Snake Oil: What works, what might work and what will kill you
By Jacqueline Swanky
Copyright 2011 Jacqueline Swanky
Smashwords Edition
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This book contains advice and information relating to health care. It is not intended to replace medical advice and should be used to supplement rather than replace regular care by your doctor. It is recommended that you seek you physician’s advice before embarking on any medical program or treatment. All efforts have been made to assure the accuracy of the information contained in this book as of the date of publication. The publisher and author disclaim liability for any medical outcomes that may occur as a result of applying the methods suggested in this book.
This ebook is licensed for your enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
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Snake oil: Book One
What works, what might work and what will kill you.
The table of contents
Chapter 1 –Introduction to it all
Chapter 2 –Snake oil, the real stuff
Chapter 3 –The deadly dirty dozen. The 12 herbs and supplements to avoid and why
Chapter 4 –What is a.....
Chapter 5 –In your bathroom
Chapter 6 –What are they and what are they used for
Chapter 7 –Quick food hits for...
Chapter 8 –Self help at home
Chapter 9 –The foods that are killing us. The big 5, in my opinion
Chapter 10 –In your garden, pest control the natural way
Chapter 11 –Tid bits and arsenic
Chapter 12 –PMS and your hysterectomy
Chapter 13 –The magic bullet... Your weight loss
Chapter 14 –Oxygen therapy and hydrogen peroxide (H202)
Chapter 15 –Recipes, for all kinds of stuff
Chapter 16 –Where I get my stuff
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I would like to dedicate this book to my husband Richard, who allowed me to test products on him with all the trust in me he could muster and fake. Thank you for giving me the time to put it all together. Thank you for your unending patience. I love you.
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I'd also like to say thank you to my Naturopath Dr. Audrey Wolter ND here in Kelowna. You help me to understand how to live healthy. You listen and you care. Your gentle approach is refreshing.
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I would also like to thank my writing instructors Dona Sturmanis and Rand Zacharias. Without the two of you, I would most likely not have had the balls to write at all.
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To my mother, Penny Swanky; until we meet again. I miss you.
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Prologue
Thank you for your interest in this book. It has taken several years to get to this point, and this first of the 3 book series could be put together properly. This first book is all about herbs, plants, chemicals, food and definitions of all the things I have found in the sometimes confusing world of alternative medicines. I try not to trash pharmaceuticals to badly because they do have a such strong and important hold in modern medicine, and is very valuable, but come with to many side effects for my liking.
What I am trying to do here is educate that there are other things available to people than the RX way. Some works and some will not. I have tried to put together a list of things that will help you no matter what may ail you. I also make it clear when it is time to call 911. Both ways of medicine need to be in here, not one over the other. I think they need to work together more.
In this first book, I want to walk you through what I have tried personally and what I have tried on other willing people. Zero animals were harmed because I used none. I have always felt that the best person to use to see if it works on humans is a human. If something was good across the board, I tell you. If something made us sick, I tell you that to. If something was not tried because of the possibility of death, well I'm not stupid, it obviously is only written about from other sources.
Sadly, there is one person who, before the idea of this book was even conceived, did perish from one of the products listed in here, her name is Michelle.
This is an ongoing fact finding mission that may well carry on past book 3, only time will tell. So for now, let’s take our first walk into my last 3 or so years of trying everything I could get my hands on and what happened. You will be warned ahead of time if you need a strong stomach.
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Chapter 1
“Physicians pour drugs of which they know little, to cure diseases of which they know less, into humans of which they know nothing.” Francois Voltaire (1694-1778)
Introduction
In the Billion dollars a year business of vitamins, herbs, diet drugs and supplements, it can be hard to know what’s helpful and what is hyped This book is a collection of things that through trial and error, I have found to be worth talking about.
I have dabbled with amino acids, herbs with huge promises, diet products, aphrodisiacs and everything in between. My husband Richard, bless his trusting heart, has allowed me to use him as a guinea pig for everything 'male' in my quest for answers.
I will tell you about what I learned for each thing so you can use this information to make a more informed choice based on human experience and not what happened to a lab rat. I have always found it rather amusing that our health is based on what happens to a rodent in a cage with nothing real in its world. I like to think that although we as human beings are all very similar, we are also very different in the way our bodies react to everything and that one rat does not carry a one size fits all answer.
I will also be tossing in some of my more memorable dieting adventures as well as what diet caused me to get the fattest I have ever been, as well as the thinnest.
This book is for information only and not to be used to self diagnose or treat serious problems. I am not a doctor and I am only relaying what my years of experimentation with these products did or did not do for me, my husband and a handful of very trusting friends. I will say one thing here we are both in the second half of our lives and have spent the last several year’s illness and prescription free. Something is working and I want to share this with you.
