Mint herb as you know it maybe the mint you taste in your candy, chocolate or even toothpaste.  But do you know that mint is far more important than just being an additive to food or for cooking purposes?

Mint for one has been used in many cultures as a symbol or warm welcome as they are offered to arriving guests.  In the Middle East, mint tea is served to welcome guests upon they arrive and in ancient Greece, it is customary to rub the leaves of mint on their dining table to show hospitality.

Because of its cool and soothing scent, it is also commonly used as air freshener especially if to get rid of unpleasant odors in homes, temples and synagogues.  It is also popular as a perfume and a bath scent.  But more importantly, mint is also good as home remedy for quite a number of disorders and ailments.

Mint Herb Home Remedies

Mint is more popularly known to relieve indigestion or to help promote better digestion.  For those who usually suffer from indigestion, one of the more common prescription is to drink a cup of peppermint tea every after meal.  On the other hand, menthol, which is a compound in mint and could be obtained from peppermint oil is best known as a remedy for any chest and respiratory system ailment.

However, there’s more to mint than just that.  Mint is rich in vitamins A and C plus it also contains a small amount of Vitamin B12.  It has also some of the essential minerals needed by our body which include calcium, iron, manganese, copper and potassium.  Further, there are other health benefits of mint and here are some of them:

It aids digestion by promote the relaxation of the muscles in the intestine as well as those around the intestine.  It does not only relieve indigestion, it also prevents heartburn and is a good remedy for IBS or irritable bowel syndrome.

It’s menthol chemical substance  eases breathing by clearing the passages and airways of the respiratory system.  Because of this, it is able to relieve congestion and headache brought by colds as well as the other symptoms brought by colds and flu.

Because of its cooling sensation, it is also good for treating minor burns or for skin irritations and itching.  Mint tea on the other hand is good for some skin disorders such as acne as it inhibit the growth of many types of fungus and bacteria.  It is also good in relieving minor pains like sprains and muscle cramps.  It is also known as a good cleansing agent of the blood and it is also a good antioxidant that could prevent the growth of cancerous cells.

 

Anxiety disorders could easily be overcome with these anti anxiety herbs.

Anxiety disorder might not look serious enough but those who suffer from it could attest that it could be an all-consuming condition and not to mention debilitating too.  But the good thing is, this most common conditions that inflict millions of the world’s population is highly treatable.  What’s more, with the right professional help, it is possible to overcome this condition.

There are a number of types of this condition and some of them are Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder.  Treatment usually includes individual or group therapy and learned relaxation techniques.  However, for some patients, anti-anxiety prescription medication such as  benzodiazepines is also recommended.

However, the risk of most of these medication for Anxiety Disorder are the possible side effects which are inherently addictive which could be the cause of alarm for the patients.  As such the case, many try to look for alternative medications especially in herbal medicines that could deliver the same

Calming effect yet without the risk to dependency on these prescription drugs.

Anti Anxiety Herbs

Valerian root is a strong smelling herb which is used as a sedative.  Because of its calming effect, it is also good in relieving nervous heart palpitations and stress-induced high blood pressure.  It is also good for headaches especially for tension headache types and it is also a remedy for insomnia and depression.  It is more popularly available in tablet form although there are also valerian tea or tincture or extract available in an herb store.  You can also put dried valerian herb in your tub for a relaxing bath or you may opt to boil it and inhale the steam.

Chamomile is the more popular remedy especially when you need to calm or sooth frayed nerves.  It relieves tension, anxiety, insomnia, headache or digestive upset which are more commonly connected with stress or tension.  This tea which is from mild-smelling benign flower of the daisy family have been used my many to sooth their senses especially after a long tiring day.

Unlike valerian which can cause hyperactivity and giddiness when taken in a long term basis, chamomile is considered mild thus it is safe even for kids and even infants.  In oil form, it is used to relax restless kids.  It can be also used to relieve the discomfort of colic, as well as fevers and teething in toddlers.  As a sedative, double-strength chamomile tea provides the desired effect while a warm compress can promote drowsiness and sleep in a person suffering from an anxiety disorder.

