.  North
Americans just love to get their sun.

Sun damage can occur at any age, but its long-term effects on the skin,
especially premature wrinkling and uneven pigmentation, become apparent
only as we grow older.  In fact, most skin aging is thought to result
from sun exposure.  If you doubt this, compare your face and the backs
of your hands with areas of your skin that rarely see the sun.

When it come to sun damage, prevention is the key, so do your best to
limit your sun exposure, and wear protective clothing or sunscreen when
you go outside.  Almost 75 percent of sun damage occurs without our
even going to the beach or lying out in the sun--as we walk down the
street, ride a bike or even drive a car (if the windows are down).

Special skin cells spread a dark pigment called melanin through the
skin to tan it, protecting sensitive underlying cells from the sun's
destructive tendencies.

However, this offers only limited protection, and after a few days of
repeated sun exposure, the skin also thickens in defense.  Margaret
Kripke, M.D of the Anderson Cancer Center in

Houston, Texas, says that sunscreen users may be spending long hours in
the sun with a false sense of security They may not be getting burned,
but ultraviolet light also suppresses the immune system, and Dr. Kripke
believes that sunscreens do little to prevent this.

No natural ingredient fully protects us from the sun's rays, but some
protection can be found in nature's bounty.

PABA (part of the B-complex vitamins) and cinoxate (cinnamic acid from
cinnamon) are commonly used in sunscreens.

However, questions have been raised about the safety of these products,
since they can cause allergic reactions and other problems.

According to skin specialists, sesame oil decreases the impact of the
sun's burning rays by about 30 percent, while olive, coconut and peanut
oils and aloe vera block out about 20 percent of the rays.  This is
lower than the high rates now achieved with commercial sun-screens, but
suitable for less intense exposure.

Research shows that a 3 to 6 percent dilution of an extract of
helichry-sum, sometimes called immortelle, makes an effective
sunscreen.  And a new sunscreen made from ammo acids found in sea algae
is currently being tested in Australia.

Ingredients in natural sunscreens are soon likely to include
antioxidant herbs, which combat harmful free radicals.

Japanese scientists have shown that applying these herbs on the skin
not only protects against free radical damage, but also prevents damage
caused by UV rays.

In one study at the Xienta Institute for Skin Research in Bernville,
Pennsylvania, it was found that vitamin E in a 5 per cent dilution
retards cell damage to underlying skin by decreasing oxidation, and
also reduces burning.  If, despite all your sensible precautions, you
do get sunburned, try using the Aloe Burn Spray on page 256.

Carrot-seed essential oil is especially beneficial to sundamaged skin
and is even used to treat precancerous skin conditions.  The
beta-carotene it contains has been proven to protect against
ultra-violet-induced skin cancer.  The South American herb pau d'arco
is also an an-tioxidant with a reputation for treating skin cancer.

Warning: If you are planning to go out into the sun, you should avoid
bergamot.  The essential oil of bergamot contains the phototoxic
compound bergaptene, which increases the skin's sensitivity to light
and can cause skin discoloration or rashes.  I have seen this happen
more than once.  A bergap-tene-free oil is available.  If you have very
sensitive skin, you should also be careful about using the essential
offs of the other members of the citrus family, although they are much
less phototoxic.

Natural Sunscreen

2 ounces sesame oil

2 ounces aloe vera gel

1 teaspoon vitamin E oil

24 drops lavender essential oil

Combine ingredients.  Shake well before using.  Remember, this will not
provide total sun protection.

Note: Serious skin disorders such as psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis and
skin parasites are discussed in chapter 10.

SKIN 	AND 	HAIR 	CARE

THE HAIR

Never underestimate the importance of healthy-looking hair.  It is
nearly impossible to look at people's faces without noticing their
hair.

DRY HAIR

If you have dry hair, you probably also have to deal with a dry scalp,
split ends and unmanageable hair.  You may also have dandruff.

Exposure to sun--whether from sailing, skiing or a day at the
beach--can also dry out your hair and scalp: Protect them by wearing a
hat or scarf.  All hair, but especially dry hair, is fragile when wet,
so wait to brush it until after it is dry.  Hair can stretch to nearly
double its length when it is wet, and this can be very damaging.

To understand how best to care for dry hair, it helps to know how hair
is constructed.  Each hair on your head has an outer layer that holds
in moisture and protects the hair shah.  This outer layer is made of
transparent, overlapping fibers like shingles on a roof.  When these
shingles are tight, they give hair a smooth, shiny appearance that
reflects light.

Chlorine, permanents, hair dye, blow drying, excessive sun exposure and
alkaline shampoos all take their toll on dry hair because they strip
away the natural oils and lift the shingles, causing a frizzy, flyaway
look.

Unfortunately, most shampoos dry out hair and turn it alkaline.  If you
have dry hair, you should use a mild shampoo containing fatty acids,
protein, balsams and moisturizers, and use only as much as needed to
get your hair clean.  All sorts of protein-rich ingredients, such as
milk and egg yolk, have been used to condition dry hair and are still
used in modem conditioners.  Look for conditioners that contain
comfrey--this high-protein herb will help your dry hair.  Because hair
is made up of dead cells, protein cannot directly feed it, but it can
temporarily glue down the outer layer.  This not only protects hair,
but also helps hair reflect light for a look that is smooth and shiny
instead of dull and dry.  Hair will also seem thicker, at least until
the protein coat wears off.

Herbs that combat dry hair include burdock, calendula, chamomile, rose
geranium, lavender, rose, rosemary, cedarwood and sandalwood.  These
herbs not only encourage healthy hair, but also smell great!  But no
matter how good your herbal shampoo may smell, it does little for your
hair in the brief time it remains in place.  To really help your hair,
turn to herbal conditioners--and leave them on for a few minutes before
rinsing.  For dry, wispy ends, put a drop or two of sandalwood or
rosemary essential oil on your fingers and gently rub it in.

A hot oil treatment smoothes down the hair shaft to give damaged hair
some shine, although it cannot always restore hair's flexibility and
bounce.  Hot oil also helps treat a dry hair and scalp.  The treatment,
although simple to prepare, can be a little messy to apply However, it
is usually worth the effort.

Mary's story serves as a good exam-pie.

Her hair was anything but a crowning glory--it was dry and wispy, and
seemed to have a mind of its own when she tried to style it.  She took
to wearing hats because it was easier than dealing with dry,
unmanageable hair.  Mary does look good in hats, but it was not a
solution to her problem.  It took herbs to provide that.

She began with an herbal conditioner and a weekly hot oil treatment,
but then became so involved in her work she had little time to think
about her hair.  Two weeks later, she finished a major project and
decided to go out and celebrate.  Just before she put on her hat, she
paused to look in the mirror.  She was amazed--her hair no longer fell
in thin streams exposing her scalp, and it actually had some body She
was so encouraged by how well the herbs had worked that she asked me if
I knew of anything else that might help.

The beautifully scented rose geranium, one of the world's favorite
houseplants, was first sent from Africa to England in t6o9.

I told Mary that she should also look to her diet to make sure she was
getting enough essential fatty acids.  If your diet alone is not
providing these, one way to supplement it is to take evening primrose
oil or some other oil that contains GLA, such as flaxseed oil.  Mary
thought that her diet was fine, but she tried a GLA supplement
anyway.

Since diet and supplements affect only new hair at the roots, it took a
few months before she noticed that her hair was growing in with more
shine and body Not only that, she was certain that it was growing
faster than usual.

Another thing you can do to improve dry hair is to drink a tea made
with equal parts oat straw, nettle and horsetail (or take these herbs
as a tincture or as pills).

These herbs are high in silica and other minerals that are important
for hair growth.

Sulfur is also important for producing thick hair.  It binds with the
protein in the hair, making it stronger and more flexible.  You can get
sulfur in your diet by incorporating garlic, onions and members of the
cabbage family and also by dining on nasturtiums, which you can add to
your salad.  The French recommend nasturtiums for all sorts of problems
that result from having dry hair, and even claim that it prevents
premature balding.  They also dd this flower to hair rinses.  As an old
country cure for brittle hair, they rub raw onion juice on their hair
roots before shampooing!

Dandruff can be a problem with either a dry or an oily scalp, but these
dry flakes are most common if you have a dry scalp and dry hair.  If
dandruff is a prob

SKIN AND l{ A R CARE

lem, use a conditioner that contains burdock and sage.  In Asian
countries, ginger root is used to stop flakiness and is even said to
keep hair from falling out.

Herbal Conditioner for Dry Hair

1 pint boiling water

1 teaspoon each burdock root, calendula flowers, chamomile flowers,
lavender flowers and rosemary leaves 1 tablespoon vinegar t Pour
boiling water over herbs and steep for about 30 minutes.  Strain and
add vinegar.  Pour over scalp and hair as final rinse after
shampooing.

Leave on without rinsing out.  For dandruff, add 6 drops sage essential
oil; shake well before using.

Oil Treatment for Dry Hair 2 ounces aloe vera gel 2 ounces castor oil

6 drops each rose geranium cedar (or sandalwood) and rosemary essential
oils 2 drops ginger essential oil (optional) Combine ingredients.  Warm
oil slightly.  Comb and part hair into different sections, then massage
oil into scalp.

Cover head with a towel and leave it on for 1 to 2 hours, then shampoo
out.  Although I use castor oil because it is partially water-soluble
and washes out of the hair better, other vegetable oils can also be
used--the Italians have long used olive oil for hot oil treatments.  In
India, hot oil hair treatments are done with sesame oil, the oil of
choice in traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine, and freshly grated
ginger.  An easy way to add ginger to hot oil is as an essential oil.

I like to use Tibetan cedarwood oil for the cedar essential oil.

OILY HAIR

As is true with skin, having too much oil on your hair can be a
problem.  A little oil makes hair shiny because it smoothes out hair
shafts by filling in minute abrasions.  But too much oil makes your
hair dull and lifeless--be-cause the oil makes the hair heavy and
causes it to attract more dirt, which can eventually lead to
dandruff.

Brushing and scalp massage stimulate circulation and hair growth and
help to distribute the oils.

