Healing Herb Calendula

Healing Herb Calendula
One of my favourite medicinal herbs, this calendula flower was visited by a bee when I snapped it at the Lismore Community Garden.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Head Lice - Natural Remedy That Really Works

I've recently seem websites with some concerning information about headlice treatments. There are hair salons in the U.S. where it costs $30 to $50 for "nitpickers" to remove eggs from hair, and it costs a lot more for home visits. There is a belief that no product can effectively kill/remove the eggs (nits). The same websites accurately express concern about the dangers of using cumulative poisons on our children's heads.
In our herbal dispensary we have developed some simple headlice management strategies which are totally effective, natural, and inexpensive. Many years ago we sold a proprietary product, relatively low toxicity with orange extract and a low-grade pesticide. It was very popular in the area, where we have a significant population of "alternative lifestyle" people, being near Nimbin in Australia. Our customers preferred a non-chemical low toxicity product. Soon we had people coming back saying "it doesn't work". Well, often it did work, but clearly not for everyone. After ascertaining that an unhappy customer had in fact applied it properly, we decided to do our own research to find a natural treatment which would work.
We came up with a blend of rosemary and sassafras essential oils. The rosemary kills the lice, and the sassafras kills the eggs. It really does! Try putting a drop of rosemary oil in a container with a live louse (first catch one!), and you'll find it won't survive.
Why is it that my head is now incredibly itchy, just writing this!
Our formula worked really well. We have dispensed many litres of it over the last 15 years. In small bottles that is. As we found out years ago, we quickly are told if a headlice remedy doesn't work. We have many repeat customers, who tell us that it does the trick. No-one has ever told us that it failed.
How To Use:
It is recommended to apply a small amount of the oil to the hair and scalp, within a few inches of the scalp. It isn't necessary to apply to the ends of long hair, as the critters need the warmth of the scalp to survive. It can be applied to wet or dry hair. Leave on a few hours, or overnight, and shampoo out. Repeat after 3-4 days. Very occasionally, a third application is needed.
The issue about the nitpicking: It can be beneficial to remove the nits. A simple remedy is to use vinegar on the hair, close to the scalp. The eggs are bonded to the hair shaft with a sticky glue (clever, aren't they?) and the vinegar dissolves this. Then comb out with a very fine-toothed comb. By the way, eggs that are flat and almost transparent are dead. You will normally find these after using the essential oil treatment.
I don't know of the regulatory status of sassafras oil in the U.S. It is often restricted because an ingredient can be extracted from it to make an illegal drug. I have no idea how to do this! In Australia, I believe it is illegal to use more than 2% sassafras oil in a product, but fortunately it is effective at this strength.
A warning, I do NOT recommend it be used by pregnant women.
Aargh! My head is still itching, and I don't have nits!!
Till next time, wishing you good health,
Trish

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Heavy Metal Detoxification



I promised I would write a blog about NOT using DMSA for removal of heavy metals (mercury, lead, arsenic etc)and using natural remedies instead. This photo by the way is of Komal and Leah making herbal mixtures in our dispensary at Traditional Medicinals. Interesting how things come up in runs, but on consecutive days I found myself having conversations with people about how they had been given DMSA chelation by doctors, and how incredibly ill it made them. With long-lasting adverse effects!
I thought this was tragic, given how effective natural remedies can be, and the detoxifying herbs are actually beneficial to the liver, not poisonous. Why didn't they see a naturopath or herbalist instead?!
Assessing the problem is important, as it gives an idea of time frame and comprehensiveness of treatment. I have used Hair Mineral Analysis, as it seems reliable in measuring heavy metals. It also gives important information about changes along the way, although it is important to know how to interpret the results.
At my herbal dispensary and clinic in Lismore (Australia), I have had great results with natural remedies including micronised zeolite, St. Mary's Thistle, anti-oxidants, organic chlorella, and dierary liver support. It's necessary to add a multi-mineral supplement, as the detoxification can also remove a small amount of the desirable minerals.
I'll give you a case study as an example. A client with a history of eczema had mercury levels practically off the graph (from Hair Mineral Analysis) at 0.60. After 4 months on natural remedies, the mercury had dropped to only one third ie. 0.20. During this time, his lead levels which were low on the first test came up to 0.30. This might seem puzzling, but it's actually a good sign. By removing so much mercury, the constant load on the body's detoxification mechanisms was reduced. Therefore stored lead (mostly in bones) can be drawn into circulation and be gradually excreted. Testing 6 months later showed mercury had dropped further, to only 0.10 (low end of "normal" range), and the lead levels disappeared completely.
Although the process took a long time, it produced no side-effects at all, and leaves a middle-aged male with a much healthier future.
I just can't see the point in using a poison to eliminate toxins from the body, when it can be done safely and naturally. I certainly recommend any programme be undertaken with an experienced Natural Health Practitioner, since everyone needs an individually tailored treatment which takes the rest of the symptoms and medical history into account.
I hope this information is useful to some of you, and I wish you vibrant health. Until next time, kind regards from Trish

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Traditional Medicinals:Healing Herbs

This is a new journey for me, being of that generation which grew up before television was invented (no, I'm not 150 years old!). First blog! Didn't know much about it before "Julie and Julia".
I love herbal medicine, and would like to share information based on thirty years of experience in herbal prescribing. After qualifying as a psychologist, I fell in love with herbal medicine after a personal success with red clover, which remains one of my favourite herbs. I studied with Dorothy Hall in Sydney, and her love of herbs was highly infectious.
Women's health is a long-term specialisation of mine, as I have previously worked at the Leichhardt Women's Health Centre (Sydney), and the Lismore and District Women's Health Centre.
In the last 17 years, I have watched Traditional Medicinals grow from a tiny shop in an arcade, to the large vibrant retail store in the main street. Customers appreciate the convenience of dropping in to our dispensary, and having qualified naturopathic staff make them a herbal mix on the spot. Our focus in the dispensary is acute remedies which address the symptoms as quickly as possible. In the clinic rooms we provide the "whole picture" approach, addressing the underlying causes of ill health through diet, lifestyle, detoxification, immune support, and stress management.
Currently we are treating a lot of colds, flu, chesty coughs etc as it is change of season. Favourite herbs are echinacea, andrographis, baptisia, goldenseal (cultivated of course, not to deplete wild sources), elecampane, and the universal favourite licorice root.
I wish you all good health, until the next post.
Kind regards,
Trish