Herbal Legacy Articles

Are you someone who sets goals each year, only to forget them a week or two later?  Or maybe you have given up on setting New Year’s Resolutions, since they don’t work for you or anyone else you know anyway.

In either case, we have some brief thoughts to share with you about how to set good New Year’s Resolutions and then some thoughts for some good goals to set for your health.

First – some thoughts from some successful goal setters:

Jack Canfield: Set goals in all 7 areas of your life – Financial, Career/Business, Free/Family Time, Health/Appearance, Relationships, Personal Growth and Making a Difference.  In a notebook, write what you want, specifically, and why you want it.

Dave Ramsey: Successful people reassess their lives and then start living intentionally, in writing, on paper, on purpose.  The secret to making a goal into a reality is getting started and taking small, consistent steps.  When you set goals, be specific, make the goals measurable, set a time limit and put them in writing. 

Brian Tracy: Someone once asked Brian Tracy, who has written books about goal setting, what advice he would give his son if he could give just one piece of advice to him.  Without hesitation he pulled out a folded up sheet of paper from his pocket and said “I would tell him to do this one thing – each morning take a few minutes and re-write your goals on a sheet of paper then carry that paper with you and look at it throughout the day.  This one thing, if done every day, will do more to help you achieve your goals than any other thing.”

SOME HEALTH GOALS FOR 2010

Do a 3-Day Cleanse
Eliminate the mucus and toxins out of your body and out of your life.  Dr. Christopher said, “The retention of such body waste has a much more insidious effect on our health than is generally suspected.”  If you can’t make it a full three days, do a one-day cleanse and work your way up.
 
Stick to a Supplement Schedule
You buy all these supplements, and when you take them you feel great (or worse, depending on the supplements!).  And then something comes along, like a vacation, an illness, or Saturday, and throws you off your routine.  And then three months go by, and you realize that your bottle of Kidney Formula hasn’t been emptied, and your kidneys aren’t getting any cleaner.  Dr. Christopher said “Keep It Simple Student.”  We don’t need to have an elaborate supplement regime, but if we start taking our herbs consistently, we just might start feeling better!
 
Exercise on a Regular Basis
We all know that exercise is good for us, and that health comes down to diet and exercise.  Regular exercise can give us a decreased risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes, will help us burn calories, increase our stamina, and improve our emotional health.  In this area as well we need to take Dr. Christopher’s advice and Keep it Simple!  Park at the back of the parking lot instead of the front and walk to the store entrance, take the stairs instead of the elevator, take a walk with your friends or loved ones, or do any number of other simple things.  If you want to exercise every cell in your body in only ten minutes a day we highly recommend you look at David Hall’s Cellerciser (http://www.snh.cc/Cellerciser.html).
 
Eat More Vegetables and Fruits
When you eat foods that are health supporting and have a high nutrient level, you feel better.  You lower your risks for heart disease, diabetes and colon cancer.  You lose weight.  Maybe your allergies go away.  But how do we do this?  Pick up a copy of Eat to Live, by Joel Fuhrman, MD at
http://www.christopherpublications.com/Fuhrman_Eat_Live.html.  It’s basically the Mucusless diet (with a lot of the science behind it), recipes and meal plans to help you achieve your health goals.
 
Enroll in The School of Natural Healing or work on Your School Course
If you have not taken the Family Herbalist course yet, what are you waiting for?  You will save money and be healthier!  If you have taken a course but not moved on to the next level why not make a resolution and move on to the next phase?  You can do this at http://www.snh.cc.
 
If you have a course now but have stopped working on it, consider this: If you do five questions a day in a study guide, you can get it done in about a month.  And if you have a completed assignment, send it in to be graded!  If you’re stuck in a spot call the office and talk to your student advisor.  Dr. Christopher’s vision was to have an Herbalist in every home, and a Master Herbalist in every community.  The School wants to see this happen, and wants to see our students progress in the coursework.
 
