The production and excretion of sweat from the sweat glands. Perspiration is another name for sweat.
The chief object of perspiration is to maintain an even body temperature by regulating the heat lost from the body surface. Sweating is therefore increased by internally produced heat, such as muscular activity, or external heat. It is controlled by two types of nerves: vasomotor, which regulate the local blood ?ow, and secretory (part of the sympathetic nervous system) which directly in?uence secretion.
Eccrine sweat is a faintly acid, watery ?uid containing less than 2 per cent of solids. The eccrine sweat-glands in humans are situated in greatest numbers on the soles of the feet and palms of the hands, and with a magnifying glass their minute openings or pores can be seen in rows occupying the summit of each ridge in the skin. Perspiration is most abundant in these regions, although it also occurs all over the body.
Apocrine sweat-glands These start functioning at puberty and are found in the armpits, the eyelids, around the anus in association with the external genitalia, and in the areola and nipple of the breast. (The glands that produce wax in the ear are modi?ed apocrine glands.) The ?ow of apocrine sweat is evoked by emotional stimuli such as fear, anger, or sexual excitement.
Abnormalities of perspiration Decreased sweating may occur in the early stages of fever, in diabetes, and in some forms of glomerulonephritis (see KIDNEYS, DISEASES OF). Some people are unable to sweat copiously, and are prone to HEAT STROKE. EXCESSIVE SWEATING, OR HYPERIDROSIS, may be caused by fever, hyperthyroidism (see THYROID GLAND, DISEASES OF), obesity, diabetes mellitus, or an anxiety state. O?ensive perspiration, or bromidrosis, commonly occurs on the hands and feet or in the armpits, and is due to bacterial decomposition of skin secretions. A few people, however, sweat over their whole body surface. For most of those affected, it is the palmar and/or axillary hyperhidrosis that is the major problem.
Conventional treatment is with an ANTICHOLINERGIC drug. This blocks the action of ACETYLCHOLINE (a neurotransmitter secreted by nerve-cell endings) which relaxes some involuntary muscles and tightens others, controlling the action of sweat-glands. But patients often stop treatment because they get an uncomfortably dry mouth. Aluminium chloride hexahydrate is a topical treatment, but this can cause skin irritation and soreness. Such antiperspirants may help patients with moderate hyperhidrosis, but those severely affected may need either surgery or injections of BOTULINUM TOXIN to destroy the relevant sympathetic nerves to the zones of excessive sweating.
Habitat: A wayside herb, also often seen in the pasture and meadow lands of Europe and the United States. Features ? Yarrow has a rough, angular stem, and grows from twelve to eighteen inches in height. The alternate leaves are pinnatifid, clasp the stem at the base, are slightly woolly, and are cut into very fine segments. The flowers are small, white (occasionally pink or purplish), daisy-like, and bloom in dense, flattened, terminal corymbs, appearing at their best in July. Part used ? Herb.
Action: Diaphoretic, stimulant and tonic. The herb is extremely useful in colds and acute catarrhs of the respiratory tract generally. As it has the effect of opening the pores, thus permitting free perspiration, Yarrow is taken at the commencement of influenza and in other feverish conditions. An infusion of 1 ounce to 1 pint of foiling water is drunk warm in wineglass doses. As a very popular remedy for influenza colds it is usually combined with Elder flowers and Peppermint in equal quantities. It was sometimes prescribed by the old herbalists as a tonic in nervous debility, but there are many better herbal medicines for this condition.... yarrow
Habitat: Borders of woods and in hedges, particularly in south of England. Common in gardens.
Features ? Stem one to two feet high, freely branched, square, smoothish. Leaves stalked, opposite, broadly ovate, coarsely serrate, wrinkled, hairy. Numerous small, white or yellowish flowers, in loose bunches from leaf axils. Roots long, slender, creeping. Taste and odour of lemon.Part used ? Herb.Action: Carminative, diaphoretic, tonic.
In influenza and feverish colds, to induce perspiration. Aids digestion. Infusion of 1 ounce to 1 pint boiling water, taken freely.... balmHabitat: Near the sea in pastures and on stony soils.
Features ? The bark has a white, peeling epidermis covering a hard, reddish-brown layer beneath. It is slightly fibrous on the inner surface, and the fracture is granular. The taste is pungent, astringent and bitter, the odour faintly aromatic.Part used ? The bark is the only part of the Bayberry shrub now used as a medicine.Action: A powerful stimulant, astringent and tonic to the alimentary tract.
Bayberry bark is one of the most widely used agents in the herbal practice. It figures in many of the compound powders and is the base of the celebrated composition powder, a prescription of which will be found in the "Herbal Formulae" section of this volume. In cases of coldness of the extremities, chills and influenza, an infusion of 1 ounce of the powdered bark to 1 pint of water is taken warm. This assists circulation and promotes perspiration, especially when combined with Cayenne as inthe formula referred to above.As an antiseptic the powder is added to poultices for application to ulcers, sores and wounds. It also makes an excellent snuff for nasal catarrh, and an ingredient in tooth powders, for which a prescription is given in the section previously mentioned.The virtues of Bayberry bark were recognized and used beneficially by the herbalists of many generations ago. Indeed, their enthusiasm for this, as for certain other remedies also extremely efficacious within proper limits, led them to ascribe properties to the bark which it does not possess. Many affections of the uterine system, fistula, and even cancer were said to yield to its influence.Even in these cases, however, Bayberry bark certainly did less harm than many of the methods employed by the more orthodox practitioners of that time !... bayberryNutritional Profile Energy value (calories per serving): Low Protein: Moderate Fat: None Saturated fat: None Cholesterol: None Carbohydrates: High Fiber: None Sodium: Low Major vitamin contribution: B vitamins Major mineral contribution: Phosphorus
About the Nutrients in This Food Beer and ale are fermented beverages created by yeasts that convert the sugars in malted barley and grain to ethyl alcohol (a.k.a. “alcohol,” “drink- ing alcohol”).* The USDA /Health and Human Services Dietary Guidelines for Americans defines one drink as 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine, or 1.25 ounces of distilled spirits. One 12-ounce glass of beer has 140 calo- ries, 86 of them (61 percent) from alcohol. But the beverage—sometimes nicknamed “liquid bread”—is more than empty calories. Like wine, beer retains small amounts of some nutrients present in the food from which it was made. * Because yeasts cannot digest t he starches in grains, t he grains to be used in mak ing beer and ale are allowed to germinate ( “malt” ). When it is t ime to make t he beer or ale, t he malted grain is soaked in water, forming a mash in which t he starches are split into simple sugars t hat can be digested (fermented) by t he yeasts. If undisturbed, t he fermentat ion will cont inue unt il all t he sugars have been digested, but it can be halted at any t ime simply by raising or lowering t he temperature of t he liquid. Beer sold in bott les or cans is pasteurized to k ill t he yeasts and stop t he fermentat ion. Draft beer is not pasteurized and must be refrigerated unt il tapped so t hat it will not cont inue to ferment in t he container. The longer t he shipping t ime, t he more likely it is t hat draft beer will be exposed to temperature variat ions t hat may affect its qualit y—which is why draft beer almost always tastes best when consumed near t he place where it was brewed. The Nutrients in Beer (12-ounce glass)
| Nutrients | Beer | %R DA |
| Calcium | 17 mg | 1.7 |
| Magnesium | 28.51 mg | 7–9* |
| Phosphorus | 41.1 mg | 6 |
| Potassium | 85.7 mg | (na) |
| Zinc | 0.06 mg | 0.5– 0.8* |
| Thiamin | 0.02 mg | 1.6 –1.8* |
| R iboflavin | 0.09 mg | 7– 8* |
| Niacin | 1.55 mg | 10 |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.17 mg | 13 |
| Folate | 20.57 mcg | 5 |
Diets That May Restrict or Exclude This Food Bland diet Gluten-free diet Low-purine (antigout) diet
Buying This Food Look for: A popular brand that sells steadily and will be fresh when you buy it. Avoid: Dusty or warm bottles and cans.
Storing This Food Store beer in a cool place. Beer tastes best when consumed within two months of the day it is made. Since you cannot be certain how long it took to ship the beer to the store or how long it has been sitting on the grocery shelves, buy only as much beer as you plan to use within a week or two. Protect bottled beer and open bottles or cans of beer from direct sunlight, which can change sulfur compounds in beer into isopentyl mercaptan, the smelly chemical that gives stale beer its characteristic unpleasant odor.
When You Are Ready to Serve This Food Serve beer only in absolutely clean glasses or mugs. Even the slightest bit of grease on the side of the glass will kill the foam immediately. Wash beer glasses with detergent, not soap, and let them drain dry rather than drying them with a towel that might carry grease from your hands to the glass. If you like a long-lasting head on your beer, serve the brew in tall, tapering glasses to let the foam spread out and stabilize. For full flavor, serve beer and ales cool but not ice-cold. Very low temperatures immo- bilize the molecules that give beer and ale their flavor and aroma.
What Happens When You Cook This Food When beer is heated (in a stew or as a basting liquid), the alcohol evaporates but the flavor- ing agents remain intact. Alcohol, an acid, reacts with metal ions from an aluminum or iron pot to form dark compounds that discolor the pot or the dish you are cooking in. To prevent this, prepare dishes made with beer in glass or enameled pots.