Other herbs that could relieve anxiety include passion flower which is good also for hyperactivity, nervous tension and insomnia.  It has the ability also to lower high blood pressure.  Lemon balm on the other hand calms the digestive system and reduce blood pressure as well.  Lavender is a natural relaxant and relaxes the nervous system making it an excellent remedy for panic attacks.

With these anti anxiety herbs, controlling and even treating anxiety disorders are now easier and safer.

The different organs of the body are for specific physiological functions necessary for the overall functioning of the entire body. This is a scientific and medical fact. However, from the eastern viewpoint,  specifically the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) point of view, it goes beyond this Western belief because in addition to that, they suppose that the different organs relate to one another in a unique and specific way, e.g. the way the kidney is related to the bladder.

The view about the human body, its different organs and respective functions of TCM differ from the western perspective as the unique viewpoint involves a technique that is both accurate and precise. It anchors on the endless capability of the human body for recovery and rejuvenation through promoting the harmony of the body mind and spirit. In TCM, the zang-fu theory tries to explain the physiological function, pathological changes, and mutual relationships of every zang and fu organ. It consist of five zang and six fu organs where the zang parts function to manufacture and store what they call the body essence – the qi, blood and the body fluids. Yin in nature, the zang organs are also known as the “solid” organs as compared to the fu, which are the “hollow” ones and are considered yang organs. The fu counterparts on the other hand functions to transform the fluids and transport the substances to other parts of the body.

Kidney and Bladder relations

Take the kidney and the bladder as specific example of the zang fu theory. The kidney is considered a zang organ while the bladder is its counterpart fu organ. The kidney is the manufacturer of qi so any disorder in the bladder is attributed to the kidney. Qi and other body fluids including blood are considered as fundamental substances that are necessary for sustaining the bodily functions of the zang-fu organs and tissues.

In TCM, if the kidney qi or the kidney yang is weak, it results to a leaking bladder or a weak bladder that causes frequent urination. They say that when the kidneys are weak, the urine is not good and it irritates the bladder thus resulting to abnormal urination.

In Western medicine, the bladder’s function is to store and excrete urine but the TCM has extended its activities and functions to being involved when fluids are transformed during urine production. The impure fluids in the body is sent from the small intestine to the bladder for storing and excreting as urine. But the bladder’s function is dependent on the kidney yang. The bladder might not have sufficient qi and heat to transform the dirty fluid from the small intestine if there is a deficiency in the kidney yang. The result is too much clear urine that is excreted more frequently or at the worse, incontinence.

Thus, it indicates that a healthy body needs the balance and harmonious working together of the related organs. Any imbalance results to the different disorders in the body which become the different diseases and illnesses.

Milk Thistle herb for your liver health.

The active ingredient of Milk Thistle is silymarin which is known to protect the liver thus this herb has been generally suggested for cure and remedy to liver ailments.  Silymarin is really composed of flavonoids silibinin, silidianin, and silicristin which are believed to repair the damage to the liver cells caused by alcohol and toxic substances that enter the body.  It also protects the new liver cells from being destroyed also by the same toxins.

Liver and Milk Thistle Herb

The liver has multiple function inside the body which include the production of substances that break down fats, production of urea which is the main substance of urine, manufacture certain amino acids which are the building blocks of proteins and are necessary for the different functions of the body, conversion of glucose as well as the maintenance of the proper level of glucose in the blood and the filtration of harmful substances that enter the body which could prove to be harmful.  This includes alcohol, medicines at high doses not easily tolerable by the body and other toxins that are included in the food that we eat. The role of milk thistle in the body is to protect the liver cells from damage from the harmful toxins so that it continues to perform its role at peak performance, thus promoting a healthier body.

