Jash Botanicals Natural Health Corner

Have you ever had a severe case of poison oak or ivy?  Our family knows what that is like, because my son is highly allergic to it, and when he was growing up we went through some very unpleasant experiences.  Well, alot of the suffering can be avoided now and we would like to share the good news with you.

Normally, 24-48 hours after coming in contact with the resin from poison oak or poison ivy, the recipient develops a rash that produces severe itching, burning pain, oozing, and crusting.  The rash is usually distinguished by streaks of fluid-filled blisters on a red and inflamed skin that may persist for one to four weeks.  Countless people believe that the handling of the blisters will only spread it.  Although it sounds plausible—only the resin can generate a reaction.

According to the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, an extract of Grindelia, which is commonly known as Gumweed, outperformed many of the other commonly used holistic preparations in relieving symptoms of poison oak and ivy when it was applied directly to the rash.  One case in particular was a 51 year old woman who came into contact with poison oak.  She soon developed the characteristic redness, itching, oozing, heat and pain that come with the rash.  Assorted herbal remedies such as: calendula, herbal creams, holy basil and jewelweed were applied, but were nominally helpful.  The utilization of homeopathic remedies was likewise unproductive.  

When a tincture of gumweed was applied directly to the rash, an instant improvement of the symptoms was observed.  Additionally, the gumweed tincture was mixed with calendula cream and applied to the rash several times per day.  The bottom line—the rash became smaller, drier and less itchy and hot within 48 hours, and entirely resolved within a two week period.

It is always a good idea to take precautionary steps when dealing with poison oak and ivy.  If you learn how to identify these plants and where they grow, you can avoid any contact.  If contamination has already occurred, washing the area immediately with a tough but safe soap and water can eliminate the resin.  Any clothing that has been exposed should also be washed, as the resin can still generate a reaction.

As far as we are concerned, in view of the results of this study, gumweed would be a great nominee for the next bout with poison oak and should be a good candidate for more scientific research.

Source: Journal of Alternative and Complementray Medicine Aug 2005, Vol. 11, No. 4: 709-710

Everyone knows that sleep is utterly necessary for restoring and renewal, but did you know that there is a connection between longer sleep time and a reduced occurrence of breast cancer?

A study described in the October, 2005 issue of the journal Cancer Research explained how women, who slept longer than most, experienced a 31% reduction in the risk of breast cancer as compared to average sleepers. 

This investigation involved 12,222 women volunteers who answered to one or more questions regarding the length, quality and adequacy of the sleep they got.  The researchers also secured the breast cancer data from 1976 to 1996 for the study. For the period spanning the 30 years, 242 cases of breast cancer were diagnosed.  After reading the study results, I thought that it was interesting that women who were considered to be lower breast cancer risks were outperformed by women who slept longer than normal.  They were actually outperformed by 31%!

The writers of this study theorized that the relationship between sleep and breast cancer were linked to the changes in melatonin and additional hormonal rhythms.  They also conceded that the more artificial light you were exposed to at night, the more your melatonin levels were decreased.  This may, according to the study, increase your chances of breast cancer.  Additional studies into women who worked night shifts and women who had lost their sight seemed to support this theory. 

I use to feel very guilty about sleeping in—not anymore!

It is such a shame when the alternative and complementary medicine industries are associated with quacks like Kevin Trudeau.  That’s right, I said it…he’s a quack.   Kevin Trudeau and his book, Natural Cures "They" Don’t Want you to Know About has been at the top of the New York Times best seller list for some time now, and for the life of me I cannot figure out why. As an avid reader of natural health and wellness books I thought I would give Trudeau’s book a try for the sake of curiousity.  I bought the book without having any prior background on Trudeau, his credentials, and without any feedback from other readers.  While most might critique individual components of a book, there is nothing to critique here.  His book is absolute garbage, and is nothing more than one long-winded sales pitch to sign up for his newsletter.  I would comment more about Trudeau and his shortcomings but let me just provide a few fun facts about Trudeau that you might find appropriate if you ever had the misfortune to buy his book:

• Trudeau is a twice convicted felon, and has served time in a federal penetentiary for credit card fraud.
• Trudeau has been prosecuted by the FTC for producing and airing fraudulent infomercials
• Trudeau has been the subject of over 18 investigations by state attorney generals
• Trudeau is a longtime multi-level marketer and pyramid scheme scam artist
• Trudeau has no experience, knowledge, or dealings in alternative medicine (not a big suprise)

See Also:

• Federal Trade Commission: Trudeau Banned From Infomercials
• Rip Off Reports: Trudeau Fingered by Many as a Fraud

I don’t know about you, but I’m getting tired of big corporation’s playing Russian roulette with our health.  It is nice to hear that at least one person in authority wanted to do the right thing.  That person was a doctor by the name of Fardin Oliaei, who is a research scientist that works for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.  

Who and what she was trying expose were made even harder by her superiors, who tried to stop her, according to Doctor Oliaei.  “They lost all of their professional integrity and have become a battering ram for a totally corrupted system.  They abused their authority so much that they have used their entire weight of the state machinery to crush one individual,” said Doctor Oliaei.

What the doctor discovered was the alarming high levels of the toxic chemical called perfluorochemical compounds (PFCs) in the livers of small mouth bass living in the Mississippi River.  What is interesting about her findings is where the chemical came from.  The culprit is none other than 3M, whose plant is located near the contaminated fish site.  This chemical was used in the manufacture of products that we all know as Scotchgard, Teflon, Stainmaster and Gore-Tex.  Although 3M began phasing out the utilization of the chemical in 2000, they have managed to dump as much as 50,000 pounds of the chemical per year into the Mississippi River from its Cottage Grove wastewater treatment plant.

I bet you are all wondering what the ramifications are to our health?  Well, how about the fact that PFCs are classified as toxic and have caused birth defects and deaths in animal studies for starters.  The chemicals are bio-accumulated in living tissue, do not break down in the environment, and tend to concentrate in blood and liver tissues of fish and mammals (including humans).  “These disturbing fish contamination findings should be of concern not only to Minnesota fisherman and hunters, but to everyone downstream as well, stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch, whose organization is providing legal representation to Doctor Oliaei.  “These findings underline how quickly new chemicals introduced into the stream of American commerce end up n our bloodstream.”  Thank you, 3M!

If all of that is not enough to make you as mad as I am, then listen to the rest of the story; Sheryl Corrigan, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Commissioner is a former 3M executive, who has attempted to impede further investigations into the chemicals.  That didn’t stop Doctor Oliaei, who filed whistleblower and First Amendment suits over obstruction of her research and her ability to publicly report findings.  Good for you, Doctor Oliaei!

I would like to share with you a powerful quote from the former president of the Rockefeller Foundation, John Knowles.  I came across it (and several other quotes that I will share with you as time passes) in one of the sharpest books I have ever read, "Never Be Sick Again" by Raymond Francis.  At some point I will talk more about his book, but I will say this; it is a no gimmick book on how to regain control of your health and your life from a truly foundational point of view.

"The next major advance in the health of the American people will be determined by what the individual is willing to do for himself."

So what has the FDA been up to lately? Not much as far as I am concerned.  They are far too busy kicking down doors in the natural health industry. While I wouldn’t expect (or at least I hope) those who are genuinely concerned about their health to be routinely shopping at mainstream supermarkets, this little factoid is especially interesting.  The Center For Science in the Public Interest, a watchdog group based out of Washington DC, recently sent a letter to the FDA commissioner, urging them to crackdown on fraudulent food labeling.  According to CSPI, they have filed several formal complaints over the years with the FDA in regards to egregiously mislabeled foods.  Of course, it may come as no suprise, the FDA has done nothing.  This inaction on behalf of the FDA has been interpreted by food manufacturers as a signal to make even more deceptive claims.  Below are some of the most outrageous products highlighted in the expose:

• Gerber Graduates for Toddlers Fruit Juice Snacks: the package is decorated with pictures of oranges, cherries, and strawberries, but the leading ingredients are corn syrup and sugar. "You can guess why Gerber doesn’t call these things Corn Syrup Snacks-no parent would buy them," says Silverglade. "This is candy, not fruit juice."