As a warning here, I will be talking 'to' you not 'at' you. I will be explaining some things in very graphic detail, so if you need the word mucus or phlegm and I say the word snot, please know that snot was the only way to describe it properly. If I buckled in half with chest pains, this will be worded in a way that tells you how it was so you do not even try the product, or if you do, you are forewarned.
At the end of the book I will be adding a couple of my favorite places to buy my herbs and pre made products. Please have a look at them, as some places out there are not always as they seem and can take a good product and turn it into a poison with pesticides or a large handful of other very nasty things. It is a buyer beware world on the internet and my searches have turned up only a small amount that can pass my rigid demands for organic quality.
This book goes beyond your basic 'an apple a day' philosophy and takes us into herbs, good and bad, dieting, erections, drinking hydrogen peroxide, slugs in your garden, cold showers, lung and sinus draining, fluoride, fast food and more . This is a potpourri of stuff, some important, some not so important and some stuff that will kill you if you are not careful. Yes, there are even some of my favorite recipes.
So sit back and let me entertain your curiosity, you may even learn something. Enjoy.
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Chapter 2
“The philosophies of one age become the absurdities of the next, and the foolishness of yesterday has become the wisdom of tomorrow. “Sir William Osler, MD., 1902
Snake oil
Snake oil is a Traditional Chinese Medicine made from the Chinese water snake (Enhydris chinensis), which is used to treat joint pain. However, the most common usage of the phrase is as a derogatory term for quack medicine. The expression is also applied metaphorically to any product with exaggerated marketing and questionable and/or unverifiable quality or benefit. (Wikipedia 2011, July)
For our purposes here we will be looking at actual Snake oil and how it is not only still in use, but seems to really work at relieving pain. The fats and oils from this particular snake are extremely high in EPA (omega-3-fatty acid) which is known to lower inflammation as well as show signs of being a beneficial product for some mental conditions such as schizophrenia and depression. American snake's oils (rattle etc.), have considerably less EPA than the Chinese water snake and does not have the same effects. Snake oil in China does not carry the 'bogus' status as it does in North America because they use the right snake and the oil works. The only place to buy quality snake oil would be at a Chinese pharmacy, I would not trust it from any one else.
For the sake of the items in this book, I will refer to them all by anything but Snake oil. If I have found them to be inferior or to have had the effects altered to sound better than what they are, you will be told. Snake oil is a real product and when made by a trained Chinese herbalist, with the right snake, does exactly what it claims to, relieve pain.
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in cold-blooded creatures that live primarily in cooler environments, therefore the fats do not harden in cold water like omega-6 fatty acids do. This is why there is a higher level of omega-3 fatty acids in cold water fish like salmon. Both salmon and snakes are cold blooded animals.
Omega-3 fatty acids are something our bodies need in order to be healthy. These EFA's not only naturally reduce inflammation, like arthritis pain, but also improves our mental faculties, our blood pressure, our cholesterol and will help us avoid depression. Enzymes work in your cells to keep the cell membranes in top shape and this fat allows them to do the job very effectively.
Please understand this book is about all the things some people call snake oil. Sadly, a real good product has been lessened to mean something bad and fake. Real snake oil acts in the human body the same way salmon does, and no one seems to have any problems with salmon oil salesmen.
Unless you have access to a real Chinese pharmacy, use salmon oil for your omega 3's. Better yet, just eat the fish.
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Chapter 3
The Deadly Dirty Dozen - 12 Supplements and Herb’s you should AVOID and why.
Aconite (Wolfsbane or Monkshood)
This beautiful perennial plant was used in ancient times as a poison. If you plant this in your garden wear gloves when you are touching it.
-Used for- Gout, wounds, inflammation and joint pain.
-Side effects– Lowered blood pressure, nausea, respiratory system paralysis, altered heart rhythm, toxicity and death.
Even handling this plant can be dangerous, causing rashes and allergic reactions. Not safe as a cream applied to the skin as it absorbs and may cause issues. If you get Aconite in your mouth you will experience burning, tingling and numbness. If ingested, this plant can produce symptoms like severe pain, convulsions, paralysis, seizures, confusion and heart failure. There is nothing that can be done to save a person who has overdosed on this plant as there is no antidote. The only people who should be working with this plant are Homoeopaths and very seasoned Herbalists.
Bitter Orange
Bitter Orange contains synephrine, which is very much like ephedrine, which was banned by the FDA in 2004. You increase your odds of serious problems if you take Bitter Orange with other products that contain caffeine (coffee, tea, pop, sports drinks etc). The parts used are the extract and peel.
