Herbal Remedies for Memory: Rosemary

"Rosemary for Remembrance"
- W. Shakespeare

The Journal of Medicinal Food published a study on the Effects of Rosemary on Cognitive Function in an Elderly Population.  This clinical trial assessed the effects of powdered rosemary leaf on 28 elderly people. (Here's the link to the study: http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/jmf.2011.0005) They found that the speed of memory recall improved significantly at the lowest dose of rosemary, while the effects decreased as the dose went up.  The take-home message being: A little Rosemary is good for memory, while too much - not so good.  This is good news for those of us who like to eat our herbal remedies - especially one as delicious as Rosemary.

New Brain Choice:
herbal tonic for
brain and memory.

The best results in improvement of cognitive function was observed at a dose nearest to normal culinary consumption.  Rosemary has a long folkloric use for increasing concentration, focus, memory and general mental function, and recent research backs up these traditional uses.  As an excellent circulatory stimulant, Rosemary works largely by improving blood flow to the brain.  Better circulation brings more blood and oxygen to the brain - resulting in optimal brain function and health, and an increase in antioxidant power.  This antioxidant effect is important for brain health, as all brain disorders, including Alzheimer's and dementia, have a component of oxidative degradation.  Herbal remedies, including Rosemary, act here as "cerebral antioxidants."   

Use fresh or dry rosemary leaves in cooking, freely added to all culinary dishes.   

1 tsp of the leaves added to olive oil and balsamic vinegar makes a great homemade salad dressing.  You can make your own seasoning salt using powdered rosemary mixed in with sea salt and any other favorite culinary herbs.  Rosemary essential oil can be worn as a perfume, applied diluted as a body oil, added to bath water, steam or nebulizers.  Students in Greek universities were known to carry sprigs of fresh Rosemary to exams with them to improve their recall.  The possibilities are endless!  

- Shared by Lauren H. @ The Herbalist

Herbal Remedies for Sexual Health: Yohimbe

These days it is rare that a commercial break on TV doesn't include at least one ad for erectile dysfunction help.  The sales of Viagra, the primary ED drug, are staggering, indicating that millions of men suffer from some form of sexual dysfunction. 1 in 5 men over 40 have tried Viagra at least once.  As Viagra and other ED-meds come with a myriad of side effects, including reported deaths, men are naturally interested in alternatives that can produce similar effects.  Herbal remedies abound for improving sexual health and function, an herb called Yohimbe is one such herb.

Native to tropical West Africa, Yohimbe has long been used as an aphrodisiac.  In Native folk medicine, the bark of Yohimbe was made into a tea that was used to amplify sexual prowess and male virility.  This potent brew was used during tribal sex ceremonies that lasted as long as 14 days.  Sounds promising.  How Does it Work? Yohimbe contains the potent alkaloid yohimbine, which blocks alpha-adrenergic receptors - sympathetic nervous receptors that center primarily in the genital region.  This blocking effect dilates the blood vessels in the genital region, thus increasing blood flow to erectile tissue, and improving  sexual stimulation, performance and sensation.  Yohimbine also inhibits monoamine oxidase, which counters feelings of depression and anxiety - other common deterrents to feelings of sexual well-being.  Truly one of the best herbal remedies for sexual health, Yohimbe works on all erectile tissue, not discriminating between the genders... works effectively for ladies too! 

Love Potion #9: An
herbal aphrodisiac
with Yohimbe.

Directions for Use: For use as a sexual stimulant, start with 30 drops, increasing by 10 or so drops each time until you reach your desired effects, without any uncomfortable side effects.  Yohimbe should be used with caution.  Do not use Yohimbe with any other pharmaceutical drugs (including tranquilizers, narcotics, antihistamines, MAOis, cardiac medication, etc.) It is contraindicated for use with preexisting heart conditions, hypertension, kidney or liver disease, thyroid disorders, diabetes, and certainly not pregnancy or nursing.  Tierney shares how she discovered the efficacy of Yohimbe firsthand as a budding herbalist. After drinking an ounce of it, what felt like a raging yeast infection resulted! This is due to the strong stimulating effects on the genital tissues and the amount of blood it brings to the area.  

The effect that diet and lifestyle have on sexual vitality, sex drive and sexual performance cannot be overstated.  A healthy diet, healthy weight, regular exercise routine, positive outlook on life, and healthy, satisfying relationship are the true recipe for a healthy sex life.  Herbal aphrodisiacs, like Yohimbe, work best when used in this context.

