Chicory: A Crucial Herb for Healing Leaky Gut

    Years ago, I lived in the Williamette valley of western Oregon.  It was July then and all along the road edges bloomed the bright blue flowers of chicory.  I knew little about plants then and even less about medicinal plants, but I loved those blue flowers.  Later I learned that chicory is native to the Mediterranean, but had been brought to America by early settlers.;  they used it as a coffee substitute.  I also learned that the Oregon trail pioneers brought chicory with them;  this included my own Oregon Trail ancestors Job and Elizabeth Hayworth, who came to the Williamette valley in 1847.  

   Chicory is related to dandelion and you can see the toothed edges of the flower petals, just like dandelion.  The roots are full of a water soluble plant fiber called inulin.  The human gut breaks down the inulin into a gelatinous, viscous goo that plays a crucial role in helping the normal bacteria in the gut prosper & flourish.  The inulin also helps clear out toxins, wastes, fat and cholesterol particles.  The end result: colon cancer prevention, healthier cholesterol and blood sugar levels and a healthier immune system.

     Chicory is not the only source of inulin:  foods such as leeks, onons, garlic, artichokes, yams, burdock and asparagas also have inulin.  But chicory root has a very high concentration of inulin so it is very useful.

     My favorite way to get inulin into my system is to take chicory powder - 1 TB daily mixed in juice.  While I can get it in the foods I eat, this powder supplement ensures that I am getting enough.  

     Last week I was on San Juan island;  once again the roadsides were full of chicory, those beautiful blue faces turned to the sun.  It reminded me again of my family history with this plant and also, its fabulous healing gifts.

Janet

     

Influenza Epidemic & Herbal Approaches

    ’Tis the season:  following the joyous events of the holidays, we all return to our adult lives and promptly come down with a miserable influenza bug.  Right now in Washington state influenza is circulating at epidemic levels:  one-third of school aged kids are currently sick.  You no doubt have heard a lot about how to manage this flu from a modern medicine perspective;  in this blog I will cover herbal & other approaches to keeping yourself healthy and protected.

     First of all, you need to have a sense of which viruses you are dealing with. Here’s a general overview:

• Influenza viruses such as H1N1 pandemic or seasonal flu influenza A: these flu viruses can vary in symptoms, but two symptoms are almost always found: flu viruses cause (in adults) a fever of 100+ that sticks around for a few days, AND some level of significant aches and pains, whether it is muscle aches, backaches, headaches, etc. These are key diagnostic features.  The virus that is currently circulating not only has fever and bad aches, but also runny eyes and nose, sore throat and often a hellacious cough.  When this virus first emerged, the cough was so bad that people were getting tested for whooping cough. This year’s influenza is more serious than usual and there have been more fatalities than normal.
• Gastroenteritis, or what we call stomach flu. These sorts of viruses cause primarily nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea, usually in a violent brief burst that lasts 24 hours. Usually there is no fever associated with these, or if so, it is brief. Muscle aches would not be expected here.  People with gastroenteritis feel icky, but it is not fatal as a rule.
• Cold viruses, also called rhinoviruses. These involve a wide range of possible symptoms (sore throat, congestion, runny nose, cough, etc.) but again it is rare to have a high fever or muscle aches with the common cold. 

     If in doubt, consult your primary care provider. 

     Here are some herbal approaches you can try: 

Prevention of Viruses:
     During peak cold/flu season of September through May I find it very helpful to take a daily dose of herbs that help build up the immune system, and keep the viruses at bay. My current favorite herbs for this include a blend of equal parts of astragalas and elderberry. You can find each of these herbs in a liquid tincture (alcohol) form, taking it that way. Herb Pharm is an excellent commercial brand.  You take 1 dropper (30 drops) of both herbs daily.

     The tincture approach can get expensive, so my preferred low budget method is to take powders of each herb, blend them together and take 1 tsp a day in tea, or put in capsules. Powdered astragalas and black elderberry are available at Mountain Rose herbs or Starwest Botanicals.  Sometimes your local herb store carries them as well.

     Another approach is to use medicinal mushrooms. These mushrooms are very effective at stimulating the immune system in the gut, making viruses less likely to succeed.  A mushroom blend I prefer is the 14 mushroom blend by Mushroom Harvest; this can be bought as a bulk powder, which you then take as tea, capsules, which is a lot cheaper. 

      Many people use echinacea very successfully. It has not worked well on me, so I tend to avoid it. Find the plants that work best for you.

Viral Raids: 

      If a virus sneaks past your herbal defense shield, here are some approaches that will help you launch an early raid and stop the virus before it can really get going. These raids have to be done within 24 HOURS OF THE FIRST SYMPTOMS in order to be effective. This requires a certain level of alertness on your part. 

     The viral raid approach varies, depending on which viruses you may be dealing with. 

• Influenza virus: my favorite remedy is a homeopathic formulation called Oscillococcinium (OSC). I have used this for years and it usually works very well. OSC comes in packets of three vials, which you are supposed to take every 6 hours. My homeopathic practitioner friends tell me you do not need to use three vials. Instead, take one vial, divide it in thirds, and take 1/3 every 6 hours. This works just as well, and saves money.

