| The fruit is technically a berry. Paprika is a milder and sweeter tasting fruit produced from a different variety of Capsicum. Although cayenne pepper is native to tropical America, it is now cultivated in tropical locations throughout the world and has found its way into the cuisine of many parts of the world, particularly south-east Asia, China, southern Italy, and Mexico.
The most important constituents of cayenne pepper are the pungent compounds, with capsaicin being the most prominent (see Fig. 71.1). Typically, cayenne pepper contains about 1.5% capsaicin and related principles. |
Elson M. Haas, M.D.
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 Red pepper or cayenne is a berry that is dried and ground and used on foods for a spicy taste. I feel that cayenne is a much healthier pepper, and it and chili peppers are much better for us to use, even though they are a bit spicier. The red peppers help the digestion, warm the body, and herbally act as a mild diuretic and are thought to cleanse the blood. Cayenne is one of the true natural stimulants and is also high in vitamin C and vitamin A.
Herbs and Spices. |
| Other diuretic herbs include parsley and juniper berry. Licorice root is a good balancer and seems to provide an "up" feeling when drunk with some ginger as a tea. Their flavors tend to combine well. Valerian root or catnip tea will provide some relaxation when there is general anxiety or irritability. Sarsaparilla is a tonifying (strengthening) herb that supports the hormonal functions and may actually contain some hormones itself. There are also many herbal formulas for treating PMS and for strengthening the female functions. |
| Juniper berry is a good diuretic herb and helps in detoxification. Parsley leaf is also a diuretic, and peppermint leaf tea helps reduce the appetite for many people, as it is said to relax the stomach nerves. Chickweed herb, a spring green, has historically been known for reducing appetite and helping in weight loss. Bladderwrack is a type of sea vegetable; when taken with kelp, it will support thyroid function, and the high mineral levels of this herb aid general energy utilization. Garlic has also been used in weight-loss programs to help lower blood lipids and for detoxification. |
| Berries are a treat for young and old. berry pie made with fresh-picked berries can be a flavorful and nutritious dessert, ideally consumed at least an hour or two after dinner. Berries with cream or a la mode can be a little heavy and harder to digest but definitely a taste treat. Berries with cereals are also fairly popular, but overall, berries are best by themselves.
Blackberries. Blackberries are almost exclusively wild and local, even to city folk. Come midsummer, we can stain our hands and get a few stickers pickin' and eatin' them blackberries. |
| Sunflower, wheat berry, and buckwheat sprouts all tend to grow better and healthier in a bed of soil. They are placed on top of the soil, watered well, covered with dark plastic or cloth, and left in a dark place for two to three days. Then they are uncovered and placed in the light, being watered or sprayed as needed. The tall shoots with green tops can be trimmed and eaten fresh in salads, or they may continue to grow even further.
Lentils and garbanzos are very easy to sprout, may take only a couple of days, and are very rich in protein. |
| Our most popular American berry, strawberries grow in little ground bushes without prickers. Maybe their friendliness is what gives them top billing. But they are very tasty as well, and they are also highest in vitamin C, though a bit lower in vitamin A, and better in iron and potassium than the other berries. Strawberries are unique in that their seeds are on the outside. That trait, along with their red color, makes them the most yang, or activating, fruit from an Oriental perspective. |
Textbook of Natural Medicine 2nd Edition Volume 1Michael T. Murray, ND
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| PHARMACOLOGY
A standardized liposterolic (fat-soluble) saw palmetto berry extract has demonstrated numerous pharmacological effects relating to its primary clinical application in the treatment of the common disorder of the prostate gland, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH is thought to be caused by an accumulation of testosterone in the prostate. Once within the prostate, testosterone is converted to the more potent hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This compound stimulates the cells to multiply excessively, eventually causing the prostate to enlarge. |
Earl L. Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
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 An extract made from the berry of saw palmetto (Serena repens), also called sabal, a palm tree native to Florida, Texas and Georgia, has been shown in numerous studies to reduce the urinary symptoms caused by prostate enlargement. Although the exact action of saw palmetto hasn't been pinpointed, it is theorized that it inhibits the production of dihydrotes-tosterone (DHT). This is the same thing Merck was trying to accomplish with its drug Proscar, but as tends to happen, the herb shows no side effects, seems to be more effective, and is significantly less expensive! |
John Heinerman
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 It is important to get all of the berry juice mixed in with the salt so that none of it drips out.
Fill a clean white sock with the mixture until it is pretty evenly distributed three fourths to the top. Fold a little of the top edge over and tape it down with some masking tape to secure tightly, so the contents don't spill out. Remember that the salt must still be quite hot for this to work. The cotton material will allow the heat to penetrate through without burning the skin. |
Dr. Mary Dan Eades
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 Suma -
Pfaffia paniculata
Forms—The bark, berry, leaves, and roots are used to make capsules, dried herbs, and tablets.
