The Complete Herbal Guide: A Natural Approach to Healing the Body - Heal Your Body Naturally and Maintain Optimal Health Using Alternative Medicine, Herbals, Vitamins, Fruits and Vegetables (46 page)

Aloe Vera soothes the gastrointestinal tract and eases peptic ulcer inflammation caused by excess acid, aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs.

Ingested, Aloe helps to lower cholesterol, increases blood-vessel generation in the lower extremities of people with poor circulation, soothes stomach irritation and promotes healing.

A medically active complex sugar in Aloe stimulates and regulates various components of the immune system, and some clinics have used Aloe Vera to increase the efficacy of chemotherapy treatments when used with other chemotherapy agents. Aloe protects against skin-damaging x - rays - an effective antioxidant that absorbs free radicals caused by radiation. It also reduces inflammation resulting from radiation therapy and stimulates cell regeneration.

Applied topically, Aloe Vera is known to rejuvenate wrinkled, sun-aged skin, and will stimulate cell regeneration. Application also promotes the healing of sores, insect bites, cuts and burns, and is an effective treatment against psoriasis and eczema. Aloe contains enzymes that relieve pain, and as a mild anesthetic, it relieves itching and swelling. Its topical application will help burns from scarring. Aloe Vera is an astringent and emollient; it is antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial.

A tea made from the dried juice of Aloe Vera Leaf makes a fine mouthwash, effective against cold sores and also a wash for the eyes.

Dosages:
Take two (2) capsules, one (1) time each day with an early to mid-day meal.

Precautions:
Pregnant or nursing mothers, children and the elderly should never take Aloe Vera internally, nor should people who take potassium-depleting drugs for high blood pressure. Aloe and prescription medications should be taken at different times. Allergic reactions, though rare, may occur in susceptible persons.

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Are you suffering from irregularity?

Aloes Cape
has been in use for many centuries as
a natural laxative
for those who suffer from chronic constipation. It is a natural source of iso- and bioflavonoids, amino acids, iron and calcium and is known to produce
antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal effects.

Plant Description:

Found in centuries-old rock paintings, Aloes Cape is normally neither irrigated nor treated with pesticides and contains three times as many polysaccharides than
Aloe Vera
. This plant is so strong that its survival is sustained through its own immune system.

History:

Its botanical specific,
ferox
, is derived from the translation of a Latin word, meaning "wild or fierce." Aloes Cape is a robust, palm like succulent with stems that grow to ten feet, crowned with dense rosettes. The broad, fleshy leaves are dull green with reddish-brown spines along the perimeter, but the flowers are a bright red/orange that adds beauty to many gardens when cultivated. Aloes Cape is native to the Cape Region of South Africa, grows in dry, rocky places and scrubs and is drought tolerant, thriving in very well-drained soil in sun. Aloes Cape has been famous for its medicinal qualities for over three hundred years. Some of the constituents found in Aloes Cape include amino acids, iso- and bioflavonoids and many important minerals.

Medical Uses:

Bitter Aloe is the yellow juice that is found just below the skin of the Aloes Cape leaves, and the juice retains all the naturally present active ingredients, including its main purgative component, anthrone c-glucoside aloin (barbaloin), which is a very strong laxative.

Aloes Cape is a natural digestive-fermenting agent, supporting stomach complaints and detoxifying the intestines. As an aid to digestion, it is used to ease indigestion and improve a poor appetite.

Aloes Cape is thought to enhance the immune system and may also raise the tolerance threshold in cases of allergies.

Aloes Cape is said to have wound-healing properties and has been used to treat such diverse problems as eczema, conjunctivitis, hypertension and stress. In lower doses, it has been used to help in the treatment of arthritis.

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Althea Root
aids the body in expelling
excess fluid and mucus
and will
soothe the mucous membranes and a dry, hacking cough.
Good for treating
bladder infection, digestive upsets, fluid retention, intestinal disorders, kidney problems, sinusitis, and sore throat.
It is a natural source of beta-carotene, amino acids, minerals, and vitamins. It is often used as filler in the compounding of pills.
Althea Root soothes!

History:
Althea Root or Marsh Mallow is a rich source of healing mucilage, and its genus name,
Althaea,
is derived from the Greek
althe
(to cure).

The use of Althea Root originated in traditional Greek medicine and later spread to Arabian and Indian Ayurvedic medicine. Long used as a healing herb, Althea Root was eaten by the Egyptians and Syrians and mentioned by Pythagoras, Plato, and Virgil. The plant was enjoyed by the Romans in barley soup and in a stuffing for suckling pig, while classical herbalists praised its gentle laxative properties.

It was used in Persia to reduce inflammation in teething babies, and the Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne (A.D. 800-814), insisted that Althea be planted throughout his kingdom, and in the nineteenth century, some doctors made a meringue from the plant's root juices, egg whites and sugar that hardened into a medicinal candy, which was used to soothe children's sore throats. Althea Root is a hardy perennial that grows best in wet, marshy areas.

Plant Description:

The plant bears hibiscus-like blossoms of light red to white or purple in color and may grow to a height of four to six feet. All parts of the plant are used in various ways, i.e., medicinal, decorative, culinary, and cosmetic purposes, but the root is mainly used for medicinal purposes. Althea Root is rich in mucilage, paraffin, pectin, lecithin, tannins, acids, beta-carotene, amino acids, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, zinc, B-vitamins and vitamin C.

