Herbal Help for Humans and their Companions

FEAR

Fear can be so debilitating that we usually forget to ask some very important questions, such as:

1. How am I seeing this experience and how is it affecting me?
2. Am I trying to figure this out by myself?
3. What are my support systems and am I willing to ask for help?
4. Am I stuck or paralyzed with fear?
5. Am I breathing?
6. Do I remember that God is at work in the midst of this experience?
7. Have I dealt with this kind of experience before? Is this a repeat pattern?
8. Is this one of my barriers ?
9. Are my mind and heart working together to create a solution to this dilemma?

Asking these kinds of questions can shift the focus from being stuck in the fear to freeing the mind and spirit to work together, create a solution, and move through the fear. It also reminds us that there are support systems, both heavenly and earthly, available to help us. This makes it so much easier to get over the barriers that we can set ourselves often with out even knowing it.

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This week we feature:-

• Feline - Nine Lives of a Cat
  
• Canine - Pancreatitis
  
• Equine - Chronic Bladder Problems
  
• Human - Candida
  
• Home Remedies - Learn to Love Bitters
  
• Reader Feedback
  

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Feline - Nine Lives of a Cat

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The truth is, that I treat very many fewer cats than dogs which I think is a reflection on feline companions being healthier generally than canine ones.

Cat lovers would say "Of course they are healthier they have more sense and they know how to look after themselves better".

I think I would agree to all this although it seems to me that Cats are better at leading double lives. In our sight they are totally domesticated, but out at night for example, they are totally the opposite.

They change into natural hunters and predators and are able to supplement their commercial food diets with "God only knows what". Dogs are mostly denied this freedom.

As a Herbalist I notice a dramatic rise in 20th century illnesses like Cancers and other immune systems diseases in Dogs who now closely follow humans, in the frequency and variety of cancers they suffer from. Cats sadly are also beginning to catch up and so are Horses.

Feline Cancers:
I am treating more and more of these in Cats lately and I use exactly the same approach as I use with Dogs. I refer you to the article on my web page at:
http://www.herbal-treatments.com.au/article_theriseof_canine_cancers.html

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Canine - Pancreatitis

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The pancreas is a gland that produces enzymes which aid in the digestion of food. It also produces some hormones such as insulin which are secreted into the blood. If, because of injury or disease, these digestive enzymes become activated within the pancreas before they are released, they will begin digesting the pancreas itself. This self-digestion causes severe inflammation called Pancreatitis which is associated with pain and tenderness of the abdomen.

The signs of pancreatitis usually occur suddenly in dogs. You need to be aware of the following signs:
Lack of appetite, frequent vomiting and diarrhea which may contain blood. A pet may also drink more water than usual and vomit it soon after consumption. Weakness, inability to walk and abdominal tenderness or pain may be present , varying body temperature. The eyes may become sunken, and the mouth and eyes may become very dry, indicating dehydration. However these signs are not unique to pancreatitis. The dog may take up a prayer position.

Although the exact cause of pancreatitis is often unknown, there are several contributing factors.

Hyperlipemia: fat in the blood is elevated. Hyperlipemia occurs normally for a short period after a meal then returns to the correct level. However, some pets, like some people, have a metabolic problem which prevents the proper clearing of the fat from the blood stream.

Obesity: Many dogs with pancreatitis are overweight. Dogs also are more likely to develop pancreatitis after eating a meal with a high fat content, especially fatty table scraps. Therefore, dietary fat intake and the nutritional status of the animal are important factors in this disease.

Infectious Disease: Iinfections can contribute to the development of pancreatitis in the dog or cat. Bacterial infections are often contracted by consuming spoiled or contaminated food or water. Viral infections usually result from contact with other infected animals.

Trauma: Any trauma or injury that involves the abdomen in the dog or cat can contribute to the development of pancreatitis.

The emergency treatment for pancreatitis that you can do for yourself is as follows;

Get hold of the Bach Flower remedies 'Rescue Remedy' and 'Gorse' from the health food store. These are both medicines which come in clear liquid form and are given just as a drop or two directly in the mouth.

Give a dose of each of these four times per day.

Make a concoction by boiling a small amount of fresh parsley, fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds for 5 minutes and then let it stand and cool. Strain the tea and give a couple of dessertspoons of this by mouth; you may need to use a syringe body and put it straight down her throat. Four doses daily and make up a fresh batch each day. You can put the Rescue Remedy and Gorse drops in this also if you want.

For Pancreatitis, I recommend the canine conditioning mix which essentially rebalances the whole of the dog's metabolism which is out of balance badly if it results in an inflammation of the pancreas.

