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Adding Flaxseed to the Diet May Reduce Heart Disease in Postmenopausal Women

Ginkgo and American Ginseng May Help Children with ADHD

Ginseng Helps Speed Recovery from Acute Attacks of Chronic Bronchitis

Soy Supplements May Interfere with the Breast Cancer Medicine Tamoxifen

Recipes ~ Cooking with Dandelions

Natural Pet Care: 

Herbal Profile:  Dandelion

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Herbal Conferences

Adding Flaxseed to the Diet May Reduce Heart Disease in
Postmenopausal Women

According to a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, ground flaxseed may reduce total cholesterol and risk of heart disease in postmenopausal women.

The study involved 36 women who were randomly assigned to add 40 grams of either ground flaxseed or a wheat-based product to their regular diet every day for three months. Additionally, all the women
received 1,000 mg of elemental calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D per day. Measurements of blood lipids and specific markers of bone
turnover were taken at the start and end of the trial.

The flaxseed-consuming group of women experienced a significant decrease in total cholesterol (6%) and slightly reduced LDL
cholesterol and triglycerides levels. However, the women consuming the wheat-based product had no change in any lipid marker. None of the women in either group had significant changes in any marker for bone turnover, indicating that flaxseed has no effect on bone metabolism and will likely not protect against osteoporosis.

Source: Lucas EA, Wild RD, Hammond LJ, et al. Flaxseed improves lipid profile without altering biomarkers of bone metabolism in
postmenopausal women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2002;87:1527–32.

 
 

Ginkgo and American Ginseng May Help Children with ADHD

A recent study published in the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience indicates that children with ADHD and/or psychosomatic disorders may benefit from supplementation of Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius).

The results of the study, which involved 36 children, showed that, after two weeks of treatment, approximately two-thirds of the kids affected by psychosomatic disorders showed improvement, as did one-third of those who displayed shyness and anxiety.  After one month of treatment, roughly 75% of those with ADHD showed significant improvement.

A larger, placebo-controlled study on the efficacy of these herbs and ADHD is currently underway. 

Source: Lyon, M. R., et. al.  "Effect of the herbal extract combination Panax quinquefolium and Ginkgo biloba on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a pilot study."  Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience 2001, 26(3):221-228.

Ginseng Helps Speed Recovery from Acute Attacks of Chronic Bronchitis

A trial study conducted last year shows some evidence that adjunctive treatment with standardized ginseng extract can help speed the clearance of bacteria in patients undergoing treatment with antibiotics for chronic bronchitis. 

The Italian study involved 75 subjects with acute attacks of chronic bronchitis who received treatment with 875 mg amoxicillin and 125 mg clavulanic acid twice daily for 9 days and were then randomized into two groups.  The first group, consisting of 37 patients, received only the antibiotic treatment.  The second group of the remaining 38 patients took the antibiotics in combination with ginseng extract at a dose of 100 mg twice daily.  Of the 44 patients who were able to be evaluated at the end of the study, the time to complete clearance of bacteria was significantly shorter in the group receiving the combination treatment (median 6 days/mean 5.9 days vs. median 7 days/mean 6.7 days).

Source: Scaglione R, Weiser K, Alessandra M. Effects of the standardised ginseng extract G115 in patients with chronic bronchitis. Clin Drug Invest 2001; 21(1): 41-45.

Soy Supplements May Interfere with the Breast Cancer Medicine Tamoxifen

A recent study using mice indicates that soy products may block the action of tamoxifen prescribed for the treatment of breast cancer.  

The primary constituent of soy is an isoflavone called genistein, a popular alternative for women who cannot undergo HRT (hormone replacement therapy) and which has previously demonstrated an ability to be protective against breast cancer when part of a regular diet. However,  researchers at the University of Illinois found that when genistein was given at levels similar to those in supplements to mice with breast cancer being treated with tamoxifen, the cancer began to grow again - suggesting the estrogen-like effect of genistein neutralizes the anti-estrogen effect of tamoxifen.

Based on these preliminary findings, women on tamoxifen are advised to use soy supplements/foods with caution and to discuss their soy intake with their health care provider.

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Herbal Profile...

Common names: Priest's Crown, Swine's Snout, Lion's Tooth, Irish Daisy, Wet-a-Bed (indicating it's diuretic properties)

Range: Native to Europe and Asia, naturalized in North America and Australia.

What We're Talking About...

Find out what you can do to control yours naturally.

Warning: You'll need your tissues!

Learn about the health-giving benefits of this easy-to-grow herb.

