Affordable Medicine, Ginger Root Is A Must Know Chinese Herb

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Did you hear the news? A new study on ginger root found this Chinese herbs helps reduce colon inflammation and may reduce colon cancer risk.

The interest in Chinese herbs is growing all the time.  New studies on the cancer prevention properties on herbal remedies which have been used for centuries are multiplying.  Westerners are learning some of the age old practices well known in Asia for centuries.  Ginger is used both as a food and as a medicine in Asia cultures.

“Interest in this is only going to increase as people look for ways to prevent cancer that are nontoxic and improve their quality of life in a cost-effective way,” said lead author Suzanna Zick in a news release. Zick is a naturopathic doctor and a research assistant professor at the University of Michigan Medical School.

This latest study on ginger root supplements found that evidence of ginger’s benefits (2 grams daily) after just 28 days of use.  The participants were at normal risk for cancer of the colon, they had no family history of the disease and no evidence of the disease.  The participants underwent sigmoidoscopies at the beginning and end of the study.  Researchers examined colon inflammation levels and found that those taking the supplements had a drop in colon inflammation markers as well as a tendency toward substantial decreases in other markers.

Ginger is often used for indigestion, nausea, upset stomach and digestive difficulties  in Traditional Chinese Medicine.  It is very common to find a small amount of  ginger root  (2-3 grams ) in many Traditional Chinese herbal formulas to help balance and harmonize a formula of many herbs.  I always keep some frozen ginger root tucked away in the freezer, just in case.  

 

More articles on Ginger here:

Use Ginger Root after exercise for less pain

Chemo Nausea Treated with Ginger

Bamboo’s Anti-Oxidants – Herbal Medicine in Asia

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I just finished reading the most interesting article called “Bamboo as Medicine” By Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., Director, Institute for Traditional Medicine, Portland, Oregon.  Asia has over 300 species of bamboo (Also known as Zhu Ru) and many different parts of the plants are used in Chinese Medicine.

The leaves are used for fevers, the inside whitish-greenish middle is used for convulsions and vomiting.  Dried sap from the joints of bamboo are used for fevers and  coughs with phlegm and even epilepsy. The stem of small bamboo are used in Japan for  urinary retention and blood in the urine.  Bamboo leaves can also be made into a beer. (I’m not sure that’s medicinal or not.) Most importantly bamboo contains known antioxidants.

This article has excellent comparisons and characteristics on functions of  different bamboo species, something I never learned in school.

There are several species which are specifically for phlegm misting the brain, a term we generally use when referring to someone who would be diagnosed in Allopathic terms as delusional or schizophrenic.    In Ayurvedic and Tibetan medicine bamboo has many uses including as an aphrodisiac.  Since there’s no shortage of bamboo in the world and chemical constituents in bamboo are known antioxidants, seems like a win-win situation to use bamboo as medicine. One more bamboo fun fact.  In ancient China, bamboo was used for writing tablets.  A wonderful Chinese teacher I had in my Masters program for Oriental Medicine, when faced with a difficult student question on conflicting material, he would always answer with “Bamboo Problem” which always got a laugh. The meaning was, some very old bamboo reeds survived with ancient text about Chinese Medicine but some disintegrated and written words were lost forever. So bamboo as medicine is great but there’s a reason we don’t still use bamboo for writing tablets.

For more information you can check out: http://www.itmonline.org/arts/bamboo.htm

Breast Cancer Awareness is All Year Long – NY Times Says Prevention Begins With Diet

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Best Food and Herbs to Help Your Breast Cancer FightAs one of the most popular posts of 2011, we feel the need to emphasize this topic and are therefore re-visiting this subject.

Breast Cancer awareness should not be limited to the month of October. Pink ribbons are the constant reminder that breast cancer affects one in every eight woman at sometime during their life.  This is a horribly high statistic and it’s clear from research done by BreastCancerFund.org that the challenges woman face to stay healthy are many.

