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 (76 page)

Quercetin may help to prevent heart problems by reducing the oxidation of LDLs (bad cholesterol) in the blood and promoting normal blood pressure levels.  Considered an antiviral, Quercetin has demonstrated effective activity against human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV), herpes simplex, polio virus and respiratory syncytial virus. Quercetin and other bioflavonoids (working in conjunction with vitamin C) are said to be useful for bleeding gums, bruising, varicose veins, hemorrhoids and blood clots.

Quercetin is believed to be an excellent anti-inflammatory that is thought to relieve Celiac problems, eczema, gout and prostatitis, among many other inflammatory conditions.  With regard to Celiac disease, Quercetin interferes with the chemical pathways by which inflammatory hormones are activated and is a useful supportive treatment.  Quercetin also stops the multiplication of neutrophils, the immune cells involved in the production of inflammation-causing hormones, preventing the release of the inflammation-causing bodies known as leukotrienes.  Because Quercetin counteracts the effects of xanthine oxidase, an enzyme that promotes uric acid production, it helps to combat gout.

Quercetin increases the production of collagen and fibronectin, which is good news for those of us who want smoother skin with fewer wrinkles.Recent studies show that bioflavonoids may be a big factor in preventing invasive malignant infection and serious illness.

Quercetin initially gained attention several decades ago when it was found to cause DNA mutations in bacteria, a possible sign that it might actually contribute to causing cancer. Animal research done since that time has been inconclusive, and what little evidence there is in humans does not seem to support this idea. Research in recent years has focused on several possible beneficial effects of quercetin, including its potential role in preventing cancer.

Precautions:

Extremely high doses of Quercetin (many times the recommended amounts) may cause diarrhea. Bioflavonoids are essential for the absorption of vitamin C, and Bromelein will enhance efficacy, and the three can be taken together; on the other hand, Quercetin may enhance the effects of prescription drugs, and they should not be taken at the same time.  Because of lack of long-term safety data, Quercetin is not recommended for pregnant women and nursing mothers. Those who are allergic to benzoic/benzonic acid should avoid this product.

Dosages: 
Take one (1) capsule, one (1) time each day with water at an early to mid-day mealtime.

* * * * *

The American
Rat Root
has been used mainly to
ease digestive disorders
, especially relieving flatulence and stomach cramps. It is also thought to be an effective expectorant that
clears nasal and respiratory passages
, and some herbal practitioners claim it even
clears the mind
.

Plant Description:

Rat Root is a vigorous, reed-like, aquatic plant with somewhat vague origins. Some say that it is a native of Europe; others claim Asia, and it is distributed widely in the temperate regions of the United States, Europe, Eurasia, and northern Asia Minor and throughout the Far East (including India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka).

This perennial plant bears sword-shaped leaves with small yellow and green flowers on a fleshy, cane-like stalk and thrives in rich, wet soil (or shallow water) in a sunny position, reaching a height of five feet.

Although the iris-like plant resembles "Yellow Flag" (a member of the lily family and the reason Rat Root is sometime called Sweet Flag), it is actually a member of the palm family and flourishes in ditches, lakesides and marshy places.

History:

The derivation of Rat Root's botanical name,
Acorus
, is also vague: Some say it is derived from the Greek word,
coreon
, meaning "pupil of the eye," referring to the plant's use to cure eye diseases; others say it is derived from an old Latin word meaning "aromatic plant," referring to the pleasant fragrance emitted from the reeds.

One of the herb's common names and botanical specific,
calamus
, is a translation of the Greek word meaning "reed," and its use in herbal medicine may be traced back to the ancients. Dioscorides prescribed it for eye problems, and in ancient India, practitioners employed it as a candied chewing medicine for coughs and bronchitis. In Europe and England, Rat Root was utilized as a popular "strewing herb" to ward off disease and to add a pleasant fragrance to churches; and the esteemed seventeenth-century English herbalist, Nicholas Culpepper, recommended Rat Root as a "strengthener of the stomach and head." Native Americans had so many medicinal uses for Rat Root that it was actually considered a commodity and medium of exchange.

Plains Indians chewed it for toothache, and the Meskwakis applied the boiled root to treat burns. Some of the Native Americans utilized the herb to increase strength and endurance, while other, more northerly tribes used it to help improve digestion and mental sharpness (echoing Culpepper's earlier recommendations), and the herb was included in the
United States Pharmacopoeia
from 1820 through 1916 and the
National Formulary
from 1936 through 1950. The sweet-scented roots and leaves are used in perfumes, and its pungent, cinnamon-spicy qualities add flavor to candies, medicines, beers and gins, while the same aromatic, bitter roots and leaves are used in herbal medicines. Some of the constituents included in Rat Root are essential oil, choline, soft resin, gum, starch and the bitter glucoside, acorin.

Medical Uses:

Rat Root is an aromatic stimulant that has been used for centuries in many cultures mainly for digestive complaints. It is considered a "stomachic," or substance that stimulates and strengthens stomach function, and is said to benefit digestion, increase the appetite, ease dyspepsia and stomach cramps. The herb is thought to relieve the discomfort of flatulence, as well as check the growth of the bacteria which gives rise to it.

As an expectorant, Rat Root has been used to loosen and expel phlegm from the respiratory tract and is said to be useful in cases of bronchitis and sinusitis. The powdered root was included in snuff to relieve nasal congestion and shock, and in European countries the root was included in lozenges to clear the voice and ease coughs.

Rat Root is considered a parasiticide that has been used to destroy and expel parasites from the intestines (an insecticide is also produced from the essential oil).

