Lemon Balm (Melissa Officinalis)

Lemon-Balm-(Melissa-Officinalis)

Lemon Balm has a special place in my garden and in my heart. Energetically she is soothing and cooling yet has a certain warmth about her in a calming way. Due to her cooling and soothing effect this herb is wonderful for times of irritability, anger and tension.

Lemon Balm can gently calm the nerves and can help to strengthen and rebuild a burnt out nervous system, due to the nervine action. She is known to be helpful in alleviating the effects of anxiety due to the anxiolytic action. Lemon Balm can also calm the digestive system in times of cramping and spasm from gas or other factors, due to the carminative and anti-spasmodic action. Sometimes I think that this plant should be called Lemon Calm instead of balm, though balm is still appropriate as she can be like a balm for the heart, mind and soul. This herb should be growing in every garden and is a pleasure to brush past so plant it on the borders. Even just sitting in her presence can be so uplifting and relaxing.

This is not the first herb that I would turn to for an internal anti-viral but she has an unrivalled topical anti-viral action upon the herpes simplex virus (cold sores). Take this beautiful herb if you are feeling stressed, scattered, strung out and experiencing a racing mind or cluttered thoughts and having difficult focusing.  Lemon Balm is also traditionally used for insomnia, to improve cognitive function and also for the antioxidant properties.

When I make Lemon Balm tincture, I harvest the herb in the early morning once the dew has dried but before she is in direct sunlight. I harvest the top third of the stems which is where the volatile content is the highest. I also find that the darker leaves hold more of the volatile oils which is where much of her potency lies. I make sure to do this process promptly and get her steeping in the Australian organic 70% brandy within an hour of harvesting because many of Lemon Balm’s medicinal properties degrade remarkably quickly, so this must be captured whilst the power is still active in the plant. Making an infusion from the fresh plant can be much quicker yet still effective way to bring Lemon Balm into your daily life.  Just be sure to have a lid on your pot so as not to lose those delicious volatile oils.

Lemon Balm has no known side effects or proven contraindications and is regarded as safe to use with children. Though of course always check with your qualified health practitioner to ensure that this beautiful herb does not have any known interactions with prescribed medication. Her delicious and lemony fragrance is a winner with the children and a wonderful way for them to wind down after a big day at learn and play!

This information is not intended to replace medical advice. Please consider having a consultation with a naturopath or herbalist to see if this herb is right for you.

Please get in touch if you would like more details on growing, harvesting and making herbal preparations from this beautiful calming, cooling, soothing and motherly plant.

Turmeric – “The Golden Goddess”

Turmeric - "The Golden Goddess"

This colourful spice has a long history of medicinal use. I love it’s nickname The Golden Goddess, for me, it is the perfect menopausal herb for the Goddess approaching her Golden Years, as it can help bring richness to her health and happiness.

Turmeric is known to contain over 300 active constituents, some have been researched others are still undiscovered. For this reason, I don’t recommend isolated Curcumin products, as ideally, you want to use a whole root extract.

Here are just a few of the phytochemicals we know about

  • Curcuminoids (curcumin, desmethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin, calebin)
  • Turmerones (tumerin, tumerones, turmeronols)
  • Nutrients: iron, potassium, fatty acids – oleic acid, linolenic acid (ALA – Omega 3), linolenic acid (Omega 6), polysaccharides

Turmeric has many modes of actions. It is:

  • a phytoestrogen
  • anti-inflammatory
  • anti-oxidant
  • anti-histamine
  • anti-tumour
  • anti-atherogenic
  • analgesic (pain relieving)
  • antimicrobial (bacteria, viruses, parasites, protozoa)
  • cardioprotective
  • digestive
  • hepatoprotective
  • Immune modulating
  • vulnerary (wound healing)
  • nephroprotective (kidney)
  • neuroprotective (brain)
  • cardioprotective (heart)

And the list goes on, but it’s not for everyone. Make sure you stay till the end to find out about the reasons why you might not use turmeric.

In regard to the menopausal transition, turmeric may benefit you in these ways.

HOT FLUSHES. There are 2 mechanisms to this action. Turmeric is a phytoestrogen, this means it has an oestrogen like effect on the body. The other beneficial action is the anti-histamine effect. Histamine intolerance and hormonal imbalance go hand in. If your menopausal transition has also included lots of skin issues like an intense itch, hives, rashes, or migraines, fatigue, severe sweating – think histamine issues.