Medical Uses and/or Benefits Reduced risk of heart attack. Data from the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study 1, a 12-year survey of more than 1 million Americans in 25 states, shows that men who take one drink a day have a 21 percent lower risk of heart attack and a 22 percent lower risk of stroke than men who do not drink at all. Women who have up to one drink a day also reduce their risk of heart attack. Numerous later studies have confirmed these findings. Lower risk of stroke. In January 1999, the results of a 677-person study published by researchers at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia University showed that moder- ate alcohol consumption reduces the risk of stroke due to a blood clot in the brain among older people (average age: 70). How the alcohol prevents stroke is still unknown, but it is clear that moderate use of alcohol is a key. Heavy drinkers (those who consume more than seven drinks a day) have a higher risk of stroke. People who once drank heavily, but cut their consumption to moderate levels, can also reduce their risk of stroke. Numerous later studies have confirmed these findings. Lower cholesterol levels. Beverage alcohol decreases the body’s production and storage of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), the protein and fat particles that carr y cholesterol into your arteries. As a result, people who drink moderately tend to have lower cholesterol levels and higher levels of high density lipoproteins (HDLs), the fat and protein particles that carr y cholesterol out of the body. The USDA /Health and Human Services Dietar y Guidelines for Americans defines moderation as two drinks a day for a man, one drink a day for a woman. Stimulating the appetite. Alcoholic beverages stimulate the production of saliva and the gastric acids that cause the stomach contractions we call hunger pangs. Moderate amounts of alcoholic beverages, which may help stimulate appetite, are often prescribed for geriatric patients, convalescents, and people who do not have ulcers or other chronic gastric problems that might be exacerbated by the alcohol. Dilation of blood vessels. Alcohol dilates the capillaries (the tiny blood vessels just under the skin), and moderate amounts of alcoholic beverages produce a pleasant flush that temporar- ily warms the drinker. But drinking is not an effective way to warm up in cold weather since the warm blood that flows up to the capillaries will cool down on the surface of your skin and make you even colder when it circulates back into the center of your body. Then an alco- hol flush will make you perspire, so that you lose more heat. Excessive amounts of beverage alcohol may depress the mechanism that regulates body temperature.
Adverse Effects Associated with This Food Increased risk of breast cancer. In 2008, scientists at the National Cancer Institute released data from a seven-year survey of more than 100,000 postmenopausal women showing that even moderate drinking (one to two drinks a day) may increase by 32 percent a woman’s risk of developing estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) and progesterone-receptor positive (PR+) breast cancer, tumors whose growth is stimulated by hormones. No such link was found between consuming alcohol and the risk of developing ER-/PR- tumors (not fueled by hor- mones). The finding applies to all types of alcohol: beer, wine, and spirits. Increased risk of oral cancer (cancer of the mouth and throat). Numerous studies confirm the American Cancer Society’s warning that men and women who consume more than two drinks a day are at higher risk of oral cancer than are nondrinkers or people who drink less. Note: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans describes one drink as 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits. Increased risk of cancer of the colon and rectum. In the mid-1990s, studies at the University of Oklahoma suggested that men who drink more than five beers a day are at increased risk of rectal cancer. Later studies suggested that men and women who are heavy beer or spirits drinkers (but not those who are heavy wine drinkers) have a higher risk of colorectal cancers. Further studies are required to confirm these findings. Fetal alcohol syndrome. Fetal alcohol syndrome is a specific pattern of birth defects—low birth weight, heart defects, facial malformations, and mental retardation—first recognized in a study of babies born to alcoholic women who consumed more than six drinks a day while pregnant. Subsequent research has found a consistent pattern of milder defects in babies born to women who consume three to four drinks a day or five drinks on any one occasion while pregnant. To date, there is no evidence of a consistent pattern of birth defects in babies born to women who consume less than one drink a day while pregnant, but two studies at Columbia University have suggested that as few as two drinks a week while preg- nant may raise a woman’s risk of miscarriage. (“One drink” means 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine, or 1.25 ounces of distilled spirits.) Alcoholism. Alcoholism is an addiction disease, the inability to control one’s alcohol consumption. It is a potentially life-threatening condition, with a higher risk of death by accident, suicide, malnutrition, or acute alcohol poisoning, a toxic reaction that kills by para- lyzing body organs, including the heart. Malnutrition. While moderate alcohol consumption stimulates appetite, alcohol abuse depresses it. In addition, an alcoholic may drink instead of eating. When an alcoholic does eat, excess alcohol in his/her body prevents absorption of nutrients and reduces the ability to synthesize new tissue. Hangover. Alcohol is absorbed from the stomach and small intestine and carried by the bloodstream to the liver, where it is oxidized to acetaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), the enzyme our bodies use to metabolize the alcohol we produce when we digest carbohydrates. The acetaldehyde is converted to acetyl coenzyme A and either eliminated from the body or used in the synthesis of cholesterol, fatty acids, and body tissues. Although individuals vary widely in their capacity to metabolize alcohol, on average, normal healthy adults can metabolize the alcohol in one quart of beer in approximately five to six hours. If they drink more than that, they will have more alcohol than the body’s natural supply of ADH can handle. The unmetabolized alcohol will pile up in the bloodstream, interfering with the liver’s metabolic functions. Since alcohol decreases the reabsorption of water from the kidneys and may inhibit the secretion of an antidiuretic hormone, they will begin to urinate copiously, losing magnesium, calcium, and zinc but retaining more irritating uric acid. The level of lactic acid in the body will increase, making them feel tired and out of sorts; their acid-base balance will be out of kilter; the blood vessels in their heads will swell and throb; and their stomachs, with linings irritated by the alcohol, will ache. The ultimate result is a “hangover” whose symptoms will disappear only when enough time has passed to allow their bodies to marshal the ADH needed to metabolize the extra alcohol in their blood. Changes in body temperature. Alcohol dilates capillaries, tiny blood vessels just under the skin, producing a “flush” that temporarily warms the drinker. But drinking is not an effective way to stay warm in cold weather. Warm blood flowing up from the body core to the surface capillaries is quickly chilled, making you even colder when it circulates back into your organs. In addition, an alcohol flush triggers perspiration, further cooling your skin. Finally, very large amounts of alcohol may actually depress the mechanism that regulates body temperature. Impotence. Excessive drinking decreases libido (sexual desire) and interferes with the ability to achieve or sustain an erection. “Beer belly.” Data from a 1995, 12,000 person study at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill show that people who consume at least six beers a week have more rounded abdomens than people who do not drink beer. The question left to be answered is which came first: the tummy or the drinking.
Food/Drug Interactions Acetaminophen (Tylenol, etc.). The FDA recommends that people who regularly have three or more drinks a day consult a doctor before using acetaminophen. The alcohol/acetamino- phen combination may cause liver failure. Disulfiram (Antabuse). Taken with alcohol, disulfiram causes flushing, nausea, low blood pressure, faintness, respiratory problems, and confusion. The severity of the reaction gener- ally depends on how much alcohol you drink, how much disulfiram is in your body, and how long ago you took it. Disulfiram is used to help recovering alcoholics avoid alcohol. (If taken with alcohol, metronidazole [Flagyl], procarbazine [Matulane], quinacrine [Atabrine], chlorpropamide (Diabinase), and some species of mushrooms may produce a mild disulfi- ramlike reaction.) Anticoagulants. Alcohol slows the body’s metabolism of anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as warfarin (Coumadin), intensif ying the effect of the drugs and increasing the risk of side effects such as spontaneous nosebleeds. Antidepressants. Alcohol may increase the sedative effects of antidepressants. Drinking alcohol while you are taking a monoamine oxidase (M AO) inhibitor is especially hazard- ous. M AO inhibitors inactivate naturally occurring enzymes in your body that metabolize tyramine, 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. Ordinarily, fermentation of beer and ale does not produce tyramine, but some patients have reported tyramine reactions after drinking some imported beers. Beer and ale are usually prohibited to those using M AO inhibitors. Aspirin, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Like alcohol, these analgesics irritate the lining of the stomach and may cause gastric bleeding. Combining the two intensifies the effect. Insulin and oral hypoglycemics. Alcohol lowers blood sugar and interferes with the metabo- lism of oral antidiabetics; the combination may cause severe hypoglycemia. Sedatives and other central nervous system depressants (tranquilizers, sleeping pills, antidepres- sants, sinus and cold remedies, analgesics, and medication for motion sickness). Alcohol inten- sifies sedation and, depending on the dose, may cause drowsiness, respiratory depression, coma, or death.... beer
Nutritional Profile Energy value (calories per serving): Moderate to high Protein: None Fat: None Saturated fat: None Cholesterol: None Carbohydrates: None (except for cordials which contain added sugar) Fiber: None Sodium: Low Major vitamin contribution: None Major mineral contribution: Phosphorus
About the Nutrients in This Food Spirits are the clear liquids produced by distilling the fermented sugars of grains, fruit, or vegetables. The yeasts that metabolize these sugars and convert them into alcohol stop growing when the concentration of alcohol rises above 12–15 percent. In the United States, the proof of an alcoholic beverage is defined as twice its alcohol content by volume: a beverage with 20 percent alcohol by volume is 40 proof. This is high enough for most wines, but not high enough for most whiskies, gins, vodkas, rums, brandies, and tequilas. To reach the concentra- tion of alcohol required in these beverages, the fermented sugars are heated and distilled. Ethyl alcohol (the alcohol in beer, wine, and spirits) boils at a lower temperature than water. When the fermented sugars are heated, the ethyl alcohol escapes from the distillation vat and condenses in tubes leading from the vat to a collection vessel. The clear liquid that collects in this vessel is called distilled spirits or, more technically, grain neutral spirits. Gins, whiskies, cordials, and many vodkas are made with spirits American whiskeys (which include bourbon, rye, and distilled from grains. blended whiskeys) and Canadian, Irish, and Scotch whiskies are all made from spirits aged in wood barrels. They get their flavor from the grains and their color from the barrels. (Some whiskies are also colored with caramel.) Vodka is made from spirits distilled and filtered to remove all flavor. By law, vodkas made in America must be made with spirits distilled from grains. Imported vodkas may be made with spirits distilled either from grains or potatoes and may contain additional flavoring agents such as citric acid or pepper. Aquavit, for example, is essentially vodka flavored with caraway seeds. Gin is a clear spirit flavored with an infusion of juniper berries and other herbs (botanicals). Cordials (also called liqueurs) and schnapps are flavored spirits; most are sweetened with added sugar. Some cordials contain cream. Rum is made with spirits distilled from sugar cane (molasses). Tequila is made with spirits distilled from the blue agave plant. Brandies are made with spirits distilled from fruit. (Arma- gnac and cognac are distilled from fermented grapes, calvados and applejack from fermented apples, kirsch from fermented cherries, slivovitz from fermented plums.) Unless they contain added sugar or cream, spirits have no nutrients other than alcohol. Unlike food, which has to be metabolized before your body can use it for energy, alcohol can be absorbed into the blood-stream directly from the gastrointestinal tract. Ethyl alcohol provides 7 calories per gram.