Cedarwood, cypress, lemon, lemon-grass, sage and patchouli discourage
excess oil production by the scalp.  You can add a drop of one of these
essential oils into a small amount of shampoo, although you should
first make sure that you like the fragrance!  A vinegar hair rinse
discourages dandruff and rinses excess oil off your hair.  It also cuts
soap and shampoo residues, leaving hair shiny, smooth and soft.  Don't
worry about smelling like pickles afterward; vinegar's odor quickly
dissipates.  A rinse of sage tea also helps to reduce dandruff and
excess oil.

If you have oily hair, be sure to use a mild shampoo--the harsh
detergents found in many shampoos dry hair too much, encouraging the
scalp to manufacture even more oil.  A good shampoo deans your hair
without stripping away natural oil or irritating your eyes.  Avoid
protein and balsam shampoos, which tend to increase oiliness, make hair
heavy and attract dirt.  Baby shampoos, which are generally made from
olive or soy oil, are the mildest and are usually pH balanced.  If they
are not pH balanced, make them more acidic by

] S DOM

adding a teaspoon of vinegar per cup of shampoo.

Many natural cosmetics books give recipes for making shampoos with herb
teas and castile soap flakes, but I find castile too alkaline, and it
leaves my hair stiff and dull.  I prefer using a gentle, nondetergent,
unscented shampoo as a base, then adding my favorite herbal
ingredients.

Herbal Shampoo

2 ounces unscented shampoo (available at any drugstore)

12 drops each chamomile and lavender essential oils mt Combine
ingredients and shake well before shampooing.

Herbal Rinse for Oily Hair

1 pint boiling water

1 teaspoon each burdock root, calendula flowers, chamomile flowers,
lavender flowers, lemongrass and sage leaves 1 tablespoon vinegar t
Pour boiling water over herbs and steep for about 30 minutes.  Strain
and add vinegar.  Pour over scalp and hair as final rinse after
shampooing.  Leave on without rinsing out.

BEAUTIFYING HAIR

One old-fashioned, natural way to give your hair extra body is to use a
setting lotion.  Sixteenth- and seventeenth-cen-tury herbals boast of
rosemary's ability to keep hair curly Other traditional favorites were
lotions made with quince, flaxseed, gelatin, agar, Irish moss or
lemon.

All of these give thin hair more body and can even be used if you have
thick hair like mine.

I do not set my hair very often, but once, inspired by pictures of a
local historic beauty, Lola Montez, I decided to go to a fair in her
honor, wearing a nineteenth-century dress with my long hair in tight
curls--helped by a natural ingredient, of course.  I made a solution of
agar, a jellylike seaweed thickener used in cooking.  I poured this
over my hair, which I set in little ringlets all over my head.  The
next morning, my hair was indeed curled, or rather set.  It even
shimmered and jiggled when I walked.  While this technique proved
successful, I find that setting my hair with lemon gives it a much more
natural look.

Lola Montez actually wrote her own book, The Arts and Secrets of
Beauty, in 1853.  One of her many interesting recipes is for Honey
Water, which she says fashionable ladies all over Europe used as a
"celebrated" hair rinse to beautify their tresses.  Although the
original concoction did indeed contain honey, as well as some other,
rather questionable ingredients such as sand, Lola adapted the formula,
leaving out the honey but retaining the name.  I have turned it into a
more modern recipe (see page 330) in case you would like to try
beautifying your own hair with a formula that was popular among
nineteenth-century beauties.

Another way to perk up hair is by changing the color.  Unfortunately,
permanent hair dyes, tints and bleaches force open the hair shaft so
that they can penetrate inside to alter the color.  As a result, your
hair may take on the frizzy appearance associated with bleached
blondes, particularly if it undergoes re peated dyeing.  Commercial
natural dyes have become increasingly popular and also more
sophisticated, offering a wider range of colors.  Because natural hair
dyes gradually fade, you do not have to worry about touching up the
roots.  Be sure to read the list of ingredients carefully, since some
companies "cheat" by combining plant dyes with strong chemical dyes.

The color variations offered by natural products are achieved by
combining different herbs.  Brown and amber colors are usually created
by using henna combined with black walnut hull and sometimes iron
oxide.  For black and dark brown shades, indigo is added; clove, sage
and coffee are sometimes used in dark hair dyes.  Neutral and blond
henna are not really henna at all; most often they are another herbal
hair conditioner: Lyzifus spin-christi.

Chamomile, calendula, turmeric and lemon can be used to increase light
highlights.  The basic red henna may include safflower or hibiscus to
soften the color.  If you have light-colored or gray hair, be careful
when using pure henna.

It may turn your hair carrot-red or a brassy orange.  Also, do not mix
henna with one of the temporary chemical rinses.  This combination can
cause Technicolor streaks.

Henna has been used throughout India, Egypt and the Middle East for
more than 8,000 years to give hair a red highlight and condition it.

It coats dry hair with a vegetable protein that makes it shiny with
extra body, and it is drying to oily hair.  (Because of this, use henna
to treat dry hair no more than once every few months.) Because some
people are sensitive to henna, do a patch test on your inner arm before
trying this herb on your hair.  I have actually seen people get welts
on their skin from henna.

Lemon Setting Lotion

2 ounces lemon juice

5 drops rosemary essential oil

*'- That's right, there are only two ingredients to combine in this
recipe!  Buy unsweetened lemon juice or squeeze and strain your own and
use right away since it will not keep.  The rest is equally
sim-ple--comb it onto your hair before setting.

Although using lemon as a setting agent is good because it conditions
your hair at the same time, there is also a downside: It often makes
your hair feel a little sticky.

Lola's Honey Water

5 ounces white wine

5 ounces distilled water

4 ounces orange-blossom water

8 drops bergamot essential oil

4 drops clove essential oil

-- Combine ingredients.  Rinse through hair after washing.

Henna Protein Pack 1-2 cups warm water 1 egg (optional)

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 tablespoons honey

24 drops lavender essential oil

2-3 ounces henna (for medium-length hair; use more or less, depending
on length and thickness of your hair)

i,i Wear a shirt you do not mind staining and keep a cloth handy to
wipe the

S DOM

henna paste from your skin (there is always a chance of a stray
drip).

If you try this inside the house, also protect your floor.  Apply salve
or cream around your hair line.  Put on thin latex gloves to protect
your hands from being colored.  Mix all wet ingredients and add them to
henna, pressing out any lumps.  The mixture should be the consistency
of cake batter; it should not be too wet or else it will drip.  It is
better to make more than you need than not to have enough to cover all
your hair.

Thoroughly wet your hair, part hair in sections, and apply the henna
pack from scalp to hair ends.  The mixture will be thick and globby, so
expect it to feel a bit strange.  Cover your head with a plastic bag or
a shower cap, then wrap it with a towel to hold in your natural body
heat, which breaks down henna and intensifies the color.  You can also
use a hair dryer or sit in a sauna or the sun.

The longer you leave henna on, the deeper the color will be.  One hour
is usually sufficient, but up to 2 hours is fine as long as the henna
does not dry out.  Rinse with lukewarm water.  (Do not use hot
water--this will cook the egg.) Rinse well--it will probably take a few
rinses--and follow with a shampoo and a conditioner.  Dry and style as
usual.

BODY CARE EXTRAS

Skin and hair aren't the only pieces of your body care puzzle.  Healthy
and beautiful lips and nails are every bit as important to
appearance--left untended, they can become quite irritated.

CHAPPED LIPS

Rough, cracked lips not only feel uncomfortable, but also look
unattractive.  You can protect your lips from winter's wind and cold
and summer's drying heat with a soothing herbal lip balm.  The balm I
recommend is a good alternative to petroleum oil-based ointment sticks
that can dry out your lips more than moisturize them.  Indeed, many
people complain that lip balm sold in stick form makes their lips even
drier, and they find themselves needing more and more of it.

Herbal lip balm comes in a tasty selection of flavors, including
orange, tangerine, lemon and vanilla.  If your lips are very chapped,
avoid essential oils that can sting, such as peppermint.  Plastic
lip-balm containers that snap shut can be purchased in stores that sell
backpacking supplies.

Honey Lip Balm for Chapped Lips ,4 cup vegetable oil

/5 ounce shaved beeswax

1 teaspoon honey

10 drops lemon essential oil or i teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oil in a pan, adding beeswax until melted.  Stir in honey and
essential oil or flavoring.  (Expect a little residue at the bottom of
the pan from the extract and honey.) Pour the balm into lip-balm
containers while it is still warm (be sure the mixture is not too hot,
or it will melt the plastic containers).

FUNGAL INFECTIONS

Fungal skin and nail infections can be extremely annoying--not only are
they unsightly and uncomfortable; they are also difficult to
eliminate.

Ringworm, SKIN 	AND 	HAIR 	CARE which causes athlete's foot and occurs
most often on the feet, scalp, beard, fingernails and toenails, is one
of the best-known, but there are many different types of fungal
infections.  Jewelweed, garlic, yellow dock, pau d'arco, the lichen
usnea and the fresh husk of black walnut all contain compounds that
deter fungal growth.  (The tinctures of jewelweed and usnea are
particularly good, but they are also extremely hard to find.) Many
herbs high in essential oils are also antifungals, especially tea tree,
oregano, lavender, eucalyptus, rose rose geranium and myrrh.  Small
amounts of peppermint relieve the itching associated with many fungal
infections.

An herbal salve can be used on fun-gal skin infections, but your best
bet is an herbal vinegar and/or a bentonite clay dusting powder to dry
out the moist environment in which fungus thrives.

Although dabbing a gourmet vinegar on your skin may seem odd, oregano
and garlic vinegars make excellent remedies.

Vinegar itself directly destroys fungal infections, and its
effectiveness is increased by adding eight drops of tea tree essential
oil per ounce of vinegar.

My friend Dave found great success using herbs to fight fungal
problems.  He had a terrible case of athlete's foot, which he thought
he had picked up at the gym.

He tried various pharmaceutical preparations, but they brought only
temporary relief.  After a few days, these preparations always made his
feet burn and feel worse than the athlete's foot itself.

Because his feet were so raw and because herbal vinegar stung, he used
a salve containing tea tree and lavender essential oils.  At first, his
feet did not look any better, but they certainly felt better--much
better, in fact.  It took only a few days for the crusty rings to start
subsiding.

Dave still needs to use the salve

Lavender has been used as a scent for wash water and baths since the
time of the ancient Romans.

every once in a while when the athlete's foot flares up again, but he
says that the attacks are happening less often.  Part of the reason for
this may be his discoyery that it helps to wear shoes that keep the
feet well-ventilated and as dry as possible.

