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Action: vein-restorative, hypotensive, anti-haemorrhage, vasodilator. Contains Rutin, an anti-coagulant. Source of magnesium.
Uses: Radiation damage, high blood pressure, capillary fragility, varicose veins, petechiae, retinal haemorrhage, spontaneous bruising, circulatory stasis, purple patches on skin due to capillary haemorrhages, temporal arteritis, visible pulsation of carotid artery in the neck, frostbite, chilblains. Preparations. Green Buckwheat tea (Rutin); a caffeine-free tea. One heaped teaspoon to each cup boiling water. Half-1 cup as desired.
Formula. Tablets or capsules: Rutin 60mg; Vitamin C 20mg; Chlorophyll 20mg.
Nutritional Profile Energy value (calories per serving): Moderate Protein: Low Fat: High Saturated fat: High Cholesterol: None Carbohydrates: Moderate Fiber: High to very high Sodium: Low Major vitamin contribution: Vitamins A, folate, vitamin C Major mineral contribution: Potassium
About the Nutrients in This Food The avocado is an unusual fruit because about 16 percent of its total weight is fat, primarily monounsaturated fatty acids. Like many other fruits, avo- cados are high in fiber (the Florida avocado is very high in fiber), a good source of the B vitamin folate, vitamin C, and potassium. The edible part of half of one average size avocado (100 g/3.5 ounces) provides 6.7 g dietary fiber, 15 g fat (2.1 g saturated fat, 9.7 g monoun- saturated fat, 1.8 g polyunsaturated fat), 81 mcg folate (20 percent of the R DA), 20 mg vitamin C (26 percent of the R DA for a woman, 22 percent for a man), and 485 mg potassium (the equivalent of one eight-ounce cup of fresh orange juice). The edible part of one-half a Florida avocado (a.k.a. alligator pear) has eight grams dietary fiber, 13.5 g fat (2.65 g saturated fat), 81 mcg folate (41 percent of the R DA for a man, 45 percent of the R DA for a woman), 12 mg vitamin C (20 percent of the R DA), and 741 mg potassium, 50 percent more than one cup fresh orange juice.
Diets That May Exclude or Restrict This Food Controlled-potassium diet Low-fat diet
Buying This Food Look for: Fruit that feels heavy for its size. The avocados most commonly sold in the U.S. are the Hass—a purple-black bumpy fruit that accounts for 85 percent of the avocados shipped from California—and the smooth-skinned Florida avocado (“alligator pear”). The oval, midwinter Bacon; the pear-shaped, late-fall Fuerte; the Gwen, a slightly larger Hass; Pinkerton, pear-shaped with a smaller seed; the round summer Reed; and the yellow-green, pear-shaped Zutano. Avoid: Avocados with soft dark spots on the skin that indicate damage underneath.
Storing This Food Store hard, unripened avocados in a warm place; a bowl on top of the refrigerator will do. Avocados are shipped before they ripen, when the flesh is hard enough to resist bruising in transit, but they ripen off the tree and will soften nicely at home. Store soft, ripe avocados in the refrigerator to slow the natural enzyme action that turns their flesh brown as they mature even when the fruit has not been cut.
Preparing This Food When you peel or slice an avocado, you tear its cell walls, releasing polyphenoloxidase, an enzyme that converts phenols in the avocado to brownish compounds that darken the avocado’s naturally pale green flesh. You can slow this reaction (but not stop it completely) by brushing the exposed surface of the avocado with an acid (lemon juice or vinegar). To store a cut avocado, brush it with lemon juice or vinegar, wrap it tightly in plastic, and keep it in the refrigerator—where it will eventually turn brown. Or you can store the avocado as guacamole; mixing it with lemon juice, tomatoes, onions, and mayonnaise (all of which are acidic) is an efficient way to protect the color of the fruit.
Medical Uses and/or Benefits Lower risk of some birth defects. As many as two of every 1,000 babies born in the United States each year may have cleft palate or a neural tube (spinal cord) defect due to their moth- ers’ not having gotten adequate amounts of folate during pregnancy. The current R DA for folate is 180 mcg for a healthy woman and 200 mcg for a healthy man, but the FDA now recommends 400 mcg for a woman who is or may become pregnant. Taking folate supple- ments before becoming pregnant and through the first two months of pregnancy reduces the risk of cleft palate; taking folate through the entire pregnancy reduces the risk of neural tube defects. Lower risk of heart attack. In the spring of 1998, an analysis of data from the records for more than 80,000 women enrolled in the long-running Nurses’ Health Study at Harvard School of Public Health/Brigham and Woman’s Hospital, in Boston, demonstrated that a diet providing more than 400 mcg folate and 3 mg vitamin B6 daily, from either food or supplements, more than twice the current R DA for each, may reduce a woman’s risk of heart attack by almost 50 percent. Although men were not included in the analysis, the results are assumed to apply to them as well. However, data from a meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in December 2006 called this theory into question. Researchers at Tulane Univer- sity examined the results of 12 controlled studies in which 16,958 patients with preexisting cardiovascular disease were given either folic acid supplements or placebos (“look-alike” pills with no folic acid) for at least six months. The scientists, who found no reduction in the risk of further heart disease or overall death rates among those taking folic acid, concluded that further studies will be required to ascertain whether taking folic acid supplements reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. Lower levels of cholesterol. Avocados are rich in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat believed to reduce cholesterol levels. Potassium benefits. Because potassium is excreted in urine, potassium-rich foods are often recommended for people taking diuretics. In addition, a diet rich in potassium (from food) is associated with a lower risk of stroke. A 1998 Harvard School of Public Health analysis of data from the long-running Health Professionals Study shows 38 percent fewer strokes among men who ate nine servings of high potassium foods a day vs. those who ate less than four servings. Among men with high blood pressure, taking a daily 1,000 mg potas- sium supplement—about the amount of potassium in one avocado—reduced the incidence of stroke by 60 percent.
