Herbal Medicines - ONLINE

HERBAL MEDS ONLINE NEWSLETTER

EDITION 2 - MARCH 2009

Welcome to the second edition of the Herbal Meds Online newsletter!

At Herbal Meds Online, we continually strive to keep you informed about herbal medicines and its uses.

Herbal medicines have been around for centuries and as more research and studies are being done, people are realizing the value of herbal medicines in the prevention and treatment of illness.

The use of herbal medicines and herbal supplements have increased dramatically in the past 30 years and is useful in treating a variety of conditions such as PMS, migraine, chronic fatigue and rheumatoid arthritis, to name just a few.

In this edition, we will be focusing on fever blisters and the herbal medicines used to prevent and treat this painful condition.

TOPICS

1. Naturopathy - a system of medicine that uses natural substances to treat the patient

2. Purchasing safe and pure herbal medicines

3. Fever blisters - a preventable condition

4. Lysine - an herbal remedy used to treat and prevent fever blisters

5. Hints and Interesting Facts

6. Herbal Medicine quote of the month

7. Reminder

Naturopathy - a system of medicine that uses natural substances to treat the patient

Naturopathic Medicine, or Naturopathy, is a system of medicine that uses natural substances to treat the patient and recognizes that the patient's mental, emotional, and physical states must all be treated for a lasting effect.

The foundation of Naturopathic medicine is the vitalistic philosophy of the "healing power of nature." This means that within every human organism there is a healing energy, which includes our immune system in the fuller sense of both the physical and the psyche, which is responsible for our wellness and our ability to heal and maintain health

Following this first premise is the second, that the therapies used to support and stimulate this healing power of nature must be in "the gentlest, least invasive, most efficient manner possible".

The third Naturopathic premise is "to diagnose and treat the cause". Naturopaths do not simply treat the manifestation of the disease but rather search for the cause and treat it.

To accomplish these goals, Naturopathic medicine incorporates many therapeutic modalities: herbal medicine, homeopathy, nutrition, hydrotherapy, food, exercise therapy, physical therapy, and manipulation of the bony and soft tissues, lifestyle and counseling.

Naturopathic medicine treats the patient from the preventive stage through to serious, chronic and debilitating disease. Therefore, people can go to Naturopaths for colds, bronchitis, allergies, as well as for heart disease, diabetes, and malignant diseases.

(Information taken from www.naturopathyonline.com)

Purchasing safe and pure herbal medicines

Make sure that you consult a health care provider that has the proper credentials and who is trained to prescribe herbs and supplements.

Inform your health care practitioner if you are taking prescription medicines to avoid unwanted and even dangerous drug interactions.

The herbs available in most stores come in several different forms: teas, syrups, oils, liquid extracts, tinctures, and dry extracts (pills or capsules). Teas are simply dried herbs left to soak for a few minutes in hot water, while other teas are the herbs boiled in water and then strained for consumption. Syrups, made from concentrated extracts and added to sweet-tasting preparations, are frequently used for sore throats and coughs. Oils are extracted from plants and often used as rubs for massage, either alone or as part of an ointment or cream. Tinctures and liquid extracts are solvents (usually water, alcohol, or glycerol) that contain the active ingredients of the herbs. Tinctures are typically a 1:5 or 1:10 concentration, meaning that one part of the herbal material is prepared with five to ten parts (by weight) of the liquid. Liquid extracts are more concentrated than tinctures and are typically a 1:1 concentration. A dry extract form is the most concentrated form of an herbal product (typically 2:1 - 8:1) and is sold as a tablet, capsule, or lozenge.

Currently, no organization or government body regulates the manufacture or certifies the labeling of herbal preparations. This means you can't be sure that the amount of the herb contained in the bottle, or even from dose to dose, is the same as what is stated on the label. Some herbal preparations are standardized, meaning that the preparation is guaranteed to contain a specific amount of the active ingredients of the herb. However, it is still important to ask companies that are making standardized herbal products the basis for their product's guarantee. If consumers insist on an answer to this question, manufacturers of these herbal products may begin to implement more quality control processes, like microscopic, chemical, and biological analyses. It is important to talk to your doctor or an expert in herbal medicine for the recommended doses of any herbal products you are considering.

(Information taken from www.umm.edu)

Fever blisters - a preventable condition

Fever blisters or cold sores are caused by the Herpes simplex virus (HSV-1).

Fever blisters first appear three to ten days after exposure to the virus and an outbreak of fever blisters can last up to three weeks.

Unfortunately, this virus remains in the body and moves into the nervous system. Outbreaks can be triggered by stress, emotional trauma, a cold or a viral infection, exposure to sun and wind or a weakened immune system.

Fever blisters are highly contagious and studies have shown that children as young as ten carry the virus.

There are several stages of the development of a fever blister:

• Stage 1: no sore is visible yet, but there is a tingling, prickling feeling around the affected area.

• Stage 2: swelling starts and the affected area is red and often hot to the touch.

• Stage 3: the first signs of tiny blisters appear. Itching and pain increases.

• Stage 4: a soft, very painful ulcer forms.

Lysine - an herbal remedy used to treat and prevent fever blisters

Lysine is an essential amino acid in that the human body cannot synthesize on its own, therefore it needs to be obtained from your diet.

If you suffer from regular outbreaks of cold sores and fever blisters a Lysine supplement can help treat and also prevent these outbreaks.

Cold sores, fever blisters and shingles are all forms of the Herpes virus and several studies have shown that Lysine inhibits viral replication. These specific types of viruses utilize Arginine (another form of amino acid) and increasing the availability of Lysine in the human body slows the virus replication and inhibits the use of Arginine.

Studies have also indicated that Lysine could suppress genital herpes.

Use of Lysine as an alternative treatment to cold sores reduces the frequency of outbreaks and lesions heal quicker.

Lysine is available in pill form and cream form. At the onset of an outbreak of cold sores, start with a dosage of 1000mg Lysine daily and as the condition improves, take a therapeutic dosage of 500mg daily.

Lysine cream can be applied topically to the affected areas to reduce the symptoms of painful outbreaks.
(Information taken from article published on our website www.herbal-meds-online.com)

Hints and Interesting Facts on Fever blisters

Holding an ice cube on the affected area for a few minutes can reduce the pain and swelling.

Recent studies have shown that Vitamin C may be effective in treating fever blisters when applied topically.

People who are prone to fever blister outbreaks should avoid over-exposure to the sun and should use a lip balm that contains an SPF of at least 15.

Avoid touching the blisters as this can spread the infection.

(Information taken from "The Healing Power of Vitamins, Minerals and Herbs” published by Reader’s Digest)

Herbal Medicine quote of the month

Hippocrates, a Greek physician born in 460 BC

Reminder

Please consult your medical practitioner prior to using any herbal medications should you be under their care. Pregnant or lactating women and children under 16 years of age should not be using herbal remedies or supplements unless prescribed by a medical practitioner. Suggestions offered are not intended to replace appropriate medical investigation and treatment.