He also noticed that the fungal infection becomes worse whenever life
becomes stressful.

Antifungal Vinegar

4 ounces vinegar (for extra strength, use oregano vinegar)

2 tablespoons tincture ofpau d'arco

 teaspoon each tea tree and lavender essential oils

 teaspoon peppermint essential oil t Combine ingredients.  Apply a few
times daily with cotton bails or swabs or use a compress soaked in
vinegar to cover a large area.  I use oregano vinegar.

You can make this yourself or buy a culinary oregano vinegar.

Antifungal Dusting Powder

1/4 cup bentonite clay

1/5 teaspoon each tea tree and lavender and essential oils t Combine
clay and essential oils in a plastic bag.  Drop m essential oils,
tightly close bag and mix well by turning bag over a few times and
breaking up any clumps.  Let sit three days, then store in an airtight
container.

NAIL CARE

Your fingernails are subjected to daily assault.  Detergents,
fingernail polish, glue for artificial fingernails, formalde-hyde-based
nail hardeners and household chemicals are just a few of the
attackers.

You can protect your nails by wearing gloves while washing dishes or
hand-washing clothes, and by avoiding contact with gasoline, paint and
other harsh chemicals.  Nail polish, lacquers and especially nail
polish remover are very drying to nails, often causing them to crack
and split.  If you use these products, choose formulas without
formaldehyde and add half a teaspoon of castor oil to every ounce of an
acetone polish remover to moisturize naris and surrounding skin.

Brittle nails that crack easily indicate possible dietary problems.

Healthy nails need a sufficient amount of calcium, magnesium, protein
and silica.  Drinking a tea made of equal parts oat straw, nettle and
horsetail or taking capsules or tinctures of these herbs daily can
improve your nails from the inside out, since these herbs are high in
silica and other minerals important for nail growth.  Supplements of
GLA in the form of evening primrose, borage or black currant seed oil
also help.

How else can you achieve beautiful fingernails?  Soaking them in herbal
teas or oils of comfrey, oat straw and horsetail strengthens nails and
cuticles, the thickened skin at the base of your fingernails.

For fungal problems, first soak your nails in the Antifungal Vinegar
(see page 332), then follow by rubbing in the Nail Soak Oil.

Nail Soak Oil 2 tablespoons jojoba oil 4 drops each lavender and
sandalwood essential oils Combine ingredients.  Soak nails in mixture
for 10 minutes.  Buff nails to stimulate circulation and bring out a
healthy shine.

PERSPIRATION Almost all store-bought deodorants are laced with
questionable ingredients and loaded with synthetic fragrances.

Antiperspirants can also be bad because they actually block sweat
glands--this may be asking for trouble since the underarm area is
especially sensitive and is susceptible to irritation and rashes.

Anyway, once an antiperspirant wears off, underarm sweat glands produce
more perspiration to compensate.

There is an alternative.  Sweat is odorless until it comes into contact
with airborne bacteria.  Antibacterial herbs such as chamomile and
coriander inhibit growth of underarm bacteria and solve the problem
naturally.  If you do not perspire much, you may find that a simple
aromatic body powder will do.  Arrowroot, cornstarch or white clay are
good bases for powder.

Natural Deodorant 2 ounces witch hazel 5 drops each sage, coriander and
lavender essential oils ' Combine ingredients in a spray bottle.

Shake well before every application.

Natural Body Powder /5 cup cornstarch 5 drops lavender essential oil 2
drops ylang-ylang essential oil - Add essential oils to cornstarch.

Put through a sieve and mix well.  Let sit a few days to incorporate
scents into the powder.

chapter EIGHTEEN

Cooking For Health

S

erving medicine for dinner may not seem terribly appetizing, but most
cultures traditionally eat much of their medicine.  It may not be a
coincidence that nature has provided so many of our medicinal needs in
herbs that taste good.  When you want to take herbs over a long period
of time--either to treat a chronic problem or to fend off
disease--incorporating medicinal plants into your meals makes a lot of
sense.

The next time you add a pinch of this or that, consider that you are
doing far more than flavoring your meal.

Throughout this book, you have seen many familiar kitchen herbs and
spices mentioned as medicines.  For example, ginger relieves pain,
garlic is "nature's antibiotic" and ginger and turmeric, two of the
main ingredients in curry powder, improve liver function.

Almost every cookbook is filled with recipes that rely on herbs for
flavor.  Once you decide to make herbs part of your diet, you can start
by choosing recipes that use the herbs your body needs most--garlic for
your heart and ginger to relieve your headache, for instance.  In this
chapter, I provide many suggestions for herbs you can incorporate into
your regular diet.  For more ideas, see Cooking with the Healthful
Herbs, by Jean Rodgers, and my Herbs: An Illustrated Encyclopedia.

THE BASICS: Soup

Herbs of all kinds--including many common kitchen spices--can easily be
included in soups and stews.  Many of the recipes I've included here
use soup stock as a basic ingredient.  You can purchase soup stock in
cans or you can use bouillon cubes.

One way to use immunity-enhancing mushrooms such as reishi and shiitake
is to eat them as part of your regular diet.  The mushroom soup recipes
provided here are thanks to my friend and fellow herbalist Christopher
Hobbs.

He says that he has seen soups like these restore vigor and health to
adults and children who were weak and ill.

It will also benefit your urinary tract, especially if you are prone to
bladder infection.  Barley is an old European remedy for this problem,
garlic treats infection and mushrooms boost the immune system.  The
Mushroom Barley Soup has been adapted from Hobbs's book Medicinal
Mushrooms.  Here, too, it is a basic soup made using Chinese herbs.

You can find many adaptations of this soup designed to treat different
conditions in Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine, by
my friends Harriet Beinfield and Efrem Korngold.  I love this soup and
cannot imagine a tastier way to good health.

Mushroom Barley Soup

1/ cup barley

% cup soup stock

2% cups water

2 teaspoons tamari (or teaspoon salt)

/5 cup chopped onion

1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons olive oil

/ pound fresh medicinal mushrooms

(such as shiitake)

Black pepper to taste

- Cook barley in soup stock until tender.

Add water and tamari.  In a separate pan, saute onions and garlic in
olive oil.

When onions are transparent, add mushrooms.  When mushrooms and onions
are tender, add them to the barley-tamari mixture.  Sprinkle in black
pepper, cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.  For variety, add
cooked vegetables of your choice, either chopped or grated.

Chinese Soup

2 ounces Chinese herbs (such as astragalus, ginseng, rehmannia,
codonopsis, ligustrum, burdock and shizandra berries) 1
tablespoonfinely chopped fresh ginger /8 cup uncooked rice 4 cups soup
stock 1 diced carrot

1 beet or 1 turnip, diced

1 dicedyam

/ cup shiitake mushrooms, slivered

* Place the herbs (including ginger) in a muslin bag or tie them
together with a string.  Simmer the bag and rice in the soup stock for
1 hour.  Add the vegetables and mushrooms to the herbal stew, and
simmer gently for another 30 minutes.

Remove the bag filled with herbs, and serve the soup.  If you use
burdock in this soup, it can be finely chopped and need not go in a
bag.

OILS AND VINEGARS

Herbal oils and vinegars give you a quick and easy way to spice up
meals.

Herbs can turn an ordinary bottle of vinegar or oil into a gourmet
delight.

Of course, you can use them as salad dressing--standard salad dressing
recipes combine two parts oil with one part vinegar.  You can always
use an herbal recipe in place of commercial vinegars or oils.  Thyme,
rosemary and bay leaves lend a Mediterranean flavor, and basil, oregano
and marjoram give foods an Italian edge.  Cilantro and cumin are common
in Mexican and Indian meals.  Chinese favorites include black pepper
and ginger, while tarragon, sage and parsley are much loved by cooks in
Northern Europe.  You can even use onions and garlic.  All of these
herbs provide healthful benefits as well as wondrous flavors.  I
typically make many different types of vinegars and oils so that I have
a wide range to choose from.

The tastiest herbal vinegars and oils are made using fresh herbs from
the garden or a farmer's market.  Most grocery stores sell fresh basil,
parsley and cilantro.  If you do not have an herb garden, dried herbs
will do--the end product just won't be as flavorful.

To really show off your herbal vinegar or oil, keep it in a fancy glass
bottle.

To add flair, add a decorative sprig of dried herb.

Herbal Vinegar

1 cup coarsely chopped herbs (any of those mentioned above will do)

1 pint vinegar (any type; white vinegar produces the best colors)

Fill a widemouthed jar loosely with herbs (do not pack them down).

ISDOM

Pour in enough vinegar to cover herbs.

If any herbs do not sink, poke them down with a spoon.  Stir to release
any trapped air bubbles, and put a lid on the jar.  Store at room
temperature for 2 weeks; this will extract the herbs' flavor.  Strain
out herbs.  Dilute the final product with plain vinegar; start with
half a cup, and adjust according to taste.  I store my vinegars
undiluted because they take up less storage space in that form.

Herbal Oil

1 cup coarsely chopped herbs (any of those mentioned above will do)

1 pint vegetable oil (any type, though strong-tasting oils, such as
virgin olive, will overpower mild herbs) Fill a widemouthed jar loosely
with herbs (do not pack them down).  Pour in enough oil to cover
herbs.

If any herbs do not sink, poke them down with a spoon.  Stir to release
any trapped air bubbles, and put a lid on the jar.  Store in a warm
place--one that is slightly above room temperature--for 3 days (an
upper kitchen cabinet will do).

Strain out herbs, and store your oil in the refrigerator.

Some people like to keep whole, fresh herbs in vegetable oil so as to
have a supply throughout the year.  If you are interested in preserving
whole herbs, such as garlic cloves, you should be careful to
refrigerate them and use them within a month, according to the
Agricultural Extension Service in Oregon.

SPICE OF LIFE:

SEASONING

BLENDS

One tasty--and easy--way to use healthful herbs in cooking is with an
herbal seasoning blend.  Sprinkle powdered herb blends on salads and
sandwiches and add them to bread dough, casseroles, pastas, soups and
stir-fried vegetables.  You can even create Italian, Chinese and Indian
meals with a few shakes of an herb blend.

