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Contents Nettlesome Allergies - Nothing to Sneeze At! Get Involved Herbal Crafting & Cooking: Garlic and Basil Vinegar An Unusual, Yet Miraculous Gift: The Monarch Butterfly An Herb to Know: Rue Recommended Reading & Listening Marketplace Herbal Conferences
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Nettlesome Allergies - Nothing to Sneeze At! by Karyn Siegel-Maier Seasonal allergies affect more than 22 million Americans, with symptoms occurring anywhere from early spring through late November. If you're one of them, you could really be hit with a one-two punch this cold and flu season. Unfortunately, allergies are also poorly understood and inadequately treated by conventional medicine.Allergy is the result of your immune system's over-reaction to pollens, grass, airborne fungi and even certain foods and cosmetics. With more than 60,000 chemicals already existing in our environment, and nearly 500 new ones being created annually, we also face biochemical challenges to our immune system. When an allergen is introduced, the body fights back by producing an excess of inflammatory chemicals, such as histamine, from mast cells. This attempt to seek-and-destroy the allergen brings on the familiar symptoms of runny nose, watery eyes and sneezing. Given their generic name, antihistamines must prevent the production of histamine, right? No, they do not. Antihistamines merely block the action of histamine at receptor sites. In other words, they suppress the appearance of physical symptoms but do nothing to redirect the underlying cause. Antihistamines also often produce undesirable side effects, such as dizziness, drowsiness and even depression. The good news is that there is a better way to treat inflammatory disorders. One of the mechanisms involved in an allergic response is the release of leukotrienes, an agent which can restrict bronchial tubes up to 1,000 times greater than can histamine. The production of leukotrienes is made possible by the presence of arachidonic acid, a fatty acid found exclusively in animal products. Therefore, during serious bouts with allergies, you may want to assume an all vegan diet, or at least consider reducing your consumption of meat and dairy products. There's still another good reason to forego the meat in favor of the salad - flavonoids. Flavonoids (sometimes called bioflavonoids) are a group of compounds that give many fruits and vegetables their color. Of these, quercetin is the most widely distributed among the plant kingdom and effectively inhibits leukotriene and histamine release from mast cells. In addition to getting enough raw fruits and vegetables in the diet, you may take quercetin in supplemental form. Nettle (Urtica dioica): Nettle has enjoyed a long history as a treatment for seasonal allergies. Dr. Andrew Weil, author of Natural Health, Natural Medicine (Houghton Mifflin, 1998) reports success with this herb to treat his own allergies. Be careful not to confuse this herb with another species, U. Urens, which contains high levels of leukotrienes and histamine. Ephedra (Ephedra sinicia): Also known as mahuang, the generic name of this herb may be familiar since a synthetic version of its primary alkaloid, ephedrine, can be found in many conventional remedies as pseudoephedrine. This herb has been used to treat bronchial and inflammatory disorders in Chinese medicine for more than 5,000 years. In fact, ephedra is often used to treat asthma. Note: Ephedra can raise both systolic and diastolic blood pressure and can cause excitability in some individuals. Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea): Also known as purple coneflower, this Native American herb is one of the best immune enhancing supplements you can take. Echinacea has been the subject of more than 50 years worth of study and has clearly demonstrated an ability to increase the production of a number of T-cells and their distribution in the blood. Garlic (Allium sativum): The antiviral properties of garlic have been well examined for many years. In Russia, the herb is known as "Russian penicillin" where it was once used to treat respiratory disorders in hospitals. Recent Japanese studies have found that aged garlic extract stimulates NK activity and a potent antimicrobial action against bacteria and yeasts. Garlic owes its efficacy to allicin, a byproduct derived from the amino acid alliin reacting with the enzyme alliinase. The biosynthesis of these constituents however, can be unstable in their natural state. Raw garlic is certainly good for you and has several health benefits to offer otherwise, but the enzyme necessary to produce allicin is usually destroyed in the stomach before the conversion can take place. For this reason, enteric-coated tablets of dried or powdered garlic tablets is the best form of supplementation to take advantage of this herb's immune-boosting qualities. Note: Garlic, and other alliums can raise or lower blood sugar levels. Consult your health care practitioner if you are diabetic or hypoglycemic. And a word about colds: According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, the more social ties you have, the greater your resistance to upper respiratory illness. The 1997 study gave 276 healthy subjects aged 18 to 55 one of two rhinoviruses via nose drops. Those subjects with 6 or more varied social contacts had a significantly reduced susceptibility to colds, regardless of their age, sex or the type of virus to which they were exposed. So, the next time you feel a had cold heading your way, get a foothold on prevention and get together we people you admire. Dosages: Stinging nettle - 250 mg. freeze-dried extract every 2-4 hours
or until symptoms subside.