WEIGHT LOSS. Ingredients in turmeric regulate fat metabolism and may reduce visceral (dangerous) fat that likes to accumulate around the middle at this stage of life. it does this by increases adiponectin levels that stimulate your metabolism and increase fat breakdown.

SKIN HEALTH.  As an anti-oxidant, it may delay the visual signs of skin ageing. Can be used topically or orally.

BONE HEALTH. A Korean study found bone loss caused by oestrogen deficiency can be reduced by supplementing with turmeric due to its phytoestrogen activity.

HEART HEALTH. One of the primary health concerns of postmenopausal women is heart health and rightfully so, it is our top killer. Turmeric has any benefits here, it is a blood thinner, helps dissolves clots, improves blood vessel function, reduces arterial wall stiffness and improves blood flow and lowers blood pressure In regard to cholesterol it can help increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol and reduce total cholesterol.

BRAIN HEALTH. Tetrahydrocurcumin is a metabolism form of curcumin produced by your digestive microbiome. It has a powerful neuroprotective effect. It can increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) BDNF helps your brain form new connections. It may help slow down age-related neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s. There have been many studies focusing on Alzheimer’s and turmeric and it has been found to reduce amyloid plaque formation and protect against amyloid induced toxicity.

PAIN. As an analgesic it has painkiller like effects, luckily it also has anti-inflammatory effects meaning it can reduce pain, swelling, heat, redness and improve joint mobility. It has successfully been used to reduce joint pain, muscle pain and migraines. It works on both wear and tear affected joints condition and autoimmune conditions like Rheumatoid Arthritis due to its immune regulating action. It is superior over many over the counter pain (OTC) medications both in its effectiveness and its safety profile. Many OTC drugs cause gastrointestinal damage, turmeric doesn’t, it actually helps heal intestinal damage.

IMMUNE HEALTH. As mentioned above it has an immune regulating action. Unfortunately in post menopause, your immune surveillance capacity drops as oestrogen levels lower making you more susceptible to new viral infections, viral reactivation of former infection, bacterial infections, cancer, auto-immune condition etc. Turmeric may play a role in helping all of this, it can boost general immunity, prevent cancer by boost NK cells and balances out auto-immunity. What excites me most is its ability to reduce viral replication. This has been tested on the herpes family which includes the Epstein Barr virus. I often see the confusion over whether symptoms are menopause based or viral-based, especially when there has been a previous EBV infection. Symptoms that could indicate your problems could be viral-based include fatigue, achy joint, night sweats, headaches, digestive issues, behavioural changes, depression, nerve pain, rashes, altered skin sensations such as tingling and itch. If this is you you may like to have a viral screening and you may like to consider turmeric as it may help regardless of your symptoms are viral or hormonal based.

ALLERGIES. Turmerics anti-histamine effects not only helps to reduce hot flushes but also reduces allergies. It works by inhibiting cytokine and IgE production.

CANCER. It has an anti-tumour effect, meaning it may play a role in reducing and preventing cancer. It has chemosensitive and radiosensitive qualities, meaning it increases the sensitivity of cancer cells to conventional treatment, making them more effective. It may also reduce the side effects of these treatments such as nausea, depression and brain fog. Warning – do not use turmeric with cyclophosphamide – a breast cancer treatment. Always seek professional advice before using turmeric with oncology treatments.

URINARY HEALTH. Turmeric inhibits biofilm formation in pathogens causing urinary tract infections. Unfortunately, urinary tract infections are very common in menopause. Turmeric works by preventing bacteria from communication with each other (This is called quorum sensing QS) The bacteria can talk to each other and create a colony called a biofilm. I see the biofilm as being a protective dome to shield them again your immune system and antibiotics. If they can’t create the dome, they are susceptible to attacks.

BLOOD SUGAR/DIABETES. As mentioned earlier, Turmeric increases adiponectin levels. Adiponectin regulates metabolic processes including glucose regulation, insulin sensitivity and fat storage. It’s a great addition if you are prediabetic, but it may potentiate diabetic medication and should only be taken under medical supervision if you have diabetes.

DIGESTION. Turmeric has wound healing properties. It protects and heals any gastrointestinal damage. Its GI protection benefits women with conditions such as Ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, leaky gut, proctitis and ulcers.