Herbal Remedies for the Urinary Tract

Urinary tract infections are responsible for over 8 million doctor visits each year, with women being 14 times more likely to develop than men.  The shorter length of women's urethras make it that much easier for E. coli, a bacteria responsible for around 90% of UTIs, to migrate from its home in the colon and cause infection.  Antibiotics are always prescribed for UTIs by medical doctors - and while they do effectively destroy the infection, the long-term problem is made worse and susceptibility to future infections increases exponentially.  Antibiotic use causes an overabundance of yeast to develop and the recurrent UTI/vaginal yeast cycle begins.  This cycle is frustrating, painful and expensive for the countless number of women who are stuck in it. Over and over again, we have helped women break free of this vicious cycle with the use of herbal remedies.

Escherichia coli: the bacteria responsible for
at least 8 million bladder infections each year.

Antibiotic herbal remedies effectively fight infectious bacteria without destroying the good bacteria, thus sparing the susceptibility to yeast infection. Diuretic herbs cleanse the urinary system and relieve feelings of urgency and burning.  Demulcents decrease the inflammation and irritation in the bladder, and soothe the uncomfortable pain and burning. Probiotics restore healthy bacteria to deter the growth of unwanted bacteria and yeast. Cranberry juice or Cranberry capsules inhibit bacteria from colonizing the urinary tract and bladder. While using these herbs, avoid bladder irritants including alcohol, coffee, sodas, sugar and sweets, processed foods, chocolate and citrus fruits.  Identifying food allergens is important, especially in the case of interstitial cystitis or recurrent UTIs.

Marshmallow Root Tea soothes and cools
the burning, urgency and pain of UTI.

Herbal Treatment of Acute UTI

• Bladder Be Well Extract: 60 drops every 1-2 hours

• Bladder Be Well Tea: Several cups daily

• Herbal Biotic Extract: 60 drops 4 times daily

• Vitamin C: 3000-6000mg daily

• Probiotics: 40 billion organisms daily

Herbal Treatment for Recurrent UTIs

• Diuretic Choice Extract: 30-60 drops 3 times daily

• Fungal Defend Extract: 60 drops 3 times daily.  Overabundance of yeast in the system (often caused by antibiotic use) is correlated with recurrent UTIs.  If UTI accompanies a new sex partner, a yeast cleanse is indicated.  In addition to the antifungal herbs, follow an anti-yeast diet, avoiding sugars, starches, breads, beer and all sweets. 

• Marshmallow Root Tea: 1 cup daily

• Cranberry Juice or Capsules: 6-8 oz daily

• Magnesium: 400-600mg daily

• Probiotics: 40 billion organisms daily

Herbal Remedies for Grief

February is heart health month.  What constitutes a healthy heart? Certainly a heart that beats in a coordinated manner, pumps blood efficiently through the vascular system, and maintains proper blood pressure - is considered a physically healthy heart.  But what about the other aspects of the heart? The emotional and energetic functions that the heart maintains?  The heart is the center of love and of emotional experience.  Feelings such as joy, compassion, understanding and affection all reside in the heart.  Conversely, feelings of loss, guilt, shame and grief are the heart's domain as well.  Whatever emotional place the heart finds itself in, February (Heart Month and home to Valentine's Day) heightens the experience.  This blog is dedicated to the difficult yet unavoidably necessary process of grieving, and the array of herbal remedies for grief.

The Heart Chakra: Open your heart to
joy and happiness instead of
closing down during times of grief.

Herbal remedies  help us to open our hearts to welcome joy and happiness, instead of closing down in times of stress and grief. They ease sadness and heartache while releasing the anxiety and depression that accompany grief and loss.  Time is the greatest healer of all, and offers the promise that the heart will inevitably heal and the grief slowly begin to melt away.  Remember, feeling is healing.  Having feelings means you have a heart and it will heal... with time and of course, the comfort of herbs.

• Healing Heart: This floral tonic lightens and cools the inner fires of grief.  It contains classic soothing herbs for the heart including hawthorn, motherwort, lemon balm and lavender.  Flower essence of Bleeding Heart provides emotional freedom from loss and calms the fear of what's next. 

Rose for Grief

• Heart's Ease Tea: Combine equal parts of the soothing floral herbs Rose petals, Hibiscus flower, Hawthorne leaf and flower and Lavender flowers to make a lovely tea that is cooling and calming to a grieving heart.

• Rose Essential Oil: Rose is the ultimate floral heart healer, and the intoxicating essential oil can be just the ticket to transcend states of grief.  Wear the oil, add to a diffuser or nebulizer, or sprinkle a drop on your pillow to soothe the heart during times of grief. 

• Using Flower Essences during times of grief and other emotional hardships helps facilitate healing on the soul and vibrational levels to encompass full-body healing and ensure no thought patterns become stuck.  Read about Flower Essences for Grief written by our resident flower essence maker, Monica Caulfield of Lifeforce Essences. 