Adverse Effects Associated with This Food Latex-fruit syndrome. Latex is a milky fluid obtained from the rubber tree and used to make medical and surgical products such as condoms and protective latex gloves, as well as rubber bands, balloons, and toys; elastic used in clothing; pacifiers and baby-bottle nipples; chewing gum; and various adhesives. Some of the proteins in latex are allergenic, known to cause reactions ranging from mild to potentially life-threatening. Some of the pro- teins found naturally in latex also occur naturally in foods from plants such as avocados, bananas, chestnuts, kiwi fruit, tomatoes, and food and diet sodas sweetened with aspar- tame. Persons sensitive to these foods are likely to be sensitive to latex as well. NOT E : The National Institute of Health Sciences, in Japan, also lists the following foods as suspect: A lmonds, apples, apricots, bamboo shoots, bell peppers, buckwheat, cantaloupe, carrots, celer y, cherries, chestnuts, coconut, figs, grapefruit, lettuce, loquat, mangoes, mushrooms, mustard, nectarines, oranges, passion fruit, papaya, peaches, peanuts, peppermint, pine- apples, potatoes, soybeans, strawberries, walnuts, and watermelon.
Food/Drug Interactions MAO inhibitors. Monoamine oxidase (M AO) inhibitors are drugs used as antidepressants or antihypertensives. They inhibit the action of enzymes that break down the amino acid tyramine so it can be eliminated from the body. Tyramine is a pressor amine, a chemical that constricts blood vessels and raises blood pressure. If you eat a food such as avocado that contains tyramine while you are taking an M AO inhibitor you cannot eliminate the pressor amine, and the result may be abnormally high blood pressure or a hypertensive crisis (sus- tained elevated blood pressure). False-positive test for tumors. Carcinoid tumors (which may arise from tissues in the endo- crine system, the intestines, or the lungs) secrete serotonin, a natural chemical that makes blood vessels expand or contract. Because serotonin is excreted in urine, these tumors are diagnosed by measuring the levels of serotonin by-products in the urine. Avocados contain large amounts of serotonin; eating them in the three days before a test for an endocrine tumor might produce a false-positive result, suggesting that you have the tumor when in fact you don’t. (Other foods high in serotonin are bananas, eggplant, pineapples, plums, tomatoes, and walnuts.)... avocados
Nutritional Profile Energy value (calories per serving): Moderate Protein: Low Fat: Low Saturated fat: Low Cholesterol: None Carbohydrates: High Fiber: Moderate Sodium: Low Major vitamin contribution: B vitamins, vitamin C Major mineral contribution: Potassium, magnesium
About the Nutrients in This Food A banana begins life with more starch than sugar, but as the fruit ripens its starches turn to sugar, which is why ripe bananas taste so much better than unripe ones.* The color of a banana’s skin is a fair guide to its starch/ sugar ratio. When the skin is yellow-green, 40 percent of its carbohydrates are starch; when the skin is fully yellow and the banana is ripe, only 8 per- cent of the carbohydrates are still starch. The rest (91 percent) have broken down into sugars—glucose, fructose, sucrose, the most plentiful sugar in the fruit. Its high sugar content makes the banana, in its self-contained packet, a handy energy source. Bananas are a high-fiber food with insoluble cellulose and lignin in the tiny seeds and soluble pectins in the flesh. They are also a good source of vitamin C and potassium. One small (six-inch) banana or a half-cup of sliced banana has 2.6 g dietary fiber and 8.8 mg vitamin C (12 percent of the R DA for a woman, 10 percent of the R DA for a man), plus 363 mg potassium.
The Most Nutritious Way to Serve This Food Fresh and ripe. Green bananas contain antinutrients, proteins that inhibit the actions of amylase, an enzyme that makes it possible for us to digest * They are also more healt hful. Green bananas contain proteins t hat inhibit amy- lase, an enzyme t hat makes it possible for us to digest complex carbohydrates. starch and other complex carbohydrates. Raw bananas are richer in potassium than cooked bananas; heating depletes potassium.
Buying This Food Look for: Bananas that will be good when you plan to eat them. Bananas with brown specks on the skin are ripe enough to eat immediately. Bananas with creamy yellow skin will be ready in a day or two. Bananas with mostly yellow skin and a touch of green at either end can be ripened at home and used in two or three days. Avoid: Overripe bananas whose skin has turned brown or split open. A grayish yellow skin means that the fruit has been damaged by cold storage. Bananas with soft spots under the skin may be rotten.
Storing This Food Store bananas that aren’t fully ripe at room temperature for a day or two. Like avocados, bananas are picked green, shipped hard to protect them from damage en route and then sprayed with ethylene gas to ripen them quickly. Untreated bananas release ethylene natu- rally to ripen the fruit and turn its starches to sugar, but natural ripening takes time. Artificial ripening happens so quickly that there is no time for the starches to turn into sugar. The bananas look ripe but they may taste bland and starchy. A few days at room temperature will give the starches a chance to change into sugars. Store ripe bananas in the refrigerator. The cold air will slow (but not stop) the natural enzyme action that ripens and eventually rots the fruit if you leave it at room temperature. Cold storage will darken the banana’s skin, since the chill damages cells in the peel and releases polyphenoloxidase, an enzyme that converts phenols in the banana peel to dark brown compounds, but the fruit inside will remain pale and tasty for several days.
Preparing This Food Do not slice or peel bananas until you are ready to use them. When you cut into the fruit, you tear its cell walls, releasing polyphenoloxidase, an enzyme that hastens the oxidation of phenols in the banana, producing brown pigments that darken the fruit. (Chilling a banana produces the same reaction because the cold damages cells in the banana peel.) You can slow the browning (but not stop it completely) by dipping raw sliced or peeled bananas into a solution of lemon juice or vinegar and water or by mixing the slices with citrus fruits in a fruit salad. Overripe, discolored bananas can be used in baking, where the color doesn’t matter and their intense sweetness is an asset.
What Happens When You Cook This Food When bananas are broiled or fried, they are cooked so quickly that there is very little change in color or texture. Even so, they will probably taste sweeter and have a more intense aroma than uncooked bananas. Heat liberates the volatile molecules that make the fruit taste and smell good.
How Other Kinds of Processing Affect This Food Drying. Drying removes water and concentrates the nutrients and calories in bananas. Bananas may be treated with compounds such as sulfur dioxide to inhibit polyphenoloxi- dase and keep the bananas from browning as they dry. People who are sensitive to sulfites may suffer severe allergic reactions, including anaphylactic shock, if they eat these treated bananas. Freezing. Fresh bananas freeze well but will brown if you try to thaw them at room tem- perature. To protect the creamy color, thaw frozen bananas in the refrigerator and use as quickly as possible.
