Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – cut When I was first diagnosed, I saw a chiropractor for the back pain.  He referred me to a "nutritionalist" who also tried to sell me "miracle" cures for asthma.  She said once I got the poisons out of my body I would be able to give up the inhalers.  What set off the bells and whistles was the bee pollen she recommended as well as my cautious nature.  I left and have not returned to even the chiropractor.  I now control the back pain with a back massager, yoga and if it is really bad, pain reliever. cut tassle

best thing I ever did for back pain (slipped discs 3 times, various trapped nerves mostly relating to a road accident) was see a physiotherapist…she taught me a set of exercises to strengthen the muscles in my back…now I only have trouble if I really push things way too hard…best of all the treatment is entirely under my control, has NO side effects, and is completely free eric

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – To all who would listen, I woke up in the middle of the night 9 weeks ago and I couldn’t breathe. I thought I was having a heart attack. It was the most terrifieing moment of my life. I could hardly cry out to my daughter to call 911. After a quick trip to the emergency room, a ER doctor took all of 5 minutes examining me a told me I had possible asthma, so he stuck a cannister of Albuterol in my hand and sent me home. I went to my doctor and she immediately prescribed more Albuterol and Vanceril. I have had many tests done and I am still waiting for the results of my pulumonary functions test. No one seems to be able to answer any of my questions. The doctors are basicaly saying that they don’t know if this is permanenet or just temporary. They don’t know what has caused this or why. I have never had any resporatory illness or problems in my life. I have been lifting weights and exercising  for many years and can (or used to be able to) run full speed for one hour on a treadmill. I have an attack 4 or 5 times a day. I use the Albuterol and it seems to work but a couple of times it didn’t work and I had to use more than 2 puffs to be able to breathe. I know your not supposed to do this but if you can’t breath, what are you supposed to do?

It sounds like your ‘asthma’ is still not controlled, with 5 attacks a day. This may indicate the need to increase the dose of inhaled steroid, Vanceril in your case. If you are using regular Vanceril (42 ug beclomethasone/puff), it’s a weak dose. Better steroid inhalers include Vanceril Double Strength; and better yet Pulmicort and Flovent inhalers. It is now recommended most asthmatics monitor their lung function at home using a peak flow meter. When peak flow drops into Yellow Zone (50-80% of personal best) asthma meds are increased, usually double inhaled steroids and use albuterol as needed. Albuterol is a safe drug in high doses, but the need for high doses tends to indicate insufficient long-acting preventor drugs like inhaled steroids. Asthma is diagnosed with lung function tests. Lung function measured before and after administering bronchodilator like albuterol. A 12% improvement tends to support an asthma diagnosis, since asthma is a reversible disease. Note that there are some asthma look alike conditions to be ruled out. If a heart problem is suspected, an EKG monitored treadmill test might be indicated. –cut–

Ellis

Response:

While the most cases per year of age are diagnosed during childhood, asthma cases continue to be diagnosed throughout adulthood. Because adulthood lasts so much longer than childhood the majority of cases are diagnosed in adults, with a median age in the thirties (most of my pediatrician colleagues don’t believe this and all of my internist colleagues do). The persistence of your symptoms will depend on what the triggers are and if they can be removed. If this is all from an infection that can be eradicated you may only have rare symptoms when experiencing similar infections. If you have other triggers your success may depend on how well you avoid them. It is possible that despite great effort your problems will continue for the rest of your life. Most likely they will wax and wane over time. As for the issue of specialist referral, this should be done on an individual basis. Different people are easier to control and have different issues. Not all primary care doctors are equally equipped to handle all diseases (not all specialists are equal either for that matter). Most asthmatics are well managed without the help of a specialist. It sounds like your doctor has taken the correct initial steps. If a convincing diagnosis is obtained and your disease is well controlled then there probably is no need for a referral. If things are not going well, then obviously something should change and referral is one possibility. Whether this should be to a pulmonologist, allergist, ENT, gastroenterologist, or others should be dictated by the suspicions of the reasons for treatment failure. — Good Luck, CBI, M.D. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – To all who would listen, I woke up in the middle of the night 9 weeks ago and I couldn’t breathe. I thought I was having a heart attack. It was the most terrifieing moment of my life. I could hardly cry out to my daughter to call 911. After a quick trip to the emergency room, a ER doctor took all of 5 minutes examining me a told me I had possible asthma, so he stuck a cannister of Albuterol in my hand and sent me home. I went to my doctor and she immediately prescribed more Albuterol and Vanceril. I have had many tests done and I am still waiting for the results of my pulumonary functions test. No one seems to be able to answer any of my questions. The doctors are basicaly saying that they don’t know if this is permanenet or just temporary. They don’t know what has caused this or why. I have never had any resporatory illness or problems in my life. I have been lifting weights and exercising  for many years and can (or used to be able to) run full speed for one hour on a treadmill. I have an attack 4 or 5 times a day. I use the Albuterol and it seems to work but a couple of times it didn’t work and I had to use more than 2 puffs to be able to breathe. I know your not supposed to do this but if you can’t breath, what are you supposed to do? I am a web page designer so I am very familiar with searching the Web for information. But I wasn’t prepared for the amount of info you get when you investigate the causes and remedies for Asthma. There is so much info out in the world on the subject that I don’t know what is true and what is bunk. And I have friends who are into homeopathic remedies who are telling me to throw away my medicines because I don’t need them. They are saying asthma can be cured the natural way. (None of them have asthma) I had a guy at my local health foo store tell me he had asthma and he completely cured himself through diet along. Then he tried to sell me $200.00 worth of stuff to clean out all the poisons in my body. Can asthma be controlled by herbs and vitamins and such? Has anybody ever heard of getting asthma at my age (40 yrs)? Once you aquire this, do you suffer from it for the rest of your lives? All my friends do not take this serious. They tell me I’ll get over it. Or that I must be having a reaction to something so find out what it is and stay away from it. My sister even went so far to say she thinks it is all in my head. My doctor seems to be gearing up to take care of this in the long term sense and that scares the hell out of me. I feel like I am the only person in my town that has this problem. No one I know has asthma and no one seems to know anything about it. I thank God I found this NG, because it allowed me to releive some of my fears. I hope I haven’t rambled on too much but this has been very therapudic for me. On one hand I fear asthma, but on the other hand I thank God it was not anything fatal or completely debilitating. I am a single Dad with a teenage daughter and I have to be there for her. This is such a crutial time in in child rearing stage that what I am afraid of is that I won’t be able to be there for her. It is my mission in life to get her off on a good life. I appologize for the long post, I won’t do it again. If it sounds like I freaking out it is because I am. If anyone can give me some insight on this new chapter in my life please feel free to post or e-mail me. (Jim Howard)

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -To all who would listen, I woke up in the middle of the night 9 weeks ago and I couldn’t breathe. I thought I was having a heart attack. It was the most terrifieing moment of my life. I could hardly cry out to my daughter to call 911. After a quick trip to the emergency room, a ER doctor took all of 5 minutes examining me a told me I had possible asthma, so he stuck a cannister of Albuterol in my hand and sent me home. I went to my doctor and she immediately prescribed more Albuterol and Vanceril. I have had many tests done and I am still waiting for the results of my pulumonary functions test. No one seems to be able to answer any of my questions. The doctors are basicaly saying that they don’t know if this is permanenet or just temporary. They don’t know what has caused this or why. I have never had any resporatory illness or problems in my life. I have been lifting weights and exercising  for many years and can (or used to be able to) run full speed for one hour on a treadmill. I have an attack 4 or 5 times a day. I use the Albuterol and it seems to work but a couple of times it didn’t work and I had to use more than 2 puffs to be able to breathe. I know your not supposed to do this but if you can’t breath, what are you supposed to do? I am a web page designer so I am very familiar with searching the Web for information. But I wasn’t prepared for the amount of info you get when you investigate the causes and remedies for Asthma. There is so much info out in the world on the subject that I don’t know what is true and what is bunk. And I have friends who are into homeopathic remedies who are telling me to throw away my medicines because I don’t need them. They are saying asthma can be cured the natural way. (None of them have asthma) I had a guy at my local health foo store tell me he had asthma and he completely cured himself through diet along. Then he tried to sell me $200.00 worth of stuff to clean out all the poisons in my body. Can asthma be controlled by herbs and vitamins and such? Has anybody ever heard of getting asthma at my age (40 yrs)? Once you aquire this, do you suffer from it for the rest of your lives? All my friends do not take this serious. They tell me I’ll get over it. Or that I must be having a reaction to something so find out what it is and stay away from it. My sister even went so far to say she thinks it is all in my head. My doctor seems to be gearing up to take care of this in the long term sense and that scares the hell out of me. I feel like I am the only person in my town that has this problem. No one I know has asthma and no one seems to know anything about it. I thank God I found this NG, because it allowed me to releive some of my fears. I hope I haven’t rambled on too much but this has been very therapudic for me. On one hand I fear asthma, but on the other hand I thank God it was not anything fatal or completely debilitating. I am a single Dad with a teenage daughter and I have to be there for her. This is such a crutial time in in child rearing stage that what I am afraid of is that I won’t be able to be there for her. It is my mission in life to get her off on a good life. I appologize for the long post, I won’t do it again. If it sounds like I freaking out it is because I am. If anyone can give me some insight on this new chapter in my life please feel free to post or e-mail me.

