Posts Tagged ‘Herbal’

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Kava Kava Herbal Tea

Herbal teas are different from the traditional teas of the Orient.   When we delight in tea, we generally delight in the treated leaves of the Camilla Sinsensis plant, a drink learned in Southeast Asia and cultivated for thousands of years.   Herbal teas also have a ancient and fascinating history. Any student of medicine will point out that throughout the world, healers have gone into the wilderness to find plants that can ease the illnesses of mankind, or to make wonderful drinks for the sheer pleasure of their favors.   What these healers found was a treasure trove of botanical materials that give us wonderful drinks and restorative medicinal brews. To know the role of herbal teas in medical history, you should know that modern science is still carefully evaluating its relationship with the ancient knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine, abbreviated as TCM.   The thinking of healers in China is very well-documented and very different from Western scientific thought, but there have been numerous instances of Chinese medical practices being able to serve patients as well as and occasionally better than Western medicine. While science has produce the best surgical practices in the world, Chinese practices of herbal tea healing often provide the better relief from lesser ailments! As a simple beverage, herbal tea offers a sweetness that is hard to find in nature.   The leaves of the Camilla plants have a certain delicate flavor unique in the world, though it often is improved with the addition of sugar. The classic green tea is certainly astringent and occasionally bitter, although hints of floral and grassy sweetness remain vivid on the palate, not to mention the lift from the slight dose of caffeine that it contains!  In contrast, herbal teas present a varied range of tastes, from mouth-puckering lemony to zesty raspberry! Herbal teas are found all over the world, spanning the length and breadth of the continents.   They are always used both medicinally and as simple beverages.   The medical usage of herbs is called phytology or just herbology. The use of herbs in cookery is well known, of course!  Herbal teas often combine the two purposes, as in the case of chamomile tea, a tea made from a flowering daisy that has very grassy flavors over a nice sweet undertone, and recognized worldwide for a lightly sedative effect.   Fruits generally are used for flavors only, and a hot drink of raspberry tea on a cold morning is a fantastic way to start the day. Many practitioners of herbal medicine consider herbal teas as a therapy applied in a general way, and not as a prescribed ingredient.   For the herbal healer, the benefits of chamomile tea are evoked as much by the ceremonial sipping of the drink just before bedtime as much as by the simple ingestion of its ingredients. There is a counterbalancing need to know all the exact effects of various plants, of course, as anyone who has heard of hemlock understands!  In the making of herbal teas, medicine, flavor and ceremony all come together, and the practice of herbology ensures that these wonderful brews always enhance our lives through their healthy and flavorful characteristics. To Buy or Try a Sample Please Go To – http://www. redleaftea. com/

Chinese herbal teas are considered to be part of the sum total of Chinese medical theory and practice, referred to as Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM.   Unlike the West, where scientific investigation produced a powerful body of knowledge and careful correlation of theory and fact, TCM is a loose collection of accumulated and practical lore considered proven by the test of time. In this body of knowledge, theory starts with thoughts of “chi’ and “yin and yang. ”  The practical application of medical treatment is based on the observations of my healers over the course of centuries.   The application of TCM and Chinese herbal teas, while not offering the detail of scientific studies, is most assuredly based on long histories of successful treatments. For the Chinese, tea from the leaves of the Camilla Sinsensis tree is a unique and perfect drink that slakes the thirst and eases the minor sufferings of the body.   There are entire books of poetry dedicated to the varieties of green tea and its cousins, black tea and oolong tea!  Chinese herbal teas, but, are placed nearly entirely in the “medical” category. In TCM, the use of herbs is highly complex.   There are numerous annals, books, compendiums and pharmacopoeia (encyclopedia’s of medicines), some of them going back to the 1st century A. D. , and several still used today by TCM practitioners!  