There are several variations on this theme.  Here are some of my
favorites.  For the best herb blend, start with high-quality dried
herbs from your garden or buy whole or cut herbs; preground herbs will
have lost much of their flavor.  It is very easy to grind your own
herbs in a coffee grinder, blender, flour mill, mortar and pestle or
whatever is convenient.

Garlic and onion are exceptions-it is much easier to buy them in
powdered form.

Herbal "Salt"

1 tablespoon each basil leaves, coriander seeds and thyme leaves

2 teaspoons each cumin seeds, onion powder, parsley leaves, whole
sesame seeds (optional), garlic powder, mustard seeds, paprika pods,
cayenne pods (optional) and kelp (optional) - Grind and combine
herbs.

Keep a small jar or saltshaker on the table.  Store the excess in ajar
with a tight lid.

Herbes Fines (All-Purpose Seasoning)

Equal parts chives leaves, chervil leaves, parsley leaves and tarragon
leaves - Mince herbs with a sharp knife.

Keep in a small jar alongside the rest of your spices.  To use, add to
food at the last minute.  Store extra in the refrigerator in a jar with
a tight lid.

Curry Powder

1 tablespoon each cumin seeds, coriander seeds and turmeric rhizomes

A tablespoon each ginger rhizome and dried chili peppers

2,4 tablespoon each black mustard seeds and fennel seeds

Grind ingredients into a powder and mix well.  Store in a container
with a tight lid.  Add to recipes as needed.

MIDDLE EASTERN

CUISINE: GARLIC

AND PARSLEY

Garlic is one of nature's most versatile foods.  This pungent herb aids
poor digestion, reduces high blood pressure, improves circulation and
fights high blood pressure, cholesterol, colds, bronchitis and
intestinal infections.  Heavily used in Middle Eastern cooking, garlic
is one of the main ingredients in hum-mus, a dip made of ground
chickpeas and sesame paste and typically served with lettuce and crisp
vegetables, sometimes as a sandwich on pita bread (which is also called
"pocket bread" because you can open it and fill it).

Hummus can also be used as a spread in a sandwich with small patties
made from beans or meat.

Hummus

2,6 cups cooked chickpeas (about 1 cup dried)

4 cloves garlic, minced lA cup tahini (sesame seed paste) % cup stock
or water

6 tablespoons lemonduice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon coriander leaves, minced Paprika to taste

- Combine all ingredients except paprika and process in a blender or
food processor until smooth.  Sprinkle with paprika.  Makes 2 to 3
cups.

Hummus is often served with the traditional Middle Eastern dish known
as tabbouleh.  Made from bulgur (cracked wheat) combined with lots of
parsley, mint and vegetables, this salad has been a favorite food in
the Middle East and Asia since biblical times.  Bulgur is made by
boiling wheat berries, then drying and cracking them.  Because it has
been precooked, this nutritious food can be stored longer than other
grains.  Like rice, it fluffs up when properly cooked.

In ancient Greece, parsley was used to treat urinary tract infection
and inflammation.

Herbalists use mint to soothe nerves, ease stomachaches and fight cold
and flu symptoms.

Garlic is known as "nature's antibiotic."

Tabbouleh

1 cup soup stock

1 cup uncooked bulgur cup minced scallions

% cup minced mint

% cup minced parsley

2 peeled and chopped tomatoes

% cup lemon juice

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon tamari

. Bring the soup stock to a boil in a pan and stir in the bulgur.

Cover the pan and remove from heat.  Let sit until liquid is absorbed,
about 20 minutes.  Fluff the bulgur with a fork.  Mix in scallions,
mint, parsley and tomatoes while bulgur is still warm so that it
absorbs their flavor.

Combine lemon juice, oil and tamari and drizzle over the bulgur mix.

Toss to mix.  Let sit to marinate at least 1 hour before serving.

Garlic-Ginger Dressing

 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon each tamari and tahini

(sesame seed paste)

1 teaspoon grated ginger rhizome

1 clove garlic, minced

- Combine all ingredients in a blender.  Use on vegetable or bean
salads and vegetable dishes.

PESTOS:

BASIL AND SAGE

The ancient Greeks used parsley to decorate graves.

Garlic is used in many different ways all over the world--in stuffing,
in pasta sauces and even as the main ingredient in various dishes.  My
favorite ways to use this tasty wonder worker are as a spread and as a
dressing.

Garlic Spread

% cup olive oil

7 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon onion powder

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Bake in oven set on low heat for 15 minutes.

Serve as a side dish or spread on bread.

Pesto is an Italian word that comes from the Latin verb "to pound" or
"to crush."

Herb pestos are pastes that are used in all sorts of dishes.  Pesto
with pasta is probably most common, but these pastes also go well with
vegetables.  You can even use pesto to make a dressing (dilute it with
vinegar) or a sauce (dilute it with milk).  I like to add a spoonful of
pesto to soup.  It is also great as a spread--a little pesto turns a
plain sandwich into an explosion of flavor!

Basil, the typical main ingredient of pesto, is a gentle sedative, and
helps to relieve high blood pressure and the symptoms of peptic ulcers,
colitis and asthma.  In Japan, India and West Africa, various species
of basil are used to treat colds, flus, fevers, joint pain, stomach
cramps, nausea and headaches.  Other herbs can also be used as the
basis for this tasty paste--you might try using parsley, cilantro (the
flesh leaves of coriander and one of my personal favorites), sorrel or
watercress.  Even sharp-flavored herbs that are not as fleshy--thyme
and oregano, for instance--can be turned into pesto; just combine them
with one of the other herbs or with spinach to provide bulk and soften
the flavor.

You might also consider the distinctLy different flavors of lemon and
cinnamon basil.  You will probably have to grow these yourself or go to
a farmer's market to buy them, but they are well worth the effort.  I
have provided two recipes below.  If you would like to try others, read
Dorothy Rankin's Pestos!

Cooking with Herb Pastes.  The Sage Pesto and the Fresh Shiitake and
Sage Pasta Sauce below are both Dorothy's delicious recipes.  She
serves the Sage Pesto over hot fettuccine and garnishes the meal with
sage leaves.  For the shi-itake recipe, use fresh mushrooms if you can
find them; they have a better flavor than the dried fungi and will keep
refrigerated in plastic bags for days.

Once you have made your pesto, pack it tightly into a jar, being sure
to push out all the air pockets.  Cover the pesto with a thin layer of
olive oil and put it in the refrigerator.  It will keep for a few
weeks.  For longer storage, freeze it in small quantities that you can
thaw out as you need them.  If you have lots of fresh herbs on your
hands, but do not have the time or all the ingredients to prepare
pesto, simply blend the herbs in oil and refrigerate them.  When time
allows, thaw and prepare.

Basil Pesto

1 cups fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts

 cup grated Parmesan cheese  cup olive oil

- Chop the basil in blender.  Add the garlic and nuts and blend into a
puree, then add cheese.  Slowly add most of the olive oil until the
mixture is the consistency of creamed butter.  Pack into a container,
removing air pockets, and pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil on
top to keep the pesto from darkening.

Sage Pesto

 cup fresh sage leaves

1 cups.fresh parsley leaves

2 large garlic cloves

1,4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

,4 cup pine nuts or walnuts

1,4 cup olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste *' Combine the sage, parsley,
garlic, cheese and nuts in a food processor or blender.  Process to
mix.  With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil.

Season to taste with salt and fleshly ground pepper, and process to the
desired consistency Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.  Makes
about 1 cup.

Fresh Shiitake and Sage Pasta Sauce 3 tablespoons melted ghee
(clarified butter) or vegetable oil

 cup thinly sliced shallots

1,4 pound julienned shiitahe mushrooms Salt and freshly ground pepper
1,4 cup soup stock 1 cups cream

1 tablespoon Sage Pesto (see above)

1,4 to teaspoon lemon juice

' In a large skillet, saute the shallots in ghee or oil very slowly for
about 10 minutes.

Do not let them brown.  Add the shiitakes, salt and pepper and continue
sauteing, stirring frequently.  Add the soup stock, a little at a time,
as you saute.  Pour in cream and simmer very slowly until sauce is
reduced by half (about 15 to 20 minutes), stirring frequently.  Add
Sage Pesto and lemon juice to taste.  Serve hot.

GREENS: DANDELION AND NASTURTIUM

Dandelion leaves are nutritious, rich in vitamins and useful for
relieving many liver, gallbladder and kidney problems.

They also improve digestion.  When I was traveling on an herbal tour of
Greece, a dish called hort was served everywhere.  People could be
seen out in the fields, collecting baskets full of wild greens such as
dandelion and chicory to make hort.  I enjoyed hort steamed, fried
and raw--the cooked version is the least bitter and the most acceptable
to the North American palate.  Boiled greens are also common in Greece,
though they are less nutritious this way.

If you wish to make hort, you can serve it raw or combine the greens
with other vegetables.  If you pick your own dandelions, go for the
fresh, young leaves in the early spring before the plant flowers and
turns bitter.  Make sure that the plants have not been sprayed with
pesticides.

Hort 15 young dandelion leaves 1 small onion 8 black olives 2
tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
Salt to taste nt Steam the dandelion leaves and onion until soft.  Add
olives and top with the oil and vinegar or juice.  Season with salt.

Nasturtiums are flowering plants that are native to South America.

When British explorers returned home from the New World carrying these
plants, among numerous other goodies, the English eagerly adopted the
nasturtium and began growing it for color.  They soon found that it
also made a tasty food.  The Nasturtium Capers recipe comes from The
British Housewife, written in 1770 by Martha Bradley, who asserted that
this snack "will be one of the finest Pickles in the World."  She was
right!  You can also toss small pieces of nasturtium flowers with salad
greens to make a colorful blend.  For pretty hors d'oeuvres, roll
finely chopped herbs and cream cheese into small balls and stick them
inside individual nasturtium flowers.

The flowers and leaves of nasturtium are more than just tangy--they
contain a strong antibiotic that is similar in many ways to the active
compounds found in gartic.

Nasturtium Capers Nasturtium buds to fill a 1-quart jar 1/4 teaspoon
nutmeg fA teaspoon whole black pepper 6 cloves 1 quart vinegar '- Stir
buds in cold water, drain and repeat, then lay on a sieve to dry.

Loosely fill a well-washed quart jar with buds, sprinkling in spices as
you go.  Fill the jar with vinegar and put on lid.  Let sit 6 weeks
before opening.

