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25 Results for search "Herbal Medicine".

Wellness Library Results

What is valerian? Valerian root (Valeriana officinalis) is an herb that has been used as a sleeping aid for more than 1,000 years. Many people (especially in Europe) still take it before going to bed. It's also an ingredient in many over-the-counter sleep products in this country. Does it really help promote sleep? Several small human studies have found that valerian root extract reduced the time...

What herb-drug combinations should I avoid? Herbal supplements are popular these days, but very few people have given up on mainstream medicine. Most of us still pop aspirin, see our physicians regularly, and pick up prescriptions from the pharmacy. Mixing herbs with traditional medicines can be the best of two worlds -- as long as you mix wisely. Many popular natural remedies can clash with pres...

What is milk thistle? Milk thistle (Silybum marianum ), a common herb with spiny white-veined leaves and pink flowers, has been used as a liver tonic for at least 2,000 years. In this case, the ancients may have been on to something. Milk thistle seed extract contains a group of substances called silymarin that may help protect the liver. Some human studies suggest that milk thistle seed extract ...

What's the difference between herbs and supplements and the drugs that you buy over the counter? Shopping for dietary supplements can be like stepping into a wild frontier with few rules and fewer enforcers. Since the federal government doesn't regulate herbs and supplements -- as it does prescription and over-the-counter drugs -- herbal remedies don't have to go through rigorous testing or displ...

Men are notoriously leery of doctors, especially when it comes to "sensitive" topics like the prostate. So when over-the-counter herbal products claim to "promote prostate health," many men will listen. Over two million men in the United States use saw palmetto for prostate problems, an herb that, among other things, has the reputation of easing the symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate (a...

Kava (Piper methysticum ) is a plant from the pepper family native to the South Pacific islands. The herbal remedy, also known as kava kava, is derived from the root of the flowering shrub. For centuries, this root was chewed or mashed into a pulp and then mixed with water or coconut milk -- and sometimes fermented -- to make a pungent drink used for ceremonial and spiritual purposes. Even today, ...

Devil's claw, skullcap, and stinging nettle: They may sound like the ingredients of a witch's brew, but many herbal remedies are gaining acceptance in the world of mainstream medicine. How much do you know about herbs and their uses? 1. Herbal remedies may be helpful in relieving which of the following ailments? a. Migraines b. Enlarged prostate c. Cold and flu d. All of the above 2...

Usually yeast is our friend, living in harmony with us, helping us make fluffy bread and hearty beer, even inhabiting our digestive system. But one particular fungus among us, Candida albicans, often grows beyond its normal stable levels, causing a yeast "infection" (also known as candidiasis or monilia). In the vagina, for example, an overgrowth causes itching, redness and other annoying symptoms...

Can herbs help fight cancer? As many as 88 percent of all cancer patients seek help from herbs and other alternative therapies. It's easy to see why. Certain herbal remedies appear to work -- after all, the potent anticancer drug taxol comes from the bark of the yew tree -- and compared with nauseating, painful, expensive, and sometimes ineffective conventional treatments, taking herbs or drinkin...

Echinacea (Echinacea purpura ) is a medicinal herb originally used by North American Plains Indians. In the 1870s, an enterprising Nebraska doctor began touting it as a blood purifier capable of curing everything from headache and rheumatism to syphilis and hemorrhoids. Commonly known as the purple coneflower after the large purple blossom that crowns its three-foot stalk, this member of the daisy...

Are all herbal remedies safe? No. Many herbal remedies can improve your health when used wisely. But even some of these have the potential for harm, especially if you're taking large doses or a synthetic version. You should know that most herbal remedies and "natural" supplements have not been thoroughly tested, a fact that hasn't prevented some companies from putting exaggerated claims on the lab...

Can dietary supplements help me lose weight? "Eat! Eat! Eat! And Always Stay Thin! No Diet, No Exercise!" Sounds great, doesn't it? Unfortunately, you'll have a hard time responding to this particular ad. For one thing, it dates to the early 1900's. And, to make matters worse, pharmacies no longer sell the miracle product: sanitized tape worms. Weight loss products have changed in the last centur...

