Herbs to soothe your digestive tract - Comfrey

Comfrey has a long history in western herbology. It is native to Europe, and still grows wild in many parts of England. It is also known as blackwort, boneset, bruisewort, gum plant, healing herb, salsify, and slippery root.

It is perennial, it has a large root like a turnip, which is black in colour on the outside. It has large hairy broad leaves with small bell shaped flowers, white, cream, purple or pink. Its stem is angular and hairy and grows to about three feet in height. The branches from the stem are located near the top of the plant.
There are about 25 species of comfrey.

Benefits
Comfrey is rich in nutrients containing allantoin, rosmarinic acid, symphytine, echimidine, isobauerenol, sitosterol, tannins, lasiocarpine, phytosterols, triterpenoid, inulin, phenolic compounds, pyrrolisidine alkaloids, and vitamin B12 as well as potassium, phosphorus, calcium and nitrogen as well as linoleic acid.

All these things give it a variety of benefits:
It is good for wound healing and tissue regeneration. It is good for varicose ulcers. Linoleic acid helps alter cholesterol levels and maintain cell function. Tannins are astringent. It has been used to treat gastric ulcers, acne other skin conditions, coughs and asthma. It helps promote secretion of pepsin and is a general aid to digestion. It is possible that the use of comfrey externally helps prevent the improper formation of scar tissue. Comfrey root’s mucilage is partly why it is a digestive aid, as the mucilage coats the digestive tract and destroys amoebic parasites. Comfrey taken as a tea or an expressed juice has been used for stomach upset, stomach ulcers, haemorrhoids and diarrhoea.

How it’s taken
Creams containing extract from the root can be used topically for cuts, acne, sprains, bruises, athletes foot and staph infections. If you are going to use a comfrey root cream, it is important to ensure that the other ingredients in the cream support the aim that you have in using the preparation. For example an overly greasy cream containing comfrey may not help acne.

For topical irritations you can also use the leaves of the plant peeled open and applied as a poultice.
Comfrey is taken internally by using a tea or a tincture made from the root.

Side affects
Comfrey has quite a few potential side effects, to the extent that it has FDA restrictions and warnings attached to it. The ingredients that cause the most worry with comfrey are the pyrrolisidine alkaloids.

These chemicals can cause liver damage, and at worst, death. The comfreys that contain high levels of these substances are Russian comfrey and prickly comfrey. Comfrey can also cause problems for people on potassium restricted diets, as it is high in potassium. It can also be a problem in wound healing situations, as it can cause such rapid healing that if a wound is deep or dirty pus or dirt can be trapped behind the healed skin, and cause abcesses. Comfrey is not recommended for those on anti tuberculosis medications (as it can cause side affects) and comfrey creams and preparations are not recommended for pregnant women.

In summary, comfrey is said by some to be useful taken internally to help with digestive complaints, but it has so many potential side effects that it may be wise to avoid it, except as an external cream.

Marshmallow - soothes your digestive tract

Herbs that soothe and calm your digestive tract, promoting better heatlh part 2 – marshmallow.

Herbs covered in this post:
Marshmallow

Herbs covered in future posts:
Comfrey Root
Slippery Elm

Marshmallow – the herb that gives the name to the confectionary is a member of the mallow family and it does like to grow in damp places (like marshes). It grows a long stem and has a velvety texture on its leaves – from the small hairs that cover it.

Benefits – It is used traditionally to treat a range of illnesses, a lot of them respiratory, such as asthma, bronchitis, the cold, sore throats and as a cough suppressant. It is also used for digestive inflammation, such as crohns disease and ulcerative colitis, and it is this ability to soothe and promote healing in the digestive system that makes it of particular interest to those who suffer from digestive complaints such as systemic candida. It has also been found that the inside of the leaves is a useful wound healer.

How it is taken – often it is the root that is used in medicinal preparations, although the leaves and the flowers can be as well. Making a tea either from dried root or leaves/flowers is one of the most effective ways to take marshmallow. If you can find a ready prepared marshmallow tea, that is great, remember to check the ingredients list and see if anything else has been added, most other herbs will be fine, but some may have side affects and contraindications with other medication you may be on. Also, obviously, you don’t want a tea with caffeine in it. If you decide to grow your own marshmallow that is great – remember it likes a damp spot, by the side of a lake, for example. You can then harvest the root off plants that are two years old or more and the flowers and leaves as they appear fresh each season. Once you have dug up the root, chop it into small pieces and leave it to dry. The leaves and flowers can be used fresh to make tea or put in salads. To make tea you need 1 tsp – 1 tbsp of dried chopped root, or 1 tbsp of fresh crushed leaves/flowers per cup of cold water.

Side affects – marshmallow does not seem to cause any side affects directly, although taking it with other medication can reduce the body’s absorption of medication – so it is a good idea to take it at a different time of the day or to consult your health care provider. If you do experience any side affects after taking it, then of course stop and talk to your health care provider.

