Natural remedies for overactive bladder

I have checked out this article and I noted that among the herbs that may help ease overactive bladder symptoms are the Chinese herbal blend hachi-mi-jio-gan and buchu tea.

Related links
http://www.naturalnews.com/034570_overactive_bladder_lifestyle_health.html
http://alignlife.com/articles/womenshealth/treat_overactive_bladder_naturally

Rehmannia, Eleuthero and Licorice for cortisol management.

I learnt from the article "Adrenal Fatigue vs. Iron Deficiency Anemia" that fatigue could be due to various factors such as low cortisol levels, low DHEA levels, anemia, and/or some other factors, and adaptogenic herbs such as rehmannia, licorice and eleuthero (Siberian ginseng) can help provide adrenal support and reduce stress. Incidentally, I found out that tankwe gin, which can be bought from Chinese TCM stores, contains rehmannia and licorice too. The information leaflet says tankwe gin is nourishing to the blood and helpful to the body building, and can mainly cure weakness, headache, dizziness and anemia, and so on.

Benefits of eating seaweed

I have checked out this informative article on the benefits of eating seaweed, and it is good to know that seaweed is an excellent source of B-vitamin folate and lignans which are anti-cancer, iron, calcium, magnesium, B-vitamins riboflavin and panthothenic acid. I noted that magnesium riboflavin and panthothenic all help to provide relief and resistance to stress, allergies and infection

Some information about autoimmune diseases and Vitamin D

I have checked out this informative article "You may have an autoimmune disease but don't know it!" and noted the list of symptoms that may possibly be associated with autoimmunity. I also noted the author's recommendation of the paleo diet "autoimmune protocol" to address the respective health issues, which I learnt from a related link "Modifying Paleo for Autoimmune Conditions (i.e., The Autoimmune Protocol)" involves healing the gut through healing foods such as bone broth, grass-fed meat, organ meat, fermented foods, etc, as well as ensuring intake of adequate Vitamin D and drinking plenty of water, among other useful measures/activities to aid in healing the gut.

About Vitamin D, the generous dose of sunshine in tropical places such as Singapore enables our bodies to manufacture Vitamin D, which can prevent or treat autoimmune diseases. For example, I found this article "Vitamin D - could it stop 'modern' disease?" that says "gradually, evidence is emerging that links low vitamin D levels to a rise in a whole host of “modern” diseases, some of which were virtually unheard of in the pre-industrial era.... doctors working with these autoimmune diseases, previously sceptical, are now privately hopeful that vitamin D will prove to be a useful addition to treatment." Similarly, this article says Vitamin D halts autoimmune disease. 

Putting a moist towel around our neck can help our body cool down naturally

it is useful and interesting to read this forum about how putting something cold such as a moist towel around our neck helps lower the body temperature because heat is being taken from the jugular vein to the towel. It reminds me of those days years ago when I used to go hiking in the forested areas in Singapore with my fellow members of the school outdoor activities club, where some of us would drape a moist towel around our necks if we happen to be hiking during midday when the sun was especially hot compared to late mornings or late afternoons when the temperature was less hot. I learnt that having a towel around the neck is also handy in wiping sweat.

Herbs for constipation

I have checked out this informative article on herbs for constipation which I find useful as it resonates with my experiences in treating this symptom over the years. I noted that "the gentlest remedies for constipation include increased movement and exercise, certain yoga postures, increase of fluid intake, and dietary changes including increased fiber and fruit... And prune juice may be the most effective and gentlest remedy for constipation." Yes, I can testify to the effectiveness of prune juice which I have been drinking every other morning, mixing it with half a cup with warm water, which helps maintain regularity every two or three days on average, which I believe is normal for me. I have stopped eating yoghurt for the time being though, as I think the cold food may have caused running nose symptoms in the mornings, and besides, prune juice works fine for me. 

I have also taken natural bulk laxative such as psyllium, if I remember correctly, occasionally in the past, and like what the article says, I needed to drink a lot of water for this gentle laxative to do its work properly.

I noted that the mild herbal laxatives include dandelion root, chickweed and yellow dock root tincture, whereas purgative herbs include "aloe, buckthorn, cascara sagrada, rhubarb, and senna... which should be used only as a last resort". I also learnt that "Kathi Kevilles approach is to combine the irritant herbs with tasty ones like peppermint, ginger, and fennel, that also relax the intestines and prevent cramping." Yes, I have been drinking a cleansing herbal tea occasionally recently which is the Pukka nettle, peppermint and fennel tea, and I believe it helps maintain regularity and prevent constipation too.

This formula is good for cleansing blood, thereby skin

The formula of dandelion leaf, nettle leaf, cleavers, plantain herb, green rooibos and lemon myrtle is good for cleansing blood, thereby skin.

Incidentally, I came across an article earlier about nettles - it says "the nettle plant is a powerhouse of nutrition. Its roots and leaves are rich in iron, calcium, and vitamins A and K, and it has been used to treat intestinal weakness, malnutrition, diarrhea and countless skin conditions for centuries in Europe." It is indeed helpful to know that nettles, among the other herbs mentioned above, is good for cleansing blood, and thereby skin too.

Notes on "RHR: Diagnosing and Treating Lyme Disease"

I have finished reading the podcast interview transcript and the comments below the podcast, and I find the overview of Lyme's disease both detailed and informative. The information on Lyme's disease is new to me, and I took some time to google and familiarise myself with the information too. I noted from the podcast that one way to prevent it is to wear long pants and tuck our pants into our socks, and try not to sit under the oak trees in the leaf litter, the high area where ticks tend to hang out when hiking outdoors, especially in wooded areas in North America and Europe. 

Like a reader commented, I also appreciate Dr Schweig’s candor in the even-handed discussion of antibiotics, naturopathic medicine and integrative therapies on treating Lyme's disease. I also noted from a related article that some natural antibiotics that may prevent the onset of Lyme's disease infection include garlic and echinacea. 

Dr. Sunjya Schweig:  And to be honest with you, getting into this world has always been a little bit a struggle because I came at it from a really integrative, complementary, alternative medicine point of view, which is that I wanted to get away from antibiotics.  I wanted to really do my best to respect the gut and the gut immune system and the gut ecology and the microbiome, so I frequently find myself kind of caught where I see these treatments helping, but on the other hand, I’m always concerned and aware of the risks to the human organism as a whole.  So I will also be rotating in a variety of different herbal protocols, whether it’s some of the Stephen Buhner herbs – He has a couple of really good books out, very, very well-researched scientific works on the actions of some of these herbal antibiotics.  I’ll also use a lot of Byron White Formulas, some really great herbal protocols and products, as well as there’s a woman named Susan McCamish who has a group of products that are really helpful.

Related resources 
Healing Lyme Disease Coinfections: Complementary and Holistic Treatments for Bartonella and Mycoplasma Paperback by Stephen Harrod Buhner
Lyme disease - Mayo Clinic

 

Chrysanthemum tea

I have read this article on chrysanthemum tea - incidentally, my mother likes to make chrysanthemum tea occasionally, which we would buy from a traditional chinese herbal medicine store near the neighbourhood wet market - she says the tea is cooling. Like the article also says, it "cools the body and clears the liver.... also supports immunity, reduces high blood pressure, relaxes the nervous system and curbs aging". I would sometimes drink warm chrysanthemum tea during lunch at the coffee shop too.

I happened to have taken a photo of chrysanthemum flowers at the plant nursery which I visited about 3 weeks ago.

I think maybe I can buy a pot of chrysanthemum to grow at home, then we can harvest the flowers which are edible to make chrysanthemum tea to enjoy the health benefits. I found this article that says the chrysanthemum flowers "tend to bloom from May to July".

I have checked out the article on "Heat in the blood - traditional chinese medicine diagnostic patterns", and noted that among the conditions or symptoms that may arise from heat in the blood include skin conditions, and other possible TCM patterns include liver yin deficiency. On a similar note, I learnt from this related article that among the herbs that clear heat and relieve toxicity include chrysanthemum.

I found another article that also recommends chrysanthemum flowers to dispel heat generated in the body and resolve the heat rash problem.

"According to TCM principles, heat rash is an outward sign of an internal temperature imbalance. If you have heat rash, avoid eating spicy foods or sugar, drinking hot beverages or alcohol, or taking hot showers or baths-all behaviors that generate heat in the body. Prepare a cooling herbal tea with one tablespoon of peppermint leaves and two tablespoons of chrysanthemum flowers in three cups of boiling water. Steep it for 20 minutes, then strain and cool to room temperature; drink half a cup every few hours until the rash clears."

(From "How to treat heat rash")

"I believe the digestive system is the core of life energy, intuition and longevity." - Nadya Andreeva

I have checked out the article on the 7 happy belly foods, and the photos of some of the foods, such as wild Alaskan salmon, bone broth and lacto-fermented veggies, look delicious. We still have some organic coconut oil left in the kitchen after it has been used for cooking, which I bought some time last year, and I am now using it occasionally for oil pulling or rinsing my mouth in the morning, after having read articles on its health benefits. As for bone broth, I've come to realise too that it is a simple and effective way to improve digestion, and my mother sometimes makes fish bone broth or soup with vegetables for dinner.

I have also come to like kimchi as it is tasty and slightly spicy, as well as appreciate the fact that it has "very high levels of probiotics" and is a potent detoxifier. Like someone commented below the article,  "I've been living in Korea (where kimchi is derived from) for the past year and can tell you %100 that Kimchi has helped with digestion and now I'm an addict! I want Kimchi with EVERYTHING. .... Lastly, some studies show that Kimchi contains compounds that may prevent the growth of cancer! Yay, Kimchi!"

And yes, as I have come to learn about the connection between the gut and the brain, the digestive system is indeed the core of life energy, intuition and longevity. I googled about it , and came across this article that says new research on polyphenols in colourful fruits and vegetables can help microorganisms in our digestive system, and may extend our lifespan, too. 

Poria cocos extract

I have checked out the article on poria cocos, which is an interesting name for a fungus or mushroom. I noted that it "has been traditionally used as a tonic to benefit the internal organs", and has a wide range of health benefits, such as having anti-bacterial and anti-cancer effects, as well as protecting the liver, prolonging life, and calming the nerves. 

I learnt from a related article that "this fungus is widely used in traditional medicine to treat chronic gastritis, acute gastroenteric catarrh, gastric atony, oedema, nephrosis, dizziness, nausea, and emesis".  Another article I read just now says that poria cocos has also been used to support the treatment of conditions such as palpitation, insomnia and so on. 


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Poria (Fu Ling)
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