SWEDISH BITTERS Part 3

 Swedish Bitters   

By Nzinga Nzinga

Part 3
For Mrs. Maria Treben, herbalist of herbalists, crème de la crème of herbalists, whose contribution to the world of natural therapy, of herbal medicine is timeless. After taking your herbal recommendations, my life has never been the same. That is a sentiment felt and expressed by millions of your beneficiaries and admirers. I appreciate and love you to the max, Mama Maria.     

“It can be said, and rightly so, that there is hardly any illness where Swedish Bitters is not of benefit, or at least is effective as a basis for every treatment.” Maria Treben, Health Through God’s Pharmacy.

Mrs. Treben herself suffered from a severe blow on her right leg from a piece of timber. In no time, from the knee downward became dark blue to purple and two large swellings, about the size of a fist, appeared making it impossible to walk. Her husband wanted to send for the doctor, but she asked him to apply Swedish Bitters as a compress on her leg. Half an hour later, she was able to walk down the stairs to the dining room without help. The next day, her leg was smooth. There were no more swellings and the discoloration had completely cleared up.

A 4 year old girl was stung by a hornet and her arm became swollen. A Swedish Bitters compress was applied and in a jiffy the swelling and pain had subsided and the doctor was no longer necessary.

While gathering raspberries, Mrs. Treben was stung by a poisonous insect on the thumb. Overnight, the thumb became swollen.  Someone suggested that she go directly to hospital because such an infection could cause her death. She didn’t. Overnight she applied Swedish Bitters as a compress and the next day her thumb was back to normal.

Once, Mrs. Treben had an accident in the laundry. It was at the time when washing machines washed but did not rinse. The heavily entangled pieces had to be lifted out of the very hot water with wooden tongs. She had a tendency to do everything quickly and with great energy. The tongs slipped and hit her in the eye. Stunned with pain and half blind she walked upstairs. As soon as she applied Swedish Bitters, the pain eased. A little while later, she looked into the mirror and saw she had a black eye. She was back in the laundry a quarter of an hour later with a piece of cotton wool moistened with Swedish Bitters covering the eye, a small piece of plastic over it and the whole lot tied up with a folded scarf. For a few days she kept applying these compresses overnight, so that there was no chance of anything developing behind the eye.

Mrs. Treben was taking a cure at a Spa when the head nurse came into her room with a woman doubled over in pain. She suffered from gallbladder attacks and the doctor had advised her to have an operation. She applied Swedish Bitters as a compress on the area of the gallbladder. First Calendula ointment or lard was applied to prevent the alcohol from drying out the skin, and then a piece of cotton wool was moistened with Swedish Bitters and applied to the painful area. Next a piece of dry cotton wool and a piece of plastic were put over it to keep it warm. Everything was then bandaged with a piece of cloth. She was about to pull up the woman’s girdle when she sat up and announced that the pain had gone! The patient continued to apply the compresses and to take the Swedish Bitters internally, 3 times a day, one teaspoonful in a little water or tea and the attacks never recurred.

For years Mrs. Treben looked after a woman who was all alone. Communication with her was difficult, since she was hard of hearing. Swedish Bitters, according to the ‘old manuscript’ can bring back lost hearing. She was supposed to moisten the acoustic duct frequently with Swedish Bitters by moistening the index finger with it and inserting it into the ear. She did not forget to put a drop of oil into the ear from time to time to avoid itching. She religiously moistened her temples, her forehead and the area around the eyes all at the same time. Her hearing was restored and her face had a much fresher look. 

One day, as she was getting out of the bus, a car knocked her down and she fell on her face. Again Swedish Bitters helped her blue-red face to get back its normal colour. People often told Mrs. Treben that they were able to hear again and had packed away their hearing aid thanks to Swedish Bitters. These drops relieve pain internally or externally, anywhere in the body, because the blood supply to the affected area is increased.

Swedish Bitters applied as a compress to the back of the head can help people who suffer from epileptic fits. The cause of these attacks often lies in the past, maybe from a fall on the head or a shock in childhood. For epileptic fits she recommends Swedish Bitters applied as a compress to the back of the head, in addition to drinking 4 cups of Stinging Nettle tea, to which 2 tablespoons of Swedish Bitters are added, daily.

Not only epileptics can benefit from Swedish Bitters. She says that meningitis, head injuries caused by a fall or a blow, stuttering and speech disorders are treated effectively with Swedish Bitters applied as a compress to the back of the head. These compresses are also beneficial for bursitis. She emphasizes that for all severe illnesses a doctor has to be consulted first!

From the many letters received she learnt that Swedish Bitters applied as a compress to the eyes has been effective in cases of a detached retina and porous retina. All these people were going blind. These compresses are applied to the closed eye and left on for an hour. Healthy eyes, especially if strained, can profit too, if Swedish Bitters is brushed with the index finger along the lid to the corner of the eye. This way good eye sight can be enjoyed well into old age.