Liquorice - a herb for health!

Herbs that soothe and calm your digestive tract, promoting better health.

Going with the basic premise of this site, that anyone that suffers from repeated yeast infections or from systemic candida (or any other type of gastro intestinal problem) needs to take steps to support their body’s best health, this post will discuss some herbs that soothe and help to heal the gastro intestinal tract. The healthier our digestive systems are, the healthier we will be!

Herbs covered in this post:
Liquorice
Herbs covered in future posts:
Marshmallow
Comfrey Root
Slippery Elm

Liquorice
Benefits - liquorice helps protect the innermost mucosal layer of the stomach against irritation that could lead to ulcers. Liquorice works by stimulating your stomach so that it produces more protective compounds. Liquorice also contains flavonoid compounds that can help inhibit H. pylori the bacteria associated with stomach ulcers. Liquorice itself has a sweet flavour and can be stimulating and some people have chewed the root (swallowed the resulting juice but spat out the root) to help them stop smoking. It is also meant to be good for your lungs, your adrenals as well as your gut.
How it is taken – liquorice extract as used by herbalists is made from the liquorice root. It is not the same thing as the liquorice that is sold in sweets shops or candy stores. Liquorice the sweet often contains flour, water and salt and aniseed extract. Even some liquorice syrups that are sold for medicinal purposes contain either alcohol or sugar and so are to be avoided. It can be taken in capsule form, drunk as a herbal tea – either prepared from the root yourself, or in a tea bag (but then check carefully what else has been added to the tea bag, make sure, for example, that the tea bag is free from caffeine!) And you can also chew on the root (but most herbalists recommend swallowing only the juice and not the actual root fiber).
Side affects – there are quite a few possible side affects when using liquorice, so you may want to check with your health care professional if you have any pre existing conditions such as hypertension, heart problems or you are pregnant or breast feeding. Apparently the major possible problem is hyper tension, and it is for this reason that pregnant people or those with heart conditions are cautioned to be wary of it. However, many herbalists say that when taken in a normal (ie tea bag) dose made from the whole root there is little chance of problems unless you are someone who is very sensitive to liquorice. So it can be wise to start out slowly and see if you have any problems. Other potential problems include edema (fluid retention) so if you begin to have a puffy face or hands, discontinue use.

An easy step to stimulate good digestion

Bitters anyone?

Bitters, these days added to some cocktails, started their life as medicinal preparations. For example Angostura bitters were first made by a German physician in the town of Angostura in Venezuela. He prescribed them to patients for stomach upsets.

The concept of having something bitter to stimulate the digestive function is still a valid one. If we eat (or drink) something bitter 20 -30 minutes before a meal our pancreas has been stimulated and more digestive enzymes have been released and are ready and waiting for the food.

We will digest the food better and will benefit from the attendant increase in health.

So, given that the anti candida diet is not in favour of alcohol, what can you have besides a cocktail that will act as bitters for your stomach?

Let’s go back to the herbs that are used in bitters. Bitter herbs (that stimulate digestive function) include gentian, wormwood, boldo, goldenseal, barberry, dandelion, hops, and artichoke.

Some of the easiest to access would be artichoke, gentian and dandelion. (Gentian is a primary ingredient in the Angostura bitters). They do have a bitter flavour, but I recommend trying them for overall digestive health. Dandelion is my preferred one, taken as a tea.

ARTICHOKE AND FENNEL SALAD
INGREDIENTS:

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

2 fennel bulbs (about 2 pounds)
2 14-ounce cans artichoke hearts, drained and quartered or eighths
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup pitted Nicoise or other brine-cured black olives
1 ounce (about 3) flat anchovy fillets, drained, minced, and mashed to a paste
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried orégano, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
freshly ground pepper to taste

Trim the feathery tops from the fennel bulbs, reserving several for garnish, and trim the stalks to the point where they meet the bulb, reserving them for another use.
Quarter the bulbs, discarding the core, and slice the quarters thin crosswise. In a large bowl combine the fennel, the artichoke hearts, the tomatoes, and the olives.
In a bowl whisk together the anchovy paste, the oil, the lemon juice, the orégano, and the thyme.
Toss the fennel mixture with the dressing, season it with the pepper and salt, andgarnish the salad with the reserved fennel tops.

Serves 6.

Balanitis and thrush

What is it? It is an infection of the glans – the tip of the penis that the foreskin covers. When a person has balanitis this area becomes sore and swollen. Besides localised pain it may make it difficult to urinate.

What causes balanitis – it can be caused by a fungus, by a bacterial infection or it can be symptomatic of a more serious disease – for example balanitis can be an early sign of male diabetes in children.

In babies balanitis may be caused by bacteria or fungus already present as a yeast infection spreading to infect the penis.