What is DHEA? DHEA is the most abundant steroid hormone in our bodies. (Hormones in this category include estrogen, testosterone, and cortisone.) DHEA, short for dehydroepiandrosterone, can convert to either testosterone or estrogen; it reaches its peak when we're in our 20's and then performs a dramatic disappearing act as we age. After we hit 30, our DHEA levels drop about 10 percent every 10 ye...

What is blue-green algae? Before the time of coral or starfish or bugs or birds, blue-green alga was practically the only living thing on earth. More than 1,500 species of the primitive single-celled organism are still around, mostly floating in stagnant ponds and growing on algae farms. That's right: algae farms. This ancient plantlike creature has become a cash crop. Web sites and health food st...

For many years, veterinarians routinely gave glucosamine to racehorses to help preserve their joints over years of pounding the track. Now scientists are studying whether glucosamine, a compound that your body uses to make cartilage, can help people as well. For 40 years, European researchers have been studying whether taking glucosamine in supplement form can help relieve arthritis pain and rebui...

What is licorice? First of all, if you're looking for the kind of licorice that serves as an herbal medicine, forget about the red and black sticks in the candy aisle. In the United States, so-called licorice candy is almost always flavored with anise and contains no actual licorice. Real licorice, which comes from the root of the plant Glycyrrhiza glabra, tastes just as sweet as the impostors bu...

Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis ) is a perennial plant that grows deep in the woods from Vermont to Arkansas. Cherokee Indians used its golden roots as a yellow dye, for skin problems, and as an eyewash. After the Civil War it was such a popular ingredient in medicines that it nearly became extinct. Today it's still quite rare and expensive, and many herbalists discourage its use because of the l...

You may think of flax as a source of fine linens, but the plant's greatest value may well lie in its small, dark seeds. As far back as the 700s, King Charlemagne ordered every loyal Roman to eat flaxseed for health, and today many alternative medicine gurus echo that decree to all who will listen. Flaxseed is more than just nutritious -- health experts believe the seed can actually help prevent he...

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba ) is the only remaining member of a family of trees that flourished centuries ago in ancient China. Dubbed a living fossil, ginkgo today thrives worldwide in parks and gardens, and in plantations where leaves of carefully pruned ginkgo shrubs are harvested and processed into supplements. Although the people of China have been using the fruits and seeds since 2800 BC, only dur...

The knotty, twisted underground stem of the ginger plant (Zingiber officinale ) has been used as a spice and a drug in China for the last 25 centuries. Chinese sailors chewed pieces of it to relieve their seasickness thousands of years ago. Today ginger is a leading folk remedy for nausea and digestive problems as well as a flavoring for food and drinks throughout the world. What is it good for? ...

Garlic (Allium sativum ) reigns as a powerful -- and pungent -- leader among herbal remedies. A close cousin of onions, leeks, and shallots, garlic has traditionally been used to fight off everything from colds and infections to vampires and evil spirits. It's also one of the most intensely studied herbs; over the last 20 years, more than a thousand papers have been written about the "stinking ros...

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium ) is a relative of the daisy, marigold, and dandelion. The name is derived from the Latin word febrifugia, or fever reducer, and feverfew has been used for that purpose since the first century. Historically, the herb has also been used to treat headache, arthritis, menstrual irregularity, and stomachache. What is it good for? Some studies indicate that feverfew may...

What is aloe vera? The aloe vera plant (Aloe barbadensis) is the source of two very different herbal products: aloe gel and aloe juice (also called aloe latex). Although you may hear the terms juice and gel used interchangeably, it's important to know the difference. Aloe gel, the clear, jellylike stuff that oozes from a torn leaf, is renowned as a salve for burns and wounds and is also the key in...

What are the benefits of peppermint? You already know about peppermint as a flavoring for candy and cookies. The oils from the peppermint (Mentha piperita ) have an unmistakable icy-cool flavor and smell. But peppermint oil seems to do more than freshen breath. It's a time honored remedy for sore throats. And in Germany, it's approved it as an aid to improve digestion and reduce bloating. Human ...

Green tea smells different from black tea. And it tastes different, too. You might call it "fresh" or even "grassy." And if you drink it regularly, you can also call it good for you. Packed with antioxidants, green tea may be one of the healthiest things you could ever put in a mug. What is green tea? Like black tea, green tea comes from the tea plant Camellia sinensis, a fragrant evergreen shru...