Herb | MITCM - Part 2

Chinese Herb Guide: Chamomile

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In herbal medicine, chamomile is an herb that is well known for relieving nerves, distress of the stomach, infection and ulcers. This herb can also speed up the healing process. You can take it as a tea by adding between 2 and 3 teaspoons of chamomile to a cup of hot water. Steep the tea for between 10 and 20 minutes and take as many as three glasses of the tea per day. This herb, chamomile, actually happens to be related to the daisy, and it is indigenous to several regions including western Asia and Europe. There are different types of chamomile, such as German chamomile, which is the most common type when it comes to herbal remedies.

This herb has been used for numerous centuries as a means of treating gastrointestinal system disorders and many other disorders and ailments as well. This herb is still in use today in both Asian herbal medicine and Western herbal medicine as well. The chamomile herb has been used in ancient medicine including in Egypt, Greece and Rome. These people used chamomile to treat a wide variety of different maladies including stomach pain, fever and stroke. It is also especially popular in Germany where it is used as a cure-all for a wide variety of different purposes. In the United States, chamomile is commonly used for aiding in sleep and causing soothing, relaxed feelings. German chamomile can also be used for nausea, bloating, stomach pain and other similar digestive issues.

Other benefits that are provided by chamomile include soothing flu and colds, helping abscesses and wounds heal more quickly, reducing inflammation of the gums, treating psoriasis and other skin conditions and treating a disorder known as ulcerative colitis. Chamomile can be taken in many different forms including as soaks, teas and ointments. Children can use it for diaper rash, colic, chicken pox and a number of other common maladies.

Filed Under: Chinese Medicine Tagged With: Chamomile, Germany, Health, Herb, Herbalism, Matricaria recutita, Tea, United States

Chinese Herb Guide: Garlic

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There are a wide variety of different Chinese herbs that are used in medicine and medical treatments for ailments on all sides of the spectrum. Garlic is an example of such an herb. Garlic has strong antibiotic properties when it is chopped up or chewed. It can help to reduce bad cholesterol and can lower the risk of having a heart attack because it works to prevent blood clot formation. Garlic also has distinct anti viral properties. It is easy to use in a wide variety of different ways including garlic tea or using it in food as a seasoning. If you want to make garlic tea, steep six cloves in cool water for at least six hours and drink as needed.

Garlic is grown all throughout the world, and many herbalists believe that it is one of the more essential and one of the more useful herbs available for herbal medicine purposes. There are cultures all over the world that have benefited from the use of garlic in food and medicines over the course of several centuries.

Garlic is considered by many to be a miracle herb because it is used to prevent colds and flu, to ward off menstrual pain, to prevent high blood pressure, to relieve cough and to prevent atherosclerosis, gastrointestinal issues, bronchitis, fungal infections, bacterial infections, viruses, intestinal parasites and more. Garlic is also perceived to be an antioxidant, and so it may be effective in preventing cancers like colon cancer while boosting the immune system and its effectiveness.

The most popular use for garlic has to do with its effectiveness in cardiovascular wellness because it is an effective treatment for high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, triglyceride levels and respiratory infections. The primary ingredient that is found in garlic is called Alliin, and this chemical is similar to an amino acid called cysteine that gives garlic its many health benefits.

Filed Under: Chinese Medicine Tagged With: Alliin, Chinese herbology, Garlic, Herb, Herbalism, Hypertension, Infection, Thrombus

Chinese Herb Guide: Slippery Elm Bark

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Slippery elm bark is a common herb found in throat lozenges and in cough drops, but you can use it for a variety of other purposes as well. This herb is capable of providing relief for coughs, sore throats and upset stomachs. If you want to buy it in bulk rather than in a cough drop or a lozenge, then the best route for you to take is to boil it and simmer the slippery elm bark in a powdered form in a cup of water. Between one and three teaspoons of the herb is best for 8 ounces of water and you can have as many as three cups of the herbal tea per day.

