Herbal Remedies News

Black Cohosh is a plant which is native to North America and was often used by the Native Americans for medicines. The plant extracts were used for their analgesic, anti-inflammatory and sedative properties. They were therefore used to treat things like sore throats, gynaecological problems, depression and kidney problems. It was commonly used in the nineteenth century in homes in America as a home remedy and was often used in the past for rheumatism.

These days Black Cohosh is often sold as a dietary supplement and recommended for use by women going through the menopause or suffering from pre menstrual tension. The clinical research does not provide good evidence for its effectiveness for the use. The clinical testing has at least been able to prove that it is safe to take. It tends to be administered in tea, capsules, pill or tinctures.

Some recent studies have shown it is useful for osteoporosis but more studies need to be carried out in order to clarify this finding.

There are some rare side effects including headaches and stomach problems. It has not been tested on pregnant women and so may not be safe for them to take especially as it has been used, in the past to induce labour. This is obviously not something that should be taken too early on in pregnancy or without consultation with a doctor or midwife first.

Like many herbal remedies there is not a lot of evidence from clinical studies as to its effectiveness. Many studies are criticised as they use low strengths of the remedy or they are not administered properly. Therefore more and better research needs to be done before firm conclusions can be drawn.

Saw Palmetto has been used for hundreds of years as a food source as well as a medicine. It was used in Indian medicine to treat a selection of disorders including conditions that it is being used for today. In 1907 it was sold by a company in Florida and often bought for use for treating animals with urinary problems. Its popularity did decline towards the end of the forties due to the fact that the active constituents could not be identified and so it was not trusted. Natural medicine was declining in popularity too. It became more popular again in the 1950′s when Europeans started turning to using more natural treatments. Since then it has continued to be used.

The fruit of the saw palmetto are high in fatty acids and phytosterols. At the moment there are many clinical trials going on to see whether it is effective in treating urinary tract infections. It is recognised as the best herbal remedy for the condition but at the moment prescribed drugs seem to be more effective in clinical trials. Some trials have shown very positive results but some have shown little difference to a placebo and therefore more studies are required to provide more convincing evidence.

Saw palmetto also is found in remedies for hair loss, hormone imbalances, decreased sex drive and acne. For hair loss treatment it is the product which has been shown to be the most effective in the trials which have been carried out so far.

Acne is a problem caused by too much oil being secreted on to the skin by the glands at the base of the hair follicles. The function of the oil is to keep the skin healthy and lubricated but when too much is present the pores can get blocked and this causes a bacterial infection. The normal cause of the excess secretion of oil tends to be hormonal imbalances usually during puberty and often during menstrual periods and possibly pregnancy for females. There are additional causes such as stress and medications which can also have an effect.

One way to treat a breakout is with a herbal face wash. These often have antibacterial and astringent properties which can help to cleanse the excess oils from the skin and also remove the bacteria which cause the infection. There are a selection of herbal remedies containing different products which are used as a face wash such as aloe gel, witch hazel as well as diluted tea tree oil for antiseptic and walnut leaf as astringent.

Calendula is often used to help skin tissue heal more quickly. It can be found in facial washes or used in a steam bath and is also found in some face creams. This does not prevent spots from occurring but should help to reduce scarring and help any red marks left behind when the spot starts to heal.

As one of the causes of acne is felt to be a sluggish liver then often herbal remedies are taken to help the liver by strengthening it and milk thistle is used for this purpose. Some times burdock root or dandelion (or both) are taken because thy contain insulin which removes bacteria from the body and therefore can help to improve the skin. It is possible to combine several herbs in one treatment or use more than one treatment to help a certain ailment.

It is felt that treating the external symptoms as well as the internal problem is the best way of dealing with it but it is important to check with your doctor before starting any course of treatment.

There are two types of haemorrhoids, internal and external. Both tend to cause bleeding and some are accompanied by pain. They are often something which a person gets embarrassed about but are actually fairly common.

They tend to be caused by straining too hard to go to the loo which puts too much pressure on the veins around the rectum. They can also occur during pregnancy, in the obese and in people who sit or stand for long periods.

The risk increases with age and it can often run in families. Often people prefer to seek a cure which does not involve a trip to the doctors because they feel embarrassed but it is always worth getting any bleeding checked out just in case it has a different cause which needs treating.

A hard stool can be a problem because it causes straining when passing it and that can make the problem worse and it will also cause more pain.

Therefore dandelion is sometimes taken to soften the stools and help to reduce this pain and discomfort.

Aloe gel or butchers broom can be taking for pain relief as can a calendula cream.

St Johns Wort is often applied to reduce the swelling and inflammation which will in turn help to reduce the discomfort and pain.

Horse Chestnut is taken because it can increase the elasticity of blood cells an stop the swelling associated with haemorrhoids.

Which hazel suppositories and horsetail tea are used to treat the bleeding that occurs.