Medical Uses and/or Benefits Lower risk of stroke. Various nutrition studies have attested to the power of adequate potassium to keep blood pressure within safe levels. For example, in the 1990s, data from the long-running Harvard School of Public Health/Health Professionals Follow-Up Study of male doctors showed that a diet rich in high-potassium foods such as bananas, oranges, and plantain may reduce the risk of stroke. In the study, the men who ate the higher number of potassium-rich foods (an average of nine servings a day) had a risk of stroke 38 percent lower than that of men who consumed fewer than four servings a day. In 2008, a similar survey at the Queen’s Medical Center (Honolulu) showed a similar protective effect among men and women using diuretic drugs (medicines that increase urination and thus the loss of potassium). Improved mood. Bananas and plantains are both rich in serotonin, dopamine, and other natural mood-elevating neurotransmitters—natural chemicals that facilitate the transmis- sion of impulses along nerve cells. Potassium benefits. Because potassium is excreted in urine, potassium-rich foods are often recommended for people taking diuretics. In addition, a diet rich in potassium (from food) is associated with a lower risk of stroke. A 1998 Harvard School of Public Health analysis of data from the long-running Health Professionals Study shows 38 percent fewer strokes among men who ate nine servings of high potassium foods a day vs. those who ate less than four servings. Among men with high blood pressure, taking a daily 1,000 mg potas- sium supplement—about the amount of potassium in one banana—reduced the incidence of stroke by 60 percent.
Adverse Effects Associated with This Food Digestive Problems. Unripe bananas contain proteins that inhibit the actions of amylase, an enzyme required to digest starch and other complex carbohydrates. Sulfite allergies. See How other kinds of processing affect this food. Latex-fruit syndrome. Latex is a milky fluid obtained from the rubber tree and used to make medical and surgical products such as condoms and protective latex gloves, as well as rub- ber bands, balloons, and toys; elastic used in clothing; pacifiers and baby bottle-nipples; chewing gum; and various adhesives. Some of the proteins in latex are allergenic, known to cause reactions ranging from mild to potentially life-threatening. Some of the proteins found naturally in latex also occur naturally in foods from plants such as avocados, bananas, chestnuts, kiwi fruit, tomatoes, and food and diet sodas sweetened with aspartame. Persons sensitive to these foods are likely to be sensitive to latex as well. NOTE : The National Insti- tute of Health Sciences, in Japan, also lists the following foods as suspect: Almonds, apples, apricots, bamboo shoots, bell peppers, buckwheat, cantaloupe, carrots, celery, cherries, chestnuts, coconut, figs, grapefruit, lettuce, loquat, mangoes, mushrooms, mustard, nectar- ines, oranges, passion fruit, papaya, peaches, peanuts, peppermint, pineapples, potatoes, soybeans, strawberries, walnuts, and watermelon.
Food/Drug Interactions Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are drugs used to treat depression. They inactivate naturally occurring enzymes in your body that metabolize tyra- mine, a substance found in many fermented or aged foods. Tyramine constricts blood vessels and increases blood pressure. If you eat a food containing tyramine while you are taking an M AO inhibitor, you cannot effectively eliminate the tyramine from your body. The result may be a hypertensive crisis. There have been some reports in the past of such reactions in people who have eaten rotten bananas or bananas stewed with the peel. False-positive test for tumors. Carcinoid tumors—which may arise from tissues of the endo- crine system, the intestines, or the lungs—secrete serotonin, a natural chemical that makes blood vessels expand or contract. Because serotonin is excreted in urine, these tumors are diagnosed by measuring the levels of serotonin by-products in the urine. Bananas contain large amounts of serotonin; eating them in the three days before a test for an endocrine tumor might produce a false-positive result, suggesting that you have the tumor when in fact you don’t. (Other foods high in serotonin are avocados, eggplant, pineapple, plums, tomatoes, and walnuts.)... bananas
Nutritional Profile Energy value (calories per serving): Moderate Protein: Moderate Fat: Low to moderate Saturated fat: Low to high Cholesterol: Low to high Carbohydrates: High Fiber: Moderate to high Sodium: Moderate to high Major vitamin contribution: B vitamins Major mineral contribution: Calcium, iron, potassium
About the Nutrients in This Food All commercially made yeast breads are approximately equal in nutri- tional value. Enriched white bread contains virtually the same amounts of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates as whole wheat bread, although it may contain only half the dietary fiber (see flour). Bread is a high-carbohydrate food with lots of starch. The exact amount of fiber, fat, and cholesterol in the loaf varies with the recipe. Bread’s proteins, from grain, are low in the essential amino acid lysine. The most important carbohydrate in bread is starch; all breads contain some sugar. Depending on the recipe, the fats may be highly saturated (butter or hydrogenated vegetable fats) or primarily unsaturated (vegetable fat). All bread is a good source of B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin), and in 1998, the Food and Drug Administration ordered food manufactur- ers to add folates—which protect against birth defects of the spinal cord and against heart disease—to flour, rice, and other grain products. One year later, data from the Framingham Heart Study, which has followed heart health among residents of a Boston suburb for nearly half a cen- tury, showed a dramatic increase in blood levels of folic acid. Before the fortification of foods, 22 percent of the study participants had a folic acid deficiency; after, the number fell to 2 percent. Bread is a moderately good source of calcium, magnesium, and phos- phorus. (Breads made with milk contain more calcium than breads made without milk.) Although bread is made from grains and grains contain phytic acid, a natural antinutrient that binds calcium ions into insoluble, indigestible compounds, the phytic acid is inactivated by enzyme action during leavening. Bread does not bind calcium. All commercially made breads are moderately high in sodium; some contain more sugar than others. Grains are not usually considered a good source of iodine, but commer- cially made breads often pick up iodine from the iodophors and iodates used to clean the plants and machines in which they are made. Homemade breads share the basic nutritional characteristics of commercially made breads, but you can vary the recipe to suit your own taste, lowering the salt, sugar, or fat and raising the fiber content, as you prefer.