The herb slippery elm bark comes from elm trees and these trees are primarily native to the Appalachian mountains which are in the eastern United States. The elm leaves have been dried and used to create tea and skin washes. Natives haven eaten the inner bark of the tree because it offers high carbohydrate levels and can be digested easily. The inner bark can be used for many other purposes as well. You can use slippery elm bark to relieve a number of gastrointestinal conditions as well as respiratory irritations, sore throats and ulcers. There are also external use benefits for slippery elm bark including the treatment of skin conditions, hemorrhoids and vaginitis. Some people recommend the use of slippery elm bark as a cough medicine or for use to soften and smooth out the skin.

You can take a 500 mg capsule of slippery elm bark three times daily to benefit from its numerous health advantages. You may also combine one part slippery elm bark to ten parts of water in liquid form or one part of slippery elm bark powder to eight parts of water in order to take advantage of the health benefits offered by this herbal supplement.

Filed Under: Chinese Medicine Tagged With: Alternative, Cough, Elm, Health, Herb, Herbalism, Shopping, Ulmus rubra

Chinese Medicine: A Look at Diagnostic Practices

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When a health system such as the ancient Chinese medicine is looked at one of the most intriguing factors is that of whole doctors and practitioners worked as a whole in order to diagnosis elements. Today’s health care system requires a lot of tests, x-rays and various other diagnostic tools, that it is hard to imagine a system that is less complex but at the same time offered the same amount of treatment.

Chinese medicine uses a system of diagnostics largely based off of the observation method. These observations can come in a wide form of types of observations. A practitioner can sit down and observe human behavior, physical symptoms and various other visual aspects of the disease. They can also observe auditory, sensory and physical types of elements. These involve running a few elementary tests and seeing how the patient reacts. Another huge element of the diagnostic process involves questioning. This can range from asking about types of symptoms, when they started, how a person feels, etc. The last area of observation that comes under Chinese medicine is that of touch. Touch is very important when diagnosing illnesses and conditions and learning the right areas to prob and look at takes a lot of skill and knowledge as many conditions can have over 5 areas to touch to see if something is wrong.

Those that practice Chinese medicine practice the art of observing and diagnosing illness for a number of years. It does not come naturally to a person and could take over two decades to learn. Because of this it takes extreme skill and patience to learn to practice in Chinese medicine. It does not happen over night and it takes a number of years to develop the knowledge and ability to be able to diagnosis a number of illnesses and conditions that can be treated by Chinese medicine.

Filed Under: Chinese Medicine Tagged With: Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, Alternative, Education, Health, Herb, Large intestine, Medicine, Traditional Chinese medicine

Chinese Herb Guide: Feverfew

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Feverfew is used in Chinese medicine for a number of different purposes, including to prevent migraines from occurring. There are some recent studies that are confirming that feverfew has beneficial effects for people that suffer from migraines. You can take the leaf material in a capsule or pill, and generally 85 milligrams is best. You may also take between 1/2 and 1 teaspoon of leaf material in a tea per cup of hot water. Steep the feverfew for between 5 minutes and 10 minutes and drink as many as two cups every day to feel the positive effects of this herb.

Feverfew is also thought to be capable of alleviating pain related to many other conditions including arthritis and menstrual cramping. It is also believed to cure asthma and to increase the appetite. The feverfew herb contains a number of beneficial nutrients including vitamin C and vitamin A, iron and niacin.

Historically, this herb has been used for the management and treatment of a number of different conditions. For example, it has been used for treating fevers, pain and inflammation. Studies are currently showing that feverfew has migraine-stopping power as well. It may be able to prevent the severity of the migraine as well as the occurrence of the migraines. Feverfew does not seem to have capability of helping a migraine once it has started, but if taken before the migraine begins, it can help in reduce the effects of the migraine.

In the past, people have consumed feverfew similarly to how they would chew tobacco, and this would allow them to receive the herb’s nutrients by chewing its leaves. Unfortunately, this method can cause irritation in the mouth and stomach, and so feverfew is best taken as a tea or in a pill or capsule form in order to best benefit from its nutritional contents.

