All posts by Karen S. Vaughan

SAM-e for Parkinson’s

September 4, 2017 Karen S. Vaughan Leave a comment

SAM-e, S-adenosyl-L-methionine, is vital to the production of our body’s most important antioxidant, glutathione, as well as the secondary antioxidants, cysteine and taurine. It also enhances the antioxidant power of superoxide dismutase (SOD) These capabilities underscore SAM-e’s importance as a neuroprotective compound, given the extraordinarily high metabolic activity and energy-intensive demands of both brain cells and neurons.

SAM-e is made in the body from methionine, a sulfur-containing amino acid, and the energy-producing compound ATP, but we lose the ability to convert it as we age and in Parkinson’s. Our diets generally provide an insufficient dose of an unstable form of it. SAM-e is a physiologically essential compound,

I had previously not considered SAM-e for my joints which are stressed from Parkinson’s until Amazon sent me a packet of Jarrow’s SAM-e and glucosamine to review. Some time ago I’d read about a 1992 rat study where animals with induced Parkinson’s were made worse with it, but I hadn’t actually looked at the study until researching for this review. I found an interview with Dr. Richard Brown, whom I respect promoting SAM-e for the mental cognition, depression and stiff joints which can characterize PD. The rat study involved injecting an acid solution of SAM-e directly into their brains, which no one would do to people. At the time injectable SAM-e was all we had. We now have reasonably stable oral forms (even for rats!) Other of the 75 clinical trials with 35,000 patients on SAM-e confirm the benefits.

According to Dr. Weil,

“In research reported in August, 2010, in the American Journal of Psychiatry, investigators from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital gave either SAMe or a placebo to 73 depressed adults who had not responded to prescribed antidepressant drugs; all continued to take the drugs. After six weeks of treatment, 36 percent of the subjects taking SAMe showed improvement, compared to just 18 percent of the placebo group. Moreover, 26 percent of those in the SAMe group had complete remission of symptoms, compared to just 12 percent in the placebo group. SAMe doesn’t work for everyone, but neither do antidepressant drugs.”

Dr. Brown points out that most Parkinson’s patients have very low SAM-e levels. Levodopa, the most common medication for Parkinson’s, depletes SAM-e and he recommends that it be taken

SAM-e http://slideplayer.com/slide/6066365/

with levodopa or Sinemet (carbidopa levodopa) . In general, he explains that SAM-e is good for our liver, joints and cartilage as well as the depression that can affect 30% of Parkinson’s patients, so it is a

healthy supplement for most people to take. Side effects are minimal for most people including activation, nausea, mild anxiety and loose stools. The main contraindication is bipolar disease because it can enhance mania.

So what does SAM-e do? It is effective for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, tests better than NSAIDS for pain, is mod

Produces: Serotonin. Norepinephrine. Dopamine. DNA, proteins. Phospholipids. x. Amino-propylation. x-CH3. SAM-e. Joint Health. SAH. deca-Sam-e. PPi. Putrescine. Spermidine. Trans-sulfuration. Spermidine. Spermine. ATP. MTA. Homocysteine. (Hcy) Cystathionine. B12. Methionine. Cysteine. MTHF. (THF) Terahydrofolate. sulfate. (S04) Glutathione (GSH) Major Antioxidant.

erately effective for fibromyalgia, good for depression and anxiety, mental cognition and liver detoxification. It was discovered in Italy 4 decades ago. Although SAM-e has only been on the U.S. market since 1999, it has been studied for decades internationally and is approved as a prescription drug in Spain, Italy, Russia and Germany. More than 1 million Europeans have used it, primarily for depression and arthritis.

If you want to try SAMe, look for products that provide the butanedisulfonate form in enteric-coated tablets. The usual dosage is 400 to 1,600 milligrams a day for non-PD patients but Dr.Brown points out that people with Parkinson’s need higher doses. Take on an empty stomach. SAM-e can be taken at the same time as other medications including antidepressants.

Read an article in the Psychiatric Times that gives a broader view here.

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Taking Expired Medications

August 30, 2017 Karen S. Vaughan Leave a comment

As I write there is a crisis of unmedicated Texans caught in the floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey. Pharmacies are gone, home supplies inundated. For those who can shelter in place, a medicine cabinet of dated prescriptions and OTC medications is likely. Which of them is safe to take?

Expiration dates are not effectiveness dates

In the first place medications last longer in a dark, cool, dry place with minimal exposure to oxygen. Do not store them in the bathroom which is humid and hot. I keep mine in a closet opposite the bathroom in the hall. If you are saving a very small amount of medicine either transfer to a small container labled with all pertinent information- name, date, dosage, strength, prescribing doctor and what it is for. Alternatively add oxygen absorbers (those little packets or plastic circles you find in medicine and vitamin bottles) or unprocessed rice grains in a net bag to reduce degradation.

Secondly there are medications that are unsafe -as opposed to less effective-when they age. Tetracycline family antibiotics are not safe when they age becauses they can degrade into toxins. Insulin, nitroglycerin, liquid antibiotics and refrigerated prescriptions should not be taken post expiration. Also avoid aspirin that smells like vinegar when you open the bottle- enteric coated aspirin lasts longer and is easier on your stomach. Amphetamines in diet pills degrade quite quickly too.

