Dan Shen the Heart Herb

12 Feb

Dan Shen the Heart Herb

Fours days ago, I had my second bone marrow stem cell injection for advanced arthritis in the hip joints. I am in Florida where I got the injection from Dr. Alan Lazar the only orthopedic surgeon in the country now doing such experimental injections in his office. My first such injection from him a year ago was in a nearby clinic under anesthesia. Needless to say Tuesday’s injection was faster, easier and less expensive. Dr. Lazar has thirty years experience in treating athletes of all ages, elderly and injured patients with chronic and acute pain. I have total confidence in him. My hip joints feel better! Such treatments are not done in New York, but this is Florida where medical treatments are more open. I am lucky. The area near my sacrum from where he got the stem cells by puncturing my bone, feels a little sore. I stopped taking the painkiller the second day after the treatment because it jammed my digestion. I am comfortable enough and am resting. However, Chinese energetically speaking, I know the treatment is like a deep wound that affects my nerves and heart. Two days after the treatment, my heart felt heavy and painful and I started taking Dan Shen pills to strengthen the heart muscle, which removes the pain. Everyone has different reactions to strong surgical treatments. Doctors and patients should know about dan shen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) especially useful for patients over 40 or those with heart conditions, abnormal blood pressure, cholesterol problems, and for people who live under stress.

Here is general information about dan shen.

I know friends who use Dan Shen wan (pills) daily for chest discomforts. It is helpful for reducing harmful cholesterol and for protecting the heart muscle. It helps the liver to produce bile as well which enhances digestion.

The main use of the herbal remedies made from the dan shen is in the role of a tonic for the heart in affected patients. The herbal remedy ensures the cardiac muscles maintain a regular rhythm and also tones and strengthens the heart at the same time – helping it maintain a steady and regular beat. The remedy is also helpful and beneficial to the overall functioning of the other organs within the body of patients such as the liver where it helps stimulates the secretion of bile and aids in hepatic function. The functioning of the thyroid gland is also believed to be helped and benefited by the dan shen, the remedy is believed to stimulate and promote the secretion from the gland, supporting the over all functioning of the thyroid in the body. That makes dan shen especially helpful for overweight people or those of us who sit at a computer most of the day.

arthritis bone marrow dan shen heart trouble stem cell

Comments

Sarah Burns says:

February 12, 2011 at 5:07 pm

Hi Letha, I just finished reading your Asian Health Secrets, and am interested in joining one of your tours of China Town. Are you still doing those tours, and do you have time to give a private consultation to a new “patient”? Please let me know, thank you, Sarah Burns (NYC-upper west side)

Letha says:

February 15, 2011 at 5:42 pm

Hi Sarah

I am in Miami for the winter and for special medical treatments for my arthritis. We plan to return to NYC in March. The Open Center did not schedule my walking tours of chinatown because they are downsizing their classes and eliminating some weekend classes. I will be teaching the little India walks beginning in May. I cannot say if I will have time for clients. I am writing a book and helping friend promote another book. If you need herbal advice, I recommend Lin Sisters at 4 Bowery st. in Chinatown. They are old friends and excellent chinese herbalists. Dr. Lili Wu is my favorite acupuncture doctor in NYC. She is on W. 24th and in Brooklyn.
best, L.,

pat voeks says:

February 12, 2011 at 5:58 pm

Hi Letha,
I take Arjuna once every mornlng. Would Dan When mix well with this?

Thanks,

-Pat

Letha says:

February 15, 2011 at 5:39 pm

Hello Pat
Arjuna and dan shen work a bit differently. Arjuna is astringent, reducing cholesterol and strenthening the heart muscle. Useful for preventing heart failure. Dan shen also helps to regulate the heart beat for prevention of heart attack. They could be used together. Continue to monitor your heart health with checkups.

Pat Voeks says:

February 12, 2011 at 6:04 pm

Hi Letha,

I currently take Arjuna once a day. Would these two herbs together have an adverse reaction?

Regards,

Pat

hannelore says:

February 12, 2011 at 9:22 pm

Dear Letha,

After a heart attack 5 years ago, no incidents since then, but total cholesterol, 230-260 if I’m not on medication, can’t take statins, only half does of red rice yeast, and many vitamins, arjuna cardio comfort by Michael Tierra once a day. Would these two herbs together have an adverse reaction?

Would love to be listed as one of your friends and be happy to give you Jin Shin Kyutsu treaments to heal from the surgery faster.
Tahnk you for all you share and all teh help you provide with such an open heart,

Hannelore Devlin,

Letha says:

February 15, 2011 at 5:33 pm

Hello Hannelore

Thanks for your comment. Always nice to hear from you, my friend. I was surprised to see how expensive the Arjuna cardio comfort pills cost – One company sold them for $23 for 60 pills. They contain
Calcium 176 mg 15%
Hawthorn Leaf &Flower Extract 300 mg +
Guggul ExtractYielding 8.5 mg 200 mg +
guggulsterones 170 mg +
Salvie mitiorrhiza Extract 150 mg +
Terminalia arjuna Bark Extract 100 mg +

Salvia mitiorrhiza is dan shen in latin. Dan shen is the chinese name for the same herb. So you don’t need to duplicate it.

If you want a less expensive plan, I would take
1. A good mineral combination with calcium, magnesium and vit. D3
2. HeartCare by Himalaya about $16 for 120 capsules that contain: arjuna, ashwagandha, shatavari, trifala and many other tonic herbs. If you feel your heart is too weak — you are out of breath walking up stairs, you sleep with several pillows to breath, your pulse is slow and weak, you can add hawthorn
Normally, the dose used for HeartCare to reduce cholesterol overtime is 3 pills twice daily until cholesterol is normal then 2 twice daily.