• Nurture Yourself.  Take a candlelit bath with rose oil.  Make yourself a special meal.  Cuddle up in a warm blanket or comfy sweater.  Go on a long walk, basking in Nature's healing energy.  Receive a massage.  Sleep enough but not too much.  Be patient with yourself - allow yourself to feel exactly what you are feeling while remembering that this too shall pass.

- Shared by Lauren H. @ The Herbalist

Prevent Seasonal Allergies: Start Now!

The rare appearance of the Sun in Seattle today brings with its rays the promise of Spring just around the corner.  We are nearly halfway through the winter, 6 weeks away from the Spring Equinox.  While our plummeting Vitamin D levels and sun-deficient SAD-ridden nervous systems may be anxiously awaiting this arrival, the same cannot be said for our immune systems - as Spring co-heralds the arrival of allergens, those much feared culprits that impart runny noses, watery eyes and clogged sinuses.  In the dead of winter, it is difficult to imagine that Spring may ever arrive, yet the sun's appearance today serves as a warning - to prepare our immune systems for allergy season with herbal remedies!

The role of mast cells in Allergies:
Herbs prevent the histamine response.

4-6 weeks before your allergen arrives, begin taking herbal remedies for allergies.  (For many people, this means RIGHT NOW! TODAY!) When begun early, I have seen people with severe annual allergies enjoy significant alleviation if not complete prevention by diligently following an herbal protocol.  These herbs and supplements work by stabilizing immune cells known as mast cells. When an allergen is encountered, unstabilized mast cells release histamine, creating the allergic response.  Herbs prevent the release of histamine by mast cells, yet this stabilization process builds up over time - thus the need to begin the herbal regimen early.

Western WA Allergen Schedule
Mid February - April :  Tree pollen season.              
Mid May - July:           Grass pollen season.
July - late summer:       Weed pollen season.

Quercetin/Nettle – Quercetin (a bioflavonoid) and freeze-dried nettles provide a strong anti-histamine effect that prevents the allergic response.  Take 2-4 capsules daily to prevent and combat allergies.

Sinutone – This herbal formula decongests the head, opens the sinus passages, dries up excess mucus, cleansing and fortifying the sinuses before allergens arrive.  Take 1-2 droppersful 3 times daily to prepare for allergy season.

Neti Pot –  An ancient yogic cleansing technique, irrigating the sinuses with an isotonic salt solution decongests the sinuses and flushes out the layer of inflammatory mucus that builds-up and causes allergy symptoms. Add ½ tsp of mineral sea salt to the neti pot and use 1-2 times daily to prevent and decreases allergy symptoms.

Local Bee Pollen or Local Honey - Both bee products are produced directly from the plants and pollens that cause allergies.  Taking these substances in their non-allergenic form works as a vaccine of sorts, introducing the allergens to the immune system in a non-reactive way.  This only works if the pollen or honey was produced locally!

Food Choices - Food allergies and sensitivities play an indirect role in susceptibility to allergens.  When we eat foods that we are allergic or sensitive to, it makes our immune systems more reactive and more inflammatory.  It is important to follow an Anti-Inflammatory diet when preparing for allergy season.  Dairy especially is correlated with respiratory and sinus congestion, and ought to be limited or avoided altogether.  

The Autism Connection

" The definition of autism is expected to change dramatically in the upcoming edition of the manual doctors use to diagnose mental health conditions. According to a new analysis of the potential changes, narrowing the definition could result in far fewer diagnoses of Autism — and reduced services available to many people previously diagnosed as autistic." - Wendy Stone, director of UW Center for Autism on KUOW, National Public Radio

More children than ever before are being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.   Approximately 1 out of every 500 children are diagnosed each year according to the CDC.  Twenty years ago that number was 1 in every 4000.  It is still unclear whether this increased trend is due to changes in how we define and identify Autism, and how much is due to a true increase in occurrence. The causes of Autism remain a mystery.  Some experts believe it is the result of a neurological imbalance. Others believe it is solely genetic, as parents with one autistic child are 8% more likely to have another. More and more research is emerging suggesting that Autism is the result of environmental factors.  There is a correlation between heavy metals (such as mercury, present in the MMR vaccine) and Autism.  Food allergies and food sensitivities, specifically to gluten (wheat protein) and casein (cow's milk protein), are often present in Autistic individuals.  Many parents observe a significant improvement in behavior when these foods are eliminated. Natural supplements and herbal remedies have much to offer in the maintenance and potential improvement of this mysterious disorder.

The Autism Connection:
Eliminating Food Allergens is a first line of defense.