In 1979 the FDA began requiring expiration dates. This does not mean that the drugs no longer work, but the manufacturer would no longer guarantee the potency and efficacy of the drugs after that date. This had the perverse effect of causing manufacturers to shave off years so people would repurchase items sooner, while reducing their liability if older drugs were taken. To extend expiration dates new studies are required.

The US Army had the FDA undertake a Shelf Life Extension Program study, SLEP, on100 of their most common drugs. It found that most meds stored in good conditions could last up to 5 ½ years past the expiration date. 90% lasted 15 years when kept in optimum conditions (cool, dark, and dry places.) This study was conducted on OTC medications and prescriptions. It found common drugs like Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen, allergy medicines and even various prescriptions like opioids maintained 90% potency over the duration of the study.

California Poison Control Board Toxicologist Lee Cantrell studied a cache of drugs stored since the 1960s, some 30-40 years past their expiration date, A dozen of the 14 compounds were still as potent as they were when they were manufactured, some at almost 100 percent of their labeled concentrations.

The most common problem with older medication is not in the medicines, it is us. If we think that a medication is 90% effective we might be tempted to take two pills instead of one. That means we are taking 180% of the dose, which may cause overdose problems. Even aspirin and Tylenol can cause bleeding or liver problems at high doses. If the medication is essential for life, like asthma medications the temptation is worse.

The recommended therapeutic dosage of most drugs is not what is optimal for you, but the amount that will treat the most people without serious problems. So the dosage of Prozac at 10 mg works for most people, but it worked at 40 mg for even more, although side effects were higher. 40 mg was thus the designated standard dose for years, although it has been reduced to 20 mg now. In most cases, 90% effective is within the effective therapeutic range.

EpiPens must be used in minutes but last longer than previously believed.

EpiPens are a special case since they prevent anaphylactic shock and are needed within minutes to prevent death. The recommendation is to replace unused pens every 18 months. Toxicologist Cantrell, and his team at UCSD measured the epinephrine concentration of 40 expired EpiPens and EpiPen Jrs. They found that 29 months after expiration, the pens contained at least 90% of their stated amount of epinephrine. Pens 50 months — more than four years — past the printed expiration date had more than 84% of the medication. While new pens are preferable, an older pen could be used as long as no discoloration or precipitates are apparent because the potential benefit of using it is greater than the potential risk. this is backed by other research. For a pen that old I would inject, then follow with Benadryl or oral epinephrine. Sublingual epinephrine 40 mg tablets (FasEpi) were found to be equally effective and have a longer storage life, but requires a prescription. It may be the best form for long term prepping but bystanders are less likely to know how to use it. If

Plantain leaves can make a potent spit poultice for insect stings.the precipitating event is an insect sting, try a (Plantago major, not the banana.) I know of plantain poultices either delaying an anaphylactic shock or preventing it altogether, so think of it as an interim measure.

the precipitating event is an insect sting, try a spit poultice of plantain leaves (Plantago major, not the banana.) I know of plantain poultices either delaying an anaphylactic shock or preventing it altogether, so think of it as an interim measure.

Non-tetracycline antibiotics can be used, but take with raw garlic or tinctures of coptis, goldenseal, Oregon grape or other antimicrobial herbs to boost effectiveness and reduce antibiotic resistance,

Blueberry leaf, rhemannia and cinnamon can be used with a low carb diet for someone with diabetes, but it is best not combined with insulin as requirements and dosage will change and insulin-driven low blood sugar can be fatal. OTOH a knowledgeable diabetic with a good blood meter can wean off of insulin if willing to make dietary and lifestyle changes.

Raw herbs have a limited shelf life even in optimal conditions. Leaves and flowers are said to have a shelf life of 6 months to a year when aromatics are important to their usefulness. Sticks, bark and roots are longer lived in general. Minerals and herbs valued primarily for mineral content last the longest. You can increase the dosage by 10% to use older non-aromatic herbs in my experience.

Thee best way to preserve most herbs is to tincture them in alcohol. They last nearly indefinitely with a few exceptions (shepherd’s purse, cayenne, pepper) so long as alcohol is over 25%. While optim

um tincture ratios is beyond the scope of this article, a 1 part herb to 5 parts 100 proof alcohol works on a wide variety of herbs. For fresh herbs use Everclear grain alcohol at a 1:1 volume ratio as the water in the herb will dilute the alcohol. Resinous herbs like frankincense or St. John’s wort need very high alcohol- 150-195 proof. Mushrooms do best with double extraction or instead simmering dried mushrooms for at least an hour to break down chitin which locks up the medicine. Tincturing also allows you to taste the herbs, getting more from them, and to customize dosage.

Extracting in honey or vinegar translates to a shorter shelf-life and a less effective medicinal. Sharp herbal vinegar extractions like Horseradish, Thieves Vinegar or Fire Cider should be consumed within 6 months. Older formulations may be enough for mild respiratory infections but not strong enough for pneumonia. A clove of minced fresh garlic coated in honey, taken every 2 hours can often address either viral or bacterial pneumonia.

