Herbal Health Information on Poor Circulation

Strictly, the circulation means arteries, veins and capillaries, but this article is about poor circulation due to arterial and capillary health, as the veins are covered in the Varicose Vein article.

Diet plays the most important factor in trying to improve arterial health and therefore circulation.

The good old fashioned “sensible” diet is definitely the one to go for.

Eat complex carbohydrates, such as fruit and veg and wholegrain cereals.

Lean meat

Skimmed milk

Oily Fish

Polyunsaturated oils and Olive oil

Lots of Garlic and Onions

AND WATER.

An example of a day’s menu could be:-

BREAKFAST;- muesli or fruit or wholegrain cereals/ semi-skimmed milk/ fruit juice

LUNCH:- tinned  tuna   and salad or Baked potato with low fat Cole slaw or baked beans or a sandwich made with wholemeal bread and a sunflower or olive oil margarine.

Fruit

DINNER: – lean cooked meat of any sort. Remember lamb and pork have more fat throughout the body of the meat so the fat is harder to cut off when preparing it for cooking.

Any vegetables, any fruits you like, aiming for your 5 portions a day

Try to get out of the habit of having pudding.

Drink plenty of water during the day and no more than three cups of tea or coffee, preferably decaff.

You know I am now going to say EXERCISE!

No you do not have to be Mr or Mrs Super fit of the year but you do need to be exercising regularly.

20 minutes of walking a day or swimming twice a week or a dance class or whatever takes your fancy within your capabilities.  If you are less mobile then ask for some help from your Doctor who should be able to get you on to an exercise programme suitable for your ability. Many hospitals run exercise classes specifically to improve heart and circulation health.

HERBAL MEDICINE

The herbs commonly used to improve circulation are

  • Garlic:- this lowers cholesterol in the blood preventing a build up of cholesterol and also helps clear fat accumulating in blood vessels
  • Hawthorn:- as I have said in the description of hawthorn previously it is  a positive heart restorative and  is a cholesterol and mineral solvent
  • Lime Flower:-amongst all the other wonderful things it can do Lime flower has anti coagulant properties thus helping the blood to stay fluid in the arteries and not giving the cholesterol a chance to stick to the walls. It is also known to help dissolve fatty plaques in the arteries. It makes a delicious tea which has no caffeine and is very low in tannin.
  • Ginger: – used as a warming herb in both western and traditional Chinese medicine because it improves blood flow through the capillaries, which are the small little blood vessels, through which oxygen and nutrient exchange takes place to the body cells. It is easy to make a Ginger tea by grating a half a teaspoon of fresh ginger in to a cup and pouring boiling water on to it. Leave it to stand for 5 minutes, strain and drink.

So that is some good advice to try and keep your circulation in good shape. It isn’t too difficult to do and I have very often had feedback from patients who have had to make life style changes to say they have found it hard to make the change, but had got used to their new regimes quickly and now would not change back.

If you need more help do come and visit me in my clinic. You can find the clinic details by clicking here or on the “clinic” tab at the top of the page.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Herbal Health Information on Chilblains

This is all about temperature regulation and maintaining a good circulation in the hands and feet.

I am keen to write about this as I remember my mother suffering horribly from chilblains and almost crying in pain. We arrived from India in the early fifties and she seemed to just carry on wearing the same clothes, although she insisted on me and my sister wearing Liberty bodices which were the itchiest undergarments ever. She did wear a coat in winter but I remember she carried on wearing her Chappals (Indian open toed sandals). Also we did not have central heating in those days it was one open fire in the living room. So when she came home she would warm her toes in front of the fire and it is these extremes of temperature which causes spasm of the capillaries (surface blood vessels) and inflammation of the skin, with accompanying pain and itching.

I know this sounds obvious but warm clothing, good socks, shoes and gloves will prevent the hands and feet getting too cold. Also avoid heating hands and feet up too quickly if they do get very cold, let them warm up slowly. This avoids the temperature extremes.

The rest is all about keeping the circulation in good condition

Diet plays an important factor in trying to improve arterial health and therefore circulation.