This mix is found on the page:
http://www.herbal-dogkeeping.com/dog_conditioning_mix.html

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Equine - Chronic Bladder problems

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You may need to consider the following factors for a horse with chronic bladder problems:

1. The volume of water he drinks and the additives we can use to improve the healing qualities of this water.
2. Long term inflammation and irritation of the lining of the bladder walls and urethra.
3. Weakness in the bladder sphincter that now results in constant dribbling.
4. Kidney function and the management of acidity.
5. Stones and crystals.
6. Secondary infection due to weaknesses in the system.

We also need to consider them in the order above, because treating from the bottom up is likely to be ineffective. I recommend approaching the situation as follows, again in order of importance:

1. We need good clean fresh water on hand at all times. He needs at least three litres (or quarts) of Rosehip Tea each day right through the treatment program. Initially, he can be fed this with a drench gun and later on it can be added to his drinking water. This is the most important part of the program and it will be poor drinking habits which allowed the problem to develop in the first place. Rosehips are very important for #4 and #6 as well.

2. The best soothing substances to encourage and allow the healing of the mucosal lining to the bladder and other structures are Slippery Elm, Corn Silk and Marshmallow. One third of a cup of Slippery Elm Powder mixed in with the Rosehips twice daily would be very useful. Cornsilk is made as a tea by boiling up the fresh or dried silk from the corn cob. Marshmallow tea would also be great.
Cornsilk helps with acidity #4 as well.

3. Couchgrass is the most suitable herb to restore strength to the sphincter controlling the flow from the bladder. This may be added into your tea mix along with the Rosehips and Marshmallow simply enough. Saw Palmetto is another which could help.

4. Rosehips are the most important herb here and I would recommend Lucerne hay as well, as it reduces acidity in the system generally.

5. High sources of Silica are important here. Hay, Celery Seed and Horsetail are very good for this. In this case it would be best to stop pellets and grains altogether for a good while and use good quality fresh hay, preferably pasture hay, rather than an irrigated and highly fertilised variety. Don't worry about any weight loss in the short term. Weight is simple to put back on once he is fixed.

6. Fresh garlic soaked in Molasses for three weeks and given daily with the molasses will be all you need to manage secondary infections. Use a small dose daily and increase it whenever the urine flow looks or smells bad when you can up the quantity and use it twice daily. Remember that initial infection is a result of damaged and inflamed tissue and not the cause of the problem.

You can work with the suggestions above in a coordinated way and this will be the only way out of the problem as you must consider the whole picture and recognise the importance of the various parts of the program. It is not fruitful to just treat infection as if this is the cause of the problem.

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Human - Candida

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Candida is really an expression of an out of balance gut flora. Often more common in those who attempt to digest their stresses rather than express and clear them from their systems. In my experience around 40% of my patients will rather process their stress by upsetting aspects of their own digestive system 'in order to keep the peace' by snacking on high sugar 'comfort foods' for example rather than deal with the stresses outwardly.

Maybe we all need to become more aware of our habitual reactions to stressful situations.

Of course in the age of snack advertising, processed food and over prescription of antibiotics there are imbalances which are caused directly by such substances which can foster yeast overgrowths which can then develop a momentum of their own and get out of hand. Again, however, this is more common in folk whose own digestive system is not well protected emotionally.

Anyway the yeast infestations tend to propagate and can increase cravings for sugar and totally upset your own gut function and energy levels.

The best way to deal with Candida is therefore to starve them of their primary nutrients, to tone the gut lining to make it more able to protect itself and to aid in the repopulation of the gut with healthy flora. Also of course to learn to handle stresses in slightly different ways.

I recommend stopping all eating between meals, stop processed and high sugar foods and drinks and to peel and swallow a single small fresh clove of garlic twice daily. In addition to this I make up a herbal mix containing some of the 'bitter' herbs which not only discourage the yeast but tone the gut lining and some nervous system tonics which assist in modifying your stress management reactions.

http://www.herbal-treatment.net/herbs_candida.html
http://www.herbal-treatments.com/herbs_thrush_vaginitis.html

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Home Remedies - Learn to Love Bitters

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Prickly Lettuce or Wild Lettuce

This plant looks like a prickly garden lettuce gone to seed. All parts of it exude a white sap when pierced. It is found in vacant lots, car parks and degraded pastures.

Prickly Lettuce was once regarded as almost as useful as Opium. It is not a narcotic so therefore not addictive. It can give you a glorious sense of well being , take it when you feel irritable or nervous to calm down.

Use:-

Gather new leaves in spring before they are too spiky or bitter, just nibble or add to salads.