The Most Nutritious Way to Serve This Food As sandwiches, with cheese, milk, eggs, meat, fish, or poultry. These foods supply the essen- tial amino acid lysine to “complete” the proteins in grains. With beans or peas. The proteins in grains are deficient in the essential amino acids lysine and isoleucine and rich in the essential amino acids tryptophan, methionine, and cystine. The proteins in legumes (beans and peas) are exactly the opposite.
Diets That May Restrict or Exclude This Food Gluten-free diet (excludes breads made with wheat, oats, rye, buckwheat and barley flour) Lactose-free diet Low-fiber diet (excludes coarse whole-grain breads) Low-sodium diet
Buying This Food Look for: Fresh bread. Check the date on closed packages of commercial bread.
Storing This Food Store bread at room temperature, in a tightly closed plastic bag (the best protection) or in a breadbox. How long bread stays fresh depends to a great extent on how much fat it contains. Bread made with some butter or other fat will keep for about three days at room tempera- ture. Bread made without fat (Italian bread, French bread) will dry out in just a few hours; for longer storage, wrap it in foil, put it inside a plastic bag, and freeze it. When you are ready to serve the French or Italian bread, you can remove it from the plastic bag and put the foil- wrapped loaf directly into the oven. Throw away moldy bread. The molds that grow on bread may produce carcinogenic toxins. Do not store fresh bread in the refrigerator; bread stales most quickly at temperatures just above freezing. The one exception: In warm, humid weather, refrigerating bread slows the growth of molds.
When You Are Ready to Serve This Food Use a serrated knife to cut bread easily.
What Happens When You Cook This Food Toasting is a chemical process that caramelizes sugars and amino acids (proteins) on the surface of the bread, turning the bread a golden brown. This chemical reaction, known both as the browning reaction and the Maillard reaction (after the French chemist who first identified it), alters the structure of the surface sugars, starches, and amino acids. The sugars become indigestible food fiber; the amino acids break into smaller fragments that are no longer nutritionally useful. Thus toast has more fiber and less protein than plain bread. How- ever, the role of heat-generated fibers in the human diet is poorly understood. Some experts consider them inert and harmless; others believe they may be hazardous.
How Other Kinds of Processing Affect This Food Freezing. Frozen bread releases moisture that collects inside the paper, foil, or plastic bag in which it is wrapped. If you unwrap the bread before defrosting it, the moisture will be lost and the bread will be dry. Always defrost bread in its wrappings so that it can reabsorb the moisture that keeps it tasting fresh. Drying. Since molds require moisture, the less moisture a food contains, the less likely it is support mold growth. That is why bread crumbs and Melba toast, which are relatively mois- ture-free, keep better than fresh bread. Both can be ground fine and used as a toasty-flavored thickener in place of flour or cornstarch.
Medical Uses and/or Benefits A lower risk of some kinds of cancer. In 1998, scientists at Wayne State University in Detroit conducted a meta-analysis of data from more than 30 well-designed animal studies mea- suring the anti-cancer effects of wheat bran, the part of grain with highest amount of the insoluble dietary fibers cellulose and lignin. They found a 32 percent reduction in the risk of colon cancer among animals fed wheat bran; now they plan to conduct a similar meta- analysis of human studies. Breads made with whole grain wheat are a good source of wheat bran. NOTE : The amount of fiber per serving listed on a food package label shows the total amount of fiber (insoluble and soluble). Early in 1999, however, new data from the long-running Nurses Health Study at Brigham Women’s Hospital/Harvard University School of Public Health showed that women who ate a high-fiber diet had a risk of colon cancer similar to that of women who ate a low fiber diet. Because this study contradicts literally hundreds of others conducted over the past 30 years, researchers are awaiting confirming evidence before changing dietary recommendations. Calming effect. Mood is affected by naturally occurring chemicals called neurotransmitters that facilitate transmission of impulses between brain cells. The amino acid tryptophan amino acid is the most important constituent of serotonin, a “calming” neurotransmitter. Foods such as bread, which are high in complex carbohydrates, help move tryptophan into your brain, increasing the availability of serotonin.
Adverse Effects Associated with This Food Allergic reactions and/or gastric distress. Bread contains several ingredients that may trigger allergic reactions, aggravate digestive problems, or upset a specific diet, among them gluten (prohibited on gluten-free diets); milk (prohibited on a lactose- and galactose-free diet or for people who are sensitive to milk proteins); sugar (prohibited on a sucrose-free diet); salt (controlled on a sodium-restricted diet); and fats (restricted or prohibited on a controlled-fat, low-cholesterol diet).... bread
Habitat: Native to Central Asia; now grown as minor grain-crop in hilly regions of North India and the Nilgiris.
English: Buckwheat.Ayurvedic: Kotu.Folk: Kutu, Phaapar.Action: Used for treating fragile capillaries, chilbains and for strengthening varicose veins. Used at a supporting herb for treating high blood pressure. Rutin is obtained from fresh or dried leaves and flowers. (Rutin is used in a variety of haemorrhagic conditions.)
The seed are commonly used in colic, choleraic diarrhoea and abdominal obstructions. Root decoction is used in rheumatic pains, lung diseases and typhoid; juice in urinary disorders. In China, used in pulmonary sepsis.The plant is used as a venous and capillary tonic, and for alleviating venous stasis and vericose veins.It is a potential source of rutin (yield 3-5%). The leaves and blossoms contain most of the rutin (80-90%).Quercetin caused significant decrease in ulcer index in acute gastric ulcer with respect to control group in rats. Quercetin, rutin or kaempferol inhibited, in dose-dependent manner, gastric damage produced by acidified- ethanol in rats.The plant also gave hyperoside and anthracene derivatives.Buckwheat is a good source of lysine and other amino acids. The flour is reported to repress exogenous hy- percholesterolemia and promotes accumulation of triglyceride in the liver of rats.Seed oil exhibits antimicrobial activity against Bacillus anthrasis, E.coli and Salmonella paratyphi.Whole plant, dried or green, can cause photosensitization.... fagopyrum esculentumHabitat: Cultivated in the Himalayas, especially in the colder parts of Ladakh, Zaskar and Western Tibet.