1.  Many people develop asthma later in life. 2.  About 1 in 20 people have asthma, so you probably DO know some asthmatics, you just don’t know that they are asthmatics. 3.  Herbs and homeopathy don’t work. 4.  Give it some time; with a good treatment plan, you can live a long, happy, healthy life. Chris Owens

Response:

I went to my doctor and she immediately prescribed more Albuterol and Vanceril. I have had many tests done and I am still waiting for the results of my pulumonary functions test. No one seems to be able to answer any of my questions. The doctors are basicaly saying that they don’t know if this is permanenet or just temporary. They don’t know what has caused this or why. I have never had any resporatory illness or problems in my life. I have been lifting weights and exercising  for many years and can (or used to be able to) run full speed for one hour on a treadmill. I have an attack 4 or 5 times a day. I use the Albuterol and it seems to work but a couple of times it didn’t work and I had to use more than 2 puffs to be able to breathe. I know your not supposed to do this but if you can’t breath, what are you supposed to do?

Current medical doctrine is to use the stronger asthma medications in order to get immediate control then use the lower strength medications for maintenance.  It can take several weeks for an inhaled steroid like Vanceril to show effects. I am a web page designer so I am very familiar with searching the Web for information. But I wasn’t prepared for the amount of info you get when you investigate the causes and remedies for Asthma. There is so much info out in the world on the subject that I don’t know what is true and what is bunk.

Stick with ‘mainstream’ sites such as the JAMA asthma site.  Stay away from any site that is selling anything. And I have friends who are into homeopathic remedies who are telling me to throw away my medicines because I don’t need them. They are saying asthma can be cured the natural way. (None of them have asthma) I had a guy at my local health foo store tell me he had asthma and he completely cured himself through diet along.

Homeopathy has been tested in controlled clinical trials and found useless for the treatment of asthma.  If there were a ‘natural’ treatment for asthma that was both safe and effective then asthma would have been cured hundreds of years ago. Likewise, dietary treatment of asthma has been tested – and found useless except in cases where there is a specific food allergy.  And if you suspect a food allergy you need to be treated by a specialist as food allergies are very dangerous. Then he tried to sell me $200.00 worth of stuff to clean out all the poisons in my body. Can asthma be controlled by herbs and vitamins and such? Has anybody ever heard of getting asthma at my age (40 yrs)?

Alternative medicine has been shown to be very effective at transferring money from your wallet tho theirs.  Other than that it does not do much. Adult onset asthma is not uncommon.  I was diagnosed at age 35. Once you aquire this, do you suffer from it for the rest of your lives? All my friends do not take this serious. They tell me I’ll get over it. Or that I must be having a reaction to something so find out what it is and stay away from it. My sister even went so far to say she thinks it is all in my head. My doctor seems to be gearing up to take care of this in the long term sense and that scares the hell out of me.

Your doctor seems to be the only person with a brain.  Listen to him. Asthma is a serious chronic (you have it for life) disease.  There is no cure (and anybody who even implies that they can cure asthma is a fraud). You should expect that you are going to be on anti inflammatory medications for the foreseeable future.   I feel like I am the only person in my town that has this problem. No one I know has asthma and no one seems to know anything about it.

You would be surprised at how many people around you have asthma.  We tend to not make a fuss about it.   For every 20 people you meet, one of them will have asthma.   I appologize for the long post, I won’t do it again. If it sounds like I freaking out it is because I am. If anyone can give me some insight on this new chapter in my life please feel free to post or e-mail me.

No problem.  My first post to this newsgroup was similar to yours. "Usenet is like a herd of performing elephants with diarrhea — massive, diffucult to redirect, awe-inspiring, entertaining, and a source of mind boggling amounts of excrement when you least expect it." Gene Spafford 1992

Response:

To all who would listen, I woke up in the middle of the night 9 weeks ago and I couldn’t breathe. I thought I was having a heart attack. It was the most terrifieing moment of my life. I could hardly cry out to my daughter to call 911. After a quick trip to the emergency room, a ER doctor took all of 5 minutes examining me a told me I had possible asthma, so he stuck a cannister of Albuterol in my hand and sent me home. I went to my doctor and she immediately prescribed more Albuterol and Vanceril. I have had many tests done and I am still waiting for the results of my pulumonary functions test. No one seems to be able to answer any of my questions. The doctors are basicaly saying that they don’t know if this is permanenet or just temporary. They don’t know what has caused this or why. I have never had any resporatory illness or problems in my life. I have been lifting weights and exercising  for many years and can (or used to be able to) run full speed for one hour on a treadmill. I have an attack 4 or 5 times a day. I use the Albuterol and it seems to work but a couple of times it didn’t work and I had to use more than 2 puffs to be able to breathe. I know your not supposed to do this but if you can’t breath, what are you supposed to do? I am a web page designer so I am very familiar with searching the Web for information. But I wasn’t prepared for the amount of info you get when you investigate the causes and remedies for Asthma. There is so much info out in the world on the subject that I don’t know what is true and what is bunk. And I have friends who are into homeopathic remedies who are telling me to throw away my medicines because I don’t need them. They are saying asthma can be cured the natural way. (None of them have asthma) I had a guy at my local health foo store tell me he had asthma and he completely cured himself through diet along. Then he tried to sell me $200.00 worth of stuff to clean out all the poisons in my body. Can asthma be controlled by herbs and vitamins and such? Has anybody ever heard of getting asthma at my age (40 yrs)?  Once you aquire this, do you suffer from it for the rest of your lives? All my friends do not take this serious. They tell me I’ll get over it. Or that I must be having a reaction to something so find out what it is and stay away from it. My sister even went so far to say she thinks it is all in my head. My doctor seems to be gearing up to take care of this in the long term sense and that scares the hell out of me. I feel like I am the only person in my town that has this problem. No one I know has asthma and no one seems to know anything about it. I thank God I found this NG, because it allowed me to releive some of my fears. I hope I haven’t rambled on too much but this has been very therapudic for me. On one hand I fear asthma, but on the other hand I thank God it was not anything fatal or completely debilitating. I am a single Dad with a teenage daughter and I have to be there for her. This is such a crutial time in in child rearing stage that what I am afraid of is that I won’t be able to be there for her. It is my mission in life to get her off on a good life. I appologize for the long post, I won’t do it again. If it sounds like I freaking out it is because I am. If anyone can give me some insight on this new chapter in my life please feel free to post or e-mail me. (Jim Howard)            

Response:

And I have friends who are into homeopathic remedies who are telling me to throw away my medicines because I don’t need them. They are saying asthma can be cured the natural way

A homeopathic doctor nearly killed me. Can asthma be controlled by herbs and vitamins and such?

No Has anybody ever heard of getting asthma at my age (40 yrs)?

I was 33 All my friends do not take this serious. They tell me I’ll get over it.

If this is asthma you will need to learn to live with it.  Don’t trust a GP. You need to see a pulmonologist. If it sounds like I freaking out it is because I am.

I freaked out too. And then I learned to live with the asthma. There are amazing drugs now. Good luck.  Carol

Response:

Your frustration and fear is totally justified.  Although I began my asthmatic chapter at 12, I have heard of others getting it later on in life.   My best advice is to RUN from anyone that wants to only treat you with herbs and such…straight into the arms of a good pulmonologist.  I’m not saying that a general practioner doesn’t know anything about asthma, but you want to trust your lungs to whoever knows the most.   I wish you the best of luck.  Don’t worry, I’m sure that once your asthma is under contol, you will be able to be there again for your daughter.  You sound like a great dad.  Keep up the good work! *hugs* Ash http://www.angelfire.com/tn/Ashleigh1976/index.html Try smiling, it won’t kill you and might even brighten your day.

