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 (55 page)

Licorice is a wonderful support for good digestion and healthy gastrointestinal system.
  As a demulcent, the herb soothes the mucous membranes and protects the stomach and intestines.

It has been known to coat the stomach's lining with a mucus, rather than restraining the secretion of gastric acid (which would result in incomplete digestion) and reduce the activity of pepsin. Glycyrrhizin acid also helps to inhibit enzymes that dismantle prostaglandins, which will help the stomach and upper intestine, allowing ulcers to heal more quickly. This activity may also protect the colon and treat ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, Celiac disease, gastritis and peptic ulcer.

As an effective antibacterial, the glycyrrhizin acid in Licorice seems to stop the growth of many bacteria and is a further support for the respiratory tract by treating infection.
  The Chinese utilize Licorice as a powerful antitoxin and use it for the treatment of pesticide poisoning.  It may also curb malaria.  As an antiviral, Licorice combats viruses, including influenza-A, hepatitis-B, Epstein-Barr virus and holds promise for the treatment of HIV.  Studies have shown Licorice to be effective in treating viral hepatitis, particularly chronic active hepatitis, due to its well-documented antiviral activity.

Licorice is an age-old, mild laxative that is also known to cleanse the colon.
  It is considered an "alternative," which is a cleansing stimulant that is effective in removing toxins and wastes from the body. It is also thought to be good for bladder and kidney ailments.

Modern herbalists commonly use Licorice to sustain adrenal function and treat adrenal insufficiencies, including hypoglycemia and Addison's disease. It is also used to purify the liver, the body's detoxification center, helping its defenses against liver diseases, such as cirrhosis and hepatitis.

Licorice is sometimes called an adrenal-hormonal that is said to stimulate the production of interferon, the agent thought to be key in preventing and treating immune-response deficiency diseases. The herb contains a natural hormone that induces the adrenal cortex to produce larger amounts of cortisone and aldosterone and assists the body to handle stress and relieve exhaustion.  Licorice produces mild estrogenic effects and is said to normalize ovulation in women experiencing infrequent menstruation and ease menopausal symptoms.

The active ingredient, glycyrrhizic acid, is known to be fifty-times sweeter than sugar cane, but it does not promote thirst; it actually will alleviate thirst.

Licorice regulates low blood sugar. The glycyrrhizin content has a chemical structure similar that of human steroid hormones, which appear to help raise blood sugar levels to normal.

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

Precautions:
Pregnant women, diabetics and those with high blood pressure should avoid this herb.  People suffering from heart disease should not use Licorice unless under a physician's care. People with high blood pressure, kidney disease, gallbladder disease and cirrhosis should avoid this herb. Large doses of Licorice may induce sodium retention and potassium depletion and can lead to hypertension and edema.  Use of Licorice should be done under the supervision of a health care provider or qualified practitioner. The herb is not meant for long term use. Do not use this herb on a daily basis for more than seven days in a row.

* * * * *

Linseed
provides all eight essential amino acids and a wealth of nutrients, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids, digestive enzymes, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Linseed helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, improve circulation and immune function, and treat inflammatory disorders.

Plant Description:

As the source of linen fiber, Flax has been cultivated since at least 5000 B.C., and its importance continues today for its fiber and as a source of oil. Flax is a hardy annual that grows from one to four feet with narrow, hairy leaves and red, white, or blue flowers that are followed by spherical capsules (bols), which contain the Linseeds (or Flaxseeds) that are high in oils with linoleic acid.

History:

Its history reaches back to the earliest times as a food (the seeds when roasted) and in the making of fine linen cloth. The plant was grown in Palestine before the arrival of the Israelites.

The Bible
tells us that Rahab in Jericho hid two spies under stems of Flax she had been drying, and Solomon praised his wife, who separated the fibers of the plant for fine linen. The Egyptians made fine linen clothing and used it for wrapping mummies in the embalming process.

The medicinal properties of Linseeds were known to the Greeks, as Hippocrates recommended them for inflammations of the mucous membranes and digestive disorders; and in eighth-century France, Charlemagne passed laws requiring that the seeds be consumed to keep his subjects healthy.

In North America, the use of Flax dates back to 1617, when L. Hebert, the first farmer in Canada, brought it to New France, where today the crop grows widely on the prairies of Canada for its oil-rich seeds. The Linseed oil is not only an important commercial ingredient in the manufacture of paint and varnish, but the plant's stems are also used to make a high quality paper and linen cloth. Perhaps more importantly, Linseed also contains a wealth of nutritional benefits.

The majority of fat in Linseed (more than seventy percent) includes polyunsaturated fatty acids, namely alpha-linolenic acid (parent of Omega-3) and linoleic acid (parent of Omega-6), the "good fats." They are essential in the human diet, required for proper infant growth and development and for maintaining the structure of cell membranes and permeability of the skin.

However, the body cannot manufacture them; their presence depends totally on dietary consumption. Linseed contains the linoleic and linolenic acids needed for production of hormone-like prostaglandins, which are vital for many bodily functions. Linseeds are not only
rich
in Omega-3 and Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, but they are also a wealth of nutrients, such as calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, vanadium, zinc, protein, mucilage, digestive enzymes, saponin, beta carotene, B-vitamins and vitamin E.

Medical Uses:

In reducing the risk factors for coronary heart disease, recent research has shown that Linseed's high Omega-3 fatty acid and its soluble fiber content have helped to reduce serum triglycerides and blood pressure. It also helps to reduce the hardening effects of cholesterol on cell membranes. Most of the soluble fiber in Flax is mucilage gum, which is a thick, sticky substance that blocks cholesterol absorption and helps balance blood-glucose levels.

With regard to strokes, the Omega-3 fatty acids in Linseed also appear to protect against stroke by regulating blood clotting and platelet aggregation.

