www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall anti - influenza herb ?

While I was researching something else, I came across references to an herb that might be useful in fighting off influenza. It is called "biscuit root" (lomatium dissectum).

It was reported to be successfully used by the Washoe Indians of Nevada in treating influenza during the pandemic of 1918. According to the report from that time, no one died from influenza who was given a tea made from the root of that herb. Subsequent use and observations seem to show that biscuit root (lomatium dissectum) has both anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties but that it is most effective against respiratory ailments.

It is used by making a tea with the ground up root OR (more commonly) by taking drops of extract (about 30 dops at a time, about 4 times per day). It can produce a rash on the abdomen of some who use it. It should not be used by pregnant women or with those who have heart troubles.

And remember: I'm not a doctor; this is not medical advice; and consult a doctor before starting any medical treatments.

But, I thought I would pass this information along. The bird flu has produced a human strain, which is spreading in Turkey and Indonesia and which can be deadly. Biscuit root (lomatium dissectum) helped in the last flu pandemic of 1918; perhgaps it could be used successfully against this one too.

Here are some online sources about biscuit root (lomatium disectum). Some are from commercial sites, but I am not trying to endorse them; they just have good articles on the subject.

For a good, general introduction, see the entry for "biscuit root" at http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_AB.htm (about mid-way down the page).

For the U.S. government discussion, see http://www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal/plants/lomatium_dissectum.htm

For a relatively thorough discussion (including the report of Dr. Krebs, M.D., who reported on the Washoe Indians using it successfully during the influenza pandemic of 1918), see http://www.lomatium.com .

For a brief discussion, see http://www.horizonherbs.com/product.asp?specific=jopmkqr0 .

Finally, keep in mind that biscuit root is rare. It takes about 4 - 20 years for the root to mature into a form that is useable as herbal medicine. It only grows in the desert and semi-desert of the Great Basin of the U.S. (Nevada, Utah, parts of Idaho and Oregon). There is almost no commercial cultivation of it. In other words, it is harvested almost entirely from the wild. Over-harvesting is a serious concern.

In sum: you might want to talk to your doctor about stocking up on some extract of biscuit root (lomatium dissectum) as a treatment against the flu, especially if a new pandemic (of the bird flu?) breaks out. Again: talk to your doctor first before using it.

I hope this helps.

-- John

The Guo family has been practicing traditional chinese medicine for the last 300 years. (Longer than there has been a United States of America, by the way.) Dr. Guo Zheng-gang (pronounced Gwo Juhng gong) has a line of herbal medicines for most of the maladies that people suffer. He has 3 products for cold and flu season: First Defense (cold style) for runny nose, chills, and no fever; First Defense (heat style) for stuffy nose, sore and scratchy throat, fever, and itchy eyes; and lastly ViraCool for the more harsh viral infections.

Chinese medicine is all natural using only products that God made. The formulae have been put together over the past 2000 years, adding and subtracting what works and what doesn't. For a formula to work, all side effects must be contained and eliminated in the elements of the formula. Very rarely, will a chinese doctor prescribe just one herb.

The website is www.liferising.com. [liferising.com.]

These statements have no been evaluated by the FDA and aren't meant to diagnose, treat, yadda, yadda, yadda.....

I get no kickbacks from endorsing these products, but have seen them work amazingly well during cold and flu season, and have used them myself many, many times.

Too late for me .

Dear Father Anthony,

I like the idea of sauerkraut better. I've been buying it since it was first mentioned as a cure. The truth is though, that it is too sour. Now if it's rinsed and heated, (that's how I like it), will the healing properties, (fermentation), be ruined?

Zenovia

Dear Zenovia,

I could not tell you if the healing properties of sauerkraut would be altered that way.

I might want to try my cure, a nice snifter of cognac warmed and had before bedtime. It may not have any medicinal properties, but it may help me sleep .

Thanks,
Father Anthony+

Dear John,

I don't know where you live, but in this area the doctors will say that it is all nonsense, and that companies that sell herbs or nutritional suppliments are only out to make money.

From what I have gathered, the pharmaceutical companies give some kind of a 'kick-back' to doctors who proscribe their medicines. I just heard of one doctor, that gives people samples of anti-depressants. He doesn't mention that one will gain weight, and I mean lots of weight from them... adding of course to their depression.

As an example: I read recently, that omega 3 oil, (salmon, cod liver, flax seed), taken for three months was found to relieve depression better than any anti-depression on the market. Now find me a doctor that will tell you that.

People simply have to do their own homework.

Zenovia

Dear Zenovia,

Dr. Eric himself, who, I believe is a Physician, and is the poster after John, has just endorsed Chinese herbs.