As an emmenagogue, Rat Root has been used to stimulate and regulate menstrual flow.

Powdered Rat Root was once smoked or chewed, because it was thought to destroy the taste for tobacco and thus discourage and break the smoking habit.

Rat Root has been used to calm the nerves and act as a mild tonic that restores and nourishes the entire body by exerting a gentle strengthening effect. It was a very important herb in Ayurvedic medicine and was used as a restorative for the brain and nervous system, especially after a stroke.

Used externally, Rat Root has been used to relieve burns, skin problems, eruptions, rheumatic pains and neuralgia.

Precautions:

Pregnant and nursing women should not use Rat Root, as it is considered a uterine stimulant. Overuse (many times the recommended dosage) should be avoided, as it may cause vomiting and further serious problems. The B-asarone content in the essential oil of an Asian variety of the species is thought to be carginogenic and excluded from the American species, but because the FDA labeled all varieties of
Acorus calamus
as unsafe in 1968, further research has been discouraged with regard to the herb's many historic applications. Thus, it is always recommended that any use of Rat Root be conducted only under the care of a qualified health care provider.

* * * * *

The Red Clover
has been called one of "God's greatest blessings to man" and is said to be a
wonderful blood purifier
and cleanser and has been used to treat serious invasive disease, debilitating
wasting diseases
,
excess mucus 
in the lungs and elsewhere,
irritable bowel
,
gout, kidney and liver ailments
, and that is just the beginning! This vitally nutritional, mineral-rich herb is a
great tonic for overall good health
that no one should be without. It even rebuilds worn out soil; imagine what it can do for your body!

Plant Description:

Red clover is a wild plant, which originated from Asia but has spread throughout the world. Red clover is abundant throughout Europe, Central and Northern Asia and has been introduced in North America. As the name
bee-bread
suggests, red clover produce a honey. The roots of red clover have special nodules that house nitrogen-fixing bacteria. These bacteria can grab nitrogen from the air and make it available to the plant. Red clover is widely used as a grazing food for cattle, horses and sheep.

Also:

• can be grown to increase the fertility of soil and control soil erosion
  
• bumblebees and honey bees are attracted to the honey scent and nectar of Red Clover; clover honey is a very popular treat
  
• Keep a lookout for a Red Clover plant with 4 leaves instead of three... its good luck!
  

History:

Red Clover is a hardy perennial of short duration that may be found in abundance throughout Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean area, and it was introduced to Australia and North America (it is the state flower of Vermont). Red Clover is one of about 230 species of legumes that has been an important forage crop since the Middle Ages, and, in fact, Red Clover is
the
most important leguminous forage crop in northern Europe that not only benefits animals, but also rebuilds tired and worn out soil. It is also eaten in salads and included in honey as a flavoring.

Red Clover is an erect-to-sprawling plant with long-stalked, hairy stems, arising from one root and bearing smooth leaves that are divided into three leaflets, hence, its botanical name,
Trifolium
, which is derived from two Latin words
, tri
, meaning "three" and
folium
, meaning "leaf."

The stems bear purple-pink, tubular, fragrant flowers that are borne in globose heads that bloom in the late spring. Red Clover grows to a height of two feet and thrives in moist, well-drained, neutral soil in sun, and the flower heads with upper leaves are harvested in summer as they open and are dried as a sweet, cooling herb that is used in medicinal preparations. Red Clover has been used by herbalists for years to treat various cancers.

Used externally in poultices, it has been employed as a local application for cancerous growths (also leprosy, old ulcers and pellagra). When taken internally, it is said to be helpful for serious diseases of the stomach, ovaries, breast, throat and lymphatic system. It has also been made into a gargle for the relief of esophageal disease, and the National Cancer Institute has substantiated the fact that Red Clover does, in fact, contain anti-cancer properties. It is a deeply rooted plant, which is said to account for its abundance of minerals, and some of the constituents in Red Clover include beta-sitosterol, caffeic and other acids, coumarin, eugenol, flavonoids, methyl salicylate, salicylic acid, calcium, chromium, lecithin, choline, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, zinc, molybdenum, beta-carotene and vitamins B-3, C and E.

Medical Uses:

Red Clover is considered a fine expectorant and anti-inflammatory and is said to be one of the best mucus-clearing sources in nature. This action helps to loosen and expel phlegm from the lungs and chest and is effective in relieving bronchial troubles, inflamed lungs, colds, dry, unproductive coughs, wheezing and bronchitis.

As an antispasmodic and general relaxant, Red Clover helps to relieve spasms of all kinds, including irritable bowel syndrome, whooping cough, nervous and tension headaches, inflamed bowels, stomach and intestines. In addition, the salicylic acid (the natural forerunner of synthetic aspirin) helps to relieve pain and inflammation.

Red Clover is a wonderful detergent and cleansing tonic. It is considered a depurative that purifies the blood by promoting the body's eliminative functions. By encouraging the production of bile, the herb helps to purify the liver, thus cleansing toxins from the bloodstream. The increased bile also stimulates the production of digestive fluids that speed up digestion and the elimination of morbid matter from the stomach and intestines. Red Clover apparently contains the trace element, molybdenum, which is said to play an important role in discharging nitrogenous waste, another aid in cleansing the system of impurities.

As a diuretic, Red Clover further helps to cleanse the body by stimulating the production of urine and helping to flush impurities from the kidneys and bladder and removing waste from the system in the increased urine flow. The increased urine flushes accumulated uric acid and helps to relieve gout and arthritis. In addition, this diuretic action also helps to relieve urinary tract inflammation and irritation.