Robert McDowell's Herbal Treatments
18 March 2008
Herbal Help for Humans and their Companions
The secret of life is to have a task, something you devote your entire life to ... and the most important thing is - it must be something you cannot possibly do!
--- Henry Moore
This week we feature:-
- Feline - Diarrhea
- Canine - Arthritis
- Equine - Radio And Chemotherapy Support
- Human - Peptic Ulcers
- Home Remedies - Chamomile Tea
- Reader Feedback
Feline - Diarrhea
Feline Diarrhea is one of the more common illnesses and indicates a problem in the intestines or colon. It is a symptom of some underlying disease. It can be caused by a viral or bacterial infection, it could be a disease of the intestine or colon wall; for example, inflammatory bowel disease. Other causes include foreign body ingestion or dietary indiscretion. Diarrhea can be mild and self-limiting; or debilitating and life threatening.
In the case of an acute attack of diarrhea knowing the cat's activities and whereabouts previous to the outbreak of diarrhea may help determine the cause. If the cat has been to a boarding kennel, grooming parlour, or even run away for a few hours, it may have contacted a virus from another animal. If the cat has a history of getting in the garbage it may suggest the problem is due to an intestinal foreign body or ingestion of spoiled food. The history may suggest the problem is a simple one due to a different brand of cat food, or too many table scraps.
However if the problem has been going on for a long time this may indicate a chronic condition such as inflammatory bowel disease.
Considering its complex architecture, the delicate interplay of its components with other organs and glands in the digestive system, and the many challenging and vitally necessary tasks it must constantly perform, it's no wonder that things might go wrong with the feline digestive tract now and then. Digestive system disorders in general are among the most frequently observed health problems in cats. Many of these disorders are primarily associated with organs such as the liver, pancreas and gall bladder--all of which play a crucial role in the digestive system.
Put your cat on simple raw food diet with small amount of slippery elm powder (1/4 teaspoon) mixed through it. In the gastro-intestinal tract, Slippery Elm acts directly. Its mucilage content coats, soothes, and lubricates the mucus membranes lining the digestive tract. It is high in fibre, and so helps normalize intestinal action; it can be used to relieve both diarrhea and constipation.
Anitra Frazier gives the following recipe for Slippery Elm Bark syrup in her book, The New Natural Cat, which applies equally well to our canine companions when adjusted for weight: Into a small saucepan place 1/2 cup cold water and 1 teaspoon powdered slippery elm bark. Whip with a fork. Bring to simmer over low flame, stirring constantly. Simmer 1 or 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Cool and refrigerate. Keeps 7 or 8 days. Give a teaspoon of syrup (5 cc) for an average-size cat (again, about 10 pounds) 5 minutes before a meal to minimize diarrhea.
My mix includes the following herbs Slippery Elm, Chamomile, St Mary's, Vervain, Yarrow, Passion Flower, Blue Flag along with the Bach Flowers Rescue Remedy, Scleranthus, Wild Oat and Aspen.
Canine - Arthritis
"Houstons Arthritis Solution"
January 23, 2008
Dear Robert,
I am writing to you today, a few months after my yellow lab Houston's 13th birthday, with utter amazement at how well he's doing taking your Anti-inflamatory Healer & Blood poisoning remedies. My vet, Dr. Marianne Socha, in Huron, Ohio recommended your products to me after a visit 3 years ago. Since that fateful visit, I have been using your herbal approach with both my dogs (I also have a 10 year old yellow lab, Tucker).
Houston's story is quite extraordinary. He has, according to my vet, "the worst case of arthritis she has ever seen in all her years of practice." When Houston was only four years old, he started limping. X-rays revealed the cause of his awkward gait-hip displaysia in both hips as well as chronic arthritis in his spine and neck. She told me then, that he probably wouldn't live a very long, quality life. Despite this devastating diagnosis at such a young age, Houston continued to do well into his 10th year-taking only glucosamine to help his arthritic joints. At his annual visit the year he turned 10, he was having "episodes" of intense pain and occasionally refused to move his head or neck. My vet prescribed Deramaxx and Houston responded very well to it. He romped around like a "young pup" and often tackled stairs (something he hadn't done in quite a few months). But within a few months, we had to stop this because of life threatening side effects. Sadly, the very drug that helped ease his pain from arthritis, was now out of the question for Houston.
It was at this time, that Dr. Socha told me about Robert McDowell's Canine Anti-Inflammatory Mix that she was giving to her own dog. I came home from her office and immediately went to your website to research this "herbal remedy" that she recommended so strongly. Before my experience with your products, I can honestly say that I was not a "believer" in "alternative medicines" and was skeptical about all herbal remedies' effectiveness. But , desperate to help Houston, I ordered that first bottle in July of 2005.
Three years on, Houston still takes your product two times a day, with each meal, and has very little need for conventional medicines. A dog that was not supposed to "live a long, quality life" has just celebrated his 13th birthday on November 3, 2007! Remarkably, he still climbs stairs, takes walks with Tucker (abet shorter now), and occasionally gets in the mood to "get squirrelly" and run around the kitchen! I'm a believer now, and want to thank you very much for giving an old, arthritic yellow lab the gift of a lifetime---many, many more years with us!
