Ayurvedic Allergy & Asthma Relief

It is vitally important to treat allergies because they constantly overburden the immune system.

Asthma represents one type of allergic response. Asthma has been linked to the over-release of certain biochemicals, such as prostaglandins, and the over-reaction of certain cells, such as mast cells, eosinophils, and macrophages. Asthmatic brocho-spasms (constricting of the airway passages) are what characterize bronchial asthma. Allergic rhinitis, a related condition, is marked by swelling of the mucous membrane inside the nasal passage.

A great number of plants which can alleviate the symptoms of bronchial asthma have been used traditionally for centuries and have also appeared in medical texts of Ayurvedic Medicine, Tibetan Medicine, and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Three Ayurvedic botanicals which have been used to relieve asthmatic symptoms are: Tylophora indica, Picrorhiza kurroa, and Piper longum.

Tylophora indica (also called Tylophora asthmatica): In 1980, an article appeared in the Indian Journal of Medical Research that discussed research on patients with bronchial asthma to figure out why the plant acts the way it does. Those who were given T. indica experienced significant benefits, which may, the authors speculate, come from this botanical's "indirect and prolonged activity" in stimulating the adrenal gland to release steroid hormones, which help reopen constricted airway passages.

The Picrorhiza kurroa herb is an important liver-protector and immune regulator. The over-reaction of mast cells in asthma and inflammation has been shown to be halted by supplementation with P. kurroa, a finding that was reported by B.L. Pandey and P.K. Das in the Indian Journal of Pharmacology. These authors found that P. kurroa extract holds back excess activity of pro-inflammatory cells.

Piper longum has been shown traditionally to be effective in decreasing the frequency and severity of attacks in childhood asthma. Sharadini Dahanukar and colleagues observed 20 pediatric patients with bronchial asthma who were given P. longum extract over a five-week period.

The authors found that, at the end of the five weeks-in reference to such indicators as allergic sensitivity, serum immunoglobulin E and breathing functions-"all showed significant improvement. At one year there was excellent response in 11" and a moderately beneficial response in 3, which means that 70% of the patients responded favorably.

These three botanicals hold a great deal of promise for reducing the incidence, duration, and severity of allergic reactions, particularly bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis, and childhood asthma.

Reference: Pandey, B.L., and Das, P.K., Indian Journal of Pharmacology, 32:289-92, 1988.

Help For Children With Allergies

For more than half of all children worldwide, allergy symptoms are an uncomfortable fact of life. The good news is that some childhood allergies can be prevented and those that cannot are often alleviated with natural remedies.

Children with allergies tend to have below-normal levels of hydrochloric acid (HCl). One study compared the HCl levels of 200 asthmatic children ages 6 months to 12 years against a control group of nonasthmatic children. Eighty percent of the asthmatic children had below-normal levels of HCl, whereas only 10% of the nonasthmatic children did. Supplementing the asthmatic children with HCl at mealtime improved their asthma, sleep and digestive symptoms.

Eating nutritious foods is a must to successfully treat allergies. Avoiding food allergens, excessive sugars and additives can reduce both the severity and the incidence of allergic symptoms. Allergy sufferers especially benefit from supplemental essential fatty acids, particularly omega-3 fatty acids. These fats are considered "essential" because they are necessary to most bodily functions.

Vitamin C and bioflavonoids are commonly used to treat allergies. Several studies have demonstrated that they help prevent upper-respiratory-tract infections and appear to improve immunity.

Naturopathic physicians and herbalists have long known that many herbs stimulate gastric secretion, thus increasing the body's production of HCl. Gentian (Gentiana lutea), ginger (Zingiber officinale), and cayenne (Capsicum annuum) have a respectable tradition of use in improving digestion.

Individual botanical treatments can also be directed at an allergy patient's most vulnerable systems. Calendula (Calendula officinalis) helps soften and heal dry, itchy skin, according to herbalist James Duke, Ph.D. Elecampane (Inula helenium) can soothe irritated bronchi and help eliminate mucus from the lungs. Nettle (Urtica urens) works well against hay fever and spring grass allergies.

