Category:
Herbs
I've
heard that Black Cohosh can cause liver problems.
Is
this true?
There is no basis
for this rumour. I have studied the reports very carefully
and cannot find any scientific evidence for the concern.
My only theory to explain it is that possibly someone has
made a product which has been pharmaceutically standardised
(i.e. messed about to have higher levels of certain ingredients
in it), and this may have caused problems. I use a holistically
standardised product for my patients (the Jan de Vries tincture)
and have total confidence in it. Bear in mind that the herb
in its holistically standardised form has been used for
many hundreds of years, so if it was damaging the liver
it would have been spotted by now! Herbs that have dangerous
effects tend not to get passed on down the generations without
warnings, so the problems only start when and if manufacturers
start messing about with the original herb.
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Does
Agnus castus have a detrimental effect on the contraceptive
pill? Is it safe to take both?
YOU
MUST NOT TAKE AGNUS CASTUS WHILST ON THE CONTRACEPTIVE PILL
OR ANY HORMONAL CONTRACEPTIVE. Agnus
castus rebalances your hormones, but if you are using hormonal
contraceptives then you are deliberately imbalancing your
hormones in order to avoid pregnancy, and rebalancing them
will reverse this effect. If you wish to take Agnus castus
because you are having a bad menstrual cycle, bear in mind
if you are on the Pill, the symptoms you are wishing to
avoid are probably created by the Pill - only stopping the
Pill will remove these effects. Agnus castus may reverse
the symptoms, but it will also reverse the effects of the
Pill that you are trying to achieve - i.e. avoiding pregnancy.
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Can
you take Agnus castus if you are on tyroxine tablets I take
100mg everyday.
Yes,
this is not contraindicated with Agnus castus so you are
ok.
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I
am taking warfarin, lipitor and atorvastin tablets after
an unexplained fall in February, following a bus accident, I was
told the accident had caused atrial fibrilation. Although
I have felt well for all of the past months, would it be
safe for me to take Saw Palmetto. I have no symptons of urinary
problems, but at 72 I feel I should take precautions.
You
may safely take Saw Palmetto with these medications.
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I
am currently 15 weeks pregnant. I have had anxiety for 5 months
now. I want to know should I continue to take Passaflora
Complex?
No,
you can't take herbal remedies when pregnant unless supervised
by a medical herbalist.
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I'm
24 and in the last three months I have got a lot of acne all
over my face, which is very noticeable and I am very self-conscious
about it. What would you recommend to clear this quickly and
easily?
There
are several possible causes. One is bad diet - if you eat
lots of junk food and drink coffee and coke instead of water,
your skin will eventually suffer. Another is stress, which
can cause spots to come up. If this is the case for you,
take Passiflora Complex and a vitamin B complex. Try Viola
tricolor, which nourishes the skin from inside.
We
have been trying unsuccessfully to conceive a baby. I have
read that False Unicorn root taken with Agnus castus is good
to improve female fertility - but I cannot find False Unicorn
root in UK. Is it not available or called something else?
Your
best bet is to consult a qualified medical herbalist (find
one in your area by phoning 01392 426022) and they will
make you up an individual prescription, which may or may
not include False Unicorn Root, depending on their analysis
of your personal needs.
Is
there a herb to prevent/cure short term memory loss in an
otherwise healthy person.
Ginkgo
biloba gives a shot of energy to the brain and has been
shown to be successful in reducing the symptoms of dementia.
Phosphatidyl serine is also good, though expensive. I've
given them together to people with short and long term memory
loss and been pleased with the results. You can't take Ginkgo
with anticoagulants.
I
am 54 years of age and have just had a hysterectomy. Can you
suggest an alternative to taking HRT. I am taking thyroxine
tablets
It
is very difficult to find a natural solution to the sudden
loss of organs, as it is not a 'natural' situation. There
are herbs such as Black Cohosh, which attach to oestrogen
receptors, but it is unlikely that such herbs would have
a strong enough effect to avoid the side effects of a hysterectomy.
I would suggest that you consult a medical herbalist near
to you, to get a personal programme put together, as this
is not something for which you can self-medicate.
I
am 53 years old and have gone through the menopause. My skin, especially my
face, is terribly dry and very sore. Is there anything I can
do to alleviate the discomfort please?
Drink
at least 1.5 litres of still water every day and avoid caffeine.
If you smoke, make plans to stop. Drink nettle tea every
day (teabags available in healthstores) and take 3,000mg
of Evening Primrose Oil daily. You can also take 1 tbsp
of Silicea in a glass of juice every day - you need to do
this for at least three months to see the good effect on
your skin. Any improvements you make in your diet, such
as avoiding junk food and fried food, will benefit your
skin.
