The Power of Herbs As foreign as it may seem to those of us accustomed to modern pharmaceuticals, every culture in history has depended on the healing power of herbs. Even modern mainstream medicine is intimately linked to herbal traditions: Trees, shrubs, plants or other natural materials form the basis of approximately 25 percent of all prescription drugs in the United States today. Synthesized versions of natural plants and organic compounds compose another huge segment of the pharmaceutical market. In the rest of the world, herbal medicine is even more heavily used. In Europe, for instance, more than 6 billion U.S. dollars per year are spent on herbal medications.
Although we tend to think of all herbs as plants, an herb is actually any natural substance used for medical treatment. As you'll see in this chapter, herbalists classify two substances—bee venom and shark cartilage—as herbs, and use them quite frequently to treat men and women with arthritis. Also in this chapter, you'll receive an overview of a branch of herbal medicine known as aromatherapy. Dating back to ancient Egypt in about 4500 b.c., aromatherapy is a method of treating illness through the inhalation and external application of essential oils derived from the roots, stems, seeds, and flowers of plants.
Like other forms of alternative therapy, herbal medicine attempts not to cure disease per se, but rather to help the body remain in, or return itself to, the state of balance we know of as health. In attempting to do so, herbalists tend to explore lifestyle and dietary habits with their patients in order to develop a treatment plan far more individualized and personal than most mainstream physicians are able to do.
Although each person who visits an herbalist is likely to emerge with a different prescription (even for the very same complaint), there are some generalities that can be made about possible remedies for arthritis. An herbalist might recommend antispasmodic agents to ease cramping of the muscles; cartilage-building or -repairing substances; anti-inflammatories to soothe inflammation or reduce the inflammatory response; and nervines and tonics that strengthen and restore the nervous system. An aromatherapist might recommend a variety of essential oils for generally the same purposes: to soothe aching joints and to help relax the body and mind.
At a first appointment with an herbalist, you should expect the practitioner to take a complete medical history. Among the most important topics discussed will be the exact nature of your symptoms, the level and type of your physical activity, and any past medical and surgical treatment for arthritis. If the herbalist is a medical doctor or other trained health professional, he or she may also perform a physical exam, concentrating on the joints currently causing you pain. Based on what the herbalist discovers during the exam, he would then prescribe one or more natural medications aimed at strengthening your underlying constitution while alleviating your symptoms. It is highly likely that the herbalist would recommend bodywork, massage, physical therapy, or treatment by a chiropractor or osteopath.
Herbal Medicine: Nature's Pharmacy
In general, herbal medicines work in much the same way as conventional pharmaceutical drugs. Herbs contain a large number of naturally occurring substances that work to alter the body's chemistry in order to return it to its natural state of health. Unlike purified drugs, however, plants and other organic material contain a wide variety of substances and, hence, less of any one particular active chemical. This attribute makes herbs far less potentially toxic to the body than most pharmaceutical products.
Another benefit of natural herbs is that they tend to contain combinations of substances that work together to restore balance to the body with a minimum of side effects. The plant meadowsweet is a good example: It contains compounds similar to the ones used in aspirin that act as anti-inflammatories to treat arthritis and other musculoskeletal ailments. These compounds, called salicylates, often irritate the stomach lining. Unlike commercially prepared aspirin, however, meadowsweet also contains substances that soothe the gastric lining and reduce stomach acidity, thus providing relief from pain while protecting the stomach from irritation. For people with chronic arthritis who have been forced to choose between aching joints and stomachaches, such a treatment can seem like an absolute godsend.
Herbs of all types are available in many forms including:
Whole herbs: Plants or plant parts are dried and either cut or powdered to be used as teas or as cooking herbs.
Capsules and tablets: Increasingly popular with consumers, capsules and tablets allow patients to consume herbs quickly and without tasting them.
Extracts and tinctures: Extracts and tinctures are made by grinding the roots, leaves, and/or flowers of an herb and immersing them in a solution of alcohol and water for a period of time; the alcohol both works to extract the maximum amount of active ingredients from the herb and acts as a preservative.
Poultices and ointments: Ground herbs form the base of external applications that you can place directly on your skin. Poultices are hot packs applied to the skin, made by mixing ground herbs with hot water, placing them in a muslin bag, then applying them to the sore joint or muscle. An ointment is a cream or salve with an herbal base that you can buy in health food stores or through your herbalist.