The good old fashioned “sensible” diet is definitely the one to go for.

Eat complex carbohydrates, such as fruit and veg and wholegrain cereals.

Lean meat

Skimmed milk

Oily Fish

Polyunsaturated oils and Olive oil

Lots of Garlic and Onions

AND WATER.

An example of a day’s menu could be:-

BREAKFAST;- muesli or fruit or wholegrain cereals/ semi-skimmed milk/ fruit juice

LUNCH:- tinned  tuna  and salad or Baked potato with low fat Cole slaw or baked beans or a sandwich made with wholemeal bread and a sunflower or olive oil margarine.

Fruit

DINNER: – lean cooked meat of any sort. Remember lamb and pork have more fat throughout the body of the meat so the fat is harder to cut off when preparing it for cooking.

Any vegetables, any fruits you like, aiming for your 5 portions a day

Try to get out of the habit of having pudding.

Drink plenty of water during the day and no more than three cups of tea or coffee, preferably decaff. Caffeine causes constriction of blood vessels so reduces blood flow.

You know I am now going to say EXERCISE!

No you do not have to be Mr or Mrs Super fit of the year but you do need to be exercising regularly.

20 minutes of walking a day or swimming twice a week or a dance class or whatever takes your fancy within your capabilities.  If you are less mobile then ask for some help from your Doctor who should be able to get you on to an exercise programme suitable for your ability. Many hospitals run exercise classes specifically to improve heart and circulation health.

HERBAL MEDICINE

The herbs commonly used to improve circulation are

  • Garlic:- this lowers cholesterol in the blood preventing a build up of cholesterol and also helps clear fat accumulating in blood vessels
  • Hawthorn:- is  a positive heart restorative and  is a cholesterol and mineral solvent
  • Lime Flower:-amongst all the other wonderful things it can do Lime flower has anti coagulant properties thus helping the blood to stay fluid in the arteries and not giving the cholesterol a chance to stick to the walls. It is also known to help dissolve fatty plaques in the arteries. It makes a delicious tea which has no caffeine and is very low in tannin.
  • Ginger: – used as a warming herb in both western and traditional Chinese medicine because it improves blood flow through the capillaries, which are the small little blood vessels, through which oxygen and nutrient exchange takes place to the body cells. It is easy to make a Ginger tea by grating a half a teaspoon of fresh ginger in to a cup and pouring boiling water on to it. Leave it to stand for 5 minutes, strain and drink.
  • Chilli: – don’t try and take this as a tincture or capsules!!! a little chilli in your food once or twice a week will set the blood buzzing and is very warming.

So that is some good advice to try and keep your circulation in good shape. It isn’t too difficult to do and I have very often had feedback from patients who have had to make life style changes to say they have found it hard to make the change, but had got used to their new regimes quickly and now would not change back.

If you need more help do come and visit me in my clinic. You can find the clinic details by clicking here or on the “clinic” tab at the top of the page.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Herbal Health Information on Peptic/Duodenal Ulcers

I am writing about this as a special request from a friend.

However it is important that these are properly diagnosed. Don’t just assume you have ulcers because you have pain in your stomach!

Ulcers can develop in the stomach, where they are called Peptic ulcers or in the duodenum where they are called duodenal ulcers. Both are caused by erosion of the gut lining by stomach acid or by a bacteria called Helicobacter.

The doctor can do a simple breath test for Helicobacter which can be treated with antibiotics.

Erosion by stomach acid is more difficult but can be treated with herbal medicine.

Symptoms include gnawing pain around the stomach which is relieved by eating in the case of stomach ulcers or made worse half an hour after eating for duodenal ulcers. Nausea, vomiting and appetite loss may also be symptoms.

Stress plays a major part in the excess production of stomach acid so if you are suffering stress look at ways in which you can reduce this.

Look at what you can change in your lifestyle even it is something small such as join a Yoga class, take time out for yourself, walk away from a stressful situation and calm down before going back to face it, can you hand a job over to anyone else to do, get a cleaner for the housework, take a holiday. ANYTHING!