-Used for- Weight loss, sinus issues and allergies.
-Side effects- Fainting, heart attack, stroke, heart rhythm disorders, seizures and death.
Chaparral
Chaparral usually comes in pills, salves, tinctures or tea. It is very bitter and is commonly found mixed in with other herbs in the tea. If consumed in large quantities over time, this herb may cause you to develop kidney and lymph system issues. Should not be taken internally for any period of time.
-Used for-Weight loss, intestinal parasites, detoxing, and inflammation as well as treating viral and bacterial illnesses.
-Side effects-Severe irreversible liver and kidney damage, toxic hepatitis, death
Colloidal silver(Ionic silver)
Colloidal Silver consists of tiny silver particles suspended in liquid. Product can be taken orally, sprayed onto the skin or intravenously. I wanted to try this product awhile back and quizzed some friends on how they liked it. I heard great things about how it works when you first start using it, like colds and allergy symptoms, as well as better lung function for runners. Then as I dug deeper, I was hearing about odd pains in the stomach and kidneys. One woman seemed to develop a fast case of narcolepsy and migraines. Colloidal Silver builds up in your body's tissues and can actually turn your skin a bluish color that is permanent. Colloidal Silver may interfere will the absorption of prescription medications.
-Used for – Fungal and other infections, psoriasis, chronic fatigue syndrome, HIV / AIDS, Lyme disease, rosacea and food poisoning.
-Side effects – Kidney damage, neurological problems, sleep issues, headaches, skin irritation, stomach problems, diarrhea, seizures. You will eventually turn a silvery blue with continued use. I know of one fellow that has begun to turn grey, and he still swears its good stuff.
Comfrey -
Comfrey ointment has been used for reducing inflammation caused by sprains, bruises, pulled muscles, broken bones and osteoarthritis. Sounds like pretty good stuff right? Well, it is as long as it is not taken orally or for to long on your skin. The right parts of the plant need to be used and they are the leaves and other above the ground parts. Comfrey contains dangerous substances called pyrrolizidine alkaloids. The roots contain upwards of 15 times the amount of pyrrolizidine alkaloids and you will get very ill if you ingest them. The younger leaves contain more poison than older leaves. These chemicals are extremely toxic to the liver and can cause death.
-Used for – Heavy menstrual pain, chest pains, coughs, sprains, arthritis, pain and cancer.
-Side effects - Liver damage, cancer and death.
Country Mallow
This is a very pretty poppy/daisy cross flowering plant. It is used for a huge amount of ailments even though there are dangers. Widely used in Ayurvedic medicine for a large number of ills. Many herbal combinations have Country Mallow in them to aid in weight loss and increase energy. It also seems to be effective in strengthening your bones. One major problem with Country Mallow is it contains ephedrine alkaloids, naturally occurring stimulants. It affects the central nervous system and the heart. In 2004 the FDA banned Country Mallow, but it is still quite easy to find. It is not wise to use this plant.
-Used for – Asthma, headaches, sinus congestion, wheezing, fluid retention, inflammation, nerve pain, chronic rheumatism, weight loss, fatigue and erectile dysfunction.
-Side effects – High blood pressure, heart arrhythmia, heart attack, stroke, seizures, dizziness, irritability, headaches, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, flushing, heart palpitations and death.
Ephedra -
I absolutely loved this herb when I was taking it. I felt faster, more in control, wide awake and thinner (I was at about 20 lbs to many). That is until I landed myself on a stretcher in an ambulance for a 90 minute drive to a hospital. I was a waitress at the time and when we opened the doors to the lounge, all hell broke loose and fast, as it always did on the weekends. There was only 3 wait staff, 4 if we were lucky and 24 tables that filled up all at the same time. I still have nightmares of that place, but that is not the issue here. Ephedra was our 'speed'. It made it so we could go for 8 straight hours with minimal breaks. It was cheap, legal and best of all, it worked. I must also state here that myself and the woman I worked with that took it with me everyday were both smokers at the time. More on her at the end of this story, her name was Michelle. We power smoked our cigarettes when we got even the smallest break and then kept running. We didn’t seem to need to eat.
The day it hit me was a Sunday and we were in the midst of spring skiing and the hill was really busy like it always was. It was about noon when the first pings hit. By 3 pm I was doubled over with chest pains. I was in my late 30s and was having what appeared to be a heart attack. Once at the hospital, the Doctors found nothing wrong and I was sent home. A lot of people were concerned, but not once did we associate it with the pills. I was told to quit smoking, which I did not, and life went on without any more problems.