Linseed is high in fiber. As an important source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, it has been long used to treat constipation and promote regularity. The insoluble fiber swells in the bowel to produce a gentle, bulking laxative, and the high oil content lubricates the intestines. A high-fiber diet including Linseed has been linked to a reduced risk of many chronic diseases, including diverticulosis and certain malignant diseases, i.e. colon (the quicker waste is eliminated, the less time the colon is exposed to toxins and bacteria).

For improved immune function, Linseed's alpha-linoleic acid and lignins have demonstrated a beneficial impact by affecting immune cells and immune-response mediators, such as eicosanoids and cytokines. Through these mechanisms, Linseed may play an important role in the clinical management of autoimmune diseases and certain hormone-dependent malignancies (breast, endometrial and prostate).
 

Linseeds have been used as a relaxing expectorant, easing sore throats and hacking coughs. Folk healers have long used the seeds to soothe any kind of lung or throat disturbance. The mucilage in Linseed has been effective for inflammations of the mucous membranes, which is soothing for many conditions including pharyngitis and gastritis.

Several studies have shown that Linseed's anti-inflammatory and soothing properties may reduce the pain, inflammation and swelling of arthritis.

Linseed is an old remedy when used topically as a poultice for inflammations and ulcers and as a drawing poultice for boils and abscesses.

Precautions:
Currently, there are no known warnings or contraindications with the use of Linseed.

* * * * *

Lobelia
is an old and controversial herb with an interesting past as a "cure-all" and a bright future. Recent experiments have claimed that the herb may be helpful to smokers who wish to "quit the habit" and have tried all other remedies without success. It is believed to make the taste of nicotine repulsive. At the same time, Lobelia is also supposed to
calm the nerves and relax the muscles of the body
. Many people say it even helps to ease mild depression.

Plant Description:

Lobelia is a very common weed that is indigenous to North America and grows wild throughout the United States in pastures, meadows, and cultivated fields. It is a short-lived annual or biennial that has erect, angular, hairy stems with a milky sap and bears light serrate leaves with numerous small, blue-violet flowers that grow in a spike-like fashion.

Lobelia thrives in rich, moist, slightly acid soil in full sun or partial shade and reaches a height of three feet. Although very pretty when growing in the wild, it is highly controversial and should be handled only by qualified health care practitioners, as it can be very harmful if eaten.

All the aerial parts of the plant (above ground) are used in herbal medicine. The plant has a disagreeable odor and a burning taste (somewhat like an acrid tobacco) and will cause a flow of saliva.

History:

Lobelia was named after the botanist, Matthias de Lobel, a native of Lille, who died in London in 1616. However, the discovery of Lobelia is credited to Samuel Thomson (1769-1843), a pioneer herbalist and founder of Physiomedicalism, and the herb was the mainstay of his
Botanic Family Physician
in 1831.

It was reported to treat bronchitis, laryngitis, asthma and convulsive and inflammatory disorders, such as epilepsy, tetanus, diphtheria and tonsillitis. He was prosecuted, but not found guilty, for misuse of the herb in 1809. Long before that time, however, Lobelia was widely used by Native Americans who smoked its leaves to relieve asthma and other lung ailments, thus giving rise to the herb's common name, Indian tobacco.

The Penobscot Indians of New England also used it for bronchial complaints, and the Meskwaki tribe secretly included its finely ground roots in the food eaten by quarreling couples to make the pair fall in love again.

The Iroquois used the herb to treat syphilis, and by the early 1800s, English physicians adopted the Iroquois' cure, but it was not really effective and was soon dropped. It was theorized that the plant failed to affect a cure, possibly because the Native Americans used it in combination with other herbs, or because the vitality of the plant was lost after it was dried.

Today, Lobelia is an ingredient in some cough medicines (supporting its historical use as an expectorant in folk medicine) and is also found in some over-the-counter preparations marketed to break the smoking habit. Some of the constituents included in Lobelia are the piperidine alkaloids, lobeline, (first isolated by Proctor in 1838) and isolobeline, lobelic acid, gum, resin, chlorophyll, essential oil, lignin, salts of lime and potassium, ferric oxide, manganese and vitamins A and C.

Medical Uses:

Lobelia has been used for centuries as an expectorant that promotes the expulsion of phlegm from the lungs and is believed to be helpful in cases of asthma, bronchitis, whooping cough and pleurisy.

As a relaxant and antispasmodic, Lobelia is said to relax smooth muscle and has thus been useful in easing muscle tension and convulsions, and calming the nerves. It has also been thought to relieve mild depression, hyperactivity and possibly even induce a state of euphoria. In times past, the herb was commonly employed in midwifery to alleviate rigidity of the pelvic musculature and as a sedative to relax women preparing for childbirth.

Lobelia is considered a diaphoretic that promotes perspiration and helps to lower fever and cool the body (also ridding the body of toxins through the skin). This action may also be beneficial in cases of colds and flu.

Used externally, Lobelia is believed to reduce inflammation and pain and is often used in poultices for bruises, sprains, ringworm, poison ivy irritation, skin diseases, poisonous stings, insect bites, whiplash, rheumatism, tennis elbow, boils and ulcers.

Lobelia is a highly controversial herb, but current evidence suggests that it may aid smokers to "quit the habit," as it produces similar effects as the nicotine in tobacco and is thought to make the taste of tobacco repulsive.

As an emetic, Lobelia will induce nausea and vomiting. This acrid herb is also said to stimulate respiration and was once used to stimulate the respiration of newborn infants. When overused, however, it will cause vomiting, drowsiness, weakened pulse, and respiratory failure, and great care should be exercised with its use. It is recommended that Lobelia always be used in consultation with a health care provider.