Since Swedish Bitters is such a wonderful remedy, no medicine chest in the house should be without it. Poured into small bottles, it can be taken along on trips. Often away from home, the food is disappointing and the need arises to stimulate digestion and to shake off weariness and tiredness. In these cases, Swedish Bitters is a true 'elixir'. A sip, watered down, is taken internally and, externally, some drops are brushed on temples, forehead, eyes and the area behind the ears. In no time, the beneficial effect is felt.

For a cold, with all its accompanying symptoms such as weariness, tiredness, pressure in the head and heaviness in the stomach, a ball of cotton is moistened with Swedish Bitters and held under the nose, while breathing deeply. Immediately the head will feel lighter. If a cold has already affected the bronchial tubes, the moistened cotton ball is held in front of the open mouth and breathing is done with the mouth. Here, too, relief will be felt. During times of influenza, 1 teaspoon, sometimes 1 tablespoon, diluted with a little water, is taken daily. In this way one is protected from influenza. 

Wherever there is pain, Swedish Bitters is always beneficial, taken internally as drops, applied as a compress, or used as a rub or a massage. An application of Swedish Bitters compress in the region of the kidney relieved Mrs. Treben of the pain of renal colic very speedily.

An elderly lady, desperate from the agony of crippling arthritis from which she could get no relief and which had reduced her to walking with a stick, found that one teaspoon of Swedish Bitters in Stinging Nettle tea and Horsetail tea, 3 times a day did the trick.  This remedy was so effective that three weeks later she was able to walk without a stick.  

While ice skating, a woman injured her knee which became so stiff that she could not climb stairs. Application of a Swedish Bitters compress proved so effective that she was able to climb the stairs the next day.

Another lady suffered a sprained ankle which became very swollen and painful. Swedish Bitters applied as a compress brought her immediate relief. By the next day she was free of pain and her ankle was normal.

One day, while in a restaurant, Mrs. Treben saw a man who was obviously in pain. She got out her Swedish Bitters and gave him a tablespoonful in a little lukewarm water. Colour came back to his face and he could not believe it when the pain subsided. Six months later, she was back in the same place. She had already forgotten the incident, when a gentleman came up and thanked her profusely. He looked years younger. With the help of Swedish Bitters, he had lost all complaints which acute gastritis and disorder of the pancreas had caused him.   

Since Swedish Bitters clears up disorders of the pancreas, they are most beneficial in the case of diabetes. 

Even warts, liver spots, corns, moles, haemorrhoids, birthmarks and seborrhoea will disappear if they are moistened repeatedly with Swedish Bitters. 

A piece of cotton wool moistened with Swedish Bitters, put in the ear, will clear up buzzing and ringing. 
If the base of the scalp is moistened, it will strengthen the memory. 

Swedish Bitters cleanses the blood, improves circulation, dispels flatulence, headaches, indigestion, stomach, gallbladder, liver and kidney disorders (even if alcohol is not allowed).

For phlebitis and thrombosis, Calendula ointment is smeared thickly on the affected areas and then Swedish Bitters, as a compress, is applied. When healed, Stinging Nettle foot baths are taken to improve the circulation. 

Swedish Bitters can stimulate a sluggish intestine and dispel dizziness and lameness. For all illnesses they are most beneficial, even for cancer. For acute attacks of pain, 1 tablespoon is taken in a little water or tea. 

If 1 teaspoonful in a little water is taken 3 times daily, morning, noon and evening, good health is kept till old age. Swedish Bitters awakens vitality and strengthens the life force so needed in our time. 


Readers, It can't hurt to try any of these recommendations that may be relevant to your needs. They are bona fide. 

To be continued

 All the images were taken from the Internet and I claim no copyright

VERTIGO (MENIERE'S DISEASE ) Part 2

                                         VERTIGO (MENIERE’S DISEASE)  

                                               THE SPINNING FEELING

                                                            By Nzinga Nzinga

Part 2

Natural supplements that have been recommended for vertigo treatment.

Someone wrote, very wisely, that with so many different causes, it is sometimes easier to treat the symptoms only to get rid of the discomfort. I am using this opportunity to praise Gingko Biloba, one of my favourite herbs, which is a specific for vertigo. I quote from some research material:

“Gingko biloba is one of the most widely researched herbs worldwide. It is well known for increasing blood flow to the head and brain. For example, it can be very helpful in preventing or reversing tinnitus, macular degeneration, loss of taste or smell, or, in particular, short term memory loss. I sometimes tell my patients that I passed all my board exams on gingko! It gives me a photographic memory within about 3 days. Make sure you are getting a high quality gingko, which claims to contain 24% ginkgo heterosides, or gingkolisides. Start with 250 mg daily until the vertigo seems significantly diminished in severity and frequency and then reduce to a maintenance dose of 40-60 mg daily."

I take gingko, though not because of vertigo. I was not aware that it is a specific for vertigo until after I started making it a part of my daily supplements. I take it for mental alertness, ill-effects of ageing, including memory loss. It doesn’t help me with my short term memory loss like leaving the pot unattended on the fire or stopping between the bedroom and the living room, wondering what is my reason for going to the living room! I am taking ginkgo, so why do I ask my grandson too frequently, "Yoofi, why am I going to the kitchen?"  Or the living room, or outside? 

