Foxglove contains the drug Digitalis.
I wonder what chemical in ginger makes it good for heart?
Will have to study more.

While foxglove is the source of some heart medicines I would not use it without a doctr;s supervision because it can kill you if you take too much of it.

Like garlic, ginger is a blood thinner and anti inflammatory so if you are taking blood thinner medicine you should consult your doctor to see how much is safe for you to take .

Ah it is a blood thinner!
Yes it is foolish to just randomly take herbs such as Digitalis!

Turmeric also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Foxglove/digitalis should always be avoided--it is a very powerful drug that can cause serious health issues (including death) if not monitored carefully. With herbal preparations, exact dosing cannot always be assured (from a real-life pharmacist, now stepping down off of her soapbox)

Caution should be used with virtually all herbs, particularly if one is taking any sort of pharmaceuticals.

Well stated, Deb. It is unfortunate we do not have a better system in place to assure the purity of supplements, including herbal preparations.

I agree with all of the above
Even edible herbs should be checked with your health care professional.
All herbs should be used in moderation even those used in cooking

I was so impressed recently with the NP that my mom sees regularly--she was actually able to discuss using some herbal supplements to help my mom with some of the issues she's having. It was so refreshing that a health care practioner would recommend something other than conventional medicines.

I am always open to alternative medicines, and use them in our health care. I think there is room for both traditional/alternative medicines, as well as pharmaceuticals.

I had a really good naturopath (ND), who had identified and worked with various medical docs who were receptive to combining disciplines. For example, I have gallstones but don't want to cut out my gallbladder (I think all organs are essential). My ND gave me some good tips on diet changes, effective supplements, and signs to watch for, then referred me to a gastro doc to prescribe a small amount of pain meds for use during active episodes. The MD did also discuss with me gallbladder removal, but he was not at all pushy about it. I've now lived with my gallstones for well over 10 years, managed well. My current MD agrees that taking a couple vicodin every now and again is not drug-seeking-behavior and is preferable to surgery. A recent ultrasound confirms the stones are still there, but I can't remember the last episode.

Spotted jewelweed also called orange jewelweed or spotted or orange touch-me-nots (Impatiens Capensis)should be on the list as well.

Spotted jewelweed (AKA orange jewelweed) is good for treating or even preventing poison ivy break outs. I make a cream/lotion with spotted jewelweed, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil and beeswax. If I know I'll be working around poison ivy, I'll put some of that cream on my skin before applying my usual sunscreen.

Spotted jewelweed is a natural source of both lawsone, which is an anti-inflammatory and antihistamine, and a form of napthaquinone, another anti-inflammatory/antihistamine which is one of the active ingredients in "Preparation H".

It grows wild down by the creek near our property. I've tried to get it going from seeds, but the seeds are very difficult to germinate. They seem to need two winter cold cycles with an intervening warm summer cycle to germinate.

I use jewel weed for poison ivy also but I like to add plantain to the cream I make to heal the skin since I'm always forgetting where it is in my flower beds and get into it or my cat will get into it and I get it from her when I pet her. I've found that adding a little bit of cedar infused olive oils really helps speed the healing.

Lot of poison ,plants and herbs ,, takes care using them ,,
Wormwood is one I have been reading about for Anti - carcinogenic properties ,
Basil and feverfew are two other , Feverfew is a be careful with also ,

Purslane for omega 3 a heart health herb only a few plants contain the Omega 3

This and others about the herbs are good reading ,

It is always wise to research a herb before using it.
Just because it is commonly used does not mean it is safe for everyone to use.

I have recently made and like a rubbing alcohol liniment with a large amount of goldenseal in it. After gardening my wrists ate throbbing and this has been quite relieving,

As I checked my herbs to see what was coming up first I got to thinking about how Nature gives us the plants we need to remain healthy each season.
For instance, Spring is rampant with viruses going around and one of my first herbs up was Lemon Balm which has a reputation for being great for dealing with viruses.

Then there was comfrey which is up in time for us to use it to relieve those muscle aches we get while we get outside and work in our gardens.

Which herbs do you use during the seasons as they are ready to be used for what ails you?

Bonehead said:I am currently researching anti-inflammatory herbs, for use in salves for arthritis. Both my husband and I have osteo-arthritis and don't like to rely on OTC drugs which can be problematic for the liver and/or kidneys. My last salve was infused olive oil, with cannabis, oregano, comfrey, and some other herbs. It was a pretty loose concoction but absorbed well and seems to bring some relief. Unfortunately, I lost the precise recipe in my last computer crash, so will start anew when things start growing this spring. I also plan to try to distill oils direct from the plants -- I've read that one can put the herbs in a water bath, bring to a simmer, with an inverted lid over the water that drips into an elevated bowl in the middle of the pot. That is on my list of things to try.

Hi there. This is very interesting. Can you tell us more about anti-inflammatory herbs that we can just put in a tea or eat the leaves in a salad or in a smoothie. When I was a kid, I used to make an oil for my mum (she has varicose veins). So, a friend of mine (who is into herbal medication) suggested the following mixture:
-80% baseoil (he recommended almond)
-20% other oils (three in total: lemon, orange and lavender oil....the citric ones work as cleaners...dunno what that means exactly and the lavender was the soothing one).

I used to rub this into her legs and it worked relatively well. It didnt cure her, but it helped easy the pain.

Mindy03 said:Deb add coriander in your arthritis salve. It contains a compound that blocks the chemical action that causes the pain.

Hi Mindy,

Does it work as a natural painkiller? Or it heals while reducing inflammation?

mom2goldens said:Well stated, Deb. It is unfortunate we do not have a better system in place to assure the purity of supplements, including herbal preparations.

I am pretty sure there is a system or there could be a system in place (one that can be easily set up), but it is not in the interest of pharmaceutical companies (or of anyone in a specific business) to educate people on the matter. We would stop buying after a while and they wouldnt close down. but surely use a massive market share.

I stopped taking pills (even things like painkillers) about 2 years ago. Pointless. In the long run they just make things worse (IMHO). Obviously some people have serious illnesses they need to deal with, but that's a different story.

jimard8 said: Lot of poison ,plants and herbs ,, takes care using them ,,
Wormwood is one I have been reading about for Anti - carcinogenic properties ,
Basil and feverfew are two other , Feverfew is a be careful with also ,

Purslane for omega 3 a heart health herb only a few plants contain the Omega 3

This and others about the herbs are good reading ,

Basil too? Do explain that. This is something I'd like to know more about.