The Most Nutritious Way to Serve This Food The USDA /Health and Human Services Dietary Guidelines for Americans defines one drink as 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine, or 1.25 ounces of distilled spirits, and “moderate drinking” as two drinks a day for a man, one drink a day for a woman.
Diets That May Restrict or Exclude This Food Bland diet Lactose-free diet (cream cordials made with cream or milk) Low-purine (antigout) diet
Buying This Food Look for: Tightly sealed bottles stored out of direct sunlight, whose energy might disrupt the structure of molecules in the beverage and alter its flavor. Choose spirits sold only by licensed dealers. Products sold in these stores are manufac- tured under the strict supervision of the federal government.
Storing This Food Store sealed or opened bottles of spirits in a cool, dark cabinet.
Preparing This Food All spirits except unflavored vodkas contain volatile molecules that give the beverage its characteristic taste and smell. Warming the liquid excites these molecules and intensifies the flavor and aroma, which is the reason we serve brandy in a round glass with a narrower top that captures the aromatic molecules as they rise toward the air when we warm the glass by holding it in our hands. Whiskies, too, though traditionally served with ice in America, will have a more intense flavor and aroma if served at room temperature.
What Happens When You Cook This Food The heat of cooking evaporates the alcohol in spirits but leaves the flavoring intact. Like other alcoholic beverages, spirits should be added to a recipe near the end of the cooking time to preserve the flavor while cooking away any alcohol bite. Alcohol is an acid. If you cook it in an aluminum or iron pot, it will combine with metal ions to form dark compounds that discolor the pot and the food you are cooking. Any recipe made with spirits should be prepared in an enameled, glass, or stainless-steel pot.
Medical Uses and/or Benefits Reduced risk of heart attack. Data from the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study 1, a 12-year survey of more than 1 million Americans in 25 states, shows that men who take one drink a day have a 21 percent lower risk of heart attack and a 22 percent lower risk of stroke than men who do not drink at all. Women who have up to one drink a day also reduce their risk of heart attack. Numerous later studies have confirmed these findings. Lower cholesterol levels. Beverage alcohol decreases the body’s production and storage of low density lipoproteins (LDLs), the protein and fat particles that carry cholesterol into your arteries. As a result, people who drink moderately tend to have lower cholesterol levels and higher levels of high density lipoproteins (HDLs), the fat and protein particles that carry cholesterol out of the body. Numerous later studies have confirmed these findings. Lower risk of stroke. In January 1999, the results of a 677-person study published by researchers at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia University showed that moderate alcohol consumption reduces the risk of stroke due to a blood clot in the brain among older people (average age: 70). How alcohol prevents stroke is still unknown, but it is clear that moderate use is a key. Heavy drinkers (those who consume more than seven drinks a day) have a higher risk of stroke. People who once drank heavily, but cut their consumption to moderate levels, reduce their risk of stroke. Stimulating the appetite. Alcoholic beverages stimulate the production of saliva and the gastric acids that cause the stomach contractions we call hunger pangs. Moderate amounts of alcoholic beverages, which may help stimulate appetite, are often prescribed for geriatric patients, convalescents, and people who do not have ulcers or other chronic gastric problems that might be exacerbated by the alcohol. Dilation of blood vessels. Alcoholic beverages dilate the tiny blood vessels just under the skin, bringing blood up to the surface. That’s why moderate amounts of alcoholic beverages (0.2–1 gram per kilogram of body weight, or two ounces of whiskey for a 150-pound adult) temporarily warm the drinker. But the warm blood that flows up to the surface of the skin will cool down there, making you even colder when it circulates back into the center of your body. Then an alcohol flush will make you perspire, so you lose more heat. Excessive amounts of beverage alcohol may depress the mechanism that regulates body temperature.
Adverse Effects Associated with This Food Alcoholism. Alcoholism is an addiction disease, the inability to control one’s alcohol consumption. It is a potentially life-threatening condition, with a higher risk of death by accident, suicide, malnutrition, or acute alcohol poisoning, a toxic reaction that kills by para- lyzing body organs, including the heart. Fetal alcohol syndrome. Fetal alcohol syndrome is a specific pattern of birth defects—low birth weight, heart defects, facial malformations, learning disabilities, and mental retarda- tion—first recognized in a study of babies born to alcoholic women who consumed more than six drinks a day while pregnant. Subsequent research has found a consistent pattern of milder defects in babies born to women who drink three to four drinks a day or five drinks on any one occasion while pregnant. To date there is no evidence of a consistent pattern of birth defects in babies born to women who consume less than one drink a day while preg- nant, but two studies at Columbia University have suggested that as few as two drinks a week while pregnant may raise a woman’s risk of miscarriage. (One drink is 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine, or 1.25 ounces of distilled spirits.) Increased risk of breast cancer. In 2008, scientists at the National Cancer Institute released data from a seven-year survey of more than 100,000 postmenopausal women showing that even moderate drinking (one to two drinks a day) may increase by 32 percent a woman’s risk of developing estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) and progesterone-receptor positive (PR+) breast cancer, tumors whose growth is stimulated by hormones. No such link was found between consuming alcohol and the risk of developing ER-/PR- tumors (not fueled by hor- mones). The finding applies to all types of alcohol: beer, wine, and distilled spirits. Increased risk of oral cancer (cancer of the mouth and throat). Numerous studies confirm the A merican Cancer Societ y’s warn ing that men and women who consume more than t wo drinks a day are at higher risk of oral cancer than are nondrinkers or people who drink less. Increased risk of cancer of the colon and rectum. In the mid-1990s, studies at the University of Oklahoma suggested that men who drink more than five beers a day are at increased risk of rectal cancer. Later studies suggested that men and women who are heavy beer or spirits drinkers (but not those who are heavy wine drinkers) have a higher risk of colorectal cancers. Further studies are required to confirm these findings. Malnutrition. While moderate alcohol consumption stimulates appetite, alcohol abuses depresses it. In addition, an alcoholic may drink instead of eating. When an alcoholic does eat, excess alcohol in his/her body prevents absorption of nutrients and reduces the ability to synthesize new tissue. Hangover. Alcohol is absorbed from the stomach and small intestine and carried by the bloodstream to the liver, where it is oxidized to acetaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), the enzyme our bodies use every day to metabolize the alcohol we produce when we digest carbohydrates. The acetaldehyde is converted to acetyl coenzyme A and either eliminated from the body or used in the synthesis of cholesterol, fatty acids, and body tis- sues. Although individuals vary widely in their capacity to metabolize alcohol, an adult of average size can metabolize the alcohol in four ounces (120 ml) whiskey in approximately five to six hours. If he or she drinks more than that, the amount of alcohol in the body will exceed the available supply of ADH. The surplus, unmetabolized alcohol will pile up in the bloodstream, interfering with the liver’s metabolic functions. Since alcohol decreases the reabsorption of water from the kidneys and may inhibit the secretion of an antidiuretic hormone, the drinker will begin to urinate copiously, losing magnesium, calcium, and zinc but retaining uric acid, which is irritating. The level of lactic acid in the body will increase, making him or her feel tired and out of sorts; the acid-base balance will be out of kilter; the blood vessels in the head will swell and throb; and the stomach, its lining irritated by the alcohol, will ache. The ultimate result is a hangover whose symptoms will disappear only when enough time has passed to allow the body to marshal the ADH needed to metabolize the extra alcohol in the person’s blood. Changes in body temperature. Alcohol dilates capillaries, tiny blood vessels just under the skin, producing a “flush” that temporarily warms the drinker. But drinking is not an effective way to stay warm in cold weather. Warm blood flowing up from the body core to the surface capillaries is quickly chilled, making you even colder when it circulates back into your organs. In addition, an alcohol flush triggers perspiration, further cooling your skin. Finally, very large amounts of alcohol may actually depress the mechanism that regulates body temperature. Impotence. Excessive drinking decreases libido (sexual desire) and interferes with the ability to achieve or sustain an erection. Migraine headache. Some alcoholic beverages contain chemicals that inhibit PST, an enzyme that breaks down certain alcohols in spirits so that they can be eliminated from the body. If they are not broken down by PST, these alcohols will build up in the bloodstream and may trigger a migraine headache. Gin and vodka appear to be the distilled spirits least likely to trigger headaches, brandy the most likely.
Food/Drug Interactions Acetaminophen (Tylenol, etc.). FDA recommends that people who regularly have three or more drinks a day consult a doctor before using acetaminophen. The alcohol/acetaminophen combination may cause liver failure. Anti-alcohol abuse drugs (disulfiram [Antabuse]). Taken concurrently with alcohol, the anti- alcoholism drug disulfiram can cause flushing, nausea, a drop in blood pressure, breathing difficulty, and confusion. The severity of the symptoms, which may var y among individu- als, generally depends on the amount of alcohol consumed and the amount of disulfiram in the body. Anticoagulants. Alcohol slows the body’s metabolism of anticoagulants (blood thinners), intensif ying the effect of the drugs and increasing the risk of side effects such as spontane- ous nosebleeds. Antidepressants. Alcohol may strengthen the sedative effects of antidepressants. Aspirin, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Like alco- hol, these analgesics irritate the lining of the stomach and may cause gastric bleeding. Com- bining the two intensifies the effect. Insulin and oral hypoglycemics. Alcohol lowers blood sugar and interferes with the metabo- lism of oral antidiabetics; the combination may cause severe hypoglycemia. Sedatives and other central nervous system depressants (tranquilizers, sleeping pills, antide- pressants, sinus and cold remedies, analgesics, and medication for motion sickness). Alcohol intensifies the sedative effects of these medications and, depending on the dose, may cause drowsiness, sedation, respiratory depression, coma, or death. MAO inhibitors. Monoamine oxidase (M AO) inhibitors are drugs used as antidepressants or antihypertensives. They inhibit the action of natural enzymes that break down tyramine, a substance formed naturally when proteins are metabolized. Tyramine is a pressor amine, a chemical that constricts blood vessel and raises blood pressure. If you eat a food that contains tyramine while you are taking an M AO inhibitor, the pressor amine cannot be eliminated from your body and the result may be a hypertensive crisis (sustained elevated blood pressure). Brandy, a distilled spirit made from wine (which is fermented) contains tyramine. All other distilled spirits may be excluded from your diet when you are taking an M AO inhibitor because the spirits and the drug, which are both sedatives, may be hazard- ous in combination.... distilled spirits
Habitat: Hedgerows.