However, my mind is extremely sharp when it comes to crossword puzzles. I am an addict facilitated by online puzzles. I remember words and information I didn’t even know I knew! I just left to read the gingko bottle and realized that failure of relieving the short term memory loss can possibly be laid at my door because the daily dosage is 1 three times daily and I take only 1 a day. As of today, I will start taking the recommended 3 a day. C’est la vie.

Ginger has been shown to have a positive effect of stopping major cases of vertigo if taken before they get into full swing. When you feel vertigo coming on, have some ginger tea or anything with large amounts of ginger in it. Why not just chew it? I can't imagine that you will have enough time or be in a position to make tea. This will help the attack subside quickly. Make it a regular ingredient in your meals to prevent future attacks of vertigo. 

The easy availability of ginger makes this a great vertigo home remedy. Why not drink ginger tea hot or cold regularly in the mornings or at lunchtime? Ginger  is actually a very healthy herb and the use of ginger, either added as a spice to your food, or taken as a supplement, can provide many health benefits.

It has been found that B vitamin deficiency, especially niacin (B3), is often found in vertigo patients. An addition or increase of Vitamin B complex plus extra B3 where applicable, may be a wise move.

Valerian, in capsule or tincture form, can be an effective remedy for some vertigo sufferers.

You may also wish to try some of the following recommendations:

•        Drink 2-3 glasses of ice cold water when you have a vertigo attack or feel one coming on. This is said to work very swiftly and effectively to stave off or diminish the severity of an attack.

•        Find out what triggers your vertigo attacks and avoid those triggers. For some people, it might be a combination of foods, caffeine or chocolates. I read a testimony from someone who reported that almond is a proven trigger for her. In addition, go even further and find out what is the cause of your vertigo. In that way, you can treat the underlying cause and not just the symptoms in order to prevent future vertigo attacks.

•        Get adequate sleep and avoid sudden head movements that might trigger your vertigo.  

•        Drink adequate amounts of fluid daily,

•        Change positions slowly to avoid dizziness and disorientation.

•        Limit the amount of salt you eat each day to decrease the pressure in your inner ear.

•        Exercise - Try to take a half hour walk every day if possible.

•        Add the peel of citrus fruit to your smoothies, salads and other foods. The strong citrus scent is said to keep your senses alert and this method will also help you get bioflavonoid a component of vitamin C complex, a deficiency of which may cause vertigo. 

• Include fish oil capsules to increase omega-3 intake, reduce inflammation, improve circulation, and reduce blood pressure. 

·  You may wish to  try Vinpocetine, a periwinkle extract that improves circulation to the brain.  2 or 3 mg a day is a good starting dose, You may initially need to take half of a 5 mg pill.

I will mention here a patented treatment I saw online. I am not advertising it because I know nothing about it except what I have read from their promotion. It is called VertiFree which the promoters say is a 100% homeopathic formula and contains the following ingredients in therapeutic dosage: Cocculus (30C), Lobelia inflata (30C), Bryonia (30C), Gelsemium (30C). If interested, why not Google it?

You are advised not take all these supplements at the same time. Give each one a week to learn how it makes you feel. Once you know the effects on your body of each one separately, you may combine them in low doses.

Some causes?

·       Dehydration is said to be a cause. Folks like me who don’t feel thirsty so are low on drinking water, should take special note. I drink water only because I am forced to, knowing of its absolute necessity. Make sure you have been drinking adequate amounts of fluids, preferably water, especially if you’re working out or in a warm climate.

Vertigo has been associated with high cholesterol, high blood sugar (diabetes), hypertension (hi-blood pressure) and hypotension (low blood pressure). Normally, my blood pressure tends to be on the low side, but it soared up on a visit to USA and my vertigo attack occurred during that period. So I have to conclude that my attack was a result of hypertension.

·        Vertigo can be a side-effect of some prescription drugs, notably steroids.

·        Not infrequently, vertigo is caused by debris in the inner ears, called “otoliths” (or ear rocks) from head injury, infection or degeneration (usually from aging).

·        In Traditional Chinese Medicine, vertigo is thought to be caused by “wind” which gets into the head through the ears and causes “phlegm” to accumulate. Protect your ears against wind, and avoid using a hairdryer directly over the ears. Foods to help reduce the ill effect of “wind” include celery, basil, pine nuts, coconuts, flax oil and chamomile tea.

To recap, let me run this past you again.

Vertigo or Meniere’s disease is said to be an affliction which includes the following symptoms: Feeling of oneself and other objects spinning around, loss of balance or equilibrium, dizziness or wooziness, loss of hearing, ringing in the ears, and acute nausea, frequently accompanied by vomiting, distortion of sound and a feeling of pressure in the inner ear, fainting and sweating. The dizziness can vary between simple unsteadiness and violent whirling vertigo. If the victim has a chance to get a naturally induced sleep, he or she may be able to sleep it off and wake up recovered.

The disease, whose symptoms were first collectively described by Prosper Meniere in 1861, usually strikes sufferers between the ages of forty and sixty, and more frequently strikes men more than women. I recently read that Dr. Meniere and a certain otologist, Dr. Miles Atkinson, believed that there is a connection between migraine headaches and vertigo. I don’t have migraines or any other headaches but a dear friend has both conditions so I will pass on to her that information via email this very minute.

