Herbal Health Information on Rheumatism

Rheumatism is a very similar condition to arthritis but affects muscles as well as joints.

Sadly by the time Rheumatism sufferers come to see me they have usually had the condition for many years resulting in degeneration (breakdown) of the joint lining and stiffening of the muscles. They have a long history of taking strong anti inflammatories, pain killers and possibly steroids. I know the joints and muscles are painful and inflamed but 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 rheumatic joint and only use it as much as is comfortable.

Many people report that it is worsened by damp weather so keeping warm and dry in cold damp weather is important.

The Romans found England too cold for them and imported nettles to grow. They then used to flail their joints with the nettles!! This increased the circulation to the joint warming them up. I DO NOT RECOMMEND DOING THIS. I tried it once and it is very painful and then you are left with the sting for ages. We have the Romans to thank for nettles and garden snails!!

Diet is very important but different people find their condition 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 rheumatism sufferers find eating meat will increase inflammation. The message here is to keep an eye on your diet to see if any foods do make your rheumatism worse. If they do, you may have to visit a nutritionist to cut out these food substances while maintaining a healthy diet.

Drink loads of water.

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 would be:-

  • Dandelion root tincture, which improves digestive function and elimination of toxins via the Bowel.
  • Ginger, (very small amounts) to improve circulation
  • 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 which may have tightened up due to the Rheumatism and which will put pressure on the joints, exacerbating the condition.

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 many over the counter herbal remedies for rheumatism but if you buy one make sure it is a licensed product, which means it is tried and tested.

I do recommend if you have suffered from Rheumatism 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 these 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 Sciatica

THE Sciatic nerve emerges from the spinal column going down the leg to supply nerves to our lower limbs. The nerve emerges through canals in the backbone in to the buttock. The main causes of sciatica are either joint inflammation or muscle spasm, both of which trap and pinch the nerve causing pain which generally radiates down the back of the leg.

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 suffer from pain come to see me they have usually had the condition for some time, resulting in possible degeneration (breakdown) of the joint 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 area.

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.

Apart from taking herbal Medicine, visit a Chiropractor, who will check the spine and make adjustments to put it back in to the right position.

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 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 putting pressure on the nerve. Also seen in 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 had Sciatica 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

Back pain article

Herbal Health Information on Cramps

Normal muscle activity involves contraction and just as importantly, relaxation of whichever muscle is being used. If the muscle does not relax after contraction, this results in cramp.

I am sure we have all been woken at night with a muscle in our calf tightened up and going into spasm resulting in us jumping out of bed and stamping around the room waking up anyone or everyone in the vicinity.

Avoiding cramps is all about diet. Muscle contracts and relaxes due to an exchange of Calcium /Magnesium through the tissue of the muscle wall. It is therefore essential that our diets contain a sensible intake of these minerals as well as all other vitamins and minerals.

This is the one and only time I advocate eating a good intake of dairy products, which provide calcium. (providing you do not have a dairy intolerance) Meat, fish watercress and spinach are also good calcium sources.

Magnesium is present in most foods, particularly meat, milk, eggs, seafood and nuts.

An example of a good mixed diet would be:-

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

(Dried fruits contain a high amount of iron.)

LUNCH:- tinned  tuna/salmon/sardines (tinned fish has a high amount of calcium),or eggs or cheese 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 has more fat throughout the body of the meat so the fat is harder to cut off when preparing it for cooking. Red meat at least twice a week. Eggs at least twice a week, for iron and mineral content.

Any vegetables you like and as much as you like.

Be careful that you do not have too much dairy though it comes with its own problems such as increasing catarrh production.

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! This will open up lymphatic pathways in the muscles and ensure that lactic acid, produced as a by product of muscle function is removed efficiently.

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.

HERBAL MEDICINE

There are a few herbs which prevent the muscles going into spasm, the main one of which is Crampbark. You can have a look at it in the herbs and health section and also in the West rise marsh video. It does what its name suggests it does and prevents muscle spasm.

The other herb I would recommend is Goose Grass as this opens up the lymphatic pathways and ensures the removal of lactic acid.

It is unlikely you will find these as an over the counter preparation, but you should be able to get them as tinctures. Follow the instructions on the bottles.

If you need more help please do come and see me in 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 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 Headaches

I am assuming here, that you have been to the doctor and eliminated anything serious.

That usually leaves tension headaches which are brought on by unconsciously clenching the muscles in the shoulder which are attached to the back of the head. This then pulls the muscles in the head causing them to pull, resulting in headaches. There are other common causes of headaches such as eye strain, tooth pain, viral infections, neuralgia, sinus infections, arthritis and dehydration.

What I am going to talk about here is the tension headache as the others all need dealing with in their own right.

Stress is a factor in tension headaches so look at the stress article and see if you can reduce the amount of stress you have.

Become conscious of what you are doing with your shoulders. If you find yourself constantly hunched up over the computer or whatever you are doing here is a little yoga exercise you can do three or four times during the day:-

STOP EVERYTHING YOU ARE DOING

Close your eyes, sit comfortably, legs uncrossed and feet slightly apart, relax your hands on to your lap.

Breathe normally, but count how long it takes you to breathe in and breathe out. Do this for about a minute.

Lift your shoulders up to your ears as far as you can, without causing yourself pain, whilst you are breathing in.

Slowly relax your shoulders back down whilst breathing out.

Do that for a couple of minutes and it will make you aware of your neck muscles so that you will get to know when you are tensing them up and be able to relax them.

The whole exercise only takes three or four minutes and is easily done sitting at your desk.

