Moving lymph

Lymph circulation is the waste management system of our bodies. It transports waste materials (toxins, dead bacteria and cells, cancer cells, dietary fats from our digestive system, interstitial fluid, etc.) out of our bodies. Lymph travels just under the skin through vessels. It is cleaned in the nodes and eventually returns to the whole blood in the circulatory system. Unlike blood, which has the heart to pump it, the lymph has no pump to keep it flowing. It is entirely dependent on external factors in order to operate optimally. Here are some ways to keep it moving:

• pumping action of your gastrocs through walking or running
• massage, particularly the light, directional, rhythmic lymph drainage massage
• jumping, particulary on a rebounder or trampoline
• skin brushing
• hydrate
• deep breathing
• hot & cold treatment
• stillingia tincture
• Qi machine

It's terribly important not to restrict lymph flow with tight clothing, especially bras. If you wear a bra make sure it's well fitted and doesn't leave long-lasting grooves in your skin when you take it off.

Recipe for Cough Medicine 6

For cough suppression:

Fill a pint jar with 1/2 oz. cherry bark and 1/2 oz. licorice root, fill with boiling water and allow to steep for an hour. Add honey to taste.

Recipe for Cough Medicine 5

For cough with mucous—expectorant:

Combine 1 oz Coltsfoot leaves with 1/2 oz chopped licorice root to a pint jar. Cover with boiling water, cover and steep for one hour. You may add honey to taste.

Recipe for Cough Medicine 4

This one's for cough with sore throat/inflammation:

Cover an ounce of chopped marshmallow roots with a pint of cold water overnight. Add 2 Tbsp honey to each one cup. Sip throughout the day.

Recipe for Cough Medicine 3

For cough with some drainage (wet cough or slightly productive cough): 

Bring four cups of water to a boil. Add a handful of almonds, one tangerine's peel and two pears cut up with the skin left on. Boil down to two cups and add two to three Tablespoons of honey. Drink once or twice a day.

Recipe for Cough Medicine 1

For all types of cough:  Honey-Onion

Chop 5-6 white onions and place in double boiler. Add 1/2 cup honey and juice of one lemon. Cook at lowest heat possible for several hours, strain mixture and take by tablespoon every 1/2 hour as needed.

Got Enzymes?

Sauerkraut and kim-chee are well-known fermented cabbage dishes rich in enzymes that will enhance digestion and bioavailability of nutrients. But did you know that you can ferment most vegetables? If you're not crazy about sauerkraut or you can't handle the spices or heat of kim-chee, there are still many options. Here's an article by the Organic Consumers Association on fermenting at home, to taste. Don't forget, you can add herbs to the mix. Happy experimenting!

Snacks: sunflower seeds (again)

An herbalist turned me on to this one—sunflower seeds for adrenal exhaustion. Raw or roasted, it doesn't matter. He says he's not sure how they work their magic (probably all that iron and protein), but there you go.

Spice it up

An interesting spice combo I've been using:  cumin, turmeric, and a touch of cinnamon. Some friends have suggested adding cayenne, which I definitely intend to try. Either way, it's an anti-inflammatory spice-fest.

Poultices

Poultices, herbal preparations on hot towels placed over the skin, are another way to get herbs into one's body and to target specific tissues. Studies have shown better absorption of herbs and medications through the skin that when taken orally, and often with fewer side effects. How to use a poultice? According to Jethro Kloss in Back to Eden:

Do not warm over a poultice once used. Do not allow a poultice to become cold. Have a second poultice ready immediately upon removing the first one.

To make the following poultices it is best to have the herbs in a ground or granulated form. When using the herbs in powdered form, mix with just enough water to make a thick paste. When using them granulated, mix with water, cornmeal or flaxseed meal to make a thick paste. If fresh green leaves are used, beat them up, steep, and apply to the affected parts.

Poultices are most excellent for enlarged glands of any kind, such as neck, breast, groin, prostate, etc. Also for eruptions, boils, carbuncles, and abscesses. An excellent thing to do where any poultices are to be used is to bathe the affected part thoroughly with mugwort tea first. If you do not have this, cleanse it with hydrogen of peroxide before applying the poultice. It must be remembered that many herbs are used for poultices, so study the herbs and use those best suited to the condition, or those recommended for that condition.

Slippery elm

Slippery elm is one of my favorite herbs. It is an anti-inflammatory and heals mucosal membranes. I encourage everyone to add it to thier diets. I was delighted to find these prescriptions for slippery elm poultice in Ethro Kloss' Back to Eden:

For pleurisy:

A slippery elm poultice is very effective. Use three heaping tablespoons of granulated slippery elm, one tablespoon lobelia, one-half teaspoon cayenne pepper. If both lungs are affected a larger quantity will have to be used to make the poultice large enough to cover both lungs. Put poultices on the chest and on the back over the lungs.

In reference to inflammation of the prostate:

A slippery elm poultice is extremely beneficial; apply between the legs in the fork of the thighs.

Other uses:

Slippery elm poultice. This poultice has no superior in the line of poultices, either used alone or combined as follows:

Lobelia and slippery elm poultice. Take one-third part lobelia, two-thirds part slippery elm. Very excellent for blood poisoning, also for boils and abscesses. Use for rheumatism.

Pathways to cancer treatment

A patient at Pathways provided me with some great resources for cancer patients:

Mistletoe extract injections, already approved for use in Europe and shown in an extensive study in Australia to be more effective in treating colon cancer than chemotherapy, can be prescibed by Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) in some states and can be bought on-line from Canada. It has no side effects.

Nash Winters, ND, L.Ac. is a naturopath in Colorado who cured herself of cancer and practices holistic oncology, often using mistletoe extract injections. Colorado state law requires in-person visits, so in order to accomodate out-of-state patients (and a scheduling nightmare, currently scheduling out one year) she holds retreats.

I'm sure that as I spend more time at Pathways I will have many more resources to report. Since the Gerson Institute is so far away (Mexico) and so expensive, it's great to know that there are other holistic treatment centers that will provide meaningful treatment without requiring one to move residence.

Culinary herbs that act against systemic inflammation

Many chronic health conditions have been identified as systemic inflammatory processes affected by increased stress levels, sedentary lifestyles and poor diets. Using herbs in meal preparation is one way to hedge against, and treat, systemic inflammation.

My favorites are cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic, ginger, pepper, tumeric and cumin. You can get creative. I add cinnamon or nutmeg to my coffee and tea. I keep two pepper mills on hand--one for black peppercorns and one for a mix of black, green, pink and white peppercorns. Tumeric is a nice choice because it has a pretty color but adds little in the way of flavour unless used in huge amounts. One can add it liberally to just about anything without changing the flavour much. Cumin has a distinct flavour, and some people don't like it, so one should try it before commiting.

Tumeric, in particular, has received a lot of attention of late. Much research has been underway in studying its effects on preventing and treating arthritis, Alzheimer's and cancer, and without side effects. Here is Dr. Weil's recipe for Tumeric Tea.