The Complete Herbal Guide: A Natural Approach to Healing the Body - Heal Your Body Naturally and Maintain Optimal Health Using Alternative Medicine, Herbals, Vitamins, Fruits and Vegetables (45 page)

The herb has been effective on the immune system by stimulating the body to produce immune bodies known as B-cells. These cells produce complex chemicals known as antigens that attack invading microbes.

Agrimony has a reputation for treating jaundice and other complaints, giving tone to the digestive system and promoting the assimilation of food.

The chemical compound agrimophol, which is a component of Agrimony, has the ability to expel parasites by causing them to lose their hold on the lining of the bladder or intestine and become evacuated with urine and stool. That same substance also kills the organism that causes river blindness and many common bacteria such as
E. coli, Staphylococcus,
and other bacteria that cause dysentery and typhoid fever.

Dosages:
Take two (2) capsules, one (1) to two (2) times each day with water at mealtimes.

Precautions:

While Agrimony is effective treatment for diarrhea, it may aggravate constipation, and blockage can result if Agrimony is taken at the same time as Psyllium powders (Metamucil) or with prunes or prune juice. It is not recommended during pregnancy. People with lupus, myasthenia gravis or any other autoimmune disease should avoid Agrimony.

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Eliminate bloating and water retention
with
Alfalfa Leaf -
the "
Father of all Foods
." This excellent source of nutrients will help
boost a sluggish appetite, relieve constipation and the swelling
 that often accompanies rheumatism and arthritis.  It is most helpful in treating
kidney and urinary tract infection
and will
help detoxify the body, especially the liver.

History:

First discovered in Persia around 500 B.C., Alfalfa reached Mediterranean Europe by way of the Greeks, who planted it as early as 490 B.C.
  Since the Medes of ancient Persia are believed to have been the first to cultivate the plant, it was given its botanical name,
Medicago sativa
, which is translated from Latin, meaning, "sowed by the Medians."

Alfalfa was being cultivated in England by the sixteenth century, where it was used to soothe and strengthen the body, and arrived in the American Colonies by 1736, where it was used mainly to treat upset stomach.  Native Americans employed ground Alfalfa seeds to thicken and enrich their diets and ate the leaves as tasty greens. The Eclectics, physicians who used herbal therapies in nineteenth-century America, used Alfalfa asa tonic for indigestion, dyspepsia, and anemia, loss of appetite and poor assimilation of nutrients.

These physicians also recommended the alfalfa plant to stimulate lactation in nursing mothers, and the seeds were made into a poultice for the treatment of boils and insect bites. Alfalfa is a perennial plant that can be cultivated almost anywhere, even in dry regions, and thrives as a crop in light, well-drained-to-dry, neutral-to-alkaline soil in sun.

Bushy Alfalfa may reach about three feet in height with roots that may grow to 130 feet into the soil, allowing exceptional access to a quantity of nutrients: rutin, silicon, zinc, calcium, copper, choline, foliate, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, saponins, alpha-carotene, beta carotene (useful against both heart disease), as well as B-vitamins and vitamins A, D, E and K. Alfalfa leaves contain eight essential amino acids and are a good source of chlorophyll, and they also contain flavones, isoflavones, sterols and coumarin derivatives.

Medical Uses:

Alfalfa is a good laxative and natural diuretic that promotes urine flow and is often used to treat urinary tract infections and eliminate excess retained water.

Alfalfa is especially useful for replacing vitamin K that is depleted during treatment with a wide variety of drugs, including antibiotics.

Alfalfa acts as a blood purifier and has helped many arthritis sufferers. The action as a detoxifier and blood purifier has been found to be beneficial for a variety of illnesses, including liver disorders, breath odor, and infections, disorders of the bones and joints and skin ailments.

Alfalfa has an alkalizing effect on the body. It is a great source of mineral supplements that are all alkaline, which has a neutralizing effect on the intestinal tract, thereby easing digestive problems, such as upset stomach, gastritis and indigestion.

Alfalfa contains a high calcium and magnesium content, and studies have shown that migraines may be prevented and/or reduced when these two minerals are combined. All the minerals are in a balanced form, which also promotes absorption.

Herbalists have long used Alfalfa Leaf to treat ulcers, as the bioflavonoids found in Alfalfa reduce inflammation of the stomach lining and build capillary strength, while Alfalfa's vitamin A helps to maintain the stomach's overall health. The herb's enzymes aid in food assimulation. During the Han Dynasty (200 A.D.), Alfalfa was used to treat ulcers and continues in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to strengthen the digestive tract and stimulate the appetite.

Alfalfa is said to lower cholesterol and prevent the formation of atherosclerotic plaques (by blocking cholesterol's absorption into the body from the intestines), balance blood sugar (especially when taken with manganese) and promote pituitary gland function.

Alfalfa is an immune-system stimulant that promotes normal blood clotting; and the vitamin K content helps treat bleeding gums and nosebleed, but does not interfere with normal circulation. The bioflavonoids found in Alfalfa are believed to build capillary strength.

Alfalfa contains phytoestrogens, and the herb has had some estrogenic activity in women whose own sex hormone production has declined; thus Alfalfa has helped many women with the discomforts of menopausal symptoms, particularly hot flashes. The phytoestrogens appear to reduce the risk of estrogen-linked disease, including serious breast problems). The Vitamin K2 found in Alfalfa may also partially prevent bone loss caused by estrogen deficiency.

Dosages:
Take two (2) capsules, two (2) to three (3) times each day with water at mealtimes.