Stop an Unhealthy Habit
Whether it’s smoking, drinking sodas, or biting your nails, if you have a habit that is unhealthy, why not get rid of it?  Work with others who will support you in stopping your unhealthy habit and overcome it in 2010.
 
Get Enough Rest
Let’s face it, most of us are running on less than eight hours of sleep a night, and we’re pushing ourselves pretty hard during the day.  While the need for sleep differs from person to person, most people need between 8-10 hours of sleep a night.  So this next year, let’s try to get a little more rest, and see if that helps us make it through the day.  Statistics show that when we get enough rest we are more alert and we perform better, and we can remember things easier.  When we do not get enough sleep, we are more likely to be involved in accidents and are at a higher risk for heart disease, obesity, and heart attacks, just to name a few.  So try to get a little more sleep–your health may depend on it!  Michael Thorpy, MD, director of the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York has said: “Any American making a resolution to lose weight … should probably consider a parallel commitment for getting more sleep.”
 
Take Time Out For Ourselves
We need to take time out of our busy lives to unwind.  Whether we get a massage, take a hot bath, meditate, or simply stop for five minutes to have a cup of herbal tea, we need to take a break.  If we never take time for ourselves, we’re going to get run down and won’t be able to do anything for anyone else or we’ll get sick because we’ve compromised our immune system.
 
Listen to A Healthier You Radio
Each week Master Herbalists David and Fawn Christopher do a one-hour radio show that covers the most up-to-date health issues.  You can listen live Saturday mornings from 9-10 AM (Mountain Time) on http://www.ahealthieryouradio.com.  The most current show is also available for free on that same site.  Even better - you can access 18 years of past shows by becoming a member of the website.

Work with a Group
You are much more likely to achieve success if you report to someone.  Thomas S. Monson said, “When performance is measured, performance improves.  When performance is measured and reported, the rate of performance accelerates.”  With that thought in mind, why not start a group on The School of Natural Healing Community Board?  After joining, just click General Discussion and post your overall goal as the topic.  For example – “Weight Loss Goal Group” or “Extended Herbal Cleanse Goal Group” and post YOUR specific, measurable goal as the first topic.  If someone else has already started a group under the goal you want to achieve click that group and post your goal as well, then check in on a regular basis and report your progress.

© Copyright 2009 Herbal Legacy.  All rights reserved.  No reposting or reproduction of any kind without written consent is allowed.

For a printable version of this article please visit: www.herballegacy.com/2010.pdf

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by Dr. John R. Christopher

Cultivation, Collection, Preparation

Any humus, moist soil will support the growth of Peppermint admirably. When you plant it, you should be sure to contain it if you don’t want it to overtake the rest of your garden. Be sure that you are planting Peppermint starts if that is what you want. Peppermint is a different plant from spearmint. It has a dark-green, smooth leaf, while spearmint is hairy. When you chew Peppermint, it gives a cool feeling to the mouth, while spearmint does not.

The usual method of Peppermint culture in America is to dig runners in the early spring and lay them in shallow trenches, 3 feet apart in well-prepared soil. The growing crop is kept well-cultivated and absolutely free from weeds and in the summer when the plant is in full bloom, the mint is cut by hand and distilled. A part of the exhausted herb is dried and used for cattle food, for which it possesses considerable value. The rest is cut and composted and eventually plowed into the ground as fertilizer.

Liberal manuring can make the difference between a mediocre crop and a good one. Peppermint is said to require, per acre, 84 lbs. of nitrogen, 37 lbs. of phosphoric acid, and 139 lbs. of potash. Ground bone and lime do not seem to be of much benefit. Good, well-rotted compost should supply most of the needed elements.

Peppermint requires frequent irrigation if the soil does not remain moist on its own. It is important to keep the soil constantly moist though well-drained. Absorption of water makes the shoots more tender, thus facilitating cutting, and causes a large quantity of green matter to be produced.

Few pests trouble Peppermint, although crickets, grasshoppers and caterpillars may do some damage.