CHELATOR – help to bind and remove excess iron and copper, these 2 minerals are often elevated in menopause and cause symptoms similar to the transitions. Excess iron causes fatigue, joint pain, irregular heartbeat, depression, and concentration issues. Excess copper can cause emotional withdrawal, anxiety, poor stress response, brain fog, concentration issues, depression. But its chelating abilities don’t stop there, it also chelates heavy metals such as mercury and aluminium, aflatoxin A – a toxin produced by mould, and other chemical toxins.

LIVER FUNCTION. Turmeric increases detoxification in particular phase 2 detoxification. It is hepatoprotective which means it protects the liver against assaults, such as alcohol and may play a role in rejuvenating and improving liver function.  This is seriously important at this stage of life, as with the reduction of oestrogen comes a reduction in liver function. Data has shown an approximate reduction in the function of 1% per year starting in peri-menopause. This includes the reduction in liver blood flow, overall function and a reduction in the liver’s ability to regenerate.

KIDNEY FUNCTION. It is nephroprotective, it works to protect the kidneys against damage. I just wouldn’t use it if you have issues with kidney stones.

ALL CHRONIC DISEASE. Inflammation is a common risk factor in the development of all chronic disease.

DANGERS!!! Turmeric is not for everyone. I personally haven’t seen any issues with using it as a food but I have seen complications with high concentrate supplements, so please speak to myself or another practitioner before starting it.

These are my main concerns with turmeric:

  • It is a blood thinner, don’t take if you are already on blood-thinning medication
  • Turmeric naturally contains oxalates, if you have an issue with the development of stones such as kidney stones or gallstones, don’t take it. Oxalates may play a role in gout as well, so avoid them here as well
  • It may potentiate the effects of diabetic medication, don’t take unless under professional supervision
  • Discontinue use prior to any surgery, due to its blood-thinning effects. Post-surgery turmeric can be a wonderful addition to speed up wound healing, reduce inflammation and pain.

I provide this information as a guide, it is not intended to replace medical advice. Please consider having a consultation to see if this herb is right for you.

5 Ways To Reduce Your Bloating, Pain and Gas

gut health

Bloating, pain & excessive gas can be a real pain in the bum……pardon the pun. These would have to be the most frequent symptoms my patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) & digestive dysfunction report to me. These symptoms can make work hard to concentrate on, clothes hard to pick out in the morning and social situations awkward & anxiety provoking.

But there are ways to help relieve these symptoms & I feel Natural Medicine truly excels in this area. That is because it helps to deal with the underlying causes that could be causing your bloating, pain & gas.

Mindful Meals

Digestion actually begins in the brain & not the mouth or stomach as most of us would think. The brain is the one that detects if we are ready to eat and then stimulates saliva production. This is the first chemical digestion that helps us with breaking down carbohydrates in the mouth. Being in a ‘rest & digest’ state before meals is important for this saliva production to occur, as well as blood being redirected to the digestive area to help these organs work.

Mindful eating also means we do a better job at chewing our food, this is the first mechanical digestion of our food. Chewing enough is important as it gives more surface area for the digestive enzymes to work on. Digesting our food really well, means you are able to absorb nutrients effectively, it means less irritation to the immune system and that the bacteria in your gut have access to the right food at the right time. This definitely leads to less bloating & gas.

Some ways to eat mindfully are, taking some deep breaths before, eating at a table, eating in a calm environment without technology or work to distract you, chewing well and tasting all the flavours.

Digestive Support

As we touched on in Mindful Meals, digesting your food fully reduces symptoms throughout the digestive system. Sometimes over time our body can produce less digestive enzymes & this can create many symptoms including pain, gas, bloating, reflux, heartburn, diarrhoea & constipation. Some of the reasons for a decreased production of enzymes can include stress, eating when rushed, age, dehydration & medications like acid suppressants.

You can support your digestive system by taking a digestive enzyme supplement to replace the enzymes you are lacking. Most comprehensive formulas will help you break down carbohydrates, fibre & protein. You always want to look at ways of increasing your own enzyme production too.

Probiotics

Specific strains of probiotics have been studied & proven to reduce bloating, gas production, inflammation, functional abdominal pain & can support the normal function of the gut. It is very important to choose the right strains, as only then do you know that you will get the function you are after.