As I mentioned above, I did not know that there were so many sufferers of vertigo until I had my episode. I know a family of sisters who are all victims of the violent type. I have a relative and some friends who get it mildly, just a simple unsteadiness in the mornings on awaking so that they have to sit down on the bed for awhile and wait for the dizziness to pass before getting up steadily onto their feet. 

There are others who get acute attacks abruptly and are laid low, very low, indeed, as in my case. Some are on prescription drugs, some of which make them sleep for more than a day. Sleep seems to be a healing factor. When I learnt of the many victims, I told myself that if I lived in Jamaica, I would start a group where folks with this condition could meet.

The End
 All the images were taken from the Internet and I claim no copyright. 

SWEDISH BITTERS Part 2

SWEDISH BITTERS  

By Nzinga Nzinga

Part 2

For Mrs. Maria Treben, herbalist of herbalists, crème de la crème of herbalists, whose contribution to the world of natural therapy, of herbal medicine is timeless. After taking your herbal recommendations, my life has never been the same. That is a sentiment felt by millions of your beneficiaries and admirers. I appreciate and love you to the max, Mama Maria.  

It can be said, and rightly so, that there is hardly any illness where Swedish Bitters is not of benefit, or at least is effective for every treatment.” 

 Maria Treben, Health Through God’s Pharmacy

               

How did Mrs. Treben get to know about Swedish Bitters? As she says, ‘It sounds almost like a fairy story, but it is true’. She became ill with typhoid fever, caused by eating contaminated meat in a concentration camp, and through it, came jaundice and an obstruction in the intestines. She spent more than 6 months in hospital. At night she was hit by terribly excruciating pains that shot through her body like a sword. During those moments it became almost impossible for her to sit, stand, walk or lie down. At the same time, she vomited and had diarrhoea. Those were after pains of the typhoid fever which sometimes can go on for years, as the doctor said.

One day a woman, who had heard of her illness and wanted to help her, brought her a small bottle of dark brown, strong smelling liquid together with a handwritten copy of ‘an old manuscript’. It was Swedish Bitters which had relieved this woman of a serious complaint sometime before. The manuscript explained, in forty-six specific points, the extraordinary power of this elixir called, Elixir ad longam vitam (Long Life Elixir), the drops of which heal every illness.

Mrs. Treben put the bottle in the medicine chest because she did not believe that those modest drops could restore her health, since not even the doctor could help her. Soon she changed her mind when she had another attack. As she had been told that these Swedish Bitters could be used externally as well, she did not hesitate for long, and applied them as a compress on her abdomen, put a small plastic bag over the compress and then her girdle and continued her work. A wonderful feeling spread through her body and, suddenly, it felt as if with one movement of the hands, everything morbid in her body was pulled out. She assures us that with this single compress which she had on the whole day, all of the preceding months of agony disappeared, never to return. You can’t ask for a more edifying introduction to a herbal cure than that! I believe every word she said, since I have witnessed such a miracle umpteen times.

From Maria Treben’s revelations, from my own personal experiences and from those of others, I have witnessed, felt and heard of the miraculous cures and effectiveness of Swedish Bitters as a herbal remedy and I wish to share some of them with you and you and you. Most of the experiences recorded here are extracted from Mrs. Treben’s writings. Relax and share.

A woman, who for months suffered from frontal sinusitis, was not only a victim of agonizing headaches, but could also not breathe through her nose. Antibiotics and radiation therapy did nothing to alleviate her distressing condition. It was only when she applied Swedish Bitters as a compress over her forehead, eyes and nose that she felt immediate relief after the first application. After 3 nightly applications large amounts of pus came out of her nose and she was able to breathe normally again. 

I have a similar testimony from an American visitor, here in Ghana, who was severely troubled by sinusitis. On advice from a friend of mine, he plugged up his nostrils with it and was quickly relieved from all the distressing symptoms after excreting a lot of pus, mucous and phlegm from his nose and throat.  

A certain young woman was unsuccessfully undergoing therapy from doctor to doctor. Twice a year, she was being treated by a famous doctor, who finally told her he could not cure her, only ease the trouble. She was eventually sent to Mrs. Treben for help. The herbalist said that on seeing her, she got a shock at her terrible condition which I will describe. She had to be lifted out of the car, crutches were put under her arms and it took her, despite help, more than an hour to come up into her flat on the first floor. The joints of both feet were deformed, the fingers crippled and unable to hold anything. When walking, the body was thrown forward and the legs pulled after. Mrs. Treben learnt that after her fourth child, quite suddenly, almost overnight, this young woman lay crippled in her bed. 

She recommended Swedish Bitters and told her to put her faith in it. Eight months later, Mrs. Treben received a telephone call from the young woman asking if she could meet her at the bus stop. She was baffled, then surprised, when a smiling young woman, still leaning on a stick, descended from the bus. Gone were the stiffness and crippling of the hands as well as the deformation of the legs. Only on the left foot, the knee and ankle were still swollen. 

