Do you know how to get the optimum from your herbal medicine?

Hi folks,

I just wanted to let you know that I have made my first batch of summer spray for the season – a natural bug repellent.  It does a great job of deterring those pesky biters, but is pleasant to use.  If you are interested in purchasing, then send a message to info@elderberryherbals.ca, or call the clinic at 705-775-0255.

My son has asthma.  What can I do?  – L.W. son 3 yrs old

Asthma has many possible triggers. Most commonly: allergies (pollen, dust, animal fur, milk products, wheat, eggs, oranges, artificial colouring, flavouring and preservatives,) irritation (smoke, moist atmosphere or chemicals,) infection, emotional factors (disharmony at home or school or anxiety from having asthma attacks,) inherited disposition or digestive disturbances, which can can irritate the vagus nerve feeding both the stomach and the bronchial tubes leading to constricted chest muscles.

It may take some detective work to root out the cause(s) of your child’s asthma.  Reducing their exposure is key.  The medications that your son is on are important to helping him to breath when he is having an attack – do not discontinue use, as it can be life threatening.  However, until the root problem is discovered, it may be difficult to resolve the asthma.

Treatment of asthma should have a varied approach.  It is important to use herbs that boost the immune system (chamomile, garlic, licorice, wild yam, yarrow), with herbs that relax the bronchi and expel mucous (elecampane, hyssop, mullein, thyme) and herbs that are soothing to the lungs (borage, comfrey, marshmallow, mullein, plantain).  Herbs that support the nervous system are also important (chamomile, hops, linden, skullcap.)

Foods which are an important part of the daily diet are:  High in inulin (unrefined sunflower oil, garlic, onions, leeks, artichokes, bananas, honey), High in Vit. A (carrots, spinach, peas, beets, fish liver oils, watercress, apricots,)  High in calcium (green vegetables, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, beans, bony fish) and High in Vit. C.  It can help to have warm drinks of lemon (or 1 tsp apple cider vinegar), honey and water to clear mucous.  Avoid excess dairy, wheat, sugar and foods with additives.

Asthma is a serious condition.  There are ways to support a child with this illness, however, professional help is advised.

Marianne Beacon, RH, Registered Clinical Herbalist
For Appointment, call 705-775-0255 or  info@elderberryherbals.ca

Securing a definition of a herbalist is a little like nailing jello to a tree.  There are as many ways to describe an herbalist as there are an artist.  I find beauty in that fact.  Humans have relied on herbs for healing since pre-history and there are active and vibrant herbal traditions on every inhabited continent.  The World Health Organization states that 80% of medicine practiced world wide is herbal.  There is as much diversity in herbalism as in culture itself.
Simply put, a herbalist is a person who uses plants as a healing agent for human suffering.  (This includes, but is not limited to physical suffering.)  The way they go about doing that is style.  There are herbalists who grow out of a Western, Chinese or Ayurveydic tradition, or have come to blend these traditions into an eclectic style of their own.  Some herbalists come from a scientific perspective, some focus on the spiritual approach.  Some spend their entire careers working with the plants themselves, harvesting medicines for others and some have spent little time in a garden, with all their attention in clinic, working with people.  Still, there are others who have literally grown up with herbalism, their training coming from witnessing a parent healing with plants.
The thing that ties us all together are the plants.  Plants have an intelligence that is unique.  Science is not able to replicate the complexity that exists in plant structure.  Pharmaceuticals often use plant derivatives, however, I believe this severs the healing potential.  Whole plant medicine offers healing that is as evolved as our own bodies.  Any ailment which can be experienced by the human body, can also be eased by plants.
I am trained in the Western Herbal Tradition.  It is my job to match the best herbs for a person’s concerns, but really, it is the herbs and the person who do the work.  The aim is to rely on herbs, nutrition and lifestyle to address a person’s well-being, so supplement use is limited.  I focus on the person as a whole, rather than the person with an illness.  Every aspect of a person’s life deserves attention.
The tools of my trade are teas, tinctures (herb qualities extracted with water/alcohol,) herbal oils and salves, but often I feel the listening ear is the most important one.  In todays fast paced environment, often there isn’t time given to discovering really what is going on.  For true healing, the root cause needs to be addressed for any illness.
Over the past year, I have been writing this column [for The Link], focusing on individual herbs.  I would like to shift this slightly.  I invite your questions, so that this column can be an “Ask a Herbalist” column.  Obviously, I cannot treat under these circumstances, however, I would be able to provide some ideas of how to approach a given situation.  Please send your questions to info@elderberryherbals.ca, and I will do my best to answer as many queries as possible.