English: Tatary Duckwheat.Ayurvedic: Ukhal.Folk: Kutu (var.).Action: See F. esculentum. Duck- wheat is a better source of rutin than the common Buckwheat. It contains 45-80% more rutin than the latter, and maintains its high rutin content for a longer period.
Family: Cruciferae; Brassicaceae.Habitat: Mediterranean region, eastwards to India and southwards to tropical Africa.
Folk: Farid-booti (Punjab).Action: Antirheumatic.
Farsetia species contain a volatile oil which gave glucosinolates. Allylglu- cosinolate is the major constituent.... farsetia hamiltoniiHabitat: Kashmir; also introduced into forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun.
English: Japanese Pagoda tree, Chinese Scholar tree, Umbrella tree.Action: Flower—bitter, astringent, styptic, antibacterial.
Flower buds are a very rich source of rutin (16.0-23.0% dry weight basis), several times more than that present in Buckwheat which is an important source of the flavonoid.The plant is used for the treatment of bleeding due to hemorrhoids and ulcerative colitis. The antihaemorrhagic principle, quercetin, has been isolated from aqueous extract of dried buds.The flower extract has been reported to exhibit hepato-protective activity.... sophora japonicaDeficiency. Sexual impotence in aged men. Decayed teeth, allergy, palpitation.
Believed to be linked with cancer of the gullet in China where soil is deficient in this element.
Body effects. Male sexual libido, dental health, iron metabolism, function of some enzymes.
Sources. Most foods. Liver, oats, buckwheat, barley, wholegrains, lima beans, sunflower seeds, pulses, Soya beans and flour.
Note: High levels of uric acid (a cause of gout and gravel) have been linked with a high content of the element in some native soils – especially in Armenia. ... molybdenum
Digestive tract: Marigold, Comfrey, Bur-Marigold, Matico, Shepherd’s Purse, Holy Thistle, American Cranesbill, Goldenseal.
Anal/Rectal: Pilewort, Plantain, Matico, Rhatany root, Witch Hazel.
Mouth: Tormentil.
Nose-bleeds: Nettles.
Uterus. Shepherd’s Purse, Ladies Mantle, Greater Periwinkle, Beth root, Avens, Goldenseal. Urinary system. Bistort, Plantain, Marigold, Stone root, Horsetail, Bur-Marigold.
Lungs. Bugleweed, Elecampane, Lungwort.
Colon. Greater Burnet, Matico, Comfrey, Bistort, Wild Yam, Holy Thistle, Avens, Tormentil. Capillary haemorrhage. Buckwheat. ... anti-haemorrhagics
Atherosclerosis can be the forerunner of degenerative heart and kidney disease, with rise in blood pressure.
A study of Australian ’flu epidemic diseases revealed influenza as a major cause of cardiovascular disease and in particular, atherosclerosis.
Causes. Excessive smoking and alcohol, fatty foods, hereditary weakness, stress and emotional tension that release excessive adrenalin into the bloodstream. Toxic effects of environmental poisons (diesel fumes). Fevers.
Symptoms. Cold hands and feet, headache, giddiness. Diminished mental ability due to thickening of arteries in the brain. Pain on exertion, breathlessness and fatigue. Diagnosis of atheroma of main arteries: by placing stethoscope over second right intercostal space, half inch from the sternum, the second aortic sound will be pronounced.
Treatment. Surface vasodilators, Cardioactives. Anti-cholesterols.
Alternatives. Teas. To lower cholesterol levels and shrink hardened plaque: Alfalfa, Chamomile, Borage, Olive leaves, Mint, Nettles, Marigold, Garlic, Lime flowers, Yarrow, Horsetail, Hawthorn, Ginkgo, Orange Tree leaves, Meadowsweet, Eucalyptus leaves, Ispaghula, Bromelain. Rutin (Buckwheat tea).
Artichoke leaves. Spanish traditional. 2 teaspoons to each cup of water; simmer 2 minutes. Drink cold: 1 cup 2-3 times daily.
Mistletoe leaves. 1-2 teaspoons to each cup cold water steeped 8 hours (overnight). Half-1 cup thrice daily.
Tablets, or capsules. Garlic, Mistletoe, Poke root, Rutin, Hawthorn, Motherwort, Ginkgo, Bamboo gum. Liquid Extracts. Mix Hawthorn 2; Mistletoe 1; Barberry 1; Rutin 1; Poke root half. Dose: 30-60 drops thrice daily.
Tinctures. Mix: Hawthorn 2; Cactus flowers 2; Mistletoe 1; Capsicum half. Dose: 1-2 teaspoons thrice daily in water before meals.
Powders. Mix equal parts: Bamboo gum, Hawthorn, Mistletoe, Rutin, Ginger. Fill 00 capsules. Dose: 2-4 capsules, or quarter to half a teaspoon (375-750mg) thrice daily before meals.
Threatened stroke. Tincture Arnica BPC (1949): 3-5 drops in water morning and evening. Practitioner only.
Evening Primrose oil. Favourable results reported. (Maxepa)
Diet. Vegetarian. Low fat. Low salt. High fibre. Lecithin, polyunsaturated oils, artichokes, oily fish (see entry). Linseed on breakfast cereal. Garlic at meals, or Garlic tablets or capsules at night to reduce cholesterol.
Vitamins. A, B-complex, B6, B12, C (2g), E (400iu), daily.
Minerals. Chromium, Iodine, Potassium, Selenium, Magnesium, Manganese, Zinc.
“A man is as old as his arteries” – Thomas Sydenham, 17th century physician.
“A man’s arteries are as old as he makes them” – Robert Bell MD, 19th century physician. ... atherosclerosis
Large amounts of Vitamins C and E may be given for this condition without toxicity.
Alternatives. Teas. Dried leaves. Buckwheat. Heartsease. Marigold. Yarrow, Butcher’s Broom, Red Vine. One, or more in combination.
Tablets/capsules. Rutin (Buckwheat). Hawthorn, Motherwort.
Tinctures. Formula. Hawthorn 1; Marigold 1; Yarrow 2. One 5ml teaspoon thrice daily.
Dr Alfred Vogel. Yarrow 42; Horse Chestnut 30; St John’s Wort 21; Arnica 7.
BHP (1983). “Fagopyrum (Buckwheat) combines well with Vitamin C in reducing capillary permeability.”