The use of Chinese herbal teas is divided into “superior” materials, tonics and boosters that must not be used for prolonged periods, and a third category for small doses of very specific treatments. The “superior” medicinal Chinese herbal teas have multiple uses and are primarily used to maintain the spiritual balance of the body, which strongly reflects the frugality of the Chinese village culture. Chinese herbal teas are usually blends of many different herbs and other materials customized to the needs of the individual patient.   The lore of Chinese herbology dictates that prescriptions be combined to manage the Four Natures, the Five Tastes, and the Meridians.   The Four Natures refer to the balance of yin and yang, and range from cold (extreme yin), cool (yin), warm (yang), and hot (extreme yang). The Five Tastes are the signal flavors of the Chinese herbal teas and other medicines.   They include pungent, sweet, salty, bitter, and sour.   Each flavor is connected to medical action, and the healer ensures that the action is applied by manipulating the flavor of the herbal blend.   The Meridians refer to the organs or zone of the patient that are targeted by the treatment. When working with such a wide range of materials, practitioners of TCM and Chinese herbology often find themselves dealing with toxic substances.   Experienced and expert healers will carefully cancel out this effect with counteractive ingredients in Chinese herbal teas. Less knowledgeable practitioners are at risk of perilous errors when working with these materials, and like healers everywhere they bear the responsibility to follow the Hippocratic Oath, and “do no harm. ” While Chinese villagers often blend herbs into their teas for the pleasure of the many wonderful flavors they offer (especially ginseng), the role of Chinese herbal teas is primarily medical.   The place of green tea, of course, is atop a pedestal of exalted and passionate devotion! To Buy or Try a Sample Please Go To – http://www. redleaftea. com/

We all know how the right herb can add new life to a recipe. And medical research indicates that some herbs may have the same effect on us.
The well loved herbal potions of today promise better sleep, less fatigue, reduced anxiety, even help in the battle against depression. And the herbal answers to these ailments are nothing new.
History of Herbal Supplements
Herbal medicine is rooted in ancient traditions. Texts dating back to 2500 BC speak of the ability of herbal remedies to restore harmony to an imbalanced, unhealthy body.
Garlic and juniper have been common medicines for about 4,000 years. Research suggests that Egyptians in the era of Ramses III used poppy extracts to cool children.
It wasn’t until the 1700s that herbalists sought to identify the individual chemicals in the plants. Once separated from the plant itself, these compounds took on new properties. In the last 150 years, these compounds have been used to make pharmaceutical drugs.
Herbs Today
Today, herbal supplements comprise an industry all their own. According to a recent poll, about 60 million adults take herbal supplements. Proponents say they can help with everything from chronic illnesses to more mundane complaints, such as insomnia,, headaches, fatigue, even the common cold.
The category “herb” includes any plant with culinary or medicinal value. That includes the botanicals we associate with contemporary pharmaceuticals, as well as the herbal supplements we buy, and, of course, the herbs we use to enhance the flavor of our food, such as garlic and sage. Today, the practice of a western herbalist primarily draws on 150 to 200 plants.
Because herbs are promoted as all natural, alternative medicines, consumers tend to reckon of them more as vitamins than as actual drugs. But experts say these botanical remedies are just as, or more, potent, than their pharmaceutical counterparts, so it is vital to exercise caution.
Herbal supplements do not have to meet the same federal regulations that other drugs do. That means potency, purity, and safety are not necessarily consistent from brand to brand. It is vital to talk with your doctor before starting to take any supplement.
Maggie Greenwood Robinson, PhD. , author of Kava: The Ultimate Guide to Nature’s Anti Stress Herb, recommends buying herbal supplements only from a well known and trusted manufacturer.
“Herbal products vary in potency due to a number of factors, one of which is the original plant itself,” she says. “It may have more or less of the active ingredients than other members of the crop. The extraction process varies, too, and may affect potency. A consumer interested in purchasing herbal supplements should do so on the basis of manufacturer reputation. “
Cautions
According to the International Food Information Council, the FDA has listed the following herbal supplements as “risky”: Chaparral, comfrey, DHEA, dieter’s tea with senna, aloe, rhubarb root, buckthorn, cascara, caster oil, penny royal, and sassafras.