Phytoestrogens are plant components which have the same receptor sites as estrogen.  That means they can hook up to the same receptor sites in our cells.  Unlike the estrogen that our own body produces, phytoestrogens are much smaller in effect.  This means that when there is too much estrogen in our body, phytoestrogens will hold the place of an estrogen receptor site and render it inactive.  During times of too much estrogen, the body will not recognize it as estrogen.  However, during the times of life when there is not enough estrogen (ie. post-menopause) using phytoestrogens can have the opposite effect.  The phytoestrogens will attach to the estrogen receptor sites, but because there is little naturally made estrogen available, the body recognizes it as estrogen.  So, it can have the effect of increased estrogen in the body.

Then there are xenoestrogens.  They are chemical constituents found in common pollutants (such as gasoline, plastics, pesticides) that we ingest through our foods, water or breath in through our air.  Xenoestrogens can bind to the same receptor sites as estrogen and phytoestrogens.  Unfortunately, they do not benefit us in any way.  Some studies have shown that any given xenoestrogen may not adversely affect us on its own, however, it has also been shown that two or more in combination can have 1000 times the effect.  These chemicals are unpredictable, and all the possible results of coming into contact with them are not fully known.  We simply have not had the time to fully study the question.

We are not able to completely avoid these contaminants, which is another good reason to use phytoestrogens.  Again, phytoestrogens will use up receptor sites, which in turn, diminishes the effects of xenoestrogens.  Some foods and simple herbs to turn to when looking for phytoestrogens are as follows:

Phytoestrogenic foods are the basis for a healthy diet and a long life. The first food listed is the highest in phytoestrogens. The best diet contains not just one but many choices from each list:

Whole grains (rye, oats, barley, millet, rice, wheat, corn)
Edible seeds (buckwheat, sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, amaranth, quinoa)
Beans (yellow split peas, black turtle, baby limas, Anasazi beans, red kidney beans, red lentils, soy beans)
Leafy greens and seaweed (parsley, nettle, kelp, cabbage, broccoli, kale, collards, lamb’s quarter)
Fruits (olives, cherries, grapes, apples, pears, peaches, plums, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, salmon berries, apricots, crab apples, quinces, rosehips, blueberries)
Olive oil and seed oils
Garlic, onions and their relatives leeks, chives, scallions, ramps, shallot

French beans, rice, apple seeds, licorice, and pomegranate seeds contain the “weak” estrogen called estrone.

Phytoestrogenic food-like herbs are generally considered longevity tonics. For optimum effect, use only one from the list below and to stick with it for at least three months.
Citrus peel, dandelion leaves and/or roots, fenugreek seeds, flax seeds, green tea, hops, red clover, red wine.

Phytoestrogenic herbs are quite powerful for long-term use. It is best to consult with a professional when using these herbs medicinally to alter your hormonal balance.
Agave root, black cohosh root, black currant, black haw, chasteberries, cramp bark, dong quai root, devil’s club root, false unicorn root (which is endangered), ginseng root, groundsel herb, licorice, liferoot herb, motherwort herb, peony root, raspberry leaves, rose family plants (most parts), sage leaves, sarsaparilla root, saw palmetto berries, wild yam root, yarrow blossoms.

Airborn allergy testing is now available at Elderberry Herbals. With an easily administered, non-invasive skin test, find out if you are allergic to tree pollen, grass pollen, ragweed pollen, other weed pollen, cats or dust mites. Results within 20 minutes. Follow this up with a non-invasive homeopathic treatment protocol which helps to treat the root cause of the allergy. Testing and treatment has been studied rigorously, practiced in Europe for decades and is recognized by the World Health Organization. Results of treatment are usually seen within 3 months, however, many report a reduction in symptoms within the first few weeks. For those suffering seasonal allergies,
Feb/March is an ideal time to start treatment.  To see reports on clinical trials or for more information on Pollenguarde allergy testing and treatment, go to www.pollenguarde.com.
Allergy testing clinics will be held at Elderberry Herbals clinic on Feb. 6, Feb 28, March 28 or as part of a booked appointment.
For more information, call 775-0255.

Marianne