Mushroom Poisoning

Traditionally, milk thistle is the emergency antidote for people who have been poisoned by deathcap mushroom or Amanita phalloides. It’s ability to immediately and completely counteract the toxic effects of the mushroom totally remove the negative effects to the body.  It is most effective if administered within 10 minutes after the toxic mushroom is ingested.  If this antidote is given within 24 hours, the risk of damage to the liver by the poisonous mushroom is significantly reduced and even death could be averted.

Milk Thistle Herb as Anti Cancer

Milk Thistle is also believed to be an antioxidant with its anti-cancer properties.  Laboratory results showed that silymarin and the other active ingredients contained in this herb have the ability to stop the cancers cells from replicating and reproducing.  The test tube samples also showed that they have the ability to reduce or cut off the blood supply to the tumors thus rendering death to the cancerous growths or decreasing their life span.  However, it still needs to be tested on the human body to validate the results and check for other potential effects.

Other Liver Diseases

For those suffering from alcoholic hepatitis and alcoholic cirrhosis from of course, alcohol abuse, milk thistle is one of the suggested remedies  to increase the survival rate by helping improve the liver functioning.  Due to its work on the overall health of the liver, it is also suggested for other related liver ailment such as viral hepatitis particularly hepatitis C.  However, the results of tests is not yet conclusive.

For overall health, it is important that our liver is healthy and the sylimarin in milk thistle herb ensures this for us.

There are natural herbs for hair loss that could reverse the process if you act immediately.

Causes of hair loss or thinning hair include stress, hormonal imbalance, thyroid disease, poor nutrition and genetics.  It could also be a result of certain prescription medications or because of medical treatment more specifically, chemotherapy or the treatment of cancer.  However, even if the cause is genetics, hair loss can be prevented using Traditional Chinese Medicine which means, if only people are more aware, there will be less men and women who go bald.

Spanning so many centuries already, the Chinese have discovered many Chinese herbs that promote hair growth and thus have been effective at preventing hair loss.  All these also follow their concept in Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM that involves being able to build blood therefore promoting balanced hormones and restoring Kidney Energy which then directly nourish the blood in the scalp.

In TCM, the hair is believed to be a direct reflection of the Kidney Energy, the Blood and the Liver Energy.  When the blood circulation delivers insufficient amounts of blood, it could result to hair loss.  The liver and the kidney on the other hand play important roles in the flushing out wastes especially toxins from the body.  The condition of the hair follicles depend on blood toxicity thus, higher level of toxicity could lead to unhealthy hair follicles and ultimately hair loss.

Due to these factors, the first thing to do in naturally treating hair loss is ensuring that the quality of blood is maintained through natural herbs like drynaria, sesame, dang gui, lingustrum and fo-ti or he shu wu.  The most important factor though is the immediate intervention or that proper action is done early to limit loss of hair and promote the regrowth of hair the soonest.  Length of treatment is also dependent on the severity of the condition.

Some Natural Herbs for Hair Loss

Polygonum multiflorum he shou wu Fo Ti

This herb is accepted as the best for hair health as it does not only prevent hair loss through promoting healthy hair, it has also the ability to transform grey hair back into black.  This Chinese herb is used as an essence and blood tonic because it cleanses the blood thus it is also not only for restoring the color of hair but also good for nourishing the skin, teeth and nails.

Ganoderma lucidum ling zhi Reishu Mushroom

One of the herbs that has gained popularity recently is the reishi mushroom.  Considered the ultimate herb, ganoderma is best in treating immune disorders but it is also regarded as the best anti-aging herb that’s why this reishi mushroom is also known as the “mushroom of immortality”.

Other Herbs

Thallus algae– kun bu- Seaweed possess minerals that are essential for good health plus beautiful hair, skin and nails while Urtica dioica Stinging nettle is a very nutritious herb that has the necessary minerals for hair growth. Sesame Indicum-hei zhi ma-Black Sesame Seed is a longevity herb that has the essential substances that promotes the healthy growing of hairs and Angelica sinensis – dang gui is known in TCM as an herb for stimulating the Blood and Qi especially if there is blood stagnation due to cold.