I actually stopped taking the Ephedra until summer time when I was working outside and enjoyed having the same if not better energy than the young people I worked with. This is where it gets ugly. It was a beautiful warm morning in the mountains and the grounds team were working on the Course like we did every morning, when shit happened. I was cutting the fairway of the 9th hole of the Mount Lorette Course, with in clear sight of the Snack Shack, when the Medical helicopter landed.
Inside the small building was my good friend Michelle. She had a heart attack and was lying dead on the floor. She was 44 years old at the time. That was the day, right at the moment I found out it was Michelle that my vial of ephedrine pills got poured out. I knew what had just happened. I never spoke of our use of the drug, because I never wanted to admit that it could have been involved in her death. I know in my heart that a perfectly healthy 44 year old woman, although a smoker, does not just up and die for no reason. My trip in an ambulance and Michelle's death were 2 times too many to risk a third.
Please, for the love of all things, do not take this drug. It is now banned here in Canada, but I know it can still be purchased over the internet. Please do not put this in your body. Find another way to stay awake, get thinner, get faster or what ever it is you want to accomplish, but don't use Ephedra.
-Side effects- Racing rapid heart with incredible nervousness. Death!
Germanium
Germanium is a mineral not an herb, although small amounts of organic Germanium are found in some plant based foods. Non organic Germanium is mined for use as a semiconductor. Both forms have been used in dietary supplements, but there is also a synthetic version used called, of all things, GE-132.
Seriously, I don't want to take anything that's name is a number. Germanium has been touted as an anticancer product that works at boosting your white blood cells by stimulating your own production of interferon. I do not know this to be true, but I can tell you I felt awful when I tried it. I took 200 mg twice a day for one week. I ended up with a full body rash and I could barley make it up a flight of stairs by day 6. It took another week to get rid of the rash and 3 days to feel less weak and tired. I tried it because it was touted to me as a fat burner and energy intensifier, boy were they wrong.
The fact that some companies use non organic germanium in their products borders on premeditation to me to inflict willful damage on a trusting public. The brand I tried said organic on the label and I got that sick. I can't imagine what the non organic would do to you. If you are still wishing to try this product for one of its many uses, please contact a Naturopathic Doctor or a very qualified herbalist. Don't just trust the clerk at the health food store on this one.
-Used for-Cancers of the lungs, breast, uterus and bladder. Leukemia, asthma, chronic fatigue, hepatitis, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, weight loss and Cirrhosis of the liver.
-Side effects-Kidney failure, liver issues, anemia, nausea, vomiting, brutal skin rashes, muscle weakness, fatigue, nerve damage. There have been reports of people dying from this product.
Greater Celandine-
This is one of those plants that is widely used for therapeutic purposes, but also brings with it some unwanted and dangerous side effects if used improperly. Actually, it is hard to use this plant properly. This is really one to stay clear of. I did not even try this product because there were just too many serious side effects and I knew I'd over use it or use it wrong at first.
-Used for- Upset stomach, constipation, stomach cancer, liver disorders, intestinal polyps and loss of appetite. The extracts of this plant have also been used by some for detoxing, pain, angina, nausea, cramping, gout, high blood pressure and fluid retention.
-Side effects- Greater Celandine is not safe when taken by mouth. It has been known to cause acute hepatitis after using the supplement. Serious liver damage can be caused by its use. If applied to the skin, it will trigger an allergic type of skin rash that takes weeks to get rid of. This substance is banned in Italy.
Kava
I have known several people who swear by Kava. They say it calms them, helps with PMS and menopause symptoms and aids with sleep. All this is true, but it can come at a price. Kava is normally consumed as a tea, and the amounts you take in are fairly minimal and therefore not toxic. It is when it is taken as a supplement that issues may start occurring. The dosage in supplements is high and a lot of people tend to think more is better, very bad mistake with this very potent herb. I have had personal history with this product and it is written later in this book.
-Used for- Anxiety, tension, sleeplessness, restless leg syndrome. Some people use Kava for asthma, PMS and migraine headaches.
-Side effects- This one will kill you if used wrong. It can cause cirrhosis and liver failure as well as hepatitis. Liver transplants have been needed after using Kava. Kava can damage cells that make up parts of the bodies immune system. Can be fatal. The risks far outweigh the benefits of this one.
Lobelia -
I was kind of confused by Lobelia being on this list. In only huge amounts can it be fatal, but there is some cause for concern as well. It can be used as a stimulant, similar to nicotine. Traditionally this plant has been used for helping with respiratory issues. Lobeline is one of the ingredients that give the nicotine like effect on your body. It works the same way by releasing dopamine, the feel good brain chemical. I can find no evidence of Lobelia being addictive. When used properly, say as a tea, it would seem safe, but it is on this list for a reason, see the side effects below when taken in high doses or smoked. Because of the side effects of this plant, even if there is not much science on it, it may be best just to avoid it. Just because they have not done big studies yet means nothing, it can still kill you, stay away.