Response:

Ahhh, I’m 41 and have had asthma most of my life.  Once it’s controlled and you have your inhaler with you at all times it is no big deal.  We are sooo lucky to have rescue inhalers, they work like a miracle.  I suffered the 1st 18 years of my life with my asthma not being treated, luckily I didn’t die, I’m so grateful they have great medicines today.  Make sure your doctor gives you preventative inhalers or meds also and don’t just rely on you rescue breather. You may e-mail me any time.  I also am a single parent raising 2 teenagers.  Just the thought of it sometimes makes me want to hyperventilate!  :-)  (Just kidding, I have it pretty together!) Good luck and don’t be afraid to e-mail me any time! Marilyn – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – To all who would listen, I woke up in the middle of the night 9 weeks ago and I couldn’t breathe. I thought I was having a heart attack. It was the most terrifieing moment of my life. I could hardly cry out to my daughter to call 911. After a quick trip to the emergency room, a ER doctor took all of 5 minutes examining me a told me I had possible asthma, so he stuck a cannister of Albuterol in my hand and sent me home. I went to my doctor and she immediately prescribed more Albuterol and Vanceril. I have had many tests done and I am still waiting for the results of my pulumonary functions test. No one seems to be able to answer any of my questions. The doctors are basicaly saying that they don’t know if this is permanenet or just temporary. They don’t know what has caused this or why. I have never had any resporatory illness or problems in my life. I have been lifting weights and exercising  for many years and can (or used to be able to) run full speed for one hour on a treadmill. I have an attack 4 or 5 times a day. I use the Albuterol and it seems to work but a couple of times it didn’t work and I had to use more than 2 puffs to be able to breathe. I know your not supposed to do this but if you can’t breath, what are you supposed to do? I am a web page designer so I am very familiar with searching the Web for information. But I wasn’t prepared for the amount of info you get when you investigate the causes and remedies for Asthma. There is so much info out in the world on the subject that I don’t know what is true and what is bunk. And I have friends who are into homeopathic remedies who are telling me to throw away my medicines because I don’t need them. They are saying asthma can be cured the natural way. (None of them have asthma) I had a guy at my local health foo store tell me he had asthma and he completely cured himself through diet along. Then he tried to sell me $200.00 worth of stuff to clean out all the poisons in my body. Can asthma be controlled by herbs and vitamins and such? Has anybody ever heard of getting asthma at my age (40 yrs)?  Once you aquire this, do you suffer from it for the rest of your lives? All my friends do not take this serious. They tell me I’ll get over it. Or that I must be having a reaction to something so find out what it is and stay away from it. My sister even went so far to say she thinks it is all in my head. My doctor seems to be gearing up to take care of this in the long term sense and that scares the hell out of me. I feel like I am the only person in my town that has this problem. No one I know has asthma and no one seems to know anything about it. I thank God I found this NG, because it allowed me to releive some of my fears. I hope I haven’t rambled on too much but this has been very therapudic for me. On one hand I fear asthma, but on the other hand I thank God it was not anything fatal or completely debilitating. I am a single Dad with a teenage daughter and I have to be there for her. This is such a crutial time in in child rearing stage that what I am afraid of is that I won’t be able to be there for her. It is my mission in life to get her off on a good life. I appologize for the long post, I won’t do it again. If it sounds like I freaking out it is because I am. If anyone can give me some insight on this new chapter in my life please feel free to post or e-mail me. (Jim Howard)

Response:

Question:

My son has a problem I hope someone can help me with.  Every winter around this time he starts coughing.  This is the third winter in a row.  He just started this week (btw, we live in South Carolina).  The cough is deep and hacking, no wheezing and he doesn’t cough anything up.   The first two years, he had 2-3 episodes each winter.  The dr. prescribed pediapred and albuterol.  Each time the cough went away.  Last year he had more episodes and the meds didn’t seem to work as well, the cough didn’t disappear completely after treatment.  I don’t know if it makes a difference but we moved from the coast of SC to the NW corner of the state.   I took him to an allergist the beginning of April and all tests came up negative.  The dr diagnosed hyperactive airways and prescribed about 3 different meds along with a machine (can’t remember the name)  I was going to wait for his next coughing episode to fill the prescriptions, but he didn’t have anymore until this past week.  Now I’m more curious as to what’s going on and how to help my son.  He doesn’t really have "attacks".  My brother is a chronic asthmatic who was up every night for 7 years struggling to breathe.  That’s what I think of when I think of asthma.  I was also diagnosed with bronchial asthma as a child and now have problems with my lungs related to allergies (perfume, dust, cigarette smoke, cats)  I am now able to control my problems with the use of an herbal allergy remedy called ALJ.  I only bring this up because I’m wondering if there’s something I can do for my son that’s more natural.  I’m not well versed in herbs, just found a few things that help me, but I also don’t want to *experiment* on my son.  I also don’t want to keep giving him drugs unless it’s absolutely necessary. Thanks for any help.  Gina

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My son has a problem I hope someone can help me with.  Every winter around this time he starts coughing.  This is the third winter in a row.  He just started this week (btw, we live in South Carolina).  The cough is deep and hacking, no wheezing and he doesn’t cough anything up.   The first two years, he had 2-3 episodes each winter.  The dr. prescribed pediapred and albuterol.  Each time the cough went away.  Last year he had more episodes and the meds didn’t seem to work as well, the cough didn’t disappear completely after treatment.  I don’t know if it makes a difference but we moved from the coast of SC to the NW corner of the state.   I took him to an allergist the beginning of April and all tests came up negative.  The dr diagnosed hyperactive airways and prescribed about 3 different meds along with a machine (can’t remember the name)  I was going to wait for his next coughing episode to fill the prescriptions, but he didn’t have anymore until this past week.  Now I’m more curious as to what’s going on and how to help my son.  He doesn’t really have "attacks".  My brother is a chronic asthmatic who was up every night for 7 years struggling to breathe.  That’s what I think of when I think of asthma.  I was also diagnosed with bronchial asthma as a child and now have problems with my lungs related to allergies (perfume, dust, cigarette smoke, cats)  I am now able to control my problems with the use of an herbal allergy remedy called ALJ.  I only bring this up because I’m wondering if there’s something I can do for my son that’s more natural.  I’m not well versed in herbs, just found a few things that help me, but I also don’t want to *experiment* on my son.  I also don’t want to keep giving him drugs unless it’s absolutely necessary. Thanks for any help.  Gina

  It sounds like your son has cough-variant asthma.  Yes, it is really asthma, and it can kill, just like other kinds of asthma.  What I would suggest is going back to your doctor and working out a management plan for your son’s care. There are NO herbal remedies for asthma that are as safe and effective as a carefully-regulated regimen of medications.  You might also want to address environmental conditions that exacerbate your son’s asthma.  Eliminating allergens from his environment — removing carpeting and going to hard flooring, dust-free bedding, furnace filters, etc. — can help enormously.  So can upping the winter humidity in the house.  Since he is only having these attacks in winter, it sounds like something in the house is a likely culprit.  Good luck. Chris Owens

Response:

Question:

I recently read about a herbal blend called "Allergy/Asthma" that can help reduce allergy and asthma symptoms. It is a liquid that is put on the tongue three times a day. Anyone ever hear anything bad (or good) about this product??  I understand it’s been around about twenty years… Thanks!

Response:

I recently read about a herbal blend called "Allergy/Asthma" that can help reduce allergy and asthma symptoms. It is a liquid that is put on the tongue three times a day. Anyone ever hear anything bad (or good) about this product??  I understand it’s been around about twenty years…

Herbal remedies for asthma tend to rely on powerful (and unsafe) stimulants such as ephedrine. You are much better off with the stuff your doctor recommends.

Response:

Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Organization: The Rosen Home Distribution: : In the middle east the have a tea blend that is used for headaches that : includes rosemary, sage, peppermint, feverfew majoram and salix….Salix, I : believe is willow bark.  I have been sitting here  translating  the arabic : for a while…what was helpful was the box has pictures of the herbs. I use : this for my migraine headaches. Altho I am entering close to the age of the : onset of menopause…it is still not upon me yet.. : If you find something that will help at that crucial period let me know : — : all that lives, breathes, loves, sings, in the unending harmony of being, : is divine. : RavenneStar Try Susun Weed’s book on menopause. Of course, I can’t put my finger on the book to give your the exact title. She has several wonderful books on women’s health, pregnancy, etc. I highly recommend her. BB Marjorie HPs, Our Lady of the Sycamores Modkin, Soc.Rel.Paganism

*The Wise Woman Herbal for the Menopausal Years*, I believe.  (I’m going on memory here)  She also has written *The Wise Woman Herbal Healing Wise*, and *The Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Years*.  I’m not sure if she’s written anything else, but her books are excellent.  They are published by Ash Tree Publishing, P.O. Box 64, Woodstock, NY 12498. Blessed Be, Tegan  :)

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Organization: The Rosen Home Distribution:

: In the middle east the have a tea blend that is used for headaches that : includes rosemary, sage, peppermint, feverfew majoram and salix….Salix, I : believe is willow bark.  I have been sitting here  translating  the arabic : for a while…what was helpful was the box has pictures of the herbs. I use : this for my migraine headaches. Altho I am entering close to the age of the : onset of menopause…it is still not upon me yet.. : If you find something that will help at that crucial period let me know : — : all that lives, breathes, loves, sings, in the unending harmony of being, : is divine. : RavenneStar Try Susun Weed’s book on menopause. Of course, I can’t put my finger on the book to give your the exact title. She has several wonderful books on women’s health, pregnancy, etc. I highly recommend her. BB Marjorie HPs, Our Lady of the Sycamores Modkin, Soc.Rel.Paganism

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In the middle east the have a tea blend that is used for headaches that includes rosemary, sage, peppermint, feverfew majoram and salix….Salix, I believe is willow bark.  I have been sitting here  translating  the arabic for a while…what was helpful was the box has pictures of the herbs. I use this for my migraine headaches. Altho I am entering close to the age of the onset of menopause…it is still not upon me yet.. If you find something that will help at that crucial period let me know — all that lives, breathes, loves, sings, in the unending harmony of being, is divine. RavenneStar

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Hello Dana! chewing a leaf of tanacetum parthenium (matrem) – don’t buy it, pick it! Best fresh, but will keep in freezer.

Ahh, messing with the rookies, eh?  (Feverfew, for the unitiated, is known by it’s Latin name Tanacetum Parthenium)  Where did you find Matrem? Compositae is the typical genus in the U.S.  BTW, some people can’t find herbs in their area, fresh.  I still haven’t been able to find a Feverfew plant.  I’m getting a starter from a friend.  I suggested tincture as it’s readily available.  You are right though, it is best fresh. Seeds of abelmoschus moschatus – infusion of crushed seeds

Musk Mallow.  Good for headaches, yes.  Is it Dicotyledoneae, Malvales, or Malvaceae?  My information isn’t specific.  I’ve seen some for sale as ornamentals, but not in herbal preparations.  What is the ratio of seeds to water?  Also was wondering if a decoction might be a better way of preparation?  Thanks!  :) both good for migraines. I haven’t finished looking into the menopause stuff yet, but I thought the migraine things were more important. blessings, Dana

Blessed Be, Tegan  :)

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<may i cut in? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I didn’t know lavender was a migraine trigger.  It works very well for ordinary tension headaches.  I place a single drop of lavendar oil on my finger and touch my finger to each temple; works on the majority of my tension headaches and at least reduces the pain of the ones it doesn’t get rid of.  The scent of lavender is very soothing and relaxing for me.  (I consider myself very fortunate not to get migraines.  I grew up with a mother who had them frequently, so I know they are horrible.) This is a new one on me too.  I use Lavender in the same manner as you. Actually, there are accupressure points just above the outer part of the eyebrows.  About 1/2" above the eyebrows, just about where the eyebrow ends.  You can feel your pulse through these points when you have a headache.  That is the best place to massage for headaches.  Migraines also.  (I get them on occasion) For serious migraines, the best is Feverfew and Jamaica Dogwood combined in a tincture, taken internally.  Only take these as needed though.  People have a tendency to become immune to these herbs if taken too often.

As ever my dear tegan is a fount of wisdom..feverfew apparantly works by preventing excess clumping of platelets and inhibiting the release of chemicals including serotonin and some inflammatory mediators. my mother has been plagued by migraines for a long time..she has linked it to food allergies esp cheese and chocolate but despite feverfew helping her for some time it’s efficacy has lessened due, i suspect, to her approaching menopause. she was fortunate to have a doctor who advised against her taking hrt when suffering from migraines..i have heard from ladies suffering from excruciating headaches on starting this treatment. i’d love to be able to advise her but for all the help i can give about balancing hormones, stopping hot sweats, helping with the mood swings &c when it comes to the best for all this and migraines i’m a little unsure..i thought maybe evening primrose or dong quai but i’d appreciate any help <yes, i know it’s going off topic..guilty as charged – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I also have heard lavender oil can be used on burns, but I have never tried it.  When I used to get burns, I would run cold water over the area if it were very mild, and use aloe vera if it were a little worse.  Burn ointment only if there was no aloe vera available.  When I was a toddler and got a large burn on my elbow, my mother slaughtered an aloe vera plant to put on the burn and rushed me to the doctor.  The doctor sent her home, telling her there was nothing he could give me that would be any better than the aloe vera. (Obviously, severe burns need medical attention; we’re talking about relatively normal burns here.) Cold water is a good first aid remedy.  You can also *visualize* the area as being cold.  I’ve done this with good success for smaller burns (irons, ovens, etc.).  I just *decide* I’m not going to have a blister, and don’t get one.  Go figure…

yup, i distract myself, or as i touch a hot thing or feel the pain of a small burn i kind of suck the pain inside then release it all with a very loud AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHH!! sorry for shouting! as i release the pain i also force the effex of burn past my body and subsequently suffer no burn..it may be 2/10 for technique, but surely deserves 10/10 for artistic interpretation..<hee hee – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been doing something else for burns for maybe a couple of years now.  I am absent-minded, so I often get small burns while cooking. One night I sat the whole heel of my hand right down on a very hot burner.  I have a high tolerance for pain, but this hurt a lot more than usual and when I looked at the flesh it had a white, charred look to it.  Something triggered in my brain, and I started performing the burn "cure" from the faith-healing section of the first Foxfire book. (Reciting a little verse three times while blowing on the burn, away from the person, and moving your hand over the burn, away from the person, the way the therapeutic touch people do.)  I have always had a low opinion of faith healers and I wasn’t really expecting it to work, but I saw the white look disappear and felt the pain go completely away–all before I finished.  I was left with nothing but a faint pinkish patch–and it was gone in a few hours–to show I’d burned myself.  Since then I’ve used this on a number of lesser burns and haven’t even been left with any pink color.  These are burns that I know in the old days would have left me with bright red skin area or a blister.  Believe it or not, but I’m not selling anything; anyone who wants to try it themselves can get the Foxfire book from a library and read about it–I don’t get any royalties from the Foxfire book, either. Have you tried therapuetic touch on anyone else?  It really does work. BTW, I have one of the Foxfire books too.  Interesting reading.

ok i’m a wiccan in uk, can i get hold of this? <i don’t wanna miss out! –the Convivial Codfish curious handle.. "When I was a gel, we had a lump of wax and a couple of pins and had to be content.  We had to make our *own* enchantment in them days."–Granny Weatherwax Blessed Be, Tegan  :)

-"fortune presents gifts not according to the book"- angelica

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http://www.popsci.com/content/hometech/news/980706.h.html

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Angelica skrev: As ever my dear tegan is a fount of wisdom..feverfew apparantly works by preventing excess clumping of platelets and inhibiting the release of chemicals including serotonin and some inflammatory mediators. my mother has been plagued by migraines for a long time..she has linked it to food allergies esp cheese and chocolate but despite feverfew helping her for some time it’s efficacy has lessened due, i suspect, to her approaching menopause. she was fortunate to have a doctor who advised against her taking hrt when suffering from migraines..i have heard from ladies suffering from excruciating headaches on starting this treatment. i’d love to be able to advise her but for all the help i can give about balancing hormones, stopping hot sweats, helping with the mood swings &c when it comes to the best for all this and migraines i’m a little unsure..i thought maybe evening primrose or dong quai but i’d appreciate any help <yes, i know it’s going off topic..guilty as charged

chewing a leaf of tanacetum parthenium (matrem) – don’t buy it, pick it! Best fresh, but will keep in freezer. Seeds of abelmoschus moschatus – infusion of crushed seeds both good for migraines. I haven’t finished looking into the menopause stuff yet, but I thought the migraine things were more important. blessings, Dana

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<may i cut in?

