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Robert McDowell's Herbal Treatments 28 July 2004 Herbal Help for Humans and their CompanionsI have just had the good fortune to read a little of a book called "Your Body's Telling You: Love Yourself" by Lise BourbeauLise talks about illness as a gift whose purpose it is to bring back the homeostasis in our being. She says our physical body does not create illness, what it needs to maintain it is our soul, our inner self. When our inner realm is unbalanced, illness manifests in our physical body. Lise goes even further in suggesting that illness indicates a need for change in our belief system and that we have reached our physical and psychological limits. The book can be challenging to some as it insists we look at ourselves as a whole not just a head and body--we need to learn to listen to our soul as it speaks through our body and intuition. This week we feature:-
Canine - Contraindications between Pharmaceutical Drugs and Herbal Treatments As a rule there are no contra indications between pharmaceutical drugs and herbal treatments because they are coming from a totally different perspective. Drugs are aiming at manipulating body chemistry to reduce the symptoms of this or that condition. Properly constructed herbal treatment programs are aimed at tapping into the body's own healing abilities to allow the reversal of a condition to take place. For instance the canine incontinence formulation will sooth and heal the lining of the bladder, improve nerve supply to the bladder sphincter, help re-tone the sphincter itself and it also contains herbs to deal with resistant infection of this is an underlying cause (or a result of ) the irritation. Another reason why contraindications are highly unlikely is the fact that we use only classical herbal dosages, ie very small doses. However it is almost impossible to know the interactions between herbs with every drug on the market, and to be perfectly honest, I don't think that even medical and pharmeceutical personel can test for all the possible interactions between the many mainstream drugs on the market. Equine - Kidney Support Here at Herbal treatments we treat an enormous number of kidney failure patients in the human and canine world. Not so many in the horse world primarily because we don't abuse their kidneys with too many unnatural feeds and we always have inexhaustible supplies of water for them. However, it happens in a modern, working horses life that we create nervous and adrenal exhaustion and dehydration, then on top of that they end up suffering from the abuse of electrolytes, diuretics and other chemical substances and additives which overload their kidneys. One area where we deplete their kidney reserves is in the routine administration of salt in their diets. It is true that horses need salt but they don't need the same amount of salt every day and they certainly almost never need the size of the dose recommended for them by those that supply it. The correct amount of salt for a particular healthy horse is the amount it will lick off a salt block if one is left in its grassy paddock . If stabled it may overdose out of boredom. Rehabilitation is just about as simple as prevention. Give no salt at all and no prepared feeds at all to make sure there is no chemical load in the body. Twice daily give a dose of cold Rosehips Tea made by soaking a 1/4 cup of Rosehips Granules in a pint of boiling water and leaving it until cold. When cold, this tea grounds and all, is used to dampen down dried feed in the morning and evening. Kidney Rehabilitation Mix : http://www.herbal-treatments.com/horse_kidney_rehabilitation.html Human - Glandular Fever Support or Infective Mononucleosis Glandular Fever is a stress and environment related illness. The Epstein-Barr virus is purely and simply opportunistic and appears in the blood of a person who has become severely depleted by stress and has consequently run completely out of Vitamin B support. A person is most emotionally vulnerable to Glandular Fever when there are pressures, changes and transitions in life, when responsibilities shift and when life realizations and doubts hit. In my own practice more than 80% of Glandular Fever cases are young people, students under pressue of exams or having recently left home to work in their first job. To further understand the underlying reasons behind this condition read the following indepth article on the topic: http://www.herbal-treatment.net/article_understanding_glandular_fever.html Essentially the nuclei of cells are distressed by the emotional drain and lack of Vitamin B support and the virus thrives effecting cell replication and differentiation. The symptoms include swollen glands, feebleness, exhaustion, lack of motivation and concentration and the need of a great deal of sleep daily , 12 to 14 hours often , none of which seems to provide much recovery. Glandular Fever often hits a determined, happy and motivated person who has a sudden feeling of doubt and loss of control about their life. If there is a very specific demand, like exams in 3 weeks or a wedding or a court case in the near future , it is possible to provide a temporary relief through the use of Vitamin B 12 injections in the short term , to help someone through the specific demand. However this is never a long term solution. For full recuperation and to prevent repeated relapses, a long term program of oral Vitamin B therapy and herbal treatment support is required , to completely rebuild the nervous system resilience and the immunity. Commonly full recovery is not effected for 6 to 12 months in total. As a herbalist , it seems that I end up treating almost all cases of Glandular Fever for 100 miles around and I have to say that during 20 years of such patients I can only remember two or three patients who didn't recover fully. These cases were ones where the patients were overly responsible young people and who simply wouldnt let go of the responsibilities they felt or couldn't evade the pressures around them for the few months required to effect a full recovery. My Glandular Fever support mix is tailored for each individual case mix after consultation, but a good average combination of herbs to start off with includes Comfrey, Yarrow, Sage, Parsley, Rosehip , Maritime Pine Bark, Red Clover and Echinacea along with the Bach Flowers Olive , Sweet Chestnut, Gorse, Oak and Rescue Remedy. I require that patients report back in detail at regular intervals along their path to recovery to enable me to modify their treatment and other recommendations as we proceed. Home Remedies-Acidity and Reflux (Contributed by Linda Vojkovic, herbalist MNHAA Sydney) Acidity can often be found in conjunction with life’s stresses and can be seen to primarily manifest in digestive problems (burping, burning, reflux, gastric discomfort etc.) and joint aches and pains. Low acidity is characterised by a burning sensation an hour or so after a meal. High = pain, discomfort, belching soon after eating. By increasing alkaline producing foods (veggies, fruits, pulses) and decreasing acid forming foods (starches and proteins ie. red meat, processed foods). Make an alkaline mixture of 1/3 granny smith apple and a medium sized potato (washed with the skin on). Grate these together or they may be juiced, in which case you need ¾ of a cup of liquid. Take first thing in the morning until trouble relieved. Also can be taken throughout the day. Can be used in conjunction with good quality Apple Cider Vinegar in water (honey may be added) first thing in the morning and before each meal. This will also assist to alleviate symptoms. Ensure that you drink plenty of water, and reduce your stressors (find out ‘what’s eating you ) Past Newsletters: I invite you to browse through recent newsletters on a wide variety of topics on both human and animal health issues there will certainly be something of immediate interest to you: http://www.herbal-treatments.com/newsletter.html 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 'Submit' Wishing you and your companions the best of health and happiness. Yours Truly, Judith Burton for Robert McDowell |
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