The lining of the gut is covered with a membrane which is normally intact and across which digested food gets transported into the blood stream to be used around the body.

There are many foods which can aggravate the gut lining causing inflammation and an area vulnerable to attack by stomach acid.

Diet unfortunately needs to be fairly bland if you have a stomach ulcer. Any high fibre food or spicy food may irritate the stomach. High protein foods such as eggs meat and fish will increase the secretion of acid in the stomach as acid is produced to initiate protein breakdown in the gut. So eat protein in moderation and never eat a meal late at night.

I remember my auntie having a Stomach Ulcer, years and years ago and being told to eat little and often up to six times a day. That is still good advice for a Stomach Ulcer today!

Alcohol will also aggravate the stomach lining and there are some orthodox medicines which can aggravate the stomach lining. The best and probably most widely used of these is Aspirin. If you are on orthodox medication that you think may be irritating your stomach then the doctor will advise you about changing or coming off it.

HERBAL MEDICINE

The approach is to:-

Protect the stomach lining

Reduce inflammation

Heal the damaged lining

Reduce stress if this is a factor

To protect the gut lining we use herbs high in mucilage such as Marshmallow, Slippery elm or Meadowsweet.

To reduce inflammation Meadowsweet or Echinacea

To heal a damaged lining there is nothing better than Marigold

If there is a suspicion of Helicobacter still being present then it is worth putting in an herb with anti bacterial properties, such as Myrrh.

Anti stress herbs are Chamomile, Passiflora, lime flowers and Skullcap.

Valerian, the classic anti stress herb is too strong for many people’s stomach and can cause stomach ache so I do not prescribe it for stomach ulcers.

So a typical herbal tincture for gut ulcers may be:-

Meadowsweet

Marshmallow

Marigold

Echinacea

Lime flowers

These are mixed together in equal amounts and 5mls of the resulting mixture taken in a little water three times a day BEFORE MEALS.

You may find an over the counter preparation for ulcers but do make sure it is a licensed product which has been tried and tested.

If you would like more help with your health then please visit me in the clinic.

The clinic information can be seen by clicking here or on the clinic tab at the top of the page.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Herbal Health Information on Heartburn

A burning feeling in the throat, pain, wind, abdominal discomfort and nausea can all be symptoms of heartburn. Heartburn may also be indicative of a gastric or duodenal ulcer so it’s best to get it checked out with the doctor.

I know I do harp on about diet but really, if you suffer heartburn then you must look carefully at your diet.

Heartburn is caused by the overproduction of stomach acid, produced to digest high protein foods such as meat, eggs and fish.

High fat foods, high protein foods and stress will increase the amount of stomach acid produced.

So diet wise it is better to have a fairly bland diet until the acid levels return to and are maintained at normal levels. A large heavy meal will also increase acid levels and result in you being awake in discomfort for most of the night.

BREAKFAST:-

Bowl of porridge/muesli/ cornflakes or rice krispies with semi skimmed milk.

Do not eat high fibre cereals as the fibre may aggravate an already irritated stomach, especially if you have an ulcer.

Fruit and juices are high in acid so are best to avoid, apart from lemon juice which has an alkaline effect in the stomach.

LUNCH:-

Bowl of soup (but not tomato), or a baked potato, or a sandwich, made with white bread low fat spread and chicken breast or lean ham. Sorry no cheese, which is too fatty.

If you want fruit, pears and bananas are fairly low acid fruits, low fat yogurt is ok but everything in moderation.

DINNER:-

If you can have your main meal at lunch time that is much better for you than in the evening when the digestion is working hard but the body is also trying to shut down for the night

I won’t be too specific here but the usual meat and two veg is good. Make sure the meat is lean and your portion amount is not too big. No fry –ups and don’t add too much fat or oil into the cooking.

Spicy foods, especially Chilli containing foods need to be avoided as they may aggravate the condition.