Filed Under: Chinese Medicine Tagged With: Conditions and Diseases, Feverfew, Headache, Health, Herb, Herbalism, Migraine, Neurological Disorders

Chinese Herb Guide: Raspberry Leaf

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Raspberry leaf is an herb that has seen a great deal of use as a treatment for morning sickness, uterine irritability and as a way of helping to prevent miscarriage during pregnancy. The most common way to take raspberry leaf is as a tea by adding between one and two teaspoons of the herb for each cup of hot water. Steep your raspberry leaf tea for at least ten minutes and drink as many as three cups daily.

Raspberry leaf is a popular uterine stimulant as well as an astringent that has tonic properties. It happens to be one of the most popular herbs for pregnancy because it is both toning and relaxing with astringent actions, and it appears to have a particular affinity for the woman’s uterus. Both the stimulating and astringent properties of the raspberry leaf can help to strengthen as well as tone up the muscles in the uterus and the pelvis. The relaxing properties, coupled with other soothing properties associated with raspberry leaf can help to relax the uterus during the same time.

The raspberry leaf herb is used as a means of encouraging an easier childbirth, likely as a result of its ability to strengthen the muscles in the uterus, because this both increases and coordinates the contractions during childbirth.

There are other purposes for why you might want to use raspberry leaf. For example, raspberry leaf can be used for relieving diarrhea. It can also be used externally, because raspberry leaf works well as a wash in the eyes for conjunctivitis, a wash in the mouth for mouth sores, a wash in the vaginal area for discharge and a wash for wounds as well. The raspberries themselves also have astringent properties.

Some people also recommend the raspberry leaf for treating discomforts associated with menstruation, morning sickness, bed wetting and sore throat.

Filed Under: Chinese Medicine Tagged With: Health, Herb, Herbalism, Morning sickness, Pregnancy, Raspberry, Shopping, Uterus

Chinese Herb Guide: Comfrey

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Comfrey is an herb that has the ability to help in the growth of new cells. Because comfrey contains allantoin, it can also help in the healing of wounds. The recommended way to use comfrey is to cover a scrape or a clean cut with a bruised comfrey leaf. Hold the leaf over the wound and keep it in place with medical tape or a bandage. Comfrey leaves are not intended for internal use and should not be consumed whole. Only take comfrey as directed.

In the past, the Greeks valued comfrey highly as an herbal medicinal remedy. During medieval times, it was used as a healing herb for fractured bones. There are numerous benefits offered by this herb, and it is capable of healing a variety of different ailments. It can ease pain, fight off fungal and bacterial infections, inflammation reduction, swelling reduction and to shrink the blood vessels.

Comfrey is an effective herbal treatment for a wide variety of different conditions, especially considering its antibacterial and antifungal properties. You can use it for the reduction of swelling, the reduction of inflammation and the healing of wounds and fractures. Comfrey is known as an anodyne, which means that it is capable of relieving pain. It is also known as an astringent, which means that it can shrink the blood vessels. Comfrey is also capable of stimulating blood clotting, expelling mucous and mildly sedating those who take it. Because it is so effective in expediting the healing process, it offers numerous additional health benefits as well.

Comfrey is also indicated for use as a dietary supplement or tonic, because it is full of nutrients as well as beneficial chemicals like vitamin A, vitamin C, protein, vitamin B12 and other B-complex vitamins, sulphur, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, germanium, potassium, phosphorus, fiber, calcium and selenium.

Filed Under: Chinese Medicine Tagged With: B vitamins, Blood vessel, Comfrey, Dietary supplement, Health, Herb, Herbalism, Wound

Chinese Herb Guide: Uva Ursi

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Uva ursi is an herb that is primarily used in conjunction with other herbs to create effective medicinal treatments. The herb uva ursi is particularly bitter, and it provides diuretic and urinary antiseptic results. The most common way to take uva ursi is in a tea, in which case you would add a teaspoon of the herb to a cup of water, boiling them together for ten minutes. You can drink as many as three cups of uva ursi every day to realize its benefits.

The herb known as uva ursi can be used for a wide variety of different purposes, including to treat inflammations of the urinary tract including cystitis. Uva ursi has also been used as an astringent and as a healing remedy. Uva ursi has history in treating ailments within many different cultures including the Native Americans, who used it for treating uterine dropsy and other uterine and urinary diseases and ailments.

