When I first read the claim that a papaya leaf dried and put in hot water makes a tea that can treat, slow down, or prevent cancer, I was highly skeptical. Having lost my mother, Julia Ruffin Robertson, to cancer when she was only 55, just at the point where she was becoming recognized for her work as both an artist and art historian (and certainly not because she had done anything to “deserve” cancer), my first thought was, “How dare this person make this claim”. My mother had lived the life of a saint; always two steps behind my father, holding him up and accompanying him to Africa because he wanted to be a missionary, only to succumb to cancer just at the most rewarding time of her life. So to me, the idea that a simple papaya leaf tea could perhaps have added years to her life was not anything to be taken lightly.
Archives for Alternative Health category
Nutritional and Herbal ways to beat the blues
“…St. John’s wort can have a…beneficial effect on depression.”
Depression can be a response to stressful events, hormonal imbalances, biochemical abnormalities, or other causes. Mild depression which passes quickly may not require any diagnosis or treatment. From nutrients to herbs, there are many mood-lifting alternatives. But keep in mind that there’s a world of difference between an occasional funk and clinical depression—a physician, psychiatrist, or other health professional should be consulted for persistent or serious cases of depression.
Energizing Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs
If you are “tired of being tired,” you’re not alone —fatigue is one of the most common complaints heard at a doctor’s office. Fatigue can have a wide variety of causes: from poor diet, lack of sleep or exercise, and obesity, to side effects from certain medications or a sign of drug/alcohol abuse. And that’s not all. A feeling of tiredness could also indicate anemia, infection, hormone imbalance, low thyroid or adrenal function, depression, mental or physical stress, or other serious conditions.
The dietary changes and supplements discussed in the following sections can provide an occasional “oomph” to your life, but fatigue that persists for more than a few days, is associated with pain or discomfort for which the cause is unknown, or has unusual symptoms, should be addressed with your physician.
Reading, ‘Riting & Ritalin?
Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was a rare condition 50 years ago. Today, it is extremely common, affecting an estimated 5-20% of all children in the United States. Previously known by a number of different names (including hyperactivity, hyperkinesis, and minimal brain dysfunction), ADHD is characterized by learning disabilities, short attention span, easy distractibility, impulsive behavior, hyperactivity, and lack of coordination. Although children with ADHD are not mentally retarded, they often do poorly in school and have difficulty making friends.
Conventional medicine has discovered that methylphenidate (Ritalin, a chemical related to the amphetamines) is often effective for children with ADHD. For reasons that are not understood, stimulants like Ritalin produce a paradoxical response in these children: slowing them down and helping them concentrate, rather than speeding them up.
Unfortunately Ritalin has many side effects and does not address the cause of ADHD, it merely suppresses the symptoms. Nevertheless, both teachers and parents sometimes look at Ritalin as a quick fix, or as the simplest way to deal with a complicated problem. Indeed, in some parts of the United States, as many as 6% of grade-school children are on this drug.
Germ Warfare
“…shore up your immune defenses with a good diet, plenty of rest, and immune-boosting supplements.”
The common cold is actually caused by one of 200 different viruses which all produce similar symptoms: sore throat, runny nose, congestion, watery eyes, cough, and general aches and pains. Influenza (the flu) causes many of the same symptoms and is also caused by a virus. Colds and flu can be spread person-to-person by coughing or sneezing. Infection can also be spread by touching a virus-contaminated object (like a doorknob, phone, or shaking hands with an infected person) and then touching your eyes or nose.
Surprisingly, whether or not a person comes down with a cold or flu is related less to exposure to a virus and more to the strength of the immune system. Now is the time to shore up your immune defenses with a good diet, plenty of rest, and immune-boosting supplements. In a recent Email received from Robyn Landis, author of Herbal Defense, she said she is now into her 8th winter without a serious cold. Her book will tell you how you can do the same.