Robert McDowell's Herbal Treatments
27 May 2004
Herbal Help for Humans and their Companions
How hard is it to change our underlying personality?We all have some idea how we live our lives. Whether we are basically easy going or uptight , holding onto wrong doings, finding it difficult to forgive or not. Do we relax at the end of the day or do we have to go over and over our day driving our loved ones mad!
Are we the type that can't sleep until we have planned every minute of the next day. Do we use endless lists to feel a sense of achievement at the end of the day or week and then end up with a Friday night migraine?
I could go on and on, but even if we have an inkling of ourselves and want to change even one aspect it is not that simple. Often we seek help from a counsellor, psychologist or herbalist.
Herbalists have some advantages in that we have access to a wonderful range of nervines and Bach Flowers. Nervines are a range of herbs that work on the nervous system supporting the emotional healing of patients, herbalists work wholistically to heal all aspects of the patient. Bach Flowers were developed by Dr Edward Bach to address how people react to life. He wanted to direct a person back to their positive state by changing the direction of energy In fact Bach Flowers give you a better fist at life altogether.
Our aim is to give everyone a nervine to suit their personality and an appropriate mix of Bach Flowers to address where and how they are directing their energies.
Read more about the Bach Flower Remedies:
http://www.herbal-treatment.net/herbs_bach_flower_remedy.html
This week we feature:-
- Canine - Lymphoma. The Topical Subject of a Raw Meat Diet.
- Equine - Anhydrosis (The Puffs)
- Human - Chilblains and Vitiligo.
- Home Remedies - Oats or Ever Wondered why we eat Muesli and Porridge for Breakfast?
- Reader Feedback
Canine Lymphoma
The dramatic rise in Canine Lymphoma corresponds with modern trends in overfeeding dogs and feeding them adulterated food.
As I explain in the article:
http://www.herbal-dogkeeping.com/articles_digestive_system_ofadog.html
A dogs digestive system is a fast and crude processor of feed. It needs prolonged periods of fasting to clear the toxins generated by this sort of digestive system.
Lymphoma is a direct result of the lymphatic system being overloaded and prevented from clearing itself during periods of fasting.
Dogs are carrion eaters, they can survive on almost anything and do so in the wild as long as they get a proportion of raw and rotten meat.
Sick dogs should be given one meal daily of raw meat and bones and little else. The exact makeup of the food they are given is almost irrelevant and the answer to their good health or recovery from Lymphoma is never going to be found in the arguments of which particular sort of special diet they are given.
We humans are generally at fault as we treat our dogs like babies or children overfeeding them, giving them treats and worrying if we see a rib or two showing through.
I don’t find lymphoma in farm dogs who are working every day, living outside and being thrown the leg of a dead sheep every couple of days.
If dogs are taking chemotherapy or undergoing radiotherapy for their cancers I provide support for their systems to allow them to cope better with the detrimental side effects of these protocols.
The mixes I routinely prescribe and the rationale behind them are described on the links:
http://www.cancer-herbal-treatment.com/treatment_dog_cancer_choice.html
http://www.cancer-herbal-treatment.com/article_chemotherapy.html
http://www.cancer-herbal-treatment.com/dog_radiotherapy_support.html
Robert does share many patients with Oncologists as you can imagine, and he welcomes any opportunity to describe the complimentary therapeutic options which are not taught at vet. or med. school.
Interestingly in The Sun Herald Newspaper last week we saw an article about the importance of raw meat and bones in a dogs regular diet. Veterinarian Tom Lonsdale has published a book called "Raw Meaty Bones " which explains the importance of tearing and chewing in a dogs digestive system.
Equine - Anhydrosis (The Puffs)
Although not specifically a skin condition, this ailment is where the horse is unable to sweat in extreme heat and humidity, and therefore cannot handle a normal working program.
Anhydrosis is due to internal causes and the rubbing and susceptibility to insects etc is all due to the impurities in the blood which are collecting under the skin. There is nothing external that will help with the condition it is a matter of rehabilitating the lymphatic system and re-establishing normal sweating.
It is usually a condition that occurs in tropical climates - particularly if the horse is moved from a cooler climate to a tropical one. However, exactly the same inability to sweat can manifest in temperate weather where it may be less obvious, and even remain undiscovered if the animal is not worked hard.
A horse’s fluid and electrolyte balance and his ability to cool through the evaporation of sweat are critical. It is a lot to ask that one adjust from either cold dry or hot dry weather to hot humid overnight.
In the first instance - if you are moving a horse between extremes, give him time to acclimatise, or move him during the winter rather than in the heat of summer.
Also, if the horse has been on commercial electrolytes, take him off them long before he is moved to get his kidneys back to working properly so he can cope with the extra demand in the tropical climate.
Then put him back on commercial electrolytes and extra salt when he first arrives, and then wean him off again - going back to the natural ‘electrolytes’ listed in Chapter 5 of my DIY E-book, Herbal Horsekeeping found on my web site.
If commercial electrolytes are used judiciously in special cases like this and not given as a routine, all horses would be better off!
