Category: Health topics

Important supplements for immunity

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Yes, I’m an herbalist….but as a clinician who is focused on treating the underlying causes of imbalance in the body, sometimes herbs aren’t the first choice for support. In fact, I can’t think of a time when I only recommended herbs on their own without other nutrition and lifestyle changes. With this in mind, I want to share 2 new pieces of scientific research that excite me:

  1. Vitamin D: Bolus is Bogus – A Narrative Review

We know Vitamin D is important for immunity. We know that people with adequate Vitamin D levels have decreased likelihood of becoming severely ill from COVID. And yet I’ve always had to ASK for my Vitamin D levels to be tested by my MD, rather than the Dr. suggesting it or even recommendation that take a Vitamin D supplement in the winter. Vitamin D screening and supplementation (if needed) should be universal. Don’t even get me started on this tangent!

The interesting thing about this study is that they’re looking at bolus dosing – this is the typical dose you get with a Vitamin D prescription from the Dr. – usually something like (1) 50,000 IU pill a week. Spoiler alert – this probably isn’t helpful, and may actually be harmful to your immune system due to the way your body responds to a large amount of the Vitamin D hormone (yep its actually a hormone) all at one time.

Just take a look at this chart summarizing Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs – the “gold standard” of research) for acute respiratory infections and COVID-19, comparing bolus dosing vs daily dosing. This is enough for me to feel good about the Vitamin D supplement I am currently taking on a daily basis.

2. A Case-Control Study for the Effectiveness of Oral Zinc in the Prevention and Mitigation of COVID-19

Zinc supplementation for the win!

“The findings from our study suggest that zinc supplementation in all three doses (10, 25, and 50 mg) may be an effective prophylaxis of symptomatic COVID-19 and may mitigate the severity of COVID-19 infection.”

If you’re already taking a multivitamin, make sure to check if it has zinc in it before buying an additional supplement. Take it with food because it can irritate your stomach, and if you would rather not supplement, then make sure to each zinc-rich foods. Check out a chart with high zinc foods here.

Glutathione 

Pronounced “Gloot-a-thigh-own” = Glutathione

The most important molecule you’ve never heard of….and how herbs can help!  Here’s a quick TikTok video I made (and that computer voice-over always gives me a chuckle!): 

My recent surgery had me hospitalized for 3 days and taking a heavy cocktail of drugs. I couldn’t wait to get home to start my healing process with herbs, and liver and antioxidant support was at the top of my list! Any time our bodies are bombarded with toxins or drugs (like during surgery), it can place a heavy burden on the liver (our organ of detoxification), depleting one of the most important molecules in our body, glutathione. Everyone should be familiar with glutathione and its critical role in our health, so please keep reading for a quick summary….

Glutathione:

  • A “master molecule” in the body
  • Major antioxidant in cells/tissues = helps prevent cellular damage
  • Helps maintain mitochondrial function and thus production of ATP (energy for your cells)
  • Helps clear environmental toxins in liver
  • All of the above are REALLY IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS IN YOUR BODY!!!

Diseases/conditions associated with low glutathione  (1):

  • Chemical sensitivities
  • Aging
  • Neurodegenerative diseases
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome
  • Diabetes/metabolic syndrome
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Cancer
  • Asthma and allergy
  • Parkinson’s
  • Possibly autism
  • Some autoimmune diseases
  • Some mental health disorders

And now, a brief rant about acetaminophen… Glutathione is used to detoxify acetaminophen in our liver, so when we take acetaminophen it depletes glutathione. When liver cells lack glutathione, the antioxidant capacity is diminished. When we take a lot of acetaminophen, it can lead to liver cell death, and it is much more likely to do so in the presence of alcohol or other situations where the liver is presented with a toxin at the same time. NEVER take acetaminophen while drinking alcohol!  We have had evidence of the liver damaging effects since at least 1977, yet it took the FDA over 30 years to add a liver injury warning to the label!!

In short, acetaminophen hurts our glutathione production. Side note, there may be other reasons not to take acetaminophen regularly, read more here.