Our food, water and lifestyles are fraught with chemicals and this bombardment wreaks havoc on our immune and endocrine systems. The overload of estrogen mimicking chemicals in our modern world causes estrogen dominance which perpetuates into hormone imbalances and eventually malignant cells.


This article, written by a guest blogger, originated in the NY Times Science section, and shows that living a healthy life style can actually decrease your cancer risk.  Chinese Herbs have been used for decades to help with diet, digestion and weight loss. If you struggle with maintaining a normal body weight, I highly recommend digestive enzymes and Chinese herbs to your daily routine for proper digestion and restful sleep.  Sleep rejuvenates your body and provides the vital energy that you may otherwise try to compensate for with extra food.  (See this article on how restorative sleep can improve weight loss)


by Kath Bartlett MS. L.Ac. –  Ashville, NC
Obesity dramatically increases a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer by 50-100%, the risk increasing “the older the woman gets and the longer she remains obese.” (1) The reason being is that the abdominal fat cells convert steroid (fat soluble) hormones to estrogen. In the breasts, the additional estrogen created binds to the breast cells, promoting “cell division and potentially tumor growth.” (2) Cancer cells are abnormal cell growth: the additional cell division cause the tumor growth. Adipose tissue (fat) contains an enzyme, aromatase, that converts steroid hormones into estrogen. After menopause, the ovaries and pituitary gland are no longer signaling for estrogen production through the monthly menstrual cycle. To compensate, the amount of aromatase in the adipose tissue increases to step up estrogen production. Obese women have higher levels of estrogen production taking place in the body fat of the hips and stomach, which increases during menopause, which raises the risk of tumors developing in the breast.

“Glucose [blood sugar] is the preferred substrate for cancer cells. . . [In a study] mice injected with aggressive mammary [breast] tumors were placed on 3 diets. After 70 days 95% of the mice on the low-sugar diet were alive. Of the mice on the moderate-sugar diet 67% were alive. And only 33% on a high-sugar diet were alive. Also ‘moderate’ alcohol consumption is associated with elevation in the risk for breast cancer from 50-100%.” (3)

Phytoestrogens have a chemical structure similar to estrogen. They bind to the receptor sites on the breasts, preventing the body’s estrogen from binding and causing tumor cell growth. The phytoestrogens that bind to the breast cell estrogen receptor sites have a weaker influence on breast cell production, so that it is less likely that tumors will form. Common food sources of phytoestrogens include: soy (tofu, tempeh, miso), flax and raw pumpkin seeds, clover and mung bean sprouts. Avoid powdered soy concentrate, these have caused some to develop Hashimoto’s thyroid disease. (4)

Studies have shown that phytoestrogens increase the effectiveness of breast cancer treatments. Borage oil has shown to decrease the growth of breast cancer cells. (5)

Eating an organic diet, and limiting exposure to chemicals, including household cleaners, detergents, pesticides, food packaging (plastics leach into foods, especially when warm foods are put into plastic containers) is also important to reduce cancer risk. Chemicals and pesticides can change the DNA of cells, causing them to mutate into cancer cells. Studies have shown higher levels of pesticides and pollutants in fat and blood of women with breast cancer than in healthy women.

1-6. Lahans, T. Integrating Conventional and Chinese Medicine in Cancer Care. Elsevier 2007; 92-102.

Does the PMS Monster Wreck Your Life?

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Best Natural PMS relief - a 100% herbal alternative that works Although it may seem like men do not understand the pains of a woman’s monthly cycle, they suffer from it just as much as women do. But let’s face it — men can’t imagine the burden of a monthly period just like women could never fathom the pain of being kicked in the groin. And why would we want to?

For males throughout history, a woman menstrual cycle has been a foreign and repulsive topic. Aside from the physical symptoms that deem a woman dirty and unattractive, the real monster takes the shape of emotional instability and irritability. The primary victims are women, but we understand that it takes a toll on men as well. The monster creeps in quietly, without warning, and waits.

