Mrs. Gill – 44-years—had recently got her uterus removed in a medical institute. For the 1st four days after the operation she was fine and had come back home. Thereafter, for no known reason she began to talk incessantly all the 24 hours of the day.Her husband who was attending on her could not get a wink of sleep for the last 4 nights, and had to send and S.O.S to his sister calling her for assistance and relief.There were no other symptoms on which to prescribe a homoeopathic medicine.There were 2 facets of the case:(a) She was talking incessantly day in and day out, for which HEATHER was prescribed.(b) Her mind had lost control over her action of talking for which CHERRY PLUM was prescribed. Both remedies were to be taken thrice daily.In addition a dose of Sulpher-30 was prescribed to be taken at night for inducing sleep.*115\308\8*
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Research has revealed that the species originated in Mexico and Central America some 70,000 years ago. Four times it colonized North America, each time being almost wiped out by glaciers during successive ice ages. Each new wave of evening primrose cross-pollinated with survivors and so continued the line.
American Indians are supposed to have used the evening primrose for hundreds of years. According to folklore, a tribe called Flambeau Ojibwe was the first to realize the medicinal properties of the evening primrose plant. They used to soak the whole plant in warm water to make a poultice to heal bruises, they used the plant for skin problems and asthma, and brewed a cough mixture from the roots.
From America, the evening primrose spread all over the world. Botanists first brought the plant from Virginia to Europe in 1614 as a botanical curiosity.
Most of the strains, however, came to Britain during the next century as stowaways in cargo ships carrying cotton. As cotton is light, soil was used as ballast. The ballast was dumped on reaching port, and with it stray seeds of evening primrose. Even today there are areas around the major ports, such as Liverpool, where evening primrose plants – descendants of the cotton ballast – grow in profusion.
In Europe, the evening primrose became known as ‘King’s Cure All’ by those who knew its almost magical medicinal properties. For centuries, however, the evening primrose was left to straggle along without anyone but a few specialist herbalists taking much notice. It wasn’t until this century that scientists began to look at the plant for its industrial potential in such things as paint.
In 1917 a German scientist called Unger examined the plant, and found that the seeds contained 15% oil, which was extractable with light petroleum. In 1919 the Archives of Pharmacology published a paper by Heiduschka and Luft who were the first to do a detailed analysis of the oil. They extracted 14% oil with ether, and apart from the normal oleic and linoleic acids, found a new fatty acid, which they named gammalinolenic acid (y-linolenic acid). In 1927, three German scientists repeated the Heiduschka and Luft test, and came up with a more detailed analysis of the chemical structure of this gammalinolenic acid (GLA).
Twenty-two years later Dr J.P. Riley, a British biochemist in the Department of Industrial Chemistry at Liverpool University, came across the German papers on evening primrose oil and decided to analyze the oil for himself, but this time using modern techniques. So Dr Riley set off for the sand hills near Southport in Merseyside and picked a bunch or two of evening primrose plants. He dried the plants, separated the seeds, and extracted the oil. To his great satisfaction, he found for himself the unique gammalinolenic acid.
It wasn’t until the 1960s, however, that British scientists began investigating the oil for its possible health uses. The first experiment was on rats. The aim of this experiment was to compare the biological activity of the commonly-found linoleic acid with the rare gammalinolenic acid.
The rats were put on a diet lacking in essential fatty acids, and after a few weeks they developed loss of hair and skin problems. They were then divided into two groups. One group was fed linoleic acid and the other group was fed gammalinolenic acid. The results of this first experiment were remarkable. The rats in the GLA group recovered more rapidly than the other group, and there was evidence that the GLA was far more efficiently taken up by the cells of all the important tissues and organs of the body.*2/60/5*
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Blankets should be light and porous. A duvet filled with down provides beautiful warmth but a heavy old eiderdown is uncomfortable. Woollen blankets are popular in many places, but in really bad weather anyone who feels the cold will probably need an additional duvet. On the other hand, those who become warm easily will find a light duvet is better in the summer, as opposed to a woollen blanket that keeps in the heat and is heavier. Our choice, then, depends upon our individual disposition and the time of year.
In Guatemala, where two woollen blankets did not keep us warm enough during the cold nights, they gave us newspapers to use as insulation material between the blankets. True, it made us feel warmer but the constant rustling of the paper disturbed our sleep. Blankets made of pure wool, especially camel and angora, are excellent; for instance, they provide good insulation and create an electromagnetic field. Less favourable are synthetic fibres since many people, including those who suffer from rheumatism and arthritis, are susceptible to their unpleasant effect.
Bed linen, too, has its place in providing the basis for healthy sleep and should be changed frequently. While in use, we should hang it out to air in the sun from time to time. Well-aired sheets will help to stimulate the skin pores so that they will function more efficiently. In fact, it is no idle imagination to feel a sense of pleasure and well-being between fresh sheets, but a clear sign that the frequent changing of bed linen makes for healthier sleeping.
*1217/28/1*
Tags: Herbal
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The peculiar connections between our psychological and physical life are reflected in the sentence ‘Breathing means life’. Again and again we find this concept discussed in journals and lecture halls and it may be of benefit from a scientific as well as a practical point of view if we examine and analyse what lies behind it.