Medical Uses:

Althea (Marshmallow) Root's particular excellence involves soothing irritated tissue and relieves various forms of inflammation, especially of the mucous membranes, since it is high in mucilage which is very soothing to the membranes. It aids the body in expelling excess fluid and mucus. The herb is used in many lung preparations and cough syrups to alleviate a dry, hacking cough and laryngitis. It is also known to be a good expectorant, helping to loosen and expel phlegm from the lungs.

Althea Root is an old-time remedy for gastrointestinal disorders, strengthening the digestive system, because it contains polysaccharides that form a protective layer on the stomach lining and will lower stomach acids. The herb is frequently used to treat ulcers and colitis.

The herb improves the functioning of the immune system, since it is known to stimulate phagocytosis, the immune process in which cells called macrophages engulf and digest infectious micro-organisms.

Althea Root may be used externally in an ointment as an emollient to soften and soothe skin and dry hands. The high mucilage content will also promote rapid healing of diaper rash, skin ulcers, sunburns, and psoriasis and problem skin.

Dosages:
Take two (2) capsules, two (2) times each day with water at mealtimes.

Precautions:
None

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A powerful
astringent and antiseptic
,
Alum Root
has been used for centuries in the treatment of
diarrhea and hemorrhage
, including bleeding gums after tooth extraction and excessive menstruation. Excellent when used in treating internal piles and hemorrhoids.

Plant Description:

Centuries ago, Native American healers knew that the root of the wild geranium (Alum Root) would calm an inflamed intestinal tract and treat diarrhea.

Alum Root is a perennial plant that is native to North America, especially in the woodlands of the eastern half. The stout, horizontal rootstock (the medicinal part) produces a hairy stem, which grows to a height of two feet, as well as leaves and attractive rose-purple flowers, which bloom from April to July.

History:

Native Americans used Alum Root as eyewash and applied it to sores, open wounds and swollen feet. The Chippewa’s employed it as a remedy for sores inside the mouth, especially in children, and many tribes ate the young leaves of the plant. The early settlers learned of the many effective medicinal qualities of Alum Root from the Native Americans, and by the nineteenth century, a physician remarked that the root was "a very popular domestic remedy" that was widely in use as an astringent for diarrhea, dysentery and hemorrhaging.

Alum Root was listed in the
United States Pharmacopoeia
from 1820 to 1916. To this day herbalists recommend the underground root stem for many of those same medicinal purposes, and it is still used both internally and externally for its astringent qualities. Some of the constituents in Alum Root include tannic, citric and gallic acid, starch, sugar, gum, oleoresin, pectin, anthocyanins and calcium oxalate

Medical Uses:

When used internally, it is an excellent treatment for hemorrhage, diarrhea, nosebleeds and profuse menstruation. The root contains a high concentration of tannins that act as a powerful astringent, which are said to be effective against diarrhea, cholera and dysentery.

When ingested, Alum Root is an old and reliable treatment for internal piles and hemorrhoids.

Taken internally, Alum Root has a potent healing effect on the entire gastrointestinal tract and has been used as an excellent treatment against pus and mucus in the bladder and intestines or, in fact, mucous discharges from any part of the body. It is helpful in reducing inflammation of the mucous membranes, curbs irritation of hemorrhoid tissue and promotes venous health.

Used externally, it is a powerful blood coagulant: The dry powder sprinkled on a wound or cut will stop bleeding immediately. (Barbers have used it as a styptic for years to stop razor cuts.)

As a mouthwash, Alum Root will aid in the relief of mouth sores, sore throat and bleeding gums.

Alum Root has been used to treat ulcers and has also been found helpful in fighting the bacteria in tuberculosis.

Dosages:

Take two (2) capsules, two (2) to three (3) times each day with water at mealtimes.

Precautions

This herb is not recommended for long-term use, as excessive use may cause liver damage.

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Ginseng increases mental efficiency and boost stamina
and energy with
American Ginseng.
An excellent way to
improve the body's resistance to infection and damaging environmental influences
, the herb is also used by many athletes for overall body strengthening and endurance. It is useful for
bronchitis, circulatory problems, diabetes and infertility.
  Recent studies have shown it to be helpful in
lowering cholesterol
and possibly even inhibiting the growth of malignant growths. American Ginseng has long been used as an aphrodisiac and is especially
helpful to weak or elderly people.

Plant Description:

American Ginseng is a smaller version of its more famous Asian (Korean/Chinese) cousin but has many of the same benefits.  It is a slow-growing perennial plant with a large fleshy root (the part used in herbal medicine) and a stem that grows to two feet.  It is found from Maine to Georgia and from Oklahoma to Minnesota, and it is endangered in much of this area.

History:

Gar-ent-oguen is
its Iroquois name, meaning Man Plant, and Native Americans made a tea to alleviate nausea and vomiting long before European settlers arrived in North America. Some tribes thought it to be a love potion, and modern researchers believe that it increases interest in sex by altering the action of the neurotransmitter, dopamine, in the brain.  American colonists began using Ginseng in the early1700s, and by 1709 through 1714, French Jesuit missionaries, Pere Jartoux and Pere Lafitau, were responsible for noting the value of the wild American Ginseng, collecting samples in southern Canada and creating a huge market in China.

Tons of American Ginseng were exported to Asia, where it was prized by Chinese herbalists, because it is sweeter than the Korean
Panax ginseng
and considered more "
yin"
(cooler) in nature.  Asians particularly favor the Ginseng grown in Wisconsin. Some of the constituents in American Ginseng include ginsenosides, kaempferol, beta-sitosterol, campesterol, cinnamic-, ferulic-, fumaric-, oleanolic-, panaxic- and vanillic-acids, as well as saponin, stigmasterol, calcium, choline, fiber, foliate, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, silicon, zinc, B-vitamins and vitamin C.