-Used for- Colic, indigestion, nausea, angina.
-Side effects- Nausea, sweating, vomiting, dry mouth, tremors, rapid heartbeat, convulsions, confusion, depression, coma and death.
Yohimbe –
I tried this for weight loss and it did nothing. It has been used for erectile dysfunction with conflicting reports on whether it works or not. It is supposed to enlarge the blood vessels going to the penis which improves the blood flow and should work. Sadly, I can find no males willing to admit to me that they have any problems in that department, so I can only go on what it did to Richard. It gave him an erection, but then everything gives him one because he is still good in that department, so it is hard to tell. One thing I do know is that men are proud creatures, and if they think this will work for them they will try it. There is a very small dosing range for Yohimbe, so if you don't get enough, it won't work. To much and it is very toxic. So gentlemen, please do not think by taking more of this that it will work for you, it won't and it could kill you instead. Dead is not sexy. It is also supposed to help with depression, but seriously if you take something for issues as big as obesity and ED and it doesn't work, I would think that would cause some depression. This one maybe worth trying, but please guys, be careful.
-Used for- Erectile dysfunction, depression and weight loss.
-Side effects- Increased blood pressure, anxiety, rapid heartbeat, insomnia, dizziness and nausea. As little as 40mg a day can cause severe side effects like hallucinations, drastic fluctuations in blood pressure, paralysis and death.
Honorable mention
Belladonna -
I loved the idea of this plant. A natural version of Valium perhaps, should things get crazy and out of control (me being the likely one). I ordered some seeds and set to growing them. Now I need to say here that I usually do a fair amount of research into the plants that I am growing, but this one I did very little. This is not a good plan when dealing with a plant so toxic that one leaf can kill an adult human. The roots are also toxic, but what is the most dangerous, are its berries. They are very yummy looking and quite sweet. It would only take 3 or 4 berries for children, and 15 to 20 for adults to be a lethal amount. This plant is so dangerous that in the hands of an unstable person could pose serious health risks for a lot of people.
Nutmeg -
This is one of those spices that is wonderful in just about everything you put it in, but it has a dark side. Nutmeg, in larger doses, can be fatal. As little as 2 nuts can make a human so sick they actually could die. Nutmeg has also been used as a smoking- snorting drug by some people, with some not so favorable results. It is a poisonous essential oil called Myristicin that is in the whole nut, as well as the harmful compound Safrole, a carcinogen (cancer causing agent) that you are taking into your body.
An over dose is not an immediate thing. It will take upwards of 4-5 hours to kick in, so the user has most likely used more to get to the 'high', and will be very ill by the time it happens. The Nutmeg high is nothing like a pot high. It deadens your mind, decreases your mood and injures your heart. It causes flu like symptoms so severe that hospitalization is needed. The younger generation are dabbling with this because it is so easy to get.
-Side effects - Fever, heart palpitations, nausea, extreme dry mouth and thirst, dizziness, hallucinations, stomach spasms, convulsions, whole body pain, severe dehydration, sleeplessness, skin rash, loss of motor skills, constipation, impaired speech, massive seizures and damage to your liver. Death.
*** Use nutmeg only in small amounts in cooking ***
Rhubarb leaves -
Rhubarb was a summer favorite when I was a kid. Along with a cup of sugar, we would dip and chow all day. It never occurred to my Mother, I gather, that we may eat the leaves in error or on a dare. We fanned ourselves, wore them as skirts and built the roof of our forts with them, but I guess it never occurred to us to eat them. They were green after all, and kids, even in the 60’s, didn’t like green food.
The leaves are highly toxic, and ingesting them will prove fatal for even the strongest immune system. How is this not a bigger warning when we are becoming a nation who is eating everything green that grows in our yards? I wanted to put these big beautiful leaves into a salad one night because I had run out of all other greens, so I looked it up online to make sure they were safe to eat raw. It did not take long to find my answer. If I had not looked, we would have been very ill or dead depending on how much salad we each ate, because they were cut, washed and ready to add to the bowl. The leaves contain poisonous oxalates that are absorbed into the bloodstream and causes severe damage. Who knew that shit? I didn’t, and I know lots.
-Side effects – Vomiting, nausea, difficulty breathing, burning throat, stomach cramping, diarrhea and seizures. In some cases there can be kidney damage and kidney stones. There can be death with this plant.