HOT STUFF: MUSTARD,

HORSERADISH %

AND PEPPERS

Mustard and horseradish are used to treat many ailments.  These herbs
improve circulation and aid liver and In ancient Rome, black mustard
seeds were crushed and mixed with wine to make an early version of our
table mustard.

WISDOM

lung health.  They also clear congested sinuses and can even help
relieve constipation.

Horseradish stimulates digestion, especially of the fatty foods with
which it is traditionally eaten.

Mustard can be fun to play with.  You can easily'give it an
international flair just by changing one or two ingredients.  To turn
mustard French, use red wine vinegar or wine instead of plain
vinegar.

The true French Dijon mustard uses champagne!

Make Chinese mustard with fiat beer.  A dash (1/8 teaspoon) of powdered
cloves, dill or both enriches mustard's flavor.  For even more variety,
add one teaspoon of an herbal spice blend such as the Herbal "Salt"
described on page 337.

The addition of whole mustard seeds

(1 tablespoon) will make mustard slightly crunchy, and black mustard
seeds add color.  Once made, mustard lasts for months, although its
flavor does change as it ages.  In fact, this is one condiment you may
want to make at the last minute--mustard connoisseurs say that mustards
are best when they are not more than a few weeks old.

English Herb Mustard

2 tablespoons ground mustard

2 tablespoonsfinely groundfiour

 teaspoon each ground turmeric, ground ginger and grated horseradish
(this is quite hot, so itk optional)  cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup
warm water 1 tablespoon honey Fresh lemon slice t Mix the mustard,
flour and spices together.  In a separate bowl, mix the vinegar, water
and honey together.  Combine dry and wet ingredients in a pan.

Bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer for 2 minutes.  While the
mixture is still warm, pack it into clean jars, pushing out air spaces,
and refrigerate.  Keep mustard fresh by placing a slice of fresh lemon
inside the jar, on top of the mustard.  Replace the lemon with a fresh
slice every few days.  The consistency may be thinned with extra water
or thickened with more flour, but watch out: Water makes mustard
hotter.  For a very hot mustard, switch the amounts of vinegar and
water: use ih cup water and 1/4 cup vinegar.  If you prefer a mellow
version instead, use oil or mayonnaise instead of water.

Mustard can be combined with horseradish to make a dressing for your
salad or a sauce for vegetables (see the Dresden Sauce recipe below).

Horseradish can also be put in potato salad and cocktail sauces.  You
should know that this plant turns bitter with age--always buy firm,
young roots that have not begun to sprout or turn green, and try to use
them fresh.  The trick is to grate the flesh root directly into lemon
or vinegar so that it gets as little exposure to air as possible.  Be
careful, though--the fumes can make your eyes bum.

If all this sounds like too much work, you can buy the root already
dried as wasabi powder.  This is the amazingly hot paste served with
some Japanese dishes.  (The bright green color is from a dye, but you
can get it without dye at a natural food store.) Reconstitute the
powder a half hour before serving by soaking 1 tablespoon of powder in
2 tablespoons of water.  Keep reconstituted wasabi in the
refrigerator.

Dresden Sauce 1 cup sour cream oryogurt /5 teaspoon English Herb
Mustard 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce rt Combine ingredients and serve with
main course.

Black pepper has the distinction of being an important spice all over
the world.  Once literally worth its weight in gold, the humble
peppercorn has played an important role over the ages.  The trade
routes from India to ancient Rome were established mainly because of
this spice, and its trade made Venice, Genoa, Amsterdam and Bruges,
Belgium, wealthy cities.  Today, the United States imports more pepper
than any other country.  I have heard many people claim that black
pepper is not healthy.  I am not sure how pepper fell into disfavor,
but perhaps it was guilt by association.

After all, it does often sit right next to the salt, which is known to
cause health problems.  But black pepper is not at all isky In fact, it
aids food digestion by increasing digestive juices, including natural
stomach acid.  In India, practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine still use
it medicinally to treat colds, flus and other infections.

Chili peppers are also great herbal foods to incorporate into your
cooking--unless your palate does not let you enjoy "hot" food.  Chilies
contain capsaicin, which, among its other advantages, is a natural
painkiller.  I found the Berber Spice Mix--named for a group of tribes
who live in North Africa--in The Encyclopedia of Herbs, Spices and
Flavorings: A Cookk Compendium, by Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz.  This is
hot stuff, since it uses red chilies and cloves (which stimulate
digestion by increasing stomach acid levels) as well as pepper, but if
you like your food spicy, as I do, you'll enjoy this mix.

Berber Spice Mix 10 dried red chili peppers ,4 teaspoon black
peppercorns 2,4 teaspoon ground ginger 5 whole cloves 2,6 teaspoon
coriander seeds /4 teaspoon ajowan or cumin seeds (the more traditional
ajowan is hard to find) 8 allspice berries 6 cardamom seeds (from green
pods fyou can find them) 2,6 teaspoon fenugreek /5 teaspoon cinnamon
Heat a medium-size skillet.  Add the chilies and cook them for 2 to 3
minutes.

Add the remaining spices and roast for 3 to 4 minutes longer, stirring
constantly and shaking the pan to prevent burning, until the mixture
begins to brown.

Transfer to a bowl and let cool.  Scrape the chili seeds out with a
spoon.  Grind the mixture to a fine powder and store it in an airtight
container for up to 4 months.  (If you cannot find ajowan, it can be
omitted or replaced with cumin seeds, which have a similar flavor.)

Red chili comes with its own set of health benefits, including
improving circulation.

Like black pepper, chilies are used all over the world--as an essential
ingredient in Indian curry, African peanut sauce, Chinese Szechuan
vegetables and Thai food, for instance.  And in

SD FROM

their Mexican homeland, chili peppers are contained in most of the
food.  In fact, every time I make a flesh salsa like the one described
below, it takes me back to memories of wonderful trips along the coast
of Mexico--its warm sunshine, friendly people and relaxed living.

Green Salsa (Salsa Verde) 2 cloves garlic, chopped ,4 cup each chopped
fresh cilantro leaves and chopped fresh parsley leaves 1 seeded and
chopped chili pepper 1 seeded and chopped medium green bell pepper
Juice of 1 lemon 2/8 cup olive oil Dash of ground black pepper Combine
all ingredients.  Toss well.

Serve with chips (baked, not fried, for your liver's sake), tortillas
or bread or on top of a vegetable dish.  Of course, salsa is
appropriate for serving with almost any Mexican dish.

SAUCY DISHES: CRANBERRY, ELDERBERRY AND '[AMARIND

Elderberries and cranberries are extremely high in vitamin C. For
centuries, New England sea captains took cranberries with them on long
voyages to prevent scurvy.  Cranberries are also useful in treating and
preventing urinary tract infections.  You can buy cranberry juice in
the grocery store, but commercial juices are loaded with sugar (to
overpower cranberry's sour taste)not the best thing to eat when you
have any type of infection.  You're better off with an unsweetened
cranberry sauce.

Some find this recipe a bit tart, but I like the taste.  For those who
find it too sour, I have included some honey in the recipe.

Cranberry Sauce 1 cup cranberries 1 whole orange

 cup orangejuice

2,4 cup apple juice

1 tablespoon honey (optional)

1 teaspoon agar powder (if you want to make gelatin)

Grind the fruits in a food processor, then add juices.  Add honey if
desired.

Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator.

This dish tastes even better after it sits for a day.  You can also
make this sauce into a gelatin dessert: Bring the sauce to a boil and
stir in the agar.  Continue simmering for 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally to make sure that agar is dissolved and evenly
dispersed.

Pour into a bowl or pan.  Let cool to thicken.

For centuries, elderberry has been used to cure flus and colds.

According to one story, a sailor told a physician in Prague about his
sure cure for rheumatic pains--he simply got drunk on port wine.  It
turned out that it was not the wine that provided the medicine, but the
elderberries used to darken and "age" it.

In the seventeenth century, Martin Blok-wich wrote a book in which he
listed more than 70 diseases that could be treated with elderberry.

Recently, this plant's age-old reputation sparked new research into its
curative powers.  It turns out that elderberries, along with other
deeply colored berries, contain strong antioxidant compounds that
improve circulation, eyesight and connective muscle tissues.  Any berry
can be used as the basis for a jam or a jelly--not to mention wine--but
the easiest recipe by far is a syrup.  If you do not have access to
elderberries, you can use this recipe to make a syrup out of any
similarly colored berry.

Elderberry Syrup

2 cups dried elderberries

1 quart boiling water

 cup honey

 cup lemon juice

*' Place berries in an uncovered saucepan and pour boiling water over
them.  Cover and let soak overnight.

The next day, simmer the berries for 30 minutes.  Puree the warm
berries in a blender, adding remaining ingredients as you blend.  Pour
the syrup into a clean bottle, and store it in the refrigerator.

The Indian herb tamarind lends its fruity, sweet-and-sour flavor to
sauces, chutneys and yogurt dishes.  It can also be served by itself as
a side dish.  The pods of this fruit are a gentle laxative.  In Iran,
they are combined with rose to mellow the harsh effect and taste of the
laxative herb senna.  In the 1600s, the Spanish brought tamarind to the
West Indies and Mexico, where it has remained a popular part of their
cuisine.

This versatile food is not well-known in North America, although it is
one of the secret ingredients in Worcestershire sauce.  Unless you
enjoy ethnic cooking, you probably have not heard much about it.  Look
for the sticky, dark paste in Indian and Mexican stores.

The easiest form to use has the seeds and fibrous pods already
removed.

If you want to try tamarind paste in other dishes, use it to replace
vinegar.  You can also make your own sauce.

'l-amarind Sauce

2 ounces tamarind pulp

2 ,4 cups water I tablespoon honey, warmed enough to liquefy

/5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

:/5 teaspoon cumin seeds

A teaspoon chili powder I tablespoon chopped mint leaves

- Soak the tamarind pulp in water overnight.  Mash it into the water
and blend.  Strain the liquid through a sieve and discard any fibers.

Stir in the remaining ingredients, except for the mint, and mix
thoroughly Sprinkle with mint and serve chilled.

DOWN TO THE

ROOTS: BURDOCK

AND CHICORY

For centuries, burdock and chicory have been considered important
remedies to help the liver.  They have also been used to help rid the
body of uric acid, to treat rheumatism and to eliminate skin
conditions.

