Natural Remedies
We help you navigate the confusing world of herbs, vitamins and supplements. Remedies include healing modalities such as homeopathy, Ayurveda and Traditional Medicine to address a wide-range of health concerns.
Mushrooms as Medicine
Medicinal Mushrooms activate various components of the immune and nervous systems, support brain and cognitive function, the regulation of blood sugar levels and increase energy levels and stamina. And that’s not all!
Cannabis as Medicine
I started researching cannabis oil in December 2014 when my fiancé was diagnosed with a very large malignant brain tumour. I needed to see if there is enough evidence for its medicinal use, especially in cancer patients. I interviewed researchers, doctors, users and growers, both locally and abroad, and asked them tough questions.
Herbal Medicine – a doorway into a sacred world
I am passionate about herbs, the various extraction methods and their medicinal properties. How wonderful it must be to go to work and walk around in nature, identifying and collecting herbs! Herbalism for some people – the herb itself or the cup of tea – becomes a doorway into a sacred world, a path to healing.
The Therapeutic Properties of Aloe Ferox
Aloes are succulent plants of the Lilliaceae family and are mostly indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. About 360 species have been identified in these regions. The medicinal use of aloes dates back to antiquity. Ancient rock art of the San people depicts the harvesting of aloes resembling Aloe ferox.
Some Facts about Milk Thistle
Milk thistle has been used for over 2 000 years as an herbal remedy for a variety of ailments. The herbal medicine comes from the plant’s seeds. It is available in capsules, as an alcohol tincture, or as a glycerite (concentrated in glycerine).
Tips on Discerning Dietary Supplement Use
Strolling down the supplement aisles at health stores and pharmacies to choose the best multivitamin can be confusing. With so many different brands and varieties to choose from, it’s hard to know where to begin. Given the abundance and conflicting nature of information available about dietary supplements, you may need help to sort the reliable information from the questionable.
Spotlight on Vitamin E
What do we really know about vitamin E’s effects in the body? Vitamin E is the collective name for a group of fat-soluble compounds that exists in different forms, each different from the other depending on their source. Vitamin E has many benefits essential for healthy living. Yet, its antioxidant function is the dominant benefit.
Natural Remedies for Winter Ailments
When you or your family are hit with the almost inevitable colds and flu, you don’t need to reach for that paracetamol straight away. Mother Nature’s medicine cabinet holds a host of different options to remedy your seasonal complaints. Herbs, spices, homeopathics and good nutrition are your first line of defence.
Spotlight on Devil’s Claw
The herb devil’s claw is a perennial plant, native to southern Africa particularly the Kalahari Desert, Namibia and Madagascar. The name devil’s claw comes from the hooks that cover its fruits and the root is collected when the rainy season ends. The traditional use of devil’s claw by tribes in Africa involved the root being chopped and dried in the sun for three days to make medicinal preparations.
What Does Progesterone Do?
Progesterone helps prevent osteoporosis in a manner that complements oestrogen/ testosterone. While oestrogen prevents bone breakdown, progesterone actually promotes bone rebuilding by stimulating the osteoblasts (the cells that create the bone fabric itself). Progesterone is the only known natural biological chemical that stimulates the osteoblast activity in both men and women.
The importance of Minerals and Trace Elements
The role of nutritional supplements in the treatment of disease has been underrated by conventional medical training. This is surprising considering the fact that health is dependent on the supply of nutrition to all the cells of the body. Magnesium, for example, plays a role in over 300 enzyme reactions in the body and zinc is required in over 200 enzyme processes.
Stop and Smell the Roses
Roses have the ability to reach us on so many levels. At first glance one might admire their beauty or savour their delicate fragrance, but this is just the beginning.
Orthomolecular Medicine and High-Dose Nutrients
The controversy around high-dose nutrients continues to be a thorn in the side of conventional medicine and even governments. There are good reasons for this, some of which are understandable. The RDA or recommended daily dose of vitamins was established to identify the lowest dose that would prevent deficiency diseases, but it has little to do with the maximum doses required for optimum health. Orthomolecular medicine has gone one step further, namely to use even higher doses of nutrients for their particular biochemical and biological effects on the body.
The Many Uses of Citronella Oil
Used in soaps and creams, citronella oil has antiseptic, antispasmodic, diuretic, deodorant and anti-fungal properties and is favoured worldwide to keep ants, fleas, ticks, moths, mosquitoes and flies out of the home. Citronella grass will protect you and your household throughout the summer from mosquitoes and flies.
Nutritional Supplements for the Elderly
The elderly have their own specific health challenges because the body is in a constant process of ageing. Try to form an image of the ageing process, by imagining a factory that prints birthday cards using a template to make exact copies. Over time the template will slowly begin to wear away so that the birthday cards become imperfect copies. At first only an expert will detect these imperfections, but later anyone will begin to see the flaws.
What’s in a Natural First Aid Kit?
Replenish your home and office first aid kits with natural options. Keep it well stocked and ready to dip into for any emergency, be it minor or major. Rescue Remedy in my opinion is a must-have in every first aid kit at home, in the office and in every handbag! Here are some other natural favourites for a variety of conditions.
Supplement Focus on Coenzyme-Q-10
Co-Q-10 (Coenzyme-Q10) is a vitamin-like compound present in all cells. It occurs naturally in the body and it is found in highest amounts in the mitochondria, the part of the cell where energy is created.
Self Medication with Homeopathy
In acute conditions treating oneself or one’s family with homeopathic remedies can be extremely effective and perfectly safe, even for pregnant women and newborn babies. This is because homeopathic potencies are highly diluted, energised substances prepared according to specified and standardised pharmaceutical methods.
Turmeric and Ginger as Medicine
In Professor Ali’s experience, turmeric and ginger are the safest and most potent anti-inflammatory spices – and neither is too expensive if you shop around.
Remedies Every Home Should Have
A well-stocked natural medicine chest, along with a good dose of common sense, is often sufficient to serve most common health needs both adequately and safely.