We may find ourselves feeling ultra sensitive, vulnerable, and demanding extra care. The PMS monster has one goal—to wreak havoc on everyone! Its steep spiral sends us into scary places where we may begin ruminating on past experiences and jumping to conclusions. The PMS monster enlists emotion, which stakes its claim over the territory and takes no prisoners. It cuts off all resources of reason and rationality and forces us to focus on our pain. Hormones can be powerful forces when out of balance.

Men, are just as effected by the monster. The most loving, carrying man now can’t do anything right. Men may wonder why the women in their lives are crying at the sight of something joyful, or are raging in response to a simple question. The truth is that we are possessed by the PMS monster, hormones gone wild. Once it takes over, no man is safe, not even the most caring, patient male will be free from the unpredictable behavior set off by the wretched monster that possesses his beloved. She may rant and rave for a day or a night, men never seem to get use to this unpredictable behavior that defies all logic.

Men may even succumb to the saying: "Never trust anything that bleeds for days straight and lives to tell about it."

However, there is hope! Along with the burden mother nature has placed on us, she has also provided us with natural solutions that can combat the reign of terror set off by Pre-menstrual Syndrome and the companion symptoms such as insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, depression, headache, edema and abdominal pain. Mother Nature’s herbal agents, dang gui peony root, bupleurum and cyperus root are just a few of the warriors that can be recruited to restore the natural balance to women, men, and relationships. Women will experience less pain, mood lifts and energy, and men will experience less confusion and frustration.

Mother Nature’s wonder drugs (a.k.a. herbs) have been used in Chinese Medicine for generations and can help restore a woman’s natural balance.   These herbs have the power to calm and sooth the PMS monster.  We packaged it in convenient stay fresh PACkets to keep the herbs fresh and therefore more potent than anything you can find in capsules.  The blend of specific herbs gives PMS Relief Herb Pac a real punch when it comes to knocking out the PMS monster.  What do you have to loose, the PMS monster?  We guarantee it!

Improve Your Memory with Ginseng – King of All Chinese Herbs

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So you want to improve your cognitive performance, or give yourself a little brain boost.  Don't we all need that from time to time. 

Ginseng is often referred to as the King of all Chinese herbs.  Traditional Chinese Medicine has used it for prevention and treatment of many diseases and as a general health elixir and performance enhancer for several millennia,.

A group of researchers in the UK decided to study the effects of Ginseng in Best gingseng healthy young adults.   This study proved this Chinese herb can improve working memory,  improve the speed of performing mental arithmetic and improve reaction times. But the findings are both dose dependent and dependent on the active ingredients in the extract used.  The known active ingredient in ginseng are specific saponins known as ginsenosides.  The extract used in this study was standardized to 4% total ginsenosides at a 400 mg dose once daily.  

What I like about this study is it was randomized, placebo controlled, and double blind. (neither researchers or participants knew which were taking the ginseng).  These are the best kinds of studies to trust the results. Although there are thousands of studies on Chinese herbs and specifically panax ginseng,  this study was the first to include a comprehensive assessment of working memory.   The authors concluded it was the 400 mg dose that made the biggest difference.  This study was conducted for 8 days, and most likely not long enough to see a chronic effect.  

If you are looking to purchase ginseng there are many varieties on the market.  The difficulty is knowing which brand to trust and which brand actually has effective properties. Does the brand you purchase have a minimum 4% total ginsenosides?   We understand the confusion and frustration of not knowing if and when an herbal product is truly worth the cost. 

Because we have a connection to an excellent source, and customers keep asking for it, we have decided to include ginseng in our store.  Our Panax ginseng is tested for impurities and active properties with both TLC and HPLC.  It is the same product used throughout hospitals in China.  It is the same product which Japanese businessmen seek to purchase, simply because they can afford it.   We buy direct so you receive both a quality product sold to herbalist and Acupuncturists, at a fair market price.  Our herbal granules can be mixed in warm water to drink as a tea or mix into your favorite smoothie drink.  You can also place a small amount of granules on your tongue and swallow with water.  Either way you will experience the power and health benefits of ginseng.