However, a year later, this too had disappeared completely and she came without a stick, a healthy woman to take the cure for the last time. How did she achieve this miraculous cure? She had merely put 1 tablespoon of Swedish Bitters 3 times daily into a small amount of lukewarm water and sipped it before and after each meal.

A victim of terrible deformation of the joints had been confined to a wheelchair for 15 years.  She took 1 tablespoon of Swedish Bitters in a small amount of water and drank half before and half after a meal 3 times a day. Slowly the deformations receded and she was able to move her joints slightly. After 9 months, this woman who had been tied to a wheelchair for 15 years, could leave her flat for the first time and live a life of total mobility. Thanks again and again and again to Swedish Bitters and Maria Treben!

To be continued

 All the images were taken from the Internet and I claim no copyright

VERTIGO (MENIERE'S DISEASE) Part 1

VERTIGO (MENIERE'S DISEASE)

By Nzinga Nzinga

Part 1 

That Spinning Feeling!

If you are checking for vertigo, that frightening dizzy condition, in the indices of your health books, you may be disappointed. However, if you check Meniere’s disease or dizziness, you will strike lucky because they are given as synonyms for vertigo, although vertigo implies dizziness but dizziness is not necessarily or always vertigo.  

Vertigo, as its name suggests, is a medical condition manifested by dizziness, experienced globally. When a person experiences vertigo, the feeling of spinning around even when one is stationary, causes severe dizziness. People suffering from vertigo will suffer an abnormal sensation that causes them to feel as though their surrounding environment is continuously spinning, whirling or moving. As a result of this, they suffer loss of balance or a sensation of nausea that may grow acute. 

Let me run this past you again. Even though one is on solid ground, the place is still spinning, round and round. I can tell you from a onetime experience that it’s a most scary and unpleasant sensation. Dizziness, fear of fainting, nausea and vomiting are some of the symptoms associated with vertigo. The victim may suffer only one or many of the symptoms, some not mentioned here. The condition can last for only a couple of minutes, for hours, or even a few days to the discomfort of the sufferer. Mine, related below, lasted some hours and I am only guessing.

I am particularly interested in vertigo since I had a virulent vertiginous attack in Jamaica in September 2009, which has left me with the greatest respect for vertigo victims, especially my many friends and relatives about whose disorder I learnt only after my attack. Let me relate my experience with vertigo. That beautiful September evening, around 6 pm, while on a walk by myself in a residential area in Kingston, Jamaica, ‘vortical’ (sic) vertigo spun me round and round, and knocked me down on the ground totally incapable of getting up or focussing. I experienced dizziness, spinning way out of control, nausea, loss of perception, helplessness and loss of balance resulting in the inability to stay on my feet thus falling to the ground. In going down, I held on to a parked car. A lot of car owners drive to that area, park and then set off on their walk, jogging or running. Holding unto that car for support was a bad idea as the alarm was set off and in the confusion I thought the car and I were plunging into the gully. In the chaos, I realised that the car was still stationary and beeping while I was on the ground with my world now a violent, whirling vertigo, spinning non-stop and uncontrollably around me. I just missed falling over into the gully. I vaguely remember calling weakly for help to a walker-by who obviously could not see or hear me since I was lying on the ground on the verge, shielded by the car.

Then, mercifully, two jogging female angels, at the start of their evening run, came to my rescue.  I was conscious enough to tell them where I was staying just down the road in one of the townhouses. Fortunately, I remembered the number of the house. One ran nearby for her car. They both lifted me into the car and drove me home. There was no problem with my memory, just my total lack of focus as my world kept spinning incessantly. Severe nausea overpowered me so much so that, to my great embarrassment, I started vomiting non-stop when the car stopped at the house. I remember that I got my head out of the car in time to vomit outside. Mercifully, it all went out through the open car door and none fell inside. My relatives came out to me and I recall insisting that they get the identity of my two guardian angels. They didn’t and to my greatest regret, I never saw them again. Forgive me, ladies. I pray that one day we will meet again so I can show my appreciation. Maybe if I were on Face Book we would ‘buck’ up.  

To cut a long story short, my cousin took me to the hospital.  In the hospital bed, while the faces of the doctor and the others in the room plus everything else were still out of focus, I had an embarrassingly desperate need to evacuate, resulting in copious loose bowels. Although I was able to recognize the many visitors who came to see me in the early part of the night, I could not focus on any of them. One even stayed until after 1am. It took a good while for me to lose the dizziness and to regain steady focus and a correct sense of perception. Oddly enough, I didn’t experience any ringing in the ears or loss of hearing.

I spent five days in the hospital and had a ct-scan. There were no side-effects like a stroke. Thank God, Dr. Scott and the rest of the staff for the care. I was scheduled to travel back to Ghana ten days after leaving the hospital. Of course it was very worrying for a recent victim of vertigo to be flying way up in the skies for some 15 hours. God was in control and as you know He is the greatest of Ace pilots and the caregiver nonpareil, so I left everything in his hands and travelled back as scheduled, wheelchair-bound with no crisis.

Let me pass on to you some recommended herbal treatments gleaned from diverse sources.