By helping the liver, they also improve hormonal imbalances.  The
Chinese eat burdock to relieve constipation.

Chicory is an effective digestive tonic, and can be used as a coffee
substi-tute-chicory coffee does not contain caffeine, but it does taste
somewhat like coffee.  Chicory increases bile production, moderates a
rapid heart rate, lowers cholesterol and destroys bacteria.

Burdock and chicory roots are versatile.

Burdock can be used much like a carrot--it can be grated, sliced or
blended.  My favorite introductory-level burdock dish is a gravy.  One
Thanksgiving, I offered to bring the dressing and you should have seen
the looks on the faces of the guests when I told them that it was made
from burdock.  Of course, I waited until after they had told me how
delicious it was!  Even after I told them it was burdock, no one
refused seconds.

Burdock Gravy

1 cup chopped burdock root

(1 medium-size rooO

,5 cup yogurt, sour cream or soy milk

1 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil

3 tablespoonsflour

1 teaspoon honey vt Blend ingredients until smooth.

Heat mixture over low heat, stirring until it thickens, about 4
minutes.

Fresh burdock and chicory roots are not hard to find.  Many natural
food stores carry them, at least in the fall and into the spring.

Japanese groceries sell burdock as gobo.  Even some regular grocery
stores sell these roots, especially in Hawaii.  You can also grow your
own--look for them in the vegetable seed section of a nursery or seed
catalog.

In the North American colonies, in the early days of colonization,
coffee was cut with chicory so that supplies of the expensive bean
would last longer.  Later, chicory coffee became a Louisiana specialty
Roasting gives chicory a bittersweet flavor.  To roast chicory, chop
fresh roots, place a single layer on a cookie sheet and roast in a
325F oven for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Roasted chicory roots can easily be made into a tea--just grind them in
a coffee grinder and steep.

Coffee Substitute

2 teaspoons dried burdock root, chopped

1 teaspoon each roasted chicory root and dried dandelion root,
chopped

 ounce licorice root

1 quart water i Combine herbs and water.  Simmer on low heat 20 to 30
minutes.  Strain out herbs and serve.  Sweetener and/or milk can be
added to the tea if desired.

SWEET TREATS: GINGER

AND HOREHOUND

DROPS

Ginger is a versatile herb, and its utility is not limited to the
kitchen--its medicinal properties are seemingly endless.

Honeyed Ginger and Ginger Snaps are pleasant ways for you to treat
colds and flus, encourage sweating, ease morning sickness and help
relieve all sorts of painful conditions, such as headaches and
menstrual cramps.  Ginger also improves the functioning of the heart
and circulatory system, warms cold hands and feet, kills intestinal
worms and aids liver function.  Since I love the taste of ginger, I
always double the amount called for in the Ginger Snap recipe.

Honeyed Ginger

 cup thinly sliced fresh ginger

About  cup honey

 teaspoon anise extract (optional)

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (optional) Fill a clean jar with
ginger.  Heat honey to liquefy, then remove from heat.

Add extracts to honey and pour over ginger.

Stir with a knife or chopstick to eliminate all air bubbles.  When
done, the honey should cover the ginger.  After about 3 weeks, it is
ready to eat.  Stored in the refrigerator, it will last at least a
year.

Ginger Snaps

/5 cup vegetable oil

2/5 cup brown sugar

,4 cup molasses

2 teaspoons vinegar

1 beaten egg

2 cups pastryfiour (I use whole whe"O

2 teaspoonsfinely grated ginger

 teaspoon cinnamon

 teaspoon cloves

- Preheat oven to 325E Combine the oil, brown sugar, molasses and
vinegar, stir in egg, then add the rest of the ingredients.

Form the dough into 3/4-inch balls.  Bake on a greased cookie sheet for
about 12 minutes.  As the balls melt down during the baking, the
cookies develop the characteristic crinkled surface.

Horehound candy was once very popular.  Originally, it was used as a
cough drop for sore throats.  As late as the 1950s, these drops could
be found in any pharmacy.  In time, people decided that they liked its
bittersweet taste even when they were not sick.  Horehound drops
eventually found their way into candy stores.  Since this is really a
candy-making recipe, a candy thermometer will come in handy.  It will
show you when the mixture has reached the proper temperature to
harden.

Remember that horehound is very bitten-I like to soften the flavor with
peppermint.  Once you get the hang of making herb candy, try placing
the horehound with other herbs.

Old-Fashioned Horehound Drops 2 ounces dried horehound leaves (or 6
ounces fresh leaves) 3 cups very hot water 3 A pounds brown sugar 2
teaspoons peppermint extract Pour very hot water over the horehound.

Steep 30 minutes, while keeping on low heat.  Strain.  Add sugar and
dissolve.

Bring to a boil and continue boiling until mixture reaches 295F (the
temperature for brittle candy).  Add peppermint, then drop mixture
quickly on a buttered board, half a teaspoon at a time, or pour into a
shallow, buttered pan and cut into squares before it completely
hardens.

Botanical Names

Aloe ver"Aloe barbactensis

Anise--Pimpinella anisum

Arnica--Arnica montana

Ashwaganda--Withania somnifera

Astragulus---Astragalus rnernbranaceus

Basil--Ocirnum basilicurn

Barberry--Berberis vulgaris Bartey--Hordeurn vulgate

Bay--Laurus nobilis

Bergamot--Citrus bergarnia Bilberry--Vacdniurn rnyrtfilus
Blackberry--Rubus villosus

Black cohosh--Cirnicifuga racernosa Black current--Ribes nigrurn

Black pepper--Piper nigrum

Blessed thistle--Cnicus benedictus Blueberry--Vacciniurn angustifoliurn
Blue cohosh--Caulophyllurn thalictroides Brmdal berry--Garcinia camboga
Bunge--Anemarrhea asphodeloides Bupleurum--Buplcurum falcatum
Burdock--Actium lappa

Butcher's broom--Ruscus aculeatus Calendula--Calendula officinalis
California poppy--Eschscolzia cali Jornica Caraway--Camm carvi
Cardamom--Ellettaria cardarnornurn

Carrot--Daucus carota

Cascara sagrada--Rharnnus purshiana Catnip--Nepeta cataria
Cayenne--Capsicum frutescens Cedar--Ce&us species Chamomile,
German--Matricaria recutita

Chamomile, Roman--Chamaerndum

nobile

* 	Chaparral--Larrea divaricata Chaste berry--Vitex agnus caste
Chickweed-Stelaria media Chicory--Cichoriurn intybus
Cinnamon--Cinnarnomurn zeylanicurn Clary sage--Salvia sclarea
Cleavers--Galiurn aparine Clove--Eugenia caryophyllata Club
moss--Huperzia sesrrata

* 	Coffee--Coffea arabica

* 	Coltsfoot--Tussilagofarfara

* 	Comfrey--Syrnphyturn officinalis Coriander--Conan&urn sativurn Corn
silk--Zea mays

Cramp bark--Viburnurn opulus Cranberry--Vacciniurn rnacrocarpon
Cypress--Cupressus sernpervirens Damia na-- Turnea diffusa

Dandelion--Taraxacum officinalis Devil's claw--Harpagophytum
procumbens

Dill-Anethum graveolens Don quaiAngelica sinensis Echinacea--Echinacea
purpure Elder--Sambucus nigra Elecampane--Inula helenium
Eucalyptus--Eucalyptus globulus Evening primrose--Oenothera biennis
False unicom root--Chamaelirium luteum

Fennel--Foeniculum vulgare Fenugreek--Trigonella foenurn-graecum Fever
pounds w--Chrysanthemum partheniurn Fin-Abies alba

Fo ti--Polygonum multiflorum FrankincenseBoswellia carterii
Galangal--Alpina officinarum Garlic--Alliurn sativum Gentian--Gentiana
lute Ginger--Zingiber officinale Ginkgo--Ginkgo biloba Ginseng--Panx
ginseng Goldenseal--Hydrasits canadensis Gotu kola--Centella asiatica
Grapefruit--Citrus x paradisi Grindelia--Grindelia species

* 	Guarana--Paullinia cupana Hawthom--Crataegus oxycantha
Helichrysum--Helichrysum angustifolium Hibiscus--Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Honeysuckle--Lonicera japonica Hops--Humulus arborescens
Horehound--Marrubium vulgate

Horse chestnutAesculus hippocastanum HorseradishArmoracia rusticana
Horsetail--Equiseturn arvense Hydrangea--Hydrangea arborescens
Hyssop--Hyssopus officinale Irish moss seaweed--Chondrus crispus
Jewelweed--Impatiens capensis

Joe pye--Eupatorium purpureum Juniper--Juniperus communis

Kava kava--Piperrnethysticum Kelp--Fucus vesiculosus

Kola nut--Cola acuminata Kudzu--Peuraria thunbergiana Lady's
mantle--Alchemilla vulgaris Lady's slipper--Cypripedium calceolus
Lavender--Lavendula vera Lemon--Citrus limonurn

Lemon balm--Melissa officinalis Lemon grass--Cymbopogon citratus Lemon
verben"Aloysia triphylla

* 	Licorice--Glyzerriza glabra Ligustrum--Ligustrum lucidum

Linden--Tills platyphlla Magnolia--Magnolia officinalis

Ma hung--Ephedra chinensis Marjoram--Origanum marjorana
MarshmallowAlthea officinalis Meadowsweet--Filpendula ulmaria Milk
thistle--Silyburn marianum Mo-erAuricularia polytricha
Motherwort--Leonorus cardiaca Muira-puma--Liriosma ovata
Mulberry--Morus nigra Mullein--Verbascum thapsus Myrrh--Commiphora
myrrh Myrtle--Myrica species

Neroli--Citirs aurantium Nettle--Urtica dioica Niaouli--Melalucca
viridiflora Nutmeg--Myristic fragrans Oats--Arena sativa

Onion--Allium cepa

Orange--Citrus aurantium

Oregon grape root--Berberis aquifolium Osha--Ligusticum porteri

Palina rosa--Cymbopogon citratus Papaya--Carica papaya
Parsley--Petroselinum crispum Passionflower--Passiflora incarnata

Patchouly--Pogustemon cablin Pau d'arco--Tabebuia altissima
Pennyroyal--Mentha pulegium Peppermint--Mentha piperita
Petigrain--Citirs aurantium Pineapple--Ananas comosus
Pipsissewa--Chimaphila umbellata Plantain--Plantago lancolata