Greenwood Robinson says some of us should stay away from herbs altogether. “Anyone who is pregnant or nursing should avoid herbs. If there are herbs in the home, they should be kept out of the reach of children, just as you would keep medicines out of reach,” she says. And she does not recommend herbal remedies for children.
Mothers trying to conceive should avoid echinacea purpura, St. John’s wort, and gingko biloba. Recent research indicates a possible connection between these herbals and infertility.
Question your doctor for information on dosages for herbal supplements, as well as possible interactions with other drugs. If the manufacturer is a trusted one, follow the recommended dosages on the mark, and do not exceed them.
If the supplement you choose provides a dosage range on the mark, always start with the smallest dose, and stop taking the supplement immediately if you sense any sort of allergic reaction, which can range from hives to difficulty breathing.
Common Herbs and Their Uses
Cellasene
“For health and beauty,” Greenwood Robinson says, “the huge news in herbal supplements is a category I call cellulite control supplements. ”
Greenwood Robinson discusses the merits of this herb in her book, The Cellulite Breakthrough. Cellasene, Greenwood Robinson says, contains a mixture of herbs with multiple benefits, one of which is to improve “microcirculation” in the network of tiny vessels in the body. Poor microcirculation is thought to contribute to the development and progression of cellulite.
Echinacea
“Sipping a cup of Echinacea tea may place cold symptoms on the run, or even shorten the course of a cold,” Greenwood Robinson says. Research shows that the herb is effective in stimulating the immune system for its fight against viruses and bacteria. ” Echinacea is potent, and many experts don’t recommend it for prolonged use (and some researchers caution against taking Echinacea for more than 10 days. )
Evening Primrose Oil (EPO)
Hailed as a beauty herb, this supplement claims to help you grow healthy skin, hair, and nails. Other studies show it can help alleviate premenstrual syndrome.
Garlic
Long hailed as a natural antibiotic, garlic can stimulate the immune system, so it is a well loved supplement among those wishing to ward of colds and bronchitis. Research suggests garlic may help prevent bacterial or fungal infections, including yeast infections.
Garcinia cambogia
Also known as HCA (hydroxycitric acid), this supplement is found predominately in a particular Southeast Asian fruit. The extract is similar to citric acid, and it is often used for dieting and appetite suppression.
Ginger
Like garlic, ginger is a culinary herb as well as a medicinal herb, so it is considered extremely safe. Experts say this herb, grown primarily in India, China, and Mexico, may help everything from chemotherapy suffering to painful menstruation. But it ius best known as an aid for digestion. “It is a near cure for nausea and works quite quick,” Greenwood Robinson says. “It is also an brilliant anti inflammatory herb that is effective in treating various types of headaches, as well as joint pain. ”
Gingko biloba
This is one of the most prescribed herbals in Europe. Its popularity has surged in the United States, as well. Experts say it improves blood circulation throughout the body. This enhanced circulation in the brain aids concentration and memory.
Ginseng
Both varieties of ginseng (Panax and Siberian ginseng) have a solid reputation for energy enhancement. This herb can be taken on a daily basis, but be careful. Possible side effects include breast tenderness and high blood pressure.
HTP (hydroxytryptophan)
HTP is a well loved supplement in the United States for its ability to reduce anxiety, depression and insomnia. Some experts say this herb might help control obesity, too.
Kava
Kava Kava is also prescribed for everyday anxiety, as well as for painful menstrual cramps. Experts say it can help with insomnia, too.
St. John’s Wort
The flower of this plant blooms around St. John’s day, and when you squeeze the flowers, out comes a red pigment, which is associated with the blood of St. John the Baptist. In the United States, this herb is best known for its ability to improve mood and diminish anxiety, and it is often prescribed in Germany for anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders.
Reminder: This article is a compilation of recent research on herbal supplements. If you reckon herbals are right for you, discuss the matter with your physician.