 To be continued
 All the images were taken from the Internet and I claim no copyright. 

THE PROSTATE HERB PART 2

PART 2

GUINEA HEN WEED (ANAMU) (Petiveria alliacea) 

THE PROSTATE HERB  

By Nzinga Nzinga

Being particularly interested in diabetic remedies, I checked around and found out that there was very little documentation linking anamu as a remedy for diabetes. Let me add these two words ‘as yet’.  As to its effect on diabetes, I learn that though it has not been widely researched, it has been clinically documented to have anti-diabetic properties. This finding would seem to endorse herbal medicine practice in Cuba where anamu has been used as a herbal aid for diabetes for many years. When it comes to the medical service in Cuba, I am a great admirer. 

If it is good enough for Cubans, it is good enough for me. Where else on this planet have we seen any nation so small and so politically and economically ‘embargoed’ and harassed as Cuba, yet helping so many other countries in the field of health? Notwithstanding my positive vibes towards Cuba, my Caribbean neighbour, it would be remiss of me to omit the following report I gleaned from the Internet: “This plant has been shown to have hypoglycaemic effects in mice. People with hypoglycaemia and diabetes should not use this plant unless they are under the care of a healthcare practitioner to monitor their blood sugar levels.”

I mentioned that it is also called garlic weed in Jamaica. Apropos this is what Dr. Vendryes says about it:

“The research published on anamu now validates many of the historical uses of this herb. Interestingly, the researchers found that of the 20 compounds isolated from the plant – several of which had never been identified in nature before – some were similar to compounds found in garlic, a plant known to have medicinal properties.”

This could explain the ‘unpleasant’ scent which folks associate with this plant. I do believe that it is a garlic smell. Although my generous friend, who was transporting it in her car for me, wrapped it in several folds of newspaper to prevent it from ‘stinking’ up her car, the scent still came through loud and clear! Garlic is one of my primary natural remedies so the fact that anamu has some of the compounds contained in garlic, makes it even more acceptable and endearing to me.

Guinea Hen Weed is now established by laboratory investigations to possess active properties that can retard the growth of several strains of cancer and leukaemia cells. I was very happy to read that the ‘compounds in Anamu were able to differentiate between normal and cancer cells, killing only the cancerous cells’. For folks like me who fail to come to terms with the way the harsh conventional therapies like chemotherapy and radiation, unable to differentiate between cancer and non-cancer cells, insult or kill healthy non-cancerous cells, Guinea Hen Weed, with such a differentiating property, is like a welcome miracle herb.

Many clinical reports and studies document that Anamu shows broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties against numerous strains of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and yeast. A Cuban research group documented Anamu's antimicrobial properties. A German group documented good activity against several bacteria. Its antimicrobial activity was further demonstrated by researchers from Jamaica (Dr. Henry Lowe, a schoolmate of mine. Go deh my brother!), Guatemala and Austria. Directions for use: Use one heaping tablespoon of the whole powdered plant to one litre of hot water. Drink about half a cup (four ounces) of this tea on an empty stomach twice daily. Infusion from whole herb 1/4-1/2 cup 2-3 times daily. Capsules: 1-3 g daily. Take 2-3 capsules twice daily. Traditional Preparation: The traditional remedy calls for a decoction or infusion prepared with 30 grams of dried Anamu whole herb in a litre of water; 1/4 to 1/2 cup dosages are taken one to three times daily or used topically, depending on the condition treated. Since most of the chemicals are water soluble, powdered whole herb in tablets or capsules (1-3 grams) daily can be substituted, if desired. Contraindications: Guinea Hen Weed is known to cause uterine contractions (contractions of the uterus) that can result in abortion and miscarriage. If this herb were being used solely for prostate problems, therefore for men only, this contra-indication could be ignored, but since it has been proved to be a versatile remedy for both genders, then pregnant women should avoid it. Also, because Anamu contains a low concentration of coumarin, which has a blood thinning effect, people with any bleeding disorder such as haemophilia or who are on blood-thinning medication should avoid it or consult with their doctor before taking it. TESTIMONIES A friend, a victim of prostate cancer, to whom I recommended this herb, writes: “Guinea hen weed, aka anamu, is certainly a beneficial weed. It is widely used and its good effect is well known especially among Jamaican men. I remember that you had told me about it, as told to you by a mutual friend. When I was first diagnosed in August/September 2008, my PSA reading was 5.45 (normal is 4.00). I started taking the guinea hen weed then. By November 2008 the reading was 4.17. My cancer was aggressive so I commenced the radiation treatment in early December, 2008 and continued to February 2009, when it ended. In March 2009 the reading was 2.41. My PSA dropped steadily, with minimal “bounces", to a low of 1.19 in September 2010. In March 2011 it bounced to 2.15 but my urologist thinks that the bounces are characteristic of post treatment.  My oncologist believes in guinea hen weed; my urologist does not- "no conclusive clinical trials". I believe in it as you may imagine. It grows generously in our yard. I dry the entire plant-- roots leaves and stems-- and grind it, thus ensuring a ready supply. Dr. Vendryes has written a lot about it. Dr. Williams of the Scientific Research Council, having done extensive research on it, was in consultation with German scientists to secure a patent. I hope that he succeeds.” The expert on this herb is Jamaican Dr. Henry Lowe, who states inter alia that Jamaica has one of the highest prostate cancer rates in the world with approximately 150 men diagnosed each year. Medical experts believe that a large percentage of affected men are undiagnosed but you don’t have to be a medical expert to realize that. Add to that the fact that some would rather not know and that others are not enthused with the ‘probing finger’ Digital Rectal Examination (DRE). See Appendix for note on DRE. He noted that in addition to Jamaica, numerous cases of prostate cancer have been reported among black Americans and Africans.  You can find out more about Dr. Henry Lowe and Guinea Hen Weed online.   For interested folks who use the Internet for info, they can Google the many sites providing info on this herb with some advertising the capsules and powder for sale. A Jamaican couple informed me that they get the capsules in Jamaica at the RADA shop at the Ministry of Agriculture just beside the new Jamaica College gate. Capsules: 1-3 g daily. Take 2-3 capsules twice daily. For those who like to take a little wine, Dominican Mamajuana Liqueur is Anamu liqueur. Cheers! If you wish to read Jamaican Dr. Vendryes’ article in full, log on to www.anounceofprevention.org.