The herb is cut just before flowering. Sometimes a second crop can be obtained, much like hay. It should be carried out on a dry, sunny day, in the late morning when all traces of dew have disappeared. In many places, the herb lies on the ground for a time in small bundles, raked into heaps.

For companion planting, Peppermint planted or strewn between cabbages protects them from the white cabbage butterfly. Peppermint growing with chamomile will be hindered in its oil production, while the chamomile itself benefits from this association and will have higher oil content. Peppermint, if planted with stinging nettle, will have nearly double the oil content.

In the home garden, pick the plant’s tops just before the flowers burst open. Dry it quickly in a warm, airy place out of direct sun. When it is completely dry, crumble it and store it in a cool, dry, airtight place. Be sure to cap it well each time you remove some of the herb for use.

When you make the tea, never boil it. Add boiling water to the crushed herb, lid well, and allow it to steep for three to five minutes. The herbs medicine and flavor reside in its volatile oils, which will escape if the herb is boiled.

© Copyright 2009 Herbal Legacy.  All rights reserved.  No reposting or reproduction of any kind without written consent is allowed.

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by Dr. Christopher
from the 100 Herb Syllabus

Peppermint is classed as a stimulant herb, the most pungent of all the mints. Dr. Christopher also recommended it as a marvelous antispasmodic, which can give tone to the entire body as well. It is a soothing sedative for nervous and restless people of all ages, promoting relaxation and sleep–a wonderful combination of characteristics. On top of all that, it is a very delicious and welcome tea.

HOME REMEDY

Peppermint is used for most of the minor ailments that plague people. It is a prime remedy for colds and flu. The classic formula for these ailments, which is said to break a fever quickly, is a combination of equal parts of peppermint and elder flowers. This is made in a tea and given hot to the sick person, who goes to bed and keeps warm until he begins to sweat. Sweating always breaks the fever (and that is why we hurry to make the patient sweat; dry fever kills, but a moist, sweating fever kills germs and brings the patient to better health than he was before the illness). You can also make hot cups of tea, as strong as you like, for the same purpose, without the elder flowers. The formula is soothing for restlessness and nervousness that often accompany the onset of illness; it can be used to calm people of any age no matter what reason their nervousness.

In place of aspirin or other inorganic, harmful painkilling drugs, take a cup of strong peppermint tea, lying down for a little while. It should relive the pain quickly; if need be, take two or three cups. This strengthens the nerves instead of weakening them as so many of the drugs do. Furthermore, it has been shown that aspirin destroys some of the bacteria-resistant protection in man; peppermint tea, on the other hand, only strengthens the person against disease.

For severe pain, Shook recommended a strong decoction of peppermint. This was made by mixing 3 ounces of peppermint leaves, cut, in 1 quart of hot distilled water. This was covered and let stand for two hours. Bring to a boil, then simmer slowly for five minutes. Add 4 ounces glycerine and again simmer for five minutes. Strain, cool, and bottle. This is given when a person suffers pains and feelings of discomfort in the stomach and abdominal region without knowing the cause.

This brings us to the other most common use of peppermint, the relief of gas in the system. Many people, because they lack sufficient enzymes, or do not chew their food properly, or eat improper combinations of foods or improper foods, suffer from flatulence. Some foods, such as the legumes, contain chemicals which cause gas formation in the system (although certain methods of cooking them can reduce the gas considerably). However, many people take a cup of Peppermint tea after meals as insurance against flatulence. Taken with meals, it will assist digestion generally and is much a preferable beverage for everyday use instead of coffee or tea, which hinder proper digestion and cause health problems generally. The mint will get rid of a queasy stomach and nausea; for this purpose it is often mixed with chamomile, which has pain reducing and relaxing properties as well. Many of us have experienced sudden, sharp pains in the abdomen, which are often caused by pockets of gas cramping in the system. Peppermint relieves these almost immediately; it is therefore a good remedy for colic in infants. The leaves can be slightly warmed and bound on the infant’s abdomen, which is a good method especially in cases of small infants who cannot tolerate the proper amount of tea.

