Herbal Health

Unless you’ve had lessons, chances are that you don’t know how to breathe. And that’s trouble, says breath researcher and psychologist Gay Hendricks, Ph.D., who has taught Olympic athletes and thousands of other people how to breathe at his Hendricks Institute in Santa Barbara, California.

Dr. Hendricks conducted experiments and reviewed more than 300 scientific studies of “breathwork” while researching his popular book Conscious Breathing. He is convinced that most of us could use a few breathing lessons. Here’s why.

Breathing is how we rid most toxins, like carbon dioxide, from our bodies and how we cleanse and oxygenate our blood and every cell, says Dr. Hendricks. The remaining wastes are discharged through urine, sweat, and defecation. If we aren’t breathing right, other purification systems-such as our kidneys-get overworked.

But, Dr. Hendricks says, “there is one universal breathing problem: the tendency to hold your belly muscles too tense so that you can’t get a deep breath down into the center of your body.” Instead most of us breathe from the top of our lungs. Here’s the problem with that. “Less than Mo liter of blood per minute flows through the top of the lungs; 2/3 liter per minute flows through the middle of the lungs, and more than a liter flows through the bottom,” says Dr. Hendricks.

The chest breather constantly discharges too much carbon dioxide and takes in too little oxygen through short, shallow breaths. The imbalance forces the heart to work unauthorized overtime, and that raises the blood pressure.

*40/36/5*

Testing blood fat levels

High blood cholesterols are clearly associated with a risk of heart attack but blood triglycerides (another sort of fat) are not. Screening for cholesterols is recommended every five years from the late teens. They are not worth screening for past 65.

Syphilis tests

Three-quarters of all cases of undetected syphilis will eventually develop incurable ‘tertiary’ complications which are very severe indeed. The ‘at-risk’ group is the 20-50 range. Recommendations for screening vary greatly but it is probably sensible to do one test when the person becomes sexually active and every five years after that to age 50. Pregnant women should be screened for syphilis as a routine

Gonorrhea tests

This is a disease without symptoms in 75 per cent of women and 10 per cent of men. Some people feel that screening is not warranted because the disease is relatively easy to treat, and because however well we screen we shall never be able to eliminate the disease from the population most at risk. Others recommend that yearly screening be done from the time a person becomes sexually active. Perhaps a good compromise is a test at the time of the first pelvic examination and then every five years to 44.

Screening for phenylketonuria

This disease, which can cause mental handicap if not detected and treated very early in life, is already routinely screened for at birth.

Chest X-rays

Because of the low cure rates of lung cancer (8 per cent survive 5 years, regardless of the stage of the tumour at detection), it is now no longer thought reasonable to do chest X-rays as a screening procedure. ‘At-risk’ populations should still be screened for tuberculosis though. Perhaps a baseline chest X-ray at 35 or 40 is sensible with a repeat at five- or ten-year intervals.

Electrocardiograms

It is useful to have a baseline ECG done at about age 35-40 with repeats every five to ten years.

*34/72/5*

The expectant mother should not drink alcohol. Studies have shown that even mild alcohol ingestion during pregnancy may result in hyperactivity, short attention span, and emotional problems in the resulting children. Alcohol can also cause other deformities in the unborn baby. Alcohol foetal syndrome is one and is thought to be caused by the mother consuming alcohol during the first 3 months of pregnancy.

Drugs and smoking can also cause many problems to both mother and the foetus. Your medical practitioner or naturopath should be consulted before taking any medication. They will advise you as to their safety. All confinements should be under the care of a medical specialist.

Scientific clinical studies have shown that supplements of vitamin E may be effective in preventing habitual abortion (miscarriage). Foods that are high in vitamin E such as wheat germ, whole grains and cold pressed vegetable oils should be included in the diet.

Solanine is a toxin found in green potatoes. This chemical has been shown to cause miscarriages. It is important therefore not to eat new potatoes or potatoes with any green spots if pregnant.

Exercise is an important part of everybody’s lifestyle and especially for the expectant mother. Exercise tones the muscles, improves circulation, helps control weight and can make delivery easier. There are many ante-natal classes run by most hospitals. The trained nursing staff who give these classes will advise the correct exercise program for you.

Some evidence states that vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) may help relieve the symptons of morning sickness. These include nausea and vomiting. Usually the amount of vitamin B6 contained in a good multi-vitamin formula is sufficient. However, high doses of B6 should be avoided late in the pregnancy as studies have shown that high dose vitamin B6 may shut off breast milk. It must therefore be reduced before delivery in nursing mothers.

I have found that peppermint tea is helpful in relieving the symptoms of morning sickness as can taking ginger. Drink one cup of peppermint tea and eat a piece of toast before getting out of bed in the morning. This will need the help of the father-to-be and he should remember that his duties start at conception.

*110\26\8*

1 Exercise for 28 minutes at least three times a week raising your heart rate to 80% of the maximum heart rate for age. (Maximum heart rate for age is 220- your age ie. If you are 40, 220-40 = 180, 80% of 180 is 144 beats per minute]).

2 Include fish oil in the diet. Fish oil contains omega 3 fatty acids that may be beneficial in protecting against the development of heart disease.

3 Eat a low cholesterol, well-balanced diet, high in fibre and low in animal fat. This can help prevent hardening of the arteries, one of the main causes of high blood pressure, strokes and heart disease.