APPENDIX

Here is the footnote on the Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) for prostate cancer which I promised you.  

This is an X-rated comment.(LOL) Parental Guidance (PG) may be necessary if you are under 16 and unaware of sexual hazards that can come with the male territory. I have contemplated long and hard about including this observation within my book but it is so widely held that I have decided to go ahead and include it. In fact, men with whom I have discussed this particular subject have urged me to include it. At this point, I will dare to touch on a rather sensitive issue in the area of prostate examinations.

I refer to a particular prostate examination, the most common one, called Digital Rectal Examination (DRE). The DRE is a physical examination in which a doctor inserts a lubricated gloved finger (aka as the 'probing finger') into the man’s rectum to feel for lumps, enlargement or areas of hardness that might indicate the presence of cancer. It is supposed to be uncomfortable but not painful, usually lasting only one minute. Medical examiners say that DRE is a bit uncomfortable. That must be the grandmother of understatements!  Quite a few men have told others and me, that they find the very thought of the Digital Rectal Exam extremely embarrassing, humiliating and privacy-invasive. How much more the actual examination itself!

Let me call a spade a spade. Let me put these men’s cards on the table. These men are not homophobic but they say that they are repulsed by this rectal test where the urologist uses his finger to perform it. Urologists are usually of the male gender. Some, though not all of the examinees, might find this test an ordeal because they feel that a man is violating them homosexually. There, I’ve said the unpalatable and I guess I will have to take the consequences! I say all this to say that many men when considering prostate screening are aware of only the DRE and are scared breathless of it. Therefore, the reluctance to consult a doctor or a urologist may have its roots in another kind of fear and not only in the fear of discovering a serious prostate disease like cancer.

Give it a thought! I suggest, with tongue-in-cheekiness that if this homophobic consideration is proving to be a deterrent from taking the probing 'male' finger test, why not consult a female urologist? That’s something to think about! Ain'it?

END OF GUINEA HEN WEED/ANAMU STORY 

 All the images were taken from the Internet and I claim no copyright. 

THE PROSTATE HERB Part 1

GUINEA HEN WEED (ANAMU) (Petiveria alliacea)
THE PROSTATE HERB Part 1. 
by Nzinga Nzinga  

And now I come to one of my most favoured herbs in the kingdom of medicinal herbs. Anamu (Spanish) seems to be the name by which this medicinal plant is known outside of Jamaica. In Jamaica, it is commonly called Guinea Hen Weed but is also known there as guinea hen leaf, garlic weed or gully root. In Trinidad& Tobago it is mapurite and gully root. 

When I went looking for it in Kingston, it was easy to find and people were quite familiar with it asking if I meant that ‘smell-bad’ bush that is good for cold and chest problems. I took that to mean respiratory ailments. This herb is proving to be a specific remedy for prostate disorders, whether for enlargement, infection or cancer. 

Dr. Tony Vendryes, a Jamaican naturopath, published some very interesting and salutary information on this herb under the heading Guinea hen weed packed with power in the Jamaica Daily Gleaner of August 13, 2007. Throughout his article, he calls it Anamu and I must confess that it was there that I came in contact with that name for the first time. I was quite familiar with the name Guinea Hen Weed from childhood, but I knew naught of its medicinal uses. 

The first documented info I have on this exciting herb, I got from Dr. Vendryes’ article so I would like to give him credit and sincere appreciation. He himself gave credit to a Jamaican oncologist who has had positive results in some of her cancer patients who have been using Guinea Hen Weed. I don’t know who she is but my appreciation certainly goes out to this lady cancer specialist in a big way. After all, one doesn't have to know the source of benefice to show appreciation. That, indeed, is an attitude of gratitude.

Since reading Dr. Vendryes’ report, I have come to learn through research that Guinea Hen Weed is undoubtedly a beneficial herb. Today, it is widely used and its good effect is well known, especially among Jamaican men. I have been privileged to receive quite a few testimonies, some solicited, some unsolicited, from Jamaican users of this herb for prostate cancer and they couldn't be more positive. 