You can also use essential oils topically or diffused for medicinal purposes. Make sure they have limited contact with air or sunlight even if it means transferring to a smaller bottle. They are quite concentrated and you need to know how to use them. Robert Tisserand has a good Facebook group that discusses safety. Always dilute, even lavender and tea tree essential oils, for topical use. The only time you should take them internally is for something like gangrene and then take drops in olive or coconut oil, NOT water. Don’t use peppermint or eucalyptus EOs near the face of children under 10, even diluted. Inform yourself before a disaster strikes and not from MLM companies.

If you live in an area where evacuation from flooding, fire or civil unrest is likely, put a quantity of all your necessary meds and supplements into a go bag that you can grab quickly, Remember to rotate these so they remain potent. This way you can remain safe even under severe conditions.

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environment

Prepping for Climate Change

August 28, 2017 Karen S. Vaughan 2 Comments

To donate to Harvey Victims, go to https://www.ujafedny.org/hurricane-harvey-relief-fund/

As I write. Houston has had 50 inches of rain with more to come, water is overflowing from the Addicks Reservoir and tens of thousands have been displaced by flooding. Hurricane Harvey while the worst in recorded history, is a harbinger of natural disasters to come. Polar ice is melting at an unprecedented rate and glaciers are disappearing, both inland and on the coasts. South Sea islands are shrinking from rising seas to the point that some populations have started relocating to other places. Extra water in the sea and higher temperatures increase the number and severity of hurricanes.
So how do you prep for natural disasters? I hear stories of families trapped in second floors or roofs in Houston with no food or water. Evacuation would have caused conditions similar to the conditions of Hurricane Isaac where cars were stranded in a 100 mile traffic jam that would have been soon under water. Geographically the area is flat and no one could predict the safest place to go and roads were not elevated. People tend to like to live in dangerous areas- on cliffs, by seashores, on islands, near creeks. They also prefer not to pay for infrastructure that might protect them.
My cousin lives in Houston and he selected a home on relatively high land in a 1,000- year flood zone (100-year flood zones are regularly flooded these days.) It is located 2-hours inland. The subdivision was designed with below-grade streets that can shunt water away from homes. The roof Is strong (although if predicted tornados come there is no assured safety.) He and his wife were able to safely shelter in place during the hurricane.

My husband’s parents lived in a hilltop town in Italy, surrounded by a medieval wall, where everything is in walking distance. Water was collected in cisterns on the roof, even when running (which was not 25/7). Aside from kitchen vegetable gardens, farmland was outside the wall in lowlands where good moisture was possible. This was a defensible location.

I worked in Ft. Myers, Florida as a county planner in an area where sheet flow from the Caloosahatchee River flooded each summer. Northerners would purchase mobile homes during the dry season without looking at the one-foot topographic maps. (The highest point in the county was 25 feet and there was a huge sinkhole in Lehigh Acres.) They often lost their homes in the next year or two.

So there are many things you can do to protect yourself:
1. Choose a geographical location that is relatively safe. Coastal cities, low land, hurricane zones, earthquake faults, areas subject to landslides, and large wooded areas with trees around homes in fire-maintained ecosystems should be avoided. Forests with significant insect infestation or dead tree litter may be subject to megafires.

2. Find the safest location within the area of choice: a hill is usually better than flat land, unless prone to landslides or volcanic activity. Check out flood plain maps (1000 year best), earthquake fault line maps, sinkholes, superfund sites, nearby noxious uses.

A ranch house is surrounded by floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey near Port Lavaca on August 26, 2017.
REUTERS/Rick Wilking

3. Look for good infrastructure: good sewers, structural roads that don’t back up with water, permeable paving requirements, sewerage, underground power lines in watertight tunnels, flood caps on subway entrances, elevated roads over flood-prone wetlands, enough culverts along otherwise water-blocking roadways. Ask potential neighbors about conditions.

4. Look for the weak areas and choose defenses accordingly. If tornados are a problem then have a good underground shelter/root cellar. If landslides are a problem, plant shrubs and trees with a good root system. If flooding is a problem, look for berms around the house, elevated construction with upstairs living quarters, local drainage. Pass on the house on the earthquake fault line. Also pass on the highrise condo with ground floor or basement elevator rooms and water pumps, stairwells without windows or skylights. During superstorm Sandy, older people were trapped on upper floors with no running water or electricity and they could not go down 20 stories in the dark.

5. Have enough first aid supplies, water and food, candles and matches, pet food, incontinence supplies, prescription meds and somewhere to defecate (say a bucket with kitty litter) and other essentials including paperwork (passport, SS cards, mortgage documents, insurance papers.) The latter should be stored in a watertight case.

Do not store the supplies in the basement or garage if you are prone to flooding- store it upstairs. Perhaps store it in the root cellar in tornado country. Have some of your provisions hidden and store in divided locations. The amount you need should keep depends on the amount of time you think will be necessary to recover, but in no case less than 72 hours per person.

6. Consider an upstairs roof deck and stairs to the attic if children and the elderly are present in flood country. On lowlands in flood zones make sure you have a way out of the attic. Avoid sheetrock which can become moldy on lower floors

7. A source of solar or wind energy is desirable, especially where help may be long in coming. More efficient forms are becoming available, so if you were told that you lacked enough sun or wind, that may be no longer true. Solar roof tiles are discrete if you need secrecy. Store propane tanks far enough from the house that an explosion from a fire will not burn you down.

