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 (52 page)

Horsetail
is a healing herb, rich in nutrients and high in silica, which helps the body absorb calcium and
promotes strong, healthy nails, teeth, hair, skin
and, perhaps most importantly,
strong bones
. This is particularly beneficial for countering the bone loss and osteoporosis experienced by menopausal women. Horsetail has strong astringent properties that have been used to control internal and external bleeding for centuries, and it also acts on the genitourinary tract to relieve many urinary ailments.

Plant Description:

Horsetail is a resilient perennial, practically unchanged in form since prehistoric times.
  It is descended from giant fernlike plants that covered the earth two hundred million years ago and is widely distributed throughout the world's northern hemisphere in temperate climates. 

At the top of the hollow stem of one variety (which may reach six feet in height), there are spore-bearing structures that resemble horsetails, and the other variety (which grows to eighteen inches in height) looks like asparagus with feathery stems, also resembling horsetails (both of which are used in the same manner). 

History:

Its botanical name,
Equisetum
, is derived from two Latin words,
equus
, meaning "horse" and
setum
, meaning "bristle," an obvious reference to the plant's brush-like appearance.  The aerial parts are used in herbal medicine, and the nutritious plant may also be eaten as a healthy vegetable. Horsetails are easy to grow, and once established are difficult to control. 

The whole plant yields a yellow ochre dye, and its high silica content has made it an effective way to scour metal and polish pewter and fine woodwork, a practice that was employed until well into the eighteenth century.
  Some of the stems concentrate gold in their tissues (not in sufficient enough quantities to warrant extraction), but are said to be indicators for gold prospectors. Galen (A.D. 131-199), court physician to the Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius, recommended Horsetail for a variety of ailments, including internal and external bleeding; and many subsequent cultures throughout the centuries have used it to treat arthritis, bleeding ulcers, and tuberculosis, kidney and bladder ailments.  Native Americans used Horsetail to stanch bleeding and help heal wounds.  The Thompson tribe in British Columbia applied ashes of Horsetail to remedy burns, and Guatemalan tribes have used it for treating abdominal and oral cancers. Many country people are still thought to use Horsetail for stop nosebleeds.  Horsetail is an ingredient in many herbal cosmetics and preparations to strengthen hair and nails and improve the skin.Some of the constituents in Horsetail include a high silica content, beta-sitosterol, campesterol, alkaloids, tannic and other acids, luteolin, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, selenium, calcium, beta-carotene, B-vitamins and Vitamin C.

Medical Uses:

Horsetail is rich in silica, which helps to soothe and strengthen connective tissue.  Silicon is a vital component for bone and cartilage formation, and it helps the body to absorb and utilize calcium, which is of great value in treating fractures and bone diseases, including rickets and osteoporosis.

Horsetail is used to strengthen bones, teeth, nails and hair.
  The improved cartilage helps to lessen inflammation and combat joint pain, arthritis, gout, muscle cramps, hemorrhoids, spasms and rheumatism.  A French company was awarded a patent that includes isolated silica compounds from Horsetail for treating many bone disorders and rheumatoid arthritis.

The beta-carotene content in Horsetail, a compound closely related to Vitamin A and sometimes the precursor to Vitamin A, is believed to be beneficial to good eye health.Researchers have claimed that this nutrient may significantly decrease the risk of developing night blindness, dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea and other eye disorders.

The highly nutritious qualities of Horsetail have been effective in promoting healthy hair and nails. The silicon and magnesium content in Horsetail is said to be very helpful for improving the quality of hair. There are claims that silicon (which may be found in vegetables, fruits, horsetails and oats, etc.) will strengthen hair and cause thickening of nails and hair within weeks.  There are also reports that it promotes faster growth.

As a mild diuretic, Horsetail has been used to promote urination and helps to relieve kidney and gallbladder disorders.
  This is also said to be helpful for edema in some cases of arthritis and swelling of the legs, as well as tuberculostatic conditions. Horsetail is an herb used to treat a urine infection and an enlarged prostate gland in men.The herb is used to reduce urinary tract irritation and help relieve prostatitis, cystitis and urethritis.

Horsetail's further effects on the urinary tract have been used to treat enuresis (bed wetting) in children and incontinence (loss of urine) in adults.
  Horsetail is considered mild enough for use by delicate and weak persons (although not for prolonged periods of time).

Horsetail is a powerful astringent that has made it effective for treating both internal (bleeding ulcers, etc.) and external bleeding.
  Those same properties have been employed to treat urinary incontinence and bed-wetting.

Women may not only find Horsetail beneficial for strengthening bones, hair and nails, but the silica is also thought to promote the growth of collagen (the protein found in connective tissue), which is a great help for improving skin health. Horsetail may be added to skin care products and to anti-ageing lotions.

When used externally, Horsetail has been used to stop bleeding wounds and promote rapid healing. It is thought to be a good wash for swollen eyelids and when used in a bath, will invigorate the body and increase circulation and metabolic rate by feeding the body through the skin.

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

Precautions:
Pregnant and nursing women or men with prostate cancer should avoid Horsetail.  This herb should not be used for prolonged periods of time nor in excessive amounts (many times the recommended dosage). Older adults, children and people with cardiac disease or high blood pressure should not use the herb without first consulting a physician.