Why soytenly!  (In best Curly voice) {snip} – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – For serious migraines, the best is Feverfew and Jamaica Dogwood combined in a tincture, taken internally.  Only take these as needed though.  People have a tendency to become immune to these herbs if taken too often. As ever my dear tegan is a fount of wisdom..feverfew apparantly works by preventing excess clumping of platelets and inhibiting the release of chemicals including serotonin and some inflammatory mediators. my mother has been plagued by migraines for a long time..she has linked it to food allergies esp cheese and chocolate but despite feverfew helping her for some time it’s efficacy has lessened due, i suspect, to her approaching menopause. she was fortunate to have a doctor who advised against her taking hrt when suffering from migraines..i have heard from ladies suffering from excruciating headaches on starting this treatment. i’d love to be able to advise her but for all the help i can give about balancing hormones, stopping hot sweats, helping with the mood swings &c when it comes to the best for all this and migraines i’m a little unsure..i thought maybe evening primrose or dong quai but i’d appreciate any help <yes, i know it’s going off topic..guilty as charged

Thank you!  I’ve been told I’m a fount of something…or maybe that was a piece of…Trancers had a word for it anyways!  {teehee} Has she tried Sage for the hot-flashes and night sweats?  Black Cohosh or Agnus Castus can help with decreased estrogen & progesterone levels.  If you e-mail me, I’d be happy to give you suggested dosages, preparation instructions, etc.  There are some other herbs which can be helpful to her as well.  Evening of Primrose oil is good for dry skin.  It also contains prostaglandins, which could be of some help internally.  I’ll have to research that one though.  Ditto on the Dong Quai.  Has she tried the combination of Feverfew and Jamaica Dogwood for headaches?  It’s so effective that two friends of mine were able to discontinue their prescription meds and use that instead.  (One was actually having to give herself shots!)    Skullcap and Rosemary can also be used for migraines. She might try Kava Kava for mood swings.  Hope this helps.   Blessed Be, Tegan  :) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I also have heard lavender oil can be used on burns, but I have never tried it.  When I used to get burns, I would run cold water over the area if it were very mild, and use aloe vera if it were a little worse.  Burn ointment only if there was no aloe vera available.  When I was a toddler and got a large burn on my elbow, my mother slaughtered an aloe vera plant to put on the burn and rushed me to the doctor.  The doctor sent her home, telling her there was nothing he could give me that would be any better than the aloe vera. (Obviously, severe burns need medical attention; we’re talking about relatively normal burns here.) Cold water is a good first aid remedy.  You can also *visualize* the area as being cold.  I’ve done this with good success for smaller burns (irons, ovens, etc.).  I just *decide* I’m not going to have a blister, and don’t get one.  Go figure… yup, i distract myself, or as i touch a hot thing or feel the pain of a small burn i kind of suck the pain inside then release it all with a very loud AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHH!! sorry for shouting! as i release the pain i also force the effex of burn past my body and subsequently suffer no burn..it may be 2/10 for technique, but surely deserves 10/10 for artistic interpretation..<hee hee I’ve been doing something else for burns for maybe a couple of years now.  I am absent-minded, so I often get small burns while cooking. One night I sat the whole heel of my hand right down on a very hot burner.  I have a high tolerance for pain, but this hurt a lot more than usual and when I looked at the flesh it had a white, charred look to it.  Something triggered in my brain, and I started performing the burn "cure" from the faith-healing section of the first Foxfire book. (Reciting a little verse three times while blowing on the burn, away from the person, and moving your hand over the burn, away from the person, the way the therapeutic touch people do.)  I have always had a low opinion of faith healers and I wasn’t really expecting it to work, but I saw the white look disappear and felt the pain go completely away–all before I finished.  I was left with nothing but a faint pinkish patch–and it was gone in a few hours–to show I’d burned myself.  Since then I’ve used this on a number of lesser burns and haven’t even been left with any pink color.  These are burns that I know in the old days would have left me with bright red skin area or a blister.  Believe it or not, but I’m not selling anything; anyone who wants to try it themselves can get the Foxfire book from a library and read about it–I don’t get any royalties from the Foxfire book, either. Have you tried therapuetic touch on anyone else?  It really does work. BTW, I have one of the Foxfire books too.  Interesting reading. ok i’m a wiccan in uk, can i get hold of this? <i don’t wanna miss out! –the Convivial Codfish curious handle.. "When I was a gel, we had a lump of wax and a couple of pins and had to be content.  We had to make our *own* enchantment in them days."–Granny Weatherwax Blessed Be, Tegan  :) -"fortune presents gifts not according to the book"- angelica

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Great stuff for sunburn…Have you ever tried regular vinegar?  Not herbal, I know, but awesome if you catch the burn within a couple hours. Use it straight, and apply with cotton balls.  Smells like hell until it dries, but takes the burn and itch out.  Also lessens the severity of the burn. Missouri grandma used this, I agree that for sunburns it reduces the pain level, but if the burn is severe enough from other sources than the sun, even morphine and ice can be insufficient for the task and vinegar can be excruciating.

I highly would NOT recommend vinegar for anything other than a sunburn. Guess I didn’t clarify that in my previous post.  Sorry.  :) {snip} Merry Meet Codfish!  {teehee}, I didn’t know lavender was a migraine trigger.  It works very well for ordinary tension headaches.  I place a single drop of lavendar oil on my finger and touch my finger to each temple; works on the majority of my tension headaches and at least reduces the pain of the ones it doesn’t get rid of.  The scent of lavender is very soothing and relaxing for me.  (I consider myself very fortunate not to get migraines.  I grew up with a mother who had them frequently, so I know they are horrible.)

This is a new one on me too.  I use Lavender in the same manner as you. Actually, there are accupressure points just above the outer part of the eyebrows.  About 1/2" above the eyebrows, just about where the eyebrow ends.  You can feel your pulse through these points when you have a headache.  That is the best place to massage for headaches.  Migraines also.  (I get them on occasion) For serious migraines, the best is Feverfew and Jamaica Dogwood combined in a tincture, taken internally.  Only take these as needed though.  People have a tendency to become immune to these herbs if taken too often. I also have heard lavender oil can be used on burns, but I have never tried it.  When I used to get burns, I would run cold water over the area if it were very mild, and use aloe vera if it were a little worse.  Burn ointment only if there was no aloe vera available.  When I was a toddler and got a large burn on my elbow, my mother slaughtered an aloe vera plant to put on the burn and rushed me to the doctor.  The doctor sent her home, telling her there was nothing he could give me that would be any better than the aloe vera. (Obviously, severe burns need medical attention; we’re talking about relatively normal burns here.)

Cold water is a good first aid remedy.  You can also *visualize* the area as being cold.  I’ve done this with good success for smaller burns (irons, ovens, etc.).  I just *decide* I’m not going to have a blister, and don’t get one.  Go figure… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been doing something else for burns for maybe a couple of years now.  I am absent-minded, so I often get small burns while cooking. One night I sat the whole heel of my hand right down on a very hot burner.  I have a high tolerance for pain, but this hurt a lot more than usual and when I looked at the flesh it had a white, charred look to it.  Something triggered in my brain, and I started performing the burn "cure" from the faith-healing section of the first Foxfire book. (Reciting a little verse three times while blowing on the burn, away from the person, and moving your hand over the burn, away from the person, the way the therapeutic touch people do.)  I have always had a low opinion of faith healers and I wasn’t really expecting it to work, but I saw the white look disappear and felt the pain go completely away–all before I finished.  I was left with nothing but a faint pinkish patch–and it was gone in a few hours–to show I’d burned myself.  Since then I’ve used this on a number of lesser burns and haven’t even been left with any pink color.  These are burns that I know in the old days would have left me with bright red skin area or a blister.  Believe it or not, but I’m not selling anything; anyone who wants to try it themselves can get the Foxfire book from a library and read about it–I don’t get any royalties from the Foxfire book, either.

Have you tried therapuetic touch on anyone else?  It really does work. BTW, I have one of the Foxfire books too.  Interesting reading. –the Convivial Codfish       "When I was a gel, we had a lump of wax and a couple of pins and had to be content.  We had to make our *own* enchantment in them days."–Granny Weatherwax

Blessed Be, Tegan  :)

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In reference to Susan’s and Shez’s home remedies for sunburn and other burns (I’m not going to bother quoting…we all hate needless quoting anyway, right? ::grins::) My grandmother always used straight vanilla extract (not the imitation kind) and poured it directly on first degree burns. Pain is instantly gone and when the vanilla dries, it leaves a patch of brown (don’t wash it off, let it dry). This will harmlessly flake off.  I have never seen a burn blister after this treatment as long as you treat it immediately.  The best thing about this remedy is the instant relief — second best is since most burns happen in the kitchen…vanilla is usually within quick reach. For sun burn…I use good ol’ Noxema cold cream. Draws the heat out and moisturizes…something that will help keep you from peeling.  As a natural redhead with very fair skin…even with the help of sunscreen…I burn a LOT. Cold cream has been the only thing I’ve tried that works so well that I use it on my own kids. Hope this helps Xan

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[snipping] Have you tried therapuetic touch on anyone else?  It really does work. BTW, I have one of the Foxfire books too.  Interesting reading. No, only myself.  Until last night’s post, I’d never even mentioned this to anyone except my husband.  I would like to believe myself a very sceptical, no-nonsense person, so it usually makes me slightly uncomfortable to admit that I do things that are considered pretty airy-fairy by mainstream people:  talk to frogs as I water my plants, perform little folk-type magicks, have dreams that don’t feel like ordinary dreams, read tarot, or attempt to heal myself by "waving a hand" over the problem.  I am curious to see if it will work on other people, however; one day I will get up the nerve to try it on my husband.  

