Aloe vera for Healthy Teeth

I always carry aloe vera gel when travelling as it is invaluable for healing cuts and burns, and it is a useful plant to have around the house. A new use for it is in tooth gel where it cleanses and soothes teeth and gums, and it is as effective as toothpaste to fight cavities according to, the Academy of General Dentistry’s (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed journal.

Aloe vera tooth gel helps eliminate disease-causing bacteria in the mouth and some dentists have been sceptical about that in the past. However, this new research compared the germ-fighting ability of an aloe vera tooth gel to two commercially popular toothpastes and revealed that the aloe vera tooth gel was just as effective, and in some cases more effective, than the commercial brands at controlling those organisms that cause cavities.

It is also good for those with sensitive teeth as Aloe latex contains anthraquinones, which are anti-inflammatory chemical compounds used in healing and stopping pain. Because aloe vera tooth gel tends to be less harsh on teeth, as it does not contain the abrasive elements often found in commercial toothpaste, it is a great alternative for people with sensitive teeth or gums.

You should be able to find aloe tooth gel in health stores, but if not here are a couple of useful websites: www.ernestonealoevera.co.uk and www.aloeveraproductsonline.co.uk

A natural alternative to Tamiflu

Swine Flu is continuing to cause panic, and I know I have said it before, but it is all about how strong your immune system is that makes the difference between being vulnerable to infection and being less affected by it and swifter to recover from it.

I have suggested ways you can do this, generally with Echinacea and vitamin C as the stalwarts needed, but there is a new supplement that combines western science with Chinese traditional medicine which could be a useful addition to the mix.

BioFlu Vital is a natural herbal supplement that gives a powerful boost to the immune system with its effective combination of four of the most powerful, natural antioxidants: Black Elderberry, shown in human trials to reduce the severity of flu symptoms by 50%, Siberian Ginseng, Star Anise and Shikimic Acid, the plant from which the leading anti-viral drug Tamiflu is made.

Recent reports published in The Journal of International Medical Research has supported the use of Black Elderberry in particular as an effective and natural method of combating the effects of flu symptoms, reducing recovery time by half and if you want to read more of the research you will find it at

http://www.biotivia.com/uk/biofluimmunesupport/evidence.html

BioFlu Vital is produced by Biotivia and you should be able to find it in your local health store or ring Biotivia direct on 020 7900 3305 weekdays from 8am to 5pm.

Update on Alkalife

I mentioned a couple of issues ago that I was trying out a new supplement called Alkalife that changes the ph of water and is claimed to have a number of health benefits. Basically I have been helping to balance out the body’s acidity in order to get my blood circulating more easily and getting more oxygen to my organs.

I have been adding the required number of drops to my daily drinking water and I have to say I have noticed an improvement in my general wellbeing, health and alertness which others have also commented on. So, purely anecdotal but it seems to have worked for me and if you are curious to know more then visit their website at www.alkalife.co.uk

I’m ok but what happened to my body?

No, I am not having a crisis about my weight but that’s the title of a remarkable book by a remarkable man. He is a scientist called Sang Whang and I first came across him through his best-selling book ‘Reverse Ageing’ where he discussed the fact that from the age of 42 age we begin to lose bicarbonate from the blood which is one of the factors that makes us begin the aeing process. Sang Whang refers to it as the ‘battery charger’ of the body and he has found a way to stop those phsiological changes. Taking a spoonful of bicarb of soda is not the answer, but Sang Whang’s field of expertise is water, and you know I bang on at you about drinking lots of the stuff, but his research has been into the life giving effects of getting the acid-alkaline balance right in our bodies and this means changing the water we drink into a more alkaline form.

Like many others, it was his own journey of improving his own health without benefit of medicine or exercise, or changing his diet that led him to develop his ideas in this book, and from that a product called AlkaLife®, which is a patented alkaline concentrate. We get energy from the food we eat and this occurs through a process called oxidization which if not used up then becomes acidic waste. As our body cannot get rid of all the waste it produces, it accumulates it somewhere and that’s what causes ageing. You may not think much about this, but you know the effects of solidified acidic waste as cholesterol, fatty acid, and kidney stones. There is also the fact that cancer does not thrive in an alkaline environment so this is another health reason to keep the body’s acid-alkaline ratio in balance.

