from Rosemary Gladstar's book "Medicinal Herbs, A Beginner's Guide"
Recognized as the oldest system of healing on the planet, herbal medicine traces its roots back to the earliest civilizations. Today, herbalism continues to flourish as a people's healing art. Even with the amazing technological advances of conventional (allopathic) medicine, herbalism - the art and science of healing with plants - is still widely popular. And its popularity is gaining, not waning. According to the World Health Organization, 80 percent of the world's population used some form of traditional medicine in 2008, and its rate of affordability, availability, and accessibility is surging.
So it's no wonder you're drawn to these healing plants and curious to learn more about them. But perhaps you're nervous about trying herbal home remedies. What are these herbs? Are they safe? Do they work? Can you grow them at home? Can you make your own remedies? When and how do you use them? How easy is it to get started? These are some of the questions we'll address here.
Botanical Boom
According to the"The Natural Pharmacy", by Schuyler Lininger et al., one out of every three adult Americans uses complementary/alternative medical care. Sales of botanicals have increased more than 300 percent since the 1990s and currently are an $8 billion industry.
Showing posts with label therapeutic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label therapeutic. Show all posts
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Coriander Oil Treats Food Poisoning, and Drug-Resistant Infections (MRSA)
Coriander Oil (cilantro) Can Be Used to Treat Food Poisoning and Drug-Resistant Infections (MRSA)
by Jonathan Benson, staff writer, Natural News
(NaturalNews) Food-borne illness outbreaks and the growing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" are two very serious societal problems for which researchers say they are actively looking for viable solutions. But one such solution found right in nature is coriander oil, which has been found to kill a number of different bacterial strains, as well as aid in digestion and treat the symptoms of food poisoning.
Dr. Fernanda Domingues and her colleagues from the University of Beira Interior in Portugal tested the effects of coriander oil, an essential oil extracted from the seeds of the coriander plant, also known as cilantro, on twelve different bacterial strains, including Escherichia coli (E. coli), Salmonella enterica, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the infamous hospital superbug.
Published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology, their findings revealed that solutions containing just a 1.6 percent concentration of coriander oil or less were all effective at killing all twelve bacterial strains, to some degree or another. A powerful, natural antibiotic, coriander oil appears to be a promising candidate for new uses not only in food preservation, but also in medicine as a type of natural antibiotic.
"The results indicate that coriander oil damages the membrane surrounding the bacterial cell," said Dr. Domingues about how the essential oil works. "This disrupts the barrier between the cell and its environment and inhibits essential processes including respiration, which ultimately leads to death of the bacterial cell."
Besides its antibacterial effects, coriander oil has a wide range of other therapeutic uses as well, including as an analgesic (pain reliever), anti-rheumatic, antispasmodic, and anti-fungal medicine. Used in many Indian dishes, coriander seeds and oil are also recognized as powerful digestive aids that can mitigate the damage caused by food poisoning, as well as stimulate and revitalize the body (http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/eo/corianderseed.html).
"This research encourages the design of new food additives containing coriander oil that would combat food-borne pathogens and prevent bacterial spoilage," added Domingues. "Coriander oil could also become a natural alternative to common antibiotics. We envisage the use of coriander in clinical drugs in the form of lotions, mouth rinses and even pills; to fight multidrug-resistant bacterial infections that otherwise could not be treated."
To learn more about the amazing health benefits of coriander oil, visit:
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/benefits-of/cilantro
Sources for this article include:
http://www.sgm.ac.uk/news/releases/JMM.2408.FD.cfm
(NaturalNews) Food-borne illness outbreaks and the growing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" are two very serious societal problems for which researchers say they are actively looking for viable solutions. But one such solution found right in nature is coriander oil, which has been found to kill a number of different bacterial strains, as well as aid in digestion and treat the symptoms of food poisoning.
Dr. Fernanda Domingues and her colleagues from the University of Beira Interior in Portugal tested the effects of coriander oil, an essential oil extracted from the seeds of the coriander plant, also known as cilantro, on twelve different bacterial strains, including Escherichia coli (E. coli), Salmonella enterica, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the infamous hospital superbug.
Published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology, their findings revealed that solutions containing just a 1.6 percent concentration of coriander oil or less were all effective at killing all twelve bacterial strains, to some degree or another. A powerful, natural antibiotic, coriander oil appears to be a promising candidate for new uses not only in food preservation, but also in medicine as a type of natural antibiotic.
"The results indicate that coriander oil damages the membrane surrounding the bacterial cell," said Dr. Domingues about how the essential oil works. "This disrupts the barrier between the cell and its environment and inhibits essential processes including respiration, which ultimately leads to death of the bacterial cell."
Besides its antibacterial effects, coriander oil has a wide range of other therapeutic uses as well, including as an analgesic (pain reliever), anti-rheumatic, antispasmodic, and anti-fungal medicine. Used in many Indian dishes, coriander seeds and oil are also recognized as powerful digestive aids that can mitigate the damage caused by food poisoning, as well as stimulate and revitalize the body (http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/eo/corianderseed.html).