In fact the statement that ‘it is widely used and its good effect is well known, especially among Jamaican men’ is a direct quote from one of my correspondents. I am also happy when the wives tell me that they too are using Anamu. Obviously, the word is out that Guinea Hen Weed goes beyond gender borders being good not only for Adam, Cain, Abel and Seth, but also for Eve!

Since September 2008 while I was in Jamaica and discovered the virtues and power of Guinea Hen Weed for prostate cancer, I have developed a special affection for it. My introduction to it was as a medicinal herb for prostate cancer, that is, a herb with properties to prevent and treat prostate cancer. Yes, I was told that it was a specific for prostate cancer and because I had so many men-folk who were victims of prostate cancer, I was fascinated with the power attributed to it. 

My interest was further heightened because I had done intensive research on prostate cancer, and had written an unpublished book on not only some natural approaches, but also on some allopathic or conventional ones used in its treatment. I was totally ignorant about Anamu’s association with prostate cancer then, but now that I know and have proof that it works, I do not hesitate to spread the good news about it. I am happy to say that many have thanked me for this information.

At that time, after reading Dr. Vendryes’ article, whenever I heard mention of Guinea Hen Weed, it was always as a man’s tea because it was regarded only as a treatment for the prostate by those with whom I had contact. Victims of this now pandemic prostate disease are rejoicing that their PSA number has gone way down. Those who were not into herbal medicine and took a good while to start taking it, did so only at my encouragement and insistence that it couldn't hurt. Mercifully it worked for them.  

Only a few months ago, I was happy to learn that this herbal medicine is available in capsules. This preparation is available in Kingston, Jamaica. I will make the source available to anyone interested before I finish writing this, thanks to the convenience of email facility. I was about to suggest to some of my friends concerned, especially those who do not take too fondly to drinking the tea which is not the most pleasant tasting tea in the herb kingdom, that they themselves make capsules of the herb by drying and grinding the parts used and then putting them in capsules which are available on the market. Anyway, since they can be obtained in Jamaica and online and I suppose elsewhere, they don’t have to go to all that trouble when they can buy the ready-made preparation. 

A very close friend takes guinea hen weed in that form and was happy to report that his PSA has been way down to zero and the cancer is mercifully contained in the prostate capsule. If you wish to gather and prepare the fresh herb as a friend of mine, who has it growing in his backyard does, look around your own fence, especially in the rocky areas. It tends to grow there.

I read on the Internet that currently, in South America and Jamaica, Anamu is being used for its immune stimulant and antic-cancerous properties as a support aid for cancer and leukaemia patients. This use is also catching on in the USA, and Anamu is now available in capsules and tablets under several labels, as already mentioned. It is also being employed in various formulas for its antimicrobial actions against bacteria, viruses, yeast, and fungi, as well as in other formulas supporting immune function. I have tried to get it here in Ghana to no avail. In fact I have yet to meet someone here who had heard of it. That’s indeed a pity because those who have heard of it from me, have to get it from Jamaica or online.

Those who are not beset with prostate problems either, because they are female and prostate-less or are male but free of prostate troubles, will be pleased to hear, as I was, that this herb is beneficial in treating other conditions. Better still, it is used to treat other cancers. Dr. Vendryes, as well as other herbal practitioners, says that it has a long history in herbal medicine in all the countries where it is indigenous—the Amazon rainforest, the Caribbean, South Africa and Central and South America. 

It has been widely used by herbalists to treat a wide range of ailments including, arthritis, digestive disorders, infections, colds, flu, viruses, worms, Candida and other yeast infections, urinary tract infections, diabetes and different kinds of cancers. It is also a pain killer, a diuretic, de-coagulant and decongestant. Add venereal diseases, womb inflammation, paralysis and hysteria to the above ailments against which Anamu is claimed to be effective. Some indigenous folks crush the root and inhale it for sinusitis.

It is reported that Anamu extracts have been found to relieve pain and inflammation even when applied topically to the skin. I will leave for the section on ‘contraindications’ its ability to induce abortion! Dr. Vendryes says that after doing his own research, he now uses it regularly in his practice and finds it to be a useful, safe, inexpensive addition, not only to a cancer treatment programme, but also in treating other conditions, some of which are already listed. A relative, who lives in the USA, buys the capsules for a cancer patient whenever she goes to Jamaica. 

The word on Guinea Hen Weed is spreading like wildfire, especially in Jamaica where prostate cancer is also spreading like wild fire! In addition to its documented anti-cancerous properties, a major plus for Guinea Hen Weed is its ability to fight immune disorders as stated above. It is reported to boost the immune system, that is, to stimulate immune function and immune cell production and to fight infections.

Interested folks, who use the Internet for info, can Google the many sites providing info on this herb with some advertising the capsules and powder for sale. A Jamaican couple informed me that they get the capsules in Jamaica at the RADA shop at the Ministry of Agriculture just beside the new Jamaica College gate. 

To be continued

 All the images were taken from the Internet and I claim no copyright.