The herb Uva ursi is capable of treating many different conditions including cystitis, infections of the urinary tract and also kidney stones. The primary compound that Uva ursi contains is known as arbutin, and this is a derivative of hydroquinone. It is absorbed by the stomach and then allowed to change into a substance that has anti-microbial, disinfectant and astringent properties that lend many health benefits to the person taking it. This compound is capable of soothing irritations, fighting infections and reducing inflammation experienced during urination.

Herbs are capable of fighting disease as well as strengthening the body, though they can also possess chemicals and compounds capable of reacting with other herbs. As such, you should only take Uva ursi when recommended by a physician. Certain medications and other herbs can cause reactions to your body when taken with Uva ursi so keep this in mind prior to taking this herb.

Filed Under: Chinese Medicine Tagged With: Astringent, Bearberry, Conditions and Diseases, Health, Herb, Shopping, Urinary system, Urinary tract infection

Chinese Herb Guide: Licorice

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Licorice is an herb that is used for relieving and treating sore throats, ulcers and other health ailments. If you want to treat ulcers, the best course of action is to add half of a teaspoon of licorice powder for each cup of tea, boiling the licorice herb and the water together for ten minutes. Allow the concoction to cool completely prior to drinking it, and drink one to two glasses of licorice tea per day but no more.

Historically, licorice has been used for treating coughs and a number of skin conditions as well as constipation, inflammation, bronchitis and arthritis. The licorice herb can be prescribed by a health care professional for the treatment of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer and adrenocortical insufficiency as well.

Almost 8 percent of the licorice plant is made up of a glycoside known as Glycyrrhizin. This chemical compound is said to have numerous beneficial impacts and effects on the body. There are two enzymes that glycyrrhizin prevents from breaking down PGE or prostaglandin E. If you have a low level of PGE, you may experience a number of health problems including stomach inflammation, ulcers and colic. The glycyrrhizin prevents the two enzymes from lowering these PGE levels. Increased levels of PGE can aid in producing stomach mucous, lowering high acidic levels in the stomach that can lead to a variety of different stomach irritations and problems.

Traditional Chinese medicine has used the licorice herb for a variety of different issues from diabetes to tuberculosis. The flavonoids and the glycyrrhizin in the licorice herb can restrain the production of cortisol and produce anti-inflammatory effects. Research has shown that licorice has numerous health benefits, and so it is beneficial as part of a regular herbal medicine supplement or when treating specific problems including stomach issues, digestive issues, arthritis, tuberculosis, diabetes and more.

Filed Under: Chinese Medicine Tagged With: Alternative, Health, Herb, Inflammation, Liquorice, Peptic ulcer, Stomach, Tea

Chinese Medicine Diagnostics

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If you were ill and decided to go to a Chinese medicine practitioner to get some help with the health care what could you expect in terms of treatment?

Under the Traditional Chinese Medicine practice the way to diagnosis an illness is through observation. This involves looking at the visual, sensory, questioning and observation area of a patient. If you were to go to a Chinese medicine practice here are some of the items that you may expect to come upon in order for them to figure out what was wrong with you.

Heart. The way the heart beats can really help in figuring out a diagnosis. In Chinese medicine a practitioner will look at the heart pulse or palpitations in six different areas to see if there is any difference in the areas.

Observing Body Parts. By looking at various areas such as the hair, body, tongue, throat, skin, fingers and veins a person can figure out if there is something going on with the body and where. A practitioner will look at all of these areas and see if they can observe something along the way.

Tenderness/Pulse. The chest, abs and heart area are all areas that can become swollen or tender when there are various health concerns by a person. Looking at these areas will help them figure out if something is wrong and help figure out what it is.

Questioning. There will be tons of questions regarding past health problems, what is currently going on with them, what feels odd and various other aspects of the body. This will give them a better understanding of what is going on and your past health issues.

Odors. What a person can smell will help with a diagnosis. Also occasional illnesses will cause you to omit odors that are not always natural.

Filed Under: Chinese Medicine Tagged With: Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, Alternative, Health, Herb, Herbalism, Large intestine, Medicine, Traditional Chinese medicine