Features ? Square, grey, hairy stem, up to two feet high. Leaves stalked, cordate-ovate, serrate, whitish down beneath. Flowers white, crimson dots, two-lipped, in short, dense spikes. Characteristic mint-like scent.Part used ? Herbs, leaves.Action: Carminative, tonic, diaphoretic, anti-spasmodic.
Especially used for flatulence and digestive pains in children, and for production of perspiration in both children and adults. For diaphoreticpurposes in adults, 2-tablespoonful doses of the 1 ounce to 1 pint infusion thrice daily, with a cupful at bedtime; proportionate doses in children's complaints.American physio-medical practice recommends blood-warm bowel injections of the infusion for babies with intestinal flatulence.... catnepHabitat: There are many varieties of the shrub, which is indigenous to India, Africa and South America.
Features ? The oblong-conical shaped pods are fiery to the taste, and the numerous seeds contain a large amount of oil, which has a similar effect on the palate. The fruit itself, however, differs widely in size, colour and strength. The yellowish-red product of Sierra Leone is the most pungent, the long, bright red type from Japan being much milder.(Capsicum annum is cultivated in Hungary, and fed to canaries in order to improve the appearance of the plumage. Known as "tasteless Cayenne," this is quite free from pungency.)Part used ? Dried, ripe fruit. Used for medicinal and culinary purposes.Action: Cayenne is acknowledged as the finest stimulant in the herbal materia medica, and is, in addition, carminative, tonic, diaphoretic and rubifacient.
As a pure stimulant, the administration of Cayenne produces a natural warmth and uniform circulation, and in dyspepsia and flatulence the carminative effect is especially noticeable. As a diaphoretic it may be used whenever it is desired to open the pores and bring about increased perspiration.Capsicum is a constituent of many of the herbal compounds, including the well-known composition powders, Thomson's formula for which will be found in the appropriate section of this book. The dose of the powdered fruit is 5-20 grains.Coffin is a champion of the virtues of Capsicum, one of his reasons being that, unlike most of the stimulants of allopathy, it is not a narcotic.... cayenneNutritional Profile Energy value (calories per serving): Low Protein: Moderate Fat: Low Saturated fat: Low Cholesterol: None Carbohydrates: High Fiber: High Sodium: Low Major vitamin contribution: Vitamin C Major mineral contribution: Iron, selenium
About the Nutrients in This Food Although raw garlic has some fiber and protein plus vitamins and minerals, we rarely eat enough garlic to get useful amounts of these nutrients. Source: USDA Nut rient Data Laborator y. Nat ional Nut rient Database for Standard Reference. Available online. UR L : http://w w w.nal.usda. gov/fnic/foodcomp/search /. Elephant garlic, a cross between an onion and garlic that may grow as large as a grapefruit, has a milder flavor than regular garlic. Garlic contains alliin and allicin, two sulfur compounds with antibi- otic activity. In a number of laboratory experiments, garlic juice appears to inhibit the growth of a broad variety of bacteria, yeast, and fungi growing in test tubes, but its effects on human beings have yet to be proven.
Diets That May Restrict or Exclude This Food Antiflatulence diet Bland diet
Buying This Food Look for: Firm, solid cloves with tight clinging skin. If the skin is paper y and pulling away from the cloves and the head feels light for its size, the garlic has withered or rotted away inside.
The Most Nutritious Way to Serve This Food Fresh.
Storing This Food Store garlic in a cool, dark, air y place to keep it from dr ying out or sprouting. ( When garlic sprouts, diallyl disulfide—the sulfur compound that gives fresh garlic its distinctive taste and odor—goes into the new growth and the garlic itself becomes milder.) A n unglazed ceramic “garlic keeper” will protect the garlic from moisture while allowing air to circulate freely around the head and cloves. Properly stored, garlic will keep for several months. Do not refrigerate garlic unless you live in a very hot and humid climate.
Preparing This Food To peel garlic easily, blanch the cloves in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then drain and cool. Slice off the root end, and the skin should come right off without sticking to your fin- gers. Or you can put a head of fresh, raw garlic on a flat surface and hit the flat end with the flat side of a knife. The head will come apart and the skin should come off easily. To get the most “garlicky” taste from garlic cloves, chop or mash them or extract the oil with a garlic press. When you cut into a garlic clove, you tear its cell walls, releasing an enzyme that converts sulfur compounds in the garlic into ammonia, pyruvic acid, and diallyl disulfide.
What Happens When You Cook This Food Heating garlic destroys its diallyl disulfide, which is why cooked garlic is so much milder tasting than raw garlic.
How Other Kinds of Processing Affect This Food Drying. Drying removes moisture from garlic but leaves the oils intact. Powdered garlic and garlic salt should be stored in a cool, dry place to keep their oils from turning rancid. Garlic salt is much higher in sodium than either raw garlic, garlic powder, or dried garlic flakes.
Medical Uses and/or Benefits Protection against some cancers. The organic sulfur compounds in garlic and onions appear to reduce the risk of some forms of cancer perhaps by preventing the formation of carcinogens in your body or by blocking carcinogens from reaching or reacting with sensitive body tis- sues or by inhibiting the transformation of healthy cells to malignant ones. Protection against circulatory diseases. In a number of laboratory studies during the 1980s, adding garlic oil to animal feeds reduced levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), the fat and protein particles that carry cholesterol into your arteries, and raised levels of high density lipoproteins (HDLs), the particles that carry cholesterol out of the body. However, current studies are contradictory. One year-long study at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center showed that daily doses of aged garlic (brand name Kyolic) appeared to reduce the formation of cholesterol deposits in arteries while lowering blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid the American Heart Association calls an independent risk factor for heart disease. But another study funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), a division of the National Institutes of Health, to determine the safety and effec- tiveness of garlic showed that neither fresh garlic nor powdered garlic nor garlic tablets have any effect on cholesterol levels.
Adverse Effects Associated with This Food Body odor, halitosis. Diallyl disulfide is excreted in perspiration and in the air you exhale, which is why eating garlic makes you smell garlicky.
Food/Drug Interactions Anticoagulants (blood thinners). Garlic appears to reduce blood’s ability to clot, thus increas- ing the effect of anticoagulants, including aspirin. NCCAM recommends using garlic with caution before surgery, including dental surgery. Patients who have a clotting disorder should consult their own doctors before using garlic.... garlic
Habitat: Tamil Nadu up to 2,100 m, and along the back waters in Kerala and West Bengal.
Folk: Nanjaruppan (Tamil Nadu, Kerala).Action: Plant—alexipharmic; used for the treatment of urticaria, smallpox, excessive perspiration, biolious swellings, as an antidote to arsenic poisoning. Leaves—used for scabies.... tylophora tenuis
Symptoms: headaches, palpitations, skin complaints, sleeplessness, digestive disorders, chest pains and excessive perspiration. These may be due to exposure to unsatisfactory levels of bacterial and chemical pollution. Where symptoms are not due to any underlying condition, Ginseng, Gota Kola and Chaparral may usually be relied on.
Preparations: teas, tablets, liquid extracts. Professional woman’s fatigue may be dispelled by German Chamomile tea. ... commuter’s syndrome
HYPERGLYCAEMIA. See: DIABETES. To reduce sugar in blood – Guar gum. HYPERHIDROSIS. Excessive sweating. See: PERSPIRATION. ... hypergalactia
Habitat: Native to Iran; now cultivated in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh., Khasi Hills and the hills of Uttar Pradesh.
Ayurvedic: Akshoda, Akshoda- ka, Akshota, Shailbhava, Pilu, Karparaal, Vrantphala.Unani: Akhrot.Siddha/Tamil: Akrottu.Action: Leaves and bark— alterative, laxative, antiseptic, mild hypoglycaemic, anti-inflammatory, antiscrofula, detergent. An infusion of leaves and bark is used for herpes, eczema and other cutaneous affections; externally to skin eruptions and ulcers. Volatile oil— antifungal, antimicrobial.
Key application (leaf) ? In mild, superficial inflammation of the skin and excessive perspiration of hands and feet. (German Commission E.). When English Walnuts (Juglans regia) are added to low fat diet, total cholesterol may be decreased by 412% and LDL by 8-16%. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)Walnut hull preparations are used for skin diseases and abscesses.Walnut is eaten as a dry fruit. Because of its resemblance to the brain, it was thought, according to the "doctrine of signatures", to be a good brain tonic. Walnuts are also eaten to lower the cholesterol levels.From the volatile oil of the leaves terpenoid substances (monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, diterpene and triter- pene derivatives) and eugenol have been isolated. Fatty acids, including geranic acid; alpha-and beta-pinene, 1,8,cincole, limonene, beta-eudesmol and juglone are also important constituents of the volatile oil.The leaves contain napthoquinones, mainly juglone. The root bark gave 3, 3',-bis-juglone and oligomeric ju- glones. Unripe fruit husk also gave napthoquinones.The kernels of Indian walnuts contain 15.6% protein, 11% carbohydrates, 1.8% mineral matter (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, phosphorus, sulphur and chorine). Iodine (2.8 mcg/100 g), arsenic, zinc, cobalt and manganese are also reported. Kernels are also rich in vitamins of the B group, vitamin A (30 IU/100 g), and ascorbic acid (3 mg/100 g).The juice of unripe fruits showed significant thyroid hormone enhancing activity (prolonged use of such extract may cause serious side effect).White Walnut, Lemon Walnut, Butternut, Oilnut of the USA is equated with Juglans cineraria L. The inner bark gave napthoquinones, including juglone, juglandin, juglandic acid, tannins and an essential oil.Butternut is used as a dermatologi- cal and antihaemorrhoidal agent. Ju- glone exhibits antimicrobial, antipara- sitic and antineoplastic activities.Dosage: Dried cotyledons—10-25 g (API, Vol. II.)... juglans regiaHabitat: Native to the Mediterranean region; grown as an ornamental.