This excess acid also can produce long term damage as the blood thickens and blood circulation becomes sluggish. This means your vital organs don’t get enough oxygen and nutrients for optimum performance and this can lead to diseases, some of which are fatal. To keep your body balanced it often needs some extra help to balance out this acidity and boost the alkalinity of your body and one of the best ways to neutralize and get these wastes out of our body is to drink alkaline water. See you knew I would come back to nagging you to drink more water!

Sang Whang has patented AlkaLife®, whose ingredients of ionized water, potassium and sodium and increases the pH value of ordinary drinking water. It will restore that alkaline balance when you add 20 drops a day to your daily litre or so of water. I am trying it out myself and will keep you posted on the results. If you would like to know more visit the website at www.alkalife.co.uk

Hay fever and allergies – Acupressure band brings relief

Many prefer to avoid drugs for hay fever and the kind of allergic rhinitis to things like dust and pollutants. A new solution that can help is an acupressure band, the ‘Qu-Chi’ band, which stimulates an acupuncture point to help with hayfever-type symptoms.

Acupressure is the same as acupuncture, but instead of inserting fine needles, pressure is applied to specific acupuncture points to stimulate the Chi, or energy system of the body. This is to assist the body to function better and stimulate it to heal itself.

The band was developed by Andrew Broch, a qualified acupuncture and acupressure practitioner who is himself a sufferer from hayfever. He found that acupuncture was extremely effective for the relief of his symptoms and after experimenting for a while he produced the band for people to use at any time and without the need for a practitioner.

The specific point used by the ‘Qu-Chi band’ (LI-11 point known as ‘quchi’) lies at the outer elbow, on an energy line (‘meridian’) that runs from the nose to the hand. It pulls energy away from the upper body and the head. It has specific activity in the area around the nose and eyes. By reducing the energy in the face the build up of energy in that area is reduced and so excess symptoms are relieved.

Trials have been conducted which suggest that the ‘Qu-Chi Band’ is beneficial for people with Hayfever and that it is quick acting, comfortable, safe and easy to use. It can be put on when symptoms start or beforehand. It can be used with other medication where necessary and is not associated with any side effects – the only warning is that it should not be worn in pregnancy.

It retails at around £10 and can be obtained from www.quchi.co.uk

Health benefits of Dandelions

As summer appears to have suddenly burst upon us, you may soon be wrestling with that common misplaced flower – the dandelion. It may be a weed to you, but it can have some useful health benefits so save a corner of the garden for it and you might be surprised at how useful it can be.

It contains a host of good ingredients such as vitamins A, B complex, C, and D, and the minerals iron, potassium, and zinc and has been used across the world. Native Americans used dandelion to treat kidney disease, swelling, skin problems, heartburn, and stomach upset. Chinese practitioners traditionally used dandelion to treat digestive disorders, appendicitis, and breast problems such as inflammation or lack of milk flow. In Europe, herbalists incorporated it into remedies for fever, boils, eye problems, diabetes, and diarrhea.

Today, dandelion roots are mainly used as an appetite stimulant, to improve upset stomach, flatulence, and constipation. Dandelion is a natural diuretic that increases urine production by promoting the excretion of salts and water from the kidney and so is used for poor digestion, liver disorders, and high blood pressure. Research also suggests that dandelion root may improve the health and function of natural bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract.

How to use it:

** Dandelion tea has been used for many years to treat colds, diabetes, tuberculosis, rheumatism, and arthritis. You can get it ready made at a herbalist or health shop, but if you are making your own only pick tender, young leaves. Leave them any longer and they will taste very bitter.

** To use it as a diuretic, simmer two ounces of the sliced root in two pints of water. Boil it down to one pint. Drink half of a glass two or three times a day.

** To make a dandelion coffee to help you sleep, and solve your digestive problems, you need to roast the roots until they’re brown and hard. Grind into a power and treat like an instant coffee (but without the caffeine).

** An ‘old wives’ remedy for warts was to squeeze the stems of dandelions until the white milky substance inside comes out. Put this liquid onto the wart, let it dry and don’t wash off. Reapply when you can no longer see it on the skin and in three days it should have dried the wart so that turns black, and drops off. No need to wear a pointy hat and have a black cat, unless of course you want to.

Precautions
Plants contain powerful substances and are not to be taken lightly. Dandelion is generally considered safe but it’s possible to have an allergic reaction to even the most natural substance. If you have an allergy to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigold, chamomile, yarrow, daisies, or iodine, you should avoid dandelion. In some people, dandelion can cause increased stomach acid and heartburn and it may also irritate the skin if applied directly to it. If you have gallbladder problems and gallstones then best to avoid this should consult a health care provider before eating dandelion.
Because of it’s diuretic effect, dandelion may increase the excretion of drugs from the body and if you taking any of the following drugs check with your doctor first: Lithium, Antibiotics, Antacids and other medicines that lower stomach acid, such as Zantac.

