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Herbal Health Information on Stretch Marks/Scarring

January 23, 2012 by Leave a Comment

One of my daughter’s friends had a baby recently and apart from the usual “congratulations it’s a girl” card I gave her a lump of pure Cocoa Butter.

When I had a shop in Slough, the West Indian Ladies used to come and tell me great tales of folk medicine in the West Indies and the Bush teas their mothers and grandmothers made. They also told me about Cocoa Butter which they said was the best thing for clearing up any scarring of the skin and keeping the skin supple.

Since then I have told every pregnant person to rub Cocoa butter on their tummies and to use it after the birth of the baby to help the wrinkly tummy skin return to normal.

Cocoa Butter in its natural form is a creamy coloured solid at room temperature. When you rub it on your skin, the warmth of the body melts it and you can spread it all around quite easily.

I stock it in my clinic or you may be able to buy it on the internet.

That’s all that needs saying on that subject. Nice and easy.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Filed Under: Health Conditions Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Herbal Health Information on Persistent Coughs

January 23, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I will not see someone with a persistent cough unless it has been first investigated by the orthodox profession, because of the implications a persistent cough might have.

However if it has been diagnosed as having no known cause then it is well worth treating a persistent cough with herbal medicine as there are several herbs that have an excellent cleansing action on the lungs and respiratory system.

Persisting irritating coughs may have several causes

Catarrh

Dry throat

Allergy

Excess stomach acid

The respiratory system is very vulnerable to external irritants and the first course of action is to protect it from the external environment.

Marshmallow is the herb that does this. We saw the marshmallow on the Cuckmere river walk growing in profusion on the river bank and in the treatment of IBS. It is high in mucilage which coats and protects mucous membranes. The marshmallow leaf is used for the protection of the lungs.

The lungs are just an open space and it is difficult to cleanse a space, but any herb that contains a volatile oil (evaporates on warming) will clean the lungs.

Garlic must come top of the list for this, as it is anti bacterial, antiviral, stimulates the immune system has an anti histamine type action is antispasmodic and an expectorant (helps to cough up gunk). Wow! There you have all you could ever want in one plant to treat most lung infections and irritations.

Thyme, which we saw on our walk on the downs video, is another excellent herb for coughs. It has very strongly anti bacterial and viral properties and the active ingredient is in the Volatile oil breathed out through the lungs, cleansing the airspaces and the linings on the way through

An allergic cough needs to be treated by a professional as the herb of choice for this is Ephedra, a restricted practitioner only herb.

Eyebright and horsetail tone all mucous membrane linings and Horsetail, which I will be showing you in one of my future walks is high in Silica which helps with tissue healing and strengthening in all mucous membranes.

It is always worth reducing dairy intake if you have a persistent cough as dairy is Catarrh forming which may cause aggravation in the whole respiratory system. Whilst we are on the subject of diet (you notice I tried to slip it in quietly), to heal any body tissue you must have a good intake of Vitamin C and Zinc. Vitamin C from any fruit or Veg and Zinc from pumpkin seeds, peas and oats.

Persistent coughs usually respond well to herbal medicine so it is worth visiting a qualified medical herbalist to help get it treated. For my clinic details, please click here or on the tab at the top of page.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist

Filed Under: Health Conditions Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Herbal Health Information on Hops

January 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment

SOME INTERESTING FACTS:

• MALE AND FEMALE FLOWERS ON SEPARATE PLANTS

• THE ROMANS ATE THE YOUNG SHOOTS AS AN ASPARAGUS LIKE VEGETABLE.