Diet. Low fat. Low salt. High fibre. Bilberries.
Supplementation. Vitamin C 500mg daily. Vitamin E 400iu daily.
See also: CIRCULATION. PHLEBITIS. BRUISES, etc. ... capillary fragility
To strengthen veins – Gentian. To enhance resistance – Echinacea. To counter failing strength – Ginseng. To promote granulation – Comfrey. To restore lacerated nerves – St John’s Wort. Nettles are a well-known traditional anti-haemorrhagic.
If bleeding is serious, control with firm finger pressure. Any one of the following may be used in the form of teas, tinctures, powders, etc.
Bowels. Ladies Mantle, Avens, Horsetail, Shepherd’s Purse, Tormentil, Raspberry leaves, Yarrow, Cranesbill, Bilberry.
Gums. Tea. Equal parts: Horsetail, St John’s Wort. (Maria Treben) Or:– Paint gums with Tincture Myrrh, Blood root, Goldenseal or Marigold.
Post-partum. (After child-birth) Goldenseal BHP (1983); Lady’s Mantle BHP (1983).
Lungs. Haemoptysis. Blood spitting. Blood root, Beth root, Lungwort, Mullein, Horsetail, St John’s Wort, Cranesbill. Bur-Marigold. Sage. Mouse Ear, Bugleweed. Nettle tea is a good stand-by.
Post-menopausal bleeding: Internal: Raspberry leaves, Ladies Mantle, Shepherd’s Purse. Plantain tea as an injection. Plugs of cotton wool saturated with Witch Hazel. To be investigated by a competent authority.
Mucous surfaces: tongue, mouth, throat, gullet. Marigold, Yarrow, Rue, Clematis erecta, Life root.
Blood root (tincture: 10-15 drops in water). Ice to suck.
Nose. Witch Hazel. Nettles. Vinegar water: to snuff into nostrils. Apply sponge soaked in cold water to back of the neck. Or: plug nose with Witch Hazel saturated cotton wool.
Hymen. See entry.
Skin. Superficial. Buckwheat, Marigold, Daisy, Tormentil, Witch Hazel, Blood root (tincture),.
Stomach. Haematemesis. The vomit of blood has the appearance of coffee grounds and is a symptom of gastric ulcer. Teas: Avens, Meadowsweet, Yarrow, Bur-Marigold, Cranesbill, Mullein.
Decoctions: Cranesbill root, Beth root, Oak bark.
After Surgery. After tissue excisions, blood clotting or wound-healing disorders for safe haemostasis: Beth root, Cranesbill root, Lady’s Mantle, St John’s Wort.
Blood in the urine. See: HAEMATURIA.
Bleeding of menses: See: MENSTRUATION.
IUD bleeding. Bleeding from intra-uterine devices: Injection: teas – Lady’s Mantle, Cranesbill, Tormentil, Marigold.
Vitamin E supplementation (International Journal of Fertility, Vol 28. 1983) Suggested dose: One 500iu capsule morning and evening.
Retinal haemorrhage. Buckwheat tea. Vitamin C: 1-3g daily. Evening Primrose oil.
Red cell stimulators: Yellow Dock root, Red Clover, Gentian.
White cell stimulators: Liquorice, Ginseng (Siberian) and Korean, Goldenseal, Echinacea.
Vitamins. C. D. K. P.
Minerals. Calcium, Iron, Selenium, Zinc.
Note: Any new episode of bleeding (rectal, gastric, etc) in those 45 and over should be investigated in hospital. Alteration of bowel habit, with bleeding, in young people should lead to referral to a doctor. ... bleeding
Other causes requiring specific treatment are: thickening and narrowing of blood vessels, diabetes, Buerger’s disease, Raynaud’s disease (spasm of the arterioles and veins), arteritis. See appropriate entries.
As a protection against these diseases Garlic becomes increasingly popular. Control of blood fats through diet and exercise necessary.
Alternatives. Cayenne, Ginger, Hawthorn berries, Horseradish, Mustard, Prickly Ash bark, Buckwheat, Dandelion, Lime flowers, Mistletoe, Rosemary, Yarrow, Ginkgo.
Tea: Lime flowers, Hawthorn berries, Yarrow. Equal parts. Mix. Ginger, quarter part (or pinch of Red Pepper). Mix. 1-2 teaspoons to each cup water. Bring to boil. Remove vessel when boiling point is reached. Dose: 1 cup 2-3 times daily.
Tablets or capsules: Prickly Ash, Hawthorn, Mistletoe, Ginkgo.
Formula. Hawthorn 2; Yarrow 2; Prickly Ash 1; Ginger quarter. Dose: Powders: 500mg (two 00 capsules or one-third teaspoon). Liquid extracts: 1 teaspoon. Tinctures 2 teaspoons 2-3 times daily.
Practitioner. Liquid extracts: Hawthorn 2; Lily of the Valley 2; Prickly Ash 1; Tincture Capsicum (one- tenth part). Dose: 30-60 drops in water or honey, 2-3 times daily.
Diet and Supplements. See: DIET – HEART AND CIRCULATION. ... circulatory disorders
The average macrobiotic diet is made up approximately of the proportions: whole grains 45 per cent; vegetables 25 per cent; beans, legumes and seeds 10 per cent; nuts 5 per cent; fruit 5 per cent; seaweeds 5 per cent; poultry 2.5 per cent; fish 2.5 per cent.
Whole grains: wheat, barley, rye, oats, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, corn. Vegetables: green leaves and roots – grown organically. Beans, legumes and seeds: all beans, aduki, lentils, chickpeas. Seeds: sesame, sunflower, etc. Seaweeds: hiziki, wakama, dulse, Carragheen moss, kelp. Very low sugar. Moderate fats and oils. ... diet - macrobiotic
Described as “seems as if my head was bursting, with a flash of light”. Reaction is one of fear and violent heart beat. Attacks unrelated to alcohol or excitement of the previous evening. No circulatory changes in the brain or cerebrospinal fluid are known to cause such a symptom.
Treatment. Cup of one of the following teas at bedtime: Buckwheat, Yarrow, Hawthorn flowers, Skullcap, Oats. Morning and evening: one 500mg Evening Primrose capsule; one 400iu Vitamin E capsule.
