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 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 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 Treatment of Poor Circulation

Poor circulation may be due to a number of reasons, including, varicose veins, arterio-sclerosis, anaemia, sluggish metabolism and heart disease.

It is easily treated with herbal medicine as there are many herbs which not only improve blood flow to the peripheries (hands and feet) but also support the heart and major blood vessels.

It is always a good idea with circulatory problems to go to your doctor to check there is no major heart condition. I have twice had people come to visit me in clinic for circulation problems, listened to their hearts and then sent them to the doctor for a check up. They both had heart murmurs which were checked thoroughly and deemed not to be a problem, so I treated their circulation making sure I supported the heart. In both cases the heart murmur cleared up and their circulation improved.

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.

Complex carbohydrates, such as fruit and veg and wholegrain cereals.

Lean meat including some red meat to ensure a good iron intake and eliminate a possibility of anaemia.

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

(Dried fruits contain a high amount of iron.)

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. Red meat at least twice a week. Eggs at least twice a week for iron content.

Any vegetables you like and as much as you like.

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.

So that is some good advice to try and keep your arteries and 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.

The herbs commonly used to improve arterial health 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: – is a specific for improving circulation to the peripheries (outlying areas). It makes a nice tea if you grate a little fresh ginger into some boiling water and leave it to stand for about 5 minutes. Strain it and drink twice a day.

There are also little obvious bits of advice such as wear a hat and gloves in winter, if your hands and feet do get very cold don’t warm them against a fire as this may lead to you getting chilblains. Don’t be proud, wear bed socks if you need to. You will find you sleep better at night if you are warm.

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