8. I have not addressed defense from people. Your best defense is to form strong bonds with your neighbors, possessing a useful skill like first aid, mechanics or woodworking and encouraging them to prep. Making your home look like a fortress advertises that you have supplies others might want. Decorative but functional cast iron on the first floor may secure you from unwanted visitors, but you may morally wish to help others and that may well be what keeps you human. Just make sure you practice safe compassion. There are examples of Houston neighbors using their own boats to save others and sharing food which saved many lives. Don’t develop a bunker mentality until you need to.

9. Take Red Cross or similar courses in first aid, CPR, life guarding, boat safety, HAM radio, and survival skills. Train as an EMT or volun

Rescue workers bring out residents after waters rose around their home, leaving them unable to get out in the Bluff Springs neighborhood Friday in Austin, Texas. (DEBORAH CANNON/AP)

teer firefighter. In forest fire country, consider hotshot training. Outside of San Antonio, Sam Coffman and Suchil Coffman-Guerra run The Human Path which teaches survival skills, herbal medicine for professionals and similar classes. Tom Brown Jr. teaches tracking and skills in living off the land in his wilderness school. Ricardo Sierra and Trista Haggerty run Earth Mentoring Institute, Inc/Hawk Circle Wilderness Education in Cherry Valley, New York. NOLS teaches wilderness medicine all over the world. I teach herbal medicine in Brooklyn and am on the board of two nonprofit acupuncture groups that serve in emergencies (CRREW) or for underserved populations (Global Clinic.) If you have skills, start a group of your own or join one.

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DIY Elderberry Syrup for Winter Health

December 19, 2016 Karen S. Vaughan Leave a comment

Black elderberries (Sambucus nigra) are high in Vitamins A and C. folate, iron and flavonoids, notably anthocyanins which are found in red and purple berries. Their antioxidant capacity is double that of blueberries and significantly higher than in blackberries, goji berries or cranberries.

Ripe elderberries (Sambucus) in Rochester, Min... — Ripe elderberries (Sambucus) in Rochester, Minnesota (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

They have a proven track record of strengthening the immune system and getting rid of colds and the flu. Sambucol is a favored brand, but runs $16 for a 120 ml bottle. You can make your own black elderberry syrup from raw or dried elderberries.

Dried elderberries can be obtained online from reliable vendors like Starwest Botanicals, Mountain Rose Herbs or the Frontier Natural Foods Coop. Black elderberry grows over a broad range in North America and other temperate regions of the world. If you harvest your own, avoid the shrubby dwarf elder (Sambucus ebulus) which can be toxic. Berries start green, turning red, then black when ripe. Don’t eat the berries raw. Always avoid unripe berries, as well as the leaves, seeds, and bark, which contain a chemical related to cyanide, which is poisonous. The flower is medicinal and 1/4 cup could be added to the syrup recipe below.

Black elderberries can be taken preventatively as well as when sick. You take about half the medicinal dose to prevent illness. Elderberry may help treat cold and flu symptoms by reducing congestion and possibly helping you to “sweat it out. One study suggested that using a standardized and proprietary elderberry extract, Sambucol, could shorten the duration of flu by about 3 days. Another study on sinusitus showed that a proprietary elderberry extract increased the ability of antibiotics when used for sinusitus. Black elderberry has been tested as effective against swine flue (H1N1) in vitro but human studies have not yet been done.

Making your own elderberry extract is easy and less expensive. I like to use either a local honey or one with a high phenol content like manuka or eucalyptus honey. Since heating, which strengthens the flavonoids can reduce the Vitamin C content, you may add a powder of a full spectrum Vitamin C, or dried amla or acerola.

What You Need:

3/4 cup dried black elderberries
2 Tablespoons fresh or 1 Tablespoon dried ginger root
1 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
½ freshly ground black pepper
1 cup raw local, eucalyptus or manuka honey
optional: 2 Tablespoons Vitamin C, amla or acerola cherry powder
mason jar or bottle
coffee grinder, spice grinder or mortar and pestle
coarse strainer or jelly strainer

Instructions:

Grind the cinnamon, cloves and peppercorns in a coffee or spice grinder
Put all the ingredients except the honey in a medium saucepan with about 4 cups of water
Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for about 45 minutes. After 45 minutes it should have reduced to about half. This makes the flavonoids more bioavailable
Remove from heat, and gently mash the black elderberries
Cook for another 5 minutes
Strain through a coarse strainer
Let the mixture cool
Once it is fully cool, add the honey and stir well
If you like, add 2 tablespoons of Vitamin C, amla or acerola cherry powder
Pour into a jar or bottle

Keep your freshly made elderberry syrup in the refrigerator and take as needed. You can take a preventative dose of 1-2 tablespoons daily. When sick, you will probably want to use one dose of 2-3 tablespoons every 2-3 hours for adults and 1-2 tablespoons for children .

There are no known side effects to black elder but theoretical concerns exist for people taking diuretics, insulin, theophylline, autoimmune drugs or laxatives. It has not been studied for use in pregnancy.

………………..

Resources:

Kong F. Pilot clinical study on a proprietary elderberry extract: efficacy in addressing influenza symptoms. Online Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacokinetics. 2009;5:32-43.

