Herbal Health Information on Palpitations

An awareness of the heartbeat or a feeling of extra irregular heartbeats.

GET IT CHECKED OUT BY THE DOCTOR!

If there is no underlying cause then it may be caused by anxiety or diet both of which are easily remedied with herbal medicine.

Firstly, cut out all Caffeine. Caffeine increases heart rate and puts stress on the heart and nervous system, it absolutely has to go.

Caffeine is in:-

Tea

Coffee

Chocolate

Coca cola

Many Boost drinks

If you have a high Caffeine intake you will need to come off it slowly as it is addictive and withdrawal from it causes quite severe headaches, so reduce by one cup a day every two days until you can come off it completely. Substitute it with water or if you can’t face that Rooibos or caffeine free teas such as peppermint.

Next learn to breathe properly.

It is important that each breath you take in fills the lungs properly and then each breath out gets rid of all the carbon dioxide produced during metabolism.

Either get a Yoga video which will teach you to focus on your breathing and teach you relaxation techniques or do this simple exercise.

Lie on the bed flat on your back if you can. If you can’t then whatever position you are comfortable in. Close your eyes and breathe normally.

Count how long it takes you to breathe in and how long to breathe out. Do this for about a minute.

Put both your hands, palm down on to your belly. Just concentrate on breathing normally. As you are breathing, your abdomen should be rising and falling gently because it is your abdominal muscles which are pulling the diaphragm down as you breathe in and relaxing as you breathe out. By putting your palms flat on your abdomen you can check whether you are using your abdominal muscles properly by watching your hands rise and fall. You can do this little exercise two or three times a day for about five minutes a time, but do not at any time force your breathing, this is just making you aware that you are breathing normally.

HERBAL MEDICINE

Herbs for palpitations brought on by anxiety fall in to two categories:-

Calming herbs

Passion flower is a gently calming herb which also supports the heart muscle.

Motherwort is calming, relaxing and also calms heart palpitations. I find it works well for women (hence the name I guess).

Valerian, (and see in Pevensey Castle video)this is a strong relaxant and calming herb but does not affect the way the brain functions so does not leave you with a woolly head. Smells like smelly feet though!!!!

Chamomile(see shingle beach video) is the most gentle of the calming herbs and the most pleasant tasting if drunk as a tea.

Lime flower is sedative, calms, supports the nervous system and has anti anxiety properties, also pleasant drunk as a tea.

Nervous system supporting and repairing herbs,

Oats are the best nerve restorative, as well as being a brain and heart tonic, I would never leave this out of a mix for panic attacks.

Vervain, is an excellent nervous system supporting and repairing herb with alterative (bringing back to normal) properties.

Scullcap, I have to admit to using this herb ALOT. It has just the best nervous system repairing and supporting properties as well as having the ability to calm the brain down and stop it going into the mad “loop” thinking mode.

St. John’s wort is (see shingle beach video) traditionally used as a nervous system repairing herb with antidepressant properties.

Unexplained palpitations respond well to treatment with herbal medicine so if you would like to visit me in the clinic for help, please see the clinic details which you will find by clicking 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 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 Treatment of Diarrhoea

Symptoms vary from just passing a loose stool once a day, to several bowel movements accompanied by bowel cramping, pains and often an urgency to go to the toilet.

Severe diarrhoea due to a bacterial or viral infection is the world’s biggest killer of children due to resulting dehydration.

If the diarrhoea is caused by a bacterial or viral infection then it will probably only last up to 48 hours and the important thing is to keep fluid and electrolyte levels up. There are several rehydrating products on the market such as Dioralyte, which will prevent dehydration in severe cases of diarrhoea. If it lasts longer than 48 hours and you suspect you have a bacterial or viral infection then go to the Doctor. Many cases of Gastroenteritis are caused by toxins produced by bacteria in food and this can be very dangerous not only due to the dehydration caused but also due to the effect the toxin can have on the kidneys. So it is important to try to drink plenty of water but go straight to the Doctor or hospital if you start passing blood in the urine.

If the diarrhoea is long term with blood and mucous then you must go to the Doctor for a diagnosis as it may be Colitis or Crohn’s disease. I am not going to discuss, Colitis, or Crohn’s disease in this article. Irritable Bowel Syndrome is discussed in its own article.

The last paragraph sounds a bit scary but I want you to be aware that a possibly innocent tummy bug may be extremely detrimental to the body and needs quick action.

If the symptoms are loose bowel movements several times a day with urgency and possibly stomach cramping with no underlying cause, then Herbal Medicine is worth trying.

I have helped many people in my clinic who have suffered with diarrhoea from varying causes.