Precautions:

Alfalfa should not be taken by those who have autoimmune problems (lupus, etc.), nor should it be taken by pregnant women.Ingestion of very large amounts (the equivalent of several servings) of the seed and/or sprouts or supplements has been linked to the onset of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the autoimmune illness characterized by inflamed joints and a risk of damage to kidneys and other organs. The chemical responsible for this effect is believed to be canavanine. Those taking prescription anticoagulants such as Coumadin, etc., should avoid this herb.

* * * * *

Allspice relieves colic, flatulence and other digestive disorders
 with
Allspice. 
Long used as a flavoring and scenting agent, the herb is an aromatic stimulant and carminative for the gastro-intestinal tract. Allspice is a natural source of beta-carotene and other important nutrients and
acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
.

Plant Description:

Native to the Caribbean Islands (most notably Jamaica), South and Central America, Allspice is an evergreen tree that grows to a height of fifty feet. It is a tender, aromatic tree with thin, oblong, leathery leaves and small, white flowers that bloom in the spring and summer.

The flowers are followed by the dark brown berries that are so important in herbal medicines and cuisines, and the tree thrives in rich, well-drained, sandy soil in sun at a minimum of fifty-nine degrees Fahrenheit.

History:

Allspice was discovered growing in Jamaica by early Spanish explorers who were impressed with the taste and aroma of the leaves and berries, and it has been in continuous production there since about 1509. Because Allspice resembles peppercorns, it was named
pimenta
by the Portuguese and
pimienta
by the Spanish - both meaning pepper. Used mainly as a spice and condiment, Allspice was in great demand as a soothing anesthetic in baths to relieve sore muscles and made a stimulating spice plaster to relieve rheumatism and neuralgia.

At the end of the nineteenth century, it became fashionable to have umbrellas and walking sticks made of pimento, leading to strict enforcement of controls that saved the young trees from disappearing altogether. Allspice, with its flavor of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg, has always been an important spice and condiment and was added to mulled wine and curry, among other dishes. It has also been used widely to improve the flavor of commercial medicines. The main constituents of Allspice are the volatile oils found in its seeds and phenol eugenol (which doubtless gives it its clove-like odor). Some of the other constituents include a fixed oil (bonastre), tannin, gum, resin, malic and gallic acids, lignin, and it is also a natural source of beta-carotene and other important nutrients.

Medical Uses:

Allspice is an aromatic stimulant and carminative for the gastro-intestinal tract. As such, it has been helpful in treating diarrhea and also helps to correct flatulent indigestion and the “griping” tendencies (sharp pains and grumbling in the bowels) often associated with the use of laxatives.

As a pungent, warming herb, Allspice has a tonic effect on the digestive system, improving digestive disorders, such as dyspepsia, colic and indigestion, and is also known to pep up a sluggish appetite.

The essential oil in Allspice is considered a tonic for the nervous system and exerts a gentle, strengthening effect on the nerves. It believed to be useful in the treatment of nervous exhaustion, hysterical paroxysms and convulsions.

Allspice is considered an antioxidant or substance that prevents free radical or oxidative damage to body tissue and cells.

Allspice is very warming and when used externally helps to relieve chest infections and the pains of rheumatism and muscle soreness.

* * * * *

Cleopatra used
Aloe Vera
as a beauty treatment, and today this remarkable emollient is still used to smooth wrinkles, heal skin irritations, soothe burns (including sunburn) and draw out infection from wounds. Aloe Vera has attracted the interest of modern physicians for its ability to heal radiation burns. Taken internally, Aloe Vera is a powerful laxative, anti-inflammatory and promotes healing. Aloe Vera is a natural source of beta-carotene, minerals, amino acids and the important antioxidant vitamins (A, C, E and B1, B2 and B3).

History:
For more than 3,500 years, healers and physicians have sung the praises of this fragrant desert lily.

Pictures of this juicy, succulent plant have been found on the walls of the temples of Egypt, where it was believed to have been used in the embalming process. Alexander the Great was reputed to have conquered the island of Socotra in the fourth century B.C., in order to acquire the beautiful violet dye produced by the species of Aloe (
socotrine)
grown there.

The Greek physician Dioscorides wrote of its benefits to heal wounds and treat hemorrhoids, and the Romans also used the plant to help heal wounds. Aloe originated in southern Africa, and many varieties of this perennial are now cultivated throughout Africa, the Mediterranean and Caribbean regions, and in many countries of South and Central America and Asia. Although there are nearly five hundred varieties of this perennial plant, only
Aloe Vera is
considered to be the "true" curative healer. Some of Aloe Vera's constituents include beta-carotene, beta-sitosterol, lignins, saponins, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, amino acids and the important antioxidant vitamins (A, C, E and B1, B2 and B3).

Medical Uses:

Aloe Vera is a powerful laxative and known to be one of the finest body cleansers, removing morbid matter from the stomach, liver, kidneys, spleen and bladder and is considered to be the finest colon cleanser known. It will not promote "gripe" (sharp pains and grumbling in the bowels) when used as a laxative, and it is also less likely to cause dehydration from such use.

Aloe is potentially helpful in the treatment of Type-2 diabetes and does not cause weight gain, a common side effect in some diabetes medications. The herb also promotes the absorption of nutrients through the digestive tract and normalizes blood sugar.

Indian Ayurvedic physicians highly recommend the use of Aloe internally as a drink that acts as an astringent for hemorrhoids, in addition to stimulating fertility in women.

In test tube studies, acemannan, a potent immune-stimulating compound found in Aloe, was shown to be active against HIV.
  In people with AIDS, it soothes the lining of the digestive tract, increasing nutrient absorption. University Maryland researchers found another compound in Aloe, aloe-emodin (responsible for its laxative effect), which appears to kill the viruses that cause herpes and shingles.

Aloe juice also contains aloemannan, a complex sugar that concentrates in the kidneys, stimulates the growth of healthy kidney cells and slows rate of crystal formation.