This month I’m answering some common questions, unraveling an allergic mystery and offering some advice on seasonal allergies and cholesterol.
Readers ask...
Dear Jonathan,
I have been fighting toe fungus for quite a while. It was getting better with topical treatments then it came back. I tried some over-the-counter things but got the same result. Is there anything you know of that can actually work?
— Allan
Dear Allan,
Thanks for your question. I have been inundated with this same question, so let me take this time to address the problem to a larger audience.
Candida is a fungus found inside and outside the body. Normally, it does not cause a problem, but when your immune system is run down, or your diet is off, Candida takes that opportunity to show its ugly side. Fungal infections on the skin manifest with itching, or a red rash. It likes warm, moist environments, so feet, groin and armpits tend to be where you find it.
Antibiotics, stress and conditions such as diabetes contribute to the chance of a Candida infection. Essential fatty acids, magnesium and extra B-6 help improve immune function. Prescriptions and over-the-counter medications also have a negative impact on gut flora, further helping Candida overgrowth.
Candida overgrowth can exhibit symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, nausea, gas, bloating and cramps.
Watch out for high-sugar foods, refined grains, processed meats and foods, dairy products and alcohol; which can feed the fungal overgrowth.
A good refrigerated probiotic with multiple strains of lacto-bacillus and bifido bacteria can help repopulate the good bacteria in the gut and help to keep the Candida at a manageable level. I went into a detailed explanation of probiotics in a previous column.
There are several natural products individually and in formulas that are very effective in knocking out the Candida. Grapefruit seed extract has antibacterial antiviral and antimicrobial action. Garlic, apple cider vinegar, Pau D’arco, caprylic acid, spilanthes and usnea are some of the ingredients to look for.
— Jonathan
Dear Jonathan,
I tend to bruise easily. I am on a blood thinner and it seems the slightest bang or bump creates a huge black and blue mark that takes forever to go away. Is there anything you can suggest to help with this?
— Donna
Dear Donna,
We have many customers with a similar problem. Two things that can help would be bioflavonoids, to help strengthen the blood vessels, and mullein flower oil. Mullein flower oil will help break up the black and blue marks very quickly.
— Jonathan
A mysterious reaction
I have a personal situation to report to you all. I had a weird allergic reaction the other day. My upper lip swelled up to the point of looking like a freak. Thank goodness I have a mustache to hide the problem. Anyway, It was suggested I go to urgent care, but I could not see the benefit in that. By process of elimination we figured out what might have been the offending food. I did give in and buy an over-the-counter product popular for allergic reactions but it did nothing. Then I went to the tried-and- true milk thistle for my liver. As milk thistle would help me process the allergens more quickly, I took two capsules that night and followed up with two in the morning. Voila! My lip is back to its normal size and my liver is cleaner. You just can’t beat Mother Nature.
Your spring allergies
I recently did a guest spot on TV-22’s Mass Appeal program outlining some remedies for allergy season. You can see the full program online or on our Facebook page.
In short there are some quick relief supplements to get you through the season.
Milk thistle, as mentioned above, can help clear the allergens from your system.
Stinging nettles in tea, tincture or capsule form help with antihistamine activity.
Vitamin C, quercetin and bromelain are highly recommended and effective.
Turmeric and Brigham tea can help cut down inflammation and open up the sinuses.
Bergamont and cholesterol
Here is a surprise discovery. For people battling high cholesterol, we have used red yeast rice, policosanol, plant sterols, garlic, essential fatty acids and apple pectin. Now comes new research indicating bergamot, a citrus fruit native to the Calabria region of Italy and most notably found as the flavor in Earl Grey tea, has shown to help lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and raise the HDL or good cholesterol.
Now, do not think drinking lots of tea is going to have the same effect as a measured dose, and do not use essential oil of bergamot, thinking it will do the same. It will not.
Send question on botanical remedies to: Nature’s RX: Jonathan Evans at Herbarium258@gmail.com or by regular mail to: The Herbarium, 254 Exchange St., Chicopee, MA 01013. If requesting information, please include a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