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~ Recipes ~

Cooking with Dandelions

Fried Dandelion Blossoms

1. Pick new dandelion blossoms, those on short stems, and rinse well in cool, lightly salted water.
2. Cut off the stem ends close to the flower heads, leaving only enough to hold the petals together, because the stems and greenery are bitter.
3. Roll the dandelion flowers in paper towels to blot up the excess moisture, then dip each one in a batter made of 1 egg, beaten, with 1 cup milk, 1 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper.
4. Drop the batter-coated blossoms into deep hot fat (375 degrees) and fry until lightly browned.
5. Drain on absorbent paper;
6. Sprinkle with more salt, if needed, and serve at once as a hot hors d'oeuvre.

Dandelion Jelly

	1 qt. dandelion flowers
	1 qt. water
	1 tsp. lemon juice
	1 box Sure-Jell

Dandelion Wine

	1 qt. dandelion blossoms
	1 gal. hot water
	3 1/2 lb. sugar
	2 lemons, cut up
	2 oranges, cut up

Glutamine Supplementation for Dogs and Cats

by Shawn Messonnier DVM
author, The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats. Email: 

One of the more commonly recommended supplements for pets is the amino acid glutamine. Glutamine, or L-glutamine, is an amino acid derived from another amino acid, glutamic acid. It serves as a precursor to D-glucosamine, an amino sugar well known for its ability to relieve pain and inflammation and regenerate connective tissue in people and pets with osteoarthritis.

There is no daily requirement for glutamine as the body can make its own glutamine. High-protein foods such as meat, fish, beans, and dairy products are excellent sources of glutamine. Severe stresses may result in a temporary glutamine deficiency. 

Glutamine plays a role in the health of the immune system, digestive tract, and muscle cells, as well as other bodily functions. It appears to serve as a fuel for the cells that line the intestines (it serves as a primary energy source for the mucosal cells which line the intestinal tract.) Because stress on the intestinal cells (such as chronic inflammatory bowel disease) can increase the need for glutamine as the body replaces the cells lining the intestinal tract, glutamine is often recommended for pets with chronic bowel disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease. Heavy exercise, infection, surgery, and trauma can deplete the body’s glutamine reserves, particularly in muscle cells. 

It has also been suggested as a treatment for food allergies, based on the “leaky gut syndrome.” This theory holds that in some pets whole proteins leak through the wall of the digestive tract and enter the blood, causing allergic reactions. Preliminary evidence suggests that glutamine supplements might reduce leakage through the intestinal walls.  However, there is little real evidence that it works as a treatment for true food allergies, although it is highly recommended for pets with various bowel disorders.

In people, there is evidence that glutamine supplements might have significant nutritional benefits for those who are seriously ill. In one study, 84 critically ill hospital patients were divided into two groups. All the patients were being fed through a feeding tube. One group received a normal feeding-tube diet, whereas the other group received this diet plus supplemental glutamine. After 6 months, 14 of the 42 patients receiving glutamine had died, compared with 24 of the control group. The glutamine group also left both the intensive care ward and the hospital significantly sooner than the patients who did not receive glutamine. Adding glutamine to the feeding formulas of hospitalized pets might be warranted.

In people and pets, glutamine is also recommended to reduce the loss of muscle mass (as may occur during injury, stress, or high-endurance activities as might be encountered by dogs competing in field trials.)

Glutamine is also a precursor to the enzyme glutamine:fructose-6-phosphate amidotransferase, which plays a role in the development of insulin resistance that may eventually manifest itself as diabetes if there is an imbalance or deficiencies in glutamine levels. Supplementing diabetic pets with glutamine may be helpful, although more research is needed in this area.

Glutamine may reduce the gastrointestinal toxicity of some chemotherapy drugs and is often recommended for pets undergoing cancer chemotherapy. Glutamine can prevent inflammation of the intestinal tract caused by radiation therapy of this area. Glutamine should be considered as a supplement for dogs undergoing half-body irridation for the treatment of lymphosarcoma.

Glutamine, being one of the body's amino acids, is thought to be a safe supplement when taken at recommended dosages. Because many anti-epilepsy drugs work by blocking glutamate stimulation in the brain, high dosages of glutamine may overwhelm these drugs and pose a risk to pets with epilepsy. If your pet is taking anti-seizure medications, glutamine should only be used under veterinary supervision. 

Maximum safe dosages for young children, pregnant or nursing women, or those with severe liver or kidney disease have not been determined; similar precautions are probably warranted in pets. Recommended dosages in pets are 250-3000 mg daily.

The most common use of glutamine in dogs and cats is for bowel disorders. Acute gastroenteritis responds well to a combination of glutamine, intestinal adsorbents, and probiotics. This same regimen plus plant enzymes can also be very effective in reducing or even eliminating the need for corticosteroids for pets with inflammatory bowel disease.