Doct ors

guide
TO

Nat ural Medicine

Doct ors
guide
TO

Nat ural Medicine

The Complete and
Easy-to-Use Natural Health Reference
from a Medical Doctors Perspective

p a u l b ar n e y , m .d.

WOODLAND PUBLISHING
Pleasant Grove, Utah
3

1 9 9 8
Woodl and Publ i shi ng, I nc.
P.O. Box 1 6 0
Pl easant Gr ove, Ut ah
84062
A l l r i ght s r eser v ed. No par t of t hi s publ i cat i on may be r epr oduced,
st or ed i n a r et r i ev al sy st em, or t r ansmi t t ed i n any f or m w i t hout t he
pr i or w r i t t en per mi ssi on of t he copy r i ght ow ner .
NOTE: The i nf or mat i on cont ai ned i n t hi s book i s not i nt ended as medi cal adv i ce, but i s sol el y f or educat i onal pur poses onl y . It i s not
i nt ended t o di agnose, t r eat , or pr escr i be, and does not r epl ace t he
ser v i ces of a t r ai ned phy si ci an. It i s assumed t hat t he r eader w i l l
consul t a medi cal or heal t h pr of essi onal i f y ou know or suspect y ou
hav e a ser i ous heal t h pr obl em. Nei t her Woodl and Publ i shi ng nor t he
aut hor di r ect l y or i ndi r ect l y di spenses medi cal adv i ce or pr escr i bes
t he use of her bs, suppl ement s, or ot her f or ms of t r eat ment f or i l l ness w i t hout medi cal appr ov al .
Cov er desi gn by Cor d Udal l
PRINTED

IN THE

UNITED STA TES

OF

A MERICA

CONTENTS
Pref ace viii
Acknowledgment viii
Int roduct ion: How To Eff ect ively Use This Book ix

Par t 1: A Cour se on t he Essent i al Component s of Wel l ness

W HY I BELI EV E

IN

S UPPLEMENT A T I ON 1 1

Diet ary Guidelines f or Good Healt h 2 6

How t o Select Ef fect ive, Pure, and Superior

Supplement s 1 2

Weight Loss 27

The Prof ound Import ance of Guarant eed

Pot ency 1 3

Macronut rient s: Carbohydrat es, Fat s

and Prot eins 3 0

A DI SCUSSI ON OF DI ET : W HAT W E EAT

P ROFOUNDLY DET ERMI NES HOW W E F EEL
14
Typical American Eat ing Habit s 14
Why do Medical School Courses Ignore t he
Healt h Implicat ions of Diet ? 1 5
Why t he RDA Needs Revision 1 5
Proper Digest ion: A Major Problem in This
Count ry 15

The Exercise Component 2 9

Micronut rient s: Vit amins and Minerals 3 3

Amino Acids and Their Act ions 4 1
Free Radicals 4 3
Ant ioxidant s 4 4
Wat er 4 5

P REV ENT I ON: HOW T O BOOST OUR

I MMUNE S YST EM 4 6
A Brief Overview of Immune Funct ion 4 6

The Neglect ed Role of Digest ive Enzymes

16

Immune Syst em Dysf unct ion 4 7

Hydrochloric Acid Def iciency 1 6

Diet and Immunit y 4 8

Fiber 1 6

Herbs and Herbal Combinat ions That Boost

Immune Funct ion 4 9

Aut oint oxicat ion: Fact or Fict ion? 20

Colon Cleansing 2 0
Fast ing 2 1
Food Allergies 21
Soy-Based Foods 2 4

Causes of Immune Syst em Impairment 47

EXERCI SE: T HE MA NY BENEFI T S OF

MOV I NG T HE BODY 4 9
T HE BODY- MI ND- SPI RI T CONNECTI ON
AND HEALI NG 50

Food Addit ives 2 4

St ress: Public Healt h Enemy Number One

50

Sugar and Art if icial Sweet eners 2 4

St ress Test : Personalit y and Event s 51

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

vi

Par t 2: A l t er nat i v e Ther api es

MAINSTREAM MEDICINE
STORY 5 3

AND

A LTERNATIVE THERAPIES: MY

Herbs vs. Drugs: A Comparison 56

EDUCATION IN NATURAL MEDICINE

EFFECTIVE HEALING 5 4

IS

CRUCIAL

TO

WHY ARE MORE DOCTORS EXPLORING A LTERNATIVE

THERAPIES? 54
SCIENTIFIC DOCUMENTATION
55

Phyt omedicinals: Herbal Medicine 5 5

OF

NATURAL TREATMENTS

Cranberry and Urinary Tract Inf ect ions: Magic

or Science? 5 5

Are Herbs Saf e? 5 7

Incorporat ing Herbs int o Your Meals 5 8
Chinese Herbal Medicine 5 8
The Theory of Yin and Yang 5 8
MAJOR HERBS

AND

A N OVERVIEW

OF

LEARNING

ABOUT

T HEIR A PPLICATIONS 59

OTHER NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS 8 1

OTHER NATURAL PROTOCOLS 91

Par t 3: Indi v i dual A i l ment s and Thei r Recommended Tr eat ment s

vi

Acne 9 7

Bursit is 1 63

AIDS/ HIV 1 0 1

Cancer 1 6 6

Allergies 10 6

Canker Sores 17 4

Alzheimers Disease 1 10

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Angina 11 4

Cat aract s 1 79

Anxiet y 1 19

Chicken Pox 1 8 2

Art eriosclerosis 1 2 3

Chronic Fat igue Syndrome 18 4

Art hrit is 12 3

Colic 1 8 8

Ast hma 12 8

Colit is 1 9 0

At hlet es Foot 1 3 2

Coronary Heart Disease 1 9 4

ADD/ Hyperact ivit y 13 4

Crohns Disease 1 98

Aut ism 1 37

Cyst s, Breast 1 9 8

Back Pain 1 4 0

Dermat it is 1 98

Bad Breat h 14 3

Diarrhea 1 98

Bedwet t ing 1 45

Divert iculit is 2 0 2

Bee St ings 1 4 7

Dysmenorrhea 2 06

Bladder Inf ect ions 1 4 7

Earache 2 0 6

Boils 15 1

Ear Infect ion 2 0 9

BPH ( Benign Prost at ic Hypert rophy) 1 5 3

Eczema 2 0 9

Bronchit is 15 3

Endomet riosis 2 1 3

Bulimia 1 5 6

Epilepsy 2 1 6

Burns 1 5 9

Fever 22 0

176

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e

Fibrocyst ic Breast Disease 2 2 3

Obesit y 3 0 4

Fibromyalgia 2 2 7

Ost eoporosis 3 0 8

Gall Disease 23 1

Panic Disorder 3 1 2

Gallst ones 2 31

Parkinsons Disease 3 1 2

Gingivit is 2 3 4

Periodont al Disease 3 1 6

Glaucoma 23 4

PMS 3 1 9

Gout 2 37

Pneumonia 3 2 3

Halit osis 24 1

Pregnancy-Relat ed Complicat ions 3 2 6

Headaches 2 41

Prost at e Disease 3 30

Heart At t ack 2 41

Psoriasis 3 3 3

Heart burn 24 5

Rheumat ic Fever 3 37

Heart Disease 2 4 8

Shingles 3 3 9

Hemorrhoids 2 4 8

Sinusit is 34 2

High Blood Pressure/ High Cholest erol

252

Skin Disorders 3 4 6
Sleep Disorders 3 4 6

Hypert ension 2 5 7

Sprains/ St rains 3 4 6

Hypoglycemia 2 5 7

St ress 34 9

Impot ence 2 6 0

St roke 35 3

Inf ert ilit y 2 6 3

Sunburn 3 5 7

Inf lammat ory Bowel Disease 2 67

Insect Bit es 2 6 7

Temporomandibular Joint
Syndrome ( TMJ) 3 6 0

Insomnia 2 6 9

Toot h Grinding 3 64

Kidney St ones 2 73

Ulcers 36 7

Lupus 2 7 6

Urinary Tract Infect ions 3 7 1

Meningit is 2 8 0

Vaginit is 3 7 1

Menopause 28 3

Varicose Veins 3 7 5

Menst rual Cramps 2 87

Visual Disorders 3 7 8

Migraine Headaches 2 9 0

Wart s 3 82

Mononucleosis 2 9 4

Weight Cont rol 3 85

Mot ion Sickness/ Nausea 2 97

Wrinkles 38 5

Mult iple Sclerosis 3 0 0

Yeast Inf ect ions 3 88

vi i

Appendix A: Resource Inf ormat ion 3 8 9

Appendix B: Glossary 3 9 5
Index 4 0 1

vii

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

vi i i

Pr ef ace

s a medi cal doct or w ho sincer ely w ant s hi s pat i ent s t o get w el l, I of f er t hi s

book as a complet e gui de t o nat ur al heal ing. Thi s book is based on t he i ndi v i dual ex per i ences of my ow n pat ient s. I cur r ent l y t r eat 8 0 t o 8 5 per cent of my
pat i ent s w it h al t er nat i v e t her apies, so I hav e come t o under st and w hi ch nut r i t i onal supplement s w or k best f or a w hole host of ail ment s and di seases. I hope t hat y ou,
t he r eader , w il l be t he benef iciar y of y ear s of schooli ng i n t he r ole t hat al t er nat i v e
medi cine can pl ay in r est or i ng and mai nt ai ni ng heal t h not onl y in t he doct or s of f i ce,
but at home as w el l.
In w r it i ng t hi s book, I hav e col l ect ed y ear s w or t h of dat a concer ni ng al t er nat i v e
t her api es, t heir phy siol ogi cal mechanisms, and how t o apply t hem cor r ect l y . It i s
my hope t hat t his inf or mat i on w i ll hel p t o di spel t he conf usion t hat somet imes sur r ounds nat ur al heal t h pr act icesespeciall y now , w hen al l kinds of inf or mat i on bombar ds us concer ni ng healt h suppl ement s. Fr equent l y , t hat inf or mat i on is cont r adi ct or y , causi ng us t o become mor e per pl ex ed t han ev er , a si t uat ion w hich of t en
pr ompt s us t o abandon pot ent i al ly v al uabl e t her api es.
Not onl y does t his manual di scuss t he pr oper use of al t er nat i v e t her apies f or ov er
1 0 0 di seases and ai lment s, it includes t he l at est scient i f i c document at ion suppor t ing
speci f i c her bs, suppl ement s, et c. In addi t i on t o r ef er ence mat er ial and t er mi nology
def i ning t he r ol e of v i t amins, miner al , her bs, amino acids, acupunct ur e, and scor es
of ot her supplement s and t r eat ment s, t his book guides y ou, as an i nt er est ed consumer , in how t o choose pot ent , pur e pr oduct s, t he best deliv er y sy st ems f or t hose
pr oduct s, and how t o apply t hem f or max i mum benef i t .
It i s essent i al t hat my pat ient s under st and how much of a suggest ed her bal t r eat ment t o t ake and how l ong t o cont inue t r eat ment . In addi t ion, issues of saf et y and
success r at es ar e al so r ev i ew ed and how t o pr ev ent di sease i s i ndi v i dual l y
addr essed. I hav e det er mined t hat successf ull y impl ement i ng new t r eat ment s
depends on t he pat i ent s w i ll i ngness t o not onl y ut i li ze t hese t her api es, but t o
under st and how t hey w or k as w el l .
Mor eov er , t o i gnor e t he spi r i t ual aspect of heal i ng i s t o ov er l ook one of t he most
pow er f ul f or ces i nt r insical l y li nked t o heal t h and happi ness. The mor e si ckness I
see, t he mor e I am conv i nced t hat one s spir it ual heal t h i s int r icat el y w ov en i nt o
t he not ion of t ot al w el l ness and cont ent ment . As I cont i nue t o pr act i ce medici ne and
t each medical st udent s, I am mor e conv i nced t han ev er t hat t r ue medi ci ne must
i ncor por at e a hol i st ic appr oach t o di sease. In ot her w or ds, people cannot be
t r eat ed i n sl i ces, t hey must be car ed f or as mult i f acet ed, w hol e bei ngs i n t er ms of
t he phy si cal , i nt el l ect ual and t he spi r it ual. In so doi ng, medi cal pr act i t i oner s w i ll
f i nall y lear n t o heal i n t he w ay Hippocr at es i nt ended. As a medi cal doct or , it has
onl y been af t er consi der abl e st udy and appl i cat i on t hat I hav e seen f i r st hand t he
v al ue of al t er nat i v e t her apies f or my pat ient s.
Paul Bar ney , M.D.

A cknow l edgment

ex pr ess many t hanks t o Rit a Elki ns, w hose seemingly endl ess hour s of w r i t ing and
r esear ch pull ed t hi s pr oj ect t hr ough. Wit hout her w or k, insight , and per sev er ance, t hi s book w oul d not be a r eali t y .

viii

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e

ix

Int r oduct i on: How To Ef f ect i vel y

Use Thi s Book

bel i ev e t hat t his i s t he most compr ehensi v e r ef er ence gui de av ai l able concer ni ng
t he mai nt enance of opt i mal healt h and t he nat ur al t r eat ment of di sease. It is based
on y ear s of ex per i ence and boi ls dow n t he gl ut of heal t h i nf or mat ion f loat i ng ar ound
out t her e, t o t he l at est and t he most r eli abl e dat a av ail abl e. Because I bel i ev e i n
i nt egr at i ng al t er nat i v e medi ci ne w i t h or t hodox pr act i ces, I hav e w r i t t en t hi s gui de
t o ef f i ci ent l y cov er v ir t uall y ev er y ar ea of w el l ness, gi v i ng y ou, as t he pat ient , a
r eady - r ef er ence of v i abl e healt h opt i ons w it h sci ent i f i c v al i dat ion w henev er possi bl e. Ideal ly , I w oul d li ke t o see pat i ent s t aki ng t hi s gui de w i t h t hem w hen t hey
v i si t t heir phy si ci ans. It w il l undoubt edl y spar k some f asci nat i ng conv er sat ion.
In addi t ion t o t he i nit i al sect i ons, w hi ch act as easy - t o- r ead t ut or i als on v i r t ual ly ev er y nat ur al suppl ement and healt h di sci pli ne, t he best nat ur al t r eat ment s f or
ov er 1 0 0 diseases and di sor der s ar e del ineat ed and j ust about ev er y per t inent f act
y ou may need t o know has been addr essed. Sy mpt oms, causes, diet ar y guidel i nes,
conv ent ional t r eat ment s, her bal and nut r it i onal suppl ement s, pr ecaut i ons, pr oduct
r ecommendat i ons and pr ev ent ion gui del ines ar e suppli ed. The most ef f ect i v e suppl ement s ar e li st ed i n i nset s under t he pr i mar y heading w it h secondar y nut r i ent s
i nv ent or i ed. I hav e included a sect ion cal l ed Doct or s Not es in w hi ch I shar e w i t h
y ou my ow n per sonal ex per i ence w i t h t he nat ur al t r eat ment s of t he di sease r ef er enced. Helpf ul and pr act ical suggest ions t hat one can i mpl ement at home ar e al so
descr ibed f or each ai lment .
The mi nd/ spir it li nk t o achiev ing healt h, w hi ch is equall y i mpor t ant and f r equent l y ex cl uded f r om ot her pr of essi onal heal t h guides, i s also i ncl uded. I am a st aunch
bel i ev er t hat i n our quest t o get t o t he bot t om of disease, w e must t al k about bot h
t he spir i t ual and psy chological f act or s w hi ch pr of oundly i nf l uence t he l iv es and w ell being of our pat ient s. St r ess management is also ex amined and af t er y ear s of deal ing w i t h t he healt h i mpli cat i ons of st r ess, I hav e included t he most ef f ect i v e
appr oaches.
A number of gl ossar y sect i ons w i t h easy - t o- f i nd def ini t i ons w i l l hel p y ou as t he
consumer w al k i nt o a heal t h f ood st or e f eel ing mor e conf ident about y our choi ces.
Bi oact i v e compounds, pr act i ces f r om homeopat hy t o ar oma t her apy , and a compr ehensi v e l ist i ng of j ust about any nut r i t i onal supplement ar e all def i ned. New compounds such as CMO, CLA, gl ucosami ne, py r uv at e, et c., ar e all ev al uat ed. Nat ur al
pr oduct s can t ake t he f or m of her bs, v i t amins, miner als, amino aci ds and a w i de
v ar iet y of ot her subst ances w hi ch hav e impr essiv e t her apeut ic cr edent i al s. Inst ead
of si mply def ini ng t hese compounds, I hav e added my ow n comment s concer ni ng
t hei r use.
The key t o using t hese pr oduct s cor r ect ly i s educat i on. No one w ant s t o spend
money on w or t hless pr oduct s. On t he ot her hand, most of us need t o become much
mor e heal t h aw ar e and sel f - guided i n or der t o heal . It is my i nt ent i on t hat t hi s r ef er ence book w i l l suppl y y ou w i t h i nf or mat i on on w hat ar e t he l at est , up- t o- dat e
nat ur al t r eat ment s, t hei r appl i cat i ons and saf et y i ssues. I hope y ou w i l l f i nd i t not
onl y usef ul , but enl i ght eni ng.

ix

10

PA RT

A Course on t he
Essent ial
Component s of
I t i s of t en t he sci ent i st s exper i ence t hat he senses t he near ness of t r ut h
w hen connect i ons ar e envi si oned. A connect i on i s a st ep t ow ar d si mpl i f i cat i on,
uni f i cat i on.

Why I Believe In
Supplement at ion
Simpl y st at ed, t he medi cal est abl i shment has not
been par t i cul ar l y ent husiast i c about usi ng suppl ement s. I can see t hat at t i t udes ar e in t he pr ocess of
changing somew hat ; how ev er , t he change is much
t oo sl ow . Scient if i c ev i dence suppor t i ng suppl ement at i on is ov er w helmi ng and can no l onger be consi der ed quacker y as i t once w as. Numer ous sci ent if i c
st udi es suppor t t he f act t hat basi c suppl ement at i on
of w hat w e w ould call a one- a- day v i t amin can
i mpr ov e our ov er al l heal t h. St udy af t er st udy t ell s
us t hat many of us ar e def i ci ent in calci um, magnesi um, zi nc and manganese. Zi nc is inv ol v ed i n at l east
8 0 t o 9 0 met al o- enzy mat ic r eact ions; many of
w hi ch det er mi ne immune f unct ion. Obv i ousl y a zi nc
def i ci ency means t hat t he immune sy st em w i l l be
compr omi sed. Taking all t he her bs in t he w or ld cannot make up f or t hi s def i ci ency because, w i t hout

zi nc, our r esponse t o ev en t he most pot ent her b

w oul d be f aul t y .
Keeping our bodi es suppl ied w i t h mi ner als i s
absol ut el y essent i al , and i f w e gr ew our ow n f ood,
per haps w e coul d f or ego supplement s. We don t gr ow
our ow n f ood, and commer ci al f ar ming pr act ices
hav e sev er ely depl et ed our soi l s of v it al mi ner al s,
especial l y t r ace mi ner al s. If w e w ant t o t ake cer t ai n
miner al s i nt o our bodi es, w e had bet t er t ur n t o good
suppl ement s. If w e onl y needed ni t r ogen and pot assi um t o sur v i v e, our cur r ent suppl y of ar t i f ici al ly
f er t i li zed, f ar m- gr ow n pr oduce w oul d do ni cel y .
Tr ace mi ner al suppl ement s can keep us suppl ied w i t h
t hese i mpor t ant miner al s.
My v i ew on t he impor t ance of supplement at i on i s
based on y ear s of my ow n clinical ex per ience. I consider my pat ient s diet ar y habit s init i al ly and hav e cont inually discov er ed t hat most of t hem ar e not eat i ng
pr oper ly . Eat ing on t he r un, choosing sw eet , f at t y
f oods as meal r epl acement s, and usi ng caf f eine f or
ener gy ar e mor e t he r ul e t han t he ex cept i on.
11

12

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

Unquest i onabl y , t he maj or it y of A mer icans ar e not

get t i ng t he nut r ient l ev els set by RDA st andar ds.
Mor eov er , RDA st andar ds ar e of t en t oo l ow . Usi ng a
good mul t i v i t ami n suppl ement onl y makes good
sense. In addit i on, l ear ning t o add ot her si ngl e
mi cr onut r i ent s accor di ng t o speci f ic need and gender
makes f or a much bet t er healt h scenar i o. Our eat i ng
habit s can impr ov e; how ev er , i f w e r e goi ng t o t ake
a r eali st i c appr oach, t hey w i ll pr obabl y nev er be
good enough. Women ar e especi all y pr one t o nut r i ent
def i ci enci es i n t hat t hey cont i nual ly r est r i ct cal or i es, l ose i r on t hr ough t hei r per i ods and f r equent l y
t ake bi r t h cont r ol pi l ls w hi ch can l ow er cer t ai n
nut r i ent l ev el s.
A t t his w r i t i ng, st at ist i cs w hi ch ar e r andoml y
emer gi ng show signi f i cant def i ci enci es in t he B- v i t ami ns, chr omi um, i r on, sel eni um, calci um, et c. In
t he ar ea of cancer al one, def i ci enci es i n v i t amins A,
C, and E hav e al l been l inked t o i ncr eased r i sk.
Copper and zi nc depl et ions pr of oundl y i mpact immuni t y and l ow chr omi um l ev els ar e t hought t o be
r esponsi ble f or cholest er ol escal at ion and many
bl ood sugar di sor der s. A lack of sel eni um can pr edi spose us t o hear t disease, low magnesi um signif i cant l y cont r i but es t o PMS, and so on. Dat a st r ongl y
suggest s t hat using nut r it i onal suppl ement s ear l y on
could av oi d mi l li ons of dol lar s i n healt h car e ser v ices lat er . For ex ample, making sur e t hat w e get
adequat e and absor bable amount s of cal cium/ magnesi um in our y ounger y ear s could help pr ev ent t he
hi gh i ncidence of hi p f r act ur es w e see i n our ol der
populat i ons. Si mpl y st at ed, t aki ng suppl ement s i s
w i se. The not ion of usi ng suppl ement s t o t r eat di sease condi t i ons r at her t han j ust mai nt ai ni ng heal t h i s
anot her bal l game ent i r el y .
Pr of essor Li nus Paul ing, w ho w on t he Nobel Pr i ze
t w i ce f or hi s w or k, coined t he t er m or t homol ecul ar psy chi at r y , w hi ch r ef er s t o t he t r eat ment of
ment al disease by pr ov i ding t he most opt i mal mol ecul ar env i r onment f or t he mi nd t hr ough cer t ain concent r at ions of subst ances nor mal l y pr esent in t he
body . Admi nist er ing ex t r a l ar ge doses of v i t ami n C
w as Pauli ng s special t y and he has some engagi ng
t heor ies concer ning v it ami n megadose t her apy . The
use of t hese nat ur all y occur r i ng compounds i s usual l y consi der ed much saf er t han dr ug t her apy . Ther e
ar e count less account s of peopl e w ho hav e di ed or
been i nj ur ed by medici nal dr ugs. Dy ing f r om a nut r i ent ov er dose is ex t r emel y r ar e. Dr . Zolt an P. Rona,
M.D., poi nt s out t hat t her e has nev er been a deat h as
a r esult of any suppl ement ed v it amin or miner al . By
cont r ast , he emphasi zes t hat somet hing as commonl y used as t he bir t h cont r ol pill has 2 0 0 know n and
pot ent i ally danger ous si de ef f ect s.
Psy chi at r i st s ar e t y picall y skept ical of t he or t homol ecul ar appr oach t o t r eat i ng any ment al di sor der .
Pauli ng f i r ml y beli ev ed t hat nut r i t i on i s cr ucial i n
t he t r eat ment of most ment al di sor der s. He openl y
condemned t he medi cal est abl ishment s bi as agai nst
v it ami n t her apy f or mood disor der s and point ed out
12

t hat v ar ious st udi es concl usiv el y demonst r at e t hat

peopl e suf f er ing f r om schi zophr enia ex per ienced
cl ear and undeni able benef i t s by i mpr ov ing t hei r
nut r i t ional habi t s. By t aki ng opt i mum amount s of
ni aci n, ascor bic aci d, t hi amine, py r i dox ine and ot her
nut r i ent s, t hei r ment al out l ook i mpr ov ed.
Unf or t unat ely , i n t hei r zeal t o pr ot ect us f r om
quacker y , some medi cal doct or s t end t o ignor e w hat
can be of r eal v alue. Ther e is pl ent y of good scient i f i c ev i dence t hat usi ng v i t ami ns and amino aci ds
can successf ul l y t r eat behav ior al disor der s, schizophr enia, depr essi on and many ot her ai lment s. Sadly
enough, t he i mmov abi l it y of some healt h car e pr of essi onal s concer ning t hi s subj ect can cr eat e a gr eat
deal of pr ej udi ce and a l ack of obj ect iv it y .
My basic phil osophy concer ni ng suppl ement at i on i s
t hat ev er y one shoul d be t aking a good, basic mul t i miner al , mul t i v i t ami n supplement dai l y . Mor eov er ,
t hey should augment t hat suppl ement w i t h a br oad
spect r um ant i ox i dant f or mula. Dur ing per i ods of di sease or ot her f or ms of st r ess, v i t ami n and mi ner al
suppl ement at i on shoul d be i ncr eased. Recent st udi es
hav e f ound t hat i n some diseases l ike br east cancer
t he aggr essi v e use of nut r i t i onal ant i ox i dant s,
essent i al f at t y aci ds and coenzy me Q1 0 has r esul t ed
i n si gnif i cant r emi ssi on. Concer ning t he use of suppl ement s f or diseases l i ke cancer , B. Lev in, in t he
Wint er 1 9 9 5 Quar t er l y Rev i ew of Nat ur al Medi ci ne,
st at es: . . . t his st udy shoul d help conv i nce us t hat
ser i ous heal t h compr omi se can i ncr ease t he need f or
cer t ai n nut r i ent s. This st udy al so suggest s a pr i mar y r ol e f or aggr essi v e nut r i t i onal supplement at i on i n
t he t r eat ment of br east cancer .
Yes, it i s t r ue t hat w e can go ov er boar d and no one
w ant s t o t ake a handf ul of pi ll s ev er y day . On t he
ot her hand, I bel iev e t hat i f most of us w er e t r uly
aw ar e of t he pow er f ul heal t h r oles suppl ement s can
pl ay , w e w oul d nev er be w i t hout t hem. Lear ni ng
w hat t o buy and w hy enabl es us t o make w ise choi ces based on t he i ndi v i dual needs of our bodi es. We
need t o r ead up and make educat ed pur chases
desi gned t o augment our di et s and count er act t he
det r i ment al ef f ect s of our moder n w or l d.

HOW TO SELECT EFFECTIVE, PURE AND

SUPERIOR SUPPLEMENTS
One of t he pi t f al ls of pur chasing a gui debook t o
nat ur al t her api es i s t hat t oo of t en t he aut hor
negl ect s t o giv e t he r eader speci f i c di r ect i on about
w hat t o l ook f or w hen shoppi ng. Most of us w ho w ander dow n t he ai sl es of a heal t h f ood st or e of t en f eel
as t hough w e need t he ser v ices of a heal t h t r ansl at or . Hundr eds of st r ange soundi ng compounds f il l
count l ess shel v es and ev en deci di ng on w hich v i t amin C suppl ement or w hat kind of cal cium i s best can
be di f f icul t and f r ust r at i ng. Thr ough my pr act ice and
per sonal r esear ch, I hav e come t o bel i ev e i n t he pr of ound v alue of guar ant eed pot ency , t he impor t ance

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
of t he pr oper deli v er y sy st em and t he not ion t hat all
compounds ar e not cr eat ed equal. In ot her w or ds, a
v it ami n or ant i ox idant compound t hat has been
chemi cal l y sy nt hesi zed i n t he labor at or y may act
v er y di f f er ent ly i nsi de t he human body t han t hose
ex t r act ed f r om nat ur al sour ces.
In gener al , y ou w ant t o l ook f or v i t amins and mi ner als ex t r act ed f r om nat ur al sour ces, w hen possi bl e
and pr act ical, her bs t hat hav e a guar ant eed per cent age of t hei r act iv e i ngr edient s ( t hey usuall y cost a
bi t mor e) , and suppl ement s t hat come f r om r eput able
companies. In addit ion, all miner al s ar e not cr eat ed
equal as f ar as assi mi lat i on goes. In ot her w or ds, a
zi nc lozenge can be mor e ef f ect i v e t han a zi nc t ablet .
Cer t ain f or ms of cal ci um ar e bet t er absor bed t han
ot her s. Many ov er - t he- count er f or ms of calci um
come f r om inex pensi v e inor gani c sour ces such as
cal ci um ox i de or car bonat e w hi ch i s of t en f ound i n
ant acid pr oduct s. These f or ms of cal ci um ar e not
w el l absor bed, t her ef or e, y ou may be f ait hf ul l y t aki ng w hat y ou t hink i s an adequat e cal ci um suppl ement
and st i ll become cal cium def icient . Ent er ic coat i ngs
enable cer t ai n nut r i ent s t o by pass t he st omach and
di ssol v e i n t he int est i nal t r act , w her e t hey w il l be of
much mor e v al ue f or di seases li ke ir r i t abl e bow el
di sor der . Ent er i c gar l i c, f or ex ample, w oul d be mor e
ef f ect i v e as a t r eat ment f or col on di sor der s t han
r egular gar l i c capsules. Some or ganic v i t ami ns ar e
al so bet t er assi mi l at ed t han sy nt het i c v ar i et i es. For
ex ample, or ganic v i t amin E der i v ed f r om soy i s
much mor e ef f ect i v e t han it s ar t i f i ciall y sy nt hesi zed
count er par t . It s also i mpor t ant t o know t hat much
of v i t ami n B1 2 is l ost t hr ough t he digest ion pr ocess;
t her ef or e, a subl ingual f or m i s pr ef er abl e. Bet a
car ot ene conv er t s t o v i t ami n A ; t hus, t aking bet a
car ot ene may be pr ef er r abl e t o v it ami n A suppl ement at i on i n t hat lar ge doses of v it ami n A can be
t ox ic, especiall y f or pr egnant w omen. In gener al ,
l ook f or t he f ol l ow i ng:
Chel at ed miner als or plant - der iv ed t r ace mi ner al s w it h no alumi num addi t iv es.
Vi t amins and mi ner al s f r om or gani c sour ces
w her e possi bl e. NOTE: Many nat ur al pr oduct s
cont ain a combi nat ion of nat ur al l y and sy nt het i cal l y der i v ed nut r i ent s. In t he case of v i t ami n C,
f or ex ample, ascor bi c aci d may be used r at her
t han j ust r ose hi ps due t o t he hi gh cost of t he
nat ur al sour ce.
Fr ee- f or m ami no aci ds.
Cal ci um ( gl uconat e, ci t r at e, aspar t at e, lact at e) .
NOTE: Car bonat e i s accept abl e if combi ned w i t h
ot her sour ces. Ci t r at e has a good t r ack r ecor d
f or absor babi li t y and assi mi l at ion.
Zi nc and chr omi um pi col inat e or , GTF chr omium;
t hese f or ms ar e much mor e desi r abl e.
Ent er i c- coat ed pepper mi nt oi l capsul es f or
bow el appl i cat ions.
B1 2 and B6 in subli ngual t abl et s.
Vi t amin E w i t h sel eni um.

13

Cal ci um w i t h magnesi um.

Wil d y am f or pr ogest er one in cr eam/ t opi cal
f or ms.
Shar k car t i lage i n pow der ed bul k f or m f or pr act i cali t y i n t r eat i ng t umor s.
Pr ot eol y t i c enzy mes ( can al so be ent er ic coat ed
t o di ssol v e i n bow el only ) .
Ir on f r om nat ur al sour ces such as f er r ous gl uconat e or cer t ai n bot ani cals.
Aci dophil us i n li qui d or capsul e f or m t hat guar ant ees bact er ial count and includes bif idobact er ia
(check ex pi r at ion dat e) .
Gl ucosami ne sul f at e w i t h chondr oi t i n sul f at e
( w i t hout chondr oi t i n pr esent , gl ucosami ne s
act i on i s li mit ed).
Pr ot ei n f r om soy or ot her v eget abl e sour ces.
Guar ant eed pot ency her bs.
Br oad spect r um ant iox i dant bl ends usi ng v it ami n
E, selenium, ger mani um, l ipoic aci d, v it ami n C,
v i t amin A, bet a car ot ene, bi of l av onoi ds, or
gr ape seed ex t r act
Mult i pl e v it ami ns w i t h st r ong pot ency f or each
nut r i ent and a good ar r ay of t r ace mi ner al s.
Bee pol len t hat i s f r eeze dr ied and comes f r om
l ocal plant s, i f possi bl e.
Be w ar y of pr oduct s t hat cont ai n sugar , st ar ch,
sal t , coal t ar s, y east , cor n, mi l k or ar t i f ici al
col or i ngs or f l av or i ngs.

J ust because a pr oduct i s f ound on t he shel v es of

a healt h f ood st or e does not mean t hat it i s necessar i l y good f or y ou or w i t hout si de ef f ect s.
Hor monall y based compounds such as DHEA , mel at oni n, pr egnenol one, et c., ar e j ust begi nni ng t o
emer ge as t her apeut ic agent s, t her ef or e, no one
r eal l y know s w hat t hei r l ong t er m usage w il l cause.
Whi le some of t heir pr oper t i es ar e i mpr essi v e, t hey
shoul d be used w i t h caut i on.
Buy ing pr oduct s f r om r eput able manuf act ur er s
w ho beli ev e i n pur it y , pot ency and hav e high qual i t y
cont r ol , i s essent i al. Compani es t hat hav e i n- house
r esear ch and dev el opment depar t ment s ar e al so r ecommended. Lear n t o r ead l abel s, look f or per cent age
of act i v e i ngr edi ent s and ask l ot s of quest i ons. Nev er
hesi t at e t o make a phone call t o a par t i cul ar di st r i but or and f i nd out al l y ou can about a cer t ai n pr oduct .
The heal t h of y our body as w ell as y our pocket book
depends on i t .

THE PROFOUND IMPORTANCE OF

GUARANTEED POTENCY
While I w hol ehear t edly suppor t t he use of v ar ious
nat ur al t her api es, I caut i on my pat ient s t o pur chase
nat ur al pr oduct s f r om dist r i but or s w ho guar ant ee t he
pot ency of t heir act iv e ingr edient s. Vir t ually ev er y
clinical st udy per f or med on her bs or ot her nat ur al
subst ances w or ks w it h t he act iv e i ngr edient s w hich
must be t aken in cer t ai n dosages t o achiev e desir ed
r esul t s. It s not enough t o lear n t hat cascar a sagr ada
13

14

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

ef f ect iv ely r emedies const ipat ion. Resear ch r esul t s

w hich suppor t t he use of v ar ious her bs and ot her nat ur al subst ances ar e based on a cer t ain per cent age of
act iv e ingr edient . Not ev er y her bal pr oduct guar ant ees pot ency . As a r esult , y ou might be w ast ing y our
money and t ime, not t o ment ion t he f act t hat i f y ou
neglect t o see any desir ed r esult , y ou may conclude
t hat nat ur al t her apies ar e w or t hl ess.
Lear ning t o r ecognize good her bal bl ends is v er y
hel pf ul . Ov er t i me I hav e l ear ned t he v al ue of her bal
f or mul as and hav e incor por at ed t hem i nt o my pr act i ce. As a phy sician, I f eel conf ident suggest i ng
guar ant eed pot ency pr oduct s f or my pat i ent s. I l i ken
t hese medicinal agent s t o her bal pr escr ipt i ons i n
t hat t hey ar e st andar di zed and subj ect t o r igor ous
quali t y cont r ol. When I consul t cl ini cal st udi es w hi ch
use nat ur al pr oduct s, I am st r uck w i t h t he not i on
t hat of t en w e ar e not get t i ng w hat a l abel may claim
t o cont ai n. Di l ut ed, i ner t , or i nact i v e f or ms of her bs
w i ll not i nit i at e t he phy si ol ogi cal r eact i ons w e
desir e. We need t o l ook f or guar ant eed pot ency i n
capsules, ex t r act s and t i nct ur es.
Make sur e w hen y ou pur chase an her bal f or mul a
t hat i t cont ains t he r i ght pr opor t i on of each her bal
component . Her e is w her e r eput abilit y and ex per t ise
of t he manuf act ur er comes int o pl ay . I can honest l y
say t hat if t he pr oduct s ar e good, her bal t r eat ment s
i n combi nat i on w i t h ot her t her api es such as acupunct ur e can achi ev e r emar kable r esult s.

A Di scussi on of Di et : What
We Eat Pr of oundl y
Det er mi nes How We Feel
Diet shoul d be t he f i r st t hi ng w e l ook at in di agnosing and t r eat i ng di sease. Of t en, j ust changi ng
one s di et ar y habi t s i mmediat ely pr omot es bet t er
healt h. Ir oni call y , nut r it i on i s usual l y t he l ast t hi ng
most phy si ci ans addr ess. I hav e f ound t hat t he
maj or i t y of peopl e w ho go on a good nut r i t i ous di et
f i nd t hat not onl y good heal t h r esul t s, but t he unex pect ed benef i t of a height ened sense of w ell - bei ng.
Mor eov er , i n many cases, ai l ment s t hat of t en do not
r espond t o dr ug t her apy di sappear w hen diet and
l i f est y l e ar e changed.
In spi t e of t he pr of ound r ol es nut r ient s pl ay i n
mai nt ai ning w el lness, w e ar e st i l l r at her obl i v i ous
w hen i t comes t o making w i se f ood choi ces. If y ou
don t bel iev e t hat how y ou choose t o sat i sf y y our
hunger can hav e f ar r eachi ng heal t h i mpli cat i ons,
t hi nk agai n. What w e nonchal ant ly pop i nt o our
mout hs set s of f a ser i es of compl ex chemical r eact i ons t hat i mpact v i r t ual l y ev er y or gan and ev er y
14

body sy st em. J ust l ook at t he ef f ect s of caf f ei ne

consumpt i on, f or ex ampl e. Caf f eine st i mul at es t he
r el ease of nor epinephr i ne w hi ch can cr eat e a t empor ar y ener gy sur ge. What i s not commonl y know n i s
t hat i t al so i nhi bi t s t he body s abi l it y t o absor b v i t ami n B1 , causes t he body t o l ose magnesium, agi t at es t he ner v ous sy st em, st r esses t he adr enal
gl ands and i s 1 0 0 per cent addi ct iv e.
The use of f ood t o pr ev ent or ev en t r eat di sease i s
not hi ng new . J ohns Hopkins Uni v er sit y uses a ket ogeni c di et t o successf ull y t r eat pedi at r ic epil epsy ; a
t r eat ment pr ot ocol t hat i s r ar ely suggest ed by most
phy sici ans. Whi le t his di et has ex i st ed f or decades,
onl y a small per cent age of par ent s w ho hav e an
epi l ept ic chil d know any t hi ng about i t . Ty pi cal l y ,
soon af t er t he chil d s f i r st seizur e, har sh ant iconv ul sant dr ugs ar e empl oy ed and no ot her alt er nat iv e
t her api es ar e discussed. For many chi ldr en, somet hi ng as si mple as pr oduci ng ket ones i n t he body ,
w hi ch t he ket ogenic diet accompli shed, can decr ease
sei zur es and ev en cur e a si gni f icant number of chi l dr en. It becomes cl ear t hat f ood pr of oundl y af f ect s
br ai n f unct ion, not t o ment ion t he r est of t he body s
mechani sms.
Accor ding t o t he Amer ican Inst it ut e f or Cancer
Resear ch, appr ox i mat el y 40 per cent of all cancer in
men and 6 0 per cent in w omen is associat ed i n one w ay
or anot her w it h diet . Our choice of diet can eit her cont r ibut e t o diseases like st r oke, diabet es, car diov ascular disor der s, hear t at t ack, colon disease, cancer ,
et c., or it can help pr ot ect us f r om t hese pot ent i ally
f at al af f lict ions. The f ir st t hing any one should do w ho
w ant s t o mai nt ain t heir healt h i s t o l ook at w hat
t hey r e eat ing. Checking out t he cont ent s of y our gr ocer y car t can be v er y r ev eali ng. If al l y ou see is
pr ocessed, inst ant , sugar y , f at t y , snacky f oods like
y el low cheeses, bacon, r ed meat , hi gh- f at milk, sour
cr eam, hot dogs, cr acker s, chips, cookies, w hit e
r ice, j ello, inst ant pot at oes, highly sw eet ened cer eals
and soda pop, t hings need t o change. Inst ead, t r y t o f ill
y our car t w i t h f r esh f r uit s and v eget ables, w hole
gr ain cer eal s and f lour s, dr ied beans of all v ar i et ies,
br ow n r ice, millet , lean w hit e meat s, ol iv e oil,
semolina past as, par t skim mozzar ella cheese, low f at act iv e y ogur t s, t of u, et c. While it may t ake some
doing, making t he change f r om t he f ir st car t t o t he
second is possible. To help y ou under st and t he necessit y f or such a change, let s look at our eat ing t r adit i ons and how t hey ar e r uining our healt h.

TYPICAL AMERICAN EATING HABITS

Ov er t he l ast t hr ee decades, w e hav e w it nessed
dr amat i c changes not only i n w hat w e eat , but al so
w hen and how w e eat . One of t he bi ggest changes i s
t hat moder n t echnol ogy has cr eat ed new edibl es
w hi ch hav e under gone count less chemi cal pr ocesses.
We r out inel y consume new cr op v ar iet i es t hat hav e
been genet i cal l y engi neer ed; beef , poult r y and por k
ar e commonl y f i l led w i t h hor mones giv en t o ani mal s

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
f or quick f at t eni ng; and high- t ech pr ocessing t echni ques i nhibit t he nat ur al det er i or at i on of pr ocessed
meat s li ke sausage or sal ami. New f oods and sy nt het i c f ood subst it ut es l i ke aspar t ame and new l y
emer gi ng f ake f at s ar e r api dly domi nat i ng our
sel ect i on of gr ocer y st or e f oods. Anot her change i s
t hat , unl i ke our gr andpar ent s, w e no longer eat f oods
i n season. Fr ui t s and v eget abl es ar e shipped t r anscont i nent al l y and ar e of t en packed i n dr y i ce or col d
st or age f or ex t ended per i ods of t ime. And, of
cour se, mi l li ons of gall ons of sugar y or ar t i f icial l y
sw eet ened soda pop ar e consumed annuall y .
In many w ay s t he di et s of our ancest or s and of
many t hir d w or l d count r i es f ar sur pass t he nut r i t i v e
v alue of our ow n. Pr imi t iv e cul t ur es w ho di ne on
beans, seeds, f i ber y v eget abl es, br ow n r i ce and li t t l e meat hav e had t he r i ght i dea all al ong. Sadl y ,
many of t hese cult ur es hav e begun t o adopt West er n
eat i ng habi t s and ar e now ex per i enci ng di seases l i ke
di abet es, nev er a pr oblem bef or e. The Pima Indi ans
of Ar i zona s Sonor a deser t ar e a good ex ample. For
t housands of y ear s t hey gat her ed f ood f r om t hei r
l and. Whil e f ood v ar i et y w as scar ce, t hey w er e abl e
t o si ngl e out nut r i ent - r i ch pods, cact i , and seeds. By
adding t epar y beans and cor n, t hey had a healt h- pr omot i ng di et t hat kept t hem r el at i v el y healt hy and
f r ee f r om w hat w e r ef er t o as West er n di seases.
Unf or t unat el y , t hi s i s not t he cas e t oday .
A ccor di ng t o av ail abl e st at i st i cs, mor e t han 5 0 per cent of Pi mas ov er t he age of 3 5 suf f er f r om t y pe2 , adul t - onset di abet es. Why ? Because t hese peopl e
gav e up t hei r t r adi t i onal di et f or one t hat w e shoul d
al l r ecogni ze: a diet hi gh i n f at , sugar , and pr ocessed
f oods. As a r esult di abet es has become mor e r ampant and obesit y common. Appar ent ly t he Pimas ar e
par t i cul ar l y suscept i bl e t o adul t - onset di abet es but
i t had r emained dor mant dur ing t he gener at ions w hen
a l ow - f at , hi gh- f i ber , low - sugar diet w as consumed.
What t hi s i mpl i es i s t hat al l of us hav e cer t ain pr edi sposi t i ons t o di sease w hi ch can be t r i gger ed by our
eat i ng habi t s.
We might be abl e t o get aw ay w it h some of our
deplor able eat ing habit s i f w e ex er cised t he w ay our
gr eat - gr andpar ent s di d. But t he r eal it y is t hat w e eat
mor e, consume mor e f at , smoke, use al cohol and caf f eine and t hen sit at a desk al l day . Whi le many of us
hav e become mor e ex er cise- aw ar e, w e ar e st ill consider ed a sedent ar y societ y . Our di et ar y goal s shoul d
be 1 ) t o mov e aw ay f r om animal - based pr ot ei n t o
plant sour ces; and 2 ) t o decr ease sat ur at ed f at s and
sugar and incr ease f r esh f r ui t s, v eget ables, w hol e
gr ains and l egumes. It s a simpl e f or mul a t hat i s possibl e t o incor por at e int o dai ly lif eespeciall y if w e
r eal i ze
it s
pr of ound
heal t h
i mpact .
If
w e become di et consci ous w e w i ll inev i t ably become
healt h consci ous as w ell . Si mpl e diet ar y modif icat i ons
enhanced
by suppl ement use can dr amat i cal ly impr ov e our
h
e
a
l
t
h
and low er t he r isk of di seases many of us now accept

15

as i nev it abl e.

WHY DO MEDICAL SCHOOL COURSES IGNORE

THE HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF DIET?
Medi cal schools need t o r e- ev aluat e t hei r cur r icul ums and begi n t o addr ess t he i ncr edi bl e ef f ect of
di et on heal t h. Doct or s need t o ask t hei r pat i ent s
quest i ons l i ke: What do y ou nor mall y eat f or br eakf ast ? Do y ou ex per i ence f ood- r el at ed sy mpt oms?
How do y ou f eel about keepi ng a f ood j our nal f or a
w eek and t hen going ov er it t oget her ? Lear ni ng t o
r ecognize t he ef f ect s of conusmpt ion of sugar ,
pr ocessed f oods, and not enough f i ber is t ant amount
t o achiev ing not onl y an accur at e di agnosi s, but t o
get t i ng t o t he r oot of t he pr obl em.
Doct or s need t o be mor e aw ar e of t he f act t hat a
v i t amin B1 2 shot can of t en help a depr essed or
f at i gued per son mor e t han any pr escr i pt i on dr ug.
They must come t o r eal ize t hat some muscl e cr ampi ng can be all ev i at ed w i t h a si mple calcium/ magnesi um suppl ement . Recommending v it ami n E suppl ement at i on f or w omen w i t h f i br ocy st i c br east s
shoul d be r out ine, and t alki ng about nat ur al sour ces
of pr ogest er one w i t h ev er y middle- aged w oman
shoul d be t he r ule r at her t han t he ex cept ion. These
ar e j ust a f ew isolat ed ex ampl es of t he r ole suppl ement at i on can pl ay in medici ne. Unf or t unat el y , many
doct or s hav en t i nv est igat ed t hi s ar ea of disease
t r eat ment or heal t h mai nt enance. I hav e a f eel i ng t he
doct or s of t he f ut ur e w i ll be inf i ni t ely mor e w el l v er sed on t he pr of ound r ol e of nat ur al r emedies.

WHY THE RDA NEEDS REVISION

RDA r equir ement s set by t he gov er nment pr ov i de
t he mi nimum dai ly allow ance of v it ami ns and miner als necessar y t o pr ev ent ill nesses caused by def i ciencies, but t hese amount s ar e not necessar i ly t he
dosages needed t o maint ai n opt imal heal t h. Whil e i t i s
f ine t o pr esume t hat f ood should suppl y us w i t h all t he
nut r i ent s w e need, it i s f ool har dy t o beli ev e t hat our
diet s ar e al l t hat nut r it ious. The av er age Amer ican
diet i s commonl y l acki ng in t he B v it ami ns, f oli c acid,
v it amin E, v it ami n C and ir on. Ideally , i f w e r out inely consume a diet compr ised of unr ef ined, unpr ocessed
nat ur al f oods, our nut r i t i onal needs w ould be met .
Unquest ionabl y , in or der t o r ecei v e t he max i mum
nut r i t ional benef i t f r om f oods t hat w e consume, our
di et w oul d t y pi cal ly hav e t o consi st of sev er al por t i ons of w hol e gr ain pr oduct s, sev er al ser v ings of
f r esh, r aw f r uit s and v eget abl es, l egumes, nut s, or
ot her pr ot ei n sour ces and adequat e, ab- sor babl e
sour ces of cal cium. Who eat s l ike t hi s ev er y day ?
Sev er al st udies t hat analy ze diet hav e di scov er ed
t hat it i s common t o f i nd at l east t hr ee t o f our nut r i ent def ici enci es ev en by RDA st andar ds and signi f i cant l y mor e by i deal set poi nt char t s. As ment ioned,
i n a per f ect w or l d, w e should get w hat w e need f r om
our di et . In r eali t y , t hi s is r ar el y t he case.
15

16

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

Clear ly , RDA st andar ds f or di et ar y nut r i ent s

designed by t he gov er nment ar e t oo l ow i n many
i nst ances and do not t ake i nt o account t he needs of
t he body w hen ex posed t o st r ess, poll ut i on, t ox i ns
or di sease. Many of t oday s f oods ar e consider ed
ant i nut r i ent i n t hat t hey dest r oy or inhibi t t he
assimi lat i on of nut r i ent s. Phosphor us f ound in sof t
dr i nks causes t he body t o leech out cal ci um and
sugar and caf f eine depl et es t he body of B- v it ami ns
and ot her essent i al nut r i ent s. In addi t i on, scor es of
dr ugs can cause nut r i ent def i ci enci es, a f act w hi ch i s
r ar ely addr essed by phy si ci ans w ho pr escr ibe t hem
f r eel y . The f act is t hat t he RDA r equir ement s must
under go some f or m of r ev i si on t o meet our needs.
The J our nal of Cli ni cal Nut r i t ion r epor t ed t hat l ess
t han 1 0 per cent of t hose sur v ey ed eat a balanced
di et . Dr . J ames Scal a, Ph.D., poi nt s out t hat t he
pr i ce of suppl ement at i on i s cheap consi der i ng w e
consume mor e t han 6 0 cent s w or t h of sof t dr i nks
per day per capit a.

absor pt ion t akes place.

Mal absor pt i on r esul t s w hen par t of t he smal l
i nt est ine becomes i mpai r ed as a r esul t of disease,
i nj ur y or i nf ect i on. The pancr eas suppli es v i t al
enzy mes w hi ch make t he di gest i on and absor pt i on of
nut r i ent s possibl e. The lar ge int est ine or col on i s
r esponsible f or t he absor pt ion of w at er and elect r ol y t es and pr ov i des a holdi ng t ank f or w ast e
st or age unt i l el i mi nat i on. This r eser v oi r of w ast e
pr ov ides t he per f ect habit at f or bact er i a and can
ei t her ser v e t o enhance our healt h or cont r i but e t o
i t s br eakdow n. ( It s impor t ant t o r emember t hat not
al l bact er ia ar e bad.)
Sur pr isingl y , many of us suf f er f r om a lack of
bot h hy dr ochl or i c aci d and pancr eat ic enzy mes,
w hi ch causes us t o poor l y di gest our f ood and w or se
y et , t o poor l y assimi lat e i t s nut r i ent s. In addi t i on,
our l ow - f i ber di et s hav e cr eat ed a v er i t abl e col on
cr i si s w her e const ipat i on and poor eli minat i on ar e
t he r ul e r at her t han t he ex cept i on.

PROPER DIGESTION: A MAJOR PROBLEM

IN THIS COUNTRY

THE NEGLECTED ROLE OF DIGESTIVE ENZYMES

If w e w er e eat ing t he r i ght f oods i n t he r i ght w ay ,

w e w oul d not hav e t o r ely on gal lons of t he pi nk
st uf f , scor es of ant aci ds or acid i nhibit or s, or enor mous amount of lax at iv e medi cat i ons. In ot her
w or ds, w e need chemi cal s t o hel p us digest our f ood,
assimi lat e it s cont ent s and eli minat e i t s w ast e
by pr oduct s. It i s r at her i r oni c t hat w e hav e been
designed w it h magnif i cent di gest i v e sy st ems t hat
f ar sur pass t he most ef f i ci ent machine ev er cr eat ed
by man, but w e st i ll suf f er f r om mechanical br eakdow ns such as abdomi nal cr ampi ng, i nor di nat e
amount s of gas, sl uggi sh col ons and an ov er all lousy
f eel i ng af t er i ngest i ng a meal . Red f l ags go up ev er y w her e and many of us st i l l r emai n obl i v i ous t o possi bl e pr obl ems.
Clear ly , w e ar e not eat i ng t he r i ght f oods. We consume an i ncr edi bl e amount of soda, dr ugs, caf f ei ne,
and al cohol , w hich i mpede nor mal di gest i v e pr ocesses so t hat w hen w e do eat , w e suf f er t he consequences. A ddi ng st r ess and eat i ng on t he r un cr eat es
a combi nat ion of f act or s w hi ch can l ead t o hear t bur n
and i ndigest ion and may dev el op i nt o ulcer s and col on
di sease.
Simpl y st at ed, t he pr ocess of di gest i on i ncl udes
chew i ng our f ood and combi ni ng i t w i t h sal i v a w hi ch
cont ains enzy mes designed t o begi n br eaki ng dow n
st ar ches. Food t hen t r av el s t o t he st omach, an
ex pandabl e pouch w hi ch secr et es hy dr ochl or i c aci d
and ot her biochemical s desi gned t o br eak dow n pr ot ei ns. In t he st omach is w her e t he f ood is br oken
dow n int o a mix t ur e cal l ed chy me. The chy me t hen
pr oceeds t o t he smal l int est i ne, t he scene of addi t i onal digest i on, absor pt i on and t he t r anspor t at i on of
nut r i ent s. Pancr eat i c and l i v er secr et i ons ar e
br ought i nt o t his por t i on of t he i nt est ine t o augment
t he pr ocess. It is her e t hat t he maj or i t y of nut r i ent
16

A s ment ioned ear l i er , pancr eat ic enzy mes ar e

r esponsible f or t he pr oper digest i on and absor pt i on
of our f ood. Pancr eat i c j uices w hi ch ar e t r anspor t ed
t o t he smal l i nt est ine make i t possi bl e f or us t o ut i l ize t he l i f e- gi v i ng nut r i ent s f ound i n t he f ood w e
eat . Ther e ar e t hr ee basic cat egor i es of digest iv e
enzy mes: 1 ) amy lases, w hi ch br eak dow n st ar ches;
2 ) ly pases, w hich br eak dow n f at s; and 3 ) pr ot eases w hi ch ar e desi gned t o br eak dow n pr ot ei ns.
A lack of any of t hese enzy mes can r esul t in mal absor pt ion. The pr ot eases ar e especi ally impor t ant
because t hey br eak dow n pr ot ei ns int o amino acids.
Any t ime a def i ciency of pr ot ease ex ist s, bit s of undi gest ed pr ot ein w il l st ay in t he body . These pr ot ei n
par t s ar e t hought t o be r esponsi ble f or t he dev elopment of aller gies, aut oimmune di seases, and aut oi nt ox icat i on. Pr ot eases also keep t he i nt est ines pr ot ect ed f r om par asit es and ot her or gani sms t hat may
w eaken t he int est i nal sy st em. Mor e and mor e ev i dence suggest s t hat cer t ai n i ndi v i dual s hav e
incr eased per meabi lit y of t he di gest i v e t r act s al low ing macr o nut r ient bi t s t o pass t hr ough t he w all s
of t he st omach and subsequent ly end up in t he bloodst r eam. Sev er e pr oblems may r esul t , so it is v i t al
t hat w e do not look at sy mpt oms of indigest ion as
inconsequent ial.

Digestive Enzyme Supplementation

A ny one w ho suf f er s f r om gas, bl oat i ng, hear t bur n, or const ipat i on shoul d add digest iv e enzy mes
t o t heir meals. The most ef f ect i v e ar e pancr eat i n,
br omel ai n and papai n. These can be combi ned w i t h
ot her enzy mat i c compounds t o pr omot e bet t er f ood
br eak dow n. Tr y t o f i nd f ul l- st r engt h pot ency pr oduct s t hat hav e not been w eakened by t he addit i on of
f i ll er subst ances. Chew abl e t abl et s and gums ar e

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e

A good diet should include 2 5

t o 35 gr ams of f iber or at least
one ounce of diet ar y f iber each
and ev er y day . Some healt h
pr act it ioner s ar e r ecommending
up t o 50 gr ams of f iber per day .
Tw o t hir ds of t hat f iber should
be insoluble. Adding w heat br an
t o y our diet is t he easiest w ay

t o boost y our f iber int ake. The

av er age Amer ican eat s f r om 9
t o 13 gr ams of f iber per day .
The ideal bar omet er of det er mining if y ou r e get t ing enough
f iber is w het her y ou hav e a
good bow el mov ement at least
ev er y 2 4 hour s. Your t r ansit
t ime is v er y impor t ant . Unless

av ail abl e and should be t aken j ust pr ior t o eat i ng,

al t hough t hey can be t aken af t er a meal. Taki ng
di gest i v e enzy mes can make al l t he dif f er ence w hen
i t comes t o maki ng t he most of t he f ood w e eat . In
addit i on, t hese enzy mes ar e usef ul i n t r eat ing ot her
seemi ngl y unr el at ed di seases w hi ch f ur t her conf i r ms t he f ar - r eachi ng ef f ect s of pr oper l y br eaki ng
dow n t he nut r i ent cont ent of our f oods. Car r y t hem
ar ound in y our pocket or pur se and get accust omed
t o usi ng t hem. Take t hem j ust bef or e and r ight af t er
a meal. These enzy mes can make al l t he di f f er ence
and can hel p t o l ow er our r i sk of di seases w hi ch may
be caused by f aul t y di gest i on.

HYDROCHLORIC ACID DEFICIENCY

Whi le most of us ar e all t oo aw ar e of t he pl ight of
ex cess st omach acid, f ew of us r eali ze t hat not hav i ng enough st omach aci d can be a maj or pr obl em. If
w e do not pr oduce enough gast r i c acid, w e can
become suscept ibl e t o many unpl easant sy mpt oms
and di seases. Many of t he sy mpt oms w e nor mal l y
associat e w i t h i ndi gest ion coul d si gnal a def i ciency
of hy dr ochlor i c acid ( HCL) . Bloat i ng, gas, bel chi ng,
const ipat i on or di ar r hea can al l indicat e a lack of
HCL. Some di seases w hich hav e been l inked t o a l ack
of st omach acid i ncl ude di abet es, gal l bladder di sease, lupus, r heumat oi d ar t hr i t is, and ost eopor osis.
The i nci dence of l ow st omach aci d is common i n peopl e ov er t he age of 6 0 , a f act or t hat may hel p
ex plain w hy el der l y peopl e t y picall y suf f er f r om
mal nut r i t ion. If y ou suspect y ou may hav e a HCL
def i ci ency , t ake a hy dr ochlor ic aci d pil l w i t h each
meal . Cont inue t o up t he dose by one capsule unt i l y ou
f eel a w ar m sensat ion i n t he st omach r egi on. St op at
t hi s poi nt and t r y t o t ake t hi s amount t hr oughout t he
meal .

FIBER
Hippocr at es, t he f at her of medici ne, r ecommended eat i ng w hol e w heat f or it s sal ut ar y ef f ect s upon
t he bow el s. Roman at hl et es t ook hi s admonit i on t o
hear t and at e w hole gr ains, beli ev i ng t hat t hei r

17

y ou suf f er f r om cer t ain bow el

condit ions like Cr ohn s disease
or ul cer at i v e col i t i s, some
ex per t s believ e t hat y ou can t
get t oo much f iber . Not e: Make
sur e y ou r e not hy per sensit iv e
or aller gic t o gr ain and cer t ain
high f iber legumes. An int oler ance t o glut en can r esult in gas,

endur ance and st r engt h w oul d be enhanced. Ev er

si nce anci ent t imes, w hol e gr ains w er e consider ed
di et st apl es and w er e t y picall y consumed by l ow er
cl ass societ i es w ho coul d not af f or d t he f at t y ,
sw eet , hi gh pr ot ei n di et s of t heir ki ng s t abl e.
Fi ber , of t en call ed r oughage, i s t echnicall y a f ood
component t hat r emai ns undi ges t ed as i t i s
pr ocessed t hr ough t he gast r oi nt est i nal t r act .
Because i t r eadi ly absor bs w at er , f iber hel ps t o
f or m t he bulk r equi r ed t o f or m a good bow el mov ement .
Technicall y , f i ber is a compl ex car bohy dr at e consi st ing of a pol y sacchar i de and a li gni n subst ance
t hat gi v es st r uct ur e t o t he cel l of a pl ant . Insol ubl e
f i ber has t he abi l it y t o pass t hr ough t he i nt est ines
i nt act and v ir t uall y unchanged. Unl ike f at s, car bohy dr at es and pr ot ei ns, f i ber does not pr ov i de t he body
w it h nut r i ent s or f uel f or ener gy . It usual ly has no
cal or i c v alue. Di et ar y f iber i s f ound onl y in pl ant
component s such as v eget abl es, f r ui t s and w hol e
gr ai ns. Ther e ar e pr i mar i ly t w o cat egor i es of f i ber :
sol ubl e and i nsol ubl e. Some f oods cont ain bot h t y pes.

Kinds of Fiber
Ther e ar e sev en f or ms of f iber ( i nsol ubl e and sol ubl e) , each w i t h i t s ow n speci f i c f unct ion.
1 . Pect i n
Pect i n sl ow s t he absor pt i on of f ood af t er meal s,
and i s r ecommended f or any one w it h hy pogl y cemi a
or di abet es because bl ood gl ucose l ev el s r i se mor e
gr aduall y . Pect i n al so has t he abi l it y t o hel p r emov e
t ox i ns and met al s, r educe bl ood cholest er ol l ev el s,
and r educe t he r i sk of hear t di sease and gal l st ones.
It can al so bi nd bi l e aci ds t o keep our gal lbl adder s
heal t hy .
Sour ces of pect i n: Car r ot s, beet s, cabbage, ci t r us
f r ui t s, apples, gr apes, bananas, cabbage, okr a and
dr i ed peas, gr een beans, onion ski n and sugar beet
pul p.
2 . Cel l ulose
Cel l ul ose, an insolubl e sour ce of f i ber , is a car bo17

18

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

hy dr at e t hat i s t he main st r uct ur al component i n t he

out er cov er ing of v eget abl es and f r uit s. It is t he
f i br ous par t of t he cell w all s of t hese pl ant s.
Cell ul ose helps t o nour i sh t he bl ood v essel s so i t i s
benef ici al f or v ar icose v ei ns, col i t is, const i pat i on
and hemor r hoids. Cel l ulose also has t he pr ov en abil i t y t o r id t he col on of car ci nogeni c subst ances and
si gni f icant ly i ncr ease f ecal w ei ght . It bi nds up w at er
i mpr essi v el y . Make sur e t o check w hat ki nd of cel l ul ose y ou may be get t ing w hen y ou buy cer t ai n f ood
i t ems.
Sour ces of cell ul ose: Wheat br an, beet s, peas,
br occol i, car r ot s, l ima beans, pear s, appl es, Br azil
nut s, w hol e gr ai ns and gr een beans.

cel l w al ls and i nhibit s cel l w al l di gest ion by i nt est i nal bact er i a. Li gni n has show n i t s abi l it y t o hel p
l ow er blood ser um chol est er ol lev el s and t o pr ev ent
t he f or mat i on of gal lst ones. It does t hi s by bi ndi ng
w it h bil e aci ds t hat can ul t imat el y cont r ibut e t o t he
f or mat i on of st ones. It is al so t r ansf or med by
i nt est inal bact er i a i nt o a t y pe of l i gni n t hat hel ps
i nhi bit t he act i on of est r ogens w hi ch hav e been l inked
t o t he dev el opment of br east cancer . Ligni n i s r ecommended f or any one w it h diabet es, br east cancer ,
or col on cancer .
Sour ces of l ignin: Fl ax seed, w heat , pot at oes,
appl es, cabbage, peaches, t omat oes, st r aw ber r i es,
Br azil nut s, car r ot s, peas and gr een beans.

3 . Hemi cel l ulose

Li ke cel l ul ose, hemicell ul ose i s not di gest i bl e and
i s consider ed a compl ex car bohy dr at e. It compr i ses
t he mat r ix of cel l w all s of pl ant s w hich ar e f il l ed
w i t h cel l ulose f i ber s. This t y pe of cell ul ose is chemi cal ly br oken dow n t hr ough t he act ion of cer t ai n
f r i endl y bact er ia in t he bow el and can cause gas i n
some i ndi v i dual s. Hemi cell ul ose has a r emar kabl e
abi l it y t o r et ain w at er . It i s r ecommended f or w ei ght
l oss, colon cancer , const ipat ion and f or r emov i ng
cancer causi ng subst ances w hi ch can i nhabi t t he
bow el .
Sour ces of hemi cell ul ose: Psy ll i um seeds, oat
br an, apples, pear s, bananas, beans, cor n, cabbage,
w hol e gr ai ns, pepper s, and gr een v eget abl es.
A n ex ample of hemi cel l ulose i s psy l li um seed, a
har dy bot ani cal w hose seed husk i s an ex cell ent
i nt est i nal cl eaner and st ool sof t ener . It is commonl y
used i n sev er al ov er - t he- c ount er l ax at i v es.
Psy l li um t hickens v er y qui ckl y , as any one w hose
mi x ed up a gl ass of Met amuci l know s. Psy ll i um seeds
ar e cov er ed w i t h mucil age t hat sw el ls w hen i t comes
i n cont act w i t h w at er . For t hi s r eason it bulks up t he
st ool and pr omot es bow el mov ement s. Muci lage can
al so hel p soot he i nf lamed t issue. The v alue of psy l li um f or keepi ng blood cholest er ol l ev el s dow n has
r ecent ly been conf ir med. Ev en t he A mer ican Hear t
A ssoci at i on r ecommends adding psy l l ium t o our di et
f or i t s chol est er ol - l ow er i ng pr oper t ies.
The t y pi cal dose of psy l li um i s one t o t w o r ounded t easpoons i n a f ul l gl ass of w at er t aken af t er a
meal . Psy l li um i s saf e f or chil dr en and can be t aken
consist ent l y w i t h f ew or no side ef f ect s. Famil i ar
l ax at i v es w hich use psy l l ium include Met amucil ,
Cor r ect ol and Fiber all . Many nat ur al heal t h adv ocat es r ecommend using nat ur al l ax at i v es w i t h psy l l i um t hat do not al so cont ain ar t i f icial color s or met al s l i ke al uminum. A lso be aw ar e t hat many of t he
psy ll i um pr oduct s sol d i n t he Uni t ed St at es hav e been
di l ut ed w it h r i ce hul l s.

5 . Gums
Gums ar e complex pol y sacchar ides t hat ar e w at er
soluble. Their r ole i n plant s is t o r epai r damaged
ar eas. Var i ous gums and mucil agees ar e used i n f at f r ee f oods t o cr eat e t hat gooey , cr eamy t ex t ur e.
Most of t he gums i n t he f ol low i ng li st ar e ex t r uded
f r om t he st ems or seeds of t r opi cal or sub- t r opical
t r ees and shr ubs. They can f or m gel s in t he small
int est i ne and bind w it h acid and ot her or gani c w ast e
mat er ial.

4 . Li gni n
Li gni n i s a non- car bohy dr at e cel l w al l mat er ial
t hat i s made up of chemi cal pol y mer s and ar omat i c
al cohol s. Li gni n cont r i but es t o t he r igi di t y of pl ant
18

Guar gum ( guar f l our ) : Comes f r om a pl ant nat iv e

t o Indi a and i s t ast eless, odor less and compl et ely
w at er solubl e. It ser v es as a pr ot ect iv e col l oid, a
t hi ckener , and i s pr i mar i ly used i n v er y t hi ck v i scous l i qui ds or spr eadable f oods.
Gum Ar abi c: Comes f r om t he acaci a t r ee and consi st s of a v ar i et y of sugar s. It is commonl y used t o
mai nt ain f ood pr oduct f l av or and l engt hen shel f l i f e.
Fl ax seed Gum: Used as a subst it ut e f or gum ar abi c, t his gum is used i n simi l ar appl icat ions. The
w hol e f lax seed i s somet imes added t o cer eal s f or i t s
l ax at i v e act i on.
Kar ay a Gum ( Indian Tr agacant h) : A w hi t e, sl i ght l y acidi c gum w it h a mi l d aci dy odor , kar ay a ser v es
as a t ex t ur izer , t hi ckener and f ood emul si f i er .
Locust Seed Gum ( Car ob Flour ) : Sw el l s i n col d
w at er and goes cl ear i n hot . It has a l egume- l ike f l av or and ser v es as a binder and t hi ckener . It has been
used as a subst i t ut e f or cocoa, chocolat e and cof f ee.
Psy ll i um Seed Gum: Psy l li um seeds ar e one of t he
best nat ur al l ax at i v e pr omot er s. A s a gum, psy l li um
has a v er y high l ev el of soluble di et ar y f iber and i s
added t o some cer eal pr oduct s f or t hi s r eason.
Xant hi n Gum: Usual l y sol d as a pot assi um sal t ,
x ant hi n gum i s a mi cr obi al gum. It ser v es t o f or m a
f i l m, has good heat r esist ance, and can st abi l i ze and
t hicken f ood pr oduct s.
6 . Muci lages
Muci lages ar e r out inely obt ained f r om seed and
seaw eeds and ar e used as t hickening and st abilizing
agent s. They ef f ect iv ely hol d w at er and can be ex cellent bul king agent s.
Sour ces of muci lages: Legumes, psy l l ium, guar .

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
A gar : A sw eet mucil age t hat can r emain st abl e i n
hi gh t emper at ur es and i s of t en used f or t hi ckeni ng
dai r y pr oduct s and conf ect ions.
A lginat e: Ex t r act ed f r om br ow n seaw eed, i t giv es
f oods a cr eamy t ex t ur e and i nhi bi t s t he f or mat ion of
i ce cr y st al s. ( Thi s is one of t he my st er y i ngr edi ent s
of t en l i st ed on i ce cr eam car t ons.)
Car r ageenan: Anot her seaw eed muci l age t hat i s
t y pical l y used t o gel and emul si f y cer t ai n f oods.

Bran Fibers
The w or d br an r ef er s t o t he f ibr ous cov er ing t hat
sur r ounds cer t ai n w hole gr ai ns. Br an is t echni cal l y
r ef er r ed t o as a cer eal f i ber and i s t he por t ion of t he
gr ain di scar ded f r om w hol e w heat as w ast e i n moder n mi l li ng pr ocesses. Br an has ex cel l ent st ool - bul ki ng capaci t ies and can si gni f i cant l y r educe t r ansi t
t i me. To a gr eat degr ee, br an w as not much consumed af t er t he i nt r oduct i on of r ef i ned f lour s. It s
no coi ncidence t hat as br an consumpt i on dw i ndled t he
i nci dence of cer t ai n so- cal l ed West er n diseases
escalat ed. Br an has t he abi li t y t o hold w at er bet t er
t han any ot her sour ce of f i ber . Dif f er ent cer eal
br ans hav e di f f er ent chemi cal const r uct i on so t hei r
abi l it y t o r et ai n w at er can v ar y , but t hey al l hol d
mor e w at er t han ot her f i ber s.

Oat Bran
Oat br an is made by gr inding t he inner husk of t he
w hole oat gr ain. Ov er t he last decade, oat br an has
enj oy ed a high lev el of publicit y some good, some not
so good. When or iginal scient if ic f indings on t he benef it s of oat br an hit t he media, an oat br an f r enzy
r esult ed. While eat ing oat br an may not get r id of cellulit e, it can help t o low er blood cholest er ol, t her eby
pr ev ent ing hear t disease. St udy af t er st udy has conf ir med t hat consist ent ly eat ing oat br an can low er high
blood ser um cholest er ol as much as 2 0 per cent or
mor e. Ev en alr eady low blood cholest er ol can be
r educed by 5 per cent w hen consuming daily doses of
oat br an. It is t he soluble f iber f ound in oat br an t hat
makes it an impr essiv e f iber sour ce. Remember t hat
oat meal, t he gr ound v er sion of t he w hole oat gr ain,
cont ains about one t hir d less f iber t han t he br an.

Can You Get Too Much Fiber?

Some heal t h car e ex per t s bel i ev e t hat eat i ng mor e
t han 3 5 gr ams of f iber per day may adv er sel y af f ect
v it ami n and mi ner al absor pt i on. Whil e t hi s i s t echni cal l y t r ue, r ar ely does any one eat near t hat amount
of f i ber . Most of us don t eat ev en t he small amount
w e need. Whi l e i t is t r ue t hat some f i ber s may
absor b calci um, zi nc, i r on and magnesi um, and w hil e
t he pr esence of f i ber i n t he i nt est i nes may inhi bi t t he
absor pt ion of cer t ai n nut r ient s, t hese ef f ect s ar e
pr esent onl y under ex t r eme condi t i ons. In ot her
w or ds, don t let t he f ear of becomi ng nut r ient def i -

19

ci ent st op y ou f r om boost ing y ou f i ber int ake. Thi s

par t i cul ar phenomenon does not pose a si gni f i cant
t hr eat . The mar v elous benef it s of f i ber f ar out w ei gh
t he r emot e possi bi li t y t hat y ou w i l l eat quant i t i es
l ar ge enough t o pose any pr obl em.
Remember t o add f i ber gr aduall y , dr i nk pl ent y of
w at er and chew y our f ood t hor oughl y so t hat t he
necessar y digest i v e enzy mes w i l l be act i v at ed in t he
sal i v a. Some people beli ev e t hat t aki ng suppl ement al
di gest i v e enzy mes r i ght bef or e eat i ng f i ber can cut
dow n on t he f or mat i on of gas.
In her book, The Complet e Fiber Fact Book, Ri t a
El ki ns li st s some si mple w ay s t o incr ease f iber
i nt ake:
Take a good f iber suppl ement ev er y mor ni ng
w it h br eakf ast or 3 0 mi nut es bef or e any meal .
Gr ab a handf ul of oat cer eal w hen y ou need t o
snack.
Add br an, mi ll et , bar ley et c. t o y our meat l oav es, cas- ser ol es, pancakes, cake and cooki e
bat t er s, st uf f i ngs, and compot es.
Use cr unchy gr anola cer eals or bar ley nut s as a
t oppi ng f or ice cr eam, y ogur t , baked pot at oes,
f i sh, salads, et c. Adding w hol e w heat t hat has
been soaked t o salads i s del i cious. A lw ay s add
seeds or f r esh r aw f r ui t t o make y ogur t mor e
f i ber accept able, and onl y buy act iv e cul t ur e
y ogur t s.
Eat f r esh, r aw f r ui t and v eget ables w i t h t hei r
peel i ngs w henev er possi bl e.
Reach f or pr unes, dat es, or f igs w hen y ou need
t o appease y our sw eet t oot h i nst ead of cooki es,
candi es or j ui ce.
Look f or f iber - r i ch f oods of f er ed i n salad bar s
and add t hem l i ber al ly ( br occol i , car r ot s, r ed
beans, gar banzo beans, sunf low er seeds, et c.)
Get i n t he habi t of spr out i ng y our ow n l egumes.
Peas, l ent i ls, mung beans, gar banzo beans,
l ent il s, soy beans and w heat can al l be spr out ed
and make deli ci ous addi t ions t o t ossed gr een sal ads.
Buy canned, pr ecooked beans of al l ki nds and add
t hem t o sal ads, soups, casser ol es and st ew s.
Keep a good suppl y of gr ains on hand t hat y ou
can add t o any r eci pe t o make it mor e f i ber y .
Good gr ai ns ar e mil l et , bar l ey , br ow n r i ce,
w hol e oat s and w hol e w heat .