If you’d like, I can teach you the *nuts and bolts* of touch healing.  Feel free to e-mail me.  :)  You don’t want to be *taking on* anyone else’s illnesses.  (Not very pleasant!)   –the Convivial Codfish "When I was a gel, we had a lump of wax and a couple of pins and had to be content.  We had to make our *own* enchantment in them days."–Granny Weatherwax

Blessed Be, Tegan  :)

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Olah! {Snip} Great stuff for sunburn…Have you ever tried regular vinegar?  Not herbal, I know, but awesome if you catch the burn within a couple hours.  Use it straight, and apply with cotton balls.  Smells like hell until it dries, but takes the burn and itch out.  Also lessens the severity of the burn. No, i hadn’t heard that..i have heard that lavender essential oil can be used direct on burns..i haven’t tried it myself i don’t usually have it to hand when i do burn myself…

I think Lavender might be better for smaller areas of burn?  The oil is fairly safe (externally), but that would be a large area of a person’s body to cover.  I don’t know?  I’ve used Vinegar for over 15 years with awesome results though. {snip} It’s a bit of a minefield sometimes when the plant name can be used without reference to the particular part of the plant..i find this with hawthorne..trying to ensure customers appreciate the difference between the tops and berries..herbal medicene is riveting stuff..i haven’t stopped learning twelve years after i began.. No doubt.  Herbs are something you can study forever, I think, and still learn something new.  Makes it a fascinating subject.  :) Do you study any other areas? I have a reasonable knowledge of essential oils which i often stick in bath&c..tea tree is a favourite as it’s so versatile..

Not really.  I pretty much stick to herbs.  Grow them, dry them, use them , love them!  A couple of my friends are into essential oils though.  One of them made me some bath salts that were so strong (for relaxation) that I couldn’t hardly get out of the tub!  They were almost narcotic in effect. Potent stuff!  Tea Tree is a good herb.  It does need to be diluted with a good carrier oil though.  I think alot of people just use the essential oil *straight*, which isn’t the best way to use it.  And, it should not be taken internally except under professional supervision.   {snip} True.  Wow, discrediting garlic?  That’s one of the oldest herbs around.  I wouldn’t imagine much could be learned from a three-week trial.  Still, it would be a good way to disregard garlic as an effective treatment. Don’t you just love *studies*.  {giggle} Oh yes, this after a move to restrict sale of b6 and discredit of vit c..the same papers that warned of ‘uselessness’ of garlic are the same ones recommending it in combination with papaya for water retention!<sigh still, this is a secret of the super models so i guess they know better than anyone else!

Sounds like a *study* done by some pharmaceutical company that also sells Papaya Enzyme.  ;)  I don’t know about super models…Bulemics (sp?) aren’t anyone I’d take nutritional advice from.  {teehee}  I know they’ve used garlic for years also (models).  Used to be one many moons ago… -"fortune presents gifts not according to the book"- {How very true!} angelica

Blessed Be, Tegan  :)

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Great stuff for sunburn…Have you ever tried regular vinegar?  Not herbal, I know, but awesome if you catch the burn within a couple hours.  Use it straight, and apply with cotton balls.  Smells like hell until it dries, but takes the burn and itch out.  Also lessens the severity of the burn.

Missouri grandma used this, I agree that for sunburns it reduces the pain level, but if the burn is severe enough from other sources than the sun, even morphine and ice can be insufficient for the task and vinegar can be excruciating. No, i hadn’t heard that..i have heard that lavender essential oil can be used direct on burns.. angelica I think Lavender might be better for smaller areas of burn?  The oil is fairly safe (externally), Blessed Be, Tegan  :)

Also used by Missouri Grandmother in the form of a cooled tea, BUT – lavender is a migraine trigger. Both she and I suffer from them, so while she would use it on others, she would never use it on herself. She decided that cooled spinach leaf poltices boiled in vinegar, coffee grounds and poppy seed worked just as well and didn’t make her head hurt or her stomach roil. I just grab the ice cubes and aloe vera.

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Snip Missouri grandma used this, I agree that for sunburns it reduces the pain level, but if the burn is severe enough from other sources than the sun, even morphine and ice can be insufficient for the task and vinegar can be excruciating. No, i hadn’t heard that..i have heard that lavender essential oil can be used direct on burns.. angelica I think Lavender might be better for smaller areas of burn?  The oil is fairly safe (externally), Blessed Be, Tegan  :) Also used by Missouri Grandmother in the form of a cooled tea, BUT – lavender is a migraine trigger. Both she and I suffer from them, so while she would use it on others, she would never use it on herself. She decided that cooled spinach leaf poltices boiled in vinegar, coffee grounds and poppy seed worked just as well and didn’t make her head hurt or her stomach roil. I just grab the ice cubes and aloe vera.

Actually one of the best cures for sunburn and an instant way of taking out the heat, is the good old fashioned potatoe, just cut a raw potatoe in half and rub the moist flesh on to the sunburn, it cools instantly. . potato is also wonderfull for sore feet its an instant feet lift. — NOTICE:  This e-mail address is being spoofed on USENET.  Obvious trolls and needlessly incendiary remarks should be ignored.  All authentic messages from this address will bear this disclaimer, although spoofed messages may as well. The ‘Old Craft’ lady               http://www.oldcity.demon.co.uk/

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This can be true, which is one of the reasons I suggested that this person work with a physician or naturopath.  In some cases, asthma can be treated successfully with herbs alone.  This is not an illness that should be left to amatuers. BB, Tegan  :) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Be exceedingly careful with chamomile and asthmatics.  If you’re allergic to ragweed you may react badly to chamomile.  Actually, asthmatics have to be careful with all herbs and oils.  One never know what till trigger an attack… Besides, I have a problem with using herbs alone to treat asthma.  It is a life threatening illness much of the time.  Some things you just can’t take chances with. Loki Yes, here I am AGAIN!!!  Um, I would be careful with the Aloe Vera. The base of the leaves contains anthraquinones, and can cause the intestinal tract to spasm.  (Not very pleasant)  A few of the remedies offered previously aren’t exactly specific for asthma. I would try Nettle, Thyme, Crampbark, and Echinacea to ease breathing. German Chamomile reduces inflammation.  You should not stop using your inhaler immediately!  Work with your physician, or naturopath, and phase the inhaler out gradually. Blessed Be, Tegan  :)

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Does anyone have any alternative remedies for asthma….

Although the orignal post was cut short, I think I can offer a suggestion…. Mullien tea, in a cool seep for at least 24 hours (in a light-free cabinet). Strain and drink (I take it before bed, as my sleep is usually interrupted with an attack).  Something to sweeten is fine, but Mullien works it’s best if NOT boiled.   Ma Huag in very small doses is a (still, high risk) alternative – as it raises blood pressure and heart rate. Consult an expert before taking that. Good luck and good breathing….    *Laura                                                     +++++++ An eclectic gathering of alternative/pagan/horror influences.  Always accepting submissions of zines/music for review, articles, personal rants, poetry, drawings and other artistic creations.

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Stardanser skrev: Does anyone have any alternative solutions for asthma attacks and bronchial spasms…..I hate using my inhaler, but with all the smoke from these fires drifting into us(I live in Florida, the fires are on three sides of us) it’s affecting my bronchitis

First and foremost: ANY ADVICE GIVEN HERE SHOULD BE DISCUSSED WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN!!!!!!! Asthma is not something to trifle with, and your unwillingness to use your inhaler suggests to me that you need to discuss your overall regime with her/him. But: Chewing pine resin (tastes bitter) will alleviate some symptoms without endangering your health. Carambole (star fruit) will boost your vitamin levels and lowers your blood pressure. Eucalyptus oil (2 drops to 2 spoonfuls of water) in an aroma lamp eases breathing. Inula helenium (don’t know the English name) – shredded root produces a tea that is very good for lung problems. All of these are fairly innocuous. But with something like asthma I will not give advice for stronger things unless I know what your general state of health is, and what your physician thinks. blessings Dana

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<snip  Um, I would be careful with the Aloe Vera.  The base of the leaves contains anthraquinones, and can cause the

intestinaltract to spasm.  (Not very pleasant)  Umm, i know it’s had a lot of success with ibs and other digestive complaints by soothing the stomach and soothing the intestinal spasms..still, herbal/natural remedies are never suited to all, it’s always wise to use cautiously first.. A few of the remedies offered previously aren’t exactly specific for asthma.