Helpful Herbs:
I make up a specific program for Anhydrosis which consists of a bucket of dried herbs, a herbal extract mix to be added to each dose and a tea to be made up daily and added as well. This is found on my website at:
http://www.herbal-treatments.com/horse_anhydrosis_puffing.html
- The dried herbs will not be allowed into the US for Quarantine reasons, so I suggest you make the mix yourself. The Herbs you will need ( Again go to a Health Food Store ) are as follows:
- Dandelion 300 grams
- Nettle 300 grams
- Borage 1 Kilo ( 1000 grams)
- Red Clover 300 Grams
- Kelp 1 Kilo ( 1000 grams )
Mix all this together and give 1 Cup twice a day of the mix into feed.
- Dandelion 300 grams
- You will also need the extract part of the mix which comes in a 100 mil bottle. I would suggest that you get a 200 mil bottle to save on postage and this will be at a cost of US$82.50 for the bottle.
This is given at a dose of 30 drops ( into feed) Twice a day.
- The tea's that stimulate the lymphatic system and the sweat glands are Fenugreek. Make up 2 dessert spoons of the seeds to 1 litre of boiling water, cool and add to the feed twice a day, 1/2 AM rest PM. You can source this from your local Health Food Store.
Preparing Mint tea for your horse and having Mint growing alongside the water trough is another useful diaphoretic tonic that promotes sweating.
Also give Rosehips tea as part of his regular feeding regimen, the granules/tea are made and fed in the same way as the Fenugreek tea. See the following link for the Rosehip tea:
http://www.herbal-treatments.com/horse_rosehips_granules.html
Once again this can be sourced fro a local Health Food Store.
Keep Kelp and Sea Salt freely available to the horse 2 teaspoons of Kelp with feed once a day, and get a salt /mineral lick.
Chilblains and Vitiligo
- Chilblains:
With winter well on its way in Australia we have had some calls for a chilblain mix.
Chilblains sometimes called Pernio, are painful burning sensations in parts of the body previously frostbitten.
They are caused by exposure to cold, even slight cold. They are incredibly painful and create an intense itching that is at times difficult to satisfy.
Chilblains are difficult to treat and may recurr for years.
Frost bite can occur for a number of reasons including poor circulation due to arteriosclerosis, blood vessel spasms due to smoking or certain drugs or blood flow constriction due to tight socks and boots.
For chronic chilblains I suggest the internal mix for Blood Circulation for Extremities.
http://www.herbal-treatment.net/herbs_circulation_extremities.html
Externally I suggest the irritant oil which includes Linseed Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Rosemary Oil, Thyme Oil , Comfrey and Aloes along with the Bach Flowers Chestnut Bud and Aspen. Together this mix will reduce swelling, increase circulation and restore healthy skin cells.
Chilblains can be a treated from a nutritional point of view as well, by looking at your a balanced intake of Vit. A, D and Calcium. Cod Liver Oil , Dandelion tea and Fenugreek tea or sprouts are just some ways to address this problem.
- Vitiligo:
Vitiligo is a condition in which a loss of melancytes results in whitish patches of skin .
It can be seen prominently on the upper surface of the hands, and may only include a couple of patches or it may cover large parts of the body.
The areas affected also includes a loss of pigment in the hairs growing on that effected skin.
Vitiligo may result following an unusual physical trauma particularly to the head, it may also occur in conjunction with other diseases such as Addisons dis., diabetes, pernicious anaemia and thyroid diseases.
Due to its disfiguring outcome it can have severe psychological effects.
Interestingly it is seen mostly as a southern hemisphere problem it is thought that the exposure to ultra violet effects the melanin layer of the skin.
It is important to keep the sun off the effected areas. as the unpigmented skin areas are very prone to sunburn.
One option is the following that I have heard good results about, I don't know where you live but in Sydney in the Queen Victoria Building there is a shop that is called "Perfect Potions" that has a mix of hypericum oil and coconut oil which requires to be rubbed on.
Alternatively I can make a mix for external application that includes Comfrey, Hypericum, Celandine, Thuja, Calendula and Maritime Pine Bark along with the Bach Flowers.
Home Remedies - Oats
The food that we should be eating daily for breakfast like whole oats, millet, linseed, grains and seeds all contain large quantities of Vitamin B.Why do we need Vit. B every morning?
When we consume it with its partners of Phosphorous, Magnesium, Silica, Sodium and Potassium it improves the nerves of our central nervous system as well as stimulating the small intestine to digest more efficiently.
- Vitamin B 1. is an energy booster, converting blood sugar into useful energy. As well it works on our levels of motivation and initiative along with our memory and concentration.
- Vitamin B2. adds to our exhuberance and joy for living. These are lost through taking antibiotics which logically then can lead to depression.
- Vitamin B3. works with our adrenal glands and puts us on our feet with our fists up ready to defend ourselves.
Oats is one of our herbal extracts which we use for increased strength of heart for those who have over worked and now may suffer cramps and spasms along with tense muscles.
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Wishing you and your companions the best of health and happiness.
Yours Truly,
Judith Burton for
Robert McDowell