Mikulic-Petkovsek M, Slatnar A, Stampar F, Veberic R. HPLC-MSn identification and quantification of flavanol glycosides in 28 wild and cultivated berry species. Food Chem. 2012;135(4):2138-46.

+Roschek B, Fink RC, McMichael MD, et al. Elderberry flavonoids bind to and prevent H1N1 infection in vitro. Phytochemistry. 2009;70:1255-61.

Roxas M, Jurenka J. Colds and influenza: a review of diagnosis and conventional, botanical, and nutritional considerations. Altern Med Rev. 2007 Mar;12(1):25-48.

Ulbricht C, Basch E, Cheung L, et al. An evidence-based systematic review of elderberry and elderflower(Sambucus nigra) by the Natural Standard Research Collaboration. J Diet Suppl. 2014;11(1):80-120

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Make Your Own Avocado Coffee Eye Serum

October 22, 2016 Karen S. Vaughan Leave a comment

Ever since my son announced his impending marriage I have been
making and trying out various eye serums and wrinkle creams. I like those with caffeine because they enliven the skin and tend to decrease bags. You can get pure caffeine crystals to use in your cremes, but I’m pretty much a whole herb kind of gal because of the cofactors. Coffee is a lot more than caffeine. And coffee is one of my favorite herbal beverages. So here is my coffee eye serum. 2016-10-22-15-14-48

Now this won’t do away with eye bags caused by food sensitivities or lack of sleep- there are root causes! But it will make you look and feel better.

This makes an oil type serum to use around your eyes. I especially use it on undereye circles (I was born with them) but it also helps with eyebrows so I usually moisturize the whole outer eye area. It is NOT an eyedrop as someone asked, so keep it out of your eyes.

Coffee is one of the beverages highest in antioxidants that we usually consume. It has several chlorogenic acids (like blueberries.) The caffeine applied topically improves circulation and plumps up the skin, diminishing the appearance of the circles. It also helps constrict blood vessels to reduce swelling and helps protect against UVA. I don’t find that the dark roasts color my undereye area but you can use any roast in an espresso (fine) grind. I use Life Extention’s high antioxidant coffee. If you are sensitive to mold, use Bulletproof coffee.

Avocado oil is a great anti-aging oil in its organic cold-pressed form. It comes with an assortment of fat-soluble vitamins and nutrients that are beneficial for the skin. These inclulde Vitamin E complex, sterolin, antioxidants, lecithin and potassium. It can stand up to heat without turning rancid unlike most seed oils.

Ricinoleic acid found in castor oil has many healing abilities, including: supporting the lymphatic system, increasing circulation. lowering inflammation, preventing the growth of microbes and molds. fighting skin disorders and infections. This goes around the eyes so I like the antiseptic quality. Topical castor oil is also good for your eyelashes and brows. Brown Jamaican castor oil may offer extra benefits, but I just use what I can find.

Here is what you need:

1/4 cup espresso grind organic coffee. You can use green, blonde or dark grinds. They all have different ratios of chlorogenic acids, antioxidants and caffeine
1/3 cup cold-pressed avocado oil which tends not to go rancid
Small jar with a lid- at least 3/4 cup capacity
2 Tbsp castor oil
2 two-ounce dropper, pump or roller-top bottles
small funnel that fits the bottles
cheesecloth, coffee filter or nut milk bag

Put the espresso-ground coffee and the avocado oil in a small jar and cover. Leave in a warm place and shake daily for two weeks. Note that a crock pot is too hot for the oils even at the lowest settings. Mine is sitting by the radiator.

Pour through the filter- either paper or muslin bag- into a small bowl. Add the castor oil and filter again if grounds still remain. Pour through the funnel into the bottle and cap. (You can use the oil-soaked coffee grounds as an exfoliant!)

Pour through the filter paper or muslin bag into a small bowl. Add the castor oil and filter again if there are grains of coffee- they don’t hurt but it is nicer without them. Pour through the funnel into the bottles and cap. You can use the oil-soaked coffee grounds as an exfoliant.

If you use a water-soluble serum, use it first, then follow with your coffee serum. Oil floats on water. In summer I refrigerate it for the cool rush and extra anti-puffiness.

The serum can be used in face creams, simply substituting for the liquid oil. It is best made in small batches since you are not heating the oil. You can add a few drops of Vitamin E to preserve it. Don’t add essential oils if you use it around the eyes.

I had been using roller bottles, but it lasts longer in a pump top bottle which don’t contaminate the rest. I found those on Amazon and I have converted my serums over to pumps.

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alternative-health

Making Magnesium Lotion

October 22, 2016 Karen S. Vaughan Leave a comment

2016-10-22-15-26-39 I find that using Magnesium Oil can sting, but transdermal -topical- magnesium chloride is essential to avoiding restless leg or spasms from Parkinson’s. It is also good for arthritis, morning sickness, anxiety, headaches, diabetes, hypertension, insomnia and many more conditions including some 300 internal cellular reactions. It used to be in food, but levels have plummeted according to USDA data. It just isn’t that easy to absorb magnesium from supplements, especially if our digestion is impaired or as we age. So I make magnesium lotion.