English: Sage.Folk: Salvia Sefakuss.Action: Plant—astringent, anti- inflammatory, carminative, anti- spasmodic, antiseptic. Leaf and flower—cholagogue, hypogly- caemic, antiasthmatic (used for respiratory allergy), cholagogue, emmenagogue, antisudoriferous, antiseptic. Leaf—diaphoretic, antipyretic. Used for sore throat, laryngitis, tonsillitis, stomatitis.
Key application: Leaf—internally, for dyspeptic symptoms and excessive perspiration; externally for inflammations of the mucous membranes of nose and throat. (German Commission E.) ESCOP indicates its use for inflammations and infections such as stomatitis, gingivitis, pharyngitis, and hyperhidrosis.The leaves contain a volatile oil; diterpene bitters including carnosolic acid; flavonoids including salvigenin, genkwanin, hispidulin, luteolin and its derivatives; phenolic acids including rosmarinic, caffeic, labiatic; a condensed catechin, salvia tannin.The roots contain diterpene quino- nesroyleanone and its derivatives. Volatile oil contains alpha-and beta-thu- jone, 1,8-cineole and camphor. Thu- jone is strongly antiseptic and carminative, also has an oestrogenic action that is partly responsible for the herb's hormonal activity in reducing breast milk production. The volatile oil also relieves muscle spasms. Ros- marinic acid, a phenol, allays inflammations.Cirsiliol, linalool and alpha-terpine- ol, constituents of the volatile oil, exhibit CNS depressant activities.In a double blind, randomized and placebo controlled trial, extracts of Salvia officinalis showed improvement in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer disease. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)Sage oil is used in perfumes as a deodorant and for the treatment of thrush and gingivitis. The herb is used in tooth powders, mouth washes, gargles, poultices, hair tonics and hair dressings.... salvia officinalisIn humans the ‘normal’ temperature is around 37 °C (98·4 °F). It may rise as high as 43 °C or fall to 32 °C in various conditions, but the risk to life is only serious above 41 °C or below 35 °C.
Fall in temperature may accompany major loss of blood, starvation, and the state of collapse (see SHOCK) which may occur in severe FEVER and other acute conditions. Certain chronic diseases, notably hypothyroidism (see THYROID GLAND, DISEASES OF), are generally accompanied by a subnormal temperature. Increased temperature is a characteristic of many acute diseases, particularly infections; indeed, many diseases have a characteristic pattern that enables a provisional diagnosis to be made or acts as a warning of possible complications. In most cases the temperature gradually abates as the patient recovers, but in others, such as PNEUMONIA and TYPHUS FEVER, the untreated disease ends rapidly by a CRISIS in which the temperature falls, perspiration breaks out, the pulse rate falls, and breathing becomes quieter. This crisis is often preceded by an increase in symptoms, including an epicritical rise in temperature.
Body temperature is usually measured on the Celsius scale, on a thermometer reading from 35 °C to 43·3 °C. Measurement may be taken in the mouth (under the tongue), in the armpit, the external ear canal or (occasionally in infants) in the rectum. (See also THERMOMETER.)
Treatment Abnormally low temperatures may be treated by application of external heat, or reduction of heat loss from the body surface. High temperature may be treated in various ways, apart from the primary treatment of the underlying condition. Treatment of hyperthermia or hypothermia should ensure a gradual return to normal temperature (see ANTIPYRETICS.... temperature
Structure
CORIUM The foundation layer. It overlies the subcutaneous fat and varies in thickness from 0·5–3.0 mm. Many nerves run through the corium: these have key roles in the sensations of touch, pain and temperature (see NEURON(E)). Blood vessels nourish the skin and are primarily responsible for regulating the body temperature. Hairs are bedded in the corium, piercing the epidermis (see below) to cover the skin in varying amounts in di?erent parts of the body. The sweat glands are also in the corium and their ducts lead to the surface. The ?brous tissue of the corium comprises interlocking white ?brous elastic bundles. The corium contains many folds, especially over joints and on the palms of hands and soles of feet with the epidermis following the contours. These are permanent throughout life and provide unique ?ngerprinting identi?cation. HAIR Each one has a root and shaft, and its varying tone originates from pigment scattered throughout it. Bundles of smooth muscle (arrectores pilorum) are attached to the root and on contraction cause the hair to stand vertical. GLANDS These occur in great numbers in the skin. SEBACEOUS GLANDS secrete a fatty substance and sweat glands a clear watery ?uid (see PERSPIRATION). The former are made up of a bunch of small sacs producing fatty material that reaches the surface via the hair follicle. Around three million sweat or sudoriparous glands occur all over the body surface; sited below the sebaceous glands they are unconnected to the hairs. EPIDERMIS This forms the outer layer of skin and is the cellular layer covering the body surface: it has no blood vessels and its thickness varies from 1 mm on the palms and soles to 0·1 mm on the face. Its outer, impervious, horny layer comprises several thicknesses of ?at cells (pierced only by hairs and sweat-gland openings) that are constantly rubbed o? as small white scales; they are replaced by growing cells from below. The next, clear layer forms a type of membrane below which the granular stratum cells are changing from their origins as keratinocytes in the germinative zone, where ?ne sensory nerves also terminate. The basal layer of the germinative zone contains melanocytes which produce the pigment MELANIN, the cause of skin tanning.
Nail A modi?cation of skin, being analagous to the horny layer, but its cells are harder and more adherent. Under the horny nail is the nail bed, comprising the well-vascularised corium (see above) and the germinative zone. Growth occurs at the nail root at a rate of around 0·5 mm a week – a rate that increases in later years of life.
Skin functions By its ability to control sweating and open or close dermal blood vessels, the skin plays a crucial role in maintaining a constant body temperature. Its toughness protects the body from mechanical injury. The epidermis is a two-way barrier: it prevents the entry of noxious chemicals and microbes, and prevents the loss of body contents, especially water, electrolytes and proteins. It restricts electrical conductivity and to a limited extent protects against ultraviolet radiation.
The Langerhans’ cells in the epidermis are the outposts of the immune system (see IMMUNITY), just as the sensory nerves in the skin are the outposts of the nervous system. Skin has a social function in its ability to signal emotions such as fear or anger. Lastly it has a role in the synthesis of vitamin D.... skin
The daily urine output varies, but averages around 1,500 ml in adults, less in children. The ?uid intake and ?uid output (urine and PERSPIRATION) are interdependent, so as to maintain a relatively constant ?uid balance. Urine output is increased in certain diseases, notably DIABETES MELLITUS; it is diminished (or even temporarily stopped) in acute glomerulonephritis (see under KIDNEYS, DISEASES OF), heart failure, and fevers generally. Failure of the kidneys to secrete any urine is known as anuria, while stoppage due to obstruction of the ureters (see URETER) by stones, or of the URETHRA by a stricture, despite normal urinary secretion, is known as urinary retention.
Normal urine is described as straw- to amber-coloured, but may be changed by various diseases or drugs. Chronic glomerulonephritis or poorly controlled diabetes may lead to a watery appearance, as may drinking large amounts of water. Consumption of beetroot or rhubarb may lead to an orange or red colour, while passage of blood in the urine (haematuria) results in a pink or bright red appearance, or a smoky tint if just small amounts are passed. A greenish urine is usually due to BILE, or may be produced by taking QUININE.
Healthy urine has a faint aroma, but gives o? an unpleasant ammoniacal smell when it begins to decompose, as may occur in urinary infections. Many foods and additives give urine a distinctive odour; garlic is particularly characteristic. The density or speci?c gravity of urine varies normally from 1,015 to 1,025: a low value suggests chronic glomerulonephritis, while a high value may occur in uncontrolled diabetes or during fevers. Urine is normally acidic, which has an important antiseptic action; it may at times become alkaline, however, and in vegetarians, owing to the large dietary consumption of alkaline salts, it is permanently alkaline.
Chemical or microscopical examination of the urine is necessary to reveal abnormal drugs, poisons, or micro-organisms. There are six substances which must be easily detectable for diagnostic purposes: these are ALBUMINS, blood, GLUCOSE, bile, ACETONE, and PUS and tube-casts (casts from the lining of the tubules in the kidneys). Easily used strip tests are available for all of these, except the last.
Excess of urine It is important to distinguish urinary frequency from increase in the total amount of urine passed. Frequency may be due to reduced bladder capacity, such as may be caused by an enlarged PROSTATE GLAND, or due to any irritation or infection of the kidneys or bladder, such as CYSTITIS or the formation of a stone. Increased total urinary output, on the other hand, is often a diagnostic feature of diabetes mellitus. Involuntary passage of urine at night may result, leading to bed wetting, or NOCTURNAL ENURESIS in children. Diagnosis of either condition, therefore, means that the urine should be tested for glucose, albumin, gravel (fragments of urinary calculi), and pus, with appropriate treatment.... urine
Action. Antispasmodic, antasthmatic, anti-sweat, sedative, lactifuge.
For use by qualified practitioner only.
Uses: Spasmodic asthma; colic of intestines, gall bladder or kidney; spasm of bladder and ureters. Whooping cough, excessive perspiration (night sweats, etc), spermatorrhoea, bed-wetting (dose afternoon and at bedtime), dribbling of saliva in Parkinsonism. The common cold, hay fever, acidity – to inhibit secretion of stomach acid.
Contra-indications. Glaucoma, rapid heart, pregnancy, enlarged prostate. Side-effects – dry mouth, dilated pupils, mental disorientation. Used for a millennia in China as an anaesthetic (Kiangsu – 1719)
Widely used in homoeopathic medicine.
Preparations: Unless otherwise prescribed – up to thrice daily. Dried herb, 50mg in infusion. Tincture, BHC (vol 1). 1:10, 70 per cent ethanol, 0.5ml.
Initial dose recommended per week by British Herbal Compendium, Vol 1; dried leaf, 200mg (max 1g); tincture, 2ml (max 10ml).
A weaker solution may sometimes be used with good effect: 5 drops tincture to 100ml water – 1 teaspoon hourly. (Dr Finlay Ellingwood)
Pharmacy only sale ... belladonna
Action: anti-diarrhoeal, antispasmodic, emmenagogue, diaphoretic, carminative, gentle nerve relaxant for release of tension. To reduce temperature in simple fevers by inducing a free perspiration thus sweating- out toxins via the skin.
Keynote: crises of childhood.
