The Everything Guide to Herbal Remedies (19 page)
Read The Everything Guide to Herbal Remedies Online
Authors: Martha Schindler Connors
Short-acting, or emergency, medications reduce symptoms during an asthma attack. They include:
- Inhaled beta-agonist bronchodilators, which relax the muscles in and around the airways
- Oral corticosteroids, which are generally reserved for severe cases that don’t respond to the other short-term drugs
The list of potential side effects for these drugs is a long one. For example, corticosteroid inhalers can cause hoarseness and thrush (a fungal infection of the mouth). Beta-agonist bronchodilators can cause nervousness, increased heart rate, and insomnia.
Herbs that have been used successfully to treat asthma include:
| • Boswellia (Boswellia serrata) | This Ayurvedic herb, also known as Indian frankincense, is taken internally to combat inflammation and has shown antiasthma potential. In one study, people who took oral extracts saw a significant improvement in their symptoms. |
| • Coffee (Coffea arabica) | The caffeine in coffee, which is also found in many other herbs—including guarana (Paullinia cupana), mate (Ilex paraguariensis), and tea (Camellia sinensis) —can improve airway function for up to four hours in people with asthma. Chemically speaking, caffeine is related to the asthma drug theophylline; it’s a bronchodilator that also reduces fatigue in the respiratory muscles. |
| • Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) | Eucalyptus has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and mucolytic properties (meaning it destroys mucus). In one study, people with severe asthma who were given oral doses of eucalyptus extract were able to cut back on their use of oral steroids. |
| • Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) | Ginkgo contains phytochemicals that block the exaggerated immune response that characterizes asthma. Research shows it’s effective at dilating the bronchial tubes to keep breathing normal; it’s also useful for long-term management of asthma and its associated inflammation. |
| • Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) | Grapefruit and other citrus fruits are high in antioxidants (including vita-min C), and research shows that consuming lots of them can improve lung function and reduce wheezing in asthmatic people. |
| • Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) | Pine bark is a powerful antioxidant and a traditional remedy for coughs and bronchitis. Research has shown that it reduces the severity of symptoms of mild to moderate asthma. |
Managing Psychological and Emotional Issues
Psychological (or neuropsychiatric) conditions—a broad term that encompasses cognitive (thinking), emotional, mood, social, and behavioral disorders—can range from mild to debilitating. These problems cause distress and reduce your ability to function professionally, psychologically, socially, and/or inter-personally. Conventional medicine typically treats psychological and emotional disorders with drugs, which can deliver a long list of side effects. But in many cases, herbs can offer a gentler, no less effective type of relief.
Modern medicine has come a long way in its understanding of the brain and the disorders that affect it. While earlier generations thought that neuropsychiatric disorders were best treated radically—with surgery, perhaps, or confinement in an asylum—we now know that mental illnesses, while they are centered in the brain, are quite often the result of biological, psychological, and social factors.
The National Institutes of Health estimates that more than 62 percent of Americans over the age of eighteen—one in four adults—has a diagnosable mental disorder. Serious disorders like depression, bipolar disorder, and drug dependence cost at least $193 billion annually in lost earnings alone and affect about 6 percent of U.S. adults—or one in every seventeen people.
Experts divide mental illnesses into a few categories, including:
• Mood Disorders
include major depression and bipolar disorder and involve persistent feelings of sadness. In bipolar disorder (sometimes termed manic-depressive disorder), the feelings of sadness alternate with a sense of euphoria or mania.
• Anxiety Disorders
are characterized by excessive nervousness or anticipation of disaster or danger, along with a general feeling of uncertainty. Anxiety disorders include phobias (such as a fear of heights or closed spaces), panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Developmental Disorders
are problems that generally appear in childhood or infancy, and include autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
• Substance Abuse Disorders
are centered on the abuse of alcohol and illicit drugs as well as prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications and substances like nicotine.
• Cognitive Disorders
affect your reasoning and thinking. They include dementia, memory disorders, and Alzheimer’s disease.
• Stress,
which involves heightened responses to the challenges of daily life that can produce psychological as well as physical symptoms.
As a component of holistic medicine, herbalism is rooted in the belief that the mind and body are inextricably connected, both in sickness and in health. Thus, problems in the physical body often manifest themselves psychologically, and vice versa.
While psychological and emotional problems affect both genders, women are twice as likely to suffer from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and panic disorder, in part because their bodies synthesize significantly less of the brain chemical serotonin, required for the healthy maintenance of moods. Women also seem to be more prone to addictions to alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs.
