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sigynsdottir:

lokaliska:

alphacanismaj0ris:

valkyraven:

A note.

I see a lot of people posting herbal remedies.

Please, please include the cautions and contradictions with an herb when you recommend it.

Herbs are drugs. Some of them should not be used by pregnant or nursing women (kava kava comes to mind).

Valerian is not a substitute for narcotic sleep aids. Valerian is a narcotic sleep aid.

St. John’s wort messes up the action of oral contraceptives.

Marshmallow root should not be mixed with other medicines or taken at the same time as it can interfere with their action.

Catnip (used for sleep problems) can make already heavy menstrual periods worse.

Etc, etc, etc. Please remember you are recommending medicines and medicines can have effects other than the ones you want.

!!!!!!!THIS IS SO IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!

ALSO! And this one doesn’t get mentioned (that I’ve seen): passionflower is a mild MAOI. If you take it with SSRIs, SNRIs, etc you can induce Serotonin Syndrome. That can be lethal.

A vast number of drugs are ideas people got from plants and herbal remedies.

They’re not different, they’re just, in many cases, more refined (like aspirin being “how can we make white willow bark do less damage to stomach and liver” refined, or “how do we make opium more potent and less addictive” - obviously this did not always WORK, but they TRIED.)

Scratches face.....omg people....

Narcolepsy cannot be cured. Valerian is a sleep aid period. It is helpful to people with narcolepsy because it makes you feel refreshed even when you have only had a short amount of sleep. I am not seeing any actual sources of it being a real sleep aid for narcolepsy, just a suggested herbal aid. In a tincture it can also be used to help with migraines. 

St Johns wort ALSO messes up any other antidepressant medications so you absolutely CANNOT take it with another anti depressant or it is canceled out. A lot of medications and herbs mess with contraceptives. 

Arnica is used in homeopathy and can help with healing bruises but we were taught if you make anything with it and are using it on skin, and accidentally get it on a cut or in the bloodstream, call poison control immediately or go to the ER. 

I don’t have time to look up the other things, but do serious research from actual websites. Not just some ‘I say so, it must be true.’ Find sources! Be careful.

Tumeric

http://herbalacademyofne.com/2013/12/turmeric-the-golden-goddess/

Turmeric’s Herbal Actions

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory
Antioxidants scavenge free radicals and help to reduce or prevent damage and inflammation caused by free radicals, and anti-inflammatory agents block enzymes that promote inflammation and pain. Turmeric is often used in an Ayurvedic approach to reduce inflammation of the throat and tonsils, and as an anti-inflammatory herb for many other aches and pains. A randomized 2009 study examined the efficacy and safety of turmeric in patients with knee arthritis (an inflammatory condition), concluding that turmeric was as effective and as safe as ibuprofen. (Kuptniratsaikul, et al, 2009) You will find that a number of culinary herbs also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, including sage, ginger, and garlic.

Antimicrobial
Antimicrobial herbs inhibit the growth of pathogens like bacteria, viruses, and fungi. A 2009 study on aqueous extract of turmeric showed good antimicrobial action against such pathogens as E. coli and staph. (Niamsa, et al, 2009)

Cholerectic
Cholerectics stimulate production of bile, thereby supporting digestion. In Ayurveda, turmeric is a warming herb that kindles digestive fire, or agni. Like other bitter-flavored herbs that stimulate bile production, turmeric is used to promote digestion and alleviate symptoms in the GI tract. A randomized, double-blind crossover study in 1999 used ultrasound to examine the gallbladder after administration of curcumin, leading researchers to conclude that “curcumin induces contraction of the human gall-bladder” (Raysid, et al, 1999).

In a double-blind, placebo controlled study in Thailand, curcumin was compared to placebo and an over-the-counter remedy for indigestion. Eighty-seven percent of the curcumin group had full or partial relief from indigestion after 7 days, compared to 53% of the placebo group. (Thamlikitkul, et al, 1989)

Dandelion

Visually dandelions may draw up childhood memories, but they offer many health benefits – from the flowers, to the leaves, and right down to the root.

Dandelion’s Health Benefits

Digestive Bitter: Aids in the secretion of digestive juices, and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, putting the body into a relaxed stated which is helpful with digestion. Learn more about bitters.

Alterative: Improves body’s health and function by increasing elimination of metabolic waste from skin, liver, kidneys, lymph, and bowels.

Diuretic (Leaf): Promotes production of urine as well as water excretion.

Cholagogue: Stimulates the gallbladder, aiding in the production of bile.

Hepatic: Supports the liver.

Anti-lithic: Prevent the formation of calculi or gravel (stones) in the urinary system

With all these actions, the question that may come to mind is why? Most of those answers start with the bitter nature of dandelion. When a bitter taste is detected in the mouth, what then happens is lots of flow: bile flows from the liver and gallbladder, and hydrochloric acid flows freely from the stomach. Along with its richness of vitamins A and C, dandelion also contains choline, which stimulates the liver. Liver stimulation is important because it processes impurities in our bodies. These days, the liver has many reasons to be overrun. Especially after a long winter, digestion can be sluggish and in need of some cleansing. (Brett, 2007)

Dandelion Safety

Despite all of dandelion’s many uses, it is important to be aware that too much of a good thing is not always best. As with everything in life, try to approach the use of herbs with awareness and a sense of balance. People sensitive to plants in the Asteraceae family may also be sensitive to dandelion, although this is rare. Fortunately, dandelion leaf contains abundant levels of potassium to offset any loss of this mineral due to diuresis. There have been very rare instances of skin irritations from handling latex in the stems and leaves.

Because dandelion has been found to accumulate soil contaminants, be sure you harvest it well away from roads, industrial sites, buildings, roofing drip lines, or anyplace where chemicals or pesticides are sprayed. You can also purchase your dandelion from Mountain Rose Herbs here.http://herbalacademyofne.com/2014/04/dandelion-the-dandiest-weed-of-all/