But of course, more importantly, a naturally healthy hair starts with healthy habits which include good sleep patterns, regular exercise that includes walking, tai-qi or yoga and well balanced diet of organic foods.

These herbs for hair loss will be more effective if these health habits are practiced and observed.

Simple prescription of kidney cleansing using some important herbs for kidney health.

The kidneys eliminate some substances that are otherwise would cause harm to the body especially when they build up.  Ammonia and urea are specifically toxic while others such as hydrogen, carbon dioxide, heat, some electrolytes and bacterial toxins need to be flushed out as they are considered useless and trash in the body system.

Particularly, the kidneys regulate the amount of ions and solutes in the blood to be able to maintain the blood volume and blood pH.  They are also responsible for regulating the proper amount of water maintained in the body by reabsorbing them and sending them back to the bodily system.  Plus, they also secrete substances that are necessary for stimulating the proper production of red blood cells as well as the enzyme renin which subsequently controls the blood pressure.

All these make the kidneys a very important body part that failure of these pair to function properly could bring the other body organs and system to malfunction or even shutdown completely which of course leads to death.  This is why it is imperative that we maintain the health of our kidneys and never force it to overwork by taking in harmful substances and chemicals which include alcohol, over dosage of medications, etc which in the long run could hamper the healthy functioning of the kidneys.

3 Herbs for Kidney Cleansing

With these herbs that promotes the proper kidney cleansing, it is possible to take care of your kidneys easily.

Uva Ursi or Bearberry –  The antibacterial effect of this astringent herb to the kidneys makes it an effective agent to fight off the possible harmful effects of e. Coli, staphylococcus, proteus, pseudomonas and klebsiella.  This urinary antiseptic is most effective 3-4 hours after taking it and is most helpful for infections such as cystitis, prostatitis, urethritis and dysuria.  However, it is not advisable anymore if the infection has went down to the urinary track or for other kidney diseases.

Horsetail – The high silica content of horsetail makes it a good astringent for the genito-urinary tract as well as for tissue repair.  It promotes an increased volume of urine to easily flush out infectious agents and irritants.  Damage to the ureters, bladder and urethra, and the prostate is also possible because of its ability to protect and for tissue repair.  Moreover, it aids in the decrease of prostate enlargement and is generally used for the remedy of urethritis, prostatitis, cystitis plus incontinence and edema with menopause or arthritis.

Nettle – This highly nutritious herbs that contain ample amount of vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium, potassium, Vitamins A, B2, C and E plus beta carotene and chlorophyll is also very effective in eliminating metabolic wastes especially uric acid from the body.  Thus, more than it’s antibacterial effect that is best for combating and eliminating staphylococci and other bacteria, it is also good arthritis and rheumatic conditions.

Regular cleansing of the kidneys promote general health.  So take note of these herbs for kidney health.

A different view of Endometriosis in TCM and the alternative treatments.

If in Western Medicine, endometriosis is defined as a condition when the endometrial tissue has migrated outside of the uterus and thus it causes pain when the lining of the uterus sheds off during monthly period, in Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is often looked at as the combination of both Blood Stagnation and Qi Stagnation.

Growth of abdominal masses as indicated in this imbalance is believed to have likely begun with the stagnation of Qi that is brought about by the Liver Qi stagnation.  In Chinese Medicine, it is believed that wherever the Qi goes, then the Blood goes too thus when there is Qi stagnation, Blood Stagnation is likely to occur and develop.

Causes of Endomitriosis in TCM

The liver has the ability to control the Qi in the entire body and the Liver organ system is believed to be closely related to the Uterine blood and to the menstrual cycle.  Thus, when there are mass that develops and growths outside of the uterus, the problem could be sourced from Liver Qi stagnation.  So, the usual remedy is to either utilize Chinese herbs that could directly remedy the problem or the alternative is the use of Qi Gong meditation.

In the TCM, it is believed that pain along the lower ribs or chronic abdominal pain or the kind that comes and goes is a manifestation of suppressed anger and resentment.  They believe that the person who is prone to anger and frustration will have this kind of pain as a result.  Thus, using the QI Gong medication techniques  specifically designed to release these emotions is the better kind of remedy.