Foods to avoid are:-

Tomatoes

Oranges

Fatty foods

Full fat cheese

High fibre foods

Acidic fruits and juices

Chilli

Coffee

Alcohol

Herbal Medicine aims to reduce stomach acid levels and coat and protect the stomach and gut lining as well as ensuring good production of other digestive enzymes so that the food is properly digested and the waste eliminated.

There is a plant called Meadowsweet, which I call a wonder herb, alongside chamomile, Yarrow and  Marshmallow.

Meadowsweet grows on the downs near us but really likes to grow near streams or rivers or on marshy land. It is a beautiful plant standing tall with cream coloured feathery flowers which smell of bitter almonds. Although I have seen it on our walks this summer, growing beside a stream at Shinewater Lake, Eastbourne, I have not had time to video it, so that pleasure awaits us next year.

Meadowsweet is anti-inflammatory as it contains salicylic acid, an aspirin related chemical. It is acid reducing due to the Salicin content, the herbalist’s bicarbonate of soda and has protective properties due to its high mucilage content. Marshmallow root and seen in the Cuckmere Valley video has high mucilage content so is also protective for the stomach lining in high acid conditions.

Along with these two herbs it is important to make sure that the rest of the digestive processes are functioning well especially the breakdown of fats. For this purpose I would use, either Milk thistle, which improves liver and gall bladder function, or Chamomile , and seen in the beach video, which improves digestive function and is a tonic to the gut. Chamomile is also calming and soothing for the nervous system and is an excellent herb for increased stomach acid if it is stress related.

You may find over the counter preparations of these herbs but make sure they are licensed products so that you know they have been through rigorous trials.

You are also welcome to visit me in my clinic for help. The clinic details can be seen by clicking here or at the “clinic” tab at the top of the page.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/herbal Health Information.

Herbal Health Information on Athletes Foot

I consider athlete’s foot and Verrucas to be a sign that the immune system is not functioning at an optimum level. A lowered immune system always finds the least point of resistance in the body and something will give.

If your feet are in warm, sweaty shoes that do not allow the feet to breathe then the ever present fungal spores will take hold and grow on the skin of the feet causing itching, flaking of the skin and smelly feet! If the immune system is strong then it will fight the fungal spores and they will not be able to take hold.

Boosting the immune system is very important to help the body defend itself from invading organisms.

Nutritionally it is important to take in large amounts of Vitamin C and Zinc.

Vitamin C is in most fruit and veg, but I have found the best source to be Limes.

Take a fresh lime, cut it in half and squeeze the juice out of one half into a glass.

Fill the glass with cold water and drink it down. A glass a day first thing in the morning will boost your Vitamin C levels. Obviously don’t stop eating other fruit and veg during the day as this will maintain your normal vitamin and mineral intake.

Zinc is fairly low in foods due to modern farming methods and is difficult to absorb. It is therefore essential to have an intake of Zinc daily. It is present in high amounts in Pumpkin seeds, oats, peas and shell fish, but I advise the easiest way of getting Zinc, is to eat about a handful of pumpkin seeds or a bowl of porridge daily. You can buy Pumpkin seeds in any health food shop and large supermarkets. Of course the rest of your diet should be a sensible balanced diet to ensure a good intake of other vitamins and minerals which Vitamin C and Zinc Metabolism (usage) will be dependant on in the body. Drink at least two pints of water a day to help clear out toxins.

Buy shoes which allow your feet to breathe.

HERBAL MEDICINE is used both internally and as a foot lotion.

Internally the traditional immune system boosting herb is Echinacea which stimulates the white blood cells in the blood responsible for removing foreign bodies and also producing antibodies to fight infections.

As a lotion there are two herbs I commonly use in my clinic and these are:-Myrrh (yes the baby Jesus one), and Marigold.

Myrrh is antibacterial, antiviral, astringent (toning) and stimulates the white blood cells locally if used as a lotion. I always like to say that when the three kings gave Baby Jesus the gift of Myrrh, they were giving him the most precious gift of all and that was the gift of Health. I use it in tincture form, but it would have been given to Baby Jesus as beautiful amber coloured beads of Resin collected from sheep’s coats.