In the rare situations when I resort to acetaminophen and other drugs that might be taxing to my liver, I like to supplement with glutathione-promoting foods, herbs, and supplements. I also take general liver support herbs such as dandelion root. And I know from experience that when I support my liver, I feel better!  Likewise, many of these substances below also help allergies. The liver/allergy connection is a subject for another day, or perhaps a great reason to book an appointment with me!

Herbs/foods/supplements that may help body make new glutathione:

  • Curcumin (2)
  • Rosemary (3)
  • Green tea (4)
  • Schisandra berry (5)
  • Milk thistle (6)
  • Roobios tea – with optimal steeping time of at least 10 mins (7,8)
  • Brassica family and Allium (onion family) vegs  both of which are rich in sulfur….sulfur is a precursor to glutathione
  • Selenium – acts as cofactor in glutathione production
  • N-acetyl cysteine (or Whey protein, which is high in amino acid cysteine) – precursor to glutathione, an easy supplement to purchase, its also in a lot of allergy and sinus supplements, along with quercetin
  • Quercetin

I want to acknowledge that most of the research cited is not human clinical trials, it’s a mix of human cells in the lab (in vitro) and animal studies. But if we take the research we do have, coupled with traditional use, we can start to see why some of these substances are so incredibly healthy for us. Many of the above are classic “antioxidants,” and looking at them in the context of glutathione promoters helps understand why they can be impactful on multiple areas of the body.

Bottom line: I make it at point to incorporate many of these healing herbs into my diet and would love to teach you how you can use them to improve your health! Please consider booking a consultation with me!

Further reading:

More in-depth explanation of glutathione https://drhyman.com/blog/2010/05/19/glutathione-the-mother-of-all-antioxidants/

Dangers of acetaminophen:  https://chriskresser.com/the-dangers-of-acetaminophen/

FDA safety information on acetaminophen: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-drug-safety-communication-prescription-acetaminophen-products-be-limited-325-mg-dosage-unit

In the midst of my research, I found this interesting paper by Harvard and Duke researchers/doctors on the possible link between autism and acetaminophen (9): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28415925/

References:

  1. Minich, D. M., & Brown, B. I. (2019). A Review of Dietary (Phyto)Nutrients for Glutathione Support. Nutrients, 11(9), 2073. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11092073
  2. Biswas SK, McClure D, Jimenez LA, Megson IL, Rahman I. Curcumin induces glutathione biosynthesis and inhibits NF-kappaB activation and interleukin-8 release in alveolar epithelial cells: mechanism of free radical scavenging activity. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2005 Jan-Feb;7(1-2):32-41. doi: 10.1089/ars.2005.7.32. PMID: 15650394.  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15650394/
  3. Hassanen NHM, Fahmi A, Shams-Eldin E, Abdur-Rahman M. Protective effect of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) against diethylnitrosamine-induced renal injury in rats. Biomarkers. 2020 May;25(3):281-289. doi: 10.1080/1354750X.2020.1737734. Epub 2020 Mar 12. PMID: 32118487. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32118487/
  4. Basu, A., Betts, N. M., Mulugeta, A., Tong, C., Newman, E., & Lyons, T. J. (2013). Green tea supplementation increases glutathione and plasma antioxidant capacity in adults with the metabolic syndrome. Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.), 33(3), 180–187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2012.12.010
  5. Chiu, H.-F., Chen, T.-Y., Tzeng, Y.-T., & Wang, C.-K. (2013). Improvement of liver function in humans using a mixture of schisandra fruit extract and sesamin. Phytotherapy Research: PTR, 27(3), 368–373. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.4702
  6. Vargas-Mendoza N., Madrigal-Santillán E., Morales-González A., Esquivel-Soto J., Esquivel-Chirino C., García-Luna Y., González-Rubio M., Gayosso-de-Lucio J.A., Morales-González J.A. Hepatoprotective effect of silymarin. World J. Hepatol. 2014;6:144–149. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v6.i3.144.
  7. Piek, H., Venter, I., Rautenbach, F., & Marnewick, J. L. (2019). Rooibos herbal tea: An optimal cup and its consumers. Health SA = SA Gesondheid, 24, 1090. https://doi.org/10.4102/hsag.v24i0.1090
  8. Marnewick, J. L., Rautenbach, F., Venter, I., Neethling, H., Blackhurst, D. M., Wolmarans, P., & Macharia, M. (2011). Effects of rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) on oxidative stress and biochemical parameters in adults at risk for cardiovascular disease. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 133(1), 46–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2010.08.061
  9. Parker, W., Hornik, C. D., Bilbo, S., Holzknecht, Z. E., Gentry, L., Rao, R., Lin, S. S., Herbert, M. R., & Nevison, C. D. (2017). The role of oxidative stress, inflammation and acetaminophen exposure from birth to early childhood in the induction of autism. The Journal of international medical research, 45(2), 407–438. https://doi.org/10.1177/0300060517693423