• FERMENTED MALT HONEY AND OTHER HERBS (GROUND IVY/MARJORAM/HEATHER/YARROW) WERE THE ORIGINAL BEER MADE BY THE SAXONS AND DANES CALLED OL /ALE

• DUTCH FIRST STARTED USING HOPS TO MAKE BEER IN 14TH C AND THEY WEREN’T USED IN ENGLAND TO UNTIL THE 16TH C

• AS THEY WERE SO BITTER HENRY THE V1 BANNED THE PLANTING OF THEM AND HENRY V111 FORBADE BREWERS TO PUT IT INTO ALE, PARLIAMENT HAVING BEEN PETITIONED AGAINST HOPS AS A WICKED WEED THAT WOULD SPOIL THE TASTE OF THE DRINK AND ENDANGER THE PEOPLE.

• IT WAS EDWARD V1 WHO EVENTUALLY GRANTED HOP GROWERS PRIVELEGES AND THE REST IS HISTORY!!

• KENT SURREY HAMPSHIRE AND SUSSEX WERE THE BIG HOP GROWING AREAS IN THE U.K.AND HOP PICKING IN KENT WAS TRADITIONALLY DONE BY WHOLE FAMILIES FROM LONDON GOING TO PICK HOPS FOR THE SEASON.

• MEDICINALLY HOPS HAVE BITTER PROPERTIES SO ARE EXCELLENT FOR DIGESTION.

• THEY ARE ALSO SEDATIVE NERVE TONICS.

• I USE THEM IN MIXES TO HELP PEOPLE RELAX AND SLEEP.

• SLEEP PILLOWS OFTEN HAVE HOPS IN THEM.

• THEY ARE ALSO STRONGLY DIURETIC SO IT MAY NOT BE THE QUANTITY OF THE BEER BUT THE QUALITY MAKING PEOPLE RUN TO THE LOO!

Linda Bostock
Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Filed Under: Blog, Herbs and Health Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Herbal Health Information on Moss

January 9, 2012 by Leave a Comment

In ancient times on bloody battlefields common moss was used as a wound dressing to staunch the flow of blood and help sterilise the wound.

The common moss we see in shady slightly damp places is now little used in herbal medicine, although I have read the spores of the plant were used as a diuretic and to ease stomach aches as well as an application to wounds.

However Irish moss, Carageenan, is still extensively used, especially in the food industry. As a medicine it has nutritive and restorative properties and is soothing for the lungs and bladder.

If you look at the ingredients of foods, many times it will be Carageenan, an extract of Irish moss that is used as the thickener.

Linda Bostock

Medical  Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Filed Under: Herbs and Health Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Request a condition write up

January 9, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I have finished writing about the medical conditions that I most commonly encounter in my clinic, but if you have any questions about conditions or would like me to write about a specific medical condition please do ask.

In the next few weeks I will write about the herbs I most commonly use in my clinic. Some are already in the herbs section as they are plants we have looked at on the herb walks. I think I will try to do it in alphabetical order although I may get waylaid by something interesting I have seen or read about.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Filed Under: Blog

Herbal Health Information on Rosacea (Acne Rosacea)

January 9, 2012 by Leave a Comment

This is also known as Acne rosacea.

The books say it can be anywhere on the body which surprises me as I have only ever seen it on the face. It presents as chronic inflammation of the skin, typically in the area around the nose and on the cheeks, sometimes the forehead. It often looks very red and inflamed with tiny little spots, but does not have the pus filled spots or blackheads of ordinary acne.

I have always treated it as an inflammatory condition but have found through experience over the years that it also responds well to the metabolic herb, kelp added in to the mixture.

Basically it is an internal cleansing job, and dietary advice

As usual I’ll start with the dietary advice:-

No sugary foods

No fizzy drinks

Eat a balanced diet containing, meat, veg, some carbohydrates, and some fruit.

However there are fruits which are very acidic and need to be avoided and these are,

oranges, tomatoes, apples and plums. Yogurt 2-3 times a week is ok and cheese no more than twice a week is ok.

Drink at least two pints of water a day and keep tea and coffee intake to no more than three a day (of both not each).

Many people report that alcohol will set it off.