Peppermint is a powerful stimulant, and will bring the body to its natural warmth, helping in cases of sudden dizzy or fainting spells, with extreme coldness and a pale countenance.

It is given in cases of diarrhea, and some doctors consider that it is one of the surest, as well as the simplest, remedies for this complaint. As soon as the diarrhea appears, drop 15 drops of essence of Peppermint in a cup of hot water, and sip with a spoon as hot as can be borne. Repeat every three hours until cured. The essence of Peppermint is also valuable in a nervous sick headache, such as a migraine. To a cupful of water add one teaspoonful of the essence; saturate a cloth with it and apply to the head and temples. For many persons this gives quick relief. As soon as the cloth becomes dry, wet the cloth again. This is one of the few herbs that the oil and essence are used without danger of overdosing, although they should always be mixed with water for internal use.

The oil of Peppermint can be applied, straight, to an aching tooth while awaiting a trip to the dentist. It works, like oil of Cloves, to relieve the pain.

To make an excellent liniment for reducing the pains of rheumatism, sciatica, lumbago, stiff and swollen joints, congestion of the chest, sore throat, and so on, including sores, even purulent sores and gangrene, Dr. Shook recommended making Liniment of Peppermint. To do so, heat 1 pint of pure olive oil, and add to it 1 dram (teaspoonful) of oil of Peppermint, 1 dram, menthol crystals, and 1 dram of flowers of camphor. Mix in a warm jar or bottle, shaking until dissolved. Let stand until cool, then keep in a cool place. This can also be used to reduce varicose veins, clear up acne, boils, abscesses, eczema, etc.

Of course, one of the nicest uses of Peppermint is culinary. Euell Gibbons pointed out that to him Peppermint wasn’t a medicine, but a delightful food. He had samples of wild mint analyzed for vitamins A and C and found that the freshly picked plant, had, on the average, approximately as much vitamin C as the same weight of oranges, and more carotene, or provitamin A, than do carrots, making this herb an excellent source of both vitamins (Gibbons:74). Instead of just an occasional garnish or flavoring you can use mint freely in your diet. In the near East, it is the main ingredient of salads, some of the best Gibbons has ever eaten, he said. Add a quantity of finely-chopped mint to almost any tossed salad, for it seemed (to him) to combine well with all salad materials. It must be chopped very fine, and the salad must be thoroughly tossed, but don’t be afraid to add enough mint. When it is tempered by oil and vinegar and mingled with the flavors of other greens, it takes at least a half-cupful of chopped mint to properly flavor a big bowl of salad.

Peppermint vinegar is made by filling a bottle with clean, freshly picked peppermint. Cover with apple cider vinegar and let steep for two weeks; strain off the vinegar. A small fresh sprig of mint can be added to the final bottles for beauty and quick identification. In small, decorative bottles, this is a lovely Christmas gift.

A good beverage is made by mixing cold Peppermint tea with apple juice and chilling. Mint ice cubes, frozen with a small sprig of mint in the center, make this a party drink.

Some people add cold Peppermint tea to their pie crusts instead of using Ice water. It makes a good flavor, subtle but pleasant.

Finely-chopped mint is wonderful added to fresh-fruit salads. You can garnish the combination with a few mint leaves.
Next week we will cover cultivation, collection and preparation of peppermint.

www.herballegacy.com/Peppermint.pdf

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by Dr. John R. Christopher

Rembert Dodens, Dutch physician to the Emperors Maximilian II and Rudolph, wrote in 1557 in his ‘History of Plants’:

“The juice of the cabbage softens the belly and makes one go to stool.  It cleans and cures old ulcers.  Cabbage juice mixed with honey makes a syrup that heals hoarseness and coughing.  The leaves, when cooked and applied to chronic ulcers, modify and heal them, and aid the resolution of tumors and wounds.”