4 Supplement the diet with vitamin E. Dr Wilfrid Shute and his brother Dr Evan Shute of Canada have used vitamin E for the treatment and prevention of heart disease and stated that ‘the time has come when it should be pointed out that the average cardiologist can do nothing to help a damaged heart if he does not use Vitamin E except to treat symptoms and complications.’

Dr H. Esterbauer of the University of Graz, Austria, reported that vitamin E could help prevent atherosclerosis. Vitamin E also increases HDL cholesterol and reduces platelet adhesiveness.

5 Include garlic in the diet either by taking a garlic supplement or by eating it with your food. (A good garlic supplement is Garlix. It contains the freeze-dried herb with a natural enteric coating. This passes through the stomach into the intestine where it is absorbed without making the bad breath smell of garlic.) Garlic can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol. It may also help prevent hardening of the arteries.

6 Don’t smoke: cigarette smoke causes vaso-constriction that can increase blood pressure, cause heart disease and cardiac arrythmias.

7 Learn to relax. Don’t build up aggression. Take up a hobby and make time for yourself. Aggressive fast-living people have a higher incidence of heart disease.

8 Maintain the correct weight for height. Being overweight reduces your fitness and increases the load on your heart.

9 Eat high fibre, low animal fat foods (see cholesterol diet).

SUPPLEMENTS

multi-vitamin mineral 1 daily

vitamin E 500-1000 IU daily, start with 100 IU daily

Fish Oil 1000 1 capsule 3 times daily

evening primrose oil 1 capsule 3 times daily

Garlix 1 tablet each morning

magnesium phosphate 100 mg twice daily

lecithin 1 to 2 tablespoons pure granules daily

*85\26\8*

There are many things we can do to help prevent the common cold and flu. Commonsense tells us to keep warm and out of sudden temperature changes from warm air conditioning to a cold day. Nutrition is also very important.

Recent studies (see Immune System) show that vitamin C can have a very helpful effect in helping prevent and/or reduce the symptoms of colds and flu.

We need to eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and, as new scientific evidence suggests, a supplement to these 2000 mg of vitamin C each day is beneficial. A good form of vitamin C is one that contains ascorbic acid and the salts of vitamin C, sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate and bioflavonoids. These bioflavonoids occur naturally with vitamin C.

The herb, Echinacea is mentioned in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia for its anti-viral properties. It stimulates the immune system and with garlic, destroys the invading bacteria and viruses.

The fatty acids in cod liver oil help reduce inflammation and make breathing easier. The vitamin A content helps strengthen the mucous membranes.

SUPPLEMENTS

Euphorbia Echinacea can be obtained in combination

garlic

liquorice root dose: follow directions

Bio-C 1000 mg twice daily

cod liver oil 5 ml daily (adults)

*59/26/8*

Red-back Spider

The red-back spider is common in Australia and lives in old tins, under wood heaps and in dark corners of the house. The red-back has a large red stripe on its back and is a much smaller spider than the funnel web. The bite of a red-back is like a sharp sting and there will be swelling around the bite. The bitten person usually starts to sweat and may become nauseous.

1 Rest the bitten casualty and reassure him/her.

2 Apply ice wrapped in a towel or cold packs to the bitten area. DO NOT BANDAGE. Send for medical aid or take the person to hospital.

Mosquito Bites

Mosquitoes can be very annoying and the best way to treat their bites is to prevent them.

If out in the bush, burning dry cow manure will help keep them away. The odour is not offensive. Citronella or tea-tree oil rubbed on the skin will also keep them away. Be careful not to get oil in your eyes.

If bitten by a mosquito apply bicarbonate of soda or tea-tree oil to the affected area and the itch will soon be relieved.

SUPPLEMENTS

B group vitamins 1 tablet morning and night

*33\26\8*

All food which is digested in the body leaves a residue. This residue can be either acid, neutral, or alkaline. The body requires an excess or reserve of alkaline residue foods in the diet to maintain good health. If you eat too many foods that leave an acid residue, then a condition known as acidosis can result when there is a depletion of the reserve supply of alkali in the tissue and blood of the body.

The normal, or natural, ratio of alkaline to acid in the average healthy Australian is about 80 per cent alkaline to 20 per cent acid. This ratio is important in the maintenance of a healthy body and the resistance to disease.

The following is a list of the main foods which are either acid, neutral, or alkaline-forming foods.

Acid-forming foods

*OYSTERS RICE

*FISH WHOLE WHEAT

* VEAL ORGAN MEATS CHEESE

LIVER LENTILS

MOST GRAINS OATMEAL

CHICKEN PEANUTS & MOST NUTS

EGGS

Alkaline-producing foods

* APRICOTS CARROTS

* SOYBEANS BEANS

* FIGS POTATOES

BUCKWHEAT ORANGES

LEMONS CELERY

ASPARAGUS BANANAS

BRAZIL NUTS

CABBAGE LETTUCE

APPLES ALMONDS

* most alkaline foods in list

MILK, BUTTER AND COLD PRESSED VEGETABLE OILS ARE NEAR NEUTRAL

10 Food Rules

1 Do not eat acid-residue foods with starchy foods

2 Eat only natural foods

3 Avoid artificial colourings and additives

4 Eat most foods raw (uncooked or unprocessed)

5 Eat 80 per cent alkaline-producing food

6 Do not eat and drink at the same time

7 Take your time over meals and chew your food well

8 Plan your meals and mealtimes

9 Do not add salt or processed condiments to your meal. Use natural herbs, apple cider vinegar, and so on to add extra flavour

10 Enjoy your meal and remember, it’s good to be healthy.

*8\26\8*