External Cold Phlegm is another probable cause of endometriosis.  This is a result of prolonged exposure to dam conditions.  Sitting on cold cement or rocks, being in a wet bathing suit for an extended period of time, exposure to the cold climate all contribute to this condition.  When the body could not anymore protect itself through the Weir Qi or the immune system, this internal dampness that is caused by the cold could cause sharp pain in the uterus because the uterine fibroids are heightened by the cold.  The usual remedy in TCM are Qi tonics that are considered Yang and thus are warm to they have the ability to decrease the internal dampness.  However, if the cold and damp have been taken for granted and has developed into Internal Dampness, it takes longer to reverse the condition.

In Chinese medicine, liver is believed to be the cause of even some of the unrelated disorders such as acne or acid reflux.  It is believed that when the liver is suffering or is not as healthy as it should be, it manifests in these ailments plus a hundred symptoms more.  It is believed that liver has many different functions and is one of the extremely active organs in our body.  Some seemingly unrelated disorders and symptoms are its way of manifesting that it could be breaking down.  With a malfunctioning liver, the human body could be in great danger because of the multitude of jobs that it does which include:

• Filtration of the blood to remove harmful and even toxic substances.
• Metabolism or breaking down of fats, proteins, carbohydrates that the body intakes that provide energy and nutrients to the body.  Thus if the liver malfunctions, digestive disorders including acid reflux could be the result.
• Storage of vitamins, minerals and sugar thus a person with diabetes has a malfunctioning liver.
• Production and regulation of cholesterol
• detoxification of drugs and other toxins that could otherwise harm the body.
• production and maintenance of heat for the body that’s why if the liver is malfunctioning, TCM believes that you could either be too much on yang which results to being very hot or too cold which is excessive yin.
• A distressed liver could also be manifested in suffering from frequent headaches usually related to stress and tension.  Skin disorders such as psoriasis and acne, weak tendons, muscles and ligaments could also be a manifestation of a weak liver.

Other functions of the liver includes breaking down and eliminating of excess hormones from the body.  This is why it is also linked to excessive estrogen or testosterone.  If estrogen levels are not properly regulated, some of the possible symptoms and disorders include:

• Risk of gall bladder ailment
• Inflamed blood vessels and blood clots
• Hypertension
• Female cancer including breast, uterine and cervical cancer
• Food cravings and emotional or mood swings

Excessive testosterone on the other hand results to

• Mood swings
• Over aggressiveness and abnormal sexual energy levels
• Reproductive organ dysfunction

The common herbs that are prescribed for the healthy functioning of the liver includes the combination of Reishi Mushroom, Shiitake Mushroom, Hiricium, Milk Thistle Milk Thistle, Cordyceps sinensis, Poria Cocos and Maitake Mushroom.  These herbs that enhances the liver have the capability of balancing fat metabolism and the blood sugar in the body.  Healing properties include promoting the immune system and protection from infections like the hepatitis virus.

Arthritis is one of the most common ailments that afflicts especially a person advancing in years.  Usually, it starts with mild and bearable pain that worsens as time progresses until the pain is too much that it has already incapacitate the sufferer.  Arthritis in truth is a general term that is being used to refer to a myriad of conditions which often involve stiff swollen and very painful joints.   Two of the most common types are the rheumatoid arthritis which debilitates almost 6.5 million people in the US alone and osteoarthritis – a common disorder among older individuals as it is usually an age-related degeneration of the joints, often through wear and tear.  Other types include gout, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, infectious arthritis, temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ), chemically-induced arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

The Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have different ways of alleviating the pain brought by this disease.  As there is really no cure to arthritis, what is commonly prescribed in Western Medicine are anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the swelling and the pain that comes with it.  Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or aspirin and gold compounds; and steroid-based drugs such as corticosteroids and immuno-suppressive drugs are usually the source of comfort of arthritic sufferers.  However, these drugs have side effects when taken long term which includes stomach irritation, gastritis and ulcers

But in the East, the use of Chinese Herbal medicine and/or acupuncture is the usual remedy for arthritic pain.  This has been the method used for more than a thousand year because of its claim of being effective.  It has stood the test of time and it is now challenging the methods in the West.