Dietary Considerations

Identify and eliminate potential food allergens. Complete elimination of gluten and dairy is highly recommended.  Frequent consumption of food allergens contributes to Leaky Gut Syndrome, a condition in which children are unable to absorb nutrients from food.  A higher than normal number of Autistic individuals have severe food allergies or chronic GI issues, suggesting a strong correlation between the two.  Focus on stabilizing the child's blood sugar levels, by avoiding sugary, starchy and all processed foods, and eating plenty of  good quality protein.  

Essential Daily Supplements

Omega 3 Oils (Fish or Flax Oil) especially EPA, are important for maintaining brain and neurological health. 

Probiotics improve digestive function and boost immunity, they are especially important in leaky gut syndrome or chronic GI stress.  

The Autism Connection:
Always support with herbs.

Phosphatidyl Serine improves brain cell communication, function and circulation.

B Vitamins, especially B3 and B6, are essential to ensure optimal function of the brain and nervous system.  Deficiencies of B6 specifically have been linked to Autism.

Herbal Remedies for Autism

KID-Alert  is comprised of herbal brain tonics that are safe for
children.  It feeds and balances the nervous system, increases mental
clarity and the ability to stay alert and focused.

KIDS Be Well is an immune system tonic for kids.  Depleted or
hyperactive immune function is often present in Autism, these herbs
boost and stabilize immunity.

For more information visit TheHerbalist.com and discover the herbal remedies best suited for your needs.

Cholesterol: An Herbalist's Approach

A recent report aired on NBC Evening News found that women who take statins (Lipitor, Crestor) are 50% more likely to develop Type 2 Diabetes.  The report was based on the results of 3 different clinical trials which actually surfaced over a year ago.  Why do not more people know about this?  At risk of setting off on a crisis of health care/political rant - suffice to say that statin drugs mean big money for pharmaceutical companies. They would have lots to lose if mass media got a hold of these clinical trial results because it would discourage their use. Especially if the efficacy of herbal remedies in the realm of cholesterol maintenance were to become public knowledge. 

Cholesterol: An Herbalist's Approach...
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

This news is very disturbing (to say the least) especially to the women who were prescribed this medication. It has always boggled my mind about how this medication works - it blocks the enzyme that is linked to the liver's cholesterol production. How can blocking a key function of the liver ever be good long term? This new revelation about statins can now be added to the long list of other side effects I like people to know about when choosing this health option. The key word here is 'option' because there are many other options (like our Liv-Well) available with side benefits, not side effects.  The reference range for what is considered "healthy cholesterol" has steadily been lowered so that it has become more and more difficult for people to achieve a normal cholesterol level.  There is concern as to it being set unrealistically low, especially when considering that its placement is a way for drug companies to increase their sales of statins.  

On the positive side, borderline high cholesterol can also serve as a good incentive for women to improve their diet and lifestyles, including the use of herbal remedies.  If my blood work showed high LDL cholesterol, and my doctor wanted to put me on statins, I would first take 3-6 months to make a few lifestyle and dietary changes.  I would re-test my cholesterol levels after this time to see how I fared. I have seen this approach work in many of my clients over the years, preventing them from statins and their numerous side effects.  For women, especially during perimenopause, there are extreme hormonal fluccuations, which can greatly affect cholesterol levels.  Perhaps consider a blood test twice a year (as opposed to only once), to establish a baseline. Keep in mind that having an optimal ratio of HDL:LDL is more important than a total cholesterol count.

High Cholesterol: A Natural Approach

Liv! Well is a liver tonic
for healthy cholesterol.

Liv! Well: Contains herbs that promote optimal fat and cholesterol metabolism by supporting liver function.  

Intestinal Rescue:  Sufficient dietary fiber is essential for cholesterol maintenance.  This blend contains Psyllium and Guar Gum - both insoluble fibers that bind to excess cholesterol and triglycerides in the large intestine, and escort them out of the body helping to reduce and maintain healthy levels. 

Omega-3 Oils: Choose from fish or flax, good oils are essential for promoting the health and integrity of the heart and blood vessels, keeping them "slick" so that arterial plaque cannot form.

Niacin: A B Vitamin that improves circulation to deter arterial plaque buildup and has been found to increase levels of HDL (the good guys).

Red Yeast Rice w/ CoQ10: Red Yeast Rice contains a natural form of the active ingredient in statins, that work in a similar fashion.  Take with CoQ10, a vital nutrient for health function, as statins inhibit CoQ10 synthesis. 

Exercise Is Essential! It gets the blood moving and the heart pumping, improving circulation and promoting optimal health of the blood vessels.

The Obvious: Quit smoking. Limit alcohol consumption. Avoid highly, processed and junk foods, especially those that have unhealthy fats.  Limit pastries, sweets and baked goods, as sugars increase triglyceride levels.

 For more information visit TheHerbalist.com and discover the herbal remedies best suited for your needs.