The sheep would rub themselves against the bark of the tree and the resin would stick to their wool. That’s just information for a bonus point should you ever get asked in a TV quiz!

Marigold is anti bacterial, antiviral, astringent and the best healer and strenghtener of damaged body tissue. Its Latin name is Calendula officinalis and the “officinalis” bit of the name means it was used by early apothecaries.

Marigold and Myrrh tincture can be used together in equal amounts as a lotion to dab onto the affected areas of the feet. Make sure the tinctures are 1:5 or you will burn your feet. Once you have mixed the two tinctures, dilute the mix down with cool boiled tap water half and half and then use that as a lotion. Make it up freshly every day and dab it on the affected areas three times a day.

If you need more advice about your health please visit me in my clinic

The clinic details can be found by clicking here or on the clinic tab at the top of the page.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Herbal Health Information on Urine Infections

A one off case of a urine infection is easily dealt with, with antibiotics and like any other acute infection such as earache that is the right course of action to take.

It is with the recurrent or chronic urine infections that the herbs can be of enormous help.

This condition can cause burning and stinging on passing urine, frequency of passing urine, a desperate urge to pass urine and is life affecting due to the need to be near a toilet all the time.

You may be surprised to know that urine is normally sterile and used in the past for sterilising wounds inflicted by war. In olden days surgeons used to get the men to wee directly on to the open wounds as it was probably the only sterile fluid around with which to wash the wound out! Bacteria can only enter the bladder from the skin externally via the urethra, which is the tube carrying urine from the bladder to the outside. So no matter how clean you think you are it is worth taking extra care with your personal hygiene if you suffer from urine infections. Unfortunately the vagina lies on top of the urethra and over enthusiastic sex can cause injury to the urethra in women, leaving it more prone to infection, so you may need to be a little careful.

As usual I am starting with dietary advice.

DRINK LOTS OF WATER. Tea and coffee aggravate the kidneys

Do not eat any oranges or tomatoes or drink their juices. These two fruits seem to be too acidic for the urinary system and will irritate the bladder lining.

Cranberry juice is good and stops bacteria sticking to the wall of the bladder.

As with the gut it is a good idea to coat and protect the bladder wall lining to prevent it being further irritated by bacteria. There is nothing better than Marshmallow to do this job.

We saw the Marshmallow growing profusely in the Cuckmere river video, when I explained to you about the mucilage content of the marshmallow. It is this that coats mucous membranes and for the bladder, it is the leaf of the marshmallow that is used.

St John’s wort is antibacterial and anti viral and can be toning for the bladder. Also seen in the Shingle Beach video.

The best urinary antiseptic is an herb called Buchu which I love to smell, as it smells of blackcurrants and is apparently the flavouring used in the old “Spangles” sweets.

The hairy bit that comes out of the top of a corn on the cob is called corn silk and is a diuretic, but also coats and protects the bladder due to its mucilage content.

An irritated bladder also needs relaxing as it goes into spasm causing a constant feeling of wanting to “go”.

We saw Crampbark in the West rise marsh video and I explained it was a muscle relaxant. Well the bladder wall is just a muscle and Crampbark works very well to relax it if it has gone into spasm. Pulsatilla works well as an anti spasmodic to prevent the bladder cramping up.

A typical mix of herbs in tincture form I would use in clinic for someone presenting with recurrent urine infections is:-

Marshmallow leaf

Buchu

Crampbark Pulsatilla

But it obviously depends on what the patient tells me and what the symptoms are.

It is also worth boosting the immune system generally to avoid bacteria taking hold in the bladder and for this there is the trusty Echinacea. You can get this in tincture form or as tablets. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

You will find over the counter remedies with some of the above herbs in them, but make sure they are licensed or visit a qualified Medical Herbalist.

My Clinic details can be seen by clicking here or on the “Clinic” tab at the top of the page.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Herbal Health Information on Back Pain

There is so much written about back pain that I am not going to pretend to know all the latest research, but tell you my experience of helping patients with back pain to achieve a better quality of life.

