photo taken from sciencedaily.com

Also known by: milk vetch, huang qi, huang ch’, radix astragali, goat’s horn, green dragon, locoweed

Scientific/medical name: Astragalus membranaceus

For more than 2,000 years, Chinese herbalists recommend astragalus root to build energy and the immune system. The most commonly used herb in China today, it is said that astragalus helps to resist diverse diseases including cancer, heart disease, liver and kidney problems, and infections.  Studies by the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute as well as 5 other cancer institutes…indicate that astragalus actually helps build the immune system during chemotherapy.   (It is not a CURE for cancer!   It has NOT been found to attack cancer cells!)

What is is commonly used for?

Strengthens the immune system
Improves digestion
Gives you energy and endurance
It’s an antibacterial
Improves white blood count
Prevention of heart disease
Treatment of fibromyalgia
Treatment of diabetes
Stimulates the spleen, liver urinary and circulatory systems
Lowers blood sugar and blood pressure
Treatment of arthritis

Is there evidence that it works?

YES!  And…it’s scientific evidence! Astragalus enhances the immune system and fights diseases, including cancer and heart disease, and colds and flu!   Researchers at The  Anderson Cancer Center (U of TX) found that astragalus extract enhanced the cell-destroying ability of the conventional immunotherapy treatment interleukin-2 by improving the immune system’s response. They also tested it in test tubes, and found that it partly restored the immune function of cells.  It also stimulates the production of interferons, (produced by the body as part of the normal defense mechanism) against colds, sinusitis, flu, upper respiratory and viral infections.

In 2006 there was a review of the most reliable studies of the root pertaining to lung cancers.   Evidence was found that astragalus enhances the effects of some chemotherapy drugs and boosted the immune system in cancer patients.

Are there any possible problems or complications?

(from the American Cancer Society):
Astragalus is generally considered safe. Reported side effects include abdominal bloating, loose stools, low blood pressure, and dehydration. People with autoimmune diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus) or people taking immune suppressing medicines (such as corticosteroids or cyclosporin) should talk to their doctors before taking this herb. There is some concern that astragalus might interfere with blood clotting, so some doctors recommend it should not be taken before surgery or in people taking aspirin-like drugs or blood-thinning medicines. It may also affect blood pressure in some, so those taking blood pressure medicines may need to be monitored by their physicians. There have also been reports of lowered blood sugar, which could be dangerous for those with diabetes or hypoglycemia.

Don’t use if you have an immune system disease like MS, Lupus or Rheumatoid Arthritis or anything considered an autoimmune disease.

Don’t use if you are pregnant or nursing.
Always check with your doctor before using herbs/supplements and with your pharmacist if you are taking any medications.

How can you take it?

You can boil four ounces of the whole root in a quart of water for 10 minutes, let steep, strain and drink as tea.  (2-4 cups a day) *don’t take the tea if you have a fever.

Swallow it in pill form available at your local health food store.

It basically explains how the Native Americans used nature, plants, trees, herbs etc to treat common ailments.  The weird part is that many of our pharmaceutical companies use these same ‘ancient cures’ in their pills/medicines.

Any whooooo….I saw an entry for ‘fever’.  Of course I don’t have a fever…except for the ‘I really need a tank, fever’, but it piqued my interest.  Did you know that bacteria and viruses can only survive at certain temperatures?  Huh.  I always knew that bodies got a fever when fighting something off….but I never actually understood the process I guess.  When the body gets a fever, the fever slows the growth of the germs. 

I remember when my kids were little (like 18 yrs ago) and any fever over 100 (as babies) and it was off to the doctor.  Now my sister just had her first child and now they recommend that any fever under 104 is fine.  At first I thought this was insane.  Probably because I was programmed so long ago when the rules were different.  But apparently the Native Americans are the same way.  “Let it run it’s course”.  (Do you realize how many co-pays I could have saved?)  In fact, the Natives would send you into the sweat lodge to increasethe body temperature.  (I always thought sweat lodges were solely for cleansing rituals ~ physically and mentally ~ I didn’t realize it was also used medicinally)

They also would give herbs to help increase the body temperature just enough to kick the immune system into gear and fight mild infections.  Interesting.  They’d put the herb (a teaspoon dry or 2 teaspoons fresh) into a cup of boiling water.  Steep 15 minutes, strain and drink.  What herbs did they use, you ask?  Ginger, sage, peppermint, goldenseal, hops, honeysuckle, cayenne or rose.  (apparently tea not only hydrates but flushes out the bugs)  Huh. 