• Stomach flu virus: ditto Oscillococcinium. It usually works very well against stomach viruses.  Even if you wake up in the middle of stomach flu, OSC will shorten the course.

• Cold viruses: These viruses require a different approach. My first herbal teacher KP Khalsa taught me this approach and it works very very well. It requires three things:

1) Large doses of Astragalas: either tincture 12 droppers all at once, or capsules: 20 all at once, or 5 teaspoons of bulk powder, made into tea, or just chugged in water. This floods the system with a large dose of this herb, which is very effective at stimulating the immune system.

Astragalas root

     2) Vitamin C: I usually take 1000 - 2000 milligrams of this; some people take more. High doses can cause diarrhea, so you have to figure out what your level of tolerance is.

     3) Zinc lozenges: take ~15 lozenges, suck on them slowly over several hours. They coat the throat membranes, making it hard for viruses to replicate. Lots of zinc lozenge brands taste horrible; I have found Zand’s to be very effective and they taste great. 

     Finally, it is important to remember the things that keep our immune system well tuned up:
• Get to bed by 11 pm each night and get the hours of sleep that your body needs. This is crucial.
• Limit your intake of sugar: sugar is documented to suppress the immune system. This is crucial.
• Wash hands, cover coughs, stay home and get the rest and relaxation from stress that your body needs. 

When to see a medical practitioner

•  If you have a persistent fever greater than 103°.

•  If coughing is severe and you develop shortness of breath.

•  If symptoms are significant are not improving after seven days.

Janet

Resources:

Mushroom Harvest:  www.mushroomharvest.com

Herb Pharm tinctures:  available at most herb and supplement stores

Oscilliococcinium Homeopathic:  widely available in herb and supplement stores

Mountain Rose Herbs:  www.mountainrose.com

Starwest Botanicals:  www.starwest-botanicals.com

     

An Ancient Herbal Remedy for Modern Pain Relief

Boswellia serrata tree

   I was talking with my friend James the other day.  He is in his sixties and recently retired.  We go to exercise class together and try to keep each other motivated and on track.  But for him, keeping motivated is a real challenge, because of pain in his joints:  he has the usual wear and tear osteoarthritis that many people develop as they age. His shoulder, neck and feet are all affected, and this makes exercise difficult.

     He has relied on ibuprofen as a pain reliever for years, but recent blood tests showed that his kidneys were not doing well, so his physician recommended he discontinue the drug ( this is a common issue with medications like ibuprofen).  Tylenol is safer, but doesn’t seem to work for him, and he was getting a little panicked about what he could do.  He knew I was a professional herbalist, so he asked me for suggestions.

     I suggested three different herbs that he could try out.  Since every person is different, not every herb works for every person.  I provided some capsuled samples:  Willow bark, Chinese Corydalis and Boswellia serrata, also known as Indian Frankincense.  I suggested he try each herb, one at a time and see what worked best.  I expected Willow would be most effective, but was surprised when he reported that Boswellia was most effective.  He took it at bedtime and noticed that he was sleeping much better.  He finds that it is a good alternative to ibuprofen and also his doctor reports that his kidney function is much improved.  

    Boswellia is a medium sized tree with spreading branches;  it grows up to 45 high in its native northern India.  The medicinal part is actually a resin:  the wild crafters take off strips of bark.  The tree then oozes out copious amounts of a clear yellow resin, much like pine sap. This resin is allowed to dry and is then collected.  In India they typically powder the resin chunks, roll it up into little pills and swallow it.  Here in America it is probably best to take a capsuled product.

    Boswellia is also known as Frankincense; there are at least 45 different varieties of it.  Boswellia Serrata comes from India;  it is also the variety most commonly used in herbal healing.  Ayurvedic medicine in India goes back at least 4000 years and there are written records of Boswellia as medicine going back 2000 years.  So it has a long traditional use.  

    Modern medicine is beginning to do research on boswellia and results are promising: it seems to be effective in reducing pain and stiffness.  It may be useful for a wide range of musculoskeletal issues, including arthritis, bursitis & tendonitis, low back pain and more.  It may be especially useful for people who have autoimmune diseases with inflammation, such as colitis or rheumatoid arthritis.  Since it is a potent anti-inflammatory it may also play a key role in preventing cancer.  

     Chronic pain is a huge problem for many people and modern medicine is not fully effective in addressing it.  It is worthwhile to look at ancient remedies to see if we can find safer and equally effective alternatives.

Janet

Resources:

=Starwest Botanicals sells bulk powder:   http://www.starwest-botanicals.com/category/frankincense/

=The Capsule Connection sells a great capsule making machine here:  https://www.capsuleconnection.com/

=Youtube has a great video on how to make your own capsules:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo92dGCt1Rc

=Or you can buy pre-made Boswellia capsules:  two brands I recommend are Now brand Boswellia Extract and Source Naturals brand.