Let’s talk fibroids!

Note: I was recently diagnosed with fibroids, which gives me an opportunity to share a specific clinical scenario with you. (Otherwise, I don’t usually share much in the way of clinical protocols in order to respect my clients’ privacy and also because I don’t want to appear as though I’m treating disease, which is the realm of MD’s). However, I can tell you about how I treat myself!

Fibroids, also known as uterine leiomyomas, are non–cancerous growths in the uterus. They affect as many as 80 percent of women, but only 20-50 percent of women experience symptoms, which makes the true incidence rate hard to calculate (1).

They  are the leading cause of hysterectomy. Compared to white women, black women are 2-3 times more likely to have fibroids, and when they are treated, they have higher rates of  hospitalization and surgical procedures (1, 2).  This is a public health issue!

Interestingly, Vitamin D deficiency is associated with fibroids and is more prevalent in black women (and black people in general) (3). A literature review show several studies on the role of vitamin D and fibroid reduction in petri dishes and rats, providing enough evidence to seriously look at randomized controlled trials for Vitamin D supplementation in people with fibroids (4).  If only we weren’t so reliant on  pharmaceutical companies to fund research!  The cost of initial Vit D treatment is $16, with a cost of $32 for maintenance therapy (4), which could potentially be a low cost prevention/treatment option for people who have fibroids and low Vitamin D levels. 

Signs and symptoms of fibroids can vary greatly – from none to incredible pain and cramps, hemorrhaging, digestive distress,  enlarged abdomen, and more. The symptoms can occur only during menstruation or throughout the month. They can also impact fertility and impact pregnancy (1).

Risk factors include genetics (they tend to run in families),  Vitamin D deficiency, being African American (although we don’t know if this is a genetic issue, a health disparity issue, or a link to low Vitamin D, which is also more prevalent  in black people), and anything that increases exposure to estrogens, such as oral contraceptive pill use at a young age, obesity, alcohol use, and chemical exposure. We know that fibroids are estrogen dependent, because they usually go away after menopause (when a women’s estrogen levels decline). As with any condition related to hormone imbalance, we need to consider xenoestrogenexposure. 

Diagnosis is usually done via ultrasound, with additional details confirmed by a procedure called a hysteroscopy. Its really important to visit a doctor to confirm the growths aren’t cancerous. 

Conventional medicine has few options for the management of fibroids. Two of the most common pharmaceutical interventions are birth control pills and ibuprofen (1). Both of these medications have significant health risks, especially ibuprofen, which can wreck your digestive system.

Conventional medicine does, however, offer surgical removal of fibroids. This is an option I am grateful to have, as it is usually the only thing that significantly helps quality of life in women who have large fibroids. 

Herbal medicine is helpful for fibroid management. As a reminder, clinical herbalists treat the individual, not the disease. Therefore, depending on the individual specifics, fibroids can be associated with hormone imbalance, inflammation/immune imbalance (this would include Vitamin D deficiency), suboptimal liver detoxification (or liver overburden), and pelvic stagnation.

Herbs can be incredibly useful to help manage symptoms, shrink smaller fibroids, and prevent or lessen their growth.  There’s not a good track record for using herbal medicine to shrink large fibroids in a reasonable amount of time when they’re impacting quality of life, BUT herbs can absolutely be used to help reduce overall inflammation, prevent them from growing larger, and manage painful symptoms. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there is one formula called Guizhi Fuling, or Cinnamon and Poria pills, that appears have some benefit and is widely used by TCM practitioners (5).  (I am not a TCM herbalist, but I will go there if that’s where the research takes me).

