Tag: Blue vervain

The Other Herbs I Love

Posted on by Diogenes II

 

Five years ago, I wrote about nine of my most cherished herbs. Now, I will list eighteen more.

 

Bhumi Amalaki: I previously wrote about herbs good for the liver, like kutki, eclipta alba and guduchi. Now I’ll add another ayurvedic herb, Bhumi Amalaki. This herb goes well with kutki, in rejuvenating a dying, fatty liver. In Peru, it’s known as chanca piedra — the stone breaker. If you want to protect your gallbladder from gallstones or surgery, think Bhumi Amalaki. It is also protective of the kidneys — removing excess oxalate crystals. These features will also relieve chronic abdominal pain and painful urination.

Bhumi Amalaki may also be useful for those suffering from diabetes, Hepatitis B, and HIV.

Other names: phyllanthus niruri, Bhumi amla

 

Jiaogulan: an herb originating from Southern China, this is known as the “Immortality herb”. People who drink this herb as a tea, seem to live longer, healthier lives. Containing 82 saponins called gypenosides, it is extremely useless for those with both pre-diabetes and diabetes. May also reduce visceral and subcutaneous fat.

Other names: Gynostemma Pentaphyllum, Southern Ginseng

 

Bitter Melon (Bitter Gourd): a bitter fruit very good for liver ailments, including fatty liver. Has a chemical that acts like insulin to help reduce high blood glucose level. May help ameliorate lipid disorders such as hyperlipidemia and normalize cholesterol numbers. Relatively high in vitamin A and C, which may help boost the immune system. Contains compounds that may lower high blood sugar markers, like fructosamine and Hba1c. Downside(s): extremely bitter and high in oxalates. Not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Other name(s): Momordica charantia

 

Astragalus: this herb shares certain similarities with Jiaogulan — also sharing anti-aging characteristics, presumably by keeping the telomeres of cells healthy. Astragalus is famously known as a kidney cleanser, reducing protein loss, while increasing excretion of unwanted uric acid. This consequently improves blood pressure and heart function.

 

Andrographis: known as the “King of bitters” for a reason: because it is a very bitter herb. This bitterness helps make everything else sweet: improving arthritic conditions, such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Its immune system regulator and strengthening abilities help improve many conditions: asthma, flu, common cold, bronchitis, COPD, COVID, TB, Lyme disease and even malaria. The key is to taking this herb at the onset of these conditions — preferably within 72 hours.

There is also credible evidence that andrographis may show improvement of the hard to treat inflammatory bowel disease Ulcerative colitis.

There is also credible evidence that this herb may show beneficial for certain cancers!

Other names: Andrographis paniculata, Green chiretta, Kalmegh

 

Pau d’arco: from the Amazon rainforest of South America and the inner bark of the tabebuia tree, while improving immune system function, this herb is famous for relieving candida overgrowth in women. Containing compounds known as naphthoquinones, it is known for being anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and maybe even anti-cancer!

Do not consume in high doses!

Other names: Tabebuia avellanedae, Taheebo and Lapacho

 

Neem: like andrographis, an extremely bitter herb from ayurveda. For temporary use only — may dry the body and skin. Not for pregnant or breastfeeding women, as may cause spontaneous abortion. Very antiparasitic, antiviral, antibacterial, antiseptic,  antifungal and anti infection. Purifies the blood and may reduce blood sugar.

 

Punarnava: like andrographis, may be good for Ulcerative colitis due to its anti inflammatory properties. May also be helpful for Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Literally meaning “the one that renews”, punarnava has a whole body cleansing effect, including as a diuretic. May also be helpful for weight loss and those with Rheumatoid arthritis.

Other names: Boerhaavia diffusa

 

African Geranium: from South Africa, very antibacterial and antiviral and proven exceptionally effective for upper respiratory tract infections: common cold, laryngitis (voice box), pharyngitis (sore throat), rhinosinusitis (sinuses); and even lower respiratory tract infections: acute bronchitis; tuberculosis.

Other names: Pelargonium sidoides, South African geranium, Umckaloabo (a brand name)

 

Mullein: like African geranium, helps with inflammation and infections of the lungs. As an expectorant, may reduce mucus. Very useful and effective for those suffering from sleep apnea. May also be helpful in treating other inflammation and infections throughout the body, including ear infections.

 

Pomegranate peel (organic): may be even more effective for heart conditions. Powerful polyphenol compounds called ellagitannins, punicalagins and anthocyanins may reduce inflammation throughout the body. These and other polyphenolic compounds may reduce blood pressure, plaque buildup and chest pain.