In Christ,
Alice

Zenovia- my hunch is if you take the sour out of sauerkraut you take the healing elements, if any, too.
I once was huge on alternative remedies, and extremely sceptical about modern medicine.
A doctor told me my blood pressure was high and I needed to be on medication. I tried it for a while but it made me tired, so I stopped. I then tried various natural things, but the only thing that helped was a blend of Chinese herbs... which also left me depressed and exhausted. So I stopped that and put it all on the back burner, figuring that as I was not overweight, walked 10 miles a day [I'm a letter carrier] and ate reasonably healthy, I was not at risk.
Wrong. I forgot to factor in family history [my dad and 3 of his 4 brothers had cardiovascular problems].
Hence, I had a stroke.
Followed a few months later by heart bypass surgery, at the age of 49, with a young pregnant wife and 3 children.
As you may imagine, I have since become very cooperative with the doctors.
And sceptical of alternative medicine, though not entirely hostile [I take fish oil daily, for example, on the suggestion of my cardiologist].
The problem is that herbal remedies do not require much in the way of proof before they are marketed. Hence, the public becomes the guinea pig. Some things prove to be effective, others ineffective, and still others harmful.
-Daniel, chastised

I take this chinese medicine [shop.store.yahoo.com] , which I think is called ling kew peen, at the first symptom of a cold. I think it works, but haven't done controlled studies.

Daniel,
Were your chinese herbs prescribed by a licensed chinese physician or acupuncturist? Or did you self medicate? (Not chastizing, but asking) From what I have learned, certain herbs cannot be taken by certain people, hence the cold style and hot style herbs. Certain herbs will make one person of a certain constitution well and really mess up another person because his constitution does not need the properties in the formula.

Zenovia,
Doctors do get kickbacks from prescrribing certain drugs. Sad, but true. According to our Congresswoman, the whole Legislative Branch of our Federal Government is controlled by the Drug Companies... The former editor of the British Medical Journal also said that too much of medical research is funded by and controlled by the drug companies.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4552509.stm

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1101680,00.html

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn3781

Alice,
Do you know what they call the guy who got the lowest grades in medical school?


A doctor!

I am now taking an acupuncture class, one of the teachers of the class was the head of neurology at Belleview. It is amazing to see what a few little needles can do to heal a person, especially in his or her emotions. Just because a few of us endorse the eastern medicines, don't take it that the whole of western medicine does. They don't, there are those who want to keep a very tight reign on any "alternative" medicine (a misnomer since over 50% of people use "alternative" medicine.)


None of this is to be construed to be medical advice, this is for informational purposes only. Consult your physician first. Blah, blah, blah... gotta cover my butt. Really, talk to your doctor, see how open minded he is.

From what I have learned, this is for if you have alternating chills and fever. Good stuff.

These are only my opinions. Chinese medicine has worked by trial and error. Some of this has been tested by modern science. Some of it hasn't. In China they won't do as many randomized clinical controlled trials. They don't have to, there aren't as many lawyers. And doctors all work for the government, I don't think that the communist government is going to penalize itself because someone got hurt or sick. Having said that, not many people get sick or injured because of Chinese medicine. In Japan, they use all of our modern dignostic instruments and then use traditional medicine along with western drugs if the manipulations, massage, acupuncture, and herbs don't work. Their health costs are much lower. And... they live the longest. They have great diets, except the raw fish :p (that's my gag face). Okinawa has the longest life span, they eat pork almost every meal.

http://www.westonaprice.org/traditional_diets/food_in_china.html

Once again, check with your doctor, show him the websites I have provided and get his opinion.
Seriously.

PS Guess what one of my favorite topics is...

Dr. Eric:

That's their best: shashimi, and, second, sushi!

Amado

P.S. On Chinese food, try their "fish lip" soup one of these days, if it is available. Rare, exotic, healthy, and reinvigorating! But utterly expensive!

God has played a joke on me, fish and seafood make me literally gag :p I can only eat shark and tuna as long as ALL of the fishy taste has been marinated and grilled out of it. Whoever heard of a Catholic who doesn't eat fish???

Hi Zenovia !

I think what you described is fairly, but not completely, accurate.

I have known some phsyicians who are open to non-Western forms of medicine. They are concerned first with finding therpeutic results that help the paitent: regardless of where those therapies come from.

Sadly, some who feel this way cannot (or feel they cannot) undertake the additional study to become competent in alternative medicine: they have practices to estrablish, student loans to pay off and so on. But, some do explore it and (like Dr. Eric) they find parts of non-Western medicine to be useful.

And then there is one doctor I know of. He was totally trained and convinced of Western style medicine. Now, after almost 40 years of practicing medicine, he has seen some things happen in nature and in patients that don't always fit what the textbooks say should happen. And he too has become more open-minded.

A certain degree of caution is justified. Many things which are touted as "natural cures" are shams.

But, many "alternative medicines" seem to be effective, to one extent or another; and it seems like more and more phsycians are open to investigating them.

Dr Eric? Comments?

-- John

Here's one Your brain is made of fat, you need fat to FUNCTION. That's why low fat diets, cholesterol under 170, birth control pills (which suck out all B vitamins) and the rest are all implicated in depression. Also, families and friends don't live together anymore. Before the 60s, everyone lived in a neighborhood extended family. Even your nextdoor neighbor was like family. Now, no one knows his neighbor or trusts him.