Indeed, conventional medical research supports the theory that mind and body work hand in hand, and many studies have found a link between mental and physical diseases. For example:
• Asthma is connected to depression and anxiety.
A recent study found that teenagers with asthma are twice as likely to have depression or anxiety disorders than the teens without asthma. Other research has shown that asthmatic kids are more likely to have ADHD and other behavioral problems.
• Depression and anxiety are tied to heart disease.
Research has shown that having either problem doubles your risk of developing coronary artery disease.
• Migraines are linked to mental disorders.
People who suffer from migraine headaches are more than twice as likely to have mental disorders such as major depression, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, and social phobia.
• Diabetes is linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
Having diabetes ups the risk of developing Alzheimer’s (the same holds true for high blood pressure and high cholesterol). Other research has found a connection between certain viral and bacterial infections and Alzheimer’s.
• Obesity can lead to mental illness.
A recent study found that obese adults were up to twice as likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, dementia, and other mental problems. Another study found that obesity can up your risk of dementia by as much as 80 percent.
Conventional medicine typically deals with mental disorders with a two-pronged approach: cognitive-behavioral therapy and drug treatment.
Cognitive-behavior therapy, also known as “talk therapy,” is based on changing the behaviors, beliefs, and patterns of thinking that can contribute to problems like depression and phobias. Cognitive therapy can also help people manage feelings of shyness, anxiety, or anger.
Some conventional drugs can trigger psychological problems. For example, OTC decongestants often cause nervousness, the prescription acne drug isotretinoin (Accutane) can create depression and psychosis, and clarithromycin (Biaxin), an antibiotic, can cause hallucinations, nightmares, and manic behavior. In fact, the FDA is investigating a possible association between montelukast sodium (Singulair), a popular asthma and allergy drug, and suicidal behavior.
In many cases, conventional medicine treats mental disorders pharmaceutically. Most of the drugs used to treat mental problems fall into these categories:
• Antipsychotic medications
• Antimanic (or mood-stabilizing) medications
• Antidepressants
• Antianxiety medications
• Stimulants
While pharmaceutical interventions are certainly useful—and in some cases, essential—in treating psychological and emotional problems, many can be replaced or augmented with herbal remedies.
Many psychological and emotional problems respond well to herbal treatments—and some conventional doctors and mental health professionals are incorporating herbal remedies into their practices—but serious mental disorders require immediate medical attention. Moreover, some of the herbs used to treat mental problems (as well as other conditions) can interact with the prescription medications used by conventional practitioners. Be sure to talk with your doctor before using any herbal remedy to treat a psychological issue.
Stress is a natural part of life. Quite often, it’s psychological stress that gets you out of bed in the morning or to the gym in the evening. It’s what makes you perform well at the office or in the classroom and do basically everything that you need to survive. Unfortunately, too much stress—problems that go on too long or demand too many of your resources—can wreak havoc on your health. Chronic, unresolved stress has been linked to a host of diseases, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. It’s also been tied to many mental disorders, such as depression.
Of course, facing a stressful event—even if it’s a terribly stressful one, such as the death of a spouse—doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll develop a mental illness. But stress can definitely up your chances of problems like depression or anxiety disorders. Herbs can help you deal with all kinds of stress—both psychological and physical.
| • Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) | Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic remedy for stress-related anxiety and insomnia. Studies show it inhibits the release of stress hormones and calms the central nervous system. |
| • Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) | The essential oil of this fragrant plant has proven antianxiety properties when applied topically or inhaled. In laboratory tests, it performed as well as the drug Valium. |
| • Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) | Ginkgo is famous for its brain-boosting powers. In the lab, it’s shown an ability to offset many effects of stress, such as memory deficits and depression. |
| • Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) | Asian ginseng is one of the best-researched herbs around, and it has been used for centuries to help people manage stress. Recent research has shown it can protect the brain from the damage caused by chronic stress. |
| • Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) | This herb relieves stress and induces relaxation. Research shows it can improve your mood, increase your alertness (and mental processing speeds), and produce a general feeling of well-being. |
| • Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis) | This herb balances your nervous and endocrine (hormone) systems and is particularly good at helping you manage psychological stress. Research shows it can increase your mental performance and adjust the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in your system. |
| • Saint John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) | This herb has been shown to alleviate the cognitive effects of stress, such as lapses in working memory, as well as the decreased physical performance and feelings of anxiety that stress can also produce. |
Stressful life events can trigger depression and can make a depressive episode more severe (and last longer). Research has shown that between 20 and 25 percent of people who experience a seriously stressful event become depressed. Studies of depressed people show that as many as 80 percent of them have experienced a major stress in the last six months.