For how
long should you take Echinacea Forte? I’ve heard that
six weeks is the maximum time and then a break is needed,
as the immune system gets used to it and you become prone
to colds. I’ve been taking Echinacea - will it do me any harm
if I up the intake?
You
can take Echinacea for as long as you need it. Your body
does not get accustomed to it, and when you stop taking
it your body returns to the level of immune function it
had previously, so if it was low you may get a bug at that
point. You can up the dosage with no ill effect, but it
doesn't really work much better if you take heaps or if
you take the recommended dose, as the dosages are worked
out from the most effective practice.
I
have just started taking Tamoxifen after breast cancer surgery
and the night sweats I have are intolerable. I am trying Agnus
castus and dong quai together with soya milk but there doesn't
seem any relief. Is there any other herbal remedy I may try?
YOU
MUST SEE A MEDICAL HERBALIST RATHER THAN SELF-MEDICATE FOR
THIS. The reason you are getting the sweats is that Tamoxifen
blocks oestrogen; but it does this in order to prevent recurrence
of the breat cancer. If you take things that alter the oestrogen
blocking effect, you may stop the drug from working. I totally
sympathise with your desire to avoid the unpleasant side
effects of the drug, but it is very tricky trying to balance
out drug medication with natural remedies - please find
a qualified practitioner to help you with a properly desgined
programme, rather than picking things up yourself.
Can
I use Luffa Complex and Luffa Nasal Spray together?
Yes,
it is perfectly ok to use the two together, for as long
as you like.
My
21 year old daughter has got chicken pox. Is there any herb
that can be used internally or externally which could provide
some relief? Or any other suggestions?
As
long as she is not on any other medication (including the
Pill), I would suggest Hypericum tincture internally, St
John's Wort Oil externally, and a supplement of L-Lysine,
which fights the virus. Avoid chocolate and nuts, as they
feed the virus!
I
really want to lose a stone and a half for my daughter's wedding
next year.
If you
contact the Herbal Helpline on 0845 608 5858 they will send
you a booklet on keeping your weight balanced healthily.
In the meantime, it is important to be drinking enough water
and to avoid beverages such as coffee and coke, which tend
to cause fluid retention. Don't try to cut out meals, as
this causes blood sugar levels to drop and then you crave
sugary foods. Eat regularly - it doesn't have to be huge
portions. Avoid the obvious 'baddies' such as fried foods
(including crisps) and foods that are made mainly of refined
sugar. Make sure there is a large component of fresh and
dried fruit, and salad/vegetables in your daily intake.
Some people find that eating just fruit until lunch time
gives their digestive system a lift. Eating dried fruit
instead of biscuits/sweets in the evenings can be useful
too. Avoiding dairy products is a good way to lose weight
without actually cutting down on the amount of food you
eat. Go to your local healthstore and ask about the dairy-free
options they have available. Many supermarkets now do good
dairy-free ranges too
I
want to taper off on Ativan for anxiety. On Ativan for 2 years.
Dosage; 3-5mg/day. How?
You
absolutely have to do this with the help and supervision
of your GP. If they won't help you, get another GP. You
must have supervision and support.
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I
am currently taking A.Vogel Agnus castus drops as directed
on the bottle-due to an extremely irregularr menstrual cycle
(following a miscarriage and further infection). I am trying
to conceive (36 yrs old) but to no avail.
You
definitely need a proper consultation and supervised programme.
Go to www.bant.org.uk
to find your nearest qualified nutritional therapist.
I
am 24 years old and suffer from tiredness and lack of energy.
Is there anything that you could recommed that I could take
to give me a good burst of energy every day.
These
symptoms don't arrive for no reason, unless you have been
working too hard and not getting enough sleep, in which
case sleeping enough is the only thing that will help! If
this is not the case, try Floradix, which is an energy tonic
available in most health stores. Ask your doctor for an
iron deficiency test and avoid coffee and fizzy drinks,
as they make tiredness worse.
Can
Agnus castus be safely taken the whole month round if trying
to conceive?
It
needs to be taken all month long to have any effect on hormonal
balance. Three to five months is the usual amount of time
needed to facilitate a pregnancy.
Are
there any side effects from using Neem long term?
The
research carried out to date does not highlight any side
effects or restrictions on the use of Neem extracts externally.
Neem should NOT be taken internally. Diabetics should never
self treat any conditions of the foot and pregnant or nursing
mothers should consult a healthcare professional before
using any herbal product.
I
had a total hysterectomy 12 years ago and was put on HRT.
I have now taken myself off it and I'm taking Black Cohosh
1000 and red clover, but getting hot flushes. Is there any
thing I can take with what I'm already taking?
