He Shu Wu….who?

 What the???

Well, here’s a new one to me!  He Shu Wu.  (pronounced huh show woo)

He Shu Wu is is one of the most popular and highly revered tonic herbs in Asian herbalism.  It is said to possess almost magical properties and the ‘elderly’ love it the most, believing it can maintain hair color, preserve youthfulness and restore fertility.  What’s not to love?

According to dragonherbs.com,

“He Shou Wu is widely used in Chinese tonic herbalism as a tonic to prevent premature aging by tonifying the Kidney and Liver functions, toning up Jing (vital essence), nourishing the blood, and fortifying the muscles, tendons and bones. It strengthens and stabilizes the lower back and knees. He Shou Wu is used to enhance sexual drive, increase sperm count and to strengthen sperm and ova. It is also widely used in Asia to maintain the youthful condition and color of the hair. This is one of its most popular attributes. Because it is a very mild sedative, it will calm the nervous system, and because it has components that are potent antioxidants with gentle anti-inflammatory action in the liver, it can clear the eyes.”

Well…….there you go! 

  Pretty, no?  No. 

But, let’s summarize:

• liver and kidney tonic
• relieves constipation (with Dang Gui and Hemp Seed)
• helps with insomnia
• clears skin problems
• elevated serum cholesterol
• weakness
• excessive sweating
• pain

But before you get all giggly about this herb, there are some side effects you might want to investigate first……Read more about side effects HERE.  And ALWAYS consult your healthcare practitioner before starting any new program…

• loose stools
• skin rash
• numbness
• liver dysfunction
• estrogenic effects

It can be purchased HERE in tablet form.  According to Natural News, William Rudolph, “Potency and quality are keys when consuming He Shou Wu. It should have been  growing for at least 4 years and it needs to be properly prepared (by a  qualified herbalist) to experience the full tonic effects. This is done by  slicing the root shortly after harvesting and then boiling it in a soup of black  beans. It can then be made into a powder suitable for mixing in smoothies, or it  can also be taken in capsule or tincture form.”

Learn more:  http://www.naturalnews.com/028709_gray_hair_He_Shou_Wu.html

I’m a little too tense to be stressed….

Little tense, are ya?

What the heck is stress?  Stress is your body’s reaction to anything your brain finds upsetting.  Period.

Stress is a part of life, whether it be, gasp! bathing suit season, whiney kids, or how about a blow out with your spouse?  In fact, 75 – 90% of all visits to a primary care physician’s office are related to stress disorders, according to Dr. Don Colbert.

Doesn’t matter where it came from, stress can do a number on your emotional and your physical well-being.  Some common stress symptoms can include sleeplessness, fuzzy thinking, body aches, acne, abdominal pain…and much, much more.

So what’s a gal to do?  Well, first I would suggest you read, Stress Less by Dr. Don Colbert, MD.  He can tell you how it starts, how it affects you and how you can overcome it.

I, on the other hand, say, “Hey…..calm down….take a bath.”

In fact, throw in some lavender, sandalwood, some Epsom salts and a little ylang ylang essential oils to make bath time a soothing time.  Relax for about 20 minutes and feel the tension go down the drain.

The adrenal glands are an integral part of the endocrine system of hormones.  Those little bad boys play a key roll in regulating the body’s response to stress, so your diet is also very important.  Avoid foods that are taxing on your system like caffeine, sugar and alcohol.   Include some avocados, eggs, chicken, mushrooms and salmon for some excellent sources of pantothenic acid.

Include some supplements to fortify the body against emotional stress.  Vitamin B complex (50mg twice/day), which supports the adrenal glands; and magnesium (500 mg once/day) and calcium (1000 mg once/day) have natural tranquilizing effects, so you might take those two in the evenings.

There are many different ways to deal with stress, but the important thing is to maintain the right attitude when the going gets rough.  No matter what happens to you, make up your mind that you are going to go through it with the right attitude.  If you meditate on this principle when things are going good, then when a stressful situation arises you will be prepared to maintain a good attitude.  Discipline yourself to stand strong with your positive attitude in every circumstance!