Food intolerance is often a cause of unexplained Diarrhoea and I do ask people to keep a food diary for a month to see if there is any connection to food substances.

Obviously this is one time when high fibre foods should be eliminated from the diet.  All high fibre cereals and wholemeal bread need to be cut out. Dairy and wheat are also prime suspects for causing gut irritation, but it is difficult to cut out all these foods at once, so cut the high fibre foods first and take the Herbal medicine.

The aim with herbal medicine is to tone the gut lining, making it less sensitive to food irritants and to calm the gut down.

A typical Herbal mixture of tinctures would be:-

Agrimony to tone the gut lining

Chamomile to calm the gut making it less irritable

Marshmallow is high in mucilage which coats and protects the gut

Fennel to calm the gut and dispel wind

Drink plenty of water, but cut out Caffeine containing drinks. Caffeine is a strong stimulant and also a diuretic which may contribute to dehydration.

Caffeine is in:-

Tea/Coffee

Cola/Pepsi

Boost drinks

Some alco pops

And don’t hate me too much on this one, CHOCOLATE

If you would like to see 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

Herbal Health Treatment of Allergies

Allergy is defined as Hypersensitivity to a foreign protein which causes a violent reaction in the body, resulting in asthma, hay fever, itchy swollen spots, nettle rash, eczema, migraine, catarrh, eye swelling, throat swelling and possible anaphylactic shock.

During an allergic reaction, histamine is produced in the body which causes the cells involved to swell and rupture. This results in swelling of the part of the body affected which if it is the throat, could be life threatening.

If you have a severe allergy and know what it is, such as peanut allergy then of course avoid it like the plague but also please can I beg you to carry an Epi Pen around with you because so many foods are cross contaminated in factories or in preparation. For instance, although peanuts may not be in the food, groundnut oil (peanut) is a common frying oil. So you never know and better safe than sorry as an allergy can flare up and become life threatening within minutes.

Because this is such a complex set of conditions and symptoms there is little point in me trying to talk you through the whole range but to say instead, do go and visit a Qualified Medical Herbalist. There are many herbs which can help calm the immune system and I have had very good success helping people to avoid Hayfever attacks.

I will however give you a general overview and an Herbalist’s approach to allergies.

My aim is to calm the immune system down so that it is not so over-reactive to allergens and to protect the mucous membranes in the respiratory system from external irritants.

The two food substances to avoid if you are prone to allergies are dairy products and wheat products. Dairy aggravates mucous membranes and can increase catarrh production both of which will contribute to the sensitisation of these membranes.

Wheat may aggravate the gut, especially high fibre cereals and this may lead to sensitisation of the lining.

Herbal Medicine

To calm the immune system I have found Chamomile and Pulsatilla very effective.

Chamomile is a bit of a cure all Herb. Amongst its many properties, it is calming, anti inflammatory and carminative (calming to the gut).

Pulsatilla is a mild sedative, alterative (changes back to normal) and anti spasmodic.

Ephedra is the Herbalists choice as an anti allergy herb and is also antasthmatic and a bronchodilator. However it is a Practitioner only herb and must not be used by unqualified people. It is a section three restricted herb and may be dangerous if used in the wrong amounts.

The three herbs I very often use for allergic conditions are: – Elderflower, Eyebright and Nettles.

Elderflower is anti-inflammatory and anti- catarrhal as well as toning to mucous membranes.

Eyebright is anti- catarrhal, anti- inflammatory, astringent (toning) and anti histamine

Nettles are a bit of an enigma as they themselves contain histamine and cause an allergic type reaction if you touch them, but work well as an anti-allergy herb especially in allergic Eczemas!

So you can see treating allergies with Herbal Medicine is a bit of a mine field and I would strongly advise you to go and see a qualified practitioner.

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

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Herbal Health Information on Acid Indigestion

A burning feeling in the throat, pain, wind, abdominal discomfort and nausea can all be symptoms of acid indigestion. Indigestion may 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 indigestion then you must look carefully at your diet.

Acid indigestion 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 Dandelion, Elder, Yarrow and Hawthorn.

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, 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 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, 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 on the “clinic” tab at the top of the page.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Herbal Health Information on Panic Attacks

Many people who suffer from panic attacks will tell you that they consider themselves to be level headed, very calm people. They will often say that they have been through a time of horrible stress but that everything has settled down and they no longer feel stressed.

Ha! This is the trouble, whilst the body is under stress it produces adrenaline from the adrenal glands and other hormones to help us cope with the stress. This is our fight or flight mechanism which either helps us to stay and face the situation or helps us run away from it. When the stress is gone, the adrenal glands are exhausted and go in to a bit of a shut down and everything “falls flat”.