My approach is exactly the same as treating arthritic joints as it is usually inflammation of the joints in the vertebrae that causes the pain. In trying to work around an area of pain people often use that particular part of the body wrongly which leads to muscle spasm resulting in more pain and so the cycle continues.

Sadly by the time people who sufferer from pain come to see me they have usually had the condition for many years resulting in possible degeneration (breakdown) of the joint lining and long term muscle spasm. They have a long history of taking strong anti inflammatories, pain killers and possibly steroid use. Pain tells us when to stop doing something and if it is masked then there is a possibility the joint is used beyond its capability causing further damage to the joint itself.

So my first advice is to always be aware of the limitations of a painful area and only use it as much as is comfortable.

Join a specialist back exercise class to teach you how to use your back properly. Most public sports centres run these and there is a possibility that your doctor can refer you and pay for you to go to a class.

Diet is very important but different people find their joints may react to different foods. The norm, is to radically reduce the intake of dairy and wheat and never eat any Tomatoes and Oranges. The acid in these two foods is not broken down by the body so creates an acidic environment which is not good for joints and the urinary system. Many back pain sufferers find eating a lot of high protein foods such as meat and cheese will increase inflammation. The message here is to keep an eye on your diet to see if any foods do make your pain worse. If they do, you may have to visit a nutritionist to cut out these food substances but maintain a healthy diet.

Drink loads of water.

HERBAL MEDICINE

Any inflammatory condition I approach in the same way

  • Ensure the digestive system is working well to break down food and eliminate toxins
  • Improve joint circulation
  • Make sure the urinary system is eliminating metabolic (body function) by-products
  • Reduce inflammation

A typical herbal prescription as a tincture would be:-

  • Dandelion root, which improves digestive function and elimination of toxins via the Bowel.
  • Ginger, (very small amounts) to improve circulation to the joints
  • Celery seed, (small amounts) to improve uric acid excretion from the kidneys as well as having anti rheumatic properties.
  • Meadowsweet, a little favourite of mine, which has strongly anti inflammatory properties.
  • Crampbark to relax muscles, preventing them going into spasm and pulling the joints out of place. Seen on the West Rise Marsh video.

This is not set in stone and may vary depending on the patient, what medicines they are already on and the severity of their condition.

There are over the counter herbal preparations for pain and inflammation, but make sure they are licensed products so that you know they have been through rigorous trials.

I do recommend if you have been a back pain sufferer for some time and are on orthodox medicines but want to try an alternative, that you visit a qualified Medical Herbalist who can take all those factors into account and will tailor make an Herbal Remedy specifically for you.

My Clinic details can be seen by clicking here or on the “Clinic” tab at the top of the page.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Herbal Health Information on Anxiety

Anxiety may be caused by stress, tiredness, hormone imbalance, emotional exhaustion. However, people often say they have no stress or real worries but they suffer from bouts of anxiety. Sometimes people suffer anxiety after they have been through a traumatic experience even though this is now resolved. The body may be producing too much adrenaline which is circulating around the body with nothing to do but make you feel anxious. The symptoms include feelings of anxiousness, palpitations, increased sweating and poor sleep.

If stress is a factor then look at your lifestyle to see if there is anything you can change. It is worth sitting down and doing this with someone else as they may be more objective towards your lifestyle than you are.

Look at what you CAN change in your lifestyle rather than focus on what you can’t or what is going wrong. Try making small changes, such as joining a Yoga class, take time out for yourself, walk away from a stressful situation and calm down before going back to face it, handing a job over to anyone else to do, get a cleaner for the housework, take a holiday. ANYTHING!

Stress is not a problem to the body, providing the body has the ability to cope with it which to be fair, we are set up to do via our Adrenal glands. I am sure you have heard of the fight or flight response which either helps you to deal with a stressful situation or get the hell out of there. When the stress is overwhelming the adrenals get exhausted and the body fails to deal with stress well.

First thing to do is look at your diet. A body cannot keep going under any circumstances if it is poorly fed.

Eat three good meals a day:-

Consisting of nutritious foods such as fruit, veg, meat, fish, and a sensible intake of carbohydrates.

