Benefits from the herb Oat Straw

Oat Straw

Oat Straw is one of the best anti-osteoporosis herbs – same others are alfalfa, horsetail, nettles and red clover blossoms. Oats is rich in calcium and vitamins needed for building bones. Use of oats, oatstraw on a daily basis helps reduce cholesterol, helps stabilize  blood sugar levels, brings about noticeable improvement….Also improvement with  bone density, balance, memory, sensitivity to pleasant stimuli, clarity of thinking and overall calmness.

Oat Straw is a anti-depressant, that nourishes strong nerves, helps people deal with stress (Vitamin B complex), maintains restful sleep patterns, reduces the frequency and duration of headaches and useful for menopausal symptoms particularly insomnia, depression, anxiety, memory loss, restless legs, calming hyperactive children, soothing elderly people…

Tea: Put 2  tsp. of the dried straw in your tea fuser & add  in a cup of boiling water and let steep for 10-15 minutes. You can add it to just about all my herb tea blends.

Calcium and Vitamin D work together – herbs that have both are :

-Alfalfa
-Nettle

Calcium and Magnesium work together – herbs that have both are:

-Oat straw
-Kelp
-Nettle
-Horsetail
-Sage

A Tip to Lower Cholesterol

Flaxseed can help reduce total cholesterol and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels.

Flaxseed Oil also contains omega-3 fatty acids, but it doesn’t have the beneficial fiber that the seeds have.

I have also been using  flaxseed oil for dry eyes…  I take 1,000 mg a day and it  really has  helped…

Include Flaxseed in your  daily diet and get creative: Here are some examples…

• Add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to your hot or cold breakfast cereal.
• Add a tsp of ground flaxseed to mayonnaise or mustard when making a sandwich.
• Mix a tablespoon of ground flaxseed into an 8-ounce container of yogurt.
• Add a tablespoon  of ground flaxseed to your favorite smoothie while blending in blender
• Bake ground flaxseed into cookies, muffins, breads, and other baked goods.
• Add to sauces, soups

Calming Herbal Supplements

Calming Herbal Supplements

There are certain herbal supplements, which help to produce calmness in you when you are finding yourself impatient or not relaxed.

Kava Kava

The kava-kava root produces a syrup (or powder that can be made into capsules) aiding relaxation, promote sleep and apparently increases sociability by making people more relaxed. The herb stems from the South Pacific region and is a member of the pepper family.

Valerian

Valerian is used to relieve anxiety and helps to relax enough to have good nights sleep. Valerian root also helps women coping with bad menstrual cramps to relax.

Valerian has also been used for other conditions, such as headaches, depression, irregular heartbeat, and trembling.         Balance serotonin levels naturally.

Valerian comes in different treatment options, the dried herb can be used as a tea, and there are capsules and  tablets.

You should always take herbal supplements in cycles.” Take the herb or herbal combination for two weeks, then go off  for a week, then resume for two weeks, and then go off  for a week. Or, take for two months and then go off  for  four months.

The body adjusts and adapts to the herbs, and then develops tolerance or resistance, and the herbs lose their beneficial effect. Most herbs lose all effectiveness when taken for eight to nine months.

Lobelia-Herb used to quit smoking

LOBELIA

Alternative Names

Asthma weed; Bladderpod; Gagroot; Indian tobacco; Lobelia inflata; Pukeweed; Vomitroot

Lobelia is available in liquid extracts, tinctures, and as a dried herb in capsules and for teas.

The treatment of tobacco addiction, as the lobeline in lobelia is chemically similar to nicotine in  tobacco , the lobelia is often used by herbalists to help their patients give up smoking permanently.

Lobelia was used extensively by Native American peoples in their ceremonies in the same way as they used tobacco – the belief was that the smoking of the herb could ward off storms, it was also placed on graves, and employed in the rain dances. Native Americans also used the lobelia to prepare love potions and employed the herb as an antidote to such love charms. Lobelia also had practical uses; it was often burnt to smoke away gnats from a place.

The anti-spasmodic action is not a result of any single chemical component in the leaf but is a quality of all the chemicals combined in the leaf. The chemical nature and effects of the piperidine alkaloids, especially the alkaloid lobeline, are similar to the alkaloid nicotine in tobacco leaves.

These days, herbalist use lobelia for cleansing  blood remedy as well as a respiratory stimulant for the treatment of bronchial and spasmodic asthma as well as to deal with chronic bronchitis in patients. The main constituent in lobelia is the alkaloid called lobeline; this compound stimulates deeper breathing and increases rates of respiration in the body of a person. Lobelia acts as a relaxant on tense muscles when it is applied externally; it is useful in the treatment of chronic sprains and certain types of problems affecting the spinal region.
In human tests, the respiratory center in the brain has been shown to be stimulated by the action of lobeline, the chemical compound induces stronger and deeper breathing, and this effect may help clarify why the lobelia was traditionally used for treating respiratory complaints of all kinds.

The following are recommended Adult doses:

• Dried herb (infusion or decoction): ¼ – ½ tsp herb in 8 oz of water, preferably mixed with other herbs. Steep 30 – 40 minutes and take 2 oz (60 mL), 4 times daily. (This method is not preferred because of lobelia’s acrid taste.)
• Liquid extract (1:1 in 50 % alcohol): 0.2 – 0.6 mL (4 – 18 drops), 3 times daily
• Tincture of lobelia: 0.6 – 2.0 mL (18 – 60 drops) daily
• Vinegar tincture of lobelia (1:5 in dilute acetic acid): 1 – 4 mL (20 – 120 drops), 3 times daily

Precautions:

The use of herbs is a time-honored approach to strengthening the body and treating disease. Herbs, however, contain substances that can trigger side effects and interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications. For these reasons, herbs should be taken with care, under the supervision a health care provider.

Lobelia is considered a potentially toxic herb. Active substances in lobelia bind to nicotine receptors in the nervous system and can cause serious symptoms, such as profuse sweating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, rapid heartbeat, mental confusion, convulsions, hypothermia, coma, and even death. You should not exceed a total daily dosage of 20 mg lobelia. Doses higher than 500 mg are highly toxic and could be fatal.

People with high blood pressure, heart disease, tobacco sensitivity, paralysis, seizure disorder, and shortness of breath, and those recovering from shock should not take lobelia. Pregnant and breast-feeding women should also avoid this herb.

Possible Interactions:

There are no known scientific reports of interactions between lobelia and medications. However, based on some of the chemicals contained in lobelia, use caution with the following medications:

• Psychiatric medications, including anti-depressants, anti-anxiety agents, and stimulants

Always remember the more is not the better when taking herbs & vitamins