The symptoms include feelings of anxiety, hyperventilation and palpitations. Hyperventilation is breathing too quickly and shallowly and in itself causes a serious imbalance in the body chemistry, as carbon dioxide produced during normal body metabolism is not excreted properly by the lungs. This leads to an acidic internal environment, sending all the wrong messages around the body and further panic caused by the body trying to right the wrong.

Firstly, cut out all Caffeine. Caffeine increases heart rate and puts stress on the heart and nervous system, it absolutely has to go.

Caffeine is in:-

Tea

Coffee

Chocolate

Coca cola

Many Boost drinks

If you have a high Caffeine intake you will need to come off it slowly as it is addictive and withdrawal from it causes quite severe headaches, so reduce by one cup a day every two days until you can come off it completely.

Next learn to breathe properly.

It is important that each breath you take in fills the lungs properly and then each breath out gets rid of all the carbon dioxide produced during metabolism.

Either get a Yoga video which will teach you to focus on your breathing and teach you relaxation techniques or do this simple exercise.

Lie on the bed flat on your back if you can. If you can’t then whatever position you are comfortable in. Close your eyes and breathe normally.

Count how long it takes you to breathe in and how long to breathe out. Do this for about a minute.

Put both your hands, palm down on to your belly. Just concentrate on breathing normally. As you are breathing, your abdomen should be rising and falling gently because it is your abdominal muscles which are pulling the diaphragm down as you breathe in and relaxing as you breathe out. By putting your palms flat on your abdomen you can check whether you are using your abdominal muscles properly by watching your hands rise and fall. You can do this little exercise two or three times a day for about five minutes a time, but do not at any time force your breathing, this is just making you aware that you are breathing normally.

Herbs for panic attacks fall in to two categories:-

Calming herbs

Passion flower is a gently calming herb which also supports the heart muscle.

Motherwort is calming, relaxing and also calms heart palpitations. I find it works well for women (hence the name I guess).

Valerian, this is a strong relaxant and calming herb but does not affect the way the brain functions so does not leave you with a woolly head. Smells like smelly feet though!!!!

Chamomile is the most gentle of the calming herbs and the most pleasant tasting if drunk as a tea. Also seen in the beach video.

Lime flower, seen on the Pevensey castle video, is sedative, calms, supports the nervous system and has anti anxiety properties, also pleasant drunk as a tea.

Nervous system supporting and repairing herbs,

Oats are the best nerve restorative, as well as being a brain and heart tonic, I would never leave this out of a mix for panic attacks.

Vervain, is an excellent nervous system supporting and repairing herb with alterative (bringing back to normal) properties.

Scullcap, I have to admit to using this herb ALOT. It has just the best nervous system repairing and supporting properties as well as having the ability to calm the brain down and stop it going into the mad “loop” thinking mode.

Ginseng is the herb that supports the exhausted Adrenal glands and gets them working normally again. It is an Adaptogen, helping the body to adapt to new stress and strain by stimulating the body’s own defensive mechanisms. Don’t take Ginseng an hour either side of any tannin containing drink such as Tea and Coffee and do not take it if you have high blood pressure. Ginseng should not be used for more than four weeks at a time without a break from it.

St. John’s wort is traditionally used as a nervous system repairing herb with antidepressant properties. Also seen in the shingle beach video.

Panic attacks respond well to treatment with herbal medicine so if you would like to visit me in the clinic for help, please see the clinic details which you will find 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 Eczema

When I had my clinic in Slough in Berkshire, Eczema was the most common condition I treated. I treated hundreds of cases ranging from a 10 month old baby covered from head to foot with red itchy inflamed weeping skin to older children whose skin had become like elephant hide due to the prolonged use of steroids.

Eczema is not an external condition. The problem lies within the body and requires internal cleansing, balancing and restoring to normal function.

Most of the Eczema I treated was Atopic, which is a genetically inherited form usually related to allergic conditions, first presenting at quite a young age as itchy broken skin in the crux of the elbows and knees and spreading around the body

A very interesting thing I noted was that many of the West Indian and Asian children reported to me that when they went back to their native country the Eczema cleared up after a few days and within about five days of landing back in England it would flare up again. So I always worked on the basis that although that particular patient may have been genetically prone to Eczema, diet and pollution were definitely factors to take into consideration.

I can hear you saying here we go again she is going to bang on about diet again, well, YES I AM. I will bang on about it until I know I have got the message across that the food we put into ourselves provides us with the building blocks to stay healthy and to repair damaged body tissue.