Faulty Fiber Sources

Sev er al misconcept i ons ex ist about cer t ai n f oods
t hat ar e t hought t o be hi gh in f i ber . One of t he most
common i s t hat i f y ou eat a lot of let t uce sal ads,
y ou r e get t i ng pl ent y of f i ber . Let t uce, t omat oes and
ev en cel er y ar e not good f iber sour ces. They ar e, i n
f act , much low er i n f i ber t han l egumes and w hol e
gr ai ns. So w hil e t hese v eggies pr ov ide some f i ber ,
by t hemsel v es t hey ar e an i nsuf f i ci ent sour ce.
A not her mi sconcept i on is t hat a f ood is hi gh i n
f i ber j ust because t he l abel say s w heat , w heat ber 19

20

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

r y , mul t i gr ai n, nat ur al , f or t if i ed, et c. None of t hese

t er ms means t he w hol e gr ai n has been used. In f act ,
many pr oduct s labeled w it h such t er ms ar e most l y
compr i sed of w hi t e f l our . Ev en t he t er m w hol e
w heat doesn t necessar i l y mean t hat al l of t he
f l our used has been mi ll ed f r om t he w hol e gr ain.
Car amel color i ng i s f r equent l y added t o f ood pr oduct s t o make t hem appear mor e nat ur al .
Wat ch out f or hi gh- f at baked goods t hat ar e di sgui sed as f iber r ich f oods. Oat - br an doughnut s,
cookies or ev en t or t i ll a chi ps ar e commonl y hi gh i n
f at and sugar and not or iously l ow i n oat br an. A New
Yor k Ti mes sur v ey show ed t hat some so- cal l ed oat
br an muf f i ns cont ai n so l it t l e oat br an t hey ar e v i r t ual l y usel ess as a sour ce of f i ber . Al so, a si ngl e
br an muf f i n can cont ai n as much f at as t hr ee lunchsi ze bags of pot at o chi ps. J ust because i t has br an i n
i t doesn t necessar i ly make i t good f or y ou.

FiberElimination and Disease

We v e alr eady di scussed t he t y pes of di seases
w hich seem t o specif icall y t ar get w est er n cult ur es.
Hi gh- f at , high- pr ot ein, l ow - f iber diet s ex act a dev ast at ing t oll on our healt h and w ill cause t housands of
pr emat ur e deat hs and an enor mous amount of phy si cal i nf ir mit y . Dr . A r but hnot Lane ser v ed as sur geon
t o t he King of England in t he ear ly 1 9 0 0 s and spent
sev er al y ear s speci al izing i n bow el pr oblems. He
not iced t hat af t er he r emov ed diseased sect ions of
t he bow el , his pat ient s w er e r emar kabl y and unex pect edl y cur ed of complet ely unr elat ed diseases such
as ar t hr it is and goit er . Fr om such obser v at ions he
concluded t hat t her e is a causal r elat ionship bet w een
a t ox ic col on and ot her or gans of t he body . His adv ice
w as t o car e f or t he bow el t hr ough good nut r it i on. Dr .
Lane s w or k is r ecei v ing v ali dat ion as sci ent ist s
t oday ar e begi nni ng t o under st and and accept t hat t he
condit ion of t he col on i s i nt r insi cal ly r elat ed t o all
body sy st ems and can pot ent ial ly af f ect numer ous
chr oni c diseases, i ncluding cancer . Zolt on P. Rona,
M.D., MSc., has st at ed:
. . . many degener at iv e di seases ar e br ought about
by t ox ins gener at ed i n t he lar ge bow el. Bact er ial f lor a
imbalance, put r ef act i on of undi gest ed f oods, par asi t i c and y east i nf ect i ons may be at t he bot t om of
many diseases.
Bur kit t and Tr ow ell, t w o doct or s f amous f or t hei r
w or k on t he healt h i mpli cat i ons of f iber , ex pr ess t he
simple i mpor t ance of f iber in t he f ol low ing hy pot hesis: A diet r i ch i n f oods w hich cont ain f iber or plant
cell w al ls ( legumes, w hol e gr ai ns, f r uit s and v eget ables) can pr ot ect t he human body against a w ide v ar i et y of ser ious diseases w hich hav e specif icall y
at t acked w est er n cul t ur es. A diet l ow in f i ber or
plant cell w al ls can cause t he incidence of t hese
w est er n di seases.

Autointoxication
Int est inal t ox emi a or aut oint ox icat ion i s l i nked t o
w hat y ou eat because w hat y ou eat det er mi nes t he
ki nd of bact er i a t hat w i ll inhabi t y our bow el . For
ex ampl e, if y ou eat a l ot of compl ex car bohy dr at es,
w hi ch ar e usual l y f iber - r ich, and li t t le pr ot ein, y our
i nt est inal f l or a w i l l pr i mar i ly consist of bact er i a
desi gned t o met aboli ze car bohy dr at es. On t he ot her
hand, i f y our di et is hi gh i n pr ot ei n and low i n compl ex car bohy dr at es, bow el bact er i a w i ll be of t he
pr ot eol y t i c t y pe t hat br eaks dow n and decomposes
pr ot ei n. Thi s t y pe of bact er ia r eleases har mf ul
gases and t ox ins t hat of t en r emai n i n t he col on and
f i nd t heir w ay back ont o t he body . Unheal t hy i nt est i nal f lor a al so cr eat e adv er se chemi cal r eact ions
w hi ch can r esult i n t he pr oduct ion of pow er f ul t ox i ns.
Eat i ng r ef ined f oods, a l ot of meat and l i t t le f iber
causes delay ed eli mi nat ion. Consequent l y , poisons,
such as phenol s, f or m i n t he colon. Some heal t h
ex per t s bel iev e t hat t he pr esence of phenol i n t he
body can be li nked t o a w hole host of di seases r angi ng f r om al l er gi es t o ar t hr it i s t o cancer , back pai n
and ev en ment al i ll ness. The unex pl ai ned i ncidence of
aut oi mmune di seases l i ke lupus may be l i nked t o t hi s
phenomenon.
Boost ing y our f i ber i nt ake w hil e r educi ng animal
pr ot ei n and f at s can decr ease t he amount of pr ot eol y t i c bact er i a i n t he col on w hi ch cont r i but e t o t he
put r ef act i on of f ood w ast e. A ny f ood mat er ial w hi ch
ent er s t he colon i s subj ect t o br eakdow n by t he bact er i al f lor a of t he col on. Di et ar y f i ber r eaches t he
col on i nt act and pr ov i des a maj or sour ce of ener gy
f or i nt est inal bact er ia. In addi t i on, st udi es hav e
show n t hat in as l it t l e as t w o w eeks, i nt est i nal
micr o f l or a can be al t er ed by i ncr easi ng y our int ake
of di et ar y f i ber . Because di et ar y f i ber af f ect s sev er al v it al met aboli c pr ocesses, eat i ng enough of i t i s
cr uci al t o mai nt ai ni ng good heal t h and pr ev ent i ng
di sease. Di seases w hi ch ar e speci f ical l y impact ed by
t he consumpt i on of di et ar y f i ber i ncl ude

Fiber: The Single Best Nutrient to Prevent

20

appendi ci t is
br east cancer
col it i s
col on and col or ect al cancer
const i pat i on
cor onar y hear t di sease/ chol est er ol
Cr ohn s disease
dent al car r i es
di v er t i cul ar disease
duodenal ul cer s
gal lst ones
hemor r hoi ds
hi at al her nia
hy per t ension
ir r it abl e bow el sy ndr ome
ki dney st ones
obesi t y
per i odont al di sease

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e

per ni ci ous anemi a

pr ost at e cancer
r heumat oi d ar t hr i t i s
v ar i cose v ei ns

Whi le t hese diseases ar e cer t ainl y ser i ous enough,

a l ack of f i ber has al so been li nked w i t h gout ,
aut oi mmune disor der s, mul t i ple scl er osi s and v ar i ous skin disor der s.

AUTOINTOXICATION: FACT OR FICTION?

This sect i on addr esses t he r ol e of pat hogeni c bact er i a i n t he col on. Most of us ar e aw ar e t hat mai nt ai ni ng heal t hy i nt est i nal f l or a ( bact er i a) i s
abs ol ut el y essent i al f or heal t h pr eser v at i on.
Unf or t unat el y , i f our diet s ar e poor and w e suf f er
f r om a sluggish col on, har mf ul bact er ia f lour ish and
cont r ibut e t o put r ef act i on and t ox i ci t y . Today , t o
make mat t er s w or se, w e r ar el y r epl eni sh f r i endl y
f l or a by eat i ng good sour ces of aci dophil us ( l i v e bact er i a) . Mor eov er , w e r out inel y kil l our ow n f r i endl y
bact er ia by usi ng ant i bi ot ics, ot her dr ugs, al cohol ,
et c. What w e end up cr eat i ng is t he per f ect habi t at
f or pat hogeni c bact er ia t o f l our i sh. Consequent l y ,
our col on becomes not hing mor e t han a t ox i c w ast e
dump.
One of t he best w ay s t o keep y our col on heal t hy i s
t o eat a hi gh- f iber di et . Unf or t unat el y , di et s hi gh i n
f i ber f aded aw ay w it h t he adv ent of new and
i mpr ov ed f oods: r ef i ned, ar t i f ici al ly sy nt hesi zed,
sof t , w hi t e and w it hout char act er . In ot her w or ds,
t he f iber f ami ne w e ar e ex per i enci ng now i s a r esul t
of decades of consumi ng r ice t hat has had it s br ow n
f i br ous coat r emov ed, f lour t hat has been bleached
and i t s br an r emov ed, and t he ex change of f iber y
l egumes l ike beans and l ent i ls f or gr easy hambur ger s and f r ies.

ing t w o t ablespoons of liquid chlor ophy ll, or ingest ing

char coal t ablet s w hich can be pur chased at y our phar macy . Recor d w hen y ou at e t he beet s or t ook t he
t ablet s and w at ch f or eit her t he pur ple or t he black t o
show up af t er a bow el mov ement . Ideally , t he t r ip
should t ake less t han 36 hour s. If it t akes longer , look
at y our diet and beef up on f iber . Incr easing t he f iber
cont ent of y our diet is t he one most impor t ant t hing
y ou can do t o decr ease y our t r ansit t ime. In Eat ing
Right f or a Bad Gut , Dr . J ames Scala w r it es, Adding
guar gum t o f ood incr eased t he t r ansit t ime by 75 minut es, pect in by 15 minut es, and cellulose had no ef f ect .
This t ells us t hat t he lar gest amount of t ime t hat f ood
spends in our body is it s r esidence in t he lar ge int est ine. But it also t ells us t hat passage t hr ough t he small
int est ine is inf luenced by f iber .

Summary
1 . The l onger w ast e mat er i al st ay s t r apped i n t he
col on, t he mor e t he r isk of pot ent ial l y har mf ul si t uat i ons i ncr eases. When put r ef act ion occur s, t ox i c
compounds ar e cr eat ed. They of t en f i nd t hei r w ay
back int o t he bloodst r eam and t he l iv er has t o f i l t er
t hem out agai n. Thi s pr ocess i s r ef er r ed t o as
aut oi nt ox i cat i on by some heal t h car e pr act i t i oner s.
Some of t he t ox ic compounds i nclude

What is Transit Time?

Tr ansit t i me simpl y r ef er s t o how long i t t akes
f ood t o t r av el f r om y our mout h t o y our st omach t o
y our smal l i nt est i ne t o y our col on. West er n nat i ons
t hat eat di et s l ow i n f i ber hav e longer t r ansit t i mes
t han t hi r d w or l d count r i es. It i s commonplace f or an
A mer ican t o hav e a t r ansit t i me of t hr ee day s t o t w o
w eeks ( i n cases of sev er e const ipat i on) w hi le i n cul t ur es w her e w hole gr ains, f r ui t s and pl ant s ar e r out i nel y consumed, 8 t o 3 5 hour s i s t he usual t r ansi t
t i me.
Nor mall y , adul t s w ho eat f r om 3 5 t o 4 5 gr ams of
f i ber ev er y day hav e an av er age t r ansi t t i me of
appr ox i mat ely 3 6 t o 4 8 hour s. Tr ansi t t i me can
v ar y f r om per son t o per son and can be 2 4 per cent
sl ow er f or w omen t han f or men. Changes i n t r ansi t
t i me f r om one day t o t he nex t ar e also common, but
i t i s not nor mal t o hav e t hr ee bow el mov ement s a
day and t hen go w i t hout one f or a w eek.
You can t est y our t r ansit t ime by eat ing beet s, t ak-

21

bi le sal t s
v ol at i le f at t y aci ds
heav y met als
pi gment s and pr eser v at iv es
phenol
cadav er ine
but y r i c aci d
bot ul in
put r esci ne
ammonia
cr eosol
sepsi n

2 . Long t r ansi t t imes ar e usuall y associat ed w i t h

poor l y f or med st ool t hat l acks w at er . Peopl e w ho
hav e t o st r ai n t o hav e a bow el mov ement put addi t i onal pr essur e on t he i nt est ines and may be pr one t o
dev eloping hemor r hoi ds and di v er t i cul a.
3 . Long t r ansi t t i mes can r esul t in chr oni c i nt est i nal gas and ev en i n diar r hea, w hi ch can act uall y be a
f or m of const i pat i on.

COLON CLEANSING
A s I hav e st udied acupunct ur e and it s phil osophy ,
t he not i on of cl eansi ng t he bow el began t o make a l ot
of sense t o me. I hav e seen some impr essiv e r esul t s
f r om bow el cl eansi ng One of my pat i ent s, a 5 4 y ear - ol d w oman, came t o see me f or f at igue. She
had a high chol est er ol count i n t he 3 5 0 r ange and her
t r i gly cer i de l ev el w as appr ox imat el y 1 2 0 0 . She w as
al so chr onicall y t ir ed due t o a met abol i c der ange21

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

22

ment t hat st r essed her li v er and di gest i v e sy st em.

Under my di r ect i on she w ent t hr ough a bow el cleanse
al ong w it h an her bal and supplement r egi men. At t he
end of t he cl eanse, her cholest er ol and t r i gly cer i de
l ev el s had f al l en consi der abl y and she w as amazed
t hat she had r egai ned about 9 0 per cent of her ener gy .
Now , t hi s doesn t mean t hat al l people w i t h chr oni c f at i gue sy ndr ome w il l be cur ed by cl eansi ng t hei r
bow el s, but i t does mean t hat w e could benef it f r om
a bow el cl eanse at least y ear ly , i f not t w i ce a y ear .
Colon cl eansi ng i s an of t en ov er looked t her apy w hen
designi ng a t r eat ment pr ogr am f or di sease. When
y ou f ol l ow a colon cl eansi ng r egi men based on a speci f i c her bal blend, y ou w il l not ice i ncr eased ur i ne
pr oduct ion, mor e bow el mov ement s and, f or some
people, an enhanced f eel i ng of w ell - bei ng. Cl eansi ng
y our col on can impr ov e ov er all phy siologi c f unct i on.
Her bs desi gned t o augment l iv er f unct i on shoul d be
added t o y our cl eansi ng blend i n combi nat i on w i t h
bl ood pur if i er s. When t he bow el i s f unct i oni ng w ell ,
al l ot her or gans benef i t . The i nt est i nes mor e ef f i ci ent l y absor b nut r ient s, t he l i v er det ox i f ies t he
bl ood and our def ense mechani sm f unct ions mor e
ef f ect i v el y .

Colon Cleanse Herbal Formula

Gener al ly speaki ng a good col on cl eanse combi nat i on w il l i nclude her bs t o st imul at e col on muscl es,
her bs t o pr ev ent gas and cr amping, bl ood pur i f y i ng
bot anical s and a f i ber sour ce. NOTE: Cascar a sagr ada
should be t he pr i mar y her bal const i t uent of bl ends
designed t o pr omot e el i minat i on. A t y pi cal col on
cl eansi ng f or mula can i ncl ude a combinat ion of some
of t he f ol l ow i ng her bs:

aci dophi l us
al oe v er a
bl ack w al nut
buckt hor n
bur dock
but t er nut
capsi cum
cascar a sagr ada
f ennel
gar l i c
gi nger
Ir ish moss
pepper mi nt
psy l l ium hull s
pumpki n seeds
r ed cl ov er
senna
sl ipper y el m

The pur pose of bl ends t hat use t he her bs li st ed i s

t o pr ov i de nut r i t i v e suppor t w hi l e st i mul at i ng
i nt est i nal cl eansi ng and det ox i f icat i on. Ridding t he
i nt est i nes of par asi t es, cl eansi ng t he bl ood and
22

st r engt hening t he l i v er and gal l bladder ar e al so

i nv ol v ed i n opt imal col on cleansi ng. Fr equent l y ,
seemi ngl y unr el at ed heal t h pr obl ems can be t r aced
t o a sluggish or congest ed colon. Har bor ing t ox i c
w ast e i n t he l ar ge i nt est i ne can pose a si gni f i cant
heal t h r i sk. Car ci nogens, alt er ed hor mones and ot her
poi sonous chemical compounds can be r eabsor bed
i nt o t he body i f not el i mi nat ed pr oper ly . In addi t i on,
di sor der s l i ke chr oni c const ipat ion at t est t o poor
di et ar y habit s and a lack of colonic healt h. These
her bs pr ov i de t he opt i mal blend f or colon f unct i on
w hi ch w i l l, i nev it abl y , i mpr ov e ov er al l healt h.
Most her bal blends ar e compr ised of w hat mi ght
be cal l ed domi nant , mor e act i v e pl ant s t hat ar e usual ly r esponsi bl e f or pr i mar y t her apeut i c act i ons.
These ar e combined w it h mor e passiv e her bs t hat
ser v e t o soot he, suppor t and pot ent iat e. St i mulat or y
her bs ar e usual l y of t he bi t t er v ar i et y and ar e v er y
ni cel y compl ement ed by ar omat i c, car mi nat i v e and
demul cent her bs. For ex ampl e, senna i s a st i mul at or y her b w hi ch ini t i at es colon muscl e cont r act i on.
A dding gi nger , a car minat iv e, t o senna soot hes t he
st omach and pr ev ent s gr i ppi ng w hi ch may occur i f
senna w as t aken alone. The addit i on of capsi cum t o
any her b f or mul a act s as a cat al y st , i ncr easi ng t he
ef f i ciency of each i ndi v i dual her b.
A col on cl eanse usual ly st ar t s w i t h a f ast t hat i s
f ol low ed by a j uice di et and her bal supplement at i on.
Eat i ng
onl y
r aw f oods f or a shor t per i od of t i me i s al so r ecommended, combi ned w i t h as many gl asses of pur e
w at er as y ou can sust ain. Dr inking hot w at er w i t h
f r esh squeezed l emon j ui ce upon ar i sing is r ecommended f or st i mul at ing t he l i v er . Cer t ai n t ea f or mul at ions can be used i nst ead of capsuli zed her bs t o
st i mulat e coloni c muscl e and ini t i at e bow el empt y i ng. If y ou f eel nauseat ed use gi nger supplement s and
cl ear soups.

FASTING
Fast i ng may seem li ke a r at her dr ast i c measur e t o
t ake t o hel p t he body r id it sel f of t ox i c subst ances,
y et it is consi der ed a saf e and v er y ef f ect iv e
met hod. The idea of f ast i ng i s based on t he bel i ef t hat
abst ai ni ng f r om f ood af f or ds t he body a chance t o
r est f r om t he w or k of di gest ion, assi mil at i on and
el imi nat i on. Inst ead of hav i ng t o spend ener gy on
t hese pr ocesses, t he body can concent r at e on f lushi ng out t ox i ns and ot her har mf ul subst ances t hat
accumul at e ov er t ime. It i s al w ay s a good idea t o
make y our doct or or ot her heal t h car e pr of essi onal
aw ar e t hat y ou ar e f ast i ng. If y ou hav e any kind of a
ser i ous condi t i on, such as di abet es, hy pogl y cemi a,
or i f y ou t ake any medicat i on, make sur e t o check
w it h y our phy sici an bef or e y ou begi n a f ast .
A dv ocat es of f ast ing suggest t hat w e make i t a
r egul ar mont hl y ev ent and usual ly suggest a f ast of
one t o t hr ee day s. Al so, i f y ou f eel y our sel f becomi ng i ll , it helps t o st op eat ing soli d f ood. When y ou

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
f ast , r emember t hat suppl ement at i on and t he use of
good, nut r i t ious f ood af t er t he f ast is compl et ed w i ll
ex t end it s t her apeut i c benef i t s.
Ther e ar e sev er al di f f er ent t y pes of f ast s. J ui ce
f ast s consi st of eat i ng not hi ng but f r eshly squeezed
or ex t r act ed f r uit and v eget abl e j ui ces. Gr een dr i nk
f ast s ut il i ze spir uli na, chlor ophy l l and ot her gr een
f ood suppl ement s. Dr i nk only pur e w at er or di l ut ed
j ui ces w i t h no added sw eet ener s. St ay aw ay f r om
ci t r us j uices. Cabbage, beet , car r ot , cel er y , gr ape,
and appl e j uice ar e r ecommended. Raw cabbage j ui ce
i s good f or ul cer s, cancer , and col on pr oblems.
Using her b t eas w hi l e f ast i ng can al so be ef f ect i v e. Pau d ar co and echinacea her b t eas hel p t o
boost i mmuni t y . Dandel ion, r ed cl ov er , al f alf a, and
chamomi l e t eas det ox i f y t he bl ood and set t l e t he
st omach.
Veget abl e
br ot hs
ar e
al so good. Liquid mi ner al suppl ement s or gar li c
e
x
t
r
a
c
t
s
can also pr omot e heal i ng. Cont i nue t o t ake y our v i t ami n and mi ner al supplement s w hi l e f ast i ng. Don t
chew gum. It w i ll onl y ser v e t o st imul at e gast r i c
j ui ces, maki ng t he f ast uncomf or t abl e.

FOOD ALLERGIES
What i s a f ood al ler gy ex act ly ? Food al l er gi es or
sensit i v i t ies do not t r igger t he same kind of sy mpt oms w e nor mally associ at e w i t h all er gi es such as
sneezing, w heezi ng, hi v es, r unny nose, et c. A f ood
al l er gy is based on some t y pe of i mmune mal f unct i on, w hi ch has i t s or igi ns i n t he di gest i v e sy st em.

23

Because of t hi s r eason, some scient i st s ar e slow t o

r ecognize t he r eal i t y of f ood al l er gi es nev er t hel ess,
t hei r f ar r eachi ng sy mpt oms and v er y mar ked
ef f ect s on cer t ai n suscept i bl e people cannot be
i gnor ed. What w e eat can and does af f ect how w e
f eel , bot h phy si cal l y and emot i onal ly .
A gr eat number of heal t h car e ex per t s suppor t t he
not i on t hat f ood all er gi es can cause hy per ki net i c
behav ior i n chi ldr en. For t his r eason hy per act iv e childr en or t hose di agnosed w i t h A t t ent i on Def i ci t
Di sor der (A DD) ar e immedi at ely t aken of f of sugar ,
w heat and chemi cal addit i v es. Whi l e t he ev i dence i s
not t ot al l y concl usiv e, enough dat a suggest s t hat
hy per act i v i t y i s r el at ed t o f ood choices. In ot her
w or ds, cer t ai n f oods i ni t iat e a cascade ef f ect in suscept i bl e indi v i dual s causi ng a dr amat i c change i n
mood and behav i or .
Elisa Lot t er , Ph.D., r elat es t he st or y of Henr y , a
ment al ly dist ur bed sev ent een y ear old w ho had been
on t r anquili zer s, el ect r ic shock t r eat ment s, and psy chot her apy f or sev er al y ear s w i t h no signi f icant
impr ov ement . He w as subsequent ly placed on a st r ict
f ast in w hich he w as giv en only spr ing w at er . Af t er
f our day s he ex per ienced a complet e r ev er sal of
sy mpt oms, unt il t he f if t h day , in w hich he w as giv en
a meal consist ing of only w heat . Wit hin an hour , he
began t o ex per ience negat i v e, par anoid t hought s.
Fur t her t est ing conf ir med t hat w hen cer t ain f oods
w er e w it hheld f r om Henr y , his sy mpt oms disappear ed; w hen t hey w er e added back, he became ment ally dist ur bed once again. Doct or s Philpot t and Kalit a,
in t heir book Br ain All er gi es, discuss t he v er y signif -

examples of f ood addit ives recognized as safe by t he

Cy st ei ne
Di sodi um phosphat e
Magnesi um hy dr ochl or i de
Sodi um hex amet aphosphat e
Ni t r ous ox i de
Ascor bic acid
Inosit ol
Sodi um met aphosphat e
Papai n
Ascor by l pal mi t at e
Ir on, r educed
Sodi um phosphat e
Phosphor ic acid
Benzoi c aci d
Isoleucine
Hi st idi ne
Sodi um pot assi um t ar t r at e
Pot assi um aci dt ar t r at e
But y l at ed hy dr ox y anisole
Leuci ne
Sodi um py r ophosphat e
Pot assi um bi car bonat e

But y l at ed hy dr ox y t ol uene
Linolei c aci d
Sodi um
py r ophosphat e,
t et r a
Met hy lpar aben
Manganese
gl y c er ophosphat e
Acaci a ( gum ar abi c)
Sodi um acet at e
Pot assi um bi sulf i t e
Manganese hy pophosphit e
Agar - agar
Sodi um aci d py r ophosphat e
Pot assi um met abisulf i t e
Manganese sul f at e
Ammoni um algi nat e
Sodi um alumi num phosphat e
Pot assi um sor bat e
Manganous ox ide
Cal cium al gi nat e
Sodi um bicar bonat e
Pr opi oni c aci d

Mannit ol
Car ob bean gum
Sodi um car bonat e
Pr opy l gal l at e
Met hi oni ne
Chondr us ex t r act
Sodi um cit r at e
Pr opy lpar aben
Sodi um ascor bat e
Ni acin
Guar gum
Met hy lcell ul ose
Sodi um benzoat e
Gl y cochol i c aci d
Tocopher ols
Mono and di gly cer i des
Tocopher ol acet at e
Bent oni t e
Aconi t i c aci d
But ane
Anet hol e
Ty r osine

From G.O. Kermode, Food Addit ives in Human Nut rit ion: Readings from Scient ific American, W.H. Freeman and Co., San Francisco, 1 9 7 8 .

23

24

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

icant ment al impact t hat dair y pr oduct s and cer eal

gr ains hav e in some schizophr enics. The implicat ion is
t hat hidden f ood sensit iv it ies and int oler ances may be
r esponsi ble f or a number of emot ional di sor der s in
cer t ain suscept ible people.
The v er y nat ur e of w hat w e eat is of t en unknow n
t o us. In ot her w or ds, w e open micr ow av eable dinner s, br ight ly color ed box es, and gl adl y ingest a
number of my st er y i ngr edi ent s and chemi cal s.
Mar shall Mandell, M.D., has w r i t t en t w o books and
numer ous sci ent i f i c paper s on t he subj ect of f ood
i nt oler ance. He say s, Cont empor ar y mass- pr oduct ion st r ips f ood of many v al uabl e nut r i ent s t hat ,
w er e t hey lef t int act , w oul d pr ov i de pr ot ect iv e benef it s. When humans t amper w it h nat ur al f ood subst ances t hey can become cont ami nant s r at her t han
nut r i ent s t o t he body . Such cont ami nant s can t r igger
a change in mood or ot her phy si ol ogical r esponse.
Dur ing an all er gi c r eact i on, f or ex ample, t he body
l eaks hist amine f r om t he capil lar ies, w hi ch can cause
edema or sw el ling ar ound t hem. Dr . Mandell bel iev es
t hat t he same r eact ion can t ake place i n br ain cell s
w hen y ou eat a culpr it f ood, causi ng a disr upt i on i n
br ain chemist r y . In addit ion, i n t he same w ay t hat
muscl e spasms cause t he br onchiol e t ubes t o const r ict dur ing an all er gi c ast hma at t ack, Dr . Mandell
pr oposes t hat si mi lar spasms i n t he small ar t er ies of
t he br ain can r educe t he f l ow of glucose, ox y gen and
ot her nut r ient s t o br ain t i ssue. Bot h of t hese scenar i os w ould nat ur ally pr eci pit at e a change i n behav ior
or mood.
Regar dless of t he mechanisms, sensit iv it ies t o cer t ain f oods can make us f eel ment ally and phy sically
depr essed. This is t he r eason some people f eel unusually good w hen t hey f ast . Food sensit iv it ies hav e been
linked t o aut oimmune diseases, inf lammat or y bow el
diseases, and a number of ment al disor der s.

Symptoms of Food Sensitivities

Mul t i pl e sy mpt oms ar e t y pi cal of f ood i nt ol er ances and shoul d be w at ched f or . In her book,
Depr essi on and Nat ur al Medi ci ne, Ri t a El ki ns t al ks
about gol f er Bi l l y Casper , w ho compl ai ned f or y ear s
of w ei ght gai n, st omach al i ment s, si nus congest i on,
backaches, headaches and bad t emper . A ppar ent l y ,
af t er some i nv est i gat i on and t est i ng, he w as f ound
t o be sensi t i v e t o beet sugar , l amb, appl es, por k,
eggs, ci t r us f r ui t , w heat and any f r ui t s or v eget ables f er t i l i zed w i t h nit r at es or spr ay ed w i t h chemi cal s. Bi l l y Casper changed hi s l i f est y l e and di et ,
and as a r esul t , hi s heal t h and moods si gnif i cant l y
i mpr ov ed. The most common sy mpt oms of a f ood
all er gy i n adul t s ar e depr essi on, headaches and
f at i gue. Mood changes can r ange f r om mi l d f or ms of
anx iet y t o f eel i ng ser i ousl y depr essed. Mani c out bur st s of uncont r ol l abl e anger ar e also possi bl e. The
r el at i onshi p bet w een f ood al l er gi es and ev en schi zophr eni a has been pr oposed.
Tw o t y pes of r eact ions can occur i f y ou eat some24

t hi ng y ou ar e sensi t i v e t o. One, t her e can be an

i mmedi at e r eact ion char act er ized by sy mpt oms t hat
qui ckl y occur and ar e easy t o r ecogni ze. If y ou eat
shr i mp and br eak out i n hi v es or dev elop an unusual
headache, y ou know t he shr imp is pr obably r esponsi bl e. It s t he second t y pe of r eact i on t o a f ood t hat
i s mor e di f f icul t t o i dent i f y because it may not occur
f or a day or t w o. If y ou eat a lar ge meal and v ar ious
f oods on Sunday , y ou may f eel ov er ly f at igued,
l et har gi c and depr essed on Tuesday . In such a case,
connect ing y our sy mpt oms t o a meal y ou at e t w o
day s ago i s unli kel y .
Sev er al medical j our nals in t he 1 9 8 0 s published
ar t icl es pr oposing t hat delay ed f ood aller gies cause
near l y all cases of migr aine headaches. In addit ion,
r epor t s in t he J our nal of Ar t hr it is and Rheumat ism
di scl osed t hat many cases of r heumat oi d and
ost eoar t hr it is clear ed up w hen cer t ain of f endi ng f oods
w er e r emov ed f r om t he diet . In f act , w hen some t est
gr oups f ast ed, t heir ar t hr it ic sy mpt oms all but disappear ed. What t his suggest s is t hat a maj or malf unct ion
causes f ood par t i cles t o t r igger a ser ies of biochemical ev ent s, causing t hem t o act as inf lammat or y
agent s and af f ect ing j oint s, cr eat i ng w hat appear s t o
be ar t hr it is. For t his r eason, per haps calling t his phenomenon a f ood aller gy is not t ot ally accur at e because
t he same kind of immune pr ocesses t hat occur w it h a
t y pical al ler gy ar e not f ound in t hese sit uat i ons.

Foods Commonly Associated with Allergic Reactions

The f oll ow i ng f oods ar e commonly associ at ed w i t h
al ler gic r eact ions:
al l dai r y pr oduct s
w heat pr oduct s
y east
cor n and cor n by - pr oduct s ( cor n sy r up, sw eet ener s, oi l , et c.)
chocol at e
shel lf i sh
eggs
nut s
ber r y f r uit s or f r ui t peel i ngs
f ood addi t iv es and pr eser v at i v es

Sulfite Food Allergies

Many of t he f oods w e buy cont ai n sulf i des, addi t i v es desi gned t o pr eser v e and pr ev ent di scol or at i on. Sul f ides ar e t y pical l y added t o dehy dr at ed
f oods, some canned f oods such as t una, and some
f r ozen f oods. Any one w ho suf f er s f r om unex pl ained
al ler gic sy mpt oms may be sul f i t e- sensi t iv e. Sulf i t e
al ler gies can cr eat e a w i de v ar i et y of r eact i ons i n
cer t ai n indiv iduals. The most common sy mpt oms of
sul f it e sensit i v i t y include di zzi ness, hot f lashes,
r unny nose, headaches, st omach cr amps, and i r r i t abi li t y . The sy mpt oms of a sul f i t e r eact i on usual ly

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
occur soon af t er consumpt ion. If y ou ex per i ence any
of t hese or ot her sy mpt oms, check f or sul f it e cont ent . If y ou suf f er f r om sev er e al ler gic r eact ions or
ast hma, sulf i t es can pose a signi f i cant r i sk t o y our
healt h and may cause y ou t o go int o labor ed br eat hi ng or ev en anaphy lact i c shock.
Foods t hat commonl y cont ai n sulf i t es i ncl ude
canned sea f ood, dr i ed f i sh, f r esh shel l f ish, shr imp,
scall ops, oy st er s, and l obst er . Sul f i t es can be l i st ed
on a pr oduct label as pot assium bi sul f it e, sodium sul f i t e, sodi um bisulf i t e, sul f ur di ox i de, or any ingr edi ent t hat ends i n sulf i t e. Make sur e t o get i nt o
t he habit of checking i ngr edient l abel s. Ask y our
phar macist about t hi s home t est ki t . For mor e inf or mat i on w r i t e t o: Sulf it est Cent er Labor at or i es, 3 5
Channel Dr iv e, Por t Washingt on, NY 1 1 0 5 0, or call
( 80 0 ) 6 4 5- 6 3 35 .

What To Do if You Suspect a Food Allergy

One of t he easi est w ay s t o det er mi ne if y ou ar e
suf f er i ng f r om a f ood al ler gy is t o keep t r ack of y our
pul se r at e af t er eat ing. Sit quiet l y and count t he
number of beat s t hat occur i n a mi nut e. A nor mal
pul se r anges bet w een 5 0 t o 7 0 beat s per mi nut e.
A f t er y ou hav e r ecor ded y our pulse, eat t he f ood i n
quest ion. Wai t 2 0 mi nut es and t hen t ake y our pul se.
If y ou f i nd t hat y our pul se r at e has incr eased w it hi n
1 0 beat s, omi t t he f ood f r om y our di et f or a t i me and
l at er t r y t he t est agai n. Keep t he f oods t hat y ou t est
i n t hei r pur est and most si mpl e f or m.
Keepi ng a f ood j our nal i n w hich y ou li st ev er y t hi ng
y ou eat and how y our f eel af t er w ar ds i s al so r eco
m
m
e
n
d
e
d
.
This r ecor d enabl es y ou t o el i mi nat e indiv idual f oods
f or cer t ain t i me per i ods and assess y our sy mpt oms.
It is somew hat t i me consumi ng, but i t can hel p t o
pi npoi nt cul pr i t f oods. Remember t hat w hat y ou eat
on t he w eekend can det er mine how y ou f eel Monday
mor ni ng. You can also pur chase speci al t est i ng st r i ps
t o hel p det er mi ne t he pr esence of sul f it es.

How to Determine If You are Food Sensitive

Discov er i ng i f f oods ar e causing al ler gi es i s
r at her t r icky . Ty pical l y , w e cont i nue eat ing f oods
w hi ch i ni t iat e sensi t iv it y r eact i ons i n our bodi es,
cr eat ing a v icious cy cl e of sy mpt oms w e can t t r ace
t o one sour ce or t i me. For t hi s r eason, goi ng on an
el i mi nat i on di et i s pr obabl y t he most ef f ect iv e w ay
t o pi npoi nt t hose f oods w hi ch cause adv er se
r esponses. It s a si mpl e pr emise: When y ou st op eat i ng cer t ain f oods, y ou w i ll f eel mar kedly bet t er .
Gener ally speaki ng, each f ood y ou eliminat e shoul d
not be eat en f or at l east a w eek t o make sur e t hat no
t r ace of t hat f ood r emai ns i n t he body . Eliminat ing
f oods f or t w o t o six w eeks is ev en bet t er .
Whi le el imi nat i on i s f ar f r om an ex act sci ence, i t
w i ll be up t o y ou t o make a l ist of f oods t hat y ou
t hi nk ar e li kel y t o be a pr oblem. You can begi n r at her

25

sl ow ly by el i mi nat i ng al l f ish, nut s, w hit e br ead,

w hi t e sugar and ci t r us f r uit s and going on a diet of
j ust chi cken and r ice t o assess y our phy siol ogi cal
r esponse. A bet t er appr oach w oul d be t o ex clude
f oods t hat y ou eat t he most of t en. What is chal lengi ng about t hi s t y pe of t est i s t o eat onl y f ood i t ems
w it h no hi dden i ngr edi ent s. Dr ugs, suppl ement s,
et c., may al so cont r i but e t o all er gi c r eact i ons and
must be t aken int o consi der at i on. J ust be sur e t o
nev er di scont i nue a medicat ion w i t hout y our doct or s appr ov al .
Whi le y ou w ant t o be aw ar e of y our body and any
changes, keep in mi nd t hat peopl e w ho t r y an el imi nat i on di et w il l of t en go t hr ough an adj ust ment per i od w hen t hey act ual l y become w or se. Thi s usual ly
happens w i t hi n a day of beginning t he pr ogr am. Some
peopl e f eel dow nr ight si ck. What t his st r ongly suggest s i s t hat t he f oods ex cl uded ar e i ndeed pr obl em
f oods. In t i me, i f y ou don t br eak dow n and eat t he
f oods agai n, y ou w i ll st ar t t o f eel 1 0 0 per cent bet t er . Then y ou w il l be abl e t o slow l y r eint r oduce si ngl e f oods int o y our diet . Wat ch y our sy mpt oms and
don t i nt r oduce f oods t oo quickly . Tr y one ev er y f iv e
day s. Keep a j our nal of w hat y ou eat , w hen y ou eat
i t and how y ou f eel af t er w ar ds. Tr y t o f ind pat t er ns
or consist encies w i t h cer t ai n f oods and subsequent
sy mpt oms ov er t ime.

SOY-BASED FOODS
I of t en t el l my pat i ent s t hat t he consumpt ion of
soy - based f oods such as t of u or soy - based dr inks
can hel p decr ease t he i nci dence of br east and
pr ost at e cancer . Si gni f i cant sci ent i f ic ev i dence suppor t s t hi s par t icular ef f ect . In addit i on, soy - based
f oods al so hel p t o l ow er t ot al chol est er ol lev el s
w hi le r aisi ng good HDL l ev els. The i sof l av ones
f ound i n soy ar e v er y impr essiv e and shoul d be consumed by ev er y w oman. They hav e t he di st i nct abi l i t y t o bl ock t he ef f ect s of bad est r ogen i n br east t i ssue and hav e mult i pl e ant icar ci nogeni c pr oper t ies as
w el l. I w ould adv i se ev er y one t o add t of u t o t hei r
r eci pes. My ex per i ence w i t h t of u has been t hat i t can
be easil y added t o soups, salads, and many cooked
f oods.

FOOD ADDITIVES
Most of us w ould agr ee t hat as a nat i on w e eat an
enor mous amount of pr ocessed and pr eser v ed f oods.
In f act w hat w e r ef er t o as f ood somet i mes const i t ut es a r eal st r et ch of t he i maginat i on. Mi chael
J acobson, i n t he A pr i l 1 9 7 5 edit i on of Smi t hsoni an,
st at ed, The Uni t ed St at es, not sur pr isi ngl y , has
been t he l eader i n t he genet i c engineer ing of f ood
cr ops and i n t he l abor at or y cr eat i on of new f oods.
Benj ami n Fr ankl in and A br aham Li ncol n, i f t hey coul d
v i si t us, w oul d pr obably hav e some di f f icul t y di st i ngui shi ng bet w een a t oy st or e and a super mar ket .
They w oul d not ev en r ecognize as f oods such pr od25

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

26

Our societ y is becoming so

caf f eine dependent t hat psy chiat r ist s hav e coined a new phr ase
f or t heir di agnost i c manual:
caf f eini sm. Our obsessi on
w it h caf f eine consumpt ion has
made it t he most w idely used
dr ug in t he w or ld. It is f ound in a
number of f oods, medicat ions
and bev er ages, and t he av er age
Amer ican consumes 15 0- 22 5

mg of caf f eine each day . And

alar mingly , t he int ake of caf f eine has been posit iv ely cor r el at ed
w it h
t he
degr ee
of ment al illness in psy chiat r ic
pat ient s.
Caf f ei ne
st i mul at es
t he
r elease of nor epinephr ine and
ot her neur ot r ansmit t er s in t he
br ain. This ex - plains t he immediat e lif t y ou ex per ience af t er

uct s as ar t i f i cial w hi pped cr eam i n it s pr essur i zed

can, or some br eakf ast cer eal s t hat ar e al most
hal f sugar and bear li t t le r esembl ance t o cer eal
gr ains. . . . Many of t he new f oods do sav e us t i me
and t r oubl e, but t hey ar e of t en cost ly , i n t er ms of
bot h doll ar s and, ul t i mat ely , healt h.

SUGAR AND ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS

The av er age Amer i can eat s ov er 1 2 5 pounds of
w hi t e sugar ev er y y ear . It has been est i mat ed t hat
sugar makes up 2 5 per cent of our dai l y cal or i c
i nt ake, w i t h soda pop suppl y i ng t he maj or i t y of t hat
i nt ake. Desser t s and sugar - l aden snacks const ant l y
t empt us and our t ast e f or r ich desser t s escalat es as
w e consume mor e and mor e. A mer i cans eat an av er age of 1 5 quar t s of i ce cr eam per per son per y ear .
In ex cess amount s, sugar can be t ox i c. Suf f i ci ent
amount s of B- v it ami ns ar e act ual l y r equir ed t o
met abol i ze and det ox i f y sugar i n our bodies. When
w e ov er load our bodies w i t h sugar , w e can inhibi t
t he assimi l at ion of nut r ient s f r om ot her f oods. In
ot her w or ds, our bodies ar e not designed t o cope
w i t h t he hi gh quant i t y of sugar w e r out i nel y i ngest .
Too much sugar can gener at e a t y pe of nut r ient malnut r i t i on w hi ch, accor di ng t o a number of ex per t s,
can af f ect t he w ay w e behav e and f eel. In addit i on,
t oo much sugar can pr edi spose us t o y east i nf ect i ons, aggr av at e some t y pes of ar t hr i t i s and ast hma, cause t oot h decay , and may elev at e t he lev el of
bl ood l i pids.

Why Do We Crave Sugar?

Consi der i ng how pot ent i al ly damagi ng sugar can
be, w hy do w e eat so much of i t ? Our ex t r aor dinar y
cr av i ng f or sugar st ems f r om a compl ex mi x of
phy si ological and psy chol ogi cal component s. Ev en
t he most br il l iant sci ent i st s f ail t o t ot al l y compr ehend t his i nt r i gui ng chemical dependence w hi ch, f or
t he most par t , hur t s our heal t h. A sw eet t oot h can
26

y ou dr ink a cup of cof f ee.

Consist ent ov er use of caf f eine
r esult s in a lack of t hese same
br ain amines w hich af f ect mood,
not t o ment ion it s adv er se
ef f ect s on v it amin B1 , ir on and
magnesi um absor pt ion. Remember , caf f eine act iv at es t he
sy mpat het ic ner v ous sy st em
and can make us f eel j it t er y ,
anx ious or ev en f ear f ul. Caf f eine

cont r i but e t o PMS, ost eopor osis, cor onar y ar t er y

di sease, di abet es, obesit y and depr ession.
Ir onical ly , most of our chi ldr en don t t hink of sugar y f oods as special t r eat s any mor e. For some, t hey
ar e a di et ar y st aple. Tw ent y y ear s ago, candy w as
only av ai lable t o most Amer ican chi ldr en at Chr ist mas
or Hallow een. A f r esh or ange in t he Chr ist mas st ocking w as consider ed a w onder f ul and sw eet delicacy .
Today , how ev er , our homes, school s and w or kplaces
ar e loaded w i t h candy , cookies, cakes, sugar cer eals,
and soda. The f act t hat sw eet s of t en ser v e as a
r ew ar d f or good behav ior compounds t he pr obl em f ur t her .
Some ex per t s beli ev e t hat sugar is phy si cal ly
addi ct i v e. In hi s book Sugar Bl ues, Wi l li am Duf t y
w r i t es, The dif f er ence bet w een sugar addi ct ion and
nar cot i c addict i on is lar gely one of degr ee. Per haps
i t w ould be mor e accur at e t o r ef er t o sugar as a subst ance t hat has dr ug- l ike pr oper t i es. In and of it sel f ,
a moder at e amount of sugar consumed now and t hen
may be per f ect l y har ml ess t o most peopl e. But
because of sugar s easy access, ov er - i ndul gi ng
occur s all t o of t en.

Hypoglycemia: A Sign of the Times

It is r at her dist ur bing t o lear n t hat st at i st i cians
est i mat e t hat al most 2 0 mi ll i on A mer i cans suf f er
f r om some t y pe of f aul t y gl uc ose t ol er ance.
Hy pogl y cemi a and di abet es ar e t he t w o maj or f or ms
of bl ood sugar di sor der s and ar e deser v edl y cal l ed
moder n- day plagues. Much cont r ov er sy has sur r ounded hy pogl y cemi a w it hi n t he medical est abl ishment . Unf or t unat ely , t he maj or i t y of phy si cians
shake t hei r heads w hen y ou ment i on t he t er m hy pogl y cemi a. Most doct or s bel i ev e t hat t hi s condit i on i s
ex t r emel y r ar e or i s di r ect l y r el at ed t o di abet i cs
w ho may get t oo much insuli n. Because hy pogl y cemi a
i s r ar el y under st ood by t he medi cal communit y , it i s
of t en br ushed of f as a bogus mal ady . One r eason f or
t hi s deni al i s t he i nadequacies of t he f i v e- hour gl u-

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
cose t ol er ance t est ( GTT) as an ef f ect iv e di agnost i c
t ool .
In r eali t y , hy pogl y cemi a is bel iev ed t o cause a
gr eat deal of miser y . Mor eov er , new st udies ar e
r ev eal ing t hat cer t ai n psy chol ogi cal disor der s ar e
di r ect l y l inked t o di st ur bed gl ucose ut i l izat ion i n
br ain cel ls. One st udy i n par t i cul ar show ed t hat
depr essed people hav e ov er al l low er glucose met abol i sm. The t r ut h i s t hat many nor mal and ot her w i se
healt hy peopl e ex per i ence dr amat ic sw ings i n t hei r
bl ood sugar l ev el s. Low blood sugar , i n f act , can i ni t i at e a number of t r oubl esome sy mpt oms.
Hy pogl y cemi a inv olv es a domi no ef f ect . If car bohy dr at es ar e eat en i n ex cess, mor e insuli n t han
usual i s secr et ed i n or der t o compensat e. A s a r esul t
bl ood sugar dr ops dr amat i call y . Gl ucagon, cor t i sol
and adr enali n ar e t hen pour ed out int o t he sy st em t o
hel p r aise bl ood sugar back t o accept able lev el s. Thi s
can inadv er t ent l y r esult i n t he secr et i on of mor e
i nsul i n and t he v i ci ous cy cl e goes on. A chi ev i ng
pr oper bl ood sugar bal ance is t r i cky busi ness and
eat i ng t he w r ong t hings can t hr ow t he sy st em i nt o
ex t r eme r esponses. Hi gh i nsul in secr et ion can cause
subst ant ial changes i n br ain chemi st r y and w r eak
hav oc w i t h our blood l i pids. It i s also t r ue t hat
i ngest i ng caf f eine can adv er sel y af f ect bl ood sugar
l ev el s. Eat ing sugar y f oods can pr opel t he pancr eas,
pi t ui t ar y , and adr enal gl ands i nt o a hi ghl y compl ex
chemi cal r eact ion based on a f eedback l oop. The
i r ony of t his hy pogl y cemi c cy cle is t hat w hen bl ood
sugar dr ops, w e r un f or mor e sugar and per pet r at e
t he di sor der .
If y ou suspect t hat y ou ar e hy pogly cemic emphasize
t he f ollow ing f oods: w hit e meat s, f ish, nut s and seeds,
w hole gr ains including w hole gr ain past as, unsw eet ened y ogur t , v eget able j uices and eggs, low car bohy dr at e v eget ables such as celer y , beet gr eens, chiv es,
cucumber s, let t uce, par sley , r adishes, aspar agus,
br occoli, cabbage, caulif low er , mushr ooms, onions,
pepper s, t omat oes, squash, spinach and zucchini.
Fr uit s should be limit ed t o t w o ser v ings per day and
should be eat en as par t of a meal r at her t han a separ at e snack. Recommended f r uit s include: ber r ies, cant aloupe, coconut , muskmelon, cr anber r ies, casaba
melon, lemons, and limes.
A v oi d al l pr ocessed or enr iched f oods li ke w hi t e
f l our or sugar , qui ck cooking gr ains, ar t i f i ci al
sw eet ener s, caf f ei ne, al cohol , and high f at , empt y
cal or i e f oods l ike doughnut s, past r i es, cakes, and
soda pop.
Eat small meal s t hr oughout t he day suppl ement ed
w i t h pr ot ei n snacks. A snack or mini - meal ev er y
t w o hour s is r ecommended. Raw al monds ar e ex cel l ent . Suppl ement ing any hy pogly cemic di et w i t h
B- complex v i t amins, v i t amin E, pant ot heni c aci d,
and v it ami n C i s desi r abl e. Dr . Ross also adds L- gl ut ami ne, an amino aci d t hat appear s t o boost br ai n
nut r i t i on t o t he mix .
Keep i n mi nd t hat w hen y ou f i r st st ar t t o eat t hi s
w ay , y ou w i l l pr obabl y f eel less t han w el l . You may

27

f eel w eak, di zzy , nauseous and depr essed. Thi s i s

par t i cul ar l y t r ue i f y ou hav e been eat ing a di et hi gh
i n w hi t e sugar and f at . Gi v e t he diet a chance. Your
body t akes t ime t o adj ust and r esul t s w il l not be seen
ov er night . If y ou per sev er e, t he nex t phase t y pi cal l y br i ngs a dr amat ic i mpr ov ement i n f eel i ngs of
phy sical w el l - bei ng and ment al elev at ion. Wi t hi n
t hr ee t o f i v e w eeks, t hi ngs shoul d r eall y be l ooki ng
up.

Artificial Sweeteners: Too Good to be True?

It coul d be assumed t hat in or der t o av oid t he r isks
of sugar , ar t i f i cial sw eet ener s w oul d be t he i deal
al t er nat i v e. Ir oni cal ly , sw it chi ng t o a sugar subst i t ut e t o enhance healt h is one of t he w or st t hings w e
can do. A mong some of t he most t r oubl ing f ood addi t i v es r out i nel y consumed ar e ar t if i ci al sw eet ener s,
al so r ef er r ed t o as non- nut r i t i v e sw eet ener s.
Hav ing r ecei v ed t he FDA st amp of appr ov al, t hey ar e
l iber all y i ngest ed w it h l it t l e t hought t o w hat t hei r
act ual heal t h r i sks may be. Andr ew Wei l , M.D., i n hi s
book, Nat ur al Heal t h, Nat ur al Medi cine, w r i t es:
Recent l y , aspar t ame ( Nut r aSw eet ) has become
enor mously popul ar . The manuf act ur er por t r ay s i t
as a gi f t f r om nat ur e, but , al t hough t he t w o component amino aci ds occur in nat ur e, aspar t ame i t sel f
does not . Like all ar t if i ci al sw eet ener s, aspar t ame
has a pecul i ar t ast e. Because I hav e seen a number of
pat i ent s, most ly w omen, w ho r epor t headaches f r om
t hi s subst ance, I don t r egar d i t as f r ee f r om t ox i ci t y . Women al so f i nd t hat aspar t ame aggr av at es PMS
( pr emenst r ual sy ndr ome) . I t hi nk y ou ar e bet t er of f
usi ng moder at e amount s of sugar t han consumi ng any
ar t i f ici al sw eet ener s on a r egul ar basis. A nat ur al
sw eet ener t hat may cause some peopl e pr obl ems i s
sor bi t ol , or igi nal l y der i v ed f r om t he ber r i es of t he
mount ai n ash t r ee. Sor bit ol t ast es sw eet but i s not
easi l y absor bed f or m t he gast r oint est inal t r act and
i s not easi l y met abol ized. It i s a common ingr edi ent
of sugar l ess chew i ng gums and candies. If y ou eat a
l ot of it , y ou w i l l pr obabl y get di ar r hea. People w i t h
i r r i t able bow el sy ndr ome or ul cer at i v e coli t is shoul d
av oid sor bit ol .
While t housands of Amer icans cont inue t o consume
aspar t ame in unpr ecedent ed amount s, cont r ov er sy
sur r ounding it s saf et y li nger s. Dr . Richar d Wur t man
of t he Massachuset t s Inst it ut e of Technology ( MIT)
has r epor t ed t hat abnor mal concent r at i ons of neur ot r ansmit t er s dev eloped w hen he f ed labor at or y animals lar ge doses of aspar t ame. He beli ev es t hat t he
pheny lal ani ne cont ent of t he sw eet ener act ual ly
mani pulat es and alt er s cer t ain br ain chemicals, a
pr ocess t hat coul d init iat e behav ior al changes and
ev en sei zur es. He also pur por t s t hat w hi le smal l quant i t ies of aspar t ame may be saf e, t he cumulat iv e
ef f ect s of t he compound could be ser ious, par t icular ly i f consumed w it h high- car bohy dr at e, low - pr ot ein
snacks. But i n spit e of ser ious concer ns, sacchar ine
and aspar t ame packet s sit in r est aur ant sugar bow ls
27

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

28
all ov er our count r y .

The FDA and Current Noncaloric Sweeteners

Though w hi t e sugar , t ur binado, f r uct ose, honey
and cor n sy r up al l qual if y as nat ur al sw eet ener s,
none of t hese ar e calor ie- f r ee nor can t hey be used
by peopl e w ho suf f er f r om bl ood sugar di sor der s.
They can encour age w ei ght gai n and t oot h decay ,
r ai se bl ood sugar qui ckl y , and can also pr edispose
cer t ain i ndi v i dual s t o y east i nf ect ions. These sugar s
can al so cont r i but e t o indigest i on, bow el disor der s
and, possibly , hy per act i v i t y or A DD i n chi l dr en.
Phar maceut i cal sw eet ener s l i ke aspar t ame and
sacchar i n qual if y as cal or i e- f r ee but come w i t h si gni f i cant l i mit at i ons and heal t h r isks. Sacchar i n has
been l abel ed w i t h a w ar ning t hat it has caused t he
dev el opment of cancer i n labor at or y ani mal s. In
1 9 7 0 , cy c l amat es, anot her cl ass of ar t i f i c i al
sw eet ener s w er e banned because of t he st r ong possi bi l i t y t hat t hey ar e, i n f act , car ci nogeni c.
A spar t ame has been mar ket ed as a saf e subst ance
f or t he gener al publ i c ex cept f or t hose f ew i ndi v i dual s w ho suf f er f r om PKU ( pheny l ket onur i a) , a r el at i v el y r ar e di sor der . Aspar t ame i s compr i sed of
pheny l alanine, aspar t ic acid, and met hanol ( w ood
al cohol ) . Despit e t he pr ot est of v ar i ous or gani zat i ons and heal t h pr of essionals, t hese phar maceut i cal
sw eet ener s hav e been appr ov ed by t he FDA and ar e
r ecogni zed as saf e.

DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR GOOD HEALTH

I t el l my pat i ent s t hat in or der t o enj oy good
healt h, t her e ar e a f ew simpl e t hings t hey can do.
Fi r st , consume mor e w hole gr ai ns and v eget abl es,
w i t h special emphasi s on t he cr uci f er ous v ar i et y .
A long w it h t hat , t he i nt ake of r ed meat s, sugar and
sat ur at ed f at s needs t o be r educed.
We al so need t o eat mor e f oods i n t hei r w hol e and
nat ur al st at e. Some of our chi ldr en, and some of us,
f or t hat mat t er , w oul d not ev en r ecogni ze cer t ai n
f oods in t hei r w hol e, unchanged st at es. For t he most
par t , w hol e f oods f r om t he plant ki ngdom of f er us
si gni f icant di et ar y f i ber . Ev en i f f ood pr oducer s and
manuf act ur er s add nat ur al and sy nt het ic f i ber s t o
f oods, t hey cannot impr ov e on Mot her Nat ur e s cr eat i ons.

Whole Foods
Eat i ng w hol e gr ai n f oods i nt act and unalt er ed may
be one of t he best t hings w e can do f or our healt h.
Li ke medi cinal pl ant s, w hol e gr ai ns hav e been i nt r i nsi cal l y desi gned w i t h a w ide ar r ay of inher ent compounds w hich pot ent i at e and compl ement each ot her .
We got i n t r ouble w hen w e isol at ed cer t ai n chemi cal s
f r om her bs t o cr eat e sy nt het i c dr ugs and t hr ew
aw ay t he r est , causing a w hol e host of v ar i ous bad
si de ef f ect s t o r esul t . Separ at ing gr ai n const i t uent s
28

may not be as desir able as eat i ng t he w hol e f ood, t he

w ay Mot her Nat ur e i nt ended. Annmar i e Colbi n, i n
her book Foods and Heal ing, w r i t es:
. . . inst ead of eat i ng a v eget abl e in t he shape i n
w hi ch i t gr ow s, w e consume it in f r agment ed f or m,
i t s separ at e component s spli t apar t , and w e ar e not
f ollow ing t he nat ur al scheme of t hi ngs. When w e consume w heat ger m, w hit e f l our and br an separ at el y ,
i t i s not t he same as eat i ng t hem i n t hei r nat ur al ,
i nt egr at ed and pr oper ly bal anced st at e as w hol e
w heat . . . . A hundr ed or so y ear s ago, i t w as di scov er ed t hat st r i ppi ng t he br an and ger m of f t he
w heat made t he f l our not only w hi t er and f l uf f i er ,
but al so longer - l ast ing . . . soon w e w er e eat i ng
w hi t e br ead and put t ing w heat ger m i n t he meat l oaf
. . . Not i ng t hat al most hal f t he West er n w or l d is const i pat ed, f ood r ef or mer s, f ol l ow ing Dr . Bur ki t t s
l ead, ident if i ed br an as t he bow el sav i ng el ement .
Cur r ent dat a st r ongl y suggest t hat w e l ook at t he
v al ue of w hol e f oods v er y car ef ul l y . When w e eat
br an or f r agment ed f l our s separ at el y , our l i v i ng
sy st ems r eact t o t hem di f f er ent l y t han a w hol e,
i nt egr at ed f ood. When cer eal gr ai ns, f r uit s, v eget abl es, beans, nut s and seeds ar e al t er ed or f r agment ed, t hey become ar t i f i cial f oods t o some ex t ent . Of
cour se, it w ould be bet t t er t o use br an separ at ely
t han t o not get i t at all . But j ust by r ef i ni ng w heat
f l our int o w hi t e f lour , not onl y ar e t he br an and ger m
r emov ed, but ov er 1 5 nut r i ent s ar e l ost or compr omised as w el l. The not ion t hat ar t i f i ci al ly enr i chi ng
w hi t e f l our w i ll r et ur n i t t o it s or i gi nal nut r i t iv e
st at e i s a f all acy . A nnmar i e Col bi n compar es t hi s t o,
. . . cut t i ng of f y our ar m and t hen f it t i ng y ou w i t h
a pr ost het i c onei t may hav e t he same f or m and f ul f i ll some of t he same f unct ions, but it i s har dl y as
good as t he or igi nal.
The not i on of consuming f oods i n t heir or i gi nal
st at es al so appl i es t o f r uit s and v eget abl es. When
y ou j ui ce f r ui t s and v eget ables, t heir f ibr ous component s ar e of t en discar ded as pul p. Whi le appl e, car r ot , gr ape and ot her j ui ces hav e nut r i t iv e v al ue,
w hen t hei r f i ber i s eit her scr eened out or al t er ed,
t hey ar e assi mi l at ed di f f er ent ly . A l t er ed f r ui t s and
gr ai ns can make us get hungr i er quicker , w hi ch may
cont i but e t o w eight gain. We need t o r emember t o
r each f or w hol e, unpeeled f r ui t s r at her t han f r ui t
j ui ces. It is al so benef i ci al t o keep v eget abl es
dr essed, eat i ng t hem peel ing and all w henev er
f easi bl e. Fi nal ly , w e need t o t r y t o al w ay s pur chase
f oods in t hei r or i gi nal w hol e st at es, l ooki ng t o br ow n
r i ce, w hole w heat , and w hole bar ley .

Cruciferous Vegetables (Indoles)

Cr ucif er ous v eget ables i nclude caul i f l ow er , cabbage, br occol i, and Br ussel s spr out s. The w or d cr u ci f er ous r ef er s t o a cr oss- shaped pat t er n f ound on
t he under si de of t he cent r al st alk or cor e of t hese
v eget ables. Consuming cr uci f er ous v eget ables has
been associ at ed w i t h a decr eased r i sk of col on,

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
br east and pr ost at e cancer . The specif i c compounds
i n t hese v eget abl es t hat ar e t hought t o be of v al ue
ar e i ndol es. Indol es bel ong t o a cl ass of phy t onut r i ent s w hi ch hav e been sci ent i f i cal l y show n t o benef i t
t he body i n a number of impor t ant w ay s.
Li ke so many ot her nut r i ent s, anci ent phy si ci ans
w er e w ell aw ar e of t he r emar kable cur at i v e pow er
of t he i ndol es f ound i n cer t ai n v eget abl es. Tw o t housand y ear s ago, Roman pr act i t i oner s pr escr i bed
cabbage
l eav es
to
cur e
an ul cer at ed br east . Today , science has conf i r med
t hat cer t ai n phy t ochemi cal s cont ai ned in cabbage ar e
consi der ed br east cancer pr ev ent at i v e agent s.
Indol e- 3 car bi nol can act ual l y hel p decr ease C1 6
est r ogen and i ncr ease C2 est r ogen, w hi ch i s
bel i ev ed t o decr ease a w oman s r i sk of get t i ng
br east cancer . Indol e- 3 car binol al so assi st s i n
det ox if y ing human t issues, pr omot es hor mone bal ance, and pr ov i des ex cel lent cell ul ar nour i shment .
Indol es ar e par t of a l ar ge cl ass of plant - based
compounds call ed phy t onut r ient s. They i ncl ude all y l
sul f i des f ound in oni ons and gar l ic, indoles f ound i n
v eget abl es belonging t o t he cabbage f amil y , and
di t hi olt hi nones f ound i n br occol i and ot her cr uci f er ous v eget abl es. New phy t ochemical s ar e cur r ent l y
emer gi ng and w e ar e begi nni ng t o gl impse t hei r
ex t r aor di nar y t her apeut ic pot ent ial as heal t h pr ot ect ant s. These r emar kabl e nut r i ent s can boost t he
pr oduct ion of cer t ai n enzy mes w hi ch i nhi bi t t he f or mat i on of mal ignant t i ssue, t hey can block car ci nogens f r om mut at ing DNA, t hey can neut r ali ze t he
ef f ect s of bad est r ogen, and t hey w or k hand i n hand
w i t h ant iox idant s t o pr ev ent f r ee r adi cal damage.
Unf or t unat el y onl y 9 per cent of t he A mer ican popul at i on eat s an adequat e amount of v eget ables and
f r ui t s. Ty picall y only one i n f i v e Amer i cans eat s a
f i br ous or cr uci f er ous v eget abl e i n a day , and onl y
2 8 per cent eat a f r uit or v eget abl e at al l. Remember
t hat t o keep C2 est r ogen l ev el s el ev at ed consi st ent l y , phy t onut r i ent si ncl udi ng i ndol e- 3 car bi nol must
be cont i nual l y consumed. Cl ear l y , suppl ement at i on
of phy t onut r ient s i s w ar r ant ed and can enhance
l ongev it y and i mpr ov e t he qual it y of li f e. It i s i mpor t ant t o r emember t hat i f y ou can t eat br occoli and
cabbage ev er y day , t her e ar e ot her opt i ons. Taki ng
cr ucif er ous v eget abl e ex t r act s as par t of a balanced
supplement can pr ov ide as many i ndol es as sev er al
ser v i ngs of r aw cr uci f er ous v eget abl es.

Isoflavones
Isof l av ones f ound i n some cr uci f er ous v eget abl es
hav e some ex t r aor di nar y heal t h benef i t s. In par t i cul ar , t hey hav e t he abi li t y t o act as a phy t oest r ogens t o pr ot ect agai nst t he dev el opment of hor monal l y l i nked cancer s. One speci f ic isof lav one cal l ed
genist ei n act uall y act s t o r educe t he gr ow t h of
br east cell s. A 1 9 9 3 st udy demonst r at ed i t s abil i t y
t o l i mit bl ood suppl y t o t umor s. These ar e i mpr essi v e cr edent i al s and mor e t han adequat el y suppor t

29

t he use of phy t onut r i ent s in supplement f or m. The

nut r i t ional and ant iox idant pr oper t i es of i ndol es
gr eat l y cont r ibut e t o sust ai ned healt h and cel l ul ar
nour i shment .

The Case for Cruciferous Supplementation

I hav e f ound t hat ev en pat i ent s w ho ar e conv inced
of t he necessit y of incr easi ng t hei r int ake of cr uci f er ous v eget abl es f r equent ly f ind it di f f icult t o consi st ent l y eat t hese f oods. Whi l e I admi t t hat i nit i al ly
I w as not par t i cul ar ly ent husi ast ic about t he not i on
of v eget abl es i n a capsul e, I beli ev e t hat cr uci f er ous suppl ement s can be v al uabl e f or people w ho
f ai l t o eat enough of t hese v it al , heal t h- pr omot i ng
f oods. Ideall y , v eget ables of al l v ar i et i es shoul d be
consumed in t hei r w hol e st at e, ei t her r aw or sl i ght l y st eamed. How ev er , v eget abl e suppl ement s i n t he
f or m of capsules or gr een f oods of f er ed as pow der s or in t abl et s ar e cer t ainl y w or t h t aki ng.

Summary
Our diet ar y obj ect i v es should f ocus on
Incr easi ng our consumpt i on of w hole gr ai n cer eal s and br eads and f r ui t s and v eget ables ( especi al ly cr uci f er ous v ar iet i es) .
Reducing our i nt ake of r ef i ned and pr ocessed
sugar s.
Reducing our consumpt ion of animal and pl ant
f oods hi gh i n f at s, especi al ly sat ur at ed f at s.
Sw i t ching t o monounsat ur at ed oi ls l i ke oli v e oi l
and using f l ax seed oi l or t aking an essent i al
f at t y aci d suppl ement .
Reducing our int ake of hi gh- cholest er ol f oods
such as eggs, f at t y meat s, and st ay i ng aw ay
f r om hy dr ogenat ed f at s alt oget her ( cor n oil ,
mar gar i nes, et c.) .
Reducing our int ake of salt and salt y f oods.

WEIGHT LOSS
If y ou ar e ov er w eight , ev en by as li t t le as 10 or 20
pounds, get t i ng r i d of ex cess f at st or es can be
i ncr edi bl y benef i cial. Did y ou know t hat chol est er ol
sy nt hesis is el ev at ed in ov er w ei ght subj ect s? By
r educing f at t i ssue, cholest er ol i s t ar get ed and
t r anspor t ed t o t he l iv er f or r emov al. If an i deal
w ei ght is mai nt ai ned, f ast ing bl ood sugar lev el s
decl i ne, ser um cholest er ol dr ops, and gl ucose t oler ance i mpr ov es.
Unf or t unat ely , t r y i ng t o init i at e w eight l oss by
di et ing has consist ent ly r esul t ed i n compr omi si ng
heal t h and dimi ni shi ng sel f est eem. Why do 9 7 per cent of all di et s ult i mat ely f ai l? Why ar e 3 3 bi ll i on
dol l ar s spent on w ei ght l oss pr ogr ams t hat don t
w or k? Why ar e w e mor e ov er w ei ght now t han w e v e
ev er been bef or e? The av er age Amer i can has gained
ei ght pounds ov er t he l ast 1 0 y ear s. St at i st i cs t el l
29

30

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

us t hat t w o out of t hr ee peopl e w ho go on a di et

r egain t he w eight in one y ear or l ess. Ni net y - sev en
per cent w i l l r egain t he w ei ght in f i v e y ear s. Most
t r oubli ng of al l, obesi t y i n chi ldr en has mor e t han
doubled since t he 1 9 5 0 s and av er age w ei ght s f or
mal es and f emal es i s cont inuall y escal at ing.
In r ealit y , t her e is no diet t hat can cur e obesit y
and t her e nev er w il l be. The business of losi ng w eight
has become mor e of a r ecur r i ng sy ndr ome r at her
t han a heal t h pr omot i ng act i v it y . Healt h is f r equent l y sacr i f i ced in ex change f or bur ni ng f at , a f act t hat
only ser v es t o compound w ei ght pr oblems and compr omi se v it al it y as w el l. Ir onicall y , calor i e r est r ict ion, w hich i s t he basis of diet ing, only ser v es t o
f or ce t he body t o pr ot ect i t self against t he t hr eat of
a di mi nished supply of f uel. Thi s pr ot ect iv e mode
i nhi bit s t he body s abil it y t o r el ease and bur n f at . In
addit ion, incr eased pr oduct i on of enzy mes know n as
l ipopr ot ein lipase ( LPL) assist f at cel ls in scav enging
f or any lipi ds pr esent i n t he blood st r eam. Dr ast i c
w eight r educt i on diet s can put t his enzy me i nt o ov er dr iv e. Mont hs af t er diet ing i s st opped, t his enzy me
can r emain abnor mal ly act iv e, making i t mor e dif f i cult t o r et ur n t o eat i ng nor mal quant i t i es of f ood
w it hout gai ning w eight .
Because t he body i s engi neer ed t ow ar d sel f pr eser v at i on, w hen i t i s t hr eat ened t hr ough st ar v at i on diet s, f at is conser v ed f or f ut ur e ener gy
r eser v es. A s a r esul t of t hi s nut r ient hoar di ng,
hunger i s pr oduced, pr ompt i ng mor e eat i ng, and t he
mal icious cy cle cont i nues. Ty pi cal ly , most w ei ght
l oss pr ogr ams ex pect t he body t o r espond t o a dr ast i c al t er at ion of di et and act i v i t y w i t h no pr i or phy si ol ogi cal pr epar at i on. Being ov er w ei ght is f r equent l y t r eat ed as a disease. Consequent l y , t he sy mpt oms of obesit y ar e t ar get ed r at her t han addr essi ng
and cor r ect i ng t he cause of obesit y .
The not ion t hat only pow er f ul, ex pensiv e and pot ent ial ly danger ous dr ugs can suppr ess t he appet it e and
cr eat e successf ul w eight loss is not t r ue. For ev er y
sy nt het ic or phar maceut ical dr ug, an alt er nat iv e
compound ex ist s in nat ur e. As mor e at t ent i on is
f ocused on saf er , nat ur al compounds, w eight - loss
f or mulas w ill cont inue t o impr ov e. The r ole of hor mones l ike DHEA and mel at onin ar e onl y now beginning
t o sur f ace and t heir t her apeut i c implicat ions ar e pr of ound. If y ou f eel li ke phar maceut ical agent s li ke phenf en ar e y our only hope, t hink again. Mot her Nat ur e has
pr ov ided a v ast ar r ay of saf e and ef f ect iv e compounds t hat can signi f icant ly cont r ibut e t o healt hy and
per manent w ei ght loss.

Prescription for Weight Loss

Today , w e know t hat j ust low er i ng f at cont ent and
ex er ci sing may w or k i n t heor y . St at e- of - t he- ar t
r esear ch i n t he ar ea of w eight loss, how ev er , has
di scov er ed t hat t hr ough t he addi t i on of cer t ai n suppl ement s and nut r i ent s, t he pr ocess of decr easi ng
t he amount of f at w e pr ocess i n t he st omach and
30

boost i ng t he amount of f at w e bur n can be ex pedi t ed.

For t hose of us w ho suf f er f r om a f at imbal ance,
a condi t i on w her e w e st or e mor e f at t han w e bur n,
i t i s of t en a mat t er of l if e or deat h t o l ose f at i n
or der t o pr ot ect our ar t er i es and hear t s.
Most doct or s w ill adv ise us t o cut our f at int ake t o
20 gr ams per day and t o boost our ex er cise t ime.
Unf or t unat ely , f or t hose of us w ho f all int o t he
obese cat egor y , ev en a v er y small amount of ex er cise can be an ex t r emely t ax ing t hing t o pull of f . The
ex t r a poundage t hat t ax es t he skelet al and car diov ascular sy st ems can cr eat e labor ed br eat hing, ex cess
sw eat ing, j oint pain. Obesit y inhibit s t he t r anspor t of
ox y gen t o t he cells of t he body . When w e ex er cise, w e
need mor e ox y gen. When w e don t get it , a w hole host
of unpleasant sy mpt oms ar ise. When hear t muscle
becomes r obbed of ox y gen, angina can occur , or in
ser ious cases, a hear t at t ack can dev elop.
Ideally , a sensible w eight loss pr ogr am should
empl oy a nut r it ional st r at egy t hat w or ks i n t andem
w it h body sy st ems t o max i mize f at bur ning capabil it i es. Successf ul w eight management depends on f ully
under st anding human biochemist r y , and in so doing
t ar get ing t hose phy siological pr ocesses t hat ex pedit e
w eight r educt ion. When giv en t he pr oper t ools, t he
human body has an inher ent abilit y t o ef f ect iv ely
manage it s w eight . The key t o boost ing t hi s abil it y lies
in cr eat ing a bi ological equili br ium bet w een all body
sy st ems by int egr at ing nut r it i on, ex er cise and t he
pr oper suppl ement at ion.

What To Look For in Natural Weight Loss Products

Fi ber Supplement s
Psy ll i um- based pr oduct s ar e t he most common
t y pe of f iber supplement t o w hi ch guar gum and
ot her f i ber sour ces ar e of t en added. It al ian st udi es
hav e f ound t hat in a r educi ng diet f or w omen w ho
av er aged about 6 0 per cent ov er w ei ght , w eight loss
w as gr eat er w hen pl ant ai n or psy ll i um w as added t o
t he di et . It appear s t hat psy ll i um pr omot ed w ei ght
l oss by l imi t ing calor ic i nt ake due t o i t s appet i t esat i at i ng ef f ect and by r educi ng t he i nt est i nal
absor pt ion of l i pi ds. Good f or mul as combi ne di f f er ent
t y pes of f i ber s and of t en add v ar i ous her bs t o t one
t he col on and pr omot e bet t er el i mi nat i on and digest i on.
Li qui d Pr ot ei n Supplement s
Sev er al pr ot ei n r epl acement dr i nk pow der s and
l iquids ex ist t hat can hel p t o f aci li t at e t he cr eat i on
of l ean muscl e mass and t he bur ni ng of f at .
Spi r ul i na- based and soy - based pr oduct s ar e an
ex cell ent sour ce of usabl e pr ot ei ns and w hen ot her
nut r i ent s, f at emulsif i er s and di et ar y ai ds ar e added
t o t he f or mul a, t hese pr oduct s can ser v e as good
meal r eplacement s. Good suppl ement s i ncl ude a compl et e ar r ay of ami no aci ds, enzy mes, ant iox i dant s,
v i t amins, mi ner al s and speci f i c her bs t hat f acil i t at e
w ei ght loss and pr omot e r egul ar i t y .