Other name(s): Punica granatum (peel)

 

Arjuna: from ayurveda and from the bark of the Terminalia arjuna tree, this herb contains triterpene glycosides that may improve heart function and reduce chest pain. Other compounds have been isolated like arjunetoside, oleanolic and arjunic acids, that may contribute to improvement of the left ventricle of the heart, thus improving blood flow throughout the entire body.

 

Dan shen: like Arjuna, a Chinese (TCM) herb that may improve heart function by reducing excess platelets in the blood. Excess platelets causes congestion in the blood and make blood flow harder. As a consequence of this herb, blood becomes thinner and blood vessels become wider. All of this manifests as reduced chest pain, blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.

Other names: Salvia miltiorrhizao, Chinese Red Sage

 

Hawthorn: like Dan shen, hawthorn is good for the heart. Flavonoids like rutin and quercetin may help heart muscle contract better, increasing blood and oxygen supply to the heart muscle. This may thus decrease chest pain or irregular heartbeat. May also be a credible option for those suffering from the beginning stages of heart failure.

The most effective part of this herb for improving heart conditions is the flowers. Leafs and berries can also be used but are less effective.

 

Blue Vervain: this is the herb for anxiety, depression and insomnia. Known for its calming effect on the nervous system, the verbenalin, an iridoid glycosides, in blue vervain may increase sleep onset and duration. One side effect may be strange dreams or nightmares.

Blue vervain may also be effective against epilepsy, including the classic tonic-clonic seizures.

Other names: Verbena hastata, American vervain

[Should not be confused with its sister plant, common vervain — the European plant version (aka Verbena officinalis).]

 

Dragon’s Blood: a natural red resin (from tree sap), often used in rituals, extracted from a variety of tropical trees called Dragon trees, primarily, Croton lechleri. Commonly used for digestive issues including internal ulcers. Has antimicrobial properties and can help heal receding gum if used as a mouth rinse. Also used for external ulcers, and other skin wound to accelerate healing. May reduce arthritic pain when used topically.

If used internally, for short term use only — about one week at a time.

Other names: Sangre de Grado

 

Persian Saffron: known as the sunshine spice and the most expensive spice in the world. Effective for anxiety and depression, this spice is known for providing relief of PMS symptoms in women, even by just inhaling the herb. It may also improve sleep quality, reduce cravings, and manage diabetes. May also lubricate sex organs and increase sexual desire.

Pregnant women should not use this spice!

Saffron has many fake competition, so it is important to do research to make sure you’re getting authentic saffron. Look for saffron from Persian or Iranian origin.

Even though saffron may show beneficial in tackling certain degenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and also in certain cancers, it is important to remember that saffron is a spice, and should only be used safely in small amounts, at about 15 mg twice per day.

Other names: Crocus sativus

 

Fenugreek: like saffron, may also increase sexual desire in both sexes, by balancing hormones like estrogen and testosterone. May manage blood sugar and diabetes by slowing sugar absorption in the stomach and stimulating insulin more effectively. Increases milk supply in breastfeeding women. High in iron, excess may cause gastrointestinal issues.

 

Caution should be taken while using herbs with any medication, if pregnant or breastfeeding and two weeks before surgery. Typical side effects — though rare — may include: nausea, vomiting, dizziness, stomach upset, skin rash, anemia, constipation and/or diarrhea.

Can’t Sleep? Try These!

Posted on by Diogenes II

 

The liver is most active at night, at which time, it holds more blood than any other organ of the body! The human body typically needs 8 hours of sleep in complete darkness. For a relatively healthy adult, 6 hours may be sufficient! Melatonin (which is a hormone that gets you to sleep) is produced from your body’s serotonin accumulation. Serotonin starts its conversion into melatonin between the hours of 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. And it continues throughout till about 2 a.m. The best hours of sleep are between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

We (all) actually should be sleeping around 6 to 8 hours per night — especially between the hours of 10 p.m and 2 a.m; when the liver is recycling old cells and other toxins. 12 a.m being the end of deep sleep, it is imperative to be sleeping well before this time to receive the full health benefits of deep sleep before midnight. Just like around 11a.m to 1 p.m are the best time period to eat lunch, being digestive enzymes are most active at these times due to solar activity and influences, so is sleep necessary especially around 11 p.m and 1 a.m to destroy old, damaged cells in the body, in a process known as autophagy. The body disposes about 30 to 60 billion cells each day (don’t worry, we have up to 100 trillion more). If these cells are not destroyed, but instead live on, they can become cancerous. Sleep and darkness with melatonin are needed for this process. This is why sleep is so important.