• Betty Crocker Super Moist Carrot Cake Mix: the box depicts what appear to be pieces of carrot, but the only carrot ingredient is "carrot powder," which is the 19th ingredient listed, behind artificial color, salt, and dicalcium phosphate.

• Smucker’s Simply 100% Fruit: the strawberry version of this "100% fruit" spread contains 30 percent strawberries; the blueberry version contains only 43 percent blueberries. Both have more fruit syrup than fruit, that comes not from berries but from less-expensive apple, pineapple, or pear juice concentrates.

The integrity of the FDA is all but lost.  This is no exaggeration by any means.  With so many Americans putting their blind faith in the safety of the products they consume, whether it be synthetic drugs or mislabeled junk food, it is no suprise that our country is plagued with a multitude of degenerative diseases.  The genetically modified, over processed, sugar laden, chemically infested products that line commercial shelves can hardly be classified as food these days.

I am sure you have all seen the ads on television touting the benefits of using antibacterial soaps and wipes.  Well, the general consensus from a panel of Federal health advisors was that the so called soaps and wipes have not proven any more successful than regular soap in the prevention of infections among the average consumer.  They also agreed that products that contained bacteria-fighting ingredients should be compelled to generate scientific data proving they prevent infections.

Using plain old soap and water was “pretty effective”, according to Alistair Wood, assistant vice chancellor at Vanderbilt University’s School of Medicine.

The Food and Drug Administration has been struggling with issues concerning these products for almost 30 years now, and has yet to make a decision on how to regulate them.  

Some of the issues in regard to anti-bacterial products are:

• The products may contain chemicals such as triclosan, which seeks out a certain enzyme that bacteria requires to live and can remain in the environment.  In addition, research has it that bacteria may mutate to become accustomed to such chemicals—and then what?

• The health community is concerned with the unnecessary and widespread use of the products which is what happened in the case of antibiotics—creating drug-resistant “superbugs”.

It is speculated that the FDA may possibly change the product labels, restrict marketing claims, or pull the products from the market all together.  I for one am hoping they do the right thing!

Picture yourself sporting a pair of blue jeans that makes your butt look great and at the same time could very well save your life by dispensing medication directly into your skin.  No, this is not the Twilight Zone or a science fiction movie.

Researchers at the Centre for Biomimetic and Natural Technologies brought to light that the same technology used in nicotine and oral-contraceptive patches will apply to futuristic clothing very soon.  They are presently experimenting with apparel that does everything from monitoring heart rates and breathing to moisturizing the skin and diminishing cellulite.

They are basically practicing the science of applying nature’s principles to human engineering and design.  If you think about it, the theory has been around for centuries.  Leonardo da Vinci copied the wing principles of birds for the designs of his flying machines and the Chinese wanted to manufacture artificial silk 3,000 years ago.

The newest application is an innovative smart-fabric that was developed from pinecones and actually adapts to changing temperatures by opening up when warm and shutting tight when cold.  This is exactly how the scales of a pinecone would react in nature, and is just one of the up-and-coming developments in the escalating field of “biomimetics.”

The “breathing” fabric is designed to prevent the wearer from getting hot or cold by regulating itself to both internal and external temperatures.  The textile is composed of a layer of thin spikes of wool, or another water-absorbent material, that opens up when it is moistened with sweat.  Conversely, the spikes automatically close up again when the layer dries out.  A second layer below protects the wearer from the rain.  Think about what that could do for women with hot flashes-wow!

Likewise, pine cones use two layers of rigid fibers running in different directions to open and release their seeds when they fall to the ground.  The seed discharge is stimulated by the lack of water as they are cut off from the tree.

