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Robert McDowell's Herbal Treatments 07 April 2004 Herbal Help for Humans and their CompanionsDo you suffer from acid reflux problems, hiatal hernias, diverticulitis?What or who can't you stomach? Digestive stomach problems usually mean we don't know how to assimilate new experiences or that we are being confronted with something unexpected or foreign to our existing concepts or the beliefs that we hold dear. Recently my daughter was travelling for the first time on her own as a young adult, she was in China and came down with a gastric condition. She found it much easier to handle and recover from the discomfort once she realized the reasons for her suffering, she explained it to me that she was seeing and experiencing things that did not sit comfortably with how she lived and saw life. Coming to terms with some aspects of traditional life in China made her physical condition improve and of course broadened her understanding of the world. This week we feature:-
"Barking" Dogs - Canine Cough Kennel cough is not a single specific disease but a general term for several different infections. It is transmitted anywhere where dogs are gathered together as in clubs, boarding kennels, shows and races. The tissues of the airways become inflamed and in severe cases can lead onto pneumonia. Symptoms may be similar to human chest infections with a harsh cough brought on by excitement or exercise, there is sneezing in the early stages and a watery discharge from the nose that can later become thicker with mucus. The mix at the site below: http://www.herbal-treatments.com/dog_kennel_cough.html has the unique ability to clear a cough and rebuild the mucosal linings in the bronchial which become permanently irritated and sore and the body's response to try to clear them just maintains the irritation. One of the first formulations I made up for dogs was this Kennel Cough mix which is a combination of preventative and acute phase herbs extracted into organic cider vinegar and the mix itself is further described on my website above. I developed the mix 12 years ago and I have literally hundreds of owners and breeders using it as a preventative either seasonally or whenever a new dog comes to the kennel, and as a course whenever a dog shows the earliest signs of coughs. Consider putting your dog on a course of this formulation at 5ml twice per day and you should see signs of the cough resolving itself within the first three weeks. You would then continue for a month or so after the cough has gone altogether and then stop as the underlying causes will have been resolved. Equine Poultices Poultices may be considered old fashioned in some circles but they are a most effective form of treatment for a variety of conditions that we find our horses experiencing, including damaged ligaments, chipped bones and torn tendons.
b) To improve circulation by heating the area. c) Healing damaged tissues and bones. When I make up a mash for a poultice I boil the ground seed until it is gluey then mix into it a little linseed oil to keep it flexible and a dessertspoonful of comfrey mash. Put it on as well as you can without cutting off circulation and when it falls off replace it. This is not rocket science. See my article on poultices for more details about different ingredients for different conditions: http://www.herbal-horsekeeping.com/articles_poultices.html Healing begins quickly and continues as long as you have some persistence and faith in the fact that your horses system was designed to repair itself. Continue with the program for an initial period of say 6 weeks and then sit back and assess how things are going, I promise you that signs of healing will be very evident by then. By 18 weeks the vets will be saying things like "well it must not have been as bad as the scans and the rest indicated" Hiatal Hernia and Acid Reflux This is such a common problem in todays world. The people who suffer from these problems are those that usually like life to be "nice", they may clothe the truth to make it acceptable and palatable. To assist them to handle the unacceptable aspects of life they use food as an alternative to swallowing life stresses. In their digestive suffering they are really saying "I can't swallow that" They often complain about "bad" digestion and that they cannot eat certain things like garlic, onions or capsicum. In a physiological sense they are experiencing stomach cramps that sends acid contents up the Gastrointestinal tract causing discomfort and damaging the hiatal valve. For more details look at the sites below: http://www.herbal-treatment.net/herbs_hiatal_hernia.html http://www.herbal-treatment.net/herbs_acid_reflux.html For digestion to go smoothly it is important for meal times to be pleasant with no uncomfortable topics being raised. Home Remedies - Comfrey Comfrey, with its store of Vit. B12 and allantoin has the ability to proliferate cells accurately and fast. It holds these wonderful healing powers in both its roots and leaves. However it is not antiseptic ! So to avoid the risk of trapping in infection always apply Calendula to open or dirty wounds and scrapes. It is called for when ever there is tissue breakdown as in accidents, surgery or degeneration. I have seen some amazing recoveries using this herb. My own daughter was burnt badly on her thigh from scalding water, after ensuring no infection her leg was poulticed with freshly steamed comfrey leaves and renewed daily for 4 days. The healing was rapid and there is no sign of scarring on her leg at all. Another instance was a friend who severely crushed her hand. It was treated by soaking it in warm water with Arnica and Rescue Remedy to treat the bruising and stop internal bleeding, it was then packed with a mash of freshly steamed comfrey leaves in a glove. After 3 days of this the hand was perfectly fine. As a little health insurance I include 1 or 2 small Comfrey leaves in my salads each week. Try growing some for yourself. Commonly Asked Questions 1. Colon Cleansing I have occasionally been asked about colon cleansing. I don't have a specific irrigation treatment but if a herbal mix for clearing out toxins and giving a boost to a sluggish bowel is required I recommend my general blood cleanser mix, see the site below: http://www.herbal-treatments.com/herbs_abscess_toxin_elimination.html Of course a short fast on nothing but Rosehips and Dandelion tea repeated twice over a three weeks period and a vegetarian diet in between would complete the task. It would be best however to proceed any such fasting with a month or six weeks on the program above to prepare the digestive system and start the elimination processes working well. 2. "What is the difference between the Equine Anti-Inflammatory mix and the Arthritis and Rheumatism mix" The anti inflammatory mix is really a replacement for Aspirin or Bute and deals with pain and inflammation to allow things to settle down and heal on their own. The arthritis and rheumatism mix does a specific job on the blood chemistry which is behind rheumatism as well as working on the bone changes which are behind arthritis. This was designed for an older horse who is suffering from age or wear and tear to reverse these processes and make their life more comfortable. I recommend the anti-inflammatory more for acute cases where I am often treating specifics which underlie the pain and inflammation separately. Reader Feed Back We value your feedback so much that we are making it easier for you to send us a sentence or two. Please fill in the form below and click 'Send' Wishing you and your companions the best of health and happiness. Yours Truly, Robert McDowell |