As a quick-fix for insomnia, I have personally discovered and recommend taking 5-HTP (made from Griffonia simplicifolia extract) for a deep, restful sleep. This herb increases a more absorbable form of the neurotransmitter, serotonin, in the brain, supposedly causing a decrease in depression. It will jumpstart your body with more natural melatonin — since metabolized serotonin inevitably turns into melatonin. Take this supplement with your last meal of the day. You are preparing your body for a long fast each time you go to sleep, so avoid eating a large meal 4 hours or more beforehand of sleeping. 5-HTP should be used sparingly and only temporarily. It should not be used with other neurological drugs.

Another herb that is very effective at calming the nerves and increasing the ability to sleep restfully is called blue vervain. While adrenaline keeps us up — or wakes us up — blue vervain works on the parasympathetic nervous system, that makes us relax.  It can be consumed multiple ways: as tea, tincture, cream or capsule. My personal preference is to use it as a non-alcoholic tincture one hour before bed. Pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, the “anemic” and those on blood thinners should avoid this herb however.

Another sleep-aid supplement would be quality, organic reishi mushrooms of the Ganoderma lingzhi species (not the G. lucidum species). This is the species used in Asia, and is of better quality to the European G. Lucidum species. Also be cautious of taking this mushroom if you are on any medication, especially for low blood pressure, diabetes or any autoimmune disorder. Rare symptoms of dry mouth, headaches, rash and stomach issues have occasionally been reported. Pregnant women, also, should avoid this mushroom. Most products sold of this mushroom are not authentic and is of low quality — so be sure to do your research.

Another more practical and efficient way to effect sleep is by consuming an absorbable form of magnesium a few hours before bedtime, such as glycinate or taurate. This mineral is not only effective at making you sleep, but it also balances all other hormonal networks needed for sleep, while also reducing symptoms of depression. In those who are deficient, it lowers blood pressure and relaxes the muscles, thus enabling more effective and restful sleep.

What too is most likely lacking in the case of insomnia or restless sleep is your body’s reserve of natural vitamin C. Our adrenal glands need and store more vitamin C than any other part of the body. They use it to regulate cortisol and other hormones. When you lack vitamin C, cortisol is increased, causing an imbalance between melatonin (produced by the pineal gland in the brain, the retina of the eyes and other places) and cortisol. Cortisol is actually competing with melatonin for space, thus reducing melatonin’s complete metabolism. Like magnesium, vitamin C is also effective at balancing neurology and depression. Sources of natural vitamin C include amla berries and acerola berries, which can be purchased in supplement form. Oranges and red peppers have traditionally been thought of as good sources of natural vitamin C as well.

To improve your sleep, also keep away from the television or other such devices for at least two hours before bed. The number one cause of stress and increase in cortisol is actually watching too much tv, via television, tablet or phone. Our subconscious mind actually counts all those thousands of images coming into our eyes every second.

It should be obvious to note that if you have a sleeping problem, that you should avoid stimulants like caffeine at all cost. Avoid coffee at least 10 hours before sleep!

If you wake up at night to urinate, that means that your insulin level may be high. Reduce sugar. It also means your adrenaline is high. That is why folks often find themselves waking up at 2:30 a.m — when night-time adrenaline peaks — and not be able to get back to sleep. Avoiding drinking anything close to bedtime would help. That herb blue vervain will also calm your nerves, thus pacifying your production of adrenaline.

Please review here why I don’t recommend synthetic melatonin 💤

So in summary, the common denominator with insomnia appears to be an underlying state of depression. To effect more restful and timely night sleep, try:

  • 5-HTP (100 mg) temporarily, as a quick fix
  • Blue vervain, which will effectively help you sleep
  • Authentic, organic reishi mushroom (of the Ganoderma lingzhi species)
  • An absorbable form of magnesium (400 mg)
  • Natural vitamin C, e.g., amla, acerola, or camu camu
  • (Avoid) electronic devices at least two hours before bedtime
  • (Avoid) caffeine hours before bedtime.
  • (Avoid) drinking before bedtime to avoid waking up to urinate.

Epilepsy: Correcting the Tonic-Clonic Seizures

Posted on by Diogenes II

 

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by “abnormal” electrical discharges in the brain. It is triggered from the brain not getting enough oxygen and disparately agitating the nerves to supply more. Symptoms of the classic epilepsy include sudden, unpredictable or “unprovoked” seizures and other health issues, that occur on a chronic basis. Thus the difference between epilepsy and the many dozens of other seizures is that epilepsy happens repeatedly. To heal epilepsy, high dose vitamin D3 is often recommended to actually seeing visible signs of improvement! The Ketogenic diet has also been used to curb symptoms of epilepsy in children. Here, I will dig deeper, by dealing with what I believe is the core instigator of epilepsy: too much unbound iron in the blood and tissues, too little oxygen in the cells that carry oxygen, too little magnesium and the co-enzyme B vitamins, too little natural sunlight and the benefits of natural sunlight, including vitamin D, a lack of bio-available copper, and especially a lack of sleep.