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e

Cholest er ol is an essent ial

body lipid compound made by
t he liv er . It can also be supplied
f r om t he diet by eat ing meat
and dai r y pr oduct s. Di et ar y
cholest er ol is only f ound in animal pr oduct s and by - pr oduct s.
Ex cess cholest er ol consumpt ion
may r aise bl ood cholest er ol
lev els and lead t o hear t disease.
Chol est er ol i s t r anspor t ed
t hr ough t he bl oodst r eam v ia
l i po- pr ot eins. The f act t hat
Eskimos eat a diet high in cholest er ol f r om f ish lipids and y et
hav e a low incidence of car diov ascular disease suggest s t hat

per haps w e should concent r at e

mor e on t he lipids w e ar e lacking in our diet r at her t han on
cholest er ol consumpt ion alone.
HDLs (high- densit y lipopr ot eins) ar e also called good
chol est er ol s
because t hey
t r anspor t chol est er ol aw ay
f r om ar t er y w alls and back t o
t he liv er f or st or age.
LDLs (low - densit y l ipopr ot eins) , cal l ed bad chol est er ols, pr omot e t he cir culat ion of cholest er ol in t he bloodst r eam, pr edisposing t he ar t er ies t o plaque buildup and ev ent ual blockage.

Fat - Bur ni ng For mul as

The most ef f ect i v e f at - bur ni ng combi nat i ons
i ncl ude 1 ) ephedr a, 2 ) a nat ur al caf f ei ne- cont ai ni ng
pl ant such as kol a nut or guar ana, and 3 ) some
sour ce of sal i cy l ic acid such as w hi t e w il l ow or
aspir i n. A ddi ng Gar ci nia cambogi a ( ci t r i n) , chr omi um picoli nat e, chi t osan or ami no aci ds such as car ni t i ne or met hionine can f ur t her pot ent iat e t he mi x .
Taking ephedr a al one is not r ecommended as dosages
must be t oo hi gh t o be ef f ect i v e. A ny t her mogeni c
f or mul a designed t o bur n calor ies of f as heat can
cr eat e some unpleasant si de ef f ect s and shoul d not
be used by pr egnant or nur sing w omen, or by any one
suf f er i ng f r om hy per t ensi on, hear t disease, adr enal
or t hy r oi d disor der s or pr one t o anx i et y at t acks.

Nat ur al A ppet i t e Suppr essant s

The best nat ur al appet i t e suppr essant s i ncl ude
pheny l alanine and t y r osi ne combined w i t h Gar ci ni a
cambogia ( ci t r i n) or gl ucomannan and cal ci um. Ot her
i ngr edi ent s such as her bs w hich discour age eat i ng
and mi ner al s such as manganese or pot assium ci t r at e hel p t o make t he f or mula ev en mor e ef f ect i v e.
Chr omium pi col i nat e i s al so used in suppl ement s
designed t o f i ght f ood cr av ings, st abi l ize bl ood
sugar , and pr omot e t he cr eat ion of lean muscl e
mass. Py r uv at e is al so emer ging as a v iabl e w ei ght
l oss enhancer and should be inv est igat ed.

Valuable and Practical Weight Loss Suggestions

Ex er cise r egular ly . Ex er ci se is consi der ed by f ar
t he best met hod t o cont r ol w eight . Begin sl ow ly . Take
a 1 0 - t o 1 5 - minut e w al k ev er y ot her day t o st ar t and

31

Tr igly cer ides ar e f at s t hat

cont ain t hr ee gr oups of f at t y
acids: sat ur at ed, poly unsat ur at ed, and mono- unsat ur at ed.
Sat ur at ed f at s ar e t he only
lipids capable of r aising blood
chol est er ol l ev els. But t er ,
mar gar ine, w hole milk, and f at s
f ound in meat ar e high in sat ur at ed f at . Eat ing t oo much sugar
w hich can cr eat e ex cess insulin
r esponse can also r aise blood
cholest er ol.
Monounsat ur at ed and poly unsat ur at ed f at s do not r ai se
blood cholest er ol lev els. Tw o
r ecommended monounsat ur at ed

t hen slow l y i ncr ease y our di st ance and y our pace.

Light ex er cise r ight af t er eat ing i s r ecommended t o
bur n cal or i es t hat hav e j ust been consumed. If y ou
f eel t hat y ou cannot w alk ev er y ot her day , t o begi n
w it h go out t w o t i mes a w eek and t ake it f r om t her e.
Don t become const i pat ed. Dr i nk six t o ei ght
gl asses of w at er a day .
Don t chew gum. Chew i ng gum can act i v at e t he
f l ow of gast r i c j ui ces and make y ou f eel l i ke eat i ng.
Eat onl y w hen y ou ar e t r uly hungr y . Of t en t hi r st
can be mi st aken f or hunger . Dr ink w hen y ou f eel
t he ur ge t o eat .
Take a good st r ong v i t amin and mi ner al suppl ement t hat w i ll hel p t o balance out y our nut r i ent s
and pr ev ent f ood cr av ings.
Eat i ng a di et t hat i s hi gh i n f i ber can aut omat i cal l y i ncr ease chew ing t i me and sl ow t he eat i ng
pr ocess. Peopl e w ho eat t oo f ast can of t en
become hungr y agai n soon af t er eat ing.
Don t eat w hen y ou ar e depr essed, l onel y or
angr y .
Av oid f ad di et s. They can make y our body f eel
as i f i t s st ar v i ng and act uall y l ow er y our
met abol ism, w hi ch sl ow s t he bur ni ng of f at
st or es.
Do not use diur et ics or l ax at i v es t o induce
w ei ght l oss. These can be pot ent iall y hazar dous
t o y our healt h and r esul t i n t empor ar y w ei ght
l oss onl y .
J oi n a suppor t gr oup l i ke Weight Wat cher s t hat
t akes a sensible and heal t hf ul appr oach t o l osi ng
w ei ght . Be w ar y of di et or gani zat i ons t hat ar e
cost l y or l i mi t y ou t o t hei r ow n f oods.
Be pat i ent . Mor e per manent r esul t s w il l be

31

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D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

obt ai ned i f w ei ght loss is gr adual . Remember

t hat i t t akes t i me f or t he body t o r eadj ust t o a
new pr ogr ammed w ei ght set poi nt .
Some st udies i ndicat e t hat w hen t her e is an inadequat e int ake of essent ial nut r ient s, f at is not
bur ned ef f ici ent ly .
Do not eat t oo l it t l e. Any di et t hat is less t han
1 2 0 0 cal or ies i s not suf f i ci ent t o mai nt ain good
healt h and pr omot e per manent w eight l oss. In
addit i on, al l di et s shoul d cont ai n some per cent age of desi r abl e f at w hi ch can be ingest ed i n t he
f or m of ol i v e or saf f low er oi l. Suppl ement i ng
y our diet w it h 1 t o 2 t easpoons of t hese oi ls i s
t hought t o act uall y i mpr ov e t he bur ni ng of f at .
Use digest i v e enzy mes bef or e ev er y meal .
Do not consume al cohol. A ll al cohol i c bev er ages
ar e high i n cal or i es.
Fi ber supplement s can be t aken i n t he f or m of
guar gum or glucomannan.
Av oi d ar t if i ci al sw eet ener s. Ther e i s some ev i dence t hat ar t i f i cial sw eet ener s can act ual l y
i ncr ease appet i t e and r esul t in w ei ght gai n.
Omi t al l subst ances t hought t o be appet i t e st i mul ant s such as sal t , hot spi ces, cof f ee, t ea,
t obacco and sugar .
Av oi d any f ad di et s t hat ar e designed ar ound a
hi gh- pr ot ein, l ow - car bohy dr at e di et . Thi s combi nat i on, i f eat en ov er a long per i od of t ime,
poses some si gnif i cant heal t h hazar ds.
Emphasi ze t he f ol low i ng f oods: l ent i ls, beans,
pl ai n baked pot at oes, baked squash, br ow n r i ce,
w hol e gr ai n br eads (l ow f at or nonf at ) , w hi t e
f i sh, w hit e chi cken, ski m mi l k, l ow or nonf at
cot t age cheese, nonf at y ogur t , t ur key , f r esh
f r ui t s and v eget abl es. Rest r i ct y our i nt ake of
t he f ol low i ng: av ocados, f i gs, bananas, w hi t e
r i ce, sw eet pot at oes, coconut and cor n.
Av oi d t he f ol low i ng f oods: high f at dair y pr oduct s ( cheese, sour cr eam, i ce cr eam, but t er ,
w hol e mi lk, r i ch dr essings) , soda pop, may onnai se, f r ied f oods, r ed meat s, gr av i es, cust ar ds, past r ies, cakes, peanut but t er , and j unk
f oods.
Wei gh y our sel f r egul ar l y and r ecor d y our
w ei ght on a char t . If y ou go up t hr ee pounds f r om
y our ideal w ei ght , adj ust y our di et and ex er ci se
t o lose t hose t hr ee pounds. It i s so much easi er
t o l ose t hr ee pounds t han t o l ose 2 0 .
St ay of f t he di et r oll er coast er of ov er eat i ng
and t hen cr ash di et ing. Keep a consist ent heal t hy
l i f est y l e cent er ed ar ound sensi ble eat ing and
r egular ex er ci se.
Keep y our kit chen st ocked w i t h healt hy l ow f at ,
l ow sugar snacks.

THE EXERCISE COMPONENT

Simply r est r i ct i ng calor ie int ake t o lose w ei ght is
not a good idea. Ex er cise must be added t o t he mix t o
pr omot e per manent w eight loss and met aboli c adj ust 32

ment . Ex er cise i ncr eases ener gy ex pendit ur e w hi le it

ser v es t o pr ot ect against ex t r eme calor ic r est r ict ion.
In ot her w or ds, if y ou ex er cise, y ou can eat mor e and
not gain w eight . Wei ght - loss pr ogr ams t hat r ely solely on calor ic r est r ict ion end up per pet r at ing a st ar v at i on cy cle t hat only cont r ibut es t o mal nut r it ion and
ev en mor e w eight gai n in t he f ut ur e. Ev en j ust a l it t le
ex er cise has t r emendous healt h benef i t s. New st udies
ar e suggest ing t hat br eaking up ex er cise t imes int o
div ided per iods such as 10 minut es her e or t her e is
j ust as ef f ect iv e as a sust ained 3 0 mi nut e w or k out .
While it is t r ue t hat ev en st r enuous ex er cise bur ns
r elat i v ely small amount s of calor ies, it is t he impact
ex er cise ex er t s on our met abolic pr ocesses t hat is of
so much v al ue. Ex er cising helps us t o bur n calor ies
mor e ef f icient ly r at her t han t o st or e t hem as f at . It
helps us t o elimi nat e w ast e mat er ial , i mpr ov e car diov ascular f unct ion, builds st r engt h and endur ance, and
r eleases endor phins t hat make us f eel happier and help
t o keep us looking good.

MACRONUTRIENTS: CARBOHYDRATES,
FATS AND PROTEINS
Car bohy dr at es, f at s and pr ot ei ns compr i se a cat egor y of compounds cal led macr onut r i ent s. Ov er t he
l ast f ew decades much cont r ov er sy has ar isen
r egar ding how much of t hese macr onut r i ent s w e
shoul d consume as par t of our dai ly diet . Pr esent l y ,
most of us eat a diet w hich i s compr i sed of 1 2 per cent pr ot ei n and appr ox i mat el y 4 2 per cent f at and
4 6 per cent car bohy dr at es. Our obsessi on w i t h f at t y ,
sugar y f oods has cr eat ed a new w ar on f at , w hich i s
not necessar il y al l good i n i t s healt h i mpli cat i ons. It
i s v i t al f or us t o r eali ze t hat i t i s t he t y pe of car bohy dr at e, f at and pr ot ei n t hat w e choose w hi ch i n
many w ay s det er mines w het her i t i s good or bad f or
us.
Al l macr onut r ient s ar e not equal, al t hough f ood
manuf act ur er s w oul d hav e us beli ev e so. For ex ample, a piece of w hole gr ain br ead i s not t he same as a
piece of ar t i f iciall y enr i ched w hit e br ead. When f iber
and br an ar e r emov ed, nut r ient s ar e assimil at ed dif f er ent ly . It s t he same w it h pr ot ei n sour ces. Pr ot ei n
f r om soy beans is not t he same as pr ot ein f r om a
mar bl ed piece of meat . A gai n, w hi le ami no acid cont ent may be simil ar , t he w ay t hese t w o sour ces of
pr ot ein ar e di gest ed and assimilat ed ar e det er mined
by f act or s such as f at cont ent and digest i bili t y . Fat s
ar e an especiall y good ex ample of t he i nequali t y of
macr onut r i ent s. Cor n oil and l inseed oi l ar e not t he
same as oli v e or f lax seed oi l. They ar e all lipi ds, but
t hei r heal t h i mpli cat i ons ar e v er y dif f er ent and can
r esul t i n eit her good or bad biol ogi cal consequences.
We must eat a bal ance of al l t hr ee macr onut r i ent s
i n or der t o f unct ion at opt i mal l ev el s. For some of us
t hat may mean mor e pr ot ein t han f or ot her s. If w e
suf f er f r om any ki nd of bl ood sugar disor der , w e
may need t o eat l ess car bohy dr at es. When i t comes
t o f at s, w e must r eal ize t hat some f at s ar e v er y

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
good f or us if eat en in moder at i on.

Carbohydrates: The Bodys Glucose Suppliers

Plant s cr eat e car bohy dr at es as a by - pr oduct of
t he phot osy nt het i c pr ocess. Car bohy dr at es ar e consi der ed t he most abundant or gani c compound f ound i n
nat ur e. Di et ar y car bohy dr at es consist of sugar s or
si mpl e car bohy dr at es f ound i n w hi t e sugar , f r uct ose, honey , and molasses; and compl ex car bohy dr at es f ound i n w hol e gr ai ns, l egumes, v eget abl es
and f r ui t s. Chemi cal ly speaking, car bohy dr at es ar e
or gani c compounds composed of car bon at oms
at t ached t o hy dr at es such as w at er mol ecul es.
Diet ar y car bohy dr at es suppl y t he pr imar y sour ce of
ener gy f or all phy si ol ogical pr ocesses incl udi ng t he
di gest i on and assi mil at i on of al l macr onut r i ent s.
They ar e by f ar , t he body s f av or it e ener gy sour ce
and pr ov ide glucose f or t he body w hich is it s pr imar y
f uel sour ce.
Eat i ng an ex cess of si mple car bohy dr at es i s one of
t he si ngle most dest r uct iv e di et ar y habi t of West er n
societ i es. Di abet es, obesi t y , t oot h decay , hy pogl y cemi a and nut r i t ional depl et ion hav e al l been
l i nked t o eat i ng t oo much sugar or si mple st ar ches.
Whi le w e absol ut el y must hav e car bohy dr at es, t he
t y pe of car bohy dr at es w e choose t o eat makes a
pr of ound di f f er ence i n how our bodies w il l r eact . The
key t o healt h l ies in how much and w hat ki nd w e
choose t o eat .

Carbohydrate Categories
Car bohy dr at es ar e cl assi f ied accor di ng t o t hei r
chemi cal st r uct ur e. Monosacchar i des ar e single ( or
si mpl e) sugar s; ogli gosacchar i des ar e mult i pl e sugar s; and poly sacchar ides ar e complex mol ecul es
made of sev er al si mple sugar s. Monosacchar i des
hav e t hr ee t o sev en car bon at oms each. It is t he hex oses or si x car bon at oms sugar s t hat w e ar e most
i nt er est ed i n. List ed below ar e di f f er ent hex ose sugar s or simpl e sugar s t hat w e i ngest on a dail y basis.
Monosacchar i des
Fr uct ose ( lev ulose, f r uit sugar ) i s f ound in honey ,
r i pe f r ui t s and some v eget abl es. It has a much
sw eet er t ast e t han cane sugar , easil y dissolv es
w i t hout cr y st al l i zat i on and cannot be absor bed
di r ect l y int o t he bloodst r eam. Thi s may help t o
ex plain w hy peopl e w ho ar e sugar sensi t iv e may get
t he sugar shakes af t er eat i ng a bow l of f r ost ed cor n
f l akes ( sucr ose) but not af t er eat i ng a w hole apple.
Glucose ( al so cal l ed dex t r ose, cor n sugar , or
gr ape sugar ) is t he chemi cal f or m of sugar af t er i t
has ent er ed t he bloodst r eam. Gl ucose i s anot her
name f or blood sugar and is t he car bohy dr at e used on
a cell ul ar l ev el t o dr i v e v ir t uall y ev er y met aboli c
pr ocess. Di et ar y gl ucose i s w at er sol ubl e, cr y st al l i zes r eadi l y and i s l ess sw eet t han cane or w hi t e
sugar .
Galact ose i s a monosacchar ide sugar t hat i s pr o-

33

duced dur ing t he digest ion of l act ose ( mi lk sugar ) .

Mannose, x y lose and ar abi nose ar e al l pent ose
( f iv e) car bohy dr at e compounds t hat ar e pr oduced
w hen cer t ai n meat s and f r ui t s ar e di gest ed. Ri bose i s
anot her pent ose pr oduced dur i ng di gest ion; i t i s al so
sy nt hesized by t he human body . Ri bose i s a const i t uent of r i bof lav in (a B- compl ex v i t ami n) , r ibonucl ei c acid (RNA ) and deox y r i bonucl ei c acid ( DNA ).
Ol i gosacchar ides
Lact ose ( mil k sugar ) i s t he onl y nut r i t ionall y si gni f icant car bohy dr at e t hat comes f r om an animal
r at her t han pl ant sour ce. Cow s mi lk has a signi f i cant amount of l act ose.
Sucr ose ( common t abl e sugar ) i s der iv ed f r om
sugar cane, sugar beet s, mol asses, mapl e sugar or
sor ghum. Some v eget abl es and many f r ui t s cont ai n
at l east some sucr ose. Sucr ose i s consumed i n
ex cessi v e amount s i n t y pi cal West er n diet s because
of i t s addi t ion t o pr epackaged f oods, pop, and candy .
Mal t ose ( malt sugar ) is f ound in mal t ed snacks,
beer and some br eakf ast cer eals.
Pol y sacchar i des
St ar ch i s a pol y sacchar i de composed of long
chai ns of gl ucose uni t s. It i s commonl y f ound i n a
number of pl ant s l ike pot at oes.
Dex t r ins ar e shor t er chai ns of gl ucose unit s t hat
ar e t he i nt er medi at e pr oduct s of t he hy dr ol y sis of
st ar ch.
Gl y cogen, al so cal led animal st ar ch, i s pr oduced i n
t he li v er and muscl e f r om glucose. Gl y cogen compr i ses a v er y i mpor t ant al t er nat i v e ener gy sour ce
f or our bodies i f our bl ood sugar di ps t oo low .
The t er m indigest ibl e poly sacchar i des r ef er s
t o a gr oup of sacchar i des t hat compr ise f i ber . In
addi t i on t o cel l ulose, hemicell ul ose and li gni n, t hi s
cat egor y also i ncl udes agar , algi nat e and car r ageen.
Car bohy dr at e der i v at i v es ar e pr oduced w hen sugar s under go a chemi cal r eact i on and pr oduce ami no
sugar s, gl y cosi des, ur onic aci d, and sugar al cohol s.
For ex ample, sor bi t ol i s a sw eet sugar alcohol f ound
i n ber r i es and r i pe cher r ies.

How Much of Our Diet Should Be Made

Up of Carbohydrates?
The di et ar y r equir ement s f or car bohy dr at es hav e
not been set by RDA st andar ds. The gener al consensus i s t hat w e eat t oo many si mple car bohy dr at es
and not enough compl ex ones. Gener all y speaki ng,
our ov er - emphasi s on pr ot ein and si mple sugar s has
r esul t ed i n a def i cit of consumpt i on of f r esh f r ui t ,
v eget ables, w hol e gr ai ns and l egumes. Many nut r i t i onist s r ecommend i ncr easi ng our diet ar y i nt ake of
compl ex car bohy dr at es t o pr omot e good healt h and
f or t he t her apeut ic management of v ar i ous diseases.
A mer icans gener all y r ecei v e appr ox i mat el y 4 6 per cent of t heir di et ar y calor i es f r om car bohy dr at es.
By cont r ast , A si an soci et i es eat a di et t hat i s 7 0 t o
33

34

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

8 0 per cent car bohy dr at e. A gain, t he t y pe of car bohy dr at es consumed is v er y i mpor t ant .
One t hi r d of t he car bohy dr at es w e consume as a
nat i on ar e compr ised of r ef i ned and pr ocessed sugar
pr oduct s. Ref i ned sugar s or w hi t e sugar come f r om
cane and beet sour ces. Pr ocessed sugar s i ncl ude
cor n sugar , cor n sy r up, mol asses and honey . Nat ur al
sugar s ar e f ound i n f r ui t s, f r ui t j uices and v eget abl es. Remember t hat all sugar s ar e not met abol i zed
i n t he same w ay by t he body . Whi l e all car bohy dr at es may ev ent ual ly r ai se bl ood sugar as gl ucose,
t he speed in w hi ch t hey ar e assi mil at ed can hav e
f ar - r eachi ng heal t h ef f ect s w hen i t comes t o insuli n
di sor der s or diseases l i ke hy pogl y cemi a and di abet es.
Diet ar y car bohy dr at es ar e t he body s pr ef er r ed
sour ce of ener gy , and once i n t he body t hey ar e
ei t her bur ned as f uel or st or ed as gl y cogen r eser v es
i n t he muscle and li v er . Though it i s t r ue t hat ov er
t he l ast f ew decades nut r it i oni st s hav e adv i sed us t o
eat mor e car bohy dr at es and l ess f at s and pr ot ei n,
eat i ng a f at l ess diet t hat i s hi gh i n simpl e sugar s
can init iat e signif icant w eight gain, pr edispose us t o
elev at ed blood cholest er ol and def eat t he ent ir e r eason w e cut dow n on f at s t o begi n w i t h. Nonf at or
l ow - f at f oods hi gh in sugar cal or i es can be ev en
mor e f at t eni ng and l ess sat i sf y i ng t han some f at cont aini ng f oods. Mor eov er , w e must hav e a cer t ai n
per cent age of l i pid consumpt i on t o be healt hy and
sl ender .

Fats: Essential for Life

Whi le i t i s t r ue t hat f at s hav e t aken a beat i ng i n
t he media and ar e f r ow ned upon f or t heir negat i v e
bi ol ogi cal i mpact , t hey ar e absolut el y essent i al f or
l i f e. I w ant t o st r ongly r eit er at e her e t hat it i s not
so much t he quant it y of f at w e consume as w hat t y pe
of f at s w e eat .
Li pi ds ar e consider ed a gr oup of f at s and f at - l i ke
compounds t hat ar e i nsol ubl e in w at er . Techni cal l y
speaking, t his cat egor y of macr onut r i ent s i ncl udes
f at s, f at t y aci ds, oil s, w ax es, st er ol s, and est er s of
f at t y aci ds. Much li ke car bohy dr at es, l i pi ds ar e
chemi cal l y compr ised of car bon, hy dr ogen and ox y gen at oms. They ser v e as a sour ce of ener gy w hi ch
i s ei t her 1 ) conv er t ed t o ot her essent ial t i ssue component s, 2 ) bur ned of f , or 3 ) st or ed as f at i n adi pose
t i ssue.
Keep i n mi nd t hat t he macr onut r i ent cat egor y of
f at s does not r ef er t o body f at w hich ideal l y
account s f or ar ound 1 0 per cent of t he body w ei ght of
a nor mal adult . The mor e w e lear n about f at s, t he
mor e conv i nced w e al l should be t hat bad diet ar y
f at s ar e r eal ly bad and good ones ar e absol ut el y v it al
and should be consumed i n t he pr oper pr opor t i on.
Diet ar y l i pids i n t he f or m of ol i v e oil s, f l ax seed oil s,
and canola oil ar e an ex cell ent sour ce of nut r it i on
and can act uall y discour age car di ov ascular disease
r at her t han cont r i but e t o i t . Li pi ds pr ov i de us w i t h a
34

hi gh- ener gy f ood sour ce, f aci l i t at e di gest i v e

pr ocesses, hel p t o met aboli ze ot her nut r i ent s and
cont r i but e t o t he absor pt ion and t r anspor t of t he f at sol ubl e v it ami ns ( A , D, E, K). In addi t ion, t hey compr i se t he sheat hes t hat pr ot ect our ner v es and hel p
t o make up f at st or es t o pr ot ect our v i t al or gans.
If li pi ds ar e mi ssi ng f r om our di et s, t he body w il l
sy nt hesize some f at t y aci ds f r om ot her macr onut r i ent s; how ev er , l inolei c acid is consi der ed an essent i al f at t y acid w hich means t hat i t cannot be sy nt hesi zed and can onl y be obt ai ned f r om f ood or suppl ement sour ces. For ex ampl e, f l ax seed oi l i s a v er y
good sour ce of t his essent i al f at t y aci d. We ar e j ust
begi nni ng t o under st and t he pr of ound heal t h impl icat i ons of t hi s acid w hich ser v es as a pr ecur sor t o a
ser i es
of
hor mone- l i ke
subst ances
cal l ed
pr ost aglandins. It w oul d be w i se t o ment ion her e t hat
as A mer icans, t he maj or i t y of f at s w e eat ar e sat ur at ed and hy dr ogenat ed v ar i et i es. Many of t hese
ar t i f ici al l y mani pulat ed f at s ( such as w e see i n v eget abl e mar gar i nes) pr oduce danger ous f at compounds and ar e compl et ely lacking i n essent i al f at t y
aci ds. Because w e do not consume f i sh r out i nel y and
t y pi cal l y do not use ol i v e, f l ax seed or ev eni ng pr i mr ose oi ls i n our di et s, suppl ement at ion i s v er y much
w ar r ant ed. Def i ci enci es i n t hese essent i al f at t y
aci ds hav e been l inked w i t h all kinds of aut oi mmune
di seases, i ncl udi ng mult i pl e scl er osi s and l upus.
Tr i gl y cer ides ar e consi der ed t he maj or f or m of
f at and make up t he maj or it y of f at f ound in f oods
and i n t he body . What w e need t o know about t r igly cer i des is t hat t he lengt h and degr ee of t hei r sat ur at i on as chemical compounds det er mi nes t he w ay t hey
behav e i n t he body . Fat t y aci ds ar e chemicall y compr i sed of car bon at oms. If each car bon at om is connect ed t o each of it s hy dr ogen neighbor s, it i s cal l ed
sat ur at ed. If t w o adj acent car bon at oms ar e l inked i n
a double bond and coul d bi nd t o addi t i onal hy dr ogens,
t he f at i s cal led monosat ur at ed. If mor e t han one
l ocal it y on a car bon chai n i s abl e t o accept addi t ional hy dr ogen at oms, t he f at i s call ed pol y unsat ur at ed.
Li nol eic aci d is a pol y unsat ur at ed f at t y aci d and oleic
acid i s an ex ample of a monounsat ur at ed f at t y aci d.
A n easy w ay t o r ecognize some unsat ur at ed f at s
i s t hat t hey ar e usual ly mor e li qui d at r oom t emper at ur e t han a sat ur at ed f at . For ex ampl e, sunf l ow er
oi l, hi gh in pol y unsat ur at ed f at t y aci ds, i s li qui d at
r oom t emper at ur e, w hi l e l ar d or but t er , hi gh i n sat ur at ed f at s, i s sol id.

Proteins: Building Blocks of our Cells

Unl ess w e ar e consumi ng enough pr ot ein, our bodi es w i l l not be abl e t o f unct i on opt imal l y . For t hi s
r eason, v eget ar i ans need t o be par t i cul ar l y car ef ul
t hat t hey consume a f ul l r ange of pr ot eins f r om nonani mal sour ces. Ti me and t i me agai n, st udi es hav e
show n t hat a poor pr ot ei n int ake can hav e ser ious
consequences on i mmune f unct i on. Eat i ng f ish sev er al t imes a w eek i s an ex cell ent sour ce of pr ot ei n, as

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
i s t of u. Chicken and t ur key eat en occasionall y ar e
al so good sour ces of pr ot ei n.
Pr ot ei n is consider ed one of t he most abundant
subst ances f ound in our bodi es and is second onl y t o
w at er . Our ski n, muscles, hair , nails, ey es and
enzy mes ar e essent iall y compr i sed of pr ot ein. Unless
w e supply our bodies w i t h pr ot ei n, w e cannot cr eat e
i nf ect i on- f ight ing ant ibodies, r egener at e our t issues
or gr ow . Pr ot ei n is chemicall y composed of car bon,
hy dr ogen ox y gen and ni t r ogen. It s pr i mar y f unct ion
i s t o bui ld and r epair body t issues. Pr ot ei n molecules
ar e made up of or gani c compounds call ed amino aci ds.
These ami no acids ar e l inked end t o end and cr eat e a
st r uct ur e r esembling long, spher e- like chains. The
indiv idual at t r ibut es of each pr ot ein ar e det er mined
by t he nat ur e and shape of t hese amino aci d chai ns.
Tw ent y amino acids ar e r equi r ed t o sy nt hesize pr ot ein and hal f of t hese ar e pr oduced by t he human
body . Essent ial amino aci ds, w hi ch must be obt ained
f r om t he diet incl ude i soleucine, leucine, ly sine,
met hi onine, pheny l alani ne, t hr eoni ne, t r y pt ophan,
and v al ine. Ar ginine and hist idine ar e consider ed
semi - essent ial.
The most common di et ar y sour ces of pr ot ei n ar e
meat , f ish, seaf ood, eggs, dair y pr oduct s, gr ai n
pr oduct s, and l egumes ( w hich i ncl ude beans and
peas) . As w e ment i oned ear l i er , as a nat ion, w e consume much mor e meat t han w e r equi r e. Ex cess pr ot ei n consumpt i on can t ax t he ki dney s, cont r i but e t o
obesit y and cr eat e col on t ox i cit y . NOTE: New st udi es
suggest t hat some peopl e act ual ly need t o incr ease
t hei r pr ot ei n consumpt i on and l ow er t hei r car bohy dr at e i nt ake. Remember , i t s t he t y pe of pr ot ei n y ou
eat t hat count s. The pr oper t i es of specif i c pr ot ei ns
v ar y dependi ng on t he number and ar r angement of
i ndi v i dual amino acids.
Pr ot eins ar e cl assi f i ed as bei ng nut r it i onal ly compl et e or i ncompl et e. Complet e pr ot ei ns such as eggs
ar e able t o i ni t i at e cel l ular gr ow t h. Par t ial l y compl et e pr ot ei n, such as t he gl ut en f ound in w heat , cont r i but es t o phy siologi cal f unct i on but i s mi ssi ng speci f i c ami no aci ds necessar y t o pr omot e gr ow t h.
Incompl et e pr ot ei ns f ound i n cor n, f or ex ampl e, cannot sust ai n l i f e i n and of t hemsel v es. How ev er w hen
combi ned w i t h beans, t hey f or m a compl et e pr ot ei n.
For our pur poses, it i s i mpor t ant t o l ear n w hi ch
f oods cont ai n t he essent i al amino aci ds our bodi es
cannot pr oduce. Meat and dai r y pr oduct s ar e t he
most common sour ces of essent ial ami no aci ds i n
w est er n nat ions. Whi l e plant sour ces of pr ot ei n can
be l acki ng i n some of t hese ami no aci ds, mix ing cer t ai n f oods t oget her can cr eat e a complet e pr ot ei n
f ood as ment i oned in t he ex ample of cor n and beans.
A di et ar y mix of w hole gr ai ns and beans can sat i sf y
t he body s amino acid needs.
The Bi ological Funct ion of Pr ot eins
Pr ot eins ar e t he maj or const i t uent s of ev er y l i v i ng cell and body f lui d ex cept bil e and ur i ne. It is not
di f f icult t o see t hat cel lular r eplacement and t her e-

35

f or e, t issue r egener at i on hi nges on pr ov i di ng our

bodi es w it h a cont i nuous suppl y of compl et e pr ot ei ns. Mor eov er , some enzy me and hor mone component s ar e made of pr ot ei n also. Hor mones and
enzy mes ar e w hat dr iv e v ir t uall y ev er y mechani sm
of t he human body . Hemogl obi n i s an i r on- bear i ng
pr ot ei n and car r ies bl ood nut r i ent s and ox y gen v i a
ev er y r ed bl ood cell t o our body sy st ems. Pl asma
pr ot ei ns r egul at e osmot i c pr essur e and w at er bal ance, and blood pr ot ei ns mai nt ain our aci d/ al kal i ne
bal ance. Ant i bodi es ar e consi der ed pr ot eins t hat ar m
our i mmune sy st ems w i t h t he abil i t y t o f ight disease
i nv ader s.
When w e f ai l t o eat enough pr ot ei n or eat only
i ncompl et e pr ot ei ns, v er y ser i ous dev el opment al
abnor mal i t ies occur . Chi ldr en in t hir d- w or ld count r i es f r equent l y l ack suf f i cient pr ot ei n and suf f er
f r om a v ar i et y of mal adi es f r om st unt ed gr ow t h t o
ki dney f ai l ur e. Pr egnant w omen need t o be par t icul ar l y v i gil ant i n eat ing enough pr ot ei n, or t hey can
miscar r y or hav e pr emat ur e bir t hs.
The Impor t ance of Pr ot ei n: A Wor d t o Veget ar i ans
Dependi ng on t he t y pe of met aboli sm y ou hav e,
y ou shoul d be car ef ul of goi ng on a st r i ct v eget ar i an
di et because it can r esul t in a pr ot ein def ici ency
w hi ch can l eav e some people f eel ing v er y f at igued,
w eak, unf ocused and suscept i ble t o si ckness. Make
sur e y ou t hr oughly acquai nt y our sel f w i t h v eget abl e
f oods t hat ar e pr ot ein- r ich and eat enough of t hem t o
sust ai n y our body on a cel lular l ev el . Thi s i s par t i cul ar l y i mpor t ant if y ou hav e el imi nat ed eggs and
dai r y pr oduct s f r om y our diet as w el l . Because pr ot ei n sy nt hesi s is hi nder ed by t he def i ciency of speci f ic ami no aci ds in t he di et , i t s impor t ant f or any
v eget ar ian t o r ecogni ze pl ant f oods t hat lack cer t ai n
ami no aci ds.
PLA NT SOURCE
Cor n
Gr ain cer eals
Legumes
Peanut s
Ri ce
Thr eoni ne

A MINO A CID DEFICIENCY

Tr y pt ophan, Thr eoni ne
Ly sine
Met hi onine, Tr y pt ophane
Met hi onine, Ly si ne
T r y pt o phan,

The body w il l pr oduce pr ot ein onl y unt i l i t r uns out

of amino aci d st or es.

MICRONUTRIENTS: VITAMINS AND MINERALS

Vi t amins suppl y us w i t h t he bui ldi ng bl ocks of li f e.
They ar e r emar kabl e mi cr o- compounds desi gned t o
i ni t i at e and assi st i n my r i ads of bi ochemi cal
pr ocesses w hi ch sust ai n l if e. Techni cal l y , v i t ami ns
f al l i nt o t he cat egor y of mi cr onut r ient s in t hat only
minut e amount s ar e needed by t he body . Vi t amins ar e
i nt r insicall y l inked t o enzy mes, w hich ar e cat aly st s
t hat act i v at e t he chemi cal chain r eact i ons r equir ed
35

36

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

by ev er y body sy st em. For t hi s r eason, v it ami ns

may al so be r ef er r ed t o as coenzy mes.
Tw o t y pes of v i t amins ex ist : f at soluble and w at er
sol uble. It is i mpor t ant t o cont inually r eplenish w at er sol uble v it amins in t hat t hey ar e cont inually ex cr et ed
and cannot be st or ed. They i nclude v it amin C and Bcomplex v it ami ns. Fat - soluble v it amins can be st or ed
in l iv er and f at t y t issue; how ev er , t hese v it amins
also need cont inual r eplacement . These incl ude v it ami ns A, D, E and K. Ideally , our diet s should pr ov ide
us w i t h adequat e supplies of v it amins. Reali st ically ,
t his is f ar f r om t he case. RDA r equi r ement s may be
enough t o w ar d of f def iciency sy mpt oms, but t hey
r ar ely addr ess disease, st r ess, env ir onment al t ox ins, et c. For t hi s r eason, v it amin suppl ement at ion is
r ecommended, especially f or t hose w ho suf f er f r om
il l healt h or r equir e ex t r a endur ance.
T oday , a v i t ami n r ev ol ut i on i s under w ay .
Vit ami ns ar e now being int ensely st udi ed f or t hei r
r ol e in not onl y t he pr ev ent i on of disease but t r eat ment as w ell . A mi dst cont r ov er sy , mor e and mor e
dat a i s emer ging suggest ing t hat v i t amin t her apy
may play an i nt egr al r ol e i n t he t r eat ment of di sease. Combi ni ng cer t ai n v i t ami ns w i t h her bs and
ot her nat ur al compounds can be v er y ef f ect i v e in t he
t r eat ment of v ar i ous di seases and di s or der s.
Mor eov er , t aki ng a good, pow er f ul v it ami n and mi ner al suppl ement on a dai l y basi s is t he f ir st heal t h
pr act ice w e shoul d incor por at e i nt o our dail y r out i ne.

All Vitamins Are Not Created Equal

Whi le t he debat e cont i nues ov er sy nt het ic v er sus
nat ur al v it ami ns, i t i s i mpor t ant t o keep in mi nd t hat
v it ami ns der i v ed f r om i nor ganic chemi cal s may be
combi ned w i t h undesi r abl e subst ances such as sugar ,
ar t i f i ci al col or s, pr eser v at i v es, and coal t ar s.
Ther e is subst ant i al sci ent i f ic ev idence t hat v i t ami ns der i v ed f r om nat ur al sour ces ar e mor e r eadi l y
absor bed and assi mi l at ed by t he human body .
Pr ot ein- bonded v i t ami ns hav e been show n t o hav e
some adv ant ages much in t he same w ay as chel at ed mi ner al s do (see miner al sect i on) . Al w ay s r ead
l abel br eakdow ns and pur chase v i t amins t hat come i n
pr ot ect iv e, dar k, cont ai ner s. Gel - capsul i zed v i t ami ns or t abl et f or ms t hat br eakdow n in t he st omach
ar e also r ecommended. Remember , mor e i s not
al w ay s bet t er and use r el i abl e sour ces f or v it ami ns
t hat ar e pur e and pot ent .

Fat-Soluble Vitamins
Vit ami n A
Appl icat i ons: Ant iox idant , acne, night blindness,
immune w eakness, skin disor der s, gast r ic ulcer s,
t issue r epair .
Scient i f i c Dat a: Vit ami n A depl et ion may pl ay a
si gni f icant r ol e in diseases l ike cancer , Cr ohn s di s1
ease and gast r i c ul cer s.
36

Deplet i ng A gent s: A nt i biot i cs, sulf a dr ugs, cont r acept i v e dr ugs, alcohol, cor t isone, est r ogen, miner al oil , cof f ee, some t y pes of i ndoor li ght i ng, ai r
pol l ut ion.
Sour ces: But t er , w hole mi l k, l i v er , f or t i f i ed l ow f at and ski m mi lk, dar k gr een leaf y v eget abl es ( such
as spi nach) and y el l ow and or ange v eget ables ( such
as y ams and squash)
Saf et y : Ex cess consumpt i on of v it ami n A i n ei t her
suppl ement f or m or in cod li v er oi l may r esul t i n
t ox i ci t y . Pr egnant w omen shoul d not t ake ov er
1 0 , 0 0 0 IU, and chi l dr en shoul d av oi d ov er 1 8 , 0 0 0
IU. Taking bet a car ot ene cannot r esul t i n a v it ami n A
ov er dose. NOTE: A ny one w it h di abet es or hy pot hy r oi di sm shoul d not t ake bet a car ot ene as it cannot be
conv er t ed t o v i t amin A .
Int er act i ons: A l ack of zi nc, v i t ami n C, v it ami n E
or pr ot ei n can i nhi bi t t he pr oper absor pt i on and f unct i on of v i t ami n A in t he body .
Recommendat ions: Use a hi gh qual i t y f or m of v i t ami n A w i t h bet a car ot ene. If y ou use f i sh oi l
sour ces, t ake v it ami n E w i t h y our supplement . You
can pur chase nat ur al v i t ami n A as r et i nol or r et i ny l pal mit at e. If t he pr oduct is emul si f ied or micell i zed,
absor bt ion w i ll be enhanced.
Vi t amin D
Applicat ions: Cancer pr ev ent ion, Cr ohn s disease,
epilepsy , hi gh blood pr essur e, ki dney disease, l iv er
di sease, ost eopor osi s, ski n ail ment s.
Sci ent i f ic Dat a: Recent r esear ch suggest s t hat
el der l y peopl e may be def i ci ent i n t hi s v i t amin due t o
2
a l ack of sunl i ght ex posur e and di et ar y depl et ion.
St udi es hav e f ound t hat w omen ar e consist ent ly l ow
i n v i t amin D w hi ch may pr edi spose t hem t o ost eo3
por osis.
Deplet i ng A gent s: Mi ner al oil , smog, bar bi t uat es,
chol est er ol l ow er i ng dr ugs, ant aci ds, pr ednisone,
ant i conv ulsi v e dr ugs (dil ant i n) , sedat i v es, i nt est i nal
di sor der s, l i v er and gall bl adder di sease.
Sour ces: Thi s v i t amin i s pr oduced in t he body
w hen w e ar e ex posed t o sunli ght . It i s nat ur all y suppl ied i n cod l iv er oi l , col dw at er f i sh, egg y ol ks, and
but t er . Dar k gr een leaf y v eget abl es al so cont ai n
some v i t amin D.
Saf et y : Tox ici t y can occur , and dosages ov er 5 0 0
IU per day ar e not r ecommended unless super v ised
by y our phy si ci an. Cal ci um should alw ay s be t aken
w it h v it ami n D.
Int er act i ons: Thi s v it ami n play s an i nt egr al r ole i n
t he pr oper met aboli sm of cal ci um.
Recommendat ions: Vit ami n D can be t aken singul ar l y but i s usual ly i ncl uded i n mul t i ple f or mul as or
w it h v it ami n A . Vit ami n D2 is t he most common suppl ement f or m. Calcit r ol i s t he pr escr ipt i on v er si on
of v it ami n D and is onl y used i n cases w her e cer t ai n
di seases pr ohi bit t he conv er sion of v i t ami n D in t he
body .
Vi t amin E
A ppli cat i ons: Agi ng, at her oscl er osi s, f ibr ocy st i c

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
br east disease, chol est er ol , bl ood cl ot s, scar t i ssue,
i nf er t i li t y , car diov ascul ar di sease, hy per t ensi on,
bur ns, headaches, w ound heal i ng, l upus, PMS. NOTE:
Taking v i t amin E w it h f ish oi ls and ot her li pi ds
af f or ds ant iox idant pr ot ect i on f r om f r ee r adi cal s
associat ed w it h r ancidit y and ox i dat i on and pr ot ect s
essent ial f at t y aci ds f r om molecular damage.
Scient i f i c Dat a: St udies hav e show n t hat v i t amin E
has a r el at ionshi p t o el ev at ed r i sks of cer t ai n ki nds
of cancer s, f i br ocy st i c br east di sease and cer t ai n
4
neur ologic di sor der s.
Deplet i ng A gent s: Est r ogen, bir t h cont r ol pi ll s,
mi ner al oi l, chlor ine, f ood pr ocessi ng, i nor gani c
i r on, r anci d f at .
Sour ces: Seeds, nut s, pol y unsat ur at ed oi ls, w hol e
gr ains, aspar agus, av ocados, t omat oes, gr een l eaf y
v eget abl es, ber r i es.
Saf et y : Ver y f ew si de ef f ect s hav e been obser v ed
w i t h t his v i t ami n ev en in high doses; how ev er , t aki ng mor e t han 4 0 0 IU shoul d be clear ed w i t h y our
doct or . Do not t ake i r on at t he same t i me as v it ami n
E. A ny one w i t h hy per t ensi on, diabet es or r heumat i c
hear t di sease should not t ake ex cessiv e doses and
begin w i t h small er doses.
Int er act i ons: Vi t ami n E shoul d be t aken w i t h sel eni um and v i t ami n C. It al so i mpr ov es t he ut i li zat i on
of v i t ami n A. Vit ami n E may pot ent iat e ant i coagul ant
dr ugs such as Coumadi n or War f ar in and may al so
boost t he f unct i on of v i t ami n K. It i s also t hought t o
boost t he ant icoagul ant ef f ect of aspir in.
Recommendat ions: Use or gani c sour ces of v it ami n
E w hich ar e bet t er assimi l at ed t han sy nt het i c v ar i et i es. They ar e desi gnat ed by a d as in d- alpha t ocopher ol and sy nt het i c pr oduct s begi n w i t h a dl . Wat er
sol ubl e f or ms of v i t ami n E ar e v er y ex pensi v e and
not necessar i ly w or t h it .
Vit ami n K
A ppl icat i ons: Ost eopor osis, hemor r hagi ng, heav y
per iods, ener gy demands, post - sur ger y , col it i s,
gal l st ones.
Scient i f i c Dat a: A st udy f ound t hat a signif i cant
number of w omen w ho suf f er ed f r om ost eopor osi s
5
w er e al so def i ci ent in v it ami n K.
Deplet i ng A gent s: A nt ibi ot i cs.
Sour ces: Gr een leaf y v eget abl es such as spi nach,
dar k l et t uce, br occoli , aspar agus, w hol e w heat ,
w hol e oat s, f r esh peas.
Saf et y : Lar ge doses of sy nt het i c v i t ami n K shoul d
not be t aken dur ing pr egnancy . Ex cessi v e doses can
cause r eddeni ng of t he ski n and sw eat ing. The dev el opment of hemoly t i c anemi a may i ndi cat e a v it ami n
K ov er dose. NOTE: If y ou ar e t aki ng any medi cat i on,
especiall y ant i coagul ant dr ugs, check w it h y our
phy si cian bef or e t aki ng a v i t amin K suppl ement .
Int er act i ons: Vit ami n K can i nt er f er e w i t h t he
act i on of ant i coagul ant dr ugs.
Recommendat ions: Fat - soluble chl or ophy ll i s an
ex cel lent sour ce of v i t amin K and is r ecommended.
Make sur e y ou l ook f or f at - sol ubl e v ar i et i es as

37

w at er soluble chl or ophy ll w i ll not pr ov ide t he same

bi ol ogical benef it s.

Water-Soluble Vitamins
Vi t amin B1 ( t hi amine)
A ppl i cat i ons: A l cohol i sm, anemi a, depr essi on,
di ar r hea, ment al il l ness, st r ess, ber i ber i , shi ngl es,
i nf ect ions.
Sci ent i f ic Dat a: Thi amine def i ci enci es hav e been
6
l inked t o ment al i ll ness. Ger i at r i c pat ient s w ho hav e
sur ger y may ex per i ence a t hi amine l oss w hi ch may
ex plai n t heir post oper at iv e conf usi on and ment al
7
det er i or at i on. A nt ibi ot i cs, or al cont r acept iv es and
sul f a dr ugs may al so decr ease t hi amine l ev el s.
Eat i ng a diet hi gh i n car bohy dr at es i ncr eases t he
need f or t hi ami ne.
Depl et i ng A gent s: St r ess, caf f ei ne, sur ger y ,
ex cess car bohy dr at e consumpt i on ( sugar ) , t obacco,
r aw f i sh and shell f ish, ant ibi ot i cs, or al cont r acept i v es, sul f a dr ugs, muscl e r el ax ant s.
Sour ces: Sunf l ow er seeds, soy beans, br ow n r i ce,
w hol e w heat , peanut s.
Saf et y : Thi ami ne w oul d hav e t o be t aken i n inor di nat el y l ar ge doses t o pr oduce any t ox ici t y . Ther e
hav e been no r epor t s of t ox ici t y in humans w it h or al
suppl ement s of v i t ami n B1 .
Int er act i ons: Adequat e suppl i es of magnesi um
must be pr esent i n or der f or t hi amine t o conv er t t o
f or ms t he body can use. In addi t ion, a f ul l ar r ay of
t he ot her B- v i t ami ns must al so be suppli ed i n or der
f or al l of t hem t o be ut i l ized cor r ect l y .
Recommendat ions: Thi amine hy dr ochlor ide is t he
most common sour ce of t hi s v i t ami n i n nut r it i onal
suppl ement s.
Vi t amin B2 ( r i bof l av i n)
A ppli cat i ons: A nemi a, ar t er i oscl er osi s, baldness,
bl adder i nf ect i ons, car pal t unnel , cat ar act s, hy pogl y cemi a, i mmune sy st em di sor der s, ment al disor der s, muscl e di seases, mor ni ng si ckness, obesi t y ,
si ckl e cel l anemi a, st r ess, depr essi on, t r embli ng.
Sci ent i f ic Dat a: Ribof l av in def ici enci es hav e been
l inked t o cat ar act f or mat i on, psy chiat r ic and emot i onal di sor der s, si ckl e cel l anemi a, and esophageal
8
cancer . Some st udies suggest t hat r ibof l av i n t her a9
py may help t o al l ev i at e car pal t unnel sy ndr ome.
Test i ng of 4 2 adol escent boy s f ound t hat 3 8 per cent
10
of t hem w er e r i bof lav in def ici ent .
Deplet i ng Agent s: A l cohol , di et i ng, t obacco, or al
cont r acept iv es, cof f ee, cooki ng, r adi at ion, ul t r av i ol et li ght , w hit e sugar , est r ogen, ex er ci se, cer t ai n
ant i malar ial dr ugs.
Sour ces: Al monds, or gan meat s, w hol e gr ai ns,
mushr ooms, soy beans, gr een leaf y v eget abl es.
Saf et y : Ribof lav in has no know n t ox i ci t y .
Int er act i ons: Thi amin has a sy ner gi st i c ef f ect
w it h r i bof l av i n.
Recommendat i ons: Most suppl ement s w i l l use
r i bof l av i n as a simpl e compound or w hat i s r ef er r ed
37

38

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

t o as act iv at ed r i bof l av i n or r i bof l av i n- 5 - phosphat e.

Vit ami n B3 ( ni aci n, ni acinami de, ni cot i nic acid)
A ppl icat i ons: Cancer pr ev ent i on, epil epsy , hi gh
cholest er ol l ev els, hi gh bl ood pr essur e, ment al i ll ness, mi gr ai nes, l eg cr amps, poor ci r cul at i on,
st r ess, poor memor y , seni l it y .
Scient i f i c Dat a: Sev er al cl i nical t est s hav e conf i r med t he abi li t y of niacin t o l ow er bl ood chol est er ol and t r i gly cer i des by up t o 5 0 per cent or
11
mor e. It has also pr ov en i t s ef f ect iv eness at pr e12
v ent ing cancer af t er ex posur e t o car cinogens.
Niaci n may al so be v er y usef ul f or epil epsy and can
13
be used in conj unct i on w i t h ant i conv ulsant dr ugs.
Deplet i ng Agent s: Ant i bi ot ics, caf f ei ne, al cohol ,
est r ogen, sl eepi ng pil l s, sul f a dr ugs, ex cessi v e consumpt i on of w hi t e sugar .
Sour ces: Or gan meat s ( especi al ly l i v er ) , eggs,
f i sh, peanut s, l egumes, mi l k, av ocados, w hol e
gr ains w i t h t he ex cept i on of cor n.
Saf et y : Af t er t aki ng v i t ami n B3 a ni aci n f l ush
may occur w hi ch i s a r edness of t he ski n, usuall y i n
t he f ace and neck r egi on. Ti me- r el eased pr oduct s
can help t o r educe t his ef f ect ; how ev er , t hey ar e not
r ecommended. A t i ngli ng sensat ion may al so be
ex per i enced. Bot h of t hese r eact i ons ar e consider ed
har ml ess. High doses of v it ami n B3 shoul d not be
used by pr egnant w omen or any one w it h di abet es,
gout , pept ic ulcer s, glaucoma, or l iv er ai lment s.
Take ni acin w i t h meal s.
Int er act i ons: Niacin needs adequat e suppli es of all
t he ot her B- v i t amins t o f unct ion pr oper ly . Ni aci n i s
al so t hought t o pot ent i at e t he act i on of chol est er ol l ow er i ng dr ugs.
Recommendat ions: Thi s v it ami n can be pur chased
as ni aci n ( ni cot ini c aci d or ni cot inat e) or niaci nami de
( ni cot i namide). These f or ms ar e used f or di f f er ent
appli cat i ons. Inosi t ol hex ani aci nat e i s a speci f i c ki nd
of niacin w hich does not cause f l ushi ng and has been
used i n Eur ope t o t r eat high chol est er ol and i mpai r ed
bl ood f l ow f or decades.
Vit ami n B5 ( pant ot henic acid)
A ppl i cat i ons: A lcohol ism, anx i et y , depr essi on,
al l er gi es, anemi a, ar t hr i t i s, ast hma, di abet es,
A ddi son s di sease, diar r hea, j oi nt i nf l ammat i on,
ment al il l ness, muscl e cr amps, r espi r at or y i nf ect i ons, hai r l oss, pr emat ur e agi ng, st r ess.
Scient i f i c Dat a: Dat a r ev eals t hat some peopl e
suf f er i ng f r om r heumat oi d ar t hr i t is hav e decr eased
l ev el s of pant ot heni c aci d. Using t his v i t amin t her apeut i cal l y has r esult ed i n t he al lev iat i on of t y pi cal
14
ar t hr it i s sy mpt oms i n some peopl e.
Deplet i ng Agent s: Insect ici des, alcohol s, cof f ee,
cooking, sulf a dr ugs, est r ogen, sl eepi ng pi ll s.
Sour ces: Or gan meat s, mi l k, f i sh, poul t r y , w hol e
gr ai ns, y ams , br occol i , caul i f l ow er , or anges,
st r aw ber r ies, l egumes
Saf et y : It has no know n t ox i ci t y .
Int er act ions: No dr ug int er act ions hav e been not ed.
38

Car nit ine, an amino acid, and coenzy me Q10 w or k

t oget her w it h pant ot henic acid t o pr omot e pr oper f at t y
acid ut ilizat ion.
Recommendat i ons: Pant ot heni c aci d i s usual ly
f ound as cal cium pant ot henat e. Pant et hei ne i s anot her f or m w hi ch is consi der ed mor e bi oact i v e.
Vi t amin B6 ( py r idox ine)
A ppli cat i ons: A nx i et y , car pal t unnel, depr essi on,
epi l epsy , headaches, kidney disease, anemi a, ment al
i ll ness, hy pogly cemia, epi l epsy , ar t hr i t is, ast hma,
i nsomni a, Par ki nson s disease, pr egnancy , lact at i on, cat ar act s, eczema, high cholest er ol , i mmune
def i ci ency .
Sci ent i f ic Dat a: A v it ami n B6 def iciency has been
pr of oundly l inked t o a number of ment al di sor der s,
i ncl udi ng cl i ni cal depr ession and schi zophr eni a. 1 5
Py r idox i ne t her apy has been successf ul l y used t o
t r eat chi l dhood epi l epsy , f or enhanced car di ov ascu16
l ar heal t h, and t o i nhi bi t mel anoma i n t est ani mal s.
Vi t amin B6 depl et ion has also been connect ed t o
i mmune def i ci ency , ki dney di seases, ast hma, si ckl e
cel l anemia and diabet es.
Deplet i ng A gent s: A nt idepr essant dr ugs, al cohol ,
or al cont r acept iv es, est r ogen, most dr ugs, st r ess.
Sour ces: Bananas, y east , seeds, nut s, w hol e
gr ai ns, pot at oes, caul i f low er , Br ussel s spr out s,
l egumes.
Saf et y : Long t er m use of appr opr i at e doses i s
consi der ed saf e and nont ox ic. Ex t r emel y hi gh doses
may pr oduce ner v ous sy st em- r el at ed si de ef f ect s.
Int er act i ons: Magnesium and r ibof l av in pl ay an
i nt egr al r ol e in conv er t i ng t hi s v i t ami n t o a chemi cal
f or m useabl e i n t he human body . In addi t i on, v it ami n
B6 may pot ent iat e t he concent r at ion of magnesi um
and zi nc.
Recommendat ions: Look f or py r i dox i ne hy dr ochl or i de or py r i dox al - 5 - phosphat e. Inj ect ions of t hi s
v i t amin ar e also av ail abl e i f l i v er disease i s pr esent .
Vi t amin B1 2 ( cy anocobalami n)
A ppli cat i ons: Ment al disor der s, f at igue, debil i t at ed st at es, smoker s, post - sur ger y , per ni ci ous anemia, cancer pr ev ent i on, i nsomni a, depr ession, shi ngl es, neur i t is, hepat it i s, st r ess, mult i pl e scl er osi s,
bur si t i s.
Sci ent i f ic Dat a: Sev er al st udi es suppor t t he not i on
t hat a v i t ami n B1 2 def ici ency i n t he el der l y and ot h17
er s may account f or psy chiat r ic di st ur bances.
Deplet i ng Agent s: Ant i coagulant dr ugs, ant i gout
medi cat ion, l ax at i v es, al cohol , aspi r i n, ant ibi ot i cs,
di ur et i cs, ant - aci ds, caf f ei ne, est r ogen, sl eepi ng
pi ll s, cont r acept iv es, cooki ng t emper at ur es.
Sour ces: Li v er , or gan meat s, eggs, dai r y pr oduct s, f i sh, meat .
Saf et y : Consi der ed saf e. NOTE: Pr olonged ex posur e t o ni t r ous ox i de may r esul t i n a t y pe of anemi a
caused by a l ack of v i t ami n B1 2 . Elder ly peopl e and
v eget ar ians ar e suscept i ble t o v i t amin B1 2 def i cienci es and should use a B1 2 suppl ement .

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
Int er act i ons: A lack of v it ami n B1 2 can r esul t i n
f ol i c acid and melat onin deplet i on.
Recommendat ions: You w il l see t hi s v i t ami n most
commonl y sol d as cy anocobal amin. Met hy l cobal ami ne and adenosy lcobalamin ar e also sour ces of B1 2.
Some ex per t s consider met hy l cobal ami ne t o be mor e
bi oact i v e. Look f or subl i ngual t ablet s f or adequat e
absor babi li t y . Inj ect ions of v i t amin B1 2 ar e al so
av ail abl e.
Biot i n
A ppl icat i ons: Bal dness, depr essi on, der mat it i s,
eczema, l eg cr amps.
Scient i f i c Dat a: New r esear ch has f ound t hat peopl e on di al y si s saw si gni f i cant impr ov ement i n neur ol ogi cal di sor der s t hey suf f er ed as a r esul t of t he
18
t r eat ment by using biot i n suppl ement at i on.
Deplet i ng Agent s: Raw egg w hit es, sulf a dr ugs,
sacchar i n, r anci d f at s, r ef i ned f oods, est r ogen,
w hi t e sugar , al cohol . NOTE: The pr esence of sebor r heic der mat i t i s in i nf ant s may i ndi cat e a biot i n def i ci ency .
Sour ces: Or gan meat s, soy beans, cheese, mushr ooms, eggs, caul if l ow er , nut s, w hole w heat .
Saf et y : Bi ot in i s consider ed nont ox i c.
Int er act i ons: Thi s v it ami n w or ks in t andem w i t h
ot her B- v i t amins as w ell as w it h car nit i ne and coenzy me Q1 0 .
Recommendat ions: You can obt ain t his v i t amin as
bi ocy t i n f r om y east sour ces or as si mpl e biot i n. If
y ou suspect f ood or ot her t y pe of all er gi es, st ay
aw ay f r om y east sour ces.
Choli ne
A ppl icat i ons: Par kinson s di sease, hi gh chol est er ol , ar t er i oscl er osi s, bal dness, mult i pl e scl er osi s, gl aucoma, eczema, al cohol i sm, muscular dy st r ophy , hy per t ensi on, di seases of t he ner v ous sy st em.
Scient i f i c Dat a: Leci t hin is a common sour ce of
choli ne. St udi es hav e show n t hat t aki ng l eci t hi n can
decr ease cholest er ol lev el s and may be an ef f ect i v e
19
w ay t o t r eat at her oscl er osi s.
Deplet i ng Agent s: Wat er , sul f a dr ugs, est r ogen,
f ood pr ocessing, al cohol s, ex cess sugar consumpt i on.
Sour ces: Legumes, gr ai ns, egg y ol ks, caul if l ow er ,
w hol e gr ai ns, l iv er , soy beans.
Saf et y : No know n side ef f ect s; how ev er , v er y
l ar ge doses may pr oduce nausea, dizziness or di ar r hea.
Int er act i ons: The pr oper f unct i on and av ai l abil i t y
of f ol ic acid depends on t he cont r ibut i on of choli ne.
Recommendat ions: Chol ine is av ail abl e as chol i ne
bi t ar t r at e, choli ne cit r at e, chol ine chl or ide or as a
compound f ound i n l eci t hi n cal l ed phosphat i dy l choli ne.
Fol i c Aci d
Applicat ions: Alcoholism, anemia, ar t er ioscler osis,

39

baldness, diar r hea, depr ession, ment al illness, ment al

r et ar dat ion, immune sy st em, bir t h- def ect pr ev ent ion,
f at igue, ulcer s, st r ess, blood disor der s.
Sci ent i f ic Dat a: Var ious st udi es suppor t t he use of
f ol ic aci d suppl ement at i on dur i ng and af t er pr egnancy t o pr ev ent bir t h def ect s and post - par t um depr essi on. 20
Deplet i ng A gent s: Or al cont r acept i v es, hi gh heat ,
al cohol s, st r ess, cof f ee, sul f a dr ugs, t obacco,
est r ogen, bar bi t ur at es, dil ant i n, or al pancr eat i c
ex t r act s. NOTE: A t ongue t hat i s r ed and sor e may
i ndi cat e a f oli c aci d def i ci ency .
Sour ces: Gr een l eaf y v eget abl es such as spinach,
kal e, char d and beet t ops, l egumes, br occol i, cabbage, aspar agus, or anges, w hol e gr ai ns, r oot v eget abl es.
Saf et y : A ny one w i t h hor monal l y r el at ed cancer s
or w i t h conv ulsi v e disor der s should not use ex cessi v e amount s of f ol i c aci d f or ex t ended per i ods of
t i me. Because f ol i c aci d suppl ement at i on l ow er s
pl asma zi nc l ev el s, w omen w ho ar e also t aking or al
cont r acept iv es, w hi ch also l ow er zi nc, may become
zi nc def i cient .
Int er act i ons: Fol i c aci d w or ks i n t andem w i t h
chol i ne, v i t ami n B1 2 and B6 .
Recommendat ions: Fol at e i s t he most common
f or m of t hi s v i t ami n. Foli ni c aci d i s also a sour ce and
i s consider ed by some ex per t s t o be t he most
bi oav ai l abl e t y pe.
Inosi t ol
A ppli cat i ons: Bal dness, eczema, psor i asi s, car di ov ascular di sease, ar t er ioscler osis, ci r r hosi s of
t he l i v er , glaucoma, obesi t y , gall bl adder disease,
mul t i pl e scl er osi s.
Sci ent i f ic Dat a: Inosi t ol hel ps t o r emov e f at s f r om
t he l iv er and is v it al in t he f or mat i on of l eci t hi n and
t he pr oper maint enance of chol est er ol lev el s.
Deplet i ng Agent s: Caf f ei ne, alcohols, i nsect i ci des,
sul f a dr ugs.
Sour ces: Ci t r us f r uit s, nut s, seeds, l egumes,
w hol e gr ai ns.
Saf et y : Consi der ed saf e i f i t i s not used in ex cess.
Int er act i ons: None know n t o dat e.
Recommendat ions: Inosit ol monophosphat e is t he
commer ci al compound f ound i n nut r i t ional suppl ement s.
PA BA ( par a- ami nobenzoi c aci d)
A ppli cat i ons: Eczema, ner v ous di sor der s, bal dness, hy per t hy r oi di sm, st r ess, inf er t i l it y . NOTE:
PA BA suppl ement s hav e been know n t o r est or e gr ey
hai r t o i t s or i gi nal col or i n animal s; how ev er , t hi s
ef f ect i n humans has not been subst ant i at ed.
Sci ent i f ic Dat a: PABA i s i ncl uded in sunscr eens
f or i t s abil i t y t o block UV r ay s. Taki ng PA BA or al ly
cannot pr ev ent sunbur n.
Depl et i ng A gent s: Cof f ee, al cohol s, est r ogen,
sul f a dr ugs, f ood pr ocessi ng.
Sour ces: Br ew er s y east , mol asses, li v er , ki d39

40

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

ney , w hole gr ains.

Saf et y : Gener al ly consi der ed saf e and nont ox ic.
Ver y hi gh doses may cause malai se, l iv er ail ment s,
f ev er or l ow w hi t e bl ood cel l count .
Int er act i ons: PA BA i s r equi r ed f or t he sy nt hesi s
of f ol i c aci d w i t hin t he body and cont r ibut es t o t he
pr oper met abol i sm of pr ot ei n. It has t he abi l it y t o
bl ock agai nst t he UV r ay s of t he sun and is commonl y used in sunscr een pr epar at ions.
Recommendat ions: The usual dose of PA BA i s
bet w een 2 5 and 3 0 0 mg f or adul t s. PA BA is usual l y
i ncl uded i n mul t i- v it ami n and B- compl ex f or mul as;
how ev er , it i s av ail abl e as an indiv idual supplement .
Vit ami n C ( ascor bic aci d)
A ppl icat i ons: Inf ect ions, br ui si ng, col ds and f l u,
si nusi t i s, ear aches, sor e t hr oat s, smoker s, bl ood
cl ot s, at her oscl er osi s, high bl ood pr essur e, phy si cal
and ment al st r ess, w eak immune sy st em, chol est er ol l ev el s, l iv er t ox i cit y .
Scient i f i c Dat a: Numer ous st udi es hav e pr ov en t he
abi l it y of v it ami n C t o help open const r i ct ed br onchi ol e t ubes, accel er at e w ound heali ng, scav enge f r ee
21
r adical s and hel p pr ev ent car di ov ascular disease.
It s r ole i n cancer pr ev ent i on is al so t hought t o be
si gni f icant .
Deplet i ng Agent s: Aspir in, alcohol, ant idepr essant
dr ugs, analgesics, or al cont r acept iv es, ant icoagulant s, st er oids, cooki ng, f ood pr ocessing, di ur et ics,
air poll ut ion, smoking, acet aminophen t ox icit y . NOTE:
Ev en f r esh v eget ables and f r uit s can quickly lose t heir

In 1 9 6 8 , Nobel Pr ize w inner

Linus Pauli ng, Ph.D., coined t he
t er m or t homolecular , w hi ch
he used t o descr ibe a nut r it ional t her apy w hich inv ol v es t he
use of nat ur all y occur r ing subst ances, nor mally pr esent in
t he body in lar ge doses, t o
t r eat disease. The idea w as t o
t r y t o cor r ect nut r it ional compound imbalances, w hich ar e
t he r oot of biol ogical dy sf unct i on. The use of nut r ient s in
t her apeut ic doses st i ll spar ks
consi der able debat e, alt hough
ev i dence is mount ing t hat t hese
compounds can act as pow er f ul
medi ci nes. Mor eov er , t hey
adv ocat e t he not ion t hat each
per son is dif f er ent ; t her ef or e,
t hei r nut r i ent r equi r ement s

40

v it amin C cont ent if lef t st anding.

Sour ces: Pepper s, pot at oes, br occol i , Br ussel s
spr out s, ci t r us f r ui t s, melons, ber r i es.
Saf et y : Vi t amin C i s consider ed nont ox ic. Some
st udi es suggest t hat t aking it i n l ar ge doses depl et es
v i t amin B1 2 st or es. Any one w ho has a hi st or y of
ki dney st ones shoul d t ake v i t ami n C onl y w it h phy si ci an appr ov al . Unusual l y ex cessi v e doses may cause
i nt est inal upset , gas or diar r hea. Pr egnant or nur si ng mot her s shoul d not use amount s lar ger 5 , 0 0 0 mg
dai l y .
Int er act i ons: Vi t amin C i s i nt r insicall y i nv olv ed
w it h v i t amin E, selenium and bet a car ot ene. For t hi s
r eason, t aki ng v i t amin C w it h any ant i ox i dant ar r ay
i s r ecommended. Vi t ami n C al so i ncr eases t he
absor pt ion of ir on, decr eases t he absor pt i on of copper and can al t er bl ood t est s measur i ng v it ami n B1 2
l ev el s.
Recommendat i ons: A scor bi c aci d i s t he l east
ex pensi v e and most common f or m of v i t amin C.
A dding adequat e lev el s of bi of l av onoi ds enhances
absor pt ion. Buf f er ed v it ami n C is f or i ndi v i dual s
w it h sensit i v i t y t o acid f oods, and t ime- r eleased
pr oduct s ar e al so av ai l abl e. Est er - C has r ecent ly
emer ged and i s t hought by some t o hav e bet t er
absor pt i on and bi oav ai l abi l i t y , al t hough some
ex per t s debat e t his cl aim. If y ou need t o use lar ge
quant i t i es of v i t amin C, pow der ed ascor bi c aci d i s
t he most pr act i cal f or m. Chew abl es can be appeal i ng
f or chi l dr en.

can v ar y accor ding t o t hei r

par t i cul ar
bi ol ogi cal t y pe.
Mor eov er ,
or t homol ecul ar
phy sici ans bel iev e t hat bi ochemi cal i ndiv idualit y can play
a cr ucial r ole i n heal t h maint enance and t hat RDA lev els of
nut r i ent s ar e not adequat e
w hen di sease condit ions ar e
pr esent .
Al t hough meet ing t he RDAs
f or nut r ient s may pr ev ent t he
occur ance of def iciencies t hat
lead t o di sease, or t homolecular
phy sicians beli ev e t hat t hese
lev els do not pr ov ide f or opt i mal healt h. In ot her w or ds,
people need much mor e t han t he
suggest ed RDA lev els t o maint ain healt h or f ight disease.
Animal st udies hav e show n t hat

v i t amin C needs in animals can

v ar y as much as 2 0 0 per cent
in dif f er ent member s of t he
same species. When it comes t o
humans, ev i dence suggest s
t hat ol der i ndi v i dual s need
mor e v it amin B1 2 , t hat w omen
may need mor e f olic acid t han
pr ev i ousl y t hought and men
need
mor e
zi nc.
Or t homol ecul ar medi ci ne i s
based on t he not ion t hat nut r it ion must be t he f ir st v ar i able
consider ed in coming t o a diagnosi s bef or e at t empt i ng t o
t r eat t he di sease. If t he disease
is linked t o a nut r ient imbalance, it can be cur ed nut r it ionall y . This disci pline also adv ocat es t he i dea t hat no one set
st andar d of nut r it i onal amount s

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
Vit ami n P ( bi of lav onoi ds)
A ppl icat ions: Br ui sing, v ar icose v ei ns, spi der
v eins, ar t hr i t i s, hemor r hagi ng, cholest er ol l ev el s,
her pes, cat ar act s, i nf lammat i on, phl ebi t i s, bl eedi ng
gums, bl ood cl ot s, col ds, scur v y , hemor r hoi ds,
edema, hy per t ensi on, hemophi l ia.
Sci ent i f i c Dat a:
The pr of ound v al ue of
bi of l av onoi ds i s beginni ng t o emer ge in sci ent if i c
ci r cl es. Whil e t echnicall y not v i t amins, ov er 6 4
v ar iet i es ar e f ound i n t he w hi t e por t i on of ci t r us
f r ui t peel and i n pi ne bar k and gr ape seeds.
Biof l av onoids act as ant i ox i dant s and nat ur al ant i i nf l ammat or y agent s. They shoul d be t aken w i t h v i t 22
ami n C as t hey incr ease i t s absor babi l it y .
Depl et i ng A gent s: A spir in, al cohol , cor t i sone,
ant i bi ot ics, smoking, some pain ki l li ng dr ugs.
Sour ces: Ci t r us f r uit s, oni ons, par sley , ber r i es,
gr een t ea, legumes, gr ape seed ex t r act .
Saf et y : It i s consi der ed nont ox i c.
Int er act ions: Nar i ngi n can i nt er f er e w i t h t he
act i on of caf f ei ne, coumar i n and est r ogens and can
enhance t he ef f ect of ni f edi pi ne, v ar apr ami l ,
f el odi pi ne and t er f enadi ne. Thi s f l av onoid is f ound i n
gr apef r ui t j ui ce.
Recommendat ions: Biof l av onoids r ef er t o compounds such as quer ci t in, nar ingi n, r ut i n, hesper idi n,
gr ape seed ex t r act , et c. Pr oant hocy anidins, w hi ch
ar e f ound i n pine bar k or gr ape seed ex t r act , ar e
al so f l av onoi d compounds and hav e some i mpr essi v e
t her apeut ic ef f ect s. Look f or qual i t y pur e pr oduct s
w hi ch of f er a combi nat ion of bi of lav onoi d t y pes
w i t hout f il l er s.

