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

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Herbal Health Information on Menopause

What I am about to say about menopause may surprise you:-

It is not an illness!

Rather look on it as a change, just like first starting your periods was a change in the way your body functioned.

I have helped so many women in my clinic get through menopause I feel it is a bit of a specialist area for me.

Having said it is not an illness, I of course know it causes many women serious distress, with many symptoms both physical and emotional.

Most common of the symptoms are hot flushes ranging from a few mild ones a day to 2-3 an hour with face redness and sweating.

Apart from the flushes, symptoms include, poor sleep, digestive problems, weight gain, depression, headaches and more.

My approach is to help people get through the menopause as easily as possible which means getting the body to accept this new way of functioning as normal and to prevent it trying to return to its youthful state which is the major cause of the symptoms.

There is a system in the body called the Endocrine system, consisting of the Thyroid, Adrenal glands and Ovaries or Testes, which are responsible for the production of most of our hormones.

It starts with the Pituitary gland situated just below the brain which controls the secretions from the Thyroid, Adrenal glands and Ovaries/Testes. These organs send messages to the pituitary gland and to each other to give a status update and messages from the pituitary control the output of the hormones produced in these organs.

When the ovaries stop ovulating (producing an egg) each month, the message to the pituitary is one of panic SEND REINFORCEMENTS I can’t manage on my own!

Unfortunately for us the area of the brain which controls the pituitary is right next to the temperature control area and any message which goes up there to stimulate the pituitary into action also stimulates the temperature control area. Hence the hot flushes. Who designed that?

It is completely wrong to try and increase the amount of oestrogen in the body in hopes of stopping the flushes. We need to get the body to accept the new lower hormone levels so that it is not sending panic messages around and about.

There is one herb I have found to help the body adjust to these new levels and that is Dong Quai. Which of course we have not seen on our herb walks as it is a Chinese herb. To help with the flushes I use the traditional herb, Sage, which we have not looked at yet, but we will visit an herb garden and have a look at soon in a video, so keep your eye on the walks section. Sage is not the be all and end all for hot flushes but does help to reduce them. There are other herbs for flushes such as Willow and Zizyphus but these need to be used under the supervision of a practitioner as they are not commonly available over the counter.

I often mix these with a liver herb such as milk thistle, to ensure the liver is metabolising hormones properly and calming herbs such as Passiflora or Motherwort.

St. John’s wort which we looked at in the shingle beach video is also excellent during menopause as a nervous system supporting herb, but remember cannot be taken if you are on any orthodox medicines.

Eat sensibly and cut out Caffeine containing drink and food (sorry, chocolate), drink plenty of water and you are going to hate me for saying this, but many many women report that alcohol sets off flushing horrendously.

Of course if you get stuck qualified Medical Herbalists are around to provide excellent support.

Linda Bostock

Medical  Herbalist

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Herbal Health Information on Stress

I could write a book on this and I expect if you suffer from stress you would say so could you.

Anxiety, insomnia, panic attacks, palpitations, tiredness, irritability, lack of confidence, feeling inadequate and I am going to stop there.

The obvious answer is change of lifestyle to remove the source of the stress, but, hey, that is in an ideal world.

The less obvious answer is to 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!

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.

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. Caffeine in tea and coffee is the very worst thing for stress as it increases heart rate and may cause palpitations and anxiety 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 stress buster, so go to the gym or preferably do something in the fresh air.

Herbs will vary on whether it is anxiety or depression or insomnia or tiredness.

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.

The adrenal glands can be supported with Ginseng, but there are lots of cautions with Ginseng

Not with tea or coffee

Not if you have high blood pressure

Never for more than three weeks at a time.

Growing in your garden you may have:-

Borage which also supports and restores the adrenals.

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 anti stress tea.

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

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist

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Herbal Health Information for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

The symptoms vary, with, constipation, diarrhoea, especially in the morning, wind, pain and abdominal bloating. The diarrhoea may be accompanied with the passing of mucous and blood.

With any bowel condition diet must be top of the list to have a look at.

The digestive system is the point of entry for all our food and drink but unfortunately many foods and drinks are irritants and can upset the fine balance of the digestive enzymes and the secretions within the gut.

Modern day diets have changed dramatically within the past 20 years and our digestive systems have not had a chance to adapt.

The gut becomes irritated and inflamed (like an open wound) and eventually any food going in will just aggravate it.