Nutritional value—Albumin, allantoin, germanium, essential oils, pfaffic acid six saponins, sitosterol, tannins. Suma helps the body adapt to stress and acts as a tonic to the entire system. It enhances the body's immune system, thereby aiding in the prevention of free radical damage.
Medicinal uses—
• Japanese researchers investigated suma in trials against specific types of tumor cells and discovered six saponins called pfaffosides A, B, C, D, E, and F. |
John Heinerman
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 Needed: 1-1/2 cups each chopped wheat berry and brown rice sprouts (see beginning of this section for instructions on making sprouts); 2 tbsps. each of toasted wheat germ, and bulghur and pot barley that's been previously cooked and allowed to cool. Using a ladle, stir in the sprouts, wheat germ, bulghur and barley, and as much remaining whole wheat flour as you can. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining whole wheat flour to make a moderately stiff dough that's smooth and elastic (6-8 mins. total kneading time). |
| JUNIPER berry (See BERRIES.) 197
K
KAVA KAVA {Piper methysticum)
Brief Description
This tall, leafy shrub of the South Pacific has been used for many centuries among the islands of Oceania as a social beverage for many different occasions. The infusion prepared from the rhizome or stem of the plant is still used in many social ceremonies—to welcome visitors, commemorate marriages, births and deaths and to remove curses. |
Alexander Hellemans and Brian Bunch
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 It was called the Atanasoff berry Computer, or ABC. The ABC used binary numbers that were stored in capacitors mounted on a rotating drum; it could perform operations with 16-digit binary numbers, which correspond to eight-digit decimal numbers.
Around the same time, several other scientists and engineers started devising and building electronic computing machines. As was the case for many inventions, the development of computers was accelerated because of defense needs. |
Barrie R Cassileth, Ph.D.
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 Hellerwork International 406 berry Street Mount Shasta, CA 96067 Telephone: (916) 926-2500
Books about Rolfing and related practices include Rolfing: The Integration of Human Structures, by Ida R Rolf (Harper & Row, New York, 1977).
Are you looking for a gentle exercise program that soothes your mind as it improves your body and works even if you are ill or elderly? Follow the daily example of millions of Chinese. Tai chi is an exercise regimen that uses movement, meditation, and breathing to improve health and well-being. |
National Women's Health Network
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 Black cohosh, chaste-tree berry, dong quai, ginkgo, ginseng, kava, licorice, red clover, and St. John's wort are among the most popular.
Unfortunately, clinical studies on the efficacy and safety of these herbs are lacking, even though some of them have powerful hormone-like effects.
Here are the most commonly used herbs—and what we know about them so far.
Black Cohosh (Cimicifugd racemosd)
The roots and rhizomes (underground stems) of black cohosh contain alkaloids, including N-methylcytisine, terpenoids, cimicifugin, salicylic acid, and tannins. |
| Recommendation Chaste-tree berry is a relatively benign herb. It may cause an acne-like rash or itching in some people, but really severe adverse effects have not been reported. There are no clinical trials on its use for menopausal symptoms, but it appears to be safe.
Dong Qudi (Angelica sinensis)
Dong quai is a Chinese herb commonly prescribed for menopausal women. It contains no known phytoestrogens. |
John Heinerman
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| When I was in the former Soviet Union in 1979, various plant scientists with whom I discussed juniper used the term aril instead of berry for these fruits. They informed me that the immature berries are generally greenish; ripe berries are blue-black to red-brown and are usually covered with a conspicuous white, waxy bloom. I've discovered in my own investigative work that the fruit coat may be thin and resinous as in eastern red cedar, Rocky Mountain, and one-seed juniper, or nearly leathery or mealy as in the Utah juniper. |
| The prolonged consumption of juniper berry, for example, for congestive heart failure or elevated serum cholesterol will irritate the kidneys.
Rule VI. Some herbs are easily contraindicated in particular health situations, making them quite undesirable. Cayenne pepper, garlic, goldenseal, onion and pau d'arco are strongly hypoglycemic and should never be taken individually by those suffering from low blood sugar or hypoglycemia; otherwise they may well have unexplained fatigue and mood swings. (An exception to this would be taking Kyolic aged garlic extract made by Wakunauga of America. |
Rebecca Wood
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 Spices may be the bark, root, bud, fruit, or berry of a plant. Herbs remain primarily regional in use, depending on local availability. Spices played a significant role in religion and global economics. Spices instigated Marco Polo's travels and turned the small city-state of Venice into a great power. They launched Columbus's voyages, and the wealth from their trade formed the Dutch Empire.
