Herbal Information

The acceptance of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) as a perimenopausal treatment has not been without controversy. Many women choose not to undertake HRT as a treatment of first choice, preferring instead to try what appear to them to be softer options offered by natural and complementary medicine. The treatment of the symptoms of menopause by herbal medicine has a long history of usage and is often clinically the only intervention required.

Naturopaths and herbalists do not prescribe ‘natural’ HRT, but rather use remedies and supplements that ease the transition to and through menopause. Herbs and supplements are used to effectively facilitate the transition from the reproductive to the post-reproductive phase of life. (more…)

It is absolutely wonderful to know that thousands of people are getting attracted to the magical kingdom of medicinal and culinary herbs! By using herbs and other natural nutritional supplements, they have already laid a confirmed path to achieve better health and a sound mind. Therapeutically speaking, the main aim of herbal medication is to help your body cleanse by itself and heal in a natural way.

Natural Herbs work in a mode that is different to those that are attached to modern medicines and drugs. Herbs are never meant to be taken as a magical bullet or as an instant fix; most of the herbs act slowly and gradually over a period of time, by releasing the essential components required to cure the diseases and symptoms. In essence, a typical herb has three general functions in the body: (more…)

If you are an asthma sufferer and particularly if you are diagnosed with allergic asthma, it can seem at times that even the treatment or treatments you are receiving through conventional sources can sometimes seem somewhat experimental. You try one medicine and see how it works. Then you talk to your doctor about your malady and he might give you something els to elevate some other aspect of your symptoms, until you find what works and what doesn’t and in what combination they should be used and at what dosage.

Then there is the tests and diagnosis you go through to determine what you are actually allergic to and how it can be controlled or eliminated. It is important to understand that a doctor is trained in the medical process of elimination and fully understands the effects and side effects of the drugs he is screening you for during this process. So when the treatment that works best for you is finally determined and your schedule treatment is having positive effects, one might be led to belive that further trials might bring even more relief. (more…)

Key points

This fact sheet provides an overview of the use of valerian for insomnia and other sleep disorders and contains the following key information:

• Valerian is an herb sold as a dietary supplement in the United States.
• Valerian is a common ingredient in products promoted as mild sedatives and sleep aids for nervous tension and insomnia.
• Evidence from clinical studies of the efficacy of valerian in treating sleep disorders such as insomnia is inconclusive.
• Constituents of valerian have been shown to have sedative effects in animals, but there is no scientific agreement on valerian’s mechanisms of action.
• Although few adverse events have been reported, long-term safety data are not available.

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