Endnotes
1 . Hepat ogast roent erology, January-February, 1 98 5 , 3 2 : 34 -3 8.
The New England Journal of Medicine, April 1 9 , 1 98 4 , 3 1 0 :
1 0 23 -3 1. Lancet , Oct . 1 6 , 1 9 82 , 87 6 .
2 . Journal of Clinical Nut rit ion, 1 9 8 2 , 3 6: 1 22 5 -33 . Journal of
t he American College of Nut rit ion 1 9 8 3 , 2: 1 7 3-9 9 .
3 . Clinical Science, 1 9 84 , 6 6: 1 0 3-0 7 . Journal of Bone and Joint
Surgery, 1 9 82 , 6 4 B: 5 4 2-6 0 . Lancet , Feb. 9 , 1 98 5 , I: 3 0 7 -0 9 .
4 . Canadian Journal of Neurological Science, November, 1 9 8 4 , II:
5 6 1 -6 4 . Journal of Nut rit ion, April, 1 9 8 6 , 1 16 : 6 75 -8 1. Brit ish
Journal of Dermat ology, July, 1 9 8 4 , III: 1 2 5 -2 6 . Lancet ,
January, 29 , 1 9 8 3 , 22 5 -28 .
5 . Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Met abolism, June, 19 8 5,
6 0 : 1 26 8 -69 .
6 . Age and Aging, 1 9 82 , II: 1 01 -0 7. Journal of t he American
College of Nut rit ion, 1 9 8 8 , 7 : 6 1 -6 7 . Brit ish Journal of
Psychiat ry , 1 9 82 , 1 1 1 : 2 71 .
7 . Age and Aging, 1 9 82 , II: 1 0 1 -0 7 .
8 . American Journal of Opt hamology, 1 9 3 1 , 1 4: 1 00 5 -09 .
Journal of t he Nat ional Cancer Inst it ut e, April, 1 9 84 , 72 : 9 4 1 4 8 . Pro ceedings of t he Nat io nal Acad emy of Sc ience,
November, 19 8 4, 8 1 : 7 0 7 6 -7 8. American Journal of Clinical
Nut rit ion, Dec. 1 98 3 , 3 8 : 8 84 -8 7.
9 . Proceedings of t he Nat ional Academy of Science, Nov. 19 8 4,
8 1 : 7 07 6 -78 .
1 0 . American Journal of Clinical Nut rit ion, May, 1 9 8 4 , 39 : 7 8 7 -

41

91.
1 1 . Drug Therapy, August , 1 98 4 , 6 2 -7 0 .
1 2 . Journal of t he Nat ional Cancer Inst it ut e, Sept ember, 1 9 8 4 ,
73 : 76 7 -7 0 .
13 . Byollet en Eksperiment al Noi Biologii I Medit siny, 9 4 (9 ), 6 1 64 .
1 4 . Shari Liebermann and Nancy Bruning, The Real Vit amin and
Mineral Book, ( Avery Publishing, New York, 19 9 0) , 1 0 6 .
15 . Biological Psychiat ry, 1 9 8 4 , 9 ( 4 ) : 6 1 3 -1 6 .
1 6 . Annals of Neurology , Feb. 1 9 8 5 , 1 7 : 1 1 7 -2 0 .
At herosclerosis, June, 1 9 8 5 , 5 5 : 3 5 7 -6 1 . Nut rit ion and
Cancer, January-June, 19 8 5, 7 : 43 -5 2.
1 7 . Brit ish Journal of Psychiat ry , August , 19 8 8, 1 5 3: 2 6 6-6 7 .
1 8 . Nephron,1 9 8 4 , 3 6 : 1 8 3-8 6 .
1 9 . Biochemical and Medical Met abolism and Biology, Jan-Feb
1 9 86 , 3 1-3 9 .
2 0 . Lancet , July 2 4 , 19 8 2, 2 17 .
21 . American Review of Respirat ory Disease, Feb 1 98 3 , 1 2 7:
1 43 -4 7 . Oral Surgery , March 1 98 2 , 2 3 1 -3 6 . Annals of
Nut rit ion and Met abolism, 28 , May-June, 19 8 4 , 1 8 6-9 1 .
2 2 . Liebermann, 12 2 .

Minerals
Miner al s, li ke v it ami ns, enable t he body t o car r y
out v i r t ual ly ev er y bi ochemi cal r eact ion needed t o
sust ai n l i f e. Mi ner al s ar e consi der ed nat ur al l y
occur r i ng el ement s t hat come f r om soi l , r ock,
w at er , ani mal and pl ant sour ces. Mi ner al s can be
cl assi f ied as macr o or bulk miner als and mi cr o or
t r ace mi ner al s. Bulk mi ner als, w hi ch ar e needed i n
mor e subst ant i al amount s incl ude cal ci um, magnesi um, pot assium phosphor us and sodium. Tr ace mi ner al s w hi ch ar e only needed in t i ny amount s i nclude
zi nc, copper , i r on, manganese, chr omi um, sel eni um,
and i odi ne.
Today mor e t han ev er bef or e w e need t o be t aki ng
mi ner al suppl ement at i on. A gr i cul t ur al pr act i ces
hav e r esul t ed i n miner all y deplet ed f oods w hi ch look
beaut i f ul but can be signi f i cant l y miner al def ici ent .
Int ensi v e f ar mi ng met hods hav e depl et ed nut r i ent s
f r om our soi l s w hi ch suggest s t hat a diet r i ch i n
f r esh f oods does not guar ant ee a di et high in miner al s and v i t ami ns. Remember t hat a v eget abl e cannot
be r i ch i n mi ner al s if it gr ew in l ow - mi ner al soil .
Est i mat es i ndi cat e t hat f ar m soil s in most of t he
w or l d s agr i cul t ur al r egions ar e def i cient i n al most
8 5 per cent of all mi ner al s. Chemi cal f er t i l izer s such
as nit r ogen phosphor s and pot assi um can make pl ant s
gr ow r api dly ; how ev er , t hey do not r epl ace t he f ul l
ar r ay of mi ner al s w hich shoul d be pr esent in good
soi l .
In an issue of August Celebr at ion, Linda Gr ov er
made a v er y enlight ening and somew hat alar ming
comment . She said:
In 1 9 4 8 y ou coul d buy spi nach t hat had 1 5 8 mi l l igr ams of ir on per hundr ed gr ams. But by 1 9 6 5 , t he
max i mum i r on t hey coul d f i nd had dr opped t o 2 7 mi l l igr ams. In 1 9 7 3 , i t w as av er agi ng 2 .2 mi l li gr ams.
That s dow n f r om a hundr ed and f i f t y . That means
t oday y ou d hav e t o eat 7 5 bow l s of spi nach t o get
41

42

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

t he same amount of i r on t hat one bow l mi ght hav e

gi v en y ou back in 4 8 . That s w hen Popey e w as r eal l y bi g, r i ght ?
We need t o r eplenish t hese v i t al mi ner al s i n suppl ement f or m. We not onl y need ni t r ogen and pot assi um t o sur v i v e but chr omium, calci um, magnesium,
copper , i r on, mol y bdenum, cobal t , i odine and many
ot her t r ace mi ner al s as w ell . Comment i ng on t he
cur r ent mi ner al sit uat i on of our pr oduce suppl y , Dr .
Mi chael Col gan, w ho w r ot e The New Nut r it i on, st at ed, Unf or t unat el y , t he human body cannot cr eat e
mi ner al s, so i t has t o get t hem t hr ough diet ar y
means. Hence, def ici ent f ood pr oduces def ici ent bodi es ( w hich cul mi nat es i n si ckness and disease) .
The Meaning of Chel at ed Miner als
Mi ner al s t hat ar e at t ached t o a molecule of pr ot ei n
t hat enhances t heir t r anspor t at i on i nt o t he bl oodst r eam ar e cal led chel at ed. Chel at ed mi ner al s ar e
t hought t o be mor e absor babl e and ar e r ecommended
f or any mi ner al suppl ement at i on. As w it h v it ami ns,
a balanced ar r ay of miner als shoul d be t aken in or der
t o achi ev e opt i mal r esult s. Taki ng mi ner al s w i t h
meal s al so hel ps t o make t hem mor e absor bable.
NOTE: A lar ge incr ease i n diet ar y f iber can depl et e
mi ner al suppl i es. Make sur e t o t ake a good mi ner al
supplement at a dif f er ent t ime t han t he f iber in or der
t o av oid t hi s ef f ect .

Individual Minerals
Bor on ( t r ace mi ner al )
A ppl icat i ons: Needed f or calci um upt ake and may
be depl et ed in t he elder ly . Can hel p pr ev ent and t r eat
ost eopor osi s and ar t hr i t i s.
Sour ces: Fr esh f r ui t s, v eget abl es ( bor on cont ent
depends on soi l amount s av ai l able).
Saf et y : Taki ng mor e t han 9 mg per day i s not r ecommended. Possi bl e si de ef f ect s hav e been obser v ed
onl y w hen v er y hi gh l ev el s of bor on ar e ingest ed.
Int er act i ons: None know n t o dat e; how ev er , l ow
l ev el s of bor on can cause ur inar y ex cr et i on of cal ci um and magnesium.
Recommendat ions: Look f or sodium bor at e or
bor at e chel at es.
Calci um
A ppl icat i ons: Vi t al f or st r ong bones and t eet h and
t o mai nt ai n r egul ar hear t beat . Calcium al so l ow er s
t he r i sk of col on cancer and pr ot ect s agai nst ost eopor osi s. Cal ci um al so hel ps t o pr ev ent muscl e
cr ampi ng and cal ms t he cent r al ner v ous sy st em.
Or gani c f or ms ar e r ecommended f or max i mum
absor pt ion.
Sour ces: Dai r y pr oduct s, t of u, spinach, kal e,
t ur ni p gr eens, cabbage, col l ar ds, must ar d gr eens.
Saf et y : It i s consi der ed saf e; how ev er , any one
w i t h ki dney di sease, ki dney st ones, cancer or
hy per par at hy r oi dism or w ho t akes cal ci um channel
bl ocki ng dr ugs shoul d not t ake cal cium w i t hout t he
consent of t heir phy si ci an.
42

Int er act i ons: Taki ng hi gh doses of magnesi um,

zi nc, or ox alat es can int er f er e w i t h cal ci um absor pt i on. If doses ar e bal anced, calci um w or ks sy ner gi st i call y w it h magnesi um, v i t ami n D and v i t amin K.
A lumi num cont ai ning ant aci ds can boost cal ci um
ex cr et ion and ar e not r ecommended.
Recommendat i ons: Some cal ci um suppl ement s
hav e been associat ed w i t h hi gh l ead cont ent . In gener al usi ng suppl ement s w hi ch combi ne cal cium ci t r at e, gl uconat e and car bonat e can be ef f ect i v e.
Cal ci um car bonat e i s f ound in ov er - t he- count er
ant aci ds; how ev er , by i t sel f , i t is not t he most
absor babl e v ar i et y . Cal ci um chelat es ar e absor bed
mor e r eadil y . Cal ci um cit r at e, l act at e, aspar t at e
and or ot at e ar e assimi lat ed bet t er t han calci um car bonat e or calcium f r om oy st er shell s or bone meal.
Chr omi um
A ppli cat i ons: Inv ol v ed i n gl ucose met abol i sm and
sy nt hesis of chol est er ol , pr ot eins and f at s. The
av er age Amer i can di et can be chr omi um def ici ent , a
f act w hich has been l i nked t o hi gh r at es of hy pogl y cemi a and di abet es.
Sour ces: Whole gr ai ns, meat s.
Saf et y : Take as di r ect ed. If y ou suf f er f r om l ow
bl ood sugar , y ou may ex per i ence sy mpt oms of hy pogl y cemi a if chr omium i s t aken i n ex cess.
Int er act i ons: Eat i ng di et hi gh i n r ef i ned and
pr ocessed f oods can r esult in a chr omi um def i ciency .
Taking ant aci ds and cal ci um car bonat e may int er f er e
w it h chr omium absor pt ion.
Recommendat ions: Pi col inat e and GTF f or ms of
chr omi um ar e t hought t o be mor e absor babl e and
ef f ect i v e.
Copper
A ppli cat i ons: Cont r ibut es t o heal i ng, t he sy nt hesi s
of hemoglobin and hai r and skin col or . Copper i s
essent i al f or coll agen f or mat ion, f or t he pr ev ent i on
of car di ov ascul ar di sease and t o t r eat ar t hr it i s.
Sour ces: Shell f i sh, l egumes, copper pipes car r y i ng dr i nki ng w at er .
Saf et y : Copper can cr eat e nausea and st omach
upset , and as lit t le as t hr ee gr ams can be f at al if t aken
by a small child. Ex cess copper ingest ion f r om copper
pipes can be danger ous.
Int er act i ons: An ex cess of copper can cr eat e a
v i t amin C and zinc def i ci ency . NOTE: Taki ng hi gh
amount s of zi nc or v i t amin C can l ow er copper lev el s. Take as di r ect ed.
Recommendat i ons: Use gl uconat e or pi coli nat e
v ar iet i es.
Ger manium ( t r ace mi ner al )
A ppli cat i ons: Recent l y di scov er ed by J apanese
sci ent i st s, ger mani um is an ef f ect iv e ant iox i dant
t hat can i mpr ov e r heumat i sm, ar t hr i t is, hi gh chol est er ol , i nf ect i ons, f ood al l er gi es and pai n. Or gani c
ger mani um can i ncr ease t i ssue ox y genat ion.
Sour ces: Gar li c, comf r ey , sushi, ginseng, aloe and
chlor ell a.

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e

43

f r ee r ad ic als and c anc er

Numer ous r esear ch st udies
suppor t t he f act t hat many cancer s, br east cancer in par t icular , ar e diet r elat ed. Mor eov er ,
t he r isks of cer t ain kinds of cancer can be signif icant ly r educed
w it h di et ar y changes. Whi le
most of us ar e aw ar e of t he
w onder s of a low - f at diet , a
t r emendous amount of dat a conceding ot her cancer pr ev ent at iv e nut r ient s nev er r eaches t he

av er age consumer . For ex ample, r ecent st udies suggest t hat

j ust r educing diet ar y f at may
not be enough t o pr ev ent cer t ain
cancer s. In light of t his not ion,
per haps r esear ch should f ocus
on w hy some cult ur es t hat eat
f at st ill hav e low cancer r at es?
Per haps it s not so much a quest ion of w hat w e eat , but w hat
w e don t eat . Mor e and mor e
r esear ch suggest s t hat it is a

Saf et y : No know n si de ef f ect s, al t hough doses

l ar ger t han 2 gr ams can cause skin r ash and st ool
sof t eni ng. Lar ge doses ar e not r ecommended.
Ex t ended i ngest i on has been associat ed w it h kidney
pr oblems in some indi v i dual s. Check w i t h y our doct or bef or e t aking ger mani um f or ex t ended per iods of
t i me.
Int er act i ons: None know n t o dat e.
Recommendat ions: Doses r ange f r om 3 0 t o 1 5 0
mg per day . Ger manium diox ide i s mor e pot ent and
can l ead t o kidney dy sf unct i on i f t aken i n doses ov er
5 0 mg per day .
Iodi ne
A ppl icat i ons: Thy r oi d heal t h, pr oper met abol ism,
endocr i ne sy st em di sor der s. Not e: Iodi ne def i ci enci es hav e been l inked t o ment al r et ar dat i on and
br east cancer .
Sour ces: Seaf ood ( includi ng kel p) , i odized sal t .
Saf et y : Onl y small amount s of iodine ar e needed t o
hel p br eakdow n ex cess f at and cont r ibut e t o t hy r oi d
healt h. Ex cess iodine can pr oduce mout h sor es,
met al li c t ast e, di ar r hea, sw ol l en sal i v ar y glands and
possibl e v omi t i ng.
Int er act i ons: None know n t o dat e.
Recommendat i ons: Or gani c sour ces ar e much
mor e pr ef er able t han i nor gani c ones. Look f or i odi ne
caseinat e and kel p.
Ir on
A ppl i cat i ons: Essent i al f or t he pr oduct i on of
hemogl obi n and r ed blood cel l ox y genat i on, i r on i s
essent ial f or anemi a, st ami na, and heal t hy i mmune
sy st ems. An i r on def i ci ency can cause pal lor , hai r
l oss, br i t t l e nai ls, di zzi ness and anemi a. Rheumat oi d
ar t hr it i s and cancer can cont r i but e t o i r on depl et i on
causi ng anemi a. Ex cessi v e menst r ual bl eedi ng,
ul cer , and poor di gest ion can r esul t in ir on deplet i on.
Sour ces: A ni mal pr oduct s cont ai n heme ir on w hi ch
i s much mor e usef ul t han plant sour ces of i r on w hi ch
cont ain t he nonheme i r on compound. Meat and dai r y

lack of cer t ain pr ot ect iv e nut r ient s w hich appear t o or iginat e

f r om di et ar y sour ces t hat
incr ease our r isk of cancer and
ot her degener at iv e diseases.
The
r ol e
of
cer t ai n
bi of l av onoi d compounds as
ex cept ional f r ee r adical scav enger s i s j ust begi nni ng t o
emer ge, and t he pr ot ect i v e
pot ent ial of t hese f lav onoids is
impr essiv e, t o say t he least .

pr oduct s ar e t he best heme sour ces. Dar k gr een

l eaf y v eget ables cont ai n nonheme i r on.
Saf et y : Ex cess i r on can pr oduce f r ee r adi cal s and
st omach upset . Chil dr en shoul d not be gi v en ir on
unl ess pr escr ibed by a phy si cian f or a par t i cul ar
di sor der or mal nut r i t ion. Ir on can be f at al t o chi ldr en
i f t aken in an ov er dose.
Int er act i ons: Taking an ex cess of calci um, zi nc or
magnesi um can i nt er f er e w it h t he absor pt ion of i r on.
Vi t amin C enhances absor bt ion. Sev er al her bal compounds can al so int er f er e w it h i r on absor pt ion.
Recommendat ions: Fer r ous sul f at e and f umar at e
ar e nonheme ir on supplement s and ar e not absor bed
as w el l as heme i r on, al t hough f er r ous succi nat e i s a
bet t er choi ce.
Magnesi um
A ppli cat i ons: Essent i al f or cal ci um and pot assi um
assi mi l at i on, magnesi um cont r i but es t o pr oper
ner v e and muscl e impul ses and enzy me r eact i ons,
and i t pl ay s a r ole in t he f or mat i on of bone and car bohy dr at e met abol i sm. It i s used f or anx i et y ,
depr ession ner v ousness, muscl e w eakness, hear t
di sease, di zziness, hi gh bl ood pr essur e, and PMS.
NOTE: al cohol , di ur et i cs, di ar r hea, f l uor i de, digi t al i s, r ef i ned sugar and ex cess v i t ami n D ar e magnesi um depl et or s. The t y pi cal A mer ican di et w hi ch i s
l ow i n w hol e gr ai ns and high i n pr ocessed f oods i s
magnesi um poor .
Sour ces: Legumes, seeds, nut s, w hol e gr ai ns and
gr een l eaf y v eget abl es.
Saf et y : No si de ef f ect s i f i t is used as di r ect ed.
Int er act i ons: Magnesi um should be t aken in a bal anced f or mula w i t h ot her mi ner al s. A high int ake of
cal ci um or v it ami n D f or t if i ed pr oduct s can int er f er e
w it h magnesi um absor pt i on. Magnesium al so w or ks
t oget her w i t h v i t amin B6 .
Recommendat ions: Look f or magnesi um ci t r at e,
mal at e, f umar at e or ci t r at e t hat ar e chel at ed.
Magnesi um car bonat e, chlor ide or ox i de ar e i nor gani c f or ms and ar e l ess absor babl e.
43

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D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

Manganese ( Tr ace Mi ner al )

A ppl icat i ons: Only t r ace amount s r equi r ed f or
bl ood sugar r egul at i on and f at and pr ot ein met abol i sm. Manganese is v i t al f or pr oper bone gr ow t h and
w or ks i n t andem w i t h B- compl ex v i t ami ns. It i s r ecommended f or l act at i on, diabet es, ast hma, muscl e
and ment al f at i gue, epi lepsy , PMS, and di gest i on.
Sour ces: Dr i ed f r uit s, w hole gr ains, nut s and
gr een leaf y v eget ables.
Saf et y : Ther e ar e no know n si de ef f ect s.
Int er act i ons: Ant acids can i nt er f er e w it h manganese absor pt i on as can ex cess magnesi um, cal ci um, copper , zi nc or ir on. Too much manganese can
al so i nt er f er e w i t h t he assi mi l at ion of t hese same
mi ner al s.
Recommendat ions: Look f or chelat ed t y pes, such
as manganese pi col inat e or gluconat e.
Mol y bdenum
A ppl icat i ons: Ver y t i ny amount s of t hi s mi ner al
ar e needed f or nit r ogen met abol ism. Low l ev el s of
mol y bdenum hav e been li nked t o mout h and gum di sease, i mpot ence, and some cancer s. It is used t o
t r eat anemi a.
Sour ces: Whol e gr ai ns and legumes. NOTE: Soil
cont ent det er mines f ood cont ent of t hi s mi ner al .
Saf et y : Hi gh amount s of t hi s mi ner al can cause
gout and may int er f er e w it h copper ut il i zat i on.
Int er act i ons: Thi s miner al can r eact w i t h copper
and f l uor i de bl ocki ng t hei r absor pt i on.
Recommendat ions: Sodi um moly bdat e i s t he most
common sour ce of t hi s miner al and it has a good
absor pt ion r at e.
Phosphor us
A ppl icat i ons: It i s essent i al f or bone and t oot h
dev el opment , hear t muscle cont r act ion and pr oper
ki dney healt h. Phosphor us also cont r ibut es t o t he
ut i l izat i on of f ood f or ener gy . Good f or t oot h and gum
di sease, st er il i t y , i mpot ence, equil i br ium, muscl e
di sor der s, and bone f or mat i on.
Food Sour ces: Meat , dai r y pr oduct s, car bonat ed
bev er ages.
Saf et y : Taki ng ex cessi v e amount s of phosphor us
can i nt er f er e w i t h cal ci um absor pt i on.
Int er act i ons: If phosphor us i s t aken i n suppl ement
f or m it must be bal anced out w i t h pr oper amount s of
cal ci um. Ex cessi v e consumpt i on of phosphor us can
i nhi bi t cal ci um upt ake. Vit ami n D enhances t he act i on
of phosphor us.
Recommendat ions: Most of us need t o r educe
r at her t han enhance our phosphor us lev el s.
Pot assi um
A ppl icat i ons: Wor ks i n t andem w it h sodi um f or
pr oper elect r oly t e bal ance and cont r i but es t o hear t
muscl e heal t h, changes gly cogen t o glucose and pr omot es heal ing. In cases of di ar r hea, ex cessi v e per spi r at i on, l ax at i v e or diur et ic use, pot assium depl e44

t i on can occur w hi ch can cause hear t ir r egular it i es.

It i s used f or st r ess, di abet es, hear t pr oblems, hi gh
bl ood pr essur e, hy pogly cemia and ar t hr i t i s.
Sour ces: Fr esh f r ui t s and v eget abl es ( especi al ly
bananas, apr icot s, av ocados and dat es) , meat , and
dai r y pr oduct s.
Saf et y : Consi der ed nont ox i c. Use as dir ect ed;
how ev er , peopl e w it h ki dney di sease cannot handl e
pot assi um nor mal ly and shoul d not t ake i t unless
super v i sed by t hei r phy sici an.
Int er act i ons: Any one t aking di gi t al is, di ur et i cs
and angiot ensin t y pe hy per t ensi on dr ugs shoul d not
t ake pot assi um unl ess under t he dir ect or der s of
t hei r phy si cian. Pot assi um/ sodium r at i os must be
bal anced in or der f or bot h t o f unct ion pr oper l y . Too
much sodi um can di sr upt t he act ion of pot assi um and
cause i t s ex cr et ion.
Recommendat ions: Pot assi um cit r at e or aspar t at e
or any ot her chel at ed f or m i s r ecommended.
Sel eni um ( Tr ace Element )
A ppli cat i ons: As an impr essiv e ant i ox i dant , sel eni um w or ks w ell w it h v it ami n E t o scav enge f r ee
r adi cal s, helping t o pr ev ent cel l ular mut at i on, cancer s and t he ef f ect s of aging. It i s used f or pr emat ur e agi ng, car diov ascul ar di sease, sex ual dy sf unct i on, menopause and skin ail ment s.
Sour ces: Gr ai ns, f r uit s, v eget abl es. The cont ent
i n f ood i s w hol l y dependent on t he sel enium cont ent
of t he soil i n w hich t he f ood w as cult i v at ed. Foods
hi gh i n selenium i ncl ude w heat ger m, nut s, oat s,
char d, br ow n r ice, and br an. NOTE: Ty pical A mer ican
di et s ar e not or i ousl y l ow in w hole gr ai ns and f r esh
pr oduce. Coupled w i t h sel eni um- depl et ed soil s, a
sel eni um def iciency i s much mor e common t han one
w oul d ex pect .
Saf et y : No know n si de ef f ect s if t aken i n smal l
amount s. The body cannot t ol er at e l ar ge doses of
sel eni um t her ef or e i t should not be t aken i n amount s
ov er 2 0 0 mcg unl ess under t he super v i sion of a
phy sici an.
Int er act i ons: Sel eni um w or ks best w hen combined
w it h ot her ant iox idant s l ike v i t amin E and gl ut at hi one. A high int ake of t r ace mi ner al s can int er f er e w i t h selenium absor pt i on. Zi nc and heav y met al s can i nhi bi t it s act iv it y . Many dr ugs, i ncl udi ng
chemot her apeut ic agent s, can incr ease t he body s
sel eni um r equi r ement s.
Recommendat ions: Look f or or ganic f or ms w hi ch
i ncl ude sel enomet hi oni ne and y east s w hi ch ar e hi gh
i n sel enium.
Si l icon
A ppli cat i ons: Necessar y f or bone and col lagen
f or mat i on, it mai nt ai ns t he f l ex i bi l it y of ar t er i es,
count er act s t he t ox ic ef f ect s of al umi num and cont r i but es t o pr ev ent i ng car diov ascul ar disease. It
may play a r ol e i n t he pr ev ent ion of Al zhei mer s
di sease.
Sour ces: Br ow n r i ce, w hol e oat s, r oot v eget a-

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
bl es.
Saf et y : No know n si de ef f ect s. It is consider ed
nont ox i c in r ecommended amount s.
Int er act i ons: None know n t o dat e.
Recommendat ions: Hor set ai l i s a r ich nat ur al
sour ce of si l icon. It i s al so sol d as t r ace si l icic aci d
and sodi um met asi li cat e. Some ex per t s r ecommend
t he t r ace f or m f or enhanced bi oav ail abi l it y .
Sodium
A ppl icat i ons: Essent i al f or pr oper w at er and bl ood
pH bal ance, st omach and ner v e f unct ion, sodi um can
be lost dur i ng per iods of ex cessi v e per spi r at i on,
v omi t i ng or di ar r hea. Inor ganic sodi um, w hi ch i s
f ound i n t able sal t can be det r i ment al i f used i n
ex cess.
Sour ces: Pr ocessed, sal t y f oods ( s uch as
cheeses, bacon, l unch meat s, canned ent r ees and
some soda pop) cont ai n hi gh amount s of sodi um. Sal t
r educt ion i s a good w ay t o r educe sodium i nt ake.
Saf et y : Taki ng t oo much sodi um can r esul t i n
w at er r et ent i on, hy per t ensi on, l i v er and kidney
dy sf unct i on and pot assi um depl et i on.
Int er act i ons: In or der t o pr oper l y assi mi l at e sodi um, cal ci um, pot assium, sul f ur and v i t amin D need t o
be pr esent .
Recommendat ions: Li ke phosphor us, most of us
need t o r educe our sodium i nt ake r at her t han boost
it .
Sulf ur
A ppl icat i ons: Vit al f or cel l ul ar pr ot ect i on, sul f ur
has ant i agi ng pr oper t i es and i s needed f or t he f or mat i on of col l agen. It is good f or bl ood pur i f i cat i on,
dandr uf f , acne, hai r , and i r r egul ar menst r ual
cy cles.
Sour ces: Meat , poult r y , eggs and f i sh and in small
amount s in t hiami ne and biot i n. NOTE: Sulf ur is f ound
i n some of t he amino acids of hi gh pr ot ei n f oods.
Gar li c is par t icular ly hi gh i n sulf ur , w hi ch cont r i but es t o i t s t her apeut i c act i ons.
Saf et y : Take as di r ect ed. Saf e dosage r anges hav e
not been est abl ished f or t his mi ner al .
Int er act i ons: Sulf ur can r eact w it h some pr escr ipt ion dr ugs and should not be t aken as a single supplement under nor mal condit ions. To be assimil at ed
pr oper l y , adequat e amount s of v it ami n B1 , B5 and
biot in need t o be pr esent .
Recommendat ions: Sul f ur is usuall y f ound as par t
of t ot al supplement al f or mul as. For some i ndi v i dual s, sul f ur i nt ake shoul d be r educed.
Vanadi um
A ppl icat i ons: Requi r ed f or good cir culat i on and
pr oper chol est er ol l ev els, v anadi um def i ci enci es
hav e been l i nked t o ki dney and hear t di sease.
Vanadi um i s di f f icult t o absor b. It i s used f or goi t er ,
hi gh chol est er ol and hear t disease.
Sour ces: Fi sh, oli v es, di l lw eed, r adishes, v eget abl e oi l s, w hole gr ains, snap beans.

45

Saf et y : Vanadi um shoul d be t aken in bal ance w i t h

ot her mi ner al s and pr ef er ably not w i t h chr omi um
t her apy . It shoul d not be t aken i n ex cess amount s as
si de ef f ect s can occur . Dosages ov er 1 0 0 mcg ar e
not r ecommended.
Int er act i ons: Food pr ocessing and t obacco can
i nt er f er e w it h t he upt ake of v anadi um. If y ou ar e
t aki ng l i t hium, y ou shoul d not use v anadium unless
di r ect ed t o do so by y our phy si cian.
Rec ommendat i ons: Vanadi um i s not easi l y
absor bed and at t his point i s not consi der ed a si ngl e
di et ar y suppl ement . It i s usual ly f ound as v anady l
sul f at e in nut r it i onal suppl ement f or mul as.
Zi nc
A ppli cat i ons: The pr of ound r ol e of zi nc i n pr ost at e
gl and disease i s emer ging. It is al so essent ial f or
ot her r epr oduct i v e or gans and f or st r ong i mmune
f unct i on. Zinc i s al so i nv ol v ed i n t ast e and smel l and
pr ot ect s t he li v er f r om t ox i ns. Zi nc t her apy i s used
f or pr ost at e di sease, i nf ect i ons, st er i l it y , diabet es,
w ound heali ng and ul cer s. Ki dney di sease, diar r hea,
l iv er di sease, ex cess f i ber and diabet es can l ow er
zi nc l ev el s.
Sour ces: Oy st er s, shel lf i sh, seaf ood, r ed meat ,
w hol e gr ains, legumes, nut s, seeds. NOTE: Zinc f r om
pl ant sour ces is not as bi oav ai l abl e as zi nc f r om ani mal f oods.
Saf et y : Ex cessi v e doses of zinc can act ual ly
i mpair t he i mmune sy st em. Doses shoul d be kept t o
under 1 0 0 mg per day unl ess super v i sed by a phy si ci an. Zi nc suppl ement s can cause nausea i f t aken on
an empt y st omach, and zi nc l ozenges can dr y out t he
mout h.
Int er act i ons: Zinc and copper compet e f or assimi l at ion and calci um and i r on can int er f er e w i t h zi nc
absor bt ion. Hi gh f i ber f oods can al so i nt er f er e w i t h
zi nc absor pt i on.
Recommendat ions: Zi nc picol i nat e, acet at e, ci t r at e, and monomet hi oni ne ar e r ecommended. Zi nc
chel at es and zinc l ozenges ar e al so good.

AMINO ACIDS AND THEIR ACTIONS

A s w e di scussed in t he pr ot ein sect i on, ami no
aci ds ar e t he bui l di ng bl ocks of pr ot ei ns and ar e v i t al
t o l if e. Pr ot ein is t he nut r ient t hat gi v es st r uct ur e t o
v i r t ual l y ev er y li v i ng t hi ng. For a pr ot ei n t o be consi der ed a w hole unit i t must cont ai n al l of i t s ami no
aci d ar r ay . Linking di f f er ent ami no aci ds t oget her
can cr eat e ov er 5 0 , 0 0 0 t y pes of pr ot ei ns and
2 0 , 0 0 0 know n enzy mes. Each pr ot ein has it s speci f i c amino aci d si gnat ur e. Appr ox i mat ely 2 0 commonl y know n ami no acids ex i st . Wi t hin t he human body ,
i t is t he l i v er w hi ch pr oduces 8 0 per cent of t he
ami no aci ds w e need t o sust ai n l if e. The r emai ni ng
2 0 per cent must be obt ai ned f r om t he di et and ar e
t her ef or e r ef er r ed t o as essent ial ami no aci ds.
These hav e been mar ked w it h an ast er i sk. Ami no
aci ds enabl e v i t amins and miner als t o act pr oper ly
45

46

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

w i t hin our bi osy st ems. If any of t hese ami no aci ds

ar e mi ssi ng, t he assimi lat i on and ut il i zat ion of ot her
nut r i ent s w i ll be i mpair ed.
Today , ami no acid t her apy i s emer gi ng as an
ex cit i ng sour ce of t her apeut ic t r eat ment . Recent
st udi es conf i r m t hat cer t ai n amino aci ds w hen t aken
si ngl y or i n combinat ion can ex er t t he same t y pes of
medi ci nal ef f ect s as some pr escr i pt i on dr ugs.

Amino Acid Deficiencies Can Easily Occur

Once agai n, t he common assumpt i on may be t hat
t he maj or i t y of A mer icans get pl ent y of ami no aci ds
t hr ough t hei r di et s due t o t hei r hi gh meat consumpt i on. J ust t he opposit e, how ev er , may be t he case.
Diet s t hat ar e not bal anced and high on empt y car bohy dr at es can become pr ot ein def i cient . Bal ance i s
t he key her e. Whil e w e ar e w el l aw ar e of t he per il s
of a di et t hat i s t oo hi gh i n pr ot ein, most of us do not
eat qual it y pr ot ei n f oods. Hi gh f at r ed meat s ar e not
t he only sour ce of ami no aci ds. Ot her pr ot ei n f oods,
i ncl udi ng nut s, beans, soy pr oduct s, f ish and eggs,
ar e ex cell ent sour ces of pr ot ei n. Unf or t unat ely t he
maj or i t y of A mer icans eat diet s t hat ar e def icient i n
t he t ot al ami no aci d ar r ay w e need t o mai nt ai n our
healt h.

Commercial Amino Acid Preparations

A mino aci d suppl ement s ar e av ai l abl e i n si ngle or
combi nat i on f or m and ar e of t en par t of a compl et e
mul t iv it ami n or pr ot ei n suppl ement f or mul a. They
come in capsules, pow der s or t ablet s and ar e usual l y der i v ed f r om soy , egg or y east pr ot ei n. The t er m
cr y st al li ne f r ee f or m r ef er s t o ami no acids w hi ch
ar e ex t r act ed f r om gr ai n sour ces such as br ow n r i ce
br an. Fr ee f or m amino aci ds ar e r ecommended i n
t hat t hey ar e r api dl y assi mil at ed.

Single Amino Acids and Their Physiological Actions

Essent ial amino acidst hose t hat must be obt ai ned
f r om diet ar y sour cesar e mar ked w it h an ast er i sk
(* ).
L- A l ani ne: Inv olv ed in t he met abol ism of glucose
and r ecommended f or hy pogly cemia.
L- A r gi ni ne* : Ret ar ds t umor gr ow t h, i ncr eases
sper m count and pr omot es t he f or mat i on of l ean
muscl e mass and t he pr oper f or mat i on of scar t i ssue. Do not t ake if pr egnant or l act at ing.
L- A spar agine: Helps nour ish t he cent r al ner v ous
sy st em t o pr omot e emot i onal st abi l it y .
L- A spar t i c A ci d: Boost s ener gy and endur ance by
enhanci ng li v er t ox i n r emov al .
L- Car ni t ine: Hel ps t o pr ev ent f at t y buil dup and
boost s f at t y aci d ut il i zat ion.
L- Cit r ull i ne: Pr omot es ener gy and hel ps det ox i f y
ammoni a f r om cel ls.
L- Cy st ei ne: Det ox if i es cel l s and i s an ex cell ent
f r ee r adical scav enger w hi ch al so pr omot es muscl e
46

mass.
L- Cy st i ne: Pr ot ect s agai nst copper t ox i ci t y , pr omot es heal i ng and cont r i but es t o i nsul i n f or mat i on.
Gamma- A mino But y r i c A ci d: Consi der ed a nat ur al
t r anqui l izer , it decr eases neur on act iv it y .
L- Glut ami c Aci d: Met abol izes sugar s and f at s and
hel ps t o f i ght br ai n and ment al disor der s.
L- Glut ami ne: Good f or t r eat i ng al cohol ism, sugar
cr av ings, epil epsy , ment al di sor der s and ul cer s.
L- Glut at hi one: A pow er f ul ant i ox i dant w hi ch hel ps
pr ot ect agai nst r adi at i on, smoke, x - r ay s and alcohol .
L- Gly cine: Used f or bipol ar depr essi on, pr ost at e
gl and, and cent r al ner v ous sy st em healt h.
L- Hi st i di ne* : Repai r s t i ssue and i s good f or
r heumat oi d ar t hr i t i s, anemia and all er gi es.
L- Isol euci ne* : Essent ial f or hemogl obi n f or mat i on
and r egulat es blood sugar and ener gy l ev el s.
L- Leucine* : Decr eases bl ood sugar and boost s t i ssue heal i ng, i ncl udi ng bone. Recommended f or post sur ger y conv alescence. An ex cess of t his ami no aci d
can cause hy pogly cemia.
L- Ly sine* : Inhibit s v i r us i nf ect i ons and i s r ecommended f or Her pes si mpl ex , canker s and col d sor es.
L- Met hi oni ne* : Br eaks dow n f at s, det ox i f ies t i ssue and assi st s w i t h chol i ne pr oduct i on.
L- Or nit hi ne: When combi ned w i t h car nit i ne and
ar gi ni ne, it br eaks dow n ex cess body f at .
L- Pheny l al ani ne* : Needed t o make neur ot r ansmi t t er s, ai ds in depr essi on, memor y and migr aines. Can
al so act as an appet it e suppr essant .
DL- Pheny lal ani ne: Suppr esses appet i t e and hel ps
cont r ol ar t hr it i c pai n. Do not use if pr egnant , hav e
hi gh bl ood pr essur e or di abet es.
L- Pr oli ne: Cont r i but es t o t he pr oduct i on of col l agen and st r engt hens j oi nt s and t endons.
L- Ser ine: Cont r ibut es t o st r ong immune f unct ions
and w or ks t o met abol i ze f at s and pr omot e muscl e
mass.
L- Taur i ne: A key component of bi le, good f or chol est er ol l ev el s, hy per act i v i t y , epi lepsy and br ai n
f unct i on.
L- Thr eoni ne* : Helps t o cont r ol epi lepsy and ai ds
i n f or mat ion of el ast i n and col l agen.
L- Tr y pt ophan* : Cont r ibut es t o ser ot oni n pr oduct i on, st abi l izes moods, pr omot es sl eep and st r ess
cont r ol . NOTE: In 1 9 8 9 , all t r y pt ophan w as t aken of f
t he mar ket due t o a bat ch cont ami nat ed w i t h EMS, a
bl ood di sor der . The FDA has r ecal led all pr oduct s
cont ai ni ng t r y pt ophan; how ev er , new modi f i ed
f or ms of t r y pt ophan ar e emer gi ng as mar ket abl e.
L- Ty r osi ne: Impor t ant f or br ai n f unct i on and can
hel p w i t h depr essi on, headaches, anx i et y and f ood
cr av ings.
L- Vali ne* : A ct s as a nat ur al st i mulant and i s
i nv ol v ed i n t i ssue r egener at i on and ni t r ogen bal ance.

Amino Acid Products: Recommendations

Ami no aci d pr epar at i ons ar e r eadil y av ai lable at

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
healt h f ood st or es i n t he f or m of capsul es, pow der s, and li qui ds. Their sour ces ar e usual ly ani mal , y east or v eget able pr ot eins. Br ow n r i ce,
mi lk pr ot ei n and y east sour ces ar e also ut i li zed.
Mor e and mor e compani es ar e of f er i ng ami no
aci d suppl ement s. Some simpl e gui del ines t o f ol l ow include t he f oll ow ing:
Look f or USP ( U.S. Phar macopoeia) or phar maceut i cal gr ade pr oduct s t hat ar e denot ed by t he
l et t er L and by t he w or d cr y st al li ne. NOTE:
Pheny l al ani ne comes i n t he DL f or m.
Look f or f r ee f or m pr oduct s w hi ch ar e much
easier t o digest and assi mil at e and ar e consi der ed l ess al l er geni c. Capsul i zed, pow der ed
f or ms ar e best .
Take amino aci ds ei t her si ngl y or i n combi nat i ons on an empt y st omach w i t h a l i t t l e f r ui t
j ui ce. If y ou t ake t hem w it h meals, t he ot her
nut r i ent s y ou hav e i ngest ed w il l compet e w i t h
t he amino aci ds f or absor pt i on. Make sur e t hat
y ou do not eat f or at least 3 0 mi nut es bef or e or
af t er t aki ng an ami no aci d suppl ement .
Ami no acid t her apy should be shor t t er m, r at her
t han indef i ni t e. Lar ge doses ar e discour aged and
goi ng of f and on t hem i s pr ef er abl e. For ex ampl e, t w o mont hs on, t w o mont hs of f seems t o
w or k best . Chi ldr en shoul d not be gi v en t hese
supplement s unl ess under t he super v isi on of
t hei r phy sici an.

Our const ant bombar dment w i t h f r ee r adical s has

been li kened t o being i r r adi at ed at low lev els al l t he
t i me.
Unf or t unat ely , because of t he damage f r ee r adi cal s cause w i t hin our cel lul ar st r uct ur es, t he sad
f act is t hat many of us w i ll di e pr emat ur el y f r om one
of a w i de v ar i et y of degener at iv e di seases. Fr ee
r adi cal damage has been associ at ed w it h ov er 6 0
know n diseases and di sor der s. A n i mpor t ant f act t o
r emember i s t hat t he act of br eat hing ox y gen act i v at es t hese r eact i v e chemi cal st r uct ur es know n as
f r ee r adi cal s. To make mat t er s w or se, because our
gener at ion mor e t han any ot her , i s ex posed t o a
number of pot ent i al l y har mf ul env i r onment al subst ances, f r ee r adi cal f or mat ion can r each w hat has
been r ef er r ed t o as epi demi c pr opor t i ons. Some of
t he mor e danger ous f r ee r adi cal pr oduci ng subst ances i ncl ude:

FREE RADICALS
A f r ee r adical is not hi ng mor e t han a mol ecul ar
st r uct ur e w hi ch cont ai ns an unpai r ed el ect r on.
El ect r ons t end t o st ay in pair s. El ect r on pai r s make
up t he chemical bond w hi ch keep mol ecul es f r om f l y i ng apar t . A n unpai r ed el ect r on i s dr i v en by a pot ent
chemi cal f or ce w hi ch compel s it t o f i nd a mat e. Thi s
mol ecul ar i nst inct t o mer ge w it h anot her el ect r on i s
so pow er f ul t hat t he sear chi ng mol ecul e behav es
er r at ical l y , mov i ng about much li ke a w eapon w it hi n
cel l ul ar st r uct ur es. It s r andom and w i l d mol ecul ar
mov ement s w i t hi n cell ul ar mat er i al can cr eat e cel l ul ar damage, w hich can ev ent ual l y r esul t in degener at i on or mut at i on.

Why Are Free Radicals So Dangerous?

A f r ee r adi cal can dest r oy a pr ot ein, an enzy me or
ev en a compl et e cel l. To make mat t er s w or se, f r ee
r adical s can mul t i ply t hr ough a chai n r eact i on mechani sm r esult i ng i n t he r el ease of t housands of t hese
cell ul ar ox idant s. When t hi s happens, cel l s can
become so badl y damaged t hat DNA codes can be
al t er ed and immuni t y can be compr omised. Cont act
w i t h a f r ee r adical or ox i dant on t hi s scal e can cr eat e cel l ul ar det er i or at i on, r esul t ing i n di seases l i ke
cancer . Ti ssue br eakdow n f r om t hi s ox idat i v e st r ess
can also occur , w hi ch cont r i but es t o aging, ar t hr it i s
and a w hole host of ot her degener at i v e condit i ons.

47

ci gar et t e smoke
her bi ci des
hi gh f at s
pest i cides
smog
car ex haust
cer t ai n pr escr i pt i on dr ugs
di agnost i c and t her apeut i c x - r ay s
ul t r a- v i ol et l i ght
gamma r adi at ion
r anci d f oods
cer t ai n f at s
al cohol
some of our f ood and w at er suppli es
st r ess
poor di et s

Ev en ex er ci si ng, as benef i cial as it i s, can ini t i at e

t he r el ease of f r ee r adi cal s w it hi n our cell ul ar sy st ems. A er obi c ex er cisi ng pr oduces damaging ox idat i on by - pr oduct s. Many of t hese ar e not compl et ely
neut r al i zed by i nt er nal saf et y mechani sms and an
ov er load can occur . Suppl ement i ng t he diet w i t h
ef f ect i v e ant i ox i dant compounds i s hi ghl y r ecommended f or ev er y one, but especi all y f or t hose w ho
ex er cise on a r egul ar basis. V. Si ngh, i n hi s ar t i cl e
A Cur r ent Per spect iv e on Nut r i t ion and Ex er ci se,
st at es:
Sev er al human and animal st udi es suggest t hat
st r enuous ex er ci se may pr omot e f r ee r adi cal pr oduct i on l eadi ng t o li pi d per ox i dat ion and t i ssue damage. . . . concor dance bet w een t he heat h benef i t s of
ex er cise and nut r it i on and a compensat or y r ol e of
ant i ox i dant nut r ient s agai nst t he pot ent i al l y har mf ul
ef f ect s of ex er ci se suggest t hat nut r it i on and ex er ci se should f or m i mpor t ant component s of any r egi men f or pr ev ent ion of chr onic disease and/ or pr omot ion of opt imal heal t h.

ANTIOXIDANTS
47

48

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

Tw ent i et h- cent ur y l i f e gav e us a my r iad of new

and st unning t echnological adv ances t hat ser v ed t o
not onl y r educe our w or k load but t o ex pose us t o a
w hol e host of new and pot ent i al y har mf ul t ox i ns.
Vir t ual l y ev er y day most of us ar e ex posed t o
count less pol lut ant s w hich cause t he f or mat i on of
damagi ng ox idant s in our bodi es. Aut o ex haust ,
t obacco smoke, UV r ay s, poll ut i on, pr eser v at i v es,
and f ood and w at er addi t iv es cont inuall y assaul t our
bi o- cel l ul ar sy st ems and may cause phy siologi cal
damage. A s a r esul t , our r i sk of dev elopi ng a degener at i v e di sease i s
si gni f i cant l y
i nc r eased.
Mor eov er , our const ant ex posur e t o ox i di zing agent s
can ev en accel er at e pr emat ur e t i ssue br eakdow n
causing us t o age mor e r api dl y .
Inev i t abl y , r egar dl ess of w her e or how w e l i v e,
w e w il l f i nd our selv es v ul ner abl e t o t hese danger ous
subst ances. Whi le t hi s decl ar at i on sounds omi nous at
best , mot her nat ur e has pr ov ided us w i t h some v er y
i mpr essi v e def ense compounds call ed ant i ox i dant s,
w hi ch hav e t he capabil i t y t o pr ot ect us f r om t he
per il s of ox i dant s or f r ee r adi cal s as t hey ar e al so
cal l ed.
Whi le suppl ement ing our di et s w i t h v i t amins and
mi ner al s i s st r ongl y r ecommended, cer t ain r emar kabl e, nat ur al subst ances ex i st w hi ch hav e r ecent l y
come t o t he f or ef r ont of sci ent i f ic r esear ch. These
compounds ar e r ef er r ed t o as ant i ox i dant s, and t hey
ar oused i nt er est i n t he scient if i c communi t y .
Det er mini ng w hat subst ances pr ov i de t he most
opt i mal ant i ox i dant capabil i t i es and maki ng t hose
nut r i ent s av ail abl e t o t he publ ic must be f i r st and
f or emost i n our quest f or heal t h and di sease pr ev ent i on. In addi t i on, maki ng sur e t hat t he nut r i ent compounds select ed ar e bioav ialabl e i s v it al . Fr equent l y ,

You w on t f ind any f ancy

char t s w it h all sor t s of ex er cises l ist ed and pr oj ect ed t imes
and hear t r at es in t his sect ion.
The f ollow ing easy - t o- use plan
f ocuses on w alking and begins
at t he most r udiment ar y lev el
and w or ks up. Begin w her e y ou
f eel comf or t able and gr adually
incr ease y our ex er ci se f r om
t her e. Remember , if y ou t ake
on t oo much at t he beginning y ou
w il l end up doing not hing at all.
Do not look t o ex er cise as a
w ay t o lose w eight . In f act ,
ex pect absolut ely no r esult s at
all. Do it as an ex er cise i n
f ait h (ex cuse t he pun) and y ou

48

suppl ement s w e bel i ev e ar e assimi lat ed w it hi n t he

cel l ular st r uct ur es of our bodies, do li t t le mor e t han
j ust pass t hr ough t hem.

Antioxidants: Natures Best Defense

Against Free Radicals
Pot ent subst ances cal led ant iox idant s af f or d us
t he best pr ospect f or di sease pr ev ent i on, t ox in pr ot ect i on and sust ained longev i t y and v igor . In l i ght of
t hi s f act , making sur e w e ar m our cel l ul ar sy st ems
w it h adequat e suppli es of ant i ox i dant s should become
one of our f ir st healt h pr ior i t i es. It has now been
est abl i shed t hat mor e t han 6 0 human di seases
i nv ol v e f r ee- r adi cal damage, i ncl udi ng cancer and
hear t di sease. Sev er al nat ur al pr ot ect ant s agai nst
f r ee r adicals, w hi ch ar e also cal led f r ee r adi cal
scav enger s, hav e t he chemical abi l it y t o donat e
el ect r ons t o f r ee r adi cal mol ecul es, t her eby maki ng
t hem mor e st able and less danger ous. Some of t he
most common of t hese f r ee r adi cal scav enger s or
ant i ox i dant s i ncl ude v it ami n E, v i t amin C, v i t ami n A
and bet a car ot ene, coenzy me Q1 0 , sel eni um, pr oant hocy anidins, gl ut at hi one, al pha l ipoic acid, super ox i de di smut ase, bi of l av onoi ds, melat oni n, bil ber r y
( her b) , and Ginkgo bil oba ( her b) .
Each of t he ant i ox i dant compounds l i st ed ar e di scussed in mor e det ai l i n t he appr opr i at e r ef er ence
sect i ons of t his book. A t t hi s poi nt , w e w i l l discuss
t he r ol e of bi of lav onoi ds.

Bioflavonoids
Recent ly , t he pr of ound ef f ect of phy t ochemi cal s,
w hi ch ar e der i v ed f r om plant - based f oods i n t he

w ill ev ent ual ly r eap many benef it s.

At f ir st , (depending on y our
condi t i oni ng) y ou may seem
t ir ed, and ev en a si mpl e and
easy w alk may seem ov er w hel ming. Take i t sl ow and
adj ust y our speed if y ou need
t o, but keep going!
If y ou make w alking a pr ior it y
in y our lif e, it w ill happen. If y ou
do it only as somet hing y ou plan
t o do t empor ar ily or w hen it s
conv enient , y ou w ill not r each
y our goals because ot her t hings
may dist r act y ou.

Walk f or t en minut es t w i ce

a w eek.
Walk f or t en minut es t hr ee
t imes a w eek.
Walk f or f if t een minut es
t hr ee t imes a w eek.
Walk f or t w ent y minut es
f iv e t imes a w eek

If y ou f eel y ou cannot go out side, use a t r eadmill, go t o an

i ndoor t r ack or ev en w al k
ar ound t he r oom i f y ou hav e t o.
No ex cuses al low ed. Ev en if y ou
nev er pr ogr ess t o t he nex t
lev el, keep w it h t he lev el y ou
can liv e w it h. Tr y , how ev er , t o
w or k up t o w alking f or 2 0 minut es t hr ee t o f i v e t imes a w eek

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
f or m of Indol e- 3 car binol, quer cet in, hesper idi n, and
nar ingi n, hav e been inv est i gat ed. Cer t ai n t y pes of
bi of l av onoi ds hav e been f ound t o si gni f i cant ly sur pass ot her know n ant iox i dant s i n t heir abi l it y t o
scav enge f r ee r adi cal s. One gr oup of bi of lav onoi ds,
speci f i cal l y know n as pr oant hocy ani di ns, hav e
ex t r aor di nar y ant iox i dant capabil i t i es. The t er m
bi of l av onoi d r ef er s t o a l ar ge f ami ly of chemi cal s
f ound t hr oughout t he pl ant w or ld. Bi of lav onoi ds ar e
somet i mes call ed v i t ami n P; how ev er , t hey ar e not
t echni cal l y v i t ami ns . So w hat ex act l y i s a
bi of l av onoi d? Biof l av onoids ar e phy t ochemi cal s or
pl ant der i v at i v es w hi ch can hav e r emar kabl e ef f ect s
on bi ochemical pat hw ay s in human phy si ol ogy . Ther e
ar e ov er 2 0 , 0 0 0 know n biof l av onoids r egi st er ed i n
chemi cal abst r act s and ov er 2 0 mi ll i on st r uct ur es
t hat f i t i nt o t hei r chemi cal cl assi f icat i on. Obv i ousl y
not al l f lav onoi ds ar e t he same.
For t hi s r eason, sel ect ing t he most biologi cal l y
v aluable compounds i s ex t r emely i mpor t ant w hen
designi ng any supplement w hi ch ut i l izes bi of lav onoi d
compounds. Biof l av onoids occur nat ur al l y in f r ui t s
and v eget ables but t hey ar e subj ect t o r api d decomposit i on and degr adat i on dur ing st or age and cooki ng.
Biof l av onoids ar e consi der ed sy ner gi st s t o v i t ami n C
and must be combi ned w i t h v i t ami n C ( ascor bi c aci d)
f or opt i mal benef i t .
Nar ingen, Hesper it i n and Rut i n
These t hr ee bi of l av onoi ds ar e al so ef f i ci ent
ant i ox i dant s and w or k sy ner gi st icall y w i t h v it ami n
C and t he pr oant hocy ani di ns t o scav enge f r ee r adi cal s. Mor eov er , t hi s par t i cul ar t r i o of f lav onoi ds
has si gnif i cant ant ial l er geni c pr oper t i es. St udi es
hav e indi cat ed t hat t hese compounds can i nhi bit t he
r el ease of hist ami ne, w hi ch is t he chemi cal cause of
a w hol e host of mi ser able all er gi c sy mpt oms. We
hear so much about ant i- i nf l ammat or y dr ugs t oday
and t hey ar e r out i nely pr escr i bed f or a number of
di sor der s. Sev er al l abor at or y t est s suppor t t he f act
t hat t hese f l av onoids can si gnif i cant l y decr ease
i nf l ammat i on by pr ev ent i ng hist ami ne f r om per meat i ng v essel w al l s. Obv i ousl y , any all er gi c condit i on,
edema or ot her i nf l ammat or y di seases w ould subst ant i al ly benef it f r om t hi s v ascular act i on. In addi t i on, if y ou br ui se easi l y , t his gr oup of bi of lav onoi ds
i s par t icular ly desi r abl e. Nar i ngin and hesper it i n
si gni f icant ly pr ev ent capi l lar y f r agi li t y and i nt er st i t ial bl eedi ng.
Quer cet i n
Quer cet i n is anot her r emar kable f l av onoi d. It s
par t i cul ar ant iox idant act i v i t y has been f ound t o hel p
r educe t he r i sk of cor onar y hear t di sease. Quer cet i n
hel ps t o dil at e and r el ax bl ood v essel s and has a pr ot ect i v e ef f ect agai nst cer t ai n t y pes of ar r hy t hmi as.
It is t he maj or act iv e component of Ginkgo bi loba and
may be r esponsi bl e f or t he benef i cial ef f ect s t hat
gi nkgo has on br ain neur ons. Quer cet in has demonst r at ed it s abi li t y t o r educe t umor i ncidence w hi ch

49

at t est s t o it s abil i t y t o neut r al ize ox i dant s w i t hi n

cel l ular mat er ial . It s ant i v i r al act i v i t y i s par t i cular l y si gni f icant t oday , as w e f ace new v ir al di seases
capable of adj ust i ng t o v ar i ous phar macol ogi cal
t r eat ment s. Quer cet in is a r emar kable bi of lav onoi d
w hi ch can help t o pr ot ect t he body agai nst v i r al or
bact er i al inv asi on if gi v en bef or e an inf ect ion pr ogr esses. It is i nv al uabl e as an immune sy st em boost er and a pr ot ect ant against disease. For any one w ho
suf f er s f r om ast hma, quer cet i n may ef f ect iv ely
t r eat and help t o pr ev ent ast hmat i c sy mpt oms.
Sev en Chinese her bal dr ugs w er e scr eened f or
t hei r abil i t y t o inhibi t cer t ain enzy mes w hi ch cause
sev er al of t he compli cat i ons associat ed w i t h di abet es. Quer cet in w as among t he compounds t est ed
and ex hibit ed a pot ent act i on agai nst t hese dest r uct i v e enzy mes. A ny one w ho suf f er s f r om diabet es
shoul d be aw ar e of quer cet i n s pot ent i al benef it s.
A not her ex ci t ing r esul t of l abor at or y t est s on
quer cet in w as i t s abil i t y t o hel p nor mal i ze hor mone
l ev el s i n bot h males and f emales. The ef f ect t hat
quer cet in demonst r at ed on f emal e est r ogen and mal e
t est ost er one l ev el s suggest s t hat t he f lav onoi d i s
v al uabl e i n t r eat ing w omen w i t h high est r ogen r el at ed pr obl ems and men w ho suf f er f r om pr ost at e di sor der s. Whi l e quer cet in has not been cl i ni call y t est ed f or i t s abi l it y t o t r eat migr aine headaches, i t s
act i v i t y as a mast cel l st abil i zer suggest s t hat i t
may i ndeed be usef ul.

How To Use Antioxidants

Taking a br oad spect r um ant iox idant is t he best
w ay t o go. Ant i ox i dant s w or k i n t he body at di f f er ent si t es or cel lular met aboli sm; t her ef or e, r el y i ng
on one par t icular ant iox idant i s not as ef f ect i v e as a
br oad spect r um. A per son needs a nice v ar i et y of
f r ee r adi cal scav enger s i n bot h v i t amin and her b
f or m. Look f or f or mul as t hat use some or al l of t he
f ol low i ng: gr ape seed ex t r act , biof l av onoids, v i t amin E, sel eni um, glut at hione, l i poic acid, v it ami n C,
bet a car ot ene and her bs l i ke Gi nkgo bi l oba.
Somet i mes ot her v i t ami ns and miner al s t hat enhance
each ot her may be added t o t he mi x .

WATER
We v e al l hear d ov er and ov er t hat w e shoul d be
dr i nki ng bet w een si x and ei ght glasses of w at er per
day t o ensur e opt imal heal t h. It is al so t r ue t hat most
of us coul d sur v iv e w i t hout f ood f or ov er a mont h,
but w ould per i sh w it hout w at er f or l onger t han f iv e
day s. Today , w hi l e w e may be mor e aw ar e of t he
i mpor t ance of dr inking mor e w at er , much conf usi on
abounds r egar ding pur i t y i ssues, especi al ly t he
v al ue of pur chasi ng w at er and if f luor idat i on poses a
heal t h t hr eat .
Wher e does t he w at er come f r om t hat f l ow s f r om
our househol d t aps? Thi s w at er i s gener al l y col l ect ed in r eser v oi r s f r om sur f ace w at er , w hi ch has r un
49

50

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

of f f r om cr eeks, st r eams, r i v er s et c., or f r om

gr ound w at er w hich has f il t er ed dow n t hr ough soil
and r ock l ay er s t o t he w at er t abl e and i s suppl i ed
t hr ough a w ell .
Wat er can har bor a mul t it ude of undesi r abl e compounds dependi ng on i t s sour ce, pur i f i cat i on
pr ocesses and ev en t he pl umbing i t r uns t hr ough.
Some of t hese compounds i ncl ude ar seni c, i r on, l ead,
copper , f luor ide and r adon. Unf or t unat ely , w at er i s
suscept ible t o cont ami nat i on by ot her subst ances
l i ke asbest os, cy anides, f er t i l i zer s, her bi ci des,
pest i ci des, and i ndust r ial chemical s w hich can easi l y l each i nt o gr ound w at er i n v ar i ous w ay s. Most of
our pur i f i cat i on pl ant s add a number of pot ent ial l y
har mf ul chemi cal s t o our w at er suppl y t o pur if y and
f r eshen i t . Some of t hese i ncl ude chl or i ne, phosphat e, l ime and alumi num sulf at e. These addi t iv es
per f or m a number of f unct i ons such as r egul at i ng pH,
ki l li ng mi cr oor gani sms and get t i ng r i d of cl oudi ness
and cont r ibut ing t o aer at ion.
New st at ist i cs t ell us t hat much of our w at er suppl y cont ai ns biol ogi cal cont ami nant s, such as v i r uses, bact er i a and par asi t es, some of w hi ch escape
dest r uct ion ev en w hen ex posed t o pow er f ul chemi cal s l i ke chl or i ne. The not i on of boi l ing w hat w e hav e
assumed i s saf e dr i nki ng w at er i s becoming mor e
pr ev al ent , especi all y w hen it comes t o cer t ain v er y
r esist ant par asi t e or ganisms. A s f ar as chl or i ne i s
concer ned, t he pot ent i al long- t er m ef f ect s of chl or i ne i ngest i on ar e st il l bei ng debat ed w i t h emphasi s
pl aced on t he f act t hat some of t he by - pr oduct s of
chl or i ne ar e consi der ed car cinogeni c. A t t hi s w r it i ng
EPA of f icial s ar e l ooki ng t o r educe publ ic w at er
chl or i ne l ev el s.
Can w e t el l if our w at er suppl y i s poor ? Some of
t he w ar ni ng signs of undesir able w at er incl ude v i si bl e f l oat i ng par t icl es, cl oudi ness or mur kiness t hat
does not cl ear up w hen w at er st ands f or a f ew mi nut es, f oami ng (may si gnal bact er i al cont aminat i on) ,
soapiness, st r ange smell , or an odd t ast e ( met al li c
or f oul) . NOTE: Remember t hat many pot ent i all y danger ous subst ances li ke pest ici des and her bi cides w i ll
not pr esent any odor or v i sible change t o dr i nki ng
w at er .
Some mi cr obi ol ogi st s adv ocat e boi l ing all of our
t ap w at er suppl ies j ust t o be saf e. Bact er i a can be
dest r oy ed by boil i ng w at er f or at least f iv e mi nut es.
Whi le none of us w ant t o t ake an al ar mi st posit i on
concer ni ng our w at er suppl ies, many ci t ies dispense
w at er t hat cannot r eal ly be cal led compl et el y
healt h pr omot i ng.

To Fluoridate or Not to Fluoridate?

Regar dl ess of t he hy pe w e may hav e hear d i n t he
past , sci ent i f ic ev i dence conclusi v ely pr ov i ng t hat
f l uor i dat ed w at er r esult s i n st r onger bones and
t eet h has been cont r ov er si al and r at her i nconcl usi v e. I must admit t hat t he pot ent ial r isks of f l uor i dat i on seem t o out w ei gh it s possibl e benef i t s. It must
50

be under st ood t hat t he i nor gani c f or ms of f l uor i de

used i n dr i nki ng w at er ar e t ot al ly di f f er ent f r om t he
nat ur al l y occur r i ng f l uor i de cal l ed cal ci um f l uor i de
w hi ch i s consi der ed nont ox ic. Fl uor i de i ngest i on has
been l inked t o ost eopor osi s and ost eomalacia and i n
some cases can act uall y cause damage t o t oot h
enamel . Sodium f luor ide and f luor osal icic aci d ar e
t he t w o compounds used i n publ ic w at er suppl ies and
ar e bot h consi der ed inor gani c i ndust r i al by - pr oduct s. These chemi cal s can be t ox ic in t he r i ght
amount s and ar e added t o some i nsect i cides. Ov er 5 0
per cent of t he cit i es in our count r y f l uor i dat e t hei r
publ i c w at er suppli es r egar dl ess of t he cont r ov er sy
w hi ch sur r ounds t he pr act ice. In t hese ar eas, pur chasi ng pur e dr i nki ng w at er is r ecommended. The
pot ent i al hazar ds of f l uor i de f ar out w eigh any of i t s
pr oposed adv ant ages.

Bottled Water and Filtration Systems

One must be somew hat car ef ul w hen pur chasi ng
bot t l ed w at er i n or der t o ensur e t hat y ou ar e get t i ng
w hat y ou t hi nk y ou ar e buy ing. Bot t led w at er can
come f r om spr i ng w at er ; i t can be cal led spa w at er ,
miner al w at er , et c. Remember t hat di st il l ed f or ms
of w at er w i l l hav e had cer t ai n mi ner al s r emov ed.
Demi ner al i zat ion, or a pr ocess call ed dei oni zat i on,
r emov es t he ni t r it es, calcium, magnesi um and ot her
heav y met al s f r om t he w at er . For w at er t o be accur at el y l abel ed mi ner al w at er , i t must come f r om a
f r ee f l ow i ng sour ce and be bot t led at i t s l ocat i on.
The miner al cont ent of t hese w at er s w il l v ar y
accor ding t o t hei r locat i on. For t his r eason, t hey
of t en pr ov ide a poor sour ce of mi ner al s i n t hat t hei r
cont ent i s i n quest i on. Nat ur al or spr ing w at er s only
r ef er t o w at er t hat has not been ar t i f i cial l y alt er ed
i n any w ay ; how ev er , t heir sour ce and any f il t r at i on
pr ocesses t hey may hav e under gone r emai n
unknow n. Di st i ll ed w at er i s cr eat ed by boil i ng t he
w at er , and t hen condensi ng i t back t o a li qui d f or m.
Thi s met hod leav es behi nd a r esi due of mi ner al s,
micr oor gani sms, cont aminant s, et c. Thi s t y pe of
w at er i s t he saf est v ar i et y but becomes r at her
t ast el ess in t he pr ocess. It can also somet i mes f ai l
t o sat i sf y t hi r st unl ess a bit of sal t , l emon j uice or
v i negar i s added. Usi ng l i quid mi ner al suppl ement s t o
enhance di st il l ed w at er is also r ecommended, and
t hi s all ow s t he consumer an ex act know l edge of w hat
miner al s ar e i ncluded.
Fi lt r at i on sy st ems ar e based on t hr ee met hods:
( 1 ) mi cr of i lt r at i on sy st ems: f or ces w at er t hr ough
f i lt er s w i t h v er y small por es desi gned t o scr een out
cont ami nant s, ( 2 ) absor bent f i l t r at ion: f or ces w at er
t hr ough absor bent mat er i al s such as car bon t o cat ch
i mpur it i es, and ( 3 ) i on/ ex change sy st ems: chemi cal l y r emov es heav y met al s f r om w at er .
Some sy st ems use r ev er se osmosi s w hi ch can be
ef f ect i v e al so. It is impor t ant t o keep i n mind t hat
any sy st em must be cont i nual ly kept in good w or ki ng
or der and t hen many of t hese sy st ems cannot f i l t er

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
out al l v i r uses or par asi t e or gani sms. Our best
al t er nat i v e concer ni ng w at er i t t o pur chase di st il l ed
w at er and add t o it i f possi bl e. Wat er f i lt r at i on sy st ems can be benef i ci al but must be bought w it h caut i on so as t o obt ai n t he best possible sy st em.
For mor e i nf or mat i on on how t o assess t he quali t y of y our dr i nki ng w at er cont act :
Wat er Quali t y A ssoci at i on
4 1 5 1 Naper v il l e Rd.
Li sl e, Il 6 0 5 3 2
(708) 505- 0160

Pr event i on: How t o Boost

Our Immune Sy st em
A not her ar ea of dr amat i c cont r ast bet w een nat ur al medi ci ne and or t hodox pr act i ces is i n t he pr ev ent i on of di sease or si mpl y r eact i ng t o it . Many conv ent ional medi cal pr act it i oner s do l it t l e t o educat e
t hei r pat ient s on pr ev ent i on. It s simpl y not a pr i or i t y i n t heir medi cal school t r ai ning. J ack St obo, a
senior phy si cian at J ohns Hopki ns, has sai d:
The w ay w e educat e phy si ci ans is out of sy nc
w i t h t he pr obl ems t hey hav e t o f ace w hen t hey go
i nt o pr act i ce. . . . [ Of t he] number of t he pr obl ems
t hat end up in t he hospi t al . . . somew her e ar ound hal f
ar e pr ev ent abl e.
Cont r ast i ngl y , nat ur al medi ci ne has al w ay s
st r essed t he pr ev ent i on of disease t hr ough di et s r i ch
i n w hol e gr ains, l egumes, f r esh f r uit s and v eget abl es and by usi ng suppl ement s f or hei ght ened healt h.
Medi t at ion and st r ess management ar e also t hr ow n

51

i n t he mix as i nt egr al f act or s i n det er mi ni ng our

t ot al w el l bei ng. One of t he best t hi ngs w e can do f or
our selv es is t o enhance our i mmuni t y . In or der t o do
so, w e need a basi c under st andi ng of how our
i mmune sy st em w or ks t o def end us against inv adi ng
micr oor gani sms and car cinogens.

A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF IMMUNE FUNCTION

The immune sy st em consi st s of v ar i ous body
or gans and pr ocesses: t he mai n ones ar e t he t hy mus
gl and, spl een, t onsil s, adenoi ds and ly mph nodes, and
a v ar i et y of w hi t e blood cel l s designed t o pr ot ect t he
body . The t hy mus gland i s an i nt r egal par t of our
i mmune def enses. It pr oduces T- l y mphocy t es, w hi ch
ar e a speci al ki nd of w hit e bl ood cel l t hat play s a
pr of ound r ol e i n cr eat i ng cel l - based i mmuni t y .
Immuni t y on a cell ul ar l ev el i s w hat pr ot ect s us
agai nst f ungi, v ir uses, bact er ia, and y east inf ect i ons.
Today , mor e and mor e ev i dence suggest s t hat al l
basi c immune f unct ions al so play a v i t al r ol e i n pr ot ect i ng us f r om al l er gi es and mal ignanci es. Al l of us
hav e t umor cel l s w hi ch our immune sy st ems r ecogni ze and dest r oy . When a per son does dev el op cancer , t hi s i mmune f unct i on has f ai led t o pr ov ide t he
body w it h pr ot ect i on. For some r eason, i t does not
r ecognize mali gnant cel l s, and t hey ar e al l ow ed t o
r epr oduce.
A s w e gr ow ol der , our spleen ages and shr i nks. It
i s par t i cular ly v ul ner abl e t o t he kind of ox i dat iv e
i nj ur y caused by f r ee r adi cal s. It i s al so v er y sensi t iv e t o r adi at i on and inf ect i on. For t his r eason, i t
i s cr uci al t hat w e make sur e t o suppl y our di et w i t h

t he po w er o f m ed it at ion
Medi t at ion can t ake all sor t s
of f or ms. It can incl ude y oga
w it h deep br eat hi ng, biof eedback t r aining or f or mal t r aini ng
such as t r anscendent al medi at i on. All of t hese t y pes of medit at ion hav e one t hing in common: t hey achi ev e a st at e of
mindf ulness, t he abilit y t o
let t he mind go complet ely blank
by not concent r at ing on one
par t icular t hought . (Ir onicall y ,
w hile t he t er m mindl essness
may seem mor e appr opr iat e,
t he f ul lness concept r ef er s t o
t he not ion t hat w hile t he mind is
f ull, it is not f ocused on any one
subj ect .)
Because I hav e had consider -

able ex per i ence w it h acupunct ur e, I hav e al w ay s l eaned

t ow ar ds East er n medi t at i v e
t echniques. I st r ongly adv ise
ev er y one t o become inv olv ed i n
some f or m of medit at ion on a
daily basis.
One of t he best medit at ion
pr ogr ams i s f ound i n Dr .
Her ber t Benson s Ti mel ess
Heal ing. The met hod he uses
consist s of select ing a w or d or
phr ase (a mant r a), f inding a
quiet place t o si t i n, br eat hing i n
and out t hr ough t he nose and
w it h ev er y ex hal e, r epeat ing
t he w or d once in y our mind.
Wor ds
such
as
sky ,
peace, lov e, and t r an-

qui l i t y w or k w el l . Benson
f ound t hat using w or ds w it h a
par t i cul ar posi t i v e r el i gi ous
connot at ion gr eat ly enhance t he
medi t at i v e sessi on. Select a
w or d or phr ase t hat is spir it ual
in nat ur e. His met hod is simple
t o lear n and t o implement .
Whet her it be his w ay or
anot her , w e shoul d al l pr act ice
medit at ion r egular l y f or 1 5 t o
20 minut es ev er y mor ning or at
least 1 0 t o 1 5 mi nut es t w ice a
day . Medit at ion dissipat es t he
cumulat iv e ef f ect s of st r ess.
The healt h benef it s of lear ning
t o r emai n in a quiet st at e ar e
t r emendous. Medi t ai on can
enabl e us t o i mpr ov e many

51

52

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

t hy mi c bui lding nut r ient s. These incl ude v it ami n C

w i t h bi of l av onoi ds, s el eni um, v i t ami n E, bet a
car ot ene, zi nc, and al pha l ipoi c aci d. Recent cl ini cal
dat a suppor t s t he not i on t hat many of us become zi nc
def i ci ent as w e gr ow ol der . Thi s may hel p t o ex pl ai n
w hy el der l y peopl e become so much mor e suscept i bl e t o di sease. Her bs w hi ch suppor t t he t hy mus gl and
i ncl ude ast r agalus, echinacea, and pau d ar co.
The l y mph sy st em i s r esponsi bl e f or coll ect i ng
l y mph f l uid and dr ai ning w ast e f r om t he t i ssues. Thi s
f l ui d must be pur i f ied by w hit e bl ood cell s w hich ar e
r esponsi ble f or dest r oy i ng i nf ect ions mi cr oor gani sms and cell ul ar w ast e. Our l y mph nodes al so hel p
t o pr oduce ant ibodies w hi ch compr i se ar mi es of speci al cell s desi gned t o kil l speci f i c or gani sms. The
l y mph sy st em can be suppor t ed by usi ng her bs, such
as gi nseng and echi nacea, and by maki ng sur e w e get
enough ex er cise each day .
The body s def ense mechani sms ar e complex and
i ncr edi bl y mar v elous. In some cases, a v i r us must
penet r at e sev er al l i nes of def ense i n or der t o cause
a pr obl em. Some of our best def enses ar e t hings w e
can do l i ke w ashing our hands t o pr ev ent t he spr ead
of ger ms and by pr oper ly st or i ng and pr epar i ng f ood
t o pr ev ent f ood- bor ne il l ness.
The body s def enses i ncl ude t he ski n, mucus lay er s cov er i ng i nf ect i on- suscept ibl e t i ssues, w hi t e
bl ood cel l s ( leukocy t es) , and i nt er f er on. Leukocy t es
ar e di v i ded i nt o t w o cl asses cal led gr anulocy t es and
agr anul ocy t es. These t w o classes ar e f ur t her di v i ded int o smal ler gr oups. Gr anul ocy t es ar e pr imar i l y
phagocy t i c, w hich mean t hey hav e t he abil i t y t o
i ngest par t i cul at e subst ances, a pr ocess cal l ed
phagocy t osi s. Gr anulocy t es i ncl ude j uv eni le neut r ophi l s, segment ed neut r ophi l s, basophi l s, and
eosinophil s. Each of t hese per f or m a specif i c t ask.
Neut r ophi ls neut r al ize bact er i a and smal l par t i cl es
by i ngest i ng t hem. Basophil s ar e bel i ev ed t o del iv er
ant i coagulant s t o f aci li t at e blood clot absor pt i on.
Eosinophil s i ncr ease in number s w it h ast hma and
dur ing cer t ain i nf ect i ons.
The agr anul ocy t es i ncl ude monocy t es and l ar ge
and smal l ly mphocy t es. Monocy t es ar e able t o i ngest
l ar ge par t icles such as f or ei gn pr ot eins and pept i des, w hi le ly mphocy t es pr oduce ant i bodi es and ar e
i mpor t ant t o cel lul ar i mmunit y . Int er f er on i s a pr ot ei n f or med w hen cel ls ar e ex posed t o v i r uses.
Noninf ect ed cel ls w i l l become immune t o t he v i r us
w hen ex posed t o int er f er on. Int er f er on i nhi bi t s w i t h
t he v ir us s abil i t y t o r epr oduce.
If t he body s abi li t y t o pr oper ly pr oduce i nt er f er on or l eukocy t es is i mpai r ed, t he heal t h of t he body
may be successf ull y chall enged by i nv ading diseasepr oduci ng micr oor gani sms. It i s t her ef or e, easy t o
under st and w hy mai nt ai ni ng a healt hy i mmune sy st em i s so cr i t ical .