It is a fact that mental stress can have a potent effect on our general health. I have experienced that myself. If one’s profession requires one to be in the public eye, hostile people will engender malice and slander and make life difficult. Not everyone has a ‘thick skin’ and is able to shake off any and every kind of attack without feeling hurt, letting storm and the sound of ruin blow over him without upsetting his inner balance. You may think that you know your own strength and believe that your mental health is greater than it really is, but some problems can upset you so much that, in spite of having a healthy body, your organs begin to weaken, and may even give in and stop functioning. Anger, worry, disgust, disappointment and frustration are bad companions for health as they gnaw at our nerves and, eventually, the liver and pancreas become affected. This is what happened to me. My stomach began to play up in spite of my maintaining the best possible diet. Flatulence followed. Breathing became difficult and heart problems appeared. And, to top it all, appendicitis set in. A colleague examined me, confirming the diagnosis and expressing concern and fear. He advised me to have an operation.
Instead, I fasted, drank only carrot juice, and took hot water treatments. I felt slight relief, but the condition did not really improve.
What was I able to do to regain my resistance and get rid of the disturbances?
*1148/28/1*
Tags: Herbal
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Acidophil bacteria help to build up new intestinal flora in cases of dysbacteria and the connected destruction of useful bacteria. American researchers also claim that acidophil bacteria are important in the formation of vitamin Bn in the intestines due to intestinal biosynthesis.
We know that vitamin B2 is important in the formation of red blood corpuscles, so we can conclude that the acidophilus is a tremendous help in cases of anaemia, as well as in the fight against pernicious anemia, in a supportive role. The intestinal flora is impaired when there is too much or too little gastric acid. Flatulence and poor digestion may occur. Acidophil bacteria have done much to relieve this condition as well as easing other problems too. For example, they are helpful in treating enteritis and similar inflammations of the intestines, and some causes of constipation. In view of these beneficial effects, it is recommended to take acidophilus two or three times a year for about a month on a regular basis. Any problems with the intestinal flora will then be rectified.
*1079/28/1*
Tags: Herbal
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Refined sugar, like refined flour, is a product of our civilisation, an unnatural ‘food’ and a contributory factor to ill health. We should keep away from anything that is detrimental to our health and reduces the nutritional value of our food. It is therefore obvious that denatured, refined foods are to be rejected. Unrefined cane sugar, on the other hand, contains various minerals, which are alkaline-forming and, at least, make some contribution to our health. Moreover, the allegation that it is treated with sulphur is untrue.
The best sugar is, and always will be, that found in nature, that is, in fruits, either fresh or dried. Raisins, sultanas, dates and figs are ideal sources of natural sugar. Since it does not need to be digested, it is the best and quickest source of energy. In fact, it is completely wrong to believe that protein foods are the only energy source. And why? Just think of a bull and its tremendous power, yet it does not eat any kind of protein food at all.
*1009/28/1*
Tags: Herbal
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A sweet course or dessert has no place in a health diet because it encourages fermentation, that is, flatulence. If you cannot overcome your desire for fruit or some other naturally sweet food after a meal, postpone indulging in your fancy until at least 4 p.m. It is better, however, not to make a habit of such snacks between meals because it is always better to eat a little rather than a lot. A small amount of nutritious food goes a long way towards good health. Eating slowly and thorough insalivation will enable you to obtain the maximum value from whatever you eat; it prevents the pancreas from being overburdened and the formation of intestinal gases.
For your midday meal, instead of soup, you may substitute vegetable juices or natural unsweetened yoghurt. Sugar does not go well with the lactic acid in yoghurt, as it causes fermentation. If you wish to increase your weight, by all means take soup, but if you tend to be overweight and wish to reduce your weight, you would do better to go without it.
*938/28/1*
Tags: Herbal
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The proper seasoning of food prepared for those who suffer from a liver disorder is very important, since the liver is influenced by it for good or for bad. I must warn against certain Indian dishes because the spices are so hot that they affect the mucous membranes of the stomach. They begin to play up and may actually stop working for a few days. The palate does not necessarily like the spices either and may still feel on fire half an hour after eating the strange food. Does it not go to show that even herbal spices need to be used in the right amount? It is not good to use excessive quantities, which will only affect the liver adversely. Many Indian people have yellow mixed in with the white of the eyes, no doubt a symptom of an affected liver. Indeed, their blood sometimes contains a yellowish-red bile substance. The two main causes of this can be found in their spicy food and widespread infestation with worms. This shows that one should use spices sparingly.
*472/28/1*
Tags: Herbal
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To correct this condition, the patient must change his diet. Avoid all fruit, raw vegetables, sweets, cooked cabbage, and every other food that may cause fermentation and flatulence. Raw, unprocessed milk is recommended. The diet may include soft white cheese (cottage cheese, quark), any of the mild cheeses, rolled oats, crisp-bread, rusks, potatoes boiled in their jackets and brown rice. Not all fruits are forbidden; apples, blueberries (bilberries) and bananas have a constipating and healing effect. It is important, however, not to eat fruit and vegetables at the same meal, a precautionary measure which prevents fermentation. Make sure that everything you eat is well chewed and insalivated before swallowing. A short fast is beneficial, too, because it gives the digestive organs a rest during which time the bacterial flora can be restored and regenerated.
*415/28/1*
Tags: Herbal
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Epilepsy, formerly known as ‘falling sickness’, is frequently mentioned in old writings and even in the Bible, yet although it has been around for thousands of years the therapy employed today still entails little more than a simple treatment of the symptoms. Bromine, used in various combinations, as well as Luminal, Com-inal and other dangerous drugs prescribed to reduce the severity of the seizures, can hardly be called satisfactory by either the patient or the doctor.
If the patient is sensible enough to avoid alcohol, nicotine and other harmful stimulants, it may be possible to obtain more satisfactory results. Following a diet consisting of raw foods, rich in vitamins and minerals, is of definite advantage. Experience has shown that attacks are less frequent and less severe when the patient adheres to the right kind of diet.
*358/28/1*
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