Your diet must be sensible with your fair share of fruit and vegetables and not too much of the same foods so the gut has a rest from different foods on a daily basis.

If you think of us as hunter gatherers then in ancient times humans would have had a varying diet depending on what was in season and what groups of animals were available. With modern intensive farming methods, we have the same foods available to us all year around which means we tend to eat too much of certain foods which does not give the digestive system a break from digesting that particular food.

Rule of thumb is to vary the foods you are eating and give yourself a break from foods you eat regularly.

The other thing to avoid with IBS, despite accepted advice, is high fibre cereal foods such as whole wheat.  This is because the Fibre in cereals is dagger shaped and not broken down by the gut and if the gut is inflamed then it digs in to the gut lining and irritates it. Fibre in fruit and veg is spiral shaped and softer on the gut wall.

Dairy foods have been implicated in IBS, but I think it is not so much the dairy as the volume of dairy people eat, as it is an easy food to eat or snack on.

For example

Breakfast…………..Cereal with milk and tea or coffee with milk

Lunch………………cheese sandwich and yogurt

Dinner……………..main meal and ice cream

Tea and coffee during the day with milk.

This applies to wheat as well, as a diet like this could mean an intake of wheat and dairy three times a day.

So it is a good idea to cut down on dairy and wheat intake and vary your food intake with other foods such as rice and corn and fruit and veg as well as some meat, fish and eggs.

Now I know some people can’t eat certain things or they don’t like certain foods so be sensible and vary the things you like to and can eat.

Tea and coffee are a major gut stimulant due to the caffeine in them so can aggravate an already irritated gut, on top of which tannin in both of them, reacts with protein in food and the gut lining to prevent good absorption of the foods we do eat. Definitely cut out if you can or cut down on your intake of tea and coffee and I know to many people this is an abhorrent thought but drink WATER., at  least two pints a day.

PHEW it sounds like a mine field but easy to follow when you get used to it.

Herb wise it is a bit difficult to advise what to take as it will depend on how the bowel is behaving,  but Marshmallow, as I mentioned in the Video, is high in mucilage and coats and protects the lining of the gut. This gives it a chance to heal and stops it being further aggravated by food. Both Chamomile and Fennel, which we looked at on the beach walk, are calming and soothing to the bowel and help to break up and disperse wind. There is a possibility that a digestive stimulant may be needed to improve food digestion and any of the bitter herbs we have looked at will do that, Dandelion, Burdock, Yellow dock.

It is not expensive to visit a Qualified Medical Herbalist so if in doubt always consult the professional. I have excellent results in my clinic helping people with IBS which can be cleared up or managed with the herbs.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist,

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Herbal Health Information for Atherosclerosis or Hardened Arteries

Before I write anything about this, I’m going to say PLEASE don’t try to self medicate on this one. This needs proper diagnosis and possibly orthodox treatment.

This is for your interest only and if you would like to try herbs to clear fatty arteries then consult a qualified Medical Herbalist. The dietary and exercise advise is relevant to keeping your body in good health at any time.

Atherosclerosis describes the hardening process which takes place due to fatty and mineral deposits attaching themselves to the walls of the arteries.

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

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 sandwich made with wholemeal bread and a sunflower or olive oil margarine. Fruit

DINNER: – lean cooked meat of any sort. Remember lamb and pork tend to have a bit more fat. 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.

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 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.

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

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

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Yellow Dock (Rumex Crispus)

The root of this is used which contains glycosides, tannins, oxalates and minerals.

A really greedy, voracious weed and one you would shift heaven and earth to remove from your garden, but wow, what fantastic properties it has!

Yellow Dock

For a start, as it is a mineral rich plant, it is nutritious, containing iron and sulphur.

It is a bitter plant which stimulates digestive function, improves bile secretion, and is an alterative, encouraging the normal functioning of the body and a good lymphatic cleanser.

So I use it as a tincture in many mixes especially as a tonic herb and to improve a poor digestion.

It comes in the “never be without it” category on my shelves but needs to be used with respect, otherwise it may cause diarrhoea. In fact if I am putting yellow dock in a patient’s mixture for the first time, I do warn them, they may be sat on the toilet a bit more for the first couple of weeks.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Yarrow/Milfoil (Achillea Millefoil)

The flowers and leaves are used which contain, flavonoids, volatile oils, lactones and alkaloids

This is the original wonder medicine. As I said in the video it does just about everything and at college, if we could not think of an answer to a question we would write “YARROW” it was bound to be right!