DIET

No Caffeine

No Caffeine

No Caffeine

I hope you get the message!

And drink at least two pints of water a day (not juice or hot drinks, just water)

P.S. caffeine withdrawal is dramatic and will give you headaches so come off it slowly, substituting it with herbal teas.

HERBS

The aim is to help you relax.

Crampbark, which we saw on the West Rise marsh video, is a wonderful muscle relaxant taken internally as a tincture. Both Passionflower and Pulsatilla are calming and relaxing as well as being nervous system supporting herbs.

Lavender oil in the bath or as a rub for the shoulders is relaxing and soothing.

Essential oils must always be diluted, so measure out 10 mls of any base oil, such as Grapeseed, into a container. Add 5 drops of lavender oil and there you have a muscle rub.

If you would like to visit the clinic for more help please click on the Clinic tab

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist

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

Herbal Health Information on Cystitis

A one off bout off cystitis 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 form of cystitis 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 cystitis. Unfortunately the vagina lies on top of the urethra and over enthusiastic sex can cause injury to the urethra 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.

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 it’s 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.

There is a form of Cystitis which, when the urine is cultured, is found to be sterile. This is often diagnosed as interstitial Cystitis and this form of cystitis needs a similar approach to above as well as herbs to heal the bladder lining. For this I use Marigold, just about the best healer in the herbal pharmacy.

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

Marshmallow leaf

Buchu

Crampbark

Pulsatilla

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

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

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist

Herbal Health Information

View Clinic Information

Pulsatilla, the nerve tonic.

Pulsatilla is a nerve tonic and relaxant. It has anti inflammatory and antispasmodic properties and is a mild analgesic (pain killer)

I use it for imbalances in the female reproductive system such as PMT and find it especially useful for period pains, especially when mixed with Cramp Bark, which is  a muscle relaxant.

Cramp Bark, is discussed seperately in the West Rise Marsh walk and on the web site.

Pulsatilla is also an herb I very often put into a mix to help people relax and get to sleep. When I first started to practice, with a case of facial acne which was proving difficult to clear up, so I phoned my mentor at the time who advised me to use Pulsatilla as it has skin cleansing properties. Well it certainly made the difference and I now rarely leave it out of any skin mixture.

I use it in tincture formwhich you will be able to buy from any good herb supplier. I will not advise any dosage here as strengths of tincture varies, so follow the instructions on the bottle.

You will also find it in tablet form and again please follow the instructions.

Do not confuse it with the Homeopathic Pulsatilla preparation which has completely different actions.

As usual, if you have any other medical conditions or are pregnant, please see a qualified Medical herbalist or your Doctor.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/herbal Health Information.

Crampbark/Guelder Rose (Latin Name: Viburnum Opulis)

Crampbark

The give away is the name of this plant! It is used as an antispasmodic, relaxing the muscles all over the body and can be used to relieve cramps of all kinds including period pains. It is a bushy tree, a native of North America but I see it growing commonly in English parks where it has been planted for its spectacular white flowers in the spring and gorgeous red berries in autumn.

As the name suggests it is the bark of the plant which is used and this contains the very potent antispasmodic, viopudial as well as salicin which is an aspirin like compound, effective as an herbal analgesic and painkiller.

I regularly use it in my herbal tinctures to relax muscles in conditions such as arthritis and period pains as well as putting it in an anti-inflammatory cream that I make up which I call for want of imagination aches and pains cream!

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Herbal Health Information for Period Pains

For some reason it is the chemistry lesson which sticks in my head when I think of period pains. They are so all consuming and debilitating when they are bad and well meaning older women telling you they will go away after you have had your first baby, really does not help. Pain free normal periods should be the norm for us and achievable with a few easy lifestyle changes.

As with everything else diet plays a huge role.

Of course the usual sensible diet includes 5 a day fruit and veg, but also very importantly a good vitamin B, zinc and omega oil intake. Vitamin B is found in all good quality meats and dairy products.

There is a BUT and that is modern farming methods. Intensive farming leeches all the goodness out of the soil, so vitamin and mineral levels may not be as high in modern foods as they were in the past (even 20 years ago). So my message is to buy good quality food.

Zinc is low in modern foods but also hard to absorb. It is essential for the production of over 80 hormones in the body, the reproductive ones being some of those. Zinc is needed for the metabolism of essential fatty acids which are also essential for hormone production. Sometimes I wish I had shares in pumpkin growing as I tell everyone who I think needs a zinc boost, to eat a dessertspoonful of pumpkin seeds sprinkled on their cereal in the morning. Oats are a good source of zinc and so are most shell fish.

There is so much information in the ether about essential fatty acids that I will not say too much here, just make sure you are getting a good combination of omega 3,6,9, in your diet.

Surprisingly, moderate exercise is also important as it increases the blood flow in the body, which the reproductive organs will benefit from.

The two herbs I use to help with period pains are Pulsatilla and Crampbark, mixed together as tinctures in equal quantities. For adults the dose is 5 mls twice a day, taken three days before the period is due to about the second day of the period.

Both of these have had their own write up in separate articles, but briefly, they both have a relaxing effect on uterine muscle to prevent it cramping.

It is a good plan to start taking the mixture about 3 days before a period is due so that the muscle does not go in to spasm once the period has started.

Remember don’t self medicate if you have any other medical condition or are on any orthodox medicines, go visit a Qualified medical herbalist. All the examples I give you in these write ups are mixtures and doses I use on my patients in clinic which are taken under my supervision.

Don’t confuse the herbal tincture of Pulsatilla with the homoeopathic preparation which has a different action.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist Dip Phyt.

Herbal Health Information

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