IMMUNE SYSTEM DYSFUNCTION

Wi t h t he emer gence of so many di seases and sy n52

dr omes w i t h unknow n causes, w e must t ur n our

at t ent i on t o t he i mmune sy st em and w hy i t i s f ail i ng
t o f unct i on pr oper l y i n so many indi v i dual s. Bef or e
ef f ect i v el y t r eat i ng w hat ev er mal ady someone
might suf f er f r om, t he cause of w hy he or she
became i l l i n t he f i r st pl ace must be addr essed. What
i s t he r oot cause? Aut oimmune diseases, new di seases l ike f i br omy al gi a and chr onic f at igue sy ndr ome ar e al l associat ed w i t h i mmune dy sf unct i on,
w het her pr imar y or secondar y . Conceiv ably , i f w e
cont i nue t o di scov er new il l nesses w hich or i gi nat e
f r om f aul t y i mmune r esponse, w e can be sur e t hat
i mmune sy st em dy sf unct i on w i ll become one of t he
maj or di sease cat egor ies of t he 2 1 st cent ur y .

CAUSES OF IMMUNE SYSTEM IMPAIRMENT

Stress
St udi es of t he Nat i onal Inst i t ut es of Healt h in a
meet i ng on alt er nat iv e medi ci ne r epor t ed t hat t hey
had st udied a gr oup of peopl e car i ng f or elder ly
A lzheimer s pat i ent s as compar ed t o anot her t est
gr oup w ho w er e not . You can imagi ne t he st r ess
i nv ol v ed i n t he day t o day car e of any one w i t h
A lzheimer s. They i nf l ict ed a cut or w ound on bot h
t est gr oups and obser v ed t he heal ing pr ocess and
how l ong i t t ook t o compl et e. Heal i ng i s a dir ect mani f est at ion of i mmune sy st em f unct i on and ef f i ciency .
Those car i ng f or t he A l zhei mer s pat i ent s t ook 2 5
per cent longer t o heal . The conclusion i s t hat st r ess
di r ect l y i nhi bit s t he heali ng pr ocess. Any one w ho
appr oaches a healt h car e ex per t w i t h st r ess compl ai nt s and asks f or medi ci ne t o all ev i at e st r ess i s
pr obably suf f er i ng f r om immune dy sf unct ion t o some
degr ee. For t hi s r eason, i t i s al w ay s impor t ant t o
pr ov ide t hat per son w i t h i mmune bui ldi ng nut r i ent s
and her bal s in combi nat i on w i t h st r ess- r el iev i ng
agent s t o i mpr ov e f unct ion or st op degr adat i on.
A not her st udy obser v ed an adult car e f acil i t y
w her e peopl e came t o par t icipat e in soci al act i v i t y
onl y . These w er e ambul at or y elder ly . Thi s gr oup
w as assessed f or immune f unct ion, some changes
i mplement ed and sev er al mont hs l at er , w as r eev al uat ed. A mar ked impr ov ement i n i mmune f unct i on
w as not ed. Why ? Because t hi s gr oup had been giv en
a si mpl e mult i v i t amin and miner al supplement . Thi s
dai l y suppl ement gr eat l y i mpr ov ed t hei r i mmune
f unct i on. For t he el der l y , w ho t y picall y suf f er f r om
i mmune w eakness, t hi s w as a si mple y et pr of oundly
benef i ci al addit i on. Whil e t hi s is a r el at i v el y easy
st ep w e can t ake t o boost our immuni t y , t her e ar e
ot her act i v i t i es w hich can si gni f icant ly combat t he
del et er i ous heal t h ef f ect s of st r ess i n our l i v es.
Dr Her ber t Benson, a car diol ogi st t r ai ned at
Har v ar d Uni v er si t y w ho w r ot e The Rel ax at i on
Response, pr ov ed t hr ough his r esear ch t hat peopl e
w ho medit at ed f or 1 5 t o 2 0 mi nut es per day r eact ed di f f er ent l y t o st r ess. Whil e i t may be t r ue t hat
under st r essf ul condi t i ons t hei r bl ood pr essur e
w oul d r i se, it w ould onl y st ay elev at ed f or 2 0 or 3 0

PA RT

Alt ernat ive

Therapies
I w i l l f ol l ow t hat syst em w hi ch, accor di ng t o my abi l i t y and j udgment , I consi der f or
t he benef i t of my pat i ent s, and abst ai n f r om w hat ever i s del et er i ous . . .

mi nut es r at her t han f or hour s at a t i me. The ef f ect s

of st r ess w er e mar kedly r educed f or people w ho
medit at ed r egular ly .

Nutrient Deficiencies
Def ici enci es of v ir t uall y any si ngle nut r i ent can
negat iv ely i mpact t he i mmune sy st em; how ev er ,
cer t ain compounds ar e v it al t o i mmune f unct i on. One
of t hese is zinc. Zi nc as a si ngl e def i ciency can cause
sev er e i mmune i mpai r ment . Zi nc def i ci enci es ar e
r at her common; a f act w hi ch cer t ai nl y has v er y
i mpor t ant heal t h i mpl icat i ons f or all of us. It i s
i nv ol v ed i n at l east 9 0 met al li enzy mat i c r eact i ons i n
t he body many of w hich ar e immune- r elat ed. A ny
i ndi v i dual w ho i s compl aining of di sease suscept ibil i t y or cat ches ev er y t hi ng t hat comes al ong, may
w ant t o t ur n t o i mmune- bui l ding her bs li ke ast r agal us or echinacea. Whi le t hose ar e cer t ainl y benef i ci al , i f t his per son i s lacking i n zi nc or any ot her
nut r i ent , t hat concer n must be addr essed f ir st .
Unquest i onabl y , i mmune- bui ldi ng her bs w il l w or k

much bet t er if cer t ain nut r i ent s ar e suppli ed t o t he

body . If a zi nc def i ciency ex i st s, her bal t her apy w il l
not be v er y ef f ect iv e. In addi t i on, ir on, manganese,
copper and sel eni um must al so be suppl ied f or opt i mal i mmune r esponse. Sel eni um is emer gi ng as a
much mor e i mpor t ant nut r i ent t han pr ev i ousl y
assumed and has signif i cant cancer - pr ot ect iv e pr oper t i es. Becomi ng depl et ed i n any of t hese nut r i ent s
can pr edi spose us t o al l ki nds of i l lnesses i ncl udi ng
cancer . Cur r ent r esear ch has f ound t hat i f w e lack
EFA s ( essent ial f at t y acids), immune f unct i on can
become der anged. By der anged, w e mean t hat i t can
ov er r eact or r espond i nappr opr iat el y causing a number of aut oimmune di seasesw her e it set s out t o
dest r oy our ow n t issue, a phenomenon w e see i n di seases l ike l upus or mul t i ple scl er osi s. Suppl e- ment i ng w it h EFA s f or aut oi mmune di sease i s cr uci al . The
f i r st t hing w e need t o do in boost ing our immuni t y i s
t o add a pot ent v it ami n and mi ner al suppl ement .

DIET AND IMMUNITY

53

54

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

Ir oni cal ly , w hil e w e may be consider ed t he most

pr osper ous nat i on i n t he w or l d, w e eat f ood i t ems
t hat can l eav e us ser i ousl y l acki ng in cer t ai n v i t ami ns and mi ner al s. St udies conf i r m t hat becomi ng
deplet ed i n ev en one nut r ient can cause us t o suf f er
a v ar iet y of ail ment s and can cer t ainl y pr edispose us
t o i nf ect ion, al ler gies, and ev en cancer . Our adol escent and elder ly popul at ion ar e especi al ly at r i sk.
Fol l ow ing t he basic di et suggest ions out li ned i n our
f ood sect ion w i ll supply t he t y pes of f oods t hat
enhance immunit y . In addi t i on, i f w e f i nd t hat w e or
member s of our f ami l y ar e pr one t o r ecur r i ng i nf ect i ons such colds, st r ep t hr oat , f l u, ear aches, suppl ement at i on w it h v i t ami ns and her bs is st r ongly
r ecommended.

Diet Guidel i nes f or Enhancing Immuni t y

Li mi t i nt ake of w hi t e sugar / r ef i ned f lour pr oduct s.
Dr i nk pl ent y of pur e w at er .
Use w hol e gr ai ns.
Li mi t i nt ake of f at t y dai r y pr oduct s.
Incr ease consumpt i on of f r esh f r ui t s, v eget abl es and l egumes.
Vit ami ns and Her bs To Boost t he Immune Sy st em
v i t amin E: 4 0 0 IU
v i t amin K: 6 0 mcg
v i t amin C: 1 2 0 0 mg
v i t amin B1 : 1 0 0 mg
v i t amin B2 : 5 0 mg
ni aci n: 5 0 mg
ni aci namide: 1 5 0 mg
v i t amin A ( f ish li v er oi l ) : 1 0 , 0 0 0 IU
bet a car ot ene: 1 5 , 0 0 0 IU
v i t amin D ( f i sh l i v er oi l ): 1 0 0 IU
pant ot heni c aci d: 4 0 0 mg
v i t amin B6 : 5 0 mg
f ol ic acid: 8 0 0 mcg
v i t amin B1 2 : 1 0 0 mcg
bi ot in: 3 0 0 mcg
chol i ne: 1 5 0 mg
cal ci um ( ci t r at e or gl uconat e): 5 0 0 mg
magnesi um: 9 9 mg
copper : 2 mg
manganese: 2 0 mg
zi nc: 2 0 mg
i odine ( kelp): 1 5 0 mcg
chr omi um GTF or picol i nat e: 2 0 0 mcg
sel eni um: 2 0 0 mcg
PA BA : 5 0 mg
ci t r us bi of lav onoi ds: 1 0 0 mg
NOTE: Take a st r ong mul t ipl e v it ami n and mi ner al
supplement dai l y and a good ant i ox idant ar r ay pr oduct . Her bs l i st ed bel ow can al so si gni f i cant l y
enhance i mmunit y shoul d al so be used appr opr iat el y .

HERBS AND HERBAL COMBINATIONS THAT

54

BOOST IMMUNE FUNCTION

A s a gener al r ul e, I use her bs t hat hav e ast r agal us
as t heir mai n component , w i t h adapt ogenic mushr ooms such as r ei shi , shit ake, and mi t ake. Echinacea
shoul d be used at t he st ar t of an inf ect ion, but should
not be t aken indef i nit ely j ust t o boost immuni t y .
Remember , no her bal t her apy w i l l be abl e t o
st r engt hen t he immune sy st em i f y ou ar e def i ci ent i n
zi nc, magnesi um, cal ci um or any of t he B v it ami ns.
Basic supplement at i on i s of ut most impor t ance.
A st r agal us: Thi s her b i s almost al w ay s f ound i n
Chi nese her bal f or mulas designed t o enhance i mmuni t y , or deal w i t h any i mmune- r el at ed diseases.
A st r agal us i mpr ov es phagocy t osi s, t he pr ocess
w her e f or ei gn i nv ader s ar e l it er all y dev our ed by
phagocy t es.
Schizandr a and Dong Quai: Al t hough dong quai i s
know n f or i t s use as a f emal e t onic her b, it i s t r adi t i onal ly used i n Chi nese f or mul as as a gener al t oni c
t o augment t he i mmune sy st em.
Shi t ake, Rei shi and Mi t ake Mushr ooms: These
mushr ooms cont r i but e t o i ncr eased cel lular immuni t y and t o pr omot e t he conv er si on of cancer cel ls t o
nor mal cel ls. Chi nese r esear ch suppor t s t he use of
t hese mushr ooms t o st i mul at e immune f unct i on.
These mushr ooms cont ai n bet agl ucans t hat ar e
pr ov en immuno- st i mul ant s. Bet agl ucans can be pur chased as isol at ed compounds or can be t aken i n t he
w hol e mushr oom f or m. Any one w i t h i mpai r ed i mmuni t y or suf f er i ng f r om cancer can t ake bet agl ucan i n
3 t o 6 mg doses t w o t o t hr ee t imes a day , w hi l e al so
t aki ng w hole medi cinal mushr ooms t o max imi ze t he
amount of act i v e i ngr edi ent t hey ar e ingest ing.
Echi nacea and Gol denseal: These her bs can hel p t o
boost immuni t y by enhancing w hit e blood cel l act iv i t y , but t hey shoul d not be t aken f or i ndef i ni t e per i ods of t i me.

Exer ci se: The Many

Benef i t s
of Movi ng t he Body
The psy chol ogical benef i t s of r egular ex er ci se
cannot be ov er emphasi zed. Any ki nd of ex er cise can
help y ou t o bal ance y our body sy st ems. Mor eov er ,
ex er cise can nat ur all y giv e us w hat some dr ugs t r y
t o accompl ish, el ev at ing cer t ai n br ain amines t hat
make us f eel happier and mor e ener get ic. Most of us
ar e aw ar e of st udies t hat pr ov e br ain endor phins ar e
r eleased af t er a cer t ain amount of sust ai ned ex er cise, cr eat i ng a f eel ing of i nv i gor at ion and w ell being. (Mar at hon r unner s seem par t icular ly suscept ible, ex per iencing euphor ic, alt er ed st at es of consciousness w hi le t hey r un.)
The subj ect of ex er cise spaw ns al l ki nds of cont r ov er sy and seemingly cont r adict or y inf or mat i on.

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
Ten y ear s ago w e w er e t ol d t hat ex er ci se w as onl y
ef f ect i v e if y ou ex er ci sed f or 3 0 t o 4 0 mi nut es, 3 t o
4 t i mes a w eek at 7 0 t o 8 0 per cent of y our max i mum hear t r at e. We ar e discov er i ng t hat f or sedent ar y peopl e, mi ni mal ex er ci se such as a l ei sur el y
st r ol l or gar dening can be v er y benef i ci al and shoul d
be st r ongl y encour aged. View s ar e al so emer ging on
how much t i me w e shoul d spend ex er c i si ng.
Resear ch now i ndi cat es t hat t hr ee t en minut e bur st s
of ex er ci se can be j ust as good as a t hi r t y mi nut e
session.

Exercise and Depression

In li ght of i t s connect i on t o t he biochemi cal makeup of t he br ai n, ex er ci se can be an ef f ect i v e t ool f or
f i ght i ng depr essi on. Simpl y ex er cisi ng w il l hel p l if t
y our spi r i t s. Lear ni ng t o w al k br i skl y ev er y day or
t o j og at a moder at e pace not only eases t he bl ues,
i t pr ov ides unt ol d phy sical benef i t s as w el l. Vigor ous
r egular ex er ci se can hel p r el eiv e i nsomnia, poor
appet it e, i r r i t abi li t y and anx i et y , al l sy mpt oms t hat
usual l y accompany depr essi on. In her book,
Depr essi on and Nat ur al Medi cine, Ri t a El ki ns w r i t es:
Tw o of t he basi c r equi r ement s f or a heal t hy and
happy li f e ar e f r esh ai r and ex er ci se, t o w hi ch t he
benef it of sunli ght ex posur e i s al so added. If w e
w er e smar t , w e w oul d v i ew ex er ci se as cr uci al t o
our sur v i v al . Unf or t unat el y , ev en w hen w e f eel r el at i v el y happy , it s har d f or us t o make t ime t o ex er ci se. If w e r e depr essed, w e hav e t o f i ght our w ay
out of a f or ce t hat can par al y ze us.
We need t o get out of our houses i nt o t he f r esh ai r ,
ev en on an ov er cast day . A cl oudy day st il l gi v es us
a li ght i nt ensi t y ar ound 1 0 , 0 0 0 l ux , w hi ch is subst ant i al . For any one suf f er ing f r om a seasonal af f ect i v e disor der , ex er ci si ng f or 3 0 minut es out door s i s
t he equi v al ent of a dai l y sessi on of li ght t her apy ,
w hi ch i s usual ly obt ai ned f r om a pur chased l ight box .
Ex er ci sing out si de can also r ai se t he ox y gen lev el of
our cel ls, dir ect ly impact i ng how much phy si cal and
ment al ener gy w e gener at e. When w e br eat he
deeply , w e ex pedi t e t he r emov al of car bon di ox i de
and ot her w ast e pr oduct s f r om our sy st ems. It i s
i nt er est i ng t o know t hat some ex per t s bel iev e t hat
dur ing st at es of depr ession, r egi onal blood f l ow t o
br ain t i ssue is usual l y decr eased. Ex er cising hel ps t o
r emedy t hi s. In f act , some peopl e beli ev e t hat i t i s
v ir t ual l y impossi bl e t o sust ai n a ment al st at e of
anger , depr essi on or anx i et y dur ing and r i ght af t er
v igor ous ex er ci se. Some st udi es hav e show n t hat
j oggi ng f or 3 0 mi nut es t hr ee t i mes a w eek can be
ev en mor e ef f ect iv e t han psy chot her apy sessi ons.
For w omen w ho suf f er t hr ough t he hor monal
upheav al of menopause, r egular ex er ci se has l i t er all y sav ed t hem f r om an emot i onal cr i si s and
depr essi on.
Dr . J ohn Gr ei st , t he aut hor of a r enow ned di scour se ent it l ed Runni ng Out of Depr essi on, conduct ed a st udy of 2 8 depr essed pat i ent s and f ound

55

t hat t hose pat ient s w ho r an cont r ol l ed t heir depr essi on much bet t er t han t hose w ho w er e t r eat ed w i t h
psy chot her apy . Ev en if y ou can onl y get out t hr ee
day s a w eek, t he emot i onal benef it s of r egular ex er ci se cannot be ov er st at ed.

Exercise and Stress Management

Under st andably , i f y ou ar e ex per i enci ng high
st r ess lev el s, ex er cisi ng is t he l ast t hi ng y ou f eel
l ike doi ng. Fr equent l y , w hen w e f eel st r essed w e
w ant t o w i t hdr aw , not onl y soci al ly but phy si cal ly
as w el l.
Di d y ou know t hat some healt h car e ex per t s
bel i ev e t hat becomi ng t oo sedent ar y cr eat es st r ess
i t sel f ? Numer ous st udi es hav e di scov er ed t hat
br eaking out of a let har gic li f e- st y l ef or ci ng y our sel f t o mov er esul t s i n mor e posi t i v e t hought s.
Ev en seemi ngl y mi nor , l ow - i mpact ex er ci se l i ke
w al king ar ound t he bl ock can r el ease t ension and
cr eat e desi r abl e neur ochemi cal changes i n t he br ai n.
The psy chol ogi cal and phy si cal benef it s of r egul ar
ex er cise cannot be ov er emphasized. Al l ki nds of
ex er cise can hel p al l ev i at e ner v ous t ensi on. For t hi s
r eason, y ou need t o sel ect t he t y pe of ex er ci se t hat
y ou w i ll li ke and w il l do on a r egul ar basi s. Br i sk
w al king i s, per haps, t he per f ect f or m of ex er ci se.
Whi le y ou r e w alki ng, y ou can t hink about met hods t o
unr av el t he t angl ed w eb of st r ess t hat dominat es
y our li f e.
Ex er cise can be a mar v el ous r el ease and can pr omot e bet t er r el ax at i on and sl eep. In li ght of it s connect i on t o t he bi ochemical makeup of t he br ai n,
ex er cise can be an ef f ect iv e t ool f or all ev i at i ng and
managi ng st r ess. Mor e t han any ot her f act or ,
t hough, ex er ci se is v er y inex pensi v e and helps t o
cont r ol w ei ght and cr eat e f i t ness.

Exercise Is Vital for Weight Control

Those w ho hav e l ost w ei ght t hr ough ex er ci se ( i n
cont r ast t o t hose w ho hav e l ost w eight t hr ough
di et ar y means) ar e t he peopl e w ho hav e t he most
success at l osi ng and managi ng t heir w ei ght . If y ou
f i t t he pr of i l e of a couch pot at o, I st r ongl y ur ge
y ou t o change y our li f est y l eev en j ust a l it t l e bi t ,
and st ar t ex er cisi ng i n some w ay . Ex er ci se has so
many unseen healt h benef i t s. Chasi ng aw ay t he gobl ins of depr essi on i s one of t he most i mpor t ant benef i t s, al t hough ex er ci se al so hel ps t he ly mph sy st em
t o do i t s j ob by st imul at i ng ci r cul at ion, ex pedi t i ng
t he r emov al of t ox ins and w ast e mat er i al f r om t he
body .
A n added bonus of ex er ci se is t hat w hen w e
i ncr ease our hear t r at e and ener gy is ex pended,
mor e cal or ies ar e bur ned, w ei ght is l ost and sudden
dr ops i n blood sugar ar e usuall y pr ev ent ed. In ot her
w or ds, ex er ci si ng can help st em sudden car bohy dr at e cr av i ngs due t o l ow blood sugar . If y ou v e f el t
l ow f or an ex t ended per iod of t ime, y ou know how
55

56

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

w h y d o d r u g s p r o d u c e sid e ef f ec t s?
Most pr escr i pt i on dr ugs
w r eak mor e hav oc on our
healt h t han t he or iginal ailment
t hey w er e designed t o t r eat .
While no one w ant s t o disput e
t he lif esav ing v alue of ant ibiot ics, st er oidal ant i- inf lammat or ies, et c., dr ugs ar e r out inely ov er - pr escr ibed and pose
signif icant healt h r isks as w ell.
Dr ugs t hought t o be saf e hav e
killed or maimed t housands of
people. For ex ample, t halidomide, once pr escr ibed t o pr egnant w omen f or mor ning sick-

ness, caused bir t h def ect s in

hundr eds of cases. Also, sleeping pills like Halcy on can cause
ser ious per sonal it y changes,
and phen- f en, indiscr iminat ely
disper sed by car eless phy sicians, has been linked t o pot ent ially f at al hear t pr oblems.
Our hi gh- t ech, hi gh- pr iced
or t hodox medi cal pr act i ces
f r equent ly har m r at her t han
heal. Dr ugs ar e t he cause of
mor e t han 1 00 , 00 0 deat hs per
y ear , and 30 per cent of hospit alized indiv iduals ar e f ur t her

many aches and pains hav e accompani ed t he depr essi on. Regul ar ex er ci se can help t o all ev i at e st if f
muscl es and j oint s and can boost t he di gest i v e sy st em so el imi nat ion i s mor e ef f i ci ent . Si mply put ,
w hen y ou ex er cise, y ou sl eep bet t er , br eat he easi er , and t hi nk cl ear er . Remember , any w ei ght l oss
pr ogr am t hat does not incor por at e ex er cise as a pr i mar y component w il l alw ay s f ail .

The Body - Mind- Spir it

Connect ion: How It Af f ect s
Healing
Today , t he t her apeut ic v alues of t ouch, massage,
chi r opr act ic manipulat i on, acupunct ur e, ar oma t her apy and ev en pr ay er t est if y t o t he f act t hat all of t he
senses of t he human body r espond t o heali ng. In addi t i on, w e ar e onl y now st ar t ing t o compr ehend t he
magni t ude of our body s s abi l i t y t o sel f - heal.
St udies show t hat 9 0 per cent of pat i ent s w ho seek
medi cal hel p hav e self - l i mi t i ng di sor der s or di sor der s t hat w i l l go aw ay by t hemsel v es w i t hout t r eat ment . Suppr essi ng sy mpt oms w i t h har sh dr ugs or
i nv asiv e t echniques can act ual ly compr omi se t he
body s abi li t y t o heal. Nat ur al t her api st s bel iev e
t hat w hen augment ed w i t h t he pr oper nut r it i on,
w hen cleansed of t ox i ns, or w hen bal anced t hr ough
chi r opr act ic or ost eopat hy , t he body w i l l of t en heal
i t sel f .
Sadly , t he not ion t hat t he phy si ci an i s a t eacher or
an adv isor has al so been f or got t en. Peopl e w i ll usual l y spend mor e t i me di scussi ng t he pr os and cons of
a car pur chase w it h a salesman t han compl et el y
goi ng ov er t hei r healt h concer ns w i t h a doct or .
Eat i ng habit s, emot ional st at es, et c. ar e r ar el y
quest i oned and di agnosi s i s based on hi gh- t ech
56

damaged by dr ugs.
The ov er - pr escr i pt ion of
ant ibiot ics is a per f ect illust r at ion of a good t hing gone bad.
Usi ng ant ibi ot ic t her apy f or
ev er y t hi ng f r om a v i r al l y
caused sor e t hr oat t o a hangnail
has r esult ed in t he dev elopment
of ant ibiot ic- r esist ant bact er ia, w hich may ev ent ually cr eat e a moder n day plague f or
w hich t her e is no cur e. In ot her
w or ds, ant ibiot ics cannot cur e
t hese r esist ant st r ains of bact er i a. And t aki ng ant i biot ics

machi ner y and l abor at or y t est s. By cont r ast , nat ur al heal t h pr act it i oner s ask det ail ed quest ions concer ni ng ev er y aspect of a per son s l if e, includi ng t he
spi r i t ual and incl ude t he pat i ent i n t he heal ing
pr ocess. In many i nst ances, doct or s hav e f or got t en
how t o t r ul y car e f or t hei r pat i ent s and do l it t l e
mor e t han scr at ch out pr escr ipt i ons. Nat ur al pr ot ocol s hav e l ong r ecognized t he ef f ect of negat iv e at t i t udes and emot i ons on t he phy si cal body .

STRESS: PUBLIC HEALTH ENEMY NUMBER ONE

The ev i dence i s in and it i s ov er w hel ming: st r ess
pl ay s a v i t al r ol e in t he or i gin and dev elopment of a
number of diseases. St r ess si gni f i cant l y cont r ibut es
t o cor onar y ar t er y disease. St r ess depr esses t he
i mmune sy st em making us mor e suscept i ble t o cancer , aut oi mmune di seases, and inf ect i ons. St r ess
makes us age f ast er . Get t he poi nt ?
Today , w e ar e j ust begi nni ng t o appr eci at e t he
pr of ound ef f ect t he mi nd ex er t s on t he body especi al ly i n causing and cur i ng di sease. The r ole t hat
st r ess play s i s st unning. Est imat es suggest t hat as
many as 8 0 per cent of al l v isit s t o t he doct or st em
f r om st r ess- r el at ed pr obl ems. As ment i oned, st r ess
di r ect l y i mpair s t he i mmune sy st em and can act as
t he single most damagi ng f act or t o our ov er al l heal t h
and w el l beingbut onl y i f w e let i t .
A ccor di ng t o a 1 9 9 6 sur v ey of cor por at e ex ecut i v es, 4 4 per cent of t he employ ees quest i oned sai d
t hei r w or k l oad i s ex cessiv e as compar ed t o 3 7 per cent in 1 9 8 8 . A quar t er of t hese people f el t st r essed
at w or k ev er y day , and anot her 1 2 per cent f elt i t
al most ev er y day .
When w e f eel st r essed, w het her i t is conscious or
not , t he br ai n i nst ant ly st i mulat es t he adr enal glands
t o pr oduce hor mones called cor t isost er oids, w hich
ent er our cir culat or y sy st ems and i nev i t abl y put

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
st r ai n on our immune r esponses. Consequent l y , our
body becomes mor e v ul ner abl e t o neopl ast ic ( cancer - causi ng) pr ocesses. These hor mones, i ncl udi ng
cor t i sol , adr enali ne and pr ol act in, inhi bi t t he act i v i t i es of w hit e bl ood cel l s, i nhi bi t t he amount of l y mphocy t es pr oduced and cause t he t hy mus gl and t o
act uall y shr i nk.
St udies hav e f ound t hat t he incidence of br east
cancer w as si gni f icant ly hi gher i n t he w omen w ho
had ex per i enced a t r aumat ic emot ional ex per i ence
dur ing t he si x y ear s bef or e t hey dev eloped t he
t umor . Many ot her st udies suppor t t he v er y damagi ng ef f ect s of st r ess on i mmunit y , i ndi cat ing t hat
t hat T- cell act iv it y i s dr amat icall y i mpair ed i n peopl e w ho lose t hei r spouses, l ose t hei r j obs or ex per i ence ot her emot ionall y upset t i ng ev ent s. When t he
st r ess becomes chr oni c, chemi cal changes occur i n
t he body , i nadv er t ent l y cr eat i ng an env i r onment
w hi ch pr edi sposes t o disease.

STRESS TEST: PERSONALITY AND EVENTS

Scient i st s hav e a t est i ng cr i t er i a f or ev al uat i ng
i ndi v i dual st r ess l ev el s t o det er mi ne w het her t hey
ar e r eachi ng t he lev el s t hat r equir e addit i onal management .
If y ou answ er y es t o t w o or mor e of t he f ol low i ng
quest ions y ou may hav e a st r ess- pr one per sonali t y .
Do y ou t r y t o do mor e t han one t hing at a t i me?
Do y ou r ush t hr ough y our meal s?
Ar e y ou compul si v e about punct ual it y ?
Do y ou f ind it di f f icul t t o r el ax ?
Do ot her s t ell y ou t o t ake t hings slow er ?
Do y ou of t en i nt er r upt ot her s w hil e t hey ar e
t al ki ng?
Ar e y ou acci dent - pr one?
Do y ou get i mpat i ent or upset if somet hi ng or
someone del ay s y ou ( t r af f ic j ams, appoi nt ment s, et c.) ?

Specific Symptoms of Stress

The f oll ow ing sy mpt ons can be be i ndi cat or s of
st r ess:

t ense muscl es
i r r it abil i t y
anger out bur st s
r aci ng or i r r egul ar hear t beat
i ncr eased use of dr ugs, al cohol or t obacco
f or get f ul ness
cr y i ng
nai l bit i ng
l oss of sel f - conf i dence
t eet h gr i ndi ng
becomi ng acci dent pr one
back or neckaches
f lut t er y st omach
hear t bur n

57

incr eased per spir at ion

col d hands or f eet
lack of concent r at i on
decl ine in pr oduct iv it y
ex cessiv e sighing
t w i t chi ng

Standard Medical Approaches to Stress

Tr anqui li zer s and ant idepr essant s l ike Pr ozac ar e
among t he most commonl y pr escr i bed dr ugs t o
r el i ev e anx i et y and t ensi on. Using bar bit ur at e hy pnot i c dr ugs or nar cot i c analgesics i s not t he i deal
w ay t o manage st r ess. Dr ugs l i ke Val i um and l it hi um
ar e st r ong and pot ent i all y f at al dr ugs w hi ch must
nev er be casual l y pr escr i bed or t aken. Doct or s of t en
sense our i mpat ience and our need f or a qui ck f i x ,
w hen i n r eal it y , w e need t o f ocus on our l i f est y l es,
di et and spi r i t ual st at us. Usi ng medi t at i on, her bs,
v i t amins, mi ner al s and r el ax at i on t echniques ar e
cer t ai nl y much mor e desir able t o pot ent ial l y danger ous dr ugs. Maski ng t he sy mpt oms of st r ess w il l
nev er solv e t he pr oblem. A number of ex cel l ent
her bs ex i st w hi ch can help t o saf el y cal m t he ner v ous sy st em and pr omot e r est f ul sl eep w i t hout
addi ct i on or hangov er - t y pe ef f ect s.

Relieving Stress With Recuperative Time

Because our w or l d i s f ull of st r essor s, bot h good
and bad, our heal t h w il l be compr omi sed unless w e
cr eat e a r ecuper at iv e t i me t o ease and neut r al i ze
t hat st r ess.
Many y ear s ago, Dr . Her ber t Bensen conduct ed
r esear ch t hat suppor t ed t he idea t hat medi t at i on
pr act i ced 1 5 - t o- 2 0 minut es ev er y mor ning had a
cumul at iv e ef f ect . The l onger indiv iduals pr act iced
medi t at ion, t he gr eat er t heir heal t h benef i t s. Peopl e
w ho r out i nel y medi t at ed had low er blood pr essur e
t hr oughout t he day , less adr enal r esponse t o st r ess
and an ov er al l i mpr ov ed sense of w el l - bei ng.
Int er est i ngl y , i f t he medi t at ion st opped, all of t hese
heal t h benef i t s di sappear ed af t er t w o t o t hr ee
w eeks.
Dr . St ev en Cov ey s best - sell i ng book, The Sev en
Habit s of Highly Ef f ect iv e Peopl e, st at es t hat hav i ng
a r ecuper at iv e t i me ev er y day is essent ial t o
i mpr ov ed per f or mance i n t he w or k pl ace. It is al so
cr uci al t o pr ev ent i ng t he onset of many degener at iv e
di seases w e hav e come t o ex pect as w e gr ow ol der .
Lear ning one of t he medi t at iv e ar t s and i mpl ement i ng i t i nt o our l i v es as an int egr al par t of our dai ly
r out i ne i s one of t he best w ay s t o st ay heal t hy .
The r eal quest ion i s w hy go t o all t he t r oubl e of
t r y i ng t o pr olong li f e, i f y ou r e not enj oy i ng i t in t he
f i r st pl ace? Remember , w hen y ou deci de t o make a
change i n how y ou l i v e, y ou shoul d f eel comf or t abl e
about i t . If y ou coul d pr ov e t hat any one change
hel ped y ou t o l iv e an ex t r a f i v e y ear s, t he change
w oul d be w or t hl ess i f y ou didn t enj oy t he ex t r a f iv e
57

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D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

y ear s.
Each of us w i l l i nev i t abl y suf f er f r om il l ness,
depr essi on, inj ur y , or di sappoi nt ment as i nt egr al
par t s of our mor t al ex i st ence. No amount of change
w i ll enabl e us t o escape t hese ex per i ences. What w e
can do is t o li v e our li v es i n such a w ay t hat w e ar e
abl e t o handle w hat ev er f or ms of st r ess w e may
encount er . Lear ni ng t o cont r ol our minds and l et go
of t he count l ess st r essf ul t hought s t hat cr oss
t hr ough our neur al pat hw ay s i s a w onder f ul begi nni ng.

VISUALIZATION THERAPY
A coll eague of mi ne has w r it t en sev er al ar t i cl es
on t he pow er of heal i ng w or ds. He w as t r ai ned as an
i nt er n i n t hi s appr oach and has ex t ensiv ely st udi ed
t he ef f ect of pr ay er and v i sual i zat i on on di sease. He
i s of t en asked t o compar e t his t her apy w it h ot her
nat ur al pr ot ocol s l ike acupunct ur e and chi r opr act i c
and w hich one he w ould ut il i ze i f he w er e st r anded on
deser t i sland. Wi t hout hesit at i on, he say s he w oul d
choose t o t ake t he t i me t o r el ax w hil e v i sual izi ng t he
body heal i ng i t sel f . Thi s ki nd of self - t r eat ment can
be lear ned and used by ev er y one on a r egul ar basis.
It i s v er y easy t o put i nt o pr act ice and i s consider ed
a f or m of medit at i on. It can be i nst ant ly used t o bet t er r elat i onships, at t it ude, heal t h or ev en body
f unct i ons l i ke bl ood f low or i mmune f unct i on.

SPIRITUAL HEALING: LINKING BACK

TO OUR CREATOR
Nat ur al medi cine r est s on t he bel ief t hat t he body
and t he mi nd or spi r it ar e i nt r i nsicall y connect ed.
Vir t ual l y ev er y pr i mi t i v e cul t ur e embr aced t he i dea
t hat t he mi nd and spi r i t must al so be t r eat ed al ong
w i t h t he phy si cal body in or der t o get w el l .
Recent l y , much has been publi shed on t he body - mi nd
connect ion and how i t r el at es t o healt h. The gener al
consensus i s t hat unt i l phy sical, emot ional and spi r i t ual ent i t i es ar e har moni ousl y int egr at ed, r eal
healt h w il l not occur . If w e ar e pl agued by depr essi on, f ear or anx i et y , our phy si cal heal t h w i ll suf f er . It s as simpl e as t hat .
Unf or t unat el y , spir i t ual issues as t hey per t ain t o
phy si cal heal t h hav e been sor ely neglect ed by moder n medi cal pr act i t i oner s. Now , how ev er , t he i dea
of dr aw i ng on t he pow er s of heav en i s not t he
t aboo i t used t o be. A s w e appr oach a new mi ll enni um, gr eat number s of people ar e act i v ely sear chi ng
f or w ay s t o boost t hei r spi r i t ual li v es in an ef f or t t o
f i nd a mor e l ast ing ki nd of happi ness and sat i sf act i on.
Once again, w e must go back t o anci ent t i mes and
r e- lear n w hat ev en t he most pr i mit i v e soci et i es
knew : t he l ink bet w een t he spi r i t and t he body must
be acknow ledged, t hat t hey hav e a ongoing and insepar able ef f ect on each ot her .
Wi t hin our academi c and int ell ect ual ci r cl es, t he
58

w or t h of t he soul i s usual l y scof f ed at or cast asi de

as r at her inconsequent i al . Because it i s consi der ed a
r eli gi ous t opi c, it has been r elegat ed t o some
out er r eal m t hat i n no w ay per t ains t o i ssues of
medi cine or heal t h. In our ef f or t s t o employ t he sci ent i f ic met hod t o v al idat e any t hing and ev er y t hi ng,
w e hav e f or got t en t he ul t imat e heal ing pow er of
spi r i t ual medi ci ne.
Tr ust y our sel f t o become spi r i t ual ly in t une. Tr ust
t hat t her e is a lov i ng God w ho i s aw ar e of y our
st r uggl es. A sk f or hi s hel p and ex pect t o r ecei v e it .
Man w as cr eat ed t hat he mi ght hav e j oy , not
despair .
In The Ef f icacy of Pr ay er , P.J . Col l ipp, M.D., suggest s t hat pr ay er does i ndeed hav e v alue in t he
t r eat ment of di sease. Col l ipp st at es, A mong t he
pl et hor a of moder n dr ugs, and t he i ncr easing i ngenui t y of our sur geons, i t seems i nappr opr iat e t hat our
medi cal li t er at ur e cont ains so f ew st udi es on our
ol dest and, w ho know s, per haps most successf ul
f or m of t her apy [ i .e., pr ay er ] .
Car l J ung, i n hi s t r eat ise Moder n Man i n Sear ch of
a Soul , w r ot e of hi s pr of ound dissat i sf act i on w i t h
conv ent ional t her api es f or t he ment all y il l . Hi s
i nt er est i n t he met aphy si cal or t he super nat ur al
gr ew f r om hi s obser v at i on t hat Fr eud s met hods of
t r eat i ng people w i t h psy chol ogi cal di sor der s did not
seem t o w or k if t hey w er e ov er t he age of 3 5 . He
concl uded, It i s saf e t o say t hat ev er y one of t hem
f el l i l l because he had l ost t hat w hich t he li v i ng r el i gi ons of ev er y age hav e giv en t o t hei r f ol low er s, and
none of t hem has been r eall y heal ed w ho did not
r egai n hi s r el i gious out look.
I beli ev e t hat if y ou ar e l acki ng spir it ual r oot s,
y ou need t o cul t i v at e some. Seek out God and l ear n t o
hav e f ait h. Nev er under est i mat e t he pow er of lov e
w hi ch hel ps us t o br eak out of our somet i mes obsessi v e pr eoccupat i on w i t h sel f i sh concer ns. Er i c
Fr omm sai d, In addit i on t o f ai t h, w e must possess
cour age, t he w il l ingness t o t ake a r i sk, ev en t o
ex per ience pai n and di sappoint ment . As humans,
w e can f or go some of t he most pow er f ul heal i ng
t ool s at our di sposal . One of t hese t ool s i s f ai t h.

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59

Mai nst r eam Medi ci ne and

A l t er nat i ve Ther api es: My
St or y

Educat i on i n Nat ur al
Medi ci ne i s Cr uci al t o
Ef f ect i ve Heal i ng

It s alw ay s int r i gui ng t o hear how and w hy a medi cal doct or chooses t o embr ace unor t hodox t her api es
f or di sease. My st or y has ev ol v ed ov er a number of
y ear s as a pr act icing phy si ci an w ho r out i nel y del i v er ed 1 6 0 babies per y ear , per f or med hundr eds of
sur gical pr ocedur es and saw v ir t uall y ev er y ail ment
suf f er ed by human bei ngs. I di scov er ed t hat many of
my pat ient s w ould come t o me and essent i all y say ,
f ix me.
Whi le many of my pat i ent s r esponded t o conv ent i onal t r eat ment s, a si gni f icant gr oup t hat nev er
seemed t o i mpr ov e gr ew i n number . A s I ponder ed
t he dil emma of det er mi ni ng w hat t r eat ment s t o
at t empt f or t hese i ndi v i dual s, I di scov er ed a r at her
i nt er est i ng f act : conv ent ional medi cine i s r at her
r i gi d in i t s appr oach t o pr obl emat i c di sease; t r eat ment opt i ons must be ex panded t o f it t he specif i c
needs of each pat i ent . It w as dur i ng t his t i me i n my
pr act ice t hat I j oi ned t he f acul t y in t he r esidency
pr ogr am at McKay - Dee Hospi t al i n Ogden, Ut ah, and
subsequent l y began t o ex pl or e v ar i ous al t er nat i v e
t r eat ment s and t heir appli cat i ons.
I w as sur pr ised t o l ear n t hat t he UCLA Medi cal
School st udent s and phy sicians w er e l ear ni ng t o per f or m acupunct ur e. I w ant ed t o be among t hem.
Thr oughout t he cour se, I became acquai nt ed w i t h a
number of Chi nese her bal f or mul as t hat I i ncor por at ed i nt o my pr act i ce. The w or d spr ead quickl y
t hr oughout my communi t y . Soon, I f ound my self conf r ont ed by many di f f er ent peopl e cur i ous i f t hei r
her bal pr epar at i ons w er e l egi t imat e. Their i nqui r i es
mot i v at ed me t o l ear n mor e. I f ound t hat i ncor por at i ng her bal t her api es i n conj unct i on w it h acupunct ur e
and body / mind i nt er v ent i ons seemed t o be a sur pr i si ngl y ef f ect i v e t r eat ment t r i o.
The pat ient i s al w ay s t he r eal benef i ciar y of doct or s inv est igat ing alt er nat i v e medici ne. A mong t he
many al t er nat i v e t her api es, pat i ent s may f i nd mor e
ef f ect i v e met hods f or t r eat i ng v ar i ous di seases.
J ust as doct or s adopt new i deas and met hods,
pat i ent s must be equall y open t o adj ust i ng t hei r w ay
of t hinking si nce some al t er nat i v e t her api es l i ke
acupunct ur e may be qui t e unli ke mor e f ami li ar conv ent ional t her api es. Most obj ect ions by pat i ent s t o a
new t her apy v ani sh as t hey i ncr ease t hei r under st anding. When pat i ent s ar e w i ll i ng t o open a book or
ask quest i ons, t hey bet t er under st and a new t her apy .
No singl e phi l osophy of di agnosi s or t her apy suppl i es us w it h al l t he answ er s. Nev er t hel ess, t he best
t r eat ment st r at egies hi nge on i nt egr at i ng v ar i ous
healt h car e met hodologies.

Today , t he idea t hat or t hodox medicine alone holds

all t he answ er s is no longer accept ed. While t he v alue
of mainst r eam medi cine in cer t ain sit uat ions r emains
undisput ed, it s pr act ices ar e of t en limit ed t o st r ong
dr ug t her api es or r adical sur ger ies. Today , w hen it
comes t o healt h car e, consumer s w ant t o know all of
t heir opt i ons. The key is educat i on.
You can be cer t ai n t hat most phy si ci ans ar e
unaw ar e of si gni f icant cli ni cal dat a suppor t i ng t he
ef f i cacy of cer t ai n her bs l i ke echi nacea, t he impr essi v e car diov ascul ar act i on of gar l i c, glucosamine f or
heal i ng ar t hr it i c j oint s, w il d y am as a saf e sour ce of
pr ogest er one, et c. Does y our phy si cian know t hat
mar i ne l ipids act as nat ur al bl ood t hi nner s . . . or
t hat St . J ohn s w or t can act as a nat ur al t r eat ment
f or depr essi on w i t hout t he t ox i c si de ef f ect s of
pr ozac or monoami ne inhibi t or s. . . . Has y our doct or
ev er r ecommended cascar a sagr ada f or chr oni c const i pat ion? It i s ex t r emel y ef f ect i v e, gent l e, nonhabi t f or mi ng and can act uall y i mpr ov e t he muscle t one
of t he col on w al l.
In my v i ew , phy si cians f all i nt o t hr ee maj or cat egor i es w hen it comes t o nat ur al medi ci ne. A r el at i v el y smal l gr oup of doct or s on one end of t he spect r um ar e st r ongly opposed t o any t r eat ment t hat f al l
out of t he r eal m of conv ent i onal t her apies. The
l ar gest gr oup consi st s of doct or s w ho t oler at e or
i gnor e t hei r pat i ent s use of al t er nat i v e t her api es.
A nd f i nal l y , t he l ast is a gr ow i ng gr oup of doct or s
w ho hav e dev el oped a genui ne i nt er est in nat ur al
medi cine and ar e maki ng t he ef f or t t o lear n mor e.
Thi s last gr oup w il l i nev i t abl y r epr esent t he phy si ci an of t he f ut ur e w ho w i l l hav e t he sav v y and know how t o i ncor por at e t he best al t er nat i v e t r eat ment s
w it h conv ent i onal medical pr act ices.

Why Ar e Mor e Doct or s

Explor ing Alt er nat ive
Ther apies?
Sev er al r easons ex ist ex pl ai ni ng t he gr ow i ng
i nt er est phy si cians ar e demonst r at i ng i n nonconv ent i onal f or ms of t r eat ment . When I discov er ed t hat
many of my pat ient s di d not r espond w el l t o t r adi t i onal t her api es, I began t o l ook elsew her e in an
ef f or t t o all ev i at e t hei r suf f er ing. Regar dl ess of
w hat mot i v at es t hem, phy si ci ans cannot i gnor e t he
pr of ound i nt er est t he publ ic has i n saf e and nat ur al
t r eat ment s. Ther e i s no quest ion t hat a gr eat number
of people in our communi t i es hav e become disil l usi oned w i t h est abl ished medical pr act i ces.
Mor e doct or s w oul d int egr at e alt er nat iv e t her a59

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D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

pi es i nt o t heir pr act ices i f it w er e not f or t w o det er r i ng f act or s: f ir st of all , doct or s spend ei ght y ear s
or mor e i n school concent r at i ng on t hei r i ndi v i dual
special t y ; t ime i s ex t r emely t i ght and t he not i on of
t aki ng addi t i onal t i me t o lear n about al t er nat i v e
t her apies i s not par t icular ly appeali ng. Second, ev en
i f a phy sici an w ant ed t o i nv est i gat e al t er nat i v e
medi ci ne, r eli abl e school s and cour ses of i nf or mat i on ar e har d t o f ind. It i s not easy f or a doct or t o
obt ai n t his ki nd of i nf or mat ion but it is cer t ai nl y
possibl e f or any phy si ci an w ho has enough desi r e.
Medi cal pr act ices w hi ch hav e ev olv ed ov er t he
l ast f i f t y y ear s ar e not t he onl y t her apies av ai lable.
Medi ci ne has dev ol v ed f r om an ar t dedicat ed t o t he
heali ng and pr eser v at i on of l i f e, t o one gui ded by t he
l at est , high- pr iced phar maceut i cal dr ug desi gned t o
t ar get di sease sy mpt oms. We l i v e in a soci et y t hat
i s qui ck t o medi cat e i t sel f w i t hout looking i nt o t he
pr ocesses and i nt r i caci es of di sease.
Dr . Mal com Todd, a f or mer pr esi dent of t he
A mer ican Medical A ssoci at ion, put i t best w hen he
sai d, Thus f ar , phy si ci ans hav e show n l i t t l e obj ect i v e int er est i n pr omot i ng heal t h and pr ev ent i v e
car e. We act uall y hav e a di sease or ient ed cur e sy st em, r at her t han a heal t h or i ent ed car e sy st em i n
t hi s count r y t oday .
It i s t r agi c t hat i n our v igor ous at t empt s t o t r eat
a number of dev ast at ing di seases, many of us hav e
ov er l ooked t he pr of ound i mpact of nat ur al t her api es.
For cent ur i es, t he pr incipl es of nat ur al heali ng hav e
been based on
The heali ng pow er of nat ur e
Doi ng no har m t o t he pat i ent
Ident if y ing and t r eat i ng t he cause of disease, not
j ust i t s sy mpt oms
Pr omot i ng t he r ol e of phy sician as t eacher as
w el l as heal er

Most of us w oul d li ke t o f i nd a doct or t hat is or i ent ed t ow ar d t he use of nat ur al t her api es and l ucki l y , i ncr easi ng number s of medi cal doct or s ar e
becomi ng i nt r i gued by al t er nat i v e f or ms of t r eat ment . Mor e and mor e publ icat i ons, aut hor ed by medi cal doct or s w ho hav e embr aced nat ur al heal t h
t r eat ment s, ar e appear ing on new sst ands. Medi cal
j our nals ar e f ull of ar t i cl es on ant i ox idant s, v it ami n
and mi ner al t her apies and t he pr of ound healt h i mpli cat i ons of di et and ex er ci se.
Medi cal school s w hich now of f er cour ses i n al t er nat i v e medi c i ne i nc l ude Har v ar d, Col umbi a,
Geor get ow n and Duke. Today , t her e ar e 1 4 accr edi t ed chir opr act ic coll eges i n t he Unit ed St at es.
T he Nat i onal Cancer Inst i t ut e i s act i v el y
r esear chi ng r ai nf or est plant s and some i nsur ance
companies ar e begi nni ng t o cov er al t er nat i v e t r eat ment cost s. Ost eopat hs and chi r opr act i t i oner s r ecognize t hat t he neur oendocr i ne sy st em coor di nat es
v ir t ual l y al l body f unct i ons and r el y on manipul at i on
of t he spi ne t o r est or e t he pr oper ener gy f low and t o
60

pr omot e heal i ng. Nat ur opat hs use her bali sm, massage, nut r i t i on and mani pul at ion t o di agnose and
t r eat di sease. Emphasis on f ast i ng, hy dr ot her apy ,
nut r i t ion and t he el i mi nat i on of al cohol , cof f ee,
t obacco, et c. ar e i nt egr al t o t his hol ist i c appr oach.
Homeopat hy i s based on t he beli ef t hat mi nut e
amount s of cer t ai n subst ances w hi ch act ual l y mimi c
di sease sy mpt oms can cur e. Homeopat hic r emedi es
ar e appr ov ed as ov er - t he- count er medi cat i ons by
t he Food and Dr ug A dminist r at i on.

Sci ent i f i c Document at i on of

Nat ur al Tr eat ment s
To t he sur pr i se of many phy si ci ans, a gr eat deal
of cr edibl e scient i f i c dat a ex i st s ex pl ai ni ng how cer t ai n nat ur al compounds w or k i n t he human body .
Know i ng t he phy si ol ogi cal mechani sms behi nd nat ur al medi ci nes is cr ucial t o i t s accept ance. Most doct or s don t hav e a cl ue w hy or how cer t ai n her bs or
v i t amins can hel p heal, and unf or t unat el y , many
don t car e t o i nf or m t hemsel v es on such t hings.
When a col l eague of mine sent out a quest ionnai r e
t o phy sici ans r egar di ng t he use of cr anber r y f or t he
t r eat ment of ur i nar y t r act inf ect ions (UTIs) , some
f asci nat i ng t r ends sur f aced. Sur pr i si ngl y , 5 0 per cent of t he medi cal doct or s w ho r et ur ned t he sur v ey
sai d t hey used cr anber r y f or UTIs and hal f of t hi s
number bel i ev ed i t w as ef f ect iv e. Obv i ousl y a si gni f icant number of phy si cians w er e w il l ing t o use
t hi s par t i cul ar nat ur al t r eat ment and t heir use di d
not alw ay s depend on t hei r beli ef t hat t he her b w as
act ual l y hel pf ul .
Int er est i ngl y , a quest i on t he sur v ey did not ask
w as, If y ou bel iev e t hat cr anber r y w or ks, how
does i t w or k? You can be cer t ai n t hat t he maj or i t y
of phy sici ans w oul d hav e no idea how t o r espond.
Mor eov er , t hey ar e pr obabl y complet ely unaw ar e of
r esear ch st udi es w hi ch ex pl ai n and suppor t t he ef f i cacy of cer t ai n bi oact i v e i ngr edi ent s f ound in bot ani cal medi ci nes.

CRANBERRY AND URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS:

MAGIC OR SCIENCE?
When conf r ont ed w it h ex pl aini ng t he biol ogi cal
act i on of cr anber r y , t he most l i kel y answ er w oul d
be t hat it must al t er t he pH of t he ur ine, inhibi t i ng
t he gr ow t h of bact er i a by maki ng it mor e acidi c.
How ev er , w hen t hi s t heor y w as t est ed w i t h a gr oup
of v ol unt eer s w ho t ook cr anber r y , t he pH of t he
ur i ne r emai ned unchanged. Regar dl ess of t he quant i t y of cr anber r y j uice t hey dr ank, t he pH st ay ed t he
same. The quest ion r emai ned: how does cr anber r y
w or k? To addr ess t his per plex ing quest i on, a number of si mpl e and el egant ex per i ment s w er e
desi gned.
Fi r st , i t is impor t ant t o under st and t hat t he 8 5

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
per cent of ur inar y t r act i nf ect i ons ar e caused by E.
col i a bact er i a t hat r esi des i n t he lar ge i nt est i ne
w her e i t cont r i but es t o f r i endl y f l or a act i on. When i t
makes i t s w ay i nt o t he ur et hr a, t hough, an i nf ect i on
can r esul t . The ot her 1 5 per cent of inf ect i ons ar e
caused by ot her bact er ia t hat al so l i v e i n t he bow el.
Bact er i a must cli ng t o t he w al l s of t he bladder i n
or der t o cause an i nf ect i on. Fr ee- f l oat i ng bact er i a i n
ur i ne ar e w ashed aw ay and do not cause inf l ammat i on.
When bact er i a col oni ze i n t he w all s of t he bl adder ,
dest r uct iv e enzy mes t hat dest r oy t he bl adder li ni ng
ar e r el eased. As a r esult , capi ll ar y bl eedi ng occur s
and bl ood ent er s t he ur ine. A f t er ex per i ment i ng w i t h
v ar ious t heor i es, i t w as concl uded t hat cr anber r y
cont ains a nat ur al subst ance t hat keeps t he bact er i a
f r om adher i ng t o t he bl adder , f l ushi ng t hem out i n
t he ur ine ( t his act i v e ant iadher ence ingr edient f ound
i n cr anber r y i s cur r ent l y i n t he pr ocess of becomi ng
a pat ent ed medici ne.)
Consi der t he i mpl icat i ons of t he ex per i ment s
r esult s: Ur inar y t r act i nf ect i ons ar e ex t r emel y
common and w hi l e gener all y not l i f e- t hr eat eni ng,
t hey cost mi ll i ons of dol l ar s i n dr ug t r eat ment s and
t i me l ost f r om w or k. Mor eov er , r epeat ed ant ibiot i c
t her apy r esul t s i n incr eased suscept ibil i t y . If t he
maj or i t y of t hese inf ect i ons could be pr ev ent ed,
enor mous amount s of money coul d be sav ed and
spent on mor e w or t hy endeav or s. Cr anber r y i s a
r el at i v el y inex pensi v e, nat ur al and ex t r emel y saf e
w ay t o pr ev ent and t r eat ur i nar y t r act inf ect i ons.
How many ot her nat ur al her bal agent s ex i st f or di seases w e ar e qui ck t o medi cat e w i t h pot ent and r isky
chemi cal dr ugs?

PHYTOMEDICINALS: HERBAL MEDICINE

Li nnaeus once sai d, Her bs and plant s ar e medi cal
j ew el s gr aci ng t he w oods, f i elds, l anes, w hich f ew
ey es see, and f ew minds under st and. Thr ough t hi s
w ant of obser v at i on and know ledge t he w or l d suf f er s i mmense l oss. The adv ent of moder n medi ci ne
pr ompt ed w hat has now become a f r enzi ed compet i t i on: dr ug compani es r acing t o pat ent new sy nt het i c
phar maceut ical compounds f or i mmense pr of i t . In t he
pr ocess, t r adi t ional her bal t r eat ment s w er e cast
asi de as ol d f ashi oned and obsol et e. Ref er r i ng t o conv ent ional medi ci ne as t r adit i onal i s somew hat of
a misnomer i n t hat t r adi t ional mor e cor r ect l y
r ef er s t o cent ur i es of hist or ical her bal t her apies.
Many of us w ho cal l our selv es medical pr act i t i oner s hav e f or got t en t hat most of t he w or l d s popul at i on st i ll successf ul ly r el ies on her bal medici ne.
Whi le w e hav e an impr essiv e ar r ay of sophi st i cat ed,
hi gh- t ech medical pr ocedur es, some of our heal t h
st at i st i cs ar e not hi ng t o br ag about . For ex ampl e,
t he Uni t ed St at es r anks behind mor e t han 1 5 ot her
count r ies i n i nf ant mor t al i t y , a dr amat i c i ndi cat or
t hat w e need t o r e- ev al uat e our healt h- car e sy st em
and i t s r el at i on t o nut r i t i on. We li v e i n a nat ion of

61

pl ent y t hat i s i r oni cal ly of t en mal nour i shed. Her bal

t her api es ar e of t en i nt egr at ed w i t h cer t ai n f oods t o
augment t hei r act i on.
Eur opean and J apanese medical est abl i shment s
hav e had t he gut s ( f or lack of a bet t er t er m) t o
r esear ch and apply pr inci pl es of nat ur al heal i ng
w it hout t he obst acles of suppr essiv e r est r ai nt s or
pat ent bur eaucr acies. Meanw hi l e, phy sici ans in t he
Uni t ed St at es per si st ent l y t r udge t hr ough mazes,
not hi ng mor e t han lab r at s i n a massi v e ex per i ment
t hat has become a monument al f ai l ur e.
In t he begi nni ng, al l dr ugs w er e nat ur al subst ances
ex t r act ed f r om t he env i r onment . Each pr i mi t i v e cul t ur e discov er ed t he cur at i v e pr oper t i es of cer t ai n
l ocal plant par t s and t he pr act i ce of phy t omedi ci ne
ev olv ed. A ll kinds of i nt er est i ng t her apeut i c appl icat i ons dev el oped and each w as based on under st andi ng
t he cur at iv e pr oper t ies of i ndi v i dual pl ant par t s and
how t o use t hem. For ex ampl e, boi li ng t he bar k of t he
ci nchona t r ee al l ev i at ed sy mpt oms of mal ar i a, and
capsi cum pow der helped t o ease t he pai n of a
t oot hache.
The not i on t hat sy nt het ic chemical compounds ar e
t he onl y ef f ect i v e medi ci ne is no l onger accept ed.
A f t er f oundi ng t he Bi o- Br ai n Cent er i n Pr incet on,
New J er sey , Dr . Kar l Pf eif f er st at ed, For ev er y
dr ug t hat benef i t s a pat i ent , t her e i s a nat ur al subst ance t hat can achi ev e t he same ef f ect .
It has been est imat ed t hat as much as 8 0 per cent
of t he popul at i on of t hi s planet r eli es on her bal medi cine. But unknow n t o many , t hi s i mpr essi v e use of
her bs is not l imi t ed t o poor or backw ar d count r i es.
A lmost hal f of al l medical doct or s i n Fr ance and
Ger many used her bal t her apies as par t of t hei r heal i ng pr ot ocol s. Unf or t unat ely , medi ci nal pr act i ces i n
t he Uni t ed St at es ar en t near l y as pr ogr essi v e.
Ov er t he l ast t hr ee decades sci ent i f ic dat a has
been st eadi ly accr ui ng suppor t ing t he not i on t hat
her bs can pr ov i de saf er and i n some cases, ev en
mor e ef f ect i v e t r eat ment t han pr escr i pt i on dr ugs.
Ir oni cal ly , w hi l e or t hodox medi ci ne cl aims sci ent i f i c backing, Dr . Dav id Edd asser t s t hat v er y l i t t l e of
medi ci ne has been car ef ul l y ev aluat ed in w el l desi gned, w ell - cont r ol l ed st udies. . . . f or a lar ge
pr opor t ion of pr act ices, w e r eall y don t know w hat
t he out comes or w hat t he ef f ect s ar e.
The bel i ef held by many t hat a li t t le i s good, a l ot
i s bet t er can be v er y danger ous w i t h r espect t o
bot h conv ent i onal
and her bal
medi cat i ons.
Occasionall y , y ou w i l l f i nd her bal pr epar at i ons t hat
ar e ex t r emel y concent r at ed, such as some sophi st i cat ed Eur opean ex t r act s and ar e much li ke t oday s
pot ent pr escr i pt ion medi cines. If y ou ar e not sur e
about a par t i cul ar medi cat i on, don t guess. Wi sdom
and pr udence shoul d be used w i t h al l medi cines
w het her or not t hey ar e i n a concent r at ed f or m.
A lso, unless ot her w i se not ed, i t i s best not t o use
her bs i f y ou ar e pr egnant or lact at i ng w it hout f i r st
consult i ng a heal t h car e pr of essi onal w ho has good
i nf or mat ion on t he subj ect .
61

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D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

Some pat i ent s may not f i nd t he hel p t hey ar e l ooki ng f or f r om al t er nat i v e t her api es. And, as a doct or ,
I don t r el y st r ict l y on alt er nat iv e t her api es. If I f eel
a pat i ent w oul d be bet t er of f w i t h a conv ent i onal
t her apy , t hat is w hat I r ecommend. Somet i mes I f eel
a pat i ent w oul d be bet t er of f i f t hey used bot h conv ent ional and alt er nat iv e t her api es.

HERBS VS. DRUGS: A COMPARISON

Unli ke sy nt het i c dr ugs, her bs pr ov i de a sy ner gi st i c ar r ay of compounds desi gned by nat ur e t o
enhance indiv idual act i on agai nst di sease, av oi di ng
any det r i ment al si de ef f ect s. In an at t empt t o i sol at e
t he act i v e component s of medici nal pl ant s, dr ug
r esear cher s hav e inadv er t ent l y cr eat ed a phar maceut i cal monst er . By assumi ng t hat onl y one of t he
pr i mar y chemi cal const it uent s of pl ant s is t her apeut i cal ly v aluable, t hey hav e cast aside t he so- cal l ed
inact iv e compounds w hi ch pl ay ed a pr of ound r ol e
i n t he biochemical accept ance of t he w hol e plant i n
t he human body . Isol at ed, mi mi cked or pot ent i at ed
dr ug compounds ar e not equiv alent t o t he w hol e pl ant
or her b.
By r ef i ni ng or sy nt hesi zing v ar i ous compounds,
t ox ici t y i s cr eat ed. In ot her w or ds, because t hey ar e
pr esent ed t o t he body st r i pped of ot her subst ances
t hat act as balancing agent s, t hese ar t i f i cial compounds ar e not w el l r eceiv ed by t he body .
In most cases, each of a dr ug s t her apeut i c
ef f ect s comes w i t h a negat i v e si de ef f ect . Gr ant ed,
t he new ly cr eat ed dr ug may be mor e pot ent , admi ni st er ed w i t h gr eat pr ecision and easi er t o ingest , but
t he human body has a t endency t o r ecogni ze it as a
f or ei gn and unnat ur al subst ance. A s a r esul t , a chai n
of undesi r abl e phy s i ol ogi cal r eact i ons occur s.
Fr equent l y , t he body r eact s t o sy nt het ic and pow er f ul compounds much as it w oul d t o a poi son.
The bot t om l i ne i s t hat nat ur e usuall y know s best .
It is impor t ant , t hough, t o r emember t hat unl i ke t he
pot ent , quick and somet i mes danger ous ef f ect s of
sy nt het ic dr ugs or anal ogs, her bs w or k slow l y .
Rat her t han j ust masking sy mpt oms, her bs int r i nsi cal l y heal and t hei r ef f ect s ar e l onger l ast i ng.
Whi le plant s hav e pr ov ided medicine w i t h some of
i t s best dr ugs, ar t if i ci al sy nt hesi s of chemi cal compounds f ound i n specif i c pl ant s has unf or t unat el y
snuf f ed t he sear ch f or new and bet t er pl ant sour ces.
Sy nt hesi zed compounds can be pat ent ed, but of t en,
t he enor mous amount of money needed t o br i ng t hat
compound int o t her apeut i c di sper si on i s di f f icul t t o
r ecoup.
Eur opean and A si an count r i es hav e cont i nued t o
st udy and v al ue t he use of her bal pr epar at i ons and
ar e f ar ahead of t he Uni t ed St at es in r egar d t o her bal
medi ci nes and t hei r
pr act i cal
appl i cat i ons.
Phy t omedi cinals ar e l egal ly sol d i n t hese count r ies
w her e l aw s r equir ing t heir saf et y and ef f icacy ar e
mor e r easonabl e t han i n A mer ican communi t i es.
Her bs l ike ginkgo bil oba, mi lk t hi st l e ( sil y mar i n) ,
62

echi nacea, ginseng, and ephedr a ar e commonl y used

by r eli abl e medi cal pr act i t i oner s w ho hav e r ecogni zed t hei r t her apeut i c v alue f or decades.
What i s f r ust r at ing i s t hat ev en w hen phar maceut i cal dr ugs ar e pr escr ibed by doct or s, t hey r ar ely
cont r i but e v al uabl e inf or mat i on on how t o mini mi ze
some of t hei r r i sks. For ex ampl e, hav e y ou ev er
hear d y our doct or t el l y ou t o t ake aci dophil us suppl ement s af t er t aki ng a cour se of ant i biot i cs? The
ef f ect s of dr ugs on t he absor pt ion of di et ar y nut r i ent s i s r ar el y addr essed by phy si ci ans.

ARE HERBS SAFE?

Dr . Andr ew Wei l, y et anot her phy sici an w ho has
embr aced bot h or t hodox and nat ur al medi cine st at es:
For ev er y pr escr i pt ion I w r it e f or a phar maceut i cal dr ug, I giv e out 4 0 or 5 0 f or bot ani cal r emedi es. In al most 1 0 y ear s of pr escr ibi ng i n t hat w ay ,
I hav e not y et seen a ser ious adv er se r eact i on in any
pat i ent t aki ng a medicinal pl ant .
The st at i st ics v er i f y Wei l s st at ement . Fr om
1 9 8 3 t o 1 9 9 2 her bs did not cont r i but e i n any deat hs,
w hi le di et ar y suppl ement s caused t hr ee deat hs,
ov er - t he- count er dr ugs caused 3 2 0 , f ood- bor ne il l nesses r esul t ed in 9 0 0 0 andmost al ar mi ngly pr escr i pt i on dr ugs pl ay ed a signif i cant r ol e in near ly
1 0 0 , 0 0 0 deat hs. Her bs can be i ncr edibl y saf e i f used
as di r ect ed because, in many w ay s, t hey act l i ke
f oods i n t he human body .

Guidelines for Herb Purchasing and Usage

The f oll ow i ng ar e sev er al suggest i ons t o consider
w hen buy ing and usi ng her bs:
Pur chase her bs f r om r el i abl e sour ces t hat y ou
know pr ov ide pur e and pot ent pr oduct s. Look f or
st andar dized pr oduct s w i t h guar ant eed pot ency .
Choose her bal f or ms t hat ar e t he most ef f ect i v e. Her bs can come i n ex t r act s, t i nct ur es, dr y
capsuli zed pow der s and ev en i n oint ment s and
cr eams. A l w ay s l ook f or t he per cent age of
act i v e i ngr edi ent , i f possi ble.
Take dosages t hat ar e r ecommended and do not
assume t hat mor e i s al w ay s bet t er .
If y ou ar e pr one t o all er gi es, pr egnant , nur si ng
or t aking ot her dr ugs f or any condit i on, check
w it h y our doct or bef or e usi ng her bs.
Her bs ar e designed t o w or k w it h t he body and
usual l y r equi r e consi st ent use ov er a l ong per i od of t i me t o achiev e t he desi r ed r esult s.
Tr y t o use pr oduct s w hich come f r om companies
sy mpat het ic t o t he env ir onment and t o ecol ogical
aw ar eness.
Do y our homew or k on t he speci f ic her b y ou hav e
chosen t o t ake as f ar as it s most ef f ect i v e del iv er y sy st em. Wi ld y am, f or ex ampl e i s bet t er
absor bed t hr ough t he ski n r at her t han t hr ough
t he mout h.

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
Her bs can be t aken in dr i ed f or m and ar e usual l y av ail abl e in capsules, as t eas, ex t r act s or
t i nct ur es. New deli v er y sy st ems such as subl i ngual dr ops or cr eams may pr ov i de ev en bet t er
assimi lat i on.
Gi v e chi l dr en onl y a f r act ion of t he adul t dose
dependi ng on t hei r age. Don t gi v e chil dr en under
t he age of t w o any suppl ement unl ess y ou check
w i t h y our phy si ci an. Chi l dr en si x t o t w el v e can
r eceiv e one f our t h of t he adult dose. Chi l dr en
t w el v e t o eight een can r eceiv e t hr ee f our t hs of
t he adult dose.
Read t he cont r adict i ons of cer t ai n her bs and
make sur e y ou do not hav e a condit i on or ar e
t aki ng dr ugs w hi ch may cause an unw ant ed
i nt er act i on.
Keep all her bs out of t he r each of chi ldr en.

Herbal Combinations: Balancing the Yin and the Yang

I hav e f ound a w ay t o design her bal f or mul as f or
my pat i ent s based on combi ni ng her bs t hat sat i sf y
each of t he f oll ow ing indi v i dual cat egor ies:

act i v e her bs (usual ly bit t er )

ar omat i c and car mi nat i v e her bs
demul cent her bs
cl eansi ng her bs

A ct iv e her bs pr ov i de di r ect , t her apeut i c act i on

and can hav e pow er f ul bi ol ogi cal ef f ect s of t en
acc ompani ed
by
gast r oi nt es t i nal
upset .
Consequent l y , ar omat ic or car mi nat i v e her bs l i ke
gi nger , cl ov es or pepper mi nt set t le t he st omach and
i nt est i nes and ar e added t o t emper t hi s ef f ect . In
addit i on, ar omat i c her bs hel p t o st i mul at e di gest i on
and ci r cul at i on, boost i ng t he ef f icacy and t he del i v er y of t he act iv e her b. Demul cent her bs al so soot he
t he gast r oint est i nal t r act . Cl eansi ng her bs ar e an
i nt egr al par t of t he f or mula since many seemi ngl y
unr elat ed di sease condit i ons ar e act ual ly t he di r ect
r esult of poor bow el el imi nat i on and t he bui ld- up of
i nt est i nal t ox ins. The cleansi ng her bs gent l y st i mul at e t he bow el t o mor e ef f i cient l y get r id of accumul at ed w ast es.
For cent ur ies Chinese her bal i st s under st ood t hat
pr escr i bing her bs i n t i me- t est ed f or mul as w as mor e
ef f ect i v e t han using si ngl e bot anical pr epar at i ons.
The w idespr ead use of v ar i ous her bal f or mul at i ons
r esult ed i n t he compi l at ion of sev er al t housand
her bal blends. Tr adi t ionall y , t hese bl ends w er e i ndi v iduall y adj ust ed accor ding t o t he needs of t he
pat ient . The t i me- honor ed pr act i ce of car ef ul l y
designi ng her bal f or mul at ions i s based on t he concept
of sy ner gist i c enhancement . In ot her w or ds, t her e
ar e cer t ai n plant s t hat ex ist in nat ur e w hich f unct i on
mor e ef f icient l y w hen t hey mer ge t hei r medici nal
at t r i but es.
Today , sci ent i f ic r esear ch suppor t s t he anci ent
i dea of her bal mar r i ages. The not i on t hat combi n-

63

i ng cer t ai n her bs t oget her cr eat es a bet t er t her apeut i c ef f ect can be suppor t ed by cl inical st udi es.
It s i mpor t ant t o r emember t hat t he i nt er act i on
bet w een cer t ain bot anicals can be ev en mor e i mpor t ant t han t he indiv idual pr oper t ies of each cont r i but i ng her b. Well - desi gned her bal f or mul as can ex er t
i mpr essi v e t her apeut ic ef f ect s on a number of mal adi es.
A not her of t he adv ant ages of blending her bs i s
t hat v ar i ous sy mpt oms can be t r eat ed si mul t aneousl y . Most her bal bl ends ar e compr i sed of w hat mi ght
be cal l ed domi nant pl ant s, ( w hi ch ar e usual l y
r esponsible f or pr i mar y t her apeut i c act i ons) , and
passi v e her bs t hat ser v e t o soot he, suppor t and
pot ent i at e.
St i mulat or y her bs ar e usual ly bit t er and ar e nicel y compl ement ed by ar omat i c, car mi nat iv e and
demul cent her bs. For ex ampl e, senna i s a st i mul at or y and dy nami c bit t er her b w hich i nit i at es col on
muscl e cont r act ion. A ddi ng a car minat i v e her b, l i ke
gi nger , t o senna ser v es t o soot he t he st omach and
pr ev ent gr i pping w hi ch may occur if senna w as t aken
al one. The addit i on of capsicum or ginger t o any her b
f or mul a act s as a cat al y st , incr easi ng t he ef f ici ency
of each i ndi v i dual her b. Her bs l i ke pepper mint ar e
pot ent i at ed by capsicum. Mor eov er , t he ment hol
cont ai ned i n pepper mi nt helps t o bal ance out t he
hot nat ur e of t he capsi cum. A good her bal blend
w il l combi ne st imul ant her bs w it h nour ishing, pr ot ect i ng and cl eansi ng v ar iet i es.

INCORPORATING HERBS INTO YOUR MEALS

Her bs can nat ur ally compl ement and augment diet ,
especi ally in cases w hen sickness i s pr esent . Many
cult ur es r out inely use her bs in pr epar i ng f ood, not
necessar il y f or t ast e enhancement , but t o t r eat specif ic sy mpt oms. For ex ample, in Asi a, if someone i n
t he f amil y comes dow n w i t h a cold, an her b such as
ast r agalus may be added t o t hei r soup t o bolst er not
only t he immune sy st em of t he sick one, but t o hel p
incr ease di sease r esi st ance i n t he r est of t he f ami ly .
Cer t ainl y , i f w e w er e bet t er at using her bs i n our
day - t o- day meal pr epar at i on, w e w oul d gai n
t r emendous heal t h benef i t s. Int er est i ngly , w e know
now t hat cur cumin, one of t he act i v e ingr edi ent s i n
t ur mer i c act s as an ant i mut agen, meani ng t hat i t
decr eases our r isk f or t he abnor mal r epr oduct i on of
cel l s. Lear ni ng t o use t ur mer i c r egul ar ly i n meal
pr epar at ion may decr ease our chances of get t i ng
cancer . Get used t o addi ng a w i de v ar i et y of her bs
and spi ces i n cooking y our meal s.

CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE

The Chinese hav e used bot anicals as medi ci nes f or
ov er a t housand y ear s and ev en t oday , t hey pr act i ce
a sophi st icat ed f or m of her bal medi ci ne t hat i s r ecogni zed by t heir pr of essi onal or gani zat ions. Chinese
her bali sm w as adapt ed by t he J apanese a f ew cen63

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D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

t ur i es af t er t he bi r t h of Chr i st and is w i del y pr act i ced t oday along w it h di sci pl ines li ke acupunct ur e.
Or ient al her bal medici ne of f er s t he w est er n w or l d a
v er it able t r easur y of t r i ed and t r ue t r eat ment s,
w hi ch, f or t he most par t w e hav e not used unt il
r ecent decades.
Tr adi t i onal Chinese medi cine dat es back as f ar as
2 , 5 0 0 B.C. and r ecor ded pr act i ces and discipl i nes
ar e st il l used by moder n pr act i t i oner s. The Chi nese
hav e al w ay s v i ew ed di sease as an i ndi cat ion t hat an
i mbal ance or di sr upt i on i n har mony has occur r ed
w i t hin t he del icat e and i nt er w ov en sy st ems of t he
w hol e per son. Consequent l y , medi ci nal t her api es ar e
designed t o r eal i gn and r est or e t his balance, enabl i ng
t he body s ow n r est or at i v e pow er s t o w or k mor e
ef f i ci ent ly . Her bs or bot ani cal ex t r act s ar e t he most
i mpor t ant ex t er nal agent s and augment ot her t her api es such as acupunct ur e.
The Chi nese medi cal sy st em i s based on t he t heor y of el ement s, a sy st em t hat i ncor por at es f i v e
el ement s t hat const i t ut e ev er y w ay in w hi ch human
bei ngs i nt er act w it h t hei r env i r onment . The el ement sw ood, f i r e, ear t h, met al , and w at er ar e
consider ed l i nked t oget her and sy ner gi st i cal ly r el at ed. Each of t hese ar e connect ed w i t h speci f i c emot i ons and par t s of t he human body , seasons, t ast es,
col or s and sensat i ons. In or der t o mai nt ai n bal ance
and good, t he element s must be har moniously r el at ed w it h none bei ng t oo domi nant ( di sease may dev el op) . Chinese pr act it i oner s became ski l led i n l ooki ng
at v ar i ous par t s of t he body in t er ms of t hese el ement s and t hey di st i ngui shed w hen one needed t o be
emphasi zed or t r anqui l i zed. T he f i v e el ement s
i ncl ude t he f ol low i ng:

Wood
Season: spr i ng
Tast e: sour
Emot i on: anger
Par t s of t he body : l i v er , gal l bladder , t endons,
ey es

Water
Season: w int er
Tast e: salt y
Emot i on: f ear
Par t s of t he body : kidney s, bl adder , ear s, hai r ,
bones

Metal
Season: f al l
Tast e: pungent
Emot i on: gr i ef
Par t s of t he body : l ungs, lar ge i nt est ine, nose,
ski n

64

Earth
Season: Indian summer
Tast e: sw eet
Emot i on: w or r y
Par t s of t he body : spl een, st omach, mout h, muscl es

Fire
Season: summer
Tast e: bi t t er
Emot i on: j oy
Par t s of t he body : hear t , smal l i nt est i ne, t ongue

THE THEORY OF YIN AND YANG

The phil osophy of y i n and y ang is based on t he idea
t hat t her e must be opposit i on i n al l t hi ngs. Accor di ng
t o t heor i es, al l t hi ngs cr eat ed ar e kept i n bal ance by
an opposit e f or ce. Yin r ef er s t o t he f emale sex , col d
and dar k w hil e y ang i s t he mal e, hot and li ght .
Keeping t hese opposi ng ent i t i es bal anced is w hat
mai nt ai ns good heal t h and pr ev ent s di sease.
Remember , t oo li t t l e or t oo much of one can cause
i ll ness t o occur . Each par t of t he body f al l s i nt o
ei t her a y i n or y ang cat egor y . Her bal medi cat ions
ar e desi gned t o ei t her calm an ex cess of one of t hese
f or ces or t o enhance one t hat is l acki ng. Hot v er sus
col d is t he basi s of al most al l medi cal di agnosi s.
Chi nese medicine also i dent i f i es f i v e t ast es t hat ar e
char act er ized as hot or col d. For ex ample, a sw eet
or pungent t ast e sensat i on causes heat i ng t o occur ,
w hi le salt y , bi t t er or sour t ast es hav e a cool i ng
ef f ect . Her bal combinat i ons can cont ain a v ar iet y of
t ast es desi gned t o achi ev e a par t i cul ar kind of bal ance. Schi zandr a, f or ex ampl e, i s a bot ani cal t hat
cont ai ns f i v e t ast e sensat ions.
The Chi nese beli ev e t hat each t y pe of t ast e w il l
t ar get a specif i c ar ea of t he body . Sw eet or pungent
her bs ar e used f or t he ex t er nal ar eas of t he body and
upper sect i ons of t he t or so. The sour , bit t er or sal t y
her bs ar e appli ed t o t he l ow er par t s and t o i nt er nal
or gans. Because di f f er ent ar eas of our bodi es can be
af f ect ed by t he same di sease, an indiv idual assor t ment of cooli ng and heat i ng her bs must be select ed
depending on w het her upper or l ow er ar eas ar e
i nv ol v ed.The st r ong or pungent her bs ar e also consi der ed st imul ant s, t he sw eet ones as t oni f y i ng and
t he sal t y as sof t eni ng.
The Chinese like t o use her bs i n st andar d f or mulas
w hich number in t he t housands. Her bal blends use sy ner gy t o achiev e bet t er r esult s. Her bal combinat ions
can include up t o t w ent y her bs w hich complement each
ot her accor ding t o i ndiv idual need. Chinese pr act it ioner s use t eas, decoct ions, soups and ev en hav e t heir
pat ient s add her bs t o f ood. The abilit y t o r ecognize
w het her a par t icular body par t needs cooling or heat ing is essent i al t o Chinese her bal medici ne.

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e

Maj or Her bs and Thei r

A ppl i cat i ons
ALFALFA (Medicago sativa)
Def ini t i on: A nut r i t iv e her b r i ch in mi ner al s and
v it ami ns, especi al ly ir on and v i t amin K. Consider ed
an est r ogen pr ecur sor .
A ppl icat i ons: Al ler gies, anemi a, ar t hr i t is, ast hma, Bel l s palsy , blood di sor der s, bur sit i s, chol est er ol , di abet es, di gest i v e disor der s, f at i gue, gout ,
l act at i on, ki dney di sor der s, mor ni ng si ckness,
menopause, nausea, Cushing s di sease, r heumat ism,
ul cer s and ur i nar y t r act i nf ect i ons.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Cont ai ns eight essent i al ami no
aci ds, is a r i ch sour ce of v it ami n B1 2 , nat ur al f l uor i de and chlor ophy l l . A lf al f a has demonst r at ed an
ant i r heumat i c ef f ect , l ow er s chol est er ol and
1
i mpr ov es ov er al l healt h and v igor . Recent Fr ench
st udi es hav e f ound t hat al f alf a can r educe t i ssue
2
damage caused by r adi at i on ex posur e. In addit i on, i t
has al so show n ant ibact er ial and ant i t umor pr oper 3
t i es. Because i t can neut r al i ze aci di t y , it i s al so
benef ici al f or bl adder and ur i nar y t r act inf ect ions.
Saf et y : Take as dir ect ed. No know n t ox i ci t y .
Complement ar y Agent s: Uv a ur si, j uniper , par sl ey , buchu, cor nsi l k, mar shmall ow , cr anber r y , v i t ami n C, bi of lav onoi ds, pr oant hocy ani dins, v it ami n
A , B- compl ex , cal cium/ magnesi um, mar i ne li pi ds,
aci dophil us, and phy t onut r i ent s.

ALOE VERA (Aloe barbadensis)

Def ini t i on: Nat ur al ast r i ngent w i t h heal ing and
l ax at i v e pr oper t i es.
Ex t er nal A ppl icat i ons: Ex t er nal : Bur ns, w ounds
and mi nor ski n i r r i t at ions.
Or al Appli cat i ons: A cne, AIDS, all er gi es, bed
sor es, canker sor es, chicken pox l esions, col it i s,
const ipat i on, her pes, insect bi t es and st i ngs, psor i asi s, scar t issue, sor es, sunbur n, gast r ic ul cer s,
l eg ul cer s, di abet es and ast hma.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Recent st udies hav e conf i r med
t hat aloe has t he abi l it y t o f i ght against a v ar iet y of
4
bact er i a and f ungi . Because i t has i mpr essi v e
ant i mi cr obi al pr oper t i es, i t makes an ex cel lent
pr epar at i on f or t he t r eat ment of bur ns. It s act i on
has been obser v ed agai nst bact er i a w hi ch i ncl ude t he
5
st aphy l ococcus and st r ept ococcus t y pes. It has al so
6
show n si gnif i cant ant iv ir al act iv it y agai nst HIV. In
addit i on, al oe v er a has ex hi bi t ed i t sel f as an i mmune
sy st em st i mul ant , an ant i- i nf l ammat or y agent , a
boost er of t i ssue r epai r and a compound w hi ch can
act uall y l ow er bl ood sugar .
Saf et y : Gel ex t r act ed f r om t he leaf i s r ecogni zed
as a saf e f ood. A l oe v er a can come in a nat ur al l y
occur r i ng gel, as a concent r at e, i n j ui ce f or m or i n
capsules. Ex cessi v e or al doses of al oe v er a may
cause gr i pping pai ns and di ar r hea.

65

Compl ement ar y agent s: Vit ami n E, t ea t r ee oi l and

w il d y am cr eam.

ASTRAGALUS (Astragalus membranaceus)

Def i ni t ion: Rich i n pol y sacchar ides, ast r agal us
suppor t s T- cell f unct i on and i s consi der ed an ex cel l ent immune sy st em st i mul ant .
A ppli cat i ons: AIDS, hepat it i s, v i r al i nf ect i ons,
per i pher al v ascul ar di seases, immune di sor der s,
i nf luenza, hy per t ension and my ast heni a gr av is.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: A st r agal us cont ai ns v ar ious
uni que chemical compounds w hi ch hav e made it one
of t he most i mpr essi v e Or ient al heal t h- pr omot i ng
bot ani cal s. Asian pr act i t i oner s hav e used ast r agal us
f or a compr omi sed i mmune sy st em, v i r al i nf ect ions
of al l kinds and f or hi gh bl ood pr essur e. Recent st udi es hav e f ound t hat ast r agal us may be usef ul f or
7
cases of my ast heni a gr av i s.
Saf et y : No know n t ox i ci t y .
Compl ement ar y agent s: Echinacea, boneset , gar l ic, essent ial f at t y aci ds, haw t hor n, gi nseng and
schi zandr a.

BILBERRY (Vaccinium myrtillus)

Def i ni t ion: Suit ed f or i nt est i nal upset s such as
di ar r hea and ir r it at ed int est i nal mucosa. Ov er long
per i ods of t i me, bi lber r y hel ps t o manage ey e disor der s caused by w eak capil l ar i es due t o it s ant hocy anin cont ent .
A ppl i cat i ons: Bl ood sugar , br ui sing, di abet es,
di ar r hea, ey esi ght , gall st ones, hemor r hoi ds, ki dney
st ones, ci r culat or y i nsuf f i ci ency , hy pogl y cemi a,
ni ght bli ndness, ur inar y disor der s and v ar icose
v ei ns.
Sci ent i f i c Updat es: Bi l ber r y i s consi der ed an
her bal ant i ox i dant w hi ch hel ps t o i nhi bi t f r ee r adi cal
damage i n human t i ssue. St udi es hav e f ound t hat bi l ber r y ex t r act can ki ll or i nhibit t he gr ow t h of cer 8
t ai n f ungi , y east , and bact er i a. Bil ber r y i s al so
9
ef f ect i v e i n cases of di ar r hea and int est inal upset .
Saf et y : Di abet i cs shoul d check w i t h t hei r doct or
bef or e t aki ng t hi s her b.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Gol denseal, f enugr eek,
bi lber r y , gy mnema, sy l v est i s, bl ueber r y , v it ami n
C, bi of l av onoi ds, pr oant hocy ani di ns, phy t onut r i ent s, v it ami n E, v i t ami n A , B- complex , chr omi um,
bee pol l en, and bee pr opol is.

BLACK COHOSH (Cimicifuga racemosa)

Def i ni t i on: It s ant i spasmodi c pr oper t i es hav e
made it a f av or it e bot ani cal r emedy f or menst r ual
cr amps, muscl e spasms and coughs. It i s also
bel i ev ed t o st i mul at e est r ogen sy nt hesi s, making i t
a desi r abl e supplement f or menopause.
A ppli cat i ons: PMS, hor monal imbal ances, st r ess,
ner v ousness, muscle cr ampi ng, menopause, lung
congest ion, i nf lammat or y condit i ons and hy per t en65

66

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

si on.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Moder n r esear ch has suppor t ed t he use of black cohosh f or hy per t ensi on and car 10
di ov ascul ar di sor der s. Black cohosh can hel p t o
t r anquil i ze an i r r i t able or ex ci t ed ner v ous sy st em
w hi le st i mul at i ng cer t ain CNS f unct i ons w hi ch pr omot e nor malcy . Recent ly , t he v al ue of bl ack cohosh
as a ut er i ne t oni c has been suppor t ed by cl ini cal
11
r esear ch. Cur r ent ex per i ment at ion st r ongly suggest s t hat bl ack cohosh has ant i- i nf l ammat or y pr op12
er t i es. Bl ack cohosh signif i cant l y r el ax es ner v es
and smoot h muscl e and i s ef f ect i v e i n t r eat i ng i r r i t at ed ner v es and gener al r est l essness. The Russi ans
hav e r ecent l y appr ov ed bl ack cohosh ex t r act f or use
as a cent r al ner v ous sy st em t oni c and a t r eat ment
13
f or hi gh bl ood pr essur e.
Saf et y : Black cohosh i s consi der ed saf e al t hough
pr egnant w omen shoul d consul t t hei r phy si ci an
bef or e using it . Av oid l ar ge doses.
Complement ar y Agent s: Valer ian r oot , hops, w ood
bet ony , scullcap, chamomi le, passionf low er , mul lein,
mar shmallow , squaw v i ne, mel at onin, calcium/ magnesium and B- complex .

t i on, di gest i v e pr obl ems, f ev er , gal l bl adder disease,

gas, headaches, hear t pr obl ems, hor monal i mbal ances, lact at i on, l i v er ai l ment s, lung di seases and
pai nf ul menst r uat ion.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Bl essed t hist l e i s an ex cel l ent
suppor t ing her b f or pl ant combi nat i ons. It hel ps
act i v at e a sl uggi sh l iv er and cor r ect s st omach and
di gest i v e pr obl ems,
f l at ul ence and t ensi on
headaches. It f ur t her suppor t s t he body s cleansi ng
and det ox i f y i ng sy st ems by pr omot i ng per spi r at i on
and r emov i ng ex cess f l uids. 1 9 Moder n st udies hav e
f ound t hat bl essed t hi st l e cont ai ns ant i bact er i al and
20
ant i y east pr oper t i es. It has demonst r at ed it s abil i t y t o st r engt hen t he spl een and l iv er and hel ps
21
r educe f ev er s by pr omot ing per spi r at i on.
Saf et y : Ingest ing ex cessi v e amount s of blessed
t hi st le may cause nausea. Cont act w i t h t he ski n
shoul d be av oi ded.
Compl ement ar y Agent s: Lemon gr ass, sage, sl i pper y el m, chamomi le, cat ni p, pepper mi nt , mi lk t hi st l e, v it ami n C, bi of l av onoi ds, cal ci um/ magnesi um
and di gest i v e enzy mes.

BUCHU (Barosma betulina)

BLACK WALNUT (Juglans nigra)
Def ini t i on: Ri ch i n or ganic t anni ns, t hi s her b has
ant i f ungal and ast r i ngent pr oper t i es w hi ch pr edi spose i t s use f or par asi t ic i nf ect i ons, skin f ungi and
ot her skin er upt ions.
A ppl icat i ons: A t hl et e s f oot , boi ls, Candi da al bi cans ( y east i nf ect i ons) , canker sor es, cold sor es,
eczema, f ungus, gum disease, her pes, int est i nal
par asit es, t apew or m and t uber cul osi s.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Recent r esear ch st r ongly suggest s t hat bl ack w al nut has ant i f ungal pr oper t i es as
14
w el l as an ant i sept i c act ion. Cl i nical st udi es hav e
f ound t hat cer t ain const it uent s i n bl ack w alnut hav e
15
ant i cancer pr oper t i es. This par t icular act ion may
l i nk t he connect i on of v i r uses and par asi t es t o mal i g16
nancies. The hi gh t anni n cont ent of bl ack w alnut i s
pr i mar i ly r esponsi bl e f or i t abil i t y t o ex pel w or ms
17
and par asi t es. Bl ack w alnut has been show n t o be
18
specif i c f or t r eat ment of Candi da al bi cans.
Saf et y : Use i n appr opr i at e amount s as di r ect ed.
Pr egnant or nur sing mot her s shoul d check w i t h t hei r
phy si cians.
Complement ar y Agent s: Gar l ic, cascar a sagr ada,
buckt hor n, pumpki n seeds, r ed cl ov er , culv er r oot ,
aci dophi l us, v i t ami n A , B- compl ex , pant ot heni c
aci d, calci um/ magnesium, pot assium and mar i ne
l i pids.

BLESSED THISTLE (Cnicus benedictus)

Def ini t i on: Tr adi t ionall y use t o i ncr ease l act at i on,
bl essed t hi st le al so t r eat s f ev er s, i ndi gest i on and
di ar r hea.
A ppl icat i ons: Anor ex i a, l ack of appet i t e, ci r cul at or y di sor der s, bl ood pur i f icat i on, cancer , const i pa66

Def i ni t ion: Used f or chr oni c ki dney and bladder

i nf lammat i ons, buchu, a nat ur al ast r ingent , hel ps t o
al lev i at e high acid ur i ne and i s al so good f or heal i ng
t he pr ost at e gland.
A ppli cat i ons: Bl adder inf ect i ons, di abet es, ki dney
di sease, pr ost at e disor der s and w at er r et ent i on.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: It is t he v ol at il e oi l cont ent of
buchu w hi ch enabl es i t t o st imul at e ur i nat ion w hi l e
22
act i ng as a ur inar y ant isept ic. Buchu act s t o eli mi nat e mucus, aci d ur i ne and ir r it at i on, and is giv en t o
combat many f or ms of i nf lammat i on and i nf ect i on,
i ncl uding cy st it i s, py el it i s, ur et er i t i s and pr ost at i 23
t i s. . . . Di asophenol, w hich has ant i sept i c pr oper t i es i s consider ed by some t o be t he most i mpor 24
t ant const i t uent of buchu.
Saf et y : Use i n appr opr i at e doses as di r ect ed.
Complement ar y agent s: Uv a ur si, par sley , cor nsilk, cr anber r y , j uni per ber r y , alf al f a, mar shmal l ow , bee poll en, v i t amin C, bi of l av onoi ds, pr oant hocy anidi ns, v i t ami n A, zi nc and miner al and elect r ol y t e suppl ement s.

BUCKTHORN (Rhamnus frangula)

Def i ni t ion: Buckt hor n is a pur gat i v e her b t hat
st i mulat es bow el ev acuat ion and i s a consi der ed a
t oni c f or t he l iv er and gal l bladder .
A ppli cat i ons: Bow el cleansing, cancer , const ipat i on, f ev er , gal lbladder di sease, gal lst ones and l iv er
ai lment s.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Buckt hor n has show n signi f i 25
cant i nhi bi t i on of l eukemi a i n mi ce st udi es.
Buckt hor n cont ai ns ant hr aqui none gl y cosi des w hi ch
w or ks li ke cascar a sagr ada t o pr omot e gent l e col on
26
per i st al si s. Eur opean st udies hav e conf i r med t he

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
adv ant age of buckt hor n s abil i t y t o r el ease i t s
act i v e pr i nci ples i n t he smal l int est ine r at her t han
27
t he st omach.
Saf et y : Take as dir ect ed i n appr opr i at e doses as
an ex cess may cause i nt est i nal gr ipping. Pr egnant or
nur sing w omen should av oi d t his her b due t o i t s lax at i v e ef f ect .
Complement ar y agent s: Cascar a sagr ada, r ed
cl ov er , pumpki n seeds, cul v er r oot , mar shmal low ,
sl i pper y elm, dandel ion, black w alnut , quassi a, gi nger , aci dophi l us, v it ami n A, v i t ami n E, B- compl ex ,
bi of l av onoi ds and mar ine l i pids.

BURDOCK (Arctium lappa)

Def ini t i on: The insuli n cont ent of bur dock gi v es i t
t he abi li t y t o pr omot e t he heal i ng of sor es. It al so
has t he abi li t y t o clear t he bl ood of i mpur i t ies and
t ox ins.
A ppl icat i ons: A bscesses, acne, boi ls, car buncl es,
bl ood di sor der s, cancer , canker sor es, chicken pox ,
col ds, const ipat i on, eczema, f ev er , gout , hemor r hoids, her pes, bl ood sugar di sor der s, poi son iv y ,
poi son oak, psor iasi s, t onsil l it i s, t umor s, gall bl adder di sease, li v er di sease and w eak i mmune sy st em.
Scient i f i c Updat es: St udies hav e suppor t ed t he
abi l it y of bur dock t o help r est or e l iv er and gall bl ad28
der f unct i on. In addit i on, cli ni cal t est i ng has al so
est abli shed bot h ant i f ungal and ant ibi ot i c pr oper t i es
of bur dock. Bur dock can l ow er bl ood sugar , inhibi t
cer t ain t y pes of t umor s and gr eat l y cont r i but e t o t he
heali ng of speci f i c skin ail ment s li ke l epr osy and
29
v ener eal di sease sor es.
Saf et y : Bur dock can i nt er f er e w it h ir on absor pt i on.
Complement ar y A gent s: Chapar r al , al f alf a, dandel i on, echinacea, y el l ow dock, Or egon gr ape, cascar a sagr ada, buckt hor n, bl ue- gr een algae, kel p,
l i cor i ce, mil k t hi st l e, al oe v er a, v i t amin A, B- compl ex , essent i al f at t y aci ds, zinc, pot assium and
l eci t hin.

BUTCHERS BROOM (Ruscus aculeatus)

Def ini t i on: A nat ur al v aso- const r ict or , but cher s
br oom st r engt hens w eak bl ood v essel s and discour ages t he f or mat i on of bl ood clot s. It al so possesses
si gni f icant ant i- i nf l ammat or y pr oper t ies.
A ppl icat i ons: A r t er i oscl er osi s, capi l lar y w eakness, diabet i c r et inopat hy , hemor r hoids, inf lammat ion, j aundice, phlebit is, v ar i cose v ei ns, blood cl ot
( pr ev ent i on) , l eg cr amps, gout and j aundi ce.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Resear ch has conf i r med t he
abi l it y of but cher s br oom t o const r i ct v essel s and
i nhi bi t i nf lammat i on. Bot h of t hese pr oper t i es make
t he her b i deal f or f r agi l e capi ll ar i es of sw ol l en
30
v eins. Eur opean pr act i t ioner s r out i nely use but cher s br oom f or any disor der af f ect i ng t he v ei ns,
especiall y hemor r hoids.
Saf et y : Gener al ly consider ed saf e, an all er gy t o

67

but cher s br oom can pr oduce st omach upset .

Compl ement ar y Agent s: Ginkgo, ginger , bil ber r y ,
v i t amin C, bi of lav onoi ds, gr ape seed or pi ne bar k
ex t r act .

CASCARA SAGRADA (Rhamnus purshiana)

Def i ni t ion: One of nat ur e s most gent l e and ef f ect i v e lax at i v es, cascar a sagr ada st imul at es a sluggi sh col on w hi le ex er t i ng a t oni f y ing ef f ect . It is one
of t he most pr ef er r ed her bal r emedies f or chr oni c
const i pat i on and is al so good f or t he l i v er and gal l bl adder .
A ppli cat i ons: Congest i on (gener al ) , const i pat i on,
col on disor der s ( sl uggi sh col on et c) , gall bl adder di sease, gal lst ones, gas, hemor r hoi ds, j aundi ce, ki dney
st one pr ev ent i on, li v er di sor der s, par asi t es and
w or ms.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: The al oe- emodi n cont ent of
36
cascar a has show n ant i l eukemi c pr oper t i es. The
ant hr aquinones hav e ex hibit ed pot ent ant i bact er i al
37
pr oper t ies against int est i nal bact er i a. The r hei n
cont ent of cascar a i s used i n Af r ica t o ex pel
38
w or ms. Cascar a incr eases muscul ar act i v i t y in t he
39
l ar ge i nt est i ne. Cascar a can pr ev ent t he occur 40
r ence of cal ci um based ur i nar y st ones. Cascar a i s
per haps t he saf est and most cer t ai n l ax at i v e av ai l abl e and can be used t o r est or e t one t o t he col on and
t her eby ov er come lax at i v e dependency i n t he elder l y . The her b i s saf e and ef f ect iv e f or det ox if i cat i on
41
and cl eansi ng pr ogr ams.
Saf et y : At r ecommended dosages, no t ox i ci t y .
Cascar a shoul d not be used by nur si ng mot her s as i t s
l ax at i v e ef f ect can t r ansf er t o t he i nf ant . Pr egnant
w omen should av oi d usi ng cascar a unless di r ect ed by
t hei r doct or t o do so. Peopl e w i t h ul cer s or i r r i t abl e
bow el sy ndr ome should check w i t h t hei r doct or
bef or e using cascar a sagr ada.
Compl ement ar y Agent s: Dandel i on, bl ack w al nut ,
quassia, r ed cl ov er , gar l ic, buckt hor n, pumpki n
seeds, mar shmall ow , sli pper y el m, cul v er r oot , aci dophi l us, v i t amin A, B- complex , v i t ami n E and cal ci um/ magnesi um.

CATNIP (Nepeta cataria)

Def i ni t ion: By act ing as a nat ur al ant i spasmodi c,
cat ni p hel ps t o all ev iat e gas pains, pr omot es t her apeut i c per spi r at ion dur i ng f ev er s and calms t he cent r al ner v ous sy st em.
A ppli cat i ons: Col ic, i nt est inal gas, bloat i ng, diar r hea, st omach cr ampi ng, i nsomni a, col ds, f l u,
f ev er s and pai n.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Today , cat ni p is somet i mes
cal l ed nat ur e s A lka Sel t zer due t o i t s abi l it y t o
42
st i mulat e di gest i on. It also has some ant ibi ot i c
pr oper t ies w hich may hel p t o cont r ol st omach bact e43
r i a. It i s used f or a w i de v ar iet y of ai l ment s i ncludi ng insomnia, and anemia and i s r i ch i n or gani c i r on,
w hi ch hel ps t o bui ld t he bl ood.
67

68

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

Saf et y : Cat ni p i s consider ed a saf e bot ani cal medi ci ne if used appr opr i at el y .
Complement ar y A gent s: Ginger , f ennel , pepper mi nt , papay a, capsicum, saw pal met t o ber r y , my r r h
gum, cal ci um car bonat e, pepsin and acidophi lus.

t i on.
Compl ement ar y Agent s: Val er i an r oot , skul l cap,
hops, w ood bet ony , black cohosh, mul l ein, mar shmal low , passionf l ow er , pepper mint , v it ami n B- compl ex , v i t amin C, v it ami n A, cal ci um/ magnesi um and
mel at onin.

CATS CLAW (Uncaria tomentosa)

Def ini t i on: Cat s cl aw is a Per uv ian r ai nf or est
her b w i t h cer t ai n alkal oi ds capabl e of ant i - inf l ammat or y act i ons, ant i t umor ac t i v i t y , ant i v i r al
act i ons and t he abi l it y t o cl eanse t he i nt est i nal t r act .
It i s t hought t o signf i cant l y boost t he act ion of t he
i mmune sy st em and has been under st udy f or t he
t r eat ment of bot h A IDS and cancer .
A ppl icat i ons: Al l er gi es, ar t hr it i s, bow el di sor der s, bur si t i s, cancer , candi da, chemot her apy ,
chr onic f at i gue sy ndr ome, ci r r hosi s, Cr ohn s di sease, edema, f ibr omy al gia, hemor r hoids, hor monal
i mbal ances, i nf l ammat i on, i nt est i nal di sor der s,
i mmune sy st em dy sf unct i on, l upus, par asit es, PMS,
r adiat i on t r eat ment s or ex posur e, t ox i c poi soni ng,
ul cer s and v i r al inf ect i ons ( inf l uenza, r espir at or y
i nf ect i ons, et c.).
Scient i f i c Updat es: Kr al lendon i s t he commer ci al i zed name f or one of t he const i t uent s of t hi s her b
t hat has been used t o t r eat A IDS pat i ent s ei t her
al one or i n conj unct i on w it h A ZT t her apy . It has t he
abi l it y t o act i v at e t he i mmune sy st em. It ant i v i r al v i r al pr oper t i es hav e been conf i r med in cl ini cal
l abor at or y st udi es.
Saf et y : Eur opean st udi es conf i r m v er y l ow t ox i ci t y ev en w hen t aken i n v er y l ar ge doses. Cat s cl aw
shouldn t be used, how ev er , by pr egnant or l act at i ng w omen or by any one w ho has had a t r ansplant .
Taking t he her b may al t er bow el consi st ency in some
i ndi v i dual s.
Complement ar y A gent s: Pau d ar co, gar l i c, echi nacea, goldenseal , v it ami n C, gr ape seed ex t r act ,
bi of l av onoi ds and ant iox idant agent s.

CHAMOMILE (Matricaria chamomilla)

Def i ni t i on: As a nat ur al r el ax ant , chamomi l e
w or ks t o soot he t he ner v es, pr omot e sl eep and
i nduce per spi r at i on dur i ng f ev er s. It i s al so consi der ed a gast r oi nt est i nal t oni c.
A ppl icat i ons: Insomni a, anx iet y , skin ir r it at i ons,
ar t hr it i s, menst r ual cr amps and gast r oint est i nal
di st r ess.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Recent st udies hav e conf i r med
t hat chamomil e w or ks as a ut er i ne t oni c, r el ax es t he
ner v ous sy st em, and i nt er act s posit i v el y w it h ot her
49
ner v i ne her bs. It has ant i bact er i al pr oper t i es, can
st i mulat e t he li v er , and is cur r ent l y under st udy f or
50
i t s ant i car ci nogeni c act i on.
Saf et y : No t ox i ci t y has been f ound in chamomi le.
A v oi d ex t r eme doses. Do not t ake chamomil e f or l ong
per iods of t i me. Al l er gi c r eact i ons ar e a possi bi li t y ,
but i f y ou ar e al l er gi c t o r agw eed, pr oceed w it h cau68

COMFREY (Symphytum officinale)

Def ini t i on: A ny condit i on t hat i nv olv e ex cess
mucus can r espond t o t he act i on of comf r ey w hi ch
pr omot es mucus dischar ge and t i ssue r egener at i on.
A ppli cat i ons: Anemi a, ast hma, blood cleanser ,
coughs, l ung mucus, ul cer s, t uber cul osi s, bur ns,
emphy sema, f r act ur es, sor es and sw el li ng and pai n.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: It is t he al lant oi n cont ent of
comf r ey w hi ch giv es i t t he abi li t y t o st i mul at e new
cel l gr ow t h and pr ol i f er at i on maki ng it i deal f or any
51
t y pe of heali ng, especiall y bone f r act ur es. Comf r ey
i s al so r ecommended f or any t y pe of w ound heal i ng
and can cont r ibut e t o r est or ing nor mal and healt hy
l ung f unct i on.
Saf et y : Comf r ey should not be used f or pr olonged
per i ods of t ime. Use f or ov er t hr ee mont hs may be
det r i ment al t o t he l i v er .
Compl ement ar y Agent s: Fenugr eek, gar li c, capsi cum, mull ei n, hor ehound, v it ami n A, v it ami n E,
v i t amin C, bi of lav onoi ds, gr ape seed or pi ne bar k
ex t r act and sl ipper y el m.

CORNSILK (Zea mays)

Def i ni t ion: Cor nsi lk r ef er s t o t he sof t , hai r - l i ke
gr ow t h w hi ch accompanies an ear of cor n. Thi s f i ne
del i cat e sil k i s usual ly coll ect ed w hen t he cor n i s i n
mil k and is used w hen st il l gr een. Cor nsil k compounds, w hi ch i ncl ude maizenic acid, can act as a
car di ac t oni c and diur et ic. Used by t he anci ent Incas
as a t r eat ment f or ur ogeni t al i nf ect i ons, cor nsi l k
w as mar ket ed by Par ke- Dav i s i n Eur ope in 1 8 8 0 .
Cor nsil k is consider ed par t of a f ami l y of her bs
w hi ch hel p soot he and heal t he ur i nar y sy st em.
A ppl i cat i ons: A l bumi nur i a, bl adder i nf ect i ons,
edema, hear t t r oubl e, hepat i t is, ki dney di sor der s,
pr ost at i t i s, ur i nar y t r act i nf ect i ons and w at er
r et ent i on.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: The mai zeni c aci d cont ained i n
cor nsil k has a st i mulat i ng diur et ic ef f ect . In addi t i on, t his compound al so benef i t s t he li v er and
i nt est ines and is consider ed a car diac solut i on f or
52
t he hear t . Cl ini cal st udi es i n Chi na and J apan hav e
demonst r at ed t he r emar kable di ur et i c pr oper t i es of
53
cor nsil k. Cor nsi l k di r ect ly r educes pai nf ul sy mpt oms and sw el l ing due t o sev er al i nf lammat or y condi t ions i ncl udi ng cy st i t i s, py el i t i s, oli gur i a, hepat i 54
t i s and al l edemat ous condit i ons. In Chi na i t i s al so
55
used f or hy per t ensi on and diabet es.
Saf et y : Take in appr opr i at e doses as di r ect ed.
A ny subst ance t hat act s as a di ur et i c may cause a
pot assi um def iciency i f used in ex cess. Use pot assi -

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
um suppl ement at i on. Cor nsi lk i s consi der ed a mil d,
nont ox i c her b.
Complement ar y Agent s: Buchu, par sley , uv a ur si ,
cr anber r y , j uni per ber r i es, mar shmall ow , v it ami n
C, bi of l av onoi ds, pr oant hocy ani di ns, B- compl ex ,
v it ami n E, magnesi um, pot assi um, copper , and mi ner al and elect r oly t e suppl ement s.

COUCH GRASS (Agropyron repens)

Def ini t i on: It s nat ur al di ur et i c act i on makes couch
gr ass i deal f or any t y pe of ur i nar y t r act inf ect i on. It
can st i mul at e ur i ne di schar ge and hel p t o pass kidney
st ones.
A ppl icat i ons: Bl adder inf ect i ons, bl ood pur if i er ,
j aundice, kidney disease, ki dney st ones and r heumat i sm.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Ex t r act s of couch gr ass hav e
ex hibit ed ant i biot i c ef f ect s on a v ar i et y of bact er i a
56
and molds. Couch gr ass has been know n t o el imi nat e
57
ki dney st ones.
Saf et y : Take i n appr opr i at e doses as r ecommended. A n ex cess could lead t o pot assium and ot her miner al def iciency .
Complement ar y A gent s: Uv a ur si, cor nsi l k, par sl ey , j uni per , cascar a sagr ada, r ed cl ov er , gar li c,
bl ack w al nut , v it ami n C, biof l av onoids, v it ami n A,
v it ami n E, pot assi um, magnesi um, copper and mi ner al and elect r oly t e suppl ement s.

CRAMP BARK (Viburnum opulus)

Def ini t i on: Used pr imar i l y t o r el i ev e any condit i on
caused by a spasm, cr amp bar k t r eat s menst r ual
cr amps, muscl e spasms, and abdominal cr amps. It i s
al so good f or hear t muscl e and ex er t s a calmi ng
ef f ect i n cases of hy st er i a or ner v ousness.
A ppl icat i ons: A st hma, col i c, const i pat i on, di gest i v e di sor der s, edema, menst r ual cr amps, muscl e
cr amps, hear t disor der s, hy per t ensi on, hy st er i a,
l eg cr amps, ner v ousness and ut er i ne cr amps.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Cr amp bar k has been r ef er r ed
t o as a pot ent muscl e r el ax ant t hat has a v er y speci f i c act i on on t he ut er us and is one of t he best
58
Thi s her b has been
r emedi es f or menst r ual pain.
r ecogni zed in t he Nat i onal For mular y as a specif i c
ant i spasmodi c al so usef ul f or at t acks of ast hma and
hy st er i a.
Saf et y : Use i n appr opr iat e doses as di r ect ed.
Complement ar y Agent s: Squaw v ine, dong quai ,
dami ana, r ed r aspber r y , l i cor i ce, sar sapar i l l a,
bl ack cohosh, pepper mi nt , v aler ian r oot , v it ami n Bcompl ex , v i t ami n E, v i t amin C, bi of l av onoi ds, f oli c
aci d, cal cium/ magnesi um, chr omi um, seleni um and
pot assium.

CRANBERRY (Vaccinium macrocarpon)

Def ini t i on: Cr anber r y has ast r i ngent appli cat i ons
f or t he ur inar y t r act and i s a t r adi t ional r emedy f or

69

bl adder i nf ect ions and kidney - r el at ed di sor der s. It i s

a nat ur al di ur et i c and ur i nar y ant isept ic agent .
A ppli cat i ons: Bl adder i nf ect i ons, f ev er , and ur i nar y t r act inf ect i ons.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Recent r esear ch suggest s t hat
cr anber r y j ui ce may hel p f i ght ur i nar y i nf ect ions
w hi ch ar e caused by cer t ai n bact er i a. 5 9
Saf et y : No know n t ox i ci t y .
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Bur dock, par sley , uv a
ur si , j uni per ber r y , gol denr od, mar shmal low , al f al f a, cor n si lk, v i t ami n C, bi of lav onoi ds, pr oant hocy anidi ns, v i t ami n A, zi nc and bee poll en.

CULVER ROOT (Veronicastrum virgincum)

Def i ni t i on: Used f or gener at i ons by Nat i v e
A mer icans, t hi s her b helps ex pel ol d debr i s f r om t he
bow el , boost s li v er f unct i on, cl ear s congest i on and
i s consi der ed a nat ur al r elax ant .
A ppli cat i ons: Bl ood pur if i er , const ipat i on, diar r hea, colon congest i on, l iv er ai lment s and st omach
di sor der s.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Cul v er r oot w or ks chi ef l y on
t he i nt est ines t hat ar e chr oni cal ly const ipat ed due t o
poor bil i ar y f l ow . It has a mi ld act ion w i t hout causi ng t he depr ession of phy si cal st r engt h common w i t h
60
Lept andr i n
many ot her pur gat i v e medici nes.
ex cit es t he l i v er gent l y and pr omot es t he secr et i on
61
of bi le w i t hout i r r it at i ng t he bow el s.
Saf et y : Pr egnant or nur sing mot her s shoul d not
t ake t hi s her b w it hout t hei r doct or s consent . Taki ng
f ennel or gi nger w i t h t hi s her b hel ps t o pr ev ent t he
f or mat i on of int est i nal gas.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Buckt hor n, cascar a
sagr ada, r ed r aspber r y , gi nger , f ennel, black w al nut , quassi a, gar li c, couch gr ass, acidophil us, v i t amin C, bi of lav onoi ds, v i t ami n A, B- complex , mar i ne
l ipi ds, and blue- gr een al gae.

DAMIANA (Turnera aphrodisiaca)

Def i ni t ion: Pr i mar i ly used f or t r eat i ng f emale di sor der s, dami ana i s consi der ed a sex ual r est or at iv e,
a r emedy f or menopause and a r epr oduct i v e sy st em
t oni c. It i s al so consi der ed a cent r al ner v ous sy st em
st i mulant .
A ppli cat i ons: Aphr odisiac, br onchi t i s, depr essi on,
emphy sema, f at igue, f emale pr obl ems, hor monal
i mbal ances, i nf er t i l i t y , i mpot ence, menopause,
mood sw ings, Par ki nson di sease, PMS, pr ost at e di sor der s and sex ual dy sf unct i on.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Cli ni cal st udi es hav e f ound
t hat damiana benef i t s sex ual abil i t y and ner v ous
62
Dami ana has al so been used t o t r eat
t ensi on.
63
depr ession as a st imul at ing ner v i ne. It has been
applied in cases of chr oni c f at i gue and ment al ex haus64
t ion. Dami ana cont ains bet a- si t ost er ol , a compound
. . . t hat coul d hav e some st imul ant ef f ect on t he
sex ual appar at us or could help build sex ual heal t h and
65
r epr oduct i v it y . It i s ex cel lent w hen used in f or 69

70

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

mulas w it h her bs such as gi nseng, suma, sar sapar il 66

Dami ana is usef ul f or bot h
l a and saw palmet t o.
67
f emale and male inf er t il it y .
Saf et y : Use i n appr opr iat e doses as di r ect ed.
Complement ar y A gent s: Saw pal met t o, dong quai ,
r ed r aspber r y , li cor i ce, kel p, sar sapar i ll a, bl ack
cohosh, cr amp bar k, queen of t he meadow , gi nseng,
squaw v i ne, got u kol a, v it ami n E, bee poll en, bee
pr opoli s, B- complex , cal ci um/ magnesi um, pot assi um and mar i ne l ipids.

DANDELION (Taraxacum officinale)

Def ini t i on: Ri ch i n pot assi um, dandel i on w or ks t o
det ox if y t he bl ood, i ncr ease t he f low of bi l e f r om t he
l i v er , bui l ds r ed bl ood cel l s and i s consider ed a hi ghl y nut r i t i v e f ood.
A ppl icat i ons: A cne, anemi a, ar t hr i t is, ast hma,
bl ood di sor der s, eczema, gal l bl adder di s ease,
hepat i t is, hy pogl y cemi a, j aundice, ki dney inf ect i ons, l iv er di sor der s, psor i asi s, PMS, skin er upt i ons, and w ei ght loss.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Sev er al cl inical st udi es hav e
suppor t ed t he abi li t y of dandel i on t o t r eat chr oni c
68
l i v er congest i on. Dandel ion has an i mpr essi v e bi l est i mulat i ng act i on w hi ch hel ps pr omot e li v er and
69
gal l bl adder f unct ion. The abi l it y of dandel ion t o
cl ear t he gal l bl adder and t r eat j aundice has been
70
i mpr essi v e. Moder n r esear ch has pr ov en t he v al i di t y of dandel ion. It can st i mul at e t he el i minat i on of
ur i c acid f r om t he body and t r eat anemi c condi t i ons
71
of t he bl ood.
Saf et y : Use as di r ect ed i n appr opr i at e doses.
Complement ar y Agent s: Mi lk t hi st l e, bur dock,
y ell ow dock, cascar a sagr ada, f enugr eek, gar li c,
r ed sage, r ed cl ov er , black cohosh, v i t ami n C,
bi of lav onoi ds, pr oant hocy ani dins, v i t ami n A , Bcompl ex , v it ami n E, phy t onut r i ent s and bl ue- gr een
al gae.

DEVILS CLAW (Harpagophytum procumbens)

Def ini t i on: Used f or t r eat ing r heumat i sm, ar t hr i t i s and gout i n Sout h Af r i ca, t he gl y coside cont ent of
t hi s her b makes it a nat ur al ant i- i nf l ammat or y
agent . It is al so consider ed an ant i agi ng bot ani cal and
a v ascular t oni c. It i s an ideal her b f or most ger i at r i c appl i cat ions.
A ppl icat i ons: A r t er i oscl er osi s, ar t hr i t i s, bl ood
pur if i er , cholest er ol i nf lammat i on, edema, i ndi gest i on, li v er ai l ment s, neur al gia, r heumat i sm and
st omach ai l ment s.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Recent st udies hav e conf i r med
t he ant i - i nf l ammat or y v al ue of t hi s her b f or chr oni c
r heumat i sm, ar t hr i t is, neur algia and gout , r at ing i t
equal t o pheny l but azone, a commonl y pr escr i bed
72
dr ug f or ar t hr i t is. It al so hel ps t o r egul at e chol es73
t er ol l ev el s.
Saf et y : Ex t ensiv e dat a suppor t s t he saf et y of t hi s
her b, but i t shoul d nev er be used dur ing pr egnancy
70

becaues it may st i mul at e ut er i ne cont r act i on.

Compl ement ar y A gent s: Celer y , w i l d y am, black
cohosh, Or egon gr ape r oot , gi nger , gl ucosami ne,
v i t amin C, bi of lav onoi ds, gr ape seed or pi ne bar k
ex t r act .

DONG QUAI (Angelica sinensis)

Def i ni t ion: Consi der ed one of t he best her bal ut er i ne t oni cs, dong quai is v er y hi ghl y r egar ded by
A sian medi cal pr act i t i oner s. Used t o cor r ect pai nf ul
menst r uat i on, hor monal imbal ance, post par t um condi t ions and menopausal sy mpt oms, t his her b w or ks
w el l w i t h v it ami n E t o st r engt hen t he r epr oduct iv e
sy st em.
A ppli cat i ons: A t her oscler osis, anemi a, bl eedi ng,
f at i gue, ci r cul at or y insuf f ici enci es, high bl ood pr essur e, hor monal i mbal ance, menst r ual di sor der s
( i r r egul ar
per i ods,
pai nf ul
per i ods,
PMS) ,
menopause, muscle spasms and poor v it al i t y .
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: The chemi cal const i t uent s of
dong quai hav e an i mmediat e st i mul at or y ef f ect on
t he ut er us by st r engt heni ng and nor mal izing ut er i ne
74
cont r act i ons. Bot h ani mal and human st udi es hav e
f ound t hat dong quai impr ov es per ipher al ci r cul a75
t i on. Resear ch i ndi cat es t hat it i s t he f er uli c aci d
and l ul gust i li de cont ent of t he her b w hi ch pr ev ent s
76
spasms and r el ax es bl ood v essel s. It al so has
77
pr ov en est r ogeni c act i v i t i es.
Saf et y : No r epor t ed t ox i cit y . Av oid i n cases of
sev er e gast r oi nt est i nal di sease and check w it h y our
phy sici an i f pr egnant or nur sing. This her b shoul d not
be used by any one w i t h hemor r hagic di seases or
dur i ng t he f i r st t hr ee mont hs of pr egnancy . It shoul d
al so be av oided dur i ng sev er e cases of t he f l u or i n
cases of spont aneous abor t ion.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Kel p, bl ack cohosh,
cr amp bar k, squaw v i ne, queen of t he meadow , sar sapar il l a, l i cor i ce, dami ana, r ed r aspber r y , saw
pal met t o, w i l d y am, v i t ami n E, v i t ami n C,
bi of l av onoi ds, B- compl ex , cal ci um/ magnesi um,
pot assi um, mar ine li pi ds and pr i mr ose oi l .

ECHINACEA (Echinacea purpurea)

Def i ni t i on: Because i t has nat ur al ant i bi ot i c
act i ons, echi nacea i s consi der ed an ex cel lent her b
f or i nf ect i ons of al l kinds. In addit i on, i t w or ks t o
boost l y mphat i c cl eansing of t he blood, enhances t he
i mmune sy st em and has cor t i sone- li ke pr oper t i es
w hi ch cont r i but e t o it s ant i - i nf l ammat or y act ion. It
i s r ecommended f or st ubbor n v ir al i nf ect i ons, y east
i nf ect ions and f or ar t hr i t i c condi t ions.
A ppli cat i ons: Acne, ar t hr i t i s, bl ood cl eansi ng,
boi l s, bur ns, br onchi t i s, canker sor es, chr oni c
f at i gue, colds, congest ion, cont agious diseases, ear
i nf ect i ons, f ev er s, her pes, gl andul ar di sor der s,
i nf ect ions (v ir al and bact er ial ) , inf l uenza, i mmune
sy st em di sor der s, pr ost at e di sease, psor i asi s, t onsi ll i t is and w ounds.

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
Scient i f i c Updat es: Labor at or y t est s hav e f ound
t hat compounds cont ai ned i n echi nacea hav e t he abil i t y t o r e- ar r ange and r ecogni ze enzy me pat t er ns i n
78
t he body . The abi li t y of t his her b t o boost i mmune
79
f unct i on deal s w it h t hy mus gl and st i mul at i on. It can
act uall y st i mul at e t he pr oduct i on and act ion of i nt er 80
f er on. Echinacea may hel p t he body neut r al i ze car 81
ci nogenic subst ances. The chemi cal cont ent of echi nacea pr omot ed i mpr ov ed r esist ance t o al l sept i c or
82
i nf ect i ous condi t i ons.
Saf et y : Hi gh doses of echinacea may occasi onal l y
cause nausea and dizziness. Thi s her b has not ex hi bi t ed any obser v ed t ox ici t y ev en i n hi gh doses.
A ny one suf f er i ng f r om any t y pe of kidney disor der
should not t ake echinacea f or l onger t han one w eek
i nt er v als due t o possi bl e ex cr et e miner al imbal ance.
Heav y or pr ol onged use of t hi s her b is not r ecommended.
Complement ar y A gent s: A l f alf a, capsi cum, gi nger , gi nseng, cat s cl aw , gol denseal , ast r agal us,
gar li c, v it ami n C, bi of l av onoi ds, v i t amin A, bl uegr een algae, B- complex v i t ami ns, cal cium/ magnesi um and zi nc.

EYEBRIGHT (Euphrasia officinalis)

Def ini t i on: For gener at i ons, t hi s her b has been a
f av or it e choice f or t he t r eat ment of v ar ious ey e di seases. It i s par t i cul ar l y ef f ect i v e f or any inf l ammat i on of t he mucous membr ane of t he ey e, i n addit i on
t o l ight sensi t i v i t y , mi nor i r r it at i ons, w eepi ng,
i t chi ng, et c.
A ppl i cat i ons: Al l er gi c r eact ions ( ey e- r el at ed) ,
cat ar act s, conj unct iv it i s, di abet i c r et inopat hy , ey e
i nf l ammat i ons, ey e inf ect i ons, ey e st r ai n, gl aucoma
and v ision pr obl ems.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Thi s her b has nat ur al ast r i ngent and ant i - i nf lammat or y pr oper t ies cont ai ned i n
i t s compounds w hi ch hav e not undger gone sci ent if i c
st udy as of y et .
Saf et y : Whi l e i t s speci f i c bi ochemical act i ons
hav e not been del i neat ed, ey ebr i ght has been successf ull y used f or gener at i on i n hundr eds of cases of
ey e ir r it at i ons and ot her ey e ail ment s. It s abil i t y t o
cl eanse t he blood suppl y t o t he ey e i s t hought t o be
83
r esponsi ble f or it s t her apeut ic ef f ect .
Complement ar y Agent s: Bil ber r y , r ed r aspber r y ,
gol denseal, gr ape seed or pi ne bar k ex t r act , v it ami n
A , bet a car ot ene, v i t ami n C, bi of l av onoi ds and
ant i ox i dant ar r ay .

FENNEL (Foeniculum vulgare)

Def ini t i on: Used as an ef f ect i v e car mi nat i v e f or
di gest i v e pr obl ems, f ennel r el iev es i nt est i nal gas
and col i c, boost s t he ex pul sion of mucus, st imul at es
l act at i on and has been used f or w eight l oss. It s
l i cor i ce- l ike t ast e makes it a good f lav or i ng agent
w hi ch also hel ps t o enhance t he di gest ibil i t y of ot her
her bal medi ci nes.

71

A ppli cat i ons: Appet it e suppr essant , coli c, gas,

i ndi gest ion, i nt est i nal di sor der s, l act at i on boost er ,
mor ni ng sickness, nausea, sedat i v e (j uv eni le) , ur i c
aci d ( gout ) and w ei ght loss
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Recent st udi es hav e l ooked at
t he est r ogeni c act ion of f ennel. 8 4 The f lav onoi d cont ent of f ennel is t hought t o be r esponsibl e f or i t s
abi l it y t o st op st omach spasms t y pi cal ly seen i n
85
col i c.
Saf et y : Gener al l y r ecognized as saf e.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Cat ni p, chamomi l e,
chi ckw eed, gi nger , papay a, pepper mint , l i cor i ce,
dandeli on, f enugr eek, t hy me, di gest i v e enzy mes,
cal ci um/ magnesi um, acidophi lus and biof l av onoi ds.

FENUGREEK (Trigonella foenum-graecum)

Def i ni t ion: Est eemed by t he Gr eeks and Romans,
f enugr eek w as used as a f l av or i ng agent and aphr odi si ac. Today it i s commonl y used t o br eak up and
ex pel mucus, soot he t he gast r oi nt est i nal t r act and
st i mulat e mi lk pr oduct i on.
A ppli cat i ons: A l ler gies, br onchi t is, chol est er ol
l ev el s, coughs, di abet es, di gest i v e ai l ment s,
emphy sema, i nt est i nal gas, headache, lung inf ect i ons, mucus congest i on and skin er upt ions.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Fenugr eek is cur r ent l y bei ng
86
used t o t r eat di abet es i n Middle East count r i es.
Because i t cont ains up t o 3 0 per cent muci l age, f enugr eek w or ks as an ef f ect i v e ant i - i nf l ammat or y
agent and can heal abscesses and ot her ski n er upt i ons. Cl i nical t est s hav e show n t hat f enugr eek si gni f icant ly r educed bl ood glucose and chol est er ol lev 87
el s i n t est ani mals. Fenugr eek seeds, w hich cont ai n
di osgeni n and t i gogeni n, may al so hel p t one ut er i ne
88
muscl e and st imul at e l act at i on i n nur si ng mot her s.
Fr ench sci ent i st s hav e f ound t hat f enugr eek st i mul at es pancr eat i c secr et i on w hi ch enhances diges89
t i on.
Saf et y : Fenugr eek shoul d be av oi ded in pr egnancy
as i t i s a ut er i ne st i mulant . Diabet ics shoul d check
w it h t hei r doct or s bef or e usi ng f enugr eek f or blood
sugar cont r ol .
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Dandel i on, my r r h, r ed
cl ov er , l obel i a, cor nsi lk, gar li c, y el l ow dock, gol denseal, v it ami n C, biof l av onoi ds, pr oant hocy ani di ns,
phy t onut r ient s, bl ue- gr een algae, v i t amin A, Bcompl ex and chr omium.

FEVERFEW (Chrysanthemum parthenium)

Def i ni t ion: Used t o t r eat many of t he same disor der s aspi r i n i s used f or , t hi s her b i s most w i dely
know n f or i t s t her apeut i c appl icat i on f or mi gr ai ne
headaches, f ev er and f or ar t hr i t is. Folk li t er at ur e i s
f ul l of pr ai se f or i t abi l it y t o cal m i nf l ammat i on and
t r eat pai n.
A ppli cat i ons: Ast hma, inf l ammat or y condi t i ons,
ar t hr i t i s, menst r ual pain, migr aine headaches and
f ev er .
71

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D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

Scient i f i c Updat es: Thi s her b cont ai ns a gr oup of

chemi cal s call ed sesquit er pene l act ones w hi ch ar e
bi t t er compounds w hi ch i nhi bi t pr ost agl andi n pr oduct i on in t he body and decr ease hi st ami ne r el ease;
t w o f unc t i ons w hi c h cause t he i nf l ammat or y
r esponse.
Saf et y : Because i t act s simi lar ly t o sal i cy l at es
f ound i n aspir i n, it is not r ecommended f or pr egnant
or l act at i ng w omen or f or chi l dr en. In addi t ion, any one t aking blood t hi nner s shoul d not use t hi s her b.
Complement ar y A gent s: Whi t e w i l low , v i t ami n C,
pr oant hocy anidi ns, biof l av onoi ds, mar i ne li pi ds and
gar li c.

GARLIC (Allium sativum)

Def ini t i on: Gar li c cont ains mor e t han 2 0 0 chemi cal compounds. It s sul phur - cont aini ng subst ances,
such as al l ici n and aj oene, ar e w hat gi v e gar li c i t s
ant i bi ot ic pr oper t i es as w ell as i t s pungent smel l.
Gar li c has been used f or cent ur i es f or ev er y t hi ng
f r om pr ot ect i on f r om i nf ect i on t o i ncr eased sex ual
pr ow ess.
A ppl icat i ons: Ar t er ioscler osis, ar t hr i t is, ast hma,
bl ood poisoning, bl ood pr essur e ( hi gh or l ow ) , br onchi t i s, cancer , candi da, ci r cul at or y i nsuf f i ciency ,
col ds, col i t i s, coughs, di gest iv e di sor der s, ear
i nf ect i ons, f ev er , f l u, f ungus, gas, hear t di sease,
i nf ect i ons ( v ir al and bact er i al) , li v er ai l ment s, l ung
di sor der s, par asit es, pinw or m, pr ost at e gland di sor der s, r espir at or y congest ion and y east inf ect i ons.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Gar l i c has been t he subj ect of
i nt ense sci ent i f ic st udy ov er t he l ast t hr ee decades.
Recent r esear ch has pr ov en t he v al ue of gar l i c i n
t r eat i ng and pr ev ent i ng car di ov ascul ar di sease.
Cont r ol led st udi es di scov er ed t hat i t can l ow er chol est er ol and t r i gl y cer i de l ev el s, r educe t he t enden92
cy of t he bl ood t o cl ot and decr ease bl ood pr essur e.
Gar li c has been sci ent i f icall y pr ov en t o i nhi bi t bac93
t er i al gr ow t h. One mi l li gr am of al l ici n, gar li c s
pr i mar y const it uent , i s est i mat ed t o equal 1 5 st an94
dar d uni t s of peni ci ll i n. Dr . Er i k Block di scov er ed
t hat gar l ic al so pr ot ect s t he l iv er f r om dr ug, r adi a95
t i on and f r ee r adi cal damage. Gar li c can also st i mul at e immuni t y and is consider ed an ant icancer
96
agent .
Saf et y : Gar l ic i s consi der ed saf e, how ev er , an
ex cess dose can cause st omach upset . When usi ng
gar li c di r ect l y on t he skin, coat t he ar ea w i t h ol i v e
oi l f ir st t o av oi d skin ir r i t at i on. Do not use gar li c i n
l ar ge amount s i f y ou hav e anemi a or ul cer s.
Complement ar y Agent s: Par sley , capsi cum, alf al f a, blue- gr een al gae, kel p, black w al nut , buckt hor n,
couch gr ass, echinacea, gol denseal , r ed clov er , v i t ami n C, biof l av onoi ds, pr oant hocy anidins and phy t onut r i ent s .

GINGER (Zingiber officinale)

Def ini t i on: Nat iv e t o coast al r egi ons of Indi a, t hi s
72

her b has a long hi st or y of use t hr oughout t he w or l d

f or it s abi l it y t o t r eat gast r oi nt est inal upset s. Fol k
medi cine is f ull of r ecor ds conf i r ming t he use of ar omat ic gi nger f or i t s st i mul at ing and car mi nat iv e
pr oper t ies. It makes a w onder f ul t ea i n t imes of
col ds and f l u and can qui et nausea and i ndi gest i on
bet t er t han any ot her moder n medi ci nal agent .
A ppli cat i ons: Nausea, mor ni ng si ckness, mot i on
si ckness, indi gest i on, diar r hea, col on di sor der s,
gas, l oss of appet it e, col ds and f l u, pai n and ear aches.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: A n ar t i cl e f ound i n t he Mar ch
2 , 1 9 8 2 edit i on of Lancet show ed t hat gi nger can be
as ef f ect i v e or bet t er t han Dr amami ne, an ov er - t hecount er dr ug f or t r eat i ng mot ion sickness.
Saf et y : Consi der ed saf e and nont ox ic if used as
di r ect ed.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Pepper mi nt , f ennel ,
papay a, spear mi nt , chamomi le, cascar a sagr ada,
senna, al oe v er a, pr ot eol y t i c enzy mes, v it ami n C
and bi of l av onoi ds.

GINKGO (Ginkgo biloba)

Def i ni t ion: The most ancient of al l t r ees, gi nkgo i s
nat i v e t o ar eas of t he Far East and is a f av or it e of
Chi nese pr act it i oner s f or t he t r eat ment of r espir at or y di sor der s. Today , gi nkgo i s t he subj ect of w idespr ead scient if i c inquir y f or it s abi l it y t o i ncr ease
ci r cul at or y ox y genat ion t o br ain cell s as w el l as
ot her body ar eas.
A ppl i cat i ons: A nt i agi ng, A l zhei mer s di sease,
ast hma, depr essi on, at t ent ion def i cit di sor der , blood
cl ot s, cir culat or y i nsuf f iciency , dement ia, ki dney
di sease, memor y l oss, r espi r at or y di sease, senil i t y , st r ess, st r oke, t i nni t us and v ascul ar di sease.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Numer ous st udi es hav e f ound
t hat ginkgo can pr ot ect t he neur onal membr anes i n
t he br ain and hel p pr ev ent t he decr ease i n cer ebr al
101
Dur i ng an open
r ecept i on t hat occur s w i t h agi ng.
t r i al inv ol v i ng 1 1 2 ger i at r ic pat ient s w ho suf f er ed
f r om i nadequat e cer ebr al bl ood f l ow , 1 2 0 mg of
gi nkgo ex t r act caused a si gni f icant r egr ession of
102
pr e- ex i st ing sy mpt oms.
Saf et y : Gi nkgo i s consi der ed nont ox i c w i t h f ew
si de ef f ect s. It can be saf el y used w i t h ot her suppl ement s. In r ar e cases, some gast r ic upset or i nci dence of headache or ski n r ash has occur r ed pr obabl y i ndi cat ing an all er gi c r eact ion.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Ginseng, got u kol a, sage,
bee pol l en, capsi cum, suma, St . J ohn s w or t , gar l i c,
v i t amin B- complex , f ol i c aci d, magnesi um, chol i ne,
ant i ox i dant ar r ay and DHEA.

GINSENG SIBERIAN (Eleutherococcus senticosus)

Def i ni t ion: Used f or gener at i ons by t he Chinese,
gi nseng w as t aken t o i ncr ease l if e span as w ell as
w isdom. Consi der ed a t onic her b, gi nseng has capt ur ed t he int er est of t he sci ent i f i c communi t y and

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
has been f ound t o l ow er cholest er ol , boost car di ov ascul ar f unct i on, pr ev ent blood clot s, i ncr ease st ami na and pr ot ect cell s f r om r adi at i on. Cont i nui ng
r esear ch on gi nseng i s cur r ent ly under w ay .
A ppl icat i ons: A ging, dr ug w i t hdr aw al , depr essi on, di abet es, col ds, hy per t ensi on, r adi at ion pr ot ect i on, impot ence, l ung di sor der s, pr ost at e gl and
di sease, compr omi sed immuni t y and sex ual dy sf unct i on.
Scient if i c Updat es: A st udy publ i shed i n The
A mer ican J our nal of Chi nese Medi ci ne r epor t ed t hat
gi nseng can moder at e t he ef f ect s of a high- chol es103
t er ol diet i n bot h r at es and humans. Cl i nical t est i ng has f ound t hat gi nseng can pr ev ent cel lul ar dam104
age f r om r adi at ion ex posur e. Ginseng can incr ease
sper m count , low er blood sugar and hel p t o t r eat
105
al cohol i sm.
Saf et y : Gener all y r ecognized as saf e, ginseng
should be pur chased f r om r el i abl e sour ces t o ensur e
pur it y and pot ency . A st udy publ i shed in a 1 9 7 9
i ssue of t he J our nal of t he A mer i can Medical
A ssoci at i on er r oneousl y r epor t ed t hat gi nseng causes high blood pr essur e and i r r i t abi li t y . The st udy
w as subsequent ly di scr edit ed. If used i n r easonabl e
amount , gi nseng i s consider ed nont ox i c.
Complement ar y Agent s: Got u kol a, gi nkgo, St .
J ohn s w or t , bee pol l en, saw pal met t o, w i l d y am,
DHEA , v it ami n- B compl ex and ant iox i dant ar r ay .

GLUCOMANNAN (Amorphophallus konjak)

Def ini t i on: Gl ucomannan i s a uni que her b t hat pr ov ides di et ar y f i ber w i t h no cal or i es. It pr omot es
bow el el i mi nat i on, absor bs i nt est i nal t ox i ns and can
hel p nor mal ize bl ood sugar . When t aken bef or e
meal s, t his her b can hel p t o pr oduce a f eeli ng of f ull ness, supr essing t he appet it e. A s a diet ar y ai d, i t
can ex pand t o about 5 0 t i mes it s or igi nal v ol ume
w hen combi ned w i t h w at er .
A ppl i cat i ons: At her scl er osi s, hi gh chol est er ol ,
const ipat i on, sl uggi sh colon, hy per t ensi on, di abet es,
bl ood sugar di sor der s and obesi t y .
Sci ent i f i c Updat es: Gl ucomannan i s cur r ent l y
bei ng used i n w ei ght r educt ion f or mulas t o suppr ess
car bohy dr at e cr av i ng. When combined w i t h lecit hi n,
i t i s t hought t o hel p pr ev ent car di ov ascular di s106
ease.
Saf et y : Consi der ed nont ox i c, but any one suf f er i ng
f r om any bl ood sugar - r elat ed disease shoul d check
w i t h t heir phy si ci an bef or e usi ng gl ucommanan.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Lec i t hi n, chr omi um,
gar cini a cambogia, gar l ic, haw t hor n, essent i al f at t y
aci ds, car nat ine and f i ber sour ces ( psy ll i um, guar
gum, et c.) .

GOLDENSEAL (Hydrastis canadensis)

Def ini t i on: Used by Nat iv e A mer icans f or gener at i ons, gol denseal r oot is a f av or i t e among her bali st s
f or it s ant i- i nf l ammat or y ef f ect and ant i bi ot ic- l i ke

73

act i ons. The bi t t er nat ur e of t hi s her b has al so made

i t an ef f ect iv e r emedy f or di gest i v e di sor der s and as
a bi t t er t oni c f or gast r i c ul cer s. St r ai ned i nf usions
of goldenseal hav e t r adi t ionall y been used as a
soot hi ng ey e w ash.
A ppli cat i ons: Di ar r hea, eczema, ey e inf l ammat i ons, f l at ulence, gal l bladder di sease, gast r i t is, gi ar di a, hemor r hoi ds, i mpet igo, i ndi gest ion, i nf ect ions
( v i r al and bact er i al ), l i v er di sease, ex cessiv e menst r ual f l ow , mout h sor es, r hi nit i s, r i ngw or m, ulcer s
and v aginit i s.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Labor at or y t est s hav e pr ov en
gol denseal s abi li t y t o pr ot ect agai nst gr am- posi t iv e
and gr am- negat iv e bact er i a i ncl uding t uber cul osi s
bact er i a. 1 07 It hel ps t o r educe v agi nal and ut er i ne
10 8
Test s hav e f ound t hat ber ber inei nf lammat i on.
cont ai ni ng her bs can be mor e ef f ect iv e i n t r eat i ng
gast r oi nt est i nal i nf ect i ons t han st andar d ant i bi 10 9
ot i cs.
Saf et y : Pr olonged or ex cessi v e use may kil l bact er i al f lor a and r ai se w hi t e bl ood cell count . Taki ng
unusuall y hi gh amount s of goldenseal can l ow er
hear t beat and adv er sel y af f ect t he cent r al ner v ous
sy st em. Pr egnant w omen shoul d not use t his her b
because i t s ber ber i ne cont ent can st imul at e ut er i ne
cont r act i ons. Cont i nual use can l ow er v i t amin B
absor pt ion. Gol denseal is not r ecommended f or any one w i t h low bl ood sugar or hy per t ension.
Compl ement ar y Agent s: Bar ber r y , Or egon gr ape,
echi nacea, gar l ic, capsi cum, my r r h, ginger , ey ebr i ght , j uni per , dandeli on, chamomi l e, bl ack cohosh,
comf r ey , cascar a, gent i an, dong quai, v i t ami n C,
bi of lav onoi ds, v i t ami n A, digest iv e enzy mes and
gr ape seed or pi ne bar k pr oant hocy anidi ns.

GOTU KOLA (Centella asiatica)

Def init ion: Gr ow n in J av a and Cey lon, got u kola is
one of t he most popular Ay ur v edic her bs ut ili zed as a
ner v e t onic, a r emedy f or epil epsy and as a br ain nor malizer in condi t ions such as memor y loss and schizophr enia. Recent ly , scient ist s hav e discov er ed it s
abil it y t o t r eat inf lammat ion and f ev er .
A ppli cat i ons: A ge- r elat ed di sor der s, ar t er i oscl er osi s, ci r cul at or y pr obl ems, epi lepsy , hi gh blood
pr essur e, i nf ect i ons, depr essi on, f at i gue, hy pogl y cemi a, l ear ni ng di sor der s, memor y l oss,
menopause, ner v ous condit i ons, PMS, psor i asi s,
schi zophr enia, senil i t y , ul cer at i ons and w ounds.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: St udi es hav e indicat ed t he got u
kol a w or ks as a t onic f or f at igue w i t hout t he si de
110
It also st imul at es and bui l ds
ef f ect s of caf f eine.
t he ner v ous sy st em count er act i ng t he ef f ect s of
st r ess. Eur opeans and A sians use t hi s her b f or pso111
r i asi s, cer v icit i s and v agini t i s. In Indi a, got u kol a
has enj oy ed w idespr ead use as a br ain f ood w i t h i t s
t her apeut ic f ocus on i mpr ov i ng memor y and pr omot 11 2
i ng longev i t y .
Saf et y : No know n t ox ici t y . Take in appr opr i at e
doses.
73

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D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

Complement ar y Agent s: Chi ckw eed, cascar a, bil ber r y , dong quai , sar sapar i ll a, gi nseng, gi nkgo, capsi cum, l i cor i ce, v i t ami n C, biof l av onoi ds, v i t amin E,
v it ami n D, zi nc, bee pol len and bee pr opoli s.

GUARANA (Paullinia cupana)

Def ini t i on: A lso know n as Br azil i an cocoa, guar ana
i s a caf f ei ne- cont aini ng her b w hi ch i s used as an
ener gy dr i nk and nat ur al st i mul ant . Guar ana cont ai ns
chemi cal compounds cal led x ant hi nes w hi ch i ncl ude
caf f ei ne, t heobr omi ne and t heophy l l ine.
A ppl icat i ons: Appet i t e suppr essant , aphr odi si ac,
di ar r hea, f at i gue, gast r oi nt est i nal di sor der s,
headaches, migr aines, neur al gi a and PMS.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Guar ana i s used f or it s st i mul at i ng pr oper t i es and f or it s di ur et i c act i on. It is al so
consider ed ant idi ar r heic, and ant i f at igue. It s pot ent i al f or t r eat i ng mi gr ai ne headaches i s under cur r ent
i nv est i gat i on.
Saf et y : Guar ana is a caf f ei ne- cont aining her b and
should not be ov er used. Pr egnant w omen or nur si ng
mot her s shoul d not use guar ana. Ov er use can cause
a st r ain on t he ur i nar y t r act , hear t pal pi t at ions, or
i nsomni a. Combi ning guar ana w it h her bs such as
ephedr a can hav e har mf ul side ef f ect s.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Yer ba mat e, gi nseng,
got u kola, kol a nut and chickw eed.

GYMNEMA SILVESTIS (Gymnema sylvestre)

Def ini t i on: As a nat iv e t r ee of A f r i ca and Indi a,
gy mnema l eav es hav e t he r emar kable abi l it y t o
bl ock out t he cer t ain t ast e sensat i ons, especial l y
sw eet ness. It i s an ex t r emel y popul ar her b i n J apan
and is included i n di abet i c, hy pogly cemic and w ei ght
l oss f or mul as.
A ppl i cat i ons: Di abet es, f at i gue, hy pogl y cemi a,
obesit y and sugar cr av i ngs.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Moder n r esear ch has f ound t he
gy mnemi c aci d, t he act iv e i ngr edient of t hi s her b
1 13
A cl ini cal
bl ocks sugar absor pt i on i nt o t he body .
st udy publi shed i n 1 9 8 6 suggest s t hat ex t r act of
gy mnema can si gni f i cant l y enhance l iv er and pancr e11 4
at i c f unct i on.
Saf et y : Diabet i cs shoul d check w i t h t hei r phy si ci an bef or e using t his her b.
Complement ar y Agent s: Fenugr eek, gol denseal ,
mi lk t hi st l e, ginger , bil ber r y , blueber r y , dandeli on,
v it ami n C, v it ami n A, B- compl ex , bi of lav onoi ds,
pr oant hocy anidi ns, chr omi um, bee pol l en and bee
pr opoli s.

HAWTHORN BERRY (Crategus oxyacantha)

Def ini t i on: Know n as a bot ani cal hear t t oni c,
haw t hor n ber r i es w er e popul ar w it h t he anci ent
Gr eeks and t r adi t ionall y used t o t r eat high and l ow
bl ood pr essur e, i r r egular hear t beat , hear t pai n and
at her oscl er osi s. Nat i v e A mer icans look t o t he ber r y
74

f or it s t her apeut i c ef f ect on r heumat ism and digest i v e di f f i cul t i es.

A ppli cat i ons: A ngi na, i r r egular hear t beat , blood
pr ess ur e di sor der s , congest i v e hear t f ai l ur e,
hy per t ensi on, cor onar y ar t er y disease, hi gh cholest er ol , ner v ous di sor der s, i nsomni a, Rey naud s sy ndr ome and sor e t hr oat .
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: The car di ot onic pr oper t i es of
haw t hor n ar e w el l document ed. The f lav onoi d cont ent of haw t hor n ber r y has been cl ini cal l y pr ov en t o
di lat e per i pher al and cor onar y bl ood v essel s, al l ev i at i ng hy per t ension and angi na. 11 5 Ex per i ment al st udi es hav e f ound t hat haw t hor n w or ks in t hr ee i mpor t ant w ay s: it eases bl ood f low , l ow er s blood pr es1 16
One of t he
sur e and st r engt hens hear t muscl e.
most desir able benef i t s of haw t hor n i s t hat i t s car di opr ot ect i v e r ol e may act uall y escalat e w hen used
117
In addi t i on,
f or a pr ol onged per i od of t i me.
haw t hor n has t he abi li t y t o l ow er ser um chol est er ol
l ev el s and pr ev ent chol est er ol deposi t s f r om accu118
It i s an ex t r emely v al uabl e
mul at ing in ar t er ies.
t her apeut ic agent f or t he ear ly st ages of congest iv e
119
hear t f ai l ur e and ar r hy t hmias.
Saf et y : No know n t ox ici t y has been f ound i n
haw t hor n. It may pot ent iat e t he act i on of di git al i s
and shoul d onl y be mix ed w i t h phar maceut i cal dr ugs
w hen appr ov ed by a phy sician. The ef f ect s of
haw t hor n can be cumulat i v e.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Capsi cum, gar l i c, passi onf l ow er , v al er ian, pepper mi nt , gi nkgo, v it ami n
C, v i t ami n A, v i t ami n E, v i t amin B- complex , cal ci um/ magnesi um, pot assi um, sel eni um, coenzy me
Q1 0 , mar ine li pi ds and phy t onut r i ent s.

HORSETAIL (Equisetum arvense)

Def i ni t ion: Used f or cent ur i es t o t r eat i nt er nal and
ex t er nal inj ur ies, hor set ai l hel ps t o f aci l it at e t he
use of cal ci um i n t he body and has a hi gh sil i ca cont ent . It is par t i cul ar l y good f or boost ing ci r cul at i on,
pr omot i ng t he heal i ng of br oken bones and f or ki dney
and ur i nar y t r act diseases. It i s consi der ed a nat ur al diur et ic and ast r i ngent .
A ppli cat i ons: Ar t hr it i s, bladder ai l ment s, bedw et t ing, conj unct i v i t i s, bone i nj ur i es, gl andul ar di sor der s, hai r l oss, ki dney st ones, ner v ous t ensi on,
t umor s and ur inar y pr obl ems.
Sci ent i f i c Updat es: Resear ch has f ound t hat
hor set ail cont ai ns ant i bi ot i c and hemol y t i c ( blood1 20
It s r i ch ar r ay of mi ner al s
cl ot t ing) pr oper t i es.
makes i t i deal f or t he heal i ng of i nj ur ed t issue and
bone. It is especiall y ef f ect i v e i n poul t ice f or m.
Saf et y : No know n t ox i ci t y .
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Gi nseng, mar shmall ow ,
pl ant ai n, al f al f a, y ucca, dandel ion, par sl ey , saw
pal met t o, gl ucosami ne, shar k car t i lage, v i t amin C,
HCL, phosphor us and cal ci um/ magnesi um.