Think of it as a building being built with poor building materials, it is bound to fall down quickly, whereas a building built from good quality materials may last forever.

There are several foods to cut down on if a person is suffering from Eczema:-

Tomatoes and oranges are a complete no go area due to their acid content.

We do use too much tomato in cooking and orange juice is now the favourite breakfast drink. But as I have said before, too much of the same food substance is hard for the body to digest.

Cow’s milk has been implicated in Eczema and some people have found Goats milk helps. However I tell people to cut down on the amount of dairy intake, not to cut it out, especially for children who need a high calcium intake while they are growing. Cow’s milk is designed for baby cows and is too rich and hard to digest for humans. Of course in nature ancient man would have been Breast fed until the age of two ish and then not eaten any other dairy product as they did not use milk as a food substance. It was only the advent of farming about 11,000 years ago which meant that cattle could be herded and milked and that is a blink of an eye in evolutionary terms.

An “all things in moderation” diet is a good diet for Eczema sufferers except for oranges and tomatoes. Make sure there are plenty of foods containing

Omega oils….such as oily fish,

Zinc……….. such as peas and pumpkin seeds and oats

Vitamin C…..any fresh fruit and veg

These three ingredients (6 actually as there are 3 Omega oils) are essential for good cell repair within the body.

Drink lots of water and NO fizzy drinks, they contain too much acid.

Right, now on to the herbs. I am going to give you a typical herbal prescription for Eczema but please do remember that people are individuals and respond differently to different plants and Vice Versa!

EXAMPLE OF AN HERBAL TINCTURE FOR ECZEMA

Red Clover ……..we saw this in the walk on the downs video. It is just about the best lymphatic system and skin cleanser

Heartsease……….a little wild pansy, having alterative (changing to normal), anti inflammatory and anti allergy properties with the added benefit of being high in Zinc.

Burdock………as a liver and digestive system cleanser to make sure no toxins are produced and absorbed from the gut.

Nettles…………….if it is an atopic allergy related Eczema. Nettles are nutritious and blood cleansing.

Celery seed………in small amounts to act as a diuretic to make sure the kidneys excrete all waste products from the body.

Chamomile……something to calm down the irritation

This would be for an initial four weeks, after which I would see the patient again and either keep them on the same mixture depending on the progress or move on to the next stage to improve skin healing with an herb such as Marigold.

I have a high success rate treating Eczema conditions which very rarely return if the patient keeps to a sensible diet.

I do also make up Eczema cream containing, Chamomile and Aloe Vera to soothe and cool the skin whilst it is being cleared out internally.

If you have a child suffering from Eczema please take them to see a Qualified Medical Herbalist, do not try and minister to them yourself as getting the dosage of herbal medicine right is  important. That is also true for anyone.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist, Herbal Health Information

View Clinic details here

Herbal Health Information on Migraines

Migraine headache is caused by the over dilation of arteries in the brain after they have constricted. Sufferers describe various symptoms such as, nausea, visual disturbance, flashing lights, strange smells and headache. Sometimes the visual disturbances may occur without the headache.

The causes are possibly dietary, hormonal or emotional disturbances.

In all cases it is important to try and prevent the arteries going into spasm initially.

DIET

As with tension headaches, CUT THE CAFFEINE OUT. Do it slowly so that you do not suffer Caffeine withdrawal on top of everything else.

Here’s where you are really going to hate me

No Chocolate Cheese or Red wine!!!!!! It was always thought that the Tyramine they all contain can have a constricting effect on blood vessels. However modern research has both proved and disproved this. So let’s go with the tradition and cut them out to be on the safe side.

Many people find other food substances may trigger migraine so it is worth keeping a food diary to check.

Drink at least two pints of water a day.

HERBS

Keeping the blood vessels from going in to spasm is the first line of defence.

Crampbark, seen in the West Rise Marsh video, Valerian and Chamomile , seen in the shingle beach video,are all good muscle relaxants and feverfew is the long standing traditional herb which has anti spasmodic properties.

Together with a muscle relaxant herb I would add a nervous system supporting and repairing herb such as St. John’s wort or Vervain.

If the Migraine is related to the monthly cycle, in Clinic I would add a hormone balancing herb such as Agnus castus or Dong quai

None of these herbs are any good if you are in the throws of a Migraine, they are all preventative treatments and should be taken regularly for a period of three to six months.

There are over the counter preparations of migraine herbs and you will be able to find Feverfew preparations in any Health shop.

Make sure the “over the counter” preparations are licensed products so that they are safe to use.

If you would like to visit the Clinic for more help with Migraines, then click on the Clinic tab at the top of the page.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist, Herbal Health Information

View Clinic details