Guarana -
I bought some Guarana seeds on eBay so I could try them out. I am against those energy drinks because of all the chemicals in them and the way I have seen, first hand, what they do to people. I thought perhaps that the ground seeds on their own would be like a cup of coffee, as far as their effect went. I was right and wrong.
I ground up 4 beans that was all. What I put in my little tea bag was half of that because I split it with Richard. We put it in with our green tea, added boiling water, added some honey to mine and we went about our day. He got some chest pains, but those came later in the day and were more pings than pains.
I on the other hand got such severe heartburn and a taste like I had just thrown up in my mouth. This lasted almost two full days. Trying to sleep through the heartburn was worst part.
I need to say here, I am no virgin to caffeine or other substances that affect people, like tequila shots and hot peppers. I have an iron stomach and these seeds hurt me. I have no on going damage or anything like that, but I can't even justify this product for the buzz. We never felt any of the rush caffeine would give, and I was rather pleased with myself that I shared them and didn't jump in full dose like I normally would. This is one product that even when taken in its natural form, the bean, caused issues that were very unfavorable. This is a very popular ingredient in energy drinks and I know a lot of people who drink those, but seriously, this is not good for you and will likely cause you major unforeseeable problems down the road. Even people who drink the sugar free varieties are packing on the pounds. No one knows just yet what all those chemicals will do to your bones, eyes or heart in the long run and the scary part is you may just live long enough to find out you've crippled yourself. Use with caution.
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Chapter 4
“The Doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease”. Thomas Edison
What is..........?
When learning about herbs, supplements and such, there are some words that when you first hear them may make no sense or that you just plain don't understand. Here is a list of the ones you will hear the most, what they mean and what they do. This is my list as I understand it.
Tincture:
A method of preparing herbs, roots, flowers and plants by soaking them in alcohol. A 1 to 5 ratio with vodka, shake daily for 2 weeks or longer. Strain and take by dropper.
Can also be made with vinegar by mixing enough with the herbs in a jar to just cover. Shake daily for 14 days or more and take by dropper. Oils can also be used but I find they go rancid to quickly for the amounts I make.
Infusion:
A method of taking herbs and pouring boiling water directly over the herb (dried or fresh) and straining the mixture within minutes. A very weak tea.
Solar infusion:
Taking your herbs or flowers and placing them in a glass jar, filling it with very cold distilled water, cover and placing it in direct sun for 4 or 5 hours. Very similar to the Bach flower remedies.
Lunar infusion:
Same as above only under a full moon not the sun. Leave overnight and remove before the sun hits it.
Decoction:
A method of boiling or simmering herbs for upwards of 2 hours or more. Great for tougher roots, leaves, berries and barks.
Salve:
A semi-solid fatty herbal mixture prepared for external use. Salves soften when applied to the skin and are easily spread. Usually odorless, but may have hints of a waxy smell.
Tea:
Roots, leaves, berries and twigs combined or separate with boiling water poured over top and drank warm or hot.
Liniment:
Thinner than a salve. To be rubbed on the skin.
Rhizome:
Is a horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its main root. Rhizomes may also be referred to as creeping root stalks. If a rhizome is separated into pieces, each piece may produce a new plant. Horseradish acts like this.
Poultice:
Is a soft moist mass, like porridge, often heated and medicated. It is spread on cloth and placed over the skin to treat aches, inflammation and painful parts of the body.
Essential oils:
A concentrated liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. Essential oils are the "oil of" the plant from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove. An oil is "essential" in the sense that it carries a distinctive scent or essence of the plant. Not to be ingested.
Aromatherapy:
Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine in which healing effects are ascribed to the aromatic compounds in essential oils and other plant extracts. They are inhaled.
Balm:
Is simply a salve that contains high amounts of volatile oils and has aroma. Think Chapstick.
Amino acids:
Are any of 22 nitrogen containing organic acids from which proteins are made.
Non-essential amino acid:
Amino acids that our bodies produce naturally.
Essential amino acid:
An essential amino acid is an amino acid that cannot be made by the human body, and therefore must be supplied in the diet.
Essential fatty acids:
3 unsaturated fatty acids, linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic acids that are essential for your health but are not made by the body and must be supplemented.
Anemia:
A deficiency in the bloods ability to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues.
Antioxidant:
A substance that blocks or inhibits destructive oxidation reactions in the body.
Immune system:
A complex system that depends on the interaction of many different organs, cells and proteins. Its function is to eliminate harmful bacteria and toxic substances that have invaded the body. Bone marrow, the liver, the thymus, spleen and the lymphatic system are all major players in the proper and healthy functioning of the immune system. Without a strong immune system, you will get sick.
Heavy metals:
Arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury are just some of the extremely toxic heavy metals that our bodies are pounded with because of our environment and our contaminated food sources etc.