I think it would be interesting for you if I give you a typical tincture mix I would make up for a Rosacea sufferer and talk you through the whys and wherefores.

Herbal Medicine

Burdock: – liver and gall bladder cleansing and makes sure the digestive system is working efficiently and eliminating waste products. To add to this it also has lymphatic system cleansing properties, is antibacterial, and is an adaptogen and alterative. The last two properties mean it helps body tissue to adapt back to normal.

Echinacea: – this is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory as well as being an excellent lymphatic system cleanser. The lymphatic system removes all the waste from cells and ensures no bacteria are floating around.

Red clover:-traditionally red clover has always been used as a skin cleanser which it does via the lymphatic system. It is also an alterative which means it helps restore body tissue to normality.

Heartsease: – anti-inflammatory and again an alterative

Celery seed:-I know I use this one a lot but it is such a good urinary system cleanser that I put it into all mixes where general body cleansing is necessary.

Kelp: – high in iodine and minerals so improves thyroid and metabolic function.

That gives you an idea of the aim of an herbal mixture for Rosacea sufferers.

Rosacea can be quite stubborn to treat but I have had good results with herbal medicine and I would recommend you visit a qualified medical herbalist.

If you would like to visit me in my clinic please click here or on the “clinic”tab at the top of the page.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Filed Under: Health Conditions Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Herbal Health Information on Irregular Periods

November 30, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Don’t stress yourself if you miss the odd period, unless you think you may be pregnant.

The hormone balance in the body is very finely tuned and any slight change in normal body function or activity may affect the hormones and disturb the usual reproductive cycle which usually results in an egg being released from the Ovaries once a month. During the month the lining of the womb grows and prepares itself to receive a fertilised egg. If the egg is not fertilised then this lining is shed each month and the whole cycle starts over again.

So many factors may affect this cycle on a one off basis, such as, stress, poor nutrition, increased exercise levels, a shock, breast feeding.

If periods are persistently irregular then this should be investigated by a doctor to eliminate polycystic ovaries and endometriosis. I have treated both of these conditions very successfully in my clinic but they need careful monitoring so I do not advise self medication.

If no underlying cause for irregular periods has been found then it is usually easy to get the cycle back on track with herbal medicine.

Diet

Very very important as we need the right building blocks in there that make the hormones.

An intake of the omega oils, 3, 6, 9 is essential for the production of hormones in the body. These are found in oily fish (salmon, mackerel) seeds and nuts and evening primrose oil. The other essential ingredient for a healthy reproductive system is Zinc, found in pumpkin seeds, peas and oats. Of course all nutrients are essential in sensible amounts but if these are lacking in the diet then the hormone production will be thrown out.

Exercise

For the one and only time I am going to say that excess exercise is not good for you. It raises the testosterone levels in the body and can cause irregular or cessation of periods. By excess I do not mean going for a walk or a bit of a jog every day I mean heavy duty training for several hours a day. You cannot use this as an excuse to stop exercising.

Herbs

The books will tell you that Agnus castus is THE herb for regulating periods. This is because it works on the pituitary gland which is the gland responsible for sending messages to the ovaries to tell it what and how much hormone to produce during the cycle. You can buy it in any good health shop but make sure you follow the instructions.

Of the plants we have seen on our herb walks, Yarrow has a tradition for balancing hormones and getting the cycle back on track and I use Tansy almost every time someone comes to me with irregular periods. Tansy is a strong herb so I do not recommend you trying it yourself.

Once the periods are back on track, you can usually wean off the herbs within a couple of months, by which time the body will have been re-educated as to how it should work and will continue working in that way.

If you would like to see me in my clinic, click here for more information or on the tab at the top of the page.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Filed Under: Health Conditions Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Herbal Health Information on Horse Radish (Amoracia Rusticana)

November 30, 2011 by Leave a Comment

HEDGEROW NEAR BEACH AT SOVEREIGN HARBOUR

You will see Horse radish growing wild all over the countryside.