For example one of the probiotics I commonly use is Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 19738 , due to its proven effectiveness in clinical trials. If you took Lactobacillus reuteri without the same letters & numbers following the name,  then you can’t expect to get the same results, as you are not using the same strain.

Consider Constipation

Would you believe that constipation is something I consider with every patient? Even those with a daily bowel motion or even diarrhoea! I have seen many patients experiencing gas & pain who feel they have good evacuation daily but on x-ray they have impacted stool & constipation. I have also seen children with diarrhoea because they are so blocked up only liquid stool can pass the hard masses.

Constipation is one of the number one causes for gas & bloating & natural therapies offer many ways of dealing with this. Lifestyle & dietary measures like enough movement, water, vegetables & fruit & addressing stress are very effective. I also use fibres that normalise bowel function, specific strains of probiotics and herbs that assist forward movement of the bowel like ginger.

Calm your nerves

As previously discussed we want to be in ‘rest & digest’ when eating, the other state we can live in is ‘fight or flight’. This is where our nervous system is excited and we are producing stress hormones. Living in this state is ok some of the time. It can help us perform better, like before an exam, presentation or big game. But if we spend too much time in this state it can reduce digestive capacity, change the forward movement of the gut, have negative effects on the microbiome (community of bacteria in the gut) & increase the production of inflammatory chemicals. This can all increase bothersome symptoms.

So what can we do to support your nervous system? I prescribe herbs that support happy hormone production and make patients more resilient to stress. Herbs like Withania, Rhodiala, Passionflower & Lavender can help. Gentle movement, yoga, deep breathing, gardening & meditation are all other ways to support your nervous system to live in ‘rest & digest’ more often.

As you can see there are so many wonderful natural ways of helping you reduce your symptoms of bloating, pain & gas. It is just a matter of working out which ones work best for you. This will of course depend on the underlying cause of why you are experiencing functional digestive issues.

Please note that more serious diseases should not be overlooked. These symptoms can be due to a functional problem or just as easily to a specific disease like Coeliac Disease, Inflammatory Bowel Disease or Diverticulitis. So investigation & ruling out more serious conditions is definitely advisable.

Herbal Teas at Home

Selection of traditional Chinese herbs

Herbal Teas at Home

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), herbs are used in many ways. Often decocted in a pot to make a medicinal soup, or dried and offered as powder or pills. At times, I will prescribe simple medicinal teas for mild complaints. Nearly every herb can be viewed from a TCM perspective and you may have medicinal herbs growing in your garden, or in your cupboard right now! Other than being a great tasting cuppa, understanding how herbs are used medicinally can really increase their benefits. Let’s look at a few of examples.

One herb commonly used in TCM is mint (bo he / menthae haplocalysis). Everyone knows the strong flavour of mint and there are many varieties. The species mostly used in TCM is field mint. Peppermint (menthe x piperita) is similar though not used as often. Mint’s cooling properties are used to disperse wind-heat which is one way we view the cause of a sore throat and headache. Mint is also used for stomach aches, reducing feelings of stress and relaxing aching muscles (especially around the sides / ribs).

While mint is cooling, fresh ginger (sheng jiang / zingiber officinale) is warming. Ginger tea has been widely studied for its ability to calm an upset stomach and reduce nausea, and is a safe option for morning sickness. With its traditional use for the common cold caused by wind-cold, ginger’s warming properties can induce sweating. So it’s best not to consume if you have a fever where sweating is already present.

Our last example, one of my personal favourites, is not as common in Australian cupboards, but widely available in Chinese supermarkets. You may have enjoyed a pot of Chrysanthemum tea (ju hua / flos chrysanthemum morifolii) at your favourite yum cha restaurant. It has a lovely sweet floral flavour, is cooling, and as TCM views it as calming the liver. It is often used for headaches with dry red eyes, especially if brewed with dried goji berries (gou qi zi / lycii fructus).  Even some cooled chrysanthemum tea on a cotton pad placed on the eyes is a wonderful way to sooth sore eyes.

Enjoy your medicinal teas, but please remember that the description of symptoms listed above are from a TCM perspective, rather than Western Medical advice. Of course, herbs taken as teas are generally very safe, however if you have a known medical condition, or are unsure if a particular herb is suitable, please consult with your qualified healthcare practitioner.