In my own case, I discovered my fibroids myself after feeling the large mass protruding out of my abdomen. They were confirmed with ultrasound and hysteroscopy and unfortunately are so large and so many that I have opted for surgery. My symptoms started rapidly and quickly worsened to severe cramping, heavy blood flow, back pain, and fatigue during my period. I’ve also noticed my digestion has been off and I’m having low level back pain throughout the month. My quality of life was significantly hampered with as much as 2 weeks out of each month lost to menstrual-related pain and fatigue. Therefore, I have the following herbal goals for fibroid support: 

  • prevent them from growing larger and/or try to shrink them to make them easier to remove during surgery
  • reduce inflammation
  • support my immune system, especially by raising my Vitamin D, which was low
  • Support estrogen detoxification (which happens in the liver) in order to stop fueling growth
  • Increase circulation to the pelvis (I spent a lot of my day sitting, on computer)
  • And acutely: Lessen blood loss and manage cramping during menstruation

Herbs and supplements:

  • Tincture combination to support circulation, lymph, and hormone balance: cinnamon (encourage pelvic circulation), red root (pelvic decongestant), Oregon grape root (support liver), and black cohosh (hormone balance) 
  • Tincture combination to support uterus during menstruation:  uterine tonic, blood regulating, and astringent herbs to starting about a week before my period and using during my period – black haw, shepherd’s purse, yarrow, ginger
    • With both combinations above, I’m using the warming herbs cinnamon and ginger to support my cold-natured constitution 
  • GUI Zhi Fu Ling Wan (GyneAssure) TCM formula
  • Vitamin D – prescription for 50,000 IU taken once a week
  • Zinc – 15 mg 2x/day: supports immune function and its deficiency may also play a role in fibroid growth/immune dysregulation 
  • Zyflamend anti-inflammatory herbal supplement from New Chapter. I use this like an herbal Ibuprofen. I could probably make my own, but I’ve used it for years and I love it. 
  • Fish oil 
  • Probiotics
  • Flax seed:  into my daily smoothie. Helps balance estrogen. 
  • Magnesium 350 mg/day
  • B complex – supports liver detoxification/hormone processing
  • Calcium D-Glucarate – supports estrogen metabolism
  • Liver Beef Glandular  – I take this during my period to help offset heavy blood loss. A natural source of iron and other vital nutrients.
  • E and selenium – important antioxidant functions, they also support my thyroid
  • Quercetin and Bromelain –  regulates immune system and inflammation
  • Castor oil packs with ginger essential oil  – especially to help with lymph circulation
  • I’m probably forgetting a few things too!

If you’re thinking, wow that’s quite a list! You’re right. I supplement myself more aggressively than I would with a client. And I was also desperate for relief after 2 periods in a row that were completely debilitating.  The other critical component of my care is body work appointments with my massage therapist. I think its immensely helpful to use body work and/or energy work in conjunction with all forms of treatment. 

After upping my herb and supplement game tremendously and working on my physical body through yoga, exercise, and massage, I have successfully and significantly reduced many of my symptoms, especially severe cramping, fatigue, and blood loss. Herbal medicine really excels in these areas! And the herbs will help me get in tip top shape for surgery and help me heal faster after. I will post an update in March after my surgery. 

There is so much more to say on this topic! From the interesting role of Vitamin D and zinc in several women’s reproductive diseases, to the wonders of castor oil packs….but I know you don’t want to read a novel. So, if you or someone you know is dealing with period-related issues and looking for herbal support or conventional medicine alternatives, please send them my way! 

Notes: 

  1. Office on Women’s Health https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/uterine-fibroids; Baird, et al., 2003. 
  2. Eltoukhi et al., 2014.
  3. Sabry et al., 2013
  4. Brakta et al., 2015.
  5. Chen et al., 2014. 