Diet: low-salt. Cholesterol-rich foods should be kept to a minimum. ... exploding head synrome (ehs)
Notable examples: Buckwheat, Coltsfoot, Citrus fruits, Hawthorn, Euphorbia, Figs, Heartsease, Pellitory of the Wall, Rutin, Skullcap, Lime flowers, Elderflowers, Shepherd’s Purse, Silver Birch, Wild Carrot, Yerba Santa and members of the labiatae family. All are immune enhancers and useful for chronic conditions where prolonged treatment produces no known toxicity. Of value in heart medicines.
Flavonoids are also pigments usually responsible for the colour of flowers and fruits and protect the plant against stress. A diet rich in raw fruit and vegetables provides adequate flavonoids.
Zutphen Elderly Study. Revealed that tea, onions and apples provided the majority of flavonoids in the overall diet. The mortality rate from coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction was lower in those with a high flavonoid intake. (Hertog MGL, National Institute of Public Health, Holland, et al The Lancet, 1993, Oct 23,1007-11)
Among red wines, Italian Chianti has the most flavonoids, with 20mg per litre, fostering healthy changes in the blood. All flavonoids are antioxidants and platelet inhibitors. Antioxidants stop oxygen from binding with LDL, a type of cholesterol. The oxygen-LDL pair clings to blood vessel walls, impeding blood flow. Flavonoids seem to suppress the stickiness. Platelet inhibitors prevent blood clots.
A diet rich in flavonoids would appear to prevent heart disease. ... flavonoids
Treatment: frozen limbs should not be rubbed or manipulated, but thawed out in luke-warm water, a hand still remaining in the glove or foot in the boot. Vasodilators to equalise the circulation.
Teas. Boneset, Chamomile, Elderflowers, Feverfew, Hyssop, Lime flowers, Peppermint, Sage, Gotu Kola, Yarrow. Buckwheat.
Echinacea: tablets, liquid extract, tinctures.
Never give alcohol or use hot water bottles. Paint with Friar’s balsam followed by smoothing-in a little Olive oil. Abundant Vitamin C drinks. Life Drops in tea. Ginger, Capsicum. Horseradish.
Old Norwegian remedy: cold mashed onion poultice.
Supplements. Hourly: Vitamin C 1g; Vitamin E 500iu. ... frostbite
Acute. Eye is brick red and brick hard. Agonisingly painful, vision much reduced, pupil dilated and oval, the cornea steamy and the iris greenish, sees rainbow rings around lights, misty vision, pain in head and eyes, colours appear dull, can read for only short periods, unable to walk confidently downstairs, damage to retina and optic nerve from build-up of fluid.
Etiology: Damage from past inflammations, high blood pressure, steroids, stress, diet deficiencies, injury. Develops more in far-sighted people.
Ocular emergency requiring immediate hospital specialist treatment. If admission to hospital is delayed Pilocarpine may save the day: 1 drop of 1 per cent solution to each eye to constrict the pupil and open the drainage angle. This lasts 4-5 hours. Apply 1 drop 4 times every 24 hours. In the absence of Pilocarpine, a practitioner may prescribe Tincture Gelsemium BPC 1963, 5 drops in water not more than thrice daily.
A history of eyelids that are stuck down in the mornings reveals blockage from inflammatory exudate, tension rises and may precipitate glaucoma.
Chronic (gradual and long-continued). Usually in the elderly. Sometimes genetic. Chronic rise in painless intra-ocular pressure arrests blood supply to the optic discs thus disrupting bundles of retinal nerve fibres. ‘Deeply cupped discs’. Condition usually unsuspected. A sight destroyer.
Symptoms: bumping into objects and people. As above.
Treatment. Surgical drainage incision through the iris relieves tension. The object is to contract the pupil and focussing (ciliary) muscle which promotes the escape of watery fluid from the eye. Agents which contract the pupil are Pilocarpine, Adrenalin. Promotion of the body’s own supply of Adrenalin is mildly assisted by Ginseng. All cases should receive Echinacea to enhance resistance. Herbal medicine often stabilises the condition, with remedies such as Pulsatilla.
Alternatives:– Maintenance anti-inflammatory. Tea: fresh or dried herbs. Equal parts: Nettles, Marigold petals, Horsetail. Mix. 2 teaspoons to each cup boiling water; infuse 15 minutes. Dose: half-1 cup thrice daily.
Traditional. It was common practice in the South of France to douche the eye with dilute lemon juice, doubtless because Vitamin C has an osmotic effect, drawing away fluid.
Rutin (Buckwheat). 20mg thrice daily. Tablets, powder, etc.
Canasol. A non-hallucinogenic alkaloid of the marijuana plant (cannabis) has been used with success. Blood Tonics. See entry. Healthy blood contributes to healthy eyes and common blood tonics have been responsible for some cures in the early stages.
Bilberries. Mr Eric Wright suffered from glaucoma for many years. At 74 he was nearly blind, walked with a white stick, and couldn’t read or write. Improvement was impressive after taking Bilberry extract. His specialist agreed that his sight was at its best in three years since surgery to reduce intra-ocular pressure.
Diet. Begin 3-day fast, followed by 3 days on fruit and vegetable juices. Wholefoods thereafter. Increase protein intake. Repeat fast every 3 months. Fresh Bilberries as desired. Dr Rolf Ulrich links coffee with glaucoma. (Clinical Physiology)
Supplements. Daily. Vitamin A 7500iu, Vitamin B1 15mg, Vitamin B2 10mg, Vitamin B6 10mg, Vitamin C 3g, Vitamin E 500mg, Zinc.
Notes. Stress automatically raises intra-ocular pressure for which relaxation techniques are indicated. Tobacco worsens by causing constriction of blood vessels supplying the optic nerve. Abstain alcohol. Glaucoma becomes more prevalent in an ageing population. Patients with a strong history and with high blood pressure and diabetes should be screened.
To be treated by a general medical practitioner or hospital specialist. ... glaucoma
Alternatives. To sustain.
Teas. Lime flowers, Motherwort, Buckwheat, Hawthorn.
Tablets/capsules. Hawthorn, Mistletoe, Motherwort.