I rarely advise people take nutritional supplements, as I am an advocate of complete nutrition through eating sensibly, but the research on vitamin B complex to support the nervous system is overwhelmingly positive.

NOT CHOCOLATE which gives you a short term sugar boost and contains a feel good factor but does not last and may send you in to an emotional low when the blood sugar levels drop.

Drink WATER. At least two pints a day!

Caffeine in tea and coffee is the very worst thing for anxiety as it increases heart rate and may cause palpitations and will definitely prevent you sleeping well.

However, Caffeine is addictive so if you need to come off it, do it slowly, otherwise you will get headaches and feel pretty rough for a couple of weeks. I recommend reducing one cup a day in three day steps, remembering to substitute with water or non caffeine hot drinks such as Rooibos and Chamomile tea.

Exercise is a wonderful anxiety buster, so go to the gym or preferably do something in the fresh air; this will help to use up any excess adrenaline circulating in the body.

HERBAL MEDICINE

The main area which needs supporting is the nervous system.

St. John’s wort, which we saw on the shingle beach video, is a wonderful nervous system supporting and repairing herb as well as having anti depressant properties. Don’t take it if you are on any orthodox medicines.

Valerian is  great for calming both the body and mind and I usually mix that with Skullcap which is excellent at calming the brain down so that it does not go in to those mad thought loops at night when you are trying to get off to sleep.

Don’t forget the humble Chamomile which is very gently calming and helps you get a good night’s sleep and the lime flowers we saw growing in Pevensey church yard in the Pevensey walk video.

Growing in your garden you may have:-

Borage which also supports and restores the adrenals. This can be made into a tea.

Lavender which is great in an herb pillow to help with insomnia and the oil is wonderfully soothing in a bath.

Lemon balm which makes a very nice calming tea.

There are many ways of helping combat anxiety with herbs so do come and see me in my clinic if you would like help.

To find out more about the clinic click here or on the “clinic” tab at the top of the page

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist’Herbal Health Information

Links

Herbal Health Information on Depression

Depression may be caused by stress, tiredness, hormone imbalance, emotional exhaustion and lack of sleep.

Symptoms vary for different people but may include, feeling low, poor self esteem, insomnia, headaches, lack of motivation and lack of confidence.

If stress is a factor then look at your lifestyle to see if there is anything you can change. It is worth sitting down and doing this with someone else as they may be more objective towards your lifestyle than you are.

Look at what you CAN change in your lifestyle rather than focus on what you can’t or what is going wrong. Try making small changes, such as joining a Yoga class, handing a job over to anyone else to do, get a cleaner for the housework, take a holiday. ANYTHING!

First thing to do is look at your diet. A body cannot keep going under any circumstances if it is poorly fed.

Eat three good meals a day:-

Consisting of nutritious foods such as fruit, veg, meat, fish, and a sensible intake of carbohydrates.

NOT CHOCOLATE which gives you a short term sugar boost and contains a feel good factor but does not last and may send you in to an emotional low when the blood sugar levels drop.

Drink WATER. At least two pints a day!

Caffeine in tea, coffee and coca cola, is the very worst thing for depression

as it increases heart rate and may cause palpitations and will definitely prevent you sleeping well.

However, Caffeine is addictive so if you need to come off it, do it slowly, otherwise you will get headaches and feel pretty rough for a couple of weeks. I recommend reducing one cup a day in three day steps, remembering to substitute with water or non caffeine hot drinks such as Rooibos and Chamomile tea.

I rarely advise people take nutritional supplements, as I am an advocate of complete nutrition through eating sensibly, but the research on vitamin B complex to support the nervous system is overwhelmingly positive.

Exercise will help, so go to the gym or preferably do something in the fresh air. I know this is easier said than done as many people suffering from depression have a lack of motivation. Take it in easy steps. Try and do one thing a week for yourself such as go for a walk in the countryside (short walk will do), join a dance class or SING! Or anything that takes your fancy. You will be really pleased at the result and the feeling of self achievement.

HERBAL MEDICINE

The main area which needs supporting is the nervous system.

