By Jonathan Evans
Herbal Information Specialist for the Herbarium
It has been awhile since I answered reader’s questions in the column, so here goes! Below are some of the issues that people have written to the Herbarium about:
Dear Jonathan,
I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and am in constant pain. I really do not want to take the pain medicine prescribed because of side effects. Do you have any suggestions?
— Liza
Dear Liza,
There are several things that have shown effectiveness with treating the pain of fibromyalgia. If you have been a regular reader of this column you might remember my mentioning magnesium as useful for a variety of problems. One of them is pain from fibromyalgia. Another important nutrient for people with your condition is malic acid, which comes from apples. This combination can do wonders as a start. Turmeric (Curcuma longa), Boswellia (Boswellia serrata), Devil’s Claw (Harpagophytum spp) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) are all great anti- inflammatories. St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) and Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) are excellent for nerve pain, as is Jamaican dogwood (Piscidia erythrina).
In addition California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) is a non addictive plant that is a wonderful general analgesic, and can be helpful with your type of pain.
— Jonathan
Dear Jonathan,
I have Plantar fasciitis and can hardly walk, especially in the morning getting out of bed. Does the Herbarium have anything that can help?
— Bill
Dear Bill,
Yes! I have suffered with the same condition and know exactly what you mean. The best product I have found for this condition is Solaray MSM 750. It is a combination of Turmeric, Boswellia and Devil’s Claw, all great anti-inflammatories, along with MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), which is an excellent anti inflammatory and is very helpful for the ligaments and tendons. Taking this combination and doing stretching exercises will get you back on your feet very quickly – I got rid of my problem in three days!
This combination is also very helpful for tendinitis, carpal tunnel, arthritis and any muscle strain and best of all, it is inexpensive with no negative side effects. Note – MSM is sulfur not sulfa. Sulfa is a drug, sulfur is the eighth most common element on earth, so do not worry if you have an allergy to sulfa drugs.
— Jonathan
Dear Jonathan,
I have come down with gout all of a sudden and it hurts like heck! Any ideas on how to get rid of it?
— Charlie
Dear Charlie,
Two things come to mind. First, did you recently start a new medication? Sometime certain drugs can contribute to the condition. Check with your pharmacist for any side effects of your medication. Second, what have you been eating lately? Shellfish, asparagus, red meat, and oatmeal (yes oatmeal) can contribute to a gout attack.
There are many things that can relieve the pain and swelling. Cherry juice – dark or tart – works as an anti inflammatory, celery seed, as a diuretic, or a tea we make called arthritis/gout tea. It helps with inflammation, breaking up and flushing out uric acid crystals. My dad suffered for years with gout, until he met my wife, Kathy and tried her tea. It took care of his gout and kept him going for many years.
— Jonathan
Dear Jonathan,
I have had a cold for several weeks and it just keeps hanging on. None of the stuff from the drugstore is helping. My head feels like it is going to explode from the pressure, I have a constant sore throat, and just feel awful. What can I do to get rid of this cold?
— Cheryl
Dear Cheryl,
Are you sure it is a cold? Granted, there has been a bug going around this year that keeps hanging on, but what you are describing sounds more like a sinus infection or allergy. (We talked about this in last month’s Prime and on TV-22’s Mass Appeal.)
What I would do is try Buried Treasure’s ACF formula. If it is a cold you will see improvement very quickly. My guess is you have post nasal drip and inflamed sinuses.
Buried Treasure also makes an allergy formula that can help with the inflammation and over production of mucous.
There are several combination that can help with allergy symptoms, without the side effects related to some over-the-counter products that cause high blood pressure, dry mouth or drowsiness. You can also try an old-fashioned garlic steam to see if that relieves some of the sinus pressure. One important thing for you to be aware of is if you do not see improvement in a short time or if your mucus is yellow to green, do not hesitate, but see your doctor. A sinus infection can get to the brain very quickly and can be very serious.
— 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.