How to treat Balanitis
First talk to your doctor and rule out the possibility of the inflammation being caused by something more serious. Then practise really good hygiene. Pull the foreskin back and wash thoroughly with gentle soap. Allow it to dry thoroughly and receive air if possible. This destroys the environment that bacteria and fungus like and they are responsible for most balanitis. This simple practice will help clear up many cases of balanitis. For babies, make sure the nappy is changed often when wet.

If simple hygiene methods aren’t enough, then you may need to use either an anti fungal or topical antibiotic cream. It can be helpful for your doctor to culture a swab from the glans to establish what is causing the balanitis, as bacteria and fungus are killed by different medications.

If your balanitis still does not respond, sometimes circumcision will be recommended.

How important is it to treat balanitis?
If left untreated a couple of nasty things may happen. It may spread to be a general (very painful) infection of the total penis. It may cause scarring of the ureter which makes passing urine painful. This would then necessitate an operation to enlarge the ureter again. More pain. So get it treated as soon as it appears. And if you have to go for circumcision, oh well, it won’t kill you!

How bad is it to eat bread when I have a yeast infection?

Well, although a lot of yeast infection diet's to advise you to cut out all dietary yeast to help get rid of a yeast infection, particularly a systemic one, it is worth stating a couple of points about this.
1. The yeast in bread/beer etc is not the same as that which causes over growth in your body.
2. By the time the yeast in bread is cooked and goes through your digestive system it is not likely to infest your body - even if it was the same type of yeast as the one that grows in your body.

A yeast infection is not an invasion by a foreign organism, it is an overgrowth of one that is always present in your system. It is opportunistic, so to get rid of the yeast infection it is more important to find the underlying problem that allowed it to balloon out of control.

And then you should eat things that aid in cleaning out your system (garlic, probiotics etc) and avoid things that feed the yeast (sugar and anything readily converted to sugar in your body).

Diet does play an important part in removing a yeast infection, but it is not just a matter of needing to cut out dietary yeast.

Would you know if it was thrush?

Just a quick recap on what the symptoms are of anal thrush and what can predispose you to getting it.

Symptoms, itchy and red with a discharge. Sore when you go to the bathroom. Basically a lot like yeast nappy rash on a baby.

What are the causes of anal yeast infection?

Anything that makes you damp down there, anything that has weakened your skin around your anus.

For example, having external hemarrhoids can make it difficult to keep your anus clean. It is more damp than usual and candida bacteria (or any bacteria really) find it an ideal condition.

If you have used a quartizone cream to help reduce the inflammation in hemarrhoids then it can make your skin thin and predispose you towards damaged skin and thrush - particularly if you take it longer than your doctor recommends.

Anal intercourse also can tear the anus and create the condiditions that the candida albicans yeast likes to thrive in.

So if you are sore and swollen around your anus it is definitely worth getting your doctor to have a look. A simple cream should clear up your yeast infection, but it must be the right cream, just a normal disinfectant won't work.

Skinny jeans contribute to yeast infections

Every now and again an item of clothing or a practice comes into fashion that seems completely impractical, uncomfortable and awkward to wear, even cruel. Looking back across history these clothing crazies are not once off love affairs with fabric, those that wear the clothes and those being enticed but is a tradition passed on down through the ages.

For Example

17^th Centaury Corsets

or
Foot Binding in China

Through the ages women’s clothing in particular has been crafted to entice and hold men’s attention captive, and not much seems to have changed. Today’s liberated women would probably deny the heavy influence that this thinking still has on clothing today.

I found this comment on yahoo answers
"I have seen guys address this...it seem guys find us women sexier if we wear really super tight jeans, smoke cigarettes?"

I had to agree with the comment chosen as best answer that this particular lady was operating on some bad information. However super-tight jeans are still here and many young and old ladies alike squeeze themselves into these stifling body bending outfits.

Not only being uncomfortable what do these tight jeans do to your health.

This is an extract from an news article

"So Kate Moss was the trendsetter who inspired you to make skinny jeans your new must-have. That's fine, but before you shoehorn yourself into a pair, be sure you aren't setting yourself up for a nasty vaginal yeast infection."

When wearing tight clothing especially skin tight jeans that are created from heavy material the possibility of getting a yeast infection is increased considerably.

Three things that happen when wearing tight jeans are

1. It can squeezes the genital area considerably possibly causing damage(NB Men and other possible damage)
   
2. It traps moisture very close to the skin
3. It increases the level of heat

The increase in moister and heat create perfect conditions for the candida bugs to breed. This then leads to a candida over growth which is a yeast infection.

If you a more susceptibility to a yeast infection because of another under lying reason e.g. your period then these skin tight jeans can add to the likelihood of developing a vaginal yeast infection .

If you insist on wearing tight clothing to look good, avoid wearing the clothing during times when you will probably be more susceptible. Other wise the clothing to wear is loose fitting cotton underwear, and other clothing that do not squeeze, cling or creep.