 Perhaps not, but they will help strengthen the mucous membranes, fight infection, ease breathing and break up congestion..i thought they may help in the management of asthma ..bronchitis was also mentioned and all my suggestions may help.. I would try Nettle, Thyme, Crampbark, and Echinacea

 Erm, i know the natural remedy company i work for and one of the brands of echinacea we stock actually suggests echinacea should not be used by asthmatics.. but i’m not a qualified herbalist, maybe one reading could clarify… to ease breathing. German Chamomile reduces inflammation.  You should not stop using your inhaler immediately!  Work with your physician, or naturopath, and phase the inhaler out gradually.

It’s good advice..herbs and nutritional therapy can help in the managment of conditions such as asthma and bronchitis..i know that in britain gp’s are becoming more aware of alternative options and incorporating them into a treatment programme..mention the suggestions you’ve recieved here… bendithion, -"fortune presents gifts not according to the book"- angelica

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Merry Meet Angelica! It is nice to meet another herbalist.  :) <snip  Um, I would be careful with the Aloe Vera.  The base of the leaves contains anthraquinones, and can cause the intestinaltract to spasm.  (Not very pleasant)  Umm, i know it’s had a lot of success with ibs and other digestive complaints by soothing the stomach and soothing the intestinal spasms..still, herbal/natural remedies are never suited to all, it’s always wise to use cautiously first..

You are correct.  Aloe is recommended for some stomach complaints.  I was merely warning about the base of the leaves.  It should also, as you suggest, be used internally with caution. A few of the remedies offered previously aren’t exactly specific for asthma.  Perhaps not, but they will help strengthen the mucous membranes, fight infection, ease breathing and break up congestion..i thought they may help in the management of asthma ..bronchitis was also mentioned and all my suggestions may help..

This is also true.  Sorry.  Just trying to target the illness. I would try Nettle, Thyme, Crampbark, and Echinacea  Erm, i know the natural remedy company i work for and one of the brands of echinacea we stock actually suggests echinacea should not be used by asthmatics.. but i’m not a qualified herbalist, maybe one reading could clarify…

You are correct.  Many of the *Echinacea* teas, etc. are made from the flower heads, and not the root.  The flowers can cause allergic reactions. Although it is becoming increasingly difficult to find the root, that was the part of the plant I meant.  (I should have clarified that.) to ease breathing. German Chamomile reduces inflammation.  You should not stop using your inhaler immediately!  Work with your physician, or naturopath, and phase the inhaler out gradually. It’s good advice..herbs and nutritional therapy can help in the managment of conditions such as asthma and bronchitis..i know that in britain gp’s are becoming more aware of alternative options and incorporating them into a treatment programme..mention the suggestions you’ve recieved here…

I wish the gp’s in America would take herbal medicine more seriously.  :( bendithion, -"fortune presents gifts not according to the book"- angelica

Blessed Be, Tegan  :)

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Hi Again!  :)<snip

And to you once more..

<cuts in to reply.. Great stuff for sunburn…Have you ever tried regular vinegar?  Not herbal, I know, but awesome if you catch the burn within a couple hours.  Use it straight, and apply with cotton balls.  Smells like hell until it dries, but takes the burn and itch out.  Also lessens the severity of the burn.

No, i hadn’t heard that..i have heard that lavender essential oil can be used direct on burns..i haven’t tried it myself i don’t usually have it to hand when i do burn myself… {snip} It’s a bit of a minefield sometimes when the plant name can be used without reference to the particular part of the plant..i find this with hawthorne..trying to ensure customers appreciate the difference between the tops and berries..herbal medicene is riveting stuff..i haven’t stopped learning twelve years after i began.. No doubt.  Herbs are something you can study forever, I think, and still learn something new.  Makes it a fascinating subject.  :)

Do you study any other areas? I have a reasonable knowledge of essential oils which i often stick in bath&c..tea tree is a favourite as it’s so versatile.. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – <snip.. I wish the gp’s in America would take herbal medicine more seriously. Well, it varies from one gp to the next..there are lots who recommend or offer alternatives, others who fear a loss of patients and power..the press doesn’t help..they are always chasing the next ‘health scare’, even those who have regular features written by qualified and respected alternative medicene experts..we recently had a story discrediting the use of garlic in the treatment of high cholesterol..the study lasted a mere three weeks and included twenty people..most medical professionals who send sufferers to us ask them to give it a three month trial..of course it probably won’t help everyone but that’s part of the intrigue the subject has for me.. True.  Wow, discrediting garlic?  That’s one of the oldest herbs around.  I wouldn’t imagine much could be learned from a three-week trial.  Still, it would be a good way to disregard garlic as an effective treatment.  Don’t you just love *studies*.  {giggle}

Oh yes, this after a move to restrict sale of b6 and discredit of vit c..the same papers that warned of ‘uselessness’ of garlic are the same ones recommending it in combination with papaya for water retention!<sigh still, this is a secret of the super models so i guess they know better than anyone else! -"fortune presents gifts not according to the book"- angelica

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Does anyone have any alternative solutions for asthma attacks and bronchial spasms…..I hate using my inhaler, but with all the smoke from these fires drifting into us(I live in Florida, the fires are on three sides of us) it’s affecting my bronchitis

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Does anyone have any alternative remedies for asthma….I hate taking my inhaler all the time, but with all these fires (I li

Response:

Does anyone have any alternative solutions for asthma attacks and bronchial spasms…..I hate using my inhaler, but with all the smoke from these fires drifting into us(I live in Florida, the fires are on three sides of us) it’s affecting my bronchitis

 vit c, natural antihistamine, natural antibiotic.  calcium pantothenate(b5) natural antihistamine,  boosts production of white blood cells.  vit a and zinc, health of mucous membranes, prevention of irritation.  garlic, natural antibiotic, natural decongestant.  aloe vera, very soothing, helps boost resistance, can clear chronic congestion.   propolis, natural antibiotic, helps fight infections and is very soothing.  golden seal, antibiotic, soothes inflamed mucous membranes.  liquorice, expectorant, anti-spasmodic, expectorate phlegm.  cayenne, respiratory tract infections. Some find avoiding dairy produce helps, as it encourages mucous production. Others find that wheat, or gluten intolerances can exascerbate. Try excluding particular food groups to see if any make the congestion worse. Use eucalyptus as an inhalant, you could put some in a burner to make the atmosphere in the room easier on your chest, especially when the fires are burning. Hope it helps, -"fortune presents gifts not according to the book"- angelica

Response:

Be exceedingly careful with chamomile and asthmatics.  If you’re allergic to ragweed you may react badly to chamomile.  Actually, asthmatics have to be careful with all herbs and oils.  One never know what till trigger an attack… Besides, I have a problem with using herbs alone to treat asthma.  It is a life threatening illness much of the time.  Some things you just can’t take chances with. Loki – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Yes, here I am AGAIN!!!  Um, I would be careful with the Aloe Vera.  The base of the leaves contains anthraquinones, and can cause the intestinal tract to spasm.  (Not very pleasant)  A few of the remedies offered previously aren’t exactly specific for asthma. I would try Nettle, Thyme, Crampbark, and Echinacea to ease breathing. German Chamomile reduces inflammation.  You should not stop using your inhaler immediately!  Work with your physician, or naturopath, and phase the inhaler out gradually. Blessed Be, Tegan  :)

Response:

Yes, here I am AGAIN!!!  Um, I would be careful with the Aloe Vera.  The base of the leaves contains anthraquinones, and can cause the intestinal tract to spasm.  (Not very pleasant)  A few of the remedies offered previously aren’t exactly specific for asthma. I would try Nettle, Thyme, Crampbark, and Echinacea to ease breathing. German Chamomile reduces inflammation.  You should not stop using your inhaler immediately!  Work with your physician, or naturopath, and phase the inhaler out gradually. Blessed Be, Tegan  :) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Does anyone have any alternative solutions for asthma attacks and bronchial spasms…..I hate using my inhaler, but with all the smoke from these fires drifting into us(I live in Florida, the fires are on three sides of us) it’s affecting my bronchitis  vit c, natural antihistamine, natural antibiotic.  calcium pantothenate(b5) natural antihistamine,  boosts production of white blood cells.  vit a and zinc, health of mucous membranes, prevention of irritation.  garlic, natural antibiotic, natural decongestant.  aloe vera, very soothing, helps boost resistance, can clear chronic congestion.   propolis, natural antibiotic, helps fight infections and is very soothing.  golden seal, antibiotic, soothes inflamed mucous membranes.  liquorice, expectorant, anti-spasmodic, expectorate phlegm.  cayenne, respiratory tract infections. Some find avoiding dairy produce helps, as it encourages mucous production. Others find that wheat, or gluten intolerances can exascerbate. Try excluding particular food groups to see if any make the congestion worse. Use eucalyptus as an inhalant, you could put some in a burner to make the atmosphere in the room easier on your chest, especially when the fires are burning. Hope it helps, -"fortune presents gifts not according to the book"- angelica