Uses: Children: colic, restlessness, hyperactivity, convulsions, early stages of fever, hysteria with crying and violent twisting of the trunk, middle ear infection, sinuses. Colds, influenza, congestion of respiratory organs. Physical results of emotional disturbance.
Preparations: Two-hourly in acute cases, otherwise thrice daily.
Tea: (popular method) One heaped teaspoon to each cup boiling water; infuse 10 minutes. Half-1 cup. In its absence use Chamomile.
Liquid Extract: 30 drops to 1 teaspoon in water.
Enema: 2oz to 2 pints boiling water; for elimination of toxic wastes from colon.
Beloved by cats, making them frolicsome, amorous and full of fun. Not given in pregnancy. ... catmint
Uses: Bad breath and offensive perspiration, gastritis, sore throat and mouth, skin conditions that refuse to heal, burns, suppurating wounds, athlete’s foot. Cataract.
Preparations: Available as tablets, powders, green barley juice or essence.
Chlorophyll tablets (Potter’s). Each tablet contains: 30mg Chlorophyll and 60mg Kola. (Potter’s Herbal Supplies, Wigan, England) ... chlorophyll
1. Powders: 3oz Bayberry, 1oz Ginger, half Cinnamon, half an ounce Cloves, quarter of an ounce Cayenne. Sift. Mix. (E.G. Jones MNIMH)
2. 2oz Bayberry, 1oz Ginger, 1oz Pleurisy root, half an ounce Cayenne. Sift. Mix. (Melville C. Keith MD) 3. 2oz Poplar bark, 1oz Balmony herb, half an ounce Goldenseal, half an ounce Cinnamon, three-quarters of an ounce Cayenne. Mix. Sift. “This brought the American physiomedical doctors immortal fame.” (F.H. England MD)
Dose: Quarter to 1 teaspoon in hot water, tea or honey. The powder may be fed into 00 capsules: 2-4 capsules swallowed or taken as above.
Composition powder is a harmless stimulant against winter’s ills, influenza and for the first stages of fevers. Long traditional reputation for stomach and bowel disorders, cramp, collapse, circulatory stasis, fainting, hypothermia, to promote perspiration, to assuage moderate degree pain. In the elderly it was given to rekindle the fires of life when burning low. ... composition powders
For a more profuse abundant sweating Sudorifics are employed: Red Sage, Boneset, Ginger, Angelica root, Virginia Snakeroot, Cayenne, Crawley root. ... diaphoretics
EFA deficiency may be caused by alcohol, particularly Omega-6. Deficiencies may be responsible for a wide range of symptoms from foul-smelling perspiration to psoriasis, pre-menstrual tension and colic. EFAs are precursors of prostaglandin formation.
EFAs are present in oily fish and reduce the adhesion of platelets and the risk of heart disease. They reduce blood cholesterol and increase HDLs.
Common sources: cold pressed seeds, pulses, nuts and nut oils. Evening Primrose oil (15-20 drops daily). The best known source is Cod Liver oil (1-8 teaspoons daily); (children 1 teaspoon daily to strengthen immune system against infection); bottled oil preferred before capsules. To increase palatability pour oil into honey jar half filled with orange or other fruit juice, shake well and drink from the jar.
Margarines, salad dressings, cooking and other refined vegetable oils inhibit complete absorption of EFAs and should be avoided. EFAs require the presence of adequate supply of Vitamins A, B, C, D, E and minerals Calcium, Iron, Magnesium and Selenium. ... essential fatty acids (efa)
Constituents: phenolic compounds, gingerols, mucilage, volatile oil.
Action: anti-inflammatory, carminative, antispasmodic, expectorant, vasodilator, anti-cholesterol. Circulatory stimulant not as sharp as Cayenne. Anti-emetic. Diaphoretic. Traditional ingredient in prescriptions to ensure absorption through the stomach to all parts of the body.
Uses: Travel sickness, flatulent colic, irritable bowel and diarrhoea where no inflammation exists; colds and influenza – to promote perspiration and thus reduce body temperature. Cold hands and feet, hypothermia: a pinch of the powder in a beverage sends blood to the surface. Uncomplicated stomach and intestinal problems; appetite loss; hiccups; to promote secretion of gastric juices in the elderly and in achlorhydria. Brain fatigue (with Kola nuts, equal parts). Atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (diet). Suppressed menstruation from cold. Improves sex life. Loss of appetite. Jet lag, general weakness. Nausea and vomiting. Morning sickness of pregnancy. Sickness of chemotherapy and after surgical operation. Traditionally eaten with raw fish which effectively destroys anisakis larvae and some other parasites.
Preparations: Tea. Quarter to half a teaspoon to each cup of boiling water or domestic tea, freely. Tablets/capsules. Powdered Ginger, quarter to 1g thrice daily.
Weak tincture BP (1973) Dose: one and a half to 3ml.
Strong tincture: 3 to 10 drops in water.
Liniments, for external use.
Contra-indicated in kidney disease. Best taken with food. ... ginger
FAMILY: Poaceae (Gramineae)
SYNONYMS: Andropogon nardus, Sri Lanka citronella, Lenabatu citronella.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: A tall, aromatic, perennial grass, which has derived from the wild-growing ‘managrass’ found in Sri Lanka.
DISTRIBUTION: Native to Sri Lanka, now extensively cultivated on the southernmost tip of the country.
OTHER SPECIES: An important essential oil is also produced on a large scale from the Java or Maha Pengiri citronella (C. winterianus). This variety is cultivated in the tropics worldwide, especially in Java, Vietnam, Africa, Argentina and Central America. There are many other related species of scented grasses.
HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: The leaves of citronella are used for their aromatic and medicinal value in many cultures, for fever, intestinal parasites, digestive and menstrual problems, as a stimulant and an insect repellent. It is used in Chinese traditional medicine for rheumatic pain.
ACTIONS: Antiseptic, antispasmodic, bactericidal, deodorant, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, fungicidal, insecticide, stomachic, tonic, vermifuge.
EXTRACTION: Essential oil by steam distillation of the fresh, part-dried or dried grass. (The Java citronella yields twice as much oil as the Sri Lanka type.)
CHARACTERISTICS: A yellowy-brown, mobile liquid with a fresh, powerful, lemony scent. The Java oil is colourless to pale yellow with a fresh, woody-sweet fragrance; it is considered of superior quality in perfumery work. It blends well with geranium, lemon, bergamot, orange, cedarwood and pine.
PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Mainly geraniol (up to 45 per cent in the Java oil), citronella (up to 50 per cent in the Java oil) with geranyl acetate, limonene and camphene, among others. The Sri Lanka variety contains more monoterpene hydrocarbons.
SAFETY DATA: Non-toxic, non-irritant; may cause dermatitis in some individuals. Avoid during pregnancy.
AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE
Skin Care: Excessive perspiration, oily skin, insect repellant. ‘Mixed with cedarwood oil Virginia, it has been a popular remedy against mosquito attacks for many years prior to the appearance of DDT and other modern insecticides.’.
Immune System: Colds, ’flu, minor infections.
Nervous System: Fatigue, headaches, migraine, neuralgia.
OTHER USES: Extensively used in soaps, detergents, household goods and industrial perfumes. Employed in insect repellent formulations against moths, ants, fleas, etc, for use in the home and in the garden The Sri Lanka oil is used in most major food categories, including alcoholic and soft drinks. The Java oil is used as the starting material for the isolation of natural geraniol and citronellal.... citronella
FAMILY: Cupressaceae
SYNONYMS: Italian cypress, Mediterranean cypress.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: A tall evergreen tree with slender branches and a statuesque conical shape. It bears small flowers and round, brownish-grey cones or nuts.
DISTRIBUTION: Native to the eastern Mediterranean; now grows wild in France, Italy, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Spain, Portugal, North Africa, England and, to a lesser degree, the Balkan countries. Cultivation and distillation usually take place in France, also Spain and Morocco.
OTHER SPECIES: There are many other species of cypress found throughout the world which are used to produce an essential oil, such as C. lusitanica found in Kenya. With regard to oil quality, however, C. sempervirens is considered superior.
HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: It was highly valued as a medicine and as an incense by ancient civilizations and it is still used as a purification incense by the Tibetans. It benefits the urinary system and is considered useful where there is excessive loss of fluid, such as heavy perspiration or menstrual loss and diarrhoea: ‘The cones are … very drying and binding, good to stop fluxes of all kinds.’.
The Chinese consider the nuts very nutritious, beneficial for the liver and respiratory system and to check profuse perspiration.
ACTIONS: Antirheumatic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, deodorant, diuretic, hepatic, styptic, sudorific, tonic, vasoconstrictive.
EXTRACTION: Essential oil by steam distillation from the needles and twigs. An oil from the cones is available occasionally. (A concrete and absolute are also produced in small quantities.)
CHARACTERISTICS: A pale yellow to greenish-olive mobile liquid with a smoky, sweet-balsamic tenacious odour. It blends well with cedarwood, pine, lavender, mandarin, clary sage, lemon, cardamon, Moroccan chamomile, ambrette seed, labdanum, juniper, benzoin, bergamot, orange, marjoram and sandalwood.
PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Pinene, camphene, sylvestrene, cymene, sabinol, among others.
SAFETY DATA: Non-toxic, non-irritant and non-sensitizing.
AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE
Skin Care: Haemorrhoids, oily and overhydrated skin, excessive perspiration, insect repellent, pyorrhoea (bleeding of the gums), varicose veins, wounds.
Circulation Muscles And Joints: Cellulitis, muscular cramp, oedema, poor circulation, rheumatism.
Respiratory System: Asthma, bronchitis, spasmodic coughing.
Genito-urinary system: Dysmenorrhoea, menopausal problems, menorrhagia.
Nervous System: Nervous tension and stress-related conditions.
OTHER USES: Employed in some pharmaceutical products; used as a fragrance component in colognes, after-shaves and perfumes.... cypress
FAMILY: Lauraceae
SYNONYMS: L. citrata, ‘may chang’, exotic verbena, tropical verbena.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: A small tropical tree with fragrant, lemongrass-scented leaves and flowers. The small fruits are shaped like peppers, from which the name ‘cubeba’ derives.