Doctors Merat and Lens of the Faculty of Medicine of Paris wrote in 1829 (Universal Dictionary of Materia Medica): “The cabbage is one of the most valuable acquisitions of man.  It combats scurvy, it prevents gout, the tender leaves are applied to wounds, and seeds are indicated for worms.”

A Doctor Roques of the eighteen hundreds protected himself and his family for many years against the epidemic winter diseases by eating a daily salad of cooked cabbage.  He recommended the following treatment for cold and laryngitis; One pound of strained red cabbage juice, 3 grams of saffron, 1/2 pound of honey and sugar, the whole boiled to a syrup; 1 tablespoonful is taken in a cup of tea 3 or 4 times daily.

A Doctor Blanc wrote: “Cabbage is the bread and butter of therapeutics.  It is the doctor of the poor - the providential physician.  Let the incredulous experiment, nothing is simpler (than cabbage); the application is external and easy, the action is prompt and innocuous.  One can see it with the naked eye.  The virtues of this plant are numerous, and I defy anyone to present a good reason why cabbage should not be used therapeutically.”

The preparation of cabbage for various disorders is as follows: Wash the leaves or soak them for a few minutes in water to which lemon juice has been added.  Wipe dry, then use a knife or scissors to remove the central rib and, if the application is planned for an ulcer or sensitive wound, the secondary ribs.  Crush the leaves, one by one - with a rolling pin or bottle.  The juice appears at the surface of the leaves, ready for application.  One, two, or three applications will be required according to the severity of the disease.  Cover with a thick cloth and continue the application for several hours, generally overnight, or during the day if pain prevents sleep.

For a very sensitive wound, plunge the leaves for one or two seconds into boiling water, softening them, and reducing the possibility of irritation,

If cabbage leaves are applied to ulcers with swollen irritated margins, soak the leaves first for one-half hour in olive oil.  The resulting preparation will soothe inflamed tissues as well as combating infection and aiding healing.

Cabbage leaves applied to an infected wound, ulcer, or oozing eczema should be layered like roof shingles, allowing secretions to drain between the layers.  When treating lumbago, joint pain, or various afflictions of the nerve or bladder, poultices of cabbage leaves bring rapid relief.  A poultice is prepared as follows: Boil for 20 minutes 2 to 4 cabbage leaves and two whole chopped onions with 3 or 4 handfuls of bran and a little water. 
After evaporation of the water, place the poultice on gauze and apply hot for one or two hours, or even for the whole night. (Never apply heat to a painful abdomen.  Only the physician can properly diagnose the cause of abdominal pain, and the application of heat to appendicitis or infection of the ovary may be harmful.)

Doctor Garnett-Cheney, Professor at the Medical School of Stanford, published a report concerning the use of cabbage juice in the treatment of gastric ulcers.  Of 65 cases reported in his series, 62 were cured at the end of three weeks.  Cabbage has been recommended to correct anemia of experimental animals induced by an all-milk diet.

In research at the University of Texas.  Dr. W. Shive extracted from cabbage a substance he calls Glutamine, useful in the treatment of alcoholism and peptic ulcer.

Cabbage has been found to be of infinite value for pregnant women, and for patients with anemia, fatigue, infections, intestinal parasites, stones, and arthritis.

We list now some of the afflictions for which the cabbage has been used over the centuries to bring relief:

Acne:  Apply a lotion of freshly prepared cabbage juice preceded, if desired, by the application of leaves.  The eating of cabbage leaves or juice is also helpful.

Alcoholism:  Eat cabbage, steamed or raw and drink the juice.

Anemia:  Drink one or two glasses of cabbage juice daily.

Burns:  Apply mashed cabbage leaves to the burn area to relieve pain and speed healing.

Cirrhosis of the liver:  Drink cabbage juice and eat raw or steamed cabbage.

Colitis:  Apply 3 or 4 layers of cabbage leaves over the abdomen each evening and secure in place to be left on overnight.  Drink also the juice between meals.

Constipation:  Several glasses a day of cabbage broth.