Use The use of herbs and spices to flavor foods and as kitchen remedies is as old as cooking itself. Cuisine worldwide is defined more by spices and herbs than by food staples. |
John Heinerman
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| Excellent Remedy for Hypertension
Hawthorn berry has been a very popular treatment for many heart-related problems throughout the British Isles. The Sunday Times magazine (a London-based paper) for May 24, 1981 cited the amazing work of a Scottish doctor some 42 years before and the incredible results he obtained with it for hypertension.
In 1939 Dr. James Graham of Glasgow University showed that a fluid extract of hawthorn berries was very effective in the treatment of 10 patients confined to bed with high blood pressure. |
James Trefil, Joseph F. Kett, and E. D. Hirsch
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 A rendering of the zodiac entitled Anatomical Man, from Les Tres Riches Heures du Due de berry.
Proverbs
Many hands make light work, but at the Same time, too many cooks spoil the broth. Which of these contradictory proverbs shall we believe? Both, because in different contexts, both are true to experience. If they were not, they probably would not have survived. If the job to be done requires lots of unskilled labor, as picking up trash does, then many hands do make light work. |
John Heinerman
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| CAUTION: Excess or prolonged consumption of juniper berry tea can irritate the kidneys and urinary tract. Also, this isn't a cure for diabetes, merely a natural way to help control it better and decrease but not entirely eliminate, daily insulin dependency.
I am grateful to Mathew King, a Lakota (Sioux) spokesman for the more traditional members of the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, and Beyond Words Publishing of Hillsboro, Oregon for the following true story which appeared in Wisdomkeepers: Meetings with Native American Spiritual Elders (Hillsboro: Beyond Words Publishing, Inc. |
Textbook of Natural Medicine 2nd Edition Volume 2Michael T. Murray, ND
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| Chaste berry extract may also be useful in certain cases of amenorrhea (absence of menstruation) due to prolactin excess, one of the most frequent causes of amenorrhea. This application, however, requires patience as 3 months of use is necessary to lower prolactin levels.89
THERAPEUTIC APPROACH
The approach to the woman with PMS first involves evaluation of symptoms and identifying possible causes and hormonal disturbances. In an effort to clarify the treatment approach, here are seven key steps to consider:
1. |
| The four most useful herbs in the treatment of PMS and related symptoms (as well as menopause) are Angelica sinensis (angelica or dong quai), Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice root), Cimicifuga racemosa (black cohosh), and Vitex agnus-castus (chaste berry). These herbs have been used historically to lessen a variety of female complaints including hot flashes.
Angelica sinensis
In Asia, angelica's reputation is perhaps second only to ginseng. |
Mark Stengler, N.D.
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 Also known as red hot pepper or chili pepper, cayenne (Capsicum annum) is actually the dried form of a ripened berry. This medicinal food has a history that goes back thousands of years. Chili pepper was used for many kinds of healing in South America and the West Indies. It was Christopher Columbus who brought cayenne to Italy from the West Indies—and before long, it was one of the more popular European spices. Western herbalists use cayenne for the treatment of asthma, poor circulation, respiratory tract infections, sore throats, digestive disturbances, toothaches, fevers, and heart disease. |
| Saw palmetto berry extracts with a standardized fatty-acid content are approved by both the German and French governments for the treatment of BPH.
Research has shown that saw palmetto helps the prostate in a number of ways. |
| Three months later, after continued use of saw palmetto, he was getting up no more than once a night.
A berry TONIC
The credit for medicinal use of saw palmetto goes to Native Americans who (as far as we know) were the first to make a tonic for the prostate and urinary system out of saw palmetto berries. American settlers adopted saw palmetto for their own uses, and before long it was also being used in Europe, where it is still a very popular treatment for prostate enlargement and urinary tract infections. (Some European doctors also recommend it as an aphrodisiac. |
Textbook of Natural Medicine 2nd Edition Volume 2Michael T. Murray, ND
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| Botanical medicines
Chaste berry (Vitex agnus-castus) and phytoestrogen-containing herbs like dong quai, black cohosh, and licorice are popular herbal recommendation for PMS. Their appropriate use is described below.
Progesterone therapy
Although progesterone administration is a popular recommendation made by many physicians (MDs and NDs alike), we have some reservations. |
Mark Stengler, N.D.
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| Many parts of the plant—leaves, flowers, and berries—are used medicinally, although most extracts are mainly from the berry. Researchers have found that the active ingredients in this herb seem to be a group of flavonoids that provide unique benefits to the cardiovascular system. A leading characteristic of these powerful flavonoids is their incredible ability to improve blood flow to the heart.
Hawthorn is the premier cardiotonic in European herbal medicine, meaning that it's often prescribed simply to support normal heart functions. |
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