* * * * *

Many athletes swear that
Korean Ginseng
gives them a competitive edge; women drink it to alleviate unpleasant symptoms of menopause; and millions of people have used this "wonder herb" to cope with stress and also as a stimulant and tonic.  Researchers claim that it
lowers cholesterol
(especially LDL or bad cholesterol),
acts as an aphrodisiac, improves mental function
and
increases the body's energy and stamina. 
Long considered it to be an overall body tonic, Korean Ginseng is
believed to vitalize, strengthen and rejuvenate the entire body.

Plant Description:

The Mandarin word for Ginseng is
Len seng,
which literally means "Root of Man," and the name Ginseng comes from the Chinese
jen shen,
also meaning Man Root.  This low-growing, perennial shrub, native to the cool-summer regions of China and North Korea, takes at least four years to mature, and it has been a part of Chinese medicine for over five thousand years. 

History:

It was first mentioned in the
Shen Nong Herbal (
compiled between the first and second centuries B.C.) as a superior drug, suitable for long-term use without toxic effects, and it was long considered an "anti-ageing" herb.Another Asian species (
Panax pseudoginseng
) is native to Japan and may be used for the same purposes.Ginseng was traditionally used to curb emotions, stop agitation, brighten the eyes, enlighten the mind and increase wisdom.  The herb was also commonly used by elderly people to improve mental and physical vitality.  The reverence with which some hold Ginseng is reflected in its botanical name,
Panax
, which is derived from the Greek word for panacea or all healing.  Some of the constituents in Korean Ginseng include ginsenosides, kaempferol, beta-sitosterol, campesterol, cinnamic-, ferulic-, fumaric-, oleanolic- and vanillic-acids, olyacetylinic  alcohol, as well as saponins, stigmasterol, calcium, choline, fiber, foliate, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, silicon, zinc, B-vitamins and vitamin C.

Medical Uses:

Korean Ginseng has been known to increase physical and mental endurance, reduce cholesterol, and increase energy.  It is commonly taken to enhance physical performance, prolong life and increase sexual potency. Long before scientists researched its benefits, Chinese herbalists prescribed it to normalize blood pressure, improve blood circulation and prevent heart disease.

With regard to cognitive ability, Korean Ginseng is said to significantly improve abstract thinking. Several studies have found that treatment with Ginseng improved the ability to complete detailed tasks, perform mental arithmetic and improve memory, attention, concentration and a general ability to cope.
  Furthermore, it is said to improve reaction to visual and auditory stimuli, as well as visual and motor co-ordination.

Korean Ginseng has long been reported to be an aphrodisiac:
  Chemicals in Ginseng are thought to stimulate the part of the brain known as the hypothalamus to direct the production of hormones that stimulate cell growth and healing in the sex organs.  It is also believed to promote better blood circulation within the penis, and an Italian study found that Ginseng use increased testosterone levels, as well as the number and motility of sperm cells.

Korean Ginseng is considered an "adaptogen" in that it normalizes body functions during stressful or other situations that would alter those functions, helping the body to adapt and return to an overall sense of well-being. Dr. I. Brekhman, a Soviet scientist, was the first to describe this unique ability to normalize body functions.
  For example, if blood sugar levels drop too low, or blood pressure climbs too high, an adaptogen will aid the body's return to normal function.

Korean Ginseng is thought to prevent liver damage in people who have been exposed to various drugs and toxins. It has also been used to help in withdrawal from methamphetamines and cocaine.

When taken in lower doses, Korean Ginseng (like American Ginseng) acts as a sedative, and in higher doses, it is a stimulant.

Many women have claimed relief from hot flashes and other discomforts of menopause when taking the herb.
  Lab studies indicate that it increases ovarian estrogen production in early menopause.

Korean Ginseng is said to enhance the breakdown of alcohol in the body and therefore may shorten a hangover.
  The herb may also help improve drug or alcohol-induced liver dysfunction in older adults.

Panax
Ginseng has been used to help the digestive system and stimulate the appetite, and some herbalists have used it with some success when treating anorexia. It is also said to reduce digestive upset caused by emotional stress and inhibit ulcer formation.

Korean Ginseng may be very beneficial to good heart health:
  Studies in Japan have shown that taking
Panax
Ginseng will lower LDL or "bad" cholesterol and raise the beneficial HDL cholesterol.

This action is believed to increase blood circulation, reduce blood pressure and reduce the risk of strokes, arteriosclerosis and heart attacks. Long before scientists researched this herb, Chinese herbalists prescribed it to normalize blood pressure, improve blood circulation and prevent heart disease.  Modern tests have shown that Korean Ginseng slows the heart rate and reduces the heart's demand for oxygen.  It is also said to increase the strength with which the heart muscle can contract, and protects the heart from myopathy, a weakness or wasting of the heart muscle.

With regard to invasive disease, Japan's Kanazawa University's preliminary research found that unpurified
Panax
Ginseng's saponins (or ginsenosides, the main active ingredients in Ginseng) not only inhibited the growth of malignant cells, but also actually converted the diseased cells to normal cells. Polyacetylinic alcohol, a compound in Korean Ginseng is said to retard cell reproduction in tumors, and the ginsenosides in the herb have been found to induce cell differentiation, a prelude to natural cell death in leukemia cells.  Another Korean study found that Ginseng destroys malignant lung cells that are resistant to standard chemotherapy drug treatments.  It is also thought to protect against the effects of radiation exposure.

Non-saponin constituents in Korean Ginseng root appear to be responsible for its ability to lower blood sugar in diabetics. People with Type-2 diabetes often find that after two weeks of consuming Ginseng their blood-sugar levels go down considerably, and it may reduce insulin requirements and prolong the effect of injected insulin.
  Diabetics should take Ginseng
only under a physician's supervision.