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Herbal Crafting & Cooking
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Herbal Conferences
| June 14: Austin Scool of Herbal Studies' Herbal
First Aid Seminar. Austin, TX. Learn about which herbs to use
for everyday situations including insect bites, cuts, bruises,
indigestion, bleeding and more, including how to make poultices,
compresses and teas. Handouts and herbal snacks provided. $25. Ph:
512-301-5838. Website: www.ezherbs.net.
June 14: 5th International Symposium on Mushroom Nutrition. Westminster University, UK. The theme of the symposium will be Mushroom Nutrition: A New Class of Clinical Nutrition; attendance is restricted to 200 health care professionals. Ph: 01582-418886. Fax: 01582-485951. E-mail: info@aneid.pt. June 14-15: 25th Annual Health and Harmony Music and Arts Festival. Santa Rosa, CA. This festival will feature over 500 exhibitors and attractions. E-mail: info@harmonyfestival.com. Website: www.harmonyfestival.com. June 18-20: 7th Annual Lifestyles of Health and
Sustainability (LOHAS) Market Trends Conference and Trade Fair.
Bloomfield, CO. This conference features key leaders, top speakers,
and three days of high-level networking, education, and exhibits.
Website: www.LohasJournal.com. June 21: Austin School of Herbal Studies' Herbal Review and Introduction to Formulation. Austin, TX. Rediscover the most useful herbs and learn how to create herbal formulas for specific needs at this seminar. Handouts and herbal snacks provided. $45. Ph: 512-301-5838. Website: www.ezherbs.net. June 22-27: Rutgers University's Short Courses in Biotechnology "Biochemical Separations: An Introduction to Laboratory Techniques." New Brunswick, NJ. A two day lecture/demonstration course that will acquaint participants with the wide range of modern techniques available for separating and purifying biomolecules. Contact: Randy Ward; Dept. of Biochemistry and Microbiology; Cook College, Rutger's University; 716 Lipman Dr.; New Brunswick, NJ 08901. E-mail: wward@aesop.rutgers.edu. Website: www.rci.rutgers.edu/~meton/protein.html. June 25-26: Dietary Supplement Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) Seminar. Las Vegas, NV. This two day intensive program explores key regulatory and legal aspects of GMPs for dietary supplements.Website: www.aacseminars.com. June 26-27: European Pharmacopoeia Training Session. Strasbourg, France. Presented by the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines, topics will include essential oils, herbal drugs, and herbal preparations: dry, liquid, and soft extracts and tinctures. E-mail: publicrelations@pheur.org. Website: www.pheur.org/medias/download/%A0Training_3_programme.pdf . June 26-27: Free Radicals: The Pros and Cons of
Antioxidants. Bethesda, MD. Basic and clinical researchers
and other health professionals will be interested in this symposium
that will highlight free radical effects on metabolism, interactions
with antioxidants in the cancer process, and strategies for clinicl
intervention. Sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human
Services, the American Institute for Cancer Research, and the American
Society for Nutritional Sciences. Website: cancer.gov/prevention/frpca2003.
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Source: American Botanical Council (ABC) DISCLAIMER: The contents herein are not intended and should not be construed as being in any form or manner an attempt at diagnosis, therapy or medical advice. While the editors and contributors strive for accuracy, neither collectively nor individually do we assume responsibility for injury and specifically disclaim any warranty, express or implied, for any products or services mentioned herein. If a medical condition exists, we suggest that you seek competent attention and or/counseling by a qualified health practitioner. Copyright 2003, The Herbal Muse Press
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