Dried, sliced astragalus sold in Chinese herb shops and supermarkets.
WebMD: July 7, 2010 — Aging cells greatly increase your risk of deadly cancer — even if you’re still relatively young. Cells stay young as long as they are able to repair their own DNA. That’s up to telomeres, the proteins at the end of each chromosome. But every time a cell reproduces, its telomeres get shorter. A startling new study now shows that people who accumulate a lot of cells with short telomeres have greatly increased risk of fatal cancers. What increases telomere strand length–thereby protecting DNA and preventing cancers? Astragalus. Simmer 8 slices in a quart of water for 30 minutes and drink it between meals for improved energy and immunity. Here are three important studies.
Continue reading ‘Astragalus, Telomeres, Cancer Prevention’
In Greek mythology, Zeus decided to give the city of Athens to the god who provided the most useful gift to humanity. Poseidon, god of sea and storms, sent a bolt that created a spring. Athena, goddess of war, civilization, wisdom, strength, strategy, justice, and skill, created the olive tree, and won the competition. Olive wreaths were worn by Greek brides and awarded to Olympic victors. In Ancient Rome, a defeated army carried olive branches as a gesture of peace. Olive leaf is one of the most health-giving herbal teas.
Continue reading ‘Olive Leaf Tea’
The New York Open center taped the Natural Approach to Depression class I taught with homeopath Christopher Phillips in April, 2010. Here is a link to a free audio download the first fifteen minutes of that class. Click “Download File 6.8 Mb” and you can hear me. The class notes for the Depression Class are here.
Last week, I lost my darling Silky to lung cancer. At age fifteen, she enjoyed running up and down the stairs, sunning herself, and stalking birds on the porch this past summer and early fall in Vermont. In New York she naturally became subdued in our small apartment. She had lost little more than one pound over a period of a year, had fairly normal blood tests, then suddenly stopped eating. Cats are able to hide their lung vulnerability, can seem fine until they suddenly start panting and stop eating. Seeming well is their defense against potential threats. People, being complex, may feel emotional pain in the body. We often transform feelings into illness; it may be part of the healing process. Once I met a woman who had broken off with her lover and developed a two week cold. Her pain had shifted from a deep place in order to leave.
Continue reading ‘Grief Lowers Immunity’
Next Monday November 2nd from 9AM to 4:30 PM, I am pleased to offer a continuing education workshop “Asian Health Secrets” at Phillips Beth Israel School of Nursing 776 Sixth Ave @ 27th Street, 3rd Floor NYC, NY 10001. The public is invited to this important event. Nurses, parents, students, and anyone who cares for sick family and friends, faces illness and exhaustion daily. In addition, many women must deal with female complaints, extreme stress, and physical and emotional burnout. Nerve-related problems, including shingles, headache, tics, sciatica weaken and demoralize us and keep us from work. Natural remedies, including diet, herbs, and homeopathic remedies, are very helpful for most stress-related discomforts. Colds and flu prevention and treatment are important topics for the season.
I will cover Asian miracle foods and herbs for vitality, acupressure for pain-relief, laser acupuncture for addictions and weight loss, Chinese Qigong movements for enhanced vitality and stress reduction, also simple aromatherapy for prevention of burnout, chronic pain, work and weather-related discomforts, and female complaints. One Chinese remedy I will cover, Yunnan Paiyao, is worth spending the day and the fee ($100 or $50 for students.) It is used to speed recovery from injury, wounds, bruises, surgery and internal bleeding from ulcers or painful menstrual bleeding. Medicinal mushrooms used for health and beauty will also be covered. Herbs for every sort of discomfort from chest pains to indigestion and diabetes will be included along with recipes. Continue reading ‘All Day Workshop Nov. 2nd’
My alternative healing friends have been emailing advice about preventing flu. Nearly everyone agrees, “At least 70% of our immunity against illness comes from a healthy colon.” What does that mean? We require healthy bacteria in the colon, not only to digest food and eliminate wastes, but to insure nutritional absorption, energy, emotional balance, and immunity. I advise everyone to boost immunity by adding 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder to yogurt and/or green tea. Excellent health products are also available from upstate New York made by Dr. Vijaya Nair.
Continue reading ‘Flu-protection: Your Colon’
Crystalization of oseltamivir phosphate, the active ingredient in Tamiflu
Tamiflu is an antiviral drug marketed by the Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche. It targets a protein called neuraminidase that lives on the flu virus cells. This protein helps the flu virus break through the cell walls so it can move on to other cells and replicate itself. Tamiflu inhibits the neuraminidase protein, so that the virus can’t leave the cell to infect other cells. Eventually, the virus dies. Tamiflu can’t stop the flu entirely. However, studies have shown that if you take it within 48 hours of showing symptoms, it can shorten the duration of the flu (strains A and B). Patients with the flu who took it felt better 30 percent (or 1.3 days) faster than people who didn’t take it. The drug also can help protect you from getting the flu if you’re exposed to someone who has it. But Tamiflu can’t prevent the spread of the disease, and it won’t stop illnesses (like the common cold) that resemble the flu. Tamiflu isn’t cheap. A 10-dose course can cost $60 to $80 in the United States. Currently there is no generic version of the drug available in the U.S. Will we have enough Tamiflu? Will it really work? Will the swine flu mutate into another virus? Antibiotics only kill bacteria. They can not kill a virus. Here is how to build your immunity naturally. Continue reading ‘How Tamiflu Works’
You may have to take your temperature. Usually we are concerned about people traveling from other areas who may be sick. Here is an intelligent update on border closures and health precautions other nations are taking against travelers coming from the United States and Mexico. They may not close borders yet, but you can’t travel with mild symptoms of flu–fever, aches, cough. One thing that disturbs me is–It is warm now. Flu doesn’t usually occur in warm weather. It may come back full force this fall. Build your immunity all summer with amla from India (natural vitamin C) medicinal mushrooms such as reishi, and a healthy diet. Stockpile anti-cold and flu herbs to use when needed.
This video treats some easily available foods to improve immunity against cancers. You can find these medicinal mushrooms–some in supermarkets and others online or in Chinese herb shops. They include shiitake – nice sauteed with vegetables and eggs. Inoki are the long white ones in Asian supermarkets. Reishi (Ganoderma lucid.) and Coriolus versicolor are the ones I show in this video.
ALWAYS cook mushrooms. Avoid the white button mushrooms easily available in stores. White mushrooms are grown in darkness and require, therefore, pesticides. Good sources for mushroom pills and extracts include Health Concerns in Oakland, Ca. and East Earth Trade Winds in Redding, Ca.
The emotional component is very important in preventing illness. I remember during one morning’s grand rounds many years ago asking an oncologist, the head of a medical school’s internal medicine department, whether there was a connection between grief and cancer. He answered, “Absolutely not.” We have learned a lot since then about the body/mind connection. The body is not a well-oiled machine that functions separately from the human heart. T cells drop, our natural immunity suffers, when we are shocked, grieved, or feel abandoned. I take special precautions against certain stressful activities. When dealing with something or someone very unpleasant, whether because of them or my own feelings, I take natural remedies to feel safe. Asian anticancer foods and herbs do no harm and may accomplish a great deal of good. They detoxify the body of poisons, enhance circulation, and reduce stress. Many increase beauty. Feeling protected is good. “Youth and age are partly a matter of habit and training.” Personal Renewal
Continue reading ‘Anticancer protection: Reduce Stress, Increase Beauty’