Formula. Hawthorn 2; Lily of the Valley 1; Selenicereus grandiflorus 1. Powders: 500mg (two 00 capsules or one-third teaspoon). Liquid extracts: 1 teaspoon. Tinctures: 2 teaspoons. In water morning and evening. ... heart disease – congenital
Main causes of a raised pressure include increase in blood thickness, kidney disorder or loss of elasticity in the arteries by hardening or calcification.
Well defined physical problems account for 10 per cent of high blood pressure cases. By the age of 60, a third of the peoples of the West are hypertensive. Other causes: genetic pre-disposition, endocrine disorders such as hyperactive thyroid and adrenal glands, lead and other chemical poisoning, brain tumour, heart disorder, anxiety, stress and emotional instability.
Other causes may be food allergies. By taking one’s pulse after eating a certain food one can see if the food raises the pulse. If so, that food should be avoided. Most cases of high blood pressure are related to lifestyle – how people think, act and care for themselves. When a person is under constant stress blood pressure goes up. It temporarily increases on drinking the stimulants: alcohol, strong tea, coffee, cola and caffeine drinks generally.
Symptoms. Morning headache (back of the head), possible palpitation, visual disturbances, dizziness, angina-like pains, inability to concentrate, nose-bleeds, ringing in the ears, fatigue, breathlessness (left ventricular failure).
Dr Wm Castelli, Director of the Framlingham Heart Study in Massachusetts, U.S.A., records: “The greatest risk is for coronary heart disease (CHD). Hypertensives have more than double the risk of people with normal blood pressure and seven times the risk of strokes.”
In countries where salt intake is restricted, a rise in blood pressure with age is not seen.
Simple hypotensive herbs may achieve effective control without the side-effects of sleep disturbance, adverse metabolic effects, lethargy and impaired peripheral circulation.
Essential hypertension is where high blood pressure is not associated with any disease elsewhere; it accounts for 90 per cent cases. Most of the remainder have kidney disease except for a few other abnormalities.
Alternatives. Balm, Black Haw, Black Cohosh (blood pressure of the menopause), Cactus, Cramp bark, Chamomile (German). Garlic, Buckwheat, Lily of the Valley, Balm, Mistletoe, Motherwort. Passion flower, Nettles, Lime flowers, Wood Betony, Yarrow, Rosemary, Hawthorn flowers, Olive leaves, Dandelion. Where there is nerve excitability: Valerian.
Tea No 1. Equal parts: Hawthorn leaves and flowers, Mistletoe, Lime flowers. Mix. 2 teaspoons to each cup boiling water; infuse 5-10 minutes. 1 cup 2-3 times daily. Alternative:–
Tea No 2. Equal parts: Nettles, Lime flowers, Yarrow, Passion flower. Mix. 2 teaspoons to each cup boiling water; infuse 5-10 minutes. 1 cup 2-3 times daily.
Nettles. Nettle tea is capable of removing cholesterol deposits (“fur”) from artery walls, increasing their elasticity. Like so many herbs they are rich in chlorophyll. The tea may be made as strong as desired. Mistletoe. 2-3 teaspoons cut herb (fresh or dried) to cup cold water. Allow to infuse overnight (at least 8 hours). 1 cup morning and evening.
Garlic. Juice from one Garlic corm expressed through a juicer taken morning and evening. Garlic dilates blood vessels. Alternative: 2-3 Garlic capsules at night.
Blood pressure of pregnancy: See – PREGNANCY.
Tablets/capsules: Cramp bark, Mistletoe, Motherwort, Rutin, Garlic.
Powders. Formula. Buckwheat (rutin) 1; Motherwort 1; Mistletoe half; Valerian quarter. Dose: 500mg (two 00 capsules or one-third teaspoon) thrice daily.
Liquid extracts, tinctures. Formula. Equal parts: Cactus, Mistletoe, Valerian. Dose: liquid extracts, one 5ml teaspoon; tinctures, two 5ml teaspoons; thrice daily.
Practitioner Formula. Tinctures: equal parts: Lily of the Valley, Mistletoe, Valerian. Dose: 30-60 drops thrice daily.
Where high blood pressure is due to faulty kidney function diuretics such as Dandelion or Bearberry will be added according to individual requirements. Dandelion root is one of the most widely-used potassium-conserving agents for increasing flow of urine, as well as being a mild beta-blocker to reduce myocardial infarction. Broom (Sarothamnus scoparius) (diuretic) is not used in cases of high blood pressure. It is good practice to assess kidney function in all new cases of hypertension for renal artery stenosis.
Evidence from two major studies confirms that diuretics rather than beta-blockers should be the treatment of choice for most elderly hypertensives. The addition of a diuretic (Yarrow, etc) to prescriptions for the elderly is commended.
Prevention. Chances of developing high blood pressure are said to be reduced by a daily dose of Cod
Liver oil. Results from studies at the University of Munich, Germany, show that when an ounce of Cod Liver oil was added to the typical Western diet, better pressure readings and lower cholesterol levels followed. When the flavour renders it objectionable to the palate, taste may be masked by stirring briskly into fruit juice.
General. Stop smoking. Watch weight. Moderate exercise. Avoidance of stress by relaxation, yoga, music, etc. These relieve constriction of peripheral blood vessels. Curb temper
Diet. Avoid processed and fast foods high in fat and salt, and empty calories. Cheese and meat sparingly. Eat plenty of natural foods. Positively reject coffee, strong tea and alcohol. “There is a significant drop in plasma Cortisol with a fall in blood pressure after stopping alcohol.” (Dr J.F. Potter, University of Birmingham, England) It is well-documented that a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower blood pressure.
Salt. The association of salt with blood pressure is larger than generally appreciated and increases with age and initial blood pressure. Even a small reduction in salt (3g) may reduce a systolic and diastolic pressure by 5mmHg and 2.5mmHg respectively. All processed foods containing salt should be avoided. Supplementation. Inositol, zinc, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6. (Dr C. Pfeiffer) Vitamin E to improve circulation. Check with practitioner pressure level before starting 200iu increasing to 400iu daily. Magnesium: 300mg daily. Choline.
See: BLOOD PRESSURE. ... hypertension
Black Haw, Buckwheat, Chervil, Garlic, Gelsemium, Hawthorn, Lime flower, Mistletoe, Valerian, Yarrow. ... hypotensive
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