HO-SHOU-WU (Polygonum multiflorum)

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e

75

Def ini t i on: Tr adi t ionall y used by t he Chi nese t o

pr omot e l ongev it y , t hi s her b i s r i ch i n f l av onoi ds and
i s pr i mar i ly used t o r est or e v i gor , st r engt hen t he
car dio- v ascul ar sy st em, enhance t he endocr i ne sy st em and t one t he l i v er and kidney s. It is good i n
appli cat i ons f or chr oni c f at i gue or degener at iv e condi t i ons.
A ppl icat i ons: A ging, car di ov ascul ar condit i ons,
chr onic f at igue, ci r cul at or y insuf f i ci ency , debi li t at ed condi t ions, gl andul ar di sor der s, i mpot ency and
i nf er t i li t y .
Scient i f i c Updat es: Resear ch on t hi s her b is l i mi t ed but i t s l ong hist or y of use by t he Chinese i n
r est or at iv e her bal f or mul as at t est s t o i t s t oni c
act i on.
Saf et y : Pr esumed t o be saf e.
Complement ar y A gent s: Haw t hor n, gar l ic, coenzy me Q1 0 , mar i ne li pi ds, essent ial f at t y aci ds, capsi cum and v it ami n E.

t i ons, ki dney st ones, pancr eas def i ci enci es and

w at er r et ent i on.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: J uniper act s dir ect ly on ki dney f unct i on t o st imul at e ur ine f l ow by incr easi ng
t he r at e of glomer ulus f i lt r at i on ( bl ood pur i f icat i on) . 1 2 2 St udi es hav e f ound t hat af t er ki dney di sease, j uni per can hel p r est or e ki dney t i ssue and nor 1 23
mal ize bl ood pr essur e.
Saf et y : If pr egnant , use j uniper onl y w i t h y our
phy sici an s per mi ssi on. Long t er m or ex cessi v e use
may cause kidney ir r it at i on or i nhi bit i r on absor pt i on. Using j uniper in her bal blends helps t o av oi d
t hi s possi bi li t y .
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Cor nsi l k, uv a ur si , cr anber r y , par sley , al f al f a, mar shmal l ow , kel p, buchu,
queen of t he meadow , v i t amin C, bi of lav onoi ds,
pr oant hocy ani di ns, B- compl ex , v it ami n E, magnesi um, pot assi um, copper and miner al and elect r oly t e
suppl ement s.

HOPS ( Humulus lupulus)

KAVA KAVA (Piper methysticum)

Def ini t i on: Hops i s best know n f or i t s use in t he

br ew i ng of beer . It i s an ex t r emel y usef ul ner v i ne
her b w hich has been t r adi t i onal ly used t o cal m t he
cent r al ner v ous sy st em and saf el y induce sl eep.
Dur ing t he r ei gn of Ki ng Geor ge, i t w as used t o f i ll
pi l low s t o hel p pr omot e r el ax at i on dur i ng i ll ness.
Nat iv e Amer i cans ut i li zed hops f or and ov er aci di c
st omach and f or indigest i on.
A ppl icat i ons: Insomnia, headaches, hy per act i v i t y ,
anx iet y , f ev er , ner v ousness, pain, st r ess, st omach
spasms, i nf l ammat i on and colon disor der s.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Recent i n- dept h cli ni cal st udi es r ev eal t hat hops w or ks t o r elax smoot h muscl e
and nat ur al l y sedat es t he ner v ous sy st em. Lupul one
1 21
and humulone ar e t he act i v e ingr edi ent s of hops.
The f l av onoi d cont ent gi v es hops i t s ant i - inf l ammat or y act ion.
Saf et y : Hops has no know n t ox i cit y . It i s not r ecommended f or any one w ho i s suf f er ing f r om cl ini cal
depr essi on. Lar ge quant it i es can hav e an aphr odi si ac
ef f ect .
Complement ar y A gent s: Valer i an r oot , skul l cap,
chamomi l e, mull ei n, mar shmal low , w ood bet ony ,
passionf l ow er , v i t amin E, B- compl ex , f ol ic aci d,
ni aci n, v it ami n C, i nosi t ol, calci um/ magnesium and
mel at oni n.

Def i ni t ion: A r oot nat i v e t o t he Sout h Pacif i c,

kav a kav a has been used f or cent ur ies as a cal mat iv e
bot ani cal . It s pr imar y usage is t o r el ax t he cent r al
ner v ous sy st em.
A ppl i cat i ons: Insomni a, ner v ousness, st r ess,
headaches and anx iet y .
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Resear ch has f ound t hat kav a
kav a has mi ld psy choact i v e pr oper t i es w hi ch can
cont r i but e t o a f eeli ng of cont ent ment and peace
124
w hi le act uall y shar peni ng t he senses.
Saf et y : No know n t ox i ci t y .
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Hops, v al er i an r oot ,
chamomi le and melat oni n.

JUNIPER (Juniperus, communis)

Def ini t i on: Know n f or i t s ar omat i c bl ue- gr een
ber r ies, j uni per has been used i n Eur opean cir cles t o
t r eat ki dney di sor der s, ur i nar y t r act i nf ect i ons and
pr ost at e di sease. It has blood pur i f y i ng and ant i sept i c pr oper t i es w hi ch make i t a nat ur al f or any di sor der s af f ect ing t he ur inar y sy st em.
A ppl icat i ons: Adr enal gl and di sor der s, bedw et t i ng, bl adder pr obl ems, col ds, di abet es, f ungal
i nf ect i ons, hy pogl y cemi a, inf ect i ons, ki dney i nf ec-

KELP (Fucus vesiculosus)

Def i ni t ion: Techni cal l y speaking, kel p is a gr oup of
al gae w hi ch gr ow s i n t he par t s of t he A t lant ic and
Pacif i c Oceans. It s hi gh mi ner al cont ent makes i t a
desi r abl e nut r it i v e her b. It i s one of t he best nat ur al sour ces of iodine, maki ng i t a good her bal r emedy
f or t he t r eat ment of hy pot hy r oi di sm and obesi t y .
A ppli cat i ons: A cne, adr enal insuf f i ci enci es, col i t i s, eczema, endocr i ne gland di sor der s, ener gy , f i nger nail s, hy pot hy r oidi sm, obesit y and ut er i ne disor der s.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: St udi es conduct ed i n J apan
show a di r ect cor r elat i on bet w een t he consumpt i on
of al gi n f ound i n kel p and t he pr ev ent i on of br east
125
cancer . The abi li t y of al gi n t o st i mul at e t he T- cel l s
of t he immune sy st em i s t hought t o be r esponsi bl e
f or t his ef f ect . The micr onut r i ent s in kel p al so
12 6
enhance st amina and hel p t o bal ance hor mones.
Test s hav e suggest ed t hat i t may also hav e ant i bi ot 1 27
By boost i ng t hy r oi d f unct i on, kel p
i c pr oper t i es.
may i ncr ease ener gy by r egul at ing met aboli sm,
12 8
w hi ch may hel p boost t her mogenesis ( f at bur ni ng) .
Saf et y : Use as di r ect ed i n appr opr iat e doses.
75

76

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

Complement ar y Agent s: Al f al f a, dong quai, dandel i on, black cohosh, damiana, got u kola, gi nseng, Ir i sh
moss, li cor i ce, sar sapar i l la, queen of t he meadow ,
v it ami n A , v it ami n C, biof l av onoids, v it ami n E, cal ci um/ magnesi um, phosphor us, pot assi um, zi nc,
phy t onut r i ent s, blue- gr een al gae and bee pol len.

dong quai , bl ack cohosh, kel p, got u kola, mil k t hi st l e,

dandeli on, ginger , ginseng, queen of t he meadow ,
sar sapar i ll a, cr amp bar k, squaw v ine, v i t amin E, Bcompl ex , f oli c acid, cal cium/ magnesi um, pot assi um
and phy t onut r i ent s.

LEMON GRASS (Cymbopogon citracus)

LOBELIA (Lobelia inflata)

Def ini t i on: Chi nese medici nal pr act i t ioner s use
l emon gr ass t o t r eat col ds, abdomi nal dist r ess and
headaches. It i s al so consider ed a bl ood cleanser and
a good r emedy f or f ev er s. Lemon gr ass helps t o
ex pedi t e t he r emov al of mucus f r om t he body dur i ng
i nf ect i ons.
A ppl icat i ons: Colds, digest i v e upset s and f ev er .
Sci ent if ic Updat es: Lemon gr ass is r eput ed t o
slow t he dischar ge of mucus, as w el l as r educe
mucus dischar ge i n r espi r at or y condi t i ons, due i n
12 9
par t t o i t s ast r ingent pr oper t ies.
Saf et y : Use i n appr opr iat e dosages as di r ect ed.
Complement ar y Agent s: Sage, blessed t hist l e,
mar shmal l ow , mul l ei n, pl eur i sy r oot , cat ni p,
chamomi l e, sl ipper y elm, v it ami n C, bi of lav onoi ds,
pr oant hocy anidi ns, v i t amin A and cal cium/ magnesi um.

Def i ni t ion: West er n her bal pr act it i oner s hav e pr escr i bed l obel i a f or a w i de v ar i et y of ai l ment s and
pr i ze i t as a t her apeut i c her b. Because i t has t he
abi l it y t o i nduce v omi t ing, i t has been t he subj ect of
some cont r ov er sy . It is an ef f ect i v e and pow er f ul
agent f or t r eat i ng br onchit i s and ast hma and can
di lat e t he br onchiol e t ubes. It al so act s as a pot ent
r el ax ant f or t he cent r al ner v ous sy st em.
A ppli cat i ons: A ll er gi es, ast hma, ar t hr i t i s, br onchi t is, col ds, coughs, cr oup, emphy sema, epi lepsy ,
f ev er , i nsomnia, lung di sease, migr aine headaches,
mumps, pl eur i sy , pneumoni a, t oot haches, w hoopi ng
cough and w or ms.
Sci ent i f i c Updat es: In t he past , l obel ine w as
appr ov ed f or use by t he FDA as a det er r ent t o smok135
i ng i n cases of ni cot i ne w i t hdr aw al . Lobel i a i s consi der ed an ef f ect iv e ex pect or ant based on it s abil i t y
t o st i mul at e t he adr enal glands t o r el ease cor t icost er oi ds t hat pr omot e t he r el ax at i on of br onchi al
13 6
muscl es.
Saf et y : Misuse of l obel ia can r esult i n v omit i ng.
Lobel i a should be t aken in ex act pr escr i bed dosages.
Ov er dosi ng on l obel i a can cause ser i ous side ef f ect s.
Compl ement ar y
A gent s:
Capsi cum,
gar l i c,
l icor ice, comf r ey , f enugr eek and mull ei n.

LICORICE (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

Def ini t i on: Li cor i ce i s an ex t r emel y sw eet her b
t hat possesses si gni f icant ant i ar t hr i t i c and ant i i nf l ammat or y pr oper t ies w hi ch ar e l i nked t o t he
r el ease of cor t i cost er oid f r om t he adr enal gl ands.
Li cor i ce has been used f or adr enal insuf f i ci enci es
and has r ecent ly show n i t s ef f ect i v eness i n pr ev ent i ng and t r eat i ng ul cer s.
A ppl icat i ons: A ddi son s di sease, adr enal ex haust i on, al l er gi es, ar t hr it i s, cir culat or y i nsuf f i ciency ,
col ds, coughs, ear i nf ect ions, f at i gue, f emal e compl ai nt s, hoar seness, hy pogl y cemi a and hy per gl y cemi a, i mmune w eakness, l iv er disease, l ung
pr oblems, ul cer s, and ut er ine t onic.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Li cor i ce has been t he subj ect
of much moder n st udy . It has cl ear l y est abli shed i t s
13 0
The gl y cy r r hi zi n cont ent of
est r ogeni c act i v i t y .
l i cor i ce st i mul at es t he pr oduct i ons of hor mones such
as hy dr ocor t isone w hich w or k as ef f i ci ent ant i 131
St udi es hav e show n
i nf l ammat or y agent s.
l i cor i ce t o al so posseses t he abi l it y t o count er t he
132
Li cor i ce
ef f ect s of t w o t umor - pr oduci ng agent s.
has pr ov en ant i - inf l ammat or y and ant i all er gi c pr op1 33
er t i es. The pr oper t i es of gl y cy r r hi zi n cont ai ned i n
l i cor i ce st i mulat e t he pr oduct i on of int er f er on w hi ch
13 4
boost s immuni t y .
Saf et y : Li cor i ce should be av oided i f high bl ood
pr essur e is pr esent . Av oid l icor ice i f y ou ar e t aki ng
di gox i n- based dr ugs or hav e r api d hear t beat .
Ex cessi v e consumpt i on of l i cor i ce can cause sy mpt oms r esembli ng hi gh bl ood pr essur e. Taking suppl ement s of pot assium ar e r ecommended.
Complement ar y A gent s: Wi l d y am, saw palmet t o,
76

MARSHMALLOW (Althaea officinalis)

Def i ni t ion: Hippocr at es adv ocat ed t he use of t hi s
her b f or w ound heal ing. It has t he capabil i t y of heal i ng i nf l amed or i nj ur ed t issue and has demul cent
pr oper t ies w hi ch soot he i r r it at ed mucous membr anes. It i s calci um- r i ch and has been used t o
i ncr ease l act at ion and heal t he r espi r at or y and ur i nar y t r act s.
A ppli cat i ons: Gast r oint est i nal upset , l ung congest i on, abr asi ons, dr y coughs, sor e t hr oat s, col it i s,
ur i nar y t r act inf ect i ons and ner v ous ex haust ion or
br eakdow n.
Sci ent i f i c Updat es: Recent l abor at or y f indings
di scl ose t hat mar shmal l ow cont ai ns 2 8 6 , 0 0 0 uni t s
of v i t ami n A per pound w hi ch hel ps t o boost i t s heal 137
i ng pow er s. The abi li t y of mar shmal l ow t o soot he
and heal ir r i t at ed r espir at or y passages i s w el l- doc1 38
ument ed. It does t he same f or t he gast r oi nt est i nal
1 39
sy st em.
Saf et y : Mar shmall ow is consi der ed saf e and nont ox i c.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Black cohosh, bur dock,
sl ipper y el m, hops, v aler ian r oot , skul lcap, mull ei n,
w ood bet ony , chamomi l e, mel at oni n, v i t ami n E,
schi zandr a, cal ci um/ magnesi um, i nosi t ol , v it ami n

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
C, v it ami n A, and niaci n.

MILK THISTLE (Silybum marianum)

Def ini t i on: Mi l k t hi st l e has a l ong hist or y of use as
an ex t r aor di nar y l i v er r ej uv enant . A nci ent
di oscor ides used it t o r ev er se t he poi soni ng ef f ect of
a snakebi t e. Today , Eur opean doct or s use i nt r av enous appli cat i ons of mil k t hist l e f or mushr oom
poi soni ng, w hich dest r oy s l i v er t issue and causes
deat h. It has an i mpr essi v e t r ack r ecor d as a l iv er
t oni c and pr ot ect ant .
A ppl icat i ons: Cir r hosi s, hepat i t is, diabet es, f r ee
r adical pr ot ect i on, gal l st ones, chr oni c f at i gue, j aundi ce, kidney congest i on, l iv er damage, ki dney di sease, poisoning and psor i asi s.
Scient i f i c Updat es: In ex per i ment s, sil y mar i n, t he
pr i mar y component of mi lk t hist l e, w as gi v en t o t est
subj ect s bef or e a deadl y mushr oom amanit a t ox i n
w as i ngest ed. It w as 1 0 0 per cent ef f ect i v e i n pr e1 40
St udi es hav e show n t hat
v ent ing l i v er t ox ici t y .
t aki ng mi l k t hi st l e has r esult ed i n a pr onounced
r educt ion of cholest er ol in t he bil e w hi ch helps t o
1 41
Recent st udi es poi nt
pr ev ent gal l bladder di sease.
1 42
t o mi l k t hi st l e as a possi bl e t her apy f or psor iasis.
Saf et y : No know n t ox i cit y . Taki ng sil y mar i n can
pr oduce l ooser st ool s al t hough t he ef f ect is r ar e. The
saf et y of mil k t hi st le ex t r act s i n pr egnant or nur si ng w omen has not been est abl ished.
Complement ar y Agent s: Dandeli on, bi of lav onoi ds,
gr ape seed or pi ne bar k pr oant hocy anidi ns, t ur mer i c, ar t ichoke, schi zandr a, v i t amin E, sel eni um, ger mani um, mar i ne l i pi ds, essent ial f at t y aci ds and
psy ll i um.

MULLEIN (Verbascum thapsus)

Def ini t i on: Dur ing t he Civ il War , mull ei n w as used
t o t r eat r espi r at or y i nf ect ions. It has cal mi ng pr oper t i es and can soot he i nf lammat i on. Sw ol l en membr anes r espond t o mul lei n and it has been used f or
hay f ev er , as a sl eep aid and has r epor t edl y cur ed
w ar t s.
A ppl icat i ons: Col ds, coughs, cr amps, ear i nf ect i ons, i nsomni a, ner v ousness, r espi r at or y pr obl ems, sor e j oi nt s and pai n.
Sci ent i f i c Updat es: Recent l abor at or y st udi es
hav e f ound t hat t he saponi ns and muci lage cont ai ned
i n mul lei n enable i t t o heal and soot he inf l amma14 3
t i on. In addit i on, t est i ng concl uded t hat mul lei n can
1 44
be used as an her bal pai n r el i ev er and sleep aid.
Saf et y : Mull ei n is r ecogni zed as saf e.
Complement ar y Agent s: Mar shmall ow , sl ipper y
el m, hor ehound, hops, skull cap, v al er i an r oot , w ood
bet ony , bl ack cohosh, l obel ia, melat onin, v i t ami n C,
v it ami n E and cal ci um/ magnesi um.

MYRRH GUM (Commiphora molmol)

Def ini t i on: My r r h i s consi der ed a bi t t er her b w i t h

77

ast r i ngent and ant i sept i c pr oper t ies. It has been used
t o t r eat mout h di sor der s and is st i ll pr ized i n cer t ai n
par t s of t he w or l d as a pr ecious commodit y .
A ppl i cat i ons: Congest i on, i ndi gest i on, gas,
ul cer s, ir r i t abl e bow el sy ndr ome, ul cer at i v e col it i s,
di v er t i cul it i s, Cr ohn s disease, w ound heal ing, sor e
t hr oat s and gingiv it i s.
Sci ent i f i c Updat es: My r r h nor mal i zes mucous
membr ane act i v i t y . 1 45 Because t he mucous l i ni ng of
t he st omach is so impor t ant f or it s pr ot ect i on f r om
st omach aci ds, my r r h i s consi der ed a v al uabl e
di gest i v e ai d. In addi t i on, i f t oo much mucus i s
secr et ed in t he gast r oi nt est i nal t r act , di gest i on i n
i mpair ed. My r r h hel ps t o ensur e t he pr oper f unct i on
of mucous secr et i ng gl ands and ex er t s an ant i sept i c
1 46
and ant i bact er i al act i on at t he same t ime.
Saf et y : My r r h has a mil d ut er ine st i mulant act i on
and should be av oi ded i n pr egnancy .
Compl ement ar y Agent s: Gi nger , f enugr eek, cat ni p, pepper mi nt , f ennel , capsicum, aci dophi l us, saw
pal met t o, sl i pper y el m, calci um/ magnesium, v i t amin A , v it ami n B- compl ex , v i t amin E and digest iv e
enzy mes.

NETTLE (Urtica dioica)

Def i ni t ion: A l so know n as st i ngi ng net t l e, t his her b
gr ow s i n w at er pat ches al ong r i v er and st r eam
banks and has been used t r adi t i onal l y by t he Chinese
as w ell as w est er n cul t ur es. Ex t r act s of net t l e
w hi ch hav e had t hei r st inging pr oper t ies gr eat ly
r educed hav e been used i n ev er y t hi ng f r om hai r t oni cs f or bal dness t o r espir at or y di sor der s.
A ppli cat i ons: Ast hma, ulcer s, br onchit i s, j aundi ce, nephr i t is, hemor r hoids, dy smenor r hea, gout ,
ar t hr i t i s, all er gi c r hi ni t is and low bl ood sugar .
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: It i s t he hi st amine, acet y l chol i ne and ser ot oni n pr esent in t he l eaf br i st les of
t hi s pl ant w hich giv e i t a cat al y st l ike act i on much i n
t he same w ay t hat capsi cum w or ks. Net t l e compounds act ual ly i r r i t at e mucus membr anes w hi ch
cr eat es t he needed f or mat ion of addit i onal pr ot ect i v e mucus. Recent st udi es hav e used net t l e t o t r eat
al ler gic hay f ev er .
Saf et y : Net t le can be hi ghly all er genic, t her ef or e
caut i on shoul d be used i n det er mi ni ng i f an al l er gy t o
i t s compounds ex ist s.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Mul lei n, mar shmall ow ,
v i t amin E, sli pper y elm, v i t amin C, biof l av onoi ds
and l obel i a.

NONI (Morinda citrifolia)

Def i ni t ion: Vir t ual l y ev er y par t of t his Poly nesi an
pl ant has been used f or medi ci nal pur poses i n t he
Sout h Paci f ic f or cent ur i es w it h speci al emphasis on
i t s f r uit , l eav es and bar k. Noni j ui ce has r ecent ly
emer ged as a v aluable t her apeut i c agent w i t h si gni f i cant ant icancer and ant i- i nf l ammat or y pr oper t i es.
Li ke many ot her bot anical medi ci nes, noni has ear ned
77

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D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

a l egi t imat e pl ace i n nat ur e s medi ci ne cabi net .

A ppl icat i ons: A r t hr i t is, at her oscl er osi s, bladder
i nf ect i ons, boil s, bow el disor der s, bur ns, cancer ,
chr onic f at i gue sy ndr ome, col d sor es, const i pat i on,
depr essi on, di abet es, diar r hea, dr ug addict i on, ey e
i nf l ammat i ons, f ev er , f r act ur es, gast r i c ul cer s,
gi ngi v i t is, headaches, hy per t ensi on, immune w eakness, int est i nal par asit es, kidney di sease, menst r ual di sor der s, pai n, r espir at or y di sease, t uber cul osi s, t umor s and w ounds.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Noni has an impr essiv e ar r ay
of t er pene compounds t hat hav e ex hi bi t ed nat ur al
ant i bi ot ic act i v i t y . Compounds in t he noni f r uit hav e
been l inked t o t he sy nt hesis of x er onine i n t he body
w hi ch has signif i cant heal ing pr oper t i es. The alkal oi d
cont ent of noni causes a number of t her apeut i c
act i ons, par t icular l y agai nst i nf lammat or y ai lment s.
Recent t est ing has f ound t hat cer t ai n noni compounds
such as damnacant hol hav e i nhi bit ed t he gr ow t h of
pr ecancer ous RAS cel ls.
Saf et y : Ex t r act s of noni ar e consi der ed saf e i f
used as di r ect ed but pr egnant or nur si ng w omen
should consul t t heir phy si ci an bef or e using any noni
der iv at iv e. Hi gh doses of r oot ex t r act s may cause
const ipat i on. Taki ng noni suppl ement s w i t h cof f ee,
al cohol or nicot i ne i s not r ecommended. It shoul d be
t aken on an empt y st omach f or max i mum ef f ect iv eness.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Cat s cl aw , Mor i nda
of f i ci nali s, kav a kav a, pau d ar co, echi nacea, al oe
v er a, bi of lav onoi ds, sel eni um, ger mani um, gr ape
seed ex t r act , pr ot eol y t ic enzy mes, glucosamine and
shar k car t i lage.

OATSTRAW (Avena sativa)

Def ini t i on: Thi s her b i s know n f or i t s r i ch mi ner al
cont ent and abi li t y t o t r eat ost eopor osis, menst r ual
di sor der s, ur i nar y t r act i nf ect ions and ev en hy st er i a. Tinct ur es made f r om oat st r aw ar e used i n
homeopat hic pr epar at i ons f or use i n ar t hr it i s, l iv er
ai l ment s and ski n di sor der s.
A ppl i cat i ons : Cont agi ous di s eases, i nsomni a,
menst r ual di sor der s, i ndi gest i on, ur i nar y t r act
i nf ect i ons, ost eopor osis, ner v ous condi t ions and
condit i ons r equir i ng cal ci um.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Oat st r aw is an ex cel lent nat ur al sour ce of cal ci um and magnesi um and is best
ut i l ized i n t ea f or m. It i s consi der ed a super i or pl ant
sour ce of magnesi um. Oat st r aw should be a r i ch
gr een col or and hav e a char act er i st ic odor t o be consi der ed of good qual it y .
Saf et y : No know n t ox ici t y .
Complement ar y Agent s: Pl ant ai n, mar shmal low ,
al f al f a, bar ley gr ass and calcium/ magnesium.

OREGON GRAPE (Berberis aquifolium)

Def ini t i on: Or egon gr ape is anot her ber ber i necont aini ng her b w hi ch has been used t o t r eat i nf ec78

t i on. It has t he abi li t y t o cont r i but e t o bl ood cleansi ng w hi ch makes i t a f av or it e choi ce f or t he t r eat ment of skin di sor der s. It is also consider ed a glandul ar t oni c.
A ppli cat i ons: Acne, anemi a, blood pur if i cat i on,
f ev er , i ndi gest i on, i mmune sy st em, i nf ect i ons,
eczema, j aundi ce, li v er di sor der s, psor iasis, ski n
ai lment s, st aph i nf ect i ons and v agi nal y east inf ect i ons.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Labor at or y st udies hav e conf i r med t hat Or egon gr ape has a si mi l ar bact er i oci dal
ef f ect as goldenseal . 1 4 7 The ber ber ine and hy dr ast i ne
her bs hav e some impr essiv e cr edent i als i n t hei r
nat ur al ant i bi ot ic ef f ect .
Saf et y : Gener all y consi der ed saf e i f t aken as
di r ect ed. Ber ber ine cont aini ng her bs shoul d not be
used f or long per i ods of t ime or i n l ar ge dosages.
They ar e not r ecommended f or pr egnant or nur si ng
w omen.
Compl ement ar y Agent s: Gol denseal , bar ber r y ,
gar l i c, echi nacea, my r r h, dandeli on, bur dock, capsi cum, v i t amin A , v i t amin C, bi of lav onoi ds, aci dophi l us and bl ue- gr een al gae.

PARSLEY (Petroselinum sativum)

Def i ni t ion: Much mor e t han j ust a gar ni sh, par sley
suppl i es chl or ophy l l, helps t o r est or e t he ur i nar y
t r act and is r ecommended t o i ncr ease l act at i on. It
can al so al lev i at e t he bad br eat h caused by eat i ng
gar l i c.
Applicat ions: Bedw et t ing, bladder inf ect ions, blood
disor der s, diabet es, edema, gallst ones, halit osis,
j aundice, kidney disease, kidney st ones, pr ost at e disor der s and w at er r et ent ion.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: St udi es hav e show n t hat i n
compar i son t o ci t r us j ui ces, par sl ey cont ains t hr ee
15 8
Recent ex per i ment s hav e
t i mes mor e v i t amin C.
est abl i shed t hat par sley can l ow er bl ood pr essur e,
159
Cl i ni cal phy si ki ll micr obes and t one t he ut er us.
ci ans hav e al so cl ai med t hat par sl ey i s ef f ect i v e as
160
a r emedy f or l iv er disease. The f lav onoi d cont ent
of par sl ey s t i mul at es ur i nat i on and pr ov i des
161
r el i ef .
Saf et y : Pr egnant w omen shoul d not use ex cessiv e
amount of par sl ey .
Compl ement ar y Agent s: Buchu, cor nsi lk, alf al f a,
uv a ur si , j uni per ber r y , cr anber r y , mar shmall ow ,
kel p, saw pal met t o, gar li c, v i t amin C, bi of lav onoi ds,
v i t amin A, v i t amin E, zinc, pr oant hocy ani dins, bee
pol l en and phy t onut r ient s.

PASSIONFLOWER (Passiflora incarnata)

Def i ni t ion: Used as an ef f ect i v e ner v ous sy st em
cal mant i n Eur ope, passi onf low er i s r ecommended
f or any one t r y i ng t o get of f of phar maceut ical sleepi ng pi ll s. It is al so suggest ed f or ey e inf l ammat ions
and hy per act i v i t y .
A ppli cat i ons: A lcoholi sm, anx i et y , ey e inf l ammat i ons, i nsomni a, ner v ousness, headaches, hy per ac-

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
t i v i t y , hy per t ensi on, car di ov ascular di sease, ast hma, hor monal i mbalances and st r ess.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Rel at iv ely unknow n i s t he f act
t hat passi onf l ow er cont ai ns low l ev el s of ser ot oni n,
1 62
a neur ot r ansmi t t er t hat nat ur al l y cal ms t he br ain.
It is t he har mane al kal oi ds i n t he her b w hi ch hav e
demonst r at ed t hei r abil i t y t o r el ax smoot h muscl e
and ex pand t he cor onar y ar t er i es of t he hear t ,
16 3
A ddit i onal r esear ch
decr easi ng bl ood pr essur e.
has al so f ound t hat passi onf l ow er ex er t s an ant i i nf l ammat or y act i on maki ng i t usef ul f or condi t i ons
1 64
l i ke ar t hr i t is.
Saf et y : No know n t ox ici t y .
Complement ar y A gent s: Val er i an r oot , hops, capsi cum, pepper mi nt , chamomi le, melat oni n, GABA
and calci um/ magnesium.

PAU DARCO (TAHEEBO) (Tabebuia avellandedae)

Def ini t i on: Pau d ar co or t aheebo, as i t i s al so
know n, i s r el at i v el y new t o West er n her bal i st s and
i s har v est ed f r om t he bar k of t he lapacho t r ee i n
Sout h Amer i ca. It has been l i nked t o cancer cur es
and at one t i me w as inv est i gat ed by t he Nat i onal
Cancer Inst it ut e f or it s ant i cancer pr oper t ies. Today
i t cont inues t o be used f or mali gnancies, especial l y
l eukemi a, and i s al so pr escr i bed f or her pes, di abet es, ar t hr it i s and hy pogly cemia. It is under cur r ent st udy f or i t possible v alue in t r eat i ng A IDS.
A ppl i cat i ons: A IDS, bl ood di sor der s, candi da,
i nf ect i ons, l iv er di sease, pai n ( ar t hr i t is), pr ost at e
di sor der s, r i ngw or m, ul cer s, anemia, cancer (especi al ly leukemia) , di abet es, her pes, hy pogl y cemi a,
l upus, par asi t es, ski n di seases ( i ncl udi ng cancer ) ,
t umor s, v ener eal di sease and y east inf ect ions.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Some of t he chemical const i t uent s of Pau d Ar co hav e show n t he abi l it y t o
148
Some r esear cher s
suppr ess t umor f or mat i on.
bel i ev e t hat t he l apacho cont ent of pau d ar co i s one
of t he most impor t ant ant it umor agent s i n t he
14 9
w or l d. Pau d ar co has also pr ov en it s ant i bact er i 1 50
al and ant i v i r al pr oper t i es.
Saf et y : Taking t his her b i n t ea f or m is r ecommended and gener al l y consider ed saf e. In unusual
cases, mi l d nausea or a l ax at i v e ef f ect has occur r ed.
Rot at ing pau d ar co t her apy w it h mat hake t ea i s
somet i mes adv i sed. Do not t ake l apacho compounds
w hi ch hav e been i solat ed f r om pau d ar co. Use t he
w hol e her b.
Complement ar y A gent s: Li cor i ce, gar l ic, echi nacea, gol denseal, bl ack w alnut , alf al f a, bur dock,
kel p, mil k t hist l e, dandel i on, Or egon gr ape, y ell ow
dock and y er ba mat e.

PEPPERMINT (Mentha piperita)

Def ini t i on: Pepper mi nt is one t he most popul ar
her bal t eas i n A mer ica and has a w i de ar r ay of
pl easant and t her apeut i c pr oper t i es. Used f or f l av or ing and f or i t s ment hol cont ent , i t has bot h st i m-

79

ul ant and ant ispasmodi c act i ons. Penny r oy al and

spear mi nt hav e simi lar pr oper t i es.
A ppli cat i ons: Col ds, sinusit i s, br onchi t i s, diar r hea, gast r i t i s, ent er i t i s , i ndi ges t i on, nausea,
i nt est i nal gas, bl oat i ng, gr i pi ng, col i c, col i t i s,
hear t bur n, ir r it abl e bow el sy ndr ome, gal lst ones,
st omach spasms, ul cer s and v omi t ing.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Today , pepper mi nt i s r ecogni zed f or i t s soot hi ng act ion on t he st omach and
i nt est ines. It w or ks as an ant ispasmodic, w hi ch
hel ps t o r eli ev e nausea and ot her st omach mal adi es.
Pepper mint r el ax es t he muscl es of t he digest iv e
t r act and st imul at es bil e f l ow , w hich f acil i t at es
mor e ef f i ci ent di gest i on. 1 5 1 Incr eased bi l e f l ow
15 2
r esul t s in l ess i ndigest ion, f l at ulence and coli c.
The ment hol const i t uent of pepper mint w or ks as a
153
Pepper mi nt
nat ur al analgesic and ant i bact er i al .
has al so been able t o di ssol v e gall st ones and may be
15 4
a nonsur gical appr oach t o gal l st one r emov al .
Saf et y : When used i n nor mal and appr opr i at e
dosages, pepper mint is consi der ed qui t e saf e. Oi l of
pepper mi nt can be i r r i t at ing t o mucous membr anes i f
used ex cessi v el y . Use w i t h caut i on if pr egnant or
br east - f eeding.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Cat ni p, f ennel, ginger ,
my r r h, capsi cum, saw palmet t o, cal cium car bonat e
and di gest i v e enzy mes.

PLEURISY ROOT (Asclepias tuberosa)

Def i ni t ion: Tr adi t ionall y used t o t r eat any r espi r at or y di sor der , pl eur i sy r oot has t he abi li t y t o
ex pedit e t he r emov al of l ung mucus. It i s one of
nat ur e s best ex pect or ant s.
A ppl i cat i ons: A l l er gi es, as t hma, br onchi t i s,
emphy sema, pneumonia, t uber culosis, cough, sor e
t hr oat , col ds and t uber cul osis.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Pl eur i sy r oot specif i cal ly t ar get s t he l ungs and st i mulat es t he r emov al of t hi ck
mucus. It hel ps t o mi t igat e pai n and i nf lammat i on
t y pi cal of l ung inf ect ions. The r eput at i on of pleur isy
r oot as an ex cel lent t her apeut i c f or l ung ai l ment s
ex t ends back f or sev er al cent ur i es. Ear li er i n t he
cent ur y , it w as consider ed t he pr i mar y ex pect or ant , act ing on or gans of r espir at i on, pow er f ul ly
165
Pl eur i sy r oot
pr omot i ng . . . ex pect or at i on.
opens up t he l ung capil l ar i es, w hich act ion hel ps
r el ease any t hick mucus . . . t hi nning i t f or easi er
16 6
di schar ge.
Saf et y : Use appr opr iat e dosages as di r ect ed.
Compl ement ar y Agent s: Sassaf r as, sl i pper y el m,
w il d cher r y bar k, sage, t hy me, saw pal met t o, l emon
gr ass, bl essed t hist l e, mull ei n, f enugr eek, capsi cum, mar shmall ow , v i t amin C, bi of lav onoi ds, v i t ami n A , cal cium/ magnesi um, bee pol l en and aci dophi l us.

PUMPKIN SEED (Cucurbita pepo)

Def init ion: A sy mbol of healt h in China, t he pumpkin
79

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D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

cont ains seeds w hich hav e signif icant ant ipar asit ic
pr oper t ies and ar e r out inely used t o r ej uv enat e t he
pr ost at e gland. As a r ich sour ce of zinc, t hey ar e highly r ecommended f or t he male r epr oduct iv e sy st em.
Pumpkin seeds ar e highly nut r it ional.
A ppl icat i ons: Pr ost at e di sor der s, i nt est i nal par asi t es.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Recent Sw edi sh cl i nical t r i al s
f ound t he t hat oi l const i t uent s of pumpkin seed combi ned w i t h saw pal met t o ef f ect i v el y t r eat ed an
15 5
enl ar ged pr ost at e gl and. Pumpki n seed has a r ep156
ut at i on of bei ng a non- i r r i t at i ng di ur et i c.
Pumpkin seed cont ai ns a r ar e ami no aci d cal l ed
my osin f ound i n t he seeds of cer t ai n Cucur bi t a
species, w hi ch i s t he pr i mar y pr ot ei n const it uent of
1 57
muscl es.
Saf et y : Take as dir ect ed.
Complement ar y A gent s: Saw pal met t o, kel p, gar l i c, bl ack w al nut , r ed clov er , cascar a sagr ada,
quassia, buckt hor n, aci dophi lus, bee pol l en, bee
pr opoli s, B- complex , v i t ami n E, bi of l av onoids, phy t onut r i ent s, bl ue- gr een al gae, zinc and el ect r ol y t e
supplement s.

PYGEUM (Prunus africana)

Def i ni t i on: Nat i v e t o ar eas of A f r i ca and
Madagascar , t hi s ev er gr een t r ee has been t r adi t i onal l y used t o make a t ea f or genit our i nar y di sor der s.
Today , st andar di zed ex t r act s of py geum ar e used
f or pr ost at ic hy per pl asi a, or f or BPH.
Appl icat i ons: Pr ost at i t is, beni gn pr ost at ic hy per t r ophy , pr ost at e cancer , i ncont i nence, dy sur i a,
pol y ur ia and ny ct ur ia.
Scient i f i c Updat es: The phy t ost er ol s cont ai ned i n
t hi s her b hav e ant i - inf l ammat or y pr oper t i es w hi ch
al so i nhi bi t t he f or mat i on of pr ost agl andi ns w hi ch
ar e r esponsi bl e f or t he sw ell i ng i n t he pr ost at e
gl and. One of t hese cal l ed bet asi t ost er ol has been
show n t o be hel pf ul in cases of BPH by hel pi ng t o
r educe el ev at ed pr ost agl andi n pr oduct i on. The pent acy cli c t r i t er penoids al so w or k t o block enzy mat i c
act i v i t y associ at ed w it h i nf l ammat i on and sw ell i ng
i n t he pr ost at e gl and.
Saf et y : No t ox ici t y has been r epor t ed w it h t hi s
her b.
Complement ar y Agent s: Saw pal met t o, gr ape seed
ex t r act , cr uci f er ous v eget abl es, i sof l av ones and
v it ami n C w it h bi of l av onoids.

QUASSIA (Picrasma amara)

Def ini t i on: Tr adi t ionall y call ed a heal er of t he
si ck quassi a i s a pot ent her b w hich is r ecommended f or t hose w i t h debi l it at i ng condit i ons. It must be
t aken cor r ect l y , or unpl easant side ef f ect s can
occur .
A ppl icat i ons: A nor ex i a, conv alescence, el der l y
emaci at i on, indigest i on, f ev er and w or ms.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Quassi a l essens put r ef act i on i n
80

t he st omach and pr ev ent s t he f or mat i on of acid subst ances dur i ng digest i on. 1 67 It i s said t o be one of t he
best r emedies of nox ious subst ances i n t he al i ment a1 68
r y canal r esul t i ng f r om i nadequat e digest i on.
Saf et y : Because of it s pot ency , it is bet t er t o t ake
quassia i n her bal f or mul at ions t han alone t o av oi d
st omach i r r i t at ion and nausea.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Bl ack w alnut , cascar a
sagr ada, gar l i c, buckt hor n, ginger , pumpki n seed,
r ed cl ov er , pepper mi nt , v i t ami n E, v i t amin C,
bi of lav onoi ds, pr oant hocy ani di ns, B v it ami ns, aci dophi l us, phy t onut r ient s and blue- gr een al gae.

QUEEN OF THE MEADOW (Eupatorium purpureum)

Def i ni t ion: Par t icular ly good f or j oint di sor der s,
t hi s her b hel ps pr omot e t he heal i ng of st r ains and
spr ai ns and hel ps t o all ev iat e t he pain of gout caused
by ur ic acid deposit s.
A ppl i cat i ons: A r t hr i t i s , bl adder i nf ect i ons,
Br i ght s di sease, bur si t i s, gal l st ones, gout , j oi nt
pai n, ki dney i nf ect i ons, ki dney st ones, neur al gi a,
pr ost at i t i s, r heumat i sm, ur i nar y di sor der s and
w at er r et ent i on.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Queen of t he meadow si mul at es t he gl and and or gans t hat cl ear t he body of
169
t ox i c w ast e. It has been cli ni cal ly est abli shed as a
good t r eat ment f or r heumat i c and gout y j oi nt s due t o
170
ur i c acid deposi t s. It is consi der ed a t oni c f or t he
geni t o- ur i nar y sy st em and can pr omot e suppr essed
17 1
ur i ne f l ow . Queen of t he meadow w or ks as a t her 172
apeut i c agent on t he ut er us and pr ost at e gland.
Saf et y : Take i n appr opr iat e doses as di r ect ed.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Kel p, saw pal met t o, capsi cum, r ed r aspber r y , dong quai , black cohosh, got u
kol a, dami ana, uv a ur si , par sl ey , v i t ami n C,
bi of lav onoi ds, B- complex , v i t amin E, pot assi um,
magnesi um and copper .

RED CLOVER (Trifolium pratense)

Def i ni t ion: A sw eet her b, r ed clov er i s consider ed
an ex cel l ent bl ood pur if i er w i t h some ant ibi ot i c
act i on. It i s of t en suggest ed in any i nf ect i ous condi t i ons, especi al ly ski n er upt i ons.
A ppl i cat i ons: A cne, bl adder i nf ect i ons, bl ood
cl eanser , boi ls, br onchi t i s, cancer , l eukemi a, l iv er
di sor der s, ner v ous condi t i ons, psor i asi s, skin ai l ment s, and t umor s.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Cli ni cal st udi es hav e f ound
t hat r ed cl ov er cont ai ns ant i biot i c pr oper t ies agai nst
sev er al bact er ia i ncl udi ng t hose t hat cause t uber cu173
Scient ist s hav e di scov er ed t hat r ed cl ov er
l osi s.
cont ai ns mol y bdenum, a t r ace el ement t hat i s now
r ecognized as essent i al in cl ear i ng t he body of
1 74
Many nat ur opat hi c
ni t r ogenous w ast e mat er i al.
phy sici ans use t he her b as an al t er at i v e i ncl udi ng i t
17 5
i n r egul ar cl eansi ng pr ogr ams.
Saf et y : Take as di r ect ed. No know n t ox i cit y .
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Li cor i ce, buckt hor n, cas-

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
car a sagr ada, sar sapar i l la, al f al f a, quassia, bl ack
w al nut , kel p, blue- gr een algae, phy t onut r i ent s, v i t ami n C, bi of lav onoi ds and aci dophil us.

81

al gae, phy t onut r i ent s, pr oant hocy ani di ns, v it ami n

C, v i t ami n A, B- complex and cal ci um/ magnesi um.

ROSE HIPS (Rosa species)

RED RASPBERRY (Rubus idaeus)
Def ini t i on: Know n f or it s soot hi ng pr oper t ies, r ed
r aspber r y hel ps t o ease f emal e di scomf or t s w hil e
st r engt heni ng ut er ine muscle. It al so pr omot e t i ssue
heali ng and healt hy skin, bones and t eet h.
A ppl icat i ons: A f t er - bi r t h pai ns, bow el disor der s,
chi l dbi r t h, col ds, di ar r hea, di gest i v e pr obl ems,
f emal e compl ai nt s, f ev er , f l u, hear t di sease, l act at i on, menst r ual i r r egul ar i t i es, miscar r i age, mor ni ng
si ckness, mout h sor es and nausea dur i ng pr egnancy .
Scient i f i c Updat es: Resear ch has f ound t hat a par t i cul ar const i t uent of t he r aspber r y leaf caused
ei t her cont r act i on or r el ax at i on of ut er ine muscl es
176
as needed. Raspber r y l eaf t emper s t he ef f ect s of
hor monal r unaw ay , such as mi ght occur dur ing men1 77
It i s al so
st r uat i on, pr egnancy and deli v er y .
t hought t o bui l d t he t i ssue of t he cer v ix t o pr ev ent
17 8
t ear i ng dur ing deli v er y .
Saf et y : Whi le mi ld doses ar e r ecommended dur i ng
pr egnancy , ex cessi v e amount s should be av oi ded.
Complement ar y Agent s: Licor ice, dong quai , saw
pal met t o, cr amp bar k, dami ana, queen of t he meadow , squaw v ine, sar sapar il l a, bl ack cohosh, kel p,
got u kola, w i ld y am, v i t ami n C, biof l av onoi ds, Bcompl ex , f oli c acid, v i t amin E, cal ci um/ magnesi um
and pr imr ose oil .

Def i ni t ion: Rose hi ps i s t he f r ui t of a plant bl ossom

t hat is an unusual ly r ich sour ce of v it ami n C. It w as
used i n Engl and dur i ng Wor l d War II t o of f set t he
shor t age of cit r us f r uit s and pr ev ent scur v y . It cont ai ns 6 0 t i mes mor e v i t amin C t han l emons.
A ppl i cat i ons: A r t er i oscl er osi s, bl adder i nf ect i ons, bl ood pur if i er , cancer , ci r cul at or y i nsuf f i ci enci es, col ds, cont agious di seases, f ev er , f l u,
i nf ect ions, PMS, sor e t hr oat and st r ess.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Linus Paul ing s r esear ch on
v i t amin C l it er al l y put i t on t he map as a t her apeut i c
agent . Hi s w or k poi nt s t o usi ng lar ge, dail y doses t o
pr ev ent all ki nds of i ll ness and t o pr omot e longev i t y .
Rose hi ps pr ov i de a super i or nat ur al sour ce of v i t amin C w hi ch has been li nked t o t he pr ev ent ion and
cur e of cer t ain cancer s.
Saf et y : Vi t ami n C can be t aken i n hi gh doses
al t hough st omach upset and diar r hea can occur i n
some cases. Peopl e w ho hav e t r oubl e w i t h ki dney
st ones shoul d consult t heir phy si ci ans bef or e t aki ng
suppl ement al
doses
of
v i t ami n C. Taki ng
cal ci um/ magnesi um w i t h v i t ami n C i ncr eases i t s
assi mil at i on.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Bi of l av onoi ds, gr ape seed
or pine bar k pr oant hocy anidins, calcium/ magnesi um, capsi cum and al f alf a.

SAGE (Salvia officinalis)

RED SAGE (Salvia officinalis)
Def ini t i on: Associat ed f or mi ll enni a w i t h w i sdom
and l ongev it y r ed sage has t r adit i onal ly been used
f or menst r ual di sor der s, t o r educe night sw eat s and
as a nat ur al mout h deodor izer . The v ol at il e oi l s i n
r ed sage hav e ant i sept i c and ast r i ngent pr oper t i es
and ar e al so used t o help dr y up mil k suppl ies w hen
br east f eeding has ceased.
A ppl i cat i ons : Coughs, depr essi on, di abet es,
di gest i v e disor der s, f ev er , li v er ai lment s, l act at i on
i nhi bi t or , memor y ( f ail i ng) , menst r ual pai n, mout h
sor es, nausea, ner v ous condit i ons, nigh sw eat s,
sor es, sor e t hr oat and w or ms.
Scient i f i c Updat es: The v olat i l e oi l s and t anni ns i n
r ed sage ar e r esponsible f or i t s abi li t y t o st op
ex cessi v e per spir at i on. The oi l s also hav e an ant i sept i c and ast r i ngent pr oper t y w hich makes t hem
17 9
usef ul i n t he heal i ng of sor es and ir r it at i ons. Red
sage al so act s as a pow er f ul ant i ox i dant and boost s
ci r cul at i on. It s est r ogeni c pr oper t i es may ex plain i t s
bel i ev ed abil i t y t o dr y up br east mi l k.
Saf et y : A v oi d medici nal dosages in pr egnancy and
i n cases of epi lepsy . Nur sing mot her s shoul d not t ake
r ed sage due t o i t s mi l k dr y i ng act i on.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Capsi cum, dandel i on,
gar li c, y ell ow dock, quassia, mil k t hi st l e, cascar a
sagr ada, bl ack w al nut , aci dophi l us, bl ue- gr een

Def i ni t ion: Know n f or i t s use i n t r adit i onal st uf f i ngs and meat di shes, sage can si gni f icant l y r educe
ex cess per spi r at i on and soot he mout h and gum
sor es. It i s an ar omat i c her b w hose f r agr ance has
al so been used t o pr omot e f eel ings of w el l bei ng and
r el ax at i on.
A ppli cat i ons: Canker s, coughs, di abet es, digest i v e disor der s, f ev er , lar y ngi t is, memor y , mout h
sor es, nausea and w or ms.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Sage r elax es per ipher al blood
v essels, r educes per spir at i on, sal i v at i on and lact at i on. It i s a nat ur al ant ibi ot i c and can r educe blood
18 0
sugar and pr omot e bi le f low . The ast r i ngent pr oper t i es of sage make i t usef ul i n t r eat ing cold sy mpt oms, and r el iev i ng t he ir r it at i on of canker s or
1 81
Sage is al so cr edit ed w i t h bei ng a
mout h sor es.
1 82
pot ent ant i ox i dant .
Saf et y : Pr egnant or nur si ng w omen shoul d check
w it h t hei r phy sici an bef or e t aking sage. A ny one w i t h
epi l epsy should not use sage f or pr ol onged per i ods of
t i me.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Thy me, pepper mint , v er bena, ginger , chamomil e, l emon gr ass, blessed t hi st l e, pl eur i sy r oot , capsi cum, f enugr eek, saw pal met t o, v i t amin C, biof l av onoids, pr oant hocy ani di ns,
v i t amin A and cal ci um/ magnesi um.
81

82

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

SARSAPARILLA (Smilax ornata)

Def ini t i on: Nat iv e t o t he Paci f i c coast of Mex i co,
sar sapar i ll a w as used w i t h sassaf r as t o make r oot
beer . Compounds i n t hi s her b pr omot e t he pr oduct i on
of t est ost er one and pr ogest er one w hi le cl eansi ng t he
bl ood of t ox ins. Thi s her b i s r out i nel y included i n
f or mul as desi gned t o balance hor mones.
A ppl icat i ons: Bl ood di sor der s, mal e and f emal e
hor monal imbal ances, inf er t i l it y , menopausal sy mpt oms, j oi nt aches, psor iasis, sex ual dy sf unct ion and
ski n pr oblems.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Cli ni cal t est s hav e di scov er ed
ant i bi ot ic at t r i but es i n sar sapar il l a pr imar i l y due t o
183
Sar sapar il l a al so has st r ong
i t s saponin cont ent .
di ur et i c capabi li t i es and dr amat i cal l y l ow er s t he
18 4
Chinese r esear ch has
ur ea cont ent of t he bl ood.
f ound t hat as a t oni c, sar sapar i l la has v alue i n t hat
i t can hel p r ej uv enat e t he ner v es, bl ood and
1 85
In Mex i co, Sout h Amer i ca and Chi na, t he
gl ands.
186
her b is used t o t r eat inf er t i l it y .
Saf et y : No know n t ox ici t y .
Complement ar y A gent s: Saw pal met t o, li cor i ce,
dami ana, gi nseng, kelp, squaw v i ne, bl ack cohosh,
r ed r aspber r y , bee pol len, bee pr opoli s, v i t amin E,
v it ami n C, bi of lav onoi ds, f ol i c acid, cal cium/ magnesi um, zinc and mar i ne li pi ds.

SAW PALMETTO (Serenoa repens)

Def ini t i on: The saw pal met t o ber r y w as used by
ancient May ans t o t r eat di sor der s of t he geni t our i nar y t r act . Int er est ingly , t oday s sci ent i st s ar e di scov er i ng t hat compounds i n saw pal met t o can pr ev ent t he conv er si on f or t est ost er one t o di hy dor t est ost er one, w hich hel ps t o pr ev ent t he dev el opment of pr ost at e disease. The her b i s consider ed
an ov er al l glandular t onic.
A ppl i cat i ons: Pr ost at e di sease, geni t our i nar y
pr oblems, endocr i ne di sor der s, i nf er t i li t y , i mpot ence, br onchit i s, colds, menst r ual di sor der s, ov ar i an dy sf unct i on, l act at i on, t hy r oi d def i ci enci es,
di gest i v e pr oblems and painf ul menst r ual per i ods.
Scient i f i c Updat es: The abi li t y of saw palmet t o t o
t r eat pr ost at e disease has been t he subj ect of r ecent
cl i nical st udi es. The r esult s hav e been i mpr essi v e
and st r ongl y suggest t hat saw pal met t o may be a
v iabl e al t er nat i v e t o t he use of Pr oscar , a phar maceut i cal dr ug used f or t r eat ing enl ar ged pr ost at e
1 87
gl ands. It s i ncl usion i n di gest iv e f or mulas i s based
on i t s abi l it y t o st imul at e nor mal appet it e and boost
1 88
Saw palmet t o may also be
nut r i ent assimi lat i on.
usef ul f or w omen w ho suf f er f r om hor monal imbal ances by hel pi ng t o nor mal ize est r ogen l ev el s.
Saf et y : No t ox i ci t y has been r epor t ed w i t h saw
pal met t o.
Compl ement ar y
A gent s:
B- compl ex ,
cal ci um/ magnesi um, cal ci um car bonat e, gi nger ,
pr oant hocy anidi ns, phy t onut r i ent s, bee poll en, f ennel , cat nip, pepper mi nt , capsicum, aci dophi l us, kel p,
82

sar sapar i ll a, gi nseng, digest i v e enzy mes, bee pol l en

and bee pr opol is.

SKULLCAP (Scutellaria lateriflora)

Def i ni t ion: Skul lcap, named f or it s f l ow er f or mat i on, act s l i ke a sedat i v e w i t hout t he del et er ious
ef f ect s of nar cot i c dr ugs. It has a r el ax ing and sleep
pr omot i ng act ion w hi ch can hel p t o qui et ner v ousness and t r eat i nsomnia. It has al so been used i n
assi st i ng w i t h dr ug and al cohol w i t hdr aw al and has
been used f or headaches.
A ppl i cat i ons:
A nx i et y ,
i nsomni a,
muscl es
spasms, neur algi a, t ensi on, hy st er ia and pai n.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Skul l cap cont i nues t o be used
as a mi ld neur al sedat i v e w hi ch has t he abil i t y t o
r el i ev e headaches and ot her r elat ed pai n. St udi es
hav e show n t hat it can t r anqui li ze a r est less and
189
In addi t i on, ner v ous
ex ci t ed ner v ous sy st em.
t w it chi ng and muscl e spasms w er e al so calmed by
19 0
skul l cap. A n added bonus of skul l cap is i t s abil i t y
t o l ow er bl ood ser um cholest er ol and pr ev ent hi gh
19 1
bl ood pr essur e.
Saf et y : Skull cap i s consider ed saf e w hen t aken i n
appr opr iat e dosages. One adv ant age of usi ng skul lcap
i n an her bal blend i s t hat i t s dose has been met er ed
out i n pr opor t i on w i t h ot her her bs.
Compl ement ar y
A gent s :
Val er i an
r oot ,
chamomi l e, hops, passi onf l ow er , w ood bet ony ,
mar shmal low , mul l ein, black cohosh, B- complex ,
f ol ic acid, mel at oni n and cal ci um/ magnesi um.

SENNA (Cassia acutofolia)

Def i ni t ion: Senna i s a pow er f ul pur gat i v e her b t hat
act s as an i nt est i nal cl eanser and st r ong l ax at i v e. It
gr ow s i n shr ub f or m i n r egi ons of t he Ni l e. Today , i t
i s commonly added t o colonic f or mul as t o st i mul at e
per i st al si s of t he lar ge int est i ne.
A ppli cat i ons: Const i pat ion, j aundi ce, gal lbladder
di sease, l iv er di sease and w or ms.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Ant hr quinone compounds giv e
senna it s l ax at iv e ef f ect and st i mulat e t he bow el t o
mov e w i t hin si x t o ei ght hour s of ingest ion. These
compounds do not w or k di r ect l y on t he bow el but ar e
absor bed t hr ough t he w al l s of t he small i nt est ine and
subsequent l y st i mul at e t he ner v es of t he lar ge
192
i nt est ine.
Saf et y : Because senna i s absor bed sy st emi cal l y ,
i t shoul d not be used by pr egnant or nur si ng mot her s.
A ny one w i t h col on disease should not use t hi s her b
unl ess it is par t of a car ef ul l y desinged f or mul a.
Taking senna can cause signif i cant gr ipping pai ns i n
t he abdomen suf f est i ng t hat i t al w ay s be t aken as
par t of a combinat ion w hi ch hel ps t o neut r ali ze gr i ppi ng. Senna can become habi t f or mi ng if i t i s t aken i n
ex cess or f or l ong per i ods of t i me.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: A l oe v er a, gi nger ,
cl ov es, pepper mi nt , f ennel , cascar a sagr ada, sl i pper y el m, cal ci um/ magnesi um, essent i al f at t y

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
aci ds, mar i ne li pi ds, digest iv e enzy mes and aci dophil us.

SLIPPERY ELM (Ulmus fulva)

Def ini t i on: Sli pper y el m comes f r om elm t r ee bar k
and is a mucil agi nous compound used f or gener at i ons
by Nat i v e A mer icans t o soot he ir r i t at ed mucous
membr anes. It s pr ot ect i v e and heal i ng act ion make i t
an ex cel lent her b f or t r eat i ng di ar r hea, col on di sor der s, sor e t hr oat s or i nt est i nal ulcer s.
A ppl icat i ons: A bscesses, ast hma, br onchi t i s, col i t is, const i pat i on, coughs, di ar r hea, di gest i v e di sor der s, lung ai lment s, gast r i t i s, ul cer s and hear t bur n.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Cl ini cal st udi es hav e pr ov en
t he v al ue of sl ipper y el m f or t he t r eat ment of di ar r hea, coughs, st omach upset s, coli t i s and a v ar i et y
193
The ant i t ussi v e act i on of sl i pof l ung pr obl ems.
per y elm can soot he r aw t hr oat s and i nhibit chr oni c
194
coughing. In addi t i on, t he high muci lage cont ent of
t hi s her b helps t o heal and r est or e t he mucous mem1 95
br anes of t he gast r oi nt est inal t r act . The f act t hat
sl i pper y el m i s f ound in ov er - t he- count er medi cat i ons i n t he U.S. and Gr eat Br it ai n at t est s t o it s v er 196
sat i l it y .
Saf et y : No know n t ox ici t y .
Complement ar y A gent s: Mar shmall ow , f enugr eek,
saw pal met t o, mul lei n, t hy me, pumpki n seed, y ucca,
al oe v er a, capsi cum, y er ba sant a, w il d cher r y , v i t ami n C, biof l av onoids, v i t ami n A , B- complex , v i t ami n E, zinc and aci dophi lus.

SQUAW VINE (Mitchella repens)

Def ini t i on: Al so know n as par t r idge ber r y , t hi s
pl ant w as ex t ensi v ely used by Nat i v e A mer icans as
a pr egnancy t onic. It w as bel i ev ed t o st r engt hen
ut er i ne cont r act ions and ease chi ldbir t h. Today it i s
commonl y used i n f emal e cor r ect i v e f or mulas deal i ng w it h menst r ual di sor der s.
A ppl icat i ons: Chil dbi r t h, lact at i on, menst r ual di sor der s, miscar r iage, ski n pr obl ems, t oni c ( f emal e) ,
ut er i ne di sor der s and v aginal y east inf ect i ons.
Sci ent if ic Updat es: Squaw v ine i s a nat ur al f or
her bal combinat ions designed t o cor r ect f emale complai nt s or st r engt hen t he f emale r epr oduct iv e sy st em. Squaw v ine i s ex t r emel y usef ul f or t he t r eat 1 97
It i s accept ed as a ut er ment of w at er r et ent i on.
1 98
i ne t oni c and a st imul ant t o t he ov ar ies.
Saf et y : Use as dir ect ed in appr opr iat e doses. If
pr egnant or nur sing, check w it h y our phy sician bef or e
usi ng squaw v ine.
Complement ar y Agent s: Kel p, r ed r aspber r y , w il d
y am, bl ack cohosh, dong quai , dami ana, cr amp bar k,
l i cor i ce, queen of t he meadow , saw pal met t o, v i t ami n E, v it ami n C, bi of l av onoids, B- compl ex , pr oant hocy ani dins and phy t onut r ient s.

ST. JOHNS WORT (Hypericum perforatum)

83

Def i ni t ion: Used f or w ound heali ng dur i ng t he

Cr usades, t hi s her b has t he abi li t y t o cleanse t issue
and r educe inf l ammat ion, and has r ecent l y emer ged
as an ef f ect i v e ant i depr essant .
A ppli cat i ons: AIDS, af t er - bi r t h pains, cancer ,
menst r ual cr amps, depr essi on, v ir al inf ect i ons,
bact er i al inf ect ions, sleep disor der s and w ounds.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: In 1 9 4 2 , a compound cal l ed
hy per icin w as i solat ed f r om St . J ohn s w or t and
used as a nat ur al ant i depr essant . It can al so r el iev e
pai n and cause a mi l d sedat i ng ef f ect . It has been
show n t o be a mor e pow er f ul ant idepr essant t han
1 99
pl acebo and many st andar d ant idepr essant s.
Saf et y : This her b can cause phot osensi t i v i t y ,
al t hough incidence i s r ar e in humans, w i t h t he
ex cept ion of A IDS pat i ent s w ho hav e t aken lar ge
doses. Ex posur e t o st r ong sunl ight f or any one w i t h
f ai r ski n is not r ecommended.
Compl ement ar y Agent s: Capsicum, t hy me, v i t amin B- compl ex , v i t ami n B6 , v i t ami n B1 2 , ( subl i ngual ) , f ol i c acid, cal cium/ magnesi um, w il d y am,
pheny lalani ne, t y r osine and t aur i ne.

TAHEEBO (see Pau dArco)

THYME (Thymus vulgaris)

Def i ni t ion: Used by t he anci ent Gr eeks f or i t s ar omat ic pr oper t ies, t hy me w or ks t o r elax st omach
spasms and pr omot es heal i ng. Thy mol , or t hy me oil ,
i s used i n Li st er ine f or it s ant i sept i c act i on.
A ppli cat i ons: Br onchit i s, coughs, digest iv e ai l ment s, gas, gi ngi v i t is, gout , headaches, l ar y ngit i s,
l ung di sor der s, sci at i ca pai n, sor e t hr oat s, st omach
pr obl ems, t hr oat mal adi es and w or ms.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: The t hy mol cont ent of t hy me
w or ks as an ex pect or ant and cough suppr essant and
i s f r equent l y used i n cough sy r ups pr escr ibed f or
200
l ung ai lment s l i ke br onchi t i s. When combi ned w i t h
f enugr eek, t hy me w or ks t o r el i v e t he pai n of
20 1
migr aine headaches. The car mi nat i v e pr oper t i es of
t hy me make i t an ef f ect i v e t r eat ment f or st omach
2 02
upset s.
Saf et y : Use in appr opr i at e dosages. Check w i t h a
phy si ci an i f pr egnant or nur si ng bef or e t aki ng
t hy me.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Fenugr eek, capsi cum,
y er ba sant a, mar shmal low , mul l ein, saw pal met t o,
w il d cher r y , l i cor i ce, v i t amin C, biof l av onoi ds, v i t ami n A and acidophil us.

UVA URSI (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)

Def i ni t ion: Uv a ur si cont ains a compound cal l ed
ar but i n, w hi ch has t he abil i t y t o dr ai n ex cess w at er
f r om t he cel l s, pr omot ing an ant isept ic ef f ect on t he
ki dney s.
A ppli cat i ons: Bl adder i nf ect i ons, Br i ght s di s83

84

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

ease, cy st i t is, diabet es, nephr i t i s, w at er r et ent i on,

l i v er ai lment s and chr oni c di ar r hea.
Scient i f i c Updat es: The pr i mar y const i t uent of
uv a ur si i s a gl y cosi de cal l ed ar but i n w hich i s
r esponsi ble f or i t s di ur et i c act i on. In addi t i on, w hen
i t is ex cr et ed f r om t he ki dney s, ar but i n pr oduces an
ant i sept i c ef f ect on t he mucous membr anes of t he
20 3
ur i nar y t r act . Chemi cal compounds i n uv a ur si al so
20 4
hel p t o bal ance t he pH of ur i ne. A mer ican r esear ch
f ound t hat uv a ur si w as ef f ect i v e agai nst nephr it i s
and ki dney st ones and possessed all - ar ound t oni c
205
In addit i on, t est s hav e f ound t hat
pr oper t ies.
ex t r act s of uv a ur si hav e show n some ant icancer
20 6
pr oper t ies and ant i biot i c act i on.
Saf et y : Must be used as dir ect ed. Pr egnant w omen
should consult t hei r phy si cian bef or e using uv a ur si.
Pr olonged or ex cessiv e use may cause gast r ic i r r i t at i on.
Complement ar y A gent s: Par sley , buchu, alf al f a,
cor nsil k, j uniper ber r i es, mar shmal l ow , cr anber r y ,
l emon gr ass, v i t ami n C, biof l av onoi ds, v it ami n B6 ,
pr oant hocy anidi ns, B- compl ex , bee pol l en, phy t onut r i ent s and mi ner al and el ect r ol y t e supplement s.

VALERIAN ROOT (Valeriana officinalis)

Def ini t i on: The est er - cont aini ng compounds in t hi s
her b gi v e i t a char act er ist i c odor and help t o pr omot e i t s nat ur al and saf e sedat i ng ef f ect .
A ppl i cat i ons : Ins omni a, headaches , hy per ex ci t abi li t y , hy per t ension, hear t di sor der s, af t er bi r t h
pai ns, anx i et y , t ensi on, high blood pr essur e, st r ess,
ner v ous st omach, pal pi t at ions, menst r ual cr amps
and muscle spasms.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Valer i an t r anqui l izes and r egul at es t he aut onomi c ner v ous sy st em, enhances
hi gher br ain f unct i ons, and eases chi l dhood psy cho2 07
somat i c di st ur bances and behav i or al di sor der s.
Valer ian i mpr ov es sleep qual it y w i t h none of t he
2 08
Valer ian i s al so r ecdr aw backs of bar bi t ur at es.
ommended f or any one w ho suf f er s f r om car diov ascul ar di sease or hy per t ension i n t hat i t helps t o
r el ax smoot h muscle and ease t ensi on.
Saf et y : No know n t ox ici t y ex i st s. Ex t r eme doses
should be av oi ded. Pr egnant w omen shoul d consul t
t hei r phy sici an bef or e t aking v al er i an.
Complement ar y A gent s: Hops, chamomil e, passi onf l ow er , skul lcap, mul lei n, mar shmal low , w ood
bet ony , haw t hor ne ber r i es, bl ack cohosh, ni aci n,
cal ci um/ magnesi um, v i t amin B6 and mel at oni n.

WILD CHERRY (Prunus virginiana)

Def ini t i on: Found i n ol d f ashi oned lozenges because
of i t s cough- soot hi ng pr oper t i es, w i ld cher r y can
hel p calm dr y coughs and lubr icat e ir r it at ed mucous
membr anes.
A ppl i cat i ons : A l l er gi es, ast hma, congest i on,
coughs, col ds, sor e t hr oat s, br onchi t i s f ev er and
t uber culosis.
84

Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Wil d cher r y has t he abil i t y t o

cal m and soot he i r r i t at ed mucosal t issue.2 0 9 Wi l d
cher r y bar k s use f or r educi ng t he sy mpt oms of
r espi r at or y di st r ess is w i t hout equal i n t he her b
210
It can benef i t ast hmat i cs by r elax i ng
ki ngdom.
21 1
t he ner v es w hich f eed t he lungs.
Saf et y : No know n t ox i ci t y .
Compl ement ar y Agent s: Sl ipper y el m, capsi cum,
f enugr eek, y er ba sant a, mul l ein, saw pal met t o,
mar shmal l ow , t hy me, v i t ami n C, bi of l av onoi ds,
pr oant hocy ani di ns, phy t onut r ient s, v it ami n A, Bcompl ex , v it ami n B1 2 , pot assium and cal cium/ magnesi um.

WILD YAM (Dioscorea villosa)

Def i ni t ion: Tr adi t ionall y used f or i t s hor monal
pr oper t ies, Mex i can w i ld y am r oot is consider ed a
phy t oest r ogen ( pr ogest er one) w i t h none of t he si de
ef f ect s of sy nt het i c hor mones. It s use i n cr eam f or m
i s emer gi ng as a v i able t r eat ment f or ost eopor osi s,
menst r ual di sor der s and menopause.
A ppli cat i ons: Hor monal i mbalance, PMS, menst r ual di sor der s, inf er t i l it y , moods sw ings, f ibr ocy st i c br east s, ut er i ne f i br oi ds, ov ar i an cy st s,
menopause, ost eopor osis, cancer (hor monal ly r el at ed) , f ibr omy al gia and pr ost at e di sease.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Dr . J ohn Lee s st udies impr essi v el y del ineat e t he abi l it y of t r ansder mal w i l d y am
t o ef f ect i v ely r ai se pr ogest er one and bal ance est r ogen, w hi ch may hel p t o pr ev ent and t r eat cer t ai n
cancer s and a my r i ad of hor monal ly r el at ed sy mp21 2
t oms.
Saf et y : Consi der ed saf e and nont ox ic if used i n
appr opr iat e amount s. A cont r acept i v e ef f ect only
occur s w i t h ex t r emel y l ar ge doses.
Compl ement ar y Agent s: Dong quai , bl ack cohosh,
dami ana, saw pal met t o, sar sapar i l la, v it ami n E, v i t ami n B compl ex , f oli c acid, essent i al f at t y aci ds,
v i t amin C, biof l av onoids and gr ape seed and pi ne
bar k pr oant hocy anidi ns.

WOOD BETONY (Betonica officinalis)

Def i ni t ion: As a mediev al r emedy f or head ai l ment s, w ood bet ony s gl y cosi de cont ent can help t o
al lev i at e head pai n and di lat e bl ood v essel s. It is consi der ed a ner v i ne cal mant her b.
A ppl i cat i ons: Ner v ous di s or der s, headaches
( especi al l y t ensi on) , i nsomni a, hy st er i a, f aci al pai n,
migr aines, l iv er pr ot ect ant and Par ki nson s di sease.
Sci ent i f ic Updat es: Today , sci ent i st s hav e f ound
t hat w ood bet ony has t he abil i t y t o dil at e blood v es2 13
It s v ascul ar ef f ect
sel s and pr omot e r el ax at i on.
has been li nked t o it s abil i t y t o r el iev e headache
214
pai n, hence causing muscles t o r elax .
Saf et y : Wood bet ony i s consider ed saf e w hen
t aken i n appr opr i at e doses. Because it has t he abil i t y t o mi ldl y st i mul at e t he ut er us, i t shoul d be av oi ded i n pr egnancy .

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
Complement ar y Agent s: Val er i an, hops, skul l cap,
mar shmal l ow , mul l ei n, chamomil e, bl ack cohosh,
mel at oni n, lav ender , v it ami n B- complex and cal ci um/ magnesium.

YELLOW DOCK (Rumex crispus)

Def ini t i on: As one of t he best blood- cl eansi ng
her bs, y ell ow dock helps t o r i d t he body of t ox i ns
and pur ges t he l y mph gl ands. It i s unusual ly r ich i n
i r on and i s an ex cel lent l i v er t oni c.
A ppl i cat i ons: A nemi a, bl ood di sor der s, bl ood
cl eanser , boil s, cancer , coughs, hi v es, i r on def i ci ency , l i v er ai lment s, psor i asi s, r heumat i sm, ski n
di sor der s and sor es.
Sci ent if i c Updat es: Yel l ow dock enhances t he
21 5
Ant i bact er ial
l i v er s abil i t y t o f i l t er t he bl ood.
2 16
pr oper t ies hav e al so been obser v ed i n y el l ow dock.
Yel l ow dock r oot achi ev es i t s t oni c pr oper t i es
t hr ough ast r ingent pur i f icat i on of t he bl ood suppl y t o
t he glands . . . It i s of t en used in seasonal cleanses
and bl ood det ox if i cat i on pr ogr ams. Among al l her bs,
i t has one of t he st r ongest r eput at ions f or cl ear i ng
up ski n pr oblems, l iv er and gal lbl adder ail ment s, and
21 7
gl andul ar i nf l ammat i on and sw el l ing.
Saf et y : Use as di r ect ed.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Dandel i on, capsi cum,
bur dock, gar l ic, f enugr eek, quassia, kel p, bl ack
cohosh, r ed sage, blue- gr een al gae, v it ami n C, v i t ami n A , bi of lav onoi ds, B- complex , pr oant hocy ani di ns
and phy t onut r i ent s.

YERBA SANTA (Eriodictyon spp.)

Def ini t i on: Consi der ed a l ung t oni c, t hi s her b hel ps
t o open r espi r at or y passages and st i mulat es t he
pr oduct ion of nat ur al cor t isone.
A ppl icat i ons: Al l er gi es, ast hma, br onchial congest i on, col ds, f lu, l ar y ngi t i s, hemor r hoi ds and
bl adder i nf ect i ons.
Scient i f i c Updat es: Yer ba sant a ex er t s a st r ong
st i mulant act ion on t he l ungs enabl ing t hem t o ex pel
2 18
mucus. It also hel ps t o open r espi r at or y passages
af f ect ed by all er gi c r eact i ons, and can help decr ease
21 9
nasal dischar ge. In t he past , i t has also been r ec2 20
ommended f or hemor r hoi ds and bl adder inf ect i ons.
In addi t i on, y er ba sant a i ncr eases t he t her apeut i c
ef f ect i v eness of ot her her bs.
Saf et y : Use i n t he appr opr iat e dosage.
Compl ement ar y A gent s: Fenugr eek, capsi cum,
mul lein, mar shmal low , sl ipper y el m, w i ld cher r y ,
saw pal met t o, t hy me, comf r ey , v i t ami n C,
bi of l av onoi ds, v i t ami n A , calci um/ magnesium, phy t onut r i ent s and pr oant hocy ani dins.

