By Jonathan Evans
Herbal Information Specialist for the Herbarium
Happy New Year! Here at the Herbarium, we’re hoping all of you have a healthy and prosperous new year. That said, I have a few little tidbits of info below to help your New Year get off on the right foot.
It’s diet month
As I mentioned in last month’s column, everybody and their mother’s uncle is going to be trying to sell you weight loss plans at this time of year. Most will be expensive, and most will not work for very long.
The Herbarium has a summary sheet of many of the better weight loss ingredients and an explanation of what they do. This makes it easier for you to choose the right item for your individual needs.
To get this list, send a self addressed, stamped envelope to HERBARIUM, 264 Exchange St., Chicopee, Mass. 01013.
Medical abbreviations
I have noticed a recent upswing in abbreviated medical conditions – IBS/D, IBS/ C,IBS- C/D, OIC, DVT, CPRS, IBC, UC, ECT, and some I can’t even remember (which is known as CRS). There is one that I saw the other night and I swear I thought it was parody from SNL (Saturday Night Live). It came so fast and the ad was almost funny to the point I did not get the abbreviation.
Here at the Herbaium, I get bombarded every day with this stuff, and people are surprised and miffed if I don’t know to what they are referring.
Here is my offer: if you can identify these abbreviations, send me your list. The first person to get them all correct will win a $25 gift certificate to Herbarium. If you see the commercial that has to do with ladies dribbling when they laugh, (that’s the one I missed) and can supply the acronym you get extra credit.
Natural pain relief
With the opioid crisis touching so many people and the problem of acute and chronic pain so prevalent, let me offer some information on natural pain relievers.
• Tumeric
Most of you have heard of using turmeric for inflammation and pain.
It is a very powerful anti inflammatory and been used as a substitute for NSAIDS (Non steroidal anti-inflammatories) such as Celebrex, Tylenol, Advil and a host of others.
• Boswellia serrate
This is another natural pain reliever. You may be more familiar with its common name – frankincense. An extract of Boswellia containing 65 percent boswellic acid is a great Cox-2 inhibitor, and frankincense oil can be used as a topical pain reliever.
Caution - Do Not ingest Frankincense resin or essential oil
• California Poppy
The California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) contains sedative alkaloids similar to the Opium Poppy, yet is safe and non addictive. California Poppy is an antispasmodic, analgesic and soporific (induces sleep). It is well tolerated by children and is indicated in bed wetting associated with nervousness.
• Jamaican Dogwood
Jamacian Dogwood (Piscidia erythrina) is a super pain reliever. It helps with nerve pain as a sedative, soporific and anodyne. It is also a great pain reliever for conditions ranging from toothache, sciatica, withdrawal from addictive drugs and fractures, to various forms of neuralgia and it is one of the few things that can help with shingles pain. Best of all, it is non addictive.
• Topical pain relief
For topical treatments there are several essential oils blends we at Herbarium have developed over the years for strains, sprains, arthritis and sore muscles. We have also found a great roll-on that contains several homeopathic ingredients such as boswellia, cayenne, MSM, turmeric and arnica , plus three really wild ingredients – cobra, rattlesnake and bushmaster venom – three of the most poisonous snakes on earth. This formula is perfectly safe and really effective.
• CBD
Lastly, let me mention CBD (Cannabidiol) oil. This is one of over 80 cannabinoids found in cannabis (marijuana), that has wonderful pain relieving qualities and is not psychoactive (you won’t get high on it).
CBD helps relieve pain, nausea, inflammation, seizures, anxiety, muscle spasms and is used in conjunction with opioid withdrawal protocols.
Herbarium has literature on CBD oil available for individuals who would like to learn more.
— Jonathan
Send questions on botanical remedies to: Natures Rx: Jonathan Evans at herbarium258@gmail.com, or by regular mail to: The Herbarium, 264 Exchange St., Chicopee, MA. 01013. If requesting additional info, include a self-addressed stamped envelope.
