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Treating Fibromyalgia With Herbs
Marguerite Dunne, Clinical Herbalist
What the experts tell us is
that fibromyalgia is an amorphous blob of
sickly symptoms which include aches and pains; twitching fits;
fatigue,
mild to incapacitating to brain fog; sleeping disorders;
irritable bowel
syndrome; chronic headaches; joint dysfunction syndrome;
multiple
chemical sensitivity; dysmenorrhoea, and an exceedingly
stressed immune
system. (Iım going to throw in "the blues" based on the
anecdotal
histories from my clients.) Because there is such a high
proportion of
women who have this syndrome, it seems that a female hormonal
imbalance
contributes to the disorder too. (It is estimated that close
to 80% of the
three to six million fibromyalgia patients in America are
women with most of
them in their 30ıs to their 50ıs.) Moreover, these symptoms
seem to worsen
with age.
Contrary to popular allopathic medicinal rhetoric, there are
hundreds of
double-blind scientific studies exemplifying the inherent
value of herbal
therapies. China and Germany are world leaders in this
research with the
German E-Commission Monographs touted as the single best
source on the
efficacy of Western herbs. While you will not find these
studies published
in the Journal of the American Medical Association, there are
other highly
respected scientific venues where these are presented.**
All of the following have helped my clients with fibromyalgia:
oat bran can lower cholesterol, soothe nerves, provide
bulk, and gently
encourage elimination. When going through a major cleansing,
oat bran keeps
everything "moving along."
milk thistle (Silybum marianum) the angel protector of
the liver, cleansing
and amending it. So favorable to regenerating damaged liver
cells, milk
thistle is a must for recovering from drug or alcohol abuse.
As the body is
revivifying, include this wonderful seed and for a time
thereafter too.
burdock (Arctium lappa) a superior blood cleanser. An
anti-microbial, it
soothes the kidneys during detoxification. Burdock benefits
skin problems,
especially ones related to the discharge of wastes.
pau d'arco (Tabebuia avellanedae) a powerful
antibiotic, pau d'arco
contains iron which assists the body in the easy assimilation
of nutrients
and the easy elimination of wastes.
stillingia (Stillingia ligustina) a potent alterative,
stillingia
stimulates the glands, especially the liver, and helps rid the
body of
pollutants and toxic drugs.
Oregon grape root (Berberis aquifolium) named by none
other than Lewis &
Clark, this herb rejuvenates the liver and the thyroid. Loaded
with
minerals, it aids the elimination process while strengthening
the immune
defenses.
poke root (Phytolacca americana) an anti-rheumatic,
this herb aids in
cleansing the lymphatic glands while stimulating the immune
system. It can
activate metabolism while reducing inflammation. This is a
very powerful
herb and should only be taken in small quantities for a short
period of
time.
black cohosh (Cimifuga racemosa) with an estrogen like
performance, this
herb normalizes female hormones as well as being an
anti-inflammatory and
muscle relaxant. A menopause must!
wild yam (Dioscorea villosa) contains the plant
steroids which are needed
for progesterone, a partner of estrogen, which can ease raging
hormones
back into equilibrium. Both black cohosh and wild yam are
indispensable
for stabilizing female hormones.
white willow bark (Salix) a safe, natural
anti-inflammatory, it quiets
pains in the connective tissue because it is a source of
salicylates. Mild
on the stomach, this one is good for headaches too.
calcium and magnesium Calcium helps with bones, teeth,
and gums, and aids
in neuromuscular activity. Magnesium must be present for
calcium to be
absorbed. A deficiency will not only impede calcium uptake,
but can
interfere with nerve transmission and muscle impulses.
Magnesium deficiency
has also been related to depression.
References:
Hoffman, David, The Herbal Handbook, 1988, Healing Arts
Press, Rochester,
Vermont.
Tenney, Louise, Today's Herbal Health, 1997, Woodland
Publishing, Pleasant
Grove, Utah.
Balch, Phyllis, and James F. Balch, Prescription for
Nutritional Healing,
2000, Avery, New York, New York.
**For choice information, check into the website of the
American Botanical
Council: www.herbalgram.org. A nonprofit education and
research
organization, ABC has the most current news and data on the
medicinal use
of herbs.
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