In TCM, it is believed that the condition related to arthritis is what they call the Bi syndrome which come about as soreness or pain or numbness in the muscles, joints and tendons.  It is believed that the body has been afflicted by climactic factors including Wind, Cold, Heat, and/or Dampness and what the sufferer feel would depend on the type which “invaded” the body.

• Wind Bi or Wind Pattern arthritis is a result of being exposed unprotected to wind for a relative amount of time.  The symptom that the patient feels in this case are joint pain and soreness which transfer from one joint to the other.  The symptoms include limited movement of joints and fever which worsens when exposed to windy weather.  The usual herbs used for this are ledebouriella (Fang Feng), and ephedra (Ma Huang)
• Cold pattern of arthritis on the other hand involves a severe joint or muscle pain usually in a fixed area.  Relief includes applying hot compress in the affected area.  The suggested herb for this in TCM are aconite (Wu Tou), and ephedra (Ma Huang)
• If the pain, swelling and soreness in the joints and muscles includes numbness and heaviness in the limbs, then is it the Damp pattern arthritis.  The pain is usually in a fixed location only which gets worse when the weather is damp.  Coix (Yi Yi Ren), and lancea atractylodes (Cang Zhu) are the prescribed herbs for Damp Bi arthritis.
• Heat Bi could be the worse among all the patterns of arthritis.  Severe pain is accompanied with red hot swollen joints plus thirst, fever and anxiety.  To relieve the pain, cold compress could be applied to the affected area and anemarrhena (Zhi Mu), gypsum (Shi Gao), and cinnamon (Gui Zhi) herbs could be used.

These herbs, as opposed to the conventional medications in the West are usually side effects free even for long term use.

Occurrence of fibroids in women has been on the rise during the last decade. Yet, the exact cause of fibroids can never be pin pointed with certainty.  Most doctors attribute this to stress. Any stress related ailment is difficult to handle making a fibroid treatment a difficult matter.

Stress has become so much a part of our daily living, almost like the air we breathe. We easily get stressed even with the simplest of reasons. Our frenzied way of life these days combined with toxic stress leads to a number of health issues. Most women has the tendency to consume feel good foods especially if they feel low or stressed out. These include high fat processed foods, sweets and caffeine based items. Coffees contribution to the problem is that it tends to tax our liver which is mainly responsible for metabolizing estrogen in the body. This in turn is said to boost the growth of fibroids. If the liver is unable to eliminate the excess estrogen from the system, then fibroids could develop.

In case stress is one of the contributing factors for fibroids here are some tips to keep in mind during treatment for uterine fibroids.

1. Target to reduce stress and keep it at bay. Is this not easier said than done? You can begin your uterine fibroid treatment with silent meditation and simple breathing exercises. Start by doing these for 10 to 15 minutes each day. As you realize its benefit you will automatically increase the duration of these exercises aimed at relieving stress.
2. If you really want to treat uterine fibroids, it is imperative to make some essential changes in your diet. Eating less processed food, red meat and white food is a start. Replace these with organically grown fruits vegetables of which you must take at least 4 to 5 helpings each day. Green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach are useful in fibroid cure. The general rule is to include fiber rich organically grown food in your intake as much as possible.
3. Liver detoxification can also assist in getting rid of fibroids naturally. Acupuncture can help in improving your liver functioning. There are two suggested herbs which are particularly useful in liver cleansing milk thistle and dandelion.

Uterine fibroid treatment requires a holistic approach to eliminate this ailment once and for all. As there is no no single cause yet that could be attributed and identified as the real culprit for fibroids you might need to try different combination of remedies in treatment for uterine fibroids. Natural treatment adopts a multifaceted approach to eliminate each and every probable cause of fibroids systematically.