A Word About Herbs - By Badgermoon
Herbal remedies and supplements have been in use around the world since the dawn of time. Long before laboratories were using chemistry to formulate drugs for treatment of disease and medical conditions, herbs were used for a wide variety of treatments.

The American Indians used herbal medicine to treat everything from upset stomachs to diabetes and kidney disease. They could induce labor, cause abortions, control fertility for contraception, and treat infection and sooth insect bites. The Chinese and other cultures around the world are renowned for their understanding and use of herbal medicines. Often the question comes to mind “can herbal remedies really be effective?” I believe the answer is yes, but the extent that they work and the effectiveness depends on the condition being treated, and the knowledge of the person applying treatments. There should be no doubt that many plants have very useful and powerful effects when applied or ingested. Some of our most powerful drugs to date, are derivatives of plants. Aspirin, morphine, novocaine and penicillin to name just a few. With at least 2500 different herbs identified for medicinal use, it is impossible to do more than scratch the surface in this article, but there are a few that merit a closer look for us here.

Milk Thistle: Mentioned more often in body-building circles that any other single herb, it is truly a very important supplement, not just for body-builders, but for all of us. Milk Thistle acts as an anti-oxidant. It also promotes cell regeneration in the liver, and clears blockages, which helps bile flow.

From DreamPharm.com- “Milk thistle has been known in Europe and other Mediterranean countries since ancient times. Theophrastus mentioned about milk thistle around 4th century, BC Dioscorides wrote about the medicinal value of milk thistle, and Pliny the Elder wrote on the improvement of bile flow by milk thistle, calling it "Silybum" around the 1st century, AD Nicholas Culpeper, an English herbalist mentioned in 1650 that milk thistle is effective for removing liver obstructions. Von Haller documented the use of milk thistle for liver ailments in 1744. Milk thistle has been mentioned as a folkloric remedy for asthma, cancer, catarrh, chest pains, dropsy, fever, hepatitis, rabies, jaundice, vaginal discharge, malaria, plague, spasms, and spleen problems. Milk thistle has been under scientific and clinical investigation since turn of the last century, mainly in Germany. In the 1960s, German scientists identified a group of active ingredients from milk thistle, mainly from the seeds, and named them collectively as "silymarin". The preparation of milk thistle fruits and seeds were approved by German Commission E as a highly safe and effective herb for liver health.

Usage: German Commission E approved the internal use of crude milk thistle fruit preparations for dyspeptic complaints. Standardized extracts (usually ranging in silymarin concentration from 70 to 80%) are approved for toxic liver damage and as a supportive treatment for chronic inflammatory liver disease and hepatic cirrhosis.

Silymarin is known to protect the liver by altering and strengthening the structure of outer cell membranes of hepatocytes (liver cells), preventing toxins from entering the liver cells, and by stimulating the regenerative ability of the liver and the formation of new hepatocytes through the activation of an enzyme nucleolar polymerase A, which leads to the increase in ribosomal protein synthesis and cell division. Silymarin, as an anti-oxidant, may also reduce damages to liver cells caused by chronic use of certain prescription drugs. The silybin component of sillymarin has been related to cholesterol-lowering effects. Through the capability to increase bile solubility, sylimarin may also help prevent or alleviate gallstones. “

Garlic: Reduces cholesterol and helps prevent formation of internal blood clots that trigger heart attacks and stroke.

Ginseng: Stimulates the immune system and helps protect the liver from toxins.

From Dreampharm.com “German Commission E monograph and WHO support the use of ginseng as a prophylactic and restorative agent for enhancement of mental and physical capacities, in cases of weakness, exhaustion, tiredness, and loss of concentration, and during convalescence (WHO, 1999). In general, ginseng is used as a tonic, stimulant, aphrodisiac, immune booster, blood pressure modulator (lowers and raises, depending on needs), and a modulator of blood sugar level (lowers or raise, depending on needs). “

The list of uses and active ingredients of ginseng are longer than my driving record back when I was hauling meat across the country. (Trust me, it’s a lot)

Hawthorn: I’d like to give a special thanks to Realdeal Nutrition for bringing this herb to my attention. Its primary use is in promoting a healthy heart and circulatory system.

From Viableherbalsolutions.com “Hawthorne Berries have been used since the 19th century to support the heart, and to normalize cardiovascular functions. Today, Hawthorne Berries are one of the most popular herbs used in Europe, and gaining wider acceptance in the United States. Primary chemical constituents of this herb include Vitamin C, flavonoids (quercetin, quercetrin), glycosides, proanthocyanidins, anthocynaidins, saponins, tannins, and cratetegin (most prevalent in the flowers, then leaves, then berries). Hawthorne Berries appear to work best when taken as a preventative herb, possibly helping reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. With its high content of bioflavonoids, Hawthorne berries best support the heart. Hawthorne increases the body's ability to utilize oxygen, and the heart's ability to utilize calcium. This herb can actually help regulate both high and low blood pressure, in addition to slowly breaking down cholesterol and fat deposits in the body. The bioflavonoids help strengthen the contractive force of the heart, and gently dilate & relax the coronary blood vessels, improving overall circulation. For this reason, Hawthorne Berries have been used to lower high blood pressure & high cholesterol, as well as increase low blood pressure. When used to support weight loss programs, Hawthorne Berries help reduce water retention by expelling excess salt from the body. This botanical has also been known to reduce nervous tension, alleviate insomnia and aid digestion. Hawthorne can also be used to strengthen joint lining, collagen and spinal discs. “

Ginger: Stimulates the immune system, prevents motion sickness and aids in relieving upset stomachs. It also aids in the digestion of protein.

Saw Palmetto: In use for 12,000 years by Native Americans, Saw Palmetto is used to reduce the enlargement of the prostate from BPH, benign prostrate hypertrophy. It is also used to treat stomachache, as a diuretic and a sexual tonic. Persons suffering from prostrate cancer, breast cancer as well as pregnant or breastfeeding women are cautioned to avoid using Saw Palmetto.

Green Tea Extract: Green Tea Extract contains a potent antioxidant, EGCG, which is 200 times more potent than vitamin E in neutralizing the pro-radicals and free radicals that attack lipids in the brain. It protects against digestive and respiratory infection. It helps block cancer promoting carcinogens, and protects against high total and LDL cholesterol levels. It also blocks the attachment of cavity causing bacteria to the teeth. Another interesting property of Green Tea Extract is the aid to thermogenisis and the metabolism of fat in the body without increasing the heart rate, or giving the user a jittery feeling associated with other dietary fat reduction aids.

As I stated above, this article can only scratch the surface of the available information on the use of herbs to promote health. I tried to shed some light on a few that are often discussed. The maintenance of your health is a personal choice and only you can decide for yourself if herbal supplementation is a viable choice. With so much history and recent research being done on the use of herbs, I think they bear a closer look for their potential health benefits. Do some research and if you are unsure, ask your doctor about using them. Myself, I feel that there are some real benefits to be gained from herbal supplementation.

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