There are two distinct categories of epilepsy: Generalized onset and Focal onset. Generalized onset occurs apparently all over the brain at once, while focal onset occurs at a specific region, on one side of the brain. The most familiar form of seizure occurs under generalized onset, under the subcategory: tonic-clonic seizure. This is the most extreme form of epilepsy and involves loss of consciousness and  violent muscle contractions.

There is perhaps another category of seizure categorized as Unknown onset, that may initiate outside of the scope of the brain.

Allopathic medicine often treat epilepsy with medication, surgery or neuromodulation (nerve stimulation). In the case of medication, one, two or three anti-epileptic drugs would be initiated if the patient’s condition is receptive to such. In the case of surgery, resective surgery or laser ablation surgery would be implemented to remove a small amount of affected brain tissue or heat brain tissue, respectively. In the case of nerve stimulation, neuromodulation equipment is used to stimulate the vagus nerve in the neck, officially known as vagal/vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), or equipment is used to stimulate the brain directly where seizure occurs, officially known as responsive neurostimulation (RNS). At BIOinvigoRATE however, we always seek to exhaust all natural forms of healing before implementing allopathic methods for chronic diseases!

That free, unbound iron that is not attached to hemoglobin or anything may in fact oxidize and rust vital organs of the body, including the brain. To heal epilepsy, this rogue iron which has built up in all the wrong places and has reached the brain, needs to be eliminated from the body. One such way of doing this would be to donate blood once every six months to one year. Also using IP-6 on an empty stomach, away from food and other nutrients will help chelate and eliminate this form of destructive iron out of the body. By doing this, the brain should automatically have an increase in oxygen. (Be careful with IP-6, as it also chelates other minerals such as zinc and calcium out of the body.)

Another way to decrease iron and inflammation throughout the body is by increasing absorbable magnesium. Seek out leafy greens and other foods high in this mineral. Also supplementing would be beneficial. Magnesium glycinate or malate have a high absorption rate. Also increasing your intake of vitamin B6 in the form of P5P will automatically increase your magnesium absorption. Magnesium is very effective at decreasing whole-body inflammation. P5P will aid magnesium along that effort, along with other sources of natural B vitamins — such as found in bee pollen. It is worth emphasizing that the B vitamins are very effective toward increasing magnesium absorption and additionally, stabilizing neurological disorders!

The sun too is a wonderful healer of epilepsy, providing balance and homeostasis of all the minerals in your body, while increasing the vitamin D level naturally as well, to ideal levels. There are foods also that will aid in increasing your vitamin D level. These include irradiated mushrooms and lichens. Vitamin D turns into a hormone in the body, and is a powerful aid in regulating the immune system — thus regulating your general health to optimum performance.

Other methods that may aid in the healing of epilepsy include earthing and “tree hugging.” Earthing — exposing your bare feet to moist/wet grass (or soil/sand) is said to be very beneficial in balancing your body’s natural electrical charge. The underneath of our feet is very porous — and is susceptible to the benefits of nature and its healing powers, including the earth’s electrons. Tree hugging also rearranges your inner life forces and balance from one organism to the next — that being plant revitalizing life and homeostasis to human.

On speaking of electrical charge, the human body is operated by electricity. The mineral most responsible for this is copper. With the element carbon, and the micro-mineral copper, there is electricity. Knowing how to increase bio-available copper will also increase the electrical power of your body. Oysters and grass-fed/grass-finished liver would be excellent and appropriate sources of copper. Bio-available copper can also be obtained by supplementation. A bioavailable, chelated or ionic copper supplement may be an excellent source, temporarily.

Perhaps the greatest trigger of epilepsy is a lack of proper sleep. A lack of sleep increases stress and malfunctions the vagus nerve — that large nerve responsible for “rest and digest”. There has been one particular herb that has shown promise in utilizing the vagus nerves, thus bettering sleep, thus reducing stress; thus reducing outbreaks of epilepsy. That herb is called blue vervain. (Pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, the “anemic” and those on blood thinners should avoid this herb however.)

In summary, epilepsy is not a permanent disease in which there is no hope. You may find relief with the right protocol. Decreasing unbound iron, increasing magnesium with P5P and other (natural-sourced) B vitamins, increasing sunlight and other natural sources of vitamin D, being out in nature, earthing and tree hugging; increasing bio-available copper, and improving sleep quality with the herb blue vervain are the most natural and effective ways I’ve discovered thus far in the quest to fight against epilepsy!