Ginseng is a natural anti-inflammatory

Ginseng has long been used for stamina and supporting the immune system, but new research shows that it can also be an affective anti-inflammatory. Chinese medicine has used ginseng for treating many conditions and it is a powerful adaptogen – a substance that has a normalizing effect on the body and helps to support the body to deal with stress and illness. Ginseng is able to stimulate functions that regulate the central nervous system, the cardiovascular system, and the endocrine glands.It was researchers from the University of Hong Kong who identified seven ginseng constituents that showed immune-suppressive effects. Their study involved treating human immune cells with different extracts of ginseng and was the first to identify ginseng as a potential anti-inflammatory.

Ginseng has already been extensively studied, and among it’s many benefits are it’s ability to reduce the effects of both physical and emotional stress, improve stamina and cope with fatigue without stimulants like caffeine. All of this has made it a popular supplement for various armies around the world, particularly in the Soviet Union.

For non-military types, it is also heart protective as it’s anti-clotting effects reduce the risk of arterial blood clots and it will help reduce cholesterol levels.
Diabetics also often favour it as a supplement as it reduces sugar levels, which in turn helps them control their diabetes. Those who need to be on a permanent drug regime find it valuable for it’s ability to protect the liver from the effects not just of drugs, but also alcohol and environmental toxins.

Kava helps reduce anxiety

Australian researchers at the University of Queensland have used Kava – which has a long history of medicinal use in the South Pacific – to treat anxiety.  They found a traditional extract of Kava, a medicinal shrub, to be safe and effective in reducing anxiety. When taken in small doses, kava helps increase awareness and activity without increasing tension.As a natural mood enhancer Kava is often suggested by naturopathic practitioners for those suffering from chronic anxiety and mild depression.
It has no addictive properties, unlike antidepressants, and has less risk of any side effects. Taken in excess Kava has been linked to liver problems, though this is still debated, and does not occur with water soluble extracted Kava, the traditional way of producing it. It should be taken occasionally for anxiety, or for a period of less than a month for more chronic conditions.

Kava is not available for sale in the UK, though it is perfectly legal to order it online for personal use.

Natural remedy support for surgery

As I seem to have been having a number of friends in hospital recently, I thought it might be timely to remind you of my pre-hospital routine if you are undergoing surgery and to add in some news about the interaction between herbs, drugs and hospitals. My own pre-surgery routine is very simple: three days beforehand I start taking Arnica 30 twice a day, plus Rescue Remedy in water. The arnica deals with trauma and emotional shock before the operation, and helps recovery of internal bruising faster and I usually ask the nurse in charge to make sure it’s under my tongue the minute I wake up and Rescue Remedy helps again with any fears arising from the operation. I keep up this regime up to a week after the operation and add in at least a gram of vitamin C as it is essential both to help support your immune system and recover from any anaesthetic by helping remove it faster from your system.

Herbs and Surgery: As more people are regularly taking supplements and vitamins as part of their healthcare routine, this timely report comes from a US team from the Department of Plastic Surgery at Cleveland’s University Hospital. They are giving this list to any patient who is undergoing surgery, for whatever reason, and I thought you would like to know about it.

* For bleeding effects: gingko biloba, garlic, ginseng, dong quai, feverfew, fish oils

* For drug interactions: echinacea, goldenseal, liquorice, St. John’s wort, kava, valerian root

* For cardiovascular effects: ephedra, garlic

* For anaesthetic effects: valerian root, St. John’s wort, kava

* For photosensitivity effects: St. John’s wort, dong quai

* For hypoglycaemia effects: ginseng

Help with inflammation

I am indebted to Julie for contacting me about a natural product she has found very helpful to reduce inflammation, pain and swelling in both adults, children and animals. It’s name is serrapeptase and as most diseases have inflammation as a major factor then it could have a number of applications and clinical use. This natural anti-inflammatory is derived from silkworms has been in use for over twenty-five years throughout Europe and Asia as a viable alternative to salicylates, ibuprofen and the more potent NSAIDs. Unlike these drugs, Serrapeptase is a naturally occurring, physiological agent with no inhibitory effects on prostaglandins and is devoid of gastrointestinal side effects.

For more information, and a free report on what serrapeptase can do, then visit the website at www.Serrapeptase.info

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