We guarantee all our products or your money back. 

You can read the study mentioned above, here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2952762/


Chemo Side Effects Reduced With Chinese Herbs, Says Yale

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Chemo patients helped with Chinese herbsThis remarkable research conducted at Yale University is incredible news for Americans.  Asian societies, on the other hand, have used these Chinese herbs for generations and understand that boiling peony root, with licorice root, red dates and skullcap root can help the gastro-intestinal tract especially when one is suffering from diarrhea.

The recently announced research proved a drug made from four traditional Chinese herbs, dubbed PHY906, countered the side effects of chemo in rats.  The researchers decided to give the mice, who were on a chemotherapy drug which has side effects of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, this blend of natural herbs.   Not only did the four Chinese herbs improve the mices symptoms of diarrhea but it simultaneously cut the cancerous tumors growth.

 “This combination of chemotherapy and herbs represents a marriage of Western and Eastern approaches,” said lead researcher Dr. Yung-Chi Cheng.

A study such as this and so many others, are slowly beginning to open up American minds to the incredible health benefits of Chinese herbs. I found it interesting to listen to the interview with Dr. Cheng. He states that the four herbs must be used in combination and cooked together.  Used individually, they did not perform the same function. He says, “deletion of any of those herbs, you have a different impact on three biological endpoints.”  This is exactly what Chinese medicine textbooks have told us for years. It is the combination of herbs cooked together that create the synergy and provide the valuable healing medicinal action.

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has become a core component in  treating cancer patients. Diarrhea is one of the major side effects of the cancer drug irinotecan.  According to  Dr. Yung-Chi Cheng this herbal remedy is based on the formula which was first established 1,800 years ago and is also known as Huang Qin Tang. It was historically used and still is used today for treatment of diarrhea and GI disorder[s].  The popularity of natural herbal medicine has been expanding each year in America as more studies like this are published.

No Chinese Herbs, Just Gratitude

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I wanted to post something different, something completely off  the topic of Chinese herbal medicine.  Sometimes life is just short and passing us by and without a little gratitude we forget how good life can really be. And not every blog needs to always talk about Chinese herbs, everyday.

So here’s a thought… If you have food in your fridge, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of the world.  To feel even more grateful read the rest below.


Thanks and credit to Jason Mraz.

Supplementing Cancer Treatments with Traditional Chinese Medicine

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It seems inevitable that each week I hear of a new cancer diagnosis, from a friend, patient or acquaintance.  What is going on?  Does everyone get some type of cancer just because they are aging?  Cancer seems to have morphed into more a chronic disease today rather than an automatic death sentence, but too many people are catching this bug. Thankfully, we have a plethora of alternative choices to accompany Western medical treatments.   Acupuncture is quickly becoming one of the most readily accepted complementary therapies to relieve the side-effects of very toxic treatments and build back our natural immune systems.

An interesting  survey done on Hong Kong cancer patients studied how they combined Traditional Chinese Medicine  (TCM) with the Western treatment they were undergoing. A colleague of mine Jennifer Dubowsky, L.Ac. had this to say about the study.

Data was collected from almost 800 cancer patients in Hong Kong. Of those, 42.9% used Western medicine practices for cancer treatment exclusively. The remaining 57.1% used at least one form of Chinese Medicine and 5 patients used TCM  exclusively. Interestingly, many of the cancer patients did not tell their doctors that they were using TCM along with the Western treatments. The Chinese patients were not comfortable talking about their preferences, at least with their doctors who are practicing Western medicine. 