I think cholesterol and heart health has as much to do with inflammation in the blood vessels as cholesterol. That is why a combination that contains cooling herbs such as gotu kola and shatavari – though not heart herbs are usefully because they are circulation and nutrition tonics to nourish the heart muscles, not just stimulate them.

My 5th and 6th PRP Bone Marrow Stem Cell Injections | Letha's Asian Health Secrets says:

March 10, 2011 at 6:22 pm

[…] blood pressure dropped too low. I took herbs to strengthen the heart muscle –dan shen–see my article. Also I took B12 and my blood pressure gradually stabilized at 108/60 which is OK for me. I felt […]

My 5th and 6th PRP stem cell injections | Health says:

March 12, 2011 at 6:58 am

Sarah Burns says:

February 12, 2011 at 5:07 pm

Hi Letha, I just finished reading your Asian Health Secrets, and am interested in joining one of your tours of China Town. Are you still doing those tours, and do you have time to give a private consultation to a new “patient”? Please let me know, thank you, Sarah Burns (NYC-upper west side)
1. Letha says:
  
  February 15, 2011 at 5:42 pm
  
  Hi Sarah
  
  I am in Miami for the winter and for special medical treatments for my arthritis. We plan to return to NYC in March. The Open Center did not schedule my walking tours of chinatown because they are downsizing their classes and eliminating some weekend classes. I will be teaching the little India walks beginning in May. I cannot say if I will have time for clients. I am writing a book and helping friend promote another book. If you need herbal advice, I recommend Lin Sisters at 4 Bowery st. in Chinatown. They are old friends and excellent chinese herbalists. Dr. Lili Wu is my favorite acupuncture doctor in NYC. She is on W. 24th and in Brooklyn.
  best, L.,
pat voeks says:

February 12, 2011 at 5:58 pm

Hi Letha,
I take Arjuna once every mornlng. Would Dan When mix well with this?

Thanks,

-Pat
1. Letha says:
  
  February 15, 2011 at 5:39 pm
  
  Hello Pat
  Arjuna and dan shen work a bit differently. Arjuna is astringent, reducing cholesterol and strenthening the heart muscle. Useful for preventing heart failure. Dan shen also helps to regulate the heart beat for prevention of heart attack. They could be used together. Continue to monitor your heart health with checkups.
Pat Voeks says:

February 12, 2011 at 6:04 pm

Hi Letha,

I currently take Arjuna once a day. Would these two herbs together have an adverse reaction?

Regards,

Pat
hannelore says:

February 12, 2011 at 9:22 pm

Dear Letha,

After a heart attack 5 years ago, no incidents since then, but total cholesterol, 230-260 if I’m not on medication, can’t take statins, only half does of red rice yeast, and many vitamins, arjuna cardio comfort by Michael Tierra once a day. Would these two herbs together have an adverse reaction?

Would love to be listed as one of your friends and be happy to give you Jin Shin Kyutsu treaments to heal from the surgery faster.
Tahnk you for all you share and all teh help you provide with such an open heart,

Hannelore Devlin,
1. Letha says:
  
  February 15, 2011 at 5:33 pm
  
  Hello Hannelore
  
  Thanks for your comment. Always nice to hear from you, my friend. I was surprised to see how expensive the Arjuna cardio comfort pills cost – One company sold them for $23 for 60 pills. They contain
  Calcium 176 mg 15%
  Hawthorn Leaf &Flower Extract 300 mg +
  Guggul ExtractYielding 8.5 mg 200 mg +
  guggulsterones 170 mg +
  Salvie mitiorrhiza Extract 150 mg +
  Terminalia arjuna Bark Extract 100 mg +
  
  Salvia mitiorrhiza is dan shen in latin. Dan shen is the chinese name for the same herb. So you don’t need to duplicate it.
  
  If you want a less expensive plan, I would take
  1. A good mineral combination with calcium, magnesium and vit. D3
  2. HeartCare by Himalaya about $16 for 120 capsules that contain: arjuna, ashwagandha, shatavari, trifala and many other tonic herbs. If you feel your heart is too weak — you are out of breath walking up stairs, you sleep with several pillows to breath, your pulse is slow and weak, you can add hawthorn
  Normally, the dose used for HeartCare to reduce cholesterol overtime is 3 pills twice daily until cholesterol is normal then 2 twice daily.
  
  I think cholesterol and heart health has as much to do with inflammation in the blood vessels as cholesterol. That is why a combination that contains cooling herbs such as gotu kola and shatavari – though not heart herbs are usefully because they are circulation and nutrition tonics to nourish the heart muscles, not just stimulate them.
My 5th and 6th PRP Bone Marrow Stem Cell Injections | Letha's Asian Health Secrets says:

March 10, 2011 at 6:22 pm

[…] blood pressure dropped too low. I took herbs to strengthen the heart muscle –dan shen–see my article. Also I took B12 and my blood pressure gradually stabilized at 108/60 which is OK for me. I felt […]
My 5th and 6th PRP stem cell injections | Health says:

March 12, 2011 at 6:58 am

[…] blood pressure dropped too low. I took herbs to strengthen the heart muscle –dan shen–see my article. Also I took B12 and my blood pressure gradually stabilized at 108/60 which is OK for me. I felt […]