Comfrey

Comfrey

Comfrey was highly valued by the Greeks as an herbal remedy. In medieval times, comfrey was used to mend fractured bones. Comfrey has many benefits, and can treat many ailments both internal and external. Comfrey has been used as an antibacterial and antifungal, to reduce inflammation, ease pain, stop swelling, and shrink blood vessels.

Comfrey grows in many areas of the world, from Newfoundland to Georgia to Louisiana, and is also found in Europe. It thrives in soft, wet ground and is usually found in meadows or valleys. Comfrey is a big plant and can be up to five feet tall. Its leaves are dark green, long, and oval-shaped, and they grow on the upright, branch at the top of the plant. It blooms from May to September and its flowers are soft, and bell-shaped, and are either purple or yellow. The root of the plant is dark, almost black, on the outside and pale and fleshy on the inside. The root secretes a thick liquid.

Medical Indications and Benefits

Comfrey is an effective remedy for a variety of conditions. It is a powerful antibacterial, antifungal, and to reduce swelling and inflammation. Comfrey is an anodyne, meaning that it relieves pain; it’s an astringents, meaning that it shrinks blood vessels; it expels mucous; it’s a haemostatic, meaning it can stimulated the clotting of blood; it’s a proliferant, meaning it stimulates cell growth; it’s a refrigerant and can be a mild sedative; and it expedite the healing process. Comfrey is often used to treat maladies like lung disorders, and it can help break up and build-up in the throat. Comfrey is a laxative. It contains a substance which will relieve diarrhea and assist food digestion. These properties make comfrey very valuable to people with bowel disorders like irritable bowel syndrome. Studies have also found that comfrey is beneficial in treating ulcers and diabetes. Mucilage, a gum-based thing that is produced by comfrey, keeps the bowel from emptying and represses the amounts of glucose and insulin that peak after meals. It also helps eliminate cholesterol, and the amount of nutrients in the comfrey leads to better general health.

Comfrey as a Food Supplement

Comfrey is an excellent tonic or dietary supplement because it contains many nutrients and beneficial chemicals, including protein, vitamins A and C. Comfrey is also one of only two plants that naturally contain vitamin B12 (alfalfa is the other one). Comfrey has many other B-complex vitamins as well. It also contains mucilaginous fiber, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, sulphur, copper, zinc, selenium, and germanium.

Cayenne Pepper Herb

Cayenne Pepper Herb

First used in Latin America, cayenne is now grown in many areas of the world and is a common seasoning and remedy. Healers have used cayenne for hundreds of years to treat many disorders including stomach pain, cramping, bloating, and disorders of the circulatory system.

A Brief History of Cayenne

Cayenne has been popular for millennia as an herbal remedy for helping soothe maladies of the gastrointestinal system like pain, gas, or cramps, and problems of circulation. In the modern world, many people ingest cayenne to stimulate circulation. Others use cayenne externally to reduce irritation and soothe the pain that comes with rheumatism or arthritis.

One of the active components of cayenne is capsaicin, which can help treat fibromylagia. It works in a similar way that it helps people who have arthritis. In order to treat fibromylagia, cayenne is used to make a lotion that is massaged directly into aching joints or muscles. But caution should be used when cayenne is applied externally because it creates a burning feeling, and you should always avoid getting it in your eyes.

Studies have shown that cayenne can also be effective in easing migraine pain. When used in this way, cayenne is made into a salve that is applied to the interior of the nostrils. This can cause stinging or pain in some situations.

Active Ingredients

The most effective ingredient in cayenne is capsaicin, which is very strong. Capsaicin is what makes cayenne so effective in treating pain, discomfort, or itching. It has also been shown to increase the body’s ability to release certain neurotransmitters which reduce pain, though this effect is not permanent. It can also decrease the tackiness of platelets, and cayenne can be a powerful antioxidant.

Using Cayenne for Weight Control

Research has shown that many elements of cayenne can stimulate the body’s production of heat, which also increases the rate of the body’s metabolism, which is how the body processes fats and carbohydrates. Studies have also shown that cayenne stimulates production of epinephrine and norepinephrine, which suppress appetite when combined. Many health professionals and dieticians recommend supplementing diet and exercise with 6-10 grams of cayenne per meal or 28 grams of cayenne per day in order to suppress hunger and decrease the number of calories that are turned into fat during meals.

