Herbal Remedies for this Festive Season

(2005-12-06) Keith Woolley

As Christmas arrives, every home medicine cabinet should be stocked with a few herbal remedies to make the festive and party season run smoothly.

DETOX

Milk Thistle – to aid the liver to recover from over-zealous celebrations.

Research indicates that Milk thistle offers protection to the liver from damage. The detrimental effects of environmental-toxins, alcohol and medication may be countered with this valuable herb.


ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION



St John’s Wort – to help with post-holiday depression syndrome (PHDS).

St John’s Wort has been popular for about 15 years in Europe as a natural remedy for depression. In Germany, where it's currently the leading treatment, physicians write some three million prescriptions a year--25 times the number they write for Prozac.

The British Medical Journal also published a review of 23 controlled studies involving 1,757 depressed patients. In that analysis, researchers from the United States and Germany found that St. John's Wort worked nearly three times better than a placebo.

It should be noted however, that St John’s Wort does have interactivity with medication and can have an impact on the effectiveness of the contraceptive pill.


ENERGY

Stimulant herbs such as ephedra, guarana and kola nut also should be avoided. These herbs give you quick hits of energy, but they're temporary measures that end up wearing you out even more. Although it's tempting to think herbal stimulants aren't harmful because they're natural, they can cause problems if used in the wrong way. Exhausted adrenal glands are like a tired horse: They'll only become weaker if they're over-stimulated, over-stressed and whipped into action by the use of stimulants.

However, there is a herbal remedy from Siberia called Rhodiola Rosea that actually supports the adrenal glands, working with the body to reduce stress and boost energy.


High Five B-complex with Vitamin C – gives the body the key nutrients required to help combat stress, especially Vitamin B5.


AVOID INFECTION

Echinacea – boost immune system to fight off infections – especially when you are in close contact with family, children or perhaps in very crowded night clubs.

STOMACH AIDS

High Potency Digestive Aid – powerful combination of enzymes to aid digestion.

Irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal bloating / intestinal gas e.g. candida, nausea, poor digestion/insufficient digestive enzyme output, anti-inflammatory / anti-spasmodic effects on GI tract, anti-ulcer, anti-microbial, anti-odour i.e. helps deodorise the intestinal tract. Digestive enzyme supplementation also offers benefit in cases of stress, as normal enzyme secretion is impaired by the influence of stress hormones.


Tri-blend acidophilus – combination of good bacteria to aid digestion and boost immunity. Perfect to aid recovery from the festive season’s culinary excesses.

Provided you have enough of the health-promoting bacteria, they act as your first line of defense against unfriendly bacteria and other disease-producing microbes including viruses and fungi. The good ones make some vitamins and digest fibre, allowing you to derive more nutrients from otherwise indigestible food, and also help promote a healthy digestive environment.



ENDS


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