Blood-brain barrier:
A mechanism that involves the capillaries and some other cells of the brain that keeps harmful, toxic substances from being passed and absorbed from the blood vessels to the brains tissues.
Detoxing:
The process of breaking down and eliminating the build up of toxic and poisonous substances in the body.
Free radical:
Free radicals join so easily to other compounds, they can attack cells and cause a huge amount of damage to your body. Free radicals form in heated fats and oils and are highly chemically reactive because it has one unpaired electron. In other words, free radicals will attach themselves to environmental and other pollutants to make you very sick.
Serotonin:
A neurotransmitter found mostly in the brain that is considered essential for sleep, concentration, happiness and relaxation.
Adaptogen:
An Adaptogen increases resistance to stress in the body. This aids in enabling the body to adapt to the issue and avoid the adverse effects of stress, such as overwhelming, non stop, go go go and the fatigue that can follow. Adaptogens are thought to help support your adrenal glands. Very important.
Bach Flower remedy:
These directly address a person's emotional state in order to help both psychological and physiological well-being, by balancing out negative feelings and stress. Flower essences are quite effective in removing emotional barriers that may be blocking your health and aid in your recovery.
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Chapter 5
“Poisons and medicines are often times the same substance given with different intents”. Peter Mere Latham
In your bathroom.
Tooth whiteners:
I have never understood why anyone would want to put bleach in their mouths. All kits designed to whiten your teeth are just that, bleach. Bleach is nasty stuff, it can destroy your clothes if you use too much in the wash and it strips the color and health right out of your hair. Something that needs to be said here is yes, the kits work, but if you have ever bleached a coffee cup to get the stains out, you will notice you will forever have to bleach that cup. Here is why, when you bleach something you are removing the protective layer, basically stripping it off. Same goes for your toilet, if you have ever put bleach in, you know that the stains return faster and are way harder to remove.
What this means for your teeth is the same thing is happening. Once you bleach your teeth, you will have to keep on bleaching them because you have effectively removed the protective layer of enamel. You will never get your teeth to stay white unless you continue to bleach them and this will be for a life time.
Here is a simple, very effective and dirt cheap way to whiten your teeth. Baking soda and food grade hydrogen peroxide (H202). Dilute 10 drops of full strength H202 in a shot glass and fill with water. Dip your tooth brush into the liquid and then sprinkle the baking soda on the brush. Brush as you would with normal tooth paste. Done. In less that a week your teeth will be considerably whiter and your mouth will be much healthier. All of the 'bubbling' tooth gels and pastes use H202 for that reason, it gets between the plaque and gunk and leaves your mouth in excellent shape. You will benefit as well with less gum disease, cavities and will eventually eliminate bad breath. After you finish brushing, rinse your mouth with the H202 and water mix in the shot glass for as long as you feel comfortable and spit it out. You will have saved yourself a lot of money and given your self a major health boost at the same time. Happy smiling, it works.
B.O and thigh sticks:
Body odor is disgusting, especially if it is your own. A lot of products I have found on the market have too many chemicals for my liking and most plain don't work, on me anyway. I have used a crystal stick for over a decade for under my arms, under my breasts when it was stinking hot out and as a thigh stick. Now for you skinny people out there, this won't make sense, but to anyone whose thighs rub together or are men (please don't make me say it out loud here), there is nothing worse than the pain of being chaffed. The crystal works so well, is so easy to apply and is odorless, colorless and has no 'white stick' marks. All you do is wet the crystal and rub it over the area in question. Because it is a crystal it is environmentally clean and safe plus it contains nothing harmful to us humans. You will save a small fortune on pit sticks as well because one crystal costs about $5.00 and you will buy one every 2 or so years.
If you are not a crystal kinda person but still want a 'natural' aid, I have tried the salve deodorant from Om Natural and it is rather a fine product. Information on this product is in the back of the book. Worth looking at if you are concerned about 'alien' products in the store bought ones.
Hair coloring:
For years I bought the store colors and they worked just fine, lasted just as long as the salon colors and made my hair nice for the most part. I found that they both faded at the same rate if I used a decent shampoo and only twice did my hair go green. Actually it went green, blue, purple and orange, but that was because I put a dark ash blonde over top of many different highlights. Not advisable, but the effect was pretty dramatic. I was 16 at the time and the lesson was only learned after the second time it happened.
That is not what we are here to discuss though, here I wanted to tell you about a color I found that had no scary chemicals, no harsh smells and lasted a real long time before it gradually faded to a color only slightly different from day one. I found it at my local health food store and also in the 'health' isle at the local grocery store. It’s called “Herbatint”. It made my hair softer than it had been in years (I abused my hair for 25 plus years), it was nicer to style and I had zero frizz.