Yarrow

It grows so profusely on all kinds of soils and waste land that if we were ever in a situation where orthodox medicines were not available our first plant hunt would be for Yarrow.

It can stem the flow of blood from a wound, it is a diuretic and urinary antiseptic, has anti-inflammatory and anti rheumatic properties is anti viral, anti bacterial, a vasodilator(relaxes capillaries)  , digestive stimulant and protector, improves both gall bladder and liver function and is a gentle relaxant like chamomile.

I’m sure you get the picture!

Because of all these actions it is frequently used in many different mixes for digestive problems, lowering blood pressure, coughs, colds, arthritis, regulating  hormones, cystitis, stress and toning varicose veins. I’ve probably left out a few actions but I think that is enough for one plant to boast about!!!!!!

I would never be without it on my shelves.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist/herbal Health Information

Marshmallow (Althea Officianalis)

Both the roots and the Ariel parts of this plant are used which contain high amounts of mucilage, flavonoids and tannins

Marshmallow in the Cuckmere Valley

The marshmallow has a history of over 2,000 years of use in European Herbal Medicine. It is known as a demulcent, meaning it soothes and protects mucous membranes. It is also antitussive (cough), is an alterative (restoring normal organ function) and diuretic.
It is used for all inflammation of the digestive system, lungs, kidneys and bladder. I forgot to mention the kidneys and bladder on the walk but marshmallow is my herb of choice to protect and soothe the bladder if a patient comes to me suffering from Cystitis.
In clinic I use it in mixes for irritating tickly coughs, irritable bowel, ulcers, and colitis, in all cases to protect and soothe the mucous membranes lining these two organs.
I have to say I was astounded at the rate it had spread along the river bank and pleased too, to know it isn’t likely to disappear from the Cuckmere. Plants are so vulnerable, a small change in conditions and they might not be growing where I last saw them and yet it seems they are also opportunists and if the conditions are good they will spread like mad. Thank goodness.

Linda Bostock
Medical Herbalist/Herbal Health Information

Marshmallow Herb Walk Along The Cuckmere River

We often walk along the Cuckmere River, in East Sussex as it is one of the areas we can take Henry, our Red Setter, without cattle being around, although there are sometimes cows in the fields and we may have to do a bit of a detour, as cows seem to chase Henry and scare us. This is a video we made of that walk and of the rare Marshmallow plants that we found growing there. I hope you find it interesting.

 

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist

Beachy Head Herb Walk July 2011

Herbal health information re. Beachy Head herb walk.

What a glorious day it was when we went on this walk. Apart from unseasonal hot weather in April this year, we have had very few sunshiny days but I actually took my cardigan off for some of this walk!!

We started at the end/start of the South Downs way (depending on which way you are walking) straight up the hill which leads to Beachy Head.

The Downs are now managed using grazing cattle to crop the pasture, which are moved around, leaving behind a nice load of manure, resulting in spectacular displays of wild flowers, visited by many species of butterflies and birds.

I could not stop and show you all the plants on this walk as it would have taken a good few days and I think my poor little computer would have a nervous break down with all the footage.

So I am literally going to give you a list of all the plants we saw some of which I talk about on the video

Dyer’s Weld

Lots of Hawthorn, Elder and sessile oak. trees

Gorse

Red clover

Ladies’ bedstraw

Pignut

Trefoil

Many different varieties of Vetch (pea family)

Rosebay willow herb

Honeysuckle

Burdock

Centaury

Knapweed

Lousewort

Milkwort

Mellilots

Marjoram

Thyme

Eyebright

Agrimony

Dock

Nettles

Goosegrass

And I am sure I have missed quite a lot.

Red clover, Burdock, Agrimony, Eyebright and Thyme will be in the Herbs and Health section and some already have their own little write up in there.

There were strangely few birds around on that day but there are usually skylarks singing and we have occasionally seen a Peregrine falcon.

There were lots of butterflies which I think were small blues and the meadow brown, but I am not a butterfly expert so I could have just made those names up!

I walk up the downs at least once a week with Henry the dog and every time do a little skip for joy at the fresh air, the scenery and the wildlife.

Linda Bostock

Medical Herbalist