Although there are as yet no cures for childhood allergies, natural medicines and a dose of naturally occurring parental common sense may keep the sneezing and coughing to a minimum.

Reference: Burney, P.G.J., et al. "Has the prevalence of asthma increased in children? Evidence from the national study of health and growth 1973-1986," BJM, 300:1306-10, 1990.

Spring Cleaning: Detox Programs

Even the most dedicated among us who eat only organic, unprocessed foods and abstain from unhealthy lifestyles cannot entirely avoid environmental toxins. People with poor diets face double the risk because they typically consume an increased amount of toxic substances and an insufficient amount of nutrients for liver and tissue detoxification.

Frequent headaches, PMS, joint pain, fatigue, skin eruptions, digestive symptoms, halitosis (bad breath), recurrent infections, and immune deficiency may indicate a need for detoxification.

Detoxification therapies first take a load off the system by reducing exposure to toxins, irritants, and synthetic substances. A nourishing diet and nutritional supplements assist detoxification. Herbs that help the liver, lymphatic, hormonal, and metabolic systems clear toxins from the body are valuable additions and include Burdock root, Dandelion root, Yellow dock root, Licorice root, Fennel seed, Cinnamon bark, and Ginger root.

Restoring intestinal health is a good place to start the detox process. Restore favorable intestinal microbes by supplementing with probiotics-bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and other strains are crucial to biological waste detoxification and intestinal cell nourishment.

Eat plenty of fresh vegetables (especially cabbage, garlic, and onions), legumes, and brightly pigmented foods. Consider supplementing your diet with antioxidant vitamins including C, E, zinc, and beta-carotene, and take a high-quality multivitamin.

Our world contains many sources of toxicity, but there are also many natural resources for achieving detoxification.

Reference: Murray, M., and Pizzorno, J., Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, 1990.

Arthritis Inflammation Reduced With 3 Herbs

While there is no true cure for arthritis, there are some natural approaches which have proven to be beneficial, and leave sufferers free of the adverse side effects caused by some of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs often prescribed to treat the disease. Some of these herbs include devil's claw, ginger, and turmeric.

Devil's claw: In his book, A Physician's Guide to Herbal Wellness, John Cammarata, M.D., tells us that this herb may be useful as an arthritis pain reliever and that "it often improves mobility and use of the affected joint, which further enhances healing." He also tells us that while devil's claw is a relative newcomer to the U.S., it has been used in Europe for close to 300 years and for even longer in Africa.

Ginger has long been used in India to treat inflammation and pain. In her book, Herbs for Health and Healing, Kathi Keville tells us, "When Indian researchers investigated their culture's ancient claims for ginger, they discovered that it did indeed relieve pain." She cites a 1992 study in which ginger was given to people who suffered from muscle pain which resulted in "at least some improvement" for all of the participants; in the same study, 75% of the participants who had reported experiencing rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis said that the ginger treatment resulted in "substantial relief."

Turmeric is said to be one of the oldest natural, anti-inflammatory drugs used in Ayurvedic medicine. Several studies support its ability to alleviate arthritic symptoms. In one such study, the antirheumatic properties of curuminoids (a constit-uent of turmeric) were tested in a double-blind trial of 49 patients who had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. When given a dose of 1200 mg per day for five to six weeks, significant improvement was observed in all of the participants.

Other steps you can take to help relieve arthritis are: maintain a healthy weight, stay as physically active as your condition permits, and eat a healthful diet equipped with plenty of vitamins B, C, D, and E, as well as calcium and magnesium.

Reference:Ford, Norma D., 18 Natural Ways to Stop Arthritis Now, 1997.

Fat Loss With Exercise And Supplements

Roy L. Walford, M.D., made a startling discovery while serving as staff physician on the Biosphere 2, a closed ecological space where eight people lived for two years. Biosphere team members ate only highly nutritious foods such as foods low in calories, but rich in nutrition.