It also had one feature that was never mentioned on the box, my hair stopped falling out as much as usual. I use a light brown and my hair is shoulder length normally, so when I shed its very noticeable. This decreased by well over half after my first use. I love this product and it even smells good. Between this product and my drops of H202 darkening my grays, I only color 4 times per year.
Nasal flushing: (do not read if you have a really weak stomach)
If you have never heard of or used a netti-pot, this section may weird you out a bit, but bare with me okay. A netti-pot is a small tea pot like looking unit, usually porcelain or ceramic, which you put a mixture of warmed water and either salt or some specialty product bought at the drug store to flush your sinuses out. This is by far one of the strangest things I have ever done to my body, and there has been a lot done researching for this book. I loved it, but not at first. I bought my little pot after my Naturopathic Doctor suggested I should to clear out any pollens or dust etc from my sinuses so I could breathe better.
You want to be alone when you do this. In all honesty, I did not know the human body could hold so much useless crud. I boiled my kettle, put a half a teaspoon of kosher salt into my little pot and added the water. I let it sit until it stood warm, not hot. I went into the bathroom with my instructions and proceeded to choke half to death on salt water. I did it wrong. So I blew my nose as best I could and got ready to try again. I wanted this enlightening experience of being able to breathe like never before and was willing to choke trying, damn it.
The second try went off a bit better. I tipped my head to the side, I tipped the pot, and breathing through my mouth (very important), I proceeded to pour this warm salty liquid into my head. Never and I repeat never glance at the mirror while you do this. It was a look at myself in the mirror that set off my first explosion. This is not pretty people. I started to laugh so hard that all the salty, snotty water spurt out of every frontal hole it could. After I regained myself, I decided I best do the other nostril.
Now I must say here, that this will be your own body fluids escaping your body, but there is a very good chance you will be totally grossed out by what you see. I was a smoker for years but had quit 2 years before doing this, I am also an air brush artist and have always had a dusty house (not always by choice), so I was expecting some debris from all those things, but seriously, what fell out of my head shocked me. I gather our sinuses are just collector holes.
Anymore details are not needed here and you will have to give this a go for yourself, but let me tell you this, do it. After my third salt water flushing I felt clear and less spacey. I have always snored and that diminished. A numb facial ache that has always accompanied me though out life, that I never thought anything of really, also went away. I imagine if I was prone to sinus headaches or other issues that they to would be helped. As for my breathing, I never really noticed anything huge until I started taking the H202 orally (that has its own chapter) and that really cleared out my lungs.
For this book I wanted to do the netti- pot with H202 (hydrogen peroxide) in it to see if I could stir up some deeper crud out of my sinuses than a full year of salt water did. Four drops of full strength food grade hydrogen peroxide and filled the pot up with warm water, I began.
Now if you know anything about what H202 does for your lungs, this will come as no surprise, but in case you don't, here is the short version. H202 is water with an extra oxygen molecule and because of that extra hit of oxygen, when you take it internally it gets in between your lung tissue and the phlegm, loosens it and kicks it out of your body by coughing. Pretty cool if you have lung issues, so it only made sense to me to try it in my sinuses.
I put it inside my head and not my lungs, but the effect was the same. Salt water is nothing like the deep cleansing you get with H202. I thought I'd killed myself. Nothing could have prepared me for the bubbling, foaming and loudness that was almost instant. So cool it was, I did the other side. As I sit here right now, I can tell you that was one of the most bizarre and incredible things I have ever done. It was like a nasal enema on steroids, speed and pop rocks. I can't wait for the next one in two or so weeks. It is so refreshing, and so complete, that if you snore, have sinus headaches or anything 'sinus', try this. Just know that it comes with a warning. No more than 4 drops of H202 in a full netti-pot.
Also have lots of tissues around for blowing out any remaining liquid and there will be some for about 10 or so minutes after. Do not do this in front of your children, it may mentally damage them for life.
Toothpaste:
The best toothpaste on the market right now isn't even toothpaste, it is baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. If you are a tooth paste person and refuse to use or dislike the taste of baking soda, try one of the Natural tooth pastes that have no fluoride. My favorites are “kiss my face” with Aloe Vera gel and “Dr. Ken's” maximum care. Both are fluoride free and do everything your normal tooth paste does but with 'cleaner' ingredients. Dr. Ken's has green tea extract, papain (papaya plant), baking soda and aloe Vera gel in its mix and tastes great. Do your teeth and gums as well as your entire self a favor, and switch to a natural choice, fluoride free healthy toothpaste.