So.   I still want a tank.   But now I really want a sweat lodge.   We have enough room in the backyard.  I’ve decided we’re going to build one in the summer.  Not for fevers, but for ‘cleansing’.  The whole entire idea of thoroughly cleansing my body is so exciting to me!  I’m going to research how to build one properly, including rituals used in building.  If I’m going for a spiritual (as well as physical) cleansing, why not try and do it properly?  I’ll post on that at a later date. 

Oh!  For heaven’s sake, I forgot…the reason for the post in the first place.  lol.  Something herbal for anxiety!  DOH!    It seems that ROSE PETALS in a hot bath or drinking rose petal tea is good for that!  Oh, and get this….if you drink several cups of tea daily, made of either dandelion, hops, black cohosh or goldenseal….it will not only help your anxiety, but will naturally SEDATE  you! 

OMG!  I wonder where I can get some of this in BULK!

What better way to learn about alternative treatments then to look toward the very people that survived on this land (before we came and decided to take it).  I remember when we were on vacation in Arizona, our jeep tour guide was very well versed on Native Americans.  He told us that they never took more than they could use and always replenished what they did take.  If they killed a buffalo, they used every bit of it for something, including the skin and bones.  If they picked a plant, they only took as much as they needed.

And I got to thinking, these people, just like the asian people, survived for thousands of years on what nature provided.  Every thing had a use.  In fact, most of our medicines today are derived from the same herbs and plants that the natives used. 

Let’s look at cold remedies:

Echinacea builds the immune system.  It’s not going to cure the cold, but it lessons it and helps your body fight it.  I remember years and years ago when this first came out, the FDA was all like….’oh, that’s not safe!’…..’oh, it’s not regulated’.  Now it’s in everything. 

Goldenseal:  This works to promote a healthy spleen.  Spleens produce white blood cells to fight viruses.  I think we should all get bumper stickers that say:  “Have you hugged your spleen today?”

Garlic:  Not only does it keep away the vampires but it can actually block the cold virus.  There’s nothing worse than being stuffed up AND getting bitten by a vampire.  Urghhh.  Seriously though, although they say that garlic is most effective when eaten raw (oh! yuck!) it can also be made into tea (smash a few cloves in 1 C. water and let steep 6 hours, strain and drink)  And….when you eat garlic, the active ingredients shoot right to your respiratory system!  Ahhhh! 

Willow Bark:  First off, don’t give this to children.  It has salicin in it, which is like Aspirin.  Very, VERY bad for kids!  But, adults can take it to fight fevers, aches and pains.  Willow Bark Tea:  1 teaspoon to 1 Cup boiling water.  Let steep 15 minutes, strain and drink.

Licorice:  No, I don’t think Twizzlers qualify here.  The Native Americans used this to clear out the lungs.  It’s an expectorant!  And it’s also helpful in treating stomach ulcers, colic and inflammation.  It also increases the bodies interferon which helps fight viruses.  Drink it in a tea:   Mix 1 teaspoon of licorice syrup to a cup of boiled water.  Note:  Pregnant woman should never take licorice.  And no one should over do it with ingesting it….you can get high blood pressure.

Ginger:  Not only does ginger reduce fever but it relieves pain, headache and motion sickness, and it helps to stop the cold virus in it’s tracks.  You can buy ginger at the grocery store.  It’s an ugly rooty looking thing.  Look for a smooth brown skin on the bulb, it should be hard and heavy.  Chop fresh ginger and steep a teaspoon full in a cup of boiling water.  Note:  Ginger is also used for athlete’s foot!  Cool the tea and soak your feet in it.  Since ginger contains ‘cineole’ it helps with stress relief and boosts your mood.  You can even drink ginger ale, just make sure that you look at the ingredients:  must say made with real ginger.  If it doesn’t contain real ginger, you’ll just get fat, and be more stressed.

Now listen, if you are pregnant or nursing or on any other medicines, you should never ever ever take herbals without asking your doctor.  Never.