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Petasites for Pain and Inflammation
The Petasites genus comprises 15 to 20 species, and all have been used to treat pain, inflammation, and allergic hyperreactivity. Petasites species are large-leaved, moisture-loving plants native to temperate woodlands of northern Asia, Europe, and North America. They are sometimes referred to by the general name sweet coltsfoot because of similarity to Tussilago. Petasites are in the Senecioneae tribe of the Asteraceae […]
Read MoreSeaweed, Chewing Gum, and GERD
Botanical Insights Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine (H2) acid blocking drugs are the mainstay of acid reflux treatment. With an estimated 100 million people experiencing occasional symptoms, and 15 million suffering from heartburn on a daily basis, sales of these drugs currently exceed 10 billion dollars per year. However, the innocuous public opinion regarding ant-acid […]
Read MoreTraveler’s Diarrhea: Prevention and Treatment
Spending half the year in third-world countries for the past 5 years has put traveler’s diarrhea high on my radar. Statistics have shown that traveler’s diarrhea is almost part of the price of traveling to exotic locales and is somewhat hard to avoid when venturing outside of cloistered 5-star hotels. And if you are not […]
Read MoreMateria Medica Review for Gastrointestinal Inflammation
Irritable bowel, food intolerances, stress-related digestive disorders, ulcerative pathologies, and infectious and dysbiotic gastrointestinal complaints are among the most common of all patient complaints in general family practice. The acute pain, nausea or bloating, and discomfort occurring with many of these conditions will respond well to herbal therapies, especially teas because direct surface contact is […]
Read MoreBotanical Management of Difficult Skin Conditions: Psoriasis and Vitiligo
In the May issue I wrote a general article on research of herbs affecting collagen and the health of the skin. My investigations turned up so much interesting research on a variety of skin conditions that I wanted to continue presenting the information in this issue. I would like to share information on Apiaceae family […]
Read MorePhotosensitizing Herbs: Skin Diseases and Cancers
Although photosensitizing herbs are a cause of concern for obvious skin damage and dermal inflammation, they also have many medicinal effects when used in appropriate dosages. The main photosensitizing herbs are in the Apiaceae family, but Monarda of the Lamiaceae family is photosensitizing, and the most potent photosensitizer known is hypercin in Hypericum of the Hyperiaceae family. The Apiaceae […]
Read MoreProtecting and Supporting Skin Integrity
Okay, I’ll admit it. I’ve investigated the research on skin supportive herbs. I’m not getting any younger and cosmetic injections are not my style. And I’m not that vain as to consider surgical methods. I just wanted to do my homework on what research was out there on herbs and the skin, which I’ve summarized below. Are […]
Read MoreBotanical Management of Streptococcal Infections of the Skin
Group A streptococci are a leading human pathogen and worldwide health issue. In chronic skin infections, the goal of supporting a healthy ecosystem to invite desirable microbes and protective skin barriers should be equal to the combat of the pathogen. Herbs are excellent in this regard as they can simultaneously support skin health and provide […]
Read MoreAromaChemistry: Why Should We Learn It, Anyway?
Dr. Tim explains why you should learn AromaChemistry. Watch the video now. Sign-Up for FREE Course! If you’d like to have lifetime access to this video, eligible CEUs, and the course slides PDF handout for this video, sign-up for the course for FREE here. Add the course to your cart (FREE) and checkout. Why […]
Read MoreThe Wonder of Wintergreen
When we think of wintergreen, we probably think of that refreshing minty taste in chewing gum or toothpaste. Or perhaps that icy-hot sensation we feel from applying medicated cream for sore muscles after an intense workout. The essential oil that we call wintergreen is most commonly extracted from the leaves of Eastern Teaberry (Gaultheria procumbens). […]
Read MoreUsing Plants to Treat the Spirit
Plants are living beings. Although most of my articles have focused on the plant-based chemistry and research of botanical medicine in terms of diseases, enzyme systems, antioxidant activities, etc., what first got me interested in botanical medicine was a love of nature and the plant realm. I am comforted in the forest; I find joy […]
Read MoreHerbal Treatment Approaches to Insomnia
Sleep, and probably even dreaming, is essential to good health. Over the years I have seen enough people with sleep disorders to group them into several general categories: basic stress and nervous disorders, blood sugar and cortisol dysregulation, menopausal and hormonal imbalances, and musculoskeletal pain and physical restlessness. Each of these is best addressed with […]
Read MoreSensory Integration Disorder
Sensory Integration Disorder (SID), also known as Sensory Integration Dysfunction or Sensory Processing Disorder, is a neurological condition involving an inability to integrate sensory information – spatial, visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, kinesthetic, and tactile. Children may display symptoms of hyper- or hyposensitivity to various sensations, resulting in learning issues, behavioral disorders, and proprioceptive and coordination […]
Read MoreAnxiety and Depression: A Materia Medica Review
By numerous accounts, a large percentage of the US population is using antidepressant and anxiolytic medications. This may say a lot about the condition of the human heart and soul. A 2005 survey1 done by Kaiser Permanente reported that the use of antidepressants by youth, mostly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, doubled in the decade between 1994 […]