The so called, “pinecone fabric” will be at the 2005 World Exposition in Aichi, Japan from March-November, 2005, and will be representing British Science at the expo. 

While my passion has always been in the direction of naturopathy and herbalism, it was only recently that I began to come across various research and treatment regimens in respect to far infrared saunas.  Environmental, chemical, and heavy metal toxicity (arsenic, mercury, cadmium, etc…) are all foundational problems that effect our bodies on a cellular level.  Various toxins that we absorb from our surroundings, whether it be in the form of toxic cosmetics, pthalates from plastic water bottles, methyl-mercury contaminated fish, or the 10 thousand other ways we are poisoned, is becoming a very scary subject indeed.  Environmental toxicity will become a key subspecialty of treatment in the near future, not because it shouldn’t be so now, but rather, the degenerative diseases that will ravage Americans will become so apparent, ignoring it will be impossible.

Well, enough about that.  While writing this article, the greatest challenge was to find truly reliable information and research regarding the health benefits of far infrared sauna therapy.  Why was it a challenge?  While there was plenty of solid research to be found, it was simply smothered in a sea of regurgitated garbage from various manufacturers and resellers.  Oddly enough, it appeared as though their "research" and "references" stemmed from other sites that sold infrared saunas.  So, the inevitable effects was that the regurgitated false information perpetuated itself into common existence. 

The benefits of far infrared sauna therapy reaches beyond the scope of this article, however, I have covered the most important topics such as:

• The evolution, history, and development of infrared saunas
• What are infrared rays, how do they benefit me, and why are they so effective?
• Why doctors recommend infrared saunas
• Infrared sauna therapy for the treatment of congestive heart failure, artherosclerosis and hypertension
• Infrared sauna therapy for weight loss, cellulite reduction, and cardiovascular conditioning
• Infrared sauna therapy for Fibromyalgia, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Infrared sauna therapy for arthritic conditions, joint disorders, and chronic pain
• Infrared sauna therapy for heavy metal, environmental and chemical detoxification

There is plenty more information which can be found in our complete article on the healing power of infrared saunas.  Hopefully this article will assist you in your quest for natural treatments, whether they be preventative other otherwise.  Comments or suggestions about the article?  Feel free to contact us or leave a comment!

Recently I had the urge to cover the toxic effects of Teflon and PFOA’s. After reading this research, I would like to make a few suggestions in the way of avoiding PFOA and PFC exposure.  The more that we can minimize our exposure to these toxins, the better our quality of life.

• We went out and purchased a few cast iron skillets and cookware.  Be sure you properly season it by coating it with oil and then baking it in order to generate a slick surface.  Once you accomplish this, you will have a skillet or pan that performs just like Teflon.

• Let’s not forget carpeting and furniture that are pre-treated for stain resistance.  Although PFOAs may not be present in some, the next generation is called PFBs, which is chemically linked to PFOAs and can impart similar troubles.  PFBs continue to be largely un-researched. 

• We were surprised to learn that many of the containers utilized to package fast foods are coated with PFCs.  It seems that PFCs are great for preventing oil and grease from soaking through.  This includes paper and cardboard, so if you insist on eating fast foods, at least remove them as soon as possible and heat them in glass or ceramic.

• Here was one that really astonished us.  Did you know that the bags that are used to house microwave popcorn are coated with PFC?  The same reasoning is used here—keeping the grease and oil from soaking through.  Guess what?  You can take a plain unbleached brown paper bag, fill it with high quality organic popping corn, mix with some great oil (organic coconut, organic palm or olive), add your favorite seasoning, fold over the opening and staple the bag with one single staple (one staple won’t hurt the microwave).  Heat for a couple of minutes and Viola!

• Keep your eyes open when purchasing your personal care products, too.  If you see something that reads, “fluoro” or “perfluoro”, it denotes the presence of a PFC.

• Lastly, choose your dental floss wisely because numerous brands are coated with a form of Teflon called PTFE.  We found many types that were un-waxed—so can you!

Want some more information on this subject? Be sure to check out the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) research on PFC.