DISTRIBUTION: Native to east Asia, especially China; cultivated in Taiwan and japan. China is the main producer of the oil, much of which is used by the Chinese themselves.
OTHER SPECIES: Despite its folk names, this plant is not related to lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla). It belongs to the same family as the laurel tree, rosewood and cinnamon.
HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: It is planted as a wind breaker in China.
ACTIONS: Antiseptic, deodorant, digestive, disinfectant, insecticidal, stimulant, stomachic.
EXTRACTION: Essential oil by steam distillation from the fruits.
CHARACTERISTICS: A pale yellow mobile liquid with an intense, lemony, fresh-fruity odour (sweeter than lemongrass but less tenacious).
PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Mainly citral (up to 85 per cent).
SAFETY DATA: Non-toxic, non-irritant, possible sensitization in some individuals.
AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE
Skin care: Acne, dermatitis, excessive perspiration, greasy skin, insect repellent, spots.
Digestive system: Flatulence, indigestion.
Immune system: Epidemics, sanitation.
OTHER USES: Extensively used as a fragrance component in air fresheners, soaps, deodorants, colognes, toiletries and perfumes. Employed in flavouring work, especially fruit products. It serves as a source of natural ‘citral’ all over the world.... litsea cubeba
FAMILY: Rutaceae
SYNONYMS: C. bigaradia, petitgrain bigarade (oil), petitgrain Paraguay (oil). See also bitter orange.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The oil of petitgrain is produced from the leaves and twigs of the same tree that produces bitter orange oil and neroli oil: see bitter orange and neroli.
DISTRIBUTION: Native to southern China and north east India. The best quality petitgrain oil comes from France but a good-quality oil is also produced in North Africa, Paraguay and Haiti from semi-wild trees.
OTHER SPECIES: A type of petitgrain is also produced in small quantities from the leaves, twigs and small unripe fruit of the lemon, sweet orange, mandarin and bergamot trees.
HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: At one time the oil used to be extracted from the green unripe oranges when they were still the size of a cherry – hence the name petitgrains or ‘little grains’. One of the classic ingredients of eau-de-cologne.
ACTIONS: Antiseptic, antispasmodic, deodorant, digestive, nervine, stimulant (digestive, nervous), stomachic, tonic.
EXTRACTION: Essential oil by steam distillation from the leaves and twigs. An orange ‘leaf and flower’ water absolute is also produced, known as petitgrain sur fleurs.
CHARACTERISTICS: A pale yellow to amber liquid with a fresh-floral citrus scent and a woody-herbaceous undertone. It blends well with rosemary, lavender, geranium, bergamot, bitter orange, labdanum, neroli, oakmoss, clary sage, jasmine, benzoin, palmarosa, clove and balsams.
PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: 40–80 per cent esters: mainly linalyl acetate and geranyl acetate, as well as linalol, nerol, terpineol, geraniol, nerolidol, farnesol, limonene, among others.
SAFETY DATA: Non-toxic, non-irritant, nonsensitizing, non-phototoxic.
AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE
Skin care: Acne, excessive perspiration, greasy skin and hair, toning.
Digestive system: Dyspepsia, flatulence.
Nervous system: Convalescence, insomnia, nervous exhaustion and stress-related conditions.
OTHER USES: Extensively used as a fragrance component in soaps, detergents, cosmetics and perfumes, especially colognes (sometimes used to replace neroli). Employed as a flavour component in many foods, especially confectionery, as well as alcoholic and soft drinks.... petitgrain
FAMILY: Poaceae (Gramineae)
SYNONYMS: 1. Andropogon citratus, A. schoenathus, West Indian lemongrass, Madagascar lemongrass, Guatemala lemongrass. 2. A. flexuosus, Cymbopogon flexuosus, East Indian lemongrass, Cochin lemongrass, native lemongrass, British India lemongrass, ‘vervaine Indienne’ or France Indian verbena.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: A fast-growing, tall, aromatic perennial grass up to 1.5 metres high, producing a network of roots and rootlets that rapidly exhaust the soil.
DISTRIBUTION: Native to Asia, there are two main types: 1. The West Indian lemongrass which is probably native to Sri Lanka, now cultivated mainly in the West Indies, Africa and tropical Asia. Main oil producers include Guatemala and India 2. The East Indian lemongrass, which is native to east India (Travancore, etc.), now mainly cultivated in western India!
OTHER SPECIES: There are several varieties of lemongrass of which the East Indian and the West Indian types are the most common. Chemotypes within each variety are also quite pronounced.
HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: Employed in traditional Indian medicine for infectious illness and fever; modern research carried out in India shows that it also acts as a sedative on the central nervous system. It is also used as an insecticide and for flavouring food. After the distillation process, the exhausted grass is used locally to feed cattle.
ACTIONS: Analgesic, antidepressant, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antipyretic, antiseptic, astringent, bactericidal, carminative, deodorant, febrifuge, fungicidal, galactagogue, insecticidal, nervine, sedative (nervous), tonic.
EXTRACTION: Essential oil by steam distillation from the fresh and partially dried leaves (grass), finely chopped.
CHARACTERISTICS: 1. A yellow, amber or reddish-brown liquid with a fresh, grassy-citrus scent and an earthy undertone. 2. A yellow or amber liquid with a fresh, grassy-lemony scent, generally lighter than the West Indian type.
PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: 1. Citral (65–85 per cent), myrcene (12–25 per cent), dipentene, methylheptenone, linalol, geraniol, nerol, citronellol and farnesol, among others. 2. Citral (up to 85 per cent), geraniol, methyl eugenol, borneol, dipentene; constituents vary according to type.
SAFETY DATA: Non-toxic, possible dermal irritation and/or sensitization in some individuals – use with care.
AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE
Skin care: Acne, athlete’s foot, excessive perspiration, insect repellent (fleas, lice, ticks), open pores, pediculosis, scabies, tissue toner.
Circulation muscles and joints: Muscular pain, poor circulation and muscle tone, slack tissue.
Digestive system: Colitis, indigestion, gastro enteritis.
Immune system: Fevers, infectious disease.
Nervous system: Headaches, nervous exhaustion and stress-related conditions.
OTHER USES: Extensively used as a fragrance component in soaps, detergents, cosmetics and perfumes. Employed as a flavour ingredient in most major food categories including alcoholic and soft drinks. Also used for the isolation of citral and for the adulteration of more costly oils such as verbena or melissa.... lemongrass
FAMILY: Aristolochiaceae
SYNONYMS: Wild ginger, Indian ginger.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: An inconspicuous but fragrant little plant not more than 35 cms high with a hairy stem, two glossy, kidney-shaped leaves and a creeping rootstock. The solitary bell-shaped flower is brownish purple, and creamy white inside.
DISTRIBUTION: Native to North America, especially North Carolina, Kansas and Canada. The oil is produced in the USA mainly from wild-growing plants.
OTHER SPECIES: It should not be confused with ‘serpentaria oil’ from the Virginian snakeroot (Aristolochia serpentaria) which belongs to the same botanical family but contains asarone and is considered toxic.
HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: This plant has been employed for centuries in folk medicine but is now little prescribed. It used to be used for chronic chest complaints, dropsy, rheumatism and painful bowel and stomach spasms. It was also considered a ‘valuable stimulant in cases of amenorrhoea and colds’ and for ‘promoting a copious perspiration’. .
The name (of the Virginian variety at least) derives from its use in aiding the body to combat nettle rash, poison ivy and some snake bites.
ACTIONS: Anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, carminative, diuretic, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, stimulant, stomachic.
EXTRACTION: Essential oil by steam distillation from the dried rhizomes and crushed roots.
CHARACTERISTICS: A brownish-yellow or amber liquid with a warm, woody-spicy, rich, gingerlike odour. It blends well with bergamot, costus, oakmoss, patchouli, pine needle, clary sage, mimosa, cassie and other florals.
PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Pinene, linalol, borneol, terpineol, geraniol, eugenol and methyl eugenol, among others.
SAFETY DATA: Non-toxic, non-irritant, nonsensitizing. Avoid during pregnancy.
AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE May possibly be used for its antispasmodic qualities, for example for period pains or indigestion.
OTHER USES: Occasionally used in perfumery work. Mainly used as a flavouring agent with other spicy materials, especially in confectionery.... snakeroot
FAMILY: Pinaceae
SYNONYMS: Forest pine, Scots pine, Norway pine, pine needle (oil).
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: A tall evergreen tree, up to 40 metres high with a flat crown. It has a reddish-brown, deeply fissured bark, long stiff needles which grow in pairs, and pointed brown cones.
DISTRIBUTION: Native to Eurasia; cultivated in the eastern USA, Europe, Russia, the Baltic States and Scandinavia, especially Finland.
OTHER SPECIES: Like the fir tree, there are numerous species of pine which yield an essential oil from their heartwood as well as from their twigs and needles and are also used to produce turpentine. The oil from the needles of the Scotch pine is one of the most useful and safest therapeutically. Other species which produce pine needle oil include the eastern white pine (P. strobus) from the eastern USA and Canada, the dwarf pine (P. mugo var. pumilio) grown in central and southern Europe, and the black pine (P. nigra) from Austria and Yugoslavia.
Many varieties, such as the longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), are used to produce turpentine. In addition, the oil commonly known as Siberian pine needle oil is actually from the Siberian fir (Abies sibirica). See also dwarf pine and the Botanical Classification section.
HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: The young macerated shoots are added to the bath for nervous exhaustion, circulatory disorders, slow, healing wounds, arthritis, rheumatism and skin disorders. It was used by the American Indians to prevent scurvy, and to stuff mattresses to repel lice and fleas.
As an inhalation it helps relieve bronchial catarrh, asthma, blocked sinuses, etc. The pine kernels are said to be excellent restoratives for consumptives, and after long illness.
ACTIONS: Antimicrobial, antineuralgic, antirheumatic, antiscorbutic, antiseptic (pulmonary, urinary, hepatic), antiviral, bactericidal, balsamic, cholagogue, choleretic, deodorant, diuretic, expectorant, hypertensive, insecticidal, restorative, rubefacient, stimulant (adrenal cortex, circulatory, nervous), vermifuge.