Read MoreEqual Parts Naturopathy, Love, and Determination: Cancer Prevention and Treatment
I have so many extraordinary stories that have come out of working with cancer patients. Most of them have survived. A few have not, but each of their lives touched me greatly. Each has been my teacher, showing me the preciousness of our time here on earth and the gifts of appreciating every moment, difficult […]
Read MoreThe Chitari Foundation: A Best of All Worlds Approach to Healthcare
The Chitari Foundation envisions establishing hospitals and clinics that will provide inpatient and outpatient services, as well as medical research and education. These centers will provide a foundation where all medical modalities collaborate to promote health in people, communities, and, ultimately, the global environment. My mom died in a car accident when I was 23 […]
Read MoreBotanical Therapies for Headaches
Headache Pathophysiology and Botanical Considerations Headache is one of the most common medical complaints treated in general clinical practices and is a significant public health burden, in terms of suffering, disrupted family interactions, and lost work and wages. Headaches can have numerous underlying causes, such as stress, hormonal, vascular, allergic, dysglycemia, exhaustion, chronic constipation, and […]
Read MoreOpiate Addiction: Pathophysiology and Herbal Interventions
Opiate addiction is an enormous and devastating health problem worldwide, with over 5 million active addicts in the United States alone.1 And not only the addict is affected; marriages suffer or are ruined; jobs are lost; meaningful relationships to people, other hobbies, nature, and the world at large are lost; and, most of all, the mind […]
Read MoreAlzheimer’s Disease: A Primer
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a diagnosis that equally challenges clinicians, patients, and family members. The number of patients with this condition is rising rapidly as our population ages. By the year 2040 – only 15 years from now – it is anticipated that 20% of the population in the United States will be over the […]
Read MoreAll About Autoimmune Thyroiditis
Autoimmune diseases of the thyroid are on the rise worldwide, believed to be due to nutritional and environmental factors including exposure to heavy metals, organochlorides, pesticides,1 and tobacco smoke.2 Autoimmune thyroid disease, namely Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, involve T cell-mediated inflammatory processes and affect approximately 5% of the population; the incidence of elevated anti-thyroid antibodies is […]
Read MoreSenior Vaccination: Understanding Shingles & Pneumonia Vaccines
Routine non-annual vaccinations for patients over the age of 65 include a single-dose shingles vaccine and a 2-part pneumonia vaccine. If you see seniors as part of your practice, it is useful to be familiar with these immunizations so that you can provide guidance and information to them. Incidence of Shingles & Pneumonia Shingles is […]
Read MoreImproving Estrogen Dominance With Food and Herbal Medicine
Estrogen dominance is extremely common in the general U.S. population and is associated with the discomforts of PMS, the pathologies of breast cysts, ovarian cysts and uterine fibroids, as well as contributory to the emergence of hormone-related cancers such as breast, uterine, ovarian and prostate cancer. For several decades, an unanswered question has been whether […]
Read MoreBook Review: The Alzheimer’s Antidote
Medical Resources for NDs: Review of Current Publications for the Naturopathic Industry Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is terrifying, not only because it is common (half of all Americans have AD by age 85), but because standard treatment for it is a failure. Amy Berger’s new book, The Alzheimer’s Antidote, gives us a solid dietary foundation from which […]
Read MoreMelissa and Other Dopaminergic Herbs Useful in Treatment of PCOS
Dopamine is increasingly being recognized as a key regulatory neurohormone in the hypothalamus and the pituitary. Dopamine and L-Dopa inhibit the release of some pituitary hormones. Most notable are prolactin and luteinizing hormone (LH); possibly inhibited is thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and, in some cases, so is growth hormone (GH). Insulin response and complex feedback loops […]
Read MoreBook Review – Herbal Formularies for Health Professionals, Volume 1: Digestion and Elimination
Medical Resources for NDs: A Review of Current Publications for the Naturopathic Industry After reading this first volume from Dr Jill Stansbury, my immediate reaction was that I can’t wait for the remaining 4 in her series. Herbal textbooks are not widely available, to begin with, and this series promises to be a cornerstone not […]
Read MoreWhy Naturopathic Physicians Particularly Need to be Evidence-Based Medicine Rock Stars
Warning, this article is going to be about evidence-based medicine (EBM)… Check in with yourself. What are you feeling? Joking aside, while EBM has become established over the past 20 years in conventional and integrative medicine environments, it is often still met with skepticism.1 Let’s explore that. In the aptly titled British Medical Journal paper, “EBM: […]
Read MoreInositol Compounds: Effects on Fertility, Ovarian Function, & Insulin
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause of infertility, affecting from 5-10% of all women. PCOS is commonly associated with insulin resistance, even in those with a normal body mass index (BMI). Insulin-sensitizing compounds not only improve insulin resistance and reduce the likelihood of developing diabetes, they may also improve ovarian response to […]