Diarrhea:  Apply cabbage leaves to the abdominal region during the day and a fresh application for overnight and drink a cabbage broth.

Headache:  Apply cabbage leaves to the forehead and nape of the neck and leave on overnight.  Applications of the leaves over the liver may also be necessary.

Insect Bites:  Rub a crushed cabbage leaf over the bite.

Kidney disease:  Apply cabbage leaves over the kidney areas and leave on overnight and also for a few hours during the day

Menses, painful:  Apply cabbage leaves over the lower abdomen for several hours.

Sprains:  Tie three or four thicknesses of cabbage leaves around the sprained area and leave on overnight.

Next time you see the lowly cabbage plant consider that over the centuries many people have derived much relief from physical ailments through using it.

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by Dr. John R. Christopher

A Dr. Blanc in 1881 wrote the following: “About 1880, a cart driver in a small French village fell off his wagon and - a frequent accident in those times - one wheel rolled over his leg.  Two physicians agreed that amputation was necessary; a surgeon was called into consultation, he concurred, and the operation was booked for the next morning.  But at 5 p.m. that day the parish priest, Loviat of Saint-Claude, advised the patient’s mother to cover the injured leg with cabbage leaves.  Under the influence of this simple dressing, the man slept all night.  When he awoke, the family and one of the physicians who arrived to prepare the patient for surgery saw that he could move his leg.  The cabbage leaves were removed to reveal a leg without swelling and with improved color.  Eight days later, completely well, the man returned to work.”

The common cabbage has been of vital importance to mankind over the 4,000 years of its cultivation.  The medical use of cabbage, empirical for centuries, is based upon precise scientific considerations.  Hippocrates once remarked that physicians shouldn’t hesitate to borrow from folklore that which can be useful in medicine.  We now know, with sound proof, that the folklore of cabbage has stood the test of time and scientific experimentation.

Two other accounts of the medicinal use of cabbage might be of interest: A watchmaker suffered for a year with a painful eczema of both hands, preventing him from working.  The lesions were acutely inflamed, and the fingernails were separating, about to fall off.  Applications of cabbage leaves twice daily for a few days brought relief from pain, as clear fluid drained onto the dressing.  With continued treatment healing took place within two months.

In 1875 a 75-year old man suffered arteriosclerotic gangrene of the lower right leg and foot.  The skin was black and the front of the lower leg was decayed.  Following the local application of cabbage leaf dressings, the skin changed from black to brown to red, and then returned to its normal healthy color.  Three weeks later, writes doctor Blanc, there was a considerable improvement.

It has not yet been discovered why the cabbage leaf has such remarkable healing properties.  We only know that the cabbage leaf has a particular affinity for disease-causing fluids, forcing them from the tissues.  It even seems that treating small areas of extensive disease benefits the whole, as distant toxins are removed, the cabbage promotes healing and scar tissue, thus preventing complications.
The long history of cures obtained with cabbage, concern many different diseases, including simple and complicated injuries, rheumatic pains, facial neuralgia, headaches, leg ulcer, anthrax, and many others.  Cabbage - raw in salads, juiced, or steamed - has incomparable virtues in the most diverse maladies.

Hippocrates had a peculiar affection for this vegetable.  Should one of his patients be seized with a violent colic, he at once prescribed a dish of boiled cabbage with salt.  Erasistratus looked upon it as a sovereign remedy against paralysis.  Pythagoras, and other learned philosophers, composed books in which they celebrated the marvelous virtues of the cabbage.  Cato claimed that this plant infallibly cures all diseases; and that he used it as a panacea to preserve his family from the plague, which, otherwise, would not have failed to reach them.  It is to the use the Romans made of it, he adds, that they were able during six hundred years to do without the assistance of physicians, whom they had expelled from their territories.

The Romans used cabbage externally and internally for various illnesses, as a purgative, disinfectant, and poultice; Roman soldiers applied cabbage leaves to their wounds for healing.

Next week, we will get into more details about how cabbage can heal specific conditions.