General Dosage Recommendations

Cayenne, when used for medicinal purposes, is most often made into a salve containing 0.025-0.075% capsaicin, which is applied directly to the skin. This can cause a burning feeling when it is first used, but the sensation will subsist with each use. The salve should never be applied to cuts, scrapes, or broken skin since it can be extremely painful.

A mixture using cayenne can be taken in a dose of 0.3-1 ml up to three times a day.

Side Effects

Aside from the burning sensation when the salve is first used, cayenne is usually quite safe. Cayenne should never touch the eyes, as this can be extremely painful and has few side effects. Ingesting cayenne for a long period of time may lead to ulcers.

Chamomile

Chamomile

Related to the daisy, chamomile is indigenous to regions of Europe and western Asia. One type of the herb, German chamomile, is the type that is most often used as an herbal remedy. Chamomile had been used for centuries to treat many disorders of the gastrointestinal system. Chamomile is still used today.

Chamomile had been used by numerous ancient peoples, including Rome, Greece, and Egypt, who used chamomile to treat many maladies including fevers, stomach pain, and stroke. Chamomile is very popular in Germany, where it is called “the cure-all cure.” In America, chamomile is also very commonly used to soothe, relax, and aid sleep. German chamomile is also very commonly used to treat problems like bloating, nausea, or stomach pain.

Other benefits include soothing colds, helping wounds or abscesses heal, reducing gum inflammation, treating skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema, and treating ulcerative colitis. Chamomile can also be taken as teas, soaks, or ointments to treat children’s maladies like chicken pox, diaper rash, and colic. Generally, chamomile is taken as soon as symptoms manifest themselves. If it is taken for ulcers, heartburn, or other serious problems and symptoms persist, see a professional as soon as possible.

German chamomile consists of 1-2% volatile oils like alpha-bisabolol, alpha-bisabolol oxides A & B, and matricin (usually converted to chamazulene), and other active ingredients like apigenin, luteolin, and quercetin, which are flavonoids. All of these make chamomile effective in treating inflammation, muscle pain, spasms, and as a relaxant.

Dosage and Administration

1-2 milliliters of the glycerate type of German chamomile can be used 1-2 times per day as an antispasmodic or anti-inflammatory. When it’s taken for ulcers, stomach disorders, heartburn, or gas, 2-3 grams of German chamomile can be brewed into a tea by steeping in boiling water for 10 minutes. The tea can be taken regularly, up to four times per day.

To soothe lungs in extremely cold temperatures, add a few drops of essential oil to boiling water and breathe deeply.

To treat hemorrhoids, wounds, skin disorders, or insect bites, pour a quarter-pound of dried blossoms into a bath and soak. Or, use alcohol extracts of chamomile in the bath.

Side Effects and Precautions

Chamomile can be used internally or externally, but keep it away from the eyes.

Cascara Sagrada

Cascara Sagrada

Cascara Sagrada is an herbal laxative that is derived from the red-tinted bark of Rhamnus purshiana, a tree which is indigenous to the Pacific Northwest United States. It was commonly used by many Native American tribes who called it “sacred bark” and shared their medicine with Europeans.

Cascara sagrada was historically introduced to Europeans by Eli Lilly &Company, who marketed “Elixir Purgans”, a laxative which had cascara as an ingredient along with other herbs.

Currently, numerous popular laxatives incorporate cascara sagrada. In order to exploit the laxative properties of cascara sagrada, the bark has to be cured for at least a year. The process can be expedited by heating or dehydrating. The curing process is integral to neutralize the properties of cascara sagrada that can inflame the stomach or bowels.

Cascara sagrada, when properly treated, is considered to be very safe and effectual by most doctors or healers.

Health Benefits of Cascara Sagrada

The efficacy of cascara sagrada as a laxative has been demonstrated many times. When properly treated and used under the supervision of a healthcare professional, it can soothe constipation. Cascara is so gentle that even the elderly can take it, and it can treat the constipation that can be a result of complications of surgery (through averting the stress and pain that accompany anal fissures or hemorrhoids). However, the herb hasn’t been thoroughly tested, and so other benefits may not be known.

Dosage Recommendation

Every individual interacts with laxatives differently, so start with the smallest possible dose, and it is important that it is always taken with a lot of water. To treat constipation or other maladies like hemorrhoids, take one teaspoon of liquid essence three times a day or 1-2 teaspoons before going to bed; or take 1 to 2 pills of dehydrated bark before going to bed.