To make magnesium lotion most simply I whip up shea butter with magnesium oil that I have made in a strong solution (1 cup magnesium chloride flakes to 1/3 cup water) or commercially available magnesium oil. I put a cup of shea butter in a double boiler and melt it on low heat. I add a teaspoon of soy lecithin from the health food store to help it emulsify, pour in the magnesium oil to warm it up, let sit off of the heat for about 15-20 minutes, then whip it in a blender or mixing bowl. Using the mixer incorporates more air and makes it softer.

However since I am using the magnesium for an orthopedic condition (and really because I like to play with herbs and oils) I usually make up a more complex lotion. To do this you will need:

1/2 c. double-strength magnesium oil (1 c. magnesium chloride flakes + 1/2 c. water)
2 tbsp. MSM salts
1/2 c. coconut oil
1/2 c. unrefined shea butter
2 tbsp. beeswax
1/2 cup arnica or calendula flowers
10 drops of an anti-inflammatory essential oil like German chamomile, turmeric, frankincense or ginger

The equipment you will need are:

Measuring cups and measuring spoons
A fine strainer, preferably conical
A double boiler or saucepan in a water-filled frying pan
A blender (immersion type okay) or mixing bowl
A spatula
Jars for your lotion

Heat your water with the magnesium chloride flakes and MSM salts until dissolved. Remove from heat.

2016-10-22-15-18-51 Add your shea butter, lecithin, coconut oil and beeswax to the top of the double boiler and melt. When it first melts you can add in your optional calendula or arnica flowers and let them infuse for 20 minutes over low heat. Add back the magnesium mix to bring it to the same temperature. Strain into a mixing bowl, blender or bowl for your immersion blender. Let cool 20 minutes, then mix or blend until emulsified.

Before you add in your essential oils which can be damaged by heat, take a sample of the cream and stick it in the fridge so it can cool to room temperature. If you like the consistency, add the essential oils. If it is too soft (especially in summer when coconut oil is liquid) put back in the double boiler and add a little more beeswax. If too hard you can use a little more shea butter or an infused oil. Let cool and re-emulsify, then add the essential oils at the end.

You can use a marble sized dollop of this before bed. I like to use it on my feet and legs, lower back or stomach, or anywhere the skin is thin. For small children, a pea-sized dollop will do.

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My very favorite tools for making herbal preparations

September 8, 2016 Karen S. Vaughan Leave a comment

My students were asking me about the tools I like to use for making a variety of herbal preparations. This is an illustrated list, that I thought others might find it interesting. Many items came from thrift shops and my stainless steel Vitamix blender, capable of grinding wooden blocks into sawdust has been kept going with spare parts found on eBay. The fun is in improvising and building up over time, so don’t feel you need to go all out at once.

Hori Hori with serrated shovel and knife edges

survival-shovel

A hori hori, Felco pruning shears and shovel for collecting, You can use a normal shovel instead of the survival tool, but have fun with your choices.
Mesh Collecting Bag
Mesh bags for collecting that can hold up to sticks, roots and thorns. Or game hunting bags.
Also useful for drying herbs
Net collecting bags or drying hammock (Ikea children’s) Hanging rack.

Vitamixes new and old

Chinese Herb Grinder
Vitamix or herb grinder Vitamix $50 used to $350 new; $480 grinder new, on eBay If you can get a used stainless steel Vitamix it will grind all but the hardest roots.
Chemex glass coffee maker to hold strainer or filter paper while decanting tinctures.
Chemex, good for filtering tinctures
Measuring Glassware in both Metric and Ounces, with lip. Pipette, For tinctures 4 and 8 oz beakers are most useful.
Cone-shaped strainers with ears for standalone straining. $3-27 depending on size., and get different sizes and mesh grades Essential!
Muslin bags for straining- Muslin tea bags (large) Jelly bag for tincture press or Chinois
Use as teabags, filter bags
All Clad Chinois with strand and conical pestle.
Chinoise jelly strainer
Metal or glass funnels in various sizes $15 on Amazon for mini set. Wide mouth for transferring herbs to jars. Check size of small funnels to fit tincture bottles. Lab supply stores.
Get many sizes
Tincture press $50-150 on ebay. Or you can make one with a very large C Clamp and two cans that can nest, The increased tincture extracted will pay for itself early.

Professional tincture press and C Clamp type
Lots of large jars- mason to giant deli jars. Square sides preferred. Non-rust lids. Boston rounds for distribution 2-8 oz. Different lids available, but droppers fail eventually so only use for immediate consumption. Salve jars, 1-4 oz.

Storage jars

Boston Round tincture bottles
Percolation cone- use powdered herbs and pour alcohol through. You can recirculate with a fish pump or pour through again. A Perrier bottle with the bottom sawed off and a hole in the lid is the low cost version. And look up Earle Sweet’s patent for the superdeluxe recirculating version- let me know if you can find it for sale, because I passed it up at an herb conference one year and never saw him again.