Response:

Question:

In article <01bd5a0f$90652940$LocalHost@default

,

  "Dayal Mirchandani. MD" <dayal@ bigfoot.com

wrote: + You may be suffering from depression consult a doctor. + Try aerobic exercise- self-hypnosis or meditation hope this helps Dayal

I would tend to disagree with this post, done by an author who promotes natural remedies for asthma.  Furthermore, the author is a psychiatrist in India, and their medical ethics (and human rights) are different than those found in other countries. The college student needs to be studied in an accredited sleep clinic, to rule out the "hardened" sleep disorder.  Only after the big sleep disorders are ruled out, can one then go on to improve sleep hygiene, including the use of herbs. Doug —–== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==—– http://www.dejanews.com/   Now offering spam-free web-based newsreading

Response:

Sarah, When I complained of this I was tested by a sleep clinic. They were looking for either muscle twitching that makes the sleep less restful or for breathing problems that affect sleep. WHen that was found NOT to be the problem but rather I was not going into the deeper sleep modes, they diagnosed me as DSPS, delayed sleep phase syndrom. This means I wake up in the evening and am drowsy during the day. … I now control this with a bright-light box during the day and drugs at night (melatonin + ambien). Doing much better now. – Jay – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Sarah Antos wrote:

Hi everyone!  I’m hoping that someone who reads this will be able to answer my question or point me in the right direction.  =) I’m a freshman in college and have been having horrible problems with my sleeping habits for several months now.  I’m your typical college student, so I don’t have a regular sleep schedule.  I go to bed late, because I don’t usually get tired until around midnight and then no matter what time I get up in the morning (the earlier, the worse it is), I am tired from the time I drag (literally) myself out of bed until late evening.  I take frequent naps during the day because I’m so tired and even have trouble staying awake in afternoon classes.  I am worn out really easily, and for this reason have problems doing things with friends due to the fact that I will get physically and mentally tired really quick.  I always figured this was just "college stress", but the majority of my friends who also have similar sleep schedules (minus the afternoon naps) don’t have this problem staying awake throughout the day.  Could this be a sign of a possible sleeping disorder, or is it just stress contributed to college?  Any help would be much appreciated!  Please e-mail me! — *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Sarah Antos Residential Computing Consultant Washington State University http://www.wsu.edu/~s_antos s_an…@mail.wsu.edu *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Response:

Dayal Mirchandani. MD wrote:

+ You may be suffering from depression consult a doctor. + Try aerobic exercise- self-hypnosis or meditation hope this helps Dayal

Cripes!  do you know how depressing this *response* is?  I never thought I’d see this here! rand(C)

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I’d say that you should get it checked out as it certainly sounds possible that you have a sleep disorder. BigAl db-g…@worldnet.att.net – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Sarah Antos wrote:

Hi everyone!  I’m hoping that someone who reads this will be able to answer my question or point me in the right direction.  =) I’m a freshman in college and have been having horrible problems with my sleeping habits for several months now.  I’m your typical college student, so I don’t have a regular sleep schedule.  I go to bed late, because I don’t usually get tired until around midnight and then no matter what time I get up in the morning (the earlier, the worse it is), I am tired from the time I drag (literally) myself out of bed until late evening.  I take frequent naps during the day because I’m so tired and even have trouble staying awake in afternoon classes.  I am worn out really easily, and for this reason have problems doing things with friends due to the fact that I will get physically and mentally tired really quick.  I always figured this was just "college stress", but the majority of my friends who also have similar sleep schedules (minus the afternoon naps) don’t have this problem staying awake throughout the day.  Could this be a sign of a possible sleeping disorder, or is it just stress contributed to college?  Any help would be much appreciated!  Please e-mail me! — *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Sarah Antos Residential Computing Consultant Washington State University http://www.wsu.edu/~s_antos s_an…@mail.wsu.edu *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Response:

+ You may be suffering from depression consult a doctor. + Try aerobic exercise- self-hypnosis or meditation hope this helps Dayal — Dayal Mirchandani MD. Bombay India Tel 91-22-6327478 e-mail: dayal@ bigfoot.com Asthma http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/6604 Heart   htttp://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/5894 Anti Spam: Remove the space in the e-mail address: reply button may not work. Sarah Antos <s_an…@mail.wsu.edu

wrote in article

<3519C59F.370BA…@mail.wsu.edu

…

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

Hi everyone!  I’m hoping that someone who reads this will be able to answer my question or point me in the right direction.  =) I’m a freshman in college and have been having horrible problems with my sleeping habits for several months now.  I’m your typical college student, so I don’t have a regular sleep schedule.  I go to bed late, because I don’t usually get tired until around midnight and then no matter what time I get up in the morning (the earlier, the worse it is), I am tired from the time I drag (literally) myself out of bed until late evening.  I take frequent naps during the day because I’m so tired and even have trouble staying awake in afternoon classes.  I am worn out really easily, and for this reason have problems doing things with friends due to the fact that I will get physically and mentally tired really quick.  I always figured this was just "college stress", but the majority of my friends who also have similar sleep schedules (minus the afternoon naps) don’t have this problem staying awake throughout the day.  Could this be a sign of a possible sleeping disorder, or is it just stress contributed to college?  Any help would be much appreciated!  Please e-mail me! — *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Sarah Antos Residential Computing Consultant Washington State University http://www.wsu.edu/~s_antos s_an…@mail.wsu.edu *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Response:

Consult your medical adviser and relate these symptons as well as your concerns. In my case, I snored on occasion and eventually most of the time.  I was tired in the morning, during the day and at night.  I would tend to drift off, fighting sleep, after lunch or while driving in the evening.  My spouse observed that my breathing would stop for a short while and then re-start with a snort.  I was tired and listless. The changes were subtle and my condition reached this state over a number of years. I attributed my condition to age and a sedentary lifestyle.  I did not recognize the symptoms or the malady.  I understand that you can experience OSA at any age and with various physiques. My first query to my medical advisor was focused on a sore throat due to snoring.  She was not very helpful. A few years later I was really having difficulty staying awake while driving after 8:00 PM and a different Medical Advisor recognized the symptons and set up a referral with my ENT specialist who was the new kid on the block and in the process of becoming the local sleep apnea guru. I feel much better now using CPAP.  If you are affected by OSA you might find that the absence of fatigue will help with your concentration as a student. Good luck Don Woods – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Sarah Antos wrote in message <3519C59F.370BA…@mail.wsu.edu

… Hi everyone!  I’m hoping that someone who reads this will be able to answer my question or point me in the right direction.  =) I’m a freshman in college and have been having horrible problems with my sleeping habits for several months now.  I’m your typical college student, so I don’t have a regular sleep schedule.  I go to bed late, because I don’t usually get tired until around midnight and then no matter what time I get up in the morning (the earlier, the worse it is), I am tired from the time I drag (literally) myself out of bed until late evening.  I take frequent naps during the day because I’m so tired and even have trouble staying awake in afternoon classes.  I am worn out really easily, and for this reason have problems doing things with friends due to the fact that I will get physically and mentally tired really quick.  I always figured this was just "college stress", but the majority of my friends who also have similar sleep schedules (minus the afternoon naps) don’t have this problem staying awake throughout the day.  Could this be a sign of a possible sleeping disorder, or is it just stress contributed to college?  Any help would be much appreciated!  Please e-mail me! — *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Sarah Antos Residential Computing Consultant Washington State University http://www.wsu.edu/~s_antos s_an…@mail.wsu.edu *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Response:

Hi everyone!  I’m hoping that someone who reads this will be able to answer my question or point me in the right direction.  =) I’m a freshman in college and have been having horrible problems with my sleeping habits for several months now.  I’m your typical college student, so I don’t have a regular sleep schedule.  I go to bed late, because I don’t usually get tired until around midnight and then no matter what time I get up in the morning (the earlier, the worse it is), I am tired from the time I drag (literally) myself out of bed until late evening.  I take frequent naps during the day because I’m so tired and even have trouble staying awake in afternoon classes.  I am worn out really easily, and for this reason have problems doing things with friends due to the fact that I will get physically and mentally tired really quick.  I always figured this was just "college stress", but the majority of my friends who also have similar sleep schedules (minus the afternoon naps) don’t have this problem staying awake throughout the day.  Could this be a sign of a possible sleeping disorder, or is it just stress contributed to college?  Any help would be much appreciated!  Please e-mail me! — *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Sarah Antos Residential Computing Consultant Washington State University http://www.wsu.edu/~s_antos s_an…@mail.wsu.edu *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

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