They lost both fat and pounds without even trying-they simply wanted good health and lots of energy. Body fat dropped by 10 to 15% for the women and 6 to 10% for the men, and weight loss averaged 15 to 26 pounds, respectively. Because the food was nutritious, hunger was never an issue.

Recently some of these fat reducing nutrients have been identified in food. Many supplements can help in the fat reduction process, including pyruvate and chitosan. Pyruvate, found in red apples, some types of cheese, and red wine, stimulates fat loss and boosts exercise performance. Chitosan, an all-natural dietary fiber from the skeletons of shellfish, acts like a fat magnet, absorbing part of the fat you eat and flushing it out of the body.

Research on pyruvate spans nearly 30 years, demonstrating its ability to enhance fat loss.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, presented at the 45th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, 53 healthy but slightly overweight (10 to 15 pounds) men and women were divided into three segments.

One group took 6 g of pyruvate daily, another received a placebo, and the third took nothing. All participants ate a 2000 calorie diet and exercised for 30 minutes, five days per week.

After six weeks, none of the participants had lost weight. But-and here's the important dif--fer-ence -those taking pyruvate lost 4.8 pounds of body fat and added nearly 3.5 pounds of lean muscle mass-a change you would definitely notice in the mirror. In addition, the pyruvate group reported a 71% decrease in fatigue and an 18% increase in energy.

While pyruvate seems to kick metabolism into high-gear fat burning, chitosan operates at the other end of the spectrum. When taken before a meal, the fiber in chitosan binds with fat in food and removes it from the body without being absorbed.

Each gram of chitosan ingested absorbs roughly 5 g of fat, which amounts to approximately 45 calories. If you normally eat 1000 calories per day, adding 5 g of chitosan to your diet can eliminate 25 g of fat or 225 calories, cutting your calorie intake by 11%.

 Reference: Colker, C., M.D., Stark, R., M.D., F.A.C.C., Kalman, D., M.S., R.D., Minsch, A., Wilets, I, Ph.D., Roufs, J., M.S., R.D., "The effects of a pyruvate-based formula on weight loss, body composition, and perceived vigor and fatigue levels in mildly overfat individuals," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1997.

Bilberry For Better Vision

Bilberry is a small shrub that grows in hilly and mountainous regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. Related to the blueberry, which is also of the Vaccinium genus, bilberry has been recorded in traditional medicine dating back nearly 1000 years.

Researchers in the 1960s found that bilberry extracts administered to both healthy subjects and subjects with visual disorders induced improvements in night vision, as well as quicker adaptations to darkness and faster restoration of visual acuity after exposure to a flash of bright light. A study published in 1990 indicated that anthocyanosides (an active component in bilberry extract), beta carotene, and vitamin E improved the visual field of myopic (nearsighted) patients.

Extract of bilberry also has been studied as a treatment for various forms of retinopathy (non-inflammatory disorders of the retina).

While the relationship between bilberry and vision has been addressed in the popular press, the effect of bilberry on vascular health deserves equal attention.

Scores of studies have been conducted in the area of bilberry extract related to vascular health. The active component, anthocyanosides, have been found to protect small blood vessels and normalize capillary permeability and fragility. The applications of bilberry extract suggested by its positive effects on circulation and vascular health are extensive.

Among the most exciting results, researchers have found that the topical application of bilberry extract as an aqueous solution can accelerate the spontaneous healing of wounds. Taken orally in doses ranging from 25 to 200 mg, bilberry extract produced antiulcer activity.

Some of the most recent research regarding bilberry is in the area of its antioxidant and anticarcinogenic effects.

Reference: For complete reference information on Bilberry research contact Idena USA at 206-340-6140.

A study published in Contemporary International Medicine concluded that women in the highest quintile of beta carotene intakes had a 22% lower risk of coronary heart disease, while men in the highest quintile were 25% less likely to suffer from a coronary heart problem.

Reference: Gaziano, J.M., Hennekens, C.H., "Antioxidant Vitamins in the Prevention of Coronary Artery Disease." Contemporary Internal Medicine, 7:9-14, 1995.