Percolation cone, drips into bottom

Professional percolation cone
Dehydrator or simply a fan in hot dry room. Important for humid areas or thick herbs. You can use a stove with a pilot light too.
Deluxe Excalibur dehydrator
Vacuum food sealer will protect dried herbs from oxidation especially with desiccant packages. Use desiccants in any powdered or granule herb, even in storage jars.
Use with desiccant packages for longer life
Crock pot on standalone dimmer- the crock pot may not be low enough for infusing oils without burning them. Get a dimmer that can lower the voltage. Alternatively use a yogurt maker or roast pan filled with water on a buffet heater
Crock pot with standalone dimmer lowers temperature enough for oils
Food scale with gram and ounce measurements and tare function- good for measuring granules. Some talk! A Chinese hand scale or balance is fun but not necessary unless you are off the grid
Essential oil still on eBay $200-$300 if you want to make essential oils and have fresh herbs readily available, You can often find used stills

Steam distiller for essential oils

Small scale drying and prep shelf

Herbalist Storage for dark room
Bookshelves in a dark cool room or closet that can support the weight of your herbs. CD shelves are good for tincture bottles. Commercial nail polish holders work for essential oils.

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Difficulty Losing Fat? This May Be the Cause

July 2, 2016 Karen S. Vaughan Leave a comment

Look at the styrofoam cup, not the coffee! I have been writing about obesogenic pollutants for some years now. This article by Dr. Grisanti talks about some of the most significant. Also see my article Chemicals and Obesity: What if it isn’t all your fault? Here is Dr. Grisanti’s take on the subject:

Obesity has hit epidemic proportions and the world is desperate to do anything to lose their unwanted fat.

Although eating a healthy diet and exercise is paramount to losing fat, there is one little unknown fact that will prevent millions of people from ever losing fat.

According to the US government this one thing is the considered the number one pollutant in the human body and will put a quick halt to ever reaching your desired level of fitness and fat loss.

One of the major causes of the obesity epidemic is the unprecedented level of phthalates or plasticizers.

The problem with these toxic environmental toxins is the fact that they are difficult to impossible to avoid. In fact they are found in every species even in the most pristine wild.

In fact we have so damaged the chemistry of even animals in the wild that the polar bears in the Arctic have human diseases such as hypothyroidism and osteoporosis.

Phthalates are the highest pollutant in the body being over 10,000 times higher than any of the thousands of other environmental toxins.

In fact they are so pervasive that now children six years of age have levels that used to take adults until the age of 40 to accumulate.

coffee in styrofoam “Phthalates are the highest pollutant in the body being over 10,000 times higher than any of the thousands of other environmental toxins.”
–
The government agencies, scientific and medical literature have clearly documented that a huge amount of these environment toxins (phthalates) come from our water, soda and infant formula bottles, food packaging, cosmetics, nail polish, mattresses, couches, carpets, clothing, medications, styrofoam cups, IVs, vinyl flooring, construction materials, home wiring, computers, industrial and auto exhausts, etc.,

The sad point is the fact that these toxins stockpile in the body and overwhelm our ability to detoxify them.

We routinely measure them with a wonderful test called Phthalates & Parabens Profile (https://www.gdx.net/product/phthalates-parabens-test-urine)

In addition to the damage these environmental toxins do to the biochemistry of losing fat they have also been known to be associated with difficult to treat chronic fatigue syndrome,fibromyalgia, ADD, syndrome X, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, allergies, and much more.

In fact the label that a disease has is now unimportant. All we care about is what caused the disease and what biochemical corrections are necessary to get rid of it and actually bring about a true solution, a word you rarely hear in drug-oriented medicine.

What is even worse is the fact a pregnant mother’s phthalate levels (look at how many are continually drinking from plastic water bottles, etc., thinking that it’s something healthful) hugely influence not only the development of the child’s brain and glands, but even future fertility and cancers in their unborn children, not to mention, of course, obesity.

What you need to understand and something the researchers have forgot to mention is the fact that fat stores a huge amount of our chemicals, so the fatter you are the more the difficult it is to lose fat. Interesting and at the same time depressing.

The bottom line is many people will never lose weight or solve their medical problems because they have not gotten rid of the phthalates and other environmental pollutants that have damaged their chemistry and genetics.

One of the key ingredients to ridding the body of these harmful toxins is first to do what you can to avoid it (STOP DRINKING OUT OF STYROFORM CUPS and PLASTIC BOTTLES) and invest in a far infrared sauna
……………………………………
References:

Heindal JJ, Endocrine disruptors and the obesity epidemic, Toxicol Sci 76; 2:247-49, 2003

Baillie-Hamilton PF, Chemical toxins: a hypothesis to explain the global obesity epidemic, JAIt Complement Med 8;2:185-92, 2002

Alonso-Magdalena P, et al, The estrogenic effect of bisphenol A disrupts pancreatic B-cell function in vivo and induces insulin resistance, Environ Health Perspect 114:106-12, 2006

The Hundred Year Diet in the Wall Street (May 10, 2010, A I5)

Vom Saal FS, Welshons WV, Large effects from small exposures. II. The importance of positive controls in low-dose research on bisphenol A, Environ Res, 100;1:50-76, Jan. 2006

Feige JN, et al, The endocrine disruptor monoethyl-hexyl phthalate is a selective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma modulator that promotes adipogenesis, JBiol Chem 282:19152-66, 2007

Hatch EE, et al., Association of urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations with a body mass index and waist circumference: a cross-sectional study of NHANES data, 1999-2002, Environ Health 7:27, 2008