Endnotes
1 . Daniel B. Mowrey, Ph.D. The Scient if ic Validat ion of Herbal
Medicine, Keat s Publishing, Connect icut , 1 98 6 , 2 .
2 . P. De Froment . Unsaponif iable subst ance f rom alf alf a f or

85

pharmaceut icals and cosmet ic use. French Pat ent 2 , 1 87 ,3 2 8,

1974.
3 . E. Tyihak and B. Szende. Basic plant prot eins wit h ant it umor
act ivit y. Hungarian Pat ent 7 9 8, 1 9 7 0 .
4. M.C. Robson, et al., Myt h, Magic, Wit chcraf t or Fact : Aloe
Vera Revisit ed, Journal of Burn Care and Rehabilit at ion,(3 ):
1 9 3 5 : 1 5 7 -62 . See also L.J. Lorenzet t i, Bact eriost at ic propert y of Aloe Vera, Journal of Pharmacological Science, ( 5 3 ) :
1 9 64 : 12 8 7.
5 . R.W. Shelt on, Aloe Vera, it s chemical and t herapeut ic propert ies, Int ernat ional Journal of Dermat ology , ( 3 0) : 19 9 1: 6 79 83.
6 . J.B. Kahlon, et al., Inhibit ion of A IDS virus replicat ion by acemannan in vit ro, Mol Biot her (3 ): 1 99 1 : 12 7 -35 .
7 . Rebecca Flynn, M.S., and Mark Roest . Your Guide t o
St andardized Herbal Product s. One World Press, Prescot t ,
Arizona: 1 9 9 5 : 4 .
8. Alma E. Guinness, Family guide t o Nat ural Medicine, Reader s
Digest Associat ion, New York, 1 9 93 , 3 24 .
9 . Mowrey, 2 4 0.
1 0 . James Duke. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. CRC Press, Boca
Rat on: 1 9 8 5 , 12 0 .
1 1 . Michael Murray , N.D., and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D. Encyclopedia
of Nat ural Medicine. Prima Publishing, Rocklin, Calif ornia: 1 99 1 ,
462.
12 . Guinness, 29 8 . See also J. Young. American Journal of
Medical Sciences. 9 , 3 1 0 , 1 8 31 , N. R. Farnswort h and A.B.
Seligman. Hypoglycemic plant s. Tile and Till. 57 ( 3 ), 5 2 -5 6 ,
19 7 1, and P.S. Benoit , H.H.S. Fong, G.H. Svoboda and N.R.
Farnswort h. Biologic and phy t ochemical evaluat ion of plant s.
XIV. Ant i-inf lammat ory evaluat ion of 1 6 3 species of plant .
LLoydia. 39 ( 2-3 ), 1 6 0-6 1, 1 9 7 6 .
1 3 . A.R. Hut chens. Indian Herbology of Nort h America. Merco,
Ont ario, Canada: 1 9 73 .
1 4 . Penelope Ody, The Complet e Medicinal Herbal, DorlingKindersley, New York, 1 9 9 3 , 71 .
15 . U.C. Bhargava AND B.A . West f all, Ant it umor act ivit y of
juglans nigra ( black walnut ) ext r ac t ives, Jour nal of
PHarmaceut ical Sciences, 5 7 ( 1 0) , 16 7 4-1 6 77 .
16 . Ibid.
1 7 . Mowrey, 2 3 0.
1 8 . Jack Rit chason, The Lit t le Herb Encyclopedia, Woodland
Publishing, Pleasant Grove, Ut ah, 19 9 4 , 3 0 .
19 . Paul Barney M.D., Clinical Applicat ions of Herbal Medicine,
Woodland Publishing, Pleasant Grove, Ut ah, 1 9 9 6 , 6 6.
2 0 . Michael A. Weiner Ph.D. and Janet A, Weiner. Herbs t hat
Heal. Quant um Books, Mill Valley: Calif ornia: 1 9 9 4 , 87 .
21 . Pet er Holmes, The Energet ics of West ern Herbs, Art emis
Press, Boulder, 1 9 8 9 , 27 8 .
2 2 . V.E. Tyler, L.R. Brady and J.E. Robbers. Pharmacognosy. 7 t h
ed. Lead and Febiger, Philadelphia: 1 9 7 6 .
2 3 . H.W. Youngken. Text book of Pharmacognosy. 5t h ed.
Blakist on, Philadelphia: 1 9 43 .
2 4 . M. Grieve, F.R.H.S. A Modern Herbal. Dorset Press, New York:
1 9 94 , 1 34 .
2 5 . S.M. Kupchan and A. Karim. Tumor inhibit ors 1 1 4 : Aloe
emodin: ant ileukemic principle isolat ed f rom Rhamnus f angula
L. Lloydia, 3 9, 2 2 3 -2 2 4, 1 9 76 .
2 6 . H.W. Youngken; Text book of Pharmacognosy. 5 t h ed.
Balkist on, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 1 9 4 3 .
85

86

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

2 7 . P. Behrns. Healing remedies in word and illust rat ion.

Krankenpf lege. 29 (3 ), 1 0 1 -0 4 , 19 7 5.
2 8. Mowrey, 6 8 .
2 9 . Ibid., 5 8 and 2 49 .
3 0 . Flynn, 1 0 .
3 1 T. Koloat a and D. Chungcharcon. The ef f ect of capsaicin on
smoot h muscle and blood f low of t he st omach and int est ine.
Siriraj Hospit al Gazet t e. 2 4 , 1 4 05 -1 41 8 , 1 9 72 .
3 2 . Paul Barney, M.D. Clinical Applicat ions of Herbal Medicine.
Woodland Publishing, Pleasant Grove, Ut ah: 19 9 5, 5 5.
3 3. Ibid., 2 0 .
3 4 . Pet er Holmes. The Energet ics of West ern Herbs. Art emis
Press, Boulder: 1 9 89 , 3 2 2 .
3 5 . Murray and Pizzorno, 4 1 9.
3 6. Mowrey, 5 8 .
3 7 . M. Marchesi, M. Marcat o and C. Silvest rini. A laxat ive mixt ure in t he t herapy of const ipat ion in aged pat ient s. Giornale
de Clinica Medica. Bologna: 6 3, 8 5 0 -6 3 , 19 8 2.
3 8. Mowrey, 5 8 .
3 9 . Murray and Pizzorno, 2 3 5 .
4 0 . Flynn, 12 .
4 1 . Ibid.
4 2. Mowrey, 7 6 .
4 3 . L. Damico. Ricerche sulla presenza di sost anze ad azione
anat ibiot ica nelle piant e superiori. Fit ot erapia. 21 ( 1 ), 7 7 -79 ,
1950.
4 4. The Cat s. Claw, The Energy Times, May -June, 1 9 9 5 : 1 2 .
4 5 . Riccardo Cerri, New Quinovic Acid Glycosides f rom Uncaria
Toment osa, Journal of Nat ural Medicine Vol. 5 1 , No. 2, MarApr, 19 8 8: 2 5 7-6 1 .
4 6. R. A quino, et al., Plant Met abolit es: st ruct ure and in v it ro
ant iviral act ivit y of Quinovic acid gly cosides f rom Uncaria
Toment osa, Journal of Nat ural Product s, Vol, 5 2, No. 3, mayJune, 1 9 9 0 : 55 9 -64 .
4 7 . Philip A. St einberg, Uncaria Toment osa ( Cat s Claw): A
Wondrous Herb From t he Peruvian Rainf orest , TOWNSEND
LETTER, 1 3 0 , May, 19 9 4: 2 .
4 8 . Ibid., New Edit ions Healt h World, Feb. 1 9 9 5 : 43 .
4 9 . T. Shipochliev. Ext ract s f rom group of medicinal plant s
enhancing ut erine t onus. Vet erinary Sciences (SOFIA) . 18 ( 4 ),
9 4-9 8 , 1 9 81 .
5 0 . J. Breinlich and K. Scharnagel. Pharmacological propert ies
of t he ene-yne dicloet hers f rom at ricaria chamomilla, ant iinf lammat ory, ant i-anaphylact ic, spasmolyt ic, and bact eriost at ic act ivit y. Arzneimit t el-Forschungen, 1 8( 4 ) , 42 9 -31 , 1 9 6 8 .
V. Yakolev and A. Von Schlicht egroll. Ant i-inf lammat ory act ivit y of alpha-bisabolol, an essent ial component of chamomile
oil. Arzneimit t el-Forschungen. 1 9 ( 4) , 61 5 -16 , 1 9 6 9 . O. Isaac
and G. Krist en. Old and new met hods of chamomile t herapy.
Chamomile as example f or modern research of medicinal
plant s. Medizinische Welt . 31 ( 31 -3 1) , 1 1 4 5 -4 9 , 1 9 80 . J.L.
Hart well. Plant s used against cancer: a survey. Lloydia. 31 ,
71, 1968.
5 1 . Jack Rit chason, The Lit t le Herb Ency clopedia, 3 rd ed.
Woodland Books, Pleasant Grove, Ut ah: 19 9 4, 6 3 -64 .
5 2 . Ibid., 6 5 .
5 3 . A.Y. Leung. Chinese Herbal Remedies. Universe Books, Now
York: 1 9 84 , 4 7 -4 9 .
5 4. Mowrey, 2 3 5 .
5 5 . Ibid. 82 .
86

56 . Louise Tenney. Today s Herbal Healt h, 3 rd ed. Woodland

Publishers, Pleasant Grove, Ut ah: 1 9 9 2 .
5 7 . Rit chason, 6 6.
5 8 . Ody, 1 1 3 .
59 . Guinness, 3 02 .
60 . Rit chson, 6 8 .
6 1 . Grieve, 1 1 1 .
62 . Alma R. Hut chens. Indian Herbology of Nort h America.
Merco, Ont ario, Canada: 1 9 69 , 10 8 .
6 3 . Ody, 1 6 4 .
6 4 . Holmes, 3 00 .
65 . L.S.M. Curt in. Healing Herbs of t he Upper Rio Grande.
Sout hwest Museum, Los Angeles: 1 9 65 .
6 6 . Tenney, 4 6 .
6 7 . Ibid.
68 . Michael Murray , N.D., and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D. Encyclopedia
of Nat ural Medicine Prima Publishing, Rocklin, California: 1 9 9 1 ,
46 2 .
6 9 . Guinness, 2 9 8 .
7 0 . J. Young. American Journal of Medical Sciences. 9 , 31 0 ,
1 8 31 .
7 1 . N. R. Farnswort h and A.B. Seligman. Hypoglycemic plant s.
Tile and Till. 5 7( 3 ) , 52 -5 6, 1 9 71 ,
72 . Mowrey, 2 8 2.
7 3 . Ibid., 2 83 .
74 . Flynn, 1 8 .
7 5 . Ibid.
76 . Ibid., 1 9.
7 7 . Murray and Pizzorno, 46 2 .
7 8 . Gary Gillum, Echinacea, Todays Herbs, Provo, Ut ah:
Woodland Books, Vol. 1 issue 1 1 , July, 19 8 1: 1 .
79 . Murray , ENCYCLOPEDIA OF NATURAL MEDICINE, 5 8 .
8 0 . V.H. Wagner and A. Proksch, Immunost imulat ory Drugs of
Fungi and higher Plant s, Economic Medicinal Plant Research,
1 9 85 : (1 ) , 1 1 30 5 3.
81 . Ibid.
8 2 . Ody, 1 76 .
83 . Mowrey, 9 8.
8 4 . Ibid., 1 9-2 0 .
8 5 . Ibid., 2 7 9 .
8 6 . Rit chason, 8 5.
8 7 . G. Valet t e, Y Sauvaire, et al. Hypocholest erolemic ef f ect of
f enugreek seed in dogs. At herosclerosis. 50 , 1 05 -1 11 , 19 8 4.
8 8 . W.A. Thompson. Herbs t hat Heal. Charles Scribners Sons,
New York: 1 9 7 6 , 1 60 -6 1.
89 . G. Ribes, Y. Sauvaire, J.C. Valet t e, et al. Ef f ect s of f enugreek seeds on endocrine pancreat ic secret ions in dogs.
Annals of Nut rit ion and Met abolism. 2 8, 3 7 -4 3 , 1 98 4 .
9 0 . Rit chason, 9 1.
9 1 . Ibid.
9 2 . Guinness, 3 0 8 .
9 3 . Mowrey, 1 2 2-1 2 3.
9 4 . C.J. Cavallit o and J.H. Bailey. Allicin, t he ant ibact erial principle of allium sat ivum. I. Isolat ion, physical propert ies and
ant ibact erial act ion. Journal of t he American Chemical
Societ y. 6 6 . 1 9 50 -5 1, 1 9 4 5 .
95 . Weiner, 1 6 0.
9 6 . Guinness, 3 08 .
97 . Mowrey, 1 04 .
98 . Flynn, 2 8 .

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
9 9 . Ginger. The Lawrence Review of Nat ural Product s: Fact s
and Comparisons. St . Louis: Nov. 1 9 9 1 .
1 0 0. Weiner, 16 4 .
1 0 1. F. Juguet , et al., Deceased cerebral 5 -HT1 A Recept ors
during aging: reversal by Ginkgo biloba ext ract , J. Pharm
Pharmacol., April, 19 9 4: 4 6 (4 ), 3 1 8-2 8 .
1 02 . G. Vorberg, Ginkgo biloba ext ract (GBE): A long t erm
st udy of chronic cerebral insuf f iciency in geriat ric pat ient s,
Clinical Trials Journal, (1 9 8 5 ) 2 2 , 14 9 -57 .
1 0 3 . Deanne Tenney, Ginseng, Woodland Press, Pleasant Grove,
Ut ah: 19 9 6, 2 0 .
1 0 4. Ibid., 2 1.
1 05 . Ibid., 3 1.
1 0 6 . Louise Tenney, 7 6.
1 0 7 . Mowrey, 1 58 .
1 08 . Rit a Elkins, M.H. Goldenseal, 1 6 .
1 0 9. Ibid., 1 7.
1 10 . List , vol. 2 -5 .
1 1 1. Ibid.
1 1 2. R.N. Chopra. Indigenous Herbs of India. 2 nd ed. Art s Press,
Calcut t a: Chopra R.N. et al. 1 9 3 3 .1 1 3 Bet t y Kamen.
Gymnema Ext ract . Let s Livd. Sept . 1 9 8 9 , 4 0-4 1 .
1 14 . Journal of Et hmorpharmacology. 1 9 86 , 14 3 -46 .
1 15 . Flynn, 47 .
1 1 6 . Guinness, 3 1 1.
1 17 . Hawt horn. The Lawrence Review of Nat ural Product s:
Fact s and Comparisons. St . Louis: May, 1 9 8 7 .
1 1 8. Murray and Pizzorno, 3 83 .
1 1 9 . R. Blesken, Crat aegus in cardiology, Forsch Med, 1 10 ,
1 9 92 : 2 9 0 -9 2
1 2 0. Mowrey, 3 2 .
1 2 1. Mowrey, 16 4 -65 .
1 2 2. Ibid., 8 3 .
1 2 3. Ibid., 8 4.
1 24 . Flynn, 52 .
1 2 5 . Ibid., 1 3 0 .
1 26 . Holmes, 3 6 6 .
1 2 7. Mowrey, 1 2 3 .
1 28 . Ibid., 2 68 .
1 2 9. Rit chason, 1 33 .
1 3 0 . C.H. Cost ello and E.V. Lynn. Est rogenic subst ances f rom
plant s: gly cyrrhiza glabra. Journal of t he Am erican
Pharmaceut ical Associat ion. 39 , 1 77 -8 0 , 1 9 50 .
1 3 1. Ody, 6 5 .
1 32 . Guinness, 3 1 5 .
1 3 3. Michael Murray N.D. The Healing Power of Herbs. Prima
Publishing, Rocklin, Calif ornia: 1 9 92 , 4 31 .
1 3 4. Licorice. The Lawrence Review of Nat ural Product s: Fact s
and Comparisons, June, 1 9 89 .
1 3 5. Murray, Healing Power of Herbs, 24 1 .
1 3 6. Ibid.
1 37 . Jack Rit chason, 1 45 .
1 3 8 . P.H. List and L. Hoerhammer. Hagers Handbuch der
Pharmazeut ischen Praxis. Vol. 2 -5, Springer-V erlag: Berlin. P.
Schauenber and F. Paris. Guide de Plant es Medicinales.
Delachaux et Niest le, S.A., Neuchat el, Swit zerland: 1 9 6 9 . R.W.
Wr en. Pot t er s New Ency clopedia of Bot anical Drugs
Preparat ion. 7t h ed. Healt h Science Press, Rust ingt on, England:
1 97 0 .
1 3 9. Marshmallow The Lawrence Review of Nat ural Product s:

87

Fact s and Comparisons. St . Louis: Dec. 19 9 1.

1 4 0. A. Desplaces, et al., The ef f ect s of silymarin on experiment al phalloidin poisoning, Arneimit t el-Forsch, 2 5 , 19 7 5: 8 9 96.
1 4 1. Murray, The Healing Power of Herbs, 2 4 4.
1 4 2 . Ibid., 2 48 .
14 3 . Mullein. The Lawrence Review of Nat ural Product s: Fact s
and Comparisons, St . Louis: Sept . 1 9 89 .
14 4 . James F. Balch M.D. and Phyllis A. Balch, CNC. Prescript ion
f or Nut rit ional Healing. Avery Publishing, Garden Cit y Park, New
York: 1 9 9 0 , 5 6 .
1 4 5. F. Ellingwood. Therapeut ics and Pharmacognosy. Eclect ic
Medical Pub. Port land, Oregon: 19 8 3.
14 6 . G. Majno. The Healing Hand: Man and Wound in t he Ancient
World. Harvard Universit y Press, Cambridge: 1 97 5 , 2 1 7 -1 8 .
14 7 . Mowrey, 57 .
14 8 . Ibid., 75 .
1 4 9. Tenney, Ency clopedia of Nat ural Remedies, 8 0 .
15 0 . H. Gershon and L. Shanks, Fungit oxicit y of 1 ,4 -napht hoquinones t o Candida albicans and Truchophy t on ment agrophyt es, Canadian Journal of Microbiology, 2 1, 1 9 75 : 1 3 1 7 21.
1 5 1. Penelope Ody. The Complet e Medicinal Herbal. Dorling
Kindersley, New York: 1 9 93 , 7 9 .
15 2 . Murray and Pizzorno, 3 9 9.
1 5 3 . Ody , 79 .
1 5 4. J.D. Bell and J. Doran, Gallst one dissolut ion in man using
an essent ial oil preparat ion, Brit ish Medical Journal, 27 8 ,
1 9 79 : 24 .
15 5 . Barney, 7 2.
1 5 6 . Mowrey, 2 36 .
15 7 . Rit chason, 1 9 0 .
15 8 . Rit chason, 1 6 3.
15 9 . A.Y. Leung. Encyclopedia of Common Nat ural Ingredient s.
New York: 1 9 8 0 , 2 57 -59 .
1 6 0 . D.M.R. Culbret h. A Manual of Mat eria Medica and
Pharmacology. Philadelphia: 19 2 7.
1 6 1 . Mowrey, 2 34 .
16 2 . Flynn, 6 1 .
1 6 3 . Ibid.
1 6 4 . Guinness, 3 1 9 .
1 6 5. Mowrey, 24 0 .
1 6 6 . Rit chason, 18 1 .
1 6 7. Grieve, 6 63 .
16 8 . Tenney, 1 14 .
16 9 . Mowrey, 4 .
1 7 0 . Ibid.
1 7 1 . J. King. The American Dispensat ory. Cincinnat i: 18 6 6 .
1 7 2 . Rit chason, 19 2 .
1 7 3 . Mowrey, 5 4 .
1 7 4. Rit chason, 19 3 .
1 7 5. Mowrey, 5 4 .
1 7 6. Mowrey, 1 8 6 , 1 0 9.
1 7 7 . Ibid., 10 9 .
1 7 8. Rit chason, 1 9 5 .
1 7 9. Rit chason, 2 0 6 .
18 0 . Ody, 9 5 .
1 8 1 . Guinness, 32 1 .
1 8 2. Rit chason, 2 0 7 .
18 3 . Mowrey, 1 9.
87

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D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

1 8 4 . Ibid., 19 .
1 8 5. Ibid., 2 8 7 .
1 86 . Leung, 1 5 2.
1 8 7 . J. Braeckman. The ext ract of Serenoa repens in t he t reat ment of benign prost at ic hyperplasia: A mult i cent er open
st udy. Current Therapy Res. 5 5 , 77 6 -85 , 1 9 9 4 .
1 88 . Mowrey, 7 7 .
1 89 . B.A. Kurnakov. Pharmacology of skullcap. Farmakologiia I
Toksikologiia. 2 0( 6 ) , 7 9 -8 0 , 1 9 57 .
1 9 0. S. Shibat a, M. Harada, and W. Budidarmo. Const it uent s of
Japanese and Chinese crude drugs. III. Ant ispasmodic act ion of
f lavonoids and ant hraquinones. YAKUGAKU ZASSHI. 8 0 , 6 2 024, 1960.
V. Usow. Farmakologiia I Toksikologiia. 2 1 ( 2 ) 31 -3 4, 1 9 5 8 .
A.F. Gammerman and I.D. Yourkevit ch, eds. Wild Medicinal
Plant s. Bello-Russia Publishers, Academy of Science, Inst it ut e
of Experiment al Bot anics and Microbiology, Minsk: 1 96 5 .
1 9 1. T. Usow. Farmakologiia I Toksikologiia. 2 1 (2 ), 3 1 -3 4 ,
1 9 58 .
1 9 2 . Pederson, 1 57 .
1 9 3 . Shook, 1 6 3 .
1 9 4 . Barney, 9 8 .
1 9 5 . Ibid., 13 6 .
1 9 6. Ibid., 2 9.
1 97 . Rit chason, 2 2 6 .
1 98 . Ibid.
1 99 . Murray, 29 6 .
2 0 0. Guinness, 3 24 .
2 0 1 . Velma Keit h and Mont een Gordon, The How To Herb Book,
Mayf ield Publishing, Pleasant Grove, Ut ah: 19 8 4.
2 02 . Guiness, 32 4 .
2 03 . Ibid., 2 33 .
2 0 4 . B.S. Bart on. Collect ions f or an Essay Toward a Mat eria
Medica of t he Unit ed St at es. 3 rd ed. Edward Earle and Co.,
Philadelphia: 1 8 1 0 .
2 0 5 . J.L. Harwell. Plant Rem edies f or Canc er. Cancer
Chemot herapy Report s. July, 1 9 -2 4 , 1 9 60 . 20 6 R. Benigni.
The presence of ant ibiot ic subst ance in t he higher plant s.
FITOERAPIA. 1 9 (3 ), 1 -2 , 1 9 48 .
2 0 7 . U. Boet ers. Treat ment of aut onomic dysregulat ion wit h
v alepot riat es
( V alm ane) .
Muenchener
Medizinische
Wochenschrif t . 3 7 , 18 7 3-1 8 76 , 19 6 9. V . Kempinskas. On t he
act ion valerian. Farmakologiia I Toksikologiia. 4 (3 ) , 3 0 5-3 0 9,
1 96 4 . R. Klich and B. Gladbach. Childhood behavior disorders
and t heir t reat ment . Medizinische Welt . 2 6( 2 5) , 12 5 1-1 2 54 ,
1 9 75 .
2 0 8 . P.D. Leat hwood and F. Chauf f ard. Aqueous ext ract of
valerian reduces lat ency t o f all asleep in man. Plant a Medica.
5 4 , 1 44 -4 8, 1 98 5 .
2 0 9. Mowrey, 13 1 .
2 10 . Ibid. 2 4 0.
2 11 . Barney, 1 0 .
2 1 2 . John R. Lee, M.D., Nat ural Progest erone: The Mult iple Roles
of a Remarkable Hormone, BLL Publishing, Sebast opol,
Calif ornia: 1 99 3 .
2 13 . Daniel P, Mowrey . The Scient if ic Validat ion of Herbs. Keat s
Publishing, New Canaan, Connec t icut : 1 9 8 6 , 1 9 3 . T.V .
Zinchenko, and I.M. Fef er. Invest igat ion of glycosides f rom
bet onica of f icinalis. Farmat sevt Zhurnal. 1 7( 3 ) , 35 -3 8, 1 9 62 .
2 1 4. Rit chason, 2 55 .
88

21 5 .
21 6 .
21 7 .
21 8 .
21 9 .
22 0 .

Mowrey, 19 .
List , vol. 2 -5 .
Mowrey, 2 07 .
Rit chason, 2 6 2 .
Ibid.
Grieve, 8 6 5.

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e

89

A n Over vi ew of Ot her
Nat ur al Suppl ement s
ACIDOPHILUS
Def i ni t ion: Cer t ai n subst ances w hich sour , such as
act i v e cul t ur ed y ogur t , but t er mi l k and cer t ai n
cheeses , cont ai n Lact obaci l l us aci dophi l us t hat
enhance di gest i on and el i mi nat i on by ef f ect iv ely
di gest i ng pr ot ei ns i n t he bow el. A ci dophi lus al so
hel ps t o det ox i f y har mf ul bact er ia by hel pi ng t o
r est or e f r i endl y bact er i a t hat keep cer t ai n
micr oor gani sms in check. Non- dai r y sour ces of aci dophi l us ar e av ai l abl e. Al l sour ces, w het her l iquid or
capsule, shoul d be r ef r i ger at ed and t aken on an
empt y st omach i n t he mor ni ng. Check ex pi r at i on
dat es bef or e pur chasi ng any aci dophil us pr oduct s.
A ci dophi l us suppl ement s shoul d be t aken af t er
ant i bi ot ic t her apy or t hei r ef f ect s w i l l be neut r al i zed.
A ppl i cat i ons: const i pat i on, y east i nf ect i ons,
mout h sor es, col on pr oblems, f ungal and bact er i al
i nf ect ions, di ar r hea, high bl ood cholest er ol , indigest i on and mal nut r it i on.
Saf et y : Aci dophil us i s consider ed saf e but any one
suf f er i ng f r om an al ler gy t o mil k pr oduct s should use
onl y non- dair y aci dophi l us pr oduct s.
Recommendat ions: A ci dophi lus can be t aken i n
capsule, t ablet , l i qui d or edibl e f or ms such as but t er mi lk, y ogur t , et c. A lw ay s check f or ex pi r at i on
dat e and use guar ant eed bact er ial count pr oduct s
w it h l act o and bif i do bact er i a.

ALPHA LIPOIC ACID (ALA)

Def i ni t ion: ALA i s a pow er f ul ant i ox i dant compound w hi ch has r ecent ly emer ged as ev en mor e
ef f ect i v e t han ot her ant iox idant s due t o i t s w at er
and f at sol ubi l it y and it s abi l it y t o gr eat l y pot ent i at e
t he act i on of v it ami n E and gl ut at hi one. ALA can be
def i ned as an ant iox i dant compound w hi ch i s sy nt hesi zed i n t he body i n ex t r emely smal l amount s,
al t hough i t must al so be suppli ed f r om f ood or suppl ement sour ces t o augment int r i nsi c suppl i es. It i s a
v i t amin- li ke subst ance w hi ch cont ai ns sulphur and
pl ay s a v it al r ole i n ener gy r eact i ons i n mi t ochondr i al el ect r on t r anspor t . Thi s f unct ion i s int r i nsi cal ly
r el at ed t o t he met abol ism of gl ucose i nt o ener gy
( ATP) .
A ppli cat i ons: Agi ng, AIDS, al cohol i sm, at her oscl er osi s, Bel l s pal sy , cat ar act s, cancer pr ev ent i on, ci r r hosis, di abet es, di abet i c neur opat hy , mul t i ple scl er osi s, li v er di sease, r adi at i on sickness or
ex posur e, memor y / A l zhei mer s di sease, seni l e
dement i a, st r oke, Hunt i ngt on s disease, Par kinson s
di sease and heav y met al poi soni ng.
Saf et y : Gener all y consi der ed saf e, A LA has been
used f or ov er 2 0 y ear s i n Eur ope w it h no r epor t ed
t ox i ci t y or adv er se ef f ect s. It i s w ell t ol er at ed and
89

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D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

assimi lat ed t hr ough t he st omach. Ani mal st udi es

hav e f ound t hat doses ov er 4 0 0 t o 5 0 0 mg per ki l ogr am of body w eight can cr eat e some t ox i cit y . Thi s
amount t r ansl at es t o dosages higher t han most peopl e w ould use as a pr ev ent at iv e ant i ox idant compound. Chil dr en and pr egnant or lact at i ng w omen
should not t ake t hi s suppl ement . Any one w ho is under
t he car e of phy sician or has a ser i ous medi cal condi t i on shoul d check w i t h t heir doct or bef or e usi ng
A LA. This suppl ement i s consi der ed saf e i f used as
di r ect ed. ALA may i nt er f er e w it h v it ami n B1 assi mi l at ion; any one suf f er ing f r om a t hiami ne def i ciency ,
such as many alcoholi cs, shoul d t ake a t hiami ne suppl ement i n conj unct i on w it h A LA.
Recommendat i ons: Gener al l y speaki ng, t aki ng
bet w een 4 0 t o 5 0 mg of A LA i s consi der ed a t her apeut i c dose f or mai nt aini ng heal t h, w hi le doses in t he
1 0 0 mg r ange ar e used f or chr onic condit i ons.
Diabet i cs can t ake bet w een 2 0 0 and 3 0 0 mg per day
and ev en mor e if t hei r phy si cian f eel s it i s necessar y . A IDS pat ient s can ex ceed t hi s dose but must do
so under t he super v isi on of t hei r phy sici an. ALA
t her apy i s a l ong- t er m t r eat ment and is usual ly not
associat ed w i t h shor t - t er m r esult s.

BEE POLLEN
Def ini t i on: Bee pol l en i s a f ine pow der y subst ance
t hat has been coll ect ed f r om t he st amen f ound w i t hi n f l ow er blossom and st or ed by honey bees i n honey comb hi v es. It i s consider ed a highly nut r i t i ous and
compl et e f ood and cont ai ns a r i ch suppl y of B- compl ex v i t ami ns, v it ami ns C, A, E, car ot enoids, f oli c
aci d, ami no aci ds, a w i de ar r ay of miner als and
some essent ial f at t y aci ds.
A ppl icat ions: Most al ler gies, anemi a, ast hma,
at hl et i c endur ance, chr oni c f at i gue, i mmune sy st em
di sor der s, i mpot ence, i nf er t i li t y , kidney disor der s,
menopause, pr ost at e di sease and ulcer s.
Saf et y : A v er y small per cent age of t he popul at i on
i s all er gi c t o bee pol l en. If y ou suf f er f r om pol l en
al l er gi es, y ou shoul d use bee pol len w i t h caut i on.
St ar t w i t h a v er y small gr anul e and w or k up t o l ar ger doses. If y ou ex per i ence t hr oat it chi ng or any
ot her all er gi c sy mpt om, di scont i nue use immedi at el y . Using pol len t hat has been har v est ed f r om l ocal
bees helps t o av oi d al ler gic r eact ions.
Recommendat ions: Bee pol len can be pur chased as
a pow der , gr anul es, canned, chew able w af er s, capsul i zed or i n t abl et f or m. It shoul d be pur chased f r om
a r el i able sour ce and kept r ef r iger at ed. It has been
used f or cent ur i es t o pr omot e st ami na and longev i ty.

BEE PROPOLIS
Def ini t i on: Bee pr opoli s i s a r esi nous subst ance
gat her ed by honey bees f r om deci duous t r ee bar k and
l eav es. It is a st i cky mat er i al t hat bees use t o seal
hi v e holes or cr acks. Bef or e i t i s used in t he hi v e,
90

honey bees t ake t he pr opoli s, combi ne it w i t h nect ar

f ound i n t hei r ow n secr et i ons and ev ent ual l y end up
w it h a mi x t ur e of w ax , poll en and bee br ead.
Pr opoli s has been used f or t housands of y ear s as a
pr ot ect i on agai nst i nf ect i on, a pr omot er of heal i ng
and as a super i or sour ce of ener gy and endur ance.
A ppli cat i ons: Aller gies, br ui ses, bur ns, cancer ,
her pes zost er , f at igue, sor e t hr oat s, nasal congest ion
r espi r at or y ailment s, acne, sunbur n, shingles, f lu,
colds, coughs, and ulcer s.
Saf et y : Gener al ly consi der ed saf e alt hough i t
shoul d be i nit i al ly t aken in smal l amount s t o check
f or pot ent i al all er gi c r eact i ons.
Recommendat ions: Wit h any bee pr oduct , pot ency
i s v i t al . Fr eeze- dr ied pr oduct s or v acuum- packed
suppl ement s ar e bet t er t han si mpl e capsul ized v ar i et i es. Bee pr opol i s i s v er y del icat e and can br eak
dow n r api dl y .

BENTONITE
Def i ni t ion: Bent oni t e i s a hi ghl y absor bent clay l ike subst ance t hat hel ps t o l if t i mpact ed w ast e mat t er w hi ch has accumul at ed on t he w al ls of t he gast r oi nt est i nal t r act . It is usuall y used in colon cleansi ng pr ogr ams and w it h enema t her apy . It shoul d be
used under t he di r ect i on of a healt h car e pr act i t ioner .
A ppli cat i ons: Bl ood and col on pur i f i cat i on, const i pat i on, par asi t i c inf ect i ons, and f ood all er gi es.
Saf et y : Bent oni t e t her apy shoul d be used under
t he car e of a heal t h car e pr of essional. Check w i t h
y our doct or bef or e using any col oni c t r eat ment .
Recommendat ions: Bent oni t e i s usual l y sol d as a
pow der and shoul d be used j udi ci ousl y .

BIOFLAVONOIDS
Def ini t i on: Bi of l av onoi ds ( al so r ef er r ed t o as
f l av onoi ds ) compr i se a gr oup of pl ant pi gment s
t hat pr ov ide ex cel l ent cel lul ar pr ot ect i on by modif y i ng t he act i on of al l er gens, car cinogens, and v ir uses. Bi of l av onoi ds ar e r esponsible f or giv ing pl ant s
and t hei r bl ossoms col or pi gment and ar e al so f ound
i n t he w hit e mat er i al l ocat ed j ust beneat h t he peel of
ci t r us f r ui t s. Whi le t hey ar e not t echni cal ly v i t amins, bi of l av onoi ds ar e somet imes r ef er r ed t o as
v i t amin P. They ar e r emar kabl e f r ee r adi cal scav enger s and i ncl ude hesper et i n,
hesper i di n,
quer cet in, er i odi ct y on, and r ut in. Because t he body
cannot pr oduce bi of l av onoi ds, t hey must be suppl i ed
t hr ough diet or supplement at i on..
A ppli cat i ons: Br ui sing, bl eedi ng ( i ncluding heav y
menst r ual ) , high chol est er ol , cat ar act s, or al her pes, al l er gi es, ast hma, l iv er di sease and gum di sease.
Saf et y : Ex cessiv ely hi gh doses may cause diar r hea.
Recommendat ions: Biof l av onoids ar e usual ly combi ned w it h ot her v i t ami ns such as v i t ami n C and ar e

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
gener al ly t aken i n capsul e or t ablet f r om. Some ci t r us der i v ed pow der s t hat can be mi x ed w it h li qui d
ar e al so av ail abl e. When buy i ng any v it ami n pr oduct ,
make sur e t hat i t cont ains adequat e amount s of
bi of l av onoi ds.

BLUE-GREEN ALGAE (see Spirulina and Chlorella)

BOVINE CARTILAGE
Def i ni t i on: Bov ine car t i lage helps t o pr omot e
w ound heali ng and inhi bi t inf l ammat ion. Compounds i n
bov ine car t il age hav e t he abi li t y t o block angiogenesi s, t he pr ocess by w hi ch t umor s ar e f ed by a net w or k of new bl ood v essel s.
A ppl i cat i ons: Rheumat oi d ar t hr i t i s, psor i asi s,
ul cer at i v e col it i s, l upus, f i r m t umor s, connect i v e
t i ssue di seases and inf l ammat or y j oi nt condi t i ons.
Saf et y : Bov i ne car t i lage i s consi der ed a nont ox i c
subst ance i f t aken as di r ect ed.
Recommendat ions: Make sur e t o pur chase cl ean
and pur e dr ied- pow der f or ms t hat come f r om cat t l e
w hi ch ar e di sease and hor mone f r ee. Li ke shar k car t i lage, bov i ne v ar i et i es must be t aken i n r at her l ar ge
doses i n or der t o w or k. Loose pow der ed f or ms ar e
much mor e pr act i cal , al t hough t he capsul ized pr oduct can be used pr ev ent at iv el y .

CELL SALTS
Def ini t i on: Cel l sal t s ar e t r ace miner als t hat compr i se t he 1 2 compounds bel i ev ed t o cont ai n t he
act i v e i ngr edi ent s used i n t he pr act i ce of t r adit i onal
homeopat hy . On a cell ul ar l ev el , chel at ed t r ace mi ner als ar e absor bed up t o 8 0 per cent bet t er t han
unchelat ed or inor gani c miner als. Ty pi cal cel l sal t s
i ncl ude magnesium phosphat e, cal cium sulf at e, sil i ca
ox ide, et c. They ar e usuall y t aken in t abl et f or m and
pl aced under t he t ongue t o di ssol v e.
A ppl icat i ons: A v ast number of ai l ment s. Ev er y
di sor der has a par t i cul ar cel l salt f or mul a.
Saf et y : Mi ner al ov er doses can occur but cel l sal t
t her apy i s consi der ed saf e.
Recommendat ions: Cel l sal t s ar e of t en sold as
number ed homeopat hi c pr epar at i ons under v ar i ous
l abel names and should come f r om r el i abl e sour ces.

CHITOSAN
Def ini t i on: Chi t osan i s a f i ber - li ke pr oduct made
f r om gr ound shr i mp shel ls t hat inhibi t s f at absor pt i on. It i s not digest i bl e and has t he abi l it y t o absor b
many t i mes i t s w ei ght i n f at s, pr ev ent i ng t hei r
absor pt ion t hr ough t he i nt est i nal w al l .
A ppl icat i ons: Obesit y , hi gh cholest er ol, hy per t ensi on, hear t bur n and gout .
Saf et y : Consi der ed nont ox i c but any one w i t h a
shell f ish al l er gy or w ho i s pr egnant or nur si ng

91

shoul d not use chi t osan pr oduct s. Like f i ber suppl ement s, chit osan can i nhibit t he absor pt ion of l i pi dbased v i t amins and shoul d be t aken at a di f f er ent
t i me. Dr i nk at least ei ght gl asses of w at er per day
w hen t aki ng chi t osan supplement s.
Recommendat ions: Chi t osan comes i n capsules and
pow der s and shoul d be t aken j ust pr ior t o eat i ng a
meal w it h f at cont ent . Four t o ei ght capsul es per meal
is t he usual amount r equir ed t o absor b adequat e
amount s of f at . Using simpl e chi t osan f or f at absor pt ion is bet t er t han blends w hich do not cont ain enough
of t he compound t o be ef f ect i v e.

CHLORELLA
Def i ni t ion: Chl or el la ar e single- cell ed gr een al gae,
t hought t o hav e t he r i chest cont ent of chl or ophy ll .
They ar e t r adit i onal ly used as a bl ood de- t ox if i er .
Chl or el l a cont ains an i mpr essi v e ar r ay of v i t ami ns
and miner als including 1 9 ami no aci ds, RNA and DNA.
Li ke ot her f or ms of al gae, it i s r ecommended f or
bl ood buil di ng, boost i ng t he i mmune sy st em and
i nhi bit i ng bot h bow el and blood t ox i ci t y . Test i ng i s
under w ay t o ev al uat e i t s phy cocy ani n cont ent f or
cancer t r eat ment . Li ke spir ul i na, chl or el l a can hel p
t o pr ot ect against ul t r av i ol et r adi at i on.
A ppl i cat i ons: Bl ood bui l der , bl ood pur i f i er ,
cat ar act s, chr oni c diseases, chr onic f at igue, di abet es, f ood suppl ement , hepat i t is, hy pogl y cemi a,
gast r i t i s, glaucoma, obesi t y and w ei ght loss.
Saf et y : It is impor t ant t o obt ai n any t y pe of bluegr een algae f r om a r el iable sour ce t o ensur e pur i t y .
Ex cess ingest ion of chlor ell a may cause f at igue.
Recommendat ions: Chl or el la is av ai lable i n capsul es, t abl et s, pow der , f l akes, f r eeze- dr i ed cr y st al s, pr emeasur ed packet s and ex t r act s. It can be a
good sour ce of v i t ami n K. Make sur e t o l ook f or pur e
pr oduct s.

CHLOROPHYLL
Def i ni t ion: Chl or ophy ll i s t he gr een pi gment t hat
pl ant s use t o car r y out t he pr ocess of phot osy nt hesi s. The gr eat er amount of chl or ophy ll , t he gr eener
t he pl ant . A s a f ood suppl ement , mi ner al - r i ch
chl or ophy ll pr ompt s t i ssue r epai r , pur i f i es t he blood
and t he l i v er and hel ps t o bui l d r ed blood cel l s. It al so
w or ks as a nat ur al deodor i zer and t issue healer . In
addi t i on, chl or ophy l l can i nhi bi t t he gr ow t h of inf ect i ous mi cr oor ganisms, sani t ize t he colon and t r eat
gum di sease. It al so pr omot es t he pr oli f er at i on of
f r i endl y i nt est i nal f lor a. Chl or ophy ll can al so be an
ex cell ent sour ce of v i t ami n K.
A ppli cat i ons: Anemi a, blood t ox icit y , ex posur e t o
r adi at i on and ul cer s.
Saf et y : No know n t ox i ci t y . Use i n appr opr i at e
doses.
Recommendat ions: Chl or ophy ll i s av ail abl e i n l i qui d and capsuli zed suppl ement s. Look f or high qual i t y
sour ces. Fat - sol ubl e chlor ophy l l is pr ef er able t o
91

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D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

w at er - sol ubl e and can be f ound i n f r esh j ui ce

sour ces.

CHONDROITIN SULFATE
Def ini t i on: Chondr oit i n sul f at e is a pr omi si ng new
supplement . When combined w it h glucosamines sul f at e, i t helps t o al lev i at e t he painf ul sy mpt oms of
ost eoar t hr i t i s and can f aci li t at e car t i lage heal ing and
r egener at i on in af f ect ed j oi nt s. The chemi cal const i t uent s of chondr oi t in help t o cr eat e spaces i n t he
mat r i x enhanci ng f l ex i bi l i t y and cushi oni ng by
enabli ng i t t o hold mor e w at er . Chondr oi t i n i s a nat ur all y occur r ing compound f ound i n j oint t i ssue.
Ini t ial dat a suggest s t hat bot h chondr oi t in sulf at e and
gl ucosami ne sulf at e may be t he most v aluable and
ef f ect i v e nat ur al t r eat ment f or ar t hr it i s.
A ppl icat i ons: Ost eoar t hr i t is, r heumat oi d ar t hr i t i s, gout , lupus, connect i v e t issue di seases, bur si t i s, j oint t r auma.
Saf et y : Consider ed nont ox i c, al t hough side ef f ect
st udi es hav e not been conduct ed f or longer t han a
si x - y ear t i me per iod.
Recommendat ions: Look f or suppl ement s l abel ed
ei t her chondr oit i n sulf at e or mucopol y saccr i ar i des.
These pr oduct s shoul d be phar maceut ical gr ade t o
ensur e pur i t y and pot ency . Thi s compound i s usual l y
f ound i n capsul e or t ablet f or m. NOTE: Chondr oit i n
sul f at e should al w ay s be used i n combinat i on w i t h
gl ucosami ne sul f at e.

CITRIN (See HCA)

CONJUGATED LINOLEIC ACID (CLA)

Def ini t i on: CLA is a f or m of li nol ei c acid, an
essent ial f at t y aci d t hat nat ur al ly occur s i n some
v eget abl e oi ls and i n beef , v eal and dai r y pr oduct s.
It has impr essiv e ant it umor and ant i ox idant pr oper t i es. It seems t o hav e t he abi li t y t o pr ev ent t he
bui l d- up of chol est er ol deposi t s i n t he ar t er i es and t o
pr omot e t he bur ni ng of f at st or es.
A ppl icat i ons: Obesi t y , at her oscler osis, high chol est er ol , cancer det er r ent and nat ur al ant i ox i dant .
Saf et y : CLA i s gener all y consi der ed saf e. If y ou
hav e l iv er di sease, consul t y our phy si ci an. Taki ng
f at absor bing compounds l i ke chi t osan can inhibi t t he
absor pt ion of CLA , i f t aken at t he same t ime. The
benef ici al ef f ect s of CLA t ake t ime t o occur .
Recommendat ions: Make sur e y ou ar e get t ing pur e
CLA. A ddi ng v eget able oi ls t o a pr oduct t echni cal l y
means i t has CLA cont ent but t hi s i s not t he f or m of
CLA y ou w ant . Take in r ecommended doses only . If
y ou hav e t r oubl e w i t h f at di gest i on, t aki ng a l i pase
supplement may enhance assi mi lat i on.

CMO (CETYL MYRISTOLEATE)

92

Def i ni t ion: CMO, or cet y l my r i st ol eat e, is a f at t y

aci d w hich i s absor bed i n t he i nt est i nes af t er bei ng
or al l y i ngest ed. It can be ex t r act ed f r om l i v i ng t i ssue or sy nt het ical l y pr oduced. CMO occur s in cer t ai n
mice species, mal e beav er s and i n sper m w hal e oil .
Cur r ent ly , i t is bei ng pr oduced sy nt het i cal ly w i t hout
usi ng any ani mal ex t r act s. Si mpl y st at ed, CMO has
t he abi li t y t o i nhi bi t t he sy mpt oms of ar t hr i t i c di sease i ncl udi ng pai n, and i nf lammat i on and is also consi der ed an i mmuni zi ng agent agai nst t he dev el opment
of r heumat oi d ar t hr i t i s.
A ppli cat i ons: Ost eoar t hr i t i s, psor i at i c ar t hr it i s,
l upus, back pain, j oi nt i nj ur i es, Reit er s Sy ndr ome,
aut oi mmune di seases, anky l osi ng spondy l i t i s and
r heumat oi d ar t hr i t is ( sev er al r epor t s cl aim t hat
CMO i s al so ef f ect iv e f or r heumat oi d ar t hr it i s as
bot h a pr ev ent at i v e and t her apeut i c agent ) .
Saf et y : Test s w hi ch hav e been r un on CMO cont ai ning pr oduct s hav e f ound no si de ef f ect s or t ox i ci t y . CMO should not be gi v en t o chil dr en unless
under t he super v isi on of a qual i f i ed heal t h car e
pr ov ider . The ef f ect s of CMO on pr egnant or nur si ng
mot her s has not been st udi ed. A ny one suf f er ing f r om
l iv er di sease or ast hma shoul d not t ake CMO w i t hout
t he appr ov al of t hei r heal t h car e pr of essi onal . A s i s
t he case w i t h any f at t y acid supplement , car e shoul d
be t aken t o use t he pr oduct i n r ecommended doses
onl y .
Recommendat i ons: Gener al l y , a CMO pr ot ocol
i nv ol v es a t hr ee- t o- six w eek cour se of t r eat ment . A
minimum of t hi r t y day s is r ecommended f or max i mum ef f i cacy . Ther apy t y pi cal l y i nv olv es t aki ng a
r ecommended number of capsules or l i quid sev er al
t i mes a day w i t h a br eak of sev er al day s and ev ent ual r esumpt i on of t r eat ment unt i l t he ent ir e amount
of CMO has been consumed. NOTE: If y ou hav e t r oubl e
di gest i ng and assi mi lat i ng f at s, t aki ng l ipase may
hel p t o ensur e pr oper absor pt i on of CMO w hi ch i s a
f at - based compound. Taki ng f at - absor bing suppl ement s l ike chi t osan may i nt er f er e w i t h t he pr oper
assi mil at i on of CMO.

COENZYME Q10
Def i ni t ion: Coenzy me Q1 0 i s a subst ance w hi ch
r esembl es v i t amin E and is f ound i n l i v i ng cell s.
Nat ur al suppl i es of t hi s par t i cul ar compound
decr ease w i t h age. Recent st udi es hav e f ound t hat
r e- supply ing t he body w it h coenzy me Q1 0 may si gni f icant ly r educe hy per t ensi on and hear t di sease and
enhance t he immune sy st em. Cur r ent st udi es ar e
under w ay using coenzy me Q1 0 as a t r eat ment f or
A IDS. In addi t ion, t hi s subst ance has been show n t o
enhance w ei ght loss, heal per i odont al di sease, r el iv e
angi na and inhi bi t t he agi ng pr ocess on a cel l ul ar
l ev el . It has al so demonst r at ed i t s abil i t y t o r educe
t he mor t ali t y r at e of labor at or y ani mal s suf f er i ng
f r om leukemia and t umor s.
A ppl i cat i ons: Car di ov ascul ar di sease, cancer ,
hi gh bl ood pr essur e, r espir at or y di sease, ast hma,

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
ment al i ll ness, Al zhei mer s di sease, candida, obesi t y , mul t i ple scl er osi s, per i odont al disease, gast r i c
ul cer s, w eakened immune sy st ems and AIDS.
Saf et y : Al w ay s l ook f or pur e and r el iable sour ces
of coenzy me Q1 0 . Suppl ement s should be st or ed in a
dar k, cool env i r onment .
Recommendat ions: The most common f or m of
coenzy me Q1 0 is in capsul ized f or m. Sof t gel caps
t hat ar e l i pi d- based ar e r ecommended. Thi s compound i s al so commonl y i ncl uded in ant i ox i dant combi nat i ons and car diov ascul ar f or mul at ions.

CREATINE
Def init i on: Cr eat i ne i s consi der ed a nat ur al l y
occur r i ng nut r ient f ound i n skelet al muscl es t hat i s
compr i sed of ar gini ne, gly cine and met hioni ne ( t hr ee
ami no aci ds) . Cr eat i ne assist s in pr ov i di ng muscl e
f i ber s w i t h t he ener gy needed t o f acil i t at e qui ck and
f or cef ul mov ement s. Whi le most of t he body s cr eat i ne i s obt ai ned f r om diet ar y sour ces, usi ng it i n
supplement f or m t o enhance muscle bui l ding and at hl et i c per f or mance is cur r ent ly i n use. Sev er al cli ni cal st udi es suggest t hat cr eat i ne suppl ement at i on
al l ow s f or mor e ener gy st or age, incr eased st ami na,
st r engt h and sy nt hesis of pr ot ei n and l ean muscl e
mass.
A ppl icat i ons: A t hl et ic endur ance, muscle buil di ng
and w ei ght l oss.
Saf et y : No signif i cant long- t er m st udi es on t he
saf et y of cr eat ine ex i st . It s usage f or sev er al
decades i s consi der ed r el at i v el y saf e w i t h an
i ncr ease i n muscle mass. Shor t - t er m si de ef f ect s
r epor t ed by at hlet es using l ar ge doses of cr eat i ne
i ncl ude di ar r hea, gas and i nt est i nal upset . Cr eat i ne
should not be used by any one suf f er ing f r om any
medi cal pr obl em w it hout t heir phy si cian s appr ov al.
Peopl e suf f er ing f r om ki dney disor der s shoul d not
t ake cr eat ine.
Recommendat ions: Cr eat ine i s best ut i l ized i n
pow der f or m. Ex act measur ement s can be obt ai ned
w i t h speci f i c di spensi ng cups packaged w i t h pow der ed f or ms.

DESICCATED LIVER
Def ini t i on: When li v er is r educed t o a concent r at ed and dr y pow der ed st at e i t i s consi der ed desi ccat ed. Thi s par t icul ar f or m of li v er i s easy t o capsul i ze
or add t o ot her heal t h f or mul at i ons. Desiccat ed l iv er
i s r ich i n ir on and a number of v i t al v it ami ns and
mi ner al s. It s pr i mar y f unct i on i s t o buil d r ed bl ood
cel l s, maki ng i t an ex cel l ent suppl ement f or any
debil i t at ed condi t ion.
A ppl icat i ons: A nemi a, chr oni c f at igue, w eakness,
st r ess, l i v er di sease and at hl et ic endur ance.
Saf et y : Desiccat ed l iv er t hat comes f r om or gani cal l y r ai sed beef i s r ecommended.
Recommendat ions: Pow der or t abl et f or ms ar e
av ail abl e. Make sur e t he pr oduct i s 1 0 0 per cent

93

pur e.

DHA (DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID)

Def i ni t ion: DHA is an omega- 3 f at t y aci d t hat i s
f ound in col dw at er f i sh li pi ds and can al so be
ex t r act ed f r om mi cr oal gae. It is consi der ed one of
t he pr imar y bui ldi ng blocks of t he r et ina and of t he
br ai n. It is t he most pl ent i f ul f at t y aci d f ound in
human br east milk and ser v es t o ensur e t he pr oper
f unct i on of ner v e cell membr anes. DHA is al so f ound
i n eggs, or gan meat s and r ed meat speople w ho hav e
cut dow n on t hese f oods may be l ow i n t he compound.
A ppli cat i ons: Memor y di sor der s, senil e dement i a,
v i si on pr obl ems, ner v e disease, br ai n dy sf unct i on
and ment al condi t i ons.
Saf et y : If y ou ar e t aki ng DHA t hat has been isol at ed f r om a mar i ne l ipi d sour ce, y ou need t o r ul e out
f i sh all er gi es and check w it h y our phy si ci an. DHA
obt ai ned f r om mar i ne l ipi ds shoul d be combined w i t h
v i t amin E. Long- t er m st udies on t aking DHA alone ar e
not y et av ai labl e.
Recommendat ions: DHA is now av ai l abl e as an isol at ed compound w hich is der i v ed f r om f ish or
micr oal gae sour ces. Look f or pur e pr oduct f r om
r el i able compani es. Not e: Don t conf use DHA f or
DHEA, w hi ch is a hor mone and not a f at t y aci d compound.

DHEA
Def i ni t ion: DHEA i s t he most abundant hor mone
f ound i n mammal s and pl ay s an int egr al r ol e i n a
number of v i t al phy si ological pr ocesses. It signi f i cant l y cont r i but es t o i mmune f unct ion, suppli es t he
bi ochemi cal bui lding blocks f or t he sy nt hesis of
ot her hor mones and has r ecent ly been l inked t o many
ot her biologi cal f unct i ons. Like coenzy me Q1 0 , i t
di mini shes w i t h age, a f act t hat has li nked DHEA
depl et i on w it h al most ev er y maj or degener at iv e di sease. It i s consider ed a signif i cant ant i agi ng compound and i t s deplet i on has been l i nked t o st r ess
ex posur e.
A ppli cat i ons: Lupus, r heumat oid ar t hr i t i s, psor i asi s, di abet es, pr ost at e di sease, menopause, hi gh
chol est er ol and obesit y .
Saf et y : DHEA supplement at i on should be done w i t h
t he consent of y our phy si ci an. Whil e no si gni f i cant
r eact i ons hav e occur r ed t o suppl ement at i on, some
minor acne has occur r ed i n some people. DHEA i s not
r ecommended f or any one suf f er i ng f r om br east ,
ov ar ian, ut er i ne or pr ost at e cancer si nce t hese can
be hor monal l y st i mulat ed mal ignanci es. Long- t er m
ef f ect s of ex t ended supplement at i on w i t h DHEA hav e
not been st udied.
Recommendat ions: Tablet s or capsul es of DHEA
ar e av ail abl e. Look f or st andar di zed pot ency and
pur e pr oduct s w i t h no f i l ler s. NOTE: DHEA l ev els can
be assessed t hr ough a blood t est .
93

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D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o Na t u r a l Me d i c i n e

DMAE (DIMETHYLAMINOETHANOL)
Def ini t i on: DMAE i s a compound w hi ch, among
ot her t hi ngs, is consider ed a neur ost imul ant . It has
been used f or ev er y t hi ng f r om memor y and l ear ni ng
enhancement t o i ncr eased st ami na. It is most commonl y used as a mil d st imul ant t hat boost s ener gy
w i t hout i nt er f er i ng w i t h sl eep pat t er ns. DMA E i s
bel i ev ed t o cont r i but e t o i ncr eased ment al aw ar eness and st amina w it hout t he signif i cant side ef f ect s
of caf f ei ne or amphet amine dr ugs. In r elat i on t o
w ei ght loss, DMAE al so cont r ibut es t o height ened
met abol i sm and t her mogenesis by boost ing ener gy
l ev el s and by hel ping r educe body f at st or es w hil e
bui l di ng muscle. It is t hought t o w or k in t andem w i t h
her bs l i ke ephedr a t o hel p max imi ze t her mogenesi s,
al t hough no cl inical st udi es suppor t i ng t his act i on
ex ist .
A ppl i cat i ons : Memor y i mpai r ment , l ear ni ng
enhancement , st amina, w eight loss and t her mogenesi s.
Saf et y : DMA E can hav e si gni f i cant si de ef f ect s i f
t aken i n lar ge quant it i es or if ov er used. Insomni a,
headaches, muscle st i f f ness abov e t he neck or in t he
l egs i ndi cat es t hat DMA E dosages ar e t oo hi gh. Whil e
t her e ar e no adv er se r eact i ons t o DMA E on r ecor d,
any one w it h mani c- depr essi v e i ll ness and epi lepsy
should not use DMAE w i t hout t he appr ov al of t hei r
phy si cian. The r ul e w i t h DMA E i s t o begi n w i t h t he
smal l est possible dose. When DMAE i s incl uded i n
f or mul at i ons, i t s amount i s usuall y pr opor t i onat e t o
i t s t her apeut i c pur poses.
Recommendat ions: DMAE can be f ound i n cer t ai n
seaf ood and is nat ur al l y pr esent i n v er y mi nut e
quant it i es in br ain t i ssue. It i s consi der ed a nut r i t i onal suppl ement and i s av ai l abl e i n capsules, li qui ds
or pow der ed f or ms. DMAE may be added t o v ar i ous
f or mul as desi gned t o boost ener gy , f ight f at i gue or
bur n f at . NOTE: If usi ng t he li qui d f or m of DMA E,
r ef r i ger at i on i s r equi r ed t o pr eser v e pot ency .

t er m st udi es ev al uat i ng i t s saf et y hav e not been

conduct ed t o dat e. It shoul d be used j udi ci ousl y ,
accor ding t o i ndi v i dual i nst r uct i on.
Recommendat ions: DMSO usuall y comes bot t led i n
l iquid f or m and r esembles mi ner al oi l.

ENZYMES
Def i ni t ion: Enzy mes ar e bi ochemi cal compounds
composed of pr ot ei n w hi ch i nit i at e and r egul at e v i r t ual ly ev er y f unct i on of t he human body . Enzy mes
ar e essent i al f or li f e and cannot be manuf act ur ed
sy nt het ical l y . Each and ev er y enzy me has a speci f i c
f unct i on and r ecent r esear ch st r ongl y suggest s t hat
t he heal t h r amif i cat i ons of enzy me t her apy i s only
j ust now emer gi ng. Our cul t ur e s ov er consumpt i on
of cooked f oods has r esul t ed i n enzy me depl et i on,
pav ing t he w ay f or a v ar i et y of disor der s and di seases. Onl y r aw f oods cont ai n enzy mes w hi ch conv er t st or ed ener gy f or use, ut i l ize ingest ed f ood,
det ox if y har mf ul subst ances, and i ni t i at e and gov er n
al most ev er y biochemical r eact i on needed by al l
body sy st ems. Cooki ng dest r oy s most of t he enzy me
cont ent of f oods. Suppl ement al enzy mes can be made
f r om ani mal enzy mes such as pancr eat in or pepsi n or
f r om plant sour ces such as asper gi l lus, papay a or
pi neappl es. Digest iv e enzy mes i ncl ude amy l ase, pr ot ease and l i pase. Pr ot eol y t i c enzy mes i ncl ude
br omel i n, papai n, pect inase and pancr eat in.
A ppli cat i ons: A ll er gi es, di gest i v e di sor der s, const i pat ion, colon diseases, ul cer s, hear t bur n and
aut oi mmune diseases.
Saf et y : Use as di r ect ed.
Recommendat i ons: Ov er - t he- count er v ar i et i es
come i n t abl et s, capsul es, pow der s, gums and l i qui d
f or ms and may be combi ned i n ot her f or mul at ions
cont ai ni ng her bs, ant iox i dant s, et c. Take j ust pr i or
t o eat i ng and bet w een meal s i f y ou l ike.

ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS

DMSO (DIMETHYLSULFOZIDE)
Def ini t i on: Thi s compound is act ual ly a by - pr oduct
of t he paper manuf act ur i ng pr ocess. It is an oil y l i qui d w it h a sli ght gar l i cky smell and is used as a sol v ent i n commer ci al pr oduct s li ke degr easer s. The
ex t er nal appl i cat ion of t hi s compound has pr ov en
i t sel f v aluable f or muscle st r ai ns and spr ains, j oi nt
i nj ur i es and ev en on br oken bones. It seems t o al l ev iat e pain and pr omot e heal i ng si mult aneousl y . It i s
absor bed t hr ough t he skin int o t he bl oodst r eam and
has been used in t his w ay t o t r eat ar t hr it i s, muscl e
pr oblems, headaches, her pes, and ev en cancer .
A ppl icat i ons: Muscl e inj ur i es, j oi nt i nj ur i es, bone
t r auma, st r ains and spr ai ns, back pai n, sciat i ca,
Dow n s sy ndr ome, acne, si nusi t i s, skin ul cer , her pes, cat ar act s, kel oids and bur ns.
Saf et y : Thi s pr oduct shoul d nev er be t aken or al l y
and shoul d be kept out of t he r each of chi ldr en. Long
94

Def i ni t ion: A l so know n as v it ami n F, t hese ar e

f at t y aci ds w hi ch must be suppl ied t hor ough t he di et
and cannot be pr oduced by t he body . These ar e
pol y unsat ur at ed aci ds commonl y used t o t r eat hi gh
chol est er ol , hear t disease and t o pr ev ent st r okes.
The most essent i al of t he f at t y aci ds is call ed l i nol ei c acid. Omega- 3 f at t y aci ds include EPA ( ei cosapent aeni oi c aci d) and DHA ( docosahex aenoi c aci d) f r om
mar i ne l ipi ds. Col dw at er f i sh cont ai n t w o essent i al
f at t y acids r ef er r ed t o as EPA and DHA w hi ch hav e
been show n t o signif i cant l y r educe t he r i sk of car di ov ascular di sease, cont r i but e t o ner v e heal t h and
act as nat ur al ant i - inf l ammat or y agent s. Omega- 6
f at t y acids include GLA ( gamma l i nolenic aci d, al so
r ef er r ed t o as li nol ei c acid) and ar e usual l y f ound i n
pl ant sour ces. These aci ds can be f ound i n f l ax seed
oi l, a r i ch plant sour ce of t he omega- 3 f act or s, l ow
i n sat ur at ed f at s and cholest er ol - f r ee; black cur r ent
oi l, nat ur al l y high i n GLA ( l i noleic aci d, w hi ch must

D o c t o r s Gu i d e t o N a t u r a l Me d i c i n e
be obt ai ned f r om di et ar y sour ces) ; and ev eni ng
pr i mr ose oi l, t he r i chest sour ce of GLA ( l inol ei c
aci d) f ound any w her e. ( Bor age oi l is al so r ich i n
omega- 6 f at t y acids.) A ny one w i t h hor mone- r el at ed
cancer s shoul d l i mi t t hei r i nt ake of pr i mr ose oi l and
use black cur r ent i nst ead.
A ppl icat i ons: Hi gh bl ood pr essur e, hear t di sease,
ar t hr it i s, br east cancer , psor iasis, eczema, w ei ght
l oss, mul t i pl e scl er osi s, br ai n f unct i on, and PMS.
Saf et y : Di abet i cs shoul d not t ake f i sh oi l . Ot her
sour ces of essent i al f at t y aci ds ar e hi ghl y r ecommended, i ncluding eat i ng f r esh col dw at er f i sh. If y ou
must t ake f i sh oi l , t ake a v it ami n E suppl ement al so.
Recommendat ions: Use li qui d or capsul i zed li qui d
f or ms. Pr oduct s t hat need r ef r i ger at i on and come i n
dar k or l ight pr ot ect ed cont ai ner s ar e pr ef er able.
Combinat i on capsul es w hi ch cont ai n a v ar iet y of
essent ial f at t y aci ds ar e al so good.

FIBER SUPPLEMENTS
Def ini t i on: Fi ber suppl ement s ar e pr oduct s compr i sed of one or a combi nat i on of f iber sour ces t hat
can be combi ned w i t h cer t ain her bs and ot her suppl ement s i n or der t o pr ov i de mor e di et ar y f iber and
col on healt h. Today , f ew of us eat t he r ecommended
2 5 t o 4 5 gr ams of f iber per day and coul d benef i t
f r om t he many heal t h adv ant ages of i ncr eased
di et ar y f iber . A number of supplement s ar e av ail abl e
and can be added t o l i qui d. They ar e also av ail abl e i n
bar f or m or as dr y supplement s.
A ppl icat i ons: Car di ov ascular heal t h, high chol est er ol , obesi t y , cancer pr ev ent at i v e, bow el di sor der s, const ipat ion, v ar i cose v ei ns and hemor r hoi ds.
Saf et y : Fi ber i s consider ed saf e i f i t is di et ar y i n
nat ur e and not t aken i n such ex cess t hat diar r hea of
obst r uct ion could occur . Dr i nk pl ent y of w at er w hen
t aki ng f i ber and i f y ou suf f er f r om any t y pe of col on
di sor der or di gest i v e sy st em di sease, check w i t h
y our doct or bef or e addi ng a f i ber suppl ement . Take
v it ami n and mi ner al suppl ement s at di f f er ent t i mes
t han f i ber as absor pt i on may be i mpair ed.
Recommendat ions: Fiber suppl ement s commonl y
i ncl ude her bs such as al oe v er a, cascar a sagr ada,
r hubar b, sl i pper y el m or acaci a w hich hel p t o t oni f y
and heal t he mucous membr anes of t he col on. The
pr i mar y f iber sour ce of most pr oduct s i s psy l li um
al t hough t her e ar e ot her sour ces. These i ncl ude
psy l l i um, w hi ch has a col or l ess t r anspar ent
muci l age t hat f or ms ar ound i t s i nsol ubl e seed; br an,
w i t h i t s low sol ubi li t y and good w at er - hol di ng pr oper t i es; gums, w hi ch f or m a homogenous adhesi v e
gel at i nous mass i n t he l ow er i nt est i ne t o ex pedi t e
w ast e t r ansi t ; met hy l cel lulose, w hose sl ow solubil i t y cr eat es a v iscous sol ut ion f or ex pul si on; and
i spaghula husk, w hi ch sw ell s r api dl y t o f or m a
muci l age.

GLA (Gamma linolenic acid)

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Def i ni t ion: GLA i s an essent ial f at t y aci d f ound i n

pl ant sour ces. It bel ongs t o t he omega- 6 v ar i et y and
can be obt ained f r om cer t ain oi l s such as bor age,
f l ax seed, et c. Amer i cans ar e par t i cul ar l y at r isk f or
GLA depl et ion i n t hat sour ces of GLA ar e not t y pi cal l y consumed i n our count r y .
A ppli cat i ons: Wei ght l oss, hi gh chol est er ol, PMS,
car di ov ascul ar di sease, ner v e di sease ( mul t i pl e
scl er osi s) aut oimmune di sor der s, nat ur al bl ood t hi nner , al cohol i sm, br east cancer , immune dy sf unct i on
and ar t hr it i s.
Saf et y : GLA i s consider ed saf e if t aken as dir ect ed. As w i t h any f at t y acid compound, check w i t h
y our doct or bef or e st ar t i ng suppl ement at i on. Make
sur e not t o t ake t hi s supplement at t he same t i me as
a f at bl ocker l i ke chit osan, or i t s absor babi l it y w il l
be compr omi sed.
Recommendat ions: Using GLA as an i sol at ed compound does not hav e a l ong t r ack r ecor d. If y ou t ake
a f at t y acid supplement t hat is compr ised of cer t ai n
oi ls l i ke bor age, y ou w il l aut omat icall y get GLA.

GLUCOSAMINE SULFATE
Def i ni t ion: Gl ucosami ne sulf at e hol ds some v er y
ex c i t i ng pot ent i al as a saf e t r eat ment f or
ost eoar t hr it i s and ot her i nf l ammat or y j oi nt condi t i ons. It i s a nat ur al ly occur r ing ami no- monosacchar i de f ound i n t he j oi nt s of mammals. When t aken as a
di et ar y supplement , gl ucosami ne appear s t o signi f i cant l y r est or e nor mal bi ochemi st r y i n suppor t i ng
t he r ebui l ding and heali ng of ost eoar t hr i t ic car t i l age.
A gl ucosami ne def i ci ency has been l i nked t o
ost eoar t hr it i s. Some st udies hav e suppor t ed t he
abi l it y of glucosamine t o heal ant i - i nf l ammat or y di sease.
A ppli cat i ons: Ar t hr i t i s ( especi al l y ost eoar t hr i t i s) , car t i l age i nj ur ies, connect i v e t issue disease,
j oi nt pain and TMJ .
Saf et y : Consider ed nont ox i c, easil y t ol er at ed and
absor bed. Rar e side ef f ect s i ncl ude nausea or st omach upset . Take w it h meal s.
Recommendat ions: Look f or phar maceut ical gr ade
pr oduct s w i t h st r ong pot ency and guar ant eed pur i t y .
Thi s suppl ement should al w ay s be t aken i n conj unct i on w i t h chondr oi t i n sulf at e f or max i mum benef it .
Dosages shoul d be hi gher ini t i all y w it h a t aper ing of f
ov er t ime. Result s w i ll be not i ceable w i t hin a mont h
t o si x w eeks.

GLUTATHIONE
Def i ni t ion: This compound i s t echnicall y a pr ot ei n
w hi ch i s sy nt hesized i n t he l i v er f r om t hr ee ami no
aci ds ( cy st eine, glut ami ni c aci d and gl y cine) . It is a
pow er f ul ant i ox idant agent . It seems t o hav e some
r emar kable pr ot ect i v e pr oper t i es against r adi at i on,
chemot her apy , heav y met als, t ox ins and ot her poi sons. When combi ned w i t h selenium, i t i s par t i cular l y hel pf ul ; i t f or ms an enzy me gal l ed gl ut at hione
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per ox i dase, w hi ch pr ot ect s t he body f r om har m on a

cel l ul ar l ev el . It i s par t i cul ar l y good as a l i v er pr ot ect ant and may pl ay a r ol e in l ow er ing t he r i sk of
cancer .
A ppl icat ions: Reli ef f r om t he si de ef f ect s of
chemot her apy , ex posur e t o r adiat i on, heav y met al
poi soni ng, l i v er disease, al cohol ism, l i v er cancer
and f r ee r adi cal pr ot ect ant .
Saf et y : The ef f ect s of long- t er m usage of t hi s
compound hav e not y et been ex pl or ed. As w it h any
ami no aci d compound or der i v at i v e, check w it h y our
doct or bef or e t aki ng t hi s suppl ement .
Recommendat ions: Some cont r ov er sy ex i st s as t o
w het her glut at hi one i s v er y ef f ect i v e w hen t aken as
an or al suppl ement . Enhanci ng it s nat ur al pr oduct i on
by i ncr easing lev els of N- acet y l cy st ei ne or L- cy st ei ne and L- met hi oni ne may be pr ef er able. Usi ng
al pha l i poic acid has also pr ov en i t s abi li t y t o
enhance t he act i on of gl ut at hione.

GRAPE SEED OR PINE BARK EXTRACT

(Proanthocyanidins or OPCs)
Def ini t i on: Al so commonl y r ef er r ed t o as py cnogenol , t his subst ance has impr essiv e ant i ox i dant
pr oper t ies and is consi der ed subst ant ial l y mor e
ef f ect i v e t han ei t her v it ami n C or E i n scav engi ng
f r ee r adical s. It al so has pr onounced ant i - inf l ammat or y act ions due t o a f l av onoid call ed pr oant hocy ani di n. It can be ex t r act ed f r om gr ape seeds or pi ne
bar k and i s especial l y good f or v i si on pr obl ems,
ner v e i nf l ammat i ons, w at er r et ent ion and car di ov ascul ar condi t i ons. It has t he abi l it y t o st abil i ze
col l agen and r et ar d ski n agi ng.
A ppl i cat i ons: Fr ee r adi c al pr ot ect i on, Bel l s
pal sy , di abet es, ski n agi ng, bur si t i s, ul cer s, ey esi ght , cancer , hear t di sease, ar t er ioscler osis, mul t i pl e scl er osi s, col ds and f l u, pr ost at e di sease,
l upus, psor i asis, ar t hr i t is, seni le dement ia, st r oke
and Par ki nson s di sease.
Saf et y : When used as r ecommended, gr ape seed or
pi ne bar k ex t r act i s consider ed a saf e suppl ement
w i t h no adv er se side ef f ect s.
Recommendat ions: Some cont r ov er sy ex i st s as t o
w het her pine bar k or gr ape seed is a bet t er sour ce
of pr oant hocy anidins. Bot h can be good i f manuf act ur ed by r el i abl e companies t hat guar ant ee pot ency
and pur it y .

HOMEOPATHY
Def ini t i on: Homepat hy i s a sy st em of medi ci ne
dev el oped i n t he 1 9 t h cent ur y based on t he concept
of li ke cur es l ike. Essent i al ly , subst ances ar e
used t o pr oduce t he same sy mpt oms as t he t r oubl i ng
di sease. These subst ances, al so cal l ed cell salt s, ar e
heav ily dilut ed and int r oduced int o an inf ect ed sy st em. Homeopat hi c pr act i t i oner s see sy mpt oms as
posit i v e si gns t hat t he i mmune sy st em i s i n act i on.
Mor e t han 2 , 0 0 0 homeopat hi c r emedi es ex ist and
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ar e ex t r act ed f r om pl ant , miner al, animal or chemi cal sour ces.

A ppl i cat i ons: A l l er gi es, anemi a, headac hes,
ar t hr i t i s, col i t is, pept i c ul cer s, high bl ood pr essur e,
obesi t y , hor monal imbal ances, inf ect ions or any
ot her chr onic diseases.
Saf et y : Homeopat hi c r emedi es may i ni t i al l y
w or sen sy mpt oms. For danger ous sy mpt oms, car e
shoul d be t aken. Homeopat hy is usual ly r eser v ed f or
l ess ser i ous condit i ons.
Recommendat i ons: Homeopat hi c r emedi es ar e
av ail abl e i n t abl et s, gr anul es, l iquids or oi nt ment s.
Look f or est abl i shed pr oduct s w i t h a good t r ack
r ecor d.

HYDROXY CITRIC ACID (HCA or Citrin)

Def i ni t ion: Found in t he her b Gar cini a cambogi a,
HCA i s a f or m of ci t r ic aci d w hich i nhi bi t s t he abil i t y of t he li v er t o make f at s f r om car bohy dr at es.
When HCA is pr esent , car bohy dr at es conv er t t o
gl y cogen r at her t han f at , ensur i ng mor e ef f i ci ent
ener gy r eser v es, st ami na and w ei ght cont r ol. The
abi l it y of HCA t o augment w ei ght l oss w i t hout ar t i f i cial st i mulat i on i s impr essiv e.
A ppli cat i ons: Endur ance, obesit y , appet i t e suppr essant and hi gh chol est er ol .
Saf et y : No know n t ox i ci t y , but pr egnant or l act at i ng w omen shoul d not use t hi s compound unless
adv ised t o do so by t hei r doct or s.
Recommendat ions: HCA i s usual l y sol d as ci t r in or
i n Gar ci ni a cambogia supplement s. Look f or st andar di zed pr oduct s w it h guar ant eed pot ency .

ISOFLAVONES
Def i ni t ion: A cl ass of phy t ochemi cal s f ound i n
soy beans t hat w er e i sol at ed in t he 1 9 7 0 s and hav e
v er y impr essiv e br east cancer - i nhi bit i ng pr oper t i es. These pl ant est r ogens hav e t he abi l it y t o block
t he negat i v e act ion of est r ogen in br east t i ssue. One
of t hese isof lav ones, genist ei n, act uall y r educes
t he gr ow t h of br east cell s and inhibi t s t w o key
enzy me pat hw ay s t hat cont r i but e t o t he f or mat ion of
a t umor .
A ppli cat i ons: Br east cancer , br east cancer r i sk,
hor monal i mbal ances, PMS, menst r ual i r r egul ar i t i es
and menopause.
Saf et y : Consi der ed nont ox i c if used as dir ect ed.
Recommendat ions: Of t en t hese v aluable phy t ochemi cal s w i l l be combi ned w i t h cr uc i f er ous
ex t r act s ( i ndol es) f or added pr ot ect i on agai nst t he
bad ef f ect s of est r ogen associ at ed w i t h t he dev elopment of br east t umor s. Eat ing soy bean pr oduct s l i ke
t of u i s a good sour ce of t hese compounds.

LECITHIN
Def i ni t ion: Leci t hin is a v i t al compound necessar y
t o mai nt ai n t he heal t h of cel l membr anes w hi ch

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Visualizat ion Therapy 5 2

Spirit ual Healing: Linking Back t o Our Creat or
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