Debunking detox scams and other herbal updates

PRIME – April 2014 By Jonathan Evans Herbal Information Specialist for the Herbarium Happy spring! Before I answer this month's readers' question, let me comment on yet another "program" that is making the rounds again. Many of you may have seen ads for "detox pads" that are placed on the bottom of the foot overnight. When you awake, voila!, the pad has magically removed the harmful toxins from your liver, kidney, bowel, and any other organ you can think of. This is similar to an old foot detox scam, where you put your feet in the magic liquid and 45 minutes later you are soaking in bouillabaisse. Really folks, it is a scam. Ask anyone who has ever studied anatomy and physiology and they will tell you the same. What you are actually doing is pulling out the oils in your feet, and they are reacting to some of the herbs – usually slippery elm powder – in the patch (or water). How many times have you soaked your feet or sat in the bathtub? Have you ever seen this happen before? As I said, it really isn't detoxing. Now, if you feel better, fine. But at a hundred bucks for a month's supply, how long can you afford to "feel good," without the benefit of actual detoxing? The other scam running on numerous websites and radio ads, talks about the "weird spice that cures diabetes. Note that the substance promoted in these ads is not a "weird spice," it is cinnamon. It is also telling that one of the publishing houses sending out this information is not even a real publishing house, and has been cited for fraud and billing issues. It is widely known that cinnamon has a beneficial effect on blood sugar levels, but it is not a diabetes cure and anyone who promotes the spice as one is lying. We have lots of free literature about the benefits and use of cinnamon for health, so save your money and avoid identity theft by not ordering from these websites! Treating seasonal allergies Dear Jonathan, I read last month you said you would talk about ways to prepare for and mitigate seasonal allergies, aside from using local honey and bee pollen, What else can I do for springtime allergies? – Gerry Dear Gerry, Depending on your type of allergies there are a wide variety of solutions available. For example, there are several homeopathic formulas that can be very specific, such as for tree or grass pollen, or general seasonal allergies. These products are some of my favorites, because they can be used safely, even if you are on several prescriptions for other conditions. That is the beauty of homeopathy. Herbally, some of the traditional plants used to treat seasonal allergies include: stinging nettle, shown to significantly reduce mucous and help reduce nasal congestion; eyebright, used to clear up weepy allergy eyes; mullein, used to reduce inflammation and soothe a sore throat from post nasal drip; astragalus, brigham tea to reduce inflammation; and bayberry, used to reduce swollen mucous membrane. Other nutritional supplements that can help with allergy symptoms include quercetin, a bioflavonoid that helps inhibit overproduction of histamine and helps with inflammation, and bromelain, a powerful anti-inflammatory enzyme. Both bromelain and quercetin should be taken on an empty stomach for best results. Taking the bromelain with food would actually work as a digestive enzyme breaking down protein. – Jonathan Herbal updates This just in: curcumin – an active compound found in turmeric – has been shown to have antidepressant action. The study* showed people using 1,000 mgs of curcumin fared as well as those using 20 mgs of fluoxetine (Prozac) in patients with major depressive disorder. A gentleman came in this afternoon, to tell me his wife has been using a simple kidney formula. Her doctor is amazed with her progress. It turns out she only had 13 percent kidney function and was going to have to start dialysis. She began taking this formula, only one pill a day. She has increased her kidney function to 35 percent and has been doing well for three years. He says she has a good five or six more years without dialysis. As a last note, let me sing the praises of my dear wife, Kathy, who is a certified clinical aromatherapist/ instructor, among her many other accomplishments. She created an oil for inflammation and pain called "Pain Away". It consists of ginger and black pepper oil, two very powerful oils with anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and rubefacient qualities. Some of you know that I have been suffering with a foot problem for more than six months. It got so bad that I was using a cane. Because of a misdiagnosis I had not been able to efficiently treat my problem. I finally found a doctor who identified the problem and gave me a cortisone shot to quiet down the nerve (yes, I do utilize pharmaceuticals when necessary). The pain reduced about 50 percent, but it still was very painful. Then I added the Pain Away oil, and bam, the pain reduced to practically nothing. Adding two MSM750 capsules to my daily regimen and, honestly, I dropped using the cane. The oil was amazing for pain relief. It never ceases to amaze me how powerful these gifts from the Creator can be. – Jonathan Please send your questions on botanical remedies to Natures Rx: Jonathan Evans via email at herbarium258@gmail.com, or by regular mail to: The Herbarium, 264 Exchange St., Chicopee, Mass. 01013. If requesting additional information from Evans, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope. *"Efficacy and Safety of Curcumin in Major Depressive Disorder" J. Sanmukhani et al, Phytother. Res., &/13)