Philippians 4:19, “And my God will liberally supply your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Related articles

• Essential Oils for Effective Relaxation (dominicspoweryoga.com)
• Hormones and Stress (susannenelson.wordpress.com)
• Easy, Natural Stress-Busting Remedies (massageenvy.com)

another headache? try something natural…

‘

Did you know that about 28 million Americans have migraine headaches?  And that’s just migraines!  There are all sorts of headaches that can give you horrendous pain such as, tension headaches, sinus headaches or cluster headaches.  And you know what comes with the headache…anxiety, stiff neck and shoulder muscles, eyestrain…I can go on and on.

Bottom line?  They hurt. 

Maybe you are tired of popping pills and would like to try a ‘natural’ solution.   Hopefully you will be able to relax away some of the pain with deep breathing, meditation or even visualization (although I do tend to visualize me smacking someone if they dare even look at me during one of my migraines)

Try some of these remedies next time and see if you get any relief…(via)

• Herbal tea for tension headache:  Ginger decreases the production of pain-causing chemicals in the body.  Chamomile and linden are mild relaxants that can help ease emotional and physical tension.

• Ease headaches with an aromatherapy compress:  Lavender eases physical and mental stress and marjoram has deeply relaxing properties.  Add 5 drops each of lavender and marjoram essential oils to a basin of cool water.  Soak two washcloths in the water and lightly wring out.  Lie down and apply one cloth to your forehead and one to the back of your neck.  Rest for about 30 minutes.

• Lavender massage:  To ease a tension headache, massage your temples with a couple of drops of lavender essential oil.

• Take Valerian for pain:  Valerian helps relieve the pain of tension or migraine headaches.  Take half a teaspoon of valerian extract diluted in warm water every 30 minutes until the pain has abated.  (Up to 3 teaspoons a day)

• Footbath for headache relief:  Try immersing your feet in a bucket of water – as hot as you can stand it – for 15 minutes.  At the same time, wring out a cloth in ice water and place the cold compress on your forehead, temples, back of the neck or where ever the pain is concentrated.  Hot water dilates blood vessels and increases blood flow to the feet, while the cold compress constricts blood vessels in the head, reducing the volume of blood flow and thereby reducing pain.

• Loosen mucus:  Spicy foods, such as horseradish and hot peppers, increase the flow of blood and loosen the secretions of mucus in the sinuses.  This has the effect of relieving the congestion that causes sinus headaches.

American Council for Headache Education:  www.achenet.org

American Headache Society:  www.ahsnet.org

National Headache Foundation:  www.headaches.org

The National Migraine Association:  www.migraines.org

World Headache Alliance:  www.w-h-a.org

Caution:  Always consult with your doctor before starting any new remedy.  Pregnant women, nursing mothers, and women trying to conceive should also consult a healthcare practitioner before taking any herbal medicine.

headache food…

When dealing with an aching head, it’s become so easy to pop some pills. If you’re trying to steer clear of pain relievers, some of the best help can come from the produce aisle. (from fitsugar.com)

Potato: After a night out, you may think that a plate of greasy fries is the way to go; forget the french fries and go for a baked potato instead. Foods high in potassium have proven to help alleviate bad headaches, and a baked potato with its skin offers up to a whopping 600 mg

Bananas: The dynamic duo of potassium and magnesium come to the rescue in one tasty piece of fruit. Magnesium’s calming effects are a huge help when trying to alleviate an achy head.

Watermelon: A lot of the time when dealing with a headache, chances are you may be dehydrated. A water-rich fruit like watermelon can give you a huge boost and also serves as a solid source of potassium and magnesium!

Pineapple: Fresh pineapple can also help soothe your headache woes. The natural enzyme bromelain has been linked for centuries as a form of natural pain relief. It also boasts anti-inflammatory properties that can help get your head right as well.

Cucumber: In the same vein as watermelon, cucumber can help cut dehydration out of the picture. Composed of 95 percent water, the highly hydrating cucumber is a perfect option for a fresh, headache-fighting snack.

what is on the other side…

A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to leave

the examination room.

“Doctor, I am afraid to die.

Tell me what lies on the other side.”

Very quietly, the doctor said, “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?  You’re a christian man

and don’t know what’s on the other side?”

The doctor was holding onto the handle of the door;

On the other side came a sound of scratching and whinning.

As he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room,

and leaped on him in an eager show of gladness!

Turning to the patient, the doctor said,

“Did you notice my dog?

He’s never been in this room before.

He didn’t know what was inside.

He knew nothing except that his master was here.

And when the door opened he sprang in without fear.

I know little of what is on the other side of death,

But I do know one thing…

I know my Master is there and that is enough.”