HERBS FOR TREATING ARTHRITIS
A prescription for an herbal remedy is apt to be quite personal and individual, based on your particular symptoms, habits, and needs. Listed here are some of the herbs prescribed most often for men and women with arthritis:
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa). Also known as lucerne, alfalfa is a nutritious and restorative tonic. Rich in beta-carotene, vitamins C, D, E, and K, and minerals including calcium, potassium, and magnesium, herbalists prescribe it to patients in need of an overall energy boost, as well as to soothe the inflammatory process.
Prescription: You can buy alfalfa in capsule or tea form. A recommended dosage for capsules is 3 to 6 a day, and a cup of tea up to 3 times daily.
Arnica (Arnica montana). Also known as leopard's bane or wolf's bane, arnica is available as an oil or liniment for the treatment of the aches and pains of arthritis. In fact, many commercially prepared liniments contain arnica.
Prescription: Use as an ointment as needed on unbroken skin. If a rash develops, however, stop using it immediately. Never take arnica internally; it is very toxic—the only exception is homeopathically produced arnica as described in Chapter 12.
Bee Venom. Apitherapy is the medicinal use of honeybee products including bee venom, raw honey, pollen, royal jelly, and wax. Like many other forms of natural medicine, apitherapy has been practiced throughout history—ancient references include Hippocrates, Galen, and Paracelsus. Today in the United States, more than 10,000 people—probably many more—currently use this approach to healing.
Apitherapists (beekeepers trained in the use of bee products in the treatment of disease) most often use bee venom in treating arthritis. Bee venom appears to have anti-inflammatory properties that are most helpful in bringing down swelling and alleviating tenderness in joints.
Prescription: To receive bee venom, you go right to the source—honeybees—and allow one or more to sting you. You do so with the help and guidance of an apitherapist, who has personally raised the honeybees. In some cases, she will apply the bee directly to the sore joint, while in others the spot is a "trigger point," a place elsewhere on the body directly related to the sore joint (perhaps along a meridian as described by Chinese medicine). You may receive two or three stings every other day or up to twenty stings every day depending on the severity of your disease. Needless to say, it is important to know—before you receive your medicinal stings—whether or not you carry an allergy to honey bee stings. Ask your doctor for an allergy test, and always carry a bee sting kit when being treated.
Devil's Claw (Harpagophytum procubens). A traditional African and European remedy for inflammatory conditions like arthritis. This herb acts directly to bring down inflammation (much the way the drug cortisone does) as well as help the body eliminate uric acid, thus reducing the risk of a gout attack.
Prescription: Devil's claw is most commonly available in capsules (to be taken 3 times daily, 2 to 3 capsules each dose) and teas (1 to 2 cups daily).
Feverfew (Chrysanthemum parthenium). Because of this herb's long history of successfully treating fever, migraine, and arthritis, scientists believe that feverfew works in a fashion similar to that of aspirin.
Prescription: Fresh feverfew leaves, steeped in boiling water to make a tea, appear to work best in treating the symptoms of arthritis. Your herbalist may be able to direct you to a source of the herb. Feverfew capsules are also available. Please note that pregnant women should not use feverfew because the herb has stimulatory effects on the womb.
Ginger (Zingiber officinale). Native to southern Asia, the ginger plant, especially its root or underground stem, has been used as a medicine for thousands of years in China. As far as arthritis is concerned, ginger is known to be a strong antioxidant and therefore able to help prevent breakdown of cartilage.
Prescription: Herbalists generally recommend that arthritis patients take about 1 to 2 teaspoons of dry powdered ginger every day. This amount is equivalent to two thirds of an ounce of fresh ginger root—a half-inch slice or so. Ginger is also available in capsules (1 capsule 3 times daily).
Guaiacum (Guaiacum officinale). An antirheumatic, anti-inflammatory derived from the heartwood tree, guaiacum is especially useful for hard-to-treat, chronic rheumatoid arthritis.
Prescription: Drink as a tea, made by steeping 1 teaspoonful of the wood chip in a cup of boiling water for 15 minutes, 3 times a day.
Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria). Meadowsweet, also known as bridewort and queen of the meadow, is a fragrant herb that contains high amounts of an aspirinlike chemical called salicin. Helpful in relieving pain and fever, meadowsweet does not cause the stomach upset or other side effects common to aspirin.
Prescription: People usually take meadowsweet as a tea, pouring a cup of boiling water onto 12 teaspoonsful of the dried herb and leaving it to steep 10 to 15 minutes.
Shark Cartilage. More and more people with osteoarthritis have discovered the benefits of taking shark cartilage supplements. Shark cartilage contains several substances known, collectively, as glycosaminoglycans. One such substance, chondroitin sulfate, helps to stimulate joint repair and improve joint function. In fact, your body appears to be able to absorb the chondroitin sulfate in shark cartilage much more rapidly and efficiently than it can chondroitin sulfate supplements. Nevertheless, as is true for all natural remedies, Shark Cartilage does not help everyone with osteoarthritis, nor should people expect quick and dramatic changes to their condition. Tracheal cartilage of both cows and chickens has been used successfully and is less costly.
Prescription: You can purchase shark cartilage in capsule form, one capsule to be taken three times a day.
White Willow Bark (Salix alba). Also known as salicin willow, this herb works very much like aspirin. It relieves pain, reduces fever, and has anti-inflammatory qualities.
Prescription: White willow products are commonly available in capsules (2 capsules every 3 hours), teas (up to 3 cups daily), and tinctures (1 teaspoon up to 3 times daily).
The Healing Power of Scent
The term aromatherapy was coined in 1937 by the French chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé, who badly burned his hand during a laboratory experiment in his family's perfume factory. Knowing that lavender was used in medicine for burns, he plunged his hand into a vat of pure lavender oil used to make perfume. After noticing that his hand healed very quickly, Gattefossé began to explore the healing powers of other essential oils.
Essential oils, composed of the plant's most volatile constituents, are extracted from plants through a process of steam distillation or cold pressing. To derive pure essential oils, no other chemicals or substances should be used during the extraction process since they would disrupt the natural organic composition of plant material. Indeed, each essential oil is made up of several different organic molecules that, working together, give the oil its unique perfume as well as its particular therapeutic qualities.
Like the plants and herbs from which they are extracted, some essential oils are known to have antiviral and antibacterial properties and thus can be used to treat infections such as herpes simplex, skin and bowel infections, and the flu. Perhaps the most common aromatherapy is one that uses oil derived from the eucalyptus plant which, when inhaled, works to restore health to the respiratory system by acting as an antibacterial, antiviral agent as well as helping to loosen phlegm.
Other therapeutic oils ease the anti-inflammatory response in the body, making them especially useful in treating back pain as well as arthritis and similar conditions. In addition, there are a number of oils that have profound effects on the nervous system. Stress overstimulates the sympathetic nervous system and forces the muscles to tense up and, eventually, to shorten, adding to the pain of many arthritis conditions. Certain essential oils, when inhaled, can help to bring the sympathetic nervous system into balance with the parasympathetic nervous system and thus reduce the negative effects stress may have on the musculoskeletal system.
USING AROMATHERAPY
Essential oils are delicate, highly concentrated essences of plants. The quantity of plant material needed to make even a small amount of essential oil is enormous: To make an ounce of lavender oil, for instance, requires about 12 pounds of fresh lavender flowers. Fortunately, only a very small amount of oil is needed to have therapeutic effects.
You can buy essential oils in their pure form or already diluted with another base oil, usually made from olives, soy, or almonds. In addition, herbs which "fix" the scents are added, so that the potency of the mixture is maintained over time. Combining essences with base oils does not change their chemical composition, but will help to reduce their potential toxicity to the skin or internal tissue.
Although it is possible to make your own essential oils with a homemade still, most people choose to purchase prepared oils from health-food stores or mail-order companies. It is important, however, that you make sure that the essential oils you use are just that: essential, meaning that their original chemical compositions were not altered in any way during the extraction process. Make sure that when you buy oils the word "essential" is used on the label and that you buy your oils from a reputable dealer. See Natural Resources, page 168, for more information on finding top-quality essential oils.