References: 

Baird, D. D., Dunson, D. B., Hill, M. C., Cousins, D., & Schectman, J. M. (2003). High cumulative incidence of uterine leiomyoma in black and white women: ultrasound evidence. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 188(1), 100–107. https://doi.org/10.1067/mob.2003.99

Brakta, S., Diamond, J. S., Al-Hendy, A., Diamond, M. P., & Halder, S. K. (2015). Role of vitamin D in uterine fibroid biology. Fertility and sterility, 104(3), 698–706. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.05.031

Chen N. N., Han M., Yang H., Yang G. Y., Wang Y. Y., Wu X. K., et al. (2014). Chinese herbal medicine Guizhi Fuling Formula for treatment of uterine fibroids: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials. BMC Complement. Altern. Med. 14, 2. 10.1186/1472-6882-14-2 

Eltoukhi, H. M., Modi, M. N., Weston, M., Armstrong, A. Y., & Stewart, E. A. (2014). The health disparities of uterine fibroid tumors for African American women: a public health issue. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 210(3), 194–199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2013.08.008

Sabry, M., Halder, S. K., Allah, A. S., Roshdy, E., Rajaratnam, V., & Al-Hendy, A. (2013). Serum vitamin D3 level inversely correlates with uterine fibroid volume in different ethnic groups: a cross-sectional observational study. International journal of women’s health, 5, 93–100. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJWH.S38800

Forest herbalism

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Exploring the health benefits of being in nature

Spending time in the forest can reduce stress hormones, bolster the immune system (Bae et al., 2012; Li et al., 2006), and provide mental health benefits such as increased positive emotions and liveliness (Morita et al., 2006).  This is herbalism!  The experience of being in nature exposes you to the visual scenes of the forest, as well as the scents. Both are evolutionarily-familiar stimuli that enhance the immune system and provide a positive sense of well-being. Whether you’re already an avid exerciser or have mobility issues or illness  keeping you at home, spending more time with the forest can help you feel better. I have suggestions for you!

Getting started 

If you’re just getting started with a nature exercise regime, try to increase your outdoor exposure and level of comfort with being in the woods so that you can work up to spending 2 hours in the forest, which is the amount recommended for optimal health benefit. Qing Li, one of the most well-known Japanese researchers of “Shinrinyoku” or “forest bathing,” suggesting staying in the forest (or outdoors around trees) for about 2 hours, walking slowly (about 1.5 miles total), and resting a lot (HPHP Central, 2014). 

Mobility issues or allergies that prevent lengthy time outside

If you are more comfortable indoors or in an urban environment than you are in a forest setting, that is ok! There are plenty of activities you can do gain the health benefits of nature without needing to venture too far away from home. You can gain health benefits just by looking at pictures of nature! This can help give you a feeling of tranquility during stressful times (Herzog & Chernik, 2000, as cited in Takayama et al., 2014, p.  7208). Suggestions:

  • Checking out library books with nature scenes
  • Watching nature documentaries
  • Looking at nature pictures on the internet

If you don’t have allergies to essential oils, you can also purchase outdoor-scented oils such as cedar and pine in order to simulate the olfactory experience of being outside. The practice of inhaling these essential oils, which simulates the chemicals given off by trees in the forest, can decrease stress hormone levels and increase immunity (Bae et al., 2012; Qing, 2010). Essential oils can be purchased at most natural grocery stores as well as through websites like www.mountainroseherbs.com.

Avid exerciser

In addition to the physical benefits from the exercise alone,  specifically exercising in a wooded setting can help increase your sense of vitality and decrease fatigue (Takayama et al., 2014), which may help you take your exercise regime to the next level. Try to get out on a longer trails at least once a month for between 2-4 hours at a time, and supplement with shorter walks, runs, and/or hikes, especially during times of high stress. Strive to reach a goal of exercising outdoors 2-3 times per week. For longer-lasting health benefits, you might want to try camping or backpacking.  A 3 day, 2 night camping trip can provide an immune boost that lasts more than 30 days (Qing, 2010)!!

Regardless of your fitness level, the medicinal benefits of nature are accessible. Aim to gradually integrate more nature and plant medicine into your life and enjoy the results!  

References:

Bae, D., Seol, H., Yoon, H., Na, J. Oh, K., Choi, C.Y., &…Kim, S. (2012). Inhaled essential oil from Chamaecyparis obtuseameliorates the impairments of cognitive function induced by injection of β -amyloid in rats. Pharmaceutical Biology, 50 (7), 900-910. doi: 10.3109/13880209.2011.642886.