 Some of my patients have experienced the same discomfort talking to their Western medical doctors about alternative treatments, but they are becoming fewer and fewer. Today, more physicians are knowledgeable about TCM, many are comfortable and some are actively curious. I believe that patients have led this change and am happy to see us move toward a more integrative approach to health care.

For more information on how Acupuncture can be helpful while undergoing radiation, chemotherapy and other Western treatments check out this post at the NIH  (National Institute of Health – Cancer Institute.

Chinese herbs for asthma, have you heard of this?

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Chinese herbs for AsthmaYes, Chinese herbs for asthma sufferers. This comes straight from the horses mouth,  the American Academy of  Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.  Stated in September 2005,  “This is the first well-controlled study in which an anti-asthma Chinese herbal medicine has been found to be as effective as a corticosteroid drug. Additional clinical studies of ASHMI in the USA are planned.” 
That was four years ago and I couldn’t find any published results since then of  additional studies in the U.S. Not sure why. This study was published by the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York. A fine institution like Mt Sinai telling us Chinese herbs are AS effective as a corticosteroid drug would certainly interest a large segment of the population who suffer with asthma.
It’s a real shame that we don’t have more research studies on Chinese herbs in the U.S. but if these kinds of results  were repeated the drug companies might have some competition selling some very profitable drugs. Corticosteroid treatment for asthma has become the norm and some of those drugs rank in the top 10 most popular prescriptions on the market.
If you choose to read the published report you’ll see that neither the patients or medical staff involved in this study were informed to which group was getting the herbs or the prednisone tablets for their asthma. Double blind studies such as this are conducted everyday in China and Taiwan but the English speaking world is rarely provided with such documentation.  Do  me a favor, if you find any follow up studies on asthma and Chinese herbs, drop a line or a comment below, so we can all be privy to the most recent medical research.   Also leave a comment on how you feel about the amount of research being done in the USA on natural alternatives for diseases such as asthma. ?

Traditional Chinese Medicine – around the world in 60 seconds

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I  like tChinese_Herbs1he CNN news piece called around the world in 60 seconds.  It gives you a quick blurb of  whats happening around the world.   Here’s my take on that theme.  The spread of Traditional Chinese Medicine  (TCM ) around the world in 60 seconds. 

Hope you like numbers,  in regards to TCM here’s some interesting ones.  In the past 10 years, TCM has spread to over 160 countries and regions around the world with total exports of TCM products exceeding $1 billion. The treatment, education and scientific and technological communities of  TCM have continuously expanded.  70 countries have signed 94 governmental agreements on TCM content. There are currently 47 TCM institutions of higher learning in China and over 600,000 qualified TCM medical practitioners over 370,000 of which are certified TCM physicians.  

In America alone, 30 million people have tried acupuncture. The FDA  estimates that Americans are spending approximately $500 million per year on acupuncture services.  There are about 18,000 acupuncturists in the U.S. and  that  number increases about 10% each year.  Presently there are approximately 50 accredited schools in the U.S. to study acupuncture and TCM.  Britain, Israel and Australia all top the list with the highest number of acupuncturists per country outside of  the US. Canada and Asian countries.

In the U.S., besides pain management, one of the most studied benefits of acupuncture is IVF procedures. Acupuncture concurrent with IVF treatments  increases  the chance of becoming pregnant by as much as 65% and  provides as much as 91% increased chance  in a live birth.   Those are some impressive statistics. This is of course only one example of how acupuncture and TCM can improve people’s lives.

A fun fact: cruise ships now regularly have acupuncturists aboard. Public demand is obviously driving that business.  On a more academic note,  The National Institute for Health (NIH) operates the  Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine with a 121 million dollar budget,  much of which support acupuncture research studies. Currently our congressmen are discussing a bill which for the first time would  include Acupuncture into medicare reimbursement.  That’s impressive by itself.  The American government is actually considering a form of health care which relies on prevention and wellness.

Things are changing rapidly in the TCM world, stay tuned, we are growing exponentially everyday and that’s my 60 second update.