Tag: Herbs

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Embracing The Mystery In Herbal Medicine

Herbal Medicine
“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein

This has always been one of my favorite quotes—for me, it is a beautiful reminder that spirit is always present. I consciously pay attention to the mystery and miracles that are so abundant in everyday life, including the miracles in the healing work that I am called to do.

I have humbly discovered in my 25 years of practice that nothing in or about in medicine works automatically, no matter how technologically advanced we become. The Spirit (theology) must embody the mind (mentality), for the mind cannot heal without the spirit, and the spirit employs the mind in the quest to heal.

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Integrating Botanical Medicine in Cancer Therapies

As an herbalist with 25 years of clinical experience, I witness on a daily basis the remarkable healing properties of plants. Although the foundation of my healing approach is deeply rooted in traditional medical philosophies and practices, I draw extensively upon modern scientific research as a vital cornerstone for my work.

The majority of my patients have been diagnosed with cancer, and many turn to me after they have exhausted all that modern medicine has to offer. Merging traditional nature-based medical systems with modern, scientifically based conventional medical knowledge enables me to significantly help the difficult cases I so often encounter. I have an inner drive to do anything and everything I can for each person I work with to utilize all lens and tools of the various toolboxes, finding the pieces that fit together to promote and sustain healing. It is a true integration of the mind and heart, thinking and praying together. Researching and reviewing the latest scientific studies is part of my daily routine, and this continual stream of research contributes to the rationale for my clinical recommendations.

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Botanical Hormone Support, Part II

It’s important to understand that everyone, no matter how healthy, naturally has lower levels of most hormones—including estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and growth hormone — as they grow older. I refer to this hormonal reservoir as our Vital Essence, from which we draw our restorative hormonal well being. We all need support as we age, and that’s why I recommend botanical extract formulations and companion nutrients to increase Vital Essence, enhance anabolic (building) processes, and maintain hormonal balance.

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Enjoy A Healing Bath

I often recommend a healing bath — including steam, vapor baths, and herbal diaphoretic therapy—to my patients as part of their protocol. The Eclectics, as well as other traditional healing systems prior to Eclectic Medicine, utilized a wide range of water therapies for healing in a practice called hydrotherapy. The vapor, or steam bath, constitutes an important part of the Thomsonian system of practice. Samuel Thomson said this about the vapor bath, “it diffuses warmth through the system, equalizes the circulation, imparts electricity to the blood, and increases the sensibilities of the system to the impressions of medicine.”

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Botanical Support For Anxiety

In my post last week, I discussed at length the use of kava (Piper mythesticum) for the treatment of anxiety. Kava is one of my favorite herbs—not only for its beneficial effects on the nervous system, but also because it appears to have unique anti-cancer properties. However, as with any herb, I recommend using it in combination with other herbs and nutrients. In my practice, I’ve found that combining herbs and nutrients enables me to create formulas that are far more effective than relying on a single herb. This is the traditional manner of practicing herbalism, and it is as much an art as it is a science.

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Kava: Natural Relief For Anxiety

Many people feel anxious when they’re under stress, but for approximately 40 million Americans, anxiety is more than a passing state of emotion. Shortness of breath, racing heartbeat, dizziness, upset stomach, tension, irritability, sleep difficulties, memory problems, and feelings of dread are common daily experiences of people who suffer from chronic anxiety. For those who consult a physician, the first suggestion is usually drugs: tranquilizers (benzodiazepines), often coupled with antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). But these medications come with a long list of unpleasant side effects, and have a significant risk of dependence.

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