EXTRACTION: 1. Essential oil by dry distillation of the needles. 2. Gum turpentine is produced by steam distillation from the oleoresin: see entry on turpentine. (An inferior essential oil is also produced by dry distillation from the wood chippings, etc.)
CHARACTERISTICS: 1. Pine needle oil is a colourless or pale yellow mobile liquid with a strong, dry-balsamic, turpentine-like aroma. It blends well with cedarwood, rosemary, tea tree, sage, lavender, juniper, lemon, niaouli, eucalyptus and marjoram. 2. See entry on turpentine.
PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: 50–90 per cent monoterpene hydrocarbons: pinenes, carene, dipentene, limonene, terpinenes, myrcene, ocimene, camphene, sabinene; also bornyl acetate, cineol, citral, chamazulene, among others.
SAFETY DATA: Non-toxic, non-irritant (except in concentration), possible sensitization. Avoid in allergic skin conditions.
AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE
Skin care: Cuts, lice, excessive perspiration, scabies, sores.
Circulation muscles and joints: Arthritis, gout, muscular aches and pains, poor circulation, rheumatism.
Respiratory system: Asthma, bronchitis, catarrh, coughs, sinusitis, sore throat.
Genito-urinary system: Cystitis, urinary infection.
Immune system: Colds, ’flu.
Nervous system: Fatigue, nervous exhaustion and stress-related conditions, neuralgia.
OTHER USES: Used as a fragrance component in soaps, detergents, cosmetics, toiletries (especially bath products) and, to a limited extent, perfumes. Employed as a flavour ingredient in major food products, alcoholic and soft drinks.... pine, scotch
Bergamot, camphor (white), cananga, cedarwood (Atlas, Texas & Virginian), chamomile (German & Roman), clove bud, galbanum, geranium, grapefruit, immortelle, juniper, lavandin, lavender (spike & true), lemon, lemongrass, lime, linaloe, litsea cubeba, mandarin, mint (peppermint & spearmint), myrtle, niaouli, palmarosa, patchouli, petitgrain, rosemary, rosewood, sage (clary & Spanish), sandalwood, tea tree, thyme, vetiver, violet, yarrow, ylang ylang.
Allergies (M,S,F,B,I):
Melissa, chamomile (German & Roman), immortelle, true lavender, spikenard.
Athlete’s foot (S):
Clove bud, eucalyptus, lavender (true &spike), lemon, lemongrass, myrrh, patchouli, tea tree.
Baldness & hair care (S,H):
West Indian bay, white birch, cedarwood (Atlas, Texas & Virginian), chamomile (German & Roman), grapefruit, juniper, patchouli, rosemary, sage (clary & Spanish), yarrow, ylang ylang.
Boils, abscesses & blisters (S,C,B):
Bergamot, chamomile (German & Roman), eucalyptus blue gum, galbanum, immortelle, lavandin, lavender (spike & true), lemon, mastic, niaouli, clary sage, tea tree, thyme, turpentine.
Bruises (S,C):
Arnica (cream), borneol, clove bud, fennel, geranium, hyssop, sweet marjoram, lavender, thyme.
Burns (C,N):
Canadian balsam, chamomile (German & Roman), clove bud, eucalyptus blue gum, geranium, immortelle, lavandin, lavender (spike & true), marigold, niaouli, tea tree, yarrow.
Chapped & cracked skin (S,F,B):
Peru balsam, Tofu balsam, benzoin, myrrh, patchouli, sandalwood.
Chilblains (S,N):
Chamomile (German & Roman), lemon, lime, sweet marjoram, black pepper.
Cold sores/herpes (S):
Bergamot, eucalyptus blue gum, lemon, tea tree.
Congested & dull skin (M,S,F,B,I):
Angelica, white birch, sweet fennel, geranium, grapefruit, lavandin, lavender (spike & true), lemon, lime, mandarin, mint (peppermint & spearmint), myrtle, niaouli, orange (bitter & sweet), palmarosa, rose (cabbage & damask), rosemary, rosewood, ylang ylang.
Cuts/sores (S,C):
Canadian balsam, benzoin, borneol, cabreuva, cade, chamomile (German & Roman), clove bud, elemi, eucalyptus (blue gum, lemon & peppermint), galbanum, geranium, hyssop, immortelle, lavender (spike & true), lavandin, lemon, lime, linaloe, marigold, mastic, myrrh, niaouli, Scotch pine, Spanish sage, Levant styrax, tea tree, thyme, turpentine, vetiver, yarrow.
Dandruff (S,H):
West Indian bay, cade, cedarwood (Atlas, Texas & Virginian), eucalyptus, spike lavender, lemon, patchouli, rosemary, sage (clary & Spanish), tea tree.
Dermatitis (M,S,C,F,B):
White birch, cade, cananga, carrot seed, cedarwood (Atlas, Texas & Virginian), chamomile (German & Roman), geranium, immortelle, hops, hyssop, juniper, true lavender, linaloe, litsea cubeba, mint (peppermint & spearmint), palmarosa, patchouli, rosemary, sage (clary & Spanish), thyme.
Dry & sensitive skin (M,S,F,B):
Peru balsam, Tolu balsam, cassie, chamomile (German & Roman), frankincense, jasmine, lavandin, lavender (spike & true), rosewood, sandalwood, violet.
Eczema (M,S,F,B):
Melissa, Peru balsam, Tolu balsam, bergamot, white birch, cade, carrot seed, cedarwood (Atlas, Texas & Virginian), chamomile (German & Roman), geranium, immortelle, hyssop, juniper, lavandin, lavender (spike & true), marigold, myrrh, patchouli, rose (cabbage & damask), rosemary, Spanish sage, thyme, violet, yarrow.
Excessive perspiration (S,B):
Citronella, cypress, lemongrass, litsea cubeba, petitgrain, Scotch pine, Spanish sage.
Greasy or oily skin/scalp (M,S,H,F,B):
West Indian bay, bergamot, cajeput, camphor (white), cananga, carrot seed, citronella, cypress, sweet fennel, geranium, jasmine, juniper, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, !itsea cubeba, mandarin, marigold, mimosa, myrtle, niaouli, palmarosa, patchouli, petitgrain, rosemary, rosewood, sandalwood, clary sage, tea tree, thyme, vetiver, ylang ylang.
Haemorrhoids/piles (S,C,B):
Canadian balsam, Copaiba balsam, coriander, cubebs, cypress, geranium, juniper, myrrh, myrtle, parsley, yarrow.
Insect bites (S,N):
French basil, bergamot, cajeput, cananga, chamomile (German & Roman), cinnamon leaf, eucalyptus blue gum, lavandin, lavender (spike & true), lemon, marigold, melissa, niaouli, tea tree, thyme, ylang ylang.
Insect repellent (S,V):
French basil, bergamot, borneol, camphor (white), Virginian cedarwood, citronella, clove bud, cypress, eucalyptus (blue gum & lemon), geranium, lavender, lemongrass, litsea cubeba, mastic, melissa, patchouli, rosemary, turpentine.
Irritated & inflamed skin (S,C,F,B):
Angelica, benzoin, camphor (white), Atlas cedarwood, chamomile (German & Roman), elemi, immortelle, hyssop, jasmine, lavandin, true lavender, marigold, myrrh, patchouli, rose (cabbage & damask), clary sage, spikenard, tea tree, yarrow.
Lice (S,H):
Cinnamon leaf, eucalyptus blue gum, galbanum, geranium, lavandin, spike lavender, parsley, Scotch pine, rosemary, thyme, turpentine.
Mouth & gum infections/ulcers (S,C):
Bergamot, cinnamon leaf, cypress, sweet fennel, lemon, mastic, myrrh, orange (bitter & sweet), sage (clary & Spanish), thyme.
Psoriasis (M,S,F,B):
Angelica, bergamot, white birch, carrot seed, chamomile (German & Roman), true lavender.
Rashes (M,S,C,F,B):
Peru balsam, Tofu balsam, carrot seed, chamomile (German & Roman), hops, true lavender, marigold, sandalwood, spikenard, tea tree, yarrow.
Ringworm (S,H):
Geranium, spike lavender, mastic, mint (peppermint & spearmint), myrrh, Levant styrax, tea tree, turpentine.
Scabies (S):
Tolu balsam, bergamot, cinnamon leaf, lavandin, lavender (spike & true), lemongrass, mastic, mint (peppermint & spearmint), Scotch pine, rosemary, Levant styrax, thyme, turpentine.
Scars & stretch marks (M,S):
Cabreuva, elemi, frankincense, galbanum, true lavender, mandarin, neroli, palmarosa, patchouli, rosewood, sandalwood, spikenard, violet, arrow.
Slack tissue (M,S,B):
Geranium, grapefruit, juniper, lemongrass, lime, mandarin, sweet marjoram, orange blossom, black pepper, petitgrain, rosemary, yarrow.
Spots (S,N):
Bergamot, cade, cajeput, camphor (white), eucalyptus (lemon), immortelle, lavandin, lavender (spike & true), lemon, lime, litsea cubeba, mandarin, niaouli, tea tree.
Ticks (S,N):
Sweet marjoram.
Toothache & teething pain (S,C,N):
Chamomile (German & Roman), clove bud, mastic, mint (peppermint & spearmint), myrrh.
Varicose veins (S,C):
Cypress, lemon, lime, neroli, yarrow.
Verrucae (S,N):
Tagetes, tea tree.
Warts & corns (S,N):
Cinnamon leaf, lemon, lime, tagetes, tea tree.
Wounds (S,C,B):
Canadian balsam, Peru balsam, Tolu balsam, bergamot, cabreuva, chamomile (German & Roman), clove bud, cypress, elemi, eucalyptus (blue gum & lemon), frankincense, galbanum, geranium, immortelle, hyssop, juniper, lavandin, lavender (spike & true), linaloe, marigold, mastic, myrrh, niaouli, patchouli, rosewood, Levant styrax, tea tree, turpentine, vetiver, yarrow.
Wrinkles & mature skin (M,S,F,B):
Carrot seed, elemi, sweet fennel, frankincense, galbanum, geranium, jasmine, labdanum, true lavender, mandarin, mimosa, myrrh, neroli, palmarosa, patchouli, rose (cabbage & damask), rosewood, clary sage, sandalwood, spikenard, ylang ylang.... skin care
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