When we were visiting our son in Maidenhead, at Easter, we took the dogs, ours and two daughters, for a walk across the road in Braywick nature reserve and saw lots of clumps of Horse radish growing around and about.

My Husband tells me it was his job as a boy to go and dig up the Horse radish root every Sunday, from the garden, to make the sauce for the Roast beef. I don’t think he can have had to do it that often as Horse radish root is gigantic and a little bit goes a long way.

Of course you all know about the condiment, but it is not just a condiment! There is method in the things humans eat together and meat with Horse radish is an excellent combination because meat, being a high protein food is difficult to digest and Horse radish root is a digestive stimulant, increasing the output of digestive enzymes to improve the breakdown of foods in the gut. This is true of most herbs and sauces we put with meats such as sage and thyme and parsley.

The other major benefit Horse radish has is to stimulate the circulation and therefore have a warming effect on the body.

Either You can use one teaspoon of the freshly grated root in a cup of boiling water to make a tea. Same directions as before:-

Steep for 5-10 minutes, strain, cool slightly, and sip slowly. It’s strong so one cup a day is enough.

Or you can make a vinegar by putting 1 oz of fresh grated root into a pint of cider vinegar and leaving this to stand for about 3 weeks and then taking a teaspoon in water three times a day. This is really the home equivalent of a tincture which can be stored easily.

NEVER take any medicine for any length of time. If symptoms persist then you will need help from a professional. Also I would like you to be aware that Horse radish is very strong so must be used in small amounts.  It also has anti thyroid properties so that if you suffer from under active thyroid you should not use Horse radish at all. Actually this also applies to all plants from the “mustard” family, such as cabbage, radish and mustard itself. It sounds all doom and gloom but it isn’t. If you are not knowledgeable enough to use a particular plant then there is nothing stopping you looking at it on your walks and learning about its actions.

GREAT FUN!

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Filed Under: Herbs and Health Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Herbal Health Information on Kelp/Bladderwrack

November 30, 2011 by Leave a Comment

I use this such a lot, but the smell still makes me shudder. It is a sea weed which is quite distinctive to look at being long and flat shiny and leathery to touch. Air vesicles in the plant look like nodules and sometimes it has little waves in it as if someone has taken curling tongs to it.

Kelp was used as manure and in fact I saw a man collecting large bags of it on the beach today which I assumed he was going to use as a fertiliser.

Kelp is high in iodine and other minerals, so is used to treat under active thyroid and boost the metabolism.

I use it  as a tincture in all mixtures to boost metabolism and just as a general tonic because it also has alterative properties (returning to normal).

Normally I tell people to put their dose of tincture in a little water and swallow it down quickly, but because of the taste and smell I do allow people to put kelp into some apple juice if they really don’t like the taste.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Filed Under: Herbs and Health Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Herbal Health Information on White Dead Nettle

November 30, 2011 by Leave a Comment

We stayed with my Uncle in Arundel over the weekend and went for a glorious walk on Sunday morning around the Arun valley. The autumn colours were spectacular, all red, gold, orange and yellow.

There were quite a lot of plants still flowering, the nicest of which was the White Dead Nettle.

It looks like a nettle but has a white flower a bit like an antirrhinum but it doesn’t sting if you touch it.

The flowering tops of the plant are used medicinally which contain saponins and tannins.

It is an astringent (toning) plant due to the tannin content, with anti inflammatory, healing, antispasmodic and menstrual regulating properties.

It is used internally in tincture form for painful periods, cystitis, diarrhoea and irritable bowel. Externally it may be used as a douche (wash) for vaginal discharge.

2 oz of fresh herb is steeped in 2 pints of boiling water until the water is cool. This is then strained and the liquid used as a vaginal douche.

If you have never used a douche before please do your research to find the correct way to use a douche so that you do not hurt yourself.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Filed Under: Herbs and Health Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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