* 	Poke--Phyrolacca americana Polporus--Cordiolis versicolor
Poria--Poria cocus Prickly ash Xanthoxylum americanum
Psyllium--Plantago ovata Pumpkin--Cucurbita maxima Pygeum--Pygeum
africanum Quassia--Picrasma excels Raspberry Rubus species Red
cloven-Trifolium pratense Red root--Ceonothus americanus
Rehmannia--Rehmannia glutinosa Reishi mushroom--Ganoderma lucidum
Rose--Rosa species Rose geranium---Pelargonium odorantissimum
Rosemary--Rosmarinus officinalis Rue--Ruta graveolens Sage--Salvia
officinalis Saint-John's-wort--Hypericum perforatum
Sandalwood--Santalum album Sarsaparilla--Smilax officinalis

* 	Sassafrass--Sassafras albidum Saw palmetto--Serrenoa serrulata Self
heal--Prunella vulgaris Senna--Cassia senna

Shepherd's purse--Capsella bursa pastoris Shiitake mushroom--Lentinula
edudes Shizandra--Shisandra chinensis Siberian ginseng--Eleutherococcus
senticosus Skullcap--Scutellaria laterifolia Slippery elm--Ulmus fulva
Spearmint--Mentha spicata Spikenard--Aralia racemosa Stevia--Stevia
rebaudiana

Stone root--Collinsonia canadensis Tea tree--Melaleuca alternifolia
Thuja--Thuja occidentalis Thyme--Thymus vulgaris Tumeric--Curcuma
lona

Uva ursi-Arctostaphylos uva ursi Valerian--Valerian officinalis
Vanilla--Vanilla planifolia Vervain--Verbena offcinalis Violet--Viola
odorata

*Wintergreen--Gaultheria procumbens Wild indigo--Baptisia tinctoria
Wild yarn--Dioscoria species Willow--Salix species Witch
hazel--Hamamelis virginiana Yarrow-Achillea millefolium Yellow
dock--Rumex crispus Yerba santa--Eriodictyon californicum
Ylang-ylang--Cananga odorata Yucca--Yucca species Zizyphi--Zizphus
spinosa

* 	Indicates herbs that carry cautions that are addressed in Chapter
15.

Abies alba--fir

Achillea millefolium--yarrow

Actium lappa--burdock

Aesculus hippocastanum--horse chestnut Alchemilla vulgaris--lady's
mantle Allium cepa--onion

Allium sativum--garlic

Aloe barbadensis--aloe vera

Aloysia trtphylla--lemon verbena

Alpina officinarum--gatangal

Althea officinalis--marshmallow

Ananas comosus--pineapple Anemarrhea asphodeloides--bunge Anethum
graveolens-- dill

Angelica sinensis-- don quai

Aralia racemosa--spikenard Arctostaphylos uva ursi--uva ursi Armoracia
rusticana--horseradish Arnica montana--arnica

Astragalus membranaceus--astragalus Auricularia polytricha--mo-er

Arena sativa-- oats

Baptisia tinctoria--wild indigo

Berberts aquifolium--Oregon grape root Berberis vulgaris--barberry

Boswellia carterii--frankincense Bupleurum falcatum--bupleurum

Calendula officinalis-- calendula Cananga odorata--ylang-ylang

Capsella bursapastoris--shepherd's purse Capsicum frutescens-- cayenne
Carica papaya--papaya Carum carvi--caraway Cassia senna--senna

Caulophyllum thalictroides--blue cohosh Cedrus species--cedar Centella
asiatica--gotu kola Ceonothus americanus--red root Chamaelirium
luteum--false unicom root Chamaemelum nobile--Roman chamomile

Chimaphila umbellata--pipsissewa Chondrus crispus--Irish moss seaweed
Chrysanthemum parthenium--feverflower Cichorium intybus--chicory
Cimicifuga racemosa--black cohosh Cinnamomum zeylanicum--cinnamon
Citirs aurantium--neroli, petitgrain Citrus aurantium-- orange Citrus
bergamia--bergamot Citrus limonum--lemon Citrus  paradisi--grapefruit
Cnicus benedictus--blessed thistle

* Coffea arabica--coffee

Cola acurninata--kola nut Collinsonia canadensis--stone root Commiphora
myrrh--myrrh Cordiolis versicolor--polporus Coriandmm
sativurn-coriander Crataegus oxycantha--hawthorn Cucurbita
maxima--pumpkin Cupressus sernpervirens-- cypress Curcurna
longa--turmeric Cyrnbopogon citratus--lemon grass, palina rosa

Cypripediurn calceolus--lady slipper Daucus carota--carrot Dioscoria
species--wild yarn Echinacea purpure--echinacea Eleutherococcus
senticosus--siberian ginseng

Ellettaria cardamomurn-- cardamom Ephedra chinensis--ma hung
Equiseturn arvense--horsetail Eriodictyon californicurn--yerba santa
Eschscolzia californica--california poppy Eucalyptus
globulus-eucalyptus Eugenia caryophyllata--clove Eupatoriurn
purpureurn--joe-pye weed Filpendula ulrnaria--meadowsweet Foeniculurn
vulgare--fennel Fucus vesiculosus--kelp Galiurn aparine--cleavers

Ganoderrna lucidurn--reishi mushroom Garcinia carnboga--brindal berry

* 	Gaultheria procurnbens--wintergreen Gentiana lute--gentian Ginkgo
biloba--ginkgo

* 	Glyzerriza glabra--licorice Grindelia species--grindelia Harnarnelis
virginiana--witch hazel Harpagophyturn procurnbens-- devil's daw
Helichrysurn angustifoliurn--helichrysum Hibiscus
rosa-sinensis--hibiscus Hordeurn vulgate--barley Hurnulus
arborescens--hops

Huperzia sesrrata--club moss Hydrangea arborescens--hydrangea Hydrasits
canadensis--goldenseal Hypericurn perforaturn--saint-John's wort

Hyssopus officinale--hyssop Impatiens capensis--jewelweed Inula
heleniurn-- elecampane Junipems cornmunis--juniper

* 	Larrea divaricata-- chaparral Laums nobilis--bay Lavendula
vera--lavender

Lentinula edudes--shiitake mushroom Leonoms cardiaca--motherwort
Ligusticum porteri-- osha Ligustmrn lucidurn--ligustrum Liriosrna
ovata--muira puma Lonicera japonica--honeysuckle Magnolia
officinalis--magnolia Marmbiurn vulgate--horehound Matricaria
recutita--German chamomile Melaleuca alternifolia--tea tree Melalucca
viridifiora--niaouli Melissa officinalis--lemon balm Mentha
piperita--peppermint Mentha pulegiurn--pennyroyal Mentha
spicata--spearmint Moms nigra--mulberry Myrica species--myrtle
Myristic fragrans--nutmeg Nepeta cataria--catnip Ocirnurn
basilicurn--basil

Oenothera biennis-- evening primrose Origanurn rnarjorana--marjoram
Panx ginseng--ginseng

Passifiora incarnata--passionflower

* 	Paullinia cupana--guarana Pelargoniurn odorantissirnurn--rose
geranium

Petroselinum crispum--parsley Peuraria thunbergiana--kudzu

* Phyrolacca americana--poke

Picrasma excels--quassia

Pimpinella anisum--anise Pipermethysticum species--kava kava Piper
nigrum--black pepper Plantago lanceolata--plantain Plantago
ovata--psyllium Pogustemon cablin--patchouly Polygonum multiflorum--fo
ti

Poria cocus--poria

Prunella vulgaris--self heal

Pygeum africanum--pygeum Rehmannia glutinosa--rehmannia Rhamnus
purshiana--cascara sagrada Ribes nigrum--black currant Rosa
species--rose

Rosmarinus officinalis--rosemary Rubus species--raspberry Rubus
villosus--blackberry Rumex crispus--yellow dock

Ruscus aculeatus--butcher's broom Ruta graveolens--rue

Salix species--willow Salvia officinalis--sage

Salvia sclarea-- clary sage

Sambucus nigra--elder Santalum album--sandalwood *Sassafras
albidum--sassafras Scutellaria laterifolia--skullcap Serrenoa
serrulata--saw palmetto Shisandra chinensis--shizandra Silybum
marianum--milk thistle Smilax officinalis--sarsaparilla Stelaria
media--chickweed Stevia rebaudiana--stevia

* Symphytum officinalis--comfrey Tabebuia altissima--pau d'arco
Taraxacum officinalis-- dandelion Thuja occidentalis--thuja

Thymus vulgar/s--thyme

Tills platyphylla--linden Trifolium pratense--red clover Trigonella
foenum-graecum--fenugreek Turnea diffusa--damiana

* Tussilago farfara-- coltsfoot Ulmus fulva--slippery elm Urtica
dioica--nettle

Vaccinium angustifolium--blueberry Vaccinium macrocarpon--cranberry
Vaccinium myrtillus--bilberry Valerian officinalis--valerian Vanilla
planifolia--vanilla

Verbascum thapsus--mullein Verbena officinalis--vervain Viburnum
opulus--cramp bark

Viola odorata--violet Virex agnus caste--chaste berry Withania
somnifera--ashwaganda Xanthoxylum americanum--prickly ash Yucca
species--yucca

Zea mays--corn silk Zingiber officinale--ginger Zizphus
spinosa--zizyphi

* Indicates herbs that carry cautions that are addressed in Chapter
15.

Bibliography

Bailey, Liberty Hyde, and Ethel Zoe Bailey Rev.  L.H. Bailey Staff.

Hortus Third.

New York: Macmillan, 1976.

Bauer, Kurt B Dorothea G. Garbe and Horst S. Surburg.  Common Fragrance
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Bensky, Dan B and Andrew Gamble.

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Berkow, Robert, ed.  The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy.  16th
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Blackwell, Will H. Poisonous and Medicinal Plants.  Englewood Cliffs,
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British Herbal Medicine Association.

British Herbal Compendium.

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Chan, H and P But, eds.  Pharmacology and Applications of Chinese
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4 vols.  Arizona: Oryx Press, 1986-1989.

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Portland, Oreg.: Eclectic Medicinal Publications, 1987.

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Natural Products Medicine: A Scientific Guide to Foods, Drugs,
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Philadelphia, Pa.: George E Stickly, 1988.