HPHP Central. (2014). Forest Bathing. Retrieved from http://www.hphpcentral.com/article/forest-bathing

Lee, J., Park, B.-J., Tsunetsugu, Y., Ohira, T., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2011). Effect of forest bathing on physiological and psychological responses in young Japanese mail subjects. Public Health, 125 (2), 93-100. doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2010.09.005

Li, Q., Nakadai, A., Matsushima, H., Miyazaki, Y., Krensky, A., Kawada, T., & Morimoto, K. (2006). Phytoncides (Wood Essential Oils) Induce Human Natural Killer Cell Activity. Immunopharmacology & Immunotoxicology, 28(2), 319-333. doi:10.1080/08923970600809439

Morita, E., Fukuda, S., Nagano, J., Hamajima, N., Yamamoto, H., Iwai, Y., &…Shirakawa, T. (2006). Psychological effects of forest environments on health adults: Shinrin-yoku (forest-air bathing, walking) as a possible method of stress reduction. Public Health, 121, 54-63. doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2006.05.024

Mountain Rose Herbs. (n.d.). Homepage. Retrieved from http://www.mountainroseherbs.com

Qing, L. (2010). Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 15(1), 9-17. doi: 10.1007/s12199-008-0068-3

Qing, L., Kobayashi, M., & Tomoyuki, K. (2008). Relationships Between Percentage of Forest Coverage and Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMR) of Cancers in all Prefectures in Japan. The Open Public Health Journal, 1, 1-7. doi: 10.2174/1874944500801010001

Takayama, N., Korpela, K., Lee, J., Morikawa, T., Tsunetsugu, Y., Park, B., & … Kagawa, T. (2014). Emotional, restorative and vitalizing effects of forest and urban environments at four sites in Japan. International Journal of Environmental Research And Public Health, 11(7), 7207-7230. doi:10.3390/ijerph110707207

Immune and respiratory support – a compilation

In the midst of COVID-19 stress, one positive is that many of our most experienced herbalists are freely sharing information and protocols for immune, antiviral, and respiratory support herbs. Below is my running list that I am adding to as a I come across new information. Many of these protocols are good to have for general viral illness support and/or prevention (strengthening the immune system). 

Its important to remember that COVID-19 is a new virus that we are still learning about, and we have no basis for claims that these herbs can “treat” or “cure” the virus. That being said,  many of these herbs have a history of use for prevention, immune health, and for supporting the body during viral/respiratory illnesses. We are hearing reports from China that they have been using herbs in combination with other treatments within the hospitals (see first article below).  

It seems prudent to consider immune herbs like astragalus and mushrooms as a risk reduction strategy, especially in vulnerable populations (keep in mind they are not a replacement for good public health and personal hygiene practices).

Its also interesting to note that the Chinese herbal approach includes use of several plants that are very common, if not invasive, here – Japanese honeysuckle flowers and forsythia fruit. I am certainly viewing these plants in a different light and am grateful to have them around. I suppose I will let more of the honeysuckle stick around this year and hope to be able to offer a workshop for medicine making with them.

I do have a limited supply of many of these herbs that are listed in the links below – so please contact me if you need something!

7song: http://7song.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/An-Herbalist’s-Notes-the-on-COVID-19-Virus.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1TKck8UNTgBrvVuf0ga5lndbV1Uu7BXr7TlsfH82yoKotzr0NHLz6x9tA

Donnie Yance: https://www.donnieyance.com/herbal-remedies-for-acute-viral-infections/ and fever advice: https://www.donnieyance.com/dont-fear-a-fever-the-importance-of-working-with-not-against-the-immune-system-in-warding-off-infection/

Herbalista: https://herbalista.org/covid-19-care-center/

Michael Tierra: https://planetherbs.com/blogs/michaels-blogs/more-herbal-treatments-for-covid-19-by-michael-tierra/?fbclid=IwAR3ArF3HofRv5wdWS259w6ADOUAB9KqGf2PP6v__P_2W7YIN0opzX6I4oDM