In general, there are two main ways to use essential oils:
As Inhalants. Simply breathing in the odors and minute particles of plant material will help bring your body back into balance. There are several equally effective methods of inhaling essential oils:
Aroma lamps: Putting a few drops of oil on a light bulb or burning a candle under a cup that has drops of oil in it will volatize the oil into the atmosphere, making your whole environment rich with soothing aroma.
Diffusors: These are mechanical devices that disperse essential oils into the air.
Facial saunas: To use this method, pour boiling water into a bowl, then add a few drops of essential oil. Drape a towel over your head and lean over the bowl so that the towel encloses both head and bowl. The essences are thus absorbed both through the skin and through the membranes of the nasal passages.
As Topical Applications. When prepared properly with base oils, essential oils may be safely and effectively applied directly to the skin. Here are safe methods for applying essential oils:
Bath oils: Adding a few drops of an essential oil to bathwater both adds to the relaxing atmosphere and allows the oils to seep into the skin. Warm baths are also helpful in easing sore, stiff joints.
Massage oils: Oils can be massaged into the face, back, chest, or any part of the body that is feeling pain or stress. A tiny bit of essential oil gently rubbed into the temples each evening can melt away the day's tension. Massage itself, especially when performed by someone trained in the art, is an integral part of any treatment for arthritis as it both releases tension and helps the muscles and joints move back into alignment.
AROMATHERAPY AND ARTHRITIS
The following is a list of essential oils that may help to ease the symptoms of your arthritis, by either reducing the irritating process of inflammation or relieving the stress and tension that trigger and aggravate the pain. Please note that this is a highly subjective list and that many other oils may work just as well, if not better, depending on your own individual constitution and needs. That's why it is important that you visit an herbalist trained in aromatherapy to learn more about how to apply this ancient art to your particular health problem.
Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla). The leaves, flowers, and even roots of this yellow daisylike flower are used in a variety of different ways to treat several kinds of diseases and conditions. Aromatherapists use chamomile oil for its ability to soothe an aggravated nervous system. You can dab a drop or two of chamomile oil on your temples, make a hot compress with chamomile oil and hot water on a terrycloth washcloth and place against an aching joint, or put some oil in a diffuser and inhale it all day long.
Lavender (Lavandula officinalis). Probably best known as a perfume, this herb has many valuable medicinal qualities as well. Gently rubbing lavender oils on your temples when you are under particular stress or when the aches and pains of your arthritis are crippling your spirit as well as your muscles is sure to give you a lift.
Coriander (Coriandrum sativum). Steam-distilled from the fully ripened but dried fruit of this small plant, coriander oil is used in rubs and massage oil mixtures as a warming pain-easer for arthritis. It should be diluted 1:5 with carrier oil (olive or vegetable oil) before applying directly on the skin.
Eucalyptus Oil (Eucalyptus spp.). Although generally used to treat respiratory disorders, eucalyptus may also be applied in ointment form to joints aching from inflammation associated with arthritis. It is especially soothing when mixed with rosemary oil, derived from the rosemary plant.
Rosemary Oil (Rosmarinus officinalis). Rosemary oil, distilled from the tops, leaves, and smaller twigs of the rosemary plant, may be used as a massage oil when added to an olive or vegetable carrier oil, or mixed with eucalyptus oil. It may also be inhaled by any of the methods mentioned above (diffuser, aroma lamp, facial sauna). According to herbal tradition, inhaling rosemary oil helps to increase sensitivity to situations, develop a better memory, and strengthen the power of the pineal gland—the gland that secretes melatonin, one of the body's most powerful natural sleep-aids.
Again, although these remedies are generally considered quite safe, it is important that you seek the advice of an herbalist or other health practitioner experienced in the use of herbs for medicinal purposes. Herbs are indeed drugs, and they have the power to cause unwanted effects and side effects if taken carelessly. That said, anyone suffering from a long-term, chronic illness like arthritis is likely to find the use of herbs a welcome substitute or addition to other remedies to relieve pain and stress.
In the next chapter, we introduce another alternative approach to treating arthritis, one that uses natural substances—substances that on face value seem to provoke symptoms of the very condition the treatment is meant to cure—to stimulate the immune system to heal the body. Called homeopathy, it is gaining more attention every day throughout the medical and holistic world.