Sincerely,
Staicey
Ohio USA
P.S. Because of my experience with Houston's Anti inflammatory remedy, I continue to give my labs your Blood Poisoning and Bone Tonic solutions daily. They no longer get hot spots after swimming and Tucker's bone spur on this shoulder hasn't bothered him much because of the Bone tonic. Thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Equine - Radio and Chemo Therapy Herbal Support
Simply speaking, cancer occurs when one of the most fundamental tasks of the human body , the immune system is not functioning.
Whenever a cell is replaced, and there are millions every week replaced as part of normal life, there is a chance of a few cells being malformed or imperfect, a healthy immune system sorts through them all and eliminates any which are not perfect.
Chemotherapy tries to kill any groups of cells which are defective and self replicating, in order to do this it must depress the body's immunity in order to poison the cancer cells it is targeting.
Understandably this does nothing to help the rest of the body to continue to function in a healthy way. For it to be effective, chemotherapy does not differentiate in the cells it kills- cancerous or healthy. In reality it is very crude, but it is all the oncologists have, and it gives owners some sort of hope.
The decision to use chemo or radio therpay is a very personal one it may or may not be beneficial in each individual case. However more and more, in powerful and debilitating doses it is being given to horses. As a side treatment I offer herbs to minimise the detrimental side effects of it.
The herbs most effective for supporting the animal through chemo therapy include:- Chamomile, St Mary's Thistle, Alfalfa, Rosehips, Thuja, Parsley, Fennel, Blue Flag, Ginger and Liquorice. I also include the Bach Flowers; Rescue Remedy, Walnut, Wild Oat, Scleranthus, Honeysuckle and Crab Apple.
The general herbal support formulation which I make up to assist the body to deal with the tissue damage and side effects of Radiotherapy includes the herbs; St Mary's Thistle, Kelp, Yarrow, Thuja, Comfrey, Fennel and Sage. I also include the Bach Flowers; Olive, Scleranthus, Gorse and Wild Oat.
Herbs are both effective and gentle in supporting the whole body, you treat your own animal at home, and in almost every single case we improve vitality and longevity.
Read more about cancer at the site below:
http://www.herbal-treatments.com.au/article_theriseof_canine_cancers.html
Human - Peptic Ulcers
Peptic ulcers are open sores or erosions in the lining of either the duodenum (duodenal ulcers) or the stomach (gastric ulcers).
Symptoms
Risk Factors
Marshmallow is high in mucilage. High-mucilage-containing herbs have a long history of use for irritated or inflamed mucous membranes in the digestive system, though no clinical research has yet investigated effects in people with peptic ulcer. Slippery Elmis excellent for treatment of these conditions and involves taking 1 dessertspoon of Slippery Elm Powder mixed with yoghurt, mashed banana or cold chamomile tea. before meals.
Slippery Elm provides a protective lining to the mucosal lining of the gastro intestinal system and in 12 weeks will heal an irritated lining.
Licorice ( Glycyrrhiza glabra ) - this herb is a demulcent (soothing, coating agent) that has long been valued for its use in food and medicinal remedies, including treatment of ulcers. Some licorice root extracts, known as deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL), still have the healing properties of licorice without the harmful effects (like high blood pressure). DGL lozenges may even prove as effective as some prescription drugs for stomach ulcers. A twelve-week study of 874 duodenal-ulcer sufferers published in the Medical Journal, Ireland, showed licorice healed ulcers faster than the drug Tagament, with no hormonal side effects. Other studies showed relief to complete cure in 2-6 weeks with patients taking up to 20-25g daily. Licorice assists the healing of stomach ulcers by spreading a protective gel lining over the stomach wall, lowering acid levels, as well as easing painful spasms.
On an emotional level we can't stomach who we are and hold a big fear of not being good enough and we eat ourselves up trying to please others, so do everything you know to raise your self esteem and most importantly be gentle and loving to the child within. http://www.herbal-treatments.com.au/herbs_peptic_gastric _ulcers.html
Home Remedies - Chamomile
Chamomile is one of the most widely used flowers for herbal tea. Chamomile Tea is so popular, it is found in most grocery stores in the tea aisle. It is used as a mild sedative, and is good for insomnia as well as many other nervous conditions. It is nervine and sedative especially suited to teething children and those who have been in a highly emotional state over a long period of time. Except for a very small risk of allergy to the daisy family, Chamomile is also one of the safest herbs to use. It is safe for even the youngest baby. Chamomile flowers are used in alternative medicine as an anodyne, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, nervine, stomachic, tonic, vasodilatory. The anti-inflammatory properties make it good for rheumatism, arthritis, and other painful swellings. Additional uses in herbal medicine include an antispasmodic for intestinal and menstrual cramps, relieving gas pains, and a very mild but efficient laxative. Milder tea in large doses is given throughout the day for fevers, sore throats, the aches and pains due to colds, flu, and allergies.
Reader Feedback
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Wishing you and your companions the best of health and happiness.
Yours Truly,
Judith Burton for
Robert McDowell
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