Lesley Tierra: https://planetherbs.com/blogs/lesleys-blog/coronavirus-herbal-prevention-and-treatment/?fbclid=IwAR3RRI5ETT2pVx2tzfsHA326oUotKow4_2q4CF9mLrSAI1jYIJ1B4dkB-Bw

Leslie Alexander and the simple yet effective medicine of Salt: https://www.facebook.com/leslie.alexander.7524/posts/10218364593118743

Paul Bergner: https://www.naimh.com/coronavirus?fbclid=IwAR0t427Lowsrpnbs95tegNYlOxUH7piFmrdHzjyvuYLrCG-2cBSz8JTuDdQ

Rosalee de la Foret: https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/herbs-for-immunity.html

Sam Coffman: https://www.facebook.com/whatqigonnado/posts/10216348963261150

Stephen Buhner: https://www.stephenharrodbuhner.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/coronavirus.txt.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1rnVBLbmASnrPysJIqrb1nrGuJ3DvpNuQ3qP8YOjcUMc8kHH-oV_vpGXY (note that some Buhner’s info is controversial)

TCM approaches: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32065348

Thomas Easley: https://www.eclecticschoolofherbalmedicine.com/covid-19/

A formula: BRAVE elixir for immune and respiratory health: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PNbydtICFuHE1GdU8Sbxx-wRUmZhzQDL/view?usp=sharing

An interesting snippet:  Jonathan Treasure is recommending folks discontinue CBD (unless using to manage severe condition such as seizure) due to it being a mild immunosuppressive https://twitter.com/herbological?cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjc18y&refsrc=email

Lexington herbalist Andrew Bentley’s YouTube video: Outbreaks, Epidemics, and COVID-19

Herbs for Anxiety – The Possibilities are Endless!

Finding herbal alternatives for common mental health concerns is one of my passions. There is surprising amount of scientific research to support the use of herbs such as passionflower, chamomile, lemon balm, valerian, hops, and kava for anxiety. Often, this research looks at these herbs alongside benzodiazepines and finds them to be just as, if not more effective. These herbs are safer as well, and come without fear of addiction or other negative side effects. While in graduate school, I wrote a short research summary on passionflower and chamomile that was published in my University’s newsletter (starting on page 3!).

Women’s health – formulation for hormone balance

Graduate school taught me how to apply rational product design in herbal formulation through body system assessment, evaluation of herbal actions, and the application of scientific knowledge.  This project involved research on pathophysiology of a particular disease, evaluation of the existing herbal products on the market, development of a product and brochure design, and concluded with a presentation about the project. It reflects my passion for the use of herbs to promote women’s health, so you’ll have to overlook my marketing design skills!

As I look back at the product brochure, I realize that the use of the word “PMS” and the phrase “premenstrual syndrome  due to hormonal imbalance” are disease claims that are not permitted by the FDA (if I was actually selling a product). I completed this project before my compliance classes and have since learned that any marketing associated with a product, whether it be in a brochure, “liking” a Facebook post, or customer testimonial, must not contain any disease references.

Project presentation

Women’s health – ovulation tonic

Screen Shot 2017-04-09 at 8.13.42 PM Herbs are excellent allies for women’s health. This presentation from Grad school demonstrates the research and thought process that I used to design a formula that promotes healthy ovulation in women. It covers the physiological and traditional rationale for the formula, my formulation philosophy, overviews on the herbs used, and the marketing, dosage, and safety language for the product.

I was really satisfied with the formula that I created using this process of “rational product design,” and I have not seen anything like it on the market. It combines traditional and scientific knowledge to support women’s reproductive function. Blending traditional Appalachian and Native American herbs with Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, the formula was designed to gently, yet effectively help women regain hormonal balance.

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

This presentation provides an Introduction to Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis – 2/23/2016

Hashi presentation image

 

I created this presentation in grad school for someone that has a new Hashimoto’s diagnosis. Autoimmune diseases, thyroid in particular, are one of my top clinical interests because of the challenges they present for me and many women that I know. Nutritional modification is the number one focus when managing autoimmune diseases, but the right herbal support can also make a big difference!