"This research encourages the design of new food additives containing coriander oil that would combat food-borne pathogens and prevent bacterial spoilage," added Domingues. "Coriander oil could also become a natural alternative to common antibiotics. We envisage the use of coriander in clinical drugs in the form of lotions, mouth rinses and even pills; to fight multidrug-resistant bacterial infections that otherwise could not be treated."
To learn more about the amazing health benefits of coriander oil, visit:
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/benefits-of/cilantro
Sources for this article include:
http://www.sgm.ac.uk/news/releases/JMM.2408.FD.cfm
All content in this article is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml
Friday, February 24, 2012
Sage Improves Memory, Study Shows
 | Web address: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/09/ 030901091846.htm |
Sage Improves Memory, Study Shows
ScienceDaily (Sep. 1, 2003) — New research has proved that sage can improve memory, confirming centuries-old theories. British scientists have carried out the first clinical trials with healthy, young adults and found that those who had taken sage oil capsules performed significantly better in a word recall test.
They studied texts by well-known herbalists such as John Gerard, who wrote about sage in 1597, saying that 'It is singularly good for the head and brain and quickeneth the nerves and memory", and Nicholas Culpeper, whose 1652 text says "It also heals the memory, warming and quickening the senses".
People were known to take sage for memory loss centuries ago and drank teas and tinctures containing extracts of the herb.
The results of the study are published in the current edition of the academic journal Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behaviour *.
The Newcastle team tested 44 healthy young adults aged between 18 and 37. Some were given capsules containing sage oil and others were given placebos.
The volunteers then took part in a word recall test and tested at intervals to see how many words they could remember. Results showed that those who had taken the sage oil consistently performed better than those who had taken placebos.
Sage is being investigated as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's Disease after earlier research by the MPRC found that it inhibits an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase (AChE) which breaks down the chemical messenger acetylcholine. Alzheimers', the most common form of dementia which affects an estimated 10 million people worldwide, is accompanied by a drop in acetylcholine.
Many of the current drugs, such as donepezil, have unpleasant side effects and doctors are keen to find alternatives. No side-effects were noted in the sage trial.
Further investigation is needed to find out why sage is so effective but researchers think it could be a combination of chemicals in the oil which have an effect on AChE and which give it antioxidant, oestrogenic and anti-inflammatory properties, also considered to be of value in Alzheimer's therapy.
Lead researcher Nicola Tildesley said: "This proves how valuable the work by the old herbalists is, and that they shouldn't just be ignored because they were writing centuries ago.
She added that people who were taking exams should not get too excited by the findings: "Test would need to be carried on people over a longer period of time to prove that sage improves exam performance but we don't have any plans to do this at present.
"However, this research does have serious implications for people suffering from Alzheimer's Disease, as it will inform drug research and development."
The research was funded by Oxford Natural Products. The MPRC is carrying out another clinical trial where sage is being tested on people with Alzheimer's, and results from this are expected shortly.
* Journal ref. Salvia lavandulaefolia (Spanish Sage) enhances memory in healthy, young volunteers, NTJ Tildesley et al, Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behaviour 75 (2003) 669-674.
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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.For more information about essential oils, please go to my website:
www.youngliving.com/laurasoils
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Gary Young's Story, Founder of Young Living Essential Oils
I had the opportunity Tuesday night to attend a talk given by the founder of Young Living Essential Oils, Gary Young and his wife Mary.
He told us his incredible story of suffering a near-fatal logging accident in 1973, which resulted in him being in a coma and ending up paralyzed and in a wheelchair – for life, according to his doctors. This accident — which nearly cost him his life — transformed him both physically and emotionally and would eventually impact the lives of countless people in ways he could have never imagined.
His quest to regain his life eventually led him to discover the potential of a powerful but little-known form of natural medicine — essential oils. Within a very short time, Gary cast off the persistent pain that he had borne for almost 13 years as he began tapping the power of essential oils. By 1986 he was able to run a half-marathon, finishing 60th out of 970 participants.
Today he has amazing strength and stamina, working on his many farms where he grows and harvests the plants that are distilled on site into these pure, pharmaceutical-grade essential oils. His story and experiences are truly an inspiration to explore these essential oils. I'm eager to learn as much as I can about them!
If you're interested in them, too, you can find out more at my website:
www.youngliving.com/laurasoils
To Your Health!
 |
| Gary Young |
He told us his incredible story of suffering a near-fatal logging accident in 1973, which resulted in him being in a coma and ending up paralyzed and in a wheelchair – for life, according to his doctors. This accident — which nearly cost him his life — transformed him both physically and emotionally and would eventually impact the lives of countless people in ways he could have never imagined.
His quest to regain his life eventually led him to discover the potential of a powerful but little-known form of natural medicine — essential oils. Within a very short time, Gary cast off the persistent pain that he had borne for almost 13 years as he began tapping the power of essential oils. By 1986 he was able to run a half-marathon, finishing 60th out of 970 participants.
Today he has amazing strength and stamina, working on his many farms where he grows and harvests the plants that are distilled on site into these pure, pharmaceutical-grade essential oils. His story and experiences are truly an inspiration to explore these essential oils. I'm eager to learn as much as I can about them!
If you're interested in them, too, you can find out more at my website:
www.youngliving.com/laurasoils
To Your Health!
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