Printable Version: http://www.herballegacy.com/CabbageI.pdf

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by Nathan Jaynes, MH

Herbs have been used throughout history and are trusted to be safe and effective.  Even during pregnancy when most pharmaceuticals are off limits, most herbs have a safe track record.

There is, however, a rule that should be followed when using herbs during pregnancy: “Take only what is necessary when it is needed.”   This means to avoid herbs that have a specific action unless otherwise directed.  Herbs that are nutritive or tonic are always indicated during pregnancy.

Herbs to avoid during pregnancy:

• Emmenagogue herbs (these herbs induce monthly menstruation – see pg. 657 of Dr. Christopher’s book School of Natural Healing)
• Heavy cathartic herbs (stimulate strong bowel action pg. 650 SNH)
• Stimulating herbs such as coffee
• Hallucinogenic herbs
• Anti-parasitic herbs
• Abortives such as rue, tansy, cotton root bark, or thuja
• Any Standardized extract (these are really drugs)

Herbs used only under special circumstances (in small amounts if at all)

• Pennyroyal (used in the last 6 weeks of pregnancy only)
• False Unicorn (used in case of miscarriage only)
• Blue Cohosh (used to increase uterine contraction just before birth)
• Dong Quai (considered too strong to use for pregnancy in most cases)
• Black Cohosh (used in the last part of pregnancy to help with cramps)
• Male Fern (anti-parasite herb not to be used in large amounts)
• Poke Root (used as a cleanser especially the lymph - too strong for causal use)
• Wormwood and any artemisia species (anti-worm use only when needed)
• Licorice (use in small amounts - no more than 2 capsules 3 times per day)
• Ephedra (use in small amounts only - never use standardized)
• Dr. Christopher’s Pre-natal combination (used in the last 6 weeks of pregnancy only)
• False Unicorn and Lobelia combination (used in case of miscarriage)   
• Vitex (considered very strong for pregnancy)

Most herbs are safe; here is a list of herbs that can be taken during pregnancy in tonic amounts:

• Red Raspberry (should be taken often)
• Alfalfa 
• Ginger
• Evening Primrose
• Chamomile
• Cayenne
• Echinacea
• All Dr. Christopher Combinations not mentioned above
• Cramp bark
• Dandelion
• Vitalerbs (use in copious amounts)
• Dr. Christopher’s Pregnancy tea
• Goldenseal
• Catnip

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by Jo Francks, MH

We are getting a lot of calls about this topic – what to do if you’re pregnant and get sick with the flu.  Drug companies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others are targeting pregnant women and children for the swine flu shot.

Our students would rather avoid the flu shot and want to know what is safe and effective for the flu when pregnant.  What I see happening is that pregnant women are hesitant to take anything because of the warnings on products and from doctors that virtually nothing is safe to take during pregnancy (So why would they give a swine flu shot that hasn’t had sufficient testing to a pregnant woman?).

Of course, prevention is the key, but when you feel like something is coming on Echinacea can be taken in dosages of 2 capsules or 1-2 dopperfuls every hour.  Nip it in the bud before it gets bad.  Garlic and cayenne can be taken during pregnancy.  Garlic is the number one herb for flu. It can be eaten raw, blended in juice, mixed with honey and cayenne or taken in capsules. 6 cloves of garlic is the daily recommended dosage.

We encourage women to drink red raspberry leaf tea all through their pregnancy to help the baby and for an easy delivery.  We also recommend red raspberry leaf tea to be consumed in large quantities if a person is sick or around sick people.  We don’t encourage fasting during pregnancy, but do eliminate processed foods, dairy, meat, and sweets.

Eat whole foods like fresh juice, fresh fruits and vegetables and potassium broth (see recipe below).  Sweat baths are not recommended, but a foot soak in ginger tea is helpful while drinking red raspberry leaf tea or peppermint or calendula or a mixture of all three.

We don’t recommend enemas or harsh laxatives or emmenagogue herbs during pregnancy.  Prune juice would be better to use than a laxative to help the bowels eliminate.  Plenty of rest is a must!