When acupuncture is used, the body releases serotonin in the brain only, not in the rest of the body. Now, we have a way to treat depression "with low risk of sexual side effects"-- NO, NO SIDE EFFECTS except an occasional bruise. (PM me about it)

Thanks,
Dr. Eric

Uh, no offense, Doctor, but it seems to me that health and nutrition are like religion: a million conflicting theories.
Unlike religion, however, there is no Church and no Magisterium...
When you hear contradictory theories and therapies how do you decide what is right?
-Daniel

You're right about that. You hear coffee is bad for you, and then on the CBS morning show you hear Hilary Clinton's stunt double tell you of a study which says that coffee is good for you. Who do you believe? Find out who paid for the study. Most of the studies that tout coffees health benefits are paid for by the coffee industry.

Also, when you hear of an herb that doesn't work like it was supposed to, usually the wrong species was used. Like in the latest study on Echinacea was flawed. The dosages were one tenth the recommended dose and were dried instead of fresh herbal extracts. The test subjects were given the rhinovirus by squirting it up their noses, not how people usually get the virus. Also, the rhinovirus was a strain that is harmless. Finally, as the herbalists say, if you take Echinacea augustifolia or Echinacea purpura after you get your cold it's too late to reduce the symptoms. You are supposed to take it a little bit per day to prevent the cold. It boosts the "soldier cells."

Man, are you trying to depress me? I greeted the news that coffee was full of antioxidants with joy; to see a guilty pleasure transformed into a healthy habit is a great thing.
Are you sure you're not a Seventh Day Killjoy Adventist?
Daniel

Catholic body blood and soul!!!

Coffee in chinese medicine puts heat in your liver. Basically it makes you nervous, edgy, and prone to anger. In China one only drinks coffee when one has to make a tough decision.

Explanation: In traditional chinese medicine (from now on TCM) certain organs have a "spirit" to them. Heart = joy; Spleen = worry/mental rumination/sympathy; Lungs = grief; Kidneys = fear; Liver = anger. These are oversimplifications, really it is the inappropriateness of the emotion which is the key factor in determining what is really out of balance. Before you think I'm nuts, my original acupuncture teacher did a study with Harvard Medical School with a functional MRI (fMRI) which shows what's going on in the brain at the exact moment. He put a needle into what is known as He Gu (In chinese Joining the valley) this point is the Yuan (source) point that goes directly into the Large Intestine and treats it at the deepest most primordial level. It is the point that is in the fleshy part between your thumb and forefinger close to the bone of the forefinger. When he twisted the needle (the needles are only .25mm thick, like the smaller guitar strings) and the Qi had arrived at the needle (a heavy, achy, or "tongue on a 9V battery" feeling) the part of the brain associated with the Large Intestine lit up! Other points have lit up other areas corresponding to their respective functions as well.

Here's the weird part, how did some chinese guy 3000 years ago figure that out?

For the first Winter in many years, I haven't had even a trace of a cold, sore throat, sniffles etc. And wait till you hear what I have to attribute it to. It's a real shocker, but this year when Nicor announced they were raising winter heating prices a whopping 71 pct in the Midwest, we decided it was war, so to speak, and so we've kept the temperature in our house between about 54 and 61 degrees during waking hours and have had it as cold as 43 when we get up. A year ago, I would have thought that keeping your home that cool was a guaranteed way to get pneumonia, but I've discovered it has the exact opposite affect. I can't believe how accustom I've become to having the temperature inside my house in the 50's at almost all times. I do wear pullovers, and sleep with an electric blanket, but the whole ordeal has been remarkably easy and has made me considerably healthier, plus I just love beating the system. Last heating bill was $59.

Lawrence

Them little bacteria varmints don't like it cold...that's why hospitals are a bit on the chilly side.

Of course being a senior of sorts, I've embraced a reptilian atitude...I like it warmmmmm (but only in this life...)

james

James

I always knew that harmful bacteria thrived under warm conditions, but it wasen't until Nicor drastically raised there prices that I got motivated to live in a much cooler home environment. Since I've never been a warm and fuzzy type, I've had no trouble adapting.

I remember those days long ago in Boston when my mother had to order heating oil for those wonderful steam radiators...it was my task to check the float level & shoveling snow etc...

My old injuries and bones start to ache when exposed to freezing temps after a while...

james

There is much to be said for our returning to a 'traditional' 'rural' and natural diet. Alkalizing helps in preventing many maladies, and in myself have proved it, since I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. I know a Priestmonk who halved his PSA count by the regimen of diet and herbals...alone...no drugs, no surgery, no radiation...! So, search the NET and eat more raw veggies, non-hormonal and non-antibiotic meat, drink more good water, etc. Happy hunting, Mik

The last few years I've tried loading up on Vitamin C tablets, Olivenol, Acacia, and a few others, and have had some success in staying healthy. Never imagined that lowering the temperature at home to between 54-61 degrees would (so far) eliminate colds and sore throats entirely.

James,
If the cold makes your bones hurt. You should try Thai food. The mint, basil, coconut, and peppers will drive the ache out of your bones. Also, keep those joints warm!!!*


*These statements have not been approved by the FDA, yadda, yadda, yadda. Seek professional medical advice before trying out any new health regimine, etc, etc, etc...