De 	Smet, Keller, Hansel, Chandler, eds.  Adverse Effects of Herbal
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18th ed.  2 vols.  1898.  Reprint, Oregon: Eclectic Medicinal
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Foster, Steven.  Botanical Series.  Austin, Tex.: American Botanical
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Foster, Steven, and James Duke.  Peterson Field Guide: Eastern/Central
Medicinal Plants.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co 1990.

Fulder, Stephen, and John Blackwood.

Garlic: Naturek Original Remedy.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

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and Biology of Fragrance.  New York: Chapman & Hall, 1988.

Wagner, H Hiroshi Hikino, and Norman R. Famsworth, eds.  Economic and
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Willard, Terry.  Reishi Mushroom.

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(Revised by Williamson, Elizabeth M and Fred J.  Evans.) Essex, England:
C.W. Daniel Co 1988.

You will find aromatherapy mentioned often in this book.  For more
information, contact:

National Association for Holistic

Aromatherapy

219

	Carl Street San 	Francisco, CA 94117

To subscribe to an aromatherapy newsletter, write to:

The 	International Journal of Aromatherapy

EO.

	Box 750428

Petaluma, CA 94975-0428

I have also written an entire book on the subject with aromatherapist
Mindy Green.  Published in 1995, Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the
Healing Art, is available from The Crossing Press, PO.

Box 1048, Freedom, CA 95019.

EDUCATION

The American Herb Association also offers the AHA Directory of Herbal
Education, which lists more than 40 herb schools in North America and
herbal correspondence courses that you can take at home.  The directory
is updated every other year and can be purchased for $3.50.  To order
this publication, call or write the American Herb Association.

HERBAL GARDENING

A good network for small herb growers and businesses is the
International Herb Association (previously the International Herb
Growers and Marketers), 1202

Allanson Road, Mundelein, IL 60060.

There are also many good books on cultivating your own medicinal
herbs--something I encourage anyone to try!

Here are some of my favorites.

Herbal Emissaries: Bringing Chinese Herbs to the West, by Steven Foster
and Yue Chongxi (Healing Arts Press, 1992).

Herbal Renaissance, by Steven Foster (Gibbs-Smith, 1993).

The Herb Garden, by Sarah Garland (Penguin, 1984).

Herb Gardening at Its Best, by Sal Gilbertie (SMI, 1984).

Herbs, by Claire Kowalchik and William H. Hylton (Rodale Press,
1987).

RESOURCES

Herbs: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, by Kathi Keville (Friedman/Fairfax,
1994).

HERBAL PRODUCTS

I recommend herbalist-owned and operated companies that offer
organically grown tinctures and glycerites and aro-matherapy-quality
essential oils.  Oak Valley Herb Farm and Simpler's Botanicals offer
these and other products, as well as classes on herbalism, at
reasonable prices.  Catalogs from these companies can be obtained for
$1.00 by writing to:

Blessed Herbs

109 Barre Plains Road

Oakham, MA 01068

Mountain Rose Herbs P.O. Box 2000

Redway, CA 95560

Oak Valley Herb Farm

P.O. Box 2482

Nevada City, CA 95959

Simpler's Botanicals P.O. Box 39

Forestville, CA 95436

Glycerites can also be obtained from:

Herbs for Kids

PO.  Box 837

Bozeman, MT 59711

Chinese herbs and tinctures (as well as out-of-print herb books) can be
obtained from:

Herbalists and Alchemists

1O.  Box 553

Broadway, NJ 08808

For a current list of more than 75 mail-order sources for dried and
fresh herbs, live plants, herb seeds, books, essential oils, tinctures,
glycerites and containers, you can purchase the AHA Directory of
Mail-Order Herb Products from the American Herb Association for $4.

See page 362 for the address and phone number.

If you prefer to buy your herb products in a store, quality organically
grown herbs, tinctures, glycerites and pills from the following
companies are available in many stores that specialize in alternative
health products and natural foods, and even in some pharmacies:
Eclectic Institute, Frontier Cooperative Herbs, Gala Herbs, Herb Pharm,
Herbs Etc Herbs for Kids, Nature's Way, Planetary Formulas, Starwest
Botanicals, Trinity Herb Co Trout Lake Farm, Turtle Island Herbs,
WiseWays Herbals and Yerba Prima.

HERB BOOKS

Many books have been written about the healing power of plants and the
history of herbalism.  Most bookstores can order almost any book that
is still in print.  The library is another wonderful resource.  If you
are using the library, research the card catalog for books that may be
helpful.

In addition to the obvious category--herbs--you can try aromatherapy,
botany, cooking (herbs), ethnobotany, flora, gardening, medicine
(botanical), medicine (history), pharmacology, pharmacy, plants
(edible) and wildflowers.  If your library does not have the book
you're looking for, ask them if they can get it for you on
inter-library loan.  If you're looking for historic herbals, try your
local university library; if you're trying to find old botanicals and
herbal pharmacy books, check the bookstores in your area that sell used
and out-of-print books.  Many of these stores will do book searches for
you (for a small fee, of course) if they don't have a copy of the book
you want.

HERB-RELATED COMPUTER SOFTWARE Owning herbal software is like having an
extensive herbal library at your fingertips.

It is particularly good in helping you choose the most appropriate
herbs for your needs.  The best products that I know of are:

The Herbal Prescriber, by Christopher Hobbs, 1995.  Botanica Press,
10226 Empire Grade Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060.4 floppy disks, MS
Windows-compatible.  This mini-library explains and cross-references
250 herbs and 400 conditions, and is illustrated throughout with old
botanical prints.

The information is drawn from several dozen legendary and contemporary
herbalists.

lutely sure what they are.  If you need to have plants identified, most
university libraries and the U.S. forest service have botanists on
staff that will help you.  Just bring in a sample that is in good
shape, with flowers, if possible.

There are also many excellent regional plant identification books, some
of which focus on medicinal plants.  Here are some of the best:

Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rocky Mountains and Neighboring
Territories, by Terry Willard (Wild Rose College, 1992).

Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West and Medicinal Plants of
the Mountain West, by Michael Moore (Museum of New Mexico Press,
1979).

Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie, by Kelly Kindscher (University
Press of Kansas, 1992).

Peterson Field Guide: Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants, by Steven
Foster and James A. Duke (Houghton Mifflin, 1990).

The Herbalist CD-ROM, by David Hoffmann.  Hopkins Technology, 421

Hazel Lane, Hopkins, RUN 55343-7116.

This Windows/Macintosh CD-ROM, which is illustrated throughout with
color photographs, describes the actions and strengths of 150 herbs and
how they relate to the systems of the body IDENTIFICATION OF HERBS
Never use herbs from the wild, or even from your garden, unless you are
abso A Practical Guide to Edible and Useful Plants (of Texas), by
Delena Tull (Texas Monthly Press, 1987).

LEGAL STATUS The American Herbalist Guild, Box 1683, Soquel, CA 95073,
is a group of professional herbalists who are interested in improving
the legal status of herbs and herbalists in the United States.

Their dues are $50/year, payable upon acceptance.

NEWS

if you want to keep up on the latest news, current affairs, scientific
studies, books, videos, Internet listings, environmental projects and
legal issues, join the American Herb Association and receive the AHA
Qnarterlv Newsletter ($20/year.).

Write or call:

American Herb Association

RO.  Box 1673R

Nevada City, CA 95959

(916) 265-9552

PRACI-ITIONERS

Naturopathic doctors, most acupunctur-ists and many chiropractors use
herbs in their practice and can legally prescribe herbs.  These
practitioners rarely use drugs.  Ayurvedic practitioners always use
herbs, but cannot legally prescribe them in the United States unless
they are also medical doctors or are otherwise degreed.  Physicians who
practice holistic or preventive medicine and nurse-midwives are often
familiar with herbs and sometimes use them in their practices, usually
along with drugs.  For information on practitioners in your area,
contact the following groups.

American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine 433 Front
Street Catasauqua, PA 18032-2506

Telephone: (610) 266-1433

Fax: (610) 264-2768

American Association of

Naturopathic Physicians

2366 Eastlake Avenue E, Suite 322

Seattle, WA 98102

Send SS for a directory of their members in the United States.

American College of Nurse Midwives

818

	Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 900

Washington, DC 20006

Telephone: (202) 728-9860

Fax: (202) 728-9897

American Holistic Medical

Association

4101 Lake Boone Trail,

Suite 201

Raleigh, NC 27607

Telephone: (919) 787-5181

Send $5 for a directory ofholistic doctors.

American Preventive Medical

Association

459 Walker Road Great Falls, VA 22066

Telephone: 1-800-230-2762

Fax: (703) 759-6711

This organization can help you locate a doctor who offers preventive
health care.

Ayurvedic Institute

11311 Menaul NE,

Suite A

Albuquerque, NM 87112

Telephone: (505) 291-9698

Canadian Holistic Medical

Association

409-491 Eglinton Avenue W

Toronto, ON MSN lA8

Holistic Dental Association P.O. Box 5007

Durango, CO 81301

For a listing of holistic-oriented dentists, send a self-addressed,
stamped envelope.

International Chiropractors

Association

1110 North Glebe Road, Suite 1000

Arlington, VA 22201

Write for a list of chiropractors in your area.

National Women's Health Network 514 10th A Street NW, Suite 400

Washington, DC 20004

Telephone: (202) 628-7814

Fax: (202) 347-1168

This organization will supply you with a list ofwomen health clinics in
your area.  They will also send a list of information packets on 70
different women health topics--at a cost of $8 per packet.

Ontario Herbalists Association

"Winthrop Place

Stoney Creek, ON L8G 3M3

RESOURCES

RESEARCH

The Herb Research Foundation, 1007

Pearl Street, Suite 200, Boulder, CO 80302, will send you a packet of
information from books and clippings on many different herbal
subjects.

The $35 membership includes a subscription to the magazine
Herb"IGram.

SCIENTIFIC STUDIES

Much of the information in this book came directly from scientific
studies.  You can access these on a computer through on-line services
such as Med-Line or you can search for scientific or medical journals
in the library of a medical university To learn more about how to do
herb-re-lated computer and library searches, see The Information
$ourcebook of Herbal Medicine, by David Hoffmann (The Crossing Press,
1994).

Note: Italicized page references indicate boxed text and
illustrations.