St. John’s wort, which we saw on the shingle beach video, is a wonderful nervous system supporting and repairing herb as well as having anti depressant properties. Don’t take it if you are on any orthodox medicines.

Passiflora I have talked about in its own little article. It has mild sedative properties and is a relaxant as well as supporting the nervous system.

Skullcap is a tonic nervine as well as being anti spasmodic and relaxing. I use it because it is the only herb I know, which, due to its relaxing nervine properties, stops the brain going in to overdrive and thinking all those horrible “loop” thoughts when you are trying to get to sleep, such as, the shopping list or what activities the children have the next day or what shall I wear to my daughters wedding, or the amount of work piling up in the in tray, etc etc etc.

Orthodox medicine for depression raises the serotonin levels in the brain and I have found a tincture of St. John’s wort, Skullcap and Passiflora has a similar action whilst at the same time repairing the nervous system and restoring it to normal function.

You may find an over the counter preparation with these herbs in, but do make sure it is a licensed product which means it has been through rigorous trials.

One other herb I want to mention to repair and restore the nervous system and as an anti depressant is Oats. As an herb it is the oat straw that is used which can be taken as a tincture, or a bowl of Porridge every morning will help.

Growing in your garden you may have:-

Borage, an uplifting herb which also supports and restores the adrenals. This can be made into a tea.

Lavender which is great in an herb pillow to help with insomnia and the oil is wonderfully soothing in a bath.

Lemon balm, which makes a very nice soothing tea.

Vervain has nervous system and alterative (changing to normal) properties and can be drunk as an uplifting tea.

There are many ways of helping combat depression with herbs so do come and see me in my clinic if you would like help.

To find out more about the clinic, click here or on the “clinic” tab at the top of the page

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist

Links

Pevensy castle walk….lime flowers

Beach walk…………..Chamomile

Herbs and health

Lime flowers

Chamomile

St john’s wort

Herbal Health Information on Fluid Retention

I am only going to discuss fluid retention due to PMS or a sluggish metabolism. Not fluid retention due to heart failure or blocked lymph nodes as these need specialist treatment and you must visit either your doctor or a qualified Medical Herbalist.

Many women suffer fluid retention just before they have their periods or some around ovulation. Men generally do not suffer from fluid retention but I am sure I will now have some writing to me and saying “yes I do”.

Your diet should contain high amounts of Omega oils, so eat your oily fish. Zinc is essential for the proper metabolism of hormones and because it is not well absorbed from the gut, it is important to have an intake of zinc containing foods daily. Zinc is found in pumpkin seeds (yes those that I always say I wish I had shares in) peas, shellfish leafy green vegetables and oats.

Drink plenty of water as this will help clean out the cells and get the lymph flowing well. If the body does not get sufficient water then it can retain what it does get, causing fluid retention! Keep tea and coffee intake to a minimum. Drinking water will also encourage the kidneys to do their job properly.

Here’s the hard part, exercise. Yes I know that you will feel sluggish when you feel bloated and your ankles are swelling but exercise will get the circulation going which in turn will help clear the fluid away from the body cells where it is being held.

Do whatever you can as long as it is getting your arms and legs working or join a gym and get professional guidance.

Herbal Medicine

There are four systems in the body which need support with Herbal Medicine to improve their function:-

Urinary system: – dandelion increases the out put of urine from the kidneys.

Lymphatic system:-goosegrass is the best lymphatic draining herb

Circulation: – ginger will improve circulation to the capillaries where the fluid exchange between the blood and the body cells take place.

Hormones (if fluid retention is hormone related):-

For females Agnus castus balances the hormones. For men Panax ginseng is an adaptogen (changes towards normal). However ginseng should not be taken if you have high blood pressure and should only be taken for three week stretches at a time. Another rule with Ginseng is that it should not be taken an hour either side of tea or coffee.

The above can all be used as tinctures but if you are buying these tinctures over the counter then follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

For more help and advice please visit me in my clinic

You can find the clinic details by clicking here or on the clinic tab at the top of the page

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information