Clark K, et al, Observed concentrations in the environment. In: The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry. Vol 3, Part Q. Phthalate Ester (Staples CA, ed). New York: Springer, 125-177, 2003

Feige JN, et al, The pollutant diethylhexyl phthalate regulates hepatic energy metabolism via species-specific PPARa-dependent mechanisms, Environ Health Persp, 118; 2:234-41, Feb 2010

Jaakkola JJK, et al, The role of exposure to phthalates from polyvinyl chloride products in the development of asthma and allergies: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Environ Health Perspect 116:845-53, 2008

http://www.functionalmedicineuniversity.com/public/835print.cfm

Before starting any self treatment Dr. Grisanti recommends that you consider consulting with a doctor trained in functional medicine. Visit www.FunctionalMedicineUniversity.com to find doctors thoroughly trained in functional medicine

The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Grisanti and his functional medicine community. Dr. Grisanti encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. Visit www.FunctionalMedicineUniversity.com to find practitioners thoroughly trained in functional medicine. Look for practitioners who have successfully completed the Functional Medicine University’s Certification Program (CFMP). This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Grisanti is required.

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The Herbal Treatment of Parkinson’s

May 10, 2016 Karen S. Vaughan 2 Comments

I was asked to write an article on the herbal treatment of Parkinson’s disease for the American Herbalists Guild Journal. Here it is, with a special discussion of the relationship of prions and the leaky gut/leaky brain relationship.

Parkinson’s Disease: Pathophysiology and Herbal Treatment
Karen Vaughan, MSTOM, RH (AHG)

Like most neurological diseases, Parkinson’s is caused by a mesh of genetic, infectious, epigenetic,environmental, dietary, and lifestyle factors that intersect to create a perfect storm. I have been interested in the herbal treatment of Parkinson’s since I was diagnosed with it eight years ago. This has led me to try a variety of treatments for my clients and myself, from diet and herbs to acupuncture and craniosacral therapy.

Pathophysiology of Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is chronic disorder of the nervous system. It isn’t fatal, but it can cause debilitating symptoms that impact everyday movement and mobility. The cells that produce dopamine are damaged in people with Parkinson’s disease. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps communicate messages between different sections of the brain. Without enough dopamine, …more

JAHG SPRING 2016 Vaughan

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DEFENDING HERBALISM, OR NOT

February 5, 2016 Karen S. Vaughan Leave a comment

This is a guest post by Traci Piccard at Fellow Workers Farm Apothecary and I thought it was so right on point that I wanted to share it with you:

DEFENDING HERBALISM, OR NOT
At one point in my herbalist journey I refused to read or listen to anything which criticized my path. Those jerks! What is their problem? Herbs are great! Haven’t they read my blog?!?!?! And then I sought these people out, just to get mysef.

My love of herbal medicines was fragile, like a precious bit of fine China, something I needed to protect and guard. And I felt like I needed to defend my right to use herbs and to make my own health choices, and I was interested in being right.

I would pick out the one point that they got wrong, while ignoring the parts which may have taught me something. Why can’t everyone see my way?!?! How can they possibly not GET this!?!?

But now, I don’t give a rat’s ass.

I have moved through the idea that other people need to believe what I believe. (Mostly.) I actively seek out people who don’t use herbs, and I am interested in why some people dislike them, make other choices or can’t access them.

I have tried things. like actually tried, not just read about them in a book or a magazine.

I have seen examples where herbs and other “alternative” healthcare have not worked, are not the best choice, or are promoted in actively manipulative, confusing or even potentially harmful ways.

And ultimately, I feel less threatened by others who want to prove me wrong. Go ahead. In fact, it would be helpful. I will read your critiques now, and sometimes they are right, sometimes wrong, sometimes both. I feel more confident in my use of plant medicines and my connection with plants, as well as my movement and nutrition choices, but I am always willing to learn more, to dig deeper, to ask questions, even of myself.

And I can see the humor in our humanity, the way we divide ourselves, the way we all form our groups and our paradigms and our dogmas and stick onto them like medicinal leeches. I am this and you are that. It is freeing to unstick myself from the sweaty leg of any one side, any one path.

And as I get older I have more of a grasp of what it means for a person and an idea to mature. I do love the new, fresh, youthful rage-against-the-system energy that innovates and wears hot pink and turns it up and boinks everything that moves, and must yell THIS WORKS in all caps on every herbal forum. Juicy, but fragile. Now I am falling in love with this more mature phase that brushes off others’ hyperbole and panic, lets my actions speak for themselves and commits to just keep walking, outlasting the haters. Well, tries to.

I still want to debate people who disagree with me, respectfully, and I still want to share my love and joy around plant medicines. And, OK, I occasionally still craft long silly arguments in my head. But I am not afraid of the other opinions and approaches anymore. And there are many sides, not just 2, not just for vs against, not just pro vs anti, not just woo vs science, not just tin foil hats vs Big Pharma conspiracies. Maybe, sometimes, they have a point. Or maybe they are reactionary douchebags. Maybe they are just lonely or disconnected, and maybe we can be friends.

Perhaps now I’m strong enough to find out.

Traci_4210

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I love these programs which let you use your dreams consciously, develop your insight and improve your focus, all with tones that entrain you and no words.

    Dreamwalk Program CD  
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