Yes,
you can take Black Cohosh and Red Clover for hot flushes.
If you came off the HRT recently and/or suddenly, it may
take a while for the flushes to subside. Drink plenty of
still water, avoid coffee and fizzy drinks, and use nettle
tea two or three times daily to back up the other herbs.
Can I use
Echinacea while breastfeeding?
Only under the supervision
of a healthcare professional. To find a medical herbalist
near to you, go to www.nimh.org.
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Please could
you tell me if there's a limit on the amount of time I should
use Agnus castus.
Take it until your
symptoms have gone and then take a break to see if your hormones
remain balanced. If the symptoms return then take it again
until they go, then try again without it. The idea is that
your hormones will remain in balance once they've been put
right, but some people are very prone to imbalance and so
need to take further courses. There is no ill effect from
taking it long term, but we obviously prefer you not to be
taking it if you don't need it.
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I
am an obsessive country dancer and therefore stress my feet
and legs, which in any case are sore because of tight ligaments/tendons
and a very painful bone condition in both feet (similar to
bunion). I have regular sports medicine treatment and take
anti-inflamms (plus glucosamine and fish oils). But I have
recently discovered Devil's Claw tincture and have found it
miraculous in helping to reduce pain and inflammation. Is
this a long term solution for me, and do you have any other
advice?
I
would advise adding up to 500mg daily magnsium to your programme
(a company called Salus Haus make a liquid magnesium that
is brilliant - most healthstores can get hold of it for you)
as it is great for tight muscles. Also, drink one to three
cups of nettle tea daily, as it reduces acidity in the blood
stream, which has beneficial effects on the bones.
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Seven weeks ago
I stopped using HRT gel, and have been having hot flushes
and cold sweats day and night. I have been having them every
two hours at night and about 15 per day. I started taking
Menosan tincture and nettle tea three weeks ago, but still
have the symptoms. Today I have been told by my local health
food store that sage may increase my blood pressure which
worries me. Can you tell me if this is correct and, if so,
what other herbal remedy I can safely take?
Sage will not affect
your blood pressure in any way. It is contraindicated for
diabetics and epileptics, that is all.
As you have just come off HRT, your oestrogen levels have
fallen considerably, quite quickly, so you are bound to get
quite a few flushes as your body readjusts. Sage and nettle
are good when the flushes are due to natural menopausal processes,
but coming off HRT is not a natural thing and calls for stronger
measures. Take Black Cohosh until the flushes subside, then
gradually reduce it over a period of several weeks or even
a couple of months, so that your body has time to adjust to
the lower oestrogen levels. Bear in mind that in the natural
menopausal process, oestrogen levels fall gradually over a
couple of years, so the more gradual you can make the withdrawal,
the better.
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I
have been taking Saw Palmetto for several months for my prostate,
and have been pleased with the results. Now that my symptoms
have diminished quite dramatically, should I still take it?
Saw
Palmetto is safe to take long term, and in fact this is the
best way to take it because the prostate is prone to inflammatory
growth after men reach the age of 30. So although you have
got your prostate back down to a manageable size, whereby
it is no longer bothering you, it will start to grow again
if you do not treat it. Taking Saw Palmetto in a maintenance
dose will keep it under control. Add a zinc supplement or
eat pumpkin seeds (which contain zinc) regularly as well,
as zinc is good for the prostate too.
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My
husband has been using Saw Palmetto but is now going for some
tests for prostate cancer. Will it interfere with this, as
we have heard that drugs for prostate problems can?
I
always recommend that anyone suffering with prostate problems
visit their doctor before starting to take Saw Palmetto. However,
you can set your mind at rest about the possibility of it
interfering with cancer tests. Conventional drugs may mask
the PSI levels in the blood, which doctors use as a marker
for cancer, but in general, Saw Palmetto does not appear to
mask these readings.
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I
am 44 and have fairly recently been suffering from night sweats
which allow me no sleep. Been taking Black Cohosh but they
are not easing. Do not want HRT. Can you help please?
Do
you have any other health problems or any other menopausal
symptoms? We often find that women are being told their flushes
are menopausal when in fact they are triggered by food intolerances,
or stress levels, or dehydration, or high histamine levels,
or a combination of many different factors. A good place to
start is drinking a minimum of 1.5 litres of still water daily
whilst cutting out coffee, tea and all fizzy drinks, taking
nettle tincture 3 x daily and a good vitamin B supplement.
If you give me a broader picture of your overall health I
can be more specific. Or you could phone the Herbal Helpline
on 0845 6085858 and ask for Eileen, who is the Wise Woman
of the Menopause and has a wealth of experience in handling
menopausal and pseudomenopausal symptoms!
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