Some formulas that would be okay to use during pregnancy would be Immucalm, Sinus Plus and the Lung and Bronchial Formula.  Some individual herbs that are fine to use during pregnancy are red raspberry leaf, yarrow, elder berries, Echinacea, garlic, rose hips, ginger, plantain, cayenne and cloves.
Definition:

Emmenagogues are herbs which stimulate blood flow in the pelvic area and uterus; some stimulate menstruation.  Women have used plants such as mugwort, parsley and ginger to prevent or terminate early pregnancy.

Printable Version: www.herballegacy.com/Pregnant_Flu.pdf

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From Dr. Christopher’s Guide to Colon Health

Apple cider is both oxygenating and alkalinizing to the gastrointestinal system.  It helps stimulate digestive enzyme production in the stomach and intestine as well as alkalinize the rest of the body.  Many have used the combination of apple cider and honey to lose weight, alleviate arthritis, dissolve bone spurs, and rid themselves of kidney and gall stones.  Mix one tablespoon of apple cider and one tablespoon of honey in a glass of distilled water.  Do this three times daily.  For the best results use organic, raw, and unfiltered apple cider and honey.

Printable Version http://www.herballegacy.com/ACVHoney.pdf

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From Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices
by N.W. Walker

Alfalfa is a particularly valuable leguminous herb, not only rich in the principal mineral and chemical elements in the constitution of the human body, but it also has many of the trace elements obtained from deep in the soil where the roots reach down 30 to 100 feet.

Of specific value, I would point out the rich quality, quantity and proper balance of Calcium, Mangesium, Phosphorous, Chlorine, Sodium, Potassium and Silicon in Alfalfa.  These elements are all very much needed for the proper function of the various organs in the body.

While Alfalfa is widely used as forage for livestock, it is nevertheless of immense value, in the form of juice using only the leaves, when it can be obtained fresh.
Because Alfalfa adapts itself to widely varying conditions of soil and climate, even thriving on alkali soil, there is no excuse for not growing it on one’s home grounds, as it is usually difficult to obtain when living in the city.

When we are unable to obtain fresh Alfalfa, we sprout Alfalfa seeds and eat the sprouts with our meals.  They sprout easily and they are very beneficial.

Vegetation miraculously transforms and vitalizes inanimate substances into living cells and tissues.

Cattle eat vegetation, raw, for nourishment.  They take into their system one living organism and convert it into a still more complex live organism.

Vegetation, on the other hand, whether vegetable, fruit, plant, or grass, takes inorganic elements from the air, water, and earth, and converts them into live organic elements.  To be specific, in order for vegetation to flourish, it needs nitrogen and carbon from the air; minerals, mineral salts, and more nitrogen from the earth in which it grows; and of course, oxygen and hydrogen from water.

The most vital and potent factors in this process of conversion are the elements and the life-giving influence of the rays of the sun which generate the chlorophyll.

One of the richest chlorophyll foods we have is alfalfa.  It is a food that builds up both animals and humans, all things considered, into a healthy, vital, and vigorous old age, and builds up a resistance to infection that is almost phenomenal.

The juice of fresh alfalfa is too strong and potent to be taken by itself.  It is best taken with carrot juice, in which combination the individual benefits of each juice are intensified.  It has been found very helpful in most troubles with the arteries and disfunctions connected with the heart.

Besides benefits to blood and heart conditions, chlorophyll is most useful in the relief of respiratory troubles and discomforts, particularly in the sinuses and in the lungs.  Mucus is the underlying cause of sinus infection and pains, as it is of bronchial and asthmatic conditions, including hay fever.

To carrot and alfalfa juice, lettuce juice may be added to enrich the combination with elements needed by the roots of the hair.

http://www.herballegacy.com/Alfalfa.pdf

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by David Christopher, MH, AHG
 

Printable Version: www.herballegacy.com/EchinaceaHerb.pdf

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