Read MoreTreating Autoimmune Diseases: A Functional Approach for Practitioners
If you have patients with an autoimmune condition, it’s not surprising. According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), a division of the National Institutes of Health, autoimmune diseases affect over 23 million Americans.1 Other estimates push this number to over 50 million, because while there at least 80 different autoimmune-related diseases and conditions, only […]
Read MoreCalming Effects of Lavender Comparable to Diazepam
Lavender is a flowering plant from the mint family (Lamiaceae or Labiatae) and is known not only for its beautiful purple flower and sweet fragrance, but also for its calming and soothing effects. Diazepam is a prescription medication used to treat anxiety, alcohol withdrawal, muscle spasms, and certain types of seizures. Known commercially as […]
Read MoreThe Emerging Diagnosis of Lower Urinary Dysfunctional Epithelia
Interstitial cystitis (IC) is frequently reported to affect women 5 times more often than men; however, these statistics may reflect the fact that men are often labeled as having nonbacterial chronic prostatitis rather than IC. In many cases, the symptoms of chronic nonbacterial prostatitis may be identical to and indistinguishable from the symptoms of IC […]
Read MoreCurcumin: A Potential Powerhouse for RA Treatment
In conventional practices, NSAIDs and glucocorticoids are used the most frequently for RA treatment, but they also bring with them a host of side effects, especially in long-term use. Possible adverse effects include stomach and liver damage, allergic reactions, lowered immunity, increased blood pressure, lowered red blood cell activity (myelosuppression), and increased risk of osteoporosis.1,2 Worse […]
Read MorePSA: A Failed Screening Test
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protease produced by prostate cells to liquefy the semen. Though it is found in non-prostatic cells in minute amounts, it is largely a product of the prostate and thus fairly specific for problems in that organ. Unfortunately, the idea that PSA levels are a direct marker of lethal prostate cancer […]
Read MoreHypericum Lights the Path Toward New Bladder Cancer Therapies
St John’s wort for cancer? Bladder cancer is more common in men, for unknown reasons, and is most frequent in later decades of life, presumably due to long-term exposure to carcinogens and epithelial irritants. Carcinoma of transitional epithelium is the most common type of bladder cancer, followed by squamous cell carcinoma, which is most often […]
Read MoreThe Harmony of Inside-Out and Outside-In: A Comprehensive Approach to Skin Conditions
As naturopathic doctors, we have a comprehensive approach to treating our patients. In this way, we differ from conventional practitioners of medicine. One way this is very evident is our perception and care for our patients’ skin. The skin is the largest organ in the body and can be seen as a barometer of what […]
Read MoreUrinary Colic & Lithiasis
Herbal Specifics Renal colic due to kidney stones can present as vague to excruciating pain, no matter the size of calculi. Renal colic pain is not due to the stone itself, but rather is due to obstruction of the urinary flow by the kidney stone causing increased pressure on the urinary tract wall, smooth muscle […]
Read MoreInterstitial Cystitis In Men
Tolle Causam For a long time the medical dogma has been that interstitial cystitis (IC) affects women 10 times more often than men.1 This idea was flawed for several reasons, particularly the simple absence of any attempt to look for IC in men with pelvic pain and instead labeling them as having chronic prostatitis. A large […]
Read MoreAddressing Acute Allergy Concerns Naturally
I occasionally have been guilty of wanting to be the quintessential ND, looking comprehensively at a patient’s presentation, scrupulously following our principles and digging deep to understand the multifactorial clinical tapestry as to effectively “identify and treat the cause(s),” unfortunately, sometimes all the while ignoring our hierarchy of care and the patient’s acute concerns: his […]
Read MorePicrorhiza & Neopicrorhiza: Applications in Allergic & Inflammatory Lung Disorders
Neopicrorhiza schrophulariiflora and Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora have been used traditionally for allergies, asthma, and inflammatory disorders, including liver disease. Neopicrorhiza grows in high-altitude locales of the Himalayas and is an herbaceous perennial plant of the Scrophulariaceae family whose leaves, stems, and roots are used medicinally. Picrorhiza kurroa was the species originally used in Ayurvedic medicine; however, due to severe overharvesting, it is now […]
Read MoreThe Stars of Medicine
Introduction to Naturopathic Medicine Naturopathic medicine is a practice of medicine that focuses on holistic care, proactive prevention, comprehensive diagnosis, and non-invasive treatment. By using interventions that are all-natural or low-risk, naturopathic doctors help restore the body’s innate ability to heal itself. Naturopathic doctors (also known as NDs) are hybrid doctors; we are trained not […]
Read MoreBeyond Saw Palmetto: The Complexity Of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
The common condition benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) remains relatively poorly understood clinically. There is much room for improvement, including a long way to go beyond just providing Serenoa repens (saw